The wishing star, a legendary stone, said to have the ability to grant any wish. It has changed history every time it was found and continues to influence the current generation, but its presence has disappeared from recent history and the world has forgotten about this legendary artefact. Until now. A mysterious stranger heralded the star’s return into the century. His words spurred the continent to the exploration and settlement of The Frontier, a wild and untamed stretch of land, unexplored since ancient times due to an impassable mountain range.
With modern technology that barrier has since been overcome and people have flocked in droves to the frontier. All who enter those treacherous lands don’t do so lightly. Many seek the wishing star, rich and poor alike. More than anything, the rumours of the wishing star attract the desperate, those whose wishes can’t be granted by normal means. Some causes are just, some less so, but there’s no justice in the frontier unless you deal it out yourself. The only law that governs the frontier is the law of the jungle. Take or be taken from, kill or be killed.
The world
It’s the turn of the century, and the three most powerful nations of the continent have signed a peace treaty after years of constant warfare. The terms of the peace treaty included the sharing of knowledge and freedom of trade. The treaty advanced technology and generated progress throughout the land, although the three nations kept their best secrets to themselves.
The nations
The strongest nation in terms of man power is the Sola kingdom. Established on fertile plains, the Sola kingdom had prides itself on tenacity. Their defensive prowess is lauded as the best in the continent. Their heavy knights and cavalry are almost unstoppable on the field of battle. Their people are free spirited and generally positive from having the freedom to stretch their wings. They have, however, had issues with other races, especially marauding-types such as goblins and orcs, who wanted to take some of their bountiful resources. But in recent years, that schism has been done away with for the most part, although there’s still plenty of people who discriminate against other races and there’s still a long way to go before things really even out. The Sola Kingdom features a royal family, the current head of which is in his 70s as his sons have yet to prove that they can replace him.
In terms of racism, the worst nation is probably the Magnus Empire. At least Sola had time to get into the swing of things before the orcs attacked. The Magnus Empire was founded in an area with scant vegetation, not because they wanted to settle there but because they had no other choice. They were chased out of their lands by various monster races, and then they were chased out of the next land by the ones that lived there. This happened for quite some time before they finally settled down. What they found in that canyon of theirs, however, changed them forever. They found the runes of their ancestors, the ancient ways of magic. They used this to turn their fate around, carving a nation for themselves and taking land from their surroundings. The culture of the Magnus Empire is the least receptive of other races as many have a deep rooted fear of their previous oppressors. However, the Magnus Empire considers power first and foremost, and while rare, it is theoretically possible for people of other races to climb to positions of power. The emperor of Magnus is always changing as it typically goes to whoever proves they can do the job better. The current emperor has been emperor for a decade unopposed.
The nation with the most advanced technology is undoubtedly the Yaroi Republic, a nation which thrives on an island chain. The volcanic eruptions of ancient times led to mountainous lands of fertile soil, which eventually grew abundant forests. But this bounty had to be shared. Unlike the Magnus Empire, when the humans of the Yaroi republic were faced with racial threats, they bargained for their space and offered their services. The Yaroi Republic was built on the efforts of everyone, and its ruling system features a council of elected leaders, representative of parts of the Republic. Yaroi is currently the most equal state as it values the ability to contribute more than race or appearance. Because of their wealth of metal that exceeds the other 2 nations, they have risen to be the most technologically productive of the bunch.
A few years ago, the 3 nations signed a peace treaty which allowed the sharing of information. This resulted in the mass production of firearms, widespread magic education and standardised military formations, although the greatest secrets are kept to their respective nations.
In regards to money: Most of the world settles for gold but unsettled tribes in the frontier settle for trading. The standard price for a day’s worth of rations is 5 silver, give or take. A bad revolver is worth somewhere around 100 gp, which is about the price for a pretty good sword. Different materials increase the price of equipment. Regional specialties may also affect the price range of goods and even a character’s race can affect how much a shopkeeper will sell their goods for.
The frontier
It has been a year since the continent began settling the frontier, and many have managed to stake their claims on its soil. The frontier settlers have mainly focused on self-sufficiency, building up their living space before they take the time to fully explore their surroundings. While there have been scouting expeditions in order to locate resources, the majority of the frontier is shrouded in mystery.
Dust: The story begins in the fledgling town of Dust, what used to be a small stopping town on the way to the frontier proper. With the sudden rise in popularity of the frontier, the town has grown to take advantage of the trend. Shops selling arms and cafes sprang up in the wake of the wave of interest, and Dust has grown to be known as the starting point for those who wish to enter the frontier.
