ABF:BtOS - Bringer of Nothingness

[bunnygirl]

Bringer of Nothingness

The darkness makes your eyes shut for sleep. Yet, the sleep does not come. Your mind is oddly fully awake, so you find yourself opening your eyes. In front of you, darkness remains. It’s exactly where you last saw it. It has not changed. It has not moved. Finally, your eyes draw shut… But now, all there is to see here is more darkness, as if it transported itself inside your head. And, for some reason, there is something about all this that strongly disturbs you. There is this infinite darkness, this bottomless emptiness, inescapable nothingness that troubles your mind and haunts your very soul. Silently, it puts you in this deep hole of loneliness and on top of you it buries you into it with fear. All of this is so painfully unbearable and you realize you just cannot stay this way and then you want to wake up!

In front of you, you are confronted with your own round, pale face staring back bearing at you a pair of ghastly caverns of emptiness. Where else had laid eyes, there are instead black holes of death set perfectly beside each other in its skull. Slowly, its mouth curves into a sardonic grin. It opens its mouth, and it's jaw stretches to macabre proportions. And then it devours you; it consumes you—

And then you wake up.

Spoiler: OOC

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Take this moment to consider where your character is in the world at the time he or she wakes up. Your character could still be at home, or entirely somewhere else. I am allowing you to decide the location, what kind of conditions your character will begin at, and what he or she could be doing. If you have any questions, PM me or poke me in the OOC thread. And now, it’s time to let loose into Gaia!

[Platinum Piece]

Sylar finally awakens from the terrible nightmare, or was it reality, it's getting hard to tell these days. Sylar wondered where he was for a moment. The last thing he remembered was being at the Oasis in the Northern Dark Lands.

All around him were things that he had never experienced before. The smell of piss. Sounds of crunching leaves and horses hooves. Damp wood beneath him. His eyes adjusted to the dim light in a few minutes. Four wooden walls. An arched ceiling. He wasn't alone. There were three others with him, also sleeping, in much worse condition. He was moving.

Sylar took a moment to assess himself. He still had his leather and circlet on. His arms were bound by chains. His legs were free. That was lucky. There was a dull ache in his right arm. There was a cut, crusted with blood. It didn't feel infected. That was good.

Suddenly, whatever Sylar was in came to a halt. He hears a gruff voice outside say "We're here. Unload the cargo." The door of what Sylar guessed was a wagon opened, the light was blinding, and the air smelled of smoke and charred corpses...

[bunnygirl]

As the wagon doors peel open from their metal hinges, the sunlight pours in. It’s especially hot and intense as it hits the wood inside this dampen, dark, death-smelling wagon. It will take a moment for any pair of eyes to adjust from the deep contrasting environments. Soon, Sylar will know he is wanted out of the back of the wagon when the chains to his shackles stir to life across the floorboards like crawling silver snakes before he is dragged out towards the sunlight…

Aside from the golden lines and spots indicating of vital signs granted by the special sight, instantly, Sylar will be invaded by all the sights, sounds, smells, and sensations of his new environment. The people here will make Sylar feel like the minority here with his light-colored skin and light-colored hair in comparison to their darker characteristics. The women wear colorful fabric, display jewelry in strange designs on their body, and wear exotic scents. The men come in a variety of styles, some with their heads clothed in wraps and some who simply smell funny. Oh, and the streets repeat with more of the same people, roaming an enormous area of the city made of sand and stone composed of silk fabric bazaars to stalls selling bizarre creatures shrieking from inside the confines of their metal cages. The sky isn’t exactly blue and crystal clear, but simmering white by the blazing sun. In the distance, the cityscape rises towards wealthy-looking style of architecture, accompanied by what looks like the rounded tops of some kind of unfamiliar, sparkling palace.

Sylar will receive a shove against his shoulder, muttered angrily at in a language he won’t understand, and led by the chains around the corner of a towering, immense building that contains what sounds like of a large amount of people condensed together. On his right, Sylar will pass what is assumed to be the source of the smoke and charring of flesh out in the open, of dead bodies being cremated on the site of this operation… On his left, there are others just like him, with their hands shackled, women and men of various ages, conditions, and ethnicity. Those heading this organization, swinging around their curved swords, are being splitting individuals into different groups based on their genders.

