Introduction
Regalis: Once a beautiful, lush planet, thriving with dense, flourishing flora and an elaborate array of fauna is now in turmoil. The lands were covered with rolling hills and dense brush, mountains tore into the clouds and the trees once threatened to contest their reach skyward. The indigenous life forms seemed to live peacefully, only consuming what they absolutely needed to survive. There were few to be considered evil, bigots were few and far between and the rapacious ones found their place amidst each other, consuming the week and stamping each other out as the gluttons they were. It was not to say that all was well, but after years of war fought by early beings, peace swept upon the land like a breath of fresh air.
Here, elemental energy floats upon a plain known as the Aether. It is an unseen plain of existence but the inhabitants of Regalis can tap into this energy and depending on their training and mental prowess, can warp the elements that comprise the world.
That was in the beginning. Then, it was beautiful. Then, there were those that believed that all was right. There were also those that thought to tear the peace asunder…and render it as blood and bones beneath the hooves of vial creatures pulled from the depths of some boiling bog or pit reaching within the nether realms of Regalis.
After centuries of development of the myriad races of Regalis, there was the Renaissance. This was a time of great prosperity for the Val, beings much like you and I; and the El’Dren En Val. El’Dren En Val simply means children of giant men. As Regalis is a world rich in its history, some of it speculated as lore and simple story telling, these peoples were very closely linked to their pasts and the strife of their ancestors. The history of the El’Dren En Val is rich, as their ancestors were truly giant man in comparison to the Val. The Val are so closely related to you and I that I’d not need to explain to you what they look like, nor their average size. The ancestors of the Val are just the same as ours as well but that of the El’Dren En Val were humungous beings. Doomed to reduce in size over two millennia, the world changed and the giants were locked in war with a race of reptilian beings over land and resources. They were forced to adapt and as their size reduced, they needed to grow accustom to the world that was changing around them. They moved into the trees, learning to use the branches, bows and canopies to enhance their lives. It could have been said that as a remnant of their ancestors’ size, they preferred to dwell high above the land, still savoring the view that was in their blood.
With the booming Renaissance these races learned to trade knowledge, resources and even love began to flourish between members of the races. Carried over from their ancestors, the El’Dren En Val still harbored a profound hatred for the Biel Tek’in Viez, the reptilian race that their forefathers spent two millennia battling. War exploded after the Renaissance but it had been a wondrous time for the El’Dren and the Val and it had propelled their knowledge to levels unseen by any race of Regalis. As the ancient wisdom of the Firsts, the most advanced race of the ancient world, was dying away, resting within few as innate abilities; the newly forming sentient, intelligent races were making a way for themselves. When war broke out again, the Val and the El’Dren joining forces against the Biel to end the conflict for good, the allied forces drove the Biel back to their homeland. They would finally bring an end to the tyranny of the Biel, as they’d plagued the Inples, simple, calm giants of stone and earth; and the punyimpas, small, frail fairy-like creatures of wind and floral magic. They drove the creatures back in a grand, elaborate campaign. Marked with blood and alarming death counts for both sides, this was the bloodiest war in the history of Regalis.
In a last ditch effort to cease the bloodshed, the inples and the punyimpas rallied behind the allies, raising arms against the Biel and their twisted, mangled reptilian steeds and reptilian-primate brawlers and forced the Biel into a corner. This had been their plan. They reduced the Biel numbers drastically but when the Biel retreated into Mt. Halimar, the inple hurled massive stones of softer sediment and mounds of limestone and andversandt against the cavern entrances. The punyimpas used their abilities and sealed the cavern shut, locking the ragged lizards away for their treachery. Life imprisonment in a dungeon of extreme inner-planetary temperatures with nothing to feed upon but one another was enough of a punishment for their war crimes.
The campaign was over, celebrations took place and the pain suffered would always be remembered. Documents were created and once signed, ensured that the four races would come to the aid of the others when danger loomed over the horizon and these sacred pacts were upheld for years but time makes one forget. The vals grew rapacious and wanted everything in the world for themselves. The El’Dren people were consumed with watching Mt. Halimar and become disconnected from the outside world, becoming reclusive within nature's bosom. Their minds became warped and they saw men growing, flourishing, creating machines of woods and metallurgy. Metallurgy was a plight in the eyes of the El’Dren, it was not of nature. The El’Dren attacked with the aid of the punyimpas, the smaller beings using their powers to spread vines and roots upon the contraptions of men, bringing them to the ground. The El’Dren people were determined to destroy these constructs and mechanisms, breaking them to dust to be ingested by the planet.
The val leaders found the grantz, a subterranean race of pale beings that specialized in metal craft and the shaping of the rarest metals. The inples would mine the andversandt for the vals and they would take the rare metal to the grantz and they would make powerful weapons of andversandt and mythril. With this, each side wielding a powerful weapon, perfect for enemies that they knew so well as recent allies, the Regalis War started. Deep within Halimar, an ancient enemy was awakened by the hatred swelling within the biel, left to consume one another. Their bellies growled for flesh but they were not allowed to die. Their minds rotted, begging for reprieve but none was given. Their hatred swelled, so potent that it could have become tangible. Their yelps filled the caves below as they lost all reason and were twisted into gnarly, disgusting creatures. They were being warped by the evil lying in the Deep of Halimar and soon, they would be released, their tyranny returned, their hatred brimming. The prospect of flesh was so sweet. El’Dren flesh was so sweet.
With the Val/El'Dren war at a standstill, the races of the world chose sides, the Inple and Drag'Konin siding with the Val to form the Engineers and the El'Dren banded with the Punyimpa and the Drazyll as the Forestfolk. The war has come to a precipice. The precursor to the battle ahead was the looming threat of the opening of the Seal.... But who is going to open it...
King Leogoryth of the Val is dying. He is sick, he is senile. But even those on their deathbed will not be sated, their hunger will not be calmed, their thirst unquenchable. Even as the king looked over his body in a mirror, even as he was sickened by liver spots, even as he seldom recognized himself amidst the wrinkles, he still had one last conquest. He didn't care about the bonds that Tatroi created, he still wanted the northern lands, even if that meant destroying the people that his own once called family. If he was going to die, the world was always going to know his name. He would test the Gods' glory. It would be his name atop the doorways of halls and theaters and they would erect statues of him. These statues would tower over the tallest of towers and steeples and he would brandish a golden sword that would pierce the clouds above Mt. Halimar. He was crazed in his old age. But he could not attack without provocation. But he got what he wanted via scout.
Fredrick Olofson was sliding around a corner. He had the most urgent of news. He needed to relay this information to the king. It could have been delivered by anyone but he would deliver it with his own lips, for he hated the El'Dren. He was not sure as to why he hated them so, as he had no real reason to...but most hadn't.
When he neared the dining hall he was stopped by the court guards and one of them said to him, "Olofson, the king is having his lunch. He asked not to be disturbed..."
"You don't understand, Nile, I have urgent news. i must make my report..."
The other guard, Cormick, shook his head and pressed a hand to Olofson's chest, "Listen, you still can't go in. If you disturb the-" he paused, quieted and continued with, "if you disturb him he will have our necks for dinner..."
"Then turkey necks he will have but I have to get to him, right now..."
Just then, before the guards could retort, the hall doors opened. Nile cursed under his breath but it was only Sir Lauren. He pulled the door behind himself and rested his hand against the lion-shaped pommel of his broad sword and asked, "What is the reason for this disturbance. I hear raised voices outside of the dining hall while the king is being served his meal and I can only think that someone must be going crazy..."
Olofson would not be deterred. He had no time to fear a knight. "Sir Lauren, I must deliver a report to the king..."
"I can not permit that. Leave the message with me and I will deliver it when he has finished his meal..."
"I cannot do that, Sir Lauren. I am only to relay the message to him..."
Lauren squinted. Was this the news that the king had been waiting for? The scout's face was caked in dirt and blood, he was still breathing deeply as if he'd run a great distance and his palms were sweaty as if he would deliver the most important message of his life. Lauren simply said, "Who sent you on your mission...?"
Olofson simply said, "A Specter...."
Lauren stepped aside without another word and pushed the door open to allow Olofson in. The young val entered the hall and had little time to marvel at the marble pillars, golden adornments and the tallest, most beautiful drapes he'd ever seen. The king was already barking at him, asking who he was and why he was interrupting his meal. Olofson ignored the rantings, as he'd been told to do. Olofson slid to a knee next to the king and lowered his head. "Sire, I've returned the news of the Halimar Seal..."
Leogoryth's face twitched and the turkey hanging from his lip fell to his plate. "What of it, boy, speak!?" the king balked as he looked toward the young val.
"The El'Dren are crowding around the Seal, making camps..."
"Are they opening the Seal!?"
"Sire, i can-"
"Boy, i don't need your bantering! Are they opening the Seal?!" the king yelled.
Olofson shook his head and rambled off, "N-no, Sire, I don't thi-"
"You don't think...?"
"No, no, your highness, they were not op-"
Olofson's words were cut short when the king jabbed a large, jagged knife into the val's neck. "That is not what I needed of you, boy..." the king snarled. He allowed the boy to fall, the knife still in his neck. The king got to his feet and barked, "Lauren...!"
When the knight entered he instantly set his eyes on the scout, dying on the floor. The king at least could have finished the kill instead of allowing the boy to bleed to death. "Yes, your highness?"
"Have Balthomeer and Derophen come to me. Ready Sir Tedrin and Sir Barter. We move for the Halimar Pass in the morn..."
"May I ask why, Sire?"
"Of course you may," Leogoryth said, an ugly smile spreading across his face, stretching folds and wrinkles. His eyes peered from beneath an ugly, menacing brow and he said, "The El'Dren are opening the Seal...."
Character Creation: (Copy this information and post it in "description" on the character creation page. Just read the information about the tricky sections and fill it all out. Personality. Description and History are not here because you can fill them out on the character creation page.)
Name:
Race:
Height:
Weight:
Age:
Gender:
Innate Element:
Affinity:
Class:
Main Weapon:
Secondary Weapon:
Air Burst: (Airing or Grounding)
Special Skill: (Create something interesting but even if you create detailed strikes for the skill, be flexible.)
Allegiance: This is mainly viewed from a Forestfolk (El'Dren, Drazyll and Puntimpas) or Engineers (Val, Drag'Konin and Inple) standpoint. You may put what you please but in most cases the allegiance would be to one's own kind because "Myself" would suggest that you have no reason to travel with a group. And that's what this game consists of.
Personal Flaws:
Fire-Water-Flora-Ice-Earth-Wind-Fire
The Elements have their weaknesses and strengths:
Fire absorbs air as fuel but is doused by Water.
The Wind weathers Earth but is absorbs by Flames.
Masses of Earth can be chipped away by the Wind but can stop Ice.
Ice can freeze Flora, weighing down vines but is not match for expertly controlled slabs of earth.
Flora can absorb water but comes to a standstill against ice.
(Some of the other elemental weaknesses are Flora being set ablaze by Fire and water being stopped cold by Ice. These should be considered when deciding on your elements.)
Affinity: (This is your secondary element. If a player uses an ability with this element you can capitalize [But only if the post is damned good.] Remember that when you choose this element it is the only one that you will be able to match your own element with. Your affinity cannot be the opposing element of your Innate Element.)
Fire-Ice: (Flames can melt ice to create steam which can melt flesh.)
Wind-Water: (The wind can be used to generate the forces of a hurricane, deluging enemies.)
Earth-Flora: (A towering wall of earth can be much worse when vines spear through a petrified enemy.
Fire-Earth: (A Molten Eruption would destroy most enemies)
Earth-Water: (How about a terrifying landslide?)
Wind-Ice: (A blizzard brought down upon your foes.)
Class:
(These are based on common sense; and your equipment should match!)
Knight: Knights will wear full sized armor and will take hits like no one’s business. Remember that you character will not be able to play with intense speed but your power may be unmatched. Your weapons may be larger swords, battle axes, hammers, etc. Secondary may be a smaller sword or throwing axe.
Archer: Archers tend to wear garbs with low defensive capabilities but you will be very fast and if you want an acrobatic character then feel free. Yours weapons will be bows. Secondary may be daggers, short swords and other small weapons including but not limited to; Sais, hand guns with one round per post and other close quarter weapons.
Rogue: Rogues favor lightweight armor beneath cloaks and the like. This is a very agile character that utilizes one handed swords, maces, axes and may dual wield daggers. Crossbows may be used but the secondary may not be a one handed weapon listed beforehand.
Secondary weapons may be daggers (If dual wielding, daggers may not be a secondary), hand guns with one round per post, and other close quarter weapons including axes and Sais.
Spearman: Spearmen wear mid-weight armor and are of medium speed. They fight with halberds, pole axes, glaives, etc. Secondary weapons are one handed swords.
Light Swordsman: Light swordsmen armor themselves much like rogues but specialize in swordsmanship and use single-handed swords and their secondary weapons tend to be short swords and daggers. The rapier or estoc is a perfect weapon for a LS class warrior.
Kindler: Kindlers are very specific classes and their elements are exact. They will not strike physical blows but their magical abilities tend to be unmatched as they master their abilities. They will use their hands to strike down their foes and instead of relying on enchanting their weapons with elements, they create them out of places where there should be done (as in creating fire out of thin air or water spewing forth from rocks). They are not defenders. Do not let them get hit…!
Fighter: Fighters are brutes. They are fast, hit hard and defend with their armored forearms but they are not good with elements, even their innate elements. They fight with their fists and wear plated gloves. They don’t have secondary weapons. They wear enchanted boots that allow them to harness energy. (These boots allow them to match their innate powers with their affinity.)
Mechanized Archer: Mechanized Archers are moderately armored archers that use firearms as their main weapons. Their rifles are fitted with elemental seals that allow them to fire rounds of their elements. A wielder of flames would fire incendiary rounds, a wielder of ice would fire freezing rounds, flora wielders would fire shotgun-like blast of razor-edged leaves as if shrapnel. Earth rounds can pin enemies against objects and Water rounds can apply hundreds upon hundreds of pounds of pressure and finally, wind rounds blast enemies with electrifying rounds. Remember, Earth wielders can only use grounding and Wind wielders can only use airing. Wielders of other elements can use either air burst ability.
If you play as an Inple, you must remember that you are between 13 and 15 feet tall as an adult and you may fight with weapons specific to Inples which are trees, massive swords, axes and clubs but these powerful beings are very slow. For your class, you may list it as Inple and choose an according weapon or you may choose Fighter and use brute strength. If you choose Kindler then your element must be Earth. Inples don’t carry secondary weapons.
Punyimpas are the size of a pigeon when adults and wear enchanted armor made of earth or leaves and are only classed as Kindlers and even more so, as savants. (If you are brave enough to play with this tiny character then by all means, do so. I will respect you dearly for it.) They may kindle any element. Do not carry weapons as Punyimpas.
Drazyll are sentient trees and can only have Flora as their Innate. They don’t wield weapons and are simply classed as Drazyll. They are Savants.
Don’t be afraid to push the envelope. If you have a cool idea for a weapon or character, express that idea. If it’s worth it, then I’ll accept your character.
