Stern Algorithm

Scion: The Prophecy of Anani

Sara, Daughter of Aliya

As Lucas called the meeting to order, Sara gave him her attention. Though he had referred to invoking prophecy as a sin, Sara had her doubts as most rules concerning scions were more a matter of church decree than scriptural, though she understood the need for prohibition against abusing one's powers. As the prophecy started, Sara clasped her hands together, quietly reciting along with the all too familiar words, but as Lucas continued well past the point of familiarity, Sara squeezed her eyes shut in an attempt to force her ears to concentrate and her mind to remember. She shuddered slightly as she listened, trying to interpret the prophecy on the fly. Part of her was inclined to reject it as Lucas making up prophecy, but she did not take him for a blasphemer, and the details in the language of the new part of the prophecy matched with the part that she was used to hearing. She could only see this as a powerful, revelatory moment that she was blessed to partake in.

Even after the prophecy finished, Sara kept her hands clasped, muttering prayers of thanks and forgiveness, letting herself live fully in the present to imbibe this sacred hour. Finally she looked up, staring at Lucas with conviction. "I have no questions, your Highness, but I did want to share the good word. Among the intel on our enemies that was revealed to us prior, there was mention of the name, 'Termina'. This apocryphal name evokes the fear of some dark goddess. But rejoice, my brethren! For the prophecy has made the truth clear to us. Termina's blood is red, like ours. She is mortal. A powerful mage, perhaps. A charlatan and deceiver, certainly. But mortal, nonetheless.

Your Highness, I will be the first to admit that I have misjudged you. As one mentioned in the prophecy as well, yours is a heavy burden indeed. I will lend you and this gathering what strength is in me. Incepta be praised! Long live her light!"

At this, Sara closed her eyes again, welling with tears as she lowered her head, reclasped her hands and seemed to resume praying.

Arknights: 5S

Sargon - Hisn-ul-Zahra City Plate - Main Gate - Early afternoon

The dark feline's stern demeanor softened when she recognized the Rhodes Island logo. Upon hearing Aoife's explanation, her ears perked up and she turned to one of the officers at the car. "Bring him over... but keep the other one restrained." Turning back to the Rhodes Island group, the feline introduced herself, "I am Sentinel Aisha Hafiz, Hisn-ul-Zahra's chief of police. We won't abide kidnappers."

The officer Aisha had called out to roughly pushed the cautus closer. "When you were being arrested, you mentioned something about a boy; was he infected?" Aisha asked.

"He was, but if you're looking for him, you've got the wrong people!" The boy struggled vainly against his captor as his eyes darted from Aisha to Aoife, Minimalist, and Baltasar, curiously analyzing the group.

A customs official arrived with a clipboard and handed it to Aisha, who flipped through it, reading parts out loud, "Let's see, Irvine, Warren. Country: Victoria... Reason of Visit: Cultural... Exchange...? Affiliation: Victorian Archeological Guild. Profession: Professor of...Sargonology?! You're looters!" Aisha almost threw the clipboard to the ground in rage. "Plundering ruins not enough for you, now you're stealing children!"

"We're not looters, and we didn't kidnap him! A group of mercenaries did; we tried to stop them!" Warren explained in exasperation.

"Who were they, then? What do they want with a kid? Ransom? He's an...orphan..." Aisha looked back at the group to confirm her assumption before continuing, "He doesn't have any parents."

Warren seemed tight-lipped, unwilling to reveal some secret. "Who are these people?" He gestured with his head at the Rhodes Island group.

"Rhodes Island Pharmaceutical Company," Aisha explained, "They run the infected orphanage and help us with other infected-related issues."

"Pharmaceutical Company?" Warren laughed, "That's a paramilitary organization you've allowed into your 'pristine' city! ...But... this might be an opportunity. Oi!" Warren addressed the Rhodes Island group, "You want to save the kid right? Let's work togeth...!"

The officer restraining Warren throttled him for his cheeky behavior. "You're going to have to do better than that!" Aisha warned, "Who are these mercenaries? What do they want with the boy? What's your involvement in all this?"

"You wouldn't believe me even if I told you!" Warren scoffed, "This whole thing is much bigger than your quaint little village is prepared for. All this ancient bounty buried in the sand beneath your feet! Potential...wasted! Pearls before burdenbeasts! You should just get out of the way and let us put it all to good use!"

