Welcome to Adventu, your final fantasy rp haven. adventu focuses on both canon and original characters from different worlds and timelines that have all been pulled to the world of zephon: a familiar final fantasy-styled land where all adventurers will fight, explore, and make new personal connections.
at adventu, we believe that colorful story and plots far outweigh the need for a battle system. rp should be about the writing, the fun, and the creativity. you will see that the only system on our site is the encouragement to create amazing adventures with other members. welcome to adventu... how will you arrive?
year 5, quarter 3
Welcome one and all to our beautiful new skin! This marks the visual era of Adventu 4.0, our 4th and by far best design we've had. 3.0 suited our needs for a very long time, but as things are evolving around the site (and all for the better thanks to all of you), it was time for a new, sleek change. The Resource Site celebrity Pharaoh Leep was the amazing mastermind behind this with minor collaborations from your resident moogle. It's one-of-a-kind and suited specifically for Adventu. Click the image for a super easy new skin guide for a visual tour!
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If you don't fight for what you want, don't cry for what you lost.
He finally made it. Weeks of traveling across unknown lands, countless encounters with both friendly and hostile forces, and what felt like a lifetime of uncertainty led Zell to his destination. And with his body starting to tremble from anxiety
"I can't believe it. We're here at last." Zell stood at the entrance of the Crystalus Divider. The holy site had such extravagant architecture, although it did look as if it was old enough to come from an era from the distant past. From his position, he could see that he was right in thinking that this place would have some religious significance. Priests and monks went about their day by doing various duties around the site.
"Maybe we can find whoever is in charge?" He glanced over at Quistis, his comrade from the same world that he originates from. Zell was grateful for her help during this trip, especially since she did clarify some of his past, especially since he still didn't recover the rest of his memories yet.
It certainly has not been an easy trip. But one thing was certainly clear. She was no longer in Balamb anymore. The creatures and flora here were both familiar and strange at once. Despite all her research and studying, she felt completely out of her element here. It was both a fascinating and exciting experience for the old teacher. It meant an opportunity to learn and grow and more from the experience. However, the impact seemed to have an opposite impact on Zell. He seemed so eager to return home and retrieve what he had forgotten.
His words brought her out of her thoughts. The soft emerald glow of the gateway reflected off her eyes as she took in the sight. It was beautiful and there was a calling to step through and meditate upon its significance. No wonder so many were drawn here. She could see there were those who journeyed far, as well as scholars, priests, and monks. Each one dressed differently depending on their religious or scholarly purposes.
However, despite its attraction, Quistis was prepared for the disappointment. Beauty never equated to significance. A flower could be beautiful, but that was all it was. It could no more than stand proudly in the sun’s rays. She could only hope Zell was able to take something away from here, be it knowledge or relic.
Quistis looked around for someone who was certainly in charge. But it was hard to tell since the customs here were so different. “What would this person look like?” She wondered aloud. “And…what kind of answers are supposed to be found here, I wonder?” She saw an older looking gentleman, in soft vanilla robes. He wore a long, ceremonial hat and seemed to be giving advice to some tourists that came in. “Perhaps, that’s the place to start?” She nudged Zell and tilted her head in the direction of the priest.
If you don't fight for what you want, don't cry for what you lost.
Quistis did raise a good question. Finding someone in charge appeared to be more difficult than he had planned due to the various types of garb that the priests wore. Then again, when did Zell ever have a solid plan? Even his plans for this grand journey were half-assed. It wasn't like he didn't try, just that his impulsive behavior after led to disappointment. He only hoped that it wasn't the case this time.
“Perhaps, that’s the place to start?” Quistis said, pointing out an older man who's robes seemed more elegant and formal than the others. Zell was glad to have found someone from his world, especially her. Having an extra set of reliable eyes with him really paid off.
"Yeah, maybe!" The brash teen hastily made his way over to the gentleman, who was already locked into a conversation with a different visitor. Zell tried to wait patiently, which was a task he found hard to commit to. Regardless, the SeeD did his best to hold in his anxiety until the priest was finished with the conversation.
