Fantasy Pathway - In Character (Dark Fantasy Narrative RPG)

[Euclid Leaf]

Posting Rules:
1) There is no posting length, but please make it legible. Fluff is optional, but appreciated nonetheless. Keep in mind the points below.
- Prioritize describing the nature of your actions in regards to the description provided in the GM post, taking into account shifting events. Such as previous character's actions, and (potentially) additional information on the Discord. The 'current location' description post will be constantly changing, as I try to keep track of individual actions, the changing environment, and recent discoveries. Old areas will be archived in a seperate thead for easy viewing. This is because backtracking and returning to areas will be a feature of this RP. Like a game.
- Providing a character's thoughts that led to them making the decision or choice is a nice touch. Make it feel personal.
- Though speaking to each other needs not follow a turn order (within reason), performing Actions will lock your character for that 'round'. Actions are all things that involve a considerable dedication of a character's focus, attention, and/or time.
2) There is no auto-hitting. I (or co-gm) will determine if characters hit.
3) Your actions will have consequences. I will be fair, but I will not show favoritism in this RP.
4) I reserve the right to remove anyone from this RP if I deem they are not fit for any reason.

Actions and Rounds:
This RP will feature several writing prompts that are designed to keep posting fluid and dynamic.
- The first to make an action will start a round. Once the round is concluded (once all characters can no longer make an Action), the next who acts will start a new round.
- At the end of a round, all outcomes will be determined either publicly in a post, or privately.

Special Rules: During encounters, there will be prompts that will indicated that there is a time limit. This will be represented by a parenthesis and a number within. For example - (1) This will indicate that a surprise event trigger will occur once that amount of rounds have elapsed.

Hopefully, this promotes strategy and proper communication of potential consequences if players do not work together to deal with a problem. These timed events can occur once a character interacts with objects, enters an area, and even as enemy special actions.

Ciele will also provide players with (snarky) hints and clues as to the nature of things as well.

To ensure you have read these rules, you must post a lyric from Ed Sheeran's 'Shape Of You' in the general chat before you can post in this thread. (alternatively, to those too weak minded... Admit that 'owo' is superior to 'uwu'. @ everyone on discord when you do so.)

 

[Euclid Leaf]

Current Location:
- Ciele's Bedchamber -Currently Residing - teen_angst
Kwayzar
Juju
seasonedcat
Heyitsjiwon
Goonfire
kasigi
Siren77

Important Notes: This is where you were stripped of death and placed into a body puppet by the mischievous self-proclaimed 'god' Ciele.

A large crumbling chamber lined to the walls in stone coffins, so large that it takes minutes to navigate from one end to the other. Not even an inch of ground could one walk without potentially tripping over the (presumably) hollow body cases stacked about so unceremoniously. From an initial survey by a few wanderers, there must have been hundreds of the stone caskets, with presumably many more hidden deep in the shadows. The time-shaved stone workings caked by crisp, dried moss clumps suggest this room hasn't been used by an outsider for a very long time. And the stark lack of light sources, save for the moonlight squeezing through the decrepit walls... Is only further proof that this was on purpose.

Discoveries are only highlighted here once they are revealed publicly via a player's post. Otherwise, they will remain hidden and private.

Discovered by Kwayzar - the mass grave of coffins here seem to be for ceremonial purposes, where servants are sent to the afterlife with their old masters. They were able to obtain something from Ciele's guidance, but what such a thing is has yet to be revealed to anyone.
Discovered by teen_angst - With an unfaltering concentration, the pink soulfire pursued the goal to find an exit. Ending up at the far north side of the room, they managed to find what appears to be a passageway that has been blocked off by a layer of collapsed coffins.
Discovered by Juju Peering out from the cracks, they were able to get a view of the desolate landscape outside. From their view, there was something odd outside, and so they thought best to ask others to help them decipher what it was.

Nothing else has been discovered about the room... yet.

 

[Euclid Leaf]

Chapter 00: The Wanderers Awaken.
…

Spoiler

'You there. Yes. You.
Can you understand me...? Oh? You can…!

Splendid. Well, then. May I ask you something?
Not that you have much choice… all things considered.

Hear now. Is there anything more liberating than nothingness?

Nothing to fear.
Nothing to regret.
Nothing to lose.'

…

Hmm. No? You don't think so?
There is something you want...?

What exactly do you mean? Please, tell me…

You are not quite sure… but you can feel something… missing.
Is that so? You see glimpses of things…?
Shreds of little bits here and there...

Hm. Perhaps… Are these memories?

…!

Ah! That struck a chord.

Something is coming back, you say… A sensation that you know you once possessed? The absence of nothing? A something.

Sounds to me like… Touch.

…!

There it is! That glimmer of recognition.

…!

You want to touch and feel again, is that it? You want to remember more of these… precious things you have lost. I see. You wish to be whole. To be alive.
Well, if that's the case… I can grant you such a wish. Though, I don't do favors out of kindness. Nothing is for free.
You will have to do something for me, in return.

...

You will take my deal? Fabulous.
Now, say it. I need to hear it clearly.

Ah…

…

The veil of darkness lifts suddenly, abruptly. You are overwhelmed, dazed by shimmers that pour down from the sky like scorching bright blades. The unbearable haze blossoms in your eyes until you can take no more. You force them shut, returning back to the comfort of darkness once more.

It takes a moment for you to gather your courage to dare peek again.
Slowly, you find it, and peer out.

The shimmering pillars that blinded you were not more than mere slivers, hair strands of pale light. These whiskers pierce through the broken canopy of the small dusty room you are in, illuminating the darkness just enough so that you know you are not in that nothingness you had once been in. You look up at the source of the light to discover…

Strange. Something tells you the moon was not always shattered like that.

You begin to rise up from the naked coffin.

Then, something else catches your eyes.
A frail shadow stands below you. Barely a trail of smoke, hardly even a shape.
Within, a pair of twinkling eyes stare up. Akin to faded stars.

