< atton revisited > The information page for Atton has been fully revised and updated with the new map!
< updated calendar > The Fortuna calendar has been updated in the "Other" lore section! This includes a document which displays the calendar for you to see, making it much easier to understand.
< moving map > The first functional map has been released in the News section! This map is also interactive, allowing you to drag and drop between points in order to determine distances. This is the first iteration, and there's more and better to come!
< first annual awards > The results for the First Annual Fortuna Year-End Awards have been posted! Go and take a look at who the finalists were, and who took home the big prizes!
< new default skin > Our new skin has passed the beta test, and is now the new Default for the forums! If you have any issues with this skin, send a PM or Discord to Mellie.
< human lore update > Humans have been updated with TWENTY-FIVE subraces/subcultures which add numerous options, and a little extra lore and flavour.
< magic lore update > Magical Lore has been enhanced with the addition of a post on Magical Education. From Beginner to Expert, this is how you learn the spells.
< a change to member groups > Member groups are now based on storyline! You can change your displayed storyline by editing the settings in your profile.
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!
Sabela stood behind the main table, against the back wall where she could see everything that was going on and where no one would be able to sneak up behind her. It wasn't as though she expected anyone to try, but rather an instinct to always keep herself protected in any situation. It was also why she always knew where all of the potential exits were, and why she wanted to know exactly who all was in the room and the building in general. Knowledge was power, and all that.
After the meal was introduced one of their distinguished guests, Pelagia Xista, abruptly stood and made a scene about how it was monstrous to feed them such a thing (not using those words exactly, but the sanctity of life was mentioned and Sabela felt almost slighted by the comment, given her own dietary requirements) and she would have no one who did such a thing join her peace agreement. Elias though, always a step ahead, seemed to have just the right speech for the occasion as he rallied his countrymen and even some of the foreign guests by speaking of the years of enslavement Muerte had dealt with, and how this was a glorious occasion to rise from the ashes and take back the country, and somehow eating a centaur was part of that. Whatever he said seemed to work though, as many if not most people dug happily into their meal and most of the rest, no matter how reluctant, ended up eating it as well. Only a few, taking bravery from Markus Woodrow no doubt, pushed their plates away and refused to dine.
Suddenly and without any discernible cause or explanation, Sabela felt her breath leave her as her heart rate doubled and for just a moment her vision darkened, as though she stood up too quickly and the blood had rushed from her head. She hadn't done that though, and in fact she hadn't moved at all except, now, to place a steadying hand against the wall behind her as she reeled from some unseen force. She hadn't eaten in a few days but this feeling wasn't weakness due to hunger. It was a feeling that she didn't have words for and for which there was no precedent. There was a restlessness in it, and a need... but for what, she didn't know.
After the initial confusion she turned her attention outward to see what could have caused it. People were eating, nothing noticeable was happening, except there - at one of the tables someone was standing, followed soon after by someone else, the man from earlier who she couldn't identify. This was not something that should cause her any emotion whatsoever, however it appeared to be the only thing that was different than the moment before it had happened. It was a tenuous connection at best, but even without the strange feeling it was not a time when guests should be getting up and leaving anyway. Pelagia had done that, sure, but to allow just anyone to do it could undermine Elias's power here.
She decided to follow them.
Sabela slipped through a side door into the hallway, the guards knowing well enough to let her through without any trouble, and from a distance kept an eye on the two as they made their way to a sitting room of sorts. She felt uncomfortable now in her fine dress, standing at the end of the hall conspicuously with no real plan or even idea of what she was doing here. She took a step toward the room without thinking and then stopped herself. No, she wasn't going to barge into the room. She didn't know what the two were up to, and she had a bad feeling about it for some reason, but unless she saw a direct threat to Elias there was no need for her to intervene.
Her heart was still fluttering in her chest though and she could feel her nerves on edge until almost as suddenly as it had started the feeling stopped. She let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding as the tension left her body, though she was left just as perplexed as before. Maybe it didn't have anything to do with those two at all. Maybe there was something wrong with her, or maybe it really was a passing weakness from not feeding recently enough. She would be glad to dine on her prey after the meal was concluded.
