13org

Absolved Will Be the Saviors

---

The next person to greet her was an older man with quite the surprising physique. While his eyes and his grey hairs betrayed his age and experience, his clothes and strong body made it clear that he was used to working with his body. Perhaps an engineer or smith, judging by the apron and the rough, callused hands.

"Please to meet you, Osric. It would be nice if the rescue proceeded without any major issues... But in case it doesn't, it's indeed comforting to have a few more allies to count on." Amaris said, returning his greeting with a smile and a nod.

As expected, the inquisitor did had something to say upon seeing Amaris. While she only said a single word, her eyes as she did so told more about what she thought about Amaris' presence than words could. Amaris wasn't a strange to the inquisitors' fanaticism and the wrathful stares they usually directed at her. As a response to that, she simply looked back at the inquisitor, waving at her with a provoking smirk.

Much to her own surprise though, a red haired woman, one of the two people in that table that seemed to fit more around nobles than inquisitors and mercenaries, immediately interceded for her, chastising the inquisitor for her reaction.

"Thank you for your kindness, but it's fine. I've grown accustomed to the inquisitors' hostile behavior. In the other hand... It's not everyday that someone intercedes for me like this." Amaris said, looking to Carnatia with a discreet smile.

Still, the red haired noblewoman wasn't the only one to thank for holding back the inquisitor. The other one was a rather stern looking man, wearing a feathered hat. While he did kept a welcoming smile, the stare he gave towards the inquisitor made it quite clear that he probably was in a higher position than her.

"Greetings, captain Carmen. I assume you will be my handler, am I correct? I look forward to working with you." Amaris asked, discreetly looking at his hands, searching for the presence of a familiar signet ring.

Amaris' discreet evaluation of the man who was going to hold the key to her life was cut short though, as the first person who noticed her appearance spoke, trying to apologize for his reaction upon seeing her... Even though he was failing quite amusingly at it, stumbling at his own words and probably letting out more than he intended.

"I wonder if you are always this well articulated or if my 'beauty' left you at loss for words." Amaris said with a teasing smirk.

"A bit too... exotic for a fashion statement, is it not? Although I must say that if it wasn't for it's purpose, I would have even liked it's looks with a few adjustments... I kinda like the spikes and all, but the robe itself is a bit too plain and boring for my liking, you know?" Amaris replied as he asked about her robes while laughing.

Just as she was about to explain what it was, the inquisitor, or ex-inquisitor as she herself stated, was rather quick to accuse it's real purpose, together with a rather refreshing reminder that she would keep a watchful eye on her.

"It is exactly as our dear ex-inquisitor Mirielle said. Although she did, conveniently, fail to clarify what 'sin' I am guilty of..." Amaris said, not-so-subtly provoking Mirielle, as she continued.

Before Amaris could continue though, she suddenly felt a hand touching the back of her neck, accompanied with the voice of the man who was speaking about her beauty a moment earlier. Distracted by the small exchange of jabs with Mirielle, Amaris had completely failed to notice the fact that one of the members of the group, simply wasn't at his seat anymore and was not right behind her.

Immediately upon feeling an unfamiliar touch, a chain of iron thorns, much like the ones who adorned her robes immediately materialized a few centimeters away from the ground, shooting up in a zigzag pattern with a frightening speed and missing the man's forearm by a hair's breadth, likely saving it from being tore apart in the process. The noise of the vicious thorns hitting against each other and the chains moved violently upwards was enough to completely drown every other noise in the room, before it stopped as suddenly as it had began, with the chains stopping between him and Amaris in the same pattern, almost as if they were frozen in time.

"While I do enjoy the attention and the flattery, I do not appreciate being approached by behind, much less touched without my consent." Amaris said, slowly turning back to face the offender, her voice assuming a much darker and hostile tone, nowhere near the gentle and amicable one she had a moment ago as she waited for him to go back to his seat.

"Nine years ago, in the border between Westernant and Varenheim, an incident happened where an entire settlement was slaughtered and destroyed by a Sarkaz Witch in a single night. That settlement was, surely, painted as filled with innocent victims by the authorities in order to hide their corrupt deals with the place... But the truth was that the entire settlement was a front for a slavery ring, focusing on 'marginalized' races like the Sarkaz. In the next morning, after killing most of the humans on the settlement and freeing the slaves, the Sarkaz Witch was captured by the order without resisting." Amaris said with a serious tone, as the chains began to quickly rust and decay, before fully disappearing.

"Two years after my capture, due to my 'good behavior' I was allowed to serve as a weapon for the Order to reduce my sentence. Even now, after seven years of 'service' I have yet to raise my hand against innocent people." she finished, letting her words linger for a good minute of silencebefore letting out a deep sigh, with her expression becoming calmer and lighter, returning to what it was previously.

"I am sorry for the outburst and for interrupting the feast like this. I wasn't planning on telling about why I am here now like this. I hope this hasn't ruined the mood." Amaris said with a disappointed sigh.

Absolved Will Be the Saviors

---

Amaris took a brief moment to take a quick glance at the group just after the Archbishop announced her entrance and before introducing herself. At first, she was expecting a curated group of inquisitors and fanatics, but much to her surprise it seem to be quite a healthy and varied group, although she did notice at least one person who fit the previous category quite well if one was to believe the rumors. With that said, considering the fact that she was assigned for this mission, it was undeniable that there would be at least one inquisitor between them, an issue Amaris decided to leave for another moment, as the least she could do now was to show her willingness to work with the group by introducing herself.

"Good evening, I hope I am not interrupting the feast. " Amaris said as she gave a step forwards, picking one of the vacant seats at random and standing behind it. Truth be told, the scent and appearance of the food was truly divine.

