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!
[attr="class","blackmarble"] the world will try to stomp you out[break] [attr="class","blackmarblesub"]but that just means
[attr="class","blackmarbletext"] [attr="class","blackmarblestrt"] Wind buffeted Shiloh as she proceeded to lead them towards the large expanding city. Throughout the years, the oni alongside her draconic partner had travelled to a variety of places. Certain ones required their assistance tenfold, meanwhile, others proved strong enough to stand alone. Alas, the transition to modern times had caused the necessity of mercenaries to lower. A majority of locations could manage their own health and safety, making external forces unneeded. Despite these existing circumstances, Shiloh proceeded to maintain worry.
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Her senses were thorough as she strode forward, steps measured and weighted. The length of their travels rarely affected the oni, rather, she was resilient to the lifestyle. After living in this environment for centuries, Shiloh was adjusted to the circumstances and capable of maintaining survival. Though her capabilities in hunting and survival would never cease the mutual feelings of worry between the long-standing couple. The pair wanted to assure the health of their partner to allow for centuries onward of travelling and assisting others to make the world better.
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The short-haired woman nodded at Pandora's request to find a resting place shortly. They had been travelling for an extended period of time, thus the notion of comfortable lodging for the evening sounded like a pleasant evening.
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"We can do that," she responded in a quiet breath, fog leaving her lips. "A little break from camping out would be nice as well. We can get cleaned up and organized from there."
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A soft 'hmm' escaped Shiloh's lips as they moved closer to the city. Contemplation entered her head as she debated where they could go to find lodging first. A city was already a large expanse of land to explore and map out, and with the location being new, they required a map. However, Shiloh was aware of other methods that could be used to map out areas, specifically with technology. Unfortunately, the dark-haired woman was unaware of how to accomplish these methods of reconnaissance... Yet, as the years passed it appeared more favourable.
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It was a topic she had yet to bring up with her lover. The notion of perhaps discovering a more permanent base of operations and deciding long-travels with the intention of returning to the single location. There was a chance it would make their adventures more fruitful than venturing through on a whim. For the moment she remained hush about the notion, hoping they would discover a location that required long-term care to keep them planted before suggesting anything.
[attr="class","blackmarblesubbox"]
[attr="class","blackmarble"] you will stand stronger than ever
[attr="class","blackmarblebottom"] @pandora | 415 Words
Nipping cold surrounded Shiloh as she closed in on the destination of their travels. Straying fingers brushed aside locks of darkened hair, revealing brilliant golden hues. The winter temperature failed to bother the strong, oni woman. Years of travel made her condition hardened, both from pain tolerance and temperatures among other things. A simple, dark coat and the winter’s cold failed to gain purchase across her skin. A gentle sigh escaped Shiloh’s lips as she watched clouded breath whither amidst the winter air.
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Firmly, Shiloh’s hand grasped the strap of her satchel, adjusting it until it sat comfortably. Various items were stationed within the bag, from food to emergency items in case of separation. The dark-haired woman’s boots grazed across the snow, a soft crunch fleeting through the air as she left prints across the white. Tree branches swirled, their branches long cleared from the cold temperatures. From the clearing tree line, Shiloh’s eyes could see the sparse outskirts of their next destination, Lorsette.
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Weeks of travelling gave opportunities to hear about the Canadian city and the perils faced within. The presence of the Assembly consolidated on Lorsette, the heathens frequently going to war with the TRS members in the area. The short-haired woman paused for a moment, scanning the area curiously to assess their circumstance. A glance over her shoulder provided a peek at the long-haired woman who travelled alongside her for centuries.
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“Dear,” she called softly, her shoulders turning to see her partner. “It seems we have arrived… I think we should be alright now. There should be less terrors, but watch for criminals… Mostly pickpockets I would assume.”
