"Where brilliance is good and madness is better..."
Helovia Info
Helovia opened in February 2012! We are an active fantasy equine RPG
Where once the world narrowed into naught but gray dust and desolation, the gods called for life. Wielding the elements of fire and light, dark and wind, earth and water, spark and time, they have created Helovia. The realm is set within the mythical globe of Loorien, a planet rich with all variety of creatures and blessed with all manner of magic. Originally populated by nomadic, tribal characters, they've since grown into massive empires saturated with culture and history. Separated into four distinct segments of Helovia, called "The Regions," each band of horse strong enough and capable enough, took up the power and responsibility of leadership. Unicorns, old, wise and mysterious, took to the north, hidden in forests of mists and shadows and rarely making themselves known beyond their cliffs of the World's Edge. Equines, vast, organized and militaristic, split into two, one group went north to the Windtossed Foothills and the other group went south to the Dragon's Throat. Pegasus remained nomadic, making their homes in various parts of The Wilds in a migratory manner. For many generations, the land was peaceful and calm, but peace was never the way of the gods. With a clash of argument, war and bloodshed massacred Helovia, and in the aftermath, the realm was eerily quiet. Now, as newcomers sweep into this land, they are met with the lingering bitterness of the gods and the struggle to reclaim what was lost. Nothing remains safe or certain while sorcerers and soldiers alike brood and bide their time for revenge, honor and glory.
Site Wide Plots
Kaos :: The Beginning of the End ☼ - 6/2017 - Kaos placed Helovia in a time-bubble for a short period of time, but the Helovian gods are fighting back. But Kaos is powerful- far more powerful than anyone thought. This may be the beginning of the end of Helovia as we know it.
Kisamoa :: A New Kind of Kaos ☼ - 3/2017 - Kisamoa asks Helovians to help him restore the Spectral Marsh. Which side will you choose?
Invasions :: All Out War ☼ - 5/2/16 - New layout and the brand new invasion rules are up! Thank you for your patience and we look forward to getting started with this new adventure.
The Rift :: Gods Do Die ☼ - 8/2015 - Helovia Gods are saving the Rift from corrupt gods! Can Helovians band together against these foreign deities?
The Literal Ship ☼ - 2/8/15 - Oh no! You have to pair up for Valentine's day!
Sky Island :: Murder ☼ - 10/25/14 - Vesta has been found dead on the island, and the gods have called to you to solve the murder!
Sky Island :: Peace ☼ - 7/7/14 - An island has appeared in the sky! Clouds carry Helovians from the Veins to the sky.
Restoration :: We Welcome the Dawn ☼ - 9/21/13 - The sun has finally risen on this day, giving the land new light, but the Time God and the Sun God have yet to be seen.
Endless Night :: Broken Magic Plot ☼ - 8/30/13 - The earth god has returned and is walking across Helovia to heal the land. Every area can now be considered lush and prosperous, but the sun has still not risen.
☼ - 7/19/13 - The moon has risen in the sky, heralding the return of the Goddess of the moon. Lamp trees which light the paths have grown brighter, moon flowers which grow in dark places have begun to grow and prosper and the world is brighter, filled with a new hope.
Endless Night :: Dead Magic Plot ☼ - 6/22/13 - The gods of Helovia, in order to protect the world, have disappeared into the rift, leaving the world sunless, moonless and magic-less in their absence. Only the herdlands have a source of light, but lamp-trees with glowing leaves and branches sporadically line the popular roads and paths from place to place.
Doppleganger Plot ☼ - 6/20/13 - The God of Time is still struggling to close the rift though which the dopplegangers have come. He has requested that his brothers and sister assist in closing this hole, but without knowing why it opened, the task is proving difficult. Magic still remains faulty and hard to control, but the herdlands continue to be places of refuge for those who are fortunate enough to call these lands home.
ORANGEMOON cools off the lands with a a viscious force. Colder than normal, a sign of things to come during Frostfall, Helovia is bathed in a rich tropical lushness - albiet a cold one. The coastlines of the Dragon's Throat are pelted constantly by tidal waves, and the desert climate is humid but chilly. Ice begins to form early in the Aurora Basin leaving the winding trails slick and dangerous. The mists of the World's Edge coat everything in a glistening crystalline shine which encourages mould to grow everywhere. The Spectral Marsh is the only area which remains fertile, blissfully temperature and lush.
