Lux, Crepusculum ac Atra

[Kai! Kai!]

Atra Vorago;[/color] The Demon Pit, The Abyss, The Nether Realm. It has been called all these things and far worse. Atra Vorago is without a doubt the heartland of humanities deepest and darkest fears. Vorago is home to numerous beings of darkness and the vices of the human soul that range from the wrathful demons to the unknown.
Enclosed by the black, volcanic mountain range called Hell’s Spine, Atra Vorago is all but inaccessible to mortal man without aid. That said, no human has ever returned after crossing the treacherous peaks, at least not alive or with their mind and soul intact.

Lux Terra;[/color] Land of Light, Haven, Sanctuary. All these names and more were given to the land of Lux Terra by her proud and enduring people. It is the domain of humanity, a place of peace and contentment, a place where the land is fertile and diverse with vast open fields, deep forests, rolling hills, towering mountains and the frozen tundra to the far north.
Lux Terra is without a doubt humanities haven, and yet that being said some humans saw fit to change that, whether through design or accident. Summoners and Arch-Magus’ they are men and women who have broken the fiends of AtraVorago to their will. Enslaved and degraded, some of these fiends have broken free, killing their enslavers and now roam free in the lands of humanity.

Crepusculum Pugnaculum; The Twilight Realm, The Crossroads The Wasteland. Those are the names given to the barren stretch of land smothered in ash from the forever, active volcanoes of Hell’s Spine. It is a desolate no-man’s-land where the sky is choked with ash fall and volcanic cloud, a place where the only light seen is the hazy twilight on a semi-clear day.
The Twilight Realm attained its name from the only structure found in that barren land. A once great fortress that may have once been the stronghold of ages past in the time of the war of The Gods. Aside from that, the harsh and desolate place is also home to the half-breeds, beings of mixed heritage born through the acts of their mothers or fathers in the human lands. Outcasts to both Lux Terra and Atra Vorago either for being too human or inhuman depending on where one stands they dwell in the only place where they are not chased or ridiculed by others.
Half-breeds have mad their home in the Twilight Fortress and survive well enough through scavenging the surrounding countryside as well as the lands either side of them. Though few in number the half-breeds have survived numerous attempts to cull them out of existence by factions on both sides who view them as defilements and continue to live on it relative peace despite their harsh environment.
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In the progressing years it has been said that creatures of the dark have been steadily encroaching upon the barrier that is Crepusculum, at the same time it has been said that Summoners and Arch-Magus’ have been calling forth more and more demons and creatures of the dark breaking them to their will.

Enslavement of Demons, their cohorts and half-breeds had long been outlawed in Luxlucis after the demons had sent half-breeds they used as envoys to hunt down and slaughter the enslavers, their families and dozens of others. Yet despite that there were still a few who practiced the forbidden law.

Some of the stronger more powerful demons are capable of crossing through to Luxlucis undeterred by the light. It was those demons and those which broke the enslaving spells cast by Summoners. They wander still in the land of light but keep to the dark places and prey upon the weak. Some even steal away humans for their own pleasure, sometime resulting in the half-breeds.

Something stirs in the land and drives the land to one end an end unseen by any and all. The Demon King has gone missing and Summoners have returned in force, many of them corrupt, there have also been reports of the undead walking the land, shades and spirits of dark and vile intentions that do not call Vorago home. Where they come from it is unknown except that they desire nothing but to kill and harm…
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The three lands are the three domains of the world. The dark and unseen things like demons and black sorcerers and those of dark and unfriendly motives. Those of Crepusculum are neither light nor dark, they are half-breeds and outcasts, beings with no true place in the world drifting between the two opposing places.

There is no limit to what you can be…

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Name:
Age:
Gender:
Race:
Place of Origin:
Appearance:
Armor/Clothing:
Weapons:
Magic:
History:
Other:
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Name: Sparks/Sparky (Her true name is hers to give when she choose to)
Age: 23
Gender: Female
Race: Half-breed—Demon/Human
Place of Origin: Crepusculum
Appearance: Sparks or Sparky stands at 5’10” her build is supple and strong. Her skin is a light olive colour that sometimes looks almost gilded; her eyes are a deep dark green, the kind of green that can mesmerize an unwary man. Her hair is a rich copper colour like newly minted copper pennies and laced with the occasional strands of black and gold.

