Setting

Since time immemorial, magic ruled the island-continent of Altea. Kings were nothing more than figureheads, as their countries were run by powerful mages, waging war against one another, wreaking devastation and havoc among the land, all for their personal gain. But amidst this chaos, a man with a luminous power emerged - Grinnoc. Wielding light itself, he and his quickly growing followers overthrown mages, hunting them down one by one. After a bloody war, The Paladin Order emerged, to keep the order they have fought so hard for. Kingdoms relinquished control to their saviors, and in the end, The Paladins were in total control. And at the very top was Grand Master Grinnoc - their immortal ruler.

~300 hundred years have passed since Grinnocs rise to power. No longer left with any organization, mages are still scattered all around Altea, running, surviving, or trying to fight back, no matter how futile it is. Mages are still born, even to non-mage parents. Though mostly contained, their threat still lingers. 300 years of relative calm, calm before the storm...

Meldiniar - a new empire formed from all the war-torn kingdoms of the old, under the rule of Grand Master and his Inquisitors, with paladins acting both as guards and mage hunters. Lidia - it's capital, a new shining beacon of hope for all of it's citizens.

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Lore

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Terminology

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Important Info

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Locations

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Races

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Character Sheet



Currently accepted characters are stored here.
You are always, free, however, to suggest your own mini-storyline, even a new race or concept, and we could probably make it work within this story.

Is elf a playable race? I didn't think so at first but it mentions it on the CS

Yes, as long as that elf has a good motive to be outside his forest. They don't really show themselves much. Well, not at the beginning of the story, anyway.

okay im going to take a look at the lore and all that jazz before i post a cs

I'm tired. I'll do some editing in the morning.
A quick question: does this have a specific plot? Or is it a little more free world?

Name:
Calista Monsou

Age:
23
Sex:
Female

Alignment:
Mage
Affiliation:
None
Personality:
Energetic, playful, and approachable are all good words to describe Calista. Despite her hardships or setbacks, she is a positive person with a good heart. Having been an outcast her whole life, both by being a mage and having elven blood, she empathizes with those who are misunderstood or otherwise expunged from society. She tries to help anyone she can, especially other mages. She will go to great lengths, even for the benefit of a stranger, to fight against the repression of magic. She isn't offended easily, and has a slow temper. When she does get mad, her anger manifests in thought-out attacks and premeditated actions. Calista is a smart young woman, and when she feels someone needs justice she is not afraid to take matters into her own hands.
Bio:
Calista was born to a human mother and elven father. Her father, Kularow, came to human's lands to study their behavior and society. According to Calista's mother, he had watched them for some time, the race as a whole, from the outskirts of the Forest. He said he wasn't popular because of his curiosity, and although he wasn't hated for his interest, most elves did not like humans and stayed away from them. The elves, at least where he had come from, had viewed humans as... lesser beings, and had little desire for contact. That apparently didn't sway Kularow from studying them.

When Calista was born, her parents lived quietly, unobtrusively, in a small village in the West of the kingdom. Her father yearned to go live in the capital, to compare trade, but he knew his kind were strangers there, and feared what would happen to his daughter. So, they lived in small village, for him to still study human culture, called Fruor. The half elf was raised with love, and her young childhood was a peaceful and relatively safe time. The small town had quickly warmed to the strange elf and his adorable daughter. The only secret Kularow kept was his magic ability.

Calista first showed ability when she was six, and her training began immediately. Her training went easily and slowly at first because of her young age, but progressed as she did, becoming harder each year. Her father was a strict teacher, and pushed her to her limits. Calista loved every minute of it. She was eager to reach her father's skill. She had her father's skill in magic, the ability to commune with the earth and have it work for the caster. At first, it was nothing more than compiling dirt into compact bricks and, later, boulders, to the more complicated shaping of stone techniques that took her long to grasp. It is actually a specific special memory of hers, the night she had turned a block of stone into a more spherical shape, and her father was incredibly pleased. When Calista was young and being trained by her father, he used to speak of their kind's magical ability often. He spoke of great of feats of magic, both real and imagined, that helped shape the culture and daily lives of the Elven populace. He didn't speak specifically about the people or place though, just the magic tales to inspire her. He had never liked to talk of the people, and Calista and her mother knew his missed his homeland. He did teach her the elven language, which few humans find able to master.

