VitaVitaAR

Realism no Mononoke: An Urban Fantasy RP

"No karuta today, I'm afraid," Tomoko added, smiling as she did.

"Mumumumuuuu..." the ghost seemed to fume for a few moments, hands clenched into fists at her sides, "And I was sure I was going to win this time!"

Tomoko simply kept smiling.

She'd never lost a single game.

The ghost was distracted for a moment when Hina came close, and offered her tips on how to beat Tomoko... or an OC? The ghost had no idea what an OC was, but she definitely wouldn't reject getting a drawing of one.

"Wow, I was going to help anyway, but that sounds amazing, let's do it!" she said, cheerfully, in response to the zashiki-warashi's offers.

"Your frightening form was good enough to scare both an oni," commented the blonde girl, "So at least you can count that as a win."

"Heeeeh?! Really?! An oni!? Wow!" the ghost exclaimed, clearly excited at the fact that she'd managed to frighten a yokai. Tomoko declined to mention the fact that Akari was irrationally scared of ghosts to begin with. There was no need to spoil the ghost's mood, at least not at the moment. After all, they wanted to ask her some questions, and making her upset wouldn't have helped in that goal at all. "Fufufu, I'm really impressive, aren't I?"

At the compliment from Kaori, the ghost's aura of smugness seemed to grow in power. But with it came some concern.

"Disappearances...?" asked the kimono-clad phantom, a frown coming across her lips. "Does she mean disappearances, ojou-sama? Like, the kind you might deal with?!"

"That's right," Tomoko said, unable to help but be mildly amused at the fact the ghost felt the need to clarify this to herself and choosing to elaborate on her club members' words, "Seven children have vanished in the surrounding area this month alone, and one of them was last Friday in this very park. Since you haunt this playground, we were wondering if you might know anything. Did you see anything strange last Friday afternoon?"

The ghost looked thoughtful for a few moments. Perhaps some people would think it odd to ask a ghost if she saw anything strange, but what Tomoko was looking for was anything that the ghost felt did not match up to ordinary events. After all, if she haunted this location and saw the usual routine day in and day out, something that did not match that would naturally stand out. Even if she hadn't directly seen the disappearance...

"Well, a few kids noticed me, so I was playing hide and seek with them!" declared the ghost, clearly considering this to be a happy memory, "But when I got done with that... I remember there was a woman I'd never seen around before."

"A woman that you'd never seen before?" Tomoko asked. At first glance, there was nothing particularly unusual about that. Surely new people showed up to the playground all the time, bringing their children with them. But the fact that it had specifically stood out to the ghost...

"That's right! She didn't have any children with her or anything," continued the girl phantom, "And I remember thinking that was strange because adults don't normally show up to the playground on their own, at least not the good kind of adults. So I decided I was going to keep an eye on her, and spook her if she tried anything with the kids! But then I noticed that no-one else seemed to see her... so I think she must have been a ghost like me."

A phantom woman who appeared the same day as Makishima Taro disappeared, at the same time? Tomoko had long since concluded coincidences were a rarity, and this didn't sound like one.

"Then what happened?" she asked.

"Well, I was going to keep an eye on her... but then the kids wanted to play hide and seek again, and I couldn't say no! But after that, I think I remember hearing some of the parents calling for their child... Who had the same name as the one Spider-san described!"

@Raineh Daze@Vega7285@Pyromania99@AzureKnight@Rune_Alchemist@Octo

The Storm Cycle: Reclamation

Her strategy had been executed flawlessly, that much was certain. There was not a single hole in her plan.

She knew they wouldn't be paying attention to the contents of her mug. Indeed, by the time they would notice something was amiss, they'd be too drunk to actually realize what was going on. Her timing, her execution, the subtlety with which she wove her water purification spells, everything was perfectly put into place.

Unfortunately for Fio Fan Falisse, Sword Witch, she hadn't thought well enough about what would happen afterwards. For indeed, the punishing hangover she knew would strike her opponents was not the only result of their drunkenness.

There was no time to react when she was suddenly swept into Queen Sorcha's arms. That lithe, slender, small body would weigh quite little to the Queen.

"H-hey?! HEY?! W-w-w-wait this wasn't th-the plan!" cried Fio in a rather undignified manner, squirming in an attempt to escape.

Her endeavor is fruitless, and it is only Luna's intervention that frees her.

At least for the moment.

Hardly happy to be tossed around like a prize to be captured, Fio was read to snap until Luna's behavior caught her entirely off-guard.

What was this embarrassing situation?! Did Luna just kiss the back of her hand?!

Aaah, she had to get out of here before Queen Sorcha picked her up again or worse! Much worse!

"I... I... y-y-you're all drunken perverts!"