The same voice speaks again, the soft whisper that now blows in your ears.

'How is it, in there? Is it as you remembered? It must be nice to move once more, isn’t it? You are welcome to thank— '

…

'Something feels wrong? It feels sluggish and vile? My word! That is my body, I'll have you know…'

As the shadow announces this, you look down in denial. What was this? This blotted, wrinkled ashe-set skin suit barely clung to the skeletal frame. By all means, it was no worse for wear than a corpse. Surely, this cannot be your body. It isn’t until the emaciated, poor excuse for a hand moved by your command, that the fact sank in.

…!

'What? Of course this isn’t your original form.
Do you even remember what that was? No. Then how am I supposed to know? '

…!

'Ungrateful, now, are we?

I lent it to you, and I can just as easily take it away. You can go back to floating aimlessly around in the fabric of oblivion as soul stew again, if you'd like.

Hmph. That's what I thought. '

…

'I know… this is not the whole of what I promised. I am not what I once was. I can only do so much. Granting passage into my body was the only option. '

…

'Why all this? Because I need you.
And you need me.

I am alive. You were not. You are free. I am not.

You want the rest of it back, yes? These prized memories of yours. Your original body.
… Your old ‘self’?

You were desperate enough to strike a deal with a random voice in your head, after all.
And it worked, did it not? You are closer now than you ever were before. You won’t give it all up now, will you? '

...

'Hehe, Good! Now listen closely.
For you to get the whole of your wish, you have to fulfill my side of the bargain first. So just live with the discomfort, for now. Will you?

…My body may not be what it used to be, clearly. But at least you can now move. Feel and touch, even. As unsatisfying as it all may be. For us both.

Think of this as merely… a temporary accommodation.
Until we both get what we want. '

…

'Finally… An understanding.

I know… Of someone who can help me grant your wish. We need to reach them.
Who, you ask? An old friend. Someone who has suffered for a long time now. I do not wish for them to suffer any longer. '

…

'They will help me grant you a new body. One you can shape into the vision of your old self… or perhaps a new identity entirely. It is up to you. How does that sound? Or would you rather stay in that worn-out, damaged shell?

Didn’t think so. '

…

'Fabulous!
Now, look yonder. There lay our exit. '

The figure then points a shadowy arm to a point beyond the cracked walls of the crumbling atrium. Your eyes cloud into a hazy image overlaying. Out in what appeared to be an overgrown, wilted courtyard lay a distant sunken structure. From the particular shine in the moonlight, it appeared to be a gate. However, the landmark was not alone. Within the courtyard was another remarkable thing.

At the center of the winding uprooted pathways that segmented the overgrowth, lay curled a looming gigantic form. A shuddering can be felt in the ground. Like a heartbeat.

…?!

'You didn't think any of this was going to be easy, did you? '

The shadow then climbs on your shoulder, snickering and swinging its legs like a child being carried by a parent.

'Hehe! It’s been so long since I had company. Since we will be together for some time. My name is Ciele. I will be your guide here… Listen to me well, and we might just come out together in one piece.

Well, let's begin! Oh. And don't forget your manners.'

As you stand there, other similar forms rise from the crumbling coffins scattered about in the shadows. What was once a room of just a single was now a small gathering of… you? They were every bit as sickly and featurelessly humanoid like you. Except did you also have one of those glowing vibrant fireballs as a head too?

'Yes. You do. It's where your soul is gathered.

What? I can read your thoughts, didn't we already establish this? '

…!

'Hey, at least you have one. I don't have a head. Got chopped off, hehe... '

...?

'Oh… you mean, Those? They are me, just like you. No, not you-you. Me-you. Others, like you inside of me..
What? You didn’t think I was going to throw all my eggs in one bird basket, did you? Oh. Well, of course I have multiple bodies to spare.

I am a god, after all. '

(I am sure you've all read this intro bit already, but I will keep it here for smoother narrative flow and accessibility. And in the case there should be a new face.)

Note: Ciele is sitting on an unspecified Wanderer's shoulder. The first character to mention them on their shoulder will designate the current carrier of the spirit

GM Prompt: For all those involved in the intro (presumably everyone), in your character sheet add: A 'Stats' section with the following Attributes;
Strength -
Dexterity -
Spirit -
Endurance -

Add a single point to each of these attributes. For reference: A (1) equates to about below average human level.

Also, add - 'Race: Withered Corpse. '

What to include in your character post:
- A single memory, whether an unforgettable sight, a distinct smell, a special feeling, or a remarkable sound, that prompted you to accept Ciele's deal in the first place. (Add this memory into your character sheet as well.)
- Describe a color for your little 'soulfire head'. (Add to sheet) This can be used as your text color when your character speaks, has (edgy) internal monologues/thoughts, or does an ACTION. The soulfire does not produce any particular heat, but does give off a slight glow. Otherwise, it has the appearance and reaction that a 'normal' flame should.
The rest is up to you. Feel free to include dialogue, actions, as per usual. Remember that you are in the same room with these other soulfired withered corpses.

 

[teen_angst]

It sat on the edge of its stone coffin, staring at its hands. They were malformed, fleshy in all the wrong ways, and exactly the wrong color. The air, cold and crisp and damp, clung and stung its skin. Was this the first thing it had ever felt? Or just the most recent? It had spent so much time dead that it had lost itself entirely, there was no more purpose or strength underneath the skin that did not belong to it. And yet, it was alive still. Why? Why was it alive? Being dead had suited it perfectly fine... it thought. Something Ciele had said struck a chord when it was said, but it had forgotten now. What was it again? An eternity spent dead had caused its mind to fester and drop each idea almost instantly, holding onto nothing for any more than a moment. Right. Alive. Why? Ciele. Ciele's words. What were the words?

Are these memories?

Memories. Yes. It liked memories, it loved memories. It cherished them and lived for them and died for them. But... what were they again?

