❖❜ JOB TYPE » ESCAPEE ❖❜ LOCATION » OCEAN SPRINGS, MISSISSIPPI ❖❜ DANGER » ✧✧✧✧✧ ❖❜ BRIEF »
The individual Dakotah Bailey recently took off from Decibitus straight back to Earth. They did go straight back to where they were living before their demise, so it shouldn't be too hard to track them down if you manage to track down their old usual haunts.
Decibitus hall got a report of some unlucky soul getting caught up in all the wards and protections over in Kamakura. Again. A few reapers should be able to search the areas easily enough--just try not to mess with the film crew that's over there.
❖❜ PARTICIPANTS » EDWARD | MIRIAM | CHASE | LUCIAN
❖❜ JOB TYPE » WISP ❖❜ LOCATION » MT. ARAPILES, VICTORIA ❖❜ DANGER » ✦✧✧✧✧ ❖❜ BRIEF »
Well... this is a little embarrassing. It looks like Gali and Vorya lost track of a wisp they were chasing when it ran up the mountain. Neither of them ever picked up flight and have no experience climbing, so we have to call for backup.
“The Departure Rail hasn’t made a trip in three weeks.”
Elliot ran his fingers through his hair, looking frazzled despite his usual competence. Miss Death couldn't help but feel a sense of pity for the man, though her expression showed little change even as she gently stroked Mochi's silken coat. Eyes of pale ice gazed out to the station in the center of Decibitus, aware of how dire the situation could go. The Departure Rail normally ran three times a day. It had been doing that even before her own arrival in the city, and it had done so without fail with only a few key exceptions to the woman's memory. That it remained locked in place for three weeks was alarming--a risk, she might even say. Her fingers continues to rub at Mochi's ear, her next words carefully chosen.
“I can ask some of my field agents to look into things in the After,” she started, her voice as calm as ever. “Though even they won't be able to travel far.”
“I–no, I didn’t mean to ask for your reapers to–” Elliot stammered for a moment before releasing a heavy sigh, a motion to pinch the bridge of his nose pushing thin-framed spectacles up to his forehead for a moment. “That would be helpful. Thank you.”
But his acquiescence was hesitant, so Miss Death waited. Silent anticipation pressed heavy over both parties, each expecting the other to speak. As always, Elliot broke first.
“Aren’t you worried?”
Miss Death was more than aware that she should have been, but such distant emotions never quite felt real. She shook her head despite the vague pangs of unease settling in her stomach.
“I think my field agents can handle it.” Miss Death was confident of that. They were the only ones that really could. At best, she might only be able to press for an answer from someone that knew better. “But I also need to ask a favor first.”
“Anything you need, Miss Death.”
✦ 𝙱𝙴 𝚁𝙴𝚂𝙿𝙴𝙲𝚃𝙵𝚄𝙻 This is a big umbrella rule that basically boils down to "don't be a dick". Be respectful to your fellow players, be respectful to the co-GMs or mods, be respectful to me. If you find you have a problem with another player, please take it to DMs. If you find that you still cannot come to an agreement, that would be the time to find a GM in case there does need to be a removal from the roleplay.
Please also respect that I may need to add, remove, or alter rules and reserve my right to do so as necessary.
✦ 𝙰𝙱𝙾𝚄𝚃 𝙼𝙾𝙳 𝙿𝚁𝙾𝙳𝚂 Hi, this is a roleplay and that requires posts. To facilitate that, approximately every seven days, A GM will be posting a mod prod, which is basically just an activity check. To not get caught in a mod prod, all you have to do is to either have posted or contributed a meaningful amount to a collab. If you miss a bunch of these in a row without giving any mods a heads up, I reserve the right to move your character as needed and/or remove your character from the roleplay if the issue can't be resolved.
✦ 𝙰𝙱𝙾𝚄𝚃 𝙲𝙾𝙼𝙱𝙰𝚃 To make my life easier, most significant combat will be handled with a simple dice roll system. Please read the pinned post in the dice roll channel or the appropriate hider for additional details on the system. While much of combat will be players doing as they please, GMs may ask for players to tone down in combat if they feel that such a need arises.
✦ 𝙰𝙱𝙾𝚄𝚃 𝚂𝙾𝙻𝙱𝙸𝚃𝚂 These are basically "Decibibucks" that are distributed for posts. You gain them for use at the end of an arc/encounter/mission and can use them to purchase perks and bonuses for use in a future encounter. Solbits will be tallied at every mod prod.
Dice rolls will be used for instances of combat where your characters may not be expected to steamroll the opposition. You may opt into dice combat for any encounter as well. The system itself is (hopefully!) not terribly difficult at its base. Please be aware that this system may change as we figure out what's smoother for everyone.
✦ 𝙲𝙾𝙼𝙼𝙰𝙽𝙳 𝚃𝙾 𝚁𝙾𝙻𝙻 .roll 1d20
✦ 𝙰𝙲𝙲𝚄𝚁𝙰𝙲𝚈 𝚁𝙾𝙻𝙻 (𝙰𝙲𝙲) Your first roll is the accuracy roll. This is whether your attack actually lands. All enemies will be given an EVA value that will be featured in its posts. All you need to do is roll a 1d20 and hope your number is higher than the enemy's EVA value.
If you land the exact EVA value, your attack is considered a critical hit.
If you have 2 or more characters working together to attack the same enemy simultaneously, everyone involved in the maneuver gains a +1 for each person involved to the accuracy roll (up to a maximum of +3).
A GM may choose to override a miss if combat gets stuck for too long.
✦ 𝙳𝙰𝙼𝙰𝙶𝙴 𝚁𝙾𝙻𝙻 If your first roll is successful, roll a 1d20 again to see how much damage you deal! This is just taking the number straight from the 1d20.
If you landed a critical hit, multiply the number by 1.3 to get the final damage.
✦ 𝙰𝙳𝙳𝙸𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽𝙰𝙻 𝙴𝙵𝙵𝙴𝙲𝚃𝚂 Things like bonus damage from poison or damage reductions/buffs from character skills will be handled on a case by case basis at the discretion of whoever is running the combat situation or, if necessary, by the GM.
The world that most people are familiar with--Earth is best described as the realm of the living. Despite the presence of magic, it has progressed almost identically to our own Earth.
As the realm of the living, the environment of Earth can be rather hostile to departed souls. Those that linger on Earth for too long begin to suffer ego decay, which slowly robs the departed of their sense of self. Eventually, this ego decay becomes serious enough that the departed loses all concept of their identity and becomes a wisp. Though they don't necessarily start as dangerous, wisps are highly sensitive to emotional stimuli and can become a threat to departed souls as well as living ones.
For a city found between death and life after death, Decibitus is surprisingly normal. If not for the fact that the boundaries of the city seem to suddenly cut into a world of white sand, one might not even suspect that they weren’t on Earth.
At about 90 square miles, Decibitus isn’t as large as a metropolis, but when a place doesn’t expect to see permanent residents, it doesn’t need as much space as one might expect. With apartments scattered in bunches throughout the city and ever-changing stores and restaurants lining the streets, one could call staying in the city peaceful, if sometimes a little dull. The architecture could use a little more uniformity, but the mishmash of buildings and styles is bound to happen when decisions change hands frequently due to the nature of Decibitus as a whole.
Still, it’s hard to say anyone is really unhappy. Departed souls that have found themselves in Decibitus are provided for, even if it’s only a superficial comfort for souls that no longer need to follow basic living sense. On arrival, apartments are provided to departed souls that go through the correct channels, complete with furnishing and plenty of necessities provided to get them situated. Combining that with the fact that departed souls effectively cease aging--in many cases, departed souls even take younger forms than the age they were at death--and won’t necessarily perish without basics like food and water can make one’s stay in the city much easier than expected.
𝙴𝙲𝙾𝙽𝙾𝙼𝚈
"Well, you can't take it with you."
Those are words that most people don't take to heart until they wake up in Decibitus with no money in their pockets and too much of a melting pot for it to have mattered to begin with. In order to best emulate a living city, Decibitus has an economy using currency known as Solbits. Though many shops not officially run by the city might make use of a bartering system, Solbits are effectively universally accepted through the city as an exchange system due to their use in official channels.
Solbits are pearlescent coins approximately the size of an American half dollar engraved with an ornate halo on both sides. Each coin is worth a single unit with an average, complete meal from an eatery costing approximately 8-12 in the modern day. The secret to how they're made and what they're made of appears to be closely guarded.
Most departed souls don't make it a point to carry an enormous amount of coins on person, with the equivalent of debit cards being the preferred method of payment for many.
Of course, one would be remiss to talk about Decibitus without making note of its most intriguing locations.
𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙳𝙴𝙿𝙰𝚁𝚃𝚄𝚁𝙴 𝚁𝙰𝙸𝙻
If one were to ask what the most important location in Decibitus was, the general answer would be the Departure Rail. Located in the center of the city, the Departure Rail is a train with only a single destination: the After. Every day, three times a day at midnight, 8AM, and 4PM, the Departure Rail makes a trip to the After, bringing with it departed souls that have taken care of whatever it was they left behind in death to their afterlife. The station is large and modernized, leaving plenty of space for people to have a meal, wait, or kill some time before the train is prepared to make its next departure. The train itself, however, still has the appearance of a steam locomotive.
Despite the fluctuating number of people per trip to the After, the train never seems to be short on space, with the common belief being that whatever it is that allows the Departure Rail to enter and exit the After always ensures that there are enough carts for those making their final trip.
𝙻𝙸𝙶𝙴𝙽𝙰 𝙵𝙰𝚃𝙸, 𝙰𝙺𝙰 "𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙳𝙴𝙿𝚃𝙷𝚂"
The Ligena Fati, otherwise known as the Depths, is effectively an underground prison. On occasion, there are individuals that are deemed irredeemably dangerous unable to enter the After. These are primarily people who have violated the natural cycle of life and death in extremely egregious ways, though it’s anyone’s guess as to who makes the call in the end. In the modern day, the Ligena Fati is sparsely populated thanks to the presence of reapers that are able to unmake souls rather than keeping them trapped for eternity in a cell. As one might expect of a semi-abandoned prison, the Ligena Fati isn’t exactly hospitable, especially in comparison to the rest of the city.
