A city the size of an island jutted out of the waters - hundreds of thousands of little dots all moving to their own rhythm, to their own pace, with their own ideals, their own dreams. Sky serpents dotted the skies alongside cloud constructs, keeping the harried air traffic controllers in constant panic as they tried to track the comings and goings of every person. As you grew higher, you realized that the island was not as haphazard as it seemed - the city was shaped, was intentional in every way. The gleaming white buildings of marble that seemed to clash with the neighbors of deep obsidian forming a shape, a pattern. A city the size of an island became a mon the size of an island, as you viewed it from far above. The marking for a great person, someone who no one dared to speak the name of.
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You climbed as high as possible, trying to reach the height of your dreams. But there was nothing around you like the city you'd dreamed of, the city everyone of your people had dreamed of at least once. The shared illusion that every Copper saw upon their first rest after advancing, the dream that marked them as a Copper to their families. You reached up towards the sky as you imagined the view from above - but it would be a long time before you could see such a thing. There were no winged serpents here, no friendly birds to ride upon. And the clouds were only used by those who had earned them.
The cool wind blew through your hair as you surveyed the islands beneath you from atop one of the largest
spire-islands that made up your home, the ever present fog keeping the furthest from your sight. You were high enough for the splash of water to not reach you, but the smell of salty spray filled everything around you, as you opened your eyes to the aura around you. Wind, Cloud, and Water filled the air around you, dancing to their own routines, wind always rising to the top, while cloud bridged the gap between it and water. You'd seen this view many times before. But today you stood here taking in the first sight of your home with new vision.
You stood at the edge of the spire, leaning on the fence posts that kept you and the other young from falling over. Some of the older children would dive off from spots just like this, as they headed towards their days - but you were too young for that. Instead, as you headed back home you had to walk carefully along the earthen ramps carved deep into the stone, in which the homes and businesses were set. Everything you knew and loved was carved into one of the rock-faces here or on one of the other Spires - all of the friends you had, all of the rivals. To you, your home was beautiful - and to your copper sight it became only more wondrous, the gold-brown glow of the earth aura making even the
boring stone suddenly
special. The cloud bridges were so solid, so different from the free-aura of the fog!
One of the younger fishermen was bringing his haul up the ramp-way as you explored your senses - and neither of you saw each other. And when push came to shove, the fisherman valued keeping steady with his catch of a Glimmering Tuna - something that could feed his family for days. And
you were small enough to go right under the guard rails meant to prevent accidents just like this, as you tumbled down off of a cliff face. And yet as you smacked against a rock and began to bleed, it wasn't fear that gripped your heart - it was wonder, as you looked at your arm bleeding not just blood but the blood red
aura.
You should have been terrified, but that didn't go through your head, did it? You knew you would be fine, didn't you -
[ ] Plan: [First Name]
I went for mostly Hawaiian/Maori/Polynesian names for the siblings here, but don't feel compelled to.
- [ ] A. A stone hand reached out from the cliff face, and grabbed a hold of you. It was still rough stone and you could feel the bruises forming, as you looked up to you sister
Merae Spire-Carver, whose Forged hand had caught you - and then began to raise you upwards towards her, back onto the path you were once on.
You are a member of the Spire-Cutter family, a family of Earth artists - your family are the premiere architects of the Salted Spires, and every home, every shop, every window has been made and maintained by a member of your family or their branches.
Your starting path is the Path of Carved Stone, a pure Earth path with a focus on solid techniques and construction.
- [ ] B. A boy shot down faster than you fell, wrapping you in his arms as he held you close. Your older brother
Tama Soft-Storm held you gently, his Enforcement making him as gentle as a nursemaid. A puff of cloud coming from his feet as you both landed at the shoreline, neither of your crushed by the impact as the clouds protect you.
You are a member of the Soft-Storm family, a family of Cloud artists - your family and the related families create and maintain the cloud bridges that connect Spire to Spire, and allow your home to be called united.
Your starting path is the Path of Tamed Storms, a pure Cloud path with a focus on Soulsmithing.
