Sticks And Stones
I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones.
Science Fantasy - Post-Apocalypse - Adventure - Political Intrigue
Crumbling towers of rusted steel and broken glass reach high into the heavens, standing as stark sentinels of a bygone age. Chariots with wheels of rubber and chassis of broken iron fill unwalked roads, and cities of impossible construction stretch for miles upon miles- empty of any signs of life. Save, of course, for the Broken. Those terrible creatures of fang and claw that crawl in the darkest corners of the old world, their hives nestled in the tall towers and under the bridges of stone. Only the bravest knights or the most desperate adventurers would dare to invade the lands of the Broken, and a scarce few of them ever return.
No one remembers what destroyed the world. Perhaps it was a war that encompassed every nation and every people, where weapons of incredible destructive power were unleashed, and everything was wiped out. Perhaps disease, unknowable and incurable, spread about the land and wrought the hand of death on all that drew breath. Or perhaps it was the arrival of the Broken that claimed the lives of the Before Men. Or maybe it was none of these things. By some awful chance, it could be a combination of all of them. No one knows for sure. Even the eldest scribes and the most traveled storytellers only know tiny pieces of what the old world was like. Wild tales of fantasy had intermingled with the truth down the ages, deluding what was known with stories of ancient powers and cruel gods.
It's rebirth is similarly surrounded in a veil of mystery. It is known that all life came to an end, but something...something brought it back. Some unknown force reached down into the radiation-ridden muck of the earth and dragged forth the next generation of men. It pressed into their unbeating chests the power that would forever change the world: Magic. A gift barely understood by those that wield it, magic was the only thing that kept man alive. It cut through the darkness, drove off the beasts that nipped at man's heels, gathered people together and allowed them to climb out from the pits of hell that their ancestors had damned them to so long ago.
As man rose up, no longer concerned with monsters and beasts, it turned on itself. Tribes wrestled for dominance over their fellow man. They fought with club and rock, spear and arrow. They made war over resources as simple as food, water and land. It was a time of darkness as brother turned against brother. But through death, through conflict, came life. From the fires of hate came out a race forged stalwart and unbreakable. Mankind was able to recreate, to rebuild what was lost so long ago. War had forced them to erect palisades around their camps. Tents were replaced by permanent structures. In the never ending search for better tools to destroy other tribes, they had rediscovered metalworking and masonry. And as the years passed, permanent settlements began to dot the land once more. They became cities. Soon cities and tribes interwove, putting down sword and spear in favor of trade and friendship- and nations were formed. And from those early nations rose up kingdoms that would stand the test of time.
No one remembers what destroyed the world. Perhaps it was a war that encompassed every nation and every people, where weapons of incredible destructive power were unleashed, and everything was wiped out. Perhaps disease, unknowable and incurable, spread about the land and wrought the hand of death on all that drew breath. Or perhaps it was the arrival of the Broken that claimed the lives of the Before Men. Or maybe it was none of these things. By some awful chance, it could be a combination of all of them. No one knows for sure. Even the eldest scribes and the most traveled storytellers only know tiny pieces of what the old world was like. Wild tales of fantasy had intermingled with the truth down the ages, deluding what was known with stories of ancient powers and cruel gods.
It's rebirth is similarly surrounded in a veil of mystery. It is known that all life came to an end, but something...something brought it back. Some unknown force reached down into the radiation-ridden muck of the earth and dragged forth the next generation of men. It pressed into their unbeating chests the power that would forever change the world: Magic. A gift barely understood by those that wield it, magic was the only thing that kept man alive. It cut through the darkness, drove off the beasts that nipped at man's heels, gathered people together and allowed them to climb out from the pits of hell that their ancestors had damned them to so long ago.
As man rose up, no longer concerned with monsters and beasts, it turned on itself. Tribes wrestled for dominance over their fellow man. They fought with club and rock, spear and arrow. They made war over resources as simple as food, water and land. It was a time of darkness as brother turned against brother. But through death, through conflict, came life. From the fires of hate came out a race forged stalwart and unbreakable. Mankind was able to recreate, to rebuild what was lost so long ago. War had forced them to erect palisades around their camps. Tents were replaced by permanent structures. In the never ending search for better tools to destroy other tribes, they had rediscovered metalworking and masonry. And as the years passed, permanent settlements began to dot the land once more. They became cities. Soon cities and tribes interwove, putting down sword and spear in favor of trade and friendship- and nations were formed. And from those early nations rose up kingdoms that would stand the test of time.
