Zarla's Last Flight

[Shinkuu]

Zarla was always a dragon who loved to fly even from her days as a hatchie when she would glide the world over where she could. However, it was fitting that one flight to ease her mind would be her last flight of all. All the training she had recently undergone in the end was for nothing and all she had ever done or suffered came to naught. As if Nihil itself was laughing at her for daring to have hope in her life.

After a very lengthy training session the Black Dragoness spread her massive wings and flew out over the land. She rode the currents of the Primal Wind she created flying higher and faster than most Dragons ever could. It was always so peaceful at the very top of the world hearing only the faint sound of the air moving past her as she barely even breathed. She could soar like this for hours on end but this flight would not remain so serene.

As she skirted around the edge of the Eastern Deadlands something suddenly struck her upper rightmost horn. It was some sort of slash and as she came to awareness she saw her Bonding Band that marked her as Romirez's mate fall off her horn to the earth. She knew this could not be good and was horrified that something would attack her now. She was drained of energy and fighting was not a good option.

As Zarla attempted to Recall she was hit by a powerful Soul Anchoring spell to ensure she could not get away and then one of her main attackers became apparent. It was the Draco Lich known as Zurricht. He was a black skeletal dragon the size of a slightly small Ancient with an Ethereal black body shadowed over his bones and glowing red eyes. She attempted to bank away from him hoping that maybe she could out run him in a dive and get help but it was too late. Once again it seemed she had fallen into one of Plage's traps.

Zurricht flew past her with unnatural speed and with his claws he sliced long gashes in Zarla's wings sending her falling to the earth below with no way to stop her descent. As Zurricht watched from above Zarla tried to land as best she could but ended up SLAMMING into the ground below and rolling with the blow. She used her Gold Shield coating her skin in a powerful Golden field of Energy as she hardened her flesh into scale plates to help absorb the impact.

Zurricht Landed with a permanent bony sneer on his undead face. The tall Half-Giant Lich cloaked in his tattered black robes like Shadows themselves engulfing his form stood near where the Dragoness had landed and walked slowly her way. Zarla was unaffected by Pain as she had suffered so much in her time as to become deadened to the sensation but she had trouble standing as one of her hind legs was broken. The bone showed straight through her flesh.

"I should just rend your soul and get it over with you stupid obstinate Lizard. However, I would rather have yet another Dragon Slave on my side. Yeess, you will make a nice trophy Zarla. Your Sister will undoubtedly come along soon as well and I shall have the full set." Plage, the Half-Giant Lich, spoke in a deep reverberating voice to Zarla as he approached. He flicked his bony hands at her and to her surprise and dismay chains of blighted mithril sprung from the ground and latched onto her with wicked hooks that drove into her arms, back, and legs pinning her to the ground.

"The master has been working on some lovely entrapment spells as you can see. He has learned to use the Prime through me to create some matter and then corrupt it." Zurricht added as he walked up to Zarla.

"I will NEVER be your Slave! If you want me you got a fight on your hands Aegis Scum!" Zarla yelled at them as her claws blazed with a golden energy and she tried to rend the chains. However she could not get claw to metal before Plage hit her Soul with a disruptive shockwave that made it impossible to control her body for a few moments. While she was stunned Zurricht opened his maw and let out a thick stream of the horrid Soul Blight onto Zarla's form. It was one of the most vile breath weapons anyone could hope to acquire and it quickly began eating Zarla's flesh away and exposing raw muscle and bone in some places.

"Now now... Do not bother struggling Zarla... I can tell you are tired and weak. This will not take long. Juuust let yourself go and let the Plague deep into your essence." Plage taunted with a deep satisfied chuckle.

Zarla's soul tried hard to fight the vicious Blight as it began to seep from her body into her very essence. She was Gifted... She was part Dragon in her Soul... She would NOT become the play thing of the Aegis no matter what she had to do. As the struggle continued and her body turned from flesh and organs into nothing more than a skeleton, with hooks slammed through the bone in some places, her whole form burst into intense swirling flames. Her soul fought against the oppressive and heavy corruption seeping into it. It tried to burn it away but as it struggled her twin souls combined as one began to be depleted of all the energy they used to manifest.

