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| Human Divinity; Creating life has become normal | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Apr 8 2009, 06:38 AM (2,019 Views) | |
| Dark Jack | Apr 8 2009, 06:38 AM Post #1 |
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The Phantom Poster
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(Okay, this idea just got stuck in my head, so I thought that I would try this out. Maybe this will be a success, or maybe it will be an epic failure. Now you can't say I didn't try, though.) Short presentation of the RP style Despite the fact that this RP, unlike any of my three first RPs, has borrowed a few details from the series of games called Geneforge, I will try my best to make it as original as I can. I just felt that the entire concept used in the Geneforge games was so nice and easy to work with, as well as it gave material for a plotline that could prove as epic as The Prophecy. This RP will be mainly fantasy, but have very few science-fiction elements mixed into it – and I mean very few. The Wonders of Shaping Some hundred years ago, the world was entirely different from what it is now, yet just how different, no one knows, since all records of that time have been either hidden and sealed away, restricted from being read by anyone at any time, or destroyed. The beginning of the new world has been very thoroughly recorded, however, and scrolls and tomes in many libraries tell of when a group of mages discovered the substance that would change the world forever, the substance that they called Essence. Like the name suggests, Essence is literally the essence of everything, the fabric that reality itself is made of, the thing of which humans, animals, plants and even the land is made from. This Essence was first purified three hundred years ago, by the mentioned group of mages, and strangely, shortly after Essence was produced in its purest form for the first time, individuals started appearing with special gifts. Magic had already been a part of the world for a long time, but these people, a few out of billions, were gifted beyond the skills of mere mages, because while mages could wield Essence in the form of spells, these new gifted could manipulate Essence in its purest form, control it and shape it. These gifted called themselves Shapers. Mastering Essence, the Shapers used Essence to literally create life out of nothing. They made themselves gods, spawning hosts of creatures that were bound to their will, and in just a few years, the Shapers ruled the world with an iron fist. There was nothing mage, soldier nor common man could do against the Shapers, because while humans wielded magic power and fighting skill, neither of these mattered against opponents that could create untold masses of minions to serve them and fight for them, as well as destroy anything with but a wave with their hand. The rule of the Shapers became absolute, with the Shaper Council ruling the entire world from their capitol. In return for the Shapers creating livestock for the inhabitants of the world, as well as Shaping crops and other plants that could grow in even the most barren of lands, the commoners (meaning everyone but Shapers) had to completely submit to the will of the Shapers. On top of that, Shapers seem to have a supernatural aura of authority about them that comes through a combination of their Shaping-abilities and years of practice, since Shapers are trained in being leaders with unquestionable authority. During the later years, the Shapers have been forced to dispatch Creations (as they call the flora and fauna they Shape) and soldiers to keep settlements all across the world safe, because over the years, the ambitious Shapers have been trying to develop new methods of Shaping, which has resulted in certain unfortunate effects on the environment, such as Creations going ‘rogue’ – meaning that the Shaper that created them has lost control for one reason or another, which often means that the Creation becomes feral and violent – but also some side-effects on the already existing creatures, such as animals growing to be ridiculously large and violent, and Shaped plants meant as defensive means for Shaper-cities going out of control and spreading across large areas, attacking wayfarers. The Shapers maintain the statement that all of these occurrences are but minor accidents and completely under control, but one can only wonder… does the Shapers really have the ability to control everything? The Shapers’ Laws The Shapers have many laws, which are all very strictly enforced all over the world, both for the sake of commoners, but especially for the sake of the Shapers’ continued rule. The most severe and unforgivable crime that could ever be committed, however, is to share the secrets of the Shapers. The Shapers are a very secretive sect, and if their secrets were ever given away, the punishment for both the one giving out the information and the receiver would be most dire. Other than that, the laws of the Shapers are as follows: Only Shapers may ever Shape. If anyone who has not been chosen by the Shaper Council to become a Shaper Apprentice ever even tries to Shape anything, the punishment is torture and prison. Only Shapers and commoners that have been specific permission by a full Shaper may practice magic. Anyone caught trying to perform, learn or teach magic without the permission of a full Shaper will be punished with torture and prison. All commoners must obey all commands given to them by Shapers. The punishment for disobedience, insolence or hostility towards any Shaper will be up to the wronged Shaper to decide. No commoners except designated caretakers are allowed to converse, or try to converse, with Serviles or other Creations. The punishment for doing so is torture. If a Shaper loses control over a Creation, the