Supermaxx

Heiseina: Memories Long Forgotten

@Kuro 3AM Takara sheet looks good! You can move it over to the character tab. As for Signs, she could probably make use of Beckon and Quicken while working with the horses. For general upkeep Water, Mend or Heat are all helpful with day to day tasks. Just pick whatever three or four look interesting to you.

Heiseina: Memories Long Forgotten

The IC will be going up on August 2nd, eight days from now. If you have any questions, shoot me a message either here or on Discord. I’ll get to it when I can.

Heiseina: Memories Long Forgotten

@Queen Arya@webboysurf You’re both good to move your sheets over to the character tab!

Heiseina: Memories Long Forgotten

She's back.

鶴ケ峰 雪 (Tsurugamine Yuki)

OST For Ambiance: Na Mo Naki Kizu

_______________________________________________ // INFO P E R S O N A L D E T A I L S Name - Tsurugamine Yuki Age - 24 Gender - Female Occupation - Seamstress and Shrine Caretaker // PERSONALITY P E R S O N A L I T Y Wallflower - Oyuki, while polite, is more often seen than heard. She seldom speaks, and when she does, seldom raises her voice. The source from whence her unflappable composure stems, however, is somewhat difficult to discern. Perhaps it is simply the result of a long-cultivated discipline, or perhaps she's simply somewhat oblivious by nature? Regardless, she usually seems to be paying attention to the people around her, and is polite enough to nod along with their comments; she just doesn't often chime in unless a response is specifically solicited from her, seeming more than happy just to listen in silence. Dutiful - Due to her aforementioned tendency towards silence, one could be pardoned for not realizing the seriousness with which Oyuki treats any and all debts or obligations. The upstanding lady caretaker of the shrine lives her life by the motto of repaying any kindness she receives twofold, and if one does her a favor, then they can expect to see their generosity fully returned with gratitude. When one realizes this, the reason for her aloof and unusual lifestyle becomes more clear. After all, what sort of remuneration can one offer for a debt which can never be repaid? Timid - Despite her outward composure and elegance, Oyuki is honestly a rather shy person. She knows only enough of the world to realize the scope of her own ignorance and powerlessness, and fears that awareness more than anything. The spirits whose wills she can neither predict nor appease, the people whose expectations she can neither meet nor shake, the knowledge that her life is empty and her own ignorance of how to fill it; all these things weigh down on her heavily, and compel her to withdraw into the comfort of her familiar home and routine. So long as she doesn't look too directly at the world beyond her own small life, perhaps she can somehow escape its notice - so she hopes, and so each and every day continues on, the same as the one before it, giving her some small measure of comfort. // SKILLSET S K I L L S E T Self-Reliant Though it may not sound like much, Oyuki has grown quite used to living by herself ever since her guardian's premature death a few years ago. During her time assisting around the Heiseina Shrine, she's grown quite adept at performing the various odd jobs necessary to keep things tidy. Whether it's cooking, sweeping, dusting, cleaning, setting out small offerings for the spirits, or maintaining the various scrolls, idols, and relics entrusted to the shrine for safekeeping, she handles it all with the same level of discipline and dedication. Despite having the entire shrine to look after and being just one woman, she's done an admirable job of keeping it from crumbling into disuse. Seamstress While her talents as a housekeeper are already quite good, Oyuki's skills at sewing, mending, and embroidering clothes are far above and beyond anyone else in the village. It is by this trade that she provides for herself, and pays for the occasional bit of repairs when some part or another of the old shrine gets a little too worn down with age. Sometimes she buys cloth from the villagers, other times she conjures it painstakingly, thread by thread, by herself, using her knowledge of the Mending sign, as well as a more esoteric sign, Thread, which allows her to convert various materials into thread, which she then spins by hand into cloth with which to create her finished products. Regardless of the distance she puts between herself and the community, she never has any shortage of requests and orders to take care of, be they commissions for new clothing, or requests to mend old heirlooms. She handles them all with a smile and a deft hand, and her needlework is second to none. Shrine Maiden's Protege Raised by the former Miko of Heiseina, Oyuki was taught from a young age the rudiments of the duties that position carries. She knows the names of many of the major spirits of the valley, and is familiar with their history and of the offerings they are most fond of. She even knows a sign for a rudimentary Blessing, warding off evil spirits and misfortune wherever it is inscribed. She is less familiar, however, with the proper way to administer more complicated rites. Various ritual prayers, dances, ceremonies, blessings and benedictions that would traditionally be passed down to a true Miko never made their way to her, as her guardian never got the chance to properly teach her everything she needed to know before passing on, leaving Oyuki to pour over old books and scrolls and try to learn for herself what she must do to follow in the footsteps of the great woman to whom she owes so much. Though she may be lacking in knowledge now, the foundations have been laid for her to perhaps one day blossom into an admirable Miko herself, if given the chance.

