Sphyre Rivana
Posted: Thu Nov 08, 2007 10:08 am**STORY NOTE** Sphyre is the main villain of LSD, so it's recommended to have a feel for his character to really get what's going on here.
((OOC: You may be wondering how Sphyre is able to read, let alone write answers on a form like this. He uses spirit magic, so he uses that magic to view the world from the Astral Plane; effectively "seeing" the world from an exactly parallel "layer" of reality where flows of magic, supernatural phenomena, etc. are all fully visible in addition to all physical objects in the Material Plane. Spirits that are strong enough to remain tied to the world after death typically have a high enough concentration of energy to be visible to anyone; these spirits tend to gather in Melaida, though there are a few in other locations.))
Name: Sphyre Rivana
Age: 43
Gender: Male
Birthdate: June 6th
Hair color: Black
Hair style: My hair is untied and flows long and down behind me, reaching my mid-back in length. The bangs hang down to the top of my blindfold, but the rest is swept aside to hang behind me.
Eye color: They were gray once, but I removed them long ago so they could never again show me lies... the empty sockets now lie permanently behind a blindfold.
Skin tone: My skin is pale, though not the shade of snow. It is pale to the point that its difference in tone would be readily evident if I were in a crowd.
Height: 6'6"
Race: Human.
Outfit: I wear an outfit of black and dark grays. My shirt is a loose silken shirt woven in gray, bearing a series of curved marks up the chest, curving outward from the middle. The chest has an infinity emblem in silver, and above that my crest of two silver crosses joined vertically with a tiny silver orb on the left and right side. My pants are a black silk of simple design, tied with a bow at the waist. My boots are black leather, with darker sections around the ankle and toe, and my crest on the upper portion of the foot in the lighter section. My gloves are black silk, and are simple aside from my crest on the back of each hand. I wear a dark gray silk waist-wrap just above where I tie my pants as a sort of belt. My mantle is comprised of three pieces; an underlayer of black silk going over my shoulders, flowing into a black silk cape in the back which trails down nearly to my ankles. The second layer is a lighter gray leather with a black band. The third and uppermost layer is a slightly darker gray hardened leather to serve as basic armor for my shoulders, also with a black band, and bearing my crest on a slightly darker section below the neck. The second and third layers extend a few inches beyond my arms, but move freely enough that my movement is not impaired. I wear a black blindfold over both eyes, wrapped with a chain which dangles to the left side of my head. Over the entire outfit there are chains wrapped around; the waist is joined by a padlock, and the chest has an O-shaped ring just above my crest on my shirt. I also wear a chain as a necklace, and hold the chains on my arms as weapons; these are about 6 feet in length beyond my hands.
Notable other characteristics: I have no eyes. As a child, I removed them so they would never lie to me. I therefore wear a blindfold over my eyes at all times; below it is a scarred mass of flesh where my eyes once resided.
Main Hand: I am ambidextrous, and have no particular preference.
City of Origin: I was born in the city of Dusz Navol.
Weaponry: I use the chains tied to my body to bind, batter, or rip my foes asunder.
Fighting Style: A combination of powerful magic and dual-wielded chains. I prefer to use magic when it is possible, though I enjoy binding the enemy in my chains so I may speak to or taunt them before I utterly destroy their helpless form with my spells.
Occupation: I am a Seeker of Truth; you could call me a vigilante, I suppose; I have never held an occupation as monetary gain and the need to survive by normal means is unimportant to me. I was raised in a poor environment, taught that life would get better with time and that every breath we take is sacred. I realized this to be a lie, and devoted myself to finding the truth in all things; to finding the One Truth: the meaning of our lives, and the reasons for our suffering.
Affiliation: Lawful Evil - I am not the sort to wantonly destroy, and in many times do not permit "evil" actions. Overall, my actions and motives would be seen as unfavorable, and often result in others being harmed or inconvenienced. I am, however, tied to a code of truth... I will never tell a lie, and I will permit no other to lie in my presence.
Main Element: Spirit (In addition to attack and support spells, he uses this magic to animate his chains, to summon servants to act as his hands, and to sense the world around him by viewing it from the Astral Plane where all things are visible, including flows of magic.)
