"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 stars lit up the sky like ugly cut diamonds in her eyes. The cloudless, this never ending night, made it more cold in the rocky bowl that was the Basin. Usually, something that wouldn't bother her, but today or whatever the hell it was, it felt like the tip of the iceberg. Silver irises seemed to bore into the twinkling lights, closing in slow blinks, like she could shut her lids and they would disappear at her will. In the second they were hidden, she mused she much rather see nothing. She rather all lights went out at this point. What was the use thinking things would go back to the way they use to be? Even the Gods proved, nothing stays the same forever.
Faintly,aware of her bitter mood the Thief had tucked herself out of view in branches of evergreens, the lake only a couple stretches away. Like a faded onyx statue, coated with bloody locks she loosened slow breaths,letting them leave her like everything else. Avoiding to even look at the crescent moon, the return of a sky shouldn't bother her. It did, every little thing was staring to grind on patience. The thoughts of the future making her stomach cave in upon itself. Part of her wanted it all over with already. And yet, there was more that craved to be fallen in the mist of battle to see if she could stand up again. Dark ears, brush against her neck, she was restless and it showed the way she kept shifting her weight between her limbs. Very unlike herself. Something needed to be done, and while the world was changing she felt she needed to do the same. There was still no compass, or Northern Star pointing her in the right direction.
Having taken leave of his engineer guide, Ulrik, the obsidian stallion set out to explore more of the Basin in a thorough manner. If he was to call this place home - at least for the time being - he should understand at least the common nooks and crannies of the land. He had seen the lake that never froze and the topography leading to the entrance of the Basin from whence he had originally come. Now, in a rare moment of aimless wandering, Torleik simply walked and cast his gaze about, his orbs as chilled and icy as the snow-covered ground around him.
The only two horses he had met within the Basin thus far were male, but now the scent of a femme caught in his nostrils, one who seemed distressed. The bearded demon turned his compass in the direction of this scent, potentially concerned. He was not one to get himself caught up in every little thing, but if a woman was being pressed beyond what she wished to endure, he would intervene. The warrior had never found it difficult to respect the personhood of others and despised those who, on general principle, did not do the same.
The female in question came into his view and seemed to be alone. That boded at least marginally better than if she had been with someone else, her harasser. What Torleik noticed first about this mare was her red mane and tail. He had not encountered such a color before on a woman and it intrigued him to a degree. Letting out a low nicker to alert the mare to his presence, he approached from her side so that she might easily see him.
"Good...afternoon, evening or morning, whichever it may happen to be in this constant nighttime," he rumbled, dipping his head in a small bow of respect. "You seem distressed. May I ask what troubles you?"
09-13-2013, 11:44 AM (This post was last modified: 10-04-2013, 09:37 PM by Faelene.)
She knew someone was there, but she was silly enough to believe they wouldn't stop. Wouldn't glance her way. Wrong again. Muffled hoof beats greet her ears, light blue eyes looking this way. At first she doesn't even return the gesture. Knowing she had seen him around, it didn't matter she didn't know his name or who he was. There was lots of faces like that here, and she didn't do anything to change that. Once upon a time she had tried, but lately she didn't see the point to bother. In fact she wasn't sure why she remained here while the number of strangers grew. Faelene never looked deep into those riddles. So when she paid mind to Torleik it was much the same, a fleeting glance.
Despite thinking she was giving off the vibe, "do not approach" the Unicorn called to her. With the most careful of sighs, she tipped her head, sweeping long curtains of red locks dipped in white, past her silver eyes, casually shuffling her hooves to a more comfortable position to greet him. A small way of letting him know, yes she had heard him. Despite not really wanting to chat Faelene didn't want to be rude, or give off first impression she was a bitch at first sight. When he approached, she tried to appear friendly. It wasn't hard to see open curiosity could be found in her eyes. There were ruins upon his horns, and his hair was tucked in braids, held by beads. He stood a little taller than her, and his limbs were almost twice as thick as her own. When she thought he was just a stark black the light of the moon proved there were hints of freckled white.
