Mardox

Wanted: Squad of killers to dispose of Chosen One

@BlondyMcHuggles
Welcome aboard

Wanted: Squad of killers to dispose of Chosen One

Character Sheet:
Name: Harald Zalheidasson
Sex: Male
Race: Zalheider
Age: 12 (was created as a fully-grown adult)
Appearance:
Religion: Zalheiderism. Harald and his fellow Zalheiders believe that the Dark Lord Zalheidas is a living god born of a mortal woman and a djinn. The history concerning the creation of the Zalheider race has been retold as holy truth.
Backstory: Harald is one of the first-generation Zalheiders to be successfully made - we don't talk about the failures beforehand. The first Zalheiders were created when Zalheidas took the souls of Djinni, split them and altered them to suit his will before placing them in new bodies fashioned from the flesh of other races. While Zalheidas did not succeed in combining the ferocity and strength of Vaskr, the fearlessness of elves, the magic of Djinni, the cunning of Arachnae, and the adaptiveness of humans into one race, the Zalheiders made excellent soldiers.
After going through training, he joined the army of Zal Drudakk and soon showed himself to be a paragon of the ferocity and discipline that the Zalheider race would soon come to be known for. Despite finding himself in a variety of units that were often thrown into the bloodiest parts of battles, Harald not only survived but showed himself to be practically fearless. After one battle where he took charge after his commanding officers had been killed, he came to the attention of his superiors.
Rather than advance him as an officer, his superiors thought that his talents were better suited for other work. He was transferred to the Storm Hussars, a force of shock cavalry often used to break the will of wavering enemy forces. It was in this role that he caught the attention of the Dark Lord Zalheidas himself and was permitted to take the surname of Zalheidasson.
When the prophecy first surfaced and Zalheidas saw the need for a force of killers to carry out his will, Harald was one of the first to be chosen. After he had slaughtered a number of plucky youths - along with more imposing adversaries, a champion arose whom all thought to be the Chosen One. Now, Harald and his comrades are ready to hunt down every last hero and eviscerate them.
Motivation: His undying loyalties to the Dark Lord leave no need for any other reason for motivation. Even so, the promise of wealth, respect, fame and power is a nice icing on the cake.
Magic: Slight magical resistance due to his soul's origin.
Skills/Strengths: Brutal and effective leadership, Fearlessness, expert of the forced march, horsemanship, skill at arms and some survivalism.
Weaknesses: As a Zalheider, he has a distinct appearance and it is quite hard to blend into more mundane settings, quite stubborn once given orders, struggles with the concept of "retreat", and has no job skills other than hunting and killing.
Gear: Heavy cloak, reinforced cavalry sabre, rack of pistols across his chest(2), leather jackboots, backpack, waterskin(2), army rations, gambeson undershirt, bullwhip.
Other: Not at the moment.

Wanted: Squad of killers to dispose of Chosen One

@Luftwaffles Accepted

Wanted: Squad of killers to dispose of Chosen One

@Beany McBean@Maki the Finn
Accepted.
@Toomanychairs
A few issues with syntax, capitalization and so on. We'll hammer it out.

Wanted: Squad of killers to dispose of Chosen One

A new age has dawned in the world of Hethras. An age of blood, fire and tyranny. In the petty Kingdom of Gennebeuge, the monarchy has been brutally deposed, and after years of devastating civil war and ceaseless bickering amongst the now-divided revolutionaries, one man has risen to power. His name is Zalheidas Vos'Kapraai, and with a combination of ruthless efficiency and unholy magical powers, he has united Gennebeuge under his rule and rapidly expanded into neighbouring countries, unifying these small nations into a single sprawling entity known as Zal Drudakk.

At first, the greater nations thought nothing would come of these petty kingdoms fighting amongst themselves, and were content to leave them be. Surely, Zalheidas' ambition would be sated soon, they thought. The realisation of their mistake came far too late; his ambition had no end. Troubling rumours began to arise - rumours of infernal pacts and unholy experiments, and before long Zalheidas met with the first resistance against his rule. Attacking from their home in the desert, a disorganised band of djinni - who took offence at Zalheidas' false claim of being half-djinn - assaulted Zal Drudakk. Met by the full force of Zalheidas' Legions, the djinni were slaughtered to a man, and through sorcery taught to him by his fiendish friends, Zalheidas claimed their souls for his own nefarious purposes. It was then that he began to be known as the 'Dark Lord', a title he eagerly embraced.

With the souls of the slain djinni, the flesh of the races he had subjugated, and a plentiful supply of fresh souls delivered to him by a traitor Djinn named Raadia, Zalheidas forged a new race in the dark depths of his capital, named in honour of himself and designed to be the ultimate soldiers. While the Dark Lord did not succeed in creating the master race he desired, he managed to create a formidable race of warriors to serve as the backbone of his legions. No longer would he have to rely solely on mercenaries, allies, and undead to do his bidding.

However, the Dark Lord was not content with the hideous and flawed Zalheiders. Turning upon his demonic former friends, he wrenched their souls from their bodies and tore them asunder before placing their rearranged essence into corpses. Yet these new beings were not his dream of a master race either. Rather, they were to be his agents, and more importantly, his assistants in creating and improving life. These 'Carrion Doctors', as they would come to be known, are rare outside the dark citadel, but their potent magical abilities make them a force to be reckoned with if challenged.

As Zalheidas and his allies in the Twilight Crags and the Slumbering Cities strengthened their iron grip over the continent of Meithra, the remaining great powers of the world moved to oppose them, finally responding to the threat the Dark Lord posed to their very existence. The proud elves of Zimska'avrat - ancient enemies of the Arachnae - were the first to mobilise, and their wise men uncovered a long-forgotten prophecy from olden days; one that quickly gave hope to their nation, and rallied others to their cause:

"There comes an age of blood and fire;
Of nations' fall 'pon blazing pyre.
Yet have no fear, for from it all,
One shall rise while all else fall.
Of humble blood, auspicious birth;
A master of the skies and earth,
Comes forth to conquer blackest night;
End ancient war 'twixt dark and light.
And peace shall reign throughout the lands;
The world within his guiding hands."

