Discarnate
Dark Magic ▲ Vampires ▲ Power Exchange ▲ 21+ D/M RP
FFXIV | Mateus | Mist | Ward 16 | Plot 2
Discarnate
"Had I as many souls as there be stars, I'd give them all to wear this crown."
On the surface, Discarnate is the public front representing the businesses and ventures of a noble house led by an enigmatic Hingan sorceress. Its darker nature, cloaked behind a bloody veil, necessitated its establishment in Vylbrand, where authorities are lax compared to many other realms on the star. Discarnate seeks allies and often opens the doors of its estate to entertain those who might serve a use, whether as wealthy patrons or skilled freelancers.Behind the curtain is the presence of vampires. Seeking to hide their nature from authorities and void hunters, they do all in their power to preserve the Veil. They will not present their nature in public or in venues. Though their blood provides power, so too does it leave them with vulnerabilities.The House seeks the following kinds of people to join its ranks:
The Useful: Those who possess vital skills the House covets. Enforcers and bodyguards, attendants and scribes. Spies and field scholars. The House offers protection in return for service.
The Daring: Those who bring ability or resources who would take a chance on parlaying their value into prominence within Discarnate. However, those who have great power also have the most to lose.
The Unfortunate: And then there's the ones who had little choice in service, those who come with great need of protection or funds, their desperation deliciously palpable. The House has use for such trinkets and playthings, whether for menial duties, entertainment, or sources of aether and blood.
OOC: The FC's story is as much about its mortal members as it is about anything else. The presence of vampires adds elements of darkness and danger, as well as a reason to utilize mortals who aren't saddled with the vulnerabilities of a vampire, and thralls to provide a source of blood. Our observation of vampire lore isn't about creating beings of supreme power such as 10,000-year-old voidsent. Rather it's about those who have damned themselves for power and must turn to others willing to court danger in their service.In Discarnate, we provide a safe and OOCly consensual creative space to drive immersion and character development by enabling a dangerous-feeling environment, stories that explore the price for power, and power exchanges that divide characters into those who hold all the power and those who hold none. We require OOC concurrence for all RP, especially dark and mature themes.
Discarnate
Beware those who seek to know the shadow, for it shall engulf them for its own design.
The Sojourn
The Sojourn is the estate used by Discarnate to house its members, protect its arcane acquisitions, entertain its elite and allies, and safeguard its secrets. The beautiful property overlooks the Rhotano Sea, but its luxurious veneer hides the macabre secrets that lay deeper within.
Often Effienne, the graceful but curtly efficient elezen receptionist, stands vigil at her service desk to direct the House's daily chaos and alert the proper people of visitors. This main area includes a bar, stage, piano lounge, and an upstairs reading area open to all, whether for reasons of business or simple curiosity. A seaside café [Room 1] also remains open for dining and relaxation, and a private theater [Room 10] is used for secluded discussions and entertainments.Private spaces within the estate include rooms for guests and those employed by the House, an onsen, private lounges, and an arcane gallery.
Deeper underground is where Discarnate hides its darker secrets, including dungeons, laboratories, and quarters for thralls used as sources of blood and aether. This labyrinth is far enough beneath the House to keep it soundproofed and far from the detection of concerning aetheric signatures.
Foyer (Main Level)
The entrance opens to a service desk often staffed by a stately elezen woman named Efienne, who handles visits and appointments.
Stage (Main Level)
The corner stage is used for performances and arcane auctions.
Bar (Main Level)
The well-stocked bar is positioned in its own secluded corner with a menu for drinks and desserts. Food can be brought from the cafe in one of the back rooms.
Balcony Seating (Main Level)
Intimate seating offers a splendid view from the balcony.
Reading Nook (Second Level)
Upstairs is a cozy reading nook with shelves of books dealing primarily in arcana, history, and some fiction.
Piano Lounge (Main Level)
This room offers VIP treatment with intimate lighting and aquariums.
Seaside Cafe (Room 1)
For those seeking casual cuisine, a cafe opened to the ocean breeze offers light fare and snacks, as well as a spectacular view.
Private Theater (Room 10)
This dark-lit lounge offers privacy, top-shelf drinks, and a stage for private performances.
Guest Rooms (Room 4)
VIP visitors can rent opulent guest rooms with a beach cabin theme and hot bath.
Arena (Basement)
For those in the know, a hidden tunnel in the wine cellar leads to an arena with a viewing balcony and full-service bar.
Discarnate
"Those who play with the Devil's toys come closer by degrees to taking up his sword."
