1840, mid-Victorian era with a notable twist—mankind is haunted by all manner of supernatural creatures when night falls. There is a place somewhere between the material world and Hell, one where phantoms wander ceaselessly and horrors resigned to the shadow of imagination dwell. When the sun sets, this realm of darkness descends, letting lose a miasma of darkness and allowing awful creatures to wander between realms. Not every city and country of the world deals with this threat directly (this realm does not directly connect to the Earth everywhere), but tread lightly! Where you are going, these horrors of the night are less than a stone's throw away—they're behind you!
Magic exists in this alternate Earth as well. Humans have utilized runic magic for centuries, carving and writing symbols that exude power and transmute elements. Other cultures rely on alternate methods—Christians utilize crosses and sacramental wafers while pagans use rituals and totems to assure the protection of local gods and supernatural beings. Only recently has technology developed to the point of mechs and weaponry that can fight the horrors of the night on its own.
Your characters were born in the Barony of Cardembury, an English territory in Eastern Europe (I mentioned this is an alternate universe, right?). It has been under English occupation for the past 200 years, and thus, the culture has forgotten much of its ancient, Slavic roots. Lord Cardenbury's family ruled over the territory since long before the past two centuries, but they submitted to England's rule in order to avoid war. Their territory is already steeped in the blood of ancient warfare from the Romans to the Huns, and that has made their soil as rich with blood as it is darkness.
The Plot
This is going to be a character-based roleplay. There isn't going to be a sole plot that I develop, rather, the plot will largely be based around what your characters care about and their goals. Because of this, the character sheets will need some work and creativity. Will you play a monster hunter who keeps his village safe or a spy trying to undermine the Cardenbury family? Will you play a rebel who wants to see Lord Cardenbury reject the oppressive English influence on your homeland? Will you play a servant of the supernatural, making pacts with pagan gods or, Heaven help you, a creature of the darkness? Will you fight against the darkness or strive to learn its secrets? The path you choose through the history and desires of your character will become your boon and your bane as well as the focus of the roleplay.
Mortem Cogitatio
It's said to be a realm somewhere between the material world and Hell (sometimes called Purgatory) where creatures of Darkness roam. Some go so far as to say it's an evil reflection of the material world. Whatever the case, this odd realm is responsible for all manner of horrors when the sun sets. Some places in the world are said to naturally be closer to Mortem Cogitatio, acting as magnets to devils, specters, and madness in every sense of the word. However, the fall of night brings Mortem Cogitatio a step closer to the material world, invigorating creatures of the night and creating pathways between the material realm and Mortem Cogitatio. Even places far from the realm of darkness feel the effect—there are no stars normally visible and strange things can happen anywhere. Human history has been affected by Mortem Cogitatio, forcing civilizations to cling to Christian deities, pagan deities, the practice of magic, and more recently, technology built to keep the Darkness at bay.
Technology
Magic has brought technology much further in this version of Earth. Magi-Technology is the most popular, fusing mechanical genius with magical runes to create weaponry and basic amenities (like light bulbs). Steam power also exists, and tends to be cheaper and used in mass production for factories and trains. Radio (but not television), telephones (but not wireless), and guns (but not laser rifles) exist. Robotics also exist, allowing for experimental cyborgs.
Magic
There are only two types of magic humans acknowledge: Runic and Unclassified. Runic magic uses ancient symbols in tandem with gems (or other materials) to create and harness magical energy. Its effects are complex, ranging in elemental manifestation to psychic and even gravitational manipulation. In some cases, specially processed ink can be used to enchant paper or fabric. In other cases, particularly weapons, a core of a certain mineral or gem is needed to act as a power source for magic, slowly disintegrating over time as it is used.
Unclassified magic is every other source of magic that isn't runic (humans cannot use Unclassified magic). Vampires, fae, and even the effects of religious artifacts fall into this category. There aren't really any rules or definitions in place for just how much Unclassified magic covers, but certain races (like vampires) have rules and restrictions.
Cardembury's Military
Statistically, the baron's forces are about 500 strong. It's a fairly active force responsible for keeping people safe every night. At the top, you have the baron's three generals, then five colonels, then various captains spread between villages and the barony's borders. Notably, none of this military force patrols the baron's castle.
Outranking the captains are the church's Knights (holy monster hunters sanctioned by the baron), who often coordinate with the military.
Despite the bandit king on the loose, the baron has not declared a state of war and so conscription among citizens is not mandatory. Both men and women voluntarily join the military (it offers good pay and a modest pension that lasts depending on years of service), with most starting at sixteen years old and serving a mandatory four years. After this time of service, some continue to fight and rise in the ranks.
Sub-Human Races
You're free to pitch any particular sub-human you'd like. All I have defined thus far are ghouls (humans who drink a vampire's blood and gain vampiric attributes at a cost of their independence) and fae-touched humans, which are humans who have recieved a gift of power from any variety of pagan/fae creatures.
-Drink vampire blood (at least a cup or more) every week to maintain vampiric abilities. -Have enhanced senses, reflexes, strength, and dark vision. -Do not age. -Can use vampiric hypnosis on humans. -Can be verbally and mentally compelled by a vampiric master to do any particular task (even killing oneself). -Are suceptible to holy artifacts and severe sunburn without proper coverage. -Would be lynched if common people knew about his/her vampiric power.
