Rethel34

Persona ~ The Beholder

Taking a rather slow pace down the corridor toward what he hoped was an exit, Tryg could only pray that he wouldn't have any more adverse encounters. "Please, let that cat be all I have to deal with," he whispered. But alas, this realm of fog was not to be reasoned with. Ahead of him, a figure formed in the next doorway.

A seemingly familiar voice rang from the silhouette, "Oh, I don't think you'll be quite that lucky." A chill ran down Tryg's spine. The voice was human, as seemed the being that it emanated from. In fact, the physique and hairstyle seemed eerily familiar as well. As closer Tryg drew, curious, the more he felt like he was clearing condensation off of a mirror.

"Wha--? Am I seeing things?" Tryg asked. "Why do you--? How is this--?" He was having trouble finishing any of his thoughts, but the person before him understood just fine.

"Oh, no. No illusions here," the doppelganger answered. "You're smart enough to put the pieces together. Even if you are really just a second--no, third seat musician. Maybe even lower."

"You take that ba--"

"I mean, how can you even play with an instrument in that kind of shape? Oh, yes, I know your fears, Tryg," he chuckled, beginning to pace in a circle around the already wounded trombonist. "You can't surprise me, but I can surprise you . . . "

Tryg raised the saber he had stolen from the cat-thing earlier. "You stay back! Whatever you are, you can't possibly know me!"

Clicking his tongue thrice, the figure responded, "You really haven't figured it out yet, have you? Come now. Put the weapon aside." As the request left his lips, he stepped forward and pushed the blade away. He then grabbed Tryg's other arm, which clutched tightly to Dainsleif, his touch seeming to paralyze Tryg. Prying the instrument from the stunned student, he continued, "An instrument like this is no good to us anyway."

"No . . . " Tryg muttered, unable to move.

"You worship this thing still? It is time to move to bigger, better things." And with one swift movement, Dainsleif's slide was snapped in two over the doppelganger's knee, and Tryg blurted out again, but the other ignored him. "Find something new to place your faith in. It would serve you to let go of such idols. Otherwise, you're no better a musician than that freshie from earlier."

Tryg seethed. "So what, are you a clone of me or something? Think you're better than the original?"

"Ooooh, you're getting warmer, but still not to the first chair."

"You're certainly arrogant enough to pass as me," Tryg deduced, gripping the sword's hilt tighter, the paralysis from moments ago beginning to fade. "But I'm still not completely convinced we're one in the same."

"I'd say you've made it to second chair on that deduction," the shadow taunted, its haunting eyes gleaming. "But for your own sake, you may not want to deny things too quickly." The aura around the figure began to emanate a black miasma. "Or do. I guess I can always take your place if you want."

"What did you say?!"

"Oh, yeah, I could totally replace you here. Hell, you might even be better off for it. Who knows?"

"Okay, I think I'm starting to get it now. You're some twisted version of me, aren't you?"

"Twisted?!" the shadow laughed. "You insult me! No, I AM you. The darkest parts of your mind and heart. Your hidden secrets, come to the light. I'm not a fake you. I'm the real deal, your shadow. Your best, your worst, and all that's in between, but can you accept yourself for who you are?!"

Tryg flinched for a moment. "You know . . . the more I think about it, the more I think you may be right. I've seen some shit today, so I'll play this game. You're definitely plenty of a damned weapon to be me. But I think I saw something that proves it good and well. I didn't realize it at first, but it hurt you to see Dainsleif like that. It hurt you to break it in two. There was pain on your face. I just couldn't sightread through it at the start. The only thing I can't figure out is why you'd do it."

Now it was the shadow's turn to wince. "We have our reasons."

"Explain yourself later. For now, go back to wherever it is you belong, be that in my head, or wherever you came from."

The figure began to dissolve into the fog around it. "I guess I'd better play by the rules, even if I'd make a better first chair. You're not quite ready for me, even if you can admit we're the same. When the time is right, I'll return. But for now, nähdään."

When the double was gone from sight, Tryg knelt down to examine the pieces of his broken instrument. It would be more affordable to buy a new trombone at this point. Shit. Today is just fantastic. He would like to hold onto the pieces as mementos, but it was far from practical to keep carrying them around. Though it pained him, Dainsleif had to be left behind. So he made his way through the doorway his shadow had been guarding without his treasured instrument's remains. And not far on the other side, he found what seemed to be another student sitting on the ground. "Hei! 'Bout time I saw someone a little more normal around here!" He didn't care who it was. Even if it was the obnoxious kid from class earlier (it wasn't, thankfully), anyone "real" would be better than another one of the creeps from around here.

_{Encountering Thomas Robinson @Aurrorian}

Persona ~ The Beholder

Accidental double post. Ignore this.

Persona ~ The Beholder

Tryg managed to rise back up and wipe the bile from his mouth. The world had stopped twisting around him at least, even if it wasn't the restroom at all. The geometry was beyond messed up. The corridor he found himself wasn't the music building, either. Maybe this is all a dream. Just a bad dream, yeah. But, he thought to himself, I don't think I could think this stuff up. The fog in the hallway made it difficult to see too far, but he did notice a window to the outside world. When he went to it, however, he found it was barred. Of course it would be.

