Drifting Pollen

World of Light: the Endless Now (The Ultimate Smash Bros Crossover)

Took longer than expected (as these things do), but I got my sheet done:

They were right to fear me

Name: The Witch
Origin: Path of Exile
Appearance:
The waiflike witch hardly cuts an imposing figure. Her sickly-pale skin is stretched over a narrow and bony frame almost bereft of muscle tone, and her dark hair hangs loosely down past her shoulders like a mass of wet seaweed. She dresses herself in patched-together robes adorned with a mess of salvaged talismans—charms and trinkets, polished bones and glistening gemstones, each worn smooth by her touch. If anything stands out, though, it’s her eyes: their striking blue color seems to shine with an unnatural intensity, the clearest hint of the nightmarish powers hidden behind her sallow features.

Personality:
She can be affable enough when she wants to be, if one can overlook her disaffected manner and occasional snark. Make no mistake, though: the Witch is a mistrustful ally at best, driven only by her hunger for power, her thirst for vengeance, and her twisted fascination with the macabre. Proud of her craft, she carefully amasses knowledge and strength without sacrificing her sense of self, and disdains those who lose sight of their goals or become fixated to the point of insanity. The world has taught her that any weakness or mistake will be harshly punished, but she also knows that so long as she survives she can continue to learn and grow—until one day, no one can stand against her.

Background:
Fiercely intelligent even from a young age, the Witch’s burgeoning curiosity soon led her down a dark path into forbidden texts and the study of dangerous thaumaturgy. Her talents in this field proved to be exceptional, but her growing power was met with fear and persecution by the deeply religious people of Oriath. Seeking to wipe her out, a mob set fire to her home and burned her family alive. In turn, the Witch wrought bloody revenge upon their children, an act that ended with her clapped in chains and exiled to the cursed continent of Wraeclast.
Luckily for her, a storm wrecked her prison ship before it could reach the coast, and she washed ashore half-drowned but free. Eluding monsters, cannibals, and the undead, she soon began to accumulate strength, find allies among the locals, and slaughter her way across the continent from bottom to top. Her path eventually led her all the way back home, where she joined hands with a rebel faction to overthrow the ruling theocracy and strike down the god that had been controlling it from behind the scenes.
Her trials would not end there, however. The collateral damage of her previous rampage had unleashed a whole pantheon of other gods previously sealed away, all of them hungry for a slice of human civilization. After a blistering early defeat that left her cursing her own arrogance, the Witch rose to this challenge as well, and battled god after god until they could finally be sealed away once more. At last, a fragile peace returned to the lands, and no one remained to oppose her…
…Which only left her free to cause even more trouble. Before long she’d left her own world behind and set out across a wide atlas of dreamlands and alternate dimensions, indirectly setting off a chaotic war with the entire universe on the line.

In the Now: Torn from her old existence, the Witch currently doesn’t remember more than flashes of her life before the World of Light. Currently she blends in with the diverse people of Meridi-at-han, hunting monsters and dinosaurs in the wilds around the city and selling parts stripped from their bodies.

Job: Witch
Specialty: Elemental and dark magic attacks, area buffs/curses, and swarms of summoned minions.
Inventory: Wand, circlet, spirit shield, miscellaneous clothing, several scrolls and gemstones.

Lv: 1
EXP: 0/10
Abilities:

• Wand – The Witch’s wand is a weapon in itself. With a flick of her wrist, she can fire off swift-flying kinetic energy projectiles without expending any of her own mana.
• Fireball – Unleashes a flaming projectile that violently explodes on impact, damaging nearby enemies and lighting things on fire.
• Raise Zombie – A spell that consumes a creature’s corpse to create an animate flesh construct, which follows the Witch around and autonomously attacks anything openly hostile to her. Zombies are extremely durable and surprisingly fast, and require no mana to keep going after the initial spell is cast. However, the Witch can only keep around ten of them active at a time, unless her capabilities are somehow being boosted.

Skills:

• Energy Shield - The Witch’s tremendous will surrounds her with a shimmering barrier against physical and magical attacks, a barrier that must first be pierced before she becomes vulnerable. If she goes two seconds without taking damage to her shield, it will rapidly regenerate to full strength.
• Crafting – The Witch is adept at modifying and enchanting pieces of gear, clothing, and equipment to maximize their beneficial effects.

