Crimson Soul - Characters

[Astaroth]

THE KNIGHTS OF IWAKU​

The distaff Soulmates have a counterpart in the Knights.

When a Soulmate is called to her power, so too is her Knight. Knights are chosen to perform two tasks:

1.) To protect their Soulmate.​

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2.) To serve the Cycle and uphold order within Iwaku.​

It is a fate as inescapable as that of the Soulmates, for each pair is inextricably linked. Often the Knight is a close companion to their Soulmate before the Calling, but they may have no prior relationship whatsoever. Once called, however, the bond is sealed. If one loses their power, so too does the other; if one dies, the other follows. A Knight can always tell if their Soulmate is in danger, possessing an innate sense of her well-being. Rarely, pairs are even known to have empathic or telepathic links, sensing one another's emotions or thoughts.

Although not quite as powerful in the use of Soul Arts as are Soulmates, Knights are more combat-ready. As part of the Calling, they are gifted with protective armor as well as a personal Weapon, an extension of their very essence. A Knight's Weapon may be a blade, a bow, or any other instrument of combat; each is unique to the Knight in question, and relates to their sphere of power. These armaments can be summoned at will.

THE CALLING OF A KNIGHT

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For a Soulmate, the Calling is an awakening of power. For a Knight, the Calling is merely an awakening.​

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Unlike the often explosive nature of the Soulmate's Calling, a Knight will simply come into awareness of their Soulmate. They may see a face, or hear a voice; at times they will be magically transported to their Soulmate's side. Their Weapon may appear in their hand or before them, waiting to be drawn from the stone a la Excalibur. A sense of urgency, a desire to protect, may rise up within them without explanation.​

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Invariably, they find their way to their Soulmate.​

A Knight's sphere of power (the "theme" embodied in their magical abilities) is not necessarily the same as that of their Soulmate, but relates in some way. (For example, the Soulmate of Fire and the Knight of Fire are paired, but so might be the Soulmate of Storms and the Knight of Snow.)

Most Knights are male. However, it is not unheard of for female Knights to be called. One caution: This nearly always is rooted somehow in the sexuality and gender identity of the Knight in question, so take this into consideration when creating a female Knight.

It is recommended that all players read about Soulmates here before creating a Knight of Iwaku.


See below for the profiles of all currently accepted Knight characters.

 

[Astaroth]

SOULMATES​

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In order to understand Soulmates, one must first understand the Cycle.

The Cycle is the narrative thread that weaves fates together and guides each person to their destiny. In a sense, everyone is an agent of the Cycle... but occasionally the message is difficult to drive home to certain players. Sometimes, a fate is not easily met.

It is in times such as these that the Cycle calls a particular agent to fulfill a role.

Sakura's role was that of the First Soulmate.

She was chosen to be a goddess: to bring balance to the chaos of a warring Iwaku, to calm those in need of calming and challenge those in need of opposition. She was granted unbelievable power, and in turn, she saved Iwaku. The Soulmate ascended as the Hero.

It was upon Sakura's calling that other women, too, began to hear the Cycle's call. It is important to note that Soulmates are always female, without exception. The Sacred Feminine has become the source of true power within Iwaku; times have changed since Gabriel's reign.

A Soulmate is a goddess, a key player of fate, and it is a duty that cannot be evaded.

Every Soulmate is called for a reason. Something lies within her that brings her to the attention of the Cycle, some untapped potential or motivation or inner strength. Whatever this quality might be, it is the source of her power, and if compromised may render her helpless. It is important to know, when creating a Soulmate character, why she has been chosen.

THE CALLING​

The Calling is an awakening of power.

What is an "awakening of power"?

Imagine a tightly sealed bottle of sparkling wine or champagne. No matter which way you turn the bottle or how hard you shake it, nothing will happen as long as that bottle remains stoppered.​

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Once the bottle has been shaken, however, the removal of the cork will have explosive results.​

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An awakening of power within a narrative can be defined as an experience where a character's untapped abilities are suddenly unleashed, usually following an event that leaves them "well-shaken". It is typically harrowing and drawn out rather than instant.​

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Examples of an awakening of power within fiction include:​

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• Connor MacLeod, the Highlander, multiple times over the course of the film. His initial awakening as an immortal occurs when the Kurgan strikes him down in battle and he revives from death. The more overt instances are the Quickening that happens every time he defeats another Highlander, ultimately leading up to his ultimate awakening via the Prize.

• In any story with vampires or werewolves where these supernatural abilities can be transferred, the transformative bite is one form of an awakening of power.

• Matilda's titular character comes into her telekinetic powers in an outburst of emotion (in the film, her father rips up her books; in the novel, she is accused of something she didn't do).

• In X-Men, Rogue comes into her mutant powers during her first kiss, and nearly drains the boy's life force completely away.

• For an in-universe example, Iliana (the Soulmate of Fire) was consumed in a magical inferno during the course of her Calling.

Precisely what happens during the Calling is unique for every woman or girl who is granted power by the Cycle, but all involve their sphere of power (think of this in the sense of a mythological goddess's domain- i.e., Aphrodite's would be love, or Pele's would be fire/volcanoes). Often, Soulmates do not understand what is happening to them and will be frightened and disoriented, and they are almost always exhausted immediately following. (Of course, some do have pleasant or even energizing reactions to their Calling.) The Cycle does not always reach out with a gentle grasp.

Once called, a Soulmate will have full access to her considerable powers. Her appearance may also change, at times drastically. (For example, the Soulmate of Fire's hair is a wreath of flame that constantly dances about her head.)

She will also be tied inextricably to her Knight. For more information about Knights, see this thread.


See below for the profiles of all currently accepted Soulmate characters.

 

[Astaroth]

DENIZENS OF IWAKU​

Not all are called by the Cycle to perform the role of Soulmate or Knight. That does not mean that the Cycle has no other plans for them.

There are many paths in life to take.

LIFE IN IWAKU

Iwaku is a long-celebrated melting pot of cultures and races. Its people are many and varied- the Shifter clans, the refugee Moonwings of Luna Ashe, and far stranger denizens- and yet all are bound together as one unified nation. Despite times of strife, Iwaku has prevailed.​

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Contact outside of Iwaku City has been shut down since the invasion began. A few quarters have been locked up, quarantined to curtail the spread of Insanity, but for the most part life continues in as normal a fashion as possible. From the city proper to the slums, Iwaku is abuzz with activity, albeit more cautious and paranoid than in times of peace.​

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Secretaries, bartenders, bakers, cops and jailers, gravekeepers, professors, priests, and bordello madams are all a part of the city's lifeblood. If you can think of a job, there is someone in Iwaku who does it.​

This character option is one of unlimited potential. Will you become a Soulmate or a Knight, or do you have some other purpose? Will you fall victim to the Insanity, a threat much greater for you than for any others? Are you a scholarly Dream Weaver, or are your skills more mundane?

What sort of story do you want to tell?


See below for the profiles of all currently accepted characters.

 

[Astaroth]

THE CRIMSON CADRE​

The Crimson Cadre is an army of extradimensional horrors from beyond the stars. They are the villains of Crimson Soul... and if you so choose, you might number amongst them.

Much about the Crimson Cadre is an enigma, even to their own kind, and they are not the most reliable of sources to begin with given their propensity for derangement and delusion. What little can be established is as follows:

The Cadre aren't pretty.

While it can be difficult to tell an Infected by their looks, the Crimson Cadre are unmistakeable. They are monsters. While many have a vaguely humanoid- if grotesque- figure, some are shambling horrors that could turn the stomach of even the most stalwart soldier. Even lesser members of their ranks feel a sense of dread and disgust at the appearance of their senior officers.

They are associated with mental illness.

If one were to take time to study members of the Insane Invasion, it would be evident that each of the Crimson Cadre could be associated with a particular mental disorder such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, hypochondria, or depression. Think of this as a theme rather than a diagnosis; they don't have the disorder, they embody it.

There is some system of rank within the Cadre.

What that is may be anyone's guess. Rather than using any familiar type of titles, position within the Cadre seems to be based upon two things:

1.) How good they are at intimidating other Cadre.​

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2.) How useful they actually prove to be.​

A member of the Cadre might be called "General So-and-So" and really be nothing more than a messenger boy, or may be designated "The Necromancer" or "Mindtaker" and be the sort of creature even other monsters wish to avoid.

Rank has been known to fluctuate on a day-to-day basis, although the Inner Circle of highest-ranking officers tends to remain the same.

Insanity is tied to their powers.

Every member of the Insane Invasion wields the power of Reality Bending. Their precise abilities may differ greatly in scale and specifics, but all defy logic, unbound by any discernible rules. They can do the impossible and invoke the surreal. It is a confusing, awesome, and frightening ability.

When using these powers, the red energy that causes Infection is left upon whatever this magic touches like a trail of slime. A Reality Bender is also often seen to glow red or actually be visibly tapping into this energy.

The question remains: Is Insanity a power source, or a byproduct?

Some of the Cadre were once Infected.

There are those within the ranks of the Crimson Cadre with dim memories of their former lives as denizens of their homeworlds. Evidence of this can be supported: a few of the fallen Moonwings of Luna Ashe have become so suffused with Insanity as to become twisted beyond recognition, turning into monsters of the Cadre who ooze infection and twist reality in their wake. Perhaps, in fact, this could be the true origin of every member of the Cadre...

The Cadre are ruled by the Mad King.

It is difficult to say whether anyone in Iwaku has ever actually seen the Mad King; reports of him exist mostly through rumor, tales of a figure shrouded in a great red cape. Only the highest ranking Cadre, his inner circle, ever speak with him. Listening to the talk of one of the Cadre, one might wonder if he is truly a king or a sort of boogeyman used to keep the rest in rank and file.


It is recommended that those who wish to play a Crimson Cadre do so as a supplementary character rather than their only or primary character within the story, as less opportunity for interaction will be available.

See below for the profiles of all currently accepted Cadre characters.

 

[Astaroth]

THE INFECTED​

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The Infected are those who fall prey to the plague of Insanity.

Strictly speaking, Insanity is not a disease... rather, it is the effect of exposure to the insidious red energy wielded by the Crimson Cadre. This energy is left in trails wherever the Cadre go, and can spread by touch. Those who are already more emotional, passionate, or unbalanced than others are all the more susceptible to infection.

Anyone can become one of the Infected. Only Soulmates and Knights are immune, and then only as long as the Insanity finds no chinks in their armor...

THE SYMPTOMS

Depending on the emotional state of the Infected, the effects of Insanity can take time to become evident. For some, it's a subtle and slow descent into madness; for others, a transformation can take place overnight.​

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Symptoms of infection may include:​

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• Out of character behavior, starting small and growing progressively more noticeable.

• Physical tics, tremors, odd speech patterns, or strange character quirks that were not present before.

• Changes in physical appearance, often of characteristics such as eyes or hair changing color to crimson. (Note that this is not always a good indication, as plenty of the denizens of Iwaku have such coloration naturally.)

• Apparent mental disorders or derangement.

