Forett

Fractured, Real World Superhumans

What do you mean by real picture only?

Winter Tales

color me interested. This sounds like a blast!

Dragon Hunter. (18+) (Updates)

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Dragon Hunter. (18+) (Updates)

I am back on the site and never left discord. I will be posting more ideas here in the coming months, though probably not with the speed I once had.

The Prince's Royal Guard

Acrius' eyes narrowed as he observed the trio. The cleric held herself well in combat, which was odd as he thought them fragile backliners. Drana’s two companions, Sir Gordon and Sir Stephan, were even more suspect. They moved well, almost as if they were in-synch with the cleric. Their movement looked off to him, but he couldn’t quite place what.

"Yes, I’ve already gleaned your name from that freaky telepathy," Acrius said in a manner-of-fact way, "It’s hard to trust a figure coming from the enemy’s side, but you don’t look like goblins. Your companions...” The orange-eyed boy stopped himself; instead he tried to aid the cleric as much as he could.

---

---

Soon the wave would trickle to a stop. The soldiers seemed to be in better shape than before, likely due to the ministrations of Drana. Acrius sat on a pile of goblin bodies away from the group; he caught his breath as he observed the cleric and her entourage offer their help to the soldiers. The soldiers held looks of mistrust but chose to bite their tongues and keep their thoughts to themselves. It was mostly due to the intervention of the competent officer, who likely gleaned Acrius’ intentions when he sent Malfoy back to the keep, and how shorthanded Bergkoff really was- any help was welcome as long as their swords were pointed at the enemy.

Petyr’s large frame blocked his view. "Ah Petyr," Acrius said nonchalantly, "Mind shifting elseways?"

“That… woman, Cleric,” Petyr began as he side-eyed the trio, “... is she on our side?”

"How in the hells am I supposed to know?" Acrius shot back, "You don’t have the time nor skill to worry about others, I mean look at yourself, a slight gust of wind could knock you over..." Petyr stared back at him with a serious look, and Acrius sighed in return, "That’s for me and your officer to ascertain, just follow your orders."

Drana moved to stabilize two men who had suffered goring wounds from the rickety pole arms the goblins had been using. With a wave of her staff, she would whisper something and the wounds would heal to the point of minor scarring. The knights would keep watch of the men, emotionless steel their only expression. In truth, it was not far from the skull’s expression that rested beneath said steel.

“I cannot heal them completely, I will need to save my magics in case we become embattled again.” Drana said to herself. She would look to one of the nearby men, giving them instruction to move them further from the tunnel. They would not be able to fight until they properly recovered.

She would notice the looks cast upon her, and would do her best to ignore them. Looking around, Drana would find Acrius once more and begin to approach him. The knights would move with her. “You there, are you the leader of this troupe?” she would communicate telepathically once more, not wishing to get any closer for fear of overhearing a conversation she may want no part in. Regardless, she had claimed to make her intentions known and a lull in the fighting was providing a good opportunity.

Acrius rested his chin on his hand. Petyr began walking back to the group of soldiers, eyeing Drana the whole way. "Eh, not quite," The orange-eyed boy replied atop his goblin throne, "The leader’s that one, over there." He pointed towards the officer, who was now conversing with Petyr.

He wasn’t certain if he should reveal that he was apart of the Royal Guard. ”If you want to discuss brass tacks, discuss it with him," His steely gaze was shadowy under the darkness of the sewers, "... or, do you need anything from me, Cleric Drana?"

Drana would smile as she realised she had spoken in their heads and not aloud. “Apologies. No, I am curious as to where I am. I am not normally one that participates in battles like these.” She would look over the dead goblins. “Before that man arrived you seemed to be the only thing keeping these men held together.” She would speak after getting closer. “Though I am here to make sure you are not injured.” She would add in quickly, as though she had meant to speak much sooner. “You are the one that defended them, so for now I will speak with you.” She would take a deep breath, frustrated by her situation.

The knights would maintain distance as she moved forward, staying a good five feet further away from Acrius than Drana. Drana had communicated with both of them to make sure they did not attack the man she was trying to speak with. Their armor was black, but not intentionally. It was normal steel, covered in black bile that flowed through a goblin’s veins. Their weapons and shields were coated in the stuff. Wolf’s blood lay atop the older layers, giving sign that they had been fighting well before they had entered this room.

”... Hm, no need for worry- I’m not injured," Acrius paused to consider his next words, revealing that information wouldn’t hurt, right? ”Well, you’re in the presence of the ever-illustrious Bergkoff military." Acrius raised his hands up like a showman, gesturing towards the huddled group of soldiers, ”... though I’m not exactly part of the Bergkoff military."

The orange-eyed boy would scratch his neck and sighed deeply, where the hell was Malfoy. ”You couldn’t have come at a better time," Acrius said dryly, ”The city’s under siege right now, being attacked from all sides except South."