You want to touch and feel again, is that it? You want to remember more of these… precious things you have lost. I see. You wish to be whole. To be alive.

As the words came back into its mind, a passion started to reignite from embers within its hollow chest. It had died pursuing something that was never finished. Whatever that was had to be finished, even if it died a thousand times trying. Even though the goal had been long since forgotten, its flesh still writhed with the fury and drive needed to bring it to bear.

For perhaps the first time ever, it stood up. It did not know if it had ever stood before, but it did not fall when it tried, so surely it had some practice doing it.

Time to get to work, it supposed, beginning to look around the room. Was there an exit of some kind? Even if it had eternity, there was not a moment to waste. There was a life of memories to uncover and something that desparately needed to be done.

Euclid Leaf

 

[Juju]

To forget warmth also meant to forget cold. Without one to stand as opposite to the other, how could one ever notice the other missing? They came to understand this the moment their fleeting memory faded, like a little spark moments after leaving the flame.

Their face, their arms, their soul, was glazed in a phantom warmth. That is was they recalled, out of every other recollection. It was simple, perhaps, yet all the more beautiful for it. Most importantly it was theirs. Something new, something old, something to cherish.

The memory was both blessing and curse, for when that soothing warmth faded, they were introduced to its fated opposite. Duality at its best. A shiver ran along their bare skin, which as they curled their arms around themself, found to be coarse and emaciated. They ran a bone-thin finger along their shoulder, feeling the joints sticking out beneath drum-tight skin.

Unsightly, perhaps, yet there was also a strange beauty to it. To endure hardship, to stand even when weathered, to rise when nothing but a corpse. It was cold, their bones felt like lead, yet it was proof that they lived. Not ideal, perhaps, yet better than Nothing.

They turned their head, a flame of purple and blue, towards the little shadow on their shoulder.

"Are all gods like you, Ciele?" Their voice was cracked and weak, little more than a whisper. "Are there others like you, as there are others like me? What does it even mean, to be a god..."

 

[Heyitsjiwon]

Memory... what a peculiar thing. For every individual, it was unique. Happiness could be a smell, a sight, a sound, or even a feeling. Within memories, things could always take an odd shape or another. Yet when Ciele mentioned memories, it began to form. It felt some sort of longing... or even hunger. Was it wistful nostalgia?... or perhaps a suffocating regret... It didn't know... but for the briefest moment it wanted something; Even then, Ciele took the feeling back within an instant. Soon it faced an existential question... did it want to feel such an all devouring desire again? Or would it rather blissfully evaporate into the great emptiness? Perhaps, by it's very existence, it had already been infected. Whatever it was longing for, the being was fixated on that thing and one thing only as if it were the only thing that could quench its thirst. "I'll take the deal!" it said as it burst into an explosively golden existence.

It took a while to understand what had happened. It could... feel once more, but this was not what it yearned for. The sluggishness... the fragility... this was not what it sought. Immediately, this being questioned Ciele for it felt slighted and cheated. It could not remember more about why it felt such craving, only the feeling of desire continued to taunt him. It was then that the being noticed the others. It took little for it to be amused by the absurdity of it all.

"A god?" the mortal coil spoke before erupting into a cacophony of coughing laughter. "An almighty God wouldn't feel the fear or anxiety driven need to put their eggs in multiple baskets." it spoke after it stopped laughing. "Regardless Ciele, you're the only one who can tell me more about why I feel this hunger. So, I'll stick with our agreement. So, step one is trying to leave this place, you said?" The being's own situation was tragically comical as well. Here it stood, bound to suffer and toil for something it wanted, but didn't know what it sought. While if the being declined Ciele... it could have continued to float through the vast nothingness without a worry in the world. Slowly, the being rose from its own coffin among the many. There were others... like it, but where not the same. Each seemed to bare a different color of fire where a head should have been. However, this thought soon left the mind of the being as it began to grow curious of the other coffins. Did they all simply contain more shells to inhabit? Or... did some of them perhaps contain something else? The being began to search and examine these coffins.

 

[MysteriousFox]

As their eyes open to the cruel pale light filtering through the ceiling, a stabbing pain seems to pierce at their heart. They sit upright quickly, the breath seemingly driven from their body for several moments as they struggle to breathe. The pain of heartbreak was all too real and it confused them more than anything. After a few seconds, it seemed to fade, although it still throbbed in the back of their mind. It scared them and they found themselves breathing heavily.

They glance at themselves, shocked and disgusted by what they found. They slowly begin to run a finger up and down the strange bumps that seemed to resemble a human but wasn't entirely sure. "What... Am I?" They asked aloud, their voice croaking and dry and ever so quiet. Their eyes slowly searched the room they were in, taking it all in. They were most surprised to find others... Like them, but something was unique on each of them; The flame adorning their heads. They all burned at the same ferocity, but with different colors. Something about that didn't seem right to them, but they pushed it away. Surely this must have been normal, right?

Slowly, it rose from it's coffin, standing on two wobbly legs. It seemed as though it would be able to perform basic actions at least. They were most curious about the other creatures in the room who resembled them so closely. "Can you hear me..?" It called out, it's voice stronger this time. It was curious if the others could speak and think just as it could or if they were nothing but mindless drones, driven to do Ciele's work. Although after the question was asked, it seemed as though the question was obvious. Especially when one of them, their flame the color of gold, erupted into laughter, breaking the gloomy silence of the room.

They can't help but find themselves smiling, amused of the laughter of this other being. It felt good to be alive again. It felt good to be able to feel good. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all...

 

[Euclid Leaf]

This post is merely to move dialogue. All outcomes of actions will be resolved by the end of the round, as per usual. Feel free to skip this post, if you are not mentioned. But as this is a public post, all characters present will have heard what is being said.

