Vergil's heart game r2

[idolpro]

You feel weak, your body won't move no matter how you try, and you are falling, away from everything you know and love. Away from everything you need to accomplish. If you could just reach out, maybe you could hold on to it, claw your way back. But it's a useless endeavour, you fall unconscious, and your mind goes blank except for poetry and a familiar voice.


O mother Enitharmon, wilt thou bring forth other sons?
To cause my name to vanish, that my place may not be found,
For I am faint with travail,
Like the dark cloud disburden'd in the day of dismal thunder.

My roots are brandish'd in the heavens, my fruits in earth beneath
Surge, foam and labour into life, first born and first consum'd!
Consumed and consuming!
Then why shouldst thou, accursed mother, bring me into life?

You wake on the ground in a cave, cold, wet, and sticky. It smells of rotting flesh. Your objective is clear, but you can't recall a name or face. Nothing else about your memory of him is changed, but for some reason the name "Vergil" just won't come to you, and you couldn't describe how he looks if your life depended on it. But at least your body starts to respond to your will, slowly regaining enough strength to carry on.

Comments

rules & info

[idolpro]

IC info
-This heart is actively trying to steal your own life for itself.
-Distrust, self-reliance, and willingness to do anything no matter how difficult or distasteful are key to survival in the Underworld.
-Either canon OR Imeeji powers are on, you can pick.
-You arrive with no weapons or anything else on your person that you aren't wearing or carrying in your pockets.

OOC info
-For powers if I really have no idea how to deal with something or it'll ruin fun it's not gonna happen but generally, go wild.
-You can freely interact with others unless otherwise stated.
-If anything is destroyed or taken it will respawn for the next person unless you're doing things together. Basically you only change anything for yourself and anyone part of the thread or otherwise decidedly running with you.
-There are revives, so as much as you should be careful, it won't be over if you die.
-To avoid injury or death, or to get past other obstacles, you'll need to spend Perseverance points to pass a sort of skill check. You begin with 1 point.
-You'll gain Perseverance points generally for performing harrowing or unsavoury tasks, or going it alone.

Objectives
Find pieces of [Vergil]'s soul and return them to him - how will you know what they are? You'll just have to figure that out. Some are objects to collect, others will be something to destroy or fix.
OR
Cultivate demonic power. Likewise up to you to figure out how. But you should know demons feed on blood, for one thing!

Feel free to ask questions here or on discord

LIVING CAVE

[idolpro]

Break this heavy chain, That does freeze my bones around! Selfish, vain, Eternal bane, That free love with bondage bound.

A cave with a giant, exposed, beating heart in the centre. There's several massive...roots? coming from the heart. The walls of the cave are a web of similar thin red vines and pulsing sacks like blisters. The ground and what remains of the walls and ceiling are slick and fleshy. Some gaps between walls have a thin membrane over them.

On one end of the room is a gate, from ground to ceiling, about 20 feet tall. Innumerable red vines cover its frame. There are two openings in the walls that appear to lead into tunnels, with pointed talons or perhaps ribs poised around them that move occasionally like fingers drumming. One heads east, the other south.

There is never anyone else in this cave with you. You are alone.

Re: LIVING CAVE

[firstworldproblem]

[If canon powers are an option, well there is not really a choice is there! And to fit in with the atmosphere he changes his clothes to his Ascian attire and is actually wearing his mask.

He takes a moment to admire the souls if they are any, as macabre as they are, because he can't help himself. Does Hell have a lifestream? Well, even if it did, if he can't remember Vergil's face, he will hardly remember the color of his soul.

He gives the beating heart a small pat being careful with the clawed gloves and heads south.

(P.S. He is ignoring that failure trauma from the fall as you do. Good and healthy.)]

Re: LIVING CAVE

[time5kip]

[ Thanks he hates it. From the feelings associated with this entire thing to the fact he can't remember Vergil's name and face, but he understands there is shit to do, so. He's actually just going to teleport to the gate to examine it closely, can he go on the other side of it or is that off limits ]

Jesus, this is even more disgusting in person.

Re: LIVING CAVE

[temperedinpride]

[Hm nothing about this except the familiar him of his own power really appeals.