The only time her appearance changes, is when she reveals her true form, her half demon form. In this form she has a pair of horns that curve backwards, reaching out past the back of her skull for two inches. The horns are not very prominent, starting just in front of and a little up from her ears, curving over then and continuing back. They are to thicker then two fingers and golden along the shaft with black tips.

She also grows a tail that is equal in length to her body plus an extra two feet. The tail I slender and whip like ending with webbing like a feather. She also gains the use of her wings with are surprisingly feathered rather then typically webbed. The feathers of her wings are black as midnight and edged with gold.

Armor/Clothing: Sparky generally likes to wear black leather pants set with black metal plating along the outer side of her thighs. She also wears calf high boots and a black long-sleeved tunic. She also wears a heavy deep hooded cloak. She also wears a single black metal shoulder guard held in place by two leather straps that attach to her belt in two places. On her hands she wears a pair of black metal plated, leather gauntlets
Weapons: Three sectioned staff made of dark metal, a blade the length of her forearm and a yew longbow with quiver and silver tipped arrows.
Magic:
Transformation:- Sparky can change her appearance between demon half-breed and human with ease. It is a useful ability when she wanders from time to time into Luxlucis allowing her to pass unhindered by many though she is still regarded with suspicion.
Flame Mastery:- Sparky can control the element of fire as easily as breathing. There is no general limit to what she can do with fire magic except what she can endure physically and mentally.
Dark Sword:- Sparky creates a sword of darkness as solid and sharp as any metal blade. The weapon exists for so only as long as it is needed. The weapon is indestructible and Sparky only ever calls it when she is in need of the weapon.
History: Sparky has lived a very interesting and often unstable life moving between the three domains as freely as a bird. Little is really known about her however. Sparky keeps much about her past to herself including who her parents are, though it is generally thought that like most half-breeds her parents are unknown to her. This is the opposite in fact. Sparky knows exactly who they are and where they are… or rather she knows where one of her parents are. Her father is missing and the trail of her disappearance has led her into Luxlucis……
Other: Sparky has a tendency to ‘spark’ when she gets angry. It is generally seen as small bright little sparks that dance through her hair and sometimes across her skin.

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Sparky sat upon the high stone wall that overlooked the barren stretch of land known as the wastes that encircled the Twilight Palace and sighed. She had had no word from her father in almost a month and her mother was refusing to heed her letters. Too long had she been waiting. Tired she was and worried. The tales of the specters and the enslavements of not just demons and half-breeds but things of Luxlucis as well. Unaccounted deaths and slaughterings of entire families in the night. Something beyond the norm was happening and she needed answers.

Folding her wings in so they rested tightly against her back as she jumped down off the wall upon the outside walking at a leasurly pace towards her destination. As she walked her appearance changed until she looked perfectly human. Only then did she unfolded her cloak which had been hanging, folded in the crook of her arm and swung it across her shoulders, Lifting the hood against the overcst sky. Her destination was the green lands of Luxlucis and for now her quest was to seek out her mother and perhaps some answers…

If there were some answers to be had…

[v]

Name: Djextri (Whirlwind)

Age: 400

Gender: Male

Race: Neitherfiend

Place of Origin: None

Appearance: Generally appears as a tall well built lizard man of around 6 foot tall, the only clue to his unnatural origins is the dull, black scales covering his body, and the fact he posseses no visible eyes. The jaw is over muscled, with many layers of teeth jutting out at random angles, some through the membrane of the lips. When angered his eyes glow with a strange, blue-black fire, with a oily smoke leaking out from his mouth as he speaks. His naturally form is a bipedal, slouching humanoid made of 'solid' smoke and bubbling tar. He is considerably faster, better armoured, and generally more powerful in his natural form, but its not very good for moving around in, as it attracts alot of attention.

