Introduction:
Welcome to the Arena Multiverse! Most of you should be fairly familiar with the concept, but to those of you who are not. The ARENA Multiverse is a thread dedicated to storylines and plots. In the IC section you can store links to important canon events in order to keep a easy to follow flow of events for your characters participating in Multiverse: Arena.
Character section is of course where canon characters for the multiverse, namely your champions, can be stored. Details can be found there.
Story Brief:
The rise of the Angar-Rylla empire was the beginning of a new age of disorder throughout the multiverse. Largely unopposed in its beginning years, the Empire rose steadily and quickly, crushing world after world, and realm after realm. Eventually to defend their way of life from what they saw as a hostile takeover by an aggressive foreign force, an alliance between nine key worlds was forged. Alone they could not hope to oppose the might of the Angar-Rylla, but together they created a combined front from which they could manage a fighting chance. More worlds steadily joined this alliance, which became known widely as the Freehold.
During the time of the Freeholds formation another force long forgotten by time had also begun to rise. In the distant realms closes to the far realms, a resurgence of a new religion was taking place. An ancient race known as The Fallen had returned to the present time of the mulitverse. Beings of unmatched science, philosophy and technology had appeared, apparently from the far future, Shepherding a flock of world ships escaping what they revealed was the end of the Multiverse, The Fallen began their camping by freeing worlds at first ‘oppressed’ by the Angar-Rylla empire.
These actions lead many to believe that The Fallen would perhaps ally with the Freehold against The Empire. This however was not the case; for The Fallen preached unity of ideals and government (oversaw only by them) that to the ears of the Freehold sounded much the same as the extreme rule of law rhetoric of the Empire given a different coat. The Freehold council paid little heed to the warnings of The Fallen, voicing that it was nothing more than a fear campaign to incite the down trodden to their way of thinking.
In time all three powers slowly built up their forces, the already large Angar-Rylla aggressively assimilating new realms. Thus in turn however, caused many independent realms to join the Freehold for security, or made them more susceptible to the teachings of The Fallen (so called Benefactors by those who fell under their sway).
Eventually these growing powers would come to a head, which would result in the greatest war the multiverse had ever seen. The Infinite War. Only one of sufficient power saw the cataclysm to come had the means and will to act. The Overgod Ao was a being thought to be only legend by even the oldest and wisest of races. Seeing the untold trillions that would perish in a war of countless powers and extraordinary weaponry. Ao enlisted the aid of the oft Neutral Dreamers, and a being known as the Liaison, who together devised a solution.
A series of contest that would allow rights of conquest and ownership to one faction or another. A contest that could take place between only a select number of champions of suitable power and ability. Ao restricted these battle to beings of lesser power in order to avoid the severity of the conflict getting out of hand. A race for the most capable of fighters who still met the criteria of Ao’s contest was enacted by all three factions. Creating a new age of warfare. One no longer decided by sheer firepower and numbers. But individual skill and ability.
The Arena was born.
Factions:
(in-depth Analysis of the factions coming soon.)
The Angar-Rylla Empire- The Empire is a powerful highly industrious multi-realm nation possessing a highly militant and disciplined fighting force. Many predicted with their organized cohorts, great numbers, and economic strength they would eventually have won the Multiverse war at great cost without the intervention of Ao. Often seen as imperialistic, the Angar-Rylla in fact see themselves as a necessary evil in the Multiverse in order to bring about the greater good. Their conquered worlds knowing a new age of peace and achievement through their sophisticated and benevolent governance. To the Empire the ends justify the means, with countless soldiers and mercenaries ready to die at the behest of their mighty Empress. The will of the righteous shall prevail.
The Fallen- Mysterious benefactors of a bygone age. The Fallen is an alliance of highly advanced beings who seek to bring peace to the Multiverse more through understanding and knowledge than brute force. They practice The Way, a doctrine and philosophy that all should embrace peace. The Way was invented by the Seraphim, a grey skinned, technologically sophisticated and bizarre alien race that was probably humanoid before the ascension. The Way is so advanced, it is said it shifts the perception of those who learn and embrace it. At least so it is believed by their enemies. Who view the Way as a fanatical cult. Having shared in a vision of destruction to all the multiverse in the far future. The Seraphim realized that the only hope of the lesser races was to unite them into one great force to combat the coming darkness. The Fallen, named so due to the near destruction the Seraphim faced countless eons ago, see the Freehold and especially the Empire as destabilizing factors that will spell the doom of the Multiverse and all within it.
The Freehold- A collection of highly varied worlds, the Freehold was born out of necessity in response to the threat of the Empire and other hostile forces. The key realms of the alliance center around Earth Realm and Pundambaya. Their goal simple. The freedom of all realms to rule themselves as they always have. Those who fight for and in the freehold are highly idealistic and fiercely independent. They seek to thwart the hungry conquest of the Empire as well as the mad fear mongering of the Fallen. Despite the sheer size and amount of realms within the freehold, the lack of a clear leading power within the faction has caused a lack of cohesion between the allied worlds; with in fighting and skirmishing among some of these ‘allies’ still a common occurrence. Yet make no mistake, when the cry for freedom echoes, those of the freehold are quick to forget each others slights and band together for the greater good when threatened.
