PREMISE
An anime-style story that will be broken down into several story arcs along the way, this is an adventure fantasy that will focus just as much on character interaction and development as it will combat. It will begin with a sort of introductory arc and following that there will be successive arcs that will be plotted with the help of the players, possibly in respect to their characters. However, there actually IS an overarching plot that will be slowly touched upon as the story goes on and eventually will take the center stage at a later date. Though this won't exactly be gritty and will actually be quite fun, expect there to be darker themes or elements in certain places.
Now, to describe the setting...
GEOGRAPHY
The name of the planet this story takes place on is named Aurelia. A rather hospitable world, a perfect distance from the local sun and with a blue moon that orbits it, that supports many different climates and forms of life. If Earth can be considered a "water planet", the same sense can be used to call Aurelia a "sky planet." The core of Aurelia is incredibly dense energy called Aura. Aura is not only the core of Aurelia, but the key component to it's structure. From the core outwards is a progressively less dense layer of air, composed primarily of oxygen and hydrogen. Similar to Earth's oceans, the majority of Aurelia is covered in what the natives call oceans as well, though it is not of water. It is of air. The planet's natural Aura keeps the land masses of Aurelia floating, resulting in the majority of the planet's land being large and separated islands. Despite having no solid root or hold onto other islands or even the core of Aurelia, they are all held in place by the Aura and thus maps are accurately made. 80 percent of Aurelia consists of these sky oceans. While most of the land masses are typically islands or large islands, there are several continents. There is a large continent on the northern magnetic pole, called Taviore, a large continent on the southern magnetic pole, called Maviore, and an archipelago along the entire equator called Fuschiore. Though these are the three largest masses, there are many thousands of islands scattered across the sky oceans of Aurelia.
BIOLOGY
Much like Earth, there is diverse life on Aurelia. The dominant species is, of course, humans. However, due to the properties of Aura and how much it can vary, evolutionary lines have more variability than on Earth. While common house cats and dogs can be related to lions and wolves, on Aurelia there are not only those examples but even larger or otherwise evolved versions of canines and felines, as a basic example. The diversity of life is still not completely discovered and new scientific discoveries are made every day. However, it can be determined that the only truly sentient creatures on Aurelia are humans. As diverse as animal life is, plant life is just as much if not more so. In fact, carniverous plants or otherwise "living" plants are more common and larger on Aurelia than on Earth, as another basic example.
AURA and MANA
Aura is an incredibly powerful form of energy that is naturally formed in Aurelia. However, it is unique to Aurelia itself and is only generated from the core where it radiates outward. Though Aura can be captured and used by certain technologies, there is a type of Aura that is generated naturally within all living things, referred to as Mana. In essence, Mana is simply a watered down version of Aura, created by living things converting the Aura in the air into something they can use. While all life has Mana, some can manipulate this energy. Those born with especially high Mana levels are called Mages.
MAGES
Mages can be detected at birth by their high levels of Mana. There are four classifications of Mages. Arcane Mages make up 70 percent of all Mages. An Arcane Mage can use their Mana to manipulate or create one specific element. Such examples would be a fire Mage, an ice Mage, a flower Mage, etc. The other 30 percent are split equally between what are classified as White Mages and Black Mages. White Mages can use their Mana to not only heal injuries but to assist other Mages such as speeding up their Mana regeneration. Black Mages have more destructive skills, being capable of raising the dead or spreading disease. While Arcane Mages can posess similar ability as a White or Black Mage, it is never to the degree of the "higher power" category. The final category is incredibly rare, being that there are only five recorded Mages of this type in history. They are called Time Mages. Their Mana and ability are so powerful they can bend space and time around them. The extent of their power is largely unknown, but what is recorded implies that Time Mages are the ultimate beings on Aurelia.
