Setting
A town of cobble rises from the shadows of the forest, embed deep behind a wrought iron fence which stretched up towards the trees for fifteen feet...Are they keeping something in, or something out?
Though seeming old, it was a semi-recently constructed town where vampires and creatures of the night of all creeds, clans, and races were welcome. There's no racism, no specism, just freedom here. This policy, this way of life, is enforced by the ever-present Forces Vankoryth. Though the guards stand silent on the street corners, they do not hesitate to aid one in need, or break turmoil.
The town fits within the area previously known as Devil's Nook and is surrounded by a fifteen foot high fence. Within the fence is a border of cherry blossom trees, the signature tree of the town. This creates quite the aromatic atmosphere, as cherry blossom trees are constantly letting loose their petals to carry on the wind.
On either side of Verinotte Hollow exists a tower. To the east is Tower Alba, to the west Tower Tramanto. The towers serve as posts for the Forces Vankoryth, who are the military presence that protect this town. Though the towers peek over the main clustering of buildings, they go for the most part unnoticed. Old maps reveal tunnels beneath the Hollow.
Brought to the Cursed Wood
Occurences
On all three gates hang a sign:
BEWARE ALL YE WHO ENTER HERE
THIS LAND IS KEPT
BY THE DAMNED AND MYTHICAL
BEWARE, MAN, FOR YOU ARE WARNED
BEWARE, HUNTERS, FOR YOU ARE OPPOSED
A fifteen foot high wrought iron
fence surrounds Verinotte Hollow
Cherry Blossom Trees block the
inner perimeter from external eyes
To the West is a tall tower with a clock
facing North, to the East a large spiraling
tower that looks more like a fortress
Silent guards stand on every street corner,
and are posted at each gate at all times.
Minimap
northwest |
north |
northeast |
west |
You are here. |
east |
southwest |
south |
southeast |
Verinotte Hollow is a part of 
Cursed Wood.
14 Places in Verinotte Hollow:
20 Characters Here
Tommy Jones [43] Ex-SAS and currently acting leader of the Invictus' only non-lethal group of elite soldiers the Custodis Benevolentia.
Mikage Abe [42] Children catch butterflies without any evil intention, don’t scold them.
Sol Vincent [41] "It is time for a Shadow Game!"
Cain Genesis [22] "Under the wings of liberty and justice I fly."
Namira [13] ...
Tiny Tina [12] World's deadliest thirteen year old!
Finn Fable Smith [8] "My brain freeze tends to hurt more than the average."
Shinkū [6]
Tina Jones [6]
Isa Melanie [5] Native to the Cursed Wood and practioner of an art almost all but forgotten.
Start Character Here »
"Well if you have the energy to be sarcastic, it can't be to serious. Now tell me where you always able to freeze things or is that new?" The gnome is floating just above the bench.
"I make energy for what is important, but I am really really hoping that the drug was diluted because of being in the bog. Like very much so." Finn said as they looked at the frozen grass, letting out a small sigh. They seemed unable to shift back into a normal form at the moment, and not wanting to freeze anything else, Finn stayed in place, plucking at the frozen blades. "I am a cyromancer. Freezing tends to happen. But yeah...I have been able to because...well I suppose I can trust you. Seeing as you are like me in the since that...well we both aren't humans." Finn shrugged their shoulders, their yellow eyes staring up at the sky.
"Well Welcome to Verinotte Hollow, Cryomancer, A great place to be fore non-humans. I'm Wilhelm by the way." Then gnome taps hims self while saying some gibberish before extending his hand to shake.
Finn raised an eyebrow before smiling and reaching out to shake the gnomes hand, though Finn quickly pulled their hand back, looking embarrassed. "I am Finn F. Smith. People call me Finn. I would shake your hand but...seeing as I am still blue...well I may accidently end up freezing you and we don't want that to happen." The cryomancer said with a faint chuckle. "So...Verinotte Hollow...what is this place like? And is there somewhere I can eat? Cause I haven't had anything to eat since yesterday...I think. And I am starving...at least I don't smell like bog anymore though."