She was still standing in the hallway. Why was she still standing in the hallway? She turned, intent on returning to her spot behind Elias, when she almost fell against the wall as the feeling from earlier returned but stronger, making her knees weak. She saw down the hall a little girl leading two guards and a black cloak to the room with the two people in it. As she steadied herself she saw one guard open the door and the little girl pointed inside, and the feeling was gone now but there was something else, a fear inside of her that kept her heart thudding in her chest. What was happening to her? Was this divine punishment for something she had done? She anticipated being judged, but never thought it might happen while she was alive. No, that wasn't it. It couldn't be it. There was something about the two people in that room, it had to be. It was the only explanation she had, not that it was much of an explanation.
There was a brief scuffle in the room, but as with any scuffle with a black cloak it didn't last long. Only one of the two emerged from the room when it was over. The man walked out with the little girl, escorted by one of the guards. Sabela walked down the hall as they began walking in her direction, as it would seem less suspicious than simply standing there watching them and because now she wanted to see who the woman was that had been apprehended. Maybe she would get some answers.
She noticed immediately that the man was staring at her. The guard stared too, at first, but then looked away as though afraid of what she might do to him. That was the typical response. The expected response. The unknown man though continued to stare. A moment later the little girl looked to the man and then stared at her as well, though her expression was more curiosity and possibly excitement, whereas the man... she couldn't place it. Hungry, almost. Sabela looked to all three of them briefly before turning her attention back to the end of the hallway, very pointedly ignoring the two sets of eyes watching her intently. She could find them later and question them, but there was an already captured person just waiting for her in the room.
Each step towards the three of them felt uncomfortable in a way she couldn't easily describe, much like how she had been feeling since this all started. Part of her felt drawn forward, but another part wanted to turn and run the other way. It wasn't like her to feel impulsive like that. It wasn't like her to feel anything like this at all. She was deeply unsettled.
The moment she passed them, walking within barely a foot of the unknown man, she felt a pain unlike any she had ever felt bloom behind her eyes. It was like being struck by lightning or falling from a cliff; the three of them continued walking but she stopped in her tracks, barely able to keep herself on her feet. She looked back over her shoulder and saw the man do the same and for just a moment their eyes met and he almost seemed happy for some reason. She did not recognize him, but for some reason this feeling was uncomfortably familiar. Sabela turned back and began walking again, somehow cursed by this stranger and some unseen force but determined not to let him see her falter. She reached the room without further incident, but couldn't shake the feeling that somehow something was very, very wrong with her and it had something to do with that man.
Post by Markus Woodrow on Nov 11, 2017 17:12:01 GMT -7
[attr="class","mwoody"]
[attr="class","mwoody2"]
[attr="class","mwoody3"]A PREDATOR OF THE SEAS
[attr="class","mwoody4"]CURING THIS OCEAN DISEASE
[attr="class","mwoody5"] Markus had been listening to the conversation between Elias and Adesola cautiously. It was a thin line that Woodrow was walking here, particularly as Elias began to espouse that the two of them were similar. Yes, perhaps they both desired justice... But for Woodrow, it was a virtuous desire. Woodrow desired justice for others, peace for all, and an end to all evil. Elias on the other hand seemed set upon using justice as a tool for his own personal revenge, an end to anything that opposed him. For some reason, Woodrow had a brief remembrance of that soldier girl, whatever her name was. He felt a mild guilt wash over his mind for a moment, but Elias' call upon him relieved him of such feelings.
"Would you agree, or would you reverse your choice if given the opportunity?" Elias had asked, and Woodrow needed a moment to parse the precise situation Elias was referring to. He noted that Toran's brow had furrowed beside him, and cursed the King for being so silent. This was how Woodrow knew he cared about what the peacekeeper would say next, as Toran would only ever listen until finally he had the exact answer he needed. This was just what he was waiting for.