"To those who do not know or haven't heard about me, I am Amaris. I was assigned by the Archbishop to aid you in the upcoming mission." she continued, waving back to one of the members who had been quick to notice her arrival, a tall man with quite the striking brownish-orange hair which for some reason, seemed to be quite shocked by it too, making Amaris let out an amused grin, before she delicately pulled the chair and sat down.

"I am sure that there are some between you who do know me. To those I assure you I that the successful completion of this mission is as important to you as it is for me, as I am quite sure you might know, and that you will have my full cooperation to ensure that it goes well." Amaris completed giving a quick glance towards a certain white haired woman, who was rather infamous even among the Order's clergy, or famous depending on who you asked, due to her extreme... passion... for her job and observing her reaction, before turning her attention to the rest of the group again.

"Should any of you have any question, please don't be afraid to ask." Amaris said, taking a moment to carefully watch every member's reaction before she gently took a dish for herself together with a glass of wine and started to eat, apparently greatly appreciating every bite and sip.

Absolved Will Be the Saviors

Amaris Mallory

---

Amaris Mallory	General Information Name - Amaris Mallory Age - 85 Species and Gender - Sarkaz / Female Mana Pool Type - Container Hair Color - White Affiliation - Order of the Golden Sun - Prisoner

Detailed Appearance

While Amaris lacks the characteristic horns that most Sarkaz usually have and most of the visible traits are hidden by her robes, her striking appearance is usually more than enough to mark her as someone incredibly suspicious. At first sight, her red eyes and sharp teeth already contribute to the rather sinister aura she has, but if one pay enough attention, the white, demon-like tail is still able to be seen. Aside from the obvious physical traits, what perhaps contribute even more to the sinister appearance Amaris has is the robe and veil that she is forced to wear by the Order.

The aptly named Robes of Penitence were initially a magical artifact made with reinforced fabric and dark colors, but after being worn by Amaris, the robe changed to be filled with sharp iron spikes. While the rather violent and hostile design was not exactly intended, it ends up working quite well to warn that the one wearing it is both dangerous and undergoing punishment... or 'penance'.

If one is able to see past these sinister and dangerous appearance, Amaris could easily be considered quite an attractive woman. Standing at 1.82m with beautiful, long white hair, it doesn't take much to imagine how different she would look if she wore different clothes and perhaps had a more amicable, gentle smile... Similar to the ones she is sometime seen with when talking to Sarkaz children.

Personality

Most know of those who have heard about Amaris' 'sins' and what she was responsible for see her as a monstrous, sadistic witch. A walking disaster that was responsible for the massacre that happened on the border town between Varenheim and Westernant. At least partially, those people aren't exactly wrong. To her enemies, Amaris shows herself to be a ruthless, sadistic witch that doesn't hesitate in slaughtering those responsible for her people's suffering, but there is much more to her than just the stories that are told.

While it is true that Amaris is cruel, ruthless and sadistic to those whom she consider either her enemies or 'guilty' of committing injustices, her rather strict moral code shows itself quite clearly when innocent people are involved, be them Sarkaz or not. This very moral code seems work almost as a failsafe, limiting her cruelty to prevent her from crossing a line she shouldn't.

Since she became a prisoner of the Order of the Golden Sun, Amaris learned to control her fiercely rebellious spirit, teaching her at least some patience and restraint. This time spent as a prisoner also did quite a bit to calm Amaris down and make her behavior less explosive and destructive. In another hand, this made clear that Amaris is a dangerous woman in many ways, showing herself to be a very cunning and scheming woman especially now after she learned how to bide her time instead of acting solely on her impulses.

Surprisingly enough, she seems not to show that much hostility to most members of the clergy, with the notable exception of the Inquisitors... Often the targets of acidic, sarcastic comments and provocations about them being the church's 'hunting dogs', eager to show service and 'condemn' whoever they are told to, regardless of the crimes they committed. Even though Amaris isn't stupid to directly attack an inquisitor, she seems to shows a habit of not particularly minding about collateral damage to them, if she is ordered to attack an enemy with them nearby.

The few times Amaris was allowed to meet the children of the orphanage, she has also shown herself to calmly and kindly answer to inquiries made by the braver ones among them that weren't afraid by the stories, as long as those were polite. While she shows little to no patience to rude and unruly children, she seems to have a soft spot for polite and innocent ones.

Bio

It is hard to forget—and even harder to forgive—the hatred and the old wounds left open after decades of war. For some, time does not heal all wounds. Even after the city of Dagorlad was built as a symbol of peace, the scars of the Sarkaz genocide, inflicted by the Elves during the cruel reign of Serensiel, remained fresh in their memory. The Sarkaz people, once proud nomads, now suffered the stigma of that dark history. Many still saw them as untrustworthy outcasts, regardless of their attempt to rebuild their shattered pride and culture.

Amaris Mallory, the third daughter of a prosperous merchant family, saw in Dagorlad little more than a gilded cage. It was a fragile city... Built on a promise coexistence and a new beginning, while lacking the mutual respect from other kingdoms to sustain such coexistence. A place where the Sarkaz slowly attempted to reclaim what was stolen from them, even as those responsible for their suffering walked free. The Elves who had committed unspeakable atrocities thrived in lands taken by blood, while the Sarkaz were left to pick up the pieces, their pain ignored.

To Amaris, the bustling marketplace in Dagorlad’s merchant district, filled with colorful stalls and traders shouting their wares, felt like a cruel joke. The very city was build as a result of years of Sarkaz suffering, and yet people still lived as if the past didn't matter anymore... As if all their problems had been solved, ignoring the Elves, in their prosperous kingdom, built on stolen lands. The noise of the crowd only made Amaris' heard tighten. The peace their city offered was impossible to trust. Their so-called nation was small and vulnerable, constantly overshadowed by the power of the Elves and Humans.

Day after day, Amaris wandered through the district, her heart heavy with the burden of unspoken anger. Merchants who traveled to Human land spoke of their experiences... The stories were always the same: polite smiles masking condescension, whispered insults calling them scavengers, wanderers, or worse. The Sarkaz could build cities, they could carve out a place for themselves, but they could not erase the past.