Sure enough, the elves produced a champion from their ranks. A peasant by the name of Lovrenc Amadeji proved himself to be extremely competent with sword, spell and leadership. So unusual was his skill that the sages agreed that he must be the Chosen One foretold by the prophecy.

With him at the head of the elven army, valiantly resisting the dark legions' encroachment on his lands, others aligned themselves with the elves, forming a mighty alliance they called the Bond of the Covenant. Al-Qazvin and the Dogiate of Cantazzaro, city-states in the southern lands, have raised their banners, along with rebel undead from the Slumbering Cities. Meanwhile, the nations of the Western Isles prepare for battle and to the east the Sacrum Imperium Hominis, exercising its supposed claim to rule over all mankind, has already sent soldiers to fight on behalf of the free peoples.

The fate of the world hinges upon the outcome of this war and legends walk the Earth. Zalheidas would give anything for Amadeji's head. This is where you come in. You have somehow caught the attention of the Dark Lord's underlings, and been recruited to a squad of killers said to be without rival. Your mission is to kill Amadeji and break the Covenant's will to fight.

Important Notes:

• The technology level is quasi-Napoleonic rather than the standard medieval tech that often accompanies fantasy. However, this is not steampunk. Automatons and robots will not be accepted.
• Amadeji is not actually the Chosen One the prophesy is about. The Dark Lord Zalheidas is. You know this, your character(s) do not.
• We are playing the baddies. Feel free to make your character truly despicable, but please be mindful of other players' comfort levels.
• Collaboration with other roleplayers is encouraged. We have a Discord and use a site called PiratePad to write collab posts.
• Applicants are expected to read the entire post before making a character.

Nations of the World

• Zal Drudakk - Founded by Zalheidas Vos'Kapraai himself, the dark empire of Zal Drudakk stretches across a huge swathe of Meithra, from the treacherous mountains of the north to the edge of the great deserts that dominate the western landscape. The core territories of the Dark Lord's empire have been turned into sprawling industrial powerhouses, churning out munitions and vat-grown Zalheiders at an alarming rate, while the frontier provinces are a desolate no-man's land, scorched and flattened by the constant warfare that now plagues the continent.
• Zimska'avrat - In the frozen north, the proud and haughty elven race dwells. Devoted utterly to their strict principles of honour, and their devout worship of the sun god Aurelion, the elves are traditionalists to a fault - a dangerous flaw to have in a rapidly modernising world. Nevertheless, their ideological fanaticism and perfection of archaic yet still deadly tactics make them a formidable foe.
• Sacrum Imperium Hominis - To the east lies the continent of Etrikea, dominated in its entirety by the Imperium. Claming holy authority granted by the dragon Adonai, the Imperium wishes to exercise what it sees as a sacred right to rule over all mankind across the globe. Whilst it has never yet come close to achieving its goal, the chaos of a world war may be the chance it needs.
• The Twilight Crags - The mountains that stretch across the north of Meithra are home to the Arachnae, the twisted spider-folk that have pledged their allegience to the Dark Lord. The Crags are a sinister, perilous place, where most do not dare to tread - especially the elves, of whom a scarce few have ever returned.
• The Slumbering Cities - The stench of rot and decay permeates these eerie marshlands, where sprawling cities populated by the living dead rise precariously from the swamp. Despite appearances, however, the dead here have kept their minds intact, and do not act with immediate hostility towards those who enter their lands. Most have pledged themselves to Zalheidas out of something approaching desperation - the Dark Lord accepts their fealty, while other powers would gladly see them exterminated.
• The Barrens - The Barrens are named for a stretch of strange desert that houses the largest population of Djinn in the entire world. The ancient city of Vargos hides beneath a tide of swirling sand, and the Djinn keep their old secrets away from outsiders. Travel and trade are tolerated in this mysterious land, but anyone getting too curious is sure to meet a terrible fate.
• Zelamoyod - Zelamoyod is an island nation on the very edge of the world. The Zelamoyodians are fiercely independent, fanatically militaristic, and almost religiously industrialist. They shun magic and despise foreigners, making certain to arrest anyone to travel to their nation without the purpose of business or diplomacy. They accept neither alliance, and if it was within their power, they would probably declare war on both sides.
• Cantazzaro - One of the most important trade hubs in the world, the small yet prosperous city-state of Cantazzaro is concerned only with one thing: maintaining its astronomical mercantile profits. The Doge and merchant council that govern the city employ formidable armies of mercenaries to aid in its defence - their protection being the only reason Cantazzaro remains independent. An attempted siege of the city by the Dark Lord's forces has resulted in the Dogiate aligning itself with the Bond of the Covenant.
• Al-Qazvin - An oasis of humanity on the edge of Djinn territory, the walled city of Al-Qazvin towers above the dunes, its impenetrable fortifications protecting its denizens from the perils of the vast desert lands. Al-Qazvin has repelled every attack and weathered every siege in its long and proud history, but it will not be long before the ambitions of the Dark Lord lead him to shatter this impressive record.
• Vaskrheim - On the southernmost island of the western archipelago, the harsh and bitter cold is tolerable only by the Vaskr; a hardy race of bear-men, warlike yet noble. With a culture heavily focused on glory in battle and deeds of great bravery and daring, the Vaskr are more terrifying warriors than even the Zalheiders themselves, especially when they give in to their base animalistic fury. Unfortunately for the Dark Lord's forces, the bear-men have firmly pledged their support to the Covenant.
• Solkyst - Once similar in culture to their ursine southern neighbours, the predominantly human nation of Solkyst has made significant efforts to modernise and civilise in recent decades. While they still technically maintain an allegiance with Vaskrheim, tensions between the two caused by their newfound cultural divide have begun to escalate, with the Vaskr seeing the men of Solkyst as betraying the old ways and embracing the corrupt modernism of foreigners.
• Xanthoupoli - A vassal state of the Imperium, Xanthoupoli is a small island republic to the south of Etrikea. Immensely wealthy and renowned for art and ornament of almost unparalleled quality, the island's residents are permitted to retain some semblance of independence purely in return for a hefty tribute paid regularly to Imperial agents.

