Chariot no longer looks the same. Where once stood a free port, there is now a war zone. Avoir, who could perhaps be called a king, stands tall at the top of the fort - the only stone building in sight. He looks down upon the city and sees burnt buildings and the wreckage of ships in the bay. They sailed through the labyrinth. Somehow, someone told the pirates' secrets to the Marran invaders. A brutal battle had taken place and the pirates barely maintained their grasp of their last city. Avoir knows they are failing. The Marrans are disciplined soldiers who arrive in formation, uniformed. Trained. His troops are ragged. Some are untrained. There's no organization among them. Most are loyal to themselves, or to money. Just enough of them are dedicated to the ideal: freedom. Only enough to hold them together. Some others, maybe, want to keep their assets in Chariot viable. Avoir no longer has any idea. He leans back, alone, observing as people begin to leave their hiding places and attempt to rebuild after the cannon fire. He sees his people, and he thinks that maybe it is time to go chasing legends.
The story begins on the Free Isle in the pirate port city of Chariot. King Avoir has called the most notorious and skilled pirates he knows to undertake a mission for him: the mission to find the Raven Queen's crown. These people are gathering on the ship they've been given to set sail for Harravel Mountain in Arrylia, where the crown is said to be held. No one has ever entered Harravel and returned, but this group is determined that they're the best of the best.
The roleplay will take place over the course of the war between the pirate army, led by Avoir (by popular opinion) and his council of captains, and the colonial force of the Marran Empire. The players will be a "special task force" of sorts, made up of highly-skilled pirates, with their own ship, a small, fast, and stealthy one, serving King Avoir. He will send the players out on various missions which are going to tie together into a wider story arc.
Character Sheet
Format this however you want. Just make it clear and look nice enough. PM or post here, doesn't matter. I'll answer any questions and I'd love it if you guys asked any questions about my lore. It's a great feeling when people actually engage within the original world.
Read the relevant lore, it'd just be nice. If you want to bounce your character idea off of me that'd be awesome, I can help out with some relevant places and factions in the world.
Your character could be declined if it isn't up to the standards. No hard feelings, honestly, everyone is at different levels and there's nothing wrong with that.
Technology is about 17th century. It doesn't matter what region of the world. Whatever's been invented up until that point, within reason, will be checked and allowed.
Your characters don't have to be sailors. They have to be pirates. Some may have lived in Chariot instead of as part of a crew on a ship. Of course, it's always nice to have people who do know how to sail. The crew of the ship will be about 10-15 people. NPCs will fill in the rest.
Remember the plotline of the roleplay and make sure that your character's motivations will line up with it, in one way or another (be creative, if you'd like.)
Wait for approval before posting in the Characters tab.
If you are making either a mage or a character who is on the ship for missions but does not know anything about how to sail, just let me know, so that I can make sure we don't have too many of either of these.
Also, I'm going to add a list of ship roles that you can make a character for if you so choose. But you also don't need to, it's just a guideline for those interested. Keep in mind that everyone on the ship, even the regular sailors, are still the best of the best, so not having a designated role doesn't make you any less skilled or important. A good amount of the story will take place on dry land as well.
Quartermaster/Bosun (is responsible for the crew's well being, is the crew's representative to the captain, and the ship being stocked up, etc. Crew technically votes him in (but this would have been done before the point where the RP starts), so he's probably a charismatic person. Maintains order, deals with disagreements. They actually has a lot of power so if you're making them I need a quality character sheet.)
Navigator (deals with maps, charting the course, and inventory records, etc. Also often steers the ship.)
Lookout (sits way up high in the masts, would usually also have the skills of a sailor)
Gunnery Master (is in charge of the cannons. This ship has a small arsenal, 3 on each side)
Carpenter (is able to repair parts of the ship or other equipment)
Medic (someone with healing magic, or just general medical training, first aid, amputating, etc.)
Cook (cooks.)
Riggers (those who are in charge of climbing around in the sails, basically. They'd also be sailors. Small, quick people, usually. There could be a few of these)
Sailors
A weather mage is often used to speed up a ship's progress with currents/winds
Name: (You get it) Age: (Yep) Sex: (Male, female?) Nationality: (Where from?) Class: (Whatever sums up your abilities, fighting style, whatever makes the character unique.) Physical Description: (Pictures if you want, as long as they're realistic. Please no anime, I'll cry. Also include a physical description, regardless of if you use a picture or not.) Fighting Style: (Just what weapons they use (remember what someone can realistically carry. Guns as long as they're period-appropriate.), or maybe they rely most on stealth? use a shield? Whatever's important, just in a brief sentence or a few. For quick reference. This is in place of a "skills" list. Add anything like "pickpocketing" here, but be reasonable.) Personality/Mental: (Brief if you want. Include the character's goal. Outlook on life, personality, etc.) History: (Backstory. Give me at least a couple paragraphs.) Inventory: (Weapons, basic survival stuff. Money?)
Things To Keep In Mind
This is high casual, and as such, I expect grammatical competency. However, I won't put any post length regulations on; just use common sense. If you post one paragraph every single time, that's not really enough. I won't correct your tiny little mistakes in posts, but I expect a certain level of capability.
Since this is original lore, I may point out something if it really goes against the world. Maybe I didn't mention it before; if so, I'm sorry I left something out, but I don't mean to be rude. I welcome questions, actually, please ask me about my lore. It will help everything work smoother, and I very much enjoy talking about it.
As the roleplay is a group thing, any efforts to communicate in and out of character will seriously help the RP's lifespan.
Characters can die. If your character dies, you can make another. Maybe you already had two anyways. I'm flexible.
Speaking of: If you want to make multiple characters, go right ahead, as long as you're going to be able to handle it.
Dice rolls might be used in some situations. I'll alert you all to them beforehand
Let me know if you need to go for a while, or if your post is delayed. Or if you're just leaving the roleplay. No hard feelings in any case and accommodations will be made. Of course, activity is appreciated.
