Welcome to The Duality of Man, an original animanga role-play that features numerous supernatural creatures. Unfortunately, these various species have distanced themselves because of the war that occurred thousands of years ago, plaguing some with eyes that only see their dualism. While others meddle themself with their differences, two groups fight, each attempting to eliminate the other in for their definition of worldly peace. These two groups of the Terror Response Syndicate (TRS) and the Assembly of Phantoms (AP). With individuals fighting merely over their differences, it brings uncertainty to the outcome of this war.
We happily accept all role-players as long as they obey the rules and are capable of meeting our word count of 50. This does include those who are unfamiliar with this style of role-playing. The staff of The Duality of Man are willing to happily help those who are new to the role-playing world so they feel comfortable on site. Feel free to message the staff if you need help, they can be found here or in the site Discord and will gladly answer questions alongside calm concerns. If you have any suggestions we would love to hear them; guests may use the support board as a suggestion area as well. Should you decide to join, may I say welcome to the site and we all hope you enjoy your time here.
Yours Truely,
The Staff
season
Summer 2024
Heat has broken through into a glorious summer. The snow has entirely dried through the spring, leaving to the brilliance of the warmer months. Terror activity has risen as people are brought out of their homes, leaving the TRS in a position of consistent work. Each are attempting to maintain victory in the endless struggle for power.
Since the wonderful members of TDOM enjoy the site enough to play around on it, this thread is to assist with the site's tidying! Functionality is important and we want to make the site functional even if its activity will be minimal at best!
YOU BROKE UNDER THE PRESSURE - CAN'T ESCAPE THE DARKNESS
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ap au
soldier
boiled over
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You never escaped there, did you? Never left Butcher Field. Pushed, pushed, pushed. Killed, killed, killed. The repeated cycle brings red waves over you, drowning you in scents of copper. Behind you, he pushes, he beats you, he brings you to the brink. Deeper into the depths you spiralled uncontrollably... until one day you snapped. Acceptance of your endless sins, a broken soul believing escape was futile. Everything you stood for gone. A martyr suffering for your follies, saving one for your soul.
[attr="class","systematicluvtitle"] everything inside your head got ( corrupted )
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personality changes
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chained to the horrors of your ( past )
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history changes
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burdened by a path of ( darkness )
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miscellaneous
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all those shadows loom over you - digging their claws in.
general character blurb or summary can go here. [b]i realized after starting[/b] this template, originally based on "systematic love", two things: a) [i]that systematic love has no good lyrics[/i] worth using as dummy text for a template because none of them make any hecking sense; and b) [i]the challenge was based on a stop light[/i], and operation: mindcrime ii's "signs say go" fits pretty well, at least in the name. [b]alas, all the of the css names[/b] are still based on the vocaloid song. and i left miku in, since. [b]well[/b]. that icon's where i grabbed the hex codes from.
convince me, mesmerize me, feed me more lies. i'll get stronger. how do you get him out, out of your head? i know i'll never see. i've gotta get free. [b]no matter what's said, i swear i'll see him dead![/b] now, i can't remember! all the signs say go. would i surrender? try to save my soul? i can't remember! all the signs say go. i'll never surrender! time for heads to roll. [i]i can't remember! all the signs say go.[/i] would i surrender? try to save my soul? i can't remember! all the signs say - go!
EVERYWHERE ARE THE WOLVES. THEY WATCH YOU AS YOU ROUND CORNERS, FANGS DRIPPING WITH DROOL IN PREPARATION FOR THE HUNT. YOU BETTER BE PREPARED TO FIGHT OR THEY'LL SWALLOW YOU WHOLE.
1,094
WORDS
@nuka
TAGGED
n/a
NOTES
[attr="class","rileytalk"]Scents of blood weighed thick in the TRS transportation van. Across the way, a medic with a sweated brow worked steadily on cleaning the blood of a heavily wounded, but still conscious hunter. Through the scents, silent consumed the van, leaving Riley stationed in the corner, observing the efforts with a neutral expression. After a nasty scuffle with a razor and a pair of troublemakers, their team toughed through, battered and bruised. Though, the colleague occupying a single bench bore the weight of the injuries in comparison to himself and another silent occupant.
The hidden holes of the mask allowed the Smiling Pariah a view, though, the green optics drifted occasionally. The medic's efforts were fixated on the single member of the party, leaving Riley unattended. A pain burned in his arm from the gash located narrowly below his shoulder. Every rattle of the accursed van summoned strings of the sensation across his arm and shoulder. After minutes of being unattended, Riley's jacket clung to his flesh from the caking of drying blood around the damaged sleeve, however, the wound was survivable.
A shing as the metal flap separating drivers from hunters echoed in Riley's ears. In moments, the elite hunter's eyes shifted towards the freshly opened panel.
"We're pulling up now, everybody get ready to get out. We will pull up to the medical ward entrance," a driver announced, his voice ringing through the back of the van.
An inaudible rumble growled from Riley's throat as the unktehi adjusted himself on the bench. Carefully, he rolled his uninjured shoulder, stretching it a tad. After the announcements, the medic's eyes locked on the pair of minimally wounded hunters.
"Let me leave first, I have a room ready for him," the medic insisted. "But if you two could grab the doors..."
Well stretching, Riley provided a nod of confirmation. The sounds of loud beeping outside the van echoed around them as the drivers backed up to the door. The rumbling of the van quieted, the pair of hunters hurrying to the threshold, unlocking them and opening the double doors. The van workers were unbuckled, soon grabbing the ramps and pulling them out. With that, the medic assisted their wounded comrade into the medical ward, others joining upon his arrival. With the worse of the injured inside, the drivers gestured for the pair of hunters to head inside.
