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Welcome to the world of Fortuna, a land of fantastic proportions. This is an original fantasy roleplay that takes place in a world developed over nearly a decade of work and collaboration. We aim to encourage all participants to have a hand in the stories of the characters here, and the world around them. Your choices are key - so make them with pride. You decide who wins the wars, you decide who becomes King, the world is ours, and together we will bring it to life!
Post by Ichabod Afof on Jan 12, 2017 23:32:00 GMT -7
He would have laughed at her insults, but then she had to go and touch him -- with holy energy. The stuff made him squeal and his grin finally faded, his eyes flashing to emeralds, and then to harsh rubies. His eyebrows and cheeks caved in, his face turning to a sharp structure of rough sandstone. This was more the reaction his mother had wanted, and so she permitted him a skin of stone once more, protecting him from the rough hold she was keeping him in.
YOU SEE NOW, CHILD? YOU SEE NOW THE KIND OF DANGER YOU HAVE PERMITTED YOURSELF INTO?
"I see no God before me, no Deity," His voice was no longer smooth, it was rough and jagged, filled with a threatening gravel, "I see only a flimsy memory of an avatar long since ascended. You claim this land is your's, and yet--" He took a deep whiff of the air, "I do not smell your stench on the air, on these branches. No, this is Ayniea's land. But now... I have broken her protections, not only here, but everywhere else she laid her will. I have weakened her grip, and shaken her roots." Stalactites broke through his shoulders, ripping through the branches with a sharp snap. He was still held, however, perhaps Diassei merely showing that her child was not unprotected.
"Her throne has been empty, and she will require a new avatar. Some pious creature of life to stand in her stead. But she is weak, and her power is deftly contained. But as the chains of the world weaken, so do the seals around her power. Soon, she will have the strength to offer you... But not without your aid, dear, sweet, pious--" At some point, he had snapped an arm free, and now it reached out to touch her face. It was cold to him. Resistant. His hunger did not seem to pass her cheek. "Pelagia."
Last Edit: Jan 12, 2017 23:32:36 GMT -7 by Ichabod Afof
Post by Pelagia Xista on Jan 13, 2017 20:50:39 GMT -7
Pelagia was quite certain by this point that this demon was truly clueless, ignorant to her goals and purposes entirely, and yet what he was attempting to offer her, to tempt her with... it was, hilariously enough, exactly what she was already working towards. He seemed to think that it was his actions which would facilitate someone rising to take Ayniea's place. Oh how foolishly naive. Pelagia was almost disappointed. She'd heard that demons were meant to have a talent for knowing things, that they could offer deals to people using that knowledge as a weapon.
This man had managed to guess at what might interest her, and yet his ignorance meant he had little to actually offer her. What could he do that Pelagia was not already doing for herself?
Well... after some thought, she realized that perhaps there was one thing.
His hand at her cheek was a surprise, but she had not flinched against it when it came. She merely sat, reclined as she was in the air, and stared back at him. His morphed face watched her as though waiting for something, and then he finally spoke her name, rough in his transformed throat. She felt it now, she realized. His touch; he was trying to do something to her. Something that was having no effect at all. A power move, was it? Pelagia decided she'd made one of her own.
She smiled sweetly at him, and lifted a hand to gently take hold of his own, as though the two were briefly sharing in a lover's caress. Then she squeezed, and her palm glowed with a radiance well magnified beyond what she had tormented him with moments ago. His rock-like skin hardened but it was to no avail - her magic seared his flesh, burning where she touched and quickly wearing away the layers of rock and then skin. His usual attempt at self-collection failed him this time, and he made a very audible sound to echo his pain. It almost sounded like a roar in the gravelly tone his voice came out in, and his fingers wrapped more tightly around her hand to cut into her own flesh. She could feel his hand starting to sprout stalactites where the rock hadn't been burned away yet, stabbing into her, but unlike him she was clearly more skilled at masking her pain. She simply started laughing as he thrashed around and continued to hurt her.
She finally stopped once she felt a distinct grainy feeling akin to sand, her hand growing dim and the holy energy ceasing its onslaught. She looked at their joined palms, seeing her own bloodied and with punctures - the spikes which had made them already burned away by her magic, leaving only the wounds. In spite of its shoddy shape, it kept its grip on the demon's hand... or rather, what was left of it. His "hand" looked like little more than a chipped rock at this point, a thin stretch of "palm" still connected to his wrist, half a thumb, and a couple of fingers still barely present, but there were pieces that had broken off everywhere, like fragile, fossilized stone. She hadn't imagined the sand, either; there was a small, steady stream of it running through the holes in his destroyed hand, falling like the sands of an hourglass to the ground below.