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The woman knew her partner, Pandora Rune, was a smart individual. They both travelled long enough to be aware of malice intentions hidden beneath plastic smiles. Nonetheless, Shiloh always warned the long-haired woman she was fortunate to call her girlfriend. Their partnership was something Shiloh valued, a kindred soul to love and care for and for those feelings to be returned. Once her words were finished, Shiloh moved forward to close in on Lorsette, their theoretical new home.
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Their arrival heralded plenty for them to finish through the recent days. They would be required to survey the city through the days and assure their assistance would be valued by those within Lorsette. A single goal always existed in their travels between location to location; arrival for additional assistance. If Lorsette failed to require their assistance in protecting the populace, it was likely Shiloh and Pandora would take their leave accordingly. They travelled to bring alleviation, Shiloh being a powerful warrior while Pandora an expert healer and strong fighter as well.
[attr="class","blackmarblesubbox"]
[attr="class","blackmarble"] you will stand stronger than ever
[attr="class","blackmarblebottom"] @pandora | 441 Words
A woman of average stature, Shiloh is approximately 5’5” with a lithe, strong body prepared for battle. Her muscles, while unnoticed beneath cloth, are powerful and allow for Shiloh to out-power people without the additional usage of enhanced strength when required. Her figure possesses an hourglass appearance despite plenty of exercise, with breasts and hips ample enough to maintain it. Her thighs are well-toned, making for powerful legs capable of carrying her far distances and delivering harsh kicks to her enemies. Across her flesh in a fair complexion with a few small scars weaving over her flesh, making it flawed. These are both from training and battling over many years. The scars across her body appear a fainter colour, being white against her fair skin.
Frame a fair complexion face are locks of raven hair with a gorgeous purple tinge. Her hair is cut short with a single lock reaching down. This longer strand fades into a lighter purple colour to a near-white. Contrasting those dark locks are a pair of brilliant golden eyes, glittering and shining when people gaze upon them. They are accented by thick and full lashes, making for a gorgeous frame to her golden-coloured eyes. The structure of Shiloh’s face is nothing that grabs large amounts of attention. Her face is slender, with a petite nose and high, but slim cheekbones leading down to slightly pointed chin. Her lips are also slender, lacking any prominence on her face compared to her striking eyes.
Fitting clothing is Shiloh’s adamant preference. She lacks a particular style with her clothing, leading her to regularly wear casual clothing. She never wears dresses or skirts, as anything particularly girly makes for uncomfortable clothes in instances of fighting. Her style is best described as practical, Shiloh finding that type of clothing to be an easy preference that allows for unrestricted movement. Shoes are often simple, shifting between simple runs to intense combat books.
Fire Manipulation -- Mastered The ability to control and manipulate flames. This ability has been exercised by Shiloh for the purpose of enhancing attacks and defending herself. When she notches an arrow, she often uses her fire enhancement to make it a flaming one. If she swings a punch or a standard weapon, it is not uncommon for her to coat her hands or tool with flames. For defensive purposes, Shiloh will make heated walls of fire to create distance between herself and others. While it may not always work on account of fire immunities, it is a useful tool in her arsenal. As expected of a seasoned explorer, Shiloh uses this ability to light fires and make scattering sparks from her fingers to keep warm. The primary enemy of fire is water. Completely soaking Shiloh will make it difficult for her to create flames. Large-form manipulation is beyond her limitations, Shiloh taking more time to refine her control and the specifics of her fire manipulation.
Enhanced Strength -- Mastered The ability to enhance one’s strength, allowing the user to access strength beyond that of an average human being. The drawback on a bow can lead to the powerful notch and release of a lethal arrow. Strength brings the ability to unleash harsh, long-distanced blows with the use of a compound bow. While Shiloh has used his abilities to handle people in close combat circumstances, she frequently uses it to make devastating distance attacks. Her arrows can sink far into the target, making a nasty puncture wound. Additionally, with the use of a weighty broadsword she keeps bound to her back, Shiloh can smoothly cut down her opponents without issue. The heft of her sword fails to hinder her, the strength of her ability conquering its weight with ease. This being said, her enhanced strength requires energy, giving the young, lithe woman a ferocious appetite. She consumes plenty to use as energy for her ability. Should she lack this energy, her swings become messy and her notched arrows a lesser equivalent to the potential of her power.