Promptly, Riley abandoned the van, heading into the opened doors of the medical ward. Eyes drifted over the masked man, a few expressing a soft grimace. Quietly, one grabbed his elbow and pointed him in the direction of where he would be receiving medical attention. A silent nod was provided for an acknowledgement before Riley proceeded down the hallway. The pointed to door was pushed open, Riley discovering the familiar face of Nuka Nylund. The corners of the unktehi's lips pulled up, the man's countenance wearing a genuine smile.
In Lorsette's TRS branch, Riley received similar treatment as he expected from his peers. People were unnerved by him, practicing avoidance and hushed conversation in his presence. However, Nuka Nylund was a convention-breaking man. Somebody capable of exhibiting friendliness towards him and a willingness to converse with him. The angelic ward medic became a soothing presence for Riley. The amiable greetings were exchanged as Riley entered the room, letting the door close behind him. Playfulness touched Nuka's voice as he asked about what happened.
"Gotta nasty cut from a razor," he explained as he walked over. "So, the usual."
A quiet chuckle rumbled in the depths of Riley's throat to punctuate his words. The elite hunter remained standing, waiting for Nuka to express his wishes for the startings of mending the wound. The gentle touch to his blood-soaked jacket spoke volumes about the angel's instructions. The jacket would require shedding to finally reach the gash to his arm without hindrance in cleaning up the injury. Though, the manner Nuka mentioned stripping from his TRS jacket left Riley gently laughing again.
"I'll keep that in mind then," Riley said with a gleeful laugh to his voice.
Inside of Riley, emotions of giddy happiness infected his brain the longer he stayed in Nuka's presence. Whenever together, the medic always managed to summon a sense of blissful comfort and happiness to the battle-worn unktehi. Graceful and pleasant in social practice, Nuka allowed the tormented man a sense of easement whenever he was in his presence. The mentioning of the shoulder wound being moderate at most was vaguely stated.
"Yeah, I was careful this time. Though, I think Shawn took the brunt of it all. The field med had to focus on him the entire trip home," he shrugs. "I think he will be okay though. But compared to him, I was nothing for wounds."
Tidbits of their mission were provided with the words. How Shawn received the most injuries, meaning while his wound was relatively deep, was nothing compared to his. As he spoke, his right shoulder was freed from his jacket, leaving the injured left requiring liberation. The soft mumbling was noticed by Riley's sensitive ears, causing him to favour Nuka with an invisible smirk beneath his mask.
"Favourite? Does that mean I get more lollipops than the other patients?" The unktehi joked as Nuka prepared to further free him from the jacket.
The forewarn reached Riley's ears and was responded to with a nod of acknowledgement. The dirty blond accepted there would be pain with the removal of his jacket. Undoubtedly, the blood glue would pull at the opening of the wound, likely leading it to bleed again. However, the jacket accomplished its purpose, assuring the wound would temporarily stop bleeding or at least bleed less. The pull began easy, the jacket sliding off the top portion of his shoulder, though, as it approached the wound, it tugged flesh.
A hiss of pain gritted through Riley's teeth as fabric ripped away from the gash in his arm. Though, afterwards, it was the meagre, minor pains from blood being tugged from arm hair. The liberation of his arm revealed the condition of the wound. Time spent beneath the jacket created an ugly thing, surrounded by dried blood, coated with smaller fabric fibres and bleeding once again. Though riddled across it were several scrapped marks, suggesting a painful instance of sliding across it to avoid an attack, however, the order was questioned.
Dirt and tiny pebbles clung to the blood, leaving a filthy mess of an injury. Despite this, his wounded arm would still be considered one of Riley's less concerning wounds.
EVERYWHERE ARE THE WOLVES. THEY WATCH YOU AS YOU ROUND CORNERS, FANGS DRIPPING WITH DROOL IN PREPARATION FOR THE HUNT. YOU BETTER BE PREPARED TO FIGHT OR THEY'LL SWALLOW YOU WHOLE.
633
WORDS
@bell
TAGGED
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NOTES
[attr="class","rileytalk"]Nowhere could she be found, until the truth revealed. The unexpected return to Lorsette was greeted with an interesting set of circumstances. Transferred into the Lorsette Branch as an elite hunter of copious transfers, Riley learned plenty with his limited time. Informed he returned hundreds of years too late to protect his younger sister and discovering her ball-of-anger son, Riley's mood was not particularly positive. Though through it all, he masked away the requirements of his emotional state, similar to a sun breaking through thick, rain-bearing clouds.
Emotional burdens, they were a hellish set of circumstances hefted upon his shoulders, maliciously eating away at him. Whispering in his ears, haunting his nightmares and on his loneliest days, leaving him without a moment of silence. Though beneath the surface, thoughts bubbled about what happened. Perhaps in her, a moment of folly she attempted to contact him and his father caught her down via the use of associates. Any specifics about her death were locked away in the mind of a nephew who already exemplified a distaste for the unktehi.
Wandering through the familiar, light-coloured hallways of the Terror Response Syndicate, a numbness overtook his brain. There was acute easement to the pain rocketing through his veins. Arriving in the form of an angelic medic, Riley fancied the attention of Nuka Nylund. Compared to the horrific status of his past, Nuka was a genuine slice of heaven for him. After everything he learned, the brunette became a relief sweeter than candy and enjoyable for his mental state. Though, unfortunate for the green-eyed unktehi, his schedule brought him to a late lunch, meaning, he would be by his lonesome.
From his hooked fingers dangles a pathetic plastic bag for his lunch. Inside was a meat-heavy sandwich secretly littered with crushed crickets. On the side was a salad he tossed and cut into a small Tupperware container during the morning while his breakfast cooked. Then on the side, in the name of his favoured dishes, were a pair of hard-boiled eggs. He founded the corner through the weighty double doors of the TRS cafeteria. Before he was seemingly endless rows of tables, a small portion being occupied by TRS members on their break.
