Vaude

- Lord Raiden, within his villa and done with his conversation with Neena - Raiden nodded in understanding, ensured that they would once again meet. She left as quickly as she came, and the two were once again alone. "Rebellious and fiery but honorable and without great love or need for money. That is what we need more of around here, don't you think, Alastor? If only she could wrap her pretty little head about what I know, what we know, then she would be a strong partner and ally. Until then, I'd like to keep a private eye on her. "This incoming party with the queen's son in the lead is worrisome but not unprecedented. It might even be fruitful, having Jynn meet up with the king of the world below. Alastor, keep informants at the gates, sentries on the walls, and information collectors stationed at the city hubs. If Jynn, Yevgeni, or this Lady of the Mists come by, have them tell me their whereabouts." Raiden flipped another page, his eye catching a glimpse of an illustration, one that he had forgotten was ever put onto parchment. He frowned and closed the book with a solid whump, a sigh escaping him as he allowed a wistful thought back on those days.

- Kaspar, locked in battle with the Celestial Twins alongside Tolan - With a twisted ankle, Absalom winced in pain and struggled to move at first, but quickly recuperated as time went on, his stamina surpassing the burning throb in his foot. He moved back a few paces, weapon at the ready and his eyes fixated upon the two, especially Tolan as he charged magic into his blade. An age-old trick, that, but a rare one. A spellblade does not often emerge outside of the realm of the gods, but even though Tolan was less than divine did not mean he was to be taken as any less deadly. Absalom caught wind of Tolan's tricky, flashy maneuver and matched scimitar with great blade, his great strength counteracting the ferocious momentum of the Moon Lord's blade but not the magical power. An explosion of moonlight energy erupted out of the swing, burning Absalom's skin, especially that which was exposed from his battle raiment, but the god gritted his teeth and tried to force the blade to the side to attack Tolan with a riposte. Such a move, however, was sadly nullified by a withdrawal and a secondary attack, and Absalom felt a sensation of dread as a crescent slash of energy came down on him, rippling with moonlight. It came, it saw an end to Absalom and cut him in twain about the midsection, and it conquered. Veni vidi vici. Kaspar watched the demise of a god through the corner of his eye and cursed his luck under his breath. While the battle was intense and brilliantly won by Tolan's part, something bothered him about it, and he was not afraid of saying his mind. "I hope you intend that we deal with the other a little more cleanly," he remarked. "I want a whole body to try to reanimate, not halves of one or both." His eyes narrowed as the sensation of corrupting darkness came to him and he took a whirling sidestep. It was too slow. A black arrow pierced through his upper arm, just barely missing the bone and remaining in. He let out a croak and clutched his injured side, struggling to pull the arrow out of him before it pollutes him too heavily. "You . . . struck down . . . my brother!" Ahinoam heaved through great breaths, his bow still raised and prepping a newly nocked arrow. In the distance, blackened flames made up of darkness energy covering the corpses Kaspar reanimated and a few portions of the ground. Unrefined darkness magic had a tendency of lingering. "For you there will be . . . no peace!" Another arrow was sent in Tolan's direction, fast and powerful and spinning. Kaspar realised that this was bad. Ahinoam was calm and fluid beforehand, but the way he must have dealt with his corpses was different than the bow and arrow, and perhaps more dangerous to both him and Tolan. Mid-thought, he tore out the entirety of the black arrow, feeling an agony far worse than a normal arrow. That agony was not the worst of it, however. He still had to deal with the corruptive nature of it. Tolan and Ahinoam had to wait. In the meantime he pressed a hand on the entry wound and drew out the darkness like a poison. Only afterwards did his unhealing magic work, knitting together his flesh like a terrible surgeon. It did not look pretty, but his arm was almost as good as new, almost. ((On a tangent, Ahinoam means "brother of peace" in Hebrew and Absalom in turn means "father of peace." Why I paired them as brothers and not father and son is beyond me. =P )) - Brénainn Loth, assisting Rabiyu with the Treasury crisis - Brénainn was very much relieved to see that the elfin girl with whom he was paired up had a few aces up her sleeve, dodging a very literal bullet by dissipating into mist and reforming elsewhere to continue the fight. The relief was short-lived as his bottom half was taken from under him, and he crumbled to the ground thanks to a newcomer to his eyes. "Get off!" he called out, shifting his upper body enough to try whacking Fierro on the side of the head with his staff a few times. Whether or not he succeeded, he overheard Rabiyu call out to him and agreed with her. The mage had to be dealt with. Cancelling the speed enhancement spell, he cooked up a particularly useful spell for such a situation. "Twining serpents of Ouroboros, I summon your like. Bind! Bind!" Two ropes of magical weave swept out of the top of his staff, the one not poking out at Fierro, and he fixated his eyes on the one at his ankles first before moving to Mack. The magic spiralled up at first before coming down upon its targets, trying its best to tangle around both victims and ensnare them. That should help with matters, or at least so he hoped. He saw others rush further into the treasury instead of out, and that meant ill.

I wanted to let you guys know that you're doing a remarkable and wonderful job with the worldbuilding characteristics of roleplaying. It does my heart wonders to see character and environmental depth and triggers a more creative side to me in writing and several other art forms. With that said, thank you all.