AEVUM
Aevum, the plural of Aeva, are a much more recent development on Aurelia, having only begun appearing approximately fifty years ago, around the same time as the Rifts did. Aevum are powerful spirits born from Aura that take physical form in the shape of a small wooden totem. Though their number is unknown, there aren't very many of them. They vary greatly in form and ability. These spirits can develop a connection with a human, allowing them to communicate. As they are born from Aura, they prioritize the well-being of Aurelia above all else. However, they can share their power with the human they connect with. Since this is Aura and not Mana, these humans can have extraordinary abilities that get even more powerful the more connected with their Aevum they are. As Aura is more powerful than Mana, those who are linked with Aevum, there is no official term for the connection yet, are considered to be more powerful than Mages. But it is not infinite. There is a finite supply of Aura that must recharge after use, just like with Mana. It must be noted that Aevum only ever choose humans that are good spirited or pure of heart. Those that are tainted by darkness will never have a link with an Aeva.
RIFTS
Approximately fifty years ago, abnormalities in Aurelia's Aura began spawning dark portals. These portals, called Rifts, allowed Monsters to appear and begin attacking both humans and animals. These Monsters vary in size and shape, but in general their primary means of attack come from teeth, claws, and tails. On rare occasions, there are flying variants. However, as compared to fifty years ago when Rifts began to appear, these Monsters have been growing progressively larger. While at first they could be compared to a pack of wolves in both size and threat, they are much more dangerous in modern times. The threat of Rift Monsters had led to a rise in Rift Hunters. These humans and Mages not only specialize in killing or capturing Monsters, but also in closing Rifts to prevent more from coming through. Through data collected by Rift Hunters, it was determined that Rifts were also composed of Aura. So specific devices were invented to close such portals. Though they are mass produced, one needs to be licensed to get their hands on such technology. In the more rural areas across Aurelia, a Rift Hunter organization is typically owned and operated as a family business. Whereas the urban areas will have multiple firms on the business. Due to the increasing frequency and threat of Monsters, Rift Hunting has become more popular. All Rift Hunters within Crucible territory are regulated by the Crucible government.
THE CRUCIBLE
A slang term for the Crucibellia Empire, the dominant government of Aurelia. A technologically-advanced dictatorship that claims nearly 70 percent of all of Aurelia. It has been ruled by the same family for centuries. The Crucible began in Fuschiore on a large island called Crucibellia. From there, it expanded until all of Fuschiore was under it's control. For the longest time, it was only Fuschiore that it controlled, leaving Taviore, Maviore, and the countless islands to be sovereign. However, one hundred years ago, after a technological revolution the Crucible began to expand once again, conquering both Taviore and Maviore. Lately, the Crucible has been slowly taking over the islands dotted around the world. However, the problem they have run into is that the islands that aren't a part of the main continents have put up a much stiffer resistance. Though the Crucibellia Empire is a dictatorship, most of its citizens do not feel as though it is a tyranny. There are many strict laws, but the citizens of Fuschiore favor the Crucible. However, the less populated continents of Maviore and Taviore are very much oppressed. And on top of oppression, islands that refuse to cooperate are completely annihilated. The Crucible military has been an unstoppable force from their advanced technology and tactics. Furthermore, all children that are born in Crucible territory are screened at birth for their Mana levels, and those that are determined to be Mages are taken by the Crucible to be raised in Crucibellia itself as weapons for the Crucible military. With the rise of Aevum and an inability to use them, the Crucible had created a task force called Aevum Hunters. These men and women are some of the most powerful Mages and humans on the planet, since they are required to not only kill those linked with Aevum but to destroy the Aevum themselves. It is unknown how many Aevum have been destroyed. This powerful and daunting military is what most non-Fuschiore people on Aurelia fear
most, even more than Rift Monsters in some cases.
