@FalloutJack So, rule wise, we're not touching the tabletop aspects. It's just a standard RP in the Shadowrun universe. Tbh, the games are all the actual experience I've got outside of some light reading. The above paragraph is all that's truly necessary, though the other bit further up might clear up some things for some people. It's totally fine for your char to not be an Aussie native, tbh I think most of our characters aren't aside from our mage and fixer.
@DizzyRenegade Well, we aren't going to be going by the traditional rules as this is going to be in casual instead of advanced. Think of it like you would most RPs on the guild. As for the archetypes I'll add that info later today.
Decker: Filled Rigger: Filled Mage: Filled Adept: Filled Street Samurai(muscle): Not filled Shaman: Not filled (I mean our adept has some Shaman stuff, but it's not his primary) Face: Not filled
(Not going to be strict on most of this) The 6th World is a dangerous place chummer, so strap in and scan this (Very) basic summary of Aussie history. Magic returned in 2012 and everything went downhill since then. When the awakening struck, Australia was hit by a massive mana backlash. Suddenly, the already dangerous fauna turned into beings out of nightmares.
Let’s start from the beginning shall we?
In 2001 Megacorporations were given the ability to own land and have private armies, effectively giving themselves the power of nations. The most famous of these court cases was called the Shiawase Decision. This was the beginning of Extraterritoriality and has allowed megacorporations to spring up across the globe.
In 2011, the world awoke. Children were born as creatures of legend, specifically elves and dwarves. People began to manifest magical abilities and the world went batshit quickly. Suddenly, Joe from across the street was an all-powerful magician who could shoot fireballs with the power of his mind.
As I said above, animals began to express magically. Hell, even the earth did. Tasmania became alive. Like, literally. It became sentient and started to destroy Hobart and all the inhabitants. Refugees flocked to the nearby Victoria to find refuge.
Mana storms plague the country, warping the laws of physics and wreaking havoc on anyone who enters. Sydney was engulfed by a permanent one and was effectively cut off from the rest of Australia and left to fend for itself, becoming an independent city state. Things only got crazier since then.
Virally Induced Toxic Allergy Syndrome or VITAS was discovered in 2010, and brought the world to its knees. The disease inflamed the infected person’s lungs until they suffocated to death, ultimately killing a quarter of the world’s population.. Australia was lucky to have missed the full brunt of this disease, as the tyranny of distance kept the Virus from spreading as much as it had in the US or Europe.The disease eventually took hold of the cities, however Australia’s healthcare system managed to stop the brunt of it but at great cost. It was left broken and almost destroyed, allowing private medical services like Doc Wagon to take hold.
During the April of 2012, a Mana storm formed around the city of Sydney and took root. The storm has been in place ever since that day, besieging the city and cutting it off from the rest of the country. In 2030, Sydney became its own independent city-state under a megacorporate council
In 2021, Goblinisation struck. 1 in 10 people were wracked with intense pain for 12-72 hours, undergoing a horrific transformation into Orks and Trolls, the monsters from story books. People were sort of fine with cute babies, but not this. People were scared, and once more lashed out. Were they demons sent from hell? A result of some disease? Needless to say, people reacted quite poorly to this newfound condition. In the US they herded them into internment camps to be studied.
The Japanese didn’t like this one bit. They withdrew from Australia and the economy was left reeling afterwards, as tourism, infrastructure and major exports were hampered. This lead to anti-japanese resentment and animosity. The Japanese powers that remained on Australia’s shores soon claimed the city of Cairns through ruthless business tactics and negotiations.
In 2022, New Zealand and Australia formed together once again and became part of the Australian and New Zealand Allied Confederation. This was done to protect each other from the Japanese influences of the time, as they had recently embraced the wonders of Imperialism once more and claimed the Philippines.
Then the next global crisis hit. The Internet crash of ‘29. Society had become so dependent on their network that when it crashed due to some type of super virus, everything went to hell. Millionaires lost everything, regular people lost their jobs, the IT industry almost died overnight and Australia was sent back to the Stone Age. Seeking to capitalise on this weakness, Japanese Megacorps decided to move back in, and bailed out Australia, but at what cost? Dozens of Australian megacorps became subsidiaries of the Japanacorps; most notably, Telstra became a part of Renraku.
Eventually, the corporations decided to band together and create the Matrix, an online system that allowed users to connect in a 3D space instead of the old world’s 2D system. This new matrix allowed people to “Jump in” to the digital world and access it via personas and icons.
A few years later, the System Identification Number was created, or SINs. They were what marked you as a person, on record and had everything about you recorded. Biometrics, Data of Birth, place of residence, passports, etc.This divided the population between those who were in the system and those who were not, the latter becoming second class citizens. Corporations and Governments were able to grant access to a SIN, making you a citizen of that Corp or Nation. It is important to note that Australia doesn’t allow Dual Citizenship, so Corp wageslaves get their everything from their parent megacorporation.
