WHERE NO MAN TREADS | An Apocalyptic Dark Fantasy Western
-PREMISE-
Terrene was once a world dominated by mages. After a century-long war with the elves and the advent of demonic forces from the supernatural plane of Helheim, the world took on a dramatic change. Now in the 10th century, only a few thousand individuals with magical powers remain and they live in a radically different, hostile environment. Terrene is now a planet of half desert wasteland where the Terrenian races reside and half scorched earth where demons lurk. Mages, having replaced their tomes for six shooters, look to right the wrongs of their predecessors by finding a way to defeat the demonic forces that threatens to destroy them all. But to do that, they must venture into the lands where no man treads...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
The world of Terrene during the 6th century or as common folk referred to it as the Golden Age of Magic is a world domineered by mages. With their powerful sorcery, mages constructed kingdoms, imposed law and order on the land, and defended the life and liberty of the people residing under their rule. The success of the mages ushered humanity into their role as the dominant race upon Terrene. Unfortunately, the elves saw things differently. They believed humans to be cruel, arrogant creatures that relied on an otherworldly source of power. Magic is taboo to elves who believe that the practitioners of sorcery are dabbling in forces connected to Helheim—the realm of demons and the sinful dead. As guardians of Mydgaar—the Waking Realm or the realm of the living—the elves saw it as their duty to stop humanity's reliance on magic. Thus they declared war on the mages; one that lasted for nearly a century.
At the turn of the 7th century and nearing the war's end, the elves were on the cusp of victory. That is until their greatest fear came to fruition. An organization of mages known as the Umbral Order developed magic that allowed them to form rifts in the dimensional fabric and essentially create portals to Helheim. Using magic to control the minds of demons, mages formed demonic armies to help in their fight against the elves. The demon armies dwarfed those of the elves and their otherworldly might eventually led to the mages—and humanity's—victory. Consequently, the mages then enslaved what was left of the elven race. Even to this day, the elves have yet to be liberated. Humanity was unstoppable thanks to the mages. However, peace did not last and the mages' control over the demons soon faded. While attempts at utilizing magic to once again regain control of the demons were somewhat successful at first, the potency of their magic deteriorated at an alarming rate and the demons could no longer be controlled.
The demonic armies ravaged the lands of Terrene like wild fire, destroying everything in their path with seemingly no end in sight. While mighty indeed, magic proved its limitations when even the combined forces of all mages could only temporarily halt the demons' campaign of destruction. The other races of Terrene and even the normal humans were quick to place the blame on the mages for summoning this unstoppable force. Then came the advent of the Man in White. History tells us that the Man in White is an unclear figure of unknown origins but is seen by many as a messiah with tremendous magical power. He drove the demonic armies back to Helheim accompanied by his seven followers and, then, they disappeared from the world without a trace. Divine intervention one might say or is it something entirely different? Something far more sinister? The world may never find out.
The members of the Umbral Order were shortly thereafter executed for their crime. Terrene would enjoy a brief age of respite. In this quiet age, the invention of firearms seemed a foolish ideal but its popularity became so that conventional weaponry that's been around for millennia such as swords and spears were abandoned in a "day". Even the majority of mages could not compete with the deadly potency of firearms and opted to combine their sorcery with this new kind of weaponry, replacing their tomes for muskets that, while slower, when combined with magic proved uniquely destructive.
Fast forward to today, the 10th century, particularly the year XX16, the world of Terrene looks starkly different than it did before. Half of the world is nearly a desert wasteland; the other half: scorched earth. This half of Terrene is plagued by demons who arrived from random rifts in the dimensional fabric. It seems the lingering magic of the Umbral Order caused a destabilization in space-time which resulted in these random portals. After the demons arrival, half of the planet became uninhabitable with the threat of the complete takeover of Terrene looming in the horizon. The mages are all but gone. Only a few thousand individuals with magical ability remains and they form the Mages Order with each member being identified by a distinctive brand somewhere on their body. Armed with notably a six shooter and their magic, the mages of the Order are committed to right the wrongs of their predecessors by finding a way to defeat the demonic force that threatens the world. Thus they venture off to the lands where no man treads...
At the turn of the 7th century and nearing the war's end, the elves were on the cusp of victory. That is until their greatest fear came to fruition. An organization of mages known as the Umbral Order developed magic that allowed them to form rifts in the dimensional fabric and essentially create portals to Helheim. Using magic to control the minds of demons, mages formed demonic armies to help in their fight against the elves. The demon armies dwarfed those of the elves and their otherworldly might eventually led to the mages—and humanity's—victory. Consequently, the mages then enslaved what was left of the elven race. Even to this day, the elves have yet to be liberated. Humanity was unstoppable thanks to the mages. However, peace did not last and the mages' control over the demons soon faded. While attempts at utilizing magic to once again regain control of the demons were somewhat successful at first, the potency of their magic deteriorated at an alarming rate and the demons could no longer be controlled.