Race:
Val: Live 70 years on average but should only fight until their mid-fifties. Average height is 6 ft. 2 in. and can have any non-specific class.
El’Dren: Live 200 years on average but should only fight until they reach 180. From there, they begin to asche [Which is a process where they grow old and turn into ash, returning to nature.] Average height is 5 ft. 6 in. They can have any non-specific class.
Grantz: Subterranean dwellers and they live for about 50 years on average. They reach adult hood at 15 and can fight until they are about 41. They are very small but cunning and cannot be knights or spearmen. Average height is 5 ft. 2 in. and they are thin-bodied people. They live 100 years on average but fight until they are that old. They are very hearty.
Inple: The Inple Live for close to 300 years and their adulthood and elder portions are exceptionally long. They would fight between 40 and 260 years. They tower above at 13 to 15 feet and their classes are either Inple (swords and tree trunks) or Kindler (Using Earth as an Innate) or Fighter.
Punyimpa: Very small creatures. Some say that they can live forever… They are cocooned until adulthood so do what the hell you want with them. They are about a foot tall at most with four bird-like wings. They are only Kindlers. As a secondary list them as Savants. As long as the attack used before them is not their opposing element you should be able to capitalize. Just be creative.
Drazyll: Drazyll live for nearly 2000 years, just as some trees do. They are the proper size to fight at about 60 years so age them beyond that as you see fit. They weigh in at 11 to 14 feet and can only be Flora Innate but are savants. They should weight more than 1000 pounds.
Drag’Konin: The Drag’Konin or “Drag” are a reptilian race and are descendants of Dragons. They have two large wings and their average height is 6 ft. 7 in. They live for about 70 years on average but fight until they are 50. They cannot be rogues or Kindlers (As they are disconnected with nature).
Mechanics:
There are two things that you’ll need to know when playing Regalis. You have two mechanics built in that you’ll need to utilize in order to defeat larger enemies. Remember that your enemies will have weaknesses and some of them will be too powerful to take down without aiming for those weaknesses. One gargoyle may fold its wings in front of itself to deflect all damage and you will need to get it to open its wings. A Wyrm may tunnel into the earth after attacking and a certain combination of elements will be needed in order to defeat the monstrosity.
Air Burst: This is an ability characters will use to create statuses for enemies. Some Bosses will need to be “broken” for elements to take effect and this is the way to create a “Broken” status.
An airing ability will be used to create a “floating” status for enemies which will lock them in the air for a varying number of posts. You will not know how many posts the enemy will stay floating until it has happened the first time and you can count. If you keep the enemy in the air for too long then it will recuperate and the effects of the status will be gone.
A grounding ability will be used to smash the enemy into the ground from floating status. When an enemy slams into the earth it will enter the “Broken” status as well and elements can take effect. Now, the enemy is “Broken” and “grounded”, and it is just about over for the creature. If a character “slips up” and uses an airing attack on a grounded enemy then the enemy will recuperate and decimate that player for being a moron.
Don’t let an enemy stay in the floating status for an extended period of time. Don’t attack a grounded enemy with an airing attack.
Elemental Combat: It is self-explanatory. If Gus hits a Raving Graarghorn with his special skill and his element is fire then the creature will be set on fire. Now, Asshrarn, whose affinity is fire, can hit the monster with an earth special skill and create a molten burst or molten eruption, whatever Asshrarn’s controller decides to call it. If Graarghorn’s bestiary says that his weakness is fire then it would have been hurt badly by Gus’ attack. If its weakness was fire/earth then Gus and Asshrarn just pulled off a ridiculously powerful combo against the beast and as long as the posts were good, the monster is going down. It’s that simple.
Savants can do this with any element as long as it is not the opposite of what they kindle.
In the essence of being creative, as you battle creatures and if your posts are good, during a review of your prowess in combat, you will be given the ability to add a Special Skill. Your second Special Skill will be more powerful but I expect to see it used a lot less. I don’t want Special Skills used on each post anyway. Your third Special Skill will be an Affinity Cross. It will allow you to change up battles on the fly and use your affinity as an innate. These are very very very weak skills as you are just learning to use an element that your body should not be able to. If a player does not capitalize on your Affinity Cross then you are going to SUFFER!
One last thing: When you create a character and I've accepted it, I will send you a PM, letting you know which arc of the story you will be playing in and where (under the "places" tab) that particular arc will begin. Your character will be introduced by name only and usually called by a military member or something to that effect so that you don't appear from the ether.
If you would like a sub-plot or arc created in a particular area or if you would like to be the leading character in a side quest PM me and I'll see what we can do.
Here, elemental energy floats upon a plain known as the Aether. It is an unseen plain of existence but the inhabitants of Regalis can tap into this energy and depending on their training and mental prowess, can warp the elements that comprise the world.
That was in the beginning. Then, it was beautiful. Then, there were those that believed that all was right. There were also those that thought to tear the peace asunder…and render it as blood and bones beneath the hooves of vial creatures pulled from the depths of some boiling bog or pit reaching within the nether realms of Regalis.
After centuries of development of the myriad races of Regalis, there was the Renaissance. This was a time of great prosperity for the Val, beings much like you and I; and the El’Dren En Val. El’Dren En Val simply means children of giant men. As Regalis is a world rich in its history, some of it speculated as lore and simple story telling, these peoples were very closely linked to their pasts and the strife of their ancestors. The history of the El’Dren En Val is rich, as their ancestors were truly giant man in comparison to the Val. The Val are so closely related to you and I that I’d not need to explain to you what they look like, nor their average size. The ancestors of the Val are just the same as ours as well but that of the El’Dren En Val were humungous beings. Doomed to reduce in size over two millennia, the world changed and the giants were locked in war with a race of reptilian beings over land and resources. They were forced to adapt and as their size reduced, they needed to grow accustom to the world that was changing around them. They moved into the trees, learning to use the branches, bows and canopies to enhance their lives. It could have been said that as a remnant of their ancestors’ size, they preferred to dwell high above the land, still savoring the view that was in their blood.
With the booming Renaissance these races learned to trade knowledge, resources and even love began to flourish between members of the races. Carried over from their ancestors, the El’Dren En Val still harbored a profound hatred for the Biel Tek’in Viez, the reptilian race that their forefathers spent two millennia battling. War exploded after the Renaissance but it had been a wondrous time for the El’Dren and the Val and it had propelled their knowledge to levels unseen by any race of Regalis. As the ancient wisdom of the Firsts, the most advanced race of the ancient world, was dying away, resting within few as innate abilities; the newly forming sentient, intelligent races were making a way for themselves. When war broke out again, the Val and the El’Dren joining forces against the Biel to end the conflict for good, the allied forces drove the Biel back to their homeland. They would finally bring an end to the tyranny of the Biel, as they’d plagued the Inples, simple, calm giants of stone and earth; and the punyimpas, small, frail fairy-like creatures of wind and floral magic. They drove the creatures back in a grand, elaborate campaign. Marked with blood and alarming death counts for both sides, this was the bloodiest war in the history of Regalis.
In a last ditch effort to cease the bloodshed, the inples and the punyimpas rallied behind the allies, raising arms against the Biel and their twisted, mangled reptilian steeds and reptilian-primate brawlers and forced the Biel into a corner. This had been their plan. They reduced the Biel numbers drastically but when the Biel retreated into Mt. Halimar, the inple hurled massive stones of softer sediment and mounds of limestone and andversandt against the cavern entrances. The punyimpas used their abilities and sealed the cavern shut, locking the ragged lizards away for their treachery. Life imprisonment in a dungeon of extreme inner-planetary temperatures with nothing to feed upon but one another was enough of a punishment for their war crimes.
The campaign was over, celebrations took place and the pain suffered would always be remembered. Documents were created and once signed, ensured that the four races would come to the aid of the others when danger loomed over the horizon and these sacred pacts were upheld for years but time makes one forget. The vals grew rapacious and wanted everything in the world for themselves. The El’Dren people were consumed with watching Mt. Halimar and become disconnected from the outside world, becoming reclusive within nature's bosom. Their minds became warped and they saw men growing, flourishing, creating machines of woods and metallurgy. Metallurgy was a plight in the eyes of the El’Dren, it was not of nature. The El’Dren attacked with the aid of the punyimpas, the smaller beings using their powers to spread vines and roots upon the contraptions of men, bringing them to the ground. The El’Dren people were determined to destroy these constructs and mechanisms, breaking them to dust to be ingested by the planet.
The val leaders found the grantz, a subterranean race of pale beings that specialized in metal craft and the shaping of the rarest metals. The inples would mine the andversandt for the vals and they would take the rare metal to the grantz and they would make powerful weapons of andversandt and mythril. With this, each side wielding a powerful weapon, perfect for enemies that they knew so well as recent allies, the Regalis War started. Deep within Halimar, an ancient enemy was awakened by the hatred swelling within the biel, left to consume one another. Their bellies growled for flesh but they were not allowed to die. Their minds rotted, begging for reprieve but none was given. Their hatred swelled, so potent that it could have become tangible. Their yelps filled the caves below as they lost all reason and were twisted into gnarly, disgusting creatures. They were being warped by the evil lying in the Deep of Halimar and soon, they would be released, their tyranny returned, their hatred brimming. The prospect of flesh was so sweet. El’Dren flesh was so sweet.
With the Val/El'Dren war at a standstill, the races of the world chose sides, the Inple and Drag'Konin siding with the Val to form the Engineers and the El'Dren banded with the Punyimpa and the Drazyll as the Forestfolk. The war has come to a precipice. The precursor to the battle ahead was the looming threat of the opening of the Seal.... But who is going to open it...
King Leogoryth of the Val is dying. He is sick, he is senile. But even those on their deathbed will not be sated, their hunger will not be calmed, their thirst unquenchable. Even as the king looked over his body in a mirror, even as he was sickened by liver spots, even as he seldom recognized himself amidst the wrinkles, he still had one last conquest. He didn't care about the bonds that Tatroi created, he still wanted the northern lands, even if that meant destroying the people that his own once called family. If he was going to die, the world was always going to know his name. He would test the Gods' glory. It would be his name atop the doorways of halls and theaters and they would erect statues of him. These statues would tower over the tallest of towers and steeples and he would brandish a golden sword that would pierce the clouds above Mt. Halimar. He was crazed in his old age. But he could not attack without provocation. But he got what he wanted via scout.
Fredrick Olofson was sliding around a corner. He had the most urgent of news. He needed to relay this information to the king. It could have been delivered by anyone but he would deliver it with his own lips, for he hated the El'Dren. He was not sure as to why he hated them so, as he had no real reason to...but most hadn't.
When he neared the dining hall he was stopped by the court guards and one of them said to him, "Olofson, the king is having his lunch. He asked not to be disturbed..."
"You don't understand, Nile, I have urgent news. i must make my report..."
The other guard, Cormick, shook his head and pressed a hand to Olofson's chest, "Listen, you still can't go in. If you disturb the-" he paused, quieted and continued with, "if you disturb him he will have our necks for dinner..."
"Then turkey necks he will have but I have to get to him, right now..."
Just then, before the guards could retort, the hall doors opened. Nile cursed under his breath but it was only Sir Lauren. He pulled the door behind himself and rested his hand against the lion-shaped pommel of his broad sword and asked, "What is the reason for this disturbance. I hear raised voices outside of the dining hall while the king is being served his meal and I can only think that someone must be going crazy..."
Olofson would not be deterred. He had no time to fear a knight. "Sir Lauren, I must deliver a report to the king..."
"I can not permit that. Leave the message with me and I will deliver it when he has finished his meal..."
"I cannot do that, Sir Lauren. I am only to relay the message to him..."
Lauren squinted. Was this the news that the king had been waiting for? The scout's face was caked in dirt and blood, he was still breathing deeply as if he'd run a great distance and his palms were sweaty as if he would deliver the most important message of his life. Lauren simply said, "Who sent you on your mission...?"
Olofson simply said, "A Specter...."
Lauren stepped aside without another word and pushed the door open to allow Olofson in. The young val entered the hall and had little time to marvel at the marble pillars, golden adornments and the tallest, most beautiful drapes he'd ever seen. The king was already barking at him, asking who he was and why he was interrupting his meal. Olofson ignored the rantings, as he'd been told to do. Olofson slid to a knee next to the king and lowered his head. "Sire, I've returned the news of the Halimar Seal..."
Leogoryth's face twitched and the turkey hanging from his lip fell to his plate. "What of it, boy, speak!?" the king balked as he looked toward the young val.
"The El'Dren are crowding around the Seal, making camps..."
"Are they opening the Seal!?"
"Sire, i can-"
"Boy, i don't need your bantering! Are they opening the Seal?!" the king yelled.
Olofson shook his head and rambled off, "N-no, Sire, I don't thi-"
"You don't think...?"
"No, no, your highness, they were not op-"
Olofson's words were cut short when the king jabbed a large, jagged knife into the val's neck. "That is not what I needed of you, boy..." the king snarled. He allowed the boy to fall, the knife still in his neck. The king got to his feet and barked, "Lauren...!"
When the knight entered he instantly set his eyes on the scout, dying on the floor. The king at least could have finished the kill instead of allowing the boy to bleed to death. "Yes, your highness?"
"Have Balthomeer and Derophen come to me. Ready Sir Tedrin and Sir Barter. We move for the Halimar Pass in the morn..."
"May I ask why, Sire?"
"Of course you may," Leogoryth said, an ugly smile spreading across his face, stretching folds and wrinkles. His eyes peered from beneath an ugly, menacing brow and he said, "The El'Dren are opening the Seal...."
Character Creation: (Copy this information and post it in "description" on the character creation page. Just read the information about the tricky sections and fill it all out. Personality. Description and History are not here because you can fill them out on the character creation page.)
Name:
Race:
Height:
Weight:
Age:
Gender:
Innate Element:
Affinity:
Class:
Main Weapon:
Secondary Weapon:
Air Burst: (Airing or Grounding)
Special Skill: (Create something interesting but even if you create detailed strikes for the skill, be flexible.)
Allegiance: This is mainly viewed from a Forestfolk (El'Dren, Drazyll and Puntimpas) or Engineers (Val, Drag'Konin and Inple) standpoint. You may put what you please but in most cases the allegiance would be to one's own kind because "Myself" would suggest that you have no reason to travel with a group. And that's what this game consists of.
Personal Flaws:
Fire-Water-Flora-Ice-Earth-Wind-Fire
The Elements have their weaknesses and strengths:
Fire absorbs air as fuel but is doused by Water.
The Wind weathers Earth but is absorbs by Flames.
Masses of Earth can be chipped away by the Wind but can stop Ice.
Ice can freeze Flora, weighing down vines but is not match for expertly controlled slabs of earth.
Flora can absorb water but comes to a standstill against ice.
(Some of the other elemental weaknesses are Flora being set ablaze by Fire and water being stopped cold by Ice. These should be considered when deciding on your elements.)
Affinity: (This is your secondary element. If a player uses an ability with this element you can capitalize [But only if the post is damned good.] Remember that when you choose this element it is the only one that you will be able to match your own element with. Your affinity cannot be the opposing element of your Innate Element.)
