Antarsia - Sleibte

Will-O-Wisps

Thu, 18 Jun 2020 01:03:19 +0000

Thread status: open
Players involved: Rare, Kokopuffs
Characters involved: Koimata, Kavrier
Setting: Deep Woodland
Time: Nightfall
Weather: Cool, clear

He hadn't spoken in what felt like ages; there had been little need, since finding his way into the woodlands, chased by the nipping bites of a strong spring shower. Here, where civilization had yet to gain a foothold, he had no need for words, accompanied only by the soft symphony of sounds that came from a pittance of passing moments, waking, living, sleeping; a never-ending pattern that was interrupted only by encountering creatures who had no other interest in him then to determine if he was prey or predator. Even now, his hands were hesitant to touch the throbbing pain, wedged between his ribs like a kink that refused to soothe out; a muscle pulled taunt from his encounter with wolves who thought he might make a tasty morsel. It had long stopped bleeding, had already begun to knit back together, leaving little more than angrily raised bumps against pale skin. A few more days, and it would no longer be a bother at all. And then, he supposed, he'd have to find a new place to wander.

There was nothing keeping him here, nothing that whispered to the ache in his chest, a string pulled taut forever tempting his feet into motion. It still pulled, that desire to discover his forgotten past, to find answers in the dark that otherwise laid thick and cloying in his senses, stealing dreams and leaving nothing but to questions with far too few answers. Koimata had encountered others in his self-imposed quest, dragons and wraiths, demons and angels; some seemed to recognize him, taking some strange humor from his presence but offered little when he dared ask why, until he had finally just stopped asking.

Drawing his hand away from its soft caress at his side, only to slide it carelessly through his hair, drawing out leaves from monochrome tresses, he made for the lake that stood at the edge of the forest and the adjacent town. Night was well under way, the coolness of the dark stealing away the humidity that clung to his skin, drawing the kitsune from his bed burrowed in betwixt the clutch of grand roots. The dark crept up along the sides of the path, here where the light of the moon could barely pass through dense foilage, drawing soft ruby eyes, until once again he passed his hand forward, sparking orbs of glowing wisps. Watching them bob, a slow smile touched his face, "Hurry along now," he beckoned, casting them out like fae amongst the summer leaves.

On Reality and Perception

Sat, 11 Apr 2020 01:49:45 +0000

Thread Status: closed
Players involved: commanderhorvat, Achera
Characters involved: Nebula, Lyanna Spiritfell
Setting: West Sleibte, Gathors maw/Naminoishi Mountain range, Wyvern Royal Castle
Time: Mid-afternoon
Weather: Grey and cloudy.

Her royal Majesty, Nebula lay in her roost. It was originally a natural cave with a stunning view that was lost on her but she had been told it could take ones breath away. The vast cavern itself was without any visually appreciable decor. Statues, paintings and things of that ilk severed no purpose to its resident. Instead sets of chimes and pipes set at the mouth of the cave played a constant shifting melody carried by the wind and small gardens with a carefully curated aromas were strewn about the space. In The center of the room, where she currently lay curled in her dragon form, was dug into a amphitheatre-like debate hall, steps suitable for creatures of her size lining the curved sides and a central floor of sand.
As always, her hall was open for any who wished to speak to her and debate existence or any philosophical pursuit, tho like usual, no one had arrived for a while. She passed the time debating with herself and observing the shifts and flows of the Vitka around her. She liked to keep several elemental stone of each variety on hand, making use of her telekinesis to move them to change the flow of Vitka in order to create art pieces only she and a select few could ever percieve.

Collective Troll

Tue, 10 Mar 2020 04:44:12 +0000

Thread Status:(open/closed)
Players involved: commanderhorvat, KokoPuffs
Characters involved: Zagan, Khara Bayan
Setting: West Sleibte, northern area, between Vrocheros lake and Ellond lake
Time: Late morning, between 10:00-10:30
Weather: Sunny with a warmth to the chill air; soft puffs of clouds here and there in the sky

A shiver ran down the spine of a demon man sitting in the shadows of a tree; bright sun casting a few light sourches upon his grey skin through the various leaves above. One leg was left danging off a branch, while his other laid tucked under himself, keeping the delicate family jewels safe from the harsh bark. The day was still young, very young, but surely not as young as it could very well be. The sun was cast higher in the sky, slowly as it made it's way from horizon to horizon. Gods, though the light was fun, the shadows of the night were even better.

The demon groaned softly now, back leaning against harsh bark; at least the air was fresh enough up here, and the breeze from the north? Kept it from getting gods awfully warm as the summer would usually bring. Hell, the deserts were worse, but even THEY would get as cold as his little heart. Zagan snickered at the thought, causing a wide grin to gently stretch across his face.

Just sitting here, however, was as boring as boring could be; nothing to terrorize except the local wild life... that wasn't very fun really. What he wouldn't give for a humanoid creature to show up~

Don't Kill The Messenger

Wed, 29 Jan 2020 01:25:12 +0000

Thread Status:(closed)
Players involved: Archera, Kokopuffs
Characters involved: Kenjin, Kavrier
Setting: Le mountains fam
Time: Late Evening
Weather: Clear with a slight change of rain

It was a sight he wasn't prepared to see, though before he'd entered the throne room he could smell death beyond the door; waiting for some unsuspecting being to walk through. That unsuspecting one was him, and his eyes had grown wide with horror at the sight. He had come seeking the king, to speak with the man of something; he couldn't even remember what exactly that was going to be. Hell, who could even remember what they were going to do when faced with a body? That last time he'd seen one... Kavrier shook his head, dispelling the image from his mind. There was only one thing that needed to be done now, he needed to find Kenjin.

He was as quick as he could, moving from the castle and into the open air. Much faster a traveling distance when in flight, walking at this point in his life was more difficult than it had been many, many years before. Where did he hear of Kenjin being? The mountains perhaps? The dragon could only hope so, as they were coming close into sight the further he traveled in the skies.

Once he was at the mountains, he lowered himself down until he could land safely upon them; eyes scanning the immediate area. "KENJIN!" he called out into the open air, waiting for a call in return, "I have something of great importance you need to know!"

