Rat King

Isola Radiale || High Chaos Corvo Attano || Corvo the Black || Dishonored II Newcomer Written by Rev

[rattussrexx]

And thus, a NEW Emperor rose in the Capitol,   as CORVO the BLACK seized the Empire       and HUNTED down his ENEMIES.

Isola affiliated depiction of High Chaos Corvo Attano, also known as Corvo the Black, from Arkane's Dishonored II.

Newcomer. Condo 408.

Other Isola Blogs: Ketheric Thorm (myrkulchose)

APP. STATS. MUN INFO. RULES.

The best way to contact me is via tumblr IM

Permanent content warning on this blog for potential religious themes and blood/murder/gore

The only way to get his actual ending in-game is by killing every NPC in the game. He has a lot of blood on his hands.

A very powerful sorcerer in his own world

Tends to be rather rough around the edges. No nonsense. The 'strong, silent' type.

This man BROODS.

Talks to rats. Loves dogs. Doesn't like cats.

He misses his wife, Tails.

Would do anything for those he cares about to keep them safe. I mean ANYTHING.

Doesn't trust easily. He is afraid that most people will betray him.

Can have a very quick temper and mood swings. He is prone to outbursts when in a fit.

Current Status of Muse

Due to a slight severance to the Void via being thrown into Isola, he's not as prone to his paranoia as he is in his home world. Therefore, his mood is more stable, but it won't last as he gains more access to his abilities.

As more abilities become accessible to him, he will start having more mood swings. He might seem a completely different person from the one individuals have come to know him as.

[rattussrexx]

// okay going to reattempt to get things settled here lol its been a HELL of a week. //

[rattussrexx]

Look, he may be a crazed tyrant who ruled his empire with an iron fist

but he's also a Wife Guy.

[rattussrexx]

"What are your coupling customs? What do you call your partners? What do give to signify rank as a partner?"

Corvo was a bit taken aback by the question. The man was hardly what one might call a 'prude', but he was a simple man. A man who had only ever loved one woman, and that love had stayed true to his heart for a long, long while. Emily had long tried to play matchmaker for him in her court when she had been Empress, but nothing had ever stuck. Corvo had simply dove into his work and his duty as her Protector. That had been that.

"From what I've observed here, our 'coupling customs' don't seem that different. Courtship means closeness. Closeness and intimacy. Understanding. We never really had a drawn-out exchange. Wouldn't have been appropriate. I never really called my 'partner' anything ever but her name or 'your Majesty' or 'ma'am'." He snorted. "She was more for the pet names. Not that she ever called me anything deemed too 'affectionate' beyond 'dear' in public."

Her dear Corvo.

"For her, though? I gave everything I absolutely could, and even then it hadn't been enough."

[lanshiang-a]

She was becoming accustomed to the wash and shiver of the Void entering and leaving her body. A little like waltzing in this case. Corvo's transversals felt different than Daud's, like slithering through a sieve and having the rest of your body catch up with you. Daud's consistent guardianship had her transversing herself. Something she could still do now. It was different. Corvo moved quickly, expending energy that he wasn't going to be getting back.

And then they were out of that nasty space, into another hallway with rustic furnishings on the sides and unassuming wallpaper. The air smelled like must.

Carla put her hand on his side and pat him twice as the rest of the environs caught up with them. There was a lot of activity in this place, all distant. Screams, thumps, and the sounds of other torments.

Once again, she'd been thrown into the mix like a rat in a maze. And once again, she had the mind to kill these Stars.

"I'm fine, big guy," she murmured, watching his body language with sympathy. The very first thing she had done as him, apart from general reconnaissance, was transverse sequentially as fast as possible, "- you don't last too long, do you?"

It was again, a gentle jab, and she pulled a menthol-smelling patch out of one of her pockets, taking his hand gently away from his face to thumb it onto the pressure point in his wrist and stick it there. It was for a bit of alleviation for the stretched pain of running on empty.

"C'mon. If you're here, Daud's somewhere. Any idea what happened-? Oh–!"

She inhaled, sharply, and unclipped the tactical strap from around her shoulder. They wouldn't be pursued by the thing in the room at all, and the rest of the place was silent enough. There wasn't a thing in her perception she could pick up to interrupt the moment. From a long black bag, she drew a soft fabric case, and held it out to him.

"I promised you a trade. Here you go. Daud's got the schematics, but I can build these."

It was only by Daud's blessing that she gave it away. Not that she wouldn't have otherwise. What was Daud's was hers, in her eyes, and could be used to further her personal goals.