He didn't seem half bad, baritone voice speaking about their current lack of time. It bothered her he should have noticed her mild agitation. The red maned hadn't been hiding it, she reminded herself. A grin of double meaning flashed across her muzzle. A lot, was the first answer to come to mind. The dark lady knew better to let that pop out of her mouth. Coaxing herself to be nice, forcibly relax she decided he was man enough to ask the question he deserved a real answer. "Well for starters this never ending night, and how only some of the Gods have returned. I'm worried our patron God won't be one of them..." Voice remained indifferent while speaking, holding back the rampant emotions she felt inside. There would be no order if the God of Spark didn't return, but the way he left had always caused her to wonder if he could come back. Or if he would have to remain in that strange abyss. When she had first come here he hadn't exactly existed.
Eyes cast down not wanting to tell him the rest. Faelene wasn't fond of staring at hooves, and titled her mask upward, trying not to meet his blue eyes directly. They were too bright, and too familiar by there shade. "I"m sorry, I've seen you around before but I don't know your name. I'm Faelene, the Thief of the Basin."
This mare's choice to ignore him until the last possible moment caused Torleik to raise a brow. Did she wish so strongly to be ignored that she would rebuff his attempt to show some modicum of care? If so, that would be fine with the stallion; he could just as easily move on and reserve his commiseration for those who would appreciate it. Her attention was momentary, fleeting, dismissive. Perhaps out of stubbornness, he called out to her anyhow. She turned, then, and he felt a small sense of accomplishment. At least he was being acknowledged now - and his curiosity at the new faces he met everyday was hard to quash down.
Her grin seemed layered and Torleik's eyes narrowed fractionally. Was she another crazy one? He would remain on guard. Her answer intrigued him greatly and he took a small step forward. "And who is your - our - patron god?" he inquired. It seemed there was always some preoccupation with the gods here, like a forcibly oppressed people under the thumb of tyrannical divinities. He wasn't sure he should choose one to worship, if that was the case. But the moon and tides have always been good to you, as has the sea... his heart reminded him, and Torleik could not argue. If he should meet the moon goddess he would pledge himself to her; it was an inevitable servitude he would gladly enter into.
The perceptive stallion noted this woman did not meet his eyes for very long and he wondered why. He was not attempting to be intimidating, though it often occurred without his meaning to: he was large, dark, dual-horned and usually quiet. He was hard to read, he had been told, and it made others somewhat uncomfortable. She finally introduced herself and he dipped his crown in a small bow of greeting. "I am Torleik - according to Deimos, I am a conscripted soldier of the Basin." That she was a thief, and sported the title, was curious to him. Such a thing was not usually a badge of honor. "What does a thief do for the Basin, exactly?" Somewhat of an obvious question, but the blue-eyed demon had learned long ago that on occasion, the most obvious of things revealed interesting complexities if probed.
TORLEIK
"All those times before when I was just another face among the others, keeping secrets to save myself - I could blend into the background and savor the unknown. I could practice preservation and hide behind this shell. But my god's unleashed on a world that is falling down; my god is a beast that will not let me give up now. I know I'm all or nothing."
10-04-2013, 09:35 PM (This post was last modified: 10-04-2013, 09:37 PM by Faelene.)
Faelene was only sharped tongue to those who were ignorant and rude themselves. She never meant to come off that way to her fellow Unicorn. The red maned made another attempt to tuck away the irritation that masked her worries. To suppress one emotion that was already misplaced, and misdirected was hard. Truly she was heart broken, lonely, and depressed. These were not things she wanted to feel, to drown in till she was incoherent. Instead she had directed them to resentment, anger, and blame against herself. Now she was trying to bury them. Since he dared enough to remain standing despite her withdrawn actions, she made a choice. She was not mad at him, in fact a small part of her was grateful he did not leave her to her own devices. Momentarily, she shut her eyes, and an ear tucked itself back. "I'm sorry. I'm really, not like this. Even to strangers..." Black lips folded, the lines above her eyes creasing, looking for the right phrase. "It's just...do you ever feel that when you except the bad to be over, you find out it's only beginning?" The Thief paused, daring to meet his bright blue stare. She didn't expect an answer, because she hadn't meant the explanation of her mood to be a question.
