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Sword of Destiny v.2 (RPG thread)

Kiruria

La Melancolie Noir
Welcome to the RPG! Throughout the RPG, you can still find links to the signups in my signature--that will make it easier for interactions between characters and such. Now--let's start!

Prologue

The sun was high in the sky. Atop a cloud, two angel-like figures stood back to back. The one in light clothing was facing the sun, and a more dark-looking one was facing away, casting shadows. Whatever commotion was going on on the ground, up here there was silence. A bitter silence.

After a moment of contemplation, the dark one grinned. There was a flicker in her green eyes, whose gaze seemed hypnotic, as if to tempt and possess all those who stared into them. Her skin was of a lavender hue, her hair shorter and the darkest possible black. She had a skinny yet curvy figure, her attire just the opposite of Maia's light and flowy style. She was dressed scantily in shiny black leather, with large black spikes on her shoulder pads and on the sides of her hips. On her back were wings that looked like they belonged to a dragon who had suffered severe burns in battle, so that all the flesh was seared away. There were miniature ones on the sides of her boots as well.

"So, as you can see, Maia," she mocked, "I am winning." She cracked her thorny whip to the side for good measure.

The Goddess of Light said nothing. She kept her gaze on the horizon, her fiery red eyes threatening to sear through any dark qualities. Her curly auburn hair was rather dull in comparison, but still fit the bright motif, as did the flowy yellow gown she wore. She had the pointy ears characteristic of an elf, her hands resembled the paws of a lion, and extending from her back were the wings of a golden eagle, wide and strong yet soft and feathery. A golden pendant resembling a sword in shape hung from around her neck, a ruby at its centre. No shadows appeared around her--it was as if her very bold essence illuminated everything around her.

After a while, Maia directed her gaze downward, where far down on the ground a troop of Sakh were wreaking havoc on a Pipsian village. Spells and enchanted arrows flew at the broom-flyers, but none could reach the deities standing far above.

"Soon our eternity-long feud will have won!" the dark one continued. "I, Katami, Queen of the Shadows and Master of Evil, will prevail at last! Through Mornain, my lovely pet, I will conquer Crownen with the Sword of Destiny!"

Maia sighed. "So that is how you treat your disciple, then. Rather than merely trusting him to use the Sword well, you control him like the puppeteer you are." She did not move her gaze from the scene down below. "I hope you realise, though, that no matter how powerful and influential you grow, I will always be here, in some shape or form. Now, stay here and relish the actions of your minions." It pained her to say the last word. "I have somewhere else I soon have to be, though I am in fact in every place at once."

And with that she spread her wings and flew off, rising straight up and vanishing in a blinding flash of light. Katami cringed as she made her disappearance.

Chapter 1: Gathering 'Neath the Oak Tree

Dear Worthy Recipient,

I am sure you are aware of the overbearing influence the King and Mornain, ruler of the Sakh, are enforcing all across Crownen. I send out this letter as a plea for help, hope for a gathering where we can discuss ways to bring an end to this new evil. As you may or may not be aware, the island of Avalon is currently the one safe refuge from all of this, due to the magical border keeping all those of ill intention safely away. Though I know not whether this border will continue to last, I must still request that you and all the other recipients of this letter meet me in Avalon.

Ezra, the raven who delivered this letter to you, will be flying around in the vicinity of my home, or if she happens to not be doing so at the time, you may still find my residence underneath the wise old oak tree near the abandoned Temple of the Silver Moon. A scarecrow wearing a purple wizard's hat will greet you as you pass in front of the rose bushes lining the walkway to the main entrance. Do not worry if knowledge of this location accidentally passes into evil minds, for they shall not be able to pass through the border anyway. Additionally, this letter is imbued with the very magic necessary to enter through the border. However, I shall warn you that any particularly scathing thoughts you might have can interfere with this enchantment.

Should you need any assistance, whether it be trouble passing through the border or trouble with your journey here, think of me, call to me in your mind... and I shall assist you in any means possible. Bring anything you would normally being with you on a long adventure, for the task at hand will most likely have to involve one. Remember that I have chosen you in this task for a reason, even though that reason may be unclear to you as of now. It is a task that will test your abilities to an extent I cannot yet fathom, yet somehow I know you can pull through. The signs have foreseen it, and I trust them to be accurate.

An old wizard with high hopes,
Sisturnia

A blind raven named Ezra had spent nearly a week's worth of flying delivering several of these letters to the aforementioned "worthy recipients". By whatever means good fortune brought them, thirteen of these recipients had just arrived in Avalon, passing through the magical border around the island. It was an early afternoon in the middle of spring, the skies were clear and the air was warm and pleasant. It was truly a beautiful day, granting relief from any hardships the newcomers had endured along the way here. Birds were singing in blooming trees, and if one was lucky they could spot the baby unicorns frolicking about in the tall grass. What a relief indeed.

Standing amidst this natural beauty was a somewhat solemn sight: the Temple of the Silver Moon. Most of the roof of this gray stone temple was missing, allowing the floor to be exposed to the rays of the sun and moon. This floor, made of black marble, was free of cracks, and looked to be recently polished so it looked like the very night sky was contained within it. An odd sight, since it was known to be abandoned. But this was of no concern to the recipients for the time being. Their destination was a tall oak tree right nearby, specifically the wooden house sitting underneath it (with some rooms sitting on its branches). The scarecrow and the rose bushes in front were just as Sisturnia described them in the letters.

Presently, Sisturnia was standing in the round and spacious room that was the "lobby" of this residence. Though there was a rug on the floor, underneath it, one could barely make out a large seven-pointed star painted on the wood underneath. Around the rim were a few tables laden with a variety of food and drink. It was clear that Sisturnia was expecting guests of every possible race. Three different kinds of miniature pastries, a ham, a variety of fruit and their juices, and even some of those legendary hazelnuts from the elven woods in the Wing were present, and many other things as well. Sisturnia had even decided to defy the king's laws by bringing bottles of wine, ale, and brandy to the table.

Sisturnia was equally friendly, though there was a look about her that seemed contemplative and almost worried. Some may have thought her to be Satani's ghost at first, because of her appearance and the somewhat regal air she gave off. Her long, silvery hair was tied back in a braid which drooped over her shoulder--and on top of her head she wore a little tiara. And though she was in fact very old, she seemed quite a bit younger, due to a sort of intensity in her aura. The elegant purple robes she wore only added to that regal air.

As one by one the recipients passed through the decorated circular door, Sisturnia greeted each one with a light bow. Afterwards she tapped her oaken staff once on the ground, causing only a slight disturance in the blue mist swirling around in the glass sphere at its tip. She invited each participant to partake in the "variable delicacies" in the room as they reacted to the wizards residence. Symbols representing the twelve zodiac signs were etched into a ring around the wall, the ceiling arched into a dome.

Just behind one of the tables, initially unnoticeable given the other features of the room, was a picture of Satani, former queen of Crownen. She was a human queen, appearing just a bit younger than Sisturnia, but with a very solemn look on her face. Instead of the lavish crown King Ben wore, atop Satani's long-haired head was a rather simple tiara. But her staff, by contrast, and which looked more javelin-like, gave off a very powerful vibe, much like Sisturnia's did.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Okay, so basically the beginning of this RPG will be all about meeting Sisturnia and the other characters people have so graciously signed up. For more info on those characters, refer to the signup thread. Have fun!
 

Avenger Angel

Warrior of Heaven
Kaxo "Skylily" Dyrakas the Lilyara
Temple of the Silver Moon, Avalon


I sure didn't carry much when they called me in. I didn't know how that raven found me of all of people between never and nowhere, but the letter was interesting. Apparently, I wasn't alone when I felt King Ben and Mornain were fascist schmucks that seemed to be in red-hot hot competition for trying to make as many people irate as possible. Between this Sisturnia and I, as well as everyone else that was going to be involved with this whole little revolution, King Ben and Mornain needed to be tied up and then dropped into a sewage system.

Preferably head first with their mouths forced open.

Sisturnia picked out the old Temple of the Moon in Avalon as the meeting place, one with the roof nearly gone while the black marble was actually extremely sleek and squeaky-clean considering this place had been forgotten about loads of years ago. My "chat" with the scarecrow, whatever his/her/its name was, was shrugged it off casually as I tried to get past the fact I was conversing with a usually inanimate thing that typically wasn't sentient enough to be capable of communication. And I wasn't much for conversation either. Something about my slightly melodic voice was a bit embarrassing, but I knew that comes from being a member of a race supposedly made for singing and dancing. But the fact I was unlike the rest of the Lilyara and was an outright rebel to the norms and junk they had formed for god-knows whatever reason. Rules were meant to be broken.

Passing through the decorated circular door led me to Sisturnia, who greeted me with a light bow. She... had seen better days. She looked ghostly really, with long silver hair tied back in a braid, on tiara on her forehead, and purple robes. Meanwhile, the room itself had a rug sitting on top of what used to be a painted star in the middle of the room, along with a domed ceiling and a ring of zodiac signs on the wall. In the meantime, she offered refreshments of pastries, ham, fruit, juices, and hazelnuts, but I just nodded and smiled.

To be brutally honest, to a race that only needs to drink water to survive, chewing everything into a hideous-looking paste and swallowing down that lump of crap into a fleshy bag to join more of what they chewed up already seemed blatantly disgusting. To a Lilyara, watching someone eat was just as bad as watching someone excavating their nose with their finger, or pick their ear corkscrew-style. Still, as bad as that all was, it wasn't nearly as disgusting as when they had to crap it all out later on into a muddy, sausage-shaped turd in an anticlimactic display of grossness plus. Most people from other races would say Lilyaras, being natural flowers, smelled wonderful, but to us, other races just... smelled... awful.

"Hey, nice to meet you, Sisturnia," I told her with a casual smile, hoping she wasn't reading my mind with what was floating around in it at that present moment, and hoping she wouldn't find my voice funny as I actually had to carefully speak words and not sing them. "Not sure how you found me in the first place, but whatever, it's good to be here."

Anyone who also felt King Ben and Mornain were jackasses who had the brains of an ameba and had moral compasses so screwed up they couldn't find their way out of their bed in the morning was a friend in my book. I listened intently to get a better idea of what the plan was going to be. I already knew it was going to involve a lot of traveling, something that was easy for me as I had been doing plenty of that already. And I knew it would probably involve a little of bashing heads together.

And yeah, I was ready for that too. In fact, I could honestly say I had been itching for this kind of action for a while now.
 

AzerWrath

「深弾幕結界 -夢幻泡影-」
Alurmi The Primordial Essence
Temple Of The Silver Moon, Avalon
---

Avalon, the impenetrable fortress of Crownen. I've passed through the barrier without any help at all. But maybe it's because that I never had any evil intent, and I was able to hide away from all others that lived here. Well, time to say good bye to my peaceful life. I'm still wondering why that Raven came to me last, though... I seem to be unique to this world, as in my travels, I have never came across another sentient being from my species. The only one called into this plan, reason? Unknown.

I've evaded all other living creatures in the area to get here, in hope of others not finding my unique existence a threat. I mean, if an Elemental got here... Whatever now, this is not the time to think about what would happen if the others got here...

Closer as I approached the area where the Temple is said to be, just for some precaution of this being a trap, have transformed into my original form. Of course, the lumbering behemoth that floats through the area, covered in yellow crystals is a sight to behold, and more visible to others, at least I am able to defend myself well if this really was a trap. I never really cared for the rulers of this world and so forth, only looking for peace. Ensuring that peace was always there in the corners of the world, was my job. And this could be one.

And with that, the abomination of nature arrived at the Temple's doorstep. Who the monstrosity is? Me, of course. I never really did bring anything along with me. I mean, I am an Elemental. I don't have to eat, sleep, or anything. Unless gathering energy counts as sleeping...

After my little chat with the scarecrow and giving the inanimate, but still neat-looking object a few tips on how to properly raise a hat when greeting others, I want to proceed into the Temple. However, I continue chatting with the scarecrow just for giggles and random laughs. It's amusing to see myself talk with something with as intelligent as a rock. But now, on to the serious business.

