forum The Raven ((closed - oxo))

Started July 17, 2020 by @ElderGod-Carrots

tune

google doc: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1He54dBSRV9DFb5E48wFmwoLbo-TaYQXEazLoZWpdc0I/edit?usp=sharing

The Raven - a known, very skilled, highly feared assassin on the continent of Mavadora. All kingdoms fear him. Every drug lord, pirate and other assassins fear him, respect him. He's worked on this continent and the neighboring ones. Everyone knows him.

The Prince of Eirus - a known, very kind, highly loved prince on the continent of Mavadora. All kingdoms love him. Every king, lord and other royals love (and envy) him, respect him. He's worked hard trying to make Eirus the most respected and loved kingdom on this continent and the neighboring ones. Everyone knows him.

When The Raven gets given a job, a very well paying job, to kill the Prince of Eirus it's an offer he couldn't turn down. Yes, he usually had policies against killing people who do not deserve death however the money was too good to refuse.
After dancing together at a royal ball and kidnapping the prince, The Raven is presented with a predicament - kill the prince and take the money, or respect his morals and let him go. When deciding he can't just let the male go just yet until he males his mind up, they travel back to The Raven's home kingdom, on the way learning of a plot to take over the continent of Mavadora and send the place into chaos. The two decide that, even though they both have very different lines of work, they need to work together to take down the people responsible for the plot and take back their continent (whilst falling in love along the way).

So yeah, that's the prompt. This will be set in a fantasy land - medieval style. Will have magic, dragons, fantasy creatures and all that fun stuff. This will be a one-on-one, MATURE (aka, gore, swearing, possible smut, all that good stuff) role-play so if that isn't your thang then this isn't the thread for you my friend, I'm sorry.

General rules

• Please try and post more the one sentence. I know that I do it as well, however, try and keep the plot and the story going. If you can't think of much to write, try character internal dialogue at least.
• Grammar, punctuation, and spelling is appreciated. Obviously occasional slip ups are okay but not constantly, it makes it hard to read and understand.
• Please be understanding of the fact that I am not active that much, I try to and get on where possible and I live in Australia, time zones are hard. I am going back to school in a few days so I won't be active like mentioned, please understand this.
• andrew (Our Supreme Lord and Overseer)'s rules, of course.
• If I do not know you or your writing style, I will ask for a sample of writing so be prepared.
• I can reject you if I wish, this isn't anything to do with me hating you, I love everyone on this website but some people's writing style doesn't work well with mine.
• Be kind :) and respectful as well.

If I do not know your writing style I will ask for a sample and if it doesn't fit with mine then I won't let you join, I'm sorry lads. (99.9% of the time I will so yes anyway so this shouldn't matter, it's just so I can get a feel of how you write I guess).

I'll post a temp if anyone is interested.

( ~sure, here's a bit from a short story I wrote )

She, Vilde knew, was a light that would never go out, but on that night of pure chance, she had flickered. And like the wavering flame of a candle in the dark, she went out. All that followed would be the gentle remaining spiral of smoke and her whimpering, grieving remembrance of the light that once filled her days with warmth. But it had gone, and denial had soon replaced her role as Vilde's only other, offering the sweet fruit of comfort, where doubt lived quietly within its seed of stone. She often pondered the thought of someone– or something –planting that pip of disbelief for her to nurture into a sense of comfort– that would ultimately soften the blow of the truth: that Helene wasn’t dead, or at least indefinitely among the living. So as the sun rose and set over the months that followed, Vilde's dreams grew feverish with guttural suspense, feeding into the groundless suspicion of Helene's possible betrayal. But during those moments, she had empty moments to ponder, as she waited for the grief to process itself, wandering down the long halls of her memory and trailing a finger along the spines of the gilt-edged volumes of ancient names and sayings, the doctrines and sacred texts that didn’t hold the words true enough to name the feeling equated to what she felt for Helene: the kindred muse lost to time. Lost were the promised days where their cups of tea sat idly in front of them, cold and no longer of interest at the fault of their whispering, wide-eyed monologues; of their daily life, of beauty, of the world when Helene was in it.

