ONLY THROUGH DEATH DO YOU
BEYOND THE HEARTS OF MEN
UNTIL MY WINGS DOTH SHATTER
UNTIL MY HEART DOES BREAK
BEYOND WHICH NO HUMAN SOUL MAY WANDER
S e c t i o n I: T h r e K h i k l
W i t h i n T h e W o r l d O f A t o n e
I W i l l T a k e F r o m Y o u, Y o u r H e a r t O f S t o n e
L O R E
"FOR THERE ONCE LAY SOMETHING BEYOND THIS PRISTINE LAND; AN ENDLESS CITY OF TIMELESS BEAUTY AMIDST AN INFERNAL BACKDROP OF CHAOS AND DISORDER.
WHAT NOW DO WE HAVE TO CELEBRATE BEYOND A BROKEN HEAVEN, REMEMBERED IN THIS SHATTERED, OLD WORLD?"
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A MAJOR PART OF THE RISE STORY IS UNCOVERING THE LORE AND DISCOVERING WHAT BECAME OF THE WORLD BEFORE YOUR RISE.
ALL THAT IS YET KNOWN OF THE WORLD BEFORE YOU WAS WHOEVER CAME BEFORE MET A SWIFT END, LEAVING BEHIND A WORLD FULL OF MYSTERIOUS WONDER AND BEAUTY - BUT FOR SOME, SIMPLY WONDERING WHAT HAPPENED IS NOT ENOUGH...
AS YOU UNCOVER THE MYSTERY OF THE WORLD, THIS SECTION WILL UPDATE TO REVEAL THE EPIC TALE OF ATONE'S PAST, AND MAYBE IN DOING SO YOU WILL SECURE IT'S FUTURE... OR CONDEMN IT TO A REPEAT OF HISTORY.
T H E W O R L D
"THIS LAND IS DANGEROUS AS IT IS BEAUTIFUL. STORIES AND TALES DO NOT DO OUR HOME JUSTICE, NOR DO THEY GIVE SOLACE TO THE INCREDIBLE PEOPLE THAT CALL IT HOME."
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WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF ATONE, AN ANCIENT LAND THAT IS NEVERTHELESS QUITE NEW FOR MANY OF ITS INHABITANTS! ATONE IS A FANTASY UNIVERSE, SET UPON A LAND DOTTED WITH THE DILAPIDATED AND CRUMBLING RUINS OF AN OLD CIVILIZATION THAT HAS LONG SINCE PASSED INTO THE BEYOND. HERE, SEVERAL FACTIONS HAVE MADE THEIR HOME, NUMEROUS AND PRESENT IN NEARLY EVERY CORNER OF ATONE. AS A FACTION LEADER YOU MUST GUIDE YOUR COUNTRY TO SUCCESS, PROTECTING YOUR LAND, PEOPLE, AND PRIDE FROM THE OPPOSING EYES OF ANOTHER.
HOWEVER, IT SEEMS AS THOUGH YOUR WORLD IS NOT TRULY WHAT IT SEEMS TO BE. WILL YOU SIT IDLY BY AS THE SUN COMES AND GOES, THE WINDS BLOW, THE SEAS RISE AND FALL, SATISFIED WITH YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF ATONE? OR WILL YOU BOLDLY VENTURE OUT TO UNDERSTAND THE STRANGE HAPPENINGS AND CHARACTERISTICS OF YOUR VERY HOME? WHO KNOWS, MAYBE YOU WILL DISCOVER SOMETHING MORE IMPORTANT AND VALUABLE THAN YOU EVER THOUGHT POSSIBLE.
ATONE IS A HIGH-FANTASY REALM, THOUGH WITH VERY APPARENT LIMITS. WHILE THE MAGIC IS OUT THERE, FOR ANY INDIVIDUAL IN A FACTION TO BE CAPABLE OF USING IT IS A RARE OCCURRENCE. THERE ARE FEW MAGES IN ATONE, AND EVEN FEWER WHO COULD CALL THEMSELVES EXPERTS OR MASTERS. THE TECHNOLOGY ALLOWS FOR THE CREATION OF WOODEN BUILDINGS FAIRLY EASILY, WHILE STONE MASONRY TAKES TIME AND QUITE A BIT OF EFFORT. STEEL IS USEABLE, AND CROSSBOWS AND CATAPULTS ARE THE PEAK OF MILITARY WEAPONRY.
