[OOC] The Spirits Within/Aeon

[CaliforniaState]

Everyone’s life has been so negatively impacted before and after the comet and Eun-ji is over here just living her best life. I almost feel guilty for writing her like that.

[DeadDrop]

:c

[Rockette]

leviathan.

_{S C Y L L A " L E V I A T H A N " F L E U R A N E
◄ Twenty-nine. ▎ 162 cm. ►}

_{P R E S E N C E}

---

Aristocracy alludes to hubris and sensuous refinement, sidled beside clandestine features stark and pallid against soot black wears from dawn to dusk. From booted feet to a delicate throat heralded with scars; cinched tight in cotton threads where ink-wisps of obsidian scales peak upon her nape, every cleft refined through persistent cardio and contortionist aptitude. Scylla's debut is an assortment; defined as both beauty and soldier, sometimes muttered as friend and foe, lover and scornful. She's a creature of ravenous qualms and careless endeavors simply because she can -- there is a void that must be fed and she is its keeper.

_{C H R O N I C L E}

---

They would coin her cruel and apathetic to mortal intricacies, but Scylla is a creature of life and the luxuries of freedom. And she enjoys them to the fullest.

But, it was not always so.

Located past spires of obsidia -- an alloy later derived from cavernous mines and utilized in various forms of weaponry and armor -- towards the northern banks of Cetra lies the expanse of Tenebre: one of the last remaining city-states yonder reach of the UDF.

Within spires of black and gilded metal and stone remains the bloodline of Fleurane, a line of nobility that has flourished through the years as would-be Kings and Queens. Royalty is an archaic term coined to their renown, no less powerful in their govern and the militia they commanded when compared to other conglomerates. A prominent family, Scions of the Deep they mutter, for Tenebre has also been alleged as the resting place of an Archon: the Leviathan. Her likeness is often reflected into the architecture with a prominent use of patterned scales and iridescent blues, a myriad of wealth and color that is ever changing much like the sea. The Fleurane doctrine allies closely with the spiritual worship of the Etro, heavily endowed to the favor of their patron serpent that lies in wait -- they say -- the harbinger of storms and the wrath of the sea, blessing those descended from her spiritual manifest. Many of those living in Tenebre are spiritually inclined, the Fleurane family being the most prominent and susceptible.

During a raging storm that shook the house foundations, Scylla was born.

If only she were not the bastard daughter of Michael Fleurane perhaps a childhood rife with the need to prove oneself and a yearning to love would be exchanged for one of familial affections and endearment. Suffice to say, Scylla was not necessarily wanted, but no less needed. Michael needed an heir, a child, one his wife could not give. Scylla's birthmother was ranked into their rather infamous infantry, the class of Dragoons that Tenebre regales in obsidia armor and fitted with an arsenal of spears and lances. Inspired by the Archon slumbering in the depths of the ocean, the Dragoons were known widely for their sheer numbers and command in the vast armada Tenebre stationed out in the vast Lullin Seas: Leviathan's resting place.

Though not hers by birth, Michael's wife doted upon her, but could not bring herself to love the child with hair white as the snow that often capped the Obsidia Ridge. When she came to bear children of her own finally some years later, Scylla's sudden insurance was doubted even as she grew older, her birthmother was often permitted on leave to visit her within those gilded spires and she too feared for her place at Michael's side despite so many years warming his bed. As first born, her place was secure to a degree, but it was by the sly suggestion of the woman who partially raised her that Scylla join her mother in the legion of Dragoons. Michael did not object.

What better candidate than your own blood, my love.

It was isolation --banishment-- donned in the color of reward, to give birth to the first Fleurane child and be able to keep her though the shame of bastardization would be cloaked upon her back for eternity. But, this was also liberation, to wield the Fleurane name as she desired without the shackles of nobility. For often as a child she was subdued and inhibited, repressed with the desire to please both father and mother - maker and keeper. For two years she trained as a Dragoon, wielding lance and blade alike. Often those early days would bleed out into a monochromatic discrepancy of warriorhood, the life of routine and guardianship, eyes wed to the banks of the sea where she felt the pull of something. For often Scylla would look upon the many renditions of the Leviathan and there she would find something of admiration to the dominating force of a would-be god.

