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Post by Vitsheep on Jun 21, 2018 23:17:59 GMT -5
(For those of you who haven't played this type of game before, stick to reading your own thread and not the others. Non-players can do whatever.)
As you trace the last few lines of the summoning circle, you can't help but think of last few days. How you got to this point. A mysterious offer to join in the first ever American Holy Grail war, supervised by some top-secret government organization. They only set out a few rules. Standard precautions to stop civilians from discovering magic. Only fight at night. Servants can wander around the city in material form, but only so long as they're disguised as normal people. Lastly, while technically a Master whose Servant has been slain is still a participant in the war, they're to be given an opportunity to drop out. Nothing so hard, compared to the upcoming battle to the death. In return for participating, you'll get a guarantee of a cushy role in the soon-to-be-announced American Mage Society if you participate. But, more importantly, a chance to win the grail and have your deepest wish fulfilled...
As soon as you arrived in the city you started looking. Looking for the perfect, villainous hideout. Where would an evil villain hide... Hmph. Fortunately, you were able to get a decent budget from those suits. You rent out a small office near the top of one of the city's highrises. As you gaze at the view of the city streets far below, you decide this will do well enough. A few wards and whatnot, and everything is together. You even had enough left over to hire some muscle. A pair of tough guys from a local bar. Maybe not the smartest, but pretty tough. And loyal... enough. So long as you have money. You order them to wait outside for this moment...
It's almost time to begin.
Silver and iron to the origin. Gem and the archduke of contracts to the cornerstone. The alighted wind becomes a wall. The gates in the four directions close, coming from the crown, the three-forked road that leads to the kingdom circulate.
Your self is under me, my fate is in your sword.
Here is my oath. I am the one who becomes all the good of the world of the dead, I am the one who lays out all the evil of the world of the dead.
In accordance with the approach of the Holy Grail, if you abide by this feeling, this reason, then answer!
The sigil begins to shine, then erupts in a blinding flash of light, unleashing a shockwave of magical energy which knocks you back. When your vision clears, the sigil is gone.
Kneeling before you is a white-haired woman with luscious, shoulder-length curls and lily-white skin. She looks up, and you see golden eyes peering at you from beneath a black mask. She rises to her feet, and your heart skips a beat. Her outfit is stunning. Her breasts are covered in thin, black lace that wraps around, coiling about her body several times in a revealing lattice to attach to a bikini-esque bottom. Black stockings and golden stiletto heels make her stand as tall as you. Crimson silk drapes around her waist from the sides and back, billowing like a ballgown. A crimson collar around her neck unfurls like a tall fan. Detached, crimson sleeves end in translucent black silk that drapes nearly to the ground, like a pair of dark wings...
"Ho...?" She walks closer, sizing you up. "So this is to be my new Master. Very well, then. If this is fate, then I am your Assassin. You may call me Carmilla."
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Post by Malefio on Jun 22, 2018 6:22:07 GMT -5
Murdock observes Carmilla, then looks around as if he wanted to find someone else in the room. He gulps and pull on his shirt around the neck.
"Woah... Okay... I asked for someone evil-looking but... Carmilla? Like... The actual vampire? Are you a vampire? We can't fight during the day, but can you go out during the day?
Oh... Right... Sorry.
My name's Murdock. Murdock Lavender. I am indeed your "Master", but I don't think I like that term... This is more like... a partnership to me. Now... I don't know what I'll wish for yet if I win, but winning a wish... Who would say no to that?"
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Post by Vitsheep on Jun 22, 2018 8:58:15 GMT -5
"Woah... Okay... I asked for someone evil-looking but... Carmilla? Like... The actual vampire? Are you a vampire? We can't fight during the day, but can you go out during the day?"
"Vampire...?" Carmilla closes her eyes for a moment. "Hm. Yes, I see. They would call me such." She opens her eyes again. "I am not the true Carmilla, but rather the person who inspired her. You have no need to worry about crosses or holy water. However, I will not blemish my perfect skin in the harsh sunlight without due cause."
