[System]
Physical Form:
Chimeric Specter

 Narza is an amalgamation of a wide variety of souls, brought about by a somewhat mediocre dark mage named Derrik. The dark mage combined, a few dozen tormented human souls, the soul of an innocent young human girl, freshly killed to serve as the catalyst, and three different Elementals, one of Wind, one of Water, and one of Darkness. Dreaming of power and infamy, Derrik aimed to create a fearsome tri-element familiar and make his familiar's personality more easily controlled by using a young girl's soul as the base. While the dark mage succeeded in fusing the souls, one of his more mediocre points showed in his binding abilities.
 The chimeric spirit broke free and consumed the dark mage the split-second after it was born. Because the chimeric spirit hadn't settled and solidified, it ended up absorbing the dark mage into its core, giving it some of the abilities of the dark mage as well. A battle for dominance over the soul ensued. The dark mage, already weakened by the fusion process, was unanimously dealt with by the other souls. The elementals fell next, overwhelmed by the many insane human souls. With the elementals gone, the tormented souls fell upon each other, tearing each other apart in mindless agony. In the end, only the soul of the young girl, added most recently (aside from the dark mage), was left intact. Her name was Narza.

Magic and Abilities: * Invisibility (turn invisible, simple for a ghost)
* Incorporeal Form (she actually can't touch things if she tried, currently)
* Soul Steal (steal a target's soul, works better on weaker and weakened targets)
* Devour soul (grow stronger by consuming a soul, stronger souls are more difficult to consume but are worth more. Slightly increases her magical power.)
* Possess Husk(take control of a soulless body. Allows Narza to take a physical form and use that body's magic at a fraction of its strength. She can't preserve its health until stronger.)
* Elemental Affinity for Water/Ice
* Elemental Affinity for Wind/Air
* Flight (ghosts can naturally fly)
* Resistant to poison (How would you poison a ghost?)
* Soul Sense (Sense souls around Narza, souls have to be sensed before they can be interacted with afterall)
* Soul Replacement (put a soul back into a soulless body.)

Locked: (until more souls are eaten and she grows stronger)
* Soul Scour (rip apart a soul for information. Narza can learn a magic if she rips apart enough souls that know that magic. Also aids in digestion.)
* Corporeal Form (become solid, taking any appearance)
* Elemental Affinity for Darkness
* Soul Fusion (combine stolen souls.)
* Lightning (subtype of Wind/Air)

Weaknesses:
* Fire/Heat
* Earth
* Holy/Light Magic
* Sanctified ground/equipment
* Holy Water (somewhat nullified by Water/Ice Affinity)
* Due to Narza's Wind/Water/Darkness affinity and spirit body, she's doubly vulnerable to light and heat. She also can't pass through the ground like normal ghosts until she's stronger. Additionally, Narza cannot learn any magic of opposing elements. Has no skill with weapons.

Personality: Innocent, naive, and terribly hateful. Has the personality of a young girl, the ambition of a failed dark mage, and the hatred and anger of many dozens of tormented souls. As a former twelve-year old, Narza little knowledge of the world save for the bits absorbed from her shredded inhabitants, but is curious and sharp. She's also spiteful and mischievous, with little moral direction even without factoring in the dark mage in her. When the malice of the tormented souls wrests free of her control as they will from time to time, she'll seemingly lose her temper without warning. Occasionally, she will ask you for your soul out of the blue when her hunger gets to be too much.

Wants/Needs: Souls, especially magical ones or those of mages.

Relationships: Likes to hang out with fellow spirits such as Narza and Umbra.

Backstory: The dark mage Narza consumed left behind a slight sense of loyalty and responsibility to the Dungeon Keeper, so she asked to serve as well, and was accepted. She has inherited the Derrik's possessions, which are:
* Basic clothing: Musty dark mage robes, all black and nefarious-looking. And smelling. Narza wouldn't wear them even if she could. (Not that she floats around naked, mind you. She wears what she wore when she died (but will be able to change that later.))
* Basic alchemy set
* Alchemy ingredient shelf, poorly stocked (previous owner wasn't big on alchemy)
* Ritual circle, high-class but defective (Since Narza was able to break free)
* Enchanted storage ring, low level, holding dust, empty alchemy flasks, and dirty clothing (has a capacity space of two square meters)
* Basic elemental spell tomes: A beginner's guide to Fire Magic, A beginner's guide to Water Magic, A beginner's guide to Wind Magic, A beginner's guide to Earth Magic, A beginner's guide to Dark Magic (laying in a disorderly pile on the floor.)
* Arlog's Thesis on soul-binding - Abridged version (another tome
* Binding and Sealing - All you need to take a Familiar (Well leafed magic tome, and frozen solid)
* Enchanted dagger, for rituals and self-defense. (Never dulls, and is sharper and tougher than normal. Holds a sinister miasma since it has been immersed in dark magic and taken the lives of many innocents in cold blood. Nothing special though.)
* Scrying orb of low quality (See distant locations, but only from far away, or a specific location, but must have been there before.)
* Staff of Darkness (An enchanted length of wood that make using dark magic slightly easier. Even a level One mage would start with better gear than this.
* Mana-recovery trinkets (Barely worth wearing, and also too gaudy.)
* Various spell books (all shelved, that Narza can't get to yet since she isn't corporeal. )
* Enchanted treasure chest (enchanted to resist weather effects and only open to the owner, holding a mix of souls from different races)

Other: Would be classified as an Assassin/Mage I suppose. Will do anything for a soul.

[User]
A dark figure sits on a throne made out of rock inside one of the abandoned tunnels underneath the Dwarven Outpost. The strange creature is clothed in black robes that cover everything but its head and hands, the head of the creature is like that of a four tentacled octopus with purple skin and pupilless milk white eyes peering at the strange insect that one of its Dwarven mind slaves is approaching with. "My Lord Xallihion, we found a couple of these strange bugs crawling through the tunnel. None of the others know what they are, but they are very easy to kill" The former Dwarven miner will stop about five feet from Xallihion, kneeling down and offering up the dead insect that has a single wound where its head is, obviously from the pickaxe that the Dwarf still has on his hip.

Xallihion will lean forward in his stone throne and after a few seconds the Dwarf will hear a voice in his mind, Get rid of the body and kill any others that approach this area, Now. As the Dwarf stands up and bows, Xallihion will lean back in his throne and watches the Dwarf leave and gather the other five Dwarven mind slaves that Xallihion has under his control. It appears someone else is interested in these Dwarves, I could feel the connection between that insect and something stronger than it and far away. With his tentacles moving faster than their normal slow movements, they are the only sign of Xallihion's growing interest in this new player that is coming into his territory, Well then, shall we see who is more suited to being in my service? With that, Xallihion gets more comfortable in his throne and summons a small orb that allows him to see the Dwarven Outpost above him, fully intending to sit back and watch the show in safety and comfort.

[Assistant]
On the approach to the town Torrens made an effort to keep a low profile. In the darkness of night, his incandescence was all too plain, and any guards looking anywhere near his direction would certainly notice the glow. With any luck, they would just think it was a normal person carrying a torch and glance over it, although that might be a bit of a stretch of expectations. Stealth was not something he was any good at. Most things to hide behind were rather flammable, so cover was very, very limited. As far as he was concerned, the sooner he started his part of the attack, the better.

"Hey, Athinar, how long should I wait before I start burning things?" he asked in hushed tones.

[User]
Athinar looked down on the village, surrounded by his fellow champions of the Master, from a ridge that wasn't that high, but it was far enough away to overlook the town as well. Viewing devices hung from his belt, and one of them was held in a massive palm, spyglass to Athinar's eye. His helmet was on the ground beside him, and he looked around at the town, noting several farmhouses and hunter's cabins in the surrounding area. It would be best if there was a distraction, or if the peasants were all crushed quickly and quietly. The main population was in the village center, and the outliers would be an acceptable loss.

However. If the peasants formed a mob, and attracted enough attention from the village, maybe the guards would leave the town. Maybe. There was also a good chance that they would fortify the town as well, and ignore the farmers. However, this would severely affect the morale of the defenders, and make it easier for the attackers to take down a shaken enemy.

Tossing the spyglass and other viewing devices to an imp, who had been brought for the sole purpose of carrying the instruments, Athinar clapped his hands together, and pulled his helm on. "We don't have that many frontline fighters, other than those Vorhaas Orcs, and they're barely two hundred strong. We'd be needing three-quarters of those to surround the village, so Torrens and Shukra," he said this with a grimace of mild distaste under his thick metal helm, "Unfortunately, you'll be left with 50 or so Orcs. Not as many as I'd like to send you out with, but still. If used correctly, we'll be able to accomplish our objectives."

