Vec

The Six Crystals

How fast do we want the party to come together? I have no problem either way, just asking.@Balthazar007

The Six Crystals

@Vec

It is quite enjoyable to read your detailed opening IC post. It sets the scene very nicely.

That being said, try to dial it back a bit or use hiders in the future, especially if and when you start interacting with other players.

I do appreciate a good introduction though, so don't change anything.

I'm thinking of ways to introduce an NPC to your storyline, and I see three options. Either I make an NPC for Jorath, or if you'd rather post as him as well, I could be one of his aids (i.e. regular body guards), or I could be a formidable attacker. I could have fun in any direction. What do you think?

@Balthazar007

You could be the shadowy butler/head of staff that 'takes care' of everything. It feels like someone like Jorath would have someone like that around to burder with all the complicated stuff.

The Six Crystals

---

Location: Stallo City - Time: The day after the festivities. Around 5 AM when she wakes up, around 6:30 AM when she leaves.

---

Beep… beep… beep… beep…

A body shifted under the sheets, the sound of the alarm clock penetrating the skull of its victim and mercilessly poking, akin to a jackhammer operator hammering away at their brain. Zara groggily woke up to the offending sound blaring at her ears.

Beep… beep… beep… be–

She grumbled and reached out with her hand, smashing the alarm clock until it went silent. Peeking through from under a mountain of blankets, a half-opened eye stared at the, now, silent contraption with sheer indignation. The clock, evidently unable to respond – it did not have a brain – had nevertheless proven itself to be one of the toughest enemies for the young woman. Despite her past, she had never been a morning person; her cold-blooded constitution left her little choice but to, come sleep time, huddle under the warm embrace of her bed. Plus, the reminder that she would, eventually, have to leave said embrace had never sat well with her.

She slowly sat up in bed, rubbing her eyes and trying to wake herself up. No matter how much she would have loved to sleep in, Zara knew she would have to get up soon; her new "employer" would not take kindly to her showing up late for her first day on the job. "Damn Mutrenians…" Zara grumbled and groaned, but in the end, she got up, albeit reluctantly. With a yawn, she performed a few morning stretches before making her way to the bathroom.

Once there, she turned the faucet all the way to 'hot' and let the water run, waiting for it to heat up. By the time the temperature had risen to an "acceptable" level for her, the bathroom had turned into a sauna, with the steam from the shower fogging up the mirror, making it hard for Zara to see her scaly reflection. "Yeah, that's more like it," she thought as she tested the water.

Stepping into the warm spray gave her delightful goosebumps, and a refreshing feeling 'washed' over her as the morning grogginess slowly faded away. Washing up and rinsing off the soap and dirt went by fast, and before long, she'd find herself staring out from her balcony window, coffee cup at hand, at the expanding cityscape of Stallo City. The bitterness of the dark roast on her tongue; the crisp and cool air flowing into the room from outside; the sound of the city coming to life as people started going about their daily lives… It all still felt so unreal to her.

Zara had a hard time coming to terms with her life so far; the endless fights that she'd once seen no end to, had suddenly come to a screeching halt; the dark slaughterhouse she had forcefully been made to call her home, had finally run out of fresh meat, and the head butcher, along with his accomplices, had been shipped off to… wherever Mutrenians sent their outlaws to be processed.

A rather loud honking sound echoed from below, rousing Zara from her reverie and letting her know that time was ticking. Her coffee was growing colder by the minute. "It's all in the past now, forget it…" the young woman told herself as she moved away from the window and towards the small kitchen top, where something much more important lay.

She picked up the memory chip with her free hand, taking a better look at it, yet failing to recall when she'd last seen one of these. "It's definitely Riotifu tech though, that's for sure." Zara, having grown up in the Bloody Divide, had – in one way or another – been exposed to different cultures, and thus could detect the slight stylistic differences between Riotifan, Sutisuian, and Mutrenian tech. She had been given this after her request for more information about her employer. She inserted it into a small device on the kitchen table, and a holographic screen appeared in front of her. "Oooh, jazzy~" Zara exclaimed in mild surprise.