Ironsong: The city of Iron. Nestled in the mountain range that marks the border between the frontier and the rest of the continent, Ironsong lives off the minerals they find inside the mountains they live amongst. What the surrounding area lacks in vegetation, it makes up for it in its wealth of metal and jewels. The people of Ironsong are a hardy bunch, consisting of many hardworking people. It transports much of its metals to the other settlements.
Woodvale: The smallest town on the frontier, flanked on 2 sides by a forest. A rather diminutive town, it’s mostly used as a resupplying town for travellers, a short stop between Richtown and Ironsong. As such its population is rather small and combining that with the Woodvale mists that blanket the town regularly, not many stay in Woodvale for very long. Besides that, there’ve been some strange sightings reported in the woods around Woodvale recently...
Richtown: The largest town in the frontier, funded mostly out of the pocket of the enigmatic Mr Rich, the richest man in civilised society and owner of Richtown. It’s more of a city than a settlement, it was developed very quickly as Mr Rich spared no expense in its construction. It features many services, including stores that sell anything from leather to luxury goods. It even features an advanced harbour and airship docks. Richtown has its own imports and exports but makes most of its money from tourism. It’s rather expensive to get a ticket to Richtown, or rather a ticket onto any airship anywhere. The town itself is informally divided into a tourist section and a working section. Prices are generally much higher in the tourist section but the quality is more consistent. In the work section quality is often not quite as high but there are many hidden gems to be found and exploring Richtown can be an adventure all on its own.
The dark lands: A strange patch of land where nothing grows. Not a single blade of grass sprouts from its soil and the sky is almost perpetually covered with dark clouds. Strangest of all, a large citadel sits close to the center of the dark lands. Its architecture suggests it was a part of ancient civilisation, a lost link to a history none remember, yet it stands eerily untouched and strangely empty, as if all of the city’s occupants had taken all of their belongings and left very suddenly. A search of the citadel yielded nothing, no treasures, no bodies, no history. There has never been any mention of a civilisation on that part of the continent before. A very strange stretch of land, no one knows exactly what happened there.
Exploration
Outside the borders of the frontier settlements, there are various beasts that may just try to make a hapless adventurer into a hapless meal. Generally speaking, however, large groups of people tend to scare away most would-be predators. However, there are occasionally some specimens desperate enough to take a risk against a larger group, although such beasts are rare. Nevertheless, beasts aren’t the only thing to watch out for. Wandering bandits who make a living off attacking other adventurers, scammers who take advantage of less savvy people, even other adventurers. The Wishing Star is a prize worth dying for, so it follows that it would be a prize worth killing for.
Most surprisingly of all, some who come to the frontier don’t do it for the wishing star. The rest of the frontier is an unsullied oyster, its natural resources are almost boundless and a great wealth of ancient history lies beneath its earth. Some people in the frontier have been there since the very start, the frontier natives of various tribes. A great variety of races are spread amongst the vast land of the frontier, some not particularly welcoming of outside intrusion.
But how do you defend yourself in the frontier?
Frontier survivor’s guide to living for longer than 5 minutes
The frontier’s a harsh place, but there’s a solution to every problem. More importantly, there’s always a sharp stick for every beast, bandit or wall that happens to look at you funny. It’s a dangerous world, but if you arm yourself well enough then it’s the world that needs to be afraid of you.
There are 3 types of weapons commonly used in the frontier, 1 sub-type that doesn’t count as a full weapon type (the hybrid) and 1 type that is often ignored. They are as follows:
Everything that lives has magic in it, whether they can use it or not is another matter entirely. It permeates all living things and causes a number of health benefits including faster reflexes and increased natural regeneration. Magic is life and most are content to leave it at that, but as always, there are those who take it further. Magic is divided into 2 sub-categories; runic magic, the most common, and innate magic, which is fairly uncommon (although technically everyone has it what with magic being in everyone but shh).
Our ancestors knew what they were doing with this stuff and words have been a traditional source of power for a long time. Several different cultures have different runic alphabets tied to ancient roots, and each works in different ways to each other. Magic has been everywhere for a long time and using the written language as a conduit for magical power has led to a practical and easy to use method of magic.
