Nora considered the Belladonna problem. She wanted to use a quick estimate of whether or not she could have survived, but there just wasn't enough variables - or rather, she couldn't figure out what they needed to be and just didn't know them. Instead though, she remembered that shafts like these rather than going straight down may in fact have angled slightly, since they were used for building. Her eye sight became hazy all of the sudden and she blinked rapidly, terrified for a brief moment that it was perhaps an oncoming illness, but she dismissed that. She felt fine otherwise. It might have just been caused by the torches and low lighting, somehow? "If Belladonna survived the fall, our best chance of retrieving her would be to push onwards. These shafts are usually designed to finish off at an angle - so perhaps deeper down, we can find her," Nora explained gently.
Gene was getting thoroughly annoyed with the Lord Major - and Mahendra as well. Oh, there were things she could tell them that would make their heads spin and she was so tempted to do so, but she knew better. One upping these men wouldn't do anything good in the long run - though their reactions, she imagined, would be priceless. "Of course when the man says it, he listens," Gene grumbled, rolling her eyes slightly. She probably would have continued on with more snarky comments when there was a sudden haze in front of her eyes and she frowned slightly. "That's new..." she whispered quietly to herself.
Of course, her distraction wasn't long lasting. Her annoyance with the Lord Major was growing. She was half tempted to go and shove him down the hole, insist on him following his earlier course of action to find Belladonna. He had been funny at first but now he was just getting irritating. "It's not inconvenience - your idea to remain behind here was just stupid," she told him simply. "And now, we've wasted time. Time that Belladonna might not have, if she is stuck at the bottom of the shaft. So now I would like to make a suggestion! Hurry up, stop dawdling and being all British, and seriously, learn to use shorter sentences!" Gene snapped.
Nora was staying out of Gene's little spat with the Lord Major. She recalled that Mahendra had asked her if she would like him to copy over the map as well and she glanced up from her own work. "If you would like, you may but it is no trouble - I'm nearly finished," she told him. The haze was still in her eyes and she gave a nod to Lauren. "I'm experiencing it as well," she said.
Character current location: Athribis, Underground Characters attempted actions: Nora is going to try to determine where they should head according to the map to find Belladonna, if she's alive Any and all skills being used: Pattern Analysis, Cryptography, Mathematics, Decipher hieroglyphics, Acute Observation Why each skill is being called: Pattern Analysis/Cryptography - for finding patterns to help to deduce meaning. Decipher hieroglyphics - for figuring out what these symbols mean. Mathematics - in order to calculate/estimate. Acute Observation - basically perception. Desired location of the character: Athribis, Underground
Location: Babylon Fortress, Cairo, Egypt Skills: Alertness, Occult History
As much as Giouse's logic was sound, Andromeda was a bit wary about actively looking for the Destruere. They were new Paradoxes relatively speaking and they hadn't fought those creatures before. If Giouse was wrong, and they couldn't see them, then the Destruere would still have that advantage - and perhaps even be able to easily wipe out all that was left of Ville au Camp in one go. Bart had a good question - Giouse and Gilbert had yet to say what the goal was, beyond seeing if they could see the Destruere. But what if the Destruere were gone? Would that just give them a false negative that the haze didn't allow them to see? There were more questions buzzing around in Andromeda's mind and this entire test was seeming less and less logical the more she thought about it.
She started thinking more and more on this entire odd situation, before recalling an obscure tale - she couldn't pinpoint when or where exactly it had come from, but it seemed fitting at the moment. It involved the resurrection of the dead, pulling souls and altering their course, their path. And there was the number twelve - she had no idea why it was important but it just seemed to keep on coming up as she thought on it. Of course, since she herself didn't understand the line of reasoning, she wasn't sure if it was worth wasting the Emendators and other Paradoxes' time. She was debating asking Peter, but then he went off with James to get them the change of clothing. Her thought could wait until she had really developed it more.
Location: Stark Tower - New York City, New York (Outfit) Skills: N/A
Guin almost didn't notice the woman tending to Queen Miranda - she didn't recognize the blonde, but she doubted her future brother in law would have let just anyone try to heal his mother. Her heart was heavy as she looked at the queen, seeing how vulnerable she was in this state. Why would someone do something so horrible? She could have understood someone attacking King Erik but Miranda? She had the compassion and kindness that her husband lacked. At least that compassion would rule the world when Flynn took his father's place on the throne. He was a lot like his mother. Allison started to fill the people in the room in on what she believed had happened and Guin glanced up, tearing herself away from Queen Miranda's side.
"Okay, so now for the version that isn't coated in so much bias that if it was sugar, a diabetic would have a heart attack," Guin said pointedly. The people in this room deserved the facts - not just Allison's opinions. Flynn raised a good point as well - especially since Allison hadn't really given him the facts yet. "Allison remembers a world where things are different - where King Erik does not rule the world and humans are not beneath mutants. It seems to be the other way around in her memories. My grandfather and I were able to determine that it looks like her brain is fighting back against her memories being altered, though we couldn't tell what sort of force was responsible for the alteration."
"Under the hypothesis that she is right - then we are in a different reality than what could be dubbed the normal world. However, that doesn't mean that one reality is correct - just that one predates the other and has massive differences," Guin finished. She could tell that one of the girls in the room was out cold, so it was really just the medic, the other blonde girl, and Flynn here to listen to them. "The only action that we need to take is to figure out how this was done and prevent it from happening again. Allison wants to change things back to match her memories, which would result in the death of Oshea, her fiancé, and probably other people she has neglected to tell us about."
