Introduction
As the new millenium unfolds ancient forces awaken. Some grasp at power, others seek oblivion, but some wish only to exist peacefully along side us. All around the world people are developing strange powers and horrifying creatures are beginning to appear, shrouded in urban legends. Ancient creatures, dormant for centuries, frozen beneath the artic tundra and the earth’s crust stir as demons and spirits fight to break the barriers between their world and ours. It is a world where the real meets the mythical as modern day sorcerers battle alongside vampires and the creatures of the night to protect our world from lovecraftian horrors and demons of myth.
In the year 1999, on the eve of the new millennium a secret battle raged between the forces of mankind, led by the Mage’s circle and the church, and the forces of darkness under the control of the Prince of Darkness. This battle was brought to a swift and decisive conclusion when the Prince was slain by a small band of unlikely heroes led by the Saviour and his forces scattered. Mankind was saved, for the time being. Soon after cults of demon worshipping humans began to surface, proclaiming the return of the Prince of Darkness. This Dark Messiah they believed would plunge the world into chaos of the end times. Now, the Saviour has disappeared and the forces of darkness stir in the night.
The year is 2019 and in the city of Tokyo the second battle to decide the fate of the world is about to begin.
Factions:
The Mage’s Circle (The Circle of the Moon)
The Mage’s circle, (Also known as the ‘Circle of the Moon’) are a world wide organisation of sorcerers bound by a strict set of laws that govern the use of magic by its members. The circle also act as a police force for the supernatural world, ensuring that dark forces do not threaten the world. Every Mage belongs to the circle by default, though some have been known to go rogue, resulting in them becoming excommunicated by the Circle. Each Mage has a vote in matters decisions passed by the circle, but as with any form of politics those with more influence are given more weight. They are presided over by a ruling council of the oldest and wisest among them, many of whom are heads of the Magic society in their region. The ruling council of the Circle do not always agree and each of them has their own motives. They are generally opposed to the church, however they appear to be united by a common goal of protecting mankind from supernatural forces.
The Inquisition
The Catholic church is devoted to the eradication of occult elements in the world and for that reason they have often had need of force. The Inquisition acts as the church’s occult investigation branch, seeking out and eliminating those elements deemed by the church to be too dangerous to allow to wander. At various times this has extended to encompass vampires, mages and ‘heretics’. They employ a number of specially trained assassins and soldiers versed in traditional and more ‘esoteric’ forms of combat and warfare as well as scripture and rituals. The organisation itself answers only to the Pope, with a network of handlers taking care of intelligence and strategy throughout the world, coordinating the Inquisitions members on a grand scale as well as a micro scale.
The Order of the Dragon
Vampires, though disparate and fiercely independent have had to rely on each other’s strength in times of need for their survival. For that reason the Order of the Dragon exist. Descended from a certain historical order of the same name and bound by a common goal the Order of the Dragon keep watch over the vampire community in much the same way as the Circle of the Moon keep watch over that of mages. More akin to a secret society than a real governing body, they maintain a shadowy secrecy, rarely meeting and often bickering and engaging in petty politicking and plotting when they do. They are fragmented and prone to violent disputes. It takes something of true importance to get them to act as one.
Pandora (The Apostles of the Sun)
Pandora have devoted themselves to the creation of ‘paradise on earth’ by eliminating mankind from the face of the world. They seek the awakening of a being they refer to as the ‘Dark Messiah’, who they claim will lead them into the future with his power. They believe that mankind is inferior and is a harmful parasite on the world. They come from all over the world and all walks of life, united by their common goal. Some hate mankind, others merely believe that they are begin guided by fate. Others simply have nowhere to turn, allying with Pandora out of necessity. They have gained power by entering into a pact with demons, in effect allowing themselves to become possessed in return for power. Some are subservient to their demons, others have utterly subjugated them, others have entered into a strange symbiosis and others still are in a constant mental struggle with their other. They have not yet revealed themselves to the other factions, though they and the Arcana are aware of each other‘s existence. They believe that the Dark Messiah is humanity’s natural enemy, a force of nature that will protect the natural order by eliminating humans harmful presence.
Arcana (The Apostles of the Moon)
If the Apostles seek death, Arcana wish for life. They are devoted to protecting mankind to that it may ascend to a higher state of being, regardless of the effect it has on the world at large. For that reason they will stamp out any and all threats to human life and to do so they seek the Dark Messiah’s power. Arcana consist of many members, a veritable army under the command of the ‘Major Arcana’, humans of powerful paranormal ability and power who take on the role of protectors of humanity. Each of them has assumed a second identity, that of the Major Arcana of the Tarot that best suits their powers. These powers have come into being thanks to the advances in human evolution, superhuman strength, clairvoyance, mind control and other psychic abilities as well as paranormal powers beyond traditional classification. As with Pandora members come from all walks of life and locations, united by their emergent powers and the will to protect mankind. They see the Dark Messiah, who was once human as being the ultimate representative of humanity and its potential. They believe the Dark Messiah is humanity’s guardian and seek to ressurect him so that he can continue to protect humanity.
The Illuminati
The Illuminati, favourite of the conspiracy theorists of the world have secretly been guiding history with a gentle hand. They possess no supernatural powers of any kind, armed only with knowledge, they have manipulated governments and nations according to their whims. Guided by ancient prophetic writings and studies of their enemy they seek to maintain the status quo and the shape of the world under their rule. They are headed by the wise man’s council, a group of the greatest scholars, mystics, scientists and leaders of our time. However, due to their nature they often spend more time deliberating their plans then putting them into action. Chief among their arsenal is the dead sea scrolls, which they believe hold the key to the outcome of the monumental events that face the world.
The Demon Kings
In the depths of the underworld the Demon kings plot their next move. They plot and fight among one another, waging endless wars in which monarchs are overthrown and usurped on regularly. But now, with the gateways to the mortal plane opening many of the demon kings have turned their gaze towards our world. A world they see as rightfully theirs. Their goals are many. Some seek the subjugation of the mortal world under their rule, others seek only war and destruction, there are even those who care not for the affairs of humans and their world, preferring to live in blissful peace. But common among them is the fact that we humans are of no consequence, a minor distraction to be discarded at a whim, and our world little more than another realm to be fought over.
The Old Ones
Deep in the depths of the earth’s surface, in the darkest oceans and within frozen ice caps the Old Ones lie dormant. Old gods who once roamed the stars and were worshipped as deities by our primitive ancestors. The Old Ones have no interest in the affairs of man, they sleep in the farthest corners of the earth, occasionally stirring to toy with mortals, perhaps gifting them with power beyond imagining, perhaps simply to drive them insane with their mere presence. Cults of followers worship them still, tending to their ‘gods’ and offering up sacrifices.
Guardians:
Every species has its heroes. Those beings whose actions have elevated them to the status of legends. These heroes act as representatives to their species, serving to protect it in times of great need. Their main duty is to prevent the extinction of their species when it is threatened and to ensure its survival. Guardians may not necessarily choose their fate, instead one can say that they are chosen by fate.
Character Types:
Humans
Self explanatory. They have no extraordinary abilities to speak of.
Alters
Nineteen years ago a cataclysmic battle between the forces of darkness and the forces of humanity occurred. This battle ended when the Pprince of Darkness himself was slain. Since that time people with supernatural abilities have begun to emerge. These people, known as Alters, are kept secret from public knowledge, hiding their abilities. The nature of an Alter’s power can range from the simple such as superhuman strength, flight or mind control, to the exotic, such as the ability to travel through shadows, or see through reflective surfaces.
Demons
Ancient beings who roamed the earth long before mankind. They possess tremendous power and take many forms. The most powerful among them are venerated in myth as deities. Their existence is a secret outside those who have come into direct contact with them and the organisations listed above. The most common kind of demon possesses no real intelligence, being like animals for the most part, the most powerful among them possess intellect and knowledge far in advance of any mortal and wield arcane power of monstrous proportions. For the most part they are trapped in the ‘underworld’, a hellish plane where chaos reigns, ruled over by the Demon Kings. However a few have broken through to the mortal world where they pursue their own ends. Some have blended in with the human population, living amongst them. Others prey upon humans for their own purposes and others still seek to fulfil the orders of their masters and pave the way for more of their kind. They are cold and calculating, caring very little for humans, seeing them as disposable tools and amusements at best. At worst they see them as inconsequential. A demon interacting with a human is akin to a human tormenting an insect. The insect cannot truly understand what is happening to it or the reasons behind it due to the difference in their minds.
Angels
Demons who masquerade as benefactors to humans. They have altered their appearance to be less terrifying, though their intentions are not necessarily any more benign. As with demons, they seek their own ends and for the most part have little real affection for humans.
Psychics
Human beings who have developed highly attuned mental powers. The exact reason behind their powers is not known, some have theorised that they developed as part of the next step of evolution. Psychic powers include but are not limited to telekinesis, telepathy, clairvoyance, pyrokinesis and cryokinesis. Psychic abilities typically develop around puberty and it has been known for a psychic to lose control of their powers, typically with horrific results.
Mages
Human beings who have turned to ancient esoteric knowledge as a means of harnessing tremendous occult power. Magic itself is varied, ranging from protective barriers, enchantments, attack spells, curses and divination by way of talismans, incantations and lengthy rituals. The various schools of magic are in constant disagreement with each other, resulting in considerable tension within the Mage’s circle. Persecuted throughout history mages and sorcerers have hidden themselves among the population the world over. Magic requires tremendous effort and skill to understand, taking many years of hard study to truly master.
Revenants
Revenants are the souls of the dead summoned by a mage, usually to serve the purpose of a guardian or ally. A revenant bound to the mortal plane can take physical form if supplied with enough power by its summoner, otherwise it remains incorporeal, unable to affect the world of the living. Revenants retain the memories, personalities and in many cases skills and abilities of their previous lives. The spirits of ancient heroes are prized among sorcerers who use them as servants and bodyguards due to their spectacular powers and abilities. If a Revenant’s link to its summoner is cut it will begin to fade, likewise if it expends its magical power then it will disintegrate, unable to maintain its presence on the world any longer.
Ghosts
Unlike Spirits, who have been summoned to the mortal world from their rest in the afterlife, ghosts are forced to wander the world by their own tortured souls. Unable to find rest they haunt the living in incorporeal bodies. With time they can learn to manipulate objects through telekinesis and become poltergeists. Ghosts retain their personalities, but none of the memories of their former lives.
Spectres
The tortured souls of the vengeful dead. A person who is murdered or dies an unjust death will be unable to rest, their vengeful thoughts and emotions festering during their imprisonment in the limbo of undeath. As these emotions grow stronger so do their powers until they can manifest themselves on the mortal plane through sheer force of will. These spectres are driven to avenge themselves through any means necessary, sometimes without even realising the reason for their actions. They have incredible physical abilities and occult powers and the ability to become incorporeal at will. Many are doomed to wander the world forever unfulfilled, the object of their vengeance having long since passed away.