[Platinum Piece]

Overwhelmed by his surroundings Sylar takes a moment to absorb what has happened to him. The first thought is that these men were slavers. He had heard tales of these men, and those who resisted them never had their tales heard. The best way to survive this was for them to need him alive.

Quickly, Sylar decides that he must do something to set himself aside from the rest of these people. When he reaches the point where he is to be separated into the groups, Sylar creates a vortex of nothing inside of him and expels it into the air around him.

Spoiler: OOC

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Mechanics wise Sylar is activating Emptiness Extrusion. This should have the effect of lowering the temperature of the air around him by an amount that I hope the men will recognize.

[bunnygirl]

There is a warping of cold air in the area that takes place. Considering the kind of weather (or the lack thereof) the locals here experience, the chill is eerie to everyone here. Aside from the some of the individuals here glancing over their shoulders or the shake of a shoulder or an arm here and there, their unscrupulous operations still goes into effect.

In the meanwhile, just as Sylar has seen enough, he will be escorted to a large, hardy-looking male with a grim frown on his lips and indecipherable, possibly aesthetic-purposed, tattoo long the side of his face. The mysterious man's frown turns upside for just a second as he drops a cloth bag over Sylar's head, closing his eyes and ears off to the rest of the world. Immediately, Sylar will be led by his shackled arms somewhere else, where he will feel keys pushed into the holes of his metal restraints. They will drop off his wrists as fast as the doors behind him shut and lock with the shriek of metal and the thunderous slam.

When Sylar reaches up and removes the cloth bag over his head, he will find himself in a dark room with other males, those whom to be from all walks of life, who look as confused as he likely is as to why they have found themselves in this strange part of the world.

There is the low rumbling sound of hundreds of people outside, making the stone walls murmur quietly and unusually as if some kind of activity is taking place nearby...

[Platinum Piece]

Sylar says aloud, "Does anyone know what is about to happen?" Hoping that one of the other prisoners shares a tongue with his own.

[bunnygirl]

All Sylar manages to get out of anyone here is incomprehensible words and a man's bewildered screaming.

Then, there is the sound of chains rotating on wheels, and a heavy door draws open. When Sylar and those he is trapped with step out into the light, they will all find themselves entering a gigantic pit with steep walls made of sand and stone, and then greeted by the uproar of people and faces hanging over from ledges and balconies alike.

On one particular extended balcony, there is a round faced, heavy set man dressed in the finest silk threads, a large feathered turban wrapped around his head, and earrings dangling from his ears. With an amused smile on his face, he claps his hands together merrily like some kind of child, and on all his fingers is a ridiculously large jewel on each and every one of them. Then, beside this important-looking individual, is a tall man in an intricate robe who looks very unenthusiastic about being here in general.

Sylar will see dead bodies, several of them in halves, strewn all about the room and dark red stains splattered against the stone walls.

[Platinum Piece]

Unsettled by the sight before him, Sylar braces himself for what is to come. His body tenses and he shifts his weight to the balls of his feet. He feels his muscles bulge and is lighter on his feet. He is ready to face whatever sort of trial lays ahead.

Spoiler: OOC

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Sylar activates his psychic powers. All three of them. 2 passive and 1 active action

I dont think I need to roll since his base psychic presence activates them to the degree I want.

[bunnygirl]

In the middle of the arena, in broad daylight, there is a discharge of magic and the crowd instantaneously breathes in and gasp. Amid the screen of flying sand appears a bizarre beast without definite shape or form, just a magical and organic mass that continuously transforms with no way to tell what is its head or it's tail. It does not fly or suspend itself in air, however, it produces what ever appendages to support it upright, of many oddly shaped legs and hands gripping and standing on the ground. It's entire appearance is violent vortex of odds and ends, ever-changing colors and textures, of hundreds of characteristics of horrors sucked into one space and all fighting to rise to the top. It is a being that is everything and nothing, a spinning wheel of possibilities. It just might be an embodiment of unstable chaos.

Spoiler: OOC

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Yep! No problem! I'll handle initiative right now... You got 125 and it got 124. Wow. XD You got first with one point ahead!

