Drifting Pollen

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

Anne Mayer

Nieve — Embassy

When Bren left the room, the Knight finally allowed herself an audible sigh of relief. Things had been hairy for a little while there at the start, but somehow they'd gotten their plan back on track. Now she just needed to keep an eye on Remilia, and there would definitely be no more unexpected deviations.

...Riiiight. Even if she told herself that, Anne couldn't quite believe it. If experience had taught her one thing, it was that there would always, always be some crazy complication at the last minute that threw all her efforts into disarray. Grateful as she was to have a moment here to catch her breath, she wasn't about to let her guard down until she was absolutely certain the city would be safe.

As the seconds ticked by, her tired eyes drifted back towards Fran. The Berserker was hard to read, but Anne got the feeling she'd been a bit uncomfortable with the minister's request, even if she'd ultimately gone along with it out of necessity. While Remilia wormed herself free and floated into a more comfortable position, the Knight approached Fran and offered a gentle smile of reassurance.

"Just stick close to me, alright? I won't let them do anything to hurt you." It seemed a little silly to say out loud: the Servant was probably the strongest out of the entire party in a fight. If things took a turn for the worse, she could easily handle herself on her own—and yet Anne was determined all the same.

I'll protect them all. Not just Nieve, but her companions as well, the ones who'd stuck together all this way.

Even as she affirmed it to herself, Bren Halmir reentered the office, and the look on his face told Anne everything she needed to know. There would be no more waiting and resting: the inevitable complication had arrived, and the three of them were surely in for it now. As they followed the man to their next destination, the Knight could only steel herself for what was to come—and quietly hope that she'd be able to keep her word.

Nieve — Mages' Guild

...Of all the things she'd been expecting, a princess hadn't been high on the list.

Was this a good thing? It made enough sense not to be an obvious trap, and might even let them leapfrog a couple of steps closer to their overall goal. All the same, the Knight couldn't shake off the uneasy feeling churning inside her. Maybe it was the all-too-fresh memory of her last encounter with a princess—which had ended in a duel to the death atop an exploding warship—or maybe it was the fact this one had already set off a minor detonation within moments of Anne's arrival. No matter how honest her intentions, could this woman really be trusted with examining them up close?

Fortunately Remilia took point this time, and bought her attendant a couple of seconds to gather her composure. "Anne Mayer," she introduced herself, with a simple bow. "I'm a Knight currently in Lady Remilia's service." A vast oversimplification, but she was happy to leave it without elaboration and let the vampiress move things along. If Remilia wanted to be the one drawing the attention of a powerful and unpredictable royal, she was more than welcome to it.

@FujiwaraPhoenix@Izurich@Rezod92

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

Witch

Level 1 (0/10 EXP)
Location: Meridi-at-Han
Word Count: 844 (2 exp gained)

---

The city shone so brightly, like a jewel amidst the wildlands. Every wall, every edifice, was a fresh tableau of brilliant colors to bewitch the unwary eye. Any one of them alone could have been called a work of art, and taken together they became something overwhelming, a thousand-hued kaleidoscope that might leave travelers dizzy and gasping for breath beneath the unrelenting sun. This was a place of wonder, a place of luster: dancers and flowers in the streets, music and crowds and exotic scents, a dozen fresh pleasures whichever way one turned. No shadow could exist here, no place untouched by the light, for Meridi-at-Han did not permit such things.

One could be forgiven for being taken in by this illusion, so impressive was the facade.

The truth was, shadows never really went away. They just hid themselves out of sight in cracks and dark corners, down tiny back-alleys and hidden passageways. There were markets where the merchants traded meat and bone and gristle, and would shoot you dark looks if you ever asked where it all came from. There were dim and smoke-filled rooms where figures half obscured would haggle over prices, where stolen and forbidden goods could change hands a dozen times in the span of an hour. Weapons, poisons, tomes imbued with dark and malicious magics: in such shadowed places one could find the heart's every wicked desire. Even the great Meridi-at-Han could not but tolerate the vermin scurrying about its crannies, so long as all remained safely out of sight, away from the naive eyes of its numberless citizens and guests.

So it was that things most foul could find their way, time and time again, into the heart of the rainbow city. How else to explain the presence of that slight young woman, who slipped silently through the bustling crowds like a black fish through riverbed murk? Here was a shadow, sickly pale and dark of hair, entirely at odds with the beautiful metropolis all around her.

