⊰Manifest Anima⊱

[yoshua171]

⊰ ℳ_Ⱥ_ℕ_ƪ_ℱ_ℇ_S_Ⱦ__Ⱥ_ℕ_ƪ_ℳ_Ⱥ ⊱

_{^Above is depicted the city of Ominar^}

OOC
Edravhen's Archive
^{(Lore Thread)}
Community Chat

Preliminary Notes

• While the RP is underway, there are only 30 posts, and we're still getting things rolling.
• Despite how it might look, things are moving along. Had to do some unexpected reshuffling.
• While there is something of a process, all players are allowed to worldbuild so long as they work alongside the GMs to do so.
• If you have questions, want to brainstorm, or want to get a feel for things, feel free to jump into the discord even if you don't join we'll be glad to have you as long as you stay!
• Enough rambling. Now, let's get to the premise!

⊰ Pʀᴇᴍιsᴇ

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The RP will be set in the city of Ominar, a formerly human-run city, which was non-violently taken over by the Prae just a year and a half prior. Now ruled by the regal beings, the Licentia have been driven into the slums, into hiding, or even out of the city entirely. While humans have been largely left to their own devices, they are nonetheless expected to step aside for their new rulers--whether it benefits them or not. With news traveling fast in this age ruled by magic and technology, a wave of unrest has made its way through Medius. With knowledge of the Prae’s unfair treatment to the citizens of Ominar, the murmurs of war have begun. In response, or perhaps preparation for further action, the Prae have, as of 6 months ago, begun releasing propaganda regarding the Licentia, calling them parasites and murderers, whilst using one of their prominent figures, a certain eximius as their scapegoat--though with good reason.

So it is that a small band of dissenters begin to gather, not content to simply protest against the Prae’s imposed order. Many of you will be among them and by and large, you believe it’s high time you do something about the state of affairs, whether the Prae like it or not.

⊰ βasic Ⱦerminology

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Hider

Priscus: Described as a paradise by those humans who have seen it, Priscus is the Prae's realm of origin as well as the place in which the vast majority of their kind reside.

Medius: The realm of man, reminiscent of our own, though its cultures and societies differ. While the Prae and Licentia have appeared prior, their most prominent entrance into human history occurred in 1563. From then onwards the realm of Medius found itself populated by increasing numbers of all three races.

Torqueo: The realm from which the Licentia originate, Torqueo is, in its own way, bountiful--though perhaps not in the same way as its counterpart, Priscus. Instead, Torqueo is a resource-rich location full of exotic, and often dangerous, flora, fauna, and materials.

Pylae: Colloquially known as 'the Rift', Pylae is a pseudo-realm possessing inconsistent space-time, which due to the difficulty of properly exploring it, so far lacks definition . Pylae is located in all space wherein Medius, Priscus and Torqueo are not.

Anima: The common term among the three races for the soul or internal life force. The term is also often used to refer to the pool of internal power utilized for magic.

Vis: A term used to describe both energy in general, as well as to refer to a being's external energy, sometimes called the aura by humans.

Ostium: While few but the most knowledgeable of magical researchers understand it, Ostium is the term used to describe that which connects a being's Vis and Anima. To utilize magic at all, one must learn to control the Ostium, so that the power of their Anima may be released.

River Metaphor-- If the Anima is the river source and the Vis is where river meets ocean, then the Ostium is a dam which can be opened and closed to regulate the flow of the river and the connection of the user's control to the user's external energy.

Manifest: An ability unique to the Prae, the Manifest, or Manifested State, is the term used to refer to a Prae's ability to manifest their Anima through their unique set of markings. Every Manifest is different, having a wholly unique appearance, though they are most often wing-like in appearance. The Manifest is an enhanced state for Prae, making their imbuing more powerful and allowing them full access to their capabilities--provided they have trained sufficiently. While all Prae--with extremely rare exceptions existing--possess a Manifest, they are not born with the innate ability to properly control it. So it is that they must train to use it properly.

Licenti: The term used to refer to an individual Licentia, rather than their kind as a whole.

⊰ Ⱦhe World

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Hider

Ominar: A city recently conquered by the Prae, Ominar is a thoroughly industrialized coastal city, its surroundings largely bereft of nature's touch. While not a capital city, Ominar is a port city and thus a center of trade, making its capture by the Prae a rather important matter to the rest of the world--humanity in particular.

