Neianna86

Ashen Skies

I see my characters reacting. I can hear them in my head. It's like I'm playing a movie in my head and try to put it as eloquently as I can to paper, though I am no Tolkien or Stephen King.
I don't focus on mistakes I just write it all out.
After that I go over it slowly trying to pick up potential weird sentences or errors I have made (though Word doesn't pick up on everything) I like setting a sort of background scene in my mind.
Like the first scene we flit through a dream, whilst the second is more firmly set within the world and even then I afterwards go...should have described it more...(laughs I am never satisfied...Tolkien spoiled me).

Also seen far too many movies and good series and go...hmm...something like that.
Series like Rome, Les Miserables, Bleak House, Spartacus and The Borgias that go....yes f*ck your character how can we go from 'Miserable' to 'Never expect happiness ever again'. Or how should that conversation have gone down...and then I hear them, I see the figures move and the scene starts playing on itself. Granted sometimes it is stuck...or I pause it, to catch up. But soon enough it will continue playing.

Also I love those movies where less is more. Skeleton Key or the Bye, Bye man for example. The implication and hints are enough, the slow build up of the Funnel and how eventually you see it for what it is.

My main concern is always would my character do that? And how can I create a proper likeable character or terrible villain and to set them apart enough.
I mean a scolding from a morally grey character shouldn't be the same as that bone gnawing feeling of a villain, stripping one from one's very courage.

And if you really want my list of all time favourite scenes: warning potential spoilers ahead***

Babylon 5 (series):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCj-Rnd5SsA
Proper storytelling with a flair of truth from real life:
The British created a civil-service job in 1803 calling for a man to stand on the Cliffs of Dover with a spyglass. He was supposed to ring a bell if he saw Napoleon coming. The job was abolished in 1945."
The whole series is great and still untarnished by the current Hollywood standards.

The Count of Monte Cristo:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DqstQsqaOw
The rest you must find out for yourself to watch the movie if you haven't one of my eternal favourites.

Rome (series):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuU_YSlDPPA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8vwmdLFWmE
Brilliant conversations, again offering a background surrounding with a meaning: Gladiatorpit & a dark room one on one playing a strategy game. Similar in the fact that they both discuss strategies and politics, yet show the personalities so clearly.

And one of my favourite pieces from ASOIAF:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65MQRZKP4YY
A godfatherly promise...

Of course there are so much more, certain interactions that inspire me or well written music that just gets my juices going.
Which includes a good deal of metal I must admit hahaha...

But I shall try to describe Avelore more as we sail in. Which I'll put in the OOC for you to check and potentially pick and choose from.

Ashen Skies

Gerhardt had risen earlier, it had been an arduous journey up until this point, but praise the heavens they had succeeded to escape Belisio.
It had been something that he had been dreading for months.
Vaim and their eternal hunger for conquest. For resources. For revenge.
Eager to prove to the world that they had not been defeated, but merely had been stalled.
That it had only been a matter of time.
And what better way to prove this, then to cut down the very Kingdom that had been there at the beginning. The one instrumental in forging the alliance, in rallying the smaller nations to their cause and halt the most terrifying Empire that had been.
Gerhardt sighed as he leaned over the railing of the vessel they were currently sailing on. There wasn’t much too see today. Dark grey clouds rolled past, setting the mood quite nicely.
He had failed them.
Despite his network he had failed in warning the King and Queen in time. Oh he was sure his old friend had attempted to buy them enough time, but in the end it all had been for naught.
Had it not been for sheer dumb luck Vaim would have successfully exterminated the Belisian royal line and half of the court.
Praise the heavens the boy had been out. Praise the heavens he had found him amidst the chaos of the sacking.
His bandaged hand moved up to pinch the bridge of his nose, before his thoughts drifted back to that day. It had all gone by in a blur, one moment he still had everything and the next all of it had been blown to pieces. Scattered in the wind.
Like Ashes.