She began to heal herself.
"Tell me your name, demon," she instructed, her voice soft and kind in the most unnerving way imaginable. Her healing magic closed her wounds, taking away the pain, and she noted curiously how the sand had stopped falling and began to collect at the openings in the demon's mangled hand instead. Was it possible she was actually healing this damage, as well? She smirked. She'd never healed a demon before, but she was Pelagia Parvata Xista, worker of miracles, after all. Perhaps she was capable of more than even she realized. It looked almost like rapid sedimentation, how sand collected and hardened, and very gradually sprouted out to retake the shape of fingers. Jagged fingers, but fingers no less.
She released his hand, letting it fall as she continued to watch, his wound healing on its own now. His face, which had already started to look monstrous earlier, perhaps looked downright furious now, eyes boring hatefully into her own. His skin was hardening all over, as though completely abandoning the guise of a mortal. So she'd upset him, had she? This was only all the more interesting.
Post by Ichabod Afof on Jan 13, 2017 23:52:46 GMT -7
When he roared with pain, so did the Voice. Not because she was feeling it - no, she was a distant observer - but because she was angry. This pathetic mortal would dare lay a hand on her child. She didn't realize what the boy was capable of when she cared to aid him. His old family was evidence of that. This woman would be no different but-- Not here. In Aurcaele, the aasimar held the advantage. The energy of Ayniea could be felt at every root, pulsing across the land. Land that was not Her's. Perhaps below, down where there were mountains, and real earth, and stone, and sand - there, she would hold far more power, and she would lend it to Ichabod the moment she sensed this Pelagia.
For now, she would rebuild him.
Ichabod on the other hand, had none of these thoughts. He just felt pain, and the pain caused anger. He remembered the way he suffered in his childhood, remembered the torment - Pelagia was just like his honey-blonde sister. She also believed she held the cards, but no... He had held an interest in her, but this display had now solidified something else. He could have offered her much, but now she had proven she would only take. She had nothing to give.
"I owe you nothing," He grunted. It had taken him a while to recover, his hand aching from the wrist where she had held it, where she had destroyed it. Mother was restoring him, but she could only work so quickly. His eyes went from ruby to obsidian now, cold and blank. If he were flesh now, he would have been coated in sweat, pale and sickly looking. But he was rock, completely solid, and he would not budge. No, he had given her a chance. She had wasted it. He moved his head, the rocks crunching as he did, and began to speak with gravel in his voice, "All you offer are threats. Weak, pathetic threats. You cause me pain? Ha! Nothing to what I have lived. You intend to kill me? A worthless effort, as I will come back as I have before and will always do. My power - the power of my patron, far more powerful than your's, and filling me with strength as we speak, can be shared with those who have something of worth to offer. And those are the only souls who I would deign worthy of my name, let alone my aid."
He began to shake, to laugh, and his eyes became emeralds once more, and his hand was now fully formed - though not completely rock yet. As he laughed, the rock of his body quaked. As it quaked, it cracked. And as it cracked, iron broke through, tearing the branches of the tree to splinters. He dropped down with a heavy thump, and he was knelt there on the ground. Yet, despite the almost prostrate position, he was not weak. He did not look at her as he spoke, "No-- No... Pelagia. Pelagia Xista. I spit on your name, I curse it. I curse it to every fiend with the mind to hear it, and I will ensure all know your doomed fate. To rot in Ephilroa everlasting, suffering Streike's eternal punishments with the likes of me..."
He finally stood, his eyes meeting her's as the iron that broke him free began to melt over his stone in a grotesque fashion. He continued speaking, the melting iron entering his mouth and spitting out as he spoke: "That is, of course... Should you continue this pathetic show of aggression. You should know, demons enjoy deals - even with those of your ilk. But I stand to gain nothing as your offer stands now. And I am no mortal's tool."
Last Edit: Jan 13, 2017 23:53:47 GMT -7 by Ichabod Afof
Post by Pelagia Xista on Jan 14, 2017 2:02:50 GMT -7
His form changed once more, this time with the stone being replaced by jagged metals as he began to spew his displeasure at her. He was offended, he was furious, he called her weak, laughed at her threats, said she'd rot in Ephilroa with the likes of him... even as he actually managed to break free of his bindings at last and fell to the floor, his form still changing, the metals on his body melting over him, his face now holding nothing akin to a mortal man... even as he stood and looked up at her as a fully realized monster, Pelagia found it all rather... unimpressive.