When the half-elf was 16, her father died tragically in a storm. The village had evacuated to higher ground, Calista and her mother included, but her father had stayed to help gather the people who were still evacuating. Both he and the group he was leading were crushed by a windswept tree, or at least that was what Calista's mother was told. From then on, they survived thanks to the good of their neighbors, who employed her for odd jobs around the community for work. Calista, by that time proficient with her magic, and worked with their defense force. But by the time she was 20, she had grown restless, and she soon left home.

In her travels, she has had quite a few escapades, but over time she realized the cause of these were never her race, ideology, or actions, but because of her magical ability. She has developed a strong resentment for any threat against mages, and has begun to help more and more, whether it be a small family in need of escape or money, or an organization requesting her help.

Power Description:
Calista communes with the earth, through prayer to the Earth Mother, Cybele, to shape stone and dirt.
Spells:

• Rock Armor: Calista can either mold stone to fit her body in thin plates, or has a revolving shield of earthen slabs around her person.
• Throwing Stones: Calista can throw slabs of stone or masses of dirt and plant life at her enemies. The distance is relative to the weight of the projectile. For closer range, she can shoot a buckshot of light stones or pebbles.
• Heal: The half-elf can knit flesh and mend bones, depending on the wound's severity.
• Encourage Growth: She cannot spawn plant life, but she can encourage rapid growth, seeding, or other development in already sprouted plants.

Skills:

• Contrasting Attitudes: Her attitude and contagious smile often make people feel welcomed around her, and despite her initial strangeness, always makings lasting friendships and other beneficial relationships in her travels. Not only that, but her demeanor makes any social situation easy and propitious. However, when speaking elvish, wielding her elvish staff, and summoning magic that feels different even to those untrained in the art, she can become intimidating and fearsome, especially to those who aren't used to magic. She knows how to use this to her advantage.
• Animal Empathy: The half-elf can calm and, in a way, communicate with animals. They take a liking to her and work well under her direction.
• Unwavering Determination: She is a girl who struggles for what she has. She has no home, and must survive by use of her own intelligence and drive. She can get herself, and sometimes others, out of morale or emotional funks, and can invigorate people to keep working and striving.
• Herbal Alchemy: Calista has knowledge in the field of herbal medicine, and can often treat small ailments with simple concoctions and potions made from herbs, vegetable matter, and barks.

Equipment:

• Staff of Trampling Force: A staff that belonged to her father, it is of Elvish make. It is carved from a piece of straightened ivory, hollowed for mobility. The top has a parade of elephants carved into a socket on it's flat top, and a gray and black marbled stone, carved into the caricature of an elephant's head and flailing front legs, almost as if he were stampeding out of the staff's top, was embedded into the top of the staff. The shaft is smooth, and the whole staff is the cream color of aged elephant tusk. This staff helps Calista channel her magical abilities.
• Small Locket: A necklace that her mother gave her when she was young. It is a simple circle, silver in color, and inside is a piece of small parchment with tiny elvish writing. It is a prayer for the dead, and she keeps it for memory her father.

Other:
Nothing much

I decided to (mostly) copy-paste this CS from my original one. I just made a few minor changes, and a new spell =).

Appearance:


Underneath the armor, He has short, neatly-cut, black hair, and rugged (nearly clean-shaven) facial hair. His eyes are a deep blue color, and he has a light skin tone. Whenever he isn't wearing his armor, he usually wears a combination of a white shirt, and brown leather pants, often accompanied by a white cloak bearing the symbol of the Paladins of Meldiniar. Underneath the cloak is usually a brown belt carrying his sword and dagger.

Name: Varkasan Trenact

Age: 21
Sex: Male

Alignment: Paladin
Affiliation: The Guardians

Personality: Varkasan is a very approachable fellow, despite how some people may view Paladins. He is friendly to nearly everyone he meets, while still maintaining the image and discipline of Paladins as an elite fighting force of the Meldiniar Kingdom. He tries his best to find a peaceful solution to conflicts, and will avoid violence if at all possible. However, this does not mean he is any less capable in combat. Varkasan is a skilled swordsman, with his early training, he knows numerous ways to tackle an armed opponent. His skill is also backed by an unwavering drive to fulfill his duty as a Paladin. His loyalty to their cause is almost zealot-like, as he will do whatever it takes to bring to justice, anyone (magic-user or not) he believes to be a threat to his kingdom. Because of this, he is nearly incorruptible, and will most likely choose duty over any temptations and emotions.

