AetherDreaming
Deep Dream Diver
Preface: Welcome to the interest thread for my first on-site roleplay. Since I'm still getting back into the swing of things, this particular iteration of this story is going to be a 1 on 1 with the possibility of opening up to a group rp later on. My base expectations for a partner is that you post at least once a week and that you take your time with your posts. Due to my work and school schedule, this arrangement works best for me and allows me to work hard for you in the time that I have. Note that I don't require character sheets. It's more fun for a character to develop naturally and for their personalities, history and so on to manifest as the story goes on. Please take your time in reading through the details provided below and let me know if you're interested via PM or by posting to this thread. Also if you have any questions, comments or concerns, you can also PM me or post to the thread.
Setting: Our story begins in the city of Misthaven, a bustling miniature metropolis that has become so isolated from the rest of the world that aside from the residents, those who learn of if only do so out of necessity. There are no roads which lead to or from. The only way in is via a single bridge that disappears into an ever present mist that is so thick it is impossible to see what exists beyond the barrier. To the outside world, there is one certainty: those who pass into through the veil are never seen or heard from again. For you see, Misthaven came to be from the crisis born of the "discovery" of magic. Within the city limits, magic, which was once seen as volatile and unpredictable has been brought to relative control through technologies which harness and act as a go-between a user and the source. Over the years, this harmony has allowed for the city to grow and to prosper. Vibrant cultures have likewise developed amongst the people, making Misthaven feel like a world completely unto itself. And while Misthaven is home to great minds supported by an ethos of curiosity, exploration and discovery, there are still mysteries that have yet been brought to the surface.
Lore: They say that it began with flicker of light that came and went in a moment. As some would tell it, the flicker was so quickly gone that had it not started a fire in the living room of a certain Ms. Frances Devonshire, that it might have gone completely unnoticed. Fortunately, Ms. Devonshire had been sat upon the couch when the most unnatural light snapped in and out of existence and after scrambling to smother the fire, called her neighbors to share in her bewilderment. Soon, the usually introverted Ms. Devonshire was host to a room of guests who were as curious as they were skeptical. At first there was little more to see than a circular pattern singed into the otherwise ordinary wooden floor boards. But just as skepticism began to overtake curiosity, another light appeared above the crowd and lingered for a moment before vanishing like the first. Then there was another. Then two, then three simultaneously and it continued like that until the Devonshire residence was left a smoldering heap. The onlookers didn't know it then, but the Age of Magic had begun.
An invisible connection was created that day. Countless tunnels which passed through the infinite nothing between realities now joined our world to one that had been consumed by magic. The change went unnoticed for weeks, as if there wasn't enough power in the air, the water or the soil to make an appreciable difference to anyone in particular. Eventually the influence of those forgotten magics reached a critical mass and the first incident of magic was reported. A young boy was riding the bus to school when suddenly, he vanished. The community banded together and searched for days but turned up nothing. The bus driver was even accused of abducting the child but the investigation went cold as there was simply no evidence of the child's whereabouts. Just as he was to be officially pronounced dead, he reappeared at his parent's doorstep. When asked where he'd gone and why he hadn't tried to call, he said that he'd been been in small town that had a name he couldn't pronounce and the people didn't speak his language. Though he couldn't quite explain how he'd returned, he spoke most assuredly that for nights before his disappearance, he'd heard whispering. It was a phenomenon later to be called the Dead Words.
The Dead Words granted power to those who heard them. Power that, at first, manifested beyond the bearer's will or want to use them. Some incidents were rather benign but others lead to rather tragic accidents. Those afflicted by the Dead Words were studied intensely for years until finally one of the test subjects, figured out a crude means of managing the power he'd received. When the scientists asked how he'd come to understand the method, he claimed that it came to him in a dream. A series of symbols, an archaic alphabet that could evoke the Dead Words. Thus by etching the Dead Words into precious stones and then by surrounding that stone in a band bearing the same inscription, the magic could be managed, used when called upon. The danger was managed. Or it was believed.
