Riven Wight

A Land of Wonder and Nightmare

Agreed. ^.^

Ha! Glad you enjoyed that. Oh! I meant to mention it in my last OOC post, but it didn’t happen. I like how you described the opening of the backpack, and then there was this:

He hated it when Elayra wielded anything sharp. Which was always.

Also love how tempted Ghent is to use magic.

That’s… just… great! xD xD I could totally see them wearing shirts like that.

I just imagined your Care Bear staring at you in utter terror while you eyed the scissors.

More space is always a good thing! Do you keep a lot of music and other media on it, or mostly games/apps? Or a good mix. I’ll always laugh at their Cheshire’s morbid borderline obsession with Alice and cats tasting good.

Oh, about the armor reference I sent. I forgot Drust still has the gauntlets.

Drust, his katana strapped to his back, stepped back and raised a hand, a tight-fitting gauntlet protecting his arm from fist to the crook of his elbow. Elayra’s sword clanged to a stop against the gauntlet, the metal of the armored glove a dirtied shade of white.

While the full set of armor would be something he would not have hung onto for space reasons, he has a couple pieces of it.

I’ll add the picture reference and some info under his character profile. Because I like background stuff WAY too much. Decided to reread a bit to remind myself of what wounds Elayra still has. Note to self: a nasty bruise on the back, and a sore shoulder. Dang, though. I’m more prone to long-winded sentences than I thought. Imma work on that! I’m also starting to think that trees are Drust’s worst enemies.

A Land of Wonder and Nightmare

Elayra’s back stiffened. She focused on Ghent, doing her best to ignore the phantom wind that had decided to pick up once more. It toyed with a couple free strands of her debris-littered hair. A faint whisper floated to them on it, its words indecipherable. Whatever reprieve Ghent’s magic use had provided, was fading.
Elayra carefully timed standing with Ghent. Though Drust’s looser clothes hid them, there was no mistaking the hard musculature beneath. As she had expected, his deadweight was not as severe between the two of them. At the least, he would be movable. All the same, between the pack and Drust, a pain flared in her shoulder, reminding her of the abuse it had recently received.
She tried to hide a grimace, but failed. Drust dipped slightly. She ground her teeth and readjusted her hold, lessening the burden on her right arm. Alas, Ghent noticed.
Why is it he always notices what he shouldn't? she thought bitterly.
She opened her mouth to snap out, ‘No. Stop wasting daylight,’ but the irritating throb remaining in her shoulder stopped her. She looked aside to the ground with a heavy exhale through her teeth and nose.
“Fine,” she bit grudgingly instead. It sounded as if the word itself was painful to say.
As much as she hated it, he was right. Just the thought created a sour taste in her mouth. She carefully lowered Drust back to the forest floor. Not looking up at him, she stepped to swap places with Ghent. “But be quick about it.”

A Land of Wonder and Nightmare

I hate when that happens. You’re not alone! But still. Your writing’s wonderful. You never fail to challenge me to do my best! And thanks. Neither did I. xD

They’ve always served a purpose: Elayra’s amusement, and to annoy Ghent. But yes. They have another now.

Hmm. Take half of each Bear and stitch them together? But obviously, with huge stitches. Actually, there is such a thing as Scare Bears. But I like our version better.

Same. Sucks you had to get a new phone! It’s never fun transferring everything over. Hope you enjoy the replay as much as the first time! I’d say it’s worth keeping around for another read/play-through sometime down the road.

Because words are finicky (and even fickle at times) like that?

You know, the number of different conversations we have going on in various forms is rather amusing.

