Brave Galaxy is set in a world loosely based on Hiro Mashima’s Fairy Tail and Eden’s Zero. It is a PG-13 or so rated space fantasy RP, and uses a combination of character statistics, which can be acquired via roleplaying and events, and creative freedom to help direct players’ characters. While there is a main storyline, which can be found in the events section, characters are free to interact with others and their environment however they see fit.
Explore the galaxy. Overcome the obstacles in your path. Shape the future of humanity.
Post by Reya Starlyght on Apr 14, 2020 0:06:09 GMT
The fact that Everbell was called a town at all astounded him. Having followed Blackjack's navigation around in a circle a few times, Leo had been beginning to think the place simply didn't exist, or that he had somehow busted the ship, until he caught sight of a tiny outpost, undetectable by any scanners except the human eye. A solid three buildings were present on the small outcrop of rock, all crammed together with barely enough room for him to park Blackjack. After a few moments of bated breath, however, he managed to touch down without incident, on top of what had probably once been a house but was now nothing but ruins. As he walked down the ramp and into the village, Leo was most immediately greeted by a pervasive heat, no sound but insects buzzing in his ear. To the right was a building, a rusted sign haphazardously hanging from one nail, its lettering impossible to read although splotches of bright paint still remained. To his left was a cliff followed by a sloping valley, undoubtedly that of Greenspire.
Viridescent wilds were indeed all that seemed to greet him, at least until a singular figure came hobbling out from a shack nearby. An elderly man with a grayed muzzle yet firm stance appeared to be the only citizen of Everbell, and that assumption was not merely based on his sight alone. Then again, the thick abundance of life was almost suffocating to begin with, but no matter. The man kept his distance, although he called out all the same, curiosity getting the best of him. "Stranger, what brings you here?"
Leo was tempted to not respond at all, the old trail demarcated in the map wouldn't be too hard to find after all, would it? Still, he imagined the man didn't get guests very often, not to mention he seemed harmless enough, although there were always those who chose to conceal the truth. "I'm looking for the Annulus," he said plainly, not bothering to cover up his intent. The stranger did not seem surprised in the slightest, Leo imagined that was likely the only reason why anyone came to his oh so pleasant town, but an expression of disapproval fell over his visage regardless.
"The path is there," the man replied, pointing toward an alley between the two unoccupied buildings. "Beware, however, those who survive do not return the same."
He grinned despite the grievous nature of the stranger's words. "I believe that is the point. Thank you for the warning, though." Making sure to lock Blackjack after gathering some supplies - Leo had no idea if the man was looking for a way off his rock, after all - he then began to head in the direction of the trail downward, keenly aware of the stare that found the back of his head. He had come too far to turn around then, however, and thus he descended down the rough hewn rock to the floor of the basin, shade providing some respite from the burning sun.
Post by Reya Starlyght on Apr 15, 2020 2:55:47 GMT
While the mosquitoes and flies left him unbothered, there were more than a few other unpleasant features in the valley. First was the nature of the path itself, flora encroaching upon what had likely once been well tread, roots and vines ensnaring every step. Evidently no one had taken the trail in quite some time, although there were scratches upon thick trunks that had probably been hewn with an ax at one point. He had to do quite a bit of work himself, however, hacking away at the brush with a hunting knife in order to get anywhere at all, and while it was not the trouble he had predicted it was a welcome change to the intangible nature at the heart of the issue. Certainly, his slowed pace would make for a more arduous journey, but Leo was in no rush, there was no reason to be. Well, he supposed there was one reason to be, and that was so that Eris wouldn't figure out that he had done the exact opposite of visiting Maescia. In the end, however, he knew he had to stop lying to her, it was pointless anyway.
Much to his relief, the longer he traveled the further the path was shielded from the blazing heat above. Not that he had anything against the sun, but jungles were notoriously warm and the Greenspire Pass was no exception; Leo found himself drinking a fair amount of water, which was to say a lot considering his usual beverages. Eventually, the foliage on the ground began to thin as well, likely due to the lack of light seeping down to the forest floor. With that, he noticed tracks in the mud, not that of human footprints but a beast of some sort. He was not terribly good at tracking wildlife, but from best he could tell it was likely either a wolf or a large cat, and, well, wolves didn't often inhabit the jungle. How exciting, the man hadn't warned Leo about any dangers along the way, but he supposed he had been rather vague.
Now cautious of the area around him, he sheathed the knife had been holding and summoned Dualist into his grip. Leo had no way of telling how old the paw prints were, and thus he continued onward at a relatively normal pace. A few minutes passed uneventfully by, enough so that he was beginning to think the animal in question was long gone, until a life force greater than most of the suffocating biome rang true. He didn't bother to change course, however, Leo would rather stick to the beaten path than get lost. Perhaps it would be a misstep on his part, but the only way to find out would be to approach.
