Hero

A Hero's Training!

...	SCHOOL FACULTY
.........................................................................	Tomai Malathice Dark Flier Crest of Lamine - Detection The Black Eagles' Professor. A graduate of Adrestia's top magic college, Tomai made a small name for himself refining Crest-discovery devices for the masses. His knowledge is only second to his wit, and while he would much rather be alone studying, he assures his students that he keeps an open door policy. Oddly enough, he does not seem to worship Seiros, having little interest in the Goddess and her teachings.
.........................................................................	Michail Kalonic Holy Knight The Blue Lions' Professor. A Knight of Seiros who is tasked with protecting the students, the only thing he likes more than a good fight is a beautiful person at his side. He's extremely easy going and loves to socialize, always up for a quick chat or spar even with a pile of paperwork waiting on his desk. Despite his flaws, he has a good sense of justice for all and became a professor to make a difference in the world.
.........................................................................	Euphemia Kalonic Bow Knight The Golden Deer's Professor. Formerly a renowned socialite in Faerghus society, she is a charming woman with an apparent sweet-and-spicy deposition. It has some merit; she is as sweet as she is hot headed, quick to jump to someone's aide but just as fast to start up an argument. Either way she usually insists on keeping up the nicer side of her, perky and peppy most of the time. She cherishes her students and friends and seeks to keep everyone on good terms.
.........................................................................	Kaira Simeon Gremory The Academy's nurse. She was formerly a cleric, having an extraordinary talent in healing from a young age. She has been with the church her whole life and yearns to explore Fódlan, but says she is needed at Garreg Mach. Not much is known about her otherwise as she has a tendency to keep people at arms' length.
.........................................................................	Ioannis Archbishop The new Archbishop and Ascelpius' former apprentice, Ioannis has been with the church his whole life. He was abandoned as an infant on the church's steps and taken in, and at the age of five had heard a revelation from the Goddess. Despite his young age of only twelve summers, he is dedicated to the people and will do everything he can to help those in need.

Avatar: The White Jade Gambit

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The Knotwood Fishery

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Huo's victory had left the captain completely trapped, the man spouting a variety of nonsense. The fisherman, Bido, poked his head out from the fishery, in awe of the scene before him. The people that had stuck around out of sheer curiosity were also in quiet awe of the scene that had unfolded before them. A few courageous kids approached the ice, surprised that the captain had been detained.

Bido approached Huo, looking him up and down. "Well! I guess the swamp people really do have their own way of doing things," He noted, scratching his head. He looked towards the town, letting out a huff. "Guess I should wait 'till things settle down, but uh...if you're looking to play some shogi later, ask for Ena. She'll show you a good game." His words likely made little sense but he said them low enough only for Huo to hear.

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The Streets of Lazhou

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Zai's sudden flames had Ena on alert, although she put both her hands up in front of her as he noticed the shift from question to accusation. She shook her head, hoping to deescalate with what she hoped was a reassuring smile. "I'd ask you why you know him, but..." She was interrupted by the sudden soldier popping up. Zai reacted faster than she did and the next thing she knew was that she was being dragged through the streets. The boy was deaf to any complaint and she had to focus more on not tripping or stumbling, his iron grip not giving her any leeway in form of slipping out.

It wasn't until he came to a halt that Ena's luck ended, and while he was lucky not to trip, the sudden stop and him still holding on to her caused her to lose her balance. It wasn't until he let go that she actually fell, slamming her hands to the ground to avoid eating any dirt. She threw a glare up at Zai while she picked herself up, dusting herself off. She paused at Tao's words, letting out a tiny sigh.

"I think I'm the one he's talking about. This one's innocent in all this," Ena admitted, albeit she wasn't expecting Zai to just take off. "Wha--hey! Don't--"

She quickly gave up, knowing he wasn't going to stop for anything. Instead, she gave the waterbender her full attention, pointing both her fingers at him. "I can't leave the fishery defenseless, so I have to stand my ground here. If you're an ally, help me. Or...at least don't tell them where the guy ran off to. Refugees are quick to scare, so he's probably going to go hide somewhere. Hopefully."

The rumbling got closer, and at that point, it was time for her to make her stand. "I'm Ena of the Lily Blade. If you're going to flee, just ask for me at the Inn later, when things have calmed down. You'll get pointed in the right direction," She promised, withdrawing her sword and waiting for the rumbling of the earthbenders to get closer.

Scion: The Prophecy of Anani

Riva del Garda

Asher shook Justinian's hand, listening to his words. He seemed a little thoughtful at the mention of his element, albeit his last comment outright made him laugh. "I would've mentioned if there was anything else. No disappearances, lots of strange noises since harpies like to sing at night but that wouldn't be strange to the townfolk, no missing pets. Sir," He added hastily, realizing much too late that he likely wasn't being as proper as he should have been. "All equipment is in the next tent over. Since the town's used to dealing with the occasional violent harpy, I'm sure you'll find everything there that you need."

He tilted his head and seemed to have something to say, his eyes darting to Bianca. When she nodded, he asked, "So earth and...?" He looked at Theobald.

"Fire," Bianca answered.

"Earth and fire. Was hoping for wind and gravity," He admitted, scratching the back of his head. "With no way to stop them from flying, we'll have to take care none of those rocks or flames hit the town. But hey, it wouldn't be fun if it wasn't a challenge!" He perked up immediately, clapping his hands together and striding over to the entrance of the tent.

It was a bright day, with clouds lazily rolling over head. "The main pack is up on Garda Mountain, the tallest one around here on the right side if you look over there," He pointed it out. "Our priority has been the safety of the civilians. So I guess it's up to you to go whack them around if you're thinking of going straight to the nest. Though, if you are, I can guide you there. Their attack will come in two hours so if you're considering attacking, now's the time to do so. Otherwise, we can wait for them to come to us and set up an ambush."