Bio: Varkasan was born to a family who resided in the town of Paltrica, located near the Meldiniar capital. His father was a soldier, while his mother was a simple housewife. He lived a relatively normal life for a boy like himself. Though he had always looked up to his father and aspired to follow in his footsteps. His father often taught him different sword-fighting techniques in order to prepare him for the future, as he always expected his son to inherit his abilities and put them to good use. At the age of 17, Varkasan enlisted into the military and quickly made himself known to his superiors with his combat skills, and unwavering loyalty to Meldiniar. His ability to resist both fear and temptation so that he can carry out his orders made him a candidate for becoming a Paladin. Since The Paladins are considered the most prestigious warriors in Meldiniar, at the age of 19, Varkasan accepted the offer without hesitation.

He spent the next two years undergoing the special training needed in order to wield the “divine power of Light”. The two years were some of the hardest of his life, but his zeal managed to carry him through where some would surrender. Nearing the end of the two-year mark, Varkasan’s body was about ready to give, but his spirit refused to stop. At the end of his training, he underwent the dangerous initiation needed to hold the power of Light, and he survived. Though Varkasan could remember none of what happened, he was both joyful and relieved.

After being put into The Paladins, Varkasan was put into The Guardians. A Paladin branch dedicated to the defense of Meldiniar and her people from any Mages who would dare cause destruction and disruption of the peace. Despite his skills and iron will, Varkasan is still new to The Paladins and the way they work, and so he still has much to learn.

Power Description:

"The Gift of Light" - Varkasan's abilities are centered around being able to both coat and imbue objects with light energy. Using this, he can make his shield and armor repulse most magic thrown against it. While using it on other objects will allow him to turn things, from his swords and weapons to the most unsuspecting everyday object, into a weapon of light. Varkasan usually coats his equipment with Light during combat, in order to increase their effectiveness against Mages. However, he has almost no way to fight from a distance, and will often have to rely on allies when fighting Mages from long-range. Otherwise, he simply defends himself as he tries to turtle his way closer to his enemy.

Spells:

• Shield of Light - Varkasan will enchant an object, covering it with the power of Light Energy. This is usually used on his combat equipment, though he can also use it for other things if the situation calls for it. The intensity of the light depends on how much energy the wielder chooses to coat the object with. While he cannot create his own Light weapons, he can transform regular equipment into anti-mage weapons of equal caliber.



• Holy Flare - Varkasan will transfer Light Energy inside of the object (as oppossed to simply covering it). This will render the object unstable, and it will disintegrate and explode into a small ball of pure Light Energy after a few seconds, scorching any living creature and Magic Energy caught within a small shockwave when it explodes. The Flare will also remain in the air for 30 seconds (or less, depending on how much Magic Energy is thrown against it), and will release a weak aura that slowly burns away at Magic Energy close to it. It can also act as a light source due to the brightness of the flare. This ability lets Varkasan turn most everyday objects into lethal explosives.



• Burning Reflection - This ability is focused on assisting fellow Paladins. When a Paladin uses a more offensive type of Light Energy (such as using weapons or projectiles of pure light), Varkasan can put them in contact with his equipment (or basically, have them hit him) and amplify their power before "reflecting" the attack towards an actual target. This allows the attack to have as much as double or triple the intensity of its original strength, depending on how much energy Varkasan puts into it. This only works however, if the equipment it goes into contact with is under the effects of "Shield of Light". Otherwise (while he can still reflect the attack to hit something else), the power will not be increased.

Skills:

- Swordsmanship: Trained from a young age, Varkasan has skills that can rival some of the finest warriors in Meldiniar. However, he is not very effective in combat without his weapons.
- Loyalty: Varkasan will never turn his back on Meldiniar and its people. He will brush aside temptations to betray them, and will take on even the most terrifying of threats if necessary. Though, he does keep an open mind on some things, his loyalty to his kingdom is the one thing he cannot be persuaded otherwise about.
- Negotiation/Understanding: Thanks to his ability to listen and understand the point of view of others, he is often able to resolve disputes in a peaceful manner. In fact, he prefers a solution without bloodshed if at all possible. He values all forms of life and views unnecessary death to be a waste.
- Knowledge of animals: Spending time in farms during his free time (back in his childhood), Varkasan is familiar with the behavior of many domestic animals, and can put it to use when the time calls for it. However, his knowledge of wilder species is limited.