"No," Woodrow's mouth rounded sweetly on the word, his answer completely definitive - but not complete. Before Elias could use his response to further his own goals, Woodrow continued, "But I must chide you, Elias. What you have created is a false equivalence. My actions caused those who are innocent to perish, and for that my self-flagellation will be unending, but I can hold firm in confidence knowing that their deaths served those loved left behind. Their children survive because of that sacrifice.
"What you have deigned to do here... The sacrifice of the Beastfolk is not furthering the cause of the Beastfolk. This is where I believe our choices diverge. Not to offend, of course." He finished his speech with a sip of wine, pretending to look as though they were merely discussing the weather, or perhaps some aspect of trade, and not matters of life and death. In truth, he took the sip to defuse any tension between him and Harel that might have formed, and to check on Toran's reaction. The King's face was passive - as always - but he seemed to be nodding somewhat.
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[attr="class","mwoody3"]TAGS
[attr="class","mwoody4"] Another Elias one coming.
Post by Elias Harel on Nov 11, 2017 18:00:59 GMT -7
[googlefont=Montserrat]
[attr="class","mary"]
[attr="class","mary2"]
[attr="class","mary3"]THIS KINGDOM OF MINE,
[attr="class","mary4"]THIS GIFT FROM THE DIVINE
[attr="class","mary5"] Elias ‘hmmed’ at Woodrow’s response, joining him in sipping the wine; joining him in pretending as though this were merely casual conversation. Markus Woodrow was a hypocrite, this Elias knew, and so listening to his admonishments was maddening. Elias was proud to stand firm in his values. How easy would it be for him to hide the things Muerte was doing to Beastfolk? How easy would it have been for him to put on an act for these leaders? Instead, he lead with honesty, and did not shy away from the controversy it would draw. Markus Woodrow was a coward, hiding his injustices behind a veneer of eloquence. Elias Harel would look forward to dragging the man down, particularly because it would make himself look all the better.
"No offense taken, my friend, but a disagreement made," Elias smiled, and it seemed to break the tension that had grown at the table. Adesola relaxed against her seat, back straightened again; Toran’s brow stopped wrinkling; and even Marion Nickell - who had not seemed to be paying attention - gave a small sigh that might have been imperceptible to all but himself with his sharpened senses and Clemen Toran, who sat next to her.
He realized then that he would need to approach them all individually, without Woodrow’s influence. He was certain he could receive Adesola’s support, even in some small way. Perhaps a shipment of weapons. Marion Nickell would be a hard sell, due to her devotion to peace, but perhaps if he showed her the horrors that Liesdro and Dirys put his country through, she could be moved to at least make a statement about her support for Muerte defending itself. Toran would be the most difficult. Certainly Elias had established an easy relationship with Alvin Lee, and even learned that Toran was his half-brother, but he preferred not to use blackmail where he could. It was something that would always blow up in your face. No... He would find another way to make Toran listen.
But all of this was for later. For now: "Forgive my table manners - Queen Adesola, Queen Nickell, King Toran, Lord Woodrow. It has been quite a time since a Muer man has been allowed at any table such as this, I’m afraid me and my people are unpracticed. Please, do not feel guilt over refusing our culture, I gladly accept the differences in perspective you offer to me. I dearly hope you can give the Muer perspective such understanding, if nothing else."
The table nodded their assent, whether or not they truly did agree with the statement, and conversation quickly shifted to a noncommittal discussion about Atton, a much more favored and distant topic. Nothing to bristle any feathers. Elias would politely offer his opinions when asked, but otherwise merely counted down the moments to when he could prey on the leaders individually. Soon...
[attr="class","mary2"]
[attr="class","mary3"]TAGS
[attr="class","mary4"] Sabela; when you re-enter, will re-commence.
Sabela stepped back out of the room and closed the door behind her before leaning back against it and letting out a breath, looking tired. She suspected that the woman would escape without her there forcing her not to, but that was of no concern to her; Violet didn’t seem like she was a threat to Elias or his guests and thus was unimportant outside of her knowledge of the man. Thomas Dunn. She needed to learn more about him and his... work before she faced him, or perhaps she could just have some of the Black Cloaks question him on her behalf. Either way she needed to regain her strength somehow and she would need to speak with a healer about what he had done to her. She remembered then the prey that had been picked out for her by Elias, and pushed off from the door to begin walking back to the dining hall. Dinner was likely finished by now and she needed to inform Elias of this development.
