Shards of Twilight [Closed]

[Guest Ixigo]

@encapturer: As Saiba told you, we're in the process of evaluating your power. It's going to need a lot of tweaking around in order to work - as it stands now, it's hugely overpowered.

 

@Otaku-sama: We're already in a post-apocalyptic world. It was struck by a meteorite and went through a nuclear winter. That's about as post-apocalyptic as it gets. Other than that, I don't have too many complaints. However, there's no clear-cut "magic" in the RP besides the supernatural powers the Sentinels possess due to the influence of the meteorite. While that spellbook of yours can be accepted (I'll have to discuss it with Saiba a bit), you need to define much more clearly what kind of spells are available to him and how he can use them. The slowed aging and the spheres can be accepted together, but we'll need more information about this spellbook. Otherwise, you're good.

 

@Magnet: Yeah, Saiba has already notified me about it. It's generally alright, but at the last stage of her powers, she shouldn't be able to break "just about anything", of course. You're going to have to be more specific there. Claws are acceptable, though you should realize that, realistically speaking, they are very inconvenient as weapons.

 

@Roszudek: If you have that kind of ability, you should introduce self-injury as a weakness when weapons are produced, and you can tone down the fatigue instead. I'm not sure I like the concept too much, but I'll accept it. I think your character is a little too young for that kind of power, too. But anyway, I'll let Saiba elaborate on your application.

[Naimo]

OK, app fixed

I take it we have enough members to start once all fixtures are done?

[Guest Ixigo]

OK' date=' app fixed

I take it we have enough members to start once all fixtures are done?

[/quote']

 

Great, accepted.

 

And yeah, we do have enough applications. Once they're finalized, I'll put everything on the member list and we'll start. Just waiting for Saiba to make a few final arrangements, but we should be able to begin later tonight.

[Saiba Aisu]

USER NAME: Saiba Aisu

 

NAME: Cerce

 

AGE: 20

 

GENDER: Male

 

APPEARANCE:

 

[spoiler=Picture Basis]

 

 

 

 

- HEIGHT: 5"11

 

- WEIGHT: 145 lbs.

 

- FIGURE: Regular, leaning towards slender

 

- HAIR COLOR: Dark brown

 

- HAIR STYLE: Straight-haired, with long, artful bangs

 

- EYE COLOR: Emerald green

 

- COMPLEXION: Rich alabaster

 

- CLOTHING: Most often seen in a tattered green cloak, slashed with white, worn over a pair of simple hunting breeches and worn black boots. From time to time, he is seen wearing a single golden band through his left ear.

 

FACTION / POSITION: Avalon / Recruit

 

POWERS / ABILITIES: Through the mysterious powers of the powerful atmosphere created by the Ethereal Twilight, Cerce developed a unique ability that allowed him to manipulate one of the five natural elements present within the mortal world—Air. As an Aeromancer, Cerce is capable of unleashing a variety of potent attacks and support techniques, making him a valuable member of the Avalon Faction. These include the ability to create scything waves of Air of varying intensity and sharpness and the ability to form solid barriers to halt corporeal attacks. His effectiveness in battle is also helped by the fact that the effects of Air are largely invisible.

 

[spoiler=Limitations]

 

Cerce's supernatural talents lend him explosive and unpredictable power, making up for his average combat skills. However, the amount and intensity of the manipulation he can perform is limited in a very serious way—namely, using his powers to accomplish something drains him of varying amounts of vitality, although he is able to determine how much longer he can continue using his ability safely. Drawing too deeply upon this power when his strength is exhausted can lead to unconscious, which can be fatal in battle. Furthermore, Cerce's effectiveness at channeling Air is also affected by its condition—if the Air he is trying to use is polluted, clogged with smoke or sand, or the humidity is particularly high, his control over the element is much less firm than usual, and he has to work harder to bend it to his will. For these reasons, Cerce's ability is determined not only by his strength of body and of will, but also by his surroundings, making it a talent that must be used wisely and only in moderation.

 

 

 

STANDARD EQUIPMENT: As an Aeromancer who depends upon his supernatural abilities, Cerce does not wear armor, and his clothing is designed to allow free movement. He does carry a skilfully carved staff of Olivewood, which aids considerably in directing or concentrating his manipulative force, although he is able to use his ability without it. Apart from aiding with his ability, the staff has no other known powers, although it's always useful when someone needs a good smack across the head.

 

PERSONALITY: Usually cool-headed and confident, although he conceals a fiery temper that often flares up when he is upset or in battle. He tends to be slightly mysterious and conceal things, if unintentionally. Often bossy of others, but comes to the help of those in trouble.

