Deirdre Pathstrider is the last of the elves who once guided the people of Orbis before fading away. An unremarkable adventurer for much of her early life, she survived not by fate or power but by circumstance and luck. In a world rapidly advancing decades after the World War, what place does an elf drifter have in a land of nations with industry, technology, and magic far beyond anything the elves have conceived?
You are the last of your race, the mythical elves who once guided the other races to the light of civilization before being outgrown themselves. In this realm, you and your fellows were constructed from the Currents to act as guides and mentors. On one hand, this granted elves a significant advantage due to their innate skills and knowledge. On the other hand, this careful construction of their capabilities and role eventually led to their extinction. They were born to solely focus on their duties, directives, and inclinations, colloquially referred to as "programming" in the present day among anthropologists and historians. They never deviated and rarely adapted.
In the end, it led to most elves performing their roles to the point of obsessions that they could not escape the spiral of. Elves attempting to teach or "civilize" other races that were now more advanced were rebuffed, with conflict occasionally erupting. Elven artisans lost to industry and advanced technology, and many either worked themselves to death trying to keep up or sank into a deep depression. Mad elven magicians were put down, their accumulated knowledge defeated by the improved advanced methodologies of magic in later times. Elven villages and towns died out as integral members of each died off and the community became unable to support themselves. All this with their population already declining due to low birth rates and general attrition. A dark thought sometimes crosses your mind that this too was something that served to help other races develop.
In the end, there was no single event that caused the entire elven race to become extinct. It simply felt as if they were never meant to exist for as long as they had. They fell out of relevance slowly but surely until a few curious researchers studying elven history and culture couldn't find any elves at all they could question.
Except for you.
You were nobody special in elven society, at least comparatively. You could be considered an older one, born during the first emergence of elves, but a significant percentage of elves were born during that period. The focus you were given was broad, sure, but there were many elves that held your specialization of adventuring and exploring. You weren't even that notorious or powerful of an adventurer, at least before your sheer age and experience started to show. You were a quiet, solitary traveler for much of your time. Your survival was based purely on luck and circumstance, having avoided any single instance where your death was assured as you traveled the land.
Those researchers eventually found you and told you of their plight. You answered their questions, but both you and them were unsettled by the implications. Together, you all returned to their institute and notified both academic and governmental figures. Colleges and universities drew on ancient connections with elves that may have been involved in their founding, and came up with nothing but a few artifacts as they searched. Governments around the world went through old and rarely used diplomatic channels and were returned with silence.
Eventually, the world tentatively agreed that the elven race was extinct, and you were their last survivor by pure chance.
You… weren't sure how to take that news. You grieved, yes, and prayed for everyone's souls to be taken by the elven pantheon that you then realized were also probably dead or so weak as to be considered it anyway. There must've been any number of actions you could've taken after that, but you were an adventurer. You've known nothing else. You've never settled in a home your entire life. You still remembered the words spoken by the leader of your first adventuring party that the journey never ends.
So you left. You didn't understand what everyone was talking about in academia and the governments about your status anyways. You didn't, and couldn't, disappear of course. People eventually tracked you down for supposedly necessary things. You were given an "ID", as well as official documentation that you were told to try and update every once in a while. You were approached by people asking "permission" to take over and develop formerly elven lands and ruins. Lands that weren't already taken over anyway.
You wanted to refuse them at first, but you eventually realized you couldn't enforce anything. The best you could do was take as much out of the settlements as possible and to try and direct their development in a way that at least paid homage to the fact that elves once lived there. Sometimes you could work out an archaeological or museum deal, but it still left you agitated. The signatures you signed made you feel more and more hollow, and the autographs you gave for your "fans" didn't exactly fill you with happiness in return. Eventually, the international craze about "The Last Elf" died down a bit and you resumed your travels.
Still, you are a being who has lived for thousands and thousands of years. As unfamiliar with the rapidly changing world as you are, you are still an individual to be reckoned with.
Over millennia, you've accumulated powerful equipment. Some lost their enchantments, others were sold, a few were lost, several were given, and a number of them were stolen. With items of true worth being a rarity even in modern times, you are no legendary warrior of old decked out in powerful gear. Still, there's been one weapon which has been your constant companion, and that is…
Choose One (You have some skill in weapons usage and magic regardless of what you pick, and have enough experience to fight in almost any situation with any of these weapons)
[] An ancient and beautiful khopesh
Forged at the height of the ancient Kemet Kingdom, it was gifted to you by the Pharaoh only a few decades into your life for saving their heir from a curse none knew how to get rid of. It is sharp enough to cut through armor like butter, has enough heft to overpower foes, and is well-balanced enough to feel like an extension of your arm. Can be recalled to your hand with a simple magical command. You are masterful at using it, and the enchantments and bronze have inexplicably held despite millennia of usage when it should've worn down.
[] A simple but elegant bow with a quiver holding infinite arrows
You've been shooting arrows for thousands of years, and though you have used other weapons, you are the epitome of the classic elven archer. This bow was once wielded by the Hurricane, an iconic figure who stole from and fought the corrupt rich to aid the poor. They entrusted this powerful weapon to you on their deathbed trusting it will never be in wicked hands. These arrows can be imbued with a variety of effects, and through a special enchantment, the bow and quiver can be linked to let loose a veritable hurricane of rapid-fire arrows. Despite all these years, you cannot say you have equaled the Hurricane in skill with this ability.
[] An enchanted wooden staff with five fingers at the tip shaped into a point
A Sylvan druid who once traveled with you used their arm to craft a staff of unique beauty for you as thanks before settling down in their home in the forest. Though Elves are traditionally known to be magically talented, you yourself have never been particularly skilled, neither born with much inherent knowledge and having spent much of your time traveling and not practicing. You've developed a use for the staff as a particularly effective bludgeoning and stabbing tool though that can quickly channel what magic you know in close range, creating your own unique fighting style. The title of "Blinkstaff" is known in some quarters due to your unorthodox but very effective techniques.
You've been part of more adventures you can count, and you hold onto several sentimental mementos. What are they? Choose Four. (They all give a little bit of a gameplay/interaction boost, but pick whichever story is most interesting. These events may have still happened if you didn't pick them, but they either had less of a personal impact or you were less involved.)
[] A simple ring given to you by your very first adventurer party leader and lover
You've forgotten their face, their voice, their name and the little things that drew you to them. When you look upon the faded metal barely keeping itself together through magical enhancements however, you still get a warm feeling in your chest.
[] A very worn out coin given to you by a slave you helped escape
While some of the actions of the Elves have been looked at with more scrutiny in modern times, their antipathy towards slavery is well-regarded and there are many recorded events of them opposing it. At this time, you were an unremarkable adventurer who didn't get involved in great and epic events, but you did your part when you could. After you helped a slave flee from his pursuers, they gave you the most valuable coin they had taken before their escape despite your protests. After they gave their profuse thanks and gratitude, they swore they would pay you back a hundredfold one day. Thirty years later, they managed to track you down and gave you a veritable fortune from the raids they led against slave owners.
[] An elegant fan given by the Jade Emperor
A reward for defeating the yaoguai who kidnapped his favorite concubine and then escorting her all the way to his palace. The entire incident was entirely by accident on your part, and you were unaware of the fruitless months spent by the Jade Emperor in searching for her. It's said that he smiled for the first time in nearly a year when he saw her returned, which didn't even dim when you declined his offer of becoming a concubine yourself. Though the fan didn't have many enchantments besides maintaining it, it served as an important symbol for you traveling Zhonghua for centuries after by opening many doors.
[] A badge with three swords crossed into a screaming demon
This badge signifies your participation in all three crusades meant to push the invasion of demons and their lords back during the Incursion. When it looked as if the world of Orbis would see another lost continent, you used your vast experience and knowledge to aid on both fronts of the conflict. Despite the badge being a public political gift and gesture given to you and others who qualified for this, there was clear thought put into it. After decades of fighting, loss, and bitter defeats, it was… gratifying to have something solid to commemorate the final victory over the worst interplanar disaster in recorded history. You are probably the last living recipient of this as well.
[] A Light symbol attached to a chain given to you by Archbishop Ismael
The Archbishop called on you to participate in the Great Council in Tarshish to discuss and unify the disparate religious groups of the world. As one of the few elves still living that people even knew about, he wished for you to share your perspective on the elven gods. He listened intently to your descriptions of the elven pantheon and the way the elves showed their faith. At the end of the council, he gave you this symbol as a token of his esteem and gratitude before asking you to travel with him in spreading the word. This reignited your faith, and you are still welcomed enthusiastically in several faithful institutions who recognize your contribution.
[] A medal shaped into the elven heptagram star awarded after the World War
It holds a symbol of Vragzarg, the nation you helped defend in the middle of the world war, and the flags of the victorious nations on various sides of the circular surface for your acts of heroism and valor in the World War. Vragzarg was a small, neutral nation with a majority population of orcs and ogres who stayed out of the war in the beginning. As you were arguing with certain authorities about your stay, they were suddenly invaded in a lightning fast and brutal assault by Tarshish. Despite the terrifying advances in technology and magic made for warfare, you used your millenia of experience to help aid in the defense and evacuation. Your later interventions in the war gave you acclaim, and the nation you first fought in awarded you this medal during all the different ceremonies that took place after.
[] A business card
A weary but determined young woman from Avista once gave you this after you saved her life and aided her on several important matters afterwards. She went on to found a company during the modern age of globalization that became one of the most well-known names in the world. The two of you didn't keep in touch very often, but there were signs that she remembered you. She helped you in times where you had disputes with the law, set up a bank account in your name, and supported you the few times you were involved in politics and business. Decades later, it's unlikely that many in the company hold you in the same regard, but you've kept the card as a symbol of the new, modern era.
AN:
Hi, I've finally decided to stop lurking and start my own quest after reading through a bunch here. I'm still learning some things, so please bear with me here haha. This is an idea that's been going around in my head for a while, and some of the ideas and concepts here is stuff I've been thinking about for fantasy in general for even longer. I'm still finalizing some things and it feels like there's always more to add, but I'm really excited to share this story and world with you all.
The first few chapters will mostly be introductory, though I'll write up some short scenes related to the choices you'll make on some of the finer details of Deirdre's character to keep things interesting.
(MAY BE SUBJECT TO CHANGE LATER, BUT WILL BE USED IN CURRENT STATE)
Name: Deirdre Pathstrider
Race: Elf
Age: ~4400-4500
Born: ~3000 BIC (Before Incursion)
Titles: The Last Elf, the Drifter, the Hurricane
Description: Deirdre is taller than the average height of many races, but was rather short for an elf at (6 ft or 1.83 m). She has medium length red-orange hair that she keeps as well maintained as she can on the road. She has typical elven facial features, with a slightly elongated v-shaped facial structure and high cheekbones. Green pupils cover most of her eyes.
She has a slender and lithe figure like most elves had, though she is marginally more fit and muscular than the average. A good amount of people in Kiengir will find her beautiful in some way, though that does not necessarily translate to attraction. Some might find her eyes, expressions, and the little micro-movements she makes unsettling in conjunction with those two things, however.
Permanent Stats: Martial: Phenomenal - You're one of the most skilled and powerful individuals in the world due to your experience in combat and multitude of tricks and abilities, but you've never been the most powerful individual or one to constantly seek out strength. You have the capability to fight the strongest if need be, though it would be difficult to come away with a victory. Physicality: Good - You have a physique and body built up over millennia of adventuring, ingesting elixirs, and receiving various blessings. You are the peak of physical fitness and are beyond what a normal combatant might train to. Your hand-eye coordination and speed is top notch as well. Though casually overpowering capable combatants isn't likely, you can keep up with physical monsters if you focus and push yourself. Magic: Good - You are knowledgeable and skilled in what magic you know(Elven magic) and have experience regarding the Currents, but you are no true mage who has studied and labored to achieve true mastery. Intelligence(tbd): Decent - You have strong analytical and critical thinking capabilities, but this is something borne of your experience rather than any natural aptitude or hard work. Insight: Extraordinary - You have millennia of experience in all kinds of situations and environments. Your ability to spot different things in both the environment and with people while reacting properly to surprise circumstances is utterly unmatched by any regular person in Orbis. Charisma: Good - You have come a long way from the quiet and taciturn elf you once were. You are able to present yourself and provide compelling arguments, but you still aren't the biggest personality or socialite. Conviction(tbd): Great - You are a strong adherent of the Light, and you have determination and resolve matched by few others to do what you think is right. Your past companions' hands are on your shoulder, guiding you.
Each stat will have a rank and each higher rank will give a higher modifier on the dice roll. Each ability/trait that gives a bonus will act as one-two ranks, possibly more. I'll roll, and depending on how high the value is, the result will be better. There'll be some chance of a bad result if you get terrible rolls with no modifiers against something difficult, but mostly I want it to be a range of mediocre results to really good ones. Depending on what you guys choose to do with various choices and options, I'll add modifiers when an important dice roll comes. Will be rolling a 3d6. Three of the same number will add a +1(TBD).
Additional Failure/Success results beyond passing or failing a roll will function off sets of threes. If a failed roll is within 1-2 of the DC, the failure will be relatively minor for example.
Difficult Combat Encounters between either two equals or someone against difficult odds will feature opposed rolls. Higher result is better, but I will take into account how close each results are in determining outcomes and whether future rolls will be necessary.
All rolls based on time will use a 1d6 roll where lower results are better.
Status: Fame: Good - You're the last elf, a minor war hero of the World War, and a pious warrior of the Crusades. Not everyone knows you, but it isn't uncommon for people to think of you if the conversation ever turns to elves. A "manager" from a bit more than a decade ago practically forced herself into working for you and establishing your presence in modern social media. She grumbles a lot, but you know that she's one of your biggest fans. You have a pretty sizable following on Chirp, YourVid, and Swiftclip, but your infrequent posts and avoidance of hot button issues means you stay out of the spotlight. Reputation: Phenomenal - Your reputation is practically spotless and few people can find fault in your actions or history. The occasional interview where you speak about past experiences only reinforces this. Some people will find a reason to dislike you or the things you do though. Wealth: Great - You aren't part of the 1%, but you are rich. After a proper review and audit of your finances some time ago, you can safely say that you are financially comfortable in the new globalized economy. You received various credit rewards since and have some form of sponsorship deals. Can sell certain things for an increase, but some you'd rather not part with. Physical Health: Great - You are at peak health with no illnesses or injuries. (Base physical health cannot go over Great normally) Mental Health: Mediocre - You… are "fine", and can function alright in society. You often get lost in your memories and have trouble getting closer with new people. Directive: Great - You've had a relaxing few months in Central Kiengir. You're feeling the urge to go do something more exciting right now however,
These are statuses that will change over time and by external factors. They will not feature in rolls really and are more to track your current status.
