Fantasy • Epic Quest • Anime
♥ ♠ ♣ ♦
There once was a land of beauty and wonder known as Meltaine. This ancient land had knowledge and magic, and all it harboured lived abundant, joy-filled lives. They were clever and graceful, wise and benevolent, strong and honorable... but most of all, they followed their hearts and brought light, love and life to the world they lived in. There was no turmoil, no pain, and no suffering.
This sacred kingdom was preserved by the Guardians of the Royal Lines. Kings and Queens who held within their souls the purest form of each virtue that brought their home such prosperity. They had reigned for thousands of years, and perhaps would have reigned for a thousand more; they had no heirs for they were thought to be immortal beings of purity and goodness.
The Fetid Wind that swept through the land left no mark at first. A gentle sickness overcame the Royal Lines, one that could not be cured by any magic yet known. First they grew tired; then they grew withered. With them the earth writhed and cried out in their names. But as the life left their bodies, so too did the virtues they represented. They rose into the skies as symbols of light, splintering and scattering, lost to the world. The land of Meltaine fractured, and the dark corruption buried it's tendrils deep into the hearts of man and earth alike.
The people cried out in one voice and the noble Jacks took to the thrones in hope of salvaging their lost home. But their hearts, far weaker than the Guardians, could not bear the load of the evil that writhed within their beings. As the evil killed crops and poisoned lakes so too did it twist the Jack's hearts into beings of evil, and the Broken Jacks became rulers of the Mad Land of Meltaine, for all who lived within were poisoned by the evil.
The gruesome genocide of the people of Meltaine is one not written in storybooks. While it is said some still live in that legendary land only those who took the evil into their hearts could abide by it's harsh landscape. Early in the Jack's reign, those who were wise enough to read the signs saw the tragedy that was befalling their home. It was with great grief a band of refugees took to the ocean and travelled to faraway lands in search of freedom and safety. But their hearts had been left bereft of guidance, and within them the seed of corruption took root. Now, all had the capacity for goodness and for evil in their hearts, and the madness would always be with them.
This sacred kingdom was preserved by the Guardians of the Royal Lines. Kings and Queens who held within their souls the purest form of each virtue that brought their home such prosperity. They had reigned for thousands of years, and perhaps would have reigned for a thousand more; they had no heirs for they were thought to be immortal beings of purity and goodness.
The Fetid Wind that swept through the land left no mark at first. A gentle sickness overcame the Royal Lines, one that could not be cured by any magic yet known. First they grew tired; then they grew withered. With them the earth writhed and cried out in their names. But as the life left their bodies, so too did the virtues they represented. They rose into the skies as symbols of light, splintering and scattering, lost to the world. The land of Meltaine fractured, and the dark corruption buried it's tendrils deep into the hearts of man and earth alike.
The people cried out in one voice and the noble Jacks took to the thrones in hope of salvaging their lost home. But their hearts, far weaker than the Guardians, could not bear the load of the evil that writhed within their beings. As the evil killed crops and poisoned lakes so too did it twist the Jack's hearts into beings of evil, and the Broken Jacks became rulers of the Mad Land of Meltaine, for all who lived within were poisoned by the evil.
The gruesome genocide of the people of Meltaine is one not written in storybooks. While it is said some still live in that legendary land only those who took the evil into their hearts could abide by it's harsh landscape. Early in the Jack's reign, those who were wise enough to read the signs saw the tragedy that was befalling their home. It was with great grief a band of refugees took to the ocean and travelled to faraway lands in search of freedom and safety. But their hearts had been left bereft of guidance, and within them the seed of corruption took root. Now, all had the capacity for goodness and for evil in their hearts, and the madness would always be with them.
♥ ♠ ♣ ♦
It is a thousand years hence and the Mad Land of Meltaine is all but a fairytale. You live in the lands of Wormwold, a place far from the paradise of old. It is a life of toil and hard work, taming lands unknown and claiming them in Wormwold's name.
It is hard to imagine a world where all people were born equal with all valors and magic within them. These days each person is born into one Suit and inherits that Suit's powers alone... and if that wasn't enough to contend with, born into one of the classes, their place in society, accordingly. Hearts are near Royalty, Spades are Nobility, Clubs are Brutes and Diamonds are Beggars. Each Class subjugates themselves to the wills of those above them, and most will marry within their own class suit. It is the way of things, and life has never been different.