Fire-Ice: (Flames can melt ice to create steam which can melt flesh.)
Wind-Water: (The wind can be used to generate the forces of a hurricane, deluging enemies.)
Earth-Flora: (A towering wall of earth can be much worse when vines spear through a petrified enemy.
Fire-Earth: (A Molten Eruption would destroy most enemies)
Earth-Water: (How about a terrifying landslide?)
Wind-Ice: (A blizzard brought down upon your foes.)
Class:
(These are based on common sense; and your equipment should match!)
Knight: Knights will wear full sized armor and will take hits like no one’s business. Remember that you character will not be able to play with intense speed but your power may be unmatched. Your weapons may be larger swords, battle axes, hammers, etc. Secondary may be a smaller sword or throwing axe.
Archer: Archers tend to wear garbs with low defensive capabilities but you will be very fast and if you want an acrobatic character then feel free. Yours weapons will be bows. Secondary may be daggers, short swords and other small weapons including but not limited to; Sais, hand guns with one round per post and other close quarter weapons.
Rogue: Rogues favor lightweight armor beneath cloaks and the like. This is a very agile character that utilizes one handed swords, maces, axes and may dual wield daggers. Crossbows may be used but the secondary may not be a one handed weapon listed beforehand.
Secondary weapons may be daggers (If dual wielding, daggers may not be a secondary), hand guns with one round per post, and other close quarter weapons including axes and Sais.
Spearman: Spearmen wear mid-weight armor and are of medium speed. They fight with halberds, pole axes, glaives, etc. Secondary weapons are one handed swords.
Light Swordsman: Light swordsmen armor themselves much like rogues but specialize in swordsmanship and use single-handed swords and their secondary weapons tend to be short swords and daggers. The rapier or estoc is a perfect weapon for a LS class warrior.
Kindler: Kindlers are very specific classes and their elements are exact. They will not strike physical blows but their magical abilities tend to be unmatched as they master their abilities. They will use their hands to strike down their foes and instead of relying on enchanting their weapons with elements, they create them out of places where there should be done (as in creating fire out of thin air or water spewing forth from rocks). They are not defenders. Do not let them get hit…!
Fighter: Fighters are brutes. They are fast, hit hard and defend with their armored forearms but they are not good with elements, even their innate elements. They fight with their fists and wear plated gloves. They don’t have secondary weapons. They wear enchanted boots that allow them to harness energy. (These boots allow them to match their innate powers with their affinity.)
Mechanized Archer: Mechanized Archers are moderately armored archers that use firearms as their main weapons. Their rifles are fitted with elemental seals that allow them to fire rounds of their elements. A wielder of flames would fire incendiary rounds, a wielder of ice would fire freezing rounds, flora wielders would fire shotgun-like blast of razor-edged leaves as if shrapnel. Earth rounds can pin enemies against objects and Water rounds can apply hundreds upon hundreds of pounds of pressure and finally, wind rounds blast enemies with electrifying rounds. Remember, Earth wielders can only use grounding and Wind wielders can only use airing. Wielders of other elements can use either air burst ability.
If you play as an Inple, you must remember that you are between 13 and 15 feet tall as an adult and you may fight with weapons specific to Inples which are trees, massive swords, axes and clubs but these powerful beings are very slow. For your class, you may list it as Inple and choose an according weapon or you may choose Fighter and use brute strength. If you choose Kindler then your element must be Earth. Inples don’t carry secondary weapons.
Punyimpas are the size of a pigeon when adults and wear enchanted armor made of earth or leaves and are only classed as Kindlers and even more so, as savants. (If you are brave enough to play with this tiny character then by all means, do so. I will respect you dearly for it.) They may kindle any element. Do not carry weapons as Punyimpas.
Drazyll are sentient trees and can only have Flora as their Innate. They don’t wield weapons and are simply classed as Drazyll. They are Savants.
Don’t be afraid to push the envelope. If you have a cool idea for a weapon or character, express that idea. If it’s worth it, then I’ll accept your character.
Race:
Val: Live 70 years on average but should only fight until their mid-fifties. Average height is 6 ft. 2 in. and can have any non-specific class.
El’Dren: Live 200 years on average but should only fight until they reach 180. From there, they begin to asche [Which is a process where they grow old and turn into ash, returning to nature.] Average height is 5 ft. 6 in. They can have any non-specific class.
Grantz: Subterranean dwellers and they live for about 50 years on average. They reach adult hood at 15 and can fight until they are about 41. They are very small but cunning and cannot be knights or spearmen. Average height is 5 ft. 2 in. and they are thin-bodied people. They live 100 years on average but fight until they are that old. They are very hearty.
Inple: The Inple Live for close to 300 years and their adulthood and elder portions are exceptionally long. They would fight between 40 and 260 years. They tower above at 13 to 15 feet and their classes are either Inple (swords and tree trunks) or Kindler (Using Earth as an Innate) or Fighter.
Punyimpa: Very small creatures. Some say that they can live forever… They are cocooned until adulthood so do what the hell you want with them. They are about a foot tall at most with four bird-like wings. They are only Kindlers. As a secondary list them as Savants. As long as the attack used before them is not their opposing element you should be able to capitalize. Just be creative.
Drazyll: Drazyll live for nearly 2000 years, just as some trees do. They are the proper size to fight at about 60 years so age them beyond that as you see fit. They weigh in at 11 to 14 feet and can only be Flora Innate but are savants. They should weight more than 1000 pounds.
Drag’Konin: The Drag’Konin or “Drag” are a reptilian race and are descendants of Dragons. They have two large wings and their average height is 6 ft. 7 in. They live for about 70 years on average but fight until they are 50. They cannot be rogues or Kindlers (As they are disconnected with nature).
Mechanics:
There are two things that you’ll need to know when playing Regalis. You have two mechanics built in that you’ll need to utilize in order to defeat larger enemies. Remember that your enemies will have weaknesses and some of them will be too powerful to take down without aiming for those weaknesses. One gargoyle may fold its wings in front of itself to deflect all damage and you will need to get it to open its wings. A Wyrm may tunnel into the earth after attacking and a certain combination of elements will be needed in order to defeat the monstrosity.
Air Burst: This is an ability characters will use to create statuses for enemies. Some Bosses will need to be “broken” for elements to take effect and this is the way to create a “Broken” status.
An airing ability will be used to create a “floating” status for enemies which will lock them in the air for a varying number of posts. You will not know how many posts the enemy will stay floating until it has happened the first time and you can count. If you keep the enemy in the air for too long then it will recuperate and the effects of the status will be gone.
A grounding ability will be used to smash the enemy into the ground from floating status. When an enemy slams into the earth it will enter the “Broken” status as well and elements can take effect. Now, the enemy is “Broken” and “grounded”, and it is just about over for the creature. If a character “slips up” and uses an airing attack on a grounded enemy then the enemy will recuperate and decimate that player for being a moron.
Don’t let an enemy stay in the floating status for an extended period of time. Don’t attack a grounded enemy with an airing attack.
Elemental Combat: It is self-explanatory. If Gus hits a Raving Graarghorn with his special skill and his element is fire then the creature will be set on fire. Now, Asshrarn, whose affinity is fire, can hit the monster with an earth special skill and create a molten burst or molten eruption, whatever Asshrarn’s controller decides to call it. If Graarghorn’s bestiary says that his weakness is fire then it would have been hurt badly by Gus’ attack. If its weakness was fire/earth then Gus and Asshrarn just pulled off a ridiculously powerful combo against the beast and as long as the posts were good, the monster is going down. It’s that simple.
Savants can do this with any element as long as it is not the opposite of what they kindle.
In the essence of being creative, as you battle creatures and if your posts are good, during a review of your prowess in combat, you will be given the ability to add a Special Skill. Your second Special Skill will be more powerful but I expect to see it used a lot less. I don’t want Special Skills used on each post anyway. Your third Special Skill will be an Affinity Cross. It will allow you to change up battles on the fly and use your affinity as an innate. These are very very very weak skills as you are just learning to use an element that your body should not be able to. If a player does not capitalize on your Affinity Cross then you are going to SUFFER!
One last thing: When you create a character and I've accepted it, I will send you a PM, letting you know which arc of the story you will be playing in and where (under the "places" tab) that particular arc will begin. Your character will be introduced by name only and usually called by a military member or something to that effect so that you don't appear from the ether.
If you would like a sub-plot or arc created in a particular area or if you would like to be the leading character in a side quest PM me and I'll see what we can do.
The Story So Far... Write a Post » as written by 7 authors
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Sleza followed the group as the set up camp. She wasn't exactly helpful in the setting up part, but she stayed close by in case she could do anything. After a while, she had followed the Inple called Oleris toward the outside of the camp. She was going to trying talking to the man, despite being mildly afraid of him due to his generally gigantic size, especially compared to her own. The Inple didn't seem to be in the talking mood though, and soon he had wandered away. She looked down and sighed slightly, before flying back to the more populated parts of the camp. She eventually found some men with food, and asked for small portions, which one or two gave her. Several of the refused, saying something about her being on the other side. She didn't quite understand, but took off with her food none the less. Eventually, she was by herself to eat her food. It was always a lonely thing to eat with no one around, but she had grown used to it. She began to wonder why exactly the men treated her so different. She was uneducated on the war, so it was possible that her race was on the other side, that was true, but if so, that was no reason to treat her differently. Perhaps it was the fact that she was a girl. She hadn't noticed many other girls out here, other than Anya of course, who she personally thought was a top notch fighter.
Sleza looked around the wild, unsure of exactly what to do now. A normal man would probably sleep, but Sleza found herself without the need. She had finished her food, which wasn't much in the first place, as someone as small as her didn't require a Val sized meal to become full. She sighed and looked down once more. There was nothing to do and nothing to say. That was the issue in the whole. For someone her size, it was hard to get around and help like she wanted too. Most of the time, she was just in the way.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, a squire came to get Sleza. She had heard him complaining about how hard it was to find something so small as he came up, which had cued her to find him. She left quietly, so as not to bother anyone anymore. She made it to the rest of the group, which consisted of Tedrin, Anya, and Oleris. She wondered if she would even be noticed coming up, as she was rather quiet. She sighed softly and flew up to the Inple's shoulder, her wings feeling tired already. She sat down calmly and waited; trying not to fear being swatted like a bug.
Sleza looked around the wild, unsure of exactly what to do now. A normal man would probably sleep, but Sleza found herself without the need. She had finished her food, which wasn't much in the first place, as someone as small as her didn't require a Val sized meal to become full. She sighed and looked down once more. There was nothing to do and nothing to say. That was the issue in the whole. For someone her size, it was hard to get around and help like she wanted too. Most of the time, she was just in the way.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, a squire came to get Sleza. She had heard him complaining about how hard it was to find something so small as he came up, which had cued her to find him. She left quietly, so as not to bother anyone anymore. She made it to the rest of the group, which consisted of Tedrin, Anya, and Oleris. She wondered if she would even be noticed coming up, as she was rather quiet. She sighed softly and flew up to the Inple's shoulder, her wings feeling tired already. She sat down calmly and waited; trying not to fear being swatted like a bug.
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Balthazar kept his word, arriving on the outskirts of Tedrin's forward camp in the time he said he would. Landing rather roughly from his airborne status, a few squires approached him and offered him a waterskin, which he accepted graciously. He drank from the bag before returning it to the squire, and a second one inquired if he was hungry. Balthazar shook his head, politely dismissing the boy.
"I don't see how anyone could eat with such repugnant odor in the air... The sanctity of this place has been fouled."
Balthazar trotted along the perimeter of the camp, looking back the way he had come. If everything went to hell, the lands they'd just braved would have been for nothing. All of this, here in the valley, may one day become the whole world. It was a sobering thought, and the Drag'Konin moved forward in the camp, eventually finding Tedrin. The man demanded respect in his own way, for a Val; and Balthazar found it an admirable quality. He also had interesting taste in personnel, the mottled group that was slowly forming ranks behind him was of many races. Balthazar wasn't even the only Drag'Konin present; although he liked to think he was the biggest. Finally Tedrin's eyes caught sight of the Drag and the two approached each other amongst the men.
"Sir Tedrin," the Drag informally greeted the Val he gave himself the liberty of considering a friend, extending a massive and scaly hand to his comrade.
"Sir Balthazar," Tedrin countered, accepting the crushing force of the Drag'Konin's handshake with nary a twitch. "Are you prepared? The horrors that lay ahead I can barely begin to describe."
Balthazar breathed in deeply, smelling the blood salts in the air, followed by the stench of rot and decay. "You need not waste your breath. The wind itself carries the smell of horror. I am prepared, Tedrin Landgaard; and I will stand beside you until the bitter end..." He chuckled. "As long as you're not running away."
"I don't see how anyone could eat with such repugnant odor in the air... The sanctity of this place has been fouled."
Balthazar trotted along the perimeter of the camp, looking back the way he had come. If everything went to hell, the lands they'd just braved would have been for nothing. All of this, here in the valley, may one day become the whole world. It was a sobering thought, and the Drag'Konin moved forward in the camp, eventually finding Tedrin. The man demanded respect in his own way, for a Val; and Balthazar found it an admirable quality. He also had interesting taste in personnel, the mottled group that was slowly forming ranks behind him was of many races. Balthazar wasn't even the only Drag'Konin present; although he liked to think he was the biggest. Finally Tedrin's eyes caught sight of the Drag and the two approached each other amongst the men.
"Sir Tedrin," the Drag informally greeted the Val he gave himself the liberty of considering a friend, extending a massive and scaly hand to his comrade.
"Sir Balthazar," Tedrin countered, accepting the crushing force of the Drag'Konin's handshake with nary a twitch. "Are you prepared? The horrors that lay ahead I can barely begin to describe."
Balthazar breathed in deeply, smelling the blood salts in the air, followed by the stench of rot and decay. "You need not waste your breath. The wind itself carries the smell of horror. I am prepared, Tedrin Landgaard; and I will stand beside you until the bitter end..." He chuckled. "As long as you're not running away."
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The Inple was collecting himself for the battle ahead when the Punyimpa came near. Not only do the Inple have amazing hear, but they could see quite well. Regardless, Oleris was a very perceptive man and he said hello to the woman as she flew by. He turned to look into the valley when Anya came near and said, "I hope we're all ready for this..."
Oleris smiled and said, "Are you ready, Lady Bladestorm...?"
"Oh, Oleris, please don't do that..."
"Don't do what?"
"I can't do the whole formality thing. I have a hard time not called Tedrin 'Teddy' in front of the others as if. I prefer to be relaxed, even in the company of my own unit. I am no princes..."
Oleris smirked and said, "But you are more beautiful than some that I have seen..."
Anya smiled and said, "Oleris, I'm flattered... Am I being hit on my an Inple for the first time in my life..."
"No, no, Anya, not at all. It was a simple observation...." Oleris said and shook his head with a puff of laughter from his nose.
Anya laughed deeply and walk away. It seemed as if the others were filing in and it was about time to head out.
