Dominion's War

by **Zazul** 1/17/2019, 12:34 am

Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to yet another NewGen original! The Minds of Zazul, Phirania, and RkRobot are proud to present....

DOMINION'S WAR!

Rules:

Within Dominion's War's setting, the world/planet called Karma, there are three main factions to choose from: the Gods, The Mortals, and the Devils.

Gods:

Devils:

Mortals:

The World of Karma:

Prologue: And So The Wheel Of Karma Begins To Turn....

In the beginning, there was The Heart. A powerful artifact, capable of focusing all the world's prosperity and fortune, and deflecting all its harm and misfortune away. So powerful was its boon, that it was said "He Who Held The Heart Held The World". And so, as all great powers draw, it was not long before conflict arose...the Ancient Gods, clad in scales of shining jewels and horns of iron crystal came forth to claim the Heart, and with it, what they viewed as their natural birthright: Complete dominion of the world. However, these mighty Dragons had one natural enemy...The Ancient Devils. Monstrous, ghastly, cruel, and bloodthirsty, these ash-skinned horrors came forth, believing themselves the apex predators of the world, and therefore the rightful owners of the Heart. A great war broke out, known only as the "War of Dominon", in which the Heart was stolen by an unseen force. The Ancient Gods and Ancient Devils fought each other to near-extinction, the bloody war resulting in only seven Ancient Gods surviving and the Ancient Devils being thrown from the edge of the world, down to the Planes of Hell below.
The centuries past, and in the Mortal Plane, various creatures were gaining Intelligence and the ability to build Civilizations. Eventually the seven Ancient Gods created a new generation of Gods, ones with less Draconian traits, to carry out their will while they remained in the Land of the Gods, attempting to divine the Heart's location through their own, ancient means. Meanwhile, the Ancient Devils had all but devolved into a race not unlike the very Mortals they once hunted for food. Mortal Kingdoms rose and fell, all while the Gods used the Mortals as slaves to mine resources and produce food and services for themselves. Eventually, several Mortal Kingdoms began to rise up, with some declaring open rebellion. A new, chaotic age of war was about to unfold, and in the center of it...a small, beating pulse can be heard, as the wheels of the world of Karma begin to turn. Welcome...to Dominion's War.

by **Zazul** 1/28/2019, 9:35 am

Chapter 1: Graced by Heaven, Scorched by Hell, Stolen by Corruption

~The Mortal Plane, the western Kingdom of Telemon~

Within the great Industrial Kingdom of Telemon sat a massive city of steel wheels and smoke stacks, of trade and production. Akval, City of Wheels. Spanning a stretch of six miles in all four directions, the city was one of the largest Mortal civilizations in the world, and supported one of the most booming economies on the whole of the Mortal Plane. Having been built on the site of a massive oil deposit, the town's very lifeblood was the oil beneath it and the coal in the mountains a few miles to the north. It was a town of soot and production, and like all cities within Telemon, from the small mining villages to the massive Capital by the ocean, it had a very hard, neutral stance in the wars going on in the world today.

Raging rivers of traders and travelers streamed into and out of the city through its massive iron gates, the whole wall surrounding the city being made entirely metal, reinforced with a stone foundation and core that made it capable of withstanding even the fury of an army of Gods! Even the Devil Hordes thought twice before invading such a massive and powerful city. Not to mention, Akval's standing army had begun incorporating the use of a new substance developed in the Capital, called "black powder", into their weaponry. It appeared to harness the power of destruction itself, and could bring even stone down with an explosion of force and heat! With it, they were more than a match for most threats.

Within the city, however, there were other dangers. Street gangs, cutthroats, muggers, to name only a few of the obvious ones. A few Devil Hordes even called the city their home, mostly sticking to the deepest parts of the slums. However, there were also quite a few Gods who resided there as well, both those who supported the God's Rule, and those who did not. However, telling the Gods, Devils, and Half-Breeds apart was something anyone could do. "Blue is the hue, for the Gods divine. Yellow, like rot, may the Devils be forgot. Purple like silk, the Half-God's ilk, Red like flame, Half-Devils and shame." That was how the old rhymes went, told to children so they could tell if someone was Mortal or not by their eyes. So here, in this melting pot, does our story begin....

by **Star Phoenix** 2/12/2019, 8:36 pm

"Of all the damned places to be...!" A blonde youth stomps through the dirt-covered streets, his hands firmly wedged in his pants pockets. Hunched slightly, he wears a scowl on his face as he passes a colorful variety of pedestrians, partly hoping his sour mood would make them less inclined to give him friendly waves and greetings. And he swore he'd lose it if another street merchant tried to charm his way into his wallet -- He'd already bought several items without knowing it from this damned place. Who'd actually need an Isgalian letter-opener, anyway? Quite literally some of the worst craftsmanship this side of Karma. Yet in the kingdom of Telamon, every merchant was as silver-tongued as the coin they conspired to pilfer from the unsuspecting. In its own way, the war waged over one's coinpurse was more lethal than any battlefield.

And Albrave Vernithier had business to attend to.

