WileyCoyote

An Inquisitors Story: The City of Ash and Decay (A High-Casual journey)

Aradeyr

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Aradeyr looked on as a single blade cut through the chaos of the battlefield, finally solidifying the outcome of their struggle for her. The effects of the poison, from both the blade and arrows took effect almost instantly, though she noted it still possessed quite an interesting amount of strength to have shaken the grasp of both inquisitors in such a state. Still, it was was clear for now, the battle was won. As the beast stumbled to its knees it wailed in agony, a sound she would have been eager to trap within her own blade, yet her delight peaked truly as it began to chant aloud it’s dying prayers. Her interest not as much in what they meant exactly, but who would answer them. At once the function of the spears was apparent; they had in some manner granted him the hideous strength while planted in their victims, and for the ones which hadn’t been uprooted, he was now trying to draw what power he could to regenerate once more. Concentrating on those remaining she began, one by one, exerting bits of force magic upon those Genthok had not already displaced, though with the glimmer of Gilead’s frame shooting across the battlefield hastily at Ardur’s command, she knew it would not be necessary.

Allowing the illusion to dissipate, Gilead would be visible to all once more as he delivered the final blow; his counterfeit wisping away as quickly as it’d been formed. She turned away then, wholly disinterested by the beast struggling against what was now the inevitable. Instead, her eyes darted about their surroundings. She was sure from the beginning, something was watching, and she was sure now, it would be most displeased. From the satchel secured to her horse’s side she removed her tome, excitedly flipping through it until she was satisfied with one of the seemingly endless blank pages to begin on. It was then the unfamiliar voice echoed through her mind. Looking over the grim faces of her comrades she was sure they heard him too. Ardur called back to him aloud, and it responded once more.

Quite the spell she mused in return, noting that much like the magic which sustained the beast, it was in a class far superior than the average mage could muster. She herself could only speak to few individuals at once, yet they were able to address them all at the same time. She recorded his words exactly as they came, as well as the commotion that erupted from the city shortly after he’d finished. The ominous aura was indeed chilling, and as the familiar red light shone through the city she eyed the other visible corpses for any sort of movement.

“Well” she began, closing the space between herself and the slain beast to hear what Lilianna would make of it. “That was pleasant”. The spears continued to pluck themselves out of their placeholders, and at the behest of Ardur, began compiling themselves in a row before her. She jotted detailed depictions of them quickly, as well as began an account of all that had transpired since her arrival until Gilead interrupted. Releasing both her tome and writing instrument they hovered beside her in the air as she turned to greet him. “Of course” she offered with a smile. “Though it would seem he could still see you for some reason.” Taking both his hands abruptly her eyes began to let off the same pale glow as she began examining them closely on both sides, as he was the only inquisitor to hold one of the spears himself it was a necessary precaution. “I am Aradeyr” she offered as an afterthought. She released him then, performing a quick circle about him for any remnants of the spell. It did not seem to have an effect on him earlier, and she was satisfied now upon closer inspection that he was free of any trace of it’s evil. Gesturing to her tome, they returned to her hands and she jotted the lack of findings as well. She turned then, to address her fellow inquisitors. “If you have been injured please see myself or Lilianna” she gathered was the girl’s name “before we depart for the city.”

An Inquisitors Story: The City of Ash and Decay (A High-Casual journey)

@iTem Unrelated to everything here but you wouldn't happen to be -TemDragon- would you? o,o

An Inquisitors Story: The City of Ash and Decay (A High-Casual journey)

Aradeyr

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Aradeyr watched with disdain as the beast rose his axe shielding himself from the full brunt of the acid, causing her shots to land in such a way that broke the weapon. She had had not intended on its destruction before it’s retrieval for study but she supposed now was not the time. The beast had stumbled to the ground in its haste and if nothing else the intended effect was successful.

