This thread is always open to new characters. If you ever have any questions, please feel free to PM me at any time or bring it up in the OOC.

The Tower stood against the heavens, its gently twisting shape unmoving and dominant. A gnarled white scar across the cloudless blue sky at day, and a looming mass darker than black in the night. It rose without end, its scale incomprehensible for the absurdity of its construction. It had come from nothing, among the few who witnessed the event the story was always the same. A brilliant, blinding light had scorched away fields and forests, leaving nothing but an ashen waste in its wake. The acrid smoke of destroyed life had remained for hours, an eddying monolith of gray that denied the sun. When it had dissipated, the tower stood in its place, stretching into the sky with no end in sight. Those who came to investigate were greeted by terror. From the base of the tower sprang an impenetrable woods, growing at an unnatural rate to recover the wasteland. In its depths, the parties found themselves lost and tormented by creatures never seen in the land before. Those who managed to leave traveled, telling the story of the strange tower and what came to be known as Bauchan Forest. Adventurers, hunters, and academics alike found themselves drawn by the mystique of an impossible tower in an unknown land. The tower had appeared in the lonely nation of Pomria, a small country upon a small continent all its own in the southern sea. Few had cared for the country of gentle hills and rocky coasts before, but the Tower brought the world to Pomria's door. Without the ability to contain the ever growing forest on their own, Pomria was quick to accept them. The Containment Corps of Pomria debuted soon afterwards, rumored to have been formed under the supervision of foreign militaries. They created outposts around the spreading forest, evacuated the few villages of the area, and worked to preserve the land from the encroaching woods. Theirs were the first documented deaths at the hands of Bauchan and its enigmatic tower, but for the sacrifices made nothing was gained. The inhabitants of the forest remained unknown, except for the few types of aggressive animals that would sometimes appear at the forest edge. They resembled mundane life in trivial ways, but the odd wolves were not what had killed trained soldiers and not what worried the explorers. Veterans told of an ever present malice, traps laid in the woods, and intelligence they associated with the Tower.

The tales of monsters and worse within Bauchan forest came accompanied with tales of wealth: gems that grew from trees, plants that could cure any disease, and for the less ambitious the loot of those who had come and failed before. The Tower created a mania among the hopeful and the desperate. Official expeditions into the forest had only ever tried to contain or destroy the spreading growth, nothing had been learned. For that reason, no one could comfortably say what was and what was not within Bauchan. It was said that the treasure of Bauchan Forest was possibility. Many came to believe in the idiom, the idea that anything, maybe even everything, was within their reach if only they could brave the depths of the forest. Debtors, criminals, and runaways all came to join the ranks of the scholars and warriors already lining up at the forest edge. Everyone found a different use for it, and for each person coming to seek the tower there was a different dream being chased. The one common ground among them was their destination. From soldier to scavenger, all wanted to reach for the Tower.

The hungry swarm that come following possibility settled themselves along the coast, on the only river leading into the forest. Watering hole, staging point, and military outpost, they called it Perimeter City for its location on the outermost ring of the evacuated area. In only a few weeks, what began as a tent city had grown into a proper town. Merchants and scholars set up shop quickly, knowing that clients and hands to do their bidding would be in abundant supply very soon. With them would come the foreign merchants, so speed became the key to their competition. What came of their efforts was Perimeter City, now truly a city. The PCC moved its command office to Perimeter City, and its seat as the center of the exploration of Bauchan was secured. Far from the still expanding reaches of the forest, it was a safe place for all comers to gather and prepare themselves. Several military roads ran through the evacuated zone, constructed in a hurry, but the main method of reaching Bauchan was the river. Riverboats were continuously moored at Perimeter City, ready to sail at the Corps' behest and making themselves ready to sail for the myriad of international explorers coming to Pomria from across the sea. Everything sat ready, awaiting the wave of fresh blood to push where the Corps had failed. After only the short time it took the foreigners to come, the Corps had already been relegated strictly to its core duty of holding the perimeter around the Tower.