TECHNOLOGY
Different regions of the world have different technological levels, so it would be easiest to explain by the most advanced technology available. There are several ways to power technology, the most common being Aura powered and solar powered, though gas and even wind powered devices exist. Generators on the bottom of the islands will absorb Aura and convert it into usable electricity for most appliances and devices. Solar power generators perform the same task, only on the top of the islands. However, for technologies that aren't stationary there are several methods of power. For sky ships, the most common form of power is solar though many modern ships also have backup Aura generators. Things like portable communication devices run on electrical batteries. However, an invention exclusive to Crucible weaponry, there are Aura batteries. Used in their rifles, these small packs of Aura are converted into bullets of varying size to fit the weapon. This universal ammunition is not only convenient, but is powerful and full of variety. Like most high-end Crucible technology, it is restricted to Crucible military personnel. But the concept of Aura batteries has been spreading around the world and homemade or otherwise makeshift versions can be found on the black market. Though Aura batteries aren't exactly dangerous to the user, it is wiser to have batteries of good quality. The extent of Aura-empowered weapons does not stop there, but in general these types of weapons are difficult to obtain and knockoffs are not only illegal to own but often ineffective. However, bullet technology is easy to obtain for those that do not live in Crucible territory. Swords, axes, even less effective weapons such as whips are outlawed in the Crucibellia Empire but typically are perfectly legal depending on the soveriegn island you are standing on. With the rapidly improving technology on Aurelia, perhaps there are even more kinds of weapons and devices that are being invented right now
or are just waiting to be discovered by the public eye.
THE LEAGUE
The League of Free Skies, often shortened to The League, was an organization of ten transport companies that allied to protect the sovereign islands from the Crucible. However, ten years ago, The League was mostly crushed in a series of debilitating battles with the Crucible Navy. Though all ten companies still exist, they were mostly exterminated and are shadows of what they once were. It is common knowledge that The League still exists and those that are oppressed by the Crucible cling to the idea as their hope of salvation. However, it is a fact that there have been no meetings between the companies since their crushing defeat ten years ago. The League is shattered, and it is almost improper to say it is a thing. Though the original leaders are all alive, they are unknown to the general public and have made no attempts in ten years to protect anyone.
THE FREE WIND
An infamous name in Crucible territory. The Free Wind is an armed freight ship that works for a transport company of the same name. Though it is a small company, it is infamous for the fact that it deals almost exclusively in transportation of illegal goods and those that work aboard are all wanted criminals in Crucible lands. Often referred to as pirates by the Crucible, that is not an accurate statement. They commit no acts of pillaging, murder, or theft. They simply transport weapons, other criminals, illegal foods, essentially anything between Crucible lands and the sovereign islands. It is rumored that the Free Wind was once a part of the League of Free Skies, judging by the name similarity, but that is unconfirmed. The crew of the Free Wind is constantly hounded by the Crucible, but despite several skirmishes and close calls it is yet to be captured after nearly fifteen years of activity. Though the identities of the crew are unknown to the general public, they are famous names in the Aurelia underworld. This is the ship and crew that the story will revolve around.
Captain - Summer Skies
A young woman that doesn't seem to age. Born into the Crucibellia Empire as Summer Orlovets, she changed her last name after defecting under mysterious circumstances just over fifteen years ago. While the extent of any combat ability she has is unknown, she is infamous for her intelligence, being regarded as one of the brightest minds of the underworld. She is one of the more colorful characters in the underworld as well, being one of the few cheery types despite the overal situation the world is in. While her personality stands out among those in her business, her reputation as a successful transporter makes her stand out the most. Behind that smile is a cunning mind that has managed to stay one step ahead of the world's most powerful force for over fifteen years. She has only ever let people on board the Free Wind if they are wanted by the Crucible.
First Mate - Weston Bright
A powerful man that was also born into the Crucibellia Empire. He once served in the Crucible military, though he defected fourteen years ago in such a fashion that resulted in a portion of Crucibellia itself being destroyed. Now aged thirty-eight, he is considered the powerhouse of the Free Wind. It is also a common misconception where people believe he is the captain instead of Summer. Though that is not the case, she does often consult him on important matters. His name is infamous as being one of the most powerful humans on the planet and he also has the highest bounty on his head in Crucible territory. While he is not as brilliant as Summer, he is quite intelligent on his own. His two-sword style has been idolized and his weapons of choice are two large but not identical buster swords, though he is skilled in all forms of combat.
THE BEGINNING OF THE STORY
The story will begin with the present crew of the Free Wind being forced to land on the small, rural island of Krukow due to mechanical problems. Coincidentally, the Crucible Empire's Scouting Legion has come to annex Krukow. The majority of the cast will be native to Krukow and will have little knowledge of the world. The chaos that will ensue will leave the player characters with a choice. Join the Free Wind and escape from the Crucible's grasp or stay in their homeland and suffer.
