Hidden 9 yrs ago 9 yrs ago Post by Hexaflexagon
Raw
GM
Avatar of Hexaflexagon

Hexaflexagon

Member Seen 7 mos ago


Once upon a time great heroes roamed the land protecting it from evil. These are not those heroes.

Dungeon Punks



We are now currently closed to all further interest. All those that have expressed interest in joining through either a post here or PM can still submit an application but that is it.


The Movement of the World:

In the beginning the world of Austry was nothing more than a barren rock floating through the turbulent Void Sea that intersected the many planes of existence. Then they came, the precursors, the one's before, the ancients, every culture has a different name for them but the story remains same, they were the ones that brought life to a barren world. Using great magical powers they crafted five great towers and dispersed them to the planet's surface. Each of these great towering monoliths upon contact with the plant's surface began to release arcane energy at an alarming rate. Great pulses of magical energy swept across the world creating oceans, land and air. Once a small barren speck became a brilliant orb of blue and green primed for life. When the surface conditions were deemed habitable for life, the towers performed their secondary function acting as temporary seed banks for a host of life they released these small creatures across the world. A new paradise, a new bastion of life to give life a chance where the ancients themselves had once failed.

The first true empire came with the rise of the Orc-Kin. Brutal and savage, these warriors with enhanced metabolisms and surprisingly large brains were the first to organize from small groups, to warrior tribes, to a united empire. The Ur'akrath Empire ruled over the lands of Austry for 3000 years across nine distinct bloodlines. It was a time of great progress under the strict control of the Warchief, the absolute monarch of the Empire everything from what a merchant could sell, a farmer could make or the laws that were put against them was deemed by the Warcheif's direct rule. But with a firm hand came great advances with the development of writing, the first workings of metal in the form of bronze, the first legal system and law codes albit crude in their origins following the old adage of an eye for an eye. Though the the Ur'akrathians greatest legacy was their great monuments, master builders of stone and rock they crafted huge temples, complex cities and ornate tombs to house their dead beneath the ground. Monuments which many still stand today as a testament the quality of their builders.

Though like any great flame eventually the roaring fire must subside to barely sustain embers. The Ur'akrath Empire was based on a very strictly regimented caste structure with the Warchief on top --> Generals ---> Shaman Folk ---> Other Army Officers ---> Nobles and so on until it finally reached the slave caste. The slaves were the bottom of the foodchain and almost exclusively non-Orc in origin and considered less worthy than the dirt they walked upon. But the slave caste itself made up the most sizable part of the population consisting of a variety of different tribes, races and others subjugated by the Ur'akrath Empire and pretty much made second class citizens. So the angers of the slaves matched with a failing infrastructure as the empire became stretched too far while trying to deal with barbarian invaders was making things very hard to keep order. Eventually several of the Warchiefs prominent generals staged a coup against him and ignited a civil war that give the slaves a chance to revolt in the ensuing chaos. The Ur'akrath empire officially came to an end when the leader of the slave revolt in the capital a Dwarven female by the name of Aeris Stoneforged brought her great hammer down upon the last Warchief's head. The empire soon after fragmented and split just as it's late ruler's head had upon the floor of his palace, never again to reclaim it's lost glory.

Over the centuries that followed many kingdoms rose and fell, for even they were still plagued by the same fate of the Ur'akarth empire as the flame rises so must it fall. For each age of progress and enlightenment came substituent years of long and terrible darkness so is the way of things. Though through it all upon the bones and ashes of fallen kingdoms the races of Austry persisted. They of course changed over time becoming more distinct adapting to the climes that they called home. They set up homes, villages and cities and endeavored to find out more about the world around them. Slowly over time bronze transited to iron and iron to steel as technological advances spurred forward fueled by the great and powerful arcane powers harnessed by those that could control their immense power.