From a tree above and not far ahead a familiar voice welcomed her to the fray and she called back to him as he dropped swiftly onto the back of his companion, and took off ahead of her. “River! Artur!” she huffed, greeting them both between gallops. “What manner of ungodly creature is this!” she mused, more of a statement than a question. Catching up to him she watched intently as Ardur’s magic rippled across the beast, causing less damage than she would have imagined, but she was pleased nonetheless upon nearing close enough to see the enchantment of the creatures armor. She knew with almost certainty that though the beast possessed intelligence to some degree that some mastermind must lay in wait somewhere, and they must have been responsible for weaponizing the creature. Though the chance to analyze the magic it was laden with for clues as to whom that may be might never come, as they would likely need the Hybrid to dissolve more of it to bring it down successfully. Her thoughts raced with excitement at the possibilities, but that was immediately brought to a halt as the creature pelted Ardur with a displaced stone, sending him hurling behind the battlelines. The figure she’d seen slipping into the woods reemerged once more and was at his side in mere moments. Signature Aasimar magic emanating from the scene; she knew he was in more than capable hands and let her attention fall back to the beast, where two soldiers she was unfamiliar with seemed to misread the tone of battle and charged in recklessly without orders. They were disposed of almost instantly, bringing her attention to a peculiar spear, which had not buckled under the weight of the armor-clad corpse clashing against it. She could see now there were many of these positioned about, and as the beast cheered itself on at the demise of the first two soldiers, another two were closing in; the hybrid from before and now a half-elf she recognized. Wielding the axe fragment he prepared a powerful strike, one she would have thought would have given them quite a fair shot at leveling the beast, when instead, Gilead stole its attention, narrowly avoiding the attack. She looked on as the red aura dissipated, relieved to find it had no apparent effect on Gilead, though she was sure having riled the beast there had to have been more purpose in their placement than just for the sake of a gruesome sight. She pondered a moment, if the magic they were enchanted with would also be nullified by the beasts armor, or if perhaps, it had shifted its attention so swiftly to the lad because the opposite was true.

“Those spears..what purpose do they serve?” She questioned of River, but that would have to wait, as the beast was charging again, this time stopping short and almost as if reproducing the magic which brought him to the ground only moments before, it sent a massive wave through the earth, effectively trapping Gilead in his path. She readied her bow as few thoughts rushed to Aradeyr, dissecting them and their potentialities all at once. The beast proved easily angered, and thereby to distract, but if nearly being sliced in half by his own axe did not garner his attention what would? She surmised she may have had enough force magic built to direct at Gilead, rather than the beast, but the amount she would have to send, and the speed with which it would have to hit him to move the elf far enough to avoid danger could in itself be deadly, especially if she didn’t envelop him evenly. Moreover, it would require far more stamina than before. Coupling her magic with a moving object gave her a clear path to exert her force magic upon, but firing through empty airspace from afar was another matter. She could cast an illusion to shield him, but it would have required some sort of distraction to go undetected. As if answering her thoughts, within seconds River’s magic was at work. A water sphere struck the beast in the exposed area of armor, still glowing red with heat, and Aradeyr sent a single charged shot at the same area. Another pool of water formed and as the sheet of ice settled in the beast’s path Aredeyr sought to use the cover of steam rising around the creature to cast her spell.

In a low hum, perhaps only loud enough for River to hear, a slew of ancient elvish rolled off her lips and Aradeyr’s eyes began to glow, the birthmarks beneath them illuminating as the illusion she envisioned manifested itself on the battlefield. A false image of Gilead now stood about 8 feet into the ice, sword drawn, hoping to convince the beast he had fumbled closer to attack in unison with River but more importantly, hiding the fact that his true self was now a lone glimmer, hidden amongst the backdrop of the forest behind him. The counterfeit was plainly visible, to Gilead as well, yet those capable of true seeing or unaffected by illusionary magics would also see either a faint shimmer slowly rippling along the edges of the rough shape of Gilead's figure, if they were to look intently enough, or Gilead himself in his true position. Similarly, to both the left and the right along the borders of where River’s ice ended she made it to appear it had stretched out an additional 10 feet in either direction. If by some chance it was intelligent enough to surmise Gilead would not have been foolish enough to draw near, the beast would not simply be charging around the roadblock River created. Having already made physical contact with the water magic, she was confident it would have little reason to doubt the authenticity of the extension of the ice, even if it were privy to the nature of the doppelganger.

