07-20-2016, 05:35 AM
LET ME IN THE WALL YOU'VE BUILT AROUND.
WE CAN LIGHT A MATCH, AND BURN IT DOWN.
It is the warmth that lures him from the shadows, bathing his marred, bloodied flesh in the bright sunlight that shines across the drying terrain. The brush is growing brittle and the blossoms are beginning to fade; the land is settling in for what will be another long embrace of ice and snow and he himself can feel it settling into the pit of his bones. His muscles flex slightly beneath his obsidian pelt as he strides forward, stretching the aching muscles of his limbs, which had been still too long for his own liking.
Still fresh with open wounds, he is a sight to behold - dried blood linger along the edges of his frayed skin, and he appears more ragged and war-torn than usual. He remains solemn, swallowing his discomfort for the most part, though his crimson gaze gives it away. With a toss of his tangled, dread-locked mane, his dark eyes peer across the terrain as his lungs fill with the crisp, biting air of autumn. It has not yet moved into the land, but it is within the dying and splitting brush and waning dusk and dawn that he can feel it coming. It is only a matter of time.
His sinewy tendons shift and twist under his taut skin as the bright light of the sky cloaks him in a sheen of illumination; his pale skin scars glisten beneath it. The muscles beneath his coat pain him with each slow step; he is bruised in too many places to count. Such is the price of battle. He has put off political matters for far too long, his mind lingering too easily on matters of the heart - of which had only torn him apart from the inside out. With his mind still fatigued from the rampant nightmares of fiery weaponry, fluttering fairies and oozing poison secretion, he is a sight to behold - a behemoth, but a tired one.
Healing takes time, after all.
Though it pains him, he releases a loud bellowing call from his chest, calling for the men and women who seek their place among the ranks. Once settled and standing still, he raises his thick neck, overlooking the terrain as their few but immensely strong hopeful brothers (and soon, sisters, alike) step forward to heed the call. His gaze then moves towards the grand ruins that loom behind him, daunting and threatening, even in the light of day. He had studied their architecture for some time; their allure was undeniable but the unpredictable and volatile lie within and he knew it all too well.
He breathes slowly, shifting his sore muscles carefully as he his weight weighs him down, searing red eyes observing those who finally come forward. The bright sunlight peers unforgivably upon them, highlighting the many injured features of his body - but he stands, still upright, still commanding with his own presence. With a faint uptick of his whiskered lips, he speaks, and the thin air carries his voice.
"Men, women, welcome. Today, you will embark on a journey both painful and difficult. Within this cave lies a magic stronger than you can imagine - a scathing reminder of where you have been, and projection of what you fear most. If you cannot handle it, the cave with reject you, and sear you with a marking to show your inability to follow through. If you succeed, you will emerge worse for the wear, but with the mark of brotherhood and sisterhood left on your flesh. It will be painful - at times, excruciatingly so - both mentally and physically. When you return, from the very same entrance, your physical wounds will fade away, though the mental ones may not. Enter at your own risk. And welcome; I look forward to seeing you on the other side."
OFFSPRING
THE FIRE AND ICE KING OF THE TUNDRA
Here are several examples of past cave initiations: Here || Here
Your character must encounter both pain (their wounds will be healed prior to leaving the cave; think jagged ice and rock) and mental anguish - seeing a figment of a loved one in pain, hearing terrible memories, anything.
Upon completion, the cave will finally show you the exit, which is the very same as the entrance.
You must complete this for each character you want to put into a caste.
Please include an OOC note as to which caste you'd like your character in.
You also get a choice of any size/shape scar, either black or white, to leave on your character's body to show their solidarity with the Tundra.
Once completed, please begin a tally of your points on the Points Tracker thread.
You can track all posts made from 7/6/16 on.
Any questions, shoot me a PM! :)