Invocatem - Dark fantasy, Magical girls

A

Asuras

Guest
Original poster
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Co-GM: @ERode

Status: Interest check
Positions Available: ???/???



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Step by step, the King rose upon Ivory
Until the Heavens stood within
Slice by slice, He cleaved apart the Stars
Until the Heavens stood without

One by one, the Stars fell down
Dashed upon the Wretched
One by one, the Stars rose up
Remade upon the Sacred

Now divine only in name, but a few dregs of the gods have survived their descent upon the world, and in overwhelming fear have hidden away their spirits. Within the hearts of mortal women, goddesses of all walks rest and tend to their wounds, hopeful that their new surrogates will save them from the annihilation they escaped once before. A kingdom marches upon these lingering heavenly souls, sending knights clad in death across the greatest mountains and lowest valleys. By the will of their ancestral king, they would have the last remnants of heaven executed.

These innocent young women must save themselves and their patrons from the machinations of the kingdom, in a world where their allies' power dwindles and that of the enemy grows stronger each passing day. All hope without seems lost, and so they cherish that which remains within.

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Cold, unyielding, austere, there was once beauty in its savagery
Debased, corrupt, perverse, there is now only hunger beneath its fangs

In Invocatem, you will play as a young woman who has been blessed by a goddess fallen from the heavens. After escaping the deicidal stroke of a nameless knight, the few remaining gods seek shelter within the bodies of mortal men. Still, they are not safe, and their mortal hosts must survive long enough to see their divine patrons reborn with newfound strength. A host of death knights from the kingdom of Baelwill aims to end the lives of these mortals, and over several years has neared the end of their goal brutally. But few remain; including you.

With the souls of divine patrons within them, your characters possess a magical strength that does not dwindle, even as the world around them sees their magical prowess fade into nothing. You are the last hope against the coming tide of the Baelwill campaign to conquer the world, and already you seem to have failed...

Led in chains to the gallows, the crowd of cityfolk gathered seems to stretch unto the horizon. Countless cheer for your death. The last terrible gods, gone forever! And they would not miss the moment that divinity was snuffed out forever. In your heart, you can feel the goddess stirring, restless; she knows what is about to transpire. Standing upon the wooden platform, you await your turn -there is another girl before you. As the axe is lifted over the neck of a girl you came to know only briefly in the time spent imprisoned below the ground, a glint catches your eye.

A flash of metal long past the hefty sheen of the executioner's tool. As you strain to see, the executioner cries out in pain and falls with a thump, axe falling precariously close to the bent girl. Another thud, and there is a stranger there upon the platform with you. Clad in armor befitting of a grandiose knight, the similarly aged girl extends a hand, eyes stone cold, and yet somewhat familiar. You hear a second heart beating within her chest.

You've been given a second chance. Perhaps the last one.



The world of Invocatem takes place upon a large continent spanning several nations big and small. Though your characters may hail from vastly different sections, you have all come to meet under dire circumstances.



    • The hub of the world, Mecrundyr is a home to peoples from all over the continent, presided over by the Oristanian Federation. The republics of Mecrundyr enjoy peaceful coexistence, even as Baelwill threatens to dismantle it. Marked by sparse deciduous forests, wide rivers, and rolling hills, it is a scenic locale enjoying plenty. Few here struggle to survive, with continuous trade and endless lands with which to farm.

    • "Hub of the hub of the world", Lug Na Gorn is a sprawling metropolis welcoming traders returning from all corners of the world. The Oristanian Federation hosts its governing bodies here, conversing in diplomatic halls to continue their long-held peace amongst one another, and to promote the free-loving ideals of the region.

    • Located to the south of the region and stretching across much of the southern coast, the Oristanian Forest is a thick environment that the Witches of Oristania call home. These woods yet retain a considerable amount of magic, rumored to be the result of the witches' patron deity surviving the fall and hiding within. Few, other than the witches themselves, traverse these woods, for fear of the ancient entities which yet live on.

    • To the east of the Oristanian Forests lies an insurmountable place of death and horror. A direct result of the accursed experimentation of brazen witches, the Gorewood is a region dominated by intermingling curses so pervasive and numerous that they have coagulated into an eldritch mass of lethality that none may pass. Merely standing nearby the strict edges of the Gorewood may drive one insane, as the sounds of chittering evils and moaning beasts drowns all other sounds out.