Don't feel like you need to read all of this. Honestly, there's more here than I intended, but I get carried away. Tehre's even more in my head. You can always skim this and ask me any questions - I won't shout at you and tell you to read the post. I love to talk about my stuff. Read whatever's interesting, though you should know what's relevant to your character(which you are welcome to brainstorm with me for). I'll help out with plot-relevant stuff as we move if I need to.
Maps
I drew it myself and took a picture of it so please forgive the quality. The typed sections are where it became illegible.
Nations
A large tropical island in between Arrylia and Mar. It's not a nation so much as it is a haven for pirates, criminals, and even refugees of all sorts. It is, however, a very dangerous place where you need to be on your toes because of the complete lack of laws. It's largest city is Chariot, which is a port surrounded by The Labyrinth. It's a section of extremely small jagged patches of land and rocks which need to be sailed through in order to reach the port. The safe route is a closely kept secret among the Council of Captains. On the other side of Chariot, a massive mountain makes it difficult to attack from the land. The council of Captains is the only governing power in Chariot, though it doesn't have much to do with laws. In order to have a say at the table, all you need is a ship and a crew. Your influence is determined by if you earn the respect of the other captains. They don't formally elect a leader, but at the current state, Avoir has a massive amount of influence.
Mar is an empire; they started as a small Kingdom, with their capital Loris being in the center of their small lands. They started conquering other small kingdoms around them over three hundred years until only the Marran Empire and the Province of Sinet remained. The two fought their 80 Years War, finally ending with Mar conquering the entire continent.
Mar is a fairly advanced place, where guns became most widely used (gunpowder is from Endeny) and full of may towns, cluttered farmlands, and cobblestone streets with a lot of use of horse and carriages. Their capital is Loris, a city with a lot of extravagant bridges with copper detail and bright coloured paint. They have the most advanced sewage system, as the capital was rebuilt and moved a few miles to the left of where the ruins of Old Loris are, and they placed underground tunnels. The sewage isn't yet connected to houses but there are many communal dumping places in the city. They developed longships and began their colonization to the east with Arrylia. Next they are aiming for the Free Isles, and then on to Charta.
The Province of Sinet has a much more tropical climate in comparison to Mar's moderate one. They have a lot of concrete, stone, and clay houses. Their houses rarely have glass windows(usually they are just holes in the wall), though since being conquered by the Marans it has become a bit of a sign of wealth to have glass windows installed. It's a warm, sunny climate with a lot of dirt roads, cliffs, and really blue oceans. Its full of hills and all along the water, towns and cities are built almost vertically up from it. They build a lot of docks going out on to the water and have very humble ships, even after the Maran conquest, though they're much more sturdy with their shipbuilding expertise. Everything there has a pale colour to it; houses, walkways, and benches are all painted in whites, pale blues, pinks, and greens. The people here usually have light skin and a shade of brown for hair.
Arrylia is a diverse country with a lot of different cultures within it. It is divided into twelve holds, each ruled by a lord or lady and noble house, except for one ruled by the King and royal family, who the rest of the families owe fealty to, historically.
In the past, Arrylia was conquered by an alliance of Northern tribes led by a man named Dastenin, who conquered the whole country, along with Charta, and gifted lands to his people. He set up the current governing arrangement of "Holds." Charta rebelled a hundred years later and regained its briefly lost independence. The Dastenin line ruled for 400 years until the Marans conquered them. They now live under rule of a Governor in each Hold who answers to Mar.
The Holds are quite diverse:
Dastenin Hold: The main hold, which used to be ruled by the royal house of Dastenin, despite now being in Marran control. The largest city is that of Dastenin Town, which has grown far past the town it used to be. It's on Dastenin Lake, which connects to the Iben River, which is a hub for trade across Arrylia. The terrain is mostly forests and rural farming villages.
Northern Hold: The Northern Hold is chilly year round. The buildings are all very insulated, and there's a lot of fireplaces. It's usually a very warm and cozy place. The Northerners are a very loud and boisterous people. They are quick to anger, and quick to trust. You'll always have a welcome in a Northerner's home. It's capital is called The Northern Hearth, where the Lord used to rule in an open home with frequent feasts. While it was once a welcoming place that inspired loyalty, it is now inhabited by the region's Governor and is closed off to the public.
Eagletree Hold: This hold is mostly covered in grassland. It's full of farmlands and quite humble. It's likely its residents don't even notice the change in governments.
Killamon Hold: Killamon hold is home to a very prideful people.. It is a very cheerful place until someone's pride is challenged. People here often challenge each other to fancy duels over wounded pride. It is home to famously boisterous inns with a minstrel in every one. They value storytellers and performers highly.
Riverpool Hold: Riverpool is covered in farmland, just like Eagletree. The only difference is their fame for their public, religious schools. They have many more small cities than Eagletree, where people congregate during winter. Children often attend school at the temples during this season. There is a high literacy rate.
Chamyaa Hold: This Hold is famous for its horses. Status here often rests on the quality and quantity of horses you have. Their horses are bred very carefully and many genetic lines can sell for a lot of money, especially outside of Chamyaa. Chamyaan horses are famous especially for the training they undergo when they are young. They're handled with care and are able to establish a bond with their master. It's commonly though that there is something magic in their bloodlines that allow the special type of communication between a Chamyaan horse and its master. The people here are very multicultural, but native Tanseens usually have dark hair and tanned to bronzed skin.
Tansee Hold: Tansee Hold has a reputation of being almost as tropical as the Southern Kingdoms does. Along the ocean, there is a lot of beaches, and the water is bright blue. There is a lot of trade in exotic foods and goods in Tansee, as they are the closest to Charta and there is a lot of contact between the two regions. Slaves from Charta go either north or south; if they go north, they wind up in Tansee, where slavery is not outwardly tolerated. Of course, it happens in the background much more often than in the rest of Arrylia. Tansee is famous for its Night Markets, which people from all over the land travel to see or sell at, especially on holidays. The people here are very multicultural, but native Tanseens usually have dark hair and tanned to bronzed skin.