Species

• Humanity - Humans are the most common sentient species in Hethras, and can be found almost anywhere on the world. The vast majority, not including some small, backwards tribes, are part of different nations; nations that compete with each other just as often as they will help each other. However, some may occasionally band together against a common foe like the Elves or the new Zalheiders.
• Zalheiders - A vicious and warlike species, the Zalheiders are a failed attempt by the Dark Lord Zalheidas to create a master race. Despite the Dark Lord's disappointment in them, he has found that they still have merit as capable fighters, or cannon-fodder. They are not pleasant to look at, however, and both their origin and behavior win them few friends outside of the Dark Lord's allies. As such, they are usually only found in territory controlled by or under attack by Zal Drudakk, the Twilight Crags, or the Slumbering Cities.
• Elves - The Elves on the northen peninsula are a xenophobic, aloof race. Isolated in their small country, their only extended contact would be with the Arachnae, and to a lesser extent, the SIH. Their government has evolved very little over the time, and they have seemed to settle on a shogunate. The Elves are very set in their ways, even so far as to have sworn off using gunpowder in favor of their sacred Kehinsha. The Elves would charge in with 7 foot glaives, skewer someone and dismount their horse at full speed; then continuing the slaughter. As a result of only fighting the Arachnae, Elven military doctrine has stagnated somewhat.
• Djinni - The Djinni are an ancient and furtive race of nomadic tradesmen, scholars, and magicians that roam the sunblasted Barrens. The Djinni are strange creatures with the ability to shift form and utilize powerful magic, but they are few in number and without major organization. They are deeply religious and stoic in their vows of absolute secrecy, interacting with other races only to trade menial supplies and trinkets before disappearing again into their swirling desert. Their cultural capital is located between worlds, hidden from all others by a strange veil of unknown magic. The Elder Ones - a council of Djinni so old that they are said to remember the very forming of the world - preside over their religion and military, a tiny force of lethal magicians known as the Watchers. These warriors protect the sacred artifacts of their old and mysterious religion, and eliminate any of their own race that stray from their holy path of circumspection.
• Sentient Undead - Living corpses blessed or cursed with minds of their own, these undead are reviled despite a relative lack of aggression and have usually live in their own nation for safety's sake. Most commonly, they are the result of a necromancer making a mistake or dying unexpectedly, but other causes such as lingering necromantic energy and unfinished business have been reported to create undead with wills of their own.
• Arachnae - Former elves altered by potent magics, the arachnae have the bodies of elves from the waist up and the bodies of giant spiders from the waist down. Their society is Matriarchal, with each house getting one vote in any national decisions the Queen feels should be adjudicated on. Over time they have evolved into three subraces which somewhat fit into different castes. They absolutely despise the elves and ritually consume captured elves but are willing to negotiate with other races willing to overlook their monstrous appearance and the fact that they eat their own dead.
  
  Spidery Subraces

  • The Varcha are the smallest, only 2 or 3 feet high; often found in crevices or small spaces no other Arachnae could be found/fit in. They are quite quick as you might guess, and they posses powerful legs for hopping around caves. They are adept miners and doctors, as they are quite adroit.
  • The Clerck are the next biggest, ranging from 6 to 7 feet; these are the most common subrace of Arachnae. Since they are the most common, the Clerck fill the roles that the Varcha or Therapho do not, such as cooking, building, farming, et cetera.
  • The Therapho are the largest of the arachnae, towering over their brethern at 9 to 10 feet, often requiring that houses and workshops be built outside of the crags because of their tremendous heft; but this is good reason, as the Therapho are master engineers and craftsmen, having a sort of "ancestral knowledge" past down from generation to generation. They are unusually fast for their size, but still the slowest out of all Arachnae. Unlike the others, they have fur rather than a protective carapace over their spider half
• Vaskr - A large and ferocious species of sentient bear, the Vaskr are native only to a small and icy island in the far south, known as Vaskrheim. Hulking, primarily quadrupedal beasts with razor-sharp fangs and claws - and notably equipped with opposable thumbs - they average around 3 metres tall when supported on their hind legs, with white fur to camouflage them against their snowy surroundings. Perhaps their most distinctive feature is their armour, with each Vaskr clad in a suit of thick steel plating it has forged itself - upon completion, the suit will rarely be removed other than for repairs, cleaning, and other essential maintenance, and serves as a badge of honour amongst Vaskr society, with the armour of the oldest and most distinguished warriors often being engraved with scenes depicting their heroic deeds and victories. The bears are famed for their warlike culture, with infighting an extremely common occurence as each Vaskr seeks to outdo its peers in acts of great bravery and savagery alike. Bears who seek adventure further afield often find work as mercenaries, and are greatly prized in such a role, their huge size and formidable claws making short work of most enemies - although it is notable that more and more Vaskr seek human training on the use of guns, and a handful of the bears have taken to standing on their hind legs to facilitate the wielding of such weaponry, scaled up to better suit its larger operators.
• Therianthropy - In the 1300s, a strange disease began to manifest itself in the land of Hethras; a disease that turned man into bloodthirsty beast without warning. No one knows truly where it came from, but most of the peasantry believe that the curse of Therianthropy originated during a divine battle between Aurelion and Hecataah. The warhound Cairne was bathed in Hecataah's blood, thus becoming a half-man, half-beast abomination and the first true Therianthrope. The disease is thought to be transmitted by blood, either hereditarily or through transfusion, most commonly via bite. Those subjected to the curse are able to master their monstrous powers - typically they will gain proficiency in controlling their transformation over time, usually taking around 6 years to master it completely. An interesting aspect of the curse is that the beast form one takes is dependent upon one's own race - to provide examples, a human will become a wolf, an elf will transform into a great cat, and a Zalheider takes the form of a terrifying hairless bear.
• Carrion Doctors - Forged from the corpses of wizards and the souls of demons, the Carrion Doctors are most powerful magic-users serving Zalheidas, barring a few renegade djinni and a couple of truly exceptional individuals. These sinister beings have faces that resemble the masks of olden plague doctors and while some serve in the field as Zalheidas's agents and holy men of the Zalheiderist cult, their true purpose is to assist the Dark Lord in his endless quest to create and improve new forms of life.
• Special Snowflakes - If all that's not enough for you, Zalheidas and the Carrion Doctors are always experimenting on and creating life. You can make something up but you'll have to run it by me and there's a decent chance I'll say no.