Heart and Mind

Wed, 20 Nov 2019 05:13:01 +0000

Thread Status: Closed
Players Involved: KingFury, KokoPuffs
Characters Involved: Balthoron (KingFury), Taahira (Kokopuffs)
Setting: The forest near Xystal Swamp
Time: Evening, 25th of Haliea (current)
Weather: Overcast

Balthoron slipped into the tavern just as the drinks started flowing for the dinner rush. Way-taverns like these dotted the roads, giving travelers a good place to rest for the night and get a hot meal. They also charged a fortune for anything good, but Bal was fine with that. He could eat, drink, get some sleep, and maybe even find some company to chat with. Rescue missions always seemed to take longer than the others.

He went over to the counter and sat down, ordering a glass of cider and a small plate of whatever meat they had available. He was too seasoned a traveler to ask too many questions about the type of meat. Once settled in and waiting on his food, he turned and began to scan the gathered patrons for anyone interesting to talk to.

Fire and Water

Tue, 19 Nov 2019 02:01:40 +0000

Thread Status: Closed
Players Involved: KingFury, Calliope
Characters Involved: Haru (KingFury), Miala (Calliope)
Setting: The forest near Xystal Swamp
Time: Late morning
Weather: Overcast

Miala's lungs whined as she ran, or tried to run - her bare feet kept catching on rocks and roots, and they hurt, especially after this long. But she couldn't stop even if she'd wanted to. She was chasing the man who'd interrupted her bath and stolen her skin; she couldn't see him anymore, but by some miracle of the gods, he had decided that it was more important to get as far away as possible as fast as was possible, and had left quite a trail in the process.

Not that the trail would do her much good if the fastest she could go was a pained stumble, though. She had no idea where she was, much less how to track things over land when the signs weren't glaringly obvious. And she couldn't stand to think about what might happen if she lost him.

The Lonely Wastes

Thu, 23 May 2019 23:27:38 +0000

Thread Status: Open
Players Involved: Immortal Cyan, Andromeda
Characters Involved: Calligenia, Revera
Setting: East Sleibte, Northern Wastes
Time: Current, Morning
Weather: Clear Skies, Calm

The cold didn't bother Calligenia, but the loneliness did.

It had been a long night for the newborn snow nymph. She was still trying to figure out how to survive on her own within the icy wastes, and it was quite a difficult experience for her. Fortunately, the diminutive nymph was very comfortable in cold weather and in addition, she needed neither clothes nor fire to keep warm or comfortable. However, she had set up and maintained a fire throughout the night so that she could be seen by any passing travelers. The hard part had been finding food, a cave, and material for a bed. With no one to teach her how to do those things, Calligenia could only do the best that she could with those tasks.

Nevertheless, Calligenia had made it through the night without getting eaten or dying of thirst. That was an important victory, because she had proved to herself that she could survive alone. However, she was still hoping to find someone to help her. In essence, she would have more difficulty surviving loneliness than she would have surviving the bitter cold.

Calligenia stretched her arms outward as she emerged from the cave to welcome to new day. The skies had cleared from the blizzard that had wracked the wastes during the night before. In short, there would be no better time for her to head out to find food and continue her journey towards the south. The sensation of soft snow between the toes of her tiny feet was a pleasant one to her, and it shifted her mood to a positive one to start the day. When she finished stretching, Calligenia proceeded to add more wood to her small fire. Then, she took a seat in front of the fire to begin preparing a small breakfast of fish and berries. Although she could live on a plant-eating diet just fine, she had found a lake teeming with fish. Before eating, she spoke a small prayer to Nialle in thanks for her survival and for the sacrifice of the fish. Calligenia didn't have the pride to believe that she had made it through the night through her own meager survival skills. There had to have been some form of divine intervention on her behalf, and for that, she was forever grateful.

i want the guts and glory, baby!

Fri, 17 May 2019 21:16:21 +0000

Thread Status: Open
Players involved: Sparx
Characters involved: James
Setting: East Sleibte, crossroads town somewhere between Ecuru and Nuru
Time: Current, early morning
Weather: Cool, thin fog

Quest Name: "You want what from where?"
Quest Reward: 800gp + ???
Times Quest Has Been Done: 0/1

The morning air was still cool with dew and a light blanket of fog as townspeople began to emerge from their houses and get to work for the day. The local bulletin board was largely ignored, as everyone had their own lives to worry about, with no time for the ridiculous, inconvenient, or even dangerous favors their neighbors couldn’t handle themselves.

Fortunately for those with requests, a young, scruffy man had just strolled into town looking for something ridiculous, inconvenient, or even dangerous to do. This traveler, who could not be much folder than adolescence, had a scrappy air about him, with eagerness in his bright blue eyes. While he mostly looked human, he had pointed ears that were not quite like an elf’s, and part of what made him seem fiery may have been the fact that he radiated heat like a

James was on the lookout for adventure, treasure, or even just something interesting. So, when he saw the lonely quest board with its scrawled pleads for assistance, he was immediately drawn in. Could there be monsters to slay? Bandits to drive off? Shiny rewards to be had?

...or just errands to run? The young man visibly drooped as he read through the various requests. Were townspeople really so boring that the only troubles they had were deliveries and herbs? None of these posts even required going very far away.

James was just about to give up and move on when he heard footsteps hurrying toward him.

“You there!” cried an odd looking woman who appeared to be wearing goggles over her glasses. She was carrying several books and scrolls, with even more tucked away in a bag. “You look like you’re looking for something to do!”

“Um, do you need something?” James replied. It looked like he was going to be roped into a boring favor after all.

“I’m a researcher,” began the woman. “And right now, I’m looking into a mythical dragon living under Lake Vrocheros. I need some supplies for my research, but obviously, I’m very busy, so I need someone else to get these things.”

“Dragon?” Now James was interested. A dragon living under a lake? That sounded weird, but cool. He had never heard of anything like it, though, to be fair, he hadn’t heard of very many things yet.

