[EdgarGrimfang]

Hello Reign, the following is a story of sorts that I've been working on, that I'm going to use as a backdrop for an upcoming "Choose Your Own Adventure" Story. Read over this for now, I may even start this up after today's WoE~

The Rules are simple. At the end of each Story Piece, their will be several choices with Bold words at the end. To make a choice, simple PM me on the Reign RO forums with the subject of the message as the Bold word.

(i.e. Jace goes left.(Flames) You would send me a message titled Flames)

Seeker of the Truth

PART 1

As I walk the ashen remains of what once was a world, I look to my surroundings and see not suffering nor despair, not pain nor sorrow, happiness nor bliss but true emptiness.

This place we once called a world, when did it all go to ashes? When did it all go so silent? I can honestly no longer recall the day the sky fell, when the safety net that we called the "Balance" of Order and Chaos ceased to be, only that it is how it always has been, how it alway will be.

I struggle, as I walk about my familiar, yet foreign surroundings, my very human mind being pushed to its limits to understand this very alien and empty feeling. I feel not fear or lament, but a very human hunger to sate my ravenous curiosity.

Ashes fall, the only voice left in the world is that of the howling winds coursing through the empty and desolate city streets, I follow it through the masks we call "cities" that cover up something much larger than humanity until I reach the edge of what once was Humanity's finest marvels and look up and am taken aback by the bones of the earth reaching up to the emptiness that is the sky...

The last dying breaths of this world, stained black and left suspended in the sky, echoing with thunderous rage at the misdeeds of the Lost, their bolts striking down in vain at nothing...if anything to release their rage upon the scarred and ruined world that they once originated from...

Men...for all of their knowledge and enlightenment, the drive to do good for the world and their fellow man is now lost beneath the unending march of time and the unerring advance of entropy and erosion. I walk this void now in search of the unobtainable, reaching so desperately for that dying ray of light humanity called "Truth."

Maybe then I will understand this emptiness, why it has come to this, perhaps I will gain blissful insanity with the rest of the world as the Truth overwhelms and envelopes me in its blinding light. No rest nor respite, not until the "Truth" is uncovered, for even if I die, another lost in the void will continue this quest to find the bloodied path to the "Truth."

PART 2

I walk this desolate path, desperately chasing after the dying rays of the light. So many people, cast into blissful oblivion in their search for the "Truth," so many others lovingly embraced by insanity's caress, neither oblivion nor insanity will impede my search, I will carry on, even if I must tear the Truth from another with bloodstained hands...

The halls of the Holy Institution fall silent, many who rushed their in search of the truth, crying out for their faith to rescue them from this maddening curiosity that gnashes at the very edges of their sanity now lie emaciated and withered, the very thing that was meant to enlighten them and give them understanding starving them to death by feeding the hapless hungering masses this stagnating illusion of the "Truth."

I lament, but only for a moment, knowing that this human emotion will not advance me any further, it will not save these people from their madness. They scream, they shout, they rage, yet no sound comes forth, these people, doomed to wander forever aimless, lost within the fog of mankind's own fear and doubt.

I look upon those who claim to know the "Truth" as they scrabble over one another in a feeble attempt to bring others to enlightenment and understanding, the bestow upon them their understanding of the "Truth," the fearful accept what the others tell them through the fog, whilst others rise up in blind fury to strike down those that would tell them their "Truth" is wrong. They do no see their victims of their rage and blind faith, only wishing to rip and tear that which denies them their mental sanctity and peace, their fog of doubt clouding their sight.

Many lie dead around me, the whispers of the Lost flowing around me as that of a storm. I gaze upon their forms, broken and charred by the maelstrom of war that was unleashed as two differing facets of their misconstrued "Truth" clashed. The blood of the innocent and the unclean, now indistinguishable from the other, finding peace together in the ever flowing red river of their folly.