Shaper must destroy the rogue Creation or keep it in isolation. The punishment for allowing a rogue Creation to escape and become part of the wildlife is torture. A Shaper must never Shape anything that can reproduce, or even worse, Shape on its own. Any Shaper that Shape fauna that is fertile – beside of Ornks – or has proficiency with Shaping is torture and death. A Shaper must never Shape anything independent or with an advanced intelligence. The Shaping of an intelligent and/or independent Creation is death, although if the Shaper destroy the Creation quickly, the punishment may be avoided. A Shaper must never disrespect another Shaper. The punishment for such a crime is prison. A Shaper must never re-Shape anything that is already alive. The punishment for such a crime is torture and death. Creations There are a whole lot and many Creations that have been made through uncountable experiments, some intentional and others unintentional, and most of these have been outlawed. There is a small group of Creations that have been handpicked by the Shaper Council and labeled as acceptable for Shaping, although even these types must be kept under strict control at all times, and the Shaper must be very careful not to Shape more Creations than he or she can dominate. New creatures are invented by taking already existing ones, be they naturally occurring or Creations, and bombard them with Essence and then just watch what changes occur. Sometimes the results are positive, making the Creation better than it was already, and sometimes it is negative, making it weaker, or, even worse, go rogue. The common types of Creations are as follows: Fyoras: A red-skinned dinosaur-like creature that reminds greatly of raptors, Fyoras are very simple-minded carnivorous Creations that are often used at Shaping Academies to teach young apprentice Shapers how to Shape, since they are the easiest to make and to destroy. But also outside of the Academies are Fyoras used, as they are potent killers and used by many Shapers as guards and soldiers. A Fyora is very fast, has sharp claws and fangs, and can breathe fire. Roamers: A Roamer is a small, thin and tough-skinned creature with a flat head like a frog, but long and thin legs that allow it to run very fast. While Roamers are relatively useless, since all they can really do is run fast, Roamers have been used by some Shapers as messengers. Others again have tried to make Roamers proficient in combat, and given them the ability to spit acid, while others again have found a way to make the Essence in Roamers unstable, so that they can self-destruct and cause considerable magic explosions. Thadds: While actually being humanoid, Thadds are larger, stronger and more resistant to all kinds of physical impact than humans are, but have brains that could as well have been made out of oatmeal. They are incredibly stupid and simple-minded, but have often been used as warriors for Shapers because of their physical might. Clawbugs: Giant scorpions, pure and simple. With strong claws, a venomous tail and armor-plating that can resist nearly any blow, as well as being far more intelligent than most Creations, Clawbugs are very useful for fighting purposes. Because of their intelligence, it is required to keep a watchful eye on these, as Clawbugs have a very high probability of going rogue. Battle Alphas: Much like Thadds, Battle Alphas are humanoids, only bigger, stronger, dumber and more ape-like and with red skin. These are also commonly used for fighting, but Battle Alphas, and their stronger versions called Battle Betas, which have blue skin and are even stronger, have a very unstable temper, and there have been many reports of young Shapers that have accidentally agitated a Battle Alpha and thereby lost control over it, which mostly result in the Battle Alpha killing its Shaper and going rogue. Artilas: Man-sized, snake-like Creations with legs that remind of that of a caterpillar, and with four mandible-like teeth on the outside of its mouth, Artilas are probably the easiest of all Creations to make. They are fairly weak, and their soft hide makes them vulnerable to almost anything, but Artilas make up for their weakness by having magic properties, often qualifying them as apprentice Shapers’ companions. Artilas has the natural ability of spitting acid, but some are said to be able to summon up a true inferno to consume any opponent. Vlishs: A Vlish is an octopus-like Creation, with tendrils reaching from its main body, which is filled with a kind of air that makes to float just over the ground rather than walk. Vlish are very intelligent, even more intelligent than Clawbugs, and has an equally larger probability of going rogue, but Vlish has the ability to use its tendrils to perform spells, which makes them formidable opponents. A Vlish can use poison and fire, although some Vlishs have been reported to have telepathic abilities, enabling them to paralyze enemies or even inspire unnatural terror in their hearts. Glaahks: Two-legged insect like Creations, the Glaahk’s legs are actually placed on the sides of its head, since it really does not have a body. They are about twice the size of a common man, have a kind of armor plating on its body, but its scorpion-like tail, that reach out from the back of its body-less head, has a potent stunning effect. Whether the effect is magical or because of a weak poison is uncertain. Ornks: Ornks are the only Creations that are made fertile because they are largely harmless and useless in any kind of violent way. Ornks are simply a kind of boar-like creature that are Shaped for commoners to have as livestock, to raise and eat as they see fit. Serviles: The most intelligent of all permitted versions of Creations. Serviles are actually just Shaped humans, as in they are created by Shapers, and are given independence and intelligence