The War of the Vampire Kings OOC + Sign Up

[Vormund]

The War of the Vampire Kings
OOC + Sign Up Open

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Alright, while I try to iron out the writing here, and make the intro all epic and everything, I'll tell you a bit about this RP.

I have done this one before, on a site called Mangafox. It was the very first RP I ever created for text based roleplay. I've made D&D campaigns and storylines and played with world creators on Neverwinter Nights and Elder Scrolls games, but I had never done this before. Despite my relatively noobish ways, this still became my most successful (in my opinion) RP ever, and I have yet to create anything quite on the level of this. The downfall of this RP was careless moderation, and my dislike of upsetting people back in my pushover days. I simply let the wrong two-three people in, who just destroyed the RP, and I let them do it.

I still consider that my biggest failure in my RPing career.

Two pathetic attempts at rebooting later, I decided to shelve the idea. WotVK just wasn't meant to see its conclusion. It was just one of those that didn't feel like it was meant to even get halfway done. Mind you, it was 80 pages long, and even with the three stooges, it was still an epic story. I'd like to see it continued and concluded, but putting it back on Mangafox would be a severe case of beating a dead horse.

But... I figured i'd give it one last go around. I loved this RP and it's story too much to just be okay with letting it go. I'm going to take my time building it though.

The premise itself was fairly simple. Four Vampire Kings, each who reign over a quarter of the undead world each, are tired of their stalemate. They start a war in the country that every nation, dead or not, covets. They set their battle in the land of Niverin, the greatest, most powerful and most prosperous nation on the entire planet of Malius. Whether there by choice or by happy (unhappy) coincidence (accident), a few mortals have the power, skill, and the pure dumb luck the change things in a story that was supposed to be a ten chapter saga that spans over ten years of in game time.

It was a typical sword and sorcery, like something out of forgotten realms, and I'll admit, I borrowed heavily from Dungeons and Dragons, since this was originally, before it was an RP or a novel idea, a DnD campaign I made for friends. I even made classes with levels and everything for it. I originally planned for a big ass leveling system and whatnot, but never could figure out how to implement it, and it ended up going nowhere. In my reboots, I kept the classes, but it wasn't the same, and eventually I got rid of them.

Needless to say, we didn't get through more than the prologue and half the first chapter before it got destroyed, which is why I'm going to be a real stick in the mud about adding things to my world this time around. Anyway, if you have any questions, please PM or VM me, and I'll be more than happy to answer you. Thank you.

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(insert face-meltingly epic intro here)

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OOC Rules

-Standard Roleplayer Guild Rules Apply.
- My SiC and I are the moderators here. Any questions or concerns will be answered by us. Any arguments that you cannot find a solution to will be solved by us. What we say goes.
- No Flaming, Stalking, or other stupid crap here. If you have a problem with the person, take it up with them via PM. If you start shit, I'm going to take action against it. You have been warned.
- I don't care what font you use, but don't use ςгคzץ Ŧ๏ภtร lเкє tђเร, please. Also, if I can't read it easily, I'm not going to try.
- If you have any suggestions, complaints (About the RP, not other players), and questions, feel free to ask in the OOC.
- Keep the OOC thread PG-rated, please. I don't mind if you cuss and drink and seduce in the RP thread, but keep the OOC clean, please.
- Two characters per person max. No more than that, please. The only reason I'm playing three is to keep things moving, plus Kalanthas is basically the plot towards the end.
- Only OOC posts goes here. If you want to discuss things, make a plan with other characters (ones you don't care if others know), etc., you do it here, in the OOC. No (Ohai guise this is OOC) in the Roleplay thread.
- If you have a complaint with another Player, PM either the player about it, or, if you don't want to talk to the player, me and my SiC so we can come up with a reasonable conclusion. DO NOT just start arguing with each other in the OOC. I will give you a warning if you take your fight to the OOC.

My SiC and I will use a Three-strike system. Three Strikes, you're out. No If's, And's, Or's, or But's.

OOC and Roleplay Staff
The All Moderator - Faldne Vaerge
SiC - Hunkat

[Vormund]

Niverin



There are many lands across the planet of Malius. Some are huge, like Ethmiru to the west, which takes up damn near a quarter of the planet. Some are tiny, like Shandevar to the southwest, a tiny country that is barely 50 square miles in diameter. There are rich countries, like Mavrefell, and poor lands like Varna.

However, none are more diverse, economically, geographically, racially, and so on, as Niverin. A land steeped in history. A land with soaring mountains and burning deserts, expansive seas of brilliant green grass and deep lakes of crystal blue water. A world of wilds dangerous and cities peaceful. A country covered in ruins of ancient times and relics of forgotten eras.

