,,,,,,,,,,(append: ?SideBar)[\
(link:"Save")[(save-game:"file A")]
(link:"Load")[(load-game:"file A")]
]
(link-reveal:"In the beginning, there were two: Father Time and the Cosmic Mother...")
[=
(link-reveal:"Using their divine power, they created the multiverse: 12 Universes each with their own dimensions, temporal, and spatial properties.")
[=
(link-reveal:"With the Multiverse set and stable, Time and Space grew weary. In their infinite boredom, they created life: 12 Daughters to rule and govern each dimensional plane.")
[=
(link-reveal: "(text-color:purple)[[[The 12 Daughters->The 12 Daughters & The Multiverse]]] would watch over these planes, without protest, for their entire existence.")
[=
(link-reveal:"But something was missing. Time and Space felt empty. So, they created a son; an enigma.")
[=
(text-style:"buoy")[[[His name was Ether->Ether]]]
(append: ?SideBar)[\
(link:"Save")[(save-game:"file A")]
(link:"Load")[(load-game:"file A")]
]
(link-reveal:"Much like their proginators, not much is known about the 12 Daughters (more commonly referred to as ''The 12'') or their intentions.")
[=
(link-reveal:"From what researchers have gathered over the years, The 12 exist to maintain a sort of elemental balance within the Multiverse.")
[=
(link-reveal:"This is especially important, as the 13th Dimension pulls elemental energies from all sources, and not just a single element like the Planes that belong to the Daughters.")
[=
(link-reveal:"Thus, without The 12 maintaining balance, the 13th Dimension would be rendered unstable and unlivable.")
[=
(link-reveal:"What we know for certain is that The 12 have absolute dominion over their respective elements. We will now list off each of The 12 Daughters in the order of the standard Ethereal Elemental Cataloging Structure:")
[=
(text-colour:red)[Vulcania of the Plane of Fire]
(text-colour:navy)[Aquia of the Plane of Water]
(text-colour:#40c057)[Verdatia of the Plane of Flora]
(text-colour:#fcc419)[Voltagia of the Plane of Lightning]
(text-colour:#99e9f2)[Glacia of the Plane of Ice]
(text-colour:#f08c00)[Terraria of the Plane of Terra]
(text-colour:#adb5bd)[Titania of the Plane of Steel]
(text-colour:#f8f9fa)[Ventia of the Plane of Wind]
(text-colour:#d9480f)[Geodia of the Plane of Stone]
(text-colour:#cc5de8)[Miasmia of the Plane of Pestilence]
[Lumia of the Plane of Light]
(text-colour:#212529)+(background:white)[Tenebria of the Plane of Darkness]
(link-reveal:"Each of these planes are home to their own diverse set of creatures, landscapes, and intelligent life. Most notably, each plane is responsible for producing one of each of the Subraces of (t8n-time:1.5s)[[Elementalists->Elementalists]] that populate Chao.")
[=
(link-reveal:"Expect more research to be conducted on The 12 in the near future.
-The Oculus Research Team")
[=(append: ?SideBar)[\
(link:"Save")[(save-game:"file A")]
(link:"Load")[(load-game:"file A")]
]
(link-reveal:"Elementalists are a set of races comprised of one of the Twelve Primary Elements.")
[=
(link-reveal:"Elementalists hail from their respective dimensional plane and are highly susceptible to opposing elements.")
[=
(link-reveal:"Elementalists appearance are usually very stoic as each element has their respective colors and shades.")
[=
(link-reveal:"Where a (text-colour:#4c6ef5)[Hydrus Elementalist might have blue hair and a thin body], (text-colour:#e67700)[Terrus Elementalists are much burlier with brown hair].")
[=
(link-reveal:"Upon reaching maturity, most Elementalists were snatched up by the Sethirian army and are forced into conscription by Delphius and his Aspects.")
[=
(link-reveal:"As of late, however, many Elementalists are on the lam, in fear for their lives because of their war crimes committed in service to the Sethirian Army.")
[=
(link-reveal:"The following are the known Subraces of known Elementalists:")
[=
(text-colour:#adb5bd)[(t8n-time:1.5s)[[Elementalist, Allus->Elementalist, Allus]]]
(text-colour:#fcc419)[(t8n-time:1.5s)[[Elementalist, Amperous->Elementalist, Amperous]]]
(text-colour:#40c057)[(t8n-time:1.5s)[[Elementalist, Gaius->Elementalist, Gaius]]]
(text-colour:#e8590c)[(t8n-time:1.5s)[[Elementalist, Geodus->Elementalist, Geodus]]]
(text-colour:#99e9f2)[(t8n-time:1.5s)[[Elementalist, Glacius->Elementalist, Glacius]]]
(text-colour:#4c6ef5)[(t8n-time:1.5s)[[Elementalist, Hydrus->Elementalist, Hydrus]]]
(text-colour:#f03e3e)[(t8n-time:1.5s)[[Elementalist, Ignus->Elementalist, Ignus]]]
(text-colour:#f8f9fa)[(t8n-time:1.5s)[[Elementalist, Illus->Elementalist, Illus]]]
(text-colour:#e67700)[(t8n-time:1.5s)[[Elementalist, Terrus->Elementalist, Terrus]]]
(text-colour:#212529)+(background:white)[(t8n-time:1.5s)[[Elementalist, Umbrus->Elementalist, Umbrus]]]
(text-colour:#f8f9fa)[(t8n-time:1.5s)[[Elementalist, Ventus->Elementalist, Ventus]]]
(text-colour:#ae3ec9)[(t8n-time:1.5s)[[Elementalist, Virulus->Elementalist, Virulus]]]WIPWIPWIPWIPWIPWIPWIPWIPWIPWIPWIPWIP(append: ?SideBar)[\
(link:"Save")[(save-game:"file A")]
(link:"Load")[(load-game:"file A")]
]
(link-reveal:"(text-color: purple)[[[Ether->Author's Note 1]]] was given dominion over the 13th Universe and control over all of the 12 primary Elements of the Multiverse. Ether spent much of his first few centuries building a single planet: Chao.")
[=
(link-reveal:"Once Chao was a lush and flourishing planet, Ether too felt the emptiness his parents once held. So, he decided that he too would try and create life on his new planet, and thus, created the (text-color:purple)[[[Elder Races->The Elder Races]]].")
[=
(link-reveal:"Fearing he would be unable to govern the bugeoning population of Chao, Ether, much like his parents before him, took 12 fragments of his soul and gave birth to the (text-color:purple)[[[Lords of Creation->The Lords of Creation]]] to watch over the world of Chao and protect it's citizens.")
[=
(t8n-time:1.5s)[[Continue->Ether 2]]Work in ProgressWork in Progress(append: ?SideBar)[\
(link:"Save")[(save-game:"file A")]
(link:"Load")[(load-game:"file A")]
]
(link-reveal:"The Elder Races stood proud and tall, flourishing on the land that their progenitor bestowed upon them.")
[=
(link-reveal:"With the Lords of Creation to guide them, the Elders built sprawling civilizations that covered much of the world.")
[=
(link-reveal:"Studies into the elements were on the rise, and as scholars from every race congregated to learn how to effectively control them, many Elder texts were penned down and magic was born. ")
[=
(link-reveal:"For a time, peace and prosperity reigned.")
[=
[[But this solace was to be short lived...->Ether 3]]
(append: ?SideBar)[\
(link:"Save")[(save-game:"file A")]
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]
(link-reveal:"Not fully understanding the volatility of the elements that called Ether's body home, Ether began to grow mad and exhibit multiple personalities.")
[=
(link-reveal:"This is believed to be, in part, due to having splintered his soul in the birthing of the Lords of Creation before his vessel reached elemental maturity.")
[=
(link-reveal:"These personalities waged war with one another within Ether's mind and body. In his madness, he created the Aetherian and Cytonian races. The two fledgling races began to fight over who should rule over Chao, akin to how Ether's personalities fought for dominion over his vessel.")
[=
(link-reveal:"Finally, when Ether could take it no more, he plunged his hands deep into his body, probing through the tangled mess of fragmented elemental slivers until he found the two offenders.")
[=
(link-reveal:"Mustering all the strength he could, (text-color: purple)[[[Ether wrenched the two beings out from his core.->Author's Note 2]]] Consequently, the two beings manifested their mana them and were given form.")
[=
(text-style:"bold","smear")[A blinding entity shrouded in pure white], and (text-colour:black)+(background:white)[(text-style:"bold","smear")[a creature steeped in the void of eternal black]], (text-style:"bold","smear","buoy")[Aether] and (text-colour:black)+(background:white)[(text-style:"bold","smear","shudder")[Cyton]] were born.
[=
(text-color: red)[[[And thus, the Primis war began...->The Primis War]]]The official interpretation of Ether's birth name is Primerius Etherus. However, for readability's sake, we've shortened it down to Ether. We apologize for any confusion.
-The Oculus Research Team
(after:1.5s)[(dialog:"Achievement Unlocked: True Name")]
(append: ?SideBar)[\
(link:"Save")[(save-game:"file A")]
(link:"Load")[(load-game:"file A")]
]
Choose your path:
[[Aether->Aether in the Primis War]]
[[Ether->Ether in the Primis War]]
[[Cyton->Cyton in the Primis War]]
(append: ?SideBar)[\
(link:"Save")[(save-game:"file A")]
(link:"Load")[(load-game:"file A")]
]
(link-reveal:"From what we at the Oculus know about Aether, it is assumed that after gaining conciousness, Aether assumed control of her people and began preparations for a mass assimilation event.")
[=
(link-reveal:" The Aetherians would've been ordered to capture members of the Elder Races and bring them back to Aether's base of operations to be converted into Aetherian versions of themselves.")
[=
(link-reveal:"The more people that were captured, the more Aether rose in power. So much so that she was able to tear open a pocket dimension for her to hide in while her underlings continued to grow her army.")
[=
(link-reveal:"It is estimated that Aether managed to capture and convert about 45% of Chao's population at the time.")
[=
(link-reveal:"Without the remainder either being killed off by Cyton or forced into hiding, researchers believe that Aether could've easily assimlated the entire population within a year of her existence")
[=
[[With her army now at a sufficient size, Aether and her prisoners of war set out to destroy Cyton.->The Fall of Primis]](append: ?SideBar)[\
(link:"Save")[(save-game:"file A")]
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]
(link-reveal:"Sensing his weakened state, Lords Ifrit and Heirocia rushed to their progenitors side to assist him against the new found threat.")
[=
(link-reveal:"Realizing that the two malicious entities were not fully cognizant, the Lords whisked Ether away so he could heal.")
[=
(link-reveal:"While Ether meditated, Ifrit left to gather the remaining Lords so they could come up with a plan to destroy Aether and Cyton.")
[=
(link-reveal:"However, Ether had already realized that with the chaos from the Aetherians and Cytonians already spreading to every corner of the world, he would be unable to protect all that he had created.")
[=
(link-reveal:"Thus, once all the Lords were gathered, Ether ordered his children to stay out of the conflict and protect themselves and those who would come after the dust had settled.")
[=
[[Once he was rested enough, Ether set out to destroy Aether and Cyton.->The Fall of Primis]](append: ?SideBar)[\
(link:"Save")[(save-game:"file A")]
(link:"Load")[(load-game:"file A")]
]
(link-reveal:"It is the Oculus's understanding that the Cytonian race is a hive mind species with their Master, Cyton, acting as the head of the beast.")
[=
(link-reveal:"As far as we are aware, the element of Cyton is parasitic in nature and activates once the infected person(s) is deceased.")
[=
(link-reveal:"The parasite then begins to transform the individual into a Cytonian creature.")
[=
(link-reveal:"Therefore, Cyton's main form of attack was extermination and reanimation.")
[=
(link-reveal:"From the few translated Elder texts we have at our disposal, the Oculus believes that Cyton's form was non solid, and almost liquid in nature.")
[=
(link-reveal:"It is also said that his body actually absorbs the light around him, rendering him so dark that he appears flat.")
[=
(link-reveal:"This made Cyton a nigh unkillable creature as it was almost impossible to hit him, and even harder to see him coming.")
[=
(link-reveal:"As a result, Cyton had very little trouble decimating around 50% of Chao's population at the time, and returning them as his twisted creations.")
[=
(link-reveal:"Cyton's hunger was relentless, but he was not a creature without intelligence. After launching an assault on an Elder village, he consumed a manetic scholar and had them craft the first ever (text-colour:purple)[[[Soulstone->Soulstones]]].")
[=
(link-reveal:"Placing a part of his soul within the stone, he bid the relic to activate incase he was ever killed or unable to continue his conquest.")
[=
[[With his failsafes in place, Cyton set out to destroy his sister Aether, and her legion of converted soldiers.->The Fall of Primis]]Double-click this passage to edit it.(link-reveal:"My children...")
[=
(link-reveal:"I fear that this world and I are for naught")
[=
(link-reveal:"By my Father's power, I have seen it. Those two will some how cause my end")
[=
(link-reveal:"So I urge you all, my beloved children; lords over all creation. When I am done and gone, watch over this land. Do everything in your power to prevent something like this from ever happening to this world ever again.")
[=
But for now, stay out of this conflict. Protect the knowledge of this world, and pass it down to those who come after me. I will destroy these wretched reflections on my own...(link-reveal:"Given Ether's powers of premonition were undocumented before this point, coupled with the amount of energy an event like this would release, we believe that the reason behind the 13th's fragmentation is due to Ether's split into 3 beings.")
[=
(link-reveal:"The release was so massive that it actually fratcured the stability of the Universe itself, creating a seemingly infinite number of alternate realities.")
[=
(link-reveal:"In the present day, the Oculus Research Group has discovered and explored 21 of these parallel realities, some of which , differ quite drastically from what we belive is the original and proper timeline that we internally refer to as the 7th parallel or 13-7.")
[=(append: ?SideBar)[\
(link:"Save")[(save-game:"file A")]
(link:"Load")[(load-game:"file A")]
]
(link-reveal:"While we are currently unsure how, we do know that both the Black and White Soulstones were created around the same time.")
[=
(link-reveal:"One can assume that Aether somehow managed to create one of her own, or got to the scholar in the Elder village before it was attacked by Cyton.")
[=
(link-reveal:"The Soulstones themselves are actually very strange and unique relics that have not been able to be replicated since their conception.")
[=
(link-reveal:"It is the Oculus's understanding that even though most races are birthed by elemental fragmentation, the transmutation of ones soul into a conduit is currently a practice that is far beyond our understanding.")
[=
(link-reveal:"It is a common belief that the Elder races existed in a state of manetic enlightenment and had a control over the elements that users of our generation struggle to replicate.")
[=
(link-reveal:"Despite that, eras upon eras of refinement, studying, and growth have enabled future magic users to unlock new applications for the magic arts that were unexplored in the time of the Elders")
[=
(link-reveal:"It's curious to think that even though we cannot recreate the magic used back in that time, would we still be able to hold a candle to the manetic mastery of the Elder Races?
- The Oculus Research Team")
[=
<!--(more:)[(dialog: "Achievement Unlocked: Inquisitve Mind")]-->(append: ?SideBar)[\
(link:"Save")[(save-game:"file A")]
(link:"Load")[(load-game:"file A")]
]
(link-reveal:"With his creations either destroyed or assimilated and the world he had spent his entire life creating, nourishing, and cultivating in complete and utter disarray, Ether entered and unyielding rage.")
[=
(link-reveal:"Knowing his time was coming to an end, Ether vowed to destroy the two he who undid everything he had worked so hard to create.")
[=
(link-reveal:"[[Vigour flowing through his veins, Ether's first target was Cyton, the Devourer->The Fall of Primis 2]]")
[=
(append: ?SideBar)[\
(link:"Save")[(save-game:"file A")]
(link:"Load")[(load-game:"file A")]
]
(link-reveal:"Because Cyton and Aether were once a part of Ether, he could physically feel their life essence as they traversed throughout Chao.")
