Bubsy 2

|| The Endless Halls | A Dark Fantasy World | Accepting Characters||

Rose's greeting received a lukewarm response, only one returning her courtesy. That was Echo, the strange armored creature who instead of verbally greeting her wrote on the ground. A mute, hmmmm? The creature subsequently disappeared, evidently eager to go wherever the group had been heading. The fish creature had a different reaction- she seemed to be visibly scared upon Rose's greeting, quickly retreating under the pretense of helping the chimera. How very interesting... Before the others had a chance to respond another had joined their group. The figure was clad in armor and introduced himself as 'Ser Victor Guttman'. Rose's eyes narrowed at his approach. He asked about their situation, evidently holding no memory of how he arrived in the cave, just as Rose had. But Rose felt a sense of unease at his presence. There was something off about him. Rose's nose noticeably scrunched.

Sniff, sniff, sniff.

"Does anyone else smell that? Just me?"

Sniff, sniff, sniff.

"Oh. I see." She gave the armored man a slight smile and an exaggerated wink for no reason that was apparent to the rest of the group. Rose likely looked stranger to the group with every passing second. But she was quite interested in seeing how this development would turn out. What that development was she had no interest in sharing. She spoke aloud to the group, smile widening. "Well... anyways, I believe the place where we are is none other than the Endless Halls! But some of you have already figured that out. I suspect since you don't know then you have lost some of your memories. Well, you're in good company because I have as well. I'm sure we are not the only ones that have," She said, glancing around the group, "It's hard to believe both of us losing them could be coincidence, it's like the plot to a novel or a play. A group of adventurers who've lost their memories, assembled in a mysterious place with no recollection of how they've gotten there... yep, it's like we're in a story." She said with a small nod. Rose was prone to rambling. "Anyways, if you've never heard of the Endless Halls it's quite an interesting place. Legend says it goes on forever, hence the name, filled with all sorts of mysteries and treasure. I believe that if we're here it can only mean that we must..." Rose pointed her staff down the hall, "Explore the halls!" Her staff dropped to the side quickly, "Er, by the way Mr. Victor, you have the pleasure of meeting Rose Red, wi-" She cleared her throat, "Mage extraordinaire." She gave a deep bow.

Rose obviously had a penchant for exaggerated showmanship. She cleared her throat, "But before we get going," She pointed towards the fish girl, giving her a wide grin, her pointed teeth making her look more then a little scary, "I want to know your name!" She pointed to the knight, "And yours!" The chimera, "And yours!" And then the Abberation, "And definitely yours! Has no one taught any of you manners?! If someone introduces themselves you must introduce yourself in turn! I will forgive you this one time because we were interrupted by Mr. Victor." Of course she did not really give them a chance to introduce themselves, but Rose cared not. She opened her mouth, as if she was about to speak again, then closed it, shaking her head. It looked like she was finally done talking.

Mirror, Fox, Key

The most important thing: how do you want your character to develop? What sort of crazy powers would be super cool to have? What sort of allies/enemies would be awesome? :3

The plot is secondary to these things!

@Mokley

Well basically I've been trying to set up Emma for some development- right now although outwardly she may seem confident and bubbly she's really dealing with a lot of internal struggle. Over the fact that she killed someone and over the fact that she wasn't able to help Spook. She thinks she's altogether pretty useless- what I wanted was to gear her up slowly into a real Traveler. Maybe she finds someone to teach her how to swing a sword or use magic, basically I'm trying to head in a direction where Emma stops being so useless and becomes a badass. Also, of course, she's out to find some dank plants.

As far as plot direction goes we should build off of our characters and the world. Some of our characters have sordid pasts and that should catch up with them. As for the world so far it is a pretty blank slate but it's wide open for development. We have these walled cities, but that's about it, so we've got to ask- Why do all the cities have massive walls? What's the big threat in the outside world? What's the outside world liked? Who lives there, or what lives there? There's a lot of chance for some very unique settings. I think the big problem with plot direction is while it should be about the characters, who've lived inside walls their whole life, discovering what exactly the outside world is, instead we're caught up inside Cogswall in the middle of a rebellion that they have no stakes in. We don't really know enough about Cogswall for it to be interesting or for our characters to be interested in it in turn. I think at this point it would be best to ditch the city and get outside, the world beyond the walls could be potentially brimming with mystery.