-Have any variety of abilities, such as talking to animals, affecting the weather within a small area, animating objects, speaking to the dead, etc. -Share a powerful bond with a fae/pagan entity. Breaking the terms upon which the power was given could mean death or worse. -More often than not have a physical taint as proof of the pact. Antlers, bizarre eyes, cloven feet, scales, etc., usually mark a fae-touched human as a freak (which sometimes leads to lynching). -Are burned by touching iron and Christian holy objects.
Important NPC's: Your Best Friends and Enemies
Baron Ioan Cardenbury Ruler of the Cardenbury Barony and official recluse of the country. Word is that no one has actually seen the baron or his family for the past few decades. Even visiting noblemen have been frustrated merely gaining an audience with the man, who seems to rule by proxy via representatives. The number of his household members is an equal mystery, though it is rumored he has kidnapped a recently missing baroness for his son to secure the sovereignty of his territory with England. It may also be whispered that he secretly experiments on corpses in an attempt to discover the secret of immortality. He may or may not be a vampire, too. But those are just rumors! Much more substantially, his troops have kept the barony safe and his taxation is fair. He pours in a steady amount of money to both the Christian church and local pagan cults to support their efforts in suppressing the Darkness.
Dr. Sullers A genius in runic magic and a scientific mind directly from England. Like many scientists curious about the barony's resilience against the Darkness, he came to Bessanova to study both the creatures that frequent the area and the methods used to keep them at bay. He claims to have had a run-in with Baron Cardenbury, who he says is nothing less than a monster, but he has yet to provide evidence for his case. The same goes for his claims that servants of the Baron have been kidnapping people to use in experiments. According to him, the baron is obsessed with becoming one with the Darkness, not keeping it at bay, which may be why he is largely ostracized from the locals of Bessanova.
Julien Jacobson A powerful representative of the baron in Bessanova. He is responsible for enacting the barony's policies, be it protecting the city or the barony's other settlements. A stout Catholic and aging father, he is a conservative but fair man of law. His largest concern is not the Darkness, but rather, a self-proclaimed bandit king that threatens the barony from the outside.
Captain Algernon Mill A self-proclaimed bandit king with an army of barbarians underneath him. He is one of the few outlaws of his time who has managed to survive not just the wild, but the Darkness despite living out of organized civilization. His men, then, are experts at combating monsters just as well as humans, employing a mix of pagan ritual and technology to overtake and ravish entire cities. Most recently, his band of barbarians has managed to take over Coggeshaf, the major source of trade between the barony and the outside world.
Lord of the Forest A pagan god of the earth. He is much more than a local legend—the people of Perunovac have claimed to see the god himself visiting a local tavern. Feared as much as loved, the Lord of the Forest has kept Jarlione Forest safe from the forces of Darkness for ages beyond human knowledge. Though he has no particular love of humans, he has used his protective powers and mythical servants as a means of bargaining with the destructive forces of mankind.
He's been called many names over millennia, and has been guarding the ancient Jarlione Forest all that time. He's the most powerful of the local fae and deities, not for his abilities alone but because of the pacts he has made with other powerful fae to protect the valley. His word is recognized as the ruling one, and many fae obey his command in his personal fight against the darkness that plagues his forest.
Appearance: He has the head, legs, and feet of a deer, but the torso of a large human man. His brown fur is covered in moss, and when walking among humans, he tends to cover up his head and chest with a ragged green cowl. His eyes are pure black and carry the weight of time itself. Though he can't remember everything he has lived through, he often falls into a deep trance reliving events and listening to his forest.
Powers: He has abject control over the weather surrounding his forest, and can even alter its seasons at will. The forest and its animals obey any command he makes, and his will alone keeps the darkness at bay. His only weakness seems to be humans—when they taint his forest with waste or toxic emotions, the Darkness corrupts the woods. He shares a deep connection with the forest, able to see any place within it, but it also renders him sickened when the forest is tainted. He feels its pain, and the pain of every natural creature within it.
Fae-Touched Influence: The Forest God has no love of humans—in fact, he despises most of their number. Very, very few humans have ever gained his favor, but a few have earned it through deeds performed for his forest. Anyone who treats his wood as sacred ground and defends it with their lives are worthy of his gift.
Potential Fae-Touched Gifts: -Weather: Humans can control an area within a 30ft radius at will, but it requires concentration to maintain. -Speak to the Forest: Humans can speak to animals. -Nature's Rejuvenation: Humans can mend flesh, both in humans and animals. -Summon the Fae: Humans can summon any fae entity to ask for its help (but not command said entity).
Potential Fae-Touched Attributes: -As the Forest God is: Humans might sprout horns on their head or have their feet permanently transformed into cloven hooves. Some might even grow brown fur.
