[OOC] The Sha'ai Disciplines

[Grnmachine]

Long ago, a war was waged between two nations, Grindinar and Mitan. The battle lasted many years, but in the end, Mitan was victorious. The war was hard fought, and the Mitan, fearing another war would destroy them, created the Tai-Par training grounds. Select boys and girls were chosen and sent to these grounds to be trained by the high monks in the Sha'ai Disciplines. A long time has passed, and the Tai-Par training grounds still exist. But instead of training for war, the people brought here were trained to be Peacekeepers.

Recently, a small group of warriors who claim to hail from Grindinar have attacked the Tai-Par training grounds. Very few people survived from the viscous attack- only two instructors and a handful of students escaped. Their mission is to return to the capitol city and warn the king of the impending invasion. However, the Tai-Par training grounds are many leagues from the capitol city, and the land of Mitan is plagued with dangers that no Peacekeeper would ever face alone. However, waiting is not an option- The Grindinar army is advancing with lightning speed, and all messengers to the capitol city have been intercepted somehow.

May lady fortune smile upon you...

Rules:

• Standard forum rules.
• You're not immortal. Some of you may die (IC, of course). Fair warning.
• Keep it PG-13, both in romance and gore-y stuff.
• One character per person.
• Be respectful. We all came here to have fun. If you didnt come here to have fun, leave.
• Above all else, enjoy this. The main reason we RP is to have fun. Dont deprive yourself of that.

Setting:

This takes place in medieval times, which means no guns, and the fastest way around is on horseback. Too bad all the horses were killed in the attack. This also means there are various superstitions about ghosts, magic, etc. etc., some of which do exist. Also, very little in the way of science exists here. Now, in the lore, the "Sha'ai Disciplines" were mentioned. Allow me to elaborate.

There are Universal Disciplines, and there are Unique Disciplines, divided among three Sets. At a certain point, you each get to choose a certain Set. All will learn the universal disciplines, but once you choose your Set, you will learn the Disciplines unique to that Set. You may choose your Set after mastering three Disciplines. With me so far? Good, because now we get into the various ranks.

All of your characters will (Or will have) begin as a Pigeon. Ranks are signified by your colored cloak, and Pigeons wear Dark Gray ones. Once you have mastered three Disciplines and have chosen your Set, you shall graduate to Falcon. The color your cloak will be depends on which Set you choose, and will be explained later with each Set's Disciplines. Once you have mastered half of the Disciplines in a Set, along with three-quarters of the Universal Disciplines, you will graduate to Eagle. And lastly, once you have mastered all the Disciplines in your Set and all the Universal Disciplines, you will graduate to a full Peacekeeper. Note: You can wear armor over the cloak, its nothing more than a robe.

Now, we get to the disciplines themselves. I'll put them in hiders.

Universal Disciplines

The Universal Disciplines can be used by any Peacekeeper or Peacekeeper-In-Training, and usually have few requirements.

Animal Influence: The user can influence animal behavior, whether to force them away or stop them from fighting you. Experts at this Discipline can sometimes have a Familiar (Dont go overboard if you try this, ok? No dragons, lions, etc. Something small please.).

Herbology: The user can identify if any plant is safe to eat or not, and sometimes it's medicinal properties.

Telepathy: The user is able to communicate telepathically with anyone else who has this Discipline mastered. Experts can use this to assault a mind, but only enough to cause a minor headache and distract the victim.

Psi-screen: The user can use this if they anticipate a mental attack, and also to block and telepathy if they're not in the mood to listen.

Nexus: Can survive for extended periods in high heat and bitter cold.

Night Vision: The user can see, for about half the normal distance in the given conditions (Blizzards/fog can impede vision, those factor in.) while the sun is down.

Sixth Sense: Costing a good deal of physical endurance, the user can determine if there is any danger in the present situation that could occur in the next hour. However, this is not an in-depth description, only a general feeling of when, where and who is in trouble.

Telekinesis: Requiring much focus, the user can telekinetically control up to 10 pounds of something for a short time.

Warrior Set

The Warrior Set focuses on physical combat and endurance. They gain their powers through practice. The Falcon color cloak for this set is orange, and the Eagle is red.

Weapon-Mastery: One of the most open-ended Disciplines, Weapon-Mastery has you, well... master a weapon. Any weapon you choose. It could be the spear, sword, axe, or anything that seems like it would do well in combat.

Unhindered: Wearing any armor after this skill has been mastered will not impede your speed or dexterity. A very difficult one to master, but one of the most rewarding disciplines.

Blissful Ignorance: When, in tough times, there isnt much food to go around, Warriors can enter a meditative state that lasts up to 36 hours to bury any feeling of hunger. This doesnt provide them with nutrition, it merely suppresses the feeling of hunger.

Pressure: If a Warrior loses his weapon, they should be lucky to have mastered this Discipline. Warriors are taught of Pressure Points, parts on the human body that when struck, produce more pain than an arrow to the knee.

Weary Fighter: If a Warrior is caught while tired, they can enter a different meditative state that ignores all feelings of soreness in their body. However, when they stop, the feeling returns, along with any other soreness gained from during the state.