The demonic armies ravaged the lands of Terrene like wild fire, destroying everything in their path with seemingly no end in sight. While mighty indeed, magic proved its limitations when even the combined forces of all mages could only temporarily halt the demons' campaign of destruction. The other races of Terrene and even the normal humans were quick to place the blame on the mages for summoning this unstoppable force. Then came the advent of the Man in White. History tells us that the Man in White is an unclear figure of unknown origins but is seen by many as a messiah with tremendous magical power. He drove the demonic armies back to Helheim accompanied by his seven followers and, then, they disappeared from the world without a trace. Divine intervention one might say or is it something entirely different? Something far more sinister? The world may never find out.
The members of the Umbral Order were shortly thereafter executed for their crime. Terrene would enjoy a brief age of respite. In this quiet age, the invention of firearms seemed a foolish ideal but its popularity became so that conventional weaponry that's been around for millennia such as swords and spears were abandoned in a "day". Even the majority of mages could not compete with the deadly potency of firearms and opted to combine their sorcery with this new kind of weaponry, replacing their tomes for muskets that, while slower, when combined with magic proved uniquely destructive.
Fast forward to today, the 10th century, particularly the year XX16, the world of Terrene looks starkly different than it did before. Half of the world is nearly a desert wasteland; the other half: scorched earth. This half of Terrene is plagued by demons who arrived from random rifts in the dimensional fabric. It seems the lingering magic of the Umbral Order caused a destabilization in space-time which resulted in these random portals. After the demons arrival, half of the planet became uninhabitable with the threat of the complete takeover of Terrene looming in the horizon. The mages are all but gone. Only a few thousand individuals with magical ability remains and they form the Mages Order with each member being identified by a distinctive brand somewhere on their body. Armed with notably a six shooter and their magic, the mages of the Order are committed to right the wrongs of their predecessors by finding a way to defeat the demonic force that threatens the world. Thus they venture off to the lands where no man treads...
-DATABASE-
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
1. All standard RPG rules apply. If you are new or don't know them by now (how?), go read them before applying.
2. The GM's word is law. I'm pretty lenient though so as long as you're not doing something profoundly stupid, you should be fine.
3. I require only the minimum standards of the Casual section when it comes to posting. Adding more well thought out details to a post is just icing on top and is appreciated but not a requirement.
4. Please be active. I'm not requiring a post a day (although you should aim for it or something similar) but I need to know that you take activity seriously. If you are having trouble posting, let me and/or others know. If you need to be inactive for a period of time, notify me beforehand whether through the OOC or PM.
5. Currently, there are no limits to the amount of characters you can RP as but don't overwhelm yourself. Quality of post should be consistent across all characters you create.
6. You are allowed to create and control existing NPCs to fit your post. This does not require creating a character sheet needless to say.
7. If you are inactive for an extended period of time without warning, you will be dropped from the RP and all characters you have will be converted to NPCs until I can remove them the IC.
8. You will post your character sheet in the "OOC" tab for my review and approval. After acceptance, please re-post your character sheet over to the "Characters" tab.
9. Just have fun and enjoy the adventure!
2. The GM's word is law. I'm pretty lenient though so as long as you're not doing something profoundly stupid, you should be fine.
3. I require only the minimum standards of the Casual section when it comes to posting. Adding more well thought out details to a post is just icing on top and is appreciated but not a requirement.
4. Please be active. I'm not requiring a post a day (although you should aim for it or something similar) but I need to know that you take activity seriously. If you are having trouble posting, let me and/or others know. If you need to be inactive for a period of time, notify me beforehand whether through the OOC or PM.
5. Currently, there are no limits to the amount of characters you can RP as but don't overwhelm yourself. Quality of post should be consistent across all characters you create.
6. You are allowed to create and control existing NPCs to fit your post. This does not require creating a character sheet needless to say.
7. If you are inactive for an extended period of time without warning, you will be dropped from the RP and all characters you have will be converted to NPCs until I can remove them the IC.
8. You will post your character sheet in the "OOC" tab for my review and approval. After acceptance, please re-post your character sheet over to the "Characters" tab.
9. Just have fun and enjoy the adventure!
.
.
.
.
If you have any questions or suggestions regarding the RP, feel free to notify me either through the OOC or PM
.
.
.
