< 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!
Post by Ichabod Afof on Nov 17, 2016 14:29:24 GMT -7
1st of the Scales of Judgement Early Ev'ning in the Esper Wood of Aurcaele
Of all the places he had visited in Aurcaele, the Esper Wood was his favourite. It was a pleasant happenstance, seeing as the herb he was requiring often as of late could be found here. Happenstance, perhaps, or divine intent. Perhaps he was always supposed to find this place. It seemed like most things in Ichabod's life had some kind of purpose. At times, he enjoyed it - it was a perfectly crafted tale with a beginning, end, and plenty of foreshadowing. Other times, he wished for chaos. he wished to simply exist, and cause trouble as he saw fit, in favour of fulfilling a grander purpose.
You must be cautious not to cloud your judgments with those misguided thoughts, A voice that did not whisper in the Esper Wood sounded. His mother, most likely. But lately, he wondered if perhaps it was merely him, playing pretend. It might make a more interesting story. There is a duty you must fulfill, and she is awaiting your return.
"Yes, yes," Ichabod answered, smiling as his voice whispered back at him. Yes, yes. Yes, yes. Yes, yes. YES, YES. The way that the whispers grew louder just before they were silenced ran a chill up his spine, and made his stomach pang with hunger. He'd need a meal before returning to the girl. Perhaps one would stroll in, perhaps he would hunt, perhaps-- She is worth more than a meal, child. Do not let the thought cross your gluttonous mind. "Yes, yes," He said again, letting the whispers take over the wood.
Finally, he spotted what he had been looking for. Pennyroyal. It was a beautiful plant that suited the country of Aurcaele quite strikingly. A string of lilac-coloured pearls, pearls with the soft, yet stiff texture of cat-tails. It smelled of mint - and that's what he told her the tea was. Spearmint, to aid with her daily sickness. She always thanked him - her sickness was always terrible. Always painful. She could not wait for it to happen already. Neither could he. Aurcaele was growing dull... Aurcaele was growing dull, but not this place, not the Esper Wood.
He sat himself down when he finished pulling enough of the plant for a week of tea, and began humming, thinking of what story he would tell to her as she died. Perhaps a meal would wander through while he pondered - then he wouldn't have to make any additional stops.
Post by Kikuriku Gouken on Nov 19, 2016 10:21:59 GMT -7
Kikuriku strode silently through the Esper Wood; an ominous feeling place that would probably frighten any normal person. But Kiku was far from normal – he lived and breathed the darkness. As the darker hues of evening set in, and the shadows grew ever longer, Kiku felt a sense of purpose and belonging. He wasn’t sure why, but he needed to be here. The Esper Wood was home – at least for tonight.
A faint echo in the distance caught his attention.
Yes, yes.
The voice called out as a whisper at first, but grew in intensity as the words danced amongst the trees. The voice, likely a man’s, did not seem sinister or dangerous; though Kiku knew better than to make assumptions about people. As an Ajatar, he knew better than anyone that the honest faces of people belie the dastardly secrets that they often hide. Adulterers, thieves and murderers were some of the smaller secrets that the people of this world had hidden from their loved ones.
The sudden silence after the echo was what pulled Kiku from his thoughts. It was quiet for a moment, as Kiku walked towards where he believed the sound to be coming from.
Yes, yes.
The voice called, and the echoes rang again. Kiku felt as though he was being beckoned, lured towards this man, though he did not sense any danger.
He briefly considered shapeshifting into a more sinister-looking form, in case the owner of the voice had any ideas about causing mischief, but Kiku was confident. If the situation grew deadly, he was more than capable of defending himself, or slipping away into the shadows.
He came to a clearing and there he saw what he was searching for. A man, well dressed, sitting with what appeared to be a bundle of weeds in hand.
'He seems too old to be out picking flowers for a young lady,’ Kiku thought to himself, ‘though maybe he likes them young. Creep.’ Kiku stepped out of sight, into the shadows and began to melt into them. He was not ready to be seen, and there was no guarantee that the man was alone. Luckily, the bounty of trees made for many hiding places for an Ajatar.
“No, no,” Kiku called out to the man, playfully. “This won’t do at all. Who are you talking to? There’s no one else here, so who are you talking to?” His own echo surprised him as his words jumbled less gracefully as they intensified.