The Races

The Prae: Prae are lithe human-like beings with markings on their back/arms and crystals on their foreheads. Prae are capable imbuing others, themselves, and objects with their vis, by way of contact, thus facilitating telekinesis and healing abilities. The crystals on their foreheads pull in ambient energy of any sort so as to sustain them. Prae are physically weak, but their Vis is densely packed onto their body, defending them from damage to a point. Should they manifest their Vis, it tends to take the form of wings, exuding from their markings. While manifested, a Prae's 'wings' impart them with greater telekinesis, healing, and the possibility of other abilities depending on their chosen path.

The Licentia: The Licentia are a physically and magically diverse race. They are predators who consume the Anima, both internal and external to sustain themselves. Licentia possess a 'solid soul,' which takes the form of a crystalline formation within their body. While Licentia can have vital organs, all will be crippled, injured, or killed by damaging or destroying their soul core. The Licentia cycle between two stages till the end of their life, these being known as the growth and trial stages. The former is typified by fluctuating physical form and weakened magical abilities excluding shapeshifting while the latter is typified by a more permanent form, and expansive magical abilities. A Licenti who has reached this third stage is known as an Eximius.

Humankind: Humans are the race with the greatest population, shortest lifespan, and most expansive potential. While they tend to live only to 100 or so unaided, humans possess the ability to increase the strength of their Anima over time as well as the scope of their Vis. Additionally their Anima is uniquely impressionable, making them both more easily corrupted by internal magics or fooled by illusions. Yet, this acts as one of their greatest strengths, allowing them to harness the energy around them regardless of type and manipulate it in ways that only they are capable of.

Optional Reading

The Realms Expanded

_Priscus:

The realm in which the vast majority of the Prae population resides, not to mention their plane of origin, Priscus can be described as a plane suffused with a tremendous amount of ambient energies, lush with life of all kinds some humans might even call it a paradise. However, as with all things, Priscus is not quite as innocuous as it first appears. Under the surface of the alleged paradise that the Prae present to visitors is a place so rich with Vis that one might say that the realm itself is almost aware.

While its landmasses are constant over a shorter period of time, their orientation and location shift much more rapidly than the continents of Medius. Furthermore, while many creatures of Priscus have little to no need to hunt other beings due to the energy rich atmosphere, it cannot be said that they will not overzealously defend themselves from outside threats. Perhaps most frightening about the flora and fauna of Priscus is the fact that most of it is either capable of magic or magical in some way, shape, or form.

The Prae are very protective of their realm, allowing only trusted friends, or those whom the God-Queen or the Exeo approve of to enter. This in part because of their fierce instinct to defend their nigh-defenseless God-Queen, and also because should the unworthy discover the true bounty of their realm and come to covet it, it would put their kind at great risk. Yet, despite their efforts, rumors of a secret treasure have slipped into Medius. So it is that many begin to wonder what the Prae are hording to themselves. So are born the greatest adversaries that they may ever face: Greed and curiosity.

_Medius:

A realm of slow and steady development in regards to its make-up, Medius is possessed of more vis than Torqueo, but far less than Priscus. Inhabited by all three races, though Humans are the one who truly call it home, Medius is sometimes thought of as the melting pot realm, wherein all manner of things mix. Its development, once slow, was rather suddenly sent into overdrive with the introduction to the more magically adept Licentia, and the technologically adept, Prae. As a result of their introduction, Human society first went through a period of intense conflict wherein they expanded over the surface of the world, before the introduction of greater magical and technological knowledge was truly accepted and began to rapidly speed up the development of society at large. So it is that the world reaches its current state, where rather than smog and oil spills, vis eruptions and quantum instabilities can occur, affecting large regions before they are cleaned up--if such is possible.

Humans, while they have not colonized other planets, have managed to expand into Torqueo some, with several small populations of humans having been allowed to take up permanent residence in Priscus, them and their descendants slated to never return. While humans are by and large the most plentiful race inhabiting Medius, this is not to say that there are a small amount of Licentia or Prae, the latter of which account for at least 20% of the sentient population, with the former being about 5% of the total population.

_Torqueo:

A resource rich realm inhabited by all manner of strange, and often dangerous, beings--not the least of which are the Licentia themselves. Known as the harsh homerealm of the Licentia, this realm despite some humans having come to call it home, yet remains the domain of the the latter race. While not overly tumultuous in its geography, the weather and social climate could certainly be described as such. With many of the Licentia's rulers, the Eximius, dwelling herein, it is no wonder that the place would be filled to the brim with conflict of a varied sort.

