Luminosity

Escaping The Faewoods - A Survival Horror RP

I'll post sometime shortly after Ryona does!

The Blackwood

Rolls

Balance: 1d8+1 = 5 (4 + 1)
Intelligence: d8 = 4

Mari missed the sound of the sea. It was something she'd taken for granted, born and raised near the water as she always had been, and now that it was gone, the world seemed all too uncomfortably quiet. This forest would test her, she knew; Asherah had promised as much, and to become a Daughter of Rán, Mari would have to overcome adversity. She needed to prove she was one of them in heart and mind before she could be granted any gifts.

She stopped at the edge of the gulley, pushing auburn hair from her face. Getting around this would take hours, and Mari wanted to make it deeper into the forest well before darkness fell. She had a passing knowledge of world geography, but without help in this forest she would be hopelessly lost. People lived in the darkness of the wood somewhere, she just had to find them, and perhaps see if a deal could be made.

That meant getting down and through the gulley. Mari noted the very large, very dead thing down there, but whatever felled it was nowhere to be seen, no tracks she could identify at a distance. The smell was strong, though. Best not to linger here any longer than I have to. She started down carefully after securing her pack and her shield, making quick work of the descent. She almost slipped once, but caught herself and kept her feet, setting foot in the basin.

Her boots sank into the mud beneath the shallow, filthy water, but she made sure to keep moving, finding that the muck wasn't severe enough to threaten her. The creature was an ogre, she guessed, judging by Asherah's descriptions from stories she'd told. Goddess, the old woman had a lot of stories. The ogre looked to be a few days dead at least, and the smell grew even worse as she passed.

With no intent of sticking around to end up beside the dead ogre, Mari began the work of climbing up the far side of the gulley, finding it no more difficult than the descent. It wasn't the warmest welcome into the Blackwood, but Mari had already steeled herself for the worst. Whatever the Watery Widow intended to throw at her, she would face it.

The Blackwood

Hoping to post tonight!

Um, about rolls, I'm still a bit uncertain about how they'll work and when they're needed. The OOC mostly just covers combat rolls. How do we know if we need to roll something? Where do we do the rolling (I just did Mari's money rolls using a Discord bot)? Are we just going on an honor system for rolls? Sorry, just thought I'd ask now rather than rush ahead and need to edit something.

The Blackwood

Mari

Mari

Marisaya Njalsdottir || 20 || Female

Race

Half-Elf (Silvari and Norgardian)

Appearance

Mari's undoubtedly a little small for a fighter, but moves with the grace and poise of someone who has had thorough training, if not a great deal of experience. She can easily pass for human even if her auburn red hair isn't covering her lightly pointed ears. Her eyes are a bright sea blue-green, and she typically gives off the look of someone still full of life and energy.

She wears light armor, mostly embossed and studded leather that's probably more decorative than it is protective, with a minimum of cobbled-together plate. It's in Mari's interest to stay lightly geared, considering how often she finds herself on open water.

Personality

Mari is fierce, bold, and passionate, and a genuinely good woman at heart. She feels she has a great deal to make up for from her youth, and believes fully that the Daughters of Rán are her way to redemption.

When working Mari is serious, focused, and efficient, and though at times self-doubt can slow her down, she has enough courage to forge ahead even when she suspects she might fail. Recently she has found meaning and purpose in helping others, and will gladly take up a worthy cause even at risk to her own safety or fortune.

In quieter moments, Mari is fully capable of relaxing, unwinding, and sharing a drink and stories. She's not secretive about her past or her feelings, and finds that she connects with and empathizes easily with others.

The Ninth Daughter of Rán

---

Background

~Aspiring Mercenary Priestess
~Lower Class, Criminal Background
~Daughter of a runaway Silvari noblewoman and a Norgardian smuggler

History

Mari has romantic origins, the result of a runaway Silvari girl fleeing an arranged marriage and a Norgardian smuggler that left his own homeland behind. She grew up in the Sea of Swords, and there the romance ended. Life as the daughter of a common smuggler was hardly easy, especially one like her father, who found himself in debt to powerful individuals.

At twelve Mari found herself working to help pay off those debts, mostly to a criminal and pirate lord, an Izyrian named Ihsan. She worked for him and his crews, hopping islands and pickpocketing, thieving, spying, and eavesdropping. As she grew, she graduated to more direct assistance, and took some part in piracy and raids. It was all she knew at first, and Mari was talented and adventurous, albeit unsatisfied with the way her life was going.