From there we can go lots of different places. Maybe the Travelers as an organization don't really like the fact Spook went and got a bunch of random people from a city and slapped the name 'Traveler' on them. Maybe they want to know what exactly happened to him and why Cogswall has been destroyed. But then again we get trapped inside the same sort of 'tutorial area' at the start of the story and they end up once again in an area that isn't super interesting. So maybe instead they just go out and find something fantastic- like I said the world is an empty slate, there could be anything beyond the walls. The natural place to go would be the compass that Spook gave to Emma, it just screams 'follow this and find something really cool'. What I'm getting at is the outside world could potentially be teeming with mysteries that are as of yet undiscovered and fantastic sights that are as of yet unseen.

Those are my aimless ramblings on the matter.

|| The Endless Halls | A Dark Fantasy World | Accepting Characters||

LOL almost everyone has introduced themselves to the first group so far. I'm not sure if GoW is around. We've been waiting for the Mindskitter to react to some things. The witch and chimera have really introduced themselves to our group so far and we do already have Fazra in the Bright Road ready to meet some others.

@rechonq

It's true that almost everyone has but I was more referring to the fact Rose specifically came up and said 'yo want to hang out guys???', but either way Rose could totally go onto another group. I was playing around with the idea of Rose eventually getting bored of the group and just kind of ditching them and going to find some other people or maybe just doing her thing for a while because that's just the way Rose is.

Edit: But yeah I am greatly anticipating a Mindskitter post.

|| The Endless Halls | A Dark Fantasy World | Accepting Characters||

<Snipped quote by Necrophage>
Your good.

Sorry I've been bit absent! I'm thinking we need to have a couple smaller groups like someone suggested. Is everyone ok with that? Amherst, mindskitter, gish, and echo are the first group with a possible fifth character. All of you new characters start in a different group and maybe we could all meet along the bright road later?

@Polybius

That sounds good. Rose has already introduced herself to the first group so I guess she would be the possible fifth.

|| The Endless Halls | A Dark Fantasy World | Accepting Characters||

@Polybius How exactly do people get to the entrance? Do they not know?

@Necrophage

I believe it says in the opening that their memories are hazy and unclear. I'm on my phone right now so I can't really provide a quote.

|| The Endless Halls | A Dark Fantasy World | Accepting Characters||

Tap, Tap, Tap...

Rose's staff served as a guide to help her negotiate the hill that led into the cave. The rhythmic tapping would herald her approach to the others. Shafts of light followed her down, dissipating into nothingness as they hit the depths of the cavern. What a curious situation... Rose found herself bereft of her immediate memories. She could not seem to remember exactly how she arrived at this point, but this appeared to be a place of some importance. She hoped, at the very least, she would find some answer below. As she descended into the darkness the reverberations of some distant beast or machine joined the sound of her staff tapping of against the stone floor. The mossy floor crunched underneath her, uncertainty both behind and ahead. But it seemed to be that there was only one way to go, and that was forward.

Ahead was a light. A bonfire filling the area around it with warmth and a reprieve from the choking darkness around it. Past it was a group, leaving as she entered. She examined the party. What an odd gathering, the witch observed, glancing over each member of the ragtag team. The most notable was a floating creature, an Aberration, Rose surmised. She'd read of creatures like it before. Beside it there was a man, a knight, by the look of him, a small fishperson, and a man wearing a mask with an odd set of features. The knight she had already disliked on principle. She'd had her experience with knights and their kind didn't exactly get a long with hers. The fishperson the witch found to be quite frankly comical looking. The other was an enigma, covered in armor but clearly not human.

