[OOC] [HIGH CASUAL] Her Majesty's Spirit

[Lionhearted]

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𝔗𝔥𝔢𝔪𝔢

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As the stories were told, the two rivaling kingdoms of Thelan and Alovia waged war for centuries, clashing and battling for whatever excuse was good enough to spill blood -- be it land, currency, trade, religion, knowledge, or power. Before the continuous war, there was once harmony between the two vast kingdoms that was unified through an alliance to fend off the creatures of the north. Dragons, ogres, trolls, giants, basilisks, etc. dominated the northern, mountainous region that fell between the two kingdoms. The two kingdoms enjoyed a satisfying time of success and freedom while they traded and conquered happily and stoically, untroubled by the adversities that the kingdoms would face. The north began to become more and more controlled and restful due to the works of the kingdoms, leaving less stress for the ruling courts of the kingdoms. Things were slowing down, and as how many good things are destroyed, greed took it's play when a rare item was acquired from a squad of knights. The egg of a slain dragon remained intact and healthy after the destruction of a ruthless battle, resulting in both of the kingdoms' interest in experimentation. Their curiosity could not be shaken, and eventually caused great tension leaving the kingdoms at a stand-still.

Slowly, each kingdom would begin extracting their own troops and citizens and it wasn't until the cataclysmic Battle of the Burning Valley in which the war would begin. A meeting was called between both kingdoms in which they met at the border. The dragon egg was revealed, but negotiation only lasted so long until the first strike was made, in which is still argued of who initiated first. While the war began to revel and proliferate, the safety of the egg began to become less and less prioritized, resulting in it's broken encasement and mass destruction. Within an 8-mile radius, the egg destructed and took with it the majority of the knights of both kingdoms as well as the open terrain that still remains broken and black. Raging fires roared outwards from the egg, not only releasing an explosion of merciless flames, but also a cry for the entire species. The kingdoms couldn't find it in them to continue the fight, so they both began their retreat, but they were soon interrupted as the dragons of the north flew in and continued the destruction in search of the broken shells of the egg. The flames raged on for weeks, and the area is now habitable for dragons, leaving it a dangerous area to venture into.

And so the war went on with only few halts, but with a consistently cruel and cold nature. For the coming generations, war was common in everyday life, and to live a life without war would be an unrealistic dream that would only be crushed by the feet of the enemy. Thus, warfare became an honorable structure within society until the people began to protest centuries later. The kingdoms fought more mildly in consideration of the people, but was never ceased until Alovia finally extended a method of peace and unity.

A girl was granted a strange gift that was treasured enough to cease fire between kingdoms, but it was not enchanted upon her by any witch or warlock, but rather a god or creator since it was born into her. Anice Carter, a girl blessed with the ability to control the animals -- be it a rat or a tiger, or an ogre or a dragon. She was brought to the Alovian royal court in which they began to praise her for her strange gift thinking it was a sign from a divine being. It was argued that her powers should be used for mass destruction upon Thelan, but they decided not to continue the war and raise the girl to become destructive and dangerous. Instead they awaited for the next generation of royalty to commence, in which she would be offered to the King Charles of Thelan to symbolize the unity that Alovia would swallow their pride for. Thelan accepted, and it took time for the kingdoms to dwell together after a long history of warfare, but it became possible and the upcoming decades were full of celebrations and blessings bestowed from Queen Anice of Thelan.

Although things were great for continuous decades, with a queen that controlled the creatures of the north to have, not only the opposing kingdoms, but also the horrors of nature living in harmony, a sudden disappearance of Queen Anice caused confusion and upheaval to stir within the kingdoms. Rumors began to spread that she was captured by Alovia since they were the rightful ruler of Queen Anice while some believe that she was merely a spirit and she vanished, only to return when she's needed be it by reincarnation or by another form.

History began to rewrite itself, the countries slowly extracting their knights and citizens, but the first battle has yet to come, if it even will come. Many pray for the return of Queen Anice, while some thirst for battle once more. Rumor has it that there is a party forming that involves the best knights and fighters from both kingdoms to venture on a quest to the Northern Highlands as a final plea before the breakout of another century of warfare. But those are only rumors -- what is it that you believe and desire?

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map to come

𝔗𝔥𝔢𝔩𝔞𝔫𝔫𝔦𝔞𝔫

.The Thelannians control the western region of the continent. The Kingdom of Thelan is known for their extreme climates: the north being very frigid and almost uninhabitable while the south contains dessert-climates that'll leave you disoriented from heat shock. If one is born within the counties of Thelan, then the culture of warfare would be all to familiar. Any citizen of Thelan knows, of course, the brutality of war, but also the technological creativity that is the result of their rigorous education. Thus, education is very important and very strict, the royal court investing loads of money into their schools, valuing it more than the materials to craft weaponry. To add to this, children pursuing warfare are tested at a young age in which they'd be better suited for battle or for research -- giving them no choice and depending only on their god-given skills.