(Dire Poor Mediocre(0) Average(0) Adequate Decent Good Great Phenomenal Extraordinary Peerless Legendary)
Stat Rank Change 10/18/24
Character Abilities/Traits: Gift of Tongues: Able to quickly learn different languages Stable Biology: Elven biology has always been resistant to changes and alterations, though they are not immune to them. Biologists claim that your DNA is downright indecipherable… for now. Elven Directive: You must travel, move around, and experience a variety of situations around the world or your directive level will decrease Heroic Inclination: Gain a small bonus when performing something heroically-inclined, such as helping people in need despite various consequences, standing against dangerous foes that may equal or surpass you in power, or speaking out against a large crowd opposed to you for what you think is right. (+1) Hopeless with Tech: Gain penalty when using modern technology. Master Marksman: You are an archer with few equals. Gain bonus while using a bow. (+2) Hyper Body, Sharp Eyes: Gains bonus to physicality, reaction, and accuracy. (+2) Aura of Regard: Gains slight bonus to all charisma. (+1) Fae-Exposure: Gains slight bonus when dealing with the Currents, magic, and interactions with Fae. Gains slight decrease to interactions with non-magically sensitive people in close proximity. (+1/-1) Phoenix Legacy: Heal a health state over time, each recovery taking longer until restored to full. If a wound is not immediately fatal even if it could become it, you will survive it but will either be incapacitated or suffer a large decrease in rolls. If you die, ??? ???? ?????? ????? ? ??? ?????? ?? ???? ?????????? ?? ? ??? ????. When you are ?? ? ????? ???? ????????? ?? ??? ???????? ?? ??? ?????? ?? ??????????, ??? ???? ????????? ?? ??? ????? ?????? ??? ???? ??????? ?? ???? ???? ??? ???? ?????. Weight: For your comrades. For your friends. For your loved ones. You must carry their memory and legacy. Gain bonus to conviction checks. Incur penalties to Mental Health and sometimes a decrease to rolls when you see or are reminded of traumatic events. Decrease in certain Charisma checks when befriending new people. (+2/-2)
Inventory:
-A sizable pack you carry that is enchanted for durability and shocks anyone who doesn't have your magical signature
-A simple but elegant bow with a quiver holding infinite arrows
-A very worn out coin given to you by a slave you helped escape long ago
-A badge with three swords crossed into a screaming demon
-A Light symbol attached to a chain given to you by Archbishop Ismael
-A medal shaped into the elven heptagram star awarded after the World War
-Camping Supplies
-Spare Clothes
-General supplies for traveling
-A special pen that is infused with your magical signature that you use to sign important documents and autographs
-Your specially issued ID by the United Peoples and other documents
-A few small pouches of credits
-A credit card
-A tablet with your various information and accounts keyed to your magical signature.
-A notebook filled with random observations and thoughts
-Your snug, comfortable beanie that definitely conceals what you are. Definitely.
Spells(or idea of what magic she can useor call upon):
Short-medium range teleporting
Phasing
Moderate Barrier/Armor spells
Various arrow-related magic
Minor illusion spells
Minor fire spells
Minor water spells
Light(non-attacking) Spells
Slight sense enhancements
Limited Animal Communication
Limited Communication/Language in general
Movement spells that make her move faster
Spells to limit fall damage, enhance jumping
Target/Hunt Spells
Minor tracking spells
Minor healing/cure spells
Fae ????????
Plan: Storybook Hero
-[X] A simple but elegant bow with a quiver holding infinite arrows
-[X] A very worn out coin given to you by a slave you helped escape
-[X] A badge with three swords crossed into a screaming demon
-[X] A Light symbol attached to a chain given to you by Archbishop Ismael
-[X] A medal shaped into the elven heptagram star awarded after the World War
You run a hand through your bow, the feel of the silvery wood with light engravings comforting you as you go through your things before moving on. You've already wiped it down and inspected it for any damage, and you found nothing as usual. The bow itself has enchantments preserving it, so you don't have to do much of the usual maintenance one has to for a normal bow.
When the Hurricane had it, she'd often snicker when you were going through the process of caring for your own bow. You let out a small smile as you remembered her constantly plucking at her bowstring in front of you when you were stringing your bow. The squawk the alerion let out later when you took her quiver in revenge is etched into your memory.
Turning away to go through the pockets of your bag and make sure everything was in place, you first take out a small wooden case and slide the cover off. Various coins of different eras and nations stared back at you, but you had eyes on only one. A weathered gold coin from the ancient Meso Empire sat alone, its surface barely shining. There are other coins like this that you have, but the memory behind it gave it worth beyond any monetary value they held.
Back then, you nearly forgot about the person who gave you this coin until you were suddenly approached by a stranger asking if your name was Deirdre. When they brought you to see him once more, the gnoll was barely recognizable with how much older but healthier he looked compared to when he was a slave. The large chest full of gold coins he pushed towards you and the satisfied smile were welcome new additions too.
Sliding the lid back on, you return the case to the bag and open another pocket to lift out a badge portraying three swords crossed into a screaming horned demon. The grayish metal depicts the mixture of pain, anger, and fear in great detail, and you smile at the sight of it.
The Commander of the Third Crusade invited everyone who participated in all three crusades against the demons to a ceremony all the way at Tarshish honoring their contribution at the behest of the Crusade's longtime supporters. With how spread out and chaotic things were at the end, the day when the badges would be given out had to be pushed back as many recipients arrived late. In a rare moment when you were alone with the Commander, she drily noted that the badges would be fit to be given out if another Incursion occurred before jokingly asking if you would award them in her stead.
Placing it back where it was, you open up another pocket. As you lift the Light chain, you eye the golden surface of the links and the pendant attached to it. A series of overlapping circles shaped into the now iconic Flower of Life shines back at you.
Archbishop Ismael had only a few of these made for those he considered his close friends and advisors. After you got over the surprise of being given one, you asked why you were given this. He declared that your insights were essential in conceptualizing what he has always had in his head, and requested you join him on his task to spread the word along with his inner circle. With a sly smile on his face, he joked that your bow would be appreciated as well. Sadly, he was correct.
Turning away to go through the pockets of your bag, you finally find the medal shaped into the elven heptagram star. Picking it up by the soft brown and red cloth the star was attached to, you spot a clenched fist holding an axe on top of a red and black background in the middle. On the various points of the star, the colors and symbols of other flags from the World War victors proudly show themselves.
The President of Vragzarg awarded you the medal himself, the gruff and scarred orc nearly looking as if he was smiling. He slapped you on the back and roared as he gestured to the crowd and proclaimed you to be an eternal friend of Vragzarg for your valor in the World War. When you nearly fell over, he pointedly kept staring at the crowd to stop a sheepish expression forming on his face.
Brushing away what little dust was on its surface, you set it back down and close up your bag. Confident that your treasured mementos are in order, you pack everything else up before making your way back to the road.
You adjust your beanie a tad as a carriage—car, you remind yourself, rushes past you on the road. Seeing it speed off, you briefly consider obtaining a vehicle of your own but dismiss the thought as soon as it comes. You're not interested in rushing between destinations in your travels after all. You… also don't have a "driver's license", as they call it. As the quiet returns, your mind shifts to taking a moment to review your current situation and plans.
You have been wandering the middle regions of the continent, or central Kiengir, for a short while now. The tranquil environment of what were disputed lands historically gives you a sense of calm and contemplation that's rarer to find nowadays. Many of the major nations and cities are hotbeds of activity, and at times you need to get away from the modern hustle and bustle. There are large cities in this region as well, but in general it is not nearly as urbanized or populated as the bigger nations.
Breathing deeply of the mostly fresh air, you brush your hands against a pocket of your jacket and feel the tablet stored there. Right. Your "manager" said you should take some pictures to post on social media on your travels. You didn't care for the idea of constantly sharing these kinds of moments, but you also didn't want to listen to another rant on why you should pay more attention to this kind of thing. Even if it's funny winding her up sometimes. Fumbling with the rectangular device, you stare at it for a moment before turning it on.
The lines running through the silvery material the tablet is made of glow as it uses the ambient magic around it. You don't fully understand how it works, but it has something to do with amplifying its range and sending out a signal to certain locations. For now, you ignore it and open up the camera option. You take in the rolling hills and countryside, birds flying away in the distance. Aside from the road, this view hasn't changed very much in the past few centuries. The same flowers, plants, and insects surrounded you as always, though you managed to catch a horned hare looking at you before it dashed away. After a few pictures, you make the memorized motions to send them to your manager before setting aside the tablet.
You sink into a contemplative mood after taking in the environment more. A few decades ago, you remember constant explosions, spells being slung and countered in turn, and a constant hail of Lancer fire around this region. A few centuries ago, you recall the long formations and lines of organized armies with magical barriers in attempts to "cull" the area. A few millennia ago, you remember your fellow elves discussing how to turn back the orcs, ogres, and other races residing here from your villages. Now, the pleasant countryside of rolling hills and chirping birds remains while the signs of conflict are nowhere to be seen in the months you've been traveling here.
Shaking the thoughts off, you continue on down the road. You just departed a small town a few days ago with your supplies restocked and informed on the latest news in nearby nations. The friendly orc bartender gave impeccable service as she chatted freely with you. The elections in Avista are getting heated, and the debates descend into shouting matches often. Tarshish is experiencing some unrest in their provinces, and the Small Republic apparently kicked out an ambassador for insensitive remarks. Yes, you think, it was a good idea getting out when you did.
The town also quietly warned you of a potential roving gang, but you weren't too worried about it. Even here, the roads were patrolled enough that they likely wouldn't care about a single person with limited things to rob.
Distantly, you hear the roaring of engines coming from all around you. Perhaps not.
You stop and observe as a series of two-wheeled vehicles circle around you and establish a perimeter. It isn't entirely flat plains around you, and they chose their ambush well by maximizing maneuverability and some areas where visibility of them would be cut off. It's intended to hide their numbers and disorient you, but you remain calm as you rest a hand on the bow on your back. The feel of the silvery wood eases any lingering tension you may have had.
You go through a quick mental assessment of the situation. They likely mean to threaten and then rob you if they weren't just rushing you. A few riders will probably be sent first to demand everything you have of value. The rest will be waiting in the wings, likely having someone watching from afar while the rest stay concealed with communicators. You'll try to scare them off, but you were confident if it came down to combat. After all…
Though you were born a normal elf, you've undoubtedly developed unique traits to yourself over the years. Some of them are stronger than others, but strength of this kind always brings drawbacks or attention of some kind. What are they?
Choose Three:
[] Hyper Body, Sharp Eyes
In adventuring, having a strong body is almost always helpful for both combat and non-combat purposes. Your surprising strength and durability developed over the years from your adventuring, ingestion of various elixirs, blessings by beings long gone, and more. This also extends to you moving faster, having quicker reflexes, and even better hand-eye coordination. However, the world has changed much since those early days of swords and undeveloped magic. There are ways for people now to deal with someone with a strong physicality.
(Can better keep up with physically enhanced people, increases physicality and reflexes)
[] Aura of Awe
Perhaps it is because you are an Elf, have lived thousands of years, gone through more harrowing experiences than everyone alive today, or your status as a living relic, but there is just something about you that makes people notice and listen to you. Your gaze hides millennia behind it, and your every gesture carries a unique weight to them. In the modern age where strength lies in many avenues aside from combat, this ability to present yourself has risen in value. However, this aura will not protect you from people dedicated to killing or harming you for whatever reason, and the world has only gotten even more dangerous with the strength of its combatants.
(Can persuade and intimidate people easier, and leadership comes easier to you. People are more likely to listen to you, even mid-combat.)
[] Magic Nullification
You've encountered all kinds of magic throughout your life, and something must have gone wrong with how magic works with you during that time. Enemy spells often fizzle around you. Most illusions and mind-altering attempts fail to find purchase with you. Magic-laden areas or fields are reduced in their effectiveness or even outright rendered inert. However, allies are largely unable to heal or enhance you magically. You yourself can use magic, but anything that is meant to last on you will fail. People that are magically or spiritually sensitive are uncomfortable around you, and you wouldn't be surprised if there is some new magic technology that could affect you somehow.
(various magic resistances and immunities, disruption of long-range and remote spells like scrying, other magic users find being around you uncomfortable)
[] Fae-Touched
Elves and fae are often erroneously thought to be connected by other races, but throughout your long life you have had many encounters with the unpredictable fae, first of all beings in the realms. Through various contracts, dealings, blessings, and even just exposure to them, you have gained a deep understanding of how magic, the world, and the realms work. Your ability to sense and use magic is enhanced, and your ability to traverse and withstand the Currents and areas affected by magic is increased.
However, this deeper connection can sometimes result in instabilities to your psyche, and people not closely attuned to magic often feel uncomfortable or jittery around you. Being both known to fae and having contact with them is a mixed blessing as well.
(More skill/knowledge of magic, better magic senses, and some connection to fae beings)
[] Phoenix Legacy
Many mythical species are thought to be extinct or residing only in the Currents. This includes the phoenixes, the fiery birds of life and rebirth. You have something similar in rapidly recovering from injuries with bursts of flame, and if the theme continues, you theorize you may even be able to come back from death. You haven't quite explored the hard limits to your recovery yet, but rapidly taking injuries in succession quickly tires you out and takes longer each time for you to recover.
You and others have some thoughts of how you've come across this ability. You have used phoenix feathers and other items that healed you for over millennia, which could have had some effect. It could be some strange magic interaction with you in particular. Deep down however, you suspect there is more to this than phoenix feathers or random magic. Others agree, as this is a trait that many interested parties are inclined to study, and some will do so with or without your permission.
(Regeneration, revival?, ???)
AN:
Alright, this is the primarily gameplay portion of the introduction. While what you pick here will influence how the first fight goes, keep in mind that these will be your abilities for the rest of the quest. Pick whatever sounds most interesting, fun, and useful in a variety of situations.
At first, this update didn't have the first half written for it, but I felt like some short descriptions of what you guys picked would be nice. If there's anything confusing you or you have a question about the world, feel free to ask. I'll probably show off more of the world after the intro is over, but deciding what and how much to info dump is difficult. If you guys want a map though, all I have is a badly drawn thing I came up with in paint unfortunately.
[X] Plan: Gotta Love the Classics
-[X] Hyper Body, Sharp Eyes
-[X] Aura of Awe
-[X] Phoenix Legacy
AND
[X] Plan: My Path Never Ends.
-[X] Hyper Body, Sharp Eyes.
-[X] Fae-Touched.
-[X] Phoenix Legacy.
7 votes for one, 7 for the other. A compromise shall be made. You gain Aura of Regard and Fae-Exposure. You draw some attention when you need it, but there will be no immediate awe or respect. You have quite a bit of exposure and experience with the Fae and Currents, but you don't have a bunch of true connections with Fae and deeper understandings of the Currents elude you.