You are a student of the Spire, a youth preparing yourself to take your place in Wormwold. You live and grow in a city of mostly students, of all Suits and powers, and aim to gain Prestige and make your way in the world. These days, however, you can't shake the strange dreams you've been having. Dreams of a beautiful city that glints in the sunlight, of terrible creatures rising from a dark wood, and a wind that buffets you and withers your soul. Always the last thing you see is that sickeningly grotesque smile, that glints and gleams with a madman's fervor. It all seems so familiar...
It is hard to imagine a world where all people were born equal with all valors and magic within them. These days each person is born into one Suit and inherits that Suit's powers alone... and if that wasn't enough to contend with, born into one of the classes, their place in society, accordingly. Hearts are near Royalty, Spades are Nobility, Clubs are Brutes and Diamonds are Beggars. Each Class subjugates themselves to the wills of those above them, and most will marry within their own class suit. It is the way of things, and life has never been different.
You are a student of the Spire, a youth preparing yourself to take your place in Wormwold. You live and grow in a city of mostly students, of all Suits and powers, and aim to gain Prestige and make your way in the world. These days, however, you can't shake the strange dreams you've been having. Dreams of a beautiful city that glints in the sunlight, of terrible creatures rising from a dark wood, and a wind that buffets you and withers your soul. Always the last thing you see is that sickeningly grotesque smile, that glints and gleams with a madman's fervor. It all seems so familiar...
S U I T S
The four suits affect all aspects of a character, bust most importantly their power/style of magic. All suits have their own magic which can be interpreted in a number of ways.
♥ Hearts ♥
♥ The Primary Suit of Royalty ♥♥ ♠ ♣ ♦
Hearts - Emotional Element, Life, Emotion, Healing, Connection, Light, Love, Joy, Fertility, Social
Shadow of Heart: Instability, Overgrowth, Despair, Forced emotion over others, Blinding, barren.
Hearts is a healing element. It can be about knitting wounds together or bringing plantlife back to a dead land. It can also be an emotional element, it can help someone speak with animals or help smooth the bridge between human beings. Magic of the heart is vibrant, and includes manipulating light and revealing what is in the hearts of men. It is a magic fueled by love and joy. They are beloved by the other suits.
The magic of heart cannot be learnt from books, though it can be guided and honed gently. It is an explosive force that comes from within, and can be a very powerful magic, but as it originates from the heart it cannot always be relied upon. Emotional states can affect and change the way the magic forms and even it's outcome. The magic of heart awakens when someone has had a powerful change of heart or emotional event. Like all elements, it can also be passed down through the family lines - if one of their parents were strong of heart enough.
Corruption from the heart is a sad thing indeed. It can become rampant, obsessive, a force that tears over the land and consumes everything in it's path. It is the thorny briar that consumes the tower in a jungle of vines, it is within the prince who will stop at nothing to become king. Worse still it subjugates others and forces them into emotional slavery, it is within the witch who captures the hearts of others against their will for her own gain. A heart too corrupted will become the opposite of it's primary purpose: to bring misery and cause the land to go barren.
♠ Spades ♠
♠ The Secondary Suit of Nobility ♠♥ ♠ ♣ ♦
Spades - Mind Element, Intellect, Logic, Puzzles, Finesse, Delicacy, Grace, Devotion, Studiousness, Dedication, Arcana, Memory, Literacy, Willpower, Skillful, Wit, Cunning, etiquette
Shadow of Spades - Supremacy, Dominance, thirst for forbidden knowledge, cruelty, logic-driven only
Spades is the intellectual element. It is about working through problems, finding solutions. It is about logic and understanding, high IQs, it is represented in all fields of sciences. Spades are also about finesse and delicacy, they are graceful and move lightly through the world. They are cunning and witty, able to outsmart those around them. They have great memories and are skilled at interpreting their surroundings and seeing things others may miss. Their grace permeates their beings, they could be dancers, entertainers, professors, scientists, investigators, craftsman or mages of the Arcane. Other suits are in awe of them.
The magic within Spades is learnt. They must learn and memorise their spells, and while in some ways weaker than the other suits, they can learn a wide variety of magic - and it is far more dependable than magic from the heart or magic gifted by mercurial spirits and elementals. This magic must be prepared and learnt at the start of each day; but they have a vast array of many types spells from their chosen disciplines.