The Thelannian Empire is built around a royal family known as the Gifford family. The current ruler is King Charles Gifford IV, and with the recent disappearance of the Queen, he has locked himself in his room and hasn't been seen since. The Gifford family never ceases to put hope in the people's hearts from the family's signature vigor and courage that is stringently passed down from generation to generation. The people were constantly convinced that Thelannian would win the war, but the 'tricks' of Alovia were unforeseeable, leaving endless mysteries at their doorstep. Being a more technologically advanced country, their weaponry generally overpowers the traditional weaponry of Alovia, but Alovia's tactics are far more sly to underestimate. Thelannian favors their siege weapons and their ranged troops, giving them quite the preemptive strike.

Although Alovia greatly surpasses Thelan with their knowledge in magic, Thelan became briefly exposed to the witches and their capabilities during their alliance. A Thelannian born with the powers of a witch was nearly impossible, but that didn't stop them from delving in the field of magics and regents. Alovia and their assistance with the witches created a very formidable enemy, thus, Thelan was forced to find counteractive measures to defend against peculiar attacks, leaving Thelan to invest a lot in gathering regents to defend against spellcraft.

ℑ𝔰𝔩𝔢 𝔬𝔣 𝔐𝔬𝔬𝔯𝔢

.The Isle of Moore is a small island that is considered the most northern point of the entire continent, laying west of the Northern Highlands, leaving it to be a dangerous area to reside, not just from the harsh climate, but also from the dangers of the creatures of the north. The Isle of Moore consists of a big lake and a mountainous region, all of which are populated whether it be less than a hundred residents, or thousands of residents. It's quite self-sufficient since the coast is plentiful in fish, and there are a fair amount of wild boar, though crops are difficult to grow in the colder seasons, so their diet generally consists of meat and alcohol. Moore is also rich in stone and gems, and it's also a much safer place to harvest than the Northern Highlands, thus leaving the Kingdom of Thelan with a great source of jewels and regents to counter Alovia's magic. The Isle of Moore has a strange essence of magic, giving it's 'haunted lands' a strange title, and a lingering desire for the witches to travel to the Isle of Moore. No witch has made it to their lands, and the vikings intend to leave it that way. The vikings have a palpitating hatred for the witches, believing that they use 'tricks' to deal with combat, leaving the fight unfair.

The Kingdom of Thelan gets their signature 'brute' typically from the Isle of Moore since the citizens, or vikings rather, take on a tall, broad physique with more stern, realistic personalities. It is to be expected that your average viking would take on such cold characteristics from the harshness of their everyday life. The people draw more intense values when it comes to battle, believing that one must fight with much more than just bravery -- being confidence, honor, passion, and dignity. They enforce their traditional skills of combat since it's an honor to learn how to fight like a viking, but also because it is still very sufficient on the battlefield. The Vikings of Moore are respected for their survival and for their combat, but it sets the expectations high among the people of Moore.

The Vikings of Moore provide a lot to the Kingdom of Thelan, ranging from well-crafted boats and weaponry to countless vikings to aid on the warfront. The vikings happily allied themselves to Thelan during the very first battle that left the two countries in a continuous war, agreeing more with Thelan's idealisms than Alovia. The vikings' hatred for the witches was a big factor in agreeing to wage war against Alovia and reinforce the alliance. Thelan shows a great amount of gratitude towards the vikings from their consistent contribution towards the war and the alliance, so they are heavily respected all across Thelan, and they are generally rewarded for the countless acts that they perform.

𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔅𝔞𝔩𝔡𝔬𝔯𝔦 𝔇𝔬𝔪𝔦𝔫𝔦𝔬𝔫

.The Baldori Dominion controls the cruel desert region on the southern edge of the country, making it to be the hottest region in the whole continent. The land is quite populated from the fleeing citizens of the southern lands, which are unexplored by Thelan and Alovia. The towns are dense and the houses are small, but the people take more pride in their well-constructed temples of worship, in which they value more. There is also a castle that is built more to accommodate for the visitation of the Thelan royal family rather than the leaders of the Baldori People.

The Baldori are rather religious people who have their own beliefs, not choosing to evangelize others, but believing that they are the people called to religion. The basis of their doctrine is belief in light and darkness more specifically, the principle of the universe is Light, of which a part has been effaced and has turned into Darkness. They avoid carefully the shedding of blood, except when they raise the banner of revolt. They are extremely concerned with cleanliness and purification, and with approaching people with kindness and beneficence. This gives the people their title of kindness and tranquil nature, despite the history of the people and the stress of their climate. Although, having a culture built around kindness and selflessness made the people easy to take advantage of; the people commonly being chosen for odd jobs or unwanted work. In addition, the Baldori woman are known for their beauty and they are usually the women that are seen pleasuring men within brothels.

The Baldori are people of the south that moved to the barren, desert shores of Thelan due to the issues that happened in their own country, all during the first century of the continuous war. They saw Thelan as their savior by allowing them to cross into the country and build within the barren lands of the desert, causing the people to feel an endless amount of gratitude from their assistance in their time of need. The pleading people stuck to themselves and sought to not interfere with Thelan and their war, but they agreed to aid Thelan in whichever way was requested.