Fear Inducement -- Intermediate The ability to instill fear in the hearts of others. Effectively, the ability has become a stun more than anything else. In a sinch, Shiloh will induce fear in the hearts of others in order to gain opportunities. She will push them away or even use it for a chance to flee when a moment calls for it. The ability is entirely to put the other individual off guard, thus it is accomplished in a high-dose, brief stir rather than anything long-term. A long-term use of the ability would exhaust Shiloh quickly, especially if heavily concentrated.
Hexes -- Beginner The ability to use a drawn-type of magic, using hex circles of blood and/or chalk to access it. Pride led to some hexes not being taught in Shiloh’s youth. Her teachers were adamant her capabilities in fighting would be strong enough to avoid injuries. Meanwhile, the rest were viewed as useless to those within the family. Even when accomplishing actions against their wishes, Shiloh never even used a disguise hex. Thus, she hardly knows where to start and would likely require a lot of practice before being capable of anything beyond meagre accomplishments. With the right teacher, Shiloh could easily sharpen this skill.
Naturals: Enhanced Durability, Fire Immunity, Immortality
backstory
The Blackthorns were always renowned as fighters, accomplishing their duties via the persuasion of money from the beginning. Skillful mercenaries who sold themselves to the highest bidder, bearing arms against good or evil. Everything depended on greed rather than moral composure. It was a consistency over the centuries-long lineage of the Blackthorn Family, a constant never questioned by those within the family. Within, everybody was content gathering funds from whoever paid them and going about their duties based on monetary alone and never anything else. In the most dastardly circumstances, the Blackthorns quickly joined the ranks of those who would pay them handsomely. Prior to the War of Traitors would the newest heir, Shiloh Blackthorn, be born to Leona and Morpheous Blackthorn. She was their future, striding forward to lead the Blackthorns to wealth in the future. The expectation would be an inevitable and cruel constant, for the pursuit for wealth claimed her family at every turn.
Unfortunate in the eyes of his parents, Shiloh would strike out on a path differing from the expectations. Through her youth her mind was touched by the stories in books, of heroes accomplishing incredible feats via their personal volitions. Starstruck eyes gazing over the magnificent words as her heart fluttered with beats of excitement as she gazed over the gorgeous illustrations. Each word bounded to her soul, brilliant and vivid in the depths of her memory as she prepared herself to march forth to destiny. In her youth, as a bright-eyed young child she was entirely unaware of the monetary motives, her mind captivated by naivety and innocence as expected of a child. The notion of fixating on payments and capitalizing heroic services never entered her world at the beginning. Even as her training began at the tender age of 5, Shiloh viewed herself as a future hero. A young girl destined to save those who required it most and those of noble hearts.
Throughout her childhood, Shiloh played and envisioned herself as a hero. Along with a limited number of friends, they would play games of heroics. Together they saved princesses and assisted children in getting their parents returned to become a happy family. In her tender age, she was unaware of the truths and the ramifications of her parents’ actions. How people suffered for the purposes of their greed. A pair of golden hearts blackened from greed, influenced by those higher up the prestigious oni lineage they prized. However, they birthed a daughter determined to make a difference in the lives of many, and those sentiments were quick to increase. Between training sessions, her parents brought her into the nearby village where she viewed the turmoil. The people who suffered and called at guards for assistance, pleading for help from those already overrun. Whenever they strolled by, Shiloh always wondered why they never requested the assistance of the more-than-capable Blackthorn family. Little did she know monetary status kept them from asking. A village known for having poverty stricken areas, desperate and unable to hire additional assistance.
