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Novama

One Thousand Club
Mentions: Elvario Elvario
OOC: here we go
Post Listening:

Intro
In this chapter of Isekai Hell, the beastman, Ceylan, will attempt to surpass his mortal limitations to obtain a greater calling. Reward for completing this rp and passing the test is a title that will allow Ceylan to partially ascend, enabling him to expand his mind and capabilities beyond that of other mortals or even the longer lived races. This rp will be considered a World RP. Basic rewards will be doubled and assets and items worth points are also possible rewards. Permanent character injury and death may also result. Failure to pass the test will result in not acquiring the desired title but other rewards are still possible.

The tribulation begins with Ceylan. The first thing he noted was the sun was glaring in his eyes as it was hanging low in the sky, obviously late in the afternoon. The next thing was the heat: it was particularly warm that day and just a bit humid. There was a lack of comforting breeze, so it would not be long for the average man to begin sweating. He was standing on a steep embankment overlooking a river that stretched to the left and right (running west and east). The area smelled of water, mud, and the normal stink of perpetually wet things, but there was something else in the air, something more sour. Accompanying the smells was the sound of the gentle trickle of water, and again, something else was notable. Aside from the bugs and frogs, there was a hum of excitement coming from the massive encampment across the river as well as another one to Ceylan's south east. To Ceylan's south west was a 3rd encampment.

Each camp flew different colored flags but the details of the camps were vague beyond their bold and obvious statement of who they were. They were separated from each other by several hundreds of yards. The camp to the south east looked to be made up of a sea of white tents. The camp on the far side of the river had a big white wall of some kind erected. The camp closest to Ceylan was one placed in a copse of trees. The shadow of the trees was unnatural and would give off the eerie impression of many unseen things lurked among the shadows, watching. Without warning, the distance between Ceylan and the trees became abruptly shorter and the ominous vibe given off by that camp grew. A sound like a buzzing could be heard, an irritating sound that caused a sensation like an itch in the brain. It grew more intense as the trees swept in threatening to overshadow Ceylan in the darkness they created.

"It's been a while, kiddo,"

said the kindly, old man Ceylan knew like a father but not at the same time. He was standing behind Ceylan. He made no sound as he walked up, but a calmness and peace came with him with each step. Suddenly, the grove containing one of the encampments was as far away from Ceylan as the others and everything had seemingly returned to how it was before.


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Ceylan

He'd gotten overconfident. That's what he realised after failing to raise the dead back in Arborhaven. His victory of freeing Aegrizora had simply given him too much of an ego, which was a shameful mistake. All he could do for the dead, in the end, was to give them a proper funeral. However, the mixture of the high, saving a deity, and the low, failing to resurrect the victims of the cult, was still weighing heavily on his mind.

He held a hand above his eyes, shielding himself from the sun. With a bit of a sigh, he wondered if he should remove some of his vestments. It was getting pretty warm and sweaty. He was overlooking the river and the encampments, as he tried to figure out what he was walking into. Had he somehow found his way to a soon to be battlefield? From what he gathered, two camps in close proximity were likely the armies of two allies teaming up on the camp closest to him.

However, the moment he focussed on the third camp, he felt like he was drawn much closer to it. That was definitely not normal. Had the heat gotten to his head or had Kesh managed to sneak some of Cayde's potions in to Ceylan's rations before leaving Arborhaven? The thoughts vanished as quickly as they had arisen, as an ominous and unpleasant feeling, combined with a buzzing sound, encroached upon his senses. He felt like his sixth sense was picking up on some very bad things here. It made him grow weary, as he didn't have his allies with him. There was only so much he could do alone, as a priest rather than a warrior.

To his surprise, however, someone greeted him. Needlessly to say, Ceylan was shocked, turning around in surprise. There was an odd feeling of familiarity, but Ceylan couldn't recognise the man at all. Was he being tricked by someone's magic? He did notice the 'dark' encampment was further away once more. Odd things were definitely happening all around him, so before he spoke up, he tried to focus on his [Divine Senses B] to figure out if this was some sort of evil magic meant to play tricks on him.

