"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.
This time she had asked for permission before leaving her parents to go exploring. Erthë never wanted to live through another scolding like the one she had received after coming home, battered and bruised and so weak she hadn't been able to do anything but eat and sleep for several long days. Their words still stung her even though they had been both correct and fair, and so it was a rather muted girl that crossed the vast windswept Steppe, made her way across the land bridge between the raging west sea and the ocean-like lake on the east side and began the climb up towards the plateau where she had been born. On her heels - or round and round her in vast, gleeful circles - ran her father's three-headed companion, the safeguard and sole reason why she had been allowed to go at all. Erthë loved Vlasi as much as she loved the rest of the family and it wasn't like she really minded the presence of the shape-shifter. But it was frustrating to have company when she would have preferred to be on her own, and so she spoke little to the creature and tried her best to pretend she wasn't there at all.
As she made her way south it became increasingly clear that spring had arrived. The sun glowed warmer here than up in the north and snow was melting into rapids, streams, torrents and veritable rivers. It wasn't really the best or safest time to go up into the mountains, but the filly wanted to see the meadow she only remembered in her dreams now, look at the white tree Mother said she had been born beneath and see if it really was as pretty as she had made it sound. Time was passing so quickly, and there were things here she neither should nor wanted to forget.
It was midday by the time she finally reached the elevated plateau. Panting and coughing and grimacing as the sore, swollen pustules that had appeared on her inner thighs rubbed against one another she looked out across the meadow, expecting to be awed...
... but somehow the sight of muddy fields and brown grass couldn't quite lift her spirits.
"Is this really it?" she asked Vlasi, a note of doubt in her voice. But the Rou only panted and blinked at her with one head while a big paw scratched another behind its ears, and the girl sighed. So much for the glorious fields of snow. Not only was it gone, it had been replaced by ugly, barren, stinking puddles of mud and muck without a single trace of charm.
She was disappointed, and made a big deal out of pouting as she tripped further out onto the mountain meadow.
The little pale girl was not the only one with a shadow today. Murtagh had gotten the blessing of his mothers to leave the Falls, so long as he took one of their companions with him. The grizzly he affectionately knew as Mama now trailed behind him, keeping watch and the little colt was careful not to let his excitement get the better of him. He wasn’t entirely sure who would win a race, him or the bear, and did not want to test it out by streaking across unknown lands.
When the snows retreated, his desire to explore had expanded and he had planned on spending every minute of every waking day bothering someone to take him out. He had accepted that solo excursions wouldn’t be possible for a while yet, and was unwilling to sneak out. The look on everyone’s faces when he went around the corner in the Falls and was out of sight for a moment was bad enough, he couldn’t bear the reaction if he were to actually leave. And, you know, there was the whole thing where the colt wasn’t actually sure where the in-and-out of the Falls even was so he had to be shown.
For the first excursion, he’d stick pretty close, and led Mama up the nearby mountain. Apparently there was a meadow up there or something. By the time they got up there, Murtagh was coated in mud from slipping on the way up but his grin shone bright. “What a climb, mama! I bet we can see our home from here!” Though before he turned around looked back from where they came from, he realized they weren’t alone. Someone else! Someone… pretty close to his size!!
Knowing that Mama would follow along anyway, Murtagh hurried over and slid in the mud as he came to a stop - hopefully not spraying her with any mud. He didn’t mind getting messy but she looked like she had been made from the snow that had recently melted. “Hey! Isn’t this place great?!” Lavender eyes were already shining and then he spotted the little creature near the snow-angel and he couldn't help but add in another question. "Oh man what's that?!"
The filly had only been to the meadow atop the mountain a handful of times, but with the blood singing through her freshly-fledged wings and her hollow bones tingling with the desire for flight, she sought out the Heavenly Fields for the first time in months. Perhaps it was the promise of proximity to the sky, or the near guarantee of isolation, but the morning sun found her trekking up the muddy slope with the newly hatched wolf pup gamboling at her side. While the little golden ball of fur was still a source of wonder to Areli, the novelty was beginning to wear thin—especially as the puppy picked its way from dandelion to dandelion, maddenly stopping to sneeze at every one. “C’mon!” the dark yearling called back to the frolicking canine for what seemed like the hundredth time today. “Wanta make it up before dark!” Mama wouldn’t be happy with her if she returned to the Falls late, she knew. It was already risking her wrath to try something as dangerous as flying unsupervised, but the girl couldn’t help it: she needed the sky under her wings, just as badly as she needed air in her lungs or grass in her belly. If Mama was busy patrolling, she couldn’t be bothered to wait for something as trivial as formal lessons! She knew that in time, she’d get it herself—after all, it was in her blood.
