"The continent of Arcadia. A land diverse in race but equally tempered in hardship from disaster and tragedy, whether they be natural or unnatural. However, the greatest hardship the Arcadians faced was when the natural decided to do something unnatural.
Gaia, the goddess the Arcadians once revered as the deity of nature, convinced the mages of the Moon Kingdom to summon her so she could bring boon, bounty and abundance to Arcadia. Unfortunately for the continent, Gaia did none of those. Instead, she immediately leveled her host kingdom and slaughtered most of its citizens with her power and her elemental constructs. The goddess then unleashed numerous nature spirits who then possessed the bodies and skeletons of the dead, making them mindless thralls of Gaia.
The goddess then marched eastward with her undead throng, destroying everything in their path. Neither man, nor woman, nor child, nor animal, nor plant were spared from Gaia's fury. It was then when three powers, The Concilium, Razelia and the Zenith Union came together to stand against the tide. They were called the League of Arcadia and they, and alongside a few other powers, waged a long and bloody war against the deity of nature. No heroes or heroines were recorded for there were many who scored significant victories and died heroic deaths. All that was recorded was that the races of Arcadia were firmly united during this hardship.
In time, the League managed to push Gaia's forces back to her lair, the remains of the Moon Kingdom, and banish her from the the mortal plane. Many lives were lost and many tears were shed during the war but the Arcadians learned a valuable lesson: That together, they are powerful enough to take on even the gods. A prosperous peace followed.
As the time went by, however, incident upon incident started chipping away at the harmony. Razelia has transformed into a terrible kingdom crawling with bloodthirsty warriors, the Zenith Union has dissolved since the Embla Empire has resumed coveting the Kingdom of Askr and the members of the Concilium now face their next greatest enemy: each other.
And now, the Dwarven Kingdoms demand reparations from the instability that is seeping from the League. Under such circumstances, it seems that peace is not long for Arcadia."
---------
BRIEF SUMMARIES OF THE FACTIONS
THE LEAGUE OF ARCADIA
"Ahhh... The Concilium. A great confederation between small kingdoms to strengthen themselves. Archanea, Valentia, Magvel, Jugdral, Tellius, Elibe. These kingdoms were once small, prone and vulnerable to raids and invasion from bigger nations. No longer when their kings and queens came together in the sacred Mount Tiki. No longer will their soldiers be crushed easily. No longer will their people fear for their lives every day. No longer will they be dismissed as insignificant tiny countries. Now they are powerful and they will gladly challenge any who would think so otherwise.
But alliances rarely last forever. Differences and ever-increasing feuds between the constituents have began chipping at the Concilium's foundations. Will these cracks be fixed? Or will it grow and end this great and vital fellowship?"
Other Info - Part of the League Of Arcadia, a coalition of nations formed against the goddess Gaia and her elementals and undead. While that war occurred ages ago, the League decided to stay together long after. - Ruled by the Council of Royals, a gathering of Kings/Queens of The Concilium kingdoms to discuss which laws to enact and what The Concilium should do regarding matters of national importance. - Players start in this faction. - I'll leave the royalty and culture of the kingdoms to the players so they have leeway over their characters and do some worldbuilding. If not or if they're done, I'll fill it myself.
"An alliance as fragile as glass, if not more so. The Kingdom of Askr and the Emblan Empire have been fighting for as long as anyone can remember. It finally ended in their latest war when the Emblan Emperor fell ill and kept fighting which assured that he would succumb to the disease. The imperial mantle fell to his wife who did not possess the warmongering of his husband and thus proposed an end to the hostilities between the nations, creating the Zenith Unions.
However, the Empress has died and her daughter Veronica was the heir. And it seems this apple did not fall far from her fatherly tree.
Other Info - Part of the League Of Arcadia, an alliance formed against the goddess Gaia and her elementals and undead. While that war occurred ages ago, the League decided to stay together long after. - Askr is ruled by King Finn the Seafarer while Embla is ruled by Empress Veronica. - Players cannot come from here.
"Varjo, the fallen kingdom. Generations ago, Varjo was known as Lizberia, a kingdom of knowledge and magic and magical knowledge. Many mages and sorcerers consider visiting Lizberia an obligation. A pilgrimage of sorts. And with good reason, the magic kingdom has many academies and libraries that can teach an old sage a thing or two. The greatest of which is The Library of Arcadia, a library as big as a palace that is supported by a village. All of these are run by the Chercheurs who, strangely, value technology more than magic.
