CHAPTER SIX, INTERMISSION THREE, PART ONE: THE FORWARD MARCH OF TIME
Link to Part Two of this Intermission.Link to Turn Sixty.Time does not stop for anyone. This applies even to the characters of this RtD, regardless if their players remain here or not (for various reasons). From the shores of Atis to the despair-filled ore mines of the deep Theyin Empire, everyone here continues to move on. People develop, stories are told, and ultimately, the butterfly continues to flutter along, seemingly without purpose. Little can we know about the teleology of such a beautiful creature; perhaps, however, we can use the journey to predict the outcome.
Similarly, I hope to inform all of you on how these characters have continued to interact with the world, and how the world has continued to interact with said characters. For the sake of wholeness,
every character that has entered in the world of Dzive will be gone over again - even those who still have active players. Due to the fact that my fingers can only take so much and that the active players should know most about where their characters are, the characters of active players will receive shorter descriptions.
If anybody feels that they have not received a satisfactory amount of information regarding their character, please let me know and I will be more than happy to provide a more detailed response. However, for obvious reasons, I cannot give you information outside of your character's experiences.
This information will be included in the Compendium after I make certain that everyone is happy with the knowledge that they have been provided. Once again, do not hesitate to ask me anything if you're confused or if you have some feedback for me. I'll try to answer as soon as I can.
Without further ado, I hope you enjoy what your characters have created. It's been an incredible honor in being able to direct this RtD. I'm not entirely proud in my own ability - my tardiness and what I judge to be less-than-stellar prose at times worry me - but I have found much excitement in being able to read all of your replies. I hope that I have been able to exhort a similar sort of emotion from all of you, and if not, then I will continue to work to improve my storytelling.
Thank you so very much. Enjoy,
Artemis
THE FIFTH GENERATION
Eh Ah, Guardian of Love and Heart: The "I"
Perhaps one of the more interesting characters here is one who presents himself as a humble yet intelligent man of a colorful background.
The "I" - the one who would be the cleansing agent for the stagnated waters - is, of course, Eh Ah. After the initial shock of the invasion, Eh Ah found himself trapped as a servant in the schemes of important figures. One of the most prominent figures to meet Eh Ah, Seira Theyin, has taken interest in Eh Ah's dealings and has taken him to be one of at least moderate trust. Her motives are still unclear and her words are murky, but Eh Ah doesn't have many choices for his life now.
After encountering a strange incident in which Eh Ah first interacted with his powers (accidentally, I might add), he followed under the guidance of the Empress and helped her in the search for information. She will not disclose all of the details of her ventures, but she does seem to be invested heavily in investigations on the island - especially considering her rather liberal use of destructive weapons on the structures of the island. First, Eh Ah journeyed to the Atisi village. There, he met with an older gentleman who enlightened him on some of the folktales that flow around the island, the strange occurrences that took place during the invasion, and the state of the island. After a short respite, Eh Ah then ventured to the Magis Kingdom.
The Magis proved to be a different story entirely. Unlike the Atisi village, which still had a healthy population and a sense of activity, the Magis Kingdom seemed to be abandoned entirely. At the very least, from the river banks to the castles, Eh Ah could not find anyone who appeared to be a civilian. But perhaps the strangest sight of all was a woman in the residential districts of the Magis Kingdom. She seemed to be unresponsive, yet just conscious enough to keep her balance and walk on her own. She would not blink, respond to his calls, or move from her position. Deciding that it'd be better for the Theyin forces to investigate her condition, Eh Ah took her to Aecrocia, where the Theyin forces had set up a provisional headquarters. The Empress took great interest in the appearance of that strange woman and thanked Eh Ah for his work.
Shortly, he returned to his bungalow in the lower section of Aecrocia. Lady Luck seemed to have something against Eh Ah, for his house was looted before he returned. Fear not, however, for the gallant market boy still had some pocket change left over that he was able to use to purchase some goods. With at least one foot back on the ground now, Eh Ah may be able to proceed onward and discover a little bit more about what the Theyins intend to do with the island, and what this all has to do with his apparent gravity toward the supernatural.