Wraiths
Often mistaken for demons, these bizarre creatures exhibit powers far greater than most of mankind and have preyed on them since ancient times, devouring the souls of other creatures to sate their never ending hunger. Wraiths can move between the planes at will, however most prefer to remain in Purgatory, a realm within the Spectral plane where lost souls wander, finding little reason to cross over to the mortal plane. A spectre, once it has wandered for long enough will eventually adapt to their new existence and develop a hunger for other souls. They will begin to devour other souls, growing in power. They are a mass of tortured souls who will never find rest, their identities soon becoming lost amongst those of their victims, forming a gestalt entity formed from the minds and souls of those they have devoured.
The Wraiths themselves have no hierarchy, wandering alone, though weaker Wraiths often crowd around stronger ones, living off their cast offs like parasites. The more powerful a Wraith grows, the further from human its form becomes, with the oldest Wraiths (classed as ‘Tyranno’ by the Magi) resembling horrific creatures of bone and shadow the size of skyscrapers.
Contractors
Through history it has been known for humans to sell ones soul to demonic entities for great power. Those who enter into these Faustian pacts become cold hearted and callous, walking shadows of their former selves. Their personalities are blank as they no longer have the capacity for emotion. They know no joy, fear sorrow or anger, instead they act purely on self interest and cold logic. These people are often employed by magic organisations across the world for clandestine operations and often coming into conflict with each other. Their contracts often contain restrictions or clauses in return for the use of their powers, ranging from feeling the pain of their victims, completing a drawn out ritual to losing their senses. Contractors never work alone, but are often employed by a parent organisation for use as mercenaries or assassins.
Erratics
Contractors who have been driven mad by their powers. After an certain amount of time without a soul a Contractor will begin to develop odd personality traits and quirks in their behaviour, eventually derailing into full blown psychosis. The reason for this madness is not known at this point in time, and the amount of time it takes varies from case to case. One theory goes that a human mind cannot cope with existence without the presence of emotion and will begin to deteriorate as a result. One thing is for certain though, and that is that an Erratic is a truly dangerous foe to confront.
Monsters
Residents of the world of beasts, in ancient times some of these creatures managed to cross over to the mortal world, becoming part of the myths and legends of ancient cultures. Beasts like the Hydra, medusa and Ifrit. They can be summoned from their world by experienced sorcerers. Those who become trapped here hide in remote regions where they can prey on unsuspecting humans.
Werewolves
The cursed offspring of an unholy union between man and monster. Werewolves are cursed to transform into a large, unnaturally strong wolf on a full moon and in times of extreme stress. This change is often involuntary, and the victim remains unconscious throughout as their instincts take hold over them. Werewolves by birth have much greater control over their abilities, remaining conscious of their transformation Werewolves live in close knit communities traditionally, however their dwindling numbers have caused them to become remote, hiding amongst humans and in many cases unaware of the existence of more of their kind. A werewolf’s senses are extremely sensitive and their physical abilities are far above a human’s even while they retain their human form. They are highly resistant to damage, being able to shrug off mortal injuries like they were flesh wounds leading them to be known for their ‘immortal bodies‘. However, as with other regenerating species, if one can cause enough damage to their bodies, their regenerative abilities can be overpowered. They are also vulnerable to silver and mercury as well as decapitation.
Vampires
Offspring of the prince of Darkness himself. Vampires are vile unnatural creatures, cursed to walk the mortal world as a supernatural monster, devouring the blood of the living. Vampires do not procreate in the traditional manner, instead passing on the curse to victims of their choosing. Since vampires exist only as undead corpses they cannot crossbreed, as a result there are no half vampires.
A vampire gains the ability to shape shift, allowing them to alter their appearance to pass for a normal human being or take the form of a wolf, bat or mist. Vampires have no specific allegiance to either good nor evil, generally being completely amoral. A typical vampire wields their power like a tyrant, acting in their own interests with their own unknowable inhuman logic.
Abilities include strong psychic abilities, including telekinesis, telepathy, hypnotism and illusory powers. They also possess extreme physical prowess, granting them strength and speed beyond the norm as well as advanced regeneration. However vampiric abilities vary greatly between the individual, some develop strong affinity to magic while others are granted more esoteric abilities. Vampires are feared due to their immense power, however this is not to say they are invincible. They are susceptible to decapitation, silver, fire and magic. While a they possess strong regenerative abilities they can also be slain through conventional methods. They are weakened by sunlight, their strength only just above that of a typical human during the daytime and it causes them some discomfort.
Homunculi:
A homunculus is a man made living being created through the arcane sciences of alchemy and magic. They appear human for all intents and purposes, but lack a soul, leaving them blank, emotionless shells much like Contractors. Like living computers they are used primarily for intelligence gathering due to their highly powerful innate psychic powers and ability to store information like a database. Some have been ‘programmed’ to affect a personality of their owner’s choosing and some Mages use them as companions.
Gods/Spirits:
While not Gods in the traditional sense, these spiritual beings govern the workings of the world. According to the Shinto faith everything, even inanimate objects, has its own spirit. These spirits are concerned with the natural order of the world, and as part of the celestial hierarchy are involved in rectifying imbalances and disorder within the world. This task involves a vast bureaucracy of various spirits who manage the minutiae of the world, from a small army of Death Gods who are tasked with guiding the souls of the departed to their final destination to Wind Gods whose job it is to manage the weather patterns. However, in recent years the world has been increasingly thrown into disarray for mysterious reasons, causing a great deal of concern between the Gods. The Gods are largely unconcerned with humanity, and leave them alone, only stepping into the fray when the world at large is threatened by malevolent forces as was the case in the war of the Eclipse at the end of the Millenium.
Gods vary greatly in power, being blessed with control over a specific element or a power that aids them in their allotted task (A God of a forest being able to control plant life etc). However, their powers are not limited to only their field, as they also possess a number of general purpose magical abilities. Their strength also varies greatly, with older Gods generally having had longer to accumulate and develop their power and being more proficient in its use. Their society is largely based around the celestial hierarchy, with older and more powerful Gods in charge of the overall cosmos and handing down tasks to those below them. While Gods cannot be seen by regular people in their normal forms they can be sensed by animals, young children and those with particularly keen spiritual or magical or psychic abilities like mages or psychics. On the rare occasion that a God takes mortal form they can assume a form of their choosing, shaping it to their liking. However this makes them weaker and more vulnerable. If a God dies in their mortal body they die for good like any other creature.
Sorcery:
There are two major branches within the magic Eastern and Western magic, with the main branch of Western magic being based in France and the main branch of Eastern magic being based in China. Within these branches are regional bodies, such as the Albion Magic association, based in England. And even further down the chain there exists countless other minor schools. As practitioners adapt their teachings they eventually come to develop into a unique style of their own. Magic from one country may differ significantly from that of another and different people will adapt these further, becoming unique to a particular family.
Western magic:
Based primarily in Europe.
Places much emphasis on the will of the magician. Power is drawn from within and focussed through the will of the caster. They tend to use their own bodies as circuits for the power they generate though some are known to use focussing objects like wands, staffs etc. Incantations and hand seals are used to focus the caster’s will by use of key phrases which can be different for each caster. These phrases are used to remind the caster of how to perform the required ‘spell’ in a similar way to a mnemonic.
A typical example of western magic is the creation of a bolt of lightning to attack ones enemies. Other more esoteric uses include the manipulation of time or the creation of a defensive barrier.
The philosophical belief behind western magic is that one should be able to stand alone. They do not believe in a unifying force, rather that every person stands alone as a source of value and power within the universe and that improvement of the self is the path to enlightenment and true perfection. There is a strong a posteriori element to western magic, believing that knowledge can only be gained through the senses and experience. Western magic is far more rational and logical in it’s explanations, believing that the magic is simply another form of science and that the force behind it is simply a part of nature.
Eastern magic:
Based primarily in East Asia.
In contrast to western magic, eastern schools place more emphasis on the use of naturally occurring magical forces, drawing power from the world around them. They make extensive use of talismans and charms, allowing them to bypass the natural resistance of the human body to magical energies. Magic in the east is tied intimately to religion, with many priests being magicians and vice versa. Eastern magicians tend to use invocations to call upon spirits and the forces of nature. Will power is still required to tame these force to ones will. Small spells like a fire bolt are simple for even inexperienced magicians whilst calling upon the elemental spirit of fire itself requires one to bring it completely under ones will, a feat achieved by only a handful.
A typical example of Eastern magic is the creation of small talismans that can be used to summon orbs of flame for offensive purposes. Other uses include the enchantment of an object to enhance it’s abilities.
The philosophical aspect of eastern magic is deeply ingrained within it’s teachings. It teaches that all people are part of a whole, that every person and every inanimate object, from a grain of sand to the great vacuum of space is as one, unified by the binding life force known as ‘Chi‘. As such there is a strong emphasis on a priori philosophy, the belief that there are some truths that can be gained without the senses through deep contemplation and meditation.
Sub schools:
Outlined below are a few sub schools of magic that focus on specific aspects.
Necromancy:
The raising of and control of the dead. A necromancer has the power to reanimate dead matter, controlling it as he sees fit. They can command this reanimated matter to do their bidding, zombies can be commanded to attack independently for example. They will perform their duties to the best of their understanding and will not stop until they are unable to do so (being destroyed or trapped for instance) or have achieved their goal, at which point they will become mindless and wait for the next order from their master. Since they lack higher brain functions the corpses have a limited understanding and any orders must be given clearly and precisely to prevent them from acting wrongly. The act of genuine ressurection is impossible, though with considerable effort on the part of the summoner one can draw the soul of the recently departed and bind it to the mortal plane.
Illusion:
The creation of imaginary constructs through the manipulation of raw magical energies. Depending on the caster’s will power these constructs can range from small, intangible simple objects to large, complex scenes with many independent entities that look, sound and feel real. However, these illusions are only that, illusions. They are not real and cannot affect the real world in any way, though they can trick the observer into believing so if used correctly. For instance, an illusory sword cannot cut someone, though it can create a further illusion that the recipient of a wound has been cut as well as the sensation of pain and even death if the illusion is realistic enough. With enough will power one can see through an illusion.
Chronomancy:
The manipulation of time is an incredibly rare and difficult power to master. Time travel itself is considered an impossibility by most, though some still research it, hoping to make a breakthrough. Practitioners of Chronomancy can shift and manipulate time to their whims. They can cause an object to age or de-age and create a field that freezes others in place while they move normally amongst other things.