An ancient dryad of Jarlione Forest. She makes her home in the oldest oak tree, a plant that has grown to massive proportions. Its main branches are wider than a man's torso, many of which droop down to the ground. The rest of the gnarled crown sprouts vibrant green leaves, but the dryad makes her home within the roots of the tree. Legend says that mortals who gaze upon the tree will be cursed with a an obsession over the natural beuaty so strong they will stay staring at it until they become a tree themselves.
Appearance: As with all nymphs, Caecilia appears as a beautiful young woman. Porcelain skin, a healthy, curvaceous body, and long auburn hair—but her most potent attribute is her eyes, which shift colors according to the season. Her irises are littered with the shapes of leaves, and it is said that anyone who gazes directly at them can the forest itself.
Powers: Caecilia is most related to plant life. She can manipulate plants at will, causing them to move or grow, and can even shapeshift into any plant of her choice. Many of the fruits she personally grows are said to have mystical qualities, some as healing elixirs and others as poisons. Her plants are resilient against the influence of Darkness, capable of purifying the ground and air and rendering it impossible for creatures of Darkness to set foot near them. Some of her trees are even said to imprison demons within their roots.
Fae-Touched Influence: Caecilia is friendly toward mortals and offers her gifts to those she deems worthy of using the forest's gifts to create beauty or those who are strong enough to use her gifts to undermine the parts of her forest tainted by Darkness. Her wrath is thus imposed on those who break sacred ground, destroy her plant life, or make mockery of her forest.
Potential Fae-Touched Gifts: -Longevity: Humans can live for hundreds of years, enjoying youth until their last decades of life. -Beauty: Humans gain an air of the forest, cleansing the skin of deformity, making hair thick and healthy, and giving them an aura of beauty that ensnares the gaze of others. -Voice of the Woods: Humans can command plants to move a certain way or bear fruit. -One with the Trees: Humans can transform into plants or harden their skin into bark at will. They no longer need food to survive, and become naturally hardier against the cold. However, when they rest, they must root themselves to the soil to draw in nutrients or sleep near a light source.
Potential Fae-Touched Attributes: -Eyes like the Forest: Eye color changes depending on the season—green for summer, the color of any variety of blossoms during the spring, black during winter, and red, gold, or brown for winter. -Body of Wood: Any single part of the body is perpetually living wood. -Veil of the Vine: Instead of hair, the human grows leaves on their head.
Her body is said to rest at the bottom of Lake Veleson, leaving her soul to wander across the waves and all streams that connect to the lake. In her spirit form, she's often referred to as a banshee, an insubstantial woman dressed in white with eyes of pure black. She can see only the souls of dead and living entities as a banshee and is responsible for collecting these souls, guiding them away from Mortem Cogitatio. Once every hundred years, in the midst of winter, she stores up enough energy to revitalize her physical form, and can walk the earth as an utterly enchanting woman. Come Spring however, she sacrifices that energy to revitalize the valley.
Appearance: She is incorporeal, her body a wisp of white, though she can also appear as a ghostly light instead. Her body is willowy and graceful, every part of it glowing a soft white—except for the eyes. Her eyes lack irises and are utterly black, seeing the unseen spirits that linger in the realm of the living.
Powers: Lady Morana can command the dead and break the hold of Darkness over the Departed. Those brave enough can receive pendants from her capable of breaking curses and madness brought on by creatures of Darkness. She can also see into human souls, determining fate and reading prophecy at will. Although her appearance is associated with death and unkind fate, her physical body stores pure and condensed vitality she sacrifices to keep the land fertile.
Fae-Touched Influence: Lady Morana supports those who embrace their mortality and use their limited time to help others. It is said that the Lord of the Forest rendered her blind to the forms of the living, so as not to grow attached to their presence in the material world—thus, she is not a particularly merciful being who intervenes to save a single life. Those who win her favor actively keep vigil over the dead and abstain from material pleasures to support and commemorate her sacrifice.
Potential Fae-Touched Gifts: -In Tune with the Dead: Humans can speak to human remains to communicate with the spirit attached to them. They can also see and communicate with phantoms. -Incorporeal Defenses: Humans can phase their body into a ghostly form at will—however, doing so for a long period of time may render turning corporeal again impossible. -Read the Stars: Humans can catch a brief glimpse of the future, usually through dreams and ritual. -Purity of Heart: Humans gain immunity against dream eaters, soul suckers, and being posessed.
Potential Fae-Touched Attributes: -Morana's Vision: Pure black eyes -Death before Death: Any particular limb may rot away, leaving only bone.
He is best known for his bird from, which resembles a peacock with brilliant, shining, feathers of gold, crimson, and copper. To obtain a feather from his tail is to receive his gift, but they are nigh impossible to find. Only the most devoted hunters and heroes strong enough to brave difficult trials gain Tane's favor.
Appearance: Tane has many forms—he is a shapeshifter who runs with wolves, grazes with deer, and walks among men as a wise man. He loves all cycles of the hunt and strives to bring out only the best and most noble attributes of heroes, which has been the end of many foolhardy adventurers.
Fae-Touched Influence: More than anything else, Tane is a creature of the hunt. In his world, only the strongest and brightest survive, and it falls upon such heroes to protect the rest of humanity from darkness. Where many fae are content only to protect the forest from the Darkness, he urges his followers to pursue and banish it completely. Humans who fall to depravity or hide away from the darkness disgust him.