B E S T I A R Y
"DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE WHAT BELONGS OUT THERE IN THE WILD HEARTLANDS OF ATONE. NOBODY YET KNOWS WHY THEY ROAM THIS WORLD AS WE DO. ALL I CAN BE SURE OF IS THAT YOU ARE NOT THE MOST DANGEROUS OR FEARSOME BEING WALKING THIS DESOLATE LAND. DO NOT FALL INTO THE TRAP OF THINKING THIS IS UNTRUE."
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M A G I C
"THE GREY BALANCE CONTAINS THE LOCKED FEW SECRETS OF THE ART OF BENDING OUR WORLD. NONE KNOW YET HOW WE CAME TO PASS WITH SUCH BLESSING - YET OTHERS WONDER WHY WE WERE CURSED WITH SUCH POWER."
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MAGIC IN ATONE IS A RARE PHENOMENON, A SKILL WHICH ONLY A GIFTED FEW POSSESS, AND EVEN FEWER THAN THAT EVER MASTER THE ART. MANY CULTURES IN ATONE RIGHTLY FEAR THE GIFTED MAGES OF THE LAND AS THEY POSSESS EXTREME POWER AND POTENTIAL FOR DESTRUCTION. IT IS NOT UNHEARD OF FOR EVEN AN AMATEUR MAGE TO ANNIHILATE ENTIRE ARMIES BY CALLING FORTH THE POWER OF THE UNKNOWN, DEVASTATING SETTLEMENTS IN STORMS OF FIRE OR HORDES OF UNDEAD.
MAGIC IS SPLIT INTO TWO SECTIONS THAT DETERMINE THE TYPE OF MAGE: CHARGE AND FOCUS.
G R E Y B A L A N C E
"THE GREY BALANCE WAS THE MOST FOUL FRAGMENT OF THE PAST WE HAD EVER LAID EYES UPON. WITHIN IT'S CORRUPTED PAGES IS EVERYTHING THE SOUL WISHES TO KNOW; IT DOES NOT BELONG HERE, NOT IN THIS WORLD, NOR IN ANY OTHER. IT IS BEYOND WHAT SHOULD EXIST AND NO MERE MAN CAN CONTROL IT'S TERRIBLE CONTENTS AND HOPE TO RETAIN HIS MIND."
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GREY BALANCE IS MYSTERIOUS TOME DISCOVERED NOT LONG AFTER THE RISE OF POST-DISSAPEARANCE HOLDS AND FAMILIES FROM THE ANNALS OF THE GREAT UNTOUCHED LIBRARY WITHIN HERO'S REACH, THOUGH THE INNER SANCTUM OF THAT SACRED PLACE HAS NEVER BEEN INTRUDED UPON. THE TOME ITSELF IS A MYSTIC BOOK, LINED AND BRANDED WITH STRANGE AND OTHERWORLDLY MATERIALS. THE CONTENTS OF THE GREY BALANCE IS NONEXISTANT AND THE PAGES ARE BLANK - IT SELECTIVELY CHOOSES TO ENDOW KNOWLEDGE UPON THOSE IT DEEMS WORTHY, AND THOSE FEW CURSED INDIVIDUALS COME BACK FROM IT'S INDUCED TRANCE WITH LITTLE TO SHOW OF THEIR PREVIOUS HUMANITY. THOSE IT SELECTS, THE JUSTICARS OF BALANCE, ARE RIGHTLY FEARED BECAUSE OF THEIR EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE THAT COULD RUIN ANY LESSER MEN.
S e c t i o n II: T h r e K h i r e
B e y o n d T h e W o r l d O f A t o n e
A n d W i l l G i v e T o Y o u A H e a r t O f F l e s h
H E R O E S
"CIRCUMSTANCE IS A SHREWD MISTRESS, THOUGH HER UNFEELING GAZE DID BRING FORTH THE AGE OF MAN. WITHOUT THOSE STONE-HEARTED INDIVIDUALS AT OUR BACK, WE MAY HAVE PLAYED MERCY TO THE RAVENOUS MYSTERY OF ATONE - WHO KNOWS WHAT SUCH A FATE WOULD ENTAIL. "
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IN RISE, A 'HERO' IS THE GO-TO TERM FOR THOSE SPECIAL INDIVIDUALS WHO WALK THE LAND. THEY CAN BE A PART OF YOUR FACTION, EVEN A FOCUS OF IT, OR A ROGUE BANDIT OR RENEGADE - THE POSSIBILITIES ARE ENDLESS. BUT A HERO DOES NOT NECESSARILY HAVE TO BE A MYTHICAL WARRIOR OR POWERFUL MAGE, THEY CAN BE THE GIFTED DIPLOMATS, MERCHANTS OR FARMERS THAT MAKE YOUR FACTION GREAT. THIS IS NOT TO SAY, OBVIOUSLY, THAT A HERO CANNOT BE A WARRIOR, BUT THEY DO NOT HAVE TO BE.