A Land of Wonder and Nightmare

Elayra snorted when Ghent asked about a weapon. She watched him impatiently as he struggled to put his backpack in hers. She gripped the bridge of her nose and took a few deep breaths, as she had seen Drust do to try calming himself, to reassure herself the negative voices in her head were wrong.
“It’s not a matter of him remembering.” Her voice came out strained from the effort to keep it even. “He wakes up outside a Safe Zone, and I guarantee it’ll be the Curse in control from the get-go. Not him. No ifs, ands, or buts.” She looked back up at him as he shifted the items around inside his pack to reshape it, wasting precious time. She glanced nervously to Drust, his back slumped once more against the tree, but he remained stationary.
Her gaze fell to Ghent’s shaking hands. To his open, uncontrolled fear. She took another deep breath.
This isn’t his world, she reminded herself, trying to ignore the quiet, He’s going to get us killed, that crept into the back of her mind.
“Hurry up!” she barked, harsher than necessary, her own anxiety ever rising with her doubts.
At long last, Ghent managed to combine the packs. With his inside, it weighed a little under a pound more than it had before.
“No!” she snapped, her lips curling up in anger at Ghent’s last question. “No magic! Not on him. Knights are weak against it, and a stink worm’s better at controlling it than you.”
Her back stiffened and her attention snapped behind her, sure she had heard a rustle, her hand instinctively moving to her sword. But there was nothing there. Nothing your average human could see, at least. All the same, the hair on the back of her neck prickled, sensing eyes on them that her other senses could not find.
“Grab his legs.” She nodded jerkily toward Drust’s legs as she moved his upper body so she could wrap her arms under his armpits. His hooded cowl bunched beneath her grasp, and his head lulled near her shoulder.
She shuddered, hating how lifeless he felt. The reassuring rise and fall of his chest was the only indication he still lived. Fourteen years of fighting against the Sorceress’ men and magic, and it took one day, one attack from an inexperienced boy to knock him down.
She grit her teeth, her grip on him unintentionally tightening. “And keep an eye out for the tichari. Ghost foxes. They’re our only chance at finding a Safe Zone.”

Through the Doors of our hearts - Finished

My apologies for the confusion. I shall be eagerly awaiting your introduction, then!

Also, good idea. :-) Never a bad thing to have a backup plan. Fingers crossed that is not the case, though, and it is just a simple, easily fixed hiccup!

Through the Doors of our hearts - Finished

Ryker Porter

“Everyone has a bit of darkness in them.
It’s only when we feed that darkness that it becomes a problem.
Even a chicken bone thrown to it in curiosity can give it unimaginable strength and life.”

Full Name: Ryker Axel Porter

Nickname: Jaguar. Or Luck, if too lazy for Jaguar. In the past five years, he was really only known by these thanks to Pan and his affinity for nicknames. He gained them because of the black jaguar skin he wore during the cold months, and that he always seemed to have and bring a great amount of luck bordering on supernatural. He is still not used to being called or calling himself Ryker again.

Birthday: February 29th, 2000

Gender: Male

Age: According to Earth, almost 18. According to Neverland, around twenty. Physically, 15. Mentally, you would not guess he aged a day. One does not age in Neverland, the time there is a bit wonky compared to Earth’s, and he never had any reason to even remotely “grow up.”

Parental Involvement: Obsessively active. When he first went missing, his face was plastered everywhere, and now that he is back, they are willing to do whatever is necessary to get him to return to “normal” so he can live a “happy, normal life” free of Neverland “delusions.”

Appearance: Ryker has a strong face, with a slightly pointed chin, and an even pointer nose. Over the past few years, his ears have even gained a slight point to them because of his exposure to fairy magic, making him look elfish, which is one of many things that got filed away under something that must have been caused by his abductors. He is rather tan from spending hours in the sun, and his eyes are a pale green, which deepen as far as black as his mood and emotions darkens. His black hair is always messy, but mostly because he refuses to brush it, and he has not cut it in a long while. The last time he did cut it, it came out horribly uneven; daggers are not the easiest things to cut hair with, especially without a mirror. Though once plain black, it now has a faint pearlescent sheen that shines in the right light from spending too much time around fairy dust. He also has various scars from innumerous misadventures. Clothes-wise, whenever it is not too cold, he favors a simple pair of shorts and going shirtless. Back on Earth, he’s substituted his jaguar pelt for a black hoodie two sizes too large that he wears whenever going shirtless is not permitted or is otherwise inappropriate.

