Welcome to Thalnaris, a fantasy land full of wonder, danger, darkness, and moderate amounts of silliness. In this land, all beings have seemingly limitless potential, and can train themselves or be trained by others to wield enough power to withstand dragon fire, to lift objects by the ton, to run over a hundred miles an hour, to cast and shape magic to their heart's desire. People like this have gathered to create a faction to do work for others all across the land. Protecting civilians from Orc Tribes, destroying a farmer's rival, finding someone's lost prized chicken. This faction is the Guild of Heroes, and you are a fresh, new graduate. Will you be a protector of the realm? Or will you be the next scourge to bring it to its knees under your rule? Welcome to Thalnaris, your story begins.

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Setting

Thalnaris is a high fantasy world with many magical items, mystical creatures, and limitless potential. Anyone can become extremely powerful, wielding heavy armor, big weapons, bows, and spells all at once. Most people are content to lead more simple lives, so the vast majority of people are the 'power' level of normal humans going about their everyday tasks. But for those who seek adventure and power, it can always be obtained.

The technology level is set in the medieval ages. There is no gunpowder or technologically powered electricity. There are a few conveniences that are present through magic. Such as functional internal plumbing with standard teleportation runes to send waste far away into some distant ocean. Some buildings are even outfitted with magical lights that illuminate the entire room and turn off and on with a single command! Though this is usually reserved for governmental buildings or the shops of highly successful merchants.

Thalnaris is a land of both happiness and lots of sunshine, along with the darkest, most vile depths of evil, decayed, dangerous areas. Mystical creatures, both benevolent and monstrous roam the land. Bandits try and make easy money from travelers. Orc bands slaughter and raid simply for sport. Despite the danger at every turn with monstrous giant wasps, bandits, and other foul creatures, the economy of Thalnaris is always relatively stable. Most citizens are happy, almost as if living in a state of blissful ignorance of the dangerous world they live in.

The citizens of Thalnaris live in various cities across the land, usually spread out rather far from each other. There is no central government, each city making their own rules. They mostly depend on themselves to be self-sustaining, but the cities do keep in frequent contact with each other to make sure each one has what it needs. Trading between cities is extremely common, and some even focus on developing mostly a single resource. There is even a town named Cheddar Village, which focuses on spreading cheese all throughout Thalnaris.

The arguably most unique piece of Thalnaris however, is the world famous Guild of Heroes. An enclave of extraordinary men and women of all kinds. Good, evil, skinny, fat, warriors and mages. All are found at the Guild of Heroes. These are likely the people that keep the economy afloat, though none of the villages will admit it. As they keep the bandit populations somewhat in check, along with making sure a giant queen scorpion doesn't come too close to a village to wreak havoc. The good heroes are praised, and called to be saviors of the land. While evil heroes become the scourge of the world, striking fear wherever their name appears.
This, in the Guild of Heroes, is where our story begins.

Origin of the Guild

The Guild of Heroes was created about 600 years ago. This was a time when powers were going crazy throughout the land for both good and evil. There were constant fights between individuals, all wanting more power. Some wanting power to protect others, and some just wanting to serve their own greed. Eventually, something drastic united them all. Kathnul, the God of Chaos, invaded Thalnaris with the intention of destroying absolutely everything. Kathnul plunged all of Thalnaris and its neighboring Kingdom, Rhaelith, into war. Suddenly, everyone, both good and evil, had reason to fight. For their own survival, for the survival of others, for whatever other selfish reasons, Kathnul was an opponent for every being on Thalnaris.

The most powerful people in the land banded together as one faction, one that cared not for alignment or personal tastes. It was the resistance against Kathnul. Through fighting for nearly a decade against Kathnul and his forces, they eventually managed to push him back and seal him away, preventing him from ever accessing the world again. All of the land called these people, no matter how evil some of them were, the proper title of Heroes. They saved everyone. Despite differences in opinion, the faction stayed together under a new name. The Guild of Heroes. They have adapted themselves to have a very loose moral code, while still following law enforcement to keep themselves out of trouble.

The threat of Chaos is not gone though. While Kathnul himself is unable to invade, he is able to occasionally amass enough power to summon creatures to fight and destroy for him. He has avatars and devotees that forever search for ways to break the seal and allow their lord to invade once more. All Heroes, regardless of alignment, know that Kathnul is an enemy to everyone in the land, and it is their eternal duty to stop him. And even if some may scoff at the notion of 'duty', they still have reason to look out for themselves and stop him anyway. After all, what can you selfishly hoard if everything is destroyed?

Pantheon

Goddess of Creation - Mavis
Mavis is known by Thalnaris citizens as a kind, gentle, motherly woman who cares for all things and loves to breath life into the world. She intends for all things to turn out wonderful, but sometimes her vision gets twisted by chaos and evil. The truth however, may be a little bit embarrassing to her followers should they ever discover it.
In truth, Mavis is a very young Goddess. Child age actually. And is very immature at that. She is, and acts like, a spoiled child. Her overactive imagination and power allows her to create living beings of all kinds, ranging from a cute, harmless bunny, to an immensely powerful and destructive five-headed dragon. If you ever come across a 100-foot-tall chicken that breathes out sleeping spray, it can only be an example of Mavis having a bit too much fun.

God of Death - Baronest
Baronest is thought to be an evil being that hates Mavis' creations, and therefore makes it so all will wither and die.
Truthfully, Baronest is like an older brother to Mavis, and put the laws of death in place to allow her to keep creating. The rate she was going, she would have filled up the entire world with just way too much of everything. A two-hundred mile long land whale would be made nearly every day, or some other monstrosity. Baronest put the rules of growing up and death to put some standards on how life needed to work, and also how long it would last to create room for new life to be made in its place.
Mavis thinks that he is being a big meanie, without realizing how much he's helped her.

God of Order - Heiron
Heiron is a god that likes things to be neat and orderly, for there to be rules to follow, structure. He furthered Baronest's standards of death, making it so things could die from more common factors that mostly all of them shared, such as the need for consumption. Heiron also came up with the idea of sentient beings to develop and rule over the land, which most of the other gods got behind readily.

