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Ember, Guardian of NightShade Island

“Somewhere, out in the unknown, uncharted, regions of the oceans can be found an island shrouded as much in mist as it is in mystery, barely even mentioned in legend it is known to those who dwell there as ‘Nightshade Island’. … ugh,… that sounds so corny,… but the Elders wanted me to say it like that,… anyway,… From the shores this island at first appears as a paradise… white sandy beaches, warm clear waters, abundant fruit trees, and friendly native people dwelling in several shore-line villages, but never venturing far from the shores, and for good reason. Beyond the beaches lies a dark and dense jungle unlike any other, and while the shores of the island may seem a paradise the jungle beyond them is nothing short of the stuff of nightmares. Teaming with all manner of dangerous plants and animals, ranging from man-eating plants, to giant snakes and worms, to creatures science has never seen before, and as if those weren’t bad enough, the very ground itself could prove even worse. The jungle is littered with pools and puddles of quicksand,… believe me, that stuff is all over the place,… as well as deep sucking mud bogs, dry sand pits, clay slurries, and even the occasional tar pit, making a simple walk through this jungle a potentially fatal one. Needless to say, few who venture into this jungle ever make their way back out of it, and yet all these hazards are nothing compared to the dark secrets they conceal,… again, so corny, but they think it sounds ‘ominous’."

“Long ago, when the world was still young, monstrous beings came down from the stars,… these ‘Dark Forces’ as they are now known intended to drink the very life from the world, leaving it a barren husk, like they had done with many worlds before. But this time the ‘Primal Forces’,… the elements themselves,… rose up against the invading horrors, and after a long and fearsome battle the Dark Forces were defeated and imprisoned deep beneath a remote island. Over time fortresses were built up over these prisons, filled with all manner of traps and dangers, and around these a dark and dangerous jungle grew,… all meant to keep anyone from getting to the prisons and freeing the Dark Forces. So, on this remote island, within this deadly jungle, beneath these ancient ruins, these prisons have remained unknown, and undisturbed, for countless thousands of years, those wise enough to know of them, yet foolish enough to seek them out, rarely ever surviving to tell the tales,… until one day that all changed.”

“A few years ago, an adventurer came to the island, dreams of treasure and glory spinning in her head,… like many before her,… but this adventurer possessed the skill and technology to not only survive the jungle but to pierce into the depths of one of the ruins and remove from it a jewel encrusted idol she imagined would make her rich beyond her dreams. The idol though wasn’t just some treasure, it was part of the seals that kept the Dark Forces imprisoned and when it was removed the seals began to weaken, and the Dark Forces began to stir, but so too did the Primal Forces awaken, and panic. In thousands of years none had disturbed the prisons, now, all of a sudden, they had been disturbed, and the Dark Forces were starting to awaken as the seals weakened, the prison doors slowly starting to creak open. The Primal Forces could no longer take physical form, but they could give their power to another,... they needed a champion. They searched other islands across the oceans for one who was worthy, until they finally found one, an island girl who, though young, had a strong heart, and a fiery soul, one who would one day become a fierce warrior,…”

“On a far off, and relatively safe, jungle island, lived a young, but skilled huntress,… yup, you guessed it, that’s me,… I was out on the hunt for a wild boar that day when suddenly I was surrounded by fire and light, the jungle around me vanishing, as unseen voices boomed around me. They spoke of a terrible evil,… an important task,… of the fate of the world,… and an idol I had to retrieve,… scared and confused I agreed,… not that I had much choice. They whisked me away from my island, my home, and my family,… away to this strange new island, and set me upon the task of retrieving the idol. To make a long story short I confronted the adventurer, and after much protest,… fighting,… and gun fire,… I got the idol back and returned it to the ruins it had been taken from, though I was gravely injured in the process. While the seals to the prisons restored I lay there, feeling the life ebb from me, everything going cold,… until suddenly I felt as though I was wrapped in fire, which coursed through me, healing my wounds and restoring my life. The Primal Forces showed me mercy, and decided that I could be of use to them,… so they granted me their blessings of protection, and bestowed upon me relics of ancient power, naming me their champion, and charging me with guarding the prisons of the Dark Forces and making sure they never be freed. At the same time the Dark Forces,… quite unhappy,… lashed out, and right before the prison door slammed completely shut on them they cursed me,… this lovely shackle you probably noticed on my left ankle,… binding me to the island, so that I may never leave,… never return home to my family and friends and the life I used to have. And just like that, before I could say a word in protest I was declared the Guardian of Nightshade Island, and given the name Ember,… my old name left behind, along with my old life.”