As she walked down the hallway she felt for a moment a remnant of pain to what she’d felt earlier. Maybe there were still traces of whatever poison the man had used? There was no proof it had been poison, but it was the most logical explanation she could think of. She stopped by a mirror and wiped away a small trickle of blood from her nose and determined she was adequately presentable before turning and stepping back into the dining hall to find Elias.
Post by Markus Woodrow on Nov 20, 2017 14:15:46 GMT -7
[attr="class","mwoody"]
[attr="class","mwoody2"]
[attr="class","mwoody3"]A PREDATOR OF THE SEAS
[attr="class","mwoody4"]CURING THIS OCEAN DISEASE
[attr="class","mwoody5"] Woodrow was relieved when the dinner was completed.
Oh, how things had changed since he had arrived. The evening seemed so full of potential, and Woodrow had viewed Elias as his guest, he had seen Elias as lesser, as if he were doing a favour for the man. Somehow over the course of the meal, even despite the fact that none at the head table dined on the centaur served, Elias had managed to become the power here.
Was that the power of a King, of a title? Woodrow was not ruler of Submiere yet, did that make him less to Adesola, to Toran, to Nickell? These thoughts plagued him as he handily dealt with the discussions of Atton, and wouldn't let up until the group of them finally stood and the tables were magicked away to open the room to a massive black dance floor. The hairs on the back of his neck relaxed, and he immediately began attempting to pull his guests away from Elias, who had the same thought.
Elias beelined for Adesola (had she gone to him?), who had seemed far warmer to him than any of the others. The two spoke in tones Woodrow could not hear between the music and the chatter, and Woodrow realized he needed to ensure none of them partnered with the Mot ruler. Not without him somehow being in the middle of it all. This was his peace deal, after all. Harel was a tool. Harel is a tool.
"Markus," His thoughts were interrupted by Matthias Toran, who had a soft hand on Woodrow's arm and was guiding him to the distant edge of the dance floor. Archana and Clemen were already gone as far as he could tell, though Woodrow wasn't sure how he missed their departure. The Nisequois King continued, "I understand your reasons for dealing with one such as Elias Harel. I am aware that you wish expansion of your forces in all countries, and that Dirys and Liesdro refused you outright--"
"Refused me? I--" Toran raised a hand to stop Woodrow's defenses, and so the aasimar just frowned intensely.
Matthias went on, "I understand, my friend. We all do things we do not condone for reasons greater than ourselves. But... I feel you are misguided in this. Partnering with Elias Harel is only going to sully your reputation, and your very self. I believe Lord Xista had the right of it when she departed so swiftly, and my family and I remained only to stand with you so that your work was not destroyed by this mistake. I cannot continue to stand beside it, however. You must remove yourself, and your people from Muerte. Redouble your efforts in Dirys, in Liesdro. Show them that you are here to fight injustice, not merely restrain it.
"Now, before your pride leads you to misspoken words, think. Think and listen as I do, my friend. We shall speak soon." Before Markus could fight Toran on his points (the very thing the Nisequois King had advised him against) Matthias was walking away, and exiting the hall.
Which left only Marion and Adesola he needed to control. He would control them. And he wouldn't give up Muerte so easily. It was his.
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[attr="class","mwoody3"]TAGS
[attr="class","mwoody4"] Elias post next. Please hold.
Post by Elias Harel on Nov 22, 2017 15:48:18 GMT -7
[googlefont=Montserrat]
[attr="class","mary"]
[attr="class","mary2"]
[attr="class","mary3"]THIS KINGDOM OF MINE,
[attr="class","mary4"]THIS GIFT FROM THE DIVINE
[attr="class","mary5"] When Adesola pulled him aside, Elias began to wonder if she was more malleable than she appeared. Or, perhaps, she had grown tired of her old alliances. Niseca was home to peacekeepers, Submiere home to the SSPB, and Aissic was the God-given land of peace... Meanwhile, Fiamont was the land of war. That was their culture. They had been born to it, grown from it, and starved of it in the modern age. If the war in Atton had ended with peacetalks, and now they merely needed to repel other forces, Adesola - and Paiia, her true Mother - might have been hungry for a new battle.
