Mas Bagus

Duplicitous Ruins in the Land of Twilight

"That's as far as I know about it, which honestly works just about the same against anyone and anything? Your turn, stories! Share some!"

"Can't say I am a fan of storing the corpses of a criminal and using them for a seedbed," said Jazdia with a mirth that maintained the cordiality between them. The morbidity of the measures Verdant outlined did not escape her, however, and she quietly hoped that whoever was subjected to that cruel finality did something that was deserving.

"But generally, you can't go wrong with suffocation. All of those who use magic rely on breathing to make it work, and oxygen deprivation is... well, maybe not the fastest method, but you can neutralize them without outright killing them."

Jazdia had no story to demonstrate the effectiveness of the method, but she herself relies heavily on her enchantment spell and had been the receiving end of that measure at least more than once.

As they walked past the exhibition room, the curator was standing in front of the fountain, seemingly waiting for them. He donned a stern expression, and the gaze from his translucent eyes fell on Verdant.

"Esteemed visitor, I saw that you were performing an alchemy in the collection room. Please do not do that again, for any spillage may damage the collection or the vitrines."

Duplicitous Ruins in the Land of Twilight

Vesemir accepted the pocketwatch, seemingly satisfied with the first order of the day. A simple accessory, made of metal, and the size was right too. He placed Jazdia's compass on the enchantment table, and then the basalt stone was placed by its side.

With a nod, Eblana channeled her arcane energy onto the table and had it run through an arcane circuit that linked both items. Done with that, he rubbed the basalt on the lid for good luck.

The watch remained closed when he returned it to Jazdia, and the elf accepted with an appreciative smile. Appearance-wise, there was little changed in that pocket watch. Vesemir knew the item was important to her, and throughout their adventure, he knew that Jazdia was someone who appreciated functionality over appearance.
"Well, that was quick," commented the elven ranger. "It seems your expertise is really something else, or Theriadoere's work was really that modular."

"A little bit of both, actually," Vesemir answered with a moderated pride. Eblana shrugged behind him.

"Anyway, thanks," she pursed her lips before adding. "Since it looks like you two will be a bit busy, I am going to explore the place."

"Ahahah! Busy is an understatement," quipped Eblana before adding quickly. "I am sorry I can't accompany you, Miss Jazdia."

"No problem. You are needed here. I am just taking a stroll to get rid of boredom. See you later, everyone!"

The second order was coming, and it made Vesemir appreciate the simplicity of the previous even more. Akari came with a series of weapons so many that Vesemir evaluated his choice of words; he knew sometimes he sounded rather verbose, but he also expected that everyone he hired had some common sense.

"No, no! Don't just put it like that!" The old elf was clearly losing it when the big shuriken--almost as big as the table itself--- was added to the pile.

"Young miss, I admire your enthusiasm, but you are ruining this piece of art! I can imagine Theriadore rolling in his grave, and I think I am going to join him soon! ---This device is fragile!"
The rest were intelligible muttering when the scholar removed the sword and the shuriken from the table. The clearness in his voice was only recovering when he dealt with Akari's collection of knives; he promptly returned them to her.

"Here, take this. And this. This too. I don't know why you would need all of them enchanted. The blessing would work as long as you have the rune on your person. Ok, prestige points! I get you. I will only have two of your weapons enchanted, but you will have to wait."

After Akari, came the masked knight.

“My sword,” he said, holding his spadone out to Vesemir to enchant. “Let the man that vanquished Scheel be vanquished by a weapon of Scheel.”

The words carried a significance that gave a much-needed pause to the archaeologist's consternation. With a nod, he accepted the long sword. It seemed he had missed a very important revelation, but he could not bring himself to be privy. The best he could do was to honor the knight's wishes.

"Very well. Mr. Rezello."

Before he could start processing the weapons, Verdant the youkai handed him a strange blade that thankfully came with its scabbard. Another simple addition to his list that thankfully would be easy to enchant. He was about to give his usual approval when he realized that Verdant had left with Jazdia.

***

Leaving behind the workshop, Jazdia walked through the exhibition room with slow and steady steps.