“When I emerged from the jungle,… apparently the first person to have done that in a very long time,… and told my tale to the islanders who live upon the southern shore, they happily took me in as one of them, and the Chieftain of the islanders, so moved by my story, adopted me as his daughter,… which kind of makes me a ‘princess’ to the island folk,… there really isn’t much to it, other than the title,… but I do like the sound of ‘Jungle Princess’. Since then I’ve been defending the island,... keeping the ruins undisturbed, and keeping innocent ‘tourists’ to the island from stumbling into the dangers of the jungle, all the while braving those many dangers myself, as the jungle does not distinguish between friend and foe. At the same time the Dark Forces, though still imprisoned, are now awake, and they reach out from their prisons through dreams to those with greed and evil in their hearts trying to lure them to the island, in the hopes of being freed by such fools. This, of course, means nothing but trouble for me,… having to deal with thieves that come to the island seeking riches, while several very persistent villains have set up base on the far sides of the island, causing me endless grief. But after years of facing the dangers, villains and monsters of the island I’m still here, and I must say I think I’ve gotten quite good at my job,… and while I still miss my home, and want little more than to return to my family, I’ve managed to make new friends and allies on the island, and a new family.”

---

“So, after all that backstory, you probably want to know abit more about me, right? Well, for starters I am tough, and strong, but it’s my speed and agility that are my greatest assets,… I’ve heard tourists say that I could give an Oh-Limp-ack Jim-Nest a ‘run for their money’,… whatever that means,… I am an excellent climber and swimmer, and though I wasn’t great at it at first, I’ve gotten really good at swinging on vines and jumping through branches,… which is often the safest way to get through the jungle.”

Blessings of the Primal Forces: “You are probably wondering about the ‘Blessings of Protection’ I mentioned earlier,... well, whatever the Primal Forces did to me it seems that I am impervious to fire, heat and cold,… even swimming in lava doesn’t burn me at all,… though I still feel hot and cold, and I don’t care for the heat,… I much prefer a cool shady spot on a hot summer day. I am also highly resistant to Lightning, Poisons and Acids,… only the strongest of these will phase me, and even then their effect is greatly reduced. There might be more to these ‘blessings’, but that’s all I’ve been able to figure out so far”

Curse of the Dark Forces: “Oh, yeah, that wonderful curse,… well for starters this shackle is annoying,… it’s heavy, it’s ugly, and the chain links clink on it, on top of that there is no way to break it or get it off. I’ve been told that it’s not real, but just the ‘physical manifestation of the curse’,… but it sure feels real to me. I have found that I can leave the island, but when I do so, after a time,… sometimes hours, sometimes days,… the runes on the shackle light up, and the next thing I know I’m back on the island, without fail. I’ve also found that anyone touching me when that happens gets dragged back to the island along with me,…. I really try to avoid having that happen.”

Outfit: “You’re probably wondering why I’m dressed in flowers and leaves, well,… these are no ordinary leaves, they come from the StoneBark Trees, found deep in the jungle, they are soft and flexible, but as durable as metal, so the leaves I wear and the wraps I cut from them provide great protection from rocks, barbs, brambles, vine burn, and even small claws and teeth, when traversing the jungle. While the flowers are pretty, they also provide a kind of protection,… the islanders don’t go into the jungle, at all,… so the scent of a human in the jungle attracts a lot of unwanted, and typically hungry, attention. So I wear very fragrant flowers to mask my scent when I’m in the jungle, and try to make things easier on myself.”