“Yes, a dragon, pay attention.” The woman somehow managed to shift her books to one arm long enough to pull out some sheets of parchment that she then thrust into James’ hands. “This is what I need. I marked everything on the map. I have a shipment of nixie essence waiting for me in Ecuru. Just show the confirmation letter to the people at the dock marked and they should give it to you. Then, and just hear me out, I need burnweed from the volcanoes up near the Eye of Jackroth. A lot of it. I know it sounds-“
“Is that it? Sounds easy, but I guess it could be fun. I’ve never been to Ecuru.”

The woman looked at James like he had just told her that fighting a frost cat blindfolded with your arms tied was easy. “Um, alright... well, I wrote down how much burnweed I need and how to harvest it so you don’t ruin the combusting bits. And if you make it back I’ll pay you plenty for your trouble!”

James thumbed through the pages he had been given. Ecuru for nixie essence, then the mountains for burnweed. Sounded simple enough- maybe not terribly exciting, but at least he would get to see a new place. And he was pretty sure he knew exactly where to find enough burnweed.

Maybe he’d meet some interesting company along the way?

East Sleibte Quests

Thu, 16 May 2019 17:47:24 +0000

Welcome to East Sleibte Quests! Here you can roleplay out your quests to gain fabulous rewards!

Please fill out the below form so we know which quest you're doing:

Code:
[b]Quest Name:[/b][/align]

[align=center][b]Quest Reward:[/b][/align]

[align=center][b]Number of times the quest can be done:[/b][/align]

[align=center][b]Number of times you've done the quest:[/b]

Please include this form in the first post of your quests so we can keep track of which quest you're doing!

Thank you so much and have fun!

West Sleibte Quests

Thu, 16 May 2019 17:46:38 +0000

Welcome to West Sleibte Quests! Here you can roleplay out your quests to gain fabulous rewards!

Please fill out the below form so we know which quest you're doing:

Code:
[b]Quest Name:[/b]

[b]Quest Reward:[/b]

[b]Number of times the quest can be done:[/b]

[b]Number of times you've done the quest:[/b]

Please include this form in the first post of your quests so we can keep track of which quest you're doing!
Thank you so much and have fun!

Threading through Foreign Territories

Fri, 10 May 2019 01:03:17 +0000

Players Involved: NekoNay
Characters Involved: Ezra (NekoNay)
Setting: Sodanryn Forest and any other encompassing areas.
Time: Current, Afternoon.
Weather: Partly Cloudy.

A slight breeze coursed through the likes of Sodanryn forest. Once keeping a slow pace through the foliage, the tiger Kelahati became still, his ears swiveling about to detect sounds. He was… nervous. He hung close to the shadows, the striped patterns along his face and body allowing him to stay camouflaged. He was crossing through unknown territory that did not belong to him. All of this land he had never set a single foot in until now and it made him ill at ease.

He gripped tightly to his spear, another hand on some prize bounty strapped to his waist. An unfortunate hare that managed to snag itself in one of his many traps. It was all he had manage to scrounge up, the prey in this location so elusive.

It told him one thing. More dominant predators roamed the patch. It made the prey more careful, more intelligent. While it was a challenge he would normally applaud in a different situation, this time it made him apprehensive. When would be his next meal? It was days since he had passed civilization and the next time he would roam through once again… it concerned him.

Yet in the face of such a thought, he steeled his resolve, resuming a steady gait once more as the wind died down. He was light, nimble on his feet, maintaining on a trail animals frequently passed through when all else seemed to have end. If there was one thing he could trust, he could have faith in the animals, knowing they would have the best knowledge of their own domain.

He chuffed, his tail flickered. He remained on guard when he seemed to be lost yet he prayed a sign, a light through this bleak time.

New Wounds and Old Scars

Fri, 26 Apr 2019 01:41:11 +0000

Thread Status: Closed
Players involved: Kila, Roma
Characters involved: Brianna (Kila), Zaeren (Roma)
Setting: All of Sleibte
Time: Late at night, Haliea 25
Weather: Clear with storms rolling in on the horizon; heat lightning is present and common as thunder softly rumbles over the plains

Brianna had been out for a while.

Zaeren had carried her back to the cabin in the woods, and she'd been in and out of consciousness for parts of it. She recalled him opening the dark cabin and lighting a fire before he set her down on the furs on the floor. She recalled vaguely gesturing to her bag, though if words came out she couldn't say for sure. She continued to fade in and out as the different sensations overcame her--the wound being cleaned (that hurt quite a bit), her hair being tied back, the oily feeling of ointments being rubbed into the wound (she half recalled crying out and raking her claws through the fur blankets), and then... everything went dark.

And it stayed dark.

She was alone in her mind, surrounded by darkness, with herself being the only point of light around. She was in a pool, just floating on the surface, hair splayed out around her, completely numb to everything going on in the waking world. And it was quiet. Blissfully, peacefully silent. And then the thought occurred to her...

Am I dead?

It was her first thought in this world--her subconscious.

*You're not dead,* said a soft male voice from her right. Brianna turned her head in response, and there, sitting on the water's surface, was Kazae, the white lion. He stared at her with contemplative eyes, golden mane blazing like a fire, further illuminating the dark nothingness that surrounded them. He tilted his head and spoke again, *Would you rather be?*

No...? Brianna responded hesitantly. No. I'm rather glad I'm not dead. She chuckled.

So... if I'm not dead, am I dreaming?

*Ah,* said a feminine voice from her left, *Now there's the million gold question.* Brianna instantly knew this voice to be that of Danae, the kitsune. She turned her head and met the ebony beast's scarlet eyes. Unlike Kazae she was barely distinguishable from the darkness around her. The kitsune gave a swish of her many beautiful tails as she continued, *Not dead. Not dreaming. You just are, my dear.*

Kazae was quick to add on, *Your body is healing itself, and has been. Your light magic has...* he trailed off, as if uncertain of how to continue. Brianna watched him chew at his claws pensively, and she found herself trying to sit up in the water, though she was unable to.

Kazae?

*We can't sugar coat this, dear, it's best we just come clean with her.* It was the first time Brianna had ever heard Danae speak with... was that tenderness?