 

BIOGRAPHY: Born and raised within Erzet, a small city at the border of the Great Desert, Cerce led a comparatively happy life with his family until the Ethereal Twilight fell from the skies, shattered, and struck the planet at various points, one of which was quite close to his hometown. At the young age of eight, Cerce was separated from his family in the confusion and terror of the Night. During this period, he was taken in by a kindly but aging spinster. After the shadows cleared, Erzet was changed forever—much of the town had been burned down or looted by its panicked inhabitants, and his family had disappeared without a trace. Although Cerce haunted the town for about seven years after the end of the Night, he was forced to leave when his powers began manifesting themselves and his kindly foster mother died. For five lonely years, Cerce traveled the ruined countryside on his own, learning to master his abilities and searching for his family along the way. Now a recruit of the Crusade of Avalon, Cerce has abandoned all hope of ever finding his family again—for this reason, the dedication he would have given them has been transferred instead to helping the efforts of his chosen Faction.

[Horologia]

(Thanks to Saiba Aisu for the translation and fixing my grammar! :D)

 

USER NAME: Horologia

 

NAME: Shade

AGE:17

GENDER:Female

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_e8YaJEnEB4A/SmKXinQzv8I/AAAAAAAAAgo/yFfEQkOAtVk/s400/War+1.jpg

(If this not works again, i will describe her...)

 

 

- HEIGHT: 1.81

- WEIGHT: 64

- FIGURE: Athletic i think...

- HAIR COLOR: Black with a little bit of blue

- HAIR STYLE: Bound to a spiky horsetail, similar to picture

- EYE COLOR: Brown

- COMPLEXION: Pale

- CLOTHING:

 

FACTION / POSITION: Avalon / Recruit

 

POWERS / ABILITIES: Using her voodoo magic, Shade can accomplish many different things. Her powers aren't exactly directly useful in-combat, but she does have the power to incapacitate and controls others when she obtains a good-quality strand of their hair. Shade's voodoo abilities are reflected in her deep connection with nature. She also possesses the knowledge of how to animate several naturalistic items for non-combat purposes, as well as being skilled at brewing potions and acupuncture. She's also good at using needles in battle.

 

STANDARD EQUIPMENT: Since Shade's voodoo magic is largely useless in battle, she always carries three different types of needles with her, which she wields with moderate skill. Normal ones; blue ones which contain a semi-paralyzing poison which affects the target for a few seconds; and red needles with a hurting poison. She also carries several voodoo dolls and some stuff you need to brew potions and things like that.

 

PERSONALITY: Honestly, she doesn't even know how she is. She´s unpredictable and loses her memory often, due to voodoo´s strange side effects. But normally, she tries to befriend everybody and to be funny. If you see her, you would call her crazy...

 

BIOGRAPHY: Once, Shina was a pretty, happy girl, always trying to get new friends and be liked. She was only five when the Ethereal Twilight struck the earth. Although her powers did not manifest themselves for a while, when they did, she went crazy. She couldn't understand her new power, her new abilities. Trees, which started to talk to her, the earth which showed her the path, the wind which whispered into her ear. All of nature seemed to be talking with her. After a while, she got along with her abilities, but she forgot everything about her old life.

[Saiba Aisu]

[spoiler=Rozsudek's Character]

USER NAME: Rozsudek

 

NAME: Abel Kaden' date=' Known as "PERSONA"

 

[b']AGE[/b]: 16

 

GENDER: Male

 

APPEARANCE:

 

- HEIGHT: 5'2

 

- WEIGHT: 93 lbs.

 

- FIGURE: Regular

 

- HAIR COLOR: Blue

 

- HAIR STYLE: A wild type that covers the ears. Has bangs.

 

- EYE COLOR: Blue

 

- COMPLEXION: Light tan.

 

- CLOTHING: Has a black coat with his faction imprinted in white at the corners. Wears black trousers held by a buckle that blends with a same colored shirt that stops at the wrists. Also wears a jester's mask cut in half.

 

 

FACTION / POSITION: Amethyst Order, Recruit

 

POWERS / ABILITIES: Abel can turn just about any part of his body into a weapon. However, he cannot remove their places and the area is replaced. It takes him about 10 seconds to shift into a weapon and 30 seconds to return, leaving him extremely vulnerable. He can interact with ammunition like arrows and turn into a bow, but he cannot make ammunition. Any weapon created cannot exceed his height or weight. He cannot change any area where the vital organs are located (Brain, Heart, Lungs). Although he cannot shift into anything that exceeds his height or/and weight, the only exception is creating a shield that's planted into the ground. He cannot move when the shield is out. Heavy weapons like Claymores and hammers require two of the same part (Two hands, two feet, two legs, etc.).He also has to rest, or else he'll tire out and faint. He can't wake up until the next day.