Pointing accusatorily towards the both of them, the Sword Witch spun on her heel and turned to make her dramatic escape!

Unfortunately for her, her stamina, her physical capability, her athleticism...

All of these parameters were woefully below par.

Thus, it shouldn't have been any surprise to her when she caught her left foot on her right leg, and the world suddenly began rushing up around her.

Fio promptly fell flat on her face.

@Rune_Alchemist@Pyromania99

Bible of Ichor: Septet for the Dead

If only... Brigitte...

It had been her last thought before the end.

A hope, a desire, that if she had to die, then perhaps there was some way.

How many times had her body been pierced? It was practically inconceivably she was still moving. So small, so frail, and yet she was on her feet.

The flesh of her arm split, ruptured blood vessels spraying red. Her internal organs were breaking down. She'd pushed herself harder then she ever had before.

Harder then she ever should have.

And yet, she smirked.

Very well. If they were to kill the Rime-Winged Vermilion Angel, she would show them exactly where their dedication ended. The destination at the end of their journey of zeal.

She stood in a field of frozen dead, forever locked away.

This cold place was her graveyard. The final spot she could recall anything before all faded to darkness.

If only...

And yet Aleksiya Ravennart found her eyes open.

It was strange. She certainly recalled her death, even if, obviously, she didn't remember dying per say. She remembered her entire body falling apart, the field of ice and dead she had created.

And yet now, here she was.

At least if she was going to awaken within a sarcophagus, it seemed to be one that befit her status.

She raised one hand to push at the lid.

Her thin, pale arm was entirely unblemished, not a single sign of her death. Certainly, she didn't expect scars, but given the state of her body on death, it was almost strange to see it fully intact once again.

Raising her other arm, she pushed the sarcophagus lid up and to the side.

"... How dismal."

Perhaps she should have been more grateful to be alive(or rather undead) once again. But the small vampire's thoughts, incohesive as they were, found themselves resting on the deplorable state of the garden. What a shame. It had been lovely, once, but now it was withered and decayed. It would have been far nicer to awaken in more upbeat surroundings.

Awaken.

She placed a hand to her chest, running it all over her body.

As her thoughts steadily cleared, Aleksiya's grasp of her situation began to solidify. She was well and truly undead once more. She could move. She could think.

And the yawning pit in her stomach indicated she could most certainly feel hunger.

Her entire body felt stiff, tightened up. Just as if she awakened from a long nap in an awkward place, the childish vampire stretched her arms, trying to ward off the stiffness. Indeed, she could feel the tenseness almost immediately dissipate.

A dismal location, to be certain. But she could see the familiar silhouette of a familiar place in the distance.

The vampire hopped to her feet, brushing herself off as she did.

"Ah, after such a long nap, I was hoping there would be breakfast," she complained, jokingly, to herself. Though to be truthful, her lament wasn't entirely a joke. She could feel the hunger eating away at her, no matter her composure.

Aleksiya stepped out of her coffin, running her fingers through her silken hair as she adjusted her clothing. They'd even preserved her favorite dress? She was certainly pleased by that. It was far better then the alternative.

That crimson voice that leaked into her thoughts could only be one person. Or rather, one goddess.

Ichor's call, to guide her to the Alvaris Cathedral. Hopefully, she could address her hunger on the way. She was not eager to lose her composure by failing to feed quickly enough.

Ah, but she wasn't alone, was she?

@Rune_Alchemist@Pyromania99@Click This

Epic of Beginnings - Dawns Cradle

Choosing to ignore Sionna's comments, the elf instead decided to focus on the task ahead: Assessing the fishermen's equipment. At the very least, it all seemed quite satisfactory. The harpoons were serviceable, with a little cleaning, and the other equipment seemed to be in much the same boat.

Of course, it was the harpoons and one other item she was interested in most.

"Maybe a single man might not be able to pull this creature in," she commented, "But it won't just be one man."

Nodding to herself, she turned to face the fisherman.

"We'll need as many harpoons and as much rope as you can spare," said Seelay, "As well as some secure locations to tie it to. We'll probably have only one chance at this, and I'm certain you feel the same way."

Certainly, this was a large, powerful, and dangerous beast. In the water it would be so easy for it to escape in an instant.

Which is why letting it get back to the water simply wasn't an option.