He heard one of the crew call out to his fellows, making Gerhardt raise himself from his dark memories and raise his eyes upon the horizon.
As the dark clouds parted and lifted, clearing their view, a new place had become visible.
Its thin towers rising towards the heavens and it deepened Gerhardt’s frown.
It had not been his first choice.
Hell it was safe to say he had preferred any other nation above the one before him. But fate it seemed likes to play cruel games.
He hadn’t been given much of a choice though.
The Lightning Runner had been in for some minor repairs and some simple cargo delivering nothing too special. Still, it had been a blessing to sail away from a besieged country.
Now they had reached the other side.
A land with different rules and different people.
Leongarde.
As a cry of relief went through the crew Gerhardt had felt only trepidation.
Leongarde was a nation ruled by Faith.
Here Priests and Magistrates swung the sceptre and their knights kept the order. The priests were practically considered nobility and indeed most of them were of noble blood.
Knowledge was kept by the powerful, after all you don’t teach peasants to read, they could get all sorts of wild notions of equality and rebellion.
No too much knowledge was a sin.
Better to keep them poor and stupid.
They were far easier to rule that way.
The compliant were praised and the ‘problems’ were ‘dealt with’.
It almost made Gerhardt smile wryly if the punishments had not been so severe.
How this place managed to keep itself together was beyond him, stepping a toe out of line could earn you a proper public lashing say nothing of the poor souls that were gifted with magic.
He shook his head in disapproval and dismay knowing the horrors far too well.
Still for now it would be their new home.
Heavens have mercy on them. He tore himself away from the bough and made his way down below. It was time to wake up his charge and set a few new ground rules.
They had to be careful, despite Leongarde’s hatred for Vaim, they had little love for them either. Hence why it was better to be careful, especially in the beginning. They needed to remain invisible for as long as they could before they had the approval of the priests.
Getting a Seal of admittance was no easy feat, not even for a refugee crown prince.
As Gerhardt made his way to their cabin he was about to knock when the door opened on its own.
“Good you’re awake.” He spoke pushing the young man back inside. “We’re approaching Leongarde’s port city and before you go topside it is best if we lay down some ground rules regarding our behaviour and our new identities.” He said noticing the young man’s paleness.
“The dream again?” He asked as he walked over to the small table they had in their cabin. Upon it stood a bottle filled with a powerful herbal concoction. The kind that scorched your throat and murdered one’s liver. He poured two fingers for the both of them before handing one of the pewter cups to the young prince, whilst swirling his own.
“You’ll need this. It’ll soothe your nerves and it might inundate you to the sights and smells you could be confronted with.” He warned him as he handed him the cup.
“Here some Brenwyn. Don’t expect your father’s Dulce Reina, most commoners would have to work a year to be able to afford a bottle of that stuff. Most people don’t live so lavishly as you’ll see. Neither will we…”
“Remember, your easy days in the palace are over. You’ve been shielded, kept away from some of the true horrors of life. Atrocities that other people have to face every day. Don’t be surprised if you see harlots and whores doing ‘streetwork’ or watch ‘a scolding’ and no I don’t mean they’re exchanging just words with that.
Your father’s kingdom was a paradise in comparison with what the people experience and suffer here. Desperation and poverty does that to people. Though the wealthy and just wealthy enough pretend to not associate with the lower layers of society, they frequent those corners far more often than they like to admit.
They might claim to be the most devout, but for all their piety they are far from holy. I know this isn’t the place we both wanted to go, but for now we have no other choice.
You’ll also no longer be introduced as the crown-prince.
We might explore our options there once we’ve attained a Seal and when we have acquired some allies. Still best not to shout ‘here we are’ to the rest of the world.” Gerhardt explained to him before he raised his cup once more and downed the contents in one go.
He winced, hissed and slowly released a pressured breath, staring at the bottom of his cup before resuming the same fatherly tone once more.
“You’ll be my nephew from this point on. If anyone asks what we do we’re hirelings, sellswords. We’re our own masters and attempting the climb into the ranks of the Faithful Guard. Make up a new name for yourself for now. Something simple, nothing to fanciful.” Another heavy breath followed as his eyes narrowed seriously, staring at the young prince.
“And lastly; Don’t fall in love. It has ruined better men than you.” He ended. “Now, pack your things and if you’re ready, let’s go topside and watch them dock.

