Lux et Tenebrae

[Ruu]

Two ancient powers, once man and woman, now beings ascended to a higher plane of existence, have been released from their erstwhile prisons. These entities, Tibalt and Lumia, fight in an endless struggle, unable to influence the mortal world directly any longer. Now they seek to bestow powers of the mind on willing followers, so that these devotees can enter the Ancient City of Taras to harness an artifact that has the power to change the world in their image. Yet during their imprisonment, a form of magic has sprung up, and these mages will stop at nothing to hinder the efforts of their followers. The mages wish the world to remain as it is without Tibalt and Lumia's interference. Which side will you choose?

This is just the basic premise of the story. The focus will be on the Agents of Tibalt, Lumia's Faithful, and the Mages. Each of these groups will be striving to navigate the traps of the ancient city and to discover the power of the ancient artifact. If there is interest, I have more back story that I can share.

[Moon Ray]

You have my interest. And any prepared back story would be great. Post it or send it. I'm all ears eyes.

[Ruu]

~Awesome! I'm glad that you're interested! Maybe if I post it here some more interest will be sparked.

Once, a long time ago, a woman and a man fell in love. Tibalt and Lumia were perfect for each other. Tibalt was Lumia’s strength and shield while Lumia was his hope and light. And they both had one thing in common: They were fascinated with the inner workings of the mind.

They set up a lab and performed many experiments until they themselves slowly began to develop strange powers. They could move things, manipulate things, and even enter the minds of others all with just their thoughts. Tibalt believed he could use his power to bring freedom and prosperity to all living under the oppression of a corrupt government. Lumia wished to use her abilities to bring her own version of healing and peace to the world. Tibalt believed in brute force. Lumia believed in subtle persuasion. Neither could reconcile their views, and they parted.

Tibalt began to call the minds of others into his service, granting them powers from his own vast knowledge. Lumia began to “persuade” others to help her, to protect the world from Tibalt’s threat. Neither had the purest of intentions…

The people Tibalt took into his services were known as Tibalt’s agents. Lumia’s converts were known as the Faithful. Those who took no side were shunned and treated as outcasts. Fighting began to become a regular occurrence as multitudes of people chose their paths, hungering for the powers Tibalt and Lumia could bestow. Fortunately, the crisis was averted before a full-fledged war could begin. A talented alchemist and machinery mage created a device that was able to put Tibalt and Lumia into a stasis. He then lured the two into his home and sealed them inside crystal pods, casting them into a deep slumber. The alchemist buried the laboratory underground with himself inside, so that on one would ever find them…

Years passed and Tibalt and Lumia were all but forgotten as the powers they had bestowed on their followers had vanished completely. New powers sprang up, a force known as magic. Magic could do amazing things, things that had never before been seen in Tibalt and Lumia’s time. Unfortunately, magic was also the power that unearthed the ancient lab…

A young mage disturbed the resting place of Tibalt and Lumia, and foolishly released them. Trapped for hundreds of years, their bodies immediately faded but because of the power of their minds, they were able to ascend to a higher plane of existence. There they began an endless struggle and also sought to gather followers once more, able to do so on an even larger scale with their newfound powers.

The stage is now set in the Ancient City of Tarras, a city plagued by mutant beasts. At the top of a withered tower in the center of the city is said to be a Power so great that it can change the world. Both Tibalt and Lumia wish to remake the world in their image and so they have sent their followers to Tarras. A group of mages have also arrived, seeking the Power on their own so that they can prevent the catastrophe that had been barely averted eons ago…Which side will you choose?

The Factions

The Agents of Tibalt: The Agents of Tibalt are often people with a strong sense of freedom and individuality. Some of them truly want freedom for all, yet others see it as a way to gain power. Tibalt granted them various powers over the mind. There are two types of Agents. Those known as Siphoners can drain mental and physical energy from victims to restore their own mind with a mere touch. Siphoners are known to take others hostage, especially the Faithful, to keep their supply of energy essentially limitless. The energy they siphon enhances their physical prowess and makes them feared opponents. It also heals any wounds inflicted on their bodies. Thoughtscourers use their powers to barrage their enemies both mentally and physically. They will beat an opponent down until their opponent can no longer fight. They are often physically weak, however, because their powers take a tremendous amount of mental effort and training.

The Faithful: The Faithful are often people who believe in living communally and have sworn an oath not to “physically harm another human being.” This oath is carefully manipulated by many of the Faithful to obtain their true goals. They say that they want equality for all and view each and every person as deserving of care. While some of them truly care for everyone, others wish to gain unchecked control over the masses. Lumia granted them a different sort of mental power and there are two types of the Faithful as well. Clerics have the ability not only to heal by using the mind to influence natural biological processes, but they can inflict diseases and abnormal growth in their enemies. Praetors can manipulate mind waves to create barriers to protect themselves and others from mental abilities and can directly attack the minds of others. They also have perfected Lumia’s Judgement, a technique that completely blocks an enemy off from their own mind powers, rendering them defenseless. Though Praetors will not finish off their enemies due to their oath not to harm, they will leave them to die by the ferocious wild beasts.

The Mages: Mages can harness a powerful force known as magic and can manipulate the elements through quickly vocalized spells. They have little to no mental abilities, however. Both Agents of Tibalt and the Faithful have little defense against Mages, and if Mages act quickly they can easily take out the Agents or the Faithful. If, however, the battle becomes prolonged, the Agents and the Faithful quickly get the upper hand. The Mages are concerned about the worldviews of both Tibalt and Lumia and have created a force to stop them from remaking the world in their image.

[Sponsored content]