... to Bellum, a planet that is as magical as it is technologically advanced. There are many civilizations on this planet, and many different races that call this rock their own. The three main races you will find here are the humans, the beast-folk, and the elves. However, within each race, there are countless factions and sub-races. The possibilities are quite endless...
On the surface, this sprawling metropolis can only be described as paradise. The streets are literally paved with gold, a golden alloy to be more precise. Robots happily do all the manual labor, while the citizens of this city are either scholars or business executives. When they are not studying or working, they fill their time with shopping, amusement parks, extravagant restaurants, and much more. Citizens enjoy the amusement parks and other activities for free, and shop prices are well within their abundant salaries. Most visitors, on the other hand, will have trouble affording to stay here more than a night or two.
“Work hard. Play Hard.” That is the motto of Riotifu City. Here you will find glowing signs of all kinds around every corner. The largest buildings in the city are either headquarters for Riotifu business tycoons or casinos and hotels. Robots do all the dirty work here, while the citizens are either “gladiators” or “hackers”. “Gladiators” are competitive gamers, living most of their lives in the VR world. “Hackers” work behind the codes, maintaining the network and/or hacking into the network, for whichever company employs them. Visitors are always overwhelmed with all the city offers, and through countless microtransactions, they tend to walk away with very little left in their pockets.
The feel of this city exists somewhere between Sutisu City and Riotifu City. It is clean and polished, without being overly extravagant. It is tech savvy and filled with excitement, without being obscene. Robots, Loyal Tail beastfolk, and human volunteers all work together to keep the shops and sites running. People here walk the streets with an air of confidence, because regardless of what they do for a living, they are all part owners of all the businesses headquartered here. Most visitors of Mutrenu City have an amazing experience. However, visitors are only allowed to stay for limited spans of time, and becoming a citizen is a lengthy process.
This is the Sutisu continent’s primary city for trade with the Mutrenu Continent. While not as lavish as Sutisu City, Mercom is filled with just as many luxuries. Its buildings are decorated with gold, ruby, and diamond, as well as other precious minerals. Visiting this city is a more affordable alternative to its Sutisu City counterpart; although, it’s still not cheap.
This city houses the continent’s military headquarters and its manufacturing hub. Of course, the majority of its manufacturing goes to support its military force. The architecture of this city is imposing, yet sleek. The buildings, while not ornately decorated with jewels, are still impressive, with gold, platinum, and silver plating. Visitation to this city is strict, but most don’t even try. There isn’t a lot to offer, as far as tourism goes.
This dark city, located in the swamp lands, is home to many foul souls. There is no crime here, only because there are no laws to break. It is survival of the fittest, and it is where the vast majority of the Riotifu army is recruited from. Lusap City welcomes visitors, just as a spider welcomes flies into its web.
This is the Riotifu continent’s trading hub with the Mutrenu Continent. Out of all Riotifu cities, it is the most conservative. The police force here is strong, and violence in the streets is not allowed. Behind the scenes however, the corruption in Tempum is as bad as anywhere else. Bribery, con-artistry, and every other act of subterfuge are all fair play. Visitors are treated with respect here, at least to their face.
This is the Mutrenu Continent’s major trade city, where buyers and sellers from Sutisu and Riotifu are both welcome, along with beastfolk and elves. It is also a tourist hotspot for all around the world looking for a good time, in an all inclusive environment. This is also where peaceful negotiations are held between Sutisu and Riotifu, as well as any other warring faction.
Sutisu Continent
This city is Sutisu’s center for religion and history. Besides some formal event spaces and fine dining establishments, there isn’t much here for the common visitor.
Even the most law abiding, religious citizen needs to unwind. Lexif is the place for just that, good clean fun: amusement parks, restaurants, and so much more.
Millav City is Sutisu’s agricultural heart. The city is designed to grow crops, and hi-tech farmlands surround it. If you live here, you eat for free. Even if you don’t, the food is cheap.
Nestled between Sutisu’s three largest cities, Portira City is the perfect transportation and distribution center. It also has beautiful beaches and a great night life.
This is less of a city and more of a military outpost. Its main function is to prevent the Great War’s battlefield from spreading any further west, closer to the capital.
Riotifu Continent
This is the city of outcasts. Here, you will find just as many beastfolk as humans, if not more. Despite Eitecio’s dark, swampy aesthetic, most of its locals have a kind hearted nature.
Roabria is controlled by one corporation, a weapons manufacturing company. Whoever the CEO of the company is at the time also makes the laws for the city.
Every aspect of this city is built to capture energy. The buildings themselves are giant solar panels, and an advanced hydroelectric dam sits on the south side.
Out of all Riotifu cities, this one is the most “normal”. Crime is well under control and visitors can feel relatively safe. This is primarily a transit city between the larger cities.
This mining and logging city used to be Riotifu’s primary energy producer. It now plays second fiddle to its neighbor to the west. Life here is relaxed and relatively care free.
Mutrenu Continent
This self-sustaining city is the main trade city between elven society and the Mutrenu nation. In fact, a small portion of the Tiparum population is made of immigrant elves.
As evident by its flowing architecture, Stallo City is the main trade city between Sutisu and Mutrenu. It is also a popular vacation spot for the Sutisu people.
Lothiga City is the main trade for Riotifu. Life here is wild and fun, as the Riotifu people enjoy, while being a much safer environment than any city in their home nation.
Quilaque City begins on the mainland, but most of it extends out into the sea. It is a trade city built just for the Hundred Gills Tribe, Mutrenu’s closest ally.