Eventually on the northern edge of the southern lands came the rise of two great kingdoms founded by two brothers. The Arashan and Elladein Empires, two great kingdoms founded by the split of the Aemenid Empire upon the death of its Emperor Cyrus and the subsequent division of the lands between his twin born elder sons. Ever since their foundation the Arashan and Elladein Empires have been in constant squabbles amongst one another which claiming sovereignty over the other. The two empires in competition for land, military prowess and to be the reigning dominate power in the area began to wage war with one another, long and terrible war. A war which held in the ways of importance being at the intersection of three of the known continents of the world those that controlled the Aemenid Peninsula controlled bountiful supplies of trade, commerce and prosperity. Caught in the middle of this war was the small Kingdom of Storia a small enclave surrounded on all sides by the Elladein and Arashan empires, it was once the long time ally of the Aemenid Empire.

Eventually after two hundred years of fighting the long war ended and a peace ensued. Caught in the middle of a terrible cold war between the two empires, Storia has become caught in the middle of the conflict serving as a meeting point between the two countries where agents attacked one another, assassination occurred and even revolts inspired by either side. Though despite it all with the prosperous trade routes running through it and faith in its rulers, the people have presented with upturned chins and smiles upon their face. But even so dark plots arise on the horizon and the sovereignty of Storia and maybe the entire world hangs on the balance.


For A Few Coins More:

Thus begins our tale 2194 years since the fall of the Ur'akrath Empire in the small kingdom of Storia. Citizens come from all around flock to the capital city of Dasma to partake in the festivities. For you see tonight the crown princess of the kingdom, Ariannona Escaphant Mylene Rosberg is coming of age and in tradition Dasma will be filled with revelry for five nights and days in celebration. Yet even in this time of great peace and happiness, the shadows of their neighbors looms over them. In secret among exchanges of hands and secretly delivered letters, a plot has been made fueled by those inside of the Kingdom's own court. A plot that threatens the stability and peace of the entire Aemenid Peninsula if not the world. An assassination has been planned.

This of course is where you come in. You come from all walks of life and from all races, either by chance or purpose you have come to the city of Dasma be you either thieves looking to take advantage of the festivities, a guardsman still loyal to the kingdom, a urchin streetrat working in the kitchens, a noble from a far off land or something else all together. Despite your differences you all come together in the events of the evening and inadvertently ending up helping princess Ariannona escape from the coronation with her life. None of you want any part in these politics, you don't want to be heroes and go save the world you want to sit at home and live your peaceful little life. But you see that is okay because she isn't looking for heroes, she's looking for help and offers you all the world in terms of whatever you may desire coinage, prestige, royal pardons whatever it may be if you help her she can grant it to you if you only help her on a most dangerous quest. It's of course an offer you can't refuse.



The Aemenid Peninsula:


GM Note: Taking a lot of history and cultural influences from those cultures found in the Indo-Iranian language groups for the creation of this part of the world rather than creating my own map, I took one of the Arabian Peninsula and turned it one hundred and eighty degrees to give it a sense of familiarity but at the same time and odd disconnect. Oh and the star is where Dasma is located.

The Three Kingdoms:

The Kingdom of Storia:
Storia has pretty much existed in some incarnation or another since the fall of the Ur'akrath Empire all those years prior. Located in the former heartland of the Ur'akrath Empire Storia has always been a peaceful kingdom not having the need or want to wage war against other sovereign states. Rather it's relatively small army is instead used to repel raiders hiding out in beyond the grasps of civilization. Most of Storia is vast expanses of desert and rock, intermittently mixed with small verdant oases where water found refuge. Due to this most Storian cities are located either on the coast or on the Ashapar River the main lifeblood that runs through the kingdom.

Despite these somewhat harsh conditions Storian cities are large sprawling affairs of brilliant stone that stretch into the sky. Due to the Aemenid Peninsula's location at the so called "Crossroads of Civilization" trade and people from all over the known world flock to Storia. Due to these meld of cultures and ideas, the kingdom has become a beacon of cultural, arts and more importantly learning with the latest in arcane learning and technology being produced in Storian Universities and workshops. Storia is ruled by an age old monarchy with the Rosberg Family have ruled the kingdom for eight generations at this point through relative peace and prosperity.