enough to perform menial tasks for commoners and Shapers. To make up for their high mental capabilities, Serviles are Shaped with an incredibly strong feeling of obedience and loyalty towards all Shapers, and even, to some extent, commoners. A Servile that show even the least sign of becoming self-aware has to be instantly destroyed. Then there are all the plant-Creations, as well as all the outlawed versions, and the ones too complicated to make for but the greatest of Shapers, but if I was to summerize all of them, you would never get through the introductionary post. The Different Kinds if Shapers Of course, not all Shapers are exactly the same. Many of the people who prove to have the gift of being able to Shape have all kinds of different abilities besides their power to Shape, and upon joining a Shaper Academy, all Shapers must pick one out of three sects within the Shaper field. These three sects are: The Shapers themselves. Those who chose to become Shapers are the ones that has the chance to become the most powerful of all, yet weaker than the rest. A true Shaper focus his or her entire time of training on their ability to Shape and manipulate Essence, as well as their aura of authority grow stronger than that of any of the three sects. They can Shape and control more Creations than the other sects, and with greater ease, but they pay for their focus and devotion to the art of Shaping by being physically frail, although many true Shapers also master various kinds of magic, especially healing magic, since healing wounds is very close to Shaping. Then there are Guardians. These are those with the gift who would rather train their own bodies, depending on their own skill rather than that of their Creations. Guardians can Shape, but they are far from as good as true Shapers. To make up for their lacking skill at Shaping Creations, Guardians wear heavy armor and wield mighty weapons, and in battle, Guardians are often the ones charging into battle just behind the Creations, while the true Shapers stay back and watch. When it comes to magic proficiency, on the other hand, Guardians are next to useless, completely void of any kind of talent, and it would take a lot of hard work for a Guardian to use magic. Finally, there are Agents. While Shapers and Guardians are brain and brawns, Agents are a natural balance in the sect, dressing in light armor and using either light or ranged weapons, allowing them to be agile and fight with great finesse, as well as Agents concentrate greatly on learning the secrets of magic rather than those of Shaping. Agents are skilled fighters and mages alike, but they are the very poorest at Shaping, and can rarely Shape and control more than a single, weak Creation at a time. Agents are mostly used by the Shapers as envoys that travel to the far reaches of their domain, investigating Shaper affairs for the Shaper Council, to make sure that the Shapers’ Laws are being enforced. In battle, an Agent would often be just behind Guardians, charging at the enemies while attacking from afar. Recent Conflicts Lately, there have been a lot of uprisings in Shaper colonies everywhere, with commoners growing wary of the Shapers’ rule and complete dominion over every single commoner’s life and free will. Also, an increasing number of rogue Creations have been appearing all across the world, attacking travelers and settlements with great ferocity, and in secret, the Shaper Council suspect that there is in fact a rogue Shaper that creates all of these rogues on purpose, to harm the Shapers’ rule. On top of that, there has been more cases than ever of commoners and a few Shapers that question whether the Shapers are right to completely dominate their Creations, arguing that Creations are living beings as well and should not be enslaved just because of the circumstances under which their lives appeared, and that Shapers should have some responsibility towards their Creations, since the Shapers were the ones to make the Creations – the Creations did not decide that they wanted to be Shaped. With all of these conflicts slowly growing direr, the Shapers’ rule is perhaps at risk. Will you be the one to stabilize their rule… or to throw down the Shapers once and for all? Starting Setting The RP begins in a Shaper colony called Graymarsh, where there are a lot of commoners, gathered to seek the protection of the Shapers, and where there is a Shaper Academy, which I will be playing as a teacher from. There has been an increasing number of rogue Creations in the area lately, though, and everyone fear that if things continue like this, it might get violent and very bloody very soon. Rules >No godmodding. Don’t go around and controlling other people’s characters, that’s just annoying. >No instant death. Actually links to the first rule, since it requires that you control another character to kill it. Another player-controlled character can only die if the RP’er agree. >Kissing, hugging and such is allowed, and so is breeding to a certain extent – but do NOT go around and describe the entire act of breeding. If anything, make a time-skip from when the act begins to when it ends. We don’t want any absurdities here. >You may have only one character, but if you are an apprentice Shaper, you will also be playing as all of your Creations. >While there are no direct limits on how powerful your character may be, nor what race it can be, please refrain from being completely invincible. Remember, there are others playing here too. Introductions I do not like the use of forms in creating your characters, and would prefer that you introduced yours in a paragraph rather than just listing some specifics of your character’s nature. I would like this paragraph to be of at least a little length, while it does not necessarily have to be a whole novel in itself. I will put a form below, for those who prefer to introduce their characters like that, but even if you chose to start with a paragraph it should still contain the details of the form. I would like to underline, though, that while you can play as just about anything (commoner, mage, Shaper, even a Creation, if you want) if you play as a Shaper, you will only be an apprentice, and I will be your teacher. The reason for this will probably be understood during the RP. Name: Age: Occupation: Sect: (If you are a Shaper) Description: (preferably in paragraph, but if you want a good picture can be accepted as well) Personality/Motivation: Biography: (determine length and detail yourself) Equipment: (Again, not necessary, but if you character by chance has the Magic Bow of Whatever or some magic amulets, here would be a good place to mention them.) Starting paragraph: |