Beastfolk Strongholds
Built to last, this mountain side stronghold digs far into the mountains. There are more hidden cave entrances that only Burning Heart tribe members know about.
Deep within the swamps, you will find the Poison Fang stronghold. It is made from scrapped technology and is constantly being torn down and rebuilt.
High atop the mountains rests the Soaring Wing Tribe’s stronghold. Tribe members are always coming and going. Very few actually stay here year around.
This is only a stronghold in name. Truly, it is a city, just for the Loyal Tails tribe. The Mutrenu nation readily provides the stronghold protection and technology.
Larger than any human city, the Hundred Gills Stronghold sits at the bottom of the ocean. Through scavenging and trading with the Mutrenu nation, it continues to grow.
Ironically, the Giant Foot Stronghold is quite small, mainly because tribe members don’t actually live here. It is simply a meeting point and a place for guests to sleep.
Time...
Time passes on Bellum, at a parallel pace to that of our planet Earth. For instance, the Northern and Southern hemispheres experience the same four seasons, and there are exactly 24 time zones. The map above has 15 columns (i.e. time zones), but there are actually 9 more not shown. These hidden columns contain a vast ocean and a few scattered islands, much like the Pacific Ocean.
So how does this all relate to the RP? Well, don't worry. We won't ask you to keep track of the exact day and time within your posts. Instead, we'll only mark the time of year and time of day, at the start of important IC posts.
Story Arcs...
As a new player/writer in this world, you will have one of two options. You can either create your own story arc, or join an ongoing adventure...
A story arc is but one of many stories being told in the world of Bellum. Each story arc is lead by a different player/writer, while I (as GM) work to fill the world with NPCs and backstory.
A story arc is made up of three elements. First, at the heart of any story, you have the characters. A new arc generally has only one main character and side characters controlled by myself and the player who started the story arc. Second, we have the plot. Of course, plot twists and improvisation can happen at any time, but it helps to lay out the plot of your story from the beginning, at least vague goals and milestones. Third, we have the setting(s). Like on a ship about to set sail, most passengers (in this case, writers) want to know where the story will take them. What locations on the map might they see if they join? But of course, just like the plot, there can be twists and turns along the way.
At the top of the first IC post, you will find a list of "ongoing story arcs". Below that, you will find "finished story arcs". If you wish to join an "ongoing story arc" contact the story arc's leader. If you wish to start a new story arc, post your ideas here in the OOC section.
Backstory...
Bellum is alive and thriving, even when you're away from your computer. We welcomed you with a teaser of what's in store, but now that you've come this far, let's unravel the tale.
There are three "main" civilizations on Bellum, depending on who you ask. These would be the Sutisu nation, the Riotifu nation, and the Mutrenu. Each nation controls most of the area on their respective continents.
However, the Sutisu and Riotifu continents are joined by a stretch of forested valley, known simply as The Bloody Divide. It is called this, because it is the main battle grounds for a generations long war known as the Great War. These two great nations hate each other's way of life, and they both want control of the river that runs through the Bloody Divide.
In the Southern Hemisphere, the Mutrenu nation sits peacefully, far away from The Great War's reach. Even still, they are far from blameless. You see, it is a poorly kept secret that not only do they trade with both warring nations, they also deal in weapons and military grade technology. Basically, the Mutrenu nation will do whatever it takes to make money.
As we mentioned in the beginning, there are three major races on Bellum: humans, beastfolk, and elves. Then, each race can be further divided into factions and sub-races. Let’s dive into this a little further…
The three great nations are primarily controlled by the "humans". Physically and magically, humans are not the strongest race by any means, but through great training and studying, they can harness magical forces and push their physical limitations. However, their true strength lies in their easy access to advanced technologies, such as weapons, vehicles, and more.
Then you have the beastfolk, a broad term for animalistic humanoids that have evolved far beyond their human counterparts. Beastfolk have the ability to morph between two forms, their "human" form and their "beast" form. While in their "human" form, they appear almost human, with subtle hints of their beastly nature. The reverse is true for their "beast" form. While in “beast” form, the average beastfolk is much stronger than almost any human. While in “human” form, they are weakened, but are still stronger than the average human. In either form, their magical abilities remain formidable. Beastfolk come in many different varieties, but there are six main kinds.
While some beastfolk live with the humans in the cities of the three major continents, most beastfolk live with others of their kind, in tribes. There are six of these tribes, hence the six types of beastfolk, and each tribe has their own stronghold (i.e. their own beastly city).
First, primarily living in the mountains of Sutisu and Riotifu, we have the Burning Heart Tribe. These beastfolk evolved from carnivorous and omnivorous mammals. Like their ancestors, they roam the mountains and forests in search of their next meal. The Burning Heart Tribe’s stronghold is located deep within the mountains (G3).
Second, we have the Poison Fang Tribe. This tribe is made up of reptilian creatures of all kinds: snakes, lizards, crocodiles, and so on. They live within the southern reaches of the Sutisu and Riotifu continents, primarily within the swamplands. Cunning and deception are the Poison Fang way. You can find their stronghold in the swamplands directly between the two great warring nations (H4).
Third, with their stronghold located in the Forbidden Isles (F7), there is the Soaring Wing Tribe. These beastfolk evolved from birds of prey: falcons, eagles, and so on. While their stronghold is located on an island, you should never be surprised to see one of these beastfolk anywhere else. These proud people believe that everything under the sky (i.e. the entire planet) is their domain.
Fourth, living primarily on the Mutrenu Continent, we have the Loyal Tails Tribe. Evolved from domesticated mammals that were once kept as pets (i.e. cats, dogs, and so forth), these peaceful souls still live alongside their former masters. Most of them live among and work with the humans within their cities, but they too have a stronghold to call home (E9).
