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Fantasy Terrorchild: Awakening

Build the Legend New
Option 1: 2 Votes (25% - Range: 1-25)
Option 2: 6 Votes (75% - Range: 26-100)
Fae Roll: 94

2. Build the Legend - You don't want to tell Wag that her hero's in this fight reluctantly, fighting for selfish reasons. Even if Agranne has told you several times now that she wants something out of life other than being Syrith's strongest soldier, you'll pretend that you don't know. "...There's a lot of anger in her heart," you say, partially honest. "She grew up so poor, I don't think she'll ever really let go of it. One day, it might be Zuklanar's turn to fall."

The goblin nods, but you sense that she recognizes a certain reluctance in your voice. "And what about you? You don't have that zame anger?" she asks, pointedly.

You shake your head. "Honestly, every time I ask a witch where she came from, I get a different version of the same stories. It's like everyone has some major trauma they're working on except me. I basically had a normal childhood; my dad wasn't in the picture, but he was a criminal and he got what was coming to him, I guess. He died when I was so young that I hardly even remember him."

A moment passes as you think about your more recent years, and all the ways your life has been derailed by your own awakening. It's not something that you think of often. "My mom... she ran off when she learned I was a witch, and I haven't spoken to her in about five years," you explain, feeling a distant twinge of rejection, and the underlying sadness that comes with it. It isn't easy to compare with the grief that Agranne has felt for Rigatte, or Corrinth for Iona. You've certainly cried a lot more for Ika than you ever did for your mother, but this is one of those rare times when you can reflect on why that's the case.

"...You know, I'd like to say that we were close, but we weren't. She was working all the time; making bedsheets and clothing at her shop in Tashlaan. Hells, the general shop's stock is probably still halfway full of her work, and it wouldn't even surprise me if that hat Agranne's always wearing was some of my mom's old work. She did it because she was trying to pay for the two of us to survive without having another man in the picture - and I don't blame her for that; it must've ripped her heart out to see my dad go - but I would ask her why she went through all that effort to raise me if she was just going to run away the moment she knew there was dark magic afoot. I guess I didn't really know her, and she didn't really know me... and that's nobody's fault."

Wag looks at you strangely. "...Wat?" she replies incredulously, cocking her head. "Zhe brought you into the world, and then treated you az if you were nothing but a mouth to feed - motherhood iz a hell of a lot more than that!" she explodes, startling her horse a bit and forcing her to calm the creature down before continuing, looking at you with pity in her eyes. "Take yourzelf for example - you got over her leaving you in five yearz. How many yearz did she raize you without either parent involved becauze zhe was zad about her huzband. You're a drow, it had to be decades!"

You think about it. All those seasons spent in Tashlaan before you began to feel that dark presence in your dreams, that desire to walk in the shadows. How did you really live? You remember lots of nights spent with simple meals - potatoes and carrots, usually. Your mother sitting across from you would cut away at meat on her plate, telling you someday that you would eat well when you brought home some coin. You were never hungry like Agranne, and so it never occurred to you in the moment that it was strange, the way you didn't eat the same meals. You also remember that she could read, but she never taught you. She would only read you stories from the old books in the house when her hands were too tired to sew, and only if you were working in her place.

You had to learn on your own. There were so many things she could have taught you, but you had to learn them all on your own.

This is why you never talk about it - it's easy to say that your childhood was "basically normal," and easy to pretend that your friendships with Corrinth, Ika, and Agranne stretch back further than they do. The minute you start putting in the work of examining happened before, or more importantly, what didn't happen, the less it feels true, and the more the adult you've supposedly become feels like a fictitious invention of an unloved child. But what can be done about it? "...I don't understand her," you admit as your frustration becomes more visible. "But I don't really need to, either. She wasn't a good mom - alright? - but I'm not kept up at night by the thought of confronting her over it. What difference would it make?"

The goblin hesitates to answer. She had been so angry on your behalf that she hadn't thought of the practical question involved. "Well, fine, I guezz. But if you're zet on the idea of live-and-let-live, then why put yourzelf here, at the center of Agranne's battle?"