He pauses briefly at an intersection, glancing at the streetpost above as he waited for yet another traveling merchant to move his damned wagon out of the way. This trip had better be fruitful -- the cesspool that was New Verduria would've been preferable to this literal nightmare. According to the signs, his contact would be nearby... assuming that someone else in the Ash Lodge hadn't already knocked the poor sap off of the totem pole. That was the trouble with being part of the Lodge -- you never quite know when you'll get a knife in the back. Still, things had been quiet enough since the last coup, and Al was sure that the remaining branch heads were re-consolidating their power and making alliances. Nothing that concerned him at the moment. Right now, he had a unique mission to fulfill.

With the traveling caravan now clear of the intersection, Al continues walking forward towards an unassuming masonry building in Akval's south-western district. He briefly glances around the room as he steps inside, slightly irritated. Or rather, slightly more irritated than he'd been before. This was supposed to be the place, so...ah! Seeing the subtle symbolism planted throughout the masonry, Al nods to himself and approaches the head mason, resting a fist on the counter with his thumb, pinky, and ring finger outstretched -- the callsign of the Ash Lodge. The mason nods, jutting a finger towards the more private back of the building, locked behind a steel portcullis. Subtle.

The two men head inside, with the steel grating and a metal door closing behind them and leaving the two in a mostly featureless domed room. Al places his hands on his hips, raising an eyebrow at the mason as the man seemed to drop a facade and repeat the same hand gesture Al had given just moments ago. The man waits for Al expectantly, and the blonde sighs as he drops his hands.

"May the Ash fall upon your steps." Al finally responds. "Now, what was so important that my regular handler couldn't tell me in person?"

The mason crosses his arms, then rubs his chin. "New head of the Lodge's making new changes. Radical ones. And not everyone's willing to play ball on 'em."

"What else is new? Get to the point, please?"

The mason grunts. "With people already placed in several local government positions, the Lodge is in the perfect spot to establish a sister organization here in Telamon -- not one based on our usual operations, mind you. Boss is thinking the winds are changing for a few kingdoms, and with a few nudges here and there in the right spots..."

"They'll be the next Verduria, I get it... What kind of operations, exactly?"

"Like I said, some groundwork's already in place, but we were looking to establish a... a kind of Lodge for money-things, if you know what I mean."

"So, putting a hurt on the merchants...? I'm not exactly complaining, but..."

"Nah, on Telamon. If Telamon can't keep up its economy..."

"Other kingdoms falter as collateral, and the Lodge can reap the benefits." Al shrugs. It was well-known that the kingdom of Telamon was an economic superpower this side of Karma. Most other kingdoms heavily relied on them for their industrial advancements. "So, I'm establishing this new Lodge, then? Not exactly exciting, is it?"

"We've already made some contact with the local homeless community as an information network. You'd be running the show until it can get its feet off the ground, then you can go back to romping 'round wherever it is that you wanna go." The mason smiles, with an unnerving glint in his eyes. Albrave rubs the back of his head as the mason continues. "The Lodge don't have many people with your particular skills runnin' around, with the whole Half-God deal..."

Albrave narrows his eyes, wishing yet again that he hadn't been singled out for their purple coloration. "So, I fuck around, find some guys who can crunch numbers, and get the merchants wrapped in a death-grip in the process. It's... something, I guess."

The mason nods, now moving back towards the exit. "Try making contact with the homeless first -- get on their good side, they see everything that goes down 'round here. Oh, and... like I said, not everyone's liking the new direction, so you might face some push-back from other Lodgemen. Name's Raye, by the way. Hope to see you 'round, kid -- and welcome to Telamon."

Al nods, if only to finally get out of this room and get this damned mission over and done with. But he already knew he'd be in Akval for a while... How long could he go before he strangled a merchant? It'd be a joy to find out.

by **Rocky** 2/13/2019, 12:12 am

"Falling skies, burning bright
Bring the Blight upon our land.
Swear you life, spear held tight,
Charge the monster with all your might.

Banished forever, never again
Come to harm us, foe or friend.
Seal the Hearts, see no threat
Protect the innocent 'til the end."

Over and over, she would remind herself of the chant she learned as a child, using its deep, revitalizing meaning to pump herself up for the day of training she would endure. Daughter of farmers, but destined for greatness as a defender of Oshos, that's what Xyminzia always wanted. That was her purpose in life, so she determined herself.

After her morning stretches, even flexing out her curly tail, the pug-nosed girl headed out of her humble hut of wood, leaves and woven fibers. With a light skip in her step, she made her way to the central most part of the village. All the farmers and fishers were out as early as usual, making their way to their fields and docks. A painted, clay sculpture of a horrendous battle stood high above their canine heads. Xyminzia always admired how they made the hero Seifs look, standing tall and victorious atop the bloodied, dead god and demon scum beneath their calloused paws.

A gust of wind from the shores fluttered past her face and blew her short, blonde and black hair around her face. The sea smelled especially inviting today.

Continuing her walk, saying 'hello' to everyone that she would cross paths with, she knocked on the door frame to the local armory. The Seif that lived here made their own custom weapons and would lend them to the beach patrollers for training and for combat, should there be any. Today, Xyminzia was hoping to get some training in, but she couldn't decide between a whip or a knife.