Elsmere Hold: Elsmere Hold is a rainforest. The ground is a marshland everywhere except for a small patch in the north where they farm a small amoutn of crops. Over the marshland, the forest people of Elsmere have built their homes in massive Goldwood trees, and a network of bridges connects most of the hold to the capital, Elsmere, in at least a roundabout way. The people of Elsmere usually have bright red to light brown hair and blue or green eyes. The highest and lowest homes are for the poor. The rich live in the center where the branches are strong and they can't be reached by floods. Many exotic fruits grow in Elsmere and it is a dangerous, low paying job with a high risk of falling that many poor undertake in their youth to cultivate them from the tops of the massive Goldwood trees.
Ivicis Hold: This hold has access to a wide range of resouces because they have a long, skinny territory up against the Iben River. Because of this, they have huge trade prospects and Ivicis is probably the richest hold. Secrecy and political intrigue here are huge, especially at the Ivicis Court, where the rich political figures tend to congregate around the person in power. Previously, this was the Lord, but now it is a Governor.
Nest Hold: Nest Hold is the second smallest of the holds. It is mostly a forest of oak trees. They are famous for their hawking. Almost all of their land is farmland, except for some forests. It is prohibited to chop down the forests as many are designated for sport. It is the only place in Arrylia where hawks are found naturally. The Governor fit himself in comfortably at the tower seat of the previous lord, where hawking can be done from high balconies. Many rich merchants and lords use this region as a sort of retirement home to build estates on.
Blackleaf Hold: They are quick to anger, and not friendly in the slightest. They have always been allied with Ivicis, and are the second richest province of Arrylia. They are the only place where the Blackleaf tree grows, a form of birch tree that has black leaves instead of green. It is a mountainous region with the tallest mountains in the country, named the Triplets. It is a rare feat for someone to ascend the tallest triplet, named Refalcor. Many villages are located at the peaks or on the slopes of mountains.
The Reflection Isle While Arrylia was under its own control, this was another hold. However, they were the only group to resist Marran conquest. They are an island to the northeast of the main body of land, famed for their skill with bows. It's a forested land with water so calm it is nearly a mirror, which gives the island its name. It has many rivers and waterfalls, which their cities are built around. The people here tend to be on the shorter side, with light hair colours and blue or green eyes. It has always been ruled by a Lady instead of a Lord. The firstborn daughter inherits the Bow and sits in the Golden Seat, and her eldest brother becomes the Sword, and serves beside her rather than her husband. Both can marry whoever they want to. In the rest of Arrylia, inheritance is done by firstborn, regardless of sex.
Endeny Along the water, Endeny has a tropical climate with frequent storms and other disasters, such as their history of being at risk of tsunamis. Towards its interior, a small desert and rice paddies creep in. They have very rainy seasons with frequent monsoons and a very dry season.
Most of the country is taken up by rural homes, except for the tropical edges where some larger cities and beaches lie, such as their capital, Genjor, and other major trade cities, such as Viny and Vernon.
They are known for their export of rice, beans, sugarcane, being the sole supplier of corn, and a major exporter of tea leaves. Agriculture takes up about 80% of their population, so that's why most of the country is rural farms or plantations. They have no laws against slavery. Their major cities however, are slightly more prosperous because they seize a lot of what the small farmers produce, and merchants own many plantations.
Endeny and Chorn both faithfully worship Adana, the One Goddess, whose faith enforces a caste system.
Chorn Along the water, Chorn can be as tropical as Endeny's shores, though they have far fewer radical weather patterns. Most of the country is covered in small hills and mountain ranges, with many small villages in the valleys and mountainsides. There, there is rice farming and silk farming, which are major trade items. Towards the north, it turns into more of a grassland, where their borders with the Kopanese fade into the unknown. They are constantly disputed.
Chorn is ruled by an Emperor in their capital of Haroa. A hereditary dynasty with the family name of Lang rules. It's a very militaristic state, with a powerful bureaucracy of tax collectors. It is a highly organized state. The domestic capital is Haroa, located inland in a mountainous region, so that it is in close proximity to most of the country's farmland. They have a trade capital, Shon, a south-western port city which is designated for international trade. On the northern front, they have many military outposts to defend against the Kopanese.
East Islands The three east islands off of the west coast of the continent, along the border between Endeny and Chorn. Since the two countries have a longstanding alliance thanks to the threat of the Kopanese, the islands are never disputed. They are home to the monasteries dedicated to Adana. They're centers of faith and learning where any are welcome (at the lowest level). A mountain range runs across the islands, making it a treacherous journey up to the monasteries, named Yi, Ersa, and Sanq respectively. There is frequently a thick fog over the mountains.
A vast grassland on the northern coast, sharing borders with Chorn and Endeny. It has only one city: Ban Shiang. The city is huge, and is mostly home to craftsmen, visitors, or military men's wives (those who are pregnant or have young children, or those who don't wish to fight, as women are welcome in the Kopanese military bands). They use no form of currency, only exchange, and the chief of chiefs only enforces one form of tax (on natives), which is on good gained from raids instead of domestically produced products. Some parts of Kopan have been settled by foreigners. They have very little rights and often live a hard life where bands descend on them at any point, demanding tribute.
These bands of ragged cavalry are fierce raiders who frequently descend on Chorn and Endenic border towns. Each is led by a chief, who rules only because people want to follow him. Leadership is based on merit. The chief of chiefs is voted in by the band chiefs, but the elected does not have to be a chief. Often, it is a son or brother of the previous chief, but it a Dai (the gathering where they vote in Ban Shiang) is a hectic affair that lasts an entire month.
Besides the chiefs, who only serve as chiefs if the population allows it, the rest of the population is supposed to be equal, however physical prowess and raiding success often gains respect. The only ones who aren't seen as free beings with rights to choose are the slaves, who are very small in number and never bought or sold. They sometimes come from raids or are in debt. It is frowned upon for a family to own more than one slave.