While many in Dagorlad tried to adapt to their new lives, Amaris felt suffocated by it. While coexistence could be possible, the past had first to be acknowledged. The crimes of the Elves under Serensiel's reign could not simply be buried and forgotten. Most importantly, the Sarkaz would never be truly respected as long as their past grievances weren't solved and the crimes committed against them, repaid. For Amaris, there could be no true peace without retribution.

As she grew older, Dagorlad became more and more suffocating. Her family, unlike Amaris, had adapted well to the changes. Her father, a merchant through and through, saw opportunity where she saw injustice while her mother, believed that time would smooth over the rough edges of their history. Both of them did little to understand her discontent. To them, Amaris was wasting her potential and her magical talents, on rebellious thoughts and dreams of a different world.

In the end, Amaris decided to leave with the excuse of "learning about the world". Unsurprisingly, her family didn’t resist. They had already grown of her dissatisfaction and rebellious spirit and maybe they believed that leaving Dagorlad might finally open her rebellious daughter's eyes and get rid her of her rebellious streak. She chose Westernant as her destination, where she hoped to find answers to the questions that gnawed at her soul... How could her people heal if their past was ignored? How could they move forward when the those responsible for their disgrace still walked free, unrepentant, their hands stained with Sarkaz blood? And perhaps even more importantly... seeking some respite from the suffocating feeling of impotence and the hatred that burned her chest.

Truth be told, Amaris had no grand plan as she left for Westernant, no certainty about what she would find or how exactly would most humans treat her. Only a burning, smoldering anger. A belief that justice, true justice, could not be bargained for or bought. It had to be taken, to be earned. As long as the Sarkaz let the humans look down at them or the elves believe they can just ignore what they did in the past, they would never be respected.

At first her the one thing she noticed in Westernant was while there was indeed the prejudice she heard about from other merchants, not every human was like that. While there were only some that didn't view her with prejudice, those that didn't only shown curiosity as she looked at her. While that curiosity could be another way to earn the human kingdoms' trust and respect, Amaris was far too quickly shown the dark side of human society the moment she stepped into one of the first settlements in the border between the kingdoms...

In one of the first border towns Amaris visited, the first thing she noticed were the suspicious, harsh stares the moment she arrived. Unlike the others, those went beyond simple curiosity or prejudice... The people's stared had a mix of nervousness, fear and hostility to them. Every step she gave, Amaris felt she was closely watched. Strangely enough, it felt almost as if every person looking at her was a hair's breadth away from jumping at her. Under such strict surveillance, not only there was no possibility of her finding out what was going on, but the threat of having a dagger plunged into her back was tangible. Due to that, Amaris quickly left the place.

It took quite a bit of questioning the rare merchants that passed on the nearby roads and observing who entered and exited the settlement from a distance, but when Amaris finally realized what was going on, she felt her heart drop with shock, before it lit up in anger and wrath. While it was well disguised, it was obvious that that small settlement was a front for a group of slavers. Amaris watched, in horror as a bound sarkaz was hurriedly escorted inside the settlement by a group of rough looking men, before it was taken inside a building.

In silence, Amaris returned to the slavers' settlement, her eyes burning with anger as one guard came to stop her. They knew... They all knew what was happening in that place. The guards, the merchants who were staring at her earlier, even the authorities on that place knew... and they did nothing... Raising her hand, a chain of interlinking, symmetrical, iron spikes began slowly forming as she looked towards the guard... There was no negotiation, no warning or accusations, there was just a one-sided massacre. The humans that escaped quickly alerted the authorities, with desperate tales about a Sarkaz witch and the storm of bloodied chains and spikes that followed her.

Rushed by the urgency of the reports given by the fleeing survivors, the Order of the Golden Sun arrived almost an entire day later. Only to encounter the small settlement completely destroyed. Bodies impaled by huge spikes of iron appearing from the ground or entangled in a sea of chains made of interlinking iron spikes. In the very middle of the destroyed settlement, a single Sarkaz woman stood kneeling on the ground, wounded and exhausted, but still alive. Surrounded by a a few dozen of the symmetrical iron spikes embedded on the ground, almost the height of a human and dozens of bloodied chains spread through the ground in a sea of blood, corpses and debris. The almost nightmarish scene of iron obelisks, chains and spikes seemed to be something straight out of a horror story, some of the iron structures already starting to oxidize, rapidly decaying due to the exhaustion of the Sarkaz witch, the red rust color mixing the the blood of the corpses on the ground...

[...]

Reminiscing about the past was... Unpleasant for Amaris. It's been almost 9 years since the massacre of the slaver settlement. 9 years since she was saved from being executed in the very spot she stood by some of the Sarkaz slaves she had freed before the massacre, interceded for her and explaining what had happened. Many times she had thought if she could had done something different... of how she could have dealt with that settlement in a better way... But in the end, those thought went away as quickly as they returned. It was useless to think about what could have been.

After she was captured, it took almost two years of interrogation and sermons (many which were completely ignored by Amaris) until the Order saw Amaris worthy of the smallest bit of trust and allowed her to work with inquisitors in order to repay for what she had done, reducing her sentence. After nine years, Amaris knew well that there was more to that slaver settlement than what she thought, as the truth behind it had not yet made public. Now, she worked to the order as a somewhat begrudging ally. Every mission completed without any 'incidents' was another step, another reduction to her sentence and another promise from the Order that when it was all over, the truth would finally be told and her name, cleared... Working with inquisitors was still as unpleasant as it was in the beginning, but if there was anything Amaris had learned in those nine years was that it paid off to be patient.

