No more a sun than an eclipse of the light in the Heavens, the Black Sun truly is a curse upon Peus and its citizens. Formed upon the death of Aeurius at the hands of the Pantheon, the Black Sun is presumably a raging creation of the uncontrolled Aether, an inescapable darkness which not even the Pantheon could control. The Black Sun touches all of Peus and creates on it beasts, twisted beings which seek nothing but the destruction of man and mer alike. In the early ages of the Black Sun, Peus was thrown into chaos and much of the world changed, lands shifted and fissures appeared from which dark energies flowed. Even mountains were subjected to the touch of the Black Sun whereupon the caves and citadels of dwarves were flooded with beasts from the depths. Some say even the Grand Temple of Aeurius was swallowed and the surrounding city made nothing but ruins.

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The Aether is no more a blessing than a curse, a pulsing darkness from with one may pull the powers to shape the world. Such a blessing comes at a cost, however, as the beings capable of controlling such power, the Aether Touched, are often plagued by their connection to the Aether. Some say the Black Sun speaks to them in their dreams, whispers dark secrets and horrors alike and engraves misery into their being. Some go so far as to believe that the Aether’s connection to them is like that of a parasite, draining them the more they require its power. The Pantheon is one of the few remaining groups capable of controlling the Aether without any of the negative side effects from, at least on the surface level. However even they are not to be compared to a master of the Aether like Aeurius.

The Aether touched are often viewed as outsiders in their community and the early development of their connection often isolates them entirely, few are willing to allow such beings to exist for fear of drawing beasts to them. Many of the kingdoms of Peus, even those of the Pantheon, view the Aether Touched with hatred and Inquisitors are well known to roam within the lands and hunt down those who practice it. In few lands, however, the Aether Touched are gathered by Inquisitors and thrown into ‘Academies’, forced to learn control over their power and used for war. Only in Jorn are the Aether Touched free to exist as they please, protected by the Scarlet Flame and even offered by the Goddess Amari to cleanse them of their curse. Those who accept often become Acolytes to the Scarlet Flame, though less… human than what they once were.

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Blessed are the Scarlet Flame, protectors of man and mer alike and servants to the great Goddess Amari. Few are recruited into the Scarlet Flame and fewer even last through their first year of service within the order. It is not out of the dangers of the first year that many quit but rather out of fear for it is within the Scarlet Flame that many will face the beasts of the Black Sun and risk their lives to protect the people of Jorn and Peus alike. The Order is very secretive about the process though it is well known that they accept Aether Touched and regular recruits alike. The Aether Touched are often trained by the Goddess Amari herself in order to form their name sake, to pull a flame from the Aether that can burn even the hardest hide. It is in its Acolytes, however, that many feel unease towards the Order for those who’ve been cleansed of their connection to the Aether often seem empty of being, nothing more than shells of what they once were.

Whatever the process to Cleanse truly is uncertain, only known by the Goddess and truly it must be a horrid process.

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Some Aether Touched are driven made by their connection to Aether, the whisperings of the Black Sun sending them spiraling down the path of its control. However, those that survive and manage to rest some portion of control from the Aether are able to manifest an Anima, a physical form of their powers. Animas manifest personalized to each Aether Touched which has formed it, its powers varying depending on how much control the Aether Touched has taken from the Black Sun. The Scarlet Flame is an example of an Anima, one formed by the Goddess Amari. Her desires are what gives it the power to perform its spells. It may burn those who touch it if she wishes or heals them, its potential is near impossible.

However, none outside of the Pantheon have ever managed to maintain their Anima for more than a few hours at a time before the use of Aether takes its toll on them. Many Aether Touched overexert their bodies in an attempt to keep their control over the Aether for as long as possible, sometimes resulting in a blackout or increasing their connection to Aether. However, with proper training an Aether Touched may increase their power and the flexibility of their Anima so as to perform as even the Pantheon does. With time even the weakest Aether Touched could become like a God, though perhaps at a heavy toll if the Pantheon is to be an example.

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The Goddess stands not above her people as a ruler as the others of the Pantheon have nor does she pursue solitude due to her actions against Aeurius. Amari was never the strongest of Pantheon nor the most hungry for knowledge, what she sought was not to be a ruler but to save people. She longed for the power to cure illnesses and save lives, to act as a healer among her people. When she rested a portion of power from the Aether, she created the Scarlet Flame. From its bright aura Amari could cure poisons and burn away the pain of a cut, she could create imps of flame to protect and serve. The Scarlet Flame’s true power, however, did not manifest until the rise of Black Sun and its beast.

Amari’s Scarlet Flame was an iridescence light in the darkening world of Peus, a guiding beacon for the weak and unfortunate. Within its light no beast of the Black Sun wished to travel and those which were brazen enough to strike found themselves burning from the inside out. Not even a fire drake could resist the searing pain of her Scarlet Flame, turned into nothing more than ash at her hands. Her arrival to Jorn was seen as the start of the city’s rise to power among Peus and the creation of the Order perhaps one of her greatest triumphs. However, even her Scarlet Flame has grown weaker in the advancing years and, like the rest of the Pantheon, she has become but a dwindling flame in the world.