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| Dark Jack | Apr 9 2009, 01:23 AM Post #2 |
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The Phantom Poster
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"Good morning, Hros," Zeth nodded as he passed through the arched entrance to the Graymarsh Shaper Academy, his soft sandals barely making any sound at all on the marble floor that everything was made of here, except the little, glowing lines that trailed across the floor and walls different places. A low, vibrating humming sound filled the air, as it always did in most Shaper-complexes, because the mysterious energy that supplied their automatically opening doors, their furnaces and their Sentry Crystals. No one seemed to know for sure where all of these little lines powering all of their ancient devices actually lead, but then again, no one seemed to care to find out, either. It worked, and to Shaper, mage and commoner alike, that was all that mattered. Zeth most certainly knew that he did not care much to find out - some things were better left unquestioned, especially when they worked for their own good. "Good morning, Shaper," Hros, the Mind, responded, and Zeth could not help it but to offer the little creature a smile. Like all Minds, Hros was little more than a lump of meat with skin on it and a face that seemed human, but the size of his entire body was perhaps the same as a normal human head. His arms and legs were short and thin, too short, actually, to reach the ground, leaving the Mind hopelessly trapped on the pedestal where it had been placed by Shapers so long ago, where Hros had been a hundred years already and would continue to be for several hundred years to come. Little silver wires, placed by Shapers, lead from the many glowing lines in the floor, up the pedestal and directly into Hros' skin. Minds were the smartest of all Creations, Zeth knew that, smart enough and with great enough mental powers to control the entire facility - which was what Hros did with this Academy. But they were also helpless, with nothing to offer for their existence except their brain, since Minds could not move. They were obedient like none others, loyal to their makers, and a Mind never went rogue. They simply could not, because if they destroyed their masters, who was supposed to feed them their concentrated nutrients? "Shaper, your class will begin shortly," Hros told him, and sending a signal through one of the silver wires, Hros opened one of the heavy automatic stone-doors, which quickly slid downwards, into the ground, to allow Zeth to pass, "There have arrived some new apprentices. Shall I find the evaluation by the previous Shapers and mages to train them?" "No," Zeth shook his head, his black hair swinging slighly from side to side, framing his thin and almost feminine face, with just the hint of a beard, below his hood - the hood that went with the rest of his traditional Shaper-robe, covering him from top to toe, with long sleeves, a rope tied around his waist as a belt and the emblem of the Shapers on his back. That was what most true Shapers wore, while one rarely saw Guardians and Agents in them. The only thing that varied was the color. Zeth's robe was dark blue. "I would rather witness what they can myself, but thank you anyways, Hros," Zeth nodded, stepping past the Mind to move towards the Shaping Chambers, where his class would be waiting. "Here to serve, young Shaper," Hros hailed him before closing his eyes and returning to hibernation. It was quite true. Zeth was young - merely twenty-three years old, one of the youngest to ever have become a full Shaper and most definitely the youngest to become a teacher at an Academy. But whether that was because Zeth was skilled, or because he had shown unquestioning loyalty towards the Shaper Council and their laws through his entire life, he would never know. All he knew was that he was a Shaper - and he was good at it. And he knew that. "Good morning, class," he announced his arrival as another automated door slid into the ground, allowing Zeth to enter the cave-like area that was carved into the ground, for the sake of security in order not to let any rogue Creations escape. There were rows of seats in the Shaping Chamber, with the table with all kinds of Shaping apperatus in front of them all, as well as the two Shaping Pools, one containing energy tuned for healing, the other raw Essence, and a number of Shaping Vats for containing Creations all the way in the back. "For those of you new here, I am Zeth, and I will be your Shaping instructor. Any questions before we begin?" |
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| Teslyn | Apr 9 2009, 09:58 AM Post #3 |
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a fleeting presence