Briefly, their gazes glanced towards him, though with haste they averted. Smiling Pariah. An outsider, a freak and somebody rather unnerving to a majority of his fellow TRS hunters. Thoughts never turned towards the other occupants, the outcast striding towards the unoccupied table beside the window. The manner people reacted to Riley was regularly interesting, with most perturbed by his very presence. The unnerving aura he radiated resulted in avoidance from his colleagues, however, Riley cared naught and instead accepted it.
Upon reaching the table, Riley plopped his lunch into the smooth, wooden surface before sliding into the chair. As the unktehi adjusted, he rolled his shoulders. Briefly, his green eyes flitted to the large window, gazing out at the front yard of the headquarters. Cars passed of multiple colours, backdropped by the plain backdrop of buildings and long empty flower pots. Not the greatest view, however, one Riley could tolerate for meagre entertainment as he consumed his lunch. Carefully, Riley folded over the bag, revealing the contents of his lunch.
Two Tupperware containers and a bagged sandwich. Nothing particularly impressive, but a suitable collection to keep his stomach filled for the remainder of his shift. Without another thought, the salad's container lid was popped open followed by the unbagging of his sandwich. Scents spiralled inside his nose, bringing forth the long bated sensations of hunger. The growing feelings of required a filled belly prompted the first bite of a sandwich half, followed by another. The arrival of lunch was well-needed, and quickly, Riley's focus became focused on the food in front of him.
Wrong, dumbass. Alligators have a rounded snout and you don't see their pearly whites like you do with me. lmfao You so stupid, that is a basic thing you could have googled.
Oh yeah, like dipping those wings in sauce I bet! One day you're gonna be in a deep frier and I will be laughing my ass off and my scales will be safer than your stupid feathers.
Remind me why I care? lmfao At least I don't have eyebrows the size of the moon.
At a respectable height of 5’11” and a fit, powerful body, Riley has an admirable body. After spending years accomplishing a respectable training regiment, the unktehi is sculpted with lean muscles. From centuries of exercise, Riley capably maintains a well-toned body with the softest lines of potential abs. Though, the general makeup of Riley’s body is evidently focused on assuring hard hits influenced by natural muscle. Painting these muscles is a fair complexion of skin with hands worn from time. His fingers and hands are well-calloused, making it clear to anybody that Riley is a hard worker. In addition, his hands are no stranger to flaws, having small, flecking scars accumulated by the knuckles. Across his arms are paler ones, long faded with the sands of time. The more evident scars consist of some thicker scars across his torso, although, these have similarly begun fading.
The unktehi’s facial structure consists of attractive curves. High cheekbones manifest a graceful, well-shaped face with slender cheeks. An average jawline leads below his cheeks, heading down to a softly curved chin. From his face comes an average-sized nose with a soft, upturned tip. Above his nose are a pair of emerald hued eyes capable of glimmering in the light. They are among Riley’s enchanting features and something people would regularly lock on during an initial conversation. Alas, these gorgeous eyes are hidden beneath a porcelain coloured mask with tiny black eyes and a thin, curved smile. It is specially designed, having one-way glass that fits with the overall aesthetic, but allows him to see. Spilling from his scalp are dirty blonde locks leaning more to a light brown colour. They are slightly shorter in the back, the front being longer to have a stylish spill over his mask or dip into his emerald hues.
Oftentimes, Riley has a green hoodie wrapped around his shoulders. It is among his favourite pieces of clothes and something valuable to the unktehi. Otherwise, Riley has a blatant preference for casual clothing, a majority of his wardrobe being composed of those wears. Among this consists of dark-coloured jeans and sweatpants. Meanwhile, his shirts are anything with a suitable fit. During work hours, as a TRS elite hunter, Riley is expected to wear a TRS uniform. There are no alterations to Riley’s uniform, causing it to match everybody else’s.
Water Manipulation -- Mastered The ability to manipulate water, allowing the user to shape, move and create water. In addition, some users are capable of heating up or freezing water. Through everything, Riley’s water manipulation has been an efficient weapon of which can be dragged out of nowhere. From the air to the plants, Riley can condense the moisture particles and expand upon them to create water. In several methods, Riley can capably wield his water, from maintaining the liquid form for a whip or cutting utensil while keeping flexibility or solidating it into ice. He can even heat it to result in discomfort and occasionally burns, however, he is incapable of anything above causing reddening of the skin and blistering under prolonged exposure. Due to his mastery, Riley can move water at quick speeds, allowing him to accomplish frightful attacks. Large scale manipulations are among the realm of possibilities, Riley capable of creating water and manifesting large waves to hit his opponents with. This being said, there are downsides for larger scale manipulations. The more water Riley is required to move, the slower his manipulation becomes as focus is consumed by the movements of a large body of water. In addition, this frequently eats away at his energy faster than smaller forms of manipulation.
As any unktehi, Riley suffers under extreme dry heats. It limits his water manipulation, specifically his creation. In dryer weather, Riley is unable to create as much water or pull it from surrounding areas. This leads him to use more energy in creating water rather than regularly manipulating it. As with many manipulators, creating water takes more energy than using an existing source.
Saltwater Crocodile Shifting -- Advanced The ability to shift into a saltwater crocodile. The large form of a crocodile has always been considered a fearful treat. Oftentimes, when required to fight in water, Riley will use his crocodile form, effectively using his large, gnashing teeth to fend off attackers. In moments of panic where his human form is unsuitable, at times an oversized lizard is just the thing required to dispose of the pest. Though, the ability has more soothing qualities to Riley than offensive. At times, the unktehi uses his crocodile form to happily relax in the water, floating on its surface. The feeling of water over his scaly hide is well-admired and enjoyed at every turn. It takes Riley approximately 15 seconds to shift and during this time, he is vulnerable to attack.
