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Champions of the Corrupt

Here is where our story begins, in Riviana.

A place of corruption and filth. A place of sleazy dealings and under the counter payments. A place of sex, money, power, greed and secret agendas. In a place like this, even the most pure of heart can be swallowed by corruption. It only takes one moment of loose morals or weakened will to become the very thing they sought to prevent, a tool for corruption to spread itself with. Yet at the same time, in a place like this the most pure of us can become champions, forged in the bleakness around them, driven by their own will to break the vices around them. Champions who stand up to the darkness around them, and refuse to be used for it's gain. Champions who are not born with greatness, they do not have greatness thrust upon them, but achieve greatness. Champions who are given the challenge of greatness, accept it, and meet it. Few can say they stood against the corruption of this foul city and won. Even fewer can say they did so without becoming corrupt themselves.

So when the time for Champions is at hand, will you answer the call? Will you achieve greatness, in the face of corruption? Will you best the odds, and turn down the power? Will you bring order to the chaos, and not be consumed by it? Make your will stronger than your greed, your morale's stronger than your corruption, and you faith more tempting than any other power, and you cannot fail.

Here is where our story begins.


*Sorry if the posts seem short. It isn't easy writing posts for 13 different characters.*

Adele:

Dax:

Saeryn:

Hermes:

Claire:

Razajin:

Kiku:

Rayn:

Shelby:

Jormag:

Garian:

Ty:

Garth:

Claire turns to looks at the group of men. She smiles and then waves at them. "Yes? May I help you fine gentlemen?" she asks with an innocent voice. She looks around to see if anyone else was near her. Claire looks back at the group of men. "Well, if you'll excuse me, I'll need to leave you nice group of men." she says. She smiles at them and then walks across the street.

Kiku looks up at the man, with a hint of anger in her fearful face. After a silent gulp, and a few thoughts about what to say, this came of out her mouth, "That depends what your doing to him, and if he deserves it. I might just join in, but I ain't no snitch, so you don't have to worry about me talking..." and she crossed her arms, trying her best to hide her fear.

Shelby doesn't have to think very long on this one. She let these men in out of common courtesy to hear their offer, but they can't know that much about her, if they honestly expected her to become a weapons dealer for organized crime. The day she finds her brother, she wants to still be herself, and not some pawn in the gang war around here.

"I appreciate the offer, but I must respectfully decline. Nothing personal; I simply wish not to deal in weapons."

Of course, Shelby's prepared for the response she's likely to get. Gangs are gangs, and they don't often take well to being turned down. She has a few things around to protect herself with, though, as any young tinkering girl should in her own workshop:

-First off, the hidden pressure plates in the floor, which activate a spring-loaded weight trap in the wall to strike at whoever stepped on the switch, much like the classic boxing glove maneuver; she designed them with the possibility for burglars in mind. Thankfully, she's memorized each plate's corresponding trap, so she knows which way to duck or weave if one gets activated. Besides, they won't trigger unless she unlocks them, via a wall-mounted switch near her bedroom door.

-Second, she has her own combat skills, both with her sword and with her Electric Walker powers. Should the aforementioned traps fail to work, she knows how to deal with the thugs you'd find wandering the streets.

-Finally, she has some magnets concealed in the ceiling, which are activated by another wall switch directly adjacent to the one for the weighted wall traps. When that switch is flipped on, the magnet-blocking material in the ceiling's tiles move aside, allowing the magnets behind them to yank up any metallic objects situated beneath them, which happens to be where both the gangsters are standing. She prefers to use this as a last resort, however, as the metallic weapons those magnets might grab could kill the bearer on their way up...or sever their belt and get their pants dropped, and she'd rather not see a man's junk like that if she can help it.

"I can't let you leave empty-handed, though, so how about I get a little gizmo for you three?" Shelby offers, as she walks over towards the wall switches. It's more so that they're available if she needs them, as she has no intent on using those traps at all, unless the men themselves get rough. Assuming they actually behave themselves, she'll just give them a few of her automated bottle corkscrews, and let them be on their way...though, something tells her that isn't going to happen...but hey, one can still hope.

Well, that's what you get for being a vigilante, I suppose. Five very angry testosterone-hyped idiots chasing her through the Back Alley District. The way so many more Earth Walkers had gathered so fast was annoying, though. She could've taken down those two grunts easily on her own, but five was a whole new number to be fighting against. And Rayn wasn't one for suicide. Death wasn't part of her plans, especially not when she was this young.