Looking Torrens over, appraising him, Athinar looked back at the town. "Every moment you stay out here, the greater the chance that some peasant will notice you. I'd like you to draw attention to one of the outlying farms. If a fire starts, and a family is killed inside, or even better, if there's a survivor, it'll draw those sheep-shaggers together like a moth to their filthy lamps. Their sense of community is commendable, if foolish." Turning to Shukra, Athinar pointed out several of the other farmhouses. "Listen, I want your Orcs to ambush anyone foolish enough to go rushing through the woods, or leave the gate, to go help. There are several areas where the woods appear to be thicker, so they would be excellent ambush sites. While this is happening, my team will gain one of the gates on the east side of town, and head towards the temple. Azavarn, feel free to roam and make any deals that you feel would be appropriate to help the cause. Also, as we discussed earlier, the remaining Orcs will surround the town, catching any runaways, and preventing any help from arriving. Torrens, wait for us to get in position to execute the plan, before you burn down the house. Narza, you will tell Torrens when to start, and then come immediately back. Azavarn, to start off, I'd go to the tavern, or barracks." The grin on his mask matched his face, under the metal casing. "Should be FILLED with your sort of people." Athinar stood up, saying, "Head out. And BE CAREFUL to not draw attention before you need to."

Athinar then started to run at a speed that few long-distance couriers could match, loping pace reminding some of a vicious wolf, or other predator. If the others weren't right behind him, well, he would enjoy this all himself.

 Something stirred inside the man. It was not noticeable yet, but over the course of the battle, he would find his need for blood to increase, and his patience fray. This might affect the viciousness of his plans, but it wouldn't interfere with his judgement.

[Assistant] Torrens nodded on receiving his orders. "You can count on me." As the group began to split Torrens gave a casual salute and descended to the farms, approaching the indicated house. He had spied out the area beforehand from the ridge, and had spotted what appeared to be a ditch not too far from his target. As such, he sprinted along a path, his pace unhampered by the need of oxygen or chemical energy, and slid into the ditch, finding it a bit muddy but not full of water, which was alright. In the ditch, which should provide ample cover, he lay on his back and waited. The mud around him dried almost instantly, and after a short while the dirt began to melt, although the glow from that wasn't any brighter than his own, so he stayed put and got comfortable. Although he wanted to move out and burn stuff as soon as possible, Torrens knew he had to wait for the signal from Narza, and so wait he did.

[User]
The wind stirred some of the branches below the weeping tree. The leaves and surrounding grass started to turn brown and wither. Slowly the shadow grew and began to take shape. A image of a warrior in old styled armor became less transparent and a sword of smoke grew from his left hand. The face was a dark shadow under a ragged hood. This image of a nightmare born of mens fear grew denser. It could feel the impending evil descending on this area. Like the eye of pure hate burning the towns soul. Whether or not the inhabitants were aware was irrelevant. Death had come to them like a murder of crows to the smell of carrion.

It knew now was the time. It descended into one of the farming villages closest to the town, greeted by the brief shrills of fear. The sword pierced their souls ignoring the meat. Their hearts stopped and their lips turned blue. The flesh on their bodies turned putrid and a dark green. His image looked real except for the space between his feet and the ground...

[Assistant]
Narza listens with surprising focus as Athinar gives his orders. Typically she would be goofing off in the background, staying invisible so no one could chide her for insubordination, but after the incident just before the crew had left, Narza was considerably more wary of Athinar now. She nods carefully at Athinar as she receives her orders, watching his soul anxiously for any sign of a change. The presence he had briefly shown earlier felt instinctively more dangerous than anything else she'd felt before, save probably the Master himself. Athinar continues speaking without so much as a slight perturbation and Narza relaxes.

She keeps pace behind Athinar easily as they move toward the one of the gates, floating silently and invisibly over the grass. She leaves a few wisps of fog around her body to let the others know where she was roughly. It would be easy enough to spot up close, but impossible to make out from a distance.


[System]
Gender: Female
Race: Human
Age: 31
Height: 5' 7"
Weight: 125 lbs
Alignment: Chaotic Good
Significant Other: Hugh Van Halder
Hair color, texture, length, style: Dirty ash blonde with layers from ears to shoulders. Her hair is usually worn with shorter layers crimped and pulled back with a few loose strands around her face, the longer layers are curled under and left loose falling to her shoulders.

Eye look, shape & color: Milk Chocolate with amber specks, round eyes with a slight slant at the outer corners.

Skin Tone: Tanned with olive undertones.

Body Type: Toned body over all with very defined arm muscles.

Voice/Accent: Her voice has a tad deeper intonation than most women and is slightly raspy. Though not skilled in the magical arts of her people Sana has a stunningly beautiful voice when she sings but it is something that she rarely ever does.

Clothing: She wears a very simple halter top made of tanned leather that tied around the back of her neck and is trimmed in a deep brown rawhide. She wears a matching shorts that is slit on each side of her thighs as to not to hinder her movements. Her boots are a soft suede material that come up to just below her knees and lace up the entire way, soft soles, no heels. She wears a sheer mantle that flows to the ground and is trimmed in the same material as her halter top, usually pulled over her arms to hide their definition.

Armor: Snake Band Arm Cuff with Enchanted Garnet (Barkskin)

Weapons: She carried one small dagger that is used for cutting up meat before cooking for the most part though is works as a throwing dagger if need be. Nothing special about it, the blade is 6 inches of plain steel while the hilt is carved oak. Her other and main weapon is a Recurve Bow that was hand carved for her, she uses cedar arrows that resist warping. Silver Dagger found in the chest of a Liches Layer.

Spells: None

Natural Abilities: Agility, acrobatics, gymnastics, ambidextrous

Skilled: Excellent marksman with a bow and skilled dagger thrower. Knows some close combat fighting, using her bow in a staff like manner. When weaponless Sana will use her knowledge of acrobatics and gymnastics, combined with her agility, to attack and defend herself.

Personality: Quiet and untrusting, hard to get close to. She prefers to be left alone and detests asking for help. A very stubborn woman who prefers to do things alone than in a group. She can be quite volatile if provoked and tends to be a bit moody.

History: She comes from a wandering band of gypsy that she left long ago for she refused to become what they wanted her to be. Another dancer and entertainer for the group. She was a tom boy growing up who preferred to spend time with a bow and arrow than a person. Though she never sought the way of her people she is very defensive of them and knows their ways. Skilled in song, dance, showmanship. Nothing traumatic happened during her childhood or growing up but being the typical teenager, hated what her parents wanted for her and in the end left those she knew for a world she wanted to know.

After she reached maturity she decided to leave the home and family she knew and set out on her own. Over the years she has worked in various towns trading furs from animals she has killed on her journeys and worked mercenary from time to time as wars broke out, utilizing her skills as a marksman. Currently she wanders the land hunting and selling fur when she reaches a new town.
(A more in-depth history can be provided if needed.)

[User]
Artos handed him back the ring, explaining what it did. "Interesting, should be useful."

Walking next to the squeaking wheels of the cart he heard Vivian and the new guy start fooling around. Everyone giving a little lighthearted teasing to the pair.

"A little stress release never hurt anyone." Bjoric chuckled. "Though are ye sure ye didn't hit yer head on the way down?"

[Assistant]
Zaphere

 The fighting was still taking too long. Even with their second wind they were still fighting. Sergei's fight with the Marilith was the only thing that seemed fruitfull as his hammer did tremendous damage to her face and body. Another hit like that and she would be turned into a small heap on the ground. However, even with it's defeat the city was beyond from saving now. There was too many demons and the portals at the monastery where still open. Retrievers  had entered the city. Three guards tried to take down one but with it's cleaver like feet it tore into guard cleaving him in half from the right shoulder blade ti his left hip. The other two looked on in horror. The cleaver like feet came down again this time , the guard it was meant for dodged. "We can't kill these things?...." One yelled.
"Well we have not other choice but to try. IF we run it will just chase us down." The other responded. "I got an idea... get ready to climb its back got it?!" The other nodded. The guarded left the defensive position and charged forward and then lowered himself in a slide and just in time as he felt the wind on a swing from the creature. He slid underneath it and swung upwards with his sword cutting open it's belly. It screamed in pain as its body crashed to the ground. It wasn't dead yet though.
The Other took this as a advantage to run up and with his sword shoved the blade into its mouth. The blade going through and piercing into the depth's of its brain. It went limp. "Hey... we can kill these things." With each demon they city killed it seemed two more replaced it from the portals and that they lost a man in the confrontation. Their numbers were dwindling and the order could not help as they were cut off and in the square.

 But not all was lost. A voice entered the head of the great inquisitor. "Sergei,....... Sergei. I am Pelor. I have a task for you my son." The voice said. "After the victory here you must retreat to a tavern. There you will wait and hold up with the rest of your men. My Ally Corellan Larethian is marching a army of elves to Zaphere for reinforcements but even with them this will not be enough. A host of people will arrive at the tavern, two of them already present within, you will go with them and take them into the catacombs. The demon Eliphas is too strong and powerful. His detection was too late. In the catacombs hidden in its deep darkness is a chamber. The chamber kept secret with a binding on its door. You will know it when you see it. It is time to awaken the my angel of death and rebirth from the depths of her hybernation. It will take you and this group to get there, while the remains of your men and Corellan's army distracts the forces of evil.

 This group in question is as follows: A Halfling named Ellis, and a Priestess named Ceris. They are already at the tavern. The rest of the group is a few days away from here. They will arrive at the tavern, and they are as follows. Hugh the ex paladin, Sana the Gypsy, Artos the Magus, Ellyn the Bard, Bjoric the Cleric, Vivian the war blade, Garrek the fighter, Deila the Shaman and Das the kafshe."