The Veil
Discarnate’s story is one about those often born outside of positions of great stature within the magical realms of plenty—nations and guilds that have hoarded arcane knowledge and deem all but their inner circles unfit to study it further. Long have the most powerful and threatening magics been sequestered by nations and guilds that claim noble intentions.Without a Sharlayan pledge to righteousness, a Monetarist’s birthright, or a Padjal's lottery of birth, true magic is not accessible through legitimate means. Those in Discarnate explore paying a price for power that could very well be their soul.
At its heart, Discarnate’s journey is about pursuing and pushing its limits for power, whether this be the advancement of taboo magic or furthering the potential of vampiric gifts. Because the presence of such supernatural predators is illegal and would attract authorities and void hunters, its core is sequestered behind the Veil, a system of indoctrination, rituals, and measures to ensure its secrecy no matter the cost.
The Veil guards the presence of vampires and the study of taboo magics thought lost to time. Those who join Discarnate will, in a matter of weeks, be brought into the Veil through a ritual. We'll leave the rest to mystery!
Here there be Vampires
These are not 10,000-year-old voidsent or 3,000-year-old Allagan summoners. Discarnate's vampires are beings of the current age who have turned to power they can find in this age, including the slightest yet corrupting taste of what has been lost since the Fifth Astral Era such as void summoning, blood magic, necromancy, and vampirism.
Vampires have only made a brief presence in FFXIV with a Vampiress trash mob in the 6.5 dungeon, Lunar Subterrane. We have filled in some blanks using the Red Mage and Reaper stories, as well as the 6.x story. We know from lore that mortals can form blood pacts with voidsent to gain additional powers.We observe vampires as both ashkin, being dead, and void-touched, possessing astrally charged blood. We subscribe to the idea that a void-touched draining someone of blood is a powerful form of aether replenishment, drawing upon both corporeal and incorporeal aether.In our lore, vampires can create other vampires by draining a mortal of blood to the point of near death, then offering them their vampiric blood to save them. Offering such blood without draining a mortal to death's door introduces fleeting boons but also an increasing dependency upon that vampire's blood along with compulsion.We also see vampires as being weakened by sunlight but not dying from it. The taking of thralls as living, renewable sources of blood is a wise practice that avoids drawing attention to hunting grounds where the vampire lives.
Discarnate
"What shall a person gain if they have the whole world and lose their soul?"
House Members
Takara Kano, the Spider of Kugane
Takara hails from Hingashi. A decades-long crime lord in Kugane, her reasons for moving to Eorzea are rarely spoken, but she brings to Discarnate her knowledge of Eastern magics and darker arts. A renowned and ruthless collector of arcane curiosities, she has for years hosted auctions to impart such items to wealthy patrons she invites for their gil.
Alice Fausthr
Mercurial and inherently transactional, in paradoxical contrast to the work in philanthropy for which she is publicly known. Hailing once from the distant depths of the Shroud, disquieting rumors haunt her steps regarding endless tragedies that have always seemed to follow in her wake. Bound now via a pact as nebulous as it is grave, she puts her medical and arcane talents to work in the name of the house.
Amira Silivasi
Amira is a hedonist and sensation seeker, always on the search for something new to experience. Daughter of a notoriously cruel and sadistic pirate and now apprentice and ward to the Spider of Kugane. Mischievious, playful, and outgoing. Loyal and dedicated to those closest to her.
Leiro Fortuna
Tragic backstory, check. Killer good looks, double-fucking check. And speaking of double-fucking, there's a price break at triple. Anyway, don't let the fact that I'm not a master swordsman or savage magician fool you, I'm definitely the protagonist here. So a toast, to my impending good fortune! Your treat of course.
Lunastra Rivelion Prodigia
A sorceress with a bottomless fount of ambition and desire. Cold and collected, levying the worth of those she greets with a scrutinous gaze. A proverbial Lady in Black as terrible whispers follows her lengthy path. Despite her past, she remains a committed scholar and ex-soldier both, she brings discipline and commitment to the cause of her betters.
Mika Sasaki
Mika is a Doman inventress who is seldom far from Alice. While her pigtails and soft features make her look innocent, she is possessive of an inquisitive mind that borders on obsessive and even ruthless. She is usually busily distracted crafting various inventions.
Sibyrihl Varenus
Once an Imperial officer, she has a penchant for order and structure. She is a skilled martial combatant as well as a brilliant engineer and scientist. With no home to return to, Sibyrihl has thrown her lot in with Discarnate, finally free from the constraints of her dead empire.
Veloce Cadoret
Aloof and guarded, this mercenary wanderer has traveled from distant Dravania ever in search of opportunity. Though she prefers for her extensive resume to speak for itself, she’s more than capable of letting her swordwork do the talking. Within the organization, she is a problem solver and always gets results.