Oleris smiled and said, "Are you ready, Lady Bladestorm...?"
"Oh, Oleris, please don't do that..."
"Don't do what?"
"I can't do the whole formality thing. I have a hard time not called Tedrin 'Teddy' in front of the others as if. I prefer to be relaxed, even in the company of my own unit. I am no princes..."
Oleris smirked and said, "But you are more beautiful than some that I have seen..."
Anya smiled and said, "Oleris, I'm flattered... Am I being hit on my an Inple for the first time in my life..."
"No, no, Anya, not at all. It was a simple observation...." Oleris said and shook his head with a puff of laughter from his nose.
Anya laughed deeply and walk away. It seemed as if the others were filing in and it was about time to head out.
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When Tedrin finished his conversation with the powerful and venerated Balthazar, he realized the man was still alive. For a warrior of his stature to have been destroyed in the proverbial slaughter would have been a great lose. It was all because of Anya. If she hadn't brought the pass to his attention as a proper flanking position for the squires and extra hands, all of them would be dead. He looked toward the woman as she laughed and walked away from Oleris and he shook his head, wondering what was to come of them. When she walked over to him, still smiling, her smile slowly faded and she asked, "What...? Is there something in my teeth? As a friend you should tell me before someone else sees it. I don't need the squires whispering behind my back about how I keep badgers between my teeth..."
Tedrin smiled and shook his head as he said, "Nothing... It's really nothing. Don't....don't worry about it..."
Anya's brow furled as she said, "I'll never get you, Tedrin. I just don't understand..."
"Don't worry. I'm seriously, just let it out of your head."
With that, Junpei walked up and Tedrin greeted the man and asked if he was ready. He was, as always. Strangely enough, Anya greeted the man warmly and said to him, "I'm happy you're not wearing the scowl of yesterday. Though I can understand that the foul sight in the valley beyond has warped everyone's faces into looks of disgust. i trust you are ready?"
"Indeed, I am," Junpei said and smiled just a little.
Tedrin looked about and found Sleza floating off by herself near Oleris. "Sleza," he called, "I'd like you over here as well...." Someone needed to include the little woman.
He looked about for Kurr and Ogava and trusted that he could catch them up as need-be. "Okay, we're going to go into the Wilds, keeping about ten feet between each other. i know there are natural predators in the wild in regards to you, Sleza, so I would ask that you would stay on someone's shoulder until we engage enemies and we need you. We're looking for anything out of order. Bodies, weapons of our enemies, anything... If it's too quiet in there then something is wrong. We will keep free of the Bogs....we just don't need that right now. We will look and whether we find what we're looking for or not, we will return to the camp rest, and move to Feneris to deliver the news of this....debacle..."
Anya asked, "What of our enemies?"
"They will most likely be insects as usual but there is a lot of animate plant-life and those Wilds are riddled with Reptilian enemies. We must be at our bests. I must speak with Thomlis and then we are leaving."
Tedrin smiled and shook his head as he said, "Nothing... It's really nothing. Don't....don't worry about it..."
Anya's brow furled as she said, "I'll never get you, Tedrin. I just don't understand..."
"Don't worry. I'm seriously, just let it out of your head."
With that, Junpei walked up and Tedrin greeted the man and asked if he was ready. He was, as always. Strangely enough, Anya greeted the man warmly and said to him, "I'm happy you're not wearing the scowl of yesterday. Though I can understand that the foul sight in the valley beyond has warped everyone's faces into looks of disgust. i trust you are ready?"
"Indeed, I am," Junpei said and smiled just a little.
Tedrin looked about and found Sleza floating off by herself near Oleris. "Sleza," he called, "I'd like you over here as well...." Someone needed to include the little woman.
He looked about for Kurr and Ogava and trusted that he could catch them up as need-be. "Okay, we're going to go into the Wilds, keeping about ten feet between each other. i know there are natural predators in the wild in regards to you, Sleza, so I would ask that you would stay on someone's shoulder until we engage enemies and we need you. We're looking for anything out of order. Bodies, weapons of our enemies, anything... If it's too quiet in there then something is wrong. We will keep free of the Bogs....we just don't need that right now. We will look and whether we find what we're looking for or not, we will return to the camp rest, and move to Feneris to deliver the news of this....debacle..."
Anya asked, "What of our enemies?"
"They will most likely be insects as usual but there is a lot of animate plant-life and those Wilds are riddled with Reptilian enemies. We must be at our bests. I must speak with Thomlis and then we are leaving."
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Sleza was distracted when she heard Tendrin call her over. She flew over and listened to his order, before nodding and finding her place on Junepei's shoulder, as it was where she was used to staying at this point. Hearing the words "natural predators" made her shiver a little. There were things out there that would just eat her? She shook her head and clung to Junepei even tighter. There was no way that she would be sleeping here, ever. She turned as Tendrin finished and smiled slightly. More big bugs, just what she wanted to hear. Now that she had gotten into the round with the giant spider, these things shouldn't bother her anymore. They might even be fun!
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Sleza was still on Junpei's shoulder and the man was walking next to Tedrin. Anya was walking ahead of them, Oleris behind. Tedrin rested his wrist against the pommel of his long sword and he took a deep breath before saying, "I think we're all ready. Thomlis has his orders and I'm sure that he'll carry them out just as expected..."
Anya looked over her shoulder as she walked around a tent and asked, "Is there anyone else here that you want to take with us...?"
"No," Tedrin said. "Well, that is not entirely true. There are men that I would like to take with us but they will do more good here in case of an attack. I don't know how much good that will do if we have an event like that which killed the men in the valley. For crying out loud, there are ten thousand men down there, all dead, having killed each other, if not themselves in their blind insanity."
Oleris said, "Some that looked terrified somehow looked as if they were enjoying their deaths. Others that seemed as if they died of extreme pleasure...pleasure so great that their hearts were overwhelmed....but their eyes scream hatred and anger...."
Junpei shook his head and said, "The Gods were not with them..."
"What," Tedrin said, caught slightly off guard.
"The Gods...they were not in the valley with those men. The looks on their faces said that they not only felt pain, but they were consumed by an insanity so deep that even though they were in intense pain, they laughed as they died. I don't know of an evil that can twist men to such extents. To believe in the Gods means that you must believe in those that have the powers to oppose them, those that counter their goals. Whatever Gods would bring us to this point, others undeserving of the title but with similar powers have reached from within the belly of the whale to strike down all that can oppose..."
Tedrin thought about what Junpei said and then he smiled and said, "Well, they failed..."
"They have not. They have killed thousands of men."
"They did not kill me," Tedrin said. "Let's finish this."
Anya looked over her shoulder as she walked around a tent and asked, "Is there anyone else here that you want to take with us...?"
"No," Tedrin said. "Well, that is not entirely true. There are men that I would like to take with us but they will do more good here in case of an attack. I don't know how much good that will do if we have an event like that which killed the men in the valley. For crying out loud, there are ten thousand men down there, all dead, having killed each other, if not themselves in their blind insanity."
Oleris said, "Some that looked terrified somehow looked as if they were enjoying their deaths. Others that seemed as if they died of extreme pleasure...pleasure so great that their hearts were overwhelmed....but their eyes scream hatred and anger...."
Junpei shook his head and said, "The Gods were not with them..."
"What," Tedrin said, caught slightly off guard.
"The Gods...they were not in the valley with those men. The looks on their faces said that they not only felt pain, but they were consumed by an insanity so deep that even though they were in intense pain, they laughed as they died. I don't know of an evil that can twist men to such extents. To believe in the Gods means that you must believe in those that have the powers to oppose them, those that counter their goals. Whatever Gods would bring us to this point, others undeserving of the title but with similar powers have reached from within the belly of the whale to strike down all that can oppose..."
Tedrin thought about what Junpei said and then he smiled and said, "Well, they failed..."
"They have not. They have killed thousands of men."
"They did not kill me," Tedrin said. "Let's finish this."
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"At the edge of the world," Tedrin said as the group stood at the edge of the forest. With the valley of death behind them, Anya relaxed and asked him, "What did you say..."
"What?" Tedrin said, as if he'd been in a trance. He shook off the fuzz and said, "Oh, I said 'at the edge of the world'."
"Why would you say that..."
"Well, because the first documented exploration of the Halimar Wilds was done by an excursion team hundreds of years ago. The leader and coordinator of the trip was known as Barton Greenwich. It was documented that when they arrived, he'd said that they were at the edge of the world. It's ironic, because he was the same man that said that you could take a voyage from the east coast of our lands and arrive at the west coast, suggesting that the world we live in is a giant sphere. Some believed that you could only go so far before you simply...fell off the edge of the world. he hadn't meant anything of the shape of the world at all. He'd simply been commenting on our need to explore. For Greenwich and his group, they were truly at the edge of what they'd seen. They were at the precipice, ready to cross into unknown territory..."
Anya smiled and looked toward the treeline. "Well, okay... Let's do Greenwich justice..."
The forest was dank, dark, musty. The trees were thick and tall but their branches curved down low, creating a very low ceiling of foliage. Creatures alerted their kind of intruders but it was nearly impossible to know where the snarls, whistles and warbles were coming from. There were eyes catching faint light in the distance. Tedrin slowed his pace as twigs snapped beneath his boot. He drew his long sword and the others drew their weapons as well. Anya drew an arrow back and lined up her sight with the arrow as a shadow passed in front of the group. Tedrin stopped, raising his weapon in front of himself and he told the others, "Keep your eyes open..."
Anya watched the woods with keen eyes, waiting for movement but nothing happened. She lowered the bow but kept the arrow in place as Tedrin stood erect and surveyed the darkness. A quick flutter in the darkness caused Anya to return her weapon to the ready and release the arrow. Then, it was quite. She'd pinned something to a tree and it was still slithering. Tedrin moved forward and set his blade aflame in order to see and he laughed as he realized what Anya had done. "You've...killed a big...bad..." he said and moved out of the way, "squirrel... Anya, what did this thing do to you? This is why the El'Dren hate us. We kill everything..."
Anya gave Tedrin a middle finger and he laughed before saying, "Okay, now, everyone spread out and look for anything out of the ordinary. El'Dren weapons, bodies, arrows in trees, blood trails... Let's get to it..."
(I tried to create a poll so we could all vote on what to find to change the story direction (but i couldn't) So, I'll put one here.
Just reply to the message after reading it. The path with the most votes gets used. I won't wait forever for replies.
"What?" Tedrin said, as if he'd been in a trance. He shook off the fuzz and said, "Oh, I said 'at the edge of the world'."
"Why would you say that..."
"Well, because the first documented exploration of the Halimar Wilds was done by an excursion team hundreds of years ago. The leader and coordinator of the trip was known as Barton Greenwich. It was documented that when they arrived, he'd said that they were at the edge of the world. It's ironic, because he was the same man that said that you could take a voyage from the east coast of our lands and arrive at the west coast, suggesting that the world we live in is a giant sphere. Some believed that you could only go so far before you simply...fell off the edge of the world. he hadn't meant anything of the shape of the world at all. He'd simply been commenting on our need to explore. For Greenwich and his group, they were truly at the edge of what they'd seen. They were at the precipice, ready to cross into unknown territory..."
Anya smiled and looked toward the treeline. "Well, okay... Let's do Greenwich justice..."
The forest was dank, dark, musty. The trees were thick and tall but their branches curved down low, creating a very low ceiling of foliage. Creatures alerted their kind of intruders but it was nearly impossible to know where the snarls, whistles and warbles were coming from. There were eyes catching faint light in the distance. Tedrin slowed his pace as twigs snapped beneath his boot. He drew his long sword and the others drew their weapons as well. Anya drew an arrow back and lined up her sight with the arrow as a shadow passed in front of the group. Tedrin stopped, raising his weapon in front of himself and he told the others, "Keep your eyes open..."
Anya watched the woods with keen eyes, waiting for movement but nothing happened. She lowered the bow but kept the arrow in place as Tedrin stood erect and surveyed the darkness. A quick flutter in the darkness caused Anya to return her weapon to the ready and release the arrow. Then, it was quite. She'd pinned something to a tree and it was still slithering. Tedrin moved forward and set his blade aflame in order to see and he laughed as he realized what Anya had done. "You've...killed a big...bad..." he said and moved out of the way, "squirrel... Anya, what did this thing do to you? This is why the El'Dren hate us. We kill everything..."
Anya gave Tedrin a middle finger and he laughed before saying, "Okay, now, everyone spread out and look for anything out of the ordinary. El'Dren weapons, bodies, arrows in trees, blood trails... Let's get to it..."
(I tried to create a poll so we could all vote on what to find to change the story direction (but i couldn't) So, I'll put one here.
Just reply to the message after reading it. The path with the most votes gets used. I won't wait forever for replies.
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((sorry to be tardy to the party but ill catch myself up now.))
Junpei couldn't muster a single word at the sight of so many dead men. His face was grim, his mouth felt dry. These men had killed each other, this wasn't the work of an enemy it was that of their own weapons. Junpei searched the battle field looking for the sight of a man that he hoped to himself he would not find, then he saw him laying there in the mud dead. It was his brother, not a brother of blood, rather a brother of spirit. They had been friends from a young age. "Serrik....." Was the only word he could manage. His friend had a spear run through his heart, but the expression on his face was twisted, it was like he was enjoying the slaughter of his comrades. Junpei knelt down and closed the man's eyes. He got back up, even with the eyes closed his friend did not look like he was at peace. Junpei could no longer contain his growing rage. He let loose an agonized cry and began punching a tree. "You bastard, you bastard, you bastard!" He shouted as the tree trunk turned to splinters beneath his enraged fists. He could not explain this to himself, what could cause these men to slay one another, but whatever the cause Junpei could never forgive.
Junpei had not been so talkative since the discovery of the bodies and did not care to do anything more than find those responsible for the massacre, whether it be forest folk or otherwise. Junpei had followed the orders of Tedrin closely, but avoided small talk with him for he did not want to be held responsible for what he would say to him by mistake. Tedrin had given the orders to go out and search for what they could find. Junpei was fine with that, he wanted to get to business anyway and had no desire to stay around and do nothing. Without a word he stood up and walked away from the others to look around.
Junpei couldn't muster a single word at the sight of so many dead men. His face was grim, his mouth felt dry. These men had killed each other, this wasn't the work of an enemy it was that of their own weapons. Junpei searched the battle field looking for the sight of a man that he hoped to himself he would not find, then he saw him laying there in the mud dead. It was his brother, not a brother of blood, rather a brother of spirit. They had been friends from a young age. "Serrik....." Was the only word he could manage. His friend had a spear run through his heart, but the expression on his face was twisted, it was like he was enjoying the slaughter of his comrades. Junpei knelt down and closed the man's eyes. He got back up, even with the eyes closed his friend did not look like he was at peace. Junpei could no longer contain his growing rage. He let loose an agonized cry and began punching a tree. "You bastard, you bastard, you bastard!" He shouted as the tree trunk turned to splinters beneath his enraged fists. He could not explain this to himself, what could cause these men to slay one another, but whatever the cause Junpei could never forgive.