There were several awkwardly quiet moments as Kazae licked his paw and ran it over his ear and face. It felt as if Brianna had walked in on something she wasn't supposed to see--like she'd discovered a secret that she still wasn't quite privy to. Guys, what is going on? I'm so sick of you both knowing more about me than I do! she cried out, frustration at the edges of her voice.

The two spirit weapons locked eyes for a split moment and nodded in unison.

*Your magic is increasing. Whether you're aware of it or not, you're using your light magic right now to heal yourself.* Kazae's voice was as warm as the sun, and the more Brianna looked at him... the more his words seemed to ring true. Had his mane always blazed like that? Somewhere deep in her heart she knew it hadn't. *And with this new well of power comes greater risks.*

*The brighter the light becomes, the darker the shadow,* Danae added with a soft chuckle, though her words were tinged with concern. *There's so much more to you than you can imagine, Brianna... we just... can't quite tell you...*

*Because even we're uncertain--*

*We don't have all the answers you seem to think we have. Kazae and I just know the parts of you that you know, just... a bit more intimately.*

Ah, so it's still a riddle... Brianna sighed, though as she closed her eyes she felt a strange semblance of peace over not having all the answers. If even they were still in the dark, then maybe everything would be okay.

...

So how do I wake up?

*Oh my sweet, foolish girl,* Danae said.

*The answer is simple. All you need to do is*

*Open your eyes.* Their voices combined into one, and the kelahati found herself compelled to do exactly as they said...

She opened her eyes and found herself staring straight up at the ceiling.

The firelight was flickering gently, casting soft shadows that danced over the cabin's dark rustic walls. Even the dragon's skull mounted on the wall seemed less threatening than it had before. The soft crackling of the dwindling fire was a homey comfort, and outside the chirps of crickets mingled with the distant rumble of thunder. She could smell the humidity on the wind through cracked windows, and the air was bursting with the smell of rain. It would turn into a stormy night...

Aside from the fire in the fireplace the cabin was dark. A glance out the window told her it was well after sunset; she could see flickers of starlight between flashes of distant lightning. It was only then that her stomach began to growl. Ravenously. And it was at that moment that the obvious question came to the forefront of her mind:

How the fuck long had she out for?

As she tried to get up to remedy her painfully empty belly a sharp jolt radiated down her spine, and she gasped a little more sharply than she'd intended. Propped up on one elbow and halfway between being rolled onto her back it came into stark clarity just how far Zaeren had gone in treating her wound. She was shirtless, save for the bandages that wrapped around her exposed breasts, and there were either several layers--as the wound wasn't seeping through--or the wound was already scabbing over. But judging from the need for bandages, that likely wasn't the case.

But gods above did it hurt.

Her eyes fell on the man sleeping next to her. The man who had supported her as she walked out of the dragon halls at her own foolish request, carried her back home, and then so tenderly cared for her... Let him rest, she thought. It's the least he deserves.

She managed to work her body until she was sitting upright, but each movement of her spine elicited a soft mewl of a pained gasp from her lips. Damn, she hadn't felt pain like that in a long time. It was like fire in her back and shoulders, and one wrong move would have her tearing up in pain.

But at least the pain meant she was alive.

I Want Much More Than This Provincial Life?

Sat, 20 Apr 2019 15:34:05 +0000

Thread Status: Closed
Players involved: Kila, Kokopuffs
Characters involved: Fallow (Kila), Lijuan (Kokopuffs)
Setting: Sodanryn Forest and the surrounding areas
Time: Current, early morning
Weather: Partly cloudy with a mild breeze

The gentle light of the early morning sun streamed through the canopy of the Sodanryn forest, casting shifting, dappled shadows across the dense underbrush. Fallow navigated the deer trails with surprising ease--he was a deer kelahati, after all, but more importantly this forest had been his home for as long as he could remember. He knew these secret trails like the back of his slender, pale hands.

It had been a startling turn of events that had proven to be the catalyst for this change. Meeting Lijuan had gotten the young man curious about life outside his forest, and after many weeks spent with the kirin he had decided to take the very, very brave step of venturing outside his forest home (though first they'd have to leave the deep heart of the ancient forest).

And that brought him to where he currently was, traipsing about deer trails and heading southwest towards civilization. Redstone Keep. It seemed like a good first step on his venture outside Sodanryn, being a mountain haven for humans, dwarves, and kelahati alike. He was quite certain he'd picked a good place to see, at least from the map's point of view. He'd seen the mountains on his occasional trips to the forest outskirts, and this was his chance to see them up close and personal. And most importantly: he wasn't alone.

Lijuan was a comforting presence for the man. Her boldness gave him a sense of safety, like they could face any challenge they came across. He took a moment to pat the bow strapped to his side, a small smile with a whisper of confidence playing on his alabaster features. This was short-lived as his silent contemplation was broken by the clattering sound of his antlers striking a low hanging branch, which sent his head whirling in the opposite direction.

"Gaack!" he cried, staggering back a few steps, working quickly to right himself. "S-sorry, sorry. I didn't notice that branch..." As if the branch would be a problem for Lijuan, who was much shorter than Fallow's tall, lanky frame. Color flushed to his cheeks as he ducked below the branch, taking extra care that his rack was well out of the way. He had long since shed his velvet, revealing the beautiful dark navy of his antlers that had been growing beneath greyish velvet.

As he continued down the trail, he quietly added, "We'll reach Sodanryn's outskirts by nightfall, I should think..."

The Magic of Dance

Sun, 20 May 2018 17:28:51 +0000

Thread Status: Closed
Players Involved: Immortal Cyan, CommanderHorvat, Zaz
Characters Involved: Ève, Faust, Beriadan, the Dust Magic Dragon Mage
Setting: Sleibte West, Yfrelo City, Mage Guild of Sleibte, Examination Hall
Time: Current, Morning
Weather: Rain, Clear within Yfrelo
Theme: Breathe Carolina, Dropgun, Kaleena Zanders - Sweet Dreams (feat. Kaleena Zanders)

Rain fell outside of the weather warding shield covering Yfrelo City. The shield protected the city from the ill effects of inclement conditions, but the smell of rain could still be sensed on the nostrils of the inhabitants and the sight of the cloudy blue-gray sky could easily be perceived by the eyes. Having lived within Yfrelo for most of her life, by pure instinct, Ève thought the shield to be a comforting presence. However, she occasionally found herself missing the feel of rain pattering against her skin, and it was quite often that she went outside of the shield to feel exactly that. Quite simply, she was a dancer, and nothing felt better to her than dancing in the rain.