Runic magic uses written letters to collect, store and process magical power before releasing it to wreak havoc on your foes. There are several types of runes and several different ways of releasing the magic, such as the constant release runes which, when active, filters magic constantly to do the job, one-off runes which do the job once before disappearing, and multi-use which can be used again and again. Any living being can use activate rune magic, but not many take the time to learn the bothersome process of rune magic as if you mix it up even the slightest bit you might find that you accidentally used Laguz rather than Ansuz, making your all-important prisoner of war spill water rather than the beans. Runic magic needs precision to get the best effect and as such impractical is to create in direct combat, but prior preparation can more than make up for the lack of speed with copious amounts of power and can be rather versatile. Put it on a rock and you’ve got some throwing magic. Tattoo it on yourself to get out of a hairy situation, or put it on your weapons for extra punch. A lot of things can be done with runic magic but if you’re in dire need of a bear’s strength and all you have is 3 slots worth of owls’ wisdom then you’re going to have a bad time.
Rather than the INT-based knowledge-centric runic magic, innate magic is a much more comfortably CHA based affair. Runes act as conduits for magic power but the human body has lines too. Some people are born with their veins and muscles twisted in such a way that their bodies act as natural conduits for magical power. These innate magicians are colloquially referred to as ‘psykers’ by some; namely, me. Innate magic has great base power but far less potential than runic magic, with the ability to dispense a quick and easy solution, albeit a weaker and potentially less efficient solution that masterfully executed rune magic could attain.
Innate magic is pretty much a shortcut to the results and can be used to an extent (a really short extent, mind you) by most, but to pull out any real power it must be trained and cultivated. Similar to rune magic; less easy to find but is usually intuitive to learn. Innate magicians can make for some pretty creative people.
Melee weapons Don’t let the title fool you, melee weapons can be as interesting or uninteresting as you’d like them to be. Swords, axes, maces, polearms, whatever you can think of. The age old adage of bigger sticks being weightier and more satisfying can ring true, but small sticks have their own selling points. The simplest and one of the most diverse category of fighting power, some morons even resort to using their fists in a world of guns and magic, but this is a world where bringing a sword to a gunfight isn’t necessarily a downside and with the aid of innate magic, fists can be used to deflect bullets, it just takes a lot of balls and practise.
Many melee-enthusiasts utilise armor to better protect themselves in a fight but armour is expensive and some get just by on their speed and a lot of luck. This process is made somewhat easier as magic naturally increases human reflexes, allowing sword-wielding fighters to really stand up to those pesky rangers.
Don’t let the name fool you (again). Guns are the newest and most undisciplined form of combat to date, although that hasn’t prevented the rise of gun disciplines and the legendary gun kata is a sight to behold. With that being said, the majority of plebs can only dream of mastering gun fu and must instead settle for boring old reliable ranged damage from behind cover.
There are several schools of thought that believe the gun is the penultimate weapon of range that replace all previous conventional range weapons; a school of thought which happens to be wrong. Guns were created to replace cumbersome crossbows; if one takes time to master the bow then they can make their weapons perform far better than any gun. But a big bow is hard to fit in a narrow doorway. Guns are easy to use, easy to carry and are pretty convenient but lack the skill ceiling other ranged weapons (such as the good old throwing rock) can display.
Hybrid weapons are weapons that mix the weapon types to create unique combinations. It’s to be noted that etching reusable runes onto conventional weapons is a common occurrence, but gun blades are significantly rare, if not unique, because people discovered a long time ago that they kind of suck. A weapon is best if it’s balanced for either swordplay or gunplay, so gun blades typically either end up being impractically large bladed bayonets or really bad swords that shoot bullets into your leg.
Runic enchanting is usually the way to go. Anyone alive can use it, though some have specific control requirements. Common enchantments need simply for a living thing to hold the weapon, but some enchantments require the injection of magic to activate its effect. Some require more magic, some less. Some build it by absorbing magic from the environment or take it from the user directly. There’s a lot of stuff you can do with it, with a range of prices.
The final weapon you can use in the frontier is one that is often forgotten. Diplomacy, speechcraft, the greatest weapon in a politician’s arsenal and the one tool most often used last, if at all. A skilled fighter can take on 10 men at once, the world’s best gun can kill 10 men at once, a well prepared spell can kill hundreds, but a well-placed word can end conflict before it even begins. In a way, this weapon is the most difficult to use and master, but it’s not without rewards. The many factions that fight for supremacy may just heed a friendly word. Everyone has their enemies but not many have more allies than their nemesis.
