Avatar of TaroAndSelia
  • Last Seen: 4 yrs ago
  • Joined: 10 yrs ago
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    1. TaroAndSelia 10 yrs ago

Status

Recent Statuses

6 yrs ago
Current As Spring grows, so too does the itch to dream, to imagine, and to create.
6 yrs ago
It's Christmas time! Put up the lights, and hold up your light! #LightTheWorld
6 yrs ago
And it's impossible to edit a status. Wonderful. I meant to say my hard drive is down; I'm working out of a flash drive now.
6 yrs ago
Whoops. That's one flash drive destroyed. Kids, take good care of your toys! For those concerned, thank you! I don't have any storage, but I do have access to a browser; roleplaying continues!
7 yrs ago
Driving on my lunch break when a random kid on the sidewalk yells, "It's the internet man! Hi internet man!" Spend the rest of Monday feeling like a champ.
3 likes

Bio

*Picks up the profile*
*Looks at it oddly, as though it vaguely reminds him of something he read once*
*Blows off a mountain of dust*

Ah! That's what this is! It's my old role-player guild account!

Hello, folks, from a friend new and old. Old in that I spent many happy hours fictating way back in Old-Guild before Lost Christmas, and then I spent some time in New-Guild during its beginning development; new in that I've been gone for two years, so a lot of the "faces" I was familiar with back then don't seem to be haunting the place these days. Whether you've known me before or not, I extend to you a hearty greeting and a virtual feast. If you'd like a name shorter than the full one, please call me Taro. I'm rather comfortable with that one.

Well, you didn't come here just to hear about my history. You're probably looking to see what kind of a role-player I am. Truthfully, I'm not totally certain right now; two years without practice does bring on a multitude of changes. Then again, even in those two years I've kept the creative spark fed and fanned, in isolation though it may have been, and I can tell you this much with great certainty:
I like light-hearted laughter, soul-searching questions, and that precipice of commitment.
My favorite settings would be:
High Fantasy
Modern Fantasy
Science Fiction (new worlds, a newer Earth, even just in the immensity of space)
I consider it a given that, where boys and girls coexist in a story, Romance will blossom.
Horror I have a very weak stomach for. (I read the basic instructions for Betrayal at House on the Hill and had to consciously tell myself that night that everything was fine and I would sleep safely. I didn't even play a game; I only read the instructions!)
I stay away from graphic violence, sexual depictions of any nature, and profanities. I'm very much a PG-rated writer; I plan on sharing everything I write as bedtime stories with my kids someday.

I play a convincing dude (I'm sure you never would have guessed that), but a vast majority of my favorite characters are female. So if you have romance in mind, I'm happy to play either party. If you don't want a romance, you will probably have to tell me that plainly. Then I'll just go with what feels right for the story, subject to a few personal whims which I hope will only bolster the plot and development.

I'm very picky as far as my own ideas go. I'll try just about everything I can think of to break the idea in order to insure there are no gaping plot holes. I invite everyone else to examine my ideas in a similar light--different people, different thought processes, different problems discovered--and to offer any compliments or constructive criticisms you have. As part of that, I absolutely love pushing the boundary of an idea as far as it will stretch, or looking for that odd, "I never thought of using it like that" approach to a character's abilities.

What else would I say with this space? I really like old poetry; reading Isaiah gives me the happy trembles. I hope I've presented a fair assessment of my writing style and capabilities through this brief introduction. I love creating--creating characters and bringing them to life from the page; creating worlds filled with fascinating lore and beautiful locales; creating stories, be they narrations of ordinary men and women facing their trials or epics of fated heroes overcoming every obstacle to save Dwarf-kind.

And, in closing, I'm excited for the chance to work with you. I should be able to post daily. PM me anytime, especially if you have a question about anything I've said here or elsewhere, but even if you only want to chat. You could even ask me about my mysterious two-year absence. I'll tell you now that I was in California, but that doesn't really answer the question. I'm happy to talk anytime.

