Citywide Plot: Past Lives.

[Legion]

Citywide Plot Hullo Denval! They're finally here! Many apologies for the delay, but I like to think they were worth the wait. Below are the past life bios for those who opted in. Please feel free to expound within reason. When you have an opportunity, post a little clip of this past life in this thread. It does not need to be long or even tell a complete story. Some suggestions are a description and concept such as those in CSs, a short conversation with someone they love or hate, the moment of their death, a quick and dirty synopsis of their life and/or connection to the Solduvan Stone (info also found below) or a dream story of them in their present life encountering them in their past life. Use your imagination! Only one post in the thread per PC. No PC interaction, please. Upon completion, I will award you lore of this past life for your PC to make use of in present game time and most specifically for the citywide plot. You may state that your PC has always known, that it came in a dream and/or play it out with other PCs. Your PC may NOT have full comprehension of the Solduvan Stone or its capabilities or know about the past lives of other PCs and NPCs listed here. Such detailed information is excluded from any and all past life lore awards gained via this thread as it is to be ascertained via further threading, past and present, as you choose. Should you feel you deserve an exception to this or have any questions whatsoever regarding the IC knowledge versus OOC knowledge structure of this plot, please PM Tabarnac and myself before proceeding. We highly encourage y'all to plot and thread together as without the various OOC pieces below coming together ICily, Denval may fall. Okay, well, rather Tabernac and I will have to make our NPCs the various heroes and villains of the tale versus your PCs. Obviously, we prefer your PCs having the day. The artifact around which your past lives are written is first, your past lives next. Please note that the magic discipline "Static" is not presently open to earning skill points in by PCs. Earn the option, my friends, for when it's full write up is complete. If you for some reason just hate your role, please tell me. And if you did not opt in by the deadline but have decided you would like to give it a shot, tell me that too. We can work something out. I'm 99.9% sure I got everyone who PMed me. If I missed you, tell me! And most of all, enjoy. (Or so we hope.) - Legion (We Are). - - - The Solduvan Stone A chunk of amber the size of a walnut traps a silver moth inside. The Konti seer, Moira Solduvan, used gem cutter arts and mage skill in the years before the Valterrian to craft it into a shimmering, powerful projection tool. It was set in steel and strung from the neck of her beloved, Orionis, Captain of the Denval Garrison, Northern Regiment, Suvan Empire. The love token was marked by the gods Syna and Leth in recognition of Moira and Orionis' earthly reflection of Their own mythical romance. From that point forward, the stone aided Orionis in long distance communications and reconnaissance with his duties as head of the mobility and logistics specialists at the Denval outpost for the Suvan Empire. Near the end of the war between Suvan and Alahea, the Denvali captain was given an important mission to complete. If successful, it could potentially expedite and cement the approaching Suvan victory. Adherent to his duty, Orionis failed to pay heed to his lover’s warning of there being no true victor in the end. The result was a failure of the Denval garrison's mission. The Suvan Empire bested Alahea despite, and as the Valterrian released its infant cries Leth and Syna hastened faithful followers of their own to collect the Solduvan Stone which had fallen into enemy hands with the garrison’s defeat, the intention being to have it returned to the care of Denval and Moira Solduvan. These followers failed in stealing the stone back from the Alahean mage who had won it. The Valterrian was upon the world and the faithful and the mage were to the last lost in the cataclysm. The stone, however, was not nearly as lost as the gods might have believed. It resurfaced within a pair of centuries set into the sword hilt of Lanzara Zaital, passed between the generations twisting back to Kova’s handmaiden. The myth had survived among the Driven, but it was not until Lanzara sought secrets amid the lingering dead of Black Rock that the Solduvan Stone was put to its most incendiary use. Lanzara loitered twenty years on Dira’s isle, researching and experimenting toward his ultimate goal, the ultimate goal of any Azenth – freeing Ivak from his prison. With the aid of the stone, he kept in communication with far flung family members and cohorts, culling a heap of collective knowledge to construct a new discipline of magic out of the materials of the old. On the brink of breakthrough, comprehension twisted by years of overgiving, Lanzara departed Black Rock in search of lost Denval from whence myth claimed the stone to have originated. It took him five more years to manage the disaster of earth and stone immuring Denval from the world and locate it at last on the edge of a tumultuous sea. Lanzara sought the tomb of Moira Solduvan, believing in his obsession and paranoia the stone required reuniting with its creator in order to ignite the conception of his desperate, demoniacal magic. It was Denval itself that stopped him, but like their ancestors before them it was a little too late. The Solduvan Stone was instilled with the Zaital magic static, the resultant explosion of power slaying Lanzara, Captain Galatia of Denval and a dozen more. It cracked the stone itself and deepened the rubble of the Arsenal, locking the stone and the first sparks of magical Static in with their dead. Captain Galatia’s son and heir tightened the guard of the Arsenal from thereafter, ignorant of the motivations that had driven Lanzara Zaital to their shores and of the infant magic left smoldering beneath the earth. Three centuries later a once well intentioned man intent on cataloguing the Arsenal’s contents made a dangerous discovery. Capabilities of the Solduvan Stone Much like the avatars of those deities from whom its gnosis derives, the power of the Stone shifts depending upon which celestial rules the sky at any given time. While the sun shines upon the ground, the bearer can see what the sun sees. The distance is determined by the will of the bearer, and if the bearer is also marked by Syna, a soul-deep simpatico makes it especially effective. When night falls, the sight disappears and the bearer's thoughts whisper through the darkness to the any mind known who also walks in darkness. A general idea of where that person might be increases the strength of these messages, and other factors can also help, such as a bearer who is also a Dreamwalker with the target's chavi, or a beloved of the Moon. The power of the Stone can be drained to inoperability, but time spent in the light of the sun and the moon can gradually recharge its effectiveness. Historically, these powers made the iron-willed Orionis DeNoia a highly effective tactician, especially coupled with the power of Traversal with which many in the Denval Garrison were blessed. The Alahean defenders were frequently incapable of countering the speed with which they could deploy and the high coherence of their maneuvers, even when split into smaller troops and despite Konti seers actively seeking foreknowledge of his tactics. Captain Orionis was able to plan from afar by day and communicate his far flung orders by night. A dying Alahean seer once prophesied: "Syna will send her sun-singer To Denval for the lovers' prize Alas, he will not mend the ties Cut by Firelord, holocaust-bringer. In the current era, the Solduvan Stone has been damaged by static. A crack runs through it, and only a Master Aurist would be able to discern its true purpose and the extent of the damage. It has been sitting in the windowsill of a mad wizard, recharging after centuries in the deepest of shadow, and putting forth powerful, but subtle energies made chaotic by tampering. Since its reemergence, a gradually strengthening call has gone out to the world's Ethaefal, though some have proven more adept at ignoring it. Through the prism of its power, the static attacks have been more widespread, temporarily -- one hopes -- corrupting gnosis links, and calling up fragments of past life memories, especially for Ethaefal and those whose past lives have brushed up against the Solduvan Stone itself. The call has also drawn in wild Zith and feral animals, and other things lurk just outside the horizon of Denval's farthest seers. As the Stone continues to charge, more horrors lurk. Magic: Static World Magic - It allows users to detect, scramble, mute and corrupt communications from the gods. Gnosis mark powers are specifically susceptible. Created by the Azenths, craved by the Ruv’na. The Past Life Bios NPCs Justus - Captain Orionis DeNoia. Cian Noc - Moira Solduvan. PCs Galio - Kelvic wolf bonded to Captain Galatia. Lena - Captain Galatia's heir. Louie - Alahean intelligencer cum politician who plotted the Denval Garrison's defeat. Lysander - Lanzara Zaital's son. Seodai - Alahean mage who stole the Solduvan Stone. Sitkanis - Myrian warrior appointed as Moira Solduvan's personal bodyguard. Syllke - Expert jeweler and Moira Solduvan's best friend. Talen - A Denvali lieutenant who fell in battle with Captain Galatia. Vanos - Captain Orionis' second in command. Veldrys - The Alahean seer who delivered the sun-singer prophecy.