Physical Description Lady Oyuki, as she is often called by the other villagers, can be decisively called striking at a mere glance. Her skin is as fair and pale as the snow she is named after, while her long, straight hair is a sharply contrasting shade of jet black. Meeting her gaze, one will find large, rounded eyes of a pale, icy blue framed in long, elegant lashes; eyes that peer keenly out from between a high-set brow above and rounded, rosy cheeks below. Her gaze is tranquil, pure, and piercing; it is almost more like looking back at one's reflection in the mirror-like surface of a frozen lake than meeting the eyes of a fellow human being. Serving to offset her eyes' pale color, however, Oyuki's full lips are a lush red, and the narrow, sharp jawline beneath them serves likewise to counterbalance the roundness of her cheeks. Her whole countenance is a synthesis of opposing extremes both physical and chromatic that all somehow exist in an almost perfect balance of harmony with one another, creating a sense of beauty that is wholly her own. Despite the intensity of her facial features, however, her build is rather lean, and in certain aspects rather petite. She is tall for a woman, but with narrow shoulders, somewhat short arms, and small, dainty hands. Her figure could best be described as shapely but modest, being neither particularly lean nor voluptuous. However, unlike most of the other villagers, she is rather scrawny, having lived a sheltered life with little to no exposure to the sun or to difficult manual labor. As such, she lacks muscle almost entirely, save what little she has accumulated from simple household chores and occasional walks in the woods around the village. Thus, all these factors combine to create a beautiful woman who, while not exactly diminutive, seems as graceful as a crane, as fragile as glass, and as fleeting and ephemeral as snow. She favors modest, rather conservative attire, almost all of which is either of her own making, or a hand-me-down from the previous shrine maiden. Almost all her outfits feature multiple layers and show off very little skin, with the long, flowing, curtain-like sleeves of her furisode often hiding even her hands from view, while various hooded gowns, cloaks, and mantles serve to cover her neck and head from the elements, and long skirts trail almost clear down to her sandal-clad feet. Most of her kimonos do not display any ostentatious patterns or eye-catching ornaments, however, and they also lack a clan seal or personal crest of any kind. Pure, simple colors in complimentary hues make up the bulk of her wardrobe. But, of all the colors she wears, blue suits her best - and thus most often finds its way onto her person. As far as accessories go, she does not often wear them. However, on special occasions, she will occasionally don a small hairpin, decorated with a few colorful stones and an ornament carved in the shape of a lily. It's a cherished possession that formerly belonged to the previous shrine maiden, and she thus takes great care of it. Other such heirlooms make up the bulk of her accoutrements: a roughly-whittled reed flute, and a tall walking staff adorned with a brass head -- a sacred tool donated to the shrine by an itinerant priest said to have entered the valley generations ago, adorned with several rings and consecrated bells attached by strands of braided cord, said to help pacify spirits and ward off evil. This, in particular, was favored by the previous Shrine Maiden, and as her keepsake remains Oyuki's constant companion on her walks, its jingling bells ever and always heralding her arrival. Character Conceptualization A mysterious, beautiful young woman who has lived at the Heiseina shrine for as long as most children of the village can remember. Though the older members of the village often respectfully but distantly call her "Lady Oyuki," it's unclear to the village children and adolescents precisely where this respect -- or perhaps fear -- comes from. The adults, however, know better, and often look to the high slopes of the valley when they speak of her, where a ruined manor house sprawls upon a high plateau, overlooking the village from a perch blanketed almost year-round by snow. The Tsurugamine family was once a respected, wealthy house. They had settled upon land blessed by the spirits of the valley, where their flocks and herds could graze and eat their fill upon grasses that grew perpetually. They looked down on the other villagers from the comfort of their manor, and their words carried great weight among the elders of the town. The daughter of this blessed house, rumored to be a great beauty, would surely one day have been the most beloved and sought-after bride in all the village. But something about her attracted the attention of more than just humans. There was an evil spirit from beyond the valley that longed for a child to call her own, and would stop at nothing to claim one; to raise, to bend to her will, and then, ultimately, to feed upon as she came into maturity, to restore the hag's own lost youth. Catching sight of this beautiful girl as she gazed from her balcony into the woods, the ancient hag's wicked soul was filled with desire. If she could claim such a child's vitality, surely her own aged body could be restored. And so, in the dead of winter, the ancient hag stole into the valley, violating the sanctity of the spirits and cursing the land with her intrusion. A thick, heavy snow began to fall without end, chasing out the spirits who would protect her prey from her, and scourging the once-verdant hill of life. The great manor was frozen in ice, and the child was snatched from her parents' grasp. Though they struggled and screamed, they could do nothing to stop the ancient hag or her magic - and were at last frozen to lifeless husks where they stood. But before the child could be dragged back beyond the valley and into the realm from whence the evil youkai had come, the spirits she had chased away returned, bringing with them their staunch ally. The sound of bells ringing amidst the stillness of the snow. The sight of a proud back, standing between her and the unknown that threatened to devour her very existence. The feeling of a warm cloak wrapped around her as she was carried from the crumbling halls of her once proud home, and a reassuring, gentle voice telling her that the world had not yet ended. It was thus that the trembling, confused little girl came to find herself brought to the shrine. She didn't know what had happened, or why she had to lose everything -- but at the very least, she was not yet alone. Her new guardian treated her with the utmost kindness, consoling her for her loss and raising her as if the young Yuki was her own child. And as she grew older and came to understand her circumstances, she did not do so with bitterness, but with gratitude. Her parents had been willing to part with their own lives to save her. Her dear, precious grandmother had rushed to her side to save her, and was always there to protect her whenever she was afraid. No matter how much she had lost, she knew above all else that she was loved. Thus, above all else, she desired to return that love. To repay kindness with kindness became her motto, and she worked harder than ever to provide whatever comfort she could in return to the hero who had saved her life. She learned to cook, to sew, to embroider, and many other things, all so that she could provide gift after gift to her cherished grandmother As the only family she had left, and knowing that she could lose that family in an instant, she showered her mentor with all the childish affection and admiration she could, and was doted upon in return, prompting her to redouble her efforts to repay her ever increasing debt of gratitude. In short, no matter what darkness she had seen, her childhood was happy. Yet, it was also shallow. The hag had been driven away, but was far too powerful to be sealed or slain. If she left the consecrated grounds of the shrine, then surely, the tragedy of her youth would be repeated. And so, she was kept sequestered within the shrine itself, from the time she was a child all the way up until she came of age, deprived of the company of all save for her guardian. But this all changed when she at last came of age, and shortly thereafter, her mentor and protector passed away, as if the old woman's humble purpose was at long last fulfilled. So it was that the confused Yuki, the long-rumored daughter of a family now thought dead for at least a decade, came to have dealings with the village itself after her long seclusion. The reactions her appearance garnered were mixed. Some thought she could not have been real -- that it was a ghost rather than a real girl that the old miko had so painstakingly kept hidden, that she was made of ice and would suck the life out of those who got too close to her, or spirit them away as she herself had been taken as a child. Others pitied her for the tragic life she had lived, offering to take her in and grant her sanctuary now that her guardian, too, was gone. Still others admired her for her beauty, and even went so far as to seek after the hand of this fair, mysterious maiden. Yet she, too shy to meet such fervent affections, retreated back to the safety and the familiarity of her shrine, and refused those who sought to court her as well as those who sought to take her in and offer her shelter. After all... she still had a debt to repay. This shrine was her home. It was the place the person she had cherished more dearly even than her own parents had lived to protect. It was her duty, then, to see it taken care of. She could not leave. She would not betray her savior's memory. She would show her gratitude through her earnest devotion, her prayers, and her hard work. So it is that she has continued to maintain the shrine and follow in her mentor's footsteps, up until the present day. And so, when one walks in the woods around the village, one often hears the jingling of bells and distant footsteps just a little further ahead. When one goes to market, one can see a hooded young lady buying fabric and selling clothes. And when one approaches the shrine on the edge of town late in the day, one can sometimes hear the mournful sound of a reed flute echoing between the cliffs overhead, like the song of a bird. So it has always been. So it will always be. Like a crane said to live a thousand years, the mysterious Lady Oyuki continues each day as she always has, living with constancy, with honesty, with duty, and with gratitude. In that sense, perhaps she isn't so dissimilar from the spirits she seeks to appease - and perhaps that is why they are content to accept her ministrations, inexperienced though she may be.