Casper Theriot
Location: LeBeau Casino - New Orleans, Louisiana Skills: Mediumship
Anastasia didn't seem to hear what he had said, which was moderately annoying to Casper - but Ben didn't seem to care at all. Casper ignored his comments often enough that he didn't see much of an issue in someone giving him a taste of his own medicine. Besides, Chrysi a.k.a. Crazy Ginger was a bigger problem that they needed to deal with. Of course, Anastasia a.k.a. Psychopath of the Week seemed to just want to turn capturing the murderer into another training session. Casper wasn't sure how to feel about that, but he did know that she probably would have fit in fine with his father and his friends.
"Telling him not to do dumb things never really works," Ben told Mary sympathetically. "I've been trying that tactic for years, trust me."
"Hey, at least I didn't set a warehouse on fire!" Casper protested.
Ben snickered. "I miss Max, damn it... That kid is funny," however the smile on Ben's face was a little bit forced. He didn't like how much of Jack's attention Max took up in the real world. Sure, he was dead but that didn't mean his crush on Jack had stopped after he died. Though as Jack entered the room, Ben perked up and stood up a little taller.
"Well, the name of the game, my dear little bro, is knock out the psychopath and tie her up or something," Casper proposed. "Is there a secret jail in this place? We could put her in there. Every group honestly needs a secret jail... even the X-Men have one!" He then decided to just get this over with, since everyone else here was just standing around talking, and he had discovered a new-ish power anyways. Casper's eyes turned a brighter shade of blue and a blue light surrounded his hands, as Ben became visible to everyone.
"Now, Kraken!" Casper shouted.
"Ugh, I do not like that codename..." Ben complained. Large, massive tentacles sprouted from his midsection and Ben grabbed Chrysi tightly, slamming her repeatedly against the ground. Sadly, he didn't manage to knock her out just yet, just badly bruising her so far.
Dominika Novikova and Runa Blake
Location: Outside the Quinjet / Inside the Banner Residence -> Outside the Quinjet - Sydney, Australia Skills: Dimensional Energy Perception, Eldritch Magic
Novikova got an idea all of the sudden, as she looked at her girlfriend. Her power had been used in the other world to guide a robot through the Quantum Realm. She could see alternate realities in a rush. Could she use her abilities to give back just one of those realities to Maria? "I'm going to try something," Novikova said softly. Ordinarily, she probably should have asked for consent before doing this, but she had the idea and she felt a need to test it right then and there. Reaching out, she put a hand on Maria's face, glad she could control the absorption in this world, and Novikova removed her glasses. Instead of seeing the normal rush of alternate worlds and lives... she just saw Maria. Maria's memories of the real world would be restored. "...How do you feel?" Novikova asked, putting her glasses back on.
Abercrombie was asking for suggestions as to where to ditch them. Novikova's first instinct was at the bottom of the ocean. "We could just leave them here and run," she suggested. It would save on fuel for the quinjet if they didn't need to make a pit stop to drop them somewhere. Of course, there was also the option of the Australian outback, but she had a feeling that they would be able to make their way back to civilization quickly anyways. They were Red Guard agents, after all.
Inside the Banner home, Runa closed the sling ring portal after her conversation with Klara and Klara's friend. He looked a bit too well dressed to be Human Resistance, but Runa could appreciate the taste in fine clothes. Runa took a breath for a moment, mumbling a prayer to Baldur under her breath. She knew that he wasn't her father in this world, but still, it helped to center her mind for a moment. "Oh, Lance..." Runa said quietly as he came into the room.
"Hey Runa, was wondering where you had gone... Figured you had gone back in the house..."
She hesitated for a moment as she looked at him. "...Would you still love me if I was a monster?" She could feel in her bones that things were going to come to light. He would find out what she really was - that she was Asgardian, that those on Asgard dismissed her as no better than Loki - that she was a force of darkness.
"Of course, why wouldn't I?" he asked, a bit confused now.
Runa blinked her eyes slightly, trying not to cry. "It's..." she started to say, before she shook her head. "I contacted my cousin in the Human Resistance. I can open a portal and get us all to their headquarters safely."
"Uh, okay... Let's go back outside and tell the others that then," he said, nodding his head.
She nodded, just looking at him for a moment - as if she might never see him again - before she headed outside. She cleared her throat as she approached the others. "I'm opening a portal to the Human Resistance in New York - your team is allowed to come through to seek refuge from the Red Guard there with us," she told Tinley. It took her a few moments, but eventually Runa managed to open up a portal large enough for people to walk through. On the other side, they would be able to see Klara and Max again.
As Thana asked for the non-Newnan members to be returned and the rest of Newnan to be brought back, Beatrice almost asked to go back with them. While she had been a part of Newnan and had made friends there, she felt that her leaving the settlement with James, turning her back on them, meant that she was no longer a part of that group. It was a chapter in her life that was over and done with. If she were to be thought of as part of any group, it would be the group that was currently in briefing - and even then, she felt it was dangerous towards their chances of being accepted if they continued to define themselves in that manner. Integrating into a new society had a cost - a loss of previous group identities.
Beatrice just didn't need to feel the need for closure about Newnan. She only stayed in the room for closure as to what had caused James and Ryan to die. It had been some sort of natural disaster. But maybe Thana had more information on it. She would revisit all of this, not for herself but for her friends who had died and couldn't come back. She remained seated as the non-Newnan members left, and as the Newnan crew came into briefing. This was going to be interesting.