 

STANDARD EQUIPMENT: He only carries around a sack full of survival needs.

 

PERSONALITY: Even though with the gift of bloodshed, he doesn't believe that he has to kill everything. He feels terrible for getting dragged into a war that's being fought because of some stupid senate. He wishes that the Senate would finally see their own reflection and stop. Overall, he'd rather have peace then war, but a peace without the Senate is worth a war.

 

BIOGRAPHY: It all started during a childhood accident when he was 3. He got caught in a massacre involving everyone related to him except himself dead. The young child cried over every corpse, taking each part of all of the bodies blood. The next day, the body accepted each of the samples and fused with his blood. He was taken into another family who he thought was his own. When he was 8 years old, he accidentally killed an annoying man that kept insulting him saying, "You'll never hold a sword!" The young Abel ran into the woods looking at his abominated hand. The constables came too late and saw the blood tracks into the woods. After 2 years living in the woods, he returned to the town with a heavy heart. He tried out and found the limitations to his new powers during his stay. He lived in a chapel until the war began, finding refuge underground. That's where he joined the Amethyst Order then on.

 

 

 

Okay, Roz. Generally, I like the sound of Abel / Persona. He seems like a very rich and believable character who will lend a lot of interest into the Amethyst Order. I've talked it over with Ixigo, and we've decided to allow Persona to use the ability you gave him, so long as it's not overpowered. This may be subject to change, so don't abuse this privilege. Apart from this, the only problem I have with him is his bio. It's very tragic, but you never really explained how he received his power, which you should relate somehow to the Ethereal Twilight or the magical atmosphere it created. He also seems on a little on the runty side, but that's entirely up to you, although 93 lbs. is certainly cause for alarm.

 

Character accepted.

[六兆年と一夜物語]

Yay.

 

When does the RP start?

[Guest Ixigo]

Alright guys, I've updated the member list to include all character profiles that have been accepted so far. Now, time for a few notes before we start:

 

-Saiba and I have decided to each create a character for the opposing faction than the one we control. I'll be posting my own character shortly.

 

-There will be plenty of NPCs, whom you'll be able to locate in the second post along with useful information about them as it is revealed, to interact with. Currently, only Saiba and I can create and control NPCs. If you wish to create a NPC or control one of the existing ones, you must ask Saiba's or my permission.

 

-Soon, the RP will officially start, and you will be given further instructions as to what to do then. This RP is not a "free" RP, meaning you will not be able to randomly do whatever you want. We can guarantee that you will have a lot of freedom in your choices and actions, but they have to be aligned with the plot. Initially, you will be given specific directions until you can familiarize yourselves with the world and setting, as well as the other characters - once that introductory stage is over, you will have a lot more options to exploit.

 

If you have any questions, or notice any mistakes in the character listing, shoot me a PM and I'll address the issue.

 

EDIT: This will be the character that I will be using:

 

USER NAME: Ixigo

 

NAME: Victor Vance

 

AGE: 23

 

GENDER: Male

 

APPEARANCE:

- HEIGHT: 1.83

- WEIGHT: 78

- FIGURE: Muscular

- HAIR COLOR: Black

- HAIR STYLE: Short, spiky

- EYE COLOR: Dark Brown

- COMPLEXION: Tanned

- CLOTHING: A simple, brown leather vest and black pants.

 

FACTION / POSITION: Amethyst Order / Recruit

 

POWERS / ABILITIES: Physically, Victor enjoys the benefits of a life on the anvil. Above-average strength and stamina, and a toughened body. He also has satisfactory proficiency with various kinds of weapons, though he has mastered none. The power he gained from the Ethereal Twilight's piece that affected him is the ability to reinforce any given object, making it better at what it was constructed to do. This ability can only be used on concepts Victor comprehends in minute detail, that is why it usually won't work on everyday objects. However, weaponry and armor, especially ones that Victor has crafted himself, are eligible for use of this skill. There are severe difficulties in applying it, however. Victor can only improve something at what it was originally supposed to do - it cannot give it new properties or alter its powers. On the flip side, the ability works on a purely conceptual level - that means that if a sword is constructed as a weapon to be used against armored foes, enhanced, it will acquire a level of armor-piercing capacity. This means that Victor can forge weapons and armor for specific reasons, and then make them capable of fulfilling that purpose by enhancing them. There's a catch, though. Victor needs to understand the purpose he is constructing the item for as well as the item itself. He cannot create weapons that are specifically designed to counter something, such as the combat style of an opponent, unless he experiences that 'something' first hand himself. Weapons designed in that way based on descriptions of others or similar indirect means will be much less effective, or even not work at all. Enhancing an item also takes time, from several hours up to a day depending on the subject at hand and the complexity of the enhancement - but it is not exhausting to use, apart of course from the physical fatigue associated.

