Hello, everyone,

I know you may be thinking that a new member probably doesn't have any business opening up their first RP on the Advanced board but I can assure you, this is not my first RP. I spent a few years in high school and college writing stories but I had to take a hiatus for a while due to finishing up college and getting settled in a new phase in my life. But now I've got a passion for writing again and I would like to reboot an old story I first developed in college: Tales of Amarist. My vision for this series is a three-part story but I won't get ahead of myself.



Magic. . . It is a wondrous and awe inspiring power. It is a power that allows men to become gods and it is also what brought Amarist out of the Dark Years. During the Dark Years Amarist was a land filled with hundreds of clans and tribes that were constantly at war with each other; chaos reigned and there appeared to be no hope of change in sight. People were always aware of magic and some were even born with the ability to manipulate it but this was always a very crude and unrefined practice. However, one-hundred and thirty years ago, a small sect of visionaries dedicated to changing Amarist, developed a way to channel Magic into a tangible, measurable form called Mana that would allow them to focus their magic into much more specific and controlled spells. They were then able to develop special devices that could never work without a rich power source. In order to distribute Mana on a widespread scale, massive Towers were constructed to serve as Mana Factories that continually convert ethereal Magic into tangible Mana and deliver it throughout the land through special runestones of various shapes and sizes that have been imbued with a concentrated, finite quantity of Mana known as ManaDrives. Logically, the larger the device the greater the power source needed and thus a larger drive and higher charge of magic is required. This discovery launched the people of Amarist out of the Dark Days and into the Magic-Industrial Revolution. Today Amarist is an innovative and prosperous land that uses the power of Magic to power many technological inventions that have revolutionized the way people live and function in society. From carriages that no longer need animals, to a constant source of light, Magic has enabled the citizens of Amarist to become an intelligent and progressive people.

Across the land of Amarist there are a handful of special academies that are dedicated to training a new generation of Amaristians to be the leaders of tomorrow. The most prestigious of these academies is Magus Academy of Eve City, the most prosperous and modernized city in all the land. The academies often specialize in one particular field such as magic, combat training, politics and so on. However Magus Academy is the only school that offers a curriculum that encompasses all of these fields and more. It is a rigorous process to get into Magus Academy and even tougher to stay in but what the students of the academy don’t know is that they are about to face their toughest challenge yet . . .



Hey guys. Okay so basically this RP will be taking place in a high fantasy setting such as Dragon Age, Final Fantasy, Skyrim, Fairy Tail, Golden Sun, and Zelda within the context of the Magic Industrial Revolution, a time of discovery and intrigue where magic serves as a power source for a number of technological advances that resemble 18th - 19th century technology. As you have read we will be RPing as young students at Magus Academy who are soon to come face to face with their toughest test yet. If you have any questions concerning the boundaries of the magic technology or the lore in general I will provide a Q&A section below but if you have specific concerns feel free to PM me. This is going to be a fairly simple and linear RP as far as the plot and endgame goes but feel free to be as creative as you want with your characters and their interaction with the other players on our journey and I will gladly take input from other members on the flow of the story. Hopefully there will be enough interest in the story and I look forward to getting back into RPing.

This is a really cool idea and I would love to do something like this. I have character ideas buzzing around my head already!

Tentative interest definitely!

Awesome, I'm glad you both are interested! I am going to go ahead and post the Q&A I put together for any others who may want to know more about the world.



Q: What is the difference in magic and mana?
A: Magic is basically a universal, intangible, unmeasurable phenomena very much like the Force in Star Wars. Mana is the physical manifestation of magic and this can come in many forms. Mages are individuals who are born with a natural supply of mana that is coursing through their bodies who then learn to manipulate and concentrate this mana through spells. One is either born with an affinity for it or not; it cannot be learned. Mana Drives are special devices that focus magic into various types of mana that can be used to power devices. Mana can also be concentrated into a liquid form that is used in various potions.

Q: What is magic mostly used for? What kind of technological devices are we talking here?
A: My vision for the technology of Amarist is similar to 18th-19th century levels of ingenuity from our own world’s history. So this means things like horseless carriages, light sources, magic-powered factories, and even magic-powered airships (although they are early in their design and very expensive). Conversely there are no televisions, no internet, etc. There is a form of long distance communication but a special device called an Oracle Matrix is required and they are quite expensive. There are no mechs in this lore but dwarves have capitalized on their ingenuity and use magic batteries to power their automatons i.e. Skyrim.

