@Lexicon Of course it's always easy for someone to ask another person to drop ideas for a character they aren't creating, but of course I understand your standpoint, since I felt more or less the same way about my own Goddess being "diminished" while reviewing Kalla's application.
If it makes you feel more confident, I'll reiterate again that I'll be taking Nnmerra in that domestic direction. Agriculture, creativity, etc. is all very much defined by societal structure. Nnmerra's powers will be more focused around and possibly even limited by the people she hales over, if that makes sense.
Honestly, the "earthiness" is becoming less and less of a defining element the more I brainstorm and more of a "theme". Her powers are very much life-based but more based around cultivation, fertilization and likely even emotional stimulation.
If you do feel the final result is a little too similar somehow to Kalla, we can always compromise. What I predict at the moment is Kalla is the goddess of nature while Nnmerra dominates human's grasp of it through the likes of farming. I will definitely consider combining law & order elements into her and have her be this big "Goddess of the people" or what have you.
@Karkinos That sounds fine. Thank you for that response, I appreciate it. I understand how annoying it is to have to change your character like that, but such is life sometimes. Alright, well, back to the Colossus.
@Lexicon lol I was going to respond regardless. It's not an issue having to make changes, seeing that it she isn't set in stone yet, as long as I don't have to scrap or incorporate something that complicates my vision.
Do not fear your end. Fear the First Son's arrival. Fear the Colossus.
-Words etched into the base of a ruined granite statue in the center of the Celebron Fields. The statue has been broken and damaged beyond recognition, though it still makes onlookers feel vaguely uneasy.
Name: The Colossus, also known as the First Son and the Earthshaker
Age: Immortal
Race: Construct
Gender: Male
Description: Standing taller than most of Gaea's mountains, the First Son is a massive construct wrought of granite and covered in colorful vegetation. His eyes are two caverns of crackling green energy, and the kobolds claim he can see everything his creator sees. These rumors notwithstanding, the Colossus is a work of art, handcrafted by the Everqueen when Gaea was young and newly formed. His face has been painstakingly carved into the image of a roaring kodlak grizzly, one of the most bloodthirsty natural predators to stalk the mortal realm's forests. Of course, most bears don't have massive silver tusks protruding from the corners of their mouths, but the Colossus does. These tusks are capable of piercing almost anything, including plate armor and dragon hide. The First Son's torso is roughly humanoid in shape, and his five-fingered hands are covered in thorny vines that he often uses to whip his opponents. In truth, the Colossus would much rather pound anyone foolish enough to challenge his mother into paste with his overwhelming physical strength, though Kalla does her best to rein in his more destructive tendencies. Two sturdy pillars of granite form his legs and what appears to be a small river runs down his back, flowing through the trees and vegetation clinging to his titanic body. With a voice like the rumble of distant thunder, the First Son is one of the largest and toughest beings in the mortal realm.
Personality: Unlike the sylvan, who are little more than empty vessels waiting to be filled by Kalla's presence and orders, the Colossus has a personality of his own. Despite his fearsome appearance, the First Son is normally a gentle creature that enjoys wandering the sunlit glades of Arborealus, though he never lets the World Tree out of his sight. He knows what writhes beneath the tree and has no intention of letting it escape. The Colossus is bound by his devotion to Kalla and his sacred task. He would rather die than disappoint or betray his creator. One major difference between the Colossus and the Horned Goddess does exist, however. The First Son is full of the raw, untamed fury of the wilds. Stories from before the Cataclysm paint the Colossus in a less than flattering light, blaming him for the destruction of no less than five major cities. While his mother at least attempts to fix the damage she causes during her temper tantrums, the Colossus makes no effort to clean up after himself. His anger is pure and uncompromising. The only person capable of bringing him out of this berserk state is Kalla, and even she finds it hard to connect with him when he's angry.