Item: A pendant. A prism crystal, its outside glitters in a rainbow hue of colors, giving it the appearance of the clearest diamond to grace Earth. But in its hollow innards, glowing emerald sand swirls around, twisting and curling to its own rhythm. The rare green fairy dust, it is the only thing right now keeping the Darkness in him at bay. Were it to break or be removed for long, one of two things would happen: either he would grow deathly ill as his body was forced to fight the Darkness on its own, ultimately leading to falling comatose, or, more likely than not, he would go slowly insane until the Darkness consumed him, body, mind, and soul. With the rules different in Earth than Neverland, what the latter would mean for him on Earth is anyone’s guess.

Compass: Nonsense 1, Wicked 1.

Personality: Ryker is an adventurous soul who has always sought after nearly anything that brought a sense of freedom. Before finding his “door,” he was mostly capable of hiding behind a content façade. He has never felt quite right in society, always hated the thought of growing up, of being stuck behind a desk, of conformity. Now, his is openly reckless, willing to push his luck to the limit, and try just about anything. After spending so long with few—if any—rules, he has a major disregard for them, and strives to break them. He longs to be capable of flying again—an ability that left him once forced from Neverland—and be his own master. Because of the Darkness lurking inside him, he is also prone to anger and hatred, often in quick, yet fierce bouts, being vindictive, and even occasionally cruelly playful. Despite his mistakes, he is willing to do whatever it takes to be capable of returning to Neverland, and to regain the freedom he felt there.

A Kinda-Not-Really Short History: Adopted as an infant, Ryker grew up with overprotective parents. They were nice enough, sure, but they did everything in their power to make sure that nothing bad ever happened to him. Which, really, meant practically nothing ever happened to him. They were always there, whether he wanted them or not, preventing him from doing anything ever really fun. They were obsessed with seeing him succeed academically, not caring what he wanted for himself, his protests always brushed off.
He often wondered which would be worse: them, or parents who did not give a crap.
He tended to play the good little boy for them, but, as he grew older, he began sneaking out. He had to get away from them. Every cell in his being longed for adventure. He wanted to run free, to do as he pleased and not be bound by the rules of society—or, rather, his parents.
When he was fifteen, he made a life-changing decision: he was going to go and make his own adventure, whether his parents liked it or not. Break some bones and get some scars. Make his own darned decisions for once.
So, he filled his backpack with what he thought he would need, and snuck out when he was sure his parents were asleep, leaving any intention to return far behind. Everything seemed to line up perfectly: his backpack was just the right size, the weather was fair, his parents fell asleep early, and there was even a blackout, allowing him to go unseen through his neighborhood.
That night while nearing the edge of the city, he stopped to rest and encountered a few fairies (that’s right. Not Peter Pan. Fairies). Instead of flying to the “second star to the right, and straight on ‘till morning,” he tumbled through a portal they made hidden behind a dumpster. Because apparently, he was supposed to be “the one” to save Neverland from the Darkness brewing beneath it.
With over a hundred years since the first documentation of Neverland passing, the world—Never-Never, as most of its denizens call it—was not quite what it once was. Captain Hook? Consumed by the powers of the Darkness, and wreaking havoc as ever with his shadowy crew on a frightening level. The Indians? Divided, some cannibals, others docile. The Lost Boys? Pretty much the mischievous boys one would expect. The fairies? Widespread and probably the lightest, most good-natured creatures in Never-Never.
Ryker quickly befriended the famous Peter Pan, becoming the ageless boy’s right-hand man. For nearly five years, the two got into and out of trouble. They laughed, they fought monsters and pirates, taunted Indians and other people who had found a home in Never-Never, and frequented the fairies’ domain. In Never-Never, he even discovered he could both fly and, so long as his fairy companion, Fairfara, was not too far behind, even had some simple magic abilities.
For the first time in his life, he felt truly and wondrously free. Pan and the Lost Boys became his brothers, and the only family he needed. They watched out for each other, sure, but there was no one breathing down his neck, expecting things from him that he had no desire to give. Though the reason for his coming there lurked at the back of his mind, occasionally reminding him of his purpose, he never saw a reason to rush it. Even Pan did not seem very worried about the Darkness. Though, nothing seemed to worry Pan, so that is not saying much.
To try to keep a rather long story short, for five glorious years, he was home. But then, through a course of events, Pan decided he wanted to see for himself what was so bad about the Darkness. It did not take much to convince Ryker to join him and satisfy both their curiosity. In the end, it led him to make the worst decision of his life yet.
Ultimately, a seed of Darkness planted and grew in Ryker, eating him from the inside out. In an attempt to save his life, Fairfara and a few other fairies did the only thing they could: they gave him a talisman with some of the most powerful fairy dust to help keep the Darkness subdued, and forced him back to Earth, hoping the Darkness could not survive long outside of Never-Never. Though, “not long” is a relatively loose term to immortal creatures.
To his horror, Ryker found himself stumbling around the same alleyway he had disappeared through so many years past, with no idea what had become of his brother, Pan. He was quickly picked up by the police—panther pelt and all—and returned to his parents. With three years passing on Earth, they were overjoyed to have him back after so long.
Ryker barely lasted the first week back. His parents refused to let him out of their sight, no matter how he lashed out at them. His answers to where he had been where not taken well, and appointments were made immediately for him to see a psychologist. After all, it just wasn’t right. Whatever ordeal he had been through, it had scrambled his brain worse than the couple had feared. People in their right mind did not think they went to Neverland, or act as he did now. Though he had never been exactly quiet, scarcely a day went by without a shouting match. Or twelve.
He only just managed to convince his parents to leave him alone long enough to use the bathroom and sleep. Each night, he slipped away, desperately searching for some way to return to Never-Never, to prove that he could keep the Darkness he felt inside himself in check, and defeat it as the fairies had hoped. If he did not find a way back to his true home, he was certain he would either go insane, or die.
When his parents discovered he had been sneaking out, they tightened their security. He was being suffocated from inside his own home. Being inside was bad enough. Being indoors with them was even worse.
Three weeks (and four unsuccessful therapy sessions) later, his parents found out about a school that specialized in odd cases like his. Though he retaliated, he was ultimately forced to concede.
Packing just enough to satisfy his parents, they headed on a long car ride that felt like it took an eternity. Though, he hoped he would not have to be there long, and either he would find Never-Never again, or it would find him. After all, if he still had as good of luck as he did in Never-Never, then there was every possibility he would find another way back to his home.
But only time will tell if his luck has, at long last, run out.