Q: Are mages a protected or persecuted minority in Amarist?
A: Magic users, or mages, in Amarist are most often regarded relatively highly in Amarist due to the positive transformations that magic has brought to the land. However it’s not accurate to say there is no oversight. The MDR is divided into several jurisdictions relative to the Magic Towers scattered throughout Amarist. These divisions are responsible for keeping tabs on the mages within their jurisdiction. All magic related crimes are first investigated by the MDR and then either turned over to public courts or kept in-house for further investigation.

Q: Just how powerful are mages in this story?
A: Most mages in Amarist are only capable of minor spells such as basic manipulation of the natural elements of the world, healing non-life threatening injuries and illnesses, and summoning the help of most species of wildlife. Approximately ¼ of the mages in Amarist have more significant control of their abilities and are some of the most formidable forces in all the land. Of course there are the select few individuals in Amarist who are capable of much more. The MDR tries their best to keep the public out of the know in these cases but there are rumors and whispers circulating through the land of mages capable of raising the dead, summoning demons, casting tremendously powerful elemental spells, seeing the future, and more. But, those are just rumors, right?

Q. Are there guns/firearms in this story?
A. Yes, guns do exist in this story however they are powered by magic and not by gunpowder. Guns in Amarist look similar to guns from the 17th century of course with a high fantasy twist and the way they function is very similar to other technological devices in Amarist. Oval shaped stones are placed into a special chamber on the firearms that is able to charge the magic until it fires from the barrel. Due to the small size of the Batteries for guns, each one holds only enough magic for between 6-10 shots before the Battery must be ejected and replaced with a fully charged one.

Q: What are the plants and wildlife like in Amarist?
A: Amarist shares many of the same times of flora and fauna as our world and most common fantasy creatures. But there are a few distinct species that are found only in Amarist. We can develop the animal wildlife as we go but I am okay with using most types of creatures found in the previously mentioned sources of inspiration (Zelda, Golden Sun, Dragon Age, Skyrim, Fairy Tail). I have taken the liberty of listing the plants here:

Flora
Jiss - This low-growing plant has large fan-like leaves. It reproduces via clusters of royal purple five-petaled flowers. It is often used as a treatment for various minor illnesses. Very common plant found throughout Amarist.

Pink Rose - This tree has tiny lacy leaves. It reproduces via a single hot pink three-petaled flower. Somewhat common plant used for romantic gestures in central Amarist.

Bell Wort - This sprawling plant has tiny leaves shaped like bells. It reproduces via a cluster of dark orange five-petaled flowers. It is often used as a treatment for burns.

Winter Skull - This climbing plant has tiny ovoid leaves. It reproduces via clusters of white five-petaled flowers. It is a rare toxic plant found only in the coldest mountaintops. Used for powerful toxins.

Red Hood Bur - This tall-growing plant has huge heart-shaped leaves. It reproduces via numerous large dark rose catkins.

Gold Lace - This low-growing plant has tiny frilly leaves. It reproduces via several moderate-sized four-petaled bright gold flowers. Rare plant valued for its use in décor.

Green Root - This low-growing plant has tiny frilly leaves. It reproduces via several moderate-sized five-petaled bright rose flowers. It is highly valued for its roots which are green in color and are used as a treatment for bleeding injuries such as cuts and punctures and general pain relief. Very common plant found throughout Amarist.

Yellow Fox Mint - This shrub has tiny star-shaped leaves. It reproduces via several moderate-sized six-petaled bright yellow flowers. It is used to be ground up into a paste for fresh breath and clean teeth. Very common plant found throughout Amarist.

Duck Berry – A white colored berry that provides a small amount of nutrition. Sour flavor. Common plant that is only found near water.

Red Spur - This tree has moderate-sized leaves shaped like arrowheads. It reproduces via numerous huge pastel red four-petaled flowers.

Toad Spear -This sprawling plant has moderate-sized pointed round leaves. It reproduces via a single dark pink five-petaled flower. Rare plant often found in swamps. Contact with human skin can cause warts to form.
Crond Berry – An indigo colored edible berry that provides a small amount of nutrition. Sweet flavor.

Threirt - This low-growing plant has huge frilly leaves. It reproduces via a cluster of plum purple five-petaled flowers.

Rooster Head - This tree has tiny feathery leaves shaped like a rooster’s comb. It reproduces via a cluster of maroon flowers.

Snottle - This tall-growing plant has huge star-shaped leaves. It reproduces via a single lime green six-petaled flower. It is found at higher elevations in the west.

Poison Berry – As its name suggests, this is a poisonous berry bright red in color.

Elfanth - This bush has tiny round leaves. It reproduces via clusters of bright yellow four-petaled flowers. Rare plant found in the southern forests of the elves. Valuable piece of many sacred elven rituals.

