Irradiant

ArrowFell: The Wizard Queen's Court

Way to put characters into a pickle, Est...

Sir Hayworth, in more crude terms, mimicking Callum's reaction: What in the fresh hell is this sword that's capable of killing this beast suddenly doing here?!

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Also, (potentially) more new people! The more the merrier, as Est said. Pretty timely, too, considering the holiday that just passed. Welcome! Hopefully.

<Snipped quote by Estylwen>

<Snipped quote by ERode>

i think it is important to note here that he is the one that first brought this game to my attention and i've been intermittently yelling at him to join for months

@The Otter

The Otter came before The Snow. Explains why we didn't get a white Christmas this year.

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Sir Hayworth had just lodged his Seed deep within the beast.

@Irradiant

This line totally can't be misconstrued for something not... wholesome.

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Happy holidays, folks! Enjoy the holidays, no rush on posts. :>

@Estylwen

Happy (belated) holidays!

ArrowFell: The Wizard Queen's Court

Sir Sawyer Hayworth

At sea on the Battle-Blood Minstrel, during the Athius voyage

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XIV: The Prisoner and The Warden's Keys

@The Otter

Sir Hayworth gritted his teeth in frustration as he watched Valor conveniently teleport herself away. It was a formidable magic, teleportation, and one capable of warping the very fabric of space itself. More than that, it was magic the old knight could do nothing to prevent. He'd already seen it firsthand during that fateful trip to the province of Ravenfell. To think that the usage of such a recent magical discovery was seemingly so widespread in a neighboring — not to mention, hostile — territory... it was a scary thing to imagine, indeed.

There was little time to dwell on this, however, as Sir Hayworth's gaze shifted once again to the depths below. With eyes still adjusting to the darkness, he could make out the familiar glint of a blade. When clarity finally returned to his vision, this familiarity would immediately turn into recognition. That is... The blade offered by the King of Ravenfell, the supposed "slayer" of the leviathan they were now facing. Sir Hayworth recollected King DuFairre's words. If the Queen were to get her hands on the leviathan... A conditional statement. She will be able to control it to such a fine degree, that not even all our armies combines stand a chance. And its harrowing conclusion.

Sir Hayworth's expression contorted with an uncharacteristic ambivalence. In front of him lay a chance to vanquish the beast once and for all. Yet, it was not a decision he could simply embark on without a second thought. If he were to act on his impulses and plunge the blade into the leviathan Ingens, it would also mean dispelling any pretense of fealty towards Hathforth that Agrovia and the Duchess had carefully maintained over the years. Further consequences swirled in Sir Hayworth's mind. If he were to fail, the Wizard Queen would no doubt order the complete annexation of Agrovia, as she did with Fyrdhaven, to say nothing of his and the duchess' inevitable execution for treason.

If the king's words are to be believed, then salvation surely awaits. An optimistic thought would burrow its way into Sir Hayworth's mind.

But Sir Hayworth, in all its temptation, remained unconvinced. Shaking his head, No. I am betting my hopes on a man with motives yet to be known. He repelled the thought with a counterpoint.

The idea hung like the most tantalizing fruit upon the most tantalizing tree, and Sir Hayworth found himself vacillating, stuck in a limbo between two choices.

Then, he finally noticed young Callum Prosser. The noble's arms flailed about like the wings of a headless chicken, and he was obviously attempting to attract the man's attention. Needless to say, he certainly got it. The strange sight was enough for Sir Hayworth to shake off his paralysis. I must not be rash, he would scold himself. Regardless of the outcome, the Queen cannot lash out with her new weapon immediately. A small reassurance, but it also bore some truth. Agrovia did not yet number among the Queen's enemies, after all.

Sir Hayworth also noticed that Ingens no longer moved. Now was a prime opportunity to embed the Seed into it. That was likely what young Callum Prosser was attempting to relay to him. Wasting no time, he rushed to Callum's side, his sword once again erupting with mana. He placed a palm on the leviathan's head. Boom. A violent pulse of mana would cause ripples in the water.

Sir Hayworth had just lodged his Seed deep within the beast.

ArrowFell: The Wizard Queen's Court

Welcome Andre!

For anyone interested in a bit of the lore behind Ravenfell and the Agravaine family, you can find it here: roleplayerguild.com/topics/37775-tale…

I've sent Andre in ERode's direction as a suggestion. :p

@Estylwen

Dayum. Lore from a decade ago... Now that is epic.

Hellloooooooo.

I hope I can live up to this roleplay- it looks really REALLY exceptional.

@Andre Valias

Welcome aboard new guy!