However, everything changed when House Caldeyron led a sudden and quick rebellion against the royal family and successfully overthrew them. The new ruler then changed Razelia and everything it stood for. First, the kingdom was renamed to Varjo. Secondly, the libraries and academies of knowledge and magic were torn down and replaced with blacksmiths and barracks. Thirdly, he concentrated the kingdom's wealth to the capital and left the outlying villages, towns and cities impoverished. When the people began complaining, the new king's newly-outfitted armies quickly put them down with extreme prejudice. Not even the Chercheurs could stand against the Caldeyrons' wrath and were forced to flee from Arcadia itself.
The reign of the Caldeyrons soon changed the nation's culture from the pursuit of knowledge and wisdom to the pursuit of bloodshed and slaughter. Roving bandits and brigands filled the Lizberian countryside, forcing the many towns and villages to form their own militias who could defend against banditry and also do some banditry themselves to support the hometown.
All of Arcadia mourned for Lizberia's passing and Varjo's membership in the League is now being questioned by many. Still, also a great many point out that Varjo's ferocious warriors have been a great help dealing with any stray undead and feral monsters."
Other Info - Part of the League Of Arcadia, an alliance formed against the goddess Gaia and her elementals and undead. While that war occurred ages ago, the League decided to stay together long after. - Currently ruled by Joshua Caldeyron and his sister Queen, Leyanne Caldeyron (not married because that would be gross). - Inspired by Warhammer Fantasy's Chaos. - Players cannot come from here.
THE OTHERS
"Short but stout, the Dwarves occupy most of the mountainous regions of Arcadia and even have some holds in the Arcadia's Edges, the great mountain ranges that separate Arcadia from an unknown land.
The Dwarves, unlike the League of Arcadia, puts little trust in the unpredictable casting magic and instead uses the reliable stored magic in runes. However, runes can only do so much and thus the Dwarves turned to technology to meet their other needs and wants. Because of this, the Dwarves have complex machinery of gears and bolts and have weapons that spit fire and lead or just plain spew fire."
Other Info: - Non-playable race - Inspired by Warhammer Fantasy and LOTR Dwarves
"The kingdom is known for its fondness for the Moon and also as the source of the tragedy of summoning Gaia into Arcadia. When the war ended, Ortus was left to rebuild itself. But rebuild they did and it has mostly returned to its former glory, even if it is no longer a magical kingdom that rivaled Lizberia.
Something that was okay for the Moon people. After all, it was magic that brought forth Gaia. While the new royalty and official law has no qualm with magic, it was now the culture of the Moon Kingdom to refrain from magic. Thus, only a select few are mages in the Kingdom of the Moon, most of whom are in the esteemed Lot Order.
Now, the kingdom focused more on technology like the Dwarves, creating some sort of fellowship between them. Helping on that end is one Lot Knight who is the pillar of breakthrough upon breakthrough. The Moon Kingdom has then progressed into a society radically different from Arcadia in practically most aspects."
Other Info: - Players cannot come from here. - Has Napoleonic Era military mixed with Medieval. - Ruled by Queen Bethany Vinderion, a frail royal but firm and courageous.
~On to the technical stuff!~
1) Standard Roleplayer Guild rules. No godmodding and stuff. 2) As GM, I reserve the right to have my word to be law within the boundaries of this RP. 3) If there are problems with the RP or with other players, you can take it to me (so I can take it to someone who could deal with it lol!). 4) Do not post your character in the Characters Tab. Only I have dominion there. 5) Only post once when you are interacting with an NPC or doing any action. You can post as many as you want when you are talking to another player. 6) Updates (i.e. My posts to move the story along) will generally occur every Thursday and Sunday (My timezone's UTC+8). However, if you have not posted, I will still update without affecting your character as much as possible. Worst case scenario, I will assume your character did nothing. 7) Please post something in the OOC if you are still interested just unavailable at the moment. If you do not post anything within two weeks, I will be forced to drop you from this RP. 8) If you have read the rules, you will write your favorite Fire Emblem pairing at the bottom of your sheet. (Helping others regarding this rule is discouraged unless you are vouching for that person.)