Croia

Renata let out a tiny sigh as Sara claimed Jannick was kind, her experience saying otherwise. Her question provoked some thought, though Jannick preventing her from poking at Hollyhock caused her to scowl at him. At the mention of this new position, however, her jaw dropped.

“Chosen by the Chosen…I never would have imagined,” She told Jannick. The new information seemed to finally stop her in her tracks, eyes darting between each one of them and processing everything. She did lean away from Jannick a touch, trying to get closer to Hollyhock. Her dutiful Templar remained firm in his grip, making her look much like a child trying to get away from their parent even as she continued to lean away, complete with a pout on her face.

Only when she stood straight for a few seconds did she turn back to Sara, bowing her head slightly. "All harbor the blessing of Incepta that protects them, should they keep their faith. Harboring a blessing is as simple as breathing the air around us, to partake in the fruit that grows, to feel the waves of the shores," She stated proudly. "I suppose the spirits aren't necessarily children, but instead creations that She has placed here. They're terribly upset about something, why would they harm someone looking to understand why they're upset? By that logic, I will not be harmed should I enter the forest."

The knight scoffed. "Except everyone that has gone there ends up with their corpses dumped at the entrance," He stated. "Which is why we insist on barring your entry--for your own good."

"And I insist that I will not be harmed," Renata made an attempt to stomp over to the knight, only stopped by Jannick still holding her wrist. She brandished her free hand at the knight, pointing at him accusingly. "And yet he who suffers from his little faith sees to it that the town continues to suffer! If it wasn't for your insistence on laced shoes like the lazy bum you are, the blessing would be stronger in you! They're terrible! And I saw you throw down that wrapper on the grass! Not only daring to eat on duty but deciding to discard things at whim! Treat the earth as you have treated your body lest you let it fall to dismay, you absolute degenerate!"

The knight stared at Renata as Jannick dragged her back a step. “Renata,” he warned sternly, glaring down at her.

The blonde looked up at Jannick, anger simmering down a touch. “I speak only in truths. Gaia is delicate right now,” She grumbled, though she did steal a glance to see if he was still looking at her. “And did you see those laces? Atrocious.”

Letting out another huff, she straightened up a touch. "Now, then. Shall we go? I can't imagine Holy Scions are only here to bear witness to an atrociously underdressed knight," She changed gears entirely.

Dumont

Dr. Rhaveus listened intently as each Scion and Templar spoke, the pen hovering over his notebook scribbling madly, apparently writing far more words than were actually said. It continued to scratch at the notebook for several moments after Scion Maya finished, the professor deep in thought.

“Interesting, interesting,” he murmured to himself, beginning to pace back and forth in front of the blackboard. “So the effect was prolonged for both of you, but only one suffered other ill effects…”

He seemed oblivious of Sir Tyler’s accusation, fiddling with the button on his sleeve as he paced. His brow furrowed, and he looked as if something was not sitting right.

“Do you recall if any other Scions present suffered the same symptoms as you, Your Highness?” he asked Lucas, not even sparing him a glance. Instead, he crossed over to a messenger bag propped up against the podium, muttering a spell as he rifled through it. A faint light pulsed in the mouth of the bag and Dr. Rhaveus produced a very well-used coil-bound notebook, flipping through its contents.

“It’s just so strange…” he muttered again, eyes fervently searching the pages. At length, he finally looked up to his audience.

“My apologies, Your Holiness…es,” he excused himself awkwardly, making a face, “It’s just that… well, I expected the symptoms to be much worse.”

He glanced back and forth at the book again, then waved a hand. As if from a projector, a scene materialized on the blackboard behind him, showing a white rat in a cage with a bulky machine pointed at it. The professor himself was visible in the background, clad in a white lab coat smeared with a dark fluid and fiddling with something on the machine. After a moment, he stepped out of the room, reappearing on the other side of a thick pane of glass.

The scene had no sound, but the rat jumped as a component on the machine began to spin. Dr. Rhaveus watched from the window, transfixed. After a moment, the rat began to run frantically around the cage, climbing the bars; soon after, it fell to the floor of the cage, twitching and spasming until finally going still. Behind the glass, Dr. Rhaveus jumped for joy.

The image darkened. “As you can see, in my first successful trial, the rat I subjected to artificial mana negation displayed the typical symptoms of mana poisoning: excited delirium, excruciating pain, and promptly, death.”

“Now, as I said, we don’t fully understand how our enemy employed mana negation to attack Scion Theodore. But I had been operating under two theories: either the enemy had a way to target specific individuals with their mana negating device, or that Scions are somehow uniquely capable of surviving the mana poisoning that results. Scions have been shown to possess unique qualities to their mana, so that hypothesis was not out of the question. However, I considered the former theory more likely, since there were no reports of anything unusual around the site of Scion Theodore’s disappearance. If the mana negation was not tightly targeted, I would expect it to have affected the surrounding area - killing any nearby plants, for example, or manifesting tainted mana.”

The professor closed the notebook, looking visibly uneasy as he resumed his pacing. “But I was troubled when I heard about the New Years events. For mana negation to have been deployed on that wide a scale, without directly harming any of the other attendees, is far beyond my capability to replicate. I suppose it’s possible for it to have been a targeted attack, but with the Scions so intermingled with the crowd - and in your case, Scion Maya, on the ceiling - I don’t see how they could have avoided any collateral damage. Add to it now the fact that the symptoms were inconsistent among the Scions, and I struggle to explain it…”

“But it’s not all bad news,” he continued, looking to the Templars. “From what you tell me, it sounds like your armour nullified the effects of the mana negation. That’s excellent news - it means we aren’t completely helpless.” He nodded, almost to himself. He seemed to be forming a plan as he spoke. “It accords with my current understanding of Templar armour, as well. I’ll have to ask Dame Irina if I can borrow a sample to study…”

It took another moment of pacing for the professor to finally remember Sir Tyler’s objection. He looked up, surprised, as if the Templar had only just uttered the words. “I also thought it strange that Duke Colton would come all the way to Dumont just to speak to me,” he agreed, “but it actually used to be fairly common for Kaudians to seek out Doumerc’s universities. I suppose the timing was… unfortunate.”