Disparity: Trading their very life force in an unholy incantation specific to each user, they can increase their strength and speed tenfold. Performing the act the first, second and third times has little effect, but each successive use has a growing change that the user will die after it ends. Often the last Discipline to be learned.

Mage Set

Mages use, obviously, magic to immolate their foes from afar. They gain their powers from mana reserves (Through practice you gain better mana reserves). The Falcon color cloak for this set is green, and the Eagle is yellow.

Elemental Manipulation: Mages can control Fire, Ice and Electricity in various ways, such as a ward, a cage, a projectile or a wall. The amount of area the selected element takes up as well as the speed determines the energy required, with bigger and faster needing more.

Darkness: A small area is shrouded in a dense fog making it so that nobody inside can see anything.

Drain: A Mage can target one creature and steal its mana from them, however, this requires much focus.

Weaponskill: Why might a Mage use a weapon? Just in case they run out of mana, of course! Usually Mages carry daggers or bows.

Acceleration: Using mana, Mages can increase their speed so they they're nothing but a blur.

Eagle Eye: Mages with this Discipline mastered can see twice as far as normal, even through fog. However, anything beyond the normal range becomes increasingly blurry.

Cleric Set

Clerics are experts at healing, buffing allies and enfeebling opponents. They get their power usually through an enchanted item. The Falcon color cloak for this Set is purple, and the Eagle is blue.

Item Link: A Cleric has a permanent link between his enchanted item and himself, allowing him to feel the general direction of where it is if ever lost.

Healing: Clerics can heal wounds as grievous as broken arms, heal slight illnesses, and alleviate some fatigue. This is channeled through the Cleric's item, and causes some physical endurance loss.

Weapon Competency: Clerics always have some sort of weapon, just in case they must partake in the fighting themselves. Usually a staff.

Physical Boon: Increases 1 person's physical capabilities until the next time they sleep. This is channeled through the Cleric's item, and causes some physical endurance loss.

Mystical Boon: Increases 1 person's magical capabilities until the next time they sleep. This is channeled through the Cleric's item, and causes some physical endurance loss.

Lethargy: Decreases 1 person's speed for around 20 minutes. This is channeled through the Cleric's item, and causes some physical endurance loss.

Character Sheet:

Name:
Age: (Minimum 16)
Gender:
Universal Disciplines Mastered: (Up to 4 to start)
Have you chosen your set?:
If so, Set Disciplines Mastered: (Up to 2 to start, 1 if you have 4 Universal.)
Gear: (Weapons? Armor? General items?)
History: (Min 2 paragraphs. Even if you led a boring life you could describe the people in your life.)
Other: (Anything worth mentioning?)

Note: I prefer small groups. Therefore, I will accept a maximum of 5 people.

[bloonewb]

Minimum 16 years seems a bit old for school, don't you think? Use Jedis as a guideline. They start at roughly 6 years old.

[Tojin]

Interested, though I'm cautious of what seems like people trying to twist the RP into what they want, rather than what you (the GM) want. (Note: Not trying to step on any toes [and if I do, my apologies], just observing what I've seen in the interest check.)

[Grnmachine]

@bloonewb

I dont want young innocent children complaining about how rough the world is and being exposed to blood and murder to develop their character. To me that kind of character arc seems very cliche.

@Tojin

Nah, they didnt morph the RP. I did. Bloonewb suggested Renaissance and light magic, but magic was already going to be light, and i decided against Renaissance. And the plot came from me offering it, not it being demanded.

[bloonewb]

@Grnmachine Very well then. I'll have to retool my character idea (perhaps input it in a different RP), but expect a character sheet in the next three days.

Oh yeah, and the "standard" medieval fantasy setting is the Late Middle Ages, because that's when people began getting innovative with plate armor and longbows.

[AwesomeZero5]

[Delete]

[Tojin]

@Tojin

Nah, they didnt morph the RP. I did. Bloonewb suggested Renaissance and light magic, but magic was already going to be light, and i decided against Renaissance. And the plot came from me offering it, not it being demanded.

@Grnmachine

Alright, good. Hopefully, I'll be able to have a sheet up sometime this weekend.

[Grnmachine]

Name: Chen Dong Wu
Age: (Minimum 16): 16
Gender: Female
Universal Disciplines Mastered: (Up to 4 to start)

Nexus: Can survive for extended periods in high heat and bitter cold.

Sixth Sense: Costing a good deal of physical endurance, the user can determine if there is any danger in the present situation that could occur in the next hour. However, this is not an in-depth description, only a general feeling of when, where and who is in trouble.

Psi-screen: The user can use this if they anticipate a mental attack, and also to block and telepathy if they're not in the mood to listen.

Have you chosen your set?: Fighter
If so, Set Disciplines Mastered: (Up to 2 to start, 1 if you have 4 Universal.)

Pressure: If a Warrior loses his weapon, they should be lucky to have mastered this Discipline. Warriors are taught of Pressure Points, parts on the human body that when struck, produce more pain than an arrow to the knee.