- [ ] C. Your own blood suddenly pulled you towards the wall you had slammed into, blood pulled to blood as your sibling
Nikora Heart-Mender cut open their palm while maintaining their Ruler technique, drawing your blood - and your body - towards them. Luckily for you, more of your blood stays inside of you than pours outside, though you feel them cycling to replace your lost blood as soon as you are in their arms.
You are a member of the Heart-Mender clan, a family of Blood artists - your family and its branches are the doctors, midwives, and healers for the Spires, keeping the people healthy.
Your starting path is the Path of Heart's Embrace, a pure Blood path with a focus on Healing.
- [ ] D. No one caught you - instead, the water flowed with you as you splashed down into it from a fall that should have killed you. A deep well forming as the water did not let you
smash against it, but instead followed with you slowing your descent but leaving you ten feet underwater. The strong arms of your brother
Roa Depth-Watcher fished you out of the water, as he swam you to shore, leaving you to cough up the water you swallowed.
You are a member of the Deep-Watcher family, the premiere family of fishermen for the islands - the man who sent you off the cliff was probably one of your cousins. Your family ensures people are well fed, and also act as the only 'refiners' of your people, utilizing the aquaculture from the shallows to deep within the seas.
Your starting path is the Path of Treasured Depths, a pure Water path with a focus on Refining.
- [ ] E. A blast of wind suddenly sent you flying back inwards towards the cliff-face, but before you can smash into it, you feel hands tug on the collar of your clothes - tossing you back upwards towards where you started. Your sister
Lani Swift-Stride was far from gentle as she joined as swiftly as your shared name would imply.
You are a member of the Swift-Stride family, a family of Wind artists - your family are the premiere defenders of the Salted Spires, utilizing your swift speeds and ability to move with greater freedom to protect the Spires from threats from air and sea.
Your starting path is the Path of Swift Gales, a pure Air path with a focus on mobility.
You weren't afraid of the fall - but now you look up at your sibling, and you can already feel the tongue lashing that was incoming... they were clearly just concerned for their younger;
- [ ] 1. Brother (Male) (He/Him)
- [ ] 2. Sister (Female) (She/Her)
- [ ] 3. Sibling (Agender/non-Gendered) (They/Them)
- [ ] 4. Brother/Sister (Genderfluid) (All of the above, depending.)
Every protagonist has a talent; pick one:
- [ ] G. Sagacious - In matters of spirit, you take to change like a fish to water. You are better at cycling than most of your peers, and reached Copper younger than most. This does not aid in learning techniques.
- [ ] H. Full-Bodied -
You have always been blessed with greater physical prowess than those your age - you are taller, stronger, and tougher than all of your peers. You can out wrestle the kids three years your senior.
- [ ] I. Gregarious -
Your talent lies not with yourself, but with your interactions with others. You are often surrounded by friends on the Spire, and have few if any you would call enemies.
- [ ] J. Dedicated - You have watched your parents and siblings do their work your whole life, and have more advanced knowledge of your family's Specialty Focus, and a technique from their Path. You also find learning from your family specialty easier.
- [ ] K. Treasured -
You were born under a star that meant you matched a family prophecy from an oracle - and thanks to that, you are set to inherit a valuable family treasure that will be valuable through to your Gold stages.
- [ ] L. Lucky -
You don't know how to explain it, but things just... go well for you. You just happen to find discarded scales on the floor here and there, you just happen to wake up right before your Mother yells at you for sleeping in, and other minor benefits.
Talents are both a starting bonus and going to generally be something you're better at keeping up with/a continued bonus.
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Hello friends. This is a dual purpose quest; I want to test a less granular system for if I do a season 2 of Xin Wu in the future, and I also just happen to be re-reading Cradle. Please, make a plan, and vote.
To plan vote, simply go
[ ] Plan Kaia
- B.
- 4
- H
This, for instance, would make Kaia Softstorm, a Genderfluid Cloud cultivator with higher physical talent.