Most intriguing is the environment of Torqueo, which rather than have its atmosphere be suffused with vis, finds that the soil, flora, and fauna themselves have absorbed much of it. So it is that in some places vast deserts or craggy plains form, while in others flora and fauna alike pull the precious energy from the ground, twisting it to their own ends. In this way, the Licentia are no different, with much of their infrastructure relying on the energy of the land itself to function properly. Like Medius, Torqueo is home to a vast assortment of cultures, despite being largely populated by the same race.

With the continued mixing of races within Medius, some Eximius have begun to turn their eyes to the realm, while others turn their attention to the realms of their kind's absent leaders. Going forwards, conflict is sure to break out in one realm or another. The question is; which will be first?

_{Pylae; The Rift:}

Pylae is widely thought to be the source of all energy, and so far both scientific and magical research has made clear a correlation between vis and this strange realm between realms. The leading theory is that energy is constantly exchanged between Pylae and the three realms, likely entering via quantum methods not yet understood by scientists or mages of any race. Yet, there are those who have found ways, if dangerous, to harness its power in fits and bursts.

Perhaps the most studied correlation are the points from which an individual may travel between realms. These locations are typically surrounded by unexplainable phenomena, be they magical or otherwise. Due to it being thought, despite there being no evidence of such, to be a realm torn between realities, Pylae is often called 'the Rift.' While rare, every so often, the gateways between realms, colloquially known as 'Bridges,' shift location in a seemingly random fashion for no apparent reason.

Additionally, there are the known, but exceedingly rare occurrence, known as 'rift storms,' which may take place around these 'Bridges,' making them impassable and spawning a temporary field wherein any manner of dangerous and unpredictable phenomena take place. These storms typically involve fluctuating fields of ambient vis as well as warped space-time within their confines. Luckily, these storms do not travel far from their sources, nor do they typically last any longer than a few hours, if that. Nonetheless, they are a dangerous occurrence, if one which allows great opportunity for those few who would dare study something so dangerous and unpredictable as the Rift. However, with the efforts of these brave souls, perhaps one day the world will have no reason to fear Pylae and its mysterious nature. Perhaps one day it will not be a mystery at all.

Perhaps.

The Races Expanded

_Prae:

Appearing as lithe humanoids with markings adorning them, this proud race hails from the realm of Priscus. When in their normal guise these lithe beings are graceful, light, and acrobatic, typically giving off an aura of purity and calm, though they can control this. While incapable of any truly impressive magic whilst in this state, Prae are capable of healing minor wounds, energizing others or themselves, moving smaller objects through the manipulation of their Vis. However, perhaps their most distinguishing features in comparison to Humans or even the Licentia, are the small crystals located somewhere on their foreheads in addition to their ability to condense their internal energy and exude it into the form of wings, or otherwise formations of energy, which manifest from the markings on their back and/or arms. The crystals located on a Prae's forehead are effectively invulnerable to all physical damage and a great deal of magical damage as well. A Prae pulls in energy through these crystals, using it as sustenance, this process only works if there is energy within the surrounding area. However, almost any form of energy works, as long as it is not held within a living thing.

In addition to these crystals, as mentioned, is a Prae's ability to manifest constructs of pure energy, which are a direct extension of their being—typically in the form of wings. When manifested a Prae's magical ability is greatly amplified, making them capable of greater telekinetic feats, either to manipulate their own person, those around them, or objects, depending on the specialty of the individual. However, while the abilities of a given Prae can vary somewhat, all of them stem from their inherent power, which has come to be known as “Imbuing.” This ability must be activated by contact between the Prae and that which they wish to manipulate.

Perhaps the most notable and intriguing use of a Prae's imbuing, is that which is performed upon their death. Essentially, when a Prae is near death they will, either consciously or subconsciously choose an individual who they have made contact with in the past—typically another Prae—and upon their death the entirety of their energy will be imparted to the chosen subject or subjects. The Prae may choose as to whether their consciousness is merged with that of the subject or not. When this is done the receiving individual's Anima is permanently empowered, allowing them a greater pool of energy to draw from. This is the only natural circumstance in which a Prae's Anima may significantly grow.