 

STANDARD EQUIPMENT: He is in possession of a full array of blacksmithing tools, including an anvil, a hammer, and raw materials. He carries them around in a rented cart. He is armed with a short sword and small metal buckler that he crafted himself.

 

PERSONALITY: Honest, hard-working, and straightforward. He is rather laid-back and may come off as naive. However, he is pretty greedy, money and precious metals he can use to craft even more valuable weapons are his weak spots. Related to his greed, he is also pretty fond of gambling, a habit which often drains all his money, forcing him to work extra in order to repay his debts.

 

BIOGRAPHY: Victor began working at his father's blacksmith at a very young age. Spending half his life on top of a furnace helped carve his muscle as well as his character. The shop was moderately successful, though Victor's father usually wasted a lot of the money he made on gambling - something Victor picked up himself. When the Ethereal Twilight struck, Victor and his family were lucky enough to live in a place a good distance away from the closest impact point. Greedy as his father was, though, he and Victor immediately went to visit the site, believing they could make huge profits by selling weapons and armor made from the metal that rained down from the sky. So they embarked on their journey. But something was very wrong. The skies darkened. Even under the shadow, the world was hot - too hot. The air itself was scorching fire. The Night had begun. Victor and his father got separated, and Victor never saw him, or the rest of his family, again. Wandering aimlessly by himself, he happened to find the crater where the meteorite had fallen - but he no longer had a use for it, so he left. However, even during his brief stay, it was enough to be affected. He developed a unique ability that slowly made itself apparent - the power to enhance material objects by strengthening their purpose. Using this ability he was able to survive the Night, and when the dawn finally came again, he tried to reestablish his life. He continued his old profession, which proved much more profitable than before as fighting was common amongst the devastated remnants of mankind. With the secret of his skill, he could increase the sharpness of the swords he made, the durability of his shields, the sturdiness of his armors. He became distinguished, making a name for himself. Eventually the winds of trade brought him to New Antioch, the capital of the renewed world. However, instead of the golden city of prosperity he had anticipated, he found a hellhole of misery and despair. To protect himself and hopefully make more gold, he turned to the underground organization known as the Amethyst Order. From what he'd heard, they'd be the perfect employers for his skills. It took effort and money to find a way to get in touch, but eventually he succeeded. Little did he know, that this was the choice that would shatter his world and build it anew.

[Saiba Aisu]

GM Post: Amethyst Order

GM Post: Amethyst Order

 

Deep within the shadows below the golden capital of New Antioch, the secret headquarters of the Amethyst Order flourish in the darkness. Not so much a headquarters as an underground maze, the complex is composed of hundreds of rooms and seven sprawling major hallways—it's easy to get lost at first, so you should try not to wander around. Since you're a new recruit, the hundreds of servants and armed guards prowling around aren't likely to take the time and point you in the right direction—don't worry, though, since this will soon change. Being an underground hideout, there are no windows; you'll be depending on thousands of glimmering red lanterns for illumination while lurking down here. Currently, though, you've made your way through an extremely confusing series of rooms and hallways, led by a black-clad guard, and are waiting outside the Audience Chamber, where you'll soon meet the Commander-in-Chief of the Amethyst Order, the Lady Cyndane. You've only been here a short while, but already you've heard enough about this woman to make you both eager to meet her and horrified at the very prospect of doing so. As a new member of the Amethyst Order, you'll be obliged to swear allegiance and fealty before the Lady to the Order's mysterious Leader, who prefers to remain anonymous.

 

You have decided to lend your talents—whatever they may be—to furthering the twisted designs of the Amethyst Order. Whatever your reasons for joining may be—ambition, greed, or revenge—there's no backing out. The time is here and now, and you stand poised upon an age of glorious darkness. Let's hope you're up to it.

 

 

===

 

Cyndane frowned and tossed back a silvery blond tress from her pale face, her icy black eyes flashing with impatience as she leaned against the padded back of her chair. Her cause for dissatisfaction was not the room around her - after all, it was decorated pleasantly enough, she supposed, with sumptuous, violet walls and luxurious rugs underfoot. Several wine-red lamps swung from the walls, releasing a sweet scent into the air, mixed with a tinge of spices, and casting their wan light upon the scene. She smirked briefly as her eyes traveled along the room, stopping to rest on any number of fine sculptures and paintings, ignoring the many guards positioned strategically and the servants that scurried by with their heads down.