"Hmm… Jorath looks to be quite the big shot," Zara muttered to herself as she scanned the file. "Owns several businesses, has a large estate, and apparently has some powerful enemies." She frowned and rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "Well, I guess that's why he needs a bodyguard. It would suck to get offed while you're out vacationing now, would it?"

The information was a good start; however, it was just that, a start. Albeit impulsive, she was not an idiot. Zara knew that any type of information shared by Jorath's side would, no doubt, paint him in a better light, or at the very least try to do so. That was why Zara decided to splurge a little, in the name of research of course.

She returned to her bedroom, coffee and chip in hand, left them on top of the nightstand, and pulled out a pair of augmented reality glasses from the cupboard underneath. "You better be worth your money…" With a sigh, Zara laid down on her bed and put on the glasses, quickly accessing the city's public virtual network. She proceeded to search for Jorath's name, which quickly resulted in a wealth of new, non-curated, information.

After a while, Zara removed the glasses, placed them at her side, and just laid there for a few moments, absorbing and organizing all she had learned. "Interesting," she finally said after a while. "I guess it's not just his enemies that he has to watch out for…"

As she'd delved deeper into the research, Zara felt more and more confident in her ability to protect Jorath. She knew that her job as a bodyguard wouldn't be easy, but she was up for the challenge. However, after putting on the uniform she'd been provided with – a black suit with a white shirt and matching tie – her elevated mood took a downward turn. Formal clothes and Zara were not a good combination. She only had to look once at herself in the hallway mirror to know that those sleeves would not have much more life to them, especially if it came down to it and she had to fight someone. "Well, I guess that's that… I'll deal with the problems as they come. Now it's about time to go meet the boss," she reminded to herself out loud before exiting her hotel room.

Summary

We are given a glimpse into the daily routine of Zara, as well as some information about her past (already detailed in her biography) through an introspection scene. We also learn that her employer is name Jorath, and that he has some things to hide. She proceeds to do some background research, before heading off to meet with him on her first day at work

The Six Crystals

@Balthazar007 What are the means of transport that Mutrenu people have access to? Planes, ships, etc I assume exist. Are more mystical means, like teleportation portals etc also available?

The Six Crystals

I wonder when we should start posting in the IC, considering not everyone has created their CS yet.

The Six Crystals

Vec's Characters

Zara

Name: Zara
Aliases: Zee

Appearance: In her humanoid form, Zara is a reptile beast-folk with pitch onyx scales that shimmer in the light. These scales start from the top of her hands and extend up all the way to her shoulders, chest, back, and shoulder-blades, seamlessly transitioning into a slender, dark-skinned, toned and athletic torso that stands at a respectable 5'6". As for her legs, her scales start from somewhere in the middle of her calves, extending all the way to her pelvis. On her face she has bright, snake-like citrine eyes that sparkle with a degree of intelligence and curiosity not necessarily found in her fellow reptile brethren, who are known for their more cunning ways. Zara has long, black hair that she keeps braided and tied back with a leather cord.

In terms of wardrobe, Zara favors practical, comfortable clothing that allows her to move freely. She typically wears a black leather jacket and jeans, along with a pair of sturdy boots. She carries a dagger/knife blade sheathed and clipped onto her belt, and has a small satchel filled with useful items like a map, a compass, and some basic medical supplies. She also wears a number of small charms and trinkets around her neck, each one representing a different adventure or accomplishment. Overall, Zara's wardrobe reflects her adventurous and independent spirit.

In her beast form, Zara's body becomes long and slender, taking on the appearance of a black mamba snake. Her pitch onyx scales become even darker and more iridescent, allowing her to blend into her surroundings and avoid detection. Her citrine eyes remain bright and piercing, giving her excellent vision and allowing her to spot potential prey or threats from a distance.

In this form, Zara's black hair sheds off, leaving her with a smooth, glossy snakeskin under her scales. She also regains her long, prehensile forked tongue that she can use to taste the air and detect the presence of potential prey or threats. Her head becomes elongated and pointed, with sharp fangs that can inject highly potent and lethal venom into her prey.

