Cthulhu_Wakes
Black Sun in a White World
Anyhow, I'll be making decisions later or on the morrow. My mood has been horrid all day and I'll see if I can't unwind some at work.
Vanilla Exalted! Oh, dread. (Solars)
- Thread starter Cthulhu_Wakes
- Start date
Incendius
Elder Member
My character would also work well as an Eclipse. The base idea is (former?) nobility and socialite/public speaker.
Cthulhu_Wakes
Black Sun in a White World
We'll figure it out, sir! No worries.
lordofthestorm
A Great Big Goose, Clad in Orange
I'm tempted to bring out my nomad horseman Solar, fights mostly in bow-based combat from the back of his horse. He's on a quest to find his love after their affair was discovered and she was taken away somewhere after he accidentally killed her fiancee after he found out.
I do have an idea to bring out a Zenith martial artist who's basically an expy of David Carradine in Kung Fu, though...
I do have an idea to bring out a Zenith martial artist who's basically an expy of David Carradine in Kung Fu, though...
Cthulhu_Wakes
Black Sun in a White World
I'd be tempted to add him for the sheer lulz of giving you an eerie blind master who laughs far too much when you throw darts.
Sarky
Drunken master
I've had a bit of time to think. Night caste con artist, scout, occasional spy/assassin:
Honest Zhu Yen is anything but; He could lie almost as soon as he could talk, much to his parents' dismay. They died when he was young in some pointless war in the Hundred Kingdoms. In the orphanage, he and his friends would put on shows, learning to act for money or food, and occasionally just stealing from the less appreciative members of the audience. Zhu Yen became rather good at both. When he grew up, he applied his talents to what he termed "the best kind" of thievery- The kind where the victim willingly hands over his valuables to a thief posing as someone else. He did have some scruples; His time as a penniless orphan tempered his greed and sense of morality, and so he focused on those rich people who were also mean, evil, nasty selfish jerks.
He was doing pretty well until he was caught posing as a scavenger lord, trying to sell a load of worthless junk for a fortune. It would have made him rich enough to retire on a tobacco plantation to die happy and surrounded by opulence, booze and concubines. The man he tried to fleece turned out to be not only extremely knowledgeable about what was and wasn't an artifact, but also a Dragon-Blooded investigator, working on behalf of the lord of the city. The man let him run for a while, for sport. Zhu Yen, terrified of his impending death but determined to try to outrun it anyway, suddenly tripped and fell straight through a doorway, only realising after getting to his feet that the door was closed and unmarked by his passing. He was also glowing with a pale light, and fragments of memory that weren't his rushed through his mind. Almost without thinking, he stole some clothes, disguised himself to a degree he didn't think he was capable of, and set out to con the shit out of his pursuer.
Using a multitude of disguises, stealth, clever forgeries and masterful acting he faked his way into the home the very man who'd hired the Dragon-Blood. Planting a few select documents, he then went to face his hunter with a calm smile, and a convincing story that the lord of the city was a Yozi sympathiser, who had given Zhu Yen fake artifacts to sell so that the hunter would chase him out of the city and leave his nefarious plans alone. That night, there was a hanging. Zhu Yen wasn't there to see it, in case the Dragon-Blood copped on.
Since then he's wandered in and out of various jobs; scouting, acting, trading, and he's met some very interesting people. People like him, sort of. they get together every now and then and collaborate on each other's projects. Maybe one of them needs to find a pound of blue jade for research, or another needs an evil man framed for a crime he thought he got away with, or another needs to track down a criminal in a busy town where strangers aren't welcome. Not a problem, Honest Zhu Yen can fake his way into almost anything.