As Shiloh grew, the young oni became stronger as her training intensified. Unlike a majority of youths her age, Shiloh was carved into a lithe machine, well-toned with muscle unexpected of a child her age. Her long-term efforts inevitably would become rewarded due to the power she showed the older she got. A child entirely accepting of her arriving destiny and fixating on the overarching goal above her. At the age of 12, in the ancient traditions of the oni, different yet matching, Shiloh would receive her mask. Unlike the traditional ogre-esk masks passed down by many families of oni, Shiloh would receive a bird-like mask. The mask was a symbol of the Blackthorn family, their marker being the carrion despite their lack of positive symbolism. It was believed the animal was a guardian of their family, soaring overhead to scavenge for information opposed to the corpses of the deceased. As a child initially enamoured by the assumed values of her family, Shiloh happily accepted the mask she received, wearing it to show her pride.
Though in a melancholic and cruel twist, after receiving a mask she believed she would value through the years, she would learn the true intentions of the Blackthorn family. It began with suspicions of something darker at 13, Shiloh occasionally overhearing the distinct refusals of pleaded requests. Always, she insisted on it merely being a black-hearted faker, feigning desperateness in hopes of pulling at heartstrings and getting their way. Thus, she ignored whenever it happened... until it became too much for her to ignore. Throughout the years she counted, noticing only a handful of requests accepted and eventually noticing how money and work correlated. She remembered the confusion that clouded her eyes, curiosity outweighing the ignorant silence she maintained. At 15 she finally inquired about a young child forged into a head-strong serious teen determined to make a difference in the world. With her age, they thought Shiloh would understand and began informing her of the duties the family head held.
Destiny insisted she would become the head of the Blackthorn family, thus her parents explained it all. The significance of money in the twisted world they lived in, how people were required to pay exorbitant amounts for their services. They drained people’s wealth, praying upon their desperate scenarios to heighten the amount of funds the family received. As she listened to every greedy and condemning word leaving their black lips, Shiloh was horrified. Never was her family the heroes she initially believed they were. The golden-hearted people slicing through darkness with the fiery light of their oni flames and she was disgusted. In lieu of receiving her answer, a set of choices laid in front of Shiloh as she masked her reactions and thought through the situation. She debated with herself for hours, wondering if she should sacrifice morals to assure good graces in the family. They told her how her ancestors wanted their family to be wealthy and to show their superiority... but as Shiloh oversaw more mission requests from the desperate... as she gazed into their glassy, frightened eyes with masked emotions... she could no longer stand by.
Everything kicked off in secret, Shiloh sneaking out in the night to fight bandits and rescue kidnapped villagers beneath the ruse of a mask, the one of the Blackthorns. She wanted the people to know somebody within the Blackthorns had a golden heart and would listen to their pleads. She protected the people, taking them home for scrap coins or free of charge. She cared naught for the wealth, the glory or the fame, but rather she fixated on the people. Nobody deserved twisted ends by the hands of bandits or rogues. While the Blackthorns would become aware of somebody in their ranks disobeying the family goals, Shiloh never led them on. She showed no leads to her actions, hiding amidst the family and allowing her parents to mull over if cousins, aunts, uncles and other extended family accomplished the deeds. Each time she helped people, assisting them in secrecy and never speaking as she did so. Many were appreciative of Shiloh’s efforts, and it showed as the morale in the village grew in strength... until war arrived at their doorstep.
As a young adult, Shiloh heard plenty about Hell’s exile from Heaven and how Akari and Volos went to war on earth. Though, she never expected the banners of Hell to arrive at their door to pay for the assistance of the entire Blackthorn family. She remembered standing in the court, a majority of the family fetched as a general of hell arrived to request their services. Meanwhile, in the background, the village head pleaded for them to stay and protect them from the ravages of war. Her father listened to their argument, even standing by as the general snapped at their village head and pushed them aside. Hell’s army offered a sum of money beyond the Blackthorn’s wildest dreams along with many honours from Volos for their efforts in the world... while the village head could offer nothing. On behalf of the entire family, her father said he would accept the offer... and finally she broke. She spoke against her father, grabbing the village leader’s arm and speaking about how the village welcomed them for years and needed them now more than ever.