ArrowFell: The Wizard Queen's Court

Oop.

Post made! Sir Hayworth is free! Finally...

ArrowFell: The Wizard Queen's Court

Sir Sawyer Hayworth

At sea on the Battle-Blood Minstrel, during the Athius voyage

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XIII: Determination Encased in Steel

@Estylwen @Click This @The Otter

Sir Hayworth observed the aureate constructs that were conjured up around him. Starting out as flecks of dust, they crunched together into cubes that no sooner attempted to suffocate him, if not outright stamp him out. The old coot didn't exactly know the kind of magic that Valor had employed, or how it worked. But it mattered not, as... Boom. A massive burst of energy was released from his sword, tearing him free from the golden imprisonment.

The pieces of Ravenfellian armor that floated about told Sir Hayworth all he needed of the result of his previous onslaught. Still, it seemed he had held back too much. The woman had survived, and worse, she was still capable of fighting. She was even casting spells in her state, as if she hadn't just taken blast after blast of mana head on. He reckoned her status as a "specter" could have played a part. More than that, however, Valor was a persistent threat, which made her all the more dangerous.

He looked back, down at the abyss below. The young Callum Prosser had joined the fray as well, zipping past him amidst the commotion. That Subjugation Seed was in his hand, and he was getting close enough to the behemoth that was Ingens to use it. Sir Hayworth would have to do the same eventually. But for now, there was a score to settle, and another threat needing to be extinguished.

Sir Hayworth propelled himself upwards with a vigorous jet of mana, and his sword exploded violently in a flare-up of magical energy. He'd made yet another split-second decision: he would engage the Ravenfellian woman directly, as the Countess did. He flicked a glance at the Countess, and then at Duchess Agustria. "Let us put an end to her here!"

ArrowFell: The Wizard Queen's Court

*sneaks in to place a totally relevant TikTok*
A very funny, very Arrowfellian-esque tiktok

@Estylwen

Lmao, who made the multiple choice? Evelyn? And where's the "all of the above" option?

I am looking for posts from @Irradiant, @Click This, and @Donut Look Now. I know Donut has mentioned they are working on it.

How're the posts coming along? ;)

@Estylwen

Will work on a post soon! Don't want Sir Hayworth to be stuck inside those golden thingymabobs for too long...

I would say 'instant aura loss', but on the other hand, I watch Youtube Shorts, so...

@ERode

And the pot meets the kettle. Not that I should be the one saying this...

ArrowFell: The Wizard Queen's Court

The job comes with its perks, I promise~

@Estylwen

Callum, unless the job offers banger benefits and a good 401k plan, don't take it.

This is Irradiant speaking, by the way, not Altina.

Elysabeth of the Stars

Countess Elysabeth Vernon of the Stars

20 | She/her | Human

Description: Elysabeth was born to an earl in a hinter-town near Hathforth. Unknown to her as a child, her mother had been ‘sacrificed to the stars' during childbirth to ensure the child born would has as close as an affinity to the stars as possible.

Indeed, her father, when he wasn't taking care of his earl duties, tended to her education on the family secrets himself. They were from a long line of those who used blood to bind themselves to the magic that ran deep in their family, at least for the past 500 years, far outliving the warring dukes and duchesses of the cities.

And indeed, Elysabeth's proficiency in star magic and star summoning far surpassed anyone else in the family, like her distant cousins. She was a prodigy even by her father's strict standards. Day in, day out, if she wasn't studying language and science from her tutor or learning family history from her father, she was practicing with her star summons.

By the time she had reached the age of 18, she had invented a few spells to add to her family's repertoire.

It was also around this time, just after the Queen's ascension, that strange and esoteric magic users were being sought out and conscripted for the Queen's army. Elysabeth was found and willingly joined, finding it to be an act of Providence.

Her education was adapted to include battle strategies, which she readily absorbed. After a few months of solidifying the basics, Elysabeth was soon overcoming her fellow recruits even in minor displays of magic and combat. She was adapting battle strategies, showing that she had a mind capable of leading.

After a year, she was promoted to one of the captains of the royal guards, and a member of the Crossguards special unit, working directly underneath General Aliz.

Currently, she is stationed in Hathforth, managing the guards as they do their routine duties of keeping watch and guarding the gates. When the Wizard Queen, Advisor Vulluin, and Lady Safina are absent from the castle, it usually falls to Elysabeth to maintain the castle and inform visiting Nobles that court won't be in session until the Wizard Queen returns. She has the authority to act on behalf of the Queen, if the need arises.

Magic/Seed: Unknown.