When the comet arrived, Tenebre sealed itself away further, guarded not only by mountains but by the leagues of ebonette soldiers stationed betwixt caverns and valleys, taken from the sea to push back the sudden threat of an invasion. Debris fell close enough to warrant once sea-faring soldiers to traverse ragged peaks, forming a mountainous legion as the rest of the world fell into the United Defense Force. Tenebre remained sectioned away from the world, never committing to the war effort upon pretenses of tending to their own govern - it did not go unnoticed.

As the world tended to the manifestation of esoteric flora and fauna, many corporations -even those significant as BlackRock, VanGuard, ApeX, and MonArch- suddenly appeared at the base of Obsidia Ridge, banking into the mountainside and harnessing a portion of control over the mines per a temporary peace exchange between the conglomerates and the Fleurane house. For five years this fragile peace did endure, the corporations inching ever closer year by year as the UDF began pressuring Tenebre to surrender its Dragoons to the front lines where the thickest of detritus fell and the infection with it rampaged. The factions wanted something, even going as far as to use the marine infusion reactors as a bargaining ploy to reach Tenebre's sprawling inner city, in this the Fleurane household refused to budge, but declining resources from their isolation led them to yield territory none the less.

With some of the obsidia mountains and Lullin shores now under control of the corporations, it was not much longer till the UDF managed to secure their own Dragoon's for the cause under the guise of working together to keep the factions from gaining more Tenebre territory. However, such aide was not without a price and Scylla was the immediate currency. Her manifestation of spirits did not go unheard of to the UDF, for the raging torrent of waters and wind came to her beckoning call as a storm, the well of spirits domineering with their refusal to go unseen and unheard.

For five years now Scylla has made an interesting reputation as not only an Aeon, but as an exotic front to what many people see as a different world, for Tenebre remains as independent as one can manage with both the UDF and many corporations lingering just outside its borders. As a former Dragoon Scylla was penned for the Warfare Division immediately wherein she has garnered her serpentine moniker from her battle strategies and impressive aquatic affinity and effortless reign in those depths. Superiors would call her wild and unhinged, she would rather call herself efficient. With a high deployment and success rate, Scylla has a tendency to be utilized as a solitary unit, a rather sudden change compared to years prior in working with many others.

The fact that the UDF often questions her about her home and the sea and what lies within - well, there's only so much a woman is willing to tell. For she is a Fleurane - even a forsaken one - and prideful above all else.


_{F O R C E}

---

Scylla has always had an affinity for water, as a Fleurane this proficiency is a given attribute. Harsh spirits of air also work along side their aquatic companions, creating maelstroms of terrifying quality. The depths of sea are vast and cannot be tamed, concealing secrets and truths and lies, darkness is their herald and she their master. Over the years of applying various techniques taught by the UDF, Scylla has been able to pull moisture from the air to create globes of sorts, used in creative manners by different applications of pressure to even launch high emission beams of water capable of cutting through a vast assortment of materials. Recently she has been experimenting with the viscosity of certain liquids that are water-based in nature and formula.

Scylla can reach rather daring depths in water, her spirits working in tandem to ease the pressure off her body the deeper she goes and those of air providing her with elongated breath to breach the unseen. Suspended in any body of water, she can also bid and command her spirits to fashion whirlpools and manifest waves that crest high over friends and foes alike.

[&&] Her former years as a Dragoon -- though seemingly short -- has outfitted Scylla with an accomplished practice with both lances and spears. Before being drafted into the UDF, she was bequeathed with a unique lance that is capable of being detached for dual wielding finesse and conjoined just as easily to extend her reach. Crafted of obsidia alloy, the double bladed ends are carefully holstered on suspension units designed into her military issued attire, usually detached and within reach for her to easily reach back over her shoulders to draw them. Their connection point is held together by a simplistic locking mechanism that requires one simple twist to secure the poles in place.

Outside the means of her typical arsenal, Scylla can wield various firearms issued through the UDF. Her expertise with them varies, as it stands she has been assigned two standard service pistols and an assault rifle with a bayonet attachment.

_{T R I V I A}

---

&& Scylla is freakishly flexible.
&& Scylla also enjoys fish as a meal prepared in any fashion.
&& Upon the majority of her back Scylla has tattoos that are designed as rippling scales that even span down the back of her arms and thighs.
&& The scars on her neck are a story she refuses to tell.

