The Valen Shadowbreath thread :)

[Legacy_Deliciously-Demonic]

               Elizabeth can tell you that it's not a pleasant experience. ;P

-sigh- You know you're a PTF...when you actually make a Valen Theme for Google Chrome. xD
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Deliciously-Demonic]

               I'm feeling evil again.

"So, Valen-kins, how'd you meet your lovely girl?"
"..."
"Oh, come now, Demonwrestler, you can tell me."
Valen sighs, struggling against the shackles that chain him to the bed again, then answers.
"The Underdark."
"How devastatingly romantic. Ooh, was it love at first sight?"
"Hardly."
Alaelia sighs heavily, running a hand through her flaming hair. "Don't be difficult, Valen. So, when did you tell her you loved her?"
"Why are you so interested in her?" Valen snaps suddenly.
"I'm bored. It should pass the time until your precious little lover decides to try and follow me."
"...We were in Cania."
The fey'ri's ears perk up. "Cania? Ooh, did you meet Mephistopheles? He's so handsome, isn't he? So...dreamy." the devil-spawn squees happily.
"Yes, we did...meet him. Briefly. Then we killed him."
"Aw, poor Mephi!" Alaelia pouts. "And I was sooo looking forward to getting his autograph! You win some, you lose some." she frownes. "Oh, look at the time! I'd better make myself scarce; a certain Marilith is coming over to play with you. Oh, don't look so green, Vay-vay, she'll be...gentle." the fey'ri then leaves, cackling loudly.

-0-

"Valen, long time no see, yeah?"
The tiefling barely acknowledges Alaelia's presence.
"I was wrong, you know. I thought for sure she'd come running after you. But she hasn't. It's the oddest thing. Maybe she's given up on you, or maybe..." the fey'ri's eyes glitter "Maybe she never loved you at all? Perhaps it was nothing but an act."
Valen glares at her. "You're wrong."
"Am I? You can't be certain, can you? Maybe...maybe you're just in denial."
"You...are wrong."
"I wouldn't be so sure, Valen." the fey'ri grins. "But I didn't come in here to torture you-"
"I sincerely doubt that." Valen interupts.
"Tsk, tsk, such little faith. I came here to tell you that you'll be getting your own room soon. Much better then being chained to my bed all day, yes?"

-0-

The fey'ri walks into the dungeon, swinging her hips prettily as she nears Valen's cage.
"Mm, see, much better then that soft, fluffy bed you so often complained about, yes?"
Valen glares up at her again, but is helpless, chained to the wall and separated from Alaelia by many thick, iron bars.
"One of my agents tracked her down, you know. Asked her why she wasn't looking for you. Offered to tell her where you are. But all she did was kill him. Ungrateful brat."
"She must have thought...you were lying." the tiefling says stubbornly.
"I'm a devil, Valen dear. I swore to tell her if she wished it, and she ignored me. If there's one thing we Baatezu never go back on, it's our word. Maybe she's an ignorant child. Or maybe...she just doesn't want to find you. Maybe she sees your disappearance as a relief, a burden lifted off her shoulders."
Valen opens his mouth, but Alaelia lifts a hand, forestalling is comment.
"I know, I know, 'I'm wrong, she loves you, she's looking for you.' Such a moronic hope, little boy. But, I must leave now. Just think about what I said, yes?"