The North isn't a country, but rather an uncolonized cold, tundra and forested region where it snows for half the year. Very few regions are viable for agriculture so the area is inhabited by a group of nomadic tribes who live in a similar culture dictated by their shared goddess, Gaia. At the age of 16, children undergo a rite of passage to become adults. They have to travel to Esnerenok, the holy island. It is warmer than any other region of the north and there is a bit of agriculture here. It is a holy place only frequented by shamans and visitors. The children leave with any of their agemates and are tasked to return with a special pink flower that grows on the island in order to earn their place in the tribe. They are reqarded with full-body tattoos to signify the passage. The most heinous punishment in Gaia's Laws is Exile. When a tribe member is Exiled, they cease to exist (to the tribe and Gaia) and are branded with distinct tattoos so that no other northern tribe will take them in. Their whole family and everyone they've ever known will shun them and completely ignore them until the Exiled is forced to leave south.
Valia has a northern climate and short growing season, with about six months of harsh winter and about three months of full summer. The central northern part of this country is mostly taken up by mountains and unfarmable land. Its people rely a lot more of livestock than they do agriculture, and wear a lot of furs. They have a raiding culture, and frequently take out longships to raid in Mara during the growing season, especially just before winter starts. The Valian King lives in Halvar as the ruler of the entire country. He is above the Arls (minor rulers) in each other city, of which there are only seven. If the King's line of succession is broken and a different family takes up the crown (though they wear no crowns in Valia) then the capital itself moves as well. There is a large middle class which serves as the court system and some small amount of democracy; the Valian rulers are aware that one only rules by the people's will. Each city holds votes on every major issue where free men and women can vote on issues. Lords make speeches, as well as prisoners judged. There is a large one every spring in the capital which each Arl attends to vote on important matters as well. Below free men and women (who have a very near equal status, and Valians believe in divorce while many other cultures don't), there are slaves won from raids or indentured servants who tend to serve a free or noble family. People, however, are not born into slavery, so children of slaves are free, technically, though they will often grow up to undertake paid service in the same home.
Charta Charta controls a massive territory, however, most of it is desert. Many small, poor towns dot the countryside, but the only large cities are on the western coast where there is a large oasis. They are the slave capital of the world. They have large slaver ships that make deals with Kopan and Endeny, to the east. The slaves are frequently from Chorn. Slaves brought in by ships all land in Ramsetta, on the eastern coast, and are escorted through the desert by the Skin Road, a perilous journey for the unprepared.They take slaves from among their towns when debts aren't payed. Criminals and mages are also sold into slavery upon discovery. The country is technically run by the Emperor, but the ones with the real power is the Grand Vicar of the Church of the Cat. Charta is famous for its religious paladins, who are frequently trained to fight with the spear at Charta's famous College, though that isn't the only source for them. The Church also has a smaller training program. The College itself is extremely prestigious. There are four large cities in Charta. On the east coast, there is Ramsetta, a bustling port city full of slave trafficking. To the west, there are three: Danisis, where the Church's seat of power is; Meira, where the Emperor's court is; and Akoris, where the famed College is found. Charta City is the largest city, which is in an oasis in the center of the desert.
Lybertay Lybertay is a large city-state to the south of Charta's borders, which was founded many years ago by escaped Chartan slaves. Slowly their population grew and ended in a huge mix of cultures and races. It is now ruled by the council, after the uprising about 70 years ago. The city, while "free and equal," as there is no slavery and many things are divided communally, is extremly strict. The laws are absolutely rigid. They're determined by a council, which makes decisions for the city. Seats expire at varying times depending on deaths or other engagements, but a member can only remain such for 5 years. Many crimes have the death penalty, and weapons are forbidden within the city, with the exception of times of war against Charta. The city has a bustling port which has a lot of trade with the pirate from the Free Isle. There is a divide between pirates selling stolen goods to the council and legitimate merchants selling to anyone. There is an agreement that there are safe waters for all around Lybertay as their trade is valuable to everyone and vital for pirates. The city has two outer walls, the innermost of which has never been breached. They are often under threat of Charta.
No one lives in the Fae Forest. It is a mysterious place that few dare venture into. Wild stories and myths flow out of the forest like a river. It's, as legend says, full of dangerous mythical creatures - even dragons. The trees are dense and roots crop out of the ground to trip travelers. Those few who venture in often return running, terrified, or not at all. Lybertay, as they border the forest, have a few work efforts of getting resources out of the outskirts, but no one would dare stray from the group or work at night.
Magic
Magic comes from the River. The term describes how it feels for mages. It's like a portion of their mind that they can access and channel into physical being. It's very mentally straining and taking too much power into themself can cause damage to the body. Bascially, mages need to know their limits. Different mages have different power capacities, but there's no formal scale used to pinpoint exactly where you are.
There are nine types of magic. Magic is born and then learned, and if it isn't learned it can escape from a mage's control. There are eight types of magic and a mage is only born with the ability to tap into one: healing, earth, pyromacy, enchanting, ice/cold/heat, illusion, weather, necromancy(control over spirits, its rarely used to reanimate bodies, though it can be), and shapeshifting. They are often called the First, Second, etc. in that order, as per Arrylia and Charta's naming systems.
Some magic or all magic is sometimes outlawed in different parts of the world. In Charta, mages are usually just sold into slavery. In Lybertay, they are executed. In the North, mages never make it to adulthood - they believe it is because of Gaia. In Mar and Arrylia, mages are forced into schools where they sometimes spend their entire lives. On Sura (continent with Endeny, Chorn, and Kopan), the "gene" (the science is unknown) is more uncommon, but not extremely frowned upon. It's looked at a bit skeptically, so often mages will take shamanistic roles privately or on the East Islands.
Religions
Think of them as the Divines in Elder Scrolls (if you're familiar with that). They originate from native Arrylian culture. It is believed that each god/goddess has their own plane of existence and that souls can go to them in the afterlife. The gods are: Arielle, Goddess of Nature and the Hunt Macre, God of Death and Judgement Jynaros, God of Work and Humility Deseh, God of Wisdom and Justice (frequently revered by Arrylian nobles) Allurra, Goddess of Night, Shadows, and Time Lyria, Goddess of Luck and Dreams Ingmar, God of War and Strategy Tydasha, Goddess of Love and Celebration (also booze) Dana, Mistress of Hell (not exactly worshipped, keeper of the souls of suiciders)
There used to be a tenth goddess (Semelle, Goddess of Thoughts and Freedom) though her worship was forbidden under the rule of the Tyrant Kings (Fordin and Faedin Dastenin) which lasted through two full generations, basically making her historical.