Why this Sisturnia picked an old, run-down temple for a meeting place was beyond my knowing, but whatever. The roof was missing, allowing the sun to shine through, illuminating the crystals on my body. Such beautiful splendor, isn't it? Lowering my body and going through the circular door lead me into the room, there stood a woman. With silver hair tied into a braid, a tiara upon her head and long, purple robes, it was definitely Sisturnia. She greeted me with a long, low bow, which I quickly got over and bowed even lower. I never deserved such respect from anyone. I had never done... much for this world.

Slowly, the crystals on my body began retracting, morphing my entire being into my mortal form, as graceful orbs of red light illuminate the area further, and in that mess of crimson and lightning, I emerged. Wearing my signature red trimmed gold armor, I stood up straight, with one hand rubbing my flowing hair. Running over the two horns I had, looking at the other being in the room. This one was more plant-like. And if I could remember, was... A Lilyara. Plants from the Sentinel Mountains really had many stories to tell. And apparently they were true.

As the plant-being did not want the food given to it, I gracefully picked up a piece of fruit, pressing it gently in my hands as I absorbed the energy from it. As an elemental, this was my form of eating, as my kind never had stomachs of any kind. We are beings of pure energy, after all. All that remained of the red fruit was a small black ball, which I slipped into my mouth. The plant being seemed to be a little disgusted at my last act, for reasons unknown to me.

"So, Sisturnia, somehow, you managed to find the... Only sentient Elemental in these lands and brought me to you." I smile, stretching my arms. "It's been some time since I've been called in to do something..."
 

zandgaia

*Gasp* He's back!
Vale Amddiffynnol Awel
Temple of The Silver Moon, Avalon

"I don't know what I'm doing here, I don't know why I went here and I don't know what the fuss is all about..."

Vale sighed as he managed to get past the 'barrier', it took him suprisingly long to get through, then again barriers are fake and most likely he was just clumsy or tired. What he does know is that his monk robe is far to warm in this weather, and the hood does not help, despite the shadow it gives over his face. A weak sound came from his hair as he fell the rustling of a little bird's feathers in his hair. "Just a little more and I'll give you some water Wing." Vale muttered, more to himself than Wing because the moving had stopped, most likely the bird fell asleep again: something Vale wanted to do himself too.

It was four days ago that Vale got the letter, he didn't know what this bird was or what the letter was 'bout: wasn't like anybody knew of his existance anymore. Before Vale got the letter, he noticed that the bird had a weird look in it's eyes: as if it couldn't see anything whilst it had it's eyes open. Vale had shrugged his shoulders and accepted the letter, but he did not know where it came from. And after he had read it one word went through his head: "Nonsense" all this fairytale stuff was utter nonsense. However, something deep inside him caused him to accept it: maybe because he had nothing better to do? Did not had somewhere else to go? Or was it that he deep down did believe in it? And Vale himself was the last person to be able to answer that, but he went together with the meager possesions he had and Wing to the 'sacred lands' of Avalon.

Vale had seen maps where Avalon has been on: it was a gigantic egg-shaped island that was fairly close to the mainlands of the Bird (as Vale refers to Crownen), Vale never really believed in it after the incident.. Mostly because Angels came from Avalon and Vale did not believe in Angels... Vale just didn't knew what to trust and what to be sure of. Which caused him to ponder about that all the way to 'Avalon', taking care of his pet bird Wing in the progress. Vale didn't mind walking, it was something that he could put his energy in good use to: he walked from sunrise to sunset, just walking. After which he set up a small camp with his Flare Light because he didn't want to make a fire, and ate mostly fruit, vegetables and plants whilst he fed Wing. Then he went for a short sleep of four hours: where he suffered from Nightmares and always woke up completely in sweat and tears whilst he slowely touched his face, his burnmarks and most importantly: Wing. Wing was the only reason Vale managed to live for so long and without Wing, Vale would stop believing in himself, even less than normally. Something that will be fatal, as Pi as mentioned once.

"Never stop believing in yourself, you shall be taken over as soon as you stop believing.."

Vale sighed as he walked through the lush grounds of Avalon, it was crazy that he went here. Yes it now has been proved in Vale's eyes that Avalon exists, but that also means that it's sacred here: or more: dangerous. Vale did not want to go further, he wanted to go back. But some kind of childish curiousity kept him going, until he got to the scarecrow with the purple wizard's hat, which strangely could talk.. The scarecrow was fairly silent to him, as if the scarecrow did not trust him like Vale did not trust the scarecrow and apart from the fact that the scarecrow bowed lightly to him, interaction was almost of no kind between them: so Vale just walked past towards some the destroyed ruins of a temple.

Inside there, Vale just quickly observed the surroundings: his face still covered by the shadows of his hood. He noticed a Lilyara, which he had seen a few from back then.. He also noticed a woman who was looking at the surroundings, but somehow gave the impression as if that woman was the center of the world. Whilst a fairly young-looking priestess was in the middle. Vale nodded lightly to the priestess, as the priestess bowed lightly in response. After which Vale headed to a small pool on the side and pulled of his hood to show his still young face whilst Wing came out of his slightly-spiked grey hair and tjilped as it went towards the water to bathe itself lightly in whilst Vale kept close watch to the little grey-brownish bird, ignoring the other precenses coming in because Vale had his back towards them.
 

Slipomatic

Eon Collector
Alvara Roma the young ice dragoon
Temple of the Silver Moon, Avalon

Alvara sighed as she walked into Avalon. Her journey hadn’t gone as smooth as she hoped it would have gone. The harpies had almost made mince meat of her if it wasn’t for the storm that forced them to turn back and her to make an abrupt landing. She could only hope to not meet another harpy for a while. She had already passed through the barrier for a while, and was a bit lost. She looked at the letter she had gotten from the raven and tried to find the old oak tree.

Her flamberge clinked softly against her back as she wandered around a bit before spotting the old oak tree. She let out a small gasp as she stared in wonder at the old tree. It was definitely older than any tree around her home village. She soon saw the old temple with a scarecrow wearing what the letter described as a purple wizard hat. She walked towards the entrance, being slightly surprised when the scarecrow bowed to her. She quickly walked into the temple with a slightly darker blue blush on her cheeks.

When she walked inside, she was greeted by Sisturnia, who gave a light bow to her, causing her blush to deepen a bit more. She gave a bow to Sisturnia before walking further into the temple to see who was here. She spotted a male who looked a bit like a plant, with some rather unique coloring on the petals near his waist. She didn’t know what they were called and was tempted to ask him about his species, but decided to wait until later to ask him. She then saw a female who appeared to look like an elf, except the skin color said otherwise. She was filled with questions, but from the looks of things, she probably was the only one here so far, that was probably more athletic than the others. She sighed softly as she absentmindedly fingered the flamberge’s hilt.
 

DVB

Philosopher Knight
Diego Vendrix the Blue Moon Werewolf
Temple of The Silver Moon, Avalon

Diego was on his small boat as he closed his eyes. To his surprise, he passed through the magical barrier with ease. Relieved, he turned his sights to the island of Avalon. He heard many legends of the island from his master. In fact, his master himself was said to have been born on the island. However, Diego wasn't sure if his master was lying to him or not. He did seem to get a faroff look when mentioning it and seem to face its direction during sunrises and sunsets. He didn't go through much troubles. He imagined this had something to do with a full moon approaching in a few days or it was his sword. Diego looked at Durandal once more. The sword emitted a single faint pulse of energy that seemed to scare off most creatures.

He had managed to make it to the front of the temple. He stopped to take a deep breath. To his enhanced senses, it was a relief. He felt calmed and relaxed. It was certainly a beautiful day. Yet, many could not enjoy them with the tyranny of the evil queen and her puppet causing chaos everywhere. When Diego read the letter, he swore he would join with these chosen and put an end to this madness once and for all.

Diego then turned to the temple. He gazed at its architectural beauty. However, he then looked to see the wooden house beside it. He saw the scarecrow. Th scarecrow simple smiled and bowed at him. Diego smiled back. As a kid, Diego always pictured himself to be a knight, and despite his change, he still considered one. He bowed back at the scarecrow before walking in. He saw there were a few others.

The first he saw was a Lilyara. He had met a mouthy one in his travels. he said that most other races smelled bad, but Diego smelled okay if not... different. The plant sapien described it as an earthy and ancient smell, which he then said was amplified by the sword on his back. Diego saw his faint look of disgust directed at... an elemental. Although he had seen pictures, he had never encountered one. "Hello sir, ma'am," Diego said to them as he bowed to the duo. Before he would eat, he noticed two others and his hostess. The other male had a grimace on his face as he watching some birds. He then saw what appeared to be a dragoon. He smiled before bowing to the both of them. Last, but not least he approached Sisturnia. When she bowed, he gained a smile, but a serious face as well. He kneeled like a knight would for his queen. "Greetings, Madame Sisturnia. I am the... Blue Wolf Knight, Diego Vendrix. And this is my... trusty blade, Durandal," Diego said in a formal, but light tone, though it become more solemn when mentioning Durandal. Perhaps maybe because it would get more than mere notice seeing a legendary blade here. Diego held the blade in both hands for Sisturnia to see before he turned and saw a few people looking at him, either for breaking the silence or for the sword he was holding. He simply nodded his head with a smile before going and sitting down. He grabbed a nearby knife and cut himself a large piece of ham and a pastry before beginning to eat, Durandal back on his back.
 

Niihyl

Posthuman
Gemini
Temple of the Silver Moon, Avalon


The blind raven had been a surprise. An iconoclasm of his dry existence. To fight for someone else… to fight for another cause? It had nothing to do with him. It didn’t matter who ruled the lands, as the desert would always be dry, always be sandy, and always be hellish.

But he had gone. He himself didn’t know why. Perhaps it was a chance to do something different. Perhaps it would be a chance to die. To die with meaning.

So he had gone. The magical barrier around Avalon had worried him, but he had passed through with little incident. The darkness bound into his flesh had twinged a little, but it didn’t seem to block his entry. It supposedly blocked ill intention. He had none of that. Used it all up long ago. Gemini idly ran a finger down the black lines of writing all across his body. Once upon a time, he could call rain, nourish crops, bless births. But he had traded it all for a chance to lay death upon his foes… which was everyone back then. What practical usage does killing things have?

Insane rage wasn’t good for sane decision making.

How would the ‘heroes’ react to his appearance? He would almost certainly be older than many of them, nearing a century in age after all. His people were fairy tales now. He passed by the strange scarecrow, an automata? Already inside were several of these ‘heroes’. A Lilyara, one of the plant-folk. They were an interesting sort. Plants that were capable of sentient thought and movement. Muscles, or the same spring mechanism of a venus fly-trap, on an infinitely larger scale? A ‘brain’, or perhaps the same electromagnetic field, held in place through different methods? There were few books detailing the exact anatomy of such creatures.

Also, an elemental. Primordial essence of the universe and such. Supposedly powerful, and lacking in thought, being primal forces. But this one had intelligence. Interesting.

And a regular human of all things. Humans… bastards. Eh… I don’t even have the heart to be vehement about it anymore.

Another human… but different. Aura… A therianthrope. Interesting… the blade was also rather… unique.

And a dragonkin. One of the rare hybrid species. Dragons… odd beings. I’ve never seen a hybrid of dragon and man. Like a mule? Sterile hybrids? ... How did that work? Dragons taken human form? That may account for it...


Gemini shook his head. Enough with the science. Few could ever converse with him in those fields. That infinite meadow of knowledge… even he knew only a fraction.

He put a smile on his face, and bowed to Sisturnia. “Hello. Thanks for calling me out of the desert. I was really getting tired of razing villages and eating babies...”

He walked over to the tables, his eight legs clickety-clacking on the wood floor, occasionally muffled by the rug. He lifted a bottle of wine. Rebellion for rebellion’s sake? He had partaken of agave alcohol, as well as saguaro fruit wine. But this grape-wine was new to him. Pushing his cloak aside, he poured himself a glass, and breathed in the scent. Excellent.
 