[Legion]

Addition: Lucette - Handmaiden of Moira Solduvan. Xelhes - follower of Leth who was sent to retrieve the Solduvan Stone and failed.

[Seodai]

Victory rest in the palm of his hand. He could still hear the metallic clank of battle resounding in his ears, but it didn't matter. This moment, this victory was sweeter than the very wine from Kova's table. To overcome the garrison of Denval, well, that was something. Laudable, promising. To have the stone in the palm of his hand? More than he had ever hoped for. Alahea was smarter than her enemy, more clever. Alahea fought for a more noble outcome. Alahea deserved to win. The ugly truth of it was that the Suvan had more resources, and they had adapted with much more savvy to the strengths of the Alaheans than had happened in reverse. When the truth of the stone had surfaced and they had realized that the enemy was using magic to consistently outmaneuver and best them? An insult to the very heart of the Alahean mages who were, clearly, superior. The Alahean with the fire of Alahea and the smile of Kova in his heart had been willing to risk all in order to retrieve the gem. He had hardly escaped unscathed, but none of it mattered. Not now. Not when his grimy fingers were curled around a token of god-blessed hope for his people. War cost lives, though, and it was only now that he had walked away from the carnage that he was able to allow the veneer to crack, if only a little. It was the reason he had been chosen; all the skill of an Alahean mage, one of the best in fact, with the grit to rival any Suvan warrior. His icy demeanor, his willingness to do whatever must be done had escalated him to this promotion, this dark privilege. It had come in handy, too, when he had been forced to step over the fallen bodies of his own brothers. Bright young men who should not have had to die so early, to waste such skill in magic and life against a cruel enemy. Suva had to go down. It was a blight upon the face of the planet, a cruel taskmaster who took far too much and gave far too little. He had been willing to sacrifice for that, willing to die for it. That had not been in his fate, but watching those beloved to him do so had. And still, it didn't matter. It didn't matter because of the beautiful, strange stone gripped so tightly in his palm. There were no real victors in war, he thought, but there were things worth fighting for.

