1. Read the rules. ALL of them. They're pretty important.
2. All forum rules will apply, as they always do. Don't post graphic scenes in the IC, leave it to the imagination. I'm sure someone might want to read about your steamy encounter, but not everyone does. Blood is acceptable, but keep it tasteful and meaningful. If you're dropping more buckets of the red stuff than Night of the Living Dead I'm going to tell you to tone it down.
3. Be respectful to other players and to your GMs. Don't be starting flamewars in the OOC, be civil.
4. No power-playing, godmodding, or metagaming. That means no Mary Sue all-powerful characters, no taking control of other player's characters without explicit permission, and no acting on things your character is not supposed to know. If it becomes a problem enough that a GM has to intervene, it won't be fun for anyone.
5. If you're playing, be committed. Nobody likes someone who shows up for a few days and then drops off for the next shiny new thing. At least have the decency to state that you're leaving. No, it's not awkward and no one will think anything less of you if the game isn't your cup of tea.
6. Don't expect absolutely everyone to play at the pace you play. If you post in the morning and expect a response by noon, don't go moaning in the OOC. Even if it takes a day or two, be patient. If a few days go by and no one can get online, things happen. People have lives. If you're concerned about stagnation, bring it up in a meaningful way, such as who you're waiting on or what. Posting "Is this dead?" or abandoning ship isn't helpful.
6a. Seriously, from the time it took to actually get to this point expect involvement from at least the GMs to be pretty slow in coming.
7. If you have a question or comment, ask or say. Ain't no shame in that.
8. Rules not covered can be added to this list later, but I'll let y'all know when that happens.

Very long ago, before the beginnings of history, there was a time when humans and dragons co-existed. When an unknown conflict came between them, the humans rose up to defeat the evolutionary superior dragons. Some came to craft iron and fire into weapons, and harnessed the natural energy of nature, magic, to defeat the dragons' sheer power. Others sought to harness the form of dragons for themselves to gain their power, and so learned to shift into mighty bestial shapes.

Ultimately, the war was brought to a closure by the use of the most powerful magical weapons ever crafted, which would come to be known as the Weapons of the Divine, or the Divine Weapons. As these relics were fueled by the primordial energies of nature itself, they was more than enough to defeat the dragons. But this blessing came at a great cost, draining the worldly realms of the power needed to sustain life. To ensure they would yet survive, the human sealed away the power of the Divine Weapons with a mystic key known as the Fire Emblem, while the dragons sealed away their greater natural power into five Sacred Stones.

To put an end to their conflict, the dragons were made to depart into another realm by means of the Dragon's Gate. In this way, dragonkind was no longer able to exist in the human realm without adopting a human form, and so ensured their kind never truly crossed over again. This warlike event at large that resulted in the dragons' departure became known as the Scouring.

A thousand years passed. From the events within the Scouring, humanity has long since divided itself in two. The Beorc descended from the creators of the Divine Weapons, and so inherited their affinity to magic- and a complexion of superiority, being the ones to truly drive away the dragons. The Laguz came from the ones who looked to harness the form of beasts to match dragons, and too have become weaker in the Scouring's light. This difference in ideologies and beliefs has created a massive racial gap that has incited much conflict, but never to the degree of the war of the Scouring.

But now, all so suddenly, an entirely new threat arises. Once regarded as the world's guardian nation among the Beorc, the greatest military this side of the realms is now mobilizing with one goal: to seize the Fire Emblem at whatever cost. They have stomped through towns, villages and fortresses alike, felling any soul who dares to oppose them. And all the while, Laguz and Beorc alike can only wonder in whispers - What is happening? What has possessed them?

Is this the day a new Scouring comes upon us?

