Appendix A. A History of the Mysterious Sylvari by O. Derzhen

It is a well known fact that our illustrious leader, Palawa Joko (praise Joko) was the slayer of the dragon menace, Mordremoth. What many scholars of Elona wonder now though is why his wrath did not extend to the children of the Jungle Dragon. Since the seas have cleared of the pathetic Risen following Joko’s first dragon-slaying, many outlanders have been travelling through his lands, including the plant creatures who call themselves ‘sylvari’.

What is known is they are grown from a great tree upon the Tarnished Coast, a sentient creature that the sylvari consider their ‘mother’. The true history of their origin, however, seems unknown to them. 

The truth is that the Palawa Joko, wisest of rulers, long foresaw the coming of Mordremoth. Many centuries ago, it was he who stole a seed from the sleeping dragon and imbued it with his divine power, thus, clearing the weaker Dragon’s spell from it. He then planted this seed and waited for it to grow to fruition, to oppose the Jungle Dragon with his own foul weapons when it finally awoke. These sylvari’s attempts at fighting Mordremoth distracted it’s lesser minions that Joko simply did not have time to slay himself, and gave him a more leisurely time with which to kill their former master.

In many ways, the powerful Joko is a father to these sylvari, for their mother would not have existed without his gift. They should come to serve him just as all creatures should, for all are gifted beneath his majesty!

Olivia

S-

Looks like you’re getting your money’s worth, one of our boys spotted an outlander who matches the kinda person you Shining Whatever fellas over in Tyria seemed interested in. Apparently, this lady saved his life, so I’m certainly not telling him I’m giving this intel to you. Hush hush and all that.

But my boy was nearly turned to a crystal monster when that Brandstorm hit Amnoon. Only reason he wasn’t he said was some lady used some magic where she carved a ‘hole in the air’ using some kinda magic, sucked the brandstone right in. My boy says she had white armour, yeah, and she wielded a sword made of red crystal. If that weren’t enough for you, says when she told some of the locals to run and hide behind her, her battlecry was something like “I am the hand of the Unseen, the defenders of humanity”. My man says he won’t never forget that.

That seems to hit all your big points, right? You were right, some of your noble Queen’s enemies are hiding here with us. If you want her though, come get her yourself. I’m not risking my boys on some bitch with a magic crystal sword crazy enough to fight the Branded.

Still, hope you got a finders fee for me.

-L

A visitor in the night

Lunaira swung her legs from her bed, her feet landing upon cold, uneven stone. The air felt strange to her as she took a deep breath. The sky was strange as well, and she could see quite a lot of it from her vantage. She frowned, surely whatever she did last night night, she didn’t get drunk enough to fall asleep somewhere this bizarre and unfamiliar.

And up high.

And for some reason, bringing her bed.

She took cautious steps along the large rocky outcrop, eyes scanning the distance so she didn’t foolishly ever look down. She saw clouds and flashes of lightning over similar cliffs and jagged mountains, places where strange ginormous tendrils shot into the sky. This was only broken by a distant, bright white light over the horizon. And sitting on a chair made of the same strange stone she walked on was a hooded figure, watching the light and idly petting a cat.

Experience had taught Lunaira Larkspur that black robed figures petting cats were rarely, if ever, a good omen. But she was stranded up high, naked, in an unfamiliar place, and this figure seemed to be the only other creature nearby. At least she hoped. So she approached, casually, making no attempt to startle her newfound friend.

“It’s beautiful,” Lunaira said, staring towards the distant light.

“It is fading.” The stranger’s reply was a feminine voice, but warped, echoing with some unearthly power. And it was unfortunately familiar to her.

“Asala.”

With a wave of her hand, Asala shooed the cat away from her stone throne’s armrest, and it ran off to hide among the jagged stones.

“This is not real then,” Lunaira turned back to face where her bed still sat, “This is a dream.“

“Yes. Many of us within the Mists can reach out to the sleeping minds of mortals. And you and I share a special bond.” She began taping her long fingernails on the armrest, Lunaira remaining stoically silent, “I am so disappointed in you, girl, I saw such potential in you and you turn on me. If you had only asked, I could have given you more time. I could have given you the power to bring your father to heel, to take over-”

“I know the hidden price your offers have, Asala,” Luna interrupted, “This won’t work on me.”