Despite earning many gasps and wows from Vesemir, Jazdia really could not call this place welcoming. It was cold, functional, and emotionless. Pale was its main color palette, and the lighting, while sufficient, only amplified the coldness of its design. It was almost giving off an impression of a crypt, a very ornate crypt at that, looking at the displays and items arranged. The lack of another person in this room further reinforced the feeling of cold, death, and loneliness.

"We're hunting the wizard, it seems!"

Verdant's energetic, slightly shrilly, voice somewhat dispelled the coldness, and it was hard to say she didn't enjoy the change.

"I think we are," she responded, brightened by the unexpected company.

"Anything you can tell about hunting wizards? I may be able to prepare a few helpful substances."

"A few, maybe. Had the pleasure of fighting a few of them. The most recent was in Kindeance, some ten years ago. A well-prepared wizard was the worst kind of enemy to fight against. There were eight of us back then, and it felt like subjugating a dragon."

Duplicitous Ruins in the Land of Twilight

"So basically the wizard stole a bunch of people with that artifact, eats them, then stole an entire town for... whatever he wants?" "And we're going after this guy? Like, not to be the leech under your scales, but with a relatively few people eaten he broke that wall and left a room that tasted like wet bones and screams. And now he got ten years to work off how many sacrifices again?"

"Can we even take him on? The lair is probably infested with walking corpses."

@A5G

"If the entire story of the wizard causing this massive destruction was true, then the correct course of action you should take is to return and contact the authority. Then they will contact the Westernant and then, after they have their bureaucratic hurdle sorted out, maybe in two or three years, an investigation team will then be dispatched."

Jazdia could sense the scholar's unhappy stare, as if the world 'returning' was a new kind of taboo. "It's reckless to decide things based on unconfirmed accounts and conjectures," Vesemir argued, his words slightly stammering, which concealed his apprehension. "Let us not forget that the news-bearer is not omniscient."

A pause ensued, and the silence grew into eeriness. Everyone knew who he was referring to, and very likely expected the curator to materialize himself in front of them to explain himself, but he did not appear, seemingly holding on to his principle of not giving a damn.

"Relax, as one of your advisors, I am not saying you should turn back now."

"I, too, as one of his advisors, think he should. Verdant has a point." Countered Mr. Elc, who stood facing her with arms crossing over his chest. "Well prepared as we may be, the threats are both physical and from the immaterial."

"That's fair. However, I would like to share my perspective on the concerns that have been raised. If the Lich is currently cooped up in Nuria, then I am not sure he has much to work with. Ancient spirits and occasionally the weaker ones, those are what populate the land of twilight for a good millennium. His means of kidnapping people have been broken, and he had no other means; otherwise, we would have heard about another Scheel accident. I do not doubt that Lich is strong, but he is nowhere unkillable. We can take him out even if we are one person fewer."

"We never heard about Scheel until recently. But I... you are right, another kind of accident would be impossible to cover up. But I still think the best course of action is, like you said earlier, to return." He sighed despairingly. "But needless to say, it seems I am the minority here."

Jazdia reached for her pocket and grasped a silver pocket watch by its chain. "Here," the ranger presented it to Vesemir to enchant, an affirmation of her resoluteness. "I suppose it doesn't have to be weapons, right?"

"Correct," the old elf nodded, hesitating a bit as he glanced at the pocketwatch and the bow slung on Jazdia's back "but Lista adh plume are more personal."

The ranger chuckled. "This one will do just fine."

Do You Have RP Pet Peeves?

<Snipped quote by Mas Bagus>

As a player, GMs ghosting is equally frustrating. Especially when they outright refuse to let another person step up and Co-GM. Had that happen once; GM hadn't been around. I asked about taking over in their stead, they denied, the RP ultimately died. Also once had a GM abandom her RP to take over another one and then, when asked for any notes/plot ideas she had had, her response was just "I don't care."

@IAmTheIsland

Eh, that was literally the entire process of why I stepped up to be the GM. Yeah GM abandoning the game is a real menace and just a waste of time.

Do You Have RP Pet Peeves?