God of Benevolence - Kallen
Kallen is a good-natured god who welcomed the opportunity to influence sentient races, to put good intentions within every being. He is very fond of smaller, playful animals and children. Whatever brings a being happiness without bringing pain to others gives Kallen great joy to witness.

Goddess of Malice - Lizzabet
Lizzabet is nearly the opposite of Kallen, enjoying there to be strife and misery. She wants all beings to be in pain and suffering, or for personal joy to come from stomping on others. Sentient beings were excellent for this, and she put in the influence of what she loved most. Greed, spite, the ability to manipulate.
Surprisingly, she dislikes physical violence, finding it to be crude and barbaric. To her, lies and deceit are much more effective tools, and much more entertaining. The only violence she can appreciate is a well-executed assassination or political framing resulting in someone being put to death. But outright fights are for barbaric fools in her eyes. Lizzabet is often blamed for the creation of evil beings such as vampires and werewolves. Surely they must have originally been good creations by Mavis, influenced by the corruption of Malice. Only some of the time this is correct.

God of Chaos - Kathnul
Kathnul is a bully and the enemy of all gods, even that of Malice. They used to be close with each other but over time she found him too barbaric and lacking in any tact. All he wants to do is destroy. Kathnul wants everything to burn and be reduced to ashes, and does so with only one resource. Pure brute force.
He doesn't care for alignment or acts of anyone or anything. He just wants to spread his own fun of turning everything into a giant heap of rubble.
Kathnul is the enemy of all gods, and all sentient races of the world.

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These are not the only cities or special areas in Thalnaris. The following is but a few select landmarks to give an idea of the world.

1. Land of Thalnaris : This is the land of Thalnaris, where the characters of the roleplay live. The Land of Thalranis has a rather odd government set up. All the cities are unified, but separate. There is no overall central government, each city can set up its own laws. 90% of all taxes though go into a central pool that all cities share. The other 10% goes directly to the Lord or Mayor. In order to take from the pool, a city must have permission from the majority of all the others. This is done with frequent round table meetings hosted through magical items, where the lords discuss with each other and convey concerns and needs.

2. Kingdom of Rhaelith : The Kingdom of Rhaelith is known by the Thalnaris people as the Kingdom of Madness. This is due to rumors that the King is insane. The Kingdom of Rhaelith continually seeks war with the Land of Thalnaris, often sending ships across the sea to attack. So far Thalranis has done very little in the way of retaliation, but this is mostly due to the various Lords not wanting to gather the resources, rather than simply benevolent intentions.

3. Island of Nothing : A very large, expansive landmass that is eerily devoid of life. It seems to be one huge dry desert, the sand having collected into a cracked, rock-like floor. The entire thing seems to be completely flat, no elevation or plants to be seen for miles. Many expeditions have been made to this place to try and discover if anything is there. Most have come back with nothing to report except a feeling of emptiness and something wrong. A select few have never returned.

4. Lunar Island : This is an island that due to magic, clever sculpting, or possibly just sheer coincidence, is swallowed up by the tide to make it the exact shape of the visible moon. When the moon is full, the island is fully uncovered by the sea. When only half is seen, half the island is submerged. No one lives on the island, but trips to it are made frequently for the purpose of harvesting the various unique fauna, fish, and insects that live there.

5. Land of the Dead : Easily the most dangerous landmass known due to its inhabitants. The mountain range houses uncountable amounts of undead, who are easily able to find protection from the sun from the various canyons and caves. Alongside them are multitudes of barbarian tribes, seemingly made up of madmen. Cannibalism, self-mutilation, and tribe wars for no reason other than sheer sport, are all more than common, among other atrocities.
This land is commonly used for disposing of violent criminals of Thalnaris. For people who commit enough crimes to be charged for execution, it is carried out by way of shipping them off in droves to the sea close to the mountain range. From there, the criminals are left to their own devices. Most simply become food for some lowly undead, but others become fierce rulers of their own barbarian tribes.
There is one large city on the Land of the Dead. The city of Watchtower. Its purpose to watch for any mass of barbarians or undead who somehow manage to make it out of the mountain ranges and their direction. If their numbers are big enough, a ship is sent out towards Thalnaris to warn of a possible invasion.

6. Ruins of Calmor : Calmor was once the largest city in Thalnaris. Currently it is an abandoned, broken ruin, having been laid to waste during the war against chaos. Now it is overgrown and filled with more animals than people, but visits are relatively common for various reasons including historical research and treasure hunting.

7. Mt. McSplodey : A stupidly but accurately named supervolcano in the middle of Thalnaris. It is rumored to have once had a better name, but the citizens decided on a more idiotic title. This mountain is checked weekly (at least) by the Hero's Guild for any signs of an upcoming eruption, so they can try to find some way to stop it. If it does erupt, it has the potential to wipe out nearly all of Thalnaris.
The Hero's Guild is purposefully set up near to it so that the most powerful people in the land are able to at least attempt to lower the damage caused should an eruption occur. That, and the location is convenient for travel.

8. Nymphwood : A forest that is inhabited almost entirely by Fae. Many sprites, dryads, and other mystical beings call this place home. How dangerous this place is varies a lot and is unpredictable, as Fae can be very fickle creatures, and not all of them are benevolent.

9. Dragonpeak Mountains : A very large Mountain range that once was home to many dragons. They are assumed to be much fewer in number now, though these mountains are still dangerous due to the multitude of other large, dangerous beasts that call them home.

10. Valor's Rest : The unofficial capital city of Thalnaris. Easily the biggest city with the most shops, jobs, factories, citizens. Hero's are often called here for various jobs.

11. Misty Canyons : A mysterious range of multiple Canyons. An odd, almost unnatural fog permeates the area, but overall the land isn't much more dangerous than most of undeveloped Thalnaris.

12. Cedarville : A large village that serves as a central trading and distribution hub for the many surrounding local farms. Due to the farms counting as part of the village, Cedarville by technicality spans for many square miles in every direction.