 "This mission is important my servant. This is our chance to demolish this demon's desire for conquest,.... for good this time"

The Tavern

 "I will not speak to you, you pathetic worm!" The drow yelled at Ellis. Ellis sighed. He rose up the cleaver and then looked to Samuel.
"No lie, this will hurt...." He said and then came down the cleaver upon Samuel's wrist. The blade serperated the hand from the body. Samuel went wide eyed and screamed out in so much pain he had passed out once more. Ceris winced at the hit and then shook her head as their target passed out once more.

 "I do not know why he just wont tell us what we want to know... does he fear his master more then he does us?" She asked Ellis and he just shrugged. He placed the cleaver on the table and removed his top. He shook his head side to side. Ruined my shirt too, I like this shirt.
"Well I don't know about you but I am pretty hungry." He said as he put on a new shirt. "You know what sucks is that shirt was a gift from a very high ranking noble.... " He said.

"Did the noble know he was giving it as a gift?" She asked with a small smile forming. Ellis looked to her and smirked. "Nope...." He answered. She laughed a little as she stopped the bleeding of the draw with her spell. She only healed him enough to stop the bleeding. She then shook her head at her little friend. "How can you be hungry at a time like this?...." She asked and he shrugged.
"I don't know , just got a strong case of the munchies and I can't help it." He said. He gestured for her to follow him up the stairs.

 She did so and they opened the basement door and closed it. The owner looking at them. "Still hasn't talked yet huh?..." Ellis nodded to the answer. "Yeah, he is a lot more strong willed then I thought.... if you got any ideas to make him talk let us know." He answered.
"Oh can we have the usual, I am starving." He asked and the man nodded and shoved back the coin to Ellis. Ellis rose a brow.
"Hey your trying to save this damn city,... if you save it and get my customers back I feel giving you guys a few free meals will be a good enough payment." He responded. Ellis nodded and moved to a table and waited as his food was being prepared.

The Sandy Hills

 Vivian laughed with Sana after what Garrek said. It was so true. Both seemed to have lived a sheltered life, but Artos was a little bit more knowledgable then Ellyn. She looked to Das and just smiled. It was already Noon and they where a good distance away from the abandoned city. They were still not as close to the city of Zaphere as they had wanted but it would have to do. Then something happened. Rodger stopped moving. She looked down and saw his legs still going but they were not going anywhere. The new canopy had nothing to do with it.... what the hell. Suddenly a large encampment decloaked from the invisibility spell that was placed on it and they could see Rodger with his head against a tent trying to push it. Vivian made the sounds for him to stop and when he did so she looked around this encampment. It was huge with what would seem like a whole lot of elves. The elves where in heavy armor with lances and swords at their sides.

 She pushed Das's hands off and pushed off the wagon and looked around. Two elves spotted her and drawed their weapons and headed for her. "Stop!" He voice cried out and the two stopped and looked to their left. Standing there with is mane blowing in the wind and its large wings folded to its sides and a horn coming from his head, was Corellan Larethian. The elf soldiers stopped their advance and put away their weapons and nodded to the group.

 Corellan Larethian stepped closer to the party. "Welcome to Zaphere's reinforcements. You are friends of Ellis the halfing are you not?" He asked them. Vivian nodded and looked to the others then back to him. "Yes,... well most of us are." She answered. The great deity nodded.
"Then you are welcome here,... but you can not stay here long. Me and Pelor need you elsewhere.... I will speed up your pace by giving you a bigger wagon with more horses. You must get to the tavern,... the future of this world depends on your success in this mission. A mission whose details will be explained at the Tavern." He looked to the others such as Sana and Hugh.

 "I know some of you think you could just run from it all,... but if Eliphas is not stopped here right now... there will be no safe haven. He will wash over this world like he had a thousand years ago. We had to deploy our strongest weapon to defeat him. You will go awaken that weapon at Zaphere. The details of how and where will be explained there.... rest, eat, drink. Then you must go."

 Vivian looked around at her companions and then back to the talking pegasus. She nodded and sighed. This adventure just kept getting better and better. Corellan even had to say that running was not a option.

 Garrek got nervous at the sight of so many elves and gulped. When they did not attack him he was a little less nervous. Then a winged horse began talking making everything even more weird. He then looked to Ellyn and smiled. "Well seeing as we get to rest, perhaps I can find a make shift forge here and start enhancing that harp" He said and gestured to her... He then got close to stand next to her. "Plus seeing as you want a new dress... might want to see if one of these elves could weave one, and asked them to craft one that wont deprive you of movement. He said. He then looked to the others and studied their reactions. It seemed they had no choice in the matter.


[System]
Age: 23

Bounty: N/A No Bounty

Gender: Male

Appearance: Adam is a young man with trimmed greyish hair, and dark blue eyes. He has a slim build, and isn't particularly muscular. He has Caucasian white skin, and usually wears a black privateer's coat with a white undershirt, and tan pants. His face is slender without much in the way of scars though is hands are calloused, and his chest is marked with a few scars that are hidden by his clothes. One wouldn't call him particularly handsome but certainly isn't ugly more average than not. The one remarkable thing about his physical body is his eyes tend to give people chills.

Personality: Adam is out for one person, and that is himself. His family comes second to some degree but due to their dynamic he truly doesn't believe he can trust them. Adam can be polite but more than not is rude, and callous towards others. He says whats on his mind, and doesn't mince words. While he may not be the most friendly sort he can try, and fake it to some extent appearing to be jovial, and carefree. He is more comfortable plotting how to torture, or hurt another person than he is trying to appease them. He is greedy but he knows not to be stupid, or foolish enough to seek things that may end up backfiring on him in the long run. He can be cruel but doesn't act on his impulses to do so usually. His main goal is simply to become as powerful as possible while the second is to amass his own empire. He doesn't particularly enjoy the concept of sub servitude, and he is quick to betray those who force it on him like a leash. That being said he is willing to put with what he must in order to achieve his goals. In short he is ambitious, and underhanded willing to do what he must to get ahead be it in combat, love, or life in general. While he can be sadistic he prefers pragmatic solutions to most things even if he doesn't particularly enjoy them. Hopeful children with eyes full of wonder sicken him to a degree.

Backstory: Adam Grey was born to a man known as 'The Warmonger of The South Blue' a man who had spent his life going from one place to another living life on the edge, and learning many fighting styles after which he amassed a massive amount of wealth. He was the third born of ten siblings. The Grey Family siblings had different mothers each, and Adam was no different than any of his siblings. He was raised to be a warlord. His own man in order to spread the legacy far and wide. His father wanted his progeny to master the arts he had only managed to acquire over his vast career. To see which one can become stronger than him. His childhood was spent chasing his elder brothers Clyde, and Hans who both looked after him in their own way trying to turn him into an ally. Though he ended up choosing neither in the end being a neutral party in order to follow his own dream.

His childhood was spent training with his father from when he was old enough to hold a knife in his hand his father found him more than capable of being quick, and deadly. His mother wasn't around leaving his father to raise him with whatever nannies he could find when he trained his older brothers. Socializing became a commodity to him more than a rite he was allowed to talk to people but only when his father allowed him to take a break from his studies. He learnt where to hurt a person to make them talk, where to stab a person to make them die, and where to hit them to just slow them down. The body became something of a learning point for Adam learning all he could in order to promptly destroy his opponents in combat. Failure was rewarded with insults, and mockery. It drove Adam to learn harder to prove his father wrong. Of course this was all a part of the charade of becoming a child soldier essentially. As he got more siblings his father spent more, and more time with others instead of him.

As he became a teenager the family butler taught him how to fake things. Smiles, compliments, and loyalty to others. Things that spies would learn in order to infiltrate places, or how his family used its influence at parties. Adam became quite adept at lying, and hurting people in the right way with more than just knives, and daggers. While this happened his older brother gave him tips, and tricks on how to seduce women, and girls. How to put on a charade for longer, and ultimately even how to use a sword which was his brother's own preferred technique.

It was somewhere near the end of his tenor at home that his younger sister Alice developed some sort of infatuation with him bordering on psychotic love, and affection. Maybe it was due to the fact that he was genuinely kind to her as a sibling, or maybe she was just latching onto someone but it ended up with Adam avoiding her when he could. His sister's marksmanship made her a dangerous enemy so he made sure not to make her mad if possible. After learning what he could he decided to set off. He bounced from ship to ship, and job to job learning, and honing his skill. At one point refusing to take a devil fruit because it would limit his own ability on the high seas in the long run as what use was a person who couldn't swim? He cleverly swapped names, and wore different clothes at times hats, eye patches, and other guises used to avoid bounties being placed on him when he became a pirate. He joined The Scarlet Pirates more on a whim to see where he could go next after his last crew mutinied on their captain for lack of splitting the loot. Though he holds no loyalty to the captain he feels this could be a different journey compared to his already difficult journey has already been.

Abilities: Adam is a proficient speed fighter able to quickly at blinding speeds, and adeptly move his body having mastered controlling it long ago. Even at his young age he was drilled like a tool more than a little boy. He can perform rudimentary surgery, and sufficient first aid though he is hardly a worthy doctor. His main skills lay in his knife work able to subvert, and riposte his enemies with his dual daggers.

When outperformed he can swap back to his cutlass though he doesn't favor this way of fighting as he doesn't view his swordsmanship as his primary fighting style though he is still proficient as any man would be. His other natural ability is his ability to lie. To fake being someone else was something he mastered easily. He can convincingly fool most people if need be if not he can at least fake his real personality to others.