• A crimson glow or aura surrounding their person.

• The ability to use Reality Bending in the same manner as the Crimson Cadre themselves. This effect is very rare and seems to take hold only in those who have been Infected for quite some time.

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Symptoms worsen over time and may increase during the course of play. When editing or adding new symptoms to an Infected character sheet, please notify a GM.


See below for the profiles of all currently accepted Infected characters.

 

[Vay]

Name: Yav 2.0
Job/Role: Robotic servant/maid/protector/irritant.
Appearance:

Vay stands just shorter than Roriko, her creator having grown since creating her template Yav's heels and fuller hair however gives the impression that she is taller. She always wears the same clothes and it's impossible to tell if it's the same set of clothes or if she ha an endless array of the same outfit hidden somewhere.

Her expression is usually either delighted at nothing in particular or giving the impression of being lost in her own little world, though both are probably true at any given moment.

Associations: Built and owned by Roriko Goldstien.

Powers/Skills: Made from a near indestructible metal found only beneath Skullcrusher Mountain and with the strength to make wielding a giant anchor as tall as she is look as easy as twirling a baton in a marching band it is on the battlefield where she excels her strength often turning into a disadvantage performing more domestic tasks.

In combat her strength translates into offense and she relies completely on her innate toughness to stay alive not seeming to notice enemy attack most of the time as she "plays" with them, mortal combat just being another game to her.

Weaknesses: Excitable and clumsy is not the best combination, and when combined with a 'unique' world view and below average intuition and purposefully designed to be reliant of Roriko for decision making to prevent any 0th law rebellion (like what happened with Yav 1.0) leaves her with the intelligence of a child.

Personality: Yav comes off as a happy, excitable, helpful girl provided of course you are don't hurt the bunnies, and don't hurt Roriko (if you do this she will enter a special mode and become a strait up killbot).



When separated from Roriko or not doing tasks for her she will often act like a lost puppy, following people around and asking them questions and trying to play with them. The main problem with this is her idea of a game is often unorthodox since to her just about anything is a game from counting hairs on a person's head to 'let's see who can hit the other person the softest… don't worry I always seem to lose…'

History: Yav 2.0's design was overcompensation: While 1.0 was relatively fragile, and possessed reality warping powers, was intelligent and had her ambitions modeled after Roriko's own 2.0 was built to correct the mistakes the lead to 1.0's deactivation and dis assembly and was herself not considered a great success either but being impossible to destroy or deactivate and seeming to destroy any attempts for Roriko to create further versions 2.0 is the model that Roriko is stuck with, for better or worse.

 

[Blind Hemingway]

Name: Roriko Goldstein
Job/Role: Mad Scientist, Demonic Lord

Appearance:


This young woman has black hair, mismatched colored eyes, and is generally seen in paramilitary clothing. She almost always wears a red beret and tall boots. Certain areas of her clothing have "bullet proof" padding around the arms, chest, and top of the legs. Her eyes are a sign of her ancestry, meaning that she is not fully a human being. If she were to be fully human, she'd have two blue eyes. The purple eye is actually a contact lens to cover up her yellow cat-like eye.

Roriko shows two main expressions. The first is manic gleaming, in which she has a creepy smile on her face and wide eyes. The second is annoyance. This latter expression is what is mostly seen on her. However, it is not unknown for her to smile or blush.

Associations: "There is no good or evil. There is only fun and boring." She is chaotic neutral in the sense that she is overly cynical. She holds no allegiance to anyone and decides for herself what is right or wrong, and whether or not she wants to do anything about it.

Powers/Skills: In terms of magic, Roriko surprising has very little. Her technology has reached a point that science is indistinguishable from magic. Roriko has created many robots, though her most successful series called the Woodrats have mostly been destroyed by her foes. She is able to summon weapons via a portal system that is connected to a hyper space armory that lets her draw weapons from nowhere. A majority of these tools are melee weapons, such as daggers, blades, pikes, etc. However, hidden away is the occasional firearm.

Weaknesses: Roriko is not a strong combatant. She is uses her intelligence to create machines to fight for her. She is also easily flustered at others, she is only a teenaged girl after all.

Personality: Normally lethargic and half hearted, she dons a cool face to keep her genius reputation. Roriko is amoral and often sadistic. She possesses an extremely dry, bitter, and sarcastic sense of humor; her jokes are usually dark, morbid, or outright cruel. She lies frequently, especially about her own emotional state, often claiming to be pleased or merely disappointed when she is clearly alarmed or enraged. She usually portrays herself as an innocent victim, no matter how obviously cruel her own actions have been.


History: She is of a mixed blood origin. Human-Yōkai halfbloods are rare from the realm she comes from she was socially unaccepted. She's 15 years old and attempts to maintain the attitude of what she thinks a demon adult would act. In order to become respectable, she decided to "research" the technologies that existed before the cracking of the world. Roriko is dedicated to her cause like most mad scientists, but her experiments didn't always work until she got annoyed with them. It seems that with her anger, her machines started to work properly. The main reason her inventions work is because she subconsciously infuses them with her demon magic.

 

[Hecatoncheires]

"The limitations of your sanity hold no sway over me."​

Name: Lienosus, The Corpse Lord
Rank/Role: Spokesman of Insanity – Unlike many of the Cadre, whose nature as embodiments of madness does not often contribute to rational behaviour, Lienosus is fully capable of eloquent communication. This allows him to serve as something of a negotiator for the invaders, a prophet for the insanity that follows in their wake.

Ancient Embodiment – Even amongst his own kind, the Corpse Lord is ancient: rumours abound that he is almost as old as the Mad King himself. Age, combined with a vicious and callous streak, denote considerable authority and allow him to serve as a member of the Cadre's inner circle.
Appearance: When he chooses to take a solid form, the Corpse Lord generally appears as a hazy, pale being of white and black. Alabaster skin and hair, obsidian black suit and tie, vapours oozing from sleeves and emanating from clothing. The only colour to him is around his empty eyes and lips, in the form of the gore that pours from them.

Such a form is only temporary and semi-solid, however; his actual form is gas and vapour, forming into maddening claws and fanged maws in a whirling cacophony.

Diagnosis: Necrophobia/Thanatophobia (The fear of dead things/the fear of death)

Powers/Skills: Vaporous Shift – At will, Lienosus can shift between his semi-solid, suited form and his gaseous one. In the former, he is subject to the usual laws of gravity, physics and so on, though he is significantly lighter and quicker on his feet than ordinary people due to the fact that he is not entirely solid. As a downside, he is incapable of lifting objects such as weapons for the same reason, and should he be struck by something heavy and/or fast he will be blown back into his gas-state.

In the latter, Lienosus is no longer a physical being bound by the usual limitations; he can float about at will, a swirling mass of maddening vapour that choke and constrict any who inhale it.

Vicissitude – The bodies of a battlefield are an asset to Lienosus; with them, he can channel bizarre and deathly energies to form terrifying forms of flesh, bone and sinew to launch against the enemy. These corpse-creations are mindless, lumbering automatons, obeying their creator without question and not stopping until they are dead. Not only does this ability hold significant tactical advantage it also has a psychological edge: nothing is more demoralising for the defenders of Iwaku than watching the twisted bodies of their former comrades rising up to attack.

Death Mask – At will, the Corpse Lord can shift his face into a hideous and maddening visage, an empty and swirling mask that acts as a sneak-peak into the place that waits beyond life: a terrible void, devoid of life. The heroes of Iwaku City are capable of resisting such a sight, but ordinary men faced with such horror can be driven to panic, flight and even insanity if they are made to face it for too long.

Weaknesses: Semi-Solid – Though the ability to shift into vapour has its uses, it comes with a list of downsides. The Corpse Lord is not capable of lifting anything remotely heavy; books and other small items he can manage, but things like weapons are out of the question. A strong hit will also knock any shape he currently is in back into his gaseous state.

Lack of Offensive Capability – Though both terrifying and a great asset against the forces of Iwaku City, the Corpse Lord lacks any direct offensive abilities. His focus is on mind games and demoralisation, inflicting the little death upon the defenders. When confronted directly, he must rely upon evasion and the creations of his Vicissitude ability to protect himself. When deprived of these, he is in a dangerous situation indeed.

Personality: Callous, detached and contemptuous, the Corpse Lord stands out amidst the gibbering, chittering madness of the Crimson Cadre. He moves, speaks and acts with the calm, patient manner of something that has all the time in the world, something that has no rush because no longer is there an invisible timer hanging over everything they do. Though he can indeed communicate in a comprehensible manner with the defenders of Iwaku City, his contempt for them shines through in the snide, amused tone and the obvious view of superiority he has for the Cadre.

History:

"Is that what you want? An explanation? A reason for why we have done this to you all? So presumptuous, even now! Tell me, do you stop and ask the hurricane why it tears entire cities to pieces? Do you bother the tidal wave for a motivation and backstory as it drowns hundreds of thousands?

Have you ever stopped and considered that maybe there are no answers to your quandary? That not everything fits into your Cycle, like a little cog in a well-oiled machine?

You insignificant little things fear what you cannot understand. You want things to be neat, definable, explainable. You want to label and file it all away into your grand lists, assign values and points.

To such foolishness, we are the antithesis.

To such foolishness, we are the cure.

There you stand, demanding answers to questions you do not even comprehend. Defiant to the end, in your ignorance. But have you ever even considered that perhaps you do not deserve an explanation?

Some things are not meant to be known."​

 

[Hecatoncheires]

"Fall back? Jesus shite, did you leave your balls out there along with all the wounded you abandoned? I don't give a flying fuck what we're up against. Even gribbly monsters from beyond space and time aren't immune to automatic shotguns."​

Name: Valerie 'Valkyrie' Ryker
Job/Role: Combat Medic with Iwaku's military forces
Appearance: 5'5", with sandy-blonde hair generally pulled back into a pony-tail or hidden under various different hats. With her civvies Val doesn't do dressing up, preferring to keep things simple and practical clothing-wise. Out in the field she tends to be decked out in her BDU that holds her various medical supplies and provisions, a medic's armband denoting her speciality.

Associations: As a combat medic with Iwaku's military, Val will likely be familiar with any other military characters. Her time in the field means she may have encountered some of the Soulmates and Knights, too.

Powers/Skills:

• Field Surgeon (Confluence) - It's great having a team that can put a lot of bullets in things, but sometimes you need someone who can actually take the bullets out. That's where Val comes in; gifted in the art of patching the injured back up with limited supplies and in the middle of tricky situations (ranging from rockslides, helicopter flights and protracted shootouts against monstrous invaders, to name but a few occasions that have come up during her time with the military), she has a natural aptitude for medicine combined with plenty of experience applying it in the field.
• Support/Backup (Confluence) - You can't just ask the other guys to stop attacking whilst you pull someone's ass out of the line of fire, you have to encourage them to do so. With bullets. With this in mind, Val has been trained to be quite the dab-hand at suppressing enemy positions and generally sending a lot of bullets in a particular direction using her weapon of choice, the AA-12 Automatic Shotgun. She's not exactly accurate, but you better believe the other guys won't even want to poke their heads out of cover whilst she's holding down the trigger.
• Nerves of Steel (Soul Arts) - Anyone willing to attempt surgery in the middle of a fucking warzone has to have a certain mindset where they're capable of enduring more than the average bee. Such a description fits Val rather well; when it comes to getting the job done, she's not willing to let anything get in her way.