The two discussed Elias' ideations of regaining the land taken from them in earlier wars, territory now claimed by Dirys and Liesdro. To her, the thought seemed understandable enough. Muerte had been suffering, and not only had they lost territory - but it was integral territory. Water access routes, trading hubs, mineral resources, fertile ground. Dirys and Liesdro were both regions with plenty, and so it seemed a righteous fight to those who watched.
Thus, she made the offer to him, and not the other way around. In return he negotiated only for the sake of negotiation. The deal was this: In return for arming the Mot people and unofficially aiding them in strategy, Fiamont would take control of two ebony mines in Caliga; Fiamont would have preferential trade with Muerte, receiving credits for the usual import or export tax with them; and Muerte would put a stop to all practices of cannibalism, and write legislation against it into their code of law.
"I will extend my trip, and we can discuss the finer details," Adesola told him, and he could feel the waves of good intent rolling off of her. She came here wanting things for herself, which she had gotten, but she also cared, surprisingly. It was a new care. It was her eyes being opened, if only somewhat. She had been moved by his insistence over Muerte's humanity.
To ensure she held that feeling for as long as possible, Elias took her proferred hand with an enchanted grip. His illusions masked it's aura with something muddy, brown, and unknowable, but it was wholly enchantment. The handshake was a mere suggestion that she remember the plight of the Muerte people. The Muerte people he remembered. Torn, broken, enslaved, desperate for life, liberty, and the pursuit of freedom. How could she not sympathize with their plight? While he shook her hand, his other met her shoulder, clasping it gently. "Queen Meixner, your kindness feeds this broken old soul of mine. May Streike permit you a long life, and Paiia supply you with strength everlasting."
The two parted after a few more words - Adesola's husband seemed to be pining, and she needed to quell his desperation - and Elias prepared to go after Marion Nickell next, as Toran had already left. Before he could spot the arctic Queen, however, he spotted Sabela. She looked... Ill? He was concerned, and that concern was genuinely lacking selfishness. She was as important to him as Arzuul Laritet, and the man was like a brother to him.
"Dear Sabela," His voice was gentle and he allowed a minor enchantment to wash over his hands as he braced her shoulders, a calming spell, "Why is it you look so drained? What has happened?"
Post by Thomas Dunn on Nov 22, 2017 18:53:11 GMT -7
The interview was not standard, but Tom hadn't expected it to be. This was Muerte, it was a dictatorship, wrested from the hands of Malscure with admirable force; this was a land where they served people to foreigners (and Tom still believed that to have been a test). It was good, then, that Tom was always prepared for the worst, and that Scarlett was always perfect. She didn't need any coaching, because she could simply read his mind for the appropriate responses. With their stories lining up perfectly, and both of them tested for magic (and for being of the ajatar race) by some extremely thorough Black Cloaks, they were released.
It was almost disappointing that Tom had missed the rest of the dinner. The centaur wasn't half bad.
For all of his confidence, however, he knew not to walk too surely here. No, he didn't walk too surely anywhere, anymore. Not after the events on The Noble Eastwind, and certainly not after Violet. And so when he returned to the hall he stuck to the walls. He scanned the area for Woodrow, spotting him speaking with an ever serene King Toran, and ensured that would be his first and final destination in the room for the foreseeable future. Tom approached (with Scarlett ducking towards the chocolate buffet with his permission), hanging back just long enough for Toran to depart before he stepped into the idiot Lord's view.
"Markus," Tom wore a smile, but his eyes likely told Woodrow to be uncertain of it, "You may have a problem." No, Tom could certainly not be too sure here.
