Since Rothenburg takes place in medieval times, technology is limited. Swords, axes and war hammers are common weapons, but some firepower has recently been discovered. Blunderbusses and other primitive guns have began to pop up here and there. Any such guns, however, remain clumsy and not entirely accurate. They do, however, provide superior firepower to the traditional crossbow.

While magic does exist in this world, it is not a common thing. Most humans have little to no knowledge of these abilities. Witches are the only known creatures who are avid magic users, although they usually rely more on their alchemical potions and other substances.

This means that you cannot create a magic-user at this time. Alchemy, however, is fair game.

Alchemical science is just that: a science. It takes many years to master and, while normal people are able to study and use their knowledge to create potions, it is difficult to learn. Many books have been written on the subject, but those aren't accessible by most commonfolk. Only the nobles and those who choose occupations related to the subject have access to these books.

That being said, Herbalists and healers will sell their potions for a price, and there are a wide range of potions ranging from healing potions, cures for baldness, strength enhancers, and even night vision. The new Hunters Guild has made good use of some of these potions, often keeping a few different types on hand. There is one in particular that they make use of the most: The Draught of the Titan, or just Titan as it is known by the Hunters. This potion give the user incredible strength, stamina, speed and resistance to most attacks and poisons. It only lasts for a few hours at a time but is very effective for fighting monsters. It isn't all good effects, however, as people who use this potion too much may experience some psychological side effects. People have been known to lose their minds and become addicted to the rush that this potion brings. If one only uses it once a day or less, however, these effects are barely noticeable and easily controlled.

Other than the King himself, the Three Families are the most powerful people in the Kingdom. They live in great manors surrounded by tall walls to keep them separate from the rest of the commonfolk. They each have their own ties to the King and his family. They serve as advisers and help to govern the Kingdom and it's many peoples.

This is also a lot of information that doesn't necessarily have to be read to understand the roleplay. It is here to help guide characters and create a better understanding of the Kingdom itself.

Name: Abigail Par
Age: 19
Creature: Lycan
Appearance:
Strengths:
Weaknesses:
Personality:
History: (including how they became what they are and how they have hidden it thus far)

Name: Edward Par
Age: 15
Creature: Lycan
Appearance:
Strengths:
Weaknesses:
Personality:
History: (including how they became what they are and how they have hidden it thus far)

Hunter’s Name: Irelia Vyntr
Age: 25
Age: Vampire
Appearance: She likes to wear minimal protective clothing, as armor will only hinder her both in swiftness and in sense: her two important assets. Any more than what she already have could make her clumsy and noisy.

Irelia has a permanent stoic face, brought by the ire of being the blind hunter. She had then learned to shut her feelings off in fear of being exploited and ridiculed.



Weapon of choice: Bow and Arrow

Armor of choice: Pauldrons, Greaves and Chestplate. Everything else is leather or cotton

Strengths/Abilities:

1.)Tracking: Can use the environment to find runaways, or locate monsters (tree bark scratches, pieces of cloth, blood trail.) Without sight, she more heavily relies on her other heightened senses. Mostly her hearing. She cannot see a sword coming at her, but the twang from its sheath could easily give it away. She can also somewhat distinguish smells, although regular human capacity would still call it sub-par to tracking dogs.

2.)Hunter's Training: She has extensive experience as a hunter/tracker. Since sensing the environment for giveaways and clues often relied on hearing sounds and examining clues left behind (touching, smelling, tasting), she can still completely apply her training. Part of this training is to live off the land, so she can not only hunt monsters but also scour for food and water.

3.)Trapping: As a disabled hunter, she relies on traps and the like more heavily. Her tactics rely on disabling the other's senses to give her the advantage. She is known to hunt her targets at night.

4.)Nerves: Part of being a tracker is to calm oneself. She exhibits steel senses, both in action and patience. If she could, she would wait for her target to come to her, or fall into her traps. Suffice to say: Silica is not meant for a fair one-to-one, although she could hold her own if needed.