@Rune_Alchemist

Bible of Ichor: Septet for the Dead

• Name: Aleksiya Ravennart, also known as Ice Princess Aleksiya, or the Rime-Winged Vermilion Angel
• Gender: Female
• Appearance: "... Don't ask." With the appearance of a child no older then 10, Aleksiya can still put off a surprising amount of menace.
• Abilities: Aleksiya is known as the Ice Princess for a reason. In addition to a high capacity with blood magic, Aleksiya specializes in magic that permits the manipulation and creation of ice. Ice created by Aleksiya is extremely cold, enough to produce a burning sensation on contact with unprotected skin and prolonged contact causing tissue damage. She can rapidly form ice in different shapes, commonly in the form of spears and spikes to be used as projectiles. Given sufficient time, she can even freeze a target solid. Before her death and revival, she could freeze targets much more rapidly. But her signature technique is the combination of Blood and Ice magic. By freezing blood, she can enhance blood projectiles to fly further and penetrate more deeply, raining shards of frozen ichor upon her foes or creating exotic patterns of crimson frost to use as a barrier. Her second title was earned due to the use of her favorite weapon, a scythe composed entirely of frozen blood that she can create at will as long as she has sufficient blood to manipulate. She does not need physical contact with her own blood, or disembodied blood, in order to freeze it and alter its shape. Therefore, an enemy who gets her blood on them could easily be unaware of the danger until too late.
  
  When given enough excess blood, she is capable of manipulating the blood in her body to force herself to operate at a higher degree of strength and speed. This technique is known as Rime-Winged Vermilion Angel, and is the origin of one of her titles. Excess Blood forms in icy veins stretching from her back, twisting together to resemble a pair of wings, where it can be stored for use to maintain this form. It is crucial that she maintains the 'wings' and does not overuse this technique, as the strain from the manipulation of her own bloodflow can cause her veins and many internal organs to rupture. While this may not kill her outright, it would be catastrophic in battle.
  
  Her most powerful technique, Endless Crimson Crystal Prison, is currently too complex and requires far too much power and blood for her to activate. On activation, ice rapidly encases the target, who is then skewered by numerous spears of ice before being frozen completely solid. The target is left a permanent ice sculpture, a bizarre art piece filled with gleaming spears. An overkill technique intended to be used against large or particularly stubborn foes, it has slipped from her grasp due to the lengthy period of time she spent dead.
• Personality: Arrogant and cruel. Sadistic and capricious. These are words that describe the demeanor of the Ice Princess Aleksiya. High-handed, judging those around her by if they offer value only in how much they amuse her, this is the Crimson Reaper's attitude. But, while describing her in this manner is not necessarily incorrect, it perhaps does not capture the whole picture.
  
  It's impossible to deny Aleksiya's sadistic streak, and she is cruel to her enemies and will often speak in a callous and unforgiving manner. Her smug attitude is no exaggeration either. But, in spite of this behavior, she shows favor to the weak and downtrodden, those who suffer under the thumb of the kind of people who recklessly abuse their own power. Human or vampire, those who prey upon the helpless are viewed scornfully by Aleksiya, who reserves her cruelest acts for those who show such cruelness themselves. She is especially sensitive to the plights of children. She will at times exaggerate her more cruel and villainous streak specifically to grow her reputation, but it isn't uncommon for her softer side to show through. In some respect, her willingness to serve Ichor is likely due for the sake of providing further structure to the world's current state, in hopes of punishing those who exploit the weak.
  
  Regardless of her softer side, Aleksiya's arrogance cannot be overstated. She has nothing but confidence in herself, and her abilities, and will mock and belittle any that she sees as beneath her.
• Bio: Aleksiya was born to a noble family, long ago. As nobility went, they were quite fair-handed, and loved their daughter, showering her with affection and spending as much time as they were able to with her. The Ravennarts were also friends of another neighboring family, the Mierret, and Aleksiya frequently played with their youngest daughter, a girl of her age named Brigette. Aleksiya and Brigette rapidly became close friends, and spent many days together playing in and around the grounds of her family's mansion. Unfortunately, these days were not to last.
  
  Tollivor Burian, head of the Burian family, had long held a rivalry with the Ravennarts and the Mierret.
  Manipulating minor nobles, he was able to stage a surprise attack on the Ravennarts' mansion during a celebration where much of the Mierret family, including Brigette, were present. In spite of their best efforts, their defenses eventually crumbled, and Aleksiya and Brigette's families were slaughtered. Given no time to mourn, they were snatched away by Lord Burian, who claimed their lands and intended to use the young girls as trophies, enslaving them for the sake of a spiteful vengeance against his slaughtered rivals. Subjected to Lord Burian's cruel whims, the girls were frequently beaten and subjected to starvation, as the wicked lord subjected the common folk to monstrous acts for his own amusement. Aleksiya witnessed horrific tortures and cruel games carried out in Lord Burian's court, and was sometimes subjected to them herself. But she felt far worse pain when Brigette was targeted, as the other girl's health steadily wore down.
  
  One morning, she awoke to learn that Brigette had apparently died in the night, her body tossed away like trash.
  From that point onwards, Aleksiya did not care what else happened.
  
  She would take revenge on Lord Burian, and make him suffer for his crimes.
  