He was doing pretty well until he was caught posing as a scavenger lord, trying to sell a load of worthless junk for a fortune. It would have made him rich enough to retire on a tobacco plantation to die happy and surrounded by opulence, booze and concubines. The man he tried to fleece turned out to be not only extremely knowledgeable about what was and wasn't an artifact, but also a Dragon-Blooded investigator, working on behalf of the lord of the city. The man let him run for a while, for sport. Zhu Yen, terrified of his impending death but determined to try to outrun it anyway, suddenly tripped and fell straight through a doorway, only realising after getting to his feet that the door was closed and unmarked by his passing. He was also glowing with a pale light, and fragments of memory that weren't his rushed through his mind. Almost without thinking, he stole some clothes, disguised himself to a degree he didn't think he was capable of, and set out to con the shit out of his pursuer.
Using a multitude of disguises, stealth, clever forgeries and masterful acting he faked his way into the home the very man who'd hired the Dragon-Blood. Planting a few select documents, he then went to face his hunter with a calm smile, and a convincing story that the lord of the city was a Yozi sympathiser, who had given Zhu Yen fake artifacts to sell so that the hunter would chase him out of the city and leave his nefarious plans alone. That night, there was a hanging. Zhu Yen wasn't there to see it, in case the Dragon-Blood copped on.
Since then he's wandered in and out of various jobs; scouting, acting, trading, and he's met some very interesting people. People like him, sort of. they get together every now and then and collaborate on each other's projects. Maybe one of them needs to find a pound of blue jade for research, or another needs an evil man framed for a crime he thought he got away with, or another needs to track down a criminal in a busy town where strangers aren't welcome. Not a problem, Honest Zhu Yen can fake his way into almost anything.
Cthulhu_Wakes
Black Sun in a White World
Okay, folks! I've made my decisions.
Dawn: RandomAngel
Zenith: Incendius
Twilight: Chaka
Night: Sarky
Eclipse: Skrakes
Them's be my choices. I'd like to thank everyone who showed interest and took time to put in a character concept! Hopefully when my next game idea comes along, we'll game together. Cheers, folks!
Dawn: RandomAngel
Zenith: Incendius
Twilight: Chaka
Night: Sarky
Eclipse: Skrakes
Them's be my choices. I'd like to thank everyone who showed interest and took time to put in a character concept! Hopefully when my next game idea comes along, we'll game together. Cheers, folks!
cyl
Creepy smile
I'd like to throw in a Night Caste if possible.
A sophisticated assassin and professional backstabber, Lou Bei has always been lurking in the shady corners of all the proper courts of the Threshold either disguised or as himself, a "political and security" consultant.
He's rather rich, killing high profile targets for a living is a decent way to make big money, but he doesn't do it only for the money... he kills tyrants and queens, spoiled princes and corrupt viziers, greedy merchants and dangerous courtesans because it upsets their deaths make way for a new beginning... Every city he performed his services in has been offered a second (and sometimes a third) chance to start over and redefine itself.
Adept at probing information from people he quickly gets to the bottom of things and sneak his way in to strike from the least expected angle possible... most of the time he doesn't even have to get his hands dirty... courts are filled with so much lying, traitorous, power hungry and greed things that the right rumor whispered in the right ears often do more damage than a sword.
A sophisticated assassin and professional backstabber, Lou Bei has always been lurking in the shady corners of all the proper courts of the Threshold either disguised or as himself, a "political and security" consultant.
He's rather rich, killing high profile targets for a living is a decent way to make big money, but he doesn't do it only for the money... he kills tyrants and queens, spoiled princes and corrupt viziers, greedy merchants and dangerous courtesans because it upsets their deaths make way for a new beginning... Every city he performed his services in has been offered a second (and sometimes a third) chance to start over and redefine itself.
Adept at probing information from people he quickly gets to the bottom of things and sneak his way in to strike from the least expected angle possible... most of the time he doesn't even have to get his hands dirty... courts are filled with so much lying, traitorous, power hungry and greed things that the right rumor whispered in the right ears often do more damage than a sword.
Sarky
Drunken master
Would there be a problem having a god of thieves as a mentor or ally?
Cthulhu_Wakes
Black Sun in a White World
Heavens no! By all means. PM if you have some details or ideas you'd like to work out.