13. Barony of the Brave : This large city is mostly used for the training of soldiers in Thalnaris. Many come here to learn to fight for various reasons. Either to become actual enlisted soldiers, or to have the skills necessary to be effective guardsmen in their own hometowns. All manner of different criminal justice is taught here as well, including investigation tactics.

14. Cult Towers : A large plot of land is declared unable to be built on for any purpose other than religious gathering, and even then, builders are encouraged to take up little space. Various towers dedicated to many different gods can be found here. Generally for gods whose existence remains unconfirmed, or for gatherings of worshipers of the evil deities. The area is one of pure religious freedom, however, if a group commits any crimes within the area or is caught conspiring to commit a crime anywhere, their tower is marked to legally be destroyed at any time.

15. Darkwood : This forest has been twisted by corruption and chaos. It remains as one of the more dangerous places in Thalnaris, with many foul beasts lurking within. The forest itself seems to be alive, shifting with intention to make travelers lose their way. A pathway has been cleared out through the middle by heroes, but even that pathway can be dangerous.

16. Guild of Heroes : This large, brilliant castle is home to all of the registered Heroes of Thalnaris. The entire guild is run with large amounts of magic. Including infinite rooms that can be reached from a Hero's Badge that serve as small homes. A library that can pull up nearly any book ever written. A banquet hall that can form an overabundance of food on command. Near the exit of the guild is a map that lists all the requests for the guild. Many conveniences like this are within the guild, making it nearly the perfect home for any registered Hero.
On top of all that, it serves as an academy for those who wish to become Heroes. Many come, and they are trained, pushed to their limits, and formed into adventurers ready to take on the world and make their mark in history.

Combat is a big part of being a Hero, so it will happen quite often. There will be quests, and Heroes will try to fulfill them in order to get paid. During these quests, Heroes will encounter monsters, bandits, and possibly even other Heroes who want to compete for the reward.

When a fight breaks out, stats will be used, but not heavily relied on. There are no dice rolls. Everything is purely freeform. There will be no auto-hits. You choose whether you take the damage or not. However, keep in mind your character's abilities, as it is highly unlikely you will be able to dodge everything. I reserve the right as a GM to say you get hit if I believe that you dodging a certain attack is too far fetched.

When someone -does- get hit, this is when the statistics come into play. You have Health, Damage Reduction, and Damage Dealt.

How much Damage does one take when they are hit? The answer is in the following sections:

Health:
You gain 5 hp per point put into health. Starting with 5 at rank 0.

Damage Reduction:
Toughness adds one damage reduction per level
When you put on Armor, you also gain damage reduction.
Armor Pieces will each have a Armor Rating number. Add up the total from all your pieces to get your total Armor Rating. For every whole number (not decimal), you gain a point of Damage Reduction.
Platemail has the best DR because it has a total of 6.5 armor rating.
A hero with 15 toughness, and full suit of plate mail, has 21 points of damage reduction.

Damage:
Physique adds 1 damage to melee attacks per point
Accuracy adds 1 damage to ranged attacks per point
Weapons will add damage according to their class and quality.
The damage values are listed in the equipment section
A master longsword gives a bonus of 16 damage.
A warrior with 15 physique, and a master longsword, can do 31 damage.
To that other warrior with 15 toughness and 6 armor, a hit with the sword will deal 10 damage.
That warrior had 15 ranks in Health, granting him 80 health points. He took 10 damage. And now has 70 hp remaining.
This injury is more than likely going to stay present throughout the fight, but will not be fully permanent. See the next section for information about healing and mana recharge.

Spells will follow similar rules, but will have their own fixed amounts of damage and other effects that will be in the Character Creation section. Also, keep in mind that these examples do not include armor/weapon augmentations, or special items.


When characters fight, they eventually get hit, and take damage. Officially, until they are at 0 health left, characters can fight at full strength with no issues. However, it is encouraged to roleplay heavy injuries realistically. When characters have taken damage, the loss to health is not permanent. A character can regain their health by getting proper rest, usually at the end of a quest. It is also assumed that if the character has the heal spell, and sufficient time to wait ( a few minutes ), that they can heal themselves back to full strength.

When a character gets down to 0 health, they are in serious trouble. In fact, might even die outright. If a character is hit to -6 or below, they are slain. The lucky part for those who die in this way, is that it is usually quick. Practically instant. Those who get put in the zone of 0 to -5 however, get a different, but potentially similar fate. When a character is at 0, or in the low negatives, they become dazed. They are unable to take any action for a posting turn, and are at the other combatant's mercy. The opponent is then able to either knock the dazed character unconscious, or they have the right to perform a Flourish. A special, cinematic 'Fatality' of sorts. This could end up being quick, painless, but gruesome, oooooor long, drawn out, and torturous for those unfortunate enough to earn that fate. If the opponent does neither of these in their next post, then the dazed character regains their composure, are put back at 1 hp per rank in Health, with a minimum of 1, and could potentially keep fighting if they wanted.
If a character happens to be a Player Character, the rules change slightly. They are never brought below 0. They are always dazed. Also, you are not allowed to kill without speaking to me first. You must have a good reason for wanting to kill the other character. Simply "Cuz I want to get a kill" or "For the Evils" isn't good enough. But "I witnessed that bastard slaughter an entire family, and will not allow it to happen again..." Might be more convincing.


Most Heroes learn at least a small amount of spells in their career, so it is good to know about how they are used. Unlike many other Fantasy Settings, armor and equipment doesn't get in the way of casting. A knight in full platemail armor, with a large shield and a blade, is still able to cast lightning without any kind of penalty if he has the aptitude for it.

Spells normally can be cast on demand, and are very fast. The majority of them even being nearly instant. Some special exceptions to exist however. In the spell descriptions in the Character Creation section, some select spells may require you to spend a bit of time 'charging up', due to their immense power.

