The Empire of Caradia. An expansive piece of land that would take a year to cross if it were flat and had no trees. But it's got rolling foothills, forests, villages, ancient relics and buildings, and lakes and rivers all over. It's back and sides are enclosed by the mountains which opens up to the sea. The have ports that allow them to travel to countries such as Lumoise, Waylox, or the singular island country of Haton for trade. The other countries are a little further out and they've yet to establish a good repertoire with them.
It's currently in a time of peace, but with a slowly building anxiety. The current Empress, Esmeralda, bares an uncanny resemblance to the statues of the twin Goddesses that the people worship. The problem? One Goddess represent everything that is good, which leaves the other to be all that is bad. But they look exactly the same, it's the posture of the statue that separates them. Good reaches for the sky and the other reaches towards the the earth. The Emperor insists that this is sign that their reign is divine and that no one has the right to question it. The people debate constantly which twin they believe that Esmeralda is supposed to be. She strives to be the good Goddess to them, wanting nothing more than to see the country flourish.
The Goddesses seem to almost be insulted by her trying to be them because in the past few years, reports of a plague in some of the villages on the far side of the empire have reached the royals. Then to make matters worse, creatures started crawling out of the woodworks, originating from one of the villages. The creatures have bodies that are completely black like ink, but are practically bulging with muscles. Their heads are elongated skulls of animals, teeth stained with blood as well as the claws on their hands and feet. The only way to tell if one is alive or dead is by the dull red glow in the eye sockets. They're mercilessly and seem to thrive on the reaction their presence creates. Needless to say, blame is being flung at Esmeralda's lovely face, blaming her for the problems being struck up under her rule.
What is an Emperor to do for his distressed queen but to take up arms and go to the problem at the source. He plans to make the journey to the village where the creatures were said to first appear and he hopes that the answers to making them disappear lies there. Esmeralda pleads for him not to leave since the plague was in that region as well, but he can't sit idly by while his people continue to suffer. He sends out a decree to have those willing to brave the trip join him. He insists that his armies need to stay where he has them posted to protect the people from the monsters.
You will be one of the recruits joining the Emperor as he makes his journey to the mysterious village. Please check with me on species other than human, please and thanks.
(Picture here) Name: This one's simple. What's their name?
Age: How old are they?
Gender: Male or female?
Personality: I want at least a paragraph here. Tell me about the quirks. Just cause I know them doesn't mean the other characters have to.
Role/Title: Were they a noble? Are they a robber? What can they do? Be specific.
History: Two paragraphs. Why are they here? Why did they come to her call for aid? Did Ovorion do something to their home? Did their parents do something to them growing up? Don't skim the details.
Anything extra: Is there anything you want us to know about them that perhaps might come up later? Or do you have a theme song that works for your character?
These rules ought to sound a little repetitive for an advanced rp, but I'll state them anyways.
No god moding or power playing. Your characters are not perfect and will miss or get hit eventually. You cannot control other people's characters to make them do what you want them to do, unless you have expressed permission from that character's user.
Try to post somewhat frequently. I realize that's hard and sometimes you get busy, and if that's the case, try to forewarn us. I don't want people getting left behind and then getting ill when we thought they were a no show.
On that same note, try to not post a hundred gazillion times and leave people behind. If it's you and one other character talking, try and find one of those collab things and post it that way. Just try not to have ten novels in a post.
I suppose I shouldn't make the assumption we're all adults here, but I kind of am. I don't mind swearing, just try to have some other kinds of vocabulary mixed in there too, and innuendos and such are fine. Anything too much more than that, we need to draw a line. If you really need to have your kinky scene with someone, take it to the PMs.
Lastly, this is a made up world. Anything that isn't directly stated by me or by a character that's devised the place we're in is up for manipulation. You can do whatever you want to get your plot conveniences. Run your idea by me in the ooc or the pms and if I give the ok, then go for it. If you have a question about how the people of Waylox would react, again, just shoot me a question.
Have fun with! I'm looking forward to it!
Okay to sum up how magic is looked at in Caradia: It's not a foreign concept to them. They do trade with a country called Lumoise (Which is on the other side of the crag than Waylox for those who look at my other rps) which is run by mages, their religion revolves around it. Caradia's not super thrilled with mages, but if they're not hurting anyone then they see no need to really involve themselves in their business. People are a little more likely to give a weird look if they know you're a mage, but, unless you have a bad reputation, they aren't gonna run in terror from you. If you've established a good reputation then they'll ignore that weird magic mumbo jumbo and be quite chummy with you.