Some things to remember a) This is a narrative-based RP so things like weapons triangles and stats don't really matter here. Still, magic can still pierce armor and so does Armorslayers and stuff (on that note, armor-piercing weapons like the aforementioned Armorslayer are pretty heavy and will factor in the narrative). Classes also matter weapon-wise and narrative-wise. b) Your character is VERY unlikely to die in this RP. In battle, they'll just be incapacitated should the circumstances demand it. HOWEVER, if your characters put themselves or do something that assures their death, they WILL die. c) You can make two characters if you want to. d) If your character has a mount, you will also control the mount's actions. e) Locations in this RP are mostly named after some Fire Emblem locations and they are all inside one continent.
Appearance: (Please refrain from using photos of real life people.)
Name:
Sex:
Class: (All classes are available for playing. Higher class = Higher responsibility. Use only classes from Fire Emblem: Awakening.)
I also want to for a quick note ask how stringent you're being on classes/weapons when balance isn't such a concern? For what it's worth, I'm planning to make my dude an archer and I find it odd that if balance isn't a concern he wouldn't be able to keep a dagger in case anyone got too close (obviously he's not very proficient in its use, which will be borne out in narrative)
Hmm, I do believe I have a character idea I can drum up in a timely enough manner, sure as sure. I'll try to have the lad written out before the weekend is over.
As promised, got him cranked out prior to the weekend ending, do critique to your heart's content.
Jerod Staudinger
Party:
Name: Jerod Staudinger
Sex: Male
Class: Lord
Starting Weapons: - Rapier
History: Born to the Staudinger House in Elibe, a noble house that has been trying to maneuver into the throne for several generations now and has been stymied by either opposition from the ruling family or misfortune, Jerod still considers the fact he wasn't the first or even second born a blessing, being the youngest of three siblings. His older brother, and sister, both had to worry about a lot more of politics and being groomed for leading the family once the parents passed, while Jerod was given a bit more leeway, and he avoided the rest of the family whenever possible, spending most of his company in the training arena, learning to fight from anyone who was competent and willing to teach. His parents didn't approve, but they had far more to worry about grooming his eldest brother, Ansgar, and older sister, Lashiel, to worry about the youngest child going off the planned path a bit. Besides, him being good in a fight could make him a useful second for duels, so they allowed the matter to continue.
This would turn out to be a mistake, as once Jerod was old enough to fight against other men properly, he would throw himself into any fight that he could find, putting his training to practice. He earned a reputation in the dueling circles, routinely humiliating opponents instead of outright besting them, making a show out of fighting someone instead of just besting them. This showmanship would come to a head when he was declared a second by his sister Lashiel when she was challenged, and spent most of the fight disarming and taunting his opponent's second. Yet the opponent refused to yield, so eventually Jerod made the man bleed out, and was nearly charged by the opponent's supporters, if it wasn't for the lord overseeing the duel stepping in. It was eye opening for Jerod, because if this was what he was to expect, being the second for his siblings, then he was having none of it.
Before his parents could discipline him for the showing off during the duel, Jerod stole the rapier that serves him now and left, departing from Elibe completely and either eluding or murdering anyone that tried to drag him back to his family. After several years, his family gave up and, in return, Jerod stopped using the Staudinger name at all, simply going by his first name. With that problem solved, as far as he was concerned, he proceeded to sell his sword arm to the highest bidder and began life as a sellsword. He never walked away from how he learned to fight, which made him stand out from typical mercenaries, earning him a steady supply of coin to pay for his survival away from the family. As such, despite expectations for him to have to return groveling, Jerod never did, turning a tidy profit and living off the spoils of war. He would pay no mind to how things were going back home, deliberately avoiding any news or rumors spawned from his homeland to make his life simpler, and continues to live as a sellsword to this day.
Personality: As a person, Jerod doesn't ever sugar coat how he feels about someone, a situation, or anything else he has cause to be forced to consider. He still retains vestiges of the noble airs in how he speaks and moves, letting his accent flow more freely now than when he was still being groomed to support his elder two siblings in their maneuvering throughout the royal courts, but his actions are far more direct and honest. The young man does not take kindly to being reprimanded on his ignoble pursuit as a sellsword, standing staunchly against the idea that one's birth should dictate how they approach their lives. The irony that the learning and training he received growing up as a noble allows him to pursue such a life is not lost on him, and remains a source of irritation. As such, most people at a casual glance see him as a bitter noble scorned, always ready to insult or make an unkind remark towards anyone, all the while spending his evenings drunk or wishing he was drunk.