"Heh, Yeah I know a place. Can you walk for 20 minutes? I know a place." He starts floating off "And what did you think I did think that gibberish was? Chillaxe man. I'm a pretty strong caster."
Finn looked down at their feet before shrugging their shoulders. "Yeah, yeah I can walk for twenty minutes. I mean I trudged through the bog yesterday and today, a walk shouldn't be to hard after all." Finn sighed a bit, their breath coming out as a puff of fog before they looked back at the gnome. "I had no idea what the gibberish was...I thought you might have a speech impediment and decided not to say anything."
What a load rotten piss this was.
Jules really, really didn't want to dwell on this right now, but he couldn't help but sit furtively in the boughs of an ancient tree with his gaunt, grey arms crossed and scowl out the glimmering stars overhead. Nyarlathotep had really pulled a fast one on him this time. The worst part was that he should have seen it coming, but he had let his ego get ahead of him, and now his favorite target for bullying was his sodding boss of all things. If he had a mouth he would be clenching a toothy grimace.
And then, on top of that, old Creepy was forcing him to float around this stupid vamp paradise acting as a 'show of good faith' to act as a clincher that, yes, Nyarlathotep really WAS invested in Vankoryth Detente's sovereignty. What a load of crock. He'd never felt like a tool this much in his entire wretched existence.
Jules really, really didn't want to dwell on this right now, but he couldn't help but sit furtively in the boughs of an ancient tree with his gaunt, grey arms crossed and scowl out the glimmering stars overhead. Nyarlathotep had really pulled a fast one on him this time. The worst part was that he should have seen it coming, but he had let his ego get ahead of him, and now his favorite target for bullying was his sodding boss of all things. If he had a mouth he would be clenching a toothy grimace.
And then, on top of that, old Creepy was forcing him to float around this stupid vamp paradise acting as a 'show of good faith' to act as a clincher that, yes, Nyarlathotep really WAS invested in Vankoryth Detente's sovereignty. What a load of crock. He'd never felt like a tool this much in his entire wretched existence.
She had come to the hollow with the promise of trouble. Another witch had alerted her of the Elysium trade floating by here, and not only that, but she had sensed something...troubling. Magic, certainly, but something perverse. Something that had her frowning beneath the peach cowl she wore.
The tips of her cloak never once brushed the ground as she walked into the Hollow, bright green eyes peering out at every person to pass by. Not one would glance back, unless they had some powerful magic at work to do so. The spell she had did not make her invisible, but it made sure that she didn't seem like anyone to take notice in.
The tips of her cloak never once brushed the ground as she walked into the Hollow, bright green eyes peering out at every person to pass by. Not one would glance back, unless they had some powerful magic at work to do so. The spell she had did not make her invisible, but it made sure that she didn't seem like anyone to take notice in.
There came all at once a rustling of leaves, and a brisk wind. A cloud of brown and orange foliage began to whip around in a vortex of earthy color, circling faster and faster, tighter and tighter, until the swirling was suddenly halted. In the centerpoint around where the leaves had been flying, there now stood an older man, with silver hair and trimmed beard. He wore a muted, blue robe that dragged along the ground, frayed and well worn.
He looked around in the dusky light warily as he flicked his wrist, calling what appeared to be a black cigarette to his weathered hands. With a surreptitious brush of his pinky, he ignited the tip, and took a long drag, breathing a plume of glittering haze into the air.
Grey had come to the hollow in the hopes of starting his quest of expanding his knowledge base for his magnum opus to be published. The vindication for all arcane scholars, everywhere. And where else better than the place where nearly the entire supernatural population of a continent was being shunted?
He looked around in the dusky light warily as he flicked his wrist, calling what appeared to be a black cigarette to his weathered hands. With a surreptitious brush of his pinky, he ignited the tip, and took a long drag, breathing a plume of glittering haze into the air.