Entering Elysium

Entering Elysium: Setting/Creatures and Rules.

World:
The world of Elysium is quite large, similar to our earth it had several continents and different peoples, but mostly it is a place filled with fantasy, magic and wonder. However, there is also great danger. Great Dragons can terrorize a place and hags and crowhexe are feared for their devious scheming.
Our story however will start in TenTen, in the Heavenly Gardens from where the Taiho’s peer into the world below, beyond the Skysea and the Veil of Stars.
There they gaze upon the peoples of Elysium and twice a year during the equinoxes they descend down in an attempt to find their ruler should they not yet have sworn fealty to one yet.
For a kingdom without a ruler will suffer and fall prey to plague and vermin.
Both Taiho and Ruler are necessary for the stability within a kingdom and should heaven forbid the Ruler displease the heavens the Taiho will be struck by illness, till at last he or she dies. As a result the balance will be lost and thus the Ruler too will perish. Should the Ruler be killed or die unjustly, the heavens then will appoint a new Ruler and thus the cycle will continue.

Kingdoms:
As stated there are a great many kingdoms within the world of Elysium, but for now our focus will lie on Asterius which is flanked Gaius and Taitus. Those three kingdoms set in the South Eastern part of the world will become our first focus.

Races: There are many races and creatures, but we will encounter predominantly;

- Humans
- Kirin
- Youkai/Monsters/Beasts
- Hanjyuu
- Farwalkers
- Hyutei/Djinn
- Sages and other Heavenly Beings

Different creatures: Whilst you will discover these along your journeys I shall introduce you to a couple to start you off with.

Kirin

Crowhexe

Morbrand

Geisthun


Power structures:
The Heavens watch the world, they maintain the balance through the Kirin who are the representation of heaven and they have to choose noble and good rulers who will rule the land. If the heavens are displeased the Kirin will be punished with a deadly sickness and if the ruler does not change his or her ways the Kirin will die, with the ruler dying about max. only a year later.

- The ruler has his or her own court with noblemen who often get appointed to certain ministries or positions of power.
They help command the army, regulate the economy and collect and invest the taxes.

- The merchant follow after that, they often are people of some means owning a shop or practice from which they can garner an income.

- Farmer, similar to the merchant only they often lease or rent the land they live and work on. Thus having to give up part of their income to taxes & rent.

- Then there are the wandering playing troops, a mix of the gypsies and circus, often performing theatre plays and though one of the lowest of the groups they still hold some level of respect as they are regarded with joy, bringing relief and entertainment in the otherwise mundane harsh lives of the people.

- The unwanted; several groups are regarded to this amongst those are the Farwalkers, those that end up in Elysium and bring great ravaging storms with them, or do the storms bring the Farwalkers…regardless they are considered demon spawn and regarded with hatred.
The same goes for traitors and criminals, seldom do they have the respect of the populace.
The Hanjyuu or half beasts are simply regarded as unlucky, are considered 2nd class citizens and aren’t allowed to have a proper job.

Rules regarding magic:
Magic in this world will be split into two categories:
Those of the Heavens
&
Those of the Earth

Meaning those of the heavens will form contracts with creatures to fight for them, their magic is meant to bring life even in Death. Meaning they cannot kill, but are free to create.
*Ultimately when a for example a Taiho dies the contracts are regarded as fulfilled and the creatures contracted have the right to feast on the Taiho's soul/power and remains.

Side not: They don't control the elements as these are deities of a different variety and rarely allow themselves to be tamed.

Those of the Earth are creatures who perform magic through pacts as well but have to sacrifice something in order to gain certain magics. Few people are willing to peddle in these kinds of magic and it is generally the evil inclined ones that use it, Hags are familiar with it, Dragons as well, though there are naturally exceptions to the rule.

Rules regarding swords and weapons:
As you see we can up your combat skills by the use of a Hinman, who'll take over your body and control your movements provided it can see through your eyes. You'll be able to hear it in your ear as if the being stood next to you and generally listens to the one it has a contract with (The Taiho, but I'll be extending that part).
So using a Hinman is basically pulling a cheatcode, but there's still the drawback of your own body (your own exhaustion and physical limits) so it depends on whether you'd want one or not.
Most of the weapons will be of medieval make. Dependant on the development of the country itself.

