Sinner [dark, medieval fantasy]

[ImmortalSin]

We're all sinners at heart.

It had been two years since we’d last been to this place. We were fairly sure that we were the only ones to have ever stumbled across it. That was why we spent so much time here; because it was pure, because no one but us had ever laid eyes on it. It was our secret and we’d both vowed to look after it. We never truly understood how rare it was to find something that had not yet been tainted by the sins of the world, or not yet stained by the blood of an innocent. And we never had the chance to do so.

~

"I'm going to propose to her Quinn." My brother finally announced, breaking the silence that had fallen between us. He turned his brilliant blue eyes on me and flashed me a sheepish smile. No one would have ever guessed that we were siblings. Marcus had sun kissed blond hair, perfect skin and a body that most women would swoon over. I on the other hand had always been... quite plain; though he had never allowed me to say it aloud.

My feet were submerged in the cool waters of the lake, a ring of trees surrounded us practically blocking out the rest of the world. I was staring peacefully into space; my heart was at ease whenever I had my brother by my side. Unlike others I did not care what he had become, and I did not see the change in him. She was the same as I and she knew very well that I would not let him be with anyone less of a woman. It was for this reason that my lips curled into a sly smile and my feet withdrew from the water.

"I knew it!" I cried joyfully, launching myself onto my brother so that we both tumbled into the clear water with a splash. Our laughter filled the entire forest and did not cease until sunset.

~

“Quinn.” His body was covered in lacerations, deep wounds that would surely cause him to bleed to death. “Quinn, no.” Why hadn’t he seen it sooner? Did love really blind to this degree? Damn her… no, damn him. He hadn’t had the strength to kill her. Sinner or not, he had failed his little sister. She was going to die at the hands of her because of his weakness.

“Marcus?” Came a wavering voice. She was standing on the other side of the lake, her gaze narrowing as soon as she spotted her brother lying still. The reflection of the full moon on the water’s surface was stained red with his blood. “Go home.” He breathed, his eyes closing involuntarily. “Mar-” She never got the chance to finish speaking his name.

~

My life as I knew it was about to end in just a few moments and even though something told me to run my pride and my love for my brother forced me to stay. I was not a coward.

“Show yourself.” I panted, a hand wrapped loosely around my ribs. I hadn’t seen what had attacked me, but whatever it was had been strong enough to hurl me into a tree with great force. Some of the splinters had dug themselves into my back and I was winded, but they hadn’t managed to knock the courage from me. Not yet.

After urging myself back to my feet I saw a most disturbing sight. Just a few metres from me an object shimmered playfully in the dim light, a crystal blade that marked its owner for life. They were known to never part with it. Some even said that a blood sacrifice was required in order to become a Sinner and that the red vein-like lines that travelled through the clear crystal of their sword proved this claim. The two shared a bond. Even Marcus had never allowed me to touch it.

I cast another worried glance in his direction before staggering over to the sword. As carefully as possible I bent down to pick it up but was interrupted by a familiar voice. “Don’t touch it.” She snapped and as soon as my eyes met hers I understood. “You’re a demon.” I whispered painfully, unable to tear my gaze away from hers. Those hollow eyes were burning into my soul and the feeling of betrayal was having a numbing effect on me. She had killed my brother. She had claimed to love him, earned his trust and then killed him as he’d proposed to her. I had never felt a fury like this before. Without Marcus I had no one.

~

I still cannot properly recall the details of what happened next. All I can remember is that I did reach for the sword, and that my blood alone was not enough. What I lost that night could never be replaced.

So, hopefully that will have given you a bit of an idea of what this roleplay will be about. No? Well let me give you a better overview.

The story will commence after the death of Marcus. Rumours have spread regarding a rogue Sinner (Quinn) that has managed to elude their own society. I'm thinking that this would lead to fellow Sinners tracking her. I'd like for your character to be a male, but as for his class I'm willing to let you decide. Although I did think that it'd be quite interesting for him to also be a Sinner. But what exactly is a Sinner, and what is their purpose?

Their kind is shrouded in superstition and because of that almost anything goes when it comes to their definition. It really all depends on the individuals experiences with them. Some claim that Sinners are holy men, sent to cleanse the earth. Others believe that they are no better than the demons they slay. Though they are commonly known to be outcasts and very antisocial.