Through the Doors of our hearts - Finished

@Kirah: ^.^ Yay! I'll move 'em over to the Character tab, then. If the Guild lets me.

Would it be okay if I start out with him at his first day there? Maybe... waiting while his parents have a "private word" with the headmistress or someone else of a high position at the school? Since I have them as obsessively involved. Oh, and would he (or any others just coming in, really) have any idea right off that Eleanor West is more than what it advertised? I assume not, but just assuming is not exactly a wise thing, in my expedrience. ;-)

@kittyluna45: "It was like a rainbow, exploding on a person." That sentence made me happier than it probably should have. Just thought I'd let you know. xD

Of Science and Magic

Yeah, the site's been acting stupid for pretty much everyone, from what I can tell. Hopefully that gets taken care of soon!

Of Science and Magic

Just wanted to say hello and make sure you're still alive out there somewhere, in some sense of the word!

Through the Doors of our hearts - Finished

A character for your approval, oh great GM! Let me know if I need to change stuff. Or if it's a bit much.

Thought you could use another male character.

Ryker Porter

“Everyone has a bit of darkness in them.
It’s only when we feed that darkness that it becomes a problem.
Even a chicken bone thrown to it in curiosity can give it unimaginable strength and life.”

Full Name: Ryker Axel Porter

Nickname: Jaguar. Or Luck, if too lazy for Jaguar. In the past five years, he was really only known by these thanks to Pan and his affinity for nicknames. He gained them because of the black jaguar skin he wore during the cold months, and that he always seemed to have and bring a great amount of luck bordering on supernatural. He is still not used to being called or calling himself Ryker again.