Mentions: Juju Heyitsjiwon
Ciele's voice returned, almost mirroring the softness of the indigo and azure blended flamehead. Their twinkling pale eyes suddenly taking a deep red tone. Juju

"Hehe... Are they like me? Hm. Are you like all your friends? Look around you. Even if you share the same body, there is a distinction. Is there not? And I don't mean just the color." the shadow then disappeared and reappeared, swapping to their other shoulder. Ciele then put their head on a wispy smoke 'hand' with a disgruntled huff. "No. My... kin, and I. We are not the same... Some can only destroy, while others can only create. We never agreed on which is which, however."

The shadow snapped its head when the orange flamed wanderer made their appearance, Heyitsjiwon , letting off a quiet snicker. "Oh? We have a hearty one, don't we?"

With a hop, it vanished again, dropping out of thin air upon the shoulder of the 'hearty' grave-digger, "It's bad to disturb the dead, you know... Don't say I didn't warn you..."
Hoping to toy with them a bit, revenge for sarcastic tone they displayed, the spirit pointed to a coffin in the corner of the room they knew to be empty. "There is loot in that one! Go, go...!"

...

 

[Kwayzar]

It stood hunched over the coffin It once lied within, the inside only illuminated by the mint flame that resides in place of a head. A sickening the noise constantly rings throughout this flame, indisputably that ear-splitting noise was that of a man, one that was yelling. The tone of the man suggested....it sugges-... just what did it suggest? Anger.... it suggested the man was Angry, but it couldn't understand a word the man screamed, it knew neither the context, the situation, or why the man was angry... but... he wanted to know why.

The noise got louder as it slowly fell to Its knees, the clack of its legs hitting the ground spread through its entire lower half. It shot its bony hands.... no this corpse's rotten fingers to where this ears would've once been to try and stop the noise, but the corpse's hands simply ran through the flame striking one another.

Under it's breath it pleaded, "Ple-Please... Stop... Stop it!"

And as if the noise was never there to begin with it disappeared. The mint flame atop its head rapidly fluttered and flickered as if it was taking small, rapid breaths. It finally calmed down... it was in a better state of mind now. It struggled to bring itself off from the cold stone floor, this mangled corpse that couldn't weigh more than 80 lbs sopping wet, felt as if it weighed hundreds of pounds heavier.

A voice that was diffrent from Cecile's and it's own rung out strongly, "Can you hear me..?"

Clinging to the coffin and pulling itself up, its weak voice creeps put from the flame, "ye-yes, I can hear you, an-and I'm sure the others can aswell.... s-so please keep it down."

Then came the explosion of laughter from the corpse with a golden flame... it made it jump... it doesn't like what it feels, it simply doesn't understand it. The soothing, soft voice of Cecile drew its attention in, but the way they spoke felt... off... it contradicted its voice. Nothing good could come of entertaining this supposed God... but mabye humoring at this very moment could prove... beneficial. It limped over the various caskets until it was at the one Cecile had pointed out, pondering its options it decided to wait for another one of the corpses to make their way over.

INTERACTION : MysteriousFox

 

[kasigi]

For most, death was an eternal slumber. Describing it as an absence of existence wouldn't be entirely correct; one's soul has simply passed on, drifting across reality as a dormant consciousness while time evaporated. After all, if you cannot perceive time, how can you be expected to experience its passage? When faced with the sweet release of the void, the hourglass that held grains of sand shrank until implosion. This hourglass, however, expanded once more as a voice spoke to the soul. It was as if it was reminded of reality. This awareness was something long forgotten, yet cherished so deeply once it was reclaimed; thus, a deal was struck without any hesitation from the consciousness. It would do anything to continue to feel. To exist.

Before awakening upon the cold stone, a memory trickled in. Was it their own? It must be. Why did they feel such anger, such lust for revenge? The emotions were fleeting, yet there was no mistake. They had overwhelmed the soul, as brief as they were, igniting a flame that flickered just as quickly as it had appeared. They must have been wronged, but did it matter anymore? Perhaps their detachment stemmed from a lack of context. Until they were whole, could they truly understand their own memories? It was hard to say if they were even the same person.

The consciousness found its hand outstretched, reaching for nothing but the sky. It paid no mind to its ghastly form, as the gift of life was more than enough to satisfy it. The wiry mass of flesh and flame rose from its deathbed, its "eyes" scanning the immediate surroundings. Knowing only darkness for so long, one found themselves to be stung by the light. The warmth it provided, however, was enough to subdue the pain.

There were others. All gangly flesh-puppets, yet their individual flames each claimed a distinguishing shade. Were they all met with similar situations? It watched as Ciele hopped between the shoulders of two of the other flames, whistling words of both mischief and wisdom. As it heard others speak, it was reminded that it had a voice of its own. Even with the time that had passed, it could still communicate without issue.

"Ciele... We have much to do, don't we?" How eager they were. They didn't try to hide it, either.

Euclid Leaf

 

[Goonfire]

It's funny, how memory lingers over eternities—an ounce of sensory information drifting across oceans of time, only to run aground on the brink of recollection. A peculiar feeling had washed over the corpse’s skin, like water. It instinctively reached to feel its damp skin and examine the liquid, only to be sorely disappointed. It wasn’t wet—quite the opposite, in fact. Its frail form was coated in parched, papery flesh and housed in a dusty coffin. Perhaps if it accepted the proposal this ‘god’ had offered, it could feel that strangely alluring sensation once more.

“I’ll... take... it,” the rising corpse resolved in its hoarse voice, its gaseous head igniting in a cyan hue. While listening to the conversations, it silently drifted around the room in search of a way out. Would it even recognize an exit if it saw one? Its hand passed over the lush moss on the walls. What a delightful feeling, compared to its own shriveled husk.

“I think we have much to do,” the cyan-headed creature echoed, focusing in on the last statement spoken. “Would the first goal be finding a way out? There has to be more to this than a single... uh...” It motioned with its hands to the entire room. It couldn’t even recall the basest architectural terms.

kasigi Euclid Leaf

 

[Juju]

'Ah, of course there must be other gods', they thought as Ciele disappeared from their shoulder only to reappear on a pair belonging to the golden one. It was almost hard to believe Ciele to be a god, considering how childish and mischievous they behaved. The husk of twilight flame couldn't help but chuckle, soft and polite, as Ciele tried to point the golden one towards an empty coffin.