Support Element: Darkness
Personality: I live for the truth; I will never lie, and I will suffer no other to lie in my presence. I make no exceptions... for women, for children, for even the blissfully ignorant. Deception, however, is a somewhat more gray area... if one draws an incorrect assumption from my words, but I have spoken only truth, I am still within my code. I very rarely intentionally mislead anyone, though I may speak vaguely or in a way that is open to interpretation. If I must mislead them, I am careful to speak only the bits of truth they need to hear, such as telling Emirasu that placing the Sphere of Dreams in the Mana Nexus would end the war. She doesn't need to know what else I need it done for, or what will happen once she does it; her goal is met by stopping the war, and mine is met by her performing this action. Overall, I am calm and confidant, and tend to have a smirk, a smile, or a laughing grin on my face, though this turns to sneers and scowls when I am met with untruth. I do not wantonly attack people in the streets or destroy cities (unless they start lying to me,) though I will do what is necessary to meet my goals, regardless of the number of innocents I must kill or injure. If the world burns for me to accomplish my goal, then so be it!
Likes: Truth should be obvious by now, so I will list three others:
1. Music. It is pure emotion, and conveys the feelings of the one playing it; if one does not feel the music, it will not sound correct. It is honest and beautiful for this reason; it is one reason I am glad I have no eyes. These notes do not lie, and one with no eyes can only feel the music and know the performer's heart, without being deceived by their outer appearance.
2. Mirrors (or other clear, reflective surfaces.) While I myself can no longer gaze into one, I did it much as a child, and know that any human who yet has their sight can do the same. When one gazes into a mirror, they see themselves. When they stare into their own eyes, they see the truth of what they have become; they question themselves and reveal truths that might otherwise remain unseen. A mirror shows more than merely one's reflection, and while one gazes, they are inclined to see the truth, whether they accept this truth or not.
3. Death. All life is most beautiful in its last fleeting moments... it is then that the true soul is bared, and one's beliefs, desires, and strength are all revealed. None lie in the moment of their death, for even if they speak a lie, their heart will speak the truth.
Dislikes: Lies should be obvious by this point, so as with my likes, I shall list three others.
1. Merchants. They will say or do anything to convince you to give them your coin for their wares, and are among the lowest creatures in all of Asvoria.
2. Children. They will speak out of ignorance and often believe anything they are told without question. Acceptance of lies is denial of the truth, and is something I cannot abide.
3. Spicy food. It smells so appetizing, then turns and bites you by burning your mouth when you attempt to eat it. Such treacherous dishes shall not be tolerated in my new world~!
Fears: Love. It is clearly the greatest lie of all, and will only harm me if I succumb to it. Love is nothing but a sickness!
Quote: "Everything lies... everything DIES!"
Special Abilities: I have lost my natural vision, but it is just as well. I now see by using Spirit magic to tap into the Astral Plane, which allows me to see the Material Plane as well as all of the magical flows and supernatural phenomena that go unobserved by humans. If my magic is sealed, I have developed an acute sense of hearing and a sort of sixth sense for things, almost like a weak ESP. I am thus able to find my way around, and while I will be sufficiently more clumsy in combat, I am not altogether helpless. I am able to use my chains to beat or bind my enemies. I use primarily Spirit and Darkness magic, which allows me to do everything from summoning spirits to fight for me, to enveloping my foes in magical darkness, to generating blasts of pure evil energy.
History: I was born in the city of Dusz Navol to a mother fleeing the ravages of war. 43 years ago, the city was not as decrepit and generally dead as it seems today, but was rather a haven for refugees from all around the world, human and monster alike. It was later destroyed by a plague which killed not only 90% of the town's population, but killed the surrounding forest as well. Still, the survivors and various other refugees continue to live in the city today, making it a haven for the poor or downtrodden in general.
But forgive my lecturing... 43 years ago, my then-pregnant mother fled to this city in hopes of bearing and raising me away from the horrors of the world outside. I attended a small school for magic, and was raised continually to believe that our poor and unseemly lifestyle was only temporary, that she foresaw great things in our futures, if we could just hold on. I was taught that life was sacred, even in these baser forms; that all things grew better with time, and that love would solve our problems. I was full of hope and ambition back then, and saw beauty and hope in every tree, every home, every smile. It was a simpler time, it was a happier time... but now it is only a time of the past.
My mother told me life gets better. She was wrong. When I was ten years old, the plague came; people were sick and dying in the streets; those who survived were begging for death, being covered in boils and scarely able to move or breathe. I was fortunate enough to survive, but my mother, along with 90% of the city's population, was not. As she lay dying, she spoke to me, saying, "Sphyre, my son... life goes on. Love is eternal... do not forget, even in hard times, that what does not kill you makes you stronger... and... those you love are... eternal..."