[=
(link-reveal:"This made hunting down his prey considerably easier, as Cyton was an ambush predator")
[=
(link-reveal:"With nowhere to run and nowhere to hide, the fight between Ether and Cyton was brief but intense")
[=
(link-reveal:"Unable to devour the source of his own creation, Cyton's abilities were completely nullified against Ether")
[=
(link-reveal:"On the other hand, Ether showed no mercy.")
[=
(link-reveal:"Repeatedly striking Cyton directly with force assumed to be the equivalent of the planet's own gravitational pull, Ether beat Cyton into a literal pulp until his squishy mass was scattered across the land.")
[=
(link-reveal:"Invoking the power of the Sacred Flame, Ether then loosed a prominence flame, reducing Cyton's essence to ash and scattering it amongst the Winds of Tragedy")
[=
[[With one threat down, all that remained now was Aether...->The Fall of Primis 3]](append: ?SideBar)[\
(link:"Save")[(save-game:"file A")]
(link:"Load")[(load-game:"file A")]
]
(link-reveal:"Sensing the sudden fall of her brother, Aether decided that her best option was to retreat, lest she succumb to the same fate as Cyton")
[=
(link-reveal:"Locking herself in a stronghold, Aether tried desperately to open a tear in the fabric of reality so she could hide in a pocket dimension")
[=
(link-reveal:"To do this, however, she would need 2 things:")
[=
(link-reveal:"1: An enormous amount of energy")
[=
(link-reveal:"2: More time than she had")
[=
[[With Ether right on her trail, Aether summoned her army to stand between her and Ether while she worked on the spell needed to tear open reality->The Fall of Primis 4]]
(link-reveal:"As Ether accelerated towards Aether's stronghold, a mass of blinding white light stood in his path. His own creations, completely devoid of color, intelligence, and life.")
[=
(append: ?SideBar)[\
(link:"Save")[(save-game:"file A")]
(link:"Load")[(load-game:"file A")]
]
(link-reveal:"Breaking free of his hesitation, Ether slaughtered his creations one by one, forcing himself to not recognize them as his own anymore.")
[=
(link-reveal:"When the last soldier fell, so too did the last tear Ether would shed on this land as he forced open the gate to Aether's stronghold.")
[=
(link-reveal:"However, his initial hesitation would give Aether just enough time to complete the spell.")
[=
(link-reveal:"With the preparations in place, Aether taunted her creator, taking advantage of his fury.")
[=
(link-reveal:"Gravely underestimating his power, Ether rushed towards Aether, moving so fast he gave off the illusion that Time itself had stopped.")
[=
(link-reveal:"As he prepared himself to deliver the finishing blow Aether whispered a haunting message into Ether's ear mere moments before the impact.")
[=
(set: $typewriterText to "Next time...")
{
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(append: ?typewriterOutput)[(print: $typewriterText's $typewriterPos)]
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(if: $typewriterPos is $typewriterText's length + 1)[
(stop:)
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{
(live: 5s)[
(stop:)
(transition: "dissolve")[[[Continue->The Fall of Primis 5]]]
]
}
(append: ?SideBar)[\
(link:"Save")[(save-game:"file A")]
(link:"Load")[(load-game:"file A")]
]
(link-reveal:"Ether's magic tore through Aether's body, absolutely eviscerating it.")
[=
(link-reveal:"The force of the impact, however, was more than enough for her to be pushed into her pocket dimension, and leaving Ether unable to pursue.")
[=
(link-reveal:"Ether, having used everything he had to destroy Aether and Cyton, was now on his last legs.")
[=
(link-reveal:"Broken now in mind, body, and spirit, he wandered the broken world of Chao, using the remainder of his energy to repair what was once a land of beauty, knowledge, and tranquility.")
[=
(link-reveal:"Yet, in spite of all that he had gone through, Ether had also unknowingly fulfilled the conditions of the Black and White Soulstones.")
[=
(link-reveal:"Now activated, the Soulstones gave birth to (text-colour:black)+(background:white)[Tetra] and (text-colour:white)[Delphius], who, both of which, were given one singular objective:")
[=
(set: $transCounter to 0)\
|sample1)[(transition: "dissolve")[(text-colour:#e03131)[''(text-style:"buoy")[Kill]'']]]
|sample2)[(transition: "dissolve")[(text-colour:#e03131)[''(text-style:"buoy")[Ether...]'']]]
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{
(live: 5s)[
(stop:)
(transition: "dissolve")[[[Chapter 1: The First Great War->Chapter 1: The First Great War]]]
]
}(append: ?SideBar)[\
(link:"Save")[(save-game:"file A")]
(link:"Load")[(load-game:"file A")]
]
(link-reveal:"With Ether in a frail and broken state, both mentally and physically, Tetra and Delphius saw fit to put him to rest post haste.")
[=
(link-reveal:"Content with his life, but caught horribly unaware, Ether didn't bother to put up a fight as the pair each cast a singular strike against him, bringing the deity to his knees.")
[=
[[With their mission completed and Ether approaching his expiration, Tetra and Delphius fled the scene, vowing death to one another in the coming years.->FGW-2]]
(append: ?SideBar)[\
(link:"Save")[(save-game:"file A")]
(link:"Load")[(load-game:"file A")]
]
(link-reveal:"In his final moments, Ether called his remaining children, the Lords of Creation, to his side")
[=
(link-reveal:"With the last of what remained of him, he charged the Lords to once again protect this world as he had failed to do, but not to interfere with the course the people of the new world decide to take")
[=
(link-reveal:"Caressing each of his children, Ether absorbed a portion of his former power from each one of them and crafted a new vessel from it")
[=
(link-reveal:"With the help of the Lord's, Ether transferred his soul into the new vessel which would henceforth be known as Chaos")
[=
(link-reveal:"But because Ether's state was so dire before transferring, he lost a massive portion of his power in addition to his prior memories being locked away")
[=
(link-reveal:"However, once the Lords had disappeared and Chaos started to gain conciousness, he found himself driven by a singular purpose:")
[=
{
(live: .5s)[
(stop:)
(transition: "dissolve")[[[[To let no harm come to Chao->FGW-3]]]]
]
}(append: ?SideBar)[\
(link:"Save")[(save-game:"file A")]
(link:"Load")[(load-game:"file A")]
]
(link-reveal:"Over the next few decades, the 3 entities created new races, drew new borders, and built massive armies to wage war across Chao once again")
[=
{
(live: 1s)[
(stop:)
(transition: "dissolve")[(link-reveal:"Choose your path:")[=
<br>
<br>
{
(live: 1s)[
(stop:)
(transition: "dissolve")[
[[Chaos->Chaos-FGW]]]
]
}
<br>
<br>
{
(live: 2s)[
(stop:)
(transition: "dissolve")[
[[Tetra->Tetra-FGW]]]
]
}
<br>
<br>
{
(live: 3s)[
(stop:)
(transition: "dissolve")[
[[Delphius->Delphius-FGW]]]
]
}
]
]
}
(dialog:"The following information is highly speculated and is subject to frequent changes. Research into the progenitors is a painstaking and lengthy task.
We here at the Oculus are dedicated to sharing information of the highest quality and accuracy with our users, however, without a general idea of what happened in the before times, we cannot give our audience the biggest picutre possible.
Therefore, we have deemed it pertinent that this information be shared, even if it is mostly just speculation at the time.
We thank you for your patience and understanding.
- The Oculus Research Team")(append: ?SideBar)[\
(link:"Save")[(save-game:"file A")]
(link:"Load")[(load-game:"file A")]
](append: ?SideBar)[\
(link:"Save")[(save-game:"file A")]
(link:"Load")[(load-game:"file A")]
]
(link-reveal:"After leaving Ether for dead, Tetra absconded to a volcanic region in North Eastern Eloria, now known as Enderteria.")
[=
(link-reveal:" Enderteria's dry and barren terrain coupled with its lava rivers and the nearby active volcanoe made it the perfect location for Tetra to build his castle.")
[=
(link-reveal:"A blackstone structure, six stories tall, Castle Netherium exudes the stench of death and fear")
[=
(link-reveal:"Its onminous presence was only amplified by the fact that it was the only structure in the vicinity, that giving off the appearance that //it// was the cause of the surrounding scenery of decay")
[=
(link-reveal:"[[With his new home completed, Tetra decided it was time to enact the next part of his plan->Tetra-FGW2]]")
[=
(append: ?SideBar)[\
(link:"Save")[(save-game:"file A")]
(link:"Load")[(load-game:"file A")]
](append: ?SideBar)[\
(link:"Save")[(save-game:"file A")]
(link:"Load")[(load-game:"file A")]
]
(link-reveal:"Spending a speculated 2 years in a hibernative state in order to condense his mana, Tetra focused deep into his core, tapping into his previously Cytonian heritage in order to split his mana, similar to his forefather Ether")
[=
(link-reveal:"Finally, upon reaching peak manetic concentration, Tetra was able to concieve")
[=
(link-reveal:"Shedding his dark essence, Tetra gave birth to 5 offspring, the original (text-colour:purple)[[[Netherians->Netherians]]]:")
[=
<br>
{
{
(live: 1s)[
(stop:)
(transition: "dissolve")[[[[Arcane->Arcane Interview Part 1]]]]
]
}
<br>
<br>
{
(live: 2s)[
(stop:)
(transition: "dissolve")[[[[Lady Noctum->Lady Noctum Interview Part 1]]]]
]
}
<br>
<br>
{
(live: 3s)[
(stop:)
(transition: "dissolve")[[[[Malkhovich->Malkhovich Interview Part 1]]]]
]
}
<br>
<br>
{
(live: 4s)[
(stop:)
(transition: "dissolve")[[[[Tengudan->Tengudan Interview Part 1]]]]
]
}
<br>
<br>
{
(live: 5s)[
(stop:)
(transition: "dissolve")[Onikirin]
]
}
<br>
<br>
{
(live: 6s)[
(stop:)
(transition: "dissolve")[Tell me more about Tetra]
]
}
}
Netherians are beings of pure Nether, using the dark energy to give themselves a solid form. Netherians use their power to attune themselves to the dark arts, even coming up with augmented versions of magic now known as the Arcane Arts. Netherians always have black hair, feathers, fur, etc. and either sport black or red eyes. Netherians are born with a contract to their Dark Master and are forced into the military at birth/creation. Netherians are also known to capture members of other races and convert them to their bloodline to increase their worldly influence. Netherians who escape service are often denied work, even in shadier forms of business such as the Thieve's Guild or Guild of Assassin. It's even rumored that the head of the Netherian Army will pay a sum to those who give up the whereabouts of his runaway children. (append: ?SideBar)[\
(link:"Save")[(save-game:"file A")]
(link:"Load")[(load-game:"file A")]
]
(dialog:"The following is an interview conducted by a member of the Oculus Research Group and the entity known as Arcane.
Some of the information discussed in this interview was previously classified and may be sensitive to some readers.
Viewer discretion is advised.")
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link:"Can you describe yourself in one word?")[
Can you describe yourself in one word?
(text-colour:#fa5252)[Brilliant...]]
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link:"How old are you?")[How old are you?
(text-colour:#fa5252)[If I were to have a guess I'd imagine around 6,000-7,000 years old.Hard to say with all of the time dialation, especially from all the time I spent in Purgatrium.]
You look like you'd be in your mid to late twenties by human standards.
(text-colour:#fa5252)[I'd rather you didn't compare me to those... //things//]
Very well, next question]
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-reveal:"What kind of education did you have growing up?")[
(text-colour:#fa5252)[Don't tell me you think I was offered an education by Tetra.]
Of course //I// don't, it's just how the question is phrased.
(text-colour:#fa5252)[Then rephrase it.]
...
How did you come to learn what you know?
(text-colour:#fa5252)[I was self educated. Years upon years toiling away amongst libraries, elder vaults, and laboratories. I earned my power, unlike many of the whelps born today.]
Weren't you born with an increased penchant for the elements and an abnormally high mana pool?
(text-colour:#fa5252)[...Next question]]
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-reveal:"What is your job?")[
(text-colour:#fa5252)[Back then I was the Netherian Army's Head of Intelligence and Research. Today I seem to be the head of answering simple questions.]]
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-reveal:"What is your relationship with religion?")
[
(text-colour:#fa5252)[Complicated.]
Care to elaborate?
*Arcane lets out a brief sigh*
(text-colour:#fa5252)[Well as you know, the Church of the dead was a surrogate church to allow my son to funnel souls to fill the Soul Catalysts with power so I could bring about armageddon.]
Right
(text-colour:#fa5252)[That said, the amount of souls I was given did catch the attention of a certain Lord of Creation]
I assume you mean Phantus
(text-colour:#fa5252)[That's the one]
There's no record of you participating in the Devil's Gambit.
(text-colour:#fa5252)[I had no interest in becoming the servant of a Lord, however, I am very interested in what his power can do for me. Though, it's been sometime since I've been in contact with him, therefore, the relationship is...//complicated//
]]
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-reveal:"What's your relationship to politics?")
[
(text-colour:#fa5252)[Politics were truly of no concern in my era. The strong lived, and the weak died. Sometimes, more than once.]]
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-reveal:"What do you do for fun or to relax?")
[
(text-colour:#fa5252)[As much as it pains me to say it, I find the small competitions between Daedalus and I to be quite enjoyable.]
It's ok to enjoy things you know?
(text-colour:#fa5252)[Next question]]
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-reveal:"What's your sense of style like and why?")
[
(text-colour:#fa5252)[I only wear robes made from silkwyrms. They offer a unique combination of style, breathability, softness, comfort, and flexibility that you can get out of most other fabrics, polymers, or silks.]
(text-colour:#fa5252)[Obtaining these silks, however, is not exactly the most enjoyable task.]
Why is that?
(text-colour:#fa5252)[Silkwyrm silk is produced from silkwyrm excrement.]
You're wearing wyrm sh-
(text-colour:#fa5252)[NEXT QUESTION!]]
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-reveal:"What are some of your important possessions and why?")
[
(text-colour:#fa5252)[The only thing I truly care about are my original manuscripts for the Arcane Arts. I highly doubt I need to explain //why// those are important.]
Can I see them?
*Arcane proceeds to laugh for the next 20-30 minutes*
Next question then...]
(t8n-depart:"dissolve")[[Continue to Part 2->Arcane Interview Part 2]]
(append: ?SideBar)[\
(link:"Save")[(save-game:"file A")]
(link:"Load")[(load-game:"file A")]
]
(dialog:"The following is an interview conducted by a member of the Oculus Research Group and the entity known as Lady Noctum conducted on REDACTED/13/REDACTED.
Some of the information discussed in this interview was previously classified and may be sensitive to some readers.
Viewer discretion is advised.")
(link-reveal:"Good day, Ms. Noctum, how are we feeling today?")
[=
(link-reveal:"(text-colour:#862e9c)[My, what a gentleman we have. I'm doing quite alright, Child of the Void. Thank you for having me come in today]")
[=
(link-reveal:"Thank you for offering your time. A lot of people are looking forward to this, so shall we get started?")
[=
(link-reveal:"(text-colour:#862e9c)[Following your lead, youngling]")
[=
(link-reveal:"Very well, let's begin.")
[=
<br>
{
(t8n: "dissolve")+(link-rerun:"Can you describe yourself in one word?")
[(if: $expand1 is false)[(show: ?1) (set: $expand1 to true)]
(elseif: $expand1 is true)[(hide: ?1) (set: $expand1 to false)]]
<br>
|1)[(text-colour:#862e9c)[Deceptive]
<br>
How so?
<br>
[(text-colour:#862e9c)[Surely Arcane has told you that there's far more to me than meets the eye?]]
<br>
He did mention something in passing, sure.
<br>
[(text-colour:#862e9c)[Well...a //Lady// never reveals her secrets...]]
<br>
Very well. On to the next qustion.
<br>
<br>
]
(t8n: "dissolve")+(link-rerun:"How old are you?")