- Lord Raiden, conversing with the intruder within his villa outside of Mystras - Raiden too sensed the shockwave of energy, but kept his mirth hidden beneath a stony face. He listened intently to Neena as she elaborated on the travelling group to Mystras, pleased by her attention to detail's being greater than his own foxchild spies'. Under different circumstances, he would have offered double her previous salary for her to remain with him, but he thought against it, especially with her finalising statement. "Thank you for your information," he replied at the end, attempting to be both polite and curt. "While I am sure you have a wealth of other information, I need nothing else. However, if you need incentive for silence"--he reached down to his coinpurse and threw the entirety of it towards Neena--"consider this and four equal payments to be enough scattered through the month. I trust you understand the consequences of broken silence will be more than the end of these payments. I like my secrecy." With a grin, he turned back towards his fire, seated himself anew, picked up the book, and flipped through a few pages. "Please exit the way you came and enjoy your newfound knowledge, unless you have other business to do here." - Rufus Contralto, talking amblingly with Baxter - Rufus craned his head to listen in on the details regarding this Lord Raiden, surprised that there was anyone using lightning magic in this realm, considering it was so rare from where he came. Perhaps it was because the elements themselves rallied against lightning, forcing its magical practitioners to become as scarce as Bigfoot. Or was it? He was still questioning his previous life's existence, but something about it rang true. A little while longer and Rufus overheard tons of interesting information on the creatures of this realm, scratching his ear at the thought of such fantastical beasts. "Now you're the one that's saying weird stuff," he uttered in a befuddled manner before laughing. "This place seems to have so much crazy creatures, beings, and wonders to behold! This is my first trip outside the lamp in ages to see the outside, and I'm glad to be here." His face turned dead-serious. "I hope you don't juice these . . . tree bat bugs or whatever you called them. I had an odd run-in there with some insects. Perish that thought. Now, you may have mentioned this before, but are normal people around, ones who don't have magic except through odd means? You look human enough. Mayhap you're human?" - Raleigh Marin and the Infiltrator, currently within the Isopolis Shrine - 　 Raleigh listened intently, only halfway paying attention to Curvis' being polite and giving him a half-baked smile. She stepped down the walk and onto the landings, keeping tabs on the situation. This strange masked man and King Alderon seemed to be hitting it off wonderfully, but there was something about him--perhaps his hiding his face--that put her on edge. The Infiltrator nodded to the king's question, responding to him, "You miss nothing, Your Highness. I'm your guide and guardian, tasked by Lord Raiden to guide you to the safety of the city of Mystras, Raiden's governance. There you can reconvene with him, learn more about our fair world, and afterwards return. Queen Shiva will likely know that you are here, but Raiden acts independently and the queen will not interfere too greatly with his affairs." At least, so I hope, he thought to himself, glad that the mask could hide his facial features. There is no knowing what runs through Shiva's head. We know that better than anyone. "A ride will take us back to the city, hidden from the typical rounds of the guards and cloaked with my specialty. We will have no problem with guards, not with Soran here, if we move at a forced march or slightly less. I pray that will not be too much of a bother, Your Majesty. Speed is of dire essence before matters get out of hand." As Raleigh awaited the king's response within the growing crowd of passengers, she allowed herself to slip into a moment of humanity and looked over to Curvis. She wondered how he was taking things and hoped to catch his eye long enough to give a better smile in response to his previous act of kindness. He was different than most. Perhaps it was his naivete and youth or more the fact that he gave her food, but she liked the attention he gave her and how different he was from her.

- Brenainn Loth, within the Capital and begrudgingly engaged in a scrap - Brenainn consulted himself regarding what to do with the situation at hand, things looking a little worse with every passing second as the mage whipped off in order to destroy the Treasury, but when Rabiyu launched a swift and flashy attack he feared for the general population. No doubt most could take care of themselves -- elves had a knack for self-preservation -- but there would be casualties should anyone get careless with their actions. With that said, he put his skills to work, rushing toward the entrance in a swift run and mumbling a spell in rich Elvish. "Ignite in the flash of autumnal reds, beautiful flame!" he spoke, flames erupting from his hands in a fiery curtain and attempting to lap a way through the ice. While it was thick and challenging to melt through, a show that the female mage Phato was quite skilled, he made a decent-sized hole out of which people could flee. Thankfully people were far away on the other side, the fire eating away at the available oxygen on the other side and creating a backdraft, and once the deed was done he turned and cupped his hands around his mouth. "For those of you who value your lives or do not wish to see a massacre, leave this place!" he shouted. "We will deal with the situation." Some nearby people took him up on his offer and flocked to the reopened entrance, but it was unlikely all heard him or saw his actions. Hoping it was enough, he decided now was the best time to help Rabiyu and rushed in her direction, prepping a shielding and lightening magic for her.

- Kaspar, fighting the Astral Twins alongside Tolan - Kaspar gave out a grunt at Tolan's commentary, but he begrudgingly nodded too. Fighting two gods such as these would probably have been too much for him, one engaging at all ranges while the other poked from afar. "I hate to admit it, but you may be right," he replied with a wheeze, a small smile showing. "That is a question for another time." Absalom gritted his teeth, not afraid at all from Tolan's taunting and the weapon of godly design, but the man's skill was surely great in physical feats as well as magical ones. Absalom's greatest gifts, unlike most gods, lay in strength of body, every fibre of his being vibrant and intent on being the greatest and most powerful. He was still among the lowest echelons of gods due to his centric focus, but he was determined to fight his way to supremacy, starting with these subpar beings. "Coming right up, low one," the god retorted, taking a few steps closer to the one with the Moon Lord's blade. With finesse garnered over centuries of training, he flicked his sword in a wide, slow spin over his head before arcing it towards Tolan's midsection, afterwards pirouetting and spinning both sword and spear the opposite direction once the blow was blocked, dodged, or striking the objective. Once he was done with his footwork, he leaped upward and backward, lobbing the javelin toward Tolan should he see him. The group of actions was quick and dangerous, but in the end it left Absalom one weapon shorter and flying backwards to terra firma. Kaspar attempted to take advantage of this by making it terra infirma. Using the manipulation of the earth's forces, he shifted the ground so that it would softly crumble beneath the god's feet. It was limited because Kaspar was mostly practiced in necromancy rather than earth magic, but the effect proved fruitful. Absalom twisted his ankle and his movements were slowed and painful. Tolan could certainly take full use of that. In the meantime, Ahinoam still struggled against the remaining five ghouls, but was winning. He was fast and powerful, his arms mighty from constant use of the bow. Every time the corpses came close he blasted them back or shot them with an arrow of darkness, and they came back toward him weaker and slower than before. Three lay completely dead now, dark arrows firmly lodged in grey matter, and he now fully understood their weakness. Kaspar took advantage of the moment and laid upon the corpses a stronger hex this time, chanting a new spell and slamming both palms on the volcanic ground. "Black and white worms bellow and fight for your flesh, but your body is ageless and conquers both wrigglers. If kerfed down, come back up. If thou lose your head, come back up. Only in pieces will thou rest." The remaining three bodies were now more resilient and did not need their heads intact now, much to Ahinoam's future frustration, but they were still destructible and able to be killed.