Armor/Clothing:
Lizardman: Wears a chainmail curass with padded leather trousers and gloves. The chainmail appears to have been dyed black, but it is beginning to wear off. His skin is scaley and thus acts as an additional layer of armour.
Natural: Though possessing no visible armour, his skin is extremely tough. As this is his natural form as opposed to any kind of additional armour, no vunerable points exsist at the joints. It has some grounding effect on low power magical energies, reducing the power of any spell used against him.

Weapons:
Lizard: Screaming Blade: A short sword apparantly made entirely of bone. Though possessing no magical abilities, it is sharp and is swung with considerable force. In natural form, the Screaming blade becomes four claws which can be retracted into Whirlwinds skin at will.
Natural: Anomie: When not in use, it appears as a simple wooden block lacking any distinguishing features or abilities. When used as a weapon, it can adopt any form Whirlwind choses. Anomie came from whatever place Whirlwind came from and he carries it with him always. Anomies power is not limited simply to physical form, it can also be ordered to adopt slight magical traits. These traits are never elemental in nature however.

Magic:
Whirlwinds magic is every bit as chaotic and random as the location he is from. As the neither fiends realm is a location of little more than chaos, energy, and life, bringing energy from the Neither realm is a very dangerous and uncontrollable affair.
Alter Speed: Whirlwinds favoured spell (hence the name), allows him to increase or decrease his own speed and that of those around him. When not used against himself, the energy can hurt those it is used upon.
Chaos Lightening: Causes a hugely powerful nimbus of black lightening to leave the neither realm and strike against his foes. While he can prevent it from attacking his allies, it can be extremely hard to direct it in anyway.
Allies: Very, very few Neither fiends are powerful enough to manifest a physical body. Whirlwind however, in his supreme benevolence, can momentarily rip the barrier between physical and neither realm apart, he can allow his allies to come through and harry his foes.
Shift: Most Neither fiends are capable of momentarily shifting into the physical realm. Whirlwind is capable instead of shifting for short periods of time into the Neither realm, giving him the ability to apparently teleport.

History:
The Neither Realm has no true form. Instead, it is a continually shifting place of energy, life and total chaos. Having no physical form, most creatures of the Neither Realm are pretty content with their lives and don't crave a physical form. How Whirlwind has ended up in the physical realm is unknown. Whirlwind has exsisted in the physical realm for about 50 years, and seems to be aging, something Neither Fiends generally don't do.

Other:
A neither fiend is a creature that walks all realms, but belongs truely in none.
People are scared of things they do not understand, and even demons don't truely understand the Neither Fiends. While left alone, simply because no one knows what they are capable of doing, it is extremely rare anyone becomes friendly with them.

Note: The recent upsets have caused considerably suspicions against him as a Neither Fiend. Whirlwind is intrested in the affairs of the physical realm because he is apparently trapped their, however he is not reponsible for the recent problems, neither are those from the Neither realm.

[Kai! Kai!]

Name: Nox
Age: 32
Gender: Male
Race: Half-breed—Water Demon/Human
Place of Origin: Crepusculum
Appearance: Nox stands at approximately six feet tall, his skin is pale and almost white except for the bluish metallic tinge to his skin. He also has gills upon his neck and webbed toes and fingers, his eyes are a stunning silver-grey and his short cropped hair is a mix of sapphire blue and black. Upon Nox’s back is a spined sail that retracts and expands at his discretion.

Nox can also alter his outward appearance a little; losing his bluish cast to his skin, the sapphire highlights, to his dark hair, the sail on his back and the webbing between his fingers and toes. He does not however lose the gills on his neck.
Armor/Clothing: Nox wears an indigo scarf that covers his neck and the lower part of his face when needed and tied off at the side. He also wears a white sleeveless top, a dark blue vest lined with steel plates and black slacks while on his feet we wears open-toes sandals and on his arms he wears plated bracers
Weapons: Spear-headed lance and a spiked chain
Magic:
Water Mastery: Nox can control water as well as breath in it. There is little he can’t do.
Liquefaction: Nox can turn himself into living water allowing him to slide thro cracks or disappear from sight within another body of water. In this for he is extremely vulnerable to high heat.
Demon Speed: Nox can increase his speed to the point where he’s almost impossible to track. This is only over short distances however.
History: Nox has always been like a big brother to Sparky looking out for her since she was a small child and teaching her as best he could how to master some of her demonic strengths and knowing its weaknesses. Nox considers Sparky his own little sister even though he was charged with keeping an eye on her by her father some years ago. Nox will go to any length to do his job in keeping an eye on Sparky.
Other: N/A
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Nox paused at The entrance to the Dusk Pass, the gateway to Lux Terra and frowned. It was quiet....too quiet. In previous passing through the pass in persuit of Sparky there had bee nthe sound of the carion buzards that dwell ni the pass. Thistime there was silence...