Weapons: “Ah, my trusty spear,… given to me by the Primal Forces they claim it was forged from powerful magicks in a time long before Man,… I don’t know about all that, but it is clearly magical,… it is unbreakable, and it cuts through even stone and metal with ease,… it can even slice through weak magical weapons and armor,… making it great for disarming and disarmoring foes. In addition, because it is unbreakable it is great for defending against attacks with, and can even block bullets and spells, if I am fast enough with it. I’ve gotten really good at spinning it, both to attack, and to defend, like a shield,… that took quite a bit of practice. My knives are magical, and seem unbreakable and able to cut just like my spear,… the curved ones are great for defense and general use, while the straight ones are good for throwing,… I still prefer my spear in battle, but my knives can be very useful for escaping sticky situations in the jungle,… they are also very easy to hide on myself, most people seem surprised when I reach behind my back and draw them out,… and I have several of each type of knife,… I always try to be prepared.”

Hair Flower: “Oh, it’s not actually a flower,… well, okay, it is now, sort of,… it was an ancient talisman bestowed by the Primal Forces,… when it bonded to me it took the form of the flower I wear in my hair,… they seemed surprised when that happened too,… It seems unbreakable too, and though I know of one power it has I get the feeling it can do more than that. The flower can draw in and absorb what is called ‘Primordial Essence’,… natural and elemental energies, which can be found all over the island and in most natural places, but are most abundant at the Hot Springs, and especially in the Fire Caves beneath the island. The flower draws in this Essence and uses it to rejuvenate me,…. healing and revitalizing me,… keeping me young and healthy so I can keep protecting the island. How quickly it works depends on how much Essence is around to draw on,… a dip on the Hot Springs after a rough day soothes away the aches and pains very quickly,…. when badly hurt a quick lava bath heals me up in no time, though I prefer the Hot Springs, the heat of the Fire Caves always makes me sleepy.”

“Well, that’s enough talk for now, back to work,… enjoy the island, but please stay out of the jungle, it’s really dangerous in there, okay?”

------

After seeing how she turned out in ’s style I had to get another reference for her by him as well, so now my OC has two amazing Reference Sheets from two incredible artists. Yeah, I just copied the text from the previous reference, for now, but I will likely tweak and edit it over time.

What do you think?

Artwork by the outstanding

Ember and Nightshade Island belong to Please do not copy, use, reuse, repost, or redistribute without permission, thanks.

Original Reference by

Description

Ember, Guardian of NightShade Island

“Somewhere, out in the unknown, uncharted, regions of the oceans can be found an island shrouded as much in mist as it is in mystery, barely even mentioned in legend it is known to those who dwell there as ‘Nightshade Island’. … ugh,… that sounds so corny,… but the Elders wanted me to say it like that,… anyway,… From the shores this island at first appears as a paradise… white sandy beaches, warm clear waters, abundant fruit trees, and friendly native people dwelling in several shore-line villages, but never venturing far from the shores, and for good reason. Beyond the beaches lies a dark and dense jungle unlike any other, and while the shores of the island may seem a paradise the jungle beyond them is nothing short of the stuff of nightmares. Teaming with all manner of dangerous plants and animals, ranging from man-eating plants, to giant snakes and worms, to creatures science has never seen before, and as if those weren’t bad enough, the very ground itself could prove even worse. The jungle is littered with pools and puddles of quicksand,… believe me, that stuff is all over the place,… as well as deep sucking mud bogs, dry sand pits, clay slurries, and even the occasional tar pit, making a simple walk through this jungle a potentially fatal one. Needless to say, few who venture into this jungle ever make their way back out of it, and yet all these hazards are nothing compared to the dark secrets they conceal,… again, so corny, but they think it sounds ‘ominous’."

“Long ago, when the world was still young, monstrous beings came down from the stars,… these ‘Dark Forces’ as they are now known intended to drink the very life from the world, leaving it a barren husk, like they had done with many worlds before. But this time the ‘Primal Forces’,… the elements themselves,… rose up against the invading horrors, and after a long and fearsome battle the Dark Forces were defeated and imprisoned deep beneath a remote island. Over time fortresses were built up over these prisons, filled with all manner of traps and dangers, and around these a dark and dangerous jungle grew,… all meant to keep anyone from getting to the prisons and freeing the Dark Forces. So, on this remote island, within this deadly jungle, beneath these ancient ruins, these prisons have remained unknown, and undisturbed, for countless thousands of years, those wise enough to know of them, yet foolish enough to seek them out, rarely ever surviving to tell the tales,… until one day that all changed.”