- Kaspar and the Moon Twins, on the volcanic battlefield between the gods and the Fire Clan - It took Ahinoam a moment to see the newcomer, and his eyes narrowed in worry for his brother. "Absalom, to your side!" he shouted, restocking his bow with darkness magic. It was milliseconds too late. Absalom brought his sword hand to the hilt of his blade and swung it vertically in ferocious might to match the slash, but he did not expect Tolan's kick off from a crafted magical barrier. Ducking proved fruitless as Tolan snared a good portion of his hair and yanked him downward into the volcanic, dry earth. However, he did not take much time to be dazed before following the motion, curling into a ball, and attempting a swift and powerful kick with both legs to knock the interloper away. Kaspar welcomed the situation and took full advantage of it, surging energy into the ground and the air that provided an unhealthy resurrection of the corpses' flesh. Like before, bone, sinew, and flesh wove into each other, and the bodies were made, for the most part, whole. Then came the onslaught, the first of the corpses making their move against the dark-haired archer in a fast-paced hobble. Ahinoam fired a bolt of corruptive darkness into its face before punching it full-on with his bow arm, blasting it backward with herculean strength. Another lich came soon after, and another, and Ahinoam found himself bolting to safety, far away from his twin and with chasing ghouls following. Kaspar grinned a little and put his focus on Absalom. Drawing a devilish blade from his cloak, the necromancer leapt into the air towards the golden pretty boy and brought down the dagger in a strong stab, but the action was parried by the slamming arcing motion of a javelin. "If you think I'd be bested in a challenge of strength, you'd be dead wrong. And you . . . you grabbed my hair," Absalom voiced, glaring at Tolan behind a large and powerful scimitar. "I'll kill you first. Call it my new selfish desire." Absalom backed away from Kaspar and Tolan, previously trapped in the middle and forming a triangle to better view the two. The archer fended off corpses in the meantime, shooting several but not in the right places. The head was the weakest point of a reanimated creature. Sever thought from the body and it will fall unless a great hex was laid on it, but Kaspar had no time for such a thing. He remained chased around, but the reanimated bodies would not last much more punishment.

- Raleigh Marin and the Infiltrator, within the depths of the Isopolis Shrine - Raleigh nodded in a mutual response to Curvis' questions and Draksis' reply, her hand dancing over the grip of the crossbow tentatively and preparing to unlock the safety mechanism on it should any sort of danger arise. "Sir Draksis is quite right. As a guardian, being distrustful becomes almost second-nature, and it is imperative to be prepared, no matter the situation. Of course"--a small grin darted over her features--"I've learned such safeguarding a different manner than most, but this comes of mighty help when protecting a king." Raleigh watched as Alderon stepped up to the unknown men without showing fear, wondering if the man were completely brazen or an excellent bluffer. The Infiltrator also watched, a confident smile beneath the facets of his mask. "A warm welcome to you, your majesty of Sondon. Apologies are in order for Raiden to not be present, but he expresses his wishes that you have had a safe and uneventful flight here. Our greetings are extended to all of you, of course, especially you, my good sir," he commented with a rigid bow, first to the king and next to Draksis. "Unfortunately, I fear that time is of the essence, as opening the cloud barrier you may have seen has some . . . negative repercussions, and the queen of our continent is sure to know of its unbarring. We must leave swiftly as to avoid troubles. My companion here would know of the quickest route out of here." ((Your cue, Kuni.))

- Brenainn Loth, within the Capital - Brenainn frowned at the circumstances that were befalling the Elven Empire's treasury and leaned resolutely onto his staff, listening and waiting and analysing amidst the chaos that surrounded him. There were so many terrified citizens, two or more rebels, and not enough brave ones to stand out on their recruitment or stand up against it. However, it seemed one was, for certain, brave. He watched Rabiyu with a look of interest and pleasure, happy to see her reaction. Perhaps there was something he was able to do after all. "Now now, young ones, settle down and put your fists to your side," he stated over the calming crowd, walking a little closer to the gunslinger. "What exactly do you intend to do here? Are you so willing to take a stand and a side that you would lay down your life for it? I know seven just like her in this very room that would try to stop you, and you blocked off your only exit. Stand down and prevent needless bloodshed unless you'd like to get your butt pummelled." - Kaspar, on the volcanic battlegrounds alongside his fellow Greys - Kaspar too was on the edge of the battlefield, but unlike Irena his dark eyes were fixated inward, towards his captive people who sought freedom from the oppressive gods. The air around him churned with earthen power, channeling through him from the ground and spilling forth from his hands as he summoned the bodies of the fallen. Carcasses were limited near his position and, much to his disappointment, all of them were exceedingly fresh, but five came forth, cut from their spiritual connections and with a fell look in their eye. Kaspar preferred dealing with the long dead, the ones that did not look like previous allies or even friends. Still, he had little choice. "I apologise, Burning Earth, Ruptured Land, but I need your bodies as well as those of your comrades," he spoke in a thin, guttural voice, meaning every word. That was enough sentiment, however, and he called upon an invocation. "Those that have fallen, strip thyselves of monstrous nature and bodily need. Mend thy souls and cleave thy flesh to usefulness, so that the one that beckoneth you puppets your existence." The dead bent over from their hobbling, writhing in pain as their flesh knit itself together in horrific, unnatural fashion. Sinews tightened like bowstrings, muscle melted into itself, and skin and bone healed weakly together, strong enough only to accomplish the task he had in mind. Furthermore, their evil gaze weakened significantly, gaining a lustre that proved more human than predatory. "Servants and past friends, your aid is called on. Your clanmates and others still have been captured and are on death's door. Free them and prevent what happened with you from affecting them." Groans and hacks were their replies as they shambled speedily closer to the captives, following his command with enough intelligence to avoid the battle. Kaspar himself did not have the same luck, two gods encroaching upon him from his left. "A necromancer, and an ugly one besides, dear brother," one said, his hair long and golden and his armament consisting of twin javelins and a two-handed sword the equivalent of a Doppelhänder. "You're correct about that, it seems," said the other, handsome, black-maned, and stroking his bow. Kaspar felt a horrible glow of power from that one, a power attributed to darkness. "How do you think the necromancer would stand against us?" "Poorly," came the response from the golden one, preparing a javelin. "Your bow has rarely faltered, Ahinoam." "As have your spears, Absalom. Let us put holes in this less holy corrupter, dear brother. His foul practice disgusts me." Kaspar narrowly escaped a bolt of darkness magic, sensing its formation before he was able to see it and dodging it before it pierced through his heart. "Oho," chuckled Absalom, "you must be losing your touch, brother. Let me try my hand at him, as well as the heft of my spear." Kaspar saw it this time, the crunch of pressure between the spear and the man's hand almost vivid before he too let it fly. While it was easier to dodge, the great rush of air almost paused him enough to get struck by a second unleashed arrow. Almost. He kicked off from the ground and rolled to safety thereafter, entirely displeased by the scenario he was granted. "That usually works," Ahinoam muttered unhappily. "Not on us gods, but so frequently with humans. Maybe I should take on more Greys for target practice after this battle." "You won't get the chance," Kaspar wheezed, bringing his hands down to summon anew with a stronger and wider casting. More risen came forth, but only six and all of them unknit. ((More will come for Kaspar's fight later; I'm feeling rather drained at the moment and am in need of rest. By the way, points and infinite peanut butter cookies to those who recognise the names of the gods.))

