SimpleD

Adventures of the Blood Rose Irregulars

@Arthanus - Was invited to a wedding last minute and have only just shaken off the copious amounts of wine. I'll attempt to get a reply up soon

The Shattered World

Icarus Candor

After registering his weapons Icarus spent half an hour wandering aimlessly through the town, though he had been given a few key locations by Samson none had shed any light on the situation at hand. As he passed through a busy market-square the barrage of noise of shopkeepers haggling with the townsfolk seemed to form a wall of noise all around him. Glancing left and right, Icarus saw numerous streets heading in all directions with nary a clue as to which might be the correct path to take. Pausing he leaned against a nearby wall and turned his attention inwards ”So Solarius, as tempting as walking around a city all day is - I get the feeling that we don’t have all day for me to stumble across the correct path”.

There was a short delay as Solarius seemed to be in conversation with another entity before turning his attention to Icarus, thoughts coming through as directions through the city mixed with another message ’It appears that you are indeed later than the rest but there is still some time. This is your destination”. An image of a well-aged building flashed into his mind, the stature hinting that it was a place of knowledge and important despite its age. ’Strange to have such an important meeting in an ancient place - but perhaps that is fitting given the company’ Icarus mused to himself as he quickly weaved through the traffic of people crowding the streets.

Minutes later he found himself in front of the building that Solarius had showed him. Approaching the steps Icarus reached the base before pausing and glanced around the area. This part of the city seemed very quiet compared to the markets he had just walked through and yet he couldn’t place the unsettling feeling of being watched. Given that this location seemed to be of some important for the meeting he would have expected guards to have halted and questioned him but none were forth coming with his approach. ’Perhaps since I am expected I am being allowed to pass’ Icarus concluded, in truth the reason did not matter as he trusted Solarius that this was the correct location.

Making no effort to hide the sound of his heavy footfalls upon the steps of the approach, Icarus reached the door and with a small effort heaved them open, letting the light of the day flood into the interior of the building. Thanks to the skylights that adorned the roof of the building there was no adjustment time to the change in the amount of light for Icarus or those inside the chamber, letting Icarus gather a quick sense of the company that was already gathered.

In truth he did not know what to make of the odd bunch, it seemed as those a collection of adults and ..kids from across a variety of cultures had already assembled themselves and were deep into a conversation which he had no doubt interrupted. Figuring he should explain the interruption Icarus announced his presence ”Apologies for the intrusion, I had been ‘requested’ to join with a group at this location though the specifics of the meeting were rather lacking.”. Part of his was tempted to elaborate but since he was lead to believe that his presence was expected, no doubt a long winded explanation would be unnecessary

The Shattered World

Icarus Candor

The land was dotted with trees unfamiliar to Icarus and pathways that he had once used now lay lost to the passage of time. Thankfully Solarius seem as unphased as ever by the changing of the world and provided capable as his guide through the overgrown terrain but the sheer difference in the landscape left Icarus wondering ’If the very look of the land has changed so much since I was last here, how much will the rest of the world have changed?. As he brushed through the shrubbery, the frost from the cold morning air drifted across his armor. Thankfully his union with Solarius prevented him from feeling the debilitation of the cold despite the harshness of the weather.

It was almost half a day of travelling later, with only a few diversions to forage on the land, that Icarus found a more welcoming sight. As he gazed across a well worn but still maintained pathway Solarius explained ’This is one of the major trade routes used to reach Bervenia, follow it to the right and you will reach it soon enough’. Glancing down the road which seemed to stretch to the horizon without any capital in sight, indicating that it would still be a long trek, Icarus sighed before asking ’And once I have arrived then what?. Silence was Solarius’s reply, Icarus only hearing the sound of the gravel crunching beneath his footsteps. ’Right - you’ll tell me when we get there won’t you Icarus muttered more so to himself than to his other half.

The sun had began its afternoon descent while the knight began his lone walk towards Bervenia, the landscape rolling by without any major sites to break the monotony of the relatively flat landscapes and rolling plains. The solitary trek would not last, as hinted at by the heavy wear of the road and tracks the rumbling noise of a horse drawn caravan sounded its approach from behind. Icarus kept a note of its approach through the increasing sound until a gruff male voice spoke above the noise ”Ahoy there Stranger”. Turning to face the caravan Icarus spotted a rather bulky man driving, giving him a suspicious look. Nodding in return Icarus replied ”Greetings, how fares your travel?”.

”They have been as fine as the weather, no heavy rain or snow to slow our travels” The man replied with a smile before adding ”Must say you are a brave one to be travelling with no supplies and all alone - have you not been hearing the rumours of bandits along these roads?”. ’Ah so that would explain the suspicion - I would make for an odd sight on these roads” Icarus concluded. Explaining the exact nature of his situation would likely only draw more suspicion so instead he replied ”Wouldn’t think bandits would go for someone in full armour, especially when they don’t seem like they would have much on them”. The caravan leader seemed to consider the statement and glanced across the open plains on either side of the road before internally reaching his decision as he gave a chuckle ”That be a true statement lad, besides they probably figure anyone crazy enough to travel alone ain’t worth the trouble of robbing.”
By now the caravan had caught up to Icarus and he half expected it to begin pulling past but the driver slowed the horses pace to match Icarus’s own, clearly still seeking to talk for a bit. ”So where you be heading stranger, awful lot of country road to cover before you reach a proper destination like Bervenia”
”Bervenia is my destination actually, I have business in the city”
The man gave him a curious glance ”Bervenia you say. Well call me old fashion but it don’t seem right to me to let a man walk when I’m heading for the same destination”
There was a moment of consideration for Icarus - he wasn’t certain how long the trip to Bervenia would be and it would be much quicker to rely on the caravan.
”As kind as the offer is, I’m afraid I will not be able to offer you any payment”

The man gave another short laugh ”Don’t worry about that, just giving you a lift won’t hamper me much. And as you said, your appearance might scare off any potential bandits, which is payment enough in my books”. It seemed that this individual was a good samaritan and Icarus suspected it would be more difficult for him to refuse the offer than to accept it. Relenting, the driver brought the Caravan to a stop long enough for him to board before continuing on the Journey, and resuming his questioning. ”The names Samson, and if I’m going to have you on board though, will be needing a name as I can’t be calling you Stranger for this whole trip.”. Leaning back against the wood of the wagon Icarus sighed internally, it was beginning to seem that the other reason the man may have made the offer was to have company to talk to.

”Icarus will do” He replied simply, perhaps hoping that Samson would only be attempting to make pleasantries. Such hopes were dashed as Samson continued with his onslaught of questions. ”Pleasure to meet you then Icarus. If you don’t mind me asking, what sort of business brings you to Bervenia. Myself I am a trader and normally you only find other traders and merchants on this route. Can’t help but think that ain’t your line of work though, you seem more like the military type but as fancy as your emblem is I can’t say I recognize it”

”I wonder if this is how Solarius feels when I ask him so many questions…” Icarus mulled internally at the sheer amount of words that were now directed at him. Processing everything that had been asked he eventually replied ”A good observation - I am indeed no merchant. I am not surprised you don’t recognize the emblem though. It was from a relatively unknown town many years ago, I would be surprised if there are people who still recognize it”. His answers however only seemed to provide Samson with more fuel for his questions ”A small town you say? Quite some fancy work on the armour, I take it you must have been quite a big deal for that town. And surely the folks from your town would recognize it?”.