Religions

• Religija Faith - A pagan religion with gods to represent every natural phenomenon from water to death. It mainly teaches unity among the tribe but after that hate for everyone else, The religion was founded after days on end of desperation where the leader Steigėjas had a vision where he should settle the tribe and after he did he kept having visions which he drew of on stone and those rocks became the key centers of the religion. Afterwards with wars and many of the rocks destroyed the followers made an area of worship called the “Circle of Stones” where no one controlled and all tribes would teach holy lessons. While there is no true religious leader, the lessons are taught by the current tribe leader, and the elders of the tribe. Ideas commonly followed, but not always followed are worship and preservation of nature and worshipping of ancestors, this is thought as a core belief but some tribal leaders find a more warring approach as a better idea since most of the Religija tribes are commonly at war. Though the religion became lost to time after many people converted or were slaughtered and is only followed by small groups or lone men.
• The Blind One - In the Primordial times, there were two warring clans in the elven lands; The Anjunar in the north, and the Slesprin in the south. The Slesprin were eventually driven deep into the caverns of The Twilight Crags from the war, and that is where they found the The Twilight Queen. She said she could grant them boundless power, enough even to end the war. They agreed, of course, but this changed them into the Arachnae. After hearing this, Aurelion attacked the Twilight Queen, ripping her eyes out, and transforming them into jewels. He gave these to the elves; who put them on their crown of nobility. The Arachnae do not know if she was a goddess, or simply a powerful sorceress, but she is revered in The Twilight Crags as a deity.
• Aurelionism - The foundation of Elvish religion is based around one figure - Aurelion, God of the Sun. He is described as the severe and absolute ruler of the sun, which he tends alongside a detachment of holy eagles. He is a stoic and unforgiving God, completely without humour or mercy when dealing with injustice or sin. The Elves worship Aurelion by sacrificing animals and praying before battle, which they believe to be sacred. The Elvish religion and the God Aurelion is depicted in great detail in the Elvish book of conflict and creation, which recounts the three great victories that founded the Elvish nation.
  
  The first victory is that of the Anjunar. Before time, and before light, a race of reptilian creatures ruled the world, called Kesilia. They were primitive creatures born from the mountains themselves, living in caves and crevices within the rock. Aurelion was disgusted with their lack of grace, and so forged a new people from the fire of his sun. He created a legion of soldiers and their wives, which he named the Anjunar. He also created a class of servants and craftsmen, naming them the Slesprin. Both would follow him to the battlefield, and both would create his perfect civilization after the Kesilia were dealt with. He descended to Hethras with a vanguard of Anjunar at his back, and struck the foul race from the world in its entirety.
  
  The second victory is that of the Slespin. With the conquest finished, Aurelion set his Slespin to work building his pristine cities and institutions that would comprise the Elvish civilization. The Slespin set to work, and Aurelion began to further organize his army of Anjunar. When he was satisfied, he returned to the sun to manage his own affairs. This victory has the smallest passage in conflict and creation, and it is perhaps the most insignificant of them.
  
  The third victory is that of the Sun. As the centuries dragged on, Aurelion gradually began to favour the bold Anjunar over the withering Slespin. They had not built anything of note for many decades, and to Aurelion, they were not fulfilling their purpose of creation. The Slespin tired of constant labour, and as the Anjunar feasted with his legion, they raised arms in revolt and left his lands entirely. This act sparked a war between the Anjunar and the Slespin that would last hundreds of years and decimate their populations completely. Finally nearing defeat at the hands of the militarily superior Anjunar, the Slespin were pushed into the mountains that had once allegedly spawned the Kesilia. It was there that they stumbled across the Twilight Queen, an entity of unknown power and origin. She promised them the means to defeat the Anjunar in battle if they rejected Aurelion completely, and in their desperation, they accepted. This contract stripped them of the last of their dignity, and turned them from the proud race of Aurelion to the grotesque Arachnae. Learning of this final and complete betrayal, Aurelion became untethered. He descended from the sun and personally lead the final attack on the treacherous Slespin. They retreated at the sight of him, but he cut through their ranks and pushed deep into the crags that they now dwelled in. He found the Twilight Queen trying to escape with the rest of her newfound worshippers, and while she screamed in vain, the God of the Sun ripped her eyes straight from her head.
  