The dark cloaked stallion seemed curious about her statement of Gods, and she wondered if he too had was lost in the ways of this realm as she had been. Who was she kidding? There was still a lot she didn't know and understand. Deciding he wasn't pushing the issue of her hidden agitation, kindly, she tried to lower her mask that had always been her protective layer. "He's called the God of the Spark. I think most refer to him as the God of Time. He never quite existed until he lead us to this place to live, and gave it to our Lady Psyche to rule. He doesn't come off as kind hearted, but deep down I think he cares to some point. It was strange. I watched him fight against a blue abyss before all the rest of them were sucked into it. " The lady didn't offer more, she never cared to hear the own sound of her voice. It seemed better to leave him to ask his own questions of Helovia than sprout off too much.
"Torleik," she tested, for she would never call him Tor for short. "So the General has given you place," she mused. His stature fit the position, and there were few who had not per taken in some kind of battle. Curious to how many he may have, she didn't pry straight away. Faelene hated her own past, and so she didn't poke into the stories of others. She often let them be the ones to tell her. It seemed she often came off as a good set of listening ears, a guard of secrets. Which was partially true. She had many tucked away. His next question coaxed a more genuine smile out of depths. "I'm the head of collecting information, and often the means of setting up possibilities for obtaining prisoners. I only do that for certain purposes when I know they'll be released. Some might not agree with my belief everyone deserves freedom."
The weight in the air seemed to change and Torleik’s ears tilted forward when Faelene began to speak, sensing that the gravity of the situation had increased and these words were meaningful. Somehow, he knew the question was rhetorical, but he knew that sometimes those were the questions that needed to be answered the most. You asked what you already believed to be true, but you would give anything to know that someone else felt as you did, believed as you did, hurt as you did. “Life has seasons, I have found,” he returned, his low voice a quiet rumble. “The winter of life is harsh and cruel and lasts far longer than we feel we have the will to bear.” Did this mare exist in a winter of her own life at the moment? He felt for her. Suffering and loneliness were awful things made even more terrible and miserable by the knowledge that you had no one else for which to turn in an effort to alleviate the pain.
The subject shifted to deities, as Torleik was a deeply religious man and wished to know all he could about the gods and goddesses that resided here – if any were familiar to him and which ones were not. He listened with rapt attention to her explanation, incredibly curious about this God of Time. The deity fought against a blue abyss? A rift? His people had spoken of those, found sometimes in deep caves, places where the land was close to the center of the earth and still forming, still coming to exist. One of his uncles had been lost to such a rift, as the story went. “This blue abyss…that is where all of the gods have gone? Why this place is…like it is now – with only night and broken magic?” Ulrik had mentioned his magic was broken. Torleik assumed everyone else’s was as well. He had no magic so it did not perturb him overmuch, but he assumed it would be frustrating for those who did – like having a limb immobilized for no real reason.
Torleik frowned when Faelene said “the General” (Deimos, he ascertained) had “given” him place. Traded him service for a place to lay his head, was more like it. He had been coerced, plain and simple. Had Torleik refused to serve he would have been turned elsewhere. At least fighting was something he knew well, he mused. “I was conscripted,” he repeated. “In return for a place to stay, I had to agree to a willingness to shed my blood.” His tone was flat and his ears flicked back towards his skull, speaking to his irritation. Faelene revealed she was a thief and he inquired as to what that position entailed, wondering. His people did not have such a rank as that among their kind, as thieves were viewed very poorly. Her smile relaxed him some; it was real, and he was pleased to see such an expression. The sadness did not do her credit, for she was prettier when she smiled. Her words filled his ears and Torleik considered what she said. “I do not condone slavery except for prisoners of war. If you are a conquered people, you will naturally be subject to the stronger’s rule. But I do not believe slaves should be…mistreated,” he said carefully. “They are…hm. It is complicated. We had a useful system among my people, and it worked well. Slaves became like family, though they had no rights, and they were often highly valued by their masters. It was civil.”