ALL HEROES IN ATONE ARE ALLOWED ACCESS TO MAGICAL POWERS SHOULD YOU WISH TO DESIGN THEM AS SUCH.
EVERY HERO REQUIRES THEIR OWN SMALL CHARACTER SHEET, FOUND BELOW.
A R T I F A C T S
"SOME THINGS IN ATONE WERE PERHAPS MEANT TO STAY BURIED BENEATH THE SULLEN ROCK. THE POWER THEY COULD YIELD MAY NEVER HAVE BEEN MEANT FOR OUR KIND."
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G A M E P L A Y & E V E N T S
"THE PATH WE FORGE FOR OURSELF IS ONE PAVED WITH BLOOD AND CARVED WITH THE TOOLS OF MERCY"
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C R A F T I N G Y O U R F A C T I O N
"IT WAS THEN THAT THE GREAT HOUSES AND HOLDS OF ATONE DID FLARE INTO LIFE AMIDST THE BLACKNESS - AND OUR WORLD WAS NEVER THE SAME THEREAFTER."
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SO YOU WISH TO TAKE YOUR PLACE IN THE WORLD OF ATONE? A HARSH AND UNFORGIVING LAND, YET SO FULL OF SECRETS AND TREASURES TO BE FOUND. IF THIS IS TRULY YOUR DESIRE, READ ON TO BE PROVIDED WITH A FACTION SHEET APPLICATION STRUCTURE, AND SOME THINGS TO BEAR IN MIND WHILST BREATHING LIFE INTO YOUR FACTION.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT A FACTION IS IN NO RESPECT A 'NATION', LIKE IN OTHER ROLEPLAYS OF THIS KIND - IT IS RATHER A HOLD, A SMALL REGIONAL POWER. YOUR FACTION IS COMPRISED OF A LARGE TOWN THAT SERVES AS THE CENTER OF YOUR HOLD AND A CULTURAL MODEL FOR THE REST OF YOUR LANDS, AND A NUMBER OF OUTLYING VILLAGES AND OTHER ASSORTED SETTLEMENTS. MILITIA FORCES AND GUARD COMPANIES WILL USUALLY BE FORMED FROM EITHER MERCENARIES OR PULLED DIRECTLY FROM THE SETTLEMENTS IN YOUR HOLD.
R U L E S
"SOMETIMES IT IS BENEFICIAL TO ADHERE TO THE RULES SET BY BEINGS HIGHER THAN YOURSELF. NEVER FORGET THOSE LESSONS, THEY MAY SAVE YOU IN YOUR TIME OF NEED."
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I
THE WORD OF SILUX AND ASURAS IS TO BE CONSIDERED ABSOLUTE LAW
I I
OOC ARGUMENTS ARE FORBIDDEN. PERIOD. E-PENIS ARGUMENTS SHALL BE ENDED VIOLENTLY
I I I
SILUX AND ASURAS WILL DO THEIR BEST TO BE AS FAIR TO EVERYBODY INVOLVED. DON'T BE A LITTLE BITCH IF THINGS DON'T GO YOUR WAY
I V
NO GODMODDING. NO MIN-MAXING. NOTHING OF THAT SORT
V
PLACE "UNTO THE HEARTS OF MEN" INTO YOUR FACTION SHEET APPLICATION TO SHOW YOU HAVE READ THE RULES
V I
NO METAGAMING
V I I
NO PURPOSELY FINDING LOOPHOLES IN RULES
S e c t i o n III: A u k l U k l
L a s t W o r d s
I W i l l G i v e Y o u A N e w H e a r t A n d P u t A N e w S p i r i t I n Y o u
"SING TO ME A SWEET SONG OF FREEDOM BEFORE A SHADOW DOES FALL UPON US ALL. WATCH ME BURN AND NEVER LOOK BACK, FOR WHAT LIES BEYOND IS MORE TERRIBLE THAN YOU DARE TO IMAGINE"
Last edited by Silux; 03-17-2013 at 09:32 AM.
J u s t i c e R e v e n g e M e r c y D e s p a i r L o v e H a t r e d F r e e d o m P o w e r A n s w e r s