She pelted down the district's streets, her blue eyes darting from side to side in search of something to aid her escape with. Rayn was fit enough to probably outrun these morons, but it would exhaust her and another unlucky encounter would probably seal her fate. Her eyes settled on an alley and she grinned. A good place to lose these idiots in. She reached for her canteen of water as she ran in, uncapping the container and sloshing water into the air. With a snap of her fingers, the water immediately crystallized into razor sharp icicles, blocking off the entrance. Rayn turned away from the entrance, throwing her half-full canteen of water down the other end of the alley. Water spilled in a line as the canteen hurtled through the air, giving the impression that Rayn had ran through the alley. Just a misleading gesture, if you would. She stepped into the shadows of the alley, quiet as a cat. Her breathing slowed and she remained almost unmoving, cloaked by the shadows of the alley. With luck, the Earth Walkers would just run by. If not..well, let's hope they ran by, okay?
Cmon, boys. Any time now...

Being pushed forward by a crowd member, Ty is thrown into his opponent. Quickly reacting Ty makes a magnetic field in front of him to avoid any contact with his opponent.

Ty using his knowledge in fighting analyzes his opponent quickly. Strong, same height, slow, water walker, armor made of leather, and dull blade... With his stance,he seems to be a novice when dealing with bladed weapons. With that, he compares it to himself then checks the environment. With people around, it will be hard to maneuver swiftly but he knew that with his opponents slow movement and skills in bladed weapons, he can slip past him easily. Standing still with a grin on his face Ty says, "You are a fool if you dare challenge me. I will give you a chance to run back home now. Challenge me and you will find out the true meaning of pain."

"I-I don't h-have any money... i was ran out of my last town! Please spare an innocent man!" Jormag says. He shivers in fear of being beaten to death. He pulls his pockets out to show that he was empty. He lifts his hands in the air raising them high. For a tall and strong man he shouldn't be cowering in fear like this. He has no choice for now until he gains some weapons to defend himself with.

Hermes has a moment of shock when the men grab her arms, but it's quickly replaced with something a little more familiar to her: instability.

"Hehehehehe..." she starts, her voice deranged and small at this point. Then she starts manipulating the wind, threading it into small enough pockets to make it razor sharp. "Hahahahaha..." her laughter rises in both volume and insanity as she guides the razor winds towards her captors, the set up almost complete. "HAHAHAHAHA!!" her laughing almost sounds like shrieking, it's so loud, but no one would confuse it as such. They MIGHT confuse it for a serial killer's laugh though and they wouldn't be that far off. The razor winds are now brought to bear on her captor's arms and necks, aimed to shred them to pieces for having the audacity to touch her, the only thing audible besides the sound of hurricane force winds being Hermes' psychopathic laughter.

Saeryn's purple eyes traced the ongoing traffic of pedestrians on either side of her, people giving her looks of hatred, disgusts, and when lucky; a look of genuine wonder and excitement. For all the troubles humans have caused across the worlds, there was something unique in the way they congregated, their busy streets so much more alive than anything in nature. Let them hate me for all I care, like all sentient beings they fear which they do not understand she thought to herself, her reverse jointed legs giving her a forward gait to her movements as stride below the heads of the taller humans.

Her head continued to swim from the winding corridors, packed absolutely tight, confining her movements into the flow of traffic, the feeling of confinement suffocating her very soul as panic begun to set in. She had always been fine with people and crowds, until the day her magic powers were pulled from her soul by the shaper of her tribe, and with it the drawbacks of magic. She no longer could spend as much time in areas like this, lest she passes out.

She continued to follow along the winding streets of the market, her feet echoing against the paved cobble-stone of the district, the talons gripping each stone as she walked by in the shade of the many awnings of the local booths, the pounding of human shouting quaking in her head, giving fuel to her already strong head-ache. Wiping her head side to side she looked for an opening, an area, she could regain some composure away from the crowds. Curse my own curiosity leading me to a place like this. She could have easily just flown up into the sky and perch along the rooftops of the surrounding high-wall of the market district, but she already stuck out like a sore thumb, and when in human cities non-humans were expected to abide to their mode of living.

She headed off in a direction she felt was more fitting for relaxation than for the busy shopping life of the city, opting to come back another day during more foul weather.

With these kind of jobs he's been taking recently Garth knew his sister would extremely disapprove of this since she joined the guard. Though with the pay being a lot more to know whats not in the package its really hard to refuse in the first place. He looked around to make sure none of the water walker gang was around to follow. He knew he could take to the streets, but there was no good view and Garth had preferred the scenic route.