Enhanced Speed -- Mastered The ability to move faster than the average speed. As an unktehi, Riley proves to be frightfully fast and regularly uses his enhanced speed in his berserker fighting style. He can run at high speeds, allowing Riley to dodge, weave and accomplish quick paced and overwhelming attacks. The unktehi’s enhanced speed is based around quick reaction times, regularly used to avoid being damaged. At times, Riley will use his enhanced speed to cover long distances with speed, allowing him to retreat when required. Extensive use of Riley’s enhanced speed can result in his muscles stiffening. This soreness can cause the man to require resting because of the pain. In extreme cases, Riley can become bedridden for a day.
Enhanced Swim Speed -- Advanced The ability to enhance one’s speed when swimming, making the individual faster than an average person. Few battles are fought in the water, therefore, Riley regularly uses this ability to his enjoyment. As a method to release unwanted stress, Riley has been known to swim at high speeds, focusing on the moving waters around him for some easement. Similarly, he enjoys using this ability in crocodile form as a double-pronged pursuit for calmness. In situations of a water fight, it is used similar to his enhanced speed as a method to overwhelm and avoid his enemies. Although, similarly, his muscles do risk becoming stiff in situations of abundant use.
Riley Lucas Chaeffeur was born in the early morning hours of a late autumn day. The soft cries of a young infant, the careful supervision of doctors to verify his health and furthermore the careful wrapping of the newborn in a blanket. Although, odd to the regular behaviours were the faces of the happy couple. The serious countenance as the child was placed into the mother’s hand was an unexpected reaction after a long labour. Her neutral expression, as though handed a child not of her own. It was proof of the brewing storm that was the Chaeffeur household. A location never designed to sire children from happiness and joy. Rather, it was considered a dark place where the start of Riley’s tumultuous upbringing would begin. A thing of hatred and nothing ever looked back upon with smile-worthy memories.
William Brad Chaeffeur was a con man and all-around criminal. Born from similar conditions his children would shortly be subjected to, William learned from his environment opposed to fighting against it. A crucial difference when comparing the man to the children he spawned. He cared naught for well-being unless commands were obeyed and their minds moulded. Wishes of building up a criminal empire throughout the world. From the beginning, the man was brimming with cruelness. A lengthy rap sheet followed William Chaeffeur consisting of theft, robbery, assault, battery, attempted murder and even a narrowly grasped man slaughter charge. To state William was anything good would be a bull-faced lie and to state he was anything bad was a blatant understatement.
Elina Ruddman was a woman destined to be manipulated by the charismatic, cold-hearted William Chaeffeur. In her youth, she developed from the broken grounds of a failing marriage between her parents. The shattered state of a once loving household transforming into a bitter divorce between the two parties. Through the rigorous court battles and volatile home states, Elina would inevitably be searching for escape. A method to leave the life she once loved before things turned more sour. It left her susceptible to the whisperings of sweet nothings even if everything was meagre false promises. The con man swindled her in a different way, earning her favour and making her believe all malicious happenings were normal in a relationship. He played her hard, eventually binding her by ring and name.
A household void of genuine love with a tyrannical father, all Riley truly had was his sister born a year after him. Beneath the suffocating rules of William, Riley and Anastasia discovered methods to watch one another’s back as things only worsened. From the start, their father knew what he craved from the vulnerable children. Future criminal hands, a pair of young ones destined to grow up strong through strict regiments and harsh expectations. Through their childhood, they were burdened with both mental, emotional and physical abuse. Bruises across their arms and a screaming father telling them their actions were not good enough, ending with a sharp shove to the ground. They were the soldiers who understood one another, balancing between each other in hopes of surviving their youth.
In school, the Chaeffeur children were rebellious. The authoritarian atmosphere manifested by their father made them hesitant to grant others those aspects to wield. Alas, they merely mulched the grounds of their father’s seeds. The bruises, the cuts and other injuries were discounted under the moniker of Riley and Anastasia being wild children. Punishments arrived in the form of harsh words, strict reprimands and at times, physical pain targeted on Riley under the guise of being older and more mature. Through survival, Riley learned the methods to avoid his father’s wrath, learning better than to rebuke against it at his present age. As time passed, the children eventually ceased their madness, quieting themselves to survive the rigors of schools and their father. Never had it broken their moral backbones taught through general knowledge and the ideals set by teachers and school.
Yet, as their ages dialed up, the training increased in intensity. The injuries increased under the guise of stupid teenage rough-housing between the children. Their neighbourhood thought the Chaeffuer children as madmen and thus, most kept their distance. Through it all, Anastasia proved more socially graceful, managing her fair share of friendships. On the other hand, Riley was an outcast, bottling up his emotions. He was incapable of openly handling them, making him someone difficult to read or interact with. Despite this, as William attempted to pressure Riley into criminal activity, the young teen lashed out. Stronger and sick of being on his father’s leash, he began fighting back against the tyrannical control of his father. The power struggle in the house made the air thicker, yet, brought forth an unknown blessing. With Riley’s attempts to fight against the rule of their father, Anastasia gained the opportunity to become enamoured with another individual.
Never had Riley gained the opportunity to be properly introduced to Nerius Cross. The distraction of his father’s suffocating grasp and pressures of an in-house power struggle occupying his mind. Yet, the few moments Anastasia managed to introduce them to one another and the few interactions he viewed, the older brother considered him a good man. Somebody who treated his sister right and ultimately, the way Riley believed she deserved. Yet through the war of father and son, the actions of his sister slipped through the cracks until it boiled over. The day Riley found her in her room, crying after graduation had left him confused and heartbroken. He demanded to know what happened, but the truth was something that should have been suspected.