Post by Reya Starlyght on Apr 16, 2020 2:36:34 GMT
One step, then another. In reality, Leo continued on at the same speed, not wanting to disturb the creature were it perhaps sleeping above or simply was not a fan of mauling humans. His awareness was acute, however, tracking the bestial presence until at last he passed over a thick tree branch, a flicker of yellow fur descending. He managed to duck out of the way as a leopard with bared fangs dropped down from above, claws snagging against his pant leg although the damage sustained was superficial at best. The creature snarled in his direction, mouth dripping with saliva as its gaunt frame barely clung to life, how in such a lush environment was it starving? As he observed the beast's physique it lunged again, attacks vicious, desperate. There was nothing else to be done but eliminate it, and thus he plunged Dualist down into its skull just before its jaw closed around his arm.
He dragged the corpse off the path, perhaps another animal could benefit from the life it had given. So bizarre, though, that in the dense jungle there had been nothing for it to prey upon except a lone traveler, the scenario was further put off by the state of the path itself, it was obvious that people didn't venture out to find the Annulus often. It was, of course, entirely possible that the trail had predated any human interest, but that still didn't explain why the leopard had been at death's door. In the end, however, Leo didn't care enough about the issue to pursue it any further, and thus after wiping the blood off Dualist and hanging it by his side he proceeded onward.
The verdant monotony eventually gave way to scrub, as the path led him to a narrow seam within rock. It was a feature undetectable from above, the passage into a civilization long forgotten. More importantly, it was long, and it was narrow. Boulders from above looked as if they could come crumbling down at any moment, a far more tangible threat in his mind than any predator ever could be. Still, from all he had read there was no other way forward, archaeologists had encountered a similar problem, unable to haul large pieces of equipment and artifacts out without compromising the structure of the site. Leo knew he had to face what was for all intents and purposes an irrational fear, yet every time there was the inexplicable sense of dread, even when dealing with subjects that had nothing to do with where it stemmed from. Letting out a long sigh, he glanced backward toward the jungle before plunging into the fray.
Post by Reya Starlyght on Apr 16, 2020 4:56:45 GMT
It was a tight squeeze for him, which made Leo hate it even more. Certainly, while the likes of Olivia Grant may have had no issue, he wasn't exactly a petite woman, nor was he accustomed to traversing small spaces as he tended to avoid them at all costs. The grit of stone filled his breath as he inched through the passage, an earthly scent that he mostly contributed to the cliff not even a foot from his face, incapable of as simple an act as walking forward in the canyon. He forced himself into a stare toward his destination, not daring to glance upward lest it provoke the shale above. The route had many twists and turns, but was thankfully still shaded from the harsh sun, at least there was something of comfort about it.
After what seemed like an eternity, although it was likely only a few minutes, Leo caught a glimpse of what lay beyond the natural barrier. From a crevice did light seep through into the cave that the path widened into, and from there had the remnants of some long lost civilization been shielded from the elements. While vines entangled every corner and rust had taken a hold of the steel plates that many buildings had been constructed from, he recognized the ramshackle parts immediately, three hundred years on an identical craft did not easily slip from one's memory, after all. Certainly, his was particularly poor, but nonetheless the familiarity was instinctual, at some point in boredom every single nook and cranny of a prison had to be explored, and what had the colony ships been if not that? Granted, anything was better than an Earthland corrupted by the Blight, but still those hadn't exactly been the most exciting years of his life.
Regardless of the past, the Annulus had to be waiting around somewhere. It was at that point that all references he had gathered became obsolete, while there had been multiple mentions of a keystone of some sort no exactly location of the artifact had ever been detailed. There were only so many places to look, however, the settlement couldn't have been that large, right? As he found himself wandering about the cavern, it quickly became evident how wrong that assumption was. While ancient, the city had clearly been expansive, and so too was the geological structure upon which it had been built. Thus, he began to weave his way through the haphazardous blocks, knowing full well that the edifice he pursued would not been found amidst the dwellings of the common people, but finding some solace in the observation of the site, a natural curiosity sated.
Post by Reya Starlyght on Apr 17, 2020 1:50:46 GMT
For having been explored by archaeologists past, the site was still chuck full of relics that had stood the testament of time, shards of pottery half buried in the earth to carvings in the stone wall that clearly had been an artist's depiction of the ship crash landing, all rather primitive traits compared to what remained of advanced technology scattered about, or at least it had been modern at the time. Leo did not disturb the remnants of civilization, however, he had no interest in relics of a bygone era, it would be best if they remained with their ethereal owners. He did begin to notice some patterns about the streets though, more specifically the buildings that had once lined them. Reused starship parts were one thing, yes, and there had likely been quite a lot to go around, but the signs of a more complete settlement were nonexistent, most of the structures simply a result of welding that had collapse with age, leaving few monuments any taller than himself.
In the center of the ruins, however, laid a contraption far larger than the individual sheets of metal that had likely been dragged into the canyon. It was not the Annulus but a more familiar shape, that of a starship's engine. The sheer size of the motor told him it was undoubtedly left over from the original vessel, Leo didn't have to know anything about machines to assume such. How in the world had it managed to find its way into the cave, though, if the largest gap in the rock was no wider than a person across? There was only one other answer, and that was that the people of the city had decided to meticulously dissemble and move each part of the mechanism to the center of their home, before putting it all back together as a symbol of where they had came from. Quite a bit of dedication, well either that or some magic had been involved. He couldn't help but think that they could have spent their time better, however, perhaps figuring out a way to sustain the colony would have been more productive.