[skidcrow]

rockette cs in 2022

[Rockette]

Oh, stahp.

[DeadDrop]

Guh

[Mirandae]

@Rockette
I'd totally bang you if we ever met in person, you know. Better get used to that thought.
Get into that world map and mark those locations wherever you want them, then get this well put together sheet into the character tab.

I think this is everyone right now, except for @metanoia. Should we wait more or how are things coming along there? We can continue the Prelude for a bit longer or start Chapter 1—it depends a little bit on where you are at.

[DeadDrop]

Dope/bomb ass cast.

[Krash]

@Krash
That post of yours made me hungry! I wouldn't call that post rusty for a come back.
I added the locations you mentioned on the local map. Hopefully I interpreted it correctly.

Also, you don't need to do the "quest steps". It's just something that I'll do as GM to easily communicate and make clear how everyone can respond and move forward. You could rename it to "summary", though. We've used post summaries in my games before to make reading things back a bit easier.

The character image in your post leads to someone else's character sheet, though. Go to the character tab, check the character cast banners at the top, click the "raw"-button the in top right corner, and then you'll find yours there. Might have to test a little to find your banner code there. My explanation here is a bit wonky, hope it made sense.

@Prisk

I appreciate you haha it felt very clunky but enjoyable to write again. I actually quite liked the 'quest steps' at least at this stage as way to indicate to others potential interaction points for entry. I may alter the name like you suggested though. Actually, I liked the whole format of the posts which is why I, rather obviously, borrowed it XD. Thank you for pointing it out, I thought I'd fixed it... oh well! I appreciate the explanation!

[Mirandae]

@Krash
Yes, let's change that right away. I've prepped the code for it and another color. Everyone can use this, and I'll use it myself when necessary.

Post Summary

---

Replace - Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.

@FollowthePath@Martian@RezonanceV
Giving some of our quieter participants a bump here, though I've seen you in here in the thread. We'll start very soon. Are you okay with waiting just a bit more?

[skidcrow]

my ic post will have ifan travelling direct to cec from bellfort so i'm all good on that front, if we want to start now i'll just tack it on as a flashback

[AlteredTundra]

@Rockette
I'd totally bang you if we ever met in person, you know. Better get used to that thought.
Get into that world map and mark those locations wherever you want them, then get this well put together sheet into the character tab.

I think this is everyone right now, except for @metanoia. Should we wait more or how are things coming along there? We can continue the Prelude for a bit longer or start Chapter 1—it depends a little bit on where you are at.

@Prisk

Apologies that I haven't got my sheet up yet. I was struggling on a concept, but I have one figured out, I think, so I'll try and have it up sometime tonight (tomorrow at the latest)!

[FollowthePath]

I'm here! No problem waiting. I've just been trying to keep up with the lore, map, character sheets, and IC, rereading them a lot. Promise to jump in as soon as my brain can figure out the best way to go about it, ha.

[Krash]

@Krash
Yes, let's change that right away. I've prepped the code for it and another color. Everyone can use this, and I'll use it myself when necessary.

Post Summary

---

Replace - Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.

@Prisk

Done and edited, I tried to do the same for the Lore footnotes to make it easier to pick out but I'm struggling to get colors working well on this website and whatever color code I use ends up a very harsh brightened version of the intended color lol. The guide at the bottom isn't helpful either for what the forum accepts. Or is the preview bugged?

[Rockette]

@Prisk -- oooh. yes mommy. ♥

[Rockette]

@Krash - Try this my guy.
link.

[Krash]

I am a doofus lmao. My night mode was wonking the contrast and hues on some font colors so when I tried to choose a dark font to be unobtrusive, it made it glaringly bright.

[Rockette]

@Krash -- haha ya' goob.

@Prisk --

Hider

I dunno' if I'll make it to a prelude post. At this point we're not waiting on much else but I might put some flashbacks to good use. We'll see how work pans out tomorrow.

[DeadDrop]

Flashforward

[Mirandae]

Alright, then. I think I've checked in with everyone who needed checking in with. I have the "Chapter 1" post written and ready to go, so let's say we start this weekend, yes? I'll fire the story up proper on Friday/Saturday, depending on where you are in the world. This should give some additional time to get sorted and prepped.