Jack grinned as Tatiana accepted his request to dance. He didn't know too many dances, but there was one that had come out a few years before the Outbreak that he remembered. He couldn't say what the artist's name was anymore but... "Now, solovey, in yah intense trainin' did ya evah learn how to do... the Cha Cha Slide?" he asked her with a smirk. He knew that he could have gone with something like the Macarena, but the Cha Cha Slide was a classic. In his opinion, every person in the world should know how to do it. His head snapped so fast he almost gave himself whiplash as Wayne picked up Jamie, but then he relaxed. It seemed they had a new designated babysitter. He knew Tatiana had been working with Wayne some so she had to trust him... so... that was... fine. (Jack was barely fine with it).
He returned his attention to Tatiana and started recalling the lyrics/instructions to the dance as best as he could. "To the left, take it back now y'all / One hop this time, right foot let's stomp / Left foot let's stomp, cha cha real smooth," Jack sang, doing each motion as the song required. He was trying his best not to giggle a little bit, making a big point out of each stomp of the foot he did, but he really got into the cha cha movement. He was about to sing the next phrase when Panama and some of the others came back, telling them that they needed him and Tatiana, as well as Riley and Amelia, in briefing.
"...We can Cha Cha latah," Jack said to his wife. He glanced at Wayne. Should he bring Jamie with him to briefing? He seemed entertained at least, watching a movie with the babysitter. "Wayne, we will be right back," Jack said. "...Please watch Jamie," he requested. He didn't know what was going to happen in briefing but back in the day as a cop, briefing usually involved some grisly and not appropriate for a little kid sights. Besides, there were guards in this room. They wouldn't let anything bad happen to Jamie. It was incredibly difficult for Jack to let Jamie out of his sight as he went to briefing.
Frost International HQ - Downtown Washington D.C.:
Emma didn't seem phased as Jinx elected to cartwheel his way out of the elevator. She had been in this game long enough to work with some disturbed individuals - nothing he could do would really shock her at this point. During his time cartwheeling, Jinx wouldn't really be spotting any pieces of paint or threads that were out of the ordinary, but that didn't mean they weren't there. He hadn't been able to see the security cameras, after all. "This floor is reserved for the Hellfire Club - consider it auxiliary space, if headquarters is rendered unusable for whatever reason," she told Requiem.
"Security wise, we have inhibiting technology installed. Your badges are the only reason you can use your powers here. There are numerous security cameras, all cloaked so as to be invisible to the naked eye. Armed guards, including a few telepaths who monitor this space. And of course, DNA profiling," Frost finished calmly. "The DNA of all Hellfire Club members is in the system. If someone who is not a member of the club comes down to this space, well... I'm certain you've heard of Terrigen Mist? It kills them instantly. In the case of a pesky inhuman, my scientists modified it to send them into a coma."
Spirit Box
Location: the Morlock Tunnels Skills: Mediumship
Grimlock stared at the Panda Pillow for a moment, before using her telepathy to speak directly into Tome's mind: "I'm a little old for this, but thanks I guess." She then went over to the tent that she shared with Blink and put the Panda Pillow away, figuring one of them would enjoy an extra pillow at night to use. If she had heard James' mental thoughts, then she didn't elect to respond to them.
"Thank you," Erg called back to James, as he announced the rolling black outs. He then went off to find Glow, that way they would at least have some light to see by whenever those black outs happened. Understandably, people tended to panic when plunged into darkness.
"I think he's asking you out," Ben commented to Casper. "Really? You think so, Ben?" Casper asked, perking up a bit. "Well duh, why else would someone want to spend time with you?" Ben teased and Casper made a face of mock hurt at his friend's teasing. He did nod at James' question about where he'd be going. "I have no plans - I like to let the evening find me," he shrugged. Most likely, he'd leave his brother's place at some point and go score some drugs, enough to keep the ghosts (except for Ben) at bay. This would keep up for a while until someone (his brother, probably) figured it out and sent him back to rehab, which his father would pay for and pretend that he actually cared about what happened to his son. Yay.
Given that he didn't really have anything to do and he figured his brother wasn't itching to go get him waffles (rude!), Casper shrugged and went over to where James had gone with the parts and all. "Just tell me what to do, boss," he said with a grin. However, he was wondering a bit about what his brother had said, with someone burning something with his face on it before. He knew that his brother slept around, so it probably had something to do with that. Jack and Tome would be cute together, Casper decided.
"You don't think he likes him, right?" Ben asked.
"'Course not. He probably just wants to sleep with him and move on," Casper reassured him.
Veil
Location: The Mutant Underground Main Area - Washington D.C. Station Skills: Perception, Leadership
Negasonic nodded, mentally dubbing Moonwalker the Puppy for all of his overeager excitement. "Yup, he does," she said simply, pulling out her phone. She had a sense that Sapphire was about to have a meltdown with all of this, so she was ready to film it all on video and put it on SnapChat. Her girlfriend was busy with work, but hey, Negasonic figured she would get a kick out of this.
Veil couldn't help but be disappointed in Callie. She expected better than this from her. People who just met Sapphire and couldn't tell when she was being pushed too far, Veil couldn't blame them for messing up - but Spark Plug had known Sapphire for a while. She should have known better than to belittle and insult her, and even if it wasn't Sapphire, it still wasn't okay for her to talk about a member of the Mutant Underground like that in front of newcomers. It wasn't the image they needed to present.
Sunspot shot a slight glare at Spark Plug over the comment about him functioning as a heater in combination with Sapphire's AC powers. "Watch it, Jumper Cables," he snapped at her.
"Hey, why don't we go take a walk?" Cannonball suggested to his friend gently, hoping to get him out of the high emotion environment. Flinging insults back and forth wasn't going to help anyone.