Remember all that stuff about people becoming Orks, Trolls, Elves and Dwarves? Well all those racial tensions were bubbling away under the hood of society, even if the government had been quick to recognise metahumans as citizens. On the 7th of February, the Night of Rage happened, where anti Metahuman protesters clashed with Metahumans in one of the most violent nights in history. Across the globe riots had sprung up and angry and scared people became violent. Australia was no different, as so called ‘True Australians’ blamed metahuman refugees and citizens for the faltering economy and perceived weakness of the Australian Government.
In 2057, Australia was hit by one of its worst droughts ever- Water supplies were monitored by the government and rationed out to the SINners. While this was par for the course for most australians who had been through a drought, the conditions only worsened and became stricter. Plants and crops died as rain ceased to fall and the lush greenery of the south eastern states began to dry up.The water smuggling industry has boomed since then, and has become a commodity fought over almost as much as nuyen.
Australia eventually became a republic in 2063, after the third referendum in over 60 years was held. The newly formed republic was just in time for the Second Matrix crash, which once again left the globe reeling.
Actual required reading:
The Australian Outback, 2066 a land ravaged by magical storms and awakened creatures. While most cities remain (mostly) in tact, the country as a whole is quite a bit less than stable. Much of the already less than friendly local wildlife was made even less so when they awakened. Packs of Hell-dingos, massive wombats, and magically active Kangaroos just to name a few now roam the land.
In the more civilized areas, safety is still less than guaranteed as two massive corporations essentially dictate what goes on within the cities. The presences of Renraku Computer Systems,and Shiawase Atomics are impossible to deny everywhere you look. From the massive corporate skyscrapers, the dozens of subsidiary companies, and even the occasional missile silo, their logos are impossible to miss. That's not to say that other Megacorps don't have any pull in the outback, but none of them have such a strong foothold.
Now, rumors of some oddly armored strangers coming in and out of an abandoned silo in the less tame areas, intensifying storms, and even the possibility of a new dragon emerging has everyone in the shadows whispering.
You are a Shadowrunner, part of an elite team of deniable assets contracted by megacorporations and rich individuals to do jobs that nobody else can or will. Be you a human, elf, ork, dwarf, or even a troll, you don't exist as far as society knows. Lacking a SIN (System Identification Number) or any other form of identification, you stick to the underbelly of the world with only the people you run with to back you up. To keep yourself, and them, safe...Remember the rules: Watch your back, shoot straight, conserve your ammo, and NEVER cut a deal with a dragon.
Our fixer/boss, Vanessa has slowly gathered this group over the course of several years. The original intention wasn't for running, truth be told her little Cyberware clinic just kind of attracted these strangers.
Text color:
Name:
Race(humans or metahumans IE: orks, trolls, elves and dwarves, as well as certain diverging subspecies (known as metavariants) such as gnomes, giants, minotaurs, etc.):
Age:
Gender:
Appearance:
Archetype(Essentially your base class, but that doesn't lock you into certain skills or abilities):
Equipment:
Cybernetics: (Keep in mind that any prosthetics dull your magical abilities if you have any)
Abilities, spells, etc.: (You can make stuff up so long as you describe it. Of course you also have the option of looking up the archetype abilities.)
Unique skill (2 max, what truly sets you apart from others of your archetype):
Decker: Filled Rigger: Filled Mage: Filled Adept: Filled Street Samurai(muscle): Possibly filled Shaman: Possibly filled (I mean our adept has some Shaman stuff, but it's not his primary) Face: Not filled
(Not going to be strict on most of this) The 6th World is a dangerous place chummer, so strap in and scan this (Very) basic summary of Aussie history. Magic returned in 2012 and everything went downhill since then. When the awakening struck, Australia was hit by a massive mana backlash. Suddenly, the already dangerous fauna turned into beings out of nightmares.
Let’s start from the beginning shall we?
In 2001 Megacorporations were given the ability to own land and have private armies, effectively giving themselves the power of nations. The most famous of these court cases was called the Shiawase Decision. This was the beginning of Extraterritoriality and has allowed megacorporations to spring up across the globe.
In 2011, the world awoke. Children were born as creatures of legend, specifically elves and dwarves. People began to manifest magical abilities and the world went batshit quickly. Suddenly, Joe from across the street was an all-powerful magician who could shoot fireballs with the power of his mind.
As I said above, animals began to express magically. Hell, even the earth did. Tasmania became alive. Like, literally. It became sentient and started to destroy Hobart and all the inhabitants. Refugees flocked to the nearby Victoria to find refuge.
Mana storms plague the country, warping the laws of physics and wreaking havoc on anyone who enters. Sydney was engulfed by a permanent one and was effectively cut off from the rest of Australia and left to fend for itself, becoming an independent city state. Things only got crazier since then.