-0-

"So, Valen. Would you like to talk about her? I know you do; I can see it in your eyes."
"Leave me be, devil."
"How about no. You are under my control, Valen. I'm not leaving until I want to. I've been thinking." the fey'ri begins to pace. "What if she only claimed to love you because she thought it...practical. Maybe she just wanted to be loved. Maybe she wanted to control you, tame you, like the animal you are."
"You are the animal, Alaelia."
"I am not the one in the cage, leashed like a disobedient dog. Maybe I'll put bells and a collar on you. What do you think of a pink ribbon for that lovely tail of yours?"
Valen glares.
"No? Fine, it was but a suggestion." Alaelia frowns. "Why do you love her, anyways?"
"You wouldn't understand."
"You mean you don't understand it either? Ha. Such a pathetic little child you are. Naive, bitter little child."
"If anyone is bitter, it's you, Alaelia. You are not the woman I knew. You were kind, you cared, and you protected me for as long as you could. What happened to you?"
"The same that happened to you, child." the fey'ri says quietly. "The Blood Wars." Quickly, she changes the subject. "Why do you believe she loves you?"
"The Knower of Names...she said we were each other's true loves."
"And what does that mean? Some mystical force proclaimed you and her would be perfect together? Why would anything of divine means cross the planes to find a woman perfect for a fiend like you? Hmm? And if she was truly your true love, would she not be searching for you? You know where she is now, Valen? She's in Waterdeep, heels up and sipping wine, part of nobility now that she's rid of you." The fey'ri reaches out to the tiefling, who flinches away from her blackened hand. "I want to help you, Valen. Don't you want to be normal again? Be a normal tiefling? You've had your fun little romp around the Prime...but your holiday is over. You need to wake up. We of demonic and devilish heritage cannot walk through lands like Toril. It's unnatural. We belong here, in the Abyss, and Baator, in places like Sigil! You need to wake up." Then, the fey'ri walks away.

-0-

"You've been asking for me? That's a twist."
"Alaelia...I..."
"Have you finally realized what it means to be a tiefling once more?"
"I...understand."
"Good." Alaelia reaches out and brushes a strand of crimson hair out of Valen's eyes, watching him with a motherly gaze. "Would you like to forget her?"
The tiefling looks up sharply, eyes wide.
"She causes you pain, Valen. I can make that pain go away forever. Just allow me to."
Valen lowers his eyes, staring at the ground. Then he sighs, and nods slowly.
"As you wish," the fey'ri's voice is sad, though her black eyes glimmer with a sudden malicious joy. "Oeskathine the Demonwrestler, I command you to forget everything that happened to you after escaping the Blood Wars."
The tiefling turns to face her quickly as he hears his True Name, realizing his mistake when he sees the hate in her eyes, but it is too late.
Every memory he has of the Prime - from the Seer, to Lith My'arthar, to her - all vanish from his mind, unable to be recalled.

He lets out a small, wordless cry, and jerks away, closing his eyes and breathing erratically.
When he opens his eyes again, they are blood red.

Long, yes, but...well, I got carried away.

Mostly to define Alaelia's personality, relationship with Valen, and to tease you with what she does to Valen when he's under her...'care'

EDIT --

Liz voice samples! 
http://www.mediafire...zlc14i9866b7kay
               
               

               

                     Modifié par Deliciously-Demonic, 22 mai 2011 - 02:14 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_Meeszy Alexy]

               I have questions:

1. Is there an option to kill Alaelia slowly and painfully? If not, please implement one.
2. How does she know his True Name? I doubt Valen would tell her, and it's not like he gives it out of business cards.
3. Is Alaelia jealous, or just bitter?
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Deliciously-Demonic]

               Believe me, there is. '>

Depending on if you killed or banished Mephistopheles, Alaelia is either a current or former employ of Big Red. She goes after the Knower Of Names to get revenge on you since she's got a bad crush on him. xD Then she decides, while she's there, why not pick up a few more? If you'll remember, all it took the Knower to give up the Names was a bit of gold.

Jealous, or bitter? Hmmm...a bit of both. She's a very bitter woman because of what she'd seen in the Blood Wars and working for Mephi, and jealous of Valen because *he* got out, *he* found love, *he* is a hero (well, she considers him one anyway). Plus she has those four times he attempted to kill her during the Blood Wars to hold against him.
Of course, she still has to get Mephi's revenge on the PC, and what better way to do that then turn the man you love into the beast again? Where he has no memory of you. And she sends him out to fight you just to torture you.

