AmethystWallflower
You can call me Amy
Here is where I have condensed the plot & history of the Totems. Some is repeated in the interest check.
The current state of things are; The Region is coming to war with surrounding areas while simultaneously handling what's been laid out in the plot skeleton.
The Royals came to power due to waging War with the natives of the land, sweeping through & taking by force the name of Royalty. Before them the region was peacefully governed by a series of territory Chiefs that worked together yet kept to themselves. The totems were once Gods that were prayed to but after the fall of all governing Chiefs, the Gods simply disappeared. It was several generations later when the Totems of the lost Gods began to appear. By then however, the idea of the Gods was just as dead of the history before the Royals. The Royals consist of a close related family of around 13 people, each with a lifespan of close to a thousand years. The family holds the secrets of the Totem Animal Gods close and uses them in benefit to themselves and their need for land and currency ever since the family conquered. For uncountable generations the Royals, so enveloped in secrecy that the actual family name is not widely known beyond the members of the family themselves and wealthy, have been ruled by greed entirely. Such greed has not only allowed them the knowledge of the Totem Animals, but the technology/ power in which surrounds the seven animals. They are at constant war with the bordering regions and seek whatever secrets each region holds close to their chest. If this land had the Totems, what could others hold? It’s also due to this family and their malevolent greed that the creation of the dangerous Split Totem Animals had occurred. The Royals are the same species as the Overseers, enabling them with the necessary magic power to stay in control. They are the first of the Overseers, more powerful through practice & guarded secrets. To enter the Royal family, although highly rare, means that an Overseer is trusted fully to the Royal Family secrets, the luxuries & responsibilities effectively changing their lifespan. The Overseers are a very sadistic and twisted breed of people put in charge by the Royals to find each child at birth that has a link with a Totem Animal and mold them into the desired end product. They are a special type of being that takes great pleasure in their life work. Their name directly refers to their roles in life, they oversee everything that deals with the Totems. They are broken up into their own groups from all training stages starting at the creation of weapons and armor, to the observation of the Island of Bears, to even the punishment of rogue soldiers. Essentially, they are the police to the entire military force of the Region. Given the fact that the Overseers are different beings than the Soldiers, they are gifted with mental abilities that allow certain degree of control over those under their watch. Their lifespan is significantly longer than that of the Soldiers, yet not as long as the Royals. Overseers are essentially wizards. A perfect comparison is like Elves to Humans.
The current state of things are; The Region is coming to war with surrounding areas while simultaneously handling what's been laid out in the plot skeleton.
More and more of the Abyss Walkers are entering their new status as Split Totems opposed to transitioning to being solid Black Bears. Coupling with the Split Totems, these Elders are morphing the best attributes from their original Totem with the new, while dropping the less desired and unpredictable ones. This proves to the Overseers that the growing Abyss Walkers are revolting towards the way of things. While more and more are becoming Split Totems, the Overseers are beginning to become aware of their presence as the confiscated weapons are morphing to reflect the dual Totems in their storage galleries. Panic even begins to grow and spread as the Split weapons begin to slowly disappear from the guarded galleries.
Throughout the youths of the various Elders, a growing trend had been steadily graining stability. Discomfort in how the Region is run has been spreading through all Guard Fractions like a virus. Many had always been against how the soldiers are molded; taken from birth & made into weapons. Many had friends and lovers that were great their entire youth until Graduation, where they were deemed unworthy for one reason or another and terminated. Such feelings have been tattooed on every soldier’s psyche from the time of birth. Never fading, only turning into a sour taste in the back of each throat like bile that no amount of liquor could mask.
Up until the recent decades most soldiers only hoped to die honorably in battle, if not in a moment of total savagery, instead of reaching the Island of Bears - instead of being forced to sit in the memory of all that was lost. The Island of Bears is a sad and hollow place. Although considered a Holy Place by the Overseers, a place reserved for only those who have bested everything that has come into their path, a place gifted to those who have mastered the skills of both Life and Death for their Region, is just a patchwork of land off the coast where the Overseers can monitor those that could ultimately terminate them. A place where a Totem, color set, title, and everything but a birthname is stripped from a soldier and they are asked to reform themselves into a foreign Totem; to spend the rest of their lives without their weapon & although a Black Bear, an Abyss Walker, ultimately forced into domestication.
