Your character has grown up in a world dominated by nature, where the only memories of countries or kingdoms are in the ruins of crumbling castles and overgrown palaces; the last of civilization fell in the Dark Ages. Only a few very small, very fortified towns survive; the rest of humanity lives a nomadic life following game, herding livestock or trading with passing tribes.

Death and natural disasters are common: landslides, sinkholes, floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, ice storms, strange illnesses and stranger madness are daily struggles. The weather can be freakish, and the woods have a tendency to keep whoever walks into them. According to the writings of the old kingdoms, things weren't always this way. But it's all your character has ever known.

Different tribes may have different names and origins for the Ruse, but everyone knows of them. Many tribes worship them or try to appease them with offerings or rituals. Many others believe the Ruse died long ago, and their absence is what caused nature and civilization to fall to chaos. Some scoff and say the Ruse never existed at all, that life has always been this way and the old kings were fools.The characters are the story. The GM is merely the conductor, present only to hold the elements together. Anything you do could easily change the course of the entire story.

Character sheets in this particular RP will be more involved and restricted than is usual. I'm essentially looking for stereotypically average characters: blank slates that have plenty of room to grow, develop, and find their true calling. I'm looking for strong personalities, most of all.

To compensate, a certain level of worldbuilding is encouraged. Given the restrictions of the premise above, you'll be free to describe your character's tribe (or town) in as much or as little detail as you like, and in any setting you choose -- from rocky plains to deserts to deep forests. Make a seafaring tribe, or a mountain tribe. Collaborate with other players if you like. Describe the natural surroundings to be as calm or as chaotic as you want. With your combined ideas, a world will take shape.

Your characters will be brought out of their tribes and gathered together quickly in the first post. I haven't quite decided yet how that will happen, but this is Fantasy so trust that it will.

I only ask that there be no "lone wolf" characters: in this particular setting, I don't care how badass you are, you won't survive a year alone. Unless you were raised by walruses.
This is just an interest check at this point. No character sheet yet, but I feel it'll be a long-ish template that involves keepsakes and totem animals.

Also, since this is the Advanced forum I feel I have to remind everyone not to take yourself or me or this too seriously. I have whimsical tendencies, so be forewarned ye who love grimdark angst, you will be assaulted by puppies.

Looks very neat, definitely interested. Also, thanks for that last sentence.

Highly interested! Definitely looking forward to some worldbuilding, and coming up with a tribe.

I'm always game for some whimsy. The idea of this evolving world and story like the ebb and flow of the seas is a pretty neat idea.

I might be interested. This does seem experimental in a very good way. I must say though that the format in which the GM acts as conductor is a rising format that isn't unknown anymore. I'll follow this, and if things are going fine, I might join. I've been in casual for too long when I'm an advance RPer for way longer. I guess it has something to do with me coming out of retirement recently.

I love this! I'm very much interested to see how this RP develops. I already have an idea for my character and where she comes from.

Is magic an accessible skill in this world, and if so is it sociably accepted or perceived as evil? An example of magic -- my character's people have learn to master the magnetic energy of the planet. They built settlements in the jungle when a tribe of them came into contact with Ruse entities. Given to mysticism, they built magnetic temple-cities centered around the worship of the Ruse. They have passed master in the manipulation of magic magnetic fields which they use in the fabrication of weaponry and buildings. (Additionally, these people are lovers of nature, their society's three governing principles are Wisdom, Spiritual Accomplishment, and Respect of Nature. And their garments are made of bark, oil, resin, and fiber, which look like plants and flower leafs sown together.)

@Xistina my original thought was to forbid magic altogether, but your idea has actually made me reconsider.

My main concern with magic is that I'd like to encourage average characters: shepherds, woodcutters, foragers, even children. I don't want anyone to feel they have to create characters that have abilities to compete with master magicians.