[Platinum Piece]

Sylar decides now is as good a time as any. He charges at the monstrosity (assuming its close enough) and launches a kick at his foe.

Spoiler: OOC

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Charging Attack(No Penalty for moving and attacking, additional +10 to attack roll, -10 block for the turn):
(1d100+90)[56](56)

Damages for your calcs:
Base 50[Energy][Cold]

[bunnygirl]

A fat, leather-skinned, webbed, bat-like wing extends from around the creature's body. Sylar's foot goes in, stretches the webbed appendage, and bounces the him off harmlessly like he's stepped off a gymnast's trampoline.

Spoiler: OOC

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I rolled for you. Is that ok? :D

Sylar attack: 158
Monster defense: 155
Damage: 0

All of a sudden, the ground does not come for Sylar. He will find himself curiously afloat, perhaps two of three feet off the ground, among raised pebbles and debris in the creature's proximity. There is something about being near to the creature causes reality around it to be affected...

Spoiler: OOC

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The dice say that Sylar will be afloat for a total of the next three turns, but your MR breaks you free on the second turn. So unless there is something you have in mind during that first turn of floating in mid-air uselessly, the monster is gonna take it's active turn while you stay afloat on yours.

All Sylar likely can do is watch from afar. The unnatural beast turns to the nearest victim in the room, grabs the person with a clawed appendage, and raises the poor soul in the air, and tosses him against the stone wall like he was nothing. Squish!

Spoiler: OOC

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Ok! This is that turn where you break free on your MR check! You can take your active turn now.

[Platinum Piece]

Sylar realizes that this enemy is not one to be defeated my normal means. He releases a shout, more of an audible growl really, from deep inside of himself. This has to end, and soon. Sylar looks for the nearest strand of life coming from the creature and puts all of himself into the fist he uses to try and sever the link from the creature.

Spoiler: OOC

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I'm sacrificing two points of fatigue to give myself +30 to the attack. Also I take a -10 for aiming at a life string but get +40 to the critical check if I hit.

Overall:
Fatigue 6/8
+20 attack
+40 Critical Check

I don't mind if you keep rolling for me. XD seems to be working out somewhat so far.

[bunnygirl]

Looking at the creature, Sylar will not see the shining threads of life coursing through this beast's body. It's anatomy is far too warped in chaos to make any heads or tails where things end or begin. Although, the entirety of the creature glows similarly... With all of Sylar's might, his puts his best fist forward.

Spoiler: OOC

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XD I'm sorry to report that your roll was terrible.

Sylar Attack: 134
Monster Defense: 152
Damage: 0

The violent vortex of horror strikes back.

Spoiler: OOC

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Monster Attack 1: 131
Monster Attack 2: 87
Sylar Defense 1: 154
Sylar Defense 2: 125

Sylar manages to ward off a green, lizard-like, clawed fist that rolls around, followed by a purple-ish, deformed, leg and foot that grows and sprouts out from the side of the beast.

[Platinum Piece]

After parrying the beasts blows, Sylar attacks again with much the same ferocity as before, using his knee to try and deliver the touch of death to the perversion of life set before him.

Spoiler: OOC

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Sacrificing more Fatigue to give +30 bonus to attack again.

Fatigue 4/8

Hope this one works out XD. And yeah that last roll had to have blew really hard lol

[bunnygirl]

Sylar's knee surpasses the creature's defense and penetrates a soft spot in the body of all that organic mass.

Spoiler: OOC

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Sylar Attack: 163
Monster Defense: 89
Damage: 17
Crit: 17+6+40=63/2=31

Monster PhR: 92

Dropping onto it's side from the impact, the creature, however, manages to keep itself together.

Spoiler: OOC

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You did it! :D Your turn again!

[Platinum Piece]

Sylar now tries to crush his right elbow into the beast.

Spoiler: OOC

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Just attacking regular this time.

[bunnygirl]

Spoiler: OOC

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Sylar Attack: 156
Monster Defense: 89
Damage: 23
Crit: 91

Monster PhR: 83

Squish goes its fleshy parts! The creature, who has proven to have a very sturdy structure, starts to swell up and produce purple bruises...

Spoiler: OOC

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Sylar MR: 158

The air warps around Sylar, but his presence oddly resists the effects quite easily.