@Feyblue

You can drop Yuki over in the Character Tab whenever you'd like, by the by.

Heiseina: Memories Long Forgotten

Our Ensemble of Heroes

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Seimei Keiko, The Signkeeper's Apprentice - played by @Asura

Shirasagi Yuki, The Shrine's Caretaker - played by @Feyblue

Fujiwara Chiasa, Apprentice Tinkerer - played by @mickilennial

Masaki Kenichi, Apprentice Physician - played @webboysurf

Takamori Fumiko, Master's Apprentice - played by @Queen Arya

Hayashi Takara, the Stablehand - played by @Kuro

Senga Tsubasa, the Blacksmith's Apprentice - played by @Hero

Moriya Mio, the Blacksmith's Other Apprentice - played by @McMolly

Akiyama Haruhi, the Farmer - played by @Lemons

Hayashi Sumiko, The Wandering Artist - played by @Yankee

Heiseina: Memories Long Forgotten

Our salvation lies in memories long forgotten...

In ancient days mankind dominated the earth. They built towers of glass that pierced the heavens, crossed the clouds on wings of iron, and mastered the use of magic; some day even the stars themselves may have been brought to heel. Unbridled ambition sent humanity marching ever onward into the future, never mind who or what they crushed under foot. Their arrogance burned that world to sunder, and this world is built on its ashes.

You are the residents of Heiseina, a small, lakeside village in the middle of a large valley. There are perhaps a few hundred people in the valley in total, and these are the only other human beings you've likely ever met- for the world outside the valley is shrouded in mystery, and all you know of it are the transmissions that come in through the radio tower. Life in Heiseina is simple, idyllic. There's only a single, proper weapon in the whole village, and the Master has never removed it from its case in all the time you've lived here.

But on this day unlike any other, a man in black rides into the valley, a hunk of iron strapped to his hip...

Heiseina: Memories Long Forgotten

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Welcome back to Heiseina: Memories Long Forgotten, a 'post-post-apocalypse' roleplay wherein our modern world has ceased to be, washed away in a tide of destruction so long ago that its death exists only in myth. In the wake of our world's death, a new one spring up: one in which nature has grown over the corpses of skyscrapers and railways, and creatures from fairy tales live in harmony with the remnants of the human race. Magic is as much a part of life in Heiseina as breathing. Near everyone uses it, in some fashion, to make up for advancements in technology lost in the apocalypse. Magic waters the fields, stokes the fires of forges, and keeps away the dark.

To the people of Heiseina, violence is a foreign concept, found only in stories told around campfires or in the natural cycle of life and death. Heiseina is a place without warriors or weapons, and even the laws of magic prevent it from being misused to harm other people. It is as if the very concept of murder died with the old world.

That's what your elders have told you, anyway.

This is the story of those ancient laws being broken, of worldviews being shattered by a stranger's arrival. Themes of power and violence will be re-occurring throughout this roleplay, and the beliefs your characters have grown up on will be challenged at every turn. There is an overarching plot that will govern much of our game's pacing, but it isn't linear; your choices will radically shape what direction the story goes in, and you'll be making those choices very frequently. I'm drawing on a lot of different sources as inspiration, but I'll be leaning into the archetypes of samurai films, certain anime, and post-apocalypse stories. Our tale may get dark at points, but our heroes will have plenty of opportunities to make things right.

For my returning players, I've made a few changes to the opening post. There's a few new details, especially in the 'Locations' tab.

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I'll keep the rules section light as I expect you to know the Guild's guidelines already:

-> No one from the village of Heiseina has traveled beyond the valley and lived to tell about it. Your character's knowledge of broader history and their worldviews will be shaped by the very narrow perspective of their home and its elders. Included in this is the belief that both the laws of nature- in regards to magic- and the village's most sacred customs prevent violence between people. Animals and Yokai are also protected by similar laws, outside the specific context of hunting. Villagers are encouraged to remember the various habits and rituals of the Yokai to prevent conflict. Animal predators- such as bears, snakes and wild boar- tend to avoid humans entirely.

-> I'll do my absolute best to accommodate your character's arc and development. Your enjoyment of the game is my chief concern, and your characters will be the primary engine by which the RP functions. If there's a specific arc you want to follow and you need my help to make it happen, I'll do it.