A call came from inside the house-turned-shop. "Yes, one second! Come in!"

Her brown eyes wide and tail wagging with excitement, Xyminzia called back as she stepped inside. "Alright! I'll wait here!"

All around her were fantastic pieces of armor and tools that everyone in the village used or may have used in the past. The walls were covered in what one might describe as 'one of everything!' Sickles and hoes, nets and rods, kindling stones and blades, handles with or without blades, this place was floor to ceiling with everything a fighter could ever need. The girl couldn't help but notice some alien metals attached to a spear's shaft. Could this be what was recovered from the last time a monster tried to come to the island?

Before she could reach out and touch it, the owner of the shop appeared to come from a room closed off by a curtain. He cleared his throat. His long hound's ears were hanging beneath his light brown hair, and his green eyes were missing life and spark that his patron had. "Xyminzia," he coughed again, putting his paws behind his back. "Thank you for returning the sword you borrowed last time. It was in very good condition, almost like you hadn't used it at all."

The teenager heaved out a sigh before responding, "That's because I hardly did. Father and Mother found that one, too."

"And to think I was believing that you were trying your best to keep my weapons clean out of respect," the weaponsmith shook his head. "I was sure you talked to them about your wish."

"Many times," the girl shrugged, moving to the other side of the room to look at the armor sets. Seeing her own reflection in one of the polished metal chest plates, she frowned and her ears swivelled back. "Many arguments follow, though."

The dirt on her unwashed, padded paws proved that she'd tried to do as they said. She tried to play by their rules and follow in their footsteps as a crop farmer. Why was she so unhappy picking potatoes and carrots and planting new ones in their stead?

She reached out and touched the hilt of a sword. Why did it feel so good to hold one of these and declare war on her enemies? Why did she enjoy running around and playing with training dummies more than the other village children? Why did she feel so alone on an island where everyone was just like her?

"Would you care to use the dojo for an hour or so?" the owner suggested, taking a seat on a wooden stool behind his counter. "It's not sand training. It's not ocean training, but you could get something done."

With his generous offer, Xyminzia eagerly swiped two a set of curved daggers from a display. She leapt over his counter and passed through the curtain door, and outside the other end of his shop. She could hear the wheezing laughter from the man as she left the one building and jumped into another, red roofed and round-shaped structure. Maybe this day wouldn't be as bad as she thought!

by **Star Phoenix** 3/11/2019, 8:34 am

Albrave kept his gaze downward as he trekked Akval's busy streets. Aside from the homeless as a recommended ally, Al was sure he could make contact with the local criminal underground and get on their good side. Though there were some rival groups to the Ash Lodge, few were of note that could actually rival the Lodge in power and influence. The Lodge was well-respected by even its worst enemies, and Albrave was sure he could use that pressure to bend Akval's gangs and cutthroats under heel. But before he set about his mission, he'd need to establish his own living arrangements in the city -- thankfully, he had enough money to afford a small apartment near the city's southern sector. At least, that was what the housing recommendation had been by the Lodgemen before he'd arrived. Some place called The Diamond Sandshark, a complex named after the local cryptid of Akval. Apparently, the Diamond Sandshark was some kind of creature that swam through sand as swiftly as one would swim through water. Its pitch-black rows of teeth could tear through steel as easily as one could tear a sheet of paper, and its scales glittered like gemstones. Al himself had heard whispers of it several times by now, though he didn't care enough to investigate further. That wasn't why he was here.

Now approaching the apartment complex, the blonde gave a disinterested grunt at the appearance of the building before entering. Ignoring the creepily large smile of the Enma sitting at the front desk, Albrave set up a lease for himself at one of the studio rooms. There'd be no need for anything bigger than that, after all. Making his way to his room, Albrave tried to keep his irritation in check. As one of the Lodge's elite warriors -- the Four Horsemen -- he had an image to maintain, after all. He couldn't help but chuckle at how grandiose the title was. Albrave Vernithier, the Red Horseman of War? Simply because he was born as a half-god. But for the Lodge, who had a small number of people with power comparable to his own, being half-god was more than enough. The Four Horsemen were the Ash Lodge's most elite group of warrior-thieves, and had been at times contracted by nations in the past for assassinations that wouldn't tie the deaths to the nation under contract. And oh boy, did some of them have a bone to pick each other.

Al opened the door to his room with his key, shutting the door behind him as he entered. He took a moment to examine its appearance, shrugging in indifference to its overall minimal decorations. The overall amenities he'd been afforded were the bare minimum, and he had no intention of living large in Akval. With a sigh, he collapsed onto the torn-up couch in the corner of his room, racking his brain on what his next move should be. Gathering information seemed to be the best bet.

Albrave's Quarters:

[Dominion's War: Godling's Requiem takes place immediately following this post.]

by **Rocky** 3/21/2019, 10:58 pm

Xyminzia made short work of the training dummies, spending more time putting them back together than tearing them down. The floor of the dojo became covered in straw and loose wood fibers, and the knives she used were as useful as ever for making her dives, quick strikes and jump attacks! She jumped and ran around the room as if she were never going to use it again. It felt great to let it all out!