Fifth, we have the Hundred Gills Tribe. The name may be misleading, because not all beastfolk from this tribe have gills. Some have evolved from mammals such as dolphins or birds such as penguins. In all cases however, their ancestors lived almost exclusively underwater. This tribe is savvy, scavenging the wastes of the three great nations. Doing so, they have built an undersea empire, with their main stronghold (J9) being only one of their many hidden cities.
Last but not least, you will find the Giant Foot Tribe. These beastfolk have evolved from many varieties of herbivore and omnivore mammals, such as Rhinoceroses, Giraffes, Cows, and other wild/farm animals. Most beastfolk from this tribe prefer solitude; refusing to step outside of the Numgam Continent. Some have never even left their stronghold (L10).
The last major race, the elves are a mysterious lot for sure. Most appear almost human, aside from their pointy ears, which they often hide with a simple magic spell. As you would expect, elves have a much higher aptitude for magic than humans, but physically, the two races are on par with one another. There are nine different elven villages hidden throughout the world, each specializing in a certain domain of nature magic. Their hair color and skin complexions are influenced by their nature magic specialty, but they often hide these features as well.
1) The Treetop Village, located in the western Sutisu forests, is home to the Thicket Elves. They specialize in plant magic and speaking with forest animals (non-beastfolk) Thicket Elves have green hair and tan skin.
2) The Cliffside Village, located in the northeast Sutisu mountains, is home to the Cliff Elves. They specialize in storm magic: manipulating winds, controlling lighting, and summoning rain. Cliff Elves have dark gray to light gray hair and fair complexions.
3) The Swampland Village, located in the southwest Riotifu wetlands, is home to the Swamp Elves. They specialize in water and earth manipulation magic as well as poisons. Swamp Elves have green tinted skin and darker green hair.
4) The City Site Village, located in one of the Riotifu cities, is home to the City Elves. They specialize in illusion magic, which helps them blend in with the humans. City Elves tend to have black hair and any shade of natural “human” skin tones.
5) The Raging Waters Village, located somewhere in the Forbidden Isles, is home to the Waterfall Elves. They specialize in water and wind magic. They often behave like pirates, raiding ships in the Forbidden Isles. Waterfall Elves have blue hair and blue tinted skin.
6) The Floating Island Village, located somewhere in the Festival Isles, is home to the Island Elves. They specialize in water and plant magic. They use their magic to create a fruitful, beautiful environment for visitors to the Festival Isles. Island Elves have blue to green hair and normal “human” complexions.
7) The Deep Cave Village, located inside the cave systems of the western Mutrenu mountains, is home to the Cave Elves. They specialize in earth, rock, and shadow magic. Cave elves have pale skin and even whiter hair.
8) The Lost Desert Village, located in the southwest Mutrenu desserts, is home to the Sun Elves. They specialize in earth, sand, and pure sun/star magic. Sun Elves have dark brown skin and brown, orange, or blonde hair.
9) The Volcanic Village, located somewhere around or inside the Numgam volcano, is home to the Volcano Elves. They specialize in fire, water, and earth magic, but with a heavy emphasis on fire. Volcano Elves have fiery red to orange hair with normal “human” skin tones.
The Crystals…
… are ancient artifacts that have been passed from hand to hand for as long as history serves. Very rarely does one person ever get the chance to hold more than one, but when that does happen they tend to go insane with power or worse, explode. For this reason, it is forbidden for one person to ever control more than one crystal at a time.
Each crystal has its own identifying color: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, and Violet. They all have the capacity to power a small city on their own or increase the powers of a warrior by ten fold and give them limitless stamina. They are alike in that way. However, they are different in a more subtle way.
The Yellow Crystal: Currently under Sutisu control, this crystal taps into its user's sense of righteousness and order. This also can lead to the fear of chaos.
The Violet Crystal: Currently under Riotifu control, this crystal taps into its user's deepest emotions toward those closest to them, both love and hate.
The Red Crystal: Currently held by the Burning Heart Tribe, this crystal taps into its user's passion, especially towards family and close friends, which breads both excitement and anger.
The Green Crystal: Currently held by the Soaring Wing Tribe, this crystal taps into its user's pride, which can lead to greatness or envy.
The Blue Crystal: Whereabouts unknown, this crystal taps into its user's introspective nature. It is attracted to those with great self confidence as well as those who are overly self critical.
The Orange Crystal: Whereabouts unknown, this crystal taps into its user's friendliness. Its users are typically happy and inviting, yet sometimes foolish and gullible.
Each crystal has a mind of its own and seeks out those that fit its emotional spectrum. The longer you are near a crystal, the longer it feeds off your psychic energy, driving you further into its preferred mental state.
Becoming a Crystal Bearer: If you want to be one of the six crystal bearers, and the crystal you want currently has no owner, all you have to do is ask. Being a crystal bearer, amplifies your character's abilities by a factor of 10.
Whispers and Secrets
I will occasionally send you a PM and I will title it “IC: …..”. These secret posts will give one of your characters secret information. Crystal bearers may get these in the form of their crystal talking to them, but anyone can receive a secret PM at any time. If you receive one of these messages, please don’t share it with anyone else, at least not through an OOC exchange. However, if two characters are interacting, you can PM the other person and fill them in.
Finally, if a secret is shared within the IC post, and your character wasn't a part of that conversation, please ignore the shared information. In the same vein, if you have multiple characters and I tell you a secret that applies to only one of them, please act as if your other characters do not know this secret (unless those characters could logically and easily share that information).