Weaknesses:

• Spray n' Pray - Compared to some of her fellow soldiers, Val's not exactly the team marksman. Her focus on volume of bullet rather than aiming of bullet means that she's not often the most accurate of shooters except at close range. Most of the time this isn't an issue, but on the few occasions when she really needs to get that shot in the right place at the right time, she's going to be in a spot of bother.
• "I'm a doctor, not a..." - Val's a field-medic first, and a fighter second. Her training focused upon emergency treatments, medical devices and improvised surgery whilst the others were getting taught 'Badassery 101'. As such, she's not always as capable as her fellows in certain situations. Close combat is one such example; though taught the basics of CQC and a working knowledge of Muay Thai, against a true professional she's going to be in a lot of trouble. The same goes with tactics, sharpshooting and other such matters; with these things, she has to defer to her team-mates.

Personality: Valerie's the disapproving team mum (even if she's one of the youngest in her unit). She has been through hell with her fellow squaddies and cares for them all a great deal (even if some of them drive her up the wall), but she goes for the 'tough love' approach to watching their backs. If someone fucks up and gets themselves in trouble, she'll always be willing to pull their asses out of the fire… it's just that they should be ready for her to bring to bear her most foul-mouthed insults as she berates them for their mistakes.

When dealing with the higher-ups, Val tends to be a little bit more stand-offish; one too many "communication breakdowns" and "prematurely-conceived tactics" have led to good friends get killed unnecessarily, and thus her trust in her commanding officers has taken a hit. Similarly she's pretty wary of the Soulmates and their Knights. Sure, she definitely appreciates their assistance in the field, but they tend to be the bastards who come running in and grab all the glory.

Plus, the shit they pull is just downright fucking weird.

History: "I was three when King Gabriel fell ill and everything went to shit.

Guess you could say I've grown up through wars and fighting, so this new one isn't too much of a shock to the system.

Never really knew my old man: apparently he died in the Witch Wars when I was still very little. But my mum was a doctor who worked with the refugees of the conflict and the military's wounded, so patching people up is kinda in the blood. Back in those days people were short of supplies and bodies to help, so from a young age I found myself helping my mother with her work. Gets you used to seeing people at their most vulnerable; I think mum kept me from the worst of it, but when you spend your days in makeshift infirmaries you inevitably see some shit.

Not trying to claim I had a bad childhood or anything, fuck no; when you consider all those war orphans, kids going feral in the ruins of cities because their parents got killed by the witch's forces, it becomes clear that I had it pretty good. I had food, shelter, education and a mum who gave a fuck. With Sakura's awakening, the defeat of the Witch and Diana helping to usher in one of those cheery old golden ages everyone loves to harp on about, things really started looking up for a while. I was going to school. Mum was working in an actual hospital. People weren't trying to kill us. Y'know, the little things.

Naturally, it was all too good to last.

The infection started real slow. Like a thief in the night, stealing into your home. We didn't know what was hitting us until it was much too late. Naturally they started rushing the victims to the hospitals, which only helped to spread it. Mum was one of the first to start recognising the signs... shortly before she noticed them in herself. I lost the last family member I had as we barred the gates and prepared for another war.

Here we are, one year on. City under siege, freakish horrors lurking outside, panic and fear starting to set in once again. I decided I'd put that medical experience to some use, maybe get a bit of pay-back whilst I do my part for the people. A year of conflict, of field surgeries and trying to piece back together guys who've been torn apart by something literally formed from razor blades.

Hell of a baptism by fire. But I'm still standing, motherfuckers."

 

[Falcon]

OTHER CHARACTERS
Name: Falcon
Job/Role: Book store clerk / Artist
Appearance: 5'1", Grey eyes, Pale blond hair that is usually worn tied back, extremely pale skin. She tends to dress in dark neutrals or jeweled toned clothing, and is particularly fond of a silver falcon shaped pin she always wears on the left side of her tunic length vest. (note: when using fire magic her eyes glow gold with the successful completion of the spell)

Associations: None of any importance. Mostly customers, a few people she'd call friends, some people back in Chaos Clock (now part of another land) she writes letters to.

Powers/Skills:
Fire Mage (Dream Weaving) – Falcon has spent the last fifteen years in deep study of magic, particularly fire-based spells. To use then requires very precise incantations in Lady Egypt's (Falcon's instructor's) native tongue. Even a slight mispronunciation will render the magic absolutely useless. Gestures are every bit as important as the incantation. Though with gestures a slight exaggeration or addition may change or strengthen the spell. However, the base gestures must be performed correctly to achieve any result. The spells she knows may also include the use of ruins. Below are the spells Falcon can use at anytime having studied and memorized them to the point that she can perform them at need.

Fire Spells

Simple fire starting: How to start a simple fire is the most basic principle behind her magic. This requires the incantation of By'n (Bye'en, with By' pronounced on an exhale) and a slight lift of the chin. (note: By'n loosely translates to ignite) This must appear in any spell she casts or the whole thing will be rendered useless. Exception: if a fire has already been lit she may use that instead, the same gesture is used though with the word eyf (flare) and the spell will originate from the source of the flame.

Flaming Egg: A standard fire attack, Falcon throws balls of fire at her enemies. She can manage as much as five at a time, though the more she uses and the more often, the more her physical strength is drained. She must rest and eat to recharge. The spell is performed with a scooping outward geniture (figures held in the "live long and prosper" sign) and the incantation which may vary slightly to indicate the size, and number of fireballs (up to 5), complete with a throwing gesture which releases the spell and controls the fire's speed. If she used 5 she must wait for one to die before conjuring another.

The Falcon's Flight: by first drawing a complex ruin on the ground she wishes to move from and then using either a sharp downward swing of her arms with the hands held at a right angle and/or a precise jumping gesture combined with a complex incantation that can take some moments to recite, Falcon can compress an extreme amount of heat and force together into single bursts of fire from either the palms of her hands or her feet and launch herself into the air and in a sense, fly. If done correctly she can then add onto the spell in midair for further bursts. If she touches ground she must start over from scratch. This spell requires extreme focus, perfect timing, enough time to set it up correctly, and can only be done for short periods of time, as it is quite tiring. Landings can be extremely rough. This move also caries the risk of scorching anything too close to her when in use.

Note: Falcon is capable of performing other spells, but not having them memorized or perfected, her ability to successfully complete them is hit or miss. She carries a spell book her instructor gave her and refers to it constantly when performing anything except the spells listed above. Falcon also carries chalk to draw ruins with, though in a pinch she could use any material including drawing ruins in dirt. (In Dragon clan brand magic, which is what Falcon was taught, Ruins must be drawn at the same time the rest of the spell is preformed so carrying pre-drawn ruins is not an option)​

Extreme Focus (confluence): Falcon possesses the ability to keep herself focused in nearly any situation. This comes in handy as she needs to be focused as her magic will not work if a casting is interrupted.

Tongue of the Dragon Clan (confluence): Falcon's instructor was Lady Egypt of the Dragon Clan and a practitioner of a rather specialized brand of magic (namely fire). Because the magic originated in the clan all incantations are done in the clan language. Falcon is fluent in this language and will even write in it if she feels information needs to be kept in code.

Martial arts and weapons training (confluence): Because Fire Magic is not necessarily the best solution (doesn't always work in closed in spaces) Falcon has also been trained to use martial arts and weapons, specifically aikido kokikai and a jo or bokken.

Weaknesses: Using Magic drains her strength. Personality wise, Falcon can come across as extremely harsh or uncaring. While this is not necessarily true it often prevents her from connecting with others. She often wonders if she has anyone she could truly call a close friend.

Personality: Extremely logically minded Falcon prefers to look only at the facts of any situation and never let her emotions factor into any decision she makes. She has very rarely done anything that could be considered truly altruistic, because she has very rarely done anything without stopping to consider all the consequences. Falcon believes one should always be willing to live with the consequences of one's own actions.

She makes new friends slowly, but is willing to work with anyone if it gets her what she needs. Once won over she is a loyal friend, but that doesn't mean she'll always do what you want her to.

History:

Childhood in Iwaku

Born in Iwaku to a father who had long been a member of King Gabriel's staff (he worked in the court library) and a mother who worked as an artist, Falcon very early in her life developed a fascination with magic. She was frequently getting into trouble for sneaking away from her father and rummaging through the archives in hopes of finding old magic tomes and teaching herself, though when she did find something of use she very rarely understood it. Her parents were loyal to Iwaku and served their king in whatever way they could even as Gabriel's condition grew worse and worse.

Then there was Vincent. A visiting royal dignitary of a faraway land he was greatly amused when he found Falcon hiding in the library corner with a book of magic and he approached her parents one day and explained that there was a land far away where he was the Czar and he would like to take Falcon home with him as an apprentice for one of his oldest and most trusted friends, the Lady Egypt. They, of course, would be welcome as well. Falcon's parents realizing how ill their king really was, and her father beginning to fear what would happen to Iwaku should the ruler die, began to seriously consider Vincent's request. He had never belonged to Iwaku, he had no loyalties to King Gabriel, and from him the offer was genuine, "Your daughter shows great promise. Come with me," he had asked them. "It's young and a small land open only to those whom we invite within our boarders, but I promise Lady Egypt and I will teach her everything we know." to Falcon, then only thirteen, such honeyed words were incredibly enticing and she begged her parents to take him up on the offer.

In fear of what could, and quite possibly would happen in Iwaku, and desiring what was best for his family, Falcon's father packed up everything they owned and moved them to Chaos Clock, where Czar Vincent proved true to his word.

Chaos Clock

Once in Chaos City (the capitol of Chaos Clock), Lady Egypt of the Dragon Clan took Falcon in and taught her of fire magic and it's abilities to consume and well as warm and provide the heat necessary to live. Lady Egypt was a light hearted and caring individual but she was also a very strict teacher. She not only drilled into Falcon the Language of her own people, but the rules that governed her tribe's magic and everything necessary to perform the spells correctly. She spent the next thirteen years under Lady Egypt's tutelage, and also leaning of visual arts from her mother (as Lady Egypt insisted because it would help when drawing ruins).

When not studying, Falcon spent a great deal of time in the Chaos Archives (the library where her father worked) and the Chaos Gallery where her mother taught classes, as well as the Plura-Orbis Coliseum a combat ring where combatants could practice their skills against each other, or various animals and monsters. Falcon never participated herself, but she watched many people she knew compete and often wondered how Lady Egypt would react should she choose to try out her Magic in such a situation. It was in Chaos Clock she dwelled as Iwaku fell into war and everything that followed after. Though it was a small land Falcon was happy.

