Since the time of his kingship, 30 years ago, King Arthur has ruled over Camelot as a wise and just king. Under his rule, the kingdom enjoyed 30 years of prosperity and possessed not an ounce of fear from outside threats—for not only was Arthur Pendragon skilled in the art of politics, he and his Knights of the Round were the most powerful force in Britannia. Not a single soul was foolhardy enough to incite even a spark of conflict within the boundaries of Camelot. Not even the Orcs.
However, as is the shortcoming of all humans, age soon takes its toll. As Arthur was nearing the end of his life, he could feel his life waning and decided he would venture to Avalon as his final resting place. He knew his knights would voice opposition so he told no one of his quest but his two sons who he called to his chambers before the night of his departure. “Kain, Abel, my dear sons. I will soon leave this world but before I go to my final resting place, I wish for you two to carry upon yourselves this nation. I grant to you, Kain, my son of valor and strength: the Excalibur. And to you, Abel, my pious and hardworking son—I bestow upon you the Caliburn. You will be great kings.” Without another word, Arthur left the castle.
Although he was wise in regards to ruling the nation, he was naïve when it came to those closest to him. This naivety was first exemplified when he overlooked the exploits of his queen, Guinevere, and his greatest knight, Lancelot. Secondly, because he told no one but his sons, the knights had no direction or guidance as to the proper ascension to the throne. For there were those who believed the eldest should rightfully rule, but in the opposition were the knights who thought the lazy, and hotheaded Kain would be unfit to rule and thought it better deserved to the hardworking and honest Abel. The fruits of his ignorance would come into full bloom one week after his departure within the dining hall of his castle.
One year prior to knight recruitment One week after the disappearance of King Arthur
Within the confines of the dining hall was a feast among the knights. Tensions were high due to the disappearance of their king and the role of ascension lay on everyone’s mind. “Who was to become the next king?” everyone thought. No one knew of Arthur’s intentions for a split monarchy between the two sons as they had not spoken to anyone of it. Kain wanted the throne for himself and Abel, who had only the utmost respect for his brother believed everything would have turned out as their father had hoped in a split monarchy. He couldn’t have been any more wrong. Sir Gareth and Sir Gaheris, advocates of Abel becoming king believed that he was the better suited due to his hardworking nature and the fact that Camelot was the most powerful nation in the land. “What we need is not a warrior. There is not a soul who would dare start trouble within our land,” Gareth said, making sure everyone in the hall could hear. “Indeed, brother. What we need is someone who will keep Camelot’s status as the most prosperous and prominent nation! We do not need that lazy bastard of a son on that throne!” Gaheris guffawed.
It was clear to everyone Gaheris was insinuating that Lancelot, the trusted friend and mentor to Kain, was actually his father. It was no secret that Queen Guinevere had an affair with Sir Lancelot, and many of the knights believed Lancelot showed favoritism to Kain because he was his son. Angered by the obnoxious attacks by the two brothers, Lancelot walked over to Gaheris and struck him with a sharp right hook. The dining hall went silent, and all eyes were on the trio, and before even another sound could be made, Gareth attempted to stand up, but Gawain put his hand on his older brother’s shoulder and stated clearly, “Stop, brother. Do not make this any worse than it already is. Now is the time for the knights to stand together.” Ignoring his brother’s advice, Gareth shrugged off Gawain’s hand and went to turn towards Lancelot and was immediately met with another hand on his shoulder. “Just listen to your brother and sit back down. Do not speak ill of our future king,” pleaded Lancelot, for he was quite fond of Gareth. Gareth, however, wanted recompense for the harm inflicted on his brother and swung towards Lancelot but was quickly parried and countered in reflex and found himself on the floor beside his brother. Gawain shook his head in disappointment. Now enraged, the two brothers—Gareth and Gaheris—rose up to take on Lancelot and, while the other knights enjoyed the brawl as some entertainment to take their minds off the ascension, they did not expect the brawl to become the spark of a civil war.