10-22-2013, 11:44 PM (This post was last modified: 10-22-2013, 11:45 PM by Faelene.)
sorry I'm a slow poke, and I feel like this post is huge >.<
@[Torleik]
Silver irises were searching in the stare she held in slight wonder. Who was Torleik? What was his heart made of? What had his winters been like? Through the deep, beautiful chords of his voice, though hushed, he spoke with knowing. Did age bring certainty or was it when you made it last to the spring? Something in her heart said he hadn't exactly escaped. Who could escape memories? More questions unlikely to part from her lips. Instead the red maned was blown away how his description fit so perfectly. Ears had gently turned back, the only indication of her surprise. A long cold winter. Frostfall always did seem to bring misery, a season she use to enjoy. "You have a way with words, I know no better way to explain it." she commented. Perhaps he should be a scholar, not a soldier. The red maned tried to hold her tongue, there was the tiniest breath, and then the most hushed question. "Did you get to see past the cold?"
Falene had used to be religious, but when she came here she felt like the Gods laughed at prayers. They didn't see a follower by heart, and at times it was hard to see through their cruelness. It was hard to see if they cared beyond their power. Since seeing them leave, she had felt a light she had had in youth return. Faith and hope. While others thought they were left for good, she did not. Watching him with a careful eye she was trying to read his thoughts when she did her best to describe. He only seemed to absorb the explanation maybe putting it with his other knowledge. Faelene in turn digested what he spoke aloud. "Yes, everything seemed to go with them." Everything but the souls they left behind in a world where darkness was the only rule. "Before they left there were talks of doubles. Ones that looked like others here but who were not. I assume it had something to do with that. If another world was trying to consume this one. I don't know. I'm not a much of a philosopher. My imagination is a little over active." There was a a trace of a smile, but she regarded the moon with an look of indifference. She had enough questions of the world without analyzing everything. Titling her head, foreleg clipped at the ground, and she looked down at the small imprint. "Once I found my magic was whole. I thought is all well? Will they return? Suddenly it began slipping...hurting instead of protecting. I haven't been able to wield it quite the way I want. I wonder how this will affect them should they make it back. Will they be the same, merciful and ruthless in the right balance? Or will they ignore us until we dare ask for nothing?" Faelene, let out a rough sigh, dismissively shaking her head. She shouldn't get into an in depth thoughtful conversation.
The stallion did not hide his frown well, and she knew he hadn't been joking about being conscripted. This made dark pupils widen, but was she really surprised? With a grimace, she didn't miss his annoyance either. The red maned was silent for a time, becoming nonchalant. There was a void in her tone, when she finally replied. "In reality most of us here are conscripted soldiers. We would all fight, spill crimson to keep this land, to live here. My rank may be Thief, but when I first came here my loyalty was given in blood." Slowly, the maiden turned making a point to glimpse into the ice blue of his gaze. When she began again, her voice was far off, and she glimpsed into the darkness. "We use to live at the World's Edge. An outcast band wanted to join as part of ours. When in reality they wanted take over and let us stay with them. As if they really wanted peace," she snorted, still disgusted by it. "We did not see the point. We did not want the black mare for a Queen. We did not want to feel like unwelcome guests in our own home.The strangest thing was they were allies with the two herd lands, and I never understood why they didn't live together being so chummy. I guess I'll never know because right before the frost fell they banded together and took it from us. We were cast into the frozen lands, cursed Unicorns who were silly for ever wanting to be with their own kind." Damn them, she thought. With a somewhat disgusted look, she tried to shove it all down. There was still displeasure upon her dark face, and she had a point she wanted to make. "I do not like how you feel forced. No one should have to do things against their will. I hope if you do not grow fond of this place enough to fight for it, for this band, that you find one you do." She meant every word, because like Xanthos, it was better they liked their home and could be loyal to their heart, in turn their leaders.
If she had already been taken by surprise it wasn't anything compared to the turn in the conversation. Faelene had to make an effort not to let her face drop. Civil? Once a slave she wasn't sure how she should even begin to feel about his statement. Sure, his lands sounded much better than where she had come from. It was still one owning another. One having no choice. Almost like him being a soldier for a place to live. He could leave. He could speak what he wished. Love who he wanted. Have a family. It was reasons like this she had not told anyone of the Basin of her past. The one she had might as well had thrown it in her face. It was like she had told him she use to have white hair not that she was abused, and used on a daily basis watching others no longer of worth die of starvation or illness. Yet, it was not long ago she had pretended to have a slave herself for the sake of a pegasus mare to fulfill her quest. Oh Ari, Faelene was still ridden with worry what had happened to her if she had not gone home. Another soul she couldn't find. The dark lady wanted to scream for her thoughts to stop. No owner had ever treated her as family. She wasn't treated better than the ground they walked on.