"The Boulder is over his conflicted feelings . . . and is ready to bury you . . . in a ROCKALANCHE."

- Lord Raiden, conversing with an informant in his villa - Raiden tossed a secret glance at Alastor, catching his commentary and his action. He was a uniquely impressive man, having many aces up his sleeve, and Raiden only rarely found him off-guard. Looking back at Neena, he weighed her questions on a mental balance. She was bold and fearless to ask him about such matters so bluntly, but that trait was greatly admirable and deserved some level of truth. He performed a hidden search magic beforehand, just in case, and the search came up empty. They were alone and their conversation unheard by anyone beyond those in the room. "I admit," Raiden started out, "that men under my employ have been seeking entry to Isopolis, but they were turned away by its sanctioned guardians and are now back in Mystras. I crave answers to a great mystery, one which you may know of, and to obtain them I am seeking one who is on or will arrive soon at the isle." He smiled and swung out his hand to the girl, the gesture not offering but commanding. "Your turn, informant. What does this group plot, and why the swap of information, especially directly? Rumours are rumours, and rarely does one dwell on them long enough to invade a ruler's premises." - Raleigh Marin, aboard the Phoenix airship and within the Overworld - Raleigh smiled at the compliment given to her by the king, pleased as punch at the admiration of her qualities, even though her strength may have been thoroughly overestimated. "Absolutely, my liege. You can count on me for aid anytime, given the price is right," she replied to him with a playful grin. As he walked off she observed everything from her scenic view. She felt rather sickened by the thought that Midnea was getting attention soon after herself, but she distracted her thoughts with the world above her very head. Soon enough it encompassed her view, the underside of the shorn earth blocking almost all light, and her eyes stayed open all the while. She wanted to not even miss a moment to blink. The airship soon changed course from up to down and descended to the water below, landing smoothly and converting into that of a normal ship. Raleigh could only marvel at her circumstances. Here she was, soon to step foot on ground foreign to her except in her wildest dreams. Her greatest aspiration was becoming a reality, a bit wetter than she expected from the dank caves, but no less breathtaking. It took her a moment to snap out of her reverie, but she caught wind of the two awaiting figures, neither one of them seeming too unfazed by their arrival. Her pupils shrank at the sight of the masked individual, immediate distrust flowing from her, but the other gave her a strange sense of calm that clashed with his dark appearance. A hand reached for her crossbow. If either meant trouble, she thought about sending a heavy bolt or two into their chests. - The Infiltrator, currently greeting the newcomers of the Phoenix airship within the depths of Isopolis - The masked individual beamed with accomplishment, a simper nestled deep beneath his mask as he stood on the docks. The area around him was modestly lit by the kerosene lamps, and it was only a moment of time before the first humans in millennia stepped foot on the Overworld. Truly exciting it was, had he not recognised one of the individuals standing on the ship: Midnea. "It's her," he muttered under his breath, forgetting that Soran was nearby and probably able to hear him. He caught himself and turned toward the fey of darkness. "My good fellow, we are witnesses and bearers to a new chapter of history," he commented dryly. "Smile. They'd like that." - Rufus Contralto, with Baxter and the remaining members of Jynn's party - The addle-pated djinni looked at everyone in a bout of confusion, equally unsure with Baxter as to what was going to happen. "This logic befuddles me. Were you not in a hurry beforehand, and concurrently everyone else is to pause and wait for development of events?" Rufus spoke up, his voice perhaps a little too quiet to be accredited by the Overworld prince. He shook his head. Commands are commands, he thought, and some fruit can be gathered at this tame time. "Baxter, my new friend," he vocalised, turning to the dragonling, "it seems we have much time on our hands! Shall we explore and enjoy the sights, or may I pick thy brain on some subjects. One of these subjects is that of elephants, a massive grey beast with colossal tusks of ivory. Do they have any here? How about turkeys, gobbling things that cross roads and attack wayward travelers whilst trying to cross roads?"