(Cool :) Here's a temp: )

Name:
Age:
Gender:
Sexuality:
Appearance:
Personality:
Clothing:
Weapons:
Likes:
Dislikes:
Fears:
Background:
Other:

(Forgot to mention that age range is between 21-24)

Name: Caspian Rynian
Alias: none
Age: 22
Sexuality: bi-sexual
Appearance: Cas has tan skin. He's around average height but more towards the shorter side and pretty muscular in build, although is is pretty skinny despite that. He has brown, chestnut hair, it's floofy and unkempt a lot of the time but on the very rare occasion, he will brush it. He has a strong, chiselled jawline. His eyes are a sharp green colour, rimmed with a black and if you look close enough there are various shades of green in his actual eye. His facial features are well defined, cheek bones sharp and prominent. Cas has a scar in his left eyebrow. He actually has many scars on his body, very visible if he takes his shirt off from war. He also has a tattoo on his back of a dragon.
Clothing: He wears a lot of black, or navy blue. Generally it's a blue or black loose fitting shirt and black trousers and pants.
Weapons: a long sword
Personality: Cas is a very kind hearted person. He's very sweet, always looking for the good in others. He's kind and caring, the kind of person you'd find hanging out with the elderly on the weekends. He's always willing to help others and wants to. Passionate about learning. Strong willed and minded when he wants to be or it's something he loves. However, despite all that, he knows when kindness is needed, and when it is not. Level headed, intelligent. Does have a bit of a temper on him if you piss him off enough, however that doesn't happen often unless you're in a meeting with him and you say something completely idiotic and then she'll go off. (Luckily this hasn't happened too often as mentioned). He will always put others needs above his own in any situation, even if it might effect him later down the line. Does suffer from anxiety. Is no stranger to a panic or anxiety attack because of this. Trust issues.
Likes: tea, cats, libraries, books, music
Dislikes: small spaces, overly obnoxious people, coffee
Fears: dying, being alone forever
Background: Cas is currently the only living heir to the throne of Eirus. He was the youngest of three children, having two older brothers (Aeron and Arin) who unfortunately, with his mother, passed away in battle when he was 16. The people of Eirus are more or less a peaceful people, very welcoming and loving. But, they hold a lot of power which some people did not agree with, hence the battle. Luckily, they won, but it came with the price of losing their two oldest heirs. Soon after, his father, Octian, cracked down on boarder control became more cautious. He was a very good father, very loving and him and Cas don't have many problems. Together, they make their kingdom a very peaceful place to be. The death of their family members hit them both hard but the two of them managed to deal with the grief and they are always remembered in the heart of their people. He had to grow up very fast in a life of royalty, luckily he had a better childhood then some of the other royals he knows and is very grateful.
Other: none

Name: Hylas Reinhold (though he only faintly remembers his last name)
?Alias: The Raven

Age: 23

Gender: Male

Sexuality: Queer/questioning

Appearance: Hylas often looks to be contemplative or thoughtful-looking, with his doe-eyed gaze; dark, downturned and framed by short lashes and soft features, save for his slightly aquiline nose. His hair is a wavy, seemingly windblown mess of dark brown/black, and his skin is a warm olive-toned colour. He's fairly tall, with a strong, muscular build that goes against his almost silent steps and calculated movements. He carries quite a few scars over his body, mostly around his shoulders and arms; from fights and minor injuries.
Personality: He carries a plain, almost sad expression without really meaning to, and is usually seen as a quiet, apathetic person through the eyes of his acquaintances. He's introverted and and very critical of himself, because there is a part of them that can't stand the work he does– but knows that he's already in too deep and doesn't know who he is without the killing. Growing up the way he did gave him a sense of independence, but it also a made him significantly colder and reserved. So…not exactly the friendly type, and won't admit that he knows deep down that eventually he’ll need to let someone in and trust them. Works well under pressure and is hyper-observant, acts on instinct and can often seem a bit impulsive. Very defensive on the topic of himself and is quick to assume hostility or ill-intent in others.
 He's very curious, about people, things, and places, which can often distract him from a task if something, or someone piques his interest.
Clothing: Clothes of plain designs (depending on the occasion) but of fine fabrics. Usually, something sleeved and made of silk, under a hooded cloak in the colder months, paired with leather boots and a gold necklace of thin chain.

Weapons: Assortment of small blades, including ightweight throwing knives and a sleek dagger with a raven head at the base of the handle. 

Likes: Soft music, children, stars & constellations, spring and summer.

Dislikes: Unexpected touching, rain, cold nights, peddlers.