"Because I love her," you quickly reply, "and I know she needs this to be happy."

"Your happinezz matterz too, you know," Wag replies thoughtfully. "You zhould've been told more often when you were a kid."

You wish this conversation would take a different direction. "She loves me too," you reply quickly. "That makes me happy. Or at least, it will once we finally have some time alone together."

"Zhe'll ztill have that anger, zizter. It zounds like you're going to be following her for a long time waiting for that chance," Wag warns. "What if zhe zetz herzelf on conquering the whole world in the name of Lythrefang?"

Now, you feel insulted. "Then we'll do it!" you snap, your frustration finally boiling over. She sees this and reflexively pulls her horse away, creating a bit of distance as you steady yourself. "...You don't have to understand my love for Agranne, but this battle she's waging is for all of us. All of my friends, and my whole life is wrapped up in the coven. If Syrith calls on me to fight for it, I'm going to give it all I've got!"

Wide-eyed, Wag nods emphatically at your passion and answers by thumping herself in the chest a couple of times. "Forgive me, zizter, I didn't mean to imply that your heart wazn't with uz. It'z just refrezhing to meet zomeone who'z fighting to protect uz, and not juzt for zome kind of retribution."

Her perspective takes you off-guard, but for once, you feel proud of yourself. It's easy to forget, thanks to Corrinth and Veralt, that you actually enjoy your membership in this sisterhood of witches, and you love the power and freedom that comes with it. You might not have felt that freedom recently, but that's only because, as Wag pointed out, you put yourself right in the heart of Agranne's battle. You might have to grapple with that choice if your doubts prove correct, and Agranne can't let go of her anger, but for now, you're certain you can stomach the wait a while longer.

1. Ask About Corrinth and Veralt - Speaking of the sources of your most recent anxieties, you decide to check how Wag sees her pact sister and brother. "I can't be the only one," you say, downplaying Wag's flattering comment. "Before I go, can I ask you something? I know Agranne and I are a weird pair, but what about Veralt and Corrinth?"

2. Meet with Fiola - "Hail Lythrefang," you say with a toothy grin before excusing yourself. You still need to make sure that Fiola is on you and Agranne's side, and as the goblin answers your enthusiasm with a salute of her own, you flick your reins and gallop on ahead.
 
Ask About Corrinth and Veralt New
Option 1: 2 Votes (29% - Range: 1-29)
Option 2: 5 Votes (71% - Range: 30-100)
Fae Roll: 9

1. Ask About Corrinth and Veralt - Speaking of the sources of your most recent anxieties, you decide to check how Wag sees her pact sister and brother. "I can't be the only one," you say, downplaying Wag's flattering comment. "Before I go, can I ask you something? I know Agranne and I are a weird pair, but what about Veralt and Corrinth?"

Wag snickers at the mention. "Haah haah, yeah! Thoze two are fuckin' weird, aren't they?" she says, spitefully. "I wazn't gonna zay anything, but that firzt night in the temple back at Gilbert'z Rezt, I waz awake for most of Corrinth'z 'flirting.' When I found out how thingz turned out that next morning, I can't believe how badly he played her, but then again, they seem made for each other."

"Oh?" you ask, excitedly. This ought to be good.

Wag nods hard enough that her ears flap back and forth. "I waz drunk, you know, of courze I waz, but I think it was all juzt zafe ztuff we brought along, no faerie wine for me. And while you and Agranne were having your little dance in the zky, I waz down below, looking for zomething to eat to go with the drink, when I found the two of them talking in the dark at the edge of the camp. At leazt, I knew Corrinth waz there, zince zhe waz doing all the talking. And Corrinth iz all, 'I can be anything for you. What do you like~?' and I think zhe changed her face around, becauze zhe kept talking and her voice waz different, but, ah, familiar."

"Oh god, was she pretending to be us!?"
you ask, morbidly fascinated and more than a little disgusted at the idea.