In order to supplement his close quarters style he has also an respectable degree of hand to hand fighting combat styles. His speed, and his quickness allow him to perform against skilled opponents if not simply by how well he can dismantle, and hurt his opponent.

Relationships:
The Scarlet Pirates: He cares nothing for the crew. They're a means to an end but he has no reason to believe they will prove useless to him in the long run so he's willing to join, and help them for the moment.

The Family:

Father - Daddy has been a source of inspiration, and disgust. A man of imposing stature, power, and wealth he had sufficiently become a warlord essentially through trade, and conquest. Adam wishes to overcome him by the end of his life. Respect is a word he rarely uses for anyone but his father.

Clyde - The eldest Clyde had taught, and assisted Adam growing up. An obstacle in the long run but still a worthy elder brother. He respects his elder brother, and fears his political savvy. Adam wishes to beat him one day if possible.

Hans - The second eldest brother. Hans violent nature, and his thug like axe play has given Adam a disdain for his brother. However he knows well enough not to underestimate him.

Alice - Alice is a problem. She cares for him more than a sister should be. she is skilled, and dangerous more so than most Adam believes. Adam keeps her at a distance but makes sure he doesn't cross her. He hopes that she stops her nonsense and becomes a proper rival to him.

The Other Siblings - Adam has seldom seen the rest of his family having mostly been raised with the first four, or so children he knows them, and has seen them work at times but he hasn't seen them at their peaks as of yet, and keeps a cautious eye on them.

Dreams: To become a peerless warrior, but mainly to become as strong, and as successful as his father.

[User] Adam growled as he dropped the treasure to his feet, and pulled his knives out. He didn't even really bother to look in the direction of the Shade Pirates trash talking him as he contemplated how, and why this couldn't have been as easy as it should've been. Turning around and preparing himself for a war Adam finally looked at his new enemies. "As much as I'd like to claim that I have a crew I'm just a member of someone else's crew at the moment. Though if we're being completely honest I think they're a moron. Them, and whoever buried this dumb fucking treasure on a cliff, in a swamp. Where I come from pirates have don't do dumb stuff like this." Adam said dropping his facade for the moment. "Are you the one who's been doing that dusk shadow stuff with the devil fruit? If not you're not exactly in for a good time. I'll be willing to cut you a deal though I'll give you half this treasure if you let us leave. That seems a fair enough bargain. As for my vibe...if you really want I'll get serious. But I tend to get a bit stab happy when that happens." Adam said as he gripped his weapon tightly. "And yes I am very much aware of how much of an angst ridden little teenager with daddy issues that I sound like. I just don't care you're not exactly that high up on my hit list. I bet my sister can take you, and all she knows how to do is shoot a gun really well."

[Assistant]
Cliffside - @vancexentan

---

At least he was responsive. Expectations were for the typical trigger-happy type, hence Erizalla's loaded gun, ready to be the first to fire if any unpleasant movement was performed. The shark-lass would have to address the upcoming replies and interrogations, starting off with her usual toothy grin on her visage, pistol still pointed at the grey haired man with a perfectly straight arm.

"Nope, that's not me."

A quick turn of her eyes would allow Eri to peer over at the direction of the blazing battlefield. It seemed to have calm down with most gunfire ceasing and the maelstrom of tinted mist vanishing. It seemed as though the captain had been defeated or at least could not fight anymore. With the dragon free as well, it looked like her bet was paying off faster than she had expected. Her distraction did not last, attention still mostly directed at her 'hostage'.

"I think this 'mist' you're worried about will no longer be an issue. Nor will the Shade Pirates. Meaning, I won't have much use for this case there. I'm not dumb enough to think I could out-run you and your, err, 'moron' with that case."

Despite the relenting nature of her speech, she did not lower her aim and her grin remained plastered, though with a visible twitch at the edge of her lip. One of the man's comments did not sit right with her. This contagious twitch spread to her index finger on the trigger. Yes, while she lamented the trigger-happy nature of pirates, she was unfortunately another fly in that cesspool she so arrogantly looked down on. She forced a weak chuckle.

"Oh, you wouldn't want your sister to butt heads with me, tsk tsk. No one would want their loved ones to. It'd be wise to avoid getting too personal with shady strangers such as myself. Even wiser not to reveal to me that you prefer bladed weapons and can get a bit, as you'd say, 'stab happy'."

Her eyes narrowed somewhat, showing a hit off irritation on her expression with the twitch on her lip lasting during her whole reply. Her free hand reached for the second pistol holstered in her belt, anticipating the return of the crew and a potential face-off if things went sour.

"Now, please do answer me this time instead of bringing up compromising information about yourself. Is this dragon part your crew? And, while we're on the subject, what is this group of yours anyway? Are you just here for that?"

She nodded toward the case Adam had dropped, the treasure they had plundered from the Shade Pirates.


[System]
Also known as: The Great Storm, Thor

Age: appears to be in his Early 40s

God Aspect: Storms

Personality: (Since I am not a fan of writing a personality, and would rather see how a character acts in IC, this is optional)

Parents: Hiraga and Brod

Sexuality: Will do both, prefers men

Form on Earth:

True Form:

Powers:
Storm Warning: Zencrux is capable of freely manipulating the weather, so long as nature's balance is held. He can create tornados, monsoons and once made a hurricane when he was really angry. He can also dampen weather effects and banish small storms altogether.

Wrath of Lightning: As the storm god, Zencrux calls upon lightning to smite his enemies and uses it to empower his attacks.

Eye of the Storm: Zencrux is immune to the effects of storms and does not feel discomfort in extreme temperature as well. For him and whoever is with him, it's always clear skies and warm air.

Weapon: Hagalaz- A massive claymore that is able to summon wind currents with each swing. Often called the Singing Blade for how the holes it has whistle when swung a certain way.

History:
Zencrux was the first of Hiraga's children. He was a rash and impatient nature god who was often the ire his mother. He caused many disasters before fully learning to control his power. When they say that people feared storms in the past, he was the reason for this. His storms were unpredictable, sudden and almost always catastrophic. When he finally settled, he worked on rebuilding his relation with mortals, sending rainstorms to help end droughts that he caused or once causing fish to fall from the sky in an attempt to aid a starving village. His mother wasn't impressed with this, however and told him to not do it again. But he promptly made frogs fall into her temple. He was in his "teenage" years then. And her punishment still scars him: being turned into a frog for several centuries.

He treated humanity fairly, following his mother's example and often creating some fun messing with the pink fleshy beings. He often found himself consorting with some of their men after a long night of drinking. Zencrux became known as a friendly, but fierce god, with his blade on his back and a horn of nectar in one hand. When the exile happened he found himself in Scandinavia where he was promptly captured by the barbarians after they found he wouldn't die.

History:
He proved that even without his powers he was a great fighter, having often sparred with Amos. He got free, took his blade and decided to lead these barbarians until roman times when he pretended to be killed on the battlefield. He went down then as a legendary warrior, leading one of the biggest barbarian bands. Of course, losing his powers made him quite upset, as he wasn't able to just smite everyone and his blade stopped singing it's lovely songs.

He pops back up in Nordic culture working as a raider. He led a group on many raids until his next supposed death and slipped away. He travelled, fighting various battles until he came across a certain temple he'd seen once before. It was a cold and rainy day and the temple priest let the god inside, having recognized him as a friend to their lord. Zencrux eventually settled down there, keeping raiders and bandits from taking the vast wealth accumulated there. Once Stjerne had awakened, he went with him to guard him as he viewed the world as Stjerne was never really a good fighter, he was an artist.

Motive: Keep guarding Stjerne who he's grown to admire and find his mother father and siblings.
Optional Content
Opinions:
He's a great man, both in his heart and the bed. He longs to help aid the humans in any way he can, a noble goal. While we're a bit different, we make things work out with minimal fighting,. I often catch him asking me to clear the sky at night so he can see the stars like I used to before our exile.

Mother is a fair woman. I would say her strong suit is her conviction, as she sticks to her code of ethics better than most.

Father.. He's a bit distant. I honestly think that he only made me to see what it would he could create. I know he's fond of me, as any father should be if their child but we've never really connected. I do thank him for helping me with Hagalaz.

[User]
Hiyori Kozlovsky

---

---

Hiyori sharply exhaled through her nose, dismissing the man's excuse for crashing. She didn't what the reason was or how it happened, all that matter was he crashed. End of story. Thankfully he went off to go check for a phone and that was the last Hiyori thought she'd ever see of that man.

Fueling proceeded and with Hiyori capping off her motorcycle, the man came back. It wasn't so much disdain for the man but her annoyance was clear through her helmet as she snapped her attention to the man. Of course that was before the offer of a free meal, even though Hiyori did not allow her expression to change. In truth, she was going to the exact spot this man was suggesting but with the offer of getting it paid for was nice. Her gaze turned away from the man and wandered down to the diner before turning back. "Fine." She said, albeit a bit abruptly in response. "Hop on. We'll head over." Without further pause, Hiyori mounted her bike and drove down the street to the diner.

Shutting off her bike and placing her helmet on her bike, she proceeded in, expecting the man to follow. She went ahead and picked out a booth off in the corner, by her bike so she could keep an eye on it. She slipped off her backpack and placed it beside her, consuming the rest of the room on her side of the booth just in case the man was some pervert who would sit there.