Potential Fae-Touched Gifts: -Token of Heroes: Tane's feather always gives off light, which will burn any manifestation of Darkness it touches. Its beauty is such that it can transfix those who gaze at it. -Form of the Forest: Humans can shapeshift into medium-sized animals and smaller at will. -Heroic Spirit: Humans can push themselves beyond their natural limits to perform a feat of heroism (like lifting a boulder off of a trapped person's leg). -Legacy: After a human has obtained one of Tane's feathers, that same feather can be brought back to the hero's body during a time of great need to revive that hero.
Potential Fae-Touched Attributes: -Unlike other fae entities, no transformation occurs. The hero need only carry the feather to experience its benefits. Whenever in an animal form, however, the feather will always become a part of the transformation.
Map and Locations
Coggeshaf: The most developed village of the barony. It acts as a major trade post between the barony and the rest of the world, but has recently been taken over by the bandit king who calls himself Captain Algernon Mill. As can be expected, most of the locals have had their homes sacked and a good portion of their able men and women forced to join the bandits.
Bessenova: The largest city of the barony with a mix of traditional and developed areas. There's a clash of cultures and religions here, with all members of faith and racial backgrounds mixing together. It even sports a few breweries and factories to process the barony's livestock and lumber.
Cula: A ruined forest village. It has since become one of a few places where portals to the realm of Darkness opens at night. According to rumor, there is a manor near the village responsible for the disaster—and the place is untouched by looters.
Fort Larkmond: In older times, the fort was built by the Romans to keep out barbarians. It has since been renovated under Baron Cardenbury to act as a defense against invaders and a safe place for people to flee from Darkness.
Perunovac: This village is closest to its Slavic roots and legends. Creatures of the forest are free to dwell among the humans here, and many have the protection of the Lord of the Forest.
Dulbanul: A relatively prosperous farming village that relies on the Catholic church for protection.
Heydon: A small mining town responsible for providing brown coal and other minerals to the rest of the barony.
Gerbovec: A relatively prosperous farming village that relies on the Catholic church for protection.
Old Batiz: The ancient ruins of a great city that used to be the headquarters of the Cardenbury family. It is another place where portals to the realm of Darkness open at night, and terrible specters haunt the war-torn city. It is said that the Cardenbury's ancestors still guard the city and keep the horrors within locked away, but also locked within the chaos are a number of ancient treasures and runic secrets.
Ancaster Monastery: A Catholic place of worship. Proceeds from the Cardenbury family are put to use caring for the poor, sick, and orphaned here. It is also the training ground for holy monster hunters, many of which are responsible for keeping watch over Old Batiz.
Character Sheet and Acceptance
This is meant to be a long term roleplay, so I'm not in a rush to accept character sheets. Take your time with them, feel free to discuss the setting and details with me, and ask any questions that come to mind! I won't be approving on a first come, first served basis; I'm going to wait about a week and a half to decide which characters are in for a few reasons. The first is because, as I said, I want people to be able to take their time with these and reason things out with me. The second is because finals are going on for a lot of students right now, and I don't want that to be a deterrent. Be warned that I'm a finicky and picky DM when it comes to characters--I'm not looking just for well-written and reasoned out characters, but characters that will fit well with the setting and be valuable to other players.
General Information
Name: Gender: Race: All characters are humans. You may choose from a subcategory of human (fae-touched, ghoul, etc. but no vampires, lycanthropes, or half-demons). Age:
Appearance and Characteristics
Physical Attributes: Picture or written description will suffice.
Clothing:
Armor:
Other: Any additional info such as scent, accent, etc.
Personality
Personal Attributes: Lay out your character's personality and quirks here.
Religious Affiliation:
Greatest Fears: Go wild here—I guarantee at least one thing you list here will appear in the roleplay. It wouldn't be all that gothic without a little horror, right?
Likes: Be as specific or as general as you like. Favorite foods, hobbies, philosophies, objects, animals—I guarantee at least one of these will become relevant in the roleplay, if only so I can twist it to torment your character with something he or she enjoys turned bad.
Dislikes: Pretty much the same as above, except dislikes!
History and Connections
Background Elements: You can write out the whole of your character's backstory here, or you can stick with a few key elements of it. Tell me about how she became a monster hunter for the church or how he decided to develop a mech to fight the Darkness. If you want your character to be related to one of the major NPC's in some way, I also encourage you to make that connection. Be as creative as you want, play the role of a servant, a student, a guard, a scholar, a spy—the way you decide to approach the setting will determine the sort of plot the roleplay has. Take one of the villages and develop it further if you like, or tell a harrowing tale of how your character is haunted by a mythical creature with an agenda against him or her.
Secrets: List two secrets here, one that your character knows and one that your character is unaware of but involves him or her. This secret could be anything—a past event your character is ashamed of, the existence of a creature of Darkness no one else has seen or believes exists, an aspect of corruption within the government or church, a dead/missing family member or friend, and anything of that ilk. Depending on your answers here, I will create a third secret neither you nor your character is aware of.