It is this amazing land in which the legend of the Sapphire Phoenix grew and died. This is the beautiful world that the Dread Empire tried to seize and rule almost five hundred years ago, stopped only by the strength of the Paladin King. This is the vast country that Kalanthas Qoral, the Legendary Sage, used magic unknown to the rest of mortals to stop one of the four moons from smashing into the planet, and send it back to it's proper place in orbit to stop the lich Anlagen.

This is the land heroes have been born and have died in.

This is home.

And now it's threatened.

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The Provinces of Niverin

The Heroes Plain
The Northvale Province
The Jonovah Province
The Gold Coast
The Southvale Province
The Vanerlyn Province
The Mir Province
The Winterfell Province
The Bjordred Province
The Jerall Province
The Reach Province
The Mulhorrin Province
The Matarion Province
The Ring of the Forgotten

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The Rulers of Niverin

The Lords and Ladies of Niverin

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Please note that these links are all mine. I posted these back in the day when I created this thread for Mangafox.

[Vormund]

Races

Dwarf
Dwarves are tough, rowdy warriors with a knack for all things construction, from forging weapons and armor to crafting buildings and mines. They are grim and gruff, but what they lack in social graces they more than make up for in hardy endurance and brutish strength. Dwarves are between 4 to 5 feet tall, and weigh between 150 and 230 lbs. They become adults at age 30.

Combat based Dwarves are the stereotypical "heavy armor and bigass weapon". Stealth Based Dwarves tend to be more of the Thug archetype, using fear tactics and violence to get the loot. Magic Based Dwarves are extremely rare, but gifted ones tend to be Druids, whose powers are more earth and stone based than their non-dwarven counterparts.

Dragonkin
Not exactly common, but they are seen enough to not be written off as a figment of some blabbering idiot's imagination. Dragonkin are rarely seen in the civilized world, preferring their tribes and isolation from other people. The occasional one seen in the civilized parts of the world is usually an exile, a member who broke one of the Ten Essential Words of Torond (their patron deity). They are thick and brutish, even more so than dwarves. They are also not as socially graceful as the grumpy dwarves. Dragonkin stand anywhere between 6'6" and 8' tall and weigh from 300 to 500 lbs. They become adults at 30 years of age. Dragonkin also don't really have a set look, but all are reptilian humanoids.

Dragonkin Combatants are usually the barbarian type, light armor, big axes, and their only plan being the "beat up and leave" one. Dragonkin Stealthers are usually the Highwayman type, combining enough stealth expertise and combat skill to pull off a heist on some nobleman's wagon as it travels. Dragonkin Mages are always druids, without exception.

Elf
The Longest lived of the mortal races, Elves distance themselves from others. Inspired by the simple beauty of the world around them, Elves hate nothing more than war and wanton destruction. They are fair and graceful, but physically frail. Elves stand between 4'6" and 5'6" and weigh from 75 to 120 lbs. They become adults at 50 years of age.

Elven Warriors tend to be the "Wear light armor, wield a light weapon, and stay moving" type. Elven Rogues are the "sneak in the shadows, and kill them when they aren't looking... Or steal their valuables when they aren't looking" type, depending on their morals. Elf Mages tend to be the wizarding type, throwing lighting and conjuring beings to fight for them. Healers are common too. Dark Magic elves are extremely rare, and almost always shunned by their kin.

Humans
The most common of the common races. Humans are the innovators, the dreamers, and the destroyers. There are no limits to how much good a human with steadfast morals can do, and there is no telling how much damage an unscrupulous one can cause. They are the most widely varied of all the races in terms of body structure, but the average human stands from 5'0" to 6'0" and weighs from 130 to 200 lbs. They reach adulthood at 17 years of age.

Since humans are so creative and unique from one another, there really isn't a "typical" style of human warrior, rogue, or mage.

(Note: Height and Weight Figures are given for male specimens. Females tend to be shorter and lighter.)

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These are the most common races of Niverin, and the world of Malius overall. Of course some parts of the world will have creatures and species unseen in this area, simply because how massive the world actually is. If you have an idea that you want to bring to light, PM me. We'll sort it out. DO NOT JUST POST A NEW RACE BY YOURSELF. It has to be approved by either me or my SiC.

[Vormund]

Specialties

Every character has one. It defines how your character gets by in life. Warriors tend to be the bigger, stronger type with the heavier armor and the heftier weaponry. Rogues like the smaller weapons, lighter armor, and are fans of the more-movement oriented styles of combat. Mages tend to laugh at warriors as they throw lightning bolts at them... However, mages are extremely vulnerable if a warrior gets too close...

