Mines coming within the hour, just tweaking it

Hopefully this is good enough. Sorry if there is typo's my computer is acting a bit weird.

I don't know, guya. I mean, there are some pretty good ink incorperations going on here. I'm pretty cool with opening up a few more spots if I got to, motherfucking. quality personalities and paths going on here. I also know, there might be other partners in crime comnig in to do the time.

Not sure yet. I'll start accepting sheets tomorrow.

"Enjoy this music while you wait" *beep beep*

@ScreenAcne Woohoo!

@ScreenAcne
Wrote all this on my phone, so sorry for any mistakes!

@Viciousmarrow@Hannibal@Snagglepuss89@Sisyphus@The Muse@Silverink

So, the clock has, motherfucking. stopped, check it watch and got all hot.

All you folks are furnishing the finish line because, you're more accepted than a Laundry machine after a KKK night out.

All the others either I need to, repeep at your persona when I wake up a bit more, you haven't added any stuff I said yet, or your still WIP. There isn't like..a rush though. This ain't sonic the segway sage, we got. mtoherfucking. time.

@ScreenAcne I was already finished since the start, just hadn't added the things I typed to you about, the lands and citadels and all. Just added them.

The outer citadels take from the houses and cultures closer to them so if you visit one you will see a striking resemblance to the beliefs and culture of the surrounding groups of people. So whatever the others make is going to be somewhat incorporated in them as a mix.

@ScreenAcne Thanks dude! Cannot wait to RP with y'all..already thinking of more cultural stuff.

Figured it out..

Disclaimer [+]

In no way am I trying/want you to change your idea/creation in anyway. I am not trying to criticize/undermine/devalue your work or have any problem with it. All that I state below is my honest opinion. If it bothers you and/or you feel like you wasted your time then I apologize.

Ok, just to add this. The Devil Sands is the biggest desert that is located in the middle of the continent, so big that in fact forces the other houses to pass through it in order to trade with the other houses. I can't stress that enough cause I've built my whole house around that fact.

You own the largest piece of land since it is first come first serve and everyone that comes after should adjust their territory to the ones that came before and already set their boundaries, I respect you statement. So the house Bastij doesn't necessarily own all the Devil Sands since the farther you get away from the center point of a circle the more the area that is encompassed increases. So it could be just a small stripe of sand but because it is located at the very most outer part of the desert it could easily be as big as the territory of house Bastij. And it all stands as neutral ground, the boundary which separates the territory of house Bastij and other territories. No one has a claim to it.

The concern that I have which pushed me to put this clarification of land mass forth is as follows: [+]

Lets say that the whole continent of Handon is a perfect circle. Now the Devil Sands is another perfect circle located in the middle of the big one. The smaller circle's diameter is approx 3 times smaller than the circumference, the π value. Now if the circle is small enough in relation to the bigger one, that difference between the diameter and circumference is negligible = the distance between point A and point B which are the opposite ends of the small circle is so small that it doesn't matter if you go around the circle. You're not wasting any noticeable amount of time for that small extra distance.

Another thing which poses a problem is the size of land which a house encompasses. Assuming again that Handon is a perfect circle and the Devil Sands is also a perfect circle, means that ideally every other remaining house(9) would take an even slice out of the are between the 2 circles.
Now, hypothetically is the whole southern part of the area between the 2 circles was owned by one house, it means that the other houses would be cramped on the northern side which leads to most of them, the ones concentrated on the middle northern part, to never needing to pass through the smaller circle in order to trade with each other. Exactly the reason why I asked for the shape of your land since you stated it was one of the biggest.

I just want for my idea of a house to be in harmony with everyone's. Thank you for taking the time to read this.

From the perspective of someone who's throwing a "strong consider" into joining this RP, a lot of this post needs some clarification.

So your country is a desert surrounded by other, more fertile lands, which encircle it totally? If geographical realism is an issue here, that would mean you're also surrounded by mountains, creating a rain-shadow in order to justify the bizarre placement of this desert. If this is true then you're implying that your nation is also 99% immune to invasion, since all you'd need to do to prevent foreign invasion is defend the passes and valleys, the chokepoints which run through the mountains. This gives you an overwhelming defensive advantage in any wars waged on your territory.