There was a slight pause as Icarus pondered the best way to answer, the silence dragging on long enough that Samson shot him a sideways glance. Shaking his head Icarus sighed before he replied ”If any of the townsfolk saw me they would no doubt recognize me, but that would be the problem. It was during a very trying and desperate time that I managed to rise through the military ranks, and I guess in many ways I became a hero for them to rally behind. But even as a ‘hero’ I could not stop the realities of conflict, in the last battle even though we were victories so many lives were lost, I don’t know if the town would have ever fully recovered”. To his credit, Samson did wince when he realized he had dug up a potentially painful memory for the knight and quickly apologized. ”Ah, my mistake Icarus - rude of me to be prying into such strong memories. But by the sounds of your tale you saved the town did you not? Surely when you returned you must have learned of its fate?”

”There really is no respite with this man is there!” Icarus thought, somewhat stunned by the bold questioning. Icarus was having trouble deciding if Samson was truly interested in the story and was wanting to hear more despite the heavy emotions tied to it, or was perhaps just uncouth enough not to care. Knowing if he did not answer Samson would soon enough prod, Icarus continued ”I did save the town but...well I never returned after that last battle. The rest of the townsfolk that had joined me on that final conflict had perished - and in many ways I found myself unable to return to the town.” Icarus explained, knowing that if he explained the true nature of his death and rebirth he was unlikely to be believed he instead crafted the tale to be vague enough not to reveal those specific details while still conveying the intent of the story. ”So instead of returning to town I ended up going my own way into a sort of retirement. Given how trying those battles had been it seemed fitting to just relax and cut off from the world. That was many many years ago, and perhaps in some ways I think the time to return to the town has long since passed.

Samson nodded in approval ”Now that there is a good tale, even if you were trying to undersell it.” He replied with a laughter as he contemplated for a moment ”Spice that story up a little bit and you could have a tale fitting for a legend, you definitely got a look to go with it” he added giving the knight a small grin. Perhaps Icarus had underestimated how interested the tale could be to others, for him it had just been how life was but now that he thought about it, it was true it could make for a good tale. Samson’s voice once again broke through his thoughts with yet another question ”But you said you were retired, I take it sometimes changed then to bring you back into the world?”. By this point Icarus simply resigned himself to the unending barrage of questions, it was really a small discomfort to contend with for a quicker travel time. ”Something like that, In many ways I felt drawn out of retirement and pulled towards Bervenia. Could be I had just rested long enough or maybe I just feel it in my soul, that there is still something that I need to do”

Samson gave Icarus a long stare before grinning ”Well you may not have heard of the stories in your retirement but there is rumours of strange creatures plaguing these lands - and word is Bervenia is the current place all the would-be heroes are heading to do something about it.”. Icarus interest perked up at that tibdit of knowledge, as he realized Samson could very easily be a good source of information for him on the current tidings of the world. Intrigued he asked ”That does sound like a worthy cause - as a trader you no doubt have heard far more about these creatures and the plans to fight them? What more could you tell me about them?. Samson grinned widely ”Ah well then it’s a good thing we have a long trip ahead of us my friend as Samson has plenty to tell you. Now the first I heard of it was a few months ago when they were still mostly rumours…” he started, and true to his word of there being plenty, continued well into the night.

--- 2 Days Later---

By the time they had arrived at Bervenia, Icarus had got some understanding of the current situation plaguing the lands - though it was hard to know which parts were rumours and which were fact. More important Samson had provided Icarus with directions and key locations of where he should head once he was in town. Apparently if he was going to want to keep his weapons on him and not raise trouble, it would be important for him to get them registered. Shortly after arriving, Icarus bid the traveller farewell and found even the noise and bustle of the town to be a reprieve for Samson’s unending questioning. Making his way towards the destinations that had been provided by the merchant he held off on asking Solarius any questions from now, finally having an appreciation for what his other half no doubt endured from him from time to time.

Adventures of the Blood Rose Irregulars

Sonya

The skittering of the spider’s movements as the horde poured out from the dark corners of the cavern seemed to only grow louder for each one of the spiders the group struck down - each one that fell replaced by two more. Launching another blast of frost against another clustered group of spiders Sonya heard Silas call for a vote over the sounds of combat. The first thought that came to her mind was the wastefulness of the situation ’Even if we can hold this swarm off, we don’t want to be wasting all our energy and resources before we even get to the fort. Before she could voice her opinion to the group though, a larger rumbling broke through the constant skittering of the spiders legs following by the horrifying emergence of the Spider Queen.

Sonya took a moment of terror to take in the Spiders Queen monstrous appearance before her mind took a moment to consider its statements ’These are her..children? But how? And with what?!. She was moved out of the moment of stupor as everyone threw in their agreement to fall back, and added her own ”Let us go quickly - the less we see of that thing the better!. Turning to run down the passage that Silas had pointed out, she found herself following behind Aimée who had surged past her. Gathering some magic for a spell, she took a moment to turn-around as she reached the passage-way and unleashed the magic. The magic flowed beneath the ground to a spot Inbetween where Silas and Jehan were holding off the spiders and the grotesque Queen that was approaching, before erupting upwards as icy shards, obstructing the Queen’s and her children’s movements

The Shattered World

Icarus Candor

"I will not die until I achieve my goal. Even though the journey is one of hardship, I will never give in...therefore, I will die with no regrets."

Current Day, Uncharted Location - Former Capital of Westmarsh

The cold morning wind drifted down from the snowcapped mountain peaks, the icy air rushing down the rocky slopes as they carried the frigid temperatures past the bounds of the mountain. Brushing past the trees dotting the landscape, leaving a rustling of leaves and a bending of branches in its wake. Drifting over the scattered settlements while villagers did their best to numb the bite of the cold air the breeze headed deeper into the wilderness, the paths and buildings giving way to land that had been claimed by nature’s rampant overgrowth.

It was deep in this wilderness that the breeze swept over a long forgotten location, marked only by fragmented ruins that could barely reveal the extent of the proud city that had once stood here. And at the centre of this ancient location, where a patch of scorched earth still lay barren, that the rushing wind stirred awake a sudden visitor to this location.

For what had felt like an eternity, he had only known the feelings of warmth and heat, unburdened and free his sight had always been overwhelmed with the sensation of light. Yet now new sensations flooded his mind, the biting wind chilled his armor and cooled his flesh. The heavy metal of the armor pressed down against him making its weight known while the light he had become accustomed to fled all at once, leaving only the darkness cast by his closed eyes. For a minute the man lay there unmoving, perhaps challenging reality by ignoring the current events and seeing if he would return to his previous state. But as time passed the burdening sensations become stronger as other senses returning, the rushing breeze now reaching his ears and carrying the faint cry of bird songs from the nearby countryside.

”What is going on...where am I?” Icarus thought to himself as he glanced around the unfamiliar landscape. These scattered stone that had been reclaimed by the grasping roots and grass of nature seemed alien to any of his memories. Wrenching the helmet from his head, the cold steel of his gauntlet held his face up as he searched his brains for an answer. What he found though was a familiar presence, one that ignited a trail of memories in his mind and one that he had not felt in an eternity, the one of the Phoenix. As the presence settled within him a fire ignited deep in his soul, flooding heat through his body and driving off the cold and restoring his vitality while strength surged through his body.