Everything changed at 18, when she was caught stealing from a woman named Asherah, First of the Daughters of Rán, a small but respected and even feared group of women sellswords. Often known by other names such as Sisters of the Sea or Witches of the Waves or simply the Sirens, the Daughters belonged to the clever and cunning sea-goddess Rán. The gifts she granted her Nine Daughters were not always extraordinary, but it was believed that the presence of a Daughter aboard a ship could well be the difference between a smooth voyage and a death at the hands of a passing leviathan or vicious storm.

When Asherah unexpectedly took a liking to Mari, she felt the Goddess had guided them together. Rán's Daughters always numbered Nine, but recently one had passed, opening a place for Mari if she wanted it. Even knowing she'd be leaving her father on his own, not to mention making an enemy of Ihsan by betraying him, Mari accepted, and began two years of hard training with her new sisters, who protected her while she prepared to join their ranks. She learned slowly and with many mistakes, but learned all the same. The Daughters of Rán offered her a new way forward, one where she could be a better person, while still finding the adventure her heart desired.

Now at the end of her training, Mari faces a rite of passage: venture into the Blackwood, alone, and make her way into the forgotten places with Rán's guidance, to find her hidden temple, a place supposedly only accessible to the Nine Daughters. There she will pray and accept the gifts the Goddess offers, seizing the power she feels she needs to fully make amends for her past.

Motivation

Mari must find the Hidden Temple of Rán, hidden somewhere in the Blackwood, and complete her initiation into the Daughters of Rán. After that, she can follow where the waters take her, and sell her sword and skills to those she feels need it most.

Witch of the Waves

Skills Mari is a former thief attempting to remake herself as a proper warrior. Her abilities are spread thin between combat, knowledge, and underhanded skills. Combat [1/1] ~Sword and Shield [1] ~Daggers [1] Intelligence [1/1] ~Literacy [1] ~Religion [1] ~Geography [1] Charisma [1/1] ~Diplomacy [2] Health [1/1] ~Cold Resistance [1] Faculties [1/1] ~Resolve [1] ~Perception [1] Agility [1/1] ~Pick Pocket [1] ~Lockpick [1] ~Balance [1] ~Swimming [2] Mysticism [0/3] Equipment ~One handed sword ~Wooden round shield ~Two small daggers ~Leather and partial plate armor ~Stitched hide and linen clothes ~Prayer bead necklaces with symbols of Rán Money ~1 Royal ~18 Lordlings ~40 Commons Languages ~Northern Tongue ~Grim Northern ~Bits and pieces of many other tongues

The Blackwood

I managed to get my sheet together today, and make this sheet post. I hope it makes someone say "holy sheet!" and I hope it can go on the GM's sheet list. Otherwise I'll have to send it up sheet creek.

Sorry, I'm just full of sheet today. Really got sheet for brains. Anyway, here's my sheet. Do let me know if any of my sheet needs changing.

Because I love talking sheet with people.

Mari!

Mari

Marisaya Njalsdottir || 20 || Female

Race

Half-Elf (Silvari and Norgardian)

Appearance

Mari's undoubtedly a little small for a fighter, but moves with the grace and poise of someone who has had thorough training, if not a great deal of experience. She can easily pass for human even if her auburn red hair isn't covering her lightly pointed ears. Her eyes are a bright sea blue-green, and she typically gives off the look of someone still full of life and energy.

She wears light armor, mostly embossed and studded leather that's probably more decorative than it is protective, with a minimum of cobbled-together plate. It's in Mari's interest to stay lightly geared, considering how often she finds herself on open water.

Personality

Mari is fierce, bold, and passionate, and a genuinely good woman at heart. She feels she has a great deal to make up for from her youth, and believes fully that the Daughters of Rán are her way to redemption.

When working Mari is serious, focused, and efficient, and though at times self-doubt can slow her down, she has enough courage to forge ahead even when she suspects she might fail. Recently she has found meaning and purpose in helping others, and will gladly take up a worthy cause even at risk to her own safety or fortune.

In quieter moments, Mari is fully capable of relaxing, unwinding, and sharing a drink and stories. She's not secretive about her past or her feelings, and finds that she connects with and empathizes easily with others.

The Ninth Daughter of Rán

---

Background

~Aspiring Mercenary Priestess
~Lower Class, Criminal Background
~Daughter of a runaway Silvari noblewoman and a Norgardian smuggler

History

Mari is the result of a love story that ended in tragedy, the child of a young High Elven woman forced to flee from a political power struggle and a common smuggler that long since left the north behind. She grew up in the Sea of Swords, and her parents were both killed when her mother's family rivals caught up with her. Mari was twelve at the time.