After landing a fatal blow to one of the training dummies, knocking it clean off its stand, Xyminzia was about to reach down and prop it back up when she heard a knock come from the dojo's entrance. She turned to see her older brother - Garlyre, a bulldog of a Sief. His massive muscular stature made him one of the islands best plowers, and he worked damn hard at what he did. She cared for him, yes, but not so much when he showed up unannounced.

"What?" she spat, turning back to the dummy and recollecting its straw.

"The village caretaker has become ill. She told us that the children like you the best," he bluntly stated. It wasn't a request. It wasn't a command. It was that thing he did that combined the two of them, and Xyminzia hated this manipulative tactic.

"How much light is left in the day? Can someone else please care for them right now? I am busy," the pug Sief snorted. She really wanted to play more.

Garlyre shook his head, his floppy cheeks swinging lightly as he did so. "Her daughter and nephew are caring for her at the moment. They are doing everything they can to make sure she gets better. It has already been decided you were the next best choice."

Xyminzia growled, her bottom row of teeth jutting out a little past her lips. "I SAID, I DO NOT WANT TO."

Garlyre furiously dashed up to Xyminzia and brutally swung a massive fist at her head. When she ducked underneath his blow, his hand completely splintered the dummy, shooting all of the debris around the dojo. Xyminzia nibly crawled out from under his reach and held the knives defensively.

"You would rather us suffer," Garlyre gurgled, shaking off the wood and straw from his hand. He sighed through his nostrils and said, "Now I understand your position."

"The only reason you are so quick to judge is because your son and daughter are there! You cannot be a good father, so you must put all your responsibility on me!" she retorted, shocking him with such foul words.

"You care nothing for your own family?! You say you want to protect all of Oshos, yet you cannot do this simple task for us?!" the older Sief shouted, his voice deep and at one time, would have scared his sister. "You are the bad guardian, not I!"

"I CAN PROTECT THEM AS A PATROLLER, NOT AS A CAREGIVE--"

"Enough!" barked the owner of the shop, finally stepping in to see what all the yelling was about. He glanced around the room, horrified by the damage done to his dojo. Garlyre stepped out of his fighting stance and began to act more professional around him. Xyminzia, however, was still occupying a battle stance.

"I am sorry to have disturbed you, Master Enravan," he spoke, his voice still low with anger. "I will be taking my sister back and leave you at peace."

"You will not simply take her back, if you cannot even catch her," the shop owner scolded him, stepping away from the bulldog and examining his building further. He just wanted to make sure the structure was still as sound as when he left it. "Xyminzia, our caregiver has done many good deeds for our island. She has even taken the time to educate you when you were a pup. If you cannot go on your brother's wishes, please go for hers."

Xyminzia then dropped the knives to the floor and wrinkled her face. He made a much better sounding point than 'do it for your family.' Her family was this entire island, some Sief more distantly related than others. That's how she saw it, anyway. However, to be there for someone in need... she would like that very much if someone were to be there for her.

"I will go. Do not follow," she growled at her brother, turning on her pads and walking out of the building. She didn't care if she left it in shambles, she just wanted to get this over with, even if she did feel a little bad for the caregiver.

Her hearing indicated that her brother stayed behind to help clean up the mess they made. Hopefully, Master Enravan would talk more sense into him and advise him not to drop in on her like that again. Especially if he didn't want to get himself hurt...

by **Zazul** 4/15/2019, 11:46 pm

~Akval~

Step. Tap. Step. Tap. Step Tap.

This was the sound the young, blind beggar made as he trudged through the streets of Akval, its smokey and dirty air swirling above his sightless head. The begger appeared to be only in his early twenties, with shaggy, dark hair that poked out under the bottom of the mass of bandages he had wrapped around his head, covering his eyes and the entire top of his head like a mask. He was dressed in dirty, dingy rags that formed a thick, multi-layered poncho-like cloak over his body. His feet were dirty and completely bare of any shoes or sandals, and his pants were made from rough sack cloth. The staff he carried appeared made of old, dingy wood, and made a hollow sound each time he tapped the ground in front of him.

As the beggar walked, his back hunched as he kept his head low, he gently padded his way into the establishment known as The Diamond Sandshark. When he arrives, he stops and quickly ducks into a corner, nobody seeming to notice or care about the blind beggar. He sat down on the floor in the corner, raising his staff slightly and speaking to himself, his voice a raspy, hushed whisper.

"Show me all of it, if you would..."

Tap.

He taps the staff hard against the floor, a hollow knock ringing out. To everyone around the beggar, it was simply a man tapping the ground. To the beggar, though...he could now see the entire building clearly. The sound from his staff seemed to reverberate all over the room, making a detailed map in his head of every nook, cranny, table, and patron in the building. The sound traveled even up the stairs, bouncing off the objects on the walls as it traveled all through the upper floors. With a smirk, he finally saw who he was seeking. Getting up, he slowly walks over to the stairs, hobbling as he climbs them. Even the various residents leaving and entering the apartment complex didn't seem to mind him, as if he was invisible. Finally, he comes to Albrave's studio suite, a smile forming on his face. Calmly, he brings his staff forward and knocks on the door with one, single knock, the hollow sound giving him a good image of Albrave and the room inside. When he speaks, his voice is raspy, and has a slight drawl to it that most people from Akval Slum usually carry.