Weaknesses/Hindrances:

1.) Blindness: She cannot see. This in itself is already a major disability, and she tries to make up for it with her other senses. Due to a hunting accident in the past, she has lost her eyesight permanently. The condition of her eyes, defined as a "cold, glassy stare" had earned her the moniker of "Silica"

2.) Frailty: Silica is.. a woman. Despite her senses and wit, her physique is not much to behold. In a fight for strength, she will almost always lose-- however a woman aiming a bow at your chest is still something to fear.

3.) Endurance: Her stamina allows for quick bursts of energy, more so if it's a long walk-- but don't expect her to run a mile and a half continuously.

4.) Swordplay: She is meant for a bow, not a sword. Silica fights with a dagger up close; her frame does not allow her to wield anything bigger than a short sword.
Personality:

History: Silica was not born blind. She hails from a family of hunters. Her father, and mentor, decided that his life would not permit to wait out Silica's hunter training. Where their line of hunters traditionally is raised at age 15, she instead started at 10. Due to this, she was trained to track and hunt instead of the formal bow training first-- she would have to learn that at 15 like all the other hunters in their line.

By age 15, she had been an adept trapsman and tracker, easily outperforming even some professionals. Children learn quickly, and master even quicker. The knots and mechanisms of a proper snare was like a language to her, fluently written by her hands and exclaimed by the creatures that she captures. Her skill would only improve through the years.

Her favourite snare was of her own invention: Fowler, she would call it. The trap was meant to immobilize creatures by spraying them with hogweed essence, an irritant that would render the skin to feel burning. Mostly, her targets would be sprayed at the side, making them itch at first. (The motion made them look like a chicken flapping its wings, which is why the trap is called fowler) She also keeps a remedy with her to 'cure' the irritant before it completely burns through the skin. Silica never used this trap without being nearby-- as the consequences would be dire.

After learning to trap, she then starts her training as a bowman, now having the baseline build for a short hunting bow. Five years later, she 'graduates' as a hunter, tuned to a bow, and even more mastered at tracking/ trapping.

At 20, and on her thirteenth hunt, she was tasked to locate a runaway prisoner. Silica did not intend to hurt the prisoner at all. Her task was to track and bring him to custody, so that's what she aimed to do. However, a scuffle ensues as she was tying the man for round up, having her fall into one of her traps. It would have been safe, if it hadn't been for her falling face first into a fowler trap. She scrambled to get the remedy and quickly have the irritant off her-- but the damage has been done.

She opens her eyes and sees nothing. She tried putting the remedy directly into her sockets-- still nothing. It was then she realized just how catastrophic this trap may be. It was humiliating to fall for one's one trap, but it's completely different to be permanently disabled by it. Silica became an object of ire for some time.

Her skin would heal from the burns, but her eyesight never came back. It took her another three years to regain a fraction of the prowess she had attained as a fully-capable tracker, and another two years to hone the skills unhindered by her disability.

Now, she's ready to face the world again-- as a full-merit hunter.

[br]

After some quests, and by some bad stroke of luck, Lia ventured with a hunting party-- a small group of hunters, similar to her, the same twinkle of hope and ambition present. She, however, found herself alone with a caged being as she journeyed farther beneath the den. Unbeknownst to her, a turning creature of darkness in the form of human flesh.

Lia had no remorse for those that grunted and roared, yet a monster who spoke, who could plead and cry-- how could she deny the humanity that weaved itself? ...A bad move, and a quick waive of judgement broke her tether, welcoming Irelia into the coven. It was a quick series as she opened the cage and soon felt the fangs plunge deep into her skin, how cold the creatures touch was, and how sharp the pain: a quick peak, followed by the numbing reality. Lia was not going to come out of this mission the same being.

The coming events were a blur. Her heart felt both ice and fire, as it pumped coldblood so fiercely, her chest felt aflame. Soon after, nothing.

She awakes at a medical ward after the confrontation, completely aware of what had transpired. It seems she was not the only hunter injujred, and that her apparel were still equipped. Maybe nobody had seen yet? The procession of wounded soldiers lined the small room. One less patient made no difference. Not everyone would have noted the disappearance of one small girl, so she makes a quick getaway from the facility.