Junpei had not been so talkative since the discovery of the bodies and did not care to do anything more than find those responsible for the massacre, whether it be forest folk or otherwise. Junpei had followed the orders of Tedrin closely, but avoided small talk with him for he did not want to be held responsible for what he would say to him by mistake. Tedrin had given the orders to go out and search for what they could find. Junpei was fine with that, he wanted to get to business anyway and had no desire to stay around and do nothing. Without a word he stood up and walked away from the others to look around.
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(Looks like we're going to find the dead El'Dren and Punyimpas. Anyone that wants to post finding them can do so.)
As Anya walked away from the others she realized that her heart was racing. It was true, she was just scared. She hadn't been to the Halimar Wilds and being in the valley with all of those soldiers hadn't given her a positive first impression. She hated the way that she felt, like something would jump out and grab her at any moment, dragging her away where no one would be able to save her. She would be examined by some grotesque creature, its foul breath caressing her as the creature worked over her, peeking and prodding over every inch of her. The trees hardly moved but when they did they seemed to speak of an evil that they could not properly communicate. The air was wet and sticky, the smell of rotting underbrush and mold growing on trees was so poignant that it threatened to smother her. It was almost as if a rank mist permeated the bows of the forest, creeping into her throat and nostrils, reaching to wrench her breath from her. She gagged when she walked into a dusty, dark patch of moist clutter and sodden pine straw and fallen leaves but this smell was not shared with the rest of the forest. This terrified Anya. She wanted to run but she was locked in a vice. The trees seemed to lean in toward her, to whisper to her, mouths split in their bark and eyes peered from beneath leafy brows. Long, sinewy branches seemed to point Anya along her way. She couldn't stop walking.
The sodden earth beneath her emitted soft squishes as she moved but with each step, the foul odor emanated, swirling around her as if controlled mist, dancing about her body. In the darkness ahead she saw specters floating and they seemed to be coming toward her. Or was she simply moving toward them faster than she though she was? They were swaying, coming toward her, their hands limply at their sides. Then, there were small crunches beneath her feet. It was as if she was stepping on children of the very trees that were pointing her along her way. Then, she was allowed to stop. She released a soft, pent up gasp of fear. Her lips quivered and she thrust her hands to her mouth to quiet a scream. She took three steps back, the crunching sounding from beneath her feet. She looked down in horror to see the bodies of Punyimpa strewn against the earth. They were pinned to trees and some of them were caressing the heads of others whose bodies were not too far away. Anya took in a deep breath in order to scream but she found herself choking against the stench. The breath was driven from her. She just stared in disbelief as her chest heaved and she began to suck in gulps of air but none would calm her. She began to mutter to herself as she realized that the specters ahead of her were carcases. They were El'Dren, they were the dead; they'd been hung by bow string or held up by spears through the rectum.
Who would do this? What would do this? Anya whimpered, backing away but as she turned to run and scream, she found her face in Tedrin's chest. She went limp, the tears flowed, her chest felt as if someone had slammed into her with a hammer. She released a long, pent-up breath and as Tedrin dropped to his knees, taking her with him, she curled against him and just screamed. The forest would know her sadness.
As Anya walked away from the others she realized that her heart was racing. It was true, she was just scared. She hadn't been to the Halimar Wilds and being in the valley with all of those soldiers hadn't given her a positive first impression. She hated the way that she felt, like something would jump out and grab her at any moment, dragging her away where no one would be able to save her. She would be examined by some grotesque creature, its foul breath caressing her as the creature worked over her, peeking and prodding over every inch of her. The trees hardly moved but when they did they seemed to speak of an evil that they could not properly communicate. The air was wet and sticky, the smell of rotting underbrush and mold growing on trees was so poignant that it threatened to smother her. It was almost as if a rank mist permeated the bows of the forest, creeping into her throat and nostrils, reaching to wrench her breath from her. She gagged when she walked into a dusty, dark patch of moist clutter and sodden pine straw and fallen leaves but this smell was not shared with the rest of the forest. This terrified Anya. She wanted to run but she was locked in a vice. The trees seemed to lean in toward her, to whisper to her, mouths split in their bark and eyes peered from beneath leafy brows. Long, sinewy branches seemed to point Anya along her way. She couldn't stop walking.
The sodden earth beneath her emitted soft squishes as she moved but with each step, the foul odor emanated, swirling around her as if controlled mist, dancing about her body. In the darkness ahead she saw specters floating and they seemed to be coming toward her. Or was she simply moving toward them faster than she though she was? They were swaying, coming toward her, their hands limply at their sides. Then, there were small crunches beneath her feet. It was as if she was stepping on children of the very trees that were pointing her along her way. Then, she was allowed to stop. She released a soft, pent up gasp of fear. Her lips quivered and she thrust her hands to her mouth to quiet a scream. She took three steps back, the crunching sounding from beneath her feet. She looked down in horror to see the bodies of Punyimpa strewn against the earth. They were pinned to trees and some of them were caressing the heads of others whose bodies were not too far away. Anya took in a deep breath in order to scream but she found herself choking against the stench. The breath was driven from her. She just stared in disbelief as her chest heaved and she began to suck in gulps of air but none would calm her. She began to mutter to herself as she realized that the specters ahead of her were carcases. They were El'Dren, they were the dead; they'd been hung by bow string or held up by spears through the rectum.
Who would do this? What would do this? Anya whimpered, backing away but as she turned to run and scream, she found her face in Tedrin's chest. She went limp, the tears flowed, her chest felt as if someone had slammed into her with a hammer. She released a long, pent-up breath and as Tedrin dropped to his knees, taking her with him, she curled against him and just screamed. The forest would know her sadness.
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Junpei had been walking for sometime, he hadn't found anything just trees. The quiet of the night was almost maddening, he could practically hear his own rage inside of him like a thousand fires burning at once. He wanted nothing more than simply to curse and beat another tree to vent but he knew that would solve nothing. His eyes searched for answers but instead found the bodies of Punyimpa that sit dead in the mud. He diverted his eyes briefly to come to terms with what he had seen. When he looked back it was clear that these little ones had slain each other. His rage boiled inside of him, his whole body shook as he tried to keep from exploding and attacking another tree. "Who would do this...." He managed through gritted teeth. The sight of the poor Punyimpa being hideously slaughtered made him burn inside, burn with a passion for revenge, a passion he had not been exposed to before. Then he thought of the Punyimpa that was with their group. These were her own kind and soon he would have to witness the injustice of another seeing her own slain. He clenched his fist so tight that his knuckles were white under his gauntlets. He viewed most evil deeds as ones that deserved punishments, but this new feeling that filled him was something else, he desired nothing more than to take the life of the scum that could do this. He was furious but could do nothing, so he did the only thing he could manage. He let loose an enraged roar.
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(I shouldn't even post after that...)
Oleris was shaken by Anya's scream; but it only drew his attention from the dead he'd found. There were pieces of an El'Dren thrown against tree trunks or hanging from limbs and there were Punyimpas hanging from bow strings and there were even those lying in the dirt, covering mud and blood, their wings ripped from their bodies. The deeper that Oleris looked into the forest, the more dead that he could see. They were everywhere. A bloody war had been averted, that was true. But at what cost? It appeared as if both forces that were meant to participate had been made to kill one another. There were no Engineer weapons, no arrows in trees. Oleris walked further to survey the carnage and he saw that an El'Dren was on his knees, holding to dead Punyimpas in his fist. He'd squeezed them to death. Next to him were two Punyimpas. They were dead as well but in their arms were eyeballs, clutched, almost lovingly, as if children. The El'Dren's head was down but there was no stretch of the imagination needed to guess that the dead El'Dren was missing his eyes. There was a soft giggle in the forest ahead of Oleris but he began to walk back. He wanted to meet up with the others. There were no Gods at work here...only demons...
Oleris was shaken by Anya's scream; but it only drew his attention from the dead he'd found. There were pieces of an El'Dren thrown against tree trunks or hanging from limbs and there were Punyimpas hanging from bow strings and there were even those lying in the dirt, covering mud and blood, their wings ripped from their bodies. The deeper that Oleris looked into the forest, the more dead that he could see. They were everywhere. A bloody war had been averted, that was true. But at what cost? It appeared as if both forces that were meant to participate had been made to kill one another. There were no Engineer weapons, no arrows in trees. Oleris walked further to survey the carnage and he saw that an El'Dren was on his knees, holding to dead Punyimpas in his fist. He'd squeezed them to death. Next to him were two Punyimpas. They were dead as well but in their arms were eyeballs, clutched, almost lovingly, as if children. The El'Dren's head was down but there was no stretch of the imagination needed to guess that the dead El'Dren was missing his eyes. There was a soft giggle in the forest ahead of Oleris but he began to walk back. He wanted to meet up with the others. There were no Gods at work here...only demons...
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Sleza sat on Junepei's shoulder as the group marched along. Her mind was still somewhere else, back with all of the fallen Val. She wanted to know why her mind was so unfazed by the death, why she was so unfazed by war and fighting. She had noticed that the shoulder she was sitting on didn't feel quite the same. It was low, slouched down. Almost as though it's master had lost the excitement he once felt. She considered asking him what had happened, because she wanted to make him feel better. She wanted to make him go back to the way he was before, but what could she do? She couldn't even sympathize, because she didn't feel the same way. She hugged her knees and let out a small sigh. The air here was putrid. Back at the camp they had burned incense, which were supposed to cover up the smell, but they had only made the death smell a little sweeter. Out here, the smell was uncovered, which was almost better from Sleza's point of view. She would rather face the death then try to cover it up. It once again brought her back to the death and why she was left uncaring...
Suddenly, she was faced with something else to look at. The trees had bodies pinned to them, bodies with crazed expression, corpses trying to comfort each other. They were different this time though, because they were Punyimpas. She looked down as if she was going to cry, but once again, nothing came. She looked up; taking in the view. Her own people were dead, why didn't she care? With an angered expression she flew off of Junepei's shoulder and up to one of the bodies pinned to the trees.
"Dammit!" She screamed to herself. It was bothering her now. She wanted to cry, like Anya. She wanted to feel sad like Junepei. Why couldn't she? "Why don't I care! For all I know, you could be my father or something! Why don't I care that you're all dead?!" She flew around in a huff, examining some of the bodies in hopes of making herself upset, but nothing happened. She eventually landed on the ground beside a corpse of a Punyimpa that seemed to have once been a young boy. She looked down at the him and sighed.
"Why don't I care when I want to?"
Suddenly, she was faced with something else to look at. The trees had bodies pinned to them, bodies with crazed expression, corpses trying to comfort each other. They were different this time though, because they were Punyimpas. She looked down as if she was going to cry, but once again, nothing came. She looked up; taking in the view. Her own people were dead, why didn't she care? With an angered expression she flew off of Junepei's shoulder and up to one of the bodies pinned to the trees.
"Dammit!" She screamed to herself. It was bothering her now. She wanted to cry, like Anya. She wanted to feel sad like Junepei. Why couldn't she? "Why don't I care! For all I know, you could be my father or something! Why don't I care that you're all dead?!" She flew around in a huff, examining some of the bodies in hopes of making herself upset, but nothing happened. She eventually landed on the ground beside a corpse of a Punyimpa that seemed to have once been a young boy. She looked down at the him and sighed.
"Why don't I care when I want to?"
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Balthazar took Tedrin's orders, stepping off behind a brush at the back of the group. He walked as quietly as he could; examining everything he saw. For the first while the only thing that would catch his eye was the slight scurry of something in the corner of his eye. Once, off to his left, he thought he heard someone cough; and then a half minute later, some far off creature screamed. He lifted some low hanging vines and looked out ahead of him. What he saw made him stop in his tracks. Ahead of him there was a massive pile of naked Punyimpa corpses; black with decay, oozing forest molds just touching at the base of the pile. Balthazar braved forward, approaching it; the squishy marsh ground beneath his feet adding to the racing thoughts inside his mind. When he'd reached the pile, he had to bring a hand to his throat in order to prevent himself from gagging. The small creatures were torn to shreds, mangled in grotesque ways; one dead reaching inside the body cavity of another... It was terrible. But it grew in its atrocity as Balthazar slowly came to the realization that the corpses had not been placed there. They had brought themselves there. An unwelcome image of the still living punyimpas writhing over each other, bathing in the blood of the one next to them as they slit their abdomen open, or another spilling his own intestines and feeding them to another... The foul orgy pile faded from Balthazar's mind as quickly as it had come; but it was too late, and it had left a scar on his soul.
Balthazar The Reknown, one never known to retreat, decided that backing away - for once - was the most sane thing he'd ever done. The Drag'Konin slipped through the vine curtain he'd come through, blocking the sight from his eyes and granting him respite. Even so, the Knight shivered as if someone had just walked over his grave. He took a breath to compose himself; before trudging off back towards the vicinity of the group.
The Knight suddenly felt very alone.
Balthazar The Reknown, one never known to retreat, decided that backing away - for once - was the most sane thing he'd ever done. The Drag'Konin slipped through the vine curtain he'd come through, blocking the sight from his eyes and granting him respite. Even so, the Knight shivered as if someone had just walked over his grave. He took a breath to compose himself; before trudging off back towards the vicinity of the group.
The Knight suddenly felt very alone.
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(Wow, you guys. That was some amazing work...)
Tedrin lead Anya away from the grave-like pathway and he allowed her to sit against a tree as she sobbed to herself. Tedrin took a deep breath, calming himself before he asked her if she was okay. through sobs she managed to choke out, "I'm...I'm okay, Teddy, I just- Tedrin, how could thi-"
The tears came again and Tedrin was on his knees, pulling Anya close. In most cases he would not have done this but there was no helping this, there was nothing that could be done aside from to allow them to grieve. Tedrin was not an evil man. Whatever force had done this was evil. That was for damned sure. Tedrin blew an angry breath through his nose as Anya asked him, "Can we even combat this evil that would do this, Tedrin? I can't stand the thought of killing you, of firing arrows into Junpei, of Oleris squeezing the life from my thr-"
"That's not going to happen," Tedrin said, cutting the hysterical woman off. But he didn't know that. He was lying to her. But that was what she needed and there was nothing that he could do about that. She began to jerk as she began to cry again and he wondered what it was about this sight that was so painful that it had this reaction on them. Why hadn't the sight in the valley had this effect? Could one really feel for his enemy so? They'd been angry when they'd found their own comrades, their own countrymen. But to find the enemy, in their own home, slaughtered, drained of blood, made to kill one another, had hurt much more deeply. Such small, happy creatures found with their heads removed, swimming bodies in pools of blood. Some of them had even been choked with their own wings. They'd died, with stares of pure joy on their faces, with their own wings shoved down their throats. This didn't make any sense. He found himself squeezing Anya. But she didn't seem to mind. He left her to her own tears and he found a place to be alone. He clinched his fists and smashed one against a tree with so much force that he splintered it.