Furthermore despite being located in the middle of the continent, despite other nobles' territories seemingly enveloping yours, you're somehow also serving as the buffer-area between our lands and those of a foreign horde? Like, how do you have an "eastern shore" if you're, quote, "another perfect circle located in the middle of the big one"?

Using highway-robbery and toll-roads to build your fortune makes sense when you're situated in the middle of the continent, but then shouldn't the easternmost province be the one acting as a buffer zone? The vice-versa also applies; it makes sense to be the buffer when you sit on the shore, but then you can't build your economic empire on tolling vital trade routes which bisect the continent. Please clarify as soon as you can. Thanks.

Sorry peeps, I'mma need to drop out of this one.

@POOHEAD189

Its all freezer, my geezer. No one can, motherfucking. rule with the recruiter when life and limb demands refuters.

@pugbutter Well to explain this geographical anomaly, it's the same as explaining on who build the many tunnels and vast areas underground. When the Bastij arrived and explored the desert, they found traces of an ancient long lost civilization. All that remained were ruins. In the middle was found a giant Pyramid, all but covered in sand which now serves as the underground part to the palace that stands above it.

The reason for the desert being formed on the ancient kingdom's grounds involve magic portals, sand demons an ancient war, all which left the land as it is today. The effect of the portal still lingers and as so it has preserved the climate through the ages. The portal is located deep underground below the pyramid.

I could as well go for mountains but I liked the idea of my desert being magic of origin and without any mountains involved.

As for the trade routes, initially I had planned for the Bastij to have formed a trading agreement with the main land, using the coast owned by the Bosandas, also in an agreement with them, but that thought flew in the air. Now I'm left with only trade routes within the continent. A fleeting thought came to mind that not everyone would be willing to have a history of their country trading with another one on the other side of the vast desert but meh, I place myself at the role-player's mercy on that note. So it's all up in the air at this point, I might have to return to the agreement with the Bosandas idea.@Sisyphus

Hell, maybe the previous civilization left behind might mountains of treasures underneath. Deus Ex-machina for my economic situation, I'm cheap like that.

@Bishop This is all very interesting but very little of it serves to rationalize the mechanics of your country.

Remember, a "desert" isn't just a big area filled with sand. It's defined as receiving less than a certain amount of precipitation per year (meaning, yes, Antarctica is a desert). So either it was already a desert before you came along, or your "magical" hogwash also happened to curse the land of all its fecundity. Just dumping sand on an area doesn't make it a desert. I know you know this because of something you said to Lady Selune earlier, so I don't know why you tried to use "interdimensional portal-sand" as a real argument.

And literally citing "deus ex machina" to describe how you apparently occupy two spaces at once (being in the middle of the continent, but also being the greatest defender against an eastern invader) sounds like a bad joke. Maybe the GM can weigh in on this? @ScreenAcne

Normally I'd be live-and-let-live about other players' creative liberties, but since a buddy and I planned on playing an expy for 15^th Century Romania, preventing "Turkish" invasions into "Europe" through brutality and efficiency in war, I need to be sure that you've actually thought this through and that you can help us to understand how your national identity actually makes sense within the scope of this world. So far it doesn't at all. It seems to me like you have to choose between being a wealthy trade-route guy or the Margrave hero guy. It's fine for you to "take" the idea that we want to use in this RP but we'd really appreciate if the resulting nation's existence is actually plausible and sensible; otherwise we should be the southeastern nation while you keep the desert in the middle.

@pugbutter

Geographic realism is not a concern in this RP. I mean, you're motherfucking. right, brother. But it's not a concern. As long as it dosen't lead to blatant power gaming I'm fine with peeps having strange, alien or contradictory landscapes.

@Bishop

He's right, you're choke hold won't be that important in Modern Handon and later after the war. Since the capital links most of the house through it. Of course, that works just fine with the kingdom because it means that if the capital is closed, the only other way across to other side of houses is around...or through you. Which gives Hnadon government itself good route control and tith enforcement.