Weaknesses:

• Squishy caster – The Witch is a pure spellcaster, and her physical specs are pretty unimpressive as a result. She’s not very strong, not naturally swift nor agile, and not particularly durable once you get past her barrier. Her tactics in a close-quarters fight are pretty much limited to casting her spells at point-blank range and hoping for the best.
• Mana pool – The Witch’s spells draw from a limited pool of Mana, which refills itself at a steady pace. If she casts too many powerful abilities in quick succession, she can end up briefly spent until her pool recovers.
• Gear-reliant – Much of the Witch’s power comes from her equipment and clothing, which she modifies to maximize her strength. If she’s disarmed, it can severely hinder her ability to retaliate.

Spirits:

• N/a – N/a

Rapport:

From Realms Beyond — An Isekai Crossover RP (Now Accepting)

Anne Mayer

Nieve — Embassy

That was one hurdle cleared. For better or worse, this man was definitely taking them seriously now, and would doubtless investigate their claims whether or not Anne managed to get them before the royals proper. Remilia's notions aside, an audience with the king didn't really matter so long as the local authorities were alerted of the imminent danger.

The Knight didn't allow herself a sigh of relief just yet, however. She'd opened up with the obvious facts, the believable parts that could be clearly corroborated by witnesses. Now came the part where her tale strayed into the strange and fantastical, the events even she didn't fully understand. Somehow, she needed to get the vital points across without getting them all dismissed as lunatics, and preferably without prematurely setting off a war between two nations.

"It would... At least, if they were only motivated by the usual factors." She didn't turn away from the minister's gaze. Anne had endured talks held on bloodstained battlefields with the fates of entire planets on the line; her focus would not waver before a little questioning. "I have more details to share regarding the Heralds. But first, let me answer your question."

Standing back, she carefully pulled off the glove on her left hand, and then drew the sleeve of her coat partway up her forearm.

"Like I said, we were tipped off about the danger to the capital by a third party. I can't give you hard proof of what's coming, since I'm not certain how far I trust her word myself... But I can provide a reason why you shouldn't overlook her warning."

Fran's idea hadn't quite hit the mark, but it had given Anne a spark of inspiration. They couldn't get anything out of the girl, who would seem just like any other traumatized child... But what about her guardian, the eye-catching Toa they'd left her with? He, and by extension Anne, were beings wholly removed from the common laws and logic of this world, living proofs of what was truly afoot here.

"You've probably already guessed it from our clothing and unfamiliar manners, but we're not exactly locals to this region. However, my companions and I are from far further afield than you might currently suspect."

An impulse raced down her nerves, through cells both natural and artificial, into the wires and conduits of her mechanical arm. A hexagonal panel of her skin slid smoothly back before the minister's eyes, and the humming machinery underneath was revealed in its full glory, a masterwork of millimeter-precise craftsmanship from thousands of years in the future.

"...We're not from this country, or even from this continent." Anne spoke slowly, giving Bren time to take it in. She was asking him to believe a lot here, even if the evidence could be clearly seen. "If my arm here doesn't convince you, then we can show you a golem the likes of which you've never seen. Or have my companions perform the magics of distant lands, different from any you know in Riltaea. All I ask is that you understand we didn't travel here by any conventional means."

She let the panel of artificial skin slide back into place, drawing his focus fully towards what she was saying. "We were all brought here against our will, by a powerful form of magic. It was no coincidence that we were able to halt the attack on Aventon: someone summoned us for that exact purpose, and then sent us on to the capital with tidings of great danger. I don't know what her true goals are, but her actions helped save the people of that town—and I'd be a fool not to at least pass on her word, so that His Majesty can properly consider it."

@Rezod92@Izurich@PKMNB0Y

World of Light: the Endless Now (The Ultimate VG Crossover RP, reborn!)

Count me in for this! I already have a character in mind, but will be traveling for the next few days, so I’ll try and get a sheet done sometime this weekend.