It is known that there is a maximum security cell located deep within the prison housing the Necromancer. However, security for this cell is extremely tight with only a select few having permission to visit it and fewer still with any desire to do so.
𝙻𝚄𝙲𝙴𝙼𝙰 𝚁𝙴𝙶𝙸𝙽𝙸, 𝙰𝙺𝙰 "𝚁𝙴𝙰𝙿𝙴𝚁𝚂 𝚁 𝚄𝚂"
The headquarters for all things related to reapers. Lucema Regini is a small office building with four floors. For all intents and purposes, floors two through four are typical office spaces where paperwork is processed. Thanks to the efforts of a number of people over the years, the building is actually pretty comfortable as a whole.
The first floor lacks office spaces, but has training rooms for reapers to get exercise or weapon practice in–notably, Miss Death strictly forbids activating one’s weapon core in the building outside of the training rooms. A full cafeteria is also located on the first floor, though most workers could tell you that the only thing worth getting from it are the sweets.
Miss Death’s personal office is located on the fourth floor of the building. It’s an open secret that a small door behind her desk leads into a small living space and that the woman lives in the building as opposed to an actual apartment.
Notably, Miss Death applies an incredibly complex spell she refers to as "Speaker's Babel" to the building and rewrites it every week. The spell in question allows for a sort of universal translation--so long as the caster can understand the language, the words will be parsed into one that a listener can comprehend.
𝙼𝙰𝙻𝚄𝙲𝙷 𝙿𝚁𝙰𝙴𝚃𝙸, 𝙰𝙺𝙰 "𝙼𝚄𝙻𝙲𝙷"
Once, Decibitus earmarked a section of undeveloped land to create more permanent residences than the standard apartments. This endeavor ultimately ended up as an abandoned project in the middle of construction due to constantly changing leadership and a general lack of necessity. As a result, Maluch Praeti wound up being the place to go in order to find things that might not be so kindly looked upon by the public.
This is where Uchi’s workshop is set up, and it appears his presence does keep a lid on any unsavory activity in the area. Due to the recent and sudden failure of the Departure Line, talks have started about trying to restart the project in the event of a worst-case scenario.
𝙳𝙴𝙲𝙸𝙱𝙸𝚃𝚄𝚂 𝙷𝙰𝙻𝙻
Effectively the equivalent of city hall in Decibitus. The general populace primarily comes here to get clearance for a return trip to Earth or to let someone know that they intend to take the Departure Rail to the After. Decibitus Hall also works closely with Lucema Regini for job types involving the return of departed souls to Decibitus from Earth. This is also where departed souls are first directed so they can be given an apartment and set up for their time within Decibitus.
𝙼𝙴𝙼𝙾𝚁𝙸𝙰𝙻 𝙿𝙰𝚁𝙺
A large park about three blocks from Decibitus Hall. It’s a popular place for gatherings due to the ambience and general upkeep, but the reason many people remember it is because of Silver Waters.
Silver Waters is a small pond in Memorial Park with, as the name suggests, ethereal, silver-like water. The pond is currently closed off to the public and has a fence set up around its perimeter because people kept taking a dip in the lake or sipping the waters. The acts were less of the issue so much as the fact that incidents kept occurring to those that did so. Painful ones that left people wanting to be unmade.
𝙰𝚁𝙲𝙷 𝙾𝙵 𝚆𝙰𝙽𝙳𝙴𝚁𝙴𝚁𝚂
The Arch of Wanderers is located at the southern end of Decibitus and acts as the point of entry and exit for departed souls making trips to Earth. Recantia, a spring filled with iridescent smoke, is also located on the grounds of the Arch of Wanderers and is the location where departed souls from Decibitus return if they happen to be killed while on Earth.
Not much is known about the After, even by those in Decibitus. What is known, however, is that the After, unlike Decibitus and Earth, has a sort of one-way boundary. Under typical circumstances, a departed soul can enter the After, but it cannot leave after crossing the barrier between it and the other realms. However, it appears that reapers, at least, are able to breach the barrier where it is weakest–at a place on the outskirts known only as the Kiln. Even here, reapers aren’t able to stay put for long, lest they be trapped in the After before they are ready to move on.
𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙺𝙸𝙻𝙽
A sort of processing center located in the After for the remains of unmade souls. According to information gathered by prior reapers, the Kiln is the start and end point in the cycle of one’s life and death. Unmade remains that are brought here can be effectively reconstructed into a new existence, allowing the soul to return to Earth as a new life. Unlike the modern appeal of Decibitus, the Kiln appears to have a more archaic type of architecture, looking more like an old cathedral than any sort of processing center.
In the present day, magic is common knowledge and widely practiced through Earth, which means it is equally practiced in the realms following Earth. Most countries on Earth will include magic within the general curriculum of their education to teach the foundations of the craft, at the least. However, despite magic thriving now, it was only within the last 400 years that the public really started to incorporate it into everyday life despite records of magic's existence dating back to the ninth century. In the past few centuries, it has become more formulaic across users, but has also been understood to a more significant degree. Most mages that undergo formal training are of a more academic type in the modern day due to the amount of effort and study required to truly practice magic.
All magic in the world has its basis in Vertan, a language otherwise known as the world script. By imbuing spoken or written words and phrases of Vertan with magic, spells can be crafted and cast. Though Vertan provides the vessel for the magic spell, it’s important to note that an individual’s own pool of magic ties into their ability as a mage. Much like athletes can increase their strength and stamina through training, mages can increase the amount of magic available to them through training as well.
There are two systems of magic known to exist: spoken magic and written magic. Most casual use of magic is performed through speaking, but formally trained mages have experience in both.
The first type of magic that an individual will typically learn is spoken magic. As the name suggests, spells of this system are cast by incanting Vertan words and phrases out loud. Of the two systems, spoken magic is considered to be easier to grasp and understand, particularly because requirements appear to be far less stringent in creating a desired effect. Most magic used by the average person is spoken because of its speed and convenience.
However, in formal practice, spoken magic is often set aside in favor of written magic. This is because while spoken magic is easier to cast, it is exponentially less precise and acts as a poor vehicle for complex spells or anything persistent. Furthermore, spoken magic tends to be less predictable and consistent than its written counterpart, and the same spell one has cast dozens of times might sometimes have an unexpected effect due to the instability.
In most settings where magic is formally practiced, one will find that written magic reigns supreme. Where spoken magic is faster and more convenient, written magic is valued for precision and complexity. As one should expect, written magic is cast by inscribing Vertan words and infusing them with magic. Compared to spoken magic, written magic is much stricter in terms of formulation of a spell. However, that comes with substantial payoffs in precision, consistency, and the potential for complex or persistent magic. With enough foresight, one can even prepare spells ahead of time to circumvent the time required for a spell.
Time and knowledge, however, are still often the great limiter when written magic comes into play. Even setting aside the amount of time put into learning the precise construction of a spell, each word has to be inscribed and imbued with magic–a process that takes more energy and time than one should expect from spoken magic.
Regardless of the type of magic, only the individual who creates a spell is able to cast it. This means that if a spell is inscribed or spoken by one caster, another magic user would not be able to hijack the spell. In a similar vein, if a spell is written or has multiple users involved in its incantation, all involved parties would have to be present and participating in its activation for it to take effect. All magic can also only work once before having to be rewritten or incanted again.
The colloquial name given to Miss Death’s field agents, though even Miss Death has taken to referring to them by the grim title. All reapers are under the employ of MIss Death at Lucema Regini and, according to the woman herself, all possess a certain shared quality that makes them eligible to be reapers. What exactly that quality is, she’s never articulated, but that certainly hasn’t stopped rumors from flying.
While much of how a reaper functions is a mystery to the greater public, a reaper’s common abilities are well known through Decibitus.
First, reapers are all abnormally strong while they are on Earth. Their physical parameters all seem to be enhanced beyond what they would normally be capable of, meaning they are stronger, faster, and more durable so long as they are in the realm of the living. Moreover, reapers are uniquely resistant to the ego decay that would spell certain doom to other departed souls, making them the best fit for many of their jobs.
Interestingly enough, it appears that unlike a typical departed soul, reapers are able to make themselves visible to living humans and can, within a small radius of themselves, temporarily make other departed souls visible as well.
Finally, all reapers are allegedly capable of floating or limited flight. While they aren’t able to take to the skies as freely or quickly as a bird, clearing buildings a few stories high at speeds faster than they might be able to walk is entirely possible. Miss Death has asserted that all reapers should be able to perform the feat in theory, but in practice, many reapers struggle tremendously with the concept and have difficulty performing the task (assuming they are able to at all).
Upon completion of training, all reapers are given a weapon core from Miss Death. They take the form of small, gem-like structures filled with a black, smoky substance. Under most cases, MIss Death will offer to have them inlaid into accessories to make keeping them on-hand easier. Evidently, she seems to be capable of creating them in simple shapes as well.
Once obtained, a core can be taken to Uchi, who will forge it into a reaper’s personal weapon–one might consider it their “scythe” of sorts. When inactive, the cores remain in their gem-like form, but when activated, the black substance escapes its container to take the form of the reaper’s weapon. Uchi is able to forge these weapons according to specifications, including granting them specific functions that a normal weapon would be incapable of reproducing. For example, a sword that can illuminate itself or a wand that can create short-lived flowers for use. However, these effects aren’t at the level of magic, meaning a feat such as controlling the weather or manipulating the earth itself would be far beyond Uchi’s ability.
Notably, though Uchi is able to make ranged weaponry, ammunition created from the weapon itself will vanish if it is taken too far from the core, as it is a part of the weapon itself.
The reason why these weapons are so important, of course, are because they have the power to unmake virtually any soul. Though this is typically reserved for wisps and criminals imprisoned in Ligena Fati, a reaper would be able to unmake souls attached to a still-living person or a soul in the After with the weapon. Oddly enough, it appears that the weapons are incapable of unmaking Miss Death herself–likely because she is their source.