    • The coldest region of the world is home to the Verdigrisian Kingdom, an offshoot of the once whole Baelwill Kingdom. Verdigrisians call their Baelwill counterparts 'brothers', for their close cultural and historical ties, though the similarity stops there. Far more amicable in their endeavors, Verdigris, like Mecrundyr, enjoys peace in their chilly abodes. Knights of glimmering color protect these realms and struggle to adopt the power of Reverence as their brothers had already achieved.

    • Highest peak of the world, Mount Loreletonne is visible from the northern coasts of Baelwill to the Feeding River of Mecrundyr. Only legends have reached its summit, as others struggle to even make their way to its base, hidden deep in the frigid mountains of northern Verdigris.



    • Dominating the eastern half of the continent is a set of empires of such massive size that debates are frequently held over how the borders should be maintained. Every biome is featured within Ju Ren Kyo, from cold northern tundra to the deserts upon the south.

    • Dividing Mecrundyr from Ju Ren Kyo is the largest mountain range of the world. Though agreeable in weather, its highest peaks nevertheless see snow year round, and while traversed easily compared to the ranges of Verdigris, it is home to the most awesome beasts the world has ever known. It is dangerous not for its difficult of travel, but for its terrifying fauna.

    • The Dull Stretch is a grassland steppe, serving as the bridge between Mecrundyr and Ju Ren Kyo. Inhospitable, it serves sedentary lifestyles poorly, but enjoys a near-perfect ease of travel. The tribes here offer their services as transporters, delivering goods across the regions with efficiency seen nowhere else.

    • "The Foot of God", as it is known, is the imperial city of the Daten Dynasty. Grandiose in its beauty and design, the palace sits upon a massive stone structure overlooking the lake, which locals believe to be the resting place of a great deity. Surrounded by light forestry, it receives much of its goods from outside the area, and from across the lake.

    • To the south of Ju Ren Kyo lies the arid and desert region of Rokon. Presided over by the Midday Queen of Rokon, this region is known for its incredible scholarly works and wealth, attained by the advanced proficiency of citizen merchants. Though desolate in much of the area, natives of Rokon tame and dominate an otherwise hostile environment without batting an eye.

    • In the northeastern corner of Ju Ren Kyo lies an enigmatic forest that many have attempted to traverse, only to fail. It is known that the fox-eared Tanna people originate from Dokoshi, but their homes and cities remain undetected to this day. None save the Tanna know of their culture and whereabouts.


  • Home to the largest population of light elves in the world, the elven homeland of Alkrisia is one of almost perpetual rainfall, leaving their lands a marshy wetland fit for unfathomable amounts of rice farming. Only the respite of the elevated regions near their northern mountains see more well-established cities. Closely tied with the Oristanian Federation, Alkrisia currently considers joining the Federation itself. A sizeable portion of their population actively travels between the two regions frequently, exchanging cultural ideas and goods.

  • Home to the dark elves which immigrated to the isle thousands of years ago, Comlenes is a tropical island nation covered primarily in lush swamps and a rainforest to the north. Once strangers to the island, they have since proliferated even as the region proves one of the most wild. Save Fangshaven, no other region hosts as many terrible beasts as Comlenes. Taking on the challenge in stride, the dark elves of Comlenes prove themselves to be formidable hunters matched by few else.

  • The nemesis of the world, Baelwill is a kingdom of knights who seek only glory and feats of strength. At the beginning of civilization, the peoples of Baelwill were prideful and determined. Prior to their fall from grace, Baelwill, too, possessed great magics, until their arrogance became a pitiful shadow of their once great kingdom. The gods abandoned them for their arrogance, and left them to squabble over a broken nation filled with strife and despair... all while the rest of the world enjoyed bounty and strength through their patron deities.

    With time, Baelwill gathered itself and returned to power, drawing strength from the power of Reverence and their Tower of Lords. Years ago, with a fateful strike, a nameless knight bound to the otherworldly interior of the tower walked upon its peak and cleaved the gods in their heaven, leaving but a few to escape into the bodies of mortals. Now, they seek to finish the job, and herald an era of a Baelwill-dominated world.


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Whether Miracle or Malady, Ancestral or Divine,
An Offering must be made, A Prayer must be said.