”I’m simply doing the task assigned to me." Acrius replied to her comment of rallying the men, ”But enough about me, what about you Cleric Drana, Sir Gordon and… Sir Stephan, was it?"

Acrius had noticed that the two paladins’ weapons and armour were grimey and well-worn. The amount of gore and bile on them didn't make sense unless they’ve been fighting well before they link up with the Bergkoff group. Their skills were nothing to scoff at either, even forgoing Drana’s skill, the two seemed to be stronger than they let on. Now that he thinks about it, it was odd that the two men didn’t at all look tired nor out of breath... ”What could Clerics and Paladins be doing in the sewers of Bergkoff?"

The paladins would nod at the mention of their respective names. Drana would see that their lack of speaking would be a problem, and chimed in quickly. “They are less trusting than I, I’m afraid. Most of the knights in my company rarely speak. It helps that I can communicate without speaking.” Drana was surprised to hear where she was. “Ber- where? How far are we from the black desert? That is where I was when I-...” she would stop. She had used a teleportation scroll, and the return scroll had been lost when Stephan lost his bag fighting off the goblins. “I am very, very far from home.” She would pause before realizing she had not given him a proper answer. “I was helping an angry spirit find eternal rest, and it seems I am without my returning spell scroll. I am lucky there was even a way out…” and that the crypt sealed itself. “What about you? If you aren’t with these men why are you here in the sewers killing goblins for-with. With them.” She leaned to look over several of the corpses.
If the city was under attack she had to help, but how could she without turning a few goblins into turncoats? If they weren’t in the Black desert then the undead would probably terrify everyone here.

”I see..." Acrius had more questions but it’s best left to someone like Balthazar, not him. Black desert…? I vaguely recall it from a geography class, but it was definitely far.... He thought and surmised that Drana seemed to be far from home,. ”I’m not all too familiar with the geography..." Acrius shouted at Petyr to bring over a map. Petyr would lumber over and bring a crudely drawn map so that Drana could see where Bergkoff was.

The orange-eyed boy shot her a confused look at her talk about helping spirits eternal rest; he concluded that it was something clerics from her order did and left it at that.

”Oh, little ol’ me?" Acrius replied to her enquiry, ”Well, I-"

One of the goblins under him twitched- either it was barely alive or it was its last death throes. Acrius unsheathed his dagger and flipped it in his hands before stabbing downwards- into the goblins neck, permanently silencing the creature.

”... just a conscript for the Empire." Acrius said simply, it wasn’t a total lie. As soon as he said this, Malfoy and a regiment of soldiers finally arrived. The spindly boy would report to his commanding officer before panting to a rest. It seemed that the boy had followed his duty, at least.

Acrius and him would lock eyes; the orange-eyed boy gestured for him to come. Malfoy would lean in close to his ear and relayed what little Balthazar could offer. Graaaamps, is that really all? Acrius would receive his emblem back and slapped the boys back in a gesture of a job well done. Drana would also notice the Royal Guard emblem that was given back to him, if she could recognize it then she would know Acrius was a part of the Prince’s Royal Retinue.

Drana’s eyes would glow at the surprise Acrius gave her upon stabbing the goblin beneath him. The knights would remain unmoved, however they did move their weapons slightly. They were ready to move at any time, and would protect Drana even if she did not wish for them to. She would study the map and frown. If this was true she had succeeded, but she was now nearly the world away!

After the exchange between the two men, Drana would look up just in time to spot the seal, putting together that this man was more than just a conscript. She did not know why he was not being forthcoming, but he did not need to be. So long as he was fighting for the right reasons he could be a commoner for all she cared. It was Gordon who would bring up the relevance of that sigil, telling Drana of its importance without the use of words.

After Malfoy was congratulated, Drana would speak up. “You don’t strike me as a conscript.” She spoke without any formality, as most clerics often do near a battlefield. “You have experience with death, and do not shirk from it’s gaze.” She seemed to be speaking to herself, but all the same she was looking at Acrius and had not said any names. “Forgive me, I should not say such things. I have found where I am from and can set off to be homeward as soon as the city is no longer under siege. Can I trust you to guide me to that end Sir...?” She was terrible with names, and in the middle of her own speech she had forgotten if she had ever asked it. This would cause her to grip her staff tightly, a hint of embarrassment flushing onto her face as she looked to the side. “I seem to have forgotten if you gave a name…”

”Conscript is my technical rank," Acrius flashed a grin, ”... death’s an acquaintance that’s always close by..."