Unfortunately, she did not anticipate having the chance to do that today. It was the day of her examination for her potential entrance into the Mage Guild of Sleibte. Today, her dance would be utilized to encourage the flow of vikta within and without her body. Within the span of a few hours, she would have to prove to the leaders of the guild that her somewhat unique method of casting magic was viable and efficient, a task which had taken her years to accomplish at the college. Ève knew that she needed to fulfill a tall order, but she had not spent her time separated from the college in idle. She had prepared, practiced, refined, trained, and studied independently for months. Her skills with fire magic had improved significantly, but as always with magic, there was still much for her to learn. After all, magic was a field that people spent centuries learning, yet many still never reached a high level of mastery.

Ève had dressed in an especially glamorous fashion, as she was wont to do for most days. A gold-colored pair of high heels were strapped to her feet, which added a few extra inches to her height. Her dress was made of pure purple fabric, and it fit quite tightly against her form to perfectly accentuate the feminine contours of her body. It was the kind of garment that looked more difficult to move in than it actually was, especially given the tightness of the long, ankle-length skirt portion of the dress against her thighs. Finally, a pair of oversized gold-colored hoop earrings adorned her ears, along with a gold-colored nostril piercing on the left side of her nose.

With a sharp clacking sound marking her passage as her high heels struck the floor, Ève strode into the examination room with her eyes locked ahead, intent and focused on the task at hand. She stopped at the middle of the room, in perfect view of the archmages who would judge her skills for admittance into the guild. After stopping, Ève lowered into a bow and held her position for a few seconds, before rising to meet the eyes of her judges once more.

"My name is Ève. I have arrived for my evaluation of potential admittance into the Mage Guild of Sleibte."

The Grand Sphinx

Mon, 09 Apr 2018 15:58:57 +0000

Thread Status: Closed
Players involved: Kila, Scylla Oceanic
Characters involved: Hera Scylla Oceanic (Scyalla Oceanic), King Amun-ra (Kila)
Setting: Eden, Sleibte. The center of the Nkazon desert.
Time: Current, early afternoon
Weather: Hot and windy

The young female sphinx wings were spread fully as she flew in the air in the kingdom of Eden. She was already granted entrance by the guards, probably because she was a sphinx herself. Hera wore elegant silk and her hair was in a regal up do decorated with shiny gems. Finally, she circled in on the palace that was in the center of the city. She was here on important business, she was here to meet the king of sphinxes. Hera landed elegantly on her paws in front of the entrance to the palace. There were beautiful fountains, water walls, and lush greenery, everything a creature could dream of was here. The young sphinx was not surprised by the palace at all, she has been here many times before. Not only that, but she was a sphinx, used to the life and luxury that came with her species. The very fact that she was a sphinx, meant that being vain came with her personality. That's just who she was.

Hera walked into the palace as each step advertised the pure power in her form. Her wings were folded in and her head was held high. Hera was not fazed in the least in meeting the king, but this would be her first time meeting him. She may be 105 years old, but in sphinx culture, she was still a young adult. She made her way in the center of the palace, and her eyes finally fell upon a powerful form walking among the palace halls. It was the king himself. Straightening herself up, she walked until she was standing right in front of the royal sphinx. "Hello, King Amun-ra. It is quite the pleasure to meet you in person. I am Hera Scylla Oceanic of the Oceanic bloodline. In my 105 years on this world I haven't met you yet. How peculiar. I would like to speak with you if you're up for conversation." Her voice held class as she spoke to the king.

Hera admired the king's strong physique and everything else about his form. She then sat down in front of him, shoulders squared in confidence, but respect held in her gaze for her ruler. Hera knew a formal greeting would be enough, and perhaps being close to royalty would boost her standing in the world of sphinxes. Now, she was just interested in getting to know, her king, better. The sun hit Hera's golden fur, giving it a shiny look. She curled her tail over her front paws to show that she was interested for conversation. Now was the opportune time to see exactly who the ruler of her kind was.

Old Carnage, New Comrades

Sat, 31 Mar 2018 18:06:10 +0000

Thread Status: Closed
Players involved: Handyman, King
Characters involved: Darius (Handyman), Ferron (King)
Setting: Sleibte East, Northwest of Eden
Time: Current, late evening
Weather: Cool, dark, lit by the moon

At least it isn't blistering hot like during the day...

Darius furrowed his brow as he continued riding through the open desert, his black horse Xander only trotting beneath him as he allowed his steed to take a break from the hard running they had been doing as soon as the sun had lowered in the sky. They had been travelling for so long in search of some kind of adventure, but alas, he had forgotten just how fickle the life of adventure could be. When he was younger and serving as a mercenary, the jobs always came to him due to the reputation of his group. But now, having to strike out on his own like this, he realized just how lucky he had been as a lad. Life had been so easy then, and when the wanderlust had returned to him, the man had hoped that it would be simple to find work in a world where danger was around every corner. But unfortunately, that was not the case. Instead, he found himself travelling from city to city in search of an odd job here or there that he might survive another day. But regardless of that fact, he much preferred to being out on the road again rather than studying all day long. As good as it had been for him to learn how to control his power and wield it like a weapon alongside his greatsword, he was glad to be adventuring gain; even if that meant killing rats in somebody's basement for a few pieces of silver.

And that is how Darius found himself wandering through the Nkazon Desert on his way to Eden, hoping to find more work out here than he had found in the west of Sleibte. Soon he would arrive at the Oasis city, and then things would hopefully turn around.