In the world Invocatem takes place within, the concept of magic hinges upon the boons that the gods have provided to mortals since the beginnings of civilization. It is a general term referring to feats not normally possible for mortals and was, for a time, a tool utilized to shape the very planet. Great feats of arcane ability were possible, as the first humans lifted mountains from the dirt and nurtured endless forests to life. Today, this sort of magic has been lost. With the death of the vast majority of the gods at the hand of a uniquely powerful entity, the boons that aided men have begun to flicker away into the darkness. Few remain who could truly be called "Great Mages", leaving the common man to dispense mere shadows of their former ability.

In the wake of divine genocide, a different school of supernatural prowess reigns supreme. Created by the kingdom of Baelwill years ago, 'Reverence' is an alternative to magic that relies upon the channeling of ancestral spirits and deeds, manifesting the wills of their ancient heroes into feats that rival Great Mages. Understood and utilized by Baelwill alone, their forces prove an insurmountable force for the wounded nations elsewhere.

The boons of the gods, now merely an ethereal presence faintly sensed by the more magically attuned, granted mortals the ability to will things to pass, emulative of the divine patron which aided them. Elemental spells, for example, could be invoked by devoting oneself to the gods of the elements, or by learning the true names of the boons themselves.

For the young women who have been graced by the direct touch of surviving goddesses, magic retains some of its olden notoriety, though is significantly weaker than the earliest kinds. Though their peers may struggle to draw forth a bolt of flame, the divinely inspired may launch a torrent of fire not seen in years. Further still they may invoke the power of their patron, taking on the qualities of the goddess within temporarily. Shunted upon your mortal body, it is almost too much to bear initially, but the power it grants is far too valuable to forego.

Taking upon the platonic image of the goddess, it becomes clear to those around you that you have the spirit of a divine entity within and now, without. However, the transformation is blatantly antithetical to the normal state of mortals, and as such is no doubt visible to the mystic eyes of those who search for the divine... Careful consideration must be made when using the transformative state.



Character Sheet

Notes:
  • Ages should range between adolescent and young adult
  • Personality may be in paragraph form or as a list of positives/negatives.
  • Biography should lead up to the moment your character had been captured by Baelwill (the start of the roleplay)
  • You have free reign over your patron goddess's design. Don't be too broad with their aspects, though you are free to use unassociated aspects (e.g. "Fire" and "Tigers" etc, etc). Don't be afraid to try something you want.
  • Your character's "Inspiration" is their transformed state. Note here any characteristics to their powers/appearance that may change in this state.
  • The only place your character may not have originated is Baelwill.

[Appearance as image at the top. May also include written description.]
[b]Name:[/b]
[b]Age:[/b]
[b]Origin/Birthplace:[/b]
[b]Personality:[/b]
[b]Biography:[/b]
[b]Patron Goddess:[/b]
[b]Powers/Talents/Skills:[/b]
[b]Inspiration:[/b]
 
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A dark magical girl RP? Sign me up as an interested party, please.
 
Thanks for the read. This is cool; color me interested.
 
If anyone has any questions of any kind, just ask!
 
Looks awesome! I'll kick things off with some questions I guess.

>How ruthless are the people of Baelwill? Like, are they absolutely and totally evil, or is there still a dash of reason left in some of its people's hearts? Are their ulterior motives for 'taking over the world' truly known by anyone, or is their motive literally just driven by arrogance/hostility?

>Is the magic of our characters mostly limited to 'elemental' stuff (earth/fire/lightning/all that jazz), or can it be anything so long as it's a clear control over 'something' and it actually makes sense (for example, gravity/sound/time etc.)? Also, does each Goddess usually have control over one certain type of 'element' (and are characterized by that element), or is that not how it works at all?

>Roughly, how many different Goddesses would you say there are? Is it an unspecified amount, or is it known that there are [x] different Goddesses by most people?

>Were there any settlements/towns in Gorewood before the witches kinda screwed it, or has it just been a big blob of suffering for as long as people remember? Would anybody who stayed near the edges of Gorewood for a large amount of time suffer things like mutations? (Plus I'm guessing you'd go totally batshit insane).

>And finally, how much interest are you looking for before you release a CS?
 
>How ruthless are the people of Baelwill? Like, are they absolutely and totally evil, or is there still a dash of reason left in some of its people's hearts? Are their ulterior motives for 'taking over the world' truly known by anyone, or is their motive literally just driven by arrogance/hostility?