She should have stood out like a rook among songbirds, but very few gazes lingered on her for long. After all, who'd ever want to waste their time looking at such a strange and gloomy little thing, when an array of vibrant views awaited at every other angle? Maybe a few would turn their heads her way out of sheer curiosity, only to quickly avert their eyes as a chill crawled down their spines. Many would look instead to the looming figure that shambled a half-dozen paces behind her, covered from head to toe by a dirty and ragged cloak. A vile stench oozed out from underneath its hood, and the crowds parted in disgust before it, seeking refuge in the safety of their sweet incense odors.

The Witch didn't much mind the smell. It seemed a pleasant thing to her, a reassuring reminder of what she was and would one day become. She raised her head a little and took a long sniff at the air, breathed in the sweetness and the rot alike. Something else was there too, a foreign and intriguing scent that tickled at the inside of her skull.

A slow smile crept across the girl's lips. "So there are nightmares even in a place like this." Gaudy Meridi-at-Han, so confident in its own glory, even while horror festered in broad daylight upon its streets. Now that she knew, the Witch couldn't not go and take a look—the taste of darkness was irresistible to her. The fact that it might be dangerous, that horror and death might await her down this path, only made the lure all the more tantalizing in her eyes.

"Come. Let's see if this leads me somewhere interesting."

Her quiet footsteps turned a sharp corner, and the cloaked figure followed behind her like a dog. She didn't need to stop and ask for directions; intuition led her on as surely as any compass. Just as she'd wormed her way into the shadows of this towering city, so too did the Witch slither easily into the Grimm Troupe's waiting audience, close enough to get a clear look at what had piqued her curiosity.

...A circus? Her blue eyes widened in surprise. Why would anyone pitch a circus tent here, of all places? This entire town was nothing but an oversized big top, the colors stripped off the tent and layered over the countless buildings. Dancers and acrobats walked the streets, and the rest of the people did a fine job playing the part of trained animals. So much joy, so much life... And all of it so dull. She could only hope these new arrivals would put on a better show.

Perhaps she ought to give them a little help? The thought made her smile again, and hum a soft tune to herself as she slowly ambled among the gathering spectators. Her gaze roved this way and that in search of an opportunity—a way to slip unnoticed among those wagons, where she could poke about the Troupe's dark secrets as she pleased.

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

Anne Mayer

Nieve — Embassy

So Remilia could be diplomatic after all? It would've been a lot easier if she'd been that way from the start, but Anne wasn't about to complain. The Knight inclined her head in quiet agreement with the others, glad that everyone finally seemed to be on the same page.

"Our side has nothing to lose by cooperating with you here. The larger situation aside, we all gain from better establishing our trust and credibility." Even as she spouted these perfectly rational justifications, Anne's satisfaction showed on her face. Finally, they'd made a connection in the political scene! Now they just needed to secure funding, logistical support, reliable sources of information... Maybe she was getting a little ahead of herself here, but she already felt much more in her element than she had since being stranded out in the countryside.

Most importantly, her warning would probably get passed on now. Nieve would be able to bring its formidable defenses to bear, and possibly drive back the coming storm without any need for the Otherworlders to get their hands dirty.

Following up on her acquiescence to Bren's requests, Anne filled him in on the merchant caravan, naming Syldon Hest and some of the more prominent traders along with the approximate time they'd been let through the gates into the city. That ought to be enough for the minister and his flunkies to track down any eyewitness accounts they needed, assuming their 'tests' didn't yield conclusive evidence.

@PKMNB0Y@Izurich@Rezod92

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

Ok, in that case, your witch is good to go. I'll look forward to writing with you! Go ahead and port the sheet over to the characters tab. Would you like an invite to the discord server?

@Lugubrious

Thanks, and yes please!

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

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: 2
EXP: 0/20
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.
• Freezing Pulse – launches a crescent-shaped wave of ice magic that travels in a straight line and pierces through all solid targets. The projectile dissipates as it goes, growing steadily less powerful until it vanishes entirely. Targets pierced take cold damage, are left wholly or partially chilled/slowed, and have a 25% chance to be frozen solid for 3 seconds if struck at close range.
• 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:

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

Welcome, Pollen! That sheet looks really good, basically a perfect application. I just wanted to double-check, the zombies she makes aren't capable of infection or anything, are they? Oh, and one quick note: in the World of Light, corpses eventually disintegrate into ash, essentially despawning after enough time passes. Items can still be harvested from them before they do, and they could still be zombified before then too, so it really doesn't change anything about your sheet, but I thought I'd mention it.

@Lugubrious

That’s good to know! Also there’s no need to worry, the zombies don’t infect people or turn others into zombies. They’re basically just animate flesh-golems. There are certain spells that can alter their behaviour or add effects to their attacks, but she doesn’t have any of those unlocked at this stage.

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