Yet, eventually, like all small independent countries, Chaos Clock was swallowed by a neighboring land, being annexed as a province. Lady Egypt chose to return to her clan and stating she had nothing left to teach released Falcon to begin traveling and learning on her own. Chaos Clock eventually faded under it's new lord's rule, it's residents leaving for other places, becoming a shadow of what it once was. Falcon's parents eventually moved to a new city and Falcon was left in search of a new home.

Returning to Iwaku

After several years of wandering and continuing to study on her own, making a living as a traveling artist (selling everything from landscape paintings to knit sweaters), and not really belonging anywhere, Falcon was met on the road by Ryex. He too had once be a citizen of Chaos Clock, but had found his way to Iwaku. Ryex explained to her all the changes that had happened in her former home. "King Rory and the Lady Diana now rule . . ." Though King Rory's name was familiar she had never heard of the Lady Diana. Falcon was convinced she could adjust to all that had changed and she returned a little over a year ago only to find that Iwaku was once again caught on the verge of disaster. Not being willing to run, and worried that doing so might let the insanity spread (mainly because she didn't really understand what it was) she instead set up a small bookshop in a quiet corner of the city. From there she does what she can to help Iwaku, though she knows it's not much, including researching history and old legends in hope of finding even the tiniest scrap of information that might help.

 

[Cerulean]

Name: Cerulean LightHeart
Gender: Male
Job/Role: Freelance Cleric of Armamente The Housing Shield
Appearance:

Fairly often, Cerulean is mistaken for being slightly older than he is. He can't tell if it is because of an early receding hair line or that he usually likes to grow up a small, red beard. Standing at an average height, Ceru possesses a stocky form that suggest that this bro lifts. Special skin markings include, freckles on his shoulders and three birthmarks(right arm, right leg, and left kidney area). Barring the facial scars, and replacing the Pelor insignia,(and placing them with Armamente's icon of an open palm pointing upwards) this is a just about as close as one could get to knowing what this universe's Cerulean looks like.

Associations:His alliances lie with the anyone of good nature. Enemy of the Crimson Cadre. He has assisted the town guard on several occasions, and looks to expand. He doesn't get out very much, other than to do his job, but can call Valerie an ally.

Powers/Skills: Cerulean has his toes dipped in difference aspects of protection, being the following.

Proficiency with martial weapons and armor: While he does have skill with just about any one-handed, melee weapon, letting him use the gear he already carries around makes him a very formidable opponent. Even the most skilled may have issues fighting him. Not to mention that his gear is imbued with helpful magic.

Channeling positive energy: The positive energy (in this case), is considered to many of her followers to be the essence of Aramente. She only gives her followers so much, and expects their skill to make up for the rest. Armamente is a deity that expects hard work and discipline. Cerulean has lead a good enough life to earn a good amount of her essence. The Shield Cleric is able use it in a few ways. It can be used to heal and smite those that deserve it. It can also purify, give temporary boosts to a person's skill and power, and banish evil creatures. Of course, even these powers have limitations. If a very strong evil creature decides to walk this place, there won't be much of a chance his power would be overly effective.

Detection: Through years of training, he has gained the ability to sense when great evil is close.

Weaknesses: Everything that Cerulean can do depends on a certain perimeters. Is skill with a weapon only lasts as long as his body will allow him to fight. He can use magic to help keep him going, but he only has has so much of that too. To refill his divine coffers, the cleric must spend at least one hour in prayer to his deity. However, to keep up the amount, he must make sure he is always on his best behavior. Any slip-ups that break the Arma code could cost him dearly. Only through true acts of good nature can the positive energy be temporarily used to a larger effect.

Whenever faced with a defeat, it is hard for him to take it sitting down. Which wouldn't be an issue, until he decides that even if he knows he would die....the stubborn cleric would still face an army of evilness. He hates retreating.

He also has a fear of being alone. Sticking him dark rooms and all that is very unsettling for him.

Personality: Instead of a normal paragraph or listing of adjectives, I shall describe this Ceru through quotes.

"The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be." – Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Successful people are always looking for opportunities to help others. Unsuccessful people are always
asking, "What's in it for me?"" – Brian Tracy

"There are no traffic jams along the extra mile." – Roger Staubach

"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter." – Martin Luther King Jr.

"Forgive your enemies, but never forget their names." - John F. Kennedy

"I have six locks on my door all in a row. When I go out, I lock every other one. I figure no matter how long somebody stands there picking the locks, they are always locking three." - Elayne Boosler

"Wisdom begins in wonder." - Socrates

"Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time." - Thomas A. Edison

"If you're going through hell, keep going." - Winston Churchill

TL;DR: (Even though they are quotes!? lol) Cerulean tries to be a good person and always tries to do the right thing. Doesn't tend to give up. Be kind. Be forgiving. Be well.

History: When he was born, Cerulean was given to the Church of the Housing Shield. It is a faith separate from the Cycle and is rather unknown. Much of his life was spent there, trying to forge a path into the world. Eventually, he found a good lead. When he wasn't learning how to repel the dead or how to heal a broken bone, Cerulean was out in the Iwaku public. He helped those that needed it, and punished those who deserved it. He tended to have a good report with those he came into contact with. If they didn't, he was often able to change their minds. Cerulean used this as motivation for his training. It wasn't because of their gratitude or gifts, it was the desire to them happy. The innocent need to be protected from those who seek to take from them.

Not to long after becoming a full-fledged cleric, the young man struck out on his own. He went from place to place trying to improve it the only ways he knows how. That is how he ended up involved in this fighting business. While some people aren't familiar with his religion or faith, they do find uses. Every now and then, he comes into a bit of gold for taking care of various problems. After buying a house, in the city, the town guard caught wind when a group of evil necromancers were killed after trying to raise an entire cemetery. He was then contracted to help heal any wounded of the town guard and assist in the fighting. This was how he met Val...sort of. They still haven't been formally introduced, and are somehow around each other a good portion of the time. Maybe when they get a break, Cerulean and actually talk to her. Until then, we fight.

 

[Hounds]

Name: Chronos
Job/Role: Quarantine Officer
Appearance: stands roughly 5'10" and weighs 150lbs slight muscular build to him due to training and spending time at the gym when off duty. He's 25 years old has naturally red eyes (so the red eye symptom does not work in determining whether he is infected or not) and naturally white hair.


Associations: During the MoonWing's exile from their home world Chronos was one of the few people there from the beginning of their movement to Iwaku, although he is not involved in MoonWing affairs anymore he has formed bonds with a few of them over the years and kept in touch making sure they are alright.

Powers/Skills: Gunslinger (Confluence) While some people have had trouble learning how to use firearms Chronos does not; gifted with the innate ability to use rifles he is an exceptional shot when it comes to using such firearms and

OH SHIT! (Confluence) Chronos has the innate ability to trigger a last second reflex; this allows him to instinctively get out of the way of most anything that could cause him bodily harm. However this does not mean that he'll be able to dodge a volley of bullets being fire five feet away. It is purely heat of the moment reaction that allows to get out of danger quicker than most.

Fists were fast as lightning (Confluence) Along with being a natural with a gun he is also exceptional in hand to hand combat. There's nothing like trading blows to get the blood pumping, and he's always down for a bare knuckle brawl. Whether it's real combat or in training he's an expert, specializing mainly in Capoeira. He knows a few other fighting styles but only a few techniques he's also an amateur in Krav Maga due to his military training.

Weaknesses: "I'll be Watching you" Due to the insanity Chronos has also become increasingly paranoid, he's constantly thinking that someone is watching him or that someone has figured out that he's become infected and is trying to find proof.

HULK SMASH! Chronos is not a calm man he's quite the opposite, if some is acting like an idiot around him he'll flip shit especially if they're on duty while doing it. There are plenty of other things that annoy him but for the most part having his subordinate screw around on duty is more than enough to send him over the edge.

Personality: Chronos was usually a nice guy he got along with just about everyone him. But after he was infected with insanity he began to become more and more irritable which was one of the first things that tipped him off to his own infection.

Whenever he's on the clock he's there to work plain and simple he usually doesn't mind some back and forth between his fellow co-workers but if it continues for too long he'll snap due to the insanity taking over.

History: Born before the Witch wars Chronos grew up in chaos, he was only 10 when his mother was killed in the initial onset his father three years later leaving Chronos an orphan. How he survived is still a mystery to him, he'd grown up running through the streets trying to find what little food he could. There were others, at first, kids same age as him all fighting to survive. They did their best to look after each other. The older kids went in search of food and water while the younger ones stayed behind; it wasn't easy he remembered losing several friends going out.

After the war was over he and the remaining kids were taken to an orphanage, although they had a roof over their head and beds to sleep in it wasn't much better. Food was scarce even after the conflict and what they had was rationed.

At age eighteen he enlisted in the Iwaku military staying on for the last seven years first as an infantry soldier. He fought against the Crimson Cadre during the initial outbreak, but began working as a quarantine zone officer later on keeping the infected contained while they worked on finding a way to treat them.

It was during his last few weeks that he became infected, it was during a routine inspection that one of the infected managed to pass the insanity on to him. He'd been feeling mentally distressed for a while due to personal problems. He didn't think it would be enough to create and opening for the insanity but sadly he was mistaken and is now trying to suppress it before he too is taken to a quarantine zone.

He noticed a few of the symptoms, a few of weeks ago but instead of owning up to his mistake he decided instead to keep it hidden. He's still fairly sane the only symptoms that have manifested are a slight tic and occasionally becoming overly mad at things he normally wouldn't. He's constantly looking over his shoulder as well like someone's watching him. However people who know him merely think he's just upset about his retirement and feels a little insecure.

FOR INFECTED
Symptoms: slight twitch in his left hand, occasional irritability and paranoia.

 

[Boss Frost]

Name:
William Frost

Job/Role:
Slum Wizard (Adventurer).

Appearance:
A tall and strapping young shifter, far preferring his main form to any other he might find himself in over the course of an adventure. He is solidly built for a magic-user, possessing a body strengthened by life outside a tower, learning by doing rather than from a book or mentor. His alternate form is that of a half-elven male - it is in this form that he reveals a great many scars from damage taken over the years. His hair in half-elven form is a bluish white, and it's in that form that his name came about - Frost.

Spoiler

Associations:
William's old adventuring party, which he tries to stay in contact with but have become distant of late. He also has a series of people in the Slums who he's helped with his magic or adventuring, as well as a bunch of street urchins and orphans he's entertained with his magic. A few non-Slum residents know him as well, both as an adventurer and as an inexpensive source of magical talent and knowledge.

