Name: Riftwalker
Description: A soul in a shell, driven by bloodlust and a need for killing, fueled through insanity. Humanoid in body shape and appearance, a Riftwalker is somewhat taller than an average human, with the left arm/hand bone from which the muscle and skin hangs in tatters. This arm is left free, with nothing covering it, the left arm of the armor being left off. The right hand is pale flesh, and is extremely strong. It is also covered with a bronze armor, an intricate serpentine design running down the armpiece. The hand is gloved with leather, rienforced with chain mail on some sections. The right hand wields a large sword, but the sword is smaller than a greatsword, while the left wields a dagger held in an upside-down position. Each weapon's blade is formed from rift energy (explained later) and drains health with certain attacks, healing the Riftwalker. The chest of the is covered with corroded silver armor, broken into five divisions, exposing where a heart should be. In this spot where the heart should be, the skin is ripped and the inside of the humanoid can be viewed. There is no heart or organs, only the darkness of rift energy. Each section of armor is carved/embroidered with the vises of souls in vivid detail, each with a different expression. One is in torcher and pain, the other is in anger, another in sadness, the fourth in a hysteric state of madness, and the final with an expressionless, void image. The legs wear the same type of silver armor as the chest, corroded and breaking, only that this armor does not have any design or embroidery. The feet are booted in leather. The head of a Riftwalker is covered with a helmet, which completely covers the face and has only two small slits for eyes. Unlike the other armors, the helmet is made of a black, obsidian metal, and is completely smooth. The helmet has two horns, carved from the teeth of some of the Everlasting Dragons. The Riftwalkers crackle with the Rift's own energy.
Combat/Fighting Style: Riftwalkers steal health with every hit, meaning any damage they deal to you, they will heal themselves for half of that. They posses a four-hit combo: Two swipes diagnally with the longsword, then a slight pause before the attempt to impale you with a thrust. If they manage this, it will turn into a grab, through which they take half of your remaining health and then swipe your neck with the dagger. This will almost always instantly kill, but is not used very often. There is a two hit attack, a swipe with the sword and then a thrust with the dagger. They may also prepare a strong thrust with the dagger. They have a bakstep/running attack, where they leap into the air and then come down with both weapons. They also posses an enragement when they are very low on health, where they lean back and scream, emitting an AOE and increasing damage. They're most dangerous attack is one used when they feel endangered/threatened when they are not attacking. Rift-Blades may teleport by stepping into a rip in the fabric of life. They may be damaged as the portal is closing, but once closed, Riftwalkers may appear at any random location,be it below, above, or to the sides. They take no fall damage. When exiting a portal, the Rift-Blade spins throught the air, both blades thrust out. This is parry-able. Riftwalkers teleport frequently.
Lore: Riftwalkers were assassins and mercenaries, knight and warrior. They were any fighter, who was driven by bloodlust or a need to kill. Or hatred. Their souls corrupted, these individuals' souls were taken after death by one who could use them. He was the Grand Executioner, a creature of such power that none dared oppose him. His enemies were few and far, with the fear he instilled. Still, he craved more death, more food. More undead. The Darksign, a brand to return one after death as an undead, was engineered by the Grand Executioner. He cast the spell on a clouded world, and corrupted the bodies and minds of those he touched. The Darksign was his source of food. Suffering. Death. Command. But, most of all, Insanity. He drove many a mortal mad, and many a God and King without his Kingdom. But it was slow process, tedious and time-consuming. Even with his power, there were still things to be done. Work to do. But, alas, the Grand Executioner did not get enough food, and he wanted more suffering. He wanted an army, for he was the only one inforcing his rule. He collected the souls and bodies of killers, turning them into machines of his will. These poor souls wished to kill more, to take more lives, to drive their own twisted bloodlust and insanity. He warped them into beings that clearly depicted their souls and hearts and bodies. A soul in a body, the same body for each killer. The Grand Execitioner gave his army a bronze armpiece, his serpent-like insignia clear and visible, as their other armors were corroded and broken. He had no control over the forms of their left arms. They say the left hand is the hand of the Devil, and somehow, this belief was instilled into the souls of these killers. They made their own arms bone, the ripped flesh hanging. This was their idea of instilling fear of all who saw them. The left arm was also the arm of the Grand Executioner, and try as he might, he could not shape their left arm as he wanted. So he left it, thinking fear was much better than armor. He crafted his army weapons of his realm, the Rift, a dark and powerful well and source of energy. He infused them with the ability to manipulate the Rift, allowing them to teleport. He shaped them life-stealing blades, a sword and a dagger. He placed the sword in their right as the main weapon, and the dagger in their left as a tool of Death. The helmet was crafted from the Rift's own metal, obsidian melded with other elements to creat a metal. The helmet was designed smooth to show the concentration of the killers on their set task. The Grand Executioner named his army the Riftwalkers, in honor of the ability he gifted to them. The Riftwalkers are unable to speak, their understanding of language gone, although they are able to make other sounds, some unhuman. The Riftwalkers marched out to do the bidding of the Grand Executioner, killing anything in their path. Soon they were known as pawns of the Grand Executioner, and fear of him rose more. None dared oppose him. The Riftwalkers were unsoppable, invincible. The few sane mortals questioned the motives of the Grand Executioner. Did he not have enough? The answer was simple. No. The Darksign's creation gave him an endless supply of energy and food. And entertainment. The Riftwalkers loved their position. They were living their dream. All seemed lost, much of the world insane. Untill, one day, they suddenly vanished without a trace. Nothing. No one had done a thing, nothing had happened. The Grand Executioner and his army were reaching complete domination. But they were gone. For years, mortals and gods alike stood on gaurd, waiting for another attack. It never came. It seemed they were gone. The world rejoiced, and over long periods of time, some mortals were rid of the Darksign and completely forgot about its previous existance. The past all seemed to be a bad dream. But there was one place which could never rid of the Darksign. Lordaran. It simply would not leave, for it was the spawn of the Darksign, the first place for it to emerge. Insanity goes on everywhere, but more so there. What of the Grand Executioner and his mythical Riftwalkers? They had not re-emerged. Some Riftwalkers can be found prowling, looking for prey, but most mortal have forgotten what they are, and simply stay far away. No one knows the truth. Except for the Gods. They know. They know that the Grand Executioner has been planning his greatest accomplishment, and it is almost finished. Soon, he and his Riftwalkers will re-emerge. They are already beginning to roam the lands again. None of the Gods know what the Grand Executioner's plan is. All they know is this: He must be stopped. But who can rise to such a task?
I'm currently working on the Riftwalkers' appearance/weapons and whatnot, so expect pictures at some point. Who knows? They may never be finished, being the perfectionist I am. Anyway, I can do the Grand Executioner is you guys want. Oh, and sorry for the long post, I just really love this idea.
by ClassicBlaze Mon Jan 28, 2013 9:32 am