Fears: Abandonment, finding out the truth of his parents' death, vulnerability

Background: He was the only child of two farmers (Yraine and Maia Reinhold) living happily in the countryside until an unknown incident left him orphaned around the age of five. He eventually found his way to a town, where he grew up alongside the other children roaming the streets; occasionally stealing and taking in odd jobs until it lead him to his first hit. Since then, it's been clients and contracts, furthering his network as he travelled around the continents and almost getting caught a few times. He managed to steer clear of the war as a teenager, though the sudden deaths of quite a few military officials brought up his reputation.
Other: His recollections of life before and leading up to his parents' disappearance are scarce, but very vivid, though his mind has blocked out the actual event and moments surrounding their death. He has a 'pet' raven, who's really just a trained bird that passes along messages containing the proposed job and information he needs.

(He looks great! Here's the starter: )

It was the night of Caspian's twenty second birthday. Twenty second. It felt like he was turning a lot older then we was, mainly because he felt older then he was. He was twenty two and had always been to war and was practically running an entire kingdom with little to no help. His father was going to step down from his throne soon, even though Cas was doing most of his father's royal duties.

There was to be a ball. In fact the ball was practically about to start. From his tower room above the rest of the castle the prince could hear the music from down bellow, people filtering through the doors like moths to a flame. Everyone had been invited. Towns folk, other royals, lords and ladies, dukes and duchesses. So many people and Cas was expected to greet most if not all. He'd never been one for a party, however since he hadn't had one last year his father decided he was going to throw a ball this year whether is only child liked it or not. Cas had protested, although lost terribly.

It was a masquerade ball. A sight that was common in Eirus since they loved to party and they liked dressing up. Cas didn't like not being able to see the person he was talking to and truly recognise them but he could survive, if only for one night.

Sighing, he adjusted the royal blue suit he was wearing, the gold sash glittering in the lamp light and dazzling him in the mirror he was standing in front of. His mask matched, covering his eyes with wisps of gold and blue and black, jewels sending light bouncing off their perfectly carved bodies. It was too fancy, but a birthday gift and one he was expected to wear.

The click of his boots echoed around the winding spiral staircase as he headed to the main ball, filling the near silence. As he got closer he could hear how many people were down there. A hundred, maybe more, maybe a little less. He held his head high, plastering a smile onto his face as he entered, being greeted with laughter and smiles that mirrored his own. Hopefully, if he was lucky, it would be a good night.

The idea of working on a night like this– in a place like this would have usually steered Hylas away from even the slightest hint of consideration, but the reward had truly seemed to outweigh the risk when the job was presented to him. Now, he wasn't so sure. He had spent days beforehand wandering the outskirts of the palace grounds, trying to get a sense of the possible exits and places he could slip away from. It hadn't helped much to prepare him for the night of the ball, but now that he was here, he had to work fast to map out the best course of action and maintain his falsified title of a duke.

Trying to stay focussed in a place as bright and lavish as this was a true task for Hylas as he moved silently through the crowd, working to steer his attention away from the sheer grandiose of the evening and to the real reason he was here. His expression remained politely indifferent as he moved along the ballroom and his eyes, framed by a mask of golden swirls and laurel leaves, scannied the vast space for the man he was sent to kill. The Prince. Hylas almost shook his head in disbelief at the thought of going through with this, adjusting his embroidered sleeves to feel for the blades still hidden within the inner lining of his black waistcoat. To kill a man was one thing– but to murder an innocent man was another, and though he would never admit it, the proposal had greatly bothered him. It still did. It bothered him that he would likely have to talk to him– to see him smile unaware of the fact that an undeserved death was waiting for him. But not here, He reminded himself, letting out a nervous breath as he counted the guards standing by each entrance. I have to get him alone.

A flurry of quiet laughter and cheery greeting caught his attention and with a wary glance, he caught a glimpse of brown hair and green eyes beneath a jewelled mask. A prelude of guilt was there all at once, and Hylas had to move away a few paces to collect his thoughts. Taking a deep breath and fixing his posture, he shifted his expression into something softer and curious, wearing the faintest hint of a smile as he lingered modestly closer the the crowd.

The crowd seemed suffocating at first, the amount of people pushing through to get a hand shake or a simple 'hello' and a smile. He'd dealt with worse, much worse then a few lords and ladies wishing for polite conversation with the prince but it was always the simple things that had seemed the most challenging. He knew he was doing better then he would have a few years ago, a thought that had his chin still held high and his charming, white toothed smile on display.

