@The Angry GoatCool. Oh one last thing, can you give his rifle a different name? You can just make up anything that sounds vaguely Russian, if the rifle is Varyan-made anyway. :p

@deathbringerGoddamn! I knew you wouldn't disappoint! What an awesome character! I think it all fits, though there are only a few minuscule things I'd like you to change.

I thought it'd be interesting if all Lanostrans eyes were bright green, like... pines reflecting off ice? Sort of. I made Lady Lanostre's power a bright emerald color in the bit about the Black Glacier, so maybe this could be the color of the eyes of her people. If you'd rather her eyes be blue, then that's cool.

I love, love, love the idea about a secret Lanostran sect aiming to bring her back to power. I had an idea of doing something like that, so it's cool that you got in front of me on this. One thing though, it's been twenty years since Lanostre surrendered to Varya, so I'm not sure if the bit about "they are at a similar crossroads to the Lady's own quandary over 200 years ago" to be reflective of this, but yeah, it's only been 20 years since the Lanostran War.

The last thing is just a suggestion. I added the bit about the demons and how Lanostrans fight them as a kind of sport, so maybe youy can include a bit about how this affected Astraia as a child. Was she successful in hunting a demon? Does she have the title of "R'heon" and a cool tattoo? Let me know!

glad you like it!
green eyes is absolutely fine, edited, but would prefer not to amend the picture! She was a struggle to find in the first place. That ok?

I'm so glad. As soon as I read the history I just couldn't get the idea of a rebellion out of my head and it just rolled from there. Not sure which orifice I pulled 200 years from! I'll amend to 20 years and tone down the quandry bit at the end as 20 years is enough for people to be starting to change but still be pretty pissed and remember the Lady clearly.

you're damn right she's R'heon" can I ask does she choose the tattoo or is it a specific tatoo in a specific place?

Edited anyway let me know if you want any changes!

@deathbringerpic is fine! And yes they can choose the tattoo. :)

@deathbringerpic is fine! And yes they can choose the tattoo. :)

perfect. That's edited. Believe she is ready for another read through from you then :)

@deathbringerok we’re all set!

@Lovejoylol good point, done and added to character tab.
@deathbringer Stina would be like, 200% down to go help you dominate a demon btw, if you want to have that as part of our history together

@Lovejoy I like the idea of needles for drawing ether. Probably it's done a bit like dialysis, but requires an etheric component?

When I say fire I mean her ether manifests as fire -- just as it would manifest as force if I went with that one. If you would prefer her not to be straight fire perhaps I could make it more...explosive? That'd put it more toward force usage, but perhaps with the addition of a spark (I can make a gadget to produce them) she might be able to generate something flashy.

The down side of that, of course, is that because her power is geared towards explosions a lot of the simpler applications for ether would be beyond her. If most priests can light candles with a though, her attempts would end up with wax everywhere, or a completely melted candle. A small ether light would be a bright flash, etc.

Waitwait, backup. I reread the bit about fire...are you saying that candles, flames, cookfires, those don't exist anymore? You can't make a spark with flint and steel? Things don't burn? Or are you just saying fire as a form of magic is gone? (Though wouldn't a bit of it remain in Omestrian ether?)

@deathbringer@Lovejoy aaaah people who want to win free of Varya MY CHAR APPROVES. She's just not sure about their chances. But her mother was one of them!!

The life of Omestrian slaves is a brutal existence, some more than others. Most common Omestrian slaves live in squalid ghettos in the lower depths of Magnagrad, where they're put to work doing menial tasks (aka maintaining infrastructure, cleaning streets, digging tunnels, ect). Others live as house slaves, and live their day to day lives serving rich families. The worst, are those judged to have potent ether running through their veins. These unfortunate souls are then taken from the ghettos and from then on live only to have their ether siphoned from them for use by the military and church. They live in cages like animals, their humanity stripped from them because all they are is oil to the Varyan people, and exist in a state of perpetual weakness-- as having ether harvested from your blood brings one to a state of near death, and medical attention is immediately required else one falls into a coma they won't wake from.

As for how they're harvested, I'm not really sure! I was thinking some kind of horrible needle-like device is used and then it sucks the ether out into vials? I don't know, any ideas?