Veil's heart sank slightly as Ice Queen, the newest newcomer, insulted Sapphire. Part of her wanted to just walk off and let them all implode, come back and deal with the fallout after all of the damage was done. But she wasn't just a member of the Mutant Underground - she was the leader. It was her job to deal with interpersonal conflict and make sure that they could function as a unit. Sapphire was right - Ice Queen did look pretty wealthy. Her cute name brand outfit and boots weren't exactly things available to everyday mutants struggling to get by in the area. However, Sunspot had come from wealth - being wealthy didn't mean they were bad people.
Her eyes then narrowed slightly as she saw Sapphire try to shove Ice Queen. That was NOT okay. Followed up with the temperature in the room returning to normal, Veil unfortunately wasn't able to tell that Sapphire had concentrated the cold around Ice Queen. Her best friend then stormed off and Veil took in a deep breath. Glimpse's comment wasn't helping either. She didn't want to scold these people, but things needed to be said.
"Spark Plug - I'm disappointed in you," she told her friend bluntly. "You should know better than to antagonize people in a situation where tensions are already running high." Sunspot was the next one on her list, but he had already left the room with Cannonball. She would need to talk to him later. That meant then that Ice Queen was up. "Ice Queen, we treat others with respect here. Live by the Golden Rule. If you want Sapphire to teach you to control your powers, then calling her a bitch will not make that happen."
Sapphire was the next one that Veil needed to talk to, but she had already left the room. Glimpse's mild comment wasn't as bad as the others had been, so she didn't need to scold her just yet. "It may just be the two of us going to look in on Shaw. You're welcome to stay, I can clear a spot for you, but I do need to go have a word with Sapphire now about her behavior."
"Save it, I'm going after her," Havok said, coming across a bit more harsh than he realized before he went off after Sapphire. He figured that she was really mad at something else, since he hadn't seen her treat a new mutant like that before. It wasn't the compassion he expected from her, which worried him.
Colossus then decided to take it on himself to mentor Ice Queen, for the moment at least. "I can give tour, Miss Ice Queen," he offered kindly. "I am Colossus - but you may call me Piotr if you like."
The Witch Country: November 5th, 12,508 - 10:30 PM
Asha genuinely smiled as Fleur said that she would be careful when using the stone. "I am glad to hear it... Should you create any more of the Displaced, please contact my brother or me. We have been resettling them in the Big Wild Land," she explained. The Displaced needed a lot of handholding at first, since most of them spoke archaic languages and had no idea what the world was like now. Some of them could easily pick up their trade again and for others, their line of work no longer existed. She had been hoping to find a way to use the House of Foryx to send them back to their proper times, but it was a game of roulette as to when the house would take someone.
As Fleur asked if there was something else, Asha's smile faded. "What do you dream of, Witch Messiah - Witch Queen?" Asha corrected herself. "I hope your dreams are happy... Perhaps you dream of love or power..." her voice trailed off for a moment, as Asha's eyes took on a far away look to them. "... I dream of the end of the multiverse from the бесконачни каменци." She then shook herself slightly, rising to her feet. "I must be off," Asha said, before handing a smooth coin to Fleur. "If you are in danger or Feel another stone... Press it and I will know. I will come." (Add this coin to your inventory)
The Small Wet Country Across the Sea: November 5th, 12,508 - 8:30 PM
The Queen's Room - the Palace, the Castle...
No one is coming into the Queen's Room just yet, so that is a good sign. If Myrus has died, then the vampires just haven't known to try it. This makes sense - the room can only be entered by those with Royal Blood and they are also the only ones who can even see the room. To everyone else, the doorway just looks like another bit of stone wall, with no idea what is being Concealed there by powerful and ancient Magyk.
Understandably, Queen Meliscente wasn't too thrilled with Ahote's words. "If my daughter needs a servant such as you to attest to her merits to her own mother, then she has surpassed me only in failure." And given that her daughters had left through the Queen's Way, Meliscente saw no reason to stick around much longer and she disAppeared. Ahote would no longer be able to see her. Outside of the room though, screams are coming from the corridors.
The Keeper's Cottage - Draggen Island, the Marram Marshes...
Upstairs, Titan would have found a bunch of beds with worn blankets and sheets on them - enough for a large family to live in the tight but comfortable space. If they do end up staying here, the room seems to be well insulated, so heat won't be too much of an issue even with winter looming. Unfortunately, he won't remember much of the Marram Marshes, not even recalling the name of the island they are on in particular. He will know that the Marram Marshes is one of the most dangerous regions in the Small Wet Country Across the Sea, tied for the most dangerous with the Badlands.
Brownies for instance are native to this area. Red-eyed creatures, they invade homes and drag people down into the Quake Ooze, a substance like quicksand but far deadlier. The island that the trio are currently on seems to be half sunk into the Mott, one of the large watery areas of the Marram Marshes. If they want to get back to the Castle through travel, they're going to need a boat - or to find out how to work the Queen's Way to return.
Antonije, Myrus, and Violet
Location: the Palace Grounds ( I8, P7 -> U7, P7) Skills: ExtraOrdinary Magyk, Charms and Spells, Kinetic Energy Charging, Telepathy
You MUST specify where you are on this battle map each time. White text indicates a PC or claimed NPC. Blue text indicates a neutral/good NPC. Red text indicates an evil NPC (vampires in this case). Objects on this map are not necessarily to scale.
Note: -Oliver is the vampire that killed Mavis and initially attacked Myrus, and then bit Amarantha after Antonije tried to control it -Nyx is the second vampire to try to attack Myrus, only to get attacked by Sylvi -I'll be using the vampires names from now on, since they are now randomly generated and listed on the battle map!