You should probably consider though, a narrative of your people trying to, like. Refind their identity. Like, everyone else has a thing but outside of your invasion from very old days you find that you are struggling to stay relevant outside of old building blocks.

@Bishop I'd be cool with a trade agreement between Bosanda and the Bastij. Helps me answer that question of 'where the hell are the Bosandans getting all this sand for the glassblowing'.

@Bishop

It could have been a part of the Vidokarian Thunder Kings of old's territory. Just saying since they're holdings have been reduced since the ages past. And with all the food my people grow it would help a desert people.

So the only question is..how will this whole event kick off..an arrangement ball of some sort..unwelcome visitors extending invitations?

Let's see geographically I would say the Reines Swamp would located at the start the Sines River..anyone wanting to be near a suspicious swamp. Medical supplies and such. Anyone want to draw up a rudimentary map?

@pugbutter To clarify even further, the portal leads to another land the desert in the middle that you see is a result of the foreign climate and environment. All the area that you see as desert was once part of the outlandish demonic legions which were banished in the end. Yeah, kinda drastic to justify a geographical anomaly but I thought about this from the beginning.

@ScreenAcne I completely forgot about the capital linking all the other houses. When I read that part I must've mentally pictured my own kingdom and it's capital linking the other houses.

Ok so, my nation trades with the surrounding ones, while in turn trading with the mainland using the coast line located on the Bosanda territory as its port of operation. They have made an agreement, get taxed or share a small part of the merchandise,(whatever do you want?) with the Bosandas in order to use their coast line for trading with the main land. I don't know if you;re okay with this.@Sisyphus

@Hannibal Could you please elaborate that?

I don't know if I have confused or mistaken anything, a bit rushed atm. Care to correct me and be patient.

Registration of Current Nobles

The Name of the Noble: Arceus Kallidus Kyros, Arch-Magus of Cathal and Lord of the city of Gor Ithios

The House of which said noble belongs: House Kyros

Current Age of said Noble: 24

House History: House Kyros rose up four centuries ago to power with the province of Cathal, managing to break the constant dead-lock with power struggles between the Mage families and becoming nobles in their own right. They achieved this through a combination of pure sorcerous skill, careful bargains between those families that would submit, and even more careful marriage alliances. Ending a reign of Paper Kings and feuding Sorcerous Families.

Ever since, House Kyros has dominated Cathal with an iron grip befitting a House whose position is surrounded by roughly equivalently powerful opponents. But they pay the King's Tithes, respect his authority, and lend their domain's forces to his in exchange that they be left alone to govern the province as they see fit and deal with their own affairs. Which is mostly benevolent, if a bit tyrannical in regards to maintaining their control amongst the local nobility. The other families are kept on a short leash when it comes to trying to extend their own power to match that of House Kyros', but are allowed to govern their fiefs and properties as they wish just like their overlords.

The internal family succession can be particularly rough. For like any great House, Kyros has many children, and being of proud Mage-blood stock throughout their lineage, every last one of them has substantial magic potential. The family patriarch's position is decided by the merit of the sons, usually the eldest mature sons, by way of Sorcerer's Duels. Only the most powerful mage among them may ascend to the title of Arch-Magus of Cathal, and thus distribute the other Kyros-owned titles, properties, and lands among his siblings; as well as oversee disputes between and among the other Mage Families of the province who then swear fealty to their new Arch-Magus. The remaining sons are usually assigned to strategically marry the best Sorceresses to perpetuate better and better Mages within the Kyros Family, or to solidify alliances between them and houses outside the province.

This practice of succession, while seen as barbaric among some nobility of other provinces, is seen as necessary by House Kyros, and is a normal rite among the other Mage-nobility of Cathal. A Sorcerer's life is competition and power, and it is one which only the strong survive. It is only right that in a political setting where they dominate, that the Houses would only want the very best at their heads, and that the most powerful of all of them would be their Lord. Plus, with sorcery being such a dangerous occupation even at the best of times for those skilled in combat magic, it naturally leans towards weeding out the weak and incapable from the mighty and skilled, and all of the Houses of Cathal can attest to that whether they're Kyros or not.