[(if: $expand2 is false)[(show: ?2) (set: $expand2 to true)]
(elseif: $expand2 is true)[(hide: ?2) (set: $expand2 to false)]]
<br>
|2)[(text-colour:#862e9c)[Don't you know better than to ask a lady her age?]
<br>
You don't know do you?
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[Well, no. But that's hardly the point!]
<br>
It's actually the entire point of the question.
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[Ohho! You're a funny one aren't you? Very well.
<br>
No, I am not entirely sure of my approximate age. Though I'm not much more than a few years younger than Arcane. So take whatever he said subtract, let's say, 6 years.]
<br>
I take it you have no idea when your birthday is either?
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[I can't say I do Void-Child]
<br>
I guess we'll be skipping that one then.
<br>
Let's carry on.
<br>
<br>
]
(t8n: "dissolve")+(link-rerun:"What kind of education did you have growing up?")
[(if: $expand3 is false)[(show: ?3) (set: $expand3 to true)]
(elseif: $expand3 is true)[(hide: ?3) (set: $expand3 to false)]]
<br>
|3)[(text-colour:#862e9c)[I was self taught in martial swordsmanship, but trained by Tetra in advanced martial and magical combat tactics.
<br>
He would beat me relentlessly for years, day in and day out, until I was finally fast enough to block one of his attacks.]
<br>
*Lady Noctum chuckles to herself slightly*
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[Looking back on it now, it's actually quite funny. He was a mage for fuck's sake, and here I am, one of the most powerful bladesman in all of Chao getting her ass beat by a magician. How pathetic...]
<br>
We all have to start somewhere right?
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[I suppose that's a rather pedestrian way of looking at it, sure. But you're not wrong. Tetra beat me into perfection. Now I could whoop his skinny ass any day in hand to hand combat. Magic was never really my strong suit though.]
<br>
Do you think your training had a positive or a negative effect on you and your relationship with Tetra?
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[Well I am his betrothed if that wasn't painstakingly obvious. Tetra was hard and violent with me because he knew that the world would be nothing less to us. Delphius and his minions spent many years pumping out Pro Sethirian propaganda.
<br>
Tetra was wise enough to recognize that because of this, us Demonkin would always be painted as the bad guys. However, we were more than happy to fulfill that role, and I believe it inveitably made us stronger.]
<br>
Very insightful response. Thank you.
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[My pleasure]
<br>
<br>
]
(t8n: "dissolve")+(link-rerun:"What was your job during the war?")
[(if: $expand4 is false)[(show: ?4) (set: $expand4 to true)]
(elseif: $expand4 is true)[(hide: ?4) (set: $expand4 to false)]]
<br>
|4)[(text-colour:#862e9c)[Tetra appointed me as Head of Military Operations. I was essentially in charge of our day to day operations on the battlefield.
<br>
I was first on and last off. I saw the most blood and caused the most too.
<br>
Prior to this, however, I was the army's Blacksmith, at least before I was tasked with seeking out and opening the Aetherian Gates.]
<br>
What was so important about the gates?
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[Well they weren't important at first, mind you. I just happned to stumble across one while searching for a suitable landscape to mine for ores.
<br>
That's when I came across the living armor.]
<br>
The (text-colour:purple)[[[Armatura->Armatura]]]?
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[Sure yeah, whatever. Anyway, They had this cute little village so I decided to pop in and speak with some of the locals, you know? Gather some information about the area?]
<br>
Right.
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[They were pretty kind and their Elder told me pretty much everything I wanted to know, but they warned me not to go into the nearby forest because there was //dangerous magics afoot//.
<br>
So obviously I did it anyway.]
<br>
Naturally.
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[I came across the massive glowing door, bright as the sun, and covered in runes from a langauge I'd never seen before. In addition, the thing was like, //moving//.]
<br>
Moving?
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[Like pulsating and writhing. It looked like it was alive. When I started taking notes, their militia came out of the fold and forced me away. It was then that I knew I had come across something special.]
<br>
So then what happened?
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[Well I ran back to Enderteria to tell Tetra the news. He gives me a small force to go subjugate the village so we could get to work on opening the damn thing up. Arcane was also told to work on translating the runes.
<br>
Heading back to the village, the Armaturians-]
<br>
//Armatura//
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[Whatever, the Armatura! Whatever you want to call them! They had ammassed quite a force in anticipation of our return. Unfortunately for them, however, they stood no chance against my combat prowess. We took everything from them, sent about 500 hundred back to Enderteria on slave ships and kept the older ones around in case we needed more information.
<br>
Of course, at the time, I had no idea what that massive door was. I definitely didn't know it was Aetherian in nature. The second I touched that thing, I could feel Her just... //watching me...// I had never been so scared in my life.
<br>
Needless to say, within the fraction of time I had my hands on the Gate, Aether had nearly robbed me of my life, and Tetra was there to pull me away from it.]
<br>
He saved your life.
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[Yes. Yes he did...]
<br>
*There is a brief moment of silence*
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[Anyway, after I had regained my senses, Tetra and I started //interrogating// the Elder so he'd tell us how to open the Gate.]
<br>
Care to share?
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[Well, since you asked //so// nicely.
<br>
He told us that we would need a blade sharp enough to gouge the door's flesh and carve our own opening. It was literally the perfect task for a blacksmith such as myself.
<br>
I used a mixture of Tetra's and my own blood, a bit of Blackmetal from Enderteria, and weaved some Netherian incatations into a dagger so sharp it could cut you from just //thinking// about it. My finest creation.]
<br>
The Noctum Blade
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[Bingo! Once it was done, Tetra gave me the high honor of slicing that thing open from bottom to top. I could hear Her in my head //''(text-style:"shudder")[screaming]''// the whole time. It was like music.
<br>
And just like that, I had access to the Gate and all the weapons stored inside. And since I held the key, only I could open it, from anywhere, at any time.]
<br>
<br>
]
(t8n: "dissolve")+(link-rerun:"Do you have any relationships with the various religions practiced in Chao?")
[(if: $expand5 is false)[(show: ?5) (set: $expand5 to true)]
(elseif: $expand5 is true)[(hide: ?5) (set: $expand5 to false)]]
<br>
|5)[(text-colour:#862e9c)[Are you referring to the //Lords// or all of the false churches scattered about the place?]
<br>
Not anything in particular. Doesn't seem like many of you all have any religious affiliation.
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[You have to understand love, most people back then worshipped //us//.]
<br>
That is a fair point.
<br>
<br>
]
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-rerun:"What's your relationship to politics?")
[(if: $expand6 is false)[(show: ?6) (set: $expand6 to true)]
(elseif: $expand6 is true)[(hide: ?6) (set: $expand6 to false)]]
<br>
|6)[(text-colour:#862e9c)[The nature of world politics was and is not something I concern myself with. As I was the head of the military, I was rather unconcerned with how the world's governments viewed our actions. Especially since if anyone ever had a problem we'd just end them.
<br>
In any case, matters of diplomacy back then were usually left up to Tengudan.]
<br>
Really? Tengudan?
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[Ha! I know how that sounds. It wasn't really a matter of tact, Tengudan just got to places faster than the rest of us.]
<br>
Weirdly enough, that makes sense.
<br>
<br>
]
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-rerun:"What do you do for fun or to relax?")
[(if: $expand7 is false)[(show: ?7) (set: $expand7 to true)]
(elseif: $expand7 is true)[(hide: ?7) (set: $expand7 to false)]]
<br>
|7)[(text-colour:#862e9c)[Relaxing was not something I was really given the privilige to do during the war. Nowadays it seems I have leisure time in droves. When the war was going on though, I found peace on the battlefield.
<br>
Entrenched in the blood and entrails of the opposition I found solace. Letting my blades flow freely through anyone and everyone that stood against me was like performing a choreography. My enemies were always lined up so nice and neat to be cut down.]
<br>
Do you take pleaseure in killing?
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[I take pleasure in my strength. I take pride in knowing that even the fiercest warriors from both opposing factions feared what I would do to them if they ever made a mistake.
<br>
The only person who ever stood on my level was Hydra.]
<br>
Were the two of you close?
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[You could probably equate our relationship to that of Arcane's and Daedalus's. We were rivals, but she matched my fury so beatufully. I wish I could've convinced her to change sides.]
<br>
Do you really think that she would've abandonded her family?
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[I think I was close to turning her. But then she had that brat child who went and ruined everthing]
<br>
Larathius?
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[Ugh, yes. As soon as she had a child, her whole energy changed. She became so calm and tranquil.
<br>
I hated it!
<br>
I hated her!
<br>
I just-]
<br>
*Lady Noctum pauses and takes a deep breath*
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[I just wish that I didn't have to kill her the way I did.]
<br>
You killed Hydra?
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[It was my blade, yes, but it was on Tetra's order. I wanted us to fight to the death in glorious combat. Instead, I had to strike her down while she protected her loved ones.
<br>
She didn't even fight back...]
<br>
Sounds like you regret it.
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[Hells no! I'm just furious that it had to end like that. The same way I'm sure Arcane would be livid if Daedalus just keeled over one day. We hated each other, but we respected one another's power.
<br>
Her strength was something I could recognize and align with. It pains me to see it squandered.]
<br>
I think I understand. Let's move on shall we?
<br>
<br>
]
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-rerun:"What's your sense of style like and why?")
[(if: $expand8 is false)[(show: ?8) (set: $expand8 to true)]
(elseif: $expand8 is true)[(hide: ?8) (set: $expand8 to false)]]
<br>
|8)[(text-colour:#862e9c)[Oh, curious about my body are we Void-Child? Let me think on that for a moment.]
<br>
*Lady Noctum pauses in contemplation for a few seconds*
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[Hmm...
<br>
I suppose it would depend on the scenario. On the field of battle, I'm usually decked out in my Armaturian plate armor. Slash, pierce, and impact resistant with the added bonus of being sentient.]
<br>
What bonus does that add exactly?
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[It still actively fears for it's own life, so it'll warn me if I'm about to get hit.]
<br>
Morally, there's a lot of things wrong with you and Tetra wearing another being for your own safety but we can discuss that in greater detail later.
<br>
What about your non-combat dress?
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[Well that's the thing, my dear Void-Child, I'm always dressed to kill.]
<br>
I don't know how I feel about you smiling at me like that.
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[Oh come on! We're //friends// aren't we?]
<br>
Can we please get back on topic?
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[Oh fine, fine.
<br>
My informal wear is usually black silkwyrm dresses or leather bodysuits. They don't offer much in terms of overall protection, but they certainly make things a lot more breathable in certain //places//.]
<br>
Please don't wink at me like that.
<br>
*Lady Noctum throws her head back and laughs quite loudly*
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[I'm sorry, I'm sorry. you're just so cute when you're uncomfortable. This is definitely going to be my new thing.]
<br>
Let's just move on please.
<br>
<br>
]
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-rerun:"What are some of your important possessions and why?")
[(if: $expand9 is false)[(show: ?9) (set: $expand9 to true)]
(elseif: $expand9 is true)[(hide: ?9) (set: $expand9 to false)]]
<br>
|9)[(text-colour:#862e9c)[Honestly, I don't value many material things. I've always been pretty //hands-on//-]
<br>
I'm gonna tell Tetra if you don't stop
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[Oh fine! You're no fun.
<br>
As I was saying, I've always been pretty capable of just crafting whatever I needed. If something broke, I would either fix it or just make another one.]
<br>
Is there anything that you'd hate to lose?
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[My Noctum Blades of course.]
<br>
So thats a confirmed plurality?
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[Yes. I crafted 6 blades in total. We had presumed that there would be around 5 or 6 doors in total so I made enough keys for all of them and sent them out into the world. I aslo spiced them up a bit so whoever found one would be given a fraction of my power, but also be compelled to seek out the other doors.]
<br>
I understand the idea of having others find the doors for you, but If the others found the blades and the doors, wouldn't they have access to the treasures instead of you?
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[That's the beauty of decpetion dear Void-Child. The Blades are made with my blood, therefore when it pierces the door's flesh and the blood intermingles, it immediately comes under my control.
<br>
At the end of the day, everyone wants to say it was //their// idea. Letting them believe that they were serving some higher purpose until I could come and collect the spoils turned out pretty favorably.]
<br>
Did you ever find any additional Gates?
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[Three more gates were opened by my thralls, who were promptly executed shortly afterwards. There was one key-owner, however, a Kitsune, who I took a particular liking to.
<br>
He never found any doors and he would waste his time with these mindless insignificants, but despite his uselessness, I allowed him to keep the blade and carry on my dark work.
<br>
Funny little guy. I wonder how he is.]
<br>
You think he's still alive?
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[I have a feeling I'll see him again soon enough.]
<br>
<br>
]
(t8n-depart:"dissolve")[(t8n-depart:"dissolve")[[Continue to Part 2->Lady Noctum Interview Part 2]]]
}
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(set: $expand9 to false)(append: ?SideBar)[\
(link:"Save")[(save-game:"file A")]
(link:"Load")[(load-game:"file A")]
]
(dialog:"The following is an interview conducted by a member of the Oculus Research Group and the entity known as Malkhovich conducted on REDACTED/17/REDACTED.
Some of the information discussed in this interview was previously classified and may be sensitive to some readers.
Viewer discretion is advised.")
{
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-reveal:"Good Morning Malkhovich, how are you today?")
[=
<br>
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-reveal:"(text-colour:#0047ab)[There is not a single day that goes by where I do not long for the comfort of my home of ice and brimstone.]")
[=
<br>
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-reveal:"Don't worry, this shouldn't take too long and afterwards you'll be free to return to the Nine Hells.")
[=
<br>
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-reveal:"(text-colour:#0047ab)[Let's make this quick then shall we?]")
[=
<br>
(t8n: "dissolve")+(link-rerun:"Can you describe yourself in one word?")
[(if: $expand1 is false)[(show: ?1) (set: $expand1 to true)]
(elseif: $expand1 is true)[(hide: ?1) (set: $expand1 to false)]]
<br>
|1)[(text-colour:#0047ab)[Indifferent.]
<br>
Interesting choice. Care to elaborate?
<br>
(text-colour:#0047ab)[There is a certain //calm// one experiences when they spend so much time around death. Coming to the realization that, in the greater scheme, nothing we do matters as in the end we all return to the Mana from which we are born enables one with an uncanny sense of peace...
<br>
And lethargy.]
<br>
Do you not think the actions taken in the war matter?
<br>
(text-colour:#0047ab)[In the end, our actions served to bring about the destruction and destitution of millions of indiviuduals who, in their despair, eventually found their way to me, filled with a similar sense of peace and finality.]
<br>
<br>
]
(t8n: "dissolve")+(link-rerun:"Is there even a point to asking you how old you are?")
[(if: $expand2 is false)[(show: ?2) (set: $expand2 to true)]
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<br>
|2)[(text-colour:#0047ab)[In the interest of saving time, I'm going to have to say no.]
<br>
I'm really going to need to find a different question for you guys...
<br>
(text-colour:#0047ab)[It would seem so...]
<br>
<br>
]
(t8n: "dissolve")+(link-rerun:"What kind of education did you have growing up?")
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<br>
|3)[(text-colour:#0047ab)[An education? It tickles me to think that you believe I was privileged enough to have one.]
<br>
It doesn't necessarily have to be a formal one. Surely you learned something in your early life?
<br>
(text-colour:#0047ab)[I was taught very quickly that life itself is a cruel and unfair game and that some are born into it with far greater advantages than others.
<br>
I was taught that the hoarding and coveting of power will often precipitate a rapid and dizzying fall.
<br>
I was taught that Life and Death are entities that share a single form, and to experience death is to experience life in it's entirety.]
<br>
Would you be willing to expand on some of these teachings?
<br>
(text-colour:#0047ab)[...
<br>
I suppose I could indulge you...]
<br>
(text-colour:#0047ab)[I was born much weaker than my elder brother and sister. I was a gaunt and sickly child. Thin and wretched. Clearly my appearance hasn't changed much since then...