Asala’s fingers stopped tapping. Luna’s jaw tightened. They both quietly stared into the distant white light for several moments, a tense silence standing between them.

“This place was shaped by Him, my dear girl. A part of Him will always be here, and enough that He will live again. Don’t resist me. Fight for the winning side, Lunaira Apollonia Larkspur, for once in your life.”

Luna snorted, “Is it really my life right now, Asala?”

Beneath the robe, Asala’s whole body shuddered. Her long fingers gripped the armrests of the seat, and slowly her body rotated, sideways and upwards, so that she would face Lunaira. Under her black hood there was no longer the face of the ghost Luna dealt with all years ago, but six purple glowing eyes.

“No,” she said, “it is not.”

And then Lunaira awoke.

Someone Else

That pain, the blood pouring from your wounds, its over. You don’t have to relive that moment anymore. I have taken it away.

You were misguided in life, it is true. No, don’t try to remember who you were, it’s okay. I have taken that burden from you now. You serve the will of Asala the Black, and you are blessed to do so.

You can be so much better than who you were. A past, a name, they are such unnecessary things. I can give you new purpose.

You really should be thanking me. You could have been flowing through the underworld instead of safe with me, you know, wicked things are afoot there. You owe me for these kindnesses.

But the restful sleep of death is no way to pay off your debt to me for these gifts I’ve given you. It’s time to go back, my precious new servant. It is time to see the shadow of the God of Magic return to the world.

Awake.

The cackling could be heard from Mister Zubair MIrage’s atelier all the way to the Vanguard Hospital as a certain socialite handpicked orange dresses for her ‘beloved’ seeester Lunaira.   She somehow swindled the staff into letting her bring in dresses that would’ve never, ever been designed by the master Mirage.  With amusement, they allowed her to commit this crime against fashion.

(( ahahahah @hattievonlulu @poxydoxy sorrynotsorry))

"She’s trying to get to me, Pretty.”

The undead raven weho brought Luna the letter, complete with the awful dress designs, cawed as Luna reached out to pet it. She threw the designs and letter to the ground and took out her own writing materials.

“Well, darling, if me angry is what it takes to get me to Asala, so be it. Let us give Lux her victory.”

Sister,

This wedding is a joke so it seems fitting that you dress me as a clown. But fine, I will drink enough to wear onme of these dresses, pick whichever one you so desire. I have included my measurements to give to the tailor, if they are inaccurate I am sure you will pick enough of a disgusting orange sack that it won’t be noticable.

You best deliver because if I must suffer this humiliation and not have the manpower to travel south of the Bone Wall I will personally rip your to-be-husband’s head from his body with my bare hands.

-LAL

“Send that off to her Pretty,” she said, “Swoop at her a few times to make her think I’m furious.” Lunaira reached her hand up to the still aching bulletwound, “I suppose if I wasn’t getting worse I would be.”

(( @luxelen ))

HI

HI IM GOING TO USE THIS AGAIN JUST GONNA MAKE SOME BLOGS STAY TUNED BITCH

((Friends!  Follow the Queen of Kinkshaming over here, this is her OOC but gaming-related tumblr, because she’s too ashamed of us nerds to use her actual OOC tumblr hahahah))

Lux please let me kinkshame at least on tumblr

Recovery

A few days after Josie had fallen ill from the undead invasion, Luxelen had come to pay another visit. The fever had broken but the cough still remained, wracking her body at several intervals. Mathias was always close at hand but there really wasn’t much any of them could do except stuff her full of medicine and wait it out. Or so she had thought.

Just as she was settling into being horrifically bored and bed ridden once again, an unlikely savior came through her door. Sort of. She hadn’t run into Luna since the woman had decided to flirt with her in order to annoy Elijah. But there she was and ready to help, for a price.

The treatment hadn’t been fun and Josie was quite glad Mathias had been out studying his magic book when it had taken place. She hadn’t been keen on accepting it, she could only imagine the stink he would have thrown when the words “I’m going to have to kill you for a minute.” were uttered.

And so with some rather traumatic magic, Luna removed the toxins from her system and replaced it with good air. Only a small moment of death required. The fact that Josie found it very hard to sleep for the next few nights due to some nightmares about being suffocated to death was a minor side effect barely worth mentioning.