An anime-style story that will be broken down into several story arcs along the way, this is an adventure fantasy that will focus just as much on character interaction and development as it will combat. It will begin with a sort of introductory arc and following that there will be successive arcs that will be plotted with the help of the players, possibly in respect to their characters. However, there actually IS an overarching plot that will be slowly touched upon as the story goes on and eventually will take the center stage at a later date. Though this won't exactly be gritty and will actually be quite fun, expect there to be darker themes or elements in certain places.
Now, to describe the setting...
GEOGRAPHY
The name of the planet this story takes place on is named Aurelia. A rather hospitable world, a perfect distance from the local sun and with a blue moon that orbits it, that supports many different climates and forms of life. If Earth can be considered a "water planet", the same sense can be used to call Aurelia a "sky planet." The core of Aurelia is incredibly dense energy called Aura. Aura is not only the core of Aurelia, but the key component to it's structure. From the core outwards is a progressively less dense layer of air, composed primarily of oxygen and hydrogen. Similar to Earth's oceans, the majority of Aurelia is covered in what the natives call oceans as well, though it is not of water. It is of air. The planet's natural Aura keeps the land masses of Aurelia floating, resulting in the majority of the planet's land being large and separated islands. Despite having no solid root or hold onto other islands or even the core of Aurelia, they are all held in place by the Aura and thus maps are accurately made. 80 percent of Aurelia consists of these sky oceans. While most of the land masses are typically islands or large islands, there are several continents. There is a large continent on the northern magnetic pole, called Taviore, a large continent on the southern magnetic pole, called Maviore, and an archipelago along the entire equator called Fuschiore. Though these are the three largest masses, there are many thousands of islands scattered across the sky oceans of Aurelia.
BIOLOGY
Much like Earth, there is diverse life on Aurelia. The dominant species is, of course, humans. However, due to the properties of Aura and how much it can vary, evolutionary lines have more variability than on Earth. While common house cats and dogs can be related to lions and wolves, on Aurelia there are not only those examples but even larger or otherwise evolved versions of canines and felines, as a basic example. The diversity of life is still not completely discovered and new scientific discoveries are made every day. However, it can be determined that the only truly sentient creatures on Aurelia are humans. As diverse as animal life is, plant life is just as much if not more so. In fact, carniverous plants or otherwise "living" plants are more common and larger on Aurelia than on Earth, as another basic example.
AURA and MANA
Aura is an incredibly powerful form of energy that is naturally formed in Aurelia. However, it is unique to Aurelia itself and is only generated from the core where it radiates outward. Though Aura can be captured and used by certain technologies, there is a type of Aura that is generated naturally within all living things, referred to as Mana. In essence, Mana is simply a watered down version of Aura, created by living things converting the Aura in the air into something they can use. While all life has Mana, some can manipulate this energy. Those born with especially high Mana levels are called Mages.
MAGES
Mages can be detected at birth by their high levels of Mana. There are four classifications of Mages. Arcane Mages make up 70 percent of all Mages. An Arcane Mage can use their Mana to manipulate or create one specific element. Such examples would be a fire Mage, an ice Mage, a flower Mage, etc. The other 30 percent are split equally between what are classified as White Mages and Black Mages. White Mages can use their Mana to not only heal injuries but to assist other Mages such as speeding up their Mana regeneration. Black Mages have more destructive skills, being capable of raising the dead or spreading disease. While Arcane Mages can posess similar ability as a White or Black Mage, it is never to the degree of the "higher power" category. The final category is incredibly rare, being that there are only five recorded Mages of this type in history. They are called Time Mages. Their Mana and ability are so powerful they can bend space and time around them. The extent of their power is largely unknown, but what is recorded implies that Time Mages are the ultimate beings on Aurelia.