At this outburst, Aisha reaches for the officer's baton and strikes Warren over the head, rendering him unconscious. "I'm sorry you had to see that, but I'm sure we'll get more out of him when he's cooled off and secure in a cell. I'll let Rhodes Island know when he's come to."

With that, the officers started wrapping up their operation and opening the blockade. Warren was dragged back to the car where his perro accomplice awaited him.

Scion: The Prophecy of Anani

Sara, Daughter of Aliya

Private message to Ionna

@Mcmolly
Dame Ionna, pardon me if this is unsolicited advice, but I wanted to tell you all I know about your new Scion so that my short time as the Templar of Fire does not go to waste. His Holiness can be a difficult man to deal with, though perhaps he will open up to you more as a fellow Rodian. It will be difficult to get him to rely on you as his protector because he trusts in his own strength alone; even the blessing of Incepta feels alien to him, and he rarely, if ever, uses his magic. He will see you not as his ally, but his captor, and though I gave him a wide enough berth during peacetime, his soldier's honor prevented him from disobedience. Unable to face this internal conflict, he will place the blame on your shoulders. He yearns for the battlefield, and in a way, I understand how it feels to be pulled away from my calling. I may not look it, but I was a teacher at an orphanage before circumstances led me to becoming a knight, and then a Templar. Feeling so lost, it is easy for faith to dwindle. But when faith diminishes, our hearts desire a 'goddess' to worship nonetheless and will seek a substitute. For some it is wealth, for others, pleasure. For myself, I lost my way, and instead of honoring my oath to The Mother, I sought instead my Scion's approval and abandoned my place at his side. With such distorted intentions, Incepta would not deign to grant me victory or success, thus Scion Nadine slipped from my grasp. As for Theobald, he has forgotten his reason for fighting. He no longer fights to protect the homes, lands, and lives of Incepta's believers. If he did, he would not spurn his gift. His new 'goddess' is glory. It is this, his soul, that I am most worried about, and it is my hope that you will succeed to bring him back to the light where I had failed. Despite his best efforts, I do not hate him; I have received worse under Dame Irina's tutelage, so I hope that you can face your new charge with an open mind and a magnanimous heart. He is not evil. He is merely lost. But The Mother is merciful. The Mother forgives.

On that note, I am sure you have received the updates on our unknown assailants. I merely wish to remind you of this: Termina simply does not exist. There is only One Goddess and She has no shadow, for Incepta is not only the light, but she is All. Her divinity is shared by none. To even entertain the existence of such a shadow is to give power to disbelief. This does nothing but erode faith and weaken our resolve. The ability to cancel magic means nothing. It is true that magic is a blessing from The Mother, but is this entire world not a blessing? It is no secret that even nonbelievers can use magic, as much as the beauty and bounty of this world is available to all. Incepta is the Goddess of all mankind, not just of her believers. Incepta granted humanity with the privilege of delving into the hidden secrets of this world, which includes science as well as magic. The scholars of Doumercene are constantly finding new ways to use magic, so magic cancellation may merely be a new scientific innovation, and not necessarily an unholy affront to The Goddess. As for the ability for a non-Scion to use a Scion's unique element, while concerning, this should not shake our faith. As Templars, we can receive a portion of our Scions' blessings and, though an act of blasphemy, perhaps the blessing can be taken by force or through coercion. Though it is in the Church's best interest to speak of divine matters with certainty, the truth is that we cannot claim to fully understand the secret laws by which The Mother gives out her blessings. We have only past patterns to base our understanding off of, and perhaps the pattern can change. The attack struck at our heart; not only were Scions targeted, but it occurred deep within our territory. But the attack that strikes at our true heart, our faith, is the mention of this Termina. But it is here, in our faith, that we are strongest, and this strike should leave not even a scratch. Dark Goddesses are the stuff of delusion and fantasy, phantoms whispered by madmen, deceivers, or entertainers. There is only One Certainty, One Absolute. Take strength in the remembrance of Incepta, Our Mother, Our Goddess.