I'm definitely imagining something mad-max bloodbag style

Hello! I'm a smidge rusty, but this looks to be a fantastic RP. I'm thinking to make a Varyan marksman whose spells revolve around water. Example uses include coating floors, creating mist, and attempting to forcefully down someone by shoving water down their throat. Restrictions would include it needing to be essentially pure water (no blood, sewage, etc.) and that he cannot change its temperature (such as in Avatar TLA freezing/unfreezing). So far as his personality goes, I'd imagine him a bit of a glory hound, wanting to get something done and grumbling about what he calls "down time." That said, there is no better feeling to him than a plan perfectly executed and he will work through whatever it takes if its for some clear goal. Since his goal is to be a war hero, that means working through whatever it is Varya's military wants of him.

A question, since this wasn't quite directly addressed: do people recuperate their ether? That is to say, is the pool they're born with their pool forever, or does the body slowly produce more, like blood?

@Lovejoy I like the idea of needles for drawing ether. Probably it's done a bit like dialysis, but requires an etheric component?

When I say fire I mean her ether manifests as fire -- just as it would manifest as force if I went with that one. If you would prefer her not to be straight fire perhaps I could make it more...explosive? That'd put it more toward force usage, but perhaps with the addition of a spark (I can make a gadget to produce them) she might be able to generate something flashy.

The down side of that, of course, is that because her power is geared towards explosions a lot of the simpler applications for ether would be beyond her. If most priests can light candles with a though, her attempts would end up with wax everywhere, or a completely melted candle. A small ether light would be a bright flash, etc.

Waitwait, backup. I reread the bit about fire...are you saying that candles, flames, cookfires, those don't exist anymore? You can't make a spark with flint and steel? Things don't burn? Or are you just saying fire as a form of magic is gone? (Though wouldn't a bit of it remain in Omestrian ether?)

I don't think it would be too OP if her power manifested itself as being able to cast explosive ether bursts and still having basic ether control. If you're still unsure about this, what about lightning/electricity? Maybe that would work? In any case, I say go with your gut and create a CS. Once I see it we can get into the knitty-gritty of whatever ethereal magic you choose.

As for the element of fire being gone from the world. Yeah, it's pretty much how I described it. Fire doesn't exist, in any form-- so no candles, flames, flints don't give off sparks, ect. Admittedly the science behind this is definitely very wonky, but it's meant to be more poetic and literal and is not supposed to make a ton of sense. MAGIC!

While there are traces of the Fire Titan's essence in Omestrian ether, it doesn't full on manifest as "fire". In fact, since human beings have lived without the concept of fire for as long as they can remember, they would pretty much freak the hell out if they ever saw it in the real world. Hope that answers your questions!

@The Angry Goat
That might work. It's definitely savage-looking enough. It might not be so convenient though, since sometimes ether has to be extracted quickly. Hm. I don't know. Maybe we should just go with the needle/dialysis method.

@Draken
Water magic sounds absolutely doable to me, and pretty cool! Since they wouldn't be able to control the temperature of it, your character wouldn't be able to melt the ice which is covering 90% of the world, which I like. Maybe they can unlock this ability later on as their magical strength grows. They'd also have to wear some kind of water containment unit, like a backpack or something, to house the water they'd use for their magic.

@Lovejoy definitely wonky science, and if I try to think about this too hard my brain is going to hurt. A few related questions, though. Sparks are also the basis of electricity and lighting, so perhaps flint and steel do make sparks, but stuff jsut doesn't burn. ...Or, perhaps, things burn, but it's more of an embers situation, without any flames, and it gives very limited heat? Enough so that without some sort of magical aegis, you're pretty much screwed in short order. Or maybe that's only in areas with aegis...*considers*

I actually /want/ her to have trouble controlling the smaller stuff. It's an interesting complication, and keeps her from being too independent. Come to think of it, I imagine the concept of "fire" exists in legends, so they know "it was red and orange and yellow, and ate everything" but that's pretty much it. *just spent a few hours looking for images with bright orange hair, and that loses the significance if people don't remember fire at all*

@shylarahNot for nothing but, but there might be some people out there who would remember what fire looks like very well. The RP is titled "The Last Embers" for a reason. :p

Ah this looks neat. And full character wise. :P

Anyway I hope this goes well, I will be reading along.

@Draken

Oops! Forgot to answer your last question. Yes, people recuperate their ether after a while. The body slowly restores the ether, which is why Omestrian slaves are not allowed to die after their ether is harvested.

Also, some further into about Varya and Magnagrad.