Goals: List two goals here; one should be a goal of your character, and the other should be a goal that you as a player have for the game. Try to be more specific than “keeping his/her homeland safe,” and go after a particular entity that embodies a threat. Killing the bandit king, trying to break a place of strong connection with the Darkness, learning a powerful runic formula for killing creatures of darkness, or saving a lost loved one are decent and specific goals. Player-oriented goals tend to trend along character goals, but things like events you want to see played out or rewards you want for your character's efforts are good things to list here.
Connections: List at least three characters related to your character and briefly describe them. Two of these characters should be friendly towards yours and one should be an unfriendly connection (you may use only one major NPC if you wish to use a major NPC here). Consider the benefits and consequences of each connection, as they may strongly help or hinder your character during the roleplay (I fully intend to use at least one of these characters, so I may control said character).
Skills, Magic, and Abilities
Skills: List your character's general skills here. Wilderness survival, academic studies, crafting, language proficiency, athleticism, mechanical savvy—all of these are applicable.
Magic: If your character has no proficiency with magic, put N/A here. Any powers made manifest by your character's runes should be listed here. Try to include a brief description of each power, its limits, and its side-effects.
Weapon: Describe the weapon your character has equipped and describe any special attributes it has. Remember that runic-powered weaponry degrades over time (and thus needs new power sources). Religious artifacts have more permanent effects and are relatively common in this world, but there are often restrictions to how they can be used.
Combat Abilities: This is a good place to describe your character's approach to battle and the capabilities of their weapon and fighting style.
Combat Weaknesses: A good place to start with this is to consider how each strength has a weakness. If your character depends on magic, make sure that magic has a cost. If your character specializes in fast, precise attacks, let them have a weakness in strength or stamina, etc.
The Rules
As GM, I reserve the right to toss players out of the thread for any reason. I strive to be fair and polite as much as possible, but if I see someone breaking the rules or spreading toxicity outside of the story, the offending player will be warned and later removed if he or she does not correct the behavior in the thread.
No godmoding, controlling the characters of other players, or using out of character information to meta your way through a situation. Horror is pointless without some sense of helplessness, so I expect characters to have exploitable weaknesses and enemies that they will not always be able to defend themselves against.
No Stereotypes. Because this roleplay relies on creative characters connected to the world around them, the Anti-Social Assassin is not going to cut it here. Neither will the Cute Girl with a Dark Side. Forget about orphans raising themselves on the street, noble children running away from an oppressive father, and similar tragic tropes. The character you create will have people he or she is connected to and goals he or she cares about, not just a smattering of abilities and personality attributes to fight against the darkness. Surviving alone is not possible in this world—you will have to rely on others to help you get through the night because, seriously, the darkness has a personal agenda against you.
Follow the forum rules. Things like smut obviously don't belong in a public thread, and you already knew that because you're an advanced player on this site.
Post quality and length? I assume anyone reading this far is already capable of what I'm looking for.
Have fun and feel free to ask questions whenever you have them!
@Fairess, just wondering how essential it is for our characters to be born in Cardenbury. I was considering a member of the nobility and the possibilities offered by the Grand Tour, see :P . It's completely fine if it is necessary, of course.
So, I'm thinking of RPing as a military character. What all can you tell me about the Baron's forces?
I'd prefer not having any active military PC's (it greatly restrains your freedom, as even a common soldier has orders restricting him to a single task or location). If a military background is what you're looking for, though, there's a lot to play with.
Statistically, the baron's forces are about 500 strong. It's a fairly active force responsible for keeping people safe every night. At the top, you have the baron's three generals, then five colonels, then various captains spread between villages and the barony's borders. Notably, none of this military force patrols the baron's castle.
Outranking the captains are the church's Knights (holy monster hunters sanctioned by the baron), who often coordinate with the military.
Despite the bandit king on the loose, the baron has not declared a state of war and so conscription among citizens is not mandatory. Both men and women voluntarily join the military (it offers good pay and a modest pension that lasts depending on years of service), with most starting at sixteen years old and serving a mandatory four years. After this time of service, some continue to fight and rise in the ranks.
That's the basic gist of things I intend, anyways. Did I cover what you wanted to know?
@Fairess How do you feel about a minor noblewoman turned church hunter?
Sounds good to me! I don't have a lot of notes defining nobility outside of the baron's family, so feel free to be creative in defining your noble family. Any of the villages are up for grabs if you're looking to have a family that manages one.
On a similar note, becoming a holy hunter is an auspicious goal. Your character would not be out of place seeking to become a Holy Knight of the barony, but note it takes years of training and mighty deeds to become one. It's likely such a character would be a squire who lives at the monastery--though called upon often for service, your character would be allowed some autonomy in choosing her trials to become a full fledged knight.
@FairessI would like to know more about the subcategories of humans.
You're free to pitch any particular sub-human you'd like. All I have defined thus far are ghouls (humans who drink a vampire's blood and gain vampiric attributes at a cost of their independence) and fae-touched humans, which are humans who have recieved a gift of power from any variety of pagan/fae creatures. To clarify:
Ghouls -Drink vampire blood (at least a cup or more) every week to maintain vampiric abilities. -Have enhanced senses, reflexes, strength, and dark vision. -Do not age. -Can use vampiric hypnosis on humans. -Can be verbally and mentally compelled by a vampiric master to do any particular task (even killing oneself). -Are suceptible to holy artifacts and severe sunburn without proper coverage. -Would be lynched if common people knew about his/her vampiric power.