Valinea - Valinea is a rich and prosperous country toward the northwest. Cold and mountainous in the deeper regions, it opens up to placid rolling hills toward the southern tips and still forests. Valinea is a religious nation, possessing many monasteries to the Goddess of Order, Ashunera, in its winding mountain paths. Valinea is normally a peaceful if not powerful nation, and is headed by the Royal Family of Valinea. While the Royal Family holds reign over important traditional matters nearly all matters pertaining to country are made by various noble houses, making Valinea more of an Aristocracy than anything.
Laruca - The largest nation by far, Laruca spans from the eastern seaboard to the southernmost tip of the continent. The have the largest landmass, the greatest navy, and the largest army. Laruca has developed their culture around honor and duty, and is seen as the largest world power in terms of sheer military might. Their climate spans from large beaches to rolling plains and harsh tundra, and they're one of the biggest traders in the region as well. Laruca is lead by The Emperor, who is chosen by a council on merit of leadership and might.
Enoa - Wild and natural, Enoa is the official nation of the Laguz. It runs from the northeast portion of the continent and slices in to the middle. In a nutshell, Enoa is the wilder jungle, thicker forests, and dangerous mountains than the Beorc care to or are even capable of surviving in. Most Beorc take special roads through the forest or mountains to travel through Enoa that are cleared for trade if they need to traverse the continent, but those who enter any outside route quickly find themselves opposed by Enoa forces. Enoa is ruled by several Laguz tribes, with royalty from each tribe: the Avians, the Canines, the Felines, and the Dragons. These tribes deliberate to make necessary decisions.
Torun - Torun lies to the southwest, and is nearly completely covered by desert. The weather here is harsh, with fierce heat and blustering sandstorms being all too common. Torun's history is speckled but rich, with a history of both bloodshed and ancient cultures that fill the vast wastes. Traders and merchants here are as common as brigands and thieves, as Torun is the largest exporter of quality wares like rare metals, fine rugs, and exotic spices. Torun is governed by dukes and duchesses that lord over individual prefectures, but there is a strong lack of complete national authority.
Ranyon - Mysterious and inaccessible to most, Ranyon is the name given to the archipelago to the south of Torun and Laruca. It's a collection of rocky islands that supposedly host a nation of people... but not many can get to it and fewer still want to. The area is constantly buffeted by storms and swells, making approach by sea very dangerous, and the Laguz who could approach by air stay to their own continent. While it is known that there are some inhabitants of certain islands of Ranyon, the larger couple of islands are off-limits for the most part.

Beorc - The Beorc are average humans as we know them: numerous, diverse, crafty, and short-lived. The Beorc have an affinity for magic and the usage of tools such as swords and axes, and as such can cast spells and wield the Divine Weapons. It was the ancestors of the Beorc that created the Divine Weapons in the first place, bringing about this affinity for magic. Called "The Children of Wisdom", the Beorc rule the most nations on the planet and are the most advanced in the realms of science and magic.
Laguz - The Laguz (known as "beast-men" by racist Beorc) are humans with great strength and the ability to transform into an animalistic form. These forms vary from canine to feline, great birds and raptors and even dragons, but cannot be sustained indefinitely. While retaining an appearance close to a human's, Laguz always display some feature of their animal form such as ears, tails, colored stripes, fangs, or wings. Called "The Children of Strength", these people's ancestors sought to use the power of the dragons for themselves and hold that strength within them. Laguz cannot wield weapons like the Beorc can.
Branded - The Branded are the resulting child of a union between a Beorc and a Laguz. They take the form of a Beorc and cannot transform like their Laguz parents, instead sharing their enhanced lifespan to a degree, possessing an identifying marking or "brand", and may have some special ability or be especially skilled in an area. When a Branded is born the Laguz parent will lose their own ability to transform into their bestial state, and the Branded are typically scorned as half-breeds and lower races. They use weapons and tomes like the Beorc do.
Manakete - The Manaketes aren't humans at all like the Laguz and Beorc are. They're dragons in human form. After the Scouring dragons could not maintain their form in the mortal plain, and so instead took on the appearance of humans. Manaketes can live for thousands of years and appear humanoid in all respects aside from small features, such as pointed ears or unusual hair color although some may possess wings. They can transform into their true draconian form through the use of a Dragonstone.