Grey had come to the hollow in the hopes of starting his quest of expanding his knowledge base for his magnum opus to be published. The vindication for all arcane scholars, everywhere. And where else better than the place where nearly the entire supernatural population of a continent was being shunted?
The woman in the peach cowl paused when the wind stirred, and closed her eyes to simply feel the magic welling up around the area. One eye popped open just in time to see, right before her eyes, a man appear within the swirl of Autumn. She had paused in her steps just to study this man.
He was not like all the other mages she had recently come in contact with. Those who were either young, or preferred to be seen that way. Eve had never used glamours, herself, but for practical purposes, and had never feared the age that pulled at her skin.
Neither did this man. And that was the second thing about him to come to her attention. When he blew the smoke of his rather odd cigarette into the air, Eve's eyebrows popped up.
"Rather curious sort, aren't you?"
He was not like all the other mages she had recently come in contact with. Those who were either young, or preferred to be seen that way. Eve had never used glamours, herself, but for practical purposes, and had never feared the age that pulled at her skin.
Neither did this man. And that was the second thing about him to come to her attention. When he blew the smoke of his rather odd cigarette into the air, Eve's eyebrows popped up.
"Rather curious sort, aren't you?"
"Both objectively and subjectively, yes." Grey said, his voice dry and gravelly. He plugged the arcane cigarette between his cracked lips and rotated his head ever so slightly to regard the woman addressing him. She seemed to carry herself with a degree of erudition, or at the very least, culture. Which was not something he found among many of his constituents in the magical community.
Not that he was assuming that she was magical, but frankly, Verinotte was not an island to simply traipse around without some kind of arcane defense, being that it was the headquarters of the world's largest vampire cartel.
"Yes, I am curious. About many things. A weaver of spells and portents I may be, but more importantly, I am a scientist and scholar. I yearn to understand the world, both hidden and blatant." Grey said, crossing his arms and letting another puff of glittering smoke fade into the chilled air. He pursed his lips and considered the viability of gaining anything from continued conversation with this woman. If nothing else, it was only proper to introduce oneself to a lady.
"Sir Eustace Therello, The Wizard Grey, at your service, madame." Grey said, placing a hand on his breast and bowing at the hip slightly.
Not that he was assuming that she was magical, but frankly, Verinotte was not an island to simply traipse around without some kind of arcane defense, being that it was the headquarters of the world's largest vampire cartel.
"Yes, I am curious. About many things. A weaver of spells and portents I may be, but more importantly, I am a scientist and scholar. I yearn to understand the world, both hidden and blatant." Grey said, crossing his arms and letting another puff of glittering smoke fade into the chilled air. He pursed his lips and considered the viability of gaining anything from continued conversation with this woman. If nothing else, it was only proper to introduce oneself to a lady.
"Sir Eustace Therello, The Wizard Grey, at your service, madame." Grey said, placing a hand on his breast and bowing at the hip slightly.
Eve's eyes lingered for a long, silent moment more before she gave him a nod and introduced herself.
"Eve Blain, also known as Thunderclap Blain, the Lightning Witch. It's not every day I meet a wizard, especially one quite like..." She allowed her eyes to trace the wrinkles in his face, "...yourself. A scientist and scholar, you said you are? Even more surprising. Most of the magic folk here on Terra have their sights set on fighting one another, or something else equally unimportant." She pulled the cowl away from her face, revealing the face of a mature woman, her lips pulled thin, eyes narrowed.
"In other words, I am very pleased to meet you, Sir Therello."
"Eve Blain, also known as Thunderclap Blain, the Lightning Witch. It's not every day I meet a wizard, especially one quite like..." She allowed her eyes to trace the wrinkles in his face, "...yourself. A scientist and scholar, you said you are? Even more surprising. Most of the magic folk here on Terra have their sights set on fighting one another, or something else equally unimportant." She pulled the cowl away from her face, revealing the face of a mature woman, her lips pulled thin, eyes narrowed.