A spade could be the advisor to the king who helps him make economic decisions, or it could be the dashing thief who nimbly runs along clothing lines and across rooftops, outsmarting the guards as he makes his escape. Or it could even be the silver-tongued performer, who wows the punters as she spins compliments and insults into witty rhetoric.
Shadow Side of Spades: The shadow side of spades is driven by a thirst for knowledge - even that which is too dangerous to be known. They will crush others underfoot for what they want, and function purely from cold-hard logic. They will look down on all those who fail to meet their intellectual level, and while the suits of Hearts or Diamonds may be creative about how they combat situations, Spades will always take the most efficient and straightforward way to silence their enemies... usually death. Shadowed Spades make great assassins, particularly those dedicated to the finesse or grace elements of the suit. Like Clubs, Spades are an active element, they take action quickly, calmly and immediately.
♣ Clubs ♣
♣ The Tetriary Suit of Brutes ♣♥ ♠ ♣ ♦
Clubs - Physical Element, Strength, Power, Courage, Loyalty, Earth, Air, Fire, Water, Steadfast, Dependable, Reliable, Crafters, Machines, In Touch With The Earth, Protection, Valor
Shadow Side of Clubs: Pain, Suffering, Anger, Destruction, Violence, Torture, Darkness, Machinations
Clubs are the physical element. They are warriors, crafters, hunters, rangers and shamans. They are in touch with the physical world around them above all else. They are associated with valor, courage, loyalty, and using one's strength for the good of others. They are stout defenders. They have the most vitality out of all the suits and are usually the healthiest and hardiest, least likely to be affected by disease or ailments. They have a higher pain threshold than other suits and for this they are most associated with battle, but that is not the only facet of this suit.
They are hard workers and skilled crafters - while they don't have the finesse of Spades who opt for delicate crafts, they are strong builders, woodworkers and creators, working diligently and methodically towards their goals. Other Clubs may work towards creating basic machinations to accomplish tasks.
The magic of Clubs is typically associated with bolstering oneself for a task, or shielding others from harm. They also hold dominion over elemental magic and the physical plane and may call on the physical elements to aid them in their tasks. While they cannot commune with animals they may be able to tame and bond with them in more traditional means. Furthermore it is not uncommon for Clubs to practice Golemancy, creating hulking creatures out of the elements to serve them.
The shadow side of Clubs is one of bloodshed and violence. It is war, it is destruction, it is tearing the world apart from sheer brute force or the force of the elementals. It is summoning a storm on a ship at sea or raising an army as you covet your neighbour’s land. It is wrathful, and filled with hate and loathing and a desire to prove yourself the most powerful. It is physical torture and mindless cruelty, it is the beast within man running rampant. It is the bandit that torches the village for no reason, the warrior who gives no mercy. It is unstoppable, and terrifying, and brings devastation to the world around it.
♦ Diamonds ♦
♦ The Quarternary Suit of Beggars ♦♥ ♠ ♣ ♦
Diamonds: Spiritual Element, Wisdom, Neutrality, Balance, Equalising, Flow, Ease, Peace, Harmony, Spirits, Magic, Natural order, Dreaming, Signs, Premonition, Precognition, Benevolence
Shadow of Diamonds: Lack of caring, immovable, inactive, imbalance, ignorance to others, disharmony, upheaval, necromancy, undead, refusal to follow natural order
Diamonds is the element of spirituality and wisdom. It see's the flow of time and the cycle of the ages. It is knowledge in the form of intuition, it knows that spring will follow winter and that life and death are intertwined. But more unusual then that, Diamonds know of the events of next spring, it can see the life of the children who will be born and their deaths when they are old and withered. Diamonds have a sight no others possess - they can see and commune with the spirit world and interact with the creatures there, they can call on the forces of magic from beyond the veil. Their magic can be anything from manipulating the flow of time and the ages, to calling to spirits of other planes of existence. They can see things others cannot, and are a very perceptive people. A Diamond is a diamond from birth only, though there has been two cases in all of history of someone becoming a diamond after they had been brought back from the brink of death. They are respected by the other suits.
