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In the forested realm of the Elves there are trees that stand taller than any castle, with fields of flowers so vibrant they defy any painter's palette. In the lands of Men, they build sprawling cities like the flow of a river, life and prosperity spilling from it's banks to coat the world with exuberant wonder. The Dwarves nestle grumpily in their mountain homes, polishing ancient monuments built by ancestors made immortal in memory, sitting atop vaults overflowing with the world's riches.

This story has little to do with those places.

Torvelt was a land abandoned by rational creatures long ago. It was a blasted place, a festering stinking one, that the rest of the world rightly forgot and moved on. A line of harsh mountains dominate the land, while the rest is equal parts wasteland and swamp. It is by no means a beautiful place, though some say it has a certain mean charm. For, eventually, some poor souls did decide to live there. They were the outcasts, the criminals, the so-called 'monstrous', and all of them with no other choice. The first king of Torvelt was little more than a bandit chief, but a crafty one at least. He claimed this unwanted place and decreed to the civilized lands, send your unwanted and hated here. In Torvelt, all debts and criminal records were forgotten, so long as one used their second chance wisely.

One hundred and fifty years passed from that time. That ancient contract still exists, welcoming those that need another chance, so long as they are prepared for hard work. Life in Torvelt is anything but easy. It crafts it's people into cunning, resourceful, and tough survivors. They are no stranger to horrible winters, famine, and plague. But now, a strange new malady besets the land of Torvelt, one never seen before...

It began in the villages. In the night, the inhabitants would change, sometimes by the townful and sometimes one by one. The afflicted could be known by the light of their eyes, a pale green glow like luminescent fog leaking from their eyesockets. Their skin would become sallow and all trace of their former selves would be gone. Some would be found outside, staring up at the sky, or huddled on their knees sobbing softly. Most would simply be gone, wandered off into the darkness and never seen again. The plague became known as the Fog, and there has been no cure found.

While the Fog ravaged villages, it had yet to travel to the densely populated area of Torvelt. Particularly, the capital city of Koprust, perhaps the only thing that could be called a city in Torvelt's inhospitable land. Even that bit of comfort was soon stripped away, when the King's own heir disappeared in the night. The only clues left behind were servants striken by Fog, unresponsive.

The next day a decree went out to the people. Assemble in the King's court, those brave enough, for a quest to find the prince and bring him home.

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_{T O R V E L T , L A N D O F T H E D A M N E D}
Compared to other kingdoms, Torvelt may be considered sparsly populated. It has a single city, it's capital of Koprust, and much of the land is uninhabited. Arable land is rare in Torvelt. Much of it's countryside is either stony cliffs, overgrown forest, or marsh. While the mountains at the center of the country are rich in metals, mining them is quite a dangerous occupation. Forester is a more common profession, though not without it's dangers to be sure. The true export of Torvelt is it's mercenaries. While it may not be a beautiful place, it is beloved by those that have survived it's dangers.

_{K O P R U S T, T H E C A P I T A L C I T Y}
Wood, stone, and mud are the best words to describe Koprust. It's great walls are made of the wood of Torvalt's ancient forests, palisades of dark hardened lumber stretching for miles. Within is a city of tents, then wooden stores and houses as you grow closer to the center. In the heart of the city, past another set of walls, is a great stone castle that serves as the seat of the royal family. It is an old building, showing cracks in the masonry like the wrinkles of a harsh matron, scowling down on the rest of the city. Koprust is a dangerous place for the complacent, but very rarely murderously so. Crime and punishment is taken seriously in the King's city. Most of Torvelt's citizens are on their second chance already, so a third is rarely given.

_{K I N G B R A N D T H E B R A V E}
The king of Torvelt is the latest in a line of royalty spanning centuries back, to the very first bandit chief that united the other roving gangs of the land. They are a notoriously scrupulous family. Their feast hall is plain, their silverware worn, and their clothing practical. In the land of Torvelt, it is both rude and unwise to show off one's wealth. King Brand is respected by his people, both as a warrior and a leader, after his numerous victories against invaders over the years. He does not take the battlefield any longer after suffering a hunting wound, instead raising his son Owen along with his wife Lianna.

_{T H E W O R L D A T L A R G E}
Beyond Torvelt's borders, there are countless lands of all sorts. There are elven kingdoms, dwarven mountain holds, sprawling human settlements, and anything else you can imagine. Quite literally, because that's how we will be handling world creation for this roleplay. If you are playing a character that is originally from another land, you will use the History part of your CS to tell us all a little bit about your homeland. Create whatever nation you see in your head, and then together we'll make sure it fits into our ever-evolving setting at large. It doesn't need to be totally formed and fleshed out, just some little details are all we'll need to get started.

_{M A G I C}
Arcane magic is a tangible resource of the world, that some people are able to tap into and shape into specific forms through intense study. Even sorcerers that are born with some magical heritage still must train themselves to shape that power into a form to control it. These forms can be seen as arcane words, hand motions, components such as crystals or powders, even a wand is just a form of focusing device to give the magical spells life. Without these things, magical spells cannot be cast at all. At worst, skipping any of these things can result in a surge of unforeseen 'wild' magic, that can leave it's user permanently impaired or dead. It is no mistake that most powerful wizards or sorcerers have decades of study under their belt.

In Torvelt, however, magicians of any sort are quite rare. For one reason, there are no formal colleges or places of study devoted to the arcane. This is simply out of prudence. The majority of Torvelt's residents are warriors without much interest in the field of the arcane, and such arcane colleges are expensive and dangerous. A healthy bit of superstition has cropped up among the commoner populace as well, but not unfounded. A single nefarious wizard can do far more harm than any number of brigands. Those that do practice magic are wise to keep themselves on good behaviour while in Torvelt... at least in public.

• Players choosing to play a magic-user will have to complete a few extra steps to character creation. This is just to ensure that everyone understands the added responsibilities of wielding literal magic in the setting.
• Sorcerers, Warlocks, Bards and Wizards are all Arcane Spellcaster classes. If playing one of these classes, you'll have to fill out a little extra section of the CS. This section is for selecting your spells.
• Druids and Clerics are both Divine Spellcaster classes. If playing one of these classes, you also have to fill out that little extra section that says Magic, with 3 spells to fill out. Be aware that your magic comes from the divine being/nature spirits you worship, and should reflect that connection.
• Each character will begin the roleplay with three 'known' spells in their arsenal. These won't be plot-breaking spells, such as calling down meteors or ressurrecting dead people, but still powerful. I'm thinking more akin to shooting a bolt of lightning, turning invisible briefly, or some things along those lines. If you aren't sure, just ask if your idea is alright. If you're familiar with D&D, I'm talking 3rd level spells, basically.
• Never use magic to control the actions of other players or NPC's unless given express permission.

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_{R A C E S}
Torvelt is a land with a very strange make-up of peoples, compared to other kingdoms. Where certain beings are despised for being more 'monsterous' than others, they are welcomed in Torvelt as long as they live peacefully and contribute to society.


_{C L A S S E S}
These have absolutely no mechanical aspects to them at all, they are merely for flavor.


_{C H A R A C T E R S H E E T}
Send your completed character sheet to me in a Private Message, where we will discuss everything. Once I give you approval, then you can post it in the Characters tab.