Now that the Dead Words were beginning to be understood and catalogued, the use of magic likewise became more common. Those whose magic was more substantial and powerful were revered as mystics, wizards and heroes. Those with more modest abilities, well, at least they could impress friends over dinner. It seemed that the Age of Magic was the start of something great, leading to greater and greater things as more and more people were blessed by the Dead Words. But just as future's promise seemed its brightest, a violent storm came to balance the scales. A great mystics was entertaining a crowd of excited onlookers when a small dark circle the size of a tennis ball appeared at the center of his chest. The mystic howled in pain, begging for help as his entire body was covered in darkness and disintegrated into a pile of black and silver soot. The Dead Words had consumed him, ripping his corporeal body through realities and into the depths of the void. He was the first but far from the last, for using the pure Dead Words is terribly addictive.
The Age of Magic had gone from a glimmer of hope to a frightened and desperate reality. Fortunately, a new method of control was discovered hidden amongst the catalogued Dead Words. A series of sigils previously thought to have no bearing over magic were found to be the cure that the world now sought. There was only one problem, the sequencing of the sigils was far too long to be etched into a single stone or metal band. It ran for thousands upon thousands of lines and so it was reasoned that a great foundation would have to be created and on top of that foundation, a the town for those bearing the Dead Words to live safely. Thus it was ordered that the great foundation be committed to the earth, a series of stone circles with the sigils carved painstakingly into the surface and then sealed away so as not to be disturbed. And so, in time, Misthaven was built from a small town into a city filled with those bearing the Dead Words within them.
Plot: It's been nearly three hundred years since the city of Misthaven was established and its people have long since forgotten the crisis of the Age of Magic. New arrivals to the city are processed and assigned living arrangements and given time to adjust to society and become a contributing member in short order. They are made welcome to a city that has so effectively married the boon of technology with magical energy, the problems people face are rarely caused solely by magic or the Dead Words. Some might say you're more likely to get struck by lightning than to fall victim to darkness. However there have been reports of strange occurrences within Misthaven. Yes, strange even for a city where magic is as natural to people's lives as waking up to the Sun every morning. As two investigators, we have been charged to uncover what is behind the mysterious and increasingly unusual events.
Character: I want to give you the freedom to be creative with your Dead Words and the magic associated with them so feel free to dive in. The only restriction that I'd say is to use your common sense. If you think the ability is so crazy that you might have to ask me if it's too crazy...it's probably too crazy. Also, when thinking about your character, remember that you're going to be an investigator by trade.
Setting: Our story begins in the city of Misthaven, a bustling miniature metropolis that has become so isolated from the rest of the world that aside from the residents, those who learn of if only do so out of necessity. There are no roads which lead to or from. The only way in is via a single bridge that disappears into an ever present mist that is so thick it is impossible to see what exists beyond the barrier. To the outside world, there is one certainty: those who pass into through the veil are never seen or heard from again. For you see, Misthaven came to be from the crisis born of the "discovery" of magic. Within the city limits, magic, which was once seen as volatile and unpredictable has been brought to relative control through technologies which harness and act as a go-between a user and the source. Over the years, this harmony has allowed for the city to grow and to prosper. Vibrant cultures have likewise developed amongst the people, making Misthaven feel like a world completely unto itself. And while Misthaven is home to great minds supported by an ethos of curiosity, exploration and discovery, there are still mysteries that have yet been brought to the surface.
Lore: They say that it began with flicker of light that came and went in a moment. As some would tell it, the flicker was so quickly gone that had it not started a fire in the living room of a certain Ms. Frances Devonshire, that it might have gone completely unnoticed. Fortunately, Ms. Devonshire had been sat upon the couch when the most unnatural light snapped in and out of existence and after scrambling to smother the fire, called her neighbors to share in her bewilderment. Soon, the usually introverted Ms. Devonshire was host to a room of guests who were as curious as they were skeptical. At first there was little more to see than a circular pattern singed into the otherwise ordinary wooden floor boards. But just as skepticism began to overtake curiosity, another light appeared above the crowd and lingered for a moment before vanishing like the first. Then there was another. Then two, then three simultaneously and it continued like that until the Devonshire residence was left a smoldering heap. The onlookers didn't know it then, but the Age of Magic had begun.