Now that that’s over with…
Since one of my RPs suddenly died and the rest were moving extremely slowly, I was suddenly left with a lot of boredom on my hands and a bit of time, so I decided it was finally time to live up to my title. With that said, here’re some “rules” to bring order to this chaotic age.
guidelines
Because rules aren’t my style.
Point 1: Keep the OOC clean.
Banter is all well and good but if 2 of you start getting it on (an argument, that is), then you should get a room.
Point 2: Silence is golden but gold is overrated.
Something that needs to be clarified first (or not quite first) is the fact that I’m not perfect (though I’m damn close). I may well screw up at some point due to any number of factors, and I may not even notice it, depending on what those factors are. So speak up when you need to, or if you think you need to. This somewhat relates to the next guideline, but not that much.
Point 3: Enjoy your stay.
If you’re not enjoying it then what’s the point? I’m trying to have fun, you’re trying to have fun. I may be GM but I’ve got to respect your rights to a good game. If you’re not having fun then, chances are, something went wrong somewhere down the line. Invoke this guideline whenever you feel like you’re not enjoying it as much as you should and I’m not doing anything about it.
Posting order: There isn’t one. Say what you have to say, as long as you get it over with in a timely manner, we’ll be fine with it. Just have a reason for it, alright? Don’t go for 3 pages of absolutely nothing. Writing standards: The only thing I expect from your writing is that you put thought into it. Check it before you submit it, just make sure you don’t dig yourself into a hole. I’ll be calling out if it’s a real outlier but otherwise, I don’t really care that much.
Character sheets
Post them in the OOC first, alright?
Biographical details
Name: Self-explanatory Appearance: Either a description or picture. Clothes can be described in the armour section. Race: Up to your discretion but don’t go overboard. Keep in mind that certain races have been discriminated against in the past. You will get racial characteristics from your races but some people will be prejudiced against certain races and act accordingly. Height: Yeah, I need this. Weight: As above Age: There aren’t any restrictions, but you have to be reasonable. Occupation: Pretty much whatever you want, but it has to make sense. Personality: Description of what they’re like, what they do at parties, etc. I want some variety, arite? History: Whatever you want to reveal to other players. Be creative with what you leave out, if you want to leave something out. Note that your character doesn’t have to specifically be looking for the wishing star, but if they are looking for it it’d make it easier for me. Other: Quirks, fears, favourite colour, whatever you want to mention that you haven’t yet.
Combat section Weapons: Your current arms, formatted in such a way that there’s space to talk about its special characteristics. Be creative. Weapons shouldn’t be anything too crazy yet. Armour: What you’re wearing, formatted as above. Also include the clothes you’re wearing. magic: Runic, innate or none. With runic magic you typically inscribe 1 use runes onto something or other, like paper or something, and use it whenever. Innate magic works a lot like psychic powers in that you can naturally manipulate or do something that’s magicky without runes. Fighting style: Exactly as it sounds. Do you fight up close and personal or long ranged? Do you jump in and gun everything down or are you more careful with your approach? Or, controversially, do you prefer not to fight at all?
Miscellaneous stuff (well I say misc stuff but it’s pretty important) Inventory: Your other gear that you haven’t listed, including food, water, and tools. I’d prefer you list these. Keep in mind that you should be well stocked, it’ll be a long trip and you don’t want to be unprepared. You can stock up on food and water in most towns, but certain towns won’t have certain tools. Money: Everyone gets around 150 starting gold, or somewhere around there. Gold can be used to buy goods, bribe people and upgrade stuff. Having money is good and not having it is pretty annoying, but I’ll do my best not to let you die without it. Keep track of your expenses and update the gold tally regularly.
You better read this:
Let me just make a few things clear. Let's get the small stuff out of the way first: You don't have to start with any supplies like rations or whatever unless you really want to, you can buy them in the first town when the RP begins. There's only one general rule with the CS, don't be too ridiculous. I'll be looking them over and telling you about it if I find something wrong with it, but just remember to exercise some restraint. You're not gonna have a flying mithril sword or a quadruple fire shotgun yet, you might find one later but for now, you should just have normal stuff. There is an exception, but before I explain, to prove that you've read through this, put your character's favourite sauce flavour in the other section.
Alright, now for the exception. For every character I'm going to allow them 1 special "thing", something that makes them stand out above the rest, be that an above average gun, sword, armour, or whatever. Pretty much a heritage weapon or something, something tied to your backstory that is pretty strong, like magic, an artifact, or whatever. But it's only 1 thing. This thing can also be a pet or something, but you can't divide your special to have 2 things. I'll be looking over it anyway, but I want that to be clarified before we begin.