He shrugged, not too concerned about the matter. “He was looking for information on the inheritance of Scion attributes - but rest assured, I didn’t tell him anything he couldn’t readily apprehend from any other scholar of mana studies. The study of Scion inheritance is an extremely active field in this country, especially at Ombres, where I usually work. He could have picked up any academic journal in publication and found everything I told him and more.”

Avatar: The White Jade Gambit

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The Knotweed Fishery

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Ena was a little surprised at how many people wanted to talk things out. They must not have been keeping up with the news, clearly they would be more aware that once an Earth Kingdom soldier decided to act, there wasn't any stopping them? Or had the Earth Kingdom propaganda already gotten to them? So many coastal villages were affected by the attacks that it was hard to believe, but she wasn't sure what other explanation there could be. That said, the woman's jaw dropped at Tianshi's words, her free hand slowly raising to point at herself. "You think I'm harming them--they're the ones randomly deciding to show force to an innocent fisherman!" She shot back in disbelief.

Her attention was brought back to the forefront when a wall suddenly separated them from the rest of the town. Oh, boy, that wasn't good, that didn't leave her much room to work with. The fishery was definitely going to get damaged--she could already hear Bido yelling. The arrival of the waterbender was just as surprising as his clothes were. Well, that could be a good surprise! She managed to get behind a soldier and trip him up, hoping to turn the tide with the waterbender. Her eyes then followed the newcomer as he was launched by the monk and back into the water where he came from. Okay, no friend there, either, and another airbender had joined to yell at the other one.

"Alright, I'm on my own, then. No problem, business as usual..." Ena muttered to herself, turning her attention back to the soldiers. Ula said she was sending help, where the heck were they?!

Fortunately a portion of the wall was lowered and another soldier hastily ran in, stopping before the leader who was still on the floor. "Sir! A fugitive has been spotted in town!" He reported. "He managed to burn Gong's hand--I'm certain he's a firebender!"

"Shunon!" Ena gasped as she heard the story. She wasted no time withdrawing her sword from its sheath, the intricate pattern of lilies on the blade gleaming as she held it to her side. Her eyes were now focused on the gap and it was her only goal. She rushed forward, no rock or soldier could stop her. Her dodges were effortless and she threw herself down into a slide between the last soldier's legs, her blade slicing back as she passed him. There would be no harm to the soldier, but his pants did drop to his ankles, much to his embarrassment.

"Don't let that woman get away!" The leader finally managed to get to his feet, pointing a finger at the pair of airbenders. "Don't you two go interfering with our mission! I'll remind you that anyone caught helping fugitives are guilty!"

He paused when he looked at Tao holding the bag of rice. "Young man, get going! This is no place for an innocent civilian!" He barked. "The rest of you, arrest the airbenders!"

Three of the soldiers pulled down the wall, the area clear of civilians who decided that it was better not to get involved. They then followed in the direction the woman had ran off to, while the rest turned their attention to Tianshi and Ryschi. They attacked in sync, the earth beneath the airbenders trembling as walls were erected around them, their intention to trap them clear.

Ena successfully scaled a building and got onto the roof, looking around. It gave her a better view of the situation and she could see the soldiers chasing a young man wearing a straw hat. He was heading towards the textile district in the marketplace. Finally, something was going right. She sheathed her sword as she hopped down to the ground close to where the textiles and fabrics were hung up for sale, trying to predict when Shunon would get to her. As soon as she heard someone, she sprinted forward, grabbing a limb and flipping them both forward and into an alleyway obscured by a rug.

Once they rolled to a stop, Ena let out a huge sigh of relief, immediately sitting up. "This is bad, I think they know about the fishery. What should we do, Shu--" Her words stopped as she looked at the young man, realizing that aside from the hair and eyes, he was not, in fact, the man she thought it was. "You're...not Shunon. Ugh I should've known he wouldn't come back," She stated the obvious, lightly bumping her fist to her forehead.

After a brief pause, she gave him a grin. "Fugitive, huh? You must be waiting for The Shufang, the boat that's been sneaking people out of here," She guessed as she stood up, brushing dirt off her pants.

Scion: The Prophecy of Anani

Riva del Garda

Asher beamed at Ionna’s mention of an oven, unable to hide a grin. He listened to Theobald’s request, waiting until he was completely finished before he would respond. “The town is equipped with standard anti-air artillery designed for harpies but they’re capable of putting a dent in a chimera if need be. The men stationed here are fully equipped with standard rifles, armor, and ammo. I don’t know what a sit-rep is, but their numbers haven’ diverged–two dozen harpies–and this is typical to the region and harpy pack behavior. They’re dropping boars and mus onto the town, who tend to either panic and wreck havoc or try to eat everything they can see. The last attack was yesterday at fourteen hundred hours and was preceded by a consistent attack for the last two months. We don’t know why it’s happening.”

He paused, scratching his chin. “The locals mentioned some fierce earthquake that happened on New Years’ Day, I think. It made the news, but I don’t think anyone outside of Lorenzia probably noticed,” He shrugged. “I didn’t know about it until I got here two weeks ago.”

Bianca frowned. “An earthquake happened here? I don’t think I’ve ever heard of one happening in this area,” She was concerned. “Wouldn’t the authorities have detected it?”