Then she died. With her last breath, she pointed to a chest near the wall which held our savings, only to find that some desperate soul had stolen what we had saved over the past years; I was alone and penniless, without a mother, a father, or a friend to support me. Everything I had known to be good had been stripped away; the things I had loved, which she had said would get better, which she had said were eternal, were no more. I was left alone, sick and in pain, emotionally and physically.
The "love" I thought I knew had all been a lie. The beauty I had seen in things had turned to pain, the love I had known from my friends had turned to malice as they lay dying, blaming anyone and everything for the condition of things. The beauty I had seen in things had been stripped as all was laid bare before my eyes...
I knew at that time that everything I had known was a lie. If my mother had loved me, she would have brought us to a safe place, not led us to die in a plague-ridden, god-forsaken city away from all hope. If my friends had been true, they would not have robbed my family. If the world had been beautiful, everything would not be pain and death. It burned as the truth set into my mind, the truth my eyes would not let me see until too late, that my own eyes had lied to me and given me false security. I made a pledge at that time that if I survived, I would live only for the truth, no matter how brutal it may be; that life was not all happiness and beauty, and that every beautiful thing is just an ugly thing in disguise. To seal my pledge, and ensure my vow could not be broken, I took a knife and carved out my own eyes so that they might never again show me lies.
I had studied in the arts of magic and healed my empty eye sockets to prevent the bleeding. I was particularly adept in the art of spirit magic, and using my own eyes as a catalyst for a powerful spell, tied my vision to the Astral Plane. For the first time, my eyes had been opened to the truths around me that my material eyes could never see; I saw all magical energy and supernatural phenomena, and knew then my mission: I must find the One Truth: the reason for our existence. Why do we breathe? Why do we suffer? Why do we ever come to exist in this world?
Those who survived the plague simply got over it like a bad cold; it was as if the disease was simply testing our will to live, then disappearing completely. We were fortunate that it was spread only between people, and those who had it seemed to develop an immunity to its effects. Many buildings were burned and rebuilt to cleanse the city, and our surviving physician detected no trace of the plague in any of us after only a month. Some said it was an omen, others that we had somehow invoked the wrath of a god. For whatever reason, it had come and gone, and left only a tenth of us alive in its wake to continue our lives as best we could. Most resumed their old jobs or took up the job of a dead relative, and the town slowly began to crawl back toward its former state. I knew that I could not find the answers I sought by staying in this town, so as soon as my body had recovered, I left the city, dressing myself in black, blindfolding myself, and leaving all my worldly possessions behind.
I wandered the world in search of truth, and eventually heard of many legends surrounding an artifact called the 'Sphere of Dreams' which was said to bear the power to grant the holder's true desire. I learned much, and found that the artifact was housed in the temple known as the Heart of the World; it was buried deep underground, but was not guarded or protected by any means until one reached the center.
At the center of the Temple, the Sphere rested on a pedestal, and was guarded by a simple magical enchantment; only one whose desire was truly and unnaturally strong could remove the Sphere from its resting place. Having carved out my own eyes to further my pursuit of my goal, I was of course recognized and was able to remove it from its pedestal. I noticed at this time that the Sphere did not seem active; perhaps it had rested here so long that its energy had been depleted?
I set out to research the Sphere further, browsing through ancient texts in libraries all across the world, and finally gathered that the Sphere would only activate if it was full of Mana energy and imbued with the power of the 12 Jewels of the Elements, then used inside the Heart of the World; in other words, it was nearly impossible for one man to achieve, and asking help from another would certainly end in betrayal; after all, who could resist the call of ultimate power?
Ten years ago, I happened to hear of a growing threat in the monster city of Arc te Larium; they had developed a device called the 'Mana Nexus', which was a device to harness the purest and largest supply of mana in the world. The humans said this was a threat to our world's survival, but I suspected it would be a threat in their hands also. Regardless, I still had not found an ample mana supply for the Sphere, and realized this as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity; I of course joined to humans to "ensure that the monsters did not destroy the world."
Once I arrived, I quickly snuck away from the encampment and began searching for an opportunity to enter the city and gain access to the Mana Nexus; I could teleport myself in, but I could not necessarily survive the feedback that would inevitably be caused by devouring the Mana Nexus. I needed someone else to fill the Sphere for me, so I could claim it in the aftermath... and that is when I saw her. My perfect, beautiful little puppet...