Key Items:

• Her dagger, which is a relic of her time in the fighting pits. It was given to her as a reward for exceptional performance. It is made of a peculiarly strong and hard metal, keeping its sharpness despite the wear and tear of time.
• TBA

Crystal: N/A

Current Location: D9 Stallo City. Currently getting ready to leave with the merchant family for Sutisu.
Current Status: Active.

Race: Beastfolk: Black Mamba
Allegiance(s):

• Primary: Rakssarak
• Secondary: Poison Fang Tribe
• Tertiary: Her 'employer'.

Age: She looks like a 25 year old female in her human form.
Gender: Female
Occupation: Bodyguard
Personality:

Zara is a curious and adventurous reptile beast-folk, who is always eager to explore new places and experience new things. She is intelligent and resourceful, with a quick mind and a strong sense of self-reliance. She is also confident and self-assured, with a strong sense of independence and a willingness to take risks.

However, this readiness to take risks can also backfire, making her reckless, impulsive, and at times prone to act on instinct and intuition rather than careful planning and consideration. This can lead her to make rash decisions or take unnecessary risks, which can sometimes backfire and put her in danger. She can also be stubborn and headstrong, refusing to back down or change her mind even when faced with evidence to the contrary. This can make her difficult to reason with or persuade, and can lead to conflicts with others.

Furthermore, unlike many of her fellow reptile beast-folk, Zara is not fond of the constant state of war and conflict that plagues her homeland. She believes that there are better ways to solve disputes and achieve goals, and is often at odds with those who favor cunning, backstabbing and generally stealthy tactics. As a result, she is often distanced from her more traditional brethren, who view her as a traitor or a weakling. Despite this, Zara remains fiercely loyal to her people and her heritage, and takes pride in her reptile ancestry.

Biography:

Zara was born and raised in the remote, wild, swampy lands of Rakssarak (pronounced rahk-sah-rahk in the native tongue of the Poison Fang Tribe, Ssarik (pronounced sah-rik)). Meaning "the land of the serpent", the native name of Zara's homeland is indicative of the fact that 98% of the population living there consists of reptiles and reptilian beast-folk. The name is often used as a term of pride and respect by the inhabitants of Rakssarak, who view their homeland as a sacred and protected place. It is also used as a rallying cry or a battle cry by those who would defend Rakssarak from outside threats – those few, rare times, of course, that the reptile beast-folk would put aside their differences, coming together to fend off outside threats.

From early age, Zara was known for her intelligence and her curiosity, always eager to explore the world around her and to learn new things. She also possessed a strong sense of independence and self-reliance (an instinct drawn from her reptilian heritage), and was not afraid to venture out on her own or to take risks. As she grew older, Zara became increasingly aware of the war and conflict that plagued her people. The Bloody Divide, as it is more widely known amongst the humans that make it their battlefield, had not been an easy place to grow up in.

She saw firsthand the destruction and the suffering caused by the ongoing battles between the different factions of her kind, and she began to question the wisdom of this constant state of war. She also became aware of the outside forces, namely Sutisu and Riotifu, that were, no doubt, manipulating and exploiting her people, and using them as proxy soldiers in their ongoing generational conflict. This constant aggression from two fronts quickly wore her down both mentally and physically, and by the time she entered her late teens, she'd had enough. Had it not been for one fateful event, she would have left her homeland on her own at some point.

The event.

Zara had been out, trekking the deep marshes of her homeland in a bid to train her body. Just as she was taking a break from exercise, her eyes caught smoke rising up high above the forest canopy. Having practically made those swamps her turf, she'd instantly known that the direction the smoke was coming from had been where her village had been located at. This sent her mind racing, and she'd instantly bolted for her home, only to find one thing upon arrival: chaos.

Homes burning, voices crying for help, and the pained moans of the injured had pierced her eyes, ears and heart, all in in equal measure. Her village had been under surprise attack from a much larger force vying for territory, which spelt certain doom for her and the rest of the villagers. Conquest usually means that everything would be razed, and everyone would be either killed or captured for labor. Usually, the logical thing to do when one is faced with such a predicament is to flee. Unfortunately for Zara, she had not - and still isn't - that much of a forward thinker. Ergo, she had dived straight into the fight.