It would. Enchanting would be considered a type of magic, but someone could possess a sword that was enchanted by someone else and not necessarily have to be able to use magic themselves.
Personality: Yarri is not used to be around people. She is usually very shy and quiet, but when someone talks to her, she tries her best to smile and be friendly. She can be a bit naive from time to time, especially when it comes to trusting people. Being basically a peasant, she has a deep fear and respect for any kind of nobility, especially for the royal family.
Role/Title: Hunter, archer, wilderness guide
History: Yarri had a beautiful and happy childhood. She grew up in a small village, her father was a local gamekeeper and her mother spent most of her time taking care of Yarri and her four siblings. Ever since she could walk, she would run around and explore the forests. Her father taught her how to handle a bow, survive alone in the wild, how to track and hunt. Soon she became one of the most promising archers and hunters in the village.
Four years ago, she met Luna. Yarri was going to check the forests instead of her father – a few days journey to ensure that there aren’t any poachers laying traps or villagers stealing wood from the king’s land. She was just bending over to look at some tracks on the ground, that appeared to belong to a huge boar, followed by a pack of piglets. Suddenly she heard quiet squealing. Driven by her curiosity, she went to check the source of the sound, only to find a small wolf pup, desperately clinging to a dead body of its mother.
Yarri looked carefully around. A fight apparently had taken place there, probably between the boar and the wolf. Two mothers, trying to defend their young. And this one had clearly lost. Yarri knew she should kill the pup, they were still considered as predators and usually attacked on sight. But she couldn’t bring herself to do that. Instead she took the wolf with her, fed it and took care of it, hiding it from everyone else in the village. Soon the wolf would follow her around like a well-trained guard dog. When she finally told people about Luna, they were scared and distrustful at first, but in time they got used to her.
When the news of the plague and the monsters arrived into her village, everyone was concerned. They were safe for now, but how long would that last? Hearing about the king’s intentions to investigate the source of the problems, Yarri decided that the best way to protect her family and neighbors will be joining the king’s expedition.
What is the planned group size? By the way, thank you for introducing me to 10 years, they seem awesome :)
Personality: Generally outgoing, Kassandra could be described as a loud personality; keen to offer her opinion whether it's wanted or not and always ready to shoot a comment on any given situation. She is very lighthearted in nature, taking most things very jokingly unless it were a matter of life and death. Her heart goes out to those who are weaker than she or her companions and is willing to risk anything to defend the innocent, including her own life. Kassandra is often occupied, only resting in her sleep, keeping her hands busy as much as possible and usually singing a tune.
Appearance: Looks very much as she does in the above picture, though she has no scar. She couldn't have stood taller than 5'5" and weighed roughly 110 pounds, with an athletic build. A golden ring runs through the septum of her nose, resting above lips that had a hint of pout. Occasionally displayed from between her lips was a pierced tongue, a barbell with golden metal orbs on either side running through the pink mass. Either ear was also marked with teal studs. Her skin is pale and smooth, free of pockmarks or any leftovers from the wounds of battle. Perhaps that is why her eyes held no scrutinizing gaze and tended to look over situations harmlessly. She often wore a blue hooded shawl that sat atop of a tough leather corset and cloth shirt. She had tight cloth pants that end at leather boots with a steel toe.
Equipment: Kassandra held onto very little. She had a pack with basic supplies and a bedroll. Always to her side or slung across her back was a guitar. A belt ran across her waist that held a flask that was usually filled with alcohol and also maintained both her coin - purse and a bag of caltrops. At the left side of the belt was the sheathe of a well maintained but basic shortsword.
Role/Title: Vagabond, Bard, Mage, Martyr.
History: Having taken an interest in music, poetry, and the arts since a very young age, her father served as a patron of this fascination and funded an expansive tutelage, despite how it did not fit in with the etiquette and stewardship that the rest of the family had been brought up in. Kassandra lived a life of luxury and education for quite some time, though at the crisp age of 16, her magical powers were revealed to the family when the young girl brought a small bird back from the dead in front of their eyes. Although she was reportedly sick, her father and mother took no mercy, and shunned her. Leaving her noble House, Kassandra took the name of 'Blackbriar', and began wandering the empire with guitar in hand. Now, she has come to answer the call to action, as she sees it as an opportunity of adventure, a chance to do something something for the greater good, and plenty of inspiration for her literary works.
