MYSTICS Facility

Built into the wooded landscape of the Canadian Rockies, the MYSTICS Facility is a research center dedicated to the discovery and preservation of both natural and supernatural organisms. The center is owned and operated by Ravenna Drake, an ecologist whose origins remain almost entirely shrouded in mystery to those who know her professionally. Information on the MYSTICS’ exact whereabouts, as well as details pertaining to its day-to-day operations, exist outside of public knowledge. The facility’s very reality endures as a myth among those involved in occult circles of science and mysticism, many claiming that the MYSTICS’ location has been transported from country to country, as though by magic, throughout many centuries. When attending conventions or political summits involving environmental matters, Ms. Drake explains only that her research is funded by private sources and that her primary studies involve protecting the delicate balance of obscure ecosystems.

Ravenna

Born on a small farm in Scandinavia amid the 9^th century, Ravenna is the demi-goddess daughter of an Asgardian witch and a Norseman. Having fled Asgard during political turmoil, Ravenna’s mother found a place to hide on Earth by assuming a mortal form and seducing a common man, quickly bearing his first and only child. Ravenna’s mother disappeared after her birth, leaving her father to raise the then-unrealized immortal by himself. He died early in Ravenna’s childhood as a casualty of the Viking and Anglo-Saxon wars. Left an orphan, and still unaware of her divine heritage, Ravenna was discovered by an elven ambassador who brought her to be raised and tutored within the safety of their enchanted realm.

Centuries of human years passed before Ravenna returned to the realm of her birthplace. She discovered much had changed since her earliest memories with her father. Most notably, she has uncovered a dangerous strain on the fabrics of magic which keep the Nine Realms from colliding into one another. The MYSTICS Facility is Ravenna’s base of operations for studying magical creatures that have found a way to cross the barriers between their homes and Earth. She also monitors sinister magical activity that has deliberately crossed from darker realms into the land of humans. After many years of pursuing these endeavors in isolation, Ravenna has begun seeking other capable individuals in her quest to protect Earth and all of the Nine Realms.

MYSTICS Facility

Chosen for its abundance of ambient magic energy, the Canadian Rockies provide an easy natural protection from intruders. Should the landscape itself not deter potential unwanted visitors, Ravenna has imbued the MYSTICS facility with spells designed to keep it virtually undetectable by human or magical tracking methods. The West end of the facility overlooks Moraine Lake, while to the East it backs up into the forests of Alberta.

Gallery

Val is back, and with a gem!

@ravenna: Running full fledged teams now huh? Okay badass I see you lol Sign me up

with a different alt though I'll hit you up with more once I'm convinced you'll be around for a bit

I am not an expert on Canada so please don't drag me for geographical inaccuracies.

Sorry but actually, Canada has ONE more mountain.

In all seriousness, I am happy to play an antagonist role

Cool stuff here! ^_^

MA'AM?????

@catalina_liafador:

♡ ♡ ♡ ♡

@kyushi_:

This is my thread, and Canada will have as many mountains as I want it to, damnit!

Looking forward to it ;)

@haven_oshea:

Babe!!!

Maybe with Jeremiah, Or James Batson!

This is cool!

Innit

Hope you stick around.

@kasumi_uchiha: (let it be James. Please)

Thanks everyone :)

Also, this concept isn’t exclusive to characters who are magic users. Any character involved in superhuman affairs is welcome to be a part of.

@last_arashikage:

Don’t play with meeee

@ravenna: Good to know! Now I just need to decide which character of mine might join this.

Good to see you! ^_^

Arcane research?

@adepta-occulta:

Amazinggg character profile

@paragonxxx:

Thank you

@ravenna: Thanks; maybe there's a link to be established.

@adepta-occulta:

Hope so

I'm down to do this with James.

Magical research seems fun.

@james_batson:

I like the character

@ravenna:

Thank you! Lookin forward to writing some great stuff with you!

@ravenna: I'm thinking of joining with Red Marvel. Thoughts?