Sweet water and light laughter until next we meet!
-Taro

Most Recent Posts

I want to double-check some of the details at present.
1) The town has no name at present, right? (Or did I just miss it?) I propose Hamelton if doing so is an option.
2) The weather is semi-clear, with clouds gathering on the horizon. It may rain during the night, but the evening will be pleasant.
3) This is a small (nay, microscopic) town that exists only to support the mill. (What kind of mill, by the way? Lumber, steel, grain, what?) However, as it is on the road to and from other places with actual import, would you say travelers aren't infrequent?
Floor 32*: The Divided Lands
*(totally just a suggestion; move it anywhere except a safety (non-raid) floor)

Gate City: Fortuna

Formerly, the city Fortuna was a place of wealth and prosperity. It stands in the center of the floor, at the crossroads between the various tribes, and became the hub for trade. The city fell to ruin, though, when the Great War ended all ties between tribes. Each person returned to the place of his ancestry; the few who remained quickly fell prey to monsters.
The gate still stands unharmed before what used to be the governor’s palace. Everything else is deteriorated and overgrown.

Northern Mountains: Bornztun

The Bornzun settled in the mountains of the far north. Mountain springs provide their city with water, and the mountains provide an endless supply of stone and ores. The access to raw minerals has made Bornztun the most productive city on the floor. Its soldiers are well-equipped and well-trained in close-quarter combat.

As it has been some generations since the fall of Fortuna, the common language has separated to some degree. The Bornzun speak something close to common; if you’ll tilt your ears while listening, most players can understand the message being sent.

Northern Dungeon: The Haunted Mines

Years ago the Bornzun tapped too deeply into a mountain and opened a portal to hell itself (or so they believed). They closed up the mineshaft as best they could, but have occasionally had small problems arise from within. The town guard has been able to handle it without much damage. But recently something much bigger has been shifting deep in the abandoned mine. If left unchecked, calamity may befall Bornztun.

Eastern Plains: The Hrosen

The Hrosen, rather than settle a city and fortify against monsters, live a nomadic lifestyle. They roam the wide plains, hunting and gathering their food. Their battle prowess is not to be scoffed at; it is said a Hrosen on his steed can slay five men on their feet. The connection a Hrosen has with his horse is far deeper than that of a human and a pet; the two are companions in survival and combat. Some whispers even speak of their ability to communicate with their mounts as one man speaks to another.

With no permanent home, the Hrosen pass their history through oral tradition and a few, rare scrolls. Literacy is low, and the language has drifted a fair distance from the standard.

Western Forest: Vainaxht

Living in the deep forests, the presence of monsters was a constant in their lives. The Vainazzi mastered the ability to tame monsters; now monsters are an everyday matter in a whole new way. Beasts of burden, defense forces, skilled labor (and what bizarre skills some of them have!), and so on; the people live surrounded by tamed monsters that do the hardest work. In learning to coexist with these bizarre creatures, their language and customs have grown similarly foreign. From clicks to guttural fricatives, to putting their front doors dozens of meters above the ground, the Vainazzi are different; understanding and working with them is a tremendous challenge.

Southwestern Dungeon: The Forgotten Temple

Hidden in the far depths of the forest lies the remains of an ancient temple. It predates even the three great tribes. Archaic symbols cover the walls and ceilings—those that haven’t collapsed, hidden beneath centuries of overgrowth. All the tribes will agree that the temple is a place of mystery and magic. The Vainazzi, though, have tales of strange happenings more recently. They speak of a darkness building in the heart of the temple and beginning to leak out. Beasts enraged and driven by the darkness do not succumb to the Vainazzi’s taming abilities; and as the occurrences grow more frequent, they find their home increasingly endangered.
Floor 4*: The Orient
*(earlier is better for this one, I think)

The land is divided by two countries: In the east, the Celestial Shogunate; and in the west, the Heavenly Empire. A large mountain range divides the nations—and contains two dungeons: The Top of the World; and the Deep Naraka. An ocean surrounds the land, offering an easier route for traders to go between the two nations.

In the West:
Qigong

The capital city of the Heavenly Empire, Qigong lies at the heart of the land. Characterized by majestic structures reaching into the sky, the capital is a beautiful city. The streets are paved and well-maintained; countless shops offer the nation’s wares; and the Palace rising in the very center is home to the Heavenly Emperor himself. Also, the portal gate is here.
Surrounding the capital proper is the less affluent residential zone. Small, single-story homes fan out for better than a mile. Beyond those are endless rows of farms, broken only by the occasional, large, community hut rising from the mire. The distinction between rich and poor is, as has been the case throughout history, enormous.
As a culture, the people of the Heavenly Empire value song and drama. Skilled singers and actors are sought after, and those with the clearest voices have the greatest prestige.