  He had his eagles extinguish every burning fire in the crag, and left the Arachnae decimated and wholly in the dark. He captured the remainder of their cities with ease, putting every resident to the sword. He settled the Anjunar on as much land as he could, and exterminated the Arachnae wherever he found them. To survive, they retreated deeper into the crags than ever before, to places without light or comfort. When the slaughter came to a close, Aurelion left Hethras, still embroiled in anger. The Elves believe that he will only return if their race is threatened so gravely again. Now that Zalheidas threatens them, some elves believe that Lovrenc Amadeji is an incarnation of Aurelion.
• Hecataah - The clergy of Hecataah teaches that the world is a harsh, unforgiving place. The strong rule the weak, and power is the only reward worth having. Cruelty and mercilessness are necessary tools. Chaos is the great equilizer, but order is necsccasary to keep an army well-regimented. He believes that honor (in battle) takes importance above all. Cowards are to be executed, and the brave are to be rewarded.
• Remyori -
  • Blue - The Cult of the Blue Rose, commonly known as the Blues, is currently the most popular sect of the Remyori religion. This particular cult worships the blue rose as their sacred idol, and marks their holy quarter in the winter months. The Blues preach values of endurance, strength amidst adversity, and stability. As such, they heartily dislike the typically volatile nature of their Red compatriots. Their gardens are orderly, beautiful in their efficiency and mastery of the soil. The Blues enjoy support from all levels of Zelamoyodian nobility, although a sizeable portion of the loyal underclass chooses to worship the blue rose as well.
  • Red - The Cult of the Red Rose, commonly referred to as the Reds, are the second most popular sect of the Remyori faith. They see the red rose as the idol of greatest importance, and they celebrate their holy quarter in the spring. The Reds are, and always have been, a strange and controversial sect of Remyori in Zelamoyod. The Reds believe in upheaval and change, and their worship is complex and shrouded in mystery. Red gardens are usually tended by more than one person, and they vary from place to place. The Reds draw much of their support from the lower classes, but there are a few nobles that display a certain passion for the Red sect.
  • White - The Cult of the White Rose, commonly known as the Whites, is the third largest branch of Remyori. The Whites worship the white rose, and take the summer months as their sacred quarter. The Whites are most popular in the southern agricultural provinces of Zelamoyod, where they directly compete with the Reds for sway over the farming peasantry. The Whites worship simplicity, plenty, and the natural world. Their gardens tend to be free and elegant, ordered only if absolutely necessary. The Whites take little interest in the squabbles between the other sects, keeping to their peaceful selves.
  • Purple - The Cult of the Purple Roses, commonly known as the Lilacs, are the smallest sect of Remyori in Zelamoyod. The Lilacs take the purple rose as their idol, and worship during the sacred months of fall. They value elegance and difference above all else, and their gardens tend to be fashioned to individual preferences. The Lilacs are popular with the few artists and intellectuals that inhabit Zelamoyod, but the majority of the other sects see them as a fairly haughty bunch.
  • Black - The Cult of the Black Rose is not officially a sect of Remyori. They garden no idols, worship no months, and maintain only one temple. Inside, there is a bed of black soil, surrounded by black walls, with a floor of black marble. When Zelamoyod marches to war, this room is entered by a brotherhood of priests dedicated to its maintenance. The brothers plant four of their black roses in the soil, and they water it with the blood of the current monarch. The gates to the temple are then sealed completely with the brothers inside, only to be opened when the war has been won. For every year the war is fought, another four black roses are planted.
• Zalheiderism - To say the Zalheiders revere their creator as a god is not hyperbole, it is an understatement. The overwhelming majority of the violent creatures believe that the Dark Lord is a god that has taken mortal form to bring order to the world and cleanse it of its sins. The commandmentents and tenets of the faith are rather simple - morality is following the will of Zalheidas. Those who die in service to the Dark Lord will be rewarded in the afterlife and those who survive service will be rewarded in both this world and the next.
• The Worship of Flame, referred to simply as the Worship, is the dominant and only religion recognized and practiced by the mysterious Djinni. Next to nothing is known about the intricacies of this religion, thanks to the incredibly secretive tendencies of the Djinni, but the basic tenants of the Worship are known.
  • Knowledge and Piety - The Worship promotes knowledge as something to be cherished and preserved above all else. According to less than credible sources, the Djinni capital Vargos holds more academic and technical texts than the rest of the world combined. Piety is also something that is valued by nearly every Djinn. Worship of Flame is usually comprised of daily ritual - this action is completed by creating a triangle of oil around the worshipper and then setting it ablaze. The worshipper sits in reflection and prayer until the flame has died.
  • Perfection and Balance - The Djinni are known for their love of organization and routine. Djinni that live in Vargos are said to be incredibly clean and collected. Their houses and temples are almost fanatically cleaned, and the streets are swept by students from the many religious schools of thought every two days. Nomadic Djinni are known to never stop their caravans before the stroke of midnight, and when they do, the Djinni arrange themselves within a triangle of marked chalk or scented oil. A candle is left burning in a safe place at all times, to keep the Flame close to their minds. The Djinni strongly believe in a balance between light and dark, fire and void. They use these rituals and routines to uphold their balance as they see fit.
  • Deception and War - It is no secret that the Djinni are not a society of warriors. They do not have an army of trained soldiers, nor any militias. Djinni traders have been known to simply protest as their goods are stolen rather than come to conflict over it, and their caravans are an avid target for bandits and marauders from around the world. The Djinni have one ally - deception. Their ability to remain undetected as they move through the Barrens and even the rest of the world is the reason that they are even able to trade at all. The Worship expands and exemplifies on this deception, even making it a necessary skill for every Djinni child. Of course, this might make them an effective military force, but the Djinn are not interested in war. They have only one group of magicians trained to kill, and the Watchers rarely venture outside of their grand temples in the centre of Vargos.
• The Imperial Faith - The Sacrum Imperium Hominis may be a divided realm full of infighting, but they are largely united in faith. Their holy books speak of the dragon Adonai who came to the aid of the first humans in ancient days when Elves, Vaskr, and Djinni waged war upon the new-born race. The great reptile with his unknowable scales flew the best of humanity to Etrikea, former home of the dragons who had all perished through war, folly or time. All but Adonai, first and last of the dragons. It was in the cradle and tomb of the dragons that the Wise One mentored humanity and made of them a great nation. Before age claimed Adonai, he gave the Imperium a code of laws to follow and told them that it would be up to them to unite humanity under their banner and righteous rule.

Character Sheet

Character Sheet:
Name:
Sex:
Race:
Age:
Appearance:
Religion: If any.
Backstory: Where did you come from? Who is your character?
Motivation: What has Lord Zalheidas promised you?
Magic: If any
Skills/Strengths: What is your character good at? What abilities does your character have?
Weaknesses: What are your character's flaws or vulnerabilities? This could be a gap in your skills, a vulnerability like sunlight if you're a vampire or a character flaw like pride.
Gear: What is your character bringing along on this adventure?
Other: Anything else you feel like mentioning?

To Meddle in the Affairs of Dragons

<Snipped quote by Mardox>

PM'd you an app! Let me know if anything needs changing, thanks.

@VoiD

Will do

To Meddle in the Affairs of Dragons

Still open to applications? Trying to get back into the guild and this caught my interest.

@VoiD

We are indeed.

To Meddle in the Affairs of Dragons

Written with and primarily by EvangelineMarie, EdgyErwyn, Luftwaffles, PrinceOfHeaven and BlondyMcHuggles

An uncomfortable silence filled the air more than a massive argument could; Erwyn’s recruitment of Élise the night before didn’t leave most of the travellers in a talking mood.