Zurricht frowned as he realized that things were not going as planned and turned to Plage. "Master, she is not taking the Blight properly! Her soul is managing to fight it off!"

"...How true... Well... is not that annoying? Here I go to all the trouble of capturing her and sparing her wretched life and she repays me by fighting the gift of undeath I gave her? How rude and utterly disrespectful. Maybe her Sister will be easier to take over... If she is going to struggle this way then I guess I have no choice but to get this piece of trash out of my way for good." Plage's words seemed full of arrogance and bitterness as if he honestly believed he WAS giving her a wonderful gift. His hands raised again and as they glowed violently he used his knowledge of Spirit magic to Rend Zarla's Soul with four massively powerful magical slashes.

Zarla's skeleton seemed to fall into shambles and the burning stopped then and there. For a brief moment her image as if unharmed lingered where her body had once been. Her translucent form seemed to hang her head and shed tears of deep despair and sorrow before Plage waved his long bone fingers at it and the image seemed to rend in half and vanish.

"Is... Is that it? She is gone? For good?" Zurricht asked with an odd hint of regret in his ethereal voice.

"Yes, that is it. Of course she is gone for good you idiot. No soul is coming back from MY final death. I know you enjoyed sparring with her Zurricht but honestly, who cares? She was just a mere obstacle in my path that has now been removed." Plage answered with a bit of annoyance in hearing Zurricht's remorseful tone. "Now get back to the fortress you worthless pile of bones! We have WORK TO DO!" He commanded.

Zurricht looked where Zarla had been for a long moment... His ethereal features looked sad but he spread his bony wings and took off as ordered back towards their fortress in the Eastern Deadlands. Plage followed at a slightly more leisurely pace behind his pet Dragon.

So the story of Zarla Ember ended... She had a long tormented journey but in the end it seemed that she would have been better served having never acquired her Gift and never living through the assault by Vehk that killed her so long ago. A long life wasted... Goals left unmet... Dreams foreclosed upon...

[Romirez]

((unnanounced death. good move zarla. ))

[LungTien Temeraire]

(Just... why did you do this, OoCly? )

[Shinkuu]

(Why not? He is MY Villain and they are MY characters. LungTien could not help her anyway so I do not see why you are concerned in any fashion. Romirez maybe could but I did not want her being saved. I am moving Zarla and Shinkuu to Private RP only. I do not care to RP with the Public with them any longer. In the alternate time line they do not die but as far as Public is concerned they are 100% gone.)

[Shinkuu]

(I will no longer be maintaining the Moyo Lake Channel. As Zarla is dead it has no meaning for me anymore. I will tell those I care to where I intend to hang out from now on.)

[LungTien Temeraire]

(I just think a bit of OoC communication with the players who are RPing Zarla's family, for example, would have been a better idea, before to act.)

[Fix]

(( What a fitting end. Bravo!))

[Shinkuu]

(I just think a bit of OoC communication with the players who are RPing Zarla's family, for example, would have been a better idea, before to act.)

Seems how both were my characters and the Villain was my NPC the only one who required consultation was me. As I said in the Over Powered thread: Every story has an end. I choose to End the public story of both of those characters there. I do not care for the Drama they cause and do not feel the world they belong to exists in the Public RP any longer. Therefore, they will continue in the world they do belong to and leave the other one behind.

[Romirez]

(( then i guess you didn't care about the RP relationship between Zarla and Romirez? because you completely left him out in the cold. ))

[Shinkuu]

(There is a distinction between OOC and IC you know.

I am just throwing it in the face of those who believe that nothing has any bearing on a character except their own Player that this is the end result of that line of thought.

There is no reason why Romirez ICLY should have been able to do anything in time anyway. He frequently gets involved in things without Zarla being able to help him and you do not consult me on these things. So honestly, by your own accusation you could say the same holds true for your appreciation of their relationship.

The fact is however, my like of their relationship is part of WHY I want her to die and go away. If she can stay to Private RP with him then they can just enjoy each other without anything but a few prescripted engagements taking place and whatever hunts we physically do in Istaria. Would that not be preferable than having Romi hooked to a Tormented mate who will ultimately just be considered the ultimate villain by most due to their leanings towards the side of the Aegis and their ultimate goal of utter annihilation?