The Arashan Empire:
While the Arashan Empire technically doesn't have any land on the Aemenid Peninsula its presence is still felt well throughout it. One of two empires to be forged in the splitting of the Aemenid Empire. A land of sweeping plains and rugged plateaus the Arashanians are an industrious people. Blessed with a land rich in natural metals and ores they have a strong production based economy backed by the strict hand of the Emperor. House Marciveau has ruled the Arashan Empire for two generations and in that time have restructured the Empire having a more direct hand in the influence of production and the day to day lives of the Arashan people. The Arashan military is one of the largest in the known world along with Elladein and are notable for their highly skilled Wyvern Riders and for being one of the first nations to fully implement Elven Firearms into their arsenal.


The Elladein Empire:
The land of the Long Sun, the Ellaein Empire is composed of a large expanse of sweeping deserts, large savannahs and deep jungles. The other kingdom formed in the dissolution of the Aemind empire. The Elladien people are stout in their faith and loyalty. They are most certainly the strongest military power on the Peninsula with a highly trained army, fueled by compulsory service of all denizens of the empire in one way or another from the age of seventeen to forty five. The Elladein empire actually ended up gaining the most in its long wars against the Arashan people, conquering their small holdings left on the peninsula and forcing them off of it at least in the physical sense if not the political one. The Empire is run by the Imperial Senate itself filled with infighting, backstabbing and treachery across all bound with the Royal Family of House Ralvein serving only as figureheads at this point, a face for the empire.



Magic and Technology:

Magic in the world of Austry is an interesting little subject. Arcane energy in many ways could be considered one of the most precious resources in the world. That is Arcane energy is limited in its availability stored in deep ley lines beneath the earth that were formed when the towers landed on the planet long ago in the age of formation. Magic is sort of an all inclusive thing, nobody is born with or without the ability though some do have a natural knack for such things. Magic instead comes through study, book learning and lots of practice to have the willpower to be able to draw the energy up from the ley lines beneath the surface.

You see in its raw form aracne energy is very potent and very unpredictable. Some would argue that it may even have a personality of its own. A thousand tiny particles all wanting to move in their own direction and do whatever they really want to do. A mage must be able to have the mental fortitude to coerce these particles through sheer willpower to act in a way profitable to them. It's a dangerous game of course playing with raw arcane energy as if one fails to bend it to their will, well at the best nothing happens and it the worst one of those mana particles shattered and the person vanshin torn asunder by the very underlying fabric of the universe. Mages also participate in communication between the elemental planes, the raw intersecting planes of existence where it is believed that the Arcane energy leaks from this weird and twisted lands house hosts of spirits, demons and others that sometimes have a habit of leaking through.

Technology comes from the intersection of mortal ingenuity and the foundations set by arcane learning. Uses a mixture of the classical sciences mixed with the raw potency of harnessed magic. Together these aspects work to produce great inventions and works great flying machines, looms that run by themselves and great factory systems. A system of telegraph networks instead of being fueled by electricity are instead controlled by connected networks of psionic users transmitted messages across the way to one another. Though the most world changing of these objects are Elven Firearms. The elven races have hunted with bows for ages, and many of them still do. However Elven arcanists were the first to create weapons that used a magical blast powder to propel round projectiles forward, specifically iron and silver bullets. Once a new phenom of the world having been around for quite some time now they have become more openly accepted by the people of Austry and have been adopted most effectively in the use of warfare. While most weapons of these kind were still muzzle loaded affairs, the raise of cannonry has become something of note with the Arashanians having perfected the use of such weapons in what they call "Dragon Fire".


The Story So Far:

To be updated over time.

Important Updates and Messages:

To be updated as the need arises.
Hidden 9 yrs ago Post by Avanhelsing
Raw

Avanhelsing

Member Seen 4 yrs ago

Well getting to work on my Half Elf Monk guy. Should be done soon.
Hidden 9 yrs ago 9 yrs ago Post by Sombrero
Raw
Avatar of Sombrero

Sombrero Master of the 9 Drunken Styles

Member Seen 8 yrs ago

Could I possibly be a golem? I'm thinking a brawny mineral entity made for protection and butler services being bought/enticed/extorted by a merry (or distinctly un-merry) band adventurers could be a good plot hook for a character. Are there any pre-defined rules for how golems, summoning, and alchemy work in this setting?
Hidden 9 yrs ago 9 yrs ago Post by Avanhelsing
Raw

