Thinslayer

The Faraway Land: Arcane Adventures (Closed 9/30/18)

Made a small retcon: Winter removed the seeds from the slices before serving them.

The Faraway Land: Arcane Adventures (Closed 9/30/18)

"It would be an honor, Your Grace," Leliana said, and opened her hands to receive the coffee. Winter handed it to her with a warm smile. "The work you do is amazing, Leliana. It is my honor to receive you into my home."

Once Goro received his cup of coffee and had tasted a sip of it, he began his spiel. "Ah... Yer Grace, Lady Winter, my name's Goro. Me family calls me Apple though, 'cause I love apples. Heh. Eh, I would've offered ye some, but unfortunately I ate most of 'em during me travels see, what with me affinity for apples."
Winter chuckled behind her mug.
"But!" he continued, "I do got something else that's arguable even better, saving just for you. From the town of Ulayh even."

When he set it down on the table, Winter put dowm her mug and gasped. "Oh. My. Stars!" she squealed. "Is that what I think it is? Oh my- wow!..." She started fanning her face.
"In me homelands," Goro explained, "this is called the Ocean's Bounty. Said to come from the Heart of the Storm, an island guarded by roaring winds that can lift a man hundreds of feet in the air, where the waters can rise up to the skies and crush ships like twigs. For me, I call it a pineapple, 'cause it's like a pine cone, one of them prickly looking things from the trees I passed while I was coming here. And it's an apple 'cause I hear it's a tasty fruit, an apples are tasty, so... Yeah."

Winter gingerly picked it up to admire it, still making squealing sounds in her throat and smiling from ear to ear. "Oh Goro, you shouldn't have! Do you know how long I've been wanting one of these? I haven't had pineapple in...goodness, half a millennium, maybe? Holy heavens, you do me a great honor, Sir Goro. We simply must taste it."

She hummed to herself as she set it on a cutting board and carefully carved off the shell. Then she diced it up, removed the seeds, and scooped it onto several plates just as the third newcomer knocked on the door.

"It's open!" Winter called out. Nkosi Naswaru stepped through the doorway. He nodded at Winter and said, “It is a pleasure to meet all of you. I am Nkosi Naswaru. The mother guided me here and kept my travels safe and uneventful.”
Winter passed everyone a plate of pineapple slices. "And I am very grateful she did. Coffee?" She offered him a mug.
"I prefer tea, thank you."
"Sure! I'll brew you some." Winter set a kettle boiling on the stove and picked out some tea leaves from the cabinet.

She dropped into the chair and leaned on her elbows. "So! Down to business. I summoned you here because the world has changed, and I need boots on the ground to figure out what's going on. My sources say that a huge chasm opened in Bay'kin, and I believe it's related. If you are willing, I'd like you to document thoroughly the origin of these changes, their extent, and most importantly their nature. I acquired a set of codices-" Winter reached back and brought out a stack of leatherbound codex volumes, which she set on the table with a thump. "-that you may use to make your records. Normally I wouldn't offer any notebooks this extravagant, but...something tells me these will come in handy."

Winter leaned back and sipped her coffee.

"So...how about it?"

The Faraway Land: Arcane Adventures (Closed 9/30/18)

@Nightknight It's not mandatory to bring a gift, though bringing one definitely has its benefits, as Goro will eventually find out. ;-D

I'mma wait a little for @ReusableSword to reply before I make my next post.

The Faraway Land: Arcane Adventures (Closed 9/30/18)

Lore: The Five Towers

Many ages ago, back when the world was still young, the Ancients constructed five towers: one in the center of the continent, and one for each of the four corners of the land. Each tower rose so high, they were thought to have touched the clouds. Beneath their impossibly smooth, adamantine surface lies the power of a star, and in times of crisis, each tower can defend the continent with a vast, impenetrable shield and weapons of unimaginable destructive power. No one knows what the towers were constructed to fight against, and they have never been used since their creation.

Lore: The Dragon's Tooth

Hidden deep within a dormant volcano near Westhaven Tower, there lies a legendary sword rumored to be sharp enough to cut through diamond as if it were butter, yet utterly unbreakable with an edge that never dulls. Many have perished climbing up the treacherous mountain slopes, and those who survive perish still when the volcano makes her periodic eruptions. Hence, to date, no one has ever succeeded in obtaining the blade.

Some say it was placed there to serve as a test for prospective heroes who would dare wield its power, but a few sages believe it's more likely a sick joke by the gods to taunt gullible men into pointless deaths. With the advent of magic, it may now be possible for men to acquire the weapon. The only question is...should they?

The Faraway Land: Arcane Adventures (Closed 9/30/18)

As long as it's not a one-liner, anything's fine.