-> Character death is always on the table. I won't be gunning to kill you or anything of the sort, but the world's a dangerous place and you aren't at all prepared for what it'll throw at you. Write your characters as if this possibility exists, and you'll more than likely make it through to the end.

-> As always I'll be fairly lenient with posting requirements. I'm going to be trying to post at least once every two weeks, personally, but I'm well aware that interest and IRL obligation can wax and wane. Dry spells shouldn't be surprising at this point. That said, I do want to commit to running this game long term this time. I'd ask anyone who wants to join to be similarly invested. Also if I don't post every two weeks you have my express permission to annoy me on discord about it.

-> We'll be starting a week before the Dance of the Serpent, a holiday based around the dragon, Miorochi, and his waking. It is a time celebrating new beginnings, the start of spring, and a chance to make amends with those you've wronged. Preparations for the holiday are well under way: gifts are being prepared, offerings made at the shrine, and a paper dragon crafted. Much like the first go around, you'll have a short period of time to introduce your character and interact with each other and other villagers before I kick off the plot. Once I open the IC, I'm intending to get the plot rolling within the first two weeks.

CHARACTER SHEET TEMPLATE

[color=YOUR COLOR CHOICE GOES HERE][CENTER][img]Character Name Font Meme[/img][/CENTER]
[table][row][/row][row][cell][center][img]Character Image[/img]
[color=2E2C2C][sup]_______________________________________________[/sup][/color][/center][hider=// INFO][indent][sub][b]P E R S O N A L  D E T A I L S[/b][/SUB]

[sup][COLOR=SILVER]
[b]Full Name[/b][COLOR=#807B84] - Give me your full name.[/COLOR]
[b]Age[/b][COLOR=#807B84] - Character age, preferably teens to twenties but there's no hard cap[/COLOR]
[B]Gender[/B][COLOR=#807B84] - Self-explanatory[/COLOR]
[b]Occupation[/b][COLOR=#807B84] - Your occupation is likely to be whatever your parent(s) did, but it doesn't have to be. This will determine your characters skillset and signs known, in part.[/COLOR][/color][/SUP]

[color=#2e2c2c]-[/color][/indent][/hider]
[hider=// PERSONALITY][indent][SUB][b]P E R S O N A L I T Y[/b][/sub]

[sup][COLOR=SILVER][b]Character Trait[/b]
[COLOR=#807B84]Explain a bit about your character's personality.[/COLOR][/COLOR]

[COLOR=SILVER][b]Character Trait[/b]
[COLOR=#807B84]Explain a bit about your character's personality.[/COLOR][/COLOR]

[COLOR=SILVER][b]Character Trait[/b]
[COLOR=#807B84]Explain a bit about your character's personality.[/COLOR][/COLOR]
[/SUP][/indent][/hider]
[hider=// SKILLSET][indent][SUB][b]S K I L L S E T[/b][/sub]

[sup][COLOR=SILVER][b]Skill Trait[/b]
[COLOR=#807B84]Explain a bit about your character's skills and abilities.[/COLOR][/COLOR]

[COLOR=SILVER][b]Skill Trait[/b]
[COLOR=#807B84]Explain a bit about your character's skills and abilities.[/COLOR][/COLOR]

[COLOR=SILVER][b]Skill Trait[/b]
[COLOR=#807B84]Explain a bit about your character's skills and abilities.[/COLOR][/COLOR]

[/SUP][/indent][/hider]
[/cell][cell][b]Physical Description[/b]
[color=#807B84][indent]Self-explanatory
[/indent][/color]
[b]Character Conceptualization[/b]
[color=#807B84][indent] A character's conceptualization would include any relevant backstory, the character's important relations and their motivations and worldviews. This is where you'd outline what arc you'd like your character to follow throughout the course of the roleplay, and some of the flaws that plague them.[/indent][/color]
[b]Other Information[/b]
[color=#807B84][indent] Anything else you think I oughtta know. Can be used to list things like familial relations, the Signs your characters know, those sorts of things.

[/indent][/color]
[/cell][/row][/table][/COLOR]

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The first leg of the game will take place in Heiseina, an idyllic village in the center of Heiwadani Valley. The valley has only a few hundred people in it, and most call Heiseina home. Heiseina's society is primarily agrarian, with only the other villages and hamlets of the valley to trade with regularly and minimal contact with the outside world. Sign magic is the backbone of the local economy and culture, with salvaged technology as more of a curiosity than anything else. The singular radio tower in the center of the village mostly functions to play music during holidays and other celebrations, though its rumored that Ayano, the valley's best mechanic and tinkerer, uses it to speak with other, distant villages as well.

All that truly remains of the old world are scattered, broken ruins, picked clean by salvagers over the course of generations. The surviving technology of the old world is early twentieth century, pre-television. Ayano is responsible for repairing and maintaining salvaged tech, as well as manning and maintaining the radio tower. She keeps a number of half-baked and failed inventions scattered across her workshop. The biggest of these projects is the cobbled together pile of junk on wheels that sits under a tarp out front.

The world is a place of magic and wonder. Many creatures out of old world fairy tales now wander the landscape alongside more mundane animals: giant eagles whose wingspan eclipses the sun, dragons hug the peaks of mountains, and Yōkai of all shapes, sizes and kinds inhabit the valley. Most of the largest creatures have only been glimpsed on the horizon or seen as a shadow passing above the clouds, but interactions with mischievous and helpful spirits are common enough. There's little nearby that would ever threaten a human's life, however.

Magic, called Signs, is woven through all parts of human society as well: the blacksmith lights his forge with the Heat Sign, the hunter cleans her kill with the Purify Sign, and the farmer ensures a bountiful crop through daily castings of Growth. These spells are helpful and utility-based; none of them are meant to cause direct harm to another human being. Indeed, many Signs simply will not function if the caster intends to hurt someone with them.