...Crap, now *I* want to kill Alaelia. xD
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Aldatariel Calentaur]

               How many modules and stories are you working at, DD? I only ask because I know it from myself, that I start many things then find myself unable to finish any of them.

Don't get this wrong, but sometimes I fear you will start too many things at once, then dissipate your energies. No offense meant, I'm just a little worried that you will have to quit one or the other of your projects (don't ask how many ideas, stories and modules I have given up already ...). As you definitely are talented (especially when it comes about writing angst and/or dark stuff), several people (including me) will be severely disappointed if that happens.

Poor Valen, forced to forget the Seer and his love by his True Name. I wonder how this might end. At the moment it seems hopeless as any way to lead it to a good end I can think of seems way to kitschy. I'm sure, though, you will find a way. If you don't intend to create a tragedy anyway, that is.

(One of the reasons I decided to give up my HotU tale was that I just couldn't see a way to avoid the ultimate tragedy. As it is the end of the story, I might tell you one day if you're interested. Another reason was that I have moved on to original stories and other stuff.)
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Deliciously-Demonic]

               Let's see...

A Ranger's Tale, I'm Not a Hero, the Elizabeth mod and now Shadows of the Past.

A.R.T and INaH are easily written thanks to the toolset and my plotlines I've got written out, the Elizabeth mod is giving me a bit of a pain, but I've put that on a temmporary hiatus until I can transfer all my files from my laptop to my new computer, and I'm not writing anything for SotP just yet, just making areas and fleshing out the basic plot.

Well, there are three general endings I plan for SotP; tragic, happy, and a bittersweet ending.
If you'll notice, there is more angst then fluff. x3

Don't worry, I have...plans. -evil laugh-
PLANS.

Right now I've got lame temporary convos for the NPCs that are important (i.e; Valen telling you about the agents from Waterdeep, the innkeeper telling you where to get supplies, the various merchants, all that stuff).
I figured out that I just can't have anything else open while the toolset is, and I can't load the Mountain Side. Which is BS, but, whatever, I'll get my new video card in a bit.

EDIT -- so wrong, yet...so right.
http://sendables.jib...USBH5AgFh6xIfzf
               
               

               

                     Modifié par Deliciously-Demonic, 22 mai 2011 - 09:19 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_Aldatariel Calentaur]

               I really hope you will work out everything, DD!

My problem is that I sometimes love my main characters (once it was Valen, today it's one of my OC's) just a little too much. So either my stories end up like that stuff in the M-section of P&T or ...
I just get lost.

Never wrote this, as the mere thought made me cry (the Ultimate HotU Tragedy):
When you mix up AD&D 2E-rules with D&D 3E-rules (like in HotU and like I do sometimes), especially when you are playing an elf, sooner or later you might be confronted with the fact that:
-The life-span of elves is much longer (1200 years according to the old rules) than any other race's.
-Tieflings might live up to 200 years (the maximum when you mix up rules), not more. For Valen it might be even shorter as the fact that my elf took his Demonic Curse from him might affect his life-span.
- An Unbeliever won't be able to go to the Higher Planes after his death, he will end up at a place called "The Wall of Faithless".
- Valen, part Demon (if that still counts), might go to the Abyss instead, of course.
- Deekin will die much earlier. (I wonder how long it might take until the humans and kobolds will have forgotten what he did, thus starting warring again. 200 years?)
- Banished by his True Name or not, Mephistopheles will return every 100 years.

Poor Tari. Not only will she see all her friends die, she also will live long enough to have to deal with Mephy over and over again. If she doesn't commit suicide or dies off a broken heart, that is.

I imagined a scene when old Valen, dying, is giving her one last kiss. After his death, a burial scene ...
I also imagined a scene when Tari is visiting Deekin's grave, finding that there's nothing left from her best friend but a withering stone, the inscription barely readable.