@paragonxxx: you really like the Superman template, huh?

@ravenna: Actually, this one would fit in better. What do you think?

I think you will find my credentials to be...satisfactory

@blhazerider:

Do you!

@ravenna:

◆◈ Evening ◈◆

Under the velvet gaze of the night sky, the Sanguine Samurai raced down a lonely road splitting through the Canadian Rockies, the grating roar of his motorbike disturbing the rustling of trees and babbling of brooks. Lifting his eyes to take in the silhouettes of mountains great and icy, Kaylen heard the low thrum of magic in the air, felt it crash into his senses like a rising tide. Here, where nary a soul could trouble their peace, arcane forces were strong, and creatures mystical and unknown were abundant.

There were rumors of a research facility in the woodlands, one devoted to the study of the supernatural. So as the dark mage dragged his eyes back to the road ahead, his mind narrowed on a single thought - finding and joining that facility.

Riding into the peak hours of the night, Kaylen abandoned the smooth asphalt, cutting into a dirt road that lured him into the heart of the woods. Time marched on, and the deeper he ventured, the thicker the roots hugging the soil became. An hour more, and they were aglow, their silver gleam blooming into the suave gold of his hazel eyes. Like the roots themselves, magic had thickened. In both the air and the earth.

He was close. Or so he hoped.

Accelerating as the arcane energies powering his bike hissed in protest, the Sanguine Samurai rode through the woods until the path ahead widened, the trees ended, and a lake began. Silvered by the moonlight and as flat as a mirror, the lake - Moraine - met his eyes with supernatural grace. Yet as Kaylen dismounted his bike and his gaze swept through the air, he saw nothing of note, nor did his senses detect an arcane hotspot amid the magic in the air. Sighing, his breath frosting in the cold night, the Sanguine Samurai was at a loss.

Where could it be?

That was toooo good. Always applying pressure on me x__x

@kaylen_knightfall: (nice. We got to see who has the higher power level sometime)

Grabs Popcorn

Says the only other RP'er not named Mercy who could write a book, LOL.

@ravenna: @kaylen_knightfall:

His snake like silhouette of a shadow danced through the Canadian wilderness with all of the direction of an unintentional thought. A whisper in the woods with the exception of the occasional clattering of metal chains as his Leashed minions scouted the mystical mountain range. Tethered by an unbreakable bondage to their master, the malnourished marionettes no longer resembled the noble heroes nor vibrant villains they once were in the glorious era of the Prime Universe. Their universe. Barely a shadow of a memory, much like the dancing devil who tightly clutched their chains. But like all nightmarish bets, debts and dealers willing to risk their humanity for a chance at omnipotence immortality and indomitable power, the Gambler cheated the devil with a hand of Aces over Eights and was now free to stalk the CVnU to spread with a forked-tongue his deceit, lies and hate. Despite the Adamantium crown of thrones so gruesomely grafted to his face and eyes, a final act of heroism by a forgotten knight, the King of Kings could see the adventurous young Knightfall as he raced through the trees, over the brooks and through the crystal streams in search of the mystical retreat of the supernatural madame of the mystical realms, Ravenna. "Ohhh, dis one, dis one is ssspecial." he hissed to his Leashed. Wind inadvertently escaping the heavily lacerated edges of his tortured mouth causing a snake like lisp and murdering his once benevolent French accent. And the Serpent in the Rainbow would have it no other way. In an instant the Gambler was launched through the air, between the trees, as a trail of dark smoke and ash before landing just out of view immediately transforming his appearance into that of a long dark haired gentlemen with a theatrical sense of medieval fashion. "Bonjour!" he cheerfully called out from the treeline, allowing the Knightfall prince a moment to register his arrival before stepping out into the open and full majesty of the lake. "Tis a, beautiful sight, no? Ah but where are my manners. My name is Luc. Luke." he reiterated. Almost as if impressed, or amused with his own child like cleverness. "I have come a long way to find a very special place in these woods but I hate to admit...I think maybe - how you say - lost. Yes. I lost." The Gambler relaxed for a moment and allowed the social implications of his imposed arrival to persuade the Knightfall's next moves.