The daughters on the other hand are prime prizes that any Mage Family that isn't of Kyros desires to have wed to one of their sons, and House Kyros knows this. To this end, the family has traditionally indulged their daughters to be as picky and particular as they desire with their potential husbands. Being highly capable Sorceresses themselves, they often don't care for potential husbands who cannot even best them in challenges or meet their demands. Duels are seen as socially unacceptable in Cathal for Ladies to participate in against suitors, but it is highly fashionable for them to set such tasks to suitors against other Sorcerers to prove to them how far they're willing to go for their love, and for the Lady to judge her suitors' performance. Cathal is joked of as being full of Sorceresses who cannot live up to a Daughter of Kyros' expectations. Such a system is ripe for underwritten manipulation as the women essentially use their positions to make families enter feuds over marriage proposals, all the while the potential orchestrator patriarchs all act innocuous of their relatives' actions.

In terms of recent history, House Kyros has begrudgingly offered more social mobility and freedom among the nobles within the province on the orders of King Merin whom showed his disproval with the House's stiff control over the province. The family viewed Merin as a kind-hearted and benevolent, but naive King who never fully understood how and why Sorcerers conducted politics and business in Cathal, but like all others they bent the knee to him and his wishes while he sat the throne of Handon. With his abdication, the latest newly ascended young Arch-Magus hopes to set things right again and further secure the interests of him and his House.

Banner:
A Pentacle on a Black Field of Brass-coloured stars, the circle being one of Gold while the star itself is Crimson Red.

Lands and Ownership:

-The Province of Cathal (Arch-Magus is the title associated with its ownership. A province of middling agricultural quality, a few mines and forests utilized for lumber but nothing to boast of compared to other provinces of Handon. Its main revenues come from taxation, the Sorcerer Academies tuition fees, the refinement and sale of goods for magical and alchemical means, and the sale of Sorcerers' services abroad.)

-City of Gor Ithios, capital of Cathal (Lordship, with all obtainable revenues, tariffs and taxes associated therein)

-Provosts of all Sorcerer Academies within Cathal's bounds (House Kyros divides the Provost seats amongst its sons, with the Arch-Magus usually being the Provost of the most prestigious Academy of the time. They are mostly advisory positions which conveniently offer access to the Faculty records which the House keeps up to date on after each year.)

-The Tower of Obsidian/ The Obsidian Tower (Personal residence of House Kyros, and seat of their power located in Gor Ithios, built entirely out of imported Obsidian)

-Herne Alchemical Refinery (Family-owned Business in Gor Ithios specializing in Alchemy and Potions, founded over 200 years ago by Herne Valdius Kyros)

-10,000 Acres of farmland estates (Roughly 20% of Cathal's capacity)

-The Scholam Arcanum (Public Library specifically catering to the Art of Arts, boasts of being one of the largest repositories of Magical Knowledge and Sorcerous Writings in the world with extensive material archives as well. Supported by the generous patronage of House Kyros, located in Gor Ithios)

-The Brass Citadel (Prison-Fortress located in Cathal, built to contain convicted Warlocks[Rogue Sorcerers] and other Magical beings or criminals, but also functions as the general prison of the Province. Owned and operated by House Kyros)

-Fort Ardyn (Main Military post for Cathal under the ownership of House Kyros, located within sight of Gor Ithios. It serves as a Training post as well as a Command Post for the Cathal Forces, hosting a private Military-based Sorcery Academy.)

Autobiographical Knowledge: Arceus Kallidus Kyros was born the third son of Alain Damion Kyros and Lyra Severian Kyros. With seven brothers and eight sisters that survive to this day and a handful of other brothers which died, he was certainly not a lonely child within the Obsidian Tower growing up. All being powerful children of Sorcerers, their lust for competition and dominance began even at a young age, with the elder brothers and sisters usually bossing around their siblings behind the backs of their parents and relatives. House Kyros knew of such behaviour, naturally, but saw it as good practice for the reality of real life in Cathal when they grew up, and so long as they didn't seriously injure each other, the family saw no reason to stop such behaviour.