[Legion]

Award Way to be the first! Seodai: Lore of Past Life. Boom. Beautifully done!

[Louie Wein]

It was the office of one of the politicians of Alahea but what was supposed to be the place which represents the support of the nation for the Prime Minister and the Empress was all in a mess. Documents, reports, records among others like the unfounded rumors and even unknown stories were all scattered around the room as though Zulrav had paid a visit. In the middle of it was a man and everyone would know that this room is his. His mind scattered and disturbed like his office with how the conflict with Suva had been going on. Something had to be done before things got worse and to him it all came down to one thing. In a rage he slammed his down to his desk screaming about "Denval! It is that petching garrison they have out there in the outpost!" His needed something that he could use and swept his hands across the table to brush all the useless information he had been looking through about "those damned Suvan!" off to make room for new ones.

The outpost had become a sort of obsession for him and it worried his assistants greatly. Nevertheless it did not stop them from entering the room at his usual call to ask what he wanted. "What do I want?" he asked in a rage leaning forward to pull one towards him from across the desk repeating even louder so that "what I want is..." will be drilled into the poor sod's skull and get rid of all their incompetence when it is time "...for you to find something which I can use instead of all this!" which was the useless, outdated shyke scattered all over the floor that the assistant was dropped on. It may be one of the weapons that the Alaheans favored but just as the Suvans do not use the weak, he was not going to use the worthless.

Tired, the Alahean intelligencer plopped on his chair for some much needed rest that he has been putting off for days because "if you can't find anything, it will be all over for us..." Just the thought made his head hurt even more and his fingers went pressing on his temples to get him to focus better. "Just get back to work" he asked pleadingly because he knew that lately they have all been questioning his capabilities to perform losing trust from his superiors, respect from his peers and power of authority from his subordinates. There was only one thing left for his people to get right now. Something he could use more than the information that he has been demanding for which was "a cup of tea on my desk by the end of the hour."

Once they had left him alone in his defeated state, the drawer would be opened to take out a little of the intellect mist stored in his desk which he took into him with a straw. It was one of those other things which kept him going besides the obsession and if anyone caught wind of him using it, the strain on his career would not need anymore help to break and ruin him unless he was able to find something to turn everything around and make him a hero.

[Xelhes]

She had failed. The pain that had wracked her body moments ago was proof, as all sense began to fade away. Carelessness was what brought this about. Why had she let her guard down? Why did she lower her bow? Had Isolde been prepared she would have been able to at least reposition herself. The boy she had been following, a wielder of magic, had struck, though the look on his face was one of fear. Was it fear that caused him to strike, the fear that despite her words she was tricking him? It was too late now as the pain completely left her body and time seemed to stand still. Suspended in air, the impact of the fireball having forced her body up, she could see the moon above her, radiating its light on her. Leth. It was too late to complete the task of retrieving the Stone, Isolde knew it. Judging from the pain she had felt on impact, the front of her mid torso was most likely gone or damaged beyond recognition. The pain had reached through her body, and at the range it was used, probably incinerated or at least damaged her vital organs. The hands of time began to speed for a moment before slowing once more. That was right; she had confronted him at a cliff. How foolish of her. Now she knew her body most likely would not be found, not after she plummeted to the ground far below. Someone else would have to take her place, hopefully someone less careless. Even now she did not know if her search had been worth it; finding the young man, only to find him scared of her when she nocked her arrow in case he attacked. In the end she had decided to take him back to Denval, to keep the boy safe from the dangers and battles the Stone had brought about, as well as to try to learn what the boy knew, if anything. Leth had trusted her with this, sent her out first because he believed in her abilities. People in Denval had even once referred to her as a priestess of Leth because of how much cherished the God, having total faith in him. Then, time stopped completely. Eyes still on the moon, she tried to convey her words Leth, as her body began to fade. ”I failed you Leth. Please, forgive me. I was a fool and assumed that because he was but a boy that he would not be a threat, costing me my chance to get the Stone for you. I will not quit. I just need more time, and I shall search again. Please, let me rest for a while and regain my strength. Then, when the time comes, I shall do all that I can to find the Solduvan Stone and return it to Denval. I just need to rest…” With those words she felt the world fade from existence, her body perishing, and becoming lost, her death an uncertainty to all but the young mage. While the world faded, a new one took its place. A world created by Leth, one to keep her soul safe. To give her rest until she was needed once again.