*Jean Grey*

Night Triumphant
Emilia Diamante
Temple of the Silver Moon, Avalon


Emilia did not expect such a letter to be delivered to her. Not at all. She was always the problem Succubus in her tribe, despite already being a Council member. Receiving the letter was just so surreal for her, reading it made her feel uncertain whether it was true or just a mistake.

She was a Succubus, a natural illusionist and temptress who killed males of any race for food. Her words were laced with charms and poison, able to weaken and disable her victims and her illusions rendered them helpless and practically longing for her, both of these methods she employed before whipping and poisoning them to death herself. Drawing them close with her charms and seduction was her forte. She wondered how someone like her would be called for this....task.

In the end, she decided to leave the mountains. Leave for Avalon, take on this mission. She left, choosing not to inform the tribe and especially its Council. Chances were, they were going to hold her back, tell her that she didn't deserve it, being a runt and all, and send someone else to Avalon. She wasn't going to let then do that, she was Iago and Lluvia's daughter after all, as well as Alejandro's sister. She was not going to allow then to get their way with her.

Now, Emilia hovered in front of the barriers of Avalon, contemplating on whether the letter was truth or sham. The only way she could find out was to try to pass the barriers. She decided that if she managed to get in, then she was right. If she did not, might as well live as a solitary.

To her surprise, she managed to pass through without any problems. She thought to herself as she walked through the temple. Maybe there was that something in her that wasn't so bad after all to merit her entry. Maybe she would finally get the respect that she was deprived of. Looking up at the temple that stood in front of her, she tucked her whip away before entering, the last thing she wanted was to be thought of as harmful to the rest of them, just because she was a Succubus.

As she stepped through the temple's doorway, she caught sight of a few others that had already arrived. A plant-like Lilyra whom she only realized was male after looking at him for a while, an Elemental whom she only thought was stuff of myth, a Human...something she really did not expect. The next one seemed human, but she was not so sure if he really was one. Next was a Dragoon and an Aqrabuamelu, both of the half-humand and half-something else. For the former, it was a dragon, and for the latter, seemingly a scorpion. In the middle of the room was a silver-haired woman. Sisturnia, she assumed. She walked forward towards the pale-haired woman, who gave her a light bow. Emilia returned the gesture, pleasantly surprised. She then looked towards the tables, a variety of food and drink atop them. Choosing not to fly, she strode towards them and peered at the food. She took a piece of some meat she found unfamiliar and put it in her mouth. Whatever it was, it seemed to be a good choice.
 

TheSequelReturns

Faithful Crusader
~ Silva Hettan & Merci Celestia ~
- Temple of the Silver Moon - Avalon -

A rather odd pair passed through the barrier to Avalon. One, a serpentine mix of races, half snake and half human, a Naga. The other, an Angel with snowy-white wings and and a graceful appearance. As they passed through the barrier, the Naga seemed surprised at the relative ease of their passing. The Angel however smiled and spun around in the air, clearly pleased.

The Naga shook her head, the spiked up ends of her blood-red hair shaking but keeping their style. "You never had any doubt did you?" she asked her partner.

The Angel smiled even wider, her silver-blue eyes practically glowing with happiness. "Of course not! We're on a mission for peace after all." She pulled the letter out from one of the hidden pockets of her white silken dress. The paper was a bit wrinkled at this point, but she had taken good care of the letter since they had received it. "Gifted with a secret message from a mysterious wizard, two heroes set out to change the destiny of the world! Will they succeed or will they find their new-found quest too difficult to bear? Find out next time, on-"

A tanned hand placed itself firmly over the Angel's mouth, stopping her mid-sentence. "Easy there Merci, don't get too carried away. I still haven't decided if I even want in on this whole deal."

Merci turned to the Naga with a look of shock on her face. "But... but Silva! You said! You said it Silva! I heard you."

Silva sighed, rolling her eyes. "What I said was that we would check it out." A pout came over Merci's angelic face, doing the nearly impossible task of making her even more cute. Silva sighed again. "Alright, alright. Look, we're almost there. We'll drop in and have a look, and then I'll decide if its worth our while or not."

The odd pair made their way further into Avalon, coming to where they thought had to be the right place. After conversing with the scarecrow, who Merci dubbed "Straws", the two entered the Temple.

The inside of the Temple was amazing. The open roof, the polished floor, it was very well kept. But the Temple proper wasn't to be their destination it seemed, for ahead was a small residence, nestled beneath a huge oak tree. Inside the house was a surprisingly large lobby. The floor was covered with a soft luxurious rug, and tables piled high with all types of food lined the room. A large variety of people had already entered the room it seemed. And as Merci met the eyes of each with a cheerful smile, Silva eyed them wryly. There was a Dragoon, her race was easy to pick out, as well as someone who seemed to be a sentient plant. Another one seemed to be something of a demon, and there was another three who looked relatively human at first glance, though the horns on one of their heads indicated that first appearances could be deceiving. And on the far side of the roof was one who simply had to be the wizard. She gave off a regal air, and was certainly decked out like one would expect a wizard to be.

"Sweet, check out all the food." Silva said as she entered into the room, her tail flicking in anticipation of a good meal.

"Hello everyone!" Merci waved around the room. "Its nice to meet you all."

"Yeah, nice place you have here." Silva said a bit off-handedly. "Say, this food is for us right?" She picked up what appeared to be a small roasted bird and, opening her mouth wider than any human could, swallowed the entire thing in one gulp.

"Silva!" Merci fumed, "have some manners! We're guests in someone else's home and-" Her eyes went wide. "Is... Is that an ORANGE!" Merci practically tore her gaze from the small citrus fruit. "No, I mustn't." She instead hovered over to Sisturnia, her eyes still darting back and forth from the fruit to the wizard as Silva continued to browse the tables. "I'm sorry for my friend, she's not used to being a proper house guest." Merci curtsied, even as the soft strokes of her wings kept her airborne. "My name is Merci, and she's Silva. Its an honor to finally meet you Madam."


~ Tomoyo Hazuki ~
- Temple of the Silver Moon -


A single figure entered in through the barrier. She was elegant and calm, dressed in a luxurious red and white kimono. Though her raven hair was tied up in a bun, held together by what appeared to be a pair of fancy chopsticks, it was still long enough for the ends to reach back down to her shoulders. A paper fan, decorated with black vines and pink flowers, rested in her hand, and she gently fanned herself with it, cooling off just a bit in the bright sunlight of the day.

Her kind wasn't used to traveling in the daylight, though the light itself posed no significant problem to her. Rather, it was simply a matter of heat. The night air was cool and pleasant, but the day-time air was warm and humid. It made traveling uncomfortable.

The pale skinned young woman made her way deeper into Avalon, earning a few curious looks from the locals. She wasn't exactly dressed like a local, though the fact that she wasn't getting as many as she expected only raised her suspicions that some other strange travelers had already passed through before her.

As she passed the scarecrow and entered the Temple, the ends of her hair twitched in anticipation. What sorts of things awaited her inside the wizard's residence? What sort of strange people would she come into contact with? What would this "Sisturnia" look like? Too many questions all awaiting an answer. It made her uneasy, walking into a situation she knew almost nothing about, and the closer she got to the door of the wizard's abode, the more active the ends of her hair became.

She opened the door to an interesting scene. A variety of races were crowded into the room, everything from a plant-like race to what appeared to be an Angel to the half-breeds like the Scorpion-thing and the Naga as well as a few more human-like races that were harder to identify at first glance, much like herself. Among that last group was the wizard herself, the mysterious Sisturnia.

The woman faced Sisturnia and bowed formally, her hands folded in front of her. "Tomoyo Hazuki." she said. "It is a pleasure to meet you." She turned to the others next. "It is a pleasure to meet all of you as well." she added. Her introductions finished, she resigned herself to the side of the room, her fan hiding the lower half of her face as her crimson eyes flashed over the room.
 
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Grassmaster411

Dont, move, a muscle
Whoa ho! 10th post. lol

Bronson

Bronson walked through the darkness, his nose leading the way more than his eyes. He could smell several races of creatures had walked this path before him, and very recently too. His journey here had not been difficult, save for the short swim across the sea. He had never had to swim that much of a distance before, and he wasn't looking forward to the return trip. Although he swims fairly well, it was a haul to make in one day. But he had persisted through it. His birds had not even noticed untill he was almost a mile out to sea. Some flew back, others were eaten by large and brave fish, but a few had hung on and were now drying off on his back.

As he passed the barrier, he had felt nothing in particular, and had no problems passing through. In the darkness, he hadn't even seen the Temple nearby. As he approached the scarecrow, he reached to grab some of the hay from it for a snack, but almost jumped when it talked to him. His ears flared in an intimedation instinct, but calmed himself quickly. He coversed with it for a few moments, then went on his way towards the old oak tree and the house beneath it. "Strange I just spoke to something that I almost ate, I feel like some repulsive carnivore."

He grabbed a small branch from the tree, stripped it of its leaves in a swift sweeping motion, and then ate them. After breaking of the branch and eating that as well, he opened the surprisingly large door with his trunk. "Much more spacious than I thought it would be." He passed through the hallway, which was just big enough for him to fit comfortably through. "I'm glad there was no chandelare." His feet have special pads, making him almost silent as he passed into the main hall.

Sisturnia bowed to him as he entered. Bronson hesitated, not out of disrepect, but because he had never been bowed to before. If he tried to bow down completly, he could fall and hurt someone. He settled on dipping his head, and then lifting it, curling his trunk into an S shape; a common sign of good luck in many cultures. As he looked around the room, his hopes were high, hoping he would find another misfit outcast like him. Unfortunatly, not only were there no animals, they were also all humanoid.

He saw in the room several species. A werewolf, an angel, a naga, a succubus, a human ("I'll get lots of drama from that one when he hears me talk. They always have so much drama." he thought.) An aqrabuamelu, a dragoon, a lilyara, and even a rare yokai. Bronson had encountered all of these races on his travels, but the last creature was a mystery to him. He had never seen an elemental before, and her scent was unique. "Hello all." he announced. "Go ahead, get your gawking and staring over now, so we don't have to deal with it later. Yes, I'm a talking elephant. Paint a picture, it'll last longer. Get used to it."

He walked over to a nearby table adorned with fruit. One by one, he ate every item on the table. He then grabbed three loafs of bread and ate that as well. Then he empted a jug of water. Moving to the next table, and the next, he continued to pick fruit, vegatables, and bread. Even with his huge appetite, there was still lots of food on the remaing tables.
 
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Kiruria

La Melancolie Noir
OOC: Well drat... I typed up the first part my post, and then I went away from my computer for a while and all my programs mysteriously closed (meaning I lost everything I typed). So now I have to write everything all over again. While tipsy. This will be fun... >_>

Anyway, good job with your first posts, everyone! It's interesting seeing some posts in first person once in a while. Also, Manaphy Mare won't be able to post for a week or so, so he left me in control of Opal for a while. This gives me a chance to present my views on harpy culture... *smirk* Heh, before I decided not to have a main character in this RPG, my character was going to be a harpy.

I know this post looks long, but that's because I have to include Sisturnia's opinions of everyone... The third part of my post, which comes right after those opinions, is the most important.

IC:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
--The Holy Land--

This bright afternoon in spring saw people of many races going about their daily lives, wandering amongst the many churches and temples in the backside of Crownen. But there came a point where a few of those people pointed up to the sky. A couple more held their hands in a prayer position while shifting their gazes upward. They had spotted an angel. Probably a high-ranking one at that, judging by the badge he wore. With his silvery-white wings and his hair the hue of a sunrise, he just might have had the potential to answer many of these people's prayers...

...But when he flapped his wings, his arms moved with them. His onlookers scowled and turned away--for he was in fact not an angel, but a harpy, and this characteristic proved it.

