((many, many rolls later))
((I wrote this pretty fast, so sorry if it's a little clunky in some parts))
((Maps will be uploaded soon))
Name: Ched
Starting village: island
Gender: Female
Knob color: Red, specifically a hue similar to that of robust strawberries.
Sign: The void
You are born on the island of Rogadun in the late summer, the fifth of a liter of 6. You are born to the red knobs, a secluded people. Your scales, like most of your peoples, are a rose gold color though you personally have a streak of bright red scales down the left side of your back.
You are born with no more than the usual complications, a fairly average child. Your siblings are born at night under the gaze of moon god, the sign of the watcher. Those under the sign of the watcher are honest and strong, if a little naive. They are destined for the frontlines of battle. It is a respectable sign.
You however, are different. A rogue cloud has changed your fate. You are born with the sign of the void, as all those born at night when the moon can not be seen. Those under the void are strong and cunning, and sometimes cruel. They are those who war without limits, or morals. Your sign is more feared than respected. Your youngest brother, Thalon, shares this with you.
Your mother is one of the village keepers. Those who stay behind from war to raise the children and tend the village. She has had many children. You father is a strong warrior, successful enough to keep both himself and your mother alive for quite some time. He is seen as a credit to your people.
Your people hold 4 villages on the island, with a fifth held by the yellow knobs. though it is an oddity, there is little hostility amongst your two people. The yellow village is a large trading center, and your peoples hold an official battle yearly. Other than a few well intentioned skirmishes on the side there is no other hostility, no raiding or theft or rivalry at all. You are from the southernmost village on the island. Though not as big as the yellow village or the red capitol, it is sizable in it's own right. You see a modicum of trade, but mostly you are known for your fish and rice.
Your early childhood is a happy time. You are quick, and your ears are sharp. You play among the spire trees, and fight with the other children of your season. When you are big enough, your father teaches you to hold a shield and swing a sword. You learn to swim in the waters around your village, and to set traps to catch the cubefish and scuttlers.
During the middle of fall is the festival of the watcher. Your older siblings, being of the sign, are paraded around the village and brought to sit atop a wooden tower in the center. From there, they throw food and flowers to the villagers as they celebrate below. You and your younger brother bond in this time, starting a fish fight, throwing back at the watchers on the tower. This closeness seems to last, and you become an inseparable duo, much to the chagrin of the rest of the villagers. As the sun sets, the village moves indoors to the great hall, to hear the story of the gods, as told by the village keepers. The hall is packed, and you and your brother climb to the rafters to watch.
The keepers are assembled in scarlet robes at the other end of the great hall, on the raised area normally reserved for the chief and his family. You wave to your mother, and she smiles back at you. The story will be told by the oldest keeper, and the crowd stirs and murmurs when she appears, clad in a purple robe. No one here was alive when she was born, but if rumours are to believed she is nearly nine. Though her scales have lost thier shine she is still strong, and her gait is sure.
She takes a seat in the chieftains chair, and the murmurs stop.
"Let me tell you a story then.." she begins. Her voice is smooth and steady, like cloth. "The story of how we came to be." It is completely quiet now, you hear an owl outside, and the nightbugs as they begin thier song. "At first, there was only the void and the clouds. The void was endless, and brutal. It struck at the clouds again and again, but the clouds were quick and cunning. They were always too fast for the void. Always just out of reach." As she speaks, the other keepers behind her act. They had produced enormous black and grey cloths, and the black cloth was chasing the grey across the stage.
"The void grew to hate the clouds, as they taunted him time after time. He was not so witless himself though, and he devised a plan to catch the clouds. From his formless body he begin to create a trap. Many times he failed, and these became the minor gods as you see them in the night sky; Veneth, Sartran, Ears and the rest." As she says this the keepers float little colored cloths out of the black cloth, and they disappeared offstage. "At last though, he succeeded. He created Marth, this world we live upon today. Marth was beautiful, and obedient. She loved the void, as that is what she was created for." The keepers raise a large crimson cloth in the background, and the grey cloth moves to the side.
"The void took her, and said to her this. "You are the most beautiful of all my creations. When the clouds come to you, you must hold him, and I shall be able to destroy him. Do this, and I shall make you my wife." and Marth agreed, for she loved the void, because that is who she was created for." She pauses for a moment here, and in the background the keepers take the black cloth off stage, and the grey one returns.