She was a girl who appeared to be human, but had batlike wings growing from her back. A hybrid, most likely... uncommon, for sure, but not entirely unheard of. I approached her and spoke to her, and came to realize that she was attempting to escape this senseless war that was now brewing over the Mana Nexus. This was my chance... I told her of a way to end the war by destroying the Nexus; she would insert the Sphere, which would absorb the mana. Without this, the device would not function properly and the cause for the war would be removed, thus ending the war. I neglected to tell her of her certain death, of course, but... accidents DO happen.
Much to my surprise, when I entered the facility after the detonation, I found that not only was the girl still miraculously alive, but several monsters had gathered around and named her a traitor; they would surely finish her off. I quickly grabbed the abandoned Sphere, now brimming with mana energy, and vanished. I assume the monsters thought she had overloaded it by damaging the device with some sort of spell, but regardless, my goal was accomplished.
I spent the next ten years researching the locations of the 12 Jewels so I could finally unleash the Sphere's power and grant my wish... to create a world without lies. All love, all beauty, and all life is a lie, and I will eradicate them all, and create a new world of creatures who will know only love and no hatred, who will always be happy, who will never know pain. This world will end, and a new utopia shall be erected in its place. And in that new world, I shall be a GOD!
Sample RP: Sphyre walked down the street, his leather boots making light clicking sounds as they fell upon the stones making up the road, accompanied by the scraping of his two chains as they dragged along beside him. His long black hair and equally black cape flowed behind him as he walked, the elegance seeming to contrast the uncaring attitude displayed by his nonchalant dragging of the chains. He smirked as he walked, sure he was quite a spectacle to the chuckling citizens he was passing, but not caring in the least what they thought of him. They'll be dead once I get the Jewels, and then they'll have no choice but to serve me. We'll see who laughs then... he thought, grinning larger at this reassurance.
The place had changed. Dusz Navol had always been a poor city, of course, but since the plague, it seemed to have just stayed poor; trade was minimal, and visitors were scarce. Most people were scared of the plague, he reasoned, and they were not to blame; it had devastated this entire region only 30 years ago, and the pain and fear had not yet been forgotten. But I survived, at least... he thought, and so did many others. The Plague just vanished... the only thing to fear here now is a pickpocket or a knife in the back if you walk down the wrong alley at night. Desperate times make desperate people, so they say...
As he took another step, however, a young urchin crashed into him, not at all watching where he was going. "Watch it, kid." he said coolly, moving to proceed on his way. The young boy grabbed his cape and tugged at it. "Mister, mister, would you like to buy this magic talisman? It will protect you!" the boy said, holding up a twig with a leaf on it. Sphyre snarled at the boy, "Liar..." he said angrily, "That's not a talisman, and it won't protect anyone from anything!" he yelled, gathering stares from several of the homeless people in the area. "B-but... it is a talisman... my mommy said that it will protect me... I just need a copper to buy supper..." the boy said, tears welling up in his eyes. Sphyre snatched the twig away from the boy and threw it to the ground, grinding under the heel of his boot. The boy burst into tears, and cried, "Waaaaaahh! You killed it! There was a fairy living inside it... to protect us, and you... YOU KILLED IT! WAAAAAAAAAH!" the boy said between tears, obviously hurt quite deeply by Sphyre's callous behavior. "LIAR!" he screamed, raising his chain to strike the boy for his insolence; he could see every flow of magic, and would have noticed had there been a spell on the twig; besides, everyone knew fairies were at least a few inches tall. The boy turned to flee, and his mother grabbed him, shielding him in her arms. "Please sir, he didn't mean to lie to you... he just wants to be a good boy and help his mother..." she pleaded earnestly. Sphyre's eyebrow was twitching behind his blindfold at this point. "MORE LIES! THE BOY MEANT TO LIE; HE WANTS MONEY FROM HONEST FOLK FOR NOTHING, AND YOU NOW SHIELD HIM WITH YOUR OWN LIES TO PREVENT HIS JUDGMENT!! BEGONE FROM ME, VILE WOMAN!!" he screamed, raising his chain as if to strike her also, but she nodded and quickly ran off into the crowd, dragging her bawling son with her. Sphyre lowered his chain as they left, "Tch... cowards." he said, ignoring the mortified expressions of the fifty-some traumatized witnesses as he continued down the road. What did he care if they loved or hated him? After all, this world was only temporary...