Over the past few centuries life has become increasingly hard for the human race and because of this many have sought to end their hardships using less conventional methods. They have lost their faith in god and instead resort to selling their soul to the devil. This is when a demon is born. Normal knights stand no chance against these wicked beings and so the society came to be. The Sinners do what no one else can, regardless of the cost.

I don't want to prattle on much more because the rest of it will be explained during/throughout the roleplay but if you're interested and want to know anything else please let me know.

I'll also warn you now that I'd like for there to be some romance thrown into the mix as well, although it won't be the 'she knew she loved him as soon as she saw him' type. I'm intending for this to be a dark, medieval fantasy that concentrates mainly on the relationship between our two characters and their search to unravel the many mysteries that surround their kind. There will be violence.

Anyway, thank-you for reading all of this and if I have managed to catch your eye you can either post back here or send me a private message.
If I do get a bite you can count on me to log in at least once a day, I don't like to leave my partners in the lurch.

[Ab'Sinthe]

Sounds.. Very interesting. Bit like the lore on Demon Hunters from WoW online without the stupidity. =)

I'd like to sign up for it. ^^

What kinda character sheet would you like to see for a sign up?

[ImmortalSin]

I've never had the pleasure of playing WoW I'm afraid, so I don't really know the demon hunters lore. We had dial-up internet for so many years. x.x

As for a character sheet, hm, leave it with me tonight and I'll have something for you tomorrow. Which, in your time would mean that I'll have something later on in the pm. Don't you just hate time differences?

If I have more people interested I might even consider turning this into a small group roleplay, but I've learned from experience that 1x1's generally tend to last longer.

Thanks heaps for your interest!

[Ab'Sinthe]

Fair 'nuff. ^^

If you keep up interest (as well) we might actually be able to finish this RP methinks

P.S. In WoW Demon Hunters are basically outcast that made a selfless pact with darkness to gain enough power to banish demons back to the abyss.

[ImmortalSin]

I'd like to think so. It really sucks when someone drops out and you're just left with an unfinished story.

Wow, that's like, exactly what I was going for. Maybe I'm not as creative as I thought. Haha.

[ImmortalSin]

Code:

[b]Name:[/b]
[b]Age:[/b]
[b]Gender:[/b]
[b]Personality:[/b]
[b]Appearance:[/b]
[b]Brief Bio:[/b]
[b]Other:[/b]


I think that should just about cover it for now, the finer details will come out during the roleplay. You don't have to go too far into depth with personality. I understand that it's kind of difficult to explain if you haven't even played the character before.

I'll get a sheet done for Quinn too, mainly so that you know what she looks like.

Name: Quinn McCormick
Age: 20 (became a Sinner at the age of 19)
Gender: Female
Appearance: She stands at 5'9" and sports a very lithe frame. Her eyes are a murky blue and her straight, ebony hair reaches just below her chin. A side fringe (or bang? not sure what you call them) rests over her right eye concealing the bandage that hides there.

Although she is typically spotted wearing a long, black hooded cloak that leaves nothing to the imagination, underneath you will find a skin tight gray garment. This allows her to move without having to worry about excess drag. Two thick silver bracelets adorn her wrist, a metal plate extending from them to cover the backs of her hands. They are more for protection than anything. When traveling you will also find a light chest plate and two shoulder plates strapped to her body, and very rarely a few pieces of chain mail here and there. As she heavily relies on speed and agility, the less weight she carries the better.

The last thing to note would be the sword that is secured firmly to her back. It was also wrapped in cloth to help aid the guise of it's owner. The red veins that ran through the crystal had turned black and many had heard tales of this tainted blade. It immediately identified the person carrying it as the rogue Sinner.

Brief Bio: Many things have changed in her life since Marcus' death. She is now being pursued by the Sinner's society. Their intentions are not known to her at the moment but they have a reputation of always getting what they want.

Her search for the demon that murdered her brother has proven to be unsuccessful so far, but as soon as even a whisper is heard from her target she arrives at the scene. Many villages became demon free after her departure and this had built her a steady reputation. No one knew whose side she was on, only that she had managed to elude her own kind and refused to follow their rules. She was a Sinner, but not like any other.