Being reassigned to Scion Dominic had been something of a shock for Sara, especially after Irina's vehement insistence that she stick to her Scion like glue. Perhaps Fyodor had overridden her decision; Sara hoped that Irina wasn't sore about that. Still, Sara felt that her reassignment was a sign of her inability to connect with Scion Theobald. She had failed to prove to him that her devotion meant far more than her blood. And though no longer having to deal with his petty hate brought some relief, Sara did not feel that this relief was earned, especially as it only compounded on her failure to retrieve Scion Nadine.

However, Dominic was a pleasant and amicable Scion to be assigned to. When told that Ionna had started to train Dom on self-defense, Sara decided to take up the mantle and continue her lessons, though Sara lamented that, compared to a Rodian duelist, her own form was little more than street thuggery once the veneer of knight training was removed. As for Sara, she had lost the fire magic that she had been practicing since two Scions prior and had to learn metal magic from scratch. Given the lurking danger, Sara needed to get up to speed as fast as possible and pressed Dom for any metal-bending pointers she could share. Fortunately, metal magic was much more Sara's style. She had found fire to be too chaotic and restricted herself to heating solid objects that she could more easily understand on a physical level. But she already viewed her armor and weapons as extensions of her body, tangible and certain. To mold and shape these as she saw fit was not as difficult as conjuring a flame from nothing and controlling its flow. Sara also appreciated that Dom took every opportunity to treat her like a friend, sharing meals and hobbies, which facilitated the proximity that Sara was obligated to maintain. But though Sara was grateful to The Mother for easing her path, she still felt it was not earned. If a trail fell into one's lap, it was one's duty to overcome it; if a blessing fell into one's lap, it was one's duty to share that blessing. How had she overcome the difficulty of being Theobald's templar? How could she share the ease of being Dominic's templar? The worst possibility though, was when Incepta blessed someone with excess in order to reveal their true natures, that of greed, hedonism, and pride; bringing them high before casting them down in shame as a lesson to others. Sara hoped that this was not to be her fate.

Though Sara attended the coronation with her Scion, as was proper, she had little interest on who sat upon the throne. Since royalty was hereditary, they didn't need to woo the public or promise any degree of improvement to citizen's lives. The crown would change heads, and the little people would carry on as usual. What did come as a blow was Kaspar's passing. The young Scion had seemed so gentle, and though Sara initially suspected foul play, she was sure the intelligence that they received was accurate, and reminded herself that their enemies would have made a show of it had they been responsible. To some it might seem meaningless for Incepta to grant him Scionhood only to take him away so soon, but to Sara, perhaps he was so virtuous that she wished to elevate him further before taking him back into her embrace. As some might say, perhaps he was 'too good for this world'.

---

Interacting with: Basically everyone at this point

Arriving at Castle Lucania with Dom, Sara followed her Scion inside, nodding to Duchess Patricia who ushered them in, though Sara could not remember who she was. Sara thought she may have recognized her and assumed she was a noble, but if she was watching the gate for Prince Lucas, then perhaps she was just the top maid. Inside the meeting room, the sounds of argumentation assaulted Sara's ears. Hearing the topic was that of war with Kaudus, Sara felt immediately unwelcome, and muttered a quick, 'Incepta, give me strength,' before proceeding deeper into the room.

Noticing that Hollyhock's gift had gone largely ignored, Sara thought of a way to hopefully deescalate the situation. "May I?" Sara asked Scion Holly before gathering some plates and utensils and proceeded to cut slices from the large ham. With two plates, she walked over to the head of the table where most of the arguing was. "Her Holiness, Scion Hollyhock was gracious enough to bring a gift; it would be a shame not to partake of it." Sara placed the two plates in front of Lucas and Rosemary. She was sure they were the two highest ranking nobles in the room, so it was only proper to serve them first. She returned to the group later with two more plates, this time for Belle and Maya who were together; Belle first because she was also a noble, and then Maya because she was nearby. "We should speak calmly," Sara said to no one in particular, "after all, we're all friends here." She did this to make her presence apparent to those who wished for war in the hopes that they would perhaps stop discussing their plans within earshot of one they might consider an enemy. The next two plates were for Dom and Theobald, Sara decided to serve the Scions first before their templars. As she passed by Dom, Sara gave her a pat on the back, offering strength and encouragement for the conversation that she was currently embroiled in. She offered Theobald a sad smile when giving him his plate, but otherwise said nothing. Next was Justinian and finally, the newest arrival, Renault (Sara assumed Hollyhock would happily serve herself).