I have come to understand, that to first even begin searching for the "Truth," one must admit to themselves that they understand nothing, that even if they find one answer to the grand mystery, that a myriad of mysteries will appear. To admit and accept that is to know that one may forever walk this earth in search of that which cannot be obtained, of that which may not even exist. To accept that knowledge grants many paths, many of which lead to insanity, death, misery, and woe, while equally as many lead to the truth but in different ways.

I understand nothing. I accept that I may forever walk this Earth seeking that which does not exist. I accept the fact that if I may fall, that I will held fast in the embrace of insanity.

My name, I no longer have one, for to call myself anything is to obscure myself as to what I am, to find the "Truth," I must seek it in my most simplistic form, I must admit that I am human and invite upon myself the understanding that I may never be able to fathom what the "Truth" may hold. I take up the mantle of Anonymity, casting aside my face and identity, so that if I may stumble upon the path, perhaps I will fade into the fog itself and become one with that which could not be found.

I will walk to the dark corners of the earth and to the high mountains, I will search forever more until the "Truth" deems me worthy or casts my fate. Come what may.

PART 3

This world we live in, the people we live with. all go about their lives, their sight obscured by fog, their words lost in the haunting echoes of humanity. We as human beings have conditioned ourself to accept that which is before us as reality, that Truth is simply within arm's grasp, yet the Truth will not give itself up so easily...The Truth is a being comprised of Innocence and Nightmares, innocent of all the crimes and atrocities committed in the name of Truth, guilty only of existing...and by that logic, none are innocent, for they exist, they are named at birth, given identity and made known to the unending tides of the Human Condition and the ravenous beast known as Society.

Society is very loath to let one of its own go, and will go right for the throat should one try and break Society's perception of Truth. It is a mad and rabid beast, foaming at the mouth...savage as the human nature is was nurtured from. This ravenous and sadistic nature of this beast is to fabricate any and every sort of escape to humans so that they may escape the unrelenting march of the Truth, hidden in the embrace of Society's many vices...

Like a cancer, Society grows within us all from the very minute we are exposed to it. For some the infection goes no further, as it is eaten away by their burning curiosity for the Truth, yet sadly for others they fall and decay, stagnating until they become another leprous part of the whole that is Society.

These nightmares that plague us as humans, is a deep seeded fear of the coming of the Truth, so many humans rush off in search of finding an alternative to the Truth, such as faith, drugs, war, love, or denial. If we are to ever have hope of finding that which we seek from birth, we must realize that we may never find the Truth, and accept that we may very well die on the journey.

Keep searching, never stop, do not fall into apathy, for apathy is death.
_________________
"The World will know that free men stood against a tyrant. That few, stood against many, and before this battle was over, that even a God-King can bleed." -Leonidas to Xerxes

[EdgarGrimfang]

I'm going to allow Reign to choose what character I tell a story about first. Whoever's story is told first will determine the outcome of the other characters.

For their stories, there are immutable laws.

1. A character can die at any given time.
2. The only choices available are those listed.
3. No choice is wrong, though some are more beneficial than others.
4. No choice is right, though some will end more terribly than others.
5. What one character does will have an impact on another's world.
6. There is no six.

The Cast of Characters:

Jack Torres
Age: 37
Gender: Male
Height: 5'7"
Weight: 156 lbs.
Backstory: An old, grizzled private eye detective suffering from the ravages of alcoholism. After having failed to find enough evidence to convict his daughter's killer, Jack's life slowly spiraled down the tubes, turning to heavy drinking and giving into his anger. This eventually led to his wife divorcing him, and now all that he has left is his burning lust for vengeance, the obsession to catch the killer, even though the case has long since gone cold. He often allows his obsession to blind him to the true problem at hand, causing him to make rash decisions when he would normally methodically think his way out of the problem.