As he took in whatever he could learn from it, he carefully replied to the old man. “My apologies, sir, but whilst you feel familiar, I do not believe I can recall ever having met you.” The man's soothing air of calmness and peace was alluring, but at the same time, it made Ceylan more weary. After all, he knew fully well how demons would trick their victims into trusting them by using subtle mind manipulating magic. With all the odd things that were going on, he didn't exclude such an option.

B Grade Cooldowns: (0/4)
  • Divine Senses – Magic Affinity B, Magic Range C, Religion C, Sixth Sense D – Characters connection to the gods allows them to sense dangerous/evil magic and curses that might go unnoticed by others. - Grade B – 4 Post Cooldown.
 
Mentions: Elvario Elvario
OOC: There are no choices in tribulation without consequence
Post Listening:

South River Bank
Elvario's ability to sense the alignment and ill intents of other creatures turned up nothing malicious in the old man. It was very much the opposite in terms of results. The old man felt as much as he looked: good aligned and well-meaning. Elvario would be able to feel at peace while in the presence of this old man and thoughts of a grandfather's tenderness may come to mind if he had such memories to refer to.

"Do not trouble yourself too much on my account, youngin. There are more pressing concerns,"

[god] then gestured with his walking stick to the surroundings, noting the encampments around them before stamping the stick back into the ground to lean on as he spoke,

"There is a war happening. It has gone on for far too long already, but if it persists, an even greater tragedy will occur. I'm sure the saying war is worse than hell is not lost on you."

the old man's comforting tone became more foreboding. The half submerged bodies among the weeds and muck down in the shallow crossing of the river were also more apparent. The old man continued,

"The three camps each represent a separate army with their own stakes in the war. The momentary ceasefire we are experiencing is just the consequence of all sides becoming too weary to keep the fighting going continuously. Believe me when I say the fighting will begin again soon, the morning, in fact. Fortunately for them, I believe there is hope. I think you, Ceylan, have the means to mediate a truce between these armies before their war begins again for the last time."

[god] said an awful lot in a matter-of-fact way and seemed optimistic about it, with his kindly old smile creasing his face and obscuring eyes filled with knowing. His words did not seem to take Ceylan's potential feelings on the matter, however, and he was already encouraging the priest with his next step.

"Choose and choose carefully who to speak with first. You will need to meet with each army and obtain their support and do so before the armies march in the morning.
To the north of the river lays the Beastmen encampment. They view men as devolved apes that have lost their honor and strength as warriors. They believe the fae to be tricksters not to be trusted and likely corrupted by their own magic they pride themselves with.
To the south east of the river is the Human encampment. To them, the beastmen are nothing but larger animals meant to be tamed and domesticated for human progress. They view the Fae similarly but respect their sentience and greedily hunger for more of their magical knowledge and dominion over nature.

To the south west of the river is the remaining camp of the Fae. They view beastmen and humans the same: invasive and parasitic animals to be culled or subjugated as needed to make way for a growing and thriving fae empire in equilibrium with nature."

After gesturing to each of the camps, [god] took in the scenery leisurely. Despite the prospect of being in a battlefield, he was not in a hurry. He did not sweat despite the heat, either.

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Ceylan

Sadly enough, Ceylan never even knew his parents, let alone his grandparents, in either this world or the previous one. The best he got was that this old man didn't seem to be hiding any ill intend, so when the old man also verbally stated as much, Ceylan took his word for it. He didn't get much more time to debate it, however, as things quickly escalated. As he was confronted with the situation, Ceylan realised he'd have to think this through carefully. The task given to him was a monumental one, but that much was the only thing that was clear.

His next course of action had to be deliberated carefully, but nothing stood out as the best option. It's why he decided to go about it the other way around, excluding options one by one. Right now, it seemed like his main task was figuring out whom to talk to first. He quickly excluded the Beastmen. They were his own kind, which would make conversing with them a bit easier, for as far as they wouldn't believe him to be too 'devolved' like the Humans. However, if he went to them first, the other two camps would instantly recognise him to be the Beastmen's priest, which would colour him as a non-neutral party in this conflict. In other words, in any scenario where he'd put his own species first, the other two would be a lot more likely to think he'd be aligned with them and had merely come here on their behalf, rather than on the behalf of the Syncretist Church.