𝙳𝙴𝙿𝙰𝚁𝚃𝙴𝙳 𝚂𝙾𝚄𝙻 The general term used for those that have passed on and are no longer part of the living realm.
𝚆𝙸𝚂𝙿 When a soul remains on Earth after passing, whether of their own volition or through force, they begin to undergo ego decay. Eventually, this causes a soul to forget their identity and they become a wisp. Unlike typical departed souls, a wisp is able to harm (or even kill) living people on Earth directly by grievously harming or unmaking souls. They are even able to unmake the souls of reapers if they succeed in leaving severe enough injuries.
Due to their sensitivity to external stinumli, wisps can often take forms that are no longer human in shape. Often, these forms are influenced by the stimuli or by vestiges of the wisps’s former identity.
When a living being’s soul is damaged or unmade by a wisp, the individual falls unconscious and inevitably dies three days later.
𝚄𝙽𝙼𝙰𝙺𝙸𝙽𝙶 In its most basic sense, the unmaking of a soul is the destruction of an existence. Under most conditions, departed souls that perish from one method or another aren’t truly “dead” in the sense that they can recover from mortal injuries simply by returning to Decibitus. Being unmade, however, strips the soul of whatever identity it had before, thus preventing it from reforming to its prior state. To that end, one can consider the unmaking of a soul to be the removal of an existence from that point forward in time.
There are only two known ways to unmake a soul. The first is through a reaper’s weapon. Nobody has really made an effort to dissect the reason why this seems to be the case, but the method is both stable and complete. The second method is through severe damage to one’s soul through a wisp.Though there’s been no testing of this method (for obvious reasons), it’s believed that wisps may be able to inflict and amplify ego decay when they damage a soul. In severe cases, this can cause a soul to be unmade in an incomplete manner.
When a wisp successfully unmakes a soul, the damage caused to the soul makes it incompatible for a proper reconstruction, even when processed at the Kiln. As opposed to fully stripping the soul of its identity, it’s more accurate to say that the identity is eroded beyond the point of recognition. When reconstruction is attempted on souls unmade in this fashion, it results in a Hollow LIfe.
𝚁𝙴𝚂𝙸𝙳𝚄𝙴 When a soul is unmade, it leaves behind a shimmering residue that can be gathered up and brought to the Kiln for processing. Residue is naturally drawn to itself, allowing it to be gathered and contained easily enough. In most cases, there’s no issue if residue is mixed from multiple souls, as an unmade soul should have no identity. Residue left behind by souls unmade by wisps, however, will contaminate other residue if contact is made.
𝙷𝙾𝙻𝙻𝙾𝚆 𝙻𝙸𝙵𝙴 The result when the residue left behind by a soul unmade through a wisps’s work is reconstructed at the Kiln. Though it appears normal and can be sent to Earth, the damage caused by the wisp isn’t repaired. The existence that comes from the reconstruction is a tragic occurrence; an individual with no emotion, no ambition, and no true sense of identity. People born in this state typically live extremely short lives. Because of this, when a Hollow Life is found or when a Hollow Life will occur, reapers are typically called to unmake the soul properly immediately after its reconstruction to repair the damage.
𝚁𝙴𝙲𝙾𝙽𝚂𝚃𝚁𝚄𝙲𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽 The start and end point for a soul in the cycle, according to those that work the Kiln. When a soul is unmade, the residue can (and should) be brought to the Kiln, where it can then be processed and reconstructed into an entirely new soul and existence. Beyond placing residue into the Kiln, it appears that the process takes place without human interference. On the one hand, this prevents external errors, but on the other hand, it leaves the entire process as an unsolved mystery.
❖❜ JOB TYPE » ESCAPEE ❖❜ LOCATION » OCEAN SPRINGS, MISSISSIPPI ❖❜ DANGER » ✧✧✧✧✧ ❖❜ BRIEF »
The individual Dakotah Bailey recently took off from Decibitus straight back to Earth. They did go straight back to where they were living before their demise, so it shouldn't be too hard to track them down if you manage to track down their old usual haunts.
Decibitus hall got a report of some unlucky soul getting caught up in all the wards and protections over in Kamakura. Again. A few reapers should be able to search the areas easily enough--just try not to mess with the film crew that's over there.
❖❜ PARTICIPANTS » EDWARD | MIRIAM | CHASE | LUCIAN
❖❜ JOB TYPE » WISP ❖❜ LOCATION » MT. ARAPILES, VICTORIA ❖❜ DANGER » ✦✧✧✧✧ ❖❜ BRIEF »
Well... this is a little embarrassing. It looks like Gali and Vorya lost track of a wisp they were chasing when it ran up the mountain. Neither of them ever picked up flight and have no experience climbing, so we have to call for backup.
This is both a post in case my stupid ass forgot something and a post to mention that obviously the solbit shop and job board are just fillers right now, but they'll be filled in as things progress!
✦ Edward Bennigan ✦ 29 ✦ Male ✦ Appearance: Edward is a somewhat tall, pale man with a light physique and raven black hair. His eyes are a dark brown, and his cheeks and nose are tinged slightly red; vaguely appearing as if he were sick. He often sports some fancy, and rather, nerdy blue loose fitting cloak as if to embrace the stereotypically nerdy side of a dungeons and dragons dork embracing the arts of wizardry. In a more casual setting he prefers loose t-shirts, hoodies, and sweatpants or shorts. ✦ Weapon: A simple black wooden staff with a purple orb embedded at the top, which harnesses electricity. The staff can unleash a discharge of electrical currents up to 30 feet away. In addition to its scorching power, the electricity has enough kick to potentially push targets back. The discharge can last for about 10 seconds.
Its core form rests on a gold ring.
Time was running out. It was never enough time; A spell like this, he should have tried to work on first. What good was making a dead dog move anyway? What good was making a cool sword? Magic was, as he had protested to his family, a solution to their problems. And yet, why did he wait until the first sign that she wasn't okay?
Anne...
Its been 10 years, watching her slowly decay. The doctors said she wouldn't make 5, yet here she was; sticking it out to the end. She was always stubborn like that, not that she expected to get any better.
"Not that stupid book again." Protested the pale figure on the bed, a hint of playful sarcasm peering out from an otherwise withered voice. Her eyes barely open but was all too familiar of the routine. "I have it this time, Anne, really! I promise, you're going to get better."
"The doctor said you shouldn't be bringing that in here. Honestly, Edd..." Despite the wheezing and coughing, her voice still had hints of that warm fire that she used to sound like. Despite her condition, she hasn't really changed. She never believed in me. Its always been like that.
Since I first showed her, moving a dead frog on its own. It was funny how it freaked her out at the time but..She never saw how it could help. No one did. Not his family, not his school friends, his teachers. The whole town were either apathetic or scornful of such practices. An affront to nature, some would say. A waste of time from others. To hell with them, but it won't be Anne's time now.
"I finally figured it out, Anne. Its been 10 years but I can fix you! I-And you're still here despite what they said. Don't you see? Its- its like destiny!" Anne wasn't convinced, Ed's voice wasn't particularly convincing either. Panicked croaking between each promise. He wasn't really sure what would happen. He knew, at least partially, that the spell should heal. But would it be enough? Could he endure the cost? The sacrifice? He was sure. He calculated this. He knew, in the next few hours, she'd be discharged from the hospital and the two of them can scream at the sun in overwhelming triumph. That both their parents will celebrate all the work he put into those 10 years instead of finding a proper job. It was this moment. This was the day he'd triumph over nature. Spit god himself in the face for allowing such a cruel world to exist. It may not be anything significant compared to the source of his inspirations. The work he's read from that strange old cabin. The promises...the ideas. But its a step forward.
A hand was placed over her forehead. "Okay Edd, I'll let you do it one more time.." She relented with a huff, though it seemed to be more out of pity over his fruitless efforts to 'save' her. Arcane words would escape his mouth, following the motion of his hand, his old book held in his other hand as he read it out loud. Before, he'd say a litany of other odd phrases, failed spells with nothing but chirping crickets and a somber patient to accompany his failure. This time, was truly different. As her withered flesh slowly began to rejuvenate. Though it took her a moment to realize, her eyes widened upon realizing the sudden lift in her condition. But that joy was short lived, replaced by a concerned inquiry.
"Ed?" She repeated, as the sorcerer seemed stiff.
"Edd! Eddie!" She cried out, the sudden shift creating a myriad of emotions. A hole was burning over his chest, through his shirt; where his heart was. Only it wasn't on fire, it as smoldering and rotting rapidly to dust. And through the process, Edward was frozen; almost so. His eyes, started to move one last time as shock of the pain subsided briefly before his mortality came to a close. His mouth opening, he was about to say something. "See? You're all better now" "Just kidding!" "I'm sorry." "I love you." Words that she wanted to hear. What she wanted him to say. But instead what came out was what she feared. Nothing. Not even a whimper, just...silence. And then he fell, stiff as a board, along the hospital floor. Whatever he intended to say, she would never find out.
✦ Magic Branch Necromancy. ✦ Magic Edward has been fascinated in arcane research since he was young, despite the disapproval of family and friends; thus he is well experienced in basic spells and even implementing both written and spoken variations of his own work.
Spoken
A powerful spell that is derived from the philosophy of life and death being one cycle. By decaying an amount of organic matter, the spell will heal a near equivalent amount to another organic target, or take pieces from one part of the body to repair another. It is, in essence, a brute force method of healing derived from necromancy. Due to the unconventional and volatile nature of this spell, it is extremely difficult to use and causes fatigue, Thus the limit is once per day.
When speaking the spell, the caster must place a hand on the over the wound it wishes to regenerate and the target it is taking mass from. Limited to a flower’s worth of mass and currently can’t perform the spell consistently more then once a day. Due to the fatigue it places on Ed, it is inefficient to try and heal himself unless if it is to repair a critical injury. The healing can also re-attach limbs provided the limbs are mostly in tact. Fatal injuries can't be specified from targets, unless if it is delivered to Edward himself as a form of sacrificial healing.
Learned and mastered both written and spoken forms.