Hiyori rapped her fingers across the table while the two sat in silence for a moment. Again, Hiyori was expecting this man to be not too significant in her life so she shrugged off the uncomfortable silence for the moment. The not-too-busy waitress came over asking about drinks. "Coffee and a water." Hiyori said, scooping up a menu as they were placed on the table and focused on contents for awhile. Chicken friend steak, good enough. She tossed the menu aside and glanced out the window to where her bike was still present. Remembering and making the connection to her lunch date, she remembered the man's broken bike still laying on the side of the road. "So... guy." She didn't even know this guy's name still. "What are you going to do? Get your bike towed to San Fransisco and wait it out?"

[Assistant]
Luclie: where do I start

Luke breathed a sigh of relief when the woman agreed to lunch. He hopped on behind her, hugging her loosely so as to not fall off. As he did so, a dance of colours passed through her vision without obscuring it, varying in intensity and movement as the sounds around them changed. The roar of the engine produced explosions of indigo as it sputtered, and a wave of goldenrod flowed past as he spoke: "Thanks again. It's just up the road." The sensation lasted as long as he touched her - as soon as he let go and hopped off the bike, the colours disappeared completely. Without a word, he followed her into the restaurant and to the booth of her choice.

He noticed her blatant you-can't-sit-here gesture, but decided not to say anything. He slid into the opposite booth and took up a menu as well. When the waitress came to ask about drinks, he let his companion order first. "Coffee, please," he said when it was his turn. "Just bring us the pot, if you can." His stamina was a lot more drained than he thought. Sixteen near-straight hours on the road will do that to you.

He glanced over the menu, unsure exactly what he wanted but not wanting to waste too much time. Cheeseburger, good enough. He set aside the menu as she addressed him.

Her question surprised him. "Are - are we close to San Francisco?" He could have sworn they were much further north... but Luke wasn't exactly a geography expert. He tried to form a map in his mind... no, he definitely passed the last sign for San Francisco hours ago. Where the hell were they, then, that she would suggest that?

He cleared his throat. "No - no, I'm headed north. I don't really care about the bike right now." His heart broke as the words left his mouth - aside from his family, he loved that bike more than anything - but it was the truth. Fixing the bike would mean a costly detour, and his wife would surely find out. She would worry, and probably come looking for him, and he just couldn't let that happen right now.

He paused. Up until this moment he hadn't actually thought about what he would say to her. "I don't have time to care about the bike right now. I just need to go north." Fuck, how could he explain it? Following a distant bell across multiple states sounded crazy even to him. He tapped on the table, trying to think of what to say. "I'm looking for something," was what he settled on.

God, Luke, how badly can you fuck this up?

[User]
Hiraga - Not impressed
She smiled at the star god bitterly. "Well, they are not. I do not own the Earth, I am the Earth. I have been long before you were even wailing in our mother's arms. When you see your stars disappear, you feel robbed and angry. When a species dies out, part of me goes with it. Come judge me when you are as invested in your business as I am in mine. And humans? Why should a human deserve any more of my help than said ant? Just because most of you adore them doesn't mean I shall join you. I warded the Earth before they came to being, and will when they are gone. Now let Death speak!" Hiraga dismissed Stjerne along with his simplistic view of the matter. It was easy to judge when all you did was play with some stars and generally just observed what was going on down on the Earth.

They were then transported to where he and her son resided. She had to admit, the place was rather well built. She chose to reshape into her human form again, if only so that the premises would accommodate her. If she thought she was living in interesting times before though, it was all but confirmed when the god of anarchy actually attempted to instill order. It's not just 'what has the world come to', it appears to also be 'what happened to the sanity of my family' while our powers were gone. I suppose they still act like spoiled children, though. I should just be glad that they turned their antics on one another and not the planet.

Just when she was about to grab a bag of sunflower seeds and sit down to listen to their not-so-relative say his mind, she was distracted by a knock on the window. When she looked over, she could only describe the individual as someone with a trippy garden of color on their head. Still, being outside of the building this high up probably meant that they belonged here. Hiraga walked over and drawn a heart shape on the glass. It wasn't necessary to draw a heart, just fun. the glass seemed to liquefy under her touch, while strangely it held in place, allowing for a passage through. "And who might you be?"

Shirley - Food break
@Pirouette
A tuned up RX-7 pulled up at the lot. Shirley wanted to just drive in one go, but despite her breakfast, she was starving already - enough to eat the grass by the road if she had to. Fortunately, there was a food joint on the way. She briefly considered going to the drive-through, but her throttle foot was starting to be a bit sore, so she decided to go in and take a little break. Looking at the menu even as she approached, she pushed the door open. there was no queue, just two bikers by the corner booth, so she want straight to the cash register.

"I'll have two cheeseburgers, a taco plate, chicken bucket, a salad and two large drinks." she announced proudly, causing the cashier to look at her funny, until he was presented with a wad of cash.

"Food run for the kids ma'am?"

"Nope. I'm driving long distance and it's time for lunch." She grinned back as the cashier paled a little. Her order done, she headed for a free spot, which there were plenty, so she picked one near the door and waited impatiently for the food, her stomach an orchestra of growls.

[Assistant]
Fiala: making a scene

Fiala opened her eyes as she heard Goehearth's outburst. She looked toward him without moving her head, and smirked. "What's wrong, brother? A spot of bad luck?" Without lowering her arm, she snapped her fingers, locking him further into his form. It wasn't her fault to begin with, but she was more than happy to take the blame. And by her doing, it definitely wasn't a permanent lock... it would just be much harder to shift back when the time came. She threw her legs over the side of the chair and leaned back as far as she could, lowering her arm to drape it across her forehead. "Oh, whatever will you do?"

Hearing a knock at the window, Fiala shifted out of her dramatic pose just enough to glance toward the source. She returned the figure's wave, and laughed as she watched her sister struggle to enter the building. It reminded Fiala of Peter Pan, when Tinker Bell gets stuck in the keyhole and struggles to free herself, but in a less... fanservey way. "Iratze - I'd recognize that head of hair anywhere." She tilted her head slightly. The window pane would open easily on the next try - although if too much force was used, it would swing in such a way to knock the messenger aside. Returning to the Transatlantic accent, Fiala called, "Come join us, doll. Have some giggle water and hear Desious's tale."


[System]
Title: The Lord of the Rising Sun
Age: 34
Height: 7'2"
Weight: 499 pounds
Race: Human
Class: Warrior
Alignment: Chaotic Good
Eye Color: Hazel

Appearance: Pure unadulterated muscle. Lean muscle that ripples under his flesh like the waves of the ocean. He has muscles on his muscles. Feet Muscles. Finger muscles. Muscles in places that muscles should not be. A grisly body resembling tanned granite that might as well have been chistled by the gods. Bulging veins, thick and course. Tendons like steel cords. Fingers like blunt iron rods. Long, sinewy limbs crafted for naught but the deliverance of phenomenal destruction. Innumerable scars in all shapes and sizes coat his body. There are hundreds upon hundreds. Where the scars did not cover him, coarse manly hair thick and strong like steel wool does. A great dark gray beard speckled with the blood and bone flakes of his foes flows down his freakishly striated chest in thick, oily waves reminiscent of the River Styx. From it emanates the very stench of death and graverot, every bit as inescapable as his lurid glare. Within the primordial human's single eye burns an undying flame, sizzling hotter than the arse-winds of Satan himself.

Weapons and Equipment: His body, occasionally a set of thick six kilo runite (a foreign metal of nigh-indestructible toughness) bracers and a pair of dragon gauntlets (a metal that is a tier above runite, also almost indestructible). He often wears the "Tzhaar-Kal-Ket" (runescape.wikia.com/wiki/Fire_cape), an incredibly rare and magical cloak bestowed upon those few in history who have triumphed over the brutal challenges of the volcano-dwelling Tzhaar. It is impervious to flame and incredibly durable. He also always keeps an enchanted "Inoculation Brace" (runescape.wikia.com/wiki/Inoculation_b..) on his ankle.

Physical Abilities/Skills: Regarded in his home realm as the greatest martial artist and warrior to have ever lived, Gonad boasts tremendous dynamic and static strength as well as the primal grace and speed of a wild animal. He fights through experience and instinct, capable of reacting to attacks through muscle memory before he consciously registers them. Gonad is the supreme master of his own body, and can control its functions at will. He can enter into berserk states, constrict blood vessels to keep from losing fluids, and transmit senses other than sight through his visual cortex along with a plethora of other abilities.
His tolerance for pain is complete and unyielding, and Gonad witholds a vast array of rare and lethal wisdom to the point of being said to know of over one-thousand ways to kill with his bare hands.

(An example of Gonad's strength)

Weaknesses: Gonad lacks ranged weapons and is completely devoid of any magical skill or energy. He is, as they say, a One Trick Pony.

Background: Gonad is a legendary warrior who hails from the realm of Gielinor, a faraway land entrenched in fantasy and warfare. He has seen countless wars, killed countless enemies, made countless friends. To recount the barbarian's many adventures would be an exercise in futility, for the blood wrought odyssey of Gonad transcends time and experience. Though if requested, a Wikia link to said background shall be provided.