Nox adjusted the grip on his lance's shaft and made sure his scaf was secured across his mouth before moving at a slow paced run. With each step the ash that could be up to knee deep in some places in Crepusculum were less then a centimeter now. Wary and ready for trouble Nox kept moving. It would take him two days to cross the pass if he kept moving through hte night. He had no wish to stay in this silent canyon, something was very wrong with it...

The sun was high above him by the time his suspiciouns were confirmed. From above withuot warning an ear splitting shriek sheared the silence appart. Nox hissed as he stared skyward and watched as a bird of some kind detached itself form the wall As it decended Nox spat one word. "Harpies...."

Several more shapes detached themselves fro mthe wall and circled overhead shrieking and taunting him from above. He hated Harpies, the humanish demons were irritating and vicious they also loved ot play iwth htier food before they killed it both human, demon and half-breed alike.

One decended lashing out at him with her cloaws but Nox was too fast diving out the way and rolled until he hit the wall back pressed against it as he tightened his grip on the shaft. Another harpy dove but Nox was ready thrusting his lance out cathcing hte Harpy in the ribs it shrieked in pain and pulled away only Nox wouldn't et that happen. He applied wiehgt ot the impaled land draging the harpy douwn effectivly ripping out the side of the demon. It shrieked again and hit the ground twitching in pain ad he pulled his spear free and rammed it through the harpies throat. It gurgled and silence.

The other harpies scattered at hte deaht of thier own. Nox sighed and hefted his lance free cleaning hte head off before continuing at a faster run if the pass wasnow infested with Harpies things could get difficult. It would also explain where there hadn't been a scouting party to the wasteland for some time. They couldn't get through without losing numbers. Harpies were fast and vicious in their attacks and htey never attacked alone. Only other dmons and half-breeds could contend them in numbers, perhaps magic wielding humans too but that remains ot be seen.

[lassus]

A girl.

She ran and ran and ran, out of breath, naked body coated in sweat. She was running in a jungle, feet against harsh foilage. Her pusuers were demons who annihilated her village, demons who killed and pillaged. Demons who raped. She had heard her mother, her screams, watched as she was ripped apart, limb by bloody limb, after a demon depositted his defiled seed in her belly. She blinked hard, willing away rolling wetness on her cheeks, until she lost it. Her legs gave way, body collapsing in a broken roll, slamming into a large stone. She let out a sharp gasp of pain, looking up at a demon.

"You sure are a pretty one, lass! And gave us quite a run. Oh well. Now we have you!"

The demons grinned wolfishly, closing in on her. She sobbed, grabbed roughly by many claws, until she was lost in a world of darkness, eyes closing into unconciousness.

[Kai! Kai!]

A dark figure watched from the trees above in disgust.

She'd seen enough.

Raising a single hand the cloaked figureclicked her fingers getting hte wolf demon's attention. They stopped thier gloating and looked up and across to where the figure sat perched on a thick branch like a bird form lost benieth the black heavy cloak.

"Now, now, the figure said voice sweet, almost musical and yet hard edged and deathly. "That's no way to treat a young lady. I might have to teach you mutts a lesson."

The Demons nudged eachother and laughed thier amusment. "I don't think so," one remarked. "See we outnumber you ten to one little...."

The demon stopped and sniffed the air nose twitching with intrest and then... fear showed in its eyes but that was quickly replaced. It had no cause to be fearful they outnumbered this one, a pack against one whelp.

"Don't be so quick to judge mutt.." The cloaked figure chuckled and held out one hand palm out and whispered. "Ignis.."
Fire lept across the demons pelt making it yelp in pain and stagger backwards rolling on the ground to try and put the flames out but they would not extinguish instead hey grew stronger engulfing it until it were entierly aflame. The Demon gave a sickly panicked howl and ran away through the tress body like a flaming candle in the shadows.