Eh-h-h, maybe one more character for me, this time with an elf to mismatch an abnormally aged young Grey. Brénainn, you're up. Name: Brénainn Loth. Age: 318, looks like 40. Gender: Male. Race: Half-Elf. Appearance: Abilities: Clerical magic (healing, cleansing, and buffing spells), Law of the Woodland (druidic magics, including shapeshifting and nature magic), and lesser mastery of fire spells, ranging from signal flares to fireballs to flamethrower spouts. Most powerful ability is a blend of clerical magic and Law of the Woodland named Divine Topiary, which shifts the wielder into a tree and channels refined regenerative power to allies. Weapons: The staff Freedom's Promise, see above for the appearance. Personality: The fires and tempers of a misspent youth had been quenched by time, leaving Brénainn a wiser and less aggressive individual who tends towards peace and balance. Newfound rage from the gods' conquest, however, has sparked him to a vow of vengeance that will not stop until every villainous deity is reduced to fertilising loam or imprisoned within a sacred forest. Because of his lineage as an half-elf, age does not treat him as well as his pure-blood elfin brethren. He can be thought of as a senile codger, but with the appearance of a man barely piercing into his forties. Believe it or not, he has a sense of humour, however eclectic. Said sense of humour mostly revolves around joke riddles and Fermi estimates. Bio: Brénainn was born out of the bountiful marriage of an elven man and a half-elven woman, living a life of freedom within Trisn's realm and attuned with the beauty of nature at a young age. He learned much more from the forest vegetation than his teachers, and more still from the animals that roamed within it, resulting in his being a rebellious and insolent child who later became a bandit. The news of the tragic loss of his mother several decades later curbed his refractory personality, and he went back to his father a broken man. He remained with Trisn's realm for his remaining centuries, learning the arts of healing and controlling nature, and became a cleric for his people. Then the gods came, bringing with it the presumed death of his father on a trip to the outer lands. Brénainn waited for weeks hoping for word of his father, but when no word came to him, not even a magical one, his hope fell into despair. He hated those invading deities and made a strong and sturdy elven vow, a promise that his spirit would not wane before he brought the one who killed his father to justice. Miscellaneous: Brénainn adores maple sap and its refined state--maple sugar. His theme is below:

Happy birthday, Kuni! Being the rebel I am, I bequeath to you something other than a cake. I bequeath . . . Enjoy!

- Raleigh Marin, currently on board the Phoenix airship heading for the Overworld - Raleigh frowned in disappointment, just barely hearing the door swing in the wild winds and, thirty seconds later, not finding a single individual defenestrating themselves from the window. Pity. She hoped to shoot one or two into the world below, no questions asked. Something's up, or she's just plain crazy, thought Raleigh, looking across toward the fey and the knight in red. The co-conspirators, if any, would have fled to safety of view, or maybe the winds are too turbulent for them. What is that nasty piece of business up to? She looked upward pensively, wondering which of five different possibilities Midnea could be hoping to accomplish, and her jaw slacked in surprise. "Captain! King Alderon!" she shouted, rushing to the deck-facing balustrade in hopes of finding them both. "Look up there, in the clouds!" Up where she was pointing was an odd scene, a parting of a cloud's underbelly and the revealment of a dark, bulky figure within it, much like the cracking of the shell of a newborn chick. It was small at first, but grew at a steady pace and was very noticeable twenty seconds after she called out. The alien thing hiding within the cloud was motionless, but sharp and jagged tears could be seen on its underbelly. Raleigh squinted a little in fascination. The figure reminded her of uprooting from the ground a plant and its surrounding earth. "The Overworld?" she muttered as if to herself, unsure of what else to say. When she thought of a city in the sky, she didn't actually picture this. - Lord Raiden, within his villa with a new, uninvited guest - Raiden rose to his feet upon the sounds of an unexpected rap, surprised and agitated. Who other than Alastor would interrupt him at this hour? No servant of his would even think of knocking on his lounge doors, not without rightfully fearing for their life as they knew it, but this was no servant. In entered a strange and unknown girl, carrying with her a sense of determination few could match. He listened to her with a mien of confusion at first, then amusement, then interest, and he turned to Alastor with a flat smile. "It appears you've brought an associate of yours, good friend. She seems to have picked up after your mannerisms." He looked toward Neena this time, giving her a once-over before speaking anew. "I'm assuming this could not have waited for a more decent hour, informant. I acquiesce to your trade, but know this: I will give as much poignancy and potency as you provide me. Accept this and our conversation may begin." - Rufus Contralto, currently inside Jynn's abode and departing - Rufus took everything in like a sponge, his head swimming in information that took a little while for him to fully decipher. The youth, even though he was confusing in a few areas to the djinni, was definitely knowledgeable in current events. Perhaps he really was as he said, a member of and guard for Shiva's court. In lieu of this, Rufus threw all other thoughts of his origins out the window and eagerly decided to reply to the young one and his master. "Mistress Rabiyu holds my reins for now, and doubtless she would little want to gift me to you without too much thought on the matter," he answered with a warm smile. "Take a few days to think of your wish. Clear your head of what you really do not want, and mayhap she will grant you my lamp. For now, I can grant you little more than my friendship and companionship." He turned to Rabiyu, still beaming with happiness. "Milady, I would adore to stay and ascertain more knowledge. Thoroughly enjoyable would it be to understand this world and its inhabitants. Furthermore, as you have accurately figured I am at your beck and call, even if not with my lamp. Bonne chance, Mistress!" Edit: small grammatical issues here and there.