The Split Totem Abyss Walkers that lead the Revolution are the ones that refuse to let go of their identities; to let go of the Totem and weapon they were destined to adopt as children but forced to use negatively. Forced to live a life of war as a soldier instead of a life of peace as a protector. They are an underground force that is infecting the active Guard Fractions of not only their own Original Totems, but even alongside those of their fellow Elders without discrimination. Somehow, through powerful influence, a small select few of Split Totem Elders have reacquired their weapons and seek to change the way the entire Region is operated in the same blossoming secrecy that the Royals mastered many generations ago.
What is it that the Split Totems seek? Individuality. Not just the kind that they are given as children when being fitted for a weapon and armor, not in the way that makes them more valuable to the Guard as a whole. They seek the individuality that allows them to make their own choices, the choice to be soldier or peacemaker. They seek freedom from the Royals and their Overseers. They want to be free of forced service and labor. They want to be able to see their children grow. The Split Totem Elders seek to wipe out the Royals and Overseers completely, to create a new Era where no one is forced to do the will of power-hungry tyrants. Split Totems seek to create a region in which all can live peacefully, where Totems do not rule over the Regulars, and the Overseers and Royals do not rule over the Totems.
Throughout the youths of the various Elders, a growing trend had been steadily graining stability. Discomfort in how the Region is run has been spreading through all Guard Fractions like a virus. Many had always been against how the soldiers are molded; taken from birth & made into weapons. Many had friends and lovers that were great their entire youth until Graduation, where they were deemed unworthy for one reason or another and terminated. Such feelings have been tattooed on every soldier’s psyche from the time of birth. Never fading, only turning into a sour taste in the back of each throat like bile that no amount of liquor could mask.
Up until the recent decades most soldiers only hoped to die honorably in battle, if not in a moment of total savagery, instead of reaching the Island of Bears - instead of being forced to sit in the memory of all that was lost. The Island of Bears is a sad and hollow place. Although considered a Holy Place by the Overseers, a place reserved for only those who have bested everything that has come into their path, a place gifted to those who have mastered the skills of both Life and Death for their Region, is just a patchwork of land off the coast where the Overseers can monitor those that could ultimately terminate them. A place where a Totem, color set, title, and everything but a birthname is stripped from a soldier and they are asked to reform themselves into a foreign Totem; to spend the rest of their lives without their weapon & although a Black Bear, an Abyss Walker, ultimately forced into domestication.
The Split Totem Abyss Walkers that lead the Revolution are the ones that refuse to let go of their identities; to let go of the Totem and weapon they were destined to adopt as children but forced to use negatively. Forced to live a life of war as a soldier instead of a life of peace as a protector. They are an underground force that is infecting the active Guard Fractions of not only their own Original Totems, but even alongside those of their fellow Elders without discrimination. Somehow, through powerful influence, a small select few of Split Totem Elders have reacquired their weapons and seek to change the way the entire Region is operated in the same blossoming secrecy that the Royals mastered many generations ago.
What is it that the Split Totems seek? Individuality. Not just the kind that they are given as children when being fitted for a weapon and armor, not in the way that makes them more valuable to the Guard as a whole. They seek the individuality that allows them to make their own choices, the choice to be soldier or peacemaker. They seek freedom from the Royals and their Overseers. They want to be free of forced service and labor. They want to be able to see their children grow. The Split Totem Elders seek to wipe out the Royals and Overseers completely, to create a new Era where no one is forced to do the will of power-hungry tyrants. Split Totems seek to create a region in which all can live peacefully, where Totems do not rule over the Regulars, and the Overseers and Royals do not rule over the Totems.
Animal Totem; This animal is represented throughout the entire being of the individual & the Guard. The Totem is part of every soldier’s personality due to the link created at birth, strengthened throughout youth and expanded within the Guard. Certain attributes (only one or two per soldier, truly rare & skilled beings are granted three) from the Totem Animal become part of the soldier’s armor, weapon and overall personality in some shape or form, as it varies to benefit the soldier, to further unite the Guard as a unit made of individual dangers. The Totem Animal only changes upon retirement when the soldier is forced to drop the life-long Totem to adopt the Black Bear. However, there is great inner turmoil amongst the Retirees regarding the change in the Totem. Many take the shift from a life-long adaption to the new Totem difficult and do not fully renounce their original Totem traits. This causes odd trait mutations amongst the more headstrong and determined elders. When reaching a certain age, it was once rumored that an individual was given the internal option to take on the Black Bear, making them a more enlightened, priest-like existence.