Now a question: what happens when a hormonal teenager, barely past adulthood, that is determined to defend their home, stands up to a flood of raving invaders looking to conquer them? If your answer was a mountain of corpses right in the middle of the town square, then you would be correct. By the time Zara collapsed from exhaustion and summarily captured, she had killed more than 50 grown-ass lizard-men. The commander of the army, impressed by her performance, decided to spare her life in favor of selling her off as a combat slave.

For most of the following four days, she had been pumped full of tranquilizing venom - more than enough to exceed whatever level of resistance her species provided her with - and shipped off inside a crate to the Mutrenu Continent, eventually finding herself inside one of the most well known underground fighting arenas. Zara fought as a gladiatrix for the better part of four years, beating opponent after opponent under the promise that, were she to accrue enough wins, she would be eventually freed.

Her actual freedom, however, came about not when she'd fulfilled this number. On the contrary, it had only come when said underground arena was raided by the Mutrenan authorities. The ringleaders were arrested, and all the, then, active group of fighters - constantly vying for dominance within their own little, isolated world - suddenly found themselves with no money, no purpose, and no connections, dumped into a society that had replaced human labor with robot labor.

It took some time for Zara to adjust to this new life, however a person of her skill-set would never go unnoticed for long, wherever in the world she might find herself in. A protection gig fell right into her alley when a rich, yet insufferable, Mutrenan merchant hired her as his family's bodyguard during their little winter vacation trip to the northern hemisphere.

Appendix

• Ssarik Language

  Name: Ssarik (pronounced sah-rik)
  Description:

  It is a serpentine language, with a hissing, sibilant sound to it. It uses a complex system of clicks and tongue-flicking to convey different meanings and nuances in its spoken form, while it is written using a series of intricate, flowing symbols. Spoken Ssarik sounds different depending on whether the person speaking it is in their humanoid or beast form. In the beast form, it sounds more or less like how it was described above, however the physical differences between the two forms affect the way the language is produced.
  
  This means that humanoid reptilians speaking their native language end up sounding quite different to non-native speakers. The clicks and tongue-flicks that are a crucial part of the Ssarik language are difficult or impossible to produce in human form, as the mouth and tongue are not as flexible or as agile as in beast form. As a result, the spoken language sounds more muted and less rhythmic when spoken by a reptile beast-folk in human form.
  
  Additionally, the hissing and sibilant sounds of the language become harder to produce in human form, as the mouth and throat are not as well-suited to it. As a result, the language ends up sounding more guttural and less snake-like. Despite these differences, Ssarik spoken in this way is still recognizable by other reptilians as the same language, as the basic grammar and vocabulary remain the same. The spoken language simply sounds somewhat different, depending on the speaker's form.
  
  

  META

  The Ssarik alphabet contains all the standard 26 letters of the English alphabet, as well as four additional letters (Ss, Tt, Uu, and Vv) that are used to represent the unique clicks and tongue-flicks of the Ssarik language. The letters Ww, Xx, Yy, and Zz are also used in the Ssarik alphabet, but are pronounced differently than in English, reflecting the unique sounds and rhythms of the Ssarik language.
  
  For example, the phrase "Hello there, I am named Zara" would be translated as "Ssarak issa, Zara naissarik." This would be pronounced as sah-rahk iss-ah, zah-rah naiss-ah-rik. While the phrase "The weather is cloudy today, I should take an umbrella with me." would be translated as "Rakssarak issa ttakkak, issa rrissarak uulissarik." This would be pronounced as rahk-sah-rahk iss-ah ttak-ak, iss-ah rris-ah-rahk oo-liss-ah-rik.

Inventory

• Coins: 45000
• Backpack with extra clothes & Mutrenan energy packs for sustenance on long journeys.
• Her employment papers, although she is not terribly attached to them.

Ability Breakdown

Non-Magical Abilities:

• Strength, Agility & Dexterity several levels above a normal reptilian beast-folk. Especially her reaction speed, which on top of being honed by herself during combat, had already inherently been leagues above a human's, mainly due to her being a snake beast-folk.
• Deadly venom in her fangs and nails, which she can turn into scaled claws. Titular characteristic - 2 drops can kill an adult human should they have no antidote or magical resistance to said venom. Nothing more to say here.
• Possesses the ability to detect infrared radiation, enabling her to create a thermal image of the world. this means that she can differentiate between living and non-living things in the dark, effectively giving her night vision. This is done through the pit organs: special membranes contained in two, tiny holes situated on her face, next to her nostrils.