Acrius assumed that Balthazar has given him free reign and discretion to deal with Drana. ”Forget the ‘Sir’, I’m just a commoner." He corrected her as he knew more than a few certain knights who hated when others were called ‘Sir’ without the proper rank, ”I didn't. It's Acrius Stroude. Hmm… alright. For now you’re part of my responsibility." He got up and extended his dirtied and bloodied hand for her to shake.

As the two shook hands his eyes noticed wooden balls roll on the floor, Shit- Acrius thought, pulling Drana towards and then behind him, using his body to block the would-be explosion. The orange-eyed boy didn’t know if it was an explosion but he figured he could take an explosion better than the Cleric. Luckily it wasn’t; he managed to cover his eyes by bracing his arms- his ears, however, rang loudly.

The soldiers who were loosely in formation were now in utter disarray. The officer began shouting but his voice felt tiny due to the ringing. Straining his eyes, he peered into the tunnel- now sappers now joined the contingency of wolves and goblins.

”Drana… shit, we have to buy time for the soldiers to get back in formation." Acrius instructed as he unsheathed his weapon.

She would shake his hand with a firm grip, her own hand blackened by grime from the tunnels she had been navigating. “Right, I can do that. I-“ she would be pulled closer, surprised but not unprepared. She would move her staff to the side and would be spared from the blinding effect of the flashbombs thanks to Acrius. With ringing ears, she would hardly understand Acrius, and would respond as she pulled away. The two knights would move to the side of the two, aware of the situation as the stunning effects of the flashbombs did not affect the undead.
Seeing a new wave of attackers soon to jump and possibly decimate the now stunned soldiers.

Raising her staff as Acrius unsheathed his sword, she would cast a fire spell. “Ixen kepesk!” She shouted as a wall of fire ten feet long and three feet wide would appear in front of the side of the goblin formation. She debated raising many of the goblins, but she did not want to cause even more confusion. Still, there was a limit to what she could do outside of her domain. Her two knights would support Acrius, moving to charge with him.

”Cover me." Acrius said to the paladins; he noticed the goblins was as surprised as the soldiers when the wall of flame came up. The orange-eyed boy crouched low and dashed at full speed to catch the reeling goblins off-guard. He was impressed that both of the paladins could somewhat keep pace with them only slightly lagging behind him. Using his momentum, he sliced through two goblins. A sapper screeched at him from the side and charged at him. Sir Stephan shield-charged the sapper away from the trio and into a small cluster of goblins before exploding.

”Not bad, Stephan." Acrius mumbled after a momentary glance behind him. The two ‘paladins’ were dependable vanguard, allowing Acrius to let loose without worrying about his surroundings. With his hesitation erased he once more slipped into a battle-like trance; each step and movement was used close distance or deftly dodge a goblin's killing stroke, each stroke of his blade claimed a goblin’s life.

A goblin ran at him, its body language telegraphing a vertical strike aimed at his chest. Acrius, using as little movement as possible, twisted his body sideways causing the blow to slice empty air. He would follow-up with a counterattack; a quick slice aimed at its weapon hand. As soon as the goblin missed, it tried another, much quicker diagonal strike. However no strike would follow; the goblin seemed surprised to find its hand on the floor as it slumped onto the floor.

Unfortunately for him, Goblins by themselves were nothing much in terms of individual skill. Their methods were too rough and obvious- wide, telegraphed strikes seemed to be their forte. They mostly relied on their numbers rather than anything else. Each goblin that tried to perform a flank attack were easily pushed away or killed by the two paladins by his side. It was too easy. Even the wolves who tried their best to support their goblin masters couldn’t do anything, partially due to the paladins and partially due to the wall of fire.

The wall of flames would last for only a minute before it dimmed, and with it one of the small lights that hovered in the room would also fade. The wall of fire had been enough to prevent the charge, but several wolf riders had managed to make it past and took advantage of the disorganized men. Luckily, lack of support from the goblins minimized casualties. Drana would use the distraction to prepare herself for another spell, Casting a stored spell from her staff. Targeting the three warriors nearest and herself, they would each find themselves glowing dimly in the darkness. Acrius would feel several arrows bounce off as the mage armor held fast, offering him protection to execute the goblins. Drana would say a silent prayer that she had gotten it off in time, but her attention left her open to being flanked herself. A single sapper would lob another wooden globe, though this one was a little bit larger. Seeing this globe whirling towards her with a bright fuse, she would turn her staff. There was no time for a spell, even a stored one would not be fast enough, and so she used an unorthodox method. Her off hand met her staff as she swung lightly, bunting the large ball back towards the goblin who had thrown it while uttering a quiet curse. The goblin would be surprised as the wooden globe’s fuse vanished at the same time it landed near his feet. The ensuing explosion would actually knock Drana backwards and off her feet, the dim glow vanishing. A part of the wall and ceiling would collapse, the small explosion had ignited and reacted with the other improvised devices the sapper had been carrying. Using her staff, she would quickly get back to her feet. Her mage armor had spared her from most of the damage, though she was now looking worse for wear.