Passives

Blood-iron Thorns: Amaris is able to materialize iron chains made of interlinking, symmetrical iron spikes and control it freely either from a distance or as whips from her arms. Her control over said chain is enough to move it almost any way she wants to in a range of 15m, including wielding them just like a normal whip would. Only one chain can be materialized and controlled, with additional chains being materialized as Amaris is able to score hits on enemies with normal attacks or by sacrificing 10% of her health per chain. Can only control four chains at a time. Always has one chain with her. Chains can be broken with strong enough attacks.

Blood-iron Magic: Amaris' magic is one of blood and iron, an old ritualistic magic based on blood sacrifices. As long her chains are able to absorb blood, be it her own or others, she gets progressively stronger.

Agile Caster: Due to the almost instinctive way Amaris' magic works, she is able to move herself freely as she uses it. The rush of adrenaline and excitement as she continues using it made her develop a fast, agile and aggressive fighting style. Not wearing armor also contributes to her agile steps in the battlefield.

Spells

Chains of Resentment: Spends one of her chains, sending them towards an enemy, slithering and coiling around them before tightening, making the thorns dig into their skin, causing severe bleeding and slowing both their movements and attacks. If three Obelisks were summoned, more chains appear shooting from the ground, piercing the target and holding them in place. Allows the usage of the Reckoning ability if three obelisks are summoned.

Reckoning: Can only be used against enemies affected by Chains of Resentment. Makes the chains that are already slowing the target's movements and attacks start tightening even more, grinding against each other and the target's flesh, digging further and further into it. Against enemies who are already held in place, summons a smaller spike from the ground, slightly behind the target, impaling them and raising in the air, with the chains binding them to it.

Blood Iron Curtain: Spends one of her chains, making it burst into individual thorns, orbiting Amaris, creating an aura of 5 meters around her where projectiles have a high chance of being deflected. After three obelisks were summoned, this area extends to 10 meters, protecting her allies, completely stop any projectiles and working together with the obelisks' chain links, causing bleeding to enemies inside the radius.

Bloodforged Obelisk: Spends three Blood Iron Thorns, sending them burrowing into the ground, wall or any solid object. The chains move underground to make a giant iron spike, bound by chains, to erupt, impaling any enemy unfortunate enough to be above it and knocking away those nearby. The obelisk will remain on the battlefield as long as Amaris wills it or as long as she remains conscious. While very durable, can still be destroyed. When three obelisks are summoned on the same battlefield, the chains binding them break, with each individual chain link, each individual thorn, flying outwards and orbiting an area of 15 meters around each obelisk, causing persistent damage and bleeding to anyone who stays in the area. Subsequent casts of this skill after three obelisks were summoned will only cost a single chain and will instead, simply relocate one of the previous spikes. If all three spikes are destroyed after they are 'activated', the storm of thorns ceases, with Amaris needing to invoke the obelisks again. As long as a single obelisk is still standing after being 'activated', Amaris needs only to spend a single chain to summon the others.

Equipment

Robes of Penitence: A cursed artifact made by the Order of the Golden Sun to control highly dangerous and powerful prisoners. Takes the form of a black robe, made of reinforced fabric. Offers little to no protection, but it's nigh impossible to destroy, thanks to self-repairing enchantments. Due to how tricky it is to seal or prevent powerful prisoners from using their powers, this artifact makes use of the caster's own powers against them. In the case of Amaris, it became filled with iron spikes, thorns and chains. Can be activated from a distance by any high-ranking member of the Order of the Golden Sun or by whoever was given the responsibility of being Amaris' 'handler'. Upon being activated, the thorns grow inwards, piercing Amaris' skin and causing a great deal of pain while the chains tighten, both cutting and immobilizing her. It was designed to cause as much pain as possible and immobilize without killing, but a special command can be used solely by a high-ranking member of the Order to immediately execute the wearer.

Mundane Skills

A Merchant's daughter: While Amaris isn't exactly good at bargaining or negotiating, she knows how to handle money and numbers quite well. Despite her lack of enthusiasm with her family's business in Dagorlad, Amaris is actually a very competent accountant. The years she passed observing and seeing her father working also taught her to be quite cunning and scheming. Traits she had not shown before, due to her previous tendency of letting her emotions run wild and cloud her judgement.

First Aid: Due to the obviously dangerous nature of Amaris' magic, more than once she cut or wounded herself while learning to control it. Due to that, Amaris learned how to disinfect, clean and close wounds quite effectively.

Light steps: Years of dodging her responsibilities to the family, running away from chores & the like made Amaris quite adept at sneaking around and moving silently.

13org's characters

Amaris Mallory (alt)

---

Amaris Mallory	General Information Name - Amaris Mallory Age - 85 Species and Gender - Sarkaz / Female Mana Pool Type - Container Hair Color - White Affiliation - Order of the Golden Sun - Prisoner

Detailed Appearance

While Amaris lacks the characteristic horns that most Sarkaz usually have and most of the visible traits are hidden by her robes, her striking appearance is usually more than enough to mark her as someone incredibly suspicious. At first sight, her red eyes and sharp teeth already contribute to the rather sinister aura she has, but if one pay enough attention, the white, demon-like tail is still able to be seen. Aside from the obvious physical traits, what perhaps contribute even more to the sinister appearance Amaris has is the robe and veil that she is forced to wear by the Order.

The aptly named Robes of Penitence were initially a magical artifact made with reinforced fabric and dark colors, but after being worn by Amaris, the robe changed to be filled with sharp iron spikes. While the rather violent and hostile design was not exactly intended, it ends up working quite well to warn that the one wearing it is both dangerous and undergoing punishment... or 'penance'.

If one is able to see past these sinister and dangerous appearance, Amaris could easily be considered quite an attractive woman. Standing at 1.82m with beautiful, long white hair, it doesn't take much to imagine how different she would look if she wore different clothes and perhaps had a more amicable, gentle smile... Similar to the ones she is sometime seen with when talking to Sarkaz children.