"What made someone a slave in your homeland? The weak, blood, species?" Calmly she manged to ask, because she was curious. It was only that she let show now. It wouldn't be the hot headed, tormented youth.
lol that is quite okay, and that post was long! I loved it :)
TORLEIK
Death follows into your watery grave
He was unaware the impact he had on the mare in front of him and would not have thought his statement particularly impressive or wise to elicit such a reaction. But perhaps his people were…had been…simply more inclined to ponderance and wisdom than others about the endless onslaught of life. Torleik was mildly pleased when Faelene said he had a way with words; his people had valued a skilled tongue, not only a skilled body, in a warrior. Warrior-bards, they had been called. Perhaps he was the last. Her question threatened to crumble the makeshift shanty he had erected to protect himself from the ravaging snowstorm of his past. A pained smile just barely curved his dark lips and his voice was thick. “For me, I am afraid everything is still awash in a flurry of blinding white,” the stallion managed. And that was true, wasn’t it? He was barely holding his head above what seemed like an avalanche of pain, death and loss. He didn’t know how to cope, how to move on, how to process what had happened. None of that had taken place during his journey here. Numbness had allowed him to keep going, numbness and shock and instinctual self-preservation.
And somehow he had ended up here. But the subject shifted and he asked about the gods, hoping to learn more. His soul felt empty and he longed to fill the void with a purpose, with meaningful worship and a search for wisdom from those greater than he once more. Faelene explained that the gods had disappeared, taking much with them. Magic. Light. Hope. “Doubles?” he asked, curious. “Living doubles, or shades?” One of the reasons the dual-horned demon worshiped so fully the Moon Goddess was because Torleik believed that dreams were another state of reality, another plane of existence. That reality was not subject to the same laws the waking world was, he from his own experiences, he had come to think that some magics and some kinds of spirit-like creatures existed only in one’s dreams – and that when others saw ghosts or spirits, they were really seeing those dream-creatures in their wakeful reality.
He smiled just a little when the red maned mare said her imagination was a little over-active. “A mark of intellectual curiosity and creativity,” he returned, not finding that trait to be a negative one. The dark stallion listened to her speak her thoughts aloud and wondered much the same. These deities he worshiped, did they truly care? Was their motivation purely appearing to feed their egos and stroke their sense of self-importance? To remind themselves of how great and powerful they were in the face of pathetic mortals? Torleik supposed what frustrated him the most about the gods was their behavior. They deigned to judge mortals for their acts, their emotions, their desires – yet the gods acted no better. They were petty, angry, vindictive, haughty, deceitful. What was it that truly elevated one to become a deity, then? A certain kind of magic that made one immortal? If so, anyone who obtained this immortality could also be a god. But he had mentally digressed, and the subject changed again.
“Conscription requires some measure of loyalty to the land, if not the rulers or the cause – I have none. I find it foolish, these leaders who think that demanding my blood in exchange for a home will keep me here. We are not at war. The Basin does not require bodies, fodder for a fight. If this is a place for unicorns, like you say, then I should gain admittance because I wish to be here, and I am a unicorn,” Torleik growled, highly frustrated by this. “Withhold from me privileges that other, loyal Basiners receive. Do not allow me a certain rank until I have committed myself to this place. Keep me from owning any form of land greater than a certain plot – but do not demand my blood merely for my presence.” The rabicano male was touched by her words, by her understanding, and he very briefly touched his muzzle to her shoulder. “Those are the first words I have heard imploring me to find a home that I wish to be in, and I thank you for that,” he murmured.
For Torleik, slavery was a concept he was quite familiar with, and the manner in which his people had conducted it had seemed quite humane and logical to him. Faelene’s question elicited a surprised, almost disgusted expression on his face. “Blood or species? No. Weakness – perhaps. If there was a raid, or a battle, or a war, the stronger, victorious party could take slaves from the weaker party that lost. Among my people it was a consequence of warfare. If you chose to challenge another group, part of the punishment of your loss may be servitude to those who defeated you.” He paused. “But, as I said, it is somewhat complicated. If you wish me to attempt an explanation, I will – if not, then my previous explanation stands. My family had a servant and I called him brother,” Torleik shared. A bitter taste formed in his mouth. That bondsman brother had been close to him, and his loss ached.
that's good. :3 I'm enjoying writing with you.