I just got a mention here, if that's what you wanna know. I'll try to come up with a character soon, but my ideas aren't flowing so well, just give me a bit more time.
Personality: Quirky by nature, she's probably best described as capricious, brazen, and outgoing. She loves the study of runes but prefers field testing rather than lab testing for her ideas. Her intense focus is useful in her intellectual pursuits, and she can suddenly turn into an introvert in the middle of putting a project together. Generally speaking, she doesn't follow social norms and attaches no value to them, calling things as she sees them and often acting in unladylike ways. Is she friendly? Most of the time, if one is inclined to academic conversation or exciting stories about the Frontier.
History: Verity was born in the Yaroi Republic, where she attended public school and later received scholarships to pursue the study of runes. In addition to learning advanced rune techniques, she also had a universal education studying cartography, chemistry, mathematics, psychology, anatomy, history, geography, geology, alchemy, basic engineering—you get the point. She had the ability to soak up knowledge and had great promise as a graduate student to become a true expert in her field.
But lab work was boring! The university didn't pursue more diverse branches of runic magic and as news of the frontier came in, she realized their materials were also exceptionally limited. Desiring to truly advance runic magic further and to make a name for herself, Verity decided to adhere to a goal that would financially support both—to find the Wishing Star. While she finds the nature of the stone intriguing, she also doesn't believe it exists. It simply happens to be a namesake for her desire to scour the frontier and test out her runic creations.
Other: Her favorite sauce is honey mustard
Combat section
Weapons:
Elemental Cannon III The elemental cannon misleadingly sounds like some sort of gun, but the truth is that it relies purely on magical runes, not powder and bullets. It is shaped like a hand cannon, featuring a wide black iron muzzle of about six inches and a long strap of leather that harnesses the cannon to its wielder. All along the top of the muzzle, however, are a series of switches, each belonging to a 'filter' inside of the cannon. These circular 'filters' (approximately 2'') are composed of various metal elements (largely copper, with traces of tin, iron, and gold), and each has a different shape. By lining up a series of these filters together, they form an active runic chain that releases elemental energy. Unlike a traditional firearm, these rune patterns take time to coalesce and release magical energy. Over time, these filters wear out from magical use and must be replaced.
Pattern I: Forked Lightning Range: 10ft Delay Time: 10 seconds Use: 5, before replacement is necessary Description: Three tongues of lightning emerge from the cannon's muzzle for approximately 5 seconds. They work much like a tazor does, causing surface burns, internal burns where it passes through a body and into the ground, erratic muscle tension, and sometimes heart attacks to those exposed for the full 5 seconds.
Pattern II: Lightning Bolt Range: 100ft Delay Time: 1 minute Use: 1, before replacement is necessary Description: The cannon fires one bolt of lighting, which gives one heck of a recoil. It causes much more severe forms of damage than Pattern I causes. Usually results in death when used on a target, but can also be used to electrocute soaked people/objects and to blow apart some heavy obstacles with the sheer force of the strike.
Pattern III: Lightning Trap Range: 20ft Delay Time: 5 minutes, unless triggered earlier Use: 1 Description: The cannon automatically clasps two filters together and ejects them. These unstable filters become active once they hit the ground, and upon impact, explode with electric energy. The direct shock caused by this can incapacitate a human-sized creature.
Pattern IV: Water Stream Range: 1-2 inches Delay Time: 10 seconds Use: It produces up to 50 gallons of water before replacement is necessary Description: The cannon glows blue and begins producing a steady trickle of water.
Pattern V: Water Blast Range: 15ft Delay Time: 30 seconds Use: 2, before replacement is necessary Description: The cannon instantaneously transmutes air to water, blasting 10 gallons of water in a straight spout forward.
Pattern VI: Fire Blast Range: 5-10ft Delay Time: Instantaneous Use: 2, before replacement is necessary Description: Fire patterns are where Verity's magic gets most experimental. She's still perfecting the runic pattern to harness its full potential, but at the moment all it does is release a wide burst of fire for 5 seconds that, y'know, lights stuff on fire and burns things.
Armour: Runic Corset. It's under her dress, but has runes inscribed into it. These don't protect against bullets or blades any better than regular leather—rather, it provides elemental resistance. Heat, cold, dust, and wetness are repelled by the runes, keeping its wearer at regular temperatures while also keeping them dry and clean. It also provides protection against magical flame and electricity, effectively reducing the damage of such offensive spells by half.