Gordon and Stephan worked to block as much of the ranged attacks they could. Shields and plate made them nearly invulnerable to forward ranged attacks, but the explosives would prove to be a problem should any of the goblins get them off. Goblin bows were not known for their craftsmanship. That said, the wolf riders were in greater numbers than one would have assumed for an under-city raid.

Drana, finishing her coughing fit, would wipe the dust from her eyes with her off hand. Looking ahead of here she saw that the path had been narrowed, and an idea came to her mind. If they used the sappers bombs they could re-seal the tunnel and buy some much needed rest for all of the people here.

Drana’s voice would touch Acrius’ mind again; “Acrius, we need to re-seal the tunnels before we are overrun! Do you think you could try to steal some of the grey globes from the sappers? They seem to be some kind of blasting charge. You can speak in your own head to respond to this!” She always forgot that most people did not know how to reply, and quietly cursed herself for not having said anything when she first communicated with him.

Got it, Acrius tried her method of communication. One of the riders charged at him at full speed. He hoisted his weapon up, forming a makeshift-spear. The rider would skewer itself into his blade. The wolf itself, unperturbed by its rider's death, lunged at the boy. The boy would drop his weapon but catch the wolf’s neck with his hands.

”Get off, damnit." Acrius said as he engulfed his hands in flames. He may or may not have forgotten he had some rudimentary control of fire. The wolf’s fur and neck would be singed before falling dead onto the floor.

His eyes looked around the battlefield for a goblin sapper. He would find one and he made a beeline towards it. The sapper would try and ignite a wooden globe but found his hand impaled onto the wall by a dagger thrown by the boy.. Acrius’ continued his charge and aimed a killing stroke at the goblins’ neck. It hung limply against the wall, his hands nailed onto the wall.

Acrius cut the bag free from its dead owner. ... does this work, hello? He thought, unsure if he could initiate telepathic communication, Ahem, I got the explosions..

Drana would giggle over the communication and out loud, despite her current condition. “That won't be enough, we will probably need more. But we don’t hav- wait… there is something coming.” Drana would cast another cant rip of flashing lights, repeating the phrase she spoke before. “Acrius, there are two wolves without riders that are covered in those grey globes! They are behind the goblins.” Drana was confused as to why they weren’t advancing until she realized this was probably an attempt to blow up an important target somewhere in the city. “There are two wolves that are covered in those things! If you can set one of them off, we may be able to close the tunnel.” Of course, the entire fighting force of goblins was between them. Drana would curse under her breath again. Moving quickly towards her two knights as they chased after Acrius. She only hoped that the men they were fighting to buy time for were formed up and ready. If they were still dealing with those riders, the group she was with wouldn’t have support. “I will try to keep you up! Just don’t take any blows you can avoid!”

”The tactics these gobs are employing..." Acrius didn’t finish his train of thought, ”Alright, let’s try it."

Acrius peered into the bag and found a dozen of the make-shift explosives. The boy grinned. A single flame would be lit on his finger as he ignited one of the bombs. He would then lob it over to another cluster of goblins. With each lobbed explosive the boy cackled maniacally. It seemed that being a demolitionist was somewhat fun for him. With this method he cleared the horde of goblins standing infront of him and the group.

Acrius’ stolen bag now only had three explosives but they were close to the two wolves on standby. A flame would engulf the bag as he threw it at one of the wolves, he wasn’t sure if this was going to work but he was curious to see what the goblins and wolves would do.

Drana would stop, seeing that Acrius was plenty capable of abusing the small spheres. He was getting way to close, and as he lit the bag she would raise her staff and say a silent prayer. Using the energy in the two arcane crystals, she would ready a spell that she had only used once before and was hoping to save for just such a situation. With that prepared, she would focus on Acrius. The knights could be remade, and he could not. This spell would only work on one target due to her lack of practice and its proficiency outside the death domain.

The wolves would be aggressive, and upon the goblins being destroyed would be free to move on their own. Charging Acrius, they would cover ground as he hefted the flaming bag through the air. The bag would begin to spark, and Drana would follow up on her hunch. “Usjalil di marfedelom, tailuen nomeno mablik de dout erlelee!” A white sphere would suddenly appear around Acrius, preventing him from passing through it. The entire room would erupt with a deafening sound, though for Acrius he would hear a muffled pop. The spell, sphere of invulnerability, had been casted. At this point, Drana would fall to a knee from the combined use of magic and the force of the blast. Her knights would be no more as they held up their shields and fire kissed them. The floor and walls would shake as both of the wolves were caught in the blast, and smoke filled the room. Rubble would lean on the bubble Acrius was caught in, and shortly after that rubble was settled the orb would vanish. Dust would swirl over Acrius and the voice that had been in his head would be silent.