One of which was arming Corvo Attano with a wrist crossbow, the metal fresh, new, and with a slightly blue tinge. She'd made bolts for it in a bundle, ten metal ones, and a glove to attach the weapon securely to.

"It is powered by a C-Battery. It needs some sort of organic material once a week to continue working. Plants, meat, and insects all work."

Meanwhile.

"Now how the hell do we get out of here?"

[rattussrexx]

While he was no where near the peak of his physical ability-- that ship was long sailed, over twenty years ago -- even normally he was not this winded after a flurry of Blink's. Corvo attributed it again to the interference of this damned island and it's Stars. He was a tad lightheaded as he readjusted to filling his body fill with the essence of the Void that he might connect, knowing his mana reserves were needing a time to recoup.

"Normally, I last longer than that." He gave a grunt in response. "I admit that you're not necessarily seeing me at my best. Though, I know you know that."

It was odd, speaking to one who had been inside of his head in the way that Carla had been. In a way, she knew him better than even Jessamine or Emily ever had. It was almost frightening. If Corvo allowed himself to feel a thing like 'fear' again.

At the mention of Daud, he gave a grunt.

"Haven't felt him, but there is something familiar. Well. It's me. I saw myself. Seems to be the trick around here. Place is full of them. Reminds me of Jindosh's house of horrors. All that's missing is the giant mechanical soldiers."

His back straightened as he turned to face her entirely as the wristbow was presented to him. A familiarity crossed his eyes as he took it from her, feeling its weight (or lack there of) in his palms. Good craftsmanship. A tad more advanced than anything he had seen in his own world, but he knew that the woman was beyond resourceful and from a time far more advanced than his own. He could adapt, and he could use this. Instantly, he felt more secure in his footwork.

"I'll give you a proper thank you, and help you with that purchase you wanted, when we both get out of here." He muttered as he attached it to him, wrapping it around his left wrist. It felt natural, as though it had always been a part of him. The adaptability of an assassin.

"When Lurk and I were separated by running into our alternative selves, we got caught up in one of the side hallways. Place is a maze, but if I can manage to find a map or a blueprint or something, I could get us through here. I would recommend going 'up', if able. At least it's easier to get eyes on something from higher perches."

He turned to walk away from her a few feet, crouching down to run his fingertips over against the floor. A brief sensation, just to notice if he could feel the familiar vibrations of hundreds of tiny feet. The first indication that his younger self might be locked on them again.

"I will say here, keep an eye out for rats."

[righthandknife]

His need to keep up appearances of strength barely registered with her. She saw it, sure, but she'd seen that same expression on the face of so many others- She'd lost the ability to care, at least in this moment.

Get a grip, Corvo.

"Based on what you told me, you escaped from Jindosh's place. If you can do that, I know you can keep up."

Where she's from, Emily was the one who did it, and the way she told the story afterword made her laugh... Now wasn't the time to reminisce, though.

The faint gust of wind and ashy crackle of Dauds blink quickly hit her ears, and she whipped around to face a dark corner, seeing nothing, only to head for a nearby door and signal Corvo to follow. "Come on, I don't like the sound of that..."

The other side of the door brought its own new set of challenges, a sprawling room of tile that rivaled Dunwall tower. A strong chemical smell hit her nose first, noticing pools of water all around them, having to wade into one as she pushed past the door.

"Just our luck- Fuck..."

[rattussrexx]

His only response to her comments on his ability to keep up with her was a grunt of agreement. His senses were on haywire, the hairs on the back of his neck raising and sending sensations down his arms and legs. Everything was on high alert right now and he couldn't shake it. It was too familiar, and his mind was clear. So unlike the time before where he had been set to conjure within the confines of his own man-made prison. The sudden change in pressure was enough to begin the inklings of a headache, throbbing against his right temple.

"After you--" Was all he managed as a grunt as he moved to try and get out of there as quickly as they could. He didn't like this. Not one bit.

As his boots hit the first puddle of water, he stopped. Eyes instantly darted around, finding the shadows and the crannies where he might Blink to. Without cluing Billie into what he was doing, instantly he left from behind directly behind her to appearing on a nearby rafter. It was mostly instinct at this point and he filled into the space as though he belonged there. Crouched much like a gargoyle, he glanced around the room for a brief amount of time before an annoyed hiss escaped from his mouth. No exit that he could find, though it would work better for them to continue on.

Instantly, he was back to her side, once more into a crouch. Again, that electric air seemed to reverberate behind him and he spun, hand reaching to grab for a weapon that was not there. Fuck. Damned muscle memory.