Powers/Skills:
* Cantrips (Dream Weaving): William's favored ability, he has mastered a series of small, simple spells that he's practiced enough that he can use by will alone. These are mostly spells that improve upon his life style: conjuring bread and water, levitating 5lb objects at a distance, spells that clean and dry clothes, sensing magical auras, or flavoring food. Any small, non-combat effect is a result of his cantrips.
*Preparation Casting (Dream Weaving): Every morning, William goes through the motions of a few rituals - but stops before the ritual is 'finished'. Later on in the day, should he need it, he finishes the ritual and unleashes the spell. Most of the spells that William prepares in this way are defensive or offensive abilities - the streets of Iwaku are a dangerous place, after all.
* Ritual Magic (Dream Weaving): William takes a slow, practiced style of casting and turns it into an art form. His spells are practically a performance - they're a wonder to behold, both in the actual casting and the effects involved. With enough time and materials, he can produce nearly any effect imaginable, though some of which is dangerous: an extremely powerful effect might take weeks to cast, and he'd have long died of dehydration or starvation before the spell goes off. While this limits him from radically changing an area with a single spell, it would not stop him from doing the same thing through a series of smaller changes. His most common use of this ability is the creation of magical items, which he then sells for money.
* Adamant Will (Soul Arts): William has an incredible willpower, brought on by his street life and his effort in becoming a wizard of his own power. Attempts to take control of his mind experience some difficulties as his mind actively rails against intrusion, and other mental effects don't have full effect, don't last as long, or take a much longer time to actually work on him.

Weaknesses:
William requires the use of his spellbook to use any of his preparation or ritual magic that day. Should he not 'go through the motions' in the morning, he wouldn't be able to 'finish' the rituals to cast his more powerful spells. For his rituals, most of the motions in his spellbook are written down, as well as his findings, which he reviews with himself before a full ritual. While the magic in his spellbook is coded, an intelligent individual familiar with magic can decode it and gain access to his magic. While his life on the streets (and his benefits as a shifter) have made him a little hardier and stronger than he should be, he is still a wizard - physical damage would take him down extremely quickly. In particular, William has an extreme weakness to fire, and it's presence makes him nervous.
Once he uses a 'prepared' spell... that's it. It's gone until he prepares it the next day, regardless of if it worked or not.

Personality:
William's ability to quickly adapt magical knowledge into magical power is rather extraordinary, but his real role is that of support: he likes to take a back seat to things, acting as a guide and a specialist. Tragically, being a self-taught wizard, a lot of the more accurate descriptions of the world's magic are lost on him. He believes in two 'flavors' of magic: arcane, like the dream-weaving abilities he's mastered, and divine - the magic of Soulmates and Knights. He has to be reminded to describe things accurately.
He's obsessive about magic, and easily frustrated at being outshined, even when it makes sense for others to be better at particular types of magic: he wasn't born with magic, which is a sore spot for him around folks who use magic 'naturally'. He's had to work and practice for every drop of power he's obtained, and he's still outclassed by most of the Iwaku denizens. So he takes a back seat - he amuses some people with his tricks and skills, creates simple little items of wonder, and boosts the skills of those around him... but that doesn't stop his creeping jealousy of the powers held by those around him.
Even with that growing jealousy, William is a skilled practitioner of the arcane arts, and a trustworthy friend.

History:
William grew up within one of Iwaku's orphanages, alongside a series of other children displaced by wars and conflicts, or given up by unready parents. As such, he never really had much of a relationship with adults, tying himself instead to his fellow orphans. A few of them became great friends with each other, and their imaginations ran pretty wild - after they grew older and separated, each had a different life... and found each other once again. It was Frost that suggested that the lot of them, with their skills, could make the world a little better.
So they became advanturers-for-hire. While William worked as a street-wizard, he kept his ears open for people in need of help... and then he and his friends aided them: often for a profit. Though the people they helped could rarely pay, whatever they were fighting always juuuust seemed to have enough money for them to split in a happy manner.
They actually gained the attention of a few folks higher than the slums. After completing a few adventures for actual pay, the lot of them could comfortably retire - all except William, who blew his money on supplies to create magical trinkets. He still lives in the slums, alongside the people he cares about. Sometimes his friends come and visit him, and he always enjoys that.


Note: If anyone wants to be part of William's old adventuring party (regardless of what role you are: Soulmate, Knight, Other, Crimson Cadre, Infected), feel free to say so!

 

[DawnsLight]

Name: Dahlia Primaluce
Generation: Newly called
Power Sphere: Soulmate of Light
Knight: Leonard Storm, Knight of Lightning (Played by Lstorm)
Appearance:

Spoiler

Petite and fair, one of Dahlia's defining features are her luminous blue eyes which, depending on her mood, can glow quite intensely. Dark hair frames a heart-shaped, friendly face which almost always seems to bear a smile on its full, rosy lips.

Calling:
"Journal,
I'm packed and ready to go. I can't believe that after all this time I'll finally be heading back to my girlhood home. In a way it feels strange and I'm sort of nervous; about traveling so far on my own and about what I'll find when I get there. But the pull to return is too strong to ignore. I feel torn, leaving my parents despite their blessing. I hate not being here to help them.

They're proud though. Mom and Dad, I mean. They say that something like this means that the Cycle has larger plans for me than they could have ever imagined or hoped. They believe in me, and that means a lot.

So much has changed since it happened. Things were bad, not just for me but for all of us. We had just come to a new village, sent to help treat a recent viral outbreak. Like we do. But these people were particularly secluded and weren't exactly welcoming to put it mildly. It got worse when even after we got here a few of the sick passed away. It was awful just for that fact alone, but then we lost what little trust the villagers had in us. They stopped letting us treat the sick.

So, me with my brilliant plans. I sort of intentionally infected myself so that they could see that the treatments would work and that we weren't trying to kill everyone. It was so important that we got the villagers treatments and vaccinations to keep more of them from becoming ill and I couldn't think of any other way to convince them. If I had to be sick for a few days in order to help them, no big deal, right?

Except I wasn't exactly forthright with that I was doing. Long story short, I almost died. Almost. Obviously. When I told Mom and Dad what I had done and why I was sick, they realized that the virus wasn't what we thought it was. I had been immunized against it before we came. Oops. But if we hadn't found out then that it was different, we could have gone on with incorrect treatment for weeks! So many more people could have died. So, in a way, everything worked out. Sort of. It seemed I was too far gone for treatment.

The thing about it was, as I was slipping under, everything became so bright. If being dead was that nice, I didn't mind it so much. But... it turned out that what was going on wasn't death so much as it was a sort of rebirth. An awakening. I could feel the light, the warmth of it... is it weird to say that I could feel the glow of it? Around me and in me and it brought me back. And more than that; I was able to draw the sickness from the patients around me. I wanted them to be well and so they were. It was incredible.

It's been a few days now and I can do a few other things. I've been playing with this new... thing... just a little bit. And it's also given me this urge to retrace my steps. There's someone I have to find.

So here we are, Journal. On the verge of a new journey with a what seems like a lot of questions and a lot to learn. I'm a little excited. Kind of scared. But excited.

Until next time,
Dahlia"

Skills:
Basic medical training: Can care for the sick/injured, administer basic medications, identify illness and diseases. Includes holistic remedies and herb knowledge.

Powers:
Light of Compassion- This will soothe but not cure a serious illness, injury, or infliction. A temporary fix to buy time or provide comfort for the suffering.

Mirage- An illusion caused by a trick of the light, able to make her appear to be in a place she is not, to completely hide her presence, or to make things that simple aren't there appear to be. None of these illusions are tangible or any real threat, but they can be incredibly disorienting.

Blinding Flash- Exactly what it says on the tin. A bright flash of blinding light to temporarily incapacitate or confuse an attacker.

Light Within- The light that the Soulmate carries inside for her Knight is very real; her hope and wish for his safety can be made physical as a barrier around him when the Soulmate concentrates or experiences strong emotion. May also use this on herself.

Piercing Beam- The Soulmate is able to wield this attack as a bow and arrow-like projectile. It flies much faster through the air than a physical projectile and upon hitting its target will both pierce and burn.


Weaknesses: Can often care and trust too much in others, naive, worries about what others think of her and can be easily intimidated at times. Despair can lessen her powers and due to her tendency to be secretive about her own emotions it can be difficult to tell when she is in need of help.

Personality: Light-hearted and positive, Dahlia is an optimist of the highest degree. Compassionate and quick to laugh, she is almost always smiling... even if she isn't honestly feeling happy. Tends to hide her true emotions behind a happy mask and banter which can at times lead to emotional outbursts. She will downplay her own hardships even if they deeply disturb her in favor of focusing on others.

Relationship with Knight:
Dahlia and Leonard have known one another since the later days of kindergarten. They were fast friends and close ones at that, becoming more and more inseparable as they grew older even to the point of Dahlia becoming something of a tomboy in order to maximize her playtime with Leonard. They were good children, but hardly models for behavior; both of them taking delight in pulling pranks on friends, family, and just about anyone they could find. This of course didn't exempt one another from being pranked themselves, something they both enjoyed immensely. Despite their mischievousness it never crossed the line into maliciousness, both Leonard and Dahlia agreeing that they never wanted to see anyone really hurt by anything they did. Needless to say, the day they were separated was an incredibly sad one for the both of them.

History: Dahlia led a very typical childhood. She went to school and made friends and was the treasured only daughter to two loving parents. Once the school season ended after her tenth birthday, however, life changed. Her mother and father, both healthcare specialists for a charity mission, were called to duty and had to leave their home. Of course, Dahlia went with them. Over the course of their travels and in helping with her parents' work, the girl grew into a patient, compassionate, and sensitive young woman.

Level-headed and capable under her parents' tutelage, Dahlia was beginning to branch out and help others as they did while still close enough to consult with them directly. She was doing this work when she received her calling.

 

[Laggy Lagiacrus]

Name: Ragiakurusu
Job/Role: Brawler
Appearance:
[spoili]

[/spoili]
Standing at around five feet and six inches, Ragiakurusu is not built how you would expect a brawler to be. He is, in fact, a little slimmer than would be expected. However, do not let this fool you – he's still remarkably strong, despite his build. His skin tone, probably because of one parent's genetics being more dominant than the other parent's, is slightly darker than you would expect, given his heritage. Still, this is not to a significantly noticeable degree – if you didn't focus on him, you'd barely be able to tell.

Regarding clothing, Ragiakurusu prefers a more casual look – he's not the kind of person that expects to get into a fight. He will, more often than not, don a snugly-fitting and dark-coloured t-shirt, with a pair of light blue denim jeans. Both his belt and his shoes are of some sort of fake leather, but as both do their job properly, this is hardly an issue.

Associations: You do not want to stand between Ragiakurusu and his father. Do so, and he will rain Hell upon you in order to save his son. While he's past his prime, he was feared for a good reason – and underestimating him just because he's old and human will be your funeral.

Symptoms: Increased aggressiveness, more savage beatings, threatening peope even when the need to is non-existent.

Powers/Skills: Ragiakurusu is proficient in hand-to-hand combat, and is usually able to hold his own against people far larger than him. While he isn't as strong as, say, a knight, his technique is the kind of thing you only get after you train for years. This is further augmented by the knuckledusters he carries with him – they are, in essence, miniature fist-mounted Tasers. It must be ntoed, however, that they are not as powerful as your run-of-the-mill Taser – though they hurt, it's nowhere near enough to completely incapacitate anyone but the obscenely weak.