Blood ran out of Drana’s nose as she had casted one of the upper tier spells from the staff with aid from the skulled lady. She had been surprised the spell had worked, as the last time it had failed her. She had seen the blast parting around the globe, and had a grin on her face despite the pain she was in. The fight in the room had paused from the explosion, but as the dust settled the verdict would become clear.

The Prince's Royal Guard

Drana would not respond as she had managed to properly engage with a few of the riders. Being far too close to use a proper fire spell, she would use her staff to form three small bolts of flame and shout more words of power “Neri di ixen!” causing them to launch forward to peg the goblins from the backs of their mounts. The Fire would pierce them center body mass before igniting any possessions or loose fitting armor they had. It was quite a sight to see in the dim light. The spirit wolf would move through goblin and wolf alike until it pounced upon an unmounted goblin that had been hiding in the darkness. The goblin would try to strike the spectral wolf, but his blade would pass through harmlessly while the teeth of this ghost were very capable of tearing into the goblin’s throat. After the goblin was slain, the spirit would simply fade away.

The two warriors moved in tandem as Drana moved her staff and began casting several cantrips to strengthen the position they had. “You don’t have to trust me to fight with me against these curs!” She would block a sword with her staff, having let down her guard for one moment too long to respond. She would resume her casting as one of these knights executed the goblin with speed and precision. It helped that the goblins were coming to them, as the armor often had trouble moving quickly. “Kontzu'krele!” Three balls of light would spring into existence and move around the room to anchor themselves near the entrance she had arrived from, above herself, and above the defense the humans had taken. Each ball was dim, but provided clear light. Drana’s true purpose for this was to prevent the men from seeing the magic that was at work within the armor of her knights. The distance would have helped plenty, but that distance was closing very quickly. With the knights cutting down her attackers and the assistance of the men across the room, Drana was able to close the gap to reach their lines where she would finally be able to speak. Respecting the lack of trust, she would not get too close and would keep her knights between herself and the men. She had not noticed that more had arrived in their fight! “I am Drana Turash, Cleric of the Sacred Order, and I come to assist you!” she would shout. She had managed to conserve most of her magical energies this far, and she would sooner turn around and go back into the tunnels with the goblins than have to use it on humans defending themselves from goblin hordes. “I can explain myself, but I am unsure that the enemy will wait for pleasantries. These are my two knights, they are known as Sir Gordon and Sir Stephan. They are Paladins of the Sacred order!” She looked worried, and she was. The last thing she wanted to do was waste her magic having to flee back into hostile tunnels. The only relief she had was in the fact the assault seemed to have stopped for now.
"Is anyone wounded?!"

Describe the person above you in three words or less.

Tastes like Christmas.

The Prince's Royal Guard

Drana would pant as she took a breather. Why were the goblins in the tunnels?! This is ridiculous.
Drana was trying to make a safe getaway from returning the skull of a displeased spirit. Her staff at her side, she was happy that Rupert, her Owl, was not with her in these tunnels. “Lady Drana, we must keep moving. The goblins know we are here and I fear they have paired us with the denizens of the city.” The voice would rattle out from behind a black helmet as two walking suits of armor quickly filed into the tunnel she was taking refuge in. This knight wielded a large shield with a short sword. “Thank you for your concern, Stephan! I know the goblins are being very rude-“ Drana would start, however she would be interrupted by the goblin blood soaked Knight.
“Drana, the time to strike is now. I can detect a group of humans holding out nearby, you should unite with them and make sure they do not join our ranks.” Gordon’s voice was far more shrill, like that of a grumpy old man.
“Ugh- I hate these little green monsters! I can’t believe I gave them some of our food! Fine, let us get going before more of those wolves show up.” Drana would smile as she lifted her staff. “Those poor animals don’t know any better…” Drana felt bad for the wolves, having to ride under the cruel little green balls of filth. Goblins and Orcs could normally be reasoned with, but these seemed far more organized than the roving bands she was used to dealing with. They had chased her along the tunnels after all!

She had no Idea that the nearby city had been attacked in force. It wouldn’t be the first time following a spirit had left her in a bad situation, but at least this time she had been able to lay it to rest before the trouble started! Nothing was worse than an angry wraith.