AEVUM
Aevum, the plural of Aeva, are a much more recent development on Aurelia, having only begun appearing approximately fifty years ago, around the same time as the Rifts did. Aevum are powerful spirits born from Aura that take physical form in the shape of a small wooden totem. Though their number is unknown, there aren't very many of them. They vary greatly in form and ability. These spirits can develop a connection with a human, allowing them to communicate. As they are born from Aura, they prioritize the well-being of Aurelia above all else. However, they can share their power with the human they connect with. Since this is Aura and not Mana, these humans can have extraordinary abilities that get even more powerful the more connected with their Aevum they are. As Aura is more powerful than Mana, those who are linked with Aevum, there is no official term for the connection yet, are considered to be more powerful than Mages. But it is not infinite. There is a finite supply of Aura that must recharge after use, just like with Mana. It must be noted that Aevum only ever choose humans that are good spirited or pure of heart. Those that are tainted by darkness will never have a link with an Aeva.
RIFTS
Approximately fifty years ago, abnormalities in Aurelia's Aura began spawning dark portals. These portals, called Rifts, allowed Monsters to appear and begin attacking both humans and animals. These Monsters vary in size and shape, but in general their primary means of attack come from teeth, claws, and tails. On rare occasions, there are flying variants. However, as compared to fifty years ago when Rifts began to appear, these Monsters have been growing progressively larger. While at first they could be compared to a pack of wolves in both size and threat, they are much more dangerous in modern times. The threat of Rift Monsters had led to a rise in Rift Hunters. These humans and Mages not only specialize in killing or capturing Monsters, but also in closing Rifts to prevent more from coming through. Through data collected by Rift Hunters, it was determined that Rifts were also composed of Aura. So specific devices were invented to close such portals. Though they are mass produced, one needs to be licensed to get their hands on such technology. In the more rural areas across Aurelia, a Rift Hunter organization is typically owned and operated as a family business. Whereas the urban areas will have multiple firms on the business. Due to the increasing frequency and threat of Monsters, Rift Hunting has become more popular. All Rift Hunters within Crucible territory are regulated by the Crucible government.
THE CRUCIBLE
A slang term for the Crucibellia Empire, the dominant government of Aurelia. A technologically-advanced dictatorship that claims nearly 70 percent of all of Aurelia. It has been ruled by the same family for centuries. The Crucible began in Fuschiore on a large island called Crucibellia. From there, it expanded until all of Fuschiore was under it's control. For the longest time, it was only Fuschiore that it controlled, leaving Taviore, Maviore, and the countless islands to be sovereign. However, one hundred years ago, after a technological revolution the Crucible began to expand once again, conquering both Taviore and Maviore. Lately, the Crucible has been slowly taking over the islands dotted around the world. However, the problem they have run into is that the islands that aren't a part of the main continents have put up a much stiffer resistance. Though the Crucibellia Empire is a dictatorship, most of its citizens do not feel as though it is a tyranny. There are many strict laws, but the citizens of Fuschiore favor the Crucible. However, the less populated continents of Maviore and Taviore are very much oppressed. And on top of oppression, islands that refuse to cooperate are completely annihilated. The Crucible military has been an unstoppable force from their advanced technology and tactics. Furthermore, all children that are born in Crucible territory are screened at birth for their Mana levels, and those that are determined to be Mages are taken by the Crucible to be raised in Crucibellia itself as weapons for the Crucible military. With the rise of Aevum and an inability to use them, the Crucible had created a task force called Aevum Hunters. These men and women are some of the most powerful Mages and humans on the planet, since they are required to not only kill those linked with Aevum but to destroy the Aevum themselves. It is unknown how many Aevum have been destroyed. This powerful and daunting military is what most non-Fuschiore people on Aurelia fear
most, even more than Rift Monsters in some cases.