That left the Humans or the Fae. However, there was one thing that stood out. The Humans had a slight level of respect for the Fae. That meant that, small as it was, there might be some common ground between them. In turn, the Fae did not have such a sentiment towards the Humans. That meant that, if Ceylan were to go to the Fae first, the Humans might be slightly more willing to hear him out afterwards, compared to if he'd go to the Humans first. He'd made up his mind. “Then, it seems wisest to speak with the Fae first.”

There was, however, something he wondered about. “Might I perhaps know what claims each of them hold to the lands we are on? Or is it wrong of me to assume they are fighting over territory?” Knowing the motivation for this inbound war would be a major advantage in trying to negotiate for peace. However, after what he learned about how they viewed one another, it was clear that none of them was likely to give him a neutral answer. Instead, he'd much likelier just get blasted with propaganda and racism. It's why he hoped this old man might shed a little more light on the situation.
 
Mentions: Elvario Elvario
OOC: March Ceylan to the camp of choice and we'll start next scene
Post Listening:

South River Bank

The old man would continue gazing out at the afternoon landscape for a moment before turning his kind eyes on Ceylan. He felt genuine in the time he spent with Ceylan, fully in the moment and not distracted despite the world of problems that likely weighed heavily on the old man's shoulders.

"As much as anyone can own the land that they dwell, the humans have ownership of the land we currently stand upon. Would have been more to the north and the south, but the fae and beastmen have claimed it for themselves in their conquest over the course of this bloody war. Each side has its own reasons for fighting. Some more justified than others, but they have long since passed the point of justification in their actions,"

The old man replied somberly, the sun catching his glasses at the right angle so his eyes seemed to flare with a blinding radiance.

"...so the Fae then? If you are sure. Be careful. The beastmen are not wrong that the Fae tend to be full of tricks. Their mischievous and chaotic natures can often times lead their pranks into the realm of cruelty. Sometimes without even them knowing it."

It was not the role of the old man to accompany Ceylan, who must go alone to wherever he chose, so he would stay where he was, taking in the generally peaceful afternoon while he could.

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Ceylan

Ceylan nodded at the answer. Knowing at least this much was a good basis to start up peace negotiations. Of course Ceylan knew it wouldn't be all there was to it, but he hoped to learn more from the involved parties themselves, as listening to their stories without showing any preconceived notions or judgements would be the best way to show that he was truly here as a neutral party and that he truly desired to negotiate a deal that'd avoid bloodshed and suffering. Perhaps he could learn form their perspectives and maybe find some common grounds.

Ceylan nodded again, confirming that he was sure he wished to meet with the Fae first and foremost. “Thank you for your advise and warning, I'll take both to heart.” He said, as he gave the man a respectful bow. Whomever this was, they clearly weren't just some common grandpa and he clearly found himself in a supernatural situation. In fact, he had started to realise more and more clearly that he might not even be in 'reality' right now, but regardless of what the true deal of this place and situation was, he would do what his faith called him to do; try to resolve the situation at hand peacefully. After all, whilst Syncretism wasn't necessarily pacifist, there were few occasions where an all-out war could bring about the most good in the world.

As he approached the Fae camp, he made sure to do so openly and without anything that might be taken as a sign of hostility. The last thing he'd want was to be mistaken for an assassin or enemy scout. He was also on alert of any possible tricks, for as far as he could be, especially after the recent warning. He still felt there was a certain eeriness about this place, something ominous that he couldn't quite place. He needed to gather courage to keep on approaching this place, as his mind started to wonder. Had the Fae used some dark magic? It was well within the realms of possibilities. All in all, it was clear that he should steady himself as he approached the camp.

B Grade Cooldowns: (2/4)
 
Mentions: Elvario Elvario
OOC: tree people tree people tree people
Post Listening:

Forested Fae Encampment

As soon as Ceylan turned his back on the old man, the old man was gone. The parched grass on the bank where they stood was a vibrant green now with flowers in contrast to the surrounding yellows, browns, and tans.