Virally Induced Toxic Allergy Syndrome or VITAS was discovered in 2010, and brought the world to its knees. The disease inflamed the infected person’s lungs until they suffocated to death, ultimately killing a quarter of the world’s population.. Australia was lucky to have missed the full brunt of this disease, as the tyranny of distance kept the Virus from spreading as much as it had in the US or Europe.The disease eventually took hold of the cities, however Australia’s healthcare system managed to stop the brunt of it but at great cost. It was left broken and almost destroyed, allowing private medical services like Doc Wagon to take hold.
During the April of 2012, a Mana storm formed around the city of Sydney and took root. The storm has been in place ever since that day, besieging the city and cutting it off from the rest of the country. In 2030, Sydney became its own independent city-state under a megacorporate council
In 2021, Goblinisation struck. 1 in 10 people were wracked with intense pain for 12-72 hours, undergoing a horrific transformation into Orks and Trolls, the monsters from story books. People were sort of fine with cute babies, but not this. People were scared, and once more lashed out. Were they demons sent from hell? A result of some disease? Needless to say, people reacted quite poorly to this newfound condition. In the US they herded them into internment camps to be studied.
The Japanese didn’t like this one bit. They withdrew from Australia and the economy was left reeling afterwards, as tourism, infrastructure and major exports were hampered. This lead to anti-japanese resentment and animosity. The Japanese powers that remained on Australia’s shores soon claimed the city of Cairns through ruthless business tactics and negotiations.
In 2022, New Zealand and Australia formed together once again and became part of the Australian and New Zealand Allied Confederation. This was done to protect each other from the Japanese influences of the time, as they had recently embraced the wonders of Imperialism once more and claimed the Philippines.
Then the next global crisis hit. The Internet crash of ‘29. Society had become so dependent on their network that when it crashed due to some type of super virus, everything went to hell. Millionaires lost everything, regular people lost their jobs, the IT industry almost died overnight and Australia was sent back to the Stone Age. Seeking to capitalise on this weakness, Japanese Megacorps decided to move back in, and bailed out Australia, but at what cost? Dozens of Australian megacorps became subsidiaries of the Japanacorps; most notably, Telstra became a part of Renraku.
Eventually, the corporations decided to band together and create the Matrix, an online system that allowed users to connect in a 3D space instead of the old world’s 2D system. This new matrix allowed people to “Jump in” to the digital world and access it via personas and icons.
A few years later, the System Identification Number was created, or SINs. They were what marked you as a person, on record and had everything about you recorded. Biometrics, Data of Birth, place of residence, passports, etc.This divided the population between those who were in the system and those who were not, the latter becoming second class citizens. Corporations and Governments were able to grant access to a SIN, making you a citizen of that Corp or Nation. It is important to note that Australia doesn’t allow Dual Citizenship, so Corp wageslaves get their everything from their parent megacorporation.
Remember all that stuff about people becoming Orks, Trolls, Elves and Dwarves? Well all those racial tensions were bubbling away under the hood of society, even if the government had been quick to recognise metahumans as citizens. On the 7th of February, the Night of Rage happened, where anti Metahuman protesters clashed with Metahumans in one of the most violent nights in history. Across the globe riots had sprung up and angry and scared people became violent. Australia was no different, as so called ‘True Australians’ blamed metahuman refugees and citizens for the faltering economy and perceived weakness of the Australian Government.
In 2057, Australia was hit by one of its worst droughts ever- Water supplies were monitored by the government and rationed out to the SINners. While this was par for the course for most australians who had been through a drought, the conditions only worsened and became stricter. Plants and crops died as rain ceased to fall and the lush greenery of the south eastern states began to dry up.The water smuggling industry has boomed since then, and has become a commodity fought over almost as much as nuyen.
Australia eventually became a republic in 2063, after the third referendum in over 60 years was held. The newly formed republic was just in time for the Second Matrix crash, which once again left the globe reeling.
Actual required reading:
The Australian Outback, 2066 a land ravaged by magical storms and awakened creatures. While most cities remain (mostly) in tact, the country as a whole is quite a bit less than stable. Much of the already less than friendly local wildlife was made even less so when they awakened. Packs of Hell-dingos, massive wombats, and magically active Kangaroos just to name a few now roam the land.
In the more civilized areas, safety is still less than guaranteed as two massive corporations essentially dictate what goes on within the cities. The presences of Renraku Computer Systems,and Shiawase Atomics are impossible to deny everywhere you look. From the massive corporate skyscrapers, the dozens of subsidiary companies, and even the occasional missile silo, their logos are impossible to miss. That's not to say that other Megacorps don't have any pull in the outback, but none of them have such a strong foothold.
Now, rumors of some oddly armored strangers coming in and out of an abandoned silo in the less tame areas, intensifying storms, and even the possibility of a new dragon emerging has everyone in the shadows whispering.
