Name: "Sato Kaede. Call me Kaede, even if you don't know me. Don't like that formal bull."

Profession: "Was a privateer for Euskadtcha. First Mate, too."

Age: "Turned twenty-seven a couple years back."

Appearance: "Odd question, seein' as you're the one lookin' at me. Guess I gotta answer ya, though. A bit pale, if I'm being honest, though it ain't too noticeable. Been told my eyes are hazel, ain't never really looked before. Hair's black, keep it cut short, near my shoulders. Keeps it out of my eyes when on the sea. Guess I'm decent height. Five-foot-nine, maybe? Got me some muscle. Nothing huge, couldn't notice it underneath all the clothing. Gotta stay muscled, work I do. Been complimented on my looks, but sailors at sea for weeks on end would compliment a one-eyed, bucktoothed tavern wench. Still think I look a bit girlish, rather than like a woman, though. Satisfied?"

Preferred Weapon: "Use a cutlass, for the most part. Got a pair of daggers strapped to my thighs, just in case."

Hometown: "Small, fishin' village few miles down the coast from Euskadtcha. Never was important enough to get named."

History: "Like I said, came from a little fishing village south of Euskadtcha. Was a fisher. What, don't believe me? Good, maybe you're not as dumb as ya look. Fifteen, left that hole for Euskadtcha, signed on the first ship that'd take me. Swabbed decks for months. Eventually got around to training me to use a sword. Cutlass, different from broadswords. Need more finesse. Anyway, taught me how to use a sword and knives. Got to help on some of the raids. What, thought I'd just gotten on a trade ship? Hell, we were privateers. Like pirates, but we work for the government, an' don't raid no one but criminals. Pirates of the pirates, I guess.

"Anyway, served on the ship for years. Worked my way up. Made sure I was noticed by the crew when I went on raids. No, not that way, you idiot. Mean I was flashy. Went in, showed off, got the job done too. Never tried to short anyone of their due, or any of the loot. Never stole from the ship. Got one rule among sailors. Well, two, I guess. First one is, don't ever lie to each other. That includes stealin', or takin' more than your share. The other is, don't sleep with the rest of the crew. Both for practical reasons.

"Gettin' off again. Er, said that wrong. Yeah, well, showed off enough. Captain took a shine to me, more than I figured. Made me first mate around when I was twenty-three, I think. Well, things went on like normal, for a while. Few months ago, though, guy made a move on me. Remember rule two of sailors? 'Parently, that don't count if the crew's got women. Told him to act professional, an' left it at that. Next thing I know, second time to port in Euskadtcha, get arrested. Called me a thief an' smuggler. Tried to convince 'em, didn't work. Captain was reputable, lot more than me. Probably him told 'em that, revenge for not fuckin' 'im. Bet the bastard is the real smuggler, if there is one. Been rottin' in a cell until I got to go look for those Sudoku things.

"Well, that's my story. Now, get outta here, you're bothering me."

Why you've taken up the quest: "Welp, was accused of being a lying piece of filth by the city. Gatherin' these things'll help me get my rep back, may as well do it. An' if I'm gonna do it, I'mma do it right an' get 'em all. Surely they'll drop charges then. Might even get me my own ship an' crew. Least I'll deserve, after all this shit."

Personality: "Well, as you've probably noticed, I'm just a lil ray o' sunshine. Won't show if I'm depressed or anythin'. Will try to look all smiles an' shit when everyone's lookin'. Let ya know when I'm mad, though. Guess I'm paranoid enough, though not like I see threats or bandits in ever shadow. Better word'd be superstitious. Always believed in sea monsters, mermaids, stuff like that. Ghosts, too. Other than that, believe in Rhea. Sea goddess village worships. Pray alot when on a boat."

Inventory: "Whatever money I've got left to my name, some lockpicks. Other than that, clothes on my back and weapons at my hips."

Other Info: "Ain't got nothin' else to say to ya. Not, get away. These questions irritate me."

Not real sure of what style of names to use. Western, Japanese, Roman, etc. Just wanna see if it matters.

(Tying on to Pyro V's question, I was wondering, if we were to make our own cities/towns/etc, does it matter what sort of race the residents resemble?)

No, you don't have to, Aces.. But it'd help a lot. I tend to think a great deal about the people when I make places up, it helps me to visualise them better.

Pyro, I like the charsheet. Names are sort of a tricky issue, because some regions of our map only became united in recent years, and most if not all of of the small town villages that littler the map and save cartographers the pain of leaving blank spaces have their own naming traditions. But this is eastern. The most western names allowed are Cyrillic, or russian. Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Polynesian names are just fine, however.