---

The coast of Pomria, even under the bright mid day sun, was a dreary place. A light haze blanketed the coast, and through the eddying currents of sea mist and fog the port of Perimeter City was visible in varying shades of gray. Military style lodges constructed of wood culled from the surroundings, a few more permanent stone structures, and a handful of shanties surrounding the newborn city. As unweathered as the buildings were their inhabitants had given them life through pottery and plant decorations, signs denoting purpose, even the occasional awning added by the truly ambitious businessman. The streets ran wild with all kinds of different people, there was no consistency of style or occupation that some cities enjoyed but instead a multicolor assortment of soldiers and adventurers from many locales. Generally, they were from the continents closer to Pomria and had come slightly before the now approaching rush of fresh blood, those destined to be classified as the first generation of delvers. Carrying the new explorers in, an armada of ships now congesting the once lonely trade routes crossing Pomria. One boat in particular among them, a modestly sized vessel called a clipper and named Jubilance, sailed at the head of the pack. Its bright white hull parted the sea and made it plainly visible, even in the murk. Aboard its decks, both passengers and crew gathered to watch the docks approach through the seaside haze. There were only a few moments left, and amongst those staying in Pomria there was a haste upon the deck to seek partners and fellows for the journey ahead. Throngs of people formed on the crowded deck to meet and greet amongst the scurrying sailors, rushing across the deck or climbing the rigging. Conversation added to the cacophony that was the rush of water against the hull and the blowing of whistles which constituted naval communication. Many thought it better to find comrades then, among their traveling companions, than during the chaos their arrival would bring.

---

Rules
1: No autohitting/killing, godmodding, powerplay, that sort of general roleplay thing. Not everybody gets along, but please have respect for your fellow roleplayers.
2: Actions have consequences. I will not outright kill characters, no rocks falling here, but I do believe in having a little danger.
3: Please contact me if you are going to disappear for a long time or say something in the OOC if you're skipping in post order. I always like to know if I should be posting or waiting for someone's turn and I am sure others do as well.

Player and Character List
Name / Page / Owner
Gideon Alabaster / 1 / Sightles
Aldric Alabaster / 1 / DrowsyPangolin
Bast Draven / 1 / PandorasBox

Character Sheet Guideline
Note: This is a guideline, not a format. If you would like to modify the format, please do so. My only requirements are that the character is defined enough that we all have an idea of who and what they are.

Name:
Age:
Gender:

Race:

Appearance/Clothing:

Weapons/Belongings:

Personality:

History:

Name: Gideon Alabaster
Age: 29
Gender: Male

Race: Human

Appearance: Gideon stands roughly 5'9'', with shaggy dark brown hair that reaches nearly past his bright green eyes. Gideon's stature is considered short, but it's obvious from his frame that Gideon is strong man, with an athletic build. Gideon's body also bears many scars and deep wounds from his many years serving in the Royal Guard of the Golden Empire. Despite the many scares, Gideon's face remains unblemished, leaving the boyish face looking youthful and approachable.

Clothing: Gideon's clothing calls back to his history as a royal guard, still proud to wear his uniform. A white tunic, adorned with a gold trim, along with white pants that also bear the gold trim of the Royal guard. While considered somewhat bland by other countries standards, it's enough for Gideon. Gideon wears his own cloak, a moss green with many mud stains and rips in the hem, leaving the cloak looking more like a long, tattered piece of cloth than a cloak. Black boots join the cloak in it's tattered look, adorned with the same mud stains, and missing pieces of leather.

As of armor, Gideon wears a golden colored curiass, dulled in it's color from it's years of use, and periods of missed maintenance. Places where gems once were set into the curiass are gone, sold by Gideon to pay for his long journey. Gideon also sports other parts of clearly hand made armor, including hardened leather bracers and knee pads. Gideon's armor, along with his clothing, is the very sign that this is a estranged warrior, from a fallen empire.

Weapons: Gideon is proficient with many weapons, being trained in a large amount of weaponry throughout his upbringing in order to prepare him for his duty as the eldest son of the Alabaster family. Gideon typically disdained swords, and opted for any type of pole arm ranging from a normal Bill, to the exotic Glaive. Once the Golden Empire fell, however, Gideon sold his once extensive armory of weaponry in order to help fund his travels. Gideon now wields a common ironwood stave, an item Gideon made himself on his journeys. Due to his extensive use with pole arms, Gideon wields the stave as if it was another limb to his hardened body. Despite his awe-inspiring skill with the stave, Gideon mainly uses the stave as a walking stick.

Personality: Gideon is unlike many his age, having seen the horrors of war at a young age, and seeing how civil unrest can tear a mighty country in two. Gideon is extremely mature, and acts with the wisdom found in only those of elder age. Gideon acts as more of a traveling shaman, than a once great warrior. Once a young firebrand, adept at leading men into battle, and slaughtering his enemies with no remorse, Gideon is now a man of peace and learning, preferring to leave his past behind him in order to become a new man.

