Pax RP

You find upon a pedestal a strange tome, without title, authored by an individual who will only identify themselves as '3kul' (an obvious moniker, you sincerely doubt that this could be anybody's real name). Opening the book, you find that it is still largely empty, but as you leaf through the pages you notice, most curiously, that some of the words are still writing themselves in. You can not remove the book from it's place as it appears to be stuck firmly by some invisible force, and so you quickly conclude that either arcane magicks are involved or that this is the work of some kind of technological genius.

With few other options you open the book to the first page so that you may peruse what little it currently contains. The first words are a little cryptic and make you question whether the contents of this book can actually be trusted, but with nothing better to do you decide to read on...

<blockquote class='quote_blockquote'><dl><dt>Mysterious Tome</dt><dd>&nbsp;</dd></dl><div>
"ASK ME NO QUESTIONS AND I'LL TELL YOU NO LIES"

FOREWORD

The Yin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i

The Yang . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ii

CHAPTER 1

The Sommelier . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

The Heir . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

CHAPTER 2

The ... Onion? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

[/quote]

You note that since you last read this book, it has been divided into multiple sections now.

The Foreword pages are tattered and appear far older than the rest of the pages in this book, making them seem out of place, and the numbering system used for them gives you the impression that these pages are not meant to be interpreted in the same way as the others. They are like a prologue, or perhaps more like a reminder, encouraging you to read about what came prior before you read about what is yet to come.

Chapter One has handwritten notes, edits and corrections scrawled all over it, as though the author of this tome wished to change these pages but could not decide how to do so. Perhaps you may feel that this is a shame, that these pages were fine as they were, or perhaps you feel that they'd be better torn out of the book altogether. You will find that you are entitled to your own opinion.

((Please don't post in this thread. If you have any questions or if you'd like to make any comments about my characters I'd be happy to discuss them via PM

EDIT: Wow, I can't believe I found some old profiles for HE and LS, I was so sure that I'd lost them for good when I realized that both BSD and the BSD wiki were down. Please note that these are considerably dated, I'll be trying to bring them up to date over the next week or so.))

The Yin

Name: HollowEyes.

Age: Unknown (old enough to be mature, but young enough to prevent senility).

Gender: Male.

Race: Parasitian (of the Leech clan). Unlike other Parasitians, he no longer has the ability to shapeshift since his tongue was cut out.

Appearance: HollowEyes has two legs, four arms, three eyes and a horn on his head. He is bipedal, and has his third eye is on his chest, which usually remains closed. As for his four arms, they are situated around his neck in such a fashion that they resemble a propellor or the blades of a fan, connected to an appendage similar to a collar. ((See here and here for images.))

History: Born not only as a twin (which are considered to be terrible luck in Parasitian society), but as an 'unequal' one, HollowEyes chose to turn on his fellow clan members rather than fusing with his twin sister. His current physical appearance is a result of his partially devouring them in the true manner of a Parasitian (copying physical traits of the prey).

For his actions, HollowEyes' tongue was destroyed (and thus he lost his Parasitian shape-shifting abilities), but the damage had been done, and due to their extremely unusual existance, both HollowEyes and his twin were detested and feared by Parasitian society. The end result was banishment.

Following many years of wandering, they were discovered and captured by a rogue scientist, who was certifiably mad (and also banished from his own society). The scientist utilized their DNA to create three monstrosities that would serve as his underlings alongside HollowEyes and his twin in the scientist's sworn duty to aid humanity (which is on the brink of extinction back in HollowEyes' realm). By aiding humanity, he of course meant enslaving it. Finding his new lifestyle to be rather uninteresting, HollowEyes escaped alone, unable to take his twin with him (as all of the scientist's underlings were seperated).

Having recently been recaptured and having escaped once more, HollowEyes is now reunited with his twin.

Physical Abilities: HollowEyes can spin his arms to enhance his speed (on both land and in water) and jumping capabilities (to the extent of hovering or floating, but not flight). Considerable leg strength, but this is mainly used for jumping/running, and his horn is not for attacking things with unenhanced.