 

Apparently, smuggling and assassination paid very well in New Antioch. The Boss had certainly done well for himself in the short time since he had established and assumed control of the underground group known as the Amethyst Order—although, she amended, the situation had been ripe for the picking, with half the world in chaos and horror after the end of the Night. Cyndane's lips curled into a scathing smile as she thought of the Avalon, those pathetic, babbling fools who dedicated their efforts to a crusade for peace—a crusade as deluded and hopeless as the blind woman who led them. The buxom woman allowed herself a short laugh. As if the people of New Antioch wanted salvation or peace! The incredible number of assignments they had received concerning kidnap, theft, and assassination these past few months was evidence in itself against the very idea.

 

A sultry look crossed her face as she thought again of her reason for sitting here, stifling among the expensive decor, when she would much prefer the coolness of her rooms, with their stone floors and high ceilings. Bad temper restored, she continued her survey of the room, noting more than ever its lack of windows—after all, what could you expect from an underground hideout, however well-decorated? A man dressed entirely in black strode to her and bowed, keeping his eyes wisely lowered.

 

"The new recruits are here, Lady Cyndane," he said in a low, clear voice, avoiding her ill-tempered glance. "They are ready to be seen and briefed at your leisure."

 

Cyndane snorted. Although new recruits were crucial to the continued survival of the Amethyst Order, she personally found them weak and annoying. "About time," she growled, clutching the armrests of her chair. She gave the man—who had not yet straightened from his bow—an irate look. "You're fortunate you brought me good news, Andoras," she said. The man looked up curiously, a frown on his face.

 

"Had you taken any longer," she continued, tossing him a sweet smile, "you would have found a few touches of my own in your evening wine." The man paled visibly and bowed once more, stiffly this time. Cyndane's reputation as a poisoner was only too well known within the confines of the Amethyst Order, and it was inadvisable to anger her without a good reason.

 

"As you w-wish, Lady," he said, his tongue tripping over the words. "I shall go and fetch them immediately." He stood and scurried quickly away towards the other side of the room, and the wide marble arch draped in velvet that served as the entrance to the audience chamber. Meanwhile, Cyndane settled herself back down on her chair, smoothing the front of her gray dress and hoping that she would find some promising individuals this time around.

 

===

 

OoC: The first part of the post describes, roughly, the place you're currently in. Don't rush into exploring - for now, just present yourselves as instructed. There'll be plenty of time to roam around later. The next GM post will be made when everyone's done their introduction. In the meantime, you are free to RP between yourselves for a while, but don't overdo it. No fighting whatsoever is allowed.

[Guest Ixigo]

GM Post: Avalon

GM Post: Avalon

 

Atop a lone hill to the southwest of New Antioch, the encampment of Avalon lies, a shard of light amidst the sea of shadow. Upon climbing the smooth path that leads to the top of the hill, you will find a wooden, yet sturdy, palisade, manned by several armored guards. The gate will be open, though, and you will not be stopped from entering provided you have already been inside. Walking through, you will see a huge mass of randomly located tents. Most are just large enough to house a few inhabitants, but some are bigger, with signs in the front indicating what lies inside. A blacksmith, a forgery, a tavern. The atmosphere inside is reminiscent more of a group of nomads than a military camp - though one look at the sharpened weapons, ready for use, that lay just about everywhere would dissuade you. As you proceed through the outer circle deeper into the camp, you begin encountering less chaos and more military order. The inner circle is where the tents of the warriors, the Templars, are located. They are placed in a strict fashion, equidistant from the neighbouring ones. They're all white, marked with the red cross. Soldiers are scattered in the place, going about their business. Many are polishing their armor, sharpening their weapons, or carrying about orders. Though the ground has been flattened and paved, a single pathway stands out, made from marble rock, black-and-white tiles intertwining. It leads up to a square, benches lying around a small fountain, decorated with the statue of an angel pouring water from a flask on her shoulder. Not many people are here right now, though you can clearly see it serves as an assembly for Avalon's soldiers. To the left, you can see a larger tent in the distance. The Grand Marshall's tent - though the Grand Marshall, Falric, is said to be a decent man, it's still best not to approach without reason. But what lies ahead is what would really grab your attention. More of a small manor than a tent, complete with a garden around, filled with beautiful wildflowers. The High Lady's tent. You've heard rumors about her. Niobe, the blind crusader who leads the pacifistic army called Avalon.

 

You have entered this camp to join this army. For peace, glory, battle, money - for whatever reason, you've pledged yourself to Avalon. And now you have been called upon to present yourselves to the High Lady.