“I’m told it was pretty violent, but it came out of nowhere and left just as quickly. I don’t really know how it would’ve affected the harpies’ behavior, either, but the timeline matches up,” Asher shrugged. “That’s about all I know. And since the Church says you’re allowed to be here, I’m assuming you have the A-OK on that Scion magic, provided no one gets hurt. What elements do you guys have?”

Croia

The woman called Renata looked to the familiar voice, expression lighting up with familiarity. It lasted until he began to speak, her lips pouting as she uncrossed her arms and placed them on her hips. “Officer Weber, I can promise you, he yelled at me first,” She insisted, pointing an accusatory finger at the knight. “I believe that warrants an arrest. Go on, Officer, I’ll help you out.”

The knight stared at the blonde, dumbfounded. “...While I admit I raised my voice first, it is because it is specifically off limits. It is dangerous and several people have already gone missing,” He replied to gritted teeth. “Our governor has asked the Church for assistance. Spirits respect those with the Goddess’ blessing.”

Renata sighed. “The spirits will do me no harm. Your worry is misplaced and unfounded,” She said as she poked his shoulder.

She then realized something. “Why would the Church send an officer here?” She suddenly asked Jannick, confused. “Or is this where you work now? Dahlia misses you terribly, she brings you up in conversation every time we speak, you know. The Holy Capital is the safest place on Gaia right now, times have become very turbulent.”

She decided to then walk past Jannick, circling around the trio of Dominika, Hollyhock, and Sara. “Interesting, interesting…are you friends with Officer Weber?” She asked curiously, openly pulling on their clothes as she walked. “You don’t look like officers, though. Or at least, you look much kinder than he does.”

Dumont

As comical as it would have been to have Tyler start kicking down doors, Lucas didn't offer much once Maya went for a more practical approach. The way she spun her words reminded him a little too much of Erica; they had that same charm where their words were spun like gold. Her little outburst earlier gave credence to this theory of his, too. From what little he knew, she had a spotless public image and was more interested in her phone than anything else, so he hadn't really given her a second thought. But Erica was also charismatic and charming whenever she decided to turn that on. Despite their differences and arguments--and despite what the public believed when it came to the notoriously difficult princess--Erica was one of a handful of people to inexplicably like him. He had always considered it a blessing as the last thing he would ever want was to be on her bad side. But if Maya was anything like Erica, then he would have to be wary of her.

The sight of the Kaudian symbols on the pair of bodyguards was surprising. He would've thought any foreign diplomats would've fled back to their homes after what had happened in Giles Manor, but he supposed some would think enough time had passed that people wouldn't be too miffed about it. He didn't recognize the pair of voices, but hearing Rhaveus' name was enough to confirm they had found the right place. The mention of mana inheritance wasn't too surprising, if a little odd to bring up. Then again, it was a very public study here in Doumerc, so it wasn't that strange. The mention of the princess consort made him wonder where her other journals were as he had assumed they were all here. Despite the princess consort's tale of going from rags to riches being what most people had focused on--something that amused him as she was one of the Church's most faithful Scions, but that fact likely wasn't nearly as interesting--she was a well known scholar and many of her theories had been built on. Well, her journals couldn't be too difficult to track down, especially if he just asked Henry since he was her child and likely knew where Prince Aaron had donated said journals.

The pair of bodyguards looked at one another before looking at Renault. They might not have expected to be addressed by anyone aside whoever it was that they served. But their salvation came in the form of the Kaudian in question as he stepped out of the classroom, only stopping once he noticed Renault. A tall, redheaded fellow, he almost looked pleasant. But he had that common Kaudian flaw of looking too happy in a place where he wasn't welcomed. In fact, he outright chuckled at Renault's question, speaking something in his native tongue before giving the man a slight bow.

"Forgive them, in my country, the help aren't to address or to be addressed," He replied cheerfully, taking a few steps to get out of Renault's way. "The professor is inside."

His eyes wandered to the rest of the group, curiosity at the forefront as he looked from person to person. Lucas almost missed the way the Kaudian looked at him, and for a second, he wondered what it was about his face that the man was interested in. As far as he was aware, Kaudus didn't look kindly to nobles expressing interest in those of the same gender as it led to the end of lineages. But he realized the look the man had given him was one of recognition. From where, though? As far as Lucas was aware, they had never met. Or had they? He couldn't remember meeting any foreigners, let alone one important enough to warrant bodyguards.

For now, he dismissed it; meeting Rhaveus was his priority. Once the bodyguards had followed their charge, Lucas stepped into the classroom, finding the man of the hour relatively quickly.

"Dr. Rhaveus, I presume," Lucas got right to it, deciding he wouldn't give the man a reason to dodge him. "I'm here in regards to the investigation into Scion Theodore Estora's disappearance. I was told you had put together a theory surrounding the circumstances on Serenity Road."

The lone occupant of the classroom was a thin, “academic”-looking man dressed in a simple button-up shirt and slacks, gathering books and papers from a podium at the front. Although he was tall, he was dwarfed by the massive chalkboard behind him, every spare inch of it covered in equations, diagrams, and graphs, with many parts hastily scrawled, scratched out, or emphasized with circles and arrows.

Dr. Rhaveus looked up in absent-minded surprise from the books he was collecting at the podium, but when he saw it was the Prince who addressed him, his gaze sharpened, and he abandoned what he was doing.

“Your Highness! Thank you for answering my message so quickly,” he greeted, eagerly shaking Lucas’ hand. When he let go, though, his smile turned sheepish. “But please, I must ask you to keep your voice down - this is sensitive business, you understand.”

To that end, he eyed the accompanying Scions and Templars a little skeptically before turning his attention back to Lucas. “Maybe we should discuss this somewhere more… private?”

Lucas returned the handshake with sincere gusto, albeit once he let go, the man shook his head. “My colleagues are aware of the situation and different perspectives can be useful,” He spoke as he touched his hand to the wall. “Nemo audiat.”