You are a Shadowrunner, part of an elite team of deniable assets contracted by megacorporations and rich individuals to do jobs that nobody else can or will. Be you a human, elf, ork, dwarf, or even a troll, you don't exist as far as society knows. Lacking a SIN (System Identification Number) or any other form of identification, you stick to the underbelly of the world with only the people you run with to back you up. To keep yourself, and them, safe...Remember the rules: Watch your back, shoot straight, conserve your ammo, and NEVER cut a deal with a dragon.
Text color:
Name:
Race(humans or metahumans IE: orks, trolls, elves and dwarves, as well as certain diverging subspecies (known as metavariants) such as gnomes, giants, minotaurs, etc.):
Age:
Gender:
Appearance:
Archetype(Essentially your base class, but that doesn't lock you into certain skills or abilities):
Equipment:
Cybernetics: (Keep in mind that any prosthetics dull your magical abilities if you have any)
Abilities, spells, etc.: (You can make stuff up so long as you describe it. Of course you also have the option of looking up the archetype abilities.)
Unique skill (2 max, what truly sets you apart from others of your archetype):
Ethan followed Ka'ora closely, keeping an eye on everything around them. Once the fog rolled in, his guard was immediately turned up to eleven as he unlatched one of his knife pouches and allowed his marking to glow. He didn't like this, not one bit...His suspicions were immediately confirmed with the shaking of the ground and the loud shriek of a massive humanoid creature.
Cupping his left hand and aiming directly at the creature reaching for his adopted mother, Ethan forcibly pulled in air from the surrounding fog...Only to let it disperse as the creature reared back and the group was forced to run to avoid being trampled. He kept the others in sight as best he could until they finally breached the fog to see the sprawling flooded cityscape.
As the group prepared to settle down and camp Ethan began to relax slightly. After starting a fire, Ka'ora suddenly threw her spear directly towards Ethan impaling two zombies that were about to attack him. Immediately he was back on full alert Ethan immediately loosed a knife into a nearby zombie's head and fell into position around Vita. Pulling in as much air as he could without risking any collateral damage, he blasted a small group of six zombies, only managing to kill one or two while blowing the others back and knocking them down, tearing off a few limbs along the way. He threw knives into two of the others he had downed with the attack and chided himself slightly. His magical fighting style didn't really compliment fighting with allies all around him, so he needed to rely more on his weapons.
Now using both hands, he reached into two separate pouches and gathered four knives in each hand as he took a more defensive stance. It seemed whatever these walking corpses were, destroying their head was the only way to keep them down...Luckily it looked like the rest of the group had already picked up on that as well.
Slightly paranoid, yeah, that would describe Ethan's current mood. The last time he had been outside of the wall...He didn't even want to continue that thought. He and Gust had been watching and listening intently the entire time the group had been travelling, and even though the reports of the so-called 'Storm Reaver' had all but stopped recently, he knew it was still out there somewhere.
Once the group had to stop and make camp, he allowed his familiar to freely keep watch, her mobility and nigh invisibility making her ideal for the task.
Ethan cringed a bit at Ka'ora's suggestion for introductions, but relented for her sake. Given how reserved alot of the group seemed to be, and rightfully so, it would probably take another person or two to actually get any real response from some of the others. He stood up, forcing the semblance of a smile to his face.
"I'm Ethan Uilic, the wind chosen. I...I hope we can all at least get along well enough to...well, not die out here." He said, partly joking. Though, the risk was very real and present, he believed at least a little brevity would help everyone lighten up a slight bit.
While he was once a very bright eyed and impressionable kid, Ethan has become much more mature in recent years. He has become quite protective of the people he has left, and slow to bond with anyone new. Outside of some of the other chosen and a select few Wind Disciples, he barely speaks a word to anyone.
History
Ethan was born to a lower middle class family near the southwestern section of the city walls. His father was a thirty or so year old city watchman at the time, though, after the discovery of Ethan's markings he quickly retired in order to help his already quite sickly wife raise their new child. Word quickly spread that the new wind chosen had been born, and it wasn't long before the whole family was fairly well known.
For four years, the family lived and, other than the odd incident with strangers being interested in the newest Chosen or being upset at the fact that his existance marked the end of the previous Chosen, a rather popular woman and close family friend named Flurissa. The woman in question was known to be rather kind and beautiful, though she would never admit to either. Her humility only gave her more popularity among the followers of the Wind God. Of course, with popularity comes fanaticism, and those fanatics were quite terrified to lose the woman they had followed unquestioningly for years.
That fear eventually came to a head, and a small group decided the only way to save Flurissa was to kill the young chosen that was to succeed her. The plan was simple, breaking into the small home and stabbing the four year old Ethan in his sleep. Even simple plans, however can be foiled by coincidence. When they entered the home, they found that the child wasn't in his bed...Because of a nightmare, he had just gone to wake his parents. As he was already awake when the door had come crashing down, Ethan's father grabbed his old spear and rushed to the front only to be cut down by three of the fanatics, only managing to take one with him as he screamed for his wife to escape with their child. As she was still quite frail, Ethan's mother barely managed to force him out the window and scream for him to run before a dagger was driven into her own back.
