Awesome! PMed

Collaborate? That sounds absolutely terrifying xD But I shall try... I will try

GourmetItalia said
, that's fine; the OOC will be up sometime Thursday because it would give me time to finish the OOC and Character Sheets. In the mean time, keep developing that character and we'll soon see his debut 8)., I like all three characters concepts, but I'm not sure if the antagonistic mercenary captain, pirate king or the intelligence officer would fit well since they seem more like villainous types capable of murdering the protagonists and becoming counter-productive to the main story. These tales do not need more prevalent main antagonists as there are plenty of them, but the mercenary captain and bankrupted merchant are promising as long as they are protagonists and help progress the story line. I could certainly see a mercenary captain and merchant inspired by real life privateers such as Jean Lafitte or a Robin Hood of the seas. Hell, you could even combine the all characters types into one single character; just don't base them entirely off of anime characters because no offense to anime, but uhm ... I find a lot of anime characters very wooden, cliche, and without depth. I mean, love watching animes as much as anyone, but from my past roleplays, I've seen writers included cheap, anime-esque characters and the amount of one liner god-moding seriously disrupted the story. That being said, I encourage you to do some research on various historical figures and to incorporate those themes you listed.Also keep in mind that nefarious characters would likely be on their own when facing against nefarious foes and I can tell you for a fact that you don't want assassins on your character's ass or frequent betrayals at every turn. Carcassonne is volatile for a reason and moving alone as an antagonist will likely accelerate their own deaths very early into the story .With all this being said, keep throwing ideas my way! Ack! Didn't see your post, . All character ideas are perfectly acceptable, but I'm a little worried about the Amoral Assassin's motivations so send me a PM and we'll work on her 8). I encourage you all to collaborate with one another for inter-related character back stories and possible plot arcs! I'll be with limited internet access between now and late Wednesday, but keep sending PMs and posts and when I return, I'll try to answer everything with greater clarity ...

Thanks for your great commentary, GourmetItalia. It really helped out and I have a lot better sense of what I can do now--they were really just malformed ideas which I came up with when I got a flavor of the setting, so now I see what you're going for. I'm actually from Louisiana, so I know the story of Jean Lafitte very well. I will see what I can do and come up with an interesting character. Also: I take most of my inspiration from history and literature. That said, I do enjoy anime and concede that a great deal of anime has wooden characters and recycled archetypes; however, the character I mentioned (Griffith) is quite a well rounded and nuanced character, and also fits into the mold of a mercenary captain kind of archetype, so that's why I listed him. Don't worry, I value realistic, three-dimensional, and rich characterization above all else :) No god-moding, one liners, or mary sue here.

EDIT: I think that going for a mercenary captain and having a mercenary kind of faction would actually be a pretty good way to tie some of our disparate characters together. "Mercenaries get involved in state affairs" archetype is kind of used a lot, but I think it would be cool here. Just a suggestion, I'll shoot you a PM!

Interested! Skimmed through everything but going to read it through more carefully!

Greetings Nimixia! Kind of strapped for time due to Academia, but I just wanted to offer my acknowledgements in your direction since you've taken interest enough to stop by Altaea's Interest Thread. We are an assembling crew and not many writers are needed to start despite the interest being shown. I do highly encourage you to read over my opening and subsequent posts and if you've any questions or need clarification about anything, you know I'll be here to answer them. I'll be taking my leave again until late tomorrow so if you or anyone else has any questions and I don't respond, I do apologize. I'll be back tomorrow if y'all need anything!

GourmetItalia, you mentioned about a special order of mainly female knights at one of my previous questions, would it be possible to have more information on that? I was thinking about either doing a character in some way related to that, most probably an ex member of it, but I do not know if it is feasible. (As if people can leave it without being killed or chased down.)

Order of female knights? Makes me think of Jeanne d'Arc.

@GI - Thanks! Glad my ideas went over so well. :) Alas, your reference escapes me.

For the aristo, I could have him be descended from one of the families that submitted to Sarifen authority (or even collaborated) and married into its nobility. That kills two birds with one stone; he's got an ancestral shame to try and redeem and he'll be of mixed racial heritage, so he can fulfill that tried-and-true "tall, dark and handsome" trope. That same background might also make him more progressive and less distracted by preserving his pedigree (and the privileges exclusive to it) like some other bluebloods.

In reference to Pepperm1nt's query about whether or not this will be a "heroes get together and fight bad guys" RPG, I would definitely argue otherwise. I interpreted this more as a sprawling war story meets political drama meets pseudo-historical overview focusing on several characters spread out over Carcassonne (with PC interactions of varying frequency). Am I right in assuming that? Anyway, looking forward to it.

@Ivory - I will gladly concede playing a female knight initiate, if you're interested in an active member of the Order instead. I still have two other PCs I could write.

