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Post by Deleted on Jul 31, 2009 6:06:24 GMT -5
Here we are... We'll start by posting our character descriptions. Covered from head to tail in glistening sky blue scales, Cosmo's fierce appearance is complimented by two-foot long horns, numerous spines and large ivory jaws. Set within the hollow ridges of his glistening crown of spikes, Cosmo's liquid blue eyes match the hue of his scales, with large golden pupils that see best in the darkness of night.
Holding only disdain for clothing, knowing that it restricts his agile movements, Cosmo prefers to carry few belongings. Among them, his mother's emerald jewel, the last remaining trinket left to him by her when she died. Cosmo loved his mother deeply, and lost much of his own self when she passed away, but he holds within him a fire kindled by her last words, "Love someone," she had said.
Blessed with a sharp intellect, Cosmo had been sent to his nation's capital to serve the king as a page, as is the custom for many children of nobility. He excelled at his tasks and grew in favour with the king, until he met Wanda, the king's niece, with whom he fell in love.
When the unhappy peoples under the corrupt kingship revolted, Cosmo managed to help Wanda escape unscathed, though she lost all her family in the process. Unwilling to return to his abusive father, Cosmo and Wanda now travel together, seeing refuge where they can.
Sharp and long claws make handling delicate objects difficult for Cosmo, likewise, his skill with weapons is negligible, but he is immensely strong and has the gift of breathing fire, as well as swift and agile flight, though he cannot fly for long periods of time, and struggles to carry any extra weight.
His greatest attribute is his undying, unquestioning loyalty and devotion to Wanda, but also his ability to protect her from harm. He takes pride in this, and can be boastful to opponents and friends alike. He hates it when he is forced to fight and would take most other options over fighting, but once engaged, Cosmo would rather die then back down.
His intellect also allows him to engage in verbal sparring and, given his small-ish stature, is a natural leader, unafraid to speak his mind.
There ya go. Its best if you post your description ASAP and then I can start us off. I think I shall include Wanda in this, but she will take on a fairly minor role. I may post her description later. |
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Post by moonlight on Jul 31, 2009 20:16:16 GMT -5
Izzy
The pale swamp sorceress's hair is onyx black and is worn in scruffy plaits, her eyes are wide and a striking green, her skin, the colour of spearmint, pale and has sparkling tiny scales if you look closely. Izzy wears an emerald amulet on her chest, that hangs on a small silver chain, it glows the same colour as her eyes. She also holds an antique lantern, that shines brightly to lead her way. As for clothing, she wears a dark greenish grey, khaki, top that has one swirl pattern on it. For her legs, she has nor frocks nor skirts, but grey charcoal coloured skinny jeans, with slight rips at the knees. They may not seem it but are very snug and keep her warm in the frosty swamp nights. Over the top of everything, she wears her midnight cloak, coloured with an assortment of blues, but blending nicely. It has a hood that she shadows her eyes with, and the cloak also drapes down over her feet.
Izzy is half human, half draik, so she has small wings, that cannot quite lift her body weight.
Her wings are blue, and have many spiral patterns, they are more light blue and beautiful, but instead of arching over like normal draik wings, they burst outward like the ears, she was deformed at birth. This also makes her ability to fly lessened, but with her amulet, she learnt how to levitate at a max of 3.4m high. Izzy also has a petite, yet long, tail that curves from beneath her cloak.
Izzy used to belong to a small village of draiks, when she wasn't the swamp sorceress. She was teased and unfairly treated after her parents died in her early ages, they suffered from Tetanus, also known as lock-jaw. Izzy was brought up as her parent's only child by her grandmother, Sarda, until she was fifteen, when Sarda announced her swamp sorceress. Her grandmother was the previous swamp sorceress, yet she lived in the village. When Sarda said Izzy was the new swamp sorceress, she passed on two of her most precious items, the amulet, and the lantern. When Sarda removed the magic from herself, she grew sick, and died of old age. But next, Izzy found the midnight cloak, with a note from her parents. She soon learnt her powers well enough and moved into the swamp, with her petpet, Alla, where they truly belonged. She has now spent years there, meandering around, with a quiet life.