I won’t police how everyone handles world secrets, but it will make the RP more interesting for everyone if you play along.
Money
They say it makes the world go round. This is true for the real world, and it is true for this RP. Exactly how much it matters to your character, well that depends on the individual.
We won't actually be tracking every coin you spend. In other words, the "coins" section of your character sheet (found within your inventory), won't go up or down every time you buy something. Instead, we will be using that number to decide if your character could reasonabaly make larger purchases. For example, if you have "Coins: 1,000" and your character wants to buy a 10,000 coin motorcycle, I'd have to say no.
When thinking about the value of a Coin, it might be easier to compare it to the US dollar, in the real world. If you were to do that, you would get about 10 USD to 1 Coin. This means, most small items would only cost you a coin or two. Around ten coins could buy you a low end luxury item or a moderately expensive ticket of some kind. A hundred coins, now we're talking about custom items and lavish expenditures. And so on...
Now, Bellum, while not perfect by any stretch of the means, is still a future society, where robots (for the most part) do the manual labor. Due to this, not everyone is required to work. In fact, more than half the world's population are "unemployed". Their basic needs, as well as the basic needs of everyone else, are covered by social services. There is free "housing", free "food", free "clothing" and free "healthcare".
You can find these free services in any building marked with the "CSC" logo (Civil Services Center). These buildings are one stop shops for all your essential needs. They are found in every city and town in the world, and they are funded and supplied by the Mutrenu government.
However, just because they all receive the same base support from Mutrenu, they are still managed by their local city government. Some cities supplement their "CSC" buildings, making the services they offer even better than normal. Some cipher off funds and provide as little as needed, just enough not to get in trouble with the Mutrenu government.
Cool, will get a character sheet up soonish. Oh, but first, did you want us to start in a particular city or is anywhere fine? I'll be putting my character in a place where humans are regardless.
Cool, will get a character sheet up soonish. Oh, but first, did you want us to start in a particular city or is anywhere fine? I'll be putting my character in a place where humans are regardless.
Anywhere will be fine, but don't commit to a location yet. I'll be adding more info to the OOC first post tomorrow, info that will help you decide better.
When you click on the world map now you will find descriptions of all the world's largest cities, as well as some of the smaller ones. I will have all the smaller cities included, by the end of the day today.
However, everyone should continue to refrain from choosing a starting location as of yet. Just focus on your character sheets for now, if you have any world questions that would effect their biography though, let me know.
When you click the "World Map" hider, you will now find another hider called "Map Key". Click on that, and you will find all the cities and strongholds marked on the map. I'll do elf villages one at a time, as I have someone who wants to make a character from one of them. Who are my elf players again? Let me know if that's you.
Tomorrow, right at midnight (Eastern Time), I will post the first IC post. Anyone with an approved character at that time, can go ahead and start posting. And here is the synopsis of the story:
We will begin on a day called Armistice's Eve, the day before the world wide holiday, Armistice Day. As the name suggests, Armistice Day is a ceasefire day between the two warring nations in the Great War. Armistice's Eve is also called the day of retreat, where fighting is supposed to start grinding to a halt. Cities all over the world will be preparing their feasts and festivities. Some will have already gotten an early start.
Wherever you wish to start your character is completely up to you, but I'd suggest finding at least one other partner willing to start at the same location. This way you have someone besides me and my NPCs to interact with. That being said, if you want to lone wolf it, I'm perfectly happy to provide you with NPCs to interact with.
Alright, here's what I got so far. Have a look and tell me what you think.
Name: Mougin Bighorn Aliases: None
Race: Beastfolk - Highland Cow Age: 17 Gender: Male
Appearance: Mougin is huge, as all giant foot tribesmen tend to be, though not as large as some species, and somewhat small even when compared to members of his own tribe. The bighorn tribe were originally a cattle species from the highlands, sporting sturdy builds and thick, fluffy fur to block out the wind. Mougin's coat of golden brown fur is particularly fluffy, and his eyes are large and brown. Besides his height, there is little that differentiates him from his brethren, though he usually wears clothes, whereas they do not. When he takes human form he turns into a surprisingly small (rather average for humans, but not any less surprising) and youthful form, though his voice is still very deep.
Crystal: N/A
Current Location: K7, Riotifu port town. Current Status: Active. Travelling, discovering more about human society.
Personality: Mougin is quiet, often going days without saying a single word or noise. When he does, he usually does so in simple sentences, partially because he likes being efficient, and partially because his grasp of human language is still fairly loose. He thinks a lot and prefers to be cautious, carefully planning his actions before moving. Unfortunately, this means he can take a long time to come to a decision. He is rather intelligent for his species but is prone to misunderstandings due to a lack of experience. As a result, his common sense often leaves much to be desired. Finally, Mougin doesn't get angry very often, but he can be quite stubborn at times.
The Giant Foot tribe are often thought to be gentle giants, unworryingly living their lives away from outside influences. And, well, that's mostly true. The Numgam continent is a blessed land in many respects, and there is a rich variety of tribes occupying the continent's every environment. In the center of the continent lies The Mountain (that was what the tribes called it, because it was the only mountain they knew), an immense rock that towers over the forest beneath it. A somewhat barren environment, it is nonetheless occupied by several different tribes, most notably the Bighorn tribe. As descendents of highland cattle, they were well suited to the barren, rocky environment and took quite well to it, though not as well as the nearby mountain goat tribe. Nevertheless, they settled, ate, and prospered. and eventually, Mougin was born.