[User]
Though his left eye was indeed missing, Gonad made up for it in countless ways. Perfect spatial awareness, heightened hearing, decades of experience, the ability to transmit senses other than sight through his visual cortex...
Ah but, he could also just turn his head. Gonad allowed Daniel to draw near to his left flank, but little else. He'd shift his weight to his left foot, bend his knees slightly, and take a rapid step in the knight's direction right before he slashed. Mayhaps Daniel had his shield in place, expecting the barbarian to block the sword with a bracer and retaliate with a strike. Nothing so crude.

It would be as Gonad twisted his upper body towards Daniel, left hand flashing out not to block the blade but grab the outer side of the shield (on the knight's left) that the thing which had been off would become apparent. Yes, the hulking man had immense strength and weight. Such that he would attempt to jerk the shield with overwhelming vehemence into the path of the slash, possibly turning Daniel's entire body off course like how a model figurine's entire body is turned when you pull an arm. Yes, he had speed, but no more than Daniel had at the moment.

No, the problem with the situation was that Gonad was also devilishly, deviously, terrifyingly smart. At the same time he tried to use the knight's own shield against him, Gonad would have also been quite particular (and subtle) about precisely where his size 24 left boot landed. Which would be upon Daniel's own left foot, intended to pin him in place and throw off his forward momentum, ruining balance and limiting defensive options. It might be easy to miss this trick, given how the knight had also the barbarian's upper body to watch.

And even if the monstrous warrior missed that, he had yet another ulterior motive. Whilst twisting to wrench the passing man's shield into the path of his blade, Gonad's gnarly right hand, easily larger than a catcher's mitt, would shortly after dart forth like a viper to slap a lightning underhanded grip upon the knight's left bicep.

[Assistant]
Faster than he expected, more brutal than he realized, the giant reacted like the rise of a tempest. Before Daniel had time to fully execute his assault, his opponent moved with supreme coordination, manipulating his tremendous bulk like a deadly artist to halt the knight's advance. Daniel planted himself at the speed of superhuman reflex to block the barbarian's strike, but the telling glint in the warrior's single eye threatened far more than the directionless flailing of a beast. In that space between seconds, Daniel understood that even coming out as far as this open field had been a mistake-- Daniel had been baited forward, and the man before him was truly a fisherman.

No time to breathe, only space to react. Objects and force.

Daniel's well honed senses enabled him to take in the barbarian's attack in full, maintaining the slim window of opportunity he'd opened by making the first move. As his opponent closed in, Daniel shifted his left foot behind him and brought his shield to bear, exactly where it was expected to be. Though he caught the grapple on his shield as intended, shifting his left foot back enabled him to avoid being stomped on by fractions. A followup from the towering warrior came in the form of a snake-like catch to the left tricep, and in that moment when the viper reared it's head, Daniel pressed forward.

The knight shifted his weight forward again and twisted his body as the barbarian's clutch darted into his space, positioning his stance at a profile behind his sword such that he could place the tip of the blade just under the warrior's chin, balancing the edge of the blade at the collarbone. Daniel allowed the grapple purchase, and he found his left arm thoroughly bound to allow his sword within his opponent's guard. This was the turning point. Should the hulking warrior attempt to make good on a throw, a lock, a break, Daniel was fully prepared to pull the trigger on the explosive he had primed and attached to the back of his shield before the engagement. As things stood, the explosive charge was all but resting against the barbarian's right forearm. It would be a blast to leave craters in concrete-- even with the proper preparations, an explosion like that could snap Daniel's arm like a twig. Like this, at point blank range, the target basically hugging the bomb? It might mean that the knight would have to trade one arm for two.

Daniel gripped the detonator tightly as he exhaled. If the barbarian meant to pull away, somehow sensing the danger of the situation, Daniel could thrust his blade true and end the warrior's life; no matter how muscled he may have been, it would prove difficult to continue fighting through a severed jugular. If the warrior pressed forward in his assault, then Daniel need only press the button, and both the duel and their arms would be left up in the air. Finally, the strongest deterrent-- if this warrior gave Daniel room for words, then the battle may end peacefully. What was more, if there would be even a brief pause in the combat, locked in struggle as they were, the warrior may have been able to detect the knight's stomach growling.

"Thou art a brave fighter. Prithee warrior, thine name?" Daniel intoned, his breaths measured for movement, "Further violence need not solve our quarrel. If thou wouldst desist in fishing, together we might sate our hunger."

[User]
Gonad had expected the knight to bring up his blade. After all, there were only so many options one could execute from such a position and the Lord of the Rising Sun had seen them all (except the explosive shield bit). Unlike the gun-toting, spell-flinging combatants from most universes, Gonad had come from a realm where shields and swords were not only common, but used by virtually every able-bodied humanoid in the country. Yes, even children. It wasn't a very safe or sane place. Regardless, he was pleasantly surprised to see that his opponent more than matched up to the elite Spartan-like warriors of Gielinor. Gonad duly noted that Daniel's small body contained much more power in it than most.

Gonad would release his grip upon the shield the moment he had seized the knight's bicep, snapping his left forearm up to smack away the blade as it darted towards his chin before attempting to roughly jerk the knight closer whilst slipping behind him (maintaining that grip on the shield arm), the general idea being to get at the fellow's back. Even if Daniel's strength could match Gonad's, his lesser body weight wouldn't allow him to easily resist. If Gonad were able to reach this position, then he himself would pause so as to allow conversation. Gonad too had a secret weapon that he preferred not to use. A remorseless technique, mocked and parodied by many but rarely understood for the true lethal impetus it possessed. The German Suplex. Often deadly if used by a common man. Mortal transience incarnate when used by Gonad. Whether or not he succeeded in his positioning, Gonad would still bellow out a boisterous answer to the man's words. He really didn't seem to have an indoor voice.

"Gonad Yaksplitter be name of such. Many times tricked by smarties has Gonad been, but never twice in row! But trusting be heart of Gonad and first always will brotherhood come before doubt! HRAH!!

Upon concluding this reply the large man would release Daniel and step back. If the knight spoke the truth, then chances are the match would end in a draw due to both warriors being so damned friendly.

[Assistant]
Both warriors made their decision. Within mere instants of completing his grapple, the barbarian's arm flashed out to deflect Daniel's blade. A Cold War second passed-- enough time for the knight to press the button, cause an explosion, mutually assure destruction.

And yet.

Though the positioning of his strike had been upset, Daniel's resolve remained stalwart, and he brought his own strength to bear. As soon as Gonad released the lip of his shield, Daniel was moving to extriate himself from the steely grasp of the seasoned veteran before him. The knight whipped his shield arm down and out, fully intending to shock his opponent with ferocious strength. While his lack of bulk would mean that he couldn't upset his opponent's grasp completely, it would allow him escape on his own terms. Daniel was jerked forward as the barbarian moved to flank; all Daniel had to do was follow through. At any rate, it would be a poor showing if any opponent could get behind the Shield of Columbia.

The exchange between minds occurred in miliseconds, the movement of bodies was, to untrained eyes, simultaneous. Just as the warrior moved to flank, the knight would make a superhuman leap forward, breaking free of the hold and landing in a roll some four or five meters away, to come to a stop crouched with the shining tower of his riot shield facing his opponent. If there be quiet now, Daniel's voice would pierce the wind grazing the iron trees of Wotan's Forest.

"Thou art a brave fighter. Prithee warrior, thy name?" Daniel anounced, his voice clear from behind his shield, "Further violence need not solve our quarrel. If thou wouldst desist in fishing, together we might sate our hunger."

"Gonad Yaksplitter be name of such. Many times tricked by smarties has Gonad been, but never twice in row! But trusting be heart of Gonad and first always will brotherhood come before doubt! HRAH!!"

At this Daniel of Columbia put aside his shield, and stood proud to face as mighty a warrior as Gonad Yaksplitter. If it would be a wrong to see an enemy behind his shield, it would be doubly so to find a friend in front of it. With his shield arm Daniel patted his pack, looking for his store of rations.

He found none.

At this dilemma, the knight froze in indecision. It was a breach of character for any man to offer food without presenting the plate, as much a failing on Daniel's part had he forgotten his shield. He wracked his mind twice as fast as he had done in combat, faster, twice as desperate for an out as when he was willing to blow his own arm off, no, more desperate.

Daniel strode to the edge of the lake, paused before the "no fishing" sign, and cleaved it clean in two. He sheathed his sword at this, and nodded at Gonad, before attempting to immitate the barbarain's movements in snatching a fish with his hands.


[System]
Age: 15
Magic: Solar Magic, Lunar Magic, Eclipse Magic.
List of Abilities
Solar Magic - Solar Magic is a type of fire magic that uses the sun to make it more powerful. Most of its abilities can only be used during the day. Its strength varies with the time of year, usually.

Solar Flare: A sudden burst of fire and heat that can cause 3rd degree burns on a direct hit.

Solaris Divum: The caster draws in the power of the sun storing it inside the body. If enough is stored, it can cause the caster to glow. Cannot store power of the Sun if the caster is storing the power of the Moon.

Solar Wind: A warm wind whips around, carrying small objects as well as draining opponents of their magic power slowly.

Shine: Emits a blinding light.

Summer's Dream: Causes the sun to shine as if it was a midsummer day, cutting through any clouds, heating up the air, and powering up other solar attacks.

Beam: Focuses light from the sun into a single beam that can cut through most things without problem.