Clothes: A long, button-up blue coat with black stockings and knee-length blue boots. Under the coat is a pleated black dress and a black, laced petticoat.
Magic: Runic. Verity can make defensive and offensive elemental runes. Her preferred medium is metal.
Skills: -Frontier Knowledge: The Frontier is a wide, unexplored place, but what research journals do exist from the field are things Verity has read and researched. While this amounts to knowing little more than 1% of what's out there, it gives her a basic idea of what to expect in the climate and terrain of the Frontier.
-Basic Engineering: Verity can make basic solutions and extractions (glue, oil, herbal tonics, even some metals) with her knowledge of chemistry (not to mention metallurgy) and understands how coal and rune powered machinery works.
-Cooking: Verity can cook! Seriously, she knows how to prepare and cook wild plants and animals in addition to more domestic baking.
-Cartography: Verity understands how to measure, annotate, represent, and interpret actual land to maps and vice-versa.
-Academics: Verity knows math, history, and the basic anatomy of humans and most normal animals. She's got some philosophy and cultural studies under her belt as well, and knows the basic geography of the world.
Fighting style: Verity isn't necessarily trigger happy, but her morals are few when it comes to restraint. By nature, her magic can't be used as quickly as a hand weapon or with the range of a firearm. Instead, it relies on precise timing and distance, often following up one pattern with another to maximize efficiency depending on the situation. A lack of hand-to-hand combat experience means she relies on others to draw attention away from her so her patterns can form and release.
Miscellaneous stuff
Inventory:
-30 spare cannon filters (remember these are 2'' in diameter) -100ft of copper wire -10ft of silver wire -10ft of gold wire -30ft of tin wire -8 5oz. bottles, which include: aloe vera extract, calendula extract, peppermint oil, hydrogen peroxide, and lemon balm. -1 10oz bottle of lantern oil -10ft of gauze and a small assortment of bandages and small cotton pads -A mess kit consisting of two bowls and metal cutlery -A canteen holding up to 20oz of water -A travel journal and an almanac -10 rolls of parchment -A small calligraphy kit with 2 pens and spare inkwells -1 compass -1 collapsible hand telescope -1 sextant -3 changes of clothes -A wallet with 10g -1 plain steel knife, about 5'' long
-Oil Lantern -10 feet of rope -blanket -soap -1 2- person tent -1 chemistry kit, which includes a distiller, an oil burner, a few beakers, a dropper, tweezers, etc. -Rations of nuts, bread, dried meat, and dried fruit to last for 1 week -1 fishing rod -A sack of 140g
A stallion with a calm temperament.
Money: 150g
As a side-note for your question about the CS, Verity made the cannon herself as a final project in an advanced runic machinery class. Had she gone on to refine it, she likely would have used it for a graduate level thesis.
The idea is that, although she has patented the design, it's not yet stable or practical enough for commercial use. While it has unlimited potential, she wants to use her time on the field to reduce delay times, create more elemental patterns, and increase the life of its filters.
Hm... I'm pretty sure some mentions don't work if you have too many of them, maybe I didn't have that many of them. Oh well. Anyway, I'll work on the first IC post once everyone's done with their characters. Don't do it too fast, alright? I need some time to straighten up some derails.
Name: Gabriel Rorik the Explorer Appearance Race: Human (Sola Kingdom)
Height: 5'10" (177.8 CM)
Weight: 126 lbs (57.15 Kg)
Age: Nineteen
Occupation: Explorer and Archaeologist
Personality: A young man full of spirit and adventure, Gabriel is just what you'd expect of a Solan youth - brave, filled with a heart of virtue, and willing to fight to protect himself and his values. Indeed, it would seem that Gabriel has no flaws, but that would be far from the truth. The time he spent under his teacher had given him great pride in his work. His occupation has also given him a bit of a shy nature as well, considering the lack of communication with others when out in the field in places yet explored.
History: Gabriel's origins are a bit of a mystery and is muddied by misinformation. The earliest record of his childhood can be traced back to the Royal Palace of the Solan Royal Family, serving under one of the many Royal Professors, specifically the Historian. Many days were spent studying in the vast libraries, learning the history of wars, civilizations, and their cultures. Gabriel was close to finishing his studies and becoming a Royal Professor himself, until an incident occurred. A raid on the Royal Palace by one of the two rival nations nearly caused the death of the Royal Family and it's scholars. Gabriel, along with his teacher, fled from the scene and became refugees.