Diana Crown, Guardian of Lightning and Soul: The Electric Warrior
The story of the forsaken princess is one that represents one of the earliest ventures into Guardianship. Although she does not know it herself, Diana Crown is at the crossroads of various inter-linking timelines and relationships. Her status as Magis nobility gives her a certain level of access to higher channels; her (forced) engagement to the son of a radio network mogul
would have given her even more power and access; and her skills and jubilant nature give her a unique perspective on life.
Diana Crown, being the promised daughter of fortune, journeyed in an escape vessel from the island of Atis to the shores of Survatas. There, she was to orient herself and, with the help of her brother, set up a diplomatic channel in representation of the Magis Kingdom. The objective was to alert members of the Jaunatne Coalition to the Theyin Empire's successful invasion of the island. That mission was thrown to the wayside, however, when Diana and her group were attacked by a rather mysterious force. Shadowy creatures in the night, with vicious temperaments and sharpened fangs, went after Diana and her brother. Along with them was a human figure, though Diana could not even hope to ascertain who that person was exactly. At this point, Diana learned about her true calling: the Guardianship. Using her powers as a Guardian, she was able to quickly dispatch her enemies. Despite this, she was still subdued by the mysterious figure.
Diana came to consciousness in a strange place. She was informed by a nurse that she was in the town of Perith. Her brother and guard had been found along with her; they were even more harshly wounded than Diana was, and their recoveries would take about a month to realize. Diana, however, was at least fine enough to walk around and venture about the town on her own. Deciding to take a look around, she came to the conclusion that she would need to work around in order to sustain herself in the town. At the very least, she would be able to then purchase transportation, which she and her brother could use to contact diplomats in the town.
After looking around for a job, Diana went back to the medical center to talk with her brother. Due to his injuries, he told Diana that he would not be able to accompany her on their objective for a little while. She would have to look around on her own to find assistance. Thinking back to the past, he told her that she might have more luck going to the port city of Makoi - not too far from where they already were - and asking for help from the city council there. The nurse who had previously tended to Diana informed her that she would also be able to stay in the medical center for several more days without charge. She resides there now - at least, for the moment.
Warren Drake, Guardian of Reptiles and Life: The Web of Spirits
In a similar fashion to that of the previous Guardian, Warren Drake also serves as the anchor point for many different stories. Coming from the main Atisi village on Atis, he is a man of simple tastes and the humblest of backgrounds. In fact, at first glance, he appears to be far-removed from the world of the Medium. One could say that he was simply a bystander who was accidentally swept up in the torrent of the Medium. Like most of the other Guardians, he, too, ended up on the coast of Survatas. The difference, however, comes in how he ended up there. One of the stranger elements of his Guardianship comes in the form of Darzenis, a sentient lizard that continues to follow Warren Drake around and pesters him incessantly. Despite this, Darzenis has managed to be somewhat of a guide to Warren. At the very least, Darzenis has been able to introduce him to his powers.
After arriving on the Survatan coast, Warren was able to meet up with some other strangers who were also, coincidentally, refugees from the island of Atis. They, however, were from more established backgrounds, unlike Warren. He stayed with these fine members of the nobility for a short while before being separated due to a peculiar happening. T'was the night of the Shadow, and such a night was hardly distinguishable from that of a nightmare. Warren appeared to be face-to-face with an alternate version of himself - though, for what reason, he did not know. Eventually, however, he was able to escape with the help of Darzenis. Along the way, Warren was introduced to another aspect of his power: the ability to turn into a reptile himself. Unfortunately, this was to his detriment, seeing as how the weather was not in his favor.
Eventually, he arrived at a small clearing after returning to a human form. There, he was introduced to a nomadic girl, who appeared to be living in a den cut out of the underground portion of a tree. She, too, seemed to have exhibited a sort of power that would point to no such earthly source. After spending some time at this place, he journeyed to a logging camp to seek out a town. From there, he arrived at a hamlet of sorts. Having become mentally exhausted, he took a short respite with the help of some liquor he purchased in the town. Returning from there, he made his way back to the home of the orange-haired girl and slept through the night there.
Warren has yet to hear back from Darzenis and hasn't had much in the way of personal direction yet. Considering that he was with no personal objective being here, he is entirely at the mercy of beings far greater than himself. With only a meager awareness of his own abilities and next to no assistance out in the wilderness, Warren has many a difficult task ahead of him.