Three of the vehicles drive towards you, slipping onto the road with ease. They look well maintained despite how much rough terrain the bandits must drive through daily. Sleek with high quality steel, plastics, and tires, they easily make their way towards you. It seems these models didn't let off any fumes, though that alone doesn't tell you much about how much magic is involved. Not that you know much of anything about… motorcycles, you remember. You set your bag on the ground in preparation.
They start slowing down when they get closer, and you get a better look at the riders. Leading at the front is a lacerta, most of his scales hidden behind leather clothing and a bandana wrapped around his head. You spot a pistol strapped to his waist and what you think is a knife opposite it. To his left is a human also wearing a bandana. Dark hair and tanned skin frame hard eyes as she stares you down, and the long rifle she carries on her back tells you exactly of her threat. Lastly, the orc to the right shows off his scarred green visage to the world, torn leather jacket and pants cementing his image. He has some melee instruments with him which you think might be something collapsible.
They stop a short distance away from you, their engines lightly humming. The orc gets off first and rests a hand on his weapons as he walks towards you. He stops a few meters away from you, and that's when you hear the leader speak up.
"We've been watching you since you came to the town," the lacerta begins. "We know you're loaded! Hand over everything, don't resist when the big guy searches you, and we won't have any problems, lady."
You hear the distant cocking of a firearm from him. Kinetic, then.
He continues speaking, "Resist, well, we won't kill you, don't want to bask in too much heat, but let's just say you'll live to regret it and have everything taken anyways."
Ah, some things never change. You decide to play along for a bit.
"How generous," you respond evenly. "Where did you learn to make such great offers?"
His amber eyes glitter with amusement, "At University of Andaluce, thanks for asking. Unfortunately, I had to make a… drastic career change. Such a terrible economy these days in Tarshish. I'm thankful for the more, ah, enterprising souls out here in supporting my new endeavors."
You smile back at him, taking in the postures of three before you, "You have my sympathies. Unfortunately, I cannot wish you luck, as I believe you will be clasped in chains shortly. I hope you have a good lawyer."
You can see the orc in front of you tense slightly at your nonchalant tone and pauses from the others. However, there are no more quips or banter. You can tell that they are experienced with an intelligent leader directing them in what to do in various situations. In an instant the orc is rushing towards you, a baton and shield suddenly in his hands. With him running towards you with cover on most of his vitals, he narrows the targets you can hit with an arrow. He's faster than you thought too. An average archer or firearm wielder might panic and not react in time to the rush.
You are not an average archer.
Quick as a flash, you step back and draw out your bow with an arrow from your quiver already in position. The orc leaps at you in an attempt to run you over before you could shoot, but you dart to the side and send an arrow crackling with lightning into his shield arm. As his arm jolts and he nearly loses his grip, you've already let loose the same arrows into his thigh and side. Even with blunted tips, the impact and shock send him convulsing on the ground in a second of violence.
The others weren't idle however. You can hear two more engines in the distance, and the other two present are riding around you as well. Without hesitating, you start running. Barely a second later, you can hear lancer fire, the loud bangs nearly causing you to flinch if you haven't been accustomed to it already. The supposed leader drives at you from behind at a slight angle as if to run you over. When he nears you, you leap backwards high in the air just as his trajectory curves and turns around right when he would have impacted you.
The both of you attempted to outmaneuver the other, and when the lacerta suddenly finds the arm holding the pistol seizing from a shock arrow impacting it, he knows that his assumption of you wanting to get on his bike with the jump was a mistake.
"Shit!" You hear him hiss loudly, but you're already landing and ducking to avoid the long lance of red energy the riflewoman fires at you. Energy weapons too, you note.
This time, you nock an arrow made to pierce as you start moving. Preparing a spell, you start rolling to the side to avoid another shot and turn yourself around to aim at the human who slowed down to get a better shot. Both millennia of practice and ingrained knowledge allows you to go through the mental calculations, imagery, and incantations of forming the spell and effect in a split second. The long-honed feeling and impression of the piercing arrow runs through you, the familiarity of the sensation almost comforting you as your vision narrows to your target.
The human tries to accelerate her bike once more, but the arrow you let loose shoots out with a loud shink that drowns out the twang of the bowstring. The pale gold light shaped into a point shears through the tires and continues its path unimpeded until it flies out of sight, with the twinkling, almost metallic ring and hum of magic in the air left in its wake.
Only seconds passed, but even a moment is an eternity in combat. The concentration required to enhance your arrow almost costs you as you spot the alerion flying over you. Something drops next to you less than a second after you see them and a cloud of smoke immediately starts billowing out from it. Covering your mouth with a hand holding an arrow, you hastily begin to try outrunning it, but someone who has no right to be as silent as they are attempts to grab you with big meaty arms suddenly from the corner of your eye.
Lifetimes of built-up instinct sees you mentally draw yourself into the swirling mana and energy of the Currents. Some mages, even the talented ones, never learn how to teleport. For a variety of reasons, they are unable to wrap their heads around phasing out of material existence, losing their physical body and mind momentarily, bending standard space and time mechanics, and all the other different ways of instantaneous or near-instantaneous movement. Even if they understand some of the theoretical calculations, an already difficult feat, it is a magic that can't be done if the mage can't truly grasp it.
Your experience with the Currents and the Fae who easily traverse it gives you that slight edge to turn this from a lengthy ability where you have to prepare and trudge through the spell to a surge of sharp calculations of trajectory and honed intuition. The assailant sees only flashes of strange lights before they feel a foot slam into his back. You send him flying into the air from the impact, and he lands badly a distance away.
"Tch, you're gonna pay for that you fucking bitch!" You hear the angry, low voice yell out.
To your surprise, you see that the attacker is an ogre clothed in a dark, concealing outfit. The nearly eight foot figure rippling with muscle nimbly gets up from the ground by flipping himself back up, though you can see that the kick was making him hunch his back in pain.
The gas mask covering his lower mouth doesn't conceal the surprised anger in his eyes at your strength, though he quickly draws a baton like the orc had while you nock an arrow. Already keeping your body in motion, it saves you as a crack sounds through the air before you can shoot him. You bite back a hiss of pain as a searing hot lance of energy slams into your shoulder, tearing through the minor magic shielding and the jacket. It leaves your skin and part of the muscle underneath it burned, but you've taken much worse.
You push past it and step to the right just in time to avoid the thrust by the ogre. An arrow slams into his torso and is immediately followed by two more sent into his kneecaps as you shoot two at the same time. Somehow still standing, you correct that as you quickly step up and drive your foot straight into his chest. You feel and hear the ribs crack beneath your foot as you send him flying again.
You step forward with the raised leg and immediately duck to avoid the shot of the rifle. Seeing you turn towards her, the sharpshooter panics and begins revving up the orc's bike she must have moved towards when you shot through the tires of her own. The arrows that disable her arms cause her to drop the gun and fall forward before you shoot out the tires of the second bike.
Breathing lightly, you quickly check your surroundings and find only the orc, ogre, and human you took down. The distant roaring of the engines tells you the others must have decided to cut their losses and escape. The alerion is nowhere to be found in the skies, and you lower your bow as the fight winds down.
You suspect not even a minute passed, but it's rare for a battle of this scale to last that long anyways. If you were moderately less capable, they probably could have have beaten you to the ground in less than ten seconds. Drawing an arrow cautiously, you take a deep breath before pressing on.
You raise your voice and shout, "I suggest you all lie down and allow me to tie you up! I'd rather return the courtesy and not kill you if I don't have to, but you should know that the laws of the lands here are not kind to bandits such as you. Let me call the guards over here, and you may leave this day with your life. Resist… well, let's just say you won't live to regret anything for much longer."
"Shut the fuck up." You hear the orc snarl from a distance away, but he makes no aggressive move.
You move towards the large bag you dropped and take out a few lengths of rope. The ogre, still recovering from the shock and broken ribs, snarls as you approach, but allows himself to be tied up. The orc seems to have recovered, but seeing what you did to the ogre and the lack of worry on your face, sighs before getting down to be tied up. You spot the woman trying to walk away and give her a look that causes her to stop with a frustrated but cowed expression on her face.
"Nice shots, but you probably should have found a vantage point." You comment idly.
She eyes you incredulously, "Normal folks with a bow can't outshoot me on the bike. Or somehow… dodge my shots or whatever you did. And I ain't that good of a shot that far away, especially with how fast you are. Who the hell… wait. You ain't human, your eyes and face… what are you?" her gaze drops to your shoulder. "And how the hell is your arm moving so well? I didn't see you do any crazy magic shit for that."
You smile mysteriously, "I don't have the faintest idea. Anyways, go over there with the other two and lie down."
When some patrolmen drive over a few hours later, they take in the scene before thanking you for leaving some people to question and offering a ride to your destination. You'd have normally refused, but it has been a few months since you've come to this region, and you won't turn down faster transportation if it means moving on.
Getting into a car, you watch a little unsteadily as the area around you rushes past the window. You start as the car bumps over something on the road. Perhaps you should have walked.
You step into the crowded train, eyes quickly spotting the only available seat. The kobold next to it gives you a side eye when you sit down, but you merely return a small smile before looking away. Your beanie is in place and covering your ears, so most races will probably view you as a particularly strange looking human if they are looking. The bow catches some odd looks, but you shrug it off. The ordeal you go through every time with security has left you inured to such judgments.
Looking around, you doubt most people are even looking at their surroundings though. Most are on their tablets or sleeping. You do see a centaur lounging across a modified seat, quietly chatting with a human friend. A halfling a few seats from you is giving a look promising death to the miu loudly talking on her tablet next to him. Surprisingly, you see a giant standing awkwardly in one of the larger spaces, her head nearly scraping the ceiling despite how high it already is. They don't usually venture out from Avista, from what you recall.
You look away from her and begin settling in. You don't really enjoy using the tablet too much, and your pack doesn't leave much room for a book, so you start just trying to relax. Trains are usually better for you than cars, especially the ones in the past decade or two. Somehow, they started feeling as if they weren't even moving. Sitting still in an enclosed space with a bunch of strangers still doesn't set you at ease though, and you begin to awkwardly fidget as you wait for the departure.
As the train is about to depart however, an elderly orc makes his way in and starts looking around for a seat. Bushy facial hair lined the lower half of his face, and you could spot a few scars here and there on his wrinkled green skin. Though he appears to be maintaining his health, the way he leans on the cane he holds in his gnarled hand makes it clear it isn't decorative.
After a moment's hesitation, you rise up out of your seat and beckon the orc over. Surprisingly, he gives you a warm smile instead of the gruff acknowledgement you've seen from most older orcs and makes his way to the seat.
"Thank you, young lady." He says, voice rumbling.
There's no need to correct him, so you merely dip your head and respond with, "It was nothing, sir."
He gave off a small laugh, "Polite, aren't you? It's good to see the youth around here know their manners."
At that, you had to shake your head, "Ah, I'm afraid I am not from around here. I'm a traveler."
The orc turns to you with an inquisitive eyebrow, "Ho?" He looks around you, but doesn't seem to find what he was looking for. "Do you travel alone? While I love my home, it has its dangers like anywhere else for tourists."
"Don't worry," you reply back, tapping your bow. "I can take care of myself." You quickly move your hand away when you catch a sharp glare from the security guard standing some distance from you.
The orc frowns a little, "Still, young lady. I do think it'd be best if…"
He trails off, looking at your bow a bit closer before squinting his eyes at you. He even puts on a pair of glasses hanging around his neck. Outwardly, you keep calm, though in your head you start going through why he's reacting like this. Did he recognize it somehow? You look closer at his face, his scars, at what you think is an arm of metal, and quickly run through all these details in your head.
"By the Light," he mutters, before looking back up at you. "Is that you, Deirdre?"
You stare back at the orc, your mind settling on how to respond. As an elf, you were created to be able to withstand the ravages of time and all the sorrows it causes towards the long-lived . However, even a well-constructed machine eventually breaks down a little. While you have all the below issues, which one stands at the forefront?
Choose One:
[] Memory
The journey never ends… and though you have tried as hard you could, you do not clearly remember much of your past journeys and adventures. Your former friends, comrades, and allies are a blur to you and sometimes your memories come back at inopportune times, mistaking someone for one you knew centuries past. You go through life as you always have, but sometimes everything feels hazy, as if you're in a daze. Your memory problems extend to your short-term memory as well, and the combination results in frustrating, pitiable situations. Despite all this, you retain your strong spirit and lust for adventure as well as your empathy for the people you meet struggling. Your mind is clear, and you rest well knowing you are at least going through life the best you can, just like your friends would have wanted for you.
[] Dulled
The journey never ends… and you've seen it all before. Done it a thousand times. Experienced it in more ways than anyone knows even exists. While you still feel compelled to journey and adventure, you don't feel the joy and thrill of it that you used to. The excitement of meeting new friends does not stir you. The need to help others rarely rises. They'll die anyways, won't they? The only thing you seem to want nowadays is to just lay down after walking for so long, or perhaps get lost in sensual pleasure. You have your wits about you though and take stressful events in an unsettling stride. You are sharp and capable with your memories mostly in order. Your thirst for adventure and need to involve yourself is dulled and reduced to small embers, but you're still kicking.
[] Weight
The journey never ends… you hold a deep grief within you for all those you have lost. Your friends, your loved ones, your comrades who bled with you, they're all gone. Your very race, the ones who you could connect with and share the burden of time, are gone too. Gone, gone, gone! What are you even doing anymore, wandering around in this world that has left you behind? The only thing you have, the only thing that everyone has left you, is that singular drive to keep on going and carry everyone's dreams, legacies, and lessons with you. You carry with you the memories of everyone that has ever traveled with you, the people and groups you have helped, the enemies you have defeated, and so much more. Making new connections can be difficult and painful, but no matter how much it hurts, you will carry this weight and live.
AN: Alright, here's the update. There's only one more preparatory chapter to go before we're heading off. I hope you guys are fine with the, uh, compromise I made with the votes.
The fight scene was fun to write though. I didn't want to just make them some dumb gang Deirdre dispatches in seconds or face tanks. They're a roving band who attacks targets that are often times armed and are careful enough to be just minor enough to not warrant more drastic action. Basically, I wanted to show you what a group of experienced people with a good plan but are mostly still relatively normal could do against Deirdre in this age. It stands to reason that as everything gets stronger and more advanced, it includes bandits/highwaymen as well. Granted, if Deirdre was going for the kill, they would've been wiped out much faster. Ogre rogue might've got a sneak attack in still though .
As for the vote, yeah, this is gonna be the big personal choice. It'll have pretty big effects on Deirdre's personality and interactions with others. Memory doesn't mean Deirdre has totally forgotten everything, but it's still a pretty big issue. Dulled doesn't make you a total apathetic asshole, but it's walking a thin line. Weight doesn't mean Deirdre suffers a breakdown every second, but this choice has a high chance of having a therapist for a reason. I might have rolls, ways, situations that keep this choice in mind, like checks if you remember something, rolls if you bother intervening, or moments where the trauma catches up.
