[Machuchang]

Originally Posted by Lady Moreta

Thank you That was the feeling I was going for. I'm glad it worked so well, I wasn't sure if it was really coming across properly. But it's hard to really write/convey a sense of amnesia when you've never experienced it yourself.

Yeah, I really struggle with writing amnesia bits, but you really nailed it. I may have to use it as a reference some time.

Originally Posted by Lady Moreta

19th Century, Victorian England. The game itself is set in 1891, and we've been told that the group has been together for about a year before the game itself starts. So I would say that scene happened either early 1890 or late 1889. Need to finish the actual character sheet already... it's a bit confusing trying to generate a 3.5 character when it's not normal fantasy.

Ooh! Fun! That sounds a lot like a steampunk game I just finished, in terms of the outfits and rule sets, at the very least. I should probably write some snippets based off of that campaign, come to think of it...


Meanwhile, I've been very productive snippet-wise recently.

Here's two more from the same story, but with a NEW main character, at least for the moment.

The Other Side
(or Ohhhhhhhhh...!)

Spoiler

I couldn’t believe that he was this much of an idiot. How the hell could he have possibly gotten here? This was never supposed to happen!

Varen, you were never supposed to come…

After three years, I almost wished I could just forget about him. Sure, I had known that he had been searching for me; the Legion’s scouts were highly efficient, and the Clans keep in close touch. But I had never expected him to get this far. He never could give anything up. It would be better for the mission, better for me, if I could just remove him from my mind, go on as though he never existed.

So why was I going out alone? Why had I left the Legion without so much as a word? Why had I walked for miles to the spot where he had last been seen? I wished that I didn’t know the answers.

Gods damn him!

I don’t know how I managed to find him so quickly. But there he was, sitting, watching the storm. I had to drive him away. I couldn’t let him risk his life any longer.

Slowly, I began to approach him. But I wasn’t stealthy enough. The crack of thunder filled the air, jolting him from his thoughts and revealing me. With horror, rage, and revulsion, he gazed upon me.

“You!” he screamed, drawing his sword and shield. He would have killed me if given half the chance. He absolutely despised me. It was surprising how much that hurt. But I had a role to play.

“You have come far,” I rumbled, my voice sounding so strange and alien through the magics of my mask. “But I would turn back if I were you. It would be a great waste to all of Attare to see the end of such a skilled warrior here. Leave now, little pawn of the emperor, and I may just spare your life,”

“Silence! You have been a source of misery in this land for far too long! I will make you pay for your crimes, here and now!” So that was how it had to be…

“Very well then,” I murmured, trying to hide my sadness. “You will die here,”

Before I knew what had happened, he had already rushed into me. I barely managed to block his blade in time. Since when had he gotten this good? But I had always been better. Fending off his attacks, I found an opening, and slammed my foot into his sternum. He screamed, and I heard the snapping of bone. Perhaps if I crippled him badly enough, he would have no choice but to abandon his useless search for me. Yes, that would be my new battle plan, I thought as I cracked the pommel of my sword against his head. I would make him forget about me. I swung my sword around, planning to hit him with its flat, but he somehow managed to dodge it. He had gotten better… But it didn’t matter. I would defeat him here. I had to.

But as I moved closer, he somehow managed to tumble under my blade, and struck me in the side. But he was too close to avoid me now. I whipped my sword around with as much force as I could muster, yet somehow he managed to block it. But the damage was done. He fell to the ground, coughing blood. There was no way he could keep fighting after that. He was open. I could have just finished our battle right then. But something stopped me. He looked so pitiful. I couldn’t bring myself to hurt him any more.

“You are strong-willed, paladin,” I said. What was I doing? “Far too strong-willed for your own good. Yet you fight us. You must know that you cannot stop us, so why do you resist? Join us, and exert this will of yours over others! You could have anything you desire!” I still don’t know why I said that. Was there still some foolish hope of mine that we could be together again? As soon as I spoke, though, I knew his response.

“All I want is Natalia, you son of a whore,” he spat, his blood splattering my boots. Why wouldn’t he just give up? I saw only one option. He had to believe that I was dead. Then there would no longer be a reason for him to search. I would have to crush his resolve, and destroy every last bit of hope he had in his quest. Then, at least he would live…

“Natalia…” I purred, shocked by malevolence in my tone. “Such a pretty name… Yes, I remember her. She was my favorite,” I began to laugh. It was almost as though the Deathwind himself was speaking through me, bringing up far too many bad memories. “Though never willing of course… She had such beautiful screams,”

But my words had the exact opposite effect of my intent. With a scream of rage that chilled my bones, he arced his sword through the air with tremendous speed, bringing himself to his feet. I blocked his strike just in time. But he refused to be stopped.

Time seemed to slow as he drove his sword through mine, splitting it in two. I had barely managed to jerk my head back in time as his blade careened into my mask, shattering it into pieces.

So there I stood. Face to face with him for the first time in three years. He seemed so different, but at the same time, he didn’t seem to have changed at all. He still had the same black hair, the same ponytail, and the same blue eyes. But he looked older. His face had narrowed, and he was taller. It amazed me how I couldn’t see the changes until now.