The Prae are ruled by several Queens, some of which are known as the Exeo. The Exeo have been imparted with sufficient power so as to facilitate the birth of true Prae. This is notable due to the fact that the children of Prae are born without the pure Anima of their kind—though they possess their crystals and markings. As such, by imparting Prae children with a small portion of pure Anima, the Exeo, or their greater counterpart, the God-Queen, allows the child to develop into a fully mature Prae later in life, rather than simply allow the equivalent of a half-breed, which would do nothing to further increase their numbers.

As mentioned, all Exeo are dwarfed by the God-Queen, who imparts them with the necessary energy to perform their function in the first place. The God-Queen is the single most important member of Prae society, being the only Prae capable of nigh infinitely absorbing ambient energy. This God-Queen comes to be when several hundred or a thousand Prae choose a member of their own whom they consider worthy of leading them. Once chosen, the Prae who have chosen her all simultaneously sacrifice their Anima, imparting their chosen Queen with such a tremendous amount of magical energy that her body's limits are exceeded, effectively rendering her incapable of any magic aside from giving her energy to others. The minds of the thousand Prae reach a state of cohesion with that of the God-Queen's allowing her a tremendous understanding of her kind and what is likely to be best for their continued wellbeing.

Due to her tremendous magical power and importance to their culture and social structure, not to mention her safety, the God-Queen remains in Priscus so that her tremendous soul and the vis that extends around it does not crush her subjects, and so that she remains far away from potential threats to her health.

_Licentia:

Beings of diverse physical appearance and magical ability, the Licentia are considered 'shapeshifters,' borne of Torqueo. However, the truth to their sometimes shifting forms is somewhat different in most cases. Rather than all Licentia being true shapeshifters, they instead remain in an impressionable state for a portion of their lengthy lives, during which they decide on their form and abilities going forwards. While a Licentia's growth period has a great amount of influence on what their abilities and appearance will be, it is their lineage that decides the pool of magical abilities they have to choose from. In this growth period a Licentia's Vis is rather small so long as their form is in flux, allowing them to manipulate their physical form to a great degree, though weakening any other magical abilities they might later develop. When a Licenti is not within a growth period, their true magical abilities manifest, and they are typically as impressive as they are diverse. Yet, while Licentia are indeed very individualistic in both culture and physical appearance, they share several notable traits, both magical and physical. The most notable of these are their 'solid souls,' in addition to their expansive Vis, and largely predatory and/or parasitic nature. Licentia reproduce parasitically, by in some form splitting their Anima once it has reached a certain density and placing it within another being—though the method can vary between subspecies.

While Licentia do technically regenerate their energy, the process is so slow that the energy generated would always be far less than that used in any notable physical activity, let alone magic. The energy is essentially only enough so as to give them just enough to survive should their Anima be depleted for whatever reason. Licentia, should they feed often enough, do not age, instead continually alternating between their growth and trial stages till they reach a certain level of self-awareness and understanding. Largely due to their longevity and parasitic reproduction, the Licentia are often demonized because of their nature, leading to many of their young being killed off, thus ensuring that their population never explodes.

While an exceptionally rare occurrence, Licentia can attain a third stage and even fourth stage of development, though the fourth's nature has long been considered a myth by both their kind and others. Nonetheless the third, and allegedly final, stage of Licentia development is characterized by the further stabilization of a Licenti's individual form and magical abilities. Only Licentia who have attained a sufficient level of personal understanding can attain this stage, which—should they reach it—affords them the title of Eximius. Aside from their form stabilizing in a more permanent manner—with few exceptions—an Eximius Licentia gains enhanced magical power as well as an effectively limitless lifespan so long as they keep themselves well fed.

Intriguingly enough, the rarity of Eximius licenti has led to the vast majority of their kind raising them to a deific status. As a result many consider Eximius to be more powerful than they truly are, resulting in them being feared and respected by both their own kind and others—if grudgingly at times. While Licentia tend not to choose defining leaders, but rather form small communities due to their individualistic nature, if there were any that they would consider their leaders, it would be those few Eximius.

_Humans:

Possessing the greatest population density of the three races, but the shortest average lifespans, humans tend to find themselves in positions of diplomacy with other races and situations of conflict among their own. They are not physically very impressive, though they tend to be hardier than the lithe Prae as well as naturally stronger. While the average human is of little consequence, all humans have within them inherent potential, which is far reaching in its scope. This on its own has allowed them to make incredible technological discoveries, as well as to learn to wield magic and of course to have expanded over the vast majority of their home realm, Medius.