[Legion]

Award Louie: Lore of Past Life. Xelhes: Lore of Past Life. You guys are fantastic.

[Veldrys]

He was dying. He knew it. He had known that he would die since he had been a boy. There were few things that were hidden from somebody that had been marked by Avalis. Back when he had been young the knowledge hadn’t really mattered to him. Thirty had seemed so impossibly far away. His childhood had been fairly happy, despite the burden that had been placed on him. But as time had moved on, he had begun to think about it. There had been a few women in his life, a few sweet kisses, whispered promises, but never more than that. How could he be with any woman, how could he get married and become a father when he would die a few years later? He couldn’t knowingly cause anybody such pain!

While his childhood had been normal, carefree, his adolscence and his adulthood had been lonely, so lonely that it had almost been too much to bear sometimes. He had distanced himself from everybody that mattered so that he wouldn’t hurt them. While his friends had gotten married, he had gone to the University of Zeltiva to study magic. He had thought that magic would be able to prevent the things he had seen in his visions, that magic could alter the very fabric that held the world together, but in the end it had only been his downfall.

He had become powerful, more powerful than he had ever dreamed, but there had been a price. Magic always came with a price, a fact that he hadn’t been fully ware of. In his visions he had only seen his death, but not how it would happen. His ambition, his arrogance, the conviction that he would be able to change that which couldn’t be changed, was killing him. He was falling apart, fading, growing weaker and weaker, and there was nothing he could do about it.

At least he would die before the world ended. That comforted him, somehow. He wouldn’t have to face the catastrophe that would consume all of Mizahar and destroy Alahea and Suvan. „Firelord, holocaust-bringer“, he whispered the words, part of a prophecy that had come to him in a dream, but a short while ago. Fire would destroy the world. Nothing would be as it had once been. He had been spared this terrible fate, but by Avalis, he wished he would have led his life differently. He wished there were somebody there to comfort him, to hold his hand in his final hour, no matter whether they would be consumed by the fire in the end.

He didn’t want to die alone.

What would happen with his soul afterwards? Would he, whoever he would be in his next life, make the same mistakes all over again? Was he destined to always be alone? Would there even be a next life if what he had seen came true? Should he have tried to do something about it, to try to not only prevent his own death, but the death of all those others as well? He wished he could leave a message to the one that would once be him, a warning. He had written the prophecy down and stored it in a safe place, but was that enough? Would anybody know who the sun-singer was and what the lover’s prize was? Would it help in any way?

He wanted somebody to remember him and what he had done and had not done. He didn’t want to be forgotten, but it was likely that nobody would care about his death. What was his death in comparision to what the Firelord would do to the world?

[Legion]

Award Veldrys: Lore of Past Life. I love it!

[Galio Keln]

That dreadful stone. That was what he had taken to calling it. As of now it was once again the focus of everyone’s attention as they barred the way of the strange man. There were many in the group, but there was only one of them that the wolf kelvic cared for, Captain Galatia. It was because of his bond that a bristling wolf stood by the Captain’s side. If not for the Captain he would not be here, in this place, at this time. Years ago it had been Galatia that had saved the kelvic from a life of slavery. Trading his collar of slavery for one of battle. Galatia alone believed that he could serve better as a dog of war than as a slave in the kitchens, or worse. For as long and as far back as he could remember he had stayed by the Captain’s side, faithfully serving as best a kelvic could for his master. He would always serve Galatia. No matter the risk or threat. He would lay his own life on the line for the Captain. Today that resolve would be tested. The day the man came with the stone. That dreadful stone. He didn’t have a true name for it nor did he know it’s real name, but for now and forever that was how he would know it. He didn't like the stone or the man who held it. In the end it didn’t matter. He acted in the defense of his master. In the end the kelvic would always faithfully serve his master. He lunged at the man as the stone grew bright, with the intention of biting of the hand that held the dreadful stone. Yet it was pointless, to try and stop what had already been set in motion. But he would try. No matter what he would try. Even if it was for naught. Even if in the end if they were destined to fail and join the rest of the dead. The wolf kelvic would always try. Despite his resolve it was indeed for nothing. At the end of the day he too would lay amongst the rubble and the dead.