And then there was the other. The chimera. Rose gave a small frown to herself. Such creatures are a mistake, she surmised. Of course she had nothing against the chimera himself, only the concept of his existence. Rose considered such work taboo, a disgusting mistreatment of life. Of course there was an element of hypocrisy to the witch's statement, considering the source of her magic, but she had her opinion nonetheless.

The witch beat the tip of her staff against the ground, hoping to gain the attention of the group. She called aloud, a wicked grin filling her face, "Why hello there! What an interesting party you are. Might I humbly request to join your gathering? You have the pleasure of meeting Rose..." She momentarily paused. Two thoughts crossed her mind. The first was to make up a surname, they would no doubt expect one. The second was that there was little chance she would tell the group, with their knightly escort, that she was a witch. She continued, barely missing a beat, "Rose Red. My parents must have had a very odd sense of humor, you see. I am a mage beyond compare, an expert of the arcane arts." The witch gave an exaggerated bow filled with flourish. She was hardly what most would consider a mage, but she was sure that she could play the part.

Of course with her black pointy cap one could surmise she was a witch, but she had not though of that.

She strode towards the group without invitation, moving in a way that was somewhere between a skip and a step. Rose was a big fan of such fanfare. She would say it made her seem cute, but others would call it strange. Such was merely one of her many eccentricities. She looked at the Mindskitter. If it cared to examine her it would no doubt have its curiosity piqued. Rose possessed a wealth of knowledge- of the world, of the arcane, of the dark arts, and of much more. She was greatly well read. In fact, it would almost seem odd the amount of information the young girl possessed. Of places near and far, of experiences that seem much too great for a girl nearing her mid twenties.

Rose played the part of the enigma very well.

She tipped an imaginary hat at the Abberation, "How very interesting to see a creature such as you," She looked at the rest of the group. She had yet to give the group a clear chance to speak, "In fact all of you are very interesting. I think our alliance will be fortuitous for us all!"

Of course she had yet to be officially invited into their party, but she now gave them a chance to speak, waiting with her grin still firmly placed on her face.

|| The Endless Halls | A Dark Fantasy World | Accepting Characters||

Great. I'll get a post up pretty soon, but maybe not today because I've got a bunch of stuff to do.

|| The Endless Halls | A Dark Fantasy World | Accepting Characters||

Rose

Name: Rose. She has never, to her knowledge, possessed a surname. Sometimes she picks one for her amusement or to hide herself- Halwell, Sommers, Causwell, Hosner, Red. The last one she finds particularly hilarious. She has had a title applied to her by the people of a town near the forest which she resided in: The Trickster Witch.

Race: The girl at the very least appears to be Human. The truth may be more ambiguous.

Appearance: Rose possesses a slight figure, standing at 5'2". Her frame is slim, possessing little muscle or fat to speak of. Despite her diminutive stature her gait carries with it a sense of confidence and experience seemingly beyond her years. Her skin is a pale white, her face sprinkled with a small amount of freckles. One would be like to place her in her early to mid twenties, as the girl has a youthful and exuberant look to her. Her face is pretty- in fact many would call her gorgeous, her seductive features accentuated by striking deep green eyes. A tumult of wavy brown hair parades down past her shoulders, messy but in a manner that speaks to intention, as it is clearly clean and well kept. Her face is prone to conveying a range of emotions, but she keeps a mask of joy even in dire situations. One can often find a sly smile, one that may speaks of mischievousness or perhaps a sense of danger. One may also see the wide and wild grin that comes to her easily. Her smile is pretty, but also dangerous- her teeth are ground to fine points, a most curious feature for the otherwise beautiful women. What one is not prone to see in her face is fear or doubt; that sense of confidence in her gait carries to her demeanor. Sometime when no one is looking, or at least when she thinks that no one is looking, the expression of joy which she always seems to keep melts away. In her eyes a sense of longing and melancholy can be found, her mouth drawn into a hard line. Despite her hidden sadness the thought of Rose shedding a tear seems to be almost unthinkable. She wears a green tunic paired with form fitting black breeches, complemented by a fine silken cloak dyed black. She possess one of the pointed hats that has inexplicably become attached to witch folklore, aware of the ridiculousness of the garment but donning it proudly nonetheless.