<br>
I believe that Arcane, in all his manetic perfection, stole what essence was supposed to belong to me during Tetra's shedding.
<br>
Nevertheless, I was born with great intelligence and a fascination with the Cycle, but without the strength or the means to put them into practice.]
<br>
You were born without command of the elements right?
<br>
(text-colour:#0047ab)[That is correct. Only a feeble grasp over Netherian magic, not nearly enough to sate my father's hunger for conquest.
<br>
As such, I was looked down upon by my elder siblings, doted on even. I know they care a great deal for me, however, their sympathy is a result of pity. Nothing more, nothing less.]
<br>
Do you resent them for this?
<br>
(text-colour:#0047ab)[I do not resent them for their concern. But it is pity that didn't ask for nor need. I managed to get by on my own.
<br>
But seeing them in all their glory, their power, it corrupted me. I was envious.]
<br>
And what came of that jealousy?
<br>
(text-colour:#0047ab)[The Nine Hells...]
<br>
<br>
]
(t8n: "dissolve")+(link-rerun:"So how exactly did you create the Nine Hells?")
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<br>
|4)[(text-colour:#0047ab)[The past feels like it was such long time ago. It may take me a minute to recall everything that happened around that time. ]
<br>
By all means, take your time.
<br>
(text-colour:#0047ab)[...
<br>
Many moons ago when Arcane was conferring with the Elements, I stole away into one of his laboratories.
<br>
Not looking for anything in particular, I stumbled across a partially completed scroll that had an incantation for opening dimensional tears.
<br>
I quickly swiped the parchment and hid myslef in my room for days trying to finish the incantation.]
<br>
//Malkhovich pauses for a moment//
<br>
(text-colour:#0047ab)[It was the foolishness of youth I suppose, wanting my father to take pride in me.
<br>
Once I thought I had the incantation figured out I called the entire family outside to witness what I could do. For a moment, everything seemed to be going well.
<br>
Then without warning I was met with the inky blackness of the void with the image of my elder brother's horrified face seared into my memory.
<br>
I was spit out onto a cold stone floor, greeted by a vast expense of nothingness spread out infinitely in every direction.
<br>
I was trapped in a prison of my own design.]
<br>
<br>
]
(t8n: "dissolve")+(link-rerun:"With no way out of the Nine, how did you manage all by yourself?")
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<br>
|5)[(text-colour:#0047ab)[There is no greater sensation of fear, being ripped away from familiarity and thrown into a chasm of unknowns.
<br>
I spent many days catatonic, just waiting and hoping for my family to come for me. The longer I waited the more jaded I became. It was a slow and painful realization that no one was going to come for me.
<br>
However, being trapped there was not entirely without merit.]
<br>
How so?
<br>
(text-colour:#0047ab)[My Father, unhallowed be his name, would constantly berate me for my frailty and weakness. But here in my own world, I could escape that torment. In a way, this “prison” was really my salvation.
<br>
No longer would I have to deal with the pressures of being the inferior little brother.
<br>
No longer would I always be searching for even the smallest modicum of acceptance from my Father.
<br>
No longer would I be bound to the shackles of a war that I had nor wanted anything to do with.
<br>
I was finally free to research the Cycle at my leisure. In doing so, I would grasp an understanding of Life and Death that no other creature would ever be able to comprehend.]
<br>
With no resources or tools at your disposal, how did you manage to accomplish this?
<br>
(text-colour:#0047ab)[It was difficult at first. I mostly just sat still and reflected, theorizing day after day over the consequences of the Cycle, until I heard a voice.
<br>
It was quiet and unintelligible. But it echoed throughout the entire dimension. Then it became two voices. Then three, then four.
<br>
The more I focused the more I could hear and make out. The further I walked, the stranger the voices became.
<br>
It wasn’t long before I could see the souls of the beings above me. Visible but untouchable, tainted purity behind a wall of black glass.
<br>
It was then that I realized the relationship between Chao and the Nine.]
<br>
And that relationship is?
<br>
(text-colour:#0047ab)[Just who do you think you are to believe you're special enough to inherit my supreme knowledge?]
<br>
Oh, I didn't mean to impose.
<br>
(text-colour:#0047ab)[Fret not, I was merely practicing my Arcane impression. Seems like I got you pretty good.]
<br>
Yeah...Good one...
<br>
(text-colour:#0047ab)[Anyways...]
<br>
(text-colour:#0047ab)[I had realized that the souls above me were native citizens of Chao. Billions of dancing lights puppeted above me in such glorious fashion, each one performing the splendid choreography of Life.]
<br>
I dont think I quite understand.
<br>
(text-colour:#0047ab)[The Nine exists as Chao’s inner reflection, like a mirror world, except the Nine is more of an unpopulated vessel. The souls I saw above could be brought here to continue their journey.
<br>
The only challenge I faced then was how I could make this happen.]
<br>
<br>
]
(t8n: "dissolve")+(link-rerun:"How did you manage to start populating the Nine?")
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<br>
|6)[(text-colour:#0047ab)[That task was far more sadness than I would have ever hoped to endure in my immortal lifetime.]
<br>
//Malkhovich lets out a brief sigh and rubs his eyes before regaining his composure//
<br>
(text-colour:#0047ab)[It is common knowledge that 1st - 3rd generational offspring return to their original source of mana when they die. But we were entering an age where love and emotion could bring about new life; life that had a real, tangible soul and not just a tangled mess of incompatible Manas.
<br>
I wanted to give these souls a home, but in order to do so, I had to face my own inadequacies.]
<br>
What did you do?
<br>
(text-colour:#0047ab)[Initially, I returned to the location of Castle Noctum and listened to Arcane’s teachings on Soul Magic: How to create a soul vessel, how to tether a soul to a vessel, how to release a soul from the vessel. I absorbed all of this knowledge in haste and began putting it into practice on a grand scale.
<br>
I had the largest potential soul vessel in existence at my disposal; a massive barren landscape with hundreds of thousands of miles of empty space that needed to be purified and tamed.]
<br>
So how'd you do it?
<br>
//Malkhovich lets out a lengthy yeawn//
<br>
(text-colour:#0047ab)[I used my own soul to merge with the plane. The Nine became an extension of my body that I could control at will. It contains my dreams, my memories, my will. We are one and the same.
<br>
With an acceptable soul conduit acting as the anchor, I could finally begin bringing the wayward souls of Chao to their new home, and the very first of these souls was that of my first born son, Pride.]
<br>
Could you tell us a bit about Pride?
<br>
(text-colour:#0047ab)[Hmmmmm…
<br>
I suppose for this tale I should start from the very beginning…
<br>
<br>
Walking around the outskirts of where Kandendra should be, I came across a couple with a sickly young son. Plagued with constant headaches, the poor boy would constantly smash his head against random objects in an effort to make the pain stop.
<br>
Oftentimes he would hit his head so hard his skull would crack open and you could see his exposed brain within its enclosure.
<br>
His parents were rather poor and could barely support themselves, let alone pay for the medical treatment for this child. They still, however, did everything they could to keep him safe and happy.
<br>
For months I watched them toil away, day after day collecting tribute for their lord just to survive, and using what little extra they had to buy treatment for their eternally damaged son.
<br>
One evening while the couple was out collecting the community harvest, the boy had a particularly bad episode and repeatedly smashed his head against the stone wall of his home.
<br>
His soul began turning a bright red and danced furiously as his cranium began painting the walls.
<br>
I yelled and screamed and begged him to stop, worrying so much about the pain his parents would have to endure once they returned.
<br>
But my requests would fall on deaf ears as he would continue to break his head apart until nothing was left but a mushy red paste.
<br>
His soul tiptoed above me in a crimson red visage, mocking the blood that now covered the stone walls of his home. Mustering the last of my composure, I reached past the veil, tethered the soul to the Nine and pulled it past the glass.
<br>
As his soul began to regain a solid form, tears filled my eyes as I embraced the poor child. ]
<br>
//Malkhovich pauses once again//
<br>
(text-colour:#0047ab)[For hours, I held the boy there as he kept muttering the same phrase over and over again in Demonic:
<br>
//Me’Kheras Tekemakhtahs// which roughly translates to //The tectonics of the mind are ever shifting// or more simply //My brain trembles//.
<br>
I was distraught for many moons after that. I wanted to send the boy back to his grieving parents and I had the means to do so, but once again my haste would get the better of me.]
<br>
What happened?
<br>
(text-colour:#0047ab)[I found the location where his parents buried his body and used the soul vessel release technique to try and retether the soul back to the body.
<br>
As I was rushing, I failed to do any proper calculations and I overcharged my mana. Nevertheless, the boy was sent back to the land of the living, but as a horrifying creature walking a line between life and death.
<br>
Much like his //father//, he was gaunt, and sickly looking. Big round black eyes with white pupils bulged from their sockets, never blinking. Spindly fingers with exposed bone poking through the skin, sharpened and deadly. His head was half opened on the left side and would leak a brownish red liquid. And his smile; wide, brown, and perpetual. I’d given birth to a monster.
<br>
He traveled back to his old parish expecting his father and mother to greet him with open arms, but he was met with horrified screams that ended with his father pounding his head in with a steel rod until there was nothing left but mist and sinew.]
<br>
Lords...that’s horrible.
<br>
(text-colour:#0047ab)[It was my own fault. Fortunately, Pride’s soul was able to return to the Nine in his original form, but it was my own miscalculations that brought such pain to this child. I should’ve never sent him back in the first place.]
<br>
What do you mean?
<br>
(text-colour:#0047ab)[There was no way that child should’ve known a lick of the Demonic tongue. When I tethered his soul the first time, some of my mana must have corrupted the tether. When he died, he became my blood, my son, my Pride.]
<br>
<br>
]
(t8n-depart:"dissolve")[[[Could you tell us a bit more about how the Nine operates?->The Nine Hells]]]
<br>
<br>
(t8n-depart:"dissolve")[[[Continue to Part 2->Malkhovich Interview Part 2]]]
}
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I'm next? Oh joy. I just //looove// sitting in one spot for days on end. (append: ?SideBar)[\
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(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-reveal:"Ok so for part 2 of the interview we're going to be talking about your relationships. Is that ok?")
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(link-reveal:"(text-colour:#fa5252)[Carry on]")
[=
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-reveal:"How would you describe your relationship with the following individuals:")
[=
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-reveal:"Tetra")
[
(text-colour:#fa5252)[As much as I admire my creator, I do have my fair share of criticisms about how he ran things. I do enjoy his company and respect his power and authority. He is my creator and Father, but he's also my colleague. It makes our relationship somewhat difficult to describe.]
]
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-reveal:"Lady Noctum")
[
(text-colour:#fa5252)[I don't say this lightly, but she terrifies me. Lady is a horrifying being whose terror is only second to Tetra's. Actually, she honestly might surpass him.]
Why do you say that? She seems like an agreeable person.
(text-colour:#fa5252)[You also seem to think that about Tetra, but you weren't there during the war were you?]
No...I suppose not.
(text-colour:#fa5252)[Just trust me when I tell you that she is far more powerful than she lets on...Next question]
]
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-reveal:"Malkhovich")
[
(text-colour:#fa5252)[Ah my pitiful dear brother. Despite how things may seem, I actually care for young Malkhovich quite a bit. I'm not sure if I'd like to use the word //distressed//, but his imprisonment in the Nine when we were fledglings was the primary reason I spent so much time looking into opening pocket dimensions. ]
You were trying to save your little brother?
(text-colour:#fa5252)[I suppose you could put it that way.]
Interesting...
(text-colour:#fa5252)[Wipe that smirk off your face child. Next question.]
]
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-reveal:"Tengudan")
[
(text-colour:#fa5252)[On to the half-breeds hm? Very well.
Tengudan and I rarely saw eye to eye, but he was reliable enough and he got results. He expanded on some Dark magic ideologies that I hadn't even thought of when I was drafting the original manuscripts, which was impressive to say the least.]
Did you two fight a lot?
(text-colour:#fa5252)[He had a tendency to slack off during the war. There were a lot of tasks that Tetra had assigned to him that he just passed on to his own suboordinates to accomplish. As a result I ended up with a lot of half assed data to work with for my strategies. ]
Why did you call him a half-breed?
(text-colour:#fa5252)[Well there's a clear distinction between himself, Onikirin, and the rest of us, yes? Tetra employed a bit of Cytonian logic with that one's creation and simply overwhelmed his body with Netherian magic, thus fully converting him. He wasn't split directly from the source like the rest of us, hence his considerably lower power ceiling.
That being said, however, I believe Shasper put it quite nicely when he said "you don't need to be strong if you can kill them in one shot". That is a sentiment that Tengudan employed better than anyone else in our generation.]
]
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-reveal:"Onikirin")
[
(text-colour:#fa5252)[Not too much to be said about this one. In our few hundred years together I think I maybe had 3 conversations with him. Not one to talk much, which I can appreciate.]
]
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-reveal:"Sepulcher")
[
(text-colour:#fa5252)[There are many things I could say about my little brother, in all honesty. Sepulcher was a twisted individual, and I don't mean that in malicious sense. Something very much had to be wrong with his head for him to fraternize with the enemy the way he did.]
Do you think being the only Netherian that was conceived from two individuals might've had something to do with it?
(text-colour:#fa5252)[I certainly think that his unusual birthing played a part in his mindset. For all of his flaws, Sepulcher was a good kid who only sought his father's affection, as we all did, at first at least.
I think when Tetra killed him the first time, that image of his perfect father was shattered and he just continued to lash out.
Despite that, his loyalty to the Netherian cause was unquestionable, even if his methods went directly against his father's wishes.]
*Arcane stares off for a brief period*
Do you have anything else you want to add?
(text-colour:#fa5252)[I wonder if the time spent in Purgatrium had any effect on his mind? Perhaps the dimensional instability had some adverse effects on him that I didn't quite think of when Tetra threw him in there. I'll have to conduct some experiments.]
]
[[Continue to Part 3->Arcane Interview Part 3]](append: ?SideBar)[\
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(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-reveal:"For our next section we're going to be discussing your personality.")
[=
(link-reveal:"(text-colour:#fa5252)[Oh joy...]")
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(link-reveal:"Don't act like you're not loving all of this attention.")
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(link-reveal:"(text-colour:#fa5252)[I-]")
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(link-reveal:"(text-colour:#fa5252)[How dare y-]")
[=
(link-reveal:"(text-colour:#fa5252)[...]")
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(link-reveal:"(text-colour:#fa5252)[Let's just get on with this...]")
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{
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-rerun:"What are some of your unique powers and advantages?")
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<br>
|1)[(text-colour:#fa5252)[Excellent question! Let's see...
<br>
I display complete and total mastery over the 12 Elements and am the most powerful Dark Magic user in the Multiverse.
<br>
Through extensive research I was able to master the creation of new dimensions as well as being able to move through them and bend them to my will.
<br>
My intelligence is incomparable, my power immeasurable, and my will unbreakable. I am the pinnacle of the magical arts, the hope that all should aspire to, but none will ever reach.]
<br>
Right...Lets move on
<br>
<br>
]
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-rerun:"What are some of your weaknesses and disadvantages?")
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|2)[(text-colour:#fa5252)[You truly expect me to divulge that information for the whole world to hear? Absolutely not!]
<br>
Surely if you're so powerful then it wouldn't matter if people know you're weaknesses right?
<br>
(text-colour:#fa5252)[...]
<br>
(text-colour:#fa5252)[You're trying to manipulate me...]
<br>
Perhaps just a little bit. Is it working?
<br>
*There's a period of silence for about 4-5 minutes*
<br>
(text-colour:#fa5252)[Not that it isn't already well known, but sources of bright light are a particular nuisance.
<br>
I've also been told that I'm rather callous and "more like my father than I'd care to admit".]
<br>
Does being compared to Tetra bother you?
<br>
(text-colour:#fa5252)[In a way it's an honor to be compared to the winner of the war.]