While the Vis of Prae is limited to the surface of their form, and that of most Licenti is expansive in size, the human Vis is typically only a meter or two in radius, making it relatively small. However, true to their potential, this Vis can be expanded with practice and as an individual's Anima grows as, unlike Prae, humans can naturally increase their capacity magic over time and with due diligence. More interestingly, humans are capable of harnessing the energy of the world around them almost regardless of its nature. This is achieved by way of their uniquely impressionable Anima, which can easily meld with foreign energies. This ability is however a double edged sword as while it allows them to bend the world to their will, it also makes them more vulnerable to outside influence to a much greater degree than the Prae or Licentia. It is this and their short lifespans, which tend to be no longer than 100 or so years on average that act as their greatest limitations. However, with the advent of more advanced technology, and the continued development of magic, perhaps this too will fade into obscurity.

⊰ Magic

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So far as any of the races are aware, no being is capable of the manipulation of time, and while space can be manipulated to some degree, it is not something that is typically done easily by any race. However, aside from this, magic is capable of a great deal, its limits not being fully understood or known by any of the races as of yet. Still, as with most things, the more complex and more grandiose the scale or purpose of a given spell, the more difficult it is to preform.

In short, don't expect to throw a magical nuke without a whole team of several powerful magi and don't expect to actually bring back the Anima of those who have passed on entirely intact, if at all. If a simple term need be applied to describe magic, it is that the magic of Manifest Anima is of the 'High Fantasy,' sort. Just know, that the greater the power, the greater the responsibility required to wield it.

Examples of 'medium level power,' include shapeshifting into things of equivalent size, high speed movement, punching a person and breaking bones (maybe making a small mark on concrete). Perhaps you can manipulate fire hot enough to severely burn someone (2nd degree, and with continued exposure, third degree). Making golems of equivalent size and strength to what I described above or to your character's body.

⊰ Tech

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In terms of tech, the world of Manifest Anima does have things such as nanomachines, minor gravity manip tech, and what is becoming the true advent of body modification (yo cyborgs). While there are global teleportation networks, which are an incredible feat even in this day and age, people do not have personal teleportation devices or the like--in fact none such devices exist, or rather no non-prototype versions exist and trust me, I wouldn't suggest trying those prototypes...that is unless you want to end up merged with a brick wall on a quantum level.

As for weaponry things such as railguns exist, though devices such as laser rifles do not--at least not those that are fueled by entirely scientific/technological means. So don't expect light sabers or plasma weaponry for the most part. Even if they do exist, it's unlikely that most people would be allowed to carry around such dangerous devices. For further clarification, feel free to suggest your idea(s) to your local GM(s) and we'll see what we can do.

Oh yeah and magitech is a thing.

⊰ Rules

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• It should be noted that this RP will have mature themes. Fade to black will be applicable to sexual situations, but don't expect situations including drugs, gore, or some taboo subjects to garner the same treatment. This is not to say that any of the above will be done in excess, just that they may be done.
• Combat will be handled on a case-by-case basis, with the GMs proctoring in case issues or disagreements arise. Should you want to script your fight, let the GMs, and your partner(s) know. Make sure all parties are in agreement. A 'scripted fight,' is one wherein the victor is decided before hand.
• Burning house rule--if you're gone too long and holding things up, expect your character to either be moved aside quietly, or killed to further plot. To avoid the burning house rule, keep us updated, a hiatus can be arranged.
• If a problem arises for a player in regards to the GM and they feel uncomfortable bringing it up. Go to the other GM for advice. Don't worry, we're perfectly reasonable people and nine times out of ten we'll work through it with you.
• The GMs have final say on all matters--this does not mean that I cannot be swayed or convinced. Still, if something must be resolved, we will resolve it and that'll be the end of the discussion.
• Should you lack inspiration or enough material to post, tell someone. Communicate. Talk to your GMs. Worst case scenario, we'll just move your character aside till you can post again.
• While you may expand on or modify the base format of the character sheet, make sure all necessary sections are included.
• No OOC drama. Keep it to PMs, and hopefully keep it non-existent. If needed contact a GM for problem resolution.
• Posts of a paragraph or more; quality over quantity. If you're drawing a blank, don't worry so much.
• Posting expectations of once, at the very least, every two weeks barring extenuating circumstances.
• Only accepted characters go in the character tab.
• Post your Character Sheet in the OOC for review.
• Standard Guild rules apply.
• IC swearing will occur.