Done, then.

Well that didn't take long to get up. I'll get to working on something tonight and post it here.

Name: "I am of the Yamada family, my name is Shiro."

Profession: "I suppose that most know very little about my Order, in that case I will explain. We are called Keikai, in the common tongue it means The Vigilant, we are a sect of warrior monks who answer only to the Abbot in the Temple of Suhara. We safeguard the Temple of Suhara and all of it's residents. We are also occasionally called to other places in the world to help maintain peace and balance. Keikai like myself have all been blessed by the spirit of Suhara at birth and hence can manipulate the energy of the world through concentration of will much in the same way that Mages and Necromancers do in other parts of the world. "

Age: "I am thirty two years of age."

Appearance:



Preferred Weapon: "I am trained in the use of a sword but I no longer carry one. I rely on the blessing of Suhara, what you call magic."

Hometown: "I was born in the Temple of Suhara, which is not uncommon. My father and mother were both Acolytes, monks who have devoted their life to preserving our teachings and educating younger generations."

Why you've taken up the quest: "Why does anyone take such a task upon themselves? I committed a great sin. I killed the Abbot of the Temple of Suhara and seven of my Keikai brothers and sisters. In my youth I was very competitive and attempted to perform a taboo ritual that would grant me strength by fusing my soul with that of a malicious spirit in order to become the greatest Keikai who ever lived. It is extremely dangerous for the person performing the ritual and anyone around them. I thought myself above such danger and summoned a malicious spirit to bond with but the spirit was much too strong for me alone. The Abbot and ten Keikai arrived to stop the ritual but, except for three of them, lost their lives during the ensuing battle to cast out the spirit from this world. Regardless of my intent, I was responsible for a great tragedy and I was placed in isolation until a new Abbot could be appointed and later judge me for my actions. I was left in isolation for several years until I was finally brought to the new Abbot who has ordained that I seek out the Four and Fifty Pieces of Sudoku as penance for my sin. I must collect every piece in order to atone."

Personality: "In my youth I was quite arrogant but I have learned in my isolation that balance is necessary for everything we do. Just as I must commit Sudoku to atone for my sin. I am much more collected now than I was as a young man.

Inventory: "The world will provide for me so that I may provide in return."

Other Info: N/A

Hi Juju! You got me very interested in this game before, and I am fascinated in your description of necromancy and the morticians. I was wondering if you could expand upon / reiterate it a little to give me some inspiration, since I was thinking of making some sort of socialite mortician.

Also, in regards to the quest for Sudoku, what are some obvious reasons a mortician may pursue it? Is it possible for someone to not go on the quest to collect the pieces, but instead to do so for other reasons (such as for a mortician thinking "there will be a most definite need for my services")?

Name: "I'm Takeshi Ryuu. Call me what you will."

Profession: "I work as a mercenary."

Age: "I'm 34"

Appearance: Ryuu

Preferred Weapon: "I call it The Stomach Churner. The barbs along its striking end leave virtually no survivors. I carry my military identification as well as the proper permits in a small pouch on my bandolier."

Hometown: "I'm from Euskadtcha, the city of warriors and wine."

History: "Born in Euskadtcha to a merchant and a fisherman, I wasn't particularly special as a child, or as a young soldier. I fought a few battles, drew some blood, but my service and my childhood were neither exciting nor unique. It wasn't until after I retired that I realized I missed the feeling of battle, but not the strict discipline of military life. Deciding to become a mercenary, I found that it wasn't as simple as I thought: my abilities, my life and a chunk of my morality were for sale. Still are, really.

This was acceptable. I was never asked to outright betray my beliefs for a good few years, until one bastard found my price: my own damn life. The choice was simple: murder a man who had wronged him, or lose my own life. Why this lunatic would threaten a trained soldier, I'll never know. The primary reason for this being the fact that I skewered him before he could finish his sentence, a small dagger in his hand. Immediately alerting the guard, I sat in jail until the matter was looked into, and was released by the end of the third day. Wasn't fun, but hey, I'm still kicking and that guy isn't.

Nothing changed. I continued my work and my life, the knowledge that living was not at the cost of my soul a constant comfort.

Why you've taken up the quest: "I...accidentally set a house alight during a job, killing an innocent family. Most people thought it was just a simple accident, but I decided to Commit Sudoku to atone for my sins. This is as much a matter of honor as it is a matter of clearing my soul. Nobody knows why I'm even doing it-the people who knew me just learned that I left to Commit Sudoku because of 'a personal failing that must be corrected.'"