Entering Elysium

The map will come here...

Ashen Skies

Name: Gerhardt Zygg
Age: 45
Sex: Male
Appearance:

My Hider

Gerhardt is slightly smaller than the average sized man. His darkblond hair show streaks of white and grey and the same goes for his beard. His heterochromiatic eyes penetrate and lock onto the others gaze, whilst the first wrinkles of age and worry are etched into his clear and his broken nose show a certain rough life as he is nearing the halfway point of his life.
He tends to dress to blend in, preferring greys and browns and leather boots.

Personality: Gerhardt Zygg is attentative, easy going in nature and naturally charming. But past the façade he is a calculated man, focussed on his goals and determined to see them through, to whatever end.

Occupation: Former Spymaster

Backstory: Gerhardt is the secretive spymaster from Belisio. Once a good friend to Uilles he served the Kingdom of Belisio faithfully, keeping tabs on the different factions that could threaten their little haven. Sadly, despite his wisdom and foresight he could not stop Vaim from invading and ultimately conquering the capital.
With the destruction of the Royal Palace causing the deaths of many a noble as well as the lives of the King and Queen Gerhardt manages to whisk the young prince away before they too become casualties of the invasion. Now he has become the guardian of the Prince in Exile, retreating to the harsh Priestdom of Leongarde. There Gerhardt hopes he will be able to get the prince the help he needs in order to remain safe and potentially find a way to aide their country.

Powers: Gerhardt Zygg is a man of many means, he is an old combat fellow of Uilles and a master manipulator of Ki. Less is more, he would say. To understand Ki you need to understand your own limitations, which is why he is a rather adept lockpicker and has a preference for weapons rather than to simple rely on his ki to get him out of trouble.

Ashen Skies

Whilst it was meant as a RPG for TheMerlin and myself, should anyone want to participate please pm me or theMerlin for backstory/approval.

Ashen Skies

https://youtu.be/efnJdmdsJEs

Ashen Skies.

Picking up from the events of Jewel of the Skies, but the story follows the Belisian prince-in-exile as he flees the destruction of his kingdom. His father is dead - buried beneath the rubble of Olysium - and the Hearthguard has failed, but a certain spymaster managed to survive and spirit away the rest of the royal family to seek what refuge they can in the wildernesses of the sky. The prince however desires revenge above all else and will fight tooth and nail to reclaim his rightful throne, forging alliances, gathering resources and building an army while dodging death at the hands of assassins, mercenaries, pirates and traitors. The exiled prince walks a dark and dangerous path and the spymaster will have his hands full trying to keep him alive throughout this quest of vengeance.
During his flight he ends up in the Priestdom of Leongarde.

The law of the land is strict here and life harsh when one does not obey the holy tenents or if one happens to be a mage. It is a mixed bag, as there could be potential allies there and considerable forces, were it not that they only move on the commands of the High Priest.
With Belisio's capital lost to Vaim and the whispers in the streets uttering of dissatisfaction with the current rule, it seems the refugees have landed in a literal minefield with ticking bombs.
Will they survive and find aid?

Ashen Skies

Character sheet.

Name: Sorsha
Alias: Semantine
Age: 21
Gender: Female

Appearance:

My Hider

Personality: Charming when she wants to be, in general though she is quite distrustful, she holds many layers to her personality and in particular her true self.
She holds herself back, she’s stubborn and quite vengeful.
She is quite fearful as well, though often driven by her own desires and emotions.

Country: Leongarde
Magic/Ki: She uses water/air magic.