Although he was the most skilled knight and a master of weapons, he was still old in age and could not take on the two brothers in a fist fight, so in order to defend himself and try to end the fight early through intimidation, he turned towards a table and grabbed one of the knives for cutting meat in an attempt to stave the brothers off. Unfortunately, as Lancelot turned around Gaheris was already charging him and knocked him down to the ground and what came about was the first casualty. As Lancelot crashed into the ground, Gaheris atop him, the knife had made its way into Gaheris’ chest and blood seeped down. It became obvious what would happen next and eyes were all on Gareth. All the knights began to stand up and make their way towards Gareth and Lancelot to prevent any further escalation but Gareth had already picked up a nearby knife in his rage and charged in for a kill. What resulted from these actions were knights trying to stop the fight, mixed in with those angered by the death of their comrade, and eventually a fierce battle of the finest knights in the dining hall of Arthur’s castle. The aftermath resulted in all but ten knights had been slain. The castle was ruined and in the chaos Guinevere fled, fearing for her life. Lancelot took Kain with him as they fled the castle in an attempt to prevent any more casualties with Sir Percival, Sir Kay, Sir Bors, and Sir Lamorak riding closely behind.
Left in the remains and blood of the castle were Abel—unable to process what had happened—Sir Galahad, Sir Lucan, Sir Tristan, Sir Bedivere, and a mourning Sir Gawain who cursed Lancelot and those who protected him during the entire battle and even as they fled the castle grounds. In order to make certain Lancelot’s desire to make Prince Kain the king of Camelot would not come to pass, Gawain began the recruitment and training of knights in order to make a new round table under Prince Abel to take rule over the land. Lancelot, under the presumption that Gawain would come for his head and for the sake of having Prince Kain ascend the throne began his own preparations. Thus the war for the throne began…
The World
This RP consists of two mega continents: Brittania, which is located in the western hemisphere of the globe, and Anatolia, which is located in the eastern hemisphere; often referred to as the "East". King Arthur ruled Britannia by establishing the most powerful kingdom the world had ever witnessed, Camelot. Under King Arthur's reign Camelot quickly rose to power and brought forth an empire nobody ever thought was possible. No man had ever succeeded such a feat yet when Camelot had reached the pinnacle of its glory and power King Arthur suddenly vanished, leaving behind his two sons and his famed swords: The Excalibur and Caliburn. Civil war quickly broke out within the Kingdom of Camelot and the rest of Britannia followed suit. Seeing Britannia in turmoil, the East saw this as an opportunity to supplant their brother continent.
While somewhat peaceful during Arthur's reign, the world has become a much more terrifying place after his unexpected departure. Monsters now run rampant with very little opposition, as there is no longer order within the Knights of the Round. And while magic is prevalent men and women are still trying to figure out the art of magic and the secrets that lie behind what they believe to be the "Truth".
Camelot
The Kingdom of Camelot was once the most prominent nation in the world; however, that quickly came to pass with the disappearance of King Arthur. With the Knights of the Round and the counseling of the great wizard Merlin at his side, King Arthur's influence and authority was unrivaled. Even with the downfall and inevitable civil war happening Camelot remains a powerful Kingdom. However, tensions are at an all time high with the unstable leadership as well as the disappearance of Merlin and Queen Guinevere.
Economically the nation is still very stable and remains the center of trade and commerce between Britannia and Anatolia. Technologically, Camelot stands as one of the most advanced kingdoms and heralds some of the worlds greatest knights and wizards.
Technology and Magic
Races
Humans will make up the majority of this RP as they are the most prominent race in Britannia. They along with Faeries are the only races capable of using magic.
Elves are a noble race that are easily distinguished by their long, pointy ears. They are a race that have roamed the continent of Britannia far long before even the humans stepped foot onto their soil.
Faeries generally carry human appearances, but they differ in that they inherently have incredibly high aptitude for magic. They are also shapeshifters with the special ability to don a variety of different faces. Only a handful of humans are able to reach the level of magical power that faeries can achieve.
Orcs are a fearsome race that cannot be matched in brute strength alone. While not as cunning as the elves or as prominent as the humans, the orcs remain a force to be reckoned with.
Britannia is filled with powerful monsters. It is necessary for the Kingdom to have a strong king that can combat these terrifying creatures.