"Hey! So, I was wondering...." Zell took a pause after immediately initiating the conversation. He wasn't entirely sure about how to ask his questions. In his head, they seemed so simple. Do you know what's going on? Why are we here? How do I go back home? But when it came to forming the words to ask, Zell found it more difficult. He realized that this man might not understand the context of the questions and some clarification would need to be in order.
"Sorry, my name is Zell. And this is Quistis," he said, signaling the man to look at his traveling partner. "We're... not from this place. I mean," his words fumbled and his hands began to fidget with the seams of his gloves, "We came from somewhere far away from here, ya know? I've got no memories of it, but there's others like me out here. Do you know what's going on?"
He knew this was a bit much to unload on some random guy, but Zell hoped being honest and open would yield the best results. He would have to see what the priest's response was before figuring out where to go from here.
Father Lucas was no stranger to strangers. In fact, he made it his business to make himself known to nearly every one of them with both a smile and a watchful eye, and yet he'd had doubts on such a philosophy as of late. It had seemed to land him too many baffling circumstances to count.
Once he'd been nearly killed by a strange man wrapped in shadow. Another, he'd been held at swordpoint by a woman with murder in their eyes. Both had come seeking answers he couldn't give, and had gone about asking in a way that he could only assume came from a complete lack of experience in polite society. He had never liked these newcomers, not from the start, and as a young man caught his attention with a nervous, "Hey! he could already smell trouble.
He was young, maybe seventeen, with gelled hair and an outfit that he wouldn't find out of place in Sonora. He wore thick black gloves, stiff leather boots, and a jacket cut high on his shoulders. The father's eyes landed on the black tattoo criss-crossing across the boy's face. It was a dreadful thing, that tattoo.
"Sorry, my name is Zell. And this is Quistis." The boy gestured to the young woman behind him. "We're... not from this place. I mean. We came from somewhere far away from here, ya know? I've got no memories of it, but there's others like me out here. Do you know what's going on?"
Lucas felt his heart sink. Another of these. He'd be damned if this wasn't the end of him one day.
"Yes. I know all about your kind." He tried to be gentle, but the words 'your kind' slipped out with a kind of sheltered disdain. He supposed it couldn't be helped. "I've seen others pass by before. Always searching for answers. Most often at the tip of a sword." He looked them over, squinting. He didn't see any weapons, but one could never be too certain. These newcomers had all kinds of hidden tricks. The kind of tricks that could break a man in half.
"I can tell you what I know, but what I know is only so much." He gave a sharp wave towards the arches. "I know matters of gods and myth and history. And I know that hired swords and madmen have started roaming the countryside letting loose dragons tearing apart city blocks. But if I can help..." He smiled, bringing the warmth back into his eyes. "As a man of our gods, I will gladly do so."
Quistis had simply pointed someone out and without hesitation Zell was already moving over to them. She seemed surprised for a moment, which melted into a warm smile. It was refreshing to see such initiative. She was completely glad she ran into him when she did. Who knows how she would have reacted to the shock of this new world full of strangers if she had been on her own?
She slowly waded behind trying to observe the situation a little better. She placed a hand on his shoulder to ground him and try to let him know his antsiness was showing. They would get their answers in time. She let Zell take the lead on the questions. Zell had been as polite as he could be. Zell had a rough start; she’ll give the priest that. But Zell didn’t deserve what felt like backhanded assistance and disrespect.
Quistis gripped Zell’s shoulder again for reassurance before letting him go. She edged her shoulder only slightly between Zell and the older gentleman. “I apologize for starting off on the wrong foot. It must be hard to get through a day when such dangers lurk about. But look at him.” She gestured to Zell, “He has no weapons. We only came to talk and learn. We’re both eager to learn what you can offer. I would love to hear the history, myths, and even the religion of this place and I come with an open mind.”
Quistis was trying to be empathetic and gentle. Perhaps you can score more flies with honey, after all. She pressed a hand to her heart as she spoke. She was still learning the cultures of this place and it would not get them anywhere to display any kind of aggression. “And of course, if you do not wish to speak with us, then I apologize for taking up your time. I humbly ask that you point us in the direction of someone who will.”