"Unknown", Guardian of Fire and Chaos: The Anguished Mask
A silent, brooding figure, his lack of a name aptly describes his entire being. Having been raised under the care of a blacksmith in the Magis Kingdom, Unknown's story is like the silhouette of a crooked and tall figure. Perhaps he was destined forever to be under the wing of Chaos, considering that his inevitable introduction to the life of a Guardian would bring him that way. Maybe he grew into that personality and simply used the Guardianship as a means to realize his potential; or maybe it was entirely coincidence that his personality just so happened to match up with what being a Guardian would entail. No matter what the cause, however, the man known simply as the "Unknown" would surely deliver on his silent promise of Chaos.
At the start of the invasion of Atis, Unknown followed the blacksmith to the volcano, where he would know of a place to hide while the invasion progressed. Unfortunately, the place seemed to be occupied by a newcomer who would not let the two in. Following this, Unknown and the blacksmith went back to the center of the Magis kingdom, where the blacksmith's metalworks was located. Unknown, deciding it wise to check around the kingdom, went west to the walls of the Magis. There, he discovered that the invaders known as the Theyin were already breaking through the walls. Unknown took to one of the towers and succeeded in killing one of the soldiers using equipment stolen from the tower. He donned a Theyin uniform and attempted to survey the kingdom from the walls.
With the majority of the Magis forces retreating through the kingdom or dying, resistance forces were being rounded up, with some of them being executed. The blacksmith was among one of those who was executed. Angered and desperate, Unknown went into a state of rage and unknowingly triggered a mechanism that had been dormant for ages. This marked the onset of the Absolute Zero Form, a reactive mechanism of the Guardians that maximized the power of a Guardian in unstable conditions, usually for the purpose of survival or vengeance. He developed wings with electric outlines and black compositions, and took to the skies. Calling upon the core of his power, he unleashed the volcano as his primary mechanism for what he sought - chaos. Lava poured from the volcano down onto the island-battlefield of Atis, throwing the island - and the invading forces - into complete disarray. The invasion was thrown off its feet. Unknown's unchallenged power would not last long, however.
In the skies against him was Alex Raman, the Guardian of Ice and Death. He, too, had triggered his Absolute Zero Form. It was an incredibly rare occurrence for two Guardians to go into the Absolute Zero at the same time. Seeing as both of them posed a threat to one another, they engaged in combat in mid-air, utilizing the might of the ocean and the volcano to counteract one another. Eventually, Alex prevailed, dealing a heavy blow to Unknown and knocking him out of his Absolute Zero Form. Alex Raman did not last long, however; his overuse of his powers meant that he fell out of the air, too, and the chaos was stemmed for the moment.
Nobody knows what happened exactly to Unknown. Seeing as he was already a little-known figure, nobody was alive who was interested in seeking him out. Moreover, he could not even be found on the island, even if someone were to look out for him. It would seem as if he disappeared entirely. Whether he is alive or dead is still unknown.
Only time will tell if he will return again to exact his revenge, or to seek out new ways to hone in on his powers.
Rune, Guardian of Clay and Mind: The Entombed Prophet
An artist of clay by day, an... artist of clay by night, Rune stands as one of the most invested Guardians in terms of his power usage. Working nearly full-time on his powers, he seeks to create an army of clay (
a Terracotta army of sorts, though not one for the afterlife). Utilizing this army, he plans to create a boat and use his army as a fighting force. Though his intentions are mysterious, his plans are laid-out and efficient. After initially discovering his power to animate clay soldiers, he moved his work from a cave near the volcano to the middle of the mainland forests. There, he had his golems dig out a complex system of tunnels.
In this tunnel system, Rune came across a rather puzzling find. Although he did not intend to be an archaeologist, he had stumbled upon a large, cylindrical cavern. In said cavern was a series of markings and engravings that seemed almost ancient. Upon exploring further, Rune unintentionally triggered some sort of mechanism with his powers. A door carved itself into the rock with a blinding light, and an encrypted message was left there for Rune. Upon deciphering it, he figured that it was a cryptic poem of sorts. Seeing as it was not his business to meddle with ancient (or, indeed, supernatural) affairs, he abandoned that cavern for the moment. The light had died down, and the cavern returned to normal, though with a few new engravings here or there that Rune did not make with his own hands.