Moving through the tunnels, she would raise several goblins with the aid of her staff. Most of them had been felled by Gordon’s sword, and so made for nothing more than fodder to bog down the enemy while she made a run for it with Gordon and Stephan. “I really hope they see their dead buddies and stop coming down here!” Drana would say under her breath, not wanting to be at fault for any more of the dead green skins. She would send the goblins she had raised forward, ambushing the reinforcements with their own numbers. Knowing that the attack was only good for a surprise, Gordon would lead the group with Drana in the middle and Stephan taking the rear. The rumble of cannon fire would become evermore present the further they traveled, the sounds of fighting overtaking them as they stumbled upon a freshly dug tunnel. Gordon would lead them into the sapper’s tunnel, and soon they would emerge behind the group of goblins wolf riders that were giving Acrius trouble. Drana’s eyes would glow as she saw the men in need of assistance over the cramped battlefield. Gordon would raise his shield and ready his sword to defend Drana as Stephan raised his behind her about face. Drana would use the fact she had gone unnoticed to cast a spell.

“Nymuer sia lexri vur kiwieg asta vers! Slathalin mrith renewed dastudr!” The words of draconic power would boom unnaturally around the cavern, the effects of a more powerful healing word targeting the knights and Acrius. Green energies would swirl about them as the spell took hold with little warning. Oh- I hope they don’t think I am with the goblins. That would just be peachy. Drana would think to herself as she raised her staff. The men would feel minor wounds close and as though they had taken a good 15 minute break despite the fact the fight was still ongoing. This spell would attract the attention of some goblin riders. Seeing this, Drana would slam her staff into the ground. She knew that she would be between two forces if she did not find a way to join the mysterious men quickly. She would use her staff to cast a stored spell. Two nearby dead wolves would glow blue, and their spirits would slowly rise out of their corpses. Drana was not surprised her second spell had taken hold, but for it to bring two instead of one would mean that these goblins had been less than kind to their two mounts. Drana would mentally communicate to one of the spectral wolves, telling it to aid her in getting across this small room filled with goblin corpses. It would turn to face the goblins, accepting her offer. The other, however would fade. Her previous assumption had been wrong, only one of the two who had answered had been harmed.

Not wanting to waste anymore time, she would charge forward in unison with her knights. Seeing Acrius separate from the ranks, she would target him with her mental communications. Speaking directly to his mind so that she could be heard clearly above battle. “I am Drana Turash, Noble Cleric of the Sacred order! Do not fear, for I have come to aid you!”

The Prince's Royal Guard

Drana Turash

Name: Drana Turash
Race:

Kalashtar

Every kalashtar has a connection to a spirit, a bond shared by other members of their bloodline. Kalashtar appear human, but their spiritual connection affects them in a variety of ways. Kalashtar have symmetrical, slightly angular features, and their eyes often glow when they are focused or expressing strong emotions.

Gender: Female
Age: 28

Appearance in cleric wear and as the Skull masked woman

Drana is a tall and voluptuous woman with light features and a well toned body. She typically wears elegant clothing that is respective of her Kalashtari culture and noble blood. Her clothes also bear the mark of many golden stars, the sign that her clergy uses to identify its members. Clerics are often dressed with many stars, while paladins often have a large Celtic cross on their shields and breastplates. Her hair is black and her eyes are a deep green. Her height is 5’11, and she is often seen near or with a white Owl and two knights of the faith who have taken vows of silence.*
When transformed or possessed, her clothing fades and is replaced with black silks that lack the traditional mark of her faith. A golden mask that covers the top of her head down to just above the mouth forms on her head. It is shaped like that of a slightly inhuman skull with three long protrusions that crest it’s head. Two protrusions jut out at the side just beside the eyes, and the canines of the skull form two fangs. Her hair is not parted by the protrusions that jut out above her head, and so it is impossible to tell if the skull is just a mask, or in fact her head. The skull covered her face down to the top of her upper lip. Her mouth is completely visible, as is the strange brand like symbol that adorns her forehead. Her arms have bangles that hold a square cross, matching with the Paladins of Drana’s order, the black fabric that takes the place of her robes is adorned by golden and gilded metals with various inscriptions that do not seem to form any coherent language. The Dress itself is spectral, allowing for function without tripping her should she need to move suddenly. However it seems quite real in most other scenarios. This is not uncommon among noble wear, though Drana’s normal dress wear and clothing does not share this functionality.

Bio:

Drana was born with a silver spoon in her mouth. Her birth left her mother barren, and so she was spoiled greatly by her father and older relatives. Quiet, she rarely cried and often obeyed every command she was given. Ironic was it that she be gifted among her people with a strong link to a spirit. Her linked spirit would send her visions, and with her age her magic became more and more powerful. Her 14th birthday would change her life. While running errands with the house butler, a human by the name of Stephan, she would be assaulted by a poor beggar. Knocked down and bludgeoned with a shovel she would feel real pain for the first time in her life. Her butler would step in to defend her, only to find the sharp side of the shovel buried in his neck.. She would watch as the man who had helped raise her was murdered in the street. She was scared, but like she had always been, she remained quiet as two witnesses would flee crying for the help of the guards. After Stephan would fall, the crazy beggar would beat him several more times with the shovel as Drana slowly came to terms with what was happening. Her eyes would swell with tears as they glowed a dim green.