Dr. Rhaveus seemed a little unsure, but as he noticed the strange silence that settled over the room after the Prince’s spell, he ultimately nodded. With a flick of his hand, a small flock of chalkboard erasers floated up and went to work on the board, wiping it clean. Just like he was gearing up to teach a class, he invited the Scions and Templars to sit, and stood before the board.

“Alright, Your Highness, Holy Ones,” he addressed with a deep breath, his voice a little shaky. No doubt he was a tad nervous lecturing an audience of Scions and royalty. Nonetheless, he glanced at the board, a piece of chalk levitating at his command.

“As you may know, I was commissioned by Commander Fyodor to investigate the disappearance of Scion Theodore. Specifically, I had a one job: to determine what stopped Scion Theodore’s car.” As he spoke, the chalk came to life, rapidly sketching an impressively accurate diagram of a mana-driven engine. “It seems like a small piece of the puzzle, but it turned out to be more of a mystery than we expected. There was no evidence of a collision, forced entry, or anything to suggest the car was stopped by force. But the car showed no evidence of willfully stopping, either. The car’s computer indicated that the brakes were not applied, and the car was still in gear; by all rights, it seems the car simply ceased to function, but there was no evidence of any damage to the engine or any malfunctioning parts. Additionally, the car’s battery was half full, so running out of mana wasn’t the cause of the stop, either. That’s why they called me.”

Dr. Rhaveus’ voice had steadied; he now sounded no different than any well-practiced professor teaching a class. His chalk moved down and drew another diagram consisting of circular arrows intersecting certain objects: a tree, an animal, a person. “To understand what happened, it’s important to understand the nature of mana. Mana, like energy, cannot be created or destroyed, but instead flows continually from one thing to another - however, it is distinct from energy in that it can take on certain characteristics which have an observable effect on the objects and creatures it encounters. This is best observed in the phenomenon of tainted mana, where mana that has taken on negative qualities ‘poisons’ everything it comes into contact with, ultimately creating monsters.”

The chalk moved again, drawing a sketch of a monstrous creature eating a deer. Dr. Rhaveus’ tone was picking up, a tangible enthusiasm colouring his voice. “Consistent with this principle, creatures heavily laden with a certain type of mana, like monsters, cannot consume mana of opposing types. However, we know that monsters regularly consume creatures with more balanced mana. The question, then, is how.”

Dr. Rhaveus pointed to the monster diagram, circling it with his finger. “The answer is that they neutralize the mana - I call it mana negation. Essentially, if you picture the nature of the mana as its ‘shape,’ monsters use the process of negation to change the shape of the mana to match their own, which is then fit for consumption. A sort of mana digestion, if you will.” He flashed an amused grin at his audience, but apparently realized it was inappropriate and cleared his throat, continuing on.

“Everything that consumes mana operates on the same principle. Most mana is neutral enough to be suitable for wide use, but strongly aspected mana is incompatible with use by anything except monsters, essentially. And this is where we come back to Scion Theodore’s car.”

He gestured up to the engine diagram. “Like everything else we make, mana cars run on neutral mana, channeled by mages into batteries. The mana wants to move, so it naturally flows from the battery and through the engine, powering the car. But,” the chalk floating overhead tapped the board for emphasis, “if the car’s mana was negated, changed into an incompatible ‘shape,’ the car would cease to function. That is my hypothesis.”

Dr. Rhaveus shook his head. “The problem with that was that there were no signs of a monster attack; even if there had been one, I have no doubt that Scion Theodore would have dispatched them without any trouble. That’s why I posited that a person had somehow negated the mana in Scion Theodore’s car, perhaps from a distance. However, neither I nor anyone else knew of any way to replicate the mana negation performed by monsters. Until now.”

Dr. Rhaveus turned to face the Scions, sporting a fervent look in his eye. It was the dangerous glint of a passionate researcher on the heels of a great discovery. “It took months of research, but I have managed to replicate mana negation on a small scale. My version wasn’t strong enough to stop an engine; it only managed to kill a lab rat. But it shows that mana negation by humans is possible. And furthermore, it is the only way to explain the state of Scion Theodore’s car.”

As quickly as it came, the excitement of the new discovery left Dr. Rhaveus. In its place, a heavy dread crept over him. “Of course, then comes the bad news. If my theory is correct, it means someone else got to it first - and that some enemy of the Goddess has the power to perform mana negation, and on a large scale at that.”

He shook his head, looking worried. “To confirm my suspicions, I got news around New Years that something strange had happened to you all that sounded suspiciously like mana negation. Dame Irina Albakova sent me a device she thought might have had a role in it. I’m working on figuring out if that’s the case, but the device has been… difficult to crack.”

The researcher looked at his audience expectantly. With a wave of his hand, a notebook on the podium opened, a pen hovering over it at the ready. “To that end, Holy Ones, I would like you - all of you - to describe to me what you experienced on New Years when your magic failed you. I appreciate that the memory must be painful, but it will go a long way toward unearthing the truth behind Scion Theodore’s murder.”

The professor’s explanation gave an important piece of the puzzle–despite there being no signs of a struggle, with this explanation, those bastards had the means to create a perfect ambush and it let them get away with Theo cleanly. It made his blood boil just to think about it and this mana…negation sounded outright sacrilegious. It was dangerous and against the Goddess’ design, not to mention a huge problem if it was something they could just casually deploy against them.

Lucas put the thought aside for now as he decided to give his take. If it would reveal more, he could ignore any discomfort. “I remember feeling dizzy for a moment, and after that I found it increasingly difficult to move,” He wouldn’t bother mentioning how Tyler had to drag him out. “Lasted about an hour. My magic didn’t come back until around eight in the morning, so it was a total of eight hours without the ability to manipulate mana.”