The Baldori provide little to the war, but they provide all that they can since they feel indebted to the Kingdom of Thelan. Upon request, the Baldori prepare a select amount of their citizens to send off to the warfront, training the individuals in the traditional Baldori combat style which consists of swift movements and the use of daggers and other light weaponry. Aside from this small contribution, the Baldori are often called upon to help in agriculture to relieve the citizens of Thelan from farm-work. Generally, the Baldori don't mind being called to other regions of Thelan for agricultural reasons since it allows leave from the harsh desert, though it is honorable among the people to stay within the desert to practice their praised religion.

𝔄𝔩𝔬𝔳𝔦𝔞𝔫

.Alovia controls the eastern side of the continent which holds more of a calmer climate throughout it's regions. Although the castle of Alovia holds more of a cold winter with a short summer season, it's nowhere near as extreme as the colder regions of Thelan. Much like Thelan, Alovia is a pretty self-sufficient country since they have access to the long river that runs through Alovia as well as a rich soil to allow the growth of many crops. The counties of Alovia are much more traditional and composed of well-constructed towns and cities that host numerous households and beautifully decorated gardens. The architecture of Alovia is much more detailed and aesthetic than the simplicity of Thelan's architecture.

Alovians prize warfare much like the Thelannians do, but they generate their values from a more traditional viewpoint as it is every boy's dream to become an Alovian Knight. The knights of Alovia are commended for their strength and vigor, and it requires a lot of training and experience to enter Knighthood. Alovia is prideful in their military as it's well-constructed and heavily respected. The Knights' Guild, the Rogues' clan, and the Witches' huts all create leading brigades within the military, but Alovia possesses a very tactical team of strategists that really make use of every aspect of their forces. The people value the traditions of the Alovian warfare, creating a plethora of formidable candidates for each regiment.

To help lead the diverse, Alovian military, the kingdom is ruled by a very noble and astute royal family known as the Arderne family. They prioritize other skill-sets in which the Thelan royal family lacks in, making them the perfect ally, but also a formidable rival. The Arderne family are known for their calculated and prudent nature, while holding on to the traditions of the Alovian military. With a fair amount of combat expertise and a surplus amount of shrewd perception, they are considered experts when it comes to leading a nation.

𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔚𝔦𝔱𝔠𝔥𝔢𝔰' ℌ𝔲𝔱𝔰

.Beneath the surface of Alovians honorable military lies the black truth of a growing issue that is subdued by laws and agreements, making them also known for the eery darkness that taints the southern swamps and jungles of the land. Deep within the disorienting jungle and the sinister swamp lies an unknown realm of supernatural mysticism, praised by the witches that control the darkest, most ominous piece of land. Although their population is low, there are growing rates within Alovia of potential witches. Power is born within the gifted individual to allow access to the supernatural realm and it's bible of witchcraft and spells.

To be a witch, or warlock, isn't exactly an honor among the Alovians, but it's more of a curse, depending on the family that the individual is born into. Once the signs are clear, the child would be sent off into the witches' huts -- alone. To get through the nasty, diabolical swamp is the first step into being welcomed into the witches' huts, in which will prove the child's witch-heritage. Upon entrance, there will be several more tests to determine the magnitude of the child's power and the domain in which the child belongs. Witches control an array of abilities that can reach an incredible magnitude, but the cruelty behind certain spells increases based on the extremity.

There are two main domains of witchcraft that have been discovered thus far:

- Green Magic

This domain is considered a more ritualistic form of magic based around necromancy and summonings, while holding methods of healing and, even, resurrection at expensive costs. Green magic is considered to be the closest among the being that granted them power, be it the devil or another entity, leaving them with a more religious aspect of teachings and magic. The witches specializing in this domain can conjure skeletal or demonic forces, making them really plunge into the supernatural realm to conjure and control.

While necromancy is a more common form of green magic, it does require extensive practice to be able to master even the most basic of spells within the subdomain. Thus, there are other fields of green magic that require lower costs and less concentration. Those within this domain also have access to a more enhanced level of alchemy to craft potions and elixirs through botanical regents and a touch of magic. Healing magic can fall under alchemy or more ritualistic approaches, dependent on the severity of the wound. Healing pastes can be created, but ritualistic spells that call upon the power of mother nature can also be used with more randomized costs.

- Black Magic

Black magic is the domain in which covers the more arcane and conjuration-type spellcraft, while still holding a dark essence for bigger spells and other subdomains. This domain is known for their elemental magic in which the individual can conjure spells based around the elements. While green magic uses more ritualistic methods, black magic has the luxury of gathering catalysts to be able to conjure their magic from, but may only utilize elemental magic from the given catalyst. Although only earthen, fire, and lightning magic have been discovered, many believe that there are catalysts within the Isle of Moore that'll allow the usage of ice and storm magic.

