Vergil's heart game r3

[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

[selfpreservationist]

[well give raven a few minutes to mentally recover from that awful feeling. he's already pale and shaky, and we've only just begun]

...!

[eventually, he'll make his way east]

Re: LIVING CAVE

[auguryofinnocence]

Honey, you've got a big storm comin'... East you go though, have fun.

Re: LIVING CAVE

[auguryofinnocence]

You have a sense of where some things are. Vergil, or a part of him, is in the room to the south, along with several small pieces. There are more in that direction too, in two diverging directions from there. There's something east of here, and it's...odd, is it Vergil? It feels slightly different, but it's the strongest sense to you. Somewhere above you is definitely Yamato, but it's hard to tell where.

The south most parts have a horrible, anguished call unlike the rest though. All the others beckon with indistinct whispers, but these are more like a warning.

You can also feel Urizen somewhere, indistinct. Well, around the core, the true heart, but in contention with another true heart.

Re: LIVING CAVE

[selfpreservationist]

[when he returns, he looks around, and recites]

"O Rose, thou art sick. The invisible worm that flies in the night, in the howling storm..."

Re: LIVING CAVE

[auguryofinnocence]

This is how Vergils communicate. The voice comes and finishes the verse again...

Has found out thy bed
Of crimson joy:
And his dark secret love
Does thy life destroy.

Re: LIVING CAVE

[selfpreservationist]

[comes back in here, and examines the fleshy heart]

Re: LIVING CAVE

[auguryofinnocence]

The roots seem to start from the heart, and most connect to the gate. One particularly large one breaks through the ground, then pops back up near a wall on the west side of the cave, twisting along the ceiling until another hole that it's broken through there.

It looks like a root, but considering it sprouts from the heart, maybe it's better to call it a vein or artery. When you get close, the blood rushing through it becomes apparent, not only to see but to hear. It's also plain to see an opening from its outer shell where it winds back up along the wall. If you don't mind a squeeze and being submerged in blood, you could ride the flow.

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

[selfpreservationist]

[raven feels his knees weaken and he drops down to one knee, struggling to stay conscious]

No... no, this isn't... right, I need to... keep moving... I...

Re: PETRIFIED FIELD

[auguryofinnocence]

There are a couple things in here that seem to call to you, something is in the field...but something on the rocks is particularly insistent.

But you are too drowsy to go on, eyes heavy, relaxed. This really is a peaceful spot, whether you're conscious of the choice or not, you're soon laying down. Or maybe you're just that weak, Raven? That sounds about right, how could you fight any of this, just a powerless human. Does it feel like there's something just in the air itself telling you that?

The grass tickles your skin, itches slightly. Should it be able to touch your bare shoulder?

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

[selfpreservationist]

[oh, I hate this already. he smears some blood from his face and recites]

"So sung a little clod of clay, trodden with the cattle's feet, but a pebble of the brook, warbled out these metres meet..."

[waits for a response]

Re: ROOM OF FALLEN ONES

[auguryofinnocence]

"Love seeketh only self to please,
To bind another to its delight,
Joys in another's loss of ease,
And builds a Hell in Heaven's despite."

You're really good at this.

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

[selfpreservationist]

[quietly, as he approaches the boy]

"The little boy lost in the lonely fen, led by the wandering light... began to cry, but God, ever nigh, appeared like his father in white."

Hello.

Re: LIBRARY

[selfpreservationist]

[raven comes tumbling back into the library after running from the angelos, panting as he grasps yamato tightly.

he's just going to. sit down on the floor for a minute. wheeze.]

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

[selfpreservationist]

...

[raven's tempted to echo the poem, but it's one he knows too well, and he's kind of surprised to see this place here... he approaches the desk, and places his hand on dante's head]

Sleeping on the job?

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

[selfpreservationist]

[I REGRET THIS VERY MUCH

raven is giving the black puddle a wide berth, not daring to approach it, and he is holding yamato with a vice grip, his knuckles white, as he approaches the suits of armor, breathing heavy through his nose.

breathe. just breathe, raven.]

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

[selfpreservationist]

[the first thing raven does is look for the child--and when he doesn't find him, he looks worried... but he's quickly distracted by the woman.

intellectually he knew what to expect, but he was nowhere near emotionally prepared to actually see her. so he just... stares.]

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.