All Core Exiles

[Moolock]

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<strong>Welcome to Core</strong>, the wasteland left behind from the Alliance's ambitions to bring endless prosperity. If one is lucky, they might stumble across a deserted city, maybe a mine entrance, or maybe a simple sad string of cars abandoned on a crumbling road. Some plains go on for miles with craters and burning vents of gas left behind from battles. The Alliance dug deep, too deep in their quest for metals and ores to support the rapidly evolving economy. People were inventing things thought to be impossible, quickly leaving the old ways of bullets and gunpowder behind. The largest public mines were for uranium, a scar on the world where plants lay abandoned or quarantined. </p>


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<p> A drill broke through, a group of miners found themselves staring down into a vast cavern, and at its center, something impossible glowed. It was not of the future, however it certainly had the potential to shape one. No more uranium mining, no more searching for a new source of energy. </p>


<div style="text-align:center;"><p><img src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/imageproxy/imageproxy.php?img=http://img02.deviantart.net/869d/i/2016/181/0/b/the_prism_by_drawing_moo-da873m9.jpg&key=7046baad613afef59459bb5cef73651f3ce7d25a8f18cd94bd20d9fcb816912c" class="ipsImage" alt="the_prism_by_drawing_moo-da873m9.jpg" /></p></div>


<p> An unlimited source of energy, might, and power that would shift the balance of the world and it certainly did, but not in the Alliance's favor. It didn't shift in anyone's favor. Instead, Core vanished, along with those not suited to join the New Era, as it came to be called. Cities and towns fell into ruin, many places becoming overgrown. Some escaped with both no abilities and their lives and have since formed small villages dotted among the land. ACE soon formed, a group of the children of the New Era named after the phenomenon that left them in a strange world with abilities they never dreamed of. All Core Exiles came together under the fear and excitement that something greater awaited them. With great power comes a great price, and soon after the group was founded, its enemies made themselves known- Ren. Forged by the opposite of what empowered the remaining citizens of Core, these are fowl creatures that roam the world, spreading their black mark and blight like a curtain across the land. </p>


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[Moolock]

The Shift was a phenomenon experienced throughout Core. To those wandering a lonely street in a forest or across the plains, it might have come as a sudden quieting of the animals nearby. To those in a town or city, lights flickered and died as if someone pulled the plug on electricity everywhere and a blanket of silence fell, even if people were clearly talking. Some might have passed out right at the beginning, others might have stayed conscious long enough to see shadows emerging in the dimness. There was no sound that could be heard, but there would have been something drowning out all natural sounds. Those who would soon posses abilities they might never have imagined heard hissing. The shadows were hissing, then all turned black.


In their sleep, the Empowered missed the chaos that ensued. With half the population suddenly missing, accusations were thrown as to whose fault this was, the people broke apart and went to make their own towns and small cities. Generations passed, people forgot about what used to be the great civilization of Core. When the Empowered awoke, they awoke as if only minutes had gone by. Some still had family and went to live with them. Others were less fortunate and were left to discover their abilities on their own.


Those who survived but gained no abilities have no recollection of the Shift. Life simply was. No human knew anything other than the simple towns constructed around ruined cities. There was always the threat of Ren. There were always Empowered weaving in and around their lives. The Empowered remember the great civilization that was Core. They remember what all the now-broken machinery used to be used for. They remember having potential and a bright future ahead. This world is different than what they knew, but if there ever was a way to reverse this, who would willingly let go of their power? Would any flier willingly ground themselves after seeing the world from above? Would any rock-skin go back to a time where they could be scraped or bruised? Would any Empowered actually give up what they gained for a society that was too curious for its own good and attempted to seize impossible energy?


The New Era has the potential to be amazing, just as it has the potential to fall to chaos and war. The Empowered must tread carefully, lest Ren fill in their steps and lay waste to the lands across the river. Empowered must be vigilant lest Blight spread and consume like a festering wound overcomes the body. The Ren, however, are not the only problem at hand. Will the Empowered remain protectors from the Blight or will they fall to their own petty disputes over power and arrogance?

 

[Moolock]

To those nearby a speaker system or radio, they might hear a crackle, then the following words, "Breaking news: ACE has received a transmitting from Valken Keep, the deserted city deep within Ren territory. According to our resources, the following message was received in the early hours of this morning:

"Captain Gilan, present with Private Laurence. Full company left base. All others fallen to Blight. Private Laurence currently infected. Mission status: success. Item has been found, though retrieval not possible. Request assistance. Out."



The message did not stop there. The device they were using was indeed within the keep, and was unable to be turned off.

"Do you think they got it, Captain?"






"I hope so, Laurence. I hope so. Get some rest, you've had a rough day."






"I won't close my eyes, Captain."






"Why not?"






"Too scared, Captain."



ACE has opened applications once again for those who wish to join and a mission is being organized by the group to venture to Valken Keep."


The broadcast turns off, some walk off in two's and three's, talking about what it might be like to go to Valken Keep. Others go on, quickly forgetting the broadcast.


Kira:


Taren bustles with excitement, from what she can see atop her perch in a ruined building. Time to pack up again, she things, unsure if she should be sad or ecstatic that there's an opportunity to get out of this patchwork city. Spreading her wings, she takes off through a broken window and circles the block a few times before diving to land lightly on her rooftop garden. Tucking her wings tightly to her back in order to fit down the narrow staircase to her apartment, the Empowered reflects that she might actually miss this spot. It's nice, she can grow her own food, and the window overlooks a large tree growing up through the cracked pavement far below. Though the windows are broken, thick vines hang over them allowing sunlight in but keeping wind out.


It doesn't take long to pack and in little time, she has her backpack slung over her back, along with her glaive, the flintlock rests on her hip and her dual daggers on the other side. Back up the stairs and off the top of the building, Kira soars out over the city, crossing into Ara forest as the trees become more dense. In the grey distance, she can see the mountain ranges no taller than ants on the horizon. She swoops down, breaking the tree cover to land on a small dirt trail through the forest.

 

[Amelia White]

Jazmine:


Plucking an arrow out of her case, Jazmine places it on the bow and pulls back. There was a bird only about 10 feet in front of her, it was hidden between tree branches. Letting go of the string, the arrow is sent flying towards the bird, missing it by a fraction of an inch. She complains under her breath as she puts her bow over her shoulder. Grabbing her staff, she walks along the thick branch she'd been perched on. The arrow was lodged between branches, although, Jazmine didn't have much trouble pulling it out and putting it back in her case.


She'd only got a glimpse of where the bird flew off to, but she heads in that direction anyway. Swinging from vines and walking along trunks and branches, she finds the bird in its nest. Repeating the process she had went through moments ago, she aims at the bird. She notices inside the nest, there are smaller birds of the exact same kind. They are chirping as their mother feeds them. Giving the arrow slack, she takes it off the string. "It had to be a mother." She says softly. Something big could be heard flying over head, but Jazmine chose to walk the other way. She heads towards her Aunt May's home in the trees.