The Faraway Land: Arcane Adventures (Closed 9/30/18)

@geminironin@The Revenant@Nox Grimoire@Lucius Cypher@Nightknight@ReusableSword
The story has begun! I have made my first post in the IC tab. Whoever still wants to play and hasn't submitted a character sheet yet should do so ASAP.

The Faraway Land: Arcane Adventures (Closed 9/30/18)

It was known as the City of Lights. Midhaven, so named for its location at the center of the continent, was as large as it was bright, and it was long said that a certain magic flowed through it, even before the opening of the Chasm. The vast, monolithic Ancient Tower at the city center and the surrounding ivory domes and spires crowned the city's skyline, bejeweled with a thousand different colors dancing in the sunlight. The streets flowed straight and true, with clearly marked names and maps at numerous points to ensure wayfarers never got lost. At evening, a city oilbearer would light the lamposts, so that even the nighttime would befriend the sundown travelers. The concrete roads, though worn with time and traffic, never threatened one's footing with cracks or potholes thanks to regular maintenance.

Although there were many wonders still left to behold in the City of Lights, a few of the new arrivals did not come here for the sights. When you enter the city, the soldier escorting you withdraws a map and points to an intersection. "Her Grace's home is here, and I can show you the way if you like. Remember to comb your hair and straighten your coats so you look presentable. Good luck to you."

The Immortal's house, situated on the outskirts of the city, looks more or less like any other house, albeit larger by half and a good deal more...creative. Strange boxes and gadgets dot the walls here and there; in one corner stands a loud box with a spinning fan, and in another corner is a barrel emitting an ugly stench (if you're close enough to smell it). A little further away, nearly hidden behind a pile of deconstructed scrap, a small building emitting steam suddenly makes a loud BANG! and stops emitting steam.

"What the frik-frak!..." comes a singsong voice within the house. It's the voice of a woman, clear and beautiful, if frustrated by the noise in the building out back. When she steps out the front door, the sight of her is enough to take a man's breath away. The rich ebony hue of her skin outlines her strong, subtle figure, while the simple elegance of her white dress and deep gray longcoat give her a homely look quite in contrast to her rank and appearance.

She seems, in a word, inviting. Her name is Winter Valentine, the woman you have come to see.

"I bet it's those freaking turbines again. Oh!" Upon seeing the group of people standing at her gate, she stops, grins sheepishly, and scratches her head. "Ah...ha ha...I forgot, didn't I? Oh, screw the maintenance. That can wait. Come on in!" As she shows the party to a table and chairs in the dining room, she declares, "Luckily, I didn't forget to make a fresh pot of coffee, so there's something to look forward to! There should be enough chairs for- wait, no there aren't. We need one more."

She pulls up a swiveling chair from a nearby desk and wheeled it over. "There. This one's mine. Who wants coffee?"

The Faraway Land: Arcane Adventures (Closed 9/30/18)

@Lucius CypherYup, he's good to go! Post him in the Character tab.

The Faraway Land: Arcane Adventures (Closed 9/30/18)

Created a new NPC: Vali Melethainiel, the object of worship for believers in the Holy Mother. Notes about relevant religious practices are included in her character description.

The Faraway Land: Arcane Adventures (Closed 9/30/18)

NPC: The Holy Mother, Vali Melethainiel

• Birthdate: 12/25/2465
• Height: 6'3"
• Weight: Slim
• Eye Color: Blue
• Hair Color: Golden blonde
• Skin Color: Unpigmented/white

Blurb:
Yes, the Holy Mother is an actual person. She is Immortal(?), radiantly beautiful, and a prolific author of religious works for her zealous followers to gobble up. She is known to possess immense (though not limitless) power, which she uses judiciously to sway unbelievers to her cause. When magic suddenly appeared in the world, sightings of the Holy Mother ended, and rumors began to spread that she had "come down from heaven" in the likeness of a pointy-eared woman to "guide her people through these turbulent times."

It's more likely, though, that just she came to learn the secrets of magic like everyone else.

Religious Notes

Whoever wishes the Holy Mother to hear them must possess a Relic of the Goddess. Relics are produced at the Holy Temple in Estergard (or Easthaven, situated at the east coast of the continent), and they are said to possess a direct connection to the Holy Mother's heart. The larger the relic, the better the chance your prayer will be heard. Relics possessing the likeness of the Mother are the best ones (and thus the priciest), and legend has it that she responds reliably and quickly when prayers are uttered to these relics.

Few have seen the Holy Mother herself, but meeting her is a requirement to join the priesthood. A priest must carry a relic of some sort, preferably a portable one, and be ready at any time to respond should the Mother give him a "Sign." A Sign is usually a distinct written or verbal message, issued in any creative way ranging from graffiti to a statement from a passer-by, requiring the priest to take some sort of action, hopefully resulting in an answered prayer.

Priests who manage to pull back the curtain to see how the Holy Mother answers prayers usually disappear under mysterious circumstances.