‘Shorter sentences, Kiku. That’s going to sound much cooler.’
Post by Ichabod Afof on Nov 19, 2016 18:47:11 GMT -7
Something in the Wood...
He didn't stiffen, or startle at the voice from the woods. It might not have had a source, but as he had learned - there were many curiosities in the wilds of Fortuna. The voice in his mind told him once before - and many times again - that their meaning was not for him to ponder. His purpose was before him, and that was all he wanted.
And yet... The voice was curious to Ichabod. It didn't feel mysterious, it felt... Organic. Clumsy, almost, but perhaps not quite. It intrigued him, and he wouldn't listen to the voice in his head saying LISTEN NOT TO THE VOICE, RETURN TO THE MISS WHO AWAITS YOU, CHILD. Instead, he would answer it.
He stood from his place in the wood, leaving his basket unattended despite the voice's protestations. He wandered the small clearing he was in, touching each tree and enjoying the light echo of each digit scratching the wood. "No, no?" He echoed back to the voice curiously, playfully. He stopped and looked out into the shadows, wondering if something was hiding just beyond his view. He didn't even think that perhaps someone could be in the shadows entirely, melded with them, hidden where Ichabod could not sense their hunger.
"If no soul..." He paused, permitting the echoes to reach the edges of the wood, "Then who speaks?"
Last Edit: Nov 19, 2016 18:48:05 GMT -7 by Ichabod Afof
Post by Kikuriku Gouken on Nov 20, 2016 4:27:53 GMT -7
If this man had any fear inside of him, he didn’t show it. Usually when he spoke out from the shadows, Kiku would notice a change in the demeanor of whomever he was frightening – a tensing of the muscles or a single bead of sweat dropping down their face. But this man was as unfazed as could be. At the very least, it was intriguing.
No, no?
The man responded, and Kiku knew that he had done the right thing. This would be a fun exchange, though he had no idea what would be exchanged. Information? Funny stories? The possibilities were endless. His response echoed like all before it, and again Kiku was jealous. His voice danced so elegantly through the trees while Kiku's own smacked into them and fell flat. The next time he spoke, Kiku knew he would have do better.
The man asked who was talking in as poetic a way as Kiku had every heard; a way that he had no way to replicate. But that would not stop him from trying. The man walked closer, until he was directly across from where Kiku was hidden in the shadows, though the man probably could not tell. He silently sprinted to the left, his footsteps a breeze like the wind.
“It is I, the Spirit of the Esper Wood,”
The sound of his voiced echoed heavily in the trees around, foreboding and ominous. “You are in my home, taking from me. You will tell me who you are, and why you are here!”
His voice rang out thunderously; if the man truly had no fear, then how he reacted would prove it.
Post by Ichabod Afof on Nov 20, 2016 20:20:31 GMT -7
Dearest Spirit...
Ichabod's smile only grew. He felt honoured that a spirit would give him such attention - usually it was only from the voice that he was noticed, or by those he so laboriously worked for... This so-called Spirit of the Esper Wood was listening merely due to what Ichabod had taken. He counted out the number of times he had been to the Wood for the Pennyroyal: Four. He attempted to remember the strands of Pennyroyal he had stolen: Forty-Nine. He wondered the significance of either number, if perhaps the Spirit had been waiting for him to achieve something like this. If it was as specific as the duties the voice assigned him.
Or perhaps it was just tired of his robbery.
"My dear spirit..." Ichabod began, opening his arms in an act of grace towards his host, "Perhaps..." He drifted off, thinking of what a spirit might enjoy. Nothing material, certainly. He could not pay his way to respect. He needed something of a deeper, potentially darker interest.
"A bard's tale," He bowed to the wood, treating the clearing as his stage, the Spirit as the only audience in his world, the Voice in his head and it's urgency meaning nothing at all. "For these Pennyroyals."
Last Edit: Nov 20, 2016 20:21:03 GMT -7 by Ichabod Afof
Post by Kikuriku Gouken on Nov 21, 2016 4:30:06 GMT -7
Kiku began to question whether his deception was working flawlessly, or if this man just was really gullible – perhaps a mix of both. As he hid in the shadows, slowly circling the man while he responded to the ‘spirit’, Kiku had a thought. If he had to shapeshift into anything, it would be an exact replica of the man he saw before him.
