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The dilapidated compound sat vacant and overgrown. The caretakers no longer cared to make Aniara's temple grounds presentable. Most fled. Others figured that there was no use trying to please a dying god. And it became deserted. Not all vanished from this place, as there were still those who believed that this blight upon the land could be vanquished. But even they were beginning to doubt. The Sibyl of Aniara was the only thread of hope that the order had left. She had been silent for centuries and now, more than ever before, Aniara's remaining warriors anxiously hoped that she would say something- anything- to spark any kind of hope. On the eve of her death, the one-hundredth and fiftieth year of Mulmae's blight in the dead of winter, she spoke.
The remnants of the order surrounded her death bed knelt down on one knee. Her small party of caregivers helped her sit upright and removed the veil hiding her ancient face.
"I will die when the bell tower rings at the break of dawn, and I shall return to the Cloaked Mistress. Our beloved Grace, her benevolence is dying. The evils in the Far Realms defile the Lord Mulmaeren and Mulmae itself. They are killing Aniara, and she has little power to bestow. Remain vigilant, loyal to Aniara's will, and remember your discipline. The order will not die, for there are fresh minds and bodies who will take up arms beside you. Aniara will send us a beacon, a daughter of our Grace and Light. She will mend the wounds inflicted by the invaders from the Far Realms and ascend in Aniara's name. Be watchful... you will know when she has come."
And with her dying breath, the bell tower's deep chime echoed throughout the valley. A new dawn was upon them.
--- Fifty years later...
Perhaps the only thing worse than sleeping in a drafty shack was waking up covered in a thin layer of snow. Fen's entire body was stiff from the cold, and he woke up feeling sore and exhausted. It was a terrible night's sleep. He sat up and heard his cloak crunch with the movement of his body. It was partially frozen. Fen had trouble bending his joints, but he managed to stand up after attempting to rid himself of the awful headache pounding in his head.
"You look frozen solid," a gentle voice from the doorway caught his attention. Shaenan, his younger sister, approached. Her thicker fur cloak hugged around her shoulders and her normally well-groomed golden locks were more of a tangled mess than they were yesterday. She held up a dead hare by the ears. "I caught us some breakfast, hopefully a warm meal will be enough to help you recover."
"Ah," Fen said, his voice rasped from its lack of use the previous day. "Thank you, sister. You know, we are only a mile from Larsal. We can replenish there." He rolled his shoulders, feeling his back crack in several places.
"On an empty stomach? Please, Fen. You can't possibly be serious." Shae wandered to the fire pit from last night and pulled back the tarp to reveal that it had stayed perfectly dry. Fen lightly sighed and went to crouch down beside her. He rubbed his hands together and balled his right hand into a fist before opening it again. A small, white flame was now floating near his palm. It grew slightly larger as he reached for the charred logs. The flame spread, lighting the wood. After the fire left its source, it changed to a more natural orange color. The gentle heat was definitely welcome.
"I don't know if I'll ever get used to that," Shae commented as she began to prepare the hare. "But I'll admit, it's useful for times like this." Fen sat back and hummed in agreement. He looked up through one of the many holes in the ceiling. After a while, Shae had cooked the meat and the two of them ate in silence. This was one of those moments where Fen was grateful that Shae decided to stick with him. He was sure he'd go hungry if she hadn't. At the same time, he wished she had stayed in Retsmari. He hated putting her in danger.
The pair packed up what little things they had and Fen kicked snow onto the flame. He was feeling better now, but his stomach still begged for something else. Half a hare wasn't quite enough, but he kept it to himself. They left the abandoned shack they had spent the night in and returned to the task at hand. Larsal was a small trade post with an even smaller community of farmers and merchants. Arriving there meant that they only had a few more weeks to go before they would reach Martashaul, the city that he had been sent to search. He prayed it wouldn't be worthless. There still hadn't been word from the others.
image NOTE This is your typical "everyone in town is a vampire, werewolf, witch, cryptid of some kind, etc" while our characters are just regular people who are treated differently because they're different. The relationship between our characters can be different from the whole "strangers to (insert relationship type here)." Now our main characters aren't always ignored or given cold or harsh treatment. It's just that, in general, people don't treat them normally. There can be some NPCs who are friendly but still initially hide the truth. A lot of things are possible, so suggestions are welcome as always.
Small towns, one would expect, are pretty transparent. That's why YC left the bustle of the city in which they were raised. There's a lesser degree of chaos and it may be the perfect place to settle down, meet someone, and perhaps even start a family. But little do they know, this small town is anything but typical. After they move into their new home, they begin to notice how their neighbors seem wary of them despite their efforts to be friendly. How people they have never met before give them a wide berth while they walk down the street downtown. Retail workers seem to keep a close eye on them in stores and at the supermarket. Even when they start their new job, it doesn't seem like anyone trusts them, or even wants to associate with them. YC is rather frustrated and considers the option of returning back home to resume their misery in the city, despite the massive dent it would make in their bank account.