Avatar: The White Jade Gambit

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The Black Eel Inn

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The bartender had just finished giving another patron a drink when Huo had asked his question. The man paused for a moment, thinking to himself, though they were joined by the old man that had been playing pai sho. He was in a foul mood, shoving his way past Huo and plopping down onto his seat, arms crossed like a child who just got his toy taken away. The bartender gave Huo an empathetic look and a small wave to tell him to wait just a second, reaching over and bringing over a small cup for the old man.

"Another loss?" He asked.

"That darn girl ain't got no respect! First, she rushes me, then she tells me how 'ta win!" The old man raged. "Just 'cause I haven't won a game don't mean that she can be so haughty 'bout it! Shunon was much more respectful--that dern woman of his is no good!"

The bartender shook his head in what could have been sympathy, but the barely-held-back-smile said otherwise. He let the old man continue to rant, turning his attention back to Huo. "Shunon is likely finishing up a shift, so he's probably at the port," He explained, motioning towards the window and in the direction the soldiers had gone. "If you can't find him, I'm sure his sister or his friend know where he is, they all work for Old Man Bido over at the Knotweed Fishery."

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The Knotweed Fishery

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The soldiers had been thrown off guard by Tianshi's entrance and his subsequent questioning. They looked to one another, a little unsure of what to do, but the leader of the pack remained firm, letting out a huff at Tao's mention of a misunderstanding. He took out a scroll, clearing his throat as he unraveled it. "By order of his glorious majesty, King Wei, all who are found harboring fugitives are considered guilty by association," He read out the order before tightening up the scroll again. "We have it on good authority that this man here has been harboring these fugitives."

Meanwhile, the young woman had weaved through the crowd, nearly colliding with Zai as she tried to get a good look at what was going on without exposing herself. She let out a hasty apology as she stuck out her head, eyes darting to the many soldiers outside of the fishery. The sight of so many soldiers elicited a groan out of her, and she was already putting down her bag. She did, however, untie an elegantly decorated sheath protecting a sword. It had an assortment of flowers painted on, a small, wooden charm of some flower hanging off the hilt. The sword remained in place with a white rope binding hilt and sheath together, and with it in hand, the woman looked back at Zai at last.

"Look after my stuff for me, okay?" Her polite request was more of a demand as she gave the young man no time to give an actual response, straightening herself before boldly walking through the crowd.

Said crowd parted as she walked, converging once again when she was in the open behind the soldiers. She didn't stop, casually walking past the bewildered soldiers and putting herself between them and Bido. The man in question looked further annoyed, but she ignored them as she turned to the soldiers, offering a bright smile. "There are only fish and a grumpy old man here, my good sirs," She replied, her free hand waving them off. "Your accusation is a big one! But without any proof, I'm afraid you're only causing a commotion."

The leader narrowed his eyes, looking the woman up and down. She was a dainty looking thing, swallowed up by the black and white robe she wore. The black pants and sword at her hip almost made her look by a warrior, but her hair was more akin to a noblewoman's. Her face was also much too happy for the situation, the weight of the situation not truly dawning on her.

He made his decision, foot stomping the ground and the earth around him trembled before he brought up a boulder, holding it at the ready. The other soldiers followed suit. "Move aside, little lady, our business is with the fisherman," He warned.

Bido threw his arms up in defeat. "You better do something about this, Ena!" He barked, dashing out of the way.

"They're already bending, so from here on, this is self defense," She replied. "By the decree of King Yize the Seventh, bending is considered a first strike--you should've waited for me to act before you did."

One soldier looked to another. "Is that true?"

The other didn't seem sure. "Wasn't that was written in response to bar fights, though?"

The other soldiers seemed just as unsure, further angering their leader. He had nothing more to say, shooting the boulder forward. Ena swept around it and charged forward, sheathed sword in hand as she swung and thwacked the man's knee. It buckled and he went down, finding his face meeting the woman's knee. He was momentarily stunned, falling onto the ground.

"D-Don't just--DON'T JUST STAND THERE!" The leader screeched, angrily waving his arms. "Get her!"

The first blow had been dealt, and Ena held her weapon out. "If you turn around now, I promise I won't hurt you! But if you continue, I'll have no choice but to defend myself!" She announced, grinning.

Once again, the wave of doubt hit the soldiers, but it seemed less effective. Instead, the fight carried on.

Avatar: The White Jade Gambit

Thanks a lot for your interest, I'm sorry we weren't able to accept a bigger group. Best wishes to all!!

Scion: The Prophecy of Anani

The day continued to get more and more interesting.

The weeks between the attack and today had been moderately monotonous; wake up, shadow Justinian, go to bed, repeat. Bianca decided that Justinian had set the tone of the relationship and she did not fight it. There wasn't a shred of pettiness behind her decision as she wasn't willing to entertain the possibility of him becoming a flight risk; she knew if she pushed, he would just dig his heels in further or end up trying to run away again. Even if he ignored her existence, at the very least she could perform her duty without problem. In a way, it was easier this way as she didn't lose her focus.

That said, the meeting was nothing like she expected. Well, she did expect talks of opinions on their next step, but as it was not her place, she was happy to blend in the background and simply listen. But nothing in life was simple, and with the meeting came a revelation and a concrete plan. She had to bite her tongue to keep herself quiet, to voice her opinion that she felt sneaking around was wrong, that Sonia's point on the church warranted further discussion. But it was not her place. Prince Lucas' choices were laid out and she wasn't even going to pretend she was surprised that Justinian desired to go where he could go wild with his magic. Again. Her words, again, fell on deaf ears and he would continue to do as he pleased. At the very least she was in a financially stable place so when Commander Fyodor would dismiss her, she would be alright until she found work elsewhere. Knighthood was out of the question, but she was certain there would be some manual labor jobs looking for workers.