Now that we've sorted out who is in, I'd like to talk a bit about how you guys came together as a Circle. I'd like a sense of your backstories and general motivations much like Sarky's blurb for Honest Zhu. The opening of the game will be one of those collaborative moments when the Circle comes together and things kick off (as they often do) for zany Solar hijinks shortly thereafter.
Now that we've sorted out who is in, I'd like to talk a bit about how you guys came together as a Circle. I'd like a sense of your backstories and general motivations much like Sarky's blurb for Honest Zhu. The opening of the game will be one of those collaborative moments when the Circle comes together and things kick off (as they often do) for zany Solar hijinks shortly thereafter.
Sarky
Drunken master
I'm happy to have met more than one of you while attempting to steal some of your stuff... 
cyl
Creepy smile
Arf, sorry I didn't see your final list before I posted.
Oh well, another time maybe
Oh well, another time maybe
Cthulhu_Wakes
Black Sun in a White World
Sorry, cyl x3 But yes, another time!
ArandomAngel
Heavenly Member
Redd and I should have that to you tonight or tomorrow evening since we're going to be working on chargen.
Incendius
Elder Member
To His Royal Majesty Trygvar Sigurdson,
I write to you because I have located the fiend who calls himself Skoll. I now know the name of his master, which has confirmed his macabre nature. He hides within his master's newly conquered domain, shielded by his master's army and his fellow knights. I mention this only to note that my quest will take longer to resolve than we had hoped. Nonetheless, I will keep my vow to bring the assassin and his liege to justice for the murder of His Highness Harald Trygvarson, no matter the obstacles I face. I apologize, but I do not think it wise to convey more details, for reasons that I dare not place in ink.
However, there is a silver lining to this situation. When I return from my quest I will have proven my honor and my righteousness in sufficient quality to silence Jormun's faction. They will lose too many of their allies to continue their protests against me, and any further attempts will deprive them of the rest of their support. The nobility will become quiescent once again, as they were before my ascendance. Your rule will no longer be troubled by threat of revolution, as the people will acknowledge my heroism, and you as its righteous source. This is not hyperbole; any who deny my nature will be thought mad, I guarantee it.
I pray that the negotiations with the Icewalker proceed well in my absence. I hope that my newly attained status has helped in that regard, convincing him that we have fully severed our ties with the Realm. With luck, an alliance with him will stop the wars that have plagued our nation for centuries. If such does not work, if he threatens our independence, then I swear that I will match him blade for blade, announcing my homecoming with his defeat.
The boy who delivered this message is a loyal and trustworthy individual who owes me his life and his liberty. I beg you to ignore the mark that labels him a criminal and to treat him as you would any other free man. He is not mute because of his cowardice, as is the punishment in our land, but rather because of the injustices of another culture. He is a brave individual who has proven himself again and again, fighting alongside the rest of my guard with the ferocity of a warrior born. Such a travesty as his maiming would never have happened in our country. He will be able to return your correspondence and will guard it with his life.
*A blotted out signature occupies the next space*
I miss you, I miss mother, and I miss my siblings, even that little scamp Locke. Please tell them that they remain in my thoughts. There are many wonders in these strange lands, but I find that nothing can compare to home. I yearn for the day that I sit at the high table once more. I love you.
Your faithful servant,
Ser Solveig Trygvadatter
I write to you because I have located the fiend who calls himself Skoll. I now know the name of his master, which has confirmed his macabre nature. He hides within his master's newly conquered domain, shielded by his master's army and his fellow knights. I mention this only to note that my quest will take longer to resolve than we had hoped. Nonetheless, I will keep my vow to bring the assassin and his liege to justice for the murder of His Highness Harald Trygvarson, no matter the obstacles I face. I apologize, but I do not think it wise to convey more details, for reasons that I dare not place in ink.
