[center][b]Beyond The Boundary[/b][/center] “In recent times, the word 'magic' has been met with scoffs and ire. The thought that such a thing exists in this day and age is beyond human comprehension, a figment of madmen and lunatics. Understand though, that what I saw in the depths of the frozen north was not some hallucination or nightmare, but something just as real as you and I. To go beyond the boundary of perceived reality is a frightening task, one I would not abide the average person to attempt, but any that could experience such a thing and remain sane would surely receive insight far beyond his peers. Truly, what I have seen was not meant for the eyes of mortals. I still cannot quite explain what it was I met in that temple. It was something beyond human existence and comprehension, yet it seemed familiar. I do not know that it spoke, but I could understand it. I understood it with all of my senses, a truth not known by men, but buried within all of us. I will attempt, with utmost effort, to describe the being that I contacted within that temple. This figure beyond reality and material existence: The Abnormal.” -Prof. Vaann Tikkis 'The Abnormal' Those words had been, just as predicted, mocked relentlessly by the community at large when they were published. To the average person, they were the ramblings of a madman, little more than a fairy tale. However, for those beyond the realm of 'normal' thought, it garnered a very different brand of attention. Those with an interest in the occult, those who had spent their lives studying the works of 'madmen' were intrigued by the work of the modern philosopher, and sought out the legitimacy of his claim. Others were pulled in by the mystique of it all, and still more saw the value in a bastion of ancient knowledge. Unfortunately for these few, Tikkis, by all accounts, vanished merely a week after the publication of his work, leaving only one option to investigate his claims. The few brave, interested, or mad enough to seek out the truth headed north to Gris. From there, they traveled even farther north, until they finally reached the Vulture's Roost. This city was the final bastion of civilization before a nearly endless sprawl of ice and snow. Tikkis' temple was supposed to be somewhere far beyond the reach of humanity. If rumors were to be believed, many other secrets hid themselves in the snow as well. For those seeking The Abnormal, this was the threshold, the boundary that needed to be crossed. But once they had committed to this journey, there was no coming back, not without answers. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hello and welcome to Beyond the Boundary. This is an adventure/mystery thread centering around a group of adventurers investigating rumors of an ancient temple in the frozen north. The group will be gathering in Vulture's Roost, the last notable human settlement before a seemingly endless swathe of ice and snow. The members of the group are varied, and each likely have their own reasons for pursuing this endeavor, whether it be for fame, power, wealth, or knowledge. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [b]Information[/b] Gris: Gris is a continent to the far north with a long and rather violent history. With no unified government, Gris is made up of a number of territories, each governed by their respective tribes. The cold and inhospitable environment has made its people strong and rough, and the divided state of their politics has led them to lag behind in the ways of civilized culture. Gris has a number of mythologies dating back to ancient times, and magic, while regarded as an outright impossibility in the more civilized corners of the world, is often feared by the people of Gris for superstitious reasons. The northern half of the continent, reaching well up to the pole, is mostly uninhabited due to the severe and unforgiving nature of its climate. Vulture's Roost: The most northern city in Gris, Vulture's Roost is governed by Alec Cross, a foreign slave who led a coupe many years ago. Because of his foreign heritage, and the violent revolution he used to take control of Vulture's Roost, he is generally not very popular in Gris' other territories. Despite his reputation, Alec's rule has been fairly profitable for his people. Few visitors come to the city, as there are few reasons to travel beyond its northern border. The Northern Wastes: The vast territory north of Vulture's Roost is, for all practical purposes, an uninhabitable wasteland consisting of fields of ice and snow, treacherous mountains, and ancient forests. Few travel beyond the Great Northern Boundary, but those that do often have interesting stories to tell. Reports of strange wildlife are common, but some have spoken of things of a more... supernatural nature. Professor Vaann Tikkis: Prior to his journey to the Northern Wastes, Tikkis was a little known Professor at a University to the south. What exactly led him to take his journey is unknown, but accounts seem to imply that he went alone. Upon his return, he published a book describing his encounter with a being he dubbed 'The Abnormal'. In his book, which bore the entities name, he attempted to elaborate on his experiences, though it was widely received as rambling. Shortly after the publication of his work, Tikkis seemingly vanished. His disappearance led to more interest in his work, though some implied the madmen had simply wandered off to do whatever madmen do. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [b]Character Sheet[/b] Name: Age: Gender: Appearance: Weapons/Belongings: Magic:(If any) Personality: Short History: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [b]Character List[/b] Elizabeth Tosli- DrowsyPangolin Noah Kass- DrowsyPangolin Lexine Tristan- Epsir Ira Cunningham- Sightles Ashley Cunningham- Sightles Sage Marcs- Natural Mess Al Valkanos- IncredibleBee Haruka “Haru” Taiyo- Shisa Jack Silver- Kuas -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [b]My Characters[/b] [hider=Elizabeth Tosli]Name: Elizabeth Tosli Age: 23 Gender: Female Appearance: Elizabeth, physically, is rather unimposing. Standing just over five feet in height and having a thin frame, most wouldn't consider her much of a threat. She has long, somewhat curly hair of a light strawberry blonde coloration, and an extremely pale complexion. A few light freckles dot her face, but they are scarcely visible. Elizabeth's left eye is covered with a black eyepatch, having lost her sight in it due to an injury. Her right eye is a brilliant shade of deep blue. Other than the obvious instance of her missing eye, Elizabeth has several other notable reminders of her past. She has a number of scars throughout her body, though they are mostly covered. In addition, she walks with a slight limp. Though it doesn't impede her too greatly, she carries a cane for long journeys to prevent strain on her damaged leg. Elizabeth's clothing was obviously chosen to provide warmth in the harsh tundra of northern Gris. She wears a round hat made of black bear fur that is pulled down snugly over her ears. Around her neck, she wears a woolen scarf dyed a deep shade of crimson. A thick black cloak, complete with a hood and lined with fur, provides further protection from the elements. Beneath the cloak, she wears a jacket of fleece, with two rows of silver buttons running up the front. The jacket has a charcoal coloration. Her leggings are simple trousers made of black cloth., with the legs tucked into a pair of rugged black leather boots. Beneath her jacket, Elizabeth wears a snugly fitting long sleeved shirt made of white cotton. Her hands are protected by fur-lined gloves of soft brown leather. Around her waist, the woman wears a belt of brown leather, with a coin purse and a knife attached at her right and left hip, respectively. Weapons/Belongings: Though she relies heavily on her magic for self-defense, Elizabeth's previous life of crime has led her to never travel unarmed. She carries a long, double-edged dagger at her side. In total, the weapon is about fourteen inches in length, with a long slender blade accounting for most of it. The blade itself is made of high quality steel, and seems to be rather well maintained. The weapon's guard is crescent-shaped and made of silver, while the grip appears to be polished whale bone. The weapon's pommel is an orb of silver. In addition to the knife, Elizabeth always carries her cane with her. Though it assists her walking, it's primary purpose is giving her access to a respectable amount of silver at any given moment. For this reason, the staff is entirely constructed of the valuable metal, and is about three-and-a-half feet in length. The majority of the staff seems to be perfectly smooth and balanced, giving it and elegant appearance. The top of the cane is molded to look like the head of a cat. Had it been crafted by traditional means, this embellishment would likely be regarded as the work of a skilled silversmith, as the detail is extraordinarily accurate. The cat has an opened mouth, with teeth exposed. The teeth are actually quite sharp, a detail added by Elizabeth for convenience's sake. As far as personal belongings, Elizabeth travels with very little on her person. She carries a pouch full of silver coins, though whether they are actually used as currency is questionable. Her only other possession is a silver pocket watch with a delicate engraving of a bird in flight across its front. Magic: Avarice Flow: Elizabeth's magic stems from the teaching of a now defunct order dedicated to the study of the arcane. Resentful of religious persecution, they had magics dedicated specifically towards many cardinal vices. Elizabeth, since her earliest years, always had an affinity for silver, however, it was not until she came across a long-forgotten book by the aforementioned order that she realized her full potential. The magic Elizabeth uses was one dedicated to the vice of greed. As such, it centers around the control and manipulation of valuable metals. Though the book described a number of applications, most applying to gold, Elizabeth was only able to correctly execute the manipulation of silver. Not free from sacrifice, the magic requires the user's own blood to function, thus Elizabeth must have an open wound to successfully execute it. Once connected to the user's bloodstream, Avarice Flow allows the user to manipulate silver with a great deal of freedom. The metal's shape, state, and size can be altered at will, and the user is given a full range of motion. The silver is controlled as freely as the user's own limbs so long as it is connected to her bloodstream. In addition, any silver touched my the user's new 'limb' can be assimilated into it. Overall, the ability is quite flexible, giving Elizabeth offensive and defensive options in a violent situation, while also allowing a great deal of utility. Personality: To many, Elizabeth might come across as a bit frigid. She is typically fairly reserved and speaks with a soft, but very clear voice. She carries a slight accent from her homeland, but she leans towards proper speech as carefully as possible. She is wary of strangers, and rarely allows herself to trust anyone. She comes across as somewhat jaded and cautious of other people, and maintains control of her emotions fairly well. She is not above being polite, if only superficially. Ultimately, she seems to put her goals above all else, and is willing to use a number of different means to reach them. Though her exterior is solid and cold, there is a great deal more to Elizabeth than what she shows to others. She carries quite a bit of emotional baggage