<br>
That's still up for deba-
<br>
(text-colour:#fa5252)[Allow me to finish please.]
<br>
(text-colour:#fa5252)[As I was saying, in a way it's an honor to be compared to Tetra. He's a powerful being and essentially a deity. However, people tend to compare me to the worst parts of my father and that's what irks me.]
<br>
That's actually pretty relateable. Thank you for sharing.
<br>
(text-colour:#fa5252)[Hmph. It matters very little.]
<br>
There it is. Let's continue shall we?
<br>
<br>
]
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-rerun:"If someone were to describe you, what would they say are your best personality traits?")
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|3)[(text-colour:#fa5252)[Highly intelligent, wise beyond my years]
<br>
(text-colour:#fa5252)[Ambitious]
<br>
(text-colour:#fa5252)[Regal]
<br>
(text-colour:#fa5252)[On the precipice of omnipotence]
<br>
Anything else?
<br>
(text-colour:#fa5252)[Need anything else be said?]
<br>
I suppose not...
<br>
<br>
]
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-rerun:"What are some of your worst traits?")
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|4)[(text-colour:#fa5252)[Hmmm, I suppose I've been called //difficult to work with// in the past.
<br>
Daedalus calls me pompous and insecure.
<br>
Tetra calls me a //headass// which I have no doubt he learned from you or Shasper]
<br>
That is very likely, yes.
<br>
(text-colour:#fa5252)[The most constructive criticism I believe I've received is that I'm //unsociable//]
<br>
Well you did spend most of your time locked away in a library
<br>
Or locked away in a laboratory
<br>
Or locked away in an alternate dimension.
<br>
So yeah, I'd say your people skills could use some work.
<br>
(text-colour:#fa5252)[That's rich coming from you, Void-Child]
<br>
Hey, I'm the interviewer here. Let's carry on.
<br>
<br>
]
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-rerun:"What do you believe is the best thing that could happen to you?")
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|5)[(text-colour:#fa5252)[If I may be frank, I think the move towards peace has been rather beneficial to my studies. I'm able to get a lot more done now that I'm not constantly preparing for assaults or converting prisoners.
<br>
However, I was created for the purpose of war, and war is what I long for. I enjoy this peace, but peace is rather...//boring//.
<br>
Given the current circumstances, I'd exterminate an entire country for the opportunity to go head to head with Malthael or Calthael again.]
<br>
Arcane, you commit mass murder anymore.
<br>
(text-colour:#fa5252)[I'm unable to do much of anything these days, it would seem...]
<br>
<br>
]
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-rerun:"In a similar vein, what do you think is the worst thing that could happen to you?")
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|6)[(text-colour:#fa5252)[I suppose one of my biggest concerns is being shoved into a rock for a few milennia]
<br>
That seems a bit in bad taste
<br>
(text-colour:#fa5252)[It's the objective truth. Because of the nature of our elemental composition, true Netherians are more or less unkillable, therefore, the best way to dispose of us is to shove us into some kind of soul imprisonment device.
<br>
I'd genuinely rather be dead than imprisoned in a rock]
<br>
Fair enough...
<br>
That just about does it for this interview. Thank you for your time, patience and information.
<br>
(text-colour:#fa5252)[It's my pleasure. It wasn't nearly as unbearable as I imagined.]
<br>
*End of recording*
<br>
<br>
]
}
[[Continue->Arcane Synopsis]]
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{
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{
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{
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(transition:"dissolve")[(link-reveal:"His childhood, brief as it was, was spent holed up in libraries, laboratories, or alternate dimensions, forever seeking a new method to his madness and increasing his power even further.")
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(t8n:"dissolve")[(link-reveal:"During the First Great War, Arcane was Tetra's right hand man and served as the Netherian Army's Head of Intelligence and Research meaning he was in charge of planning the movements of the army, sowing seeds of destruction, and discovering new tools and tactics for the army to have at its disposal.")
[=
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(t8n:"dissolve")[(link-reveal:"Beyond these tasks, Arcane often found himself in contention with the other two grand mages from the opposing armies: Calthael of the Sethirians, and Daedalus of the Ethereals.")
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(t8n:"dissolve")[(link-reveal:"Within the Netherian Army, Arcane tended to keep to himself, but has a bit of a soft spot for his younger brother Malkhovich. Though he rarely fraternized with his family members, Arcane is wise enough to recognize the powers they wield and respect what they accomplished during the war.")
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(t8n:"dissolve")[(link-reveal:"Always determined to be one step ahead of everyone around him, Arcane has a tendency to look down on those of lower intelligence or proficiency, but to his credit, that is most people. As such, he finds it somewhat difficult to make connections, and struggles to understand how his actions affect those around him.")
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(t8n:"dissolve")[(link-reveal:"All in all, Arcane is a terrifying creature who wields not only incredible power, but the intelligence to make that power work for him. He's the kind of individual who would obliterate you on the field of battle and give you a lecture on why you're losing while he's doing it.")
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{
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{
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Once thought to be a slave race of Netherian design, specifically created to help the Netherian War Effort, new reasearch has shown that the Armatura are possibly the remnants of an Elder Race of sentient armor. However, ever since, Lady Noctum stumbled upon the first Aetherian Gate the Armatura have been in servitude to the Netherian army, bolstering their defenses to unimaginable heights, only to be scrapped and thrown away once they’ve been worn out.
Being armor, however, the Armatura have not simply withered or rusted away. Recent discoveries have shown that during the First Great War, scrapped Armatura made their way to Kainesith for repairs then left the 4 main continents for some remote landscape, untouched by the influence of the war. Today, this expanse is now a living mechanical organism, known as Deus. Approaching it is impossible as the walls are high and impenetrable.
Because Armatura are literally made of armor, they do not have bodies at all and exist as floating pieces of armor held together by some kind of magical force. How they speak is a mystery, even to the Nimbian and Vampyrys Scholars.
Since being created only to serve as a shield for the wily Netherian army, the Armatura have dedicated their new lease on life to pacifism and research, only leaving their home when absolutely necessary. Armatura that venture out from Deus are often scholars, searching for new metals and alloys to help fortify their new home. However, some Armatura seek revenge for the torment that was placed upon them while under servitude and venture out to destroy the Netherian war machine.
The Armaturan populace is small, yet strong. Being a constructed race, they have a semblance of immortality, yet can still decay from effects such as rust, or fraying. Armatura require constant maintenance to stay at peak performance, but can essentially do so indefinitely.(append: ?SideBar)[\
(link:"Save")[(save-game:"file A")]
(link:"Load")[(load-game:"file A")]
]
{
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-reveal:"Ok so for part 2 of the interview we're going to be talking about your relationships. Is that ok?")
[=
<br>
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-reveal:"(text-colour:#862e9c)[I suppose that should be just fine]")
[=
<br>
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-reveal:"Great! Lets jump into it")
[=
<br>
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-reveal:"How would you describe your relationship with the following individuals:")
[=
<br>
<br>
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-rerun:"Tetra")
[(if: $expand1 is false)[(show: ?1) (set: $expand1 to true)]
(elseif: $expand1 is true)[(hide: ?1) (set: $expand1 to false)]]
<br>
|1)[(text-colour:#862e9c)[Tetra is very much the love of my life. He makes me laugh harder than anyone, he's strong willed and gets stuff done. He's passionate, kind, and very loving.]
<br>
*There is a brief silence*
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[Why are you looking at me like that?]
<br>
It's just hard to imagine him in the way you describe all things considered.
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[Yes he has his rough edges, but you have to understand that we did what we had to back then. The Netherian Army had no intention of losing that war.
<br>
Despite what he's done, Tetra is a very kind and caring individual, but that often gets overshadowed by his past actions. Throughout every facet of my life he's been there for me. These past few years we've spent in peace time have been very blissful with him.]
<br>
What about what happened with Sepulcher?
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[I think the whole situation could've been handled better. Tetra used Sepulcher to show to the entire army what would happen if they betrayed him. If he was willing to kill his own son, there's no telling what he'd do to someone he didn't care about at all.
<br>
That said, I told him how I felt about the ordeal and he agreed that it was probably very over the top. As I'm sure you know, my dear Dark Lord is all about theatrics.]
<br>
He does tend to be rather gaudy.
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[Right! I think he was just trying to play it up to keep people in line, and to intimidate Delphius. In all honesty, I'm not sure if the birth of Hyumanity was really ever a big deal to him whatsoever. But loyalty is, and I habor those same values]
<br>
<br>
]
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-rerun:"Arcane")
[(if: $expand2 is false)[(show: ?2) (set: $expand2 to true)]
(elseif: $expand2 is true)[(hide: ?2) (set: $expand2 to false)]]
<br>
|2)[(text-colour:#862e9c)[Arcane and I never got along very well. He always looked so scared of me and I never knew why]
<br>
He fears your power
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[I mean, sure I'm strong physically, but I can only use very elementary magics.]
<br>
You have the Gates too though
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[Hmm...
<br>
Now that you mention it, I think it was around the time when I opened the first gate when he just gave me this //look//.
<br>
I was never that good a reading people, but the way he looked at me just pissed me off. Things just never got better after that.]
<br>
<br>
]
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-rerun:"Malkhovich")
[(if: $expand3 is false)[(show: ?3) (set: $expand3 to true)]
(elseif: $expand3 is true)[(hide: ?3) (set: $expand3 to false)]]
<br>
|3)[(text-colour:#862e9c)[Malkhoivch is very much my little brother
<br>
I've always cared so so much about him, but he always kept his distance from me. I think he's just shy, but he's shared some things with me that I know no one else is aware of.]
<br>
I won't impose on his privacy by asking you what.
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[I'm sure he appreciates that. He's always kind of kept to himself, even after he returned from the 9. He spends most of his time down there with the souls of the dead. I think he's just more comfortable amongst the company of the departed, which is a sentiment I think we both share.]
<br>
You seem fairly sociable. Certainly moreso than both Arcane and Malkhovich.
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[Comfort among the dead in the sense that I find peace when I send people to Malkhovich]
<br>
Ooooh. I get it.
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[Mhm]
<br>
<br>
]
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-rerun:"Tengudan")
[(if: $expand4 is false)[(show: ?4) (set: $expand4 to true)]
(elseif: $expand4 is true)[(hide: ?4) (set: $expand4 to false)]]
<br>
|4)[(text-colour:#862e9c)[Oh, I absolutely //adore// Tengudan! The stupid little shit that he is.
<br>
We get along famously. He did such a good job of picking off stragglers and deserters on the battlefield.
<br>
Oh and the Coup in Kandendra was absolutely marvelous!]
<br>
The Coup?
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[Surely you know that Kandendra has had it's fair share of tumultuous ruling parties yes?]
<br>
I'm somewhat familiar. Care to educate me?
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[But of course!
<br>
After the Sethirian assault on Eltais resulting in the deaths of Drake and Hydra, Tetra declared that we should try and overthrow a government, just for fun.]
<br>
Destabilizing the entire overarching political infrastructure of a territory //for fun?//
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[Yeah, pretty much. This is the Netherian army we're talking about. We're the //bad guys// remember?]
<br>
Right. Of course. Carry on.
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[So Tetra held a little raffle between us to come up with the most diabolical way to take over a Territory, and the winner would have their plan put into action.
<br>
Arcane suggested using dimensional portals to instantly storm the place which was boring and so like him.
<br>
Malkhovich was still in the 9 at the time so he didn't get to play.
<br>
Onikirin opted out and Sepulcher said that he would give all of the citizens nightmares until they made him the ruler. Which wasn't a bad idea, but Tengudan and my idea was impeccable.]
<br>
What did you two do?
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[We suggested that we kidnap the Kandendran Prince and essentially brainwash him into one of our own soldiers. Keep in mind that at the time the Kandendran ruling party was of a Sethirian bloodline. Tengudan would then assassinate the King to make it look like they took their own life out of grief.
<br>
With the King dead and the Crown Prince indisposed, the people would be thrown into disarray. We'd leave them like that for a few weeks upon which we'd return the Crown Prince and have him assume the throne, and we would just feed him the worst orders of all time.]
<br>
Such as?
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[Such as seperating the citizens into districts based on wealth and forcing them to pay exorbitant fees in order to move up to a higher district.
<br>
Ensuring that the lower districts had no access to basic resources like clean water, a police force, food, infrastructure, etc. We wanted the lower tiers to a be a lawless waste while the higher tiers enjoyed a life of luxury and safety.
<br>
The King would also hold monthly meetings where leaders from each tier would gather to propose changes to the territory, and everything the lower tiers suggested would never be implemented.
<br>
Do you not see the beauty of this scheme?]
<br>
I mean, I'm following along just fine, but I'm struggling to match your energy.
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[Don't you get it kid? We gave Kandendra //political parties//.
<br>
This would give the lower tier a common enemy and, given time, effectively start a civil war within Kandendra.
<br>
While tensions rose, we would insert Tengudan the leader of the rebellion. He would win the people of the lower district over and cast the first stone against the aristocrats.
<br>
Normally, the lower districts would get trounced by the Upper Militia, but with a Netherian General on their side and bolstering their ranks with his shadow melding, they managed to claw their way up to the top where the //citizens// murdered their King and placed the crown upon Tengudan's head making him the new ruler]
<br>
That. Is horrible. But also very cool.
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[It really was something to see. It was nearly flawless too, but Sepulcher released this //thing// into the sewer system that delayed our initial attack.
<br>
After everything was said and done though, I have to say, it was one of my favorite plans.]
<br>
Well wait, what happened to Kandendra afterwards? Obviously Tengudan didn't remain the ruler.
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[Right well, Tengudan used Sepulcher's monster to "kill" him the day after he assumed the throne. That way Kendendra would be thrown back into chaos essentially forever. The lower tiers want a Netherian ruler while the upper tiers want a Sethirian ruler. It's complete madness.
<br>
As far as I know now though, it seems that the Thieve's Guild is running Kandendra as a shadow government.
<br>
Good for them.]
<br>
You two are a terrifying pair.
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[Why thank you Void-Child]
<br>
<br>
]
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-rerun:"Onikirin")
[(if: $expand5 is false)[(show: ?5) (set: $expand5 to true)]
(elseif: $expand5 is true)[(hide: ?5) (set: $expand5 to false)]]
<br>
|5)[(text-colour:#862e9c)[I'd rather not discuss him if that's alright]
<br>
Sure that's ok, but can I ask why?
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[I just don't like thinking about it. Let's just move on please]
<br>
Of course my Lady.
<br>
<br>
]
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-rerun:"Sepulcher")
[(if: $expand6 is false)[(show: ?6) (set: $expand6 to true)]
(elseif: $expand6 is true)[(hide: ?6) (set: $expand6 to false)]]
<br>
|6)[(text-colour:#862e9c)[*Sigh*
<br>
I often wonder where I as a mother went wrong with raising that child.]
<br>
What do you mean?
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[Sepulcher has always been rather strange since he was born. He was vile enough and definitely made a name for himself with the utilization of Dream Magic.]
<br>
Dream Magic?
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[You'll have to ask Arcane or Sepulcher himself about the specifics, but I'm not totally sure if they really understand it either.
<br>
What we know is that Sepulcher can somehow manifest the dreams of himself and other individuals through his mana. If he manifests these dreams onto paper, he can summon those dreams at any time by invoking them through the tome.
<br>
As he got older, he was able to manipulate people's dreams while they slept, implanting ideas, forcing dangerous paths of thought, inducing nightmares. Sepulcher's power continued to grow dramatically, but his mind remained as that of a child]
<br>
Do you think that, since he was natural born instead of being shed from Tetra directly, that it had something to do with his mentality?
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[I-
<br>
I don't know...]
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[We have other natural born Netherians in the world, but he's the only one who acts this way. It pains me to see how difficult it is for him and his father to get along.
<br>
He's gotten better since he met you though, so, thank you.]
<br>
Oh, um. I'm not sure if I really did anything, but you're certainly welcome.