Wag laughs nervously. "Well, yeah. Agranne, you, a couple I didn't recognize... I think zhe did me? It wazn't that accurate though, if it waz..."

Your blood runs cold as you realize that Corrinth might not have been imitating Wag, but another goblin she used to know. As the thought sets in, you somehow know that's exactly what she did. "That... hideous... fucking creature!" you curse, your voice cracking in outrage.

"Eeeh!?" she replies, shocked at how quickly your mood changed again. Pulling her horse away a second time, this time she doesn't relax when you take a few breaths and calm yourself. "Thiz iz why I didn't zay anything," she complains.

Gritting your teeth, you push down an overwhelming desire to ride back to the front of the pack and scream your outrage to Agranne and bring this whole army to a halt. "It- It wasn't you, alright? Corrinth was imitating a friend of ours who died back in Tashlaan. It's bad enough she used our faces to try to get laid, and if Agranne knew that Corrinth was using her face again she'd probably kill her, and I mean it. But to use Ika's face, for that," you explain, your eyes beginning to sting with tears, "I might just do it myself!"

"H-hey, come on zizter, now izn't the time!" Wag urges you. "We're going to Thandan, and we have to fight together if we're going to zurvive! Pleaze..."

You ride in silence for a while, until you lift your head and realize that Wag has drifted back towards her circle, uncertain if her conversation with you has ended and looking rather unsettled. You let out a frustrated sigh, and drop back toward her. She senses your intent and picks up her pace a final time to meet you. As soon as you're within earshot, you try to give her some reassurance. "Listen, Wag," you say, "I'm not going to do anything right now. Corrinth is more trouble than she's worth, and sooner or later, Agranne is going to have to deal with her - but we'll cross that bridge when we get to it."

"At leazt that'z zomething," she replies, a bit more coldly, as if she expects you to change your mind. "...What other trouble are you expecting?"

You sigh, checking again to make sure she's not eavesdropping on you before dropping all pretenses. "...I get the sense that Veralt doesn't trust Agranne's leadership. With Corrinth in his ear, I'm worried he'll betray us."

"What...?" Wag says, her eyes narrowing as she processes your accusation. "Why would Veralt betray uz?"

You briefly explain what happened when you and Agranne arrived in Mardenaal for the first time - how, even with her hexblood abilities, she wasn't strong enough to resist Diala's compulsion. With Veralt being a master of the art, you insist, all it would take is for him to decide he's more worthy of the coven's leadership for things to get ugly, quick.

Wag shakes her head, getting frustrated. "Okay, zo he could betray uz, but you ztill haven't explained why he would!"

Oh, now this fucking sucks. You should have just walked away when it felt like Wag was on your side. Your fae-touched mind is going to get you killed if you keep running your mouth.

1. Truth: "Did you see him before we left? Every time Agranne and Corrinth butt heads, he seems angry, like he's protecting her. But she makes her own trouble, so it's only going to get worse. And he also thinks he can start telling Agranne what is and isn't respectful to the coven," you argue, carefully stepping around the fact that the very point that Veralt was speaking out against was your appointment to lead this force.

2. Fuck It, Just Lie: "...Keep this between you and me," you say, realizing that what you're about to do carries a lot of risk. "I've been learning from Halfiya how to use telepathy. I've peered into his thoughts and while it's just an inkling, I can't tell how strongly he feels this way, but he wants Agranne dead. I just know it," you insist, dearly hoping that Wag won't expect you to demonstrate proof of this supposed ability of yours.

3. Manipulation: You're cornered. If you tell the truth, it'll make you look jealous and paranoid of Veralt's power and drive Wag further away. If you lie, it'll only raise further questions that you aren't prepared to answer. If you admit now that you have nothing but assumptions and yet have the nerve to suggest treachery, then Wag will probably think you're a snake and she'll never trust you again. You reach into your coat as if you have something to show her, but instead grip your wand. One quick flick, and you'll have her on your side... at least until you meet Agranne on the other side of the canyon.
 
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