Frozen Naraka

Beneath the Heavenly Empire is another land, a frozen wasteland filled with demons and curses.

In the East:
Edo

The city of Edo is geographically enormous. The buildings rarely stand higher than two stories, and through most of the city they are spread out to allow space for yards and gardens. The only exception is the dock area, where most of the trading occurs. Here the shops and warehouses are built close together—but that isn’t a concern, as only the eccentric would live there. The people of the Celestial Shogunate value nature and the natural spirits greatly, and verdant life can be seen throughout all their cities and villages.
They also value performers who can blend with nature, be it through instruments or the dance. Vocal performance isn’t as sought after, as speech is seen as a disruption of the natural song; but those able to dance with the reeds or harmonize with the winds are praised and respected.

Burning Naraka

Beneath the lands of the Edo lies this world consumed in flame. Distinctly demonic creatures attempt to consume anyone foolish enough to enter their domain—and they don’t mind eating their food extra-crispy.

In the Mountains:
Deep Naraka

When you reach the center mountains, you can choose to go up or down. When you go down, you enter the Deep Naraka, a lightless place haunted by incorporeals. Going in without several sources of light would surely end in failure and death. Similarly, not being prepared to deal with the restless souls haunting its halls would bring your downfall.

Floor Dungeon – The Top of the World

If you choose to go up, you will find the Floor Dungeon. This dungeon is remarkably straightforward: players will go through a series of tests to prove they are fit to ascend to the next floor. It demands more than brute force from a party—although the final test at the end will demand a lot of that. Much of this dungeon will require players to think and skill their way through.




Day 7

“The Prince… Charmed… no, Charming. Prince Charming… Was that grabbed? Raised? Lifted, maybe? ‘Prince Charming lifted Princess onto… lifted the Princess onto her a… Onto his... steed.’ Wasn’t this the word they used for the peasant’s donkey, though? Ugh…”

Alisea dropped her head into her palms and groaned. She had discovered the city’s library yesterday after picking leaves had grown too tedious. Thinking that she could find something enjoyable to fill an evening--for surely the GM would have added some popular literature to the game, if only to fill space--Alisea had gone in to borrow a book.

Difficulty had greeted her at the door. First she was asked to fill out a library card. The small slip she was handed was covered in unintelligible swirls and slashes, with a few portions empty. After some explanation from the librarian, Alisea learned that this was in fact the traditional writing system. With the librarian’s guidance, she squiggled her signature into the mess. She did her best to make it illegible; it almost fit in that way.

Lightly scanning the shelves, Alisea confirmed her fears: nothing was written in the English alphabet. She had resorted to the small section of picture books in the back corner of the library in the hopes she might make sense of the new symbols.

That brought her to today. Maybe she could have given it up as a waste of time; but the game had laid down its challenge, and she would not back away. Even if that meant borrowing small children as they passed through to ask them to read simple books to her. With that much assistance, the magess-turned-kindergartner had discovered a heavy truth: the writing wasn’t in an alphabet. It wasn’t as complex as Chinese characters, but the system was definitely lacking in phonetic pronunciations. The markings for possessives alone were nightmarish.

A tiny, barely audible ‘ping’ provided a welcome distraction. Alisea opened her menu and read the message with glee.

Hey, Where are you at right now? I got something I gotta give you.

She was certainly ready for a break; she had been at this all morning. Her hands deftly flew over the English keyboard, tapping out each word with precision.

You can find me in the library--the large building with pillars one block east of Town Hall.

Looking over the piles of fairy tales and children’s rhymes she had amassed, Alisea had to chuckle at herself. She doubted she had spent this much time reading these things even when she was in kindergarten. Now she had gone over some of them enough she could quote them from memory.
Almost there... just a little bit more...!


It appeared the day was rapidly moving into full swing. Alisea was surprised by how many of their comrades were already awake; it was yet another mark of how they might be oddities even among gamers. Only one of them came over to interrupt the conversation, though.

"Hey! Alissa...I'm sorry I didn't heal you back yesterday..."