Izzy's spiral patterns tattooed on various parts of her body indicate her magical potential, and that her element is water. This also leads to her aqua magic, that includes abilities like healing and reviving. Her element being water, also suggests calmness in her personality, and her being very free and down to earth.
Izzy loves the colour green, it is the colour of her aura, the colour of her magic, and her pendant. Her eyes were blue when she was born but as she grew older they become her true colour, green. She also really likes blue, but it has got to her a bit as she has a blue cloak, blue wings, blue tail, and a tinge of blue in her skin.
Alla, Izzy's petpet, is mute. She was Izzy's first birthday present, from her mother and father. But, Alla and Izzy can communicate, though Alla is mute. They use picture speech, which is an ability only 0.3% of mortals have. They are able to send images to other life forms, in a way of communication. Of course, only that 0.3% can reply, but all can see them. Alla and Izzy use it to speak to each other, and the only way you can obtain that power is to be born with it.
Like a chameleon, Izzy is able to blend in with her current background, her cloak and pendant give her that ability, but she cant do it if she only has one of them. They work together.
Izzy is always carrying her glass antique lantern. It keeps her safe, so she doesn't have to worry about being attacked. She likes to play with people, like puppets, if you're someone she's never met before. To gain her respect and trust, you must not be frightened. Her lantern attracts good spirits and repulses bad ones, as I'm sure I've mentioned before. So every noun and then, when her lantern attracts another soul, she plays a game with people, there is not much entertainment in the swamps. Its almost cruel, but she tests the victim's strengths and weaknesses, and sees if they are brave and trustworthy. For the winners, there is a gift she conjures up, but if they loose, they forget everything that happened and are sent back to their homes.
Izzy also loves to swim, there is a pond (a fresh water one, that is clean) by her hut, and every noun and then she takes a dip. Also, she loves to eat berries and fish.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 31, 2009 21:50:11 GMT -5
((Right, I'll start us off, then, shall I? From now on, anything you say to me that isn't your character talking should go inside double brackets. This is called OoC (out of character) chat and shouldn't be used too much.
I know this post is rather long, but first posts generally are. their aim is to set the scene and introduce characters. The best thing for you to do right now is go a bit further back in time, state what Izzy was doing/thinking beforehand, and then come up with a reason for her to be out wandering the forest at night. Perhaps she was looking for herbs? You may also want to write our characters meeting from her point of view (PoV) and perhaps even a little into the future. Remember, though, you cannot control Wanda or Cosmo, not even just for a little while, nor can I do that with Izzy. Also, have fun with it!))
The crashing waves of fire seared the entire city, consuming it with veracious jaws. The close-knit wooden buildings with dry thatch were easy prey for the raging inferno that swept everything to ruin. The citizens ran screaming in all directions, confused and frightened and not sure where to go or what to do and the distant sound of drums beat loudly in the ears of Cosmo.
The agile Draik darted through the narrow streets, feeling the scorching heat of the fires that were destroying the upper regions of the city where the richer classes had their manors and mansions.
Glancing back, Cosmo caught a glimpse of a crowd gathering outside the main gates of the castle. He saw figures decked in gleaming Armour, resplendent with the crimson banners of their king, standing with a firm defiance against the angry citizens, the poor, the ill and the old. All stood united, enraged to fury against their corrupt monarch and his heartless minions.
A flurry in his heart made Cosmo remember his goal. He darted through a gap in the wooden buildings and clambered up a stone stairwell, his claws clicking sharply each time they struck the cold steps.
At the top, he glided to a wooden door with a huge iron bolt, heaved against it and broke its hinges. He forced his way into a deserted hall and moved swiftly out into a main corridor where he began to tread the familiar path through the myriad passageways and staircases.