This took me awhile because I wasn't sure how she would to respond on this. I thought she might get mad, :X but she did not.
@[Torleik]
The dark stallion had no words to answer in reply, but she took his silence as good rather than bad. Torleik had something thoughtful to his daunting presence. He was someone who made an effort to what he shared aloud. It made him more interesting, maybe even appealing. The hushed question, yes she was hitting something tender there. It was beautiful and sad to see the raw pain. How many tucked it away? Counting herself... There was a reverent dip to her head, surveying the landscape, considerate of his honesty, his own storm. She put forth the only thing she felt right in uttering. "Hopefully we both get to see a true spring then." She was not discreet in hiding the twinge, the despair, and the faint hope in her voice. It carried in the tilt of a sad smile with no certainty of when this "spring" would be. There was only her perseverance and resilience this was not the end. For her or him. Some days made it harder to see the green grass than others.
Lines above her eyes tucked down gently, and her nose twitched upon his question. She searched her mind, believing someone had slayed one. "They lived, and they could die like mortals so I don't think they were shades." Silver irises swept to his, openly showing uncertainty. The only thing Faelene knew about shades (at least the ones in stories) they could not be killed easily. It had to be by special means, and even than it might not be real. She left it up to him to decide if the answer was enough, or if he would like to enlighten her in turn. Shades were not exactly a wonderful bedtime story, but she always interested to hear of other tales, worlds, and instances. They captivated her. Torleik seemed like a mastered storyteller if he would want to share.
The lady was thrown off by his response. Intellectual curiosity and creativity. It wasn't a description she would use for herself, but there was a smile there that wouldn't protest with a smart retort. His reverence about Gods, was he more deep than she already believed him to be? Roland was the only one she had spoken to about Gods in the same way. Then again she wasn't sure if it was because of their absence or Roland was a follower, a believer. "Are you a follower of some? I use to be religious, but here it's not quite the same as it was at home. My Gods were rarely seen, and heard. There was a lot of faith and prayer required..." It had been next to none to recieve an answer, a need. When she had obtained her freedom, reached this land she had believed it had been their doing.
When it came to talk of blood,soldiers, and war Faelene in turn kept a reserved mask. This seemed to have struck a chord in her companion, and she did want to understand. Energy was turned in listening carefully, eyes closely falling over his facade. The only thing she had to do was make a mental note to find out why Deimos had done this. To her knowledge it was the first, and Torleik was not a foolish boy. He was of their kind. Was something changing she did not know? There was a faint scowl wrecking havoc on her face. "When you put it that way I don't understand why that was your terms for coming here. To my knowledge we haven't done so till now. I'm a little disturbed what brought this change." Faelene was going to find out, but would not mention that to Torleik in case he rather she didn't. There was something about male pride. It wasn't like she would try to change circumstances. That might be a line she wouldn't want to cross on either side of the argument to cause upset with General or friend. Yes, she instantly decided Torleik could be that. Surprisingly she did not flinch at his sudden touch, but geniuely met his gaze in gentle understanding. "Home is more than a place to sleep and eat for certain."
Keeping her cool upon her next question, because she seemed to have never ending ones for this stallion, she wondered if she had pushed to far. Lines of her mouth parted to tell him he did not have to explain. He continued to break down further what he meant. They would take prisoners from their battles. She supposed that was better than she had initially thought. Speaking about it made the skin on her nape crawl. It was more of memories than of Torleik's summary. When he spoke the part of his own servant, how he was called brother she knew instantly it was different. "Sorry for prying. Where I came from masters were not kind, and slaves were born not taken in war. " The words "called him brother" echoed and made her think how past tense it must be. Putting his age, his wisdom, and admittance of better days the red maned was sure he would not be here if it were not for tragedy. He would not have parted from home. "This brother, he must be greatly missed." Gingerly, brushed her nose to his neck. "I had one here, but he is gone the same as my King, and my daughter." It hurt to breathe those words to life. All the parts she had forced together felt like they would start to crumble and she would never be whole again. The first step in healing was admittance wasn't it? He had come here wondering what had been wrong, and she had done little to tell.