With his restored strength Icarus pushed him up from the cold and damp grass while turning his attention inwards. ”Solaris what is happening here, how did I end up in this place?” Icarus asked of his other half. Though the Phoenix had never required the concept of a name Icarus had dubbed it with ‘Solaris’ soon after they were joined and it seemed to have accepted the name without complaint. A wave of thoughts answered his question, the array of images loosing conveying the thoughts of the divine creature - ”You perished during battle - extinguishing yourself and your enemies in one blazing moment”

The answer awakened a flood of memories that all at once rushed back to Icarus, the most prominent of those being that battle in which he fell.

The Past, 8996 Years ago

12th Day of Spring - The Capital of Westmarsh

The clashing of steel and the cries of men that had filled the air earlier that day had subsided. Now there was an uneasy silence save for the hurried footsteps and crackling of flames, drifting upwards with the trails of smoke from the burning fortifications that had once been this Citadel’s main gate. The cobblestone path lay littered with the bodies of those that had already fallen, the slain forming a map as to where the conflict still raged. At the end of this trail of the perished, at the centre of the Capital upon the steps of the King’s tower was the only remaining point of this day-long conflict. Encircled on all sides the forces of ‘Iron Gate’ had dwindled to the last man who now held the hopes of his fallen comrades.

Despite having the advantage of numbers, the Westmarsh defenders kept their distance as Icarus slowly advanced on the towers entrance. This lone soldier had become a manifestation of their fears and dread, his body was peppered with arrows and bore the wounds from spears, swords, mauls and flails but still the knight refused to fall. Each of the defenders had seen many of their fellow soldiers fall before both the blade and flame and thus their eyes darted rapidly between each other, none wanting to be the first to make the charge, the first to earn this Knight’s wrath.

Icarus could hear their hushed whispers of fear as he continued forward ”H-He’s a monster, no man should still stand with his wounds!” “It’s a demon, you’ve seen the fires he commands!” “I trained to fight soldiers not...this!”. An officer barked a command, trying to retain order and prevent the rest of their morale from being broken and leading to a rout. A scurrying of footsteps against the stonework ground alerted Icarus to a charge from behind him, a few of his opponents finding the resolve to attack him while they thought he was unaware. Pivoting on the spot, facing down the three soldiers that had broken from the loose circle he raised his sword and shield and let them approach.

The two at Icarus’s left and right struck first, timing the strikes of their swords to cover each other’s opening while the third stayed back, spear held tightly as they waited for an opening in the Knight’s defenses. ’A good tactic - but only so long as I stay on the defense’ Icarus concluded as he waited for his opening. Then the swing from his left came to strongly, perhaps frustrated at being unable to overpower the shield, presenting the opportunity that was needed. Twisting his stance, the man’s longsword glanced against the shield rather than being deflected, the momentum behind the strike carrying the soldier forward and out of position and blocking the line of attack for the Spearman.

Seeing the danger, the swordsman to the right increased his aggression and stepped closer to keep Icarus’s blade occupied from striking the longsword wielder's vulnerable midsection. With a shove of effort Icarus threw his shield forward and sent the first swordsman body crashing into the spearman, the two landing in a tumbled heap as the second swordsman now found himself with no support and overextended. Unable to match up to Icarus’s strength as their blades crashed, the opponent’s blade was flung from the force of Icarus’s swing moments before the Knight’s blade struck through the man’s chest.

However as Icarus wrenched the blade out from the dying man a flare of pain erupted from his back, a strong force pushing him forward a step before he caught himself. Two more spearman had used the cover of their comrades to sneak up and strike, one scraping off the armor but the other finding a gap in the armor and sinking into the soft flesh beneath. Channeling the pain into anger Icarus pivoted once again to face the new opponents, the speed of the movement wrenching the spear embedded in his body from the soldier's hand. The Dragonwurm blade cracked with embers as Icarus raised it, a look of horror crossing the spearman’s face before a gout of fire erupted from the tip of the sword. The fire roared forwards towards the two of them and seemed to wrap itself around them like a blanket as they writhed on the ground - their screams only disturbed by the shuffling of feet as the defenders began to step away from Icarus.

’Just a little more and their morale will break and this will beat an end Icarus though as he looked at the terrified faces of his opposition. He knew that fear would be his only method of victory this day, Solarius had already warned him once that there was only so much power he could pull from and many times this day already he felt that the well of power had almost run empty. As he went to step forward once more, and he put the weight of his body on his injured side - his leg collapsed under him, seemingly unable to hold his weight. Catching himself on one knee and his hand Icarus could hear the murmurings in the crowd change - this was the first time he had shown any kind of injury, any kind of possibility that he could be hurt and they were quickly beginning to seize a hope of their own.

Forcing himself to stand back up, Icarus felt pain wracking through his body and leg - the wound from the spear still ebbing in pain as though it was not closing. Icarus searched inwardly for an answer as the resolve of his enemies rebuilt ’Solarius what has happened, have I exhausted the power?’. A picture of roaring fire that dwindling too but a twinkling ember was his reply. ”You have done more than empty the pool of energy. It ran out long ago”. Another way of images came back, showing his allies and enemies falling into the ember, letting it grow for a moment before it returned to its ember form. “- but you wished to fight on so I aided you by replenishing it with the life energy that I could. Still you burnt through all of that and yet still you wished to fight on...”.

As the flame flickered softer, a final visage appeared above it - One of Icarus himself. ”And thus, I used the only life force that could still fuel the flame. But that too is now at its end. The realisation of what had happened shocked Icarus for a moment, looking around he could see the commanding officers mustering the troops once more. Now that they had seen a chance of victory they were going to go for one last attack that would overwhelm him. Despite the commotion of noise that registered in his ears, internally the silence for his other half felt like a deafening isolation. ’...Is there anything more that can be done?’

By now the soldiers had begun their charge, the thundering footsteps and cries of victory as they closed the circle broken by the reply of an image - showing only Icarus surrounded by a raging inferno that consumed everything...including himself. Even if Icarus did not know how it would work the result and the consequences were easy to understand. As the steel of his enemies drew within inches of his face he gave his reply ’Do what can be done, I understand the price’. There was no reply from the Phoenix, but a strong burning sensation began to grow in his chest. Even as the blades of his enemies struck his body, piercing deep in his flesh from all angles, the pain of his wounds paled in comparison to this heat that was growing.

As his ears rung with jeers and cries of victory from the Westmarsh defenders, a cry of alarm interrupted the others as the heat continued to intensify. More people began to cry out and quickly back away from Icarus, the Knight slumped to his knees - no longer held up via the numerous weapons stuck within his body. Glancing down, Icarus could see the armor on his chest beginning to glow white hot at the centre. Beneath the armor he felt as though his skin had become fire itself and the heat now burnt down to his very soul as pain like nothing else coursed through his entire being. As his whole armor and body itself seemed to radiate an intense light, blinding Icarus himself, the inferno inside bubbled over, seeming to tear through his chest and his body himself. There was a moment of intense pain as he felt his entire body consumed and torn apart - but then it faded into the welcoming warm light as the Phoenix completed its part of the trade.

Icarus spent a silent moment mulling over the memories, and more importantly what that meant for the present. ”So I perished that day, so then I take it that this -” he asked the Phoenix as he gestured around the alien landscape “- is the result of what you did? That Westmarsh fell on that day? If so...then how long have I been gone for it to become overtaken by nature? And more importantly why am I back, I thought you mentioned that despite rebirth being a part of your cycle, my body was that of a mortal and thus could not be reborn like yours..