From outside the fortress walls, he heard the raging crowd clatter against the gates, their cries of anguish and fury echoing in the stillness of the castle. Cosmo skidded to a halt outside a doorway and he darted into the room.
Pushed against the far wall was a bed in which a pale green Hissi lay, ill and bedridden, and clutching his wing with frightened eyes was Wanda, her wings crumpled against her dark purple scales and her Draik eyes turned to see who it was that had entered her father's sick chamber so abruptly.
"Wanda, we have to..." began Cosmo, but then he stopped when he saw the Hissi. Wanda looked at him pleadingly.
"The others have gone, the king too. I... I couldn't leave him," she whispered in fear, glancing down at her father who dozed in a fitful fever.
"Shush, it will be alright. I've come to take you to safety, there is a path out of the city."
She gulped and looked up at him, "I can't leave him," she breathed, indicating her limp father. Cosmo's soft smile faded into despair. He wasn't strong enough to help the both of them.
A mumble from the Hissi made the two Draiks lean in close. His eyes opened, and Wanda's father reached out a wing to stroke her cheek. He then turned to Cosmo.
"Go."
Wanda's eyes widened in alarm. "No, father..."
"Go," he said again, "take her and go."
The eyes of the Draik met those of the Hissi and a thread of understanding passed between them. Cosmo took Wanda's hand and pulled her away, nodding his love and respect to her father. Wanda realized what he was doing and fought him with all her might, crying out in desperation, reaching for her father. Cosmo kept a firm grip on her and led her out into the corridors and through the castle back down to the arched door frame, divested of its door.
The burst into the street to find it crowded with angry plebes. They saw Cosmo and Wanda and noticed them dressed richly and looking healthy and immediately advanced, their lines of spears like bristling spikes, the heads glinting in the firelight.
In the most horrific scene he had witnessed, Cosmo saw a young citizen with diseased skin thrust his spear at Wanda... He watched as her blood welled up in the wound and cried out in anguish as she gave a little gasp of surprise and crumpled to the ground. Images of pain and suffering flooded his mind, his eyes became unfocused and he could no longer control his own body... The sounds of screams and drums beating and angry voices and more drums... Pounding, filling his mind...
***
He woke with a start, eyes wide and staring, reflecting the peaceful moon above. Cosmo scrabbled at his blanket and sat up abruptly, glancing around. There, sitting across the fire from him, was Wanda, her blanket clutched tight about her thin form and her eyes on his face, frightened.
"I had... I had that dream again," he said into the still night. The trees waved quietly around them, enclosing them in a tight circle, creating a clearing in which the two Draiks had camped for the night.
Wanda moved over to sit by him, putting her arms around him and cradling his head. "Its alright. You got me out, I'm here and I'm safe..." she whispered. Cosmo's tense body slowly relaxed as she reassured him of her safety. He felt ready to try and sleep once more when a slight rustling noise caught his ear.
He sat bolt upright and tried to concentrate.
"What is it?" Wanda whispered, alarmed. Cosmo put a claw up, indicating that she should remain silent while he investigated. He stood up, shrugging off his blankets and moved to gaze intently at the dense forest around them. He bent his head and whispered in Wanda's ear.
"Someone is moving out there..."
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Post by moonlight on Jul 31, 2009 22:47:08 GMT -5
((Okay, here goes nothing, and also, aren't Wanda and Cosmo the names of two TV characters? I think the cartoon is on Nickelodeon?))
Izzy searched through bramble and ferns looking for her darling Alla, Alla had disappeared earlier that day and had not come back, Izzy was worried. A frown grew on Izzy's forehead, and her mouth turned down, Alla, Izzy's petpet, was no where near, and even though it was the full moon, Izzy couldn't see much. She scrambled in the vines, and suddenly sensed a life form close, it must be Alla, she thought.