However, you raise a good point in that magic can be ingrained in the tribe's culture. So to answer your question, everyone is free to create a magic system for their tribe, but it's certainly not necessary. How magic is perceived depends on the culture, since every tribe may have different experiences with it.

I understand your concern and one of the reasons I asked. I don't want my character to be seen as a powerful magic wielder either, she is most definitely not a master, but her culture is very much entwined with the use of magic. It will hopefully be clearer in her CS.

Hiiii~~!!

Interested!!! MEEE~~<3!! Not cuz I;m soooooo stalker for @Mokley... cuz... wulp... neverminds, k, I soooo stalker cuz I lurvs the Mox~~<333333!!!

xDDD

But for serious-serious, this idea of piecing together a mysterious world and piecing together peoples of different tribes is soooooo coools!! That and like Mokley is simply one of the finest and fantastical GMs the bunny has ever had the chance to RP with^^ Soooo.... like yush... defo interested up in here ;DDDD

I understand your concern and one of the reasons I asked. I don't want my character to be seen as a powerful magic wielder either, she is most definitely not a master, but her culture is very much entwined with the use of magic. It will hopefully be clearer in her CS.

It looks like a sound idea to me -- I have faith!

@Bunnita Of course you're my favorite stalker. ;)

Color me interested! Where there is lost civilization, there must be civilization rebuilding. And that is very fun.

Consider my hat tossed into the ring.

This Interest Check made my dick hard. I've always been a fan of tribal settings, but don't count me fully in until I've made a CS.

A couple of questions: A) Are animal companions allowed?

B) Will there be/can we add any prehistoric elements? Mainly animal life I'm talking, but subtle things. Not giant beasts running around wiping entire villages off the slate (but if you're into that that'd be fuggin' awesome). Most of the animals I'm talking about aren't commonly known, so it would fit the strange, dark landscape this roleplay seems to exhibit. Think more like this beaut'.

I have an idea for a character: Basically a pikeman from one of those towns still left standing. He'd be rather condescending to nomads and tribespeople/cavepersons, but not to the point of arrogance. He just can't understand nor connect with them as there would be more differences than similarities between him and them. He's also supposed to be middle-aged, straddling the line between being young/ignorant and being experienced/wise. In other words, he'd be wise and experienced in his own way but bigoted and ignorant in his own ways too.

In combat, since he handles a pike, he's used to being defensive and letting the enemy come to him. His good armour helps with that too. However, if you tell him to charge and try to break the enemy... Well... He could try but will flee if things go bad. He'd have a short sword for backup but that's it really.

A couple of questions: A) Are animal companions allowed?

B) Will there be/can we add any prehistoric elements? Mainly animal life I'm talking, but subtle things. Not giant beasts running around wiping entire villages off the slate (but if you're into that that'd be fuggin' awesome). Most of the animals I'm talking about aren't commonly known, so it would fit the strange, dark landscape this roleplay seems to exhibit. Think more like this beaut'.

Animal companions should be allowed -- I don't see any reason why not.

Prehistoric elements, weird creatures, crazy animals that are natural disasters unto themselves -- yes, go for it.

I'm thinking of using the "Characters" tab as a wiki. The first post of the tab would be a sort of index with links to posts about characters, tribes, magic systems, animals, settings, whatever you guys want to come up with.

I have an idea for a character: Basically a pikeman from one of those towns still left standing. He'd be rather condescending to nomads and tribespeople/cavepersons, but not to the point of arrogance. He just can't understand nor connect with them as there would be more differences than similarities between him and them. He's also supposed to be middle-aged, straddling the line between being young/ignorant and being experienced/wise. In other words, he'd be wise and experienced in his own way but bigoted and ignorant in his own ways too.

In combat, since he handles a pike, he's used to being defensive and letting the enemy come to him. His good armour helps with that too. However, if you tell him to charge and try to break the enemy... Well... He could try but will flee if things go bad. He'd have a short sword for backup but that's it really.