She'd heard of demons being unspeakably terrible creatures. Sinister. Terrifying. Horrible to behold in their true glory. What Pelagia saw here was nothing more than a monster of a man who was not even as fearsome as some of Fortuna's wild beasts.
She uncrossed her legs and floated down, landing softly on the ground to stand level with him. "If you're through with your petulant little tantrum," she started, arms crossed. "A deal is precisely what I was going to offer you. But then you went and cursed my name... tsk. Really makes me reconsider my stance on that matter."
She waved a hand thoughtlessly to repair the tree behind him, getting rid of the extra branches she had made it sprout, and making the abnormal thorns on those branches fall harmlessly to the floor. The willow now looked once again as it had before, no traces of "desecration" left.
"Your threats don't concern me, demon. But what I find interesting is that you extend the offer to make a deal at all, even in spite of all that "cursing my name" you were just doing. Do you know what that tells me? It tells me that I do indeed have something to offer you, regardless of your claims to the contrary. Something you want." Here she flashed him a coy smile. "Not as good at playing your cards close to your chest as they say demons are supposed to be, are you? So speak then. Tell me what it is that I can offer you. Otherwise, I'd be happy to extinguish you here and now. And when you come back, seeking your revenge, I'll be happy to do it again, and again, and again."
Her coy smile morphed then, this time becoming something much more wicked. "Much as I'd relish the opportunity, though, I do feel as though we could have a much more amicable relationship than that. What say you?"
Post by Ichabod Afof on Jan 15, 2017 9:52:26 GMT -7
DO NOT PERMIT HER TO DELVE UNDER YOUR SKIN, the voice said. But Ichabod was not good at walking away. Her words drove him mad with anger. She dare call him petulant, as she had attacked him for not answering her questions? She dare act as though she had merely been making conversation, when she had threatened his life, had ripped his hand from him, had tortured him?
LEAVE HER NOW, SHE HAS NO USE TO US, the voice told him. But Ichabod knew better. He knew that she could in fact aid them. He knew exactly how, in fact. Which was the only reason he had refused Diassei's offer of more power. That was why he had only given her mere impalements on her hand. That was why he had not ripped her scalp from her head, as he had done to the sister she reminded him so much of. It was the only reason he could not fill his belly with her flesh. She had a use. Until that use was done, he would neither walk away, nor devour her.
A beast of rock now coated in metal - Ichabod had never stayed in this form so long, and now he was curious how it would change if he maintained it, the voice told him not to test it, that she was only doing this to keep him alive - he stayed still, not moving closer to her, but instead staring with hollow gems of eyes. He would not argue with her. He would not stoop to her pathetic attempts at bullying. He needed to resist - and thankfully now, he was stone-faced. "Tell me," He said, not speaking to her, though she wouldn't realize the difference. The Voice knew he was speaking to her, and she steamed at his refusal to listen to her.
But she would rather he not die.
Ichabod was quite lucky that Pelagia's desires were those that Diassei ruled. Even from her prison, she could hear the silent pleas for it. Wealth, power, noble position. She was the patron of those who ruled and those who wanted to rule. Whether Pelagia liked the idea of Diassei being closer to her than Ayniea or not - this was the truth. PELAGIA XISTA, WARLORD OF AURCAELE. AS SHE HAS MADE QUITE CLEAR, SHE THINKS OF HERSELF AS ABOVE MORTALS - ABOVE EVEN YOU. SHE IS A PATHETIC CREATURE, FOR SHE SHALL NEVER ACHIEVE ANYTHING BEYOND MORTAL SUCCESS. SHE WILL DIE LIKE ALL OTHERS, AND THAT DEATH WILL BE LASTING LIKE ALL OTHERS. Ichabod did not respond, he was waiting for more. SHE WISHES TO BE QUEEN, LIKE ALL I CAN SENSE THE DESIRE TO RULE OTHERS. BUT AYNIEA DOES NOT PERMIT SUCH THINGS AS I WOULD. THE ROYAL FAMILY HAS BEEN IN POWER FOR ALL TIME... AND SO PELAGIA XISTA SHALL FAIL.
Perfect. The voice did not know all - he knew as much - and what she did not know, he could observe. She had been so confident as she had walked into the grove. Happy. Someone such as her found happiness in few things. This pride would be his hint. He continued from his tell me, now actually focused on Pelagia, and made his guess: "You have finally found a method to usurp your Queen, have you not?"