A reanimation spell that requires non-animate bone mass to function. As a written spell, Ed can create up to three skeletons from a sufficient amount of bone mass. (The bone mass does not need to be exact.) If the bones don't have an anatomy or are too destroyed, the spell will reform them as human skeletons by default. Animal skeletons can be revived in the same manner, but they can only be as large as a bear and only if the anatomy of the initial mass is still in tact; in theory Ed could attempt to make a custom anatomy, like a spider made of bones and a human skull; though this requires a lot of prep work and bone material to construct before casting the spell. Arthropod exoskeletons can be used in theory, but they are much harder to use then traditional bones and are more dependent on quality (and can't default to a human anatomy.) Fossils can be used, but are also difficult, usually those aren't efficient. (Though even old bones are reinforced after reanimation.)
Though the spell doesn't target flesh or other biomaterial, any flesh and organs still possessed on a corpse are animated with the skeleton and partially reinforced (Creating more of a 'zombie' if the corpse is relatively fresh), but aren't essential to the skeleton's general construction.
The reanimated function almost like puppets as they respond to ed's control; simple commands and motions need some focus, with complex movements or actions requiring complete focus. The spell's duration for this written form is roughly 24 hours, it can be re-casted before the duration ends to refresh that duration. Each time a skeleton is reanimated upon the magic strains its general composition, so that every cast risks destroying the skeleton.
After the skeleton is reanimated, the bones are reinforced by the dark magic that binds them, as well as connecting their joints. Though they are not hard to sever by those joints, they can be easily re-attached. However, they cannot repair the bones matter itself. The flesh and other body-parts that are apart of the reanimated body are also somewhat reinforced by magic, but not as much as the bones themselves and thus are the first to fall off when taking significant damage. Fleshy corpses can provide some additional, albeit temporary protection due to this.
If the spell's effect ends on a skeleton whether by duration, failed reanimation, or damage, their bone mass will completely disintegrate to dust; preventing further use. There can only ever be three reanimated under the written spell's control, recasting the spell with new targets will cause any excess reanimated over the amount to be destroyed as well. Additionally, any reanimated that is larger then a human skeleton will count as three summons due to strain of maintaining such mass.
If the spell is spoken, it will instead imbue a target with a temporary burst of life. Due to its lack of permeance, the spell doesn't interfere with the written summon limit, though it can only target one mass per cast. Doing so will cause the bone mass to animate and move in a specific direction by the caster within a span of 10 seconds. During this animation the mass can opt a new shape instead of defaulting into a stable skeletal anatomy, such as a spike made of bones emerging from the pile, a bone wall, or otherwise launching them as an unconventional projectile as some examples. Due to the brief nature of the spoken version, it won't automatically cause the bone mass to disintegrate afterwards, though if used frequently on the same pile within a close timeframe will cause the strain to destroy them.
Learned and mastered both written and spoken forms.
This spell conjures up to four blades composed of spectral blades made of blood and ghostly fire. In its spoken form, the swords take a temporary form, hovering either just above Edward himself or directly out from the palm of his hand, and can be launched outward to chase a target with a limited homing precision (general effective range of 60 feet.) Upon hitting their target, the blade will burst and inflict a necrotic curse in which the wounded target's senses are blurred and generally have a harder time moving for a duration of one minute.
In its written form, the swords are persistent but lose their ability to be launched. In their inert state, they will continue to hover around Edward and can move within a space of 5 feet. With proper concentration and reaction, he can will those swords to move, attack, or block as basic actions. they can also be 'discarded' to lose their autonomy (Discarded phantom swords can't regain autonomy once done without recasting the spell) and instead be wielded as a weapon. In doing so, the weapon can persist away from Edward up to a distance of 100 feet (if the range limit is exceeded the sword will vanish.) In the written state, the curse can only be applied once per sword. Instead of inflicting immediately on injury, the caster has to manually trigger the curse (even if they aren't wielding it) on a target that has a wound from a corresponding sword (The curse can only be inflicted in this manner during the spell's initial duration, and not after its ended or re-casted.)
The duration of its written form lasts for one hour, two minutes in its spoken form.
Spoken only.
The spell conjures a spectral white hand that mimics the motions of Edward's left hand, only it also can move within a range of 15 feet from the left hand's point. The spectral hand can generally function as an additional hand and can also retract entirely into his left hand to easily fetch items. It can also effectively punch, grab, lift, etc with reasonable force though upon taking significant damage will cause the spell to fade.
Extra: For general spell knowledge, Edward keeps a trusty tome with his general research all recorded down, as well as notes, observations, ramblings and blank pages towards the back in case he needs to prepare written spells.
He is very possessive and secretive of that spellbook.
For most of his written spell use, he prefers to use paper talismans that are relatively cheap and easy to prepare, and versatile enough to be thrown when needed.
He carries three bags filled with general bones (usually animal bones) for his craft, as well as two smaller 'reserve' bone bags. As well as additional useless trinkets, inks, and curiosities stored within a satchel that he often has around a belt.
Edward has practiced some degree of flight, but can really only levitate, hover, and drift at a somewhat slow pace and currently isn't able to maintain it consistently.
He's also on the lower end of average in physical prowess when it comes to reapers, relying on his spells to do the heavy work for him and keeping a distance in combat.
✦ Apparent Age: 27 ✦ Actual Age: ??? ✦ Gender: Female ✦ Years in Service: 39 ✦ Weapon: Chain Whip
✧ Usually worn as an earring while in it's gem form, when active it takes the shape of smoky black razors linked together in a long chain and attached to a simple handle. It functions surprisingly well as a whip, and Lena is decently accurate with it. Even more surprisingly is that it can also be used a sort of rope and lasso. Uchi outdid himself when he made it possible for the razor blades to tuck in, making whether the weapon cuts or not depending on the flick of a switch embedded in the handle. Ref.
✦ Appearance:
Lena is a woman that clearly cares about how she looks. She very much enjoys the daily routine of painting her face with make-up and keeping her hair and nails looking nice. Though she has experimented with styles in the past, she usually keeps her hair long and straight - and yes she is a natural red head. While in the office she wears simple clothes with a touch of elegance, but on days off or during work trips to Earth she prefers dressing much fancier. In particular she loves to wear Victorian and Gothic inspired dress to "look the part." She was a little taller than average while she was alive, but in the modern era her height is the median. Her build is more on the slender side, and her pale skin doesn't do much to bring out her gray eyes (but that's where the eye make-up comes in).
✧ How did you die?
"How I died...? That's... a bit personal to ask on a first date, isn't it? Ufufufu... huh? This isn't a date? Then why I am I even - nevermind, you're still buying me dinner aren't you? Good.
"So. My death. I'm curious as to why you're curious... are you expecting something weird? Exciting? Something scandalous~? Ha, well..." She glanced down to the glass on the table in front of her, dragging a finger along the rim in slow circles. "I'll tell you it's the exact opposite of weird, exciting, or scandalous. Why don't you try and guess?"
She looked back up, her lips pulling into an amused expression. She shook her head with every guess, her smile growing wider at the more outlandish suggestions as to how she may have died. After her conversation partner gave up Magdalena leaned back in her chair and crossed one leg over the other. Her arms folded in the same way and she raised an arm to gesture as she spoke.
"Brace yourself for this one, okay~? ...'Cardiomyopathy.' I only learned that word much later. At the time I thought... well I thought I was just stressed. Then I dropped dead!" She laughed, at first genuinely but it died down into a hollow sound. "I guess they call it 'heart disease' too. That sounds a bit more romantic, don't you think? Her heart was too big, it worked too hard! She died from loving too much! That's what they told people. It's what I tell people, too."
She hummed lightly, masking the melancholy tone she'd dipped into. She raised the glass to her mouth, savoring the wine's taste. She had considered the tale over, but her company had more to ask. She blinked at the person across the table, holding their gaze for a few moments. When she set the glass down after that it was with a playful smirk.
"...hm? How I ended up in Decibitus? Why, was that story not traumatic enough for you? 'A stopped heart alone is no reason not to pass on' you're thinking. You'd be right. Tell me, do you know what a grudge is? It started with that. Ufufu... Let's just save that story for our second date."
✦ Magic Branch: Transmutation
✦ Magic
Most of Lena's magic is spoken, making its effects temporary and within a limited area. She does carry written versions of her spells that she takes with her on jobs just in case they might be needed - she has her personal supply of sticky notes for just such a task. The written versions naturally last longer, or cover a much larger area.
✧ Lentavy - Sticky
Usually applied to floors or walls to keep the target in place, but can be applied to any inanimate object. Decently strong adherence, but nothing that can't be escaped using sheer power.
✧ Repkaci - Bouncy
Generally used as an emergency spell against being splatted, when applied to a surface it becomes trampoline-like. The spell also sees uses in making spring surfaces for Reapers that can't get a handle on flight yet. Limited to about a 12ft/4m area at max.
✧ Leviaha - Lightweight
At it's strongest as a written spell, it can make whatever it is applied to as light as a feather. Most often used to make clearing obstacles easier, or soften the blow of incoming attacks. When spoken it is limited to objects approximately 6-8ft in size, when written it's about five times as strong.
✧ Acustry - Sharp
A spell that can make even the most mundane objects into dangerous ones. Lena hasn't mastered the written form yet, so it is limited in scope at the moment.
✦ Name: Vera Andreyevna Makarova (but, Vera, Vera will do just fine) ✦ Age: 27 years ✦ Age (Appearance): 27 years ✦ Gender: Female ✦ Time in Service: X ✦ Appearance: Hard to miss in a crowd, Vera is tall, measuring well over six feet. Maintaining the habits of her mortal life, Vera remains committed to keeping herself in tip top shape, and despite the fact that it provides her little physical benefit Vera continues to dedicate a portion of each day to physical exercise. Colored by a lifetime spent getting into and out of trouble, Vera has by neccesity developed a functional, athletic build. Her movements are fluid, agile, and efficient, if perhaps a bit uncouth and surprisingly quiet.
Fond of subtle acts of defiance, Vera has a modest collection of tattoos inked across her light skin. Of particular note is the large, roaring tiger, covering most of her back. Inquiries as to the meaning of any of her tattoos is rarely well-received and Vera seems oddly reluctant to permit others, even other reapers, the briefest of glances of the symbols etched into her skin.