Her father's debts were passed down, and Mari found herself in the indentured servitude of a criminal and pirate lord, an Izyrian named Ihsan. She worked for him and his crews, hopping islands and pickpocketing, thieving, spying, eavesdropping, anything to earn her place and keep a roof over her head. As she grew, she graduated to more direct assistance, and took some part in piracy and raids.

Her life changed at 18, when she was caught stealing from a woman named Asherah, First of the Daughters of Rán, a small but respected and even feared group of women sellswords. Often known by other names such as Sisters of the Sea or Witches of the Waves or simply the Sirens, the Daughters belonged to the clever and cunning sea-goddess Rán. The gifts she granted her Nine Daughters were not always extraordinary, but it was believed that the presence of a Daughter aboard a ship could well be the difference between a smooth voyage and a death at the hands of a passing leviathan or vicious storm.

When Asherah unexpectedly took a liking to Mari, she felt the Goddess had guided them together. Rán's Daughters always numbered Nine, but recently one had passed, opening a place for Mari if she wanted it. Even knowing she'd make an enemy of Ihsan by betraying him, Mari accepted, and began two years of hard training with her new sisters, who protected her while she prepared to join their ranks. She learned slowly and with many mistakes, but learned all the same.

Now at the end of her training, Mari faces a rite of passage: venture into the Blackwood, alone, and make her way into the forgotten places with Rán's guidance, to find her hidden temple, a place supposedly only accessible to the Nine Daughters. There she will pray and accept the gifts the Goddess offers, seizing the power she feels she needs to fully make amends for her past.

Motivation

Mari must find the Hidden Temple of Rán, hidden somewhere in the Blackwood, and complete her initiation into the Daughters of Rán. After that, she can follow where the waters take her, and sell her sword and skills to those she feels need it most.

Witch of the Waves

Skills Mari is a former thief attempting to remake herself as a proper warrior. Her abilities are spread thin between combat, knowledge, and underhanded skills. Combat [1/1] ~Sword and Shield [1] ~Daggers [1] Intelligence [1/1] ~Literacy [1] ~Religion [1] ~Geography [1] Charisma [1/1] ~Diplomacy [1] Health [1/1] ~Cold Resistance [1] Faculties [1/1] ~Resolve [1] Agility [1/1] ~Pick Pocket [1] ~Lockpick [1] ~Balance [1] ~Swimming [2] Mysticism [0/3] Equipment ~One handed sword ~Wooden round shield ~Two small daggers ~Leather and partial plate armor ~Stitched hide and linen clothes ~Prayer bead necklaces with symbols of Rán Money ~1 Royal ~20 Lordlings ~40 Commons Languages ~Northern Tongue ~Grim Northern ~Bits and pieces of many other tongues

Escaping The Faewoods - A Survival Horror RP

Freya Carstensen

Freya's kick blasted a few teeth out of the nasty green creature, but still it grasped at her, long fingers closing around her ankle. She panicked, trying to take a step back but tripping and falling backwards. She hit the mud with a splat, but getting dirty was the last thing she cared about right now. The goblin was trying to grab her legs now and climb on top of her, and Freya frantically kicked at its face until she was free.

The boy was gone, a horrific horse-like creature replacing him. Brenton tried to fight it before shouting to run, and Aubrey called for iron or steel. Freya crawled backwards on her back, but she thought of little. Maybe her belt's buckle would work, but she didn't like her chances using it as a weapon. She had to agree with Brenton: they need to run.

Aina went down, her twin shrieking for help. Freya was closest, scrambling out of the mud and quickly getting to Aina's other side. "I've got her, come on!" she urged, taking half of Aina's weight under one shoulder and hoping Hannei could handle the rest. "We have to get out of here!"

The Blackwood Chronicles (WIP title)

Stopping by to say hello and add my interest as well!

Into The Depths!

Fiona de Valencourt

---

It was a lot to take in. When she'd entered Zion earlier, Fiona hadn't expected to end the day rooming peacefully with seven others without once using her sword. Her years of training with her family had led her to believe she was ready, as ready as she could be at least, and so when she arrived she expected the wait until the fight began wouldn't be long. A month... it was a relief of sorts, but also a new weight on her shoulders. She needed to refocus, to find more patience, and drive away the anxiousness she felt creeping up. It would only get worse as the day drew nearer.

The group exchanged introductions in the hall, so she added her own. "I'm Fiona. It's nice to meet everyone." She didn't feel much else needed adding. Some of the others mentioned their roles in combat, but Fiona felt hers was fairly obvious: she was a girl with a thin sword and barely any armor, best at striking demons and not getting struck in return. She could burn them as well, but Heaven's Fire wasn't something she dared to demonstrate indoors. She barely trusted herself with her powers, and wasn't about to show off.