TBD
TBD
Discarnate
"And each shall pay in time, the Devil's due."
Our FC is small, and while we seek darker RP that can sometimes become antagonistic, we are OOCly welcoming of others regardless of race, gender, or sexual orientation, though we do insist on our members and allies being age 21+. We proudly include LBGTQ+ members and allies.POCs for Collaboration or Joining
In game: Reach out to Takara Kano, Amira Silivasi, or Illyria Luscia
Discord: Reach out to talorn2 (Takara)
Collaboration
Discarnate welcomes allies and guests into our RP, and we have a discord server and a cross-world linkshell to facilitate this. We welcome FC and discord alliances when they make sense.
Membership
Recruitment to Discarnate is done through application or organically through RP to ensure people fit the premise. If you're interested in joining, consider seeking to catch one of our members in character and strike up a conversation. Intrigue us, and we’ll see where things lead together.For those who seek for their characters to fall under Discarnate’s mantle, we encourage the exploration of leverage. Making a deal with the Devil might not be smart, but it sure looks fun.
Mare Syncshell
ID: MSS-SXDKR7YELQJC
PW: Sojourn Friends
Consequences
Discarnate is centered around the exploration of consequences. What price will your character pay to achieve their goals? What morals might they abandon? What scars will they earn and how will they show them? What freedoms might they sell off?We encourage people to think about leverages that could be exerted on their character when joining us and beyond. What keeps them from walking away when things don’t go their way? How can they be corrupted or held into service?On the flipside, many of the veteran characters and leaders have vulnerabilities that can be leveraged to one’s gain if one dares to risk it.
Power Exchanges
Discarnate also explores power exchanges, where some hold power and some are held by that power. While mages advance their ambitions through expeditions, study, and experimentation, some of Discarnate's other needs are met by others. These roles include armed bodyguards and enforcers, often hired as well-paid professionals. Others may be indentured servants, coerced victims, and thralls used as sources of aether, for pleasure, or for menial tasks.
Discarnate
"The only way to defeat temptation is to surrender to it."
RP Hooks
Arcane Black Market: Discarnate hosts arcane auctions at the Sojourn, selling curious and macabre arcane items that might be frowned upon by authorities, but are usually not wholly illegal. These are open to any who would hear of them in underworld circles. There are rumors that those in the know are sometimes invited to special auctions that are not open to the public—nights where wholly illegal and even dangerous items make their way to the stage.
Magical Studies: Lady Kano and others within Discarnate can offer magical instruction, not just for gil but also as a matter of trade. While rumors abound that Discarnate is willing to teach the darker arts, such things could come at an even greater cost, in offset to the risks of discovery.
High Society: Discarnate seeks investors, buyers, patrons, and allies to expand its reach, wealth, and prominence. To this end, it often evolves to provide services and desires in return. With the Sojourn Estate residing in La Noscea, Discarnate also strives to legitimize itself with the Admiralty and remain out of the crosshairs of investigators such as the Yellowjackets. Generous donations to charities near and dear to La Noscean elites has eased this process along.
Those Who Serve: For Discarnate to achieve its lofty ambitions, it needs those willing to serve its aims. The Sojourn is always in need of attendants and servers, and enforcers and bodyguards to protect its interests and strike out at enemies. Healers are useful to employ for obvious reasons, as are engineers and alchemists willing to weaponize their research for Discarnate’s gain.
Pirates and Smugglers: Being in La Noscea, Discarnate finds itself in the backyard of pirates and pays tribute to the Kraken’s Arms, one of Vylbrand’s great pirate factions, which specializes in smuggling to and from the East. With Lady Kano’s Eastern heritage, she has found this boon to be of great use. While she treats those of the Kraken’s Arms fairly, she and others within Discarnate would look favorably upon freelance smugglers as well.
Down the Rabbit Hole: The darkest, dirtiest secrets within Discarnate are kept behind closed doors, but a perceptive person might draw certain conclusions. How can one advance the darkest magics without sources of aether and test subjects? How can an organization as ambitious as Discarnate operate without cheap or even free labor? What dark nature does the House leader hide behind such vaunted security and cloaked secrecy?
Eolise Runeblade
A scholar in good standing with the Studium, Eolise is a worldly traveler dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge. A gifted alchemist and skilled chirurgeon, one might wonder how someone of such beneficent intent could come to traffic with servants of the Void. Whatever his tale one thing is for certain, this doctor is anything but good.
Kai Eryut
Hailing from Eyrut village, Kai long ago left his home and traveled to Thanalan, where he earned a reputation as a "legitimate trader" among the less reputable members of Ul'Dah's merchant class. Recently he has set his sights beyond his desert home, which has brought him in contact with Discarnate.