Equipment:

• Custom Paladin armor


• Kite Shield


• "Sentinel", his steel sword


• Silver dagger


• White cloak


• A container of water


• A small pouch attached to his belt for carrying various objects

Other: Dunno what else you need to know about him...

@Mad Scarlet: Accepted.

@PerniciousIntent: Accepted. There is one thing, concerning elves however, which I'll PM you with. It's a rather small thing so we have no plot holes later on!

@Rultaos: Do I even need to repeat myself? :)

I can't even nitpick anything.

Largely the same as my old CS. Would it be ok for me to bring in a Paladin as well? We seem to be somewhat lacking in those.

No problem.

Hey fellas! Any room left for one more?

Go ahead man =). The Paladin ranks are thin at the moment and could use some troops, but more Mages can keep things interesting too.

Yeah, I think I'll have characters on both sides now. That also means I'll have to do even bigger posts.

I'm interested. I might make a mage character, if that's alright.

Here I go then! There were some things I was a bit unsure about so I just went with it. Namely the idea of having a high militarily ranked character and the "Vanguard" Covenant that I made up on the spot. Just let me know if these things are not accepted and I'll change asap.

Sylvestra Wyrmire

Age:
28

Sex:
Female

Alignment:
Paladin

Affiliation:
The Vanguard
(I suppose the military covenant of Meldiniar?)

Personality:
Described as a ruthless tactician dedicated to eradicating all illegal magicians from the land. While she is cold and calculating, she is not unfeeling. She has great love in her family of husband and two sons but feels she must set them out of her mind when doing her duty as a Paladin - which is most of the time.
She is a commander of sorts, often in charge of leading men into battle or laying strategies, which perfectly fit her "ruthless tactician" description. In short, enemies of Sylvestra are battled with any means available to her, and friends taken care of the same way: by any means.
She views all fellow paladins with respect and all mages with suspicion if not disgust. She feels the magic has caused so much suffering over the ages that it must be removed completely, and the light take it's place.

Bio:
Grew up in the capital, the youngest of her siblings, with two older brothers that were supposed to grow up and follow in their father's footsteps. He was a military commander and an accomplished one at that, proudly serving under Grinnoc. Her mother was a housewife and spent much time with Sylvestra and her older brothers while their father was away, his duty always calling him away from his family. Her father spent so little time with the family, in fact, that Sylvestra and her brothers grew up basicly only on the stories they had heard of their father. That he was a mighty warrior, a seasoned commander, a veteran... Needless to say, they all grew up in awe of their father, dreaming of the day they would follow his footsteps. Even Sylvestra did, despite her brothers teasing her and her mother telling her war isn't a place for a lady.

Her father was so successfull in combating the mages that they plotted to have him removed. When Sylvestra was 12, her older brothers were 15 and 17. The assassins came into their home in the night, but couldn't find the commander. They had been misinformed - he didn't stay at his home much at all! The three of them began arguing silently in the dark of the hallway, when Sylvestra suddenly appeared in the hallway. It was late at night and she couldn't sleep, so she was going to her brothers' room. The assassins stopped and stared at her as she stood unmoving in the hallway, shocked. A few seconds passed by, when finally Sylvestra found the strength to scream, her voice having faltered her before. The assassins lunged at her, but instead bumped into her older brothers who came storming out of the room, alarmed. In the heat of the moment, Sylvestra rushed downstairs, hearing the sound of metal scraping, moans and thuds. She reached the streets below, and luckily ran straight into the arms of a night patroll. When they rushed back up the stairs however, the assassins had fled and instead they found the bodies of two young boys, with their mother weeping over them.
She didn't know then that it was mages that had come to kill her father, but so angry was she as she continued to grow that she decided to take her brothers' place in military service. She enlisted at 17.

When learning that it was mages that had come to attempt the life if her father and instead killed her older brothers, Sylvestra hungered for revenge. The stories of Grinnoc came to mind, of how his power could burn away the mages' magic itself and directly counter them. She dedicated her entire being into harnessing that power and joining the Paladins. Eventually, at the age of 20, she was strong enough to begin the Paladin training. Her military training before that hadn't been easy for a young girl like herself, but her determination and iron will kept her from breaking. She did it for her brothers. She had endured it, and passed it with cunning and intelligence more than with mere brawn.
The training to become a Paladin was even worse, and now she found herself under heavy pressure every day. No longer could she "outsmart" the training. She had to adapt, and without knowing it the training made her stronger in body than she had ever been. This in combination with her sharp mind was what made her complete this training.