Ceylan's approach was over open ground. It would have been difficult to approach stealthily even had he tried. He would immediately get the sensation of being watched as he approached. The malevolence from earlier was not as palpable as before. He would be nearing an opening in the trees before he might start to feel any sensations equivalent to before. Ceylan could hear the faintest of humming from within. An enchanting melody wafted on the air and the woods seemed to sway in time to it. The darkness that shrouded all within occasionally gave way to the flicker of light or glow of unnatural origin. The place was filled and spilling over with magic palpable enough even Ceylan could sense it without special skills.

Despite the life and wonder that likely dwelled within, Ceylan would note the pungent smell of decay all around, its source not apparent. Suddenly, the Sentries would split themselves free from the trees they were hiding in, their many arms and legs further splitting from their cores to reveal their semi humanoid forms that still reveled in fae peculiarity. The revelation of thier presence was merely a cover for the thorny root-like appendages that snaked along the ground toward Ceylan in an effort to ensare him (D grade attack from 2 foes).

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Ceylan

The walk into the Fae Encampment was a journey and a half on its own, with the odd sensations of malevolence and magic and the humming and enchanting melodies all coming from it. He figured trying to focus on the magic might not be the wisest move right now, as he could already feel it without any abilities, which meant focussing on it might instead overburden his senses. There was one thing that stood out the most, the scent of decay. It was worrying to say the least, even more so due to him now knowing where it was from. He knew wars took casualties, but normally corpses were burned or buried before the decay settled in to avoid spreading diseases. If that hadn't happened here, there might very well be something concerning and nefarious going on.

The fact that sentries came for him wasn't too surprising. Of course the camp would be guarded, as a spy from one of the other two factions could walk in at any moment. The fact that they attacked him first, however, did come a bit unexpected. He'd hoped them to use their words first. That said, Ceylan wasn't a fighter and he wasn't here to fight either, so he quickly raised his hands. “I come in peace!” He said, loud enough to assure that it could be heard through-out the encampment. As for the inbound attack, he only made two moves. One was to make sure he'd keep his catalyst on him in a way that'd allow him to stay in contact with it upon getting ensnared, the second was to brace a bit for the thorns to pierce his flesh. It likely wasn't going to be pretty, but if he truly wished to show his peaceful intentions, trying to start something might not be the wisest move, especially as he didn't have the skills needed to properly earn their respect with such actions.
 
Mentions: Elvario Elvario
OOC: first potential tribulation stopper
Post Listening:

Forested Fae Encampment

The sentries were efficient and unerroring in their apprehension of Ceylan. The thorny roots grasped Ceylan around the ankle. Ceylan would immediately feel a stabbing pain that would have likely sent him to the ground had he not been immediately hoisted into the air upside-down. The root appendage coiled around Ceylan's legs to the lower calf for a firm grip, pointy bits of wood prodding or piercing his flesh. Trickles of blood seeped out from between the root binding (Ceylan's hp is spent. Any more damage beyond this without healing and limbs will start popping off at the minimum. Ceylan will likely struggle to use his healing through the pain as well if things are allowed to progress that far.). Dangling a few feet off the ground in this creature's grasp, it did not even turn as its ally marched up to deliver the final blow. Its hands twisted together to form a point that would likely be sufficient to run Ceylan through the heart...

but then it stopped. It slowly recoiled from Ceylan before turning around and reattaching itself to the tree it had been apart of. The sentry still holding Ceylan proceeded to turn about, it's multiple legs each taking their turns to spin the creature before it could start moving toward the opening into the grove. It was dim, but the further the sentry walked, the more Ceylan's eyes would be able to adjust to the darkness and notice a more natural and/or magical glow to the space. The smell of decay increased as did the enchanting humming.

The sentry finally brought Ceylan to an open space surrounded by trees. At first glance the space was empty and merely glowed with magic and fireflies. The humming filled the air. Then Ceylan would start to notice an overabundance of living presence. A camouflaged dwarf resting against a tree. A wood elf lounging on a branch. A dryad occasionally opening her eyes and closing them to hide her presence. What had looked like a tree at first turned out to be a tall woman, a greater spirit of nature. It was she who hummed but stopped when turning to look down at Ceylan. Her eyes passed to the Sentry and their eyes locked for a moment. The sentry untangled its hold on Ceylan and dropped him on the ground. Whether or not he had the strength and pain management to stand was in question, but more noticeably was his bruising, scratched up legs, blood oozing from the puncture wounds and scratches.