The historical religion of Sinet, which has been spread into Mar. The God and Goddess are believed to be the creators of all things, and that in death, all people become one with the God and Goddess. Temples are frequent all over the land. It is required for anyone of any station to wear their face covered when going to a service or when going to pray, as all are supposed to be equal before the God and Goddess. Among the very religious, often those who are in the noble class, is it believed that God created the world through the Goddess, and that story defines the roles of men and women in the world. Marriage is sacred at all levels of piety, and there is no form of divorce of any kind.
Gaia is worshipped in The North. Esnerenok is her holy island, especially because it is the most green area in the North. A special pink flower grows there which is said to be her blessing. The tribespeople thank Gaia for every kill and meal. They believe that life is sacred and not to be disrespected. She has no temples and it is insulting to invoke her name or pray in a manmade building. They believe in fate determined by Gaia and that nature is a way for her to express her will. If someone fails the trial to adulthood, it is said they are cursed (often believed to be mages).
Yval is believed to be the god-ancestor of the Valians. The Valians uphold beliefs of ultimate freedom(even if it isn't always true in their society), that men and women should seek what they want when they want it. This religions maintains an equality between all people as they are equal before Yval, who is in turn humble towards them. He isn't to be worshiped, but to be treated with respect as a guest at your table. For this reason, on certain days of the year there will be sacrifices to him, sometimes willing humans or just animals, done to feed him as though providing a meal for a guest. These festivals do not include prayers, only celebration and entertainment as though you had a guest to provide for and a feast to celebrate. This religion teaches that men are also animals and no better than the bear in the woods is. It professes that humans are also animals and doesn't frown upon baser instincts as much as some other societies. There is, of course, still laws and civilized people. Marriage does not exist.
Adana is the One Goddess, worshipped on most of Sura. In Kopan, the religion takes a more shamanistic role, with mages frequently as religious figures. In Chorn and Endeny, the religion dictates lives a bit more. It comes with a philosophy and caste system. The castes aren't very rigid - they are only Aristocrats, Craftsmen, Merchants, and Laborers. These are supposed to keep to themselves and marry within their own caste. The castes don't look down on one another, but there is a certain animosity between Laborers and Aristocrats, and the Craftsmen have a dislike for Merchants.
These islands are said to be a holy place because it was where their prophet was born, He Who Could Speak with their goddess. He was said to have been chosen by her to speak with her and spread her ways. In order to be able to sense her with any of his senses, he had to give them up for a year each, one at a time. Then, he was able to commune wholly with Adana, Creator of Everything, freely, as he was chosen by her.
Monks aren't required to give up all their senses, however, many attempt the trials to see if they are the next He Who Could Speak. The monasteries are a free respite for many who are able to get there, as long as you are devout. They each have levels of the large buildings where you are allowed based on your prestige (traveller/seeking refuge, in training, monk, Monk of the First Level, and so on)
Cats are indeed seen as holy beings, however they aren't the object of worship. They are revered because the god Tahce is part cat, and they are seen as blessed. This religion is very structured and hierarchal. Many commoners simply worship Tahce and go to Church, but in the church's internal affairs, the hierarchy really shows. The Grand Vicar is the head of the church, supported by his Ten Vassals. The next rank down are the High Priests, followed by the High Scribes. Next is the holy militia, the paladins. Then there are Sisters and Priests, followed by Acolytes, and then church-owned slaves.
Lucia has rather dark skin and almost black hair. Her eyes resemble the color of a mud puddle caught in the shadow of a building. Her face is built like that of a stereotypical fantasy elf; a long face, a pointed chin, high cheek bones, pointed eyes, and a small nose. Lucia is rather tall and is very lanky, she is roughly 6'2". Her dark hair is cut very haphazardly and short, looking like someone took fistfuls of hair and chopped it off. Lucia has long fingers, good for playing piano, and they add to her spindly appearance. She is missing her left pointer finger, in a result of her near-death experience. She has very soft skin, clearly not hardened by hard work or battle scars. Dorret has a ballerina-like gait, she walked quietly with a straight spine, head held height. She wouldn't be caught dead without her favorite, albeit cliche, forked pirate hat, black feather included.
Fighting Style: Lucia prefers to strike from in the shadows. She's not an up-close as personal kind of gal, she prefers to fire the arrow that seems to appear from thin air before embedding itself in its target. When someone gets a little too close, she'll lash out with a dagger.
Personality/Mental: Lucia is constantly living in the "work smarter not harder" mindset. If she could do something faster by doing it dishonestly, she will. Her mindset might also be part of her slothfulness. She'd much rather sit than stand, walk than run, or starve for a few hours than go through the trouble of making a meal. If she was a common-day human being, she would've been diagnosed with ADD. She'll switch a topic at the drop of a hat, and is attracted to anything that gives off a faint shine or glow. It's actually so bad, she'll be in the middle of running for her life but will stop to grab a coin from a nearby box. Dorret has never liked the idea of someone's freedom's being taken away. If you can't do what you please, then what's the point of living? Lucia doesn't believe in Gods and all that nonsense, but she does believe in some sort of an afterlife. She has total faith in the existence of ghosts. Lucia, on one of her little 'adventures', encountered a very angry ice mage. What made him so upset was beyond her, but it might have something to do with his 'lost' items. In the middle of their meeting, the ice mage froze her to death. She was legally brain dead for a few minutes, leaving her with some brain damage. After the mage was captured and Lucia cooled off, pun intended, she figured everything was fine. That was until she started hearing voices and seeing off-putting images that were seemingly disregarded by the creatures around her. Turns out she didn't just lose her finger to frostbite that day, she also lost her mind.