Cotm
Character of the Month for
June, 2017
WEAVER, Corporal of the Aurora Basin, is a relatively recent addition to Helovia and has taken it by storm. Branded with the seal of Death on her chest, intrigue and interest follow both her past and present. Though she is assuredly beautiful, her sometimes sharp personality reveals that there is more to this uni-peg hybrid than meets the eye. Proving herself able on the battlefield in the Basin’s warrior ranks, we can’t wait to see her test her mettle against the looming Kaos happenings! Congratulations!
Helovia RPG was created by Tamme and Blu and coded by Tamme also known as Schwartze. All coding, palettes and imagery are copyrighted to the website and are not for use outside of Helovia. Thank you to our ServerMaster for hosting Helovia. A special thanks goes to Neo for all of her coding help and fixing Tamme's errors, Boom, for her loyal service and creation of the Time God, and to Ali for her consistent contributions and dedication.
The angel watched her twins in the distance, refusing to allow her mothering abilities to be called once more into question. She had failed so many of her other offspring, allowed them to slip from her side and disappear into shadows. She had been set to fail from the beginning, it seemed, with the stillborn birth of Diniel. Skysong, too, was gone, murdered by the body, if not the mind, of her now-mate. How she had managed to forgive him, she still did not understand - all she knew was that she held no hard feelings towards him, that there was nothing but love in their relationship, despite the hardships they had faced. Perhaps she had simply gotten tired of fighting.
Perhaps she had finally grown up.
Gone were the days of blissful ignorance, youthful naivete - no longer did she live under the illusion of easy love, true and without trials. The love that she had come to cherish was hard and grueling, pushing her to the edge of giving up hope so many times - but so, too, was it worth fighting for, worth every minute she spent working and pushing and pulling him back to her. Now, in the lull that she found herself in, she was nothing but grateful for the challenges they had faced. It had not been easy, but she had learned by now that nothing good was easy - all she had to do was consider childbirth to prove her point.
Find him, shekhikhi, she ordered Astraeus, who promptly lifted himself from his perch on her withers and pulled himself into the clear blue sky with a fierce cry. Sparks fell from his wings to disperse easily into the atmosphere. He would find Gaucho, if Gaucho was to be found; all she needed to do was wait.
"Talking." -Astraeus.-
Translations ::
shekhikhi | my light; a pet name
@[Gaucho] - if you have time? :D Also, is this font easy enough to read?
The mystical creature found the trio. Or rather, it was Vorsa's bouncing presence which alerted Gaucho to the arrival of one of her kin. His own pheonix had grown quite rapidly. She would never be as large as Astreaus in all likelihood, but Gaucho was plenty large enough for the both of them. From his antlers, Mara's black gaze rose to meet the electric arrival of a companion that she knew all too well. Other than Cera's panda, Sohalia's bonded was likely the one she had spent the most time with.
The Wildfire said nothing as the sparking bird showered above them - he assumed the the only reason to be here was to collect Gaucho. And, as the bird stayed momentarily, Gaucho knew his assumption had been correct. He nodded his antlered crown and spread his flaming wings to follow the creature back, presumably, to Sohalia.
There was no unnecessary haste in Astraeus' flight, so the dun was not worried that his mate (?) was injured. Still, he flew relatively quickly. It wasn't very often that Sohalia sent for him, after all. Below, he could make out the shapes of their newest twins frolicking below, but his gaze snapped immediately to the white beacon to whom he was drawn. In the back of his mind, he had the sudden feeling that she was angry with him. Descending gently on wings of black and fire, he landed upon the sands, doing his best not to disturb them in a way that would throw sand towards Sohalia.
"Jalan atthirari anni - what is it?" His voice strained to be calm, to be tender, but failed slightly. Gaucho was tired, what with the building projects, the recent Invasion, and Kahlua's little sleep over with her candidates. It had taken a toll on Gaucho's mind, which was a kind of exhaustion that he was not used to. His body stood strong and primal as ever as he towered over his petite mate. Taking a tentative step forward, he extended his blackened muzzle to her shoulder, exhaling and gently pressing in to her, should she allow the embrace.