While keeping up the facade of a drunkard and sellsword, not hard things considering Jerod does enjoy selling his swordarm and using the profit to drink his evenings away, underneath is still the a sharpness that puts his sword to shame. Letting his peers underestimate him, all the while watching and keeping a running mental tally of what is useful and what isn't about people around him means that, when push comes to shove, he often has a lot more of an idea of what is going on than anyone gives him credit for. When it comes to beliefs and standing for something, he is silent on the matter unless deliberately engaged, not interested in debating semantics on the how's and why's of a cause. Not to say that he doesn't have his opinion outside of turning a profit, but he doesn't see a point in arguing a topic that won't likely change how someone views a situation.
Despite being a blue blood himself, Jerod does not tolerate the ones that use their station and treat people born into poorer status as lesser beings, as if events out of their control determines the kind of people they are. He has gotten himself into trouble assaulting some jumped up brat, literally hauling them off their high horse to drag them through the mud, only to have to deal with some irate father demanding a duel to 'satisfy their honor', a concept that the sellsword blue blood finds laughable at best. Having someone you seconded die in a duel over some insult is petty at best, and he is quick to call out nobles for their actions. Not that he is guiltless himself, but he does at least try and avoid looking down on others for things that they have no control over. There is usually plenty enough to hold someone accountable for without including things they cannot have a say in, far as he is concerned.
Never was too fond of this whole song and dance, but if I had to pick one? M!Avatar x Tiki. Fight me.
And once more, as routine for almost every single FE RP I've been on, here's my Manakete dude.
Appearance: Ferrian stands at a height of 5'10, but can often be found hunching over, which reduces him to 5'8. A mop of white unruly hair sits upon his head which he usually keeps short and manageable. He has stormy gray eyes that are usually found with less emotion than what to be expected. Like his Manakete kin, he has pointed ears and has pointed fangs - but not as prominent as his other kin. His tribe of Manaketes had a tradition of putting tattoos on their fully-grown males whereas the females would be given specially made crowns or tiaras; hence the white tattoo that can be found on his face. He typically wears an old, beat-up brown cloak with a hood usually covering his head to hide his pointed ears. He has normal clothes underneath, which is rather light so as to preserve his agility and speed. His Dragonstone is embedded on an arm brace which is tightly secured on him. He usually hides this under his cloak so no one would suspect it.
Party:
Name: Ferrian
Sex: Male
Class: Manakete
Starting Weapons: Dragonstone
History: Ferrian was born to a nomadic tribe of Manaketes; hence, they never really stayed in one continent for long. There are certain seasons where they leave, and then come back at a certain place. Humans have often called this their migrating season, and villages where stops were usually made have started to prepare a sort of feast for the Manaketes in exchange for either money or protection or whatever they needed at the time. This led to the tribe having a good relationship with the humans. The Manakete tribe broke up around the third century of Ferrian's life - but not because of infighting, but merely because of the want of others to travel and others to stay.
Ferrian, joining his parents and two younger siblings, stayed on the outskirts of Lizberia and would often interact with the scholarly humans. They were more than happy to help them in their pursuits for knowledge, and the long lived Manaketes were just a source of them. Ferrian often found himself asleep within the walls of Lizberia, but would not make friends with the humans because of their short lifespans. As time passed by, his family moved to the mountains near Razelia to slumber.
When the Moon Kingdom disturbed Gaia's sleep and began to wreak havoc, the people of Lizberia sought to wake up the family. When the Manaketes were awoken from their sleep, they did not even hesitate to help. Gathering old Manakete companions who were willing to help, they plunged themselves into the war with the vigor of monsters. It had been a very long while since they were allowed violence. However, even the Manaketes were no match for Gaia's forces, especially since they were placed in the front lines constantly as they can fight more than their less durable companions.
Nearing the end of Gaia's war, there were only two Manaketes left - Ferrian and his younger sister. Ferrian managed to convince his younger sister to stop fighting as he feared losing her. She was left in an undisclosed mountain where she could slumber and recuperate from her wounds, away from the fighting. Ferrian continued on and the war had ended, but he had sustained grievous wounds. He was invited to Archanea to slumber. They had made him a secret area where only the royals knew of the place and could enter so that he would not be disturbed unless they truly needed to.