Spells cost Mana to cast. Mana is the Magical Energy that characters have. While it is an unlimited resource, a character can run out if they use a lot in a short span of time, and their body will need to -recharge- its energy. When in combat, be very careful not to use up all of your Mana if it is your main source of power. During combat, Mana recharges extremely slowly. In fact, only at a rate of a single point per 15 seconds, when in those 15 seconds, you don't cast any spells. Out of combat, it is normally assumed that your Mana recharges to full.

The amount of Mana you have depends on your ranks in Mana.For each rank you put in, you gain 4 Mana points, starting with 0 at 0 Ranks. The cost that it takes to cast depends on how strong of a spell you are casting. The casting cost is a single point per rank of the spell being cast. For example, if someone had Rank 4 lightning, and cast it, the spell would require 4 Mana points to cast. A character cannot have a spell's level higher than their Magic Power. It is possible for a character to cast a lower rank of any spell that have. The wizard with Rank 4 lightning can cast Rank 1 any time instead if he wishes, for saving Mana.



Golden Rule : Treat others kindly, and with respect.
We are here to roleplay, but in this group, we also like to encourage being friends as well. So just be nice to each other and don't start drama. Disagreements are bound to happen and are acceptable, just make sure they stay as friendly discussions and don't get angry about things. And even better than just not being angry, make some friends and have a great time with them.
I'm no tyrant, but I reserve the right to kick anyone out for being a hindrance to the community.

No auto-hitting, or always dodging.
I don't need to explain this.

No meta-roleplaying.
What this means, is using out-of-character knowledge, that your character wouldn't know, and then having your character act as if he/she had said knowledge. Don't do this.

No god-modding.
Unless given prior permission and talking it out beforehand, no taking control of other people's characters, and saying what they do.

No sex in the thread.
Romance is perfectly acceptable and even encouraged, however, please keep it PG-13. They can kiss, hug, bite even. Be flirty and fun, and if non-PG-13 things happen, they can be briefly mentioned or implied, but don't have them doing sexual activity in the thread. If you absolutely cannot keep the character's pants on, please take it to a different website, skype, wherever. Just not in the roleplay thread please.

Battle Blood and Gore
Get brutal with your battles. Don't get so gross that people can imagine the scenario and then make them gag, or something.

Read every post!
I shouldn't have to write this down, but I have seen too many people obviously not reading others posts carefully. Some barely skimming, or disregarding entirely. Everyone puts effort into writing this for each other, the nicest you could do is read what they wrote. It's the nice and proper thing to do. You get a free pass when just joining the roleplay to not have read the entire thread, but you are encouraged to read the last page or so in order to have a grasp as to what is currently happening, and communicate with others to get your character in properly.

Character limit.
You may have as many characters as you want as long as you post with ALL OF THEM actively and keep them up to date and in the RP.

Literacy and Posts.
I am going to be putting this at a semi-literate, to literate roleplay. Do not shame others for posting less than you, or think bad of them as an rper. However, do put effort into your posts and make sure that they are legible, and have enough written for people to effectively respond to. Please refrain from posting a bunch of unnecessary fluff just to make your post longer.
With posting formats, please include your character's picture, name, location, and remaining health and mana.
Any issues, which I hope there won't be any, will be handled on a very case-by-case basis and we will find a way to work it out. Just be mindful of being considerate to others with your post length, and be willing to use the edit button if a problem arises.

Posting frequency and dedication.
I want people to stick with this roleplay, and for the pacing to not stall. Therefore, I will be requiring people to check in every once in a while in the OOC, either thread or instant message. I will also be ruling that everyone should post with all of their characters at least once every five days. If you cannot handle that commitment, then the roleplay may not be your best fit at the moment. I will NOT be going crazy with the banhammer though. I will be talking to people on a case-by-case basis to see what is going on if they cannot make the 5-day requirement. If the reason is both valid, and temporary, I will be accepting. I am not trying to be a tyrant here and I understand that life happens, and it's okay. However, if your problem will continue to get in the way of roleplaying for a very extended time, I may have to ask you to take a temporary leave until you get more time. This is so other people won't be stuck waiting on your characters. You will still of course be allowed to stay in the community and talk with people, and still have fun. We're not aiming to abandon anyone here.

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This section will be explaining the abilities you can apply to your character, and what they do. Leveling up abilities is very simple. You will gain points based on quest completion, and may get bonus points if you do something really awesome. Or may even get less points if you were useless, but this should be rare. When you gain points, you simply spend them to rank up whatever you wish. There is never an increased cost. It will always cost one point, for every upgrade.

All abilities besides spells can be leveled up infinitely, and all start out with 0 ranks.
Spells each have 4 levels, with a 5th level that can be bought multiple times. A 5th level to a spell is a player's unique creation, they're own spin to show their mastery of the spell. This can represent a magic archer's ability to 'channel' their fireball into an arrow.
Players can use as many 'utilities' as they desire per cast, but each one adds to the mana cost. Imbuing a fireball into an arrow and also extending its range will cost 6 mana.

Spells are varied enough where I consider custom-made spells. Let me know about the concept and I'll think about adding it to the list. Know that they will be available to everyone though, not just for your character. When thinking of a new spell idea, make sure it is specific in what it does. The spells are more of a 'westernized' casting style. Similar to Dungeons and Dragons or Harry Potter, instead of something more malleable like Avatar : The Last Airbender.
Like spells, new Rituals can also be added. But everything that is added is available to everyone.


Strength - Strength dictates the force with which you can swing a weapon, and thus the amount of damage you can cause. The more Strength you have, the better you can move with heavy equipment as well. This can also cause the character to "bulk up" to somewhat comical sizes if desired.


Health - The healthier you are, the more damage you can take. Your health attribute defines the length of your health bar.


Toughness - Toughness is your basic resistance to damage - your 'natural armor'. The tougher you are, the less damage you will take from each blow.



Speed - Speed affects your agility in combat, giving you a better rate of fire with ranged weapons and higher melee attack speed.


Accuracy - Accuracy defines your precision in ranged combat, and hence the amount of damage you can cause with a ranged weapon.