I think Zarla's state of mind is best described here: Myself by Linkin Park )

[LungTien Temeraire]

(There is a distinction between OOC and IC you know.

I think he knows.

I am just throwing it in the face of those who believe that nothing has any bearing on a character except their own Player that this is the end result of that line of thought.

Every player can choose how their characters see things around them. These characters can act and react differently in a war. That doesn't make them insane or irrealistic.

There is no reason why Romirez ICLY should have been able to do anything in time anyway. He frequently gets involved in things without Zarla being able to help him and you do not consult me on these things. So honestly, by your own accusation you could say the same holds true for your appreciation of their relationship.

I think an OoC discussion would have been nicer before to act, if not to find a way for both to enjoy the RP relationship better, at least to be warned and think about how a character would end.

The fact is however, my like of their relationship is part of WHY I want her to die and go away. If she can stay to Private RP with him then they can just enjoy each other without anything but a few prescripted engagements taking place and whatever hunts we physically do in Istaria. Would that not be preferable than having Romi hooked to a Tormented mate who will ultimately just be considered the ultimate villain by most due to their leanings towards the side of the Aegis and their ultimate goal of utter annihilation?)

Same thing than above, a solution could have been found with OoC discussion, before to decide something.

[Shinkuu]

I think an OoC discussion would have been nicer before to act, if not to find a way for both to enjoy the RP relationship better, at least to be warned and think about how a character would end.

Same thing than above, a solution could have been found with OoC discussion, before to decide something.

(Be warned and think about how a character would end? It was MY character. I think the one who needs informing and needs to think about how they end is... um... Yeah, that is right, ME. That is the only person who really needs such information and consultation. We can choose to end our characters at any time we please by all accounts from everyone else here so I do not want to get any gripe from the likes of you about it.

As for another solution, there is not one.)

[Essra]

((Wow, Shin. I'm sorry but I've lost what little respect I had for you. I understand that it is your character to end as you chose, and i rejoice at the termination of Zurricht and that convoluted storyline. No, romirez did not need to give you permission to do it, but you lack the consideration to actually notify him that you are going to do it?

And to really top it all off, is the condescending, self-righteous way you talk to those who have posted here to express their displeasure. Please note nobody has contested your right to do this.

But your behavior is .... disappointing.))

[Reverse]

furthermore, true the one in control of how to end or make a character behave IS the RPer themselves, however it takes a person to be one heck of a jerk to all the friends they do have and that they RP with th just off their character without any forewarning or explanation beforehand or thoughts or even apologies as to how this might affect the people one RP's with.

[LungTien Temeraire]

The point isn't what you did of your characters RPly... the point is how you did it. Zarla is your character, but Romirez, and the hatchlings they have RPly, in their family, aren't yours. They belong to other players.

The IC death of Zarla affects quite significantly these players' RP. Something like a perma-kill is not like a character resting one night on a rock or eating a cow. But it is like you don't seem to care about these players, who had characters closely bound to yours, and you didn't seem bothered about expressing your lack of satisfaction while doing this RP, about trying to discuss about it and trying to find something to get it better.

You have perfectly the right to do what you want with your characters, but you just, without letting anyone know how you felt about this RP, didn't say anything nor let anyone the chance to consider the possibility you were uneasy, and just ended your characters, like that.

RP means social interaction, and if ones doesn't care at all about how others could feel, about what they could like or dislike, this can't work.

[Darkwing_Duck]

Well I can kinda see Shinkuu`s point. I pulled both Reagle, and Falkor out of public due to the fact all roleplays are now dead publically anyways.
I`m thinking about transferring Ryzaak to Chaos, but that all depends on if anyone still wants him around. I honestly can`t forsee any roleplays happening for me anymore after all the drama that recently went down.
Things are looking up OOCly for me, but my characters on Order are pretty much all dead now.

[LungTien Temeraire]

Well I can kinda see Shinkuu`s point. I pulled both Reagle, and Falkor out of public due to the fact all roleplays are now dead publically anyways.
I`m thinking about transferring Ryzaak to Chaos, but that all depends on if anyone still wants him around. I honestly can`t forsee any roleplays happening for me anymore after all the drama that recently went down.
Things are looking up OOCly for me, but my characters on Order are pretty much all dead now.