⊰ What to Expect

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• Interactions with at least semi-realistic cause and effect. If you kill someone, expect there to be an investigation or at least it be on the news.
• Medium scale in terms of character power, unless you've got good reasons/you prove you can be trusted with more.
• Posts of a paragraph or more; quality over quantity. If you're drawing a blank, don't worry so much.
• Posting expectations of once, at the very least, every two weeks barring extenuating circumstances.
• A GM who is willing to work with you, hear you out, but not break his back to suit your every need.
• Good communication be it player to player, GM to GM, or GM to player.
• Some measure of political intrigue.
• Multiple plotlines if possible.
• Group world building!
• Collaboration posts.
• Some Taboo Subjects.
• Some slice of life.
• Some dark themes.
• Some combat.

[Ganryu]

This is Ganryu, here to kill everybody. Think I'll be running two characters here. Zeki's my plot char.

For fun I'm just going to run a chick with a gun. No magic, just a gun. The fireball spell will help you a ton when I'm 1.5 miles away :D

Anyways yeah....

[Celaira]

Lol Gan. <3

This is me, maybe showing interest. I really don't know right now.

[yoshua171]

Added some examples to the magic section for good measure.

[Kibaro]

i'm probably too new on this site to qualify but i just wanted to say, the world is really well done, i really enjoyed reading through the starting lore :D can't wait to see what else you guys come up with, the character creation looks like it'll be fun :)

[Celaira]

@Kibaro No one is too new! <3

[yoshua171]

@Kibaro I think you could do just fine honestly. Please don't think this is weird, but you said you were "too new," and I had to see if I agreed or not so I went and looked at a post or two and a character sheet. I think you're alright man. I like the way that you write man.

We'd definitely work with you if you wanted to give us a go :)

If anything you'd learn a lot. I can tell you from experience that surrounding yourself with people you think are around your "level," or that you can look up to is very stimulating for improving one's skills. Seriously though, I like the way you write.

I keep saying that because people seem to find me intimidating even though I'm generally about as harmless as a puppy--provided I'm fed and kept happy xD

So yeah.

God I ramble a lot.

[Kibaro]

@yoshua171
Rambling is good in these parts of the town i'd say ;) and yes, fair argument and i appreciate your kind words, there's always a learning curve and the need to adapt when it comes to RP-ing, i'll certainly learn a lot, after all practice makes better ^_^

So yeah, consider me interested :D

P.S. the way the intro lore/story is written is indeed intimidating and very creative and well worded, i wish i had such high linguistic and story telling/world creating skills :) kudos to you guys!

[Kibaro]

TORQUEO
...In this way, the Licentia are no different, with much of their infrastructure relying on the energy of the land itself to function properly.

@yoshua171

QUESTIONS:
1. regarding the lore, how do Licentia survive on other worlds? does every world have energy imbued lands from which they can harvest energy?

The Licentia seem the hardest to grasp for me (even to they have a hard time understanding themselves apparently :)) ), but also the most interesting of the races.

2. Also, i'm sure interspecies experiments have been made in worlds such as this (cause everywhere you can find mad scientists and such), for example stuff like taking out Prae's forehead crystal and surgically/magically/magi-surigcally implemented in another species and so on, anything on that, or that's for us to find out in future adventures? :)

3. What will be our MAIN focus as a team, since every character (i suppose) would have their own focus in their life? so yeah.. battles? military? politics? exploration?

4. what exactly do YOU understand by OOC drama?

5. do you intend on using any sort of mechanics? either for battle or discussions and such, skills etc? :)

[Celaira]

@Kibaro Yosh went to bed, I'll alert him to your questions in the morning, provided he doesn't get to them first! :)

They will likely be making a Discord chat, or Skype group for ease of communication once the OOC is ready, if anyone has a preference, let Gan or Yosh know.

[Ganryu]

<Snipped quote by yoshua171>

QUESTIONS:
1. regarding the lore, how do Licentia survive on other worlds? does every world have energy imbued lands from which they can harvest energy?