As these thoughts rolled through Darius' mind while he continued on his way through the cool evening air, he caught sight of something that caused him to double take. For a moment, he thought he had been imagining it, but as he moved closer, he became certain of what he was seeing. There was a body in the sand. Immediately, Darius stopped Xander and dismounted, telling the steed to wait for him as he stepped forward, his hood drawn over his head. He moved slowly, stepping up to the body which he could now see laying in a pool of blood that had seeped into the sand fairly recently. Glancing up to the top of the dune that the human found himself behind, he slowly began to climb it to the top in hope of seeing who had killed the man, and being prepared to defend himself if need be. As he crested the top of the dun and looked down to the other side, his eyes went wide at the sight below...

An Intimate Morning

Thu, 18 Jan 2018 04:30:38 +0000

Thread Status:closed
Players involved: Vaekirri
Characters involved: Hadrian/Percy
Setting: The Redstone Keep
Time: Current, 9:00 AM
Weather: Sunny and Warm

Hadrian gently opened his eyes, the light slowly streaming in as he awoke. He felt the firm grip of his husband Percy around his waist, snuggled incredibly close to the younger man. To say his arse was sore would be putting it politely - it ached from how long the two had been at it last night, pleasuring each other as much as they could. But still, he didn't mind it, considering who was next to him. Soft breaths floated down his neck as Percy softly snored next to him, dozing away with a smile on his face. The sun had risen early and was shining high in the sky as the young husbands snoozed.

With that in mind, he carefully rolled onto his side to face Percy, gazing into his smiling face. He had been so beautiful the first time they met, with curly golden blonde hair and grey eyes, as well as a build even bigger than he was. And now that they were married, to him the knight seemed even more beautiful with every moment that had passed where the two had been together.

His lips gently met Percy's in a long, sweet, passionate kiss as he attempted to wake up his love, the blonde beard soft and slightly scratchy against his own. He moved from the man’s lips to his neck, face, and chest, never wanting to leave his embrace - or the bed for that matter.

I Need A Drink

Tue, 09 Jan 2018 04:22:32 +0000

Thread Status: Closed
Players involved: Kila, Sparx
Characters involved: Cyrus (Sparx), Kazu (Kila), Oliver (Sparx)
Setting: Eden
Time: Mid-morning, the 25th of Haliea
Weather: Sunny and clear, the day is starting to warm up, and there's a pleasant breeze

Kazu rushed through the halls of his manor, his pace never breaking into a jog. Commoners jogged, and he was not a commoner. He had thrown his study doors open, and a flurry of scrolls and books followed behind him, held aloft by the man's magic. Some fell to the floor with a clatter, but he gave them no thought; Cyrus would pick them up. He'd kept the man at his side since their meeting nearly six weeks ago. This was no time to think of his new, albeit rather unwilling, friend. He had been up since the crack of dawn, pouring over his notes, when the paper arrived.

And the news had him feeling sick.

Aerithe, Oracle of Zarkos, had died that morning in Prerio in front of an entire crowd of witnesses. It was believed she had suffocated, likely killed by her own god. It had only been three weeks since the wolf queen's death. Six since the human oracle's death. What did it all mean?

He had barely processed his decent down the stairs, and he was suddenly at the kitchen doors with barely enough time to throw them open with a wave of magic. Gods, he was tired.

"Oliver!" he said loudly--polite men didn't yell at their butlers, and Oliver could always hear Kazu throughout the house--as he made his way to the small table in the kitchen nook. There was no need for them to use the dining room; it was just the three of them, after all. "I need two cups of coffee, please, brewed strong, with cream and sugar. And a bottle of brandy, please," he paused and snapped his fingers, looking off into space as if he'd been struck by a grand idea, "Scratch that, make it a lot of coffee. I'll also need all the bacon and eggs we have. Oh, or brain food, perhaps? No. All the food. No, make what you think will be best." Kazu waffled between food options as he sat down, piling his scrolls and books on the table in front of him.

The bags under his eyes were dark against his fair skin. It was hardly a surprise; the man hadn't slept much in the past weeks, if at all, and the only decent sleep he seemed to get was when Oliver quite literally shooed him and Cyrus off to bed for a few hours. Kazu's study had begun to look like that of a madman's, with open books and scrolls marked with notes strung up on the walls, each one somehow connected to the oracle deaths. It was maddening. Absolutely maddening! And they kept dying!

They needed to stop! Dying!

And where the hell was Cyrus? What could be taking him so long!

"Cyrus, we have work to be doing! Another one died!"

A Swish of a Tail and the Taste of Lips

Sun, 17 Dec 2017 03:54:19 +0000

Thread Status: closed

Players involved: Ren, Achera

Characters involved: COMING

Setting: Estosa City

Time: Ganthor 45th, early morning

Estosa was just starting to awake. A lady was standing outside with a switch batting at an old rug trying to in vain get all the dirt out of it. The dirt had been long ingrained in the very fibers. She swatted at it as a rooster cawed near by greeting the sun, as a near by man tried to catch it. It was going to be today's meal. It had been raised since a chick and now it was too feed the family. Life in the town was mostly the same from day to day. It was interesting, but for the most part it was steady. A town that hated magic, shunned it, even feared it and those that brought it. It was uncommon to see someone new here.

Maybe that was why when a tall elven looking man entered the streets, the man stopped and looked at him. His expression growing dark and backing away muttering swears under his breath. A few were "Tree hugger." "Magic Freak" "Take your filthily blood else where." The woman, however, didn't notice as the man walked pasted her. It was his swearing that caused her to stop and look up. She saw what he saw and her expression turned sour as she grabbed her rug and took it back inside. Not sparing another glance at him. It was clear the whole town would be made aware of him soon enough.

The newcomer just rolled his eyes. This town did not disappoint him for what he had heard of it at least. They were so against outsiders, it was no wonder that they barely had people come to this town. Humans were just so closed minded at time. He sighed and walked down the street. Where could he get a good drink here. His travels had been long.