  But her young body could only take so much cruel treatment, and soon she too was cast out, starved and beaten, to die in the cold one winter's night.
  
  And yet, it was not to be. A figure she thought she recognized as a noble she had once met prior to Lord Burian's attack made her an offer of survival, and power, and she found herself accepting without a second thought.
  
  The next morning, Lord Burian was dead, his skinned corpse hanging from his bedroom window.
  
  Aleksiya Ravennart, now a vampire, claimed ownership of the land that once belonged to her family, as well as the lands of the Mierret and Burian families. The nobles who participated in her family's slaughter were killed, their heads displayed on pikes and their properties absorbed into Aleksiya's territory. From this point on, the girl's life was one filled with that which brought her pleasure. Finery, sweet blood, and punishment for the wicked. As time went on, she became more and more active in moving against those who had earned her ire, and her reputation as the Ice Princess grew. Her manipulation of ice grew to become quite famous.
  
  Unfortunately for Aleksiya, not even her considerable magical capabilities were enough to save her from the surprise attack of the Hundred Paladins, and she was killed. In her last moments, her thoughts drifted to Brigette, and the smallest hope that she would see her once again...
• Anything else: Carries a stuffed rabbit that belonged to Brigette. It is quite weathered by this point, but somehow mostly intact.

Blades of Iron Roses: An Anime-Inspired Fantasy Knight RP

@GingerBoi123: As long as it's not too powerful and it makes sense for your character to have it, it's fine.

Blades of Iron Roses: An Anime-Inspired Fantasy Knight RP

@GingerBoi123: If you have any questions, I'm happy to help!

Realism no Mononoke: An Urban Fantasy RP

Even if it was Kaori's praise, being praised always felt like it was the most correct action to Tomoko. At least, when it was directed at her.

While her club member's squabbles and interactions were amusing, they indeed had a job to do.

"You're coming too," the Intermediary commented without even glancing towards Akari as she approached the door.

As the door opened, the shape of the girl Tomoko had arrived with in the first place shimmered into view, holding her umbrella over the petite blonde girl, the single eye upon it glancing at the others, the tongue waving back and forth.

"Let's go!"

---

The trip there was a wet one, though as they reached the scene of the crime the rain appeared to be dying down. Tomoko, with her hands-free umbrella, had of course remained completely dry during the whole walk.

Why she had elected to walk there rather then any other method of transport was perhaps mysterious, or perhaps simply because she felt like it. Regardless of the case, by this point in the day there were few people in this area of town.

The most recent disappearance had happened at night, and no-one was certain where it had actually occurred. Therefore, Tomoko had decided to travel to the site of the second-to-last disappearance. Not only was it a shorter walk, but it was also one of the most baffling: It had happened right behind the child's parent's backs.

Makishima Taro's disappearance was among the strangest of them, for certain.

The site of the disappearance was a playground. It seemed as if Tomoko had deliberately targeted both a fairly late point in the day, and a day where there would be very few people in the area, to begin her investigation.

"And now... let's get started!"

The talisman she drew and tossed into the air was one-hundred-percent necessary, one of many invocation spells she had prepared prior to her arrival.

The pose she struck, drawing the five-pointed star of Abe no Seimei in the air with her cane around it, was almost invariably not. As the shimmering sign faded, the talisman began to glow...

Tomoko straightened.

For a few moments, nothing in particular seemed to happen... And then...

Lurching out of the shadows, was the gaunt, grey-faced figure of a girl in her teens. She appeared like a dry corpse, her kimono in tatters with the colors faded away, eyes rolled back, hands grasping at the air, fingers curled like claws. Her mouth hung open, a death rattle escaping her throat, dried blood caked over one empty eye socket, a ragged gash across her throat.

When she spoke, her voice was like a whisper.

"Who... dares to-"

The ghost stopped for a moment.

When she spoke again, her voice was completely different.

"Oh, it's you, ojou-sama!"

Almost immediately, her eyes seemed to reappear in the sockets. Her hair neatened considerably, skin fading to a pale, but much less grey flesh tone. Her wounds sealed, her cheeks filled out... in moments, aside from a certain ethereal nature...

The girl who stood before them wasn't threatening at all.

"And some other people! What are all of you here for?" she questioned, tilting her head. "Fufu, if you're here to play karuta again, I won't lose this time!"

@Raineh Daze@Vega7285@Pyromania99@AzureKnight@Rune_Alchemist@Octo

Bible of Ichor: Septet for the Dead

Decided to change up Aleksiya's powerset so she's not just using even more blood magic like my original intent.

Bible of Ichor: Septet for the Dead

Once I settled on a basic concept, my whole idea was she just goes crazy with making weapons from blood magic and I didn't realize everyone else would also focus on it. ^^;