Magical Abilities:

• Multiple transformations. Zara has trained herself to be able to transform into more than one form. Anything from turning her head into that of snake while keeping her body a human, to turning only her lower body to that of a snake, to even turning her arms into snakes that can snap at or constrict around her enemies according to her will.
• Berserk rage. She can rapidly burn her magical reserves, gaining a massive boost to her physical abilities for a short while. This puts an immense strain on her body, and she is left incapacitated for some time after the duration has run out.

The Six Crystals

<Snipped quote by Vec>

If I'm being honest... your character, Zara.... well... let's put it this way. It's fucking brilliant mate! That being said, if anyone else is reading this, do not think that you have to go into nearly as much detail as @Vec here did. If you do however, this is the way to do it, using hiders to masterfully shorten your post into bite sized chunks.

I'm going to say, as a traveling bodyguard, you can start her off with anywhere between 30,000 coins to 60,000 coins. Depending on how she's been spending her money over the years.

@Balthazar007

I am glad you like her. Do you have any feedback on the power-level of her abilities? I don't want to make her too powerful just as we are starting out.

The Six Crystals

@Balthazar007 https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/5408711

I have also finished writing my CS. Please do @ me with any questions.

The Six Crystals

Zara

Name: Zara
Aliases: Zee

Appearance: In her humanoid form, Zara is a reptile beast-folk with pitch onyx scales that shimmer in the light. These scales start from the top of her hands and extend up all the way to her shoulders, chest, back, and shoulder-blades, seamlessly transitioning into a slender, dark-skinned, toned and athletic torso that stands at a respectable 5'6". As for her legs, her scales start from somewhere in the middle of her calves, extending all the way to her pelvis. On her face she has bright, snake-like citrine eyes that sparkle with a degree of intelligence and curiosity not necessarily found in her fellow reptile brethren, who are known for their more cunning ways. Zara has long, black hair that she keeps braided and tied back with a leather cord.

In terms of wardrobe, Zara favors practical, comfortable clothing that allows her to move freely. She typically wears a black leather jacket and jeans, along with a pair of sturdy boots. She carries a dagger/knife blade sheathed and clipped onto her belt, and has a small satchel filled with useful items like a map, a compass, and some basic medical supplies. She also wears a number of small charms and trinkets around her neck, each one representing a different adventure or accomplishment. Overall, Zara's wardrobe reflects her adventurous and independent spirit.

In her beast form, Zara's body becomes long and slender, taking on the appearance of a black mamba snake. Her pitch onyx scales become even darker and more iridescent, allowing her to blend into her surroundings and avoid detection. Her citrine eyes remain bright and piercing, giving her excellent vision and allowing her to spot potential prey or threats from a distance.

In this form, Zara's black hair sheds off, leaving her with a smooth, glossy snakeskin under her scales. She also regains her long, prehensile forked tongue that she can use to taste the air and detect the presence of potential prey or threats. Her head becomes elongated and pointed, with sharp fangs that can inject highly potent and lethal venom into her prey.

Key Items:

• Her dagger, which is a relic of her time in the fighting pits. It was given to her as a reward for exceptional performance. It is made of a peculiarly strong and hard metal, keeping its sharpness despite the wear and tear of time.
• TBA

Crystal: N/A

Current Location: D9 Stallo City. Currently getting ready to leave with the merchant family for Sutisu.
Current Status: Active.

Race: Beastfolk: Black Mamba
Allegiance(s):

• Primary: Rakssarak
• Secondary: Poison Fang Tribe
• Tertiary: Her 'employer'.

Age: She looks like a 25 year old female in her human form.
Gender: Female
Occupation: Bodyguard
Personality:

Zara is a curious and adventurous reptile beast-folk, who is always eager to explore new places and experience new things. She is intelligent and resourceful, with a quick mind and a strong sense of self-reliance. She is also confident and self-assured, with a strong sense of independence and a willingness to take risks.