Weaknesses:
While he understands the importance of planning ahead, Ragiakurusu sometimes takes this a little too far. Some situations require swift action – but he usually insists on forethought and planning. He'll go ahead with it if everyone else does, but don't expect him to be happy about it.

While he's durable, Ragiakurusu is still only human. He can possibly stand against your standard mook, but against the more powerful beings springing up all over the place, he doesn't stand a chance. He might be able to survive against them, through talking his way out and with proper preparation, but if they just decide to kill him, there's little he can do to stop them.

Ragiakurusu has what his father refers to as an 'acid tongue'. Essentially, this means that he's prone to saying things that most would offense at, whether he means it or not. He's gotten into his fair share of arguments and fights this way, and a bit more. It's worth noting he has it largely under control, but sometimes, he just can't help himself.

Ragiakurusu is, quite frankly, determined to a fault. He won't let up unless he's given an exceedingly good reason to – otherwise, he'll just keep attacking, stopping only on his terms. This has gotten him into numerous troublesome situations – and will likely keep doing so in the future.

Personality:
Ragiakurusu is practically the antithesis of his father, when it comes to outward personality. He's not exactly the most dynamic person in the world, but he's friendly enough to have a casual chat with you, should you so wish. You'd have to initiate it, though – he usually acts a bit awkward until he feels settled. Once he does settle, however, he'll look to be quite comfortable with what he's doing. While he doesn't smile with his mouth, his constant stream of joking remarks and inoffensive replies speak for him. His facial expression is usually fairly placid as well – all in all, he doesn't seem to be anything particularly special.

Put him on the spot, however, and you'll see someone who is practically the physical embodiment of determination. Not surprising, when you consider his heritage, but nonetheless, his determination is matched by few. This possibly stems from the fact that, while he is only human, insists on trying to get to the level of the Knights, Soulmates, and whoever else happens to be more powerful than he. He knows he'll never be as strong as they are, and he knows that he'll never be as smart as (some of them) are. However, he doesn't let this affect him. No, that's the infection's job.

History:
As a child, Ragiakurusu never really lived particularly special life. His mother wasn't the most straight-laced of people, but she was still a wonderful mother. His father was frequently going out at night and came home tired and bruised, but Ragi's mother never seemed to mind. In fact, she would often chide him for getting blood on his clothes, at which point he would just laugh it off, and go to sleep. Really, the life they led was satisfactory. It didn't matter that his father didn't seem to have a day job, because they always seemed to have enough money to get by, and his mother's work left her pretty successful with enough time to tinker with various gadgets.

The years went by, and all the while, Ragiakurusu showed just what made him such a special child. True, he wasn't any more clever or fit than most – however, the degree to which he was determined to improve himself could be considered superhuman. When he wasn't honing the fighting skills his father had encouraged him to learn – after taking an interest in them, of course – he was reading up on whatever he took an interest in. For a child, this sort of behaviour was unusual, but neither parent saw it as unusual. He was having fun – who were they to stop him, when it was only doing him good?

The years went by, and eventually, Ragiakurusu's father settled down. Apparently, the strain of his job was too much for him. He assured his wife that all was well, but it was time to throw the towel in. The boy didn't know what was being talked about, but ignored it, assuming it had little to do with him.
As it happened, Ragiakurusu's father had been a costumed vigilante, who had gone around apprehending criminals. His exploits were in a limited area, but where he did work, he worked well. But, while he could go toe-to-toe with the toughest fighters in his heyday, old age was something no man could fight.

Ragikurusu grew up to be a fine young man, doing the right thing where possible, and just generally being the kind of person you would be taught to be as a child. Maybe it was his father's influence – maybe it was in his blood. Either way, the boy was prone to taking down criminals by himself when he saw them, though given where he lived, few crimes actually occurred. He did, however, come across one unusual individual, who was about to kill a person he knew fairly well. Ragi gave chase, but lost the man in the twists and turns of the city.

The would-be murderer was a member of the Crimson Cadre, as it happened – and given that Ragiakurusu had followed him, he was exposed to the trail left by it. The effects did not immediately show, as there was not much to actually show the effects taking place. However, when he apprehended a mugger he came across while walking home one night, he did not just take the man down – he beat him, more savagely than he normally would. It was only a broken nose, some bruises, and a whole lot of hurting, but it just didn't seem in Ragiakurusu's to injure someone more than was necessary. And it would likely only get worse from there.[/spoili][/spoili]

 

[Shadowheart26]

Name: Sairyn the Timid

​

Generation: Newly Called​

​

Power Sphere: Soulmate of Shadow​

​

Knight:Saeji Fine​

​

Appearance:​

​

Calling: She got lost deep in the woods one day and fell into a deep hole in the ground under the roots of an ancient tree. She called for help until her voice grew numb. Nighttime came quickly after that, accompanied by the whispers. As vague, monstrous faces began shifting in the darkness so close to her, Sairyn had panicked and reached out for something inside of her. She unknowingly had her Knight 'transcend the shadows' and appear nearby.


Powers/Skills:

· Whispering Shadows:
Whispering Shadows: Creatures made of shadows speak to her in hushed tones of their old tongue, speaking bits and pieces of what they have heard and seen. However, they are reluctant to share these secrets with other ears and keep to her mind alone. Shadow creatures have far greater numbers than people might realize.

http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20111214185157/warhammer40kfanon/images/f/fb/Juli's_shadow.jpg



http://www.fourwinds10.net/resources/uploads/images/the%20night%20the%20shadow%20attacked.jpg

· Shifting Shadows: Shadows hide many things in the folds of their darkness. Though they may not be up to the task of hiding an entire home, people and objects are accepted willingly.

· Transcending Shadows: A difficult skill that is not to be attempted lightly, the shadows may show you their dark, cold passageways to lands far away if they favor you on this day. However, spoken words by themselves, the Shadows will carry without complaint or difficulty.





Weaknesses: Shy and easily frightened, it's easy to say that there are times when it is very doubtful as to whether Sairyn is up to the challenge of lasting through something like war. Being timid as she is, she does not wield her powers to their full extent. She lacks confidence.



Personality: Extremely easy to frighten, Sairyn tries to uphold the expectations weighed on her while being a bit too self-conscience. She wants to protect people, but finds it hard to overcome her fears.



Relationship with Knight: A bit awkward, but there's a bond of trust between the two. While she is scared of a lot of things, she feels she can depend of Saeji to be there.



History: Sairyn's father ran off when she was just a kid and her mother died of sickness when she was six. She had been adopted by a single, smither woman named Yamin, who had raised her with care and affection. Though Yamin isn't dead, she insists that Sairyn makes her own way in the world and doesn't visit the city. The village the Soulmate of Shadow had lived in is old and a bit isolated since it's located in the cold mountains.

After the calling, Sairyn was happy to dismiss all that had happened; however, there was little she could do to explain her Knight's presence at the dinner table. Eventually that night, Yamin dug out the truth and soon had Sairyn packing for her destiny.

The big city didn't compare to her small mountain home, and almost everything there was new to her. She really just hoped the fighting would end soon so that no one else would get hurt and she could go home.

(Repost 'cause it won't let me edit my character)

 

[Hieronymous Phantom]

"I don't see what all the fuss is about, but I'll stand by your side 'til the end."​

Name: Victor Salem Eldric
Job/Role: Vagabond, Drifter, Musician, Gamer
Appearance: Victor stands at just about 5'11", with vivid green eyes and short, brown hair. Can usually be found in a green and white hoodie with jeans and a black t-shirt. He's on the slimmer side with little muscle tone and pale skin. Can sometimes be seen with an acoustic guitar while out and about. If not wearing the aforementioned clothing, he can be found wearing a maroon/dark red button-up shirt with black slacks and a vest, with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows and the vest removed if it's a warm day.

Associations: Victor doesn't have many personal associations. He's amicable for the most part, so he makes friends easily, but he's not part of any organizations or clubs or anything. He gets on well with people who enjoy music or games, and he tends to meet many like-minded people at the arcades or while playing his guitar.

Powers/Skills:

• Jukebox Hero: Victor's a self-taught guitarist, mainly playing acoustic on the streets. For the most part, he plays songs that he listens to a lot, including music from some of the games he plays.
• Gamer's Instinct: Having played high-intensity video games for the better part of his life, Victor has a quick reflex and can respond to circumstances faster than some others.

Weaknesses:

• Victor has a crippling fear of heights and gets vertigo easily. The act of being in a high place won't scare Victor, but if he can see over the edge of whatever he's standing on into the depths below, then he'll get dizzy and physically nauseous.
• He tends to treat life as if he were in a video game, and can display incredible amounts of naivete because of this.
• Tends to space out often, causing him to be easily distracted and as such can be difficult to interact with at times.

Personality: Victor is calm, laid-back, and a generally friendly person. He's easy to get along with, and would rather share a drink than a fight. Not to say he would back down from a fight; if worst comes to worst he'll put up his dukes, but he greatly prefers to not fight with people. That said, he is incredibly protective of those he cares about, and receiving a kick across the face for crossing one of his friends isn't uncommon. Victor is devout and loyal to his close friends, and cares about them greatly. Despite being laid-back and somewhat aloof, Victor can get severely upset over large impacts, such as the death of a friend or someone he cares about leaving him out of hatred or dislike. He is sensitive to others' feelings, and many say he has a kind heart.

History: Victor had a pretty average childhood, except for the fact he doesn't know his parents. Born to parents who were way in over their heads, Victor was dropped off at the local orphanage and was raised by the caretakers there. Despite not knowing his 'real parents' or any siblings he may have had, Victor became quite well-adjusted as he grew up. Nobody adopted him, but that was alright with Victor; he would rather have stayed and hung out with his friends at the orphanage than go to some big scary house of people he doesn't even know. The orphanage paid for its children's schooling, so Victor practically led a normal life. However, in a place like Iwaku, a concept such as normalcy is very shaky at best. Enter the Witch Wars, five long years of strife and chaos. Victor was just turning nine years old by the time the wars ended, and he only vaguely remembers Iwaku nearly falling apart. His true memories of Iwaku, however, are the nine years that took place after the wars. Victor was able to continue his schooling, and picked up the guitar as a side hobby. Since he was older than the other kids at the orphanage by this time, he volunteered to help out with the young ones. By far his favorite memory of the orphanage is sitting in the "play time" room and playing his guitar for all of the kids. Victor became a well-loved fixture in the orphanage, but even that was not to last. After coming of age and graduating high school, Victor was forced to move out and find his own way, as per the orphanage's rules: "We cannot accept children 18 years of age or older".