Bianca was pulled out of those thoughts when she was addressed for the first time by her Scion in what was a very long time. She almost thought she was mistaken, but she wore the mask of neutrality like a second skin at this point. "Riva del Garda is a valley surrounded by perilous mountains. The harpies that inhabit said mountains are extremely territorial, but they're smart enough to know to leave the town alone. That people would petition the church for assistance is concerning," She admitted. "Ash--Templar Everett is experienced with slaying monsters of all types. If he is asking for help, there must be more to the situation."

The princess of Rosaria sat in silence as the rest of the Scions volunteered to go to several places. She eyed each one critically, and at the end, found herself staring at Lucas, who was actually looking at her. He didn't look expectant, as if he already knew what she was going to say. She stood from her seat, eyeing him warily. "My duties don't allow me spare time so suddenly. I will leave things in your capable hands," She replied to the room at large before turning back to Lucas. "May I have a word?"

Despite his reluctance, Lucas nodded, turning the map off and letting the sunlight pour back in through the windows. "That's all I had to say, anyway. As for those going to the academy--" He didn't seem particularly pleased about his companions, eyeing Renault. "We'll meet back here tomorrow and take my transport since I finally have an excuse to use it. Everyone else, feel free to enjoy the ham, not gonna kick you out if you want to stay but if you want to go, feel free."

Bianca watched as the pair approached the door, noticing Lucas stopping Belle from opening it. He placed his hand on the handle and said something she couldn't catch, and it was only then she noticed that something subtly rippled down the doors and walls. Had there been some sort of spell in the room? She did think she felt something when they walked in. Perhaps it was so there wouldn't be anyone to eavesdrop; the information presented was particularly sensitive. Whatever it was, the two royals stepped out of the room without another word, and Bianca turned back to her own plate.

Pettiness

Lucas had half a mind to let himself collapse on the floor out of spite. He had no idea what Her Royal Annoyance wanted with him, but the sooner it was done, the sooner he could sit down. He didn't bother taking more than three steps out the door, leaning back onto the wall and crossing his arms. He was sure Tyler and Sir Abram would follow shortly enough and he didn't know if Belle wanted them to hear whatever it was that she wanted to talk about.

Belle watched him for a moment, blue eyes looking for something. He hated how she looked at him, if he was being honest; it sounded stupid considering that he wasn't a stranger to people looking at his face, but the way her eyes lingered on his got old. She could at least pretend not to be so obvious. "Your carelessness in dropping such knowledge like this without thought to whomever hears it is astounding," She finally spoke, placing her hand on her hip.

At least she was surprising him with a new topic. Granted, it wasn't too much of a shock that she disagreed, especially since it was a big risk considering the crew they had. "The criminal was picked by the Goddess herself. That's out of my hands," Lucas shrugged.

The blonde sighed, shaking her head. "And the commoners? You think they understand the weight of what you've just revealed?"

"I'll know if anyone blabs."

"Will you now?"

"Yes."

"How?"

"I'm not telling you that," Lucas rolled his eyes. Belle only stared at him, clearly wanting to say more. He let out a small sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose. He didn't know if it was his exhaustion or just getting tired of the constant arguing between them, but he just wasn't in the mood. "I don't want to fight anymore, you're just going to have to deal with it."

At that, Belle let out a loud laugh. "Why? Because I'm the only one who could possibly challenge you?"

Lucas almost disagreed, but something about what she said didn't sit right with him. He could take any comment on his vices or his shitty attitude, but this wasn't just her usual showboating of needing to tell everyone how big and important she was. He lowered his hand slowly, matching the intensity of her own gaze. "Why, exactly, would you need to challenge me?" He asked her calmly.

She was smart enough to recognize that she had made a mistake, her former arrogance melting. "Challenge is the wrong word," She admitted, eyes darting elsewhere.

Lucas wasn't buying it and he wasn't going to let this slide. He pushed himself off the wall and invaded Belle's space, causing her to step back. To her surprise, he didn't stop until her back hit the wall, and even then he was directly in her face, ignoring how it flushed red. "You said Sir Edmund doesn't know what power is, but the fact that the entire world kisses your ass means you have power over me. But we aren't equals--and your position won't save you if you end up crossing me."

Belle said nothing, albeit she grew increasingly uncomfortable the longer Lucas remained close. Eventually, she pushed him away, taking a step so that he wasn't towering over her anymore. "Your threat would work better if you didn't look like a ghost of a man," She muttered.

"Uh huh. Now, then, any other petty grievances you'd like to bring up, Princess?" He asked. "If not, we have nothing more to discuss."

"Petty," She repeated in disbelief, pushing past him again and stomping back into the meeting room.

Lucas let out a sigh, shaking his head. She was going to continue to be a problem, he could already tell.

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March 13th, 1000

Riva del Garda

Nestled within the protective embrace of towering, treacherous mountains, Riva del Garda is in the heart of a sprawling valley. The river comes from the peaks above and winds its way through and cuts the city in half. Buildings of differing heights both hug the cliffs and hang onto them while a number of bridges pepper the river, connecting different parts of the city together. From a distance, the city looks quiet and few cars are around as the main source of travel is through carriages and by horseback. A number of harpies fly high in the sky, circling the valley. For now, there doesn't seem to be anything out of the ordinary, even if the harpies are the source of the problem that calls the Scions to the city.

Upon arrival, both Scions and their Templars are directed to a small outpost outside of town and closer to the base of the mountains. Once there, the sheer number of tents and supplies is a likely surprise. Church knights litter the walkways but immediately move out of the way and bow out of respect as the group is lead to the biggest tent. There isn't much inside aside from a table with a multitude of maps surrounded by chairs, but the man in question that Lucas mentioned sits alone. He looks younger than expected, his shaggy brown hair in need of a haircut, but otherwise his eyes are entirely focused.

"Sir, the Holy Ones and their Templars have arrived," The aide that led the group stated.