However, this readiness to take risks can also backfire, making her reckless, impulsive, and at times prone to act on instinct and intuition rather than careful planning and consideration. This can lead her to make rash decisions or take unnecessary risks, which can sometimes backfire and put her in danger. She can also be stubborn and headstrong, refusing to back down or change her mind even when faced with evidence to the contrary. This can make her difficult to reason with or persuade, and can lead to conflicts with others.

Furthermore, unlike many of her fellow reptile beast-folk, Zara is not fond of the constant state of war and conflict that plagues her homeland. She believes that there are better ways to solve disputes and achieve goals, and is often at odds with those who favor cunning, backstabbing and generally stealthy tactics. As a result, she is often distanced from her more traditional brethren, who view her as a traitor or a weakling. Despite this, Zara remains fiercely loyal to her people and her heritage, and takes pride in her reptile ancestry.

Biography:

Zara was born and raised in the remote, wild, swampy lands of Rakssarak (pronounced rahk-sah-rahk in the native tongue of the Poison Fang Tribe, Ssarik (pronounced sah-rik)). Meaning "the land of the serpent", the native name of Zara's homeland is indicative of the fact that 98% of the population living there consists of reptiles and reptilian beast-folk. The name is often used as a term of pride and respect by the inhabitants of Rakssarak, who view their homeland as a sacred and protected place. It is also used as a rallying cry or a battle cry by those who would defend Rakssarak from outside threats – those few, rare times, of course, that the reptile beast-folk would put aside their differences, coming together to fend off outside threats.

From early age, Zara was known for her intelligence and her curiosity, always eager to explore the world around her and to learn new things. She also possessed a strong sense of independence and self-reliance (an instinct drawn from her reptilian heritage), and was not afraid to venture out on her own or to take risks. As she grew older, Zara became increasingly aware of the war and conflict that plagued her people. The Bloody Divide, as it is more widely known amongst the humans that make it their battlefield, had not been an easy place to grow up in.

She saw firsthand the destruction and the suffering caused by the ongoing battles between the different factions of her kind, and she began to question the wisdom of this constant state of war. She also became aware of the outside forces, namely Sutisu and Riotifu, that were, no doubt, manipulating and exploiting her people, and using them as proxy soldiers in their ongoing generational conflict. This constant aggression from two fronts quickly wore her down both mentally and physically, and by the time she entered her late teens, she'd had enough. Had it not been for one fateful event, she would have left her homeland on her own at some point.

The event.

Zara had been out, trekking the deep marshes of her homeland in a bid to train her body. Just as she was taking a break from exercise, her eyes caught smoke rising up high above the forest canopy. Having practically made those swamps her turf, she'd instantly known that the direction the smoke was coming from had been where her village had been located at. This sent her mind racing, and she'd instantly bolted for her home, only to find one thing upon arrival: chaos.

Homes burning, voices crying for help, and the pained moans of the injured had pierced her eyes, ears and heart, all in in equal measure. Her village had been under surprise attack from a much larger force vying for territory, which spelt certain doom for her and the rest of the villagers. Conquest usually means that everything would be razed, and everyone would be either killed or captured for labor. Usually, the logical thing to do when one is faced with such a predicament is to flee. Unfortunately for Zara, she had not - and still isn't - that much of a forward thinker. Ergo, she had dived straight into the fight.

Now a question: what happens when a hormonal teenager, barely past adulthood, that is determined to defend their home, stands up to a flood of raving invaders looking to conquer them? If your answer was a mountain of corpses right in the middle of the town square, then you would be correct. By the time Zara collapsed from exhaustion and summarily captured, she had killed more than 50 grown-ass lizard-men. The commander of the army, impressed by her performance, decided to spare her life in favor of selling her off as a combat slave.

For most of the following four days, she had been pumped full of tranquilizing venom - more than enough to exceed whatever level of resistance her species provided her with - and shipped off inside a crate to the Mutrenu Continent, eventually finding herself inside one of the most well known underground fighting arenas. Zara fought as a gladiatrix for the better part of four years, beating opponent after opponent under the promise that, were she to accrue enough wins, she would be eventually freed.