"In other words, I am very pleased to meet you, Sir Therello."
"Likewise I am enchanted to meet a person who finds marked disdain for the proclivities of the more banal 'mages' of our times." Grey said, taking slow, measured strides towards Eve.
"Yes, I make it my focus to do more than just use magic. Just as a software engineer strives to create the perfect code, or an engineer wishes to master free energy, I feel there is much yet to be discovered of this tool, 'Magic'. In fact, I have taken it upon myself to begin a series of investigations into the various mechanics of spell-casting throughout space, so as to make them meaningful and rationalized to those who suggest that The Art is something of a vapid mess." Grey said, taking another decadent pull on his cigarette.
"But do listen to me prattle on, pray tell me, what is it that brings you to this darker end of the world?"
"Yes, I make it my focus to do more than just use magic. Just as a software engineer strives to create the perfect code, or an engineer wishes to master free energy, I feel there is much yet to be discovered of this tool, 'Magic'. In fact, I have taken it upon myself to begin a series of investigations into the various mechanics of spell-casting throughout space, so as to make them meaningful and rationalized to those who suggest that The Art is something of a vapid mess." Grey said, taking another decadent pull on his cigarette.
"But do listen to me prattle on, pray tell me, what is it that brings you to this darker end of the world?"
"Prattling? Hardly." Eve smirked, clasping her hands together at her waist. "You have certainly captured my attention with this topic. I'm younger than many witches, particularly among the better known, but my interests vary greatly to their own."
Of course, her days lingering in a bar, getting wasted, and scoffing at anyone who looked at her sideways were not over, but Eve had always studied far harder than the rest, and her curiosity was insatiable.
"But, for the moment, I digress. Having the chance to talk about myself is a chance I'd gladly take at any given time." The witch gave a light chuckle, but her expression soon became grim as she cast her eyes out across the Hollow.
"Something dark is at work here. I know it is infested with vampires, and of course the drug trade runs by here, however...there is more. It bothers me, so I felt the need to investigate."
Of course, her days lingering in a bar, getting wasted, and scoffing at anyone who looked at her sideways were not over, but Eve had always studied far harder than the rest, and her curiosity was insatiable.
"But, for the moment, I digress. Having the chance to talk about myself is a chance I'd gladly take at any given time." The witch gave a light chuckle, but her expression soon became grim as she cast her eyes out across the Hollow.
"Something dark is at work here. I know it is infested with vampires, and of course the drug trade runs by here, however...there is more. It bothers me, so I felt the need to investigate."
"More?" Grey asked, casting stormy eyes towards the gently glimmering town beyond. The dull, rattling hum of the refugee camps could be heard, even at this late hour of the night. He was aware that there was a Shrine here dedicated to foul Outer Gods...perhaps she was referring to that? It was difficult to say; one of the drawbacks of his clinical approach to The Art was a lack of sensitivity and intuition.
"My dear, there is always 'more' when the forces of Magic are involved. That said, the prospective of discovering something hidden is enticing. Perhaps we would do well to sustain one another's companies on any ventures within the Hollow?" Grey asked, turning a querying eye towards the well-dressed woman.
"My dear, there is always 'more' when the forces of Magic are involved. That said, the prospective of discovering something hidden is enticing. Perhaps we would do well to sustain one another's companies on any ventures within the Hollow?" Grey asked, turning a querying eye towards the well-dressed woman.
"Ah, but aren't you right? Magic is a complex spiderweb of results, never letting its secrets float to the surface. One has to dig to find them, and study it with a critical eye." she replied, lifting her chin as she gave her gaze to the sky. It quickly came back to Grey.
"Oh, the company of such a pleasant fellow is always welcome. Please, Sir Therello, tell me more about yourself. Where is it you are from? Does it breed many an intelligent man such as yourself?"
"Oh, the company of such a pleasant fellow is always welcome. Please, Sir Therello, tell me more about yourself. Where is it you are from? Does it breed many an intelligent man such as yourself?"