'Hmm. A little trickster...', they mused, though fondly. It was only harmless fun, something that brought a little light to the otherwise dismal chamber. Come to think of it, Ciele had mentioned they lacked freedom. Could Ciele have been forced to stay here, perhaps by those other gods? While it may be tempting to jump to conclusions, they reserved their judgment. Like warmth and cold, the duality of right and wrong existed in a liminal.

For the first time, they took a good look at their surroundings. The room's age and neglect were apparent, only further embellished by the stacks of corpses littering the ground. It was difficult to make out further details, as the only light came from cracks in the walls and ceiling. It was this that took their interest. They walked closer to the nearest sliver of light, trying their best to avoid stepping on corpses along the way, and peered through one of these cracks.

As they examined the environment beyond these walls, they took note of the broken moon. They muttered softly to it, as if they stumbled upon a wounded creature, "What happened to you?"

 

[Heyitsjiwon]

"The dead? Well, you know what they say. After enough time, it's considered archaeology." The Golden being replied to Ciele with a chuckle of its own. "More importantly, that's what I'm here for, to re-discover and to obtain more of that sweet forbidden fruit of knowledge. I've already been cast from paradise for taking a bite so to speak. What good would some gold coins or random valuables do for me anyways?" The being said while looking down at its withered arms and decrepit body and then up at the ruins that surrounded them all. Besides, how were all these coffins brought here in the first place? Why are they all here? So many questions, so little answers." The Golden Being rebutted the self proclaimed God as it continued to examine the coffins.

It was soon after that the Golden being noticed more residents of the coffins had risen with various colored flames above their heads. It seemed some of them were attempting to discern an exit or find the way out of this odd... crypt of sorts. Though, the Golden Being couldn't help but wonder if the building was in such a battered state that if all these withered beings could just lift a coffin together and use it to punch a hole through the wall to let them out. "Maybe we can break our way out through the walls using an empty coffin?" The Golden Being suggested to anyone who cared to listen before it went back to studying and searching these coffins.

 

[Kwayzar]

Keeping itself up right by clinging to the cracked wall causing a heavy layer of dust to sink to the floor, this place... this crypt... it doesn't seem to have been well maintained. Its mint flame fluttered about as it slowly makes its way towards the "coffin", glancing here and there around the crypt it recognized what the other flame-headed corpses were up to... skimming the walls wasn't a terrible idea.

Then came that booming voice again... the one from the Golden flame, "Maybe we can break our way out through the walls using an empty coffin?" It honestly wasn't a terrible idea... mabye it could work, then again looking at the state of this building they were in....

It... The Mint corpse piped up, " I- I Don't think that would be a go-good idea," gesturing one of its bony hands across the room, "See-Seeing how decrpetic this room is, we might just co-collapse it on ourselves..." j It felt....nervous after what it had just said... it shakes its head and keeps a "ear" open for anymore conversations that might pop up while it continues to make its way to the coffin.

INTERACTION : Heyitsjiwon

 

[seasonedcat]

It had been so alone. Wherever it was all that it could process was that it was alone there. Then, there was something, someone. It couldn't help but desperately try to get close to it. To be with someone else, no matter what it cost. It did not care for the body really, nor the second chance of life, it was too busy want to keep them here with it. It didn't hesitate to agree with them, would they stay with it if it agreed?

The memory filled them with a coldness that reached to its very core. Not an ounce of it stayed warm. All they knew was the cold. Frost filled its veins, lungs full of ice, all it was was cold. Then, it was alone again. It felt the loneliness as it entered the body. It reacted quickly, shooting up and seeing. It's body felt beyond stiff, as if the frost from the memory(or could it have had a dream...?) still resided in it.

It then saw that there were others, and all it's panic washed away. It wasn't alone anymore, but now that the panic left it's thoughts, it began to notice how hot it was. Discomfort washed over it from the sheer difference from the cold to the heat. It's stiff body moved up, standing as if it had done it many times before. It didn't really know what to do or how it could help. It had been chosen by Ciele, but it knew nothing of why.

Without much thought, it shuffled closer to the first creature it could see. Maybe it was the unique colours that made its gaze see them first, either way it moved towards them without thinking much. A mix of blue and purple shone on its skin as it became extremely close to them, and without thinking if it would be okay, it reached out and grasped their arm. It then realized it's mistake, "I-uh-sorry-" it squeaked out, removing its hand but not being able to bear moving away. It's own light shuddered on their skin from the closeness, the two shades mixing together as it desperately hoped to not be pushed away.
interactions Juju |

 

[Euclid Leaf]

Ciele tilted its head from its perch on the golden one.
You cannot see a smile, but surely there was a grin hidden somewhere in the shuddering black shadow.

"Of course! Only you can escape. Not me." Goonfire
The blackspirit gazed at the quiet one searching at the side, teen_angst "This one seems to get it... Maybe too much? Enjoy these quiet moments... while you still can, hehe.."

Heyitsjiwon
"Is that your reasoning? You think death is the final end of someone. So you are allowed to take from them? Hehe... Yet you are back." the shadow poked its head close to the golden flame, as though looking them in the face, "Thirsty... for knowledge, this is what you claim. I know the feeling of starving. Yes, I understand your hunger..."

On the mention of the nature of the place they are in, Ciele snickered as though recalling a funny joke, "If you want answers... Here is not the place."

Ciele now hovered over the Mint-flamed one trying to poach coffins from the golden hot-head, whispering to them Kwayzar "Pssst. I like you. A bit of a little duckling... but you've got a head there on your shoulders! Hehe..."
The spirit then pointed to a place in the room where no one has yet looked. Ciele appears to have told a secret.