Pirates of Skyhaven

Thu, 14 Dec 2017 07:03:13 +0000

Thread Status: Closed
Players involved: Immortal Cyan, Khamnin, Bamboozle
Characters involved: Fairfax and Eathelin played by Bamboozle, Valeria played by Immortal Cyan, Augura and Vadima Narshara played by Khamnin
Setting: Southern Ocean
Time: Current
Weather: Clear

Augura stood in her now-empty Captain's Quarters, which was emptied when she ordered the routine cleaning. As she took a breath in the emptiness - she looked over at a picture of her parents which she hung on the wall, and slithered over to the portait slowly, tears forming in her eyes. Suddenly, a bluish ghostly figure appeared behind her, which made the area around Augura drop in temperature. The figure was in the shape of a Minotaur, with ragged clothing, and a broken horn. "Your parents were good people." He said simply looking at the tearful Augura. Augura closed her eyes tightly, wiping away the soon-to-be tears. "No, they were not. They were awful people, Bareiu. Don't you understand that after all this time? They destroyed lives, towns, entire families........" She said, stopping for a moment. "But they were still my parents." She finished, running her figures over the edge of the picture frame, then turning around to face the ghostly minotaur. "You have taught me so much more than them- you have been more of a father figure than my actual dad ever was....and your a ghost!" She said, getting louder at the end. Bareiu closed his ghostly eyes, nodding slightly. "Calm child, I know you are frustrated at not finding out what happened to them.......but when the gods will it, we will find them, and the ship." He said soothingly, which calmed Augura down.

"It will only get harder though....with the recent happenings...some people are panicking, and the rebellious Queen in the elven woodlands stops our operations there. People will have even less tolerance for us, which will make our job harder than it already is." She said, sounding worried."And....and we just can't get caught in the middle of these skirmishes and arguments. We all will end up in the ocean or jail... She said, twirling herself around to the back of the room, where hung a map of the known World. Augura approached it, walking straight through Bareiu, and looked back at him then the map as he walked closer to it. She waited for any guidance from the ghost, but he simply nodded. The map was filled with different shades, indicating different factions. Augura waited a moment then touched the map, south of West Sleibte there were usually cargo ships filled with gold and other resources....they would go there.

"Bareiu!"Called Vadima from the deck of the ship, "I must be going." Bareiu said, vanishing into air. Augura nodded to herself, then started slithering out of the door and up to the wheel of the ship, where she was able to see everything- the ship, the town, everything. "It is something amazing we have created." She said to herself peacefully.

Augura slid her right hand over the wheel that steered their magnificent ship. It was elegantly carved, made of the wondrous white birch wood. She peered over at their little haven, small town, whatever people like to call it. She could see a little hatchling dragon playing with a young siren boy...they were most likely Orphans now, with all but a handfull of adults left, it left her and the survivors to care for the Haven- and the Orphans. They were the few children they had around, they were practically her own kids. They were all a huge family- they would die for each-other. Some were newer than others. Yet a few years was a long time, some have been here since she was born. As far as Augura knew, she fit in nicely, or at least that was what she thought through observations. She peered on the deck below, where a worker gave her a thumbs up and she nodded. "We are ready to go, let's make sure everyone is aboard. We will need practically everyone, we are short on men." She said, holding on to the wheel, ready to go whenever everything had been checked. Vadima and Bareiu were still chatting up a storm below, while about a dozen pirates boarded- included a young human teenager.

Later...

"Board the ship! Grab everything you can!" She yelled before climbing onto the side of the ship and jumping over the water several feet to the other vessel. She barely made it, but climbed on board. Her crew began to board as well, and started to instantly fight the enemy crew. Augura herself was pulling her spear out of a thinly built elf, then swung her spear around to knock a stout dwarf over the ship. The ship had way too many crewmen for them to kill- they'd need to get the stuff and escape. "Block the entrance to below decks!" She hollered to her crew. She soon slithered her way to the door and opened it, where a human burst out and maneuvered to stab her just as a burst of green energy hit him and he fell down, dead. Augura looked over to her ship and saw Vadima, and nodded in gratitude.

Then she began her way down the steps to see what the ship held. But instead of the riches she hoped....there were four Kelahati. She moved curiously towards their cages.

One of the Kelathi in the cage was a diminutive, singapura-cat woman. Her brown hair was cut short, with one side covering her right eye. The woman had her tail laying to her side, which shifted from a light tan shade at the base to a dark brown color at the tip. Her expression was neutral, yet restless. As she listened to the chaos going on in the upper decks, she wondered whether her captors were engaging a rescue party or the harbingers of a more gruesome fate. She suddenly felt naked without her massive ring blade or kunai with her in the midst of so much fighting. Her weapons and old clothes were in a chest next to the door. They were close, but far out of reach when trapped in a cage which prevented her from escaping even if she did shift to her diminutive singapura cat form.

It was then that she noticed a womanly, snake-like figure enter the lower decks, moving around the corpse of the human who had been their gaoler.

She met the eyes of the snakewoman, her expression curious, yet cautious at the same time. However, the cat girl decided to remain silent, opting to let her senior master do the talking in the next cage over.

"What are those sounds, Fax?"

"Hush, Linnie."

"Fax." Eathelin paused. "I'm scared." She looked at him through the close-set bars of the cage, her blue eyes glassy with unshed tears. Fairfax swallowed hard, trying to ignore the lump of pain in his throat. Reaching a few fingers through, he tried unsuccessfully to touch her, giving up a moment later with a violent shove against the metal netting.

"Fax?" Eathelin repeated. When he did not answer, she let her head fall forward, furtively brushing the back of her hand against her eyes. Anger, hot and sharp, pierced her throat and ran in boiling little rivulets down to her stomach. She drew her knees up to her chest and tried to ignore the feeling.

How long had it been since the farm? She didn't know. There had been long days of darkness, an awful-smelling rag and worse food. Fairfax had always been near and sometimes he had even been allowed to hold her, when the space was big enough and they could sense the presence of others like them. But then, one by one, those others, nameless and voiceless, had vanished, until it was just them.

And then the ship.

Misery jumped so quickly through her breast that Eathelin thought she was going to throw up. Instead, she gave a strangled little cough, and tried harder to hide the tears that were now rapidly falling from her chin. Beside her, she sensed Fairfax stirring again, no doubt aware of her weeping, though she fought to keep it silent. All the battle was lost, however, when the door to the cargo hold burst open and a strange figure stood silhouetted in the light. Even the other prisoners were shocked into silence.