Summoning:
Summoning is an integral part of many schools of magic, due to it’s complicated nature it has been given a section of its own.
The summoning of and bargaining with spirits from other planes of existence is a difficult skill to master, it requires not only great willpower but great discipline and in some cases a certain cunning. Whilst some of the more benign entities will be happy to lend help or enter into an arrangement with the caster others will require more convincing. Certain malign beings may try to deceive or harm the summoner. More neutral beings will require some mutually beneficial arrangement or compensation.
Amongst the creatures that can be summoned are Demons, spirits or mythical beasts (such as Orochi, Cerberus, Fafnir etc). Demons will only appear to a select few whom they deem worthy and only if they feel they will benefit from the arrangement. If one knows the name of a specific entity one can try summoning them in particular, with varying degrees of success. An entity can be summoned against its will.
To summon the spirit of a dead person requires particular ability due to the difficulty of the act. Due to the nature of the cycle of death and rebirth a spirit must be either recently departed, trapped in the spectral plane or residing in paradise. To draw the spirit of one who has become part of the circle of fate the practitioner must forcibly extract the spirit before it reaches the void and becomes stripped of its memories and sense of self. This takes extraordinary skill and strength of will to prevent the practitioner losing themselves in the torrent of souls.
One typical use for summoned entities is for use as a guardian spirit. The summoned entity and the summoner enter into a contract whereby the spirit acts as a protector or companion to the summoner in the mortal plane. These contracts require the summoner to lend a portion of their power to the entity for as long as they remain on this plane.
When summoning a magician will enter into an arrangement with the summoned entity, this contract or pact must be agreed to by both parties of their own free will and will usually but not always leave some token of sorts, either a mark on the bodies of each participant or an item of some sort. Once the pact is finished or broken this mark or item shall disappear.
Summoners are advised to use a seal of some sort to house themselves whilst the deal is being made. While within this seal the summoner is safe from the influence of the summoned entity, though leaving for any reason will nullify this protection.
If for any reason a summoning is not completed it can have disastrous consequences such as the loss of power or memory on behalf of the summoned entity.
In the year 1999, on the eve of the new millennium a secret battle raged between the forces of mankind, led by the Mage’s circle and the church, and the forces of darkness under the control of the Prince of Darkness. This battle was brought to a swift and decisive conclusion when the Prince was slain by a small band of unlikely heroes led by the Saviour and his forces scattered. Mankind was saved, for the time being. Soon after cults of demon worshipping humans began to surface, proclaiming the return of the Prince of Darkness. This Dark Messiah they believed would plunge the world into chaos of the end times. Now, the Saviour has disappeared and the forces of darkness stir in the night.
The year is 2019 and in the city of Tokyo the second battle to decide the fate of the world is about to begin.
Factions:
The Mage’s Circle (The Circle of the Moon)
The Mage’s circle, (Also known as the ‘Circle of the Moon’) are a world wide organisation of sorcerers bound by a strict set of laws that govern the use of magic by its members. The circle also act as a police force for the supernatural world, ensuring that dark forces do not threaten the world. Every Mage belongs to the circle by default, though some have been known to go rogue, resulting in them becoming excommunicated by the Circle. Each Mage has a vote in matters decisions passed by the circle, but as with any form of politics those with more influence are given more weight. They are presided over by a ruling council of the oldest and wisest among them, many of whom are heads of the Magic society in their region. The ruling council of the Circle do not always agree and each of them has their own motives. They are generally opposed to the church, however they appear to be united by a common goal of protecting mankind from supernatural forces.
The Inquisition
The Catholic church is devoted to the eradication of occult elements in the world and for that reason they have often had need of force. The Inquisition acts as the church’s occult investigation branch, seeking out and eliminating those elements deemed by the church to be too dangerous to allow to wander. At various times this has extended to encompass vampires, mages and ‘heretics’. They employ a number of specially trained assassins and soldiers versed in traditional and more ‘esoteric’ forms of combat and warfare as well as scripture and rituals. The organisation itself answers only to the Pope, with a network of handlers taking care of intelligence and strategy throughout the world, coordinating the Inquisitions members on a grand scale as well as a micro scale.
The Order of the Dragon
Vampires, though disparate and fiercely independent have had to rely on each other’s strength in times of need for their survival. For that reason the Order of the Dragon exist. Descended from a certain historical order of the same name and bound by a common goal the Order of the Dragon keep watch over the vampire community in much the same way as the Circle of the Moon keep watch over that of mages. More akin to a secret society than a real governing body, they maintain a shadowy secrecy, rarely meeting and often bickering and engaging in petty politicking and plotting when they do. They are fragmented and prone to violent disputes. It takes something of true importance to get them to act as one.
Pandora (The Apostles of the Sun)
Pandora have devoted themselves to the creation of ‘paradise on earth’ by eliminating mankind from the face of the world. They seek the awakening of a being they refer to as the ‘Dark Messiah’, who they claim will lead them into the future with his power. They believe that mankind is inferior and is a harmful parasite on the world. They come from all over the world and all walks of life, united by their common goal. Some hate mankind, others merely believe that they are begin guided by fate. Others simply have nowhere to turn, allying with Pandora out of necessity. They have gained power by entering into a pact with demons, in effect allowing themselves to become possessed in return for power. Some are subservient to their demons, others have utterly subjugated them, others have entered into a strange symbiosis and others still are in a constant mental struggle with their other. They have not yet revealed themselves to the other factions, though they and the Arcana are aware of each other‘s existence. They believe that the Dark Messiah is humanity’s natural enemy, a force of nature that will protect the natural order by eliminating humans harmful presence.
Arcana (The Apostles of the Moon)
If the Apostles seek death, Arcana wish for life. They are devoted to protecting mankind to that it may ascend to a higher state of being, regardless of the effect it has on the world at large. For that reason they will stamp out any and all threats to human life and to do so they seek the Dark Messiah’s power. Arcana consist of many members, a veritable army under the command of the ‘Major Arcana’, humans of powerful paranormal ability and power who take on the role of protectors of humanity. Each of them has assumed a second identity, that of the Major Arcana of the Tarot that best suits their powers. These powers have come into being thanks to the advances in human evolution, superhuman strength, clairvoyance, mind control and other psychic abilities as well as paranormal powers beyond traditional classification. As with Pandora members come from all walks of life and locations, united by their emergent powers and the will to protect mankind. They see the Dark Messiah, who was once human as being the ultimate representative of humanity and its potential. They believe the Dark Messiah is humanity’s guardian and seek to ressurect him so that he can continue to protect humanity.
The Illuminati
The Illuminati, favourite of the conspiracy theorists of the world have secretly been guiding history with a gentle hand. They possess no supernatural powers of any kind, armed only with knowledge, they have manipulated governments and nations according to their whims. Guided by ancient prophetic writings and studies of their enemy they seek to maintain the status quo and the shape of the world under their rule. They are headed by the wise man’s council, a group of the greatest scholars, mystics, scientists and leaders of our time. However, due to their nature they often spend more time deliberating their plans then putting them into action. Chief among their arsenal is the dead sea scrolls, which they believe hold the key to the outcome of the monumental events that face the world.
The Demon Kings
In the depths of the underworld the Demon kings plot their next move. They plot and fight among one another, waging endless wars in which monarchs are overthrown and usurped on regularly. But now, with the gateways to the mortal plane opening many of the demon kings have turned their gaze towards our world. A world they see as rightfully theirs. Their goals are many. Some seek the subjugation of the mortal world under their rule, others seek only war and destruction, there are even those who care not for the affairs of humans and their world, preferring to live in blissful peace. But common among them is the fact that we humans are of no consequence, a minor distraction to be discarded at a whim, and our world little more than another realm to be fought over.
The Old Ones
Deep in the depths of the earth’s surface, in the darkest oceans and within frozen ice caps the Old Ones lie dormant. Old gods who once roamed the stars and were worshipped as deities by our primitive ancestors. The Old Ones have no interest in the affairs of man, they sleep in the farthest corners of the earth, occasionally stirring to toy with mortals, perhaps gifting them with power beyond imagining, perhaps simply to drive them insane with their mere presence. Cults of followers worship them still, tending to their ‘gods’ and offering up sacrifices.
Guardians:
Every species has its heroes. Those beings whose actions have elevated them to the status of legends. These heroes act as representatives to their species, serving to protect it in times of great need. Their main duty is to prevent the extinction of their species when it is threatened and to ensure its survival. Guardians may not necessarily choose their fate, instead one can say that they are chosen by fate.
Character Types:
Humans
Self explanatory. They have no extraordinary abilities to speak of.
Alters
Nineteen years ago a cataclysmic battle between the forces of darkness and the forces of humanity occurred. This battle ended when the Pprince of Darkness himself was slain. Since that time people with supernatural abilities have begun to emerge. These people, known as Alters, are kept secret from public knowledge, hiding their abilities. The nature of an Alter’s power can range from the simple such as superhuman strength, flight or mind control, to the exotic, such as the ability to travel through shadows, or see through reflective surfaces.
Demons
Ancient beings who roamed the earth long before mankind. They possess tremendous power and take many forms. The most powerful among them are venerated in myth as deities. Their existence is a secret outside those who have come into direct contact with them and the organisations listed above. The most common kind of demon possesses no real intelligence, being like animals for the most part, the most powerful among them possess intellect and knowledge far in advance of any mortal and wield arcane power of monstrous proportions. For the most part they are trapped in the ‘underworld’, a hellish plane where chaos reigns, ruled over by the Demon Kings. However a few have broken through to the mortal world where they pursue their own ends. Some have blended in with the human population, living amongst them. Others prey upon humans for their own purposes and others still seek to fulfil the orders of their masters and pave the way for more of their kind. They are cold and calculating, caring very little for humans, seeing them as disposable tools and amusements at best. At worst they see them as inconsequential. A demon interacting with a human is akin to a human tormenting an insect. The insect cannot truly understand what is happening to it or the reasons behind it due to the difference in their minds.
Angels
Demons who masquerade as benefactors to humans. They have altered their appearance to be less terrifying, though their intentions are not necessarily any more benign. As with demons, they seek their own ends and for the most part have little real affection for humans.
Psychics
Human beings who have developed highly attuned mental powers. The exact reason behind their powers is not known, some have theorised that they developed as part of the next step of evolution. Psychic powers include but are not limited to telekinesis, telepathy, clairvoyance, pyrokinesis and cryokinesis. Psychic abilities typically develop around puberty and it has been known for a psychic to lose control of their powers, typically with horrific results.
Mages
Human beings who have turned to ancient esoteric knowledge as a means of harnessing tremendous occult power. Magic itself is varied, ranging from protective barriers, enchantments, attack spells, curses and divination by way of talismans, incantations and lengthy rituals. The various schools of magic are in constant disagreement with each other, resulting in considerable tension within the Mage’s circle. Persecuted throughout history mages and sorcerers have hidden themselves among the population the world over. Magic requires tremendous effort and skill to understand, taking many years of hard study to truly master.