Climbing up the building wasn't too hard with his abilities to help push him up. Reaching the top to see the beautiful side of the city from it's rooftops. This way was usually the safest only stupid people would dare chase him up here. Though it has happened on many occasions still. Garth stood for the moment taking in the sight of the city. Feeling the breeze as it hits his face. He took a deep breath in the feel of this freedom was exhilarating.

Using his abilities to help him cross the roof tops the trip should to the The Phoenix Nest shouldn't be to hard to reach this way.

Adelphia shouldered her best sense of patience as the angry river of Rivana's people' had begun to lick at her heels. The city was a rat race, for all intents and purposes; the thump of the city's manic heart and the sweat drenching its populace was the other side of the coin for Kveyni. She was no stranger to being rushed; she ignored the bitter people striking past her as she stood at the city's southern gates, streaming against the crowd like water should have. She tucked her cloak closer, her thoughtful humming stolen away by another crescendo of screaming and chattering. Her parents' courtesy had got the better of them, this time: if not to keep Adele's confidence, they'd spoken highly of Rivana as a flourishing, up and coming city-state whose wave the more stagnant Kveyni needed to ride.

It is a mess. was her first impression of Rivana. Even in her first twenty minutes here, she'd spied eight pickpockets and muggings between the flickering shadows cast by the bustle. Kveyni, meanwhile, had been conservative in nature. Rigidly organized, with no transaction escaping the city's Overseer of Commerce. But Rivana, compared to it, was like a childrens' playhouse. Guards here seemed numerous, and yet ineffective as the structured gang activity within the populaces' ranks was obvious. Her parents had warned her of them before she had left; many seedy and powerful gangs found their beating heart in Rivana and the scope of their crimes wasn't limited to but murder and kidnapping. But Adele tried not to let that knowledge unbalance her.

Her mission was one on official capacity, and the delicate workings of intercity politics demanded she sharpen her composure.

She tapped the sleek waterskin hidden beneath her cloak, in which held water from the Kveyna family's Blood Fountain in Kveyni. With the power of Water Walkers in their blood, it was a common practice for Kveyni's native families to wrought an arcane Blood Fountain on their estate. The water inside could be the purest and cleanest of anywhere in the land, but it was commonly thought the purity of the water inside reflected the values that family held themselves to. When a lineage was dark and studded with betrayal, hate and anger, it was said the water inside would even turn red. But the Kveyna family's Blood Fountain was the purest of them all, and her father had deemed her to take some of the sacred water just in case. Holding it in such conservative regard, Adele had, of course, taken not a single sip so far, instead taking sustenance from ponds and creeks she passed on her way here.

Inhaling a breath of Rivana's almost musty, salty air, Adele proceeded forward, graciously gliding past those she may have bumped into and firing off an apology whenever she had. To her expectation, she was mostly ignored being that she didn't wear the regal garb common of a noble family. Save for the figures in red, of course, whose foreboding robes camouflaged whatever intents lay beneath. Knowing Rivana's far shadier nature, Adele did not immediately think too hostile of them, but steered away nonetheless soon pausing before a trio of gleaming figures dressed in elaborate armor. Perhaps this was her escort. Adele was thankful for the courtesy, of course, but she'd always thought it better to keep low-key, rather than announce her presence to the city. Straightening her posture, Adele inclined her head politely, placing her gloved hand to her chest in a simple gesture of greeting.

"Kveyna, yes. Pleased to meet you. I assume you will be accompanying me?" she spoke clearly and politely, cutting straight to the point. Formalities could be sacrificed in places like these, where they were often unwise.

Dax sat on some stoop thinking about how that nice family insisted on paying him so much. They could have used that and instead they gave it to him. Amazing what manners and niceness can do! He was so absorbed in his thought he hadn`t felt the group approach and he looked up in surprise as they demanded the money from him. No way was he gonna give it up! He mustered up his most intimidating pose and the slingshot still lay hidden beneath his cloak so to them he appeared unarmed but an earthwalker is never unarmed while he is on the ground. He stood up his cloak against him,"I know you aren`t talking to me. Just keep walking and there won`t be any trouble." He said as his voice rumbled with anger at their demand. He was tired of these thugs taken advantage of people.