If you have any questions or suggestions regarding the RP, feel free to notify me either through the OOC or PM
The Living Lands
The setting of this RP is primarily based on the Old West with elements of dark fantasy taking place during an apocalyptic event. Terrene—the world in which this RP takes place—is split into basically two environments. The first of which is known as the Living Lands which exist as giant deserts (a collection of various desert biomes). There are still some areas of dense vegetation but they are few and far between. The Living Lands are where the Terrenian races and most animal life exist. Due to the Old West nature of the RP, settlements and architecture follow Old Western aesthetics as does most everything else. Though not nearly as hostile as the lands teeming with demons, the Living Lands is still a wild, lawless place plagued by crime where the strong and rich rule with iron fists. Elements of fantasy can also be found in the architecture and wildlife such as abandoned castles and fortresses; dragons and other fantastical creatures roam the Living Lands. You are free to participate in world building if you'd like.
.
.
.
.
The Helscape
The other half of Terrene is overrun with demons who, in their destructive campaign, have scorched the earth into a Hell-like wasteland. Only either the bravest or the most foolhardy of souls (not that they're mutually exclusive qualities) dare enter these lands. Very little life outside the demonic scourge exist in these harsh conditions and the only vegetation to be found here are Soulthornes: white rose-like flowers that bleed red sap and bloom around areas that portals have appeared in. Local legend says that Soulthorne flowers are containers for the souls of the damned. Whatever they are, consuming their petals will increase the magical abilities of a mage for a duration and their sap will have a similar effect when coated on bullets or magic weapons..
.
.
The Helscape
Human: The dominant race of Terrene, humans are a resilient bunch that have existed with little change since the 2nd Century. It is believed by many that humans branched off from halflings, trading in feral features and keen athletic ability for a superior brain and natural affinity for the magical arts. In fact, humans are the only currently existing race that can become mages ignoring the existence of human hybrid individuals. Humans can successfully produce offspring with any of the four other existing races.
Elf: A once powerful, sovereign race that were as varied as humans, elves possess an innate affinity with nature. They are able to understand the thoughts of animals; some can even speak to plants. With sage training, some elves gain the ability to communicate with spirits. The supreme elven religion sees elves as the guardians of the Waking Realm—Mydgaar in the elven language. Slender and tall, elves are arguably the most beautiful race residing upon Terrene. After losing the war to the mages and humans, the entirety of the elven race was put into slavery which continues to this day. Some have found freedom whether through lawful means or not. Elves can produce offspring with humans, halflings, and the Ancient.
Dwarf: Big, burly, and built sturdy, dwarves stand alongside elves as the oldest of the Terrenian races. A hardy race, dwarves possess inhuman strength and durability; their shorter height but bigger-built bodies being the key features of their physiology. They are also quite intelligent and have a knack for craftsmanship with the best craftsmen in the world all being dwarves. When not building or crafting something, dwarves tend to take up trade as a profession with many being wandering traders in today's world. While dwarves rarely if ever breed outside their own race, they do have the ability to produce offspring with humans and halflings.
Halfling: A curious folk said to have deviated from dwarves at some point in ancient history, halflings are short (typically reaching their height limit at 5 feet) feral-looking humans whose large feet have adapted to walk barefoot in seemingly all conditions. Halflings possess pointed ears and the presence of fur and/or feathers is a common trait among the various tribes. Halflings are nearly as wild as they look, possessing incredible athletic prowess and are usually quite roguish in nature. They make excellent thieves. But it's because of this that halflings are usually looked down upon by humans as an inferior race, although their position is still higher than elves. Halflings can produce offspring with humans, elves, and dwarves.
Ancient: A mysterious and very old race as indicated by their name, the Ancient are a subgroup of giants and the only living giant race that possesses higher sentience—having their own culture, society, language, and being able to reason. As far as giants go, the Ancient are shorter than true giants with most reaching a height limit of around 7 to 9 feet. Their line were known to produce the best knights and warriors of any race and to this day they still are to a certain extent. Bound to tradition, the Ancient prefer conventional weaponry of old such as swords and spears over firearms and, while they possess no latent magical abilities, they can wield magic weapons just as well as humans. The Ancient can additionally produce offspring with humans and elves.
Elf: A once powerful, sovereign race that were as varied as humans, elves possess an innate affinity with nature. They are able to understand the thoughts of animals; some can even speak to plants. With sage training, some elves gain the ability to communicate with spirits. The supreme elven religion sees elves as the guardians of the Waking Realm—Mydgaar in the elven language. Slender and tall, elves are arguably the most beautiful race residing upon Terrene. After losing the war to the mages and humans, the entirety of the elven race was put into slavery which continues to this day. Some have found freedom whether through lawful means or not. Elves can produce offspring with humans, halflings, and the Ancient.