From Realms Beyond — An Isekai Crossover RP (Now Accepting)

Anne Mayer

Nieve — Embassy

"Er... Right. Of course." It took Anne some effort to hide her embarrassment over the whole Remilia commotion, word of which had evidently preceded them here. Her little group hadn't exactly made a great first impression... If she'd had her way from the start, she'd have had them spend at least a day or two in the capital planning and preparing themselves, choosing proper outfits and forming useful connections. As things were, she was pretty much winging it, with only the barest of knowledge to go on.

Then again, maybe this was for the best? She still didn't know when or how the supposed 'danger' to the city might appear—today might be the only chance she had to warn anyone before all hell broke loose. Anne had handled plenty of messy diplomatic situations in the past; she knew this one could be salvaged if she played her cards right.

...And if her companions managed to behave themselves for this next part. A worried, pleading glance was thrown Remilia's way before Anne strode through the doorway into the minister's office.

"Thank you for hearing us out, Mr. Halmir." She took a seat, met his eyes, and tried to project her best 'calm and reasonable' impression. It was the one she normally used when begging for money to fund massive fleets of paramilitary warships, but she saw no reason that it couldn’t work here as well.

"I'll get straight to the point: about two weeks ago the town of Aventon was raided by an organized military force. They were, or appeared to be, Raven Heralds acting on orders from high-ranking superiors." The merchants had mentioned a king, and a country named Eiderheim to the north. If a rival nation truly had ordered a strike across the border, then the government here could hardly afford to ignore it.

Which, with any luck, would make them pay close attention to the next part as well. "Myself and some of our mutual associates were nearby at the time of the attack. We came to Aventon's defense and helped drive off the Heralds, though not before the town suffered heavy losses. The people there are still in urgent need of material aid and protection." She leaned forward a little, injecting a note of additional urgency into her tone. "Not long afterward, the village of Sila was assailed by a swarm of creatures not native to this land. They behaved too mindlessly to be animals—it's possible that someone purposefully summoned or created them." A shot in the dark, but he couldn't call her a liar for speculating. If she was lucky, it would get him thinking along the lines she wanted, seeing the connections without her having to bring up goddesses or dreams.

"Thanks to a stroke of good luck, our party was able to assist the defenders in intercepting the swarm before it could reach the village. We were traveling with a merchant caravan at the time, they should be able to corroborate our story if needed... More importantly, we believe these two incidents were related.”

Eye contact. Here came what she'd been building towards.

"...And we've received a tip-off that there may be more to come. An attack, in some form or another, aimed at Nieve itself."

@Izurich@Rezod92@PKMNB0Y

From Realms Beyond — An Isekai Crossover RP (Now Accepting)

Anne Mayer

Nieve — Castle Plaza

At last, directions to a proper diplomatic channel. Someone there would definitely be able to hear the otherworlders out, and even act upon their warnings... Assuming they could convince anyone that the threat was even real. Truth be told, Anne herself wasn't sure if she could trust Lavielle's words. Was passing on the cryptic prophecies of a goddess seen only in dreams really the right thing to do?

Her uncertainty could be seen in her eyes, even as she thanked the guard who'd helped her out and set off towards the embassy. Uncertainty, and a trace of irritation as she passed by her companions, maybe even wickedness. "Fran, make sure you keep holding her nice and tight. She's our precious Lady Scarlet, after all." There would be no more nonsense from that one, not while Anne had such quality muscle on hand to assist.

In fact, perhaps for the first time, the Knight met the horned Servant's gaze through her bangs and genuinely smiled at her. "You know, I was wondering why you came along... But it turns out I'm glad to have you with us. Let's wrap things up quickly, and get back to the others in time for dinner."

She said that, but the embassy really was a long way away. Before long the Knight's brisk pace slowed to an uneven walk, and she could be heard quietly grumbling to herself under her breath. Damn it. They don't have cars in this place... All this marching around is hell on my knees. They could probably have tried to hire a carriage or something, but that would mean parting with more of what little currency they had, a prospect Anne recoiled from instinctively. With a grimace, she forced herself onward through the bustling streets, barely paying attention to any who might be watching or passing by until she at last slumped against the embassy's heavy door and heaved it open with a grunt of exertion.

This place definitely wasn't as heavily guarded as the castle, but hopefully it wouldn't be completely deserted either. As she caught her breath, Anne looked about for someone suitably official-looking she could approach and introduce herself to. In the event that she found one, she'd quickly dust herself off before striding up to them and clearing her throat.