However, there is a silver lining to this situation. When I return from my quest I will have proven my honor and my righteousness in sufficient quality to silence Jormun's faction. They will lose too many of their allies to continue their protests against me, and any further attempts will deprive them of the rest of their support. The nobility will become quiescent once again, as they were before my ascendance. Your rule will no longer be troubled by threat of revolution, as the people will acknowledge my heroism, and you as its righteous source. This is not hyperbole; any who deny my nature will be thought mad, I guarantee it.
I pray that the negotiations with the Icewalker proceed well in my absence. I hope that my newly attained status has helped in that regard, convincing him that we have fully severed our ties with the Realm. With luck, an alliance with him will stop the wars that have plagued our nation for centuries. If such does not work, if he threatens our independence, then I swear that I will match him blade for blade, announcing my homecoming with his defeat.
The boy who delivered this message is a loyal and trustworthy individual who owes me his life and his liberty. I beg you to ignore the mark that labels him a criminal and to treat him as you would any other free man. He is not mute because of his cowardice, as is the punishment in our land, but rather because of the injustices of another culture. He is a brave individual who has proven himself again and again, fighting alongside the rest of my guard with the ferocity of a warrior born. Such a travesty as his maiming would never have happened in our country. He will be able to return your correspondence and will guard it with his life.
*A blotted out signature occupies the next space*
I miss you, I miss mother, and I miss my siblings, even that little scamp Locke. Please tell them that they remain in my thoughts. There are many wonders in these strange lands, but I find that nothing can compare to home. I yearn for the day that I sit at the high table once more. I love you.
Your faithful servant,
Ser Solveig Trygvadatter
Cthulhu_Wakes
Black Sun in a White World
Mad props for letter writing. There is NOT enough of that in gaming. And I smell some of Assassin's Creed II's Giovanni Auditore's suspicions in that letter. Maybe I've just been playing that game too much. I like it.
Incendius
Elder Member
[QUOTE="Cthulhu_Wakes]Mad props for letter writing. There is NOT enough of that in gaming. And I smell some of Assassin's Creed II's Giovanni Auditore's suspicions in that letter. Maybe I've just been playing that game too much. I like it.
[/QUOTE]
That would mean a lot more to me if I had ever played that game >.>
[/QUOTE]
That would mean a lot more to me if I had ever played that game >.>
Cthulhu_Wakes
Black Sun in a White World
Heh. Well worth the investment. But anyway. I like it quite a bit. Anyone else?
Cthulhu_Wakes
Black Sun in a White World
Okay, what would everyone prefer: Incendius' suggested XP Based Chargen or book standard? I care not either way. They both work. I know Incendius and Skrakes vote for XP based.
Sarky
Drunken master
I'd suspect it won't make a whole lot of difference to me, I likes my well-rounded characters. I'm happy either way.
ArandomAngel
Heavenly Member
I'm a beginner so it doesn't matter one iota to me because I won't know what I'm missing.
Incendius
Elder Member
Its looking like we'll be doing XP based. Cool stuff.
Oh, I just wanted to mention a couple houserules I've seen a few people using around the forums, in case you thought they were cool to implement, as a lot of people seem to like em. I'm cool with whatever works though.
The first is that you get a free first, second, or third excellency with every charm purchase in a tree, so you'll be good at what you invest in, as Excellencies are pretty much needed for basic competency, but are pretty boring to purchase.
The second is the hardy keyword. Basically, certain charms also give you Ox-Body if you buy them, since Ox-Body is boring (but necessary).
The third one is that buying a sorcery/necromancy initiation grants a free spell (starting to see a pattern here? )
The final one (the deviant of the litter!) is that the elemental craft are all one ability, with exotic crafts bought as specialties. This way a crafter isn't penalized by having to put all their XP into a single ability.
Oh, I just wanted to mention a couple houserules I've seen a few people using around the forums, in case you thought they were cool to implement, as a lot of people seem to like em. I'm cool with whatever works though.
The first is that you get a free first, second, or third excellency with every charm purchase in a tree, so you'll be good at what you invest in, as Excellencies are pretty much needed for basic competency, but are pretty boring to purchase.