from her troubled past. Anger, resentment, and a fair amount of guilt burden her mind regularly, and her past has had a great deal of impact on the person she is today. Despite this, there is still at least some bastion of humanity left within the former thief. Though she isn't the best at showing it, she cares for Noah and his well-being, and has protected him on numerous occasions during their travels. Though not overtly empathetic to those around her, she has no will to inflict needless suffering on others. She is far from a perfect person, and her past mistakes have done a great deal to shape her into her current state. Short History: Elizabeth was born in Esterl, an island nation to the south. She was the daughter of a silversmith, and her early years were relatively comfortable. When she was still quite young, however, a plague swept through her homeland. Both of her parents succumbed to the illness, leaving herself and her twin sister, Lilian, orphaned and destitute in Esterl's capital, Calida. Initially, she and her sister did what they had to do to survive, begging and stealing in the streets. During this time she suffered from many of the cruelties of humanity, but also began to study the arcane as a method of coping with the darkness around her. Eventually, she and her sister organized a small band of thieves, most of which were from similar situations. Over time, this small band of petty criminals grew and became more skilled. Though not a stranger to doing work herself, Elizabeth quickly became regarded as the 'brain of the operation', and through the use of cunning tactics, her gang became quite profitable. Rumors began to spread of a 'Queen of the Underground' as the Tosli's exploits became more and more notable. She and her sister became a sort of legend among the back alleys and taverns of the capital, and the title 'Black Cat of Calida' became synonymous with the shadowy duo controlling the city's underbelly. Though concerted efforts were made to stop them, they seemed to allude the law at every turn Unfortunately, the sisters' reign over the underground was not built to last. Their organization was lucrative, they had went from waifs on the street to owners of a blossoming enterprise. However, a carefully executed lie would shatter the underground overnight. Elizabeth was deceived by a close ally into believing her sister had betrayed her. On the night of their most elaborate scheme yet, Elizabeth was given evidence that Lilian had been working for someone else, and that she had stolen a large amount of money with the intent of leaving the country. In truth, the money had been taken by one of Elizabeth's confidants with the intention of usurping Lilian's position. However, hopelessly misled, Elizabeth ordered the alleged traitor to be dealt with. The attempt on Lilian's life failed, and a schism arose almost instantly amongst the gang itself, dividing the loyalty of the group between the two sisters. The underground became a full-blown war, and Elizabeth was eventually confronted by her sister, who was infuriated. Still convinced of her betrayal, Elizabeth decided to deal with the issue herself. Despite the advantage of magic, Elizabeth lost the duel. Her sister, feeling betrayed, left her for dead and escaped the country. In truth, Elizabeth would likely have died had it not been for Noah. She had been badly injured and left floating down a river, where she would have likely drowned or succumbed to her injuries, had the young boy not intervened. Noah pulled her from the water, and did the best he could to treat her wounds. She was surprised by the boy's kindness, though in the next few days she came to understand the true nature of what had transpired. With her supposed death and Lilian's exodus from the country, the gang had collapsed. Infighting and the eventual reaction of the city guard had completely destroyed what they had worked so hard to build. She also learned about her own deception. Ashamed and appalled at the situation, she and Noah left the country as soon as she was able. Since then, the two have traveled around the world. With nothing else to guide her, Elizabeth came to focus on her study of the arcane and occult, a subject her compatriot also seems to find interesting. With reliable resources being incredibly scarce, Tikkis' report on the supposed temple in the north interested her greatly, and so she and Noah have set out to find it.[/hider] [hider=Noah Kass]Name: Noah Kass Age: 14 Gender: Male Appearance: Noah is a small boy, even for his age. He stands a few inches over five feet and is somewhat thin, with a light build. His complexion is remarkably pale, and seemingly blemish-free, other than the occasional sunburn in sunny environments. He has medium length hair, which is also a stark shade of white, which frames his face and reaches just past his chin at its longest point. The boy's eyes are a deep violet, and seem to spark with life and curiosity. He generally wears a pleasant expression. Noah's clothing is warm and resilient to keep out the frigid air of the north. His most notable garment is an oversized coat made of a soft red fabric. The coat nearly reaches his knees, and the sleeves have a tendency to cover his hands. The interior of the garment is lined with fluffy white fur, which protrudes from the sleeves, bottom, and hood. The coat fastens in the front with a row of large brass buttons. Beneath the coat, Noah wears a plain white shirt with long sleeves, and a pair of simple black trousers. The boy is nearly always seen wearing a bright red cap. Though it does very little to keep out the elements, Noah seems quite fond of the accessory, only removing it to sleep. His hands are protected by gloves of soft brown leather, and he wears a pair of well-worn traveling boots, made of a similar material. In