The vampires in the immediate vicinity of Mona and Amarantha were dispelled - with the exception of Amarantha, of course. Whoever had sent them and ordered this attack unfortunately was still a mystery and so far, none of the vampires had been taken alive for questioning and interrogation. As a strategist, Amarantha would definitely want to have at least one of them captured - this could just be the start of something bigger and the Castle is clearly woefully ill prepared for whatever may be coming.
"Girl 526, you have failed the Castle," Violet said calmly, as Amarantha grabbed her arm. But as Amarantha got a look at her features and then used Violet's given name, the vigilante faltered for a moment. No one had called her Arya that she could recall - it was a hint of the life she must have forgotten. This woman had known her, no, this wasn't a woman anymore... She was a vampire, a vile monster that endangered everyone in the Castle with each breath she drew. "I am not your Arya," she responded, steel in her voice as she tore her arm from Amarantha's grasp.
Violet had heard about the commander of the Palace Guard from her vigilante partner. She knew that Amarantha came up through the Young Army, a vile organization that preyed on children. She needs to pay for that sin! the voices yelled in her mind as Violet slid one foot back, readying a fighting stance.
"Transfix," Violet cast, immobilizing Amarantha in place. She would, however, still be able to speak. For whatever reason, she hadn't gone straight ahead to casting a Fyre and burning Amarantha alive. Perhaps there was something of Arya still in there - or perhaps she had questions for the Palace Guard commander. "Name your successor."
Meanwhile, as Sylvi knocked Antonije out of the way, Erasmus' clothing exploded. But rather than kill the vampire, the explosion instead tore the creature's body apart. Erasmus' head landed west of Sylvi and Antonije, landing in one of the flower beds of the Palace gardens. His arms, legs, and torso were strewn about among the plants as well. The poor gardener the next morning, having to deal with a bloody mangled mess in the flower bed.
The more horrifying thing, of course, was that the head was still moving. Erasmus hadn't died from the explosion.
Antonije still couldn't feel Sylvi's mind, but he noticed that Violet was there. He was angry that she hadn't come soon enough to save Sylvi. His adoptive father didn't even seem to care that they were fighting for their lives as well - he certainly hadn't appeared from Asgard to come and help. Something snapped inside of his head and Antonije stared up at his girlfriend, hearing her words but they were distant. He mostly heard the blood pounding in his ears and he knew what he had to do. "It's going to be okay, Silvija... Just close your eyes," he said softly. "It'll all be better soon."
Myrus nodded slightly at Lennox, before observing the destruction all around them. While he hadn't killed the vampire, the head seemed harmless on its own. He then noticed the innocent civilians and the Palace Guards struggling to defend them against the vampires, with almost all of them either dead or turned - it was hard to tell the difference from this point. "...Lennox, I want to help them," Myrus said. "I, Myrus Marcellus, relieve you of your duties," Myrus said.
He was coughing and was pretty winded as Myrus forced himself up and went as quickly as he could over to the two guards fighting the two vampires. His eyes were filled with purpose and determination as he went over there, picking up a sword that one of the guard had dropped earlier and he started to charge it. He wasn't going to just let others die for him. Luck must have been on his side as he thrusted the sword forward, plunging it into Asphodel and he let go. The vampire exploded, much as Erasmus had, with the disembodied head falling at Myrus' feet.
"Kill one head and two more grow back," the vampire taunted, its voice incredibly hoarse from being beheaded. "The Castle will bend the knee."
Halley Banner
Location: Wizard Tower - the Courtyard Skills: Perception
Halley had ignored her brother's remarks about wanting to punch her. She was used to Bruce threatening violence after she teased him. Of course, she could easily warp reality so he ended up having no nose or something along those lines, but she wasn't going to use violence or her powers without just cause. Dying the tips of her hair pink through Chaos Magyk was the most rule breaking she did. However, her brother and his wife both needed to be reminded just why they didn't meddle with Midgardian affairs. "The Midgardians think that we are gods. If we are to come down from Asgard and handle every little petty squabble and fight, to end every war that they begin, then we are allowing them to give up agency. They may not be strong, but they are not weak. They can handle their own affairs," she reminded her brother sternly. She then handled Myth's comments. "You can intervene, Lady Myth - but not on behalf of Asgard."
She then took Loki's knife and handed it to Arnora, allowing the tracker to attempt to pick up the trail once more. If that didn't work, Halley did know of an item found in the Castle that they could attempt to use - a device called Sleuth. If they pressed it to Loki's blade and recited the incantation, it would lead them to the Asgardian. Of course, Halley didn't know how the device would work given that Loki tended to shift form to suit his own purposes.
Halley detected the scent of smoke in the air as well. "The smoke is probably from... oh, some celebration or something," she said dismissively, not seeing anything that would really alarm her or make her believe that there could have been more to it. Unless Loki or the Tesseract were on fire, she didn't really care all too much about the flames. She had brought Cuyler's friend back to life a year or so ago not out of the goodness of her heart, but mostly to make a point. She wasn't the evil chaotic force that most assumed her to be.
Name: Asha Aravisa, Magykal Advisor to the Emperor Darke Name: Ahsa Age: 21 Birthday: October 2nd Gender: Female Position:Magykal Advisor to Emperor Taj
Appearance
Height: 5'5" Weight: 110 Build: Limber Eyes: Green Hair: Brown Skin Tone: Dark Tattoos/Scars/Piercings: Triple pierced ears; faded scars up and down her arms
Psychology
Playful * Vengeful
Personality:
Asha is a mischievous soul, enjoying poking fun at others - especially her brother. (He is, in her opinion, far too stuffy and could use to lighten up a little bit). The world could use a little more laughter, in order to spare some of the pain associated with the natural occurrences in life: broken hearts, loss, illness, betrayal, and much more... While she may smile at perhaps the wrong time or find a situation to be silly that others find seriousness, do not mistake her as being heartless. Asha has dedicated herself to helping others, choosing to walk her path in her own manner and to protect more than just her own country.