The only fortune in the whole situation was that Flurissa, who had been on a nightly walk, heard the scream and sprinted at full speed to the scene. The fanatics that had cornered Ethan not long after, were quickly and almost mercilessly pummeled by her wind magic as she quickly grabbed the crying child and fled the scene. After leaving Ethan at her own home and entrusting the job of consoling him to her wife, Ka'ora, Flurissa dashed back to the scene of the crime to find that her friends, Ethan's parents, were slain and lying in pools of their own blood. Of course, she had no idea why it was done. She didn't exactly have time to ask questions when she was focussed on getting Ethan away from the scene.
Ethan, while she was doing that, still had no idea what had become of his family. All he had known was that those scary men had been after him. The only thing he could ask Ka'ora was where his parents were and why Flurissa, who he had only known to have that gentle look in her eye, had looked so intense. Only being four, none of the events made any sense at all. The only thing he could do was to ask questions and cry to one of the few people he knew outside of his family.
Ka'ora had been eating dinner with Eurika in the home she shared with Flurissa, when she had bursted in with a child in her hands. Ethan in fact, the little boy that was the next wind chosen. Only meeting him a handful of times before, she had found that she had a natural bond with the child as well, not a romantic one, but one more of that of a mother or older sister. So when he had come in Flurissa's arms, who had given her a concerning look before running back out, she worried something big had happened. Instantly picking him up, she bounce carried him on her hip to help with his crying and brought him, with Eurika holding her other hand, upstairs where they had toys laid out. Signing to him, she sat down with him and Eurika in her lap and tried her hardest to calm him down. Iarzu, her lightning bear, summoned himself and played with the two, distracting Ethan, or rather trying to distract the boy from anything that happened.
Ethan was mostly comforted by Ka'ora and Iarzu, almost forgetting his unanswered questions. Though, as soon as Flurissa returned he ran to her for answers. He didn't understand when she wasn't able to look at him directly, he didn't understand the look of sorrow and guilt in her eyes, and lastly, he didn't understand when she sat him down and took Ka'ora into another room to explain what had happened. None of it made any sense, normally Flurissa was so cheery and almost motherly in Ethan's eyes. Something was wrong, and he wasn't going to just wait and find out later. He tried to follow the adults into the room only to be stopped by Eurika.
Grabbing his hand, she pulled him along to her books, pulling out one and having Iarzu read to them. She held onto his hand, holding his inner arm and following Iarzu with intense attention. Slowly, as the book droned on and Flurissa and Ka'ora stayed in the other room, Eurika started to fall asleep on the boy, trapping him under body heat and dead weight.
In the other room, Flurissa paced back and forth. She struggled to muster the words...to tell her wife that their friends were dead, that Ethan was now an orphan...but it wasn't that easy. After a few minutes of pacing, she turned and hugged Ka'ora, fighting back tears. Sputtering out what had transpired between sobs. She had no clue how to tell Ethan, truthfully she was heartbroken even without that burden. All she wanted to do was pick him up and hug him and swear that everything would be okay, but it wouldn't be that simple...And the words for it simply weren't there. Telling a four year old that he would never see his parents again, that people existed that were cruel enough to murder them, and even try to kill a small child...She lacked the strength to stand anymore, instead collapsing in to the hug.
Ka'ora wanted to mourn with her wife, but she knew she had to be strong. Instead she let her wife cry into her chest, holding her and whispering that things would be okay and that they'd figure out how to deal with it. She could feel Flurrisa's pure sorrow, making her tear up, but she only ran her hand through her hair and hugged her tighter as the woman burrowed deeper and deeper. Picking her up and sitting her down, she crouched and wiped her tears away. Telling her that it was their duty as Chosen to make sure Ethan wouldn't had to deal with the sorrow, so she Flurrisa promise that they would tell him, but not now. To only explain that his parents had gone away to get better and that they'd get to see him when he get better. They would brake the news to him when he was old enough to deal with the pain. Telling a 4 year old with the magic of a god that his parents had been murdered, might set off his powers and that could cause further hatred for the child from fanatics, if something were to happen of course.
Ka'ora's words calmed Flurissa down quite a bit. She was right, of course she was. The only thing they could do for Ethan now would be to take him in as their own. They could keep him safe...in fact, if anyone else took him in, it would just be risking this same event all over again. It wouldn't be easy to lie to him about it, but the truth would be the last thing he needed to hear as things were.
Ethan couldn't help but fall asleep under the weight of Eurika. Wondering what Ka'ora and Flurissa were talking about, if his parents were alright...But those questions weren't enough to stave off sleep. He drifted off, exhausted by the night's events.