"We're being hunted." He hissed to her, backing up as he faced towards the door they just came from. "This isn't good."

As though on cue, the sound of scampering reverberated through the hall behind them. The carpet seemed to be moving, like wind blowing through wild grasses, but he recognized what it was. Rats. Many, many swarming rats.

"Lurk, get off the fucking ground." He hissed as he instantly Blinked to atop a nearby raised surface.

[rattussrexx]

This man is very Sicilian coded so just envision the 🤌 emoji whenever he starts talking very passionately

[lanshiang-a]

The air hissed around her with a whisper and she didn't jump, rather, settled more confidently and comfortably into her hidden position. The monster below swung its head feverishly under the stained bag, the indentation of a mouth pressing against the burlap and seeping through. It screamed, and smashed through a wooden wall with the chainsaw. Ada leveled the pistol.

"Bossy," she murmured, "When do you get off telling me what to do?"

She didn't put malice behind it. It was a toothless declaration. Carla took a shallow breath, held it, and fired the hypodermic pistol.

There was a hiss of air, and a squeezing sound. The injection ammo thumped into the monster's skull and it reeled with a deep howl.

The howling peaked and became louder, and louder into a scream of utter agony.

And then the steam began to appear. The skin of the beast bubbled, and began to burst, and swell, as well as melt. The agony reached a fever pitch, and the chainsaw in its hand was too little, too late, and too attached. With the speed this beast's bones melted and burned, the chainsaw fused to it.

And then it went still, a cocoon of brackish looking melted tar hardened in an instant.

She reached out to her companion stuffed in the rafters beside her, and took his hand in her own feverishly warm one without a second thought, sheathing her weapon.

[rattussrexx]

Had it been someone else, back talk would have been met with a quip of his own. However, his only response to Carla's quip back at him was a grunt of his own. As though he was simply speaking to another extension of himself. He would help her out, and she knew it. In this moment, they were allies and Corvo felt a sense of protectiveness towards her. Whether that was due to something else growing inside of the former Lord Protector or the simple fact they had been inside each other's minds would remain to be seen.

He had an understanding of the torment that Carla had gone through for most of her life. The brief encounter they had have, where he had needed to feel the pain of that needle in order to make sure his own body did not become uncontrollable, instantly came back to him as he saw her moving to pierce the monster that lingered below them. Seeing it actually in action, though? It stunned Corvo, for a moment. A reminder to him about the manner of destruction the other could bring, if he truly was able to.

It reminded him of the River Krusts that littered the crumbling corners of harbor spaces. The places between the worlds of the Living and the worlds of the Depths, the Abyss, the Void. Corpses in metamorphosis. Life where Life should not be.

Quickly, though, he reeled in his thoughts and immediately brought it back to Carla as he felt her link her hand to his own. He didn't make a mention of what she had wrought, for in that moment it wasn't his place to ask, but quickly he summoned up the Void in order to Blink both himself and his companion off of the railing and away to the floor. It was quick, and sudden, with Time freezing between the both of them to slow the chaos below. It lasted but a moment before he summoned it again.

Blink.

Blink.

A final shutter as he felt the Void magicks around him weaken, tightening around his chest and drawing all the air from his lungs. He could feel his heart pounding in his ear drums, the blood rushing to pressure behind his eyeballs. It had been awhile since he had Blinked in such rapid succession, but it was quick enough that the two of them were outside of that room in but a few seconds.

He quickly let her go once he felt his power drained and he hissed, shaking his head in order to push away the sudden brain fog that followed.

"How do you feel?" He managed to ask as he squeezed the bridge of his nose, as though waving away the nausea.

[rattussrexx]

@dishonoredknife young!corvo s.c. Event: Rooted

------------------

For a moment, he had only been a memory. Then the next, he was yanked forward from nothing and existed into something. His mind was hazy, as though fog from Dunwall harbor had rolled in. Something in him had sent him on a path like a hound on a rabbit trail, ready to run down the fields to catch a quarry.

Himself.

A primal, uncontrollable drive to find something. Someone. He couldn't put his finger on what it was, but it was there -- and all the rage and the hatred and the blood lust was rising up along his eyes like a buoy in the water. It drove him, much like the rats that were squirming and thrashing at his feet like a living, moving carpet. He did not know where he was. Everything was so confusing, but that urge drove him. It pushed him forward as he stalked like the night predator he had become--

until he turned the corner and saw a face in the distance. The mask leered out from underneath his hood, the rats ran forward to clamber over his feet, their voices rising in octaves in his ears.

strange man strange man strange man!

the one in the red coat! the man in red! the man in red!!