Other Abilities: Whilst his third eye is closed, HollowEyes is able to see and draw upon the thoughts and emotions of others (not to the extent of mind-reading, he is not able to read such specific parts of the mind). When his third eye is opened, it is used for hypnosis/mind control - the strength of which relies upon the weakness of the will of whoever he's hypnotizing.

Weaponry: HollowEyes specializes in three varieties of his own weaponry;

• Arm Blades - His four blade-like arms are his main weapon, spun in a propellor-like fashion to slice the foe by running into or beside them.

• Charms - Charms are small enchanted pieces of paper that affect whatever they directly touch for those of you who don't know, and HollowEyes makes and weilds his own. Generally, charms are used as enhancers to the user or hindrances to the foe, and most effects caused by them are temporary. HollowEyes always carries a few with him, and keeps the rest in a rather unique cabinet, that he is able to summon forth with a special charm.

• Chains of Despair - The Chains of Despair are four long heavy chains, and each one is attached to a large metal jaw with the tattered remains of many charms still stuck to them. The jaws themselves are similar in size and shape to a bear trap, and the weapon is designed to entangle and clamp down on a foe. As the name would indicate, this weapon also affects the foe's morale, and as each trap clamps on the foe, they will feel more and more despair. HollowEyes can only use the Chains of Despair whilst his third eye is open, as the ends of the chains curl around him, the traps themselves levitate and move as he wishes them to. Highly resilient to any form of magic attack, the Chains of Despair are truly a devestating weapon.

Basic Charms: These charms either enhance HollowEyes' physical abilities or hinder his opponents. HollowEyes more powerful charms generally rely on the abilities of animal spiritual beings from his realms, as he is not all that gifted in communing with the elements.

• Charm of the Demonic Squid (blinds the foe) - if applied to the head, enables the user to spit ink (greater accuracy), if thrown on the ground, black fog will billow out (greater area).

• Charm of the Vexing Fox (gives the user claws and fangs) - usually applied to the hands or head, it sharpens the fingers into razor-like claws and gives the user a set of needle-sharp fangs.

• Charm of the Petrified Beetle (turns skin to stone, recently upgraded) - turns whatever part of the body it is applied to into stone. This charm can be used either on the user to increase physical defense or on the foe to hinder their movements. The upgraded form, which is what HollowEyes currently uses, increases the size and density of his horn greatly. However, when applied to someone other than HollowEyes, the same effects as the regular charm take hold.

• Charm of the Reflecting Waters (creates illusionary copies of the user) - generally used to confuse the foe, the copies it creates are capable of performing physical actions (eg: lifting, throwing, etc.), but will dissolve if any amount of stress is placed on their body (like being attacked).

• Charm of the Liquid Flames (creates a river of lava for a limited amount of time) - can be used offensively or defensively, or for both (as demonstrated by HollowEyes sticking them to the outside of the EC fortress), this charm is pretty self-explanitory.

• Charm of the Devouring Locust (destroys small areas of forest, grassland, etc.) - generally only has one use, the simplest form of the Locust charms that HollowEyes carries.

Summoning Charms: These charms summon forth things from HollowEye's realm. Their strength is dependant on the bond between the user of the charm and the spirits that the charm draws from.

• Charm of the Ensnaring Vine (summons vines) - these vines will try to grab and hold onto the closest living thing, and are useful for immobilizing the foe. Probably HollowEye's weakest summoning charm, since as previously mentioned, HollowEye's isn't very skilled with the elements, and works better with spiritual beings of creatures.

• Charm of the Locust Fiend (summons locust fiends) - This charms requires two users to activate it; the first of whom must be the user, and the second must be the one who the locusts are to devour. The charm itself requires a few moments to charge and gives out a large magical blast-like discharge shortly after it's activation. The fiends themselves are reasonably unintelligent and weak, but they make up for these shortcomings with their insatiable hunger and large numbers. Loyal only to HollowEyes, they can devour any organic matter (but cannot devour inorganic matter, such as metals, rocks and the like). They can speak, but their language is a relatively unpleasant mix of shrieks and clicks, which HollowEyes himself only has a basic grasp of. HollowEyes has some of his strongest ties with the Locust spirits in his realm, and as such it can be considered one of HollowEyes most powerful charms.