I cried when these pictures came to my mind. Just thought I'd share. I won't write this down. Just too sad.

Now let me go back to my OC story ... 4500 words today, I might even finish that one.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Deliciously-Demonic]

               That's pretty much what I do, mixing the 2E and 3E rules.
Max angst. Which as you know, I feed off of angst. xD

I don't see Valen's 'taint' as a physical thing (after all, his horns and tail didn't fall off, did they?), more of a psychological thing, barriers *he* put in his mind, guilt he has because of what he had to do in the Blood Wars and the like. So I doubt that removing his taint would affect his lifespan.

-now has the urge to draw her elfing crying over Valen's grave-

A.C, have I mentioned you're made of awesome? Cuz you are.
You have given me ideas for MAXIMUM ANGST for Shadows of the Past.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Aldatariel Calentaur]

               Thank you so much, but still: you really should try to find a slightly different title for your module, as "Demons of the Past" has been the title of one of the best Valen angst stories ever!  Until it has been deleted, that is. Unfortunately, the author had to suffer from so many art thefts, other attacks  and stuff that she just decided to delete part of her stuff...
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Deliciously-Demonic]

               Ohoho, I remember that story! Twas delicious, the angst. xD

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some angst to write. '> -Turns Evanesence up all the way and goes back to her stories-
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Deliciously-Demonic]

               My attempt to write angst when I'm tired. xD I know it's not very dark...it's actually pretty light-hearted compared to some things I've written...but it tugs your heartstrings, no?

Waist-length blonde hair hid her face as she bent over the grave. Intelligent hazel eyes read the worn words of the marker stone, though she had long since memorized them. The copper-skinned wood elf slowly went to her knees, setting the marigold flowers on the grassy bump of earth with care. Nienna (for that was the elf's name) gently reached out and brushed aside a vine that was crawling up the stone,  so it was against the back of it. As she withdrew her hand, she paused, brushing her long, thin fingers over the name.

She sighed heavily. Life was so cruel.
He had been dead for how many years now? She had lost track. She had stopped counting after a while.
She had been 300 when they met. He died 150 years after that. So...roughly 500 years ago?
But she remembered his face like she had seen it only yesterday.

He wouldn't be waiting for her.
He had been an Unbeliever, therefor confined to the Wall, if his demonic blood did not send him to the Abyss.
Nienna was a druid of much faith in her diety, therefor she would go to the Higher Planes upon her death.

She would gladly follow him to the Wall of the Faithless or the Pits of Hell, just to touch him once more, hear his voice, smell him, caress him...
The wood elf gripped the stone tightly as her shoulders started shaking. Sobs began to escape her, a nearly entirely unfamiliar feeling, and tears ran freely down her cheeks.

“What have you done to me, Valen Shadowbreath?” she muttered in a husky voice. “I...do not cry.”
Even still, the tears streaked her dirty copper cheeks, and she couldn't stop them, not while knowing she would never see him again, her one true love.

He wasn't the only one, either.
Her poor kobold companion was gone, dust and bones beneath the ground, and many of the drow from Lith My'arthar whom she'd cared for were dead as well. Nathyrra, Imloth, the Seer...all of them.
She was the last one left.

Nienna always knew this day would come, but she could never have imagined how much her chest ached just thinking of her loved ones.

But...something she hadn't foreseen.
Though she had banished him with his True Name, Mephistopheles returned one hundred years later, and she was forced to banish him again, unwilling to put Valen at risk.
But another hundred years later, and the devil returned again. This time, Valen was gone. They all were. She had to fight him alone.
She failed. And fled.
Coward.

Now, Mephistopheles had taken over Toril, and she was to blame. She had been too weak on her own. She understood the power of friendship, now that she had lost it.
The druid sighed again, and stood up in this fiery world of hers. Maybe her cowardice would allow her to return to Valen's side when she finally died. It wasn't as if she was doing much with her life anyways.