As she waited, her mind wandered, her body a pale ghost in the bright sun of the Dragon's Throat. She wasn't here, not the way she had been once, dedicated body and soul to the sands beneath her hooves. So much had happened, so much pain endured - her heart had been picked at, pieces ripped away, exposing the tenderness underneath. It was difficult now where it had once been easy. She wished she could figure out why.
There was nothing for her here save family, and once the twins were grown, her family wouldn't need her anymore. What use was she to them now? She had no skills, no abilities to set her apart from the masses. What little she had done, once, was a gift from the Sun, a magical ability whose disappearance left her wanting and empty. She had been a Sultana once - again, the God's gift - believing that she had been chosen for a reason, that she had something to offer to the herd. But she had been displaced as easily as she had ascended, and as far as she knew, she had left no mark on the land or their herd in her time either as Forger or Sultana. Even her wall was gone now (she had Gaucho to thank for that) - but she could see that they were safer without than they ever would have been upon its completion.
What, then, was her purpose? Was she nothing more than a broodmare, destined to forever stand longingly in her mate's shadow?
Could she never hope to make a name for herself in this land?
Gaucho's flaming descent drew her mind from the darkness, lighting a path to a smile. "Shekh ma shieraki anni," she offered in greeting, pressing herself close to his darker frame to accept his touch. She was surprised to see lines on his face where there had been none before, and the realization that he - Gaucho, the WildFire, the Sultan, her Sun and Stars - could tire was more than she could bear; she buried her face in his neck. His voice was strained, and she was filled, suddenly, with guilt - for putting her own needy desires before his, for not stopping to think that he had enough going on without her adding to his load. "I'm sorry," she whispered in his native tongue. "I know you're busy, I... I just... wanted to see you." She swallowed, hard, knowing there was more she wanted and suddenly unsure he could grant her those desires.
Astraeus settled in a tree, his trained eyes locked on the twins. He was vaguely aware of Vorsa's presence. It was Mara he greeted with a warm trill before falling silent. He offered a soothing touch to his bonded's mind, concern for her enveloping him. She had been sad for far too long, it seemed, and he had been able to do little to fix it. Perhaps the big stallion could, even if Astraeus didn't trust him to do much of anything except break her heart.
"Talking." -Astraeus.-
Translations ::
shekhikhi | my light; a pet name
@[Gaucho] - I'm so sorry for the wait. Life kind of exploded and I haven't really had a chance to catch my breath, much less sit down and focus on anything. If it's been too long, I understand!
"Gaucho here." He rumbled in response. Although mentally, part of him wasn't. Part of him was wondering what would happen next - what the fate of their herd was to be. Leadership had been so tumultuous, although with Meg at his side he believed that they would finally have some consistency. Still, he couldn't be sure. Over and above that, Gaucho had no idea what the fate of the other three herds was to be. The Wildfire hadn't seen nearly the fallout from the Falls that he had expected - only a handful had run to his borders seeking aid. Where had the rest gone? Although Kaj was persuasive and Archibald was ... well, Dauntless if nothing else, how could so many remain under those who would surely be viewed as tyrants? Who had invaded and kicked them out of their homes? Even more shocking was how many fled to the Edge, especially given that it was apparently the Moon Goddess' actions which had initiated all of this.
Sighing into Sohalia's warm flesh, Gaucho shook his antlered skull trying to rid his already over-flowing mind of these thoughts. Something was going to happen, of that he was sure. But without knowing what, he could hardly prepare. And it was that shadow which left his thoughts dark and weary.
"Hawke and Aelin grow strong." He whispered proudly. The twins were like yin and yang - one seemingly the embodiment of death, and the other of life. Unlike their older twins who burned in Gaucho's image, their deathly magic seemed to take far more after Sohalia. It was almost surprising to know that her magic had overwhelmed his in the womb while they were growing, but he was not so surprised. Sohalia was strong in her own right.
The twins were indeed growing strong; for once, her offspring had been blessed with abundant health. They were a perfect mixture of she and her mate. She had been proud to find that this time, it was her magic that had taken root in them more than his; though she could not attribute this to her strength, it pleased her nonetheless. She wished for them only happiness - happiness, and patience, and strength, and goodness. Perhaps she wished the latter most of all. She prayed that they would not face hardships and losses, that they would avoid heartbreak and woe. She knew that there would be trials in their lives, of course, but she hoped that their troubles would never break them, would only make them grow stronger. She nodded her agreement with the WildFire's analysis.