The people of Baelwill are perfectly reasonable, in that in the same situation they'd reason as well as some other ethnicity. It's simply that their cultural motives -seeking glory, victory, feats- is higher on their "pyramid of priorities", and even then, not all of them. As a kingdom presided over by a strongly militaristic governance, it's mostly their military elite that perpetuates the idea of conquest. A Baelwill farmer might be rooting for the knights and is conditioned to feel a sense of pride if they succeed, but their primary need is really just to feed their families. Similarly, most citizens of Baelwill also feel as if they've been slighted by the rest of the world, being a nation which is the only one to have gone through a sort of dark age, brought on by the abandonment of the gods for their people. By getting past that period and coming out on top (thanks to the new power of Reverence), old feelings of superiority resurfaced.

Ultimately, a knight of Baelwill wouldn't go out of their way to cause suffering, but they would not pass an opportunity to prove their superiority, or "right to rule". If this means destroying a village, home, etc, to get people to stop rebelling or protesting, then they'll do it.

Myths in other regions, especially Mecrundyr, hold that the Baelwill people were the creations of the snooty God of Art, who at first had created only inanimate things and became jealous of the humanoid creations made by other gods. His arrogant nature bled into his creations -the Baelwillan people- and is the reason for their behavior today.

>Is the magic of our characters mostly limited to 'elemental' stuff (earth/fire/lightning/all that jazz), or can it be anything so long as it's a clear control over 'something' and it actually makes sense (for example, gravity/sound/time etc.)? Also, does each Goddess usually have control over one certain type of 'element' (and are characterized by that element), or is that not how it works at all?

Usually magic has an elemental spin, especially for the mages that yet remain. It is the least abstract sort of magic, and so the most readily accessible to learn. There are, however, more abstract forms of magic one can utilize. The witches of Oristania, for example, used such things which resulted in the Gorewood. Curses, conceptual magicks, trigger-based spells, runes that carry out specific functions, etc. These are all possible, but less likely to be understood.

Each Goddess's domain is left ambiguous, so players can create one as they see fit. Generally however the gods of Ivocatem take on a variety of "tags" to them, which don't even necessarily relate to one another. For example, the patron deity of the witches of Oristania is Silu Verz, god of snakes, magic, and freedom. Another is Crimsig, god of omens, feral violence, and autumn. From this, a goddess can convey all or a few of their aspects to their host, which can manifest in ways not necessarily limited to elemental bolts and whatnot. Be creative!

>Roughly, how many different Goddesses would you say there are? Is it an unspecified amount, or is it known that there are [x] different Goddesses by most people?

There are as many goddesses left as there will be player characters, and Baelwill is the only one to have an exact measurement of this number. Elsewhere, people merely know there are, "a few left".

>Were there any settlements/towns in Gorewood before the witches kinda screwed it, or has it just been a big blob of suffering for as long as people remember? Would anybody who stayed near the edges of Gorewood for a large amount of time suffer things like mutations? (Plus I'm guessing you'd go totally batshit insane).

The covens that lived there, and who did not escape the manifestation of the Gorewood's force soon enough, were wiped out instantly. Homes were left intact while all living things were effectively mulched by a veritable grinding machine of eldritch amortal entities. The bounds of the Gorewood, are, however, strictly defined, evident by the opaque black wall of fog that one can see from outside. Anywhere outside this wall, and you are safe; but stick a finger past it and say goodbye to the limb. Thus, residing outside it confers no detriments, save your sanity from having to listen to it day in and day out.

>And finally, how much interest are you looking for before you release a CS?

Interest looks good enough already. I'll be putting up a CS once I reach home from work tonight.
 
This seems rather promising I'll keep a eye on this morsel.
 
I would be interested in the generalities of how Reverance works and how its 'supernatural' aspect manifests. Is it the same as the goddesses' magic? What sort of limitations is it known to have?

On that note, what would be the common limits of magic?

Last, but not least, are the blessed women chosen deliberately based upon their qualities, or is that something that the goddess has no control over?

Thank you for the answers in advance!
 
Character sheet has been added! Feel free to work on something before the OOC arrives.
 
Last, but not least, are the blessed women chosen deliberately based upon their qualities, or is that something that the goddess has no control over?

They'd choose bodies of the same gender, and perhaps being young in mind themselves would choose young women. They could manage that pretty quickly, at the very least. But being choosy about their personalities wouldn't be fast enough.

The rest of your questions should be answerable by reading the section of the post that's dedicated to magic. Do you have any specific questions in regards to that area? Hm...I guess in general, one can assume that the upper limits of Reverence would make a knight on par with a God?
 