Purple Totem – Komodo Dragon; Bloodlust. Excellent eyesight. Poisonous. Thicker Armor. Thick iron tail. More militant style. Savage. Incredible endurance. Has been known to be over the top in punishment.
Considered to be brutal. Locals call them Amethyst Dragons.
Blue Totem – Reef Stonefish; Weapons laced with poisons. Ability to swim incredible distances. Thicker Armor. Less likely to kill than the other Totems. Relatively calm. Poisonous quills. Ability to see underwater.
Considered to be fair. Locals call them Sapphire Death.
Ash Totem - Snow Leopard; Impervious to cold. Stealth. Speed. They tend to stalk their enemy before acting upon orders. Talons. Relatively calm. Heightened sense of smell. Silent. Resourceful. Night vision. Swift in punishment.
Considered to be unpredictable. Locals call them Ice Stalkers.
Red Totem – Jackal; Bloodlust. Speed. Resourceful. Clever. Often referred to as Anubis. Besides the Death Stalker Scorpion, they are the most likely to kill than the other Totems. Find humor in chaos, joy in their work. Reckless. Savage. Considered to be mostly mentally unstable. Locals call them Anubi.
Green Totem – Jaguar; Camouflage. Stealth. Speed. Bloodlust. Endurance. Excellent eyesight. Short temper. Thorough. Night vision. Swift in punishment. Manipulative.
Considered to be selfish. Locals call them Jade Nightmare.
Gold Totem – Death Stalker Scorpion; Weapons are laced with poisons. Speed. Thicker Armor. Silent. Malevolent. Most active in darkness. Night vision.
Considered to be savage. Locals call them Death Stalkers.
Black Totem – Black Bear; Brute strength. Solitary. Somewhat subdued. Quiet. Originally a life choice in the elder years of the individual, now soldiers are forced to abandon their original Totem and adopt the Black Bear as a false symbol of great service to the Royal Family and the Region. Upon adoption of the Black Bear the soldier is moved to an island that is inhabited solely by others of the same status. The Royals when first discovering the Totems and their secrets took immediate notice of the docile, yet dangerously acquired strength and skills, and sought to bend the Totems to benefit their greed. By forcing the change upon every remaining soldier, it has effectively domesticated them.
Known throughout as either the Elders or Abyss Walkers. Once an accepted way of life, now being challenged.
Split Totems – Not natural by any means; These are the elders that are feared above all. There are few in number. These retired soldiers are those that refuse to drop their former Totem Animal traits along with being forced to adapt to that of the Black Bear. Their armor and fighting techniques are smooth blends of the two animals despite the creation not being needed until the Royals took power. Those Overseers fear these soldiers the most. These Split Totems are the core of all Revolution. Although their weapons had been taken from them upon arrival to the island, the weapon also morphs to match the Split Totem while locked away – therefore continuing to grow with its owner despite the separation. This is only allowed to happen due to the age & experience of the wielder of the weapon.
Purple Totem – Komodo Dragon; Bloodlust. Excellent eyesight. Poisonous. Thicker Armor. Thick iron tail. More militant style. Savage. Incredible endurance. Has been known to be over the top in punishment.
Considered to be brutal. Locals call them Amethyst Dragons.
Blue Totem – Reef Stonefish; Weapons laced with poisons. Ability to swim incredible distances. Thicker Armor. Less likely to kill than the other Totems. Relatively calm. Poisonous quills. Ability to see underwater.
Considered to be fair. Locals call them Sapphire Death.
Ash Totem - Snow Leopard; Impervious to cold. Stealth. Speed. They tend to stalk their enemy before acting upon orders. Talons. Relatively calm. Heightened sense of smell. Silent. Resourceful. Night vision. Swift in punishment.
Considered to be unpredictable. Locals call them Ice Stalkers.