"Anyone else?"

The Demon wolves snarled moving awya for mthe girl and encircled the tree. The cloak figure laughed and looked down. "Party time..."

The figure jumped down and landed on the ground shadows gathering in the left hand. The figure landed in a crouch and hte demon wolves lunged as one piling on the long fighter attempting to shread and rip. Thnehtye stilled and there was silence. A moment later several of the wolf demons were sent flying backwards as a dark blade a weapon made of darkness and fire sheered through thier bodies as if they wre made of air. The demons gurgled and shuddered before dieing. the rest fell back snarling iwht rage as hte figure stood upo and cast the cloak aside.

Sparky glared at them fire gathering in her gith hand whiel she clasped the dark blade in her left. "Any more of you want to play or will you run away like the pups you are?"

The remaining three snarled but chose to retreat they couldn't handle her. Sparky laughed as htey retreated vannishinginot the forest and then dispelled her fire and her blade. turning she picked up her cloak and walked over ot the girl placing the carmant over her. She would be safe for now unconcious as she was... but she couldn't go around as she was. Sparky thought for a moment then moved back over ot the tree she had been perched in and climbed up retriving her pack and took out a few garments. Now she had ot wait for the girl to awaken.

[lassus]

The girl jumped up, pain pushing her back down. She looked around, startled. But she was naked now, cloak falling from her in her wake. Naked body shivering from a cold night, she bundled up with it, not knowing who gave it, but happy a kind stranger did.

That is when she remembered everything.

Tears welled in her eyes and she shook like a leaf. She sobbed and sobbed and sobbed, alone. She had lost it all.

Family.
Friends.
Her village.

And she let it all out, in screams of anguish.

[Kai! Kai!]

Sparky was crouched on a branch above her and looked down as the girl wailed in her anguish. How many times had she heared that sound carrying across the vast desolate plains of Crepusculum Pugnaculum. How many people died there because they couldn't bare life any more because they gave up on life...

"Desolate and dark are times in the land of light yet were we to look further and all around us we see that it is a dispair mirrored in all souls, hearts and minds. However butiful somethnig may be the moment we see beyond our protective shell we see the true cruelty of the world...." Sparkies voice was but a winter in the dark of the night.She had seen so much dispair and sorrow and becauseof that she made a promise ot never let ittake hold in her like it had in others. She would not let that darkness take root on her soul...

Taking out a simple reed pipe Sparky began to play a soothing soft melody that spoke of happier times, peaceful slumber and frewell to those who have passed. It was gentle and soft like a whisper upon the breeze.

[lassus]

The scared little girl snapped her head up, as she heard music. The music spoke of a world. A world with green, a world with blue, a world of happiness. A world she did not know of, but a world she longed to visit. And so, listening intently, she relaxed, blinking as a small smile lifted her lips. She knew who was singing. It just had to be who saved her! And so, with a protector, she relaxed, not wanting to interrupt her savior.

[Kai! Kai!]

Sparky stopped playing and jumped down fromm the tree on silent feet Streaching her legs out she looked about the camp and moved about gathering dry wood. When she piled it up she ignited it with a touch. The fire birghtened the dakr and shed a little warmth inot the night. While she sat with her back to the girl.

"Awake enough now young lady?" she asked throwing another twig inot the fire and looked over her shoulder. "There are some cloths just there next to you..."

[lassus]

She looked and sure enough, some clothes. "Thank you..." she said softly, sincere as she was grateful. With a blush, she dropped her cloak. With surgeon hands, she got dressed, body hurting. What she really wanted to do, was sleep, sleep knowing she was okay. But why would a stranger care so much? Would her savior stay with her?

"Nina," she said quietly, sitting next to Sparky.

"My name," she giggled with her gaze at the fire.

[Caligo [Inactive]]

Ya know what this reminds me of...?