Opal landed before the golden bridge extending into the mists of Avalon. Right next to one of the magnificent gate posts stood a deer, anticipating his arrival. That is, until he turned around and headed along the bridge by himself, assuming Opal was going to immediately follow. Sometimes Opal's arrogant antlered friend didn't know any better. And yes, animals have few problems passing through the misty border around Avalon, because they possess an innocence that suggests that they have an inherent duty in the flow of nature. The same thing goes for children.

As Opal followed the deer into the mist, he began to feel a calming sensation all around. It was as if the mist itself was singing a hymn of hope and light. A mage in a village near the forests of the foot had mentioned "marvelous figures" in the mist, suggesting that they might be the spirits who contributed to Avalon's air of serenity. Even though harpy culture rarely looks at magic, Opal just barely thought he knew what that mage was talking about.

Of course, if a harpy knows much about magic, chances are it's a male one. Female harpies, particularly those in the large and prominent clan next to Nightwing Lake, focus more on hunting and fighting and sometimes traveling. After all, they have more birdlike characteristics (including sharp claws and talons) and better maneuverability in the air than their male counterparts. With their agility and naturally aggressive nature, they have little need for magic, though some might turn to it if they prove to be sub-par in their hunting skills.

When they entered into Avalon, a baby unicorn wandered out onto the path leading to the Temple of the Silver Moon. It seemed to like the deer that was leading the way (judging by the way it walked up to him), but it immediately fled into the bushes at the sight of Opal. Unicorns, after all, are known to consider themselves superior to other hooved animals, but are fearful of carnivorous or hunting-inclined races, harpies included. But why would this matter to Opal? He had a mission, and an invitation from a wizard to participate in a heroic quest... it was quite an honour.

"Well well," greeted the scarecrow in front of Sisturnia's residence, wiping the nonexistant sweat off his brow with one hand and holding his hat with the other, "I'm just glad you're not another elephant. I almost became an appetizer just a while ago!"

"An elephant?" Opal remarked as he reached for the door. "Funny, I didn't think they'd exist in this part of Crownen." He decided not to make any hoots about the fact that the scarecrow could talk. Scarecrows looked a lot like people, and if a wizard made one, it would only make sense for it to have life-like qualities.

--Inside Sisturnia's Residence--

As Sisturnia stood just behind the large wooden door, the smile on her face grew wider and wider with time. In this downward spiral Crownen was in, from that door would come a new sign of hope. Soon she could finally carry out her plan. But it wasn't just her plan.

Then, all at once, her smile faded. She paused before opening the door for the first recipient, taking a glance back at the picture of Satani on the wall. She heaved a sigh, drooping her head in despair. Thrice she tapped her staff on the ground, before turning around and facing the door again. After all, wizards share an intimate bond with their staff, so much that the staff has the very power to restore hope to the wizard in times of despair.

The first recipient who entered the circular foyer was a Lilyara, of all races.
"A pleasure to meet you too," Sisturnia replied, returning the greeting. "By the way, do not be ashamed of the wonder that is music. Even though your willingness to participate--not to mention skill in wizardry--sets you apart from the other Lilyaras, do not forget where your roots are. Ah, and speaking of roots..." and here she glanced at one of the food-laden tables, swinging her staff around to face it, "that concoction over there, the one in the green bottle with the flower-shaped stopper... 'tis a delicacy among some faeries, so I hear, though it is merely water with but the slightest infusion of... oh, what was that herb's name again... But I hear the elves often use it to water their magical flowers. Anyway..." and here she turned to face Kaxo again, "since you are the first one here, now we shall wait to see if anyone else has accepted my offer."

Indeed, someone else has. The second recipient was a strange yet beautiful sight to behold, nothing like any other race. A being of pure crystal.
"Hmm, I recognise you, somehow..." Sisturnia wondered, studying Alurmi's crystalline features with curiosity. "I could swear that once while I was gathering supplies for a ritual, I sensed an ancient presence, one that held the very wisdom of the ages. You give off that very same presence. A crystal Elemental, eh? Incidentally, I hear Mornain had quite a skill with turning things to diamond, if that is in fact true. You know, I've pondered lately, wondering if only the ancient forces of nature can win back the Sword of Destiny. Your arrival makes that proposition more promising than ever. I know you have never done something like this before, but perhaps you can consider that there are others in your very situation."

The third recipient looked to be human... Sisturnia couldn't tell, because he had his hood up and wasn't a talker. He just headed to the bird bath with his pet bird, refusing to talk to anyone.
"I am aware that you are probably not listening to me now," Sisturnia said to him, her tone almost cautious in nature. "It's almost as if... you are not entirely present. I detect a sort of dire weakness in you, not to demean you or anything, but yet it comes with its equal in unlikely strength. Have you ever thought about what would happen if you could somehow be, say... healed? Though I might not be speaking to your ears, I hope that somehow I am reaching your mind somehow."
Ezra, the blind yet clairvoyant raven, flew over to the other side of the pool, facing Wing and muttering a few soft croaks.

Next came a dragoon, tall yet very young-looking, and apparently flattered at the formality with which she was greeted.
"You are looking very lovely this fine afternoon," Sisturnia greeted with a giggle. "Your innocence and eagerness to see the world is a valuable asset. It is the sort of purity that old wizards like myself have a hard time emulating at times... I know, it's very natural to be shy and uncomfortable in these circumstances. Focus on your passions and worries such as that can be overcome. Ezra seems to tell me that you have a very strong sense of such a passion. Of course, I cannot tell you exactly what that is. Some things are meant to be discovered on one's own, and some things are meant to remain a mystery."

The next recipient may well have been a knight under the late queen's guard. At least he called himself a knight, and acted like one. Sisturnia smirked before speaking to him.
"For the queen, for the land, for the mountains, for the green valleys where dragons fly... For the glory, the power to avenge Mornain the dark lord, you have searched for the Poisoned Sword, Durandal. Long ago when I was a child, I considered that legend a mere myth. But now, I know one thing for sure: that myth and reality blend together to create existence. Though there is talk about a veil between the worlds, I consider it a hypothetical veil if anything. Now, I do appreciate your attitude of respect, but I wear this tiara not because I consider myself a queen, but for more..." and here she took a longing glance at the picture of Satani, "sentimental reasons."

Recipient #6 caused Sisturnia's eyes to grow wide. The half-scorpion entering the place could feel the tinge of fear running down her spine. She was speechless for a moment as he took a look around, but when he mentioned the joke about villages and babies, she managed a laugh.
"An Aqrabuamelu. I've heard tales about your kin, yet you are the first one I meet face-to-face. For a second you reminded me of Mornain for some reason..." and here her eyes trailed off in another direction. "It's just... something about you... it's probably the aura you give off..." She averted her gaze away from him, cradling her abdomen with one arm as if she was feeling some pain there. "No matter though." She returned her gaze to Gemini, taking a sudden interest in his two tails. "Please, make yourself comfortable," she concluded with a meek smile.

After Gemini, Sisturnia made extra effort to be kind to whoever the next guest was. Needless to say, she seemed more than pleased when #7 entered.
"A succubus!" she proclaimed. "Well this is a relief. The Sakh have been recruiting many succubi and incubi lately, finding their powers of temptation rather useful. Yet despite your lustful ways, I see something much deeper in your heart... What's peculiar is that it's a sense of darkness. It's a quality that can lure men to you on their own free will, even. I can definitely see a partnership in your future... yet who knows? The future is never certain, and it is unwise to immerse oneself in it."

8 and 9 are a rather nice pair of numbers, don't you think? They better be, for a duo of recipients--a rather unlikely duo at that--arrived next. A naga and an angel, specifically.
"While I do hold a prominent position in the wizard council of Avalon," Sisturnia mentioned with a chuckle, "I respect even those who seem ungrateful and uncaring and all sorts of unpleasant terms. I see that you two have been friends for quite a while, eh? We wizards believe that duality is one of the most important concepts in all of existence. The dynamics between two hold a power that one alone cannot even comprehend. And it is a power that romance does not have to be a part of. And yes, Merci, all this is my treat to all of you. Except that's not an orange--it's a tangerine. A large one at that."

The tenth recipient was a sight to behold. Tall and thin with a characteristic dignified yet vicious air about her, she could only be one thing:
"A Yokai." Sisturnia's eyes lit up with a sudden interest. "I was hoping Ezra would find one. Are you by any chance from the clan who used to inhabit the Coronary Mountains, which are currently the Black Mountains where the Sakh now hold their base? If and when we are to venture to that base, you would certainly be a promising navigator for the journey. And fortunately for you, both the Sakh and Budgeter Ben's army are more male victims for you to ensnare."

Okay, scratch the above. The eleventh recipient was a sight to behold. A big one at that. It was a talking elephant, a very rare sight indeed. Elephants in general were rare to see in Crownen. One that could talk was... legendary.
"Interesting," Sisturnia responded to Bronson's rather grouchy remark. "I do believe you are one of a kind. While that is truly unsettling at times, if you look deep within your heart, you'll find that it's much more of a blessing. I do have to wonder how you came to be this way. Perhaps, if you don't mind, you would like to..." At that point she noticed Bronson downing a large amount of food from the tables. "Haha, to tell you the truth, I wasn't really expecting an elephant in here. Just make sure you save some for everyone else."

The last recipient, at least so far, was a harpy. Though harpies were not known at all for their courtesy, this one greeted Sisturnia in a very friendly manner.
"Ah, it is no wonder that you and your brothers are often mistaken for angels. For you, that mistake lies not only in appearance, but in demeanour as well. I personally have had a hard time calling the males of your race 'harpies'--it seems like an almost vulgar term, doesn't it? Who knows, if you become famous enough in the conquest of the evil spreading across Crownen, they just might come in time to be known as Opals."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After this fairly large group entered the lobby (Sisturnia suspected that there might be a couple still on their way here), Sisturnia took one more look around at the group, pleased with the variety of faces and places they were from. She called Ezra over with a snap of the fingers--the raven came to her right on cue, perching herself on the wizard's shoulder. Once more Sisturnia tapped her staff on the ground. But the sound of the oaken shaft tapping against the also oaken floor reverberated in such a way that it commanded the attention of everyone present.

"Welcome, everyone, to Avalon," she announced. "So currently there are twelve of you here. I do remember sending out twenty-seven letters. That means that the other recipients have either not arrived yet or are simply not interested in this quest. I do realise that letters can be untrustworthy sometimes, but I am not at all skilled in telepathic contact, which is the method I would have preferred. Yet we do what we must."
She pivoted the staff around in a small circle, a sign that she was contemplating.

"My letters pretty much explain why you are here. These are dark times, as some of you are very aware, and as yet some of you may not be aware at all. The combined force of a radical race seeking domination and a king's army seeking control of the people... I cannot possibly stand idly here in this safe refuge without doing something about it." It may have been an illusion, but the house seemed to shake a tiny bit at that moment. "As for you all... Ezra here is blind. Her eyes cannot see. So instead of looking at one's appearance or hierarchial standing, she looks right into your heart, your true nature. She sees only the potential all of you have." The raven on her shoulder gave a squawk of affection.

"Now, as I said before," Sisturnia continued, "some of you may not be aware of the full extent of the tragedy that has befallen our beloved land. Therefore, we are in need of a familiar wizard's passion, storytelling."

Sisturnia smiled at the last word. She turned everyone's attention to a small table near the back of the room, one that didn't seem to be there before. Atop it was a large crystal ball, four short candles surrounding its base. With a small wave of Sisturnia's staff, flames sparked into life on these candles. But within moments, something began to materialise inside the crystal ball. It was a series of images, used to illustrate the story Sisturnia was telling.

It was the story of the Sword of Destiny. It started with its creation, in the priests' gathering at Avalon hundreds of years ago. Sisturnia illustrated how Crownen was created from that sword, both with her words and with the pictures in the crystal ball. She told about Maia and Katami, and how they found and both desired this sword, yet needed the help of mortals to wield it.