While he sits up and regains the strength to do anything let's look closer as that heart.]

Re: LIVING CAVE

[untiltheend]

[Ugh. This is already objectively asinine and bothersome, Black thinks as he stands up (member #2 of "ignore any trauma from the fall"), dusting himself off.

But, right... A grotesque, giant beating heart seems like the obvious metaphorical choice to look for pieces of a soul, yes? Besides, it's by far the most appealing feature in this place. Going up to touch it?]

Re: LIVING CAVE

[untiltheend]

[WOW UNCOOL, whoever-you-are.

Give him a moment to... actually realise what happened. Once he does he's shoving those arms away as he's standing up, and instantly heads south. Gathering soul pieces can wait, let's find a weapon first and get even (or not, but that's his first instinct).]

Re: LIVING CAVE

[temperedinpride]

[How's the gate looking, open? nice we're going through if so.]

PETRIFIED FIELD

[idolpro]

Lo! to the vault Of paved heaven, With sorrow fraught My notes are driven: They strike the ear of night, Make weep the eyes of day; They make mad the roaring winds, And with tempests play. Like a fiend in a cloud With howling woe, After night I do croud, And with night will go; I turn my back to the east, From whence comforts have increas'd; For light doth seize my brain With frantic pain.

It takes some walking, how long have you been wandering through caverns? It becomes more and more difficult to tell them apart. Have you already been this way? Do you know how to make it back? Do you even know where you want to end up?

The area opens up into what looks very much like a field of feather grass and wildflowers. The grass however is a light lavender shade, and the red petals of the flowers seem to glow. It's light here, the sky muddled and grey like night, but still, this is a far cry from the near blackness of the fleshy caves. The rock outcropping that looks like coral reef is almost beautiful. It could be nice to rest here.

You're getting tired. You should rest, it's awfully tempting...

Re: PETRIFIED FIELD

[time5kip]

[ HE'LL SLEEP WHEN HE'S DEAD.

The temptation to rest is there, but if he's able to resist it, he will in favor of examining the place - the grass and the red petals, and anything else that might catch someone's eye. And if the tiredness gets worse, eventually he'll decide that a few minutes of rest won't be too bad and sit down, dozing off shortly after ]

Re: PETRIFIED FIELD

[temperedinpride]

[Hm can he float over this field and avoid it or still get drowsy?]

ROOM OF FALLEN ONES

[idolpro]

The Eternals said: What is this? Death? Urizen is a clod of clay.

You're dropped in the middle of a lake of blood, the blood from the vein pouring out onto you, slowly filling the pool.

The lake stretches out as far as the eye can see. Shallow enough here to only brush the knees of most, but it quickly grows deeper further out in any direction. Pieces of ancient, ruined buildings hang in the sky, more still are scattered throughout the lake. And between them are countless shattered statues, easily 50ft tall if they were standing.

There's a distinct feeling that the statues are watching, even with their heads sunken in the blood. Their demonic presence is immense despite their broken state and appearing to be inanimate objects. Even more of them than there would appear, on into the distance...you may not be able to see them out there, but they see you. They see right into you, through you, and weigh your worth.

There doesn't seem to be any way back out, the flow of the vein much too strong to ride it the other way.

Re: ROOM OF FALLEN ONES

[untiltheend]

[To the great fortune of everyone present, Black's worth is immeasurable! To the point where he... isn't bothered by these judgy statues at all (unless there's some magic mind-bending involved here).

Don't mind him licking some blood off his hand while he ponders this new location.]

Well. As far as metaphors go, I suppose this, too, is rather overdone. What is it that people say... "one's own inner judge"? [Here's looking flatly at you, random stature #13]

Re: ROOM OF FALLEN ONES

[time5kip]

Talk about creepy.

[ he didn't think "lake of blood" was a figure of speech and still he's surprised. The room is gross and creepy and the feeling of being watched isn't exactly welcomed in this situation. ]

Well now, where and how do I get a sword here.

Re: ROOM OF FALLEN ONES

[temperedinpride]

[Oh. He floats though it's probably too late to save the robe from being a bit bloodied. That's fine. He'll just float like an asshole over the lake looking a sword.]

