β¦ there stands a town called Forsaken. No one really knows how the town got it's name, though there are certainly many theories. Some of the old timers say that long ago, the people of the town angered the Gods so much that they placed a curse on them, abandoning the town to be ravaged by whatever dark forces the Gods had previously protected them from. Others say that the town got it's name from the people it attracts; the nobodies, orphans, and those who have been forsaken by the rest of the world. Others still say that it's just a name. We may never know the truth of it, but one thing is certain: Forsaken is one of the most unique places in which a person could ever find themselves.
With a population that numbers somewhere in the thousands, it offers a diverse community, something that isn't very common these days. Dwarves, humans, gnomes, all races of elves, halflings, tabaxi, and various other races roam the streets, all of them neighbors. In other cities, the population tends to favor one race or the other. Dwarves and humans may exist in one city, and the next could be completely full of elves, and so on. Meanwhile, some are prone to forming close knit clans, amongst them being the Tabaxi. But this is not the case here.
That's the beauty of Forsaken. From the drow gunslinger with his enchanted pistols, all the way down to the skeleton bounty hunter without a master, everyone has an equal opportunity in Forsaken. It is a "safe haven" for all who have been cast out, or those who simply can't find their place in the world. Those who flock to it are filled with hope at the promise of new opportunities, and of a new start in life.
Sounds perfect, right?
Unfortunately, nothing in this world is perfect, and the same is true of Forsaken. Though the idea of the town is wonderful, the reality of it is that once you get here, people are still people, and people are very prone towards falling into their same old habits. Oh, sure, the dwarf and elf might be next door neighbors, but that doesn't stop the dwarf from calling him a faithless woodland sprite, or the elf from looking down on the dwarf. When all is said and done, Forsaken is just like anywhere else. Ridiculous.
This mess of a city is the starting point for where our story takes place. Recently your character has received a rather intriguing letter, which went a little something like this:
Dear sir (or madam),
It has been brought to my attention that you are a person of some repute in your field of work, and as such I am writing to request your services.
I am in the business of breeding, selling, and moving rare magical creatures and livestock. I am currently looking to move about 40 head of hippogriffs from Forsaken to Sasarka, and I need a few extra hands to help with both the creatures and any unseemly folk who might take interest in them. If you've never moved hippogriffs before, it's no matter, you can still be of use (if you couldn't then you wouldn't have received this letter in the first place), and not to worry, their wings have been bound so they can't fly off with any of you. Unless one of them breaks free, but that rarely happens.
I will pay 15,000 gold coin if you are willing to join my caravan on this hippogriff drive. We will also be transporting a phoenix. I have received many threats regarding this beautiful creature and as such I am moving it to a safer location, but I fear some may try to steal it while we are still in transit. It is of the utmost importance that the phoenix reach it's destination safely, and it will be your first priority above all else. The drive should take roughly a month to complete.
If you are interested, then please join me at the Garrick Estate in Forsaken on the 6th of September in the afternoon. Give the guards your letter and you shall be admitted immediately.
Kindest regards, Abraham Garrick
An out of the blue letter from a strange old man inviting you along to a drive with wild and dangerous magical creatures, offering you a suspiciously large sum of money and indicating that you may or may not be pursued by dangerous people... What could possibly go wrong?
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πππ₯π₯πππ: Fantasy western adventure on the open range. ππππ€: Western, fantasy, large-group, adventure, casual.
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There are so many tales and myths about the gods that to try and list them all would be futile. Stories and beliefs vary throughout the lands, and oftentimes what is taught in one area will differ from what is taught in another, but there is one story that stands alone before them all and is told in every nation the same way.
It is said that before the world was created all of the gods were in an endless war, and had been locked in conflict for an expanse of time that is unfathomable to any mortal. It is unknown why they were warring with each other, but a common theory is that it was for supreme power over the realms. All of the realms were in horrible chaos, and the war had intensified to a point where no matter who won, there wouldn't truly be any victor. The losses were too tragic for the victory to ever be worth it. It is said that there were entire realms that were destroyed by this war and lost to time.
Finally, a tentative truce was struck between the gods. As a symbol of this peace they created a planet- the world where we live. It was meant to stand as a testament to what the gods could accomplish when they worked together, and as it prospered, so would peace in the realms.
And so it was. For many centuries the gods existed in total peace with one another, until one day the peace was broken. It isn't known what happened, but the story goes that this somehow led to Corellon creating the elves.
There was never another Great War of the gods, but to this day relations between certain different religions remain strained.
Evil
Asmodeus, god of tyranny. Lawful Evil Symbol: Three triangles in tight formation.
Bane, god of war and conquest. Lawful Evil Symbol: Claw with three talons pointing down.