If you don't fight for what you want, don't cry for what you lost.
"My kind?" Although the man seemed to lighten up after the remark, Zell still felt the sting. Was I doing it again he asked himself. His impulsiveness often make him seem like a punk in the eyes of others. But that was far from the truth. yeah, he did have a temper, but in Zell's eyes, Seifer fit that bill when it came to personality traits.
Regardless of his feelings towards the statement, Zell also did have a takeaway from it. Others came here for answers, just like he did. Maybe they found the answers he was looking for?
Before he could speak up again, Quistis politely interjected. And despite his lack of memory of her from his homeworld, he felt a comfort in the way she tried to calm all hostilities. There was a familiarity to it.
"Yeah!" He said, positive but almost having to force some extra into it. "I've been learning about Zephon since I got here. I'm kind of a history dork, so I'm ready to know more!" It wasn't a lie. He may not remember all of his interests, but learning just felt right. And knowing about the why in history was so much more interesting than just being told what happened.
He would wait, as eager as ever, for the priest's story. For Zell, any explanation would be better than no explanation.
Lucas’ eyes widened in shock. He didn’t wish to speak to them? Wherever would they have gotten that idea? ”My dear,” he said. ”I’d be happy to help any child in need.”
The very idea! He was still a priest, wasn’t he? It was his duty to give aid to any who sought it. No matter how dangerous, ill-mannered, or generally unpleasant they might have been.
Outlanders! Why was it always them who found a way to his doorstep?
”Well, if you’d like to learn our history then I’d recommend we find a place to sit. In a study, perhaps? Yes, yes. That will do nicely.” He started down the hall, gesturing for them to follow but not waiting to see if they did. Of course they’d come, he thought, and if they didn’t…
Ah, blissful silence!
He came across a small office most often used for archival and study. It had a kind of dusty smell, and he breathed it gratefully before settling behind a desk set with stacks of books that were perfectly aligned. Behind him were scrolls all kept in their place inside leather canisters of safe keeping. Clutter made chaos, he always said.
”Now, if you’re all settled.” Lucas opened a desk drawer and fished out his reading glasses, setting them at the tip of his nose. ”Do you have any specific interests? I could start at the beginning, but then we’d be sitting here all day.” He gave a little chuckle at his own joke. Wouldn’t that be absurd?
”I’ve studied the old texts of the World Sight and conferred with the monks of Metaia. A shame what happened there. Ah yes, a real shame.” He shook his head solemnly. He had his suspicions as to the cause of that most recent anomaly, but he chose not to share. His guests might take offense, after all. ”If you have any questions, you need only ask. Except about your current predicament. For the last time, I know nothing about it, and violence won’t loosen my tongue.” He gave a short Harumph! before clearing his throat and looking at them both above the rim of his glasses.
Quistis could see Zell looking a little hurt. He seemed to droop a little, as he wore his heart on his sleeve. But he was certainly together enough to not let it get in the way of his goals. She would be here to support him. For some reason, she felt like this was only going to get harder on him. He had high hopes. It did not seem the priest would be able to satiate those hopes.
Quistis knew nothing about Zephon. She had woken by a riverbed where she just happened to trip into Balthier and Zell. This was really the first stop in her travels. She honestly could not think of a more breathtaking place. She seemed surprised at Lucas’s response. Wasn’t he just talking down about them a few words before? Quistis suppressed an exasperated shy and mentally shook her head. What a confusing gentleman.
“Thank you, I appreciate the aid. The study sounds lovely.” Quistis gave a warm smile. However, the priest was already on the go. She made eye contact with Zell and gave a small confused shrug. An indication of ‘I don’t know where this is going, but we follow where he leads’. She turned then to follow quietly behind, taking in the architecture and tapestries of the place.
She soon caught the scent of burning candles and musty books. Her blue eyes lit up at seeing all the information stored in the tomes of the study. She raised a hand to skim the book spines. Some titles were in languages she knew, others were not. She was careful to not touch the scrolls in fear of damaging them. Each item seemed to call to her to be read. Lucas’s voice brought her attention back to him. Quistis felt her heart prick with a million questions. They all seemed to occur at once, overlapping with each other that it made it difficult to even form a single one.