Black magic is also the domain that focuses around boons, enchantments, and curses. Enchantments can be applied to different objects at the cost of specific regents or the use of catalysts. Boons can be cast upon terrain to give the field aspects of magic to either enhance or weaken the substances or individuals within it. Curses are difficult to cast and risky to perform as they can be reversed towards the caster, thus, many decide not to delve within this field. Curses are generally performed ritualistically and take a heavy amount of concentration and time to successfully cast it.

While the witches prefer to be by themselves, the majority of their population consists of witches being born within Alovia, thus their population is dependent on Alovia. As they are born Alovians, they decide to aid Alovia in any way that is requested, and to also save themselves from any form of witch trials. Alovia scared off the witches once when things got out of hand with spellcraft, thus, they keep to their swamp unless requested otherwise. In addition, the witches created a band of individuals that would go to the warfront or journey to the castle of Alovia to aid in the war as an act of alliance and agreement.

𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔑𝔞𝔫𝔱𝔢𝔤𝔬 𝔗𝔯𝔦𝔟𝔢

.The Nantego Tribe dwells within the dense jungles that run along the southern coast of Alovia, holding several small towns to build a strong defense against any invaders from the sea. The climate experiences a harsh raining season, but every other season just seems like a strong, humid heat. The tribe holds many exotic creatures within their jungle, taking on many of their appearances to symbolize their strength. Many of the creatures are forbidden to hunt, but there are many that are considered a challenge to kill.

The Nantego people are lovers of nature and enjoy living within their jungle, sheltered away from the world and it's issues. They value survivability within the jungle and prioritize survival techniques and hunting down the many creatures of the jungle. To be apart of the Nantego tribe means growing up peacefully with the jungle and with one another; they cast out different roles that are best fit for the individual. For some, they have the honor of venturing to the Mother Tree, a spiritual tree that is seen as a beacon of life to the Nantego people, but the miraculous wishes that are granted cannot be denied.

The Mother Tree lies on a peninsula of dense forestry that is completely uninhabitable by man, guarded by several creatures, and only those that are worthy are allowed entry. The Witches' Huts lay north of this peninsula, but their sinister swamp can't even penetrate through the vines of the jungle. The Nantego people believe that the Mother Tree is what brought life to the planet, returning often to give back to the Mother Tree in gratitude for giving them life, while also requesting wishes from the people. Those that venture to the Mother Tree are chosen through copious, intense visions, all described to be a pact between the jungle and the individual. The chosen can see through the vines of the jungle and they can feel the roots of the trees, forming unity between the people and the jungle.

The chosen take upon multiple, long journeys to get to the Mother Tree, all escorted by the finest of warriors that the tribe commends. The tribe contains many honorable warriors that train with several different weapons, but they are best known for their silent strikes and their skillful rangers.

While they remained neutral for awhile, they were soon forced to ally with Alovia for protection against Thelan since they began their attack along the coast. In exchange, Alovia promised to continuously extend their knowledge and research to better advance the Nantego Tribe in technology and weaponry. The Nantego Tribe offered their band of warriors to aid at the warfront, helping to add to Alovia's incredible military.

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_{Analogous Cultures}

_{Differences Between Militaries}

_{Women's Rights}

_{The Witches and Militants during Peace}

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There are several roles that are possible to play in this! There can multiple of each role except for Kings/Queens, etc. If you're going to make a character that's apart of the same family, please PM each other about the relationship that the two characters would have! If you do choose to be apart of the royal family, please make their surname to fit the one within the description of the given country! I'll list some roles below that are playable, but if you guys have any other role that you'd wish to play, please PM me about it!

• Prince/Princess of Thelan - son/daughter of the royal family
• Lord/Lady of Thelan - Lords/ladies control cities/towns within the country. Although, they could be given the title if they're heavily respected by the people/royal family, yet show no significance to the politics within the country.
• General/Commander of Thelan - Commanders of officers and battalions
• Officer of Thelan - Officers lead their own battalions through battle
• Chieftain of Vikings - the Chieftain is usually a very praised individual for both battle, strategy, and politics.
• Viking of the Isle of Moore - a viking of the Isle of Moore is a force not to be reckoned with -- their brutality and their might are feared among many.
• Baldori Militant - The selected, trained militants of Baldori are taught from a young age and are taught with a more disciplined and fluid style of fighting. They are familiar with several weapons and they are very versatile when it comes to fighting.
• King of Alovia
• Queen of Alovia
• Prince/Princess of Alovia
• Lord/Lady of Alovia
• General/Commander of Alovia - They are the strategists and the commanders of the military.
• Knight of Alovia - It is a true honor to withhold the title of a Knight of Alovia! They aren't just any militant and they are usually referred to as 'sir'.
• Chief of the Nantego Tribe - the Chief of the Nantego Tribe is familiar with all aspects of their tribe, and an expert in the majority of it. To be the chief, it is a duty of great responsibility.
• Rogue of the Nantego Tribe - A skillful combatant from the Nontego Tribe
• Witch/Warlock of the Witches' Huts - A witch/warlock that is called/selected from the Witches' Huts.
• Mercenary