In the Fire Emblem universe weapons are very important, not only as resources but as a tactical option. Different weapons will offer different bonuses and have advantages over other weapons, and the quality of the weapon will be important, too.

For combat Fire Emblem uses the Weapon Triangle and the Trinity of Magic. What this means is that while all weapons are viable, the weapon you wield can affect the outcome of combat if your weapon is superior or inferior. Here's a rough rundown and the explanation of strengths and weakness:

Swords lose to Lances because Lances have a longer reach. Lances lose to Axes because an Axe can easily take the head off of a Lance or chop through it. Axes lose to Swords because Swords can be swung faster and with more versatility. The Trinity of Magic follows a similar rock-paper-scissors type of matchup, where Nature/Anima beats Light, Light beats Dark, and Dark beats Nature. Within Nature/Anima, Fire beats Wind, Wind beats Thunder, and Thunder beats Fire. Staves are not used in combat and most other weapons are exempt from the Weapon Triangle. Certain weapons will have advantages over other units or weapons as well, such as Bows against flying units.

The usefulness and power of a weapon will be dictated by its craft, that is, how well-made it is. A hunk of iron tied to a plank of wood won't get you as far as a legendary spear, after all. A weapon's quality will be readily apparent by its appearance and handling; less polished and rough weapons will be less useful than an expertly smithed sword of legend. The Divine Weapons and Regalia are in tiers of their own. While weapons won't spontaneously break after X amount of swings like in a normal Fire Emblem game, if you don't take care of your sword it will grow dull and might break. Of course, there's a difference between forgetting to polish it a few days in a row and trying to chop down trees with it or sending it through several suits of armor. Take care of your weapon and it will take care of you. Same goes with your spellbooks, they're not ruggedized gear.

In addition, weapons can be enchanted to have different effects tied to them, such as Swordbreaker that gives you an advantage against sword-wielding units or a Brave weapon that's lighter and easier to swing, giving you an enhanced ability to attack with it. Enchantments for weapons aren't easy to come by, though, but their value is unmatched.

Weapons fall into the Weapon Triangle based on what they most closely align to. Swords would naturally be any slashing weapon wielded with one or two hands of a certain length, for example, to include weapons like rapiers, broadswords, katanas, and the like. Axes would be heavier weapons that throw their weight around, and include your standard axes, things like scythes, flails and maces, warhammers, and even smaller options used with the same style like tomahawks. Lances are long polearms, and would include spears, halberds, javelins, glaives, anything you'd use to poke someone to death. Bows exist outside of the Weapon Triangle, having no advantage or disadvantage against any weapon because of their range but the drawback of being unwieldy in close quarters, and would include all traditional ranged weapons like longbows, crossbows, slings, blowguns, and the like. Knives, like bows, also exist outside of the Weapon Triangle and cover all short stabbing weapons you'd need to be really close for such as daggers, stilettos, and knuckledusters, as well as some throwing options like kunai or the rope dart.

The character class creation system was designed to be fluid with customization in mind, but that'll be laid out in the steps below:
1. Choose a character concept. This will be your class name. It can be an existing class or one of your own creation. Example: Mage, Fighter, Archer

2. Choose two (2!) weapon proficiencies. These weapon proficiencies can be with any weapon type in the Fire Emblem universe, and you may forfeit one weapon proficiency for one extra rank point (below). Staves count as a weapon proficiency, as do the three magic types: Nature/Anima, Light, and Dark, and each separate magic type takes a different proficiency. If you're a Laguz or Manakete, you're already proficient with your natural weapons (claws, teeth, dragon breath, beak, etc.) and can't choose any weapon proficiencies, or give them up for more stat ranks.