In the meanwhile, Sylar can see the creature's life colors fade, like a flame that is just about to be snuffed out...

Spoiler: OOC

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Good job! :D You gonna end it's life? I just thought I'd give you a chance to decide before the rest of the events unravel. ;D

[Platinum Piece]

"Perversion of life, Slaughterer of Masses, I, reaper of the People, beseech thee. Return to the nothingness from whence you came." Sylar launches a final kick at the beast.

[bunnygirl]

Although signs of it owning a mouth of any kind isn't made clear, it manages to create an otherworldly screech from within its warped insides, and the swollen areas of its tender parts burst, catching the man in a slop of black goo before dropping into the ground and squirming uselessly in its last few minutes of existence. Even as the black goo exists outside of the creature's body, the black substance continues to change colors and textures on Sylar's appearance.

Now, the strangest things will start to go into motion. The crowd above are uncertain whether to mumur or cheer. Those Sylar arrived with, all whom were sure to have met there own deaths inside this pit with him, stand back and stare as if he's become the next fearsome thing in the entire room. Then, at the highest balcony, the wealthy-dressed man and his robed compatriot look on with what looks like curiosity. The two lean towards each other. Suddenly, the wealthy man will point at Sylar with his hand with all those jeweled rings on his fingers, the sounds of chains grating on wheels ensue and the heavy doors draw open, and armed men arrive. They approach Sylar cautiously.

[Platinum Piece]

Sylar tries to shake some of the goo off of him as he goes to meet the guards halfway, his muscles tense, ready for anything.

[bunnygirl]

Sylar will receive the exact kind of treatment he found himself arriving here as. Shackles, chain, lock and key, and last but not least, a cloth bag dropping right over his head. It's amazing how Sylar seems so patient in a new and hostile environment!

It's only been a little over an hour since Sylar is forced to be transported on the back of another wagon. He can listen to the sound of animals rattling inside cages, smell exotic foods cooking nearby, people talking in a foreign language, and feel the sun beating on his back. At last, he will be walked, and then then given a push at the middle of his back. Then, the cloth bag is taken off his head. He will find himself standing on white marble floor, silk drapery depicting characters with fairy tale animals, and an extravagant, grandiose, sparking throne room with velvet pillows strewn all about.

The most beautiful thing here, however, is a young woman wrapped in pretty fabrics, her skin smooth and dark and her hair as black and lustrous as night. She is accompanied by at least a dozen hand-maids. She is discussing something with the man Sylar will recognize as the wealthy man from the pit fight. She looks furious, and he looks like he is pleading to her.

Right beside Sylar, is the robed man, who will turn to him and touch his long, bony finger upon his shoulder. Miraculously, almost magically, the foreign sounds of their language melts away into the real and only language Sylar may only understand.

"I DON'T WANT HIM, FATHER."

"But, daughter, my desert flower! Look at him! He's as fit and sharp as a flute! I have seen with my own eyes what he can do! He will make a great servant for you!"

"I don't want a new servant!" Her dark eyes glance over to Sylar menacingly.

The man she calls her father rushes over and with those jewel-adorned hands, gives Sylar a hardy pat-pat over his stomach, like he is assessing a meaty cattle's toughness. "How could you not want him, my dear? He can fight for you, protect my most treasured item in the whole land! He's even handsome, even with his white skin!"

[Platinum Piece]

Sylar gives the man a serious glare, as if warning him not to do that to him, and clears his throat rather loudly. Smiling at the girl, not even looking at the well over fed swine before him Sylar speaks. "If I may, my lord," not waiting for a response, "Maybe your beloved needs only to see with her own eyes what I can offer her magnificence." Hoping that whatever the robed man did to him worked both ways.

[bunnygirl]

The man's daughter turns a cold shoulder to all those in the room. It appears as though she had nothing else to say right now.

Her father, who brushes off Sylar's daggers for eyes as something harmless, seems to be the only one in the room who is interested to see what else his new warrior servant could be suggesting. "OH, OH!" He claps his claps together with enthusiasm, a child-like look in his eyes. "You have other skills to offer?"

From the robed man, there is simply a loud, weary sigh.