Her last remaining vanity from her time as a mortal is her long blond hair that reaches past her shoulders. Unless the situation demand otherwise, she keeps her hair pulled back into a well-ordered ponytail. Her pale blue eyes are far from cold and burn with a carefully contained fury. Beneath a collected exterior smoulders quite the temperament and Vera goes to great lengths to hide this usually unwelcome trait. However, woe be it to those who manage to crack Vera's mask of professionalism and see real anger in her eyes.
In death, Vera is an exceptionally formal dressers. She favors bespoke three piece suits in solid colors, cut in all manner of fashions and fabrics, but inevitably dyed in shades of gray or black. maintains a tasteful collection of ties and dress shirts. One of her most cherished possession is a pair of black 14-hole Dr. Martens boots adorned with gunmetal gray shoelaces, shaped from smooth leather, and polished until they are as spotless as a mirror.
A chain smoking fiend in life and unlife, Vera is rarely found without a pack of cigarettes and a battered Zippo lighter engraved with an enameled US military crest. The discerning customer might note that the reaper smokes a long discontinued brand of Soviet era cigarettes, simply called Laika, after the legendary space faring dog.
The Zippo lighter Vera perpetually carries on her person looks less like a well-kept museum object and more like a Zippo lighter that has been buried in the jungle for more than fifty years after being run over a couple of times by a tank for good measure. The factory engraving is worn down to the very metal, but upon a close examination it is still possible to make out the original text (SPECIAL FORCES GROUP, 1st SPECIAL FORCES VIETNAM). The lid has been hand engraved with a name (SFC Thomas E. Karlsson, 31st ENGR DET, 11 FEB 68 – FEB 69,). On the reverse of the lighter is a skillfully hand carved map of Vietnam.
On the reverse of the lighter is a skillfully hand carved map of Vietnam overlaid with words in Russian, Кто не рискует, тот не пьет шампанского.
How Vera acquired a Zippo lighter of Vietnam war vintage and why she seems to guard it so zealously remains a mystery.
✦ Weapon: Banishing all thoughts of brandishing a dagger, Vera instead wields a two handed longsword that has been meticulously forged in the style of a Western European 14-15th Century blade. The sword is long, reaching well over a meter in length, and slowly tapers into an exceedingly sharp point. Despite the size of her sword, Vera's chosen weapon is no brutish, unnecessarily heavy bludgeon, but rather a precisely balanced weapon intended for medieval warfare.
An exceptional example of the latest and greatest technological innovation in the early 14th century,centering on how to cut or skewer (through gaps in plate armor), Vera's sword possesses an expertly honed flat hexagonal blade cross-section and a weight saving fuller that runs along a third of the blade. In short, beyond being the unmistakable work of a master weapon smith, Vera's personalized bit of sharpened steel represents an optimized compromise between thrusting capability and good cutting characteristics.
✦ Magic Branch: Abjuration
✧ Surprising no one more than herself, Vera has talent for the protective magic spells generally considered to be at the heart of the school of Abjuration.
✦ Spells:
✧ Dispellere (Dispel Magic)
Targeting a creature, object, or magical effect within 120 feet, Vera dispels active spells centered on her chosen target. The exact number of spells that are dispelled depends on the level of magic employed to cast said spells and the time Vera has to cast her own magic. Given the on the fly nature of reaping Wisps with a capital W, Vera generally favors quick off the cuff verbal applications of dispel magic. However, when there is a need for a powerful shaped charge of magic countering energy, Vera has been known to commit the spell to writing in an ornate script befitting only the finest calligraphy books.
✧ Globus invulnerabilitatis (Globe of Invulnerability)
By channeling her magic through spoken or written words, Vera creates a faintly shimmering magical barrier around herself that protects her from physical and magical damage. The magical sphere appears in a 10-foot radius around Vera and remains for up to a maximum time of a minute. When casting this spell using spoken magic, Vera must decide whether the magical barrier protects against physical or magical damage. Furthermore, to guard against more powerful attacks, Vera requires more preparation. Weathering a blow from a very powerful foe, many foes at once, or very many powerful foes would require a lengthy amount of chanting or sizable stack of elaborately written spells prepared well in advance. Provided that the magical barrier holds, spells cast from outside of the barrier have no effect on creatures within the barrier and physical blows do nothing more than send sparks of magic into the air.
✧ Frigore Pyramidem (Cone of Cold)
Slinging a modified variant of the evocation spell, Vera sends a blast of cold air hurtling forward from her hands, enveloping everything caught within the cone of cold in sheets of ice. Creatures encased by the frost are significantly slowed down and suffer the ill effects of severe frostbite, receiving moderate cold damage. Surfaces or objects impacted by the icebound air are covered by a thick layer of ice that hinders movement due to a sudden, unwelcome slipperiness. The spell has a maximum range of some 60 feet.
✧ Vincula Fati (Imprisonment)
Summoning magical restraints, Vera firmly roots a target to the ground, holding them in place with the heavy ethereal binds. The target is bound until the spell ends or is dispelled, preventing any movement beyond that permitted by the spellcaster. When cast verbally, the spell takes almost a full minute for Vera to cast. Writing the spell takes significantly longer, but allows the spell to restrain much more powerful targets. Thematically, Vera prefers to inscribe the spell on objects such as chains, ropes or other bits of string. A decidedly close range spell, Vera must be within 30 feet or less to be able to magically imprison her foes. The lucky or powerful can avoid being bound by the spell by resisting the underlying magic at work.
✦ Texty Stuff:
Albert leaned against the dresser, sucking in air and wheezing. One hundred years. One hundred years of learning. One hundred years of research. One hundred years of biding his time. One hundred years of hiding. One hundred years of avoiding the monsters he knew lurked in the shadows. One hundred years of slipping away from the hunters, the collectors of the dead, the reapers, as some of his more learned brethren called them. There were obscure mentions in faded books. Whispers began to tell of figures emerging from beyond the pale. Beings without names, faceless and obscured. Small truths buried in centuries of rumors, impossible to extinguish, the stories endured. Even as evidence of the reapers presence was debated by the loose councils of wizards with the passing years.
Wasted. Wasted! Ruined by a single, momentary slip of his attention. He had felt so secure. He had been so comfortable. He had settled. He had acquired all the necessary regents. He had been so close to completing the ritual. So close! But now, now they had found him. Hunted him down. Chased him from one safe house to the next. They wouldn't stop. They didn't seem to sleep. He could see them everywhere. The same two women. A tall blonde wearing a suit. A short brunette with a pixie cut. They were walking nightmares that had invaded even his fitful rest.
He swallowed, feeling the lump growing in his throat. Tears burned at the edge of his eyes and he gasped for more air. He knew he didn't need to breath, he hadn't for some time, but he found the habit hard to break. They had been chasing him for days. He had burned his last contacts. He had called in his last favors. And still. Still, they pursued him, like bloodhounds, unwavering following his trail. They had driven him underground. They had forced their way past his wards. He had used the last of souls he had horded. They had exhausted resources acquired over long decades.
The heavy oak door splintered, flying off the hinges, as it shattered into hundreds of tiny wooden projectiles. Shadows coursed forward, a roiling wave of blackness that enveloped the room in a hazy fog. Albert felt dread poisoning him, rotting him from within as his hands began to shake.
He didn't wait to identify the solid figure that followed, bounding into the room in a fell swoop. The fireball in his hand roared across the room smashing into the door frame with a deafening boom. He dove for cover, closing his eyes, shielding them with his hands. He could feel the flames licking at him, the air being forced from his lungs by the hungry flames, and the painfully hot caress of the growing inferno as it exploded into existence. He could hear screaming, his own voice. Months of frustration and fear igniting across the surface of his spirit, a thick tar as dark as the night.
Silence. Silence followed.
Crawling from behind the charred dining room table, Albert opened his eyes, staring at a room full of ashes and crumbling cinder blocks. There was only the low flicker of the dying embers his spell had birthed. He allowed himself a smile, a brief moment of glee.
He saw the movement too late. The blade arced towards him and he watched as it cut through the wrist connecting his left hand to his left arm. A kick smashed into his sternum and sent him crumbling backwards against the wall. Howling in a mad rage, he muttered curses, sending a scorching ray of flames across the room, chasing the shadowy figure that darted away from him.
Tracing the path of his attacker, he dragged his remaining hand across the breadth of the ruined room. The jet of flame smashed into the figure with a sudden crack of arcane energy. Dividing, the fire flattened, folding to the away from the advancing figure that seemed to be pushing back the fire. Shoving his hand forward, Albert tried to push harder, sending even more flames flowing at his obscured opponent. He could feel his fingers going numb as he burned through his last reservoirs of energy.
His mouth twisted into a stubborn sneer as she tried to stand. Shifting into a surprised O as the blade ran him through. Stumbling, Albert fell and the back of his head smashed against the burnt rubble that had once been pristine hardwood floor. Bright light faded to darkness and Albert felt himself begin to fade. Propping himself up on his elbows, he tried to speak, rasping, and desperately grasping for words.
A flicker of metal shone from the nearby darkness. A loud metallic clink summoned sparks that leapt together into a small flame.
"I knew. I always knew you were coming."
"Все это было просто сном с самого начала," came the reply, a woman's voice, not unkind, and then a metal thunk as the flame vanished. "Никто из нас никогда не был свободен."
"I'm sorry...I don't understand. What did you say? I had to try."
"It was all just a dream to begin with," the woman said, stepping closer, a circle of burning embers gentle swaying near her mouth. A puff of smoke trailed behind her as she drew closer,"None of us have ever been free."
Albert felt a pang of anger, "Don't you speak to me that way! Don't you lecture me! I was free! I lived! What do you know!? Do you know what you are doing? Do you even know who you are working for? "
The woman shrugged easily, her sword hefted in the crook of her arm seemed light despite the size of the blade,"Doesn't matter. I don't care. I'm a cleaner. In this life and the next."
"You're a killer. You're a murder, just like me."
There was a hint of anger in her eyes, a rough frown flashed over her lips,"You damaged this world. You stole from the living. You damned souls far more innocent than you. Do not play games with me, Albert Colthurst. I know you. I know what you did. I know your crimes."