ℭ𝔬𝔡𝔢

[center][h1][color=???]Character Name here, or get a banner from 1001fonts.com[/color][/h1]
[img]Realistic img or gif here[/img]
[color=???][b]{ [i]"Insert character quote here."[/i] }[/b][/color]
[h3][b][color=green]Good Personality Trait[/color][/b]|| [url=link]Theme Song[/url] || [b][color=red]Bad Personality Trait[/color][/b][/h3][/center][.hr]
[color=gray][h3][u][b] Basic Info [/b][/u][/h3][/color]

[indent][color=???][b]|[u] {Full Name} [/u]|[/b][/color]
[indent]First Middle Last.[/indent]

[color=???][b]|[u] {Titles/Nicknames} [/u]|[/b][/color]
[indent]Do they even have one?[/indent]

[color=???][b]|[u] {Date of Birth} [/u]|[/b][/color]
[indent]Month/Day.[/indent]

[color=???][b]|[u] {Age} [/u]|[/b][/color]
[indent]Keep it 18+, and if you wish to make anyone younger, PM me with your idea.[/indent]

[color=???][b]|[u] {Gender} [/u]|[/b][/color]
[indent]Male? Female?[/indent]

[color=???][b]|[u] {Sexuality} [/u]|[/b][/color]
[indent]Hetero? Homo? Bi? Pan?[/indent]

[color=???][b]|[u] {Relationship Status} [/u]|[/b][/color]
[indent]Single? In a relationship? Divorced? Widowed?[/indent]

[color=???][b]|[u] {Nationality} [/u]|[/b][/color]
[indent]What is the race of your character? Thelannian, Viking, Baldori, Alovian, Witch/Warlock, Nantego?[/indent]

[color=???][b]|[u] {Place of Residence} [/u]|[/b][/color]
[indent]In which country does your character reside?[/indent]

[color=???][b]|[u] {Face Claim} [/u]|[/b][/color]
[indent]Who are you using to portray your character, unless you're just using a random photo?[/indent]

[color=???][b]|[u] {Dialogue Color} [/u]|[/b][/color]
[indent][color=???]Color here.[/color][/indent][/indent]

[color=gray][h3][u][b] Appearance [/b][/u][/h3][/color]
[color=???][i]"Quote about appearance here."[/i][/color]

[indent][indent]Please be descriptive of your characters appearance. This includes height, weight, skin color, hair color, scars, body deformities, style, etc.[/indent][/indent]

[h3][u][b] Psychology [/b][/u][/h3]
[color=???][i]"Quote about psychology here."[/i][/color]

[indent][color=???][b]|[u] {Hobbies} [/u]|[/b][/color]
[indent]At least three.[/indent]

[color=???][b]|[u] {Likes} [/u]|[/b][/color]
[indent]At least seven.[/indent]

[color=???][b]|[u] {Dislikes} [/u]|[/b][/color]
[indent]At least seven.[/indent]

[color=???][b]|[u] {Fears} [/u]|[/b][/color]
[indent]I know some of you will be fearless, but everybody is scared of something.[/indent]

[color=???][b]|[u] {Secrets} [/u]|[/b][/color]
[indent]Everyone has them. At least one would do.[/indent]

[color=???][b]|[u] {Personality} [/u]|[/b][/color]
[center][h3][u]♦ [color=???]Positive Trait[/color] ♦ [color=???]Negative Trait[/color] ♦ [color=???]Positive[/color] ♦ [color=???]Negative[/color] ♦[/u][/h3][/center]
[indent]At least two detailed paragraphs, please.[/indent][/indent]

[color=gray][h3][u][b] Abilities & Talents [/b][/u][/h3][/color]
[color=???][i]"Quote about abilities/talents here."[/i][/color]

[indent][indent]List and describe your characters skills/abilities/talents here! If you're playing as a witch or warlock, list your domain and the type of spells that your character casts. Note that your race also comes with it's own benefits, all given based on the climate that they hail from and the teachings of their people.[/indent]

[color=???][b]|[u] {Limitations} [/u]|[/b][/color]
[indent]What limitations does your character have to their abilities or skills?[/indent][/indent]

[color=gray][h3][u][b] Background [/b][/u][/h3][/color]
[color=???][i]"Quote about abilities/talents here."[/i][/color]

[indent][indent]At least three detailed paragraphs, detailing their life. For witches and warlocks, explain how they felt whenever they found out about their abilities. Describe how your character felt when they've pursued what they were called to do.[/indent][/indent]

[color=gray][h3][u][b] Extra [/b][/u][/h3][/color]
[indent][indent]Anything else we need to know about said character? Make sure you've read the rules, too.[/indent][/indent]

[Lionhearted]

@Shellshock@Grey Doll@Prosaic@Fabricant451@Zetsuko@Tracyarmav@fallenstrife6@HowlsOfWinter

Alright, I'm beginning to finish this up. I just have the rules to fill out (which are pretty self-explanatory) and then finish the map! But I think this is all the information that's needed to really kickstart the RP and start with creating characters! If anyone has questions, feel free to ask! :)

[Prosaic]

@Lionhearted I'll get cracking on a character sheet! I'm torn between a prince or a lord, we'll see where I land.