Anything extra: She only has basic magic abilities along with the power of healing, but all of these require her own life energy or blood. Therefore, to heal a broken arm would be to break hers and so on. If she can survive said wounds for 24 hours, they disappear. She is not very practiced in any particular skill aside from her ability to play guitar and generally charismatic nature.
@vietmyke My character can barely heal in most cases, as it would extraordinarily damage her to do anything useful. I can imagine a real healer being especially useful.
Appearance: Scrawny and short in stature, Emil doesn't cut a particularly intimidating look at first glance. Though not stout or muscular, his body does possess the appearance of one used to traveling long distances, and is in appreciable fitness. His blonde hair, while slightly unruly, is pulled behind his head in a short ponytail, and his eyes are a gleaming emerald color. Over his clothes, he typically wears a travelers cloak over his clothes, and carries a simple shortsword, and a wooden staff with a small crystal atop it.
Personality: Timid and gentle by nature, Emil is about as noncombative as they come. Warm and kind-hearted, Emil is a modest young mage with a strong sense of morality. Level headed and rational, Emil tries his best to stay brave and rational in the face of hardship and adversity, but can occasionally show cowardice. Emil is rather impressionable, and expresses a desire to learn various skills and tricks from the older veterans, though is often self conscious about his lesser abilities when compared to that of the more experienced members of the group. Honest and trustworthy, Emil is compassionate and kind, if a little shy and soft-spoken. A very down to earth and grounded individual, Emil posseses a calm and generally positive demeanor, that only occasionally borders on naivety.
Role/Title: Healer, Mage, Journeyman
History: A soft spoken and gentle youth from Lumoise, his appearance and manner of dress marks him as a person from the Kanan Region of Southern Lumoise. Emil was born to a rather modest family, and was the eldest and only son of a small town Pastor. Emil showed aptitude for magic at a young age, and his father a Mage-Pastor, was delighted to teach him the basics of magic. Growing up, Emil learned magical runes alongside learning how to read and write, and possessed a high level of mastery for basic level spells. Saving up what little money their family had, his father was eventually able to send him to a Lumoise Mages School at the age of 10.
At the mages schools, Emil, like the rest of the young initiates, were taught the basics and intricacies of magic, learned in reading, writing and mathematics, and were educated to the standard of nobles their age. The most promising of the young mages were also introduced to the intricacies of swordplay and other martial weapons, in order to find suitable candidates for the next class of Lumoise's Mage Knights. While Emil was eager and enthusiastic, and showed considerable promise with magic, the Archmages of the school found that he lacked the aggression and confidence suitable for, and expected of a Mage Knight. Instead, Emil continued to learn how to harness his magical abilities, achieving the rank of Adept in the School of Blessings at the young age of 16.
At the age of 18, Emil graduated from the Mages School. Like most graduates of the Mages School, Emil embarked on a year long pilgrimage- a journey across the world to gain them experience and worldly knowledge, as well as give them an opportunity to test their crafts. While most conducted their pilgrimages within Lumoise's borders, working as apprentices or plying their craft in the various cities in Lumoise, Emil and a few others decided to take a ship to Caradia, and venture through the vast lands of the Empire for their pilgrimage.
It was during this pilgrimage that Emil and several of his friends discover the trouble that was brewing in Caradia. A combination of plague and various, mysterious monsters terrorizing the far lands of the Empire. Having spent most of his pilgrimage in Caradia healing those who had been wounded by such creatures or ravaged by plague, losing several of his friends in the process, when Emil heard that the Emperor himself was nearby, and seeking out the source of the troubles personally, Emil couldn't help but feel the need to be there as well.
Anything extra: Though primarily a healer and a mage, a few years in school and a year on the road has given Emil passing experience in a variety of fields. He possesses the basic knowledge of swordplay, knows how to tend wounds without magic if needed, and can fire a bow- though is incapable of reliably hitting moving (or even standing) targets. He also knows some cooking, sewing, and other more mundane skills for everyday purposes.
If you want for Emil, there's the main mage's academy- like the creme de la creme in the capital city of Ostien. Ostien is a city run by mages, unlike the rest of Lumoise. I'll link you the rp that I started to do for that one so you can decide if you want him to have experienced that life XD But he's approved regardless! roleplayerguild.com/topics/158183-for… I called it the Empire cause I didn't have a name for anything yet XD
Ah cool, I'll take a look at it @SanaChan. I went with Lumoise because the OP says that theyre a country run by mages and have their religion based around it.