Post by Pelagia Xista on Jan 15, 2017 17:35:37 GMT -7
He spoke and then paused for a moment, staring at her while remaining oddly still, and she found herself wondering what it was he was thinking of, what he was seeing. She didn't know too much about how demons came to know things, aside from possibly the obvious methods of spying, but she supposed that he could be doing something now that allowed him to glean information. Perhaps she might normally try to stop someone whom she was aware was trying that sort of thing - she knew how to guard herself against the prying eyes of diviners - but this demon already knew things he shouldn't as it was. There'd be no point in trying to stop him now, not when she intended to deal with him anyway.
When he finally spoke his question-like observation, she gave a light, patronizing applause. "Very astute. But those wheels are already well in motion. I don't require help with the method. Rather, I only require something fairly simple from you. But first, you've yet to tell me what is you want. Or your name, for that matter. I believe I asked you for it earlier. Or do you still owe me nothing?"
It was difficult to read what his feelings were, what he was thinking, with his face morphed as it was, especially when he was keeping it so still. She briefly wondered if he was capable of motion at all in this state, but reason dictated that he was no wild beast; he likely wouldn't have a form that was purely for defense. It would be foolish to assume he couldn't try to strike her at any moment, and she would remain vigilant for any signs of such attempts. Until she could be sure of his intentions, she had to assume he was likely still quite upset with everything she had done to him till now.
Of course, it was nothing short of satisfying if that was the case.
Post by Ichabod Afof on Jan 16, 2017 10:48:25 GMT -7
She was so sinful. Vain and haughty, wrathful, jealous. Without those six wings, he would have pegged her a demon - a powerful one, with domain over many sins. But no, she was a mere mortal. A pretender to piety. He ought to be embarrassed for her, but he was more excited to see what would happen in her tale. He knew she would die, villains like her, villains like him, they were marked. But... When? How? What righteous soul would land the killing blow. He laughed cheerily, liquid metal spitting into the gap between them.
"I merely want for you to accept my aid," He finally told her, "I'd much prefer someone interesting with a crown about her crown. I have the powers of a bard at my disposal, only enhanced by my infernal birth. Permit me the spread of your... Goodness and I assure you shall find your task far easier. Should you fail in it, perhaps I shall revisit you with less glad tidings... But I have faith in your perseverance. Poison the ears of your people with lies, dear Pelagia. Enforce your goodness. Become celebrated. That is all I could desire."
...Child, was this of your own doing, or have I implied that which I have not stated? The Voice sounded almost prideful - happy for it to be either for him, or herself. Ichabod would beam, though his mouth was merely a jagged break in the rock in this form.
Post by Pelagia Xista on Jan 23, 2017 22:39:36 GMT -7
Pelagia was almost ready to laugh. In fact, she found it difficult not to. The ask this demon had of her was quite literally exactly what she already intended to do. And what she was prepared to ask him to do was exactly what he was offering. It begged the question of what was even to gain from striking a deal over the arrangement.
The way he had laughed, spilling liquid metal over his gaping maw as he did, made Pelagia wonder if this intent of hers was something he had already seen. If that was the case, then surely he had something better to spice the pot with.
"I'm afraid there are two problems to this little arrangement," she stated conversationally, examining him with an amused glint in her eye. "The first is that I do not require your assistance to succeed. Usurping Queen Fabelle is something I fully intended to do well before I came across you today, and I am already well-poised to do exactly that. The offer you have made me, to allow you to spread propaganda for me... I dare say I needn't permit you to do that at all. I was actually prepared to ask you to do that in exchange for whatever it was you wanted, but seeing as what you want is apparently to do exactly that, then there would be no reason for a deal here, would there? I will do as I already intended to do, and you will do as you already intended to do. There is no need to bind either of us to some contract of souls over the task. Not unless..."
And here her eyes narrowed with a wicked light, her smirk darkening. "Not unless, of course, you had something else in mind. Some way to assure me that you could twist the hearts of the people into willingly accepting me as rightful ruler. And something which I, in exchange, could only offer you once the crown is mine. Surely there's a way to make this more interesting, is there not?"
If one were to ask why Pelagia was pushing this envelope at this point, her answer could be none other than sheer curiosity. This was a deal with a demon, and yet all he had offered was something so mundane as the assistance she would already have asked for, and which she didn't even need, strictly speaking. After all, she already had Markus Woodrow in her pocket. It was disappointing. Pelagia wanted to see what a demon was truly capable of. What he could do that a common mortal charmer couldn't.