[Lionhearted]

So I did edit the roles list and I added the Vikings, the Baldori, and the Nantego! I totally forgot to put them in! :P

[Bazmund]

Yo, do we have a discord chat? And also, what cultures are all of the above roughly analogous to, for name choice?

[Lionhearted]

Yo, do we have a discord chat? And also, what cultures are all of the above roughly analogous to, for name choice?

@Bazmund

I haven't made a discord chat yet but I'll probably do so!

As for the cultures, some of them don't really have any specific culture that they are analogous to.

Thelan & Alovia are pretty much just your standard medieval-themed cultures. Except Thelan's culture praises their education and seeks to advance faster in technology than Alovia. Alovia takes on more traditional methods, exercising and mastering those rather than investing in education. In addition, Thelan's side of the continent consists of primarily Thelannians. Only a small portion of their lands are controlled by the vikings and the Baldori. Alovia, on the other hand, has a good chunk of their land controlled by the witches and the Nantego people. Thus, Thelan is only slightly influenced by their allies whereas Alovia is more influenced, sacrificing more for their alliance. Hopefully this makes sense, if not then tell me if I need to elaborate differently/more!

The Isle of Moore consist of your typical viking. They live on the cold piece of land that is just off of the northern coast, so their climate gives them their brute nature since it's difficult to dwell in. They are fierce, they promote bravery, honor, and victories, etc. I almost feel like they're similar to the Nord race in Guild Wars 2, if you're familiar with that game at all.

The Baldori are fairly similar to the Persians. They dwell in the small desert and they stick to themselves and exercise their religion. They are very careful about meddling in other people's affairs since they try to avoid conflict as much as possible. They fled their homelands from the issues that were occurring, thus they feel indebted to Thelan for allowing them to move into their land. Which is another reason why they choose not to stray from the desert. They know how to live in it and they feel they belong in it. The Baldori generally do whatever is requested of them by Thelan.

The Witches are similar to the sorceresses within the Witcher game. They're dark -- twisted -- hardcore. All that jazz. Their spellcraft is pretty cynical and sinister as well.

The Nantego are jungle-people. I can't really pinpoint any similar culture that I'm familiar with, but they have the typical closeness as most tribes, with the exception of their aid in technological advancements from Alovia.

Do you have any questions about the descriptions or anything? I didn't want to create such strict cultures since it'll limit character creations.

[Bazmund]

@Lionhearted That's perfect, actually. Are the officers and commanders of the Thelannian military knights etc? Or would a rank more like Captain suit an officer?

Damn, I'm torn between a sorceress and an officer, now.

[Zetsuko]

@Lionhearted would the viking of moore tolerate having someone with magic among them if it's one of their own? I'm thinking of a viking born with magic but he's kept around as some kind of shaman mage or something as a counter to the witches from the witch hut's.

or alternatively he gets exiled, joins the witches, and hates his own people for it.

or maybe I'll try to think of something else if that's not possible.

[Lionhearted]

@Lionhearted That's perfect, actually. Are the officers and commanders of the Thelannian military knights etc? Or would a rank more like Captain suit an officer?

Damn, I'm torn between a sorceress and an officer, now.

@Bazmund

Okay cool! The officer would be similar to captains in a sense where the officer has their own squad of soldiers at their command. Whereas the commander (the next rank up) designates soldiers to officers, helps to strategize attacks, commands officers and their squads, etc.

Example

media2.giphy.com/media/3o6EhIhJnHq2S9…

I love this gif because it actually gives a cool example! I think it's stolen from GoT, but oh well. Anyway -- the knight on the right would be from Alovia. Notice his traditional knight armor as well as a unique fighting style that he's using. On the left could be a militant of Thelan - his light armor could fall under any of the militants: Thelannian soldier, Viking of Moore, or even a Baldori Militant. Thelan DOES have their own knights with a similar getup as the Alovian knight, but they're not as big as the Alovian Knighthood.

So for Alovian Knights - think similar to the Wardens in the game For Honor.

For the Thelannian Militants, think your average medieval soldiers. Their military consists of the diverse, standard medieval army whereas Alovia has their three, huge legions that dominate their battlefield (The Rogues, The Witches, and the Alovian Knights). Alovia does consist of the standard medieval soldiers as well. Thelan has their spearmen, swordsmen, archers, crossbowmen, billmen, militia, and even knights(though they have a much different and less strict fighting style as the Alovian Knights). Thelan is also huge on their siege weapons whereas Alovia lacks greatly in. Thelan also has countermagic gems and regents to null Alovia's Witches.

I hope this clears things up!

---

@Lionhearted would the viking of moore tolerate having someone with magic among them if it's one of their own? I'm thinking of a viking born with magic but he's kept around as some kind of shaman mage or something as a counter to the witches from the witch hut's.

or alternatively he gets exiled, joins the witches, and hates his own people for it.

or maybe I'll try to think of something else if that's not possible.