You take a look at the metal arm the orc has again. That's right, you remember now. How could you have forgotten? The Doom Commandos weren't even that long ago. All of a sudden, you feel your breath catching in your throat as your chest clenches in guilt. When was the last time you contacted any of them? You frantically search through your memories, and wilt when you realize it was the funeral for Captain Shel. Everyone there changed so much since you last saw them… what are they like now? You hate the fact that you don't know. What a terrible—
Realizing your lengthy silence, you take a deep breath before quietly lifting up one side of your beanie and revealing your pointed ears.
"It has been some time, Grog." You say with a subdued tone.
He studies you for a moment, taking you in before sighing, "Ah, Deirdre. You don't have to feel so bad about not keeping in contact. Everyone has their own lives to live, you more than most. All of us understood."
"I could have called." You protest, a quaver in your voice.
"Bah," he waves at you dismissively. "I can probably use a tablet better than you, and I lost an arm!"
"Grog…" You mutter, unable to help the partial smile from forming on your lips as you glare half-heartedly at him.
He laughs, "Pointy, it's fine. If you really want to make it up to me, let's catch up and talk about other things already."
You sigh, but already you can feel the knot in your chest loosen. Grog has always been good at keeping morale up during the war. Even when he lost his arm, he was already making jokes about it and his future replacement arm.
"So, you know Yaza's still teaching at the gym in school?"
You widen your eyes, "Truly? I thought you two might have retired already."
"I sure did, but she's someone who needs to keep moving and doing something. Those poor kids. I'd say it's all that ogre blood in her, but I don't want to get glared at again." He jokes.
"Smart of you." You agree, thinking back on the memories you had with her. She immediately called you a ugly twig when she first saw you.
You took offense at that and challenged her to an arm-wrestle, trusting in your enhanced strength. The ogre agreed, and while you both thought you had the advantage, neither of your hands moved for a full minute. She eventually used her size advantage to gain the upper hand, but by the end both of you were gasping for air. You and Yaza became fast friends after that, and you were invited to accompany her at her wedding after the war.
"Yeah, she's one wonderful woman…" he drifts off for a bit, but shakes his head. "Enough about us though! What have you been doing recently?"
"I've been wandering around central Kiengir lately," you admit. "I need a respite from the larger cities occasionally. They are very… loud."
Grog snorts, "I getcha. Can still be dangerous round' here though, especially if I'm right in you just walking about in the countryside?"
You hang your head in mock shame, "I have been, yes. I actually encountered a group of bandits not too long ago. They had an adequate plan but chose the wrong quarry to hunt."
"Bandits?" The orc chuckles, "Deirdre, we're not in the medieval times."
"Shush, you. As a 'young lady', don't I get to be the one to set the trends?"
The two of you laugh before falling into a companionable silence after that, letting the sounds of the other passengers on the train drift through you two. You sneak a look at Grog. It has been a long time since you two truly conversed, but despite the age his body shows, he seems… at ease. Grog would never admit it, but the war and loss of his arm affected him more than he wanted everyone to believe. He would always get tense whenever he moved or touched his metal arm.
"You know, Deirdre. I got inspired and took a page out of your book." He says suddenly.
You raise an eyebrow, "Oh?"
He leans back slightly, "Yeah. Whenever I had the time, I went to travel someplace else with Yaza. Went to the great big cities in Avista first, and I visited New Hope before it turned into a cesspool."
"A good place to start," you say. "There are many sights to see and activities to do there, though I suppose you went to the sports stadiums?"
Grog smiles, "You know me too well. I loved seeing my favorite teams in person. Avista was good, you know? There was a lot there I wanted here at home. It's truly something else," the smile falters slightly. "But it ain't a paradise. It isn't a dangerous land, but… well, I'll say it nicely and say it isn't a calm place. I nearly got caught up in some stuff there."
"Avista is a land with high ideals and diverse opinions," you say. "A beautiful land, but not for everyone."
"Yeah, it's a little crazy looking in from the outside. And even though New Hope was built outside it by all the nations, I feel like the place learned the wrong things from Avista and everywhere else then mashed it into… whatever it is now."
The mood drops for a bit between the two of you as you both ponder the eventual fate of the city, but Grog eventually shakes his head and continues.
"Well, I headed to Sumeri after that. Gods, I know you've told us about stuff there back then, but I couldn't wrap my head around how ancient the places and sights are there."
You incline your head, "Entire civilizations had already lived and died there by the time we elves came to the world."
He nods, "Yeah… oh man. I'm a little ashamed to say this, but I didn't think Sumeri would be so… modern."
"Travel is often fatal to such perspectives," you say without judgment. "The various peoples in Sumeri have had difficult times ever since the fall of the Meso Empire, but they have never stopped living and growing as we all do."
Grog laughs ruefully, "When this little slip of a human there started teaching me all the different stuff online and on apps to help with travel, I definitely realized that. It's a pretty divided place there though. I can tell different regions didn't like each other, and I swear I saw signs of a cult or two."
You frown at that. It seems the scars of the Incursion are still felt in Sumeri.
"Then… well, Yaza knows me pretty well, and she saw how I was ignoring a particular place that's very close to us." He admits, sounding a bit rueful.
"Tarshish." You deduce.
He takes a deep breath, "Yeah. I didn't want to go there at first. Too many bad memories and feelings. Was afraid of what would happen if I went. Don't know if I'd get so angry I'd do something I regret, or if everything I've been holding back would come crashing down and break me.
"Yaza got me to go before I could stall and halt my travel plans for too long. When I went, well, things were normal. Their main cities are as developed as Avista in their own way, except they've got a lot more magic going around than tech. I saw all the different religious and historical sites and even went on a tour through a big magic academy. Saw some crazy things there, and some… familiar spells from the war, but…"
"But?" You prompt.
He settles down and continues, "I talked to some of the professors there. Heard how they were researching how to heal the Mana Scar and the demonic corruption in the far north and south. They discussed their role in aiding farmers, stuff about the global economy, studying various illnesses, and all kinds of good things. The talk about how they've been discovering fundamental parts of how the world works the past few centuries flew over my head, but it didn't sound all bad or scary like I thought some of it was."
"Magic is like everything else," you say gently. "It can be used to terrible effect, but it can help people in so many ways."
Grog nods, "I don't know if I hated magic then, but the visit eased my thoughts on it and the war. I visited some smaller towns after that too, and things weren't too good there. I met some angry and bitter people along the way, but most people I met were just folks still recovering from the effects of war and wanted a safe and comfortable life. I thought most lacerta were prickly lizards before too, but then this one really kind old lacerta lady housed Yaza and I when we couldn't get a hotel."
You hum, "The visit to Tarshish helped you, then?"
"Yeah," he confirms. "The war still sucked, but I guess I got rid of a lot of complicated shit. Now I just blame the lizards in their government instead of the normal folks living their life."
You crack a smile at that. It's good that he can joke about the matter now, even if it wasn't entirely a joke.
"Anyways," he continues. "I thought about going to the Small Republic too before heading east, but… yeah."
You tilt your head, "Their borders are not closed off."
"They aren't," he agrees. "It's just, I don't know. I just thought it'd be an awkward time."
"The treatment of the smallfolk has often been disgraceful throughout history," you say. "But that shouldn't stop interactions between them and the rest of the continent. You should visit at least once. You may meet those with bad attitudes, but there are difficult people everywhere."
Grog hums in consideration, "Maybe I will. I always wondered what the place looked like, the pictures don't really show it off well. After that though, I went to Zhonghua. It… wasn't what I expected."
"Oh?" You ask, "Did you have the same assumptions as you did with Sumeri?"
He makes a so-so gesture, "Ehh, sort of. More of a cultural assumption, I guess. Not like I didn't see some of that kind of stuff of course, but I somehow wandered into a punk rock concert that wouldn't be out of place around here while I was there. There's a pretty big underground movement in the nation. Yaza had a good time."
"Zhonghua is not as rigid as some think," you note. "Changes in their society have occurred plenty of times, and there's numerous cultural divisions within its borders."
"But in the end, the Jade Emperor still rules." He retorts.
"He does." You concede.
The suddenly serious atmosphere seems to have come from more than just that as he looks you in the eye, "I went to Yashima, before the Impact."
"Ah," you say, not sure how else to respond.
"Gods, that place was something. I've seen the crazy shit Avista has done in recent years, and I still think it doesn't quite compare to what Yashima was doing."
You nod, "The people of Yashima took to the modern developments of the past few centuries incredibly well."
"Yeah, the huge ass mechs are them taking to it 'incredibly well' alright. And all the different smart tech and androids. Took a bit to get used to everything, and I got some odd looks, but after that it was the smoothest traveling experience I had. And then…"
"The Impact." You finish for him.
"The Impact." He nods seriously.
"Happened only a couple months after I left. What news they showed of the place and refugees was horrific. It felt so strange to see it, having had some of the best times of my life there so recently. After that, and with me getting older… I don't know. Visiting the islands of Wilwatikta would have been fun, but I lost my drive for it. The decade since hasn't changed that."
He takes a deep breath, "It really shows how dangerous Orbis still is. After all the shit I've been through… suddenly staying at home safe with people I care about is much more enticing."
"I understand," you say, patting him on the shoulder. "What happened at Yashima… the world hasn't seen such a thing in a long time."
Grog eyes you at that, a strange expression you don't recognize on his face, "What do you think are the chances people are still there, after the quarantine was established?"
You stare back at him, "Such things are always possible, but they would be in peril, both from the monstrosities present there and their living conditions. It may not be a demonic incursion, but it appears to be a disaster just as terrible."
"Huh," he says, the utterance not reflecting the intensity he was suddenly radiating. "It would take something, or someone, of a really special kind to pull them out of that predicament, yeah?"
"It would," you agree. "That something, or someone, would need to have proven experience in resolving calamities of a similar sort, and the willingness to put themselves in danger for people they do not know or are obligated to care for."
He leans back, a stony expression on his face as he seemed to want to freeze your image in his mind. The hand resting on top of the cane was clenched tight enough you could see it whiten. A few decades ago, a much younger face stared at you with the same expression as you marched off to do something reckless and stupid. The sudden image you get of it is so shockingly familiar but different you can't help but tense up as well.
"Gods damn it," he says finally, resigned. "You're thinking about it, aren't you?"
You don't deny it as you say, "I have been."
"And if I say don't do it, please, would you listen?"
The pleading tone of his voice causes you to wince as you weakly respond, "... I didn't say I was going there right this instant. I would need to prepare for that, and somehow lift or bypass the quarantine from the United Peoples. It's not something to decide on lightly."
He runs a hand down his face, "Fuck. Alright, fine. Let me be the one to say it then, since I don't know when's the next time you'll hear it. Don't throw your life away, understand? I don't say this because of all the Last Elf nonsense. You know none of us cared about that. No matter where you go, since I know you'll get involved in things no matter where you are, don't go in like an idiot. I don't care about the healing flames you got, there's always a way for something to die."
Grog looks at you, deadly serious. "Promise?"
You bow your head, "I'll say to you what I said to Captain Shel. I will always keep walking forward and never take for granted the life I have. The moments, memories, and bonds I have made are more valuable to me than anything else I have. Dying would do nothing to carry them on or honor them."
Steel fills your voice, the elf that campaigned hundreds of times against terrible foes coming through, as you say, "It is because of them, however, that I will not betray the lessons and values that have been shared with me. They are not just precious mementos I store somewhere and look back on fondly. I'm not the aloof elf watching from afar anymore. If there are people in need and monsters, no matter their shape, threatening Orbis and the realms, I won't look away."
You pause for a moment, the steel leaving you as you draw into yourself. The image of a tired and scared ordinary woman in a beanie with a worn-out jacket and comfortable pair of pants you might see on any person walking about is what is left behind. A whisper escapes you, so quiet you bet Grog can barely hear if he wasn't hanging onto your every word.
"... otherwise, why else am I still here?"
Grog eyes you, absorbing your words as he thinks on how to respond. You can sense he definitely doesn't agree with you, but isn't willing to argue with you in a public space like this. This isn't exactly the first time you've had this sort of conversation with him or the Doom Commandos, and it's a tired old argument that always leaves everyone exhausted.
Just when the silence is becoming stifling, both of you whip your heads to look at the kobold who eyed you before looking suddenly very nervous as he finishes clearing his throat.
"Eh… sorry bout' that. Don't mean to pry. Just uh.. You two are right next to me, and uhh, people are talking around us but it isn't enough to cover up your guys' conversation," he suddenly looks startled. "Didn't catch everything, of course! You guys started talking weird after a bit, and I wasn't really listening at first... oh! I'm a big fan of your content, Deirdre! I was so excited when you came to visit our home. Er, Ms. Deirdre I mean? Ms. Pathstrider?"
The tension leaves the both of you as Grog bends over in laughter, his whole frame shaking as he does so. You give a somewhat crooked smile to your young fan as he starts looking more and more sheepish.
"Ms. Deirdre is fine, Mr…"
"Oh uh, my name is Kan. Oh gods, she knows my name! This feels so weird. Um," he ducks his head, showing his horns. "Can I have an autograph? I know you must get that a lot and it can be annoying but I—"
"Of course, young one." You say encouragingly. "Do you have something for me to sign?"
"I do!" He says as he reaches his trimmed claws into a bag of his, "Hold on, where is it…"
He eventually finds, to your horror and Grog's mirth, a box with a… figure or toy of you inside it. What the hell has your manager been doing? What did you sign for this to happen? You numbly take out a special pen for this that holds your magical signature in its ink and sign the… thing on the box plastic before giving it back to the ecstatic fan.
Kan even connects the dots and asks if Grog was one of your fellow squad members in the Doom Commandos. Not that the squad was obscure, but only people who studied your and the war's history would really know. This kobold really must be a big fan of yours. Grog, clearly pleased by this, confirms it and starts telling him stories about the squad.
The fan eventually gets off on his stop, and you two silently decide to enjoy the companionship without getting into the thorny topic from before. Eventually, Grog's stop comes by, and you decide on a whim to leave with him so you can give him a proper goodbye. You can just hop onto another train to get to where you want to go anyways.
"Well Deirdre, it's been good seeing you again." Grog says, a hint of sadness in his voice as he knows what comes next.
You nod, trying not to fidget too much with your hands. This too, is part of the journey.
"I'll call you when I can, Grog." You promise.
Grog sighs, but gives you a fond smile, "Alright, alright. Just don't wake me up. I need my sleep."
The two of you laugh, the good cheer restored between you two. When the two of you enter that lingering state where neither of you is sure when to leave, he speaks up.
"So," he starts. "You have your next destination in mind?"