It is her duty to help those in need and to prevent evil from triumphing, no matter what shape or form this may be. While her brother may be the emperor, she does not always agree with the rule of law. It has its benefits, yet also its limitations. Similarly, however, the world cannot operate on chaos and anarchy - there needs to be a balance between the two. She walks the grey line between them, sometimes a vigilante and at others, a stout upholder of the law. Whatever the situation needs, she will be.
History
Asha's mother was the Empress of the Big Wild Land Over the Ocean and her father was one of the chief warriors. As she was an illegitimate child and the Empress was often too busy running the state, Asha was sent to live with her father and his wife. She grew up not knowing that her mother was the Empress either, in order to allow her to live a normal life with her half-brother, Taj. The two of them would spar together and head out into the Wild Lands near their home, camping out and gazing up at the stars. They made up stories about them, preferring them to the written legends.
She was roughly ten years old when her father and brother went off to escort the Empress to meet with the True North, a nation lying on their northern borders. She stayed behind, being too young to be a member of the military. However, the soldiers never returned. Word spread that there had been an attack by a group of rogues and that none of the soldiers had survived. The Empress did not return either and the people elected a new emperor, Emperor Khalfani. Khalfani discovered that Asha was the daughter of the late Empress and he banished her from Die Baie Ringstad without an explanation.
She went out into the wilderness, using the skills she learned from a young age in order to survive. Eventually, she stumbled across a gigantic ruin. In these ruins, with strange writing she could not understand, she found the Power Stone. It was placed in a containment vessel and she studied quickly, realizing that she could use it to become the most Magykal person in the world. She taught herself Magyk for years as she traveled these ruins, eventually returning to Die Baie Ringstad when she heard that her brother had returned alive. He had been elected Emperor and he undid Asha's banishment, naming her as his Magykal Advisor and making her next to be the Emperor, should he have an untimely death (until one could be elected, of course).
She has been spending a majority of her time studying the инфинити стонес, attempting to get locations on them and ensure that whoever uses them knows the great cost.
Abilities
ExtraOrdinary Magyk - The ability to perform all spells without the aid of a Charm. However, this does not guarantee success. Additionally, spells may be performed non-verbally.
Sense Magyk - The ability to detect Magykal auras and See enchantments. This is a passive skill.
The Ancient Ways - The knowledge of how to find and use the Ancient Ways, in order to travel near instantaneously from point A to point B across large distances. This skill requires the use of either a map, a memorized hub point, or the assistance of a PathFinder.
Potions - The ability to turn Magyk into a liquid form by mixing together various ingredients.
Charms and Spells - The knowledge of incantations for the most commonly used spells by the practitioner. This includes the ability to create new Charms - however, the Charm must be made immediately after the thought has formed or it will lose power.
Power Stone Usage (Advanced) - the user is skilled in the use of the stone which embodies the destructive force of the universe, granting its wielder tremendous energy manipulation capabilities. It must be kept in a containment device or the user will perish within 1d4 rounds. This has a 75% chance of working on any given event (working is defined as some effect happening. It may or may not be to the strength the user desired).
Herbology - The ability to use plants and fungi in order to produce a desired Magykal effect. This is typically used in tandem with Physik and the creation of potions.
Country Knowledge (the Big Wild Land Over the Ocean) - The knowledge of the general geography of the Big Wild Land Over the Ocean. This includes the ability to find a path from one location to another, as well as a knowledge of the culture and customs of that country.
Moedertaal - The user has complete fluency, able to read, write, and communicate in the language of the Big Wild Land Over the Ocean.
Technological Proclivity - The user has an innate talent for all things related to technology, due to the high level of sophistication of the Big Wild Land Over the Ocean.
Swimming - The ability to swim great distances without drowning or excessively tiring. This includes being able to tread water for up to five hours.
Running - The ability to run long distances at speeds greater than those unskilled.
Leadership - The ability to guide a group of individuals, teams, or organizations.
Creature Handling - The ability to keep creatures at bay without drawing blood and to intuitively understand a creature's intentions. The user also has proficiency in training animals, calming animals, and has a quickly formed bond with a new creature they encounter.
Survival - The ability to keep oneself and others safe while in unknown terrain.
Performance (Singing) - Ability to perform using their voice, can be used to make money, or to just entertain others.
Sword Fighting - Proficiency with a blade longer than 14 inches in combat, including the general rules of etiquette for dueling.
Name: Halley Tracey Banner, Princess of Asgard, the Mistress of Chaos Darke Name: Yellah Age: Appears 19 (9,997 years old) Birthday: March 26th Birthplace: Asgard Residence: Family home on Asgard near the All-Father's Palace Gender: Female Culture: Asgardian Education: Midgardian Physics and Chaos Magyk Manipulation Position: Mistress of Chaos - Myth of Four Alignment: Lawful Good
Appearance
Height: 5'5" Weight: 106 pounds Build: Skinny Eyes: Brown Hair: Brown; Tips dyed pink Skin Tone: Lightly tanned Tattoos/Scars/Piercings: Lengthy scar on her back - she never talks about it Personal Style: Like her mother and 'aunt', Halley likes dresses. They're flowing and comfortable. She finds that they accessorize well with most traveling cloaks and allow for the concealment of weapons, without making her feel too hot or overheated in warm climates. She prefers to have her hair up and uses her powers to give a little pop of pink to the ends, perhaps the only small hint of what lies underneath the self control and repression. She doesn't mind filth on her clothes, as a scientist with a clean outfit clearly isn't doing much in the way of science to begin with.