‘Perhaps… a bard’s tale? For these Pennyroyals.’
The man spoke again, offering some story for the flowers that he had gathered in a basket behind him. Trading stories for flowers was not the weirdest thing that Kiku had ever done, but it ranked in the top ten, perhaps even the top five.
While the man waited for a response, Kiku weighed his options. He could demand that the man leave the area, but he thought back to that feeling of purpose he had had as he wandered through the woods. There was a reason that he had to be here. And though he did not believe in fate or destiny, he was certain that this feeling in his stomach had to do with this man. Whether he was friend or foe was yet to be seen, but Kiku was determined hear more about him.
“A tale? You intrigue me, mortal. Spin me this tale. Satisfy me.” ‘Short sentences, Kiku. You’re killing it. You’re the best. You definitely sound Godly’
Even as he said it to himself, Kiku did not believe it.
Post by Ichabod Afof on Nov 22, 2016 16:52:53 GMT -7
The Tale
When the spirit accepted his offering, he bowed his head in thanks -- but that wasn't the only reason he bowed his head. He also needed a moment to close his eyes, and think on what tale could possibly satisfy such a thing as a forest spirit. Particularly one who lived in a place where words seemed so fickle, so bountiful. He also thought of how to tell such a tale. Typically he preferred to be verbose, to use each and every word he had at his disposal -- but in this place... Such words would be meaningless. The only words that could be precious to the Esper Wood, were ones carefully chosen.
He smiles in remembrance as he finds a story, when he thinks of where he found this tale. It is a fond memory to him, but not to the voice. The voice believed it was unrelated to his purpose. The voice never really understood. This spirit, however... This spirit might understand.
He circles the clearing, his stage, and begins his performance:
A tale of a valley; like your wood; full of echoes.
Yes, this was the tale.
In the valley; full of echoes; like your wood... There is a boy. There is a man. The boy is fearless; the man knows better. The man is wise; the boy is foolish.
As Ichabod speaks, he remembers the boy. His purple hair and green eyes. His face always looking unimpressed, impassable. He thought himself so clever. But he was a boy.
The valley echoes... The valley... Whispers.
The boy hears it, the man hears it; the boy listens, the man does not. The boy follows -- oh-so-curious -- as boys are.
He follows whispers; follows echoes; across the valley.
Ichabod moves as he speaks, emphasizing the way he would to any audience. He does not know if the spirit has eyes. He does not know if the spirit has ears. But -- he knows the spirit is paying attention.
There is a cave in the valley -- like this wood; of echoes, of whispers.
The man, who is wise, has seen it before.
The boy, who is foolish, sees it now.
The man... He waits.
It is here that Ichabod stops. He isn't aware of it, but he stops with his eyes on the shadows where Kiku hides. The voice knows, but the voice doesn't tell him. The voice wants him to finish and leave. To go and finish his task. The voice won't interrupt because of this. Ichabod, on the other hand... Has no concept of Kiku. His only audience is the spirit of the Esper Wood. He continues walking, not knowing anything had happened.
The boy, he rushes in. Deep into the cave... of echos; like the valley; like this wood.
Deeper still... following echoes, following whispers.
He hears, hello...
As he says hello, he cups his hands around his mouth, and allows the whispers to fill the wood. A harsh hushing sounds accompanying the tone of the whisper.
Hello he says. He hears, come, and he does, because... He is foolish. Because... He is a boy. Because... That's what boys do.
And the man -- who is wise, who knows better -- knows the boy foolish, and whispers, come. And the boy does. And the man -- Eats.
He pauses and allows the the word to fill the wood. It's who he is. It's what he carries in his touch - and it's in his voice sometimes, too. Gluttony. Ichabod's teeth bite his lower lip a little as he allows the word to disappear, and then he finishes his tale.
The whispers, the echoes, the valley, was the man all along.
He allows the false ending to take hold before he adds his little twist. It had nothing to do with the reality of the tale - but it was exciting. It was the perfect closer.