Then finally came the day where she would undergo the dangerous ritual to wield the powers of the light. While she cannot remember the ritual itself, she remember waking up in a bed after three days in a coma. Her body was broken, her mind hurt, but her spirit remained. The strength of her brothers empowered her, and she eventually recovered, finding herself successfull in the ritual and thereby able to wield the Light, or nega-magic as the scholars had called it.
From that day, age 23, Sylvestra began serving in the Vanguard Covenant, dedicated to combating the mages wherever they are and remove whatever threat they prove to be. Over the years she grew in rank and she went from veteran to low-officer, and continued to climb. Eventually, she became the commander of one of the groups within the Covenant, but she means not to stop there. She is bent on continuing her climb, for in her mind, the higher the rank the higher the authority, and the higher the authority the greater means of which to remove the mages from these lands are available to her.

((Note that the part of what became of her parents after her brothers' deaths and how she started a family of her own has been left out. I didn't see them as incredibly important and would just make this sheet much longer. It can be explained ICly instead.))

Power Description:
Sylvestra knows that one man's strength is nothing compared to the strength of many. As such, she has dedicated her powers to empowering her soldiers rather than use it to destroy individual mages. She can still fight, of course, but she is a commander and as such rather see her men safe and strong than gain personal triumph. In battle, she uses her power to increase moral and heighten spirits, empowering the weapons or armor of the soldiers under her command. Both offense and defense she uses it this way, but are sometimes bound to improvise.
In a one-on-one battle, she can use this magic on her own equipment, strengthening her own blows or blinding her opponent.

Spells:
Empower Weapon - Channeling nega-magic into her own or her soldiers' weapons, she can cause hits with said weapons to have the same effect as the magic itself has. For example nega-magic countering arcane magic, but through the form of a blow with a weapon.

Empower Defense - Channels nega-magic into her own or her soldiers' armor or shields, causing them to be extra resistant toward arcane magics and works as spell-shields of sorts. Works the same way nega-magic and arcane magic works when clashing, so the stronger the arcane magic attacking, the stronger the nega-magic infused into the armor or shield have to be.

Empower Morale - The same way that Sylvestra can infuse armor and weapons with nega-magic, so can she empower herself or her soldiers with it. Their bodies become termporarily strengthened by the nega-magic, causing them to do increased damage to arcane-magicians through weapon blows and makes them extra resistant to arcane magic that would strike them. This spell takes more power to work however, and as such is more tiring to use and can't be used as long.

Skills:
Experienced Tactician - Sylvestra has commanded men in battle and created combat strategies for a few years now and as such is capable of giving out orders in the heat of the moment and assess situations and plan around them.

Cold Iron Will - Because of her ruthless nature gained the day her brothers were murdered, Sylvestra has learned to keep calm even during the most stressfull of situations. Her will is iron and her mindset cold and calculating. Breaking her mentally is therefore incredibly hard.

Weaponmastery - During the years of training, Sylvestra has mastered many weapons and as such is able to fight well with most melee arms available. (Swords, maces, axes, pikes, spears, flails, etc). This includes shields of all kinds aswell.

Equipment:
Wears armor fitting to her rank and stature, but prefers to sacrifice some of the heavy protection for flexibility. Her armor is therefore light plate rather than the heavy plate most Paladins tend to wear.
In combat her weapons of choice are a longsword and a round shield or alternatively a halberd.

Other:
None at this time.

@Frey: sure it's allright.
@Cheznor: Accepted. It just strikes me a bit odd that a paladin would use the more "scientific" name for Light though.

Gonna add my second character, a mage some time later on, and maybe even start the IC.



All character lists are stored here for easier reference. Will also put this link in the main post.

People! Yay! Think we have enough to start?

Plenty IMO. Gonna start working on IC soon. It's gonna begin more or less the same, though some things will be tweaked where I think things can be improved upon.

I refered to it as nega-magic in the CS. She'll refer to it as light ICly. (:

IC is up.