linkingup | Argenti's Palace

General & Combat-specific Note(s):

🌹 Characters will be free to explore and interact with various things to an extent throughout the exploration phase.
🌹 Please bold your actions as that will be most helpful.

🌹 For combat-related matters, roll 1d20 to see if attack hits; 1-10 attack will miss, 11-20 the attack will hit with higher hit values landing more damage (20 being a critical)
🌹 No support spells or normal actions (helping people up, etc.) need rolling, ever (buffs + healing)
🌹 Using a debuff will be considered a whole entire action at this time (so no debuff + healing & no debuff + attacking), and debuff spells will insta-clear unless otherwise noted.
🌹 Party-wide buffs/spells will be applied to max four characters, with the caster included as one of the "four" for buffs (caster will always be included with multi-target positive buffing/spells no matter what)

[ The road to the palace isn't exactly the most easiest. Perhaps some may come with the intention to break through to enter the area, but get lost, and find themselves elsewhere.

But, eventually thirteen individuals (Fray, Izou, Aerith, McGillis, Maika, Sayaka, Kirumi, Céleste, Elijah, Mafuyu, Falin, Richard, and Aaron) find themselves together, with a sense that where each one notices each one happens to be going in the same direction. It isn't known for sure if it is the right one, but sometimes intuition is the feeling that speaks the loudest.

All at once, the surroundings turn to something else, the environment paradoxically feeling bright and at the same time foreboding, particularly with the ruins of a town that may have, at one point, thrived. Fog hovers ominously in the air, concealing most places of exit, except the path forward. Plants seem to already overtake the building's structures, foliage daringly peeking through the cracks in the land, though there is also the telltale scent of burnt material, and craters should anyone stop to look around. There are shadows that linger as well, but they appear to be slumped, unmoving in their spots, and hard to see, their conditions unknown.

Either way, the way ahead is clear, even if more dilapidated buildings await them.

Soon enough, all will notice that a brilliant light shines towards a certain point ahead. And lo! Thereupon entering the center of town is a stone dais where that radiance from above rests, illuminating 13 circular positions etched upon the stone that people will feel drawn to stand upon.

And if they should all compile themselves upon it, the area will automatically raise like a platform gently flying upwards, until it reaches a floating piece of land in the sky. Right atop this floating piece of land is a castle, and upon ascension, a dark, starry sky rushes overhead, illuminating the fathomless pitch-black night of the star ocean.

It's time to enter. But, first, there appears to be something else to contend with. That is a a locked gate, and from it, a strange, hollow voice rings out to ask everyone: ]

What still remains beautiful after it has been tarnished?

Edited 2024-09-15 16:08 (UTC)

[ Every single one or most has granted answers, and to it, it seems to laugh softly, and mockingly in a way that rings out loudly so that no one in the group has any hope of missing it in the slightest.

After that, the gentle laughter dies down. The voice responds dyly and sharply: ]

Many of you have not only limited minds, but a finite view of Beauty.

Regarding the answer on the state of my person being beautiful...clearly that is empty flattery.

In addition, Idrila is flawless and can NEVER be tarnished. Unlike your state of being.

[ Apparently this "voice" thinks there is room to talk about that. ]

Yet, all of your answers shall suffice.

But, some of you do deserve praise. Indeed the heart remains untarnished even after it has been poisoned by ugliness and the darkest evil. Even villains who kill without remorse and for the sake of satisfying their bloodlust can love purely and beautifully.

Hope...yes, even in the dark there is hope. Even if all are doomed to lose it eternally.

As for human beings...yes, you are correct. Some that are tarnished can still remain beautiful, no matter how ugly they turned in the face place.

One of you also did have a unique answer. Oxidized Copper...impressive surprising thinking skills.

A rose indeed is always bound to be able to recover its beauty even after it has been tarnished. Or, is "dried out", as you say.

And, finally, the soul. The beautiful light of a soul still exists even if darkness shall cover it forevermore.

You may enter. Welcome...to Melustanin Castle.