@Zetsuko

Hmm, very interesting ideas! I like it! I think both could definitely be possible!

If your character is born of the vikings whom is a user of magic, they would immediately question his parents to see if one of them is of Alovia, since Alovian people are usually the carriers of the gene. Although - the Isle of Moore is known for it's strange, magical essence, so it's very possible for a user of magic to be born in their land through more spiritual reasons. Thus, there would probably be an ongoing debate with the individual - keep him or exile him. If he were to be kept within the Isle of Moore as a subordinate, then he'd probably experience a lot of racial slurs and harassment from the people. How old would your character be? How recent would he realize he is a user of magic?

This makes me realize that I should probably create the religion for the vikings and better explain the magic essence within their lands.

We could probably get some ideas with this! Send me a PM and we can establish this idea :p

[Valorous]

@Lionhearted

I've been watching the thread for a while and I have to say, my interest had certainly been piqued. Would it be possible to play an Alovian Knight who, through either exile or simply leaving on his own has become a sellsword/mercenary?

Also, For Honor Warden is best husband

[Lionhearted]

@Lionhearted

I've been watching the thread for a while and I have to say, my interest had certainly been piqued. Would it be possible to play an Alovian Knight who, through either exile or simply leaving on his own has become a sellsword/mercenary?

Also, For Honor Warden is best husband

@Valorous

I'm so happy you're interested! I was beginning to get worried that people were straying away from this haha.

But yes! That is very much possible! Upon leaving the Alovian Knights, you wouldn't be able to keep any of your equipment that was given by them (sword, armor, tabard, etc. Anything with their emblem on it.) Exile, or leaving upon your own desires, are definitely both possible! There are many rules and regulations that come with being an Alovian Knight, and to go against them could result in an exile, which is generally a dishonorable thing. So it'd make sense for your character to move into mercenary work afterwards. You can request leave, but he could be mistaken for as a coward if he doesn't have any good reason.

Just PM me your character sheet or any questions and I'll tell you if it's alright or not!

[HowlsOfWinter]

@Lionhearted Just wanted to inform you that I'm still interested. Just having a hard time deciding which role to play since there are a lot of good ones. I have plenty of character ideas but I can't seem to choose one.

EDIT: Anyway, I suggest tagging the others and asking them if they're still in. If they aren't, you can bump the interest thread so we can find more players.

EDIT 2: I have a question regarding women in this setting. Do they have the same rights as men? How are they viewed in society? Are they allowed to join the military or is it strictly for men? I'm guessing it would differ depending on where you're from.

[Grey Doll]

I'm certainly still interested and am working on a witch character right now :)

[Bazmund]

I'm still in. Working on a character. Torn on what kind to make.

[Lionhearted]

@Lionhearted Just wanted to inform you that I'm still interested. Just having a hard time deciding which role to play since there are a lot of good ones. I have plenty of character ideas but I can't seem to choose one.

EDIT: Anyway, I suggest tagging the others and asking them if they're still in. If they aren't, you can bump the interest thread so we can find more players.

EDIT 2: I have a question regarding women in this setting. Do they have the same rights as men? How are they viewed in society? Are they allowed to join the military or is it strictly for men? I'm guessing it would differ depending on where you're from.

@HowlsOfWinter

Yay, I'm so glad!!~ I'll give them a mention, and if I don't get a reply by the end of today, then I'll bump the interest thread!

Ahhh, yes, I probably should've explained the rights of women. It is dependent on the culture, but given the significance of war in each culture, the women don't fall short of men. Most cultures follow similar social constructs regarding woman's rights, believing that women do have influence on the war, but it isn't at the warfront. To see women on the battlefield is rare, but when one does see one, they are to be feared because they're there for a reason. Only the most worthy and deserving women are welcomed to the battlefield, but if they aren't there, then they can hold other positions regarding: medicine and healing, politics, strategizing(similarly rare), economics, weapon design, etc. The influence of war on the cultures have made the women step up, but they are still ideally placed beneath men unless proven otherwise by the specific woman. They do experience underestimation, doubt, etc. just because they're women.

Leading women whom are praised for their good deeds, victories, success, etc. are generally seen with a sense of superiority, so they don't experience much of the women abuse that most medieval cultures would have. On the other hand, ladies that don't delve in war and go into other subjects such as agriculture, childcare, religion, or other women-driven occupations are seen as more delicate and weaker individuals, resulting in higher risks of abuse from men, be it sexual, verbal, emotional, and so on. In addition, the rise of women within the politics of the two countries is changing the way women are treated. Granted, the men that are more old-school or reside with women who don't delve within combat, war, or anything alike are more inclined to feel that it's justifiable to treat a woman poorly. But during the time of this RP, the women have begun their unity and are trying to rise and speak out about the inequality -- although, it's been interrupted by the sudden disappearance of the Queen, so now the countries are taking on their older ways of leading to prepare for a possible war.