Other Notes: HollowEyes cares little about money, but is very interested in rarities - the Chains of Despair themselves are a one-of-a-kind weapon, and as well as making his own charms, he especially likes to see and hear other people's works.

The Yang

Name: Little Sister (real name "Liyao", meaning "Without a Corpse")

Age: Same as HollowEyes.

Species: Parasitian (of the Leech clan).

History: See HollowEyes' history.

Description: Half the size of HollowEyes (HollowEyes is the 2/3 twin, Little Sister is the 1/3 twin), she has seven eyes (all of which are on her face, however all but one is usually covered by her hair), no arms and six spider-like legs. She appears to be albino (white all over, red eyes) and has hair as long as her own height. She is able to move her hair around as if each lock was a limb, and is also able to grow it at will.

Physical Abilities: Reasonably fast on her feet, Little Sister's main physical ability is the use of her hair - she can use a few strands for delicate work, or twine large amounts together for combat purposes. Unlike HollowEyes, she still has her tongue intact, and thus possesses the ability to absorb the physical attributes of others, although she doesn't like using it (Parasitians often use this ability early in they're lives until they find a form that they are comfortable with, and then stick with it).

Other Abilities: Little Sister may not be very strong physically, but she can produce an ear-piercing shriek that would either discourage many an attacker or warn HollowEyes of her danger.

Weaponry: None as of yet.

Other Notes: Little Sister might be able to shriek, but other than that she doesn't know how to talk. She can only communicate with HollowEyes via manipulation of his thoughts (ie: he thinks what she is thinking), which is only possible in close range (made possible by the fact that they are two parts of a whole). She's also somewhat agoraphobic, and doesn't like to leave the cage that she lives in.

<div class='spoiler_toggle'>Spoiler: click to toggle</div><div class="spoiler" style="display:none;">((God damn it, at least I can salvage HE's profile, this is so old that it's virtually useless... Still, I guess it's interesting to see just how far LS came as a character. Fun fact: In case it wasn't obvious, she was originally going to be nothing more than a sidekick for HollowEyes. Obviously HollowEyes does not have a good eye for trustworthy assistants.))</div>

The Sommelier

Name: The Sommelier has no real name, and only answers to his title.

Age: He looks to be in his mid-twenties.

Gender: Male.

Race: Human, apparently.

Appearance: The Sommelier is very rarely seen out of formal attire. He prefers a sharp black suit and bow tie combination, but isn't averse to changing this for a slightly different formal ensemble should the occasion call for it. He is slightly taller than the average 20-something human male, and a bit on the thin side. His face is gaunt with strong features, a well-pronounced chin and nose, and carefully combed black hair.

Abilities: The Sommelier specializes in a rather unique brand of magick, that which deals with matters of the heart; emotions.

He is capable of removing a specific emotion from any living creature capable of expressing such feelings in the first place, seal this emotion into a bottle and preserve it for a long period of time. Once bottled, the emotion takes on a liquid form and can be consumed. As such he can return this emotion to it's owner or, should he see fit, bestow it upon another. Those who wish to feel the bottled emotion need only drink the contents of the bottle to experience it for themselves. The act of removing and bottling an emotion takes little to no time at all (especially if the subject is willing), and the bottle does not need to be special to contain the emotion - all that is required is for The Sommelier himself to initiate the process. Conversely, however, the act of imbibing an emotion does not require any action from The Sommelier, just the bottled emotions themselves and somebody willing to drink them.

The Sommelier is also capable, it should be noted, of processing these emotions into other forms. More unstable emotions, such as rage, can be processed into a rather potent explosive, while infectious emotions, such as joy, can be processed into a gaseous form and inhaled. Altering an emotion like this is a complex process, however, and takes considerable time and effort. It is not something that can be done at a moment's notice, so The Sommelier cannot simply spew force explosive juices or laughter-inducing gasses whenever he wishes (even if he could, the mental imagery alone is unsightly enough to revolt him).