It can take a long time for a diamond to be corrupted. Wearing down the balanced immutable nature of a gem so strong is no easy task. But when this happens, it is near impossible to bring a diamond back to it's original shining form. Their wisdom becomes something they wield over others, they can manipulate time itself to bring them closer to their goals, corrupting it's flow as they do so. The art of necromancy is one such magic born of a rogue Diamond. They may also use their premonition skills to manipulate and distort others, typically they wish to create a natural order of their choosing. A corrupted Diamond will abuse their connections to the spirit world and their wisdom to achieve their goals - and they are extremely patient people, happy to spend years to see their plans come to fruition. It is the evil Czar who brings the spirits of the dead to haunt his kingdom, it is the High Priestess who sacrifices others to gain eternal life. It is the tyrant who travels back in time to alter the course of history and put himself on the throne.
The other side of corruption in Diamonds is an immutability to the extreme. A lack of care for their fellow man, a complete disconnect from their emotions and ties to the physical plane. They might start suddenly being able to ignore the laws of physics or stop needing to eat or drink. This may seem like an overt form of corruption, but this is deadly in itself - keeping people ignorant to their fates, allowing others to walk to their doom. Often a Diamond who has given up on the succor of life will bring a sleep to the lands that surround him. Those in their realm will feel zapped of power and will, a resignation to their fate that causes them to waste away.
J ø к ε Я ṧ
Now Accepting Jokers. Please PM.
Little is known about the Jokers. They say they are no class and all classes, that they are the highest and lowest combined. That they function beyond the rules of the Suits and belong to the corruption in the Mad Land of Meltaine.
ﬡ B R O K E N J A C K S ﬡ
Now accepting Broken Jacks. Please PM
The Broken Jacks are legendary creatures who rule the fractured lands of Meltaine. They have been poisoned by the corruption that enraptures the land. It is unclear what their aims are, but they have gone mad with power, and wish to bring others into their thrall. Each Jack follows a unique aspect of their suit.
♥ ♠ ♣ ♦
T H E S P I R E
The Spire is a coastal city of canals and towers of white stone that cascade with beautiful waterfalls. It is a city of commerce, gaining a lot of wealth through trade in the port district. However, that is not it's call to fame. While beautiful, the Spire is at the heart of Wormwold's tradition of preparing the youth for the great tasks that lay before them.
Further inland, on the high ground that overlooks the port, the Prime District sits overlooking the rest of the city. Here, the youth are brought from all over to be trained. For this reason the Prime District operates differently than other cities - as well as gold, students can earn credit through their training that can be spent on privileges within the city. In this way students are encouraged to perform well, while also learning to be autonomous in their own right. They may perhaps one day earn the right to own their own properties, places of business, gain access to exclusive areas of the city, research, weaponry and magic, as well as being held in high standing within the city itself... sometimes, the only way to gain respect regardless of one’s born rank.
The Prime District exists for two reasons: first, to encourage the young to take their proper place among the Suits, as is correct of them. Second, to prepare them for the dangerous world they find themselves in, and readying them to perhaps one day take their place among a Deck.
However, that is not the only path for a youth of the Spire. Many senior students will take their place working within stores, within guilds, or crafting goods for the city. Others may instead decide to return to their families, often is the way among nobles. Doing well in the Spire brings great honor, wealth and respect to one's home, but the Spire itself rewards those willing to do the work. However, only the best will be richly rewarded.
R A N K I N G S
The Spire works on a prestige ranking system. Please note: upon purchasing your rank, your credits are then spent and reset to 0. Credit upgrades are automatic. Also note that there may be Suit-based penalization that apply to In Training/Novice ranks, and certain Powers are inherent and ignore some rank restrictions (e.g. if your character's concept and Power is creating machinations, they can build and use machinations)
Training (0 Credits):
Students who have just arrived and begun their training within the city.
• No restricted Area Access
• Cannot own property or buisness (must stay in Provided Accomodation: Dorms)
• Must pay for lodging, food and water
• Must pay for access to the library and training grounds when outside of training hours or if there is no supervision
• Not allowed access to any forges, shops, places of magic or alchemy
• Will receive punishment if it is discovered they own any trinkets, potions or artefacts without a Writ.
• They cannot have corruptions, maladies or maddesses removed by healers.
Initiates (1000 Credits):
Have started to prove their worth within the city and are granted some citizenship.