NPC's
Name: Arthur Pendragon Race: Human Age: 49 (at the time of disappearance) Gender: Male
Backstory:
Arthur Pendragon, the King of Camelot was a wise and powerful ruler, but only through many trials and tribulation did he gain his wisdom and benevolence. 30 years prior to his death, after obtaining the legendary Sword in the Stone—the Caliburn—Arthur’s lineage to ascend the throne was proven. However, at only 19 years of age and of common birth, he was very naïve, and brash. Believing himself to be some “Chosen One” or some specially gifted child, he did not fear for his life and after hearing rumor of a chimeric “Questing Beast”, decided to venture on a journey to hunt it down. On his travels he meets another traveler. A king named Pellinore. Overconfident in his own abilities, Arthur wanted to compare his strength to another king to ascertain he would be the strongest in the land but was handily beaten three times and in the final joust had his Caliburn broken. With his proof of lineage severed, body battered, and his pride crushed, the young Arthur begged Pellinore to teach him the path of kingship. King Pellinore agreed to mentor Arthur but first suggested to find a nearby river or lake to heal his wounds. While searching, the two happened upon a lake which housed a sword clasped by a hand in the center. Still lost in confusion, the two kings were approached by a beautiful maiden who offered the sword if one of them were to grant her a request at a later time. King Pellinore, skeptical as to how much the sword was worth and the potential cost-benefit of her request hesitated to answer. King Arthur on the other hand, with severed sword at his waist, immediately agreed and obtained from the Lady of the Lake the powerful holy sword: Excalibur. After obtaining the Excalibur, Arthur trained under Pellinore for one year learning the path of kingship which entailed both the strength and wisdom required to rule. Arthur then embarked on a path back to his kingdom upon which there existed no foe that could threaten his life.
Upon returning to his kingdom, rumor had spread that he had been slain by the Questing Beast and many were vying for the empty throne. Arthur let out a declaration that if any could best him in battle, he would submit and offer the throne, but despite the hundreds of challenges there was not a single soul who bested him. There was, however, one knight who had the advantage but yielded due to a lack of interest in kingship: a man named Lancelot. Intrigued and surprised by this man, Arthur created a special knight unit consisting of Lancelot and the strongest knights who challenged him resulting in the legendary Knights of the Round. The results of his challenge birthed not only the Knights of the Round, but it solidified his power, right to rule, and that is where he met Guinevere; a young woman 16 years of age entranced by Arthur’s strength and charisma. From that point, alongside his legendary knights, King Arthur led Camelot into great prosperity under his reign.
The only notable flaw of King Arthur was his extreme naivety to those closest to him. Although many knew and/or speculated of an affair that occurred between Sir Lancelot and Lady Guinevere, Arthur would not believe it without proof, despite his own doubts. Yet even after finding proof, due to his love for Guinevere and his respect for Lancelot, he forgave them both and merely requested they put an end to their affair. Guilt-ridden the two no longer slept together but shortly after the events concluded, Guinevere gave birth to a son named Kain. Many believe Kain to be the son of Lancelot and not Arthur’s. Despite allegations, Arthur loved Kain and doted on him perhaps a bit too much. Kain was a gifted knight but was extremely lazy and hardly listened to his father but Arthur paid no mind and still provided everything Kain wanted. Kain’s younger brother Abel, on the other hand, was not as gifted in swordsmanship but this lack in ability bred a sense of humility within him. As a result, despite his father’s boundless love and affection, Abel did not ask for much from his father, despite Arthur’s willingness to provide everything and anything. At the end of his life, Arthur had the expectation that the two brothers would rule the kingdom together and continue the prosperity of the nation and departed to Avalon in order to fulfill the request he received from the Lady of the Lake.
Stats Strength - S Agility - A Endurance - A Dexterity - A Willpower - S
Skills ???