An Inquisitors Story: The City of Ash and Decay (A High-Casual journey)

Aradeyr

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Aradeyr fluttered about the ornate bed chamber wistfully arranging grand bouquets of violet flowers about the room. Every few moments her eyes would fall to her mother, a gentle glowing figure resting soundly in the center of a guilded bed, atop a mound of lavish pillows and coverings. "Osirihii?" her angelic voice called to her, its melody bouncing merrily throughout the grand room, a soft echo repeating her question.

"Mother" She echoed back as the blankets fell about her, revealing her swollen belly. Aradeyr hurried to her side to help her sit up comfortably all the way. "Not long now" she cooed. Aradeyr had already fallen in love with the child, merely from the wait to meet them. Her mother was about to speak once again when she was interrupted by her father entering hastily, a rolled scroll tucked into his robes. "Your brother has already gone ahead" he reassured her, offering the scroll with no other explanation.

Aradeyr scanned the note briefly before leaving a warm kiss on her mother's forehead. "I understand." she whispered with a nod. Standing abruptly and heading for the door, she gave a disheartened look behind her as she crossed the threshold. Her entire family had returned home in preparation for the new child. Her father had reluctantly chosen to stay behind in any upcoming missions, but she was glad in that at least. He may like to forget it but he was still aging after all. "Hopefully we can return in time" she mused aloud to herself, fully aware there was little chance.

She returned to her chambers at once, where she gathered her weapons before changing into her armor. It had been less than a full month since she'd worn it last, and though she was quite dismayed she would miss her new sibling's birth, she was glad to be changing into it again. Her golden satchel lay ready with her usual necessities so she wasted little time packing and made her way to the stables, securing the famous blue cloak around her as she did. There she called forth her swiftest steed and found it had already been prepared for her departure, her brothers doing she surmised. Retrieving the scroll once more she gave it a final look, confirming her route before setting off to join the main group of soldiers trailing behind the front lines.

Hours slipped by and she found herself gaining on the main forces. Slowing her stride to speak to a passing soldier so they could brief her, she quickly took note of the situation and pressed forward. Apparently, a second group had gone ahead to aid the first only a few minutes before she'd stopped to speak to them. If she hurried she could probably catch up not long after they arrived.

Less than an hour passed this time, and as she neared she could make out a lone rider tying up her horse in the distance before disappearing into the forest. She continued on horseback and the company of 40 or so men flickered into view. A few moments before they seemed to be talking amongst themselves but now, all of their backs faced her, obviously fixated on the city before them. From afar her eyes began to take in a gruesome sight quickly unfolding before her. What was once nondescript dots littering her view was taking on the form of countless mangled bodies strewn across the area. The scent of charred flesh quickly washed about her, a dry cough forcing its way from her chest in reaction to the sudden change in fragrance. She was about to call to her comrades when suddenly they broke off into groups, forming a hasty battleline. As they dissipated she could finally see what they had been transfixed by. As she approached everyone grew larger in view but directly in front of a set disfigured gates a shadow was growing disproportionately to the rest. A monstrous roar erupted from where it once stood, true abomination indeed had charged directly towards their lines scattering them in several directions. At the sight of archers she steered her horse in their direction, releasing his reigns. He was battle tested and she trusted the fine animal with her life. On instinct, she drew her bow immediately but quickly realized that though her shot was clear there was no favorable target. Closing more distance between herself and the group she took in the sight of the goliath fully. It wielded an ax of unreasonable proportion and was clad in black armor with what she could only assume were the remains of those it had terrorized within the city. There did not appear to be any gaps in the armor and she pondered for the briefest moment what it could have been made of to provide such coverage and who could have constructed it.

She had not heard their coordination, but within a moment a halfbreed had fired what appeared to be acid at the beast while another had used some sort of spell to disrupt the earth in its path as the second wave of arrows rained down on it. She hoped if the acid was effective and had covered the beast generously, in combination with the earth crumbling beneath it perhaps it would lose some grip on the weapon. She was not close enough to discern what it was made of, but she supposed with enough concentrated force magic at the right moments she could attempt to knock it from its hands. She did not believe it would stop its charge, as the thing was atrocious enough even without the mighty ax, but if it would stumble for even a moment, or be forced to turn and try to pick it up it would have bought them a precious few seconds to further distract it. Taking a deep breath she poised her bow in aim of the beast yet again.