Years after, Ferrian has woken up from him slumber with his wounds healed. He ventured out into the world. With the knowledge that Lizberia was no more, replaced by the ruthless Varjo, and the tensions rising between the so-called allies, he fears for the fickleness of the peace there is now. He doesn't actively search for his lost sister, but does think about her frequently and how she is doing now. Had she survived all those years without him? Nevertheless, he continues on with life - curious as to where the world will be going now.
Personality: Ferrian is usually a calm and collected person - driven by logic instead of emotion. He doesn't seem to be easily swayed by emotions as he has been hardened to not feel anything anymore. After losing an entire tribe of fellow Manaketes, friends and his own family, he seems to have let go of it. However, this doesn't mean he doesn't display any emotion. He can often be seen smiling, laughing even, or sometimes even frustrated - but he never displays them to the extreme. More often than not, he doesn't project these emotions in his eyes, which people sometimes find unsettling. He rarely underestimates anyone, even after seeing them fight. After all, if you get too cocky, things turn sour.
He is respectful when a title is given, though talks casually to even the oldest of people. He knows that they are younger than him by a mile, so he respects them as much as an old man would a child. However, this can increase or decrease depending on their actions. He typically doesn't trust many people with his life, or his secrets, so he finds it hard to make friends. Like many Manaketes who decided to spend their time with humans, he is prone to loneliness given the thought that his human friends would die way before he does. A human lifespan is only but a day in theirs, after all.
Ferrian doesn't tend to lose control of his beastly side unless on the battlefield. When allowed to fight, he doesn't tend to hold back. Of course, that doesn't mean that he cannot follow orders in this state. In fact, he still listens to the orders of the strategist. However, he is ruthless and merciless and this is displayed through his actions. Taking a life doesn't bother him anymore - and he's even shown to be able to bite and nearly eat one of the humans and not show much remorse.
~ I sort of like Sumia x Chrom mostly because of Sumia smacking Chrom since she thought it was a slap. I always found that hilarious. Seriously though, I can find reasons to like all of 'em.~
@PaulHaynek: Sorry to keep bothering with questions. I just started writing Elena out, I have a story for her and everything but I kinda thought... What's the kind of timescale we're working with here? I'm hoping to use the war from The Sacred Stones and the earthquake that nearly destroyed Grado afterwards as part of her backstory, but Magvell is referred to as a single entity and it's not noted exactly when the business with Gaia went down, so I'm not sure if it's even possible for TSS' events to have occurred within someone's lifetime here if the war against Gaia was recent.
EDIT: Also, Hoshido and Nohr are notable by their absence from the Concilium. I've got my eye on that... xD
Sorry to keep bothering with questions. I just started writing Elena out, I have a story for her and everything but I kinda thought... What's the kind of timescale we're working with here? I'm hoping to use the war from The Sacred Stones and the earthquake that nearly destroyed Grado afterwards as part of her backstory, but Magvell is referred to as a single entity and it's not noted exactly when the business with Gaia went down, so I'm not sure if it's even possible for TSS' events to have occurred within someone's lifetime here if the war against Gaia was recent.
It's been roughly 500 years after the War Of Gaia and about 200 years when Lizberia fell and Varjo rose. And yes, Magvel in this RP is a single nation ruled by a king and places like Grado and Rausten are provinces of varying size.
Also, the earthquake will happen in the province of Grado but it will happen in the future of this RP. :)
EDIT: Also, Hoshido and Nohr are notable by their absence from the Concilium. I've got my eye on that... xD
History: Magvel itself maintains it's many nations with all of them forming the council of Heros with Carcino being an exclusion to the countries age-old system. The nations maintain their own lines of royalty and vote on a leader of the council who holds the position for life. This council's leader speaks for the entire country before the rest of the Concilium. The Council of Heroes exists on Magvel because though the nations have many differences each nation was founded by a legendary hero from long ago and they respect the bonds those warriors forged together in hopes of peace. Magvel above all other things holds peace and stability in high regards, as such the council usually avoids being drawn into wars or trouble from distant allies as best it can.
The youngest child of Queen of Renais, Marwood was her bundle of joy and baby of the family. She actually took the time to teach him to ride herself. As such he desires to make her proud yet at the same time with age came distance and difference. While his mother relies on codes and formal declarations Marwood is normally on his horse with a squad of knights by the time she starts issuing orders. This has caused much division between mother and son, with Marwood often leading knights into battle against bandits and other threats without having approval from his mother.