Inventory: Rose's primary weapon is a staff hewn from a Rowan tree that serves as both a weapon and a focus for Rose's magic. The staff feature a deadly looking blade that can be retracted with the tap of a button near where she places her hands. Rose is a proficient fighter, but she is far from a master of arms. She has a backpack containing several witching supplies, some of which may repulse her companions. Phylacteries filled with blood, a bag of bones, pouches filled with reagents such as roots, plants, eye of newt, wool of bat, and whatnot. She has a number of scrolls, a series with combat spells inscribed on some while many remain blank. Her final item is a pair of ornate hand mirrors, one with a frame of gold that she will be reluctant to part with and one with a frame of silver that she is more likely to share.

Special Abilities
Witch's Ritual- The magic of witch's is a tricky art indeed. Her spells are versatile and she knows many, but she's severely limited in her ability to use them. Her magic is a very exact art which require very precise rituals, meaning it is not something that she can use off the cuff. These rituals are often multi-step and require some sacrifice such as blood (A ritual may call specifically for her own blood), bone, or perhaps a living sacrifice. Additionally they may call for some of the reagents which she carries, which are in limited supply and may be difficult to find if she runs out. If she performs a misstep, either due to outside distraction or her own incompetence, the results may be disastrous. This sort of magic relies on consorting with demons or even minor gods for a piece of their power, and if they are displeased with the ritual's execution they may harm Rose and those around her.

Scrollcraft- One product of these rituals may be magical scrolls inscribed with a spell. These scrolls can be used to cast the spell without the required ritual, instead requiring an incantation, but they are destroyed with use. Complicated spells cannot be placed on them, strictly limited to combat and some utility abilities. Rose has a small collection at the moment but can create more with relative ease provided the proper reagents- the ritual to create a scroll is fairly simple after you first learn it. At the moment she has three scrolls inscribed with the ability to cast a fan of flames, three that allow her to call down lightning from above (The lightning is a magical construct and does not require the visibility of the sky), and five that will fill a room with light. It is important to note that others can use Rose's scrolls, but they must pay heed to use the proper incantation or they will not work.

Scrying- Rose's mirrors are not without purpose- they are used for scrying. She is not a fortune teller, but is instead able to project her image on reflective surfaces. In turn the image of what she is scrying is returned to her. This has a number of useful application: She may communicate with others by projecting her voice through mirrors, look at things which she cannot see, or spy on others. This ability comes with two caveats, the first being that if the surface is poor quality, the surface of a lake for example, the image will be muddled and perhaps indecipherable. The second is that this ability is poor for spying, as her own image is projected on the surface which she is scrying. Although this is a boon when communicating it is a quick giveaway if she is trying to view a location people do not want her to- covering the surface will render the ability useless.

Witch's Sniffing- Rose has spent some time around the dark arts. It's not uncommon for witch's like her to develop the ability to smell the touch of darkness. She can discern those who use or have been affected the dark arts- other witches, undead, vampries, those who have been cursed, and such. She needs to be relatively close to smell it, however, the threshold being about 20 feet.

History: Many tales hide in tomes of forgotten lore scattered throughout the land. One such tale is that of Rose, known to the people of a dreary village called Everfall as the 'trickster witch'. The old books tell many conflicting stories, although a few key details always remain the same. They all agree that Rose appears as a young, beautiful women, although some posit that she is a actually a withered hag that uses the souls of her victims to maintain her youth. They all agree that she brings weary travelers into her swamp hut, although there is a debate over whether this is to help them or hurt them. They all agree that after a terrible defeat she has disappeared. Of course, these books are all old, which begs the question: If these books are truly about the Rose that has appeared at the Endless Halls, how old could she possible be? But, before I get ahead of myself, there is one more key detail that the books lie in agreement on: All roses have their thorns, particularly the Trickster Witch of Everfall.