Sisturnia smiled at the mention of the former queen. "One thing some of you may not know about Satani was that she was also a wizard--in fact, she and I were once good friends. But she was a peculiar one--she came from a place we wizards know as the 'Magic Lands'--it was from there that wizards and dragon lords and many other users of the most potent magic came to Crownen. It is true that many a being in the past has appeared here from the Magic Lands for a time, but Satani was the first in a long time who stayed, with no intention of returning. For the longest time she was an outcast to the rest of Crownen, a strange wizard who spoke in a foreign tongue and had a scathing air about her. It was by a stroke of luck that she became queen, after a mischievous group of Pipsians kidnapped and killed the prince of that time."

She took a deep breath and a little shudder before describing Mornain, yet still managed to do so in her calm-as-usual tone of voice. Mornain was a towering figure with sharp black horns on his head, bright green eyes matching Katami's in hue, hair in a spiked mohawk, and a long shiny black coat through which dragon wings protruded. He stood as an image in the ball with his left hand up, the middle finger abnormally long. Many people called this the "Forbidding Finger", a trait that was very abnormal even amongst the Sakh.

The story continued, moving along with the epic race between Satani and Mornain, under guidance of the two opposing goddesses. The crystal ball illustrated the scene with the two reaching the temple (the "Temple of the Golden Sun", as Sisturnia described it) at the same time, yet Sisturnia had the pleasure of quoting Satani's famous last words. After the scene where Mornain murdered Satani with the Sword of Destiny, the crystal ball went blank, and all went silent.

"So those are the facts, at least as far as I know them," Sisturnia concluded. "Now King Ben has the throne, and he completely reconstructed the kingdom. He expanded the army, declared loads of new ordinances, and most importantly, allied with the Sakh. I know not who influenced who, but this has trumped all rebellions against this combined force thus far. That is why I have called out for help, in this place that remains untouched from the evil hands of Mornain and the King."

"So what are all of your opinions on the matter?" Sisturnia asked the group. "Right now I would like all of you to introduce yourselves to the group if you have not done so already, as well as present any opinions and thoughts you have about these events I have described. With all of your ideas, we can work together to formulate a plan that Mornain will not expect to see coming. For you see, I have a feeling... that someone who leads and strategises through power and control will not expect such a marvelous group, of varied races and backgrounds, to work together on such an issue. I think that is what Maia would have wanted."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
OOC: I'm sorry, I just couldn't help quoting Rhapsody of Fire lyrics. \m/ n_n \m/

So yeah, your next post will be basically what Sisturnia describes in this last paragraph. Of course, I'll allow freedom in this. You may choose to, for example, be stubborn and not answer anything, though I can guaratee you'll be getting a short lecture from Sisturnia should you do so. ^_^' Feel free to interact with the other characters at this time as well. I'll try to post more often from now on... especially now that I'm back from vacation.
 

Avenger Angel

Warrior of Heaven
Kaxo "Skylily" Dyrakas the Lilyara
Temple of the Silver Moon, Avalon


Sisturnia definitely did show a heck of a lot of hospitality. Seeing I was the first one coming in, she seemed delighted I had arrived.

"A pleasure to meet you too," she replied to me. "By the way, do not be ashamed of the wonder that is music. Even though your willingness to participate--not to mention skill in wizardry--sets you apart from the other Lilyaras, do not forget where your roots are."

Well, that was debatable, but eh, I figured I'd fly with it. In the marathon that was music and singing, I was definitely behind most other Lilyaras, but if I tried... if I really wanted to, catching up wouldn't be a problem. To me, magic and self-preservation were way more important than that sweet-sounding fluffy stuff. Still, I figured Sisturnia could agree with me that other Lilyaras really needed to wake up and learn how to bash some heads in. Expecting elves and fairies to do that for us... come on. That was just inane.

"Ah, and speaking of roots..." She told me, looking toward one of the tables, pointing toward a green bottle, "that concoction over there, the one in the green bottle with the flower-shaped stopper... 'tis a delicacy among some faeries, so I hear, though it is merely water with but the slightest infusion of... oh, what was that herb's name again... But I hear the elves often use it to water their magical flowers. Anyway..." she continued, facing me again. "since you are the first one here, now we shall wait to see if anyone else has accepted my offer."

Figured it couldn't hurt. I decided to give it a shot, but shortly after getting the bottle off the table, the second arrival had come. Definitely wasn't anything like I had seen before. It was a creature... or a being made of pure crystal. Definitely a mind job, that's for sure. And shortly following the crystal elemental, there were many others. A human came third, and I knew I had seen a share of them before. The fourth arrival, a dragoon, was something new to me. I had heard about them before from Aradesh, but never actually saw one in action.

My magical senses told me the next guy was a werewolf, but of a more unusual kind. Again, not anyone I had seen before. Following him, the half-scorpion, the name of which escaped me until Sisturnia let me know what those things were called. Aqrabuamerlu. Yeah, I figured I'd stick with calling him by his name Gemini and not try to learn how to pronounce his name. With a singing voice no less...

The next contender was a succubus, a race I had only encountered once or twice before, and definitely not one that a whole lot of a Lilyaras ran into. Definitely not a girl to be messed around with, that's for sure. Following her, there was a naga, a half-snake race that Aradesh had only told me about. It was freaking weird to see the race in action. Like reading a story coming to life. The angel seemed very close to a human, just a heck of a lot more majestic with the regal wings and seemingly divine aura about her.

Next guy up, the Yokai, was not a familiar sight. Yeah, not at all, but I figured we could shake hands and meet up, probably for the first time these races of ours met up.

But the next one really made it clear what we were dealing with. A freaking... talking elephant. When I saw that, I knew the situation had become serious, and that if King Ben and Mornain could piss off an elephant into talking and wanting to join a rag-tag alliance such as this, sweet mother of mercy, it was clear they had really gone too far. Following the elephant, the harpy was not that wild of a sight, but I knew he was not a common creature for a Lilyara to be looking at.

After we had assembled, Sisturnia looked upon us, and called the raven down to her.

"Welcome, everyone, to Avalon," she began. "So currently there are twelve of you here. I do remember sending out twenty-seven letters. That means that the other recipients have either not arrived yet or are simply not interested in this quest. I do realize that letters can be untrustworthy sometimes, but I am not at all skilled in telepathic contact, which is the method I would have preferred. Yet we do what we must."

Heck, I had to give the bird credit for being able to handle all that mail in the first place. Still, even though this was less than half of what was expected to show up, I had a feeling we could still work this out. As I pulled off the stopper on this green bottle and took a sip, I was pretty surprised at the taste of this stuff. Still, I made sure I paid attention to all this.

"My letters pretty much explain why you are here," she continued. "These are dark times, as some of you are very aware, and as yet some of you may not be aware at all. The combined force of a radical race seeking domination and a king's army seeking control of the people... I cannot possibly stand idly here in this safe refuge without doing something about it. As for you all... Ezra here is blind. Her eyes cannot see. So instead of looking at one's appearance or hierarchical standing, she looks right into your heart, your true nature. She sees only the potential all of you have."

Ha ha, man, I sure wondered what she thought of me. I was a rebel without a cause and a direction before coming here.

Sisturnia then told the story about the Sword of Destiny. The whole creation of it, the creation of Crownen, and Satani. Then she started talking about Mornain, that freak with the horns on his head, the horrible taste in hairstyle, and a huge middle finger, as if his hand had been specifically designed for naturally flipping the birdie in people's faces in such massive proportions. Among the Sakh, even he was a freak. I figured I'd do the world a favor, rip that long, nasty finger off and shove it up his nose, and then force him to fall down on it. And then she talked about King Ben, the reason why other Lilyaras were getting bored with life. While restoring Lillyara traditions was extremely low on my list of priorities, the maggot definitely needed to be thrown out a window and into a flaming cesspool for plenty of other reasons.

"So what are your opinions on the matter?" Sisturnia asked us. "Right now I would like all of you to introduce yourselves to the group if you have not done so already, as well as present any opinions and thoughts you have about these events I have described. With all of your ideas, we can work together to formulate a plan that Mornain will not expect to see coming. For you see, I have a feeling... that someone who leads and strategizes through power and control will not expect such a marvelous group, of varied races and backgrounds, to work together on such an issue. I think that is what Maia would have wanted."

Yeah, couldn't wait to see what these other people thought of me as an ally. Well, I figured if I wanted to kill any strange notions people had, now was the time to do it.

"Yeah, figured we might as well get started," I began, stepping forward casually. "Name's Kaxo. Kaxo Dyrakas."

Yeah, none of these people needed to know I had actually started with the name "Skylily." Sure wouldn't make the mistake of spitting that name out. In the meantime, trying to say all this and not make it naturally sound like I was signing it with my melodic voice was tough, and I figured somewhere along the line, it sounded like I was giving up.

"Can't say I've seen people like you guys before, but I figured the same works the other way around," I told the rest of the peeps here. "If you're wondering who I am because you've never seen anything like me before, they call my kind 'Lilyaras,' known mostly for singing, dancing, art, music, and... that other stuff. I'm not like that, though, or at least I definitely don't take an ounce of that seriously. I got exiled for going against peace-keeping norms and customs, got trained in magic, and went on my own path. While these days, King Ben's regulations have been hell on my race, and though most of us are now depressed our kind can't sing or dance anymore, I've been more or less waiting for an opportunity like this, but I knew I couldn't do it alone. Everything about me has become forbidden in the last few years, and I figured it's only a matter of time before we all start getting marked for death."

Yep... even that elephant.

"King Ben and Mornain don't expect an alliance among races like us," I told the rest of the group, figuring that much. "They're probably stupid enough to think our differences will keep us apart along enough for them and those Sakh pricks to pluck us out race after race. Frankly, I don't feel like giving them that satisfaction," I told the others as I crossed my arms. "All I'm saying is, if we want to really do this, we need to break the rules and show everyone else how and why that needs to be done. It doesn't take a genius to realize and catch up on the pattern that if this kind of crap continues, the whole world's just going to be a labor camp where clowns like Ben, Mornain, and other such inverted maggots become deities and the rest of us are left to pick up their crap because they've gotten too damn lazy and proud to do it themselves. Other people need to wake up and see these fascist psychopaths are just backwards idiots with arrogance who believe they're self-entitled to everything. And the way we do that is by destroying their perceived credibility, their leadership, and by renewing confidence in everyone else. In a nutshell...

...people shouldn't be afraid of their king. A king should be afraid of his people. Ben doesn't know jack about being king, and Mornain is an arrogant schmuck with his head so far up his anus that he knows what he had for dinner three weeks ago and everything in between just from the smell of it. Everyone else needs to be aware of how little these insects actually are in the whole scheme of things, and realize that Ben and Mornain have no real power if no one hears and obeys. It's only after you've lost everything that you're free to do anything, and I'm sure most of us have lost pretty much that. I'm sure I don't stand alone when I speak about how much power someone can have when they fight like they've got nothing to lose. What we do now... is find the best ways for them to start losing control. Over everything. The people, their followers, even their own power. The minute they start losing control, they start losing."

When I was all done, I was sure pretty sure no one expected to hear all that come out of me, but I figured if people wanted a real introduction to the kind of Lilyara I was, there they go. And I could do this kind of thing all day if they wanted...
 

AzerWrath

「深弾幕結界 -夢幻泡影-」
Alurmi The Primordial Essence
Temple Of The Silver Moon, Avalon
-

As the second one to arrive, Sisturnia had greeted me with respect. Much, much more then what she would give to an ordinary arrival. But it was too much, I never deserved this kind of respect. I did nothing to get it...

Along with great hospitality, this was actually enjoyable~

Hmm, I recognise you, somehow..." Sisturnia had said, all the while studying my crystalline features with curiosity. "I could swear that once while I was gathering supplies for a ritual, I sensed an ancient presence, one that held the very wisdom of the ages. You give off that very same presence. A crystal Elemental, eh? Incidentally, I hear Mornain had quite a skill with turning things to diamond, if that is in fact true. You know, I've pondered lately, wondering if only the ancient forces of nature can win back the Sword of Destiny. Your arrival makes that proposition more promising than ever. I know you have never done something like this before, but perhaps you can consider that there are others in your very situation."