Learning Signs is a time-consuming skill that anyone can attempt, usually in the form of a year or two of intensive study per Sign, though some take to it quicker than others. Heiseina's magic is taught by Seimei Tomo, the Signkeeper, who keeps a meticulous archive of every Sign in recorded memory, and who experiments with Sign combinations that might benefit the village. Sign combinations are essentially casting two or more Signs in succession to produce different effects, such as a Heat Sign + a Water Sign creating a burst of steam.

I'll put together a list of Signs as the Roleplay progress, but I want to leave a lot of that development up to the group(s) Signkeeper(s).

The Master of the Village is an old man named Takamori Kenji, whose family has ruled over Heiseina since its inception. Takamori sits as head of the village council, alongside Signkeeper Tomo, and the Tinkerer Anayo. It is their job to settle quarrels between villagers, uphold the law, and protect the valley from any sort of danger. Kenji is also rumored to be a master swordsman, though such claims are never made to his face-- he is forbidden by ancient customs to ever draw his ancestral weapon except under extraordinary circumstances.

Characters

Anayo

_{Character Info}

^{Name - Anayo
Age - 29
Gender - Female
Occupation - Tinkerer}

^{A peculiar woman born amid ancient machinery, Anayo spent much of her early life digging through ruins in search of broken toys. Her father, Musen, was the village's previous tinkerer, a brilliant inventor who'd discovered and repaired the radio that Anayo now maintains. As an adult, she tinkers with a number of creations, most of which are either amusing yet useless or terribly unreliable. Her biggest project- a wheeled vehicle built entirely out of scrap- has never actually been turned on. The lion's share of her time is spent locked up in her workshop under the radio tower, where she prefers the company of her gadgets over that of her neighbors; the only time she really interacts with the community is when she's blaring her collection of records during social events.}

Seimei Tomo

_{Character Info}

^{Name - Seimei Tomo
Age - 37
Gender - Female
Occupation - Signkeeper}

^{As the Signkeeper of Heiseina, Seimei Tomo is the most respected members of the community after its master. She is the sacred custodian of the village's magics, as well as many of its other, more ancient secrets. On most days she is a teacher to her people, letting them learn the Signs they need to better do their duty to the village. On other days she is an explorer, wandering the valley in search of answers to what became of the world before. Tomo is known to be a severe woman, intense in demeanor and quick to dress down those who step out of line; yet she has a compassionate heart for those rejected, broken things that others turn away from.}

Takamori Kenji

_{Character Info}

^{Name - Takamori Kenji
Age - 66
Gender - Male
Occupation - Village Master}

^{Takamori Kenji is the Master of the Village, the oldest and most respectable position in Heiseina's history. His family has looked over the community for generations, from the first day they settled the valley. As Master, Kenji's role is to act as a mediator in disputes, to uphold the laws of man and nature, and to protect his people from whatever may come for them. He is a friendly, affable man, who cares deeply for his people and gives himself wholly to them. His sacred vows to protect and nurture Heiseina are of profound importance to him; in all his years he has never shirked from his duties, even through sickness and personal tragedy. The Takamori sword is displayed above the fire pit in his home, having remained sheathed for more than a hundred years. It was said to have been forged by a legendary sword smith from the scales of the dragon Miorochi.}

Tetsu

_{Character Info}

^{Name - Tetsu
Age - 41
Gender - Male
Occupation - Blacksmith}

^{Tetsu is the master blacksmith of the village, though one wouldn't know it upon meeting him. He's best known as one of the few reprobates who spends their days drinking and partying while shirking his duties to the village; Tetsu's infamous for dropping his work into the lap of his apprentice and sleeping the day away with a bottle of sake tucked under his arm. For all his many faults he is, however, extraordinarily skilled at his craft-- when he applies himself. Tetsu wasn’t born in Heiseina originally but moved there from the mountain village of Tetsuyama when he was young man. He has never shared his birth name with anyone; he’s more than satisfied being referred to by the name of his home village.}

Locations

Within the village

Tinkerer's Workshop: Sat just within the town square in the shadow of the radio tower, the Tinkerer's Workshop is a sizable, one-story home that's been added onto several times throughout its lifespan. Half-finished and discarded toys are scattered across both the lawn outside and every inch of the interior, making for a poor experience for what few guests Anayo will bring host. A vehicle built from scrap is the largest of these projects.

The Master's Estate: The largest building in Heiseina, and possibly the whole valley, the Takamori Estate has seen better days. Kenji is not a man with many children as he lost his wife relatively young and has never remarried. The extended family that remain in the estate are those who either couldn't find a spouse in the village or those who wished to vie for Kenji's favor, so that they might take his place as Master when he eventually passes on to the afterlife.

Tower of the Signkeeper: An old tower of carved stone that the original settlers of Heiseina constructed their first homesteads around, it soon became the living space of their line of Signkeepers, the Seimei clan. It hosts the largest collection of written text in the valley, much of it either the ruined remains of scavenged old-world material or the work of previous Signkeepers and the village's would-be poets. Tomo is the only Signkeeper in known memory who has never married or even shown an interest in suitors, though she did secure an apprentice to take up the role in her stead.

Abandoned Shrine: The old shrine atop a hill at Heiseina's edge hasn't had a keeper in many years, as its previous maiden died suddenly and had not yet found someone to replace them. It has since fallen into disuse, much to the chagrin of the local Yokai who were growing used to the shrine's offerings that kept them in good spirits.

Crane's Roost: A large, two-story tavern and inn in the village square. After a hard day's work the lower floor is filled with the farmers and craftsmen of Heiseina seeking to wind down for the night. They drink, play dice, cards and stones, and tell stories around the fire, as their ancestors did long ago. The Crane's Roost is run by Hayashi Benjiro, a hard-nosed, no-nonsense man that can hold a grudge for decades.