GM NOTE: The current round has now finished. All results of actions will be revealed to the respective players.

 

[Kwayzar]

As it crept closer to the coffin that Cecile had pointed out from the sea of caskets poorly placed on the floor of this crypt, it noticed what made this coffin unique form the others. The intricate stone carving scrawled along the sides, dragging its fingers along the indents of the stone... it can tell a lot of care was put into making this coffin. It traces its skeletal fingers up the side digging them between the lip of the lid, struggling to lift it up even a bit. With some time and energy wasted it had gotten the lid in a postion where it could push it aside enough to peer inside, readying itself to see something disgusting... the Mint-Flamed corpse pushes the lid out of the way.

Mixture of its flame and the moonlight illuminates the newly opened cassket to reveal... a rotting corpse... not that this surprised it... but what confused it was it felt no disgust from seeing this corpse, discomfort sure.... but no disgust. Reeling back from its confusion it notices the tattered garb the corpse wears, it's some mangled dress that looks as if it could've looked quite fine in the past. This corpse belongs to that of woman... and a noble one from the looks of it, it trailed its vision up the torn dress locking eyes on a peculiar peice of jewelry.

A questioning voice is projected form the Mint-Flame, "that's.... ra-rather odd."

A metallic-crested medallion hung from her neck... what made this odd to it was that aside from being caked in dust, the medallion was rather spotless as if new... what made it like this. It couldn't take its eyes off the medallion and slowly made its hand towards it removing it from the lady's neck, "I-Im dearly sorry, please r-rest in peac-peace."

As soon as the medallion left the lady's neck Cecile appeared hovering Overtop of its flame, speaking with its ever so twist tone once again... this time Cecile had spoke of what it had found... what the supposed God had said was quite interesting to say the least, it may be in its best interest to speak with the others about what Cecile said. It decided to tightly wrap the medallion around its bony wrist, but Its attention snapped back to Cecile when they spoke louder than they had a moment ago, "Pssst. I like you. A bit of a little duckling... but you've got a head there on your shoulders! Hehe..."

They way Cecile spoke made it uncomfortable... though it would say the compliment of sorts was indeed pleasant,
"Uh-uhh... tha-thank you?"

As mabye another peice of goodwill Cecile pointed towards an area of the room it was sure none of the others had been towards yet... though it does seem like the others took sight of this as well, it understood what Cecile had pointed out... but it didn't like the implications of it when adding in what Cecile had told it about in regards to the Medallion. The situation puts it in a postion where all it can do is trust Cecile... atlease for the moment.

Turning around to make visual contact with the rest of the Flame-headed individuals, its Mint-Flame swirls as it implores them, " H-Hi... I'm sure yo-you all saw Cecile point o-ver there," it points in the same area that Cecile had pointed to, " So wh-wha-what I'm asking is.... is if on-one of you could join me in inves-investigating it... please a-and thank you."

 

[Heyitsjiwon]

The Golden Being had been through quite a few coffins. Some were empty, other contained additional bodies like its own, but without a colored flame. There were little to no markings on the coffins he saw. No indication of status at all among all the coffins. "Frankly, its hard to say who I really am or to say how much of my own self even exists. After all, we all exist thanks to your whims. Are we even living?" The Golden Being replied to Ciele' comment about property. "Besides, if I were to die again... I would hope that my belongings will continue to be used to help others. Can't bring riches or wealth to the other side anyways... not that you would even want anything in the void anyways."

However, the Golden Being suddenly found something peculiar; several rusted coins seemed to rest among a few of the coffins for ehatever reason. The Golden Being chuckled at the coincidence of finding some "gold" coins. What use did they have for an existence like itself? Money seemed to mean little here. However, that still didn't mean the coins couldn't be a source of information thenselves. The Golden Being began to examine the coins it discovered to try and find some texts or symbols printed onto the rusty coins. Hell, were they even gold coins like the Golden Being mentioned before? The Golden Being secretly began to hope... perhaps even pray that it would be able to understand if there were texts on the coins. It was then that the Golden Being heard the Mint colored flame speak about a corner that Ciele pointed out for it. The Golden Being spoke "Give me a moment and I'll help you take a look." as it tried to study the coins closely to try and learn from them.

 

[Juju]

It took a bit of searching, but eventually they found a fracture in the wall big enough for a clear view of the outside. Compared to the nothingness they had previously faced, Ciele's Bedchamber had seemed enormous. Now that they could see past the walls, they realized just how small they really were. A long journey lay ahead, and judging by the dread they felt, it would not be an easy one.

As they tried to make out more detail of the road ahead, something touched their arm. The twilight flame tilted away from the beam of moonlight, turning around to find a husk behind them. This one's flame was the colour of cloud and snow, a cold colour. They fought back another shiver as they were reminded of the coolness in their bones.

Although they lacked a face, the pale flame's body was more than enough to express what was not spoken. They stood too close, as if to cower in their shadow, with their shoulders tense. Their voice was unsure and strained. It gave the impression of one who was lost. Deep within their sunken chest, the twilight flame felt a tightness. This was another soul, who just as they did, was fighting to survive for the sake of a lost memory. Perhaps it was made obvious with their identical forms, but they were reminded that this journey was not to be made alone.

What was this sensation called? To see oneself in another? Ah yes, empathy. Who they were or had been was still a mystery, but this felt familiar. It felt right. It was delicate, yes, but oddly powerful.

"There's no need to apologize, you did nothing wrong." they said softly. They stepped away from the wall to give the pale flame their full attention and extended their bony, withered hand. "If you feel afraid, take my hand. Don't worry, I won't mind. I promise."

They held the pale flame's hand, which although was just as cold as the surroundings, made them feel a swelling of a different warmth in their chest. It didn't do much about the shivers on their skin, but it was wholesome in its own way. "Lost souls like us should stay together..."