-
-
-

With a slight chuckle, I bow yet again at her compliment. Specifically the one about having much wisdom.

"Yes, I lived in Avalon. Ventured here years ago..." With a sigh, Alurmi turned away for a brief moment, remembering the blind bird that had arrived to her residence. The bird had given her the letter last, even though she was the closest. Surpressing the need to ask for later, Alurmi continued.

"I doubt there are... Others, in my situation, if you mean by my race." Alurmi gracefully pulled her hand up into the air, waving it around gently as the air around her hand began to form tiny, visible crystals.

"I... I am the only, intelligent Elemental in these lands. Or the lands which I have ventured in, which would be most of this continent which I have grow to love so dear." Alurmi sighed again, that constant sighing starting to make her look like a melancholic girl.

Soon after, she had noticed the rest of the arrivals.

After her, was a human. A human with a pet bird. Nothing of interest to her, but she could feel. Feel something inside of him that was... Out of place. Either that, or his power was like hers. Special. Unique.

Next, was a dragoon. Alurmi had encountered one in her travels. An old and wise man, fully clad in that light blue armor, with his long, runic spear gripped by his clawed hand. That Dragoon was truely an ancient. She thought that maybe, just maybe, this youngster would grow up to be just as powerful and wise as the old one was. Something probed her mind. That spear... Just maybe... It was in the Sentinel Mountains, where she once resided. She had conversed with the old man for some time, learning his knowledge of the lands. How Dragoons are. And that spear...

After shaking that thought from her head, Alurmi turned to notice a werewolf, followed shortly after by a half-scorpion. The werewolf too, was unique, different then the ordinary. And the Half-scorpion. Alurmi had never heard of such creatures, and for them to appear now, only ignited her curiosity. Just how much had she traveled across Crownen? It certainly wasn't all of it, if she were to miss this race... This mysterious, unseen race...


A succubus walked into the Temple. A demon, of everything. One which close links to that darkness inside of herself. Alurmi shivered at the thought. The thought of that black, despairish darkness within herself... But it would'nt hurt to meet a demon, right?

Naga. And an Angel, almost walking hand-in-hand together, came into the Temple. Naga, ahh yes, those humanoid snakes. She had met a couple, although vicious, they were powerful and special specimens of their kind, each and everyone different colours, body structures and abilities. It appeared that The Naga were a widespread race. An Angel... An Angel... It reminded her of Light. Light... And what could Light do? Light would brighten the world, enlighten everything. Illuminate within the darkness.

She had never seen an Angel before. Never in her entire life. But now, knowing that they exist... Knowing that they could help... Such a stunning revelation.

The last recipient of the letters who catched her eye fairly well was... A Youkai. Alurmi was stunned, one of them would appear in front of her eyes, resembling much like that one... She was friends with... C-Could it be?! Alurmi materialized a medium sized fan in her hands, one with weird symbols and a swirl when opened. Pink and black, they were, and butterflies were engraved on the wood.

After the Talking Elephant and the others, there was nothing else that Alurmi took notice to.
-
-
-

After we had assembled, Sisturnia looked upon us, and called the raven down to her.

"Welcome, everyone, to Avalon," she began. "So currently there are twelve of you here. I do remember sending out twenty-seven letters. That means that the other recipients have either not arrived yet or are simply not interested in this quest. I do realize that letters can be untrustworthy sometimes, but I am not at all skilled in telepathic contact, which is the method I would have preferred. Yet we do what we must."

"My letters pretty much explain why you are here," she continued. "These are dark times, as some of you are very aware, and as yet some of you may not be aware at all. The combined force of a radical race seeking domination and a king's army seeking control of the people... I cannot possibly stand idly here in this safe refuge without doing something about it. As for you all... Ezra here is blind. Her eyes cannot see. So instead of looking at one's appearance or hierarchical standing, she looks right into your heart, your true nature. She sees only the potential all of you have."

Sisturnia then told the story about the Sword of Destiny. The whole creation of it, the creation of Crownen, and Satani. Then she started talking about Mornain. And then she talked about King Ben. All of these matters never really concerned me much at all. I have nothing to comment on them. But for the sake of maintaining peace. I must give it up.

"So what are your opinions on the matter?" Sisturnia asked us. "Right now I would like all of you to introduce yourselves to the group if you have not done so already, as well as present any opinions and thoughts you have about these events I have described. With all of your ideas, we can work together to formulate a plan that Mornain will not expect to see coming. For you see, I have a feeling... that someone who leads and strategizes through power and control will not expect such a marvelous group, of varied races and backgrounds, to work together on such an issue. I think that is what Maia would have wanted."

-
-
-

After the Plant-Being, or Lilyara, was done with his speach, Alurmi stepped forward, pushing back her long, red hair a little. The fan she had summoned could be seen, and she was hoping for that Youkai to notice it. I mean, she had gotten it fro-

Alurmi flinched for a moment, before regaining her posture.

"My name is Alurmi." A blunt statement. There was silence before she continued on.

"Most of you may know, or think that I am an Elemental. But know that I am not any Elemental. I am a Primordial Essence." Alurmi shifted uncomfortably, sighing to herself. "Not to sound arrogant or anything, but I just had to clarify it with all of you. Primordial Essences are Elemental Beings who have affinities to the more... Natural side of things. like Sound, Time, or Space." Alurmi gave out another sigh.

"I've been here for a long time. A very, very long time. Not long enough to watch the Creation of Crownen, but long enough to see the evolution of the races. I've met many of your races, but there are a few which I have never seen or heard of before." She glanced to the Half-Scorpion. "And there are some, who I have close connections with." She looked at the Youkai, who seemed... To have a memory... Of something...

"And finally, there are some, who I know, who were thought to be as Legends to your people. But I know very well, that they are true." This statement was directed at the Draqoon. At her and her innocent self. Alurmi just hoped, for some reason, that she would grow up to be a Legend just like the Old one.

Without anything else to say, she stepped back.
 

DVB

Philosopher Knight
Diego Vendrix the Blue Moon Werewolf
Temple of The Silver Moon, Avalon


Diego was the fifth one, having waited for the response of the who summoned him before he went.Sisturnia smirked before speaking to him.

"For the queen, for the land, for the mountains, for the green valleys where dragons fly... For the glory, the power to avenge Mornain the dark lord, you have searched for the Poisoned Sword, Durandal. Long ago when I was a child, I considered that legend a mere myth. But now, I know one thing for sure: that myth and reality blend together to create existence. Though there is talk about a veil between the worlds, I consider it a hypothetical veil if anything. Now, I do appreciate your attitude of respect, but I wear this tiara not because I consider myself a queen, but for more..." and here she took a longing glance at the picture of Satani, "sentimental reasons."

Diego caught this and smiled nostalgically. "I understand. However, since you are the one I will work under, I thought it would be appropiate," Diego said with a soft smile. He then looked back at Durandal. "I retrieved Durandal because it was my master's wish for it to be purified. It was because of my... curse. In fact, when I successfully retrieved it seems it was waiting for someone like me..." he said in a mystical tone as he looked at the tainted blade.

Diego bowed once more before he smiled at her. He decided to watch who else was coming into here.

First, there was the Half-scorpion. Diego had heard about these guys, but not since he was a little boy. However, he looked like a nice guy. He had to be if he was seected here.

Next was the succubus. Diego gulped as he saw her. Now, part of his training was to deal with psychological attacks of lust so he was in the care of some incubui and succubui. It was an extremely embrassing ordeal and was joked he had a permanent blush for the month he was there. It worked however, so he was immune to seducing. This succubus was different though. There was something more to her...

Next was a Naga and an Angel, almost walking hand-in-hand together, came into the Temple. He had met one of those humanoid snakes. He was once a Knight of some sort. However, he was a mute and didn't talk much. It was interesting to see another Naga. An Angel... An Angel... He gripped the posioned sword tightly. He wondered how an Angel felt about this and if she could help on his quest. He had once seen one, supposably at a very young age. He smiled knowing there were still angels in this world


Diego looked at the Youkai. Now this he had heard from a warrior who spoke little, but he did tell Diego about the Youkai. He said some positive and negative things about it, but one here. He wasn't sure how to react, though he did find her exotic in her ware. Lastly was a Talking Elephant. He had only seen one of the creatures in books. To actually see one and one that can talk. He described it as amazing and... awesome? What did that word mean? Oh well.

After everyone had assembled, Sisturnia looked upon at everyone and called the raven down to her.

"Welcome, everyone, to Avalon," she began. "So currently there are twelve of you here. I do remember sending out twenty-seven letters. That means that the other recipients have either not arrived yet or are simply not interested in this quest. I do realize that letters can be untrustworthy sometimes, but I am not at all skilled in telepathic contact, which is the method I would have preferred. Yet we do what we must."

"My letters pretty much explain why you are here," she continued. "These are dark times, as some of you are very aware, and as yet some of you may not be aware at all. The combined force of a radical race seeking domination and a king's army seeking control of the people... I cannot possibly stand idly here in this safe refuge without doing something about it. As for you all... Ezra here is blind. Her eyes cannot see. So instead of looking at one's appearance or hierarchical standing, she looks right into your heart, your true nature. She sees only the potential all of you have."

Sisturnia then told the story about the Sword of Destiny. The whole creation of it, the creation of Crownen, and Satani. Then she started talking about Mornain. And then she talked about King Ben. All of these matters never really concerned me much at all. Diego simply stood quiet as he observed everything. However, his eyes were filled with fire.

"So what are your opinions on the matter?" Sisturnia asked us. "Right now I would like all of you to introduce yourselves to the group if you have not done so already, as well as present any opinions and thoughts you have about these events I have described. With all of your ideas, we can work together to formulate a plan that Mornain will not expect to see coming. For you see, I have a feeling... that someone who leads and strategizes through power and control will not expect such a marvelous group, of varied races and backgrounds, to work together on such an issue. I think that is what Maia would have wanted."


After the Lilyara and the Elemental lady finished with their introductions, Diego decided to formally introduce himself to everyone.

"My name is Diego, Diego Vendrix. Some of you may have noticed that I am a Werewolf, but not a normal one. I am a rare kind of Werewolf. I am what few call an Evolved Werewolf. We are born when we are a bitten by a certain type of werewolf during a special moon. I am a Blue Moon Werewolf. I was bitten by another Blue-Moon Werewolf during a blue moon.

I seen some your people before while others it is an honor to see for the first time. We have a long road ahead of us and I hope we will all become close friends. And I end by introducing this. This is the Legendary Tainted Sword, Durandal," Diego concluded by showing the sword to everyone.

"Most if not all of us have suffered under this domain. This world could fall into the hands of the Dark One. However, we can't let this happen. We cannot and will not let Ben nor Mornain keep this up. Not just for us, but for everyone," Diego said. He went sat and near the succubus. "Um... hey," Diego said slightly shyly as he rubbed his head in embrassment.
 

Grassmaster411

Dont, move, a muscle
Bronson
Bronson's incredible hearing let him hear Sisturna even while eating on the other side of the room. "Interesting," Sisturnia responded to Bronson's rather grouchy remark. "I do believe you are one of a kind. While that is truly unsettling at times, if you look deep within your heart, you'll find that it's much more of a blessing. I do have to wonder how you came to be this way. Perhaps, if you don't mind, you would like to..." At that point she noticed Bronson downing a large amount of food from the tables. "Haha, to tell you the truth, I wasn't really expecting an elephant in here. Just make sure you save some for everyone else."

"Of course." he replied, somewhat reluctantly. "How can she expect the others to even make a dent in this bounty of food." he thought. "A single mouthfull would give any one of these races a full course meal." Save maybe the Naga, he had seen some big appetites from some of them.

Soon after he entered, a male Harpy arrived. Not extremely rare for a migrater like himself, but Bronson rarely traveled through mountainous areas, so it was an interesting sight.