In the valley... Of echoes, like this wood, Enters a woman... And now a whisper... An echo, Of a lost boy Saying... Come
As the last word echoed, Ichabod found himself standing still, back in the middle of the clearing. He allowed the word to reverberate off the trees. Come. It said. Come, it replied. Come Come COME COME -- ARE YOU QUITE FINISHED NOW, CHILD?
Post by Kikuriku Gouken on Nov 27, 2016 17:50:38 GMT -7
Come.
The echo of the word died after an eternity as Kiku watched silently in the shadows. Who, or what, was this man? Countless thoughts of demons and mysterious beasts entered Kiku’s mind as fear began to cloud his judgment. He was afraid of much, but the idea of being eaten sent chills to parts of his body that Kiku didn’t know that he had.
The man stood there, calm and cool as when Kiku had first seen him. His story seemed as though it could have been real, and the idea of that made Kiku uneasy. He wanted to lunge out and attack, but was almost certain that that would result in his own death. His blade dulled at the thought of being eaten – his resolve shaken at the thought of being that boy. ‘I am not foolish’
Kiku circled the man in the shadows, thankful for the cover that they provided. He was behind the man, a mere ten feet from him; so close that he could smell the mint of the flowers that he had picked just moments before. Kiku steeled his voice, exhaled deeply and prepared himself to confront this man again.
“Amusing. Very amusing. What is your name, Demon? For you are no mere mortal trouncing about my Wood.” Kiku needed his name, needed to find out as much as he could about this man in the outside world.
Most of all, Kiku needed to know if he could be an ally, or if this demon would be his enemy.
Post by Ichabod Afof on Nov 27, 2016 18:56:58 GMT -7
Clever Spirit...
The spirit was omnipotent. That was interesting. Perhaps then... Perhaps it knew for what he wanted these Pennyroyals. Perhaps on this visit to these woods in this land, it had grown suspicious of his many returnings. And now it knew just what was what. Ichabod enjoyed these games. The voice, did not. In fact, it seethed in his ear to take the flowers and leave... But Ichabod would not be so rude. His Mother had taught him better than that. The voice did not find that thought funny.
"I thank you, spirit," Ichabod said with a bow, happy to have pleased the spirit in some way. He maintained his bow, but his eyes moved forward, "I am no mortal, true." He began to stand up once more, the voice urging him to turn around, to face his back the other way. He did not listen, not knowing his back was facing Kiku, but knowing that his back was unprotected. "I am merely Ichabod," He stood, straightened himself, relaxed into the wood once more, "A bard through and through."
Last Edit: Nov 27, 2016 18:57:27 GMT -7 by Ichabod Afof
Post by Kikuriku Gouken on Nov 28, 2016 14:43:57 GMT -7
‘I am merely Ichabod’
So his name was Ichabod. Kiku had never heard of this man before, but he would certainly remember him going forward. A man - a demon – who was so sinister that he could recite a story of cannibalism without so much as a flinch or regret. This person, Ichabod, was the most terrifying person Kiku had encountered in his life next to Elias Harel.
'Hell, maybe even more scary than Harel.'
“Ichabod,” Kiku said, keeping up the charade of the Spirit of the Elder Wood. For someone as troublesome as Ichabod, Kiku was surprised that such a simple trick would work on him.
“The Bard, Ichabod. Take them, the Pennyroyals. Do what you will in my forest.”
Kiku needed to get out of the Esper Wood as quickly and quietly as possible. He felt that if he revealed himself to Ichabod, the demon would not take the prank as lightly as he had meant it to be. Kiku circled the man in the center of the clearing and made his way toward the exit, thankful for his ability to remain silent and hidden in shadow for as long as he chose to.
With his freedom in front of him and Ichabod behind, Kiku turned one last time to the Esper Wood; to that horrible man.
“I will be watching you.”
Kiku emerged from the darkness and casually walked out of the Wood, whistling as he did so behind the echo of his words. He had a new story to tell people; of the foolish Man and the clever Boy.
The skin OTHERWORLD was made by JAWN of WICKED WONDERLAND.
FORTUNA-RPG was created by MELLIE. Images belong to their respective artists. All codes and scripts belong to their respective coders. Please DO NOT take anything without the owners' permission.