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[Copying Oracle in posting here- How old can new students be? I can change if Meliil's too old] Name: Meliil Age: 20 Occupation: New Student - artistically inclined Sect: Shaper Description: Meliil has never had that healthy, ruddy quality that her family has. Where everyone in her family is tall and dark-skinned with brown eyes and rounded features, Meliil seems to be the exact opposite. With sharp, grey-blue eyes set in a small, angular and pale face, even her vaguely curly blond-brown hair is at odds with her family's straight raven-black locks. Her twin brother (how they are twins everyone around them - them included - doesn't quite understand) is sturdy, thick, and strong. Meliil has always been a sickly child, prone to illnesses that seem to have stunted her development; she has a thin, fragile frame and looks as though she's about to break at any moment. Personality/Motivation: When Meliil first realized she was not like her family - that she seemed to be the antonym of the Eskalrs, she began refusing to take her last name. It was a coping technique; if she denied connection to them, they couldn't abandon her, first. It was a pattern that would continue to play out- Meliil made the first move for fear of being caught blindsided, right up until the point where she left. Kept inside for most of her life by various sicknesses that plagued her from birth, Meliil was forced to amuse herself instead of playing outside with her siblings. She did so by drawing, honing her talent that she could create beautiful works of art that resembled her frailty not at all. When she was younger, she began to constructed a cheerful persona to cover the resentment that started to develop because she felt guilty- she knew it wasn't her siblings faults that she had been cursed in life. But as she grew older and matured, her pleasant, radiant exterior began to crack. At times, she was very much like the determinedly happy child, but at others she was sharp and bitterly cynical. Mercurial and sometimes volatile, when a Shaper came to her home to choose her to learn, she was eager to get away before she lashed out at her family and truly drove them away. Biography: e.e" In the personality/motivation? Equipment: Starting paragraph:TBA |
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| Dark Jack | Apr 9 2009, 10:59 AM Post #4 |
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The Phantom Poster
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(Oh yes, I forgot to mention that detail. Apprentice Shapers can be just about any age at all, since the Shaper Council only chose those with the gift of being able to manipulate Essence, and since they do not always discover who can and cannot do that right away, sometimes people are almost adults before being recruited. Besides, the time at which an apprentice makes the transition to be a full Shaper is chosen by when the apprentice's skills and knowledge is sufficient for him or her not to be an embarrasment to their entire order. Another thing - even though you are Apprentice Shapers, the first day in the RP is not necessarily your first day as an apprentice. You might have been Apprentice Shapers for months, or even years, already, but have not yet met the requirements for becoming full Shapers for some reason or another. And congratiolations to Meliil for ascending to the highest level of society, heh. I bet her family regret that she abandoned them now.) |
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| Oracle | Apr 9 2009, 02:33 PM Post #5 |
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Head of Diplomatic Affairs
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Name: Wintou Age: 24 Occupation: Student - 'healer' - talent for plants. Sect: Shaper Description: ![]() Personality/Motivation: Wintou is the benevolent healer of humanity. She has tremendous charisma by which many are drawn to her nurturing care and grand schemes. She has a power to manipulate others with her interpersonal skills and unique ability to convince people to see things her way. But it's usually not meant as manipulation --she genuinely believes in her dreams, and sees herself as a helper. Beneath her quiet exterior, she holds deep convictions about the weightier matters of life. She is there for the cause, not for personal glory or political power. She is apt to neglect herself and her own needs for the needs of others, and is at risk for being hurt or even abused by less sensitive people. She often takes on more of the burdens of others than she can bear. A champion of the oppressed and downtrodden, she is often found in the wake of an emergency, rescuing those who are in acute distress. Often fantasizing about getting revenge on those who victimized the defenseless, the concept of 'poetic justice' is appealing to her. She is twice blessed with clarity of perception and vision both internal and external. Her amazing ability to deduce the inner workings of the mind, will and emotions of others gives her the ability to act with insight and the reputation of a prophet or seer. Starting paragraph: She was late. Her first day in Graymarsh seemed to be ill fated. Or was it less fate, than her own will taking precedence over the Council of Shapers? She didn't much care what they thought of her. She was perfectly capable of making her own decisions, and if that made her late, so be it. Granted, as a student she had not been given permission here yet to heal, but the poor child had been knocked to the ground by a runaway Fyora. Looking around for the creation's shaper, she saw no one. Not wanting to see any more harm done, she quickly dispatched the offending beast. Compassion filled her eyes as she gazed down at the broken child lying still at her feet. She cared not that he was but a commoner. Her light blue satin outer robe dragged across the dirt, the jewelry that hung in shimmering rows about her neck and face tinkled slightly as she reached down laying her hands on the boy. She brushed the scruffy hair away from the injury to his head, and with the