<br>
*There is a brief silence*
<br>
Arcane suggested that his many deaths and revivals have also lead to his mental instability. What are your thoughts on this?
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[I think it's fairly likely. Everytime Tetra killed him, Sepulcher would have to regenerate in Purgatrium of all places. Having to deal with all of those memories flood him over and over again in an instant would likely break anyone.]
<br>
I think if you just talked to him, he'd probably open up to you. You're his mother after all.
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[I suppose you're right. We should all sit down and have a family dinner like we used to. Just me Tetra, and my son.]
<br>
What about your other [[Son->Enter the password]]?
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[What other son?]
<br>
You know? De-
<br>
*The recording is abruptly cut short*
<br>
<br>
]
(t8n-depart:"dissolve")[[Continue to Part 3->Lady Noctum Interview Part 3]]
}
(set: $expand1 to false)
(set: $expand2 to false)
(set: $expand3 to false)
(set: $expand4 to false)
(set: $expand5 to false)
(set: $expand6 to false)
(set: $password to (prompt: "Unauthorized Access Detected. Access is only authorized to Researchers with L7 Clearance and above. Please enter your passcode to continue", "Enter Password Here") )
(if: $password is "Zetsubou")[Clearance Approved.
<br>
[[Continue to Classified Documentation->Despair]]](else:)[You are wrong. [[Try again->Enter the password]].](append: ?SideBar)[\
(link:"Save")[(save-game:"file A")]
(link:"Load")[(load-game:"file A")]
]
{
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-reveal:"Alrighty, for the final part of the interview we will be discussing your personality")
[=
<br>
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-reveal:"(text-colour:#862e9c)[Looking forward to it Void-Child]")
[=
<br>
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-reveal:"Great! Then let's get started right away.")
[=
<br>
<br>
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-rerun:"What are some of your unique powers and advantages?")
[(if: $expand1 is false)[(show: ?1) (set: $expand1 to true)]
(elseif: $expand1 is true)[(hide: ?1) (set: $expand1 to false)]]
<br>
|1)[(text-colour:#862e9c)[Well, as previously mentioned, I was self-trained in martial swordplay in my youth. Since then, I have studied several variations of swordplay including, Kandendran 2 Handed, Königsend Zweihander, Netherian Berzerker Style, Ethereal Dual Wielding, Brigand's Reverse Grip, Eltian Royal Swordplay, Audelian Dervish Style, Origamene Silent Blade, and, my personal favorite, Gate Arts: Omniblade.
<br>
I also have mastery over Basic Fire and Ice Magic, Intermediate Dark Magic, and Advanced Netherian Magic.
<br>
Lastly, I have access to 5 Aetherian Gates, which grants me access to a near-infinite supply of weaponry.]
<br>
Would you be willing to share some more information on your abilities? I'm quite curious about your powers.
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[Of course love, what would you like to know?]
<br>
Well, I'm moderately familiar with most of the swordplay techniques you listed above, but I've never heard of Gate Arts. I assume that it has something to do with the Aetherian Gates, but I'd love to hear what it's all about.
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[You are correct in thinking that it has to do with the Gates. Gate Style: Omniblade is a self-made technique that was inspired partially by Sachielaeron's Six Paths.
<br>
In the Six Paths style, swordsmen use psychic abilities to command their blades giving them increased range and power based on their mental power. Statistically, it's a drastically different method of swordplay from other methods which primarily rely on the user's strength or dexterity.
<br>
However, this style of swordplay causes immense mental strain and will often kill or vegetate users who practice it without the proper discipline or cannot access their Mind's Eye.
<br>
On the other hand, because the Gates and their treasures are directly linked to me, I can command the weapons inside of them without needing access to my Mind's Eye and, therefore, experience no strain when commanding my blades.
<br>
Omniblade is a reckless art, much like my Berzerker Style. It focuses on rushing the enemy down and overwhelming them from every direction. It takes full advantage of enemy blind spots, weak points, and reaction time by throwing them into a state of complete disarray, attacking them from all sides, and having one massive target hitting them from the front.
<br>
No need for illusions or afterimages, mind tricks, or spells. Omniblade is truly the pinnacle of the Blade Arts. ]
<br>
Fascinating. Truly fascinating.
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[Why thank you darling]
<br>
<br>
]
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-rerun:"What are some of your weaknesses and disadvantages?")
[(if: $expand2 is false)[(show: ?2) (set: $expand2 to true)]
(elseif: $expand2 is true)[(hide: ?2) (set: $expand2 to false)]]
<br>
|2)[(text-colour:#862e9c)[Trying to expose me to the whole world are we?]
<br>
Not at all my Lady. Just trying to get a complete profile, that's all.
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[Is that so?]
<br>
Don't worry, if anyone comes after you I'll protect you.
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[HAHAHA! Very good! My life is in your hands Void-Child
<br>
Being perfectly honest with you though, my dear, I don't have very many glaring flaws.
<br>
I'm not allergic to light like my companions are, I have enough control over Netherian magic to block most magic attacks barring those of extremely practiced mages like Tetra or Arcane, and my swordsmanship is unparalleled.
<br>
I am, quite simply, the perfect fighting organism.]
<br>
So there's not a single chink in your armor, so to speak?
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[As much as it pains me to say it, I am sadly not without my blemishes. While I am virtually undefeatable on the field of battle, I have been told that my appearance makes others visibly uncomfortable.]
<br>
Pretty girls are scary
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[Ha! You flatter me. But no, it's not that. My eyes make people squirm. I guess I have a rather intimidating resting face. What do you think?]
<br>
I think you're quite attractive my Lady. But I can see death in your eyes. Lots of it. What I think people are finding fearsome is that your eyes seem to crave it.
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[Hmm. I suppose that would be reasonably off-putting hm?]
<br>
I suppose so.
<br>
<br>
]
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-rerun:"If someone were to describe you, what would they say are your best personality traits?")
[(if: $expand3 is false)[(show: ?3) (set: $expand3 to true)]
(elseif: $expand3 is true)[(hide: ?3) (set: $expand3 to false)]]
<br>
|3)[(text-colour:#862e9c)[Indomitable.
<br>
Fierce.
<br>
Passionate.
<br>
Unbreakable.]
<br>
It really seems like you carried the whole army on your shoulders.
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[I knew that if I broke, the army would break with me. So I fought, and trained, and bled, and broke. Over and over again until I could never be broken again.]
<br>
Your power definitely shows in everything you do.
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[Thank you, dear heart.]
<br>
<br>
]
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-rerun:"What are some of your worst traits?")
[(if: $expand4 is false)[(show: ?4) (set: $expand4 to true)]
(elseif: $expand4 is true)[(hide: ?4) (set: $expand4 to false)]]
<br>
|4)[(text-colour:#862e9c)[Well, besides what we've already discussed, something I'd really like to work on, personality-wise, is being nicer to others. I feel I can be fairly sarcastic and generally untruthful, and I'd like to do better in that regard.]
<br>
Wow, that's impressive. What's the inspiration behind this change?
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[Well, you got me thinking about Hydra again, and I was just thinking about how much I would've liked us to be friends if things were different. I'd hate to miss an opportunity to become friends with someone because of how I am now.]
<br>
Powerful stuff...
<br>
<br>
]
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-rerun:"What do you believe is the best thing that could happen to you?")
[(if: $expand5 is false)[(show: ?5) (set: $expand5 to true)]
(elseif: $expand5 is true)[(hide: ?5) (set: $expand5 to false)]]
<br>
|5)[(text-colour:#862e9c)[If someone could give me a real challenge that would be pretty cool.]
<br>
Have you fought Chaos yet?
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[He cheats! Bastard can see into the future!]
<br>
Ok, ok, what about Larathius? I know he sports a Blade Technique somewhat similar to your Gate Arts.
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[That whelp's Blade Arts are a cheap imiatation. I'm hurt that you'd compare the two of us in any capacity]
<br>
Really sounds like you're shooting yourself in the foot here. I gathered the world's strongest beings across multiple generations and timelines, yet here you are making excuses not to fight them.
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[...
<br>
I just miss fighting Hydra is all...]
<br>
Would you like to rephrase your answer then?
<br>
*Lady Noctum pauses for a moment*
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[The best thing that could ever happen to me would be if I could somehow ressurect Hydra]
<br>
Now that's a good answer.
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[Oh, hush you! You're lucky you're as cute as you are...]
<br>
Let's move on.
<br>
<br>
]
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-rerun:"In a similar vein, what do you think is the worst thing that could happen to you?")
[(if: $expand6 is false)[(show: ?6) (set: $expand6 to true)]
(elseif: $expand6 is true)[(hide: ?6) (set: $expand6 to false)]]
<br>
|6)[(text-colour:#862e9c)[I suppose the worst thing that could happen would be what we discussed at the last meeting.]
<br>
During the interview?
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[No no, the last //family meeting//. In regards to the-
<br>
Wait.
<br>
Can I say that?]
<br>
Mmm, I'm getting no's from our administration. I believe most of that information is classified until we have some certainty on the situation.
<br>
Do you have any other thoughts on this question?
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[Mmm, I guess if that //bitch// ever managed to worm her way into my head again I'd be pretty upset. Other than that though, I've experienced the worst of it. Losing Tetra was devastating, but I have him back now so all is ok.]
<br>
Very well.
<br>
That just about does it for this interview. Thank you so much for your time and your great answers.
<br>
(text-colour:#862e9c)[It was my pleasure Void-Child. Let's do it again sometime yes?]
<br>
Of course my Lady.
<br>
*End of recording*
<br>
<br>
]
[[Continue->Lady Noctum Synopsis]]
}
(set: $expand1 to false)
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(dialog:"The following is an excerpt from an Interview conducted with Lady Noctum on xx/13/xx in dimension 13-6.
When asked about her son Sepulcher, she responded that she did not know who that was, and referred to her son as Despair.
Reader Discretion is advised")
{
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-reveal:"How would you describe your relationship with your son Sepulcher?")
[=
<br>
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-reveal:"(text-colour:#862e9c)[I'm sorry, my son who?]")
[=
<br>
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-reveal:"Sepulcher?")
[=
<br>
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-reveal:"(text-colour:#862e9c)[I'm afraid I don't know who that is. I only have the one son and he left us long ago.]")
[=
<br>
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-reveal:"Who exactly are you referring to then?")
[=
<br>
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-reveal:"(text-colour:#862e9c)[Despair of course.]")
[=
<br>
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-reveal:"And you said he abandoned you?")
[=
<br>
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-reveal:"(text-colour:#862e9c)[Yes. After he unsuccessfully tried to kill his father and me, he abandoned the castle and we've never seen him since.]")
[=
<br>
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-reveal:"You never bothered to go looking for him?")
[=
<br>
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-reveal:"(text-colour:#862e9c)[Hells no. Despair made his choice. He's lucky that we don't hunt him down. Something is gravely wrong with that child]")
[=
<br>
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-reveal:"What makes you say that?")
[=
<br>
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-reveal:"(text-colour:#862e9c)[Ever since he was born he's just had this look about him. Just empty, black like the Void. He has no allegiances, no loyalties, except to that of himself. I don't know exactly what his problem is, but I'm glad to be rid of him]")
[=
<br>
*End of Recording*
<br>
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-reveal:"[[Continue->Despair Cont.]]")
[=
}
From what little information the Oculus has gathered, we believe that Despair from 13-6 is the equivalent of Sepulcher from 13-7 as it would seem that 13-7's Lady Noctum has not recollection of Despair.
That said, there does seem to be trace record in 13-7 of an individual who is described as how Lady Noctum and other members of the Netherian Army of 13-6 have described Despair.
Based on this observation, the Oculus believes that Despair may be able to traverse dimensions. More research is required.
-The Oculus Research Team(append: ?SideBar)[\
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(transition:"dissolve")[(link-reveal:"Lady Noctum is a finely honed edge, ready to cut away at anything and everything that stands against her.")
[=
<br>
(transition:"dissolve")[(link-reveal:"Acting as the Commander of the Netherian Army during the 1st Great War, Lady Noctum displays an incredible prowess for Blade Arts and close-quarters combat. Beaten into perfection by her lover and creator, Tetra, Lady describes herself as //the perfect fighting organism.//")
[=
<br>
(transition:"dissolve")[(link-reveal:"In combat, Lady Noctum utilizes a vast assortment of different Blade Arts including: Audelian Dervish Style, Etltian Royal Swordplay, and Königsend Zweihander, as well as a paring of her own techniques: Netherian Berzerker Style and Gate Style: Omniblade.")
[=
<br>
(transition:"dissolve")[(link-reveal:"In addition to her insane martial combat prowess, Lady Noctum also boasts command over 4 Aetherian Gates: relics believed to be created by Aether that contain arsenals of Elder weaponry in droves. Lady Noctum uses the weaponry inside of these gates to overwhelm and eventually obliterate her opposition. However, this power did not come without a price.")
[=
<br>
(transition:"dissolve")[(link-reveal:"Before she was appointed as commander, Lady Noctum served as the blacksmith for the then-fledgling militia.")
[=
<br>
(transition:"dissolve")[(link-reveal:"On a standard reconnaissance mission to search for new smithing ores, Lady Noctum stumbled upon an Aetherian Gate.")
[=
<br>
(transition:"dissolve")[(link-reveal:"After nearly perishing from trying to open it forcefully, Lady Noctum, with the //help// of a nearby village, managed to open the Gate using a special key known as the Noctum Blade")
[=
<br>
(transition:"dissolve")[(link-reveal:"Since then, Lady Noctum's power has only grown as she fights not only for her family, but to experience the calm release of death")
[=
<br>
(transition:"dissolve")[(link-reveal:"Lady's overall standing with her family is quite good. As she is a rather sociable and seductive creature, many people are drawn to her enigmatic figure. However, her eyes boast a hunger for death that oftentimes scares away unwary individuals")
[=
<br>
(transition:"dissolve")[(link-reveal:"Despite being undefeatable on the battlefield, Lady Noctum is not without regret, as she longs for companionship with those who share her same passion and vigor for battle. A feeling that she shared at one point with Chaos's first daughter, Hydra, who was slain by Lady Noctum herself.")
[=
<br>
(transition:"dissolve")[(link-reveal:"Though Lady Noctum is not a personality long for regret, she does wish that she could somehow bring Hydra back and fight her once more.")
[=
<br>
(transition:"dissolve")[(link-reveal:"Overall, Lady Noctum stands tall and proud as the face of the Netherian Army. She is first on the field and the last to go home, forever entranced by the carousel of combat. She is an individual who's strength is seen and felt in her appearance, speech, and in the way she slaughters her opposition.")
[=
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{
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<br>
{
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}(append: ?SideBar)[\
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{
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-reveal:"So for part two of the interview we-")
[=
<br>
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-reveal:"(text-colour:#0047ab)[A part two? Surely you're not asking for even more of my time child?]")
[=
<br>
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-reveal:"The interviews are all three parts each. We're supposed to be discussing your relationships in this part. Is that ok?")
[=
<br>
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-reveal:"(text-colour:#0047ab)[Do not think that I will give you much more of my attention voidling. I am growing ever weary from being away from home for so long.]")
[=
<br>
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-reveal:"I understand the concern Malkhovich. We'll try to get through this as quickly as possible.")
[=
<br>
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-reveal:"(text-colour:#0047ab)[Very well. Do consider that my familial relationships were somewhat //stunted// due to the circumstances of my upbringing.
<br>
I am unsure that I will be able to deliver the caliber of response you are looking for.]")
[=
<br>
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-reveal:"Any details you can provide us will be more than enough Malkhovich. Shall we begin?")
[=
<br>
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-reveal:"(text-colour:#0047ab)[Carry on I suppose...]")
[=
<br>
<br>
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-reveal:"How would you describe your relationship with the following individuals:")
[=
<br>
<br>
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-rerun:"Tetra")
[(if: $expand1 is false)[(show: ?1) (set: $expand1 to true)]
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<br>
|1)[(text-colour:#0047ab)[How do I even begin describing the relationship between my father and me? Truthfully, it is a tough answer to give.]