Finally, The Sommelier possesses an exceptional memory, and remembers all of the thousands of emotions that he's bottled over the years perfectly. His memory is undoubtedly impressive, but it is in no way god-like or flawless - he does have all of his bottles labelled, and relies on these labels as cues. Improper or badly damaged labels will make it very difficult for him to identify the contents of a bottle, and should this ever occur he will need some time to distinguish it's contents, so he rarely serves bottles with such labels to others.

Personality: The Sommelier is almost entirely devoid of emotion, for though he often bottles his own feelings up he makes it a rule not to drink them. As such he is a rather difficult person to read, for if he has an agenda it is a well-kept secret, but it is safe to say that he does not work for or favour any one major faction. He will allow others to drink from his stock and does not charge for his services but at the same time he will withhold them when he feels it necessary. He presents himself as a man who works in the background - somebody who exists to enhance the experiences of others, not himself, and as such feels it inappropriate to talk about himself in any great detail.

He prides himself on three things: firstly, that he must always well-dressed; secondly, that he must always know his stock; and thirdly, that he must always remain calm, cool and collected at all times. His expression and demeanour are thus as eternally unchanging as his appearance, and he seems more entity than man.

History: The Sommelier is particularly secretive about his past, though there is actually very little for him to tell. Orphaned at childbirth, he was taken in and raised by members of a secret order, and is the most recent in a long line of Sommeliers. Much of his life has been spent training, both in his mystical art and his mannerisms, and he has few other memories aside from this. He knows very little about the secret order itself despite being raised by it's members, for it is a rule of this particular secret order that all members conduct their business in masks. He recognizes the voices of some members, but he has never seen their faces, nor does he know their real names. He is not obliged to work for this secret order, nor do they expect him to - they are a magical preservation society, looking to protect and pass on dying arts to those capable of using them so that they are not lost to the sands of time.

His decision to come to the realm of Pax is probably the biggest decision that he's ever made for himself, and possibly the only one that he's really had any great deal of choice in. Mere days prior to his arrival here the old Sommeliers, those who taught him his art, informed him that he had mastered all that they had to teach him, and that he was free to explore the multiverse as he pleased to further hone his skills. The secret order would be keeping an eye on him no matter where he went, but aside from this he would essentially be on his own. He heard rumour amongst other young members of the order who, like himself, would be leaving to live on their own, of a strange and mysterious realm known as Pax. He felt intrigued and, desiring to see it for himself, left for this realm post-haste...

Notes: Although this is not exactly a special ability unique to The Sommelier, it is well-worth noting that he keeps all of his bottled emotions inside a special pocket dimension known only as The Cellar. He accesses this small realm with a magical key that he keeps attached to a chain around his neck. The key itself is enchanted to only respond to The Sommelier's touch, and only he can open The Cellar, though once he has opened it anybody may enter the pocket dimension as they please until he closes it again, so he is cautious in using it. He will typically carry around one or two of his more commonly requested vintages just to avoid the need to open The Cellar doors when others are around.

The Heir

Name: Vito Serpells

Age: 14

Gender: Male.

Race: Homo Serpells (a specific variety of genetically altered Human).

Appearance: Vito, like all members of the future generations of the Serpells family, is short in stature (although given his age this is not too noticeable yet), has unnaturally smooth skin, unusually large eyes and equally unusual long tongues (though obviously his tongue is not as easily seen as these other features). Though they do not enjoy the comparison, members of the Serpells family are often likened to reptiles or frogs, and in some uninformed circles they are even considered to be reptilian rather than mammalian (which is what they technically are).

Vito's large eyes are a rather vivid mixture of green and blue, and he has a mess of black unkempt hair that he likes to keep sort of slicked back so that it's out of the way. He is typically seen wearing a lab coat over the top of a casual shirt and a pair of trousers. Nothing particularly flashy or overwhelmingly fashionable, just smart and sensible. He would look far more attractive if he actually took the time to care about his appearance, but he doesn't really think that it matters.

Abilities: All members of the Serpells family, Vito included, possess formidable immune systems and rapid recovery rate that prevent most injuries, diseases and toxins from affecting them for very long, as well as keen eyesight, heightened intelligence and great longevity.