@Konica - Nice find with that painting! I adore it. And by the same artist (Ingres) who did that very imperious painting of Napoleon in his coronation costume. ;)

@Dreamshell - Was that one of your characters ideas? I'll admit I did not read all and every character ideas everyone put out there. If it was, we could create characters that know one another? :)

IvoryShadows said
@Dreamshell - Was that one of your characters ideas? I'll admit I did not read all and every character ideas everyone put out there. If it was, we could create characters that know one another? :)

I'm open to it, certainly. ;) Though right now I literally have nothing in mind for her other than that she's a merchant's daughter and a novitiate to the Order of St. Melita.

I'll PM you tomorrow with ideas, if you want. :)

Dream, I'm shocked the Disney reference escaped you, but I'll post this link if you haven't already recognized the movie:



I'm happy that you've included a character with mixed Sarifen - Valanian heritage and was actually hoping someone could take up the reigns for that sort of individual. I feel like political plotlines have remained a bit untapped in many fantasy stories save several such as Game of Thrones, Mistborn, or Codex Alera.

You're on the mark in that there will be heavy inclusion of all three! I will, of course, be testing the waters for certain plot arcs so as to find what works because the least thing I want to do is make this a tedious experience rife with historical essays and overwhelming/unnecessary world building tidbits. I will say that, for however far we push the story, there will be themes and incidents with mature themes and graphic violence. Some of the unfolding events won't be easy to stomach and like you said, drama, tragedies, and suffering on an unprecedented scale. When the OOC and IC launch (mutually exclusive), you'll know what I mean 8).

babbysama, no worries man and I'm happy to help! I look forward to the inclusion of a mercenary captain with all the notable characteristics you just described and it's good to know that you're keen on history and literature so keep plugging away at the keyboard. When I do throw up the OOC, you'll already have something to work off 8).

Ivory, the Holy Order of St. Melita, or better known by its formal name the Sororitas Melitas draws its inspiration from the Knights Hospitaller and the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. As you probably already guessed, it's a proto-religious military order, a branch from Augurianity, and shares similarities with Ahmenmnism and its associated Orders. They generally safeguard roads for Augurian pilgrims or worshippers from other denominations and offer sophisticated hospital and medicinal services to beleaguered individuals or followers of Augurianity. Proven members of the St. Melitas Order are generally very capable fighters and mainly excel at mounted combat and close quarters engagements, making them extremely dangerous adversaries.

Principally, they owe some of their financial survival to generous sponsors in Vorst, but are by no means worse off given their self-sufficient services in medicines and armed escort aboard seagoing vessels and land routes. Additionally, the presence of a small Vorstan advisor liason preserves their fighting abilities in horse and bladesmanship.

Keep in mind with the existence of stirrups, mounted warriors are not to be under-estimated, not especially the Sisters of St. Melitas due to their incredibly versatility. The Order fields a purely female membership has seen better days and is a shadow of its former self due to heavy Sarifen taxation, the city's forced Policing Demands, and Governor Conqvist's chartered membership limitations. Some parts of the Citadel Headquarters would likely have fallen into disrepair due to shortages in membership and in a sense, this is also a good thing in that not only would there be competition with join the Order, but only the cream of the crop would gain entry. Shield Maidens of the Order would be afforded greater protection and higher regard from Sarife and the turncoat aristocrats residing within Valania. Generally there are varying ranks within its citadel headquarters in Voltas, however, I haven't fully drafted a rank system so I can't supply you with any substantial hierarchies or subculture other than that there is a notable Female Grand Master.

This list will be updated in the near future, however as of currently, this is what I have:
Grand Master - Currently held by Eugenia of Domenica
Knightess Commander Captain - Currently held by Lady Rosellia Vaan Lionheart
Grand Baliffs - Considered the Senior Leading Officers over various Dame Knight Companies and lead Battalions of up to 600 - 800 Shield Maidens
Dame Knights - Officers within a company 200 or more Shield Maidens
Valkyrie Apostles - Subordinate Officers under the Dames and leading sectional authorities for 50 - 70 Shield Maidens
Shield Maidens - The backbone of the Order's Primary Fighting Forces. Women are assigned different roles and carry different titles for various specialties, both combat and non-combat related.
Sister Initiates - Untested Recruits in training and the up-and-coming generations ...

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If it helps, Ivory, dream, I have this clip for added inspiration. Not my first choice of music, but I felt like your potential characters could at some point share some kick-assery like what I'm posting below .

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Update: Expect the OOC to be going up later today!

So I registered and as discussed ready to bring Onatha here. Hello all.

@Ivory - Go for it. ;)

@GI - Ha, oh that! And I always love that creepy asylum guy, too. His delivery is great, although it is a rather obscure allusion. =P And I like all of what I'm reading.