I would be interested in the generalities of how Reverance works and how its 'supernatural' aspect manifests. Is it the same as the goddesses' magic? What sort of limitations is it known to have?

Essentially, it's a form of idolatry that uses the heroic deeds of dead knights, channeling the image or feats of their spirit through oneself. Reverence took shape in Baelwill's Dark Ages, when warriors idolized the more chivalric and notorious lives of knights who lived prior to their fall from grace. Eventually their strong will and idolatry began to produce real-world effects not unlike the magic they once lost. As Baelwill exited their Dark Ages, they forged the Tower of Lords, where knights of old age would enter to die. Within the tower is a sort of separate reality, different from both the mortal plane and heaven, where the spirits of knights duel to determine ranking (think of it like an "Elite Four" tower, if you're at all familiar with Pokemon). The creation of the tower seemed to reinforce the power of idolatry, and eventually a term was coined for it; Reverence.

Today, knights of Baelwill, upon rite of passage at a young age, choose a patron knight who they believe representative of their beliefs and strengths. Through ritual, they adopt this ancestral spirit and learn to channel it over time. They can then produce feats of strength and arcane effects that mimic the tales of the ancestral spirit, such as adopting "inhuman strength" which may have been attributed to their idol, or the ability to travel at great speeds, etc, etc. It all depends on the idolized hero.

In this vein, it is very similar to the Divine Inspirations that the Goddesses bestow upon mortal women they choose. The difference is in their origin.

And yes, ERode is correct. Currently no knights seem to exert the power of a god, save for the nameless knight which killed countless of them; however said individual is dead and bound to the Tower of Lords. They are unseen and can't seem to interact with the mortal world.

On that note, what would be the common limits of magic?

"Common limits" for the Goddess-empowered women, in their normal state, is more or less equivalent to blowing up a cobblestone building with a little effort. In Divine Inspiration mode, one might be able to set fire to a city block at best. It's nebulous to quantify powers. I'll let you know, and you should ultimately be able to get a feel for what's okay and what isn't.

Last, but not least, are the blessed women chosen deliberately based upon their qualities, or is that something that the goddess has no control over?

It is unknown why they choose who they did. They remain silent within their hosts, save the occasional reflection of a feeling such as happiness, sadness, want or need, etc. Though ERode is correct in that they seem to have chosen somewhat similarly-minded women, in that none of them are evil in any sense. That much they can manage, along with age.
 
"Common limits" for the Goddess-empowered women, in their normal state, is more or less equivalent to blowing up a cobblestone building with a little effort. In Divine Inspiration mode, one might be able to set fire to a city block at best. It's nebulous to quantify powers. I'll let you know, and you should ultimately be able to get a feel for what's okay and what isn't.

Thank you for the answer, however, that was not quite what I had in mind when I was asking about 'limits'. I was thinking more along the lines of there being something magic can not do, no matter what. For example, if it is able to resurrect the dead or reverse time. In other words, I was trying to ask about the nature of magic rather than how much destructive power it can channel.
 
Thank you for the answer, however, that was not quite what I had in mind when I was asking about 'limits'. I was thinking more along the lines of there being something magic can not do, no matter what. For example, if it is able to resurrect the dead or reverse time. In other words, I was trying to ask about the nature of magic rather than how much destructive power it can channel.

Aha I understand now. There are indeed certain things which simply are not possible with any degree of magic:
  • The dead may resurrected, but in a 'catatonic state'. Even necromancer's are unsure of the specifics behind what, if anything, is going on with the spirit of the un-deceased, but it is clear they do not retain the consciousness, much less the personality of their living selves. Once someone has died, they're gone. Corpses and skeletons may be raised, but merely as mindless zombies that can only follow instructions.
  • Time can be slowed, but not reversed or traversed faster through. One may slow down time around them, but the slower it gets the more it requires of someone's prowess. The slowest any chronomage has ever warped time is cutting it by about 60%, and only for a few seconds.
  • Magic cannot propel someone into heaven, by any means. The plane in which the deities reside seems tied to the very lack of a body so thorough that even astral projection doesn't appear to be even slightly close to reaching the heavenly plane. It is believed one must be truly dead (their spirit having left the body) to be in a state capable of visiting the heavens.
  • Manipulating the spirit of someone else appears impossible, though many have tried across the eons. Tales are told of mythical mages manipulating the spirit of someone else, but as far as scholars know, it is merely that; a tall tale.
  • Magic appears intrinsic to anything with an apparent sense of self. Higher-order beasts may exert arcane effects on the world, though things like ordinary cats or dogs, birds, etc, seem unable to do so for the most part. The saying goes, "If it looks you straight in the eyes, it can weave spells." Though these beasts may not be as conscious or intelligent as one might think, it appears they may draw their magic power from a source unlike that of humans (divine boons/worship/etc).
  • Magicks of the "Order" aspect seem, for some reason, to be one of the easiest elemental aspects to use in magic. Mending broken objects (note: does not include organic healing), cooling things (not ice magic), and overall minimizing chaos around oneself, are some of the easier spells to cast, though scholars hold that this fact does not appear to be tied to any gods of Order. It should be noted that here, "Order" is not meant reflect a set of elements, but is its own unique element. Conversely, magicks of Chaos are exceptionally difficult to produce, appearing to be "resisting their own creation" when mages attempt to use chaotic effects.
 