Revenants
Revenants are the souls of the dead summoned by a mage, usually to serve the purpose of a guardian or ally. A revenant bound to the mortal plane can take physical form if supplied with enough power by its summoner, otherwise it remains incorporeal, unable to affect the world of the living. Revenants retain the memories, personalities and in many cases skills and abilities of their previous lives. The spirits of ancient heroes are prized among sorcerers who use them as servants and bodyguards due to their spectacular powers and abilities. If a Revenant’s link to its summoner is cut it will begin to fade, likewise if it expends its magical power then it will disintegrate, unable to maintain its presence on the world any longer.
Ghosts
Unlike Spirits, who have been summoned to the mortal world from their rest in the afterlife, ghosts are forced to wander the world by their own tortured souls. Unable to find rest they haunt the living in incorporeal bodies. With time they can learn to manipulate objects through telekinesis and become poltergeists. Ghosts retain their personalities, but none of the memories of their former lives.
Spectres
The tortured souls of the vengeful dead. A person who is murdered or dies an unjust death will be unable to rest, their vengeful thoughts and emotions festering during their imprisonment in the limbo of undeath. As these emotions grow stronger so do their powers until they can manifest themselves on the mortal plane through sheer force of will. These spectres are driven to avenge themselves through any means necessary, sometimes without even realising the reason for their actions. They have incredible physical abilities and occult powers and the ability to become incorporeal at will. Many are doomed to wander the world forever unfulfilled, the object of their vengeance having long since passed away.
Wraiths
Often mistaken for demons, these bizarre creatures exhibit powers far greater than most of mankind and have preyed on them since ancient times, devouring the souls of other creatures to sate their never ending hunger. Wraiths can move between the planes at will, however most prefer to remain in Purgatory, a realm within the Spectral plane where lost souls wander, finding little reason to cross over to the mortal plane. A spectre, once it has wandered for long enough will eventually adapt to their new existence and develop a hunger for other souls. They will begin to devour other souls, growing in power. They are a mass of tortured souls who will never find rest, their identities soon becoming lost amongst those of their victims, forming a gestalt entity formed from the minds and souls of those they have devoured.
The Wraiths themselves have no hierarchy, wandering alone, though weaker Wraiths often crowd around stronger ones, living off their cast offs like parasites. The more powerful a Wraith grows, the further from human its form becomes, with the oldest Wraiths (classed as ‘Tyranno’ by the Magi) resembling horrific creatures of bone and shadow the size of skyscrapers.
Contractors
Through history it has been known for humans to sell ones soul to demonic entities for great power. Those who enter into these Faustian pacts become cold hearted and callous, walking shadows of their former selves. Their personalities are blank as they no longer have the capacity for emotion. They know no joy, fear sorrow or anger, instead they act purely on self interest and cold logic. These people are often employed by magic organisations across the world for clandestine operations and often coming into conflict with each other. Their contracts often contain restrictions or clauses in return for the use of their powers, ranging from feeling the pain of their victims, completing a drawn out ritual to losing their senses. Contractors never work alone, but are often employed by a parent organisation for use as mercenaries or assassins.
Erratics
Contractors who have been driven mad by their powers. After an certain amount of time without a soul a Contractor will begin to develop odd personality traits and quirks in their behaviour, eventually derailing into full blown psychosis. The reason for this madness is not known at this point in time, and the amount of time it takes varies from case to case. One theory goes that a human mind cannot cope with existence without the presence of emotion and will begin to deteriorate as a result. One thing is for certain though, and that is that an Erratic is a truly dangerous foe to confront.
Monsters
Residents of the world of beasts, in ancient times some of these creatures managed to cross over to the mortal world, becoming part of the myths and legends of ancient cultures. Beasts like the Hydra, medusa and Ifrit. They can be summoned from their world by experienced sorcerers. Those who become trapped here hide in remote regions where they can prey on unsuspecting humans.
Werewolves
The cursed offspring of an unholy union between man and monster. Werewolves are cursed to transform into a large, unnaturally strong wolf on a full moon and in times of extreme stress. This change is often involuntary, and the victim remains unconscious throughout as their instincts take hold over them. Werewolves by birth have much greater control over their abilities, remaining conscious of their transformation Werewolves live in close knit communities traditionally, however their dwindling numbers have caused them to become remote, hiding amongst humans and in many cases unaware of the existence of more of their kind. A werewolf’s senses are extremely sensitive and their physical abilities are far above a human’s even while they retain their human form. They are highly resistant to damage, being able to shrug off mortal injuries like they were flesh wounds leading them to be known for their ‘immortal bodies‘. However, as with other regenerating species, if one can cause enough damage to their bodies, their regenerative abilities can be overpowered. They are also vulnerable to silver and mercury as well as decapitation.
Vampires
Offspring of the prince of Darkness himself. Vampires are vile unnatural creatures, cursed to walk the mortal world as a supernatural monster, devouring the blood of the living. Vampires do not procreate in the traditional manner, instead passing on the curse to victims of their choosing. Since vampires exist only as undead corpses they cannot crossbreed, as a result there are no half vampires.
A vampire gains the ability to shape shift, allowing them to alter their appearance to pass for a normal human being or take the form of a wolf, bat or mist. Vampires have no specific allegiance to either good nor evil, generally being completely amoral. A typical vampire wields their power like a tyrant, acting in their own interests with their own unknowable inhuman logic.
Abilities include strong psychic abilities, including telekinesis, telepathy, hypnotism and illusory powers. They also possess extreme physical prowess, granting them strength and speed beyond the norm as well as advanced regeneration. However vampiric abilities vary greatly between the individual, some develop strong affinity to magic while others are granted more esoteric abilities. Vampires are feared due to their immense power, however this is not to say they are invincible. They are susceptible to decapitation, silver, fire and magic. While a they possess strong regenerative abilities they can also be slain through conventional methods. They are weakened by sunlight, their strength only just above that of a typical human during the daytime and it causes them some discomfort.
Homunculi:
A homunculus is a man made living being created through the arcane sciences of alchemy and magic. They appear human for all intents and purposes, but lack a soul, leaving them blank, emotionless shells much like Contractors. Like living computers they are used primarily for intelligence gathering due to their highly powerful innate psychic powers and ability to store information like a database. Some have been ‘programmed’ to affect a personality of their owner’s choosing and some Mages use them as companions.
Gods/Spirits:
While not Gods in the traditional sense, these spiritual beings govern the workings of the world. According to the Shinto faith everything, even inanimate objects, has its own spirit. These spirits are concerned with the natural order of the world, and as part of the celestial hierarchy are involved in rectifying imbalances and disorder within the world. This task involves a vast bureaucracy of various spirits who manage the minutiae of the world, from a small army of Death Gods who are tasked with guiding the souls of the departed to their final destination to Wind Gods whose job it is to manage the weather patterns. However, in recent years the world has been increasingly thrown into disarray for mysterious reasons, causing a great deal of concern between the Gods. The Gods are largely unconcerned with humanity, and leave them alone, only stepping into the fray when the world at large is threatened by malevolent forces as was the case in the war of the Eclipse at the end of the Millenium.
Gods vary greatly in power, being blessed with control over a specific element or a power that aids them in their allotted task (A God of a forest being able to control plant life etc). However, their powers are not limited to only their field, as they also possess a number of general purpose magical abilities. Their strength also varies greatly, with older Gods generally having had longer to accumulate and develop their power and being more proficient in its use. Their society is largely based around the celestial hierarchy, with older and more powerful Gods in charge of the overall cosmos and handing down tasks to those below them. While Gods cannot be seen by regular people in their normal forms they can be sensed by animals, young children and those with particularly keen spiritual or magical or psychic abilities like mages or psychics. On the rare occasion that a God takes mortal form they can assume a form of their choosing, shaping it to their liking. However this makes them weaker and more vulnerable. If a God dies in their mortal body they die for good like any other creature.
Sorcery:
There are two major branches within the magic Eastern and Western magic, with the main branch of Western magic being based in France and the main branch of Eastern magic being based in China. Within these branches are regional bodies, such as the Albion Magic association, based in England. And even further down the chain there exists countless other minor schools. As practitioners adapt their teachings they eventually come to develop into a unique style of their own. Magic from one country may differ significantly from that of another and different people will adapt these further, becoming unique to a particular family.
Western magic:
Based primarily in Europe.
Places much emphasis on the will of the magician. Power is drawn from within and focussed through the will of the caster. They tend to use their own bodies as circuits for the power they generate though some are known to use focussing objects like wands, staffs etc. Incantations and hand seals are used to focus the caster’s will by use of key phrases which can be different for each caster. These phrases are used to remind the caster of how to perform the required ‘spell’ in a similar way to a mnemonic.
A typical example of western magic is the creation of a bolt of lightning to attack ones enemies. Other more esoteric uses include the manipulation of time or the creation of a defensive barrier.
The philosophical belief behind western magic is that one should be able to stand alone. They do not believe in a unifying force, rather that every person stands alone as a source of value and power within the universe and that improvement of the self is the path to enlightenment and true perfection. There is a strong a posteriori element to western magic, believing that knowledge can only be gained through the senses and experience. Western magic is far more rational and logical in it’s explanations, believing that the magic is simply another form of science and that the force behind it is simply a part of nature.
Eastern magic:
Based primarily in East Asia.
In contrast to western magic, eastern schools place more emphasis on the use of naturally occurring magical forces, drawing power from the world around them. They make extensive use of talismans and charms, allowing them to bypass the natural resistance of the human body to magical energies. Magic in the east is tied intimately to religion, with many priests being magicians and vice versa. Eastern magicians tend to use invocations to call upon spirits and the forces of nature. Will power is still required to tame these force to ones will. Small spells like a fire bolt are simple for even inexperienced magicians whilst calling upon the elemental spirit of fire itself requires one to bring it completely under ones will, a feat achieved by only a handful.
A typical example of Eastern magic is the creation of small talismans that can be used to summon orbs of flame for offensive purposes. Other uses include the enchantment of an object to enhance it’s abilities.
The philosophical aspect of eastern magic is deeply ingrained within it’s teachings. It teaches that all people are part of a whole, that every person and every inanimate object, from a grain of sand to the great vacuum of space is as one, unified by the binding life force known as ‘Chi‘. As such there is a strong emphasis on a priori philosophy, the belief that there are some truths that can be gained without the senses through deep contemplation and meditation.
Sub schools:
Outlined below are a few sub schools of magic that focus on specific aspects.