She had some uplifted spirits at any rate. Luna needed help in Amnoon and as a way to repay her, Josie offered her help and company. Besides, it could possibly give her a chance to see Lucas, something she was rather keen on after her ordeal.

@kexax @luxelen @lunairalarkspur

“I’m fine, really. Just a little groggy.  Allergies.  I took something for them that made me drowsy.”  She cooed at Wililam when rolling over to face him.  It was way past her usual time to wake up, but the weakness from the previous night’s necromantic ritual left her body tired and lungs still not quite at full capacity.  

It was a bit of a white lie, and she hated herself for it.  She’d confess the truth later, and try to rationalize with him, have him understand it was necessary to help her beloved Josie recover.  But now was not the best time to tell her betrothed that her pariah of a sister stole more life force from her, and asked for a favor in turn, one that would lead them back to Amnoon for whatever nefarious plans Lunaira had in mind.

After all, he did try to kill Lulu once. Lux wasn’t going to risk that again.

News of this sort had to be properly timed, and morning sex was one of her favorite treats. Besides, what’s wrong with a little shortening of life span yet again?

(( @withbladeandwit oops))

The breath she inhaled she kept inside her until she reached her refuge within the refuge, the abandoned home of Isabela Harper. Whatever toxin it was burned Luna’s lungs and made her nauseous, but in spite of everything she was still a Larkspur, and that was basically a Sunday morning for a Larkspur.

Bela’s home was not as prepared for her work as the hut in the swamp, it never could be. The Refuge was the opposite of her swamp, where the veils betwen worlds were thin. Here, the various wards and protective spells made the air feel thick and choking to her, more so than her stolen breath. But she had a cauldron and ingredients for her spells, and could soon have a bubbling cauldron filled with an elixir that would preserve what she stole.

The poison breath tumbled from her lips, her choking sounds coming out in a voice not her own, but that of young Josie Volundir, echoes of the pain that this breath had once been a part of. Even as it settled into her bubbling brew, whispers in Josie’s voice, just quiet enough to be unintelligible.

Luna frowned, as the brew quickly turned from a rich green to a muddy brown, the whispers no louder but more distressed. She hoped the breath could be leverage, a sympathetic connection to exploit should compassion give way to wariness and fear so that she may still press people into the aid she needs. But the undead’s sickness in the brew might be too much for her to use it. She should have just kept Luxelen’s breath.

Luna slumped down on Bela’s old bed and looked up at the ceiling. She could still feel the pain of that fatal wound in her chest. She could feel it slowly draining away the life she had stolen for herself. But her sister agreed to help her, and for once a way out of this seemed faintly possible. She just had to fight past an army to summon and kill a demon.

A demon, who somewhere, had heard of Lunaira’s plot, and began her own whispers. The whispers of Asala the Black, to those still loyal to the old ways of an old gold.

(( @josievolundir, @arcanacoven ))

Our very tired dm @kni (via quartzbones)

(( @poxydoxy ))

Stabbed right in the friggin’ face

It’s almost like the world was in some distant place. Maybe she was already vanishing, fading into the Mists, she wondered. Susie was pushed into the waypoint. Did she do that? She couldn’t tell. She was pretty sure all this blood was hers. She blinked. She swore the necromancer had moved. Did she blink for longer than she thought?

The man reached down and grabbed her face. The stab wound in the bottom of her jaw flared into new pain. She could barely hear what he said. Tell Lux, he said, that he wants the children? His child? His child. A message.

The last thing she saw was him walk away.

Ilamerva appeared in a flash of butterflies over the prone form of Clara Tenevera, left in the street to rot. And rotting she was, the first traces of a curse already showing their signs. She didn’t hesitate. She scooped the bleeding human up in her arms and teleported with all her might back to Olivia’s Refuge, and rushed her patient to the Green Place.

As she ran into it’s main temple, she dropped to the floor with Clara and quickly began applying first aid, pouring potions and applying poultices. Guards, reacting to their Loremaster running into their safest place with a bleeding body in her arms, quickly came running. Before they even had a chance to react, Ella barked orders at them.

“Go! Find Lux! Now! Tell her what happened, Clara’s been attacked,” she pointed at another, “You, come help me stabilise her.”

Her first aid applied with the aid of the obedient guard, and the wound treated, Ella stood upright, waving a hand over Clara’s body, shards of ether surrounding her hand, launching purple sparks at Clara’s body. They flew off, and Ella frowned, and tried it again. Same result.