The second is the hardy keyword. Basically, certain charms also give you Ox-Body if you buy them, since Ox-Body is boring (but necessary).
The third one is that buying a sorcery/necromancy initiation grants a free spell (starting to see a pattern here?
)The final one (the deviant of the litter!) is that the elemental craft are all one ability, with exotic crafts bought as specialties. This way a crafter isn't penalized by having to put all their XP into a single ability.
ArandomAngel
Heavenly Member
Rose and Lily's backstory, as told by Redd and Random, part the 1st:
Albya is a small kingdom in the East, wreathed in fog and forest. Its capital is built only half a mile away from the ruins of an ancient First Age manse, and outside that manse is a hill. Two swords are driven into that hill. One red and black, one blue and gold.
Many supernatural beings climbed that hill to try and loose the daiklaves, but none succeeded. And then, twenty years ago, the Queen went into labor. She brought forth twin girls, wholly identical. An auspicious omen, less so the storm that raged outside during the long labor.
One girl screamed noticeably louder than the other.
So much louder, ohgod.
Seriously. You would not believe how much louder. The entire freaking castle was up all night from it.
No clue how the other girl slept through it all.
The twin daughters of Albya were favored daughters of the kingdom, and beloved throughout the land. It is a just, fair place, with a free peasantry and a small but professional military.
Nestled in the forest, nothing really bothered them. No ill winds blew on them. Lily, the younger twin, was raised among the knighthood. Rose, the older, was raised in the court. Their temperaments could not be further apart, but they were the closest of sisters, I would imagine. When Rose began her career in the theater, Lily would always be there for her openings. It was the only thing she ever shirked duties for, but she became a grand enough warrior among the knighthood no one dared question her about.
When she was nine, Rose's mother sat her down in private and explained something. She asked the older twin to protect the younger. Lily is an honest soul in a deceptive world, a source of honor in a place sorely lacking it. She is too straightforward, and it may well hurt her one day. Thus Rose must protect her sister, not from enemies to protect a virtuous person from a corrupt world. Even moreso, as twins, the succession was decided by an oracle who was to be the destined Queen. Lily, despite being the younger, was the one who was the rightful heir to the throne, not Rose. Rose accepted this with good grace. She would do what she could to protect her sister, spinning wheels from the shadows to protect her sister.
Lily, on the other hand, was taken aside by their father. She was told that Rose, as the older twin, would be Queen one day. This suited Lily fine as she much preferred being a knight on the battlefield to the politics of the court. She was told this meant her sister, well meaning as she was, would have many enemies. As the inevitable head of the knights and military of Albya, it would be Lily's sworn duty to protect her sister at all costs. As with many generations of princes and princesses before them the younger must protect the older.
So it came to be that the older was the one on the throne, openly protected by the younger. After all, who would be the most trusted person to guard the Queen but her own beloved sister?
The reality, unknown even to Lily herself, was that Lily was the Queen and Rose was her guard. It was why Rose took all Lily’s opinions on the matters of state so seriously, even if the decision seemed out of character for her.
--except when it came to Rose and her theater.
You do not mess with Rose and her acting. Doesn’t matter how good or bad it is. You just don’t.
When their father fell ill, for the first time Lily and Rose faced the duties of running the government completely by themselves.
Then came the Beastmen. None of the Albyans ever dared further east than the river that cut through the woods. Beastmen lived there, and savaged any human who tried to venture into it. And, finally, the Lunar who spawned them decided to test the might of this kingdom. If it proved to feeble, he would pillage it and enslave its people.
Albya, with its small corps of knights, suddenly faced an invasion of ten thousand beastmen, armed with stone weapons that paled next to fangs and claws.
It was Lily's first true test as a warrior. Being a princess, technically, the corps had not yet allowed her to join them beyond Albya's borders, which had always frustrated her to no end. She was a knight and her place was in battle defending the kingdom, not hiding in safe houses like the majority of the nobility and many insisted she should.