Izzy stopped, she stood quietly and tried to locate Alla, she gently shut her eyes and beaun her hymns. This should help, she thought, it normally brings out my spirit. After two minutes, she sighed deeply and gave up, I cant find it, she thought, I must carry on. She darted through the woods, dodging trees and roots just made to stub her toes. Her cloak flew out behind her, and with the moon her amulet glowed more green than ever.
Izzy saw a faint light in the distance, and she had a hunch it was in the same direction of the life form. She decided to levitate, to avoid some of those nasty things on the ground, Izzy lifted the amulet from her chest, and held it cupped in her hands, she murmured, "Levitasilious..", and up she lifted, she moved hastily at about 50cm above the ground, toward the light.
Puffing from her hovering, Izzy landed gently on the forest floor, she poked her head through some plants and saw the creature. Creatures. Two Draiks like her were settled there, with a fire as their source of heat and light. Were they from her village? Were they out to get her? She lay back into the bushes, still watching through small gaps in the plants. She inhaled heavily, frightened they would find her. Concentrating, she paused, then picked up her emerald gem from her chest again, and breathed into it, "Cahmou", and she disappeared into the scene behind her, only a very faint outline of her body was visible to mortals. They wouldn't notice.
She waited for Alla.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 1, 2009 1:43:42 GMT -5
((Yes, the Fairly-Odd Parents, if I remember rightly, but they're fun names nonetheless))
The sound faded only moments after it tickled the ears of Cosmo. He stood alert, his muscles taut, his body tingling and his huge eyes glinting in the dim firelight. Every base instinct inside him was screaming at him to flee, but the thought of Wanda kept him still and silent.
What if something happened to her? What if she gets hurt? the possibilities made his heart turn painfully. He couldn't bare to lose her, couldn't live with himself if she got hurt.
He glanced at her, still sitting where she had been, her blanket clutched in nervous claws. Her eyes conveyed a silent warning to him and he understood it to mean caution. He nodded slightly to reassure her and then took one step in the direction from which the rustle had come.
It occurred to him then, that, had the newcomer been an enemy, he or she or... heaven forbid, 'it' would have attacked already, unless they were weak. He decided that words were his best weapon at this point.
"Who is there?"
Silence. He sighed inwardly and tried again, only this time he did his best to keep the aggression out of his voice.
"My name is Cosmo. I... we... mean you no harm."
He waited.
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Post by moonlight on Aug 1, 2009 3:25:40 GMT -5
At the sound of the draik's voice, she perked up, and mentally prepared herself to speak. Not trusting her own voice, she began, "I am Izzy - Swamp sorceress and heir of the midnight cloak", she tried her best to establish herself, to make them afraid.
She got to her feet, still camouflaged but letting them know where she was.
She argued with herself whether to unleash her magic on them, but she was tired and the eerie moon was hiding, her powers were therefore weakened.
They could have a secret weapon too, perhaps abilties even stronger than Izzy's own.
"Why are you in this part of the forest, do you not know what lingers here?", again she tried to frighten them, they shouldn't be on the edge on the swamp, on the edge of HER swamp.
She glared out at their settlement. She was jealous of their happiness.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 1, 2009 3:53:11 GMT -5
The harsh voice, disembodied, rang out into the clearing. Cosmo flinched mentally, but kept his body still. He heard a rustle indicating where the sorceress was, and tried in vain to see even a shadow or some indication of her presence.
The thought of Wanda being hurt gave Cosmo the courage to speak firmly.
"Izzy, sorceress... We were not aware that there was any danger when we made camp here only a few hours ago. We will be happy to move away come the morning... Unless there is unneeded danger?"
The minor hint of a question that followed his firm statement was the only indication of his true feelings. Fear was welling up inside him like a vicious bubble and he was afraid that, the next time he spoke, he wouldn't be able to keep the wavering from his voice.
It was then that Wanda spoke for the first time.
"Sorceress, you are must be great in magics to hide yourself so skillfully and we are at your mercy. Please look kindly upon us. We fled our home in the wake of an uprising only three weeks ago, and have been fugitives of their wrath ever since, finding no place to rest."