When she finally reached the summit, however, Areli was admittedly disappointed to hear voices. Usually, the prospect of company excited the lonely child, but today she had wanted the privacy to practice her clumsy techniques in peace. Still, she had already climbed all this way, so she supposed that the voices were worth investigating—just to see whom they belonged to, anyway. Whinnying at her young companion to follow, Areli trotted into the field.
At first she didn’t see the owners of the voices, as small as they were. But then the wolf pup suddenly drew close, tail between its legs as it glanced off to her right. And there she saw the source of its worry: a bear lumbering through the muddy grass. Of course, the creature was nowhere near as large as a feral bear, but Areli knew little of that. It still had a decent size on her, and she had little inclination to upset the animal. Anxiety tinged her features as she followed her companion’s gaze.
Unfortunately, the puppy didn’t get the message. Perhaps sensing her worry had awakened some primitive protective instinct in its puppy heart, but abruptly, it barreled off towards the bear, yapping furiously. “NO!” the girl screamed, bounding after it. “Leave it alone!” It is unclear whether her words were meant for the bear or the wolf, but either way, the panic was clear in her voice.
There must have been a lot of traffic on the mountain paths that day. How they had failed to notice one another before was a mystery, and one that likely would remain as such. Erthë at least was too busy being surprised as the black-coated, white-and-red haired boy came skidding towards her. It was the first time she ever saw anyone her own age and his fitting size paired with the radiant, bubbling enthusiasm earner her instant approval. The filly skipped out of the way rather deftly as mud splashed everywhere, and with the still pristine wool gleaming in the sunlight she gave him a smile...
... and caught sight of the bear. The terrified shriek rang all across the meadow as she staggered backwards, the pain rising in her blistering legs along with the growing fear. It was as though she could feel the burn of sizzling blood splashing over her all over again, echoes of the sensation evoked all across the neck, the face, in the milky, leaking eye that did not see. This bear was not the same as the one she had seen but it was similar enough, and Erthë would have none of it.
Ah, but she wasn't the only one screaming. Suddenly there was a puppy in their midst, and before Erthë could say or do anything Vlasi had leapt in, rattled by the raised voices and barking at the top of her lungs at the bear, the wolf, the colt and the yearling that came hurrying towards them. With all three heads. She had firm instructions to keep the child safe, and now there were foes and strangers all over!
"No..." the icy girl said, rather feebly at first but more fiercely once the cacophony somehow managed to get her nerves to settle. Why was it that the distress of others helped calm her down? "Vlasi, NO. BAD, come here!"
She had none of the understanding for the shape-shifter that her father possessed. Vlasi was not her companion, nor was she big enough to really put herself in respect with it. Yet some of her determination must have shown through in her voice and stance, because after a few final yaps and skips the Cerberus came bounding back, all three tongues dangling out of the mouths. Each head looked equally pleased with itself, and no matter how sternly she looked at her Erthë couldn't make the dog look ashamed.
Still wary of the bear she looked back up at the others, hoping the chaos would die down.
"It's just Vlasi" she eventually said, belatedly replying to the colt's question as though nothing had happened. "Why does that bear follow you? They're dangerous you know!"
It was all rather overwhelming. Her quiet, solitary excursion had turned into a riot and she had a feeling the situation had long since slipped out of her control. Even as she spoke a green eye darted curiously towards the older girl, shyness setting in because of the superior age.
"I'm Erthë. Who are you?" Let's start from the top and see if she couldn't get this all to make sense.
Mama didn’t pay much attention to the pup, except to give it a look that was either amusement or annoyance, Murtagh couldn’t really tell. It looked like a ‘I’m too old for this’ sort of look though that was basically the grizzly’s permanent face so, who knows what was going on in that head. Murtagh did not know, it wasn’t his bonded. He wondered if he would be able to sense his bear cub’s thoughts and intentions when it was found. They could have secret conversations! Having assured himself that Mama wouldn’t be feasting on the pup, Murtagh turned to look at the white girl with the fox-thing who was answering his question… kind of? He didn’t know what a ‘Vlasi’ was, had never heard of it before. But it was weird.
Instead of responding to that introduction, he snorted at the comment about how bears were dangerous. Murtagh had never met a dangerous bear before - Ao could probably kill someone with cuddles. If he liked them enough. “Uh well yeah. Like how that follows you around, right? This is my Mama.” Now that he was speaking it out loud to someone other than his family, he realized that maybe that wouldn’t make any sense to anyone else. His parents loved to tease him about that day but not everyone was in on the joke. “Well not really, but it’s my Pa’s companion. He’s here to keep me safe… and I’m here to help him find snacks!” Originally he was going to point out the pup and the vlasi but he couldn’t even get through saying the snack line without breaking into a smile - it wasn’t in him to be cruel, even as a joke.