Yes, the "God" of their country was the one who initiated magic, so even though Ostien is the one that rules based off of magic, the whole country sees magic as important. The villages and other cities can have their own rules and methods of treating mages, I just wanted you to be aware of that city as well. I like your initiative though *thumbs up*
Appearance (no picture): Gareth stands at an imposing six foot five, with short black hair and some stubble in the way of facial hair. He has a light skin tone with a slight tan to it, and cold blue eyes. There is a thin scar running from under his left eye to the bottom of his cheek. His nose is slightly longer than most people's, but overall he is quite handsome. Moving down to the rest of his body, Gareth has an impressive build, well-muscled from over a decade of training.
As for equipment, Gareth is clad in a layer of steel chainmail, over which he wears a cuirass (chestplate), spaulders (shoulder plates), gauntlets, and greaves (knee and shin guards.) He also wears a pair of steel boots, and has a faceless steel helmet with a sharp spike rising two inches from the top of his head. He carries with him a round steel shield, wrapped in a layer of leather. A black cloak shields him from the elements, and a traveler's pack carries the necessities of an adventurer.
Sheathed at his left hip is an ornate steel longsword with a gilded hilt, and the sigil of his house - a flaming fist - set in the crossguard. This is his family sword, Fury. The enchantment only enables it to be activated by someone descended from House Arenar. Once activated, the blade erupts into flame, though the fire does not warp or otherwise weaken the metal - another property of the enchantment. The enchantment can still burn the wielder, however, so it must be used with care. The wielder has the power to turn it on and off at will, though the blade will certainly still be hot afterwards.
His second weapon is an ordinary shortsword, sheathed at his right hip, that can be drawn should Fury be lost or discarded. Finally, he also has a simple dirk that he keeps in a sheathe on his boot.
Personality: Stern and serious, Gareth can be a stickler for the law and has a strong sense of justice, having been wronged in the past and stripped of what should be his by right. He is loyal to the greater good or those who are loyal to him. Despite his noble blood, he is not prejudiced to the lower classes - if anything, he often finds their company preferable. He is quite cynical and pessimistic, but courageous and unflinching on the battlefield. Despite his rather serious nature, there are occasional moments of levity, and he does have some respect or even admiration for idealists. He is also quite fond of animals. Overall, though, he can be a hard man to like for those who cannot look past his blunt manner of speaking.
Role/Title: Former noble guard captain. Sword and shield warrior, with strong leadership and tactical acumen.
History: The Arenars were a wealthy and influential House located in the capital city of the Kingdom of Sorus. They were descended from a lowborn warrior who was rewarded with a title after a long and excellent service record. Though they had no castle of their own, instead keeping a manor in the wealthiest district of their city, they had made a fortune off investments, property ownership, their own personal fleet of trading ships, and had the ear of the King himself. How they came that far from a landless war veteran is somewhat dubious.
Gareth was their heir.
The eldest of three, Gareth could rest secure in the knowledge that he would one day inherit the family title. Unfortunately, he had little interest in economics - though he paid close attention to his lessons and rarely disappointed his tutors, he was much more interested in swordplay and history, tasks which he took to with much more enthusiasm. He spent many of his hours training under the master of arms, or sequestered in the library bent over a book. He became skilled with both blade and shield, and was quite taken in by the stories of old - both fact and fiction.
At the same time, he also dug up records of his family's old business dealings. He never found anything illegal, of course, but some of the dealings were rather... unjust. Finding a much-needed project in heavy demand and then charging a fortune for it that most could barely even afford. Forming a deal with a prospective business partner, but creating some sort of loophole that ended up excluding them from the agreement. He questioned his father about them, but his father merely said it was the nature of business.
Even as a young teenager, that did not sit well with him. No, he decided. That was not what their House would be known for. Not under him, at least. He continued training and studies, but also thought of ways to bring his house prestige without suspicious business practices. Perhaps take them back to their martial roots...
Then, around the time he turned nineteen, his father fell terribly ill at the age of forty-five. He lingered on for weeks in a coma, until finally the sickness claimed him. Despite their disagreements, Gareth spent every moment with him that he could, his brother and sister stopping in to pay their respects as well. After the death, the funeral inevitably came, and the will was red aloud.
Gareth had been disowned.