Father, the king of sorrow, decided Anastasia’s relationship with Nerius was required to end. It brought a haunting pang to Riley’s chest. The adamant nature of Anastasia’s feelings summoning traits of sympathy. He wanted his sister happy, the one who toughed out family abuse with him. She was a soldier who needed out of the war. Through her tears, he heard his promise, he knew she did. How he would find a way to assure her and Nerius could live happily together without the hindrance of the sinister William Chaeffeur. He wanted her free from the binds of blood and a name. The chains of which dig into their flesh and made their father believe they would sit down and conform. She had everything, a lover, the smarts, the social grace and most crucially a future. Meanwhile, In Riley’s hand he already saw his limited cards, the battle between him and his father being everything that consumed him. His grades were average, he lacked another person and he was an outcast.
In face of the harsh reality, he left her side, eyes grim as thoughts churned. That evening, Riley had rapped upon his father’s chambers. The sound of trepidation pounded in his chest as reminders filled his head. The memories of how hard he fought, through the years of refusal to bow and how everything would be for a meagre bargain. Other immediate exits were nonexistent in their dark shadow world, rather, they all consisted of waiting. If something could be accomplished to a hastily to grant his sister the freedom she so desperately craved. He was beckoned in by words, his father calling him in. The darkness displayed itself in his eyes the moment he pushed that door open. His father sitting behind a poor excuse for a desk; harshly covered in paint long scraped away by the woes of life. When their eyes met, the engagement began and in payment for the freedom of one, another was given up. A promise of obedience under the condition Anastasia would be free from the binds of name and blood. His father would be a fool not to agree, therefore, he did. He knew neither child was obedient and willing to participate in his criminal affairs, so gaining one was something of a miracle.
Only moments later had he returned to Anastasia’s side, telling her to return to the one she loved. The confusion in her eyes lingered, but upon explanation, turned to horror. She insisted on other escapes, for she knew Riley was the reckless type. Never one to think it through. Alas, he insisted naught and told Anastasia to pack, consider moving out and just leave. Strong-willed and bullheaded would be the words Anastasia would use to describe her older brother, but without options from Riley’s stubbornness, she listened. In the meantime, William organized the upcoming affairs he would involve his son in. In this time, it was decided Riley would accompany his father and mother to Europe where they would effectively “reset” their lives with Anastasia absent. On the day they left, Riley could remember seeing his sister for the final time. How they hugged tight and in a whisper, promised to see one another again. One more gift exchanged, only a few more words with beliefs of a future...
Had he known he would have said more.
With their arrival in Europe, all communication was cut between the remaining Chaeffeurs and Anastasia. The family seemingly carrying on as though she never existed amidst their ranks. Their arrival was subsequently greeted with William Chaeffeur working his way into the criminal scene via an old friend. The family were quickly moved into a large complex known as The Butcher Field. Inside the multi-room complex was a lower basement specially designed and renown as the arena. From their arrival, Riley learned his purpose in The Butcher Field. His father explained it as a prestigious champion of the field, but more so, the executioner. In Butcher Field they gathered their enemies and threw them in a ring for betting, telling them if they won, they would gain sweet freedom... Riley was not supposed to let that happen. At the end of it all, they were supposed to die and whether they championed against William’s son or not, they faced the executioner’s axe. In addition, Riley would operate as a hitman, the expectations of a cold blooded killer upon his shoulders.
Kill or be killed, the harsh options laid before Riley were beyond anything he imagined. There were limited options while beneath his father’s thumb. William Chaeffeur demanded his wants and attempting to squirm out only ended up with Riley facing the physical end of his abuse. The reminder shouted at him... how he made his deal... how he was supposed to be obedient... how if he went back, Anastasia will suffer. The unktehi’s face always dropped and he merely nodded in response to his father’s words. There was no escape, and William knew it. His son’s recklessness trapped him in a specialized prison and a hell he decided to endure. Around him were four concrete walls, hard and unbreakable. Thus, Riley merely listened, under the duressing thoughts of his sister being hurt in the aftermath of his fail. It was never just about him in this situation. He needed to survive for Anastasia.
Through it all, Riley was prepared, trained harshly against other Butcher Field members. At the beginning, he always found himself on the floor. Battered, bruised, cut and bleeding while they stood laughing. They always laughed at him through those training days. Mocking him with every breath after they beat him down. They seemingly thought themselves the gods of the Butcher Field, untouchable and all powerful. It brought Riley’s anger to a boil, eyes narrowing as he locked on them everytime. Among them, at the start, Riley Chaeffeur was considered a pathetic weakling to William’s vexation. The young unktehi heard plenty about the requirements to strengthen up and become what Butcher Field needed. The message was drilled into Riley’s head through the swinging of fists and screaming of words. His expectation was to be the final challenge, the unfair thing slipped into their little events, the executioner.
Out of anger, Riley strengthened himself, training to survive beneath the harsh conditions of Butcher Field. Failure meant Anastasia facing the consequences and as a protective older brother, Riley refused to crumble. He pushed himself, bettering his control over his abilities, adapting his fighting style, tolerating the pain, tolerating the words. He began winning the practice matches, his berserker fighting style adopted by Riley making him a fearsome opponent. He left his opponents battered, bruised, cut and bleeding. Though, unlike those before them, Riley merely gave them a dark glare. He stayed silent after their matches. One who soon transformed into an unnerving figure in Butcher Field. The wishes of Riley’s father were finally being fulfilled. He was trained harshly, pushed to his limits and finally, the fruits of his labours arrived.