She had a kingdom to protect, a beloved sister to protect.
And in the Unconquered Sun's name, she would do it.
Many supernatural beings climbed that hill to try and loose the daiklaves, but none succeeded. And then, twenty years ago, the Queen went into labor. She brought forth twin girls, wholly identical. An auspicious omen, less so the storm that raged outside during the long labor.
One girl screamed noticeably louder than the other.
So much louder, ohgod.
Seriously. You would not believe how much louder. The entire freaking castle was up all night from it.
No clue how the other girl slept through it all.
The twin daughters of Albya were favored daughters of the kingdom, and beloved throughout the land. It is a just, fair place, with a free peasantry and a small but professional military.
Nestled in the forest, nothing really bothered them. No ill winds blew on them. Lily, the younger twin, was raised among the knighthood. Rose, the older, was raised in the court. Their temperaments could not be further apart, but they were the closest of sisters, I would imagine. When Rose began her career in the theater, Lily would always be there for her openings. It was the only thing she ever shirked duties for, but she became a grand enough warrior among the knighthood no one dared question her about.
When she was nine, Rose's mother sat her down in private and explained something. She asked the older twin to protect the younger. Lily is an honest soul in a deceptive world, a source of honor in a place sorely lacking it. She is too straightforward, and it may well hurt her one day. Thus Rose must protect her sister, not from enemies to protect a virtuous person from a corrupt world. Even moreso, as twins, the succession was decided by an oracle who was to be the destined Queen. Lily, despite being the younger, was the one who was the rightful heir to the throne, not Rose. Rose accepted this with good grace. She would do what she could to protect her sister, spinning wheels from the shadows to protect her sister.
Lily, on the other hand, was taken aside by their father. She was told that Rose, as the older twin, would be Queen one day. This suited Lily fine as she much preferred being a knight on the battlefield to the politics of the court. She was told this meant her sister, well meaning as she was, would have many enemies. As the inevitable head of the knights and military of Albya, it would be Lily's sworn duty to protect her sister at all costs. As with many generations of princes and princesses before them the younger must protect the older.
So it came to be that the older was the one on the throne, openly protected by the younger. After all, who would be the most trusted person to guard the Queen but her own beloved sister?
The reality, unknown even to Lily herself, was that Lily was the Queen and Rose was her guard. It was why Rose took all Lily’s opinions on the matters of state so seriously, even if the decision seemed out of character for her.
--except when it came to Rose and her theater.
You do not mess with Rose and her acting. Doesn’t matter how good or bad it is. You just don’t.
When their father fell ill, for the first time Lily and Rose faced the duties of running the government completely by themselves.
Then came the Beastmen. None of the Albyans ever dared further east than the river that cut through the woods. Beastmen lived there, and savaged any human who tried to venture into it. And, finally, the Lunar who spawned them decided to test the might of this kingdom. If it proved to feeble, he would pillage it and enslave its people.
Albya, with its small corps of knights, suddenly faced an invasion of ten thousand beastmen, armed with stone weapons that paled next to fangs and claws.
It was Lily's first true test as a warrior. Being a princess, technically, the corps had not yet allowed her to join them beyond Albya's borders, which had always frustrated her to no end. She was a knight and her place was in battle defending the kingdom, not hiding in safe houses like the majority of the nobility and many insisted she should.
She had a kingdom to protect, a beloved sister to protect.
And in the Unconquered Sun's name, she would do it.
ArandomAngel
Heavenly Member
And part the 2nd!
The war was a losing battle. Every knight could easily kill ten beastmen, but the monster's numbers exceeded even that. They were pushed back from hamlet to hamlet, then to cities. Rose knew her way around the battlefield herself, and scared up five hundred mercenaries so she could do something to help.
Lily insisted on putting her on the rear guard, though. She knew better than to force Rose into hiding with the nobility, too. If Lily herself didn't like it, then she knew her sister wouldn't either.