“A few years ago, an adventurer came to the island, dreams of treasure and glory spinning in her head,… like many before her,… but this adventurer possessed the skill and technology to not only survive the jungle but to pierce into the depths of one of the ruins and remove from it a jewel encrusted idol she imagined would make her rich beyond her dreams. The idol though wasn’t just some treasure, it was part of the seals that kept the Dark Forces imprisoned and when it was removed the seals began to weaken, and the Dark Forces began to stir, but so too did the Primal Forces awaken, and panic. In thousands of years none had disturbed the prisons, now, all of a sudden, they had been disturbed, and the Dark Forces were starting to awaken as the seals weakened, the prison doors slowly starting to creak open. The Primal Forces could no longer take physical form, but they could give their power to another,... they needed a champion. They searched other islands across the oceans for one who was worthy, until they finally found one, an island girl who, though young, had a strong heart, and a fiery soul, one who would one day become a fierce warrior,…”

“On a far off, and relatively safe, jungle island, lived a young, but skilled huntress,… yup, you guessed it, that’s me,… I was out on the hunt for a wild boar that day when suddenly I was surrounded by fire and light, the jungle around me vanishing, as unseen voices boomed around me. They spoke of a terrible evil,… an important task,… of the fate of the world,… and an idol I had to retrieve,… scared and confused I agreed,… not that I had much choice. They whisked me away from my island, my home, and my family,… away to this strange new island, and set me upon the task of retrieving the idol. To make a long story short I confronted the adventurer, and after much protest,… fighting,… and gun fire,… I got the idol back and returned it to the ruins it had been taken from, though I was gravely injured in the process. While the seals to the prisons restored I lay there, feeling the life ebb from me, everything going cold,… until suddenly I felt as though I was wrapped in fire, which coursed through me, healing my wounds and restoring my life. The Primal Forces showed me mercy, and decided that I could be of use to them,… so they granted me their blessings of protection, and bestowed upon me relics of ancient power, naming me their champion, and charging me with guarding the prisons of the Dark Forces and making sure they never be freed. At the same time the Dark Forces,… quite unhappy,… lashed out, and right before the prison door slammed completely shut on them they cursed me,… this lovely shackle you probably noticed on my left ankle,… binding me to the island, so that I may never leave,… never return home to my family and friends and the life I used to have. And just like that, before I could say a word in protest I was declared the Guardian of Nightshade Island, and given the name Ember,… my old name left behind, along with my old life.”

“When I emerged from the jungle,… apparently the first person to have done that in a very long time,… and told my tale to the islanders who live upon the southern shore, they happily took me in as one of them, and the Chieftain of the islanders, so moved by my story, adopted me as his daughter,… which kind of makes me a ‘princess’ to the island folk,… there really isn’t much to it, other than the title,… but I do like the sound of ‘Jungle Princess’. Since then I’ve been defending the island,... keeping the ruins undisturbed, and keeping innocent ‘tourists’ to the island from stumbling into the dangers of the jungle, all the while braving those many dangers myself, as the jungle does not distinguish between friend and foe. At the same time the Dark Forces, though still imprisoned, are now awake, and they reach out from their prisons through dreams to those with greed and evil in their hearts trying to lure them to the island, in the hopes of being freed by such fools. This, of course, means nothing but trouble for me,… having to deal with thieves that come to the island seeking riches, while several very persistent villains have set up base on the far sides of the island, causing me endless grief. But after years of facing the dangers, villains and monsters of the island I’m still here, and I must say I think I’ve gotten quite good at my job,… and while I still miss my home, and want little more than to return to my family, I’ve managed to make new friends and allies on the island, and a new family.”

---

“So, after all that backstory, you probably want to know abit more about me, right? Well, for starters I am tough, and strong, but it’s my speed and agility that are my greatest assets,… I’ve heard tourists say that I could give an Oh-Limp-ack Jim-Nest a ‘run for their money’,… whatever that means,… I am an excellent climber and swimmer, and though I wasn’t great at it at first, I’ve gotten really good at swinging on vines and jumping through branches,… which is often the safest way to get through the jungle.”