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In a world plagued by suffering, where power means everything and the weak are crushed or subjugated, Jorn shines out among the cities of the Broken Coast as a land of the free. None in Jorn’s lands worry of being subjugated by some God or King, forced to fight for a place among the citizens, nor driven away for their race. Though Jorn bears its fair share of citizens prejudiced against the Aether touched mages, the demonic Tieflings, and even each other, all are united under the banner of the Council and held together by their hatred of the beasts of the Black Sun. It is in Jorn that many adventurers are free to gather and often are hired for various jobs. Most recent of all, however, the city has begun to rely on the adventurers with the protection of its lands from the brazen beasts.

Can we get a CS?

Ah yes, forgot to mention that I have put it in the Character's Tab for separation from main lore. @Paradoxial

Going to read through again and make something fitting, if you're still accepting.

Of course, all are welcome to apply however I'll be accepting a group of six for the time being. If any more apply once the group is filled, accepted characters will be place in reserve for future use amd may very well join at a later point. It is not first come, first server of course. All sheets will be processed according to how I believe the characters will interact, the quality, and whether I believe they'll make the story more interesting.

So is there any race that is strictly off-limits? How about magic?

Is everyone's character aether-touched?

I really like the setting being done here.

Now bear with me here boss. I´d like to run this character idea by you before I go making CS.

I dont know what plans you have for the rest of pantheon but Id like to sort of commandeer one of them for story purposes (again, bear with me.) Im imagining this power hungry archwizard type who was already succumbing to old age BEFORE they went about casting down Aeurius. After the fact and realization that they could not contain the black sun, he in desperation abandoned his old and brittle body to find a new "host" of sorts.
This is where my true character Daisos comes to picture, young and strong arena fighter who practically fanboys Aeurius gets possessed by aforementioned pantheon member. But immediately runs into the problem of Daisos not being aethertouched (If its meant that we all are aethertouched then he is on the far end of weaker scale.)
The archwizard has full control of Daisos´ form for only a day during which he crafts magical, immovable bracers that firmly bind them together, however the archmage is so spent by the effort he loses control indefinitely. Daisos sets out to the world to confront black suns curse while having this much older, more powerful being as sort of mentor/rival/companion spirit watching over his shoulder.

What you think?

@ProfessorLambo@Warbozz I am fine with that idea as, yes, not all characters will be Aether Touched. Aether Touched his simply a comdition to become a Mage of sorts in Peus.

@CaptainMarvel No race is strictly off bound as long as it is something reasonable. A half giant would likely never exist nor ever survive to adulthood. Magic is something different. An anima is the form one's connection to thr Aether takes upon taking control from it. Spells draw upon the Anima and its connection for energy however the caster will suffer if they are inexperienced or untrained and use something too strong. A major downside of being connected to the Aether with an Anima is the physical drain it takes on the caster.

However, anything is possible with the power of the Aether. An Aether Touched could become like a God if they found the right books to learn from or teacher.

I have a few questions.

1. Are you sticking to general fantasy races or anything goes as long as its approved by you.
2. a)How common are beasts of Black Sun? Are lands infested by them or they appear randomly so for the most part common folk doesn't need to worry too much about them?
b) How freely people can travel the world?
3. How common is magic and magic items in the world? Is there any requirement to be a mage (e.g. aether-touched) or wield magic items (e.g. special training or skills)?
4. You have very detailed CS sheet. Is there a limit to skills and traits? Or as long as its balanced and reasonable and approved by you there is none.?

EDIT: Looks like we were typing at same time :)

@Tenebous This tics well with me, Ill have a CS up tomorrow.

@k4azis Beasts are very common though most are small things such as dire wolves, imps, goblins and the like there are much more dangerous creatures which roam through Peus. They are daily occurrence in most villages and, as such, most small farming towns have palisades and their own guard regiments provided by the kingdom or God who rules them. Even in Jorn the farming and woodland villages supported by the city are reinforced with magic from Amari.

As for magic and magic items, for the most part most small communities have at least one or two Aether Touched in them. The most accurate counting of the occurrence of an Aether Touched is about 1 in 50 people. A city such as Jorn is, however, an outlier with a large amount of Aether Touched (recent census ringing in at 300 with 80 aligned with the Scarlet Flame). Magic items, on the other hand, are rather rare. While anybody can use a magic item, it requires a being with a strong connection to the Aether to create one. It takes years of training to infuse an object with the essence of Aether and, even then, most would lose power over time. However relics exist from Aeurius' time throughout the world which have yet to lose any power, some held by the Pantheon and some lost to cities swallowed by the earth.

The sheet has no limit on skills and talents and the like however it does need to be balanced. Characters are not expected to be some grand adventurer who have killed a drake or giant.

I have a rough idea of what I want, though I'm still on the fence about it. I'm more or less thinking of doing a Tiefling huntress who specializes in killing beasts as a way to deny any connection to the Black Sun.

Seems like any questions I would have had have already been answered. Neato.
I unfortunately have to work this weekend, so I can't exactly say when my sheet will be posted. I will try my best to have it up by no later than Monday evening, though.

@Tenebous one more thing. Can you describe briefly geography of continent?

@Tenebous one more thing. Can you describe briefly geography of continent?

Hmm, for the most part the known lands of Peus has a large amount rolling hills and scattered mountains, there are a few spots between them with plains and forests as well. The Broken Coast, where Jorn is located, is the Southern most edge of the known. In the past of Peus, other lands were accessible from the primary continent however the rise of the Black Sun caused large chasms to form and separate much of the known lands of Aeurius' time.

As for anything specific, I leave that up to the players if they so wish. Just know that much of the land is similar in temperament to Middle European countries.

How unfortunate. It seems that I'll have to shut this idea down for the time being due to the lack of progress we have gotten.