On the flip side of the coin, mental fragility is a common affliction throughout Serpells family history. They do not withstand any kind of stress, mind games or mental toture very well at all, and even prolonged periods of isolation can lead to debilitating changes in their state of mind. Insanity is alarmingly easy to induce in members of the Serpells family, particularly amongst those in their twilight years, something that older members of the family are especially wary of (which may or may not make things worse).

Vito in particular does not cope well under pressure, and does his best work when he has time and space. Members of the Serpells family are also physically weak, relying on others to do the grunt work for them. Even if he were to work out extensively, Vito could never be stronger than an average teenage girl unless he were to drastically alter his physiology.

Personality: Self-absorbed, competitive and easily flustered when interacting with members of the opposite sex, Vito is not exactly unique personality-wise for a young teenage male. He tends to judge people a little too quickly sometimes, and has a bad habit of forming ideals for what he believes they will be like, so when they deviate from these ideals he has difficulty understanding their motives or how he should act towards them. Because of this as well as his overly secretive family, Vito also has trust issues, and tends to be a little secretive about his family and personal life as well.

Having led a reclusive childhood Vito is not particularly skilled with the art of conversation, but he does genuinely want to make friends... and rivals. He is not afraid to speak his mind (and often does), which is both intelligent and inquisitive. Vito is always eager to learn, and he is quite passionate about the things that he enjoys. He best gets along with those who have similar interests to him, but doesn't have much time for those who do not.

History: The Serpells family is well established in the Pax of the future, and is made up of a long line of brilliant scientists, and they concern themselves with genetic engineering and medical research. They are wealthy and amongst the social elite, but incredibly secretive, and very few people outside of the Serpells family ever see what goes on inside one of their complexes, though the rumours are not particularly kind. The Serpells family, though unquestionably at the forefront of their industry, have come under harsh scrutiny for their ambitious and sometimes wreckless attitude to experimentation. They do not consider human life, or any sentient life for that matter, to be sacred. Vito is one of thousands of children, but most of these have never left their test tubes. Vito is one of the few to meet the strict requirements of the previous generation, and as such he is 'rewarded' with the opportunity to lead the next generation. Those who are not so fortunate will provide his generation with healthy test subjects for future experiments.

As a children created in test tubes the current generation of Serpells children do not know their parents, or even each other in some cases; only the designated parental drone created to raise them. The relationship between a drone and a child is a little complicated - each drone is imprinted to care for only one child, and they are meant to act as parents, but they are genetically hard-wired to obey the child's every command. All Serpells children are raised in exactly the same way until they reach adolescence, when they are given the freedom to develop individual quirks to prevent every child from being completely identical.

Vito himself has led the standard Serpells childhood experience. His designated parental drone (a large black insect whom he affectionately refers to as 'Desipad') has raised him in the appropriate manner for the past 14 years in one of the Serpells family complexes. However, now that he has reached adolescence his family has most recently decided to deviate from his standard childhood experience to enrol him into a new state-of-the-art education facility: Magic Tech High. He is experiencing the outside world, as well as interacting with other children his age, for the first time in a non-simulated environment.

Notes: Vito is currently studying the following subjects:
ASTROBIOLOGY - the study of the origin, evolution, distribution, and future of life in the universe.
ASTROGEOLOGY - the study of celestial bodies and the processes by which they are shaped and changed.
EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY - the study of evolution of life.
ECOLOGY - the study of the relation of living organisms to each other and their surroundings.
PARASITOLOGY - the study of parasites, their hosts, and the relationship between them.
SHAMANISM - the study of communing with and channelling the spirits of the dead.
VIROLOGY - the study of of viruses and virus-like agents.
XENOBIOLOGY - the study of extraterrestrial life or life beyond this world.

Please also note that Vito is from a future, non-canon version of Pax.

The... Onion?

Name: Pion

Age: Fully-grown

Gender: Bulbions only have one gender; they refer to themselves using male pronouns.

Race: Bulbion

Appearance: Bulbions are relatively small creatures, about a metre tall, with large onion-like heads and small bodies. They have two pop-out eyes and a very small mouth. They have eight ears, each positioned equally around their heads, though they have no nose whatsoever. At the topmost point of their head they usually have several green sprouts growing.