11-19-2013, 09:06 PM (This post was last modified: 12-05-2013, 01:48 AM by Torleik.)
Gah, these two have so many depressing feels. Poor babies :(
Torleik
A lone man loved by none:
How long can he live?
A sad smile briefly contorted his face, a grimace more than anything else, and he nodded. "A much welcomed spring it will be, if it ever comes," he murmured. Torleik was not so blinded by his pain as to be unable to enjoy life on a day to day basis; his was a deeper loneliness that convinced him he would never be truly close to anyone ever again. He had lost so many that had been so near to his heart, and that pain was so great that he never wished to feel it again.
Faelene claimed these doppelgangers lived and died like normal mortals, so it was unlikely they were shades. Curious, confused, and somewhat unsettled, the stallion spoke once more. "How did...these copies come about? How can there simply be another of...you running about?" Each equine, pegasus and unicorn was special in their own way, unique; no other would ever be like them. To have a copy of yourself...Torleik did not think he would like that.
"The shades from my home...they were horrid things. We referred to them by a few names, wights, or draugrs," he explained, feeling as if he should share based upon her open, uncertain look. "Wights are...more like the undead without magical abilities. They are hard to kill, but that is their only real threat. Draugrs are trickier and can use magic; they can rise from rocks like wisps of smoke, change their size, cast spells on those whom they wish to harm..." he paused, glancing down. "They even possess the power to drive a living being insane. I have fought some in my time, and the battles were..." Torleik could not find the right words. "I would be unnerved, were this land also subjected to the influence of wights and draugrs. It would be a much more dangerous place."
He paused for a moment, then gave her another brief smile. "I am sure you do not wish to hear more of the undead and cursed corpses," he murmured apologetically. From the undead to the divine, their conversation shifted. Torleik was not ashamed of his belief in the gods and his faith, though a quiet, powerful thing, was obvious when he spoke of it. Falene asked him if he was a follower of some gods and he considered her question carefully. "From a very young age, I have been partial to the Moon Goddess - what you call her here, I believe. We called her Máni, daughter of Nótt, the night," the rabicano stallion shared. "I wish to know as much as I can learn about all deities, though. Our gods and goddesses were rarely seen, but they often sent us symbols, signs and omens."
The winding path of their interchange wove its way towards more recent matters and Torleik expressed his frustrations to a well-performing listener. She seemed irked by Deimos' conscription of him and this made Torleik wonder. Was there something else going on he wasn't aware of? Was the Basin strapped for soldiers? Why? The stallion would have been amused to know Faelene neglected to tell him she was going to discover why Deimos had acted in that manner due to an attempt to avoid, or perhaps protect, his male pride. It would not have wounded his pride to allow her that quest; Torleik's ego was not something that was easily wounded by others' offers of help or intent to aid.
The mare did not move away from his touch and he was glad for that. It had been a long time since he had been near anyone to touch them and he feared overstepping proper boundaries. Nodding quietly at her admonition that home was more than a place to eat or sleep, he continued to listen, explaining to her as best he could his people's policies for slavery. His muscular shoulders shrugged when Faelene apologized for her prying. "You did not pry," he stated simply, flatly. The emotions were coming to the surface again, overflowing that well he tried to keep boarded up and capped off. The glacial-eyed stallion set his mouth in a hard line when she offered that his brother must have been missed. "Terribly so," he admitted quietly, for if he spoke any louder he feared his voice might shatter. His skin twitched at the mare's unexpected contact and he looked at her curiously, the light in his eyes almost afraid.
He didn't want to feel pain anymore. He didn't want to let someone in and have it become another hole inside. She was being kind, and it was hard to push that away. The red-maned mare's words distracted him from his thoughts and his brows knitted together in sympathy. "Falene...I am sorry," he rumbled, shifting to arch his neck over hers and offer a brief embrace. Torleik could understand this pain of hers better than most, save for the loss of children. He had none of his own and so could not fathom that gaping absence within her heart.
Still, he would offer what warmth and comfort that he could. He would have suffered less had there been anyone around to give that to him when he lost everything.
no kidding >.> hopefully they aren't so gloomy in each other's company all the time.