Guile - Guile makes you more cunning, giving you the skills to barter with Traders for better prices and an increased profit. You will also become more stealthy, making it easier to approach people and creatures without revealing your presence. With later Guile levels you will also learn the arts of the thief, which involves finding gaps in defense with tiny weapons.



Mana - The more Mana you have, the more energy you have for casting spells - Mana defines the length of your Mana energy bar.
Remember that characters cannot cast a spell's level higher than their Mana rank.


Assassin Rush - This spell teleports the caster through space in the blink of an eye. Possibly directly behind an unsuspecting victim.


Battle Charge - The Battle Charge propels the caster forward at great speed, smashing into any in his path. If the Caster successfully deals damage, the target he hits is knocked to the side so that the Caster can hit more targets. Any damage reduction lowers the power of the technique to the next target. When a target successfully blocks all the damage, the Caster is stopped in his tracks.


Berserk - This spell sends the caster into a hulking frenzy, increasing speed and strength, while conversely decreasing reason and civilized manners. Higher levels allow the caster to become even more powerful, and to maintain this state for longer.


Drain Life - A singularly unpleasant spell, Drain Life allows the caster to heal himself by sapping the life force of his enemies. Higher levels drain more from the victim with each use.
This spell requires immense amounts of focus. While using this spell, the caster cannot perform any other actions, and is very vulnerable to attacks. This spell ignores Damage Reduction entirely.


Doppleganger - This spell creates an illusionary duplicate of the caster. It is completely incorporeal and cannot interact with the physical world. However, it can be very effective for trickery.


Enflame - Blasts the area surrounding the caster with a wave of fire. Higher levels spread fire across a much larger area, causing much more devastation.


Fireball - The Mage's favorite! This creates a ball of fire in the palm of the caster's hand which flies toward the target when released. Higher levels allow the caster to charge up an extremely powerful fireball that deals a devastating explosive force on impact.


Force Push - This spell creates a powerful blast of energy which radiates out from the caster, sending nearby enemies sprawling. Useful when greatly outnumbered. Higher levels of the spell create a more damaging force.


Ghost Weapon - This spell summons an ethereal weapon from the netherworld to do battle on behalf of the caster. The weapon floats and flies at the enemy, fighting on its own. It cannot be wielded by the caster.


Heal Life - This allows the caster to trade in his magical energy for health. Health can also be passed on to non-hostile entities in the vicinity. Higher levels provide more health with each use.


Light - Who needs lanterns? With this spell, you can illuminate the area of Darkness. Just don't try sneaking with it on. Higher Ranks provide a bigger range of light.


Lightning - This spell creates an arc of pure energy which leaps from the fingertips of the caster to the target. Higher levels can strike more than one foe at a time.


Magical Shield - Surrounds the caster with a protective sphere of energy that will absorb damage at the expense of Mana, until the caster has no Mana remaining. Higher levels allow for absorption of more damage.


Multi-Arrow - Once this spell is cast, your arrow fired is magically transformed into a multitude of lethal projectiles, causing much greater damage. Higher levels generate even more arrows.


Multi-Strike - This spell imbues the user's blade with the ability to strike (twice/three times/four times/five times) with a single blow. Combined with other spells, this little trick is devastating.


Summon - Summon wrenches a creature's soul from the netherworld to help the caster. If this creature kills another, the killed creature can be your new summon. Higher levels allow the caster to keep stronger creatures.


Wind Burst - A strong gust of sharp wind emanates from the caster, pushing enemies back and cutting them.



Resurrection - Bring those you hold dear back from the dead.

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This is where you find the equipment available for purchase in the shops around Thalnaris. You will be able to see the exact prices, and the benefits each item offers.

If you would like to add equipment to this list, let me know and we can work it out ^-^. Just remember that it will go into the shop for everyone to buy, it will not just be for you only.

Encumbrance Rules :
It is rather rare to see a well-known wizard, who knows nothing about close combat, wear heavy armor. This is because they usually are not very strong. The following are the rules for encumbrance, and how to avoid being slowed down by heavy equipment.

Gathering weapons and armor will eventually lead to having encumbrance points. For every encumbrance point you have, you end up taking a penalty to speed. The way to avoid this is by leveling up Physique. Every point of Physique you possess lowers your encumbrance penalty by 1.

Weapons give encumbrance based upon their category. Tiny weapons never give encumbrance points. Light weapons will give 1 encumbrance point for every one owned past the first. If you have 3 light weapons, you get 2 encumbrance points. Ranged weapons and Shields count as light weapons for matters of Encumbrance. If you have a longsword and a bow, you end up with 1 encumbrance. Heavy weapons always give 2 encumbrance by themselves.

Armor will give a single encumbrance point per damage reduction granted past the first point. A suit of Full Plate, which offers 6 damage reduction, will give 5 encumbrance points. Armor provided from shields and some magic items do not count towards this.

Weapons:
There are many weapons available to the people of Thalnaris, and many styles to compliment each weapon. Some may even claim that theirs may be the 'best' weapon. However, this claim is always outright stupid.
All weapons will fit into a category, and quality. The majority of weapons will fit into the Light category. The actual weapon will be up to you, however, know that it will not matter all that much. A spear in the light category is just as good as a longsword.

Tiny -
Tiny weapons are small, one-handed weapons that are typically used by Heroes who focus on speed, or as a last resort. Common examples of Tiny weapons are Daggers, Spiked Knuckles, or a Beer Bottle. For swinging a Tiny weapon, you gain a +2 bonus to speed. Many Tiny weapons are designed to double as thrown ranged weapons.

Common - Your average, well-made iron Kitchen Knife.
Deals 3 Damage, Costs 300 Gold.

Quality - A Dagger forged with steel, specially built to be both light, and very sharp. Made for combat.
Deals 5 Damage, Costs 3750 Gold, One Augment Slot.

Superb - An Assassin's Blade forged with the toughest, darkest of metals. The shimmering black blade eager to pierce hearts, no matter what armor they wear.
Deals 8 Damage, Costs 8000 Gold, Two Augment Slots.