For some reason, the ground beneath Ceylan was particularly soft. A grove, thick with trees, should probably have firmer soil with roots running through it, but this ground was soft. Dirt, fungi and other mysterious things started to immediately grow beneath Ceylan as it drank the blood that leaked onto the dirt.

"Why have you come, son of beast? I warn you: your answer determines whether I drain you for the sake of my children," (C grade social challenge - try to turn the situation in your favor somehow or face consequences)

the greater spirit communicated to Ceylan but not through her mouth. The grove itself had come alive and her voice was made of the rustle of fallen leaves and the creak of branches. Of the yawning of nearby spirits and the curious noises of peeking fae. Looking around, Ceylan would be able to see the near empty grove as actually bustling with life as the various creatures started making themselves visible for one reason or another. Some were fearful. Others hateful. Many were wounded. Ceylan would also note the soft soil beneath him had the occasional spot where a human or beastman remains was sticking out.

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Ceylan

Although his ankle was hurting, Ceylan decided to bite through it, for now. The pain and discomfort were a small price to pay to show his peaceful intentions and desire for peace. Luckily enough, his words were picked up by someone, as the sentries stopped short of killing him. The scene gave Ceylan mixed feelings. Bodies returning to the earth and to nature was a natural cycle. It being used for magic and war was not. Whilst he couldn't blame the Fae for pursuing this path, he didn't like it either. That said, he wasn't here to criticize them.

For as far as possible, with his injured leg, Ceylan tried to stand and give a respectful bow to the spirit of nature after being unceremoniously dropped on the ground. “Thank you for allowing me to speak.” As he got up and bowed, he momentarily considered scanning the mood of those around him, but he decided against it. This didn't seem to be a good moment to use magic, as his intentions might easily be misunderstood. Besides, his empathy alone, without usage of magic, already showed him the fear and hatred. “Forgive me if I'm too straightforward and blunt, but I'm a priest of the Syncretist Faith and I am hoping to negotiate peace between the three armies.”

He knew the next part was going to be a do or die moment. “I am well aware of how you think of my kind and that of the Humans, but I wish for a chance to prove that we are more than animals and that a peaceful coexistence between our three species is possible.” With that opening statement out of the way, Ceylan was quick to back it up with whatever information he could recall about the Fae pantheon. Any deities that'd advocate peace over war, any positive similarities between the faiths of Fae, Humans and Beasts, any deity that he could use to link their desire to live in equilibrium with nature to the place of Humans and Beasts in nature that came to mind would be of usage. Trying to use his earlier findings through his [Empathy D], he also tried to use his words to calm the hatred and give hope to the fearful and wounded, as he was [Preaching C] in an attempt to get through to the spirit.

B Grade Cooldowns: (4/4)
C Grade Cooldowns: (0/3)
  • Preach – Religion C, Connected C [Syncretist Church] – Character holds a long theological speech about faith. Not very entertaining, but theologically sound. - Grade C - 3 Post Cooldown.
 
Mentions: Elvario Elvario
OOC: no rest for the weary
Post Listening:

Forested Fae Encampment

Ceylan knew enough about some of the Fae gods that he was able to piece together an impromptu sermon that at the very least bought him time. While the wounds on his legs weren't any better and standing would be difficult at best, he was not at immediately risk of dying. He would be able to speak the timeless nature of the gods and greater spirits they revered as dieties and how their way was always the long play in relation to the cycles of the world. The current conquest the Fae appeared to be on seemed to be driven more out of a momentary event or feeling and not out of a grander ideal that sufficiently ripened. Despite potentially noble causes, the method of achieving their goals was little better than the humans or the beastmen and it was coming at sufficient cost. Such expense could be seen to fly in the face of more conservational minded Fae gods. Evening the idea of actively dealing and contending in the realm of man went against some of the teachings that could be found in older fae produced writings. Their age, wisdom, and connection to nature and the cycles of the world seemingly made them a people capable of avoiding wars all together and rising above such conflicts. That they, the Fae, should be playing the roles of peacekeepers in this war if old wisdom was to be adhered to.