They couldn't help but look around at the others, those kindred souls. They watched how they explored their surroundings in different directions. Each of them had an intense will, one that could do great things if only they could be united.

With a great amount of effort, the soft-spoken corpse raised their voice. There was no commanding tone, in fact it was somehow as calm as ever, yet loud enough that they could be heard by the others around them. "Excuse me, my friends, but perhaps we should combine our efforts? I have glimpsed the outside... it is just as bleak as this chamber. I'm afraid that no matter what path we take, it will be long and perhaps dangerous, but if we work together, it may be possible to face even great odds."

They waved politely to the Gold and Mint flames. "Let us know if you discover anything. In the meantime, have any of you found a means of leaving this chamber? Sadly, the walls are too thick to break, even if we were double in number. We will need to find another way."

After a pause, they pointed to the crack in which they had just looked out of. "You can see the outside through this crack, as I did. Come, take a look if you wish. There seems to be a wasteland with little pathways, and a towering structure, but I cannot tell exactly what it is. Perhaps one of you may have better vision than I? There was also... a small light. Perhaps my imagination, but it almost looked to be moving. There was so little that I could see..."

 

[kasigi]

It appeared that all of the flames were starting to put their heads together. Despite their differences, they were all facing the same predicament. Examining the coffins was an obvious choice, as already covered by the Golden and Mint flames. In the ideal scenario, they would end up finding a hidden panel or switch that would allow their departure from the crumbling cage of a room; however, something was telling Sanguine that the actual solution would be considerably more.. obnoxious, to piece together.

The cyan-flamed being's speculation seemed to be correct. Getting out was the only option at the moment, even if there were steps in-between. The question was: how? "Well, pondering our options will get us nowhere. Let us act."

The humanoid creature possessing a dark, red flame as a head finally began to shift its limbs. The feeling of the cold stone between each step invigorated the red flame, pushing it onward as they continued to grow more accustomed to their surroundings. There was much to be done, indeed.

Thus far, potential solutions had already been brainstormed, though no success was to be found. A potential breakthrough was brought to light be Cielle, however, as the Mint flame asked for assistance in regards to the information they were told. With the other coffin-dwelling wisp voicing their own desire to assist, Sanguine found themselves approaching both the Pale and Purple-Bluish flames, the latter of which had peered to the world beyond confinement. Admittedly, the red-flamed corpse was curious.

As it approached, interaction between the two flames chord within red. As the decrepit hands joined to provide comfort, a wave of both confusion and warmth washed over Sanguine. Such sincere kindness had long been forgotten by the newly awakened soul, akin to a fresh-born as it absorbed and attempted to comprehend emotions it otherwise hadn't felt in ages.

"It looks like using our physicality to get out of here is off the table. Luckily, that narrows it down to only a few possibilities." They spoke with a smooth, mellow tone. Curling one of their arms to examine their form, the reasons for their dismay were obvious. Feeble and broken, the bodies of the flames were in no condition to do anything more than haul or push a few pounds. "We're not in any condition to tear this place down, even if we wanted to. Let alone use one of the coffins. That said, I can't help but wonder if pushing a few of them might reveal a passageway. Wishful thinking, of course." Reaching the crack, Sanguine had was dead-set on peeking "Excuse me. I'll try my luck with the outside, if you don't mind?"

While Sanguine had gotten a taste of the moonlight courtesy of the lunar god-rays that pierced the ruptured walls of the foundation, they found themselves engulfed as they peered to what lied beyond their cage. They were quick to adjust, focusing their visions after they had reeled back from the sensory overexertion. "Unfortunately, I can't promise my vision will be any better.." The red-flamed one spoke, though their tone was hushed. What the Twilight flame had described corresponded with what Sanguine was observing outside, their vision tracing the towering structure up to where the theoretical peak was. The most peculiar detail that caught Sanguine's attention, however, was the mention of the small light. Unrelated to the luminescence of the moon, a light like that would surely be a point of interest, no?. Tunneling their focus onto the aforementioned light, Sanguine attempted to make out other potential details otherwise unmentioned or unnoticed by the Twilight flame. "I do wonder.. If it's moving, is it approaching us? I suppose that'll be what decides its significance."

 

[Siren77]

Truthfully it was quite nice, the feeling of nothing. No fears to bind you. No regrets to define you. No possessions to be lost from you. Truly a state of nonexistence was the least stress you could have, for weight in any form could have no tangibility.

‘No thank you. I think I would rather stay here, and sleep. Perhaps in another lifetime I will dare to venture beyond the Void. But today, I wish only to rest.’

Despite its declination, the voice continued to chime.

‘No? You don’t think so? You are not quite sure… but you can feel something is… missing.’

Something was missing. It could not be natural for one to stay in the dark. Resenting the light, whatever that may be. Remaining stagnant and idle did not make sense as normal, yet it was so alluring. As was the desire for something potentially better than this. It was perceived as easy, yet was there more to life than dwelling in the dark? Something more rewarding.

And there it was. A sensation that crushed at their chest. A burning passion that was indescribable yet all too familiar. Hope. Hope to see better days. Hope to see…. To see……

And then it was gone. And the burden of hesitance returned.

In that instance some semblance of weight returned. The burden of a pursuit in improvement had made itself known, contrasting the weightless state of nothingness. It did not like it…. And yet it did.

She spoke of feeling again, of being whole. Of experiencing more of what she labeled as memories. She said she could grant it that wish, if it were willing, but only at its own unknown price. The time came to choose.

Stay. Or go.

‘No……. I…… I don’t want to…. I mean, I do! But I can’t….. but I should, shouldn’t I? Yes! Yes I will go with you, I will……’

Before it’s thoughts could rally further, it felt itself be pulled from the darkness, and the weight of sentience crash upon itself once more.
——

And then it was here. A living corpse just shy of a mere skeleton. The inherent Goddess would leave it with words of encouragement, before departing. And that is when it heard it. Others. Other voices that spoke in different tones and energy. It could hear them, and now so suddenly it did not want to. It’s hesitance, it’s uncertainty. It had led it to make a hasty decision, which in turn brought it here.