"Now, the void was right. Marth was beautiful, and the clouds did come to her. The clouds though, were not ignorant of the voids plots, and he learned to hide himself in himself. For this, he is called the concealer. Many of the minor gods had come to Marth before, but she had rejected them, as she wanted only to please the void. Now, the clouds came to her hidden in himself, and she did not recognise him. He had at first meant to kill Marth, and spoil the voids plot, but when he saw her he faltered. As he sat there silent, Marth called out to him. "Who are you? Another come to seek my affections? I shall tell you the same, I care only for the void. I have no interest in others." The clouds thought on this for a while, and replied "Why do you love the void? He is cruel and angry. He brings nothing but misery." To this accusation Marth did reply "He is cruel yes, and angry. But he has brought creation. Who else among us could say the same? He has brought us all life, and fellowship, and beauty. He is cruel, but kind. Angry, but merciful. I love him." and the concealer was shamed, for he knew she was right. He had made nothing, and the void had made all. "Farewell Marth!" He cried. "I shall return, and you shall know me by my own creation then, for I am the clouds!" and Marth was distraught, as she had failed to recognise him and hold him as the void had willed."
At this point, the keepers dropped the crimson cloth in the background, revealing a large pile of firewood.
"So the clouds went to create, but his efforts were stunted and small. These were the stars, and he made many of them." The keepers begin to light candles and pass them around the room. "Frustrated and ashamed, he hatched a new plan to create. He would win the affections of Marth, and defeat the void all at once. He began to kill the other minor gods, one by one. As he worked, he became covered in thier blood, and it fell from him as the first rain. When he finally had enough, only
Marth and seven others remained. He piled his victims together, and began his final task. With immense effort and will, he pushed in on them until at last, they exploded back into life!" Here, the keepers in the background light thier fire, and the hall is filled with sudden light. "A great radiance shone out, and The Provider was born. The void saw then what had happened, and became angry that his children had been killed. He sought to kill the provider, but she was too great, and she drove him back into the corners of reality." behind her, the keepers throw the black cloth onto the fire, and the flames burn first green and then blue and finally back to red. "The clouds returned now to Marth, in what he thought was victory, but Marth was aghast at what he had done. The concealer despaired, for he knew that Marth would never love him. He cut himself then, and fed his blood to Marth. With this she fell into a deep sleep, and turned red from the blood. With the rest of the blood from his wound he created the Watcher, and tasked her to keep Marth asleep forever. The watcher created us in his image, that our wars will forever feed blood to Marth, and she might forever sleep. Thus is the world now. The provider shines in the sky, ever keeping the void at bay. The watcher watches over Marth in her slumber, and ensures that we fight our wars to keep her such. The concealer for still roams the sky, sometimes visiting marth to add his own blood. And the void still lurks in the edges, seeking to kill them all." She stands now, quite suddenly. "So it is, so it shall be, so it always has been". As one, the audience repeats it back to her. "So it is, so it shall be, so it always has been".
With that, the story is over and the villagers begin to file out. You and you brother slip out a window, and that night as you fall asleep your mind is abuzz with wonder at the story of the world.
It is winter now, much later. The ground is frozen and and the villagers turn to fish over crops. The village has taken on a different feeling lately. The world is cold, and men are focused. Arms and armor are brought from the capital, and people are bringing to prepare for the next warring season. Your father has you training everyday alongside the older men. You will not go to war this season, you are still too young for that, but there is no guarantee that your father will return to teach you again next year. It is a hard task, and you sleep with bruises and welts every night. A blacksmith comes from the capital seeking an apprentice, and finds one in one of the older girls. It is a sacred order, preparing arms for war.You watch from your mother's side in the market.
"I would never do that" remarks your brother. "You never even get to fight anyone! how boring is that?"
"You don't choose to be a blacksmith, you are chosen. And it's a special thing. You would be very lucky to be chosen." mother corrects.
"Still... I hope they don't choose me." he says sulkily.
Near the end of winter is the day of the void. All must stay at home today, and no work or action is allowed. All, that is, but those who have the sign of the void. "You must have energy today" Informs your mother. "You must act with such energy that you start the snow to melt, or we will be stuck in winter forever!"
You and your brother are overjoyed. It has been months since last you have had a day to play. Your father has had you practicing every day. Together, you decide you will spend the day to...
A. Explore. You are larger and faster now. There are many places you can go that you could not before.
B. Fight. The other children under the void are leading stick wars in the woods. Time to see if you have gotten any better.
C. Prepare. The arms and armor are nearly unattended today. You could take a few pieces and hide them in the woods. Dont get caught though.
Poll
1 (50%)
Author
Topic: Choices kinda matter [SG] (Becoming Martian Folktale Simulator) (Read 1674 times)