"Welcome, everyone, to Avalon," Sisturna announced. "So currently there are twelve of you here. I do remember sending out twenty-seven letters. That means that the other recipients have either not arrived yet or are simply not interested in this quest. I do realise that letters can be untrustworthy sometimes, but I am not at all skilled in telepathic contact, which is the method I would have preferred. Yet we do what we must."
She pivoted the staff around in a small circle."My letters pretty much explain why you are here. These are dark times, as some of you are very aware, and as yet some of you may not be aware at all. The combined force of a radical race seeking domination and a king's army seeking control of the people... I cannot possibly stand idly here in this safe refuge without doing something about it." It may have been an illusion, but the house seemed to shake a tiny bit at that moment. "As for you all... Ezra here is blind. Her eyes cannot see. So instead of looking at one's appearance or hierarchial standing, she looks right into your heart, your true nature. She sees only the potential all of you have." The raven on her shoulder gave a squawk of affection.

Bronson was intrigued by the ravens blindness. Did she see Bronsons true nature, or the warped nature of an elephant with speaking and personality traits from some long dead human. Did she see him for what he is, or what he has become? He made sure to ask Sisturna about that later.

"Now, as I said before," Sisturnia continued, "some of you may not be aware of the full extent of the tragedy that has befallen our beloved land. Therefore, we are in need of a familiar wizard's passion, storytelling."

A table seeminly appeared out of nowhere, but Bronson eyesight wasn't very good at night, so he couldnt be sure. Sisturna then gave a remarkable tale about the creation of Crownen, the race to the Sword of Destiny, Santani's murder, Morain and his army of Sakh, and King Ben and his alliance with the sakh. Bronson heard this story for the first time, and was marveled, disgusted, and several other feelings throughtout it. Having fought groups of sakh and soilders of King Bens army before, but never had he imagined that it went this deep. He then commited himslef to stop this madness, but his involvement with this group was still on the fence.

"So what are all of your opinions on the matter?" Sisturnia asked the group. "Right now I would like all of you to introduce yourselves to the group if you have not done so already, as well as present any opinions and thoughts you have about these events I have described. With all of your ideas, we can work together to formulate a plan that Mornain will not expect to see coming. For you see, I have a feeling... that someone who leads and strategises through power and control will not expect such a marvelous group, of varied races and backgrounds, to work together on such an issue. I think that is what Maia would have wanted."

The Lilyarain went first, and was a complete opposite of what he had met in other Lilyarains. His speech was greatly inspiring, fairly amusing at some points, but unfotuantly, contained no plan as to what to do about the problem. The elemental, who he was glad to finally learn the species of, but also, no plan to stop these dictators. The werewolf, a unique kind as well, was also a good ally, again, no outspoken plan. "Time to speak up." he thought.

"My name is Bronson. Yes, I am one of the few remaining elephants in Crownen. My herd was wiped out several years ago. I have my, unique abilities due to a witch that found me, and to punish her kiddnapped Prince, performed a curse which switched my communicating abilities with his. She then killed him. Years later, when I went into musthe for the first time, I killed her. Musthe is a state in which male elephants enter a frame of mind in which they are extremly agressive and will kill on sight. I killed her using an earth controling magic that was transfered from the Prince into myself. The witch never knew what hit her.I have spent years searching for my own kind after that, only to find out that the witch's spell took away my ability to speak with my own people." Bronson paused for a moment, slightly overcome by his own grief.

"But enough about myself, that is not why we are here. Obviously, we must stop King Ben and the sakh. I may just have an idea. I have little experiance with war tactics, but I have encountered evil before. The two are very evil, and with that comes suspicousness. I suggest we infiltrate there respective armies and spread disinformation that each dictator is going to betray the other. This should get them going against each other, hopefully to the point of internal war. When they become weakend, or better yet, when only one remains, we strick."
 

Niihyl

Posthuman
I lol'd so. Amazingly. Hard. At Mornain flipping everyone off.

Gemini

When he entered, Sisturnia's eyes grew wide. There was fear there. But, finally she managed a laugh.

"An Aqrabuamelu. I've heard tales about your kin, yet you are the first one I meet face-to-face. For a second you reminded me of Mornain for some reason..." and here her eyes trailed off in another direction. "It's just... something about you... it's probably the aura you give off..." She averted her gaze. "No matter though, please make yourself comfortable," she concluded with a meek smile.

Tales. Stories of his kin were horror stories. They had been secluded, so the most common stories were after that bard. And even before, the stories highlighted the scarier aspects of them.

Sisturnia spoke to every member, but the comment about duality was surprising. Wizards also held the concept of duality high. Perhaps this meant an original religion based upon magic? For many religions had their root in magic, and vice versa.

She explained the details, which had mostly been known from the beginning. Known didn't make it feel any better. Things were grim. Very grim. Then she asked them to introduce themselves, as well as their opinions on the matter.

The Lilyara, whom apparently wasn't a flowers and honey fellow, went into a mildly long tirade. About race, politics, and etc. Well, at least there may be some intelligent conversation.

The elemental, perhaps the most curious of the beings here, spoke swiftly and simply. It held a human shape. But lo, even the ancients knew not of the Aqrabuamelu. Likely, the being wouldn't have had a superstitious mother trying to spook her into submission.

The werewolf was unique, hm? An alternate moon. Interesting. *He seemed tough, yet true. Not likely to be too antagonistic. After he spoke, he went over to the Succubus, rather shyly introducing himself. Gemini hid a grin. Male mammals...

The ah... Elephant spoke next. Killed someone, hm? And unable to speak to his fellow elephants. People must be a poor alternative to elephants. ... Hmm... The elephant was the first to propose a plan. To divide Mornain and Ben. Excellent, of course.

Apparently, Gemini'd speak now. he smiled softly, and spoke,

"I'm Gemini, of the Aqrabuamelu. Perhaps some of you have heard of my people. And so... We no longer exist. I'm one of the last remaining. We were a peaceful people, but, ah, we got wiped out. People assumed we were monsters, see. I was 16 then. They killed most of us, and the rest ran.

I was young, I was stupid, and I did all the standard swearing revenge for the deaths of my family bit. Sisturnia... You can sense the results of that. I traded my elemental magic for necromancy... And it's all I have left now. I can kill, decay, but I can't build anything. Have you heard of the Desert Plague? The village that's still infected... Where anyone who goes near swells up and explodes from virulent disease... That was my doing. Of course, I've worked to try and do good with what most see as inherently evil Magic... Kind of like me I guess." For the first time, a touch of bitterness entered his tone. Gemini sighed, smiled again and continued.

"No need to worry though. I got through the evil thoughts-blocking barrier. That in itself more or less proves I'm stable. I have no malice in me. Not anymore. An 80 year exodus in the desert'll do that to you. Yep. You heard me. I look young, but I'm 97 years old.

And Mornain and Ben... Dividing them would be good, yes, but Mornain is the more dangerous. I suspect that he has more influence over Ben than we imagine. It's hard to believe a powerful king who didn't believe in the Star Knights would simply be 'enlightened' by Mornain. Ben is human. Mornain is Sakh, and backed by the Dark Lady as well.

Well, they're enemies to respect. To hate, perhaps, but to respect. Together, they control most of everything. Not only that, but the fact that crime rates are lowered, and we live under a facade of peace has many supporting them. We'll be dealing with civilian supporters as well as soldiers. And also, the reason people obey is fear, that the soldiers, the Sakh will come kill them all if they resist. We can't just decide to go and overthrow all of it and incite massive rebellions unless we really want thousands to die. Farmers can't beat trained soldiers.

We attack their pride. Mornain thinks he's a god. Ben's just another self-centered ruler. We deface statues, burn propaganda, and openly flaunt the laws. We instill some measure of hope in people, that someone out there is resisting. And we spread rumors, that the Star Knights have returned, bolstered with new recruits, come to slay the wicked rulers.

With that, hopefully it'll cause chaos. Ben and Mornain'll have to send armies to crush us, maybe they'll even ride out to finish us themselves. Arrogance could help us. If not, troops moving around will mean the strongholds are less staffed.

Many of the 36 Stratagems, have any of you read the texts? 'Hide a knife beneath a smile'. A few of us can claim to be mercenaries, to capture the rogue Knights. After all, like Sisturnia said, it's unlikely that they would suspect a motley group of races to be allied. As supposed allies of the king, we would be less suspicious.

'Besiege Wei to rescue Zhao'. We take down Ben first. He's the weaker link, and without his control of the land, the Sakh are weakened.

There are lots of things we could do. Choosing what we should do... That's much harder."

Gemini relaxed, taking another sip of wine. He fingered the bottles at his hip. A few other herbs and magical ingredients, which Sisturnia could probably provide, would let him create a deadly pestilence. It would solve their problems, poured into the castle town's water supply. Of course, everyone miles around would die as well...

Is it evil? Prolonging the conflict could cause just as many casualties. Is it okay if the enemy kills thousands while we fight them, but not okay if we kill hundreds and finish it? Hmm... Gemini mused silently.
 
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TheSequelReturns

Faithful Crusader
~ Silva Hettan, Merci Celestia, & Tomoyo Hazuki ~
- Temple of the Silver Moon - Avalon -


"A Tangerine?" Merci asked. "Is that some special kind of orange? I've never heard of a Tangerine before, but it looks like an orange. But if it's not an orange... then will it still taste orangey? I'm a little confused, but I'm gonna try it anyway!"

Merci curtsied again to Sisturnia, thanking her for the hospitality, before snatching the orange-looking-but-not-an-orange fruit from the table and slowly started an attempt to peel it. But the fruit's tough skin was proving difficult for her delicate fingers, so she simply sat there, gently scratching away at the thick peel with a look of determination and focus etched on her angelic face.

At least, until the next guest entered the room. He was a large one, an elephant actually. Merci gaped in wonder at the large animal, wondering just how an elephant had managed to read the letter and come all the way here. And then, it talked. And Merci nearly spazzed out for amazement.

"Ohmaigosh!" Merci said to herself. She would have gone on about how insanely amazing it was to see a real life talking elephant, but when the elephant went on in a fashion that suggested he was tired of hearing such gawking, she threw a hand over her mouth to silence her words of amazement. No need to bother the poor guy. He must get people talking about how awesome he is all the time. she thought.

It was then that she noticed the pale-skinned woman in the red and black kimono. Merci could have sworn that she hadn't been there before, but the she had completely missed the mysterious woman's arrival. Perhaps she had been too focused on the Tana... the Tango... the not-orange.

"Hey! I was about to go for that!" a familiar voice rang out.

Merci turned to see Silva in near panic mode as the elephant inhaled entire tables of food. Her friend's face was showing a worried look, her eyes on the table of meat that the elephant was headed for. But, he passed by without a word, and Silva actually sighed in relief. Merci smiled, and turned to see the elephant swallow an entire table of fruit, including the rest of the not-oranges. And it was her turn to be defeated. Well, at least she had gotten this one...

Silva rejoined Merci just in time for Sisturnia to begin an epic tale of history. She talked of the world, the Sword of Destiny, of Satani and Mornain, and all throughout the story was illustrated by pictures in her crystal ball. Merci stared on in childlike wonder through the whole story. Even Silva seemed impressed.

For the mysterious Yokai however, such tricks were of no novelty. Tomoyo simply watched with a smirk hidden behind her fan. This wizard, thinking to impresses this lot of outcasts and misfits with a little flashy magic show. There were people in her village who could top that without even trying hard. Heck, the Kitsune Twins could have shape-shifted and acted out the whole story. It would have been more entertaining. Still, she had to admit, this old woman knew her history. There were things in that tale that Tomoyo had never heard before, things that were missing from her clan's history scrolls. Information that she was careful to file away in her mind, lest she forget important details.

After the story, Sisturnia invited the others to introduce themselves, and several stepped up to do so.