His face contorted with anger and he dropped to his knees. He looked down at his gauntlets and his fists erupted with flames. He stared into the darkness of the forest and found himself staring through white hot flames that swirled around his body, burning away the brush, causing the earth beneath him to dry out, to crack, turning to glass.
he leaned forward, pressing his forehead against the crackling earth and he simply said, "I don't know if anyone is listening to me... For I have never asked of anything....from any God. But if you are there...if you can hear me, please give me the strength to avenge these deaths..."
Anya screamed Tedrin's name and when he jerked up, the flames extinguishing, a large, strange figure was floating between the trees toward him.
Tedrin gasped as the being whispered, "I knoooow whaaaaat yoooou seeeeek, Siiiiiir Teeeedriiiin..."
Tedrin was quick to his feet. He took a few steps and found Anya's arms wrapping around his left arm. "Who are you...?"
"I aaaaam the spiiiiriiiit of thiiiis foreeeeesst... And a deeeemoooon haaaas coooome heeerrreee..."
"Why....why did he do this...?" Anya asked.
As the being began to speak again, the others found their way to them. The Forest Spirit smiled as they neared and though it was an ugly old smile, it made Tedrin feel better. "Theeee deeemooon waaants to corruuuuupt....eeeveeerythiiing thaaaat iiisss heeerreee..."
"Why?"
"Heeee haaaas beeeen tooolddd to doo....sooooo"
The spirit moved closer to Tedrin, grabbed the tree next to him and wrapped its spectral body around it, taking hold with both of its gnarly hands before leaning in, its face only inches from Tedrin's. "Kiiiiill iiiiittttt..."
"How do we find it...?"
"It seeeennnddds creeeaatuuuures to defiiiilllle my laaaannddds frooommm the Boooggsss... Gooooo"
"Okay... We will go..."
"Buuut yoooou muuuust kiiiiilll....hiiiis....chaaammpiiiooonn..." the spirit said and turned toward Anya. It released the tree, disappeared and appeared again, hanging on to a tree above Oleris' shoulder. "The creeeaaatuuuree is taaaallleeer thaaaaan thiiiis oooone heeeerreee... Buuuut yoooou haaaave yoooouuur reeeee-ssssooooolve... Goooo.... Aveeeenge uuuusss..."
With that, the creature released the tree and was gone.
Tedrin was silent just as the others. He took a deep breath but before he could speak, Anya yelled, "What the fuck, Tedrin!?"
Tedrin shook his head and said, "It looks like we're going to the Bogs of Halimar..."
"But don't we need to go to Feneris," Junpei asked.
"Yes, but this cannot wait. We must go after this demon..."
"Tedrin, I-"
Furious, Tedrin turned to Anya and yelled, "Do you see what he has done!? Do you see how those people have slaughtered each other. They have pulled out their own entrails, they have slit their own throats, smothered their friends and comrades and you dare question me!? Don't you dare, Anya, I swear to the Gods you should think against it! I will not allow this to continue! This thing will die...even if I have to choke the life from its body with my own hands! If you have an issue with it, then go back, run, go to Feneris! Be my guest! I am going into the Bogs. I will find this thing...and I will return its lifeless body to these God forsaken trees. These people need vengeance. There are over ten thousand beings that need this and I am going..."
With that, Tedrin walked around Anya and began trekking through the forest.
(If all characters follow Tedrin, Anya will as well. If anyone wants to go to Feneris, then you may elect to do so, and continue with Anya.)
Tedrin lead Anya away from the grave-like pathway and he allowed her to sit against a tree as she sobbed to herself. Tedrin took a deep breath, calming himself before he asked her if she was okay. through sobs she managed to choke out, "I'm...I'm okay, Teddy, I just- Tedrin, how could thi-"
The tears came again and Tedrin was on his knees, pulling Anya close. In most cases he would not have done this but there was no helping this, there was nothing that could be done aside from to allow them to grieve. Tedrin was not an evil man. Whatever force had done this was evil. That was for damned sure. Tedrin blew an angry breath through his nose as Anya asked him, "Can we even combat this evil that would do this, Tedrin? I can't stand the thought of killing you, of firing arrows into Junpei, of Oleris squeezing the life from my thr-"
"That's not going to happen," Tedrin said, cutting the hysterical woman off. But he didn't know that. He was lying to her. But that was what she needed and there was nothing that he could do about that. She began to jerk as she began to cry again and he wondered what it was about this sight that was so painful that it had this reaction on them. Why hadn't the sight in the valley had this effect? Could one really feel for his enemy so? They'd been angry when they'd found their own comrades, their own countrymen. But to find the enemy, in their own home, slaughtered, drained of blood, made to kill one another, had hurt much more deeply. Such small, happy creatures found with their heads removed, swimming bodies in pools of blood. Some of them had even been choked with their own wings. They'd died, with stares of pure joy on their faces, with their own wings shoved down their throats. This didn't make any sense. He found himself squeezing Anya. But she didn't seem to mind. He left her to her own tears and he found a place to be alone. He clinched his fists and smashed one against a tree with so much force that he splintered it.
His face contorted with anger and he dropped to his knees. He looked down at his gauntlets and his fists erupted with flames. He stared into the darkness of the forest and found himself staring through white hot flames that swirled around his body, burning away the brush, causing the earth beneath him to dry out, to crack, turning to glass.
he leaned forward, pressing his forehead against the crackling earth and he simply said, "I don't know if anyone is listening to me... For I have never asked of anything....from any God. But if you are there...if you can hear me, please give me the strength to avenge these deaths..."
Anya screamed Tedrin's name and when he jerked up, the flames extinguishing, a large, strange figure was floating between the trees toward him.
Tedrin gasped as the being whispered, "I knoooow whaaaaat yoooou seeeeek, Siiiiiir Teeeedriiiin..."
Tedrin was quick to his feet. He took a few steps and found Anya's arms wrapping around his left arm. "Who are you...?"
"I aaaaam the spiiiiriiiit of thiiiis foreeeeesst... And a deeeemoooon haaaas coooome heeerrreee..."
"Why....why did he do this...?" Anya asked.
As the being began to speak again, the others found their way to them. The Forest Spirit smiled as they neared and though it was an ugly old smile, it made Tedrin feel better. "Theeee deeemooon waaants to corruuuuupt....eeeveeerythiiing thaaaat iiisss heeerreee..."
"Why?"
"Heeee haaaas beeeen tooolddd to doo....sooooo"
The spirit moved closer to Tedrin, grabbed the tree next to him and wrapped its spectral body around it, taking hold with both of its gnarly hands before leaning in, its face only inches from Tedrin's. "Kiiiiill iiiiittttt..."
"How do we find it...?"
"It seeeennnddds creeeaatuuuures to defiiiilllle my laaaannddds frooommm the Boooggsss... Gooooo"
"Okay... We will go..."
"Buuut yoooou muuuust kiiiiilll....hiiiis....chaaammpiiiooonn..." the spirit said and turned toward Anya. It released the tree, disappeared and appeared again, hanging on to a tree above Oleris' shoulder. "The creeeaaatuuuree is taaaallleeer thaaaaan thiiiis oooone heeeerreee... Buuuut yoooou haaaave yoooouuur reeeee-ssssooooolve... Goooo.... Aveeeenge uuuusss..."
With that, the creature released the tree and was gone.
Tedrin was silent just as the others. He took a deep breath but before he could speak, Anya yelled, "What the fuck, Tedrin!?"
Tedrin shook his head and said, "It looks like we're going to the Bogs of Halimar..."
"But don't we need to go to Feneris," Junpei asked.
"Yes, but this cannot wait. We must go after this demon..."
"Tedrin, I-"
Furious, Tedrin turned to Anya and yelled, "Do you see what he has done!? Do you see how those people have slaughtered each other. They have pulled out their own entrails, they have slit their own throats, smothered their friends and comrades and you dare question me!? Don't you dare, Anya, I swear to the Gods you should think against it! I will not allow this to continue! This thing will die...even if I have to choke the life from its body with my own hands! If you have an issue with it, then go back, run, go to Feneris! Be my guest! I am going into the Bogs. I will find this thing...and I will return its lifeless body to these God forsaken trees. These people need vengeance. There are over ten thousand beings that need this and I am going..."
With that, Tedrin walked around Anya and began trekking through the forest.
(If all characters follow Tedrin, Anya will as well. If anyone wants to go to Feneris, then you may elect to do so, and continue with Anya.)
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Junpei watched as the small Punyimpa flew to her own kind. He didn't bother to listen to her reaction as it would only serve to anger him more. He met with Tedrin and Anya. It seemed that he wasn't the only one enraged, but the way Tedrin expressed it made him doubt the man. It was true he was burning with rage but to set the ground ablaze was nothing more than a childlike tantrum. He felt distaste in himself for looking down on the man, but how could he not? He choose to put those feelings aside and ready himself for that which was responsible. A strange creature appeared before them making accusations of a demon that sought to destroy the forest. His rage flared again, demons were creatures that had no place in a world of man. They had no regard for virtue which had been made evident by its careless slaughter of the rival factions. Junpei had made the suggestion of them returning to Feneris so that he could face it alone. He failed to tempt them, only Anya was swayed. Tedrin seemed determined to go to the bog and fight. Junpei stood beside Tedrin and spoke not looking him in the eye. "That creature just now, I have seen nothing like it before. If we do encounter the demon it is likely that they are allied if that is the case we will have walked into a trap. Perhaps those in control of our tempers should be the ones to continue." His voice was cold and accusing, he didn't know why he felt so angered by Tedrin's outburst, but it was certain that Junpei would not allow him to slay the demon responsible. It would be him.
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((You guys always post when I am not at my computer! lol))
Ogava moved through the trees, now very aware of how shiny his armour was. Short sword in hand, shield raised he carefully moved through the forest. There was another Drag'konin Knight in the party, but Ogava had not had a chance to speak to him yet. All the movement at the corners of Ogava's helm made him move slowly, as he braced for an attack with each step. He heard yelling to his left, and ran to find out what the others had found.
The ground began to ooze under his boots, he thought it was a swamp... As he moved through the under brush he came upon the scene. He moved through the corpses, swallowing bile as he did so. Ogava used to eat Punyimpa every holiday, only giving them up in the name of his temple... He knew now he would never have that desire again... He heard his shield hit the ground, but he felt numb. He stuck his short sword into the ground, placing his helm on the pommel and his hands on top of the helm. Bowing his head, he knelt. "The last few moments of these creatures lives where chaos, and madness. Guide them to peace and order. Help them awake from the dream free of this taint!" He said softly, as blood poured into his knees through his armour. The blood would take minutes to clean... The memory would last a life time.
He stood, replaced his helm, cleaned and sheathed his sword, then picked up his shield. He went to stand over by the other knight, however, he felt silence appropriate for now.
...Ogava walked over to Tedrin... "I finally get a quest worthy enough to allow me to return home... But I would rather be banished that have had to see that display. Brygaad protect me... I will help you slay this demon Sir, you have my sword."
Ogava moved through the trees, now very aware of how shiny his armour was. Short sword in hand, shield raised he carefully moved through the forest. There was another Drag'konin Knight in the party, but Ogava had not had a chance to speak to him yet. All the movement at the corners of Ogava's helm made him move slowly, as he braced for an attack with each step. He heard yelling to his left, and ran to find out what the others had found.
The ground began to ooze under his boots, he thought it was a swamp... As he moved through the under brush he came upon the scene. He moved through the corpses, swallowing bile as he did so. Ogava used to eat Punyimpa every holiday, only giving them up in the name of his temple... He knew now he would never have that desire again... He heard his shield hit the ground, but he felt numb. He stuck his short sword into the ground, placing his helm on the pommel and his hands on top of the helm. Bowing his head, he knelt. "The last few moments of these creatures lives where chaos, and madness. Guide them to peace and order. Help them awake from the dream free of this taint!" He said softly, as blood poured into his knees through his armour. The blood would take minutes to clean... The memory would last a life time.
He stood, replaced his helm, cleaned and sheathed his sword, then picked up his shield. He went to stand over by the other knight, however, he felt silence appropriate for now.
...Ogava walked over to Tedrin... "I finally get a quest worthy enough to allow me to return home... But I would rather be banished that have had to see that display. Brygaad protect me... I will help you slay this demon Sir, you have my sword."
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Ogava would follow Tedrin and he was almost certain that Balthazar and Oleris would as well but Junpei was barking up the wrong tree.
Tedrin stopped, turned and drew his weapon, swinging the tip of the blade toward Junpei's throat. Anya screamed, "Tedrin, stop, you're not thinking!" Tedrin shot a cross eye at Anya and she gasped, wishing she hadn't said anything. "I am thinking! I'm thinking very clearly! I know exactly what the fuck I'm doing and it would take an act of the Gods above to dissuade me from this path. I will tear every last one of you down if I need to!"
Anya screamed, "Tedrin, you'd be no better than the demon you want to defeat..."
Tedrin slammed his sword into the dirt at his feet and he yelled, "Don't you compare me to him, Anya! You wanted to see that I was just the same as you so bad, you wanted to see that I was Val, that I am mortal, that I bleed? Well, I am," Tedrin said and he drew a dagger from along his right hip and slit the palm of his hand. He lifted the wound for all to see and he said, "I bleed just the same as all that have fallen and do you know what that has taught me? Do you..."
No one said anything. Tedrin flicked his wrist, the blade leaving his hand and stabbing into the soft soil. "I have learned hat all of our blood is red. I have learned that there is an enemy out there that is killing all of us with no quarter. So I will show this demon no quarter!"
Anya stepped forward and asked, "But what if he takes us over just the same as he did to the poor people in that valley...?"
Again, the spirit slithered through the trees, past Anya and the woman yelped, looking down at the being as it made its way along the ground, weaving between the groups legs, around them, over them. It reached out for Tedrin but wrapped itself around the tree next to him and it said, "Iiiiiit wiiiiill nooooot taaaaaakeee yooooouu.... It muuuuust reeeeaddy iiiiits maaaaa-giiiic foooor a looooonnnng tiiiiime. If iiiiit iiiiiis noooot dooooonnnnne nooooow, moooooore wiiiiill fallllll. Iiiiiit haaaaas kiiiiillleeeeed thooooousaaaannds. Iiiiiit iiiiiis weeeeaaaaakkkk..."
Tedrin was happy enough with this. He retrieved his weapon, sheathed it and turned from the group. He disappeared into the darkness. The Forest Spirit moved to Anya, slithered around a tree next to her and whispered, "Aaaannd I aaaaaam noooo beeeeing thaaaat woooouuldd alllly myseeeeelf wiiiiiith aaaaa puuuppeeeeeet maaaaasteeeeerrr. Yoooou haaaaaave litttttlle toooo feeaar...." The spirit slipped away into the darkness again.
Anya shook her head. This was getting out of hand.
Tedrin stopped, turned and drew his weapon, swinging the tip of the blade toward Junpei's throat. Anya screamed, "Tedrin, stop, you're not thinking!" Tedrin shot a cross eye at Anya and she gasped, wishing she hadn't said anything. "I am thinking! I'm thinking very clearly! I know exactly what the fuck I'm doing and it would take an act of the Gods above to dissuade me from this path. I will tear every last one of you down if I need to!"
