Ashgan

The Prophecy

Corpse Forge? Grim Tool? Shard of Sin? The number of seemingly important terms he threw at her with little or no explanation was almost staggering. It made her feel quite small and ignorant to the true workings of the world; the Grand Master knew so much more than she did, and he himself had just admitted to the limits of his own knowledge. So, so much to learn and so little time… unless, of course, one cheated death like Eliza apparently had. The Crone had allegedly not bargained eternal life with the lord of lies, which implied that there were other ways to gain longevity. Lichdom? Certainly a viable option, but she did not quite look like one. Considering how vexed she had become at the Grand Master for telling Jillian about her dealings, she could only assume that the ancient sorceress would be less than willing to tell her any more. A shame, but not altogether tragic. She had other things to worry about for the time being.

When the demon lord turned his regard elsewhere and seemingly ignored her latest bout of questions, Jillian visibly tensed up, a wave of red washing over her pale cheeks. “Fine, have it your way,” she pouted, arms crossed, “How do you suppose I’d come to visit you? Should I just hit up the nearest carriage and ask to be taken to, oh, I don’t know, the Skull Tower? Ugh. But if we presume that you’re neither setting a trap nor jesting what would I gain from a visit? And what would you gain? I find it hard to believe you would simply do us a favor because you’re feeling nice today. It doesn’t suit you.”

Jillian spoke quite quickly, piling question upon question as she paced back and forth, sometimes gesticulating to make her point. Somewhere in the middle of it, her gaze too followed that of the Grand Master to the pile of inconspicuous rocks, spying in vain for anything unusual. Disappointed with her lack of findings, her viridian eyes put the demon lord in sharp focus again, glaring mercilessly and unflinchingly. She surprised even herself with her sudden bout of energy that allowed her to press the Grand Master with such clarity of mind and vigor. Just moments ago she had felt all but drained, wishing for nothing more than a bath, a soft bed and maybe a good drink, yet her fatigue was all but washed away for now. Part of her mind argued that her fluctuating condition must be a result from having been magically exhausted and (unnaturally) replenished twice in a matter of an afternoon. Using the Withering as a conduit to suck someone else’s magical energy into her own body must have some unforeseen consequences. But if there was a price to pay, she would pay it later. For now, she felt good, surprisingly so.

The Prophecy

There is no situation the Fixer cannot resolve, huh? Why only did he not send the good man to fix the Withering for him, Jillian wondered. Was the old demon simply overplaying – or overestimating – his servant’s capabilities, or was there an actual reason why he would rather risk the lives of two wholly expendable humans as opposed to his favorite henchman’s in order to combat Kreshtaat’s ploy? If the end of the Withering really was important to him, it seemed very strange that he would not have tried to destroy it himself, or that he had failed in his attempts, if he was in control of such an exceptionally gifted and capable human. If he truly was far above Crone’s and Renold’s powers combined, then there was nothing that Jillian or Gerald could do that would make them better candidates for this mission.

“Did you make him?” Jillian interjected critically, “I mean, did you give him your power through a contract, this Fixer? You say that not even you know what he’s fully capable of. How is that even possible?”

“Eliza here seems to have gotten some of her power through you,” she continued confidently, preferring to use Crone’s true name because she thought it more respectful and pretty. ‘Crone’ sounded so very derogative. “And from what I’ve seen, she vastly outmatches both Gerald and me. Did you give this man so much power that you lost control over what he’s capable of, or has he done something else to gain his abilities?”

Once she was given an answer – one which she fully expected not to be satisfactory – she would press on with “And besides, why hasn’t he ‘fixed’ the Withering for you if he’s so extremely powerful? Why would you need us two? We’re clearly the least powerful individuals in this scheme. We struggled with a couple wyverns and humans. We almost died. We’re prone to disease and fatigue. What makes us better suited to this job than the Fixer himself?”