(Yelling at the screen right now for Kaylen to run lol)

I'm almost rooting for the bad guy because he plays with words and I'm a language nerd.

Im assuming it really is Gambler??? And Sango but the threat level goes up higher when its actually a Gambler

Morning

The morning sun fought with golden determination to set alight the frost covered forest. An ice storm had blown steadily for several days, blanketing every inch of the landscape in a wintry marvel of snow. Today the storm had ceased, leaving in its wake a delicate silence, a prolonged inhale as the natural world waited to be sure the coast was once again clear before exhaling to resume daily life. Not a single creature seemed to disturb this frozen moment in time. From the proudest of predators all the way down to the invisible, yet willful, insects, all of the forest’s inhabitants waited on some predestined event to signal that it was safe to end their silent vigil.

Ravenna padded softly through the quiet mountainside. She observed the many changes that had taken place since the storm, most of them obvious, while some only noticeable through the eyes of someone practiced in locating small shifts in detail. The frigid air brought a natural blush to her cheeks, and she tucked her hands deeper in the pockets of her scarlet coat to avoid the bitter cold.

Days earlier, she had felt a disturbance in the circulation of energy within the immediate range of her innate mystic sonar. She had tried convincing herself that it had been brought upon by the presence of the storm, however, she had awoken that morning to find the storm had passed while the feeling of trouble remained.

Setting out to find the cause, she traversed over the wild landscape with an unearthly grace, making her way to the base of a small clearing. Her journey thus far had only cemented her suspicions. Despite a dazzling display of icy beauty left behind by the storm, the forest’s usual bustle of activity had come to a noticeable standstill. Here, in the clearing, she found the first sign of life all morning.

Directly across from her, a charcoal colored wolf lay bleeding into the ivory snow. The canine let out cries of pain, originating from an injury Ravenna could not see. She moved closer to the animal, realizing her mistake too late.

The wolf sprang from the ground, revealing a pair of solid, unnatural red eyes. It lunged at Ravenna, sinking its fangs into her shoulder before taking her to the ground.

Ravenna yelled out in pain, sending a group of hidden birds soaring away in fear. She instinctively let out a rush of energy from her palm, hoping the blast would find its mark and relieve her shoulder from the beast’s grip. She heard the wolf cry out again as her magic struck, using the opportunity to rise to her feet. Blood trailed from her shoulder, creating a dark crimson portrait at her feet.

The wolf was on its feet again quickly, and sprung into the air once more to attack. Prepared this time, the witch raised her unharmed arm. The wolf froze in mid-air, helpless, as its flesh started to boil under the heat of some invisible fire. As Ravenna increased the intensity of her spell, the wolf’s form changed completely. Frozen in air was now a young boy with dark shaggy hair falling over his face. As the boy looked up to meet her gaze, still struggling against the searing grip of her magic, he revealed the same red eyes as the wolf.

“How did you find this realm, demon?” Ravenna questioned.

The boy showed a mocking, evil grin as his flesh continued to burn off his body, leaving nearly nothing but raw blisters up to his head.

“What is coming cannot be stopped, Half-Witch. You are not powerful enough to stop it.”

Ravenna's eyes narrowed as she spoke.

“Do not for a moment assume that because I am peaceful, I have forgotten how to be violent.”

Her open palm trembled for a moment, gathering energy as the air in the clearing whistled under the rising pressure from her spell. When it seemed the very Earth would shatter beneath her, she released the magic. A skillfully contained nuclear explosion erupted from the base of where the demon boy had hovered. The blast disintegrated his form instantly, its residual force causing a powerful rush of air to awaken the entire forest.