Blessings of the Primal Forces: “You are probably wondering about the ‘Blessings of Protection’ I mentioned earlier,... well, whatever the Primal Forces did to me it seems that I am impervious to fire, heat and cold,… even swimming in lava doesn’t burn me at all,… though I still feel hot and cold, and I don’t care for the heat,… I much prefer a cool shady spot on a hot summer day. I am also highly resistant to Lightning, Poisons and Acids,… only the strongest of these will phase me, and even then their effect is greatly reduced. There might be more to these ‘blessings’, but that’s all I’ve been able to figure out so far”

Curse of the Dark Forces: “Oh, yeah, that wonderful curse,… well for starters this shackle is annoying,… it’s heavy, it’s ugly, and the chain links clink on it, on top of that there is no way to break it or get it off. I’ve been told that it’s not real, but just the ‘physical manifestation of the curse’,… but it sure feels real to me. I have found that I can leave the island, but when I do so, after a time,… sometimes hours, sometimes days,… the runes on the shackle light up, and the next thing I know I’m back on the island, without fail. I’ve also found that anyone touching me when that happens gets dragged back to the island along with me,…. I really try to avoid having that happen.”

Outfit: “You’re probably wondering why I’m dressed in flowers and leaves, well,… these are no ordinary leaves, they come from the StoneBark Trees, found deep in the jungle, they are soft and flexible, but as durable as metal, so the leaves I wear and the wraps I cut from them provide great protection from rocks, barbs, brambles, vine burn, and even small claws and teeth, when traversing the jungle. While the flowers are pretty, they also provide a kind of protection,… the islanders don’t go into the jungle, at all,… so the scent of a human in the jungle attracts a lot of unwanted, and typically hungry, attention. So I wear very fragrant flowers to mask my scent when I’m in the jungle, and try to make things easier on myself.”

Weapons: “Ah, my trusty spear,… given to me by the Primal Forces they claim it was forged from powerful magicks in a time long before Man,… I don’t know about all that, but it is clearly magical,… it is unbreakable, and it cuts through even stone and metal with ease,… it can even slice through weak magical weapons and armor,… making it great for disarming and disarmoring foes. In addition, because it is unbreakable it is great for defending against attacks with, and can even block bullets and spells, if I am fast enough with it. I’ve gotten really good at spinning it, both to attack, and to defend, like a shield,… that took quite a bit of practice. My knives are magical, and seem unbreakable and able to cut just like my spear,… the curved ones are great for defense and general use, while the straight ones are good for throwing,… I still prefer my spear in battle, but my knives can be very useful for escaping sticky situations in the jungle,… they are also very easy to hide on myself, most people seem surprised when I reach behind my back and draw them out,… and I have several of each type of knife,… I always try to be prepared.”

Hair Flower: “Oh, it’s not actually a flower,… well, okay, it is now, sort of,… it was an ancient talisman bestowed by the Primal Forces,… when it bonded to me it took the form of the flower I wear in my hair,… they seemed surprised when that happened too,… It seems unbreakable too, and though I know of one power it has I get the feeling it can do more than that. The flower can draw in and absorb what is called ‘Primordial Essence’,… natural and elemental energies, which can be found all over the island and in most natural places, but are most abundant at the Hot Springs, and especially in the Fire Caves beneath the island. The flower draws in this Essence and uses it to rejuvenate me,…. healing and revitalizing me,… keeping me young and healthy so I can keep protecting the island. How quickly it works depends on how much Essence is around to draw on,… a dip on the Hot Springs after a rough day soothes away the aches and pains very quickly,…. when badly hurt a quick lava bath heals me up in no time, though I prefer the Hot Springs, the heat of the Fire Caves always makes me sleepy.”

“Well, that’s enough talk for now, back to work,… enjoy the island, but please stay out of the jungle, it’s really dangerous in there, okay?”

------

After seeing how she turned out in ’s style I had to get another reference for her by him as well, so now my OC has two amazing Reference Sheets from two incredible artists. Yeah, I just copied the text from the previous reference, for now, but I will likely tweak and edit it over time.

What do you think?

Artwork by the outstanding

Ember and Nightshade Island belong to Please do not copy, use, reuse, repost, or redistribute without permission, thanks.

Original Reference by