The witch’s tone may have come across as slightly accusatory, for she shared Gerald’s skepticism in light of what the old one told them. Even if the man was not a direct threat to them, which she was willing to believe, it made little sense that the Grand Master would have struck this deal with her and the necromancer in the first place if he had such capable and discreet lackeys available. Unless… unless the Fixer could not dream, for whichever reason? That in itself would be strange. It would also, most likely, make him unable to use magic of any kind, not without becoming a Piaan addict. It made no sense either way, and curiosity alone demanded more answers. Believing herself safe behind the terms of their contract, Jillian intended to press her luck and question the demon lord as much as possible. She could only gain from it.

The Prophecy

“Hum, very well,” Jillian answered with a tired shrug, arms crossed in a futile attempt to stave off the cold, “Suits me just fine, partner.” At least he’s using my name, she thought to herself, casting a furtive glance to her strange ally in black who has so adamantly denied her the sound of her first name. Why only was that? Besides it simply being a nuisance to herself, she understood that he must have had some reason to avoid familiarity with her. Familiarity… was that it? Did he simply not want that degree of intimacy with her? It seemed ridiculous; there was nothing to using someone’s first name. It did not even imply a particularly intimate bond. He must either have become absolutely paranoid about forming relations with others – to the point of crippling his social skills at large – or he must simply dislike her personally on a strong level. If the latter was true, however, he would not have risked his life to save her from Anaxim. Maybe he simply found joy in spiting her…

“So, about this escort,” she began after clearing her throat, “I’m to assume that we meet those ‘certain criteria’, yes? He’s not going to kill us if we see him, or a month or two later because we happen to know of his existence now and such, right?”

“Furthermore, where would we meet up with him? Will he be waiting in Fokon for us? Do we wait here for his appearance?” Jillian asked after receiving a satisfactory reply to her previous question, “And what about Renold and Crone? How do they factor into our plans? I can’t see past this dome of hands you’ve so conveniently put around us, partner, but I know they’re still there, probably staring at us. As an aside, you wouldn’t mind telling us what this is about anyway, would you? I saw them as soon as I signed the contract.”

The strange mass of writhing, oily hands seemed so improbable and dreamlike in their existence. It reminded her of the dreams she had in between Anaxim and now of which she only remembered dissociated fragments. On initial attempts to recall details – something about a ship? An island? There was fire, certainly. And Vincent, poor, poor Vincent. He didn’t deserve what happened to him. Had been better off never meeting Jillian at all maybe… – she realized just how dream-like, or nightmare-like the entire day had been. The things she’s seen and done, she had no words for it. And all in such a short time. How did it all come to pass? Was it simply a string of exceptional events that she had stumbled into, or was this common for Gerald? What of the future? Would this streak of mind-boggling happenings continue, or would things be allowed to calm down once their deed in Fokon was done? Doubtful, given their agreement with Crone and Renold, or the possible consequences of their victories.

Maybe it was not as bad as it all seemed. She had always wanted recognition, fame and power. All of them things that had to be obtained through hardship and exceptional deeds. There was no going back either way, every bridge was burned. She would earn her place in this brave, new world or die trying.

The Prophecy

Viridian eyes became aglow with excitement at the thoughts that the Grand Master told of – a world where magicians were given unlimited power to do as they pleased. Remembering that she had, essentially, depleted herself more or less completely three times during the same day, this property of the Spirit Realm would be more than just a small boon to her. More than that even, they had the ability to shape their bodies and the very world around them according to their whims. It was quite literally a world where dreams became reality because it was composed of dreams; truly marvelous, and slightly terrifying.

Yet, they could still die according to their demonic associate. What exactly would be lethal to them in the Spirit Realm, she wondered? Death in the real world was typically a result of mortal injuries sustained on the body, yet their bodies in the Spirit Realm were most likely just a creation of thought and, as such, malleable. Could she not, if she wished for it, become made of steel and thus impervious to any and all bodily assaults? Instead, she imagined, death in this realm must simply mean the destruction of one’s soul, or perhaps the severing of the bond between their souls and their bodies. Yet how does one destroy a soul when it cannot be drained of magical energy for good? It would be difficult to ‘avoid’ dying when one did not precisely know what guise death will take.