She wasn't particularly interested in what excuses he had; she didn't even see that he had any need to apologize. His healing was capable of 300 HP, so spending a full cast to heal 200 (on a back-line fighter, no less) screamed inefficiency. But he kept speaking, and he was so sincere about it that trying to stop his apology seemed equally inefficient. Just as she was trying to decide whether she should simply accept his apology and wave goodbye, or if she should use this chance to correct how he pronounced her name, the healer brought a package out of his inventory.

"To further apologize I made this for you, it cloth armor made out of rare material I was rewarded with yesterday after the boss battle."

Karma had surprised her, to say the least. Alisea met his eyes and smiled brightly. "I really see no need for you to go this far, Karma. Nothing about yesterday was your fault. But, thank you." The magess stood to take the parcel from Karma's hands. As her hands rose, the front of her cloak slid open enough to reveal the clothing beneath--the fresh set of clothing Karma had sewn for her the night before the dungeon. "I will feel much safer with this--and knowing that you are watching over me. Over all of us." Alisea's arms withdrew and her cloak slid shut once again.

"Now, Reylan! We should hurry. We have some important work to do!" Alisea hustled him from his chair and toward the door. She waved one last time to Karma, and to the other persons rapidly gathering in the hall, then left.

As soon as they had left the inn behind, Alisea drafted a message to send to Aster. This was a chance to spend time with both of them--with Aster and with Reylan--and she wouldn't risk losing any more of it waiting in the inn.


As the ninth hour of sleep concluded, Alisea’s eyes snapped open. Dawn had yet to properly grace the world; the dimness was still too deep to make out features in the room. Nevertheless, her body counted itself rested and urged Alisea to rise and begin her day.

Rising proved more of a difficulty than one might expect. Alisea had been hugging Aster when she fell asleep, and the pair had undergone some… interesting shifts during the night. It quickly became apparent there was no gentle way to extricate herself from the tangle of sheets this morning; she did what she could, then adopted the ‘quick-like-a-bandaid’ approach and lunged out of the bed, hoping her companion would be able to settle back down quickly.

Immediately the chill of the morning air nipped at Alisea’s exposed skin. A shiver raced down her back, the magess trembling in the near-dark. For a moment she tried to grip her arms to heat them; however, an active body would be far more effective, she decided. Starting into what was becoming her regular routine, Alisea began to work and stretch her muscles. Most of them weren’t sore. The only pain she felt was a small twinge across her torso as she stretched her arms wide--and whether that was real or only a phantom memory of yesterday’s rending she couldn’t say. The longer she moved and worked, the less the magess noticed the cold that filled the room--the pumping blood numbed her to it.

Slowly the room was growing more and more lighted. Objects began to take on fuzzy shapes, then slowly resolved into a desk, a chair, the bed. As she was working her body in the growing light, a thought struck Alisea: was this not a time to work her skills, as well? One in particular came to mind. The magess began to Search. Her eyes roved the room--looking for anything, but nothing in particular. She didn’t expect there to be anything, and even if there was she doubted a single level would enable her to spot it now; her hope was simply that skills went up with use, not only with success (and either way, this was a chance to experiment and learn).

Concluding with deep breathing, Alisea settled down at the desk. She pulled out her journal to start recording some thoughts on the previous day. The light was almost bright enough to make writing manageable. Deciding to stall a bit longer for fuller light, the magess flipped open her menu to check if Fyaira had left her a message. She was surprised when she found a message, not from her rogue contact, but from Dirk.

Filled with curiosity, Alisea opened the message. It was disappointingly brief; worse, it was overdue. The paladin had requested a conversation last night. Wondering what their boisterous bodyguard would want to say, Alisea drafted a quick response on the faintly-glowing display.

My apologies, Dirk! I failed to see your message last night. Is there something I might help you with this morning?

Truthfully, she had her suspicions. This was the man loudly proclaiming he would protect his allies from even a single point of damage. He probably wished to speak with her about how near to death she had come--just as Reylan did. If at all possible, Alisea hoped to not have that conversation with Dirk; he would be all apology for failing in his duty to keep her safe, and she didn’t want that. It had been her choice to engage the wolfkin directly, and there was no reason anybody else should feel responsible for that.