“No but really he’s not dangerous unless he needs to be. He ain’t gonna hurt anybody.” He stressed that last little bit, looking to the dappled filly that showed up with some shouting. “I’m Murtagh, from the Falls.” And he dipped his horned head at the two fillies because, well, wasn’t that what he had seen the adults doing when they greeted each other? “What about you, wolf-girl?” He asked, full of curiosity now that she was the only name that he didn’t know.
It didn’t help matters when Vlasi appeared. Catching sight of the creature’s three heads, Areli and the pup yelped and altered course simultaneously. The scene would have been rather comical to an outside observer, but the girl was badly spooked. What was that thing?! From somewhere in the field, a voice rang out and the Cerberus turned, but it was too late. Like a golden bullet, the young wolf was shooting back to Areli’s side, scared to her senses. Rushing to stand over her companion protectively, the girl swung her quarters around, pale golden eyes darting about in search of the source of the commotion.
The puffed feathers on her wings deflated slightly when she finally identified the culprits: two foals, not too much younger than herself, who seemed to belong to the bear and the three-headed thing, respectively. She guessed from the way that they were standing, the creatures must be companions of some sort—the bear seemed like one anyway, but the Cerberus…well, she was still unsure about it, but the light-colored filly who stood next to it didn’t seem to be alarmed by its proximity. In fact, the younger girl didn’t seem to be alarmed by anything, for she introduced herself without missing a beat. Erthë, she called herself. And the boy who had come with the bear, he said his name was Murtagh, from the Falls. At the mention of her herdland, Areli’s head turned towards him inquisitively. Who was his mama? How come she hadn’t seen him before? Gods knew she could have used a playmate since Ilios had left. But the questions would have to come later, for now they had both turned to her with expectant eyes: it was her turn to introduce herself.
“’M’Areli,” she replied, feeling a little self conscious at the way they both were staring. Next to the pair of them, she felt big and awkward—she was nowhere near as delicate and well-formed as the tiny girl who seemed to be made of moonlight, nor as boundlessly confident as the dark boy with the bear. Perhaps for them, it was natural to interact so freely, but she had played on her own for so long…she wanted them to think well of her, but she didn’t know why. “I live in the Falls too, with my Mama and Papa,” she added, gaze flitting to Murtagh with the glimmer of a question. “Who’s your mama?” she asked curiously, wondering if their mothers had met.
The barking and flinching and general display of madness died down, thankfully. Erthë was able to hear what the boy said, but even though he seemed confident and reassuring the girl couldn't help but spare another doubtful glance at the bear. Because even though it was smaller and quiet and decidedly peaceful looking, it brought to mind a different kind of bear, and a battle in a red forest that had left her half blind and traumatized.
"If you say so..." she said, too polite to contradict Murtagh but also not prepared to take his word for it. The filly made sure to keep Vlasi between herself and the furry thing, because as much as she wanted to get far away from it she also craved the company of this small, proper sized playmate.
She giggled when he called the bear mama, amused and terrified at the implications - until he added to the statement. "Vlasi is my dad's companion too" she eagerly confided, the tasseled tail coiling and dancing from the growing excitement. They were talking, and it felt wonderful. "She keeps track on me because mom thinks I will get in trouble if left on my own."
A not entirely false accusation, but she thought it unfair nevertheless.
Her attention then turned to the other girl when Murtagh asked for the name, smiling eagerly - if perhaps a bit shyly, because the dappled lass was much taller than herself and she seemed so calm and mature and Erthë didn't really know what to say to her. Both of her new friends mentioned a Falls, and suddenly the conversation was steering in a direction that went away from anything Erthë knew.
"What do you mean 'live in'?" she asked with a slight frown, stern in her attempt at understanding a term that made no sense to her. "Aren't you living everywhere? You look alive to me." She squinted at the two, feeling a bit left out. "What is the Falls?"
By her side Vlasi flopped down onto the ground with the belly in the air. Usually it would have made her giggle and touch the furry stomach with her nose, but this time she was too intent on the conversation and barely spared the rougarou a glance.
“Yours too?!” He was happy to know that there was some other foal out there that was being accompanied by a parent’s companion. Even if she didn’t like Mama, he was starting to like this winged filly. Comradery! He thought she would be an excellent resource on how to give Mama the ol’ slip, but then he remembered that the backlash for leaving the bear’s sight would be terrible.
The older girl finally gave up her name - completing the introductions. Woah! And she was from the Falls?! Murtagh hooted with delight when she made the connection between them. It wasn’t all that surprising that they had never met, he had been preoccupied with the exploration of the boundaries his mothers had set up for him. But here was Areli, a foal - hardly mattered that she was a little bit older than him - and they lived in the same herd! He couldn’t wait to go home to tell his parents about the two new friends that he had made, even if they weren’t overly fond of Mama. She asked about who his mama was and he answered proudly - puffing up his dark little chest. “Ktulu and Lakota.” It felt weird pronouncing their adult names, but he was pretty sure not everyone in the Falls referred to the two mares by the same names that he used.