Anya screamed, "Tedrin, you'd be no better than the demon you want to defeat..."
Tedrin slammed his sword into the dirt at his feet and he yelled, "Don't you compare me to him, Anya! You wanted to see that I was just the same as you so bad, you wanted to see that I was Val, that I am mortal, that I bleed? Well, I am," Tedrin said and he drew a dagger from along his right hip and slit the palm of his hand. He lifted the wound for all to see and he said, "I bleed just the same as all that have fallen and do you know what that has taught me? Do you..."
No one said anything. Tedrin flicked his wrist, the blade leaving his hand and stabbing into the soft soil. "I have learned hat all of our blood is red. I have learned that there is an enemy out there that is killing all of us with no quarter. So I will show this demon no quarter!"
Anya stepped forward and asked, "But what if he takes us over just the same as he did to the poor people in that valley...?"
Again, the spirit slithered through the trees, past Anya and the woman yelped, looking down at the being as it made its way along the ground, weaving between the groups legs, around them, over them. It reached out for Tedrin but wrapped itself around the tree next to him and it said, "Iiiiiit wiiiiill nooooot taaaaaakeee yooooouu.... It muuuuust reeeeaddy iiiiits maaaaa-giiiic foooor a looooonnnng tiiiiime. If iiiiit iiiiiis noooot dooooonnnnne nooooow, moooooore wiiiiill fallllll. Iiiiiit haaaaas kiiiiillleeeeed thooooousaaaannds. Iiiiiit iiiiiis weeeeaaaaakkkk..."
Tedrin was happy enough with this. He retrieved his weapon, sheathed it and turned from the group. He disappeared into the darkness. The Forest Spirit moved to Anya, slithered around a tree next to her and whispered, "Aaaannd I aaaaaam noooo beeeeing thaaaat woooouuldd alllly myseeeeelf wiiiiiith aaaaa puuuppeeeeeet maaaaasteeeeerrr. Yoooou haaaaaave litttttlle toooo feeaar...." The spirit slipped away into the darkness again.
Anya shook her head. This was getting out of hand.
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Junpei turned to face Tedrin as he drew his blade and placed it at his throat. He narrowed his eyes at him as if to dare him to make a move. He was about to speak when Tedrin interrupted throwing his weapon to the ground. He watched as he flailed around in what Junpei would describe as dispair. He turned away as the forest spirit made its announcement of the opening known.He did not speak to the spirit nor did he even face it. He didn't want to return to Feneris for it would mean he had turned tail and ran in the face of an enemy, he would never allow that, but to fight alongside a man who had pointed a blade to him, he cringed. He would simply find and defeat the creature before Tedrin could even draw his blade. He turned back to the others as Tedrin left the group. He tried to muster something to say that would inspire them, he could think of nothing. "No one will think less of those of you if you move on to Feneris. Sometimes the cruelty of battle can weigh on us and cause us to lose faith. So go I will deal with the demon, and Tedrin." He told them as he walked into the forest the way Tedrin had gone.
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Sleza picked herself up as she saw Junepei leave. Her eyes were glossed over with a certain confused glimmer. She didn't understand... She probably never would, so she would give up for now, and pray that some day she would find out what it was that made her a monster. As she approached the rest of the group and saw the strange forest beast, she felt a shiver run up her spine. When Junepei spoke, she gave a small agreement, which was nothing but a nod of the head. Without a second thought, Tedrin pulled a sword on Junepei. Fearing that her friend would turn out just like the corpses, she flitted in front of the blade with cold eyes.
"Calm down." Was the only thing she managed to get out before Anya stepped in. For some reason, she had grown darker over just the past few minutes, perhaps she was becoming in touch with whatever it was that was making her so uncaring. That monster. When Tedrin put his blade away, she stayed in place, looking at him with a cold expression. She eventually calmed and turned to Junepei, who began to leave. Her eyes stayed strangely dark as she turned to the rest of the group, who had yet to have shown her kindness. She turned away without a word and flew after the only one she could currently think of as a friend.
"I'm coming." She grumbled as she reached him and sat on his shoulder. She wouldn't take no for an answer...
"Calm down." Was the only thing she managed to get out before Anya stepped in. For some reason, she had grown darker over just the past few minutes, perhaps she was becoming in touch with whatever it was that was making her so uncaring. That monster. When Tedrin put his blade away, she stayed in place, looking at him with a cold expression. She eventually calmed and turned to Junepei, who began to leave. Her eyes stayed strangely dark as she turned to the rest of the group, who had yet to have shown her kindness. She turned away without a word and flew after the only one she could currently think of as a friend.
"I'm coming." She grumbled as she reached him and sat on his shoulder. She wouldn't take no for an answer...
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Anya didn't know what to do. Her heart was in turmoil. Why had she wanted to go to Feneris? Well, because she was scared. It was the weaker thing to do but she couldn't help it. She really didn't care if it was the softer thing to do, if the others would look at her as a lesser warrior if she turned and ran but she simply didn't care. Her heart was hurting and the man that she wanted was damn near going insane. what was it about the deaths of these people that had stricken Tedrin so hard? He was not the man that she knew. He was driven man, consumed by anger, drawn to the dark side of himself. He was willing to let his training and his career go in order to go after a demon, a being which he didn't even know if it actually existed. Reason and logic weren't as they should have been. She passed Junpei and Sleza and was at Tedrin's side. He would not look at her. "Why, Tedrin, just tell me why...?"
"Because Leogoryth will send more soldiers when he learns that ten thousand have died. And do you know what he will do; he will use the deaths of these men and women to further his cause, to further his conquest and we cannot let that happen. He will tell the people that the El'Dren slaughtered ten thousand and they will rally behind him. More will come, this demon will kill them. We can't let that happen. I don't want to be one of those deplorable people that just stands by and lets the world consume itself. I am going to fight, Anya, because I can. If not only because others can't!"
"Is it worth giving up everything you have?"
"Maybe it is, Anya, but I won't know that until I get there..."
"Where...? Tedrin, you aren't making any sense..."
"To the edge of the world... To that place where no one has gone, Anya, to the precipice... And if need be, when someone needs to hurl himself into the void for the people, I will be the one if need be. Leogoryth is a fool and I will do this the way that I see fit..."
"Tedrin, is this really about Leogoryth? Or is this about you?"
"How can this be about me? I am not doing this for me. I don't care about myself. But there are evils in this world that cannot just be ignored. I will go, I will fight and when i am done, I will go and let the world know of what has happened before the king can twist it and shape it to his will..."
"Why are you so adamant about stopping Leogoryth from hearing about this and sending troops here...?"
"No reason," Tedrin said. His tone was different. His demeanor changed. He was lying. "Tedrin, what do you know?"
"Nothing of consequence..."
Tedrin, you're lying... What do you know?"
Tedrin stopped and watched the darkness. "The Seal..."
"What about the Seal, Tedrin?"
"The forestfolk weren't going to open the Seal. When the scout that was sent to survey the Seal with news that Leogoryth was not happy with, he killed the scout and sent us to war..."
Anya's face contorted with anger and she slapped Tedrin across his face so hard that his cheek flushed with blood. She spat on his chest and yelled, "You weak, twisted, sick son of a bitch! I fucking thought you were strong, I thought you brave and just and now you tell me this.... T-that our king has lied to the people and you canme here to slaughter the El'Dren who'd done nothing wrong!? This is about you, Tedrin! This is about your guilt, you poor fuck! How could you?"
"I did what I thought was right..."
"What was right, Tedrin? You thought following the king's orders blindly was right? You decided that you could come here, and kill the El'Dren for the king's insane conquest and you did what was right? What the fuck, Tedrin?! How was this right!?"
"Shut up, Anya, you don't know..."
"I don't know. I don't need to know. Nothing from you, Tedrin, I don't need anything from you. Some knight you are..."
"You should hold your tongue!"
"Hold it for what? I should hold my tongue so that I don't pour the truth into those blood-clogged ears of yours you sorry piece of shit!? Why did we even go through the pass if you knew the El'Dren would not attack?"
"Because there was a possibility..."
"A possibility of what, Tedrin? A possibility of you and all of those other knights attacking the El'Dren because of the king's senile ambitions...?"
"And what are we to do, Anya, just say no, just disobey the king's orders?"
"I-I can't-"
"Of course you can't! Because you don't know. So yes, we lied, we cheated and we are in the wrong but I am going to fix what I can. And I am going to do it with my own hands," Tedrin said and raised his hands, "These hands... Because right now, Anya, they are all that I have control of... Now let's go..."
Tedrin walked away and Anya realized that she knew nothing of the man that she thought she wanted.
"Because Leogoryth will send more soldiers when he learns that ten thousand have died. And do you know what he will do; he will use the deaths of these men and women to further his cause, to further his conquest and we cannot let that happen. He will tell the people that the El'Dren slaughtered ten thousand and they will rally behind him. More will come, this demon will kill them. We can't let that happen. I don't want to be one of those deplorable people that just stands by and lets the world consume itself. I am going to fight, Anya, because I can. If not only because others can't!"
"Is it worth giving up everything you have?"
"Maybe it is, Anya, but I won't know that until I get there..."
"Where...? Tedrin, you aren't making any sense..."
"To the edge of the world... To that place where no one has gone, Anya, to the precipice... And if need be, when someone needs to hurl himself into the void for the people, I will be the one if need be. Leogoryth is a fool and I will do this the way that I see fit..."
"Tedrin, is this really about Leogoryth? Or is this about you?"
"How can this be about me? I am not doing this for me. I don't care about myself. But there are evils in this world that cannot just be ignored. I will go, I will fight and when i am done, I will go and let the world know of what has happened before the king can twist it and shape it to his will..."
"Why are you so adamant about stopping Leogoryth from hearing about this and sending troops here...?"
"No reason," Tedrin said. His tone was different. His demeanor changed. He was lying. "Tedrin, what do you know?"
"Nothing of consequence..."
Tedrin, you're lying... What do you know?"
Tedrin stopped and watched the darkness. "The Seal..."
"What about the Seal, Tedrin?"
"The forestfolk weren't going to open the Seal. When the scout that was sent to survey the Seal with news that Leogoryth was not happy with, he killed the scout and sent us to war..."
Anya's face contorted with anger and she slapped Tedrin across his face so hard that his cheek flushed with blood. She spat on his chest and yelled, "You weak, twisted, sick son of a bitch! I fucking thought you were strong, I thought you brave and just and now you tell me this.... T-that our king has lied to the people and you canme here to slaughter the El'Dren who'd done nothing wrong!? This is about you, Tedrin! This is about your guilt, you poor fuck! How could you?"
"I did what I thought was right..."
"What was right, Tedrin? You thought following the king's orders blindly was right? You decided that you could come here, and kill the El'Dren for the king's insane conquest and you did what was right? What the fuck, Tedrin?! How was this right!?"
"Shut up, Anya, you don't know..."
"I don't know. I don't need to know. Nothing from you, Tedrin, I don't need anything from you. Some knight you are..."
"You should hold your tongue!"
"Hold it for what? I should hold my tongue so that I don't pour the truth into those blood-clogged ears of yours you sorry piece of shit!? Why did we even go through the pass if you knew the El'Dren would not attack?"
"Because there was a possibility..."
"A possibility of what, Tedrin? A possibility of you and all of those other knights attacking the El'Dren because of the king's senile ambitions...?"
"And what are we to do, Anya, just say no, just disobey the king's orders?"
"I-I can't-"
"Of course you can't! Because you don't know. So yes, we lied, we cheated and we are in the wrong but I am going to fix what I can. And I am going to do it with my own hands," Tedrin said and raised his hands, "These hands... Because right now, Anya, they are all that I have control of... Now let's go..."
Tedrin walked away and Anya realized that she knew nothing of the man that she thought she wanted.
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Junpei watched as Anya ran past him and hurried to greet Tedrin. He sighed. "Well my little friend it seems that a girl cannot be turned away from a man she loves even if the man is a fool." He spoke mostly to break the silence, but as he caught up he heard Tedrin and Anya speak. Tedrin's words drove a dagger through his heart. He listened grimly as Tedrin explained everything. He waited for the finish until he stepped up. "You deceiving bastard, you would lead us to fight the enemies of a man who has lost his mind!?" Junpei did not wait for an answer before he belted Tedrin in the face. "You would allow us to come this far knowing that we could be attacked by a demon at any moment? You have the nerve to ask what you could have done!? King or not a man who has no virtue is an enemy of those who stay on the path of the righteous. You cannot justify your actions no matter what you say now. Your dishonesty has earned you a place in hell, I should be the one to send you there!" He said bringing his blade to face Tedrin. "Those who dare to threaten the way of the righteous shall face my blade, king or otherwise! I am Junpei Cresend and no one is free of judgment."
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Sleza listened to Junepei with a small smile on her face. She nodded her head as a response and laughed softly. When she heard Tedrin speak, she suddenly felt a tinge of anger herself. How could he do that to his own men? She couldn't exactly do anything about it, as she was nothing but a worthless mercenary who did what those who gave her food said, but she would still never betray a friend. She glared at him and flew up a little as Junepei stepped forward. Her eyes were set on Tedrin as Junepei spoke. She started to ready herself to fight too, but stopped herself. She gave a small grumble and looked to Anya; remembering Junepei's earlier comment. She narrowed her eyes in a glare.
"I'll let you two boys settle things... But let's get something straight, if anyone decides to intervene or add a hand to the fight, I will be stepping in..." She kept her eyes on Anya as she spoke she then looked to Junepei and nodded once again.
"I'll let you two boys settle things... But let's get something straight, if anyone decides to intervene or add a hand to the fight, I will be stepping in..." She kept her eyes on Anya as she spoke she then looked to Junepei and nodded once again.
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Anya was ready to come to Tedrin's aid as he took a step back and drew his own weapon. It must have been hard on him but no one would relent in criticizing him. of all the things that he had done, and after all that he had said, she still wanted to help him. They were taking their anger out on a man who was not all to blame. That was when she realized that Tedrin truly did have a purpose and a goal much different from theirs. She understood that he really was not a friend. He was a soldier. And the others were having a hard time understanding that. She could have stepped in to explain this but few aside from the true knights would listen. Only the Drag'Konins and Oleris would understand. Junpei would still be furious. What he fought for was much different. Even his motives were different. Anya began to speak as Tedrin said, "I swear this, by this blade, Junpei, that if you want this, I will spill your blood amidst this soil...just the same as so much other blood has been. Don't get the wrong idea that i was ever a friend or ever some lovable saint. I am who I am and what you think means little to me. We are all just pawns in a bigger picture and if you ever thought I was some goodie-goodie savior of the free world then you were sadly mistaken."
Anya thought things had gone to far but before she could interject, the earth began to tremble. She raised her bow and drew an arrow back but even as the earth thundered, Tedrin would not turn his back to Junpei. He was not as worried about what was coming from behind. Was he taking Anya for granted? Did he suspect that she would fire on whatever threatened his backside as to allow him to face Junpei with a steadfast blade. But she was going to, wasn't she? She would not waiver in protecting him. She was blinded by a man who'd just said that he was no friend, that he was not the hero that everyone thought that he was.