Backstory: After waking up in a field on Gaea and seeing one of Kilgarrah's dragons flying over Drake Valley, Kalla was horrified. How could she keep her future creations safe from hunters like these? Kilgarrah had shaped the perfect predator, but Kalla knew he wasn't going to keep them on a leash and she didn't expect him to. The natural order demanded these creatures be free to do as their instincts bade them. Racing back to the now fertile plain where she first awoke, a region now called the Celebron Fields, the First Mother considered her options. She spent seven days and seven nights thinking of a way to protect her children from the countless dangers infesting Gaea. On the morning of the eighth day, the Celebron Fields had changed dramatically. The southern grasslands remained the same, but the northern half was now covered by a verdant forest. This woodland was one of an infinite number of gateways leading to the legendary forest of Arborealus. Deep within its heart stood the World Tree, and Kalla spent the evening of the eighth day shaping the World Tree's protector.
Thus, the Colossus was born.
Regrettably, the First Son's actual deeds are shrouded in myth and hearsay, a situation made much worse by the Cataclysm and the Silence that followed. One tale has survived, however, though the particulars are vague and unclear. The story, known as the Dance of Olum for some reason, describes a battle between the Colossus and some terrible enemy. Certain scholars believed this adversary was a monstrous dragon while others swore it was the first ziz ever born. The only thing the various versions of this tale agree on is that the Colossus triumphed, and Kalla sealed his wounded foe beneath the World Tree as punishment. Apart from this tale, nobody truly knows what the Colossus does when he's not serving the Everqueen. The truth isn't particularly interesting. Whenever he's not wandering Arborealus, following deer as they bound along or watching hawks soar overhead, the First Son spends most of his time sleeping in front of the World Tree. Of course, all it takes is one word from the First Mother and, like his sylvan brothers and sisters, the Colossus will awaken. In fact, both the twelve sylvan and the First Son dwell in the World Tree Glade when they aren't completing a sacred task on Kalla's behalf. Now, after the horrors of the Cataclysm and the Silence, the Colossus and the sylvan are almost always awake, preparing and training for the next assignment the Everqueen gives them. Gaea is still reeling from three hundred years of suffering, and Kalla considers it her responsibility to ensure the mortal realm has time to recover. Obviously, this means the Colossus and the sylvan view it as their responsibility as well.
Motivation: The First Son was created to protect the World Tree and to heed his creator's wishes.
Equipment: None
Magic: Only the Colossus and the twelve sylvan have an understanding of urdalaar capable of rivaling Kalla's own. Using the wild tongue and the vegetation shrouding his stony body, the First Son is capable of hurling entire ironwood trees at his foes, calling forth storms of razor sharp thornwood leaves, and sending vines through his opponents' ranks like spears. He typically prepares for battle by using urdalaar to summon a coat of living armor made of sturdy ironwood. Stone can be easily shattered, but ironwood can shrug off blows that would fell a dragon. In addition, the First Son has a permanent mental link with Kalla, allowing her to convey orders to him from anywhere on Gaea. The only limitation to this bond is the First Mother cannot command her son from the divine realm. She must be on the same plane he is.
A bit op for a typical hero but i can allow it, I'll be sure to include things so he has a journey as well. -cough cough- Ancalagon -cough cough-
@dragonmancer I mean...you CAN still set him on fire. Even ironwood isn't impervious to fire. Once you take away the ironwood armor then he's just a big granite statue...that can control plants and animals lol.
EDIT: Also, remember what his sacred task is. He protects the World Tree. Unless something absolutely insane happens, Kalla is going to keep him in Arborealus so he can keep an eye on you-know-who. She'd be more likely to send the sylvan to deal with things on Gaea.
The Dark Lord will rise again! Erhem, I mean, no, ShyDot, I'm talking about Niddhogr. One of Kilgarrah's draconic servants went rogue and was imprisoned beneath the World Tree. :)
The Dark Lord will rise again! Erhem, I mean, no, ShyDot, I'm talking about Niddhogr. One of Kilgarrah's draconic servants went rogue and was imprisoned beneath the World Tree. :)
@dragonmancer She's not the hero Yigzavath wanted, but she's the one he got.