Necromancy:
The raising of and control of the dead. A necromancer has the power to reanimate dead matter, controlling it as he sees fit. They can command this reanimated matter to do their bidding, zombies can be commanded to attack independently for example. They will perform their duties to the best of their understanding and will not stop until they are unable to do so (being destroyed or trapped for instance) or have achieved their goal, at which point they will become mindless and wait for the next order from their master. Since they lack higher brain functions the corpses have a limited understanding and any orders must be given clearly and precisely to prevent them from acting wrongly. The act of genuine ressurection is impossible, though with considerable effort on the part of the summoner one can draw the soul of the recently departed and bind it to the mortal plane.
Illusion:
The creation of imaginary constructs through the manipulation of raw magical energies. Depending on the caster’s will power these constructs can range from small, intangible simple objects to large, complex scenes with many independent entities that look, sound and feel real. However, these illusions are only that, illusions. They are not real and cannot affect the real world in any way, though they can trick the observer into believing so if used correctly. For instance, an illusory sword cannot cut someone, though it can create a further illusion that the recipient of a wound has been cut as well as the sensation of pain and even death if the illusion is realistic enough. With enough will power one can see through an illusion.
Chronomancy:
The manipulation of time is an incredibly rare and difficult power to master. Time travel itself is considered an impossibility by most, though some still research it, hoping to make a breakthrough. Practitioners of Chronomancy can shift and manipulate time to their whims. They can cause an object to age or de-age and create a field that freezes others in place while they move normally amongst other things.
Summoning:
Summoning is an integral part of many schools of magic, due to it’s complicated nature it has been given a section of its own.
The summoning of and bargaining with spirits from other planes of existence is a difficult skill to master, it requires not only great willpower but great discipline and in some cases a certain cunning. Whilst some of the more benign entities will be happy to lend help or enter into an arrangement with the caster others will require more convincing. Certain malign beings may try to deceive or harm the summoner. More neutral beings will require some mutually beneficial arrangement or compensation.
Amongst the creatures that can be summoned are Demons, spirits or mythical beasts (such as Orochi, Cerberus, Fafnir etc). Demons will only appear to a select few whom they deem worthy and only if they feel they will benefit from the arrangement. If one knows the name of a specific entity one can try summoning them in particular, with varying degrees of success. An entity can be summoned against its will.
To summon the spirit of a dead person requires particular ability due to the difficulty of the act. Due to the nature of the cycle of death and rebirth a spirit must be either recently departed, trapped in the spectral plane or residing in paradise. To draw the spirit of one who has become part of the circle of fate the practitioner must forcibly extract the spirit before it reaches the void and becomes stripped of its memories and sense of self. This takes extraordinary skill and strength of will to prevent the practitioner losing themselves in the torrent of souls.
One typical use for summoned entities is for use as a guardian spirit. The summoned entity and the summoner enter into a contract whereby the spirit acts as a protector or companion to the summoner in the mortal plane. These contracts require the summoner to lend a portion of their power to the entity for as long as they remain on this plane.
When summoning a magician will enter into an arrangement with the summoned entity, this contract or pact must be agreed to by both parties of their own free will and will usually but not always leave some token of sorts, either a mark on the bodies of each participant or an item of some sort. Once the pact is finished or broken this mark or item shall disappear.
Summoners are advised to use a seal of some sort to house themselves whilst the deal is being made. While within this seal the summoner is safe from the influence of the summoned entity, though leaving for any reason will nullify this protection.
If for any reason a summoning is not completed it can have disastrous consequences such as the loss of power or memory on behalf of the summoned entity.
The Story So Far... Write a Post » as written by 7 authors
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Kojiroh gave a wry smile to Shin.
"Don't believe everything you hear, Shin-chan. I'm all about brawns." He shrugged, exhaling a cloud of smoke as he leaned against the counter, and sighed. "But you are right. A business enterprise this size, they gotta have some serious security. Snatching him from them would be too much of a hassle to be worth the effort. So, what to do, what to do..." He crossed his arms, thinking about it. "I guess I might have to consider a nightly visit to this place." He muttered. "There must be something in here that can tell us what Apostle Corps is really doing, and why that headless dude had to die."
He looked at Yoko and Shin, and asked:
"If somebody called in a burglary in progress here, would the two of you be able to get here and distract the night guards for a few minutes? Long enough to buy someone a bit of time to breach the perimeter and get inside, perhaps? No, I'd probably need more chaos than that..." He thought about it for a few moments more, then snapped his fingers. "A fire alarm!" He exclaimed with a low voice. "A fire alarm would create enough chaos, between cops and firemen, to allow me to get inside." He motioned with his head towards Yoko, asking: "What do you think, babe? Too wild for you, or do I have a go?"
"Don't believe everything you hear, Shin-chan. I'm all about brawns." He shrugged, exhaling a cloud of smoke as he leaned against the counter, and sighed. "But you are right. A business enterprise this size, they gotta have some serious security. Snatching him from them would be too much of a hassle to be worth the effort. So, what to do, what to do..." He crossed his arms, thinking about it. "I guess I might have to consider a nightly visit to this place." He muttered. "There must be something in here that can tell us what Apostle Corps is really doing, and why that headless dude had to die."
He looked at Yoko and Shin, and asked:
"If somebody called in a burglary in progress here, would the two of you be able to get here and distract the night guards for a few minutes? Long enough to buy someone a bit of time to breach the perimeter and get inside, perhaps? No, I'd probably need more chaos than that..." He thought about it for a few moments more, then snapped his fingers. "A fire alarm!" He exclaimed with a low voice. "A fire alarm would create enough chaos, between cops and firemen, to allow me to get inside." He motioned with his head towards Yoko, asking: "What do you think, babe? Too wild for you, or do I have a go?"
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There was a slow clapping above them. Rey sat perched atop the roof of one of the buildings and he hopped off, hurtling to the floor like a stone. He uttered a word and his fall slowed to a gentle descent, his feet landing softly and he stood poised with dignity.
"Pretty impressive." He commented with an appreciative whistle. "Now then..." He looked down at Kyo and Tsukiko, head cocked at an angle as though appraising their condition. "What do you say we get ol' silver here to a hospital." He sounded unhurried and utterly unconcerned with the blonde girl who had appeared out of thin air. He cast her a sidelong glance. Rey snapped his fingers as he walked off in the direction of the hospital. "Come along." He called out behind him. "We haven't got all day."
***
Some time later and Rey sat by Kyo's bedside. He was shuffling a deck of cards in his hands, performing conjuring tricks and sleight of hand maneuvers with them as he flicked the cards back and forth, seemingly engrossed in his activity. His legs stretched out infront of him as he slouched into the chair lazily, his feet tapping to some tune or other in his head.
Opposite Rey the girl with golden hair was examining various objects in the room with keen interest, seemingly wowed by their utility. At this particular moment she was holding a clock in both hands, looking at it from different angles. She had not spoken a single word since appearing, seeming content to follow both Rey and Tsukiko. The girl was dressed strangely in a long, modest looking heavy dress and hat that made her look for all the world like a fairy tale witch. All in all she could not have looked more out of place, a foreign girl all dressed up for Halloween in the middle of Tokyo.
Kyo awoke slowly and he sat up with a sudden start. A mistake, he soon realised as a jolt of pain sheared through his abdomen and he fell back onto the bed, squirming in pain while he clutched his chest.
"Easy now." Rey said calmly, still engrossed in his tricks. "Those stitches are fresh, you know."
"Pretty impressive." He commented with an appreciative whistle. "Now then..." He looked down at Kyo and Tsukiko, head cocked at an angle as though appraising their condition. "What do you say we get ol' silver here to a hospital." He sounded unhurried and utterly unconcerned with the blonde girl who had appeared out of thin air. He cast her a sidelong glance. Rey snapped his fingers as he walked off in the direction of the hospital. "Come along." He called out behind him. "We haven't got all day."
***
Some time later and Rey sat by Kyo's bedside. He was shuffling a deck of cards in his hands, performing conjuring tricks and sleight of hand maneuvers with them as he flicked the cards back and forth, seemingly engrossed in his activity. His legs stretched out infront of him as he slouched into the chair lazily, his feet tapping to some tune or other in his head.
Opposite Rey the girl with golden hair was examining various objects in the room with keen interest, seemingly wowed by their utility. At this particular moment she was holding a clock in both hands, looking at it from different angles. She had not spoken a single word since appearing, seeming content to follow both Rey and Tsukiko. The girl was dressed strangely in a long, modest looking heavy dress and hat that made her look for all the world like a fairy tale witch. All in all she could not have looked more out of place, a foreign girl all dressed up for Halloween in the middle of Tokyo.
Kyo awoke slowly and he sat up with a sudden start. A mistake, he soon realised as a jolt of pain sheared through his abdomen and he fell back onto the bed, squirming in pain while he clutched his chest.
"Easy now." Rey said calmly, still engrossed in his tricks. "Those stitches are fresh, you know."
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Despite the large amount of agony she was in, Tsukiko still managed a huff at the mage's callous tone. "Oh, so now hospitals are acceptable, are they?" But she followed anyway, muttering obscenities under her breath. He was fine, had just up and disappeared when they were at risk, no less, and she, almost as injured as her friend, was being forced to carry him. Go figure.
By what might very well have been sheer force of will, Tsukiko managed to retain consciousness, and was patched up in a separate room, by a team of rather concerned-looking doctors. She said nothing to any of them, except to give them her name for the forms. That shut them up quite quickly, too. When all your equipment had "Kobayashi Tech" written on it, you went out of your way to be as ingratiating as possible, which Tsukiko usually found stupid but was willing to take advantage of now, since it meant the head of the ER was Kyo's personal physician for the evening.
As soon as she was bandaged, she refused the hospital gown and slipped back into her badly-beaten school uniform instead, asking for and receiving directions to the room where her friend was being held. If only everyone gave her answers so easily... like that damned mage, for one. she did not like him in the slightest, but she knew how to be civil, and so when she entered the room to see him still there, she said nothing, rather than any number of rude things which had come to mind.
The girl, she was less sure about. It was plain as day that she didn't belong here, but then that didn't really give any clues as to where she did belong. As far as Tsukiko could tell, she had saved them both from those shadow-things, so that was good enough for now. Sinking as gracefully as possible into a chair, the girl ignored the twinge this produced in her wounds. For some reason, though she had been certain that she had broken several ribs and probably had internal bleeding, the doctors had found evidence of nothing but the painful superficial wounds she had endured. Something to be considered another time, perhaps.
By what might very well have been sheer force of will, Tsukiko managed to retain consciousness, and was patched up in a separate room, by a team of rather concerned-looking doctors. She said nothing to any of them, except to give them her name for the forms. That shut them up quite quickly, too. When all your equipment had "Kobayashi Tech" written on it, you went out of your way to be as ingratiating as possible, which Tsukiko usually found stupid but was willing to take advantage of now, since it meant the head of the ER was Kyo's personal physician for the evening.