The fae listening to Ceylan were hard to read but the expressions weren't all confusing or undesirable. It had had an effect. An eerie silence proceeded Ceylan's talk and several eyes turned to the greater spirit that had patiently let him plead for his life and the situation at hand. Somewhere during the lecture, she had stopped moving and her eyes glazed over.

"AAAAAAhhhhhhh!"

The greater spirit suddenly screams, her own voice mixing with the voice she projected from the grove, itself. Doubling over in what could assumed to be pain, the greater spirit stumbled to a large tree near the back of the grove where she connected herself partially to the tree. Some exchange seemed to be taking place, but the process resulted in her chest splitting open to reveal a dark, festering wound. Likely magical in nature, the wound smelled quite foul in comparison to the more natural decay all around. Murmurs from around the grove became quite hostile,

"...those wretched humans and their foul magic...."

"...the disgusting beastmen and thier cruel weapons of iron...."

"....how dare those parasites harm our mother...."

"....they will pay...."

Ceylan would be able to note a number of fae encroaching upon his space. Even the blood drinking vegetation at his feet seemed agitated and somewhat hindered his efforts to move around. The greater spirit, meanwhile, coped with the sudden spasm of pain from a wound likely received during the war.

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Ceylan

Slowly, yet steadily, Ceylan was getting a bit more confident, as the Fae were allowing him to keep speaking. Sure, the pain in his leg was there and the scent of decay in this grove didn't get any better, but at least he was still allowed to keep talking. However, as his words were sinking in, he suddenly saw the greater spirit being attack by something or someone. Those of the Fae that weren't entirely overwhelmed by hatred would see he was genuinely shocked and concerned by what happened, as his tail and ears both drooped down. For a split second, he realised he might've made a terrible mistake to assume the sense of foul magic was the Fae's own doing, rather than that of something else.

Without thinking about it, he did what was natural to him, offering a few words of prayer to the Fae deities of health and healing and using his [Soothing Aura] upon the Greater Spirit and, while at it, upon those wounded in other parts of the grove. Perhaps it was not yet too late to correct his mistake and perhaps he could still cure and calm down the Fae. He didn't even think to heal himself as well, instead focussing all his magic and energy on others. Now was a good time for his actions to speak louder than his words, as he desperately hoped his magic was strong enough to heal, or at the very least give some relief, to the greater spirit and her flock of Fae.

Upon heaving healed them, he'd try to focus his [Divine Senses (D)] to the extend he could muster it, hoping to trace down whatever had attacked the Fae so that he could warn them if it were to still be ongoing or to strike again. To that extend, he was more concerned about whatever had attacked the Fae than about self-preservation, but with some luck, his actions and Soothing Aura had shown he was not the perpetrator in whatever had occurred.

B Grade Cooldowns: (0/4)
  • Soothing Aura - Magic Affinity B, Healing B, Magic Range C, Magic Targets C, Magic Duration C, Religion C, Empathy D – Character has a soothing aura that calms and heals those around them, up to 25 targets within a 1000ft/300 metres range for up to 1 day in rp time. - Grade B – 4 Post Cooldown.
C Grade Cooldowns: (1/3)
D Grade Cooldowns: (0/2)
  • Divine Senses – Magic Affinity D, Magic Range E, Religion E, Sixth Sense D – Characters connection to the gods allows them to sense dangerous/evil magic and curses that might go unnoticed by others. - Grade D – 2 Post Cooldown.
 
Mentions: Elvario Elvario
OOC: no good deed goes unpunished
Post Listening:

Forested Fae Encampment

Some of the Fae moved to subdue Ceylan as he channeled his divine favor to deliver blessings of healing to their injured. A brilliant light flashed and permeated the gloom for a moment. The wounded fae in the area would find immense relief too all their ails save for regenerating lost parts. Even the greater spirit that led them was able to breath easier as the dark, malignant wound in her chest was purified and closed by the healing rendered. The Fae looked around in wonder. Such feats of healing were uncommon among the Fae and unheard of among the beastmen. Some of the fae became curious and gave him a second glance. Was he really a beastman and not some form of Fae of a distant branch of the source?