Lavender eyes went back to Erthë when she expressed her confusion over ‘The Falls’ and what it meant that they lived there. Being the helpful sort, Murtagh was willing to step up and try to describe it for her. “The Falls! It’s, uh…” Well, if only he could figure out how he could describe it!
He decided to think out the problem out loud, and hopefully that would answer her questions. “It’s home. I mean yeah I’m alive right now but that’s where my family is and where I go to sleep every night. We’re part of a herd that lives there.” He grinned at Areli, including her in that ‘we’ before looking with concern at Erthë. “Don’t you have a home? Where’s your ma and pa?” He knew that she had them, she was being accompanied by one of their companions, so he didn’t think it was overly rude to ask.
Though the names he pronounced were unfamiliar to her, Areli took some comfort in the fact that some familiar turf (literally) lay between them. Not wanting to break that connection, she merely nodded at his reply and did her best to smile, if not a little vaguely. There were many grown-ups living in the Falls that she had never met anyway, she knew, and perhaps there was a chance that she might know one of Murtagh’s parents if she saw them face-to-face.
But she did not have time to dwell on these matters, for the delicate filly had piped up with a dubious frown at the sound of their herdland. “Aren’t you living everywhere?” she asked, and Areli shifted self-consciously again at what seemed to be having her intentions questioned. “Um…” she began, but Murtagh quickly jumped to explain what the Falls were. Embarrassed but admittedly relieved, she let her thought trail off and waited for him to finish. When the boy was done, she paused for a moment, as if making sure that she could speak, then hastily added, “Yeah, it’s a herdland with trees and waterfalls and paths ‘n’ stuff.” The smaller girl’s question had rattled her, and she felt as if her tongue was tripping clumsily over the words. If pegasi could blush, Areli’s face would have been scarlet.
Once again, she found herself grateful when the unicorn boy took charge once again, asking the waif-like child where her home lay. As she awaited Erthë’s response, Areli glanced down at the wolf pup for reassurance. But Bee only stared blanky up at her and yawned, bored with the children’s conversation.
OOC: Sorry that this is so late; trying to catch up on replies!
Their attentions turned back to her, and Erthë felt instantly better. No longer left out, she listened to their jumbled explanations and found a growing sense of understanding spire, expanding her views of the world and everyone's place in it.
"Oooh, I see!" she breathed, and smiled - a dazzling, glittering smile that instantly forgave them both for having something in common that didn't involve her. "No, I don't really have a home, not like that. I and Ma and Daddy often stay in the north, with the Aurora Basin, but we go everywhere and sleep wherever anyway. Daddy says it's only until I get bigger, and mom says she'll take me places when I'm older!"
She could hardly wait. The world was so big, and she was just beginning to understand how little she actually knew about it. The fight with the Bear God had taught her that it wasn't all sunshine and happy smiles - but she was determined to explore it all, and be brave and strong like her parents.
Talking with kids her own age (well, almost) was more fun than she could have imagined, but Erthë was growing restless. Why stand still and chat when they could play!? Weren't they wasting a glorious opportunity here, by just chatting all day?
"Hey, let's play!" she said eagerly, spindly legs sidestepping impatiently, dying for a chance to run. "I never had friends before, so lets do something fun!"
It was a glorious day and she was wild, free and independent (aside from Vlasi being there like a shackle around her leg). Life was wonderful, and Erthë was determined to make the most of it.
It made Murtagh happy to hear that Erthë’s parents were much like his own - promising to take him exploring in Helovia when he was big enough, when it was safe enough, to do so. He trust them to know when it was time, content to explore the limits he could test in the Falls and stay wherever they told him to. Always within eye-shot of a mare or one of their companions, or a trusted member of the herd on a good day. He might have been sad for the pale filly for not having a home like the Falls but it sounded like she had a home with her parents, and that’s really what he thought mattered. “Oh that’ll be fun! I’m waiting for when I’m older for my Papa and Mammina to take me places too.” This mountain was the first place out-of-the-Falls that he had ever seen.
The subject was changed, a more active alternative to the day brought up. “A game!” Of course Murtagh was up for a game, he immediately caught Erthë’s restless attitude - as though he had been struck by lightning and jolted awake. Yes! Games! He had raced Mama up here but there was still plenty of energy left in him, invigorated by these two new friends that he had made. It only took a moment for the first idea to come to him - something basic to start them off.
“Alright, you’re it! Can’t catch me!” He exclaimed as he dashed forward to tag the Erthë on her shoulder or her wing, whatever he could brush quickly before hurrying off - calling towards the other with a squeal of delight. “Run, Li!” Playing with Mama and with his parents was fun, of course, but these fillies were about his size - the game would be more evenly matched. Where he was used to being allowed to win, he didn't count on getting the same treatment this time.
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