Flurissa managed to compose herself, and cracked the door to a sight that left her both relieved and warmed her heart. Ethan was fast asleep under Eurika on the floor. The two were absolutely adorable. For a moment, she had almost forgotten everything. Her sorrowful look turned to straight determination, Ethan would be happy here. He would be safe, and if anyone tried to change that, she would end them.
Years went by, Ethan and Eurika grew quickly. Once Eurika began combat training, Ethan eagerly begged to start too despite their age difference. He had developped a habit of trying to imitate his adopted sister out of admiration. Flurissa was quite hesitent, but agreed anyway. They had both already been taught to read and tap into their element on a basic level, so it was the next natural step. While Eurika picked up on techniques easily, Ethan struggled desperately trying to keep up. It was as though his sister had almost no trouble learning advanced techniques while he could barely muster a simple gust of wind. Given the fact that they all lived together, it was natural that training almost always occured simultaneously. Of course, it would help both Eurika and Ethan learn to fight as a team in the future if they knew eachothers' fighting style and moves. Unfortunateley, given Ethan's slow progress, it seemed quite unlikely that he would get to that point. While he certainly grew more powerful, his control was almost nonexistant most of the time, often causing blasts of wind that he couldn't contain, even having to be countered by Flurissa on the occasion to prevent any damage.
Ka'ora had never felt this types of emotions towards anyone other then her wife. She loved the two children, it feeling like these two were truly hers and Flurissa's. It was quite funny however, Eurika definitely should have been the Wind Chosen and Ethan the lightning, Eurika caught on incredibly fast, much faster then she ever hoped to as a kid, in fact she was alot like Ethan in the aspect that she wasn't as good as picking up advance techniques. She totally knew how to train a kid like Ethan, because she was Ethan as a kid, with Eurika, it was almost effortless, she was so elegant in her movements, she reminded her of Flurissa to the T. The girl just seemed to click, she did however match Ka'ora's personality, attempting to teach Ethan when they had time to themselves. Eurika had embraced being Ethans sister, not even thinking about the two years that seperated them. She felt like he was truly her twin, that she was meant to help and grow with him.
Most would see Ethan's position as frustrating or disheartening, the fact that he could barely control his power and had to accept help at almost every turn, but not once did he see it that way. Even when he failed he never lost hope that he could be strong like his older sister or either of his mothers. The fact that they continued to help him practice just convinced him that they at least saw something despite his struggling. Even if he didn't know what that something was, he knew that it had to be there. So, every day he practiced as hard as he could, following every instruction that Flurissa gave him to the best of his ability. Oftentimes it would blow up in his face, but he still pressed forward, convinced that he could be strong too. Eventually, he started practicing in private whenever he was left alone. Trying to make the techniques he had been struggling with work, even if they just wouldn't click. Many windows were lost with each failure, but he slowly began to at least be able to control the outbursts.
Flurissa never commented on the broken windows or other damage, she knew Ethan was just coming into his own. Even when she felt inadequate as a teacher, she knew the boy would eventually figure it out. Perhaps she had been wrong to try and teach him the same way she was taught, clearly it hadn't been sticking. All she knew to do now was continue to help him practice whenever possible, and support him in any way possible.
She couldn't help but smile whenever she saw Ka'ora practicing with Eurika though, it was always great to see how quickly their daughter was maturing. It would take no time for her to master her lightning at this rate. That fact was bittersweet, how in a matter of years it would be time for the new Chosen to replace them...for them to leave their adopted children to grow up on their own. The only true consolation was that Eurika and Ethan would have eachother.
Then...everything changed, by this time, Eurika and Ethan had been well aqquinted with their power and job as the next chosen. You could tell that Ka'ora and Flurissa were slowly losing their powers, enough so that missions required the four of them to go outside the walls whenever they were deployed. This day should have been no different. They had been sent on a mission to track some sort of big beast that had been spotted on the outskirts of the dying forest that was visible from the walls. It was said to be a humaniod being on a wolf of some sort, glowing in the dark and when it was spotted would simply vanish. It was suppose to be a simple track and report missions, but they were so incredibly wrong.
It didn't take long for the veterans to realize something wasn't right. Despite not seeing the creature, the feeling that they were being watched kept Flurissa's hairs standing. She instinctively kept herself between the outer perimeter and the two younger chosen. They were being hunted. She couldn't tell for sure where it was, but they were being watched, studied...judged.
The piercing wail from their flank immediately caused Flurissa to launch both Ethan and Eurika backwards toward the wall. The monster that made the sound chilled Flurissa to the very core. It was about eight feet tall whilst on its mount, but it seemed quite bulky. Unlike many of the monsters that ever neared the wall, it was armed...The long axe in its hand pointed directly at the group as it bellowed out what she could only assume to be a challenge. She took up a defensive posture despite her shaking, whatever this thing was easily beyond them.