concentration and manipulation of raw power she had learned over the past two years, restored him to health. She waited until his eyes opened before smiling down at him. His reaction was no less than she expected. Wide eyed he leaped to his feet, head bowed. Her gentle hand reached out lifting his chin slightly, "Try to be more careful where you walk young man. You were lucky this day that it was me who passed by." "I will ma'am, I swear it." The look of fear radiated from him like a palpable aura. Without warning, he turned fleeing down the street then out of sight. Brushing the dust from the hem of her robe, she turned to the crowd. Her deep red hair went unseen, it's long tresses bound within her many colored turban which itself was covered by her robe. A slight dusting of light freckles speckled her nose and cheeks. Her eyes seemed to hold the weight of the world within their deep green depths. Her mouth, often inclined to smile, at the moment remained void of emotion. Not tall by any means, Wintou carried herself with an air of dignity and authority that made up for her lack of height. One did not command respect from people by demands. It was a state of mind that was reflected in a persons every move and action. Her tilt of chin, the set of her jaw, her stature drew attention, and without a word the commoners backed out of her way. This day she was late and had no mind to delay it further with pleasantries. Best to see how this town reacted to such things before she got herself into trouble. For three years now she had been studying. Her secluded home kept her far from the eyes of the shapers, but once she had been found she had been bustled off from her placid boring life into the magnificent realm of Creating. She hadn't regretted a minute of it, but her ideals did not always match that of the Shaper class. For now she was keeping them to herself, but things were happening that she was not at all certain were good for anyone. She made her way to where she was told the classes would be held. Her hand idly rested against the small pouch attached to the gold belt at her waist, where her orb remained safely hidden. Tempted to remove it once inside the school to have a look around, she decided against any further delay. The door slid open in time for her to hear, "For those of you new here, I am Zeth, and I will be your Shaping instructor. Any questions before we begin?" The teacher looked to be about the same age as herself. She had somehow expected an older person. His thin face wasn't at all unattractive, it just seemed out of place. He must have a very powerful connection and ability to be teaching at such a young age she thought. As she walked to one of the available seats close to the front of the class, she inclined her head gracefully, "My apologies for the disturbance of arriving late Zeth. I am Wintou." |
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I Role Play because the people in my head tell me to. TUESDAY AFTERNOON It is God who can transform the lowest into the highest, who humbles the proud, and causes that which is in darkness to become light.~Horace ![]() | |
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| Teslyn | Apr 9 2009, 03:31 PM Post #6 |
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a fleeting presence
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[okay, blatantly based Meliil of Raistlin Majere, the most epic person ever. <3 Raist.] Meliil stuck out like a sore thumb; but then, Meliil always stuck out like a sore thumb. It was something she should've been used to by now, but for some reason she just couldn't feel as confident even if she was only perceiving herself to be different. Not when she was in a group of people she'd never met before. She had never been the most outgoing of people to begin with, and being taken from her small town and thrown into Graymarsh's Shaper Academy was not exactly an ideal situation during which to start. The intimidation factor alone was enough to make an already tentative, shy smile flicker and wane. Fortunately enough for her, the student next to her took pity on her and struck up a conversation, and it was enough to draw her out of the shell she had begun to recede into. It never took much to drag Meliil from one end of the emotional spectrum to the other - and a short conversation with an apprentice Shaper had her smiling and laughing and even joking a little by the time the teacher entered the room in a flurry of robes and authority which she had always shied away from. Her first reaction was to flinch, averting grey-blue eyes and trying to hide behind a curtain of brown-blonde hair like she was fifteen and in one of her moods again as she pressed back against her seat. Her initial fear was alleviated, though, when he introduced himself kindly enough, if briskly. "For those of you new here, I am Zeth, and I will be your Shaping instructor. Any questions before we begin?" Unfortunately, the fear only gave way to uncertainty at his words; not everyone was new? Was she the only one new- the only one who'd never done anything with Shaping before? She cast a questioning glance around before deciding on not saying anything... But Meliil had been singled out- she was going to be a Shaper - the instructor's words had confirmed it - so she took a deep breath and straightened and pulled her hair back, tying it so it wouldn't fall into her face just as a student walked in late, apologizing gracefully before taking a seat. Meliil settled back in her seat, no longer feeling like the odd one out. Someone had already been late- Meliil couldn't do much worse than that, right? Things- things were going well, right now. Well, they were going well until a breath caught in her throat, and she started coughing, already-raw throat stinging as she gasped for air between bouts. Edited by Teslyn, Apr 9 2009, 05:51 PM.