OOC Information
Welcome to Sticks And Stones, a far future Science Fantasy Roleplay set in what was once the United States. I will be your guide in your travels across this strange land wrought with danger, mystery and adventure. Here are a few things you should know about Sticks and Stones before we continue:
-If I were to give this RP a level, it'd be somewhere around High Casual.
-I'm looking for at least four adventurers to take up this quest, though I won't be putting a cap on the number of applicants unless things get absurd. My usual rule of thumb is the more the merrier, and I will more than likely keep the RP open even after we have started. It may be difficult to join in at certain points, but I will do my best to work everyone in.
-I'd like applicants to be in it for the long haul. Posts may come slower than in some other RPs since things like school, work, or other real life obligations can get in the way of writing. Anyone coming in should be prepared for that, and patience for your fellow writers is necessary. With that said, I'd like that we at least stay in contact so that everyone knows we're all still in the game. I ask that a weekly update is given, either in the form of a post or informing us that you won't be able to post this week. How we'll proceed when someone drops or if they have a long absence will be discussed when we come to it, though if you can't be active for a long amount of time your character may be skipped over so that the story can continue moving. A postless RP quickly becomes a dead one, after all.
-Length isn't too important to be, but substance is. All posts should offer something that others can react to or work off of. If your last post could be deleted and it wouldn't affect the scene in the slightest, something's gone wrong. In general one-liners or very short posts that offer little in the way of substance are frowned upon. Don't feel the need to rush out a short post. You've got at least a week to write one, after all!
-When we start out, everyone will be allowed one character. As things move forward this may change, but I would like for us to keep things small and laser focused when we first begin.
-General rules for the site and Roleplaying in general apply, obviously. Basically: smut/+18 situations are mandatory fade to black, treat everyone else involved in the game well, and don't power/meta/god game, and all that jazz. The RP will touch on mature themes like violence, and may go into detail, so just keep that in mind before applying.
-The beginning premise of Sticks And Stones is that we are a party of adventurers brought together by special order of the king. We will be sent into the remains of the city of Dallas in search of still-working artifacts from the old world.
-I'm looking for at least four adventurers to take up this quest, though I won't be putting a cap on the number of applicants unless things get absurd. My usual rule of thumb is the more the merrier, and I will more than likely keep the RP open even after we have started. It may be difficult to join in at certain points, but I will do my best to work everyone in.
-I'd like applicants to be in it for the long haul. Posts may come slower than in some other RPs since things like school, work, or other real life obligations can get in the way of writing. Anyone coming in should be prepared for that, and patience for your fellow writers is necessary. With that said, I'd like that we at least stay in contact so that everyone knows we're all still in the game. I ask that a weekly update is given, either in the form of a post or informing us that you won't be able to post this week. How we'll proceed when someone drops or if they have a long absence will be discussed when we come to it, though if you can't be active for a long amount of time your character may be skipped over so that the story can continue moving. A postless RP quickly becomes a dead one, after all.
-Length isn't too important to be, but substance is. All posts should offer something that others can react to or work off of. If your last post could be deleted and it wouldn't affect the scene in the slightest, something's gone wrong. In general one-liners or very short posts that offer little in the way of substance are frowned upon. Don't feel the need to rush out a short post. You've got at least a week to write one, after all!
-When we start out, everyone will be allowed one character. As things move forward this may change, but I would like for us to keep things small and laser focused when we first begin.
-General rules for the site and Roleplaying in general apply, obviously. Basically: smut/+18 situations are mandatory fade to black, treat everyone else involved in the game well, and don't power/meta/god game, and all that jazz. The RP will touch on mature themes like violence, and may go into detail, so just keep that in mind before applying.
-The beginning premise of Sticks And Stones is that we are a party of adventurers brought together by special order of the king. We will be sent into the remains of the city of Dallas in search of still-working artifacts from the old world.
The Setting/Worldbuilding
I'll be laying out most of the Worldbuilding facts in writing when I put together the actual OOC, but I'm willing to answer any questions you might have. If you have any ideas in regards to the creation of the world itself, feel free to PM me- new ideas are always appreciated. However, here are the important bits:
-Sticks And Stones will start in the Kingdom of Dall, situated in modern day Texas/Oklahoma. The Kingdom of Dall is the oldest of the major kingdoms in the Northlands, and is ruled over by King Astius II. He is wise and fair, preferring peace and diplomacy over war-making. Dallians are tough and hardworking folk, who prize their industriousness over all things. Dall is known far and wide for its artisans, who craft better goods than any other kingdom good dream of. They are a rich people with most of their income coming from trade.