Choose one:
[] Avista
Avista is a superpower with the strongest military and industrial capacity on the continent and the main winner of the World War. Having begun as an optimistic union of Alerion, Merfolk, and Giants, they now have people of all races within their borders in a grand flock. All citizens that live within their borders are able to hold political offices, and they have invested the most into the United Peoples institution set up after the World War. With their hand in much of the modern technology invented during this era and their cultural influence spreading all over the world, their power is surpassed only by their ambition.
Despite its prosperity, Avista is a divisive land with change always in the air. Its diverse population has people taking all kinds of political, philosophical, and personal stances on various issues and ideas. From this, they have made great gains and rose to become a superpower, but the battle of beliefs and ideals can always become dangerous when ambitious people with power are involved. As an ancient elf far removed from the hustle and bustle of this new great power, see for yourself the great visions of its people, the newly developing social dynamics of a people living in a truly modern nation in this world, and the old and new sins committed by a nation with high ideals.
[] Tarshish
The previous undisputed superpower and heir of the Meso Empire, Tarshish is the main loser of the World War. Their once proud nation of people are now defeated and battered by loss and death. While the ancestral lands of the lacerta, centaurs, sylvan, and myconids remain a powerhouse and hold strong military and industrial capabilities, their infrastructure is still in tatters in some areas and their society hasn't fully adapted to the fast-paced modern globalized world outside certain urban centers and regions. They are bitter about being blamed for the war and the reparations they are still paying for today, but many people mostly want a stable life amidst the somewhat chaotic state Tarshish has been in.
They are the still most populous nation with the most advanced magic academies and numerous cultural, religious, and historical institutions. They still pride themselves in being the center of the world and bridge between west and east, north and south, and sea to sea. As an ancient elf who both fought against them in the war and aided them in past times, find a way to help its citizens, mend ties, remind a people of their strong history in a constructive manner, and lend your aid as another who seems lost in this modern age.
[] Zhonghua
The home of the Yuren and Longren is an ancient land that has seen the rise and fall of many dynasties. The age of globalization and modernization affected them deeply, upending their society and government as they were forced out of their relative isolation during the centuries before the World War. They have however bounced back and now emerge as a rising great power in the world after being part of the victors in the World War. Theirs is a land of duality and sharp contrasts, where you might meet a meditating mystic with three magical beasts next to a construction team building a set of factories as their land adjusts to incorporate new developments as seamlessly as Avista or Tarshish do.
Young citizens of the ancient empire however clash with the traditions set by millennia of precedent and upheld by the Jade Emperor. Having long been uncaring or condescending towards other nations for much of its history, Zhonghua struggles with international diplomacy and efforts, further exacerbating the divide in attitudes. As an ancient elf who once was received as honored guest in their courts, analyze the blend of old and new, dive headfirst into the complicated issue of the Jade Emperor's rule, explore the underground movements, and connect with a people who have long stayed out of international affairs.
[] Sumeri
The ancient ancestral lands of Humans, Miu, and Gnolls, this land has never quite recovered from the fall of the ancient Meso Empire. Once the heart of the greatest empire in recorded history, their descent into numerous kingdoms and territories marks the end of an era. Though the bickering territories managed to unite into a single federation a few centuries ago in response to Tarshish imperialism, they are still fragmented with a weak central government. Sumeri is a land with its people struggling, but it retains a strong history with a wide range of cultures and races.
Some say the chance of something more developing from this region again died when the Incursion from the southern front left scars on Sumerian land that are still felt today. Others say it died when Tarshish took and plundered large swathes of it in their sudden burst of imperialistic behavior. However, Sumeri took back territory in the World War. Despite the struggles, the people of Sumeri are still living the best they can and thriving in fields none thought the bygone power could do again. As an ancient elf who once traveled these lands when it was split between the Kemet and Agade kingdoms and befriended many within them, discover pieces of history older than the elven race, aid its people against new encroaching influences, bring its bickering regions together, and battle against the demonic influence still present.
[] The Small Republic
An alliance made by Halflings, Gnomes, Goblins, Minima, and Mus. These five races often faced discrimination and were forced into certain roles or collectives in societies dominated by large races. Some time after the Great Convention led by Archbishop Ismael, influential groups of these races rode the tide of increasing international cooperation and unity to form their own nation to gain their independence from other races. They formed their own society and infrastructure designed to suit them, not people twice or thrice their height. In this nation, people from all five races can be free to pursue their own dreams and desires instead of being shoehorned into a role by others.
While other nations scoffed, the combined knowledge and skills of these five races created a, well, small, but prosperous nation beholden to no others and a strong reputation of neutrality. They managed to mostly stay out of the World War, but the increasing globalism of the world threatens to leave them in the dust. As an ancient elf who once aided and befriended the smallfolk, explore a one of a kind civilization and culture, open yourself to a suspicious people, and demonstrate the world's value to a people embittered towards it.
[] New Hope
A city of technological marvels, home of powerful corporations, and an ender of dreams. The city was established after the World War in the Mana Scar to ease ties, heal the wound in the land, and connect people from around the world while building up a truly modern city. Various nations abandoned the project for one reason or another over the decades after, and the people there were left to fend for themselves. With minimal support, this city in the Mana Scar looked doomed to die off or be abandoned.
Powerful corporations and organizations saw it as an ideal spot to exert their influence, and soon it became a city ruled by businesses and gangs. With unethical experiments and numerous weapons tests done on or near its borders, it holds a strong connection with technology and can even match Avista in certain fields. Its people find it hard to leave, both from direct measures to prevent it and from the tempting hooks the city likes to bait people with. As an ancient elf of the old tales, go to this destination which leaves behind the past, explore a world which commercializes things thought sacred, and gain a taste of what a bleaker future might look like for Orbis.
[] Yashima
The people of this island nation once were the frontrunners of technological advancement and mortal transcendence until a great calamity struck the entire land through the very same ambition that drove them. After the "Impact", the people live in truly apocalyptic living conditions with otherworldly monsters invading their reality. A great corrosive air now suffuses much of the islands and surrounding waters, and the international community has isolated and quarantined the nation off from the rest of the world after multiple failed attempts in providing a consistent stream of aid. An entire country and the majority of its people gone, just like that.
Rumors abound from what little has been gleaned from refugees and those that survived the few attempts at reaching the island. Some say the people of the nation have developed resistances to these corruptive effects through strange mutations. Others claimed the people there have all gone mad. A few swore they saw strange and powerful abilities from the people and monsters there. As an ancient elf experienced in dealing with calamities such as this, travel to this nation with sophontarian aid, work to reopen the nation with the rest of the world, stabilize the last urban center heard from there, and investigate the mysteries behind the Impact.
(Will require certain actions to go there. You will perform various actions to receive an invitation from the United Peoples so you can convince them to lift the quarantine, and get in contact with people and groups for an expedition.)
AN: And here we go. The big update that'll decide the first course of this story. First, I hope you really liked the interactions with Grog, I enjoyed writing him. At first, this was going to be a sub-1k update where you had a short conversation with him before he asks where you're going. The kobold scene came to me on a whim, but I'm so glad I thought of it.
Now, the juicy parts. None of these nations will have a time limit or an urgent matter that you must absolutely go to or miss it completely. You WILL be leaving people to their own struggles/conflicts in each though, and the world doesn't pause while you're somewhere else. Each nation will have their own cast of characters and potential companions. You will not become personally stronger yourself by very much over time, so don't choose things based on whether you'll be stronger later or not. You are in a pretty good spot in other areas and in your life, so the world is your oyster.
Take your time making your decision. I will probably be releasing other pieces of info and the long-awaited character sheet soon. Next update will take a bit longer so you'll have time. Ask me any questions you want and I'll see if I can answer. Tell me what you think of the nations too! Are they interesting? Can you imagine people and maybe a character of your own design living in these places? Are they too much of an analogue of real world places? Of course, these are not the only nations in the world, but they're the ones most likely to have something exciting, which is what Deirdre is looking for right now.
If it feels like I'm pushing for a particular place, don't worry. I put a bit more emphasis on Yashima because of its special situation, but only pick it but if you find the situation there interesting. Do you want to make use of social media and your connections to lift the quarantine on the nation and lend sophontarian aid there? Pick it. If you don't, I've got stuff cooked up for other places too. Grog was warning Deirdre about all these places because everywhere has its own dangers.
Alright, signing off to go collapse in exhaustion for a bit.
Edit: Check side stories for a sneak peak into the situation/mood of each nation.
A list of the various terminology, nations, races, and other things in this world. Will not have detailed descriptions. All things may be subject to change/updating, and new additions may be added.
General Terms:
Orbis: The name of the world/planet.
Kiengir: The name of the main continent in which much of the events of the world take place.
Currents: The essence and source of all that is in the world and beyond. A place of energy and magic, of thought and belief, of souls and creations, and of death and cycles. Known by a variety of names like the Empyrean, Astral Realm/Plane, Celestial Realms, the Immaterium, and others, but the Currents is the most accepted and neutral term.
Magic: The individual, personal, and pure manipulation and study of the laws of reality and energy from the Currents
The Light: The most practiced and dominant religion in Kiengir. Focuses on the connection of all life and beings in a great tapestry and finding your own inner light or individual path that most suits you.
(new) The Advocates: Worshipers of devils, though some are more reverent than others. They admire the stance the hellish fiends take against sin and chaos, and incorporate it into their own lives. They follow strict guidelines in living their life, are encouraged to pursue particular fields that support the faith, and are determined to structure society in a way that is less vulnerable to the depravities and lows it can sink to. Their faith is tolerated in most areas and they break no laws.
Tablet: A magitech device keyed to an individual's magical/soul signature. Allows for long range instant communication and access to the online web so long as a proper connection can be made to various infrastructure maintaining them.
United Peoples (UP): A diplomatic, political, and administrative international organization with members from every country in Orbis. Though at times controversial, it is an essential part of the international order and stability of the continent.
Credits: The currency used by the world and propped up and supported by complicated methods and processes from numerous nations in the United Peoples.
Confirmed Nations/Locations:
Avista: The current world superpower, a nation borne from a union of multiple races. Is the most advanced in various technological and scientific fields, has many corporations within their borders, and is the primary supporter of the United Peoples. Has a multi-party parliamentary republic.
Tarshish: Heir of the former Meso Empire and self-proclaimed as the center of the world. Has a constitutional monarchy with much of the power of the monarch stripped away, though the imperial family is still influential.
Zhonghua(中华): An ancient empire currently in the process of integrating their society with the modern era. A rising great power, the Jade Emperor currently rules with various limits on their power that is often struggled against. Has a significant underground movement in various areas and fields.
Sumeri: A federation of various kingdoms and territories that banded together during the era of Tarshish imperialism. Their land is ancient and the signs of their cultural legacy on the rest of Orbis can be deeply felt. The various regions of the nation bicker however, and the scars of the Incursion can be deeply felt in its southern half.
The Small Republic: A nation formed by an alliance of various groups of smallfolk in order to escape the discrimination of other nations. They hold to their neutrality fiercely and are often wary towards outsiders.
New Hope: A city built from scratch by various nations in the Mana Scar as a show of international cooperation and healing of the land. Has been largely abandoned as a project by most nations and left to fend for itself, leaving it ripe for exploitation by private interests.
Yashima (八島): The formerly most technologically advanced nation in several fields. Due to unknown reasons, Yashima suffered a cataclysmic event referred to as the "Impact" that destroyed much of the nation or left it inhabitable. Refugees streamed towards continental Kiengir and sophontarian aid was quickly dispatched to the island nation, but the nation was eventually placed under quarantine after efforts often failed with horrific loss of life.
Mana Scar: An area largely between Avista and Tarshish and encompasses several former smaller nations and parts of Avista. The air and atmosphere is corrosive and toxic, leading to various mana-related illnesses. It has been slowly healing through time and efforts by various people, but is currently not much less dangerous than the corrupted parts of the far north and south of Kiengir.
Vragzarg: A small nation in Central Kiengir populated predominantly by orcs and ogres, though they are have received more immigration from other nations and races in recent decades. It is a relatively young nation formed by orcs disastified with the state of their people and both inspired/threatened by other, more powerful nations.
Central Kiengir: A general term for the region dominated by smaller nations, has historically been a hotly contested area and borderlands that has successfully resisted full conquest from powerful empires and kingdoms numerous times.
Planned/Future/Incomplete(conceptually from me) Places:
Sindhu (name still pending): A large nation that was unified a few decades before the World War. Separated from Tarshish by a straight, it borders Zhonghua and other nations. Was on Tarshish's side in the World War and fought on the eastern front, though they faced relatively light consequences and reparations compared to the former.
Kambuja: A nation bordering Sindhu and Zhonghua.
Wilwatikta: An island nation to the south of Kiengir.
Goryeo (고려): A nation bordering Zhonghua.
Wyrmhaven(name still pending): A nation ruled by one of the last dragons, and the last ancient dragon.
The Lost Continent(s): Continental landmasses devoid of life with a deathly atmosphere on the other side of the world. Shows some small signs of advanced civilizations, but has been destroyed so utterly and left to the ravages of time that only the sturdiest and lasting of their creations still stand. Many theories abound, but many tentatively agree that the destruction of the continent may be linked with the introduction of demons long, long ago. Many attempts have been made to build a stable base of operations there, but only Avista and Yashima had any semblance of success, and it was rare even for them. It is a common theory that Yashima invited a similar but localized disaster among themselves with the Impact.
Races and Place of Origin:
Avista
Alerion: Avian biped race, their arms and wings are fused together. Their feet are as dexterous as their hands. Resembles heraldic birds.
Merfolk: An aquatic biped race, colorful scales, fins, and gills.
Giants: A tall race that regularly goes over ten feet or three meters in height. Somewhat greyish or blue skin with somewhat furred bodies.
Tarshish
Lacerta: Reptilian race with scales and a tail, less reptilian features than other reptilian bipeds.
Sylvan: Plant-like race made of wood, vines, and other plants with a sap-like blood and leafy/branchy hair.
Myconids: Mushroom-like race with a cap on their head.
Centaurs: Race with a furred horse lower half and a greyish less furred bipedal upper half.
Sumeri
Humans: A furless simian race with a standard bipedal build.
Miu: A feline race with a more narrow/thin bipedal build.
Gnolls: A race resembling a mixture of canid and hyena features (yes I know hyenas aren't canids)
The Small Republic
Halflings: A smallfolk race with more plain colors of their hair and eyes and more angular/square in features
Gnomes: A smallfolk race with colorful hair and eye colors and more round in their features
Goblins: A smallfolk race with green skin similar to orcs
Mus: A smallfolk race with murine or rodent-like features
Minima: A smallfolk race charaterized by their even smaller size than other small races, bright color skin and antennae.
Zhonghua
Yuren (玉人): A gem-encrusted race with a standard bipedal build, they are not literally made entirely of gems but do have parts or protrusions made from them. Jade Yuren however have always been the ruling imperial family.