At a young age Mougin had already explored the whole mountain range, and was promptly bored. Despite looking like just another Giant Foot beastman, he had been born with what most wouldn't have for their entire lives - a burning curiosity. Unfortunately for young Mougin, there was nothing around to sate his curiosity. Rocks, trees, birds, and little else. With nowhere to turn to, he retreated into his mind. After thinking, and thinking, and thinking some more, he became a strange person to his tribesmen. Day in and day out he sat on the mountain and stared into the horizon as he thought. At that time, a traveller appeared on The Mountain. He introduced himself as a philosopher and stayed with the Bighorn tribe for a time. Most of the tribe didn't want anything to do with him, but Mougin stuck to his side like glue. They interacted with each other for most of the traveller's stay, and when he finally left, Mougin also left. He had decided to journey to the lands of the humans, where he believed that he would be able to finally satisfy his curiosity. Most of his tribesmen had never so much as stepped off the mountain, but his steps were light. There was a world of possibility out there, just waiting to be explored.
Key Items:
Traveler's satchel
Strength
Stamina
Observation
Strength of the Earth: Draws power from the ground beneath. The stronger the substance below the user, the greater the conferred strength, although metal floors will not allow their strength to be drawn. The user must be touching the floor to be able to use this ability.
Breath of the Wind: Listen to the voices carried by the wind. In places where air flows, this skill allows the user to listen to faraway speech as if it was nearby. Poor airflow will make it difficult to hear.
Heart of Fire: Draws out the heat of the heart to warm the user. Useful for keeping warm in cold nights, and to make the user sweat into unconsciousness in summer. If, for some reason, they need to do so.
Coins: 20
Large pants Beastman sized pants. Pants are essential in human society, after all.
Normal clothes Normal sized human clothes, for the rare occassions when Mougin takes a human form.
Not sure what kind of power level we're working with in terms of magic, but I tried to err on the weaker side since I'll probably be more of a physical guy.
Alright, here's what I got so far. Have a look and tell me what you think.
Name: Mougin Bighorn Aliases: None
Race: Beastfolk - Giant Foot tribe Age: Late Teens (Highland Cow) Gender: Male
Appearance: Mougin is huge, as all giant foot tribesmen tend to be, though not as large as some species, and somewhat small even when compared to members of his own tribe. The bighorn tribe were originally a cattle species from the highlands, sporting sturdy builds and thick, fluffy fur to block out the wind. Mougin's coat of golden brown fur is particularly fluffy, and his eyes are large and brown. Besides his height, there is little that differentiates him from his brethren, though he usually wears clothes, whereas they do not. When he takes human form he turns into a surprisingly small (rather average for humans, but not any less surprising) and youthful form, though his voice is still very deep.
Crystal: N/A
Current Location: K7, Riotifu port town. Current Status: Active. Travelling, discovering more about human society.
Faction: None Occupation: None
Personality: Mougin is quiet, often going days without saying a single word or noise. When he does, he usually does so in simple sentences, partially because he likes being efficient, and partially because his grasp of human language is still fairly loose. He thinks a lot and prefers to be cautious, carefully planning his actions before moving. Unfortunately, this means he can take a long time to come to a decision. He is rather intelligent for his species but is prone to misunderstandings due to a lack of experience. As a result, his common sense often leaves much to be desired. Finally, Mougin doesn't get angry very often, but he can be quite stubborn at times.
The Giant Foot tribe are often thought to be gentle giants, unworryingly living their lives away from outside influences. And, well, that's mostly true. The Numgam continent is a blessed land in many respects, and there is a rich variety of tribes occupying the continent's every environment. In the center of the continent lies The Mountain (that was what the tribes called it, because it was the only mountain they knew), an immense rock that towers over the forest beneath it. A somewhat barren environment, it is nonetheless occupied by several different tribes, most notably the Bighorn tribe. As descendents of highland cattle, they were well suited to the barren, rocky environment and took quite well to it, though not as well as the nearby mountain goat tribe. Nevertheless, they settled, ate, and prospered. and eventually, Mougin was born.
At a young age Mougin had already explored the whole mountain range, and was promptly bored. Despite looking like just another Giant Foot beastman, he had been born with what most wouldn't have for their entire lives - a burning curiosity. Unfortunately for young Mougin, there was nothing around to sate his curiosity. Rocks, trees, birds, and little else. With nowhere to turn to, he retreated into his mind. After thinking, and thinking, and thinking some more, he became a strange person to his tribesmen. Day in and day out he sat on the mountain and stared into the horizon as he thought. At that time, a traveller appeared on The Mountain. He introduced himself as a philosopher and stayed with the Bighorn tribe for a time. Most of the tribe didn't want anything to do with him, but Mougin stuck to his side like glue. They interacted with each other for most of the traveller's stay, and when he finally left, Mougin also left. He had decided to journey to the lands of the humans, where he believed that he would be able to finally satisfy his curiosity. Most of his tribesmen had never so much as stepped off the mountain, but his steps were light. There was a world of possibility out there, just waiting to be explored.
Key Items:
None?
Strength
Stamina
Observation
Strength of the Earth: Draws power from the ground beneath. The stronger the substance below the user, the greater the conferred strength, although metal floors will not allow their strength to be drawn. The user must be touching the floor to be able to use this ability.
Breath of the Wind: Listen to the voices carried by the wind. In places where air flows, this skill allows the user to listen to faraway speech as if it was nearby. Poor airflow will make it difficult to hear.
Heart of Fire: Draws out the heat of the heart to warm the user. Useful for keeping warm in cold nights, and to make the user sweat into unconsciousness in summer. If, for some reason, they need to do so.