"Anne Mayer, representing Lady Remilia of House Scarlet. We have a message that needs to be passed up the chain of command."

@Rezod92@Izurich@PKMNB0Y

From Realms Beyond — An Isekai Crossover RP (Now Accepting)

Anne Mayer

Nieve — Castle Plaza

Anne had known from the start that Remilia would be tricky to manage, but even she hadn't expected the vampiress to be quite this blunt. Now, she watched the proud lady rage at the guards from a few paces back, and tried in vain not to let her embarrassment show on her face.

I really should stop her... Seriously, why do I always end up with these types... Her gaze slid over to the horned girl beside her, the half-mute chimera from another time and place. What was Fran even doing here right now? Had she come to help, or just followed along out of boredom? She was the last person Anne would have picked for this negotiating team, and certainly not equipped to handle a delicate situation such as this. In the worst-case scenario, she might be able to 'calm Remilia down' with that giant mace of hers—but it would be better to resolve things without resorting to violence in the first place.

With a weary breath, the Knight straightened her shoulders and stepped up to Remilia's side. "My Lady," she said, taking a half-bow with her hand laid over her heart, "please don't trouble yourself over such trivial matters. The good people of Nieve are doubtless merely unaware of your true stature: let me resolve this misunderstanding, and I'll see to it that you're welcomed as befits someone of your status."

Her sudden change in demeanor would be obvious to even the introverted Fran, but Anne's flattery served two purposes. Her goal wasn't only to mollify Remilia and keep her from escalating further, but also to lend credence to her claims of wealth and status. The guards would never yield to the badgering of some unknown girl—but when that girl was clearly accompanied by a deferential servant, who herself was dressed in cleaner and more flashy clothing than half the people in the plaza, they might start to have second thoughts. Even if they couldn't let her through, did they really want to risk making a rich and powerful enemy?

Before any of them had a chance to consider it too carefully, Anne addressed them all herself. "As my Lady has generously informed you, she belongs to an esteemed and noble house, from outside the borders of your country. We come with urgent information, of some military importance—and it would please my Lady to know how she should arrange an audience with the royal household, or at least a general in their service." There had to be some way to get an in with the court, so long as they managed to avoid being blacklisted from the outset.

@Rezod92@Izurich@PKMNB0Y

From Realms Beyond — An Isekai Crossover RP (Now Accepting)

Anne Mayer

Nieve

A nameless girl, traumatized to the point of catatonia. Another mystery Anne didn't have time to solve. For every answer her party uncovered, a dozen more questions seemed to rear their heads, leaving the otherworlders hardly better off than they had been before. Just what, she wondered, would it take for them to find a way back home? Would it even be right for them to leave, if it meant abandoning the people of this planet to their fate?

The Knight's doubts weighed heavily on her over the following days, and she found a welcome distraction in caring for the newest member of their band. If the child didn't open up, it wouldn't be for lack of trying on her part—she spoke to the girl often, telling her stories half-remembered from old books. At any given hour, one could often find Anne sitting peacefully by her new charge's side, or fretting over her like a particularly anxious nanny, who only reluctantly allowed her vampire companion to lean in for a quick blood sample. For the remainder of the journey, she at least seemed... If not happy, then at least content with her newfound purpose.

Then the day arrived, and the walls of Nieve loomed before them all. They seemed relatively intact from the outside, which was a relief, but there would still be no time to waste in getting down to business.

Though Anne didn't feel particularly happy about it, her duty here trumped any personal commitments, and she had given Remilia her word before. With a small sigh, she guided the golden-haired girl to the remainder of the party, in particular the towering green robot among them.

"Lewa, can you keep an eye on our young friend here? You can always take her with you while you look around." She remembered him talking about searching the city for signs of Lavielle, and that certainly sounded safer than walking into a nest of aristocratic vipers. Besides, the toa was arguably the most gentle and pacifistic of their entire party: who better to care for a helpless girl in Anne's own absence? The Knight punctuated her request with a rather insistent smile, and then hurried off after Remilia before he could voice a single word in protest.

I believe in you, Lewa! She'd make it up to him later.