Masterful - An ancient, magical Dagger that is weightless, and warm to the touch. Techniques for forging something of this caliber are all but lost. It never withers, never breaks, seemingly indestructible.
Deals 12 Damage, Costs 15000 Gold, Three Augment Slots.

Light -
Most things designed specifically to be weaponry fall under the Light category. It spans across Longswords, Katana, Maces, Axes, and even Spears. The majority of Light weapons can be wielded in a single hand, but there are others that are meant to be two-handed. Two-handed Light weapons typically are those that are meant to be more quick and maneuverable, such as a Quarterstaff, or as mentioned above, a Spear.

Common - An average, beginner's Longsword made of iron.
Deals 4 Damage, Costs 400 Gold.

Quality - A well-made Steel Longsword fit for an experienced adventurer.
Deals 7 Damage, Costs 5250 Gold, One Augment Slot.

Superb - A Longsword wielded by a master fighter. Made from the hardest, darkest of metals. The black blade shines almost as a symbol of valor.
Deals 11 Damage, Costs 11000 Gold, Two Augment Slots.

Masterful - This Longsword is a relic from the Old Kingdom, made in such a way with lost smithing techniques that it is inherently magical. It feels warm to the touch, is sharper than a razor's edge, and seems to be indestructible. No signs of wear despite it having been made centuries ago.
Deals 16 Damage, Costs 20000 Gold, Three Augment Slots.

Heavy -
Heavy Weapons are large, weighty, and always wielded with two hands. These weapons are slower, but are very destructive, each blow having a large amount of momentum behind it, and hit with impact. It could be a Greatsword, a large, two-handed axe, a warhammer, or even a ripped off door. Wielding a Heavy Weapon always requires two hands, and also suffers a -2 penalty to swing speed.

Common - A standard Greatsword made of Iron. Perfect for the beginning warrior.
Deals 5 Damage, costs 500 Gold.

Quality - A well-crafted Greatsword made of sharp steel. Durable and deadly, what more could a veteran soldier ask for?
Deals 9 Damage, Costs 6750 Gold, One Augment Slot.

Superb - A Greatsword fit for the leader of a Warrior tribe. Made of the dark, unnaturally sharp metals and crafted with careful detail down every millimeter of the blade and handle, making sure both were perfectly balanced.
Deals 14 Damage, Costs 14,000 Gold, Two Augment Slots.

Masterful - This Greatsword is a relic from the Old Kingdom, made in such a way with lost smithing techniques that it is inherently magical. It feels warm to the touch, swings as if it were weightless, while having the impact of something twice it's size, and seems to be indestructible. No signs of wear despite it having been made centuries ago, even if it is used to destroy a castle wall.
Deals 20 Damage, Costs 25,000, Three Augment Slots.

Ranged -
Ranged weapons are also very common in the art of combat. Though many have been developed, the majority of those used in the land of Thalnaris are the Longbow, and the Crossbow.
Thrown weapons are also common, but they have a lot less range than shot projectiles. All weapons currently made use mechanical firing mechanisms, as gun powder has not been invented.

Common - An average hunting bow, good for shooting rabbits.
Deals 2 Damage, Costs 200 Gold.

Quality - A Longbow made of high-quality wood, built for a soldier in ranged combat.
Deals 5 Damage, Costs 3750 Gold, One Augment Slot.

Superb - An Ebony Bow made of the strongest, lightest, most flexible wood found deep in a dangerous forest. The shots fired from this fly fast and strong, capable of even injuring a hero.
Deals 9 Damage, Costs 9000, Two Augment Slots.

Masterful - The age of this magical Bow is unknown. It could be only a century or two, or it could possibly be eons. The wood is warm to the touch, and the string never needs tuned or repaired. It shoots arrows as if guiding them by magic, making them fly faster and more accurate than what should be even possible in the physical world.
Deals 14 Damage, Costs 17,500 Gold, Three Augment Slots.

Shields -
Shields are a classic staple of Knights and Warriors, defending both themselves and their allies from harm. A shield takes up a full hand to use, so cannot be used along with heavy weapons, and some light weapons also become restricted. A shield gives bonus to armor rating, depending on the quality. While this bonus is separate from armor, it does stack with the total.

Common - An average wooden shield.
Provides 1.5 Armor, Costs 150 Gold.

Quality - A shield made out of metal.
Provides 2.0 Armor, Costs 4000 Gold, One Augment Slot.

Superb - A shield made of heavy, quality steel.
Provides 3.0 Armor, Costs 9000 Gold, Two Augment Slots.

Masterful - A tower shield from the Old Kingdom, inherently magical and indestructible. Carrying this is like having a portable wall to protect whatever is behind it.
Provides 4.5 Armor. Costs 18,000 Gold, Three Augment Slots.

Clothing:
Note - All pieces of clothing or armor each have a slot for a single augment.

Example -
Total Cost - Name of Outfit - Armor Rating


Free - No outfit - 0.0 Armor - Hope that you have a good reason for not wearing clothes...


125 Gold - Dress - 0.2 Armor - If you're a woman, this may not be the best outfit to fight in. If you're a man... Don't let society's preconceptions stop you from expressing yourself.


200 Gold - Apprentice Outfit - 0.9 Armor - The clothing of a trainee Hero. Not very protective.


200 Gold - Villager Outfit - 0.9 Armor - An entire villager set of clothes. Not offering good combat protection.


750 Gold - Bandit Outfit - 1.5 Armor - A whole Bandit set of clothes.


1000 Gold - Guard Uniform - 2.0 Armor - Guard Suit, offering slight protection in battle.


1100 Gold - Leather Suit - 2.3 Armor - Offers minor protection, and can also be used for kinky parties.


1200 Gold - Assassin's Outfit - 1.0 Armor - A set of stealthy clothes for an Assassin. Wearing the full set increases Guile by 1.