Coins: ?
Large pants Beastman sized pants. Pants are essential in human society, after all.
Normal clothes Normal sized human clothes, for the rare occassions when Mougin takes a human form.
Not sure what kind of power level we're working with in terms of magic, but I tried to err on the weaker side since I'll probably be more of a physical guy.
I like your character a lot, and your writing is easy to read.
There are only a few things that need tweaked. His race would be "Beastfolk: Highland Cow", and his faction would be "Giant Foot Tribe: Bighorn".
I'm going to say his species, on average, lives to be about 125 years old. This explains why he would look young in human form despite being in his late teens. That being said, can you simply put his age down as a number? (E.g. "17")
Also you didn't put any Key Items, which you don't need. However, I could imagine that traveler could have given him a weapon, staff, amulet, or something else if you would like, and it can be a magic item of some sort. I leave that up to you.
Finally, how long would you say it's been since he left Numgam? This will help me with deciding his starting coins.
I like your character a lot, and your writing is easy to read.
There are only a few things that need tweaked. His race would be "Beastfolk: Highland Cow", and his faction would be "Giant Foot Tribe: Bighorn".
I'm going to say his species, on average, lives to be about 125 years old. This explains why he would look young in human form despite being in his late teens. That being said, can you simply put his age down as a number? (E.g. "17")
Also you didn't put any Key Items, which you don't need. However, I could imagine that traveler could have given him a weapon, staff, amulet, or something else if you would like, and it can be a magic item of some sort. I leave that up to you.
Finally, how long would you say it's been since he left Numgam? This will help me with deciding his starting coins.
He's basically fresh off the boat right now, no money to speak of (probably).
He's basically fresh off the boat right now, no money to speak of (probably).
Yeah, you can make his money 0 for now.
How about I make an NPC character sheet for this guy and say we came over on the boat together? If that sounds good to you, describe this guy to me in a little more detail, specifically in regards to his occupation. How did he afford the boat ride, or was it his boat y'all rode on? I'll handle the rest, assuming you want to go this route.
Appearance: In her humanoid form, Zara is a reptile beast-folk with pitch onyx scales that shimmer in the light. These scales start from the top of her hands and extend up all the way to her shoulders, chest, back, and shoulder-blades, seamlessly transitioning into a slender, dark-skinned, toned and athletic torso that stands at a respectable 5'6". As for her legs, her scales start from somewhere in the middle of her calves, extending all the way to her pelvis. On her face she has bright, snake-like citrine eyes that sparkle with a degree of intelligence and curiosity not necessarily found in her fellow reptile brethren, who are known for their more cunning ways. Zara has long, black hair that she keeps braided and tied back with a leather cord.
In terms of wardrobe, Zara favors practical, comfortable clothing that allows her to move freely. She typically wears a black leather jacket and jeans, along with a pair of sturdy boots. She carries a dagger/knife blade sheathed and clipped onto her belt, and has a small satchel filled with useful items like a map, a compass, and some basic medical supplies. She also wears a number of small charms and trinkets around her neck, each one representing a different adventure or accomplishment. Overall, Zara's wardrobe reflects her adventurous and independent spirit.
In her beast form, Zara's body becomes long and slender, taking on the appearance of a black mamba snake. Her pitch onyx scales become even darker and more iridescent, allowing her to blend into her surroundings and avoid detection. Her citrine eyes remain bright and piercing, giving her excellent vision and allowing her to spot potential prey or threats from a distance.
In this form, Zara's black hair sheds off, leaving her with a smooth, glossy snakeskin under her scales. She also regains her long, prehensile forked tongue that she can use to taste the air and detect the presence of potential prey or threats. Her head becomes elongated and pointed, with sharp fangs that can inject highly potent and lethal venom into her prey.
Key Items:
Her dagger, which is a relic of her time in the fighting pits. It was given to her as a reward for exceptional performance. It is made of a peculiarly strong and hard metal, keeping its sharpness despite the wear and tear of time.
TBA
Crystal: N/A
Current Location: D9 Stallo City. Currently getting ready to leave with the merchant family for Sutisu. Current Status: Active.
Race: Beastfolk: Black Mamba Allegiance(s):
Primary: Rakssarak
Secondary: Poison Fang Tribe
Tertiary: Her 'employer'.
Age: She looks like a 25 year old female in her human form. Gender: Female Occupation: Bodyguard Personality:
Zara is a curious and adventurous reptile beast-folk, who is always eager to explore new places and experience new things. She is intelligent and resourceful, with a quick mind and a strong sense of self-reliance. She is also confident and self-assured, with a strong sense of independence and a willingness to take risks.
However, this readiness to take risks can also backfire, making her reckless, impulsive, and at times prone to act on instinct and intuition rather than careful planning and consideration. This can lead her to make rash decisions or take unnecessary risks, which can sometimes backfire and put her in danger. She can also be stubborn and headstrong, refusing to back down or change her mind even when faced with evidence to the contrary. This can make her difficult to reason with or persuade, and can lead to conflicts with others.
Furthermore, unlike many of her fellow reptile beast-folk, Zara is not fond of the constant state of war and conflict that plagues her homeland. She believes that there are better ways to solve disputes and achieve goals, and is often at odds with those who favor cunning, backstabbing and generally stealthy tactics. As a result, she is often distanced from her more traditional brethren, who view her as a traitor or a weakling. Despite this, Zara remains fiercely loyal to her people and her heritage, and takes pride in her reptile ancestry.