• They now pay reduced costs (50%) on food, water and provided lodging
• reduced costs on access to the main library and the training grounds. They may use both the library and training grounds till 8pm at the latest.
• They are not allowed access to any forges, places of magic or alchemy.
• they can buy equipment and items from initiate grade shops.
• They may own small pets (rabbits, hamsters, squirrels ect), so long as they have not been magically enchanted in any way.
• They may own initiate level trinkets, potions, but no artefacts.
• They gain access to the Restricted Area: Clubs.
• They may visit healers, under supervision, to remove one malady per fortnight - at a cost of 200%.
Novices (2500 Credits):
Are considered newcomers within the city and are granted partial citizenship.
• No cost for basic food or drink, and 30% for extravagant food, alcoholic beverages, and on basic lodging.
• They now have the right to own basic property within the grounds of the city, but must pay full rent.
• They gain access to the forge and one restricted area of their choice (as well as the Clubs).
• They may attend places of alchemy or magic if supervised by a higher ranking student or an official.
• They are allowed to own Novice or lower rank trinkets and potions and up to two Novice-level Artefacts.
• They may visit healers and get two maladies removed per fortnight at full cost, or some basic Madnesses removed at 200% price.
• They may own pets or small pets and may petition for a Writ to enchant a pet if they have good cause (low chance of success).
• They are not allowed to own buisness property, but may buy a single basic business permit to run out of their own home or from their person; so long as they are the sole operator of the entire business (no manufacturing chains).
• To enter a business partnership with another player they must get a Writ of permission from a high ranking official. They will be penalised if caught selling from other property without appropriate writs or at public locations. Basic businesses are not subject to tax.
Intermediate (4000 credits):
Are considered citizens of the city and are granted full citizenship.
• It is considered inappropriate for a citizen to be living in provided lodging and must now pay 300% rent if staying in provided accommodation.
• They no longer pay for the costs of food or drink within the Prime District and must only pay for very rare foods or certain alcohols.
• They have the right to own basic or comfortable property within the grounds of the city, and pay 25% less tax on basic property.
• They gain access to the forge, places of magic and the alchemist without supervision and three restricted areas (as well as the Clubs) of their choice.
• They may visit the healers to get three maladies removed per fortnight at full cost, or some simple Madnesses removed at 150% cost.
• Some corruptions may be removed at the Healer, but take three sessions at 200% cost to fully remove.
• They are allowed to own Intermediate or lower rank trinkets and potions, and three Intermediate level Artefacts or less.
• They may own small pets, pets or exotic pets (chameleons, parrots, eagles ) so long as they can show they are not dangerous.
• They may employ In-Training students for basic errand-running.
• They may now own and run a business under supervision and may rent business property.
• They may enter into a business partnership with another player, and only need a writ if that player is of Novice rank (cannot partner with In-Training characters or Initiates).
• They may own basic machinations for use around their home or business.
Advanced (6000 Credits):
Are considered full citizens and respected.
• They are forbidden from living in provided lodging.
• They no longer pay for the costs of food or drink.
• They have the right to own lavish property and receive 25% off comfortable and basic property.
• They gain access to the forge, places of magic and the alchemist and up to five restricted areas (as well as the Clubs) of their choice.
• They may visit the healers to get three maladies removed per fortnight at full cost, or some basic Madnesses removed at full cost.
• Some corruptions may be removed at the Healer but take three sessions at 150% price to full price to remove.
• They are allowed to own Advanced or lower rank trinkets and potions and four Advanced level Artefacts or less.
• They may own small pets, pets, exotic pets or wild pets so long as they are confined to a property or with the Advanced student.
• They may employ in-Training students for basic errand running and Initiate students as a maid/butler.
• They may own and run a business and may own basic or comfortable business property.
• They may enter into a business partnership with another player and only need a writ if that player is of Novice rank (cannot partner with In-Training characters or Initiates).
• They may own simple machinations for use around their home, business and at their side in the city.
• Guards may occasionally overlook small transgressions.
• They may own a small plot of land to do with as they see fit.
Elite (8000 Credits and a test):
Are considered full citizens and revered.
• They are forbidden from living in provided lodging.
• They no longer pay for the costs of food or drink.
• They have the right to own extravagant property and receive 25% off lavish property and 50% off comfortable or basic property. They may own multiple residences.