~

You should probably know a bit more about how Sinner's usually come to be. When a Sinner dies his sword is returned to the society where the previous owners blood is removed from it. Touching it is strictly forbidden, as it would force the person to take the fallen mans place. Those who have potential are taken by the society and undergo a series of tests, (physical and mental) and if they do seem to have what it takes a ceremony takes place where the chosen one makes his blood sacrifice and is sworn in. It is not known to the normal folk whether these things happen as a result of the potential Sinner's wishes, or whether they are simply given no choice in the matter at all. All that they do know is that the person they used to know is almost always gone.

I almost forgot, once you become a Sinner your aging process halts. Your mind may age, but your body does not. You die young, or if for some reason Sinners were released from their duty (as in, they weren't needed anymore), their blood pact would be nullified and they would age normally.

Sinners usually travel alone, as one of them is more than enough to slay the demon in question. Every so often a group of them will be deployed to destroy a large gathering of demons, but this is a very rare occurrence.

Normal humans cannot tell who is, and who isn't a demon because demons will always keep there previous appearance. Even to most Sinners they are difficult to spot, so they usually rely on their other senses instead. The more experience they have, the easier it is to pick them. When a demon knows that someone has recognized them, they'll drop the act and become rampant.

Well, that was a lot of writing. If you have any questions feel free to ask away, I'll be happy to answer them.

Hello there Regicidal! Really? Well, I haven't definitely closed this roleplay off yet so if Ab'Sinthe changes his mind, or I decide to open this up to more people you can most certainly take part in this. I'd probably be willing to allow you both in anyway, perhaps both of your characters have been sent on a mission together? It'd allow for more freedom for all of us. As in, things could still be going on between character 1 and character 2, while character 3 is off somewhere different.

I'd like to hear Ab'Sinthe's opinion on this though, I don't want to impose or scare anyone off, you know?

[Regicidal]

Aw, damn. I wish I had caught this earlier. I'm very interested in this as well. Though unfortunately it seems that you've already found a taker.

The entire mood of this rp strikes my fancy as something I've been looking for.

If there are any changes though, feel free to let me in.

[ImmortalSin]

-points up-

Edited in my character sheet and responded to Regicidal, take a look.

[Regicidal]

Oh, that sounds like a fantastic idea, actually. And while I'm thinking it would be interesting to play a villain-type, maybe one of the Sinners sent after Quinn, I also wonder how solid a Sinner's resolve is once they've been inducted in.

As in, is there a potential to shake it? If so, would the Sinner's sword's veins turn black as the Rogue's did? Or would it remain the same and the Sinner essentially become an 'enemy of the state' type?

Other than that, I have a few wanderer type characters that could fit the bill of the rp. Though the Sinner, gone bad or not, sounds like a much more engaging character. Of course, more knowledge of the inner workings of the Sinners would be appropriate before doing that.

[ImmortalSin]

I was planning on leaving this part out but I'll tell you now anyway. It seems like the right time. When she became a Sinner she was unable to do so by giving blood to the sword. Marcus was still alive, just barely, and because of this the sword had no need of blood. When she touched the sword it sensed her urgency and so took a part of her soul instead. This is why she covers her right eye, because she sold part of her soul and was left with a demon eye. If the society was to know this she would be hunted down and killed for sure. This also made her aware of the fact that Sinner's are no better than demons because the sacrifice would seem to be going to the same deity. Giving blood just means that there are no visible effects.

As for the sword, after Marcus died the blood turned black. But, I think your take on it was really interesting too. If their oath was broken and their loyalty changed they may as well be dead to the society. It mightn't happen as quickly as it did with Quinn's sword, but it could happen gradually and serve as a warning.

I'd like to think that most of the Sinners did generally want to become what they now are, even if they were driven by revenge (like Quinn). But others would have no choice in the matter. And for those it would seem like torture. They could be forced to kill someone they once knew or loved because they had become demons. It is even possible that they may have to hunt and kill fellow Sinners if they have betrayed the society. So that might give you something to think about. Sinners are extremely intelligent, but a lot of them do become very cruel and heartless people. Most are also extremely loyal to the society, if only because that is the only place where they feel accepted.