Grey tilted his head with a wan smile and offered Eve his arm as he began to walk with patient strides towards the wall of the town. He took one final puff of his cigarette before flicking the butt into the air, where it twisted and bloomed into the form of a pale moth which flitted off into the sky.
"My genesis was nor more profound than any other mortal human of this realm...born was I of a caring parentage in a small town far removed from the vulgarity of Aslund or Wing City. As all people do, however, I was inevitably drawn to the wretched place, if only because the Academia Everia was located within its limits." Grey said, his face becoming grim and consternated.
"There I languished for a year under the patronizing tutelage of magical instructors who no more entrusted their students with concrete magical knowledge than an infant with a paring knife. So I excused myself from that regimented Hell and sought the apprenticeship of one Suzerain Tyretlethen, a Blue Dragon who rules a large swath of desert. For almost thirty years he kept me as a pet and prisoner within his sandstone fortress, sculpting my mind, and teaching me true beauty of The Art. Only once I was powerful enough to escape from my captivity without perishing did he consider my lessons complete." Grey said, offering a hoarse, bitter chuckle.
"One might say that I owe my life to the pursuit of greater knowledge. Such it should be for all who dare harness the power of the Arcane." Grey said with a firm determination.
"My genesis was nor more profound than any other mortal human of this realm...born was I of a caring parentage in a small town far removed from the vulgarity of Aslund or Wing City. As all people do, however, I was inevitably drawn to the wretched place, if only because the Academia Everia was located within its limits." Grey said, his face becoming grim and consternated.
"There I languished for a year under the patronizing tutelage of magical instructors who no more entrusted their students with concrete magical knowledge than an infant with a paring knife. So I excused myself from that regimented Hell and sought the apprenticeship of one Suzerain Tyretlethen, a Blue Dragon who rules a large swath of desert. For almost thirty years he kept me as a pet and prisoner within his sandstone fortress, sculpting my mind, and teaching me true beauty of The Art. Only once I was powerful enough to escape from my captivity without perishing did he consider my lessons complete." Grey said, offering a hoarse, bitter chuckle.
"One might say that I owe my life to the pursuit of greater knowledge. Such it should be for all who dare harness the power of the Arcane." Grey said with a firm determination.
Eve took his arm, fingers gently holding on as they walked. She watched the smoke morph into the moth, and with a pleasant hum, carried her sights to the path ahead.
"Tutelage under a dragon, you say? Astounding. From many have I heard that they carry significant knowledge of The Art, as you call it. It sounds as though he was rather uncouth. It is not a policy I normally agree with, but if it turned you into a much greater wizard, I have no more complaint. Myself, I was taught by a circle of great witches, though I ended up disagreeing with them later on. Fighting for some great deity certainly would not be on my list of things to do."
"Tutelage under a dragon, you say? Astounding. From many have I heard that they carry significant knowledge of The Art, as you call it. It sounds as though he was rather uncouth. It is not a policy I normally agree with, but if it turned you into a much greater wizard, I have no more complaint. Myself, I was taught by a circle of great witches, though I ended up disagreeing with them later on. Fighting for some great deity certainly would not be on my list of things to do."
"I resent the Gods their place in the fold of magic. Better it is that The Art be left to the hands of mortals to influence. Divine magic is such a fickle, transitive thing. I prefer arcane magic for its reliable outcomes from a set of commands. Besides...relying on the succor of a deity for power simply seems like a fool's path to power." Grey said, no small amount of arrogance in his voice.
"And I must append; regarding the behavior of dragons, it is often advised to approach their mannerisms with a pluralist viewpoint. They are proud creatures, and set in their ways, but that does not necessarily make them brutes. Only tyrants. Perfectly polite tyrants, to boot." Grey said, a bemused smile cracking his lips.
"Witches, hm? I must say that I respect their value on subtlety, but I always found their penchant for melodrama to interfere with a clear thought process..." Grey mused as they passed through the gates into the town proper...