Name: Unknown, called the Dark One
Age: Unknown
Gender: Assumed to be Male
Race: Assumed to be Human
Place of Origin: Unknown
Appearance: Rumored to be tall and somewhat pale, dark hair back in no real style.
Armor/Clothing: Allegedly wears black travellers pants and a soft leather shirt under a plain brown cloak.
Weapons: A small staff with an amber orb atop it, the shaft appears bronze.
Magic: Obscene. It is rumored that the Dark One is unrivaled in his sorcery.
History: Unknown
Other: Only has interest in being the most powerful creature in existance and won't let anything stand in his way.

[Kai! Kai!]

Sparky nodded and gave her a lopsided ad friendy smiled. "My friends call me Sparky or Sparks."
She turned her attention back tothe fire watchnig hte flames dance in thought.
"You might want ot get some sleep Nina. I'll escort you no the nearest village in the morning and then we part ways I have something to research and I can't have you taging along... it'll be dangerous especial if your associated with me."

She placed her hand in the fire and picked up a burning coal examining the glowing ember as if it held the answers to all her questions both asked and unasked.

I know your coming Nox but you can't find me yet...

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Nox stopped as he neared the narrowest part of Dusk Pass it was swarming with Harpies... How they had gathered in such numbers without being spotted by the scouts of the Wasteland could only be explained in one way... Sommoners and Arch Magus'... those vile humans must have summoned htme here but why?

He stopped then and watched them. Harpies were blind ta night if he was going to get past he would have ot wait for hte night he didn't hare use his liquification so close ot human activity. He might be spotted or warn however summond these demons that a half-breed was coming...
Damn those summoners, damn them ot the nineth level of hell and beyond!

[v]

The place Whirlwind searched for had many names, most of which were given later after its occupants had disappeared overnight. Its name was widely viewed as, at least now, to mean 'The City Where The Ghosts Are'. The truth was far less mysterious, Whirlwind had realised, a myth formed by corrupt officials to explain the city wide massacre, and subsequent 're-distribution of wealth' that had occured. The myth had served them well. A monument to the city still remained, a single watch tower standing without walls or apparent purpose. Its gates bolted shut from the inside against an enemy that had long since bypassed it. Yet there was something about it, some energy, some force still lingering there. The Solemn Tower it had become known, and no one had dared to enter it, lest they sucummbed to the strange magic that had, they believed, also taken the original inhabitants.

Whirlwind permitted himself a grin when he had first spotted the Watchtower. True, futher investigation was required of the grounds of the city, but the site at least exsisted. Now came part two of his plan.

[lassus]

"But..." she began, "...can I not come with you? I know you think I am just a child, but... I can be of help! Watch," she stood and closed her eyes. The woman watched as Nina held out a hand, ball of light forming in her palm. She opened her eyes, looked to the nearest tree and launched it, the ball letting out a brilliant flash. When it settled, the tree was gone. "See? I can do so much more! I specialize in the magic of God, the Hand of Jesus Christ. Healing is no problem, too!" Getting on her knees, she clasped her hands and bowed her head to the woman. "Please, Sparky! I have no one... and I know, if I follow you, my destiny will be unlocked... and I might become more than just a nobody! Please..." and with that, she stared into the eyes of her savior, amethyst eyes pleading.

[v]

"Why are you here?" A voice, monotonous, echoed across the barren plain that was once a city. Whirlwind had spent almost a day attempting to find something of intrest in this dead place, yet all he had managed to find were crumbling foundations and monuments, not quite destroyed set amidsts clusters of what, he presumed, had been houses. A strange sound followed at his total lack of response, a sound like a ratchet of some desciption being wound back and hitting its end. "My city is gone. Why are you here?" The voice seemed to come from above him. Whirlwind raised himself from the crouched position and instead looked to the only vantage point left. The Solemn Watch Tower.

At the window a figure was standing, humanoid in apperance, a mask, old, covered in a thin film of green algae, had been put across its face. Its upwards slanting eyes and grinning features were unsettling, yet the masks wearer, its head cocked to the left had shown no malice towards Whirlwind. "My city is gone. Why are you here?" It repeated again, unmoving as it stared down at Whirlwind.