Ceylan's concerns were warranted, but no additional dangers were found. He did not perceive the existence of any additional curses or evil magics within the area after he healed all the heavily wounded. He had successfully neutralized a grave threat to the Fae army, a feat that would normally see him commended.

"Mother, if you are also well, our champions have voiced their ableness and willingness to take the fight to the parasites once more. We are ready at your word,"

An elf of silvery skin and unknown age voiced to the greater spirit with head bowed and a respectful tone, clear and concise, resonating in the space. Short of the greater spirit, Ceylan must have thought that elf was the one that led the armies from the way it spoke and held itself.

"Yes. Children of Source, prepare for battle!"

The greater spirit spoke with the voice of the grove once more and the excitement fountained forth for him children as they quickly peeled themselves from the greenery and took up arms and magical means. The Greater Spirit moved toward Ceylan, towering over him by a few feet. She was an impressive creature in many ways, but her presence was something Ceylan would like sense more acutely. There was an intense desire.

"You have done us a great favor this day, son of Beast. In light of your efforts and displayed sincerity, I will spare your life. I will also make you overseer for your kin and intermediary with us, your soon to be masters,"

She said to Ceylan in her own deep yet effeminate voice. Ceylan would feel is mind grow malleable while holding her gaze with his.

(A grade Mental Hurdle. Ceylan is being enchanted while the Fae are marching prematurely to war. Ceylan must find away to resist her compulsion and halt the march or risk becoming a puppet of the soon to be Fae Empire)


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Ceylan

Ceylan felt a wave of disappointment and anger the moment he heard the Fae's call for battle. “Are you truly going to abuse the gift of healing the gods have granted you by using it to go against everything they stand for?” He'd been sure he'd gotten through to them before, especially as the Fae gods had granted them their healing powers through him, which was the reason he'd gone all out with his healing without worrying that they'd abuse it in exactly the manner they were planning to abuse it right now. He was sure they'd been listening to him when he was preaching. They'd been on board with bringing a peaceful end to this conflict, weren't they... So why, then, were they so eager to instantly return to battle. Had he been so overly optimistic about the effect of his words? He blamed and hated himself for ending up in this situation. “I do not desire power, I only desire to do the god's bidding, which is to stop this needless bloodshed, not to further amplify it.”

When he started to feel the prodding in his head, however, he knew things were going wrong. He gritted his teeth, as he focussed on the pain in his ankle. Perhaps focussing on the pain would buy him some precious seconds before they'd capture his mind completely. In his panic, he could think of only one thing to do, which was to further rely on the heavens for their aid, as he attempted to [Summon Celestial E] and hoped that his [Blessed Fortune F] would hold up. There were many ways in which this could go, after all. Either he'd summon a creature that could take him out of here before the magic had fully grabbed a hold of his mind, or he'd summon a creature capable of thought and intellect and able to help him with his argument, perhaps he'd even summon the servant of an Elven Deity that could back up his words, if the divine was truly granting him good fortune in this endeavour. The latter was what he prayed for the most, as it seemed like only something the Fae respected more than him would grant him the opportunity to turn this around. In the worst case scenario, however, he was prepared and willing to be stricken down by his own summon to avoid becoming a tool of war in the Fae army.

B Grade Cooldowns: (1/4)
C Grade Cooldowns: (2/3)
D Grade Cooldowns: (1/2)
E Grade Cooldowns: (1/1)
  • Summon Celestial – Summon Creature F, Magic Affinity E, Magic Duration F, Religion F – Character attempts to summon a creature from the heavenly/divine planes of existence to aid them. Has a 30 ft search range. Lasts one minute in rp time. - Grade E – 1 Post Cooldown.
F Grade Cooldowns: (0/0)
  • Blessed Fortune – Religion F, Lucky F – Character's actions are blessed (twice per roleplay) with good fortune. - Grade F – 0 Post Cooldown.
Lucky Usages: 1/2
 
Mentions: Elvario Elvario
OOC: was a good effort
Post Listening:

The Between
It was a race against time. Would Ceylan lose control and fall into fae hands indefinitely, or would he be able to hold out with his last strand of defiance to the war and the will of this Greater Spirit? Her eyes were deep pools, the depths of which Ceylan could feel himself sinking into as he channeled the magics necessary to summon an ally. Thanks to the Fae, allies were in short supply. He was in the depths of her trap now. His sense of self was melding with the inky darkness in this deep well he found himself in.