"Let us out!" Fairfax suddenly yelled, and Eathelin flinched. The lion kelahati threw himself against the front of his cage, his claws hooking through though the bars. "Let us out and we'll fight!"

But you don't know how to fight, Eathelin thought in confusion. Still, a tiny ray of hope seemed to unspool itself from the darkness. She crawled the few inches to the front of her cage, too, narrowing her eyes against the bright daylight. "Please," she said softly. "Don't leave us here!"

The snake woman slithered closer to the cage, looking at all four of the prisoners, then locking eyes with the one that was seemingly a feline Kelahati. Before she could say anything though, one of the other prisoners spoke.

"Why did they take you!?" She said quickly in response, completely having to turn to see who was talking to her, due to ony having a left eye. "And speak up everyone! We don't have much time." She said, frantically looking through the other cargo beside the cages for a key, still waiting for a response. Her vibrant blue tail could be seen shimmering in the ligh to the few potholes as she went around the room searching.

"Check the corpse of the human for the key.", Valeria said softly to the snake woman.

The elderly goat was standing at his cell door, looking at the naga curiously. It was obvious by her attire that she was too a pirate- like those that captured him and his disciple. "We were taken from our monastery...now can you help ones in need?" He said, surprisingly calming, although there was a level of worry in his voice.

Valeria looked towards her master as he spoke, his manner calm and serene, unlike that of the two farmers in the cells over. However, Valeria could not blame them. Seeing the naga and her attire, it was obvious that she was a pirate. What reason did she have to rescue a group of people who might turn on her at any time?

However, Valeria held her emotions in check. Her master had always been a good speaker, and he seemed to be the group's best hope at convincing the naga to let them out of the cells.

"Why?" Fairfax was at a loss. Why had they been taken? He had his suspicions - the tavern in the town near home had been bursting with rumors of slavery and worse. But he wasn't about to launch into that discussion in the middle of a battle.

Eathelin quieted, looking sidelong at the others. She caught the dismissive glance of the cat kelahati and flushed, but the direness of their situation would not let her dwell on embarassment for long. Instead, she focused on the goat's words. A monastery. They must have been kidnapped, too. She opened her mouth to say something more but was stymied by the sudden, clear view of their rescuer's... tail. Eyes wide, she drew back in the cage, while Fairfax continued to kick at his own.

Augura nodded as Valeria mentioned checking the guard, and quickly made her way towards him limp, cursed corpse. Alas, there was no keys. "Godsss damn us!" She said, turning swiftly around and heading back towards the cages. "If I can find the keys, goat, then I will." She said, breathing heavily as she looked around the room for a possible way to get the prisoners out. Suddenly though, a loud bang could be heard and pieces of metal and wood flew across the room. A cannonball went straight through one side of the deck to the other, and with luck, it broke two of the cages. Eathelin's cage along with Valeria's were partially missing along with some of the walls of the ship. Augura meanwhile had covered her face and had a few scraps from debris.

"Quickly, out!" She yelled towards the two females as she slithered her way towards the cage that held the elderly monk.

Valeria quickly climbed through the hole in the cage, which was just large enough to fit her humanoid form without her having to shift. After going through, Valeria stared at her master's cage, which was undamaged in the explosion. The diminutive cat girl looked over at the other cages, finding that the lamb Kelahati's cage had been damaged as well.

"He's not out yet!", Valeria said to the lamb girl. "We can find the keys faster with more people searching.", she spoke loudly, yet seemed somewhat calm in spite of the chaos. If anything, the presence of her master ameliorated and focused her emotions.

After speaking, she jogged to the door and undid the locking mechanisms on the massive chest. When she opened it, she found her kunai, ring blade, and the various possessions of the rest of the prisoners. The ring blade was a massive, unwieldly, and dangerous weapon. In essence, it was the type of weapon that only found use in her hands alone. However, she quickly strapped it to her back, knowing that she would find a use for it later, if not now.

"If you brought anything, your stuff should be inside the chest!", Valeria said to the lamb girl, their eyes meeting as she spoke.

Eathelin was still extricating herself from the remains of her cage when Valeria spoke. Throwing the cat kelahati a frightened look, she ignored the chest and turned to her brother's cage, tugging helplessly at the door.

"Stop, Linnie," Fairfax rasped, grabbing her wrists through the bars. His voice calmed her panic, and she settled, the wide-eyed glare fading from her eyes. "Help them look! Who knows where the next cannon will fire..."

She nodded wordlessly and went to the chest, rummaging through it for any hint of a key. Predictably, it wasn't there; but, drawing out her sheephook, she was momentarily reassured by the smooth feel of the familiar staff. There, too, was Fairfax's dagger, still dangling from its belt. She snatched it from the bottom and, arms full, looked around frantically for that last, most important thing.

Above, the sounds of battle were growing more intense. Dozens of boots pounded on the deck, and the crack of pistols was deafening, broken only by the irregular thunder of the ship cannons. Eathelin struggled to keep her feet, unused to standing, and stumbled around the hold, occasinally steadying herself against a barrel of powder. "Oh, this is useless!" she muttered suddenly, and pitched her way back to Fairfax's cage. "Can't we break these locks?! Here -" She drew out her brother's dagger, wedging its point into the center of the lock and levering it back. Fairfax scooted to the rear of his cage, one hand raised in front of his face as Eathelin leaned more and more on the knife. "Please don't break," she mumbled, eyes shut tightly as she felt the dagger strain against the metal. Then, with a splinter of metal, she felt something give.

Her eyes flew open as the shock jolted her back. There, on the floor, was the lock, sheared in half. Fairfax made a sound somewhere between a choke and a laugh as he pushed free, but he barely had time to stretch outside the confines of the cage before the hold shuddered alarmingly around them. Without hesitation, Fairfax grabbed the dagger and jumped to the lock holding the goat kelahati prisoner. Eathelin picked up her hook and stood unsteadily, glancing from the cat to the snake for guidance. "What do we do," she asked hoarsely, "once we're free?"