She hoped that they would not follow in her hoofprints, that they would not suffer the despair she had faced many times over.
As she settled into Gaucho's embrace, the dove calmed, her thoughts narrowing to focus only on him. The way his wings warmed her, despite the fact that their flames blazed without heat. The way his deep breathing calmed her own shallow exhalations. The way he smelled of musk and masculinity, of heat and sand, of home and family. The way he had still come to her at her call, making the time to stand and hold her despite his obvious burdens. Even if the reasons were unknown to her, she had always been perceptive. In her brief rule the Throat and the surrounding herds had been in a period of peace and still she had been busy. She could not imagine what this tumultuous period would have brought her Sultan.
"I had a place here more than just as a mother or a mate once, Gaucho," she murmured after a time. "I need to be useful. I need to help. What can I do now? How can I help? What needs to be done?" She paused. "Teach me how to fight so I can be useful in patrols, or... anything. I want to help. I want to help the herd." She pulled away to look him in the eye. "I want to help my khal. I want to help you."
A look of something like surprise creased his dark features as Sohalia pulled away. Silently he inspected the graceful and beautiful contours of her face, searching for whatever could have prompted this admission on her part. Did Sohalia think herself not useful to the herd? Sohalia, who had spear-headed not only the original building of the wall, but also of the Academy? It was true neither of those projects accumulated to much of anything, but it certainly wasn't due to a uselessness on Sohalia's part.
He was about to interrupt and reassure her, when she said something which struck a chilling chord inside of him momentarily. Teach me how to fight so I can be useful in patrol . That would mean being a rank under Ampere, and although the two mares had found some semblance of friendship, Gaucho doubted that it would hold if both had to constantly be in his presence. Shaking his antlered skull, Gaucho still wondered what had initiated this conversation.
"Soh do lots here ...but.." Shrugging his massive blue striped shoulders, unable to ever deny Sohalia the things she wanted, he sighed. "But if Soh want to do ... " A flaming wing dropped from his shoulder like an open palm, signalling that she could have, do, or be anything that she wanted. "Soh really want to fight? Not to build, or heal, or see?" He knew the petite pale pegasus was speedy and not without zeal. She had lived through the capture of a few seasons ago, and had made her way back to Helovia - and back to him - all on her own. She had birthed five children with him, and two more before that - pain was something he knew she could endure but ... still the idea of her as a warrior was foreign to him. Was it perhaps just a way to gain back his affection?
"I have done plenty of things here," she admitted, "But how many of them lasted? I built a wall, when I first came here, but now it sits under the sea. I have borne seven children, but two of them are now dead and one is nowhere to be found. I created an Academy that has yet to admit a single student. I led this herd, but I accomplished nothing in my time as Sultana. How many times must I fail before I find something that I can do that will actually help? How can I have done so much but accomplished so little?"
She stopped, frustrated, and looked away. She did not doubt that he would understand, even assumed that he agreed - for what had she shown him except her continuous dependence on him? How had she ever shown that she could take care of herself, much less contribute to their herd, their family? She had cried so many times before, convinced of her inadequacy but unable to put it into words.
No more.
This time, her eyes were dry.
She realized suddenly that she had revealed herself to him in a new and intimate way, something that went beyond what their relationship had been in the past. Perhaps it had been that she hadn't been able to communicate as clearly with him before, that she assumed the complex ideas that built her mind and soul would be lost on him. She had never thought him stupid, but she had been all too aware of the language barrier between them. Now, with a fair comprehension of his language and a growing ability to converse in it, with his growing understanding of the common tongue of Helovia - now she delved deeper into conversations, laying her deepest fears before him without a second thought.
The notion terrified the dove. She glanced up at him through lowered lashes, half expecting to see disgust on his features, afraid that she was just wasting his precious time. He held her heart in his flaming wings just then, more completely and more intimately than she had ever allowed before. The Transcended had not thought she could bare herself any further to the WildFire, but that moment, that admission, had proven her wrong. Now she waited before him to be cleansed, for his flame to engulf her and burn her darkness away.