"It's been a while, kiddo,"

A muffled voice said, as if from down a long hallway. An ally! Ceylan would see the rays of golden light before a warm hand would clasp his shoulder. He immediately would feel a warmth and comfort that would chase away the dark waters that were drowning him. Ceylan's eyes would fill with blinding light before seeing the outline of an old man holding his hand and leading him to a place of green pastures covered in golden flowers and segmented by calm, flowing waters.

The old man looked awfully familiar, but Ceylan would have trouble placing him. He got the sense if he had had father or grandfather figures of any value, he would have liked them to be like this man. While with this old man, Ceylan did not feel any pain. He also nearly forgot his mission.

"You did your best. Unfortunately, there is still more required of you.. So long as you don't give up, you will eventually become what you must for the sake of others. For now, rest. It is a pleasant day for a nap,"

The old man said leading Ceylan to a place the two of them could relax in the comfortable sunshine of the day and the gentle breeze rocking the sea of flowers. Ceylan would feel incredibly sleepy before passing out.

He would awaken in the place he last slept. It would not be so comfortable or idealic and in addition to a longing to be back there in that place with that person, Ceylan would remember the war and his failure to stop it. He would remember his actions which inadvertently may have caused the war to break out sooner and with more costly outcomes. However, where he was currently and where he was then, did not line up. What 3 countries were at war? This was a time of peace. Just as he was about to conclude it all as a dream, a stinging, burning sensation in both legs drew his attention.

Looking at his legs, Ceylan would note dark lines wrapped around his legs from his calves to his ankles. As if someone had taken a hot grill and painstakingly branded him, his flesh was blackened and angry. Among the blackened lines, little specs of gold shimmered in the morning light at odd angles. The pattern was vaguely similar to that of the wounds he suffered at the hands of the Fae Sentries in his dream.

The End


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Isekai Hell RP Grade

The third tribulation came to a close. While ascension was not achieved, it seemed like a couple valuable lessons were learned. There were any number of ways things could have went. The tribulation of mind can take many forms due to the versatility of the stat. Definitely felt like this was one of the closer attempts in tribulation.

(tribulation x2 rewards)
(item rewards)

Nova - 13 point (narration)

Ceylan - 26 points

acquired mandatory title [Maimed] - Ceylan has been afflicted with a divine stigmata on his legs ( Bindings of Elisiul) and now has a speed stat capped at H grade (without points rewarded). A grade healing or equivalent can heal his body of the stigmata. Lesser skills, abilities, items may give partial comfort or remedy. Maimed title may be used to narrate your own rp to quest for a healer capable enough to cure or otherwise relieve the mechanical part of the affliction on Ceylan. Alternatively, the Maimed title may be used to run an rp where you play out Ceylan's affliction and cash the title in for x2 points as if it were a world rp, but doing so will leave Ceylan afflicted indefinitely. (does not stack with other point boosting rps, skills, or titles)

acquired optional title [Cog] - character has proved invaluable to the perpetuation of war and violence through the renewing of its humanoid components. Just a cog in the war machine, used until broken. Character's best efforts will generally lead to exploitation of self for the benefit of those that do not deserve it. Those character truly helps will never know they may have been better off without his blessings. Like a cog forced to perpetually spin, character will never tire of trying to be helpful but the consequences of such one sided assistance will never fail to weigh down those helped.

Asset acquired [Miracle] - A single golden flower resides in the Bindings of Elisiul. Once and only once, the character may call upon the God Elisiul for a miracle that defies system mechanics and is only limited by the narrator of the rp it is used in. It may not be used in a world rp (like a tribulation).
 

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