-In this new world, treasures of the old one more valuable than gemstones or gold. Finding a working electronic could potentially set one up for life. Of course, most of these surviving treasures have long since been horded up by the rich and powerful. Those that remain are trapped in the looming cities of broken glass and sharp steel, where monsters dwell, guarding the goods of the ancients from those that would see them taken back by man's ancestors.
-Advancement has stalled, and technology has been plunged back into the dark ages. Things like indoor plumbing, electricity, and any other number of modern inventions are considered lost to mankind. There are ongoing efforts to obtain old world artifacts by the brightest minds of certain kingdoms- like Dall- who seek to understand and, perhaps one day, even replicate the technologies of old.
-The bulk of adventurers and warriors fight with the typical fantasy weapons. Medieval tools like the sword, spear and bow are quite common in the arsenals of the new world. While some old world weapons survived, they are far too rare for any average person to have heard of them, outside of stories about 'sticks that spew fire.' They are more likely to know about magic than they are about guns.
-Magic exists, though it is incredibly rare. Most people are unlikely to possess strong magical abilities, with the few rare exceptions being the wizards, witches and sorcerers that inhabit the world. Magic is tied directly to the incantations used There are certain magics that can be cast using scrolls, but these tend to be rather weak in comparison to the 'real' magic of a wizard. I will likely only be accepting a few magic users into the party for the reasons stated above. Magic behaves in a similar manner to Dungeons and Dragons.
To cast a spell, one must wield a specific, enchanted object (such as a staff or wand) and verbally recite the spell's full name in an incantation. The power of these incantations is directly tied to how loudly the magician speaks the word, with more powerful spells being more exhausting to use than normal ones.
There are two sub types of magic: Arcane and Elemental.
Elemental magic is that which encompasses the manipulation or creation of things that already exist. So the elements such as fire, water, earth and air, or things like metal or nature, would fall under this category. Most magic is elemental, so it is the primary weapon of most wizards.
The other type is Arcane, which encompasses things not of this world. This is the more fantastical manipulation of vague magic energies, or powers of a divine nature. Spells that can resurrect or command the dead, that cast bolts of energy, or to open a portal. Arcane spells are usually tied to scrolls, as casting 'full power' arcane magic is a rare ability that most do not possess.
-In this new world, treasures of the old one more valuable than gemstones or gold. Finding a working electronic could potentially set one up for life. Of course, most of these surviving treasures have long since been horded up by the rich and powerful. Those that remain are trapped in the looming cities of broken glass and sharp steel, where monsters dwell, guarding the goods of the ancients from those that would see them taken back by man's ancestors.
-Advancement has stalled, and technology has been plunged back into the dark ages. Things like indoor plumbing, electricity, and any other number of modern inventions are considered lost to mankind. There are ongoing efforts to obtain old world artifacts by the brightest minds of certain kingdoms- like Dall- who seek to understand and, perhaps one day, even replicate the technologies of old.
-The bulk of adventurers and warriors fight with the typical fantasy weapons. Medieval tools like the sword, spear and bow are quite common in the arsenals of the new world. While some old world weapons survived, they are far too rare for any average person to have heard of them, outside of stories about 'sticks that spew fire.' They are more likely to know about magic than they are about guns.
-Magic exists, though it is incredibly rare. Most people are unlikely to possess strong magical abilities, with the few rare exceptions being the wizards, witches and sorcerers that inhabit the world. Magic is tied directly to the incantations used There are certain magics that can be cast using scrolls, but these tend to be rather weak in comparison to the 'real' magic of a wizard. I will likely only be accepting a few magic users into the party for the reasons stated above. Magic behaves in a similar manner to Dungeons and Dragons.
To cast a spell, one must wield a specific, enchanted object (such as a staff or wand) and verbally recite the spell's full name in an incantation. The power of these incantations is directly tied to how loudly the magician speaks the word, with more powerful spells being more exhausting to use than normal ones.
There are two sub types of magic: Arcane and Elemental.
Elemental magic is that which encompasses the manipulation or creation of things that already exist. So the elements such as fire, water, earth and air, or things like metal or nature, would fall under this category. Most magic is elemental, so it is the primary weapon of most wizards.
The other type is Arcane, which encompasses things not of this world. This is the more fantastical manipulation of vague magic energies, or powers of a divine nature. Spells that can resurrect or command the dead, that cast bolts of energy, or to open a portal. Arcane spells are usually tied to scrolls, as casting 'full power' arcane magic is a rare ability that most do not possess.
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