  • Thank You
Reactions: Villamvihar
remember me, mon cherie?
 
@Asuras / @ERode - Heyo, before I start work on prototyping a character, I wanted to make sure the power/Goddess I had in mind 'works' first.

Would something like Weather Manipulation be allowed as a power? I was thinking of having my character be inhabited by the Goddess of Rain/Storms/Mist, and they're basically able to use precipitation to minorly change weather in a small area around them. Depending on how severe the rainfall is, they'd be able to pull off more crazy shit. (Generally though, there's a general rule that if they tried to make it rain in an area such as a scorching hot desert, they'd only be able to make it mildly cloudy at best without some kind of miracle.)

Other than just changing the weather, in terms of actual abilities, I'm thinking things along the lines of rejuvenating rain/raindrop barriers/using rain to 'guide' lightning strikes, but if you think changing the weather alone is a powerful enough ability, that's fine too.

And as an extension question, where on the map would you say has the most annual rainfall? I guess it would make sense for them to have lived there if this char idea is cool with you.
 
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@Asuras / @ERode - Heyo, before I start work on prototyping a character, I wanted to make sure the power/Goddess I had in mind 'works' first.

Would something like Weather Manipulation be allowed as a power? I was thinking of having my character be inhabited by the Goddess of Rain/Storms/Mist, and they're basically able to use precipitation to minorly change weather in a small area around them. Depending on how severe the rainfall is, they'd be able to pull off more crazy shit. (Generally though, there's a general rule that if they tried to make it rain in an area such as a scorching hot desert, they'd only be able to make it mildly cloudy at best without some kind of miracle.)

Other than just changing the weather, in terms of actual abilities, I'm thinking things along the lines of rejuvenating rain/raindrop barriers/using rain to 'guide' lightning strikes, but if you think changing the weather alone is a powerful enough ability, that's fine too.

And as an extension question, where on the map would you say has the most annual rainfall? I guess it would make sense for them to have lived there if this char idea is cool with you.

Yes, yes, and yes. All that sounds perfectly fine! As for location, Alkrisia suffers experiences the most annual rainfall of any region by a large margin. It's a big island marsh home to endless rice fields and homes on stilts.

remember me, mon cherie?

Long time no see brooda. How have things been?
 
How have things been?
Mostly uneventful; just how I like it. Currently on vacay since the hotel I work at is under renos. A few days for GP Toronto, then visiting various family in Ontario and Newfoundland. How about you?

Also, will the OOC have a link to a bigger version of the map? I have trouble reading names other than the three big ones + The Dull Stretch on the one in the OP.
 
Mostly uneventful; just how I like it. Currently on vacay since the hotel I work at is under renos. A few days for GP Toronto, then visiting various family in Ontario and Newfoundland. How about you?

Also, will the OOC have a link to a bigger version of the map? I have trouble reading names other than the three big ones + The Dull Stretch on the one in the OP.

Yea, I'll have a map up in the OOC. I tried uploading it to imgur but alas, it's too goddamn huge in filesize. And I didn't want to link the location where I'd uploaded it in my gmail account (cause it shows my name, sensitive information and all), so I ended up creating an alternative account and uploaded it there.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/QRQUUxh2G1CTQdm83

There ye be.

As for what I've been doing: got a career job as a programmer, got my own place closer to said work (instead of commuting 1.5 hours each way from home), and enjoying independence.
 