Continuing his work, Rune had the golems dig out a set of rooms for him to use as metalworks and resource pools. Over time, he created more and more golems, with an emphasis on general-purpose clay golems. As he worked with his ability, he found that he was able to control greater numbers of golems. Rune then set about tasking the golems with mining ore, smelting, and creating weapons and armor for the soon-to-be warriors of his clay army. He continued to proceed in this fashion for a day or so.
Rune alternated his work. At points, he would use his powers to control large amounts of golems and give them tasks regarding mining or the moving of resources. On other occasions, however, he made use of focusing techniques and experiments to further his capabilities. Throughout all of this, Rune was relatively safe in his tunnel complex. Eventually, however, he was bound to be found accidentally by a passerby. Luck would have it that a group of adolescents stumbled upon the entrance to his tunnels. Finding himself short of options, Rune posed with his statue army and managed to get two of the kids to run off. The third, however, seemed to be unafraid of the golems. Rune took interest in this, thinking that she might know more than had let on. He let her go on the promise that she would return later to discuss with him the nature of the golems and his power.
Now, Rune is embroiled in a situation with the Theyin Empire. Imperial soldiers have found his base of operations and are interested in taking over the tunnels for military use. Rune has very few choices in this scenario, and may just have to give up what he's been working on if he seeks to avoid trouble. On the other hand, however, he could throw caution to the wind and test out his armored golem in a combat scenario.
With the allure of freedom being just out of reach, Rune may have to sacrifice some of his work in order to save his greater operations.
Alex Raman, Guardian of Ice and Death: The Vindictive Ghoul
It is difficult to describe Alex Raman using the domain of a single Guardian (then again, the Guardians would be incredibly plaid and boring if they
were easy enough to describe using a single domain). He often straddles the line between the pillars of Death and Chaos. That is not surprising, consider that one of the two often follows the other. Instead, what never fails to surprise is Alex Raman's temperament. Having been given a deadly power, Alex does not slack in his department; that is to say, he is exemplary as an angel of Death.
Alex lived in the main Atisi village before the invasion of Atis by the Theyin Empire. There, he enjoyed life with the company of his girlfriend of many years. Love is often a direct path to Chaos; the relationship between the two is closer than one would think. During the invasion of Atis, Alex was separated from his lover and family. He experienced great difficulty in finding those who he loved. Eventually, his worry turned into fear and then hatred when he heard the despairing voice of his lover. At this point, he had triggered his Absolute Zero Form, giving him the power to realize what he desired most: the destruction of those who would dare to lay a finger on what he considered to be the most valuable in his life.
He had the powers of the entire ocean at his hands. Using his own energy, he manipulated water and froze it over, creating solid barriers around the island and splitting entire flotillas apart and snapping ships in two with practically no effort. Icy tendrils washed onto the island and threatened the invading forces. A dome of ice was beginning to rise from the oceans and was on its way to barricading the island from invaders, while Alex himself used spikes of ice to kill the invaders. At this point, however, Alex was forced to engage in combat with Unknown, another Guardian who had also triggered his ability with the Absolute Zero Form. Alex was able to defeat his adversary, but could not sustain his power. He, too, fainted, and was transported to another world entirely.
After conversing with a rather mysterious woman in a dream, Alex ended up on the slopes of a high and snowed-over mountain. From there, he descended into the town below, believing it to be a Theyin territory. Seeking this out as an opportunity for revenge, he made his way to the gates and attempted to use the ice to subdue several guards. However, his powers would not comply with him; he was forced to surrender and was detained. In the town's jail, he tried to gain attention by injuring himself with the bed. Having developed a nasty wound, his captors were left with no choice but to transport him to the medical center. There, Alex took advantage of the elements to kill the guards and intimidate the doctor. His powers came at a high price, however; he was utterly fatigued by the time he exited the medical center.