Then, they catch wind of a "new girl" at work. As it turns out, a new accountant just started working at the office. For a while, YC thought she'd be just like everyone else. But after having a few minor encounters, they notice that MC is more like them than everyone else in town. She receives the same treatment and is the only one that doesn't seem to dislike them. Something is clearly going on, and YC thinks that MC is the only one who might be able to help them get to the bottom of it.
imagesong NOTE This is an older idea I've had. We can talk specifics to get the story a little more outlined. As usual, input is welcome! Can be changed to your liking.
YC and MC grew up together. They were friends as kids, and even tried the whole relationship thing in high school, but it was awkward and they decided to pretend it never happened. Like most childhood friendships, it didn't hold up into the adult years. MC dropped out in the middle of their senior year and the two just drifted apart. Skip ahead about ten or eleven years, and it's MC's (shotgun) wedding day. Her old man's about to walk her down the aisle, about to hand her off to the guy who knocked her up. And it's the moment she's been dreading since she broke the news to her parents. At the last minute, she decides to climb out the window and run, completely ditching the ceremony and all 120 guests that her mother decided to invite. Wedding dress and all, MC runs from her problems yet again.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the city, a smaller congregation gathers to witness the union between two loves who, on the surface, seemed very devoted to each other. However, it was entirely one-sided. YC has been at the altar for a little too long. Their soon-to-be wife hasn't turned up, because she was too busy getting busy with the best man (or bridesmaid) in the changing room. Turns out, that affair had been going on for two years. HALF the time YC and this unfaithful woman had been together. In shock, completely and utterly heartbroken, YC takes their leave, unable to hold back tears.
It seems that this very special day ended in ruins. Both of them turn up at a small hole-in-the-wall sports bar around the same time. An odd way to reunite after all those years, isn't it?
imagesong NOTE These plots probably won't catch the attention of many, but they've been heavy on my mind so I wanted to put them here just in case. YC can be be a completely original character. Other options include Mei or Kanta, but it is up to you.
In 1958, Satsuki moved away to the countryside with her father and her little sister Mei. Soon after their arrival, Satsuki and Mei met Totoro - a friendly forest spirit who made their new lives all the merrier. But as the girls got older, those memories were pushed to the back of their minds, and in Mei's case, almost completely forgotten. In 1962, four years after they moved, their mother eventually passed away. The strain that it had on their father was intense. He decided to pack up once again, moving himself and his daughters back into the city, forcing them to leave behind the life that they had only just begun.
Fast forward to the year 1972, Satsuki is now 24 years old, and her longing to return to the house on the countryside ended up bringing her back. Had her adventures with Totoro been as real as she believed them to be? Or had they been pure imagination?
ALTERNATIVELY
It is the current year (pretend there's no pandemic lol). The small countryside community has grown into a slightly larger town having been modernized. Agriculture is still very prevalent but the population has increased. YC is Satsuki Kusakabe's grandchild. Upon their grandmother's passing, YC visits town for the funeral and inherits the house in which their grandmother has lived since '58. Their great aunt Mei lives elsewhere in town, and all of her children have moved away. So, MC has their great aunt move in with them.
YC doesn't know their aunt Mei that well, but the two form a pleasant relationship. YC only finds one thing odd. Mei has this crazy belief in a forest spirit she calls 'Totoro' and she insists he is real. YC brushes it off. But when they meet MC, Mei's former caregiver, they learn that MC believes in the same delusions as Mei. Will YC ever humor the idea?
imagesong NOTE Let's discuss any possible scenario! This is a post-apocalyptic story about aliens and a disease. Can potentially be a western-style story, too.
The world, as we know it, is dead. With the advancement in technology skyrocketing in the early 21st century, people thought that the world would reach new heights. That didn't happen. Instead, an intelligent, monstrous alien species invaded the planet for unknown reasons. While humanity put up a good fight, it was almost completely wiped out. With little warning, the invaders returned to their crafts and abandoned the planet- or at least, that's what people think happened. Information tends to get muddled over the course of one thousand years.
Now, the earth that exists is a melting pot of strange creatures. Humans are remarkably resilient, but they aren't quite the same as they once were. Civilization has nearly crumbled into oblivion, and the planet's inhabitants are forced to fend for themselves. The world is harsh and in an even worse state than it was after the invasion that caused this downfall.
Strange creatures (stranger than the ones living on this mostly dead planet) are beginning to emerge. They are vicious and will stop at nothing to eradicate anything in their paths. To make matters worse, they brought with them a deadly, petrifying disease.
The penpal system has, more or less, become obsolete. With the invention of the internet, the written letter isn't so common anymore. However, a website dedicated to this lost art still tries to uphold it. The rule is simple (but not necessarily enforced). The only communication you should have with your penpal should be on a good ol' piece of paper. Of course, social media information is bound to be exchanged. But in one story out of many others, a pair of strangers decide to stick to that rule.