Longren (龙人): A serpentine aquatic race that lives near the coasts of Zhonghua.
Yashima
Mokujin: A race similar but distinct to the sylvans, they have a body consisting primarily of wood or similar things.
Kitsune: A race with vulpine features that grows multiple tails, though the various tales about them are usually false. Can walk on two legs or run on all fours.
Bake-Danuki: A bushy, furred race resembling the tanuki. Have a bushy tail and can walk on two legs or run on all fours.
Central Kiengir
Orcs: A bipedal race with green or light yellowish skin usually known for their two teeth or tusks protuding from their mouth.
Ogres: A bipedal race with a usually yellowish skin and known for their large sizes.
Kobold: A reptilian race with more saurian features than the Lacerta, usually a little shorter.
Trolls: A bipedal race with more bluish or greyish skin. Larger than normal people but not as much as Ogres.
Future, Undecided, Incomplete Conception Races
Porcelain(placeholder name): A race with glossy or ceramic parts and skin originating from Goryeo.
Sphatika: A crystalline race with crystal protrusions/encrustment originating from Sindhu.
Stone(placeholder name): A race with mineral/rock features originating from Kambuja/maybe Wilwatikta. Stone or gold, maybe.
Naga
Kappa(tbd): A race known for the turtle shell on their back.
Moon Rabbits: Race throughout Eastern Kiengir resembling rabbits.
Elias clapped his hands as he saw his best friend cry out while holding her trophy aloft. Alice had just won the interschool championship for flight racing, narrowly beating out her competition by a sliver. He hid a wince when the giant next to him, Astrid, cheered loudly with both her hands cupped around her mouth for her friend. She did the same when they came to watch his wrestling and nearly got kicked out midway. She was a good friend. Everyone in his group was.
When he was a kid, he knew almost immediately he stood out. Avista was the land in which every race and person could find a home in, but you had to really look for it if you were a lacerta. Even though they won the World War, Avista was hit hard in the opening parts of the war. Elias felt sick when he saw the devastation in the history books. Whenever that popped up, every kid would look at him, subtly or blatantly, and he had to learn how to keep his head down and hope people would ignore him.
They didn't.
It was when he was being cornered and asked if he was the son of a war mage for what felt like the hundredth time that Alice came between them and told them to stop it. The other kids sneered at her for it and looked like they were about to shove her small form when Astrid walked in silently and stared them down. Will stepped in right after, the merman grinning as he casually slung insults back at the bullies. He had startled when he felt a hand hold his, the shy human he knew now as Louise asking if he was okay.
Ever since then, they began eating together and hanging out. Alice apologized for not helping out earlier when she saw, but Elias didn't care. He didn't know if he would have had the courage to do the same if the positions were reversed. His parents had a strange look on their faces when he brought them to their house, but didn't say anything as they began cooking and asking some questions here and there.
Avista wasn't perfect. He still got side-eyes occasionally, and there was always some craziness going on with various groups or gangs. His parents warned him to stay out of "Avistan nonsense" enough times for that. But no nation was perfect. He visited Tarshish a few times to see some other family members, but it wasn't home. It didn't have his friends, his precious moments, didn't help his little brother with his programming lessons or his little sister with her engineering classes. He felt more like an outsider there as he struggled to speak the language or adjust to the different customs than at Avista.
So maybe he was too young or naive, but he truly felt Avista was the greatest country in the world. No other country could have given him these opportunities for happiness.
An old alerion sat in a private room alone with a wine glass in his hand, enjoying this brief moment of relaxation before turning in for the night. Rubbing his graying hair-feathers, he took the time to reflect on the past days and future without feeling the need to rush the process in a constant stream of meetings and decision-making.
The election went well for his party and the coalition they were part of, making it a foregone conclusion as to who would win. No rivals had any serious chances of contesting the incumbent yet too. The people, of course, had a variety of opinions, but the fervor that came with the voting process died down without too much fuss. He took a sip. Good. It was always difficult to predict what would happen when things got too heated. A quiet disgruntlement with another victory by the incumbent was something easily manageable compared to the Light fanatics or ruffians from the usual anti-establishment groups causing a stir. Or whatever band of maniacs that would pop up in the future thinking they could do anything because they had a small taste of power.
His thoughts turn to the future. Plotting the course of Avista was always hard work. So much power or influence, yet a single wrong move could send it all crashing down. For him, at least. He took a second sip. Avista would survive if that occurred. It has endured much worse than a bad administration. That was the beauty of it.
The alerion was an old, experienced politician. He did not consider himself to be some great evil, but he knew what had to be done in order to succeed. Rubbing shoulders with those he found detestable and being cutthroat with various opportunities and rivals was the bare minimum. It was enough to make him wonder why he bothered. He took another sip. Some of it must've been pride or ambition, to be unwilling to concede power to another without a fight or concession and to leave a legacy of his time in the office.
He considered himself a patriot of sorts, though. Perhaps he did not go bleating out his love for the nation every second, but he did love his country in a way. Enough to want to maintain Avista's dominance over the continent and role in the United Peoples. He finished the drink. Who else, but them? Tarshish, that land desperate to hold onto its last shreds of prestige with vanity projects and bluster? Sumeri, that land barely keeping itself together through millennia of baggage? Zhonghua, that land stuck centuries in the past that still had a ruling emperor, of all things?
No, he would not leave it to them. The Prime Minister of Avista stood up and set the wine glass down. Not that he thought they could, anyway. Avista was the greatest country in the world, this he said to the people with actual sincerity. Only this nation has the power, will, and vision to be considered such, and the rest of the world could only feel the ripples of their influence as they followed their lead.
A shadowed, nondescript figure watched the various events of Avista from afar. Currently, she was a server in a gala for the rich and powerful. A few days ago, he was hired to act as a tech consultant for a prominent company. She was among the many stressed clerks of the bureaucracy, and he was a nameless grunt in a meeting between the biggest gangs and organized crime organizations. He has worked as part of the cleaning service of important sites, and she has been a harried lab assistant to the finest scientific minds.
Avista had many working parts to it, and the figure liked to have a hand dipped into each one of them. To see what a small push there or a little gesture here could do to influence the nation however they liked. It was fascinating to see thousands, millions of lives be influenced in this way. Yes, there have been times they have failed. They weren't so arrogant as to believe they knew every possible result of a particular course of action.
But, wasn't that the point of it all? To put yourself on the board and see who comes out on top after the scramble of mistakes and successes? There were so many people and groups of differing beliefs, capabilities, and motivations. They didn't mind losing, so long as they could play again.
And play they have. They have been the random bystander catching a controversial video on their phone, the anonymous backer of various criminal activities, and the instigator of various social conflicts. Through guile, planning, positioning, and a little magic, the figure has reaped the rewards of all their little ploys.
Avista has means and methods of tracking and capturing individuals with extraordinary abilities that can so easily tip the balance of society. The various anti-illusion wards in every city and town, the magical signature they record of people that helps them spot large spikes in magical energy and activity, and the mundane methods of preserving a safe and ordered society were all things the figure had to work around.
But the people of Avista have lulled themselves into a false sense of security. They've left their society open and welcoming believing that the ways it can be taken advantage of have been mitigated. Most Avistans don't truly understand the magic that is part of the world. An illusionist and magician of their talent would know how to perform the feats of various spells the mundane way. Walking the fine line of being unnoticed and intervening in something with just the right touch, this was what they did every second they used a spell.
In this nation of so many different possibilities, they have found their calling. They didn't need to be an active piece here to participate in the excitement. Ah, truly Avista was the greatest country in the world, for they have the most fun games to play!
AN:
Honestly... not too sure how I feel about this. It sounded good in my head, but the last two parts were pretty hard to write, though the prime minister part was more me familiarizing myself with various government stuff. I think I'll be better if I wrote about this with Deirdre involved though. I didn't want to spend too long on this though so decide to just post it and go to sleep. Went longer than I thought, and I don't think any of this will be necessarily 100% finalized or that you're gonna be involved directly with these characters, but I think the tone/vibe of this piece is mostly correct. Should note that your first visit here probably won't involve instantly solving all the problems in nation in one go, same with all the other choices.
Last edited:
Whispers from the Currents: Tarshish I and Zhonghua I
Elio smiled as he looked upon his family. On the worn out couch in front of an old screen, his two precious little caps were jostling each other as they played some strange little game with the devices made from Avista. It costed him a ring and stipe, but the cheers the girls let out was more than enough to pay him back for it. Luna has been much much more manageable with something to focus her attention on, and it finally helped open up Lucia from being so withdrawn after…
He shook his head. No need to think on such things when there was already so much to worry about. Elio tried his best to hide it from the children, but things had been touch and go for a while now. They lived in a sizable town that almost bordered on becoming a city, but the place has been on the decline for a while. Not that it was special, Tarshish was struggling as a whole in many places. He supposed it just felt worse since the town was near some of the most beautiful stretches of nature along with having so many tidbits of history.
The myconid wasn't sure how affected his job was, but working as a playwright for the theater was never the most stable of careers. He loved it, of course. Seeing his scripts brought to life was second in bringing him joy and accomplishment in life. Every time he and his wife would have to carefully budget and purchase things for the family, he thought long and hard about his past and future choices.
His wife. Elio turned to his other half lounging on the other side of the room, her beautiful purple cap and flowing veil going from the waist to near the ground. Cecilia was a violinist who used to play for one of the biggest symphony orchestras in the capital, but eventually quit to make her own way as a solo musician. She was pessimistic at times and her jokes could be a little... morbid to some, but he loved her and all her qualities. The both of them didn't have the most stable of jobs, but they put their heads together for family matters and supported each other in their careers.
Cecilia was talking to her brother who was currently visiting. His brother-in-law never quite stopped glaring at Elio whenever they met up, but he was great with the kids. Elio didn't really know what he did for a living exactly. He theorized it was either some sort of law enforcement, investigator, or a kind of craft or engineering job. The man looked like he'd been in some fights, but always came around to fix various things when his wife asked.
Elio sighed in contentment. Things weren't perfect… but everyone was enjoying themselves right now, and that's all that mattered. He would do his best to help ensure that continued.
Druid Azalea huffed as she stormed away from the meeting she attended. Damn Archdruids, couldn't they see the obvious value of her work? She had brought very easily comprehensible graphs and data for her presentation, yet they barely even asked a question after she was done before dismissing her as if she was some academy initiate! They called her inexperienced and naive, unknowing of how the nature around them worked.
Azalea did not study for eight years at the academy to be told she didn't know how soil, plants, water, and animals worked. The sylvan angrily fiddled with a piece of her leafy hair. The druid bet that the old fogeys wouldn't even know what the structure of a cell was, or that they could tell her what exactly was in the soil around them. They would just wave their hands and say that she needed to meditate more in a grove and be more one with nature, and she would see the aura of life in all things around her. Azalea wished she could wave her hand and slap them in the face with her textbooks.
She stopped and sighed, leaning heavily on a tree as she rubbed her forehead. The druid knew she wasn't being entirely fair. The druids have been taking care of the place for thousands of years. It was still here, even after various events threatened its balance. Azalea honestly respected the culture and tradition of the druids here. There was a reason why she focused on subjects related to it in the academy, along with various other topics that would heal the land.
Not many studied magic influencing botany, biology, and nature in general. They either chose the really flashy stuff like slinging the traditional elements and arcane spells or the really out there subjects studying the underlying fundamental forces of the world and realms like her girlfriend. People thought that of course she would pick subjects studying nature because she was a sylvan, but she didn't see many other sylvans in her classes either. She just cared more about the life and environment directly around her then more nebulous concepts.
So, yes, the forest wasn't doing horribly, but things could always be better. Small improvements here and there with the air and water quality, adjustments of various habitats, fighting off pollution from magic and mundane sources, and more. There were things she could do that even the powerful archdruids couldn't because of how she used her magic. She even went to the Mana Scar once during her time at the academy, and it was a dream of hers to be part of the process of removing the corruption there.
Her family and many of the druids were so excited when she was accepted to the academy, bidding her to learn all she could before coming back to help. Now that she was here and ready to do just that, they hemmed and hawed and refused to let her do the very thing they wanted her to do! She growled in frustration. She didn't know if they thought she was spitting on their traditions or insulting their capabilities, but all she wanted was to help.
Governor Alvaro mentally reviewed the reports and data collected from the surveys as he looked over the area of his future development plans and ticket to success. He couldn't rise up any further without doing something big, and the middle-aged lacerta had an idea for just how to do that. It was a dream of his as a teen, really, as he studied the war and the recent history and politics stemming from it. Tarshish was diminished, but it didn't have to continue being that way. The Tarshish that lost the World War had forgotten its roots and great historical successes, and he was adamant on giving a reminder to everyone in the world just what they were.
This land was perfect for it. A sizable, but declining town to use as a base of operations that he could justify as helping the economy. The perfect environment and mana density with which to draw resources and energy from, with the people that might protest against those changes being easily handled if need be. Easy ways of expansion and industrialization for his project as well.
"So, do you like what you see, Governor Alvaro?"
The governor in question turned to the rumbling voice that exited the car they drove here with. It came from a lacerta with dark red scales on his back and tail with a more pale red on his front dressed in an impeccable suit and tie. His eyes were an orange that almost seemed to blaze, and great black horn-like protrusions extended from the top of his head. A rare genetic mutation that could occur in some lacerta apparently, though Governor Alvaro knew what they really were.
"Yes, yes," the governor said distractedly as he turned back to the area. "It's just as you and the reports said. This will be the perfect stepping stone for my ascension as well as Tarshish's rise to greatness once more."
The red lacerta nodded, "Of course. I'm glad my advice has been of service to you. If you require anything else, I will aid you to the best of my abilities as the contract stipulates."
Governor Alvaro rolled his eyes, "Yes, I know about the contract. No need to remind me. You'll get your due for this and any future requests."
"Very well. I assume from your tone that you'd like to take some time to observe the area alone?"
The governor nodded, "Yes. I want to burn this sight into my mind. When the greatest floating city in history is built in these skies and the earth below becomes the most industrious set of land in the world, I can see how far I have come."
The red lacerta complied, inclining his head before turning away. Honestly, the governor thought to himself, he wasn't much different from any other political figure or businessman. He had something that he could do for him, and the governor would have to then minimize whatever other agenda or gain he would want in return.
The red lacerta smirked as he reentered the car. No matter how much things changed in Orbis, it seemed some things always stayed the same with fools and sinners.
Zhonghua
An old jade yuren sat outside his house on the steps leading up to the door, smoking as he observed the area around him. It was an old habit from the World War that Zhao Ruohan never broke, and probably never will. He chewed on the stick a bit. Felt like it helped with his blood flow and joints, though maybe he was imagining things. The gem-like material slowly growing over and in his body made it hard to concentrate on such things.