He thought he could make out at least one silhouette on the ground below, though there may have been more. So if he found his way out of this building, he might be able to find some people. The only question was . . . which way was out? Best way out of any maze is to put one's left hand to the wall and follow it, right? But would that work from the middle of a maze? Only one way to find out.

So Tryg started walking. He hadn't gotten far when he overheard mangled voices making their way down the hall in his direction. Luckily, he found a door and quickly ducked into the room beyond. He didn't have to see the source of the voices to know that whatever those things were, they couldn't be human. Or if they were, they shouldn't be.

The room was bare, save for a single chair and some kind of device hanging from the ceiling. At first he thought perhaps it was an ordinary noose. But no, at least not exactly. It was still a looped cord, but barbed. Not your run of the mill barbed wire. This looked more like the cables used on suspension bridges--but of course, spiked. Further inspection revealed it to be hooked to a pully above. Extendable. With a switch presumably for reeling it back in. And there were other, smaller loops along the walls. Two on each side to be exact. Perfectly sized to entrap hands and feet. This had to all be a bad dream, right?

When he thought he was in the clear, he opened the door once again, only to find a cat-like figure standing on the other side. Only it wasn't exactly a cat. It looked like something out of a fairy tale or comic book, standing on its hind legs with its violet fur and crimson hat, boots, and (admittedly fashionable) cape. Its slitted green eyes looked simultaneously adorable and thirsty for blood. Then it carried a saber--a scimitar of sorts--its curved blade flaunting both gracefulness and lethality.

Not good. Tryg didn't have anything to defend himself if this thing decided to lunge. For now it seemed to simply watch him. Almost like a cat watching the mouse it plans to catch before pouncing. Debating whether it wants to bat its prey around a bit or go for the kill outright. Tryg had to think of something. He just couldn't move quickly. The last thing he needed was to provoke it early. Trapped in a room of tortures by a creature half his height. This is just how Tryg wanted his day to end.

He took a slow, cautious step backward, and the cat did a shuffle-step closer, never dropping the guard stance it held, its tail now flitting with excitement. "C'mon kitty," Tryg tried to coax. "No need for violence." But the cat just hissed in response. Okay, new plan. Tryg reached for his trombone, and the creature watched its glistening surface in amazement. Good. He had it distracted. He began to play a soft lullaby. Perhaps music would cause it to relax.

And to his amazement, it began to work. Slowly, the cat's eyes began to soften and its lids to droop. Continuing to play, Tryg took a cautious step around the creature. Then another. And anoth--the cat sprung back to life and batted Tryg's instrument aside, and with a jump and swift kick to the chest, Tryg was on the ground. The creature leaped at his face, the blade raised to strike, and Tryg protected himself with the only thing he had: Dainsleif. The cat was easy enough to throw off of him; it wasn't heavy, just nimble. And as he gathered his wits, he realized the damage that his instrument had sustained. The slide was dented in two distinct places from the impacts. Repairs would be in order. But first . . . this cat had to pay.

The strap had been severed as well, so there would be no more slinging Dainsleif over his shoulder. He'd have to carry it. And at this point, it was his only reliable defense. The cat paced around him, closing off all avenues of escape. Fine. He'd go through it. Tryg charged, and the monster lunged, but Tryg was already swinging. Brass met skull and the cat began tumbling, but with agility befitting a feline, Tryg's adversary landed on its feet and lunged again, faster than Tryg could fully avoid. He took a fairly substantial cut to his left shoulder. Not good. And it was already on its way back for another strike. The torture cable was above him and the chair behind him. So, powered by adrenaline, Tryg slid Dainsleif away along the floor and grabbed the chair with his good arm. Surprisingly, it moved. And with one swing, batted the monster toward the ceiling.

Finally, something a little more normal, if not gruesome. The cat began to screech in a manner familiar to Tryg from childhood cartoons. And it dropped its saber as, in its panic, it tangled itself in the cable. Tryg took the saber from the floor, and cautiously walked the cables attached to the walls to the entangled cat. He hooked the cat with them to the best of his ability, and after retrieving Dainsleif, he flipped the switch that triggered the pullies, leaving the screaming creature behind.

STAR WARS: Galactic Fractures: Knights of the Grand Republic

Alright, might add the Prominence's layout later, but otherwise, I believe everything on Yarasi's CS is done. If any Jedi player wants to have some connections in high places, I left her former apprentice as vague as possible. :) First-come, first-served.

STAR WARS: Galactic Fractures Recruitment Thread

Added some extra info on the Consortium for anyone interested in that GM slot, or interested in joining the faction as a follower.

STAR WARS: Galactic Fractures Recruitment Thread

Added some extra info on the Consortium for anyone interested in that GM slot, or interested in joining the faction as a follower.

STAR WARS: Galactic Fractures: Knights of the Grand Republic

Added some info to the Consortium's section above. Will add more later today

STAR WARS: Galactic Fractures Recruitment Thread

UPDATE: Only need the Hapes/Mandalorian GM now; Republic GM is filled.

STAR WARS: Galactic Fractures Recruitment Thread

UPDATE: Only need the Hapes/Mandalorian GM now; Republic GM is filled.

STAR WARS: Galactic Fractures: Knights of the Grand Republic

I believe I have completed the main body post. Now to add what I can to the Jedi portion of Post 0. If I have left anything too vague in the first post, please do not hesitate to let me know. I've been keeping myself rather busy the past couple days and wouldn't be surprised if I left something out.