Rhiara had been thinking about introducing herself to Élise all morning, to make her feel welcome more than anything. Of course, she didn’t take the plunge. For all she knew, vampires could smell fear and they ate their own children. Athaliah had always said that those stories were made up to scare misbehaving children, but she wasn’t in a hurry to speak to the vampires either. It was Erika who gave Rhiara the little push she needed. As Rhiara fell back to the rear of the group towards Élise, Herbert, Erika and Athaliah kept their distance but were ready for anything nevertheless. Just in case…

“Uh… Élise, was it?” Rhiara said after clearing her throat, trying and probably failing to hide her own fear. “I’m Rhiara, and I… uh, just wanted to give you a proper welcome…” she fiddled with her hands and looked at the ground. “We’re not normally that… poisonous. The quest we’re doing has just got all of us on edge…”

“I would not worry about it; I understand completely,” the vampire responded, “people like me should not expect a warm welcome.” Élise, who had been walking on her own with her cloak covering her face to stave off the morning sun, was quite surprised that someone was actually willing to come and talk to her. Any happiness this brought to her was quickly lost, however, as she noticed how scared Rhiara seemed to be of her, reminding Élise of her monstrous nature. “I didn’t exactly make the best first impression myself last night either, but I do appreciate that you want to talk to me, it means a lot. Most people would just see me as nothing more than a fiend of the night, and so it gladdens me that you are willing to give me a chance. Thank you for that, Rhiara.” Élise pulled her hood back slightly to expose more of her pale face, and she let out a brief but friendly smile as her intense blue eyes made contact with Rhiara’s.

Rhiara felt herself calm down somewhat; not getting mauled to death instantly was a great start. “We’re going to be travelling together, so… we should get to know each other better.” She even smiled back at the vampire. “I’m really sorry if I’m overstepping my bounds, but… uh, why were you covered in blood last night?” Rhiara was fearful of the implications of it and she knew full-well what she did, but she figured that hearing it from the woman herself would be best.

Élise froze. She had not expected Rhiara to ask her such a difficult question, especially so soon into their conversation. This situation left the vampire feeling incredibly uncomfortable, and it showed in her expression. If she were to tell the truth, she could be putting herself in great danger, and yet if she were to lie, she would never gain their trust. An awkward silence ensued for some time, until Élise finally worked up the courage to answer Rhiara. “I will not lie to you, Rhiara. Last night, when Erwyn found me, my vampiric curse got the better of me and I lost control.” Her voice was shaky and her eyes had become watery as she answered and was forced to remember what she had done. She spoke quietly, to avoid having the less tolerant members of the group hearing about the events of last night. “I had not fed for a while, and the second I noticed a girl from the village I was staying in venture into the woods alone, the hunger within me took over and I… I murdered her.” Élise wiped the tears from her eyes before they had a chance to run down her cheeks. “I am sorry. I’m sure you can understand that talking about this is difficult for me, but it was a mistake to have told you what I did. You probably just see me as a monster now, although with that said, perhaps you would not be wrong…”

Rhiara looked down at her feet, unable to find the words to reply. Strangely though, she didn’t run off screaming, like she herself thought she would. Instead, she nodded solemnly and allowed an awkward silence to come between them for a minute, though it felt much longer to her. “I’m… I’m sorry for asking.” She put her hand onto Élise’s arm, with an immense amount of reluctance. “I’m glad you told me the truth. If you ever need to talk about it… well, I’d be happy to listen.”

Not expecting Rhiara to be so understanding, Élise found herself stunned yet again. She could sense Rhiara’s hesitation, but even still, the fact that she was willing to actually listen to Élise without being judgemental, and then go on to offer her help, was a great relief to her. “It is fine, you did not know,” Élise replied, easing up and beginning to feel more comfortable talking to Rhiara as she raised her own gloved hand to meet hers. “Thank you for being so understanding and for your offer though, I might just have to take you up on that. As you can probably imagine, I have not had anyone to talk to for far too long.” She felt comforted as she made eye contact with Rhiara again, her own eyes now slightly reddened after holding back her tears, even going so far as to cause her to smile involuntarily. Perhaps it was just the fact that someone was actually willing to listen to her when she needed it, but Élise found herself feeling strangely happier as she talked with Rhiara.

“It’s nothing. Really.” Rhiara replied with a smile of her own. “We all have to stick together now, with the god-killing dragon we’re hunting. As far as I’m concerned, we… well, we can’t afford to mistrust each other.” She looked towards the others in the group, some of which subtly looked back at the two girls every so often. “I’ll, ah... I’ll go and talk to the others, and see if I can get them to go easier on you. Take care of yourself, okay Élise?” After giving the vampire a parting smile, Rhiara skipped over to Herbert with a spring in her step.

With a smile on her face, Élise watched Rhiara walk away; almost wishing that she would stay and talk for a while longer. Many thoughts flooded the young vampire’s mind as she mulled over what had just happened, and she came to a surprising conclusion. She was falling for her new friend. Élise attempted to banish such thoughts, although she found it impossible to do so. She was already viewed with suspicion, and knowing that attraction between women was viewed as sinful in this part of the world, she didn’t want to give anyone more cause to hate her. Her unstable vampiric nature also made any relationships with her very dangerous, and prone to heartbreak and tragedy. Élise knew this, and yet she still struggled to avert her eyes from Rhiara. However, this desire was quickly turning into something else. Hunger.

She had only fed yesterday, and yet Élise could still feel herself on the verge of succumbing to the Blood Hunger. As a pureblood vampire, she must feed more regularly than other vampires, but even still, Élise had not expected to feel the Hunger quite so soon. Her hands began to shake as she attempted to control herself, however she quickly realised that these efforts were failing. Stumbling from the frozen path, she collapsed under the shade of a frost-covered tree, hoping that Erwyn would notice her and avert disaster.