The Licentia seem the hardest to grasp for me (even to they have a hard time understanding themselves apparently :)) ), but also the most interesting of the races.

2. Also, i'm sure interspecies experiments have been made in worlds such as this (cause everywhere you can find mad scientists and such), for example stuff like taking out Prae's forehead crystal and surgically/magically/magi-surigcally implemented in another species and so on, anything on that, or that's for us to find out in future adventures? :)

3. What will be our MAIN focus as a team, since every character (i suppose) would have their own focus in their life? so yeah.. battles? military? politics? exploration?

4. what exactly do YOU understand by OOC drama?

5. do you intend on using any sort of mechanics? either for battle or discussions and such, skills etc? :)

@Kibaro

1) Prae get energy from the environment, humans generate it, licentia mainly steal it from the other 2. There are 3 realms, but if there's no one to steal it from, you won't find Licentia most of the time. Torquo just has alot around them they can steal naturally.

EDIT: Actually... good question. Seems strange they suddenly get it on Torquo. Licentia are predators, with alot of monsterous forms. Torquo seems like the home of the vegan licentia in that description.

2) I'd bet money on it.

3) A bit of everything, but freeing the city from the current Prae rulers is the plot point. Viva la resistancia

4) Hopefully we won't have to find out. (Some throwing OOC fights "you're all stupid" ect)

5) Standard Rp rules, you react then act to any situation. Theres no dice roll or anything. Sheets should be up shortly.

Also on my phone.

[Kibaro]

Skype/Discord chat was mentioned, in other words, will the RP be vocal or still written but in a chat format instead of a forum? :)

[Ganryu]

Skype/Discord chat was mentioned, in other words, will the RP be vocal or still written but in a chat format instead of a forum? :)

@Kibaro

Nah, just coordination/spam in there. Easier to grab someone on skype. Whole IC definitely done here

[Kibaro]

also, Anima ~= soul, Vis ~= aura, is Ostium the term for the physical form? or Ostium is a state of mind in which both Anima and Vis work in harmony or something along those lines? if that's the case, is there a term for the physical form? :)

sorry for the lot of questions, just want to make sure i fully grasp this quite complex world :)

[yoshua171]

_{<Snipped quote by yoshua171>}
QUESTIONS:
1. regarding the lore, how do Licentia survive on other worlds? does every world have energy imbued lands from which they can harvest energy?

The Licentia seem the hardest to grasp for me (even to they have a hard time understanding themselves apparently :)) ), but also the most interesting of the races.

2. Also, i'm sure interspecies experiments have been made in worlds such as this (cause everywhere you can find mad scientists and such), for example stuff like taking out Prae's forehead crystal and surgically/magically/magi-surigcally implemented in another species and so on, anything on that, or that's for us to find out in future adventures? :)

3. What will be our MAIN focus as a team, since every character (i suppose) would have their own focus in their life? so yeah.. battles? military? politics? exploration?

4. what exactly do YOU understand by OOC drama?

5. do you intend on using any sort of mechanics? either for battle or discussions and such, skills etc? :)

@Kibaro

1.) Licentia, as Gan mentioned, are predators--or you could consider them parasites, it depends. Licentia take essence from living beings (animals or sentient beings such as Humans or Prae). The part of Torqueo, their home realm's, description that you're quoting is referencing their cities, not the inhabitants of those cities. What it's saying is that the Licentia design their cities to pull energy from the land itself to power their tech/magitech for their amenities or the like. As in any realm, Licentia survive by consuming the vis of other beings--mind you, this does not mean that they have to kill the being they are siphoning energy from, though some do.

2.) Yes, interspecies experiments have, and do, take place. Most of these, at this point in time, are not done willingly. So if someone gets a surgically/magically implanted crystal from a Prae, it better be somewhere they can hide it, because it's not unlikely that they could get arrested and then investigated for having such a thing. If someone simply has a forehead crystal though, it might be because a dying Prae gave it as a sort of inheritance to someone, or--on a darker note--that it was bought on the black market (likely after someone killed some Prae so as to harvest their crystals). Another thing that exists, but is largely considered illegal would be the harvesting of the Licentia "soul core," or "solid soul," which also takes on a crystalline form. While it is illegal to harvest them (take them from an unwilling Licenti), it's not illegal to have them because Licentia can split their soul if it gets large enough, and some--rather than have a child--will simply give them to others or sell them. They are highly valued as magical objects that are useful for a variety of purposes.