He finally tore his gaze away from the maps, his expression changing to something a lot brighter as he gave the group a highly infectious smile. His serious demeanor evaporated as he sprang up, hastily giving the two Scions a bow. "It's an honor to meet you, Holy Ones!" He beamed happily. "I'm Asher Everett, the current Templar in charge. Real glad you made it, arrived at a good time, too!"

His smile widened as they landed on Ionna and Bianca. "Dire times are always a great place to reunite with old friends! Well, not too old--but I do miss your baking," He admitted to Ionna first before looking Bianca up and down. "The uniform suits you. Both of you." He hastily added.

Bianca let out a giggle. "It's good to see you again," She replied warmly. "But we are here on business. I can't imagine you asking for help--haven't you had a hand in monster slaying since you were a boy?"

Asher's smile faltered and he let out a sigh. "Honestly, we might have been able to handle it without additional help, but their behavior is..." He trailed off as he thought to himself. "Actually, I'll be direct. The harpies aren't usually a problem here--a lot of times a mischievous one might come down and scare someone, but they hunt elsewhere. The problems started when the harpies started dropping other monsters into town."

Croia

Once a formidable stronghold built to withstand invasions and sieges, the stone walls of the fortress clashed with the new buildings it surrounded. The turrets stood high but looked weathered, the massive gates permanently open as the border was operated by a much more modern system consisting of inspection booths. Cobblestone paths made up the majority of the roads and lead up to the keep, and this combined with the streetlamps reflected the city's age. An eerie fog kept anyone from viewing the entirely of the city, but what was truly frightening was how much denser the fog was in the surrounding forests.

The Scions and Templars were met at the entrance by a knight who lead them to the entrance of the forest. A portly man with a thick mustache paced back and forth feverishly, only stopping once he spotted the pair of Scions. "Your Holiness! A-And Your Holiness!" He greeted the pair of Scions first with a deep bow. "Thank goodness the prince sent you so quickly, I was afraid he would ignore my message. I am John Garrison, mayor of this city. If you'll follow me, I'll lead you to the forest."

He motioned for the group to follow him, deciding to explain as he walked. "This fog is a product of the spirits--sometimes it fills the forest, and we know to stay away, but as you can see, it's in the city," He spoke hastily and with great worry. "There is a spirit here by the name of Reynard that has explained that we are in danger, but the other spirits won't listen to anyone that doesn't have the holy power. So I am hoping if you speak to them, maybe they can lift the fog and everything will go back to normal quickly--"

The governor stopped in his tracks as shouting was heard. He let out a groan, shaking his head. "Oh, no, she's back..."

Up ahead, a church knight is angrily shouting at a woman. She wasn't particularly interested in what he's trying to tell her, more focused on the forest. Her clothes were old fashioned and her golden hair was neatly braided behind her, hazel eyes focused on the forest ahead of her instead of the man trying to get her attention. "You can't go in there! Are you looking to get yourself killed?!" He yelled at her.

"The spirits will get further upset if you keep yelling," The woman told him, her arms crossed. "If you continue to bar my path, I will have no choice but to use excessive force."

"That woman has been harassing the knights ever since the she got here two days ago," The governor explained, nervous. "I have no idea what she's doing, but going into the forest is dangerous!"

Dumont

Doumerc was probably one of Lucas' least favorite places to visit. The place itself was fine as the aristocracy made it one of the cleanest and had their opulence lie in simplicity. But the people were another story; the pompous assholes had their priorities only in who was the most intelligent and politics was a favorite topic as every Doumerc resident thrived on arguing all the time. At first, it sounded like an exaggeration, but Doumerc nobles were notoriously difficult and it was hard to maintain positive relations if you weren't Rodion.

The l'École d'Enchantement de la Lune was victim to the insistence that knowledge reigned. A noble concept, except too many people confused knowledgeable with intellect. What people thought was intelligent, however, varied, making the entire thing an endless debate between the more viable theory. It made for an academy of the world's finest brains endlessly arguing over who was more right and years of research trying to one up one another. There was a minimum of two fistfights a week due to the heated debating and numerous rules of civility constantly being broken, though the one thing everyone agreed on was that the arguing stopped at five--and it had to be enforced harshly to pretend there was some semblance of order. The building itself was nice, though.

The reception received them well enough and a buzz of excitement surrounded the group. Not that Lucas didn't see it coming. His reputation was shit but he was still the high prince, Maya was an Instagram celebrity or something, and Allard was the shiny new Scion who was probably one of the few people whose infamy was worse than Lucas' on account of being an actual criminal. What a trio.

"Here I thought the nerds wouldn't bother looking up from their books for anything," He couldn't help but comment on the curious passerby that wanted a look at the group of Scions and Templars. "Where is Dr. Rhaveus' office?"

"In the East Wing, Your Highness. But I believe Dr. Morasco will want to hear your response to our acceptance letter," The receptionist replied.

"Rhaveus first," Lucas replied, motioning for the group to follow him. Fortunately, the further in they were, the more Lucas' initial assumption was correct. The halls were sparse of people as it was and the few they passed would only give them a passing glance or were completely absorbed in whatever it was that they were reading. Dr. Rhaveus' office was marked with his nameplate, making it easy enough to find. Lucas knocked on the door, but there wasn't a response. Of course it wouldn't be simple. "Any idea where a professor would be at this time of day?" He asked the group.

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Avatar: The White Jade Gambit

will be posting questions when I get a moment but for those that may have missed it, I'm looking for a small group, so once applications close I'll probably be looking for 3-4 characters in addition to the ones that have been accepted. I appreciate the effort that's been put in and thank you for the interest :)

also a reminder applications will be closed Saturday

Avatar: The White Jade Gambit

Put in it Discord so I'll put it here, too, gonna put a deadline on applications for the end of Saturday night, then take Sunday to decide on the final cast