Her hope was not in vain. In a blur of blinding speed the elder vampire was there, materialising next to Élise as he drew a small vial of deep scarlet liquid from within his long coat. Unsealing the container with a faint hiss of air, he gently lifted the young woman's head, waving a hand in front of her eyes to check that she still retained some degree of consciousness. Through his black calfskin gloves, his palms glowed with the eerie light of necromantic magic; a healing spell, but one attuned to undead flesh. "Here," he whispered, holding the blood vial to her lips. "Drink."

On the verge of losing control, Élise initially fought against Erwyn as he attempted to get her to drink, however his magic quickly calmed her. As she drained the vial, the black colour of the sclera so characteristic of hungry pureblood vampires began to fade from her eyes, and she regained control of her own body. Her eyes darted around as her consciousness returned to her, and stopped when she made eye contact with the man who just prevented a tragedy. “Thank you,” she weakly responded, “if you weren’t here, well… That’s not worth thinking about.” She lay back against the tree and buried her head in her hands as she recovered.

“She is turning. I can see it.”

The voice that rasped from behind the two vampires was accented and muffled by a curtain of chainmail, and before they even turned, it was clear who had spoke. Nima stood, gazing at Élise, one hand on his sword and the other lingering near the leather pouches that ringed his leather belt. His armour was still gleaming from the polish that the Order had applied in Mirador, and the snow that had started to fall was melting on his shoulders and rolling over the shining steel. “Step away from her, creature. She must be dealt with.”

Erwyn rose slowly, turning to face the easterner with cold grey eyes. His hand slipped down to his side, grasping the hilt of his sword and drawing it in an instant, the shimmering flamberge blade of his rapier marked with strange, ancient symbols; arcane runes that seemed to writhe and warp like nightmarish creatures from the depths. Flipping the sword deftly around in his grip, he rested his hand on the weapon's hilt in a manner akin to a gentleman's cane, his stance calm; relaxed. "Then by all means, deal with her," he said, his tone not betraying even a hint of anger or stress. "I invite you to try."

Nima looked past the showy display, his eyes fixed on the younger vampire. "She is not a natural creature. What you gave her before, it was blood, yes? She feels hunger so soon after she fed, on the night she came to us?" He shook his head, producing a soft clatter of steel clashing with steel. "Dangerous. What will you do when she needs the blood again? When she drinks all of your supply? Even if you are in control, she must die, this is clear."

"Do you believe I had not noticed that her hunger was unnatural in its frequency? Had it not crossed your mind that perhaps I intended to find out why?" The Count shook his head contemptuously. "I was about to ask her, in fact, before you so very rudely interrupted. And with the answer, I would be a significant step closer to helping her control herself." He glanced back at Élise for a second, before returning his gaze to Nima. "I take your point, of course; she is dangerous. So am I. So are you. If everyone in this group who is dangerous was to be slain, do you think we would stand even the slightest chance of defeating the greatest danger of all?"

"The Count is correct, Nima," said Grandmaster Aquila, a ways away from the conflict. He stepped forwards, unarmed, into the center of the confrontation, looking either way at the two of his belligerent companions. To Nima he spoke first, to follow up his introduction, bowing his head courteously to the slave-soldier. "I beseech you to stay your blade as it stands for the time being. I say unto you that our warband would benefit from Élise's company, should Count Erwyn properly control her. As she is recent in her conversion to undeath it is to be expected that she has not yet learned to fully take back her mind from the curse." He turned to Erwyn, gesturing for him to sheathe his own weapon. "Having said this I must reiterate that, Erwyn, you are indeed responsible for her as the most qualified individual to teach her self-restraint. I offer my assistance, and would glady do so were the lady to accept the aid of my Father, Mother and I. However the brunt of this task falls to you. And should she indeed lose control and vindicate the Furusiyya's concerns, verily she must be put down for the good of the rest of the warband. We have discussed this and I am placing my trust in you -- something that I do not offer blindly."

"That helping her is my duty is something of which I am very much aware. It is not a responsibility I have any intention of shirking, I can assure you." Slowly, the elder vampire slid his sword back into its scabbard, eyes flicking back and forth between Nima and Lucian. "I rather suspect, though, that she will not be particularly accepting of your parents' help. Rather, her devotion lies firmly with your grandmother." He turned his back on the pair, crouching down beside Élise as she slowly recovered. "One more thing; a condition, on your last point," he said, speaking over his shoulder at the Grandmaster. "If there comes a time when such an unfortunate deed must be done, it will be done by my hand. Agreed?"

Seeing it as not worth further conflict, Lucian dismissed the remark regarding the faith of Lilith, replying, "Your condition is agreeable, but do not think for a moment that I will not defend myself or my companions in the event she loses control spontaneously. I trust you will follow through on your end of the condition, but I cannot afford to wait if attacked without warning. I suppose, though, that this is also not something you need to be told."

Nima obeyed the Grandmaster, moving his hand from his blade and noisily stalking away from the confrontation. The Grandmaster turned to the two vampires and bowed to each of them once before following the slave-soldier away from the center of the incident, leaving the two to themselves.

Élise was still recovering from her episode, and was feeling incredibly faint, but upon realising what had just been said, she lifted her head from her hands and gave Erwyn a look of sadness. “You would kill me?” Her voice was soft, and a bit strained, conveying with it a feeling of betrayal. “Am I beyond redemption?”

"I will do everything in my power to help you, for as long as I possibly can and then longer still; that I promise," Erwyn replied, reaching out and laying a hand gently on the young vampire's shoulder. "But our ultimate goal is to slay a being that quite literally threatens all of existence. If your loss of control threatens to jeopardise that goal, and all other measures any of us can take to pacify you fail, I may have no choice. You must understand that if I am forced to choose between you - between any one person - and the whole world, I will choose the latter."

“I… I understand,” Élise replied sorrowfully as she wiped tears from her eyes.

The Count sighed. "Good." Rising to his feet, he offered a hand to his fellow vampire to help her to her feet. "I meant to ask, before our eastern friend made an appearance... do you have any idea why you were so hungry so soon after you had last fed? Even in the very youngest vampires, I have never observed the Blood Hunger manifest so quickly before."