3.) The main plot, at least at the beginning, or in the "first arc," will be centered around those involved in the small rebellion within the city of Ominar. Depending on how many people we get and how many characters people decide to play, the story will expand considerably. I fully expect there to be people playing Prae, Humans, or Licentia that are in realms other than Medius, or individuals who are fighting against the resistance in Ominar--be they Prae or otherwise. People in cults, small or large organizations (whether secretive or otherwise), black market brokers, informants, and the like to pop up provided things go on long enough. I'm basically using Ominar and the conflict going on there as the starting point from which we branch out as the RP, and the world/its lore grows. Call me ambitious, but yeah, this is what I'd like to happen. If not I've got plenty of ideas for plot that we can use to keep things new and interesting ;)

4.) As Ganryu said, hopefully we don't have to find out. In short though, disagreements about how lore works getting out of hand (emotions and insults becoming involved in what should be a civil discussion), personal grievances or disagreements getting out of hand. Basically things going beyond "civil conversation," and into "argument," territory is what I'll likely consider drama. Mind you Arguments are not the same as debates, the latter of which tend to be fairly civil.

5.) I'm not sure in regards to mechanics to be honest. In regards to skills and abilities right now I think I'm going to handle it on a case-by-case basis while keeping in mind the general "medium level power," that I mentioned in the first post. As to combat, not really? Ganryu said it, combat won't be with dice or anything, but it will be sort of proctored by the GMs (Ganryu and I), who will watch over and help make sure everything is fairly clear and clearly fair :P. While I'd like to have a system for lore discussion and implementation, having one tends to intimidate people, so again I'll probably just do that on a case-by-case basis rather than having a hard-lined system for it. Conversely a system will naturally develop over time and I'll use that.

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Ostium is the term used to describe what connects the Anima(soul) and the vis(aura or external energy in general). The word Ostium, like many of the other words used in MA, is latin, and it means "gateway." Think of the Ostium as the primary points in the body (which are typically non-physical) where Anima is exuded to form the aura/vis.

A normal person's Ostium is almost entirely closed, and because of this they can't release sufficient amounts of energy to utilize in magic. Additionally, the connection between the Anima and Vis, when the Ostium is closed is interrupted. To explain more simply I'll use a metaphor.

If Anima is the source of a river and Vis is where the river enters the ocean, then Ostium is a dam on that river. If it were entirely closed it would cause the river's source to overflow as it gains new water from rain and whatnot, and if it is fully open the source of the river can flow easily to the ocean. Normally the dam is partially closed, allowing some water to flow, but leaving the majority within the river's source.

Hopefully that helps make some sense of things :)

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With us having Celaira, Ganryu, Kibaro, and myself, I think I'm going to start working on the Opening Post for the OOC thread so that I can get that up either ASAP, or when/if we get one-three more people--though three more people is not the player limit or anything. I'm pretty much open to any number of people. Although beyond a certain point might get a little ridiculous. We'll play it by ear.

[icmasticc]

I'll throw some tentative interest in this. I read over the OP and the world seems very interesting to me (I'm a sucker for cyberpunk genres and stories and RPs similar to that kind of fiction and this is a like a good sci-fi/fantasy/cyberpunk mix) and I have a couple character ideas. I'm already in one medieval sort of RP so I can definitely see this one scratching my more futuristic itch. I'll be awaiting the OOC I suppose.

[Celaira]

@icmasticc Your avatar and signature make me happy. Lol. Welcome aboard! If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask. :)

[yoshua171]

Welcome aboard @icmasticc! Yeah there should be enough tech to give ya some futuristic stuff ^_^

Plenty of magic too, I like it to be a blend so that's what we've got. AFter I eat something I'll probably get started on the OOC. Depending on how much I add to it, it might take a bit. We'll see haha. However, it shouldn't take me longer than two days, even despite my having work for the next four. More likely I'll have it up late today, or late tomorrow :)

[icmasticc]

@icmasticc Your avatar and signature make me happy. Lol. Welcome aboard! If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask. :)

@Celaira

It's my most hyped game in a while so I'm pretty pleased with it myself lol.

[Celaira]

<Snipped quote by Celaira>

It's my most hyped game in a while so I'm pretty pleased with it myself lol.

@icmasticc

So close, but so far. September can't get here fast enough.