Just going to put a draft for a CS here for now. If there's anything immediately wrong with it/her powers aren't properly balanced, please let me know.


Wren Sozu

Age:
19
Origin/Birthplace: Alkrisia

Appearance:
Her hair is long, ginger, and extremely scruffy, often poking out between folds of crumpled cloth. Both of her wide eyes are a cloudy blue-grey. Her skin is dark olive, and her complexion is somewhat rough. She stands rather short at 5"3, but has a surprisingly muscular frame. This and the fact that she always covers her face with a black, white-striped mask makes her look somewhat androgynous at first glance. She always wears a ripped collection of rags (looped with various rings) that gives her a very untidy & strangely concealed appearance. Both of her slightly pointed ears are pierced with various iron rings.

Personality:
An extremely quiet sort of person, Wren never likes to be at the center of attention, and is almost never the one to start a conversation. Very shy at heart, Wren really doesn't like it when people get too close to her (and hates being touched even more), often running back a few steps from someone if she feels overwhelmed. When it rains, Wren seems to get oddly hypersensitive, often bursting into tears (be it through joy or sadness) at tiny little things. She seems to get very depressive at the later hours of night.

She's easily intimidated and highly dislikes conflict of any kind, usually making any precautions possible in order to avoid or break up a fight. She hates seeing anyone in pain or suffering, and does whatever she can to help them, even if she'd consider them her 'enemy'. In the rare instance she does say more than a sentence, she talks with a strange, almost poetic choice of words that gives the girl a very odd demeanor. Despite the fact she doesn't like to be noticed, she still seems to like helping or showing appreciation for other people, often anonymously doing so.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Biography:
A fourth child, Wren was born into a somewhat poor human family within a shoddy village within Alkrisa. The family worked hard to farm beautiful lotus flowers in order to get by, their fields one of the spectacles within Alkrisa, though it didn't pay particularly well. Wren was also born into a somewhat cruel and superstitious family who were disappointed at her birth, believing the number '4' to be a sign of ill omen, and also appalled that Wren turned out to be a girl where they were expecting a boy. Because of these reasons, she was seen as a sign of ill omen, but for the sake of their reputation, they couldn't simply abandon her.

Regardless, Wren was treated as if she were the runt of the litter as she grew up, often neglected by her fellow parents and siblings, and given the more harsh punishments and chores to do with little to no reason behind them. She grew up as a chirpy and kindhearted girl, who slowly turned more and more shy and reclusive as a result of her treatment. Whenever she seemed close to getting a friend, they eventually turned away and ignored her upon hearing she was a sign of 'bad luck'. Wren grew up with only one or two people she could consider close friends, and was often bullied.

When she was still young, one of Wren's older brothers suddenly stood up for her one day, which caused a huge argument throughout the house. Completely silent in the screams, Wren closed her eyes, before deciding it'd be better for her to just run away from home if she was such a burden to everyone, waiting for the right moment to just slip away and run anywhere. In the pouring rain, with little-to-no supplies, Wren found a quiet spot in the marshlands, and cried for hours on end; letting out her bottled up emotions and weeping more than she'd ever done in her life.

Wren stopped crying, however, when she noticed an injured deer in front of her, an infected wound in its side caused by improperly shot arrows. It was on the floor, coughing and choking, and it didn't look like it'd survive the night. Where she could've killed it for the meat she desperately needed, instead, a burst of emotion erupted inside her, and the next thing she knew, her appearance had completely changed into someone who she could feel she... wasn't, but was at the same time. The droplets of pearl-white rain around her fell onto the injured deer, gently glowing as it slowly repaired the animal's flesh. When the deer eventually came to and pranced away in a confused manner, Wren couldn't help but cry with joy as her appearance turned back to normal.

Upon realizing she wasn't just a normal girl, Wren naturally learnt the ways of her powers and the ways of the wilds, wandering alone to travel across the land to use her 'miracles' to aid anybody who needed it. People wouldn't trust her at first, until she revealed her true appearance, asking to bring the injured and desperately sick outside so she could restore their bodies anew with that glowing, life-imbued rain. She finally realized that the only way she felt truly alive was by using the gift of her Goddess in order to help people, and she finally felt like she had a purpose aside from being some 'ill omen'.