Of course, you can mix and match somewhat. A lot of very successful Assassins augment their stealth with illusory magic, arcana meant to beguile their foes in the heat of combat, to allow that one feint that ends with their blade finding their foes heart while the enemy is blocking a strike that doesn't exist. King Arathein Ardmore himself is a user of magic, using supportive magic to bolster his men, and healing magic to keep himself and his nearby allies alive in the thick of combat. Many wizards also learn the basics of swordplay so they can defend themselves if a melee combatant gets too close to effectively fire off spells. Warriors might learn the basics of stealth to help set up ambushes against groups of enemies. I could make a dozen more examples, but I think by now you get it.

Of course, you can only have one specialization. Even a spellsword, who spent ten years researching magic and practicing swordplay in even quantities, will be better at one part of his profession than the other. A Wizard who knows ten different kinds of magic will still be better at this type than that one. So under your character specialization, just put one of these things. Under fighting style, you can add that he knows basic stealth, can use healing magic to knit wounds together while fighting, etc.

Combat
Combat Classes, true to their name, are the classes with the highest level of combat capability. they have minimal to no skill in magic and stealth, but who needs it when you can take a blow and send one right back at the one foolish enough to fight you face to face? These classes are good for people who just want to swing a weapon, and are easiest to play. This choice is good for everyone, from beginning RPers to veterans.

Magic
The most difficult classes to play, due to their minimal (melee) combat ability and the temptation to godmod with their magic. Mages have to plan eight moves in advance, like all of the great chess players, because if they get caught in a difficult situation, they will be extremely hard pressed to get out of it. I will be extremely strict with who I let play a magic based character, for those same reasons. These classes are for the roleplayers who want to play a deeply philosophical and logical game.

Stealth
With their mediocre combat skill and half-assed weapon and armor selections, stealth based classes take a fair amount of thought to play properly. Playing a stealth class is like playing a chess game. If they make one thoughtless move, they could screw themselves over for the rest of the game.

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Character Guidelines

Go ahead and let your imagination run free, but please understand that I will not allow ridiculous ideas. If you propose that you should be allowed to play a troll knight, I will propose that my foot be allowed to meet your ass. If you want an orc knight with a flail, then by all means give it a shot. As long as he isn't too OP or out of character for an orc, it's all good.

Likewise, I'm going to put holes in my desk with my forehead if you try to add more than one specialty. You specialize in one thing, even if you have some other talents to augment it with.

Finally, be your own worst enemy. If your bio sounds stupid or overpowered to you, I'm going to think the exact same thing. Please just take all of these things into consideration when building your character. Thank you.

[Vormund]

Character Sheets

Character Sheet for Vampire Kings

(Appearance Picture Here)

Name:

Race:
Age: (At least 300)
Physique: (Height/Weight)

Approach to Life: (Personality)
Approach to Combat: (Fighting Style)
Life's Journey: (Biography before death, at least 3 paragraphs)
Undeath's Path: (Biography after death and rebirth, at least 3 paragraphs)

Armament: (weaponry)
Protection: (armor)
Arcane Ability: (any magic. Please note that undead cannot use healing magic, or any other type of light magic.)

Other Possessions: (Gear)
Anything Forgotten?: (Other)

Character Sheet for Mortals

(Appearance Picture Here)

Name:

Race:
Age: (At least an adult by racial standards. Dwarf is 30, Dragonkin is 15, Elf is 70, Human is 17.)
Physique: (Height/Weight)

Approach to Life: (Personality)
Approach to Combat: (Fighting Style)
Life's Journey: (Biography, at least 4 paragraphs)

Armament: (weaponry)
Protection: (armor)
Arcane Ability: (any magic)

Occupation: (What does your character do when not saving the world?)
Other Possessions: (Gear)
Anything Forgotten?: (Other)

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Character List

Vampire Kings

(There will only be four Vampire Kings.)
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Mortals

(This list is non-exhaustive. Slots will be added as needed.)

- Reserved for Aesoroth Shadowgale
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Other

(Kalanthas will be the only one.)

- Reserved for Kalanthas Qoral

[Vormund]

(Reserved for Main Quests and Side Adventures. Will be filled out after the Prologue Chapter of the IC.)

[Vormund]

Announcements

OOC Open @ 4:34 PM, 2/4/13
The OOC for this RP is now open. Please note that I will be working on it while it's open, so please keep an eye on this front page. Every time something is finished, I will announce it here. Thank you.