Around the Valley

The Heiwadani Valley is surrounded on all sides by mountains. The northernmost and highest peak in the valley is known as Ryuhora, for it is believed this is where the dragon Miorochi makes his den. The climb up the mountain is incredibly treacherous, but legend says those who reach Miorochi's cave can receive a blessing from the sleeping dragon- if they find him in a good mood, that is. Those he deems unworthy are said to be roasted alive in the steam of the dragon's breath, to flow down from his open maw into the Shimmering River.

The Shimmering River- born forth from the dragon himself- cuts a swathe through much of the valley all the way down to Kama's Lake at Heiwadani's heart. Kama's Lake is the largest body of water in the valley, and provides much of the freshwater and fish that feeds Heiseina, which wraps around its northern shore. The lake is home to a number of Yokai, such as the mischievous Kappas, who make a habit of dragging impolite humans under the water- it is customary to bring cucumbers to the lake whenever one wishes to swim or fish.

West of Heiseina lies the Mumbling Wood, a forest that expands up to the base of the western mountains. Its home to the largest concentration of Yokai in the valley, from the knowledgeable Kodama tree spirits to the cunning Kitsune that like to trick villagers into giving them food and other valuables. Woodcutters in the Mumbling Wood must know the ordinary trees from Kodama, who appear at first as mundane trees only to bleed and cry out in pain when cut down. Offerings of alcohol and mulch are often made to the oldest and largest Kodama trees to ensure safe passage through the Mumbling Wood. It can be dangerous to wander the wood, especially at night- children ought to be kept out, and those adults who have business there ought to bring offerings and trinkets with them to satisfy those Yokai they encounter within.

If one were to travel east instead, they would find themselves roaming dirt roads between endless stretches of fields and farmland. These lush plains are blessed with a bountiful harvest by the dragon Miorochi each year, bringing great wealth to the farmers that work these lands. The tillage stretches all the way to where the eastern mountain begins, where the mining town of Tetsuyama hides in the shade of its high cliffs. The metalworkers of Tetsuyama are said to be master craftsmen, though they're known to be a curmudgeonly and stubborn folk. Legend has it the Takamori sword was forged in this village by Takahashi Norimasa- ancestor to the prominent Takahashi family- using a dragon scale gifted to him by Miorochi himself.

To the southeast of Heiseina lies Haieki, a fairly large village built in the midst of an old-world ruin. In the distant past it was a subway station, though now its a flooded, moss-covered tomb infested with dangerous Yokai. The Haeikei villagers surround every exit from the subway with flax seeds and sickles stabbed into the ground to frighten the Suiko away from the surface. Isamu, the local tinker, is always looking for brave men and women to dive into the tomb in search of old world technology. He pays quite handsomely, it is said.

Those from outside Heiseina are seen as suspicious by its populace, who have many a story about foreigners being sorcerers, killers and other ne'er-do-wells who would threaten their peace.

Magic

The magic utilized by Heiseina, called Signs, is woven through all parts of their society: the blacksmith lights his forge with the Heat Sign, the hunter cleans her kill with the Purify Sign, and the farmer ensures a bountiful crop through daily castings of Growth. These spells are helpful and utility-based; none of them are meant to cause direct harm to another human being. Indeed, no Sign will function if the caster intends to hurt someone with it.

Signs are cast by a combination of tracing the appropriate logogram symbol the air and speaking its incantation in tandem, after one has made the appropriate spiritual connection with its source element. The process is strange and esoteric, unlike anything else one might experience- many struggle to align with even a single element to learn just one sign. Those who have dedicated themselves fully to the craft, however, find it comes much easier to them.

Learning Signs is a time-consuming skill that anyone can attempt: a combination of repeated practice until the physical representation is perfected, and intense meditation to achieve spiritual alignment. This usually takes an ordinary adult a year or two, though some take to it quicker than others. Heiseina's magic is taught by Seimei Tomo, the Signkeeper, who keeps a meticulous archive of every Sign in recorded memory, and who experiments with Sign combinations that might benefit the village.

Sign combinations are essentially casting two or more Signs in succession to produce different effects, such as a Heat Sign + a Water Sign creating a burst of steam, or Purify + Mend to staunch a bleeding wound.

I'll put together a list of Signs as the Roleplay progress, but I want to leave a lot of that development up to the group(s) Signkeeper(s). If you have an idea for a Sign, I'll probably give it the okay if it follows these rules: its base effect is relatively minor and could be replicated with the right tools or skills, and it can't cause harm to living things.

I’ll be keeping a list of known Signs here:

Amplify: Amplifies the effectiveness of an effect, such as making a fire hotter, a light brighter or another Sign more potent.
Beckon: Using this Sign compels an animal or free-moving object-such as something that can roll- towards you.
Glow: Produces a small, lingering light, akin to a candle.
Growth: When applied repeatedly to an animal or plant, Growth speeds up the growing process.
Gust: Gust creates a small burst of air strong enough to knock over small objects, or an adult off balance.
Heat: A touch based Sign used to spark a small fire.
Purify: Casting Purify will remove dangerous toxins from food and minor infections from wounds.
Mend: Small breakages in objects can be repaired with Mend.
Quicken: when cast on an object or creature, their movement is quickened slightly. Often combined with other Signs to speed up their effect.
Reinforce: This Sign protects whatever it is cast upon from harm, such as the force of a blow or degradation from time spent in the elements.
Slow: When cast on an object or creature, their movement is slowed slightly. Often combined with other Signs to increase their duration.
Spark: Creates a minor jolt of electricity, enough to power a small, old world machine for a short time.
Water: A spell used to conjure the equivalent of a cup of water.