Name: Isabella Loyce
Age: 27
Race: Human
Gender: Female
Description: Isabella is a somewhat sickly looking woman, standing at a below average height and weighing slightly less than normal for women her age, with a very slim physique. She isn't the absolute picture of perfect health, with pale skin, sullen amber eyes, and unkempt black hair that may or may not have been washed in the recent years. She is always seen wearing the Acolyte robes that have been passed down to her from her forebears, as well as the iconic white mask that she wears out in the field.
Personality: Isabella is an odd sort indeed. She firmly believes that people must be put through the worst before they can achieve their best. To that end, she is very calm and analytical, and does her best to remain both polite and reserved, though she has been known to casually dole out criticism, even when it’s not exactly desired.
Backstory: During the twilight years of the Silence, when things began to settle some and people became accustomed to the concept of a godless world, the last remaining Acolytes of Yigzavath became the targets of mass hunts by several parties, primarily the Healers Guild and several sects of preservation groups. The majority went into hiding, and what little faith they still had began to fade in most of their numbers. The very last two Acolytes, coincidentally a married and pregnant couple, took refuge in the only place their pursuers wouldn’t dare step foot in - Pecher’s Valley, otherwise known as the World’s Gutter. The only true refuge for lepers, rejects, and sick folk the world over. Drowned in refuse, held up by wooden shanties and piles of trash for miles.
The couple made the best of their situation, and ended up having their only daughter in the rancid dark of Pecher’s Valley, and they named her Isabella. They clung to their faith in Yigzavath, hoping their loyalty to the Filthmonger would keep them safe. They sanitized their locale to the best of their abilities - though they had inherited the natural immunities of Acolytes of yore, they wished to take no chances with Isabella. They cared for her, tutored her, and instilled their doctrine within her. She grew up well, and fortunately, never became severely sick in all her life. In fact, her parents believed she’d developed the best immune system in the history of the Acolytes, and they were thankful for that.
But, it had to come to an end eventually. Isabella, twenty-three at the time, was witness to the fiery cleansing of Pecher’s Valley at the hands of several parties - the Healers Guild among them, convinced that there was no hope for the inhabitants of the World’s Gutter, and that they should be eliminated before the risk of them spreading their filth ever became a problem. Isabella’s father died in the event, and her mother succumbed to injuries she’d sustained not too long after they escaped from the valley’s end. Isabella was left on her lonesome, and in the wake of the complete destruction of her home, she opted to find a new one. One where she was certain she would never be disturbed. One that was catered specifically for Acolytes.
The Infested Workshop.
Isabella searched, and managed to find Yigzavath’s worldly hovel after years traveling, following old maps and faded instructions. The cave was stocked with the Crawler’s old works, left untouched since the dawn of the Silence. Much of it was withered out of any usability, though some of the stronger projects happened to live on to that day. She took it upon herself to pick up where her God left off, clearing the dust, taking stock, reorganizing and whatnot. She claimed the Infested Workshop as her home, silently hoping that Yigzavath would simply turn up one day. To revitalize the Acolytes perhaps, or even adopt her as his apprentice, all to the end of bringing back the myriad creatures and plagues that the world had grown dismissive of, and so rightly deserved to face again, in her opinion.
And after months of taking care of the place, the Silence’s end will finally grant Isabella’s wish.
Motivation: Isabella wants several things. To live up to her parents’ wishes, fulfil their dreams of seeing the Acolytes returned to their former glory. To take her revenge against the Healers Guild and all else who razed her home. To serve Yigzavath and prove to him that she is a worthy apprentice. And she intends to work for her satisfaction.
Why have they been chosen as a hero?: Isabella probably wouldn’t be her God’s first choice as a hero. In fact, calling her a hero isn’t right at all. But, she’s all that’s left of the Acolytes, and all that Yigzavath has to work with at the moment, so go figure.