With the help of the Count, Élise rose from the ground and onto her feet, making her feeling slightly light-headed in the process. She was surprised by the Count’s question, as she had assumed this was something he would already know the answer to. “I am unsure,” she responded after pondering the question for a short while. “I was under the impression that all vampires must feed this regularly, but thinking back to yesterday, I do recall you mentioning that you were not turned by Lilith herself. I was. Perhaps this is why I find it so much more difficult to resist such urges?”

"Perhaps," murmured Erwyn, deep in thought. "It would make sense, certainly - as far as I am aware, direct conversion by Lilith is an incredibly rare phenomenon, but the magic of a goddess would in theory be able to more efficiently strip the mortal essence from one's body and replace it, thus creating a biologically purer vampire than the standard conversion-via-bite ever could. And that purer vampire would logically require more blood to sustain." He shook his head. "A blessing and a curse, then. You may have divine favour, but I only need to feed once a week. Good thing I brought plenty of blood along."

“Will that be enough?” Élise responded worriedly. “Your supplies are limited, and there is no way you could have predicted that you would encounter another vampire on your quest, let alone a pureblood like me. What happens when your supply is exhausted? Is this when I must die?”

"I'll find a solution, don't worry." The Count paused, thinking. "When we reach the next town, I shall send a rider to Graafenschloss Veresegyházhof, under instruction to collect as much blood as his horse can carry from the castle cellars - more, if possible - and rendezvous with the party at a later date. The journey may take a while, but I think my existing supplies will last that long."

The Count’s words did not seem to reassure Élise. “And what if they don’t last that long?”

Erwyn's mouth twisted into a wry smile. "Well, while we can hardly have you running around preying on the innocent... not everyone is innocent, are they?" The Count chuckled, and shook his head. "Anyway, I must excuse myself for a while. Letters to write, and other such dull duties. Goodbye for now." He began to walk off in the direction of his carriage, stopping and turning back to the younger vampire after a second. "Oh, and Élise? Be careful what you say to that lot. They're already suspicious, and I can't guarantee they have no plans of treachery."

As Erwyn left, Herbert and Rhiara approached the young vampiress with the intention of discussing her problem. The monster hunter had kept Rhiara occupied to discuss whether the Narbosi woman could be trusted. With their conversation concluded, Rhiara almost ran to Élise’s side, a look of concern on her face in stark contrast to Herbert, who looked as collected as ever, though there were clear signs of interest in his expression. “Hey, Élise?” Rhiara began, sounding as soft as ever. “Are you okay? I, ah, wanted to come sooner, but Herbert kept me.”

“I’m fine,” Élise responded, looking almost embarrassed about what had happened, “I hope I didn’t scare you.” She was gladdened to see that Rhiara cared enough about her to be concerned, but was also worried considering that it was Rhiara who had inadvertently triggered her hunger in the first place. Herbert’s presence was causing her some concern, however. She had felt uneasy around the monster hunter before, but with her having just lost control, this feeling was somewhat amplified.

"Glad to hear that you're feeling alright." Said the monster hunter as he studied Élise thoughtfully. It was certainly intriguing that she had felt the hunger again so quickly. Herbert had heard tales of vampires directly transformed by the Dark Lady, but he had never come across one before. "With any luck, Erwyn's supplies will last, but if not, I may have a back-up plan. Would you mind terribly if I took a blood sample from you?"

The monster hunter’s request further amplified her sense of unease, and this reflected in her nervous body language. “What?” she replied in shock, “You want my blood?” This caused Élise no end of distress. She knew that he had promised to help her, but she also knew her blood was powerful. Being as knowledgeable about blood magic as she was, she knew that he would be able to use her blood to enhance his own abilities, and more disturbingly, track her down or potentially even control her magically. “Why do you want my blood?”

Herbert gestured for the frantic vampiress to calm down. "Three reasons. First of all, if I have it to study, I may be able to find a way for some of my reserves of magical creature blood to provide you with nourishment. Second, I may find a way to help you with self-control. Lastly, I've never come across a pureblood before and I'm curious as to what properties your blood has."

Bearing what Erwyn had said to her earlier in mind, Herbert’s words offered her no comfort. “Forgive me, Herbert, but why should a monster trust a monster hunter with her blood? I know you promised that you would help me, but if I were to give you some of my blood for study, would I not just be assisting you in your efforts to hunt and kill people like me? Surely there has to be another way?”

"On the contrary," replied Herbert, "you would assist my efforts to hunt and kill beings unlike you. Those who slaughter the innocent without remorse and have no intention of changing. Your kind has a choice as to whether or not to be monsters. You wish to control yourself and therefore have chosen not to. Surely a person can trust a monster hunter with her blood for the purpose of saving lives. Or are you more comfortable with creatures you see as similar to yourself being permitted to murder as they please?"

Rhiara simply listened to the conversation between the vampire and the monster hunter play out, fearing that she’d get in the way. However, she knew she had to say something once they had reached an impasse. “Herbert, m-maybe we should leave her blood alone. She’s not going to trust us if we force her to do things she doesn’t want to do.” She turned to Élise, who seemed grateful for her speaking up.

“Thank you, Rhiara.” Élise responded in an appreciative voice, before turning back to the monster hunter and returning to a more sour tone. “Now I’m sorry, Herbert, but I am not going to be allowing you to take any of my blood. I know you mean well, but this is something that I am absolutely not comfortable with. Blood magic is not something I am unfamiliar with, and so I know what my blood could be used for. This is not a risk that I am willing to take, even if you are being honest with me.”

An expression of faint disappointment crossed the monster hunter's face and he a gave a curt nod. "Very well. I understand your reasoning and wish you luck in controlling your hunger." He turned to Rhiara and continued. "You are probably right. I will leave the matter be."

To Meddle in the Affairs of Dragons

Sorry I’ve been away guys. I guess I missed a lot?

@DracheKing

Only some.

To Meddle in the Affairs of Dragons

<Snipped quote by PrinceOfHeaven>

Solanius had n o t h i n g to do with it
obviously this is the work of a frisky bonfire

@Luftwaffles

Clearly it was a Trickster who's a part-time Lord of Fate.

Anywho, I'll probably make us a Discord server as a back-up.