[color=a3cccc][i]The cycle has begun once again. New faces, new places, new names, new colors. None of this matters. It will all end the same. Light and dark rise and fall as gracefully and reliably as two ballroom dancers completing a rehearsed dance for the crowd. This story, in its grand scheme, will start and end as it always has: a weak yet courageous flame pops up within the darkness, bringing hope and joy, ushering in humanity. Sometimes more as well.
	Soon after its peak, when the ruler of light gets tiresome of diligently overseeing his pupils, he steps back to take a break. At that precise moment, darkness seeps in and declares itself in the form of doubt and fear. The high and mighty God-rulers will see it as nothing more than human nature, but humans have a funny way of turning that darkness into a weapon of its own regard. Soon, the humans these rulers used to protect turn on them, ushering in darkness and death. They will pay with their souls and minds to take down the false idols who have forsaken them. The strongest from the darkness will make it all the way to the eye of the flame, only to be burnt, be it at the moment to elongate the sight of the future or after having waited in the throne room of the hero. Time will forget his name, but the actions will live on.
	Light will finally make its final sputter as humans revel in their victory. Until the darkness they hold within themselves finally reveal itself and slowly strangle the humanity out of them all. This is the fate of the cycles. This is how it always has been, always is, and always will be. Many have tried to break the cycle, but have done nothing but delayed the inevitable or rushed into another phase of the cycle.[/i][/color]

	You enter the house you have been told of. One with a shield crested with a dragon's claw hanging above the door, and a chimney still puffing out smoke. Upon entering, a hunched over man by the fireplace greets you without moving his head. "Welcome, weary traveller. You must be new to these parts. I can barely see anymore, though I can smell and hear well enough to make up for it. I have collected a plethora of weapons and armour for this day. I have had many visitors, but I can smell which ones deserve armament, for you see, it has been said before that through the darkness comes the trials that lead to the light. The light, like my eyesight, is fading to nothing. This is when light, in the past, has fought its hardest: to assert its dominance over darkness again. I don't believe that light or dark is supposed to be better than the other; however, since they need the other to have proof that each exists, it's fair to say that each needs to fight when the other is at its height to prove that it is not impenetrable. So take whatever you may need from me and please do take only what you need. I may be blind, but I'm no fool. Take care, friend. For you will need it."

	After the old man's speech, you pick out the gear that fits you best, or just leave with nothing but the clothes you arrived in, and leave. Is he crazy? Is darkness reaching its peak? What is darkness? The human race is thriving. Sure there's a plague going on that's affecting those who were once immortals in human bodies; the branded who held the power of the 'darksign'. You shudder, remembering the countless heroes and warriors whose foreheads burst with blood blackened by their curse. The ones who sold their very essence to protect the ones they loved. With them gone, it was up to the new generation, born in a world where direct daylight wasn't much more than an hour on good days. The sun was too lazy to rise when the number of souls on the planet was half of the number of living creatures walking it.
	Those who were once cursed that survived the initial curse-clensing soon went mad. The more powerful the hero, the more likely he was to survive, and the quicker he went mad. There currently sits a king whose soul and humanity left him long ago. He sits upon a giant's throne, having grown massive with greed and fury. His sword is permanently a scarlet red from all the people it has slain in vain attempts at restoring its master's mind. Maybe there's a way to rid the mad warriors of this affliction. Maybe slaying this mad king will end it. Maybe it's best to just survive whilst someone wittier or stronger takes the helm of this problem as you simply try to not die. Unlike the now-maddened warriors, you only have one chance. No bonfire will revive you.

Character Sheet (beta):

Name:
Gender:
Equipment chosen: (at most, 1 of each armor and two out of the weapons and shield pile. If you choose any sorcery, miracles, or pyromancy, you automatically, it's assumed you have a way to cast it)

Relative stats (Rank them 1-8, 1 being your highest stat and 8 being the least of these)
HP: (how many more hits can they take?)
Strength: (how hard do they hit?)
Dexterity: (how precicely do they hit?)
Defense: (How much damage can they resist?)
Agility: (How fast can they run? This also includes dodging attacks)
Endurance: (how much can they carry while still remaining mobile?)
Intelligence: (how good are they at sorcerires?)
Faith: (how good are they at miracles?)

References (please don't use any that say to "trade a Soul of _____" or their only instance is a "gift"):
[url=http://darksouls2.wikidot.com/weapons]Weapons[/url]
[url=http://darksouls2.wikidot.com/shields]Shields[/url]
[url=http://darksouls2.wikidot.com/armor]Armor[/url] (you don't have to have one entire set, you can pick-and-choose. Effects won't be accounted for unless they boost a combat-related thing)
[url=http://darksouls2.wikidot.com/sorceries]Sorceries[/url]
[url=http://darksouls2.wikidot.com/miracles]Miracles[/url]
[url=http://darksouls2.wikidot.com/hexes]Hexes[/url]
[url=http://darksouls2.wikidot.com/pyromancies]Pyromancies[/url]