"Oh... Right... Sorry. My name's Murdock. Murdock Lavender. I am indeed your 'Master,' but I don't think I like that term... This is more like... a partnership to me."
Carmilla frowns. "Do not misunderstand our relationship. I am your Servant, but I am not your subordinate, nor should you think yourself my equal. But as a Servant, I shall obey my Master's orders and fulfill his desires."
"Now... I don't know what I'll wish for yet if I win, but winning a wish... Who would say no to that?"
"Ah, such a cruel Master I have. To call me without even a wish to fulfill. Still, to see that cup sullied with such triviality..." She trails off and grins evilly. You notice her glancing at your hand, and realize it feels like it's burning.
You look down and see three scarlet marks etched on the back of your hand. Together, they form a shape like a whirlwind. Yes, the command seal... The mark that proves you are Carmilla's master. More importantly, each of the three seals contains an inordinate amount of magical power. You can expend one at any time to give your servant an order they will obey, absolutely, to the best of their ability. Whether to make them do something they don't want, or to give them a surge of power... To call them to your side from any distance, order them to unleash their full power in the next strike, even slay themself... Of course, with a... willful servant like Carmilla, it might be best to make sure to keep one. She won't dare to truly defy you so long as you've got a command seal left.
You are the source of her mana, the anchor to keep her tied to this world. But it's not unheard of for a Servant to slay their Master, and even search for alternate ways of sustaining their existence...
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Post by Vitsheep on Jun 24, 2018 19:58:04 GMT -5
Base location: L4
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Post by Malefio on Jun 25, 2018 8:25:27 GMT -5
Murdock looks at Camilla's evil grin, visibly offended by her comment. He then looks at his hand, that at her glare, realising what she's thinking. He looks at her straight in the eyes and try to be authoritarian, but he's also a bit intimidated by her appearance.
"It's not that I don't have any ideas. I'm not being trivial, I'm being logical... realist. I know what I'd wish for right now, at this very second. But the thing is that we know nothing. Someone's gonna win this. I'm aiming for it to be me, but that's not my point. The others probably have wishes like infinite money or world peace or whatever.
Now, one important thing to take note of is that they said this is a war. Wars don't take a week or a month. They take years. So let's say this takes 2 years. The winner lost some of his servants, people died, etc. These guys will wish for everyone who died to come back. I guarantee it.
Now, I know it'll be different for me. I'm not bragging, I just know... But I am also aware that what I want right now might not be what I want when I'm in front of the Holy Grail.
Also, we know nothing. We just know we get a wish. Who knows what happens when someone is in front of the grail? "They", whoever they are, might just suddenly throw rules at that person. "The wish can't be this, it can't be that, bla bla bla!"
Finally, what happens after. They made me a Master. They gave me a powered partner I plan to keep alive. They gave me powers too. I'm not a normal human anymore. Will they take my powers? Will they seal you away? Will I have to go back to a normal life after this? We know nothing.
Now, I know what you're thinking. "I'm slave to this guy who's scared by me. Unacceptable!" Well, Carmilla. I can understand that, but here's the thing. We're in this together. I'll try to have your back as much as possible. We'll see if you'll have mine. Now think about what happens if you kill me. You go rogue, you're a servant without a master.
You think "they" will let you roam around? They had the power to send you to me. I'm pretty sure they can send you back.
You're more free with me alive than dead."
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Post by Vitsheep on Jun 25, 2018 8:39:46 GMT -5
A few general things your character would know.
He's been a mage before, he didn't just suddenly get powers. And while it is theoretically possible for them to be taken away by severing the 'magical circuits' that control them, no one's said anything about that.
Grail wars usually take on the order of days to weeks.
And he would probably know that the ritual summons servants from some extraplanar dimensional pocket thing called the throne of heroes using the grail's power as a catalyst. So... The 'they' that sent her is really more of an 'it,' but he's not wrong to be suspicious about all this.