There was to be hours of this. Hours of greeting one after another after another and dancing with most, if not all who asked for one, however short the dance may be. Even the thought exhausted him and the night had only just begun. Someone brought him a drink, who, exactly that may have been he didn't know, they disappeared in such a hurry he didn't have time to thank them. Probably a waiter on their way to attend to the other guests if they could maneuver through the crowd.

Somehow, the prince managed to disperse some of the small crowd around him, he himself heading the edge of the group without truly looking where he was going as he chuckled at some terrible joke or another. He was stopped, though, when he walked straight into someone, his back hitting their chest and he was quick to turn around, scanning the mans features and gold mask instantly, "Gosh I'm sorry! I wasn't looking where I was headed."

Not a moment passed before more guests were gathering to greet the prince, pushing past him and obscuring his view. This was exactly why he didn't work in crowded places. He shook his head, nervously weaving his way through and around the partygoers in an attempt to locate the prince. The flurry of movement, lively chatter, and masked faces surrounded him as he glanced around the ballroom, turning abruptly to be met with the back of a stranger. The stranger, however, was none other than the man he was looking for.

"Oh I–" He started, opening his mouth to politely dismiss it, pausing when his eyes flickered up to the man's face. Those green eyes, that jewelled mask. It's him. Here was the prince, apologizing to the man sent to kill him. "It's quite alright," Hylas said with a soft laugh, a corner of his mouth curving up into a faint smile, "I wasn't looking either. Finding your way through a crowd like this is something of a job itself."

Caspian let out a light laugh, shaking his head softly before he looked up at the man in front of him, "This is true, yes. Unfortunately I don't there is going to be any reprieve from crowds tonight." He offered a smile, tilting his head to the side ever so slightly as he scanned the mans features once again, trying to find some memory of who this man might be, "I don't think we've ever met before," He said after a moment, "I'm Cas, and you might be?" He'd never liked formalities, even on a night like this when everyone was there for him. It just seemed… wrong, so he never did, despite his father's disapproval.

A moment of quiet panic seized Hylas as he tried to recall the name at which he was here under. The herald had announced it as he entered the ballroom, but he'd been too distracted by the grand expanse before him to fully take note of it. Though, it had been written on the letter he received– some duke of a faraway coastal region.
"Ronan," Hylas cooly replied, smiling up at the prince as he held out a hand, "Duke of Arofjord. Pleased to meet you, Your Highness." He supposed that a little more research could've been put into his cover identity, but Hylas had spent all his time worrying about the job itself, rather than focusing on his assumed nobility. But all that worrying before the ball hardly did him any good; as there were too many unknown variables of the night to take into consideration.

The smile that graced The Prince's lips widened a fraction as he connected his hand with The Duke's in a firm handshake. Arofjord. The place didn't ring any bells at first which was strange, maybe it was a smaller city? Normally he was good with places, "Please, Cas is fine, there's no need for the Your Highness nonsense," He slipped a hand into his pocket nonchalantly, "How far is Arofjord from Eirus?" He asked, "Did you have to travel for for tonight?" He knew that there were a few Lords who'd traveled quite far for tonight's party, a thought that seemed outrageous to him but, then again, people loved to party these days.

Hylas nodded, smiling as he casually glanced around the ballroom. "Hm. I, myself was never one for formalities," He said, letting out a soft laugh, "But you know how tradition is." Were these things a duke would freely admit? He knew almost nothing of royal customs aside from the common knowledge of the public, and playing the part of a noble was something he would have refused. "Oh, not terribly far," Hylas said, hoping he appeared sure as he hastily pictured the map of Mavadora and where exactly Arofjord could be. He thought of the few memories he had of his home in the sunny countryside of his home kingdom– swaying moors dotted by wildflowers –and though he had hardly visited since, he reckoned he could use that as a rough placement for the region. "Eirus is only a fews days' trip from Arofjord; this time of year is best for travelling through the southern provinces." Hylas knew improvisation of this sort was not necessary for his line of work; even talking wasn't necessary. But the reputation of The Raven was of a particular elegance; a looming fear of a man they'd never see or hear coming, and because of that, Hylas needed to bide his time and play along.