During their journey, the peace treaty was signed, and both teacher and student planned to return to the Royal Palace. Their decision was changed when news of the Wishing Star began to spread once more, along with the mountain range finally being passable. Gabriel and his master left for the Frontier soon after, their long journey across the mountain range proving to be a major challenge. Unfortunately, the journey proved to be the brutal end of Gabriel's master at the hands of a savage tribe of Orcs. Ever since that event, Gabriel has never went further than Woodvale, where he resided for a brief time. Lately there have been strange sightings and rumors about the forest that borders Woodvale...and Gabriel's interest has been intrigued.
However, before he could investigate any further, an older gentleman tried talking to a small group of warriors that happened to live in the small town. Feeling a little sorry for the older man's failed attempt and being a fellow explorer himself, Gabriel offered his services on the man's journey, giving him assistance in combat with his sword and helping him to unravel the secrets of the land. Currently, Gabriel and the old explorer have entered Dust in search of mercenaries. Even now, Gabriel still wonders about Woodvale and what dark things may lurk in the forest - enchanting or horrifying.
Other: His biggest quirk has always been his withdrawal from women. Although he does have interactions with the opposite sex, Gabriel tends to refrain from this when possible. It could be said that this quirk is a result of his shyness. His favorite sauce is soy sauce.
Weapons: Melee Gabriel is armed with a long sword from the Sola Kingdom. While considered better than most other countries, the blade itself is quite average, with no special perks or characteristics to it, aside from a small design of the Royal Family's emblem on the hilt.
There's also the subject of a pet that Gabriel has kept since his days in the Royal Palace; a small drake. Rare for being smaller than others of it's kind, the drake poses no major danger to those with thick enough clothing or quick-wits. The claws of a drake are almost unreasonably sharp, leaving marks on even the toughest of metals. Of course, it can be quite easy to mend a cut. The real danger lies in it's bite - a drake is known for it's deadly venom and terrifying teeth. While also curable, the venom will eventually kill a victim by stopping it's systems after a three day exposure time, unlike the regular one day exposure time of a normal sized drake. Many people tend to call this 'Petrifying Venom', due to the body shriveling up like a corpse. Luckily, the drake is only a runt, and can be easily detained.
Ranged Unfortunately, Gabriel lacks in any real range attack due to having no magic experience and a firearm that seems to jam or break every once in a while. A lucky shot or two will escape from it's four-round barrel, but firing the device will end with naught. The design looks quite archaic, almost like a failed prototype of another firearm.
Armour: Nowhere on his body is armored aside from the shoulder-plate of iron on his right shoulder, though this is just used to protect his shoulder from his pet baby-drakes claws. The rest of his clothing consists of leather(gloves, boots, belt) and cloth(shirt, vest, pants, etc.)
Magic: None.
Fighting style: Although Gabriel prefers discussion rather than fighting, he is trained enough to fight when the need arises. His main preference is the use of his sword, due to the Sola Kingdom's culture of knights and warriors who ride in battle with a blade. However, when possible, he may attempt to covered an escape or even try to fire a shot with his less than average pistol.
Inventory: Bag Storage - Map, Compass, Chisel, Hand-held Hammer, magnifying glass, a few bottles of ink, a few quills, two journals, a box of matches, rope.
Attached to his belt(Everything not considered a weapon) - Small shovel and a small pickax.
Money: 100 Gold Pieces(Initially started with 150, paid some gold for a living space and some food to live in Woodvale for a short while.)
I expect to have a character done by this Wednesday, at most. I'm trying not to do a far too stereotyped western hero, but my original idea won't work at all because a full blooded vampire would present far too many challenges to integrate with the rest of the characters or be too OP.
I expect to have a character done by this Wednesday, at most. I'm trying not to do a far too stereotyped western hero, but my original idea won't work at all because a full blooded vampire would present far too many challenges to integrate with the rest of the characters or be too OP.
I expect to have a character done by this Wednesday, at most. I'm trying not to do a far too stereotyped western hero, but my original idea won't work at all because a full blooded vampire would present far too many challenges to integrate with the rest of the characters or be too OP.
If you end up going the vampire route, we could work out some backstory with Fleur that either keeps the bloodsucker either loyal or at limited power.