Personality

Most know of those who have heard about Amaris' 'sins' and what she was responsible for see her as a monstrous, sadistic witch. A walking disaster that was responsible for the massacre that happened on the border town between Varenheim and Westernant. At least partially, those people aren't exactly wrong. To her enemies, Amaris shows herself to be a ruthless, sadistic witch that doesn't hesitate in slaughtering those responsible for her people's suffering, but there is much more to her than just the stories that are told.

While it is true that Amaris is cruel, ruthless and sadistic to those whom she consider either her enemies or 'guilty' of committing injustices, her rather strict moral code shows itself quite clearly when innocent people are involved, be them Sarkaz or not. This very moral code seems work almost as a failsafe, limiting her cruelty to prevent her from crossing a line she shouldn't.

Since she became a prisoner of the Order of the Golden Sun, Amaris learned to control her fiercely rebellious spirit, teaching her at least some patience and restraint. This time spent as a prisoner also did quite a bit to calm Amaris down and make her behavior less explosive and destructive.

Surprisingly enough, she seems not to show that much hostility to most members of the clergy, with the notable exception of the Inquisitors... Often the targets of acidic, sarcastic comments and provocations about them being the church's 'hunting dogs', eager to show service and 'condemn' whoever they are told to, regardless of the crimes they committed. Even though Amaris isn't stupid to directly attack an inquisitor, she seems to shows a habit of not particularly minding about collateral damage to them, if she is ordered to attack an enemy with them nearby.

The few times Amaris was allowed to meet the children of the orphanage, she has also shown herself to calmly and kindly answer to inquiries made by the braver ones among them that weren't afraid by the stories, as long as those were polite. While she shows little to no patience to rude and unruly children, she seems to have a soft spot for polite and innocent ones.

Bio

It is hard to forget—and even harder to forgive—the hatred and the old wounds left open after decades of war. For some, time does not heal all wounds. Even after the city of Dagorlad was built as a symbol of peace, the scars of the Sarkaz genocide, inflicted by the Elves during the cruel reign of Serensiel, remained fresh in their memory. The Sarkaz people, once proud nomads, now suffered the stigma of that dark history. Many still saw them as untrustworthy outcasts, regardless of their attempt to rebuild their shattered pride and culture.

Amaris Mallory, the third daughter of a prosperous merchant family, saw in Dagorlad little more than a gilded cage. It was a fragile city... Built on a promise coexistence and a new beginning, while lacking the mutual respect from other kingdoms to sustain such coexistence. A place where the Sarkaz slowly attempted to reclaim what was stolen from them, even as those responsible for their suffering walked free. The Elves who had committed unspeakable atrocities thrived in lands taken by blood, while the Sarkaz were left to pick up the pieces, their pain ignored.

To Amaris, the bustling marketplace in Dagorlad’s merchant district, filled with colorful stalls and traders shouting their wares, felt like a cruel joke. The very city was build as a result of years of Sarkaz suffering, and yet people still lived as if the past didn't matter anymore... As if all their problems had been solved, ignoring the Elves, in their prosperous kingdom, built on stolen lands. The noise of the crowd only made Amaris' heard tighten. The peace their city offered was impossible to trust. Their so-called nation was small and vulnerable, constantly overshadowed by the power of the Elves and Humans.

Day after day, Amaris wandered through the district, her heart heavy with the burden of unspoken anger. Merchants who traveled to Human land spoke of their experiences... The stories were always the same: polite smiles masking condescension, whispered insults calling them scavengers, wanderers, or worse. The Sarkaz could build cities, they could carve out a place for themselves, but they could not erase the past.

While many in Dagorlad tried to adapt to their new lives, Amaris felt suffocated by it. While coexistence could be possible, the past had first to be acknowledged. The crimes of the Elves under Serensiel's reign could not simply be buried and forgotten. Most importantly, the Sarkaz would never be truly respected as long as their past grievances weren't solved and the crimes committed against them, repaid. For Amaris, there could be no true peace without retribution.

As she grew older, Dagorlad became more and more suffocating. Her family, unlike Amaris, had adapted well to the changes. Her father, a merchant through and through, saw opportunity where she saw injustice while her mother, believed that time would smooth over the rough edges of their history. Both of them did little to understand her discontent. To them, Amaris was wasting her potential and her magical talents, on rebellious thoughts and dreams of a different world.

In the end, Amaris decided to leave with the excuse of "learning about the world". Unsurprisingly, her family didn’t resist. They had already grown of her dissatisfaction and rebellious spirit and maybe they believed that leaving Dagorlad might finally open her rebellious daughter's eyes and get rid her of her rebellious streak. She chose Westernant as her destination, where she hoped to find answers to the questions that gnawed at her soul... How could her people heal if their past was ignored? How could they move forward when the those responsible for their disgrace still walked free, unrepentant, their hands stained with Sarkaz blood? And perhaps even more importantly... seeking some respite from the suffocating feeling of impotence and the hatred that burned her chest.

Truth be told, Amaris had no grand plan as she left for Westernant, no certainty about what she would find or how exactly would most humans treat her. Only a burning, smoldering anger. A belief that justice, true justice, could not be bargained for or bought. It had to be taken, to be earned. As long as the Sarkaz let the humans look down at them or the elves believe they can just ignore what they did in the past, they would never be respected.

At first her the one thing she noticed in Westernant was while there was indeed the prejudice she heard about from other merchants, not every human was like that. While there were only some that didn't view her with prejudice, those that didn't only shown curiosity as she looked at her. While that curiosity could be another way to earn the human kingdoms' trust and respect, Amaris was far too quickly shown the dark side of human society the moment she stepped into one of the first settlements in the border between the kingdoms...