"Aim for the joints! Try to slow its advance!" a voice called out through the chaos and she fired several charged shots at various joints of the monstrosity in compliance, finishing off with three additional shots to the beasts helmet hoping to expose any piece of flesh that would help them better identify the beast. With each arrow she applied increasing amounts of force magic, hoping the extra power and speed could help penetrate any unrecognizable weakness in the armor. To test the theory of her own she also fired five consecutive charged shots at different points across the uppermost portion of the beast's axe, before returning fire again to the other areas with regular shots. Giving herself time to recoup and concentrate her magics in preparation for another round of charged shots, she now sought to close the little remaining gap between her and the others, scanning and processing the scene she had arrived too late to have observed beforehand. Her keen senses helped to locate the different groupings of soldiers and she started a mental tab on the whereabouts of the other inquisition members.

OOC

Edited her internal use of "halfling" to "halfbreed", so as to not create confusion with her terminology in reference to the hyrbrid.

An Inquisitors Story: The City of Ash and Decay (A High-Casual journey)

Aradeyr

Name:



Osirihi Hrisyries Aradeyr, House of Aradeyr


Gender:



Female



Age:



137



Race:



Elf



Appearance:

Armor

She owns more than a few sets acquired along with the different ranks held over the years but prefers this the most. Depending on the time of year or condition of her main set she may change from time to time. When not directly engaged in conflict or a mission, or during long travel she is usually seen in light leather armor and chainmail.

A mere 132 pounds, Aradeyr sports a thin frame and lithe build, standing at five feet and 9 inches. As many of her kind hailing from similar regions, she is unreasonably pale for a living being, almost giving off a faint white glow from any uncovered skin, the exception being her golden birthmarks etched into her face just below her eyes. Her muted silver hair hangs about her freely, the bulk of it platted into a loose braid which hangs just above her knees and that she keeps neatly dressed with several golden claps. Her ears stretch into a high point and are adorned with various elven charms. Her eyes would appear to lack any pupil or iris. Instead, golden pools run from lid to lid, often causing those unfamiliar with her race to mistakenly believe she is blind or bewitched. For others, it is the calling card of many a noble hero from her region.


Personality:

While Aradeyr is decidedly less serious and stern than many of her elven counterparts, she attributes this to her still being relatively young and less experienced. As she spent her younger years tending to victims of the fallout of the blight war, she has managed to develop an overwhelming if not influencing aura of calmness about her, and will rationally consider all variants in a plan of action before putting any to use. She has scoured the world in a many a quest for knowledge and would be considered highly intelligent, even amongst her own kind. While quite empathetic and easily approachable, she is not the type to go out of her way to fraternize outside of designated times of merrymaking, though, she will tend to any wound without question and actively contribute to the morale of her peers, socializing as necessary or upon finding herself intrigued by any person or conversation in particular. She is kind to children and animals and reverent of nature and sacred spaces.

She does not carry all of the prejudices of her race and will admit to the admiration of warriors and scholars of varying decent and nobility.

History:

"Father, is there nothing more we can do?"

En Soph, the Sacred Forest

Born some 140 years ago in the Sacred Forest, En Soph, to the house of Aradeyr, she was given the name Osirihi, child of light, which she is only referred to in the presence of her father or brother.

For as long as Aradeyr could recall, her Father and elder brother fought in the service of The Inquisition. Every Grand House in the kingdom offers at least one warrior or scholar, as the tradition held for the last two centuries, with many houses offering as many as would volunteer. As a youngling she would witness after every scourage outside of the forest her father would return with survivors in tow. Many of them arrived mangled and twisted, in both mind and body; the result of the remnants of a horrid plague deemed The Blight or similar corrupting forces. Her mother, having retired her service to The Inquisition upon her birth, worked now to cleanse and restore those victims of their afflictions through concentrated healing magic, teaching Aradeyr along the way of the history of the plague and the various mutations it spawns, as well as the means to identify and combat its effect by channelling the powers of the Sacred Forest. As time waged on Aradeyr found herself hating her complicit role in the matter. The initial Blight War had taken place over sixty years before her birth. Having never ventured far from her homeland, she could not understand how there were still so many people struggling in the aftermath. She watched their suffering with forlorn, as even after people were physically healed, their minds writhed in anguish, while all she could do was meditate at their sides, easing their minds and expelling their troubles. It was an eve like any other when her father happened upon her kneeling at the bed a broken human man, weeping in his slumber. Her head to his, her arms wrapped gently across his deteriorated frame, she did not turn to greet him. Instead, she whispered a single utterance.