Avanhelsing

Member Seen 4 yrs ago




((No idea who made this but it was not me... Also no sword or quiver for him))
Name: Willan (Will) Vicril
Age: 23
Gender: Male
Species: Half Elf (His human side is more dominant)

Physical Description:
As much as Will tries to deny his elvish side for all the pain it caused him, he has gained many perks from his mixed blood. He has the strength of a human combined with the grace of an elf. He stands at about 6 foot four inches tall (195.072 cm), which is quite tall for a human but that is to be expected considering his heritage. Will spent most of his life wandering the desert so his skin is deeply tanned from all the years. His master trained him everyday and thus his body is very muscular but he tends to hide that fact with his armor. The only way that you could tell that he was a half elf would be to look at his ears which he tries to keep hidden under his dark hair. From afar he looks like your average human since his father's side seems to be more dominant. He does not have any special markings on his skin.


Skillset:
Will has spent almost thirteen years training his body as a weapon. Since the age of ten he has been trained in numerous different styles of unarmed combat. Now he is deadly with just his fists as a weapon. He was not trained in magic but his is still deadly just by learning the ancient styles. Will focuses mainly on strength for combat since that was easier for him. He also can be quite charismatic when he wants to be, using his looks as a way to distract someone to get what he needs. However he excels against lightly armored opponents since his fists can only do so much.


History:
To say that Willan Vicril was born to a troubled life would be an understatement. To truly understand him, you must look at his past. Will's father was an Elladein soldier during a skirmish with a local brigand group. That was where he met Will's mother. They slept together and there was only one issue with that. His father happened to be married at the time, so Will was born a bastard and a half breed. Will's elvish mother died when he was three years old, so he was sent to live with his father and his human family.

His stepmother took offense to Will's very existence and she showed it outright. For seven years she treated Will like he was some sort of monster. She ignored him and did her best to try to get rid of him. She convinced her children to hate Will just as much as she did. Will's father was the only reason that Will was allowed to stay in the village. That was his only good memory of his childhood. It got to the point where he could not continue to live there anymore, so he decided it was time to get out of there.

Will decided just to get away from the village. So at ten years old, he fled into the night to get away. He ran into the desert in desperation. As he ran, he happened upon an old man sitting on the road begging for water. Will stopped and gave the man most of his water. The man returned the favor by taking the young man in as his student. The pair spent most of the next day traveling all over the peninsula as the man trained Will in the old ways of combat. Will gained a bit of fame by winning different unarmed combat tournaments around the area. This was one of the better times of Will's life since his mentor became like a father to him. Will learned every kind of combat that he could learn and enjoyed his victories.

That is why Will is coming to Dasma. He is restless and his master told him to head to the city since his destiny would start there. Will figured that he could get a few good fights while he was there.


Psychological Profile:
Half Breed. Bastard. Will has heard it all. To him all of those are just words. He does not care what people call him. Will seems to seek out a fight where ever he can find one. He seems to enjoy challenges and will seek them out. However he can be a bit arrogant due to his train and has a chip on his shoulder as big as a boulder. He has to prove to the world that he is important. He also has a desire to win no matter what. Will also will hit on anyone regardless of gender or species which can be seen as a flaw when he is trying to be serious. He does not care for long term relationships and prefers one night stands.


Goals/Fears:
Will wants to live the good life that has been denied for his entire life. Will wants to find somewhere he would not be seen as a monster just for being born. His goal would be to own some land of his own to show the world that he is important.

Will's biggest flaw is always needing another battle to fight. He needs to always be fighting something or just feels worthless. There always has to be another villain to fight or monster to kill. Will is also afraid of appearing weak physically or emotionally. He always has to be tough and rarely shows how he really feels. So he appears cold and distant. He also needs a very good reason to help someone else. He was treated cruelly for a good part of his life, so why should he help anyone else?

Equipment:
  • His armor which is as old as the sands. Generations of warriors have worn the armor as the adventure throughout the lands. ((In pic))
  • The Book of the Ancient Forms: A book of different martial techniques given to Will by his master. It seems to seems to be written in a strange ancient language.
  • A bag filled with different herbs and mixtures for natural healing.
  • A long wooden staff that he does not use for combat.