They would argue for hours, making it clear Shiloh was the culprit of those unexpected mission acceptances. Eventually, her father’s voice boomed as she was told to return to her room and accept what would happen or get out. Her golden eyes glowed as they narrowed at the man she once thought a hero. She saw the greedy tyrant standing authoritatively above her who only had a single goal. In her ears came the quiet words of the village leader, telling her everything would be fine and not wishing to see the woman who rescued them crumble away from the family she loved. However, his words would never sway her as she stared up at her father, stubborn and determined to prove her point. To prove money was not the ultimate goal in the world and that greed would only hurt them and others. She turned away from them, abandoning the fate she was once enamoured with and fixated on the village leader. In a single action, she changed the hands of her fate as she requested to be taken to the village to help. While her father’s discouragements boomed in the background, she walked aside the leader, striding courageously and confidently away from the manor of her youth.
Due to her secret exploits, the people of the village were kind to her. They provided her lodging after having lost everything and kept her well-fed and cared for. In a way, they became her family as the war kicked off. She worked alongside the guard, defending their humble village from raids and bandits. Occasionally, she assisted the farmers when they required an extra set of muscles. She did everything she could to assist them, and in their eyes, it was always enough. For centuries, Shiloh lived among the villages, content with the decision she made those many years agos. The life she lived was rough and required hard work, but it brought her happiness and companionship. Despite having been abandoned by her family in the pursuit of moral righteousness, Shiloh continued to wear the Blackthorn mask to show the roots she was not ashamed of. Though despite her happiness, other things always felt required of her. In her time there, the guard shaped up, becoming strong enough to defend the village without her. The businesses inside were booming as they became a stop for travellers heading to larger cities. It was then she learned they no longer required her services, and thus, she outgrown the place of her home. It would be then she made the choice to begin travelling to offer her services further throughout the reaches of the world.
Fortunately, not long after her departure from her home she would meet a new, crucial piece to grace her life. She met a woman by the name Pandora Rune, the pair of women bonding quickly because of their mutual issues with clashing beliefs with their families. They travelled together, their closeness only magnifying the more they spent working together. Together, they wished to help others and inspire a world better from the one they lived in. Their mutual interests eventually brought them to be bonded as partners. In their travels, they eventually came to Lorsette in the modern era, a city desperate for help and a place they would set up shop.
misc
Likes: Archery, combat, training, helping others, baked goods, soft pretzels, exercise, dance, practical clothes, earrings, crystals, star-gazing, books, coffee, yoga, chocolate, books, warm socks, fighting Dislikes: Make-up, dolls, high heels, tight clothing, whipped cream, most jewelry, green tea, AP, terrors, expectations, greed, dumb sitcoms, dirty jokes, alcohol, drunks, driving, dishonesty, losing concentration Fears: Failing to make a difference, losing Pandora, returning to her parents
- Her love of dance came to her upon realizing its values in her training and the excellent form of exercise it can be. - Due to jewelry often being a bit bothersome in battle, Shiloh dislikes it. This being said, Shiloh does enjoy earrings, things that are small in her opinion. At times she can also enjoy light, fitting bracelets as well, however, she much prefers earrings. - While not necessarily believing the so-called healing properties of crystals, Shiloh does find them fascinating. This includes the interpretations attached to them, like what they do for the body and mind. However, she would never use them for healing. - She despises the taste of green tea, her parents causing her to despise the beverage further since for traditional purposes. She always found it gross, but being forced to drink it only magnified her disdain. - Never will Shiloh return to her parents. She fears the reprimanding and believes it would be an admittance of failure. - While Shiloh believes she has done a lot with leaving her parents and her family’s customs behind, she always worries about the looming fear of failure.
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resource sites
affiliates
credits
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.