((OOC: You may be wondering how Sphyre is able to read, let alone write answers on a form like this. He uses spirit magic, so he uses that magic to view the world from the Astral Plane; effectively "seeing" the world from an exactly parallel "layer" of reality where flows of magic, supernatural phenomena, etc. are all fully visible in addition to all physical objects in the Material Plane. Spirits that are strong enough to remain tied to the world after death typically have a high enough concentration of energy to be visible to anyone; these spirits tend to gather in Melaida, though there are a few in other locations.))
Name: Sphyre Rivana
Age: 43
Gender: Male
Birthdate: June 6th
Hair color: Black
Hair style: My hair is untied and flows long and down behind me, reaching my mid-back in length. The bangs hang down to the top of my blindfold, but the rest is swept aside to hang behind me.
Eye color: They were gray once, but I removed them long ago so they could never again show me lies... the empty sockets now lie permanently behind a blindfold.
Skin tone: My skin is pale, though not the shade of snow. It is pale to the point that its difference in tone would be readily evident if I were in a crowd.
Height: 6'6"
Race: Human.
Outfit: I wear an outfit of black and dark grays. My shirt is a loose silken shirt woven in gray, bearing a series of curved marks up the chest, curving outward from the middle. The chest has an infinity emblem in silver, and above that my crest of two silver crosses joined vertically with a tiny silver orb on the left and right side. My pants are a black silk of simple design, tied with a bow at the waist. My boots are black leather, with darker sections around the ankle and toe, and my crest on the upper portion of the foot in the lighter section. My gloves are black silk, and are simple aside from my crest on the back of each hand. I wear a dark gray silk waist-wrap just above where I tie my pants as a sort of belt. My mantle is comprised of three pieces; an underlayer of black silk going over my shoulders, flowing into a black silk cape in the back which trails down nearly to my ankles. The second layer is a lighter gray leather with a black band. The third and uppermost layer is a slightly darker gray hardened leather to serve as basic armor for my shoulders, also with a black band, and bearing my crest on a slightly darker section below the neck. The second and third layers extend a few inches beyond my arms, but move freely enough that my movement is not impaired. I wear a black blindfold over both eyes, wrapped with a chain which dangles to the left side of my head. Over the entire outfit there are chains wrapped around; the waist is joined by a padlock, and the chest has an O-shaped ring just above my crest on my shirt. I also wear a chain as a necklace, and hold the chains on my arms as weapons; these are about 6 feet in length beyond my hands.
Notable other characteristics: I have no eyes. As a child, I removed them so they would never lie to me. I therefore wear a blindfold over my eyes at all times; below it is a scarred mass of flesh where my eyes once resided.
Main Hand: I am ambidextrous, and have no particular preference.
City of Origin: I was born in the city of Dusz Navol.
Weaponry: I use the chains tied to my body to bind, batter, or rip my foes asunder.
Fighting Style: A combination of powerful magic and dual-wielded chains. I prefer to use magic when it is possible, though I enjoy binding the enemy in my chains so I may speak to or taunt them before I utterly destroy their helpless form with my spells.
Occupation: I am a Seeker of Truth; you could call me a vigilante, I suppose; I have never held an occupation as monetary gain and the need to survive by normal means is unimportant to me. I was raised in a poor environment, taught that life would get better with time and that every breath we take is sacred. I realized this to be a lie, and devoted myself to finding the truth in all things; to finding the One Truth: the meaning of our lives, and the reasons for our suffering.
Affiliation: Lawful Evil - I am not the sort to wantonly destroy, and in many times do not permit "evil" actions. Overall, my actions and motives would be seen as unfavorable, and often result in others being harmed or inconvenienced. I am, however, tied to a code of truth... I will never tell a lie, and I will permit no other to lie in my presence.
Main Element: Spirit (In addition to attack and support spells, he uses this magic to animate his chains, to summon servants to act as his hands, and to sense the world around him by viewing it from the Astral Plane where all things are visible, including flows of magic.)