As soon as she was bandaged, she refused the hospital gown and slipped back into her badly-beaten school uniform instead, asking for and receiving directions to the room where her friend was being held. If only everyone gave her answers so easily... like that damned mage, for one. she did not like him in the slightest, but she knew how to be civil, and so when she entered the room to see him still there, she said nothing, rather than any number of rude things which had come to mind.
The girl, she was less sure about. It was plain as day that she didn't belong here, but then that didn't really give any clues as to where she did belong. As far as Tsukiko could tell, she had saved them both from those shadow-things, so that was good enough for now. Sinking as gracefully as possible into a chair, the girl ignored the twinge this produced in her wounds. For some reason, though she had been certain that she had broken several ribs and probably had internal bleeding, the doctors had found evidence of nothing but the painful superficial wounds she had endured. Something to be considered another time, perhaps.
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Kyo groaned, sitting slowly up in his bed.
"What? Where..." He looked around in a daze. A hospital. He was in a hospital. That much was obvious. "Tsukiko!" He remembered suddenly and his eyes darted around to look for te girl, settling on her at last. He relaxed slightly. "So you're OK too..." He slumped back against the wall.
"I don't know if I'd use the word 'OK'." Rey interjected.
"And you!" Kyo suddenly barked at the man who raised an eyebrow. "Where the hell did you run off to? Leaving us there like that with... with that thing!" He growled through gritted teeth, pointing accusingly at Rey.
"Sometimes discretion is the greater part of valour." Rey shrugged.
The golden haired girl approached Kyo and leaned over the bed, pressing her face close to his as though to examine him.
"Hmmm." She hummed. "You don't look that special."
"What?" Kyo deadpanned. "Who the hell are you anyway?" He asked. He looked over to Tsukiko for some sort of hint. The blonde girl stepped back.
"I am the lesser divine spirit of the light." She proclaimed proudly, lifting her head with a smirk.
"What?" Kyo repeated in that same deadpan tone. She furrowed her brow in irritation.
"I am what your people would call a 'Kami'. or in other words, a god."
"This is some sort of joke, right?" Kyo uttered in monotone. He looked imploringly to Tsukiko and Rey.
"What? Where..." He looked around in a daze. A hospital. He was in a hospital. That much was obvious. "Tsukiko!" He remembered suddenly and his eyes darted around to look for te girl, settling on her at last. He relaxed slightly. "So you're OK too..." He slumped back against the wall.
"I don't know if I'd use the word 'OK'." Rey interjected.
"And you!" Kyo suddenly barked at the man who raised an eyebrow. "Where the hell did you run off to? Leaving us there like that with... with that thing!" He growled through gritted teeth, pointing accusingly at Rey.
"Sometimes discretion is the greater part of valour." Rey shrugged.
The golden haired girl approached Kyo and leaned over the bed, pressing her face close to his as though to examine him.
"Hmmm." She hummed. "You don't look that special."
"What?" Kyo deadpanned. "Who the hell are you anyway?" He asked. He looked over to Tsukiko for some sort of hint. The blonde girl stepped back.
"I am the lesser divine spirit of the light." She proclaimed proudly, lifting her head with a smirk.
"What?" Kyo repeated in that same deadpan tone. She furrowed her brow in irritation.
"I am what your people would call a 'Kami'. or in other words, a god."
"This is some sort of joke, right?" Kyo uttered in monotone. He looked imploringly to Tsukiko and Rey.
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A tired "hey, sleeping beauty" was all that Tsukiko managed before the mage-baka butted in, and she crossed her arms somewhat petulantly. Leave it to Mr. Discretion to cut off a perfectly good jab. There was irony for you, in spades. The rest of the conversation had her just as confused as her friend, and she could do no more than offer him a mute shrug, at least until the girl finished speaking.
"At least she talks to you," Tsukiko put in dryly. "I, apparently, am not nearly as special as you are, my friend." Frankly, she was glad of it. This sounded a whole lot like that crap mage-baka had been spouting before they ditched him and ran into the demon. Actually, hadn't that guy been looking for Kyo, too? She was pretty certain he had. Damn. Now there was a bucketload of trouble.
"Nobody likes talking to me, so I'm not even going to bother asking them to explain, but you might want to," she pointed out matter-of-factly. "Because I'm pretty sure you just turned into a walking weird-stuff magnet, and I don't like our chances if you don't figure out why." If she had made a conscious decision to include herself in this, Tsukiko made no outward indication of it. It was simply her natural reaction to stick her nose where it didn't belong, and there was no way she was leaving him to deal with this alone.
Well, maybe "alone" wasn't the right word, but she didn't trust mage-baka as far as she could throw him (without mind-powers, that is), and kami-girl was weirding her out slightly. Apparently, Tsukiko's skepticism reflex had shut down a while ago, because she had barely managed to register any sort of surprise at that revelation. It really didn't matter anyway. She'd either help them somehow, or she wouldn't, end of story.
Would it have been too much for her to show up a few moments earlier, she wondered with a trace of bitterness. Her sword, still without a sheath but now cleaned, stood propped on the chair she was in, and she couldn't help but glance at it every now and then, as though it would explode at any moment. She still felt sick to her stomach every time she did, but there were other things to deal with right now. She could confront the fact that she'd murdered a man later.
"At least she talks to you," Tsukiko put in dryly. "I, apparently, am not nearly as special as you are, my friend." Frankly, she was glad of it. This sounded a whole lot like that crap mage-baka had been spouting before they ditched him and ran into the demon. Actually, hadn't that guy been looking for Kyo, too? She was pretty certain he had. Damn. Now there was a bucketload of trouble.
"Nobody likes talking to me, so I'm not even going to bother asking them to explain, but you might want to," she pointed out matter-of-factly. "Because I'm pretty sure you just turned into a walking weird-stuff magnet, and I don't like our chances if you don't figure out why." If she had made a conscious decision to include herself in this, Tsukiko made no outward indication of it. It was simply her natural reaction to stick her nose where it didn't belong, and there was no way she was leaving him to deal with this alone.
Well, maybe "alone" wasn't the right word, but she didn't trust mage-baka as far as she could throw him (without mind-powers, that is), and kami-girl was weirding her out slightly. Apparently, Tsukiko's skepticism reflex had shut down a while ago, because she had barely managed to register any sort of surprise at that revelation. It really didn't matter anyway. She'd either help them somehow, or she wouldn't, end of story.
Would it have been too much for her to show up a few moments earlier, she wondered with a trace of bitterness. Her sword, still without a sheath but now cleaned, stood propped on the chair she was in, and she couldn't help but glance at it every now and then, as though it would explode at any moment. She still felt sick to her stomach every time she did, but there were other things to deal with right now. She could confront the fact that she'd murdered a man later.
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(Korn: "Coming Undone"
It was a little while before Leo could get his heart rate to settle into a normal rhythm, which he felt was a little odd even after his scare. He jumped a little when Leigh laid her hands on him and knew by the tone of her voice that she had witnessed his interaction with Janus. He just kind of nodded numbly.
"Yes, that would probably be best," he answered, his hand unconsciously grasping his shirt over the rune etched in his flesh. It was a lingering deep pain, and he somehow knew that the wound left in his flesh was only a side-effect: that it would heal and likely leave no visible mark, and that the real mark was etched into his very bones. Another thing to add to his list of events in his life where nobody would believe the actual truth... It would make an interesting story to tell to the X-ray technician though.
He tried to get back to sleep, but could only lay there staring at the ceiling for some indeterminate amount of time… it felt like hours. Leo looked at his watch, but only forty seconds had passed, to his dismay. He sat up, shaking himself out of his torpor and clearing out his head. He tried to fit all the pieces of the puzzle together, but he just couldn’t do it in the hospital environment: the one where he was just recently visited by some kind of trans-dimensional entity no less.
“We should go,” he finally asserted, hopping out of his hospital bed (Leo had declined the gown which inevitably always left his ass hanging out in the wind). “I need to think, and I can’t do it here with all the… “ he paused, grasping for words… there had to be a technical term for what he was experiencing. “Residual spookiness,” he finished, peering out the window to his room to make sure the nurses weren’t watching him from outside at that moment.
Leo snapped his weapon up and in a near fluid motion had it loaded, chambered, and stuffed into its concealed holster. He couldn’t consciously summon up his powers… or maybe he could and just wasn’t aware of how to do it, but he decided it wasn’t a good idea at the moment and instead punched the call button on his bed before he unhooked himself from the monitors and caused a panic in the nursing staff.
“Yes?” a woman’s voice answered.
“ Um, I’m feeling much better now actually, and I can’t get back to sleep so I’m just going to check myself out.”
“Awakened souls can never leave,” answered a particularly ominous voice, and Leo felt a wave of that “residual spookiness” wash through the room. He shook his head, clearing out his ear with a finger like he hadn’t quit understood what he heard.
“…what? I didn’t catch that, age and hearing loss and whatnot,” he lied.
“I said: the morning staff hasn’t awakened yet. It’s between shifts, you’ll never get checked out if you try and leave. Nobody at the front desk and all… we can get you a sedative if you’re having trouble sleeping.”
“No thanks,” he said hesitantly. “I will take a stroll to the head though, thanks.”
“You won’t get far,” a voice answered through static on the monitor.
“Uh…”
“I said not to go too far, goodnight Mr. Phoenix.” *click* Leo stared at the nurse call numbly for almost a full minute before he grabbed his jacket and draped it over Leigh as if to protect her from the cold: he couldn’t put it on with the IV still stuck in his arm. The screen over his bed showed that his heart was racing before he unclipped himself from the system with a look in his eyes that said he almost believed he’d landed straight into an episode of “Tales from the Twilight Zone,” and that didn’t mean he was in love with a vampire who sparkled.
“We are leaving,” he whispered hoarsely, grabbing his cane instinctively, though he did grimace when he put even a little weight on his crippled leg: it seemed to be a lot more sensitive all of a sudden. He dragged Leigh out with him towards the restrooms, which were conveniently located near the elevators. Leo smiled at the nurse on station, who nodded back numbly with an almost glassy eyed expression. For his delicate sanity, he chose to attribute it to sleep deprivation.
“God… I feel like I’ve been in a fist fight,” he remarked when they rounded the corner. His limp had gotten noticeably more pronounced as they walked and by the time they reached the elevators he was hunched over his cane and breathing heavily. He clutched at the mark on his chest and felt as though he was on fire. He pulled the IV from his hand and pushed the little rolly-stand thing (I don’t know what it’s called) away from him and collapsed into a heap on the elevator floor as soon as the doors opened. When the light struck him it revealed that he was indeed bruised as though he’d been fighting, and even had a blackened eye.