Q: What is the geography like in Amarist?
A: I have provided a map of the overworld along with descriptions of each major area. We will most likely develop the smaller areas of the world as we go. As for metals and minerals in the world, just like with flora and fauna our world and Amarist share many of the same metals and minerals such as iron, gold, emeralds, and diamonds but I have listed a few below that have specific purposes in the lore:

Minerals & Metals
Nespyx – A rare gemstone that is turquoise in color found in central and eastern Amarist. It has a unique property that allows it to resist magical attacks but is especially vulnerable to physical damage.

Kineolite – A special, orange hued metal found in the southern portions of Amarist. It has an interesting property that makes it especially resistant to melee attacks but vulnerable to magic attacks.

Glittergold- This look-alike metal is the Amarist equivalent of fool’s gold. It is mostly used as counterfeit money by some of the less reputable entrepreneurs in the world. Many elated miners have had their dreams dashed thanks to this imposter.

Dustice Adamant – An extremely rare silver metal that is virtually indestructible. It must first be melted to be used in any type of forging which requires a special furnace that only a couple of smiths have access to. It is only found in the Elven lands to the southwest.

Rocksteel – An intriguing blend of metal and mineral that is widely mined by the dwarves underneath the mountains in the north. It is an extremely durable material that can is typically forged into valuable pieces of armor or prize swords. It is an upgrade to common steel or iron.



> Magic-Industrial Revolution - Term defining the current time where magic has given rise to a new society brimming with prosperity and new technology. In Amarist, roughly 3 in 10 people are born with a natural affinity for magic.

> Mana-Drive – A Mana-Drive (or just Drive for short) is essentially a magic-powered battery that energizes all forms of technology in Amarist that would otherwise require electricity, an engine, or other forms of power. Their size and charge can vary wildly depending on the device it is will be used to energize. As of now Mana Drives can be recharged but only through another source of mana. This means that most people have no way to recharge the Drives and so they must be replaced when they have used up all of their stored mana. Most Mana Drives can energize their intended device for 4-6 weeks and many devices can use more than one Drive at once.

> Magic Waste - Dust-like particles that are the relatively harmless by product of all magic devices. It can cause serious mutations and sickness, though, if one comes into contact with intense concentrations of it.

> Magic Distribution and Regulation (MDR) - Affiliation that organizes ensures magic is being regularly distributed throughout the land by way of a controlled method as well as disposing of potentially harmful amounts of Magic Waste. They are also responsible for overseeing and managing the mages in Amarist to ensure that all mages abide by the laws of the land and that no ill-intended group or individuals acquire too much power.

> Magic Administration Council – This institution is responsible for establishing universities and training facilities for mages throughout Amarist. They also work alongside the MDR to keep an eye on any young mages that may be exhibiting extraordinary abilities.

> Tower City - A Tower City is a city that has been developed near and around a Magic Tower. They are typically the most magic driven areas in Amarist.

> ManaTek Industries – This is the largest and wealthiest company in Amarist. They own the rights to the Mana Towers in Amere, Oshvale, and Glassloch and are constantly working on the construction of more Towers under their name. They are also responsible for the production of many Mana Drive products in Amarist.

That's a long thing with a lot of information wow. Colour me impressed

Haha like I said I have had this story for a long time and have been working on it piece by piece.

Is this information we need to memorize? 0.0

Interest definitely still here. I do like a well-fleshed out fictional world.

Also, I doubt we'll need to worry about memorising it if it's all written down in an easily accessible place. (here and most likely the OOC :P) I guess we just need to pay it reference if we have any questions.

I figured as much but ya know... it never hurt to ask.. I could memorize it, but it would be a hot second.

Right, there is certainly no need to memorize it all. It will be contained within the OOC at the beginning of the story. I will likely wait one more day to see if this post garners any more interest and then post the OOC sometime tomorrow evening.

I'm not only posting interest, but also a suggestion.

The name "Magic-Industrial Revolution" isn't very catchy and doesn't roll off the tongue very well. One could go with "Magical Revolution" as an alternative, but that's just my opinion.

Hey, glad you're interested!

Yeah it is a little long winded to say but I decided to stick with that term mainly because I feel like it provides context for the lore in terms of what exactly the world and the things within it look like. I wanted to give people something they could look at in our world (the Industrial Revolution) and say "Ok this gives me better understanding of what the setting is." The good thing is we most likely will rarely ever actually use that term in our own story just like how people during the real Industrial Revolution didn't sit around throwing the phrase around.

I am about to go into work and will be back in around seven hours which is when I will go ahead and post the OOC. I'm excited to get started!

OOC is up! Feel free to post your character submissions as soon as you're ready!

http://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/130527-tales-of-amarist-young-heroes/ooc