The first Tournament of Sorrows as called by Butcher Field meant the final expectations laid atop Riley’s shoulders. The Tournament of Sorrows was the name of a harsh tradition to accomplish their hits in a way. They grabbed the people they wished death upon, kidnapping them and throwing them into the arena with various weapons. There, they would be forced to fight to the death. The members of Butcher Field got a kick out of watching humanity being stripped away from their victims. It was a horror show on the field. Riley was forced to watch alongside his father from up close while he whispered the happenings with a hand on his shoulder. You see that Riley? They start fighting because they think they will survive. But you? You will slit their throat at the end and even if you lost, they would still end up dead. The words left the young unktehi chilled. His body growing empty as he realized the upcoming trials being suggested by his father.
When the day arrived, a perturbed emptiness offset Riley’s stomach. Unable to eat or sleep, the so-called executioner to be found himself fearful about what would unfurl. Every second was a nerve-wrecking nightmare and as the hour began to dawn, he wondered if it was worth doing. If he should step back now and call the police. Yet, there was no communication in sight, his father was cautious of that, and memories of Anastasia entered his mind. Her sweet smile as she lived alongside her lover, happier than ever. Failing to do this meant jeopardizing that future he promised her. Thus, Riley Chaeffeur stood, solemn faced and choiceless. No more options existed and as the clock ticked, it would lead to the sin he feared. On this day, he was expected to murder someone fighting to return to the life they led before. Perhaps to siblings, to a significant other or Heaven forbid children. One thing was certain, Riley would be tearing someone’s family apart, whether it be for better or worse.
He remembered them shoving an axe into his hands and William telling him his responsibilities. Reminding him he would be murdering this man in the arena with him. Bringing a knife to his body and thrusting it in. Quietly, Riley would nod, pretending to listen to every horrifying word. In that moment, he was guided to the entrance, the ugly metal door opening its mouth. He remembered how his legs shook a little, his breathing shaky and nervous. Through the threshold, he saw him, the ragged individual he was expecting kill. The deep breath he took from the executioner’s masks as he stepped forward was to fill a role. He was the execution, strong, brave and malicious; a genuine menace. Yet, he was as frightened as the knife-brandishing man trapped in the ring with him. His body wanted to keep shaking, but he forced calm over his frame. There was a job he was required to complete in the name of protecting Anastasia, but he knew afterwards he was going to hate himself.
The axe in Riley’s hand was held tight as he walked through the threshold. His steps were weighted, designed for an intimidating entrance. From there, it began like clockwork as he faced off against the desperate man searching for escape. Their weapons collided, wounds exchanged in a fight of desperation. Screams filled the arena from his opponent as he threatened and snapped, fighting for freedom. An animal in a corner snarling futility at the hunter arrived to kill him. There were a few minor cuts on Riley, his opponent growing tired and struggling in his attempts. He left him bruised and battered, breathing heavy and his knife long dropped in foolishness. Meanwhile, Riley, his axe in hand and trembling in his fingers. Everything screamed about how he should stop, throw everything away and let everything end before he cleared his last piece of innocence... but he could not throw it all away.
He rushed him, axe raised as he hurried forward. The man grunted and squirmed as Riley pinned him beneath him. The axe came up, screams echoing through the arena as it returned down and met the stranger’s face. Blood sprayed from the fatal wound, spilling over Riley as people cheered. Down the dead man’s face the blood rolled, the sickening smell of the red liquid overwhelming Riley’s senses. It pooled beneath his head, the blood splatter severe. His hands trembled around the handle as they fell away, leaving the axe in his face, his green eyes finally seeing what he accomplished. Breath was shaky as Riley stood, backing away as people cheered. Emotion leaked from Riley’s eyes as he stared at the dead body. In a moment, he turned away, not heightening the cheering and returning to his lair in a matter of seconds. His saliva tastes ugly, Riley’s hand slamming open the outside door while the other yanked away the mask. Somewhere in the bushes he vomited, disgusted by his actions... horrified by his hands, frightened for the future. Alas, nobody could witness the reaction... he needed to keep pushing... for weakness kills.
Eventually, Riley returned inside, face paled despite the embrace of cool, autumn air. Eyes inevitably discovered him, brows raised. Comments were made towards his whitened flesh, how sickly he looked with expressions of suspicion. An awkward smile would embrace Riley’s face as they seemingly interrogated. A quick excuse was given, Riley informing them it was merely nervous excitement. A quirk was in their brows, but the people of Butcher Field laid off and Riley retreated. For the days coming, the young man had his share of nightmares, of moments where he wished to hide. Murder for the first time was a harsh reality that left Riley terrified over his own actions, but the future held more… For the young man’s sake, the place he was brought to needed to become a home, all in the name of survival. From the Hell given to him, Hell would become a home.
As sickening as Riley found killing, it only became hauntingly easier. He stomped getting sick from it, conditioned from the environment to keep going. The desperation in his prey and the cruelness of his kills always left Riley perturbed. His stomach empty and his heart heavy with emotion from the misfortune of his circumstances. He felt numb to it all. Following each moment of heartlessness, Riley retreated to his chambers, silent and refusing to bring excitement to the crowd. Butcher Field made him a murderer in action, but inside, he found himself disgusted with his own actions. Although, with the waves of time moving, Riley was quick to learn in order to survive in Butcher Field, he was required to play the role of monster. The countless fights between members that happened, he made himself the quickest to anger. The fastest to pin the annoyance against the wall and growl at him. The opponents were not always the threat, rather, the people of Butcher Field with their endless cruelness.