Leo’s bruises began to noticeably fade, and sometimes new ones would appear and then fade. He’d flinch as little nicks and cuts would appear on his checks or neck as though from a razor bite. The changes seemed to be accelerating, and after a minute or so he looked visibly younger. The sigil on his chest pulsed with power and he almost seemed to be bathed in an eldritch light as the elevator doors closed. Wrinkles began to smooth, and slowly but surely the distinguished salt and pepper about his temples began to fade. Leo was visibly losing weight… by no means was he heavyset, but all men fight with that persistent rounding of the waist as they get older.
A spray of blood darkened the leg of his pants and he grit his teeth against severe pain. He had curled up into a fetal position and was trying not to touch his leg. Instead he had grabbed large fistfuls of his own hair in an ironclad grip as the strain made veins in his neck, arms, and temple bulge. His hands shook and his knuckles were white, and he tried to scream when a sickening crunch came from his leg and it flopped to the floor into an unnaturally twisted mess but only a hoarse squeak escaped. Leo’s face and neck became flecked with cuts, and his shirt was almost soaked through with blood. After the wounds closed and his leg straightened itself out, he seemed to start to relax and merely turn a number of shades of green, presumably going from drunk to sober to drunk to sober many times within a number of seconds. Leo flopped onto his back, gasping for air, and wiping his wet hair from his sweat glistened face. The distinguished looking crippled old man that had fallen into the elevator with her was gone. Who lay there now was a handsome (if filthy) looking man in his athletic prime who could have come straight out of boot camp.
“I… I… I need a cigarette,” he gasped, pressing his palms to his eyes. Even his voice had changed. “Was it at least good for you?”
It was a little while before Leo could get his heart rate to settle into a normal rhythm, which he felt was a little odd even after his scare. He jumped a little when Leigh laid her hands on him and knew by the tone of her voice that she had witnessed his interaction with Janus. He just kind of nodded numbly.
"Yes, that would probably be best," he answered, his hand unconsciously grasping his shirt over the rune etched in his flesh. It was a lingering deep pain, and he somehow knew that the wound left in his flesh was only a side-effect: that it would heal and likely leave no visible mark, and that the real mark was etched into his very bones. Another thing to add to his list of events in his life where nobody would believe the actual truth... It would make an interesting story to tell to the X-ray technician though.
He tried to get back to sleep, but could only lay there staring at the ceiling for some indeterminate amount of time… it felt like hours. Leo looked at his watch, but only forty seconds had passed, to his dismay. He sat up, shaking himself out of his torpor and clearing out his head. He tried to fit all the pieces of the puzzle together, but he just couldn’t do it in the hospital environment: the one where he was just recently visited by some kind of trans-dimensional entity no less.
“We should go,” he finally asserted, hopping out of his hospital bed (Leo had declined the gown which inevitably always left his ass hanging out in the wind). “I need to think, and I can’t do it here with all the… “ he paused, grasping for words… there had to be a technical term for what he was experiencing. “Residual spookiness,” he finished, peering out the window to his room to make sure the nurses weren’t watching him from outside at that moment.
Leo snapped his weapon up and in a near fluid motion had it loaded, chambered, and stuffed into its concealed holster. He couldn’t consciously summon up his powers… or maybe he could and just wasn’t aware of how to do it, but he decided it wasn’t a good idea at the moment and instead punched the call button on his bed before he unhooked himself from the monitors and caused a panic in the nursing staff.
“Yes?” a woman’s voice answered.
“ Um, I’m feeling much better now actually, and I can’t get back to sleep so I’m just going to check myself out.”
“Awakened souls can never leave,” answered a particularly ominous voice, and Leo felt a wave of that “residual spookiness” wash through the room. He shook his head, clearing out his ear with a finger like he hadn’t quit understood what he heard.
“…what? I didn’t catch that, age and hearing loss and whatnot,” he lied.
“I said: the morning staff hasn’t awakened yet. It’s between shifts, you’ll never get checked out if you try and leave. Nobody at the front desk and all… we can get you a sedative if you’re having trouble sleeping.”
“No thanks,” he said hesitantly. “I will take a stroll to the head though, thanks.”
“You won’t get far,” a voice answered through static on the monitor.
“Uh…”
“I said not to go too far, goodnight Mr. Phoenix.” *click* Leo stared at the nurse call numbly for almost a full minute before he grabbed his jacket and draped it over Leigh as if to protect her from the cold: he couldn’t put it on with the IV still stuck in his arm. The screen over his bed showed that his heart was racing before he unclipped himself from the system with a look in his eyes that said he almost believed he’d landed straight into an episode of “Tales from the Twilight Zone,” and that didn’t mean he was in love with a vampire who sparkled.
“We are leaving,” he whispered hoarsely, grabbing his cane instinctively, though he did grimace when he put even a little weight on his crippled leg: it seemed to be a lot more sensitive all of a sudden. He dragged Leigh out with him towards the restrooms, which were conveniently located near the elevators. Leo smiled at the nurse on station, who nodded back numbly with an almost glassy eyed expression. For his delicate sanity, he chose to attribute it to sleep deprivation.
“God… I feel like I’ve been in a fist fight,” he remarked when they rounded the corner. His limp had gotten noticeably more pronounced as they walked and by the time they reached the elevators he was hunched over his cane and breathing heavily. He clutched at the mark on his chest and felt as though he was on fire. He pulled the IV from his hand and pushed the little rolly-stand thing (I don’t know what it’s called) away from him and collapsed into a heap on the elevator floor as soon as the doors opened. When the light struck him it revealed that he was indeed bruised as though he’d been fighting, and even had a blackened eye.
Leo’s bruises began to noticeably fade, and sometimes new ones would appear and then fade. He’d flinch as little nicks and cuts would appear on his checks or neck as though from a razor bite. The changes seemed to be accelerating, and after a minute or so he looked visibly younger. The sigil on his chest pulsed with power and he almost seemed to be bathed in an eldritch light as the elevator doors closed. Wrinkles began to smooth, and slowly but surely the distinguished salt and pepper about his temples began to fade. Leo was visibly losing weight… by no means was he heavyset, but all men fight with that persistent rounding of the waist as they get older.
A spray of blood darkened the leg of his pants and he grit his teeth against severe pain. He had curled up into a fetal position and was trying not to touch his leg. Instead he had grabbed large fistfuls of his own hair in an ironclad grip as the strain made veins in his neck, arms, and temple bulge. His hands shook and his knuckles were white, and he tried to scream when a sickening crunch came from his leg and it flopped to the floor into an unnaturally twisted mess but only a hoarse squeak escaped. Leo’s face and neck became flecked with cuts, and his shirt was almost soaked through with blood. After the wounds closed and his leg straightened itself out, he seemed to start to relax and merely turn a number of shades of green, presumably going from drunk to sober to drunk to sober many times within a number of seconds. Leo flopped onto his back, gasping for air, and wiping his wet hair from his sweat glistened face. The distinguished looking crippled old man that had fallen into the elevator with her was gone. Who lay there now was a handsome (if filthy) looking man in his athletic prime who could have come straight out of boot camp.
“I… I… I need a cigarette,” he gasped, pressing his palms to his eyes. Even his voice had changed. “Was it at least good for you?”
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Kyo was less than enthused by Tsukiko's reaction. Perhaps in some part of his mind he was hoping that the entire thing had been some elaborate practical joke. Instead all he received were blank looks from his friend and a smug wall of silence from the mysterious interloper calling himself a mage.
"Okay, so lets say I believe you." Kyo went on. "What does all this mean? What was with that guy from before and what were those things I saw out there?" He started to snap his questions at the girl, who continued to stand over him proudly, unfazed by his shouting.
"Those things were demons." She stated matter of factly. "Creatures from another dimension that have hunted humans since the dawn of time. And that human from before was possessed by a demon. A very powerful one. Or rather, he formed a pact with it." Kyo frowned. As unbelievable as this all sounded there was no way he could deny it out of hand. Not after what he had seen.
"So that green thing..."
"Was the embodiment of a demon lord." The girl finished for him. "One of the princes of hell, Belial." Rey's expression darkened. So that was why his sorcery had failed to keep the presence at bay. "And it seems he isn't the only one." She cast her gaze to Kyo.
"You mean that blue guy..." Kyo's mind flashed with recollections of the blue phantom, wreathed in flame, that had come to his defense in the battle. Could it be the same as the demon he faced? What did that make him? "But I've never signed any pact with a demon. I don't believe in all that bullshit." He protested.
"Well one way or another it's attached itself to you. So untilwe can find out more about it I need to keep an eye on you." She smiled. Kyo muttered under his breath. Another wierdo latching onto him. Perfect.
"So do you have a name or what?" He asked.
"I am Mionha Akranhal Zenhin Tsusime." The girl announced, beaming a wide, sparkling grin. Kyo's face dropped.
"We're calling you Mio." He stated simply. Mio pouted. Kyo turned to Tsukiko and tried to stand from his bed, his legs nearly buckled but he caught his balance on the bedisde table, slowly straightening his back until he stood tall once again. "So. How was your night?" He asked his friend with a weak smile.
"Okay, so lets say I believe you." Kyo went on. "What does all this mean? What was with that guy from before and what were those things I saw out there?" He started to snap his questions at the girl, who continued to stand over him proudly, unfazed by his shouting.
"Those things were demons." She stated matter of factly. "Creatures from another dimension that have hunted humans since the dawn of time. And that human from before was possessed by a demon. A very powerful one. Or rather, he formed a pact with it." Kyo frowned. As unbelievable as this all sounded there was no way he could deny it out of hand. Not after what he had seen.
"So that green thing..."
"Was the embodiment of a demon lord." The girl finished for him. "One of the princes of hell, Belial." Rey's expression darkened. So that was why his sorcery had failed to keep the presence at bay. "And it seems he isn't the only one." She cast her gaze to Kyo.
"You mean that blue guy..." Kyo's mind flashed with recollections of the blue phantom, wreathed in flame, that had come to his defense in the battle. Could it be the same as the demon he faced? What did that make him? "But I've never signed any pact with a demon. I don't believe in all that bullshit." He protested.
"Well one way or another it's attached itself to you. So untilwe can find out more about it I need to keep an eye on you." She smiled. Kyo muttered under his breath. Another wierdo latching onto him. Perfect.
"So do you have a name or what?" He asked.
"I am Mionha Akranhal Zenhin Tsusime." The girl announced, beaming a wide, sparkling grin. Kyo's face dropped.
"We're calling you Mio." He stated simply. Mio pouted. Kyo turned to Tsukiko and tried to stand from his bed, his legs nearly buckled but he caught his balance on the bedisde table, slowly straightening his back until he stood tall once again. "So. How was your night?" He asked his friend with a weak smile.