To make matters worse, he found the town to be enveloped in chaos. An alarm had sounded; Guards were running all over the town, and shrieks and howls could be heard echoing off the walls of the town. Gunshots rang throughout the streets. Alex, bewildered and in need of escape, chose to run from the scene, working his way away from the jail and medical center. Through an incredible stroke of luck, he was able to avoid threatening situations with either the Theyin soldiers or the monsters of the night. At this point, however, Alex's fatigue had nearly made him pass out twice. He needed to seek refuge immediately. Although it wasn't the most pleasant, he could afford to spend some time in an abandoned garage on the far end of town. With the townspeople beginning to evacuate and the Theyin soldiers taking control of the situation, Alex drifted away into the world of the unconscious.
With the morning coming, Alex is now waking. At the very least, he is sure that he is not dead. When speaking of anything other than that, however, there is no measure of certainty available.
Lirian, Medium of Sword and Shadow: The Shadow Butterfly
An outsider by birth but still a very powerful and central aspect of the Medium, Lirian walks the border between two realities. One is the smashed-apart past vision of the Survivors; the other is the imperfect world of Dzive, where the fifth generation of Guardians awakens to its abilities. Like the other Guardians, her powers are only starting to manifest themselves. Despite this, she is already beginning to bridge the gaps between the different facets of the Medium, the Guardians, and the world itself. As she meets with both the new and old Guardians, she will be the factor that determines whether or not the Guardians will work together to rebuild or destroy the already-weakened connections to the Medium.
Being associated with the new generation of Guardians, Lirian lived on the island of Atis in the time-span leading up to its invasion. During the invasion itself, Lirian made her first contact with a peculiar being: Danielle Wrythwia, the "witch" of the Medium. She posed a dilemma to Lirian, in which she would either stay on the island and brunt out the invasion or escape into the eerie shadows of the forests and associate with what Danielle had to offer her. Although she was hesitant, Lirian accepted and was carried into an entirely different dimension. This is where she would learn of the Medium, the nexus that weaves different dimensions together. Incidentally, she would also learnt that she is to be the conductor of the Medium.
After her meeting with Danielle, she was transported to an unknown land, with snow and pine and frost covering the landscape. Searching around for a bit, she eventually met up with Cromwell Jackson, a Guardian, and followed the river valley to the town of Perith. There, she discovered a boy named Deon, who serves as a messenger for the Kito family. He took the two to Doctor Allen Kito, a botanist who works on the outskirts of Perith. Although Lirian was initially very suspicious of the Kito family, she eventually approached neutral terms with them and took their hospitality in a better light. The details of Dr. Kito's work still remain unclear, but Lirian later discovered that he has at least a basic understanding of the Shadows and is willing to cooperate to fight again them. It was around this time that Lirian was also introduced to Artemis Dimikaelo, the earl of Petal Bay county.
After the night of the Shadow, Lirian realized that Artemis had a much deeper understanding of the Shadows than he initially let on. Danielle had told Lirian before that Artemis was one of the most dangerous and volatile Guardians in the past, though he does not seem to remember this previous image of him. Considering that the Guardians were disturbed by the Break of the Medium, there may have been a disconnect between what the Guardians used to be and what they are now. Still very cautious over the powers of Artemis, Lirian watched over the town in the night as Artemis was expected to return. In an unseen manner, Artemis still managed to get an advantage over Lirian and locate her before she could do the same to him. Artemis informed her of what he knew of the Shadow, and she in return offered some of her information. Seeking an ally in her, Artemis asked her to join him in a military operation that concerned the Shadows. She accepted his request, but could not speak for Cromwell's will.
The tendrils of the Medium begin to wrap themselves around every single one of the Guardians already. Both the actors of the past and the present begin to emerge from the physical shadows, and the Shadows of the spirit begin to reveal themselves as well. Monsters of the night, with terrifying forms and powers yet to be revealed, start to terrorize those with weaker souls. The responsibilities of a Medium are clearer now than ever before. The present Medium, Lirian, walks a fragile line between absolute disorder and harmony. With the countless plots of humans and gods unfolding, Lirian is left as the one sole actor that is not bound to any one cause. Will she remain that way, or will she, too, be caught in the whirlwind of the Medium?