Local Creatures

Many normal animals exist throughout the valley: birds of all feathers soar through the air, badgers and cats and foxes roam the underbrush, and great elk run across the grasslands. Some of these beasts can be dangerous, under the right circumstances- such as wolves, wild dogs or large cats- but most are content to leave well enough alone. They can be hunted for their meat by those who've learned the proper customs. A hunter must ensure their first blow ends the thing's life, and they must perform its rites before it is safe to carry.

Other, more otherworldly creatures are just as common in the valley. They are most often called Yokai, a catch-all term for all supernatural entities around Heiseina. A few noteworthy ones are:

Miorochi, an ancient dragon said to rest in the northern mountains, whose breath springs forth the Shimmering River that gives life to the whole of the valley. It is a godlike spirit venerated by many, said to protect them from outsiders and ensure a bountiful harvest. He sleeps much of the time, day and night, hiding somewhere far from human eyes- only soaring through the sky once a year, on a day Heiseina calls the Dance of the Serpent. None have ever found where he rests his head, though those that have tried are thought to have met a terrible end.

It is said there is a house that walks through the mists of the Heiwadani Valley at night. One cannot find the hut on purpose- only those who wander the valley without direction can stumble upon it. Legend says an old crone lives within, and the stories differ wildly on what she's like. Some say she is a friendly protector, a healer of the sick and a caretaker to children. Others claim she is a monster in disguise, a second mouth full of sharpened fangs hidden beneath her hair that she uses to consume human flesh. Though she has many names, most refer to her simply as Yamauba, the mountain hag.

One of the most common kinds of Yokai found in the Mumbling Wood are the Kodama, who most often take the form of an ordinary tree- said to bleed when struck with an ax, and to bring misfortune when they're cut down. Woodsmen will mark Kodama with knotted rope, and often they'll build shrines or leave offerings at their base. When entering or leaving the forest its good practice to pray before these shrines, for the Kodama will let one know if the path ahead is safe to travel.

Far and away the most plentiful type of Yokai in the valley are the Bakemono- a category of creatures that are said to be able to change their shape. They can be animals- Kitsune as foxes, Bakeneko as cats, and Bake-danuki as racoon dogs- or they can be plants, like some Kodama, or they could even take the form of inanimate objects, like the tsukumogami. Their appearances and behavior can differ completely from spirit to spirit, their only singular, defining trait being their ability to change. Some are friends to Heiseina; others are nuisances. There a hundreds of stories about villagers encountering their like, and there's no telling how many of them are true or not.

Most cannot say whether the Oni are real or merely creatures of folklore. They are giants of strangely colored skin and horrific visage who are thought to stalk every inch of the valley: in caves in the mountains, under rocks in Kama's Lake, in the darkest corners of the Mumbling Wood. Many woodcutters, hunters and travelers will claim to have spotted those hulking things, though there's never real proof of their encounters. The Oni are supposedly wicked things who kill not for food but for pleasure, and who wield crudely forged weapons, like the men of the old world- the most common explanation for this is that the Oni are actually humans, cursed by the laws of nature for their heinous crimes.

Yurei are the restless spirits of the dead who linger in this world instead of passing on to be with their ancestors. They may remain because their body was never given proper funeral rites, or due to some terrible trauma in their former life that was never resolved. It is the duty of the Signkeeper to see these Yurei laid to rest, to ensure the safety of the rest of the village, for a Yurei allowed to linger for long becomes angry, perhaps even violent. It said spirits that were victims of violence in life will seek out those that harmed them and seek revenge.

Folklore and Religion

The highest laws of man and nature are based around the use of violence. These laws apply to mankind alone, and when broken are punished by both the Master of the Village and the spirits of nature themselves. Cautionary tales tell of men and women who break these laws being stripped of all belongings and told to leave the valley- those that refuse soon find themselves victim to ferociously angry Yokai intent on tearing them limb from limb. Even when one tries to hide their wrongdoing from their fellow man they cannot avoid the wrath of the wood, of the grass, and the ground itself. The only way to avoid a terrible fate is to leave the valley and never return, though no one has been exiled in a generation.

But what lies beyond our small corner of the world? There's a thousand different interpretations and very few can say which is the closest. Rumor has it that Takamori Kenji, Anayo, and Seimei Tomo have all seen the other side of the mountains, though if they have they'll never speak of it. Some think of it as a hellish, dead landscape where nothing lives but roaming demons who consume all they come across. Others think it is the broken husk of the old world, devoid of all life. Still others think of it as just an extension of the valley's terrain, no different from Heiseina except that it isn't protected from violence like their home is. All that really is known is that its a strange, dangerous place, and any who have left the valley of their own accord have never returned.

In days long past, when humans first settled in the valley, they had no magic to call their own- for the magic of the old world had been stripped from their minds and they were left powerless in this new, strange world. It was the Yokai who lived there before them that approached these first settlers and showed them a new form of magic: Signs. These Signs were a shadow of what came before, and could never be used to directly harm another person, but they fulfilled their purpose and helped the first human settlers thrive. Some Yokai still, on occasion, will teach new Signs to humans of the modern day- when Tomo is away from Heiseina it is often her business to seek out new Yokai to teach her their way.

The most common form of religion is the worship of the Yokai; those that are oft venerated earn the title Kami, meaning deity. It is thought that worship increases a Kami's power and influence, and it is thought to anger the Kami when villagers fall away or forget to keep to their customary acts of reverence. Yokai appreciate gifts of specific kind, and can grow irritated when offered the wrong thing or when offered nothing at all. It is the duty of the Shrine Maiden to lead ceremonies at Heiseina's shrine, to keep the local Yokai in good spirits and to ensure the village remains devout. Mothers often tell their children that, if they forget their prayers, they'll be stolen away in the night and eaten.