Though, most hauntingly were the sounds of the damned who attempted to escape the hellish world of Butcher Field. Escape was met with torture, the gruesome type. They searched the methods, discovering the worst possible ways to kill someone. Their inspiration were those old medieval torture methods, the type with a slow release of life... and it was shown to all Butcher Field members as a reminder. Thus, when Riley thought himself to have seen it all, he was shaken by the actions taken towards a traitor attempting to leave Butcher Field. The man, tortured in unspeakable ways while the higher ups shouted ‘SEE WHAT HAPPENS TO YOU?!’ with a cackling laugh. Some cheered, others fled and Riley stood in silent horror over the cruelness of Butcher Field. There was no safety in Butcher Field, although, without any methods of escape, Riley discovered himself trapped.
As he trudged through the hellscape of Butcher Field, Riley attempted to numb the pain. An occasional fling, a swig of alcohol or a dive into the water. Yet, through it all, the unktehi found himself alone and suffering under the weight of his actions. As he listened to the changes of the outer world through radio and TV, he learned of Zeredah and the TRS. About the people rising up to protect those around them. For a time, he quietly listened when the news reports came up in the background of other Butcher Field members. Alas, the spectacles lost their charm as people cheered about how Zeredah was right... how the weak should be conquered by the wrong... how segregation was the method out... how a society like Butcher Field should be dubbed as legal. After that, Riley found himself retreating to his room again, refusing to listen to the profound desires of the Butcher Field members.
For centuries, Riley remained in Butcher Field as a method to protect Anastasia from the cruelness of their father. Yet, as hundreds of years passed, those traits became more apparent. His father cared naught for others and rather himself, and it showed the rainy spring evening he requested Riley’s presence. It was meant to be about the usual, yet, as he entered the threshold he saw her. A different woman, her hair red and her body far into the description of magazine beauty. He remembered entering and asking about what happened to mom… His father merely told him the fat bitch left and left it at that… The connotations were blatant and already, Riley knew she would be found dead in a ditch somewhere, replaced by the slender, curvy redhead beside his father. The time she spent beside him meaning absolutely nothing to the twisted William Chaeffeur.
After a hundreds of years together, William disposed of his lover as though she meant nothing. Thoughts intruded in Riley’s head after the despicable action of his father, a single question ringing in his head. Did William Chaeffeur honour the deal made? The one that freed his sister from the binds of blood and birth. It frightened him, his mother’s replacement making it obvious William was a cruel man to those around him. As thoughts haunted his mind, Riley found himself wanted to go home to Lorsette and find Anastasia... He needed to. Thus, the 585 year old man began pondering a method of escape from the horrifying realm of Butcher Field. The dirty blond unktehi lacked communications as forced by his father and his time outside Butcher Field nonexistent. Yet, Riley knew the appearance of the surrounding areas and a possible method of escape.
Everything would come to fruition abruptly. A member of Butcher Field was missing their phone by the arena. The smell of bleach entered Riley’s nose as he exited the arena, knowing the cleaning would be coming, less the metal rust or a victim getting an unfair advantage. That was when Riley noticed the glint on a distant shelf. He approached it, discovering the phone placed on the shelving unit. He stared at the device, knowing the option was there, that a chance existed in the form of the phone. The unktehi glanced around before pocketing it, telling him he never saw it. The device was old fashioned, the member conveniently having a thing for flip phones. Everything was lining up, the outer world muddled by a harsh thunderstorm, the cleaners scrubbing the arena... he knew what to do. As people cleared from the arena’s back area, Riley hid himself away in the small off room where he could wash up. The water was turned on full blast as a blood Riley cleaned up as quick as possible and skirting away after changing. There he dialed the buttons.
”112, what’s your emergency?”
He muffled his voice, adjusting the tone and told them everything. They ate every word from the torture to the criminal activities. He kept himself anonymous, informing them of the occurrences of Butcher Field. The individual on the line reassured him the police and ambulance would be there soon. He asked for a name, a feigning distraught Riley asked for an approximate time... and after getting what he wanted, hung up. He left the clean up area, casting the phone into a sitting bleach bucket; he knew they would still be dismembering and disposing of the body. From there, Riley hurried towards the outer door into a fenced off yard. Rain poured around him as he used his speed to run the distance to the edge. With a single motion, he cut through the chain link fence. It was designed to halt efforts, but Riley knew he would have plenty of time once the police arrived. Law enforcement was Butcher Field’s biggest fear, some of the members going lengths to state they would die before surrendering.
He skirted through the small hole, squeezing to escape the fenced area of Butcher Field. Not a second was spent looking back at Riley’s so-called ‘home’. The unktehi ran, sprinting through the thick woodline with his enhanced speed. He slid down hills, jumped downed logs and just ran as though there were no other choices. Between the sounds of thunder he heard distant sirens, Riley praying they would be preoccupied with Butcher Field to hunt down the running man. The young man was fit as he hurried through wood, refusing to stop as he struggled through the brush. The dirty blond man was rushing through everything, refusing to stop as he moved through. He felt he ran for hours, Riley breathing heavy as he slowed to a walk, giving his enhanced speed a break. For a long time, the young man searched for his escape as he moved through the forest.
Days were passing as Riley kept moving, using whatever he had for survivalist skills to survive. He kept himself cleaned and fed as he moved. Eventually, he broke through distant trees, entering a large city. He skipped several already, but the dirty blond knew what he needed to do, praying he could throw himself to mercies. He entered the city, inquiring about directions, and from there, he entered the TRS. On that day he joined under the guise of wishing to give himself a proper life. With old documents, Riley managed to join in, becoming an apprentice. After the classroom portion, the dirty blond man was given as a woman named Hekate Haven. From under her, he trained, displaying his exceptional skill because of his sordid, albeit, unknown past. The training allowed him to gain closeness to his mentor, Riley looking up to her as a type of parental figure. While the care was masked, Riley always admired Hekate for everything she did for him. Although, the unktehi could never be certain if his mentor noticed his “knack” for fighting. How quick he fell into the fighting role... as though he did it before. Nonetheless, Riley always shoved away the possibility, hoping to skid by.