<br>
Take your time.
<br>
(text-colour:#0047ab)[My Father is a complicated man. On one hand, he is a brilliant mage, an accomplished general, and a ruthless leader.
<br>
On the other hand, Tetra is a wanderer and a wretch. His non-stop thirst for power came at the expense of his own life, the lives of his children, and millions of Chao's denizens.
<br>
<br>
As you know I do not share the same values as my siblings or Tetra. I had no place in the war and detested my Father's constant campaigns of destruction.
<br>
When Arcane finally released me from the Nine, Tetra instantly knew that I wanted nothing more to do with his war.
<br>
I had finally wrenched myself free of pining for my father's pride and chose to walk my own path.
<br>
The disappointment in his eyes was almost unbearable...
<br>
<br>
I thought for sure he would strike me down then and there. Yet, he granted me my peace. He never spoke of it and let me be as I was alone in the Nine without interruption.
<br>
For that peace, I am grateful, but I am fiercely aware of the divide it created between the two of us.]
<br>
<br>
]
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-rerun:"Arcane")
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(elseif: $expand2 is true)[(hide: ?2) (set: $expand2 to false)]]
<br>
|2)[(text-colour:#0047ab)[Arcane...
<br>
My brother has not a single drop of humility within his body. He is power- incarnate and very much the embodiment of greed.
<br>
Everything he does is in search of power, to the point where he even tried to steal Tetra's power for his own.
<br>
Despite what I know he may have said, I know he cares not for me, only my knowledge of what he cannot obtain. He knows my mastery of Life and Death can rival his arcane power and he wants it for himself.
<br>
It is no stretch to say that I despise that cretin.]
<br>
<br>
]
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-rerun:"Lady Noctum")
[(if: $expand3 is false)[(show: ?3) (set: $expand3 to true)]
(elseif: $expand3 is true)[(hide: ?3) (set: $expand3 to false)]]
<br>
|3)[(text-colour:#0047ab)[Lady is potentially the one individual who is closer to the idea of Death than I am. Spending so much time on the battlefield with the blood of the fallen dripping down her armor, I can only imagine what horrors she has seen.
<br>
Or caused...
<br>
I do care for my elder sister though. She and I have a sort of kinship that I have not found in my other siblings.]
<br>
She mentioned something similar when we chatted..
<br>
(text-colour:#0047ab)[Is that right? I am glad she shares the same sentiment. I think despite her wrathful exterior, she's a lot more fragile than she lets on.
<br>
Don't let that fool you though Voidling. She'd still snap you in half and eat you for afternoon brunch given the chance.
<br>
I just think that there's a part of her that is itching to escape that she's keeping held back, though I'm not sure if that's for our sake or her own...]
<br>
<br>
]
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-rerun:"Tengudan")
[(if: $expand4 is false)[(show: ?4) (set: $expand4 to true)]
(elseif: $expand4 is true)[(hide: ?4) (set: $expand4 to false)]]
<br>
|4)[(text-colour:#0047ab)[Tengudan, and subsequently Onikirin and Sepulcher were spawned after I had been pulled into the Nine.
<br>
Since most of what you would consider my "childhood" was spent apart from these three, I'm not sure how much information I can give you.]
<br>
Just tell me what you can.
<br>
(text-colour:#0047ab)[Very well...
<br>
<br>
Tengudan is a jovial individual. He's spirited, he's quick-witted, and he's always out for a good time.
<br>
Being a half-blood, I can empathize with his lack of power compared to my elder siblings, however, unlike me, Tengudan never let this get the best of him.
<br>
He boasts a very gluttonous nature, and I am certain that this personality of his is due to how his powers work and affect him.]
<br>
And you're referring to Shadow Melding, right?
<br>
(text-colour:#0047ab)[Correct, he and his shadows seek to consume all light. It's very reminiscent of Cyton's power.
<br>
<br>
Even though Tengudan is responsible for a lot of the fear and misery spread throughout Chao's history, I have always admired that he continued to support Alterra despite being wholly consumed by Tetra's Nether.
<br>
He ensured that the territory would never see wartime conflict by becoming the head of government, but he left the previous ruling party in charge and merely acted as a figurehead to appease our father. He truly cares for his people and their lives, which I have no choice but to respect.]
<br>
<br>
How do you feel about his actions outside of his home territory?
<br>
(text-colour:#0047ab)[I think his actions are deplorable. Much like the rest of my family members, barring my Lady and Oniki, Tengudan holds no regard for life, outside of those in Alterra.
<br>
He spread wanton death and destruction everywhere he went, much to Tetra's glee.
<br>
While part of me believes that this is, in part, due to wanting to prove himself to Tetra and Arcane, I also believe that his powers are more malicious than commanding the elements, and they drive him to kill and abandon all reason.
<br>
It's my understanding thatbelieve in this time Shadow Melding is considered a forbidden art, yes?]
<br>
That is correct. Shadow Melding was considered a forbidden practice around the 4th era.
<br>
(text-colour:#0047ab)[I harbour no doubts that it is partially due to the Cytonian nature of the technique. Your people were wise to lock it away...]
<br>
<br>
]
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-rerun:"Onikirin")
[(if: $expand5 is false)[(show: ?5) (set: $expand5 to true)]
(elseif: $expand5 is true)[(hide: ?5) (set: $expand5 to false)]]
<br>
|5)[(text-colour:#0047ab)[Onikirin, the Elder beast.
<br>
There isn't really a lot to say here if I'm being perfectly honest. Onikirin is a quiet obedient soldier. He does what is asked of him and nothing more.
<br>
I don't particularly enjoy his lack of personality. A drone that mindlessly follows orders is habitually slothful and that is someone I cannot get along with, though I do suppose he has his reasons.]
<br>
And what might those reasons be?
<br>
(text-colour:#0047ab)[Hoho, you'll have to ask him yourself Voidling.]
<br>
<br>
]
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-rerun:"Sepulcher")
[(if: $expand6 is false)[(show: ?6) (set: $expand6 to true)]
(elseif: $expand6 is true)[(hide: ?6) (set: $expand6 to false)]]
<br>
|6)[(text-colour:#0047ab)[Sepulcher, the Dreamer. Poor child...
<br>
He got the punishment from Tetra that I was expecting for myself when I returned from the Nine. I'm not sure what kind of person can kill their own son to prove a point.]
<br>
I imagine it was to instill discipline within the troops.
<br>
(text-colour:#0047ab)[Regardless of the intent, it was wrong, and Lady was hurt by his actions far more than she would ever let on.
<br>
<br>
Before Arcane's Purgatrium was up and running, Sepulcher spent many days down in the Nine while he regenerated.
<br>
We had many chats about our Father's ruling policy. Neither of us were really committed to the idea of //total annihilation//.
<br>
Now Sepulcher is a twisted and vile creature. He has an obession with death that is borderline unhealthy, and potentially cataclysmic. This is only exacerbated by his mistreatment at our father's hand.
<br>
But, I could not be a true master of the Cycle without recognizing the life he brought into the world as a result of his lustful deed with Elsain.
<br>
It is hard for me to say if I can forgive him philisophically for all of the blood he has shed, however, it is the bond we share that kept Elsain alive during her exile and eventually brought down the Sethirian War Machine.
<br>
So all in all, I'd say Sepulcher and I get along just fine.]
<br>
<br>
]
(t8n-depart:"dissolve")[[[Continue to Part 3->Malkhovich Interview Part 3]]]
}
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(transition:"dissolve")[(link-reveal:"Nothing to see here. Yet...")[]]
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{
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-reveal:"Alright Malkhovich, let's wrap this interview up with a discussion about your powers and abilities.")
[=
<br>
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-reveal:"(text-colour:#0047ab)[So you really are just up and about giving out Netherian trade secrets aren't you?]")
[=
<br>
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-reveal:"The information is relevant for creating a full profile. I'm not trying to spill your secrets or anything. You all are just so fascinating.")
[=
<br>
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-reveal:"(text-colour:#0047ab)[Flattery is the cheapest tactic you could employ Voidling.]")
[=
<br>
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-reveal:"//Malkhovich lets out a prolonged yawn//")
[=
<br>
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-reveal:"(text-colour:#0047ab)[It also appears that your time is running thin.]")
[=
<br>
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-reveal:"Then let's get started right away")
[=
<br>
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-rerun:"What are some of your unique powers and advantages?")
[(if: $expand1 is false)[(show: ?1) (set: $expand1 to true)]
(elseif: $expand1 is true)[(hide: ?1) (set: $expand1 to false)]]
<br>
|1)[(text-colour:#0047ab)[I am an established Necromancer who specializes in Soul magic.
<br>
I have limited power over Dark and Netherian magic but make up for it with an increased affinity for Summoning magic.
<br>
Lastly, I use a soul-bound weapon weapon that augments and increases my Manetic affinity based on the soul composition of individuals around me]
<br>
Could you expand upon the principles of Soul magic and your weapon's power?
<br>
(text-colour:#0047ab)[Soul magic is the manifestation and manipulation of one's soul. However, to truly understand what that means, you have to understand what //soul// is in this context.
<br>
For the purposes of Soul magic, a soul is the structure of one's Mana, alignement, and state of emotion. The greater the Mana pool, the larger the soul. The alignement of the soul determines the brightness of the soul, and emotions determine the color of the soul.
<br>
Soul Manifestation often involves the caster pulling a soul in from another plane of existence and giving it form. This practice is similar to both Necromancy and Conjuration, however, it differs in the sense that the form is not predetermined, as in Necromancy, nor does it pull from your own Mana source, as in Conjuration.
<br>
Apprecntice Manifestors usually require a pre made vessel before they can manifest a soul, but mages of my caliber can create physical forms at will from our Mana.]
<br>
This sounds a lot like Creation magic.
<br>
(text-colour:#0047ab)[It does indeed. The biggest difference between the two is that Creation magic pulls entirely from the user, much like Conjuration, whereas Soul Manifestation uses external souls towards their end result.]
<br>
I see. Thank you for clarifying. What can you tell us about Soul Manipulation then?
<br>
(text-colour:#0047ab)[Soul Manipulation allows the caster to directly interfere with and alter the structure of a Soul within a user. If used improperly or maliciously, this magic can be one of the most devestating forms of magic in existence.]
<br>
How so?
<br>
(text-colour:#0047ab)[I was getting to that...
<br>
Imagine you find yourself in a fight with an individual and you reach out to cast a firebolt, but nothing comes out.]
<br>
You can control the ability of a user to manipulate their Mana?
<br>
(text-colour:#0047ab)[I can shut down a users ability to use Mana ever again. If I so chose, I could turn the entirety of the world into the likes of lesser Hyuumanity]
<br>
Lords. It's a good thing you stayed out of the war then huh?
<br>
(text-colour:#0047ab)[Ha! I suppose so. But my Soul magic would never work against someone like Arcane or Eloquines. Their Mana pools are so large that it would take decades to assume control over their souls.
<br>
I'd be dead before I even got a chance.]
<br>
So the more Mana the opponent has, the harder it is to manipulate their soul?
(text-colour:#0047ab)[Correct, however, certain things do affect this like their alignment and emotional state. If my Soul's alignment is in opposition to that of my foe, I will have an easier time manipulating their soul.
<br>
The same applies if the foe is in a uncontrolled mental state such as fear, anger, or sadness.
<br>
So going up against someone like Chaos...]
<br>
//Malkhovich lets out long yawn//
<br>
(text-colour:#0047ab)[I'd never stand a chance...]
<br>
//Malkhovich chuckles to himself and begins to nod off//
<br>
<br>
]
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-rerun:"What are some of your weaknesses and disadvantages?")
[(if: $expand2 is false)[(show: ?2) (set: $expand2 to true)]
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<br>
|2)[(text-colour:#0047ab)[Well if my compromised state of being wasn't a clear indicator of my greatest vulnerability, I'm not sure how to make that any clearer.]
<br>
This is for the people at home who can't see you, remember?
<br>
(text-colour:#0047ab)[Whatever you want to tell yourself Voidling.]
<br>
On thae same note, could you tell us more about your affliction?
<br>
(text-colour:#0047ab)[It's a Mana leak.]
<br>
A Mana //leak//? I've never heard of this illness before, what exactly is it?
<br>
(text-colour:#0047ab)[You know what it is Voidling, everyone has Mana leaks, //especially// individuals such as yourself.]
<br>
Could you explain please?
<br>
(text-colour:#0047ab)[A Mana leak occurs when the individual's Mana pool is overloaded, oftentimes giving an increase in combat abilities for the duration of the overcharge, but also increases the cost of Mana for each ability cast.
<br>
I belive I've heard you referring to it as //expelling excess mana//.]
<br>
Ah, I understand what you mean now. Please, carry on.
<br>
//Malkhovich clears his throat//
<br>
(text-colour:#0047ab)[In my case, I am constantly leaking excess mana, either due to lacking a Mana pool or having the pool that's the wrong size for my output.]
<br>
How would you have been spawned without a Mana pool? Wouldn't you be dead?
<br>
(text-colour:#0047ab)[Thankfully, due to Soul manipulation I can siphon Mana from others to keep me going, but it wasn't always that simple.
<br>
In all honesty, I think that Arcane stole my Mana pool for himself.]
<br>
What makes you say that?
<br>
(text-colour:#0047ab)[Think about it, Void-child. Why would Tetra create a being that could end up being even stronger than he is?
<br>
Arcane has mastery over all 12 primary elements, and a nigh infinite Mana pool? He's literally the perfect Mage.
<br>
It makes far more sense for him to have all that power but only able to use it for a short period of time before burning out, don't you think?]
<br>
I guess from a tactical standpoint that does make a lot of sense.
<br>
(text-colour:#0047ab)[It does doesn't it! Oh but classic Arcane, always thinking 20 steps ahead, even before either of us were given any form.
<br>
Why am I not allowed to have a taste of that glory huh?
<br>
Why was I the burdensome one?]
<br>
Malkhovich, it's alright. That's behind you now. You're stronger for it now, right?
<br>
(text-colour:#0047ab)[Yes...
<br>
Of course...
<br>
Forgive me, child, I seem to have lost my composure.]
<br>
The room was getting awfully dark. Should we take a break?
<br>
(text-colour:#0047ab)[No no, I'm fine. Let's continue so we can finish this today.]
<br>
Very well.
<br>
<br>
]
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-rerun:"If someone were to describe you, what would they say are your best personality traits?")
[(if: $expand3 is false)[(show: ?3) (set: $expand3 to true)]
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<br>
|3)[(text-colour:#0047ab)[Empathetic...
<br>
Calm...
<br>
Reflective...]
<br>
I can agree with that. You don't have that same //aggression// that Arcane and Lady Noctum give off.
<br>
(text-colour:#0047ab)[Of course. How could I ever stack up to those two?]
<br>
That's not what I mean. Despite being the literal King of Hell, you're far nicer than I think anyone would imagine upon first glance.
<br>
You've done a lot of good for Chao from behind the curtain and I think many people would be grateful that you allowed their loved ones the opportunity to pass in peace.
<br>
Give youself a little credit Malkhovich, you've earned it.
<br>
(text-colour:#0047ab)[...
<br>
Thank you, Child...]
<br>
<br>
]
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-rerun:"What are some of the things you'd like to improve about yourself?")
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<br>
|4)[
//Malkhovich chuckles//
<br>
(text-colour:#0047ab)[You say all those nice things and then ask me to degrade myself anyway. Comical really.]
<br>
Yeah, sorry. Just trying to stick to the scipt. Do you mind?
<br>
(text-colour:#0047ab)[Of course, Voidling.
<br>
Obviously, I would like to be able to do something about my condition, but as you have previously stated, it has made me stronger in the long run.
<br>
I suppose that I would like to be a better father to own children, however. Especially considering the circumstances of my own upbringing. I should have been better to them...]