Magnagrad, the Steam City



The western-most region of the continent where Lord Varya fell as a remnant of the Ice Titan was once a dry, flat land with little usable water and natural resources. Owing to the scarcity of this land, the first resurrected Varyans who lived here were a nomadic people who subsisted off the herds of wandering beasts and by reaving the neighboring Muraadans to the northeast. It is believed by T'saeren geologists that long before the Celestial War between the two titans, Native Varya was once an arrid desert, as grains of what can only be assumed to be crystalised sand have been found in the deepest fathoms of Magnagrad's foundations.

In modern times, Native Varya is nigh unrecognizable to the frozen desert it once was. These days, the monstrous city of Magnagrad rises over the natural ice-covered land, its mechanical sprawl now spreading to the farthest reaches of the continent. It is a monolithic expanse of ethereal steam and dark machinery, built over an unchecked period of hundreds of years of unprecedented expansion which has seen the city grow both horizontally and vertically. In the current age, Magnagrad rises hundreds of feet into the sky, an ever-growing arcological citadel where the fates of its people either lead them to climb to the city's prosperous heights or fall to its darkest depths. It is a titanic construct which now dominates the continent, covering the former lands of the conquered like a mechanical shadow.

In Native Varyan to the northwest, where the first foundations of Magnagrad were built, lies a district known as 'The Godsfall'. The Godsfall, located at the highest peak of the massive city, is where the most important structures of the city are located and its most powerful citizens live. Both the Great Basilika, where the Varyan Faith is headquartered, and the War Fane, home to the empire's military, are located within the Godsfall. In fact, it is said that Lord Varya himself resides somewhere within the Fall, though it is also whispered that the god does not reside in one single place within Magnagrad, but instead exists "everywhere" within his great city. Nevertheless, the Red Shrine, a massive temple taller than any structure in Magnagrad, was constructed as a ceremonial 'throne' to Lord Varya. No human being, save for the most powerful members of the Varyan church, are ever allowed in.

The rest of Varya is a giant sprawl of hundreds of different provinces and sectors spread throughout the continent-wide city. The vast majority of the empire's population live 'below-ground', within the old sectors that are now used as foundations for the new construction projects of the city (where the wealthier and more powerful people live). The lower-level sectors run the gamut from rough working-class neighborhoods to deadly sub-city ghettos, with the lowest depths of the city providing havens for outlaws and escaped Omestri slaves. Life for typical Varyan citizens is a never-ending struggle for ascendance, as most people dream of living on the surface districts where the air is cleaner and life is generally easier.

Not all of the Varyan continent has been consumed by Magnagrad however. The northernmost regions of Muraad, where the cold is deadlier than anywhere else on the continent, is still home to rural Muraadan communities, while the eastern forests and tundras of Omestris are still barren of the city's touch, despite the natural beauty of the area. The Lanostran subcontinent to the south still proudly retains its architecture and culture, as the fact that Lanostre is still beset by demon attacks deters most native Varyans from immigrating.

@deathbringer Stina would be like, 200% down to go help you dominate a demon btw, if you want to have that as part of our history together

Sounds good to me! I wont lie I'm still sort of working out how I'm going to play Astraea as there is alot of conflict in her but I can definitely approve of us going off daemon hunting in our spare time

@deathbringer@Lovejoy aaaah people who want to win free of Varya MY CHAR APPROVES. She's just not sure about their chances. But her mother was one of them!!

Up the revolution! All I would say is astraea would not be vocal about this fact

Hey, question: What do people, like, eat? I can't imagine there's much agriculture in a frozen world. Are there, like, huge ether-powered indoor farms where all the food comes from? I think that'd be the way to do it.

Alright, I think we're waiting on a few more Character sheets from @Draken @shylarah @OppositionJ and @Scout. In the meanwhile, everyone who has had their character accepted should start working on character relationships.

You can use the following format for that to get started. These aren't meant to be immediately canon, but just ideas thrown out there for other players to work off of and respond to (or disagree with if they aren't cool with what you put out there). This preliminary "relationship sheet" is for my Inquisitor character, Father Ragnar, who I'll post a CS for later on today.