A strong emotion of frustration came from the Phoenix as despite the two of them being joined in one body, it was still a divine creature and could grow annoyed at the curiosity of its more mortal half. ”Yes - this was my work, and yes you were gone long enough for many of your kind’s empires to rise from the earth and fall back to dust. And yes I did tell you that rebirth of your body was beyond my power! It still is”. The Phoenix left the comment to hang there and burn Icarus’s curiosity but the Knight knew better than to ask it’s divine half, if it wished to tell him it would have. Solarius often refused to tell him things he should already know or information that was not meant for a mortal. ”Well if it was beyond your power then...It could only be the work of Vis.

Though Icarus was sure that was the correct conclusion, as who else could have such a power but the Goddess herself, that only raised even more questions. Sighing he shook his head ’If there’s a good reason for this I am certain I will be told. For now I think it’s long past time I left this city behind. Standing up and dusting his armour off, glad to know that the equipment he had perished in had been returned to him, he asked the Phoenix ”Very well, I won’t be getting my answers here so let us be off. I may need you to guide me as this is very different from how I remember”.

His reply was that of a city he had never seen - showing him the path across the land there ’You are needed at Bervenia, I will tell you that much and show you the way there. It is best not to keep them waiting. The last statement was too much for his curiosity to ignore ”Them? What do you mean by them Solarius, are there others or did someone summon me? Icarus demanded from the Phoenix but his only reply was the directions across the landscape to reach Bervenia. ”Blast you Solarius, I forgot just how frustrating you could be!” He replied angrily to the silence before letting out a soft chuckle ”...but, it is good to have you back. Let us see what is in store for us at Bervenia” Icarus finished as he made his way through the wilderness back towards civilisation.

The Shattered World

...Totally did not forget to hit the "Post Reply" button when I went to put my character here

Icarus Candor

Icarus Candor

Character Summary

Name: Icarus Cando
Aliases: The Living Flame, The Immortal Knight
Titles: Grand Knight, Hero of Iron Gate
Age: 58 (Appears 29 as their aging process was slowed)
Time of Death: 9000 Years ago
Place of Origin: The City of Iron Gate (Former Region near Illisk)
Gender: Male

Physical Attributes

Eyes: Ruby Red
Hair: Blonde with Streaks of Red
Day To Day Attire: Outside the realm of Combat, Icarus will still keep his Breastplate worn, however the rest of the armor is replaced with more casual and plain garments. A simple gray shirt underneath the chest piece and a fur vest layered over the top, with dull gray/brown leather pants that are best suited to travelling through various regions
Strengths: Strength, Endurance, Focused
Weaknesses: Stubborn/Tunnel Visioned, Maneuverability, Blunt/Rude

Psychological Attributes

Vengeful * Unyielding * Protector * Rash

Sexuality: Heterosexual
Relationship Status: Single
Personality: Due to both his blunt nature and lack of concern for social grace Icarus can come off as abrasive and aggressive upon first approach. Those that manage to stick around him though will find despite the rough outwards personality, Icarus can be someone that one would call a friend. His experience from his training have left him with a sense of justice and desire to protect those he deems as his comrades.

While Icarus is by no means slow or dim-witted, his rashness can result in Icarus preferring simple, straightforward approaches to problems. Icarus is more than happy to cede the problem solving to those that are proven capable planners. Though one should be careful as Icarus can be rather vengeful and is more than happy to hold a grudge for extended periods of time if it turns out their plans result in serious danger to himself

Icarus can maintain himself suitable in crowds or social situations when required by as a man of action he avoids this situations where possible. In the end, despite his rough edges those that manage to become his allies will have a friend that would stare down death by their side

Skills & Abilities

A listing of skills, such as horseback riding or cooking and abilities or magic. You can have a total of ten, but temper them to not be overly powerful - except one can be noticeably more powerful, usually the one skill/ability/magic/item that makes them recgonizable.

• Weapons - Sword/Shield Style (Skill - Master): Having trained with a Sword and Shield for most of his life, the fighting style provides Icarus the perfect mix of defense and offense as needed. The shield can just as easily become a weapon of blunt force as the sword can be used for defensive parries.
• Heightened Awareness (Skill): After years of combat and adventuring, Icarus has honed his ability to sense the natural surroundings, often allowing him to tell when something is amiss with a situation or there is a subtle change in the atmosphere. He lacks a level of divinity to be able to tell why a change may have occurred, only enough to sense that there is something amiss with a situation
• Dragonwurm Blade (Item): An ancient blade from an Age long since lost to the ravages of time. It is said to have been forged in the blood of a great Red Dragon, its essence forever imbued into the blade. The blade itself is deceptively heavy for the size of the sword, its centre seeming to glow like the embers of a fire. As the vigor of combat grows, the blade itself seems to burn with excitement as well, cleaving through flesh and metal with ease as the length of the blade begins to burn. For those skilled in the use of Fire magic, it may also act as a conduit of power, slightly amplifying spells that are funnelled through it. Despite the eons of combat it has seen, it is as undamaged as the day it was forged.
• Wall of Steel: Though Forged during the same age as the Dragonwurm Blade, the Shield wielded by Icarus is the lesser of the two items. Though rare, multiple instances of the item exist leading many to believe that the items were crafted together to outfit an order or small army. Despite this though the shield’s have proven to be incredibly resistant to damage, absorbing some of the force of vicious blows to protect the wielder.
• Heart of the Phoenix (Blessing): The world of Arlina has born host to many ancient creatures, their physical forms long since having yielded to the passage of time. Despite the death of their bodies however, some of their essences has lingered in the world through various means, infusing themselves to other creatures who still walk the earth. Such is how Icarus has the blood of the long dead Phoenix within him. Through this essence, Icarus is granted both fiery destructive powers and restorative healing magics that the Phoenix is know for. Though this essence gives Icarus an immense well of endurance to tap into and draw from, giving the appearance of immortality - these powers are inseparable tied to his own life-force. If Icarus exhausts the well of power but continues to use his abilities, the essence will begin converting his own life-force to fuel itself, shorting his own life. Continued abuse will lead to an untimely end.
• Essence of Rebirth (Blessing): Linked to the Essence of the Phoenix, Icarus’s heritage bestows him with the unique ability of regeneration. Though the ability is incapable of replacing lost limbs before one’s eyes, it can easily close small wounds, knit together broken bones and even replenish his stamina and blood during the course of combat and allowing Icarus to fight on from what would be otherwise crippling wounds.
• Essence of Warmth (Blessing): Graced with the essence of renewal from the Phoenix, Icarus has a natural talent for Healing magic. Though it leaves a burning sensation for the recipient the ability to close wounds and replace lost stamina is worth a small measure of pain
• Essence of Destruction (Blessing): The other half of the Phoenix essence grants Icarus destruction powers in the form of divine purging fire. Though the flames can take many forms such as Fireballs, cones of destruction or mentally directed orbs, all must origin from his physical form. Additionally the flames from this ability are unlike a regular fire, burning away at a targets life-force just as much as they do at flesh, unnaturally animated beings being especially suspectiable.
• Feeding the Everburning Flame (Blessing): As the essence of the Phoenix can feed on Icarus’s own life-force, so to can it feed on the life-force of others to sustain itself. The longer the lifespan of the target, the more energy that is restored from the feeding. Unfortunately as hostile individuals are likely to resist such an attempt it can only be used on those near death's door to restore a tiny portion of energy. An individual who is willing to sacrifice their life however, or is unable to properly resist can restore a far greater portion.