Hidden 9 yrs ago Post by Avanhelsing
Raw

Avanhelsing

Member Seen 4 yrs ago

@Hexaflexagon

DONE! One of my longer Character sheets. I rather like this one but I will change whatever is needed to be changed.
Hidden 9 yrs ago Post by LadyTale
Raw
Avatar of LadyTale

LadyTale Ice Knight

Member Seen 9 yrs ago



Name: Hylil
Age: somewhere in her 320's
Gender: Female
Species: Elf

Physical Description:
Hylil is fair to look at, with her tanned skin and black hair. She's not the greatest beauty of the elves, though; her lithe body is muscled and her hands are callused, the build and hands of a warrior. Her fierce grey eyes have been known to frighten men with their intensity. She's tall, even for an elf, standing at exactly 7 feet tall.


Skillset:
Hylil is a warrior, plain and simple. Put a sword in her hand and there's no one fiercer. She's competent with almost every kind of sword; only the rapier will she never touch. Her preferred weapon is a hand-and-a-half sword of elvish design; this is the weapon she has the most skill with, and is the one she most often uses.
Like any elf, Hylil is a skilled tracker and can survive in the woods indefinitely. She can start a fire, build a shelter, forage, and hunt, as well as skinning and cooking her kill.


History:
A born warrior in a society that would have her stay at home and play the harp, Hylil was very much an outsider; at least, in the beginning. She befriended a group of girls who also wanted to be warriors, and they trained and fought together until they gained the respect of the elf-men. It was an uphill battle, but they never gave up. Eventually, they gained a reputation as shieldmaidens.

In time, however, the group disbanded; some left to travel the world, some joined the Guard, and some found husbands. Hylil was one of those who left to travel. She wanted to see all there was to see, and to test her blade against masters of other styles. That was 50 years ago, and she has still not seen everything. Her bladework has greatly improved, however, with the addition of other sword styles.


Psychological Profile:
Hylil is, in a word, stubborn. Once she's started something, she will see it through to the end, come hell or high water. She's fierce, determined, and independent, with a quick temper at times. It takes a lot for her to control her temper, and she'll probably want to fight someone afterwards.


Equipment:

  • Hand-and-a-half sword - Hylil's favored weapon, named Rothruin
  • Armor - Hylil's suit of armor, light and elven-forged. It is both durable and comfortable.
  • Bag - a messenger bag made of leather, filled with travel food, a flint and steel, and a change of clothing.
  • Knife - Hylil's hunting knife, usually kept belted at her waist.
  • Herbs - a small pouch of elvish herbs, kept in her messenger bag. The herbs can be prepared to encourage healing, ease pain, aid sleep, or fight infection.
Hidden 9 yrs ago 9 yrs ago Post by Sombrero
Raw
Avatar of Sombrero

Sombrero Master of the 9 Drunken Styles

Member Seen 8 yrs ago



Hidden 9 yrs ago Post by Joegreenbeen
Raw
Avatar of Joegreenbeen

Joegreenbeen Head to the Sky

Member Seen 9 mos ago

@Hexaflexagon How often do you expect us to post?
Hidden 9 yrs ago 9 yrs ago Post by Savo
Raw
Avatar of Savo

Savo Time to go to Hell

Member Seen 0-24 hrs ago

And my first character is finally completed! Feel free to review it now Hex as I'm going to get to work on my peasant dude... later.



This peasant dude "mage" below here is currently a WIP and is unfinished.

Hidden 9 yrs ago 9 yrs ago Post by Mr_pink
Raw
Avatar of Mr_pink

Mr_pink Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now

Member Seen 7 yrs ago

Hidden 9 yrs ago Post by Savo
Raw
Avatar of Savo

Savo Time to go to Hell

Member Seen 0-24 hrs ago

These are a lot of warrior-like characters we have so far... wonder how many more we will get? xP
Hidden 9 yrs ago 9 yrs ago Post by Sombrero
Raw
Avatar of Sombrero

Sombrero Master of the 9 Drunken Styles

Member Seen 8 yrs ago

These are a lot of warrior-like characters we have so far... wonder how many more we will get? xP