Their bodies are fairly small, and they have two arms and two legs, though these look and move like roots rather than limbs with bones. Bulbions usually choose to wear some kind of clothing, most often rags, though essentially being intelligent and mobile plants they have no need to. They can shift between bipedal and quadrupedal movement at leisure, though moving on all fours offers considerably more stability and better mobility for them.

Physical Abilities: Bulbions make up for their lack of strength and speed with resilience, a flexible body, prodigious regeneration and natural defenses. When cut, bruised or otherwise harmed, they are capable of secreting gas that causes one's eyes to sting and water uncontrollably. The more damaged the Bulbion is, the more gas they release. With no bones in any limbs, there is very little to limit the flexibility of a Bulbion. Its body contains no vital organs whatsoever and exists solely to grant it mobility, so they can survive decapitation, at the cost of losing all mobility for a time. There are several layers of tough skin covering its head which can be peeled away should the Bulbion feel a need to do so (for example, to escape the grip of a predator) which can also be regrown, although there is a limit to this and each layer shed leaves the Bulbion's head more vulnerable.

The speed of regrowth depends on a number of factors, including the overall condition of the Bulbion (i.e.: how much energy it has) as well as the environment surrounding it. In a nutrient-rich environment, a Bulbion can regrow limbs in minutes and an entire body in under an hour, but in a more hostile environment it can take hours to regrow limbs and up to a day to regrow a body, assuming that it has enough energy to attempt these.

Ultimately though the Bulbion is not immortal; as plant-based creatures they are highly susceptible to extreme temperatures, both hot and cold. Dehydration will cause a Bulbion to shrivel and become lethargic, while over-hydration can cause sickness.

Their large eyes grant them excellent sight, and their numerous tiny ears allow them to hear in all directions, yet they cannot smell anything, nor can they feel pain.

Finally, a Bulbion can produce seeds to plant in order to grow another Bulbion. Typically this is only done once, at the end of a Bulbion's life - the new Bulbion carries the name of the old one, and may retain some memories, but is considered a separate entity.

Diet: Bulbions usually obtain nutrients from the soil that they come into contact with but can also eat for nutrition if they desire to do so. That said there are strict rules in Bulbion society around what can and cannot be eaten: consuming the flesh or drinking the juices of fruits, herbs, plants or vegetables is taboo. Rotting vegetable matter is also not to be eaten. They have no qualms with consuming meat, blood and/or bone of any variety or freshness. Fresh water is the drink of choice for a Bulbion.

Other Abilities: Bulbions can use a fairly simple nature-based magic to encourage plants to grow at a rapid rate. When used in moderation the effects on the surrounding environment are barely noticeable, but if abused this magic can drain the soil of nutrients and even kill off surrounding plants. This magic has no effect on Bulbions themselves as they draw from their own energy to wield it.

Inventory: Pion relies on two tools:
• Trowels - a pair of small and fairly sharp trowels that are well-cared for. With his roots wrapped around these Pion can dig through even the toughest soil.
• Seed Bag - a pouch full of assorted seeds, which Pion can plant and grow with his magic for a variety of purposes. Some of the seeds that Pion has access to include:

• Tangling Bramble: a quick growing mess of thorns and branches that will frustrate most foes.
• Spear Bamboo: an exceptionally sharp variety of bamboo that, as the name suggests, makes a decent spear in a pinch.
• Snake Ivy: a tangle of vines that can grow up most surfaces. Causes an uncomfortable rash when touched with naked skin.
• Corpse Flower: a single massive flower that gives off an overwhelming stench not unlike rotting flesh.
• Lure Blooms: a small shrub that grows vibrant and sweet smelling flowers. Attracts vast quantities of insects.
• Sponge Cactus: a fairly squat cactus that steadily swells up with liquid from the surrounding environment. It will eventually leak on its own, or a hole can be poked into it to direct the flow of liquid.
• Carnivorous Plants: meat-eating plants that will take a bite out of any animal or being within reach. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and most release a pleasantly sweet smell to attract prey.