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| Dark Jack | Apr 10 2009, 12:31 AM Post #7 |
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The Phantom Poster
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The moment the girl who introduced herself as Wintou entered, apologizing for being late, Zeth actually had to turn away to hinder the apprentices to see him grimace. Zeth had been late on his first day at the Academy as well, and he knew what the regulations of the Academy required as a punishment for such a violation with their rules - after all, Zeth still had scars and marks on his back where the whip had struck, and his back still ached sometimes when he leant too much forward. That event had taught Zeth a great deal about just how seriously the Shapers took their rules, and just how far they would go to uphold them - as far as whipping a six year old boy until the blood started dripping on the floor... "I would have thought that you had all at least been told about the basic Shapers' Laws and the Shapers' code of behavior by the time you got as far as to Shaping classes," Zeth told the students, turning around again, now with a very serious expression on his face, "When you are amongst commoners, you must never apologize for being late, because you can never be late. They are commoners, and you are Shapers, and when commoners and Shapers meet, Shapers are never late. They cannot be late, because it is the Shaper that determines what time would be best to arrive at, not the commoner. Remember that - never show insecurity in the company of commoners! If you do so, the commoners will think us weak, and they will rebel. When it comes to a meeting with Shapers, you will never be late either," Zeth continued after a short pause, "Because if you are late to a meeting with a Shaper, that is considered disrespectful to the Shaper you are meeting, and the punishment can be months of imprisonment. But most important of all..." Zeth stepped over to Wintou. "You are never late for a Shaping class. The punishment for that is whipping. Next time it happens, I will show no mercy, but send you to Raul, the Guardian instructor, with instructions to be whipped." Turning around again and walking back to the table with all the Shaping equipment, Zeth prepared to start the class. "Shaping is the ultimate power, the ability to form life out of nothing but raw Essence and your own wills. But as such, it is also the ultimate responsability - something you would be wise to remember. Misuse Shaping, just once, and it will mean grave things for the people who work with you, the environment, and finally, the world. It is because of the greatness of this responsability that we need to be so careful - that is why we needed the Shapers' Laws, that is why we need to keep records of every single Shaper in the world. And that is why I need to instruct you so thoroughly in the art of Shaping. In front of you all, on your desks, you will all see a collection of research notes." He pointed at one of the little books with brown covers. "These describe every single step the old Shapers went through, how they bombarded salamanders and lizards with Essence and what changes occured. And furthermore, these notes contain the instructions on how to Shape a Fyora. Read them first. Then we will be ready to begin." Edited by Dark Jack, Apr 10 2009, 03:04 AM.
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| Silvermourn | Apr 11 2009, 11:50 AM Post #8 |
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The Redneck, the Cynic, the Nerd, and the Hopeless Romantic
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Stepping out of the carriage into the road Bayle realized that he was only moments away from being late to his first class in his extended apprenticeship. With a sigh he wrapped the loose cloak around himself a little tighter. Instead of Shaper robes he had taken to wearing a very large cloak and loose bagging legged breeches simply because it pleased him to do something slightly different. As far as he knew there was not really a rule against someone destined to be a Shaper instead of a Guardian or Agent not wearing the robes, it was simply an accepted ideal that they should. If it had not been for his sudden war with potential tardiness he would have taken the time to change and made a slightly better impression than walking in with the great cloak would. However he did prefer the cloak over the robes, and while beneath the dark green cloak he simply wore simple travelers clothes the expensive material of the thing marked him as a higher than average citizen. Walking towards the building he turned cold gray eyes on a commoner who strayed to close and let his hand stray close to the whip at his belt in a slightly threatening manner. He was nearly certain the man was a pickpocket, it wasn't in his nature to threaten those he didn't find to be doing something wrong, despite the fact that he believed whole-heartedly in Shaper supremacy, he simply believed that one did not have to be cruel or even unfriendly to those who weren't gifted with your prowess and skill if they made their existences useful and weren't simply begging scum. The whip seemed to work as a deterrent for scum such as that pickpocket had been. While Bayle might not be the most skilled with such a weapon he was certainly not the worst, better than any commoner he had ever seen before. Best of all the thing made him look a cruel man, and if any Guardian who got it in his head could tear him apart before he could do a damn thing with the whip well so be it. It wasn't the purpose of the thing to be an actual weapon so much as a deterrent and a last ditch weapon if all hope was lost. Bayle Fonther was not a fighter, perhaps he was a little more physically inclined than your average Shaper, but he was no where fit enough to match the prowess of a Guardian in that area. Short and stout he was probably only 5 and a half feet tall and a slight bit overweight, despite that he'd never been all that bothered by his appearance. Soft features and hard eyes gave him a rather strangely contrasting face while his stout form made him look less frail than one generally thought a Shaper to be. If his focuses had not been so heavily turned to his studies perhaps he would not have been as happy with his appearance, for it was certainly not one that would get him any where with the opposite sex. Running a hand through his thick dark brown hair he quickly worked his way to his newest teachers classroom. He had been moved to this newest classroom from and old one he had been sure he would rise from. Now he was being reduced to repeating the apprentice process because his skill had led him down a dangerous path that had seemed to end in utter failure. Raised among high ranking Shapers and nobleman he had learned to understand why only those with the power could be allowed to lead. From a young age