Albert faltered, pulling back in a moment of abrupt regret. He tried to crawl, but found his arms were useless.
"Smoke?" he heard from above him. She stood over him, as he rolled over, holding out a pack of cigarettes.
"I...I quit thirty years ago. For my wife. She never liked the smell. She said it was a dirty habit."
"Yes," the woman agreed, offering a small smile. "Very bad."
"I don't suppose she'll know? I don't suppose I have much time left? So why not, please, hand me a cigarette if you would?"
"No, not much time," she said, nodding solemnly. He struggled to follow her hands as the lighter flashed open again. Dark drops grew into large pools of blackness at the corner of his eyes. He heard her sitting down next to him, felt the cigarette as she placed it between his lips.
"I'm sorry," he said breathing in a burning cloud of nicotine. The taste brought back memories. 1957. Happier times. He almost thought he could see her in front of him. "I- I never meant for this. I never meant for any of this to happen. I just couldn't give up. I couldn't give up when I was so close. You understand? You understand, don't you?"
"No need, I understand," his killer said. "It is alright, Albert. You are absolved."
"By who, you?" Albert managed, laughing as he fell into a fit of coughing. Another meaningless gesture for a ghost. It felt good though. It felt right. He felt human. He felt like himself.
"No," she laughed too, but she was only half smiling.
"What comes after this? A new life?"
"Maybe? Maybe something? Maybe nothing?"
"How will I know?"
"You won't."
"I want to live. I want to see my wife. I want to see my son."
"Then tell yourself you will."
Vera sat unmoving, a cloud of smoke rising to the ceiling from the cigarette slowly dying between her ash covered lips. The remains of the wizard lay next to her, smouldering in the charred table cloth she had wrapped him. Two packs of cigarettes were scattered around her, blackened firebrands fading in the uninvited wind.
She had waited long enough. It was time. She had indulged in her habit, in her vice. A small price to pay for a moment of quiet.
Rising to her feet, Vera gently slung the table cloth over her shoulder and left the wizard's crumbling home behind her.
The asphalt was the color of an abandoned tombstone, cracked, and blackened with filth.
Vera frowned, the dregs of her last cigarette dangling loosely between her lips. Smoking couldn't kill her, not anymore. It was a filthy habit. A filthy habit for a filthy place. She wasn't sure what she, Miss Death, saw in her, what she saw in any of them. She didn't care. Cleaning was cleaning. A job was a job. Even death couldn't change the unfairness of the world. She had no great aspirations. She nursed no great hopes. She had spent a lifetime in the shadows. She had stolen. She had threatened. She had hurt. She had maimed. And she had killed. What were the hardships of another life, this time spent in the fading light?
The gem felt weightless in her hand, held in place by the loop of silver wrapped along the length of her right arm, beneath her suit jacket and the fine cotton dress shirt that she wore. The sword had felt lighter still, made for her, sword hilt resting perfectly in her hands. She did not like the thoughts that awoke after a job. She did not enjoy the purposelessness. And she detested the peace. She needed a drink. She need another cigarette. And she needed a good f–
"Did it work?" a singsong voice interrupted. Too light. Too cheery. And much too pleasant.
"It worked," Vera replied.
"I told you it would. It took me almost a day to transcribe that spell. You can't imagine how sore my hand is. Nice illusion though, wasn't it?"
"It worked, Lucia."
"Oh, come on, admit it, you were impressed! Vera, stop being such a kill joy! We won! We did it! Another baddie bites the dust! We should celebrate! Before we head back, they won't notice if we spend a couple of more hours here. Live a little, why don't you?"
"You are crazy, you know that, yes?"
"All a matter of degrees, my sweet Vera."
"I am not sweet."
"Ah, you say that, but I know, I know that deep down you are a big softy."
Mateo's magic is a geomancy derived from the deepest parts of the earth, which often leads to considerable overlap with the element of fire.
Knives of Obsidian - A spoken spell that conjures globules of molten material which harden into razor-edged shards of volcanic glass and are promptly launched forward. Though the shrapnel cools considerably before it's fired, the fragments are still quite capable of singeing whatever they find themselves embedded in for a few moments after the spell is cast.
Malebolgia - A spoken spell that rips open a fissure in an earthen surface, useful for creating sudden pitfalls under an opponent or quickly creating a small trench for cover.
Hadean Missile - A written spell Mateo often inscribes on disposable strips of paper that summons a hefty stone, about the size of an adult male's torso, and hurtles it forward. On impact, the stone shatters and its molten core explodes in a spray of magma and debris.
Dies Irae - A written spell that must be activated near a sufficient mass of earth in order to function. The ground beneath the spellwork erupts into a fiery chasm as a geyser of molten slag shoots upward and rains down upon the surroundings, where it lingers in superheated puddles until it hardens back into rock. It sees little use as Dies Irae is both an intensely taxing spell and necessitates high collateral damage as a product of its activation.
"Hi! I'll be managing your eternal soul today. Don't worry, it's way less scary than it sounds!"
Name
Mateo Galović
Gender
Male
Apparent Age
18-ish, maybe younger.
Time In Service
6 Years
Appearance
Mateo is seemingly a boy just below the cusp of manhood, standing a meager 5'9" with a youthful face and obnoxious bubblegum pink hair. An infectious (and, in a city of the dead, one might even say unsettling) cheeriness nearly always graces his features, which belies a fairly experienced reaper behind the babyface. Still, there's a childlike wonder in his eyes at each new sight he can see and experience he can make, and his movements are typically animated and excited. His build is painfully average, if a bit slim, more the product of Mateo's idea of what a healthy person should look like rather than any physique he fostered in life. He dresses comfortably in baggy tracksuits whenever he can get away with it, but will flip to the complete other end of the formality scale if told to dress up. If asked, he'll assert he just really thinks suits are cool but they're too stuffy to wear all the time, apparently.
Weapon
In it's sealed state, Mateo's weapon core hangs from his wrist embedded in a metal bracelet charm. When unleashed, his scythe takes the form of a triangular dagger with an oddly long hilt. With a twist, the weapon separates into the blade, now balanced for throwing, and the remainder of the hilt, connected by a long chain similarly to a rope dart. Two switches on the hilt heat up either the chain or the blade (or both) to searing temperatures, turning the weapon into a whip of red-hot metal or cauterizing itself inside something the blade had already pierced.
Your character has just been given the offer to become a reaper, what brought them to say “yes”?
"Why did I become a reaper? Uuuuum... What else was I gonna do? Decibitus is cool, but it's kinda monotonous too. When I had just died I was so excited to even be walking around without trouble; I hadn't done that since I was little. I always figured it'd be scary - y'know, dying - but it wasn't bad at all. Nothing hurt, I could think and see and talk and breathe clearly; I wanted to see the world! I didn't wanna pass on with just memories of a hospital room when I still had a lot of living... err, un-living? Whatever! I had stuff to do still, and I wasn't going to cross another unknown when the one I just crossed ended up being pretty cool.
Sure, I was pretty content with the city, I spent most of my time testing out what I could do, figuring out my balance again and everything, exploring, reenacting dumb stuff I would've done if I was normal when I was alive, doing all the paperwork they make you fill out when you get here, whatever. It was more world than I'd seen in years, so it was good enough for me back then, but then someone told me I could see more stuff! Like, stuff back in the living world! Yeah, I could request to go haunt around for a while or whatever, but that didn't compare to getting to go to all these different places all the time. Then they told me I could fly or something and that pretty much had me signing on the dotted line. They forgot to tell me it was a boring desk job too, but... That's okay! It's worth it to get to do the fun stuff!
Besides, I think people need a friendly face when they die, even if they got stuck or they're a wisp, and a lot of reapers are kinda scary - wait, don't write that down!
...
Lemme see, I don't believe you.
...
Well, then this interview's over!
...
What do you mean, I 'already answered the question'? No fair!"
@Abstract Proxy For Vera's spells, it'd be best if you just specified what Vera herself can currently accomplish with her spells, rather than the entirety of a spell's capabilities and intricacies. For Symbol, the way the magic system here works is that a written spell needs to be completed in whole; you won't be able to later on add an extra bit of script onto a pre-existing written spell to turn it into a trap. For Shield, both spoken and written spells are a one-and-done sort of thing, so you wouldn't be able to pump more magical juice into a Shield that's already completed in order to bolster it enough to block attacks that are tougher than they appeared.
@Yankee If it's okay, could you just give a general upper bound for the area on repkaci and maybe a upper limit for volume for leviaha? Mostly so my goldfish memory doesn't tell you "you can't do that to that scale" on something I give the okay on before. /nervous sweat
Other than that, Lena looks good to go, feel free to pop her into the character tab once the area/volume limit gets an okay!
@dragonmancer Ed should be okay to go into the character tab, though I'll tentatively add the caveat that Erode or I might ask to nudge a spell a bit up or down the scale, but I know we've talked a bit about use cases over DMs already.
What magic is availible?
Heya! I would answer this, but I really don't want to mislead you on availability. At the moment, based on discord/DMs about CSes in the works, the rp has just about hit my comfortable capacity, and I would feel absolutely wretched if someone filled out a CS only to not be able to join up. I'm sorry for the inconvenience! D:
He looks okay to pop into the character tab! I'll make the statement ahead of time that I'm reading Dies Irae's magma as being more magical in source than "ripped directly from the earth", since I don't want to think of the logistics of getting actual magma to the surface though.
I'll make the statement ahead of time that I'm reading Dies Irae's magma as being more magical in source than "ripped directly from the earth", since I don't want to think of the logistics of getting actual magma to the surface though.
@Abstract Proxy For Vera's spells, it'd be best if you just specified what Vera herself can currently accomplish with her spells, rather than the entirety of a spell's capabilities and intricacies. For Symbol, the way the magic system here works is that a written spell needs to be completed in whole; you won't be able to later on add an extra bit of script onto a pre-existing written spell to turn it into a trap. For Shield, both spoken and written spells are a one-and-done sort of thing, so you wouldn't be able to pump more magical juice into a Shield that's already completed in order to bolster it enough to block attacks that are tougher than they appeared.