What was Metaia temple? What do the monks do at the temple? What does the temple represent? What was the World Sight? What was the woods they traveled through? What were those zombies? What were the local customs? Was the Crystalus Divider tied to the World Sight or Metaia?
She turned to one of the wooden chairs and pulled it out. Placing her form upon it, she crossed her legs and placed her hands neatly in her lap. “I suppose, to start…” She looked at Zell and studied him for a moment. He had hoped to discover something here. Perhaps, it was better to start at the beginning then? After all, these questions were not for her. She was here for him. “What exactly is this place? The Crystalus Divider, I mean. Not the study. Its beautiful and has a glow to it. Is it blessed by some higher power?”
If you don't fight for what you want, don't cry for what you lost.
"Whoah!"
Zell's eyes lit up when he saw the inside of Lucas's study. Various books and tomes filled the shelves, completely ignorant of the dusty scene that filled the room. He gawked at the possibility of learning all there is to know about the history of Zephon. He didn't know how many lifetimes he'd have to spend just to study it, but the thought of staying here to learn definitely tempted him. Lumina would be furious if she found that out that he ditched her just to become a monk.
”How exactly can I help you?”
The priest's question snapped Zell back to reality, bringing him to the realization that he just ignored everything that Lucas said up to that point. Thankfully, Quistis was there to save the day again. She asked questions, some of which Zell had in mind, but there were still so much more that he wanted to know.
The blonde male took a moment to listen to Lucas's response to Quistis's questions before asking his own. "You said before that you were a man of the gods," he stated, putting his full attention on the others in the room and placing his hands on his hips. "Who exactly are these gods? And you said that you don't actually know why we were brought to this world, but you must have an opinion or a theory, right?" Zell tried not to sound condensending. He truly wanted to know what this priest, this scholar, thought was the cause of their arrival on Zephon. Speculation was better than a simple I don't know.
The girl’s eyes gleamed with curiosity. A sharp intellect. Maybe there was hope for her after all. The boy was a more excitable type. He saw how his eyes darted, how he stood straight with an eagerness that nearly hummed. Father Lucas gave a hum of his own though even he couldn’t tell whether it meant well or ill.
Would he respect these two strange outlanders? Maybe. Begrudglingly.
Lucas considered their questions. The Crystalus Divider. The gods. Yes, he knew all about them. As for his theories…
”I told you, I don’t know anything about that.” His voice was sharp, and his eyes were sharper. ”It’s all an anomaly! Though if I had to guess…” He trailed off thoughtfully. In truth, he had considered it. Several times, in fact, during the dark hours of the morning. But it was nothing substantiated and certainly nothing to lose one’s head over.
And yet…
”The Divider is a pathway for the gods,” he said. ”Once they were plentiful in this world, shaping it to their will. Shiva, the lady of ice. Ifrit, the lord of fire. And of course, the great dragon.” He made a reverent motion with his hands, bowing his head. ”But that was in the time of heroes. Back then, gods and great fiends roamed the world with careless abandon. It’s said that four great heroes rose with the light of the gods, sealing chaos within the elements themselves. On that day, the gods saw their work done, and they left the world until there should be need to call upon them again.”
He looked to the window. Outside, ancient ruins stood resolutely against the ravages of time. Were these temples once used by the heroes themselves? It was impossible to say.
”The crystals will hold chaos at bay,” he said. ”But should their power wane, it is said that the gods will return through that gate.” He gestured in the game direction of the front. ”Thus, the Crystalus Divider. A gate between the mortal world and the realm of gods.”
”Is it fair to theorize that it might in some way be responsible for these anomalies? I wouldn’t say it’s unfair. It could be the will of the gods to call forth agents of chaos from worlds beyond. Or perhaps some greater anomaly has crossed between veils and pierced it where it is thinnest.” He paused. ”But those are only theories, mind.”