Daud.

[homunculus-argument]

Hey y'all know that thing where you try something new with what you're doing, accidentally manage to make something awesome, and know that you're never going to be able to replicate that again?

[rattussrexx]

@thiefandlyre s.c.

He was used to the stragglers that came into the bar during the off hours. Newcomers, fresh from the pit, trying to find their way around the island and the wards. He had only been here a couple of months himself, but if Corvo was anything, it was adaptable, so he had learned enough that he could be an easy access for a newcomer.

Or whoever it was that was sitting at the edge of his bar.

"What will it be?" He offered as he placed his hand against the bartop. "Drinking tonight? Or we just here for the atmosphere?"

[dishonoredknife]

Daud nodded. As far as the workings of this world, both he and Attano were behind. There was a considerable knowledge gap between what he thought he knew, and what had taken its place, devices even stranger than the drug-addled Philosophers could dream up.

"There really is no telling what will be brought here. When I arrived, I was the only one that knew of the Empire, the Outsider. Now, there's you."

Another long drag of smoke he held in his mouth, face furrowing with a troubled look.

"And knowing that, like clockwork, every few eclipses, something happens to disturb the world. When I awoke here, it was a cataclysm, and memories- experiences- that weren't from my lived reality. Then, all the destruction vanished without a trace. Things like that happen here- it makes me wonder what I need to prepare for next."

"The Rat Plague? Jindosh's cursed Clockwork Soldiers? Spirits forbid Delilah finds us in this state..."

Delilah was friend to neither of them, and unlike Corvo, Daud did consider her a true enemy, and one whose influence had roots in many places, and branched outward unfathomably.

Daud crushed the cigarette in the ashtray, weary pre-emptively at the thought of his troubles with the Brigmore Coven.

"We are in the same boat. I saw your transversals are limited. But I also know your Void-given power is only supplemental to what you can do. You'll need a blade soon enough."

He turned to Corvo wearing Ada's skin, "It's been three months, I only just became capable of using my entire range of transversals. And just re-learned how to use the Void to clarify my sight. So, if I learn anything relevant, I'll share it."

[rattussrexx]

The mention of Delilah caused Corvo to snort, though it sounded so foreign coming from Ada's nostrils. Enough so it even caught him off guard and he found himself blinking at the sensation. Just another reminder that this wasn't his own body and this wasn't the right experience.

"If that bitch shows up, I will want her head on a stake, and I will take it every damned day if I have to." He growled, the sound very deep coming once again from Ada's throat.

He exhaled briefly before he took a step back, away from Daud again.

"It is appreciated, what you might do. It would seem that, even right now, it is better I let somethings go. At least for the time being."

[righthandknife]

His sudden jump has her holding both hands out and taking a step back away from him, gesturing for him to calm down with one hand, and for quiet with the other, bringing her finger up to her lips.

Shh-...

She could already hear people in the rooms beyond scurrying around. Heavy footfalls and muffled screams built a soundscape of anxiety and danger all around them, and her eyes dart from side to side while she assessed the room for doors and windows, finding only a scant few outside of a front door.

They were in the Lobby then, but... something felt off.

"The latter." She finally responds, clutching the small dagger she'd stolen in a reverse grip, stepping over the other unconscious bodies to the front door to try it... only to find it locked, and cursing under her breath as she made her way back over to Corvo.

"Guess we're both stuck here... There's gotta be another way out, though- Or we just hunt down the bastard who has the key." She curses softly, even more so because Foresight is still sealed- She could be seeing so much right now, and yet she's moving blind.

"Loathe as I am to suggest it... I don't think we should split up in here. Might be more safety in numbers. There's some kind of malevolent aura about this place, "

[rattussrexx]

He hadn't intended for Billie to see him in a moment of weakness. The man had made it a point to never let his guard down; to never let anyone ever see that he could have a moment to be broken. He had dwindled his own inner circle to only those who had proven the most loyal, and even then he had kept himself wrapped within the confines of his mission exploring the Void. He had never intended to let other's see his weakness.

Damn it all.

"Hm. I have been stuck in clockwork prisons before where there was no key. I agree. It would be better to keep close than wander off, especially until we get a bearing of where we are or why we're here." He replied as he turned to face her.