Gruumsh, god of destruction. Chaotic Evil Symbol: Triangular eye with bony protrusions.
Lolth, goddess of spiders and lies. Chaotic Evil Symbol: EightΒ· pointed star with a web motif.
Tharizdun, god of madness. Chaotic Evil Symbol: Jagged counter-clockwise spiral.
Tiamat, goddess of wealth, greed, and vengeance. Lawful Evil Symbol: Five-pointed star with curved points.
Torog, god of the Underdark. Neutral Evil Symbol: T attached to a circular shackle.
Vecna, god of evil secrets. Neutral Evil Symbol: Partially shattered one-eyed skull.
Zehir, god of darkness and poison. Chaotic Evil Symbol: Snake in the shape of a dagger.
Neutral
Erathis, goddess of civilization and invention. Lawful Neutral Symbol: Upper half of a clockwork gear.
loun, goddess of knowledge. Neutral Symbol: Crook shaped like a stylized eye.
Kord, god of strength and storms. Chaotic Neutral Symbol: Sword with a lightning bolt cross guard.
Melora, goddess of wilderness and the sea. Neutral Symbol: Wavelike swirl
Raven Queen, goddess of death. Lawful Neutral Symbol: Raven's head, in profile, facing left
Good
Avandra, goddess of change and luck. Chaotic Good Symbol: Three stacked wavy lines
Bahamut, god of justice and nobility. Lawful Good Symbol: Dragon's head, in profile, facing left
Corellon, god of magic and the arts. Chaotic Good Symbol: Eight-pointed star
Eilistraee, drow goddess of moonlight, swordwork, and dancing. Chaotic good. Symbol: Moon with a dancing maiden wielding a sword.
Moradin, god of creation. Lawful Good Symbol: Flaming anvil
Pelor, god of the sun and agriculture. Neutral Good Symbol: Circle with six outwardly radiating points
Sehanine, goddess of the moon. Chaotic Good Symbol: Crescent moon
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πΉπΉπΈ- Before Battle at Abbryn πΈπΉπΈ- After Battle at Abbryn
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Hundreds of years of technological advancement have served all of the species well, but none did it serve so well as the humans, dwarves, and minotaur. These three races were the pinnacle of technology at the time, with the elves following close behind. What the elves lacked in technology, they made up for with their incredible genetic disposition towards the magical arts. So, as the years went on, it was these four societies that soon grew to untold numbers, and they each possessed obscene amounts of power. They would become known as The Great Four. Had they all shared their discoveries, things might have been different, but all of them kept their achievements secret in hopes it would give them an advantage. They each wanted to become the most powerful species on the planet.
But no secret can stay secret forever, and soon all of the other species found out about the fourβs plans to take control over the rest of them. Understandably, the other species did not take kindly to this. There were attempts at reasoning and bargaining by all sides, but it was to no avail, and eventually these events led up to The 100 Year War.
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The world was in chaos. Anywhere you looked, the ground was soaked red with the blood of countless billions who had been slaughtered in The Great War. Disease, famine, crime, and all other sorts of ungodly evil ran rampant in all lands. No one was winning this horrible bloodbath, and each side suffered just as much as the other. Alliances rose and fell over and over again, the most notable of which was one between the dwarves, elves, and sylvan creatures. Magical prowess combined with brilliance and technology that could shatter the world to itβs core. However, this alliance too fell after just a few short months. No one knows what the real story is, but the sylvans claim the dwarves had tricked them and sent a battalion to attack their defenseless forests while they sent their forces to help with the battle. Many lives were lost that day. The unicorns were all but wiped out, and satyrs became completely extinct.
More species that were lost in The Great War include the following: Merfolk Pegasus Brass Dragons Gold Dragons Thrin-kreen Naga
There were no heroes, villains, or martyrs at this point in the war, just a few thousands souls all struggling to survive. They had all endured tragedies beyond comprehension, and they had all done unspeakable acts or horror. And for what? No one even remembered or cared why the war had begun at this point, they just all wanted it to stop.
And so, that's what they did. They just stopped. The commander of the human forces called for a meeting of all the species that still survived, and without a word, he set his battle-axe down, leaving himself defenseless to the others. He was the first of all of the leaders who relinquished their weapons that day, signaling the end to the war. Because of this small action, humans are the least hated by the other species who suffered, but all of The Great Four species are still... Unpopular.
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Official peace treaty signed by all species.
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The Dwarven-Elven war.
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Tensions begin to settle.
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Elven high council sends aid to help restore the Great Fae Forests.
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Tabaxi help rescue humans after floods overwhelm the city of Esma.
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100 Year Peace celebration.
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Drow-Goliath war.
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Human-Fae war.
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2nd 100 Year Peace Celebration.
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Human-Dwarven-Centaur war.
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3rd 100 Year Peace Celebration.