Aside from that, he is good friends with the general's of his country, he often finds himself in their company or training with them. As a prince, he received a formal education and lessons in history, strategy, and etiquette. He threw away etiquette preferring to spend many a night out in villages or celebrating victories with his men. He even formed a special group of cavaliers that ride with him to villages and towns under assault, thus with almost all his training being done on horseback.
Marwood and his unabashed love for his nation have caused trouble for the Queen in the past, with his tendency to cause head for battle without waiting for proper orders. Marwood and the Cavaliers of Renais have saved hundreds of lives by disobeying the command structure. Yet while hailed as heroes it troubles his mother that his free-form fighting is not proper of a prince. He has a history of being rather bold and challenging letting nothing stand between him and his moral compass, politics be damned.
Thanks to a recent incident involving trouble with Jehanna mercenaries Marwood has been ordered to join the diplomatic group from Magvel. Also threats from his mother to marry him off to some princess and let them try to reign in his bravado. The brash Knight of Renais has been sent off, his other only hope the diplomats keep him in check so he doesn't cause a worse incident while abroad.
Personality: Marwood is brash and unapologetically eager to protect and help those in need, while he upholds the standards of a Knight well his noble sensibilities are almost non-existent. He often ignores protocol or traditions in favor of whatever needs to be done getting done. Honest and forthright as well Marwood tries to make sure he is always doing the right thing, caring more about people than anything else he cannot stand by while they are in trouble.
Other: An avid singer and storyteller Marwood spent his younger days sneaking out and telling singing and telling stories at the local tavern. He has secretly wanted to be a bard but royal duties prevent that and he also wishes to marry someone he loves rather than an arranged marriage like his mother has in mind, possibly to secure a new ally. He is a sucker for a good romance book, though he doesn't like people to know. He gets very nervous around girls and has never been good at discussing women. Princesses have scared him since boyhood when his mother began threatening to marry him off to one.
Erika and Seth from Fire Emblem The Sacred Stones by far my favorite game.
My idea is that since Magvel is a rather peaceful continent in its history compared to others the nations simply maintained the individuality and the leaders of the countries send one of them forth to represent them all. Keeps Magvel diverse and different but also plays to the fact that they would a nation now that is unrepresented and might feel slighted by them for future problems.
Aw shiet. Needless to say I went for something else entirely with the same place of Magvel. Eghh... I'll post what I did for now and see if we can't reconcile something? I'm sure something like this could like... I dunno, I'm sure we can do something @Apollosarcher.
Forgive me if I make and formatting SNAFUs. I'm still relearning BBCode.
Name: Elena Colton
Sex:Yes, please. Female
Class: Archer
Starting Weapons: Father's Bow. Galen left his Killer Bow behind when he left for the war - the Grado Empire would not allow him to use his own weapon anyway. Bronze Dagger
[N.B. I’ve assumed the war from Sacred Stones still took place and further to what I was told resulted in the unification of Magvel]
History: Elena was born in Magvel in the pre-war country of Grado. She was the only child of her parents - her father, Galen, a soldier in the Grado army and her mother, Elizabeth, an apothecary. Her young life was… quiet and peaceful for the most part. Although their home village in the mountaintops was remote, it never saw more than the rare token bandit raid, the kind of which would be easily repelled by the standing guard. She whiled away her younger days exactly as any child would. Like many in Grado, she trained with a weapon from a very early age and her training with a bow was what helped her bond so strongly with her father. She was eager to spend all the time possible she could and quickly grew from sticking arrows into wood-backed targets into accompanying him on his hunting trips when he was on leave. Her misfortunes began in her more recent years. Elizabeth fell drastically ill. It began with what seemed to be simple symptoms that required simple treatment, but within months she was near-unable to move under her own power and needed help from her husband and daughter in her daily life. She knew the disease and knew the cure, but it was beyond their reach: Moonleaf, which could only be found in Rausten and even then was exceptionally rare. It was beyond their reach.