As a DM, it's ghosting for me. I often deal with repeat customers (players) who eagerly jump in when I start a new thing, only to see them barely participating after one or two months playing. It is honestly annoying because I have allocated significant time and attention working with them to make their characters fit into the story, even tailoring some elements in the plot to cater to their characters' backgrounds.

And in the long run, it makes me restless; Maybe some new changes are needed? Maybe there was something in the narrative that they didn't like? And the worst part, it is hard to mend things when you have people completely gone from the radar, and you don't know why they are gone, and you can't ask them why.

It's understandable if things in real life prevent them from participating, but it becomes another if I see them online in my Discord server or returning once every two weeks to post memes without context. AT least keep us updated, a simple "sorry still busy this month" every once in a while would do just fine and take no more than 2 minutes of your time, or just withdraw from the RP altogether so I can focus on what is left, thought it's still annoying because I still have to deal with the marks that retiring character left, but at least it is better than having a character just idling in the middle of the road for the rest of the arc.

Mas Bagus' Character Files

The Combat Maid

Name : Alexandria
Species : Human(?)
Gender : Female
Age : 22
Place of Birth :

Apperance

combat maid

Perhaps the most notable aspect of Alexandria's overall presentation is the reinforced maid uniform she wears almost every day. She has dark hair with a distinct shade of blue, styled in a simple ponytail that reaches her waist. In front, her fringe ends in the middle of her eyebrows and is divided into three strands: one strand falls across her face, while the other two blend into longer strands that reach her shoulders. Alexandria has a beautiful face, though it is almost devoid of emotion; there was no luster in her ocean-colored eyes, as if no soul ever existed behind them.

Beyond that, Alexandria looked physically well. Standing at 180 cm with an athletic body, the young woman carries herself with the fluidity typical of a trained servant, but with a haunting certainty to her gait.

Personality

Alexandria is stoic and does not fully understand the necessity of showing emotion. She is a perfect maid in technical level; she speaks softly and formally, her etiquette is impeccable, and she can differentiate all kinds of dining spoons with her eyes closed. Yet she is cold and soulless, like a dwarven engine that does its function as intended, not because it is passionate, but because it was designed to

Before being saved by the Paladins of the Order and taken under Dr. William Schult's guardianship, Alexandria had been treated as an unfeeling and unthinking tool. The conditioning was ingrained so deeply that Dr. Schult theorized it was physically wired into her being and could not be erased by simply removing her slave mark.

As a result, Alexandria often appears literal-minded and somewhat naive. This leads to significant difficulties in navigating social interactions; she rarely initiates a conversation and cannot properly register or express empathy beyond what has been taught, making her seem distant and insincere.

However, whenever the situation calls, she instinctively jumps in to help, whether asked or not. It remains uncertain whether this behavior stems from a genuine kindness or is simply a habitual impulse.

Although she may appear impassive, Alexandria is by no means intellectually impaired. She learns things quickly and has demonstrated sharp acumen during intense situations. Her ability to self-learn became more pronounced after Dr. Schult's passing, as circumstances forced her to become more tactful and independent. The last directives from her late master were particularly helpful in that regard. The maid is still working on it, and there is still a long way to go.

Brief Backstory:

Alexandria's dossier #1: The beginning

Ten years ago, Dr. William Schult was asked to examine a very peculiar waif the Paladins had just rescued from a mad alchemist's dungeon. As a psychiatric practitioner, the task was not unusual for him. Ex-Slaves in particular often need help reintegrating into society, and as a staunch supporter of The Order, it was only natural that he helped to the best of his ability. The paladins described her as 'troublesome' despite their efforts to give proper care. Fortunately, they said, she was calmer now after her slave mark was removed. The doctor could only imagine what she was like before that; the paladins never specify.

This girl had no name, seemed to be no older than twelve, was borderline mute, and could only understand a few words. During the interview, she maintained a lethargic disposition, like a defeated caged beast that already awaits its demise. There was no way the order could let her roam free in this state, and even less so to accept her in their academy. The girl had no relatives, and finding a foster parent to adopt her seemed to be a tall order.