"Father, is there nothing more we can do?"
...

"There is yet more" he offered hesitantly.

Her brother had already been offered for service to the Inquisition, and bright and magically inclined as she was, no one had considered the second child for service, yet upon the reflection of her question, her father realized she would not be contented until she experienced the world which had scarred her precious survivors. She wanted to prevent these atrocities before they began, and was not suited for reactionary service, that is, to repair what she felt could have been protected in the first place.

"There is yet much more"

He declared that day he would prepare her for service to the Inquisition, and she, in turn, declared she would give her every effort, until her final breath, to ridding the realm of any and every trace of the Blight left behind. Her training began that very night, and for years she battled and sparred with her father and brother until she became proficient in swordplay and archery. From there she attended training for the Kings Royal Guard, starting humbly as a foot soldier in The Royal Army. Though undoubtedly a true mage, she honed a range of both physical and magical abilities, from the basics of hand to hand combat, to the use of her magic as offensive and defensive weapons, rather than just the application as an aid for healing as she had become accustomed to.

Eventually, she progressed to the status of full knight, earning her the right of a warrior: to declare her house name as her own, and finally the consideration for service in the Royal Guard. Her many accomplishments in missions preceded her, and some 3 years later she found herself a General in His Royal Highness's Guard; an honor bestowed to those proven to be more than capable of both sorcery and explicit battle prowess. She accepted gracefully and as customary, swore an oath of 100 years of service to the King. In that time she headed countless missions into the outside world, ventures that proved to be as much missions of liberation as they were quests of knowledge. She's traveled to many lands, bringing home with her their survivors as well as their cultures, traditions, and languages to be recorded and studied for her collection. For those in service of the King, he thought it of the utmost importance for them to understand the lives of those outside of the prosperity of En Soph, and frequently sent or allowed them to seek the elders of various lands, both as diplomats to the other races and kingdoms as well as pupils to be blessed with their wisdom. In her free times she enjoys returning to the villages and towns she's helped in the past to assess the success rate of rehabilitation from the Sacred Forest and has made many friends, teachers, and acquaintances along the way. She is known to stay long enough to study the people completely or until she is called for another mission, as she was introduced to those of varying races in her childhood, yet very rarely got the opportunity to observe them at peace, naturally in their habitats.

100 years came and went, and she found herself finally released, with all honors, of her service to the King. Within a weeks time, she had set off to face The Inquisition, and stand alongside her predecessors. She has since run many missions under the command of her father and beside her brother, restoring lands to peace, and reporting their ventures and findings back to the King.

Fun Facts!

Aka random tidbits about her history/culture that is nonvital but added in case you're scratching/shaking your head :') :