"A pleasure to make your acquaintance, your Holiness. I am Sara, Templar of Metal," Sara greeted him, hoping to make him feel welcome before offering him his plate of ham. Though he dressed like a noble, something in his demeanor implied to Sara that this was not the case. She did not know who he was nor of his past crimes, so she approached him with an untainted earnestness.

Next she served the Templars, in no particular order, other than prioritizing those furthest from the ham to those closer. Finally, she offered Ionna a plate while taking a cookie for herself, complimenting her Scion in exchange, "Her Holiness Dominic is determined, always, to improve herself." With a plate of ham and a cookie, Sara took her place at Dom's side and proceeded to eat quietly.

Arknights: 5S

Sargon - Hisn-ul-Zahra City Plate - Main Gate - Early afternoon

The group headed towards the north edge of the city plate and took one of the many service elevators down to the lowest level of the city where the main gate was. As soon as the elevator doors opened, they were greeted by a cacophonous crowd being cordoned off and asked by security personnel to return to the top of the plate in an orderly manner. From murmurs and the sound of argumentation, it was clear that there had been an incident at the gate, and a disgruntled trade caravan destined for Acahualla was being delayed as a result. The group pushed their way to the edge of the blockade for more information. Though the guard was reluctant to divulge too much information, he was aware of Rhodes Island's relationship with the city and shared that there had been an explosion at the gate following a firefight. Minimalist pushed on, asking for more information, such as whether the explosive had been an originium detonator and if there were any injured. This line of questioning allowed doubt to creep into the guard's mind and, fearing that his comrades might become infected, he decided to let the Rhodes Island group through the barricade to help with originium containment and treatment of the injured.

As the group approached the gate, bullet holes and scorch marks could be seen in the surrounding architecture. There were a few guards and customs officials being patched up, but nobody seemed seriously hurt and it didn't appear that any of the weapons used in the fight had been 'dirty'. Off to one side, what appeared to be a young Cautus boy and a severe-looking perro woman in a military uniform had been detained and were being shoved into a police car. A dark-furred feline saw the Rhodes Island group and walked over.

"Who let you through the blockade?" she asked, clearly peeved that one of her underlings wasn't doing his job right.

"You're letting them get away!" the Cautus yelled in a noticeable Victorian accent before the security officer handling him pushed his head down and into the car. The dark feline looked over at him and shook her head in annoyance.

Revue of Annihilation [Faction-Ruling Demigods Vie for Ascension]

Right now, no. Feels like the sorta thing where you just end up turning individuals into walking magical nuclear bombs, and HP is too nebulous a concept to be used as part of one's Divine Protection. Would it be like, if you get stabbed, the knife only goes 1/10th the way because everyone else gets 1/10th stabbed?

Later, maybe, but will have to seeeeeee.

@ERode

I was thinking they would just have rapid healing that drains their collective lifeforce, but I hadn't thought about how it could be exploited offensively. How about "Followers can sense when fellow followers are harmed and know their location"? Like an Eternal Vigilance or Neighborhood Watch sort of deal, which I think is more Law than Order.

Revue of Annihilation [Faction-Ruling Demigods Vie for Ascension]

Party-wide buffs work fine for magic. Something that benefits people if they stay in a delegated role seems like a meaningful Divine Protection down the road. Also feels less Law and more Order though, the way you’re talking about it.

@ERode

I feel Law and Order are inextricably tied, so there will probably be some overlap; Law is the means by which Order is established in civilization. Would a blessing along the lines of like, "All followers share HP and MP" be acceptable?

Revue of Annihilation [Faction-Ruling Demigods Vie for Ascension]

Dunno what you mean by party magic, but yeah, I'm fine with contract magic being a thing. It'll probably be less a spell that you cast and more of an item that you create though.

@ERode

Ok cool. By party magic, I mean magic that boosts like an adventuring party, magical synergy, etc., since a big part of what makes the Law work is organization and the assignment of specific roles and responsibilities. So real RPG mechanic stuff, but in magic form.

Revue of Annihilation [Faction-Ruling Demigods Vie for Ascension]

I'm thinking aspect of Law. Would you allow "soft magic" or "geas"-type magic like magically binding contracts or "party magic"?