Support Element: Darkness
Personality: I live for the truth; I will never lie, and I will suffer no other to lie in my presence. I make no exceptions... for women, for children, for even the blissfully ignorant. Deception, however, is a somewhat more gray area... if one draws an incorrect assumption from my words, but I have spoken only truth, I am still within my code. I very rarely intentionally mislead anyone, though I may speak vaguely or in a way that is open to interpretation. If I must mislead them, I am careful to speak only the bits of truth they need to hear, such as telling Emirasu that placing the Sphere of Dreams in the Mana Nexus would end the war. She doesn't need to know what else I need it done for, or what will happen once she does it; her goal is met by stopping the war, and mine is met by her performing this action. Overall, I am calm and confidant, and tend to have a smirk, a smile, or a laughing grin on my face, though this turns to sneers and scowls when I am met with untruth. I do not wantonly attack people in the streets or destroy cities (unless they start lying to me,) though I will do what is necessary to meet my goals, regardless of the number of innocents I must kill or injure. If the world burns for me to accomplish my goal, then so be it!
Likes: Truth should be obvious by now, so I will list three others:
1. Music. It is pure emotion, and conveys the feelings of the one playing it; if one does not feel the music, it will not sound correct. It is honest and beautiful for this reason; it is one reason I am glad I have no eyes. These notes do not lie, and one with no eyes can only feel the music and know the performer's heart, without being deceived by their outer appearance.
2. Mirrors (or other clear, reflective surfaces.) While I myself can no longer gaze into one, I did it much as a child, and know that any human who yet has their sight can do the same. When one gazes into a mirror, they see themselves. When they stare into their own eyes, they see the truth of what they have become; they question themselves and reveal truths that might otherwise remain unseen. A mirror shows more than merely one's reflection, and while one gazes, they are inclined to see the truth, whether they accept this truth or not.
3. Death. All life is most beautiful in its last fleeting moments... it is then that the true soul is bared, and one's beliefs, desires, and strength are all revealed. None lie in the moment of their death, for even if they speak a lie, their heart will speak the truth.
Dislikes: Lies should be obvious by this point, so as with my likes, I shall list three others.
1. Merchants. They will say or do anything to convince you to give them your coin for their wares, and are among the lowest creatures in all of Asvoria.
2. Children. They will speak out of ignorance and often believe anything they are told without question. Acceptance of lies is denial of the truth, and is something I cannot abide.
3. Spicy food. It smells so appetizing, then turns and bites you by burning your mouth when you attempt to eat it. Such treacherous dishes shall not be tolerated in my new world~!
Fears: Love. It is clearly the greatest lie of all, and will only harm me if I succumb to it. Love is nothing but a sickness!
Quote: "Everything lies... everything DIES!"
Special Abilities: I have lost my natural vision, but it is just as well. I now see by using Spirit magic to tap into the Astral Plane, which allows me to see the Material Plane as well as all of the magical flows and supernatural phenomena that go unobserved by humans. If my magic is sealed, I have developed an acute sense of hearing and a sort of sixth sense for things, almost like a weak ESP. I am thus able to find my way around, and while I will be sufficiently more clumsy in combat, I am not altogether helpless. I am able to use my chains to beat or bind my enemies. I use primarily Spirit and Darkness magic, which allows me to do everything from summoning spirits to fight for me, to enveloping my foes in magical darkness, to generating blasts of pure evil energy.
History: I was born in the city of Dusz Navol to a mother fleeing the ravages of war. 43 years ago, the city was not as decrepit and generally dead as it seems today, but was rather a haven for refugees from all around the world, human and monster alike. It was later destroyed by a plague which killed not only 90% of the town's population, but killed the surrounding forest as well. Still, the survivors and various other refugees continue to live in the city today, making it a haven for the poor or downtrodden in general.
But forgive my lecturing... 43 years ago, my then-pregnant mother fled to this city in hopes of bearing and raising me away from the horrors of the world outside. I attended a small school for magic, and was raised continually to believe that our poor and unseemly lifestyle was only temporary, that she foresaw great things in our futures, if we could just hold on. I was taught that life was sacred, even in these baser forms; that all things grew better with time, and that love would solve our problems. I was full of hope and ambition back then, and saw beauty and hope in every tree, every home, every smile. It was a simpler time, it was a happier time... but now it is only a time of the past.
My mother told me life gets better. She was wrong. When I was ten years old, the plague came; people were sick and dying in the streets; those who survived were begging for death, being covered in boils and scarely able to move or breathe. I was fortunate enough to survive, but my mother, along with 90% of the city's population, was not. As she lay dying, she spoke to me, saying, "Sphyre, my son... life goes on. Love is eternal... do not forget, even in hard times, that what does not kill you makes you stronger... and... those you love are... eternal..."