Name: Guinevere Race: Human Age: 45 Gender: Female
Backstory:
Skills Seductress
Name: Kain Pendragon Race: Human Age: 22 Gender: Male
Backstory:
The older brother of the Pendragons, Kain is an extremely gifted knight who trains under the tutelage of Sir Lancelot, the greatest knight in the realm. He is considered by many to be the illegitimate son created from the affair of Lancelot and Lady Guinevere. He himself, however, is not concerned with the trivial politics of the matter for what he learned under Lancelot’s guidance was the idea that “Might is right.” His beliefs adhere to the standard that within this world, power is everything. It matters not how wise a person is if they cannot protect the ones they love from threats. Therefore, with even higher stakes at risk—an entire kingdom—Kain trained every day from the time he could hold a sword until his 15th birthday under the direct supervision of Lancelot. However, soon after he turned 15, Kain entered a knight’s contest which features the greatest knights around Brittania gathering with the intention of obtaining the first place prize of an elven crafted flame-enchanted sword and the chance to battle with Sir Lancelot. Kain handily defeated every knight he faced and won first place with ease. Although he lost to Lancelot in the reward battle, Kain quickly became arrogant and believed he no longer needed to train. Being an object of great affection and having showed intense prowess and affinity for sword fighting, both King Arthur and Lancelot did not hassle Kain to continue his daily training.
On the day the Knights of the Round engaged in the first bouts of bloodshed, Kain was saddened at the loss of great knights and friends, however he thought it was for the best. Kain believed his father to be naïve in thinking that he and Abel could rule over Camelot together. In his mind, Abel was much too weak and untalented to rule. Kain earnestly believed in his heart that he was the only worthy heir to the throne.
“Only the most powerful have the right to rule and there is only one crown.” – Kain Pendragon
Stats Strength - A Agility - B Endurance - B Dexterity - B Willpower - A
Skills Heir to the Throne Conqueror Excalibur
Name: Abel Pendragon Race: Human Age: 20 Gender: Male
Backstory:
The youngest Pendragon and a boy whose Fate had taken a rather interesting turn: Abel never felt fit to be a King. In fact, he looked up to his brother and only had the utmost respect for Kain Pendragon. He believed deep down in his heart that Kain was the true heir to the throne. His brother was decisive and ambitious (albeit a bit lazy at times) and had immense potential as a fighter, Abel, on the other hand, preferred to stay indoors and spend most of his time reading books. He was a boy with a pure heart and only wanted to see the good in things. He was incredibly diligent in his studies as well as his combat training. Sadly, Abel could never best his brother in combat despite his greatest efforts. He would work twice as hard only to find himself unable to close the large gap that separated him from Kain. The gap would only grow larger and larger with each passing day. It got to the point where Abel redirected his time and energy to his studies. He was far more fascinated with history, magic, and the countless stories of his father’s adventures with the Knights of the Round.
As Fate would have it, Abel was not destined for such a dull life as things quickly began to change after his father’s disappearance and Gareth’s and Gaheris’ deaths at the hands of Lancelot. Everything that he knew and loved was flipped on its head. Everything his father had built up was about to be destroyed by the very man his father trusted the most. Abel didn’t know what to think. It all happened so fast. One moment he was feasting with the knights; the next he found himself at war with his beloved brother. The young prince struggled to make sense of it all.
Despite the crazy turn of events, Abel decided he would do his best to fulfill his role as the future King of Camelot. He believed that there was a way to find peace. He believed he could find a way to end this pointless civil war. There was no other choice: Abel had to fulfill his father’s final wish and reestablish Camelot under two Kings. The lives that were lost would not be in vain.
“What is greater than a king who would lay down his life for his people?” – Abel Pendragon
Stats Strength - C Agility - B Endurance - C Dexterity - B Willpower - S
Skills Rightful King Heart of Gold Caliburn
Name: Lancelot du Lac Race: Human Age: 54 Gender: Male
Backstory:
Sir Lancelot du Lac is the greatest knight in all of Brittania and, arguably the entire world. He first met King Arthur Pendragon when he was 25 after hearing of a declaration that if anyone could defeat Arthur, they would become the next king. Although he was uninterested in the throne, Lancelot was more curious in the king who would make such an obnoxious declaration for he was either a fool or a great warrior and, as a man who valued strength, Lancelot hoped it was the latter. After battling the most powerful person he has ever met, Lancelot gained great respect towards Arthur and conceded the match to him. Despite Arthur insisting that Lancelot had the upper hand, Lancelot himself never acknowledges whether that is true and simply states that Arthur is the greatest warrior he has ever met. Through the bond created from their swords clashing, Lancelot and Arthur worked together to form the Knights of the Round and protect the kingdom of Camelot for 30 years.