Not counting the maids who regularly work in his mansion, Dr. Schult had been living alone long enough since her wife's passing; he is already in his mid-seventies and had never considered the possibility of having someone to take care of; that was just troublesome for all parties involved.

But sometimes things just happened. He did not remember exactly why he decided to be her guardian. Was it pity? A whim? Or part of Gods plan? He didn't know for certain.

Alexandria's dossier #2: The Name

"Are you... master?"

There was a bittersweet feeling when Dr. Schult heard that. It had been almost a year since he swore to be this girl's guardian, and he had tried every method in the book to stimulate the girl's cognitive abilities and lift her spirit. It was bitter because, despite all his efforts to express compassion and establish a familial bond, she chose words that echoed her previous circumstances. However, it was also sweet because it was the first time the girl had initiated a conversation. Not wanting to disappoint her by correcting her on her first question, Dr. Schult instinctively replied with a yes.

Dr Schult thought their new ways-of-calling wouldn't stick, and he could always iron it out later. But days passed, and the girl patiently waited, not for compassion but for his command. Naturally, he tried to take back what he said, and that would result in the girl standing motionless outside of her room all day, staring into empty space with vacant eyes and repeating the very same question every two hours.

"Master, what is your command?"

It went on for an entire month, and with each passing week, the repeated question became more of a plea than an acknowledgment of duty.

Having had enough and fearing that the girl might harm herself if continued to be ignored, Dr. Schult relented. He started to give her routines, or orders, in the little girl's own words. Recognizing her dedication to help the maids and whoever she came across, he decided to name her Alexandria, as her only interest seemed to be helping others. He hoped that one day her desire to help would stem from genuine passion rather than a senseless obedience.

Considering that he would mostly be busy managing his enterprise, He would enlist the help of his head maid, Inge, to teach her language, writing, and all the importance of being a maid. Well, as long as she is happy, she can roleplay all she wants. That was what Dr. Schult thought when he finalized the arrangement. Later, on his deathbed, he wondered if he had made a mistake on this one.

Alexandria's dossier #3: Past life

Years had passed, and Dr. Schult had witnessed both Alexandria's talents and her difficult circumstances. However, a significant question lingered in his mind: Who was Alexandria before she was enslaved by the mad alchemist? What about her parents? The Paladins did not disclose much during the early days when he took her in, and they seemed somewhat reluctant to answer his inquiries. So, Dr. Schult decided to try again, this time through formal means. When the letter arrived and he read it, he found himself regretting that he had asked.

From what they could gather in his ransacked underground workshop, Alexandria's mother had been subjected to countless experiments since her conception. The mad alchemist referred to her as a means to create a unique specimen, describing it in his own words as "the perfect, unstoppable killing machine." Tragically, she died while birthing Alexandria. In his journal, the mad alchemist lamented this terrible loss but insisted that the plan must continue.

Not even a newborn was spared from his cruelty. She was immediately immersed in an alchemical solution, injected with various experimental concoctions, and marked as a slave. Since she could walk, her entire world was mostly a three-by-two cell, and she spent most of her time inculcated, tested to her limits, and punished when mistakes were made.

Dr. William Schult balled his fist, letter and all, and tossed it into the fireplace. He hoped there was a special place in hell for that Mad alchemist.

Alexandria's dossier #4:

It was a warm afternoon in mid-July when Dr. Schultz finished reading the letter from the Order. He had grown pale, and his voice was husky. The age had been catching up on him, something he had already seen coming a couple of years ago. That letter explained why The Order cannot accept Alexandria into their cadre. One point detailed that while she finished every assigned task impeccably and passed all the tests with flying colors, the Order felt that her conviction was not genuine from the heart. Another point in that letter was retelling her conversation with the Cardinal, who explained that we are all servants of the Creator, and then she asked, if He was our master, where could she meet Him? The exchange went out of hand when Alexanderia asserted that she only follows a master whom she can see, talk to, and feel.

The news almost gave him a ticket straight to afterlife.

"Master, are you in pain?"