"Pardon me, Sira'!~ I was told there was a wealthy man who was giving alms to the poor in this room...I'm in need ofa new cloak, ye see...this one is too 'eavy with Ash.~"

by **Star Phoenix** 4/20/2019, 11:45 pm

"If this is one of those damned Telamon salesmen, I swear on all that is good on Karma..." Albrave glanced over at the door when he heard a knock on his door. Barely even settled in, and the vultures had already come? This town really didn't waste any time draining for every last coin he had. He carefully approaches the door, listening to the voice on the other side of the door with muted interest. That is, up until he heard the last fragment of the sentence. It wasn't exactly a greeting that followed customary Lodge proceedings -- either a newly minted grunt, or outsourced help were the more likely options. The blonde opened the door, taking a moment to stare at the mass of rags and cloth in front of him.

Likely, this was the informant, by the looks of him.

Albrave had opened the door fairly wide, and his violet eyes examined the other man carefully. It would be difficult to tell if he truly was an ally or an enemy with a concealed weapon under his rags... But Al's eyes softened slightly as he noticed the lack of footwear, the condition of his clothes -- sure, these things could be falsified, but they were enough to sway Albrave into letting the stranger into his room.

"Callin' me wealthy... Tch, you trying to sic more of those bloodsucker merchants on me?" Albrave scratched the back of his head as he turned away from the door so the man could let himself in. He collapsed on the couch he'd gotten up from just moments ago, gesturing to the rest of the mostly sparse room. "Come in, and close the door behind you. I'm taking it that you're a native, so what's the situation here in Akval?"

by **Zazul** 4/25/2019, 8:11 pm

~Akval~

The beggar shuffles into the room, a smirk on his face. The young man before him sounded strong...So this was the infamous Red Horseman he had heard about? "Thank ye kindly, Sira.~ A thousand blessings upon ye." As he entered the room, he closes the door with the back end of his staff.

Careful....I feel his Immortal Vigor.

The familiar voice crept into the beggar's mind as he tightened his grip on his staff in response. So...he really WAS a Half-God?...The beggar smirked, chuckling at how fate had such a strange sense of irony. With the door now closed, the beggar appears to look directly at Albrave, despite his lack of actual, visible eyes. When he speaks, he has dropped his Akvalian accent, and speaks with a slightly deeper pitch, his accent now becoming that of the natives of the Lucent Bastille's portion of the continent. "Apologies for the deception, but I have to keep certain appearances up, for the sake of the mission that the Lodge has charged me with. Albrave Vernithier...The Red Horseman of War. This really is an honor. Taiga, they call me. Taiga the Mongrel, probably because I remind people of a blind, stray dog. I'm a beggar, but I also work for the Ash Lodge as an informant. Before you ask, yes...I am actually blind. If I took off these bandages, all you would see is scorched flesh. An accident, from my younger years...but a much needed accident, to be sure."

The beggar, now called Taiga, sits down right on the floor in one motion, his legs crossed and his staff leaning against his shoulder. He taps the ground once with his staff, getting a good view of the entire room. "Wow...you, my friend, could use something to spice this room up...maybe a bird, or a plant?" He then seems to wince, as if something was yelling in his ear. He then mutters something about getting on with something, before returning his attention to Albrave. "Sorry, Horseman. Just trying to break the ice. Anyway, the situation here in Akval is...well, complicated is putting it mildly. Akval is divided into five districts, or Wheels, because of their shape. The Stone Wheel is the lowest portion of Akval. That's the slums where many of the Gangs and Devil Hordes call their home. Its also the entrance to the Sewers, or the 'sixth wheel', which is said to be crawling with...rather unpleasant creatures. Things that love the dark, and love the taste of flesh more. Above the Stone Wheel is the Iron Wheel, where Akval's factories are. Above that, we have the Copper Wheel, where we are now. Its also were the marketplace and many of the city's middle class live. Next, we have the Silver Wheel, where the Akvalian Military is. Beyond that, the Golden Wheel, home of the city's wealthy nobles, the Gods that call Akval their home, and the leader of the strongest Devil Horde in Akval, Yangyo the Crusher."

Taiga smirks, clearing his throat. "And now we reach the complicated part...Akval's economy. Currently, the city is controlled by three factions. The Merchant's Guild, who oversee everything in the marketplace. You want to sell anything in Akval? You have to get their permission first. Then, there's a group of Pro-Control Gods lead by an Elder God named Brielbos. Apparently, he's a master of the Thunder Affiliation, and could easily summon storms with the snap of his fingers. They want to try and gain control over the Merchants, but have yet to find a proper solution outside the realm of blowing the whole bloody city sky high. Lastly, we have the most complicated part....Yangyo and his Horde. Yangyo is a different type of Devil. He's...well, definitely adapted to city life well as opposed to the nomadic life of most Hordes. He's definitely a man about town, and the people seem to admire him. He owns nearly 70% of the factories in the Iron Wheel, and has been flexing to buy portions of the Stone Wheel to renovate it, saying he wants to 'Clean up Akval, for the good of the people'. He also employs a lot of Devils and refugees in those factories...and many who join the factory rosters usually end up joining his Horde. Its all a delicate power struggle...the Gods control the might, Yangyo controls the people, and the Guild controls the economy."