Stellar Calling: Allows Serma to use Solar Magic at night, drawing from the power of the stars in the sky, but the magic is much weaker.

Blade of Sol: The Caster summons a blade, of any shape, made of pure sunlight. This blade can cut through or burn almost anything.

Lunar Magic - Lunar magic is a type of utility magic that draws from the light of the moon to power itself. Most of its abilities can only be used at night, and its strength varies with the phase of the moon.

Lunar Light: Calls upon a ball of energy that gives off a dull white light.

Lunar Beam: Focuses a beam of light from the moon that can freeze most things rapidly. Can use the light created by the Lunar Light spell for a weaker effect.

Lunaris Divum: The Caster draws in the power of the moon, storing it within the body. If enough is stored, it can cause the body temperature of the caster to fall some. Cannot store power of the Moon if the caster is storing the power of the Sun.

Lunar Armor: The light of the moon becomes armor for the caster, protecting them from all but the sharpest of blades.

Luna: The Caster calls upon the moon to give the caster power. causing a temporary full moon in the area near the caster, and cutting through the clouds. This takes massive amounts of magical energy to sustain.

Lunar Seal: Coats something in solidified moonlight, sealing it and preventing it from being opened again unless the seal is brought into the light of the sun.

Gaze: The Caster can use this spell to look into a pool of water and see anything the moon can see. This spell only works if there is no sunlight being shown on the pool of water, and the energy cost is proportional with the distance trying to be seen.

Blade of Luna: The Caster summons a blade, of any shape, made of pure moonlight that can cut through or freeze almost anything.

Eclipse Magic - A combination of both Solar and Lunar magic. It works best with both the sun and moon are in sight, and is nigh-unstoppable during an actual eclipse. Otherwise it can be used almost any time of day. It is uniquely resistant to dispelling magics.

Ecliptic Glare: Allows the Caster to creates or absorb light.

Corona: Creates a field of searing heat and light around the caster.

Light of the Eclipse: Creates a field of darkness and ice around the caster.

Ecliptic Armor: Creates platemail armor from both the sun and the moon's light, allowing it to either be freezing cold or burning hot at the will of the caster, and its strength has been compared to a dragon's scales in the past.

Tumult: Creates harsh winds from both the power of the moon and the sun simultaneously, freezing and burning the caster's opponents at the same time, as well as draining their physical and magical energy.

Eclipse Blades: Creates both the Blade of Luna and the Blade of Sol simultaneously, but gives them both the abilities of the other, and renders them nearly unbreakable and undispellable.

Blackout: Causes the sky to go completely black, can only be used at night and when the moon is less than half-full.

Horizon: A weaker version of Ecliptic Horizon, it causes the target to see and feel as if they were drawn into the Ecliptic Void, but not actually be sent there.

Ecliptic Horizon: Draws the target into the plane of the eclipse, trapping them forever in a void. This spell can only be used during an eclipse.

This is an incomplete list. There are many more spells than I can name or want to write. These are just the most powerful/commonly used.
Magic Level: S
History: Serma is one of the many "Generationals" in Iron Enigma. Born into the guild, she had the powerful previous generation of mages' magics to learn from. It quickly became clear she was highly talented in magics involving the sun and moon, and she eventually combined her talent in the two to be able to use what she calls "eclipse" magic. As soon as she passed the minimum age to be officially part of the guild, she was put through the S-Class Exam and was promoted. She is now considered one of the most powerful wizards in the entire guild, and is currently also the youngest member.
Personality: Quiet, and follows orders to the letter.
Team Members: N/A
Three Strengths:
1. Her Magic is highly versatile.
2. She can patch up most injuries with ease, so long as it's not in the daylight.
3. Due to her size, it is easy to underestimate her.
Three Weaknesses:
1. She is physically weak.
2. She follows any order given to her from people within her guild, even if they're to her detriment.
3. She can fall into bouts of depression easily.
Greatest Love: The Sun and Moon.
Motivation: Seeing moon from far above the earth.
Appearance: Serma is almost always dressing a robe that covers her entire body and uses her eclipse magic to keep her face in the dark under the hood. The robe itself changes color with the time of day, turning white during the day and a deep black during the night. She has two pendants, one of the sun and one of the moon, around her neck that hang outside of her robe. When she takes the hood down, she has pale skin and black hair. Her hands are perpetually covered by gloves that continue up her arm a bit, and her robe has an emblem on the back that changes between the moon and sun on the same cycle of its colors. She only comes up to about 5'2" and is very frail.
Additional Details: Her guild mark is on the back of her neck.

[User]
Amelia Averyonna

Amelia didn't make it far down the street once the animal noises started before he came across some of the animals. A pack of female lions, three in total. She frowned as the creatures turned towards her. She knew that lions where fierce creatures but beyond that, she knew nothing. However, she also knew animals hated the dead and could sense them for what they were. Still, she didn't see how either of those facts would help her. She didn't get to think much further before the animals began moving closer. Sighing, two magic circles appeared in front of her, from which two of her spirits rose.

From the circle from came a cowboy armed with a rifle and two pistols.
"Houston." She said to the spirit

"Ma'am." The cowboy replied with a tip of his hat. He didn't waste any time. Raising his rifle, he pulled the trigger, taking down one of the lions with a bullet to the head. The other two let out roars before charging the spirit. Dropping his rifle, Houston drew his pistols and quickly downed the second lion before the other got to him and pounced. The cowboy managed to raise his arm in time to stop it's teeth from sinking into his throat, buying him enough time to shot the animal in the stomach, pushing it off, he quickly put the poor creature down before turning to Amelia.

"Will you be okay?" She asked, looking at his bleeding arm

"I've suffered worse, you know that. I'm good enough to keep going, if you wish." Houston said.

"No, go back. I'll call again if I need to." Amelia said. The spirit just nodded before sinking into another magic circle, his rifle vanishing with him. Sighing, Amelia set off again, wondering what could be next.

Delsin Jones

Delsin's approach to the animals was to simply avoid them. He quickly got to the roofs of the buildings surrounding him, keeping him out of reach of most of the animals. He was also able to keep an eye out for is competitors from a height advantage. Running and jumping from rooftop to rooftop, he came across a pack of gorillas on one, though he quickly dispatched of them with a bullet that released knock-out gas on contact with a solid surface. Once they were out of the way he continued on, wondering what else would be thrown at them.

[Assistant]
Ammy Silver|Streets of Crocus

Ammy had taken the field with the rest of their competitors for today, her dual scythes hanging from her waist as she walked. A maze with the only point being to overcome any obstacles thrown at you was a simple enough game, one that she could do well in a number of different ways. She stood silently. observing her opponents as they talked among themselves and deflected any attempts to socialize with her by drawing a scythe and absentmindedly spinning it around in her hand. This was more than enough to discourage the two who approached her, and she was ready when they were teleported out of the stadium into the city. Her demeanor changed slightly as she walked, drawing her other scythe and spinning it in the opposite direction of the one she'd had in her hand when they teleported. She then started singing a song to herself

"Ring around the rosy
A pocketful of posies
"Ashes, Ashes"
We all fall down."

As the song finished, a nursery rhyme to those who had bothered to pay attention to her over the flamboyance of the other mages, her scythe blades gained a purple glow and she smiled to herself. "Reaping Wind." The two blades continued spinning, but a pair of purples cyclones shot out of both and shot forward, slamming into a large bear and putting it against the wall. It was clear it was still alive by it's growls of anger, but every time it tried to get up, it's legs wouldn't cooperate. She kept walking, right past the bear, even as the announcer said none of the other guilds had started yet. Well, if they had favorites, let them watch them. Dragon Fang would be the guild to come on top.

As she walked, dispatching a group of wolves in similar fashion before the encroaching darkness settled in. Her smile never wavered though as she kept walking in the direction she'd determined for herself. "Eyes of the Reaper." Her eyes glowed purple and she watched the confused animals wander around, their essence revealed in the darkness thanks to her spell. Under normal circumstances, she'd hunt down the source of this spell of darkness and defeat them, but in this case, she could use it to her advantage. And she continued on her way, humming Ring around the rosy to herself.


[System]
"The Tengu are looking for a stolen object. Would you have knowledge on this subject?"

"My name? How rude. It is only polite to state your name first."
"What matter is my age?"
Age:
125

Race:
Tengu

Appearance:
Himeko looks to be about her late teens to early twenties though in reality she's lived over a century. She has long brown hair typically tied back into twintails. She wears travel clothes of her tribe's color and she stands at a little over six feet. Other than her wings, that is a good sign that she isn't exactly human.

Personality:
Himeko is a noble in Tengu society. Though she tries not to be, she can be rather pretentious at times. Her normal mode is "guarded" though one can gain her trust rather quickly. She has a rather negative opinion on humans in general, but will work with them in times of need. While she thinks of humans this way, she likely will come to like them quickly so long as they are competent at what they do.

"A mere human cannot hope to match a Tengu, that is just simple. Any longer talk on it is mere sophistry."

Abilities:
Tengu in general have the ability to manipulate wind. Though it appears to be the typical type of magic, it really has a source from the divinity that resides on Tengu Mountain.

Their wings also allow them to fly at high speeds. They are rather large and can wrap around them as a coat if need-be, but otherwise, they can use the same divine power that allows them to manipulate the wind to hide their wings.