History: Gideon was raised in a higher class family, along with his brother Aldric. As the eldest son, Gideon was groomed for command and to make war in the name of the Golden Empire, inducted into officer school at the age of 15. While younger, Gideon did not get to know his brother, nor did he become particularly close to him. It was only once Gideon graduated officer school, and was inducted into the Royal Guard, that he became close to his brother, whom was making his own path in life. In only a short amount of time, Gideon became the leader of the Royal Guard. Gideon, however, didn't have time to enjoy his appointment, with revolution in the Golden Empire erupting shortly after his promotion. A long and bloody revolution began, when Gideon was simply 24 years old. During the revolution, Gideon saw the worst people could become, and worst crimes committed. Isolated in a gilded castle, Gideon did not fight in many of the battles against the rebels. It was only after the suspected death of his brother, whom was now a member of the Royal Guard, the advancement of rebel forces on the capital, did Gideon see combat. Earning the moniker 'The Beast of Arcadia', Gideon fought tooth and nail through a nearly 6 month siege of the capital, eventually ending with the storming of the royal palace. Gideon was captured by rebel forces during the battle, and after the rebel victory, was to be hanged, drawn and quartered, along with the rest of the captured Royal Guards and Royal family. Gideon was resigned to his death, accepting his defeat, but fate had other plans for the warrior. Gideon was saved when lightning struck the wooden cage he was being held in, along with the rest of the prisoners, bringing the cage down. Gideon quickly made his escape, and made the decision to leave the Golden Empire, and to find new purpose in his life.

Accepted, welcome aboard.

Name: Aldric Alabaster

Age: 22

Gender: Male

Race: Human

Appearance/Clothing: Aldric is somewhat tall, standing just over six feet in height. His build is sturdy, though not quite bulky. He has wide shoulders and hard muscles, giving him an appearance of considerable strength. He has a mop of reddish-brown hair that hangs nearly to his shoulders. His skin is slightly tanned, though not overly so. He has blue-grey eyes and strong facial features. His chin bears a light stubble, giving him the rugged appearance of a wanderer. He has a scar running across his left eye.

Aldric wears a long coat made of a deep blue fabric. The cloth seems coarse and inexpensive, durable, but probably not the most comfortable of garments. He also wears a pair of soft leather gloves that reach just beyond his wrists. Beneath his cloak, Aldric wears a vest made of hard leather lined with chainmail. The armor provides modest protection, though it doesn't compare to the heavy plate he once wore. Beneath the vest, he wears a simple loose-fitting white shirt with numerous tears and stains throughout. His trousers are made of black fabric and he wears a pair of tough leather boots. A belt at his waist carries the sheath for his sword. A thick leather strap with a loop on it is usually strung around his chest to carry his hammer.

Weapons/Belongings: Aldric's primary weapon is a large warhammer. He took a liking to the weapon's simple but effective nature when he first began his excursion into the military world. The hammer is quite hefty, requiring great physical determination to use effectively. Shaft and all, it is about four feet long. The handle of the weapon is made from oak overlaid with copper tracings of vines and leaves. The head of the weapon is roughly twice the size of a man's fist and is made of steel. One end of the head is flat, and used for bludgeoning an opponent, while the opposite end tapers into a sharp point, with it's primary use being the piercing of armor. An image of a roaring lion is engraved on the side of the head. Various scratches and dings mar the weapon's face, but the engraving has been kept in surprisingly good shape.

Aldric's only other weapon is a short sword about two and a half feet in length. It has a thick double-edged blade that is kept relatively sharp. The edges bear numerous knicks and dings, as Aldric has a tendency to use it for utility as well as combat. The weapon has a hilt of oak with a simple crossguard made of tarnished copper. The pommel of the weapon is an orb of copper.

Personality: Aldric is generally quite kind to those he meets, perhaps a small step in his quest for redemption. He is passionate and guided mostly by his own personal convictions, a trait that presented great difficulty for his commanders. He is a brave man, and was often known for diving into unfavorable situations with no fear about the outcome. He is strong-willed and unwavering, and rarely backs down from a challenge or argument. Despite his nature, there is a certain amount of unrest in the young man. It is obvious to anyone who has spent time with him that the young man carries a great burden, a burden that he seems to be striving to escape with all of his might. His goal seems to be to make amends for the wrongs he has committed in his life. The desire to cleanse his regrets is what drives him to keep going.