Alexandria, the maid asked guilelessly. Schult raised his palm while his other hand picked his nose bridge. Why... he lamented.

"Is there anything I can help with?"

There was no answer from the old doctor.

"Master..."

"Would you give it a rest already, dumb maid!?" he fired, having already reached the end of his patience. A flurry of regrets came crashing down hard to tell if it was of his doing or circumstances. He had entertained Alexandria's whim for nearly ten years to the point he had embraced it instinctively. A perfect maidservant she was, dutiful and diligent despite her inherent shortcomings. But that was not what he really wanted, never will... and this was not the future he wished upon her. He was disappointed, angry, and confused, and Alexandria is the only person present in this room; she never talks back, just accepts, an easy target for him to lash out.

"You want to help? Go ahead and deal with those lawyers. They will tear you apart like ravenous wolves. Mark my word! The moment I die, they will gnaw my estate piece by piece. They will toss you out like nothing. What would you do without me, hah?! Do you think making tea, baking a cake, and cleaning a piano with one hand can impress them? Change their mind, give you room, and let you stay?"

The maid did not answer. Despite her trademark impassiveness, she had learned not to be literal in this kind of situation. As he observed the flicker of grief in her otherwise vacant eyes, his anger started to dissipate. He had been needlessly harsh with her.

"I am sorry, it's not your fault," he said raspyly, gesturing for her to come closer as he stood up from his chair, enduring an urge to wheeze so this troublesome maid wouldn't barrage him with unnecessary concern.

"You have grown," he said as he stroked her silky, bluish hair. "I will miss you when I am gone. Will you miss me too?"

Alexandria blinked slowly. There was a pause, and a tiny hint of sadness remained in her eyes, but the maid did not know what to do with it. It causes a boiling pain in her chest. She acknowledges the pain, but never understands why it needs to be shown; it is to tell her something is wrong, and he knows this wrong was about her master's health deteriorating. There was nothing she could do about it, and she had accepted the pain,

"I will await your return, master," she said finally.

Dr. Schult smiled.

"That's my daughter."

Alexandria's dossier #5:

Dr. Schult's premonition turned out to be correct. Just a week after his death, several lawyers hired by his distant relatives began their efforts to claim his estate. Fortunately, he had managed to secure some funds to ensure that Alexandria wouldn’t end up on the streets. While the amount wasn’t large, it was enough to buy the maid a house near the city limits, with some leftover funds that those greedy lawyers couldn’t touch. It would be declared to be Alexandria's entire salary while working as a maid in his mansion, and while the designations in that arrangement were not at all to his liking, it was the only way.

Dear Alexandria.

If you read this, I am already on the other side. I know you wouldn't weep, but I know how heavy this is to you. Do you like the house? You earned it. Keep it well, keep it tidy, like how you did in the mansion, even without a master to serve. You are the master of yourself now. It's time for you to see the world, its good and its bad. I know you can handle it. I always know.

I have also sent a letter to the Branch Manager of the Adventurer's Guild, letting them know that you will be coming. Should have made an effort to befriend that guy a decade ago---who knows, you might earn the rank Iron on the first try. Ha! But I think copper is okay; everyone has to start somewhere.

Find friends you can rely on, be careful, and walk with dignity. That was my final command to you. I know you may need this advice until you become someone who no longer requires guidance.

Lastly, I know there were hurtful things that I said in the past. I was confused, like everyone else. Perhaps, just perhaps, he entire maid shenanigans was your way of saying thanks, and that was your only way of expressing it. I shouldn’t have mocked gestures that came from goodwill. I was wrong, and I sincerely apologize. Keep doing what you’re doing, and thank you for staying with me for the past ten years.

Sincerely,

Dr. William Schult

Equipment:
- A Zweihänder. Nothing special about this greatsword except that it was made centuries ago and has withstood abuse from Alexandria's brutal training. Pretty durable considering she swings that thing like a toothpick. They don't make things with this quality anymore
- Medium-size backpack

Skills:

Alexandria is inhumanly strong. She is capable of lifting objects much larger than herself without breaking a sweat. She can use a wide array of melee, but a greatsword is her main choice of weapon. Her moves are not by any means clumsy, but it was clearly unpolished, which even a journeyman swordsman could see all the errors and openings.