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Demons, gods, mages, and apparently possession. "Well, s***," Tsukiko intoned flatly, summing up her thoughts on the entire incident. Right now, her devil-may-care attitude was probably going to be what got her through the evening without doing something drastic. The niggling voice in the back of her head that did not approve of trying to run from what she had done reminded her that if that man had only been possessed, than she had killed an innocent (well, sort of, anyway), and the demon itself was probably unscathed. Belial, was it? She had heard that name before. Wasn't he some form of Christian demon, in league with Lucifer or something? She couldn't remember exactly.
Kyo struggled to get up, and her first instinct was to lurch forward herself and attempt to help, but honestly she wouldn't be of a whole lot of assistance at this point. He managed to steady himself all right, though, and she let out a breath in relief. She scarcely paid much attention to the other two, though she did not that the girl's name was Mio and she apparently felt the need to watch Kyo for signs of, well, gods-only-knew-what. Literally, perhaps. That was simply annoying; as if the mage-baka weren't bad enough or anything.
When he asked her of her evening, Tsukiko uttered a strained chuckle, but one that was genuine enough. "Oh you know, the usual. Did my homework, bothered my best friend for a while, followed him to some random building, met a mage, discovered I could move things with my mind, k-killed a possessed guy, and managed to convince the doctors at this hospital that if they didn't let me do what I wanted, my father was going to sue them. Nothing out of the ordinary there." She waved a dismissive hand, hoping that nobody had caught her rather embarrassing stutter.
"Which reminds me. Whenever you want to get out of here, we can. They won't try and stop you. I gave them a fake name for you, too, just in case you didn't want anybody to know." She'd had to use her own real name to do it, and doubtless her father would eventually demand an explanation, but for right now, she couldn't really bring herself to care all that much. Simply put, Tsukiko was exhausted. At the moment she wanted nothing more than to go home, sleep, and wake up in the morning sometime to discover that it had all been a huge mistake. Somehow, she knew that last part wouldn't happen, and there was no way in hell she was leaving her best friend alone with these weirdos. Who knew what would happen if she did?
Kyo struggled to get up, and her first instinct was to lurch forward herself and attempt to help, but honestly she wouldn't be of a whole lot of assistance at this point. He managed to steady himself all right, though, and she let out a breath in relief. She scarcely paid much attention to the other two, though she did not that the girl's name was Mio and she apparently felt the need to watch Kyo for signs of, well, gods-only-knew-what. Literally, perhaps. That was simply annoying; as if the mage-baka weren't bad enough or anything.
When he asked her of her evening, Tsukiko uttered a strained chuckle, but one that was genuine enough. "Oh you know, the usual. Did my homework, bothered my best friend for a while, followed him to some random building, met a mage, discovered I could move things with my mind, k-killed a possessed guy, and managed to convince the doctors at this hospital that if they didn't let me do what I wanted, my father was going to sue them. Nothing out of the ordinary there." She waved a dismissive hand, hoping that nobody had caught her rather embarrassing stutter.
"Which reminds me. Whenever you want to get out of here, we can. They won't try and stop you. I gave them a fake name for you, too, just in case you didn't want anybody to know." She'd had to use her own real name to do it, and doubtless her father would eventually demand an explanation, but for right now, she couldn't really bring herself to care all that much. Simply put, Tsukiko was exhausted. At the moment she wanted nothing more than to go home, sleep, and wake up in the morning sometime to discover that it had all been a huge mistake. Somehow, she knew that last part wouldn't happen, and there was no way in hell she was leaving her best friend alone with these weirdos. Who knew what would happen if she did?
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View All » Add Character » 16 Characters to follow in this universe
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Leigh Heike Ardal
No-nonsense American writer; darkly sweet necromancer.
Gimma Eva'ge
The new girl
Leonardo Phoenix
Retired Pilot
Calamus Valde
An archer with photokinesis
Kyo Kamiya
A University Student
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A Contractor
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A Werewolf
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The new girl
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Retired Pilot
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An archer with photokinesis
Kyo Kamiya
A University Student
Ein
A Contractor
Sho
A Werewolf
Leigh Heike Ardal
No-nonsense American writer; darkly sweet necromancer.
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Gimma Eva'ge
The new girl
Leonardo Phoenix
Retired Pilot
Calamus Valde
An archer with photokinesis
Kyo Kamiya
A University Student
Ein
A Contractor
Leigh Heike Ardal
No-nonsense American writer; darkly sweet necromancer.
Sho
A Werewolf
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115 posts · 4 characters present · last post 2011-04-29 21:25:34 »
Dark Messiah ↪ Episode 1: After Dark Owner: RolePlayGateway
What stirs in the darkness?
Fullscreen Chat » Create Topic » Dark Messiah: Out of Character
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Dark Messiah
1, 2, 3, 4by Mr D on Thu Dec 23, 2010 8:04 am
- 74 Replies
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- Last post by XianEvermor
on Mon Apr 18, 2011 1:14 am
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Dark Messiah
Most recent OOC posts in Dark Messiah
Re: [OOC] Dark Messiah
Sorry about the lengthy delay: I had a crazy week last week. Two exams, plus a project turn in, and i have another two exams (in my other two classes) next week, but one is a take-home and the other I will ace without opening the text book so it won't absorb my time nearly as much. I'm crafting a post for Dark Messiah right now that should be very entertaining and should have it up up later tonight. My post for Altaea will probably get done tomorrow depending on how long it takes me to finish my homework.
The semester is almost over and I'm only taking one class over the summer so in a few weeks my ability to post frequently should go up. As always, thanks for being patient with me. :)
-x
P.S. Thought getting younger would be a walk in the park didn't you?! ;D And wouldn't it be an awful coincidence if they were in a hospital... like with other freshly awakened people and a magically sensitive mage? oh and the blonde lady too. I mean, how many hospitals can there be within limping, carrying injured friends distance of the campus area? *Runs with the plot hook*
The semester is almost over and I'm only taking one class over the summer so in a few weeks my ability to post frequently should go up. As always, thanks for being patient with me. :)
-x
P.S. Thought getting younger would be a walk in the park didn't you?! ;D And wouldn't it be an awful coincidence if they were in a hospital... like with other freshly awakened people and a magically sensitive mage? oh and the blonde lady too. I mean, how many hospitals can there be within limping, carrying injured friends distance of the campus area? *Runs with the plot hook*
Re: [OOC] Dark Messiah
Don't push it, focus on irl work you need to get done. D: Try to take it easy~
Re: [OOC] Dark Messiah
I have a project due AND an exam on tuesday. I will try and get something on the board tomorrow, but I probably won't be able to make a REAL post until tuesday night.
-X
-X
Re: [OOC] Dark Messiah
I went ahead and dropped Kage, just couldn't feel him in this RP anymore. Still using Leigh though since I'm loving her in here.
Re: [OOC] Dark Messiah
So... I have no idea where this is going, which, while nice and interesting in one sense, also means that if I did something monumentally stupid in my post, you should tell me so and I can fix it.
EDIT: I just realized I completely failed to put my last post in Episode 1... this has been remedied, and the other post is now blank.
EDIT: I just realized I completely failed to put my last post in Episode 1... this has been remedied, and the other post is now blank.
Re: [OOC] Dark Messiah
So I finally got thechance to write and I can't think of anything. Please accept this humble offering of a post that will at least serve to get us from A to B.
Re: [OOC] Dark Messiah
Definitely going to jump in. Just am going to need some help getting into the current flow of things and understanding what has transpired so far.
I read through the IC posts, but I am honestly going to have to read through it again because I found it a little confusing.
Mr. D, you already know what direction I am going in terms of a character. I just have to put it together, which I wont do until I understand what is going on better.
Thanks
I read through the IC posts, but I am honestly going to have to read through it again because I found it a little confusing.
Mr. D, you already know what direction I am going in terms of a character. I just have to put it together, which I wont do until I understand what is going on better.
Thanks
Re: [OOC] Dark Messiah
On that note, still waiting for Yoko to reply to Kojiroh, D-Man. ;)
I'll hopefully hav e some time to roleplay friday, though I won't be going home for the weekend.
I'll hopefully hav e some time to roleplay friday, though I won't be going home for the weekend.
Re: [OOC] Dark Messiah
Been trying to find a home for a new character I want to play out. I am considering jumping in here if its not too late.
Just a question: who are the active players now (besides D, Lox, Xian, and Machina)?
Will read up on this and get you a draft profile at some point soon D.
Thanks
Just a question: who are the active players now (besides D, Lox, Xian, and Machina)?
Will read up on this and get you a draft profile at some point soon D.
Thanks
Re: [OOC] Dark Messiah
I'm sorry to say this, but I'm going to drop out of this one. I can't realy find anything to post anymore, so dropping out might be the only solution. Sorry guys.
Re: [OOC] Dark Messiah
No need to be sorry. I know what it's like to be busy. Also I have a bad habit of grabbing plot hooks and just running around wildly with them like a chicken with it's head cut off... and then i'll get tangled up in the plot line and have to stop because it's wrapped around my ankles and i fell over. Then while i'm trying to get it all sorted out, sadistic DMs will dangle another one in front of me, and i'll hobble away with that one too (not quite as fast, being as my ankles are tied up.)
Like a ferret in a hallmark store... OOH SHINEY!
;)
-X
Like a ferret in a hallmark store... OOH SHINEY!
;)
-X
Re: [OOC] Dark Messiah
I know Xian, sorry. I've been busy with work and was a bit blindsided by all of the info you crammed into that last post. I'm planning out my post tonight.
Re: [OOC] Dark Messiah
Well I was waiting for other people to post but it seems everone is otherwise engaged, so I'll carry on.
Re: [OOC] Dark Messiah
Just waiting on Fammikins... or I could jump ahead without you, I have plenty of ideas buzzing around in my head now :P
-X
-X
Re: [OOC] Dark Messiah
Sorry for my delay, just pulling up a blank. Should get my post in this weekend~
edit; I'll be posting this week, friend needed me over the weekend.
edit; I'll be posting this week, friend needed me over the weekend.
Re: [OOC] Dark Messiah
Right, now the powers have been handed out everyone can get in on beating this fool down.
Re: [OOC] Dark Messiah
Right. Now we're all back on the same page we can get moving again. Returning to our regularly scheduled horror/action mashup.
Re: [OOC] Dark Messiah
I could've sworn I posted a reply on the RP before I returned to bootcamp. Oh, well, my bad. I'll have another reply up for y'all tomorrow. :D
Re: [OOC] Dark Messiah
Kallas told me to go ahead and post sice he's having trouble coming up with something to write. So I'll be posting soon.