History

Backstory: Icarus’s childhood was not a tale in itself. Born into a period of war between ‘Iron Gate’ and its rival, Icarus was raised in a simply blacksmith family. Though the time of war introduced hardships for the people, as a Blacksmith his father was able to make enough of a livelihood for them to survive. As Icarus grew and the war waged on and the leadership found themselves requiring more able-bodied men they found themselves having to recruit younger and younger, requiring them to be trained earlier and earlier.

As such Icarus learnt the ways of combat at a young age, the lost years of his childhood depriving him of more of the social skills one would develop in exchange for knowledge on how to fight and survive. As he became a young adult, it was declared they had been trained sufficiently to set foot into the theatre of war. Through a mixture of skill and luck, Icarus managed to survive these earlier conflicts where he was still but a mortal, many of his peers and friends falling beside him.

It was only during one particular disastrous battle, the Iron Gate forces having been outmaneuvered found their lines stretched and flanks exposed. Having been unable to break the enemy’s front line after exhausting themselves, the appearance of the opposing heavy cavalry from the east caused the morale to plummet and turn the situation into a total rout. In the disorderly retreat, Icarus found himself rushing for the forest, the tree-lines being the only protection available from the mounted cavalry, those on the open field being chased and cut down where they stood.

Managing to evade pursuit until darkness fell, the opposition fell back - no doubt to regroup and press forward to the capital. Lost in the darkened forest, Icarus wandered aimlessly - knowing he had to find a way back to ‘Iron Gate’ to inform them of the results of the battle but doubting the knowledge would change anything with their army shattered. Scavenging for food in the wilderness Icarus managed to survive for two days before stumbling upon an ancient ruin. Underneath the gnarled roots of ancient trees, Icarus was drawn towards a heavily obscured entrance.

As he approached though the aged stone work of the building gave way, collapsing beneath him and plummeting him deep into the heart of the structure. Dazed and blinded Icarus fumbled in the darkness for hours before the faintest of glows provided refuge from the darkness. Having no other options, Icarus followed the light as he was lead into the very heart of the temple. As he entered a great chamber, with carvings of a giant winged beast adorning all of the walls Icarus saw the source of the light - in the centre of the room hung a still beating heart, chained and impaled above what appeared to be a sacrificial altar as it illuminated the chamber in a strange red glow.

Drawn towards the heart - Icarus could feel a presence emanating from the object, demanding freedom from its torment. Drawing closer, Icarus could feel his stamina returning and strength seeping into him as the presence continued to communicate with him. The presence wished for freedom, though its body had long since succumbed to the ravages of time, leaving it with only the option of taking residence in another. Sensing Icarus’s plight, it offered its powers to turn the war if Icarus granted it its wish of freedom. Having little option, Icarus agreed, tearing apart the metal chains with his imbued strength before finally taking the heart.

Flames washed over Icarus as his hands touched the organ, pain wracking his body as the fire spread across his form. The pain intensified as he absorbed the essence, as the very core of his soul seemed to ignite. After what seemed like an eternity the pain subsided, mentally exhausted but physical rejuvenated from the experience Icarus struggled to his feet and left the temple, reborn as more than just a mortal.

Guided by the phoenix he was able to quickly leave the temple and the forest, finding his way back to Iron Gate only to find the city already under siege. Feeling it was too late, Icarus considered fleeing but the Phoenix encouraged him to take up his blade, and to trust in its power. Feeling doubtful, Icarus strode towards the army as the sun began its ascent as he attacked the army from behind as a lone individual. In the hours that followed was the most bloody battle Icarus had engaged in, the enemy surrounding him on all sides and striking him from all angles. Bleeding and engulfed in pain, Icarus refused to fall however and as the hours passed, more and more forces were drawn from the walls to engage him. Finally, it was only as the sun was setting that the opposing army’s morale finally broke - unable to keep Icarus down as the fires of the Phoenix lashed and consumed his opponents, they all began to flee from this Immortal soldier.

In truth, the battle only went so well as the Commanders refused to treat Icarus as a serious threat, sending small bands of infantry to deal with the ‘lone’ soldier, numbers that would overwhelm a mortal but found themselves unable to stand up to Icarus. By the time the full extent of Icarus’s power had been realized, none of the soldiers wished to engage him, causing chaos in the ranks and preventing any organised force from truly overwhelming him. Regardless of the reason however, Icarus had provided hope to Iron Gate in its bleakest hour and was heiled as a hero.

Promoted to a Knight, Icarus led a number of charges against the enemy over the next few years, becoming a symbol of hope for his people and one of terror for his enemies. Unable to fell this lone individual an uneasy truce was reached between the two warring kingdoms - Iron Gate having suffered so many casualties that they simply wished for any peace so they could recover.

Decades later, old feuds came to the surface and the bad blood between the two nations boiled once more. War was declared and this time the enemy refused to fight Icarus head on, having superior numbers they launched multiple theatres of war - losing wherever Icarus was stationed but winning the other engagements. Slowly but surely Iron Gate was losing the war of attrition - even if they could not kill Icarus, without resources and food, Iron Gate would be forced to surrender.

As the Leadership of Iron Gate bickered and debated on the course of action, Icarus became frustrated by their indecision. Knowing there was only one way to end this, he gathered those that were willing and began a march straight for the opposing capital. Each day, Icarus and his forced marched towards their goal, at first their opponents tried to ignore them and siege Iron Gate itself, but as their march continued and their destination was realized, the King of the opposing kingdom fearing for himself demanded his army return and slay this demon before he reached the city.

Over the next week, small raiding parties attacked, whittling down Icarus’s forces but their will would not break and they soon found themselves standing before the walls of the Citadel. At first light of the week, they charged the walls as the opposing army collapsed from all sides, surrounding and attempting to overwhelm them. The hours passed as many fell on each side, Icarus’s energy bolstering his own forces and helping them fight on past mortal wounds but still they fell, even into night the carnage raged. Having become a beacon of hope, the forces of Iron Gate willing gave their lives for Icarus, fueling the Phoenix within and letting him fight past his limits as they fell.

At midday on the second day, the Citadel walls were breached by the surviving Iron Gate forces, spilling into the streets of the town. Protected by buildings and unable to be fully surrounding they fought on, the defenders energy and morale plummeting as they pushed forward. By the dawn of the third day however, Only Icarus remained - the last of his soldiers having given their life for him at the steps to Palace at the centre of the town in which the king hid behind his royal guard. With the remnants of the army still blocking his escape, Icarus pushed forward, beginning to burn his own life-force to bring the battle to an end.

Pushed beyond its limits, his mortal form began to fail as he was struck. As the wounds accumulated on him, his flesh began to fall away to reveal only a raging inferno beneath with an intense heat that made even his armor glow. Eventually though, even his will was not enough to maintain his form through all of his injuries. With his life force fully consumed and essence hungering for more fuel, the flames from Icarus body ripped through what remained of his physical form and lashed out, burning all they touched in a desperate attempt to fuel the fire.

