MASKTOURN

Roman wakes in a dark, square room. The floor is dirt, but he's sitting on a woven rug. The walls are stone brick, and enclose them on every side. There’s no way in, and no way out. The room is suffocatingly warm, dark and dry. Roman would soon begin to feel thirst clawing at their throat. He's laying down when he wakes, and he'd soon realize he's chained- by the wrists and ankles, to the ground. The chains are strong, and are loose enough to allow him some movement, but he can't get too far before they pull taught. Before Roman sat a small, low table, covered by a rug similar to the one they sat upon. Two oil lamps flicker at either ends of the table, their small lights the only in the room. The only other objects on the table are three small wooden bowls, all filled with an unidentifiable liquid. The first is white, opaque and creamy. The second is glassy and clear, with a slight cloudy, brownish color to it. The third is just as opaque as the first, but is a deep, muddy red in color. Across from the table is the only other person in the room. A young adult. They’re incredibly pale, with skin so light it’s almost translucent in the low light. Their straight, white hair is cut choppily over its brow and shoulders, and it wears a black-and-white tunic draped haphazardly over a shoulder. Their gaze is brilliant-gold and haunting, piercing through the barriers of Roman's mind. The person smiles widely, and finally speaks. Its voice is that of the flaming apparition. “Welcome to the Halcyon Citadel.” @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

Burning. Then darkness. Hunger and thirst. Cold chains. At least this time his body ached less, and he wasn't shivering from the chill. The minimal lighting was also reassuring, once he forced his eyes open. The eyes in the jar had already rolled to stare at the pale figure across from them. You needed skin to glare, but somehow, you could feel the anger from them. Roman stared ahead blankly, gaze lingering on the red liquid for a time before he looked up at his new captor. "Man-" He coughed, right across the table at them. He had tried to move his hand up, but the chains caught. "I need to leave. You got the wrong guy. You're like- the opposite of my boss. Except for the knocking me out and chaining me up thing, you got that in common. I need to leave, I was at my target's house already." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

The pale person didn't flinch at the eyeballs' sharp gaze, or Roman's cough. They straightened their posture only a bit. "Rather, you're exactly who I'm looking for. Roman... Ricci, isn't it? You answered my call, after all." @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"Ro-main." Roman was quick to correct, before he even had time to think of anything else to say. "And I didn't answer shit, sorry. My phone's been dead for weeks. I heard this is a tournament or whatever, but unless it was the one Roque was in, I don't care. Ryu didn't mention anything about a guy like.. You. Or whatever you did to me that got me here." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"Romain. Right." The pale person repeated, with a hint of dry annoyance. "Forgive me." "Ah, but you did answer. At the very least, you did not refuse the call. And now that you are here, I cannot allow you to leave. Not until you have served your purpose." @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

"Ughhhh, whatever happened to enthusiastic consent? Just because I didn't say no doesn't mean I said yes." Roman shifted around so that he was sitting on his knees. "So what do you want? This is an elaborate setup for whatever your fantasy is. I'll play along if you let me go after." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"It is not about what I want. I am simply... restoring a balance, on a cosmic scale." It hummed. "Your purpose is far simpler than mine. I want you to compete." @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

What the hell was this guy trying to get at? Break character for a second man, just say what you want! He would try to play along with it, but he didn't really understand what this was about. Maybe he was too used to Roque being so forward with all her demands. "Of course." Roman said and tried to clear his throat again. "And yes, you are far more important, I'm sure. What should I call you while I'm here? I would love to know who I'm competing under." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

(divine intuition pls :3 @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱 )

Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

used /r

# 14
Details:[d20+1 (13)]

"I," the pale person straightened their posture a slight bit, "Am Naiyta Hauryan. I am the Primal, the Nascent Lifebringer." The title, especially the 'Lifebringer' part, would be recognizable to Roman. He might've heard it somewhere else- maybe Ryu had mentioned it? Nonetheless, he'd get the dawning sense that whatever was going on here, it was much bigger and much older than him. @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

Ah, so a God fantasy. Yeah, Roque had asked for that quite a few times. He could do this. "Naiyta Hauryan." Roman repeated, making sure to pronounce it perfectly. He didn't really understand the primal part, or especially the nascent part, but hopefully that would just become clear with time. And the feeling he got here was a little strange, but he tried to ignore it. "And how would you like me to worship you while I'm here?" @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"I do not require your worship. I simply require you to do as you are told." @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

Ok, lame. "Of course. And what will that be? Your wish is my command." @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

"Silence." Naiyta commanded, then gestured to the three bowls between them. "You must be getting thirsty, now." "Drink." @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

Roman kept his mouth closed as he looked at the three bowls. Did.. It want him to drink all of them? That would physically not be possible. Hopefully they just meant one. He reached for the bowl with the red liquid in it. He knew he could eat that. He had been smelling it the entire time, and it was getting a little hard to ignore. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

Naiyta watched, without comment or change of expression, as Roman lifted the the bowl to his lips. It was blood, of course. Sickly sweet and metallic. Quite horrible tasting, to be honest. Still, Naiyta watched with quiet interest as Roman drank. @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

Roman maintained an eerie amount of eye contact as he drank the bowl. He drank all of it, and then began licking up whatever droplets were left in it, the entire time still staring. He kept his expression neutral, but he did think it was pretty gross. Tasted like human blood that got diluted with chicken blood or something. Not to mention the oily taste... Tasted like fish. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

Naiyta didn't break eye contact as Roman drank. It kept smiling- that wide, eerie smile. "Good. Very good." They hummed as Roman finished. "That is what you want to hear, isn't it? Praise?" @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

Somehow, this guy was creepier than Roque ever was to him. He finished kicking up every single drop before he placed the bowl back down on the table, taking every precaution to not let it clang whatsoever. Once it had been silently placed down, he moved his hands back to his lap. He only smiled back with his now red stained teeth. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

Once the bowl had been placed back on the table, Naiyta stood. They stepped carefully over the table and the other two, undisturbed bowls, to where they could stand over Roman. It put a hand on his forehead and forced him to look up. Naiyta considered them for a while... @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

Roman didn't fight back at all, and held his head exactly where Naiyta had pushed it to. After they only stared at each other for an awkward amount of time, Roman decided to try to move it along. He crossed his wrists behind his back and opened his mouth, pushing back against Naiyta ever so slightly as he leaned toward it. The jar was also staring. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

used /r

# 23
Details:[d20+6 (17)]

( @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱 def)

Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

used /r

# 11
Details:[d20-3 (14)]

@innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

(no damage)

12:50 PM

"Eugh." Naiyta grimaced as Roman gaped his mouth open. It pressed its hand further into his forehead, and in a warm jolt, Roman would slip into unconsciousness. So much for that. @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

Roman's eyes fluttered shut, but his best attempt to maintain consciousness was not strong enough. He slumped back down on to the rug. The jar attached to his belt clattered on to the dirt floor as well, but the eyes moved to stare back at Naiyta. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs

Naiyta watched as Roman fell, then shifted their attention to the jar. They picked it up and looked over it for a second... before leaving the room through a doorway that hadn't been there before... @Mads | Roman 🥁 Asha 🎆 ? 🪱

The eyes rolled to look at Roman as they were leaving.. Roman twitched on the ground ever so slightly, but got nowhere near waking. @innsjo | kyrie🪶+ darcy🖋+npcs