3. Assign stat ranks. There will be five (5!) main stats with six (6!) ranks for each stat. They are as follows:

Strength - How strong you are, and how hard you can swing a weapon or pull back the string of a bow. Also pulling and pushing things. Classes with high Strength will deal better damage with physical weapons.
Constitution - How enduring you are, and how much damage you can take before going down for the count. Your ability to keep up on marches, go without eating, or fight without tiring will also fall under Constitution. Classes with high Constitution will be able to withstand more hits from physical weapons and overall take more punishment.
Agility - How quick you are, and how good you are at dodging blows. Agility is not only an overall measure of your speed but also your reflexes. Classes with high Agility will be able to sidestep attacks more easily and attack many times quicker than slower classes.
Skill - How much talent you have with a weapon, and how precise and coordinated you are. Skill is the measure of your ability to attack targets with technique and your aptitude with your weapon. A class with a good amount of Skill will be able to hit their targets more easily, parry blows much more reliably, and attack an enemy's weak points more reliably.
Mentality - How well-read you are, and your level of knowledge concerning the arcane or combat. While not exactly how smart you are, Mentality will measure your aptitude with magic in both casting spells powerfully and mitigating damage from spells, as well as how effective certain tactics are when utilized correctly. A class with high Mentality will take less damage from hexes and curses, cast powerful magic, and be able to utilize the skills they know more efficiently.

The ranks of stats will range from E -> S, with each rank costing a point to increase. The values are below.
E=1, D=2, C=3, B=4, A=5, S=6

Each stat must have a rank of at least E in each category, and all classes will have a set amount of points to spend at creation, with more being earned through play. There will be ways to raise stats beyond the S rank, but that will come with play.

Beorc (normal humans) will gain more skill ranks with promotion and begin with 14 points. The Laguz will earn more skill ranks when they when difficult battles or when an Act clears, earning up to 5 points an Act and also begin with 14 points. A Manakete will begin with 16 points and only earn more when an Act clears.

4. Choose a class feature. A "class feature" is the defining trait of the class you've created, what sets it apart from other classes with the same stat ranks and weapon proficiencies. An example of a class feature would be "Mounted Combat", which would allow a unit proficient in any weapons and any stat ranks to fight from horseback as easily as they fight on foot, maybe even better. Another example might be "Bardic Song", which might allow a unit to inspire other units with magical verses to fight with more ferocity. Your class feature can be an additional weapon proficiency or an extra skill rank if you choose.

5. Progress through the game! As you play the game you will earn skill ranks, more features, and get promoted or otherwise make progress.

As a Beorc you will be promoted after having undergone significant events/improvement, and will earn more skill ranks and have the decision to choose between any two of: One more class feature, one more proficiency, and one extra skill rank. The name of your class will change to reflect your new growth and you will continue to improve as the game progresses.

As a Laguz you will fight to earn your skill ranks. Through each battle won you will grow stronger and more fierce, earning one skill rank per battle and up to 5 per act. At the end of an Act, you will earn another class feature.

As a Manakete you will start out pretty strong, but will only undergo growth at the conclusion of an act. Here you will gain 4 more skill ranks and an extra feature at the conclusion of each act.

Name: (Self-explanatory. Include any nicknames or aliases.)
Race: (Beorc, Laguz, or Manakete. For Laguz/Manaketes, include the beast/dragon you morph into.)
Age: (For Manaketes, put your apparent age, as you would be far older in actuality.)
Appearance: (Description or picture. If you are a Laguz/Manakete, you should also add a descriptor of the beast/dragon you morph into.)
Class: (Beorc only. Take one from the Fire Emblem series, or make your own!)
Proficient In: (Beorc only. From the weapons/magic above, choose two your class uses, or choose one and gain an extra stat point.)
Features: (A special trait of your character or class. Be reasonable.)
Stats
(All stats start at one point for E rank, and increase in rank per point up to S rank. Beorc/Laguz have 14 points, Manaketes have 16. You need to invest at least 1 point in each skill)
Strength - X
Agility - X
Constitution - X
Mentality - X
Skill - X
Inventory: (Weapons and items you will start out with. Be reasonable.)
Personality: (Describe how your character behaves.)
Biography: (What had led your character up to this point. You can be as simple or complex as you like; you can always develop over the course of the RP.)
Additional Info: (Anything else we should know about your character?)