For about a year, he served in the TRS branch there. Working hard and fighting his way up in the ranks. Though, Riley became renowned for his unnerving characteristics, turning him into an outcast. This and the adoption of a porcelain coloured mask with small eyes and a thin, curved grin only increased these beliefs. In a way, Riley became something to be feared. A berserker without a concept of quit. Somebody who could make Hell a home. Years of living in Butcher Field hardened Riley, making him someone toughened to a cruel environment and prepared for a lesser one. From there, he became known as the Smiling Pariah. An outcast who always wore the sinister, unnerving grinning mask. A berserker type fighter who spread fear throughout the hearts of many with his behaviour and actions. Some believed Riley a natural born fighter with how quick he caught on, but nobody knew the truth.
Yet, after these months, Riley knew it was time to start his years of effort to return to his sister. Out of nowhere, the unktehi transferred to another location after gaining the money to move and the madness began. Through his years, the unktehi transferred many times throughout his TRS career, each as abrupt as the last. Many believed the Smiling Pariah or Riley Chaeffeur as an enigmatic traveller keen on exploring the world. In reality, Riley was a runner, hiding his tracks at every turn. For despite the fall of Butcher Field, the archers would follow the bullseye wherever he travelled. Therefore, a messy line of transfers for them to struggle through became the best method for Riley to cover his tracks. Perhaps it raised suspicions for some, but Riley never broke out with the reason, less he needed to remember. Over the course of 15 years, Riley Chaeffeur was transferred an obnoxious amount of times, picking locations far from his hometown, until finally the day came.
The arrival of autumn sparked the submitting of a well craved transfer. Positive memories filling his brain as he handed in the proper forms and requested a be placed into the Lorsette, Newfoundland branch. Upon its approval he moved, packing his belongings, heart racing and hopes high. The opportunity was here, the chance to find the single blood relative Riley cared about most, Anastasia Chaeffeur, or perhaps Cross now. With everything packed, Riley headed to Lorsette, moving into a small apartment. Excitement mingled with nervousness as he thought about Anastasia, praying that he would soon find the sister he swore to protect. His arrival was met with positive notes for once, the unktehi enjoying the company of a special angel while searching for the whereabouts of his sister.
misc
Mentor: Hekate Haven Apprentice(s): N/a
Likes: Water, swimming, bugs, hot chocolate, meat, alcohol, bar hopping, hunting, summer, night time, astrology, cooking, masks, sunglasses, hoodies, bones, eggs, knives, non-scented candles, pretzels, barbecue, rain, storms, scarves, blankets Dislikes: Winter, cold, gummy bug popsicles, tea, terrors, the Assembly, criminals, crying, emotional moments, makeup, gaudy jewelry, strobing lights, blizzards, thick books, school, sitting still Fears: Death, his father, being controlled/trapped
- He is the uncle of Severus Cross. He comes from the mother’s side, being Severus’ mother’s older brother. - Riley loves eating bugs and would even eat dried crickets like chips. He is somewhat embarrassed about this fact, however, it does stem from him being a crocodile. As infants, crocodiles do eat insects, but Riley never grew out of it. - He thinks the popsicles with the gummy bugs are BULLSHIT! He wants the real thing and anybody who fails to provide him that can be damned! - When agitated, Riley can release a crocodile-like hissing sound in human form. - His alias in the TRS is Smiling Pariah because of the infamous mask he wears and his well-known berserker tactics which can leave him rather bloodsoaked. - Riley enjoys chewing on bones, lightly. He is unsure why, but he does. - At times, Riley will tug at a hunk of meat he has his teeth on and rip it away. While he can not accomplish the well-known crocodile death roll, this satisfies him. - Riley is a morning person. He wakes up at 5am every morning with the only outliers being if he goes out, however, he may sleep in until 7:00am regularly with few instances bleeding out of this time frame. - Before Riley left with his father, his sister gave him a green sweater. He cherishes it and often takes good care of it.
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The skin is created by Wolf of Adoxography and Gangnam Style. The thread and conversation remodels are by Kagney. The Strange Reality board list, Heal My Soul info center, I Remember Now mini profile and Electric Requiem profile remodel is made by Pharoah Leap. The Who's That Member member list remodel was made by Tictactoe. The Cbox.ws Shoutbox remodel was made by Trinity Blair. All templates used for claims, information sheets, applications, etc are credited to their owners; credits for these can be found in the threads the templates are use on. Images that are used on The Duality of Man are credited to their owners, however, they have been edited by Zac with a few being edited by Chibi Magician. The plot, rules and various other information pieces for The Duality of Man are written by Chibi Magician with the assistence of her co-admins, Finnegan and Dremulf, alongside other unlisted people who were kind enough to give their input. The TRS, AP and face claim were all created by Fleur for specifically the use of TDOM. All plugins used on The Duality of Man are credited to their owners. The templates my members use are credited to their maker, if you find a template that belongs to you, but is uncredited, please speak to Chibi Magician or the member themself. Characters created on The Duality of Man are credited to their owners and should not be used elsewhere without the creator's permission.
Special thanks for the members of TDOM who make suggestions to help make this site better. Even though we can not accept all suggestions, we immensely appreciate it. Thus, we give credit to any additions that you thought of and were later implimented by the staff, because we are glad you give us these excellent ideas.