1500 Gold - Will User's Outfit - 1.0 Armor - An entire Will user's costume. Wearing Full Set increases Magic Power by 1.


3200 Gold - Chainmail Suit - 3.2 Armor - A shiny set of armor made from chain. Decently protective, but still can be pierced by most weapons.


7500 Gold - Scalemail Suit - 4.5 Armor - The scalemail outfit is hardly inconspicuous, but offers good protection from weapons.


20000 Gold - Platemail Suit - 6.5 Armor - A full suit of tough platemail armor. Perfect for a truly strong warrior.


Augmentations:

Augmentations, or Augments for short, are mystical stones that can bind with equipment. They provide specific benefits to the user while the augmented item is equipped. Once bound, the augmentation is permanently fixed to the item. Different qualities of weapons can handle different amounts of Augments. The highest of quality able to take three. Only a single augment can be bound to any piece of clothing or armor.
Augmentations on weapons and armor can be replaced, but the new augment fully overrides the previous one, and the previous augment is forever lost. Augments can never be recovered under any circumstance.
There are some special items out there that were made magical to begin with, and often times pass the limits of what can normally be achieved with simply binding augment stones.

Suggestions for new augments are always welcomed ^-^.

Weapon Augmentations :
2500 Gold - Flame Augmentation - Makes the weapon shimmer with flames, causing each strike to heat armor and skin. Each strike increases the damage by 1, and goes through 2 points of damage resistance.
2500 Gold - Lightning Augmentation - Makes the weapon spark and crackle with lightning, causing each strike to deal an instant 1 extra damage that goes through all damage resistance.
2500 Gold - Silver Augmentation - Makes the weapon shimmer with silver that is deadly to unnatural foes. Some magical beings such as Werewolves and Undead take 4 extra damage from this augmentation.
2500 Gold - Piercing Augmentation - Makes the weapon less effected by armor, always naturally attracted to hitting the most unprotected of areas. Goes through 3 damage resistance.
2500 Gold - Sharpening Augmentation - Makes the weapon sharper, or harder, allowing it to cause 2 extra points of damage.
25000 Gold - Health Augmentation - Makes the weapon transfer a small, constant flow of healing energy into the wielder. Regain 1 hp per post, this can vary. Only 3 of these augmentations can work at once. Any more and it starts to rapidly age the wielder, and cause great pain. This augmentation can also be placed on clothing or armor.
25000 Gold - Mana Augmentation - Makes the weapon constantly fill the wielder with mana energy to help them cast spells more rapidly. Regain 1 Mana per post, this can vary. Only 3 of these can work at the same time. Any more and the wielder finds they can no longer cast any spells. This augmentation can also be placed on clothing or armor.

Armor Augmentations :
500 Gold - Running Augmentation - Makes you able to run 2 miles faster per hour. Only applies to running, not a general speed increase.
1500 Gold - Hardening Augmentation - Makes the piece of clothing or armor tougher and harder, providing an extra 0.2 armor. It also makes the item slightly heavier.
2500 Gold - Elemental Resist Augmentation - Varying in color and which element they protect against, these augmentations will be extra protective against certain types of special attacks. Against one element, you gain 5 damage reduction.
2500 Gold - Magical Resistance Augmentation - This augmentation provides 1 damage reduction against all magical or elemental attacks.
5000 Gold - Magical Reserve Augmentation - This augmentation provides 2 extra mana.
10000 Gold - Juggernaut Augmentation - Makes the piece of clothing or armor tougher and harder by a huge margin, providing an extra full 1.0 armor. It also makes the item quite heavy, no matter what it originally was.
10000 Gold - Blood Augmentation - Boosts the user's health by 5 points.

Various Items:

5 Gold - Food - Food items heal 1 hp per use. But cannot be used in battle because eating takes time.

30 Gold - Lamp - A glass lantern that helps illuminate dark areas. Has about a 15 foot radius.
Oil isn't kept track of. Consider it infinite-use, however it can easily be broken.

50 Gold - Various Tools - This is the price for general tools such as hammers, fishing gear, tents, and other things. If an item is more specialized, chances are a higher cost will be needed.

1000 Gold - Hero's Badge - Easily one of the most important possessions a Hero has. Their Badge will allow them to assign themselves to quests from the Hero's Guild, along with other services provided there. One of those being a room to call their own which can only be accessed by using their badge in the living quarters.
It also is used for traveling quickly. By focusing for five minutes, a Hero can instantly travel to whatever points they have set. The first point is set at the Hero's Guild itself.
Setting a new point is easy, but risky. It involves burying it in a spot in the ground and leaving it there for a full twenty four hours. This could possibly leave it to get misplaced. Remember where you buried it.
A Hero's Badge can also be used to talk with select other heroes who are far away. Through leaving two badges touching each other for a minute, those two heroes can now speak with each other whenever they wish, with no known limit of distance. This bond can be broken whenever a hero desires.
While a reply cannot be sent, people can also send messages to a hero who they do not have a bond with at the Heroes Guild.
If a badge is lost, the Hero will need to pay for the ritual so another one can be made.

A Hero is anyone who has graduated from the training offered by the Heroes Guild, and has been granted a Guild Seal. That is the official definition, however, that will not make one a 'true' Hero. What makes a Hero in the eyes of the citizens of Thalnaris, is great Deeds.

Whether Good, Evil, or just downright silly, the acts of Heroes are talked about at great length, the word and news spreading faster than fire. Heroes are made into celebrities, where every move they make is watched with anticipation and wonder. Just like all well-known figures are, not all Heroes are liked. Many are despised by the general public, most of the time with good reason. Many Heroes choose to wield their power to go down the path of evil, and to the citizens' great surprise, the Guild allows this! Other Heroes are hated for other reasons, so always be careful.

The Heroes Guild has little to no rules most of the time with how Heroes are supposed to act. The only rule, being to not bring harm to another guild member while inside the guild, and respecting guild and guildmates' property. Heroes are not allowed to fight each other within the guild walls except for sanctioned, chaperoned training events or friendly duels, also supervised. However, they are allowed to even go as far as to fight to the death if they are a mile or more away from the Guild's entrance. While the Heroes Guild has little rules, Heroes are not exempt from the laws of other areas. Don't expect to be able to stab someone in the middle of a Town Square and not be taken down by the guards. The Guild will also work with law enforcement if guards come pounding on the door asking for you.