Cecil Palmer, Guardian of Radio and Fortune: The Candid Vicar
Few Fortune Guardians ever stray from the path of an oracle-like understanding of the world or the path of one who is guided by intelligent gambits and calculated risks. Cecil may straddle the line between both destinies, creating a unique hybrid that should be regarded as the standard practice for the new generation of Guardians. His abilities are, much like the other Guardians, still in the fledgling stage. However, his capabilities are endless and his way with rhetoric remains a powerful weapon, even if his Guardianship did not exist. Lifted on a pedestal of opportunity, he may have an even greater potential for chaos than the Chaos Guardians themselves.
Cecil G. Palmer started off as one of the most well-known radio hosts on the island of Atis. Atis had served for a long time as a communication hub for the world, and still remains an important center for technology and commerce. His father, too, holds a central position on Atis. He is the head of the Aecrocian government, and by extension, Cecil himself retains some of his influence. At the time of his invasion, he was sent off in a boat with the help of the Magis and escaped off the island. His father remained to take care of international affairs. With his bride-to-be, Diana Crown of the Magis Kingdom's royal family, he landed on the shores of Survatas. The main concern there was to get to a civilized place and to seek aid and/or diplomatic assistance from the higher powers in the Jaunatne Coalition. However, their objective was soon derailed.
On the night of the Shadow, the entire group was split apart. Cecil himself confronted a mysterious figure and eventually blacked out, overcome by the influence of the Shadow and not yet being able to access his powers. He recovered in the city of Makoi, being notified that his fiancée was not present. From there, he spent the day exploring the layout of the city itself. Although he was not yet familiar with the physical appearance of the city, he had heard it mentioned before as an important port on east coast of Survatas that had several ties to Atis. During the night, he was introduced to a series of phenomena that included voices echoing off the walls of the city, a strange man who spoke of the Shadows, and a sweet woman who protected Cecil during the night. Cecil still isn't sure if any of that even happened. At this point, reality has been distorted severely.
After that night, Cecil went around seeking directions. Perhaps he would be able to meet with Diana or her brother and figure out a better way to establish contact with the Atis government again; or, at the very least, they might know a better place to stay. For all intents and purposes, Cecil was no better than a wandering vagrant. His powers, too, gave him no valuable information at the time, and using his power proved to be painful. Almost entirely lost, Cecil was at the ends of his wit. To add on to his misfortune, he ended up stumbling over an artist and accidentally caused her to ruin her painting. Angry with him, she demanded recompense, to which Cecil had no answer.
After explaining his situation to the girl, he was able to convince her to help him out by providing transportation to a town down south - Perith. At the very least, he might be better able to orient himself from there; perhaps, then, he might find Diana or her brother. The girl obliged, seeing as she was already heading south, and would inevitably pass Perith along the way. She agreed to meet him at that spot in three hours. At the designated time, Cecil met her there. She had already packed her stuff in her car; all they needed to do was leave.
Cecil is currently napping in the back of the artist's car on the way to Perith. It's been a very strange day for Cecil, but at least he has taken comfort in knowing that at least one person has provided him a more tangible form of support. There are still many questions fermenting in the back of Cecil's mind, however. He still does not know how that man appeared on the docks, or why there was not a single other soul going about the town, or how he went into that alternate dimension with the robed lady. Is he going insane? It looks like it, so far. He has to find someone who can explain this to him; for now, though, he has a long trip ahead of him. He can afford to take a short rest; his work comes later.
Cromwell Jackson, Guardian of Cats and Light: The Cruciform Lodestar
In more ways than one, Cromwell serves as the beacon for the Guardians - the so-called "lodestar. Although his powers haven't developed all that much (with the peak of his ability pertaining to conversation with felines), he has certainly played an important part in the awakening of the Guardians. With the help of his feline companion, he has gone from the towering skyscrapers of Aecrocia to the frosted-over countryside of Survatas. Cromwell's life was turned on its head when the invasion of Atis occurred, as was the norm for most of the other Guardians. Even though he has not had the opportunity to discover the major part of his abilities yet, he still plays a central part in the formation of the new generation of Guardians, whether he knows it or not.