Equipment: Isabella carries a thin, pointed dagger with a compartment in the hilt, meant to fill the blade with any sort of poison or other harmful fluids. It’s a relic passed down to her from bygone Acolytes, and one of the very few that hasn’t been destroyed by the Healers Guild, or taken as a collector’s item.
Magic: The Acolytes of old were gifted with immunities to all the horrible diseases they spread, and the elite even served as walking hives full of ravenous insects, which they could command on their own. Isabella currently lacks the latter, but she has certainly inherited the natural resistances of her forebears.
A bit op for a typical hero but i can allow it, I'll be sure to include things so he has a journey as well. -cough cough- Ancalagon -cough cough-
Considering who we are and our own powers, your followers and our powers would prove very troublesome for Kalla's children. What is the colossus gonna do against a dragon that flies by? Sure it soaks a lot of damage, but dragon-fire from above is not exactly pleasant business. Not to mention how terrifying it is for the sylvan and the colossus to fight Ha wielding Ember. Which strikes will probably set the ironwood alight in a single strike.
Seeing that this one is more of a creation than a hero, i don't think it's overly OP. After all, Kilgarrah has ten fuck-huge dragons under his command.... to some extent.
I will form my heroes as the game goes on. I will have a puny human, and later a construct. Ha's motives will be clear on what these will entail, and i will add them to my god sheet when it fits.
@Klomster Exactly. The Colossus is a slow lumbering creature that probably couldn't keep up with a dragon. However, one thing to note is the sylvan are essentially emotionless. It's a minor nitpick, but I figured I should set the record straight. The Twelve are living statues made of ironwood and that's it. They don't feel anything. The Colossus, while basically being a granite statue with a personality, can definitely feel fear.
EDIT: @dragonmancer I had a thought since it seems like Ancalagon is shaping up to be a major antagonist in all this. Would there still be demons or places of demonic corruption left on Gaea? The Cataclysm has been over for one hundred years, but a demonic threat might be a great way to unite all our characters against a common foe. Just an idea :)
@dragonmancer I have to say that @Lexicon's idea is really good. To unite all our heroes , against a common foe would be awesome. Even if the Gods don't go well with each other , the heroes can become friends or something like that.
I am thinking about all this hero / God stuff and I can't help but remember an old PC game called Numen - Contest of Heroes. All Gods have chosen someone to represent them at a contest ( something was stolen and every God said that the other stole it...I know Percy Jackson style but this was before that ).
@Klomster Hell yeah she would be. That's why she created the Colossus in the first place. He's the dragon killer and the god...stopper? Temporary god stopper? God flummoxer? I'll get back to you on that lol.
EDIT: Also, if our heroes need transportation, I have three words for you guys...Colossus Party Bus. Let's make it a thing!
Ancalagon will not be the only antagonist. After all, their are other gods and their heroes with questionable morality, like the dear god and the blight god, and the hunter god.
Heroes maybe tasked against fighting other heroes.
Yes there are demons still active, and one of them will be a major antagonist next to Ancalagon.
Sweet. I'm going to finish the Colossus' CS, since I missed one section, and write 'The Last God-King of Barindur' at some point today. And then, barring edits for sentence structure and phrasing, my CS will be finito.
@dragonmancer She's not the hero Yigzavath wanted, but she's the one he got.
Name: Isabella Loyce
Age: 27
Race: Human
Gender: Female
Description: Isabella is a somewhat sickly looking woman, standing at a below average height and weighing slightly less than normal for women her age, with a very slim physique. She isn't the absolute picture of perfect health, with pale skin, sullen amber eyes, and unkempt black hair that may or may not have been washed in the recent years. She is always seen wearing the Acolyte robes that have been passed down to her from her forebears, as well as the iconic white mask that she wears out in the field.