So Victor became a vagabond, a nomad, a wanderer. The earth was his throne, and the road was his bride. However, there wasn't much outside of Iwaku that he could enjoy, so Victor found himself coming back to Iwaku indefinitely, eventually just making his home in the streets of the city he grew up in. He eventually made a name for himself by becoming something of a street performer; a kid with a collection hat on the side of the street who played his guitar for pocket change. When he wasn't out performing, he hung out at the local arcades, and made a lot of friends (and met a few old ones) there, too. At the end of the day, Victor would crash in whatever free shelter he could find. Despite living like a hobo, Victor managed to keep himself relatively clean-looking. He has two sets of clothing that alternates wearing every day while the other set was washing in the cleaners, paid for by his spare change. He shaves regularly with an old straight razor given to him by the orphanage when he moved out, claiming that it was his father's, and he showers in the local stadium's locker room showers courtesy of the stadium's owner, who used to work at the orphanage Victor stayed at. Since the Moonwings' crash and Diana's subsequent rise to the throne, Victor hasn't really changed his lifestyle, putting little stock in the claims of "insanity" spreading throughout the city. Despite his attitude toward the epidemic, Victor can't deny that something strange is going on.

 

[megane-kun]

Name:

Faramond​

Job/Role:

Drifter and refugee from the "plot"​

Appearance:

​

Faramond is 5'11" in height, with unruly, unkempt hair and has a slim to lithe physique. He wears worn-out eyeglasses, a well-worn light-gray scarf and a dark gray cloak. What he wears underneath his cloak would depend on the particular location and its climate. He usually wears sandals for footwear, but as with his clothes, this would depend on the location and its climate. For some strange reason, he keeps a set of black long-sleeved coat, black pants and black shoes. He also keeps a short sword of unknown (most likely Japanese) origin handy.​

Associations:

None.​

Skills:

[CONFLUENCE] - Foraging and Pathfinding​

Years of wandering has equipped Faramond the necessary foraging and pathfinding skills for survival in the wastelands. When "Zone Out" (see below) gets activated, Faramond can last for months without any food and water. He also has an intiution he can rely on to find water and food.​

Powers:

[REALITY BENDING] - "Unlimited Despair Works"​

When overcome by extreme sadness and despair, Faramond emits a black/grayish aura that spreads onto his surroundings. Everyone within that aura has their sad emotions amplified, leading to them giving up fighting for the time being, or at most, lacking motivation to do anything. At the moment, Faramond cannot control this ability, though there's the possibility that he can, given sufficient willpower.​

[REALITY BENDING] - "Zone Out"​

This ability lets Faramond not be affected by his surroundings or some things from his surroundings even when they should. It works when Faramond unconsciously ignores his surroundings (or details of it). The "zone out" effect is lost when he notices the thing being zoned out (or in the case of the surroundings, when Faramond notices his surroundings).​

​

This ability is pretty much uncontrolled and acts up at seemingly random times. Faramond has the potential to use this ability to his advantage, but it would probably take much willpower to control this power.​

Weaknesses:

Faramond only has the strength and stamina of a normal human being. Also, his abilities rely heavily on his emotional state, and are very hard to control reliably.​

Personality:

Faramond tends to live inside his head and deals with things according to how he feels about them, or how they fit into his principles. He tends to give little importance to the outside world, unless he has to, which then he uses his intuition, aided by his somewhat well-developed intellect to deal with it.​

​

Faramond tends to have a good intuition about people, unless biased by some preconceptions about them or any particular one of them, which leads him to ignore even glaring facts.​

​

He dislikes conflict, and would go great lengths to avoid it. When he does face conflict, however, he will approach it on the basis of his values and emotions. For him, it doesn't matter much who's actually right or wrong, or if he's right or wrong, but how the conflict itself makes him and others involved feel.​

​

All in all, Faramond tends to be flexible, laid-back, and even amiable despite his natural shyness, unless he feels one of his lines are crossed. When this happens, Faramond will become aggressive, if only to defend himself and the cause he felt to be slighted.​

​

Because of his belief that he wasn't from Iwaku originally, he has been consumed by his quest to return to his "real world" and avoid being subsumed into what he thinks is the "plot" that tries to gobble him up and ultimately make him a part of Iwaku.​

​

History:

Spoiler

Faramond was an orphan picked up by the Crimson Cadre during one of their many raids in the countrysides of Luna Ashe.​

​

He was kept by the Cadre as an errand boy, initially trusted for nothing but the most menial of tasks. Faramond strongly felt against having to interact with these horrors if he could, and avoid he did, which didn't help at all with his ranking within what could be called the Cadre society. Though he was appreciated for doing his errands properly without any audible complaint, his avoidant behavior earned him the contempt of the Cadre around him. Abuse and mindless labor soon became Faramond's daily life.​

​

To escape from the pain, Faramond relied on his imagination, thinking himself in different situations, different worlds, different lives. At first, these worlds and lives were simple, wishful thoughts, but soon, the imagined worlds grew more and more complex, more and more colorful, and more and more realistic.​

​

Some worlds grew to be favored over the others. And his adventures in those worlds becoming more and more involved and lifelike. As he couldn't understand being involved in any grouping of people, these favored worlds tended to have him as a vagrant, a wanderer, a stranger. He was free to explore those worlds, so long as he took care of the threats: strange creatures and even stranger people, but he tended to stay in the fringes of society.​

​

Soon, these worlds started to get a life of its own, beyond Faramond's own conscious control. He didn't mind, instead, he enjoyed the further convenience the lost of control over his imagination gave him. He no longer had to conjure images, the images conjure themselves. All he has to do now is to interact with the worlds that unfolded before him. Little did he know that it is only the first of a handful of signs that would have told him that he is becoming one of the infected. But again, Faramond is only too happy to have worlds being conjured in his imagination, without much effort.​

​

In one of those worlds, he was a student, who upon meeting an accident, lost his memory and found himself in a forest. There he met a curious creature who after some series of funny events, came to be his friend.1​​

​

In another of those worlds, he was in a technologically advanced society, complete with electricity, electronics and the internet. With a computer and and internet connection, he writes about a world that is inhabited by different people, his contribution being a student, who upon meeting an accident, lost his memory and found himself in a forest. There, his character met a curious creature who after some series of funny events, came to be his friend. By some freak accident, however, he found himself transferred from that technologically advanced world, to the world he was writing about. He then set about on a journey to find his now former character meeting other characters along the way. In a series of funny, and somehow ridiculous events, he found his way to this character. After some other series of funny events, followed by a series of more serious, if not set-up, events, Faramond saw this other character being killed before accomplishing what he searched his former character for. Faramond blamed the plot for it, and swore to never let the plot get to him.2​​

​

It was that latter world that Faramond felt really strong emotions for. It felt so real to him that he began thinking that it was in fact real. And that, in fact, he got into this world, the world where he is a slave to the Cadre, through an accident where he fell into a chasm during a fight with some creatures, got swallowed into a void, and eventually appearing into this world.3​​

​

Slowly, those "memories" started overshadowing his real ones and within him, swelled the desire to return to the "real world", a term he used to describe the world of technological advances he had interacted with once in his imagination.​

​

This desire grew too great, that Faramond soon began plotting his escape from the Crimson Cadre's grasp.​

​

Escaping from their camp was easy enough, as by this time, he was trusted enough to be a messenger among his other, more menial duties. Fully escaping from the Crimson Cadre's grasp is another matter. He ended up wandering from one place to another, constantly on the lookout for the Cadre, or just about anyone he feared would harm him.​

​

To survive, Faramond kept away from any settlements, keeping to the outskirts of the Moonwing settlements if he really must do something that involves other people. He also only ate or drank when he really feel the need to. In this, he was helped greatly by another symptom of the growing taint in him. His growing taint gave him the ability to ignore his surroundings, or any details of it, and simply go on as if he were not affected by them. If he really must eat, he hunted small prey, or gathered wild fruits and berries in the wilderness between the settlements.​

​

Travelling this way, Faramond made his way to the capital of Luna Ashe, where he hoped he might be able to blend in and live unnoticed. He was almost too late. News of a Cadre invasion was spreading throughout the capital when he arrived. People were fleeing, cramming themselves into that one ship that will take them to a place far far away.​

​

Faramond didn't think twice of stowing himself into the ship. If the Cadre invades the city, there's a chance that he'd be recognized, and who knows what his punishment might be.​

​

That ship ended up crashing outside the city walls of Iwaku City.​

​

Knowing nothing of Faramond's past, the citizens of Iwaku City didn't think anything of him, trusting him enough to let him live alongside them. This new life, away from the Cadre and its horrible memories, has given Faramond a breath of fresh air, and gave him a more affable and pleasing personality.​

​

He soon was given work as an assistant to a swordsmith named Brandt. It was a hard job, involving lots of physical labor, but it gave him a sense of purpose. Faramond proved himself hardworking and enthusiastic enough that Brandt considered him to be his apprentice, and a son.​

​

It was the first time in a very long while, probably the first time ever, outside of Faramond's imagination, that he felt he was treated as an actual person, that he felt needed, that he felt he belonged.​

​

Faramond was happy, too happy, with his situation. He's happy enough that he began considering settling in Iwaku, taking up Brandt's trade someday, marry a nice girl, give up going back to his "real world".​

​

At first, he reasoned with himself, thinking that no, he'll have to leave someday. He told Brandt about this, and Brandt, while understanding why Faramond felt he has to go back, told him that it wouldn't be bad if he'd stay. Increasingly, Faramond felt conflicted, torn between the good life he has right there, and the promise of returning to his "real world".​

​

The longer he stayed, the stronger the feelings of conflict became in Faramond's heart, and he despaired at his indecision. He thought he should be completely content in staying with Brandt, who has been a father to him, but the thought of never being able to return to his "real world" gave him a sense of unease.​

​

This sense of frustration and unease grew and grew, until one day, while helping Brandt forge a sword in the workshop, Faramond was overwhelmed by a sense of despair. He started glowing a bright shade of crimson, which quickly turned into an eerie dark aura. It was his "Unlimited Despair Works" power, manifesting itself for the first time. He completely blacked out, and when he came to, he found Brandt lying in a pool of his own blood, and planted into Brandt's chest Faramond found the sword they're working on.​

​

Panicking, Faramond took the sword and ran away from the workshop, and found refuge in the sewers underneath Iwaku city. He thought about the events that happened to him over and over, scoured his memories, fake or no, and came to the conclusion that he still wasn't safe from the plot. He had let his guard down, became too complacent, and Brandt, the one he looked up to, paid the price for it.​

​

Faramond, at that point, resolved that he will do everything in his power to return to the "real world", where he'd be safe from both the Crimson Cadre, as well as the plot, for good.​

​

-------------------------​

​

Notes:​

1. This is a reference to megane-kun in a previous Iwaku World incarnation.
2. This is a reference to Faramond in that same Iwaku World incarnation as (1). Faramond's initial quest was to talk to megane-kun about something, but never got to do it.
3. This was an extrapolation of the events involving Faramond underneath Castle Iwaku.

Symptoms of being Infected:

When he feels extreme emotion, especially sadness, he starts emitting a crimson glow that turns darker as the emotion grows stronger. When the emotion grows too strong for him to control, the aura turns black/grayish and he unleashes the "Unlimited Despair" power.​

-------------------------
NOTES:

• History is still a work in progress.