It started out as more of a curiosity. How much could something like this really last? Two people who live on opposite ends of the country decided to sign up for penyourpal.com. They filled out a questionnaire, provided a mailing address, and hit submit. After a week or two, one of them gets an e-mail that contains the mailing address and the name of the other (of course with consent), and a lengthy declaration about how this simple form of communication is terribly underrated. No one ever cares to read that part.
So they decide to send a letter, unaware of what would come to pass.
image
Five kingdoms form an empire. Upon the Throne of the Protector sits an emperor, childless and surely close to death. His wife is gone having borne him no heirs, and his councilmen are seeking alternative solutions. That is, until the emperor takes a new wife, a young and fertile Lady of Eldermaine. She bears him a child, an heir to the realm to rule in his passing upon the Throne of the Protector.
For four years, the emperor and his very young family prosper. But within the surrounding four kingdoms, plots are beginning to brew and Kings are becoming ravenous for power. The young heir tore through their chances of claiming the Throne for themselves. After the emperor's aged death, the councilmen crowned his wife the Regent of the realm on behalf of her young child, to rule until they were old enough to take the reigns.
On a gentle winter's eve, the heir celebrated their eleventh birthday, unaware of their mother's fight against time elsewhere in the palace. Two bodies were discovered later that night. One, an assassin clad in black, and the other, the Regent of the realm. A poison dagger was stuck in the queen's back and the assassin crushed by a marble statue.
The carnage and event of their mother's demise was kept hidden from the young heir, who was raised by their governess from that point on. The child was kept protected and sheltered against any and all potential threats. They grew up into a young man/woman, and their coronation date drew near.
Even still, there was no designated emperor/ess. And there was still time to eliminate what remained of the imperial family.
Dragons are practically icons for the fantasy setting. They can be animalistic, but in this world, they are intelligent creatures with entire societies and hierarchies. They are immortal beings that strike fear in the hearts of armies and nations, they are symbols of darkness and destruction that are unmatchable. Because they are so fierce and dangerous, mortals developed ways of defending their cities from the mighty beasts. The ballista was used to strike them out of the sky using massive spearheads. They were effective, but it always took too much time and careful precision. A weapon known as Dragonsbane was later developed. Dragonsbane is an alchemical bomb developed by highly skilled alchemists and engineers that has proven extremely effective in taking dragons out of the sky, potentially killing them before they crashed to the ground. And with this development, dragons were almost entirely eradicated, forcing them into rarity and endangerment. And with that, the production of Dragonsbane ceased and became a rarity itself. // With the bit of lore out of the way, I want to actually talk about the story. This one is very vague because I haven't been able to explore it. I have a character who is a dragon. She has been trapped in a mortal shell, having been given a half-elven appearance and rather muted abilities. She walks the earth like everyone else, and is as inconspicuous as one can get. But she longs for freedom. She longs to take to the skies again because the skies are her kingdom. As much as she would like to believe, she cannot do this alone. More details can be given if this interests you at all. There are aspects of empathy (she can smell emotions), and her morals are rather grey and her intentions are more of a mystery. Who trapped her and why is a part of her backstory that can either be told upfront or gradually revealed throughout the story. She will be incapable of transforming into her true form until the spell on her is broken, so don't expect a bunch of shapeshifting right off the bat. If you want to take the role of the 'mortal dragon,' that could be arranged.
If you like "chosen one" stories, this could be fun. One character is a current champion of Aniara. The other is this mortal who may be the offspring of this goddess. Although this doesn't have to be the pairing we play with. We could come up with another pairing to spice things up a little. We can talk it out. Suggestions or ideas welcome! Once someone becomes a champion of Aniara, they are sworn to protect the mortal realm from horrors that threaten it. It is because of these heroes that the people of Mulmae continue to live on. There have been many close calls, but in the end, they always prevail. Aniara is growing weaker, and many prophets and oracles are beginning to express that perhaps the goddess is fading. Nothing lasts forever, and the world is dying. Terrors from the far realms are advancing, and Aniara's warriors have grown incredibly scarce. As doom looms just over the horizon, they continue to uphold their oaths to their dying breaths. When all hope seems lost, the Sibyl speaks for the first time in three centuries. She speaks of a mortal who carries the blood of the goddess herself, and that this person is the key to making the world whole again. // I specifically want to main as a male character for this idea, but I have a female side character that I will write alongside him. So feel free to double up as well!
Tearing of the VeilThere is a magical world existing parallel to our own, and the force separating the two is growing thin.
Rip off Fight ClubA group of misfits start an underground fighting ring.
Snakes for BrainsA monster hunter takes a gorgon prisoner, only to discover that they have a common enemy.
Protective LayersA changeling wants to stop pretending and be true to themselves, and they meet someone who brings out the best in them.
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