Her actual freedom, however, came about not when she'd fulfilled this number. On the contrary, it had only come when said underground arena was raided by the Mutrenan authorities. The ringleaders were arrested, and all the, then, active group of fighters - constantly vying for dominance within their own little, isolated world - suddenly found themselves with no money, no purpose, and no connections, dumped into a society that had replaced human labor with robot labor.

It took some time for Zara to adjust to this new life, however a person of her skill-set would never go unnoticed for long, wherever in the world she might find herself in. A protection gig fell right into her alley when a rich, yet insufferable, Mutrenan merchant hired her as his family's bodyguard during their little winter vacation trip to the northern hemisphere.

Appendix

• Ssarik Language

  Name: Ssarik (pronounced sah-rik)
  Description:

  It is a serpentine language, with a hissing, sibilant sound to it. It uses a complex system of clicks and tongue-flicking to convey different meanings and nuances in its spoken form, while it is written using a series of intricate, flowing symbols. Spoken Ssarik sounds different depending on whether the person speaking it is in their humanoid or beast form. In the beast form, it sounds more or less like how it was described above, however the physical differences between the two forms affect the way the language is produced.
  
  This means that humanoid reptilians speaking their native language end up sounding quite different to non-native speakers. The clicks and tongue-flicks that are a crucial part of the Ssarik language are difficult or impossible to produce in human form, as the mouth and tongue are not as flexible or as agile as in beast form. As a result, the spoken language sounds more muted and less rhythmic when spoken by a reptile beast-folk in human form.
  
  Additionally, the hissing and sibilant sounds of the language become harder to produce in human form, as the mouth and throat are not as well-suited to it. As a result, the language ends up sounding more guttural and less snake-like. Despite these differences, Ssarik spoken in this way is still recognizable by other reptilians as the same language, as the basic grammar and vocabulary remain the same. The spoken language simply sounds somewhat different, depending on the speaker's form.
  
  

  META

  The Ssarik alphabet contains all the standard 26 letters of the English alphabet, as well as four additional letters (Ss, Tt, Uu, and Vv) that are used to represent the unique clicks and tongue-flicks of the Ssarik language. The letters Ww, Xx, Yy, and Zz are also used in the Ssarik alphabet, but are pronounced differently than in English, reflecting the unique sounds and rhythms of the Ssarik language.
  
  For example, the phrase "Hello there, I am named Zara" would be translated as "Ssarak issa, Zara naissarik." This would be pronounced as sah-rahk iss-ah, zah-rah naiss-ah-rik. While the phrase "The weather is cloudy today, I should take an umbrella with me." would be translated as "Rakssarak issa ttakkak, issa rrissarak uulissarik." This would be pronounced as rahk-sah-rahk iss-ah ttak-ak, iss-ah rris-ah-rahk oo-liss-ah-rik.

Inventory

• Coins: ?
• Backpack with extra clothes & Mutrenan energy packs for sustenance on long journeys.
• Her employment papers, although she is not terribly attached to them.

Ability Breakdown

Non-Magical Abilities:

• Strength, Agility & Dexterity several levels above a normal reptilian beast-folk. Especially her reaction speed, which on top of being honed by herself during combat, had already inherently been leagues above a human's, mainly due to her being a snake beast-folk.
• Deadly venom in her fangs and nails, which she can turn into scaled claws. Titular characteristic - 2 drops can kill an adult human should they have no antidote or magical resistance to said venom. Nothing more to say here.
• Possesses the ability to detect infrared radiation, enabling her to create a thermal image of the world. this means that she can differentiate between living and non-living things in the dark, effectively giving her night vision. This is done through the pit organs: special membranes contained in two, tiny holes situated on her face, next to her nostrils.

Magical Abilities:

• Multiple transformations. Zara has trained herself to be able to transform into more than one form. Anything from turning her head into that of snake while keeping her body a human, to turning only her lower body to that of a snake, to even turning her arms into snakes that can snap at or constrict around her enemies according to her will.
• Berserk rage. She can rapidly burn her magical reserves, gaining a massive boost to her physical abilities for a short while. This puts an immense strain on her body, and she is left incapacitated for some time after the duration has run out.

The Six Crystals: An Original RP

@Balthazar007 Thanks for the clarifications!!