History: Aldric was the youngest child of the Alabaster family. His older brother, Gideon, was always groomed for the military life, and he constantly strove to be his brothers equal. The two were not often around one another, and while Gideon was carefully groomed towards his position, Aldric joined the ranks of the Golden Empire's infantry. He became known to his commanders for his ferocity in combat, gaining him the nickname of 'Lion's Maw'. He fought hard, driven by his desire to prove himself to his family and become his brother's equal. He eventually moved his way through the military, joining the ranks of the Royal Guard, which his brother now commanded, at a young age. He had little time to celebrate his new position, however, because revolution overtook the Golden Empire shortly thereafter. As a lower-ranking member of the Guard, he was dispatched, along with some of his brothers-in-arms, to quell the fledgling rebellion before it could gain traction. He was sent to the village of Troz with the mission of finding and routing any rebels in the area. The events that followed changed the young man's life forever. He arrived with his comrades in Troz, but to his surprise, the village seemed rather ordinary, filled only with townspeople going about their business. The men set up camp in the village, seeing little in the way of rebellion. That night, however, an infantry captain that had been dispatched with them was murdered just outside of the village. The men around Aldric were enraged at the attack on one of their own, and took their vengeance on the village. Civilians were slaughtered en masse as retribution. Aldric, having fought for glory all his life, was horrified by the dishonorable conduct of the soldiers around him. Disillusioned with his position, he fled the scene, and the Golden Empire as a whole. He began traveling, seeking a way to make amends for the atrocities that had occurred in Troz.

Also accepted, pretty soon we can get this thing rolling.

Name: Bast Draven
Age: 25
Gender: Female

Race: Nekomusume
Commonly referred to as “Neko’s”, this race evolved from a common ancestor which resembled a large cat, and grew in a similar way to humans. They tend to be more agile and have better hearing and night vision than humans do, along with in built weapons, but as a result they saw little need to develop their weaponry technology further, and thus when they clashed with humanity over land, most were wiped out. There still exists some small tribes, mainly based around the type of cat they resemble, however most remaining have tried to adapt to a more human way of life. The race is generally looked down upon as being less intelligent and more primal by many other species, and as such those that are living in a human setting often find themselves working as servants or slaves.

Appearance/Clothing: Bast is tall for a Nekomusume, standing just under 5 feet, with a mane of unkempt black hair, with several small plaits throughout. She is covered from head to toe in soft fur, which is patterned similarly to a snow leopard, and has two cat like ears, the left which is pierced with a single ring, and a long tail. Her body shape is fairly lean, with wide hips and powerful legs. Her hands and feet are clawed, and all her teeth are sharp canines. Completing the normal features for her race are short whiskers and a cat like nose. She has light green eyes which are slanted and have slit pupils.

In terms of clothing, she tends to keep it simple, opting for an emerald green tunic covered by a dusky brown leather vest. Under this she sports tight brown pants which were cut off at her knees. A study leather belt sits over her hips, to which a side quiver is attached, along with a small pouch for holding other items. On Bast’s arms are an interesting pair of leather gloves, as the right glove ends at her wrist and is reinforced on the inner arm, like a bracer. The right pair is longer, ending close to her fingertips, and is padded along her fingers, serving the purpose of a finger tab. She also carries with her a plain black hooded cloak, which she uses to hide her features when necessary.

Weapons/Belongings: Bast’s main weapon is a small but powerful recurve composite bow. It is rather plain and unadorned, mainly practical rather than aesthetically pleasing. She has a large variety of arrows which she carries to be used for different purposes, with most of them being footed. For close combat situations she carries two plain daggers, which also double as utility knives, as they are more effective than her claws are.

Personality: Bast can come across as being fairly wild and fiery, often lacking self control in regards to her emotions and curiosity. As such, she can be fairly easy to read, a fact which she finds quite irritating. Her curiosity knows little bounds, and is especially geared towards human inventions – she loves finding what makes them tick. However she is aware that this fascination is looked down upon by her tribe, as many of these are what caused her race to become so rare, and will try to keep it hidden as much as possible around those who could disapprove, although this doesn't always work. Like most Neko’s, she has been conditioned to be fearful and wary of the human race, and as she will treat them with a certain amount of caution. However, as Bast is fairly optimistic, she quickly will find herself trusting humans if she has to spend a decent amount of time with them, as she tends to think that people couldn't possibly want to harm others in any meaningful way. This trait also lends her an inner strength, as she truly believes that she can find the treasure within Bauchan forest, and the tower. However this belief in herself and her abilities can often show through, making her come across as being rather smug and prideful. She isn’t one to ask for help due to her prideful nature, believing that whatever the situation she gets herself into, it should be her responsibility to get herself out. Despite this, she desperately clings to her optimism, and the belief that she can and will get the treasure, otherwise the reality of the situation she's in will sink in, and she'll freak out thinking that she'll never see her family again.