In one of the first border towns Amaris visited, the first thing she noticed were the suspicious, harsh stares the moment she arrived. Unlike the others, those went beyond simple curiosity or prejudice... The people's stared had a mix of nervousness, fear and hostility to them. Every step she gave, Amaris felt she was closely watched. Strangely enough, it felt almost as if every person looking at her was a hair's breadth away from jumping at her. Under such strict surveillance, not only there was no possibility of her finding out what was going on, but the threat of having a dagger plunged into her back was tangible. Due to that, Amaris quickly left the place.

It took quite a bit of questioning the rare merchants that passed on the nearby roads and observing who entered and exited the settlement from a distance, but when Amaris finally realized what was going on, she felt her heart drop with shock, before it lit up in anger and wrath. While it was well disguised, it was obvious that that small settlement was a front for a group of slavers. Amaris watched, in horror as a bound sarkaz was hurriedly escorted inside the settlement by a group of rough looking men, before it was taken inside a building.

In silence, Amaris returned to the slavers' settlement, her eyes burning with anger as one guard came to stop her. They knew... They all knew what was happening in that place. The guards, the merchants who were staring at her earlier, even the authorities on that place knew... and they did nothing... Raising her hand, a chain of interlinking, symmetrical, iron spikes began slowly forming as she looked towards the guard... There was no negotiation, no warning or accusations, there was just a one-sided massacre. The humans that escaped quickly alerted the authorities, with desperate tales about a Sarkaz witch and the storm of bloodied chains and spikes that followed her.

Rushed by the urgency of the reports given by the fleeing survivors, the Order of the Golden Sun arrived almost an entire day later. Only to encounter the small settlement completely destroyed. Bodies impaled by huge spikes of iron appearing from the ground or entangled in a sea of chains made of interlinking iron spikes. In the very middle of the destroyed settlement, a single Sarkaz woman stood kneeling on the ground, wounded and exhausted, but still alive. Surrounded by a a few dozen of the symmetrical iron spikes embedded on the ground, almost the height of a human and dozens of bloodied chains spread through the ground in a sea of blood, corpses and debris. The almost nightmarish scene of iron obelisks, chains and spikes seemed to be something straight out of a horror story, some of the iron structures already starting to oxidize, rapidly decaying due to the exhaustion of the Sarkaz witch, the red rust color mixing the the blood of the corpses on the ground...

[...]

Reminiscing about the past was... Unpleasant for Amaris. It's been almost 9 years since the massacre of the slaver settlement. 9 years since she was saved from being executed in the very spot she stood by some of the Sarkaz slaves she had freed before the massacre, interceded for her and explaining what had happened. Many times she had thought if she could had done something different... of how she could have dealt with that settlement in a better way... But in the end, those thought went away as quickly as they returned. It was useless to think about what could have been.

After she was captured, it took almost two years of interrogation and sermons (many which were completely ignored by Amaris) until the Order saw Amaris worthy of the smallest bit of trust and allowed her to work with inquisitors in order to repay for what she had done, reducing her sentence. After nine years, Amaris knew well that there was more to that slaver settlement than what she thought, as the truth behind it had not yet made public. Now, she worked to the order as a somewhat begrudging ally. Every mission completed without any 'incidents' was another step, another reduction to her sentence and another promise from the Order that when it was all over, the truth would finally be told and her name, cleared... Working with inquisitors was still as unpleasant as it was in the beginning, but if there was anything Amaris had learned in those nine years was that it paid off to be patient.

Passives

Blood-iron Thorns: Amaris is able to materialize iron chains made of interlinking, symmetrical iron spikes and control it freely either from a distance or as whips from her arms. Her control over said chain is enough to move it almost any way she wants to in a range of 15m, including wielding them just like a normal whip would. Only one chain can be materialized and controlled, with additional chains being materialized as Amaris is able to score hits on enemies with normal attacks or by sacrificing 10% of her health per chain. Can only control four chains at a time. Always has one chain with her.

Blood-iron Magic: Amaris' magic is one of blood and iron, an old ritualistic magic based on blood sacrifices. As long her chains are able to absorb blood, be it her own or others, she gets progressively stronger.

Agile Caster: Due to the almost instinctive way Amaris' magic works, she is able to move herself freely as she uses it. The rush of adrenaline and excitement as she continues using it made her develop a fast, agile and aggressive fighting style. Not wearing armor also contributes to her agile steps in the battlefield.

Spells

Sacrificial Chains: Spends one of her chains, sending them towards an enemy, slithering and coiling around them before tightening, making the thorns dig into their skin, causing severe bleeding and slowing both their movements and attacks. If three Obelisks were summoned, more chains appear shooting from the ground, piercing the target and holding them in place.

Blood Iron Curtain: Spends one of her chains, making it burst into individual thorns, orbiting Amaris, creating an aura of 5 meters around her where projectiles have a high chance of being deflected. After three obelisks were summoned, this area extends to 10 meters, also protecting her allies and completely stop any projectile.

Bloodforged Obelisk: Spends three Blood Iron Thorns, sending them burrowing into the ground, wall or any solid object. The chains move underground to make a blood iron obelisk, bound by chains to erupt, impaling any enemy unfortunate enough to be above it and knocking away those nearby. The obelisk will remain on the battlefield as long as Amaris wills it or as long as she remains conscious. When three obelisks are summoned in the same battlefield, the chains binding them break, with each individual thorn flying outwards and start orbiting an area of 15 meters around each obelisk, causing persistent damage and bleeding to anyone who stays in the area. Subsequent casts of this skill after three obelisks were summoned will only cost a single chain and will instead, simply relocate one of the previous obelisks.