Sexuality: Homosexual Relationship Status: Single Personality: As most likely the first Asgardian mutant and one gifted with control over Chaos Magyk, Halley's parents were rather strict with their firstborn child. She was not allowed to use her powers without their permission. They had rules that needed to be followed and they ensured that Halley could restrain her emotions if needed. While they loosened up with her siblings, it ensured that Halley was extremely rule oriented - but also self righteous, believing that what is lawful and what has been done previous must be right. Deviating from that, even for a good cause, is inherently wrong and must be punished harshly.
Like her father and mother, Halley is rather clever and academically gifted. She is a bit of an elitist like her mother was as a girl, believing that Midgardians are simply incapable of handling the sort of cosmic threats that Asgardians to - of course, with a few exceptions that prove the rules. Trying to accomplish something outside of one's skill level isn't heroic, it's idiotic and a waste of time and energy. Despite this harsh look, that doesn't mean she isn't compassionate for the struggle of others out in the Nine Realms. She loves Midgard - it's her father's homeland - and wants to see it protected. She just doesn't have any illusions that the Midgardians could handle someone along the lines of Loki.
Habits: Crossing her arms, Biting her lip Hobbies: Stargazing, Journaling Fears:
Losing control
Ragnarok
Someone collecting all the бесконачни каменци
Likes:
Reading
Science
Traveling
The Woods
Space
Owls
Dislikes:
Rule Breaking
Inhibitors
Tyrants
Remakes
Hypocrites
Myths that paint her or her family as monsters to be feared
Cards On The Table
General Skills:
Astronomy - The ability to read the heavens and use the movements of the stars as a map. This includes knowledge of the phases of the moon and their significance in indicating the time of year, as well as the impact on the tides.
Physics - The user has a high degree of knowledge and familiarity with physics, the natural science that studies matter and its motion and behavior through space and time and that studies the related entities of energy and force
Mathematics - The user has a high degree of knowledge and familiarity with mathematics, the study of such topics as quantity, structure, space, and change.
Swimming - The ability to swim great distances without drowning or excessively tiring. This includes being able to tread water for up to five hours.
Perception - The ability to notice things that others may overlook. This does not include items and beings of Magykal origin. For that, see Sense Magyk.
Medicine - The user has a high degree of knowledge and familiarity with medicine, the science and practice of the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease. This is different from healing through Physik, yet may be used in harmony with it to provide a better patient outcome than either skill could achieve on their own.
Court Etiquette - The knowledge of how to act with regards to the Castle's Royal Family and other visiting nobles. This includes awareness of proper manners of address and customs.
Cultural Skills:
All-Tongue - The ability to "speak" every language, in which what they say is understood by every species in their own native tongue.
Knowledge of the Nine Realms - The knowledge of how to navigate the Nine Realms, as well as an understanding of the basic culture and technological level of each system, and what constitutes proper behavior within each realm. This includes fluency in the tongue of the Asgardians, Ancient Norse.
Midgardian 21st Century History - The user is an expert in the culture, society, and history of Earth in the 21st Century, a period which has fallen into obscurity and scarcely remembered by even the most avid historians. This includes fluency in Olde English.
Occupational Skills:
Chaos Magyk - The ability to use Chaos Magyk, making the user capable of warping, manipulating and/or reconstructing reality and the very fabric of existence.
Enhanced Durability - The user's physical durability (ability to endure/resist damage) is very high, allowing them to take numerous blows of internal or external assaults before succumbing to the effects.
Weapon Summoning (Alfina)- The user can call their weapon back to them if they ever become separated from it.
Enhanced Agility - User with this ability can go from one motion to another effortlessly, effectively dodge attacks, swing from things easily, sprint, do back-flips and numerous other gymnastic, athletic and martial implements with little effort
Enhanced Healing - The ability to heal much faster than an average healing. This also allows them to have a far longer lifespan than would be normal.
Sword Fighting - Proficiency with a blade longer than 14 inches in combat, including the general rules of etiquette for dueling.
Staff Fighting - Proficiency in combat with a simple long slender, blunt, hand-held, generally wooden 'stick,' such as a staff, cane, walking stick, baton or something similar.
What Is On Your Person:
Talisman (Alfina) - Enchanted with a worthiness enchantment, this weapon curiously seems to sense Halley's needs and will change form to meet them. Alfina most often will appear as a sword, though on some occasions will shift into a staff.
Maps of various night skies - typically Midgardian and Asgardian skies
Assorted textbooks - 21st Century and On
History
Your Path: Halley didn't choose to have the ability to control Chaos Magyk - she was born to it. Some may believe that her path is to become a fearsome cosmic force for evil and destruction, to cause Ragnarok to finally occur and lay waste to everything she cares about. Halley believes that her purpose in life is to study the stars, to discover new galaxies, to bring honor to Asgard and her family. She is also meant to protect the Nine Realms from threats beyond their capabilities. She has these powers - and with that, comes a great responsibility. She doesn't really believe she has a choice in that.
General History: Halley was born on Asgard to Runa, the Goddess of Lies and Lance Banner, a mutant scientist from Midgard. The possibility of her birth itself had been a hotly debated topic on Asgard, never within earshot of her parents of course, due to what it could mean. She would likely inherit the X-gene from her father, giving her mutant abilities - and at the same time, she would be half Asgardian. The unorthodox genetic combination resulted in Halley becoming the first Asgardian mutant - though she was not the last.