Fae-touched -Have any variety of abilities, such as talking to animals, affecting the weather within a small area, animating objects, speaking to the dead, etc. -Share a powerful bond with a fae/pagan entity. Breaking the terms upon which the power was given could mean death or worse. -More often than not have a physical taint as proof of the pact. Antlers, bizarre eyes, cloven feet, scales, etc., usually mark a fae-touched human as a freak (which sometimes leads to lynching). -Are burned by touching iron and Christian holy objects.
Does that help?
@Marquise I see, I see. The reason for wanting Barony-born PC's is so I have connections to tie your character into the plot. So there are a few ways around it--maybe your character is foreign, but has close family, friends, or a mentor who lives in the barony. I don't even mind a relation to the kidnapped baroness! As long as your CS connects your character to one or two natives, you can do as you like with origin.
@Fairess Hmmm...okay, that all sounds marvelous. My next question is how do you feel about witches? My basic idea is my character learns her mother is using runic magic to manipulate her husband, the lord of the manor. My character attempts to do something about this and basically gets the crap beat out of her. She flees to the church, but her mother has already disappeared by the time the holy knights arrive at the family estate. And my character's father is nowhere to be found. So, this character would despise the forces of darkness, but also be the direct descendant of a formidable witch. Is there anything about this that is flagrantly against what you're trying to achieve with this RP? Also, this is a rough idea so I'm not exactly sold on any of it, really.
@Lexicon There's nothing flagrantly against the RP in your idea. I quite like it!
The one issue with runic magic is that it's not necessarily hereditary, much less like witchcraft. That's not to say witchcraft doesn't exist--there are many many ways it can, but runic magic is one of the few scientific approaches that any intellectual can learn. It goes hand in hand with engineering and science of the era (although it could definitely be used to mess with someone's mind, yes.).
So, as your idea is, it's actually fine--you'd just have to cut out the bit about the runic magic being witchcraft.
If you want to keep that more taboo-y mystic-y witchcraftery, I'd suggest making the mother a ghoul, a fae-touched human, or a pagan witch. A ghoul would be the most sinister of these options (meaning the mother is attached to a vampire who may or may not be sanctioned by the baron) and allow for mind control through hypnosis. A fae-touched human could have made some sort of shadowy pact with a fae entity to gain the power to manipulate a mind through phrases, music, dreams, etc. And a pagan witch might have her own cult that worships some unholy entity of Darkness, which allows for some awful sort of life draining or soul manipulation. It's really just picking the flavor of your character's crisis--any of these situations would summon the wrath of the Holy Knights. It would also influence inherited ability, as I'm willing to allow some manner of taint from mother to child (just be aware that such hereditary powers would have their own pact limitations).
One final word of caution is what I've formerly mentioned--if your character is losing both parents, make sure she still has a relevant, healthy and available connection with some friend, family member, or rival that I can use to keep things relevant to the plot. Does she have a family member taking over the estate in her absence? If not, is it a benevolent or greedy entity stepping in to claim her birthright and, consequently, her village? (these are questions to consider in your CS.)
@FairessThat helps a lot. My basic character idea is some kind of (meybe self proclaimed) monster hunter who basically grabbed some weapons and headed out into the Jarlione forest some time ago. He might've headed out with a group, but right now that's irrelevant. In the forest he's basically been fighting the darkness and surviving much like the bandits. I want him to have seen the lord of the forest at some point, and in that situation he became a fae-touched (not by the lord himself, but one in his court).
For him, the game's start would involve him coming home to society again. Getting to grips with how different he has become and over time figuring out that once you leave society you can't really come back, same thing that happened to Frodo in LotR.
You write that iron and holy things burn, would that include tempered and iron-mixed metals used in weapons?
@Fairess I have to say I'm impressed by the amount of depth and detail this RP has. Thank you for your reply, and I'll probably go the ghoul route. And Lizbeth, the working name for my character, would definitely still have some positive relationships with certain members of the Church. I shall start tinkering with my CS soon.
I'm considering on making a character and at this point my ideas vary between a scholar with interest towards Darkness or a former noble, current thief. Regarding to latter, I was wondering if Bandit king would have any use of one among his ranks, perhaps under a lieutenant or something. Getting information or hard-to-get artifacts and selling them for a price?
@Fairess So, you mentioned my character possibly inheriting some kind of corruption from her mother. Would she be able to manifest a highly diluted version of some of her powers? Honestly, I was thinking an incredibly weak version of vampiric hypnosis, even by ghoul standards, and she'd be so afraid of the side-effects and being viewed as a monster she'd almost never use it. Let me know if that sounds plausible. Obviously, if she wanted to enjoy actual ghoul-level powers she'd need to drink vampire blood and start serving said bloodsucker.
@Halvtand Only raw iron burns the fae, in answer to your question.