Personality: "I'm a sellsword, and as such I gotta be willing to get my hands dirty. That being said, I have a conscious, and I got things he won't do. Typically, the job just deals with a lot of protecting people while they ship goods, or if they feel particularly paranoid about a certain individual targeting them. Sometimes I intimidate or harass people to make "protection" payments, and I get a cut. Sometimes I get sent to protect those same people. Those funds aren't just left in a coffer somewhere, no. All in all, I like to think I'm a decent person with the capability to stretch my moral code in order to make a living. Unless I get a feeling that my life or well-being are at stake, I don't go out and attack people. But I may make an exception if I get real angry."

Inventory: "I got a bandolier, goes from my right shoulder to the left side of my hip. Inside it I have my documentations, a first aid kit, a dagger, some money, and a pendant from my days in the military. Nobody touches that under threat of death. It means as much to me as my own life, and my reasons are my own."

Other Info: N/A

Zagreus said
Hi Juju! You got me very interested in this game before, and I am fascinated in your description of necromancy and the morticians. I was wondering if you could expand upon / reiterate it a little to give me some inspiration, since I was thinking of making some sort of socialite mortician. Also, in regards to the quest for Sudoku, what are some obvious reasons a mortician may pursue it? Is it possible for someone to not go on the quest to collect the pieces, but instead to do so for other reasons (such as for a mortician thinking "there will be a most definite need for my services")?

Well, like i've stated before in the Interest check, Necromancers have little to none of the stigma we have against raising people from the dead, because necromancy has become an Institution. When you die, your body gets donated to the common cause, and your friendly neighbourhood Mortician will slice off your meaty body to be buried, cremated, mulched into fertilizer, sacrificed to whichever god you believe in, etc... and animate your skeleton into a form capable of turning cranks, pushing levers, and working most of the background machinery for the common cause. Even in death, they still serve. Animated skeletons are better manual labourers then most living animals or beasts of burden, like oxen or horses. Even then, they freak people out, so you still see horses and oxen being used to pull carts. Also, given the context, this makes the Shawl and staffs look of most of our world's view of necromancers in this world look like Horseriding tack.

Necromancers (Mortician is the job description, Necromancer is the act itself. Like the difference between working a washing machine and being a laundromat attendant.) keep their fingers of the pulse of society. Most if not all of them are licensed by the guild in Bonne Chance, so new schools of thought not approved of the guild, or even something simple like animating the dead for your own personal benefit could be seen as grounds for being forced to commit Sudoku for your crimes of "Seditious and treasonable activity."

Oh, okay. I think I understand now. Thanks.

Name: "I go by the name of Kunisaki Ren,"

Profession: "They call me an onmyoji.... which is a term we use for a diviner."

Age: "I am almost twenty five."

Appearance:


Preferred Weapon:
"I have no need for weapons to fight..."

Hometown:
"I was born in Azuma, a small district in Rotatska... but we moved to Look South when I was nine, and I have been living there ever since"

History:
"There is nothing much to tell, really... As I have said before, I was born in Azuma, where my father works as a renown physician. Even after we relocated to Look South, for reasons I'd rather not disclose, he continued to practice his medicinal arts. He imparted to me many of his knowledge, though, while it had been truly inspiring, I was more interested in the spiritual knowledge the people here are so dedicated to in learning. Father had disapproved my decision to learn onmyodo, but he eventually relented after some time....."

Why you've taken up the quest:
"To seek pardon. The feudal lord of our district, Lord Izumo, hired father to treat his ailing son; but, in an unfortunate blunder, he accidentally killed him instead, and Lord Izumo decreed for my father to be executed... I pleaded for his mercy - I said that I would do anything, if only his Lordship would let him go. Surprisingly, Lord Izumo had agreed, and he tasked me to Commit Sudoku, in exchange for his leniency......"

Inventory:
"I carry with me some acupuncture needles, and a mystical flute called Riku - which is said to carry the blessings of Benzaiten"

Personality:
"Must I really spell it out this way? A personality is something you should observe and judge for yourselves... But I suppose, if I were to judge myself, I would say that I am a dedicated person, and that filial piety is one of my stronger points,"

Other Info: N/A

Turns out the worst time to start an RP is when you're also repainting your house and buying a new bed. Who knew?

All of you people are accepted. Except for Epic Score. Nothing's bad about your character sheet as it is, but it does lack a little detail that i'd like to see fleshed out a little more. PM me, i want to discuss a few things.

Another question, if I may ask. This is mainly out of curiosity, since I've been a bit fickle when deciding what I want to go with, but, uh...I was wondering, concerning necromancers and mages...Is 'magic' something you're born with/something that develops overtime/inherited, or is it something learnt? I'm guessing from the description given, it's the former with mages, but I could be wrong...and what about necromancers?