"I am merely exploring thisss location, my good ssssir." Whirlwind tried to fake the hissing accent and usual formality of the Lizardmen he had encountered. His form wouldn't stand up to close range scrutiny, such proximity could be avoided. A sound came from the figure, cogs teeth failing to mesh and spinning wildly for a moment, before the figure straightened its head.

"There is nothing of value here, traveller. My city is gone." The figure began moving away from the window.

"Then why, pray tell, are you here?". The figure stopped, shuddered slightly, before returning to the window.

"My city is gone." It stated blankly once again. Whirlwind shrugged, an automata, probably placed by the conquering army to act as the 'ghost'. The mask was certainly frightening enough, though the voice was somewhat lacking. It was almost neutral in its gender, totally emotionless. Maybe the victorious army were on a budget? A strange idea appeared in Whirlwinds head, completly immature, but it may give him something to laugh about while he continued his search.

"And, pray tell, ghossst. What curssse will be laid upon me for vhissiting thissss plaseee?" He exaggerated the accent somewhat, hoping to invoke some form of lizardman specific 'curse' or threat that the automata would throw at him.

Whirlwind pulled a large rock, covered in graffiti and what seemed to be nail marks from the earth and began examining it as the automata ground its gears and clanked away to itself. "This place is not cursed. My city is gone. I remain."

The rock fell to the floor. A slight sensation at the back of his neck beginning to form. This thing wasn't created to scare away travellers. "You have been searching through the ruins. Once I did too. There is nothing there. My city is gone." Whirlwind thought for a moment. Automatas didn't watch, they simply reacted. Yet this one, it at least seemed, was reacting to his actions. Very clever, for a human.

"Why do you not leave?" The automata cocked its head once again, accompanied by the same metallic sound before speaking.

"Why do you not leave." It repeated. Whirlwind waited while it ground its gears together once again, before settling to a calm, rythmic tick-tocking sound. It disappeared from the window once again. This time, mechanical footsteps could be heard, gradually fading as it walked from the window and down the stairs of the watchtower. When it reached the braced door at the bottom of the tower all sound ceased. Whirlwind listened as a set of keys were jangled, the automata attempting to find the correct key, yet failing each time. "Locking mechanism decayed. Commence removal procedure." More grinding gears, before with a metallic thud the door was smashed away from its hinges. A single stained brass foot sticking out of the Watchtower, later followed by the automata itself.

It was dressed in peasants clothing, a cheap sheepskin jerkin, covered in cobwebs and dust, brown cloth trousers, heavily warn around the knees and with a large algal patch on the left shin. The places on its body not covered were clearly mechanical. All brass, all stained green by years of neglect. A patch in the jerkin had worn through, revealing an intracate network of cogs and gears, all spinning and perfectly oiled, unaffected by the age across the rest of its body. Its hands, feet, proportions of its body were a perfect copy of a humans, the clothes added to allow it to blend in, though if they were added by the creator or by the automata itself wasn't clear. It walked over, its step rigid and always appearing to be about to lose balance until it was standing barely a yard away from Whirlwind.

"What...the hell...are you?" Whirlwind mouthed.

"I am Branok. I was damaged during an attack. My purpose is not known." It seemed to be staring straight at Whirlwind, sizing him up, trying to decide something about him.

"I am so sorry, Branok. How long have you remained in that tower?"

"Your accent is changed. You are not a lizardman. You merely have the form of one." There was a weird noise from its arm, Whirlwind looked at its fists, expecting to see them clenched, yet they had not moved. "I wear the form of a human. Yet I am not one." It raised its right arm, moving its brass fingers infront of it, before returning them to its side. "I have remained here for....long."

"But why. As you have said the city is gone, what are you waiting here for?"

"I have nowhere else." With that it began walking back to the Watchtower. For a brief moment Whirlwind thought that might be the best thing for it, yet before he could hold his tongue words left his mouth.

"Then come with me." Branock stopped, taking a step backwards before spinning a perfect 180 on its brass heels and staring Whirlwind in the eyes.

"That is agreeable. I will follow you Djextri"

"I have a few more things to....how the hell do you know my name?"

"I am older than you could ever imagine." With that Branock sat itself down and ceased all movement, only its mechanical heart still ticking steadily as it remained inert.