 

=============

 

The sun was slowly climbing onto the horizon, peeking from the mountains to the west of New Antioch. The heavens were muddy, tinted grey, the long years of the Night having left their mark. Beneath the ashen sky, the carefully arranged tents where the crusaders of Avalon resided looked even more than a military encampment. Falric, the Grand Marshall of the army, gritted his teeth. A year, and they still hadn't set up anything more permanent than this. Tents. Bah! This wasn't going to end well.

 

Dragging his feet, he made his way through the gates of the wooden palisade, guarding the High Lady's tent. A larger tent than most, but still plain in its design. Falric dug his fingers into his short beard, scratching his chin. The soldiers standing guard on each side of the tent's entrance saluted him respectfully. He'd have to announce his presence before entering, regularly, but he had been invited today.

 

The interior of the large tent was mostly white, with a solid marble floor and several rows of benches. This was the reception hall. Atop an elevated dais stood the High Lady's pedestal, where she sat to make her speeches. It was occupied today, unusually enough. Falric bowed deeply, feeling a bit conscious at his ragtag appearance. He had only worn his usual, battered mail armor, draped his woolen cloak over his back, and held his helmet in his hand. Compared to the three people who stood on the pedestal's either side and who were glaring at him with such ferocity you'd think they wanted to purge his uncleanliness from the room, he was much more like a peasant rather than an army's general.

 

Lord Knight Rafael, Lady Knight Alicia, and Lord Knight Valerian. The three guardians of the High Lady, all three "Sentinels", as they were called - and powerful ones. They had assembled here to address the new recruits. Almost daily new people found their way into the encampment, willing to join Avalon's ranks - moreso now that they had established a permanent base of operations. The High Lady herself was there to welcome the newcomers.

 

Unlike her three Knights, all clad in polished black armor, High Lady Niobe looked much more benevolent in an elegant white dress. Her closed eyes washed over Falric, and part of his unease immediately vanished. She smiled at him, and he bowed his head deeply. Niobe had a soothing effect over people around her. She was a born leader. Quickly, he walked up to his designated post, trying his best to assume a formidable pose. One by one, under the icy gaze of Avalon's Knights and Niobe's warm smile, the recruits started coming in.

 

=============

 

OoC: The first part of the post describes, roughly, the place you're currently in. Don't rush into exploring - for now, just present yourselves as instructed. There'll be plenty of time to roam around later. The next GM post will be made when everyone's done their introduction. In the meantime, you are free to RP between yourselves for a while, but don't overdo it. No fighting whatsoever is allowed.

[六兆年と一夜物語]

Abel was wandering around the corridors when he saw a ruined guy dash toward him. "Lady Cyndane," said the rushed guy which began to look like a servant, "wants to see you." Abel was surprised, because he only heard of her in rumors. "Why?" Abel responded. "She wants all the new recruits to come." "So, your telling me she told you to fetch me?" "Yes." "Fine, show me the way." He followed the rushed servant going into different halls. Abel took the time to look around the world unknown to the sky. He looked at the walls, feeling the rough surface and analyzing the lamps. "Recruit, this way." Abel got carried away and continued following the servant. "In here." He rustled the velvet curtain a bit, hoping to get the attention for the person inside hinting he wants to come in, with a quick glance at the gloriously decorated room. "This is it; My life will change here, but it's not a big deal because it was screwed up 13 years ago."

[Saiba Aisu]

Cyndane watched idly as an extraordinarily short and slender young man stepped through the velvet-draped archway, stumbling forward a bit as if he had been pushed from behind. Making a mental note to make sure and punish Andoras later, she rearranged her skirts carefully and caught the young man's eye, which was rather difficult as he was wearing a jester mask above his nose.

 

Burn me, she thought despairingly, watching the young man straighten. He doesn't look fifteen, even with that mask! Was the Amethyst Order in such dire need of recruits that it had sunken to enlisting the services of children?

 

Shaking her thoughts aside, she tried to focus on the matter at hand, which was completing her duties and surveying the possible new members that would join the Order. The Leader of the Amethyst Order certainly didn't take kindly towards dawdling, and she had no wish to be punished, or worse, humiliated.

 

She cleared her throat irately. "Well?" she demanded, her voice carrying across the room to the young man. "Don't take all day with it! Kindly step over here, would you?"

[六兆年と一夜物語]

Abel shook a bit from the loudness of the voice. I don't wanna be daydreaming here, but I can at least analyze the room while looking straight; It works. He walked in a moderate speed, scared that she'll shout at him again if he walked too fast or slow. The room he was walking in was by far one of the most beautiful rooms he has ever been in. However, he couldn't guess the marble when he was walking towards what he depicted, "Cyndane". "H-hello." Abel managed to say, however he had many tones of unevenness.