Addressing your idea, though, I like it (and I'm excited to have a fae-touched character in the mix)! As always, remember that surviving the Darkness alone is pretty much impossible, so if his allies are the fae, make sure he has important connections to them or whoever else supports him in the wild (or in the society he's about to step into). If you like, you can make up the fae entity who transformed him, or you can take a look at some of the fae entities I've come up with.
He's been called many names over millennia, and has been guarding the ancient Jarlione Forest all that time. He's the most powerful of the local fae and deities, not for his abilities alone but because of the pacts he has made with other powerful fae to protect the valley. His word is recognized as the ruling one, and many fae obey his command in his personal fight against the darkness that plagues his forest.
Appearance: He has the head, legs, and feet of a deer, but the torso of a large human man. His brown fur is covered in moss, and when walking among humans, he tends to cover up his head and chest with a ragged green cowl. His eyes are pure black and carry the weight of time itself. Though he can't remember everything he has lived through, he often falls into a deep trance reliving events and listening to his forest.
Powers: He has abject control over the weather surrounding his forest, and can even alter its seasons at will. The forest and its animals obey any command he makes, and his will alone keeps the darkness at bay. His only weakness seems to be humans—when they taint his forest with waste or toxic emotions, the Darkness corrupts the woods. He shares a deep connection with the forest, able to see any place within it, but it also renders him sickened when the forest is tainted. He feels its pain, and the pain of every natural creature within it.
Fae-Touched Influence: The Forest God has no love of humans—in fact, he despises most of their number. Very, very few humans have ever gained his favor, but a few have earned it through deeds performed for his forest. Anyone who treats his wood as sacred ground and defends it with their lives are worthy of his gift.
Potential Fae-Touched Gifts: -Weather: Humans can control an area within a 30ft radius at will, but it requires concentration to maintain. -Speak to the Forest: Humans can speak to animals. -Nature's Rejuvenation: Humans can mend flesh, both in humans and animals. -Summon the Fae: Humans can summon any fae entity to ask for its help (but not command said entity).
Potential Fae-Touched Attributes: -As the Forest God is: Humans might sprout horns on their head or have their feet permanently transformed into cloven hooves. Some might even grow brown fur.
An ancient dryad of Jarlione Forest. She makes her home in the oldest oak tree, a plant that has grown to massive proportions. Its main branches are wider than a man's torso, many of which droop down to the ground. The rest of the gnarled crown sprouts vibrant green leaves, but the dryad makes her home within the roots of the tree. Legend says that mortals who gaze upon the tree will be cursed with a an obsession over the natural beuaty so strong they will stay staring at it until they become a tree themselves.
Appearance: As with all nymphs, Caecilia appears as a beautiful young woman. Porcelain skin, a healthy, curvaceous body, and long auburn hair—but her most potent attribute is her eyes, which shift colors according to the season. Her irises are littered with the shapes of leaves, and it is said that anyone who gazes directly at them can the forest itself.
Powers: Caecilia is most related to plant life. She can manipulate plants at will, causing them to move or grow, and can even shapeshift into any plant of her choice. Many of the fruits she personally grows are said to have mystical qualities, some as healing elixirs and others as poisons. Her plants are resilient against the influence of Darkness, capable of purifying the ground and air and rendering it impossible for creatures of Darkness to set foot near them. Some of her trees are even said to imprison demons within their roots.
Fae-Touched Influence: Caecilia is friendly toward mortals and offers her gifts to those she deems worthy of using the forest's gifts to create beauty or those who are strong enough to use her gifts to undermine the parts of her forest tainted by Darkness. Her wrath is thus imposed on those who break sacred ground, destroy her plant life, or make mockery of her forest.
Potential Fae-Touched Gifts: -Longevity: Humans can live for hundreds of years, enjoying youth until their last decades of life. -Beauty: Humans gain an air of the forest, cleansing the skin of deformity, making hair thick and healthy, and giving them an aura of beauty that ensnares the gaze of others. -Voice of the Woods: Humans can command plants to move a certain way or bear fruit. -One with the Trees: Humans can transform into plants or harden their skin into bark at will. They no longer need food to survive, and become naturally hardier against the cold. However, when they rest, they must root themselves to the soil to draw in nutrients or sleep near a light source.
Potential Fae-Touched Attributes: -Eyes like the Forest: Eye color changes depending on the season—green for summer, the color of any variety of blossoms during the spring, black during winter, and red, gold, or brown for winter. -Body of Wood: Any single part of the body is perpetually living wood. -Veil of the Vine: Instead of hair, the human grows leaves on their head.
Her body is said to rest at the bottom of Lake Veleson, leaving her soul to wander across the waves and all streams that connect to the lake. In her spirit form, she's often referred to as a banshee, an insubstantial woman dressed in white with eyes of pure black. She can see only the souls of dead and living entities as a banshee and is responsible for collecting these souls, guiding them away from Mortem Cogitatio. Once every hundred years, in the midst of winter, she stores up enough energy to revitalize her physical form, and can walk the earth as an utterly enchanting woman. Come Spring however, she sacrifices that energy to revitalize the valley.