[Hunkat]

Joining for sure! XD

[Vormund]

Aesoroth Doucard

Race: Human
Age: 25
Physique: 6'1"/ 169 lbs.

Approach to Life: Aesoroth is an individual with an aura of confidence that is almost palpable, and a killing intent that is nonexistent, despite the fact that he can and will kill you before you can form any thought of defense, should the need arise. A warrior who is always willing to test his skill, regardless of the lethality of the competition A Mediator who can use weapon or words to end a debate. A man beholden to no one but himself, but loyal to those who are loyal to him. All three are common fireside descriptions of the man, who is toted as The True Swordmaster, and the last genius of his kind. Aesoroth is calm and humble, knowing that he doesn't need attitude and anger to back him up in debates or in combat, not with his skill and mind. Quiet, polite, and honest, Aesoroth is a stalwart ally, but only until he gets bored. Just don't ask him about his past, for it would be a waste of time. He keeps his past, feelings, and thoughts (unless pertinent to the situation) inside.

Approach to Combat: Aesoroth is able to fight in any scenario, and fight well, but his true genius lies in mobile combat. Not hit-and-run, but mobile. Aesoroth needs room to counter, to dodge, to shape the battlefield to his advantage. While he could be ordered to hold a hallway, and that hallway would soon be blockaded by several corpses, his true genius lies in actual battlefields, or at least large rooms that give him the chance to use the speed and agility that carved his legend, and put him into the Hall of Heroes at the age of 22.

Life's Journey: Aesoroth is the youngest son of the Doucard family, perhaps the richest and most successful family in Niverin, outside of royalty. No, his family does not own a very successful mine, or run the largest shipping corporation in the land. They are all successful warriors, mages, priests, and the like. And Aesoroth... was the failure of the family.

He couldn't seem to do anything right. He wasn't learning the art of the blade fast enough. He wasn't able to use magic, to any degree. No god, or agents of any god, spoke to him in his dreams. Aesoroth was the disappointment to his family, and namely to his father, a proud Ranger who had literally been to hell and back in his glory days. His father didn't beat him, or yell at him, or anything like that, but Aesoroth could just tell that his father Raphael couldn't bear to bother with him any more.

So Aesoroth left, taking some things from the storehouses. And his father cared just enough to not send a search party after him.

Of course, Aesoroth was raised by the Doucard family. Just because he wasn't good enough for them, doesn't mean he was weak. By the age of fifteen he could stand toe-to-toe with the average soldier and do well. However, that wasn't enough for him. He wanted to be far beyond average... Beyond anyone, really. Aesoroth had lost all love for his father by the time he ran off, so the only one Aesoroth wanted to prove his perfection to was... Himself. Only himself.

And while he traveled and fought, he trained. Any way he could think of, and without fail. If his right arm was broken, he'd train with his left. If he twisted his ankle, he'd practice fighting on one foot. If he could take a bridge across a ravine, he'd still climb down it, go across to the other wall, and climb back up.

As a result, his body is as densely packed with hard muscle as it could be, and with his training, as flexible and speedy as could get. Men with twice his training couldn't keep up with him, but he still was only in the top 75%. He needed more.

Aesoroth needed to be part of something, to have something tangible to strive for.

So he started applying with fighter-type guilds. But none seemed to cater to his type of combat. They all preferred the big sweaty types in heavy armor. Aesoroth wore nothing more than heavy adventuring clothing. The types with shoulders as big around as his skull, swinging blades that were damn near as heavy as he was. Okay, that was an exaggeration but that's what it felt like to the tall, well muscled but thin Aesoroth.

His wandering eventually brought him to Jenovah, the land of the white sands. It was there that Aesoroth decided to be a knight. That would show his family, and prove to himself that he was indeed worth something. So He enlisted in the army. And for a while, he was happy with being a palace guard/squire. He was respected enough for any 16 year-old to be pleased with, and the duties of the job were all very important things to learn on the road to combat perfection, things like how to sharpen blades, how to repair common armor and shield damage (which showed him exactly where they are weakest, which would perhaps be the most important lesson of them all in combat), but most importantly, he learned the discipline and patience he needed to really start making leaps and bounds in his progress.

After all, trying to quickly learn something so your disapproving father could shun you when you didn't get it... Wasn't Aesoroth's learning style. He needed to be able to take his time, to swing his sword till his shoulders were numb and his palms were raw and bleeding. He needed to learn exactly how his body was comfortable doing a certain type of cut, and that was something that takes anyone a long time. But when he found how his muscles worked, he instantly pulled ahead of the rest of the warriors his age, and even some warriors many years his senior. It turns out, he was a genius, but not the type of genius his father wanted. His father wanted another prodigy to carry on the name.