“I can’t purge this magic on her. I’m going to try and find something that can. Guard her. She’s not to leave here until Luxelen sees him.”

The guard nodded. Ilamerva again teleported, leaving behind only shards and sparks of ether, and many purple butterflies.

(( @luxelen poor clara got stabbed im sorry ))

Roused from her deep slumber by the Green Place’s guard’s loud banging on her chambers’ doors, the socialite jolted awake.  Worry immediately set in when her first thought was the nursery’s safety.  The guards normally would not disturb her while she slept unless it was a serious emergency. “What is it?   What’s going on?” She rushed to the door, grabbing a silk robe from a nearby chair as she let the guard in. “My lady, the Loremaster just brought in an injured Rose.  Bleeding, badly.  She asked I fetch you.” “Where?  Take me to her, please!” As the pair ran through the vine-covered archways and meandering stairs of the garden-like Green Place, all sorts of questions flooded Lux’s mind.  Who was injured?  Why?  Where?  Was the canyon not safe below?  Or…

Her stomach churned.  Could it be…? They reached the courtyard, Dwayna’s majestic statue peering down at the limp figure below.  The blood that covered Clara’s form matched those of certain blooms decorating the shrine.  ….or was that her blood covering their petals? “Clara!” Lux knelt before the unconscious woman, carefully inspecting the wound while barking out commands.   “Get a medic here immediately! Wake up Doctor Cekke if you have to!  And where is Illamerva!?  I want all the Thorns circling the canyon right now!    Alert the rest of the Aegis that a Rose was attacked!  A—” She paused, noticing the familiar crystal jagged Clara’s throat.   She closed her eyes, feeling a surge of both rage and fear at once. “Marcus.” Turning to face the guard, she hissed, “Get my sister Luna up here now.  She’ll know what to do.” “But Lady Luxelen,”  the guard protested, “She’s not allowed up here.” “I.  Don’t. Care!  Get her, now, or she will die!   I banished her, consider her unbanished for now and get her up here before Clara bleeds to death!” The guard nodded, setting off with a second guard and heading for the Lower City –where the canyon’s seedy elements tended to congregate. She brought her face closer to Clara’s, kissing the woman’s damp forehead and doing her best to provide what little comfort she could until help arrived.  Having been a victim of Marcus’ attacks, she knew only an adept necromancer could heal her friend. “Don’t worry.  I won’t let you die, Clara.   I’m so, so sorry.   This is all my fault…  I’m so sorry, darling.”

(( @lunairalarkspur ))

“One of your minions is here, my little shaman.”

Lunaira opened her eye slowly, the bright sunlight flooding in. Slowly the world came into focus as she awoke from her nap. Sun, sand, a pair of long, muscled, tattoo’d legs, and right there next to a foot, an undead bird. Pretty.

“Ungh,” Luna groaned, “Someone probably disturbed my room back at that fucking canyon. My sister might need me to steal some books again.” Luna rolled on the spot on her towel, moving her head to look up at the norn who’s lap she was resting in. She was reaching for a coconut full of some kind of cocktail on the serving tray of a Consortium employee, the most miserable looking person on this entire beach. Luna almost forgot what she was doing as she stared at the norn’s powerful outstretched arm reaching for her drink from the bored, borderline suicidal serving boy.

“My little moon,” came her deep voice, “I promised you a weekend to remember, whatever madness your kin want your help in can surely wait.”

Lunaira rolled back over to face the surf and slowly closed her eyes. “You’re right, Olga,” she said, already drifting back into her nap, “Pretty, go roost on a palm tree somewhere. Mama’s got a holiday to enjoy.”

“I’m not touching anything.”

“We need to find where she is, you saw how bad that poor girl looked. The boss is freaking out.”

“Yeah, but look at all this stuff. Everything in this room is probably cursed! Are those human bones? What are these stains?”

“You... might have a point. I think that painting over there is watching me.”

The two guards slowly backed out of the outcast Larkspur’s little hole in the wall in the lower city. They would simply have to report to Lux her sister wasn’t there. Neither of them looked forward to that.

((I’m not fixing my own character! Ella already had to save her I wanna spread the RP. So Luna’s on holiday. It’s all cocktails and surf and giant women for her baby.))