No one was surprised about the mercenaries. As they lost knights they helped to fill in much needed ranks and, unlike the finely trained knights, they knew better tactics against the beastmen, having fought them before in many cases. They did enormous damage to the beastmen, but fell back after each battle. Their losses wore on them. Finally, it all came down to a do-or-die battle: on that hill of the twin swords, as the beastmen threatened to lay siege to the city.
By some stroke of fate, Lily and Rose had wound up on the same battlefield, slowly being driven up the hill. By this point they didn't even care about the kingdom, just getting the other out of that battle safely. For they believed if the other fell then the kingdom was lost.
Until, finally, they stood at the crest of the hill, at the crest of hell. Their losses had been enormous. They had fought to the end of their stamina. Behind them either sword pierced the earth, and past that the twisted ruins of the pass, pillars rising like enormous ribs out of the soil. Rose pleaded with Lily to flee, that soon they would be surrounded!
Lily practically ordered Rose to go. That she would hold them off to buy her time. The people needed her. Even more important: Lily would not forgive herself if Rose were to die here.
Rose refused, and rose her voice that Lily was the true queen and no one else! The beastmen fell upon them, and Rose threw herself into their path, her blade breaking as she clashed with one.
Lily was shocked, but for only a moment. She had no time to process this before she threw herself into the fray right alongside her sister, holding back a strike meant for Rose with her shield. Her legs quaked. Even with her training and stamina she was exhausted. Both were at the breaking point--especially if they had thought their only unspeakable option was for one to flee and the other to die for anyone to survive.
Rose could barely breathe, and even as she took up a dropped sword she could barely lift it. Would this really be the end? She could not say it was not romantic, going out in a blaze of glory defending their kingdom. But... no. She had made a promise. She had to protect Lily to leave or... or die in the attempt.
That resolution was accompanied by a golden glow.
And Lily, as she was forced to drop the shield, with nothing but a cracked sword, broken armor, and a will of iron, stood before her. It did not matter to her one iota who was Queen. If one of them died here the other would have the throne. Lily had no desire for it. Her only desire was for the sake of her beloved sister--the only person she ever dared to shirk her duties to the kingdom for.
Unknown to her a golden glow appeared just a second after her sister's.
And then... the earth quaked. The ground shook under their feet. The soil of the hill cracked open, giving pause to the beastmen's advance. Rose looked behind her. The red sword had been loosed from the earth, and an utter certainty that it belonged to her ell over her. She took the hilt, and suddenly strength flushed through her.
At the same time Lily did, the blue and white sword seeming like a promise of certain complete victory. She took it up, her strength returning to her. She looked at her sister, noticed a strange symbol on her forehead: and smiled easily, as she normally did only when they were together in private.
"Shall we finish them off or die trying together, my dear Rose?"
Seeing as they knew the other would not yield to the idea of fleeing.
"There is nothing but victory and death, Lily of my heart: rally!" Quoting a play. That she herself wrote.
Always.
Gods, how many of those things had she written in the last few years? A hundred? Seriously, practically all of Albya’s theater productions by that point had been produced, written, directed, and starred Rose.
The fight is a joke after that. The beastmen army against the two of them?
It took less than what was left of the day.
They saw a silvery figure on the far side of the battlefield. When he saw them turn gold, he became a sparrow and fled into the deepest woods. They rescued their kingdom. But now... the nagging dreams of bygone days assailed them as they slept.
Lives that were not their own.
Many together, but just as many apart.
Lily lost sleep over the prospect. They had not (and still have yet to) bring up the subject of her Queenship. What was going on? The glowing? The swords? Why had they been able to pull them?
Finally, their dreams called them north, towards the infamous Scavenger Lands. In order to learn what they are, and why they are, Rose resolved that they should make the journey.
And thus, one day, they would meet others like them....
Cue the elder god dragging his lazy bum out of bed, hunting down those dice, and starting off the rest of the story.
Lily insisted on putting her on the rear guard, though. She knew better than to force Rose into hiding with the nobility, too. If Lily herself didn't like it, then she knew her sister wouldn't either.