Only those who were outside the city told the tale of what happened that day, a radiant inferno engulfed the entire capital with a heat so intense even metal succumbed to its might. In only minutes, the mighty citadel had been reduced to nothing. All those that had been inside, the army, Icarus and the King had left no trace, all consumed in the struggle to feed the essence. With nothing left to fight force and no home to return to, the survivors fled into the wilderness, some even heading to Iron Gate in the hopes of surrendering and perhaps joining that society.

Thanks to Icarus’s sacrifice Iron Gate survived for another century before it was once more drawn into war in the region, becoming a part of another kingdom before falling as that empire collapsed. Its town is now one of the many ancient sites that act as a tribute to the ages past, only its myths still living on.

Myth: In the history books one may find the tales of Iron Gate, amongst it stories is the ‘Tale of Icarus’. Soul survivor of the failed battle of Bloodmarsh, it was this hero who saved the town. It was only thanks to his pure will and the desire to save his town that he was gifted with divine powers. Unable to be struck down in battle and commanding the flames of both destruction and rebirth, Icarus was a force unlike any other.

Single handedly he routed the enemy army time and again, faced down 1000’s of soldiers and emerged unharmed and even brought those who fought honorably by his side back from the brink of death to join in battle beside him once more. So legendary was his power that his opponents cowered in fear and begged for a truce, to which his noble spirit accepted.

But alas, though Icarus’s spirit was noble those of his enemies were wicked and rotten. Scheming behind the pretense of the truce they gathered the might and struck back at Iron Gate. Disgusted by their actions, Icarus strode out onto the field of battle to do battle but the cowards refused to fight him, striking from multiple angles to avoid their divine retribution. Such treachery only enraged Icarus further and he knew what had to be done.

Gathering the noble hearted in Iron Gate, they strode out towards the opposing kingdom, knowing that even these scum would protect their homelands. Guided by the divine themselves, Icarus delivered the judgement to the enemy, purging their very kingdom with his holy fire and scattering their armies to the far wind. As he gazed amongst the destruction though, it is said that Icarus realised what he had down. In his rage he had allowed his noble heart to become clouded with hatred - saving his own city through the destruction of another. Heart heavy with doubt, Icarus sent the survivors of his company to return to Iron Gate with the news of victory as he wandered into the wilderness, to only return once he had atoned for his sins’

Relations

* ☠ Enemy * ⚜ Unfriendly * ☯ Neutral * ☮ Friends * ღ Ally * ♥ Crush/Significant Other *

• Name: Description
• Name: Description
• Name: Description
• Name: Description
• Name: Description
• Name: Description

Extras (Optional)

Character Quote: “Stand against me and you stand against the fire of destruction themselves”
Theme Song: youtube.com/watch?v=jGUEhj58FOk
Anything Else: N/A

Adventures of the Blood Rose Irregulars

Finally got around to posting! Apologies for the delay, been struggling with time management lately

Adventures of the Blood Rose Irregulars

Sonya

Sonya glanced from Aimée to the rest of the group behind her mask, the tension among the members was readily apparent and given the situation and stakes involved in this mission it was also understandable. Thankfully despite some mild grumbling Aimée seemed unaffected from the brunt of the chiding, Silas giving the group a few moments to calm themselves before pushing onwards into the cave. As the group made their way into the passageway, the slim rays of light giving way to the creeping shadows of the stone, the stretching darkness only serving to make the path seem even more treacherous.

Thankfully they only forged ahead in the darkness for a few minutes before Silas made to light a torch, the shadows had almost obscured the ground completely making each step a potentially dangerous one. Before he could light his torch though, Sonya noticed the wall begin to glow blue behind him...no not just behind him, all around the group. Turning on the spot, she marvelled at the strange illumination, the entire cave taking on a blue hue as the walls seemed to softly pulse with light. Silas comment on the light was the most logical consideration of how it could be, and while Sonya did nod in agreement to Aimée judgement of its beauty something about the situation nagged at her mind.

”Could it be something in the environment reacting to our presence, such as some type of Flora?” Sonya suggested as a possible cause for the strange sight as she briefly examined one of the veins of light ”...hopefully it doesn’t trigger any wildlife in these caves” she muttered softly to herself as she thought of all the strange ecosystems an isolated cave like this could have. In the end though, both the cause and the reason for the strange light did not impact the goal of their mission - if anything the light helped them make good time as they followed the path deeper into the earth. Perhaps hours had passed before they Silas seemed to be happy with their current location, Sonya was struggling to keep a good track of time without the sun, the ebbing light from the walls was a poor substitute in that regard.

Listening as Silas gave the rundown of the situation and plans for camping, Sonya made a mental note of the historical tibdit of information. If it was important enough to be mentioned, then it would be important enough for her to attempt to remember. Turning to face Odessa Sonya felt herself relax and smile beneath the mask as she happily though ’Given how busy we have both been I haven’t had a proper chance to catch up with Odessa - perhaps these quiet few hours before we have to strike will finally give us a chance’. The whole group was just about to relax, Silas turning to face the group before his entire demeanor changed. Quicker than Sonya could blink he had drawn a knife and had already thrown it vaguely in Sonya’s direction.

Freezing, her mind raced with ideas but settled on the thought that she had been willing to trust Silas this far and that point still stand. The knife flashed past her vision to the side of her head and made a sickly squishing sound as it embedded itself in the body of the spider that had been sneaking up on her. Silas’s warning was perhaps unnecessary but it served to quickly rouse the group into action, Jehan and Odessa reacting the quickest and striking out at the closest spiders. Snapping out of her shock, Sonya glanced up to see what Odessa had been attacking and gasped at sight. The green glow of the spiders began to rapidly spread across the ceiling, the silence of the cave being replaced with the unsettling hissing and skittering of the spiders. As the group gave their assessments of how much they hated spiders, a most unhelpful part of Sonya’s mind decided to recall her readings of how various species of spiders could have any number of delightfully painful or crippling venom. ”Take care of any venom they might have!” She warned the group before quickly silencing that part of the mind - she did not need to be thinking about that at the moment!

Taking a second of consideration Sonya decided to rely on her water magic for this fight, in such a confined tunnel any wind magic had the unfortunate chance of carrying itself through the twisting stone caverns and could be a potential warning to the orcs that something was amiss in the cave. Gathering a small bolt of frost that around her arm towards her fingertips, she pointed at one of the cluster of spiders before the bolt launched itself towards the target. Even with their quick speed not all the spiders could escape the point of impact, one unfortunate critter taking the brunt of the blast and collapsing to the ground in a twitching mess. Those that had been close to it were covered in small shards of frost, slowing their movements for the moment

The Shattered World

@Lyla Ah sorry I have been so busy and am doing this last minute! Wanted to bring back one of my older characters who I didn't get to use enough ^^

Icarus Candor

Icarus Candor

Character Summary

Name: Icarus Cando
Aliases: The Living Flame, The Immortal Knight
Titles: Grand Knight, Hero of Iron Gate
Age: 58 (Appears 29 as their aging process was slowed)
Time of Death: 9000
Place of Origin: The City of Iron Gate (Former Region near Illisk)
Gender: Male

Physical Attributes

Eyes: Ruby Red
Hair: Blonde with Streaks of Red
Day To Day Attire: Outside the realm of Combat, Icarus will still keep his Breastplate worn, however the rest of the armor is replaced with more casual and plain garments. A simple gray shirt underneath the chest piece and a fur vest layered over the top, with dull gray/brown leather pants that are best suited to travelling through various regions
Strengths: Strength, Endurance, Focused
Weaknesses: Stubborn/Tunnel Visioned, Maneuverability, Blunt/Rude

Psychological Attributes

Vengeful * Unyielding * Protector * Rash

Sexuality: Heterosexual
Relationship Status: Single
Personality: Due to both his blunt nature and lack of concern for social grace Icarus can come off as abrasive and aggressive upon first approach. Those that manage to stick around him though will find despite the rough outwards personality, Icarus can be someone that one would call a friend. His experience from his training have left him with a sense of justice and desire to protect those he deems as his comrades.