[Saiba Aisu]

Cyndane frowned at the young man from her thronelike seat; although she wasn't much taller than he was, she seemed to tower over him ominously.

 

"I don't like your tone, recruit," she said coolly, her black eyes flashing. "You will address me as the Lady Cyndane in the future, or suffer the torments of severe corporal punishment at my discretion. The Leader of the Amethyst Order does not tolerate disrespect from his subordinates, and neither will I."

 

She glowered at him, snapping, "Stand up straight and look me in the eye. What's your name, what are your motives for joining the Amethyst Order, and what abilities do you possess that you feel would be useful to us?"

 

The diminutive, buxom woman leaned back in her padded seat, eying him with a dissatisfied look and wishing now—more than ever—that the unpleasant, tedious task of examining new recruits had fallen to someone else.

 

This had better be good.

[The Warden]

The former priest Deus had been led into the complex with all the other recruits, but he had remained in the great hall on his knees. His eyes were closed, his hands pressed neatly together and words were being whispered in praise of the saintess. A seemingly servantile man hurried up to him and watched, unsure whether to disturb him or not. 'Yes? Why do you inerupt my prayers?' Deus inquired. 'You are to see Lady Cyndane immediataly, please follow me and wait outside her quarters, as she is interviewing another recruit' the man explained. 'I see, then I will postpone my praise for afterwards' Deus said slightly bitterly and followed the man to a large velvet curtain. 'Please remain here' the man said and scuttled off. Deus frowned and moved slightly to face a wall, he ignored the decorations and he return to his knees and began praying again.

[encapturer]

Ashley managed to navigate her way to the High Lady's Tent while only asking for directions once. That had to be some kind of record, seeing as this is her first time in this encampment. Ashley was already wearing her armor, feeling that it would be best to show herself as a proper warrior. Her dagger was in a sheath on her waist, and her scarf was tied along the waistline of her armor. She thought about summoning the sword as well, but it would be a little easier to move around like this, especially since her sword did not have a scabbard.

 

Once in front of the tent, Ashley walked towards the closest soldier in front of the tent. Pretty confident that the High Lady was someone of importance, she decided to greet the soldiers first to get an idea of what she should do. Don't want to break whatever protocol Avalon has right now.

 

"Hello," Ashley begins speaking in a level voice. "I'm Ashley Marlen, one of the new recruits here. Am I in the right place?"

[六兆年と一夜物語]

Abel felt comforted, which was strange. "Lady Cyndane, I'm known as PERSONA, however my real name is Abel Kaden." Abel gulped a bit, uneasy sharing 'personal' information to someone he barely knew. It was human to do that, but he remembered that he was no longer human, but cursed. "My motive? My motive is to throw the damned Senate that plagues the land." He started to give off a stronger tone, hinting confidence. "Abilities..." Abel decided to show her his curse. He held out his hand and it quickly turned into a sword of bone covered in muscle. "THIS is my power; A curse that prevents me a normal life." He held it out to see if she'll examine it.

[Saiba Aisu]

Cyndane restrained from rolling her eyes at Abel when he mentioned his true name. It wasn't like the Amethyst Order really cared what its members called themselves, so long as they recognized when they were being ordered to do something. His motives for joining the Order were common enough, she supposed—many of the recruits who were interested were often disillusioned idealists who sought to topple the corrupt rule of the Senate. In the end, it made no difference to her.

 

She wasn't expecting Persona to demonstrate his ability, but she recovered remarkably quickly. As he held his arm out to her, as if inviting her to examine it, she twisted away from him to gain more time from a possible attack. With a quick movement, her left hand snatched a dagger from her side and tossed it through the air, where she plucked it with her right in a steady grip. In a flash, she had leaned forward and caught the end of the young man's arm firmly with her left hand; the other pressed the sharp edge of her dagger to his throat. All of this took less than two seconds. A single bead of purple liquid dripped slowly along the dagger's length, which had an unnaturally bright sheen.

 

"Retract it," she hissed, leaning forward, "if you want to keep your life." Around her, several of the guards realized what was happening and leaped from their posts at the walls, drawing their swords.

 

"Stay back!" Cyndane commanded in a calm but forceful voice. "I'll handle him." The guards slowed and half-sheathed their weapons, looking doubtful but not daring to disobey. She looked down and noticed that the young man had not retracted his bone-sword. She cocked her head playfully and pressed harder on the dagger. "Do as I say," she ordered, "or I'll nick your worthless throat. The poison on this dagger kills much more quickly and painfully than a simple sliced throat ever could."