It took her only a few seconds to catch up with the vampire, and she was only slightly out of breath when she did. "L-Lady Remilia, have you thought about how we're supposed to make our introductions? They won't have heard of what happened in Sila or Aventon yet, and besides those we won't have much to back up our claims..." Both of them were gifted in their own ways, but magic was already a thing here, and the denizens of the capital would surely be harder to impress than a bunch of country bumpkins.

@Lugubrious@Izurich

From Realms Beyond — An Isekai Crossover RP (Now Accepting)

Anne Mayer

Hillside Hamlet

"...That might be easier said than done." In Anne's era it would have been a trivial task to track down an odd couple like Gwen and her walking tree friend, but without her usual resources to call on she'd have to rely on word-of-mouth reports. Communication was an option too, but the Knight wasn't sure how she felt about relying on carrier pigeons or hand-delivered letters for any kind of important information exchange.

Maybe there'd be a way to find them using magic? She remembered how the Herald necklace had seemed to gravitate towards Millie—perhaps a similar effect could be reproduced, once she had a better grasp of how the artifact worked. For now, she could only smile politely and wish Gwen luck on her travels, whether or not their paths happened to cross in the future. "If you run into any more like us, try and spread the word. For the lost and the stranded, even a few scraps of useful information could turn out to be a lifeline."

With her parting request passed on, Anne trudged the rest of the way up into the hamlet proper. She had no intentions of sticking around for long, but while the caravan was still on its way she had time for a quick survey, and a few questions.

Once she'd satisfied herself that the town was in good shape, and wouldn't need much further aid, the tired Knight poked her nose into some of the locals' conversations for just long enough to confirm what she needed. First off, the oozing creatures hadn't been an expected or common occurrence in the region—which lined up with everything else she knew. Secondly, she'd find out the name of this quaint little village and file it away for later use, perhaps once they reported the incident to the monarch or their officials in the capital. She probably could have found out more if she'd really put the effort in, but Anne had worked hard enough as it was today. It'd be easier to gather intelligence in the capital anyway, assuming they could get there before a massive horde of invaders overran that place as well… That did seem to be a running theme with the stops on their journey thus far.

She was all ready to leave, all ready to move on and pursue her main objective, when the hamlet hit her with one last surprise. Just a girl—a little slip of a thing, childlike and morose, not much different from any of the countless war orphans Anne had known in the past. Who knew where the Gensokyo gang had found her, or why they'd decided to bring her along for now? In that moment it didn't matter: the mere sight of the child drove a sharp pang of agony deep into the Knight's chest, and left her completely frozen in her tracks.

No. It couldn't be—

That memory of me will torment you forever.

Her eyes had gone unfocused, her breath caught in her throat. That voice, a whisper in her ear, a crushing hand wrapped around her heart.

Of course it hurts. It's a punishment, after all.

Did you run to a faraway place like this, because you thought you could escape from me?

She lurched forward, a thing possessed, wholly unlike the worn yet composed woman she'd been just a moment before. One step, two, her false left arm outstretched towards the golden-haired child and her achingly familiar gaze—

—No, not familiar.

Anne blinked, suddenly seeming to come to her senses. It took her a moment to steady her breath, to straighten herself, to belatedly realize that she might have frightened the girl just now. Her lips parted, and she mumbled out an awkward apology, only half-conscious of what she was saying.

"I'm sorry. I'm..." A few seconds late, the full context of the situation returned to her. Remilia, Youmu, and Sanae, all accompanying this strange child they'd found. "I got caught by surprise. Who is this, exactly?"

The same Anne they knew, back on the ball and badgering them with questions. That brief elation from earlier, however, the fulfillment that had appeared in her eyes after they'd protected the town together, was entirely gone. If anything the woman looked more tired than ever now.

Neo Babylon

Some mornings... Were just shit, weren't they? Some mornings did not deserve to exist in this world.

See, a good morning should be like an apple fresh from the tree. Red, smooth, delicious to the eyes, and you took one bite out of it and ah, so sweet and juicy! The kiss of life in your mouth, crisp under your teeth, and you still had that whole apple waiting in your hand, a dozen more perfect bites to take. Whoever needed more of a reason to live than that?