Pariah Online: A Voyage into the Intangible Aether

Location: City Streets -- The City-State of Thorinn, Aetheria

---

Graves was reluctant to release Seele at first. He had almost forgotten the comfort of another person's embrace. It was like falling into bed on a cold winter's night. There was a warmth and a strength to his friend's touch that surprised him. For all her bodily frailty, Graves was certain there was nothing in this world or any other that could truly harm her. Graves held Seele far too tight and hid his face from her, as if he might conceal the utter shame he felt burrowing into him.

Until Alja came jogging up, of course, and he broke away near immediately. One look at her sent another wave of red-hot shame burning his cheeks. He hadn't the slightest clue how she of all people would react to the mess he'd made. She was as likely to put him on the ground again as she was to hug him too. Graves knew he deserved the latter. Some of his friends were too quick to forgive and forget; others were stubborn enough to talk a mountain into moving out of their way.

Graves wiped his face with the back of his sleeve. "I, uhh..." He started weakly, unable to conjure words enough to explain himself.

Thankfully Seele took the initiative and gave him an excuse to slip away. He nodded a few too many times to her before slinking back to the Laughing Worg, careful to avoid eye contact with Alja or anyone else that still lingered. His eyes stuck on the street as he went, his gaze passed over the knife he'd attacked Siegfried and Seele with- the knife Alja had given him not so long ago. For a moment he considered returning it to her. It was her property, after all, and he certainly wouldn't be using it anymore. But even the thought of picking the steel up twisted his stomach into knots. Graves shook his head softly and walked inside.

He slid Dariel a handful of coins as apology for the trouble he caused. This was the second time he nearly got them thrown out of the Laughing Worg. He really needed to get a handle on that if he didn't want to lose his favorite- only- drinking hole. Maybe a few drinks would help him clear his head. Yeah.

Just a few.

(NOW CLOSED:) Marvel RE: Imagine - A Marvel Comics Roleplay

_{MARVEL REIMAGINED: Iron Man}

ISSUE #1: Fragile Heart

---

_{New York City ♦ New York}

"Run it again, JARVIS." Tony Stark splayed across the couch like a lion on its rock. He was the king of a concrete jungle: a billionaire, a genius engineer, and a world-class superhero. Untouchable. Unassailable. He tore a chunk from his latest successful hunt- a greasy cheeseburger from the joint down the street. He'd lost count of how many Kwikkee Meal Deals he'd eaten ever since moving into Rhodey's apartment.

Tony was unbelievably broke.

A series of simulations flashed across the television, the laptop plugged into whirring angrily as it tried to process the experiment's thousands of unique variables. A full-sized arc reactor popped open on the screen to reveal its internals: hundreds of individual plates placed so close together the human eye couldn't discern the gap between them. The plates rotated around the core at murderously high speeds, driven only by the Casimir effect. The vacuum in the chamber allowed the reactor to maintain its current energy production indefinitely...theoretically.

One of the plates in the simulator began to flash red. "Error in plate one hundred and four," JARVIS warned in a cheery English accent. "Sheering along the joint will cause it to break off after thirty-seven years, six months and twelve days of use." As JARVIS spoke all the surrounding plates began to flash as well. "Catastrophic failure follows shortly after."

Tony ran a hand through his hair in irritation. It was long, wild, and about as greasy as the burger. His beard wasn't much better. He stood from the couch to get a better view and began to pace. Increasing the size of the arc reactor had only made the design's flaws more apparent. No modern metal alloy could hold together under that much pressure for long. Even the gold-titanium his suit used proved insufficient. A carbon fiber mesh would be tougher, of course, but making a mesh that large was difficult and expensive. And making a hundred and twenty-eight meshes? Not viable.

"How much energy do we lose if we add thrust in the opposite direction to maintain a sustainable speed?" Tony asked, stopping to spin the television remote on the coffee table.

"Those calculations may take some time, sir."

"Do it." Tony nodded, despite talking to a computer program that couldn’t see it. "And give me my messages while you’re at it. Filter for job offers and anything from the lawyers."

This time Tony’s cellphone buzzed in response as JARVIS left the laptop to its diagnosis and scrolled through Stark’s email. "You have thirty seven job related messages."

Stark’s expression lit up. "Any takers?"

"I'm afraid not, sir. All thirty seven are rejection letters."

His expression fell like a pile of bricks. Well, at least they’d been polite enough to actually respond, Stark mused. In his previous batch of applications half the agencies saw his last name on the resume and blocked his number. Obadiah Stane- Tony's former friend, mentor, and current enemy for life- had done his damnedest to ensure Stark would never work in any relevant industry again. Maybe Kwikkee needed a new burger flipper.

Tony dropped back into his couch and pulled the phone out himself to check his bank account. There was a distinct lack of zeroes behind the prime numbers. Not unexpected, but still concerning. His reserves were running dangerously low. If he couldn’t find work soon…

He flipped to James Rhodes’ main account. Not something he was supposed to have access to, technically, but curiosity and a guilty conscience didn’t mix well. Rhodey was Tony’s oldest friend and one of the best men he’d ever known- he was also prone to taking on more than he could handle. It wouldn’t be long before Stark’s problems caught up with Rhodey.

Tony paused. He closed his eyes and took a series of deep breaths. He couldn’t drag Rhodey down with him. Wasn’t happening.

“JARVIS, do I have anything from that Pentagon rep?”

There was a moment’s pause as the machine ran through Tony’s emails once again. “Yes sir. I moved all of Major Talbot’s messages to spam as you requested. You have sixteen unopened emails from his address.”

“Alright, let’s set up a meeting. I’m grabbing a scotch.”

(NOW CLOSED:) Marvel RE: Imagine - A Marvel Comics Roleplay

Just a heads-up to

@Byrd Man
@Supermaxx
@udonoodles

it's been two weeks without any posts in the IC. Could you please drop in when you can and let me know if you're still interested? If I don't hear back from you in a week I'll have to take you off the active roster - you're free to resume later if you want but the character will be open to competing apps while inactive.

@ErsatzEmpress

Apologies! Will get to work on something.