Still, there was always the chance that she would be pleasantly surprised. Perhaps Dirk had only wanted to share a meal and some conversation; or maybe he had a question about her magic. Sending her reply off, she could do little more than wait. And checking her clock--6:12--she might have quite a while to wait.


The end of the fight had left Reylan mentally and physically exhausted, but even so he could not forget the image of Alisea’s health bar slowly fading away. She had done something so reckless and nearly gotten herself killed...simply thinking about it was enough to upset him. There were many reasons why he was angry with her, some of which he didn’t quite understand. What should have been a joyous occasion at their victory was mired by this incident. He did his best to appear happy to the rest of the guild, and he was, but he wouldn’t feel better until he spoke to Alisea. He donned his calmest look, and approached her with a serious expression. “Alisea, can we talk?” he asked, a hint of irritation in his voice.

The magess, who had been thanking Aster for sparing them the ordeal of a return journey, turned to face the guildmaster. Truthfully, she was expecting this sometime. It was a sign of how great a man Reylan was that he wanted to pull her aside to have this chat privately, and doing so while the others stepped into the inn was a good time. “Right,” Alisea answered with a nod. She wished Aster a goodnight, letting her roommate know she would follow soon, then stayed with Reylan as everyone else went in. He led them around the corner into the mouth of the alley. Now alone, she waited to see what he had to say.

His nails dug into his right hand as it clenched tightly as a way to mitigate the small rage inside him. “We may have won today but you...you nearly died!” He had tried to say it differently, but ended up getting straight to the point. No longer did he shield his emotion, a mixture of worry and anger filled his silver eyes “How could you be so foolish! Do you have some kind of death wish?!?” The truth was he had been scared, frightened that he had just lost her in that moment.

Alisea frowned. Her brow creased in consternation. ”Do you honestly think I would?” she demanded, the hurt apparent in her voice. ”If anything, I would turn that question back on you! Do you not want to be alive?” She kept her voice low, between only the two of them, but her words were edged with heat. Alisea knew she had done something dangerous. She knew Reylan had only been worried for her. She knew; but she would not accept being called the fool. Especially not for this.

He was not sure what to think, Alisea’s brush with death had been the consequence of her own actions. A perplexed look filled his features as she asked her own question. That confusion shifted into a fiery expression ”Of course I want to live! I just don’t have the luxury of being reckless! My concern extends beyond myself!” His words came off sharp, a quality he wished they did not carry.

”Well maybe you should-!” Alisea clamped her jaw shut, biting her own tongue before any more could come out. In an odd way, the pain was refreshing--a small reminder of the drive that had carried her through that dungeon. ”...be concerned...for more.” Somehow she ground the words out between her teeth. It was obvious she was forcing it--that there was something else not being said--but the accusation had dropped from her voice. ”Reylan, I… am sorry. But please, not right now.”

More, she said? Reylan was putting every ounce of his energy into trying to be the kind of leader that would lead everyone to the end alive. It hurt to hear such words come from her, but it frustrated him greater that there was more she left unsaid. He stood silent for a moment before sighing “Fine, but when?” Two fingers pinched the center of his forehead “I won’t be able to relax until I know you’re not going to put yourself in so much danger..” This time, concern seeped into his firm speech.

Alisea managed to smile at that idea--a small, sad, but amused smile. As if there was a place in Talrae sheltered from danger. ”Tomorrow morning, after breakfast,” she answered softly. ”I have no time to try something reckless before then, right?” she added, trying to lighten the air. The meager jest was inadequate, and she felt it.

Reylan, having vented his frustration, had slowly calmed down. The angry shell shattered leaving the worry inside exposed. In perhaps a spur of the moment, he moved closer and hugged Alisea. “I just don’t want to lose you, or anyone to this death game.” His voice trembled, the hug ending with the last word. It was not that he had been truly angry, it was that in that instance when her health bar dropped quickly he had been terrified he lost her.

The sudden embrace took Alisea by surprise, but she accepted it. Her arms wrapped around his torso in return, and for a moment she remained surrounded by his embrace. ’So warm…’ ”You will never lose me. I promise.”

Alisea wished Reylan a goodnight, promising again she would see him bright and early. She turned and hurried away, trying to not let him see her face. She couldn’t tell what expression she was making, but it most definitely was not one of her customary smiles.