• They gain access to the forge, places of magic and the alchemist and all restricted areas.
• They may visit the healers to get maladies removed at 75% - full cost depending on the Malady, or some Madnesses removed at 75% - full cost depending on the Madness. Some corruptions may be removed at the Healer but take three sessions at 100% price to fully remove.
• They are allowed to own Elite or lower rank trinkets and potions and five Elite level Artefacts or less.
• They may own small pets, pets, exotic pets, wild pets or monsters. Pets can roam freely through towns with the exception of wild pets, unless the Elite Student can prove it will not harm people.
• They may own Monsters on their properties or in their businesses.
• They may employ any student as they see fit. They may own and run businesses and may own comfortable, basic or comfortable business property.
• They may found Guilds and upgrade their businesses into Corporations or Chains.
• They can found Cults, though dangerous cults must be kept secret. They may purchase land and get permission to build or change the land.
• They may enter into a business partnership with other players and only need a writ if that player is of Novice rank (cannot partner with In-Training characters or Initiates).
• They can initiate other characters into their guild if that character so chooses, and may try to force other characters into their Cults (rolls depending). They may own machinations. Guards may overlook transgressions, including when other students are involved.
Proven (10000 Credits, three trials and an induction ceremony):
A place among the Cities Official or Ruling class.
• May write Writs, make changes to schedules, order decrees and change legislation at the discretion of the GM.
• May own extravagant properties, both business and personal and 50% all properties that are not extravagant.
• May employ other students as they see fit if they agree.
• May own any form of pet including enchanted and magical creatures. Pets can move freely through town (so long as they are not dangerous)
• They may own monsters on their property or businesses.
• They may found guilds, upgrade their businesses into corporations or chains, they may found Cults, though dangerous cults must be kept secret.
• They may purchase land and give themselves permission to build or change the land.
• They may enter into business partnerships with other players and may initiate others into their guild.
• They may hire investigators, assassins, mercenaries, and create missions for other students. They may prepare dangerous expeditions to other lands.
Please note: Corrupt officials can be demoted if discovered.
T H E M A D N E S S
Corruption, Madness and Maladies have been brought to the hearts of men. Corruption, Madness and Maladies can befall your character during the course of the roleplay. Maladies are small temporary madnesses that affect your character - sometimes for a period of time, such as the length of one mission or one week, or other times you must find a simple cure (a certain tincture of plants, for example). Madnesses are more permanent and powerful maladies that are far more devastating and harder to shake. Sometimes a Madness will create a new Fate for the character that, if completed, will remove the Madness.
Corruptions are the most dreaded of all - for better or worse, corruptions can change a person's physical makeup, mutating them and changing who they are. It can also give new powers and abilities, but sometimes, this has it's own cost. It is possible to remove corruptions but this is not always successful.
F A T E S & D E S T I N I E S
On your character sheet you will provide three destinies for your character. They can be things you want your character to experience (but maybe your character would have no idea about it, or maybe even wouldn't want it to happen) things that will involve other characters in the roleplay or group-set goals, or sometimes over-arching or significant storylines.
Destinies can be big or small. They can be anything from "I want my character to get beat up this chapter" which provides other player's or the GMs the opportunity to fight you, or "I want my character to gain the ability to fly" which your character may not have any idea about, or even "I want my character to meet someone new" which your character might want to happen. They could be something like "Our group completes the mission without getting harmed" to "Everyone discovers the significance of Meltaine."
The GM will provided opportunities, usually at the end of a chapter, to change your destinies if you're finding them unenjoyable. Rewards will be granted upon completing a Destiny, with greater rewards being given for more difficult Destinies. While that's the case, it is best to have a mix of a short-term destiny, intermediate destiny, and long term destiny.
Fates are not chosen but given. They are temporary goals suggested by the GM that your character can chose to ignore or follow. Those who complete a Fate will be rewarded, but your character does not have to follow them.
T R E A S U R E
There are many types of treasure in Wormwold and the Mad Lands.
Reagents: Reagents are items that have properties that can be used to create magical or imbued items. They can be applied to armor, weaponary and brought to the Alchemist for potion creation. There is no limit to how many reagents you can have and each reagent has multiple properties of various rarity.