George Smalls
Age: 23
Gender: Male
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 197 lbs.
Backstory: George is the college drop out who was hailed as an artistic genius before leaving his art school for unknown reasons. He tends to come off as rather stuck up, and pretentious, holding himself in a higher esteem than others. George's art tends to be rather twisted and cruel, those who see it viewing it with a mixture of awe, fear, and woe. While unknown to all but those closest to George, George suffers from a critical drug addiction to a drug known as 'Veridium.' A drug which causes horrific hallucinations, but an unmatched sense of Euphoric joy as long as it remains in the system. George carries with him tremendous shame for his inability to rise above his addiction, often taking 'Veridium' whenever things get rough, yet the clock is ticking for George...how much more can he take?

Alouette Lisle
Age: 19
Gender: Female
Height: 5'5"
Weight: 113 lbs.
Backstory: A young journalist currently employed by some obscure paranormal occult magazines, her undying curiosity serving her well as she does her research for her articles, looking to uncover the "truth" behind the occult and paranormal. However her curiosity could very well be her undoing...for the knowledge she seeks could very well rip away her sanity from her skull, throwing her into endless oblivion as she claws around in the dark, searching for the light. Alouette can come off as a major sarcastic bitch and she wouldn't have it any other way, her rough nature often pushing those who would help her away. This is due to a deep rooted fear of humans, which is only further nurtured by her secluded work, which offers the possibility of escape from this all too human reality.

Scott Ramone
Age: 20
Gender: Male
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 161 lbs.
Backstory: Easy going and fun loving in appearance, Scott meets practically every situation, good or bad with a grin and a joke. His humor often being cynical, and downright cruel, Scott is able to deal with the darkness of the world by embracing it with mocking laughter. Hundreds die in a fire? He laughs. Many lives cut short due to horrific accident? Hilarious. This tends to make Scott look like a tremendous ass, but really is his only way of coping with tragedy. Scott suffers from an extreme cause of schizophrenia (not to be confused with multiple personalities...) The only way these horrid delusion do not tear Scott's mind asunder is by cackling with them in all of their dark horror. While Scott wishes to do good, this does nothing to stop the mocking voices in his head, causing him to try and do everything on his own to avoid letting people know about his affliction.

Vote List:
-To vote for Jack, mail Torment
-To vote for George, mail Sorrow
-To vote for Alouette, mail Apathy
-To vote for Scott, mail Fallen

I will begin writing the story for the character with the most votes on Teusday, October 12th, 2010. Voting officially ends Monday at Midnight.

Voting for other characters stories will begin at the end of the first character's story.
_________________
"The World will know that free men stood against a tyrant. That few, stood against many, and before this battle was over, that even a God-King can bleed." -Leonidas to Xerxes

[suigojin]

I'm going to come out straight. Your writing is incredible. Obviously, it suggests that tragedy and horror is your theme in writing. The use of vocab is just outright amazing. I'm eager to see the outcome of this story (though be honest, horror and tragedy are not my favorite themes) anyways, you have my vote.

[EdgarGrimfang]

[Sephiroth7500]

What about the people who didn't do anything? Did they help out?
_________________
Reneshin ~ 255 Knight Lord



Reneshin ~ 255 Knight Lord

MY GM NAME WOULD BE:



My YouTube Channel:
http://www.youtube.com/user/ReignReneshin

[EdgarGrimfang]

[Sephiroth7500]

Yay, I'm such a good person!
_________________
Reneshin ~ 255 Knight Lord



Reneshin ~ 255 Knight Lord

MY GM NAME WOULD BE:



My YouTube Channel:
http://www.youtube.com/user/ReignReneshin

[marine]

characters like scott always die =b

[EdgarGrimfang]

I really need to get this up and running, I was going to, and then life was all HEY NOOB, NO FREE TIME FOR YOU.
_________________
"The World will know that free men stood against a tyrant. That few, stood against many, and before this battle was over, that even a God-King can bleed." -Leonidas to Xerxes

[Monochrome]

I kind of want Allouette to die, first.
_________________
When you do things right, people won't be sure that you've done anything at all.