**Father Ragnar's Relationships:**

Father Rodion @Drakey:

Ragnar was always in awe of Rodion's prodigious mechanist's talent. So much so that as children, the younger Ragnar would always hang around and watch the older boy work on his machines with rapt fascination. Even though the two rarely spoke (despite Ragnar's incessant attempts at getting Rodrion to open up) Ragnar looks back on those days fondly. Hours would go by with Ragnar watching the mechanist at work, with nary a word spoken between the two, and that seemed to suit Rodrion just fine. Rodrion, sweating in the Seminary's metalworks -- a place foreign to most pupils-- seeing him down there after morning training was like clockwork for Ragnar, and he delighted in discovering whatever new projects Rodrion was working on.

These days, Ragnar and Rodrion still maintain their cordial but distant relationship. Still, Ragnar worries over the mechanist and often thinks about him. It took many years for Ragnar to give up on ever truly becoming Rodrion's friend, which deeply saddened the youngest war priest, but with the two becoming fully ordained Inquisitors, it was high time for Ragnar to grow up and take his position as the Protector of the group more seriously, which didn't leave much time for constantly worrying about his fellow pupil.

Father Hassan @Sisyphus & Father Yerokhin @The Angry Goat

Ragnar loves Hassan and Stina unconditionally. Ragnar, who is the youngest and smallest of the group, sees the two of them as brothers, as his difficulties with training and ether manipulation almost caused him to fail the first year and were it not for the two of them pushing him to his limit and making certain he would survive his training, he would have either perished with the fresh meat of those beginning pain-filled years or been shipped off to one of the lesser branches of the Church. Due to this, Ragnar's love, gratitude and admiration for the two older inquisitors knows no bounds, and as a result, to this day, he is always awkward around them. Whether it be straightening his back and deepening his voice whenever Stina passes by, or attempting to awkwardly replicate Hassan's devil may care attitude, Ragnar always overcompensates whenever the two of them are in the vicinity, a fact that isn't lost on either Hassan, Stina or anyone else in the group.

Mother Astraea @deathbringer

Though Ragnar's has immeasurable respect for Astraea's skill in battle and believes her healing abilities to be essential to the group's survival, his feelings toward Astraea-- the person, and towards the entire nation of Lanostre itself, are complicated to say the least. Having his family massacred by Lanostran pirates has cultivated a silent hatred for the Goddess of the Trident within Ragnar, who he believes, in Her infinite power and omnipotence, could have easily stopped the slaughter of his mother, father and sister Herself. Though this burning enmity for the Lady has roiled within Ragnar since he was a boy, he tries to not let it color his feelings over Astraea, who he possessed a curt if not respectful relationship with.

@SisyphusThat's pretty much what I had in mind, actually. I was thinking that the masses in Magnagrad would subsist on manufactured food distributed to them by the Church. Not sure what form it'd take, but it sure as hell wouldn't be all that pleasant to eat. The people on the higher echelons of society would have access to meat and more natural food, which would come from the herds of bison and other animals that populate the more rural regions of the continent, like Muraad and the like.

I'm thinking Lanostrans also had cattle to eat as well. Anyone have any other ideas concerning this stuff?

Alright, here're my thoughts on character relationships so far. I'll type these up more fully if you guys like the way they sound.

@Lovejoy Obviously, I don't know much about Ragnar yet, but I really like the little-big brother dynamic you described. Hassan probably feels pretty protective of Ragnar, but he'd be likely to express that in a standoffish way - he wants the kid to be his best and really come into his own, and that means having expectations of him.

@The Angry Goat Tying into their potential roles as Ragnar's surrogate big brothers, I think Stina and Hassan could potential be really good friends, if in a very opposite, vitriolic way. Though they're temperamentally very different, I think they'd respect each other's capabilities and willingness to go to extreme lengths to do what needs to be done. Either way, Hassan would probably spend a lot of time trying to get him to lighten up, if in a playful, friendly way.

@deathbringer I'm not sure about Hassan and Astraea. On one hand, they both seem like basically friendly people, and Hassan could probably understand Astraea's internal conflict better than most. On the other, Astraea might take issue with Hassan's severe coldness and his tendency to use people without a second thought, as she seems like an empathetic person while he has trouble remembering sometimes that normal people are, y'know, people. I think there's a lot for us to discuss here.

@Drakey Man, Hassan is gonna love messing with Rodion. I don't know yet whether it will be just friendly teasing or some actual rivalry, but I can already tell that he'll often be the target of Hassan's ribbing, and Hassan might also have some rivalry with him due to the diametrically opposed nature of their talents. We'll see.