Then she died. With her last breath, she pointed to a chest near the wall which held our savings, only to find that some desperate soul had stolen what we had saved over the past years; I was alone and penniless, without a mother, a father, or a friend to support me. Everything I had known to be good had been stripped away; the things I had loved, which she had said would get better, which she had said were eternal, were no more. I was left alone, sick and in pain, emotionally and physically.
The "love" I thought I knew had all been a lie. The beauty I had seen in things had turned to pain, the love I had known from my friends had turned to malice as they lay dying, blaming anyone and everything for the condition of things. The beauty I had seen in things had been stripped as all was laid bare before my eyes...
I knew at that time that everything I had known was a lie. If my mother had loved me, she would have brought us to a safe place, not led us to die in a plague-ridden, god-forsaken city away from all hope. If my friends had been true, they would not have robbed my family. If the world had been beautiful, everything would not be pain and death. It burned as the truth set into my mind, the truth my eyes would not let me see until too late, that my own eyes had lied to me and given me false security. I made a pledge at that time that if I survived, I would live only for the truth, no matter how brutal it may be; that life was not all happiness and beauty, and that every beautiful thing is just an ugly thing in disguise. To seal my pledge, and ensure my vow could not be broken, I took a knife and carved out my own eyes so that they might never again show me lies.
I had studied in the arts of magic and healed my empty eye sockets to prevent the bleeding. I was particularly adept in the art of spirit magic, and using my own eyes as a catalyst for a powerful spell, tied my vision to the Astral Plane. For the first time, my eyes had been opened to the truths around me that my material eyes could never see; I saw all magical energy and supernatural phenomena, and knew then my mission: I must find the One Truth: the reason for our existence. Why do we breathe? Why do we suffer? Why do we ever come to exist in this world?
Those who survived the plague simply got over it like a bad cold; it was as if the disease was simply testing our will to live, then disappearing completely. We were fortunate that it was spread only between people, and those who had it seemed to develop an immunity to its effects. Many buildings were burned and rebuilt to cleanse the city, and our surviving physician detected no trace of the plague in any of us after only a month. Some said it was an omen, others that we had somehow invoked the wrath of a god. For whatever reason, it had come and gone, and left only a tenth of us alive in its wake to continue our lives as best we could. Most resumed their old jobs or took up the job of a dead relative, and the town slowly began to crawl back toward its former state. I knew that I could not find the answers I sought by staying in this town, so as soon as my body had recovered, I left the city, dressing myself in black, blindfolding myself, and leaving all my worldly possessions behind.
I wandered the world in search of truth, and eventually heard of many legends surrounding an artifact called the 'Sphere of Dreams' which was said to bear the power to grant the holder's true desire. I learned much, and found that the artifact was housed in the temple known as the Heart of the World; it was buried deep underground, but was not guarded or protected by any means until one reached the center.
At the center of the Temple, the Sphere rested on a pedestal, and was guarded by a simple magical enchantment; only one whose desire was truly and unnaturally strong could remove the Sphere from its resting place. Having carved out my own eyes to further my pursuit of my goal, I was of course recognized and was able to remove it from its pedestal. I noticed at this time that the Sphere did not seem active; perhaps it had rested here so long that its energy had been depleted?
I set out to research the Sphere further, browsing through ancient texts in libraries all across the world, and finally gathered that the Sphere would only activate if it was full of Mana energy and imbued with the power of the 12 Jewels of the Elements, then used inside the Heart of the World; in other words, it was nearly impossible for one man to achieve, and asking help from another would certainly end in betrayal; after all, who could resist the call of ultimate power?
Ten years ago, I happened to hear of a growing threat in the monster city of Arc te Larium; they had developed a device called the 'Mana Nexus', which was a device to harness the purest and largest supply of mana in the world. The humans said this was a threat to our world's survival, but I suspected it would be a threat in their hands also. Regardless, I still had not found an ample mana supply for the Sphere, and realized this as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity; I of course joined to humans to "ensure that the monsters did not destroy the world."
Once I arrived, I quickly snuck away from the encampment and began searching for an opportunity to enter the city and gain access to the Mana Nexus; I could teleport myself in, but I could not necessarily survive the feedback that would inevitably be caused by devouring the Mana Nexus. I needed someone else to fill the Sphere for me, so I could claim it in the aftermath... and that is when I saw her. My perfect, beautiful little puppet...