Curiosities: Magical and Mechanical items of a mysterious nature; most Curiosities hold little to no use. Some make life easier, such as a cup that never runs dry or a wind chime that sings when danger is near. Others hold little to no use. The truth is, most of these items will keep their signifance well hidden, as these items cannot be identified. There is no restrictions to the amount of Curiosities one can own - unless you count space, that is.
Trinkets: More predictable and arguably far more useful then their Curiosity counterparts, these items come in all sorts of shapes and forms. From damage boosters to two way screens that let you see far away places, these common items litter the known world. Trinkets can be identified relatively easily, and some can be extremely helpful in a pinch... but alas, these items usually have a depletion rate, and low level Trinkets only have one charge in them. Trinkets are under regulation in the Spire.
Artefacts: The most powerful magical items in all the land, artefacts are rare creations that can have a myriad of different properties and uses. They don't get destroyed as easily as trinkets; some are even indestructable. As it is, the Spire has strict regulations on the use of Artefacts, as they can be very dangerous.
C O M B A T
The combat system in this RP is a combination of different systems, but highly inspired by various tabletop systems. Below is an explanation of the different parts of combat and how they work.
Each character starts with 10 points in each stat, and 15 additional points at level 1 they may use to increase their stat pools.
Health: Standard HP. At 0 HP a character is dead. HP can be recovered through potions, spells and resting. Special locations out in the world may also heal those who stumble upon them. When a character reaches 0 HP they are usually forever dead; however, players may make an OOC appeal if they wish to continue playing this character. This will result in the revival of a character, but they receive a permanent injury. Or, a character may become influenced by the Broken Jacks.
Sanity: Mental HP. Many things in the cruel world are too horrific for the gentle minds of the youth. Sanity can be recovered through alcohol, spells and resting. Special locations in the world may also heal those who stumble upon them. When a character reaches 0 Sanity their minds have left their bodies and they have become an empty shell: dead. Players make make an OOC appeal if they wish to continue playing this character. This will result in the revival of a character, but they receive a permanent madness that cannot be removed. Alternatively, a character may become influenced by the Broken Jacks
Players who wish to create new characters after theirs have died will be given bonuses to their starting level/credits/equipment based on the level/credits/equipment of the character who has just passed.
Willpower: How difficult it is for horror and mental attacks to affect you. Items of Importance give bonuses to Willpower.
Stamina: Ability to resist poisons, diseases and use heavy armours without penalties.
Strength: Power and Damage on physical attacks for strength based weapons.
Dexterity: Affects your initiative in a round (if you can attack before your enemy) as well as damage on dexterity based weapons.
Stealth: Ability to hide, sneak, or disguise oneself.
Magic: Affects your ability to cast spells on others.
Vigilance: Ability to detect hidden creatures, sneak attacks, unusual aspects in your environment, or detect lies.
Luck: Affects loot and treasure value and influences events in your favor.
Combats are broken up into rounds. Rounds each represent roughly five seconds of time passing and are considered to happen near simultaneously. Characters take turns based on their initiative. There are three rounds in a combat turn, though occasionally a special surprise round will happen before combat official starts.
R O U N D S
0 - Surprise Round: Surprise Round. Characters who have Surprise or Reach may make a free attack.
1 - Ready Round: May flee, use an item, or buff themselves or allies.
2 - Engagement Round: Pick One:
• Aggresive: May attack, cast debuffs or use spells.
• Defensive: May counter with an attack or spell to reduce damange, dodge an attack to prevent damage.
Does not deal damage with exceptions for some magical items.
3 - End of round. Any round-length spells or affects end.
An Example of Combat:
Character B is wearing Cloth, Armor Value of 2.
1: Character A coats their blade in Demon's Blood! (+5 to Attack, one round)
2: Character A uses Bludgeon Aggressively! (AV: Rolled 1)
3: Demon's Blood wears off. End of round.
1: Character B casts Regeneration! (3 Health per 3 Rounds)
2: Character B uses Pummel Defensively!
3: Regeneration is still in effect. End of round.
Character A hits Character B!
Character B counters with Pummel and reduces the damage by 60%!
Character B takes reduced Damage (-2) from their cloth armor!
Character B takes 4 damage!