Biography:
Zara was born and raised in the remote, wild, swampy lands of Rakssarak (pronounced rahk-sah-rahk in the native tongue of the Poison Fang Tribe, Ssarik (pronounced sah-rik)). Meaning "the land of the serpent", the native name of Zara's homeland is indicative of the fact that 98% of the population living there consists of reptiles and reptilian beast-folk. The name is often used as a term of pride and respect by the inhabitants of Rakssarak, who view their homeland as a sacred and protected place. It is also used as a rallying cry or a battle cry by those who would defend Rakssarak from outside threats – those few, rare times, of course, that the reptile beast-folk would put aside their differences, coming together to fend off outside threats.
From early age, Zara was known for her intelligence and her curiosity, always eager to explore the world around her and to learn new things. She also possessed a strong sense of independence and self-reliance (an instinct drawn from her reptilian heritage), and was not afraid to venture out on her own or to take risks. As she grew older, Zara became increasingly aware of the war and conflict that plagued her people. The Bloody Divide, as it is more widely known amongst the humans that make it their battlefield, had not been an easy place to grow up in.
She saw firsthand the destruction and the suffering caused by the ongoing battles between the different factions of her kind, and she began to question the wisdom of this constant state of war. She also became aware of the outside forces, namely Sutisu and Riotifu, that were, no doubt, manipulating and exploiting her people, and using them as proxy soldiers in their ongoing generational conflict. This constant aggression from two fronts quickly wore her down both mentally and physically, and by the time she entered her late teens, she'd had enough. Had it not been for one fateful event, she would have left her homeland on her own at some point.
Zara had been out, trekking the deep marshes of her homeland in a bid to train her body. Just as she was taking a break from exercise, her eyes caught smoke rising up high above the forest canopy. Having practically made those swamps her turf, she'd instantly known that the direction the smoke was coming from had been where her village had been located at. This sent her mind racing, and she'd instantly bolted for her home, only to find one thing upon arrival: chaos.
Homes burning, voices crying for help, and the pained moans of the injured had pierced her eyes, ears and heart, all in in equal measure. Her village had been under surprise attack from a much larger force vying for territory, which spelt certain doom for her and the rest of the villagers. Conquest usually means that everything would be razed, and everyone would be either killed or captured for labor. Usually, the logical thing to do when one is faced with such a predicament is to flee. Unfortunately for Zara, she had not - and still isn't - that much of a forward thinker. Ergo, she had dived straight into the fight.
Now a question: what happens when a hormonal teenager, barely past adulthood, that is determined to defend their home, stands up to a flood of raving invaders looking to conquer them? If your answer was a mountain of corpses right in the middle of the town square, then you would be correct. By the time Zara collapsed from exhaustion and summarily captured, she had killed more than 50 grown-ass lizard-men. The commander of the army, impressed by her performance, decided to spare her life in favor of selling her off as a combat slave.
For most of the following four days, she had been pumped full of tranquilizing venom - more than enough to exceed whatever level of resistance her species provided her with - and shipped off inside a crate to the Mutrenu Continent, eventually finding herself inside one of the most well known underground fighting arenas. Zara fought as a gladiatrix for the better part of four years, beating opponent after opponent under the promise that, were she to accrue enough wins, she would be eventually freed.
Her actual freedom, however, came about not when she'd fulfilled this number. On the contrary, it had only come when said underground arena was raided by the Mutrenan authorities. The ringleaders were arrested, and all the, then, active group of fighters - constantly vying for dominance within their own little, isolated world - suddenly found themselves with no money, no purpose, and no connections, dumped into a society that had replaced human labor with robot labor.
It took some time for Zara to adjust to this new life, however a person of her skill-set would never go unnoticed for long, wherever in the world she might find herself in. A protection gig fell right into her alley when a rich, yet insufferable, Mutrenan merchant hired her as his family's bodyguard during their little winter vacation trip to the northern hemisphere.
Name: Ssarik (pronounced sah-rik) Description:
It is a serpentine language, with a hissing, sibilant sound to it. It uses a complex system of clicks and tongue-flicking to convey different meanings and nuances in its spoken form, while it is written using a series of intricate, flowing symbols. Spoken Ssarik sounds different depending on whether the person speaking it is in their humanoid or beast form. In the beast form, it sounds more or less like how it was described above, however the physical differences between the two forms affect the way the language is produced.
This means that humanoid reptilians speaking their native language end up sounding quite different to non-native speakers. The clicks and tongue-flicks that are a crucial part of the Ssarik language are difficult or impossible to produce in human form, as the mouth and tongue are not as flexible or as agile as in beast form. As a result, the spoken language sounds more muted and less rhythmic when spoken by a reptile beast-folk in human form.
Additionally, the hissing and sibilant sounds of the language become harder to produce in human form, as the mouth and throat are not as well-suited to it. As a result, the language ends up sounding more guttural and less snake-like. Despite these differences, Ssarik spoken in this way is still recognizable by other reptilians as the same language, as the basic grammar and vocabulary remain the same. The spoken language simply sounds somewhat different, depending on the speaker's form.
The Ssarik alphabet contains all the standard 26 letters of the English alphabet, as well as four additional letters (Ss, Tt, Uu, and Vv) that are used to represent the unique clicks and tongue-flicks of the Ssarik language. The letters Ww, Xx, Yy, and Zz are also used in the Ssarik alphabet, but are pronounced differently than in English, reflecting the unique sounds and rhythms of the Ssarik language.