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Steam engine invented.
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Present day.
Things have been relatively calm for the past few years. Ever since The 100 Year War, there has never been anything to even compare. Scars from the bloodbath still remain, but over all, people have dealt with it relatively well. As well as can be expected, anyway. Younger species like the humans, with shorter lifespans, have moved on very quickly, but there are still many alive who actually fought in the battles and saw the horrors first hand. Elves are still hated by most, though tolerated for the sake of politeness, and tensions are always high between The Great Four. Some people have managed to get past it, but others... Less so.
The land has finally healed from the war, as has the population. No more are any species on the brink of extinction. Some have become much harder to find, like the unicorns, but due to efforts by everyone involved, they have avoided massacring anyone else, and each species has a count of well into the tens of thousands.
As a part of the peace treaty of 12 ABA, The Great Four have shared all of their knowledge with each other and the other species as well, and everyone has thrived. There have been many technological advancements that include but aren't limited to the steam engine, six shooter pistol, shotgun, hunting rifle and various other guns, and electricity. Magic is still used on a regular basis, but it has become less of a weapon and more of a tool. Though, when war arises, there are still plenty of spells around to use in battle.
As touched on, there are definite prejudices around. Of course elves and dwarves, but some lesser ones include everyone's general disgust towards necromancy, elves in general, Drow absolutely hate goliaths (and most everyone, to be honest. They're drow), and Fae folk refuse to have any dealings with dwarves, as it was their battle axes that mutilated their forests many years ago.
The world in general is very mixed up now. The war left almost every species displaced from their original homeland, and many were scattered across the planet. Now instead of having countries, there are cities that tend to have one species or the other, and a few that are mixed with those who can coexist together. And then of course there's Forsaken, but we've already discussed that.
You can play most races from the D&D universe, and that's mostly the lore for the races I'm going to be sticking with (with a few modifications to fit the setting, of course). Here's a list of what is accepted.
Listen to the GM This should go without saying, but don't try to argue with me. Discussions and things you're confused about? Sure! Bring it up with us in the OOC or a DM. I don't mind talking about things with you, but if I give you a final answer then take the hint and drop the subject.
Don't try to run the rp. If you have an idea you want to do, you can bring it up OOC and we'll discuss it. I don't mind players having subplots, but we need to be sure that they don't interfere with the main plot and that people aren't running away with things.
No overly disagreeable/evil characters. We've all seen that one person in an rp who wants their character to be the center of attention at all times, and as a result end up causing a lot of drama in the rp. Don't be that person. If you try to be that person, you will be laughed at and banned from the rp.
No NSFW content. If you and another player engage in writing NSFW content, take it to DMs. I don't want it in my rp.
Be aware that the GM has a very low tolerance for nonsense. I've had many people ruin my carefully thought out plots several times with their stupidity, so while I will do my best to be nice, if you cause any trouble I will not be fun to deal with.
Posting requirements Your posts don't have to be big paragraphs, just decent sized ones to show you're willing to put in effort to keep the rp going, even if it's slow. Maybe two paragraphs. I would like to keep the frequency to at least one person posting per week. We're pretty laid back here, so if you need a little extra time due to circumstances, no worries. That being said, if you're looking for a fast paced rp where we all post back-to-back on a daily basis, this probably isn't what you're looking for.
*I reserve the right to ban and brutally kill off characters if you break these rules.
To get the code for this character sheet, click the 'view raw' icon on the top right of this post, and scroll until you see the big gap in text. Then copy everything
Note: Nothing is final until I approve your character.
βππππ₯ππ ππ€πππ‘ ππ₯ππ₯π¦π€: βπ¦ππ€π₯ππ πππππ£π: This is going to be a little different. Instead of a typical personality summary, you get to pretend your character is answering a questionnaire! Just answer the following in character.
What first impression do you make?
What are you like in a high stress situation?
What are your best and worst qualities?
What is something about yourself that you would never admit to anyone?
What are your dreams?
How do you want to be seen by others?
How do you see yourself?
Do you tend to make snap judgements, or stop and think about things?
What haunts you?
What is your philosophy on life?
(Note: You do not have to fill out every single bullet point, as long as you have at least one filled out on each topic). βππππ₯π€:
The problem I have, is that it conjures up so many options for characters.
Like, bringing back a character idea I had something like 20 years ago of a "Civilized Wildman" who practised both modern medicine and shamanism as a means of curing and healing people.
A dwarf. With guns. Big. Fucking. Dwarven. Guns. 5 shot revolvers, because they are .65 caliber. 8 or 10 gauge shotgun, cause....Dwarf. Either a bounty hunter or guard for hire.
Or a Kobold who has lost his tribe, and seeking something new. Likely a brawler for shits and giggles.