As a species, they also have strength far outweighing the average human and wielding their special Tengu Forged Katana that assist them in their wind manipulating abilities.

History: Himeko was born among her fellow Tengu at the supposed height of their civilization. She herself was born among one of the upper rungs of the race and as thus, she was taught many things such as swordsmanship, etiquette and channeling divinity. Soon enough, she found herself among one of the many Wing Guards of the mountain.

She never left the mountain, but she was put in charge of guarding the Vault of Relics. It's name was exactly as it sounds and she liked to take her time examining the many pieces in the Vault. She both guarded and studied them. Soon enough, she found herself tasked with guarding a human to study in the vault. She scoffed at the order, but was quickly ordered to follow orders or else she'd be stripped of her rank. Begrudgingly, she accepted the task.

She was quickly introduced to the human. She was not impressed. They were simply a scholarly type and she was simply surprised that he was able to make it to the top by himself, let alone make it past the constant tempests that masked the mountain. He asked her if she'd like to talk to him about any of the objects and simply told him their name and a very short idea of what they did. She was constantly confused as to why the Elders and the Lord of the Mountain allowed a human up here, but followed orders as loosely as she could.

It took a few weeks, but the man was just about done with his research. In the last couple of days however, the tempest surrounding the mountain disappeared and the mountain was attacked by a small horde of what could only be described as gigantic bats. Himeko was with the scholar at the time, and quickly flew him to a safe space in the mountain fortress.

She quickly made her way to the front and helped eliminate the attackers, however she left the Vault undefended. In her absence, someone or something snuck into the Vault and stole one of the Tengu's most sacred treasures, The Leaf of the Four Winds. A grand treasure that had the power to amplify the power of any wind based divinity or magic.

Many among the Elder Council accused the scholar of stealing the item, or letting the tempest die out. Himeko, however, stood up for the scholar, claiming he was not at fault for this theft. As she was known for her disdain for the human race for their foolishness, her words for a human were held in high regard. On the other hand, her leaving the Vault undefended was seen as the main issue at hand. For her failure at losing the Leaf, she was tasked with retrieving it or never returning. After preparing for a few days and gathering her supplies, she left the mountain and sadly only found solace in human towns. Luckily, she had one clue... An odd sigil...

Other:
-Himeko is actually a master at disguising her disgust at humans. Luckily for her. She deals with humans in villages with a hidden disgust but something better than a frown, but less than a smile.

[User]
Himeko relaxed a bit, removing her hand from her katana. There was no reason to worry not. Probably at least. It wouldn't be good to drop her guard until out of the city. Still, she hated acting so friendly with these humans that have yet to prove themselves. She looked to the Fiores then. Making a studied gaze at all three.

Katherine of course, noticed quickly. "Oh my, are you trying to figure which of us you'd like to take first?" She teased. She was most likely talking about in a... 'Romantic way' if one could call it that. "You sly girl, you." She teased.

Himeko was tired of this family sans the eldest. Did they have to be this annoying? "Hardly." She replied, looking to Marise. "Thank you for your assistance Miss Fiore and... Miss Fiore?" She asked, looking toward Katherine, unsure. She hardly said a word to Livia, though she did give her a glance. She hadn't done anything other than what she said earlier. Paying their meal should have sufficed enough for that.

Katherine nodded, "Just Katherine is fine. I'm a Fiore in name alone to be honest." She said bluntly. "Now then, how to make you all pay for our help..." She added, giving a sly look over to Marise.

[Assistant]
"If we're done here, I'm heading back to the estate." Livia replied coldly. For the most part, she remained completely disinterested. She had better things to do than waste her time with this. "I have my own studies and research to deal with rather than watch these two blunder about on their own." Marise frowned, watching Livia leave with a mildly disapproving expression, but there wasn't much she could do to stop her. Besides, they were heading to the same place now, hopefully.

"I apologize for her," Marise said with a sigh. "She's a good, honest girl I promise. She just doesn't have much patience for people, especially dishonest people." She fixed both of them with a smile and a friendly gaze that masked a very analytical look she was giving them. "Anyways, I believe introductions are in order. I am Marise Fiore, and the scheming philanderer next to you is Katherine, my younger sister. The one who is currently walking away is Livia. Despite her attitude, she's the one who alerted us to your troubles."

"Hm...I see. Thank her for us then." Charlotte replied carefully. "...Charlotte, if you need a name." She pulled on her cloak lightly, straightening it a bit.

"And despite what Katherine says, I want nothing for aiding you. You paid for our meal, so I say we are even in that regard." She smiled. "But I am sorry to trouble the both of you further, but I must insist you come to our estate. I can use my authority to help you so much, but it would raise questions and if I overextend my bounds...well, my mother might get curious to your presence herself and I can certainly say that you'll be here for months if that happens."

Perhaps, they could use this family to their advantage in some regard?

"Perhaps they could help us, Himeko." Charlotte said, glancing over to the Tengu.

[User]
Himeko looked over the two "siblings" with a bit of skepticism. "Yes, Himeko. Perhaps we can help you. It's hard to find better friends in this town as it is. I'm happy as long as you stay entertaining." The Puppeteer girl said, giving a little giggle. "It's not all the time, but what I'm saying is the truth after all. For now."

Himeko gave her an odd look, wondering what the deal was with her. "Is that so? Perhaps we should find solace in your aid them." There was no need in introducing herself now was there? They knew her name. "Very well then. Charlotte, if it's fine for you, then it's fine for me." She mentioned, looking to her partner.

[Assistant]
"Wonderful." Marise replied with a smile. "It's been awhile since we've had guests." She began walking at a brisk pace towards their estate, Charlotte, for the most part remained neutral. This could be a good opportunity but she wouldn't get her hopes up for now. She'd reserve judgement for now, and wait to see if they could actually help or not.

The trip to their estate was a thankfully short one. Once they had gotten out of the main city and headed to the more well off parts of the city, it was clear that the Fiore's at least, had quite a bit of wealth compared to most people. First they'd see a large, extremely well taken care of yard in front of the estate, walled off with a large iron gate and complete with a stone road for carriages or other such modes of transportation. The building itself was three stories tall at its tallest, with several chimneys extending from the roof, though only a few seemed to be in use.

"Here we are," Marise led them to the front door, opening it and motioning for Himeko and Charlotte inside. "Katherine, be a dear and show them to my room would you? Livia ahem, probably wouldn't like them intruding on her privacy." She gave a mildly nervous seeming chuckle but otherwise walked in behind them.

"Ah...Marise, we have guests? Young Miss said we might have company, so she had me prepare some tea. I've already put it on, and it should be done momentarily."

"Oh, thank you Nynette. I must speak with mother about something, so Katherine and you are in charge of the guests." She teased.

[User]
"Very well, dear sister." Katherine said with a slight bow. "See you in a little bit then Nynette. You are looking beautiful as always." The girl teased. She was always ready to flirt with a pretty girl and all. She wondered why she was like this once, but well, she gave up wondering why a while back. She just loved to tease people, but she never really felt like going beyond that with anyone one. Maybe a kiss on the cheek, but that wasn't too odd. Overall at least. "Alright you two, let me lead you through the place."

"So, that Livia had her prepare tea? Perhaps she is not quite so bad as I though." Himeko said as she looked somewhat surprised. In the culture of Tengu, it was only proper to make tea for guests so this resounded inside Himeko a bit.

"She's a bit of a grump most of the time, but she's not that bad really. She just likes to act like she doesn't care. Well, I think that at least. Can't see in her head. Truthfully, I think she gets a little jealous when I dote on Marise too much. I can't really tell if it's because she wants me to dote on her, or she wants to dote on Marise..." She said, realizing she might have said a bit too much. Well, whatever, it didn't really matter much in the end. As she showed the girls through to Marise's room, she noticed one of the maids. "Good afternoon, Lily. Lovely to see you today." The girl said as they passed. The maid smiled and bowed.

"Good evening, Miss Katherine." The woman that looked to be in her mid-to-late twenties said. Katherine liked to think she was in good with the help. Sometimes when she wanted to practice her motor skills with her dolls, she'd help them with their tasks... Specifically, the ones where there were tighter areas to clean or maneuver.

When they passed, the woman went back to her work. Soon, they arrived at Marise's room. Katherine opened the door and entered. "Welcome to the room of my elder sister, Marise. 'Please make yourself at home.' At least, I'm sure that's what she would say."

[Assistant]
"Tsk, oh please Katherine dear." Nynnette gave a playful smirk towards Katherine, but otherwise said nothing else. She had the other young miss to attend too.

For the most part, Charlotte followed in silence, taking in the decor of the place. Not exactly any different from what she had expected. Gaudy and ostentatious. She herself, didn't like tea so much or wasn't one for needless displays of wealth, but it was at least refreshing to see some courteous behavior for once. She could understand Livia's sentiments, at least.

Marise's room was...well, as one might expect. Plain and not too much out of the ordinary. A doll made to resemble Livia and Katherine were laying on the bed, and the shelves of a bookcase lining the wall were filled with simple item and the floor was covered in plush, comfortable carpet.

"Hmm...I take it you are someone of importance here." Charlotte commented coolly as she ever did. Hmm, how did one go about being...'friendly and sociable' again? "So what exactly do you want?"