[OOC] The Lion's Banner: A Fire Emblem-Inspired Anime Fantasy RP

[VitaVitaAR]

The Blades of Iron Roses unfold like so many petals, cutting down wickedness as they go.

But long before their time, another story unraveled. A conflict of nations, motivated by grievances both imagined and real, stirred by recent catastrophes, by sordid pasts.

And perhaps by other, more shadowy things.

Velt and Ithillin stand as two of the largest nations on the continent. And right now, they're at one another's throats. Longstanding border disputes since the fall of Talderia itself have been reawakened, and while warfare has not been declared it would be foolish to deny the existence of skirmishing along their borders. The current situation is not helped by the ascent of Prince Rathellion le Morvenaux to Ithillin's throne. Asserting that the death of his father was through "unnatural means"(though admitting to a lack of proof), the new King has pursued an aggressive diplomatic strategy clearly aimed at squeezing steep concessions from Velt.

Or perhaps simply to make an excuse for open war. Certainly, among the nobles of the borderlands, there are some who believe that war has already begun.

It simply hasn't been declared yet.

It is in this time of strife that the Hraesleg Lions have risen.

A trusted family by Velt's royalty with a longstanding history of military service, the Hraesleg family has always maintained a considerable standing personal military. And in this time of strife, they have only grown more powerful. Known as the Hraesleg Lions, or Velt's Fangs, they have been given considerable authority in the borderlands, to strike down bandits, monsters, and even Ithillin's soldiers should the need arise.

And rising among the Hraesleg Lions is the force led by their youngest daughter. Initially given a smaller force and a less dangerous area to oversee, the Steel Princess's aggressive recruitment policy and pursuit of any and all threats to Velt's citizens has caused her and her forces to appear as a slowly-rising star.

And yet, perhaps there are some who believe the Hraesleg Lions are growing too powerful.

And some who believe they should be the first sacrifice in a new war.

---

Here's some information crucial to the setting:

Races(Humans should be the majority, but I will permit other races as well):

• Humans: Straightforward and coming in many varieties. Humans in Velt are ruled by the King and Queen of Velt, residing in the capital city of Meridan.
• Elves: Elves, too, come in several varieties.
  