She was only a teenager during Grado’s war against what had seemed to be the entire remainder of Magvell. Life in Grado had grown chaotic and uneasy - even if Grado had begun it on the front foot, it wasn’t very long before rumors came that the tides had begun to turn and the war was going to bring itself to their homes, that the forces of Renais and Frelia were soon to be marching onto Grado’s soil and sooner than she knew, Elena’s world was war. It was simple enough, none of the army would have to die once they surrendered but Emperor Vigarde did not permit surrender. What soldiers did not defect from Grado were slaughtered - some in battles they had no hope of winning and with them was Elena’s father, an enlisted man like whom for all the value he held to his family, fell like any other.
It comes without any further saying that Grado was defeated in the war, and with the deaths of so many of Magvel’s leaders - The Warrior King Fado, the Queen of the White Dunes, Ismaire, even the Silent Emperor Vigarde, Magvel was all-but forced into becoming a single entity, ruled over by a council of the many heirs to Magvel’s thrones, overseen by the Sage King Hayden and Pontifex Mansell. The new “province” of Grado had been left in a state anywhere between disrepair and ruin by the war and with its own heir laying dead at the end of the war, none of the former lordlings offered more than token aid from their provinces. Elena was left alone in her remote village with only her sickly mother and only half of the people her village had made homes for before the war. She redoubled her training with the bow, firing into targets, wild animals, even if it was never the same without the reassuring voice of her father in her ear. She knew she was going to have to be the one that found the gold for a Moonleaf or go to Rausten and claim one for her own and care for Elizabeth in her drastically. She was… more successful than she thought she might be. Travelling to Rausten, hunting and performing simple work rebuilding one of the provinces she would sooner commit to war against to survive and send money to her ill mother, she even managed to procure one of the cave-dwelling plants… but by the time she could return to her home in Grado it was too late. She was informed that, in her absence her mother had passed away.
With nothing left in the world, Elena sold up all of her remaining belongings, taking only her father’s bow and a pendant that had belonged to her mother, choosing a life as a mercenary rather than serve in the military as a simple matter of not serving with those who had taken her father from her. She now seeks purpose, something greater than coin to commit her bow to.
Personality: Elena seems outwardly positive, either in spite or ignorance of all that has happened to her in her life. She also carries herself with a quiet determination and an absolute aversion to leaving anything half-finished - including her strong sense of nationalism and a desire to see her homeland of Grado once again become a strong nation of its own rather than a subservient province of Magvel.
I'm really not interested in the pairings as most of them are poorly-written at best. Uh, Takumi and Outlaw!Corrin for getting Takumi into the Bow Knight class with +1 Mov?
Clothed in garb that manages to be ostentatious even with muted colors, Rionach can be said to do everything in her power appearance-wise to create an image that is memorable. Her close-cropped, bright-red hair bears a long bandanna and a jaunty feather, and it crowns a face that despite prominent brows, a Roman nose, and somewhat thin lips, cannot reasonably said to be unattractive. Aware of this, no doubt, Rionach's mostly-practical choice of dress -made purposefully and without trepidation- helps accentuate this aspect of her. At 5'8" tall and 160 lbs, she boasts a well-built physique. It, along with the engaging glimmer seldom lacking in her dull gray-blue eyes, makes hers an eye-catching visage without being quite so bold, tacky, or showy as to imply self-absorption
Name: Rionach (pronounced ria-nack)
Sex: Female
Class: Soldier
Starting Weapons: Uprising Spear – a long, flexible spear decent for throwing and excellent for vaulting up into the air
History: One cannot speak of the kingdom of Valentia without bringing to mind its long and storied schism—the story of Rigel and Zofia, only relatively recently reunited as one sovereign nation through the marriage of Prince Albein Alm Rudolf and Princess Anthiese after a bitter and brutal time of conflict. This era, dubbed the 'Twilight of the Gods', gripped every corner of the realm. Even in mountainous southeastern Rigel, the wave of upheaval brought about by the divine dragon Duma's degeneration surged forth. There, an earthquake nearly brought ruin to the city of Gadanka, ripping open a great chasm that cut off the only routes through the mountains toward the kingdom's central cities. The populace's hard life grew harder, improving only marginally as a semblance of trade resumed over time. Now isolated in an unforgiving region, Gadanka lost wave after wave of citizens to emigration, shrinking from an icon of the mining and hunting industries to a remote town, lost in the wilderness and forgotten.