And now it wanted to go back.

As it stared at the shattered moon on the sky, the withered figure dared not rise nor even move. It merely watched. Observed. And listened. It paid no mind to their words, or what they wished. It only heard them, but did not listen. It did not want to listen. It did not want to be here.

So it would remain in place, until it was taken back. Back to the land of weightlessness. To the place where no burdens lie.

It dared to roll over, if only to face the wall of the coffin and drown out the senses of its eyes. It could not drown out the noises, and was forced to hear. But it would ignore, no matter how excited or intricate the voices became.

Curled up, filled with regret and fear. It would ignore.
||Interactions: Euclid Leaf ||

 

[teen_angst]

Inspired, It travelled across the edges of the room, tracing the walls with the disfigured, rotting flesh of its hands. The corpse it inhabited would not be able to finish what needed to be done; it would take care of that later. It did not stop to consider if it could take care of that; the task was simply added onto the mental pile. With any luck, it would not be crushed under the weight of its tasks, as it was in life. The list was now:

• Find an exit from the room
• Learn what needed to be done
• Recover its memories
• Learn more about Ciele and their nature
• Obtain a suitable form
• Figure out where the background noise was coming from

After several minutes of staring intensely at the walls, pacing by them with an unwavering, resolute steadfastness, it suddenly stopped. Something was different about this wall. The wall was cracked, and coffins piled over each other against the wall. It stepped closer, loose rocks digging into the flesh of its corpse's feet, and as it drew closer a passageway became clearly visible before it. Ironically, It ended up standing idly by. When it came time to actually do something, it stood still, likely as it did in life. After several moments of silence, and the realization that it would not be able to move these alone, it turned to look at Ciele.

As it did so, it took in the seven others in the room for the first time. It came to realize after several more moments that the noise in the background was simply their voices bouncing around the room. And just like that, two tasks had been eliminated from the pile. The new list was as follows:

• Exit the room (getting assistance if necessary)
• etc
• Figure out where the background noise was coming from
• Find an exit from the room

It was filled with a sense of pride. It saw them as only small accomplishments, yes, but also as necessary steps towards the ultimate goal. And now, to get help moving the coffins. Get help. To do that, it would need to speak. Easy. It stood there, enthusiastically gesturing- vaguely- with its corpse's arms, while trying to use vocal cords that were not there. After a moment, it realized no sound was forthcoming. If it had eyes, it would have squinted them in frustration.

• Learn how to speak
• Exit the room
• etc

For now, it would have to make do with signs. It picked up several stones, flinging them at the others- not to hit them, but if it did, oh well. The ends certainly justified the means. It then extended one of its corpse's arms enthusiastically towards the wall, leaving its arm up, pointing at the passageway. Surely, they would understand.

Siren77 Euclid Leaf kasigi Juju Kwayzar Heyitsjiwon seasonedcat Goonfire

 

[Euclid Leaf]

Post Type: Dialogue

Ciele's twinkling eyes narrowed into a grin, as the shadow watched them interact. Just as lost as little children. But curious and sharp witted, some, nonetheless. There is still hope yet.

"Count your coins! But count them over and over for eternity, if we remain here! There is no bounty like freedom, hehe..." Heyitsjiwon Kwayzar

After they gave Minty their guidance, the shadow disappeared from their shoulder in a puff. The trail flowed back to the center of the copious coffin room where they had all awoken. Ciele noticed that one of them had yet to move, to do anything at all. Inaction, this is what this one chose to do with their new opportunity. The shadow pivoted and swirled, appearing now at the edge of the coffin. The child-like form crouched and leaning over as it looked at living corpse. Siren77

"Gloomy one..." Ciele whispered, "You look not unlike the corpses here... But you are alive! The fire burns for you! Don't let it go to waste."
The small child-size shadow pointed to the pairs and groups off to the side of the room, Juju seasonedcat kasigi "Don't they look so brilliant? Even in such a sad state, they find a way to shine...! But I wonder if there are too many eyes on one spot. By looking too far, they might miss something nearby, hehe..."

Just as the shadow said this, a rock flung over towards them. They giggled as another passed through its chest and rolled off into the darkness.

"Won't you look at that?" Ciele said, teen_angst looking over at the quiet one tossing stones across the room, "Actions over words. I like this, very much! They understand. Maybe you can learn something from that one. Beats getting hit with rocks, don't you think?"

...

GM Notes: I have revealed information to certain people, but otherwise, there are no actions which have created new revelations to be made public. After the last people have posted, feel free to continue with the information provided in the -Current Locations- post and go about as though a new round has started.

 

[Goonfire]

The corpse topped with cyan flames scrutinized the others’ activities, conversations, and hints carefully. What jumped out at it was the prior mention of freedom. “Are you trapped here, then? Forever and ever?” it prodded Ciele before a rock wizzed past. A blocked passageway provoked a breathy “Huh”. It then shambled stiffly into the new area, gladly spearheading the attempt to clear the way. However, its efforts were fruitless alone.

 

[seasonedcat]

the pale flame didn't hesitate to take the offered hand from it's newfound friend, scooting as close as they could to them without being in their way. As another friend grew close the flame seemed to beam in happiness, there were so many of them and it made it feel warm inside on top of the uncomfortable heat that was always present due to the climate around it. It shuffled out of the way to make room for the new friend, and instead took to playing with it's intertwined fingers.

as it did so it couldn't help but look around it's feet as well as the wall they were near, it found itself very calm despite the situation that they were all in. It was more than happy to simply spend time with its new found friends, even though it hadn't even conversed with any but the two near it, one of them it couldn't even call a conversation as it didn't say anything, it then thought for a moment before speaking, "Do any of us remember a name or some form of title?" it pondered out loud, speaking loud enough for anyone who bothered to hear.