[ The gate swings open, but so do its doors. Once entering, the doors swing shut. There is no way to go forward, and once everyone does, traversing the beautiful halls, all will reach... ]

Edited 2024-09-15 17:24 (UTC)

[ ♫ ]

After stepping through the doors, everyone will find themselves wandering in darkness, which feels as if it takes ages to traverse. Upon clearing the final part of the veil of darkness, everyone is brought suddenly to a field of white flowers of many kinds. Gladiolus, white roses, with an almost bare night sky hanging above them. It feels comforting...nice.

...Even with cages littered across the fields, empty as the sky above.

Still, everything about it is beautiful, and it feels as if one can lose their time away here.

More importantly, there are two people up ahead. One looks to be like Argenti, and the other is a being shrouded in darkness - the former appears to be happy, relieved, hands reaching out to rest on the being's shoulders.

When all of them draw closer, Argenti goes silent, happiness dying from his expression, and his eyes seem to haze over as he steps back until he disperses into red petals that settle on white flowers; the remaining figure turns to face everyone else.

Whoever this person is...it is not known. But, judging by the fact that there can potentially be made out pieces of armor, this individual is clearly a Knight. For those paying close enough attention, this person's armor resembles the one witnessed in the memory not too long ago.

When he speaks, the voice is horrid, like nails on chalkboard. Like a hissing misbegotten creature from the deep that has just crawled out of the void.

"Why are you here?"

It seems everyone has met the new obstacle. Perhaps the one before they can even move forward onto the confrontation. But there is the sense that it won't be long, at least.

[ Welcome to the second part of the Exploration phase! As always, if there's something you're looking to have your character do, feel free to bold it. ]

Edited 2024-09-16 00:42 (UTC)

[ Everyone gets their affars in order and begins to walk through that bright door!

The halls are splendid, radiant, though lacking in most furniture, the lights that hang above brighten the hallways beautifully. But, if someone's gaze lingers away from what's in front of them, they may catch the sight of something rushing past the pillars in the dark, unable to be seen even in the brightest lights. And ahead, are two incredibly large double doors made of some kind of pale stone.

In a blink of an eye and a whirlwind of petals, everyone witnesses something else, however:

The appearance of thirteen knights. They are dressed head to toe in blindingly brilliant armor, with helmets that conceal their visage, weapons either sheathed or on hand. But, some of them may look familiar enough for all to make subtle identifications.

One who was assuredly Argenti's friend, one who was Argenti's Master, and one a one-armed knight.

But that is hardly important, especially when they begin to march forward towards everyone else.

...Uh oh.

Then they move to hold out each an individual flower to everyone else.

To Fray, a Spider Lily.

To Maika, a Blue star water lily.

To Kirumi, an Edelweiss.

To Richard, a Sopheria.

To Elijah Walsh, a Flannel Flower.

To Izou, a Spider Lily as well.

To McGillis, a Common Chicory.

To Falin, a Lavender flower.

To Sayaka, a Forget-Me-Not.

To Céleste, a beautiful white rose.

To Aerith, a brilliant Golden Splendor Lily.

To Mafuyu, a Black Lily.

To Aaron, a white gladiolus.

Regardless of whether or not the character accepts it, the flower seems to disperse into bright lights that enter into all of them. However tired everyone may have been feeling, they feel completely energized now.

They all stand back and move to let everyone pass...Then, in another whirlwind of petals, all the knights disperse.

And the double doors slam open, revealing... ]

Edited 2024-09-17 15:27 (UTC)

[ What a time it has been, hasn't it?

A wild ride that has shaken the soul and hardened the heart, perhaps, if it has not already been as fierce as the determination everyone here has shown already. And...

Everyone has been essentially doing their part to help Argenti along... everyone. They all follow meticulously the path whereupon the red spider lilies point, as if directing them towards a place in the underworld, or perhaps a potential scene of death.

...Or, simply just an exit. That too.

Regardless, there is one benefit thus far.

Argenti is awake, himself, even if definitely very much out of it, and... most importantly:

Alive. ]

𝓡𝓾𝓵𝓮𝓼

Introduction.