Weary Fighter: If a Warrior is caught while tired, they can enter a different meditative state that ignores all feelings of soreness in their body. However, when they stop, the feeling returns, along with any other soreness gained from during the state.

Gear: Kasaya like clothing/robbing (deep red), Holy Symbol of protection, Poetry Book, Prayer Beads, Five sticks of incense, a water skin, belt pouch, a rabbit’s foot, scroll of pedigree

History: Chen had originally came from a small warrior family. Belonging to the Wu clan and being in service of their lord. Instead of living a rather easy and well pampered life similar to that of a noble child along with well education, tragedy quickly struck. It seemed their lord had rather betrayed allies and brought shame on everyone. The family was devastated and shaved their heads in shame before becoming nomads and trying to live a more pious life. Traveling the lands, struggling and training out in the wilderness and begging honorably to the travelers that were come across for donation, which did not end well. Until rather the family devoted themselves to a deity of good fortune and protection upon travelers.

It seemed rather effective as the goddess had heard back. The next day rabbits and birds had become plentiful in the wilderness in hunt. From the event Chen had rather kept a bunny’s foot to remind herself of the event. The goddess had shined fortune open her yet again as later around the age of ten she had been found along the roads and chosen. Chosen to become a warrior, a peacekeeper really. The opportunity seemed to be heaven’s scent and a way to better the family’s name, so Chen was quickly sent off to the training grounds. Having been there and training herself and defenses ever sense, on top of some of the small training she had when she was a child.
Other: Prefers hand to hand

@AwesomeZero5

Sorry, but i will have to deny this for now.

Why does she have a holy symbol? A poetry book? "Prayer beads"? Whats with all the incense? Why is the pedigree scroll important? Why was Chen's family to share the shame of their master's choice? Also, Peacekeepers dont start until 16. Lastly, your cloak can't be red until you gain more universal disciplines. With the amount she has mastered now, her cloak would be orange.

Explain all this first, please.

[AwesomeZero5]

@Grnmachine
Bye

[bloonewb]

Name: Rmgruba
Age: 30
Gender: Male
Universal Disciplines: Animal Influence, Nexus, Night Vision
Warrior Disciplines: Blissful Ignorance

Gear: A very large wooden club and an animal's hide fashioned into a coat are the only things he keeps on his person.

History: Rmgruba does not know where he comes from. Only that he was found one day on the doorstep of a poor family in youth, a family which couldn't feed his immense size and appetite. He learned to work hard and long early in life, making a pittance and receiving plenty of abuse from his liege as young as 8. He would never stay at home, where his legal guardians and their legitimate children were. Instead, he often played with his friend early in the morning late into the night. They would go into the forests and look at all the wildlife thriving in a land without civilization's influence. He felt most at home there.

Eventually, his guardians realized that whatever he made in labor didn't pay for the amount he ate. So they fouled his life record, writing in many talents and abilities he didn't have. This got him sent to the Tai-Par training grounds, at the age of 14. He lived as a sort of ward of the training grounds, occasionally watching the students train their fighting disciplines when he wasn't working on keeping the grounds. He didn't go unnoticed, however. The instructors had seen his immense bear's strength, and conscripted him into their ranks the moment he turned 16.

Other: He's mentally placid, awkward in speech, and while he brushes off verbal and physical abuse to himself, is fiercely defensive of the honours of his friends.

[Grnmachine]

Name: Rmgruba
Age: 30
Gender: Male
Universal Disciplines: Animal Influence, Nexus, Night Vision
Warrior Disciplines: Blissful Ignorance

Gear: A very large wooden club and an animal's hide fashioned into a coat are the only things he keeps on his person.

History: Rmgruba does not know where he comes from. Only that he was found one day on the doorstep of a poor family in youth, a family which couldn't feed his immense size and appetite. He learned to work hard and long early in life, making a pittance and receiving plenty of abuse from his liege as young as 8. He would never stay at home, where his legal guardians and their legitimate children were. Instead, he often played with his friend early in the morning late into the night. They would go into the forests and look at all the wildlife thriving in a land without civilization's influence. He felt most at home there.

Eventually, his guardians realized that whatever he made in labor didn't pay for the amount he ate. So they fouled his life record, writing in many talents and abilities he didn't have. This got him sent to the Tai-Par training grounds, at the age of 14. He lived as a sort of ward of the training grounds, occasionally watching the students train their fighting disciplines when he wasn't working on keeping the grounds. He didn't go unnoticed, however. The instructors had seen his immense bear's strength, and conscripted him into their ranks the moment he turned 16.

Other: He's mentally placid, awkward in speech, and while he brushes off verbal and physical abuse to himself, is fiercely defensive of the honours of his friends.

@bloonewb

He seems quite old to only have 4 disciplines, huh?

Anyway, you can keep that, im just curious why he's such a slow learner. Most people become full peacekeepers by around 20-23. (Sorry i didnt specify)

[bloonewb]

@Grnmachine He's retarded, okay?

[Grnmachine]

@bloonewb

Okay, I was just wondering. Accepted.