(Click picture to listen to some mood music.)
"Nelhain is an ancient empire, but more importantly, a stronghold for mankind. The world has been coated in a terrible darkness. A darkness older than all life on earth, and deeper than the wild seas. Amidst the outbreaks of godly wrath and legions of corrupted souls, Nelhain somehow preserved for centuries.
Though civilization itself is falling victim to the Blind Curse, and few settlements exist outside shamans’ control anymore, we are still here. But the circle of ungodliness is prophesied to be fulfilled soon, and with that, our demise lurks. Another Deep Age lingers behind the cold suns. Another battle fought by the bravest, and most hopeless champions. Another cycle that will claim our sanity.
So then, shall we call upon the Divine? Such savagery shan’t be praised, but what choice does man have when facing these primordial terrors?"
"Nelhain is an ancient empire, but more importantly, a stronghold for mankind. The world has been coated in a terrible darkness. A darkness older than all life on earth, and deeper than the wild seas. Amidst the outbreaks of godly wrath and legions of corrupted souls, Nelhain somehow preserved for centuries.
Though civilization itself is falling victim to the Blind Curse, and few settlements exist outside shamans’ control anymore, we are still here. But the circle of ungodliness is prophesied to be fulfilled soon, and with that, our demise lurks. Another Deep Age lingers behind the cold suns. Another battle fought by the bravest, and most hopeless champions. Another cycle that will claim our sanity.
So then, shall we call upon the Divine? Such savagery shan’t be praised, but what choice does man have when facing these primordial terrors?"
Nelhain is a land clothed in darkness. Though no soul walking this world can know of other planes, all have heard of the tales of the world next to our own; The realm of the Deep. The Deep Ones slumber there, inside the God Cocoon, so they say. It is no challenge to find those who believe the ancient tales to be myths, as they’ve never laid eyes on these twisted creatures, nor have their fathers, or grandfathers, or great grandfathers. Millennia pass with nothing but human struggle to combat. But the milky shine that reflects of the shards floating in the sky seem inhuman nonetheless. And then, undeniably, there is a wretchedness in this world that consumes the land like a plague. And when the blind masses begin to rise, we fend them off under great cost. It is in these times that the people hope the Divine Savages are truth, and usurp the future molded by the Deep.
And so in these trying times, the Bellfire Covenant attempts to establish order in a ruthless empire. The feeble masses are drawn towards them, while others hide from their outposts, terrified of their champions. But the mantle of duty is to be picked up by any souls called upon, willingly or otherwise.
These lands… A battlefield for the God Cocoon’s prisoners. A graveyard founded by the Blind Curse… It is a harrowing world we live in. Perhaps it would be wise to succumb to the Deep.
So, I've been wanting to do a dark fantasy roleplay for a while now. Whereas I usually world-build extensively before booting up anything, I've decided to take a different approach this time. As you can see, this is very influenced by Dark Souls, which is often murky in its lore itself. In a world with elements of cosmic terror and a plethora of legends about the most shadowy individuals imaginable, we will shape this world. I have outlines of certain events I'd like to present our group with, and I've also established a certain level of lore, and some organizations of sorts, as well as some NPCs. Overall however, I'd like to let us build the empire of Nelhain (and potentially the world beyond it) together. For that reason, I've decided to let you come up with your own backgrounds. Create cities and monsters that have ravaged your native location, fashion ambitions of the most creative of magic, and feel free to ask me if anything isn't possible. I don't like to info-dump, so here's some very basic, stream-lined information to consider.
- Religion: Nelhain is largely free of religion. The belief in the Deep Ones is common, but few worship these beings, as they are a terrible malice to all life. A cult named The Witch's Womb exists, that believes in an old tale of a primordial mother that has once visited the vast land. The religious movement is a fringe group at best in today’s age, but once counted a large number of followers.
- The Deep: The Deep Ones are primordial beings that have ruled the world in intervals for over 2000 years. They disappear and reemerge without clear pattern, but the threat they present to life is massive, and so humanity has adopted to their presence by living in small colonies and cities where they belief protective magic is strong enough to repel the Deep Ones. In the wake of a Deep One’s appearance, the Old Curse spreads. Those affected by the Old Curse are consumed by it, and transform into the beasts known as the Viyore, named after an ancient entity, believed to precede even the Deep Ones). A plague to Nelhain, and humanity at large, the Viyore are the leftovers of the Deep Ones’ primordial origin, even in their absence. The process of turning is known as the Old Curse or the Blind Curse. Those that are transformed take a variety of appearances, but they’re all hideous, and ferocious in nature, and lose their humanity. Even those with weak symptoms are recognizable at first glance, as Vieyore lack eyes. They are covered in a layer of black sludge, however thin, and the substance often pools around their feet.
- The Law & Order: The Bellfire Covenant is the closest resemblance of authority in Nelhain. A large, stateless organization with a strict hierarchy of power. They are very critical of new recruits, and are generally seen as beneficial to life on Nelhain, but antagonistic nonetheless. It’s mission is to reestablish humanity and combat the curse. They are the creators of all Silver-Eyed Dragons that roam Nelhain. The Silver-Eyed Dragons are humans that have been magically engineered to combat the Viyore. They are feared and revered alike, and often lead small groups of Bellfire Soldiers. They, too, are recognizable easily by the liquid silver that whirls in their eyes.
- Important Fauna: The Elder Trees are gargantuan plants, with thick cores similar to beansprouts, and barren branches. As if their sheer size wasn’t enough, they are easily recognizable by the large object that sprouts in between the thicket of branches, closely resembling large eggs. It is said that angels are born from those eggs, if they ever hatch.
Keeping these core facts in mind, you are free to go wild. I'm trying to offer a somewhat blank canvas here for you to paint your character however you desire it, but I'd be happy to tweak and give feedback to any idea you might have and feel unsure is possible.
This is an application roleplay, so please submit your character sheets in here first. Here's the information I would like to have:
Name:
Epiphet: (If applicable. Can be acquired later.)
Age:
Sex:
Height:
Weight:
Race: (Feel free to invent something, you don't have to be human. I strongly suggest giving me a basic pitch of what you have in mind first, so you don't do a lot of work only to have me say "Nah, that doesn't work.)
Basic Description: (You can use a picture for your character (artwork only please), but give us a quick run-down of what you look like here. You may also be detailed here if you don't have a picture you want to use.)
Region of Origin:
Personality: (I want development in the story, so don't feel pressured to supply your entire character's emotional reach. Just give us an idea what they're like.)
Background:
Powers: (Magic is a thing, but what kind of magic is up to you. Well, and me, 'cause I might say no depending on how powerful it is. Try and keep a clear concept, instead of muddling everything together.)
You can make your sheet as basic or as fancy as you want, just keep everything in order and hit me with them amazing characters.