Appearance: She is incorporeal, her body a wisp of white, though she can also appear as a ghostly light instead. Her body is willowy and graceful, every part of it glowing a soft white—except for the eyes. Her eyes lack irises and are utterly black, seeing the unseen spirits that linger in the realm of the living.
Powers: Lady Morana can command the dead and break the hold of Darkness over the Departed. Those brave enough can receive pendants from her capable of breaking curses and madness brought on by creatures of Darkness. She can also see into human souls, determining fate and reading prophecy at will. Although her appearance is associated with death and unkind fate, her physical body stores pure and condensed vitality she sacrifices to keep the land fertile.
Fae-Touched Influence: Lady Morana supports those who embrace their mortality and use their limited time to help others. It is said that the Lord of the Forest rendered her blind to the forms of the living, so as not to grow attached to their presence in the material world—thus, she is not a particularly merciful being who intervenes to save a single life. Those who win her favor actively keep vigil over the dead and abstain from material pleasures to support and commemorate her sacrifice.
Potential Fae-Touched Gifts: -In Tune with the Dead: Humans can speak to human remains to communicate with the spirit attached to them. They can also see and communicate with phantoms. -Incorporeal Defenses: Humans can phase their body into a ghostly form at will—however, doing so for a long period of time may render turning corporeal again impossible. -Read the Stars: Humans can catch a brief glimpse of the future, usually through dreams and ritual. -Purity of Heart: Humans gain immunity against dream eaters, soul suckers, and being posessed.
Potential Fae-Touched Attributes: -Morana's Vision: Pure black eyes -Death before Death: Any particular limb may rot away, leaving only bone.
He is best known for his bird from, which resembles a peacock with brilliant, shining, feathers of gold, crimson, and copper. To obtain a feather from his tail is to receive his gift, but they are nigh impossible to find. Only the most devoted hunters and heroes strong enough to brave difficult trials gain Tane's favor.
Appearance: Tane has many forms—he is a shapeshifter who runs with wolves, grazes with deer, and walks among men as a wise man. He loves all cycles of the hunt and strives to bring out only the best and most noble attributes of heroes, which has been the end of many foolhardy adventurers.
Fae-Touched Influence: More than anything else, Tane is a creature of the hunt. In his world, only the strongest and brightest survive, and it falls upon such heroes to protect the rest of humanity from darkness. Where many fae are content only to protect the forest from the Darkness, he urges his followers to pursue and banish it completely. Humans who fall to depravity or hide away from the darkness disgust him.
Potential Fae-Touched Gifts: -Token of Heroes: Tane's feather always gives off light, which will burn any manifestation of Darkness it touches. Its beauty is such that it can transfix those who gaze at it. -Form of the Forest: Humans can shapeshift into medium-sized animals and smaller at will. -Heroic Spirit: Humans can push themselves beyond their natural limits to perform a feat of heroism (like lifting a boulder off of a trapped person's leg). -Legacy: After a human has obtained one of Tane's feathers, that same feather can be brought back to the hero's body during a time of great need to revive that hero.
Potential Fae-Touched Attributes: -Unlike other fae entities, no transformation occurs. The hero need only carry the feather to experience its benefits. Whenever in an animal form, however, the feather will always become a part of the transformation.
Hope that helps!
@Lexicon A ghoulish taint certainly could have diluted power. You can take on any diminished form of the Ghoul's abilities, but there are a few consequences to keep in mind. The first is that, as a prospective Holy Knight, she'd have a significant handicap. Ghouls are burned by holy artifacts and sanctified ground (much like vampires, though to a significantly lesser extent), so she'll also experience diluted pain and discomfort in the presence of such items. Can she overcome it to wield holy weapons and live in a sacred place? Yes, but it may drain her stamina and be a difficult process for her.
The other major consequence is that she'll be like an infant born with an addiction—she will actively thirst after vampiric blood and be much more easily influenced by vampires. Vampires are rare enough that this won't be a constant issue, but if the roleplay does turn towards a confrontation with a vampire, do note that this will become a significant weakness against said vampire.
I'll let you play with the balance of benefits and consequences as you like. The mentioned weaknesses should only be as strong as her ghoulish abilities. Notably, the longer she uses the ability, the more exhausting it will be to use, and the stronger her urge for vampire blood will become.
@Habibi359 Good to have another player in the game! To answer your question, yes, the Bandit King could certainly use any thief. As I mentioned formerly with the military, however, note that being part of the Bandit King's forces would greatly limit what your character is allowed to do. You could play it at any angle, though, perhaps as a thief forced into service for the sake of his captured family who aims to run away, a former member of the band who turns traitor due to some personal twist, or even as a freelance treasure hunter with inside information to trade. Does that help answer the question?
@DrunkasaurusRex You do find a few hunters outside of the church and military. These would likely be hunters who come from a family line of hunters, as the Darkness isn't exactly an entity that's easy to combat without help and experience. There's also the issue that most common people turn to the church or military for protection, but there's bound to be a few jobs and concerns too dangerous or out of the way for such entities to take interest in. It's not the easiest or wealthiest path to take, but being a solo hunter could be done.