~Oshos~

The sound of the waves slowly lapping at the shores of Oshos leaves the scene with a tranquil, peaceful feeling. As the water laps at the sands, the peace is interrupted by a set of scaled feet stepping onto the sands. Standing there was a tall, male humanoid with a fairly human appearance, save for the blue scales that coated the tops of his feet, the backs of his hands, the top of his exposed pectorals, his hips right over his kidneys, and his cheeks. The man wore only a white, toga-like bottom as he looked around the beach, a bored expression on his face.

"Oh, Averth, why do you let them talk you into these stupid assignments?...Now then, is the Heart truly here?..."

by **Star Phoenix** 6/28/2019, 6:43 pm

It took a moment for Albrave to consider the beggars words, having let them fully sink in as he processed what he’d learned. As far as he could tell, the primary barrier to the goals of the Ash Lodge would be the Merchant’s Guild, but the forces of Breilbos could also be a wild card. Yangyo was likely the smallest concern of the three factions, but Al had no intention of being lax on the situation as a whole. The Red Horseman cast his gaze downward as he thought – if it was such a delicate scale of checks and balances, it shouldn’t be *that* hard to undermine it. Maybe aligning with Breilbos was the safest bet, in the long run? Eh, it’d be a start.

“Breilbos’ group might be the best route to go down… Where's his usual spot?” The young man finally stood, done with pondering the what-ifs. He was a man of action, not one of thought. And the more immediate question was surrounding the beggar that’d come into his room. “And how is it that a blind man can tell that I need to ‘spice my room up?’ It’s very… curious.”

by **Rocky** 7/22/2019, 7:57 pm

The walk from the dojo to the nursery felt short and filled with hate. When things didn’t go Xyminzia’s way, she often got upset, but she had never lashed out so much before. In retrospect, it was really quite frightening that her and her brother got into such a messy brawl, despite no one actually landing blows. What was happening to her? Was she just really fed up with the way things were on the island?

With echoes of regret lingering in her mind, she inhaled deeply before stepping into the caretaker’s hut. Children from ages 2 to 8 hurried to greet the pug lady, embracing her with friendly cries and welcoming grins. As if their faces melted away all her negativity, Xyminzia’s expression relaxed. She felt better about abandoning her training for this occasion, especially since she was doing this for her people.

Hours into her her playtime time with the villager’s young ones, the kids had begun settling down, ready for a nap. The older kids evidently decided to quietly practice their language and education in another room, leaving Xyminzia alone to her thoughts. It was a relief she had tired out all of the kids by this point. Now that she could think more calmly and clearly, the pug Seif had decided that she would talk with her brother about what happened earlier in the day.

“Garlyre must understand my feelings,” she whispered to herself, her paw resting on her chest. “If he has enough light to waste on deciding what I should do with my life… then he can spare a few extra rays to listen to me.”

Xyminzia waited a little longer before getting up and leaving the caregiver’s place. She closed the door of the hut and stepped off the property, aiming to go to her brother’s farm. She then paused, catching a whiff of the ocean’s salty breeze. It felt so cool brushing against her tan and black fur, and the faint feeling of sand against her paw pads made her toes curl in excitement. It really was going to be a beautiful evening out… to waste it now would be a crime!

Holding her breath, she went down to the path of the shore - the opposite of where her brother lived.

Once her feet hit the sand, she grinned. Her brown eyes shone in the light of the afternoon sun. Dancing around with leaps and bounds, Xyminzia continued to play as if she held Master Enravan’s tools and fought his straw scarecrow. It was ultimately very liberating to be here, running along the sand! If she could be out here all day, fight off offending intruders and keep all of Oshos happy and safe from harm…

That would be a dream come true!

by **Zazul** 7/23/2019, 9:38 pm

~Akval~

Taiga smirks, bringing his finger up to his ear and pointing at it. "Simple. What I lack in sight, I make up for with my other senses, particularly my hearing. My staff is hollow, you see, and creates a sound when I tap the ground with it. The sound bounces off all nearby objects, and gives me a map of my surroundings more detailed than any image the eye could possibly offer. I could make out every detail about your appearance, save for colors obviously. Every wrinkle, every pimple, every mole and hair. I can also 'see' everything else in this room, down to the last, dust-covered floor board. Now, as for Breilbos...That will be difficult. He rarely leaves the Golden Wheel, and if he does, he keeps an entourage of Great Gods with him. If you wish to get in his good graces, you'll be better off meeting one of the Gods that works for him. Yangyo and Breilbos have been waging a rather nasty gang war within the Iron and Stone districts, mostly for control of the Factories. Breilbos may own only 20%, but the factories he owns are key production centers, known for size and volume of output. Just those few let him keep even with Yangyo. My suggestion? Find a way to sway one of those sides to your favor..."