Her parents spoke Ancient Norse and Olde English to her side by side, causing her to become bilingual in the two languages. Her grandfather, Bruce Banner, lived with them on Asgard and he would tell her stories about Midgard during the 21st century, with its valiant heroes and formidable foes. Her love of stories came from sitting outside with Grandpa Banner, looking up at the stars and thinking back to the age of heroes.
At age six, she began to show signs of powers. Flowers would turn into bubbles; a ladle became a storybook; and the stuffed owl from Midgard her father had given her as a baby began to fly around the home. Her parents consulted with the All-Father, realizing that she was displaying a gift for Chaos Magyk, a force that if not properly handled threatened existence itself. Upon the advice of the All-Father, Halley was given a talisman to channel her abilities at a young age, helping her to learn and grow with them. Her parents also established a set of rules, which molded Halley's personality into becoming the rule stickler that she is today.
Of her siblings, she was always the closest with her brother Bruce, her younger by two years. But with the lifespan of an Asgardian, they were practically considered to be twins - two years are nothing. They studied and fought together, learning Midgardian physics from their father. Halley found that she had a keen interest for science and reading, causing her to spend a fair portion of her childhood with her nose in a book. Her parents and family also helped her and her siblings learn to control their abilities.
At one point, she went and lived on Midgard for some time, earning three PhD's - one in physics, one in astronomy, and one in mathematics. She also earned her MD in medicine at another point. However, she quickly returned to Asgard, as her youngest sibling - Nova - had used her powers to prevent them from aging past a certain point. It was difficult to live amongst Midgardians for long and blend in, when she had looked 18 for thousands of years and would not age at all.
Currently, Halley continues to live on Asgard with her family. She prefers Midgardian science to Magyk, a fact that amuses her father. Her life's calling is to investigate the wonders of the universe, but also to protect the Nine Realms - especially her father's planet of origin. There are a few individuals currently alive with a lineage that interests her and her siblings in particular as well.
Thoughts on the Murders: Halley hasn't looked too much into the murders in the Castle. It's tradition on Asgard to not interfere with Midgardian affairs - essentially, it's a rule that should be followed unless it's something beyond the capabilities of Midgardians. A vigilante going around killing people? She would pity them if they weren't able to handle it themselves. These sort of things will resolve themselves and if they don't catch the murderer, well, the murderer will probably die of old age soon - in the next sixty years or so.
Extras
Character Quote: "Without order, chaos reigns." Theme Song:Gasoline by Halsey Anything Else: ~included in previous CS~ *By submitting this CS in its completion I am stating I have read all the rules for this Rp and am agreeing to follow them to the fullest with respect and courtesy. I acknowledge that I can and will be removed from the RP without warning if I break a rule or cause problems with my fellow Rpers or the GM.
One of my mentors as a GM once told me that once a RP hits the six month mark, there's a good chance it is more or less ~stable~ and will keep on trucking. The Gifted just hit the six month mark within the last few days on the forum. When it started, it was initially just me and three of my regular crew - and I honestly didn't know if the RP was going to take off. But then came along two newcomers, @Achronum and @Trainerblue192, and even later along the line @KazAlkemi joined in. Over two hundred posts in and we've had incredible laughs, nail biting moments, and I have to say this is my favorite RP to GM. You guys write the story - hell, you practically do my job for me!
Anyways, thank you for giving life to my vision of the Gifted RP - and adding in some much needed humor and comedy! To another six months!
Location: The Asylum - Inside Skills: Cool Headedness, Deduction
"...Okay, so you definitely have done that before, good to know," Cecily commented about Roy's bourbon remark. The haze that was in front of her reminded her more of looking through tinted glass, as if someone had gone and done a massive iodine stain on the world and they just couldn't quite get it clean no matter what. Given that they had entered the Asylum, she figured that maybe it was just horrible air quality in here or something. Nothing that couldn't easily be explained with science. However, the entire thing with the Asylum looking this horrible, it seemed abandoned... She was looking around, trying to find a way to get to Riley and Priya, when she spotted a thin case on the wall.
Having gone to college and stayed in numerous buildings, as well as working in different ones, she hurried on over to it. Those sort of thin cases usually showed maps. People used to take them out and edit them as pranks in her freshman dorm, causing the RA to send a furious email a few days later about how it wasn't appropriate to draw lewd things over the fire evacuation routes. She clenched the inside of her sleeve and wiped off the case with her sleeve, not really wanting to get the dirt and dust on her hands, but at least with her clothes it would wash out easily. She squinted, trying her best to make it out clearly through the haze. She was able to see the elevators and stairs marked on the maps, as well as some markings on the room that she couldn't really see properly. Taking it out of the case wasn't going to help, from how damaged it was she wouldn't be surprised if it fell apart the instant she looked at it.
Cecily took out her phone and took the clearest image she could of the map. "Here, there's stairs marked. I don't think Riley and Priya are up here and I don't trust the elevators to be in working condition with all of this..." she studied the map for a moment, trying to locate the closest staircase to them.
Character name: Cecily Characters current location: The Asylum - Inside Characters attempted actions: Cecily is going to use the map to locate the nearest staircase and head on over to it Any and all skills being used: Cool Headedness, Deduction Why each skill is being called: Cool Headedness for staying calm in the field, Deduction for figuring out where they are and where the nearest one would be essentially / sleuthing Desired location: The Asylum - Inside
Achronum
kittyluna45
Scrawl Banditta
Not a Sayan
KazAlkemi
Neziul
Kirah
Blizz
BlueSky44