Character B regenerates 3 Health (2 Rounds remaining)
A R M O R
Armor is there for your protection and provided through equipment. Before each attack characters must roll to hit on a ten sided dice. If they roll higher then the Armor Value of the other player, they find a weakspot and ignore armor. If they roll the same as or under the Armor Value of the other player, they do a glancing blow and subtract the Armor Value from the damage they would deal.
Note: Armor reduction resolve after defensive actions.
D U R A B I L I T Y
Each piece of armor or weaponary has a durability value. This is how many battles you can fight in before you need to take the item in to repair. At 1 durability items do half damage and at 0 durability items cannot be used until properly repaired. If an item is used at 0 durability that item will be destroyed.
A D V A N T A G E & D I S A D V A N T A G E
Certain potions, conditions and even situations can grant Advantage or Disadvantage to rolls. Advantage means you roll twice and take the higher result, whereas Disadvantage means you take the lower roll.
D E C K S
Most of the continent is still unknown and untamed. Decks are comprised of typically four people and sent out to villages on the boundary of the known world who have sent a call for aid. It is then a Deck's job to build that village into a prosperous place, granting them safety from monsters, and helping them expand the reach of the Kingdom. But this is not their only task - between these core missions, Decks may be sent out on mercenary work, sent to acquire rare artefacts, protect trading ships, or sometimes even investigate strange phenomenons or murders.
W R I T S
Permission slips, written privilege permissions, commendations and sometimes letters of correspondence. Writs can only be sent from high ranking officials. Some attempt to forge.
WORKS IN PROGRESS
Everything below this line is still WIP.
C O N D I T I O N S
Conditions apply buffs or debuffs to stats and sometimes change how combat functions. Some status effects, such as hungry or parched function outside of combat as well as during combat.
Examples while the condition system is WIP:
Blinded
Burning
Calmed
Charmed
Covet
Exhaustion
Frenzy
Frightened
Frozen
Hungry
Incapacitated
Indulged
Invisible
Joyous
Lucky
Paralysed
Parched
Petrified
Poisoned
Restrained
Slowed
Stunned
Unconscious
╠ L O C A T I O N S ╣
Below is an example list of locations available to unlock through the credit system. These shall be fleshed out in further detail.
F O R G E
A place to purchase weapons and weapon upgrades. Once a reagent has been fully discovered, characters can take large quantities of the reagent here to forge weapons of specific assets. The price is more expensive then the alchemist, but removes the random element. Price is based off the rarity and power.
G E N E R A L S T O R E
For purchasing basic adventuring equipments.
A L C H E M I S T
Alchemists can combine regeants to form new items with magical properties. Properties are rolled randomly.
D I S E N C H A N T E R
Disenchanter will remove augments from an Artefact. Occasionally regeants would be salvaged from this action. The Disenchanter can remove less vicious curses for a price.
D O C T O R
Removes Corruptions, Maladies and Insanity.
WI S H I N G W E L L
It is said sometimes, the wishing well grants wishes (new destinies, events that happen IC)
M U S E U M
The museum can be visited to identify artefacts and potions, and rarely the Museum will know of artefacts and their location in relation to mission goals. Museums will occasionallly have unique missions of archeological value.
L I B R A R Y
can be used to research locations and gain information on lore, monsters, ect.
G A M B L E R' S D E N
Gamble for money, gain connections with seedy folk, apply for favors. Those who have Perfomance skills may come here to earn extra gold once an evening.
M E N A G E R I E
Place to purchase pets and mounts, as well as unlock armour for pets/mounts and equipment.
F O R T U N E T E L L E R
Ability to ask to see the future, grant you information about your quest, occasionally sells rare regents.
T A V E R N
Stocks more dangerous quests, occasionally mercenaries may appear here.
C H U R C H & C E M E T A R Y
may attend to purchase Auras and begin to follow the paths of the righteous - gain Abilities based on a Diety.
T H E M A R I A
Serves the best food in all of town with the best bonuses. It is not part of the Prime District, but it will recognise the discounts of Elite and Proven students only.
T R A I N I N G G R O U N D S
Check the day's bounty (Beasts, Demons, Undead, ect) and receive gold for each creature of that type killed. Training can improve skills and moves over time, though it is a slow process.
M A R K E T P L A C E
Sells a random selection of items each day, and used as a communal market place. Item selection is based off of which locations in the world have been discovered in the world and secured.
There are a few secret locations that cannot be unlocked using restricted area access, and can only be discovered.