There was nobody left to blame for the civilization's poor decisions, and thus he brushed the thought aside, instead simply closing in upon the memorial. It was easily the size of a large building, dwarfing all other architecture that remained. Two things of note stood out about it, although neither was a feature of the engine itself. First was a small figurine of a cat carved out of obsidian, sitting just within reach upon a ring of the drive. It was obviously intentionally placed there by a previous visitor, although it did appear to be an artifact of the area. Leo decided to grab it, figuring it had been put there for some reason and if not he would just return it after finding the Annulus. Second was a small path downward, obscured by the shadows of the colossal monument. With no other exit to the cavern within sight, it was the logical point of continuation in his journey.
Post by Reya Starlyght on Apr 17, 2020 3:18:54 GMT
What slivers of sunlight had managed to find themselves in the city to begin with quickly dispersed as he descended downward, a cool yet damp atmosphere setting in as darkness followed. It was a welcome relief to the jungle climate, and unlike most he was not bothered by the lack of illumination, although to any normal eye that problem soon resolved itself. Fluorescent fungi was soon to spread across the walls of the deepening tunnel, the passage far more comfortable than the one previous although more secluded all the same. In the bioluminescence had artwork been depicted, far more intangible in nature than the mural of a starship beforehand, however. It was plastered with symbols unknown, humanoid figures facing some featureless beast, an insurmountable force. Was that potentially a colonist's take on the Blight, or was it something else entirely?
Only one thing was certain, and that was as he delved deeper the art's intricacy magnified, bits and pieces intertwining into a full fledged tale. If only he was capable of reading the script then understanding would be at Leo's fingertips, however there was one other feature of note that seemed to be reoccurring, the shapes of several mundane animals all colored in black, one of them being clearly stylized to look like a cat. Either the artist was a fan of nature, or the figurine he had picked up had more than a sentimental value to it. He pulled it out of his pocket, tracing over the scant features again. On the whole the artifact was mundane enough, few engravings defined it and had he not know better Leo probably would have passed it off as a children's toy. There had to be something he was missing, though, as was always the case.
He had lost track of the distance traveled as he attempted to decipher the carvings, however there was no alternate route to take, no possible way to get lost on the linear albeit winding path. Thus did he emerge within a grotto, a circular archway of obsidian front and center, behind it a pool of illuminated water lapping at the sudden shore, waves a result of his steps alone. The structure's identity was indisputable, the Annulus was no myth after all. It sat as inert as the rest of the cavern, however, artistry giving way to walls that were uncharacteristically smooth, as if the sanctum itself was too sacred to mar with further human handiwork.
Post by Reya Starlyght on Apr 18, 2020 17:05:55 GMT
He stared at the artifact for a few minutes, unsure of what to make of it, an inert ring so perfectly placed that it could be no coincidence. Eventually, Leo decided that approaching it was better than nothing, idling about in the sanctum wasn't exactly being productive, after all. His fingers traced over the runes carved within the stone circle to no avail, their inscriptions as inert as ever. Clearly, there was some sort of magical enchantment imbued in the obsidian as a result of it, but there was no way to discern its purpose, or, more importantly, how to activate it. The various sources he had read up on had mentioned some sort of keystone, yet there was no apparent gap in the structure, nothing that would suggest it was incomplete.
Perplexed, Leo stuck his hand through the contraption, to no effect. All of that for nothing, then, that seemed to be about in line with how his life was going at the moment. A low buzz began to emanate from his pocket, presumably it was Eris calling to knock some sense into him, after all trips to Maescia never took so long unless something went horribly awry. The noise was persistent, however, and sifting through his pockets he realized the hum wasn't coming from his phone at all. Rather it was the miniature statue that was... purring, almost. Was it possibly the key? He placed the figurine within the band, and the vibrations increased, disturbing the air around. After a few moments it died down; something else was needed.
Leo racked his brain to no avail, eventually resorting to studying the tunnel's mural once more. It was then and only then that he re-evaluated the dark shapes upon the walls, noticing a smidgen of crimson where each creature's eyes would have been. Great, so now he had to find some rubies the size of pinholes. That could take an eternity, given the sheer size of the civilization, not to mention the jungle itself. Frustrated, he took a closer look and saw some of the paint dripping from its respective divot, however, as if the animal was crying. An artist's mishap, perhaps, or maybe it was not gems that belonged in the sockets at all. Well, it wouldn't hurt to try that, Leo supposed, technically it would but the pain was negligible at best as he slit open his palm, letting his blood pour over the statue still placed within the Annulus. As soon as the vitae splashed onto the idol did it begin to rise, black ripples in the air exuding out from it. They sustained even as the feline effigy vanished, a portal opened. It was the only path forward, and thus Leo let the waves wash over him, the unknown within his grasp.
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last edited Dec 1, 2020 0:17:02 GMT by fairchild.txt