Name: Gabriel Rorik the Explorer Appearance Race: Human (Sola Kingdom)
Height: 5'10" (177.8 CM)
Weight: 126 lbs (57.15 Kg)
Age: Nineteen
Occupation: Explorer and Archaeologist
Personality: A young man full of spirit and adventure, Gabriel is just what you'd expect of a Solan youth - brave, filled with a heart of virtue, and willing to fight to protect himself and his values. Indeed, it would seem that Gabriel has no flaws, but that would be far from the truth. The time he spent under his teacher had given him great pride in his work. His occupation has also given him a bit of a shy nature as well, considering the lack of communication with others when out in the field in places yet explored.
History: Gabriel's origins are a bit of a mystery and is muddied by misinformation. The earliest record of his childhood can be traced back to the Royal Palace of the Solan Royal Family, serving under one of the many Royal Professors, specifically the Historian. Many days were spent studying in the vast libraries, learning the history of wars, civilizations, and their cultures. Gabriel was close to finishing his studies and becoming a Royal Professor himself, until an incident occurred. A raid on the Royal Palace by one of the two rival nations nearly caused the death of the Royal Family and it's scholars. Gabriel, along with his teacher, fled from the scene and became refugees.
During their journey, the peace treaty was signed, and both teacher and student planned to return to the Royal Palace. Their decision was changed when news of the Wishing Star began to spread once more, along with the mountain range finally being passable. Gabriel and his master left for the Frontier soon after, their long journey across the mountain range proving to be a major challenge. Unfortunately, the journey proved to be the brutal end of Gabriel's master at the hands of a savage tribe of Orcs. Ever since that event, Gabriel has never went further than Woodvale, where he currently resides. Lately there have been strange sightings and rumors about the forest that borders Woodvale...and Gabriel's interest has been intrigued.
Other: His biggest quirk has always been his withdrawal from women. Although he does have interactions with the opposite sex, Gabriel tends to refrain from this when possible. It could be said that this quirk is a result of his shyness.
Weapons: Melee Gabriel is armed with a long sword from the Sola Kingdom. While considered better than most other countries, the blade itself is quite average, with no special perks or characteristics to it, aside from a small design of the Royal Family's emblem on the hilt.
There's also the subject of a pet that Gabriel has kept since his days in the Royal Palace; a small drake. Rare for being smaller than others of it's kind, the drake poses no major danger to those with thick enough clothing or quick-wits. The claws of a drake are almost unreasonably sharp, leaving marks on even the toughest of metals. Of course, it can be quite easy to mend a cut. The real danger lies in it's bite - a drake is known for it's deadly venom and terrifying teeth. While also curable, the venom will eventually kill a victim by stopping it's systems after a three day exposure time, unlike the regular one day exposure time of a normal sized drake. Many people tend to call this 'Petrifying Venom', due to the body shriveling up like a corpse. Luckily, the drake is only a runt, and can be easily detained.
Ranged Unfortunately, Gabriel lacks in any real range attack due to having no magic experience and a firearm that seems to jam or break every once in a while. A lucky shot or two will escape from it's four-round barrel, but firing the device will end with naught. The design looks quite archaic, almost like a failed prototype of another firearm.
Armour: Nowhere on his body is armored aside from the shoulder-plate of iron on his right shoulder, though this is just used to protect his shoulder from his pet baby-drakes claws. The rest of his clothing consists of leather(gloves, boots, belt) and cloth(shirt, vest, pants, etc.)
Magic: None.
Fighting style: Although Gabriel prefers discussion rather than fighting, he is trained enough to fight when the need arises. His main preference is the use of his sword, due to the Sola Kingdom's culture of knights and warriors who ride in battle with a blade. However, when possible, he may attempt to covered an escape or even try to fire a shot with his less than average pistol.
Inventory: Bag Storage - Map, Compass, Chisel, Hand-held Hammer, magnifying glass, a few bottles of ink, a few quills, two journals, a box of matches, rope.
Attached to his belt(Everything not considered a weapon) - Small shovel and a small pickax.
Money: 100 Gold Pieces(Initially started with 150, paid some gold for a living space and some food to live in Woodvale for a short while.)
It's alright, really, but I wanted everyone to start in Dust :\
Although, we could work something for why he'd be going to Dust at all. Your call, really.
Relevant plot question, though: is our group starting together under some expedition leader, or is the start of this going to be them coming together as expedition partners and picking a direction to walk in?
Relevant plot question, though: is our group starting together under some expedition leader, or is the start of this going to be them coming together as expedition partners and picking a direction to walk in?
Pretty much option B, kind of makes more sense that way. I'll be trying to do that, at least.