Birthday: February 29th, 2000

Gender: Male

Age: According to Earth, almost 18. According to Neverland, around twenty. Physically, 15. Mentally, you would not guess he aged a day. One does not age in Neverland, the time there is a bit wonky compared to Earth’s, and he never had any reason to even remotely “grow up.”

Parental Involvement: Obsessively active. When he first went missing, his face was plastered everywhere, and now that he is back, they are willing to do whatever is necessary to get him to return to “normal” so he can live a “happy, normal life” free of Neverland “delusions.”

Appearance: Ryker has a strong face, with a slightly pointed chin, and an even pointer nose. Over the past few years, his ears have even gained a slight point to them because of his exposure to fairy magic, making him look elfish, which is one of many things that got filed away under something that must have been caused by his abductors. He is rather tan from spending hours in the sun, and his eyes are a pale green, which deepen as far as black as his mood and emotions darkens. His black hair is always messy, but mostly because he refuses to brush it, and he has not cut it in a long while. The last time he did cut it, it came out horribly uneven; daggers are not the easiest things to cut hair with, especially without a mirror. Though once plain black, it now has a faint pearlescent sheen that shines in the right light from spending too much time around fairy dust. He also has various scars from innumerous misadventures. Clothes-wise, whenever it is not too cold, he favors a simple pair of shorts and going shirtless. Back on Earth, he’s substituted his jaguar pelt for a black hoodie two sizes too large that he wears whenever going shirtless is not permitted or is otherwise inappropriate.

Item: A pendant. A prism crystal, its outside glitters in a rainbow hue of colors, giving it the appearance of the clearest diamond to grace Earth. But in its hollow innards, glowing emerald sand swirls around, twisting and curling to its own rhythm. The rare green fairy dust, it is the only thing right now keeping the Darkness in him at bay. Were it to break or be removed for long, one of two things would happen: either he would grow deathly ill as his body was forced to fight the Darkness on its own, ultimately leading to falling comatose, or, more likely than not, he would go slowly insane until the Darkness consumed him, body, mind, and soul. With the rules different in Earth than Neverland, what the latter would mean for him on Earth is anyone’s guess.

Compass: Nonsense 1, Wicked 1.

Personality: Ryker is an adventurous soul who has always sought after nearly anything that brought a sense of freedom. Before finding his “door,” he was mostly capable of hiding behind a content façade. He has never felt quite right in society, always hated the thought of growing up, of being stuck behind a desk, of conformity. Now, his is openly reckless, willing to push his luck to the limit, and try just about anything. After spending so long with few—if any—rules, he has a major disregard for them, and strives to break them. He longs to be capable of flying again—an ability that left him once forced from Neverland—and be his own master. Because of the Darkness lurking inside him, he is also prone to anger and hatred, often in quick, yet fierce bouts, being vindictive, and even occasionally cruelly playful. Despite his mistakes, he is willing to do whatever it takes to be capable of returning to Neverland, and to regain the freedom he felt there.