Personality: Isabella is an odd sort indeed. She firmly believes that people must be put through the worst before they can achieve their best. To that end, she is very calm and analytical, and does her best to remain both polite and reserved, though she has been known to casually dole out criticism, even when it’s not exactly desired.
Backstory: During the twilight years of the Silence, when things began to settle some and people became accustomed to the concept of a godless world, the last remaining Acolytes of Yigzavath became the targets of mass hunts by several parties, primarily the Healers Guild and several sects of preservation groups. The majority went into hiding, and what little faith they still had began to fade in most of their numbers. The very last two Acolytes, coincidentally a married and pregnant couple, took refuge in the only place their pursuers wouldn’t dare step foot in - Pecher’s Valley, otherwise known as the World’s Gutter. The only true refuge for lepers, rejects, and sick folk the world over. Drowned in refuse, held up by wooden shanties and piles of trash for miles.
The couple made the best of their situation, and ended up having their only daughter in the rancid dark of Pecher’s Valley, and they named her Isabella. They clung to their faith in Yigzavath, hoping their loyalty to the Filthmonger would keep them safe. They sanitized their locale to the best of their abilities - though they had inherited the natural immunities of Acolytes of yore, they wished to take no chances with Isabella. They cared for her, tutored her, and instilled their doctrine within her. She grew up well, and fortunately, never became severely sick in all her life. In fact, her parents believed she’d developed the best immune system in the history of the Acolytes, and they were thankful for that.
But, it had to come to an end eventually. Isabella, twenty-three at the time, was witness to the fiery cleansing of Pecher’s Valley at the hands of several parties - the Healers Guild among them, convinced that there was no hope for the inhabitants of the World’s Gutter, and that they should be eliminated before the risk of them spreading their filth ever became a problem. Isabella’s father died in the event, and her mother succumbed to injuries she’d sustained not too long after they escaped from the valley’s end. Isabella was left on her lonesome, and in the wake of the complete destruction of her home, she opted to find a new one. One where she was certain she would never be disturbed. One that was catered specifically for Acolytes.
The Infested Workshop.
Isabella searched, and managed to find Yigzavath’s worldly hovel after years traveling, following old maps and faded instructions. The cave was stocked with the Crawler’s old works, left untouched since the dawn of the Silence. Much of it was withered out of any usability, though some of the stronger projects happened to live on to that day. She took it upon herself to pick up where her God left off, clearing the dust, taking stock, reorganizing and whatnot. She claimed the Infested Workshop as her home, silently hoping that Yigzavath would simply turn up one day. To revitalize the Acolytes perhaps, or even adopt her as his apprentice, all to the end of bringing back the myriad creatures and plagues that the world had grown dismissive of, and so rightly deserved to face again, in her opinion.
And after months of taking care of the place, the Silence’s end will finally grant Isabella’s wish.
Motivation: Isabella wants several things. To live up to her parents’ wishes, fulfil their dreams of seeing the Acolytes returned to their former glory. To take her revenge against the Healers Guild and all else who razed her home. To serve Yigzavath and prove to him that she is a worthy apprentice. And she intends to work for her satisfaction.
Why have they been chosen as a hero?: Isabella probably wouldn’t be her God’s first choice as a hero. In fact, calling her a hero isn’t right at all. But, she’s all that’s left of the Acolytes, and all that Yigzavath has to work with at the moment, so go figure.
Equipment: Isabella carries a thin, pointed dagger with a compartment in the hilt, meant to fill the blade with any sort of poison or other harmful fluids. It’s a relic passed down to her from bygone Acolytes, and one of the very few that hasn’t been destroyed by the Healers Guild, or taken as a collector’s item.
Magic: The Acolytes of old were gifted with immunities to all the horrible diseases they spread, and the elite even served as walking hives full of ravenous insects, which they could command on their own. Isabella currently lacks the latter, but she has certainly inherited the natural resistances of her forebears.
Plague cultists, yay, who's ready for 7 days of locust swarms? Accepted