- Lord Raiden, currently within his villa outside Mystras with Alastor - Raiden nodded to Alastor's commentary, and broke out into a loud fit of chuckles as the storm lord brought his hand to his head. Theirs was an interesting relationship, old and bordering somewhere between cold commands and warm friendship, and both had their own senses of humour. "I think that kind of pie would be a wonderful idea, one which would prove very fruitful and tasteful," he replied with mirth, but his face went serious shortly thereafter. "As for the barrier, it will be gradual, I assure you. There are natural forces to consider, and the pressure of radicals that would not support or envy strangers, but a hole will be breached, and you might know where that hole will be. Rumours flow smoother than water nowadays and permeates far quicker." Raiden leaned back into his chair, realising he was unconsciously moving forward in his seat, and a slight smile trickled onto his countenance. "There's an old, old saying, Alastor, that fortune favours the bold, and I feel particularly bold and lucky. Events are fulfilling spectacularly, and I am eager to test my pieces and plays to provide more than a better world, but better worlds, plural." He sighed and frowned. "If only such turbulent change weren't against the general consensus, happy and placated after aeons of stagnant peace and ignorance to the world below them." - The Infiltrator, opening the Aegis - The Infiltrator stepped into the sanctum, a place where so very few have made it, and a place where so much tragedy was triggered. Exiles and executions were done in this very room. If rumours could be believed, Ariana, the Spriggan, and the other one all went to Isopolis before they were deemed lost and dead, and it was Isopolis where the other one made it back. The Infiltrator's eyes clouded in thought as he meditated on the last one's name. Ren. Yes, that was the one. Duty was far more important than thoughts on the past, and he pressed on into the inverted room. A rocky ceiling of warped, crystal-speckled stalactites towered overhead, distant and bowing away from the centre of the room, and a gaping hole opened up below like the maw of a great beast. What was truly awe-inspiring, however, was what lay between. A stream of light visibly buckled and flexed a lens with intense magical pressure between two great stone pillars. This lens was the Aegis, a resolute artefact, considering its age and faultless purpose, but in its own ways fragile to outside forces. The Infiltrator glanced back at Soran before walking down the slender earthen path leading towards the lens, his displaced hovering magic fading as he stepped further and further into the cavity. Walking on the ground soon afterwards took him by surprise, but he continued on unhampered until the end, putting forth more magic to protect his very core from being drained instead. Thankfully he had a lot pooled up in his energy reservoirs, enough to make it to the lens and turn the inner lock. The magical field let off by the lens weakened in intensity, shifting in location so that it was not one beam but several that emanated through the durable glass. The hole was formed, and through it could fly the airship. "It is done," he said, heading back towards the entrance and exit. "Soran, you are welcome to join the cause. You have considerable proven strength and the same ideals. It is certain that with you Raiden can achieve his goals sooner and better, but if not I urge you not to speak of this matter to anyone, especially not the queen. It is quite possible she will feel the aftershock of the Aegis, and if you are here it may end poorly for you unless your tongue is as gifted as your vigor." - The Infiltrator [flashback, locked in a combative test with the guardian of Isopolis] - It was difficult to trudge forward in the feeling of heavy armour on him, even if the electricity was lighter than a feather, but the Infiltrator closed the distance even as Soran launched a barrage of fire at him. His armour was different from other elements, reflecting and nullifying large blows rather than tanking them, and the flames quenched themselves as soon as they got close to him. The blows did weaken the armour, but additional generation of electricity from the man's hands restored it to full capacity. Next was the Infiltrator's turn. Sapping from the electromagnetic armour, he prepared concussive blows within his left fist and launched three air blasts at railgun speeds, starting at the ground at Soran's feet and ending at Soran's chest. Blocking that would not be an easy feat. A triple blast was almost sure to knock people backward into a wall, and the opening blast would diffuse against the ground and scatter like a strong wind. He did not wholly sacrifice protection, however. The Infiltrator still garnered a bit of armament on his right-hand side, the armour still hanging on there whereas the rest that covered his mask and left side was gone.

My envisioning the fight between the Infiltrator and Soran: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfHq8yoQPQk Expect a post from yours truly to be coming up shortly!

Hello there! I am liking the concept and the possibilities that may come out of the idea, but I have a few questions before I consider joining. The first is whether or not outside individuals not affiliated with Square Enix or Disney could join in the fray (for instance, somebody not from Final Fantasy or any Disney worlds). If not, that is fine, but my character roster is mostly from freeform roleplays and very rarely can I create one with Final Fantasy or Kingdom Hearts elements. The second question I have regards the style of this roleplay and how the fights are laid out. I believe you made mention that we would do a lot of travelling, but are fight scenes sequestered to one versus one (1v1) fights or are parties going to face off against hoards and specialist foes, sort of like random battles or colosseum matches?

All right, I finally got him up. Please let me know if there are any changes needed, especially if things look too powerful. Name: Kaspar the Grey. Age: 29, looks like 58. Gender: Male. Race: Grey. Appearance: Abilities (this includes magic, godly powers, or assorted abnormal skills): Necromancy/Unlife (Earth-based), Black Arts (summoning, communicative rituals through death), Brute Strength. See "Miscellaneous" for further information on Necromancy and the summoning aspect of Black Arts. Weapons: Sacrificial dagger, garnered via ritual. Personality: Dark-hearted, cold, and calculating, Kaspar finds it hard to not wear his heart on his sleeve. Illusion magic masks his true appearance to prevent others from seeing his ugly self. The stench of decay follows him, only seemingly hidden by a blend of his own design of rose oil and hyacinth extract, and both of them are rare commodities in the volcanic ashland. He shows little remorse and tends to stay away even of his own kind, dealing with his trade of necromancy as he sees fit. Bio: A powerful necromancer in his own right, Kaspar was deemed a noteworthy figure in the Grey society and held little interest in the ideals of other races besides their gravekeeping and enbalming processes. Then the gods came, and several neighboring Grey races were squelched like grapes in a winepress. He could not stand idly by, not when his brethren were destroyed and the gods themselves can die. He was especially curious about the last part, and wanted to test his resurrection methods on a dying god to satiate his interests. All that is necessary now was to search for one. So, he left his race and seeks out what he always wanted: power, raw and unlimited. Miscellaneous: Kaspar has little need to eat, food crumbling to dust as soon as his breath makes contact with it. This makes for easy digestion, if one likes dust and ash, but little happiness, so he devours the earth's raw magical essence instead. Kaspar has a keen interest in new things now that he left, always seeking a mystery to unravel. His necromancy and sustenance are earth-based, meaning that spell-casting and "feeding" cannot be done in the air and his magic is weaker when further away from flat ground. Mountains are an exception, having strong roots to necromancy.