Did I glimpse before that the Sarifen conquest happened ~20 years prior to the present day? I don't want to play an especially young character, but if that's the timeline you want to work with, maybe my aristo can be the product of an arranged marriage from sometime before it happened.

Man, this St. Hildy lady wrote a looot of liturgical songs (and did a lot more besides)! I'll have to study up on her more later. And that video was pretty cool, though I suspect our gals might have a little more armor on - probably not unlike the sort those mooks were wearing, actually. Crusader-type stuff.

I thought I should mention that one of my characters is mixed Sarifen and Valanian, though an entirely different character and position in life (my blacksmith apprentice). Not quite half and half though, I imagine her family lived near the border so there was mixing due to that

Also trying to work if my blacksmith apprentice or my Sarifen soldier could have connections with anyone else characters... Hmm

@Gl - The character I was thinking on using would fight a bit more like this (though female):



Especially the two handed sword part. If that is okay. :]

Whew knew a day of OOC Drafting brings migraine? Before I get back to y'all, just wanted to say that the OOC's coming along, albeit slowly 8/. Started at 9 am and kept it up until 3 or 4 when fatigue started settling in. Hit the sack, took a nap, and now I'm back to work so expect something in a couple hours or early tomorrow.

@ Skulls - Welcome, Skulls! I'm really glad you could make it here to RoleplayerGuild. Everyone, I'd like to welcome an Old-timer here. Skulls is from RoleplayGateway and she will be continuing her character, Onatha, from a prequel (Altaea: Song of the Ancients) to the current story. Skulls, make yourself at home here and mingle as you please. You know I'll be here or on RoleplayGateway so you know where to find me if you need to talk about anything 8).

@ Dream - You can't match Beauty and the Beast for a magical childhood. I mean ... great art quality and storytelling just delivered something so spectacular that there's something to like about it even in today's world. 8)

Timeline wise, you're right; the War of Sarifen Conquest does take place 20 years prior to the present day! In order for a character to have witnessed and participated during the conflict, they would have had to have been at least 16 years old. The aristocrat's arranged marriage birth is perfectly fine and very plausible. Back in the Renaissance, many marriages were certainly regarded as business arrangements and it's possible the Aristocrat birth happened from an arrangement of that sort! Marriage and love were mutually exclusive and only the upper classes enjoyed anything resembling the later.

Your Shield Maiden or Initiate character would probably be wearing heavier, Crusader-like armor with an assortment of weapons and a massive kite shield .

@ Ivory - A two-handed swords-master is perfectly fine and as long as she carries a pistol, whomever crosses her path shall receive my prayers. Swords and firearms make a deadly combination 8)

I did not even think of firearms, not used to it, but I sure can make up something awesome with that. Just something else to spice things up, I guess!

One question. Would it be possible to have my character have a rank in the order, or do you want us yo start initiates? I was thinking Dame Knight, though that would include a lot of stuff I think. If they have Lieutenants of some sort, that would be perfect. Otherwise I'ma just go Shield Maiden without any problems.

Also, all the information you've added so far, did you copy it to the first post? I am asking without even having checked yet, but I'd like to read and catch up on all the lore we talked about so far in a more studious way than what I've done so far. :P

@Ivory - Firearms are past the arquebus and matchlock phases, however, due to stringent laws, they are only issued for existing aristocratic retainers, exclusive mounted noble troops, commissioned assassins, Royal Zhayedans or the crack soldiers of the Nezām Corps. Naturally the Sororitas Melitas would certainly prove exempt to this and allowed to carry firearms.

I've suddenly realized that a Lieutenant rank would bridge the massive hole that exists between the Company and Squadron level so I've decided that adding the Valkyrie Apostle rank is the most logical inclusion. Note that a aristocratic title is required for any rank above Valkyrie Apostle so only a woman of noble birth could become a Dame Knight or Grand Baliff. Given that the Order's headquarters resides within Voltas, the promotions of newer Dame Knights and Baliffs is generally complicated due the lack of Valanian female aristocrats. As such, only noble born Sarifen ladies or women of foreign noble birth are afforded election into the higher ranks. You can imagine the resentment within the lower ranks, held in check only by Grand Master Domenica and Knightess Captain Rosellia's presence ...

Regarding the added information, I actually did the exact opposite in that I copied and pasted the above information to my first post!

Great! Would it be possible for my character to be of noble birth without her knowing it? My first questions were about nobility, as I intended to have a noble woman character, but changed my mind. If she can, then it would fill the void and give me, and possibly you as the GM, back story to use later on for twists and the such.

That's perfectly plausible, Ivory; I love a good tale involving a nobleborn woman oblivious towards her true heritage. If you decide to roll with her, I look forward to watching her develop! I can promise you twists and turns in the near future so stay frosty 8)