Then there were the bad mornings. The awful mornings. The ones where you bit into that apple to find it already bitter and rotten, full of tiny sticky writhing things that squirmed against the surface of your tongue. You couldn't spit it out, oh no: you had to chew and swallow and wince at the vile taste it left in your mouth. And then you’d look down, at the soft and stinking mass still in your hand, and think:

Fuck me, I still have to eat this entire thing.

Could you really go through with it? Once, twice, three or four days in a row? So much quicker, so much easier, to just curl up in a crying ball and die forever.

Now Halima, she had a sense for these things. She did not even need to open her eyes to know the taste of this morning. Fetid, foul, awash with the lingering poison of a particularly nasty nightmare. The air here felt different from anything she’d known before, and when she reached back through her memories for the point where she’d fallen asleep she found only a jagged cutoff. A quiet moment, basking in the satisfaction of a job well done, and then snap—nightmares, horrors, mind-shattering pain, and now a damp floor surrounded by the whisper of leaves and the wet sucking slurping sounds of far too many mouths all chewing at once.

The closer Halima listened, the further her mood spiraled off down the drain, into a black pit filled with hideous and unmentionable things. A wide smile wrapped its way around her face, toothy as a shark’s. Languidly, gracefully, she rolled up into a sitting position and let her eyes focus themselves upon this latest portrait of horror, this disgusting fruit that life had chosen to serve her.

Just in time, as it turned out. Her lovely pinprick pupils caught movement in the air, an adorably fat and fuzzy creature mid-way through its pounce. What a cutie! Maybe it wanted to be friends. Just look at those slavering mandibles, held wide open like arms awaiting her embrace.

Just look at them explode, scattered fragments of chitin flung this way and that in a glorious rain of red confetti.

The sound of thunder rang out an eyeblink later, though by then Halima had already moved her attention to worthier places. Who cared about dead things, right? She knew she’d placed her bullet well, right where the animal’s hide didn’t protect it. She knew also that the smack of the round landing dead-on would throw the fuzzball’s trajectory elsewhere, far away from poor vulnerable Hali. On a better morning she might have paused to enjoy the fireworks, but this was one of the shitty ones, and she had no time to spare for pleasure.

The apple wouldn’t eat itself. Hatefully, pitifully, she sank her teeth deeper and ravenously devoured bite after rotten bite.

More friends, more fuzzy animals, more hugs and greetings she couldn’t afford to return. Instinct pinpointed the next one to jump before it left the ground, and the thunder of her Valentine smashed its front end open just like its dear eager brother. Oh, a kindred spirit, only wanting to kill and eat and live! How it pained her to put down such wonderful beasts. Her smile widened, straining at the confines of her face.

No matter how many bullets she had on her, there would never be enough for that entire swarm. On her feet now, the tall woman darted for the trees, away from the oncoming tide. Oh, she was quick, and so were they—but those bodies on the ground, two of them yet to rise to their feet, they weren’t moving very fast at all, were they? Far better friends than she, so politely offering themselves up like that.

Let them both enjoy the party, then, while Hali raced between and among the trees like she’d been born to flee through the forest. Surely, if she could only survive this morning, she would find sweeter fruit to feast upon in time.

From Realms Beyond — An Isekai Crossover RP (Now Accepting)

Anne Mayer

Hillside Hamlet

"I see..." Anne didn't look particularly happy about her theory being proven correct. Sure, the presence of two more offworlders had been of great help here, but how long would it be until they encountered one that wasn't so friendly? She still remembered how Youmu and Alucard had nearly come to blows, and Maokai didn't seem particularly fond of humans in general. Different values, different priorities... It was all too easy for people to come into conflict, even if their goals initially aligned.

And the warning we got through Millie. Cracks between worlds, a great danger. Was the process that had brought them here even under control any longer?

She had her suspicions about those 'curses' they'd been fighting, but there was no way to confirm anything as of yet. Instead, she decided to repay Gwen with a little information of her own. "My companions and I are the same as you two: all of us were brought here from different planets or dimensions. We're still not sure as to why or how, though we think an entity named Lavielle might be behind it." She glanced off towards the road, where the caravan was slowly coming back into view. "We're heading to the capital right now to try and find out more. Others chose to stay behind, or strike out on their own... But you could always come with us if you're looking for answers."