An invisible connection was created that day. Countless tunnels which passed through the infinite nothing between realities now joined our world to one that had been consumed by magic. The change went unnoticed for weeks, as if there wasn't enough power in the air, the water or the soil to make an appreciable difference to anyone in particular. Eventually the influence of those forgotten magics reached a critical mass and the first incident of magic was reported. A young boy was riding the bus to school when suddenly, he vanished. The community banded together and searched for days but turned up nothing. The bus driver was even accused of abducting the child but the investigation went cold as there was simply no evidence of the child's whereabouts. Just as he was to be officially pronounced dead, he reappeared at his parent's doorstep. When asked where he'd gone and why he hadn't tried to call, he said that he'd been been in small town that had a name he couldn't pronounce and the people didn't speak his language. Though he couldn't quite explain how he'd returned, he spoke most assuredly that for nights before his disappearance, he'd heard whispering. It was a phenomenon later to be called the Dead Words.
The Dead Words granted power to those who heard them. Power that, at first, manifested beyond the bearer's will or want to use them. Some incidents were rather benign but others lead to rather tragic accidents. Those afflicted by the Dead Words were studied intensely for years until finally one of the test subjects, figured out a crude means of managing the power he'd received. When the scientists asked how he'd come to understand the method, he claimed that it came to him in a dream. A series of symbols, an archaic alphabet that could evoke the Dead Words. Thus by etching the Dead Words into precious stones and then by surrounding that stone in a band bearing the same inscription, the magic could be managed, used when called upon. The danger was managed. Or it was believed.
Now that the Dead Words were beginning to be understood and catalogued, the use of magic likewise became more common. Those whose magic was more substantial and powerful were revered as mystics, wizards and heroes. Those with more modest abilities, well, at least they could impress friends over dinner. It seemed that the Age of Magic was the start of something great, leading to greater and greater things as more and more people were blessed by the Dead Words. But just as future's promise seemed its brightest, a violent storm came to balance the scales. A great mystics was entertaining a crowd of excited onlookers when a small dark circle the size of a tennis ball appeared at the center of his chest. The mystic howled in pain, begging for help as his entire body was covered in darkness and disintegrated into a pile of black and silver soot. The Dead Words had consumed him, ripping his corporeal body through realities and into the depths of the void. He was the first but far from the last, for using the pure Dead Words is terribly addictive.
The Age of Magic had gone from a glimmer of hope to a frightened and desperate reality. Fortunately, a new method of control was discovered hidden amongst the catalogued Dead Words. A series of sigils previously thought to have no bearing over magic were found to be the cure that the world now sought. There was only one problem, the sequencing of the sigils was far too long to be etched into a single stone or metal band. It ran for thousands upon thousands of lines and so it was reasoned that a great foundation would have to be created and on top of that foundation, a the town for those bearing the Dead Words to live safely. Thus it was ordered that the great foundation be committed to the earth, a series of stone circles with the sigils carved painstakingly into the surface and then sealed away so as not to be disturbed. And so, in time, Misthaven was built from a small town into a city filled with those bearing the Dead Words within them.
Plot: It's been nearly three hundred years since the city of Misthaven was established and its people have long since forgotten the crisis of the Age of Magic. New arrivals to the city are processed and assigned living arrangements and given time to adjust to society and become a contributing member in short order. They are made welcome to a city that has so effectively married the boon of technology with magical energy, the problems people face are rarely caused solely by magic or the Dead Words. Some might say you're more likely to get struck by lightning than to fall victim to darkness. However there have been reports of strange occurrences within Misthaven. Yes, strange even for a city where magic is as natural to people's lives as waking up to the Sun every morning. As two investigators, we have been charged to uncover what is behind the mysterious and increasingly unusual events.
Character: I want to give you the freedom to be creative with your Dead Words and the magic associated with them so feel free to dive in. The only restriction that I'd say is to use your common sense. If you think the ability is so crazy that you might have to ask me if it's too crazy...it's probably too crazy. Also, when thinking about your character, remember that you're going to be an investigator by trade.