Consequently, her strong physics also contributes greatly to her overall durability. Alexandria can take the heaviest hit that would knock the strongest out. She is also less susceptible to ailments such as poison and paralyzing substances and spells. This part was like the result of the alchemist's conditioning.

Duplicitous Ruins in the Land of Twilight

When Miwa arrived at the workshop, Vesemir was hovering above a round enchantment table, almost at an unsafe distance, looking closely at the glowing scroll reacting to a round basalt stone placed on a socket near it. Light flashed multiple times as the process was nearly finished, and runic words started to appear on the basalt's surface.

"Excuse-me, Mr. Vesemir. I am sorry to interrupt you but Arcan gave us some important information regarding the cursed rooms, the victims in the tunnels and the necromancer who seems to be responsible for both..." Miwa said, stopping at the entrance of the workshop and announcing her arrival before approaching Vesemir and telling him about what Arcan told them about the necromancer.

"Go on..." the archaeologist said, eyes still glued on the enchantment table.

"The necromancer seems to have made a lair for itself far from here, so it is not an immediate threat... Although I would like to express my desire to deal with it, either sooner or later. Allowing it to roam freely would not only be turning a blind eye to the suffering of the countless victims he made and the countless more in the future." Miwa said with a serious tone.

Vesemir waved his hand, eyes still monitoring the finalization occuring in that enchantment table. "Yes yes. I'll allow it. Please do---"

That until Jazdia grabbed him by his shoulders and yank him off the table to face Miwa. "Listen to her and Do it properly, will you!"

"Ow! Slow down, young lady! I heard her too you know. Ahem So, you managed to get something out of that Curator's eh? Well, a lich roaming around killing people do sounds bad," he paused, eyes briefly stole a glance on the finished item behind him. He looked at Wiwa again, this time with wide, accomplished smile across his face. "so any plan?"

"For now though, I would like to ask the permission to purify the cursed room left behind by the necromancer together with Fia. Besides being my duty as a Miko, I am sure we should be able to gain some important insight on how to deal with the necromancer's curses and powers, should we decide to face him later on."

"Simple, orderly. I like it! And I just have the right tool to aid you."

The smile on his face was almost obscene when he turned around to pick a newly-finished runestone and announced proudly: "Gather around, everyone, and show me your blades! We will make weapons that can kill a Lich King!"

Hoisted by Vesemir, the basalt runstone looked about the size of a palm. Appearance-wise, it's a bit unassuming, except for the runic words on its surface that emit a bluish glow.

Sword and Dungeon: An Adventurer's Guild-based Fantasy RP

@Raineh Daze I accept the wrongs and will see what I can do to mend it. Thank you very much for your evaluation. I will withdraw my character sheet for now.

Sword and Dungeon: An Adventurer's Guild-based Fantasy RP

<Snipped quote by Mas Bagus>

I'm happy to start brainstorming with what we have and if there needs to be any adjustments we can sort it out later.

Got any ideas so far?

Possibly YC knew MC's mother. They just went down different paths at some point.
YC could be the reason MC joins the guild. Gone for fresh copper rank.

@Dark Light

Hmm, I just realized that your character has no name yet.

Looking at his backstory, I presume he is a runway, trying to escape from a resourceful father who wants to train him to be a sort of domon summoner against his will.

Jazdia could be a person his mother advised him to look for when things get seriously awry. We can work on the idea that your character's mom and Jazdia were old comrades. Maybe one of them owed the other a favor.

Another question would be on how elves and mankind's view on half-elf. Jazdia might be someone who doesn't give a damn, but such discrimination against the impure was not at all uncommon, looking at the other IPs.

Sword and Dungeon: An Adventurer's Guild-based Fantasy RP

Anyone interested in mingling backstories?

@Dark Light

I am interested, but first I need to know some more details regarding the world.

Or we can just work with whatever we have now. How does that sound to you? Seems like we have enough things to work with simply because our characters' shared heritage