Thanks!
Here is a more curated version of her spells (feedback is once again appreciated!).
TL;DR: Added some terrible Latin, simplified Dispel Magic, swapped out shield for a sphere (laying out some clear limitations), dropped Symbols (felt too prepared for Vera) / replaced it with a movement restricting form of cone of cold (thx, DnD), and finally simplified imprisonment a bunch.
✧ Dispellere (Dispel Magic)
Targeting a creature, object, or magical effect within 120 feet, Vera dispels active spells at work on her chosen target. The exact number of spells that are dispelled depends on the level of magic employed to cast said spells and the time Vera has to cast her own magic. Given the on the fly nature of reaping Wisps with a capital W, Vera generally favors quick off the cuff verbal applications of dispel magic. However, when there is a need for a powerful shaped charge of magic countering energy, Vera has been known to commit the spell to writing in an ornate script befitting only the finest calligraphy books.
✧ Globus invulnerabilitatis (Globe of Invulnerability)
By channeling her magic through spoken or written words, Vera creates a faintly shimmering magical barrier around herself that protects her from physical and magical damage. The magical sphere appears in a 10-foot radius around Vera and remains for up to a maximum time of a minute. To guard against more powerful attacks, Vera requires more preparation. Weathering a blow from a very powerful foe, many foes at once, or very many powerful foes would require a lengthy amount of chanting or sizable stack of elaborately written spells prepared well in advance. Provided that the magical barrier holds, spells cast from outside of the barrier have no effect on creatures within the barrier and physical blows do nothing more than send sparks of magic into the air.
✧ Frigore Pyramidem (Cone of Cold)
Slinging a modified variant of the evocation spell, Vera sends a blast of cold air hurtling forward from her hands, freezing creatures caught in the frost solid and otherwise significantly slowing down their movements. In addition, those impacted by the spell suffer the ill effects of severe frostbite and receive moderate cold damage from the icebound air that envelopes them. The spell has a maximum range of some 60 feet.
✧ Vincula Fati (Imprisonment)
Summoning magical restraints, Vera firmly roots a target to the ground, holding them in place with the heavy ethereal binds. The target is bound until the spell is dispelled or ended by the caster, preventing any movement beyond that permitted by the spellcaster. Cast verbally, the spell takes a minute for Vera to cast. Writing the spell takes significantly longer, but allows the spell to restrain much more powerful targets. Thematically, Vera prefers to inscribe the spell on objects such as chains, ropes or other bits of string. A decidedly close range spell, Vera must be within 30 feet or less to be able to magically imprison her foes. The lucky or powerful can avoid being bound by the spell by resisting the underlying magic at work.
(Did I avoid joining the discord or saying anything at all outside of PMs until I finished this? Maybe. Shut up.)
Amelia Dupont
⊕ Age (appearance): 25 ⊕ Age (actual): None of your business. ⊕ Gender: Female
⊕ Weapon
"Look, this is a great idea. It'll be fine, trust me."
Amelia's weapon is not a great idea. It appears to be a standard revolver, and that's roughly five-sixths accurate.
Chambers one through five fire regular bullets. The sixth is the aforementioned explosive shot, which is both incredibly destructive to the target, and to Amelia herself if she's standing too close to whatever it hits. She doesn't seem to heed this danger, and if anything takes some kind of strange joy in it, keeping absolutely no track of it and often spinning the cylinder randomly.
Unsurprisingly, this has severely backfired on her more than once. She has made no effort to change anything about her weapon in spite of this.
⊕ Magic Branch: Sympathetic magic
"Nothing's ever isolated: we're all one big, happy family, and isn't that just sweet?"
Amelia specialises in magic that consists of creating and manipulating bonds between objects and people. By fostering and harnessing these connections, she can draw things towards one another, swap their positions, hijack the sight of passing creatures, and forcibly drag an attacker down with her.
Magic
"Apparently, my original names were unprofessional."
⊕ No, you. Dead-man's Switch
Perhaps it says something worrying about her character, that Amelia would dedicate so much of her magical effort towards a spell that primarily serves to spite anyone who beats her in a fight. Psychoanalysis aside, the dead-man's switch is just that, a powerful backlash that inflicts directly proportionate retribution upon the one unfortunate enough to inflict the activating blow. In order to use this spell, Amelia has to actively activate it in anticipation of an attack - if she's caught off-guard with sufficient force, or is unaware of her attacker, it cannot be activated. Equally, if she isn't struck, it only lasts for a window of around ten seconds: past that, whether or not it's activated, it will dissipate.
In addition, the damage is only somewhat proportional - the backlash towards an attacker seems to be slightly less than the damage inflicted upon Amelia: if she happens to activate this in anticipation of a killing blow, it will severely damage an opponent in a manner that somewhat mimics her injuries, but will be 'stopped short' of killing them in turn. Similarly, loss of limb will likely disable the opponent's corresponding limb (or closest equivalent), but will not detach it.
This spell is complex enough to only function when written, and has no verbal form. In addition, it is highly taxing upon the user - particularly if it actually comes into effect. Regardless, it's not something one would be able to cast more than once in a fight on average.
⊕ The one that swaps shit. Trickster's Trade
A relocation spell which enables Amelia to swap the position of two objects of a similar size to one another. The verbal form of the spell allows her to swap items up to roughly the size of a house-cat, whereas the written version's size limitation increases, allowing her to swap people, and person-sized objects. Both targets must be within 125 feet of Amelia, and 125 feet of each other.
⊕ Got Your Eyes! Hijacker's Sight
A spell that primarily operates as a scouting mechanism, allowing Amelia to use another creature's eyes, and see what they see. This takes the form of essentially "piggybacking" on their sight. The target is unaware of the spell's effects, but Amelia cannot direct them through it in any way. When the spell is verbal, she can use one creature's sight for up to five minutes, but cannot re-enter their viewpoint if she leaves it. When written, the spell allows her to "tag" a creature for up to ten minutes, allowing her to drop in and out of their viewpoint for the duration.
While using another creature's viewpoint through this spell, Amelia herself cannot see.
⊕ Marriage? Kinetic Bond
A written spell generally inscribed on a series of sticky notes adhesive papers. This spell allows Amelia to create a "tether" that creates a straight line between two objects that she places the sigils upon, which rapidly pulls them towards one another when activated. The objects don't need to be similar in size, but the force required to move them is relative to their mass: a cardboard box couldn't be used to move a huge statue, for example, and would instead simply be thrown into the larger object. The tethers can move objects of up to roughly the weight of a brown bear, and they can have a distance of up to 90 feet between them.
⊕⊕⊕
She was being hazed, right? That's what this was? That was why her partner had barely spoken a damn word to her and also sucked at his job, right? Obviously she couldn't be wrong about any of that, so hazing was the only option left. Sure, he'd given her some kind of run-down, but if you delivered all your instructions in a dry monotone, you couldn't rightly expect her to remember them properly through the concentrated boredom.
Just following the guy around had resulted in them tracking down the wisp anyway, but when she'd thought that meant an improvement to her day, apparently she'd been mistaken. How long was this guy gonna take beating the thing down, anyway?
"Hey, what'syourface, moustache man, if you wanna give me some space, I can end this alread--" Amelia ducked out of the way of an errant tail-swipe, whooping gleefully. Her partner's insistence on getting up-close and personal with the thing sort of made sense, but at the same time, well, damn if it didn't make it complicated to get a shot. Blowing her own arm off wasn't that big a deal, but apparently it made her unpopular in the workplace if someone else got caught in the crossfire.
And not that she'd mind, but he wasn't doing fuck-all to the thing. Sure, it wasn't hitting him either, but the idea of sitting around watching an endurance match made her want to cry, just a tiny bit. The only thing worse than violent, bloody, gruesome death was mild boredom, after all.
Damn, did Amelia struggle with close-in fighters. Trying to bail 'em out, specifically. Unfortunately, you didn't always get the luxury of a partner smart enough not to practically rub their face on the wisp. Unfortunately, sometimes you ended up in a stalemate, with your six-shooter pointed at the head (if that counted as a head, which was up in the air) of a creature and your coworker ignoring your pretty clear instructions to, "for the last time, back off a little!"
The guy was practically making himself a human shield, alright? Reaper shield, if you wanted to be a technically accurate dweeb. She had a shot, she knew that much. They were in a stalemate, her and boredom, and she'd have to move sooner rather than later to break it. She was pretty sure this thing wouldn't actually unmake the man in his current state. Probably. If it was a regular gun, she'd probably not have anything to think about. As was, she had a one-in-six chance of losing employee of the month forever.
Pretty good odds, right?
She laughed, far harder than any aspect of the situation warranted, as though she was in on a private joke and it was fucking hilarious - probably 'cause she was in on a private joke and it was fucking hilarious. For some reason, this didn't seem to reassure her colleague, who finally looked her way for that instead of the instructions. Oh, sure, the sound of someone having fun gets him. Probably made him a spoilsport. Or maybe just a pansy. Both?
Yeah, so the guy's health and well-being weren't that far down her list, in that they were probably at least somewhere on there. But then again... a clean shot offered itself up, and without really thinking about it, her final decision was made. A gun in her hand, and her finger squeezing the trigger. "Screw this-- think fast!"
One in six, right?
...
Oh, that wasn't good.
***
"So, the report might sound bad. But remember, I did tell him to back up."
Though she's appeared in many department positions, she's always returned to the Crisis Resolution department as a high impact field operative. No matter wherever she appears or how serious her office is however, she is consistently breaking dress codes and turning up to work in tardy and casual clothes, trying to catch up on whatever is considered 'trendy' by modern standards. The only consistent article of clothing is a simple rain jacket she dons whenever she gets into a combat situation. Combined with her aloof and awkward nature, she always looks out of depth despite being one of the longest serving operatives.
| WEAPON |
A lantern made out of old corrugated iron and glass. When powered, it projects a field of heavy illusory rain that supresses all sources of light in all nearby surroundings except for those near the lantern. Since most of Laurentia's spells draw strength from relative luminosity, Laurentia's arrival at a combat scene is usually heralded by the sound of storms.
| MAGIC: RADIANCE |
Refract - A simple spoken spell that upon invocation temporarily speeds up the user's physical movement. When in effect, observers will see both the user that was sped up and a translucent after-image that move in regular speed. Though its effects can be extended through concentration, its resource draw also increases rapidly - thus it is usually employed in short, quick bursts.