[六兆年と一夜物語]

"I knew it; It's a curse." He forced his hand back and it changed. "Damn it. Everything around me hates me." He decided to gloom outside, ignoring anything around him. He pushed the curtain and sit down on the wall. Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide, I'll face the fact that I'm an abomination. He took down his sack and started to eat a loaf of bread from a local baker that pissed him off. If the baker was still alive, he wouldn't get his bread. At least food'll swallow my tears. He wondered what to do next, and decided to wait until more people came to see her.

[The Warden]

Deus opened one eye to look at a strange boy crying and eating a loaf of bread. He rose with a grunt and dusted his knees. He walked over to the boy and looked at him. 'Is there something troubling you child, something that this servant of the saintess can help you with?' he inquired whilst holding out his hand to him.

[Saiba Aisu]

Back in the Audience Chamber, Cyndane snorted and patted her dress, as if clearing away some invisible dust. She waved the guards away irritably, ignoring their questions and apologies. A fine lot they were—if it hadn't been for her quick action, the boy might have killed her, and she was the best of the best in her field—one of the few truly irreplaceable members of the Amethyst Order. She berated herself for being careless; just because the boy was young didn't mean he wasn't dangerous. In fact, using a child assassin sounded like something she'd come up with.

 

Still, she thought, smoothing her hair and her ruffled vanity down, that ability of his could certainly come in handy... Just think of the potential he'd have as an assassin, able to conjure weapons out of his own flesh!

 

She directed most of the guards back to their posts, save for one, Baltimer, a tall, heavyset man with serious eyes. "Baltimer," she commanded, beckoning to him. He jumped to attention and nodded respectfully. "I want you to watch that boy, Abel, for me. He could become quite the useful tool with proper training." Baltimer nodded in response and backed away slowly, before turning and striding back to his post. Cyndane settled herself once more on the thronelike seat, thankful for the pale complexion that hid her inner upsets, and wondering idly if the rest of her meetings with the new recruits would be as... eventful.

[六兆年と一夜物語]

"Hmm?" Abel finished his crumb of the bread. "Who're you? Aren't you supposed to see Lady Cyndane?" His tone switched from his original confident voice to a crazy tone of unevenness. He looked at the man and stood up. "I guess you wouldn't wanna see my curse." He looked in his eyes seeing the phrase Whats Wrong pop out.

[The Warden]

Deus looked at the boy closely. 'The gifts bequethed by saintess is not a curse, you should bless and praise the saintess for granting you such divine gifts' he stated. He walked past the boy to the curtain, but stopped from sweeping past it. 'The saintess is the divine power in this fractured world, please, show me your divine gift. Show this holy servant what plagues your heart and mind' Deus replied.

[六兆年と一夜物語]

He realized that he would see through a wall of curses and falsehoods. "Alright, but I feel a bit uneasy." He reached out his hand and it turned into a sword of muscle and bone, removing the flesh to show a great abomination. "Do you see? My curse! The only good for this is to kill anything and anyone in my way!" He hit the wall with his sword-hand. He brushed it a bit and let it rest to its original form.

[Saiba Aisu]

Her patience one again running low, Cyndane sent Baltimer to fetch the next possible recruit; the black-clad guard disappeared briefly behind the velvet curtain before reappearing with another man and striding back to his post.

 

Cyndane eyed the man striding purposefully across the carpeted floor to the marble pedestal where her seat lay; although his clothing was uniformly black, dignified, and unobtrusive, she recognized only too well the presence of passion and dedication from the premature lines on his face and his flashing blue eyes.

 

"Welcome, preacher," she said coolly as he came to a stop before her. "You have come a long way from your chapel, I'm sure. It's truly a rare sight to see one such as yourself within the shadowy walls of this stronghold."

 

She paused slightly and coughed delicately into her sleeve, feeling the reassuring pressure of several poisoned daggers belted at her waist as she shifted her weight. Although the man seemed perfectly normal, appeared older than her, and had not intimated—by any sign or word—violence to her, he caused her more disquiet than any recruit she had seen in a very long time. And her experience with Abel had taught her all too well not judge others based on their age or appearance.

 

Damn him, she thought savagely. I hate dealing with those older than me. He's certainly older than most recruits we've had in a while. She found herself with a bizarre desire to trumpet, "Bless me, Father, for I have sinned," at the top of her voice.

 

Then aloud, she said, "Forgive me. Now, onto the matter at hand. Tell me, I'm curious—what is your name, and your motivation for joining the Amethyst Order? And more importantly, what talents do you offer in our service?" Cyndane's dark eyes lingered mockingly on the man's body, which although far from decrepit, was showing signs of approaching middle age.