Unfortunately, within that time frame, Lancelot came to be enamored and seduced by Lady Guinevere and for a short period of time engaged in an affair with her. This continued until Gareth and Gaheris plotted to catch the two in their act in order to provide proof to King Arthur that an affair was going on. Prepared to accept his fate of death, Lancelot knelt down with deep regret for hurting the man he most respected in the world. However, King Arthur forgave them both and merely requested that they no longer sleep together. Swallowed in guilt and an infinite amount of respect to the man who would forgive such treachery, Lancelot dedicated his life to serving his king. When Kain was born, Lancelot swore to himself he would treat the heir to the throne with the utmost respect and raise his as best he could to become a worthy king to take the throne whenever the greatest man he has ever known passes. His extreme dedication turned to a deep bond and love for Kain which not only caused him to overlook the youngest son Abel—for he believed the eldest would ascend—but also resulted in his leniency when Kain started neglecting his training.
In the battle at the castle when Lancelot accidentally killed Gaheris, although he had no intention to have such an escalated result, Lancelot knew that Sir Gawain and the others who sided with Abel Pendragon wanted his head. Although regretful, Lancelot was not one to ever give up the life that his great king had spared and intended on honoring his oath to himself that he would make Kain the king of Camelot.
“In a world with elves, fairies, and dragons. We fragile creatures known as humans have only strength to determine our place in this world.” – Sir Lancelot du Lac
Stats Strength - S Agility - S Endurance - S Dexterity - S Willpower - S
Skills Right Hand King's Champion God of War
Name: Merlin Race: ??? Age: ??? Gender: ???
Backstory: ???
Skills ???
Name: Morgana Race: Fay Age: ??? Gender: Female
Backstory:
Stats Strength - C Agility - B Endurance - C Dexterity - A Willpower - A
Skills Fairy Arts Dark Magic
Name: Natasha Race: Elf Age: 777 Gender: Female
Backstory:
Stats Strength - A Agility - S Endurance - A Dexterity - S Willpower - B
Skills Will of the Ancients
Name: Gawain Race: Human Age: 50 Gender: Male
Backstory:
Stats Strength - A Agility - A Endurance - A Dexterity - A Willpower - A
Skills Perfect Knight
Name: Galahad Race: Human Age: 21 Gender: Male
Backstory:
Stats Strength - B Agility - B Endurance - B Dexterity - B Willpower - B
Skills Sword of David Boy Wonder
Name: Tristan Race: Human Age: 53 Gender: Male
Backstory:
Stats Strength - A Agility - A Endurance - A Dexterity - A Willpower - A
Skills
Name: Bedivere Race: Human Age: 52 Gender: Male
Backstory:
Stats Strength - A Agility - A Endurance - A Dexterity - A Willpower - A
Skills
Name: Percival Race: Human Age: 48 Gender: Male
Backstory:
Stats Strength - A Agility - A Endurance - A Dexterity - A Willpower - A
Skills
Name: Kay Race: Human Age: 47 Gender: Male
Backstory:
Stats Strength - S Agility - A Endurance - S Dexterity - A Willpower - S
Skills Frozen Heart
Name: Bors Race: Human Age: 50 Gender: Male
Backstory:
Stats Strength - A Agility - A Endurance - A Dexterity - A Willpower - A
Skills
Name: Lamorak Race: Human Age: 51 Gender: Male
Backstory:
Stats Strength - A Agility - A Endurance - A Dexterity - A Willpower - A
Skills
Name: Gareth Race: Human Age: 55 Gender: Male
Backstory:
Stats Strength - A Agility - A Endurance - A Dexterity - A Willpower - A
Skills
Name: Lucan Race: Human Age: 47 Gender: Male
Backstory:
Stats Strength - A Agility - A Endurance - A Dexterity - A Willpower - A
Skills
Name: Gaheris Race: Human Age: 56 Gender: Male
Backstory:
Stats Strength - A Agility - A Endurance - A Dexterity - A Willpower - A
Skills
Character Sheet
[Appearance] Name: What is your name? Race: Human, Elf, Fay, or Orc Age: Elves can live much longer than humans, Orcs have around the same lifespan as humans, and Fay are essentially immortal Gender: Boy or Girl?