A Kinda-Not-Really Short History: Adopted as an infant, Ryker grew up with overprotective parents. They were nice enough, sure, but they did everything in their power to make sure that nothing bad ever happened to him. Which, really, meant practically nothing ever happened to him. They were always there, whether he wanted them or not, preventing him from doing anything ever really fun. They were obsessed with seeing him succeed academically, not caring what he wanted for himself, his protests always brushed off.
He often wondered which would be worse: them, or parents who did not give a crap.
He tended to play the good little boy for them, but, as he grew older, he began sneaking out. He had to get away from them. Every cell in his being longed for adventure. He wanted to run free, to do as he pleased and not be bound by the rules of society—or, rather, his parents.
When he was fifteen, he made a life-changing decision: he was going to go and make his own adventure, whether his parents liked it or not. Break some bones and get some scars. Make his own darned decisions for once.
So, he filled his backpack with what he thought he would need, and snuck out when he was sure his parents were asleep, leaving any intention to return far behind. Everything seemed to line up perfectly: his backpack was just the right size, the weather was fair, his parents fell asleep early, and there was even a blackout, allowing him to go unseen through his neighborhood.
That night while nearing the edge of the city, he stopped to rest and encountered a few fairies (that’s right. Not Peter Pan. Fairies). Instead of flying to the “second star to the right, and straight on ‘till morning,” he tumbled through a portal they made hidden behind a dumpster. Because apparently, he was supposed to be “the one” to save Neverland from the Darkness brewing beneath it.
With over a hundred years since the first documentation of Neverland passing, the world—Never-Never, as most of its denizens call it—was not quite what it once was. Captain Hook? Consumed by the powers of the Darkness, and wreaking havoc as ever with his shadowy crew on a frightening level. The Indians? Divided, some cannibals, others docile. The Lost Boys? Pretty much the mischievous boys one would expect. The fairies? Widespread and probably the lightest, most good-natured creatures in Never-Never.
Ryker quickly befriended the famous Peter Pan, becoming the ageless boy’s right-hand man. For nearly five years, the two got into and out of trouble. They laughed, they fought monsters and pirates, taunted Indians and other people who had found a home in Never-Never, and frequented the fairies’ domain. In Never-Never, he even discovered he could both fly and, so long as his fairy companion, Fairfara, was not too far behind, even had some simple magic abilities.
For the first time in his life, he felt truly and wondrously free. Pan and the Lost Boys became his brothers, and the only family he needed. They watched out for each other, sure, but there was no one breathing down his neck, expecting things from him that he had no desire to give. Though the reason for his coming there lurked at the back of his mind, occasionally reminding him of his purpose, he never saw a reason to rush it. Even Pan did not seem very worried about the Darkness. Though, nothing seemed to worry Pan, so that is not saying much.
To try to keep a rather long story short, for five glorious years, he was home. But then, through a course of events, Pan decided he wanted to see for himself what was so bad about the Darkness. It did not take much to convince Ryker to join him and satisfy both their curiosity. In the end, it led him to make the worst decision of his life yet.
Ultimately, a seed of Darkness planted and grew in Ryker, eating him from the inside out. In an attempt to save his life, Fairfara and a few other fairies did the only thing they could: they gave him a talisman with some of the most powerful fairy dust to help keep the Darkness subdued, and forced him back to Earth, hoping the Darkness could not survive long outside of Never-Never. Though, “not long” is a relatively loose term to immortal creatures.
To his horror, Ryker found himself stumbling around the same alleyway he had disappeared through so many years past, with no idea what had become of his brother, Pan. He was quickly picked up by the police—panther pelt and all—and returned to his parents. With three years passing on Earth, they were overjoyed to have him back after so long.
Ryker barely lasted the first week back. His parents refused to let him out of their sight, no matter how he lashed out at them. His answers to where he had been where not taken well, and appointments were made immediately for him to see a psychologist. After all, it just wasn’t right. Whatever ordeal he had been through, it had scrambled his brain worse than the couple had feared. People in their right mind did not think they went to Neverland, or act as he did now. Though he had never been exactly quiet, scarcely a day went by without a shouting match. Or twelve.
He only just managed to convince his parents to leave him alone long enough to use the bathroom and sleep. Each night, he slipped away, desperately searching for some way to return to Never-Never, to prove that he could keep the Darkness he felt inside himself in check, and defeat it as the fairies had hoped. If he did not find a way back to his true home, he was certain he would either go insane, or die.
When his parents discovered he had been sneaking out, they tightened their security. He was being suffocated from inside his own home. Being inside was bad enough. Being indoors with them was even worse.
Three weeks (and four unsuccessful therapy sessions) later, his parents found out about a school that specialized in odd cases like his. Though he retaliated, he was ultimately forced to concede.
Packing just enough to satisfy his parents, they headed on a long car ride that felt like it took an eternity. Though, he hoped he would not have to be there long, and either he would find Never-Never again, or it would find him. After all, if he still had as good of luck as he did in Never-Never, then there was every possibility he would find another way back to his home.
But only time will tell if his luck has, at long last, run out.