Was there anything else in particular you wanted to know?

[Ab'Sinthe]

Whoa.. Lots have happened while I was sleeping.. And lots more while I was in Chem class. x'D

Anyways, I don't mind Regi joining in as well. ^^

And.. I'll have my character up ASAP. A traitor amongst the Sinners.

[ImmortalSin]

Haha, sorry to get so ahead of you. Hopefully it wasn't too much for you to read all at once.

That sounds lovely. I'll be out for most of tomorrow but I should be able to check in once in the morning, and definitely once in the afternoon.

If you two were both aiming to be traitors in the ranks you could possibly have had previous encounters with each other. Or you could even be conspiring together. I don't mind if you two do decide to go that way, if we need the input of other Sinners (the non treacherous kind) later on I'm quite happy to NPC them. You could have even experienced something on one of your missions, and made a pact. I dunno, just suggesting things.

Also, don't be afraid to make assumptions about things. I'm very willing to take on ideas that you may have, and change my own around to suit. I want everyone to be able to influence the storyline.

[Regicidal]

If you two were both aiming to be traitors in the ranks you could possibly have had previous encounters with each other. Or you could even be conspiring together. I don't mind if you two do decide to go that way, if we need the input of other Sinners (the non treacherous kind) later on I'm quite happy to NPC them. You could have even experienced something on one of your missions, and made a pact. I dunno, just suggesting things.

Hey, Ab'Sinthe, I'm all for that idea. Actually it sounds great. Maybe they've been conspiring to split from the Society for a few months, and have just done so. That way the veins would still be red, but maybe starting to darken with the decay of the betrayal. Of course, they would have different backstories and the like, but their split would be driven by the same event (which I guess we could discuss later, if you agree).

[Ab'Sinthe]

Sounds good to me. ^^

I was planning on getting most of my character done today but I suppose we should discuss a wee bit about the background and what happened that drove both of our characters into treachery.

[Regicidal]

I was thinking about that...

It could range from a simple disagreement, or if you really wanted to make them screwy, they could have been threatened and limited in power because of their less than favorable methods.

[ImmortalSin]

I think your second thought could be really good Regi. I like the idea of them being a little twisted. They're Sinners so it'd be a little odd if they were extremely noble.

I had been thinking along the lines of the whole, they'd been assigned to kill a fellow Sinner type thing, but I like yours better now. Even showing reluctance to kill could lead to being punished by the society, so I guess you've got a fair bit to choose from, it's narrowing it down that's the hard thing.

[Regicidal]

Such as, rather than killing demons as they've been instructed to, they (successfully in most cases) exorcise the Demons, essentially freeing the persons soul rather than destroying them.

[ImmortalSin]

Ooooh, that's a brilliant idea! I love it.

So would the person return to normal, with their soul back? Or would they still die, but their soul would no longer be the devil's possession?

[Regicidal]

Well seeing as they sold their soul in the first place, that was their own problem. I don't see how it would make sense that they be given the second chance. So I think they would be dead, but their soul would be free from the Devil's possession, so yes, your latter idea makes more sense to me.

I'm not that nice.

[ImmortalSin]

I'm not that nice either, I was hoping your idea was more along the lines of the second. It's a bit of redemption for them, but not a lot. I'm guessing there would have been a few failures though, originally anyway? You did say 'successfully in most cases', so they would have stuffed up at one time or another.

Okay, so if Ab'Sinthe likes that idea as well (which I'm pretty sure he will), all that's really left is to decide how/where we are going to start this thing. Are they going to meet by accident? Are your two characters going to be tracking/following Quinn for some reason?

I'd originally thought up a bit of a scenario, but it's nothing too great. Quinn is on the trail of another demon, goes into an Inn to get more information about the whereabouts, your two characters are inside at the time, or somehow stumble across her in the town, you follow and when she encounters the demon are forced to step in, (maybe there's an ambush set up for her, a few demons have gathered to try to get rid of her?).

As I said, it's a really sketchy idea and I'm definitely happy to change it around or do something completely different.

Oh, and then there's your character sheets of course. I almost forgot.

[Regicidal]

Well... That idea does sound good as a very vague type thing.. But I have to admit that I'm partial to the idea of them seeking her out. Maybe finding out what specific demon she is after and tracking it down as well for their own reasons, using it as an excuse to find her.