Claire:

Kiku:

Shelby:

Rayn:

Ty:

Jormag:

Hermes:

Saeryn:

Garth:

Adele:

Dax:

Keep going, keep going..
Rayn thought, trying to will the Earth Walker punks to just get distracted by her ruse and run. It did seem like the plan worked when four men barreled through, having broken down the icicle barrier. She was safe, for now..
"Ugh. These guys are persistent as hell.."
She muttered, stepping out of her hiding spot..which was a completely bad idea. There had been five men. She had only counted four. The last one was of course standing behind her, already in a fighting stance. Just a lone goon. She could take him easily. Being a vigilante didn't always mean that she was on the losing side, was she?
Checking once to see if the black bandanna she usually wore around her face was secure, she stepped forward, coolly surveying the situation.

One Earth Walker, quite a young guy actually. Just another goon in a gang. Her icicle barrier lay in pieces behind him and the water from her canteen was spilled on the floor. Both tools for Water Walking. Easy enough.
Rayn feinted forward, snapping out her hands in a shoving motion. The water on the floor bubbled to life, raising into the air and jetting past her, aimed at the boy in an extremely high-pressure jet of water. She then stepped back quickly, withdrawing her hands in a "bring it" gesture. The shattered pieces of ice behind the Earth Walker levitated into the air, then hurtled themselves, all aimed directly at spots where he would possible dodge to in one big shotgun blast of ice.

Shelby lets out a sigh of her own at their response. She saw this one coming easily, hence all the precautions. (Well, they can't say I didn't try to be nice...)

Deciding to let the traps do at least some of the work for her, she flips on the wall switch for the floor-plates, and looks over to see which of the thugs is first to take the bait. From their positions, the weighted traps will likely strike them in the left pectoral region, right knee, pelvic region, or - if they're particularly unlucky - all of the above. It all comes down to where they step, though she's made sure that none of the blows could be lethal. Her goal is to simply incapacitate the mooks, not kill them.

It's doubtful that any of those thugs will remain standing after all this...but if any of them do, Shelby will first switch off the traps, then unhook her sword and sheath from the clamp holding them to her belt. Her fighting style is rather unique, as it's not just the sword she uses; her sheath is a weapon in its own right. It's made mostly from a metallic alloy she herself discovered, which she has named "Lectronium." Its light-yet-strong properties have proven a great blunt weapon and defensive tool, as well as a long-lasting storage place for her blade. Should any remaining thugs rush in, she can use the sword to deflect their attack, and follow up with a knock-out blow from her sheath.

One way or the other, Shelby will drag the soon-to-be-unconscious thugs out of her home when all this is done. Her shop deserves better guests than these idiots.

(Lectronium's properties)

Jormag nods. He puts his hands down and follows the three
In the back of his mind however the wheels to plot out his escape has begun. "On the way to the bar i could slip into the crowd and disappear. They might find me though... and kill me. I don't want to die yet! Oh man what do it do?"
"So what are we going to do when we get back to the bar?" Jormag asks out of curiosity

"Aw! But I wanted to see..." Kiku says in apparent disappointment. She thinks to herself, "just let it go, let it go, let it go!" as she starts walking away. She spots an alley, and a way to climb up on the buildings... "Let it go, let it go, let it.... fuck"
Unwilling to let a possibly innocent man be bullied and attacked by a gang, she darts stealthily into the alley while the gang is occupied. Carefully, she makes her way up the building via fire exits, or placement of random objects, et cetera, trying to make as little noise as possible.

Once (if) she is on the building, she keeps out of sight and makes her way to the edge. The girl crawls on her belly and drags herself forward to pop her head over the edge to see whats going on from above.

Dax sighed and stood up and delibrately pocketed the money for them to see,"Look I earned the money. You are a bunch of low life thugs who haven`t earned anything in their lives. And if you don`t back off now I`m going to send you all running away with your tails between your legs." He shifts his foot and sends a short wave of dirt to knocks the guy with the knife on his ass to send a message.

With a small chuckle, Hermes looks up in mock contemplation. When she looks back down on the dying man, it's with a wide grin and a murderous look in her eyes.

"You know, I just might be." she says with another chuckle before attempting to stomp the man's head in. It's not like he can really stop her what with the many pieces he's currently in. Once that's over with, she begins to contemplate how to sneak into the Asylum she was held in to get her weapons back. Well, no, that's not quite right. First, she decides to find a weapon store where she can find a few daggers at. First, the makeshift stuff, THEN go to get the good stuff.

Looking calm with a smirk on his face, Ty now truly beleives this man is very unintelligent. A barbarian, a meat head, an mere buffoon. As he charges towards Ty, all Ty does is make a slight movement of his foot to try and dodge. All while examining his openings and unsheathing his blade to strike back...