The news had struck him like a crossbow bolt in the heart. Afterwards, he could only wonder why his father had done it. Had his father disapproved of his plans for their House that much? He didn't even recall discussing his plans, come to think of it, but the questions he asked had likely indicated such. Did his father simply like Edric, his younger brother and next-in-line, better? He was certainly more personable, that much was certain, but he could not wield a blade to save his life and always came across as somewhat lazy.
And so the title was passed to his seventeen year-old younger brother, who regretfully offered his condolences but made no effort to restore his status. Gareth was completely and utterly lost, but he had to do something with his life. After perhaps a week of deliberation, he joined the city guard.
He was well-suited to the work, he realized, his years of professional training and formal education putting him above the other fresh recruits, allowing him to stand out in the eyes of his officers. When they learned of his noble blood they became even more accommodating towards him, despite his disowned status. He also began to see his first real taste of fighting - not on the battlefield, but in back-alleys, against muggers and gutter rats who fought without honour. He soon discovered that he had to abandon honour as well, for in such an environment it was only a weakness.
He quickly rose through the ranks. He was good to his equals, inferiors, and superiors alike, and did not discriminate based on birth. Though he was not loved, he was respected and admired. At the age of twenty-four, he reached the rank of Captain.
Only two weeks after his promotion, another captain - his former commanding officer, with whom he had developed a strong mutual respect - pulled him aside. There were whispers that Gareth was involved in a smuggling ring, paid to look the other way while they brought illicit goods into the city. His friends had failed to believe such claims, obviously, but the other captains and the commander himself saw little evidence to dispute this, and there were plenty of lieutenants who would love to see an opening in the higher ranks. The guards would turn against him, in time. His friend told him when they would make their arrest. When that day came, Gareth made sure that he was not there.
He was busy confronting his brother.
In the years following his father's death, his suspicions had grown as he went over the issue in his head more and more. It made no sense for him to be disowned so suddenly - they had rarely quarreled, and their differences rarely came up in conversation. Furthermore, his father had been young and healthy despite his sudden illness. Forty-five was not young, but for a noble it did not quite mean one was near the verge of death, so there was little reason to write a will. And since he fell into a coma almost immediately, there was no reason to write it either. His brother had not seemed overly distressed by the development, and was the one who benefited the most. But he could not act without further proof, which there was no way to acquire, and there was no one higher he would take his case to who would believe him.
But now? Immediately after he was promoted to Captain, and began to approach a position of genuine power and influence, there was a move to arrest him for a crime he had not committed. That was the nail in the coffin. He had to find out.
It had been easy enough to incapacitate the household guards. They had grown slow and lazy, patrolling the same house every day in one of the safest areas of the city, without concern that a cutthroat could be lurking around the corner. The master of arms had grown frail and old - Gareth had always found him so strong and unbeatable when he was younger. The servants did not live in the mansion itself. His sister had been married off, so she was not present, which was well enough as there was no evidence of her involvement anyways. That just left his brother to contend with, who was no fighter and easy enough to restrain.
The confrontation was surprisingly tame. Gareth had asked a few questions, threw a few punches, tricked his brother into saying something close to a confession, and then left after leaving his own personal mark. When the houseguards woke up, they found their lord unconscious and bruised with a severe burn on his cheek that would leave a permanent scar, and the family sword had gone missing. According to Lord Edric, his mad older brother had come in, brutally assaulted the guards, and then tortured him. But considering that Edric's wounds were minimal aside from the burn, and Gareth hadn't actually killed anyone, that story was rather doubtful. Still, the fact that Gareth assaulted the home and stole an heirloom could not be disputed; he was a wanted man now.
In a seemingly unrelated case, a horse vanished from one of the stables that same night, a rather generous bag of gold left in its place that more than made up for the theft.
Gareth spent a few weeks traveling the countryside of Sorus, but knowing he would be a wanted man throughout the country, he was forced to travel abroad. He chartered a ship to the Empire of Caradia itself, a much larger nation which was not too culturally distinct from his own homeland, where no one would recognize his family name and no one from home would follow him.
Shortly after his arrival, he heard a decree about some sort of mission for the Emperor, against strange creatures. With nowhere to go and nothing to do, he could only take that as some sort of sign and follow it. Perhaps he could make a name for himself serving under this new monarch, and find some new purpose in driving back this evil.
Anything extra: He has a black horse named Diligence.
Quick question for anyone who could answer. What about the beast races? Was poking around with the idea of something to do with a Naga or something along those lines, but don't want to be some NPC adventurer's hunting trophy.