Mecha/Gundam Tournament

I'm always down for a mecha RP. As much as I love combiners, it wouldn't make sense in the context of an individual tournament, unless this is team sport.

Also, is this going to be mostly martial arts style, ala G Gundam, where combat consists mostly of punching, kicking, and melee weapons, or is it going to be full military, with rifles, bazookas, missiles, what-have-you? Will there be remote-operated weapons (ie. funnels, bits, etc.)?

Scion: The Prophecy of Anani

Sara, Daughter of Aliya

May I offer you a BGM in these trying times?

I just thought the juxtaposition of piety and poverty in this song reflect an integral part of Sara's character.

After another thorough and scathing dress down by Irina, Sara bowed deeply before departing the chamber and reclaiming her Templar crystal. Though being lambasted a second time injured her pride, there was one silver lining; Irina trusted Sara implicitly, though the older woman would probably never admit it. That had to count for something. Sara held the crystal in her bandaged hands, staring into its transparent shimmer, before asking the squire for directions to the castle chapel. Upon receiving her directions, Sara thanked the squire and headed over, feeling that some prayer and spiritual contemplation were much needed right now. As Sara approached, the covered her head with the hood of her Templar uniform in an act of modesty and piety. She entered, head lowered, hands clasped in prayer. Though doing so ignited the dull, throbbing pain of her healing burns, she kept her hands together regardless.

"Our Mother..." Sara's silent voice choked and faltered for a moment as a lump caught in her throat. Tears streamed down the side of her face, surprising her as her body and mind finally succumbed to the stress of the day. "M-Mother...please forgive me. Please take this sinner back within your warm embrace, though I am unworthy. I have...violated my oath to you to protect my Scion. I have allowed myself to doubt his holiness and to secretly wish harm to befall him. Though I am undeserving, I ask you for strength. Strength to repel our enemies, whoever they may be, strength to withstand political machinations and intrigue, strength to endure senseless hatred..."

Sara suddenly turned her face up, having unconsciously walked to the foot of the statue of the Goddess that was the centerpiece of the chapel and unknowingly raised her voice, as if in protest and challenge, "Incepta On High! Is the blood of my mother truly so tainted? You sent down a fraction of your mercy and it manifested as the love that every mother has for her children. Is it then wrong for me to revere my mother but a fraction of the reverence I offer to you?! She bore me through hardship and showed me to the doorstep of your house before she passed. Is she not worthy of your compassion and the compassion of those who worship you? Though she did not speak the prayers herself, did she not bring into this world one who has devoted her entire life to you? Are my actions not enough to save her? Long is the road to redemption, but what crime am I seeking atonement for?"

Sara lowered her gaze, feeling a sense of loss, and only then noticed that her hands were clasped so hard that the bandaging between her palms had become wet, sticky, and slightly red. Sara relaxed her body slightly, "Forgive me. The actions of your worshippers are not an accurate reflection of your will. Like me, they too, are sinners, and prone to misguidance. Much ignorance yet lingers in the heart of man. I cannot allow myself to be so arrogant as to believe that what little service I have offered would be enough to change their minds. Please excuse my momentary lapse of faith."

Sara took a few steps back and collapsed into one of the pews, leaning back. She gazed upwards at the vaulted ceiling, unlit chandeliers, and the stained glass, darkened by the night sky outside. This was home. This was where she belonged; with her Mother. Sara closed her eyes, feeling her mind slowly go blank from exhaustion. To minimize pain, her arms lay upon her thighs, palms facing upwards, looking for all the world as if she was supplicating, and perhaps she was, though she could have been asking for nothing and everything. At the back of her mind, she reminded herself of her duty. She should regroup with Theobald and keep close to him as Irina commanded, but for the moment, she simply wanted to enjoy this fleeting, quiet moment. If they were attacked again even now, then Sara could only chalk it up to Incepta's wrath. perhaps they had strayed too far and Incepta wished to wipe the slate clean, Scions and Templars and all. For some reason, such a fatalistic view brought a small chuckle to Sara's throat. And though it was not proper church etiquette, Sara laid down, bringing her legs up onto the pew. Though the mahogany of the pew was uncomfortable, laying on a hard surface brought back an old familiarity. Though one was not supposed to sleep in a chapel, Sara reassured herself that she would get up forthwith and find Theobald; she just needed to close her eyes for a few seconds...