If you can pardon my sluggishness every now and again due to life and its frabjousness, I would be happy to join in! This RP shows great promise from the start, and I too love the worldbuilding and concept. It shall be time for your reveal soon, Kaspar the Grey!

All set, mate. Also, that poor, poor construction worker got ripped off the john by a wall-crashing Adam Jensen. What a way to go.

((Since the lock could be heard, eavesdropping is most probably possible. Raleigh knows next to nothing, but she's even more suspicious of Midnea now.)) - Raleigh Marin, currently on board the Phoenix and flying ever upward - Raleigh had to admit to herself that she was ticked. She did not think she would get any information from the start from Midnea, but the witch was definitely a piece of work. She pressed her ear against the oaken door of the airship and frowned. There was conversation, but with the roar of the wind it was impossible to make out anything but garbled bits and pieces. It was funny, however. The voices, besides Midnea's irritating intonations, sounded alien to her, and she could have sworn that there was a third or fourth person speaking besides the two that she knew were present--Midnea and the Knight in Red. "Either she's a socialite with evil spirits or she's schizophrenic," she whispered under her breath. There's no way in or out besides here, and I checked the place. Either way, I don't like it, and it would be best to keep an eye on her, she thought to herself, relieving herself from the door. Furthermore, she made her merry way to the balcony above the captain's cabin's window, just in case somebody was able to squeeze in through there and would squeeze out soon. - Rufus Contralto, with Baxter at Jynn's abode - Rufus blinked several times out of confusion, even though as a genie he had no reason to blink at all. So much information, and good information at that, even if Baxter seemed a little young in his responses. Maybe he was like Children of Mana, young in mind and body and old in years. "Pleased to make your acquaintance, Master Baxter!" Rufus said chipperly, offering a hand for a handshake even though he was intangible. It took him a moment to realise this. "I am Rufus Contralto, and I cannot grant you your wishes, as sad as I am to say it. That belongs to my current owner, and with great wishes comes great responsibility. I think I heard that line from some moving picture somewhere or something, if there are such things as moving pictures. So tell me, youngling, what's this world like? I'm confused about so many situations, and my mind is still catching up from the past six hundred years." - Lord Raiden, currently within his villa outside Mystras with Alastor - Raiden emitted a grin in response to Alastor's jocularity, but did not continue any further with it. Instead, he too sank into seriousness, folding his hands together and relaxing into the leather seat. "Little is the matter except for time constraints and hasty deadlines, but very soon we will have guests. An agent of mine is opening the Aegis, and change is coming into fruition. I thought you might want to know before ulterior news strikes your ears, and I regret not telling you this sooner. Errands, you see," he commented, gesturing towards the tome through which he was poring as an example. Upon the spine of the book could be seen its title Memoir 257, and many tabs and bookmarks laced through equally many pages with silk and stiff paper. "In regards to our dear guests, I would like them for the most part treated with dignity. However, take great heed regarding a certain lady within their party. She is not to be trusted in the slightest, and there is no telling if she means harm. I have cause to believe she lived almost as long as I have, and a dangerous wealth of knowledge. "Lastly, I have one question, one which might be paramount my conduct to them and to you." Raiden looked dead-on into Alastor's eyes, trying his best to look serious. "Apple or blueberry pie for the feast's main dessert? You decide. The cook is unable to make up his mind." ((The Infiltrator will be coming up shortly. KUNI-I-I!~ ))

Aye, that he will, or maybe he can subject a simple-minded future servant into being in a dark room full of shadowy grins if promised a cookie. KOUROO, C'MERE! No worries, mate, and stay safe as the hurricane bucks up those fierce winds and comes in for a second pass! Yup yup yup! Nihil is a lovely pet, full of evil grins and liquid malevolence, and with all of her doggy experiments I would not put it past Midnea to scratch his head. As for Raiden, I'm deriving a little from Final Fantasy and from the Japanese name itself, "Rai" meaning lightning or something similar. He certainly won't be a pushover, and expect a fierce battle, especially if Alastor is in the mix. I think you would like Riley Raiden's second magic, too. As for Jari, you ripped the thought out of my head, didn't you? =P That's precisely what I was thinking could happen.

- Raiden, within his villa at Mystras and within earshot of Alastor - The roar and crackle of a fireplace would strike Alastor's ears upon entering, as would the whump of a closing tome. Raiden rose from one of the two leather armchairs on the far end of the massive entry and set his book down upon an endtable. A smile was solidly plastered on his face. "Well done, Alastor," he spoke over the fire, ever impressed with the storm knight and his quick resolution of matters. "Come, my friend, sit by the fire with me. I have something to discuss with you, a time-sensitive matter, if you will." - The Infiltrator, currently with Soran within the caverns of Isopolis - The Infiltrator looked upon the man with great interest, sizing up Soran in preparation for a fight. He seemed honest, but that bode ill. He would rather take on several weaker opponents than one strong one, and Soran seemed exactly that: strong. The semblance of unmanifested power rested on him like dust on a mantle, and if it were a full battle it might have raged for far longer than a few minutes. However, what was offered was a challenge and a proof of strength, and the Infiltrator was glad of this. "I accept these terms," he voiced, analysing still as he grew closer to the opposing contestant, "and I hope you shall see that I am no pushover." Electricity sprang to life from his hands, popping in potency, and he brought his hands together in a thunderous clap that resulted in a fast-moving bolt of lightning heading towards Soran. Thereafter, he prepared for the counterstrike. The infiltrator's arms hung away from his body, the electricity travelling up them and generating a light sheen of electromagnetic armour around the whole of his body that would nullify weaker blows and deaden others. ((This is a mimicry of Henry's shadow rock armour, sacrificing speed for physical and magical defense.)) - Raleigh Marin, currently on the Phoenix airship en route to the Overworld - Raleigh stifled a chuckle at Midnea's tirade, a smirk on her face almost the entire time as she maintained her position. "A silly assassin, eh? For your age you don't seem to understand the words 'silly' or 'assassin,' though I guess I pride myself in risibility. True, I am not the captain, but my expertise lies in many, many areas, especially in tight quarters. Better keep an eye out there. I can come out of the shadows and kill as easily as one draws breath. "However"--Raleigh stepped aside--"this conversation bores me, so I'll see my fellow gallant candidates as you suggested. Oh, one question before I go: why do you need to enter the room? The captain's not in right now." - Rufus Contralto, currently being ogled and questioned by a very curious individual at Jynn's abode - Rufus was rocked from his gleeful revelry of sights and sounds by an extremely eager Baxter. The chipper young Fey essentially pounced upon him in interest and excitement, and Rufus could not help but let out a prolonged frightened shriek upon the dragonling next to him. "AWAY WITH YOU, FOUL ONE!" the genie yelped, backing away frantically. It took him a few seconds before he calmed down and understood the situation, however, and he cleared his throat. "Apologies for that. I thought thou wouldst attack my bodyless, impossible-to-harm form and harm me. Ha! Silly me! The answers to your questions are yes, yes, and only one for now, but with potential for growth with sacrifice! Don't get anywhere near hippies, though. You don't want this kind of job. And who might you be again, delightfully excitable youth?"