She cared more about others around her than concealing her secret, and a result, her carelessness eventually bought the knights of Baelwill to one of the towns she was residing in. They gave terrible threats to the village if they didn't co-operate in trying to find her, claiming they 'knew she was here somewhere'. Not wanting anyone to be punished because of her, Wren ran forward to give herself up, and for the Baelwill knights to just take her instead of trying to hurt anybody. Dragged off as a prisoner, Wren was to be beheaded along with many more, until a twist of fate gave her the mysterious savior she desperately needed...
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Patron Goddess:
Talai, Goddess of Rain, Mist, and Storms
A kindhearted - yet one of the most moody and emotional Goddesses - it was said that Talai was one of the key parts in creating life, her power creating the storms and showers that would later form oceans, lakes, and rivers, and wet the soil that would later be cultivated by life of all kinds. Though she's often associated with life, harvest, and nature, she's also associated with bad luck and misfortune by some, as the heavy storms and lightning she brings are signs of her weeping or screaming out in fury.

Inspiration: When Wren transforms, her scruffy hair seems to lengthen and curl into a bushy mass of deep silver, like a stormy cloud. Her eyes glow and crackle bright, lightning-blue that emit light even in pitch blackness, and she always seems to emit a steady stream of tears from her eyes that pitter-patter gently against the floor, despite her current emotion. In her transformed state, nearby clouds in the world around her seem to slowly converge on her position, and she's able to alter rainy weather to her advantage and use raindrops to do a myriad of things.
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Powers
>Rain Amplification
- Able to excite and compress clouds together in the atmosphere above her, with a large amount of concentration, Wren can amplify the level of current rainfall into an elevated state in a square mile area around her, depending on what the current weather is. If she's in an upset emotional state, Wren can sometimes unintentionally use this power to a more minor degree, meaning that wherever Wren goes, it's usually more likely to rain.

>Repel/Attract Rainfall - Without the need of expending much energy, Wren can either make one 'repel' raindrops in a large area around them (essentially allowing them to stay completely dry despite the weather), or 'attract' raindrops (which will have the opposite effect), regardless of how hard it's currently raining.

>Flowing Mists
- Without much energy requirement, Wren is able to dissipate the raindrops in an area to create a thick mist that's extremely hard to see through.

>Droplets of Life - When Wren takes upon the image of Talai, she can temporarily make all raindrops that fall in a large area around her glow a pearly white; imbued with restorative energies that allows flesh to knit back together much faster than it usually would. She cannot selectively choose which raindrops are imbued with life or not, meaning that raindrops will heal both allies & enemies around her equally.

>Frozen Drops - Additionally, when Wren shows the form of her Goddess, she's able to selectively 'freeze' raindrops in place. These raindrops take a solid form that can be stood/hopped on, or even form a powerful barrier if enough are bundled together. With enough force, however, these solidified raindrops can be 'smashed'.

>Guided Strike - If the current weather is extremely stormy, at the expense of a large amount of energy, Wren is able to speed up the rate at which lightning strikes occur. Additionally, with an enhanced version of 'Attract Rainfall', she's able to make long masses of floating raindrops that attract and 'guide' lightning strikes (in a connect-the-dots sort of style) onto a certain target.
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Talents/Skills
>Fleet-Footed - Wren is an extremely nimble individual, able to move very quickly even through difficult terrain, and able to perform acrobatic feats ordinary people wouldn't be able to. This combined with a good spatial awareness make her quite tricky to catch or hit with mundane weaponry.

>Wilderness Survival
- Whilst she enjoys a warm fireplace and a prepared meal just as much as another person, Wren doesn't really need it in order to have a comfortable night. She knows how to quickly prepare shelter, fire, and forage for food in the wilds, so long as it's feasibly abundant.

>Sneaking/Hiding
- When Wren doesn't want to be found or seen, she seems to be very good at it, knowing routes to take that'll avoid attention, and knowing ways to use the environment (or sounds caused by the weather) to mask her presence.

>Calming
- Despite her strange appearance and oddly shy demeanor, there's something about Wren that's undoubtedly quite soothing to most. Be it animals or humans, she seems to be quite good at reducing their aggression levels.

>Humming - She doesn't really like to do it in front of others, and she's not very good at remembering the lyrics to songs, but Wren has a very smooth & flexible voice that's able to hit incredibly high and low notes.


 
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Biography: [/COLOR][/FONT][/B]The fourth child of a well-off family, Wren was born into a somewhat poor human family within a shoddy village within Alkrisa.

This is the only inconsistency I noticed.
 
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