Red Totem – Jackal; Bloodlust. Speed. Resourceful. Clever. Often referred to as Anubis. Besides the Death Stalker Scorpion, they are the most likely to kill than the other Totems. Find humor in chaos, joy in their work. Reckless. Savage. Considered to be mostly mentally unstable. Locals call them Anubi.
Green Totem – Jaguar; Camouflage. Stealth. Speed. Bloodlust. Endurance. Excellent eyesight. Short temper. Thorough. Night vision. Swift in punishment. Manipulative.
Considered to be selfish. Locals call them Jade Nightmare.
Gold Totem – Death Stalker Scorpion; Weapons are laced with poisons. Speed. Thicker Armor. Silent. Malevolent. Most active in darkness. Night vision.
Considered to be savage. Locals call them Death Stalkers.
Black Totem – Black Bear; Brute strength. Solitary. Somewhat subdued. Quiet. Originally a life choice in the elder years of the individual, now soldiers are forced to abandon their original Totem and adopt the Black Bear as a false symbol of great service to the Royal Family and the Region. Upon adoption of the Black Bear the soldier is moved to an island that is inhabited solely by others of the same status. The Royals when first discovering the Totems and their secrets took immediate notice of the docile, yet dangerously acquired strength and skills, and sought to bend the Totems to benefit their greed. By forcing the change upon every remaining soldier, it has effectively domesticated them.
Known throughout as either the Elders or Abyss Walkers. Once an accepted way of life, now being challenged.
Split Totems – Not natural by any means; These are the elders that are feared above all. There are few in number. These retired soldiers are those that refuse to drop their former Totem Animal traits along with being forced to adapt to that of the Black Bear. Their armor and fighting techniques are smooth blends of the two animals despite the creation not being needed until the Royals took power. Those Overseers fear these soldiers the most. These Split Totems are the core of all Revolution. Although their weapons had been taken from them upon arrival to the island, the weapon also morphs to match the Split Totem while locked away – therefore continuing to grow with its owner despite the separation. This is only allowed to happen due to the age & experience of the wielder of the weapon.
The Royals came to power due to waging War with the natives of the land, sweeping through & taking by force the name of Royalty. Before them the region was peacefully governed by a series of territory Chiefs that worked together yet kept to themselves. The totems were once Gods that were prayed to but after the fall of all governing Chiefs, the Gods simply disappeared. It was several generations later when the Totems of the lost Gods began to appear. By then however, the idea of the Gods was just as dead of the history before the Royals. The Royals consist of a close related family of around 13 people, each with a lifespan of close to a thousand years. The family holds the secrets of the Totem Animal Gods close and uses them in benefit to themselves and their need for land and currency ever since the family conquered. For uncountable generations the Royals, so enveloped in secrecy that the actual family name is not widely known beyond the members of the family themselves and wealthy, have been ruled by greed entirely. Such greed has not only allowed them the knowledge of the Totem Animals, but the technology/ power in which surrounds the seven animals. They are at constant war with the bordering regions and seek whatever secrets each region holds close to their chest. If this land had the Totems, what could others hold? It’s also due to this family and their malevolent greed that the creation of the dangerous Split Totem Animals had occurred. The Royals are the same species as the Overseers, enabling them with the necessary magic power to stay in control. They are the first of the Overseers, more powerful through practice & guarded secrets. To enter the Royal family, although highly rare, means that an Overseer is trusted fully to the Royal Family secrets, the luxuries & responsibilities effectively changing their lifespan. The Overseers are a very sadistic and twisted breed of people put in charge by the Royals to find each child at birth that has a link with a Totem Animal and mold them into the desired end product. They are a special type of being that takes great pleasure in their life work. Their name directly refers to their roles in life, they oversee everything that deals with the Totems. They are broken up into their own groups from all training stages starting at the creation of weapons and armor, to the observation of the Island of Bears, to even the punishment of rogue soldiers. Essentially, they are the police to the entire military force of the Region. Given the fact that the Overseers are different beings than the Soldiers, they are gifted with mental abilities that allow certain degree of control over those under their watch. Their lifespan is significantly longer than that of the Soldiers, yet not as long as the Royals. Overseers are essentially wizards. A perfect comparison is like Elves to Humans.