While Icarus is by no means slow or dim-witted, his rashness can result in Icarus preferring simple, straightforward approaches to problems. Icarus is more than happy to cede the problem solving to those that are proven capable planners. Though one should be careful as Icarus can be rather vengeful and is more than happy to hold a grudge for extended periods of time if it turns out their plans result in serious danger to himself

Icarus can maintain himself suitable in crowds or social situations when required by as a man of action he avoids this situations where possible. In the end, despite his rough edges those that manage to become his allies will have a friend that would stare down death by their side

Skills & Abilities

A listing of skills, such as horseback riding or cooking and abilities or magic. You can have a total of ten, but temper them to not be overly powerful - except one can be noticeably more powerful, usually the one skill/ability/magic/item that makes them recgonizable.

• Weapons - Sword/Shield Style (Skill - Master): Having trained with a Sword and Shield for most of his life, the fighting style provides Icarus the perfect mix of defense and offense as needed. The shield can just as easily become a weapon of blunt force as the sword can be used for defensive parries.
• Heightened Awareness (Skill): After years of combat and adventuring, Icarus has honed his ability to sense the natural surroundings, often allowing him to tell when something is amiss with a situation or there is a subtle change in the atmosphere. He lacks a level of divinity to be able to tell why a change may have occurred, only enough to sense that there is something amiss with a situation
• Dragonwurm Blade (Item): An ancient blade from an Age long since lost to the ravages of time. It is said to have been forged in the blood of a great Red Dragon, its essence forever imbued into the blade. The blade itself is deceptively heavy for the size of the sword, its centre seeming to glow like the embers of a fire. As the vigor of combat grows, the blade itself seems to burn with excitement as well, cleaving through flesh and metal with ease as the length of the blade begins to burn. For those skilled in the use of Fire magic, it may also act as a conduit of power, slightly amplifying spells that are funnelled through it. Despite the eons of combat it has seen, it is as undamaged as the day it was forged.
• Wall of Steel: Though Forged during the same age as the Dragonwurm Blade, the Shield wielded by Icarus is the lesser of the two items. Though rare, multiple instances of the item exist leading many to believe that the items were crafted together to outfit an order or small army. Despite this though the shield’s have proven to be incredibly resistant to damage, absorbing some of the force of vicious blows to protect the wielder.
• Heart of the Phoenix (Blessing): The world of Arlina has born host to many ancient creatures, their physical forms long since having yielded to the passage of time. Despite the death of their bodies however, some of their essences has lingered in the world through various means, infusing themselves to other creatures who still walk the earth. Such is how Icarus has the blood of the long dead Phoenix within him. Through this essence, Icarus is granted both fiery destructive powers and restorative healing magics that the Phoenix is know for. Though this essence gives Icarus an immense well of endurance to tap into and draw from, giving the appearance of immortality - these powers are inseparable tied to his own life-force. If Icarus exhausts the well of power but continues to use his abilities, the essence will begin converting his own life-force to fuel itself, shorting his own life. Continued abuse will lead to an untimely end.
• Essence of Rebirth (Blessing): Linked to the Essence of the Phoenix, Icarus’s heritage bestows him with the unique ability of regeneration. Though the ability is incapable of replacing lost limbs before one’s eyes, it can easily close small wounds, knit together broken bones and even replenish his stamina and blood during the course of combat and allowing Icarus to fight on from what would be otherwise crippling wounds.
• Essence of Warmth (Blessing): Graced with the essence of renewal from the Phoenix, Icarus has a natural talent for Healing magic. Though it leaves a burning sensation for the recipient the ability to close wounds and replace lost stamina is worth a small measure of pain
• Essence of Destruction (Blessing): The other half of the Phoenix essence grants Icarus destruction powers in the form of divine purging fire. Though the flames can take many forms such as Fireballs, cones of destruction or mentally directed orbs, all must origin from his physical form. Additionally the flames from this ability are unlike a regular fire, burning away at a targets life-force just as much as they do at flesh, unnaturally animated beings being especially suspectiable.
• Feeding the Everburning Flame (Blessing): As the essence of the Phoenix can feed on Icarus’s own life-force, so to can it feed on the life-force of others to sustain itself. The longer the lifespan of the target, the more energy that is restored from the feeding. Unfortunately as hostile individuals are likely to resist such an attempt it can only be used on those near death's door to restore a tiny portion of energy. An individual who is willing to sacrifice their life however, or is unable to properly resist can restore a far greater portion.

History

Backstory: Icarus’s childhood was not a tale in itself. Born into a period of war between ‘Iron Gate’ and its rival, Icarus was raised in a simply blacksmith family. Though the time of war introduced hardships for the people, as a Blacksmith his father was able to make enough of a livelihood for them to survive. As Icarus grew and the war waged on and the leadership found themselves requiring more able-bodied men they found themselves having to recruit younger and younger, requiring them to be trained earlier and earlier.

As such Icarus learnt the ways of combat at a young age, the lost years of his childhood depriving him of more of the social skills one would develop in exchange for knowledge on how to fight and survive. As he became a young adult, it was declared they had been trained sufficiently to set foot into the theatre of war. Through a mixture of skill and luck, Icarus managed to survive these earlier conflicts where he was still but a mortal, many of his peers and friends falling beside him.

It was only during one particular disastrous battle, the Iron Gate forces having been outmaneuvered found their lines stretched and flanks exposed. Having been unable to break the enemy’s front line after exhausting themselves, the appearance of the opposing heavy cavalry from the east caused the morale to plummet and turn the situation into a total rout. In the disorderly retreat, Icarus found himself rushing for the forest, the tree-lines being the only protection available from the mounted cavalry, those on the open field being chased and cut down where they stood.

Managing to evade pursuit until darkness fell, the opposition fell back - no doubt to regroup and press forward to the capital. Lost in the darkened forest, Icarus wandered aimlessly - knowing he had to find a way back to ‘Iron Gate’ to inform them of the results of the battle but doubting the knowledge would change anything with their army shattered. Scavenging for food in the wilderness Icarus managed to survive for two days before stumbling upon an ancient ruin. Underneath the gnarled roots of ancient trees, Icarus was drawn towards a heavily obscured entrance.

As he approached though the aged stone work of the building gave way, collapsing beneath him and plummeting him deep into the heart of the structure. Dazed and blinded Icarus fumbled in the darkness for hours before the faintest of glows provided refuge from the darkness. Having no other options, Icarus followed the light as he was lead into the very heart of the temple. As he entered a great chamber, with carvings of a giant winged beast adorning all of the walls Icarus saw the source of the light - in the centre of the room hung a still beating heart, chained and impaled above what appeared to be a sacrificial altar as it illuminated the chamber in a strange red glow.