LIBRARY

[idolpro]

"Father, father, where are you going? O do not walk so fast! Speak, father, speak to your little boy, Or else I shall be lost." The night was dark, no father was there, The child was wet with dew; The mire was deep, and the child did weep, And away the vapour flew.

You come to a broken down library within the endless, gory cave system. It's just as dark here, but by now you've gotten used to the lack of light, haven't you? Hopefully so, because there are beams and shelves strewn across the floor. In fact if you want to actually get in, you'll need to climb over quite a bit of rubble and trod on the books that have fallen with them. You'll also have to contend with the roots and branches of demonic trees that have broken through the windows and the floor.

That which is still standing looks absolutely ancient. Books so worn down they might turn to dust if you even look at them. Even with the damage there's a great number of shelves though, and standing by one with the blue glow of an ethereal sword lighting the book in his hands is a young boy.

A mirror floats near the centre of the room, a statue by the doors carrying an hourglass, and another off to one side with lights glowing in its hands.

There's a door to the south, and the opening to the tunnels north.

Re: LIBRARY

[firstworldproblem]

[He picks his way to the boy (he walks unlike someone!) and scoops up any books on the ground that don't look like they are going to whither in his hand.

He will give the mirror a glance if he happens to walk by it on his journey just to check that there isn't something in it waiting to jump out and ambush him, but other than that he gives it no mind at the moment.]

At least you won't hurt your eyes reading like that.

Re: LIBRARY

[temperedinpride]

[Well at least he hasn't forgotten SOME people.

He will teleport over to the kid and Emet-Selch rather than bother trying to pick his way over.]

Re: LIBRARY

[time5kip]

[ Now that he's already died twice and found the secret room he'll head south after reaching the cave. Guess who really doesn't like this poem.

He'll blink to get past the obstacles and when he notices the boy - well. He stops in his tracks ]

You know you could have arranged this place better.

Re: LIBRARY

[time5kip]

[ HE'S BACK AND HE HAS A SHIRT FULL OF BLOOD ]

So which statue needed this?

MIRROR WORLD: DEVIL MAY CRY

[idolpro]

I was angry with my friend: I told my wrath, my wrath did end. I was angry with my foe: I told it not, my wrath did grow. And I watered it in fears Night and morning with my tears, And I sunnèd it with smiles And with soft deceitful wiles. And it grew both day and night, Till it bore an apple bright, And my foe beheld it shine, And he knew that it was mine,— And into my garden stole When the night had veiled the pole; In the morning, glad, I see My foe outstretched beneath the tree.

It's...well it's a building. Hard to tell what the purpose of the place is exactly. This one huge room has it all. A bar, jukebox, stadium size speakers alongside some other musical equipment, boxes and piles of documents crammed on a shelving unit in the corner, a dart board, clippings from nudie mags pinned up, weapons on display in a framed velvet case on the wall, a few plants, a neon "Devil May Cry" sign, a fridge but no kitchen or even a sink. A lot of trash. Pizza boxes, crumpled notes, and empty bottles of booze all over. A mantis-like demon pinned to the wall above the bar with swords.

There is some evidence someone has put in minimal effort to clean up. At least around the leather couch against the wall on the right. No garbage strewn about immediately beside or in front of it. Though there is a stack of books on it, and a shelf beside.

There's a man in a red coat who you probably know slumped over the desk in the middle, head down. The mirror seems to have replaced a front door.

Re: MIRROR WORLD: DEVIL MAY CRY

[firstworldproblem]

[Arriving with cowl down and mask off but still wearing a robes with many, many spokes on it. Also +1 accomplice.]

Dante! A word if I am able.

THRONE ROOM

[idolpro]

Am not I A fly like thee? Or art not thou A man like me? For I dance And drink & sing: Till some blind hand Shall brush my wing. If thought is life And strength & breath: And the want Of thought is death; Then am I A happy fly, If I live, Or if I die.

