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!
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.
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.
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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!
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!