The beggar would turn to attack the girl… only to find a tall, masked figure looming over him where the girl had previously been. “Death pays for life.” rolled from beneath the golden skull shaped mask. The beggar would move to charge the figure, no doubt still in a crazed stupor. The woman would extend her hand, touching the man’s chest as he ran to her. His eyes would roll back in his head as green energy ran across his chest from the woman’s hand. His body would shrivel, before turning to ash as the deathly energies eroded his form completely. Stepping over to Stephan, the tall figure would touch him and whisper something in his ear. Stephan would slowly stand, but his body did not heal. His face was badly beaten, and blood stained his once fine clothes. The woman would fade, to leave Drana standing where she had been. She would fall, but Stephan would catch her in his arms. The guards would arrive to find a pile of ashes with a bloody shovel and blood trail to follow. Naturally, the few witnesses were slow to come forward as they had not believed what they had seen.

Drana was not punished, but instead was taken from her family by an order of clerics that were familiar with her powers. Her parents, grieving at the loss of their daughter, thought her nothing more than a monster after they found Stephan. Drana’s aunt instilled them with fear for their once beloved daughter. She used Drana’s lack of explanation as an excuse to have her disowned. She claimed that the girl practiced necromancy and the dark arts. Hearing of this, Drana’s grandfather moved to action. Sadly, he heard about it nearly two years after the incident. There was little he could do aside from provide words of comfort and send her a gift. A staff his father, cleric of the very order she had been drafted to join, had been a cleric of.

The Sacred order is a group of paladins and clerics that fight to protect those that wish to travel through the Black Desert. This group was the group that took Drana away from the gallows, though she would never know that herself. They believed her to be touched by an ancient follower of their order. The origins of which were lost to time, but several references in books and on murals to a masked, scythe wielding woman led them to believe that she was chosen to assist them in the fight against death. Of course, it would not be long before she was seen as a lost cause, her quiet and submissive nature. Fighting undead, or worse, wraiths, was no quiet quest. Nearly every outing proved to be an unbearable task. It would be close to the age of 16 that the skulled woman would make an appearance to her, and reveal a Relic that her grandfather had given her. The relic, an ancient staff of power, allowed her to call upon the skulled lady’s power without waking her fully. With this new boon, she suddenly found the halls full of people who thought better of her than the clerics and paladins who thought her a harmless girl. Not long after she would begin to truly explore her powers, and on her first outing two undead would bind themselves to her protection upon seeing the visage of the skulled lady. The undead that came to her brightened her,leading her to believe that Stephan and the beggar had found peace since they had not come to find her.

Two years later, after spending much time studying her powers and researching within various libraries, she was able to understand just what she was. At the age of 18, she would find herself capable of commanding any corpse to rise up and obey her commands. At the age of 21, she found that innocent souls who had died unjustly could be invoked for wisdom, and in some cases would willingly fight to destroy the force that ended them. In honor of Stephan, she would vow to make sure that any restless spirit or wandering zombie she found would find peace. And so she left the safety of the Sacred Order. A decision she would later find they did not appreciate.

The world was not as kind as she liked, and it would be at the age of 25 that she discovered how to control her powers well enough to summon what she knew to be ‘The Skull masked woman”. This was not controlling her, but invoking the spirit itself. In this form she could use a proper weapon to defend herself. It was also very useful in communicating with the undead. She learned that the world was full of many restless spirits, and that this strange woman was one of many characters that would often come to her aid in times of need. More than once she would appear with a large scythe to intimidate unwise bandits into leaving her companions be. Drana would have to constantly resist the urges this spirit had to end the living.

She spends her days now putting ‘evil’ spirits to rest and trying to make the spirit that often possesses her refrain from violence.

Personality quirks:
Drana is always happy, her optimism will shine no matter how bleak the situation gets. Sometimes the undead she is with will share in this optimism, given that they are capable of speech and thought. That changes upon her donning the form of a spirit, often her personality is replaced with the wrath of an uncaring ghost that wishes for all conflict to cease. She struggles to control her powers as much as she does her own personality and emotions.
“I can find common ground between the fiercest enemies, empathizing with them and always working toward peace.”
“Nothing can shake my optimistic attitude!”

Bonds: “I always try to help those in need, no matter what the personal cost.”
Ideals: “I will do anything to protect my friends.”
Flaws: “I judge others harshly, and myself even more severely.”

Fighting Style:
When magic is not used via staff, a scythe with the combination of magic is used instead. She is versatile, capable of switching from defensive to offensive strategies, however this makes her far less focused. She shines best supporting others. She is capable of massive amounts of damage but incapable of taking much at all. No matter what field of play she is in, she is a caster at heart.