TECHNOLOGY
Different regions of the world have different technological levels, so it would be easiest to explain by the most advanced technology available. There are several ways to power technology, the most common being Aura powered and solar powered, though gas and even wind powered devices exist. Generators on the bottom of the islands will absorb Aura and convert it into usable electricity for most appliances and devices. Solar power generators perform the same task, only on the top of the islands. However, for technologies that aren't stationary there are several methods of power. For sky ships, the most common form of power is solar though many modern ships also have backup Aura generators. Things like portable communication devices run on electrical batteries. However, an invention exclusive to Crucible weaponry, there are Aura batteries. Used in their rifles, these small packs of Aura are converted into bullets of varying size to fit the weapon. This universal ammunition is not only convenient, but is powerful and full of variety. Like most high-end Crucible technology, it is restricted to Crucible military personnel. But the concept of Aura batteries has been spreading around the world and homemade or otherwise makeshift versions can be found on the black market. Though Aura batteries aren't exactly dangerous to the user, it is wiser to have batteries of good quality. The extent of Aura-empowered weapons does not stop there, but in general these types of weapons are difficult to obtain and knockoffs are not only illegal to own but often ineffective. However, bullet technology is easy to obtain for those that do not live in Crucible territory. Swords, axes, even less effective weapons such as whips are outlawed in the Crucibellia Empire but typically are perfectly legal depending on the soveriegn island you are standing on. With the rapidly improving technology on Aurelia, perhaps there are even more kinds of weapons and devices that are being invented right now
or are just waiting to be discovered by the public eye.
THE LEAGUE
The League of Free Skies, often shortened to The League, was an organization of ten transport companies that allied to protect the sovereign islands from the Crucible. However, ten years ago, The League was mostly crushed in a series of debilitating battles with the Crucible Navy. Though all ten companies still exist, they were mostly exterminated and are shadows of what they once were. It is common knowledge that The League still exists and those that are oppressed by the Crucible cling to the idea as their hope of salvation. However, it is a fact that there have been no meetings between the companies since their crushing defeat ten years ago. The League is shattered, and it is almost improper to say it is a thing. Though the original leaders are all alive, they are unknown to the general public and have made no attempts in ten years to protect anyone.
THE FREE WIND
An infamous name in Crucible territory. The Free Wind is an armed freight ship that works for a transport company of the same name. Though it is a small company, it is infamous for the fact that it deals almost exclusively in transportation of illegal goods and those that work aboard are all wanted criminals in Crucible lands. Often referred to as pirates by the Crucible, that is not an accurate statement. They commit no acts of pillaging, murder, or theft. They simply transport weapons, other criminals, illegal foods, essentially anything between Crucible lands and the sovereign islands. It is rumored that the Free Wind was once a part of the League of Free Skies, judging by the name similarity, but that is unconfirmed. The crew of the Free Wind is constantly hounded by the Crucible, but despite several skirmishes and close calls it is yet to be captured after nearly fifteen years of activity. Though the identities of the crew are unknown to the general public, they are famous names in the Aurelia underworld. This is the ship and crew that the story will revolve around.
Captain - Summer Skies
A young woman that doesn't seem to age. Born into the Crucibellia Empire as Summer Orlovets, she changed her last name after defecting under mysterious circumstances just over fifteen years ago. While the extent of any combat ability she has is unknown, she is infamous for her intelligence, being regarded as one of the brightest minds of the underworld. She is one of the more colorful characters in the underworld as well, being one of the few cheery types despite the overal situation the world is in. While her personality stands out among those in her business, her reputation as a successful transporter makes her stand out the most. Behind that smile is a cunning mind that has managed to stay one step ahead of the world's most powerful force for over fifteen years. She has only ever let people on board the Free Wind if they are wanted by the Crucible.
First Mate - Weston Bright
A powerful man that was also born into the Crucibellia Empire. He once served in the Crucible military, though he defected fourteen years ago in such a fashion that resulted in a portion of Crucibellia itself being destroyed. Now aged thirty-eight, he is considered the powerhouse of the Free Wind. It is also a common misconception where people believe he is the captain instead of Summer. Though that is not the case, she does often consult him on important matters. His name is infamous as being one of the most powerful humans on the planet and he also has the highest bounty on his head in Crucible territory. While he is not as brilliant as Summer, he is quite intelligent on his own. His two-sword style has been idolized and his weapons of choice are two large but not identical buster swords, though he is skilled in all forms of combat.
THE BEGINNING OF THE STORY
The story will begin with the present crew of the Free Wind being forced to land on the small, rural island of Krukow due to mechanical problems. Coincidentally, the Crucible Empire's Scouting Legion has come to annex Krukow. The majority of the cast will be native to Krukow and will have little knowledge of the world. The chaos that will ensue will leave the player characters with a choice. Join the Free Wind and escape from the Crucible's grasp or stay in their homeland and suffer.