History: Ever since she was a little miscreant living on a rice plantation she wanted to be a sailor. The freedom of being able to go where you wanted, whether that be a half a world away, was very appealing in her mind. When her mother wasn't working and she wasn't sleeping, she would tell Lucia stories of her time at sea. Lucia stole herself a row boat after being inspired by her mother's tales. She dreamt of being able to sail anywhere, and have the experience of being truly free. Stealing the boat was not a very bright idea considering she didn't know how it worked and immediately lost the paddles when she finally got in the water. Even though she crashed it into several rocks, it was the best day of her life. Ever since she's been boating around every chance she gets. Her father's thriving lessons stuck with her, so she took anything worth anything. She gained quite the criminal record, so becoming an honest sailor was something she couldn't really do. She still doesn't consider herself a pirate, she is a sailor in her mind, albeit a crooked one. Her childhood would look like a mess to someone on the outside. Her mother a farmer and her father a crook. It wasn't exactly the best couple one would hope for. With her mother nearly consumed by the work on the rice field, she spent the majority of her time with her ex-con of a father. Before he had hidden away on Chorn, he had been a professional thief and assassin. He was still technically on the run, even though he didn't go anywhere. Lucia's father often took her to the docks, to show her the closest thing to life outside of a field. This is where her father taught her how to be as quiet as a shadow, and to be a thieving weasel. She stole many trinkets from the sailors, and every now and then their lunch. When they were pulling off a small heist, that would be the only time she would hear her father laugh. When she eventually got too big to give the sailors her doe eyes, her father taught her his other profession. When she first started, she could barely knock an arrow without it sliding away or falling off. Through the years of constant practice and advice from her father, she finally managed to shoot a rabbit. Although, when she was 15, her father was found and was sentenced to death for his crimes. Lucia remembered her father saying, "Everything is going to be alright. Stay strong, little thing," before he was taken onto a boat never to be seen again. She still practices with her bow, to honor her father's memory.
Inventory: Bow Dagger Around 50 gold (or whatever the currency is) Spare clothes Some blankets A water skin A pot A short book
Name: Anastasia Celica Verula III AKA: Celica the Enchantress Age: 32 Gender: Female Nationality: Ivicis Hold, Empire of Mar Class: Enchantress/Swordswoman Physical Description: Standing at a humble 5'2" Celica can appear rather unassuming. Her pale complexion and long jet black hair are trademarks of her lineage but none so prominent than her piercing blue eyes. It's rumored she can peer into your soul by staring you down but really she has spent enough time around liars to spot one at a glance.
She wears simple robes made of fine cloth and is rarely found without an assortment of leather belts adorned with different trinkets, vials, and the occasional book. Glasses rest on her nose fitted with silk string on either side to keep them in place.
Fighting Style: Celica generally relies on her swordsmanship, as enchanting isn't all that practical in combat. She trained in Regal Fencing, a one-handed sword style that favors quick movements and piercing thrusts. Celica is quick but overall only slightly above average in terms of swordsmanship. She carries a rapier that is most suited to her style.
Personality/Mental: On the outside Celica is eccentric, sometimes even ludricous. A mad genius only to be taken seriously half the time. In reality she is observant, always calculating the risks and weighing them against the possible rewards. Celica had survived by anticipating the troubles ahead and formulating creative solutions.
During her time in the world she developed a taste for alcohol and consumes it at an alarming rate. Drunken witch is a common moniker that floats around the local cantinas. She hides the pain of her suffering in an ocean of booze and lashes out at those who might think to pry.
She despises nobility and sees them as opportunists born into privilege. Nothing matters to her more than her craft and so long as she has the freedom to pursue her research she is happy. Also of note is that Celica is a lesbian and holds a negative bias towards men.
History: Celica is the second daughter of the current governor of Ivicus Hold with two siblings, an older brother and sister. She lived a privileged life of sorts but was relatively unimportant in the scheme of politics. Because of this she saw the court for what it was, a den of wolves in sheep's clothing. She despised the courtiers for all their scheming and trickery. It was an unfortunate truth that she took to heart. Even her own father was well-versed in the art of performance and it was only natural that she learn as well.
Her social status afforded her an extensive education, she learned about many cultures and religions, though she never cared much for the latter. She also studied different forms of government, swordsmanship, statecraft, economics, horse-back riding, and sailing, among other things.
When she was twelve her father discovered her talent for magic. Being the opportunist that he was, he kept her magic a secret from the world and arranged a mage from a prestigious school to tutor her in secret. So Celica had yet another field to study. It didn't make much of a difference to her. She kept meeting in secret with her tutor until at sixteen rumors startedto spread that one of the governors daughters was a mage.
In order to save face Governor Verula made an announcement that Celica had recently been examined and accepted into the Ivicis school of Magic. It was a rather grandiose event, there was even a celebration although it was all just for show.
Her time at the magic school was spent learning about her talent. She learned of the different magics and how to implement them. Every day she spent buried in books, listening to lectures, an conducting practical experiments. She eventually escaped with the help of some colleagues in a rather gruesome fashion.
She drifted from place to place dodging bounty hunters and slavers until she found herself on the free isle. She made a home there where she regularly conducts research and sells enchanted goods to fund her work. She has also aided the council of captains on numerous occasions but has never aspired to captain a vessel herself, despite being qualified and wealthy enough to own a ship.
Inventory: Leather utility belt ×3 Component pouch Book pouch Pressurized steam grenades x2 Flash paper x12 (generates blinding light when torn or cut) Life elixir vials x 3 (stimulates rapid healing)
@LordofthePies Hey, thanks for coming by. Okay, so I'll admit that I am slightly concerned about the quality here. I can tell it was done quickly, and I'd like to know that you can put in a bit more effort. I'm going to give a few points you could improve on, if you'd like to work on your sheet a bit more. I know I posted in the casual thread, but I do want to get in depth with characters and plot, so a well-thought out character sheet would be appreciated. Rogue/archer is fine for a class. 1)Sentence fragments. I understand having some in a character sheet for sure, but a few of your sections are almost nothing but, and it would be nice to see some real paragraphs as this is an "apply" sort of deal and I did want to know who I'm accepting.