The earth shivered again and Anya watched the woods...with intent eyes.
Anya thought things had gone to far but before she could interject, the earth began to tremble. She raised her bow and drew an arrow back but even as the earth thundered, Tedrin would not turn his back to Junpei. He was not as worried about what was coming from behind. Was he taking Anya for granted? Did he suspect that she would fire on whatever threatened his backside as to allow him to face Junpei with a steadfast blade. But she was going to, wasn't she? She would not waiver in protecting him. She was blinded by a man who'd just said that he was no friend, that he was not the hero that everyone thought that he was.
The earth shivered again and Anya watched the woods...with intent eyes.
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Dryttz was lumbering through the forest, slowly as usual, rambling. It seemed as if she was talking directly to the forest as she said, "I don't understand why the little Val must have everything for themselves. Nature is nature and you cannot own nature. If it is already here, then what is wrong with just enjoying it. Why would you feel like you must lay claim to everything. The Val must name everything and own everything and destroy everything instead of just leaving everything the way that it is and enjoying things as they exist." She slowed to turn around a tree but she soon sped up, but not much. "It has been here longer than we have and it will still be here when we are gone-the Val even work much too hard. Why work your entire life to have things, to consume things and to obtain riches if they mean nothing to you when you are dead and gone. I will find a place to set my roots one day... When I do...I will be happy to pass on with nothing. What I fear most...is dying and being used to make a catapult that the Val use to firebomb my own people..."
Nez rolled his eyes, as Dryttz had been incessantly talking to the forest ever since they'd entered nearly a day ago. He was sitting in her crest of branches above her head. He was tired of her rambling on. She talked so slow. Dryttz was a very jaded Drazyll and Nez wasn't convinced that she actually liked him, for she hated the Val. She had allowed him to travel on her crest, she had taken him under her wing just the same as some of the El'Dren had. These things were true, but she was such a callous and angry Drazyll. Nez had listened to her ramble on about her hatred for the Engineers for nearly two hundred miles of painstakingly slow travel. Though slow, she still moved faster than Nez could have on his own. Nez stood to stretch and tried to survey the Wilds but they were dark and the canopy was so thickly woven that there was no way to see. Or perhaps his eyes just hadn't been trained. On the occasion he could hear a rustling in the woods and on rare occasions he could see El'Dren archers leaping from tree to tree as they created a network of treetop archers.
Nez lept down to Dryttz's and said to her, "How much further, Dryttz...?"
"It is only as far as we need to go, youngval..."
Nez had been getting answers like this for far too long now. He was only beginning to understand that the Forestfolk were a very quirky and strange collection of people but he was falling in love with them more and more. He smiled and shook his head as Dryttz said, "One day you will forget about how far things are or about how long things will take and your travels will be much more enlightening. Once you see enough of the world, how far you're going won't matter...especially not once you have arrived where you want to be..."
Nez began to say something but he was caught off guard as an El'Dren archer dropped from a higher tree onto Dryttz's crest. "Dryttz, milady..."
"Yes, Tear?"
"I was asked by Lo'Plar to come and tell you that the Val have been destroyed. Our main forces were going to empty into the valley in full force, in less than ten hours...but they have not sent word. We only speculate that they have fallen as well. We know not of the evils that could have destroyed the Engineer’s army and our own." this woman called Tear said.
Nez watched every word that came out this beautiful woman's mouth. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, even in such poor light. She talked deliberately and did not waiver in her task, as if she didn't even know that he was there. He couldn't take his eyes off of her. He wouldn't.
"Tell Lo'Plar that I will be at the forest's edge within four hours. We will gather what intelligence we can..."
Tear began to retreat with a nod but she realized that Nez was watching her. They met eyes for the briefest of moments and then, Tear was gone, back into the trees. With the sight of the woman still lingering, Nez found it hard to turn his attention to the matter at hand. He said, “So many…slaughtered…”
“Yes,” Drytzz said, “So many. It is such a said trial for us to face. But there will be no war. We must see what has become of our comrades…”
A few seconds passed before Dryttz said, "Your heart...it is raising youngval..."
"Oh, well...yeah. But, wait, Dryttz, you can feel that?"
"I can feel lots of things youngval...with my body. As you have flesh, I have this bark of mine and it can feel more than you know. I can feel the passing of the wind and with each step the earth tells me what I need to know. The trees whisper to me and I can understand what they mean to say when their words pass over me. Have you ever heard the leaves rustle when there is no wind...?"
Nez shook his head and said, "No..."
"Well, I have and I do. The leaves tell me things that none other can heard except for my kind. The El'Dren can talk to the trees but not as we can. Right now, I can feel your pule through your hands against my branches and I know that your heart is racing..."
"That El'Dren girl..."
"Tear-"
"Yes..."
"Do you find her desirable..."
"She is very beautiful…"
"-and powerful, youngval; she is a very steadfast and powerful warrior... She would be a good.....match for you..."
The idea was a nice one but Nez needed to keep his head in this battle. He was already having a hard time coping with the fact that he was getting ready to battle his own people. Now, he’d learned that many of the men that he was steeling himself to do battle with were dead. What was this treachery?
He'd had minimal time to contemplate. Then, there were harsh, angry voices…
Nez rolled his eyes, as Dryttz had been incessantly talking to the forest ever since they'd entered nearly a day ago. He was sitting in her crest of branches above her head. He was tired of her rambling on. She talked so slow. Dryttz was a very jaded Drazyll and Nez wasn't convinced that she actually liked him, for she hated the Val. She had allowed him to travel on her crest, she had taken him under her wing just the same as some of the El'Dren had. These things were true, but she was such a callous and angry Drazyll. Nez had listened to her ramble on about her hatred for the Engineers for nearly two hundred miles of painstakingly slow travel. Though slow, she still moved faster than Nez could have on his own. Nez stood to stretch and tried to survey the Wilds but they were dark and the canopy was so thickly woven that there was no way to see. Or perhaps his eyes just hadn't been trained. On the occasion he could hear a rustling in the woods and on rare occasions he could see El'Dren archers leaping from tree to tree as they created a network of treetop archers.
Nez lept down to Dryttz's and said to her, "How much further, Dryttz...?"
"It is only as far as we need to go, youngval..."
Nez had been getting answers like this for far too long now. He was only beginning to understand that the Forestfolk were a very quirky and strange collection of people but he was falling in love with them more and more. He smiled and shook his head as Dryttz said, "One day you will forget about how far things are or about how long things will take and your travels will be much more enlightening. Once you see enough of the world, how far you're going won't matter...especially not once you have arrived where you want to be..."
Nez began to say something but he was caught off guard as an El'Dren archer dropped from a higher tree onto Dryttz's crest. "Dryttz, milady..."
"Yes, Tear?"
"I was asked by Lo'Plar to come and tell you that the Val have been destroyed. Our main forces were going to empty into the valley in full force, in less than ten hours...but they have not sent word. We only speculate that they have fallen as well. We know not of the evils that could have destroyed the Engineer’s army and our own." this woman called Tear said.
Nez watched every word that came out this beautiful woman's mouth. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, even in such poor light. She talked deliberately and did not waiver in her task, as if she didn't even know that he was there. He couldn't take his eyes off of her. He wouldn't.
"Tell Lo'Plar that I will be at the forest's edge within four hours. We will gather what intelligence we can..."
Tear began to retreat with a nod but she realized that Nez was watching her. They met eyes for the briefest of moments and then, Tear was gone, back into the trees. With the sight of the woman still lingering, Nez found it hard to turn his attention to the matter at hand. He said, “So many…slaughtered…”
“Yes,” Drytzz said, “So many. It is such a said trial for us to face. But there will be no war. We must see what has become of our comrades…”
A few seconds passed before Dryttz said, "Your heart...it is raising youngval..."
"Oh, well...yeah. But, wait, Dryttz, you can feel that?"
"I can feel lots of things youngval...with my body. As you have flesh, I have this bark of mine and it can feel more than you know. I can feel the passing of the wind and with each step the earth tells me what I need to know. The trees whisper to me and I can understand what they mean to say when their words pass over me. Have you ever heard the leaves rustle when there is no wind...?"
Nez shook his head and said, "No..."
"Well, I have and I do. The leaves tell me things that none other can heard except for my kind. The El'Dren can talk to the trees but not as we can. Right now, I can feel your pule through your hands against my branches and I know that your heart is racing..."
"That El'Dren girl..."
"Tear-"
"Yes..."
"Do you find her desirable..."
"She is very beautiful…"
"-and powerful, youngval; she is a very steadfast and powerful warrior... She would be a good.....match for you..."
The idea was a nice one but Nez needed to keep his head in this battle. He was already having a hard time coping with the fact that he was getting ready to battle his own people. Now, he’d learned that many of the men that he was steeling himself to do battle with were dead. What was this treachery?
He'd had minimal time to contemplate. Then, there were harsh, angry voices…
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View All » Add Character » 12 Characters to follow in this universe
Newest
Alas'are "Balthazar" Ignis
Balthazar The Reknown
Oleris Turnbuckle
Oleris the Giant
Nez Ironside
Iron Edge Nez
Aron Willow
Aron the mighty
Dryttz of Sulphenheim
Dryttz Sulph
Kurr Vadesheal
"So long as the price is right, I'll pin anyone you want!"
Ogava Rus
Knight Of Brygaad
Junpei Crescend
Junpei "slingblade" Crescend
Tristii Da'ni
Tristi of the Wing Kind
Anya Bladestorm
Anya the Blade
Trending
Tristii Da'ni
Tristi of the Wing Kind
Aron Willow
Aron the mighty
Nez Ironside
Iron Edge Nez
Sir. Tedrin Landgaard
Tedrin: the Lightbringer
Ogava Rus
Knight Of Brygaad
Oleris Turnbuckle
Oleris the Giant
Sleza Iz Gore
"Tears of sorrow"
Kurr Vadesheal
"So long as the price is right, I'll pin anyone you want!"
Anya Bladestorm
Anya the Blade
Dryttz of Sulphenheim
Dryttz Sulph
Most Followed
Tristii Da'ni
Tristi of the Wing Kind
Anya Bladestorm
Anya the Blade
Junpei Crescend
Junpei "slingblade" Crescend
Dryttz of Sulphenheim
Dryttz Sulph
Kurr Vadesheal
"So long as the price is right, I'll pin anyone you want!"
Ogava Rus
Knight Of Brygaad
Aron Willow
Aron the mighty
Alas'are "Balthazar" Ignis
Balthazar The Reknown
Sleza Iz Gore
"Tears of sorrow"
Oleris Turnbuckle
Oleris the Giant
View All » Places
110 posts · 1 characters present · last post 2011-05-31 05:29:45 »
Hamlimar Canyon ↪ Halimar Wilds Owner: RolePlayGateway
South, beyond Halimar Canyon is a small valley that empties into the Wilds. The Halimar Wilds are a terrifying place where beasts run rampant and if you get lost you may never find your way out.
51 posts · 1 characters present · last post 2011-05-15 19:37:51 »
Hamlimar Canyon Owner: RolePlayGateway
You are venturing in a ragged, terrifying land. The rocky terrain is perfect for large insects and wolves to lurk so watch yourself and your comrades. The earth, which was once a dingy brown is now red, soaked in blood. This is the beginning of the fall.
16 posts · 0 characters present · last post 2011-05-13 10:04:15 »
Temptral ↪ The Guildsmith Owner: RolePlayGateway
This is the Guildsmith. He knows everything that you will need to know about the creatures in the wild. (Please don't post here. This is an informative area. It is here to ensure that you have an entertaining experience here as you play.)
1 posts · 2 characters present · last post 2011-05-05 06:41:44 »
Temptral ↪ The Library Owner: RolePlayGateway
This will be here for all to see to ensure that knowledge of the races of Regalis spreads far and wide. (Please don't post here. This is for racial and location information to better aid your playing experience.)
0 posts · 0 characters present · last post 1970-01-01 00:00:00 »
Halimar Plains-The Pillars of Sauld Aurin ↪ Mt. Halimar Owner: RolePlayGateway
Mt. Halimar. Some say that Mt. Halimar is the edge of the world. What passes through her majestic arch never returns.
0 posts · 0 characters present · last post 1970-01-01 00:00:00 »
Halimar Plains-The Pillars of Sauld Aurin Owner: RolePlayGateway
The Pillars of Sauld Aurin are remnants of a glorious past. Regalis' former glory can be witnessed here but flying creatures rule the skies.
0 posts · 0 characters present · last post 1970-01-01 00:00:00 »
Mt. Halimar ↪ Halimar Depths Owner: RolePlayGateway
Beneath Mt. Halimar lies a subterranean ecosystem, lost to the world after the Biel were sealed away in these horrid tunnels and caves.
0 posts · 0 characters present · last post 1970-01-01 00:00:00 »
Halimar Wilds ↪ Bogs of Halimar Owner: RolePlayGateway
If you can make it through the Wilds, the Bogs of Halimar await you. This is a realm where the undead reign and will not let weary travelers rest. Hundreds of fallen soldiers from wars passed lie lifeless within the waters.
0 posts · 2 characters present · last post 1970-01-01 00:00:00 »
Temptral Owner: RolePlayGateway
Temptral is the Capitol of the Val civilization. Towering constructs and the looming castle seem to blot out the sun as the val reach to take everything from the rest of the world
0 posts · 0 characters present · last post 1970-01-01 00:00:00 »
Bogs of Halimar ↪ Halimar Plains Owner: RolePlayGateway
Past the Bogs of Halimar are the plains. In the distance, Mt. Halimar and the trails leading to her base can be seen. This place is beautiful but terrors lurk beneath the earth. Untouched, the Plains of Halimar are infested with Wyrms.
Fullscreen Chat » Create Topic » Regalis: The Fall of Leogoryth: Out of Character
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What should happen in the Wilds?
by daathkil on Wed May 11, 2011 10:19 pm
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on Thu May 12, 2011 12:35 am
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What should happen in the Wilds?
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Regalis: The Fall of Leogoryth
by daathkil on Wed May 04, 2011 4:39 pm
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Regalis: The Fall of Leogoryth
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Innates and you
by daathkil on Mon May 09, 2011 4:46 pm
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on Wed May 11, 2011 12:20 am
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Innates and you
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Air Burst-The Ground Below
by daathkil on Mon May 09, 2011 11:52 pm
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Air Burst-The Ground Below
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A little math-the more you know...
by daathkil on Mon May 09, 2011 6:27 pm
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on Mon May 09, 2011 6:27 pm
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A little math-the more you know...
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How Battle Order Works
by daathkil on Mon May 09, 2011 3:23 am
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on Mon May 09, 2011 3:23 am
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How Battle Order Works
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Disclaimer
by daathkil on Sat May 07, 2011 3:11 pm
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Disclaimer
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The Bestiary
by daathkil on Sat May 07, 2011 1:08 pm
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The Bestiary
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The Way Battles Work
by daathkil on Sat May 07, 2011 4:16 am
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- Last post by daathkil
on Sat May 07, 2011 4:16 am
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The Way Battles Work
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