addition, Noah usually has a pack slung over his back. Weapons/Belongings: Not usually the violent type, Noah has very little knowledge of combat. He carries no true weapons, typically leaving escalating matters to his traveling companion. His only line of self defense is a walking stick carved from ash. The stick is nearly as tall as its owner, and could probably give someone a nasty bruise, but it maintains the primary function of aiding Noah in long travels, and perhaps scaring off the occasional animal. In the way of belongings, Noah carries everything he owns in a leather pack. The bag contains a few necessities, including canteens and cooking equipment, as well as matches and a small hatchet for cutting wood. Also included in the pack is a knife for carving, one of the boy's favorite pastimes. In addition to these necessities, he carries a few miscellaneous items including a sewing kit, bandages, and a small bottle of antiseptic, along with numerous odds and ends he's picked up in his travels. Perhaps the most interesting thing in the pack, however, is a valuable collection of metal. A smaller bag within the pack contains four ingots made of pure silver. These are, in a sense, a trump card for bad situations. He constantly keeps silver on hand to facilitate a more liberal use of his companion's magical talents should the need arise. Magic: Witness: Noah's 'magic' is not a learned trait. In fact, it was something he has carried since birth. For as long as he can remember, he has been able to 'see' things. This sight is vague, though it can allow him to see things from the past and future, as well as things occurring halfway across the world. Unfortunately for the boy, he has absolutely no control over this power, and it often strikes without warning. When a vision manifests itself, Noah enters a sort of trance. These 'trances' typically appear as a sudden, usually short, bout of unconsciousness. It is not atypical for the boy to fall out mid step, though he often can 'feel' when one is about to occur. Noah's visions are often quite vague, even symbolic at times, and though they are helpful in some instances, he often has no idea what exactly he is seeing. Through his research with Elizabeth, he has learned a bit about his condition. According to certain sources, there have been others with such abilities in the past. Though often referred to colloquially as 'prophets', or 'seers', scholars on the subject coined the title 'Witnesses'. Personality: Noah is a cheerful boy with an upbeat personality. He is kindhearted, and enjoys meeting new people. His voice is bright and cheery, and he tends to make his overall contentedness quite contagious to those around him. By and large, he seems unfazed by the world's darkness, and is quick to offer a hand to those in need, although it is not uncommon for his overwhelming positivity to border on naivety. Though a child with no true schooling of any sort, he is quite bright, and enjoys discussing new ideas. He adores Elizabeth despite the dark cloud hanging over her, and often tries to cheer her up, to little avail. Few things can shake his optimism, although his visions occasionally disturb him momentarily. Short History: Noah has very little memory of his early years. His parents evidently either died or disowned him when he was quite young, leaving him alone in Calida. He lived at an orphanage for a time, but his adventurous nature, combined with the odd nature of his condition, caused him to not fit in very well. Due to overcrowding, and a concern about his 'visions', he was eventually forced to live on the streets. Despite this, he remained content, seeing his new life as and adventure. He quickly learned a number of methods for surviving in the streets of Calida, and even managed to pickup some useful bits of information, learning to sew, cook, and deal with injuries. His life in the streets continued, until one night he had a vision of a 'black cat, injured and thrown into the river'. Being the compassionate boy he was, he rushed to the river to save the animal, but was surprised when he instead found a young woman. With a great deal of effort, he pulled her from the water and saw to her wounds as best he could, working tirelessly throughout the night. The woman, Elizabeth, was quite surprised to even be alive. She quickly informed him that she would need to leave the country as soon as she could. Seeing a chance for adventure, Noah offered to travel with her, and after a bit of deliberation, set out from Esterl with his new companion. After learning of his condition, Elizabeth shared her knowledge of magic with him, and he became quite interested.[/hider] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [b]Rules:[/b] 1: Be courteous to your fellow roleplayers. 2: No autohitting/instakilling/godmodding of other characters. 3: Magic exists, however it is rather uncommon and practiced by a small percentile of the population. It is not uncommon for a mage to never have met another practitioner of magic. That being said, it's fine if everyone in the thread uses magic to some degree, but schools of magic or other public groups of mages likely wouldn't exist. 4: No overpowered characters. It's fine to have a powerful or skilled character, but take others into consideration and don't go too far overboard with abilities. 5: We're all here to have fun, if you have a problem don't hesitate to PM me and I'll do my best to solve whatever issues are going on. 6: If you're going to be gone for a bit please let me know in advance. I won't remove or kill characters due to inactivity, but if progression is being frozen (no pun intended) I'll move things on for the sake of others. Inactive characters will be implied to still exist within the group so that people can come back, but otherwise won't be interacted with.