Backstory:
From the day she was born her mother eager for a beautiful child bathed her in all sorts of concoctions. She would become a great beauty and gain an advantageous marriage, enhancing the status of their family.
To her mother’s great regret Sorsha showed an aptitude for magic at the very early age of 4. She made the water from the washbowl rise up and splash back with great glee.
Her mother told her husband and he suggested sending her away. The farmers would be able to use a water mage like her. So they sought help, to ferry their daughter away.
What followed was nothing short of a horror scenario.
The man that promised to pick up the girl did so, but handed her straight over to slavers, who would ferry the girl away to Vaim, where they would pay a decent penny for a mage.
So she was taken to Leongarde’s biggest harbour Avelore.
There the slavers were apprehended by the Magister of Avelore and the cargo was released.
Wandering the streets as a starved little scarecrow she begged for help where she could only to be put in the poorhouse, where she had to work in order to be fed and to sleep in a bed.
Demeaning, hard labour, working her fingers to the bone and starving half to death.
It was when she was locked outside one night as punishment, that finally after 6 long years some reprieve finally came.
And it came in the form of a fellow mage. He took her in and raised her along with his own daughter and for a while Sorsha was the happiest she had ever been.
But good things never last…
Now ‘Semantine’ works in the pleasure district as one of the highly desired Courtesans, her life existing out of the façade of pleasure and of surviving. She is quickly climbing her way up the social ladder and takes a good deal of pride in the fact she can sway the opinions of important men so easily.

Here is my character set up, so you know what kind of character I am making.

Ashen Skies

https://youtu.be/efnJdmdsJEs

Ashen Skies.

Picking up from the events of Jewel of the Skies, but the story follows the Belisian prince-in-exile as he flees the destruction of his kingdom. His father is dead - buried beneath the rubble of Olysium - and the Hearthguard has failed, but a certain spymaster managed to survive and spirit away the rest of the royal family to seek what refuge they can in the wildernesses of the sky. The prince however desires revenge above all else and will fight tooth and nail to reclaim his rightful throne, forging alliances, gathering resources and building an army while dodging death at the hands of assassins, mercenaries, pirates and traitors. The exiled prince walks a dark and dangerous path and the spymaster will have his hands full trying to keep him alive throughout this quest of vengeance.
During his flight he ends up in the Priestdom of Leongarde.

The law of the land is strict here and life harsh when one does not obey the holy tenents or if one happens to be a mage. It is a mixed bag, as there could be potential allies there and considerable forces, were it not that they only move on the commands of the High Priest.
With Belisio's capital lost to Vaim and the whispers in the streets uttering of dissatisfaction with the current rule, it seems the refugees have landed in a literal minefield with ticking bombs.
Will they survive and find aid?

Ashen Skies

“Good people of Leongarde. By the just jurisdiction of High Priest Florentius we stand here today to sentence these abominable beings back to the corruption they came from. Magic taints their Soul and thus their connection to the Mother. Was it not said that they by their blasphemous acts tore apart the Weaver’s Tapestry of Splendour and Creation?" The Magistrate allowed the crowds to utter their grievances, to jeer and boo as they had always done before.
"Was it not Magic that Sundered our World and cost the lives of countless innocents? Yet, whilst we the good people of Leongarde set up laws so they may be useful and secure they flaunt our own laws by trying to remain hidden.
To not be checked and guarded.
So far has the corruption of magic twisted their minds that they planned a coup on the High Castle itself!”
Shocks and gasps rose from the crowds as the crowd responded to what happened next. The soldiers set up one the prisoners onto the block of punishment. It was a middle aged man, with poor attire, looking more like a tradesman or farmer than anything dangerous.
Sorsha's heart sank, as she recognised him. Closing her eyes in an attempt to wish it all away.
“As you all know how dangerous these magic users are, the good High Priest has ordained me with the task of punishment and safeguarding the good city of Avelore.”
The cries for justice grew louder, making her head spin and want to scream, but her voice seemed to be smothered, her cruel lips never moving despite her own will.
She felt her world turn into one of nightmarish horrors...the figures she had known so well, contorted, distorted, turning into dark clumps of flesh as the fire consumed them.
So hot...she could barely breathe...
With a gasp she jolted awake, bathed in sweat, feeling their eyes still on her.
Eventhough many years had passed she still had nightmares of the event.
Their souls would haunt her and she couldn't shake the feeling they would torment her forever.
Wiping the sweat off her brow she thrust the blanket off of her, seeing the golden rays of the morning sun peek through the curtains.
Time to get up and get ready.
Her work was waiting for her...