But Aesoroth... Aesoroth was a genius of hard work.

That was the only way to put it. It took him a while to learn a technique, but he would practice until he couldn't anymore. And after that, he knew the technique perfectly, and usually well enough to improve on it. The genius that the Doucard family was famed for was starting to come through, and word of the new squire was being passed around, even reaching his Family halfway across the country, in Northvale. His father came to Jenovah, all smiles and hugs and apologies, asking him to return to his family and take his place as a proud warrior of the Doucard family.

Which Aesoroth refused, without missing a beat. His father was originally very, very upset with that, but over the course of a few years and many letters back and forth, The Doucard family and their estranged son have a cordial, if not familial, relationship.

Fast forward two years, about two months from Aesoroth's 19th birthday. Now a lieutenant in the Palace watch, Aesoroth's strength and legend was nearing it's peak. Not because he couldn't go any further, but because the limits of palace duty wouldn't allow for what he really wanted, combat and chaos. Other than putting down the occasional assassin, or catching and arresting a thief, or the like, There really wasn't any action in the palace.

Until the raiders came. Acting as a traveling troupe of minstrels, they came into the palace hoping to entertain the royalty. When they got to the throne room, however, they showed their true colors and drew weapons. The threat was initially contained, but one slipped out to go find the princess. Aesoroth was the only one who saw that one escape, so Aesoroth followed.

The raider was quick, however, and somehow knew the layout of the palace. Aesoroth caught up to him as he was ripping clothes off of the princess. However, that was quickly ended with a blade through the neck.

Aesoroth was found by a small battalion five minutes later, holding a sobbing Samira.

That same knight, Aesoroth was named to the Throne Guard, and was given to Samira as her primary protector. His legend grew more that day, as the youngest knight ever to named a knight, let alone a member of any royal's Throne Guard. Samira introduced him to Dunstad Duvain, who was a refugee prince of Mir (which was going through a very bloody civil war at the time). All three became fast friends, and with the title of Knight/Throne Guard, Aesoroth could train better, and get into fights that would test his abilities even further. But he again hit a limit. He couldn't go any further getting in one-on-one scuffles. He needed real battle. He needed a war.

But he wasn't entirely sure he wanted to leave. He started falling in love with Samira. Of course, he never told her. He was a commoner, and her bodyguard. She would want an actual prince, someone who came from a similar background. It was also during this time that Samira's father died. Now that both parents were gone, Samira was now the Empress of Jenovah. She promptly named Aesoroth the Lord Protector of Jenovah, just driving the wedge between any feelings they had for each other deeper. A Knight and a Princess was one thing, but an Empress and her Lord Protector? That was a story you never heard anywhere.

So he instead focused on gaining strength, and wondering what fighting in a war would be like.

And King Arathein Ardmore asked him to participate in one. After long discussions with Jenovah's Royal Family, High King Arathein, and Himself, Aesoroth went to war against the Dragon Zealot of Tiamat. Aesoroth enjoyed leaving Jenovah, for his foolish feelings were getting in the way of the original goal of becoming the strongest at his art.

The war was long and bloody, and during the three years that Aesoroth was at war, He matured into the true mastery of the blade. Every stroke of his sword was a kill, and friend and foe alike feared him, the blur of the battlefield. It was actually Aesoroth who slew the Dragon Zealot Mortos, for which King Arathein indicted him into the Hall of Heroes, the museum for the legends of Niverin, with a statue of him fighting the dragon.

Aesoroth returned to Jenovah with much fanfare and celebration. However, he didn't stay long, once he learned of Samira and Dunstad's marriage. He left, and hasn't been seen in Jenovah since.

That was five years ago. In those five years, he has been carving a legend for himself, even beyond what he already had. Now Aesoroth is one of the most storied warriors in existence, and he's not even thirty.

And now, Arathein and his country need his sword once more...

Armament: A long sword with a handle long enough two hands, if the need for extra power arises. However, Aesoroth generally wields it one-handed.

Protection: Traditional Niverin Ranger Armor, with the addition of an average steel plate on his right forearm, and oversized ones on his left forearm and upperarm/shoulder, which replaces the traditional shield that most Northvalen rangers carry along with their long swords. He did this because his training in the blade arts never included shield training, and while he is able to use them, he prefers not to be encumbered with them.

Arcane Ability: None

Occupation: Former Lord Protector of Jenovah, Currently a Mercenary
Other Possessions: (Gear)
Anything Forgotten?: (Other)

[Vormund]

Bump. Come on, I didn't rebuild this so it could wither and die