Sabela's gaze slid over the guests in the room, mingling now that the dinner was concluded, keeping an eye out for either the man - Thomas Dunn - or Elias. She found the latter a moment after he spotted her, and she closed the distance between them as he asked what had happened and why she looked so drained. So it was that noticeable, was it? Or perhaps just to Elias, who could see so much more than the average man. Or Elias, who knew her well enough to tell even without his special vision. His presence calmed her, as it often did. She trusted him and he was strong in many ways she wasn't - he would have a solution for this problem, surely. There was no need to worry.
"Something is wrong with me," she began, unsure of how to articulate just what was going on. "There is a man here named Thomas Dunn and a child with red hair who was seen sneaking around the halls during dinner, accused to have been spying and searching for files of some kind. I passed them in the hall and... I think he... poisoned me, somehow." This was uncharacteristic of her. She usually knew exactly what she meant to say but she was having such a difficult time concentrating. "A woman was detained in connection to them and I questioned her but that was all she knew. He needs to be found; he could be a danger to you. He might be an enchanter."
Post by Markus Woodrow on Nov 26, 2017 14:26:17 GMT -7
[attr="class","mwoody"]
[attr="class","mwoody2"]
[attr="class","mwoody3"]A PREDATOR OF THE SEAS
[attr="class","mwoody4"]CURING THIS OCEAN DISEASE
[attr="class","mwoody5"] Thomas Dunn was a detestable man, no matter the situation, and Woodrow only permitted the scientist to follow so closely to him to ensure that he didn't plan a double-cross. No, it would be Woodrow who would betray Dunn, as soon as Woodrow had gotten what he needed, he was going to hang the morally bankrupt ass. For now, however, he needed to protect him. He needed Dunn's abilities for many purposes, and more importantly: Dunn held a lot of damning secrets about Woodrow himself close to the vest.
Yet, Woodrow had allowed himself to get distracted and frustrated with Pelagia and Elias. Tom's appearance next to him was almost sobering for just that reason, until he was told that he 'may have a problem'. His hand reached up to grasp Tom's bicep in a gesture that might have looked friendly at best and conspiratorial at worst, but was really just a way for him to inflict the pain he needed to to remind Tom who he was serving here. "Then solve it," Woodrow hissed back, similar smile on his face to Dunn's as he spoke.
Post by Elias Harel on Nov 28, 2017 14:37:40 GMT -7
[googlefont=Montserrat]
[attr="class","mary"]
[attr="class","mary2"]
[attr="class","mary3"]THIS KINGDOM OF MINE,
[attr="class","mary4"]THIS GIFT FROM THE DIVINE
[attr="class","mary5"] Sabela was not a woman of many words, but the words she chose were always chosen explicitly. For her to simply tell him something was wrong, and not know what it was, worried him deeply. Then, when she mentioned poison, his face grew dark and his pupils became square, enhancing his peripheral vision. He was on the lookout.
"I am less concerned with the danger he poses to me, and more with the danger he has already shown himself to be... What has happened to you, is an affront to me, Sabela," His voice was hushed and his eyes scanned undetected through the crowds.
If the strange man was a poisoner, Elias could handle him. He would be captured with ease, and Arzuul would have a pleasurable time of testing out various toxins on the man until he died from his own necrotic blood. If the man were an enchanter... Well, Elias' mind was strong, and he was certain he could resist them. Less certain was the idea that all of those present could resist just the same, which meant anyone could be of danger to him and his people.
Could this be the foolish Eurydians? He wondered, Were they attempting a coup tonight? If he were their leader, it would have been his choice. The threat of increased patrols would be worth the notice of the other leaders. It was a power play in a game that Elias was an expert in. They had no chance. And if it wasn't the Eurydians?
Waves of intent rolled to him, too many in the crowd to pick out each one individually. He felt a surge of negativity in three different areas of the room, all concealed by the neutral and good intent of almost all others. They needed to be investigated... But such a thing needed to be done cleanly. "Take my hand," Elias whispered, placing his on Sabela's waist and offering her his other. When she did, he began to move her in time to the music. His face was squared with her's, which made it look as though he were purely focused on the lamini, but his pupils were still square, and still searching the spaces to either side of him.
"Who was this woman?" He asked as they moved towards the first peak of negativity, "Eurydian?"
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