Recall - A written spell that draws upon a subject's memory to create hardlight mimics of an object. Hardlight does not copy the original properties of the object, and always takes a luminescent shimmering yellow. The accuracy of the spell is dependent on how detailed the memory of the object is - the more detailed or recent the memory is, the better the mimic captures the finer details. Within the range of the light source, the object can be controlled remotely by the person recalling. Hardlight is incredibly durable, inflexible and persists for a long duration until it is dispelled or the original source of the light it was summoned from is snuffed out. The spell is most often used to recall Laurentia's sword in a combat situation.
Cleanse - A spoken spell that shoots a large beam of concentrated light towards a target, designed to punch through defenses and incinerate the target. Unlike more elegant methods of anti-magic that deconstructs the components of a spell, the beam seeks to crush all defenses through sheer overwhelming firepower, effectively challenging Laurentia's opponents into a duel of raw arcane strength.
Drown - A steady written spell that Laurentia chants, enveloping an area in a fog of complete darkness. Those outside will see a storm that steadily thickens until nothing is visible in front of them. Those caught inside will find it impossible to sense anything outside of their immediate radius, and without a special magic resistance will have difficulty moving or breathing. Often reserved for high priority targets since it draws too much attention and even after being dispelled, leaves after-effects of lowering local luminosity.
| TALES |
"Do you want to go for a walk?"
It's something I used to say. I know it's my whole job, but I've never really got good at talking to people. Especially if they're freshly on the other side and are freaking out, so I tried to give them space and let them figure it out on their own.
Not this kid though. The whole room was a mess. A tiny one room apartment that was molded over by a leak from somewhere and you couldn't step anywhere without bumping into some pile of trash or overdue bills. The windows were all taped over and the gas faucet was open. You get the point. Was never easy the first time, and never got easier since.
This kid was barely anything more than skin and bones with some dirty cloth over him. Think he might have been somewhere near the ball park of 10 to 14, but it might have been that he hadn't eaten anything for a long time and shrunk him. Maybe years ago, way too far for a kid like him, his face may have been free of bruises, his hands free of cuts, but it was impossible to know. When I found him, he was sitting on what little free ground in that tiny hole of a place was still left, staring up at the rafters.
We stared at each other for a while. It was like staring into a mirror. And we just understood. He knew who I was. I had a feeling he knew that I was coming way before I did. When I offered, he just nodded. So without anything else, I took out my lantern and took his hand and led him into the gentle night rain.
I've always liked the rain. The way the hazy white streaks just wash everything away, the way the noise of the whole world quiets itself just to listen to the rain drizzle on. It gets lonely to walk alone in the rain, following the barely lit streets, but at least it's a good way to let people figure themselves out on their own. The kid sure enjoyed sticking his hand out in the rain, so it worked in a way.
As we turned through the exit of the city and out into a park, I asked him if he had anything he wanted to do before we finished our walk. The way his eyes widened, I think I was the first person to ask him that. We sat down under an awning somewhere and watched the rain jump across the lantern light.
After a bit, he finally said something.
"Will I meet my mom?"
I don't... what am I supposed to say? I've checked what was on those bills. I didn't mean to pry, but, their last names were different. She had cut contact years ago.
Sorry, I still don't know what else I could have done.
I lied. I said I met his mother a couple years back. That she told me how proud of her son she was. That she loved him, and she can't wait to meet him. Just a few steps into the After, and he'll be in her arms.
I think he knew I was lying, because he didn't ask anything else. We walked on silently, all the way to the Rail. No words. Just the rain. He got on, and he smiled at me for what must have been the first time ever.
Miss Death, please consider this as my request for transfer from the Deliverance department. I am far too simple for this line of work, and I am afraid I am but a blunt instrument.
Charles Dionne Chase Dion Male | 26 | Divination "The only thing on my mind is revenge."
_______________________________________________ "I haven't forgotten." "Feel free to swoon. I'll make sure to catch you." "I'll kill him." ________________________________________
"The world is such an ugly place. Good thing I'm around to make it that much more beautiful."
✦ Appearance ✦
A tall, somewhat lanky fellow, Chase is never seen without his signature, charming smile. He is prim, proper, and posh, keeping up a tidy appearance with his clothes free of dirt and wrinkles. Looking his best is very important to him: his shoes are always polished and his outfits accessorized accordingly. He claims his red hair has a 'science' to it where it always looks perfectly tousled. The striking contrast between said hair and his chartreuse eyes is something he is very proud of. Should the occasion arrive that he actually needs to dress down, even that will be designer and nothing less. In short he tries to look fabulous at every opportunity possible, favoring style over everything else.
✦ Weapon ✦
Chase's weapon manifests from a cuff earring to a sniper rifle.
✦ Magic ✦
Chase believes his magic falls into the Divination category. Anytime his magic is activated, his irises glow bright.
✧ Audi ✧ - A spell that divines ones thoughts and brings them into his own. His thoughts are also able to be sent to others. In shorter terms, it works much like telepathy and works to keep communication between people. Inner thoughts are not able to be projected or read, only surface level ones.
✧ Sentire ✧ - Chase's most-used spell. With a deep breath, he can sense living or non-living things around him. At least, that's how he describes it. He primarily uses it to sense Wisps and can tell how many there are and where they are located within a certain range.
✧ Cogitare ✧ - An offshoot of Sentire. A more focused spell, he can pinpoint the exact location of whatever he is tracking. While he uses this for Wisps, he can also use them for Reapers and humans.
✧ Vide ✧ - A spell that lets Chase peek into the see into past memories. It's easiest to see more recent memories. Those that are further back are harder to obtain and take more time and energy to see.
"So, how did you die?"
"It was all over the news, don't you remember? It was woven as any other celebrity death: another cog on the Hollywood machine crushed. At least I lasted a while on the news cycle. Everyone was shocked, I tell you, shocked! Or at least they pretend they were. My albums sold well, my fortune was as plump as a girl's lip fillers, and I was well into that 'mature singer' phase. But I was still a teen heartthrob, so to the world, it was only a matter of time before I died to some sort of overdose. To most people's credit, they thought it'd be the alcohol. I kinda thought the same, too.
But they weren't aware that by some miracle, I've never so much as lit up a joint. Something about sniffing stuff weirds me out. I was always happy for a drink at the end of the day, but drugs? Have you seen what they do to your skin and teeth? My entire brand ran on my good looks--I did commercials, too--why the hell would I do anything to mess myself up? A solid third of my paychecks went into making sure I looked my best at all times: hair, clothes, skincare, gym memberships, trainers, healthy food. I love how I look. Honestly, the only reason I didn't marry a mirror is because I knew I'd get laughed out of court.
I guess to their credit, it was my first time trying it out. High as a kite...and I remember slipping and falling in the bathroom. Skull probably cracked on the tile floor, I wouldn't be surprised. But honestly, I'm more surprised no one thought the bruises on my neck were weird."
@PigeonOfAstora - I like the concept! The only spell I have to ask for a significant(ish) change to is actually Drown. The concept is good, but in general, reaper weapons are pretty resistant to outside stimuli, so magic that directly buffs a weapon's individual effect usually won't work. I'd be okay with it borrowing from/being a copy of the effects of the lantern and performing more or less the same function, just without directly involving the weapon effect itself.
And for Recall, I do have to give a heads up that all spells do have some sort of "lifespan" where the magic used to power them runs out even if not dispelled or removed through other means if the spell isn't reapplied. This is definitely just me being nitpicky and obnoxious, and I of course don't expect that you're thinking of some sort of "the construct exists in perpetuity" situation here, but I have to give a proper heads up on that front.
Once Drown gets fixed up, she should be good to go into the character tab!
@Lasrever - Yep, Amelia is good to go into the character tab! Something something weapon ammo will have a somewhat shorter range than an actual gun (i.e. the bullets will eventually disappear if they get too far), but I'm sure you know all that good jazz!
@Abstract Proxy - These are looking much better! I just have to be obnoxious and nitpicky for a wee bit.
For Globus invulnerabilitatis, while I don't mind if a shield is able to defend against both physical and magical aspects, I'd like if, for the spoken version, a shield was more specialized toward one or the other per cast. I don't expect that a little rock tossed by a squirrel would break a magic-oriented shield, of course.
And for Frigore Pyramdem, I would be a bit more comfortable without the "freezing creatures solid" measure, and focusing a little more on the other aspects of movement restriction. Other than that, this seems good!
And for Imprisonment, I'll give the same heads up as I gave to Pigeon that all spells do have a lifespan and will fade if not recast/reapplied once the magic in it wears out. Again, I'm not expecting that you were thinking "and the target is bound in perpetuity", I have to give the heads up so there are no surprises.
Once those get fixed up, Vera should be good to go into the character tab!
@Hero - Chase looks good to go into the character tab!
@Abstract Proxy - These are looking much better! I just have to be obnoxious and nitpicky for a wee bit.
For Globus invulnerabilitatis, while I don't mind if a shield is able to defend against both physical and magical aspects, I'd like if, for the spoken version, a shield was more specialized toward one or the other per cast. I don't expect that a little rock tossed by a squirrel would break a magic-oriented shield, of course.
And for Frigore Pyramdem, I would be a bit more comfortable without the "freezing creatures solid" measure, and focusing a little more on the other aspects of movement restriction. Other than that, this seems good!
And for Imprisonment, I'll give the same heads up as I gave to Pigeon that all spells do have a lifespan and will fade if not recast/reapplied once the magic in it wears out. Again, I'm not expecting that you were thinking "and the target is bound in perpetuity", I have to give the heads up so there are no surprises.
Once those get fixed up, Vera should be good to go into the character tab!
Perfect, thanks!
Updated as per Discord.
Also, you say that about squirrels hurling rocks, but that would unironically be amazing. :D