Following a string of private messages and a GM review, I've posted Valanthe Vanatar, doubtlessly the most generous, kind, and innocent soul currently residing in the metropolis known as Forsaken.
The problem I have, is that it conjures up so many options for characters.
Like, bringing back a character idea I had something like 20 years ago of a "Civilized Wildman" who practised both modern medicine and shamanism as a means of curing and healing people.
A dwarf. With guns. Big. Fucking. Dwarven. Guns. 5 shot revolvers, because they are .65 caliber. 8 or 10 gauge shotgun, cause....Dwarf. Either a bounty hunter or guard for hire.
Or a Kobold who has lost his tribe, and seeking something new. Likely a brawler for shits and giggles.
So many options!
Lol!!! This was partially my intention, to give people a lot of options. I'm looking forward to whatever you settle on!
Following a string of private messages and a GM review, I've posted Valanthe Vanatar, doubtlessly the most generous, kind, and innocent soul currently residing in the metropolis known as Forsaken.
Absolutely. No one can doubt the innocence and sincerity of this beautiful soul.
Yooo this looks really cool! Been waiting for something to catch my eye to drag me back into post by post rp :D
Just wondering about the area surrounding Forsaken. I'm guessing it's all pretty much dessert like in old western films and the like?
I'm currently thinking over a farm hand character and trying to figure out how they would fit into all this; leaning towards them being really good with the animals and general care of them on the farm being the reason they got a letter, and that reward money being a very good incentive.
Yooo this looks really cool! Been waiting for something to catch my eye to drag me back into post by post rp :D
Just wondering about the area surrounding Forsaken. I'm guessing it's all pretty much dessert like in old western films and the like?
I'm currently thinking over a farm hand character and trying to figure out how they would fit into all this; leaning towards them being really good with the animals and general care of them on the farm being the reason they got a letter, and that reward money being a very good incentive.
Yeah I'm going pretty typical western setting. Maybe some grassier plains areas nearby for the farmers, but it fades into desert as well.
I've been considering going for a Warforged who has grown to regret his original purpose and is quite hesitant to do any acts of violence. While he still could, by design.
An alternative idea is a Tiefling who is just totally fed up with the general view of his kind and, while holding a lot of internal anger he might release towards those too provocative, tries to prove that not all of his kind are what they say. A bit of a comedy aspect about him could be that he's also sort of a bodybuilding individual, so... huge.
Please tell me if any of those two ideas actually make any sense :)
I've been considering going for a Warforged who has grown to regret his original purpose and is quite hesitant to do any acts of violence. While he still could, by design.
An alternative idea is a Tiefling who is just totally fed up with the general view of his kind and, while holding a lot of internal anger he might release towards those too provocative, tries to prove that not all of his kind are what they say. A bit of a comedy aspect about him could be that he's also sort of a bodybuilding individual, so... huge.
Please tell me if any of those two ideas actually make any sense :)
Another player is already going for a tiefling, so maybe not that one. We don't want to double up on concepts lol
I don't mind the Warforged idea but I'm curious what his motivation would be to accept the invitation?
I really love the questionaire part. Its a joy to fill it in as a character :D
My general idea is a Tabaxi alchemist who has a bad case of ADHD and loves to blow stuff up. He does not have any magical abilities but extensive knowledge of the various chemical elements and he can combine them to create potions, bombs and other chemical agents. His potions sometimes have weird, rather harmless but intentional side effects.
I really love the questionaire part. Its a joy to fill it in as a character :D
My general idea is a Tabaxi alchemist who has a bad case of ADHD and loves to blow stuff up. He does not have any magical abilities but extensive knowledge of the various chemical elements and he can combine them to create potions, bombs and other chemical agents. His potions sometimes have weird, rather harmless but intentional side effects.
Our characters will either be best of friends or at each others throats a d there will be no in between
I really love the questionaire part. Its a joy to fill it in as a character :D
My general idea is a Tabaxi alchemist who has a bad case of ADHD and loves to blow stuff up. He does not have any magical abilities but extensive knowledge of the various chemical elements and he can combine them to create potions, bombs and other chemical agents. His potions sometimes have weird, rather harmless but intentional side effects.
As long as @Arty Fox doesn't mind sharing tabaxi, that sounds like fun to me! He could possibly create potions and whatnot to keep the creatures more docile, since hippogriffs are rather violent in nature
Good morning all! I'm looking forward to seeing what all of you guys come up with for your chambers. Ideally I would like to have everyone's characters by Thursday or Friday night.
And just as a note, I am still accepting new people into the rp, so if you've been checking it out but haven't jumped in then please feel free!
@Arty Fox and I are working on Tabaxi siblings. Communication through pm is a bit slow but i think thursday or friday is plent of time to finish our characters