When Gerald asked about their corporeal forms during their dreamlike journey, Jillian felt like the answer should have been fairly obvious. They did, after all, talk about the concept of lucid dreaming already, so she assumed that they would be, for all intents and purposes, asleep. Before the witch could think of their potential vulnerabilities, the Grand Master already pointed out how susceptible to attacks they would be in their unconscious state, and that the minions of Kreshtaat might attempt to take advantage of this. That was troubling, but how would they know? And if they were planning on assassinating the two of them, why had they not done so already or why would they not do it during any other sleep of theirs? Moreover, could the wardens of Fokon’s temples not keep unwanted intruders out, especially when made aware of the fact that their charges were the would-be saviors of all Rodoria? Clearly, the Grand Master placed more trust in his own demons than he did in mortal protection, and offered to have them guarded by some unspeakable fiend that, somehow, would kill anything that sees it.

“Are you sure that is entirely necessary?” Jillian asked with a hint of concern in her voice, “I hear the Wardens are formidable combatants in their own right. While I appreciate the gesture, your lordship, I am not sure if I would like to put my life in the hands of some monster whose mere sight can be lethal. How would the servants of Kreshtaat even be aware of our plans on such a short notice?”

The Prophecy

Jack has also mentioned that the fire, light and other phenomena created by magic aren't actually true versions of themselves, but rather still carry more semblance to the original magical energy, and tend to have unnatural properties which stem from our (or our characters', rather) flawed conceptions.

Shienvien

Huh, I didn't know this; that's good to know. It seems I inadvertently respected this property to an extent in how I stylized Jill's spells in the past, maybe excessively so, given how Orphid's Lance carries properties derived from its original creator, rather than the invoker proper.

Cool stuff, will make an effort to keep this in mind.

The Prophecy

"That's a start, I suppose," the scarlet witch figured in half-murmured voice, "but, pray tell, what is the Spirit Realm like?"
"Do we possess our mortal powers there the same as here? Or are they superior, even, since us magicians draw our very powers from this realm? Can we die in it? Are we still able to dream , as it were, while consciously walking the realm? Perhaps I'm overstepping my bounds asking these things, your dark grace," she told with a courteous bow that somehow looked - felt - dishonest, "but the more we know of this place, the better our chances of success, yes?"

Jillian, as during the rest of the previous exchange, again showed a capability for surprising emotional change, beginning on a low-willed note and ending in almost playful tones that hinted at the excitement a part of her must feel at the prospect of exploring strange new worlds; not just the wondrous Spirit Realm from whence her precious magical energy came from, but also fabled Fokon with its bountiful flower fields and venerable temples. She had long harbored a desire to dance in the colorful fields, sometimes dreamed of doing so with a mysterious and erotic partner, to promenade in its tranquil forests and experience peace in its holy shrines. Sadly, the infernal deal she struck would forbid her from any of these luxuries, pressed for time as they were, but at the very least she could let her gaze wander over the chromatic expanse of Rodoria's most bountiful duchy and - if fortune favored them - they would awaken from their most harrowing dream there, free of the Withering and free of the Grand Master's shackles. If such was their fate, she would perhaps see to fulfilling her desires after all and maybe Gerald would be the mysterious stranger she always envisioned being with - even if he did not quite match her imagination. Yet it was dangerous and vain to rave of victory just yet. For now they had to steel themselves for the trials ahead and, perhaps more importantly, recuperate from trials past.

The Prophecy

I haven't checked here in forever, but I have to admit that I'm quite happy to see you haven't forgotten about me. ;)
I'm all right, though I can't say the same for my PC at the time of writing. I hope I can fix all the issues in the coming days at least; right now I'm using my moms laptop to kill some time.