he had wanted to be a member of that leading caste of society, and at the earliest of possible schooling years he had joined it. His teaching had begun immediately and gone on for 20 years, and at 26 he had been only days away from becoming a true shaper of low rank. It had been his rising skill that had led him to his greatest mistake. Old books and raw essence had come together for a private experiment that he had secured permission for. Overseen only by a single teacher the experiment had been recorded and the record given to high ranking official to decided his fate. He had been certain they would imprison or kill him, certain that his days of shaping were over. He'd gotten off easy, so easy that he was still allowed to practice, yet he was sure they watched him yet. Using raw essence he had shaped the creature, building it from the ground up until it stared him in the eyes. Staring into it's eyes had been the most terrifying moment of Bayle's life. He had seen intelligence there, powerful intelligence and raw emotion like only human eyes could truly contain. It's figure had been perfect, it's body powerful, and immediately it had started drawing essence from nearby vats. How it had been able to do such a thing Bayle could not understand, yet it had. Looking into it's eyes he had seen the fire of emotion and the cold of understanding. Somehow it had known that it shouldn't be, that it couldn't be, and as connected to it as he was Bayle had almost not been able to destroy it. Destroying it had to have been what saved him though. He had done it and the creature was no more, yet the being still haunted his nightmares and his daydreams. Those intelligent eyes stared at him through his eyelids, accused him of unimaginable crimes. Suddenly he saw the door and forced himself from the remembrance, forced himself from the memory of that terrible Shaping. He was only a moment late, yet late enough to realize that another was late and had been fool enough to express it. Bayle had been an apprentice before, and while he carried the whip it had been used on him more times than he cared to think about. Not foolish enough to mention his tardiness he simply stepped up to a desk near the teacher and picked up the mentioned book. He barely even took the time to study his teacher, he would have plenty of time to do that later when it wouldn't draw attention to him or his tardiness. |
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"I mourn that which may have been but will never be." "Stupidity is a wound that bleeds forever; Intelligence is a blade that stays forever sharp" "An armed man will kill and unarmed man with monotonous regularity" "Nothing adds a little class to a sniper course like a babe in a Ghillie suit." "You have the rest of your life to solve your problems. How long you live depends on how well you do it." "Make your attacker advance through a wall of bullets. I may get killed with my own gun, but he's gonna have to beat me to death with it, 'cause it's going to be empty." | |
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| Oracle | Apr 11 2009, 01:14 PM Post #9 |
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Head of Diplomatic Affairs
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Wintou met and held Zeth's eyes as he reprimanded her. She had been the recipient of several beatings for her kindness exhibited toward commoners. But pain could not break the compassion of her heart. Her parents were commoners. Was she suppose to no longer care for their well being? Perhaps if she had been discovered at an early age she might think differently. As it was, she could not turn her back simply because they lacked talent. She had been completely prepared for a whipping, by Zeth's own hand, had he chosen to do so. In fact, she had expected it to happen. That he chose not to this time, caught her of guard. While she tried to never let emotion reveal her feelings or intentions, a look of relief and gratitude filled her eyes. Anyone but a blind man would have been able to read it. Her voice very low, "My thanks Zeth. It will not happen again." And it wouldn't if she could help it. In the world of her mind, compassion far outweighed punishment. He had just earned her respect more than any whip would have done. She listened intently to his words, then began reading the research notes. She thought she had a good understanding of the process. It was similar to the healing she understood so well, but also manipulating at the same time. She was eager to try. Wintou already knew how to withdraw essence, as she had done in the street to the rogue Fyora, but to create one? On her first day here? Her heart was aflutter with anticipation. She closed the book, and not wanting to disturb the class by speaking she waited until she caught Zeth's attention. With a nod of her head she indicated that she was prepared for the next step. |
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I Role Play because the people in my head tell me to. TUESDAY AFTERNOON It is God who can transform the lowest into the highest, who humbles the proud, and causes that which is in darkness to become light.~Horace ![]() | |
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| Teslyn | Apr 11 2009, 06:32 PM Post #10 |
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a fleeting presence
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Meliil took that back. Things were not going that well, she decided when her coughing fit subsided and she returned to trying to remain inconspicuous and unnoticeable before the Shaper teacher. Sneaking a quick glance at the student next to her out of the corners of her eyes, she flipped open the small brown book before her and began attempting to read- but her mind was in a flurry over Zeth's words. A whipping? For being late? Clearly, Meliil needed to learn the Shapers' rules and fast, before she did something accidentally that warranted a punishment even more severe than the one that Zeth had outlined to Wintou. What had she gotten herself into? What, exactly, was she here to learn - why? Why her? Why anyone else in this room? It was all very confusing to Meliil, the chain of circuitous questions she was too afraid to ask that only led to more unanswerable questions, so she forced her thoughts out of her mind and tried to focus on the reading. When she got to the part with instructions on creating a Fyora (what was a Fyora, again?) she had been forced to pause for a moment to take deep, long breaths as she felt another fit of coughing threaten to overcome her. Somehow, she was able to ward it off with deep-breathing, and then she quickly dove back into the reading before anyone noticed her attention had been diverted. This whole Shaper business was beginning to scare her - that, or it was beginning to make her angry. She wasn't sure which. |
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6:09 PM Jul 10