Her family name felt like something best left for later, as well. She wasn't sure if any of the others would know it, but more and more Fiona was becoming self-conscious of it, wondering if she'd been chosen because of her blood and not her ability. It couldn't be true, considering how green some of the others looked, but doubt was a tricky thing to get rid of.

Fiona nodded in agreement with Alistair and Braska and went to get settled in the rooms. The men and women looked to be splitting as Virgil had suggested, so she followed Braska and claimed a bed. She unfastened her sword belt and removed her breastplate to be more comfortable, but she soon found herself unsure what to do. She wanted to train, to go over her sword skills again, to hone her magic, but it wasn't the time. She needed to save her strength for tomorrow, and the days to come.

Her sister had mentioned that it was common to stay inside at night, though she herself often disregarded that. Fiona was not as much of a troublemaker as Sophia had always been, so she had no intention of wandering the streets.

Alistair eventually solved the problem, however, when he invited them to evening prayers. Fiona imagined the relationships with God in this group were as diverse as their fighting styles. Her own thoughts on the matter were... mixed, and perhaps troubled, but she had no qualms going through the motions for the sake of appearances and cooperation with the group.

"I'll join you." Her prayers would likely be as silent as God's answers, but it was useful enough for finding her center. Her strength had always come from peace and focus, and she'd need all of it for what was ahead.

Escaping The Faewoods - A Survival Horror RP

Freya Carstensen

Freya jumped at the yowling of the cat, and exhaled an annoyed breath. Great, let's just start throwing rocks at everything... She really wasn't sure what to make of most of her new companions. They didn't seem like people she'd be friends with normally, but then again, Freya hadn't had much luck making any new friends lately.

Aubrey seemed level-headed enough, though, and Freya was in full agreement with her decision to get a move on. She caught up and fell in a half-step behind on Aubrey's left, slowing to match her pace. "Not sure that cat was tame..." She shook her head, wondering why she'd led with that. "Um. I'm sorry about your sister. I'll try to keep an eye out for her." She didn't know how many of the others were simply going to look out for themselves. Most, probably, and it'd be the smart thing to do, Freya guessed. Not her way, though.

A few moments later, a cry cut through the air, a young person's. Freya exchanged one glance with Aubrey, and then she was off, accelerating to a run and expecting that at least a few of the others would be behind her. Were there more of them, scattered elsewhere? Was it Aubrey's sister?

No, as it turned, it was a young boy, trapped on the muddy bank of a lake. The greenery surrounding it was far more than just green, but Freya was distracted by the green-skinned creatures harassing the child. "...what the fuck?" Freya said breathlessly. There was no time to question it. They looked like vicious little shits, and the boy seemed terrified. Freya wasn't the most imposing of the group physically, but she was the first to arrive, and wasn't just going to stand there.

She'd played soccer when she was little, and it was those memories that she channeled as she charged forward, boots sinking an inch into the mud with each step. She wound up, and made to kick one of the goblin-things right in its pointy teeth.

Into The Depths!

Fiona de Valencourt

---

It was hard for Fiona not to feel small as she was carried along in the stream of recruits headed for the castle. Many were taller than her, broader, and more heavily armored. Some were grizzled veterans of crusades, others fresh-faced like herself. They all had to feel the excitement of the moment, though, surely. This was what they'd been working towards all these years.

Her small size did have one advantage, as Fiona was able to linger in the shadow of a much larger, armored man while the announcements were made, the sergeants were introduced, and the names were called. She couldn't imagine enduring this heat for long wearing so much metal.

Names were called, and called some more, and the area steadily cleared out, though thankfully Fiona's pillar of shade was one of the unlucky few that had to stand around through the whole process like herself. She stood at attention the whole time, hands clasped neatly in front of her, but the de Valencourt name was never called.

For a specific reason, it seemed. She followed the man Virgil into the relative and welcome cool of the castle interior, trying not to get too distracted as she walked by the marvels of the architecture.

I was... chosen? A moment of doubt seized Fiona when she heard and comprehended the reason, that she would be among the very first few to venture an organized mission into the Abyss. Why me? Was it because of her family? She didn't feel exactly qualified for the honor, even if it was the sort of thing her training had been for. She forced the thoughts to stop. It didn't matter why. All that mattered was the duty that had been asked of her.

"I will," she answered, firmly, and suddenly aware that she was the first to do so. She glanced around at the others in the group really for the first time. Some looked far more experienced than her, but not all. They were a diverse group of fighters, by the looks of them.

Fiona had a thousand questions she wanted to ask, but it didn't seem like the proper time, so she held her tongue, and nodded at Virgil.