The beggar then gets up, groaning as his back cracks slightly as he shuffles about in place, stretching his legs. "If you wish, I can join you as a guide. I know Akval well, and can take you on the fastest route to the Iron Wheel. Once there, you can do whatever you feel is the best course. Either way, nobody will care about a blind dog like me following you around. Its common to see beggars follow people or act as guides in the streets."

~Oshos~

As Xyminzia runs down the shore, pretending to fight off the enemies of her people, the being called Averth was walking peacefully along the sands, looking all around him as he strolled from the opposite direction. Nothing. No signs of intelligent life anywhere. He was told that there was a pulling of Prosperity in these islands, and yet, he could not for the life of him figure out what could cause such a thing. Such matters were beyond his understanding, nor did he care to close the gap. Yet, Their word was law. He could not disobey Them, lest he be obliterated utterly.

Soon, he hears footsteps in the distant sand, and the laughter of a girl. Finally, he comes across Xyminzia as she was playing by herself. He raises a single eyebrow, his mouth involuntarily twisting into a disgusted sneer. A Mortal...and a primitive one at that. How...quaint, was the only word he could find that was appropriate. He approaches the Sief girl with little caution or stealth, stopping and crossing his arms as he impatiently watches her and waits for her to finally notice his presence. When she does, he clicks his tongue once in annoyance. His long, dark hair flowed in the sea breeze and his eyes, lined with blackness like charcoal, seemed to gleam with an impatience that resembled a master scolding his servant.

"Finished pretending, girl? Good. I have questions for you, and your answers had better be satisfactory. Now, Mortal....Why is this island so...prosperous? It looks as if war and pestilence have been scarce for centuries here...."

by **Rocky** 8/8/2019, 3:00 pm

Fighting invisible foes was fun, until she heard the soft, subtle footsteps behind her. Was it a guard, or maybe just an observer? No, the smell of it was too... ashen. Slowly she turned around, the sight of the thing before her forcing her eyes open wide!

She growled and barked at the creature, bearing her lower teeth ferociously. She completely ignored what it had said, but it sounded as if it was mocking her! She'd never seen anything like it; it certainly was no Sief, and therefore was an enemy of her people! It had long hair and a dismissive expression, the likes of which she wanted to bite off of his face.

Her adrenaline pumping, she barked again, posed for battle. "WHO ARE YOU? GrrrUUff! Get off this land! Now!"

In the far distance, 3 spear wielders were making their rounds about the shorelines. They did not yet see Xyminzia or the strange intruder.

by **Star Phoenix** 8/9/2019, 2:59 am

Albrave watched the beggar and his movements carefully, even moreso the words coming out of the other man's mouth. The deep purple hue of his eyes swept over Taiga slowly, and finally, Al simply shrugged in his initial response. The Red Horseman hadn't forgotten the words of Raye, who'd hinted that the Ash Lodge wasn't in one accord regarding the Akval operation. Sure, Taiga *could* be as altruistic as he appeared, but... there was also a possibility that he'd be a knife in Albrave's back. Maybe, for that reason alone, it'd be best to keep the blind man nearby, if only so that Al could keep a close eye on him. "Having a tour guide might not be the worst thing in the world, as compared to some other kinds of crap I've been put through."

Taking a moment to crack the bones in his neck to loosen them, Albrave punched his fist into his open palm with a smirk. "So we need to get into contact with one of Breilbos' lackeys, first. Get into their good graces and ride that momentum into a meeting with Breilby himself. Sounds doable."

His toothy smirk was spread widely across his face. "Well then, Taiga. I'm ready when you are."

by **Zazul** 11/10/2019, 5:25 pm

~Akval~

The beggar nods, tapping his staff against the ground in order to get another good look at his surroundings. He clears his throat, taking on his Akvalian accent once more. "Very good, Sira. Right this way, if you please!~" With a short hobble and a crack from his back as he hunches himself over again to keep up his appearances, he opens the door and shuffles out. Stepping aside so Albrave can lead the way out, he follows the Red Horseman out with a small smirk on his face. Soon, the two were outside once again in Akval's bustling streets.

Taiga then motions to the east with his hand, without turning his head even an inch. "We'll be headin' East, Sira, through a couple back alleys. Less rabble ta pick yer pockets, ye see.~" He then gestures for Albrave to follow him as he starts making his way through the city streets.

(The short story, "Through Devil's Eyes", takes place here)

It wasn't a long journey, winding through the back alleys of Akval like a thread through cloth. As they continued on, Albrave could see several beggars, urchins, and street walkers eyeing him warily. However, as soon as they recognized Taiga leading him, they seemed to back off, as if the fact that he was there made Albrave off-limits to them. Some, from the looks in their eyes, were simply looking to ask for a hand out, perhaps a few coins or some food. Others stealthily slid makeshift blades or other weapons back into their respective hiding places, not wanting to try to tangle with the blind beggar or his companion. Taiga smirks, whispering slightly to Albrave. "Don't worry...While I'm sure a few thugs are nothing to ye, nobody'll harm ye while ye're with me. I've got...a reputation among the street folk. First thing ta learn about Akval; if ye can't make a name for yerself as someone who can't be preyed upon, then ye'll end up eaten alive eventually."