Lia now faces an even steeper mountain, and she's still determined to revive her honor, no matter what the conditions.

Hunter’s Name: Mikhail Lannyster
Age: 22
Appearance:



Weapon of choice:
mikhail could be considered to have three different main weapons. The first, and possibly greatest is his wolf, Brynhild. She is three feet tall at the shoulder, five feet long from snout to tail. Her claws are razor sharp, as are her teeth. Brynhild has her own set of armor that Mikhail made himself.



The second weapon was one he had to purchase. It is one of the older versions of the pistols. It has next to no accuracy, as such, Mikhail uses it for short range only.



His last weapon would be his sword. Nothing much, it is merely a hand and a half sword. Though, like his armor and Brynhild's armor, Mikhail made it himself.



Armor of choice:
Mikhail's armor, much like his sword, was made by himself. While it might not be of the best quality, it gets the job done. The armor has a steel, segmented chest plate that covers the entire abdomen. Over which is a thick jacket. Once completely red, it has faded over the years. Now mud cakes the bottom ridge and dark spots can be seen, typically with repairs to the fabric in those areas.



Strengths/Abilities:
Mikhail is an extremely talented blacksmith, however, he is also really good with animals. While not especially gifted at the sword, Mikhail can use it well enough to keep himself alive. But his true gifts come out with his ability to learn quickly and train animals.

Weaknesses/Hindrances:
Mikhail has little to no knowledge of the true nature of monsters. He also has no idea of how magic works. While it fascinates him, it also terrifies him. Secondly, despite his swiftness and agility, Mikhail lacks in raw strength and technique.

Personality:
Mikhail is usually happy-go-lucky, but that's just a front he puts up. Honestly, he prefers the company of animals to the company of people. He also has the underlying belief that if a monster can be obtained as an egg, or very young, then they can be trained like any other beast of war.

History:
Mikhail was the third son of a Blacksmith. While he learned his father's trade, he grew up knowing that none of it would go to him. Out of the three brothers, Mikhail was the best, but as tradition goes, the first born would receive his inheritance. The second brother, Darren, went into the priesthood. As such, there was nothing left for him. As soon as he came of age, Mikhail left the home that held nothing for him. Heading through the forest, the young man came across a young wolf pup. Alone and weak, he took Brynhild with him. Continuing on his way, the young wolf began to eat more food than Mikhail could provide. As such, Brynhild's training began. Several years have past since then. Mikhail had settled, for a short while, in a small village. Gaining trust with their resident blacksmith, Mikhail was able to produce his weaponry and armor. He paid for it by selling the meat he hunted, and the leatherworks he created. However, soon after, the time for him to leave came again. He had seen the flyers, heard the rumours. Monsters were appearing, and someone needed to fight them.

Name: Levi Yve Nykolas
Age: 33
Race: Human
Gender: Male

Profession: Soldier of Fortune - Travelling from village to village, doing whatever work is available. Hunting the creatures of the night is a dangerous profession, but for someone with few other skills and no intention to settle down, it has its merits.

Appearance: Aged, scarred, gruff, not known for appearing friendly. He neither barks nor bites as harshly as he may appear however. He has a set of three scars cutting across the right half of his face, stemming from the corner of his mouth, the bridge of his nose, and just under his eye ... courtesy of a long night in the woods in winter and a pair of hungry wolves. His armor is a lightweight, yet durable mix of steel plate and thick leather, scratched and gouged by both blade and fang. His waistbelt is heavy with steel: his selection of blades curated over years.

Armaments:
Paired 36” jian blades, imported from the far east
Two 8” silver-plated knives

Personality: Blunt, brutally honest, and a bit pessimistic, but loyal to a fault. Though his line of work would suggest he is loyal only to wealth, he grew up on stories of heroes of old. But in his own words, “There are no great causes left to fight for, no feats worth fighting for, no battles worth dying for. There is no valor to be had in throwing one’s life away, and there is no man left to die.” He approaches any task with this skepticism. Suicide missions are not something he will willingly walk into, in part because of his ingrained stubbornness. When he sets out on a task, he will complete it or die trying.