Ruohan watched as a young jade held hands with a ruby, the young couple chatting happily as they walked past him. Not too long ago, that would've been almost unthinkable. Maybe a jade would get together with a yuren of a similar green hue if they really wanted to, if everyone was willing to pretend they were just a weird looking jade. They would have been pressured or outright kicked out of the family if they married anyone else though, which was about one of the worst things that could happen to someone here.
Cars and the occasional motorcycle rushed by him, some occasionally giving off fumes. Not that they didn't have those or roads even a few decades ago, but they weren't as widespread and ubiquitous as they were now. He even saw an open topped sports car zoom past him, the driver barely above the minimum driving age probably breaking all kinds of speeding laws.
Speaking of kids, he observed a group of them probably getting ready to play some ball game in a nearby park. They were all wearing clothes that wouldn't seem too out of place in most other cities and towns outside of Zhonghua. Two of them were on their tablets reading through something, and a third had earbuds on and was bobbing their head to an unknown beat.
And there he was, an old man that found it difficult to move sometimes. A figure people tended to shy away from due to the smoke he was having. He let out a small cloud of smoke at that thought, accidentally sending it near a topaz lady dressed in business wear. She gave him an irritated glare before returning her gaze to her tablet, quickly typing something to someone.
He didn't know how to feel about the new times. There was too many developments for him to really get accustomed to it. And now, his body was weak, refusing to listen and work the same for him as it did decades ago. Still, this world was what he fought for back then. Was it bad that the people here were moving forward now?
The man startled when some young opal girl rushed past him on a bike. Perhaps there are some things he disliked about how fast things were, he thought dryly.
Lin Zihan waved away the smell of smoke as she rode on her bike. Today was a good day, she thought. She got out of the house with little fuss and found a good spot to put up some art. She would need to restock on spray cans, but that was fine. Zihan would find a way, like she always did.
She didn't know exactly what got her into making street art. The yuren always liked drawing and painting, yes, but there were a hundred different ways to express it without potentially running into problems with the authorities. It's not like she disrespected other forms of art either. She learned from a few aunts and uncles that were receptive to her passion and were willing to humor her. Zihan can draw as well on a canvas as she can on a wall.
Was it the thrill of it, the rebellion? Maybe a little. It wasn't always illegal as there were some approved walls if she bothered to look it up, but most times she did her own thing. She couldn't deny that she enjoyed the feeling of secretly moving out to do something her parents would never approve of. The haste she had to work under and the risk of being caught… it scared her, yeah, but it energized her as well. She felt like it gave the drawings a bit of life and character.
But no. She didn't make street art just because of excitement. Zihan… she felt alive when she was breathing color into the world. All the stuff she constantly pictured in her head that she could only express in doodles during class when she was younger could be imprinted on the biggest canvas. With the slew of new, public, and featureless buildings being constructed, it was the perfect opportunity to act on that which always drove her. Countless people would see, and sometimes it would be taken down, especially if there was any hint of criticism towards the Jade Emperor. But there was the rare time it would be left up for a bit by someone who appreciated it, and Zihan would always go back to look at it in her normal attire.
There wasn't any bureaucracy, money, or other things attached to it. From the moment she went out and let out the first spray, the paint would be there. It could be taken down, worn away, or have something insulting drawn over it, but that was also part of the draw and process. It was something that lived in the moment.
Zihan's thought process slowed as she returned home to find a figure she was dreading to see. Her mom stared disapprovingly at her, judging eyes roving from her mask to the baggy pants and jacket. She cursed. Zihan really didn't want to deal with this right now. Guess she wasn't going with the gang to the concert tomorrow.
As the young opal yuren prepared for the chewing out of a lifetime, a colorful depiction of a dragon on a wall shattering a piece of jade twitched.
In an unassuming building in an unsuspecting city, a jade yuren sat surrounded by his most loyal supporters in a meeting room while planning his next move. He was in a good spot with many in the government. If he wanted, he could have the ear of the Jade Emperor. His business investments were paying dividends, and the various charities he funded were receiving a wave of public support. The yuren was straddling the line of lightly criticizing the emperor but ultimately appearing to still support his reign well while he continued building up his support base.
The various criminal organizations and gangs were always ready to act on his behalf when he needed them. Most could not resist the funding and supplies he was willing to give, and those that did were swiftly crushed and removed from sight. In turn, he gained insight and information on their movements and members. When the time came that he had no need of them anymore, he would be able to easily dispose of the pests that were so dependent on him.
When the time came… he clenched his fist. Once, Zhonghua was the true center of the world. Only the Meso Empire rivaled their majesty, and they fell and were replaced by squabbling and small-minded peoples. Tarshish was a pale imitation for most of their history, a bunch of lizards and plants playing at being an empire. Until Zhonghua became weak, and those opportunists pounced and took a chunk of their western coastline in the sea between them. Ever since then, they've lost their rightful place in the world. Even when Tarshish made their own miscalculation, the vultures from Avista feasted on the corpses of their betters. Now, that chimeric amalgamation of a nation strutted about as if they ruled the world.
He would ensure they fell just as Tarshish did. But first, he had to clean his own house. The people of Zhonghua did not suddenly become incompetent and unable to contest the other nations. What, then, was the true source of the ailment that afflicted Zhonghua?
For centuries, the ruling line of the Jade Emperor has been weak and unable to lead the nation to its rightful place. Ever since the chaotic times when Tarshish stole a piece of their empire, the emperor has been inept and incompetent. Little by little, their authority waned, and the nation became vulnerable to corruption from foreign influences. They became appeasers to both their own court and foreigners. The Jade Emperor lacked the strong hand to direct the people properly.
He sneered. The current Jade Emperor even appointed a citrine yuren as his First Sword Under Heaven. Ridiculous. Disgusting. Utterly despicable. To stoop so low for public opinion… he would end this. The room started to glow as his clenched hand started giving off light. The Jade Emperor will fall when the time is right…
…and he will be the next Jade Emperor. One who will restore the authority of the emperor and raise Zhonghua to preeminence once more.
AN:
Hey, double update. Hope you guys are enjoying this even if I'm delaying the quest a little. The themes of Avista, Tarshish, and Zhonghua are going to revolve around power and the struggles between the different people in each nation because of that. I hope I added enough of a unique flavor to the "trailers" for them. I'm starting to come around to the Avista segment now that I've slept on it, but I guess the part I'm worried about here is the street artist one. I thought an artist character like that would make for a really cool idea later, but I'm just not the most knowledgeable about the culture and stuff surrounding it.
Anyways, lemme know what you guys think. Four more places to go, and then the vote will really start hopefully. Might update those in batches, don't want to risk double posting too much. If a single vote doesn't change, I, uh, that might be a bit awkward for me haha. Also, kudos to anyone who got the reference in the first Tarshish part. I won't be making them super major characters I think, but I think it's fun have minor references.
Last edited:
Whispers from the Currents: Sumeri I and The Small Republic I
Farah walked excitedly down the road towards her destination, a faint flutter of hope in her heart. The gnoll had finally found a match through the app that felt just right to her. The guy was sweet, funny, kind, and a human that was interested in gnolls that wasn't too… out there. She coughed. Farah liked humans, she wasn't ashamed to admit it, but there were a lot of weird perceptions out there that people got wrapped in that she wasn't into. She's been searching for a while, and the gnoll hoped this would be the one.
The next day, two worried parents called the police when their daughter didn't come home.
Johari tapped his foot on the floor in the room he was told to wait in for his interview. The human had been taking on several jobs ever since their parents passed in order to support his younger siblings, and it's worn on him. He'll be the first to admit that he hasn't always been the best guy, but right now what remains of his family couldn't have the Johari that was a lazy slacker that got involved in all kinds of shenanigans. The man had to get his shit together. The door opened, and Johari turned to see who it was.
The next day, a young girl called and shakily asked where her big brother was.
Ebele, a cleric of the Light, hummed softly to herself as she made her rounds. Although she performed her duties during community gatherings, the miu thought the most important job was in reaching out to those who couldn't or wouldn't come for one reason or another. She felt that those were the ones in most need of the Light's guidance. Whether they hid and shied away from the Light's gentle rays or simply were unable to leave their home easily, Ebele would be there with an open hand.
The cleric had her hand slapped away sometimes, but she didn't take it to heart. People hurt in different ways, and she accepted that her brand of aid wasn't always the best way for some people. She would pray for them to find the right help.
Suddenly, Ebele stopped. The house she was just about to knock on… there was a roiling mass of malice and malignance, a sign of the particular feeling of sin that all clerics were taught to recognize. For a moment, the cleric hesitated. She was no paladin or hunter of evil. Ebele knew a few ways to call upon the Light to hurt the wicked but…
She heard a pained cry coming from inside. Ebele knew who it was. Amir, the kind old man who was so happy to talk to someone willing to listen to him. The cleric couldn't hesitate anymore. Quickly, she set down her basket and pulled out her tablet, activating a distress beacon before hiding it opposite the basket.
Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes. She called to the Light within her and prayed to the divine beyond before entering the house.
A perfectly plain and ordinary human fumbled for the keys to his home in his pocket. Jalal had been having a few good but hectic days recently. He was told to slow down a bit and wait though, so the man was going to sit at home for a while. Maybe he'd use the time to catch up on some shows, he mused. Finally finding the keys, he opened the door and flicked open the lights.
"Hello."
Jalal nearly jumped at the voice as he cried out, "What the—who the fuck are you? What are you doing in my home?"
The intruder, a miu dressed in some strange getup consisting of a trench coat and suit pants with a wide-brimmed hat covering part of her face, tilted her head to the side. Jalal's felt a chill run down his spine when he noticed the long rifle resting on her lap.
"Those are some very good questions, Jalal Ahmed. I wonder if you've heard them before."
"How do you know my name?" He spluttered, but his eyes were intent as he scanned the miu and room before her.
The miu ignored his question, "You were a top student during your time here in a preparatory magic academy, and were scouted by a prestigious college in Tarshish. Sadly, the ease with which you breezed through various subjects here did not carry over to your new school. You returned in disgrace within two years, unable to keep up with your peers."
Jalal sneered, clenching his fists, "What of it? What would you know of my life, huh?" He would direct his anger there and hopefully mislead her into believing that was what he cared about.
Once again, she ignored him, "You were approached by someone who sympathized with your woes and struggles. They criticized the way the college handled your education, and offered you a better way towards mastery of the arcane arts. You accepted."
Here, the man was silent. His expression became blank as the miu calmly began listing out various facts about his life.
"You were inducted into a demonic cult and sent here after your initiation to kill and spread your filth to grow in strength and sow the seeds of turmoil in our region. You murdered a human man and used his tablet to lure the gnoll he was speaking to. You murdered the guardian and older brother of three younger siblings when he came to apply for a job. You murdered an old man and recorded his cry of pain to lure and kill a cleric of the Light. You are also suspected of two additional murders before this."
The miu's head raised, slitted pupils boring into Jalal as she spoke, "Well? Did I get it right?"
For a moment, there was silence. Then Jalal threw back his head and howled in laughter.
"Yeah, you got me! Took you long enough. Well, there is one thing you got wrong."
He snapped his head back, eyes glowing a malevolent purple as veins bulged throughout his body.
"There's about to be a dead cat in this house too."
Jalal lifted his hand to send out a stream of roiling energy at the cocky miu, aiming to disintegrate her before she could react. Faster than he could blink however, her rifle came into position and a bang sounded across the room right before he screamed in agony. A white glowing bullet seared through the bubbling energy forming in his hand and his arm, burning and causing the limb to writhe in pain.
With an unnatural tolerance however, Jalal merely growled as he stepped forward to maul this uppity miu. Before he could, someone who should not have been as quiet as they were wrapped two armored arms around his neck and began to squeeze. He tried to pry them off with his strength, but found his hands scorched when he touched the armor. Jalal let out one final curse at his fate before he slumped unconscious.
Fatoumata eyed the unconscious form of the scum restrained on the ground. They finally got him and could begin sniffing out the rest of the cultists around here, but the victory felt hollow. He already managed to murder and probably sacrifice at least seven innocent people already. The demon hunters were notified too late, and it was only through the sacrifice of Cleric Ebele that they could find him before he could murder more people.
"Did you get all that recorded, Jasiri?"
A gnoll stepped from a hidden corner with a snarl on her lips, "Yeah, I did. Camera didn't break down for once. We'll be able to send it to the analysts."
"We must find this scum's accomplices, not waste time wondering about demonic powers." Amin, the armored human paladin, spoke up with a frown.
"We can do both," Fatoumata cut off the argument before it could start. "Having recorded evidence and a small idea of his powers will help in understanding our enemy here while we pressure them. The demons have been upping their game, and we have to adapt to match them."
Jasiri broke off her glare at Amin and looked down at the cultist, "You think he was sent from one of the northern regions?"
Amin scratched at his beard as his anger focused on the objective before him, "Sent from the north? Yes. Sent with a particular mission to sabotage the region? Unclear, they could have just as easily sent him off further away to make his sacrifices so he couldn't be tied as easily to them."
"Still," the gnoll spat. "What are the people up there doing? They really have no idea what forces they're playing with here, or how to properly deal with it."
"Let's discuss this more back at headquarters." Fatoumata said, keenly aware of the noise they made and time they have spent here since then.
The three nodded, and as they made their way back, the miu spared another glance at the cultist. She's been at this job for over ten years, and things never seemed to change. Ultimately, there would always be people tempted or desperate enough for easy power and fixes to their problems. Fatoumata could kill as many demons and cultists as she wanted. They always seemed to sprout two more for each one that died.
Shaking her head, the demon hunter looked away. Fatoumata needed a drink.
The Small Republic
Mimi winded her way through the streets of the town, carrying a long, thin pole with a long length of cloth hanging at the top to signal her presence. The nearly one foot tall minima began humming as she passed by houses barely taller the pole she carried. Other minima milled about, but only one or two carried poles like her. Mimi was the only one she knew in town that went to the other sections without business or school-related reasons. The road in between the rows of houses where the larger smallfolk walked were similarly empty.
She smiled as she braced herself against the wind, the cloth on her pole billowing. Mimi made a lot of friends with the people there, and they each did something nice for her every time she came by. Besides, today there was something she wanted to ask them. As she looked to the set of buildings in the distance that towered over much of the village, a determined glint entered her eye. One day, she'd leave this place and meet all the people out there in the world.
"Mr. Heartgather! Do you have any cherries for me?"
The middle-aged halfling smiled down at her from his stall, "Ah! If it isn't Mimi. Of course, I keep a few cherries on hand just in case you come by. Don't eat too much now."
He helped set her pole aside before handing her a cherry. Mimi took it with both hands and began to nibble on it, savoring the sweetness of the fresh fruit.
"What brings you here, Mimi? Is it just to nab a cherry from poor old Lary?" He asked, a mock hurt expression on his face.