It stood, just breathing, its body was a mix of bone, flesh and frabric. It seemed like he was completely melded with his cloths, not only that but he didn't move his legs, as if he was part of the wolf itself. Ka'ora virtually bolted towards Flurissa, using her lightning to enhance her speed. Stopping lightning dispirsed and thunder sounded. Holding Flurissa's hand she squeezed it reassuringly. No chosen prior had fallen victim to anything outside the wall, they would be no different.
unsheathing the two bars from her weapon holster on her back, she connected them and then connected the road to the hilt of her sword. Standing in an equally defensive stance, she waited with Flurrisa for the thing to attack. Then suddenly, it was gone, seemlingly disapting with the wind. Following, the screams of Eurika and Ethan followed, but this wasn't truly them. The thing was mimicing they're voices, playing with Flurissa's and Ka'ora's mind. Ka'ora's blood churning, she bolted forward, jumping and Iarzu appearing bigger then he typically was, arcs of lightning flying off the two. Pure rage filled her mind as she raced towards the sounds of their children, hoping Flurissa was following her.
Eurika opened her eyes, her back towards the wall, with the beginning of the forest in front of her. From inside the forest, she could hear Ka'ora and Flurissa, calling out their names, begging for help. Looking to her right she saw that Ethan had yet to wake up from being blown back from Flurissa. Looking between the forest and Ethan, she felt a sudden sense of doom. Standing she looked away, and sent volts into Ethan, making sure he'd stay asleep, she knew this could end bad, and she wouldn't let him risk his life trying to be a hero. Turning, she ran back into the forest trying to find the two by their voice.
Flurissa sprinted alongside Ka'ora. She wasn't about to let Ka'ora fight this thing alone. Surely between the two of them it would be possible. Her familiar, Gust, formed around her left arm as she drew her shortsword with her right. Only a moment later she felt the wind get knocked out of her as something hit her directly in her solar plexus.
The moment she hit the ground, she rolled and quickly surveyed the area around her as she tried to gasp for air. Spying the creature raising its axe high, she managed to pool her magic and launch herself a few feet to evade the heavy swing that sundered the ground under the space her neck was just a moment ago. She couldn't muster enough breath to shout for Ka'ora, only hoping she noticed when she was knocked down. Forcing herself to jump at the monster with her blade firmly in her hand, surrounded by wind, she plunged the sword directly into on of its eyesockets and let out a blast of wind directly into its face.
The sword stuck in, but without flinching, the monster grabbed Flurissa by the throat and forced the sword out of her hand, simply leaving it stuck into the hole. It adjusted the axe in its other hand and prepared to swing and deal a decisive blow.
Iarzu let out a screaming roar, so much it shook the ground. The thing turned its head, turning it to the side, as Iarzu ran full speed at the beast, The wolf it sat upon, turned, only to be lifted up by the neck from iarzu. Ka;ora jumped off of him at the sametime, slashing at his arm and cutting it, catching the falling Flurissa, Ka'ora planted her sword spear into the ground and spun, using their momentum to swing them around and kick the thing into the wolf it was mounted on while Iarzu lifted it up onto two legs. The wolf swung wildly with its paws, slashing at Iarzu and clawiing his face, making the bear wince. Ka'ora took her spearsword and shoved it into the beast, pinning the two into the ground. Jumping off, she aimed her hand at the sky, firing lightning into the sky and saying a blessing, before running and jumping on Iarzu. Quickly they ran away as a enormus strike of lightning landed where the spear was. Looking back, only her spear was in the ground, the thing suddenly gone.
Seeing the strike of lightning, Eurika quickly ran towards it. Then she saw it and she froze. In the distance, a lurking shadow was menacingly walking towards her. Running the opposite direction, she started screaming for Ka'ora and Flurissa. The thing gave out another shriek, and bolted after her, the being ontop seeming to let out a gut wretching laugh.
Flurissa looked to Ka'ora, relieved for just a moment before hearing Eurika screaming for them. She knew it could just be a trick, whatever this thing was was much more intelligent than anything the stories spoke of. It was treating them like toys. Before Ka'ora could even react Flurissa took off at a speed she wasn't even sure she was capable of. The magic surrounding her rustling every tree she passed, with a shout she passed Eurika and continued her lunge to strike the creature with everything she had. The grass around the monster was ripped up by the resulting whirlwind as she continued to drive into its chest. Her markings glowing brightly, the wind focused into what would appear to be a small tornado concentrated directly on top of their location. For just a moment, it seemed like the attack had a fairly profound impact, until the monster's eyes glowed and a whirlwind with a counter rotation canceled Flurissa's magic. and left her defenseless. With a mighty backswing, electricity formed at the blade of its hulking axe. With a swathe of blood, Flurissa was launched into a tree. She spasmed uncontrollably for a moment before struggling to stand. Barely glancing downward, she spotted where the axe had struck her. The deep gash from her left shoulder to her right hip was all it took to put her back kneeling as the pain washed over her.