A room made entirely of white marble, almost blindingly bright and reflective, a massive throne opposite the sole entrance that could seat a being of 50ft or more. In the middle of the floor, just in front of the throne, is a stark contrast of a thick, black puddle, scattered with various bits of what must be trash, mostly. But some parts sticking out might be bones.

Suits of armour line the walls, most simply standing at attention, others chained down and grunting or even screaming. Though any noise is quite muffled by their helmets, there's a certain quality to their one shared voice that sounds familiar.

Re: THRONE ROOM

[temperedinpride]

[Ah. He did suspect he'd find this here. How to proceed....

Well, is there any empty armor here for a start? Not screaming or standing or having the feeling of Vergil's soul?]

MANOR

[idolpro]

I went to the Garden of Love, And saw what I never had seen; A Chapel was built in the midst, Where I used to play on the green. And the gates of this Chapel were shut, And ‘Thou shalt not’ writ over the door; So I turned to the Garden of Love That so many sweet flowers bore. And I saw it was filled with graves, And tombstones where flowers should be; And priests in black gowns were walking their rounds, And binding with briars my joys and desires.

You enter the front garden of a manor on a river. The stone fence is mostly eroded, making the iron wrought gate entirely ineffective. Vines bearing fruit creep along the house, especially above the door, and there are plenty of trees and bushes on the property. Out back is the real garden.

On the left side is a woman sitting on a bench under a tree, from which a swing hangs. On the right, a rowboat lays on shore. It's summer here, easy to tell by the heat and scent in the air, the parched grass, the humming of cicadas.

If you came through the Hell Gate, it remains unsealed behind you. If you came any other way, then there is no gate. The path leading away from the house only stretches out into empty hills.

Re: MANOR

[time5kip]

[ He knew there was a chance Vergil's mother would be there given his conversation with Emet, and yet even then he's still not feeling terribly prepared. But hey, he's only a weirdo carrying AN ARM along with other things, surely it's no big deal. he'll approach her ]

Hello.

URIZEN

[idolpro]

From the depths of dark solitude. From The eternal abode in my holiness, Hidden set apart in my stern counsels Reserv'd for the days of futurity, I have sought for a joy without pain, For a solid without fluctuation Why will you die O Eternals? Why live in unquenchable burnings?

A giant of a demon sits before you upon his throne, a cheek resting against a fist. Disinterested. He doesn't seem to acknowledge you whatsoever. A cluster of crystals floats in front of him, shining, spinning.

The room itself is solid enough to be made up of steel, but on closer inspection it seems to be petrified roots. There is a pool of blood like a moat at the demon's feet, and like everything here he too is covered in tree roots. Almost bound to his throne by them.

If you came through the Hell Gate, it's vanished. There is no exit.

You know immediately upon entering that you shouldn't be here.

Re: URIZEN

[temperedinpride]

[Popping in via teleportation holding a bouquet of normal and hell flowers, all blue. Floating, of course. He'll bow in mid-air.]

Here you are.

NIGHTMARE

[idolpro]

Far more of the black sludge than there appears to be leaps towards you and swallows you up the moment you're within its reach. There is nothing for a moment, only the feeling of the tar sinking into you through your flesh, probing your mind and soul as it searches for information, and then...

FIVE

[idolpro]

There's a burst of blinding light, a terrible screeching noise that continues to ring in your ears, and searing heat. Before you can see or hear again, you can smell burnt flesh. There's the smouldering buildings and plant life, the metal and gasoline from vehicles too, but the flesh is overwhelming, far more distinct than any other.

When the dust settles everything is smoke and ruins. Except Vanya's body in your hands, holding her by her collar, a knife stuck in her chest. What did you do, Five? Did you try to stop the apocalypse by killing your sister and end up causing it? Or maybe you just couldn't stop yourself, you just felt like it. Either way her blood is on your hands at the very least, and awfully suspicious you should be the lone survivor, isn't it?

It feels as if ages pass, hundreds of years, thousands? Any time you try to use your powers to escape you only find yourself in a slightly altered version of the same thing. There's no one. Nothing grows, and eventually there's no tinned food or even insects left. But you don't even starve to death, even if you try you can't die. You only have eternity to think. You can't even escape that smell.

Eventually you wake on the ground in the cave again.