Besides. She was not afraid of a deal with a demon. Whether he was ignorant of her goal or just plain stupid, Pelagia would have nothing to fear from anyone if she actually succeeded. She would have the power to simply erase anyone who stood in her way.
"As for the second little problem," she continued, this time returning to her more casual tone. "In spite of my having asked you twice, you have not offered me a name to call you by. Let me be frank, here and now, demon: I will not make any dealings at all with one whose name I do not know. And I will not ask you for it again."
Post by Ichabod Afof on Jan 24, 2017 15:45:29 GMT -7
It wasn't often that his marks wanted more. He was specific in the deals he made. Offer them something they wanted him to do, and in return all they needed to do was what they wanted to do. It was simple. More than simple. And it tricked many a stupid soul into binding themselves to him. This deity forsaken aasimar was once again making his job more difficult... And also, more interesting.
He couldn't decide if he liked it or not.
He certainly did not enjoy her insistence on him offering her a name. She hadn't earned it. She had done nothing for him, and had done plenty to him. She ought to beg his forgiveness, not demand his name. The Voice didn't speak, but it must have agreed in some way, as the liquid metal of his body solidified, and he became pure steel. All of his features rounded, every piece of him looking otherworldly. Most mortals would quake, or bow. Pelagia did neither. Mother was unhappy.
"I offer to make your dreams a reality, and you wish for me to demand more of you in return?" His voice no longer had a liquid sound of spit, but instead seemed less human, and echoed in his hollowed metal mouth. You shall be a worthless ruler, far too concerned with your own vanity to look past the tip of your nose, He thought cruelly, metallic fists clenching. "You do not understand what I gain from you being the ruler of this land, Xista. That payment is more than suitable for my liking... But should you demand I ask more, then ask I shall." Was chaos in Aurcaele not enough? Was the breaking of another seal not enough? He was not greedy, he was gluttonous. Perhaps... She could offer aid that he could not touch.
"Information is what I shall ask of you, and it is what I shall offer in return. I hold knowledge that will only hasten your assent to the throne. Dark secrets that will surely see you prevail. And... You shall use your power as Queen to locate objects of a particular interest to me. Does this twist the story enough for you, Xista? Or shall you continue to demand more of me and waste this time I've so generously offered? And... Before you strike with your haphazard force once more, I shall offer you my name. Collateral on our deal. My name... Is Ichabod."
Post by Pelagia Xista on Jan 24, 2017 18:27:23 GMT -7
So he could finally listen to instructions. The demon's expressions were impossible to read in his current state, now fully transformed into some kind of otherworldly metal monster. Pelagia supposed that this at least was something she hadn't seen before - the form of stone was something one could find easily enough in Dirys's native creatures, but a body of moving metal was at least marginally more impressive. But while his face may have betrayed nothing, his attitude led her to believe that he was... intrigued, if also perhaps annoyed.
She rather enjoyed that she could annoy him.
But what was more important was that he had at last dispensed with his secrecy, and put his best foot forward; an offer for information, the most powerful weapon of all. He wouldn't merely pollute the minds of her people for her, he would also offer her something she lacked, which could make her own ascent all the more easy. And in exchange, he would ask that she use her newfound powers to aid him in the search for something he was seeking. Now this sounded more like a proper demonic deal, and if the creature could truly offer what he claimed, it would be far more worth her while than to simply have him do what she could do for herself.
"Ichabod," she said, her voice curling around the syllables pleasurably, clear indication of satisfaction that he'd given her what she asked for. It was telling to her; he clearly valued what she could offer him a great deal more than he would have probably liked for her to believe. Enough that he would finally acquiesce to her demand so that she would not withdraw her participation in this arrangement entirely. "This new offer of yours is far more interesting than the last. You have my ear, then. What would you have me seek for you, as queen? Tell me and I shall tell you whether or not I agree. And if I do, I should hope that this information of yours is certainly sufficient to easing my agenda."
She wouldn't demand what that information was, of course. The deal had not yet been formally struck, and she knew better than to think he'd simply offer it before then. After all, there'd be no cause for a deal if information was simply given. No, she'd hear first what he wanted her to find. Whatever it was, though, she doubted anything he was searching for would give her cause to refuse. After all, he clearly didn't realize just what he'd be helping her achieve if this deal was struck. A petty crown meant nothing in the grand scheme of things, and yet to him she must seemed so singularly focused upon it...
She would relish the day when she'd have all the godly might necessary to make even a demon quiver before her.
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