The magess gratefully washed the grime of a dungeon from her body. Climbing the inn’s stairs after, Alisea tried to force her mind to calm. Thoughts of what she might say tomorrow swirled about. Each time she tried to cast it away. Her words to Reylan had been sincere; this was not the time. Exhausted, hungry, stressed--these were all conditions that only clouded judgment and led to more problems. For now she needed only to sleep.

Aster was already in bed. Alisea didn’t even wait for the door to finish closing behind her before she began stripping off her own gear. When she slid under the covers, their chill gripped at her skin. She slid closer to the center, seeking to the spots Aster’s body had already begun to warm. As the bed began to heat, Reylan’s words echoed in her mind.

”I don’t want to lose you, or anyone to this death game.”

On impulse, Alisea reached out and wrapped her arms around Aster. She pulled herself close, holding her gently but firmly. The swordswoman’s warmth flooded over her, reassuring her. ’I feel the same, Reylan. Stay safe. Aster, too…’ Sleep rapidly overtook the young woman.

Health: 500/500
Mana: 828/1600



Everything hurt. A bright, burning pain lit up her chest, spreading a dull throb up to her head and all the way down to her feet. Looking down, five bright lines painted her body. Small drops of light spilled out from the tears that reached through clothing and armor and into her rendered skin.

'It should probably hurt more than this,' came the thought. As intense as the pain was, having her torso ripped open should have been worse, the magess was sure. Then again, thinking about that right now was probably more strange than how severe the pain was not.

"Alisea!"

Reylan's scream snapped time back into motion. "Karma, Alisea needs healing NOW!" he continued. Alisea wasn't about to disagree; and yet...

Alisea turned around to see him. She caught his eyes. His teeth ground together--anger. His eyebrows were furrowed--anger. His eyes... His eyes were screaming--fear. 'I almost made Reylan sad,' she thought. That was bad. And yet...

She smiled back at her friend. There was no fear, no worry, and not even a hint of the pain flooding her chest, contained in that gaze. There was only happiness. Alisea felt happy, a strange joy she couldn't recall feeling before. Her eyes sparkled like the moon's reflection on a frozen lake. 'Don't be sad,' she pleaded silently. There was nothing to be sad about now.

Karma's healing beam overtook her, the light dancing around her body as it set to work mending her injuries. The tears across her front shrank until they disappeared altogether, smooth skin covering where glowing light had spilled out. The throbbing was replaced by a euphoric rush of heat, filling her body for the duration of the spell; as it faded, only a dull ache in her chest and head remained. Alisea looked to Karma, intending to thank him. Her eyes were noticeably hazy, almost glazed from the combined rush of pain, adrenaline, and healing all in so short a time. "You can hit me with that any time," she purred.

Her attention turned toward the last standing enemy. "You, on the other hand, cannot." Karma wanted to gather those in need of healing several steps back from the frontline. That was fine, so long as big, bad Herald stayed back, too.

Alisea brought her hands together as she summoned her magic. "Fire," the magess commanded, sending a Fire Strike at the large lycan. By now Karma had all those gathered he would, and another wave of heat flooded through Alisea's body even as the surge of her gathering mana flowed the opposite direction. A shiver coursed down her back. "Shadow," was her next order, sending a Nether Push at the giant before he could consider coming any closer. Shadows picked up and swirled around Alisea's body once more--a presence she enjoyed having, making it a pity she had no darkness spells that did damage she could use more often--and she dropped back into casting a third spell. "Ice," she declared as the spell concluded, and a shard burst from her raised hands.


Summary:
Healed by Karma
Cast Fire Strike at Fenrir's Herald
Cast Nether Push on Fenrir's Herald
Alisea becomes Hidden in the Shadows
Cast Icicle Shot at Fenrir's Herald
I feel @Achronum's suggestion is fair. We've all been informed of the rule. Up to now you have been more than patient with us, @HueMan, maybe enough to spoil us, even. Especially during combat posts, where Reylan has already shouted out orders for everyone, I wouldn't feel wronged if you posted for me because I failed to do so in a timely manner.

For my part, I will be more communicative during the week. Staying on the Discord takes hardly any time, really. And to be fair, sometimes it would be healthier for me to take a short break and chat with y'all.
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