This sounds like a great start. The thing about the towns/villages is that since the weather is generally unpredictable it's near impossible to grow crops without extraordinary means and effort. And since there are no cities or big towns, trading is generally limited to passing caravans and tribes. "High quality" would be extremely hard to come by, as would the supplies to make such things.

Just food for thought, from a worldbuilding standpoint. It'd be accepted regardless. ;)

Edit: unless, as @Fairess put it, civilization is in the process of rebuilding. So, we'll have to see what sort of dynamic evolves from what's submitted.

@Mokley Gotcha. Things just keep getting interesting. So no good quality stuff then. I'd say my dear pikeman's disadvantaged then, since he'd be more of a town guard than anything. At the most, he'd just be a trusted home grown warrior, so the maximum he's going to get is a skull cap and leather/chainmail combination vest. Weapons wise, a pike would make sense I suppose as wood wouldn't be hard to get, and the spear point for the pike doesn't need alot of metal. A short sword's requirements is similarly economical, as a long sword would have taken up way too much resources.

I'm really hoping this RP won't die on me, because you've got something here.

@Mokley Gotcha. Things just keep getting interesting. So no good quality stuff then. I'd say my dear pikeman's disadvantaged then, since he'd be more of a town guard than anything. At the most, he'd just be a trusted home grown warrior, so the maximum he's going to get is a skull cap and leather/chainmail combination vest. Weapons wise, a pike would make sense I suppose as wood wouldn't be hard to get, and the spear point for the pike doesn't need alot of metal. A short sword's requirements is similarly economical, as a long sword would have taken up way too much resources.

I'm really hoping this RP won't die on me, because you've got something here.

Thanks very much! I'm thrilled to see what you guys come up with.

I'll start working on this thread.

In the meantime, I'm totally open to any ideas on how gameplay should go down. I know I said the GM is merely the conductor, but I'm not positive quite yet on what that means, exactly -- other than I hope to trust all of you a lot more than might be the norm. At the same time, we have to be able to keep going if and when players disappear or drop out.

Any worldbuilding that is done is fair game for me to do with as I will, though. ;)

@Mokley Basically, I'm in this other roleplay about zombies in which the GM is the Dungeon Master. He's basically the one who'd move the story along when a scene is done/beginning to stagnate, and whenever he feels proper, would start an event or drop a bombshell on us XD. Is that what you're thinking?

As for quitters, basically, he'd just kill their characters very quickly so that it doesn't bog down the RP.

Wow nice turn out so far.

@Mokley - Like Darkraven said, usually in this type of GM and player dynamic you provide the obstacles and the general direction for us to move forward. The times I've used this similar method, I drop little crumbs here and there for the players to pick up, and depending on how they react I move the story line forward.

I want to talk about my idea for weapons and harvesting regarding my people. My character's people don't use metal, instead they use wood and harden amber, and their favorite weapons is the mace. Additionally, my people's science is derived from nature and the teachings of the Runes, and to a large degree of magical origin. In their quest to enhance the use of magical energy they developed amplifier gloves, magical gloves (opposed to a staff), to facilitate the use of magic spells. On that note, magic needs to be omnipresent so that it can be accessible by everyone, but not everyone can wield magic without the proper training and education.

Since they are in the jungle region they have abundant resources. Additionally resources are harvest from the grown by prospecting - by way of magnetic energy - which pulls up the resources up to the surface. This technique is used to create nodes, and the nodes in turn provide the resources to harvest. Resources are generally tide to the seasons and weather, so my people have learn to name the seasons and developed a system to clock the resources and pinpoint when and where they are available.

One more thing I wanted to mention is that magnetism can be used to travel - it works something like a pulse train portal - locating these magnetic flows in the regions can help one travel long distances. But you need a magnetized amber to activate them. The amber works like a conductor, but if it overloads it can shatter. Magnetic flows are permanent and can only take you from point A to point B - meaning there are only two for each region that can be used to travel back and forth to the same spot. (Of course this is only an idea and needs approval by GM to be used)