Finally, the two arrive at the gates to the Iron Wheel. They were two massive, iron gate doors that seemed thick enough to stop a rampaging herd of bison in their tracks! Standing in front of them were two Enma guards, their bodies large a powerful, almost like a pair of gorillas. They wore the traditional iron armor of a Telemonese Storm Trooper, which consisted of a full suit of leather and iron plating, with a humanoid face mask and a large, powerful blunderbuss rifle complete with a bayonet attachment. The guards notice Taiga and Albrave approaching and immediately form up, rifles in hand.

"State your business." One of them orders.

Taiga bows kindly to the guards, making a show of being incredibly humble. "A thousand pardons, Siras!~ I am just a humble beggar, taking a client that hired me as his guide to the Iron Wheel. He's interested in investing in one or two of the factories, ye see."

The guards look at each other, the one who spoke earlier sighing before answering. "Alright, you can go through. Just a word of warning for your client here? Gophmog and his gang are heading to the Iron Pipe factory down at the south end. Looks like Brielbos' men are looking to shake things up for Yangyo's boys. If a gang war breaks out and your client is caught in the crossfire, its his own fault."

Taiga smirks. Gophmog was one of Brielbos' closest men, and a Great God of the Fighting Affiliation. If Albrave was cunning, he would be able to talk with Gophmog and hopefully get some headway.

~Oshos~

Averth seems completely unimpressed by the Sief show of ferocity. In fact, as he was about to retort, her sudden second bark and her order for him to leave sends a spatter of saliva and dog-like spittle at him, lightly dusting his face. He draws a deep, annoyed breath as he wipes some of the liquid off from his eye, revealing that the black markings around them were, in fact, part of his skin and not makeup.

"Lovely...just absolutely charming. Now I will require a bath when I return..." He glances off into the distance, seeing the spear men slowly approaching. More Mortals, which means there must be a primitive settlement nearby. If this annoying little dog wouldn't tell him what he needed to know...maybe they would? He moves as if he was going to perform a light hop, leaping into the air high off the small movement before landing right in front of the spear wielders.

The Sief warriors were immediately startled by Averth's sudden descent, immediately pointing their spears at him.

"OUTSIDER! THERE IS AN INTRUDER!" One of the spear wielders, a Sief with the features of a Doberman Pincer, barked out.

"Calm down, Mortals...now, answer me this...Where is the Heart?"

The spear wielders all seemed puzzled by the strange being's question, looking to each other at first. When they refuse to answer, and instead re-train their spears on Averth, the scaled man only sighs.

"Pointing your primitive sticks at a Great God of the Plague Affiliation...Not very wise, are you?..."

The Sief all go tense the minute Averth reveals what he was, their grips on their spears tightening. A God?! Here?! Before the warriors could move, however, Averth drops to the ground and places a palm on the sandy earth beneath his feet. "PLAGUE AFFILIATION, CORRUPTION: MOTE OF DEFILEMENT!" His hands slowly turn to a sickly, oil-like black color as a filthy-smelling sludge suddenly erupts from his hand and covers the ground around him, flowing out in a wave and swallowing the Sief warriors' bodies from the knees down. As they try to struggle, Averth seems to rise to the surface of the foul sludge, standing on its surface as if it were solid. Raising two fingers, Immortal Vigor flows through his body and up his fingers like a helix. "CORRUPTION ART: BLACK BRAKENS OF DEFILEMENT." The sludge coils back around the warrior's legs before surging forth and pushing hard into them, penetrating their very skin and pours through their legs. The Sief scream out as the blackness travels up their legs, leaving their flesh pale and hair brittle in its wake. finally, when it reaches their chests, black thorns of hardened sludge rip out from their bodies, destroying them utterly and without a trace.

As the blood left from their ruinous explosion rains down around him, Averth turns his attention to the village, seeming to have completely forgotten about Xyminzia, as if fortune was directing his gaze elsewhere.

There should be more Mortals within that village, the Great God of the Plague Affiliation thought to himself. He begins walking across the ground, the mote beneath his feet slowly evaporating as he ends his Divine technique. However, each step he takes on the white sands leaves a dark, steaming, foul-smelling footprint, as if his very touch was now corrupting the ground he walked on. He would either find what he was looking for, or he would leave this village as nothing but a smoking, rotten husk.

by **Star Phoenix** 12/23/2019, 5:17 pm

"Tch!" The blonde glared at the guards, shoving his hands into his pockets in annoyance at their insinuation. He was more than capable of defending himself! But, then again... he was a man of the crime underworld -- the Ash Lodge's activities weren't typically viewed in the public eye, so Albrave himself was far from a public figure. But in any case, he'd need to compose himself if he wanted to succeed here. He forces himself to smile.

"I'm sure everything will be fine."

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