As said before, Cromwell lived and worked in Aecrocia at the time of the invasion. When the invasion struck, Cromwell was forced to evacuate his workplace. Near this point, he discovered that he could communicate with felines - namely, cats. His kitten, though of simple vocabulary, was able to urge him to go to the forest and to enter it. With that, he was transported to Survatas. There, he followed the river's valley for a short amount of time before coming upon Lirian. The two of them joined together in the interest of survival. It just so happened that Lirian, too, was a refugee from the island of Atis, and was similarly transported by an unknown force to this very same place.
After walking back along the river valley the next day, the two of them happened upon the town of Perith, where they were able to receive assistance from Doctor Allen Kito and his daughter, Erin Kito. This was also an important place for Cromwell, seeing as how his kitten recommended that they should seek out Tileno in the town ahead. Tileno is the puffy white cat that lives with the Kito family. Being able to converse with Tileno, Cromwell was able to glean some information about the Shadow and what their purpose was there. Unfortunately, Tileno could not answer some of the more complicated questions that Cromwell had, but he was satisfied for the moment.
After the night of the Shadow, where Lirian and Artemis fought together to repel the Shadows from the town, Cromwell became a bit more concerned about their mission. When Artemis came back to the residence to ask him to join them on a military operation, he was conflicted. He wanted to help the two of them discover what they could about the Shadows, but he would also be plunging himself into something that was far greater than anything he had ever experienced. Essentially, he would be throwing away his previous life in order to help the two in their task. Even now, he still cannot make up his mind about the situation. Will it benefit him more to go with them, or is his safety and eventual return to Atis more of a concern?
Arnequer, Guardian of Glass and Order: The Lens of Time
Arnequer belongs to a powerful lineage of Guardians. However, the way that he expresses that power may not be what is expected of him. In fact, his powers call back to an affinity that stretches back to the first generation of Guardians. He bridges two different aspects of the Medium together and represents the most recent Guardian to interact with the dimension of Time. Considering that the history of the island of Atis is a clouded one, his abilities may be instrumental in discovering what the past means for the most recent generation of Guardians, and how they can use that to determine the path moving forward.
Prior to the invasion of Atis, Arnequer served as the director of health services in Aecrocia. Although not a position of particularly strong influence, Arnequer was able to attain experience in his domain well before he would ever know that he would be a Guardian. During the invasion, Arnequer was forced to relocate to Summer Hall, where many displaced citizens were being kept. There, he first used his powers to organize people without question. Additionally, he was able to trigger a flashback in which he saw the last invasion of Atis, over seventy years ago. The extent of his powers is still uncertain, but their potential remains strong. Later, Arnequer would act as a representative for the Aecrocian government to Empress Seira Theyin, who proved to be more than a pompous individual.
Eventually, however, the situation with Seira Theyin and President Palmer, the head of the Aecrocian government, fell into a very unstable position. Seira, angered by Palmer's proposition, drew what appeared to be an extremely volatile device from her cloak, and seemed to be ready to detonate it if necessary. Arnequer, not wanting to deal with the fallout (potentially in both the literal and figurative ways) of such an event, intervened, pleading with the Empress to stand down and to negotiate on more reasonable terms. The Empress, though slighted, recovered her composure and demanded that President Palmer hand over control of the Atis government to the Theyin Empire. Unable to find an advantage in negotiations and essentially held at gunpoint, Palmer agreed and stepped down from his position.
Arnequer was able to defuse an incredibly dangerous situation, but he still had plenty of work ahead of him. Palmer was taken into the custody of Imperial forces as a term of negotiation; he would be released when the Theyins deemed that the region was stable enough and when military operations on the island were in their diminutive states. For the moment, Arnequer would serve as the diplomat for the remnants of the Atis government. Although he had no real power, he was able to persuade the Empress on several things; instead of allowing the Imperial soldiers to be so discriminatory to the locals, for example, he found it prudent to be on amicable terms with the citizens. Additionally, focusing on rebuilding the island's infrastructure would put the Imperial forces in a better light. The Empress did not agree with all of his assertions, but at the very least, he was able to establish a form of dialogue between the soldiers and the populace.
Due to the length of this information, the entire post will be split into two parts. The second part will be followed by the actual turn.
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Topic: Roll To Medium: Awakening [Chapter VI] (Read 146271 times)