Did you log on recently, on Order? there are roleplays in the public channels, currently, unless you are talking about your RPs. Among others, LungTien is possessed by a void spirit and hunted by some others who wants to get rid of this void entity. I, and a good amount of others, are open and will welcome you back on Order if you want to return.

I think the matter with Shinkuu and Romirez, and the RP family they have, is another thing.

[Tcei]

As an outsider and not being very aware of what if anything -rp wise- led up to this, it seems to me this was done purly to spite some comments in another thread. Which Imho is a rather crappy and childish thing to do.

While I do agree that every player has a right to kill off their own character; I would think giving those players who's characters are family of your own a heads up or letting them be involved solmewhat with the rp leading up to the death (even if they ultimately fail to save you) would be the courteous thing to do rather than just say Ohyeah my character's dead now Kthxbia, and effectivly crippiling the rp of everyone around you.

Surprise deaths can be a good (and fun) rp event.

I was once apart of a group that was on an rp-pvp server. We all rp'd that we were part of a small close-knit band of the militia out of the local city. One night we were all gathered in a tavern (after a long day on patroll) telling stories when our leader was assassinated. It was quite a shock when two rogues appeared out of thin air and stabbed our fearless leader then bolted for the door (they didnt make it.). Even though we tried to save (rez) her, her soul was beyond our reach and she was permakilled.

The point is people were offered a chance to participate in her death. The RP wasnt left crippled, and there was a point of refference for those close to her to move on.
None of this - near as I can tell, is what happened in the story of your own character(s) Shin, thus why everyone is so upset.

[Shinkuu]

((Wow, Shin. I'm sorry but I've lost what little respect I had for you. I understand that it is your character to end as you chose, and i rejoice at the termination of Zurricht and that convoluted storyline. No, romirez did not need to give you permission to do it, but you lack the consideration to actually notify him that you are going to do it?

And to really top it all off, is the condescending, self-righteous way you talk to those who have posted here to express their displeasure. Please note nobody has contested your right to do this.

But your behavior is .... disappointing.))

(I did not ask you nor do I care what you think. Do not respect me. Do respect me. That is your decision. I am not here to please you and I have not RP'ed with you in ages so it has no bearing on you or me.

As for my condescending tone: They have no right to be displeased as I have done nothing to them, only to myself. I am annoyed at them telling me one thing on the one hand and when I act in accordance to their own doctrine then they read me the riot act for doing so. Say as you Do and Do as you Say. Hypocrisy is an ugly beast.)

[Shinkuu]

The point isn't what you did of your characters RPly... the point is how you did it. Zarla is your character, but Romirez, and the hatchlings they have RPly, in their family, aren't yours. They belong to other players.

The IC death of Zarla affects quite significantly these players' RP. Something like a perma-kill is not like a character resting one night on a rock or eating a cow. But it is like you don't seem to care about these players, who had characters closely bound to yours, and you didn't seem bothered about expressing your lack of satisfaction while doing this RP, about trying to discuss about it and trying to find something to get it better.

You have perfectly the right to do what you want with your characters, but you just, without letting anyone know how you felt about this RP, didn't say anything nor let anyone the chance to consider the possibility you were uneasy, and just ended your characters, like that.

RP means social interaction, and if ones doesn't care at all about how others could feel, about what they could like or dislike, this can't work.

You see... There is this issue of Public Vs. Private RP Lungtien. In Private RP someone has some control over the world and the characters involved in that RP. So what characters do in private RP is mostly dictated by the Player of the Character but partially dictated by whoever is running the RP or is master of the RP world. In Public RP anything can happen at any time. Characters are 100% in command of their Players and events can unfold without warning. It is much like real life that way. Because the game's Lore and mechanics are the only real guide or master of the world and they do not talk back to you there is not a lot of external controls put into place.

With that in mind, a Perma-Kill is exactly the same as any other sort of action that a Player may or may not take. It can be sudden. It does not need to be discussed outside of that player if someone else is doing it to them. The results will be dealt with or ignored by the other players as they see fit just like every other single thing that any character does in a Public RP.