For example, the phrase "Hello there, I am named Zara" would be translated as "Ssarak issa, Zara naissarik." This would be pronounced as sah-rahk iss-ah, zah-rah naiss-ah-rik. While the phrase "The weather is cloudy today, I should take an umbrella with me." would be translated as "Rakssarak issa ttakkak, issa rrissarak uulissarik." This would be pronounced as rahk-sah-rahk iss-ah ttak-ak, iss-ah rris-ah-rahk oo-liss-ah-rik.
Inventory
Coins: ?
Backpack with extra clothes & Mutrenan energy packs for sustenance on long journeys.
Her employment papers, although she is not terribly attached to them.
Non-Magical Abilities:
Strength, Agility & Dexterity several levels above a normal reptilian beast-folk. Especially her reaction speed, which on top of being honed by herself during combat, had already inherently been leagues above a human's, mainly due to her being a snake beast-folk.
Deadly venom in her fangs and nails, which she can turn into scaled claws. Titular characteristic - 2 drops can kill an adult human should they have no antidote or magical resistance to said venom. Nothing more to say here.
Possesses the ability to detect infrared radiation, enabling her to create a thermal image of the world. this means that she can differentiate between living and non-living things in the dark, effectively giving her night vision. This is done through the pit organs: special membranes contained in two, tiny holes situated on her face, next to her nostrils.
Magical Abilities:
Multiple transformations. Zara has trained herself to be able to transform into more than one form. Anything from turning her head into that of snake while keeping her body a human, to turning only her lower body to that of a snake, to even turning her arms into snakes that can snap at or constrict around her enemies according to her will.
Berserk rage. She can rapidly burn her magical reserves, gaining a massive boost to her physical abilities for a short while. This puts an immense strain on her body, and she is left incapacitated for some time after the duration has run out.
How about I make an NPC character sheet for this guy and say we came over on the boat together? If that sounds good to you, describe this guy to me in a little more detail, specifically in regards to his occupation. How did he afford the boat ride, or was it his boat y'all rode on? I'll handle the rest, assuming you want to go this route.
I think they'd probably have gone their own separate ways. But now that I think about it, the boat thing is pretty important. I'm thinking that bartering for passage with animal skins and/or rare herbs is the most realistoc option.
I think they'd probably have gone their own separate ways. But now that I think about it, the boat thing is pretty important. I'm thinking that bartering for passage with animal skins and/or rare herbs is the most realistoc option.
Sounds good. So can you add "Travelers Pack/Bag/Satchel" as a key item. Call it what you will, but this way you don't have to list regular survival items, herbs, and such within your inventory.
And you can start with 20 coins, as someone would have tried to buy some of the herbs and stuff off of him. Having heard a little of the importance of money, and since they were trying to buy herbs that were of little value to him, I'm sure he would have made the trade/sell. Or leave your coins at zero if you think he would refuse the buy/trade, up to you.
With these changes, you will be good to post your character to the "Characters" tab.
I'm here and accounted for. Been a rough couple of days but I'm gonna start on my character sheet now.
Gonna finish this tomorrow, I gotta prepare for work in the morning.
"Come with me. Balance must be restored by those involved."
Name: Suns Dhagar Aliases:Sun, Crystal Bearer, The Thrice Unchosen One
Crystal: Yellow Crystal
Current Location: F5, Leemo City. Current Status: "Active" Preparing to leave for Eligiro City (B4)
Race: Human Faction: "Sutisu" Age: 22 Gender: Male Occupation: Scholar
Suns is a friendly young man with a deep-seeded desire to "Balance the Scales". Operating out of fear, compulsion, and trauma; it comes off more passionate than tranquilizing. Even still, there are complexities within his general simple-mindedness. Pride in his race and people taints his views; and outwardly he displays more pride than most. And from that instilled pride was sprouted a easy-confidence that conveys arrogance and revulsion towards the Riotifu people. One that snaps into being upon discovery of said association.
Suns Dhagar was the fourth child of the previous Yellow Crystal Bearer. He never believed he would be chosen to inherit that power, yet eventually it came into his possession. His father's prestige allowed him more freedom than most. He traveled the country, learning different skills both physical and mental. For a few years he settled in Milav City, experiencing their agricultural existence. He even found love; a sweetheart at the age of 16. A young scholar and a princely noble, a story painted in the ether. Unnatural even, Suns thought at the time. Though she believed everything had a purpose, a cause and reaction.
She ended up dying in a Riotifu ransom plot on their trip to Eligiro City oddly enough. When his eldest brother came to the rescue, he had walked in on a very different Suns Dhagar. Despondent and covered in blood, a shattered blade on the floor; the Yellow Crystal cradled in his hands, a massive hole penetrating the building. Suns hardly remembered what happened; his father said the Crystal flew from his side during his deployment. Suns spent the next five years righting injustices throughout the country, studying history, and slowly succumbing to the nagging needs of the Crystal. He knows eventually he'll have to put the country's military needs first as Crystal Bearer but until forced; he would like to stave off the chaos festering underneath the peace.
I know I said I would wait till tonight, but I just couldn't. I have set the scene and if any early birds (I'm looking at you @Spin The Wheel.) want to get started, they can. However, there is no rush. I just didn't want the inspiration to write to escape me later on tonight.
Starting tomorrow, unless I hear from the people who had reserved them in the "interest" thread, the following crystals are back on the market: The Orange Crystal The Yellow Crystal The Green Crystal The Violet Crystal If you would like to extend your reservation of a crystal, do what @ARedneckWizard did, and let me know.
Right now, I have the scene set for Tempum City, because @Spin The Wheel has expressed interest in starting their character in that city. If you want to start your character's journey in a different location, I will add an opener for that location as well.
Thank you everyone! I'm excited to get this thing started! I hope you are as well!