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Post by Malefio on Jun 25, 2018 8:59:49 GMT -5
Hmm... I'll rewrite later. Maybe even tomorrow
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Post by Vitsheep on Jun 27, 2018 12:49:41 GMT -5
Are you going to rewrite it like edit it, or post again?
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Post by Malefio on Jun 27, 2018 13:08:46 GMT -5
One or the other. I don't know when though, I'm busier than expected
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Post by Malefio on Jun 28, 2018 5:49:39 GMT -5
(Managed to arrange it so "they" is still the government.)
Murdock looks at Camilla's evil grin, visibly offended by her comment. He then looks at his hand, that at her glare, realising what she's thinking. He looks at her straight in the eyes and try to be authoritarian, but he's also a bit intimidated by her appearance.
"It's not that I don't have any ideas. I'm not being trivial, I'm being logical... realist. I know what I'd wish for right now, at this very second. But the thing is that we know nothing. Someone's gonna win this. I'm aiming for it to be me, but that's not my point. The others probably have wishes like infinite money or world peace or whatever.
Now, one important thing to take note of is that they said this is a war. Wars don't take a few days or a few weeks. You don't decide when a war ends. So let's say this takes longer than the winner thinks... He lost some of his servants, people died, etc. These guys will wish for everyone who died to come back. I guarantee it.
Now, I know it'll be different for me. I'm not bragging, I just know... But I am also aware that what I want right now might not be what I want when I'm in front of the Holy Grail.
Also, we know nothing. We just know we get a wish. Who knows what happens when someone is in front of the grail? "They", whoever they are, might just suddenly throw rules at that person. "The wish can't be this, it can't be that, bla bla bla!"
Finally, what happens after. They arranged what I needed to summon a powered partner I plan to keep alive. I always had powers, but you don't really use those to their full potential when you're just living a normal life. Will I be able to go back to a normal life after this?
Now, I know what you're thinking. "I'm slave to this guy who's scared by me. Unacceptable!" Well, Carmilla. I can understand that, but here's the thing. We're in this together. I'll try to have your back as much as possible. We'll see if you'll have mine. Now think about what happens if you kill me. You go rogue, you're a servant without a master.
You think "they" will let you roam around? They'll track you down and if you manage to beat them, they'll just send more people after you and they'll be more and more powerful until you're beaten.
You're more free with me alive than dead."
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Post by Vitsheep on Jun 28, 2018 6:11:00 GMT -5
"You misunderstand," Carmilla says. "Most Masters have a wish for the grail that they consider... immutable. Most Masters are near-sighted fools. Though of course my own wish should be obvious..." Carmilla smiles evilly. "No need for that much concern. I've no designs to eliminate you... yet, Master, so long as you keep in mind who it is you are addressing. Now... your orders... Master?"
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Post by Malefio on Jun 28, 2018 6:15:26 GMT -5
"Well... Let me look through the window... If it's still day I feel like we should show each other what we can do...
If it's night, time to go outside and see what the others are doing... Let's not show ourselves for now. I want to observe first. Let's be sneaky."
Murdock looks at the window and proceeds to do the appropriate action.
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Post by Vitsheep on Jun 28, 2018 19:31:42 GMT -5
You look out the window. It's night.
Carmilla begins to glow, then vanishes in a golden mist. You hear her voice as if she's whispering in your ear. "Well, then... Master. Let us be off."
So... Where are you going? Map and stuff's in the Main Thread. You base location's... somewhere. L4.
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Post by Malefio on Jun 28, 2018 19:58:02 GMT -5
"You can disappear? Nice!"
Let's sneak around the City Hall.
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Post by Vitsheep on Jun 28, 2018 22:09:15 GMT -5
You proceed over to City Hall and find a nice place where you can set up to stake out for a few hours and watch.
After a few hours... you don't see anything particularly unusual. There's a few lights on in offices, people working late in city hall. But the few silhouettes you can make out do look like they're actually just working away at computers or filing or crap.
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