Allies
Kilas Turash- Her grandfather, a very powerful mage who lives in a distant land unknown to Drana. He gifted her with her only real possession, the Staff of power. He often writes her letters and she often returns them.

Rashul “LongStrider”- A tabaxi bard that Drana met on her travels. He is well known for bar hopping and telling stories. He owes her his life, as Drana saved him from a group of ghouls.

The Sacred Order- The leader and upper clergy of the Sacred order know the value of a cleric capable of summoning the dead, as it is best to fight death with death. Many of the peons and initiates do not understand, and simply regard her as a necromancer.

Rivals
Serra Turash- Her aunt, a cleric of the holy order of light. This woman is behind the disowning of Drana and would like nothing more than her niece to be dead. Drana is unaware of her aunt's hatred and disgust.

The Sacred Order initiates- despite being a member of the group, not many approved of her departure. Only high ranking paladins and clerics treat her with any form of respect, leaving her own organization unreliable unless she is in or near the Black Desert. Those that know little of the organization often believe and treat her as a necromancer.

Equipment: Staff of Power: An advanced magical staff used as a focus to help her control the power of spirits. It contains a power she has not fully explored and was a gift from her grandfather before she departed to join the mysterious group that raised her. It holds several arcane spells. This item will transform into the weapon the current spirit is using. There are several unused notches in the staff that appear to be empty. The top of the staff holds a Ruby red death soul gem. The handle of the staff has two smaller Arcane soul stones opposite one another. Four more slots remain empty.

Staff of power (Scythe): a magical melee weapon that can be used as a spell casting focus. Present only when the spirit has been invoked. The staff shimmers and appears to be made out of Gold plated bone. When wielded by Drana it is used as a staff, when properly wielded by the spirit it is a very deadly weapon and only a minor casting focus.

Skills/Abilities:

Severed from dreams: Drana does not dream when she sleeps, instead she receives visions of the spirit she is tied to. Often these images are treated like a dream. They are fuzzy and difficult to remember. Drana cannot be affected by spells that would alter her dreams, but can still be affected by spells that would put her to sleep. (Passive/racial)

Mind link: Drana can speak telepathically to any creature she can see within 150 ft. She doesn’t need to share a language with the creature for it to understand, but the creature must be able to understand at least one language. The creature can respond given the same conditions are met. This link can only function on a single creature, using it with another creature severs the previous connection. (Passive/racial)

Deathly visage: Her magic allows her to interact with spirits and undead in unusual ways. Natural undead do not normally perceive her as a threat so long as she does not disturb them physically. She can communicate with undead and does not need to directly control them with magic. (Passive/cleric)

Inescapable Destruction: Her clerical domain grants her necrotic power the ability to effect death itself. Undead suffer full damage instead of half when she uses death magic energies to damage them. (Passive/cleric)

Death magic: The ability to cast necromancy and manipulate death.

Spells:

Inflict Wounds: Fills a target with necrotic energy. Very effective against the living. Must touch the target.

Revivify: She can bring someone who has suffered a fatal injury back from death given that they have not been dead for longer than 1 minute. There may be unintended side effects.

Mass Healing Word: She is capable of uttering words of power that invigorate her allies, healing them of minor wounds and light fatigue.

Cure wounds: Drana can touch someone and heal a nasty wound. This cannot revive someone, but can stabilize someone who is dying. It can reattach limbs so long as the limb can be re-attached.

Speak with the dead: She can speak with a spirit or corpse. It will treat her as it would have if it were still alive.

Animate dead: Makes a zombie or skeleton archer, usually based on the corpse.

Various cantrips.

And many more spells to come…

Other Information:

shhh

1. Listen to the GM(s), If you have a complaint tell me. I am not an evil dictator and if I am wrong I will admit it.
2. Romance and Gore allowed, But keep it in good taste and in site rules
3. Now not all characters will play nice with each other I understand that, but keep the disputes in the RP not in OOC
4. Be civilized and polite please
5. All basic RP rules apply to this roleplay: Power playing, Meta gaming, and others are not allowed.
6. The story isn't exactly set, if you have an idea for a mission feel free to pm me the details and I'll try to work it in.
7. Copy the rules into a Hider in the "other" of your cs so I know you read them.
8. Get into your character's skin, become him or her as you are playing, have fun and give us insight into their thoughts.
9. Try to keep active, in both the IC and OOC pages please. And even if you don't have anything to say, at least read the OOC

She travels with two undead that seem content serving her. The undead are skeletons that wear full plate and are fully capable of acting on their own, though they lack complex thoughts and voices. Drana often calls them by the names Gordon and Stephan believing them to be good luck. She also interacts with the sacred order using a large white Owl.

The Prince's Royal Guard

It begins.

If all goes well I will be popping a draft in soon.