Consequences

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Bayen
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Consequences

Post by Bayen »

Skoitomashu had fallen from glory. Once, the academy had been a living thing, almost sentient, with an ancient power deep in its roots. With Bayen at its head as Lord of Magic, they had produced innovation after innovation on the border of magic and technology.

In the last war, though, the tree had burned. They'd salvaged as much as possible and rebuilt what they could, but the life was gone from the halls. Bayen was long dead, and even the new Headmaster Kane hadn't been seen much recently. The few students who saw him did so only briefly. They whispered in the common areas that he looked tired and sickly, that he actually spent most of his time in bed resting.

Several famous healers had visited the academy recently. Each of them spoke with the headmaster, some staying for weeks on end, but eventually, each was turned away. And Kane stayed out of sight.
Kara adjusted her wig as the team prepared the makeup necessary to hide how pale and hollow her face had grown. She was Empress; the occasional public appearance was necessary. Still, it was getting more and more difficult to hide her deteriorating health.

Without healing magic, she would probably have been long dead. Even with arcane assistance, the fight wasn't easy. The healers would magick away the tumors, but they only grew back quicker than the last time. She wasn't sure how long they could keep this up, much less keep it secret from the population at large.

It had to be secret, unfortunately. With Gerk's health as frail as it was, the public couldn't afford to see a second Triumvir on death's door. The government could collapse. No, Kara had to maintain the illusion of well-being --- and illusion magic was almost necessary at this point.

The worst part was, the phenomenon wasn't isolated. Apart from herself, Gerk, and Kane, there were dozens of others that Kara knew were affected. People who had been around since the beginning of Gralus.

Maybe it was just their time. They were getting old, after all.

Nevertheless, she had a feeling it was something more sinister.
tl;dr Most of my characters have fallen inexplicably ill over the past year, which is why they haven't been doing much. Clever, right? :doc: But seriously, they're all dying, and no one knows why. (There will be more on this soon, once Gerk finishes off some things.)

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Gerk
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Re: Consequences

Post by Gerk »

Yay, Bayen's back!

I feel I should note that this storyline is not part of the plans I've been crafting for about two years for my characters, but when Bayen and I came up with the idea during a car ride to breakfast (putting our heads together alone in a confined space is like asking for trouble), it fit so very well with Gerk's failing health that I decided it would make the most sense to include him in it. Hopefully I'll have wrapped things up within the week, and this can start moving forward. In the meantime, Bayen, we should have a discussion to go over some more details of this idea, mostly to make sure the logistics are sound.
"When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."
~Sherlock Holmes

The character of Gerk ronAnaglea is dead.
My avatar contains (from left to right) the characters of Analis and Rafel.
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Bayen
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Re: Consequences

Post by Bayen »

Moved to a Google Doc, as discussed in this topic.

Andreas the Wise
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Re: Consequences

Post by Andreas the Wise »

Excellent intro!
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Gerk
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Re: Consequences

Post by Gerk »

Ok, I'm going to continue this a bit. Because it's a fantastic idea, and I need something more engaging to write than the very depressing short story I'm currently working on. The thing is, I have some various interesting plans that will perhaps be more effective if posted on the forum rather than in the google doc (and Sakat knows we could use the post count :D ). That said, for now I'll keep it to the google doc, and bring in the forum-related stuff when I get to that point.

I don't know how many of you are able to contribute at this point, but if I end up playing all your characters, that wouldn't be the worst thing in the world, seeing as there's really only four or five of us now. Not so much a daunting task anymore. But I gratefully welcome contributions.