<br>
Would you care to elaborate on that?
<br>
(text-colour:#0047ab)[I actually really don't want to discuss that.]
<br>
Fair enough. Let's move forward.
<br>
(text-colour:#0047ab)[Thank you.]
<br>
<br>
]
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-rerun:"Do you have any regrets?")
[(if: $expand5 is false)[(show: ?5) (set: $expand5 to true)]
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<br>
|5)[(text-colour:#0047ab)[As much as I wish I could tell you no, I do regret not being able to do more for the people of Chao.
<br>
If I had the strength the stand up to Tetra back then maybe things would've been different.
<br>
But there is no point on dwelling on the past. All things come to an end eventually, after all.]
<br>
<br>
]
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-rerun:"Before we conclude, do you have any final remarks")
[(if: $expand6 is false)[(show: ?6) (set: $expand6 to true)]
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<br>
|6)[(text-colour:#0047ab)[Oh? Is it finally over?]
<br>
Yes Malkhovich, this is the last question.
<br>
(text-colour:#0047ab)[Lords be praised, I thought it would never end.]
<br>
Very funny. Is there anything you want to say?
<br>
(text-colour:#0047ab)[I would say to our successors, and all those who came after us, that I am sorry for all the pain and suffering my family and my people have caused.
<br>
And I issue a warning to never let anything like this ever happen again.
<br>
Lest you all find yourselves wandering as restless souls in my domain...]
<br>
<br>
//End of Recording//
]
<br>
[[Continue->Malkhovich Synopsis]]
}
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(set: $expand6 to false)(append: ?SideBar)[\
(link:"Save")[(save-game:"file A")]
(link:"Load")[(load-game:"file A")]
]
{
(live: 1s)[
(stop:)
(transition: "dissolve")[Malkhovich]
]
}
{
(live: 2s)[
(stop:)
(transition: "dissolve")[Lord of Death]
]
}
{
(live: 3s)[
(stop:)
(transition: "dissolve")[Progenitor of Sin]
]
}
{
(live: 4s)[
(stop:)
(transition: "dissolve")[Master of the Nine]
]
}
{
(live: 5s)[
(stop:)
(transition:"dissolve")[(link-reveal:"Malkovich dances with both Life and Death in stunning ballet the likes of which are as unique as his upbringing.")
[=
<br>
(transition:"dissolve")[(link-reveal:"After stealing a scroll for Arcane based around the formation of Dimensional Tears, Malkhovich found himself trapped in the pocket dimension we all now know as the Nine Hells.")
[=
<br>
(transition:"dissolve")[(link-reveal:"Within this barren wasteland, Malkhovich learned how to become one with his new home, and in doing so, he created a resting place for weary souls after they passed on from their existence in Chao.")
[=
<br>
(transition:"dissolve")[(link-reveal:"Using various Soul Magic techniques, Malkhovich converted the land into a Soul Plane before being pulled back into Chao by his elder brother Arcane.")
[=
<br>
(transition:"dissolve")[(link-reveal:"Malkhovich is a feeble individual, plagued by an ever-present Mana leak that causes him to constantly lose the Mana that feeds life to all of Chao's inhabitants.")
[=
<br>
(transition:"dissolve")[(link-reveal:"Because of this, Malkhovich has a very thin and sickly appearance, coupled with his ash-grey skin, which makes him look far worse for wear than he truly is.")
[=
<br>
(transition:"dissolve")[(link-reveal:"Do not let his appearance fool you, however, as Malkhovich is a master of Soul Magic Manifestation and Manipulation, allowing him to transmogrify the properties of his soul and the souls of others.")
[=
<br>
(transition:"dissolve")[(link-reveal:"This power alone would make him one of the most dangerous individuals in all of Chao, but he also boasts an increased affinity for Summoning magic and Necromancy at the cost of his lack of elemental control.")
[=
<br>
(transition:"dissolve")[(link-reveal:"Because Malkhovich was torn from his family at such an early point in his life, his ties with the rest of the Netherian Army are somewhat strained, but he has found a sort of kinship with both Lady Noctum and Sepulcher, two individuals who appreciate Life and Death almost as much as himself.")
[=
<br>
(transition:"dissolve")[(link-reveal:"Outside of the Netherian generals, Malkhovich is succeeded by 8 sons and 1 daughter, with the first seven having their namesakes used for each layer of the Nine Hells.")
[=
<br>
(transition:"dissolve")[(link-reveal:"His first child, Pride, was the first inhabitant of the Nine and has since gone on to wreak havoc across Chao, perhaps due to parental neglect on Malkhovich's end.")
[=
<br>
(transition:"dissolve")[(link-reveal:"This, however, is a story for another day...")
[=
<br>
(transition:"dissolve")[(link-reveal:"Malkhovich is an individual with a complicated past that he molded into a bright future for the citizens of Chao.")
[=
<br>
(transition:"dissolve")[(link-reveal:"He has worked tirelessly to overcome his vices to create a place for souls to find peace in this wartorn land we call home.")
[=
<br>
(transition:"dissolve")[(link-reveal:"Despite all that he was and all that he is, Malkhovich has ensured that for all citizens of Chao, death is not the end, but a new beginning.")
[=
<br>
{
(live: 1s)[
(stop:)
(transition: "dissolve")[Prodigy of the Cycle]
]
}
<br>
{
(live: 2s)[
(stop:)
(transition: "dissolve")[Scholar of the Soul]
]
}
<br>
{
(live: 3s)[
(stop:)
(transition: "dissolve")[Peace to those who are left in the wake of the benevolent Lord of Death...]
]
}
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
}<!-- Intro (put some socials in after the greeting) -->
[[Begin Main Story->Chapter 0 - Primis]]
[[Index ->Era Page]]
[[Races->Races]]
[[Locations->Locations]]
<!--Magic?-->
(if: (saved-games:) contains "auto")[(link: "Continue")[(load-game: "auto")]]
(if: not ((passage:)'s tags contains "start"))[(save-game: "auto")]//Insert some flavor text//
//Insert some instrcutions: Era > Faction > Character//
//Primis Era
Etherius Era
Alterus Era
Predisci Era
Valtharian Era
Aeltherius Era//
{
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-rerun:"Which Era Does Your Character Belong To?")
[(if: $expand1 is false)[(show: ?1) (set: $expand1 to true)]
(elseif: $expand1 is true)[(hide: ?1) (set: $expand1 to false)]
[(if: $expand2 is true)[(hide: ?2) (set: $expand2 to false)]]
[(if: $expand3 is true)[(hide: ?3) (set: $expand3 to false)]]
[(if: $expand4a is true)[(hide: ?4a) (set: $expand4a to false)]]
[(if: $expand4b is true)[(hide: ?4b) (set: $expand4b to false)]]
[(if: $expand4c is true)[(hide: ?4c) (set: $expand4c to false)]]]
<br>
|1)[(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-rerun:"Etherius")[
[(if: $expand2 is false)[(show: ?2) (set: $expand2 to true)]
(elseif: $expand2 is true)[(hide: ?2) (set: $expand2 to false)]]
[(if: $expand3 is true)[(hide: ?3) (set: $expand3 to false)]]
[(if: $expand4a is true)[(hide: ?4a) (set: $expand4a to false)]]
[(if: $expand4b is true)[(hide: ?4b) (set: $expand4b to false)]]
[(if: $expand4c is true)[(hide: ?4c) (set: $expand4c to false)]]]]
<br>
|2)[(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-rerun:"Which Faction Does Your Character Belong To?")[
[(if: $expand3 is false)[(show: ?3) (set: $expand3 to true)]
(elseif: $expand3 is true)[(hide: ?3) (set: $expand3 to false)]]
[(if: $expand4a is true)[(hide: ?4a) (set: $expand4a to false)]]
[(if: $expand4b is true)[(hide: ?4b) (set: $expand4b to false)]]
[(if: $expand4c is true)[(hide: ?4c) (set: $expand4c to false)]]]]
<br>
|3)[(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-rerun:"Nether")[
[(if: $expand4a is false)[(show: ?4a) (set: $expand4a to true)]
(elseif: $expand4a is true)[(hide: ?4a) (set: $expand4a to false)]]
[(if: $expand4b is false)[(show: ?4b) (set: $expand4b to true)]
(elseif: $expand4b is true)[(hide: ?4b) (set: $expand4b to false)]]
[(if: $expand4c is false)[(show: ?4c) (set: $expand4c to true)]
(elseif: $expand4c is true)[(hide: ?4c) (set: $expand4c to false)]]]]
<br>
|4a)[Tetra]
<br>
|4b)[Arcane]
<br>
|4c)[Lady Noctum]
<br>
|4d)[Malkhovich]
}
(set: $expand1 to false)
(set: $expand2 to false)
(set: $expand3 to false)
(set: $expand4a to false)
(set: $expand4b to false)
(set: $expand4c to false)The following is a list of all of the known Major Races and Species in Chao. More information on the Minor Races and Species will become available at a later date.
[[Anamalis->Anamalis]]
[[Angel->Angel]]
[[Armatura->Armatura]]
[[Ascendant->Ascendant]]
[[Audelian->Audelian]]
[[Binarian->Binarian]]
[[Calligriphant->Calligriphant]]
[[Decibelian->Decibelian]]
[[Demon->Demon]]
[[Djinn->Djinn]]
[[Dragonkin->Dragonkin]]
[[Elementalist->Elementalists]]
[[Ethereal->Ethereal]]
[[Gorgale->Gorgale]]
[[Kitsune->Kitsune]]
[[Lycanys->Lycanys]]
[[Mistonian->Mistonian]]
[[Netherian->Netherians]]
[[Origamene->Origamene]]
[[Prismite->Prismite]]
[[Quartzian->Quartzian]]
[[Sethirian->Sethirian]]
[[Vampyrys->Vampyrys]]
[[Verdatian->Verdatian]]
Double-click this passage to edit it.Double-click this passage to edit it.{
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-rerun:"Era")
[(if: $expand1 is false)[(show: ?1) (set: $expand1 to true)]
(elseif: $expand1 is true)[(hide: ?1) (set: $expand1 to false)]
[(if: $expand2 is true)[(hide: ?2) (set: $expand2 to false)]]]
<br>
|1)[(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-rerun:"Faction")[
[(if: $expand2 is false)[(show: ?2) (set: $expand2 to true)]
(elseif: $expand2 is true)[(hide: ?2) (set: $expand2 to false)]]]]
<br>
|2)[(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-rerun:"Character")[
[(if: $expand3 is false)[(show: ?3) (set: $expand3 to true)]
(elseif: $expand3 is true)[(hide: ?3) (set: $expand3 to false)]]]]
}
(set: $expand1 to false)
(set: $expand2 to false)
(set: $expand3 to false){
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-rerun:"Which Era Does Your Character Belong To?")
[(if: $expand1a is false)[(show: ?1a)(set: $expand1a to true)]
(elseif: $expand1a is true)[(hide: ?1a)(set: $expand1a to false)]]
<br>
|1a)[(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-rerun:"Primis")[
[(if: $expand2a is false)[(show: ?2a)(set: $expand2a to true)]
(elseif: $expand2a is true)[(hide: ?2a)(set: $expand2a to false)]]]]
<br>
|2a)[(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-rerun:"Which Faction Does Your Character Belong To?")[
[(if: $expand3a is false)[(show: ?3a)(show: ?3b)(show: ?3c)(set: $expand3a to true)]
(elseif: $expand3a is true)[(hide: ?3a)(hide: ?3b)(hide: ?3c)(set: $expand3a to false)]]]]
<br>
|3a)[(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-rerun:"Primis Etherius")[
[(if: $expand4a is false)[(show: ?4a)(set: $expand4a to true)]
(elseif: $expand4a is true)[(hide: ?4a)(set: $expand4a to false)]]]]
<br>
|4a)[(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-rerun:"Choose your Character")[
[(if: $expand5a is false)[(show: ?5a)(set: $expand5a to true)]
(elseif: $expand5a is true)[(hide: ?5a)(set: $expand5a to false)]]]]
<br>
|5a)[(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-rerun:"Ether")[]]
<!--|3b)[(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-rerun:"Aethelites")[]]
<br>
|3c)[(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-rerun:"Cytonians")[]]
<br>
|3d)[(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-rerun:"Lords of Creation")[]]-->
}
(set: $expand1a to false)
(set: $expand2a to false)
(set: $expand3a to false)
(set: $expand4a to false)
(set: $expand5a to false)
{
(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-rerun:"Which Era Does Your Character Belong To?")
[(if: $expand1a is false)[(show: ?1a)(show: ?2a)(set: $expand1a to true)]
(elseif: $expand1a is true)[(hide: ?1a)(hide: ?2a)(set: $expand1a to false)]]
<br>
|1a)[(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-rerun:"Primis")[
[(if: $expand1b is false)[(show: ?1b)(set: $expand1b to true)]
(elseif: $expand1b is true)[(hide: ?1b)(set: $expand1b to false)]]]]
<br>
|1b)[(t8n:"dissolve")[The Primis Era is the span of time from the birth of Ether to the Spawning of Chaos.
<br>
Notable Events in this Era include the Creation of the Soulstones, and the Death of Ether.
<br>
The Factions created in this Era include the Aethlings, Cytonians, and Lords of Creation.
<br>
Some notable characters of this Era include Ether, Aether, Cyton and Chaos.
<br>
Continue]]
<br>
|2a)[(t8n:"dissolve")+(link-rerun:"Etherius")[
[(if: $expand2b is false)[(show: ?2b)(set: $expand2b to true)]
(elseif: $expand2b is true)[(hide: ?2b)(set: $expand2b to false)]]]]
<br>
|2b)[(t8n:"dissolve")[The Etherius Era is the span of time from the Spawning of Chaos to the end of The First Great War.
<br>
Notable Events in this Era include The Onslaught of Eltias, The Creation of the Rift, and the Cataclysm of Königsend.
<br>
The Factions created in the Era include the Ethereal Army, Sethirian Army, and Netherian Army.
<br>
Some notable characters of this Era include Chaos, Delphius, and Tetra.
<br>
Continue]]
}
(set: $expand1a to false)
(set: $expand1b to false)
(set: $expand2a to false)
(set: $expand2b to false) Put events and characters under eras?
Just make an index 4 head?
Welcome to the Etheralius Occuluarium, dear readers. Here you will be able to quickly sift through all of the information available within our database without having to navigate through the main storyline.
<br>
Additionally, the main storyline will also have links to each of the pages found within the Occularium so you can easily look up more information about specific details by following the highlighted links when they appear.
<br>
We want to make the reader experience as comfortable as possible, so feedback on the Occularium is widely encouraged. Any feedback on improvements we can make to ease the navigation of information for our readers will be greatly appreciated.
<br>
With that said, here's how you can currently navigate the Occularium to find what you're looking for quickly and easily:
For non time specific details such as Races and Locations, these are ordered alphabetically by viewing the Races and Locations pags respectively.
For specific Events, Factions, and Characters, these are seperated into layers based on the Era in which they were first detailed. You can search for specific information by first choosing an Era and them moving through the various layers to find the informtation you're looking for.
For example, if you were trying to find information on Lady Noctum, you would follow this path:
Eras > Etheralius > Factions > Netherian > Characters > Lady NoctumDouble-click this passage to edit it.Double-click this passage to edit it.Double-click this passage to edit it.Double-click this passage to edit it.Double-click this passage to edit it.Double-click this passage to edit it.Double-click this passage to edit it.Double-click this passage to edit it.Double-click this passage to edit it.Double-click this passage to edit it.Double-click this passage to edit it.Double-click this passage to edit it.Double-click this passage to edit it.Double-click this passage to edit it.Double-click this passage to edit it.Double-click this passage to edit it.Double-click this passage to edit it.Double-click this passage to edit it.Double-click this passage to edit it.Double-click this passage to edit it.Double-click this passage to edit it.Double-click this passage to edit it.
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In the beginning, there were two: Father Time and the Cosmic Mother...