[Platinum Piece]

Sylar gives a short sigh at the girls coldness.

"I can lift 300 pounds above my head with one arm without breaking a sweat, and 1000 with both with little strain." Sylar responds, "but my strength is something you have already witnessed, my lord. Nay, I feel I must share with you my most secret of talents..."

[bunnygirl]

"What?! What is it?!"

Ooh, the suspense! The crowd here seems to be giving off mixed-feelings, at the most.

[Platinum Piece]

"Never before have I told anyone of this power I possess. My lord, my lady, and their household are the first to hold this knowledge in their minds. How should I put it.... Ah yes, have you ever seen the back of a tapestry or carpet still on the loom? You can see where every string connects to every other string that makes up the masterpiece? Just as you would see the fabric, is how I see people. I see the strings of life that hold man, beast, and plant together. For example, it is possible for me to tell if a woman is with child with a single glance." As an afterthought Sylar wonders if it is a good idea for him to have told his most precious secret to this man, but for some reason he felt it was the right thing to do in his gut.

[bunnygirl]

With an eyebrow raised intrigued, the robed man finally speaks, "Tell me, can you see magic, too?"

"Oh, wonderful, wonderful! Life strings of plants, yes, yes!" The man waves his jeweled hands in the air, "Now, do you have a name? If you don't, you shall certainly be named!" He straightens, but his belly remains the furthest thing about him put forward. There is an awkward pause, but it looks like the robed man is supposed to do something about it...

Unenthusiastic, but much obligated to, he says with an extended hand, "Presenting our revered lord of all Kushistan, the Great Sultan Omar Ben Sharif." Then, placing a hand to his own chest, "And I am Nouh ab Zaiah, the Great Sultan's humble advisor. And..." Glancing to the young woman (still a little irritated-looking) several feet away, "...Is Kushistan's greatest treasure, Princess Aini Ben Sharif."

[Platinum Piece]

Taking a slightly artistic twist on his name, "I am known as Sy'Lar, by name, and Reaper by my former station, your grace. If you would be so kind, your greatness, as to have these removed," Sylar jingles his shackles, "I swear I will cause no harm to you or your most precious of gems," with a tone of reverence and awe in his voice as he refers to the princess. He gives Nouh a look trying to express that he will discuss the topic more with him later.

Spoiler: OOC

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Firstly, when I read Nouh's voice in my head, I imagined James Earl Jones, and it was awesome.

Secondly, I was hoping that the term Reaper wouldn't exactly translate well into this language, and would come out as "Upholder of the Law" or something similar.

Also, I wasn't using color for my speech before because I was on my cell phone, but dark grey seems to suit the character quite well. Not to mention I find the coding for the color to be quite hilarious.

[bunnygirl]

"Sy'Lar... Sy'Lar..." The Great Sultan mutters, practicing the reaper's name on his tongue. Turning around, "Daughter! Come, come! Allow our new servant a chance to bask in your beauty and introduce yourself properly to him."

Among her dozen hand-maids, she looks on from several feet away with disgust. Looking at the goo-stained man, all she says is, "The servant smells atrocious."

Her father frowns.

In the meanwhile, the robed advisor pushes a key into the holes of Sylar's restraints, but before turning the key, he has a word of warning to offer first. "You may have bedazzled the sultan, but show your true nature and there will be consequences to serve." Then, the shackles fall from Sylar's wrists.

The Great Sultan will call his palace gaurds to escort the reaper to a washing chamber and, if he wanted what could be provided, a change of clothes suited for a palace servant. Afterwards, Sylar is free to roam the palace as no more than a guest on a short leash.

Spoiler: OOC

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LOL! DARTH VADER?

Ok, no prob! I like my mobile phone, too!

WTF colorcode. XD

[Platinum Piece]

Sylar attempts to search for Nouh. He gets a distinct feeling that there is more to this man than meets the eye. He knows Nouh escorts the sultan, but feels that the robed one is just as much a prisoner as himself. Sylar feels that he may have offended the robed man after his last comment, and seeks to make recompense.

Spoiler: OOC

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Can the servants clothes be all black, or if not a dark red? That is how I always imagined Sylar.

And I was thinking more Mufasa than Darth Vader :)