2)I'd like to know more about this "Was technically dead. The brain damage drove her insane." part. I don't have a problem with this, but I'd like to hear more about it, because in order to write an insane character a lot of thought has to be put into their mental state. What's the story of what happened? It seems pretty important to her backstory.
3)Cat worshipping - It's from Charta, not Chorn. For the relevant bits on Chorn religion, it's under "Adana." If she isn't religious, that's fine, but she would know about Adana and her laws at least a bit, as she lived in that caste system. Believing in ghosts is fine, these societies have myths such as that as well.
4)Backstory - I only have a couple things to note. One: what sort of boat did she steal? Boats in this age are often only able to be sailed by 10+ people, as they're usually tallships or fishing boats. She could've snuck onto one of those, or stolen a smaller boat, which probably would have only been controlled by paddles (which maybe she lost, if you wanted her to crash?) Next, maybe bump the age up on when she got so good with the bow. It makes sense she'd be good, that's the idea of the rp, but it might take a few more years than that to master her technique. The only other thing I'm curious about more detail for is that her father was a thief, but she lived on a rice paddy. What was her childhood like?
Anyways. It isn't bad, of course, I just wanted a bit more detail in my sheets than this. If you want to edit it, you can take your time. I'm sure the IC won't be ready to go for a few days at the earliest.
Thanks for the feed back, and it was written pretty quickly since I wanted to just throw it out there. I'll be sure to improve on it. I'm glad you care enough to tell me these things.
I'm going to upload a map shortly, then look over LordofthePies' edits. (Which at a glance look much better!)
I am thinking about putting up a sort of "fillable ship roles" list. Like quartermaster, navigator, sailors, etc. I will probably put one up in the characters section if anyone wants to look it over. You don't have to take a role - being an average sailor is still important(as it's a sailor on the best crew the pirates have to offer). If your character doesn't now how to sail then just let me know. It's fine but I don't want too many people doing it.
Also, I'm going to add above that if you're making a Mage, id like tongue contacted before you start because I don't want too many. We have at least one right now, there's still room.
Just letting you guys know of the impending edits. :)
@LordofthePies Thanks for going back through and putting more work into it, it looks much better. As long as you're willing to put in the same amount of effort on your posts, I'm good to accept her. I'm running a quality-over-quantity ship here, so as long as you put in a couple paragraphs with good substance on posts, there's no issue.
I would like to ask if her madness has much of an impact on how she acts, or if it's more occasional hallucinations? Is she violent when it happens?
While you're moving her over into the character tab, would you mind: -bolding the categories -under fighting style, "the arrow the seems" seems to be a typo -in her backstory, third paragraph, typo thieving "thriving"
It's gonna be a little bit until the IC is live, to give people time to make characters (me included)
I apologize about all the typos, I've been doing this on my phone and it fixes things without my knowledge sometimes. I'll be sure to fix those mistakes.
How Lucia's broken mind sees the world can differ on a day to day basis, but never really goes extreme. The voices she hears, on the other hand, can be very convincing, giving her reason to act a certain way, whether that means stabbing someone or eating a muffin. The images don't happen very often, but the voices are not a rare occurrence.
Will you be moving her over to Characters or should I?
As I stated in the interest check, I am interested but I am a bit rusty. I'll edit in a character sheet with this post as well. Please do give input as to what else you would like me to add.
@SuperNova9000 Looks pretty good! Could you bold the category names? One thing is her fighting style - what sort of swordsmanship? one hand or two hand, shortsword/longsword? shield? rapier? That's all for there. Also, just add an inventory to her, with her weapons and any materials or enchanting components she is going to travel with. She'd have a hammock and such on the ship so you don't have to worry about travel/camping supplies as much, but she probably would have a waterskin. I might also suggest adding a directly stated character flaw to her, just to make sure everything is balanced out.
I hope there's still room for another female character. I would love to take part in this. :>
EDIT; Here, let me know what needs fixin'
Name: Sylvi Wulfharth
Age: 30
Sex: Female
Nationality: Valian
Class: Barbarian
Physical Description: It's not so difficult to discern Sylvi amongst an ordinary crowd. With her bright orange, wavy-thick hair resting down to her waist, either freely hanging or tied into an unkempt braid topped with a thin headband resting around her head. Her face is round and prominent, freckles resting on her rosy cheeks, which further glows with emotion. She has soft scarred gashes running across the left side of her lip and above her right brow. Her eyebrows are thick yet perfectly shaped into a soft arch, and dark green eyes, unturned and full of life.
Physically, she's strong. A height not exceeding beyond 5'10 and a body frame built to topple over the strongest of men and some beasts, having the perfect proportion of muscles and curves that developed from years of rigorous training and experience.
As for the way she wears, she prefers furs and fabric, some straps and belts to hold weapons, over hardbound armor. It's simply a matter of convenience as it gives her free movement while fighting, but if armor is ever going to be a requirement she'd chose leather pads over iron/metal, as wearing such as heavy would be more of a hindrance than a benefit.
Fighting Style: Sylvi trusts her own physical strength, relying on plain ol brute force to deal with her problems head on. Ideally she prefers dual weapons, and occasionally uses the bow in long range combat. She can settle things with her fist just as effectively, either monumentally or to those who would simply just casually dare her to a brawl. (which she is yet to be defeated at)
Personality/Mental:
Sylvi more or less contrast from your typical raid mongering Valian. Sure growing up in a culture unconventional as it is, none the less had mildly steered the young woman to a more brute/aggressive way of dealing things, favorably directly but never to the point of physical recklessness unless needed. Because of this she may come across as impatient, and even patronizing to those she considers incapable or inexperienced, and would go as far as putting herself at risk in a fiery whirlwind if her patience is pushed to the limit.