“Aunt Nienna?”

The wood elf turned sharply, expression return to it's default 'dreamy' look once more. A pretty young drow girl was standing there, watching the druid with curiosity.
“Yes, Evaria?” the elder asked.
“Who is the man buried here? You never speak of him. I am curious.” Evaria added bashfully.
“He is...someone I love.” Nienna said, brushing the dirt off her padded leather armor.
“How did he die?”
“Old age.”
“Oh. He was much older then you, then?”
“...no. He wasn't an elf.”
“You can do that?” Nienna stopped and shot her ward an incredulous look. “Mate with a non-elf?”
“Don't be so xenophobic, Evaria.” the druid said with brief amusement.

“I...I didn't mean-”
“I know you didn't.” Nienna sighed yet again. “Would I be a horrible person if I said I wish I were with him?”
“Of course not. You loved him, didn't you?” the surface-raised drow smiled at her foster mother kindly.
“I love him even still.” she murmured. “Though death part us physically, we will always be together.”

“That is a nice sentiment.”
“...”
Nienna grabbed Evaria by the upper arm, carefully and motherly, and began to lead her back to the cave they used as a home in this hell, not wanting to think about it any more then she already did.

Nienna is my druid wood elf who was part of a society who detached themselves from emotion entirely, but as a young girl she ran off to live in the human world. Valen easily got to her and she found herself displaying a lot of emotion towards him. And then they fell in luuuuuv.

Evaria is my drow OC who's the daughter of the Seer and Imloth. Yes, I ship them. xD After the Seer and Immy passed on, Nienna took Evaria under her care as her ward (them wood elves like to do that, methinks)

Originally Nienna was just depressed after Valen died, but took care of Evaria until her dying day.
Thank you, A.C, for...informing me of certain elements. -cue D-D's wicked laugh-

(and no, Nienna didn't remove Valen's taint. She's a druid, after all; she would see it as removing a part of his being and therefor an affront to nature.)
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Aldatariel Calentaur]

               As I am busy with half a dozen or so of my OC's ... more Valen goodness, anyone else? Two days without him are definitely too long a time ...
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Deliciously-Demonic]

               I have uploaded some more screenies for Shadows of the Past, if anyone's interested. .-.

First convo with Valen, where you learn you have to leave Westland.
http://i56.tinypic.com/21e26w2.jpg

Learning where the merchants are from the innkeeper. Unfortunately for you, he's not very good with directions...or remembering things.  
http://i56.tinypic.com/2qdpx5t.jpg

Outside the Temple of Istishia...
http://i55.tinypic.com/ziuhis.jpg

...and inside
http://i51.tinypic.com/2d91stg.jpg

The only merchant in the entire town who will buy stolen goods.
http://i52.tinypic.com/21b41oh.jpg

Outside the Wizard Tower.
http://i56.tinypic.com/2cnd3bc.jpg

And speaking to the haughty High Wizard. '>
http://i56.tinypic.com/14s1sn.jpg

Place for armor and weapons.
http://i51.tinypic.com/28t9jmh.jpg

The bridge out of town.
http://i54.tinypic.com/4tt3e8.jpg

Now I'll get back to building. -waves magic wand and disappears again- 
               
               

               

                     Modifié par Deliciously-Demonic, 25 mai 2011 - 09:14 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_OfficerDonNZ]

               A Valen thread? Why am I not suprised by this? Seeing as I've just noticed this thought I'd pop my head in and mnetion I have a Valen fic over at the pit or fanfiction.net :happy: whichever you prefer to call it.

Linky: http://www.fanfictio..._Star_Dark_Past  I've not long posted chapter 11.

Working on two stories pretty much at the same time, things get a little crazy. No prizes for guessing what my other fic is though!  
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Deliciously-Demonic]

               Oh, *that* little gem. '>
-pokes Officer with a long, pointy stick-
More updates, the fangirl demands! MOAR! >8d