Rufus is here too! Well, okay, not all there. I could imagine a lot of interesting things with Nihil and Maxis competing over a battle of the minds. =P Should they ever come across each other someday, let's do that, or otherwise we'll just PM their challenge of willful, willing wills. It is indeed Knoll! Well spotted right there. As for the illusion magic, that definitely makes sense, and I will ensure all is fair with the visions and tangible magic alike, such that Player 2 can throw up psychic walls against besieging visions or wishes have a cancellation clause. Kunivas has evolved into MacGyver! I'll get a post out for my characters shortly, and I cannot wait to see the fight between the Infiltrator and Soren. We might have to fall into flashbacks mid-fight, however, as the airship is in flight and spiralling towards the Overworld. Let me know when you'd like this, MA, or feel free to do the honours yourself. =)

Name: Jari Coriander. Gender: Male. Race: Foxchild, a shapeshifting werefox of sorts. Age: 28. Appearance: He has many appearances, each moulded by his will, but his chief and preferred appearance is that of a lanky young man of 24 years of age, about 165 centimetres tall (6 feet, 5 inches), with dark hair, green eyes, a rounded face, and a smile that can kill. In fox form he is a grey-haired fox--small, lithe, agile, and with strong senses, but useless in a real fight. Magic: Shapeshifting magic alters his race-attuned body to change shape to anybody, but not weight. This can fool a great many people, making it easier to get lost in a crowd, but has its limits. Unlike elders of his race, seeing or touching someone is not enough to copycat; he can impersonate only through diligent observation and sometimes through being in people's presence long enough. Weapons: Tooth and nail is his preferred approach to things, but a recently acquired dagger with innate magical qualities works better sometimes than snapping and raking. Personality: Cheery, ambitious, friendly, and showy, Jari makes a strange spy, one that connects well with others and finds his heartstrings tugged a little too much towards his prey rather than his employer. The worst qualities he has, however, are that he is easily manipulated and cowardly. He shies away from danger and loathes pressure. Biography: Once an ambling, cheerful individual who loved his job of spying, recent events have forced Jari to question his loyalty to his employer, Lord Raiden. A near-death encounter with a dangerous adversary left him on the lam, emigrating from his hometown with only the clothes on his back, a generous coinpurse of gold, a slightly enchanted dirk, and sticky fingers. Name: Lord Raiden of Mystras. Gender: Male. Race: Unknown Overworlder. Age: Unknown. Appearance: Magic (if any): Little is known of his abilities except that he has a profound interest in lightning manipulation and aeons of mastery over it. Weapons: Zweischock, a hookblade/halberd crossover with a lot of heft and reach, and Needleblade, a razor-thin lightning rod that breaks the laws of electricity and either channels electricity into it or channels it out in simple and complex forms. Personality: Raiden keeps to himself and has been that way for a grand while, often silencing those who know too much about him or his plans or sheltering them within his grand schemes. A great darkness weighs on his mind, overshadowing the deepest of men's desires, but he kept his mind intact throughout the many, many years of being taxed with its burden. His will had been tried and tested and prove almost indomitable, though he has a soft heart towards those close or otherwise dear to him. His chief personality trait beyond these, however, is his love for life and hatred for death, and his sentences to his enemies and whoever spies on him are sometimes far worse than what death could ever provide. Biography: Raiden existed long before Mystras, and was the main contributor of its construction. He has been its overseer and its guardian, but his attentions are now focused less on his beloved city and more on the Overworld in general. Beyond his rule over the city-state, little more is known about him. Name: Nihil Gender: Unknown Race: Unknown Overworlder Age: Unknown. Appearance: Magic: Umber Wish, a twisted and untrustworthy magic which grants a wish, but not how one intends it. Weapons: Hallucinations. Nihil has a strong mastery of the fifth dimension--imagination. Images, no matter how small or how large, are projected to anyone he and his master wishes, much to Raiden's interests. Personality: Nihil is a strong-willed, playful, and powerful mastermind, one that requires a great amount of conscious attention. He takes advantage of situations and pounces upon the chance of a wish like a wildcat. Biography: Little is known even to Raiden about Nihil except that he is a necessary evil, one which must be tethered or otherwise free to roam as he pleases. Many years ago he was forced into a standing lamp by a hippie (just like Rufus), and he craves for freedom more than anything else, something he must not have. That sounds like a plan regarding Raleigh, and even the Infiltrator if need be. =) I'll try to work something out with them. Hey, I don't blame you at all nor do I think badly on you for infrequent posts, and I think MA would think the same, so please don't worry too much over this. Furthermore, I don't think I mentioned that the infiltration and unlocking of the Aegis was a critical part of what is to come, so the fault doesn't lie on you purely but rather is shared by myself. I would happily go over the Isopolis meeting with you via PM, if you'd like. I'm curious as to how you intend to have the two interact.