-------------------------
EDITS:

1. Removed the suicidal aspect of "Unlimited Despair Works".
2. Edited character's history.

 

[Porg]

Name: Niat Lornhart

Job/Role: Airship designer for the Castle's 'Seraph Project'
Appearance: Niat is a lithe young man, not physically impressive or tall. He has a shock of deep red hair cut to a medium length but kept scruffy. He tends to wear a scruffy shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his forearms. He tends to hold himself in a fairly relaxed manner.

When he wears his sTEAm gauntlet he has a brass contraption running down his right arm which occasionally puffs hot steam.



Associations: Niat is good friends with the Shapeshifter Regent Myrnodyn after they became acquainted during the Witch wars. As a result he is also on good terms with the shifters at large.
He has a fairly decent relationship with some of the engineers in the castle, especially those who believe in the airship project he has helped move forward, however many of the engineers hold some disdain for him due to the circumstances through which he got his position.
Niat idolises the knights and army, but after failing to be accepted into the military several times Niat is known as somewhat of a joke to those soldiers who would care to remember such things.

Powers/Skills:
The 'sTEAm' gauntlet (Confluence) - The beginnings of a framework suit Niat designed and is slowly getting developed by the royal engineers. It's primary use is heavy lifting and general strength augmentation for use when working in the airship docks but Niat designed it to be combat ready to a degree. The sTEAm gauntlet increases Niat's physical strength on the limb it covers (his right arm) as well as providing some limited defence due to it's metal plating. The sTEAm gauntlet utilises steam power.

Ceylon Rise - The sTEAm gauntlet is capable of channeling the steam into a high pressure blast, knocking anyone hit away with impressive force, though it usually sends Niat flying backwards too.
Yuunan Clutch - The sTEAm gauntlet is capable to firing a cable net to ensnare foes or grab at objects. The net remains connected to the gauntlet but requires set up to be re-fired, so it can be retracted but will remain un-fireable until Niat gets a chance to untangle it and set the mechanism back up again.
Earl Grey - The sTEAm gauntlet has a shield function. Several of the panels can fold out to make a small buckler of sorts. The other functions cannot be activated in this mode however.


Weaknesses:
Small stature -Niat is physically not very strong, enough so to have failed to be accepted into the military several times. This is mitigated somewhat when wearing the sTEAm gauntlet.
Equipment reliant - All of Niat's abilities and skills require certain items. He relies heavily on his sTEAm gauntlet.
Untrained - Niat has never had any formal training of any sort, and as such isn't that skilled of a fighter. He is capable of overpowering opponents with his abilities and resourcefulness, but most enemies will trump his for combat skill and no-how and will give him a lot of problems if they are of a similar raw power level.
Battered worth - Niat has faced a lot of rejections and failures in recent times, often by those he idolises to some extent. As a result he has little self-confidence and low self esteem. Though he is continuing his efforts he takes failure quite hard.
Equipment rarity - The sTEAm suit cost a lot to build and is one of a kind, it was only through his friendship with Myrnodyn and the Regent's influence that he managed to get it built at all. As a result should the sTEAm suit become damaged it will not be easy or cheap to repair.


Personality: Niat is a friendly young man, always happy to indulge in the possibility of new friends, though he is bad at being the instigator of such meetings. He is very critical of his own work and actions and as a result can often be over critical of others, a reaction he usually apologises for afterwards.
Niat has a belief in the work of the knights and in general chivalry and while he is willing to go out of his way to help those he considers good friends, he is more likely to save a female stranger than a male one. He tends to deny or ignore this fact though, as he isn't a huge fan of being reminded of his own inadequacies.
Niat has a pretty bad self image. After Several failed attempts to join the military and various hits to his ego he's not hugely confident of his own ability to accomplish things. It also doesn't help that most of the notable things he's achieved have been directly because of help he's received from an ally, usually the shapeshifters.
All the same Niat is very determined, generally through a mix of hope and stubbornness. He has not given up on himself despite his lack of self-worth.


History: Niat was born in a small town bordering a forest on the edges of the Iwakiun Kingdom. He was never a strong child and struggled to keep up with the community that thrived on activities such as hunting, so he ended up working on the tea farms instead of going on hunts. He often ended up taking an interest in the travelling scholars and the glimpses of life in the bigger more developed cities.
Niat had always assumed he would travel, but before he got old enough the Witch wars happened. Being an outlying village in the Iwakiun domain it was one of the earliest to find itself under attack. Hunters began to go missing in the forest and so to make up numbers boys like Niat were pulled from the fields and sent to hunt for food. It wasn't long before the Witch wars were declared in full and the predicament of the little village became very apparent.
After one fateful hunt Niat was unable to return to his village, as when he tried to he found only smoking ruins, everything had been razed from the buildings to the fields and even parts of the forest. He was found by a band of Iwakiun knights, who protected him as they returned to the city. In the weeks the journey took Niat grew to respect the nights deeply, and was saddened when they wouldn't let him go with them to fight. He was left in the city with little to do and nowhere to go, which was when he met Myrnodyn.
The two had ended up in a small bar on in the outskirts of the city, where many of the refugees had ended up. The area was a melting pot of different cultures but had a very strong shapeshifter presence. Myrnodyn had expressed that he was at a loss, feeling as though his personal mission had hit a wall, Niat felt useless and lost and wanted to help in the war effort. The two became friends that night and bonded over their predicaments, which resulted in them both offering to help one another. Myrnodyn would give Niat a way to fight and some training in the arts of combat, and Niat would help Myrnodyn to find the 'Lycan Queen' he had been searching for, while also protecting the shifters when needed.

During the war there had been many things that caught Niat's attention. The Knights with all their power, the Military with their respect and organisation, and the angels. They were whispered rumours, tales for children spun to give hope that the righteous would and could win, but Niat had seen one, and the idea of flight as a weapon for good had clung to him.

Niat was about 15 when the Witch Wars ended. He had fought alongside the shifters in defence of their settlements. Still, he had never felt like he had achieved much, he'd never fought in more than a skirmish and he had witnessed the knights and military be so much more effective than he had been.
After the war Niat had waited, and when he was old enough had immediately signed up to the military. However it was a time of peace and they were far from desperate for men. Niat failed the trials spectacularly and was practically laughed out of the base. This hit him hard but didn't stop him. Over the next couple of years, while working as a courier for the shifters he continued to apply, but failed the trials every time.
Niat eventually gave up on joining the military and instead looked to another pursuit, engineering. Using his friendship with the now Shapeshifter Regent Myrnodyn Niat managed to land himself a position in the Castle's research & Development department, pioneering a project to create Iwaku's first airship, dubbed 'Project Seraph'. Progress has been made in the intervening years but the technology is taking time to manifest.
During the years he's been working on the Seraph project Niat had drawn up a design for the sTEAm suit, a framework suit designed to help him work in the actual docks, rather than just in the theoretical engineering department. Niat also designed it to be combat capable, though this was kept quiet when he was convincing people to help him make it. Once again using his friendship with Myrnodyn to sway the argument he managed to get the project started on the castle's budget, though as of now only the gauntlet has been completed. In light of the Insanity invasion it may prove to be a worthwhile investment.


EDIT: Added a couple of little abilities to the Gauntlet. Hope those are ok. Finally got new pic up. even if it's rough.

 

[Primevere]

Name: Primevere
Job/Role: Inn Girl Waitress
Appearance:

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■ A petite girl, no taller than 5'2".​

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■ Has fair complexion; no scars, blemishes, no tattoo's on her person.​

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■ Has hazel-brown big yet slightly slanted almond shaped eyes.​

■ She has long lengthy hair that reaches to her back but had it tied back at her nape.​

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■ Has a cute and innocent demeanor about her, and could easily smile whenever she feels happy.​

■ Wears a white and red peasant maid outfit with a bit of blue for accent. ​

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Associations: She is a bar waitress in an local inn in Iwaku. She tends to the needs of each characters/visitors that enters the local inn. Her work includes serving adventures Ale/Cinders, showing them there rooms and sometimes, but rarely, become an arbitrator when a brawl starts--although she doesn't do a very good job.

Powers/Skills:

• Memory and Insights (Confluence); Primevere has the ability to remember things and become insightful in a very short span of time. She can remember a person's name, what they wore that day, their voice, smell and face despite the fact that she'd only had met them even for a moment.
• Lion's Roar (Confluence); She has the ability to scream as loud as she could whenever she is in a dire situation.
• Reality Bending; the power of insanity same as the Crimson Cadre. When greeted with a sudden burst of emotion like grief, she can bend reality by creating her own realm where everything is full of her grieving emotions lock inside. It make the victims feeling heavy rendering them at a helpless and hopeless state. You can also see and hear Primevere crying.

Weaknesses:

• She doesn't have any special combat training nor knows any means of defending herself. With that said she is powerless.
• She is naive to the point that she'll becomes gullible.
• Her kindness is also her weakness; as she would be kind to anyone despite who or what they are.

Personality: Primevere, is an insightful and passionate person. She is intelligent, curious and creative when it comes to solving problems even when under stressful situation--though she tends to get easily flustered when being praised. She is quite poise when it comes to socializing with other people, even when the conversation becomes awkward, she knows exactly what to do. She has a good sense of humor as well, and would laugh at just about anything that is funny to her--even at times when the joke is concerning her.

Primevere, is kind to those around her and wouldn't hesitate to lend a helping hand. Even when others have done her wrongly, she just can't leave them alone. She has an innocent soul despite the Iwaku being as it is today.

History: Primevere had lived a normal and happy life, living with both of her parent--who were still very much alive at the time. It was during the end of the five-year-long war that Primevere had lost both of her parents, leaving the seventeen-years-old girl to fend for herself at that time. Homeless, lost, and the devastation she had had after losing her parents, Primevere, at that time was left hopeless and depressed.

Poor Primevere wasn't all too aware of the Insane invasion at the time she was still in grieving about her parents being lost and she was left alone. Without a home to go back to and no food, Primevere had wondered herself into a small town just outside the outskirts of Iwaku Kingdom. And from there, she met the kind bar keeper and his wife and took her in. The innkeeper and his wife both shared Primevere's grief as they took had lost their daughter during the war. And soon both her and they became her family.


It was a year ago when Primevere had gotten infected by the infection. She was tasked to get some water by the fountain near the forest when suddenly came a conspicuous looking man. He was bended down, eyes staring at the ground as he walked slowly towards her. Primevere, being a kind-hearted girl that she was, approach the man--of course, not knowing anything about the infection. He looked troubled and began mumbling to himself as Primevere was drawing nearer and nearer. It was then too late for Primevere to react when the said man had lunge himself on to her. Trying to choke her to death until a passing wanderer--a knight, had dealt with the derange man and saved Primevere. That was the start of her infection.

Currently she is now working as the inn's bar waitress, happily serving drinks to the traveling knights and their soulmate, drifting wanderer and the likes. The once grieving girl became the cheerful girl she was once before.


Symptoms:

• Sometimes her eyes change from brown to red.
• She would sometimes be in a daze and would likely break something when being snapped back into reality.
• Sometimes during bad days, she would lock herself in her room and cry for days then come out like nothing had happened.
• She is unaware that she is infected.