History: Bast was born and raised in a small tribe of snow leopard Nekos up in the mountains of the country Waaivera, which was far away from where most humans traveled. As such, she grew up in isolation, being rather ignorant about the ways of the world outside of her tribe. However, she knew the tales of humans that the elders told of their insatiable bloodlust, and their strange machinery which were far more effective than claws or fangs. While she did come to fear them, Bast also grew increasingly curious about the weapons that they used. She kept this curiosity repressed until one day when she was 15, during a solo hunting expedition, she found herself having wandered towards the bottom of the mountain, where she found a small village. Despite the elder’s warnings about humans, she got close enough to the village that she ran into a farmer, whose mountain goat had climbed up some rocks where he couldn't reach, and was refusing to come down. The farmer, knowing of the agility of Nekos, offered to give Bast a bow and arrow if she could get the goat back, which she did. He then showed her how to use it, before Bast left back to her tribe.

Using the bow, she became the best hunter in the tribe, although she never revealed to the others how she hunted, out of fear of the elders taking the bow away from her. This continued for several years, until one day a young Neko saw her hunting with the bow, and informed the elders. When she returned, the elders yelled at her, one of them breaking the bow. In anger, Bast fled from the tribe in order to calm herself down. Upon returning however, she found that a group of human slavers had caught wind of her tribe’s existence, and had captured the tribe in order to sell them for profit. Bast followed them in the hopes of setting her tribe free, however she never gained the opportunity to do so, and could only watch as they were sold. From there, she wandered the country, preforming odd jobs to make herself a living, and eventually purchasing a new bow in order to hunt and sell game. However, one day she heard about what had occurred in Pomria, and the kind of treasures that could be found in the tower, and reasoned that if she found the treasure, she could probably buy her tribe back from their owners, and so she made her way there.

Other: Bast cannot read or write.

Aaand my internet is back on.

Accepted, welcome aboard. I'm anticipating a few more players, but seeing as we've got people in the thread we can start introductions if everyone is up to it.

Sounds good to me - given the setting that we'll be starting in it won't be too hard for people to just jump in anyway.

Yeah, let's do this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Glad to have you on with us, Pandora.

Thanks, I'm looking forwards to it!

Alright, there goes the IC intro.

Name: Gideon Helmstear

Age: 44

Gender: Male

Race: Inoris
Literally translating to "outcast" in their native language, the Inoris have long been a target of intense discrimination and hate as a result of their elven ancestry. Originating from a cluster of small islands of the coast of what was once the Nekomusume's territory, the Inoris are the direct descendants of an ancient elven race that once roamed the entire world. Although they were revered by the humans for their intelligence, specifically their proficiency in abstract thinking, and disciplined armies, the Inoris eventually ended up clashing with the humans, leaving many of them in the hands of their enemies while the rest were doomed to perish in the few islands that were deemed a suitable reservation by their captors. As the years went on, hatred for the Inoris grew, mostly due to the humans' envy of their aforementioned intelligence and orderliness, which itself lead to several aptly-titled "race-wars" occurring throughout many human cities. Although considerable reform has occurred since those fateful years, segregation still runs deep in the treatment of the Inoris, with many of them destined to become little more than slaves.

Appearance/Clothing:

Weapons/Belongings: Being the wealthy treasure hunter that he is, Gideon has brought a multitude of objects he believes will come in handy during his time in Pomria. These items include, but are not limited to, various shovels, pickaxes, hatchets, dynamite, lanterns, and, most importantly, a sort of prototype taser (pictured) capable of firing a single dart-like electrode meant to attach itself to whatever its being fired at, effectively electrocuting and thereby killing it.

Personality: Initially an ambitious diplomat, Gideon is intent on taking back his ancestors' land in the name of the Inoris and exterminating the humans. After his injury and subsequent loss of political power, his obsession of not only reconquering the original home of the Inoris but also of realizing what he believed to be his true calling as the Inoris' prophet intensified. He now actively seeks to take the enigmatic Elven Sword from the Tower, as demonstrated by his shipments of government battalions to retrieve it prior to his journey.

History: WIP

Accepted enough, although the strength of the taser makes me uneasy. I'm against anything that gets itself billed as an instant kill. Looking forward to seeing the history.

Things might get a little confusing/fun with two people named Gideon running around...

Hey sorry guys for being so slow, somehow I completely missed that there were new messages in the IC... :/

Lol, that's fine. I miss them sometimes, too. :P