Equipment

Robes of Penitence: A cursed artifact made by the Order of the Golden Sun to control highly dangerous and powerful prisoners. Takes the form of a black robe, made of reinforced fabric. Offers little to no protection, but it's nigh impossible to destroy, thanks to self-repairing enchantments. Due to how tricky it is to seal or prevent powerful prisoners from using their powers, this artifact makes use of the caster's own powers against them. In the case of Amaris, it became filled with iron spikes, thorns and chains. Can be activated from a distance by any high-ranking member of the Order of the Golden Sun or by whoever was given the responsibility of being Amaris' 'handler'. Upon being activated, the thorns grow inwards, piercing Amaris' skin and causing a great deal of pain while the chains tighten, both cutting and immobilizing her. It was designed to cause as much pain as possible and immobilize without killing, but a special command can be used solely by a high-ranking member of the Order to immediately execute the wearer.

Mundane Skills

A Merchant's daughter: While Amaris isn't exactly good at bargaining or negotiating, she knows how to handle money and numbers quite well. Despite her lack of enthusiasm with her family's business in Dagorlad, Amaris is actually a very competent accountant.

First Aid: Due to the obviously dangerous nature of Amaris' magic, more than once she cut or wounded herself while learning to control it. Due to that, Amaris learned how to disinfect, clean and close wounds quite effectively.

Light steps: Years of dodging her responsibilities to the family, running away from chores & the like made Amaris quite adept at sneaking around and moving silently.

The Hunt, A Modern Fantasy Smorgasbord RP

---

Even though the situation was finally under control and Faye free, she was still very nervous and wanted nothing more than to get out of that prison that was called the 'Faith Manor' as quickly as possible.

"I'll be once we get out of this prison!" Faye said in an outburst, looking around and shifting nervously as she replied to Michael before she glanced towards Morgana, realizing that what she said might sound a bit offensive for her, since it was technically, still her family's estate.

"Sorry, Morgana... I didn't mean to offend." Faye said, lowering her tone a bit.

As she followed Morgana together with the group towards the exit of the building, the only thing holding the already nervous and impatient Faye from darting outside was the possibility of more wards and traps. Even if the front door was a few steps away, Faye wouldn't risk activating any traps, curses or wards.

The moment Faye finally stepped on the courtyard, she finally felt relieved. Even with the amount of OMR soldiers entering the manor as they passed by them, she felt much safer and more comfortable than inside the manor. In the blink of an eye, the characteristic cheerfulness Faye was known for seemed to be back again.

Distracted by blinking around the courtyard and enjoying freedom once more, Faye only noticed the agent Amanda was introducing to the team once Michael showed her his burns and asked if she, as a healer, could help him. Immediately stopping, Faye approached Lhoris and Micheal.

"I'm sorry... It was... difficult being chained and trapped like that. I know you're still tired and wounded... Sorry Michael." She said, feeling bad for being so cheerful despite Micheal's current state, lowering her head before turning to Lhoris.

"I'm Faye. Thank you for coming for us... And welcome to the team!" Faye said, her voice regaining the usual cheerfulness as she welcomed her.

"I mean... You will be staying with us... right?" she asked curiously, looking to Lhoris both waiting for a reply and not-so-subtly curious about her appearance, particularly her ears.

"I don't know if I can be of any help in healing Michael, but if you need something, just ask! But please... do not ask me to enter the mansion again..." Faye said, her voice trembling nervously as she mentioned the last part.

The Envenomed: Military Science Fiction Deniable Operations

While Kleo's previous outburst and the things that were said did make the mood a bit tense, Alice had done what she could and could offer little more than a comforting smile as the team got ready to open comms with the support squad while making the last few preparations before departing for the mission.

Rho-Hux's question to the Invictoid Commander was indeed an valid one, since no one thought about it before. As far as Alice herself was aware, no one had formally discussed who exactly was in charge of their squad, but just like the Commander itself said, Salvator seemed to almost naturally filled that role. Alice herself had no issues with him being formally declared the leader of the squad. In another hand, the Commander's words as he replied to Rho-Hux didn't exactly help to calm down the atmosphere after the previous incident with Kleo.

"I have no objections with our current leader. Despite we having never formally discussed or selected one, Salvator filled the role almost naturally. With that said, as long as we have an equally capable leader, I am more than fine." Alice said with a nod towards the commander and Rho-Hux.

Due to the specialized nature of both her role and her equipment, Alice required no further armament from the armory, but seeing how they would meet with the support team, she decided it would be good to go anyways. Plus, considering how 'well' things went until now, she wouldn't be surprised if something happened to sour the meeting between them and the support team. What Alice wouldn't have expected though was the own support team making some 'incisive' comments right upon meeting them.

Not knowing what to say and instead merely observing the exchange, Alice approached Salvator, delicately putting a hand on his shoulder and nodding reassuringly after noticing the expression he had. It was honestly surprising how Salvator was able to control himself and not explode after everything that happened.

"Alice. Thank you for your support. We will be counting on your team for this mission." Alice said, turning to the support team with a nod and a professional tone after Echo mentioned that it would be better to reduce unnecessary use of the comms.

Using Echo's arrival and notification in order to try and steer the mood of the conversation to a more professional one, Alice briefly introduced herself, both to show her willingness to work with the support team and hopefully encouraging them to do the same. The place they would be investigating wasn't exactly easy to navigate... It would be reassuring to know their support team at least had the intention of guiding them in and out safely.

The Hunt, A Modern Fantasy Smorgasbord RP

---

As agonizing as the trappings that bound Faye were, the complete isolation from magic they caused did offer at least some solace... At least at that moment. Morgana's fight with her mother wasn't a kind or pleasant one to experience for those with fae blood. Their spells, while relatively tame at first, quickly began to spun out of control. Runes and curses that twisted and tore the natural flow of magic formed a true maelstrom of magic.

Faye had no idea of how much time had passed. To someone with Fae blood, the trappings Morgana's mother used were almost cruel. Isolating one from the flow of magic, which was for her as natural as the senses she had been born with felt like torture. The moment Faye was freed from her bindings, the sudden rush of magic was both like a breath of fresh air and a flashbang. Agitated and disoriented, Faye quickly got up, breathing heavily as she looked around, frantically looking for the exit. It was only after a minute or so that Faye finally noticed what was going on, with Amanda and Micheal also free from their own cages and Morgana, apparently emerging victorious over her mother.