Did y'all have good holidays? I sure hope you did. Mine were all right.

So it's been a long time (probably longer than I'd even care to guess at), and lest I become completely out of touch with the quill, I should see about getting back in the creative writing business; ergo, I should get back to writing with you folks. It's rough for me to stay on the ball and keep myself motivated to do something, anything, on a regular basis - it's just my nature and my curse - but I'd really wish I could do it. If I had that level of commitment, I may be able to run semi-competent roleplays myself too. That would be awesome, but alas; I have to become more comfortable with keeping pace first it seems. It's getting late here, but since I'm here and have little else to distract me anyway as it stands, how about I produce a post for Jill tomorrow? We had a good thing going, and I genuinely enjoyed myself. I just have to get better at not falling into the procrastination abyss where only disappointment and hollowness dwell. If you see a lull in my activity, don't feel shy about being proactive and bothering me about it. Give me a good shove. I need it probably.

So far so good. Hello Jack, and hello everyone else. I'm alive again, such as it is. What did I miss?

The Origin: A War Resumed (Arc One; Completed)

So we come to the question I have for you guys. For the villains, would you like me to just post "incomplete" character sheets for them as they appear/become important for the arcs, or would you prefer to just keep track of it for yourselves, and then I post up complete character sheets as everything is revealed and they are either taken care/resolved with? Or is there some other idea you guys have that you'd like to see, when it comes to this kind of administrative crap? I'm willing to listen to your opinions on this, and go with the best thing for as many people as possible.

Also, what we do for me will also apply for you guys. So, in the case of secrets and the like whether for villains or heroes (or other), if you would prefer others not knowing until you reveal it don't include it in the character sheet, and we'll add it in when it's revealed. However, you still have to inform me of whatever it is, so that way I know and can approve of it, and also maybe implement it into the further plot.

Hope this all makes sense!

@The Darklight Project

Personally, I don't see metagaming as much of a problem in the advanced section, so I'll probably just put the story in a hider and give readers the option of spoiling it or not.

Edit: Birthday - Month and Day. Does this world use the same months and days as the real world? Also, any information on year present/needed?

The Origin: A War Resumed (Arc One; Completed)

Yo. So I took a break from roleplaying for a while; had stuff to do, felt a bit burned out on the thing, maybe you know the sensation. Your roleplay, however, sounds pretty good (so far) or at least in my imagination it was cool, and I don't think I can resist the attempt to make a character for this and come back to the ol' RP thing.

Something I'd find very helpful, and I'm sure most players would agree, is some information on the plot premise, or some kind of requirements that the story has of the player characters. Having player characters meet to interact with one another is vital, obviously, so I wonder what idea you had in mind to bring them together, and how I can work my character to fit with that theme, if at all.

The Prophecy

Hey.

You don't need to be concerned for my welfare; as Shien has said, I'm okay. That said, I realize I'm quite behind on my RP schedule. Honestly speaking, I just haven't felt like writing for a while (see my posting history on RPG). Part of that may be because I spend a portion of my day writing my thesis, perhaps that's using up what enthusiasm I have for the written medium. Perhaps I'm simply a bit drained of my creative spark, and waiting for it to come back. I'm speculating; I don't know with clarity what the matter with me is. All I do know is that it's not working out very well currently.

If you'd rather be rid of the uncertainty and vague hopes, we can put our arc of the story on pause for the time being, and get back to it once I got my act together. I don't mean to vanish or anything along those lines; you can contact me at any time, Shien may share with you my Skype address, or you can send me e-mails or what have you. But I don't want to have to feel bad about making you wait, nor do I want to deliver sub-par posts because I got over myself and wrote one for the sake of it. I'd like to come back to this RP when I have renewed enthusiasm and knowing that I can post frequently (all things considered, even 1 post/week is "frequent" by my standards) and have fun doing so.

I'm sorry; as I always am.