The most important aspect to being a Hero however, is choosing your own path. The other benefits are wonderful, but it is known throughout the land that Heroes may arguably have more freedom than anyone else, and all are encouraged to express that freedom. The freedom to uphold good and justice in the world. The freedom to tear down civilizations and slaughter innocents until you are eventually killed by someone else. The freedom to kick chickens hundreds of feet into the air! The freedom to wear the most ridiculous pink outfits to grace the land! Freedom to fart on command in public!!! That one might not be the most popular though...

These are Heroes. The guardians of peace and justice. The scourges that bring the world and its people to their knees. They are Renowned. They are celebrated. They are feared. They sometimes can be downright insane and express themselves with goatees and frilly pink dresses. You are one of these Heroes. What path will you choose?


Heroes at even the lowest of standard are trained to be better in almost every way than the average commoner. They are faster, stronger, tougher, and every one has been trained to be able to attune themselves to magic. Even a hero known for his prowess as a warrior is able to perform tiny magical tricks such as snapping their fingers to produce a couple sparks.

All races have something to train when coming into the guild. Orcs are much more physically powerful, and don't have to train much to meet the minimum standard. However they typically are slower or more dull, and have a difficult time with magic. They still must train these attributes. The opposite would go for an elf. Almost everyone spends about the same time at the guild training in one form or another to meet the minimum standard.

The minimum standard isn't fit for a graduated hero either. All heroes must both meet that mark, and then on top of that, specialize in their own chosen skills even further. Only when they have gone above and beyond the minimal requirements may an apprentice be considered for graduation.

Commoners are often amazed at how so many different races come out as new graduates all around the same level of strength in their own different ways.

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These are the quest cards that have been placed at the guild. Quest cards are requests for the guild to hire a hero to help people with. Almost anyone can submit a quest card, with the minimum reward always being 1000 gold. Most quest cards are open to everyone, however, a client may request specific Heroes. It would be up to those Heroes though, whether or not that they take the quest. A hero can take as many quests as they wish, and multiple heroes can all be on the same quest. If in separate parties, competition may form.

Most quests will be sort of 'GM'ed by me. I will be leading people through adventures. However, anyone who wishes can create a quest and 'GM' it for other people. Please just talk to me about the concept first. Make sure that if your own character goes on the quest, he or she is given fair rewards in comparison to everyone else.
Talk to me if there is any time you would like to run a quest.

Boasting

Boasting is a common practice for Heroes. It both gets the word about you and your activities out there, and can net you some extra gold. There is a boasting platform outside of the Guild, which is always frequented by large crowds of journalists aiming to spread news throughout Thalnaris about heroes. Acting like a medieval paparazzi. The activities of heroes is always very entertaining news for civilians.

How it works, is a Hero taking a quest will get on the boasting platform, and then he or she or it will say that they will do something extra amazing, beyond just completing the quest, and then wager some gold on it. Depending on how daring the boast is, the news companies will be willing to pay back many times the original bet. Something rather tame though will likely only net a tiny profit. The boasting platform is magical in nature, and will always be able to tell whether or not a Hero has completed their boast, or if they failed miserably.


Not the bees!
A particularly large group of Giant Wasps has made a nest in one of the Cult Towers. Clear out the infestation.
Reward : 2,000 Gold

Howling Nights.
An Eternal Werewolf has ventured out of the depths of the forests, and has been attacking people along the path outside of Cedarville. Slay the beast.
Reward : 3,000 Gold

Spooky Scary Skeletons.
Undead have been rising out of the ground in Darkwood, and are threatening to attack the local farmsteads. Thin their numbers enough to where they are not an immediate threat. Bonus if the source can be located and taken care of as well.
Reward : 2,500 Gold, 2000 Gold bonus if source eliminated.

Trouble Brewin'.
A clan of goblins have been harassing a meadery near Cedarville. The goblins have been stealing a lot of it and have been making merry. Unfortunately their ways of 'making merry' include smashing valuable mead-making instruments and equipment. The meadery is paying for them to be gotten rid of by whatever means deemed fit.
Reward : 4000 Gold, 3 crates of Honey Mead.

Chicken Chasing.
A chicken farmer's coop was stolen in an elaborate bandit raid, but said bandit raid failed miserably afterwards when the wagon with the stolen chickens tumbled off of a hill and over a cliff in a fight with a wandering hero. None of the chickens were harmed, but they escaped and all ran away in a fright. The farmer is paying 100 Gold per chicken returned, all of which have painted feathers with the farmer's family symbol.
Total Reward : 10,000 Gold

Meating a Lady.
A man in Valor's Rest is wanting a wife, but has specified that she be rather... Large. Plump. Porcine. A mouth that has consumed many pies, and a lot of beer. Find him a larger woman, or maybe fulfill the role yourself.
Reward : 1000 Gold

A special recipe.
A wandering chef has requested help gathering some kind of difficult ingredients for a dish. He would like a Hero to meet with him for more details and get him the items he needs.
Reward : 3000 Gold

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Stonedweller - A Stonedweller could potentially be a very lucky find for anyone who comes across them, even if their initial appearance can be surprising. When someone walks close enough to a wall or rock that has a Stonedweller within, it will come out of the surface as a large, walking statue. They have various appearances matching their personalities.
The Stonedweller will have a desire of some kind. This could be just seeing a person who agrees with their philosophy. It could be assessing someone's physical attributes or past deeds. It could even be to solve a puzzle or riddle they have. If the Stonedweller is satisfied, he or she will open a pathway in the stone they lived in, revealing a secret room with treasures hidden within.
The amount of Stonedwellers in the world is unknown, but it has been confirmed that they can appear in areas where they weren't previously. It is assumed that they have some form of reproduction.