She did not apologize for her outburst, as she might have in the past; instead she boldly embraced it, raising her head to regard him in an almost regal manner. "I loved my time as Forger, and I would be thrilled to work once more with Cera, to build and create. I have spent years cultivating peace, so I would be happy to serve the herd as a healer, given the proper training. I have long admired the gods, our Sun most of all, and I would gladly give my life to serving Him. I would even spy for you, for the herd, if that was what you needed. Diplomacy was one thing I did do right as Sultana.
"But I have lived my life running away from bad things, Gaucho. My parents were murdered right in front of me, and I ran. When I first came to Helovia, wolves attacked a group I had met in the Deep Forest, and I ran. When the Dragon's Throat was under attack, I ran. When the darkness enveloped the land, I ran. When I was taken, I waited for an opportunity to run, and when I had it, I ran." She stepped closer, her eyes blazing with a new passion, a new determination that had never been there before.
"I have never been able to protect my family. I have lost parents, siblings, children, friends. The loved ones I have lost are beyond count, many of them because I could not protect them. You know more than I what lurks in the darkest corners of Helovia. You know better than most that protection is something our family will need. I need to be able to protect our children. I need to be able to protect our land. I need to be able, if the need ever arose, to protect you. I love you. I am so happy to have someone to keep me safe, and I have no doubt in your abilities, but what if you're not here? I don't want to run anymore, I don't want to hide behind your protection."
Her gaze found the children, then returned to him, resolute and unyielding. "I will build, or heal, or see, or spy - you are my khal, my Sultan, and you know best where I will do the most good. But yes, I really want to fight. I need to fight.
Gaucho listened, pleased that her words flowed to him in the language of his own people. She had stuttered and faltered when first learning his guttural tongue, and yet now the words raced from her tongue in easy and poetic strains. The Wildfire silently took in the words of the white dove, nodding gently as she spoke. It hadn't occurred to Gaucho that she wanted some permanent indicator of her time here - and yet it seemed that she was bitter that she hadn't made a physical lasting impression. Other than making the Throat into an Island, neither had he. And when he died, perhaps someone would replace the landbridge, and all would be as it was before he had arrived. Leadership hd never been about permanence for the Wildfire, it had always been about safety and family. In that regard, Sohalia would be as well remembered as any. And yet ... part of him could sense that there was still something more she sought.
As she looked away, he moved closer. The brilliance of his flames made her coat almost appear golden as he swept a burning wing over her flank gently lending his support as she appeared to collect her thoughts. As she continued, he nodded in agreement that diplomacy certainly was something that she had excelled at. Not wanting to spark confrontation between Sohalia and Ampere, Gaucho kept quiet about the thoughts that swirled in his mind - did Ampere like her position as Chancellor? Perhaps .. perhaps ... Shaking his head, he dismissed those thoughts for the time being. He could ruminate on them later, for now, he continued to listen silently.
Her reiteration of the importance of being able to protect only echoed his previous thoughts of what true leadership entailed. Safety and family. His darkened lips pulled back in a thin smile as he found himself nodding in agreement with everything that she said. Gaucho had never held back the warrior ranks from Sohalia for fear of her safety - he was not the type to try and protect his former-queen by keeping her away from danger. True, her pregnancies often prevented her from aiding the herd physically, but he knew that she was more than capable. Being much smaller than he, she was agile and swift. She had natural fluidity - a skill that had taken him years to learn, yet one that she demonstrated even when she wasn't trying to.
"If Soh want to fight, Gaucho can help. Warriors have magic that Soh never have before - magic to shout and scare foes, or to do this-" Raising a large black hoof, Gaucho slammed it down onto the bloody sands. Immediately a tremor raced outwards, shaking and rocking the ground. It did not have the full force of a real earthquake of course, and yet it was more than able to upset a foe's footing. Gaucho smiled as the sands slowly fell back to their original places. Warstomp was a magic gifted to him years ago now by Kri when he first became a warrior here - and never since had he asked for anything more. "Soh can have whatever magic - then Gaucho help train."
Pulling away from her now, he let his wing slowly retract back against his flank. Holding his antlered skull high, he regarded Sohalia with a cool stare. If she was to be a warrior, if she truly wanted to fight and defend the Throat, then she no longer needed his small cuddles of affection (or at least, right now she didn't). Now, she needed to stand on her own and to be confident in her own worth. Those lacking in confidence died quickly on the battlefield, and he would not have his Transcended be so vulnerable. His steely gaze fell over her proudly - for what more could he have asked of her, than this?
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