Drawn towards the heart - Icarus could feel a presence emanating from the object, demanding freedom from its torment. Drawing closer, Icarus could feel his stamina returning and strength seeping into him as the presence continued to communicate with him. The presence wished for freedom, though its body had long since succumbed to the ravages of time, leaving it with only the option of taking residence in another. Sensing Icarus’s plight, it offered its powers to turn the war if Icarus granted it its wish of freedom. Having little option, Icarus agreed, tearing apart the metal chains with his imbued strength before finally taking the heart.

Flames washed over Icarus as his hands touched the organ, pain wracking his body as the fire spread across his form. The pain intensified as he absorbed the essence, as the very core of his soul seemed to ignite. After what seemed like an eternity the pain subsided, mentally exhausted but physical rejuvenated from the experience Icarus struggled to his feet and left the temple, reborn as more than just a mortal.

Guided by the phoenix he was able to quickly leave the temple and the forest, finding his way back to Iron Gate only to find the city already under siege. Feeling it was too late, Icarus considered fleeing but the Phoenix encouraged him to take up his blade, and to trust in its power. Feeling doubtful, Icarus strode towards the army as the sun began its ascent as he attacked the army from behind as a lone individual. In the hours that followed was the most bloody battle Icarus had engaged in, the enemy surrounding him on all sides and striking him from all angles. Bleeding and engulfed in pain, Icarus refused to fall however and as the hours passed, more and more forces were drawn from the walls to engage him. Finally, it was only as the sun was setting that the opposing army’s morale finally broke - unable to keep Icarus down as the fires of the Phoenix lashed and consumed his opponents, they all began to flee from this Immortal soldier.

In truth, the battle only went so well as the Commanders refused to treat Icarus as a serious threat, sending small bands of infantry to deal with the ‘lone’ soldier, numbers that would overwhelm a mortal but found themselves unable to stand up to Icarus. By the time the full extent of Icarus’s power had been realized, none of the soldiers wished to engage him, causing chaos in the ranks and preventing any organised force from truly overwhelming him. Regardless of the reason however, Icarus had provided hope to Iron Gate in its bleakest hour and was heiled as a hero.

Promoted to a Knight, Icarus led a number of charges against the enemy over the next few years, becoming a symbol of hope for his people and one of terror for his enemies. Unable to fell this lone individual an uneasy truce was reached between the two warring kingdoms - Iron Gate having suffered so many casualties that they simply wished for any peace so they could recover.

Decades later, old feuds came to the surface and the bad blood between the two nations boiled once more. War was declared and this time the enemy refused to fight Icarus head on, having superior numbers they launched multiple theatres of war - losing wherever Icarus was stationed but winning the other engagements. Slowly but surely Iron Gate was losing the war of attrition - even if they could not kill Icarus, without resources and food, Iron Gate would be forced to surrender.

As the Leadership of Iron Gate bickered and debated on the course of action, Icarus became frustrated by their indecision. Knowing there was only one way to end this, he gathered those that were willing and began a march straight for the opposing capital. Each day, Icarus and his forced marched towards their goal, at first their opponents tried to ignore them and siege Iron Gate itself, but as their march continued and their destination was realized, the King of the opposing kingdom fearing for himself demanded his army return and slay this demon before he reached the city.

Over the next week, small raiding parties attacked, whittling down Icarus’s forces but their will would not break and they soon found themselves standing before the walls of the Citadel. At first light of the week, they charged the walls as the opposing army collapsed from all sides, surrounding and attempting to overwhelm them. The hours passed as many fell on each side, Icarus’s energy bolstering his own forces and helping them fight on past mortal wounds but still they fell, even into night the carnage raged. Having become a beacon of hope, the forces of Iron Gate willing gave their lives for Icarus, fueling the Phoenix within and letting him fight past his limits as they fell.

At midday on the second day, the Citadel walls were breached by the surviving Iron Gate forces, spilling into the streets of the town. Protected by buildings and unable to be fully surrounding they fought on, the defenders energy and morale plummeting as they pushed forward. By the dawn of the third day however, Only Icarus remained - the last of his soldiers having given their life for him at the steps to Palace at the centre of the town in which the king hid behind his royal guard. With the remnants of the army still blocking his escape, Icarus pushed forward, beginning to burn his own life-force to bring the battle to an end.

Pushed beyond its limits, his mortal form began to fail as he was struck. As the wounds accumulated on him, his flesh began to fall away to reveal only a raging inferno beneath with an intense heat that made even his armor glow. Eventually though, even his will was not enough to maintain his form through all of his injuries. With his life force fully consumed and essence hungering for more fuel, the flames from Icarus body ripped through what remained of his physical form and lashed out, burning all they touched in a desperate attempt to fuel the fire.

Only those who were outside the city told the tale of what happened that day, a radiant inferno engulfed the entire capital with a heat so intense even metal succumbed to its might. In only minutes, the mighty citadel had been reduced to nothing. All those that had been inside, the army, Icarus and the King had left no trace, all consumed in the struggle to feed the essence. With nothing left to fight force and no home to return to, the survivors fled into the wilderness, some even heading to Iron Gate in the hopes of surrendering and perhaps joining that society.

Thanks to Icarus’s sacrifice Iron Gate survived for another century before it was once more drawn into war in the region, becoming a part of another kingdom before falling as that empire collapsed. Its town is now one of the many ancient sites that act as a tribute to the ages past, only its myths still living on.

Myth: In the history books one may find the tales of Iron Gate, amongst it stories is the ‘Tale of Icarus’.
Soul survivor of the failed battle of Bloodmarsh, it was this hero who saved the town. It was only thanks to his pure will and the desire to save his town that he was gifted with divine powers. Unable to be struck down in battle and commanding the flames of both destruction and rebirth, Icarus was a force unlike any other.

Single handedly he routed the enemy army time and again, faced down 1000’s of soldiers and emerged unharmed and even brought those who fought honorably by his side back from the brink of death to join in battle beside him once more. So legendary was his power that his opponents cowered in fear and begged for a truce, to which his noble spirit accepted.

But alas, though Icarus’s spirit was noble those of his enemies were wicked and rotten. Scheming behind the pretense of the truce they gathered the might and struck back at Iron Gate. Disgusted by their actions, Icarus strode out onto the field of battle to do battle but the cowards refused to fight him, striking from multiple angles to avoid their divine retribution. Such treachery only enraged Icarus further and he knew what had to be done.

Gathering the noble hearted in Iron Gate, they strode out towards the opposing kingdom, knowing that even these scum would protect their homelands. Guided by the divine themselves, Icarus delivered the judgement to the enemy, purging their very kingdom with his holy fire and scattering their armies to the far wind. As he gazed amongst the destruction though, it is said that Icarus realised what he had down. In his rage he had allowed his noble heart to become clouded with hatred - saving his own city through the destruction of another. Heart heavy with doubt, Icarus sent the survivors of his company to return to Iron Gate with the news of victory as he wandered into the wilderness, to only return once he had atoned for his sins’

Relations

* ☠ Enemy * ⚜ Unfriendly * ☯ Neutral * ☮ Friends * ღ Ally * ♥ Crush/Significant Other *

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Extras (Optional)

Character Quote: “Stand against me and you stand against the fire of destruction themselves”
Theme Song: youtube.com/watch?v=jGUEhj58FOk
Anything Else: N/A

The Shattered World

Consider me very interested!