No one was surprised about the mercenaries. As they lost knights they helped to fill in much needed ranks and, unlike the finely trained knights, they knew better tactics against the beastmen, having fought them before in many cases. They did enormous damage to the beastmen, but fell back after each battle. Their losses wore on them. Finally, it all came down to a do-or-die battle: on that hill of the twin swords, as the beastmen threatened to lay siege to the city.
By some stroke of fate, Lily and Rose had wound up on the same battlefield, slowly being driven up the hill. By this point they didn't even care about the kingdom, just getting the other out of that battle safely. For they believed if the other fell then the kingdom was lost.
Until, finally, they stood at the crest of the hill, at the crest of hell. Their losses had been enormous. They had fought to the end of their stamina. Behind them either sword pierced the earth, and past that the twisted ruins of the pass, pillars rising like enormous ribs out of the soil. Rose pleaded with Lily to flee, that soon they would be surrounded!
Lily practically ordered Rose to go. That she would hold them off to buy her time. The people needed her. Even more important: Lily would not forgive herself if Rose were to die here.
Rose refused, and rose her voice that Lily was the true queen and no one else! The beastmen fell upon them, and Rose threw herself into their path, her blade breaking as she clashed with one.
Lily was shocked, but for only a moment. She had no time to process this before she threw herself into the fray right alongside her sister, holding back a strike meant for Rose with her shield. Her legs quaked. Even with her training and stamina she was exhausted. Both were at the breaking point--especially if they had thought their only unspeakable option was for one to flee and the other to die for anyone to survive.
Rose could barely breathe, and even as she took up a dropped sword she could barely lift it. Would this really be the end? She could not say it was not romantic, going out in a blaze of glory defending their kingdom. But... no. She had made a promise. She had to protect Lily to leave or... or die in the attempt.
That resolution was accompanied by a golden glow.
And Lily, as she was forced to drop the shield, with nothing but a cracked sword, broken armor, and a will of iron, stood before her. It did not matter to her one iota who was Queen. If one of them died here the other would have the throne. Lily had no desire for it. Her only desire was for the sake of her beloved sister--the only person she ever dared to shirk her duties to the kingdom for.
Unknown to her a golden glow appeared just a second after her sister's.
And then... the earth quaked. The ground shook under their feet. The soil of the hill cracked open, giving pause to the beastmen's advance. Rose looked behind her. The red sword had been loosed from the earth, and an utter certainty that it belonged to her ell over her. She took the hilt, and suddenly strength flushed through her.
At the same time Lily did, the blue and white sword seeming like a promise of certain complete victory. She took it up, her strength returning to her. She looked at her sister, noticed a strange symbol on her forehead: and smiled easily, as she normally did only when they were together in private.
"Shall we finish them off or die trying together, my dear Rose?"
Seeing as they knew the other would not yield to the idea of fleeing.
"There is nothing but victory and death, Lily of my heart: rally!" Quoting a play. That she herself wrote.
Always.
Gods, how many of those things had she written in the last few years? A hundred? Seriously, practically all of Albya’s theater productions by that point had been produced, written, directed, and starred Rose.
The fight is a joke after that. The beastmen army against the two of them?
It took less than what was left of the day.
They saw a silvery figure on the far side of the battlefield. When he saw them turn gold, he became a sparrow and fled into the deepest woods. They rescued their kingdom. But now... the nagging dreams of bygone days assailed them as they slept.
Lives that were not their own.
Many together, but just as many apart.
Lily lost sleep over the prospect. They had not (and still have yet to) bring up the subject of her Queenship. What was going on? The glowing? The swords? Why had they been able to pull them?
Finally, their dreams called them north, towards the infamous Scavenger Lands. In order to learn what they are, and why they are, Rose resolved that they should make the journey.
And thus, one day, they would meet others like them....
Cue the elder god dragging his lazy bum out of bed, hunting down those dice, and starting off the rest of the story.