Best Qualities:
-Loyal to a fault
If one good thing can come from his rigidity, it is his unwavering loyalty. It is incredibly hard to earn, but nearly impossible to break.
-Master Swordsman
If his blades can reach it, he can kill it. The only question is whether it can kill him first.
-Veterancy
He’s survived a rather long time for his line of work: product of skill and some measure of luck.
-Qualified Weaponsmith
He can maintain his own weapons and armor. This self-sufficiency is minor, but nonetheless often underrated.

Worst Qualities:
-Headstrong, stubborn
When he has made up his mind, he has made up his mind for better or for worse. There is no changing that, period.
-Leeroy Jenkins syndrome
He sometimes takes an overly brief assessment of a situation, and then charges in blades first. While this can sometimes catch enemies unaware, it is a dice roll and Levi should know better.
-Range
Zero ranged weapons, outside of using his backup knives as throwing weapons. If it can hurt him from outside of his sword reach, he is in trouble.
-Fear of Wolves
His hand magnetizes to the hilt of his sword out of pure reflex at the sound of a wolf’s howl.

History: Levi originally was an apprentice blacksmith. Working around swords all day gave him plenty of time to both admire them and to practice with them. He picked up the fundamentals somewhat quickly on his own before he was given proper training. The master swordsman he trained with was like a father to him, having grown up an orphan. Despite what was often assumed, it never bothered him that much. When it did bother him, he kept busy at his studies. He eventually became a qualified weaponsmith, and crafted his own set of swords. His first craft were a pair of single-edge backswords (an early predecessor to the sabre). Nonetheless, his craft had a long way to come.

He was originally trained solely for the purpose of defending their small town. It was a boring and uneventful post however, and Levi grew impatient. That of course would change soon enough, for Levi was not careful about what he sought. Every night, the warriors would listen to the howls of wolves and stand ready lest a horde of tortured abominations make for the townspeople. On a high moon the horde came as promised. The town gates - a barrier of thick logs bound by hardened iron - failed to hold back anything, and everyone who carried a blade was now in charge of holding the line.

The trained warriors of the village did eventually repel the lycan horde, slaughtering most of them. Even in their victory, it was not without cost. Two dozen lay dead and five houses were destroyed. Among the dead was Levi’s master. Levi took his death extremely personally, and had severed the head of the killer beast clean off only moments after. A life for a life trade didn’t suit him though. He could not suffer to see such eldritch creatures live, for they had sought the blood of innocents without cause. It would not be the last fateful encounter Levi would have with wolves.

Levi departed his village to hone his craft hunting down these monsters. He could not be appeased by merely defending against them. His skills with a blade where up to the task, but he had little knowledge of hunting down the creatures of the night. As with smithing, he learned the craft quickly. By the time he was 20, he was more than capable of tracking down and beheading almost any the various horrors that lurked in the midnight forests. Even still a hunter has to sleep. During a camp-out on a week-long track, Levi was alone in the woods. His fire had burnt out and the wolves were famished. Unlucky for them, Levi was quick on the draw. Unlucky for Levi, he wasn’t fast enough. He managed to spill the pouncing predator’s innards with a single well-placed slash, but the creature had managed to catch him across the face with its claws in its final breath.

The howl of a wolf keeps Levi paranoid to this day, and the scars on his face serve as a grim reminder. In the face of that fear he has made a successful career out of solving people’s monster problems. For as rash as he can be, he has lived a surprisingly long time in his line of work, making a rather significant reputation for himself. His age gives him a certain element of veterancy in his field that many often do not live long enough to reach. He is fairly known among towns north of the capitol, though he has traveled into the mountains before to answer a call. Now the king is seeking his help. Levi is certain there is more to it than that, and that something must be very, very wrong for the fortress that is the capitol to need the likes of a master hunter.