Rionach was born well after Gadanka became a footnote in the history book of the new kingdom of Valentia. Starting at an early age, she exhibited a great energy and drive to improve the situation of her fellow townsfolk. With the poor of character weeded out by generations of manageable but nevertheless challenging hardship, the villagers had one anothers' backs through thick and thin, treating one another like family. Rionach cherished her community and its people, believing them to be the purest sort of people imaginable; yet, a sense of frustration always stung her when she wondered why such good people suffered harsh lives, forgotten or ignored by the rest of the world. By the time she reached adulthood, Rionach was already cultivating a plan. Inspired by stories of famous heroes, performers, and other legends, she resolved to take on the mantle of a celebrity herself. Determined to make a name for her long-suffering town and put it back on the map, she declared her intentions to the elders: to go out across the land, win fame and fortune, and make Gadanka a name known the world over. Then, she reasoned, the townsfolk's lives would improve, and they would wallow in nameless irrelevance no longer. Beloved as she was, Rionach received no objection, and was furnished with everything she needed to begin her great adventure.
Before long she set out on her journey, hunting down maps to follow to city after city. Rionach visited them one by one, marveling at their size and culture, getting to know their people and their ways. She bore an enthusiastic smile everywhere she went, drawing eyes in whatever ways she could. Any sort of publicity, she figured, was good. Time after time, however, she found herself confounded. Eyes narrowed when confronted with a woman proclaiming herself as a celebrity from a town nobody ever heard of; her airs and lack of experience with the world pushed others away. Small jobs she found in abundance, performing enough various tasks to live off of without issue. After all, for the sake of her town and the people she loved, no work was too small. But no amount of deer-hunting, cleaning, questing, or construction would ever make her a somebody—the somebody she needed to be. When it came to bigger things, nobody would give a nobody a chance. Though pretty, she could not compete with the truly beautiful. Though naturally talented with a spear, she couldn't hold a candle to the professionally-trained soldiers employed in the army. As witty and agile as she was, a circus troupe lay far out of her purview. General handiness only went so far against guild craftsmen, whose lifetimes of experience allowed no contest. Everywhere it was the same. With no fortune or noble house to her name, no doors were open for her to elevate her station and justify her behaving like a celebrity. Rionach's pleas and attempts at maneuvering fell on deaf ears, though she became popular enough with the common folk, and she fell into a habit of filling the holes poked in her dreams with wine.
Nevertheless, her spirit is unbroken. She continues to work hard, wandering from place to place, doing whatever she can while looking for an opportunity to seize fame.
Personality: If nothing else, Rionach boasts a larger-than-life personality. Outgoing and talkative, she's adept at making conversation and infusing a little energy into any interaction. This does not overflow into nosiness or blithe chattiness, however. In fact, Rionach is both conscientious and empathetic in addition to being emphatic and dramatic. She is not without either humor or tact. More often than not, she seems to behave as though someone's following her recording her every action for making into a play or story, and it is Rionach's duty to make it as interesting and entertaining as possible. In a sense she acts somewhat like a classic hero, but she is hardly so faultless. Rionach is greedy and, even when good-naturedly doing kind things, primarily self-serving. Her ambition -to win fame for herself and her remote home town- is evident in most of her actions, and sometimes she treads a little too close to the line that divides goal-oriented and desperate for success. Furthermore, while her gregariousness is genuine, deep inside she struggles mightily with self-esteem and identity, sometimes convinced she doesn't have what it takes or that she's betraying her principles or losing who she is in a mad dash for fame. Still, the average person would seldom guess all that behind her cheery smile and charismatic demeanor, and she is a primarily moralistic individual who would never stoop to nefarious means to achieve her goals...probably
I support the one true pairing, the only lifelong bond that will never be shattered: that special something which exists between Alphonse and the bench
Loving your works guys! Still not done evaluating them though.
In the meantime, take a look at the WIP factions of Arcadia over at the Characters Tab and get a sneak peek at the personalities of this RP. Most of them are still under construction since there are other people still not done with their characters and might do worldbuilding.
Speaking of worldbuild, are you OK with this middleground @Apollosarcher hit on for us on Magvel/Grado/Renais?
[...]we have the war has occurred but maybe years ago? With monsters and bandits from the weakened countries all around, Grado now being the weakest military nation with the largest land mass to cover, Renais has been protecting it as best it can and keeping it ruled by another line of nobles distantly related? All the nations are weak and sort of governing together now through a council but with Renais being the strongest of political power and Rausten being the strongest military?