First was the flower-looking guy, a Lilyara. Merci had decided that he had made a grave error in giving up song, and spent the rest of his introduction zoned out as she tried to think of a way to convince him to give music another chance. To Silva, Kaxo was a bit edgy, a bit rough around the edges, a bit like herself. She decided that she liked this guy. Tomoyo however simply shook her head. Such vulgarity, she thought. He was arrogant, crude, a perfect example of what she hated in a man. It took her full force of will to keep from "testing" him right then and there. It would have to wait for a better time.

Next was the self-proclaimed Elemental, Alurmi. She seemed a dignified woman, if a bit unsure of her words. Tomoyo took a liking to her. Perhaps they could be- her eyes widened in surprise. That fan... The elemental was holding a fan with a very familiar looking design... Black and Pink... the same colors as her fan, and her mother's fan, and her grandmother's fan... And the characters... they were unmistakably from the Yokai. How in the world had that Elemental obtained that fan?

The human-looking man went next. She had though something amiss about his presence, and when he explained that he was a werewolf, it finally clicked in Tomoyo's mind exactly why he had seemed different. But this man was like all the rest. His introduction was short and sweet, and immediately after he went straight towards the relatively scantily clad Succubus. Such pitiful creatures were these men. With everything going on, his libido still takes priority. She would have to "test" him later as well...

The elephant, Bronson, was next. And he quickly proved that he was perhaps the most intelligent man in this room, if one could call an eleven-foot tall, multi-ton animal a man.

And next, the Scorpion-kin, the Aqrabuamelu, Gemini. A philosopher was he. A strategist. A man of learning and arcane knowledge. A dangerous man. Tomoyo didn't know quite what to make of him. Further observation would be necessary.

Th next to step up, was the Angel.

"Hello everyone!" Merci called. She curtsied yet again, her favorite sign of respect. "My name is Merci, and I'm an Angel." She was still hovering off the ground, keeping aloft with surprisingly little movement of her wings, as if a little nudge of air was enough to keep her delicate body airborne. Her silken white shoes had yet to touch the floor.

"I just want to say that I disapprove of violence unless in the pursuit of justice. I want to find a way to create a world where everyone can live in peace." What started out as a simple and eloquent introduction however, quickly derailed as Merci's indecipherable train of thought ran its course. "Because peace and harmony are like a pure song, spreading out through the world to touch the hearts of all those who truly believe in goodness. Love is a light that can shine into the darkest hearts, bringing a sense of joy that not even chocolate cake can match! Filling once weary souls with happiness and sugary-"

Silva brought her hand down on the Angel's head, giving her a gentle smack. In response, Merci stopped mid-sentence, her expression freezing as though she had been paused. "Seriously, enough with the dopey love crap. Some of us have low sugar tolerances. I mean, seriously, do you even hear yourself talk?"

"I zone in and out." Merci said, being completely honest.

Tomoyo let out a small laugh as Silva simply sighed. "Whatever..." She looked up to find the whole room turned towards them. "Um... Hiya, I guess..." Silva tried to arc her back a bit, stand up a bit straighter, make herself loo a bit more impressive. It was a Naga thing, a show of strength. Though the nervous twitch in her tail gave away how uncomfortable she was. "I'm Silva, and as you can see by my tail, I'm a Naga. I'm honestly not even sure why I'm here in the first place, but I guess you could say that I don't really have much of a choice in the matter. So, as long as I'm gonna be stuck here, let me make one thing clear. I don't really care about this whole quest, and I honestly want nothing more than to ditch this joint. But so long as Merci is set on getting this thing done, I'll do what I can to help. Just don't expect me to go out of my way." Her fangs were sticking out from her mouth just a bit, also a Naga thing. It was an intimidation tactic, a habit that had been ingrained in Silva since birth. "Oh, and one more thing. Don't any of you guys get any sleazy ideas alright? If one of you so much as looks at Merci the wrong way, I'll freaking kill you. Got it?"

"Hey now, there's no need to be so harsh Silva..." Merci was tugging on Silva's arm, trying to pull her back, but the Naga wasn't budging.

"Your winged friend is right." Tomoyo spoke up, leaving her spot on the wall for the first time since entering the room. Unlike Merci or Silva's energetic voices, hers was cool and calm, a well-tempered edge of nobility on her words. "This is not the time for in-fighting, petty bickering, or self-indulgence. If we were truly called here for such an important reason, and not just for some wizard's fancy, then it doesn't mater what we do so long as we do something that gets results, and getting antsy like a gang of prepubescent children isn't going to help anything."

She closed her eyes and bowed, her hands folded over her stomach. "Tomoyo Hazuki. It is a pleasure to meet you. Please allow it to continue to be so."

Her introduction finished, Tomoyo made her way to the side of the room, where the Elemental was standing. "Pardon me. You said your name was Alurmi, correct? I would like to ask you a question if you don't mind. Where did you come by that fan of yours?" Tomoyo held up her own fan. "I happen to have one just like it."
 

AzerWrath

「深弾幕結界 -夢幻泡影-」
Alurmi

Alurmi stood at the side of the room, only slightly facing the crowd. She never really got used to crouds, I mean, having stayed in a cave, alone, for the early years of her life. Only to venture out alone, to discover the world and seek company. She now had the opportunity to have people to talk to, but she wasn't going to. Reasons, reasons. She held onto the fan in her delicate, crimson-covered hands.

She turned slightly as she saw the youkai approach her. Just the one she wanted to see, and talk too. Her free hand was brought up to her face, and brushed over her hair, touching her delicate horns. The youkai pulled up a fan slowly. It was black and pink. With those weird words and symbols. However, the fan was missing those butterflies engraved on the wood.

"Pardon me. You said your name was Alurmi, correct? I would like to ask you a question if you don't mind. Where did you come by that fan of yours?" The Youkai, named Tomoyo, held up her own fan. "I happen to have one just like it."

Alurmi blinked slightly at the... slightly nostalgic and confusing turn of events. This youkai had a fan, very much similar to hers', and had completely no idea who she was. Alurmi found her face familiar, though...

"Yes. My name is Alurmi. And about this fan..." Alurmi pulled up the fan gracefully, opening it slowly. It revealed a black swirl around a light pink background of cherry blossoms and structures unfamiliar to Alurmi. The butterflies engraved on the wood seem to lighten up as the fan was opened.

"I received this fan long ago, around... Sixty years ago, before I made my home in Avalon. I somehow made my way into a village, filled with people who called themselves the Youkai. Although, some of them weren't really people..." Alurmi probed the fan slightly, her skin tingling with elemental might. "I met this one particular youkai, one very much like you. We were good friends for about two years, before I moved on away from the village, finding an old dragoon... But that's a story for another time, isn't it?" Alurmi seemed charismatic when she talked about that Dragoon...

"I do not remember the owner of this fan's name, but I do remember how she looked like. And you remind me of her. Very much so." Alurmi holds her hand up, smiling. "I can see that we have a long time ahead of us, Tomoya."
 

Slipomatic

Eon Collector
OOC: So confused and not really clued in on what is being discussed so my post will be short, and will suffer sisturnia’s wrath maybe.

Alvara Roma

She mused to herself as the description of what was going on in the world had troubled her. In her village, there didn’t seem to be any outside influence so it was safe to assume that outside of the harpy raiding once in a while, there was no influence from King Ben. As she listened to some of the bolder people giving their thoughts on the matter, she started to get a headache from information overload and simply resorted to rubbing her head in an attempt to soothe the dull throb in her head. She already doubted herself to be up to this kind of task. Sure, she could cast some ice spells, but it would be highly ineffective in areas with low moisture. And she still didn’t know too much about combat with her sword. She was just a hindrance to this group of people. She may have caught the stare of that weird elemental thing, which seemed to be directing a comment about legends to her. She was anything but legends. She knew from her parents that there was another dragoon village in the mountains and that they came together once a year to celebrate the dragons since any human were long dead before she was born.

She sighed and decided against giving any voice to the matter. Inexperience held her back from making any comment. She didn’t know how things worked around here, but she definitely knew that she would stick out like a sore thumb more than anyone else, not just because of her species. She wished momentarily that she didn’t come here. All of a sudden, she missed her family and friends back in the village. She let out a small sigh as she somewhat fell into memory lane and wasn’t really paying attention to what was being discussed.
 

*Jean Grey*

Night Triumphant
Emilia Diamante
Temple of the Silver Moon - Avalon


"A succubus! Well this is a relief. The Sakh have been recruiting many succubi and incubi lately, finding their powers of temptation rather useful. Yet despite your lustful ways, I see something much deeper in your heart... What's peculiar is that it's a sense of darkness. It's a quality that can lure men to you on their own free will, even. I can definitely see a partnership in your future... yet who knows? The future is never certain, and it is unwise to immerse oneself in it." Sisturnia told Emilia, who shook her head with a nervous laugh.

"So I heard...my tribe's still...alright though I must say. The only good thing about hiding in the mountains." She replied, pondering on what Sisturnia had told her, before she went back to the tables.

Emilia sat on top of one of the banquet tables as she watched the rest enter. Next were a pair...a Naga and an Angel. Quite an unlikely pair. Emilia liked to think on whether she might just taint a little bit of the Angel's mind...they were polar opposites of the Succubi after all.

A Yokai entered next, followed by...a talking elephant. Cute, Emilia decided. Taking a glass of wine and sipping it, she then listened to what Sisturnia had to say.

"Welcome, everyone, to Avalon," she began. "So currently there are twelve of you here. I do remember sending out twenty-seven letters. That means that the other recipients have either not arrived yet or are simply not interested in this quest. I do realize that letters can be untrustworthy sometimes, but I am not at all skilled in telepathic contact, which is the method I would have preferred. Yet we do what we must."

"My letters pretty much explain why you are here," she continued. "These are dark times, as some of you are very aware, and as yet some of you may not be aware at all. The combined force of a radical race seeking domination and a king's army seeking control of the people... I cannot possibly stand idly here in this safe refuge without doing something about it. As for you all... Ezra here is blind. Her eyes cannot see. So instead of looking at one's appearance or hierarchical standing, she looks right into your heart, your true nature. She sees only the potential all of you have."

Sisturnia then narrated the story about the Sword of Destiny. From the whole creation of it, to the creation of Crownen, to Satani. Then she started describing Mornain and King Ben. Emilia gave the image of Mornain a funny look. It looked like he was giving the bird to everyone.

"So what are your opinions on the matter?" Sisturnia asked us. "Right now I would like all of you to introduce yourselves to the group if you have not done so already, as well as present any opinions and thoughts you have about these events I have described. With all of your ideas, we can work together to formulate a plan that Mornain will not expect to see coming. For you see, I have a feeling... that someone who leads and strategizes through power and control will not expect such a marvelous group, of varied races and backgrounds, to work together on such an issue. I think that is what Maia would have wanted."

The others then started introducing themselves. First up was the Lilyra, then the Elemental. The "human" went next, and her suspicions were confirmed. The guy, Diego, wasn't human, but a werewolf. What surprised her even more was that he approached her and sat next to her.

"Um... hey." He said. Emilia looked at him, smiling. She knew that her pheromone wasn't responsible for this.

"Hey, Diego. I'm Emilia...call me Mia if you'd like." She said, crossing her legs as she grinned at him. His shyness was quite endearing. The elephant went next, followed by the Aqrabuamelu. Emilia started to think of what to say, watching as the Angel, Naga and Youkai introduced themselves. After a brief exchange of words between the Yokai and the Elemental, Emilia allowed herself to get down from the table and walk towards the middle of the room, her high heels clicking.

"I'm Emilia Diamante...Mia if you'd like a shorter name. Yeah, I'm a Succubus. Don't panic though, not all of us are Ben's allies or anything. What you see here...does not necessarily mean it's in here." She began, motioning at herself, then pointing to her heart as she tried to make a point.

"One thing I have to tell you is that I ran away from everything in the past. From my own ideals, my old home even if I wanted to stay, from my tribe, and from my own problems. No, I don't want to run away anymore, I want to fight...with all of you...no more running." She continued, looking at them. She had exposed her vulnerability, but she guessed that it was all for the best.
 
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