@[Torleik]
The dark lady wouldn't murmur that such a time would come. She did not know. No matter how much you wanted to escape pain, get to the silver lining, it didn't happen over night. It may take time that seemed eternal. Since she had come to Helovia it had helped her recover her soul, but it had also made it tear in places she had not known pulled apart.
"I honestly don't know. Questions for the Gods. I never witnessed them myself. They were kept from entering here, where I remained most the time." When Sielu had been born she hadn't dare venture far from home. He was right. It didn't make sense how the doubles had gotten here. Living, breathing creations with their own thoughts. Another world filled of the same beings was something not exactly unfathomable, but made her mind more puzzled. A feeling she rather avoid. There was twist to her ears, catching the names of his own horrors from home. Undead or not they both sounded horrendous, and dire. The thought such things existed perched a coldness on the nape of her neck. The red maned couldn't help but shake her head, trying to rid the sensation. "I can't imagine." How she would try not too. "Perhaps when the sun returns, I would be better equipped to hear more stories," she added with a lighter current to her voice to ease any guilt. It was not as if he brought the very creatures here, and stories of even of ominous things enchanted her. She happened to enjoy happy ones a little better.
Again, he would answer another of her questions.Could she hear any devotion to his voice? Not exactly, but the familiarity of the same daughter of night must have been nice to have when coming to new lands. Never had she held to one God as there was only so much known about them. Only one stuck out more than the rest in Helovia, but she had not written the others off. The Moon Goddess made her a little wary herself, but they all had good and bad. "I wish you luck. I would like to meet each, if to know them, but I think they will always remain somewhat of a mystery. If it helps they do have children as well with half mortal blood I think to help bridge the gap." Faelene had assumed Mesec was not the only one, because she didn't picture the others letting one exist. Especially, only of their sister's. While she had actually met another, she had never asked Hototo about his family tree. In fact, it had not dawned on her because she had never met the God of Earth or she would have been suspicious of the familiar features.
Since the talk changed to lighter topics she let the the idea of possible war, reasons for conscripted soldiers hang at the back of her mind. One of certain secrets, and rather see her companion as ease she didn't say more on the issue. Nothing was set in stone at this time any way. She was unaware of the full extent of plans. She had her part, and she was still mulling over how she was going to accomplish the task. If she failed she wasn't sure if that would change things or not.
It was easy to accept such a light stroke because Torleik was a Unicorn and meant nothing more by it. Once even the same circumstances would have seized her muscles, filled her veins with fear, made each action a thought out process. Now she found comfort in form of physical contact, and realized how she had missed that too. Tolio had broken her of past habit with his brotherly hugs. How she had grown use to Sielu caressing her muzzle, bumping her nose to flank, and merely hanging close to her side it was misery without it. Without her gentle voice seeking answers. The red maned wondered why it hurt so bad giving pieces of her heart away. Shouldn't they not belong to her any more, so she wouldn't have to carry the pain?
To reality, he drew her, and she shifted her stiff haunches, giving a point to let her eyes move from his to the surrounding trees when she spoke."If you say so. I just know the things that make us, we keep inside shouldn't be taken or forced. Since I'm an informant I like to think anything you say is because you want to share it, not because you feel obligated to." The red maned didn't possess any magic but invisibility to help her in the department. Listening ears were used often. When she was often sympathetic, quiet, thoughtful, and earnestly curious too she found others talking without holding back. Rarely those things were faked, at times they were and she was always questioning herself. What was real and what was not. Or if she was good, or pretended to be.
Whether if it was the shade of his blue eyes, or how again the edge of his lip would tighten at mention of his brother she sensed how he had to put up his own wall. This she didn't blame him for. Walls were meant to protect, and she was no judge of the state of his own heart. Whatever was left of it he must want to keep. It made her smile sadly for everything wrong on both their parts. Yet, despite the partial worry to his gaze she did not regret offering something of solace. Didn't everyone need a little understanding? A shoulder to be offered? How she often done for the red soldier she had brought to the Steppe. Tolio and him were day and night, she thought, but maybe what made them the same was their good hearts. Hearts they didn't completely hide. That's all she could think about when he embraced her in a similar way her red brother always had. A simple gesture that made her feel less small in this world that someone cared enough to offer kindness and understanding in turn.
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