Goal:
The whole goal of the multiverse is simple as it is elegant. It creates the backdrop for characters to have plausible and engaging reasons to initiate conflict. Regardless of faction, characters can possess or even evolve countless reasons for engaging in the Infinite War. Upholding ideals, defending their family and home or way of life. Perhaps simply as a call to duty or even revenge. The possibilities are as endless as one's imagination. Characters also benefit from being apart of a changing world, and thus can naturally change themselves, becoming stronger or evolving as characters naturally over time from their shared experiences. The main hub of this multiverse will exist to keep track of story events and rivalries. Which later on will make certain match up that much more memorable and meaningful. Along with of course having a place to keep track of interesting battles.
Rules of Engagement:
As per the rules set by Ao, chosen champions of the three factions are each given a unique mark that corresponds with the nexus gates of the multiverse. Ao granted these individuals with the power to in short- capture the nexus gates that connect our many worlds and realms together. Only a the mark of an opposing faction can contest a take over. Which often takes several hours before that champions faction gains complete access to the nexus gate. This means complete control of a gate is only possible once all opposing champions are defeated, after which control of the gate can be taken as leisure. This makes Champions highly strategic value targets in the Infinite War. However, due to the rules set by Ao, the scale of weaponry each faction is allowed to use is severely limited. Thus forcing any and all contest of arms to be often solely Champion against Champion with minor minion support on rare occasions. Thus combined with a Champion's own pseudo immortality, has cut the casualties of the war down significantly.
Minions
While it is possible to bring minor minions of your faction with you. Keep in mind these are the very basic and lowest tier of summoned/faction creatures. They will follow your lead but often cannot be commanded by you in combat and can be only given a basic order i.e. “Attack or Defend me.” Once more they follow the rules of summons/minions of the Arena, in that they are subject to auto hit unlike player characters. Your opponent may dispatch minion class creatures as they see fit and it does not take away from their normal attack in the fight. They are cannon fodder meant to make you look cool and as such will be treated this way.
Conflict and Resolution
Conflict and combat are not out of the realm of possibilities when encountering creatures and entities in the Multiverse. Sometimes a misspoken word in a tavern can lead to a drunken brawl, other times duels are fought for honor or large-scale fleet engagements in planetary systems. All are possible and all follow the same basic rules.
The first rule: The Multiverse is a roleplay and when resolving combat, it must be done in a way as logical as possible. The focus is the story that the characters engage in and less to do with defeating another player.
Sometimes arguments arise and players cannot close the collaborative gap to resolve their issues. Therefore, a streamlined and simplified T1 can be used.
1) All actions must allow for an opportunity for response. No single action in a single post can seal the fate of another character, destroy a structure or obliterate a planet. Your opponent must be given the chance to respond to any actions you take. They are required to also take your post into account and cannot ignore it.
- Closed posts: Attacks must make logical sense, and must be completed in a second post after the opponent has had the opportunity to attempt an equally logical avoidance.
2) Power is determined by the content of prior posts. The more the attack is described and noted in context of the exchange of posts between characters, the greater the strength of the attack or defensive maneuver.
- Equality of posts and preparations (preps): The attack (or defense) strength is equal to the number of posts made for that action. All individual posts are equal in strength, but posts can be stacked if you clearly state that you are preparing for an action.
3) Clarity of your writing is paramount. If you are not clear in describing your actions it will lead to needless arguments. Everything you write should be as clear and concise as possible.
Unique Circumstances in Fights Will Default To These Basic Rules:
1) A grab is counted as an attack and must take two posts.
Exception: A grab may be counted in a single post if contact is preexisting.
2) A lock must be preceded by a grab, and consist of one extra post.
3) Objects (arms, legs, weapons) break after 2 successive targeted attacks to the same object, or 2 consecutive posts through which targeted pressure is applied (to a joint or otherwise) with a lock.
To make this clear, targeted attacks are interpreted as follows-
tr.v. tar•get•ed, tar•get•ing, tar•gets
1. To make a target of.
2. To aim at or for.
3. To establish as a target or goal.
4) Parry, block or otherwise redirected attacks by using your weapon is not a targeted hit by your opponent unless they specifically declare they are trying to hit your weapon/armor or body part.
5) Ranged attacks must take an extra post to close distance with the projectile. (Arrows, Bullets, Fireballs...) This means they do not connect in the post they are written, but you may write in a semi-closed manner to indicate the damage/effect expected of a hit.
Any other rules such as length, quality, and style will go unset, and if the fighters choose to set these - they are not binding unless both parties agree.
Time Loops and Consistency
Time is a huge factor in the Multiverse, as time is a dimension in which events can be ordered from the past through the present into the future, and in some case simultaneously. As the characters get closer, the time dilation effect diminishes until everything becomes localized and both characters share the same period. Therefore time is considered a constant on individual locations within the Multiverse and when content is added to those places, it is considered as happening in the order of the posts.
This means when there are interactions between characters all time is relative and constant between them, events leading up to the interaction may have compressed, expanded or even disparate timelines. No character is bound to any timeline save their own. Thus an event may take place across a multitude of worlds across the galaxy, with a host of characters, and all events are local to the place where the event happened.
Because of this overlap and setting of place, the Multiverse becomes a series of overlapping stories with different character and authors adding their perspective, where events are consistent in the totality of the universe the characters reside. This overlap then creates the concept of Multiverse, leading to practically limitless setting where anything and everything can happen.