Why they want to find her? I haven't the faintest clue. Perhaps they are the three most 'at large' outlaws of the Sinners, her being more notorious given her story, of course.

[ImmortalSin]

Yeah, I didn't like that bit either really. What you said makes more sense.

As for why they would want to find her, well, I'd say she'd be a pretty good ally to have. They might think that they could learn something from her, and I'm guessing that they may just be interested in her generally. She's managed to elude the Society for over a year now, that's no easy feat.

I should probably give you guys fair warning about next week as well. From Wednesday to Friday I'll be away at Senior Camp, and I highly doubt they'll have wireless connections where we're going so that means I'll be offline for three days.

I think it's for the best if we hold off starting this until I get back. It'll give you guys plenty of time to work on your character sheets/history with each other. It seems like a fair wait but in my mind it's the best thing to do - your opinions?

[Ab'Sinthe]

*reads looooaaaaad of info*

So far I haven't found anything I don't agree with =P and for the last, yeah, would be nice to have some time to work out a proper character.

Real life has decided to pop it's ugly face around to corner and kick me in the face.

[Regicidal]

I'm fine with waiting... More time to flesh out a character is always a good thing.

[ImmortalSin]

Alrighty. I'm back now you two, so the sooner you get your character sheets up, the sooner we can start. I'm looking forward to seeing them!

[Ab'Sinthe]

I'm still working on mine..

Real life kinda went "POOF! TADA! I'z BACK!" at me..

[Regicidal]

Name: Anthony Bordstone

Age: 25 (Sinner at 18)

Gender: Male

Personality: Despite the intentions of the Sinners, Anthony tends to find himself stuck between outright killing demons and attempting to exorcise them. Of the majority of the cold-blooded killers that make up the Society, Anthony is of the few that actually feel something when a soul is lost to demonkind; one of the few that actually wonders where those souls go after the demon has been dealt with. However, his temper has gotten the best of him in the past.

Appearance: Anthony stands roughly five feet, eight inches tall with a lithe, muscular build that has been toned over the course of years of training and working with the Sinners. He works comfortably, garbing himself in breathable gray trousers and a similarly colored shirt over that. Animal skin shoes with thick soles are used for their silence when moving quickly while keeping him connected with the ground moving beneath him. So few people understand the importance of being able to feel the enemy through the ground.

His face is sharp-featured, with a hard jawline covered with jet black scruff, the same color as the shoulder length hair that hangs down thick to his shoulders. His eyes are a deep emerald green with a band of blue surrounding the iris. The odd discoloration has yielded some unwanted attention as of late.

Lately, though, he has been forced to keep a low profile, adorning a traveler's cloak of plain tanned leather with a hood to be drawn over his face if needed. His sword, the trademark of all Sinners (and his burden should another Sinner see it) is strapped diagonally across his back with the hilt pointing to the ground and held in place via two quick-release leather straps. The odd position of the sword is relative to his fighting style.

Brief Bio: After a 'disagreement' with the Society, as Anthony prefers to call it, he has found himself both on the run, and on the hunt. As a rogue Sinner, he has been pursuing demons as his duty as a Sinner entails, even though he is no longer accepted by them, but also pursuing the other rogue Sinner who's name had been spreading like wildfire through the Society before his departure.

Quinn.

Other: Given the fact he is Rogue, no longer a Sinner, the veins of his sword have begun to tarnish and blacken. Though for the time being they still hold enough color to fool an uninformed Sinner if need be.

[ImmortalSin]

It's okay Ab'Sinthe, it happens to the best of us.

Wonderful Regi - that looks great! I can't wait for Quinn to meet him.

[Ab'Sinthe]

However much I'd love to participate I really don't see my life getting any less-busy any time soon.. I'm sorry for holding you up so far and I hope that if you guys wanna start off you won't wait for me.

Sorry...

[ImmortalSin]

Well, thanks for letting us know. There are some things in life we just can't control no matter how hard we try.

Are you still in Regi? I won't be offended if you're not. I'd just like to know what you're thinking.

And Ab'Sinthe, if you found the time and wanted to rejoin, I'm sure we could try to make an opening for your character.

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