Dwarf: Big, burly, and built sturdy, dwarves stand alongside elves as the oldest of the Terrenian races. A hardy race, dwarves possess inhuman strength and durability; their shorter height but bigger-built bodies being the key features of their physiology. They are also quite intelligent and have a knack for craftsmanship with the best craftsmen in the world all being dwarves. When not building or crafting something, dwarves tend to take up trade as a profession with many being wandering traders in today's world. While dwarves rarely if ever breed outside their own race, they do have the ability to produce offspring with humans and halflings.
Halfling: A curious folk said to have deviated from dwarves at some point in ancient history, halflings are short (typically reaching their height limit at 5 feet) feral-looking humans whose large feet have adapted to walk barefoot in seemingly all conditions. Halflings possess pointed ears and the presence of fur and/or feathers is a common trait among the various tribes. Halflings are nearly as wild as they look, possessing incredible athletic prowess and are usually quite roguish in nature. They make excellent thieves. But it's because of this that halflings are usually looked down upon by humans as an inferior race, although their position is still higher than elves. Halflings can produce offspring with humans, elves, and dwarves.
Ancient: A mysterious and very old race as indicated by their name, the Ancient are a subgroup of giants and the only living giant race that possesses higher sentience—having their own culture, society, language, and being able to reason. As far as giants go, the Ancient are shorter than true giants with most reaching a height limit of around 7 to 9 feet. Their line were known to produce the best knights and warriors of any race and to this day they still are to a certain extent. Bound to tradition, the Ancient prefer conventional weaponry of old such as swords and spears over firearms and, while they possess no latent magical abilities, they can wield magic weapons just as well as humans. The Ancient can additionally produce offspring with humans and elves.
Once spanning the entirety of the world, mages are now reduced to a paltry lot numbering in only a few thousand individuals. Their decline came after the invention of firearms that proved much more effective in combat than chucking a few spells. Those who did not practice their craft daily soon lost their ability to use magic. Those who remain were clever in adapting their magic to use with firearms, utilizing bullets as a medium in which to deliver their spells. The combination of magic and firearms proved to be especially effective as they can fire off spells in rapid succession. While mages can still cast spells without firearms today, the effect of the spells proved to be much less potent. Mages today look starkly different than their predecessors, trading in their robes for dusters, hoods for cowboy hats, and tomes for six shooters or other readily available firearms. The majority of mages today formed the Mages Order—the last of its kind—whose sole purpose is to protect the realm from the demonic forces that threatens all other life on Terrene and to, hopefully, right the wrongs of their predecessors by finding a way to defeat the demons for good. All mages of the Order have a brand somewhere on their body to identify their allegiance to the cause while defectors of the Order have their brand scarred. Although their cause is considered a noble one, mages are typically seen as scum and/or fiends by those outside their circles.
This is mostly a free roam RP so you have the ability to follow your own stories and such. You are also free to world build if it fits your prerogative. While it is free roam and you can play as any type of character you wish, the story of the Mages Order's fight against the demon scourge will be at the forefront of things in terms of the story so take that into consideration when making a character. Optionally, the story starts with your character having taken a contract to escort a band of surveyors into the Helscape—the land of demons.
Please refer to my own character sheet over in the "Characters" tab if you are unsure about a field or formatting. You are allowed to deviate from this character sheet for aesthetic purposes but all necessary information must still be present. Delete all in parentheses and please add "N/A" to any fields you leave blank that are optional unless stated otherwise.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
[center][img]Optional; Delete this section if not used; Character Image[/img]
[i]"Optional; Delete this section if not used; A quote spoken by your character"[/i][/center]
[b][u]Personal Information[/u][/b]
[b]Name[/b]: (A name typical of Old Western conventions, a Fantasy-esque name, or a combination of both; Surname optional)
[b]Alias[/b]: (Optional; An alias or aliases your character is known by)
[b]Sex[/b]: (Male or Female)
[b]Age[/b]:
[b]Date of Birth[/b]: (No Year)
[b]Race[/b]: (One of the five Terrenian races or any hybrid of the five)
[b]Appearance[/b]: (Optional if you used a character image up top; Hider preferred; Minimum of one paragraph with 2-4 lines of text or an image along with text of any additions or changes to the image if there is any)
[b]Biography[/b]: (Optional; Hider preferred; Minimum of one paragraph with 2-4 lines of text)
[b][u]Combat Information[/u][/b]
[b]Mage Status[/b]: (Yes or No; Only if your character is a human or a human hybrid)
[b]Equipment[/b]: (List what equipment your character possesses; You can detail your equipment with descriptions and images if you so choose; If you plan to go in-depth with a lot of text, a hider is preferred; Magic weapons can be used at full power by mages and the Ancient while their effects are weakened to various degrees when used by normal humans or other races)
[b]Spells[/b]: (For mage characters only; Hider preferred; Detail all the spells your character can perform; Remember that attack spells are drastically weaker when not used with a firearm)