Ravenna gripped her shoulder in pain. The spell had weakened her considerably, but it had been necessary to ensure the demon was properly destroyed. She stepped toward the charred ground of the explosion’s source. No hints remained as to how the demon could have entered Earth, let alone the forest she protected with her own magic. Dissatisfied with a lack of answers, she turned to head back home where she could rest and assess her wound.

@gambler: @kaylen_knightfall:

You both showed out

Night

A head-splitting pain brought Ravenna back to consciousness. Bath water dripped from her arm as she brought a hand to her head, trying to silence the screams of terror tormenting her mind. With a few concentrated breaths she managed to subdue the intrusion, allowing her to become familiar with her present physical state. She had fallen asleep midway through a warm bath, her shoulder bandaged and still recovering from the assault earlier that day. Now, a threat even more sinister whispered garish warnings inside her head.

She rose swiftly, before faltering for a moment against the strain of her injury. She had performed spells that should have healed the flesh entirely by now. Concern crept over her that the demon’s bite had infected something deeper than just physical tissue. Without time to worry further, she wrapped a towel around her figure, the water still clinging to her skin with a sleek gleam. She walked swiftly into the central living room of the facility, looking out through tall glass windows at an unobstructed view of wilderness before her. All seemed calm and quiet under the pale silver hue of the moon’s light, but the sickening feeling inside her told her that all was not as it appeared.

Ravenna moved with an alert quickness to her closet, abandoning her towel and adorning herself in all black clothing. As soon as she had finished zipping up a black flight jacket, she returned to the living room, scanning its vantage point of the lake for any activity she had missed prior. Her eyebrows furrowed in frustration. Nothing.

Despite her weakened state, Ravenna decided she had little choice but to venture out in search of the malignant energy’s source. She thrust an open-palm in front of her, opening a portal of glowing red energy large enough for her to walk through. She stepped forward.

Strands of moonlight fell softly upon the witch’s chestnut-colored hair as she stepped out into the shadowy realm of the forest. Searching for physical evidence of a disturbance would take her all night. With a deep inhale, Ravenna stretched her consciousness out in all directions. Like a mental sonar, she scanned the wilderness for any sign of energy beyond the low-level traces of plants and animals.

Her face twisted in pain as she came in contact with something that turned her thoughts into dark, cold ice. The presence stood like a mountain against her mind, a fortress so gruesome she retreated instantly from the psychic connection.

Ravenna breathed heavily into the cold night air to regain her composure after the shock. She feared what man or creature could possess such a terrible aura. Without the luxury of time to consider her options, she decided to follow the energy’s source. Her feet carried her, swifter than any humans, in the direction of the lake.

As she drew closer, she became aware of a second presence nearby. The being radiated its own impressive strength, however its intentions Ravenna could not decipher. Without much time until she reached the lake, she took a chance on whispering a psychic message into the ambiguous mind. She knew her attempt would be futile should this person be adept in deflecting mental intrusions, so she imbued her words with as much peaceful intent as she could.

“Be—careful—”

Her contact cut off as she begin to see glimpses of the lake’s shining surface through the trees. She slowed her pace, stepping soundlessly through the underbrush. She heard a man’s voice travel through the air, something in the acridness of his cheerful tone causing her stomach to turn. From her hiding place, she could make out two dark figures in the night. Sparks of crimson magic glowed in her palms as Ravenna prepared to reveal herself, only hoping she hadn’t arrived too late.

@gambler: @ravenna:

Passing his eyes over Moraine Lake, Kaylen strode towards the border where land and lakewater met, and his greater senses swept through the seam between the worlds of magic and the mundane, straining to unearth the answer to the question taunting his mind.

Where is it?

And try as he might, the Sanguine Samurai saw little and sensed nothing, only a moon in full bloom, its pale fingers slanting down the heavens to silver the Mediterranean bronze of his face. Yet as he turned at the heel, a cold breeze raced past him and a man broke through the looming shadow of the woodlands. Wrapping him in the deep gold of his sunset gaze, Kaylen thought little of the gleeful stranger strolling out the trees, and for a moment - a heartbeat - a twitch of familiarity tugged the corners of his mouth into a small curl, for the words escaping the stranger's lips did so with a cadence from Western Europe.