She was a girl who appeared to be human, but had batlike wings growing from her back. A hybrid, most likely... uncommon, for sure, but not entirely unheard of. I approached her and spoke to her, and came to realize that she was attempting to escape this senseless war that was now brewing over the Mana Nexus. This was my chance... I told her of a way to end the war by destroying the Nexus; she would insert the Sphere, which would absorb the mana. Without this, the device would not function properly and the cause for the war would be removed, thus ending the war. I neglected to tell her of her certain death, of course, but... accidents DO happen.
Much to my surprise, when I entered the facility after the detonation, I found that not only was the girl still miraculously alive, but several monsters had gathered around and named her a traitor; they would surely finish her off. I quickly grabbed the abandoned Sphere, now brimming with mana energy, and vanished. I assume the monsters thought she had overloaded it by damaging the device with some sort of spell, but regardless, my goal was accomplished.
I spent the next ten years researching the locations of the 12 Jewels so I could finally unleash the Sphere's power and grant my wish... to create a world without lies. All love, all beauty, and all life is a lie, and I will eradicate them all, and create a new world of creatures who will know only love and no hatred, who will always be happy, who will never know pain. This world will end, and a new utopia shall be erected in its place. And in that new world, I shall be a GOD!
Sample RP: Sphyre walked down the street, his leather boots making light clicking sounds as they fell upon the stones making up the road, accompanied by the scraping of his two chains as they dragged along beside him. His long black hair and equally black cape flowed behind him as he walked, the elegance seeming to contrast the uncaring attitude displayed by his nonchalant dragging of the chains. He smirked as he walked, sure he was quite a spectacle to the chuckling citizens he was passing, but not caring in the least what they thought of him. They'll be dead once I get the Jewels, and then they'll have no choice but to serve me. We'll see who laughs then... he thought, grinning larger at this reassurance.
The place had changed. Dusz Navol had always been a poor city, of course, but since the plague, it seemed to have just stayed poor; trade was minimal, and visitors were scarce. Most people were scared of the plague, he reasoned, and they were not to blame; it had devastated this entire region only 30 years ago, and the pain and fear had not yet been forgotten. But I survived, at least... he thought, and so did many others. The Plague just vanished... the only thing to fear here now is a pickpocket or a knife in the back if you walk down the wrong alley at night. Desperate times make desperate people, so they say...
As he took another step, however, a young urchin crashed into him, not at all watching where he was going. "Watch it, kid." he said coolly, moving to proceed on his way. The young boy grabbed his cape and tugged at it. "Mister, mister, would you like to buy this magic talisman? It will protect you!" the boy said, holding up a twig with a leaf on it. Sphyre snarled at the boy, "Liar..." he said angrily, "That's not a talisman, and it won't protect anyone from anything!" he yelled, gathering stares from several of the homeless people in the area. "B-but... it is a talisman... my mommy said that it will protect me... I just need a copper to buy supper..." the boy said, tears welling up in his eyes. Sphyre snatched the twig away from the boy and threw it to the ground, grinding under the heel of his boot. The boy burst into tears, and cried, "Waaaaaahh! You killed it! There was a fairy living inside it... to protect us, and you... YOU KILLED IT! WAAAAAAAAAH!" the boy said between tears, obviously hurt quite deeply by Sphyre's callous behavior. "LIAR!" he screamed, raising his chain to strike the boy for his insolence; he could see every flow of magic, and would have noticed had there been a spell on the twig; besides, everyone knew fairies were at least a few inches tall. The boy turned to flee, and his mother grabbed him, shielding him in her arms. "Please sir, he didn't mean to lie to you... he just wants to be a good boy and help his mother..." she pleaded earnestly. Sphyre's eyebrow was twitching behind his blindfold at this point. "MORE LIES! THE BOY MEANT TO LIE; HE WANTS MONEY FROM HONEST FOLK FOR NOTHING, AND YOU NOW SHIELD HIM WITH YOUR OWN LIES TO PREVENT HIS JUDGMENT!! BEGONE FROM ME, VILE WOMAN!!" he screamed, raising his chain as if to strike her also, but she nodded and quickly ran off into the crowd, dragging her bawling son with her. Sphyre lowered his chain as they left, "Tch... cowards." he said, ignoring the mortified expressions of the fifty-some traumatized witnesses as he continued down the road. What did he care if they loved or hated him? After all, this world was only temporary...