We have a bloodthirsty elf shaolin, a punchy robot butler, a shieldmaiden who fights for shieldmaidens everywhere, a merc with a mouth, an explodey wizard, a Huntress, an ice-slinging slicer, and a kickass loremaster warrior princess. By D&D standards, I see two Monks, (without the lawful requirement) two Warriors, two Mages, and that one weird guy who took multiple classes and has to get to level 3 to use any of his level 1 feats. Pretty diverse in that respect, if a little melee-heavy.
Hidden 9 yrs ago Post by Mr_pink
Raw
Avatar of Mr_pink

Mr_pink Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now

Member Seen 7 yrs ago

Uh, I drastically changed my character, may want to recheck that huntress part :P
Hidden 9 yrs ago Post by Sombrero
Raw
Avatar of Sombrero

Sombrero Master of the 9 Drunken Styles

Member Seen 8 yrs ago

Uh, I drastically changed my character, may want to recheck that huntress part :P


>.>
<.<
What huntress part?
1x Laugh Laugh
Hidden 9 yrs ago Post by Savo
Raw
Avatar of Savo

Savo Time to go to Hell

Member Seen 0-24 hrs ago

<Snipped quote by Savo>

We have a bloodthirsty elf shaolin, a punchy robot butler, a shieldmaiden who fights for shieldmaidens everywhere, a merc with a mouth, an explodey wizard, a Huntress, an ice-slinging slicer, and a kickass warrior princess. By D&D standards, I see two Monks, (without the lawful requirement) two Warriors, two Mages, and that one weird guy who took multiple classes and has to get to level 3 to use any of his level 1 feats. Pretty diverse in that respect, if a little melee-heavy.


I think I derped up in what I originally meant. Should of said melee heavy, but yeah, that's the gist of it xP

Also, my explodey mage is more along the lines of very useless, so I hope everyone enjoys everything going wrong.
Hidden 9 yrs ago 9 yrs ago Post by Sombrero
Raw
Avatar of Sombrero

Sombrero Master of the 9 Drunken Styles

Member Seen 8 yrs ago

<Snipped quote by Sombrero>

I think I derped up in what I originally meant. Should of said melee heavy, but yeah, that's the gist of it xP

Also, my explodey mage is more along the lines of very useless, so I hope everyone enjoys everything going wrong.


Nonsense! If there are ever large amounts of rubble or bad guys in our way, we need only ask him to cast a spell on them. (And then hopefully run and hide behind something safe.)
Hidden 9 yrs ago Post by Mr_pink
Raw
Avatar of Mr_pink

Mr_pink Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now

Member Seen 7 yrs ago

Finished my app!
Hidden 9 yrs ago Post by Savo
Raw
Avatar of Savo

Savo Time to go to Hell

Member Seen 0-24 hrs ago

<Snipped quote by Savo>

Nonsense! If there are ever large amounts of rubble or bad guys in our way, we need only ask him to cast a spell on them. (And then hopefully run and hide behind something safe.)


Yep, however, give him about an hour or so before the spell is cast, unless he gets lucky. Also, actually fighting rather than relying on the ticking time bomb would be a better option since the spell he casts may or may not work xP
Hidden 9 yrs ago Post by Sombrero
Raw
Avatar of Sombrero

Sombrero Master of the 9 Drunken Styles

Member Seen 8 yrs ago

<Snipped quote by Sombrero>

Yep, however, give him about an hour or so before the spell is cast, unless he gets lucky. Also, actually fighting rather than relying on the ticking time bomb would be a better option since the spell he casts may or may not work xP


... Maybe he could plough the rubble away and farm the bad guys to death?
Hidden 9 yrs ago 9 yrs ago Post by Savo
Raw
Avatar of Savo

Savo Time to go to Hell

Member Seen 0-24 hrs ago

<Snipped quote by Savo>

... Maybe he could plough the rubble away and farm the bad guys to death?


"I, the great and mighty Wallace will strike this barrier down!"

*immediately starts trying to cast a spell, before giving up after ten tries and plowing the rubble instead*

... well, that works then. A great (mediocre) wizard (peasant) destroying the barrier (rubble) with the most powerful tools in his arsenal (the equipment he uses for farming).
↑ Top
© 2007-2024
BBCode Cheatsheet