• En Soph, also referred to as The Sacred Forest, is yet one of many. Some fell or were overrun, others, such as this prevailed.
• En Soph, is the name of the actual forest and it's outermost reaches. The King's Castle Resides here, as well as many Noble Houses. Though En Soph is situated in the center of the kingdom, some outsiders may refer to the entire kingdom as such.
• Outside the reaches of the Forest lay the many layers of the kingdom. Starting within and working outward will reveal varying levels of ruin or decay. The innermost areas having been spared, while some of the outermost lay completely ravaged and uninhabited to this day. Some layers in between have been restored, with some left as reminders of the plague which befouled it.
• Leaving the outer areas in disarray also acts as a sort of camouflage for the Kingdom, depending on who you ask.
• The Noble Houses are home to families of various noble bloodlines, as well as descendants of the previous King, the current, and their families.
• Each noble house bears a family name, such as Aradeyr, and is headed by the eldest son or daughter of that direct bloodline. For Aradeyr, that is currently her father, as his fell during the war. Each house also extends to their relatives who the title of the head will never fall to, or warriors from lesser houses who have sworn into that house. While sons of Noble Houses always remain of their house, noble blood is often mixed with the marrying of new women into a house, and the children they bear.
• Your bloodline and your house may differ and are considered separate.
• The right of a warrior refers to his or right to take up the name of their house as their own, to be used in battle. In that way, all of the triumphs of an individual are secured in the name of their Noble House. This tradition carries on the name of the house and its victories across all generations, as the single soldier may be forgotten, but the deeds of his house will not. In this way, many of the outside world may have happened across Aredeyr or Saevus, for instance, in different places or times of history, and speak of them, exchanging stories and tales, attributing all deeds to a single individual, yet truly are referring to separate warriors. The long lifespan of an elf helps contribute to this notion.
• The right of a warrior can only be held by those who have been admitted to the service of The Royal Army where they must complete his or her training dutifully, progress to the rank of knight, and swear their 100-year oath to the King.
• The head of the house is the true bearer of the house name. The eldest living descendant of any given house bears the sole responsibility of said house, thus the blessing to wear the mantle of the house name on all occasions. In their presence, anyone else having earned their right to the name is referred to as their given or chosen name.
• Most elves of her particular nation are magically inclined. They are cultivated from childhood to harness and control their magical abilities, whatever they may be.
• Aradeyr has only one older brother, he actively serves in the army of the Inquisition as well. Her mother is currently expecting their second sibling, as such, her father has temporarily suspended his service.
• An elf from her region may have a given name upon birth, a chosen name upon adulthood, and a house name.
• Families outside The Noble Houses operate in a similar fashion. Their families may not be considered of a noble bloodline, but there exist several great houses, which produce descendants which may, upon knighthood claim their Family name, or in cases of exceptional talent, wish to swear into a Noble House.

Equipment:

• Armor - Aradeyr currently dons the armor of her king from her service in his guard. Midweight yet versatile.
• Cloak - The blue cloak worn by all inquisition members. Upon passing her trials to join, she relinquished the Cloak from her previous service, finding the new emblem befitting of the name she was given at birth. She wears this with pride.
• Long Sword - "Da'at Remph or The Echo", Her mother's sword, of superior elven craftsmanship. Imbued with magical properties, it gives off the faintest of hums when unsheathed. It voices the cries of death of the enemies whose blood it has tasted, which roars and echoes around her at will when plunged into the earth, and a chorus of praise, song, or a boisterous battle cry from those avenged after death when held to the heavens. Aside from this effect, it acts as a normal weapon, lacking any other otherworldly qualities.
• Composite Bow/Quiver- Carved from wood from the Sacred Forest
• A blank book - She will often time be found scribbling tirelessly into the pages of a heavy, bejeweled tome. Upon further inspection, the book appears to be a worn, light, undecorated leatherbound notebook whose pages are completely blank.
• A golden satchel - containing few potions, her tome, money, and other personal belongings.

Magic:

Aradeyr's Magic centers around the forces of the mind or forces of light, natural powers which she has developed as a result of her heritage and birthplace in the Sacred Forest. Her powers were not only discovered but expected and welcomed at an early age to be honed and used to the benefit of the kingdom. As such they have been developing for more than a century. She has also picked up some magic not indigenous to her people throughout her travels. Her innate magic includes dark vision and etherealness. Her telepathic magic was her major focus early on, some used in the aid of rehabilitating victims. Those abilities including detect thought, minor illusion, message, dream, and true seeing, are stronger than her offensive or defensive magic such as any force magic, featherfall, or sunbeam which she only mastered throughout her combat training, and require more stamina to use effectively. Tongues and Understand Languages she has acquired through study and travel.

• Dark Vision
• Detect Thought
• Dream
• Etherealness
• Featherfall
• Force Magic
• Message
• Minor Illusion
• Sun Beam
• Toungues
• True Seeing
• Comprehend Languages

In the Demon World

Either!

In the Demon World

I still need bios for you guys for the other interest check I'm making. You can make a joint one about your kingdom, king and queen or just individual ones for yourselves like Eklipse!

@Aisling
@ZB1996

In the Demon World

That should be fine, anything else we can add on

In the Demon World

I need a few ladies for my court and probably one or two personal guards. Also, I'd like a set of palace guards, a set of maids for the king, and a few other misc heads to serve the king or castle. Thxx!

In the Demon World

Woo thanks a ton �