@Estylwen

Ooh, she purdyyyy. I think I have an idea of when/how she's going to show up...

I'll try to get up a post for both scenes later tomorrow.

@Click This

Mirie is a fence-sitter / monologuer (is this even a word?) no more! Eat that ERode :D

-

EDIT: Post count in IC is 123 at the moment! Magic number yey.

ArrowFell: The Wizard Queen's Court

Sir Sawyer Hayworth

At sea on the Battle-Blood Minstrel, during the Athius voyage

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XII: A Warrior's Elegy

@Estylwen @Click This @The Otter

Sir Hayworth reeled at the sheer size of the tentacle now seeking to flatten him to paste. Still, tremble as his hands did, his countenance was unflappable. Having to navigate in water slowed Sir Hayworth down, making the prospect of avoiding an attack much less likely. Compounding that were the effects of aging, which flowed through his veins like slow-acting venom. The battle-hardened knight was not getting any younger.

But Sir Hayworth was not one to take an attack lying down. He readied his sword, preparing a swing with as much mana as he could muster. Fortunately, one of the Queen's anglerfish had thrown the tentacle off course. Sir Hayworth had safely escaped its clutches.

At this moment, Sir Hayworth was not yet aware of the Swiftsure's arrival, and by extension, Duchess Agustria's arrival. However, as spells clashed above him, imprinting the ocean with prismatic hues, he spied another battle raging. The black-haired maiden was unmistakably Duchess Agustria, accompanied by her lady-in-waiting, Countess Minuette. Sir Hayworth squinted his eyes. He also recognized the armor that that one Ravenfell woman wore, Valor. My men must have failed in stopping her, he thought matter-of-factly. He understood well what her appearance here implied.

A split-second decision would be made.

He swam closer to the Ravenfell woman, and with his sword already primed with magic, he intended to unleash another Bladestorm.

"This should be close enough," he whispered to himself, stopping in his tracks.

Time began to pause around him.

Then, an unrelenting wave of mana left his sword, leaping out from the blade like a lion to its prey. Following it were six more blasts, all in quick succession. It was a carefully-constructed attack which left no room for collateral, though it was not as fast as his first burst against the leviathan. Countess Minuette, after all, currently engaged the Ravenfell woman. Sir Hayworth needed to hold back, and give the countess time to react, in the dire case she would be caught in the cross-fire.

ArrowFell: The Wizard Queen's Court

With the size of those anglerfish, the Wizard Queen can practically solve hunger province-wide :D

Could be good for image-making. Rule the people by their stomachs and all.

ArrowFell: The Wizard Queen's Court

Sir Sawyer Hayworth

At sea on the Battle-Blood Minstrel, during the Athius voyage

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XI: The Beast, Awakened

@Estylwen

The bedlam that unfolded before Sir Hayworth's eyes was one he could not have predicted. From the arrival of the envoys from Ravenfell to yet another attack from that "Sparrows" fellow atop the emerald dragon, it seemed that the strings of fate were poised to intersect here, on the Queen's prized vessel.

The residue of mana, as well as the familiar scent of iron, steeped the air with the aroma of battle.

"Intercept the intruders!" Sir Hayworth called out, his voice rising above the chaos. Immediately, his platoon drew their weapons and swarmed the Ravenfell insurgents in a circular formation. Escape would not be an option, unless it was hard-fought. The casters among the group began to whisper their incantations, while the rest rushed forward with their swords and spears. Their armaments shimmered with a menacing crimson, and so too did their bodies. Their physical capabilities had been amplified.

Loathed as Sir Hayworth was to leave them on their own, he was confident in their skills. He had another part to play, after all. Having been entrusted with Her Majesty's safety, he turned to the Wizard Queen, and her command to follow along jerked his muscles to action. Diving from one of the ship's jumping boards, Sir Hayworth entered the ocean, his free hand clutching the Seed meant for subjugation.

As soon as the bubbles that were kicked up from his descent subsided, the sleeping monster that lurked in Athius' depths finally came into view. A leviathan... It embodied the word, truly, and though Sir Hayworth had faced — and cut down — many a large monsters in his day, he had yet to encounter a monster of this size. His blade roared a fierce blue, accumulating mana. Then, he slashed forward. One slash turned to two, which no sooner turned to four. A total of seven blasts of mana would leave his blade, seemingly in the blink of an eye. The energies were aimed at various lengths of the beast, and Sir Hayworth was careful not to harm the Wizard Queen's familiars.

He swam closer and closer to the beast, his sword still suffused with his mana. Should the creature choose to thrash around or retaliate, he was ready to repel it.