Perhaps most noticeable, though, was his horrified expression.

“N-Natalia,” he could barely speak. “Natalia… Tali… why? W-Were you behind all this? What have you done?!” Why couldn’t I have just finished him when I had the chance?

Over the sound of the storm, I heard the sound of voices getting closer and closer. Not now…

There was no time to waste. If I didn’t do something about Varen now, they would kill him for sure!

He was crying now. I made my way to him slowly, and brushed away his tears, cupping his face in my hand,

“Varen, I’m so sorry,” I whispered as I kissed his cheek, before ramming my broken blade right into his crushed rib. He stumbled backwards, and gaped in confusion and fear at the sword shoved into his side. His face was contorted with pain as he fell to the ground.

And then they finally arrived. Four scouts rushed to greet me, noticing Varen lying on the ground and the wound in my side. How could I have forgotten about them? I could only pray that they hadn’t seen anything.

“Lord Deathwind!” one wearing a tiger’s skull ran to me. “Are you alright?”

“I have taken care of the intruder,” I growled. “I am fine,”

Another scout wearing a crocodile’s skull kicked Varen.

“That no good bitch of the Emperor!” he shrieked, as he drew his knife. “I say we gut him right here! As a message to all those bastards who think to oppose us!”

“No!” I shouted, much more frantically than I had intended. “He was a worthy opponent! Respect his corpse as that of a warrior far more powerful than yourself! Only the weak seek to exert their power over those who are already dead,” He glared at me sullenly, before sheathing his dagger.

“Let's go,” I said, without looking back.

Betrayal
(or Karma's a Bitch)

Spoiler

The scouts were unusually silent on the way back. Still recovering from the battle with Varen, I didn’t realize what that meant until it was too late. When we had finally reached the camp, I was confronted with an unmistakable silhouette. Tall and thin, with massive antlers jutting from the fused skulls he wore as a helmet. The Hearteater. To my shock, the scouts who had accompanied me broke away from me, to stand behind him.

Just when I thought I had nothing more to worry about…

“Well, well, well,” he cackled smugly, his hideous nasally voice filling the air. “If it isn’t the Deathwind!” he taunted.

“What do you want?” I asked, knowing full well what he was here for.

“Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten!” he acted hurt. “Surely you must remember our little deal? If you don’t, I’m sure that the whole tribe would be happy to assist you in… remembering,”

A chill went down my spine. He couldn’t have told them, could he?

“Oh, I have told them. They all know how you really came to power,” he laughed even harder. “About the poison I lent you, and how you fed it to the real Deathwind in his sleep. About how he thought you were his deceased wife! About how he was too weak and heartbroken to raise a hand against you when you ran him through in a bid to become leader! And they too know about how you promised ME rulership of the clan for my assistance, before you EXILED me for knowing too much!” he was now screaming in rage. “THEY ALL KNOW, NATALIA! THEY KNOW THE DAMNING TRUTH! AND THERE IS NOTHING A CROWNBREAKER HATES MORE THAN A TRAITOR! I WILL TAKE WHAT IS RIGHTFULLY MINE, AND ALL OF THE FEAR LEGION STANDS BEHIND ME!”

How could he possibly have done all of this in the time it took for me to get to Varen and back? It made no sense! Even worse though, his screaming attracted the rest of the clan. Soon, we were surrounded on all sides.

“You’re wondering how I got them all to support me, aren’t you?” he said. “Quite simple really. They. Don’t. Like. You,” I could practically feel him smirking behind his mask. “Besides, there are many secrets I am privy to,” he said darkly. “Like Varen,”

No…

“Oh yes, Natalia. I know all about him. I know about his search for you, his…” he laughed menacingly. “His UNDYING love!” he shrieked in delight. “I also know that you didn’t really kill him there,”

I was speechless. Even the scouts looked surprised. How could he have known? That could have only happened mere hours ago, at the very most! Nothing was making sense anymore! What was going on? What WAS he?

“Smart move, by the way,” he said, sounding almost congratulatory. “Really, quite a wise decision, incapacitating him with pain like that. I bet he’ll still be unconscious by the time I’m finished with you. I’ll make sure to send some of my men back to that spot to finish him for good,”

“You’ll need to be alive to become chieftain first!” I snarled.

“Very well then!” he chortled. “Natalia, Deathwind, I CHALLENGE YOU FOR LEADERSHIP OF THE CLAN!” He pointed his finger at me, and suddenly, I couldn’t move. Slowly, he stalked towards me.

“Well, that was so fast as to be disappointing,” he shook his head. “I would kill you, but you know how magic isn’t technically allowed in these duels. I’d hate to break even more rules and kill you now,” he taunted. “After all, I actually want to lead them. Lead them to greatness, rather than use them for my own selfish ends as you did. So as much as it pains me deep down, I will not kill you. However, I will do the next best thing!” he began to laugh hysterically, as his right hand began to morph into a giant, hideous claw.

“NO RULES AGAINST THAT!” he screeched as he plunged his talons into my eyes.