But first, we need to be on the same page with some of this. This story is, by nature, going to be very sciency in its outset. Not in the sense that it's going to contain lots of science, but in the sense that there is a lot of absolutes that everybody needs to understand in order to keep continuity. It's going to be very different from previous stories we've done where magic was perhaps used more as an excuse for what happens. In this story, magic is no longer the excuse, because as we'll find, magic has limits. So some quick points before we continue:

1. Most mages can go day-to-day on their own bodily energy. In fact, only a very small portion of magic users are even able to tap into other energy sources.
2. Of those who can tap into other energy sources, only a few of them (read, PCs) are able to draw energy at the nuclear level, or create enchantments that can do so.
3. Drawing energy at the nuclear level releases a sort of radiation that is difficult to detect because it is inherently magical as well as physical.
4. Prolonged or repeated exposure to this radiation causes a sort of radiation sickness that is very similar to mundane radiation sickness but is more difficult to treat.
5. At the outset of this story, nobody is aware of points 2-4. Powerful mages are aware that they are able to tap into some sort of larger power source, but nobody has ever figured out what that source is, and few have even bothered to try. Most magic users are aware of point 1 (it's part of their training: don't over-exert yourself or you'll die), but only the more learned segment of the general population is as well.

The sickness, however, is not limited to only powerful mages (though they are the most likely to contract it, given their repeated exposure from their own magic), it can also come about from residing in areas with powerful enchantments, like academies and such. I'll be bringing a bit of this idea in at some point, and you're all welcome to bring it up, too, but just remember the above guidelines.
"When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."
~Sherlock Holmes

The character of Gerk ronAnaglea is dead.
My avatar contains (from left to right) the characters of Analis and Rafel.
Click here for my roleplaying Element List.

Andreas the Wise
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Re: Consequences

Post by Andreas the Wise »

Sounds good, this will definitely be an interesting track to explore.
The character Andreas the Wise is on indefinite leave. But he does deserve a cool war ribbon.
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However, this account still manages:
Vincent Waldgrave - Lord General of Gralus
Manuel - CEO of VBNC. For all you'll ever need.
Q - Director of SAMIN
Duke Mel'Kat - Air Pirate, Melangian, and Duke of the Flying Duchy of Glanurchy
Cla'Udi - Count of Melangia
Vur'Alm Xei'Bôn - Speaker of Nelaga, Minister of Interior Affairs, and a Micron

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Gerk
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Re: Consequences

Post by Gerk »

The next part that I've been working on for a while is complete, and is a good segue into the expedition to find Kara.
"When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."
~Sherlock Holmes

The character of Gerk ronAnaglea is dead.
My avatar contains (from left to right) the characters of Analis and Rafel.
Click here for my roleplaying Element List.

Andreas the Wise
Posts: 2189
Joined: Tue Nov 23, 2010 11:40 pm

Re: Consequences

Post by Andreas the Wise »

Post it then! :)
The character Andreas the Wise is on indefinite leave. But he does deserve a cool war ribbon.
Image
However, this account still manages:
Vincent Waldgrave - Lord General of Gralus
Manuel - CEO of VBNC. For all you'll ever need.
Q - Director of SAMIN
Duke Mel'Kat - Air Pirate, Melangian, and Duke of the Flying Duchy of Glanurchy
Cla'Udi - Count of Melangia
Vur'Alm Xei'Bôn - Speaker of Nelaga, Minister of Interior Affairs, and a Micron

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Gerk
Posts: 1120
Joined: Tue Jan 11, 2011 1:00 am
Location: Wherever my mind takes me...

Re: Consequences

Post by Gerk »

It's in the google doc. Though I may post it, and future segments on the forum, because I'm finding the doc to be a bit tedious.
"When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."
~Sherlock Holmes

The character of Gerk ronAnaglea is dead.
My avatar contains (from left to right) the characters of Analis and Rafel.
Click here for my roleplaying Element List.

Andreas the Wise
Posts: 2189
Joined: Tue Nov 23, 2010 11:40 pm

Re: Consequences

Post by Andreas the Wise »

Ah, I forgot that, my apologies. I'll go and have a look.
The character Andreas the Wise is on indefinite leave. But he does deserve a cool war ribbon.
Image
However, this account still manages:
Vincent Waldgrave - Lord General of Gralus
Manuel - CEO of VBNC. For all you'll ever need.
Q - Director of SAMIN
Duke Mel'Kat - Air Pirate, Melangian, and Duke of the Flying Duchy of Glanurchy
Cla'Udi - Count of Melangia
Vur'Alm Xei'Bôn - Speaker of Nelaga, Minister of Interior Affairs, and a Micron

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