Please, ask as many as you like. It helps a lot to actually think these things through.

It's developed over time. Necromancer abilities first begin to manifest by the baby's first begins to speak. Wizard abilities can be brought on at any age. Practically no one is born with it. Often calamitous or shocking change in someone's life can bring about strange and unusual powers, like a brush with death.

^^" Alrighty, upon which case, I have two more question about mages.

Would the event be directly related to the power? I mean, for example, in Puella Magi Madoka Magica, one's unique powers are based upon what wish they make. For example, (minor spoilers), Sayaka wishes to heal the hand of Kyosuke, which, without her wish, wouldn't have been able to be saved, such to the limitations of the current day's medicine. Resulting from her wish, along with the usual powers of a Puella Magi, she also has the power to heal much quicker, and even block out pain (though that doesn't mean she doesn't actually get hurt-she just can't feel it.) In other words, would, for example, a traumatic event involving fire result in magic that would revolve around something to due with fire, or could the magic be something else entirely?

Also, what are the limits to magic? Is it an exhaustible source? Is it limited by the condition of the user's mind? Can it be used indefinitely, but at the cost of something, such as shortening one's lifespan? Something else entirely?

I appreciate your answers. :3

AtSixesAndSevens said
^^" Alrighty, upon which case, I have two more question about mages. Would the event be directly related to the power?

No more or no less then usual. Their is no reason for it, but there's no reason for it not to work either. Someone who always called their wife "my flame" and who went through lots of emotional turmoil brought about due to their divorce is perfectly capable of becoming a pyromaniac, but is also perfectly capable of creating ethanol from his bare hands to drink his pain away (Incidentally setting it on fire as a great weapon), or commanding the will of forest creatures so that they'd never ever leave him like she did, or becoming a hydromancer to snuff out fire like how he ended up snuffing out her love, or even all of them at the same time, or none at all.

What i'm saying is that if you're the type to read into metaphor, you can find anything you want. And again, magic is the domain of people we'd put into asylums or art school anyway, so this sort of thing happens all the time. Is there a law to the effect? No, But it happens a lot.

And again, a note on wizards; asking them to do anything consistently is like herding cats. They'll get bored, wander off, ask why their job is so inefficent, start an animated discussion on the finer points of pragmatism with the voice inside their heads, etc.. Which is why the dapper, well read and cultured necromancer is so much more accepted in mordern society then wizards are. Because wizards are pic related.

AtSixesAndSevens said
Also, what are the limits to magic? Is it an exhaustible source? Is it limited by the condition of the user's mind? Can it be used indefinitely, but at the cost of something, such as shortening one's lifespan? Something else entirely? I appreciate your answers. :3

Yes, you are right. Wizards aren't gods in human form. There's always something: a chant, a brief bit of poetry, waving your hands around, or converting a small piece of calcium carbonate and a thaumatically significant blade of lemongrass to the form of energy, or even drawing circles in chalk. THere's always some little ritual a wizard has to do to fire off a spell. Each wizard thinks magic works differently to them. The best kind of wizard thinks that all other forms of magic that aren't his own are illusions and subterfuge. The worst kind believes he can copy them. He's right, too.

And wizardry is quite a taxing thing mentally, too, It burns up your ideas. As time goes by, wizards are prone to slothful movement and thoughtful contemplation. They settle down, build a nice tower with a library where they can store all the knowledge they've accumulated over the centuries, and just spend all day watching the stars until their hearts stop beating or they set themselves alight with a candle, whichever comes first.

AtSixesAndSevens said
I mean, for example, in Puella Magi Madoka Magica, one's unique powers are based upon what wish they make. For example, (minor spoilers), Sayaka wishes to heal the hand of Kyosuke, which, without her wish, wouldn't have been able to be saved, such to the limitations of the current day's medicine. Resulting from her wish, along with the usual powers of a Puella Magi, she also has the power to heal much quicker, and even block out pain (though that doesn't mean she doesn't actually get hurt-she just can't feel it.)

Alrighty, good to know. Thanks for the thorough information. I have a much better idea now. :3

I've also finished PMMM (both the movie and the series, and I've also read TDS), so my memory was perhaps a bit faulty. I thought it was unique to Sayaka since I thought it tied in with her wish and not a result of the (spoilers) disconnection from her physical body and soul, but I guess I was wrong. My bad. ^^"

You're welcome, man.

Edited my Character sheet. Hopefully it's fleshed out enough.