Like his father's.

"Luc or Luke? Because only one of those names is as French as your accent, my friend", he bantered, his smile curving with an ease matched only by the cool billow of his suave baritone, "It seems we're both lost. My name is-".

“Be—careful—”

Those words echoed out the ether into his mind. And the Sanguine Samurai listened, feeling compelled to heed the warning of a voice so clearly pitched with peace. Returning his attention to Luc, Kaylen retained his smile, but as nary a sound disturbed the air, he finally noticed it - something not quite right about this man. It was the silence he commanded. How his very presence had muted the loud shrill of critters from the woods nearby. They feared him, and uttered nothing just as prey animals do when a top predator roams the land.

Soon, his senses caught the subtle spark of mana building in the air. Magic - a spell - was in the works, and it bloomed with the same warmth as the psychic whisper from before. Resuming his conversation with Luc, Kaylen allowed his gaze to drift back towards the lake but kept his arcane senses locked on the man's psionic signature. After all, how better to convince a stranger that one perceives no danger from their presence than to steer one's sight elsewhere?

"Anyway, my name is Augusto", he lied, his dishonesty betrayed by nothing thanks to his years of tutelage under his mother, a legendary assassin without peer - Mercy Sheridan, "I'm also searching for a special place, somewhere I can learn how to refine my talents. They can be overwhelming sometimes, as you briefly saw", again he lied, explaining away his earlier pause in their introduction as a flare of otherworldly senses yet mastered, "So why do you seek this special place, my friend?".

Hoping to disarm Luc with engaging conversation and create an opening for his unseen ally, Kaylen continued, and a small breeze of laughter escaped him, "Because we're both here and there seems to be nothing but water and wilderness. I'm beginning to wonder if this place even exists".

@ravenna: @kaylen_knightfall:

"Augustoooo" the Gambler's visual fabrication triumphantly sang out. "Now dat is a strong name, mon ami" he said with pursed lips and clinched fist, embellishing the introduction with all the seasoned flair of a practiced thespian and enjoyment of an actor. To the extent in which he had carelessly missed the telepathic warning cautioning the adventure seeking Knightfall about his presence. Perhaps the Last Laughing LeBeau was not quite as powerful, or clever, as he so unshakably believed. Nevertheless he proceeded to crouch along the bank and stared at his disguised form's reflection in the lake. "I too know what it tis like to be overwhelmed" he briefly paused "with talent" he whispered in conclusion before rising. Leaving a series of sketched markings in the wet sand. Arcane symbols from a forgotten legacy. They held no power, no real meaning outside of a memory. "But I assure you my young friend. Dee special place, it exists. If we do not find it, it, will find us." No sooner had he finished talking then did his nostrils twitch and head sharply snap to look back over his left shoulder. Something festering. Something, infected with just a hint of demonic darkness. Something, injured. And in so keeping up with his illusion, the Serpent in the Rainbow removed a branch like object from the recesses of his Purim Victorian style jacket and took up a back foot sideways stance as if preparing for something. "Do you not sense it too Augusto? Dhere is something...someone, watching." The possibilities of such a heightened night of escalating entertainment prompted the manipulative multiversal malcontent to raise his hands as a sign of surrender, before gently laying the fictitious wand on the ground as a sign of good faith. "Bonjour!" Gambler called out. "My name is Louk. Dis is Augusto. We mean you no harm, mon cher." Turning towards the hereditary Knightfall with a shrug, the King of Kings drifted his focus back towards the edge of the tree line and waited.

-__-

LOL

Can’t get a minute to breathe with you two. Lol

@last_arashikage:

Oh so now it’s all on me. Thanks a lot! ;)

(I'm waiting for a spot to jump in)

i'm game :)