The minima fiddled with the stem of the berry as she thought, "Actually, I wanted to ask you something."
"Oh?"
"Yeah," Mimi looked up at him, a rare expression of seriousness on her face. "You went to Avista once, right? For vacation?"
Lary's expression twitched, but he kept the smile, "Ah, yes. A friend of the family set up shop there and was feeling lonely, so I decided to visit with some others. Why do you ask?"
"What was it like? I heard there's super tall towers and lights everywhere, with the bird people flying all over the place to get around!"
"Ah…" Lary said. "Well, you're not wrong, I suppose. But Mimi, you shouldn't romanticize it too much."
Mimi tilted her head, "What do you mean?"
Lary sighed, "Out there, Mimi, it is a chaotic mess. A place where they do not care for the smallfolk. I'd be very worried if you should find yourself there. I suggest you put it out of mind. The places outside our fair town can be quite ridiculous."
"Ms. Tinkersong! What are you studying now?"
The pink-haired gnome looked up from her book and smiled at the minima, "Oh! Hello Mimi. I'm studying some very fun stuff! I'd demonstrate for you but uhm…" she coughed a little. "I would need your parents' permission first. It can be quite explosive, you see."
"Aww," Mimi pouted, setting her pole down and scrambling up a stool. "I don't think my parents would like that. But uhm, Ms. Tinkersong. Can I ask you something?
The gnome beamed, "Of course! You're speaking to Trilys Tinkersong! I know the answer to every question."
Mimi smiled brightly, "Okay! Ms. Tinkersong, you're so good with magic. I was wondering if you have ever been to Tarshish to study?"
Trilys's expression faltered, though the gnome managed to stop a scowl from forming on her face, "Mimi, why on Orbis are you asking about that dreadful place?"
"A-ah… I was just curious about some places outside here and…"
"Oh alright, I can't criticize you for wanting to know more," Trilys sighed. "Yes, I've been to Tarshish. Every good mage has. I wouldn't say I learned nothing there, but the people! So close-minded and arrogant. Wouldn't listen to a thing I said, and then they'd patronize me like I was—"
The gnome deflated when she saw the slightly wide-eyed expression the minima had, "I'm sorry, Mimi. I wish I could say something good for you but…"
Mimi bobbed her head, "It's okay, Ms. Tinkersong. I understand."
Trilys looked around for a bit before picking up a book, "Well, I do have some pictures, so here…"
"Mr. Riddle! Mr. Riddle! What are you doing out here?"
The well-dressed goblin, Cect Riddle, paused and looked around before spotting the cloth pole.
"Ah, Mimi. What a coincidence. I'm just taking a stroll. And you? Have you finished the homework I assigned?"
Mimi smiled, "Yep! I decided to go talk to some of my friends out here after I was done."
He smiled, "Good, very good. The social division between the minima and the rest of the smallfolk is a travesty, given our history. It gladdens my heart to see you connect with the town."
"Why wouldn't I?" Mimi asked, "Everyone here is nice. Except for Jelk. He's mean."
"Well—"
"Actually, Mr. Riddle, I want to ask you something now that you're here."
Cect sighed, but smiled genially, "Well, go ahead Mimi."
"You know so much about history Mr. Riddle, but you only talk about us! Can you tell me about the others? Especially the reallllly far away ones, like Zownngha and Yash imma?"
"Oh?" He questioned, amused by her mispronunciations. "Usually those are for the later years but…"
Mimi's eyes shined, "Are there super cool sword fighters there, fighting each other for honor and love? Are there really pretty clothes and drawings?"
"Oh, there's some of that there," he started. "But Mimi, you should know now that a place's history is quite complex. Zhonghua and Yashima's history was often not as beautiful as you make it sound. After all, they—"
The minima's eyes began to glaze over as her goblin teacher began to give an impromptu history lecture on the various ills in their history.
"Um, hi Ms. Polly. Is it okay if I come in?"
Brie Polly looked down at the minima before she sniffed and waved her in, "Oh, very well Mimi. It's good to see the youth willing to talk to their elders. What have you come in here for?"
Mimi stepped in and set her pole against the wall, "Well, I wanted to ask you something."
"Well ask it then, young one." The old mus said, whiskers twitching.
The minima blushed but forged onwards, "Have you been to the other countries and places in the world? I've been wondering—"
"No."
"No?"
"No." Brie said stiffly, not looking at Mimi.
"Oh, well… I'm sorry for—"
"Mimi. Let me tell you a little story passed down from parent to child for the mus." Brie said, still not looking at her.
Mimi perked up, "Oh, I love stories!"
"We'll see," the mus said. "Once, the mus lived freely both underground and on the surface. We ate plenty and lived happily amongst ourselves along with the humans, miu, lacerta, and others."
"There was a group of people who hated us for living in the same places they do however. We tried to speak and reason with them, to show that we can live together in peace. They did not listen. They raised their armies and terrible weapons of war. They scoured the land of us and pushed the mus to the fringes. They considered it a job well done, and celebrated when they thought to be rid of us."
"W-what…" Mimi stuttered.
Brie turned to stare down at the young minima, and Mimi thought she could see the scars of something from thousands of years past. She opened her mouth as if to continue, then shut it. Her eyes softened slightly, and she moved to the pole.
"I'm sorry, Mimi. I shouldn't have said that," Brie helped hand the pole back. "Here, let me to buy you something as an apology."
Mimi licked the dessert in her hand clean, but her thoughts were in turmoil still. What Ms. Polly said… she said it was a story, but it felt like she wholeheartedly believed it. Thousands of years ago… could something so terrible affect someone today? Was the outside world truly so horrible?
Thinking such thoughts, she didn't notice her grandfather waiting by the door to home until she nearly bumped into him.
"Ah! I'm sorry—Grandpa!" Mimi cried out, immediately going in for a hug.
"Hello Mimi, you've grown!" He responded, ruffling her hair as he hugged her back.
"What are you doing back here?" She questioned.
The elderly minima smiled, his antennae twitching as he pulled something out of his bag and presented it to her.
"Why, to give you this, of course! I got in contact with an old friend of mine in Avista, and he finally got around to making a console custom-designed just for us, with properly sized controllers!"
Mimi's eyes boggled as she took in the device. She heard about this, but never really saw it here in town. And he said someone from Avista made it for them?
"Grandpa…" her voice wobbled.
His smile slipped as he noticed her mood, "Mimi? What's wrong?"
"Do people outside here hate us?" She blurted out, and continued before he could respond. "I talked with a lot of my friends, and they all said really bad things about other countries. One even said a lot of their people got hurt, and then…"
He brought her in for a hug as she burst into tears, "Shh. Mimi, the people in other places don't hate us. Maybe some of them are bad, but there are bad people here too."
"Like Jelk?"
"Like Jelk," He said, laughing as he soothed her. "Mimi, the smallfolk… they have reason to be mistrustful of the other races. I won't deny that there have been bad times in the past… but you shouldn't ever think that they all hate you without even seeing how wonderful you are, understand?"
"I…" She started, then slumped into the embrace further. "Thank you, grandpa."
"Always, Mimi. Now, why don't we go inside and open this device up?"
AN:
Sorry for the late update. Had to visit the doctor during the time I get a lot of my writing done, and got busy with other stuff later. If the writing quality dropped a little for this, I apologize. I hope you enjoy them both still. The two have very different vibes and themes, but ultimately they're both focusing on deeply rooted internal problems. The Small Republic snippet was originally a lot longer, but I cut it down a bit to make it more on par with the rest. It still runs on a little long, but I didn't really want to remove a whole section. New Hope and Yashima should hopefully be finished tomorrow, and then we can get back to our regularly scheduled program haha.
Suzuki Akira stared down at the city from the roof he was standing on, a blank expression on his face. Both bright magical lights and neon signs obscured the muck and grime beneath it all, with the various spotless corporate districts overshadowing the squalor everywhere else. He knew that in those palaces of glass and metal, the rich and influential lived in luxury and ate well from the imports of food they hoarded to themselves.
The state of everybody else depended both on how useful and exploitable they were. Most people were either homeless drifters or working a job so bad they might as well be dead inside. Those people could either be passed out in an alley from drugs or spending all their money on the various entertainment services in the city. Some were useful as enforcers and gang members. They flaunted their power and lived a moderately better life until they met someone bigger than them. A few had valuable skills, and they were quickly snatched up and forced to work for one corporation or another.
Akira was one of the few who was both valuable and too difficult to coerce. Twenty-five years ago, he left his home in Yashima to get away from his family and the general stress he was under to see the world. He lingered in Goryeo, Zhonghua, and Avista for a bit, but eventually ended up in New Hope. Akira didn't come during the period where everyone was working on building it up, but it wasn't quite as bad as it was now. The mokujin was drawn by the sheer amount of people and activity around here, and quickly found his niche as a rare programmer and hacker who knew how to work magic into digital technology.
He should have left when he had the chance.
Over the next fifteen years, Akira threw himself into the city, doing odd jobs for various start-ups and people who needed help. He shared various bits of knowledge and advice as someone who learned from the best in Yashima back when everyone used to help each other out. The mokujin helped design some of the tech around the city that people used every day, and he was a pioneer and leader in the developing digital and virtual world with his expertise in magitech.
Now, he was tired and just entered his early 40's not too long ago while the city went to shit. His family never made it to the continent, and he assumed they were dead. Akira would never get to reconcile with them again. He had no friends and hadn't talked with anyone for reasons besides business in years. He found himself adrift and listless, and Akira found he lacked the will or determination to refuse the high-paying jobs from corporations that ruined the lives of the people here and sometimes even outside.
Yet, he felt like he couldn't leave. Akira spent so much of his life and time here, and what else did he have? Yashima was closed off to him, and nowhere else held any memories for him. For a time, he was happy here. It was a question he shelved in a dark corner of his mind, but deep, deep down… he wondered if things could change for the better.
Dr. Visser began to chuckle to himself as he beheld some of his newest products. Vials, needles, glassware, and other containers littered his laboratory, each one holding within them a result of his genius. They were for commercial purposes and sold to either the richest or destitute depending on what they were for, but he appreciated them all the same. No other mind in this city or the world could match his understanding of the body.
Oh he didn't have a degree, but that was the beauty of New Hope! So long as he proved his capability, he would be sponsored and hired to experiment all he liked. Having to peddle a few drugs and scheduling the occasional medical appointments with the rich was such a small price to pay to finally be able to see the fruits of his labor.
He smiled widely as he thought back to his old university. Those utter fools. Dr. Visser would make them regret kicking him out. Their obsession with "ethics" and "standards" doomed them all to mediocrity. Didn't they know how many advancements in scientific knowledge they used today have been from those very same unethical experiments?
He was beyond those mewling simpletons now. While they had to go through red tape to get a shred of funding or attention for their ideas, Dr. Visser obtained all the resources he needed from people who recognized his true value. He looked all around himself, his smile widening at the lines of vats and tanks surrounding them. Bodies from a variety of races hovered in each of them, suspended in liquid with wires attached and a mask over their mouth.
Dr. Visser could accomplish so much now. He would work to discover the ideal physical form and see how far the mental processes of an individual could be improved. Not only that, he would solve the conundrums and issues that have stumped the finest minds for decades. His gaze shifted to a small section of his laboratory where some cell samples in stasis along with a few innocuous strands of hair rested.
Elven hair.
Ada felt the tension leaving her body as she watched her crew of misfits mess around in the game room. The human had her worn out suit jacket slung over her shoulder and was currently leaning against the door frame just out of sight. She never thought she'd end up here back in the lecture halls of her mage academy in Tarshish. That life seemed so far away now. Ada wondered if she'd still be stewing over flunking out of school if she hadn't received the call for help from her brother that got caught up in some trouble in New Hope.
She helped him out of the city, but in the process saw the sea of suffering and pain there. Ada wasn't sure if it was the Light secretly motivating her or her own desperate need for a purpose in her life, but she decided to stay and do what she could to help people out. The dropout mage took jobs with little pay from those who needed the help and set up her own little system of connections among the grateful. Her crew came from those who she helped or inspired, wanting to follow in her footsteps despite the pay.
Ada wasn't powerful enough to challenge the whole city, but she swore she would be different from the rest. Her little band would fight for the people against those who sold themselves to large corporations, and hopefully one day it would lead to something more.
In one of the many rundown, unremarkable sections of New Hope, a nondescript warehouse sat among many others like it. A group of individuals clad in varying amounts of cyber tech and protective gear sat around a table playing cards, a flickering light the only source of illumination in the room. They had just got done with a job for one of the corporations needing a little muscle and were relaxing with each other for a little while.
Suddenly, the sound of the steel reinforced door leading to their hideout being kicked down made them jump as something tore through it with enough force to tear it off the hinges. They immediately scrambled to take out their guns and pointed it at the fallen door, where the barely visible form of someone stood silently at the entrance.
Too shocked to say anything, they watched as the figure casually took their foot out of the hole in the door, the metal holding it being torn apart as if it were wet tissue paper. Then, as if nothing occurred, it began to slowly walk towards them, the scraping sound of a pipe sliding on the floor the only thing they could hear.
One of them snapped out of it, "Crew, gun that fucker down already!"
They opened fire, but the bullets and energy did nothing to stop it. It did not get knocked back when they hit. It did not flinch or halt. It did not stop.
One of the bullets must've ricocheted or been misfired as suddenly the lights were hit and the room entered darkness. A momentary sense of panic was all the crew had before the monster was on them. The sounds of screams, bones being shattered with each impact of a pipe or fist, and flesh and blood being pulped and sprayed across the interior echoed in the building and surrounding area.
Not even a minute passed before a figure left the warehouse, the sound of the pipe again scraping against the floor. Blood, grime, and more were splattered all over their hair and mismatched clothes, obscuring many identifying features. Bullet holes and burn marks could be seen everywhere on their clothes, but what little could be seen past the grimy skin would reveal an almost ceramic or porcelain-like skin with strange cracks and materials running through it that had little to do with the projectiles shot at them.
Han Seo-yoon walked listlessly to her next target, a single minded focus driving her every step. Her raspy breaths and quiet shuffle forward were the only other sounds besides the pipe being dragged across the ground. In the haze of her mind, only one thought steered her actions.
She was going to tear down this city and its corporations to its very foundations, brick by brick, with her own two hands.
AN:
Yep, here's the cyberpunk setting of this world! Just gonna post this before I head out for now. It originally had a part with a CEO/business owner portion, but I took it out since it was short and didn't really add anything you guys wouldn't suspect already. Lemme know what you guys think. I found it somewhat difficult to move past certain tropes about these kinds of settings, but I think I have a very interesting idea for what will essentially be the cyberspace, and some magic/tech fusions possibly. Still, I'll admit that this snippet is probably the one I'm least confident on. Last up is Yashima, and then I rest my hands for a bit haha.
.