But Arceus didn't survive through his childhood and later tutorage under the older Sorcerers of his family through just pure might, as his elder brothers had done, but through cunning and guile befitting one who was not gifted with the natural luck of being born premiere among his siblings. From an early age, he routinely traded favours for favours with his various siblings and cousins his age, balancing out the arrogant ambitions of his older siblings with the more timid desires to be seen and active by the youngers. It was all over petty matters and grudges involving toys, snacks, personal items and clothes, embarrassing others in front of higher family members, nothing serious, but they taught Arceus valuable lessons in understanding Sorcerers.

And as his powers grew with age, his understanding only grew ever more as the scars from the pitiless Sorcerous training of his House began to pile on. He discovered how to play to one's personality, how to hide his full potential and appear helpless. For surviving as a sorcerer often fell not to who was the strongest, but who could outwit their opponent. And to hold one of the most powerful positions in the world, power and wits play equal parts regardless of whether or not one knew magic.

He also understood why his family had so many kids, as many of them died or were crippled in the process of training in the Art of Arts. For while Cathal had spent centuries to devote itself to making the study of more combative magic a safer subject of study and training, there is only so much one can do to make it safer or easier. As he grew up, Arceus lost 5 brothers through various accidents and hazards of study, and many of his older relatives had lost limbs or suffered fatal injuries as time went on.

At the age of 22, four years after his ascension to the official rank of Sorcerer within his House, the family Patriarch, Alain, died of old age, being 83 years old, a venerable and mighty man. As had been the practice for over 400 years, the sons of the previous Arch-Magus gathered at the Obsidian Tower promptly to decide the next Arch-Magus. Five sons of Alain claimed rights to the Lordship of Gor Ithios and the title of Arch-Magus of Cathal, Arceus being among them with his eldest brother Eamon being nearly 34 and the youngest of the brothers, Gerion being merely 14. The duels were drawn by lot and observed by all members of House Kyros who could attend along with privileged members of the Cathal nobility, privileged Sorcerous peers from beyond the province, and representatives of the King, the widow Lyra herself was among them. The duels lasted all day, for tradition demanded that a successor be chosen by the dawn of the new day, and one by one, the brothers were disarmed and bested, the final showdown coming between Eamon and Arceus.

The old rivalry between the two siblings burned as hot as the magical energy they summoned in their duel. Flames danced throughout the black hall of the throne room, lightning arced in wild displays, bone-chilling winds frosted the floors, and summoned up weapons and beasts of pure energy assaulted each other as brother fought brother. Reality itself might have been ready to rend with how much power was being flung about but the combined might of the family and the ancient foundations of the tower had grown used to such feats. Hours passed, Arceus appearing to be on the ropes multiple times, but in reality he was holding back, drawing his brother's anger and energy out as his taunts only served to enrage the elder brother. Finally, sensing Eamon waning, Arceus delivered a flourish of power that stunned the room, ending a feat of endurance, power, and skill that surely had the ancestors of House Kyros looking on in pleasure.

Thus, Arceus won his place as Arch-Magus of Cathal, heir ascendant of House Kyros, and Lord of Gor Ithios, one of the youngest to ever hold the title and still a bachelor to boot. His inauguration and birthday of 23 was followed months after by the old King Merin's abdication of the throne of Handon. Opening the way for fresh ambitions to extend his own newly expanded power and the prestige and state of his mighty House of Sorcerers. For with Sorcerers as much as Politicians, the competition for greater power is timeless, and Arceus bears the weight of his house's illustrious lineage as he makes his own moves.

Portrait:

A particularly imposing portrait of the Arch-Magus Arceus Kallidus Kyros, in his full regalia, and wielding his staff of office.


An artist's sketch of the Arch-Magus' face. His noble face disfigured by the scars of Sorcerous Duels, he wears the scars as a badge of pride, as most Sorcerers do with the scars upon their bodies. Though it obviously doesn't necessarily help with their appeal to ladies.