The wolfwarrior bounding towards her, its blade dragging behind it through the ground. Raising it high, it sent the axe flying downwards, a trail of lightning following it. Not even thinking about it, Eurika suddenly appeared next to the bleeding out Flurissa. Pushing her ouf ot the way as the axe came down and an enormus arc of lightning shot up as it not only struck Eurika, but the tree behind her as well. The smoke cleared, the monster pulling its axe away and swinging it to clean, a audiable splatter painting the ground. In its wake, the tree had been cut clean down the middle, at the bottom...lay Eurika cut clean in half.
Ka'ora rushing onto the scene, she glanced to see Flurissa on the floor, cowering from pain and blood pouring out of her. Her eyes desperately scanned for Eurika, knowing she was somewhere. Then her eyes fell on the tree, where the beast stood, staring at the girl cut in half. It went to let out another screech, only to have a glowing Ka'ora standing on top of the wolf and infront of him suddenly. She swung her first at its chest with all her rage, it connecting and sending huge burning arcs through the thing and out its back, striking and lighting the forest on fire. It fell back, seemingly knocked out, as the wolf shook to get her off. The thing quickly rose back up, the color in Ka'ora's skin draining. Grabbing her by the neck, it screeched in her face, and proceeded to run with Ka'ora dragging against the ground. Taking her by her hair and slaming her over and over, before tossing her up and batting her with the back of the head of the axe, sending her through tree's. Iarzu jumped to catch her and stop her projectory.
Then just as Ka'ora did, the thing appeared behind Iarzu, raising his axe once more and sending it down with the same magic that killed Eurika. Splitting open the back of Iarzu, the familiar puffed out of existance, leaving a tatered Ka'ora struggling to even get to her knees. Taking her once again, he drug her by her hair over to Flurissa, pulling her up and looking at Flurissa. Taking its bone hand, it reached towards Ka'ora's face, watching Flurissa's reactions as her wife had her eye pulled from her head. Dropping her, Ka'ora screamed in pain, covering her eye as she looked on in horror. The thing went over to Eurika's remains, pulling an eye out of of the left half of her body. Turning back, it went over to Ka'ora, standing over her. Raising it's axe, Ka'ora weakly lifted her hand towards Flurissa, her life memories starting to flood back into her mind.
Flurissa could barely even register what was going on anymore. Between watching her adopted daughter being split in half after saving her...saving her when she had what was already likely to be a fatal wound. All she could do was look Ka'ora in the eye, desperately trying to find the strength to save her. In a moment of clarity and adrenaline, she pushed herself forward enough to embrace Ka'ora one final time. She forced every bit of mana she had left into Gust, begging her to save Ka'ora and get the only two people she had left to safety, she managed a final 'I love you' before vomiting blood and launching the injured Ka'ora back towards the wall with Gust keeping her aloft until they reached the area Ethan was just beginning to stir. Seeing the creature's frustration at the loss of its prey, she mustered a slight grin as the light finally drained from her eyes.
Ethan came to, a desperate wind familiar ushering him to get up. The first thing he saw was Ka'ora, barely alive. Without any other thought, he picked her up and pulled her back towards the closest gate. He desparately looked for Flurissa and Eurika, figuring they had to have already made it back. Ka'ora would have been the type to stay back and fight while they ran, so they had to be okay. As soon as he made it to the gate, he heard a sick thump as something landed by his feet. The dread he felt as he looked down was almost too much, but the sight...Flurissa's severed and eyeless head sent him over the edge as he lost consciousness. Thankfully, the pair was dragged into the gate and given treatment immediately.
Ka'ora never really was the same after that, she was changed forever and it wouldn't be changed until she killed what they now classify as a "Hunter" a being of power that hunts them down for the god magic they hold. She moved with Ethan from their home and built a home on the wall, she couldn't bare to be in the same home that Flurissa and Eurika had lived. She found herself crying in private, and going to Ethan to simply just hug him, without much explination but it was pretty easy to figure out what she was going through. Things were different now, she had gained back her full power, it no longer being split with another chosen, and vice versa the same followed for Ethan. She now made her job, to train him harder then he trained before, they were going to kill that thing, Storm Reaver, and they were going to make sure it felt their rage.
After the events that day, Ethan became much more reclusive. The only person he really spoke to for years was Ka'ora, and even then it was much less than he used to. He broke down regularly, focussing everything he had into training. He completely discarded Flurissa's fighting style to distance himself from anything that could trigger those memories. Instead he taught himself to compress his magic to the point of it being volatile. Essentially he creates bombs using wind.
As much as he wants the monster that killed his adopted mother and sister dead, he's more concerned with Ka'ora's safety. As things stand, she's all he has left, and he won't lose her.
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