Women are different depending on the culture as well:

Thelan & Alovia: These two follow what is listed above. Since they are the leading cultures of the continent, they typically have the most influence on women's rights, and they are the ones that experience the most inequality due to their higher populations.

Isle of Moore: The viking women are actually treated pretty fairly, solely because the responsibilities are split pretty evenly among the people due to the extreme conditions. The women are more rugged and brutish to match the men of their country and the environment as well. To see women participating in warfare is more common within the Vikings, but are still outnumbered by their men. It's also common to see the women becoming huntresses to fetch food. Being an herbalist or a woman of agriculture requires a rugged skill-set as well.

The Baldori Dominion: This is pretty important for the rise of women within the countries. Within Thelan, it's much worse since they don't have as strict of a knight system which honors the respect of women, but they also have the Baldori women to take advantage of. The Baldori believe that they are indebted to the Kingdom of Thelan for allowing them to move into their lands, so they don't hesitate to give them what they desire. The Baldori women are commonly selected to be the ones to participate at brothels and whorehouses, as well as the women to be wed to more disgusting men. The women of the Baldori are treated rather poorly and they're not well-defended by their own people, resulting in their abuse by men throughout Thelan.

To add to this, the women of the Baldori Dominion are typically the ones to delve into religion and have little to no influence with politics, warfare, or economics.

The Witches' Huts: Well -- the women here are definitely treated equal, if not, then better than men. There are more women than men within the Witches' Huts, and the witches take pride in their gifts and powers, typically having a hatred for men since they hate and refuse to be mistreated. To be a warlock among them isn't necessarily difficult, but they do intimidate men since they praise womanhood.

The Nantego Tribe: The Nantego are pretty similar to the Vikings of Moore since they have rather harsh climates to dwell in and the responsibilities are split pretty evenly. The women take on the typical tasks of housework, agriculture, religion, childcare, etc., but they aren't treated negatively at all by the men. It is very rare to see a women take on any hunting challenges, a contest to see who can defeat the given, menacing beast in which the victor would be praised and rewarded. The women don't generally participate within combat or military politics since they're more expected to bear children and do other womanly work, but it is still seen and they welcome all that is worthy. Although they do experience doubt much like the rest of the cultures.

In the end, the Isle of Moore experiences little to no mistreatment when it comes to women, and the women are more likely to participate in combat and warfare without being underestimated or doubted. Although, when they go off into battle, they do experience doubt from the other cultures. The Nantego women don't experience much mistreatment, but they are typically happy with the responsibilities that women have.

[Lionhearted]

I'm certainly still interested and am working on a witch character right now :)

@Grey Doll

I'm still in. Working on a character. Torn on what kind to make.

@Bazmund

Awesome! I'm glad you guys are still in!

@Bazmund Who are you trying to choose between? Maybe I can throw in some pros and cons to help you make your decision.

[Bazmund]

@Lionhearted I'm torn between a sorceror/sorceress type from the Witches Huts, or an upstanding officer of the Thelannian military.

[Lionhearted]

@Lionhearted I'm torn between a sorceror/sorceress type from the Witches Huts, or an upstanding officer of the Thelannian military.

@Bazmund

Cool! Those are two very different characters hahaha. Perhaps if I better explain the lifestyles during the time of the ceasefire, you'd make an easier decision?

Witches: For the witches, they experience discrimination by the majority of the people, regardless of which culture the discriminators hail from. During the time in which the two countries experienced peace and unity, the witches still underwent the same discrimination and they were seen to be the next issue that the lands would deal with, thus leaving them to stay secluded in their huts to save themselves from the ridicule of the people. Since the witch culture is known for their twisted and sinister lifestyle, they're feared by the people, resulting in their unwillingness to coexist with them. Living within the huts is only suppressing the coming of the foreseen witch trials, so the witches are currently debating on the next course of action to determine the survivability of their growing population. The witches, so badly, want to deny their assistance towards Alovia, but they fear for the possible extinction as a result. They became angry at Alovia for their continuous mistreatment despite their huge contribution within the war. Thus, the beginning of the roleplay also consists of the politics of the witches and their safety among the people. They are confused on which decision would be best to make.

Officers and Militants: Their lifestyle became more at ease and less influenced by warfare during the time of peace since they had a Queen that was feared by any foreign kingdoms. Thus, their experience was greatly decreased since they had no war to fight nor strategize. Although, the peace was strong enough for the two kingdoms to share their technologies and strategies with one another to help reinforce the alliance. As a result, the officers and militants all contain valuable knowledge about the opposing Kingdom, and if the military becomes active once more, the fight would definitely be taken to the next level, requiring even stronger leaders and combatants. At the beginning of the roleplay, the militaries would begin meeting, strategizing, and training to prepare for possible war, and all the humbled leaders and officers would be sought out and requested to be as keen and as strong as possible.

[Bazmund]

Cool. I think I've got a clearer idea of what I wanna do now, thanks!

[Lionhearted]

@Shellshock@Fabricant451@Tracyarmav@fallenstrife6

Mentioning you guys to see if you are still interested or not! Please let me know~!