During her adolescent years Sylvi was naive, over eager and ten times the firebrand than she is now. That is until she lost her husband where she "learned" to take things one step at a time. Normally she's a calm and laid back individual, social, compassionate and always ready to lend an ear to those who need it. She has a strong sense of family and knows better not to put people away, no matter who they may ever be. She can see past the person and is always never one to judge. Even with her own impatience she makes an effort to understand. Sylvi values her closest friends and family the most over anything in the world, and will go through everything if it means keeping them safe or happy. Besides those qualities, she's a natural cook, part of the reason why landed a place in the ship. She also knits in her spare time. Sylvi believes in a god and Yval is the closest she can get to that yet she longingly searches for some sort of spiritual fulfillment which she had yet to find.
History: All throughout her childhood and adolescent life, Sylvi grew up in the central north of Valian. Born to a family of herders she was the only daughter of parents with three other sons. Living in a home with a bunch of rowdy kids was a lot of work for her parents, to say the least. Though most they fight and tease, Slyvi is very close to her brothers. Though girls her age would do conventional girl things, she goes out with her brothers to hunt and to raid.
Sylvi hadn't entirely escaped her parent's plans no matter how against she is of their wishes, and was pressured to commit herself to a young man of her age who was also the son of a close family friend. Though both of them were fairly good friends since childhood the idea of the union was not what they wanted for each other. Thus to avoid dishonoring their families, instead they agreed to work together, and overtime they developed a strong bond. Eventually for quite awhile they went from best friends to lovers. They soon had a son, but died just after his first winter.
With their dreams of traveling the world together, they took part in a trading business a year later, traveling through seas from one country to another. They developed friends and business partners with the pirates during their stay in the Free Isles, some welcoming them into their voyages. At one of the ships they stayed on, Sylvi took the job as the ship's cook whilst pursuing her work as a trader, right after the original cook accidentally broke both of his hands on a hard fall from the gaff.
Til one unfortunate day, their ship was caught between a battle, plenty were dead in the chaos and one of them was her life partner. Sylvi was thrown into the water by an explosive impact. As the firing ceased, while Sylvi slowly descended into the ocean, an approaching pirate ship fished her out of the water. After that grievous moment, she couldn't bring herself to come home. Lost in a new country, alone and with no coin, she instead offered undying loyalty to the pirates as her way of gratitude, living the rest of her life in the Free Isles. She became the go to woman when they needed a pair of muscles to man, or if they wanted a quality cook.
Inventory:
- Dual axe - Pocket knife - 100 gold pieces - Piece of yarn, knitting needles. - A small statuette of Tydasha - Waterskin - Handkerchief
Isaak stands at about 5'11" and has a fairly muscular build. His hair is jet black and swept back to stay out of his face while his skin is a light tan shade. His eyes are a pale gunmetal blue and his face displays a nice calm expression most of the time. His body displays a number of scars from various encounters over the course of his life, though none of which are on his back. His most prominent scar is a streak of pale flesh that runs from the bottom left side of his nose diagonally down to his jaw. His body seems to oze strength and while he does often carry himself in a way that shows this off when he is around strangers, alone or when things are quiet he takes a looser and casual posture of just a teenager. He is definitely an insomniac, due to events in his past so he is often found training or simply lying awake at night.
Fighting Style:
He is a powerhouse with a greatsword. He trains constantly to increase his ability with the huge weapon. He uses his strength and agility to his advantage in up close combat, relying on overpowering his opponent(s) or being able to avoid whatever they can throw at him.
Personality/Mental:
He tends to be fairly calm and serene. He will make sarcastic comments and poke fun (often going too far). He doesn't really know how to express himself due to his upbringing of being raised by socially inept mercenaries, so often charisma is not at all his strong suit. He does enjoy the feeling of camaraderie he once had from the band of mercenaries but they left him with a difficulty to trust basically anyone. The only way he ever learned to express himself was through combat, but there are other times when he starts to get the hang of it and other times he finds himself happy, and if he learns to trust you then you have a friend for life. History:
Isaak was found as a baby by a band of mercenaries that had been hired to storm a camp. Isaak had presumebly been born to someone in the camp but had been abandoned in the middle of the trail leading through it. He lay there, half in a blanket and crying. One of the kinder mercenaries, Arin, scooped him up and took him along with the group. THe time until isaak was about six years of age were fairly uninteresting, it was at this age that he was being taught how to fight. He was young, but no mercenary eats for free and so he was taught the ways of combat. He excelled at swordplay and wasn't half bad with another weapon in hand either. He caught on quick and trained a lot a night to get even better, and soon he was in battle. He did small roles and there wasn't too mch danger for him, but he was killing men none the less and though it was hard at first he soon learned it well.
By the time he was ten the band of mercenaries was at a good spot, they were well known and money came in, and Isaak had proven himself a worthy member. Sure they teased him and pushed him around, but if it came to it he was sure they would have his back. It was at this tender age that he had his little spot in the world ripped away from him. While they all slept a rival group that had been tracking them found their camp and stealthily made their way in and as the band of mercenaries lay asleep they were taken out. It was when Isaak woke up and saw what was happening that he yelled and attacked with all he had. He woke nearby comrades and those in near tents and soon the remaining ones were awake and fighting. They fought valiantly and well, but they were at a disadvantage from the start. Isaak wanted to fight to the end, but Arin's dying words were to run and run he did. Now he was a cold and lonely kid, with the only career skills to his name being murder. He kept on fighting as best he could, and learned that the world doesn't care how old you are, it will trod you down. People spit in his face and thought him disgusting, all he had to his name was his sword. He remained in the business he knew and still did very well, earning a very good name for himself by the time he was fifteen. It was at this time that he had gotten himself a new sword, one more fit to his size, a large greatsword made for an adult man of above average size. While he didn't seem large enough to wield it yet, Isaak knew he needed a weapon that would keep foes at range. What he had was power and he needed a weapon that would allow him to fully utilize it. He got a hand crossbow and called it a day, having all of the tools of the trade he would need to continue this line of work well into his life.
I'll put up my character tonight or tomorrow, and I'll probably put up the IC as soon as Monday-ish, a week from when the OOC was posted. I want to give people plenty of time to make characters and/or join.