"Amands, Micheal, you guys are ok, aren't you?" Faye said, running to where they were, still noticeably agitated.

"We are... safe now, aren't we, Morgana? Can we get out of here now? T-The OMR team will soon arrive... We can leave things here to them, can't we?" Faye asked, turning to Morgana as her eyes darted around, still in full alert.

The Envenomed: Military Science Fiction Deniable Operations

Alice had a rather concerned expression as she heard the mission briefing. When backed up by organizations with plenty of resources, many would find it easy to underestimate independent groups. Pirates, Bounty Hunters, Scavengers... Call them whatever you want, but if there was something Alice learned while living as a fugitive in the research and exploration ship with the rest of the voidhanger colony was how effective ingenuity, adaptability and creativity could be when facing a lack of resources... When it was stated that over 50% of the pirates' forces were lost, she knew well not to underestimate whatever it was that the pirates were facing. Who knew... Should their be in the pirates' position, those losses might as well be theirs, regardless of how much more well equipped they were...

And that was just the borders of the station. The many expeditions she went to study the Abyssic Plane and the Oneiric chasm taught her that the fear of the unknown should always prioritize even a researcher's curiosity... Should one want to keep themselves alive.

Still, not everything were bad news. The team that would assist them in this operation would be tasked with relaying information to them, including planning the path they would take in real time. Not only that, but just as the invictoid commander had replied to Ilshar, there were no signs of major distortion or instability.

Despite how worried Alice was in the beginning, it seemed like the briefing was quite effective in reassuring that they were as well prepared and well equipped as they could be for that mission. The relief on her expression was visible as she nodded, indicating she had understood both their mission and the plan of action.

"No further questions, commander." Alice replied in a professional tone to the invictoid commander, nodding as she did so.

"Don't worry, Kleo. Should your equipment get damaged or something similar, I can give you mine. Voidhangers are quite resistant to ethereal radiation and vacuum." Alice said as she heard Kleo asking for 'good' protection equipment.

Almost immediately following that, Salvator approached Kleo to talk. While his words might be a bit harsh, Alice knew well that it was necessary. She had already caught on, quite early in fact, that Kleo seemed to have some kind of distrust and prejudice towards non-humans, but considering the situation they were all in, it was something she would quickly have to learn to put aside.

With that said, not everyone would be as kind and patient as Alice was and would be willing to brush aside prejudice and hostility based on one's race or deal with an inflated ego. While she was trying to encourage and show herself to be approachable and trustworthy to Kleo, she couldn't help but agree with Echo. Perhaps limiting communication with the support team would be for the best.

"His words might be a bit harsh, but I assure you he said so because he cares about us. Every one of us have their own circumstances for being here, but it doesn't change we're in this together. Trust us and we will have your back." Alice said with a reassuring smile to Kleo.

The Envenomed: Military Science Fiction Deniable Operations

Alice's expression the moment she laid eyes on the holographic image of the space station their mission would take part in was one of shock. Not only due to the sheer size of the space station, but due to it's overall layout. The tight corridors and corners not only would be incredibly unfavorable for Alice, making it much harder to position herself and use her rifle properly, but it also would heavily favor CQC, something Alice had only very basic training of.

"Oh this is bad... Very, very bad..." Alice said to herself, with a worried expression. Immediately upon looking at the holographic image of the Space Station, she could already think of a multitude of terrible situations that they could face... And she had not even began to think about ethereal interference... Which could make that mission a true nightmare, should their luck fail them.

"It would be extremely helpful if we had an idea of the path we're going to take inside the Space Station and a map... Any engagement with hostile forces inside would be incredibly disadvantageous for us, who have no knowledge of the inside layout of the Space Station. Ambushes and traps are only a few of our worries when we get inside..." Alice said, clearly concerned.

"Knowing the chances of a distortion wave or any large-scale ethereal disturbance... And being prepared for those... is also vital for this operation. The Oneiric Chasm is cruel and deadly to those unprepared... Even for those who had already went into numerous expeditions before." Alice said, agreeing with Ilshar's words and sharing Salvator's concerns about possible ethereal disturbances.

Even experienced voidhangers knew better than to consider adventuring into the Oneiric Chasm without proper preparation and considering every possible outcome, no matter how unlikely it was to occur. Fearing and respecting the Chasm was the first thing Alice learned on the exploration ship she used to live with other voidhangers.

The Envenomed: Military Science Fiction Deniable Operations

Knowing that the matter of the said 'informant' would be investigated did make Alice a bit more relieved. She knew well the invictoids wouldn't tolerate a potentially disastrous variable on their plans, considering how they acted. Either bring such 'variable' under control or eliminate it. Hopefully, sooner than later and without using them as a disposable force for their objectives...

As the Invictoid mentioned to the dossiers of the possible missions they could take next, Alice noted how King seemed to know their content with a single glance. But what perhaps drew her attention even more was King's attitude at the Invictoid Authority. With acid words and not making any attempt to hide his opinions, it certainly made Alice stop reading the dossiers and watch the Invictoid's reaction. Who exactly was King? The only possibility she could think of was that he, somehow was someone important enough to allow him speak his mind like that to the invictoid without fearing any repercussions. But again, if he was so important, why put him in a squad with mere agents like them?

"I think the option B is a rather interesting one. Not only it will help us to secure the results of our previous mission, but it will also give us a good opportunity to gather intel on field, which definitely prove to be very valuable." Alice said, raising her voice a little bit in an attempt to lighten the atmosphere after King's words, worried about a possible retaliation from the Invictoid Authority.

"By the way, I am sure the necessary information will be given to us once we have decided on our next mission. Stricter protocols to help avoid any information leak are understandable, given the situation we have faced on our last mission." Alice said, trying to calm down King.