Backstory: Cool story bro
Stats (E is average for a human S is God) Strength – Physical strength and movement speed Agility – Reaction time and evasiveness Endurance – Defense and stamina Dexterity – Accuracy and technique Willpower – Strength of domination and resistance
Skills Skill name [points] - Skill effect
Inventory: Keep in mind the more you carry the more limited you are in your movements.
I wanted to start work on a character. Are all the races available to start from? I'm interested in being an Elf the most. If not, maybe a Faerie? @chizzy
Yeah you can play any of the races except for monsters. Also note that elves cannot use magic. Instead they rely heavily on weapon enchantments and traps to fight.
Backstory: The Snowheart family was never one to begin with money, but one that achieved it through discipline and hard work. Many seasons passed and the Snowhearts basked in their newfound wealth, forgetting their roots.
Hard work and discipline is all Akaryos knew. Having to adjust to the life of luxury and political correctness didn't sit well with him. Leaving his family, Akaryos set to wander the world to live off the land as his ancestors once did. He eventually found himself as a sellsword over the next century. During the period of a hundred years, he fought a countless amount of wars and had assassinated an innumerable amount of clients. Hard work and discipline didn't leave Akaryos, but with every soul he took, a part of his left. He was in the dark. War torn and battle fatigued, Akaryos found himself in Britannia, unknowing of the struggles he was to face in the near future.
Stats... (Ranks E,D,C,B,A,S) [1 point to increase E to D / 2 points from D to C / 3 points.... so on and so forth] +12 free allocation points upon character creation STR: C AGI: C END: D DEX: C WIL: D LCK: E Remaining points: 1
Skills: Lockpick - Knows only enough to get by, has not spent much time in dabbling with security. Pickpocket - After running from home, he had no money. Petty thieving was his beginnings. DEX plays a role in his technique. Combat - Neither strong, fortuitous, nor lucky... Akaryos relies heavily on his reaction time, accuracy, and technique to swiftly end his opponents. Stealth - Prefers to avoid direct conflict. Evasion and espionage make him shine.
Inventory: Weapons: Two handforged elven daggers, slightly crude in design, yet sturdy and effective. Blade length, 12 inches. Armor: Black tanned leathers with a black cloth hood. Misc: Rope, (30 feet, wrapped around torso) Two cloth pouches around waist that can hold no more than 2 apples per pouch.
Yeah you can play any of the races except for monsters. Also note that elves cannot use magic. Instead they rely heavily on weapon enchantments and traps to fight.
Hmm how do the weapon enchantments differ from magic? I'm not familiar with that.
Hmm how do the weapon enchantments differ from magic? I'm not familiar with that.
Weapon enchantments aren't ranged or as explosive as regular magic. Enchantments are primarily used for anti-magic purposes, so enchantments are an effective way to deal with magic users. Usually by crippling them in some way or by providing some sort of protection.
Hey is this still open, I haven't read through all of the first post yet cause it's massive and I'm on my ten minute break at work but I'll read it when I get home.
Also not trying to start anything but I should mention something. In the opening Arthur gives him sons each a sword, Excalibur and Caliburn. Thing is those are the same sword, Caliburn is a derivative of the Old Welsh name for Arthur's sword. If you were looking for Excalibur's twin it's called Clarent, it was a ceremonial sword which was stolen by Mordred and used to kill Arthur at the battle of Camlann.
Also out of curiosity what became of Excalibur's scabbard? In Thomas Malory's Le Morte D'Arthur Merlin claims the scabbard to be worth ten times that of the sword for the one who wears it shall never loose a drop of blood from any wound.
Just so you know I usually play casual RPs. Length won't be a problem but if there are any other differences between casual and advanced I'm going to need someone to explain them to me.