Chieko Takamura
Chieko has a gift for flight as well as a passion for all things to do with airships, particularly her vessel, the Phoenix. She has a penchant for getting into machinery, magitek or otherwise, and is a practicing engineer. Deals in smuggling art and other goods through underworld contacts to keep busy and well-funded.
T'ahvo Shiku
Rarely far from the side of her mistress, T’ahvo is a rare source of warmth within the cold halls of the Sojourn. Eminently polite and quick to offer a helping hand, she keeps her true feelings hidden behind a charming smile. What someone so seemingly innocent is doing among the rogues of Discarnate is anyone’s guess.
Bernon Rillemont
Bernon seems as mysterious as he is relaxed. One can ask him three times about himself and get four different versions. A trickster at heart, he is typically seen with a smile on his face. He came to Discarnate for his own reasons, and quickly became trusted by the right people.
Our Lore and Story:
We play normal and supernatural-adjacent characters who need each other to survive. Among our ranks are mortals of various skills, led by those who have been touched by the void, quite similar to nightkin in the Red Mage story. Discarnate's cast have as many vulnerabilities as strengths, and they need one another to thrive and sometimes even survive.
Regarding Voidsent:
The Void is a source of inspiration for a wide variety of character concepts, chief among them being characters who are actually voidsent. Because one of the core themes for Discarnate is exploring the consequences of power’s pursuit and how denizens of the Source interact with the Void, we place a very high bar of entry on actual voidsent. There are undoubtedly excellent stories to be told involving voidsent characters, but because of the way they invert our core premise, we are very selective on their admittance.
Discarnate
Invitation
Discarnate invites special guests to its venue, the Sojourn, a luxury beach estate with a bar and lounge, overlooking the Rhotano Sea from the Mist.The protection of all attendees is guaranteed by Lady Kano, the public face of Discarnate.For those seeking more than to expand their business or underworld connections, arcane buyers will be on hand to appraise potential magical curiosities to potentially buy.
Tuesday, 13 August, 7:30 PM EST
Mateus | Mists | Ward 16 | Plot 2
No weapon check-ins.
Staff have yellow icons.
Arcane appraisers have green icons.
Additional services such as overnight guest rooms, lounges, and an arcane gallery available.
OOC: No in-game gil charges.
Sin of Corvos
Irina Zonara is a spellblade from Corvos. Her powerbase consists of smugglers who spirit aether crystals away from the Garleans to sell within Eorzean and Eastern markets, but otherwise little is known of Irina or her people.Though her wares were most sought by the Sins outside Garlean lands, she curiously formed a rather public alliance with the Sin of Dalmasca, and has been assisting in his shadow war against the other Sins. The combination of her magi with Lukas's magitek and seasoned guerilla fighters is a potent combination, and her naval additions to his own ships leaves them with the strongest navy in terms of raw numbers.
__Sin of the Ruby Sea__ (deceased)
Yoshimoto Goro was a longtime smuggler along the Ruby Sea, leading the Ruby Shadows and having been allied with the former Sin of Kugane before Takara Kano, but siding with her out of pragmatism and eventually showing her the ropes to the criminal world. He had Shinobi under his command but lost most when lord Hien returned from exile.He was a skilled maritime captain and swordsman, also knowing geomancy from his youth in Doma. Goro was a pragmatist but crafty before recently being killed on the island of Kimbaya in the Ruby Sea, a casualty of the recent shadow war.
Sin of Dalmasca
Lukas Raithwall began as a weapons trafficker for the Dalmascan Resistance, eventually recruiting former Garlean soldiers and engineers, and capturing magitek. He is an opportunist who possesses a brute mentality paired with a savage cunning.With the Empire gone, Lukas has been playing kingmaker in Lea Monde. With a small army of seasoned resistance fighters equipped with cutting edge magitek weaponry under his command, he runs a bustling fiefdom that stretches from the Skatay range into Yanxia.
Sin of Thavnair
Siamak, also known as the "Old Man of the Sands," is a mysterious figure whom few have ever seen, as he issues his orders through a girl he chooses from among his oracles, naming her his Voice.His ways are those of the shadows, and he always secretly worked to keep the Sins balanced into two factions arrayed against each other to further his own power as the tie breaker.Siamak's powerbase is called the Zakarium, recruiting orphans from Radz-at-Han into secret bases in the mountains to train in spying, assassination, and the manufacturing of some of the most potent, smooth recreational drugs on the star.Siamak has not been seen since the blasphemies, leading many to wonder if he was finally killed.