The mention of the aura once again sent a shiver down his spine, only this time it was familiar. The crackling sensation of the Void, just out of reach. Close enough he could taste it, like being too close to an Oil Battery. It tasted like ionization, a metal that touched the back of the tongue. Like biting one's cheek and knowing the blood that spilled.

It was specifically like his own.

"I don't think we should stay in one place for too long. Something is coming. Do you feel that?" He said, eyes darting around as he looked up and down the halls.

[rattussrexx]

Event: Rooted Specific Starter Call

This Starter Call is specifically for Young Corvo interactions. A chance to run into him from his younger days. Still High Chaos. Still bloody. He seeks to destroy his older self, so don't expect much in the way of conversation, but if anyone wants a mini boss fight, help yourself.

Putting a cap of 3 on this.

[lanshiang-a]

There was a loud, steady buzzing- the hum of a chainsaw behind the twisting wooden walls of some sort of maze she'd gotten through most of. Putting half a clip into the bastard had slowed the massive monster down, but he was made of some stronger stuff.

And she was catching her breath hiding in the shadowed, wooden rafters for a moment, making softer decisions while time passed. She had pulled her pants low to access her thigh, and pressed a hypodermic against her muscle to draw a substantial amount of blood into the small canister. All silent.

The hulking monster, wearing a stained sack on its head and lugging around the chainsaw gurgled below her when she righted her clothes and pressed the ammunition into the chamber.

@rattussrexx

[rattussrexx]

This was a mess. From what he understood, he was being steadily hunted by the presence of his former self. His younger self. A warped personification of the the vengeance filled man he had been, hunting down the enemies of the crown who had cast aside his honor and sent him into a hell of their own making. Though, that wasn't the worst of it. Now, he was also being chased by a presence of the woman Ada had once been. He remembered enough from the brief glimpses into her past that he could see it. The pain. The rage. The absolute carnality.

She was also hunting.

A rock and a hard space weren't the half of it.

He had managed to freeze time in a brief moment as he positioned himself to Blink atop the rafters close by to where Clara was. Another Blink in quick sequence had him instantly closer to her, his own body crouched low as he looked down at the vicious trap below them.

"Probably would do better for you to get out of here." he offered with a grunt. "Whatever you're about to do, do it, and then take my hand. I can get us out of here at least."

[withourtraces-deactivated202602]

[righthandknife]

@rattussrexx || Rooted (plotted)

She's waking up someplace weird. It's not her hovel in the butterfly, it's somewhere else entirely. She feels like a bag of bricks was dropped on her head, though, a throbbing headache in her temples and a wave of nausea washing over her.

Soon as she steadies herself, though, she manages to get a glimpse around... It's a hotel of some kind, not the usual red walls of the butterfly. The question now was who brought her here, because she sure as shit didn't fall asleep on the floor of this place on her own.

Beside her were several others, one notably with a dagger on his hip which she's quick to snatch while he's still unconscious. He seemed to have other weapons on him, he'll never notice it missing, she's sure.

Slowly standing, she takes note of a familiar face off to the side- Corvo Attano, of all people. Hurriedly, she moves to his side and rolls him up onto his side so she can shake him awake. There's a looming sense of dread filling her heart, and she didn't want to linger here longer then she had too.

"Wake up- on your feet, Corvo, somethings wrong."

[rattussrexx]

The last thing Corvo remembered was being settled in with Ada, then set off to help her acquire a new vehicle. Not the most exciting of events, but she had offered to pay and make it worth his while. A simple exchange. However, he should have understood by now that nothing was ever so simple.

Now he was passed out on the floor of some building he did not recognize, being shaken awake by a ghost. No. Not a ghost. He had already met Billie at the bar, but seeing her face looming over him was enough to jolt the fallen emperor awake and bolt back. His breathing was intense, rising and falling with an elevated heart rate as he stared at Billie with a maddened gaze. Instantly, his hand reached out to grip her wrist, as though trying to shove her away from him. As the confusion waned, Corvo took a deep breath and reached to squeeze his forefinger and thumb to the bridge of his nose.

"Fuck!" he managed to mumble as he quickly moved to his feet to process his bearings. He did not know where he was, but his long life had made him adaptable. It appeared rather posh, with rich woods, red furnishings, and ornate decor. It almost reminded him of his years in the Tower, or the elite stations in Karnaca. It smelled a hint like dust, though the sort of dust that hung from velvet curtains that had not been beaten in a few weeks.

"Where am I? Or is your guess as good as mine?" He asked with a grunt as he turned to look down the hall. That sense of dread that Billie felt was creeping up his own back, raising the hairs on his hackles as though the air were radiating with electricity.