William Humphrey's book "On Monsters and Mysteries" is one book that tells the tale of Rose. In Humphrey's tale he writes of a hag that takes the form of a young maiden, stalking the roads about Everfall posing as a young gidl in peril, her true goal to prey on lone men. She plays the part of the damsel, conjuring wicked abominations for travelling men to save her from. Of course they always succeed in slaying Rose's conjurations, at which point the liberated maiden implores them to escort her back to her swampland home, stringing them along with promise of... an enticing reward. Upon reaching her hut the witch invites them inside, entering into a darkened room. As the door swings shut behind them it locks, sealed by some form of magic, and the room illuminates to reveal the horrid interior of the witch's lair. Humphrey describes the interior in great detail, painting a picture of a slaughterhouse filled with human remnants, strange brews, demonic symbols, and much and more depraved sights. Finally, as the prey realizes they have fallen into a trap, the witch's skin melts to reveal her true form, a withered old women. She then presents them with a riddle. If one answers it correctly they leave with their life. However, if they do not the witch will kills them, using their remains and their soul itself to fuel her demonic magic, particularly that which gives her life eternal.

However Humphrey's version of the story is not the sole account of Rose. Indeed there are many more, all conflicting. One other story is that told in Henry Bisland's "The Lore of the Wispy Woods", an account of the legends of the city of Everfall and the darkened woods around it. Rose's is not the only legend of Everfall, its inhabitants will tell you that the forests around it hold all sorts of dark mysteries and twisted monsters. However, in Bisland's tale Rose doesn't take the form of a malevolent hag. Bisland's account claims that she was indeed the age which she appeared, and uses no sort of demonic magic to achieve longevity. Instead the young witch roams the woods, playing harmless pranks on the people of Everfall and seeking to help lost or injured travelers in need. Those she finds in need may be taken back to her hut to rest and recover, by Bisland's account a warm and pleasant nook. Bisland describes her as a healer and a generally pleasant person to all who cross her path, likening her to some sort of whimsical forest spirit.

Both tales although differing do have the same ending, only some details changing. They both say that one day Rose encountered a valiant knight on the road, a champion of his hometown and a mighty warrior with wile to match. The tale splits here, with Humphrey's Rose using her trap to lure the knight back to her hut. Upon being presented with the witch's riddle he quickly deduces the answer, leaving unmolested. However in Bisland's tale the knight encounters Rose and the young witch becomes enamored with him, inviting him to sup at her home. The knight came to stay in Everfall for a time, and the witch came to love him. The knight too loved Rose, and as time went on the two would soon wed. However, Rose concealed from the knight that she was a witch, knowing that his chivalric code compelled him to slay witches. Inevitably the truth would be revealed, and the knight would flee in disgust of his lover's use of demonic pagan arts.

Both tales converge when the knight returns to slay Rose. Humphrey's Rose slays the knight, forever imprisoning his soul in a hell crafted for him. Bisland's Rose, spurned by her lover, escaped the knight's clutches and curses him, casting a hex on him that will cause misfortune for him wherever he goes. Bisland's legend says that the knight is eventually stripped of his lands and dies a lonely death, but Rose was never seen by the people of Everfall again.

No one can truly say which story is correct, and the truth is likely somewhere in-between the many accounts of her life.

|| The Endless Halls | A Dark Fantasy World | Accepting Characters||

So that being said is Rose accepted?

|| The Endless Halls | A Dark Fantasy World | Accepting Characters||

Sorry forgot Rose. She has a depth of background a bit greater than some of the other characters but that shouldn't be a problem. Is she the Rose from Mokleys RP Moonfiend? I would prefer characters specifically created for this RP, but if you want to run Rose that's fine with me.

@Polybius

From Mokley's Unquiet actually. It is indeed a similar character but she is going to go in a different direction then what I planned for Unquiet. I just skimmed the background from Unquiet because it's pace has slowed quiet a bit and I really liked it so I'd like the chance to play with that character a bit more.