"I don't believe I've ever been," Caspian mused, thinking it over in his head. He pictured the southern regions of the continent, the cities and towns he knew of, the places he'd actually been. However Arofjord was still one he didn't recall, even with the dukes information, "Maybe I should come visit it sometime, if I ever have the opportunity and time." Time seemed to be something he never had these days. It was meeting to meeting, job to job, place to place with little to no break. There was never any time to visit anywhere interesting, especially one that was a few days trip away from Eirus. Maybe if he was in the area he'd go… but then again, usually his trip took him further north then south, "Do you travel often?"

"I do," Hylas nodded, relieved that he had enough travel experience to elaborate on, "Very often, yes. Not always for leisure, but I never seem to be in one place for long." This had been true for him for as long as he could remember. There was never a sense of permanence in his life; even with his work there was the lingering idea of 'slowing down' that he was constantly trying to grasp. "It's a lovely thing; travelling. You see so much even in the most fleeting of moments. But…home is where I'd like to be," He said with a soft shrug, smiling though his words were a bittersweet sound to his ears. Home was a thing to ache for, but a longing like this had no place to attach itself to. "So if you should find yourself passing through Arofjord, I would be happy to show you around. Many come to winter there, with the comfortable weather we have." Lying to the prince like this felt wrong– knowing that fate held other plans for him after the ball –but Hylas couldn't help but feel a strange sense of comfort when he spoke as if he really was here for the ball.

Hearing about about Hylas spoke about traveling made Cas long for that feeling again. He knew what it was like, having a love for traveling and yet wishing to be home at the same time. To visit a place and not get the chance to truly explore the wonders that the place might hold, all the adventures one could find. It was something out of a dream, ones he yearned for and wished lasted longer then they ever did, "If I ever get a spare few days I'll come down, unfortunately being next in line for a throne keeps you busy and on your toes for longer then you want." There was never a chance to just stop, even for a moment. You were constantly moving from place to place, bombarded and restricted by regulations that seemed insane to him but was normal for everyone else. It was suffocating, knowing there wasn't a chance for a normal life.

Hylas nodded thoughtfully at the prince's words, quietly remembering that the throne of Eirus would be without an heir after tonight. Whatever afflictions and hardships he might have endured in preparation for his ascension would've been for nothing. He would die tired and unsatisfied with the life he was given. But why should I care? People looked up to the prince, Hylas knew, because of his reputation and wholehearted efforts improve the kingdom, but the reminder that he'd be taking away that same kindness was bitter addition to his conscience-stricken assignment. "Please do," Hylas said with a soft smile, "You've done a great deal for Eirus; everyone knows that. So I'll wager the kingdom will stay well and happy enough to let you have some time away." Away, for a long, long, time.

He sighed softly, smiling almost sadly, "If only it was possible. My schedule is packed full for months. And on top of that I've got to finish preparing for taking the throne." He looked out across the ballroom, at all the people dancing and smiling and laughing. It was times like these were he wished he was born into a simple life, one without all the rules and work. However he knew he couldn't take back everything he'd prepared for. Everything he'd done to become ready to take his father's place. And he was the only living heir, he couldn't just abandon his throne now, not after all he'd done, "Sorry, you probably don't want to hear about all that, it's boring, I know."

"No, it's quite alright," Hylas said, letting out a quiet laugh, looking down a little shyly, "I travel so much– so I don't usually find myself…subject to anything more than casual conversation. Directions, news and weather, you know." His casual honesty surprised him, but this curiosity he felt toward the life of the prince was something he supposed didn't wholly matter in the long run, future remorse aside. Hylas could be as honest as he dared to be, because of his plans for him. He would die in the end, and anything Hylas shared about his own life would be worthless. "So I really don't mind hearing about what you have to say. It's not everyday you get to hear about the life of a prince," He shrugged, smiling despite the looming idea that it would be best if he knew less about Cas; to make the thought of killing him less…disagreeable.

Cas chuckled softly, glancing back towards Hylas, "You might have to talk to a better prince then me. My life is fairly boring apart from the traveling but even that that's occasional. It's all rules and regulations and work work work all the time, hardly a very interesting life." To him at least it was, mainly because it was all he'd done since he was a child having grown up in this life. It wasn't until recently where the pressure seemed to have gotten worse, with his birthday and crowning coming up. But he wasn't going to think about that right now, he was here to at least try and have fun, even if it was just one night, "Do you dance Hylas?"