Children of Aether
Forward
Third time is the charm, as they say. It's been four years, we've reminisced about it and contemplated bringing it back, but now we are finally going to bring it back. This time, we're going to finish it. To that end...
This RP is private. PRIVATE. If you have not received an invitation to join, you will not be accepted, irrespective of how amazing your profile might or might not be. PM me asking for admission and I will ignore you if you're lucky, and give you an earful if you're not. You are welcome to post in here and discuss the RP with the participants, but you will not be invited to join.
However, if there are any future projects, you may be considered, depending on your enthusiasm, ideas, and ability to express yourself, and my other RPs - if/when I make any others - that are not connected to this one are open to all. Thanks for reading~
Premise
Throughout its long history, mankind has sought understanding of both itself and its place within the universe. With the advent of modern science and technology, practices of magic and worship of gods and demons have fallen out of favour, outside of organized religions. Tales of mortals wielding the power of gods, spirits walking the earth, and wars between forces beyond mortal comprehension, have become myths and legends, no longer fitting in with humanity's incredibly limited view of the world.
Yet despite humanity's ignorance, these forces continue to struggle for domination, and spirits continue to walk this mortal coil, seeking individuals of merit to wield the very elements themselves. One such spirit, an ancient deity known only as the Horned King, continues to awaken young girls as Witches to do battle in a contest whose rules and ultimate prize have long been lost in antiquity. The losers face death, yet for the winner, Eternity is said to await...
However, there are others who would see the Horned King's plans, whatever they are, come to naught, and are not above recruiting their own witches to champion their cause. Soon, a convergence the likes of which has not been seen for millennia will strike the city of London, England. It begins with one small girl, dancing upon a field of flowers and corpses...
Setting
This RP is set in present-day London, England.
True Names
All beings possess a True Name; a perfect expression of their innermost essence.
Humans are not born with conscious knowledge of their true names. Many go through their entire lives without knowing their true names, although many touch upon the knowledge in their lives – near death experiences, intense meditative states, dreams, and even stray thoughts; all that which taps into the subconscious mind, where the knowledge of oneself is stored. However, they will not truly comprehend the significance of their discovery, and will often discard or misinterpret the revelation they are exposed to.
True Names are the province of the Gods, who are capable of divining a mortal's true name with a single glance. It is through this method that witches are born: once their true names are revealed to them, they are awakened to their nature and are thus able to wield the power of the elements that the deity may bestow upon them, should they be judged worthy. A human who has been awakened in this fashion is both subject to and shielded by that deity.
To know one's true name is to recognise one's nature and place within the natural order; to harmonize conscious with subconscious, and reach a heightened state of awareness. For witches, knowing their true name allows them to wield the elements and sense those who have had their true name revealed to them by the same deity and awakened in the same fashion. It also grants them with various pieces of instinctive knowledge: how to wield their elemental powers, how to recognise others of their kin, and to slay their kin and acquire their powers, for example. The drive to act upon these urges is stronger in some than it is in others, however.
For witches, to be forced to reveal their true name to another of their kind spells an end to their freedom. A witch who possesses another’s true name holds her opponent's soul within her hands, to do with as she pleases. She may choose to take the witch as a slave, for the other is bound to obey all commands. Pleasure or pain beyond compare can be caused with a mere thought, and the mind can be subverted at whim; memories changed, opinions altered, thoughts accessed and comprehended instantly. Alternatively, she may opt instead of absorb her soul, acquiring her powers and erasing her very existence.
To possess another’s true name whilst they in turn possess yours binds the two individuals together, and neither can exert an influence over the other. It establishes a spiritual connection between the two that can allow for the transference of thoughts and emotions, and even elemental abilities, should the two witches in question be willing. This is often why witches who defeat their kin in battle will choose to kill the loser, rather than simply leaving them as a powerless mortal after acquiring their true name: should the loser somehow discover their true name in turn, they can re-acquire their powers and re-assert their identity and individuality, and the only way to then to best them would be in a battle to the death, the outcome of which may not be entirely certain.
Like witches, deities also have true names. Once known to mankind, these have been lost in the annals of history, myth and legend. Presumably, to know the true name of a godhead would allow a witch to compel that godhead to grant them greater power, although who can say if this is true?
The Horned King
A nondescript figure wrapped in a tattered black cloak, his head adorned by a crown of antlers (or sometimes flames) that form his namesake, the Horned King is the deity responsible for the awakening of the majority of witches who have appeared over the last seven centuries. Believed by many to be a demonic entity, or perhaps even an Angel of Death, he is predominantly responsible for the misconception that witches are “evil” in the traditional religious sense.
Yet despite his sinister appearance, the Horned King is a benign figure. His sole act of interference in the mortal realm is to reveal to a witch her true name, at which point he will disappear back from whence he came. His motivation for interference, method of selection; everything other than his current alias, are all unknown...
The Triple Goddess
Whilst the Horned King is a single entity, the Goddess of Witches is divided into three distinct aspects: the Maiden, the Mother, and the Crone. Despite being worshipped separately, they are believed to make up one aspect of a single, nameless entity.
Even less is known of any of these three divine figures than is known of the Horned King, however: for reasons lost in antiquity, worship of them is no longer common, with some not even being aware of their existence. Some witches have claimed to have received their powers from one of these three figures, however...or, at least, not from the Horned King, who is the benefactor of most.
The Elements
There are never more than eight witches at any one given moment, with new witches not being awakened until all those of the current generation are dead, either through contest with their sisters, accident, or old age. Each witch has their own unique ability to wield one of the elements; primal forces which are components of Aether, from which all forms of life stem from.
No two witches can possess the same element at the same time, although witches can find their powers being interfered with by another, due to their conflicting or complementary nature: together, the wind and water witch could conjure a prodigious storm, whilst a clash between the fire and water witch would result in copious amounts of steam. Each element has its own distinct advantages and disadvantages and, whilst some elements are more physically powerful than the others, their drawbacks have prevented their wielders from gaining victory over another, time and time again throughout history.
Whilst witches are capable of a great deal, the greater the feat, the more concentration that is required to attain it, and witches cannot unleash the full potential of their powers often for more than a minute without losing control of it, or passing out from the mental effort required of summoning and controlling the forces in the first place. With more elements comes greater power, however, and a witch with elements that complement one another can wield them in tandem to create a devastating force.
But for all their power, witches are still mortal women, and suffer a mortal’s frailty. They can be wounded and killed by anyone, not just others of their kind. Due to their enlightened state and connection to the world around them, witches will heal far faster than ordinary humans and are capable of withstanding a great deal more punishment, however.
The Elements as bestowed by the Horned King
Fire
Water
Earth
Air
Other Elements
Lightning
Nature
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Application Form
Name/Alias:
True Name:
Age:
Element:
Appearance:
Personality:
History:
Character theme:
Battle theme:
Other:
Cast
Poppy [?] - Martel
Ray [Earth Witch] - Martel
Lily [Wind Witch] - Martel
Keelin [Lightning Witch]
?? [Fire Witch]
?? [Water Witch]
??
??
??
We'll start when we're good and ready.