"And I must append; regarding the behavior of dragons, it is often advised to approach their mannerisms with a pluralist viewpoint. They are proud creatures, and set in their ways, but that does not necessarily make them brutes. Only tyrants. Perfectly polite tyrants, to boot." Grey said, a bemused smile cracking his lips.
"Witches, hm? I must say that I respect their value on subtlety, but I always found their penchant for melodrama to interfere with a clear thought process..." Grey mused as they passed through the gates into the town proper...
"Hello?" The woman called, although it was not much more than a whisper. She pulled her coat closer to herself and looked around. How did she get here? She was walking home, in what she thought was a short cut. Well, now she was lost. Perfect.
She was still in her school uniform as well. Neat, firmly pressed black skirt and button down blouse and vest. Typical school uniform for where she was going to. It was her second choice, but it had been a good all girl's school. So far.
She brushed some of her raven hair away from her face. "Can someone please help me..?" She spoke a little louder this time, although her voice trembled. She bit her lip gently. What have you gotten yourself into this time, Raven..
She was still in her school uniform as well. Neat, firmly pressed black skirt and button down blouse and vest. Typical school uniform for where she was going to. It was her second choice, but it had been a good all girl's school. So far.
She brushed some of her raven hair away from her face. "Can someone please help me..?" She spoke a little louder this time, although her voice trembled. She bit her lip gently. What have you gotten yourself into this time, Raven..
A vehicle trundled down the road, coursing straight for Verinotte Hollow. It was, of course, blasting some melody through the wood as it approached. A lady with raven hair bounced along to the music, a stone faced soldier drove the vehicle.
There were of course, other passengers as well.
As it came upon the Hollow, a figure the guard had never seen before emerged from the gentle fogs and dark. Who was this? Daemala had noticed as well, and pointed with a finger as they zoomed past leaving the girl (?) in a dust trail.
Slowly, the car reversed, until the guard was staring stone faced at what looked like a school girl. What?
There were of course, other passengers as well.
As it came upon the Hollow, a figure the guard had never seen before emerged from the gentle fogs and dark. Who was this? Daemala had noticed as well, and pointed with a finger as they zoomed past leaving the girl (?) in a dust trail.
The woman screeched along with the brakes, somehow over the music which still thumped through the Wood.Staaaaaahhhhp!
Slowly, the car reversed, until the guard was staring stone faced at what looked like a school girl. What?
The man with the Harlequin mask peeked through the space between the two front seats and out of the window, noticing almost immediately the school girl before them... What, really?
"Is that a student?" He asked, pulling his mask further down his face as though insecure about it. "A student, here? Perhaps we should just ignore her, and go on through to Verinotte. We DO have the virgin to find, remember? We can't waste time staring at that girl."
He was about to reach forwards to the point of climbing through, simply to force the guard to push down on the pedal to keep the vehicle moving... And then...
"Wait... What if SHE is the one?"
"Is that a student?" He asked, pulling his mask further down his face as though insecure about it. "A student, here? Perhaps we should just ignore her, and go on through to Verinotte. We DO have the virgin to find, remember? We can't waste time staring at that girl."
He was about to reach forwards to the point of climbing through, simply to force the guard to push down on the pedal to keep the vehicle moving... And then...
"Wait... What if SHE is the one?"
Daemala whipped to glare at her kin. She was glad they were on the same page, but he always stole her thunder! And her lunch!
The woman blinked and nearly jumped out of her stockings as the car stopped with a halting screech. But it wasn't just the fact that they stopped, but the fact of the manner they reversed back towards her.
"Erm.. Hello..." She murmured quietly, although she was pretty sure they couldn't hear her. "I'm lost.. Mind pointing me back in the direction of Wing City..?" She asked.
"Erm.. Hello..." She murmured quietly, although she was pretty sure they couldn't hear her. "I'm lost.. Mind pointing me back in the direction of Wing City..?" She asked.