Curse Wanda's naivety and trusting nature, she'll get us both killed one day... Maybe today... Cosmo thought furiously as Wanda revealed the truth of their dire situation. They were both weak and starving, weary from their travel and sick of having no place to call their home.
It was true, Wanda had dreamed of a Field of Flowers where they both might live, a wonderful garden of eternal twilight and beautiful fragrant Lillie's, but he had long since given up on finding such a place. He waited with bated breath to see what the sorceress would do or say... Was she a friend or a foe?
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Post by moonlight on Aug 1, 2009 4:09:33 GMT -5
A pang of guilt hit Izzy when she heard Wanda speak, and she was left uncertain of what to say next.
She spoke,
"I do not lie, fellow draiks, there are many dangers where you are camping now. I can keep you safe, but can you show me you are worthy? Unless you would like to stay here, I can direct you somewhere safe."
She could see their helpless expressions, and began to loose touch with herself, she gave in.
She was unsure of herself, she didn't know what else to do. She needed to find Alla, she suddenly realized, her stomach flipped as she worried herself. Could these strangers help her? Had they seen Alla? What if Alla was back at her hut? Izzy tried again to contact Alla, but it was worthless. They were too far apart. Izzy realized there was only one thing to do.
She took a deep breath in, and pulled her cloak hood from over her head, and revealed herself to them. She was visible, vulnerable and exposed. She began to shift out to the two draiks. She watched them carefully, and waited.
Now she truly hoped they meant no harm, the male one, Cosmo, as he called himself, was tall and strong, Izzy, for the first time in her life, was afraid.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 1, 2009 4:46:26 GMT -5
((Remember to keep your post length as long as you can without putting in useless filler. You can describe the stages of thought that led to Izzy deciding to reveal herself, tell me what she's thinking, what she sees through her eyes... I'll give you a while to edit your post if you would like, and then I'll start writing my reply. It'll take me a while, since I'm quite busy.))
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Post by moonlight on Aug 1, 2009 5:27:24 GMT -5
(( I have to work on a persuasive speech for school, needs to be in on monday, so you may be waiting a while ))
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Post by Deleted on Aug 6, 2009 17:57:03 GMT -5
((That edit was great, you really got down to Izzy's base feelings. One thing I would note was your use of her name twice in the first line. Change one of them to 'she' and it's purrrrfect. xD Well, nothing is ever perfect, but you know what I mean. ^_^))
The hint of a threat lingered in the Sorceress' voice as she told them of the danger that lurked within the forest. Then she offered them safety if only they could prove themselves, and once again, threatened to leave them in the darkness.
Despite all her words, the Swamp Sorceress was rather small compared to Cosmo when she finally revealed herself to them. She stepped forward into the firelight exuding confidence, whether faked or no, and waited for their reply.
Cosmo felt a rush of security. She was small and looked to be frail. He could take her if he needed to, and by the looks of her stunted wings, she wouldn't be able to follow them if they decided to take to the skies.
Wanda, on the other hand, gasped when she saw Izzy. Cosmo turned to his lady and watched her eyes as they trailed from Izzy's own, down to the amulet around her neck, glowing with a soft green pulsating light. Wanda gasped again and turned her eyes to Cosmo.
"She really is who she says," she breathed in awe, "the Swamp Sorceress... I didn't think one existed. There have always been stories of her great power, and all of them involve an amulet of that description, as well as..." Wanda's eyes moved to Izzy's claws as they clutched the fabled lantern. Her mouth fell open in awe once more, revealing her ivory teeth.
Cosmo looked from one to the other in confusion. Swamp Sorceress? I've never heard... But even so... he mused to himself, if she really is this sorceress of power, than it is better to be wary.
"Lady Sorceress," he addressed her in proper courtly form, "we do not know of this danger, but if you would aid us, we would be most pleased to repay you in kind with any skills we possess. Would you lead us to a place where we can sleep safely for this night?"
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