  • High Elves: There are a handful of High Elven settlements beyond Lethienvel, but they are few and far between. Rarely, a High Elf from beyond the veil will venture into the rest of the world. High Elves boast perhaps the greatest proficiency with magic among their kind. An extremely rare sight.
  • Dark Elves: From the Far North, Dark Elves are mysterious folk who dwell so far to the North that the sun rarely pierces the snowstorms. Another rare sight in Velt. Dark Elves are highly proficient assassins and are skilled in the art of stealth and infiltration. Notable for their purple-grey skintone.
  • Wood Elves: The most common variant of Elven kind in Velt, and the youngest, Wood Elves dwell in forest cities and towns. They are fond of solitude, but gracious hosts to visitors who arrive with their permission. Few intruders, however, return alive. Wood elves are known for their skill in archery and hunting. There is some number of Wood Elven settlements in Velt and Ithillin, but finding them is a difficult task.
  • Desert Elves: The elves of the eastern continent, specifically the Near East. Unfamiliar to most of the people native to Velt, they are nearly as rare a sight as High Elves from beyond Lethienvel. They are notable physically for their dark, tan skin.
• Dwarves: Short, bearded folk dwelling in their deep mines and working metal, dwarves have a reputation for honesty, loyalty, and being the most stubborn people you could possibly meet. Dwarves often build vast kingdoms within mountains across the land. The dwarven capital is to the north of Velt and Ithillin, in the great Grey Mountains, home to their most vast halls and the Deep King. Dwarven metalworking is the best by far in the land, but they lack magical capabilities entirely. They are one of the more common nonhuman races in Velt due to the settlement of Draz'khzidra in Mount Cahladren to the North.
• Nem: A diminutive race from the deserts of the southern continent, the Nem resemble small humans, commonly reaching heights of around 3'4-3'5. They are universally pale in skintone, with red or yellow eyes and black hair. Nem males cannot grow facial hair, and as a whole they are small and agile but lacking in physical strength. They are also known for being skilled archers over short range, and wielding a variety of curved swords. Their language lacks an equivalent to the letter "B", and some Nem have trouble pronouncing it as a result. They are nocturnal and possess excellent night vision, but during the day their vision is slightly worse than a human's. They also easily burn in the sun and must wear covering clothing to move during the day. Most Nem live in their desert homes, but there are a few found in Velt as well. They have an extremely low alcohol tolerance. Nem worship a night goddess known as Ila-Nem.
• The Hundi: The Hundi are a near-human race. On average they are around the average human height, or slightly shorter. What physically sets them apart from humanity is their soft, furred, dog-like ears and tails. Loyal, proud, and honorable, the Hundi are said to be incapable of lying. On every Hundi's sixteenth birthday, they are sent on a journey to practice their highly-valued combat skills and learn about the world first-hand. An unusual custom of the race is their unique marriage rights. An opponent who defeats a Hundi on their coming of age journey in an honorable duel immediately gains the position of that Hundi's fiancee, to be married as soon as possible. Confusion over this practice has resulted in many difficult situations for non-hundi. Hundi are most common in Ithillin, but many enter Velt as part of their mandatory quests, or as wanderers or the occasional sellsword.
• Ingvarr: A hardy race from the north, living in Barukstaed and even further. Bearing horns upon their heads and physical strength far beyond what their stature would suggest, Ingvarr are known as fierce warriors and share much in common culturally with the humans of the north. They pay some respects to other deities, but primarily worship their own set of gods, once again shared by many of the humans dwelling in the north as well. Fierce combatants with an honor code and a passion for battle, their culture passes down many elaborate sagas of battle.
• Fairy: The most commonly-seen variety of fae, also known as Aessyr, Fairies resemble female, human-like children. With the exception of the fact that human children tend not to be six inches tall at most, winged, and wearing clothing made from flowers. Fairies possess translucent insect-like wings, and all fairies are female. They tend to possess a childish immaturity, but they are in fact adults. Fairies tend to be inquisitive and curious, as it benefits such a small race of beings to investigate their surroundings thoroughly. Their curiosity extends to when they meet new people, as well. Fairies are mostly harmless, the worst they seem to be able to bring themselves to do being mischevious pranks upon other, larger races. However, harming or killing a fairy will bring the anger of other fairies upon the perpetrator, and they carry a large amount of sharp objects and know how to aim for the eyes and throat far too well. Fairies cannot die of old age, and only violence or disease can kill a fairy. A common sight in any forests. While Aessyr are the most commonly-seen type of fae, there are many other types of fae both dangerous and otherwise.
• Lamia: One of the monstrous races, and an extremely uncommon sight outside of the wilds, lamias are human until you reach their thighs. For, from the thighs down, a lamia possesses a strong, thick snake tail instead of legs. Lamia are carnivorous and possess sharpened teeth, though no lamia dwelling in Velt is venomous. There are various races of lamia across the lands, though only one dwells in Velt. A lamia's tail is incredibly strong and remarkably dangerous.
• Harpies: A mountain-dwelling monstrous race, harpies are an unusual race of beings in that they are entirely female, relying on the males of other races for reproduction. In place of arms they have a pair of wings, and therefore lack hands and cannot create clothing or tools easily. Harpies dwelling in towns or cities often live with a roommate of another race in order to be dressed properly. A harpy's bird-like feet are highly dexterous and possess sharp claws, and their wings are strong enough to easily break a man's arm. They are light due to their hollow bones and highly cold-resistant. On average they are somewhat shorter than human females. Some harpies are employed as couriers.
• Demon Ancestry: The blood of demons is potent. While children are rarely born from the union of a demon and a mortal, when they are they are possessed of great magical potential. Due to their nature as the children of demons, they are frequently viewed with mistrust and suspicion, and many will attempt to hide their demonic features in order to escape persecution. Most demonic children are born with one or more horns of varying length. I will only accept one character with Demon Ancestry.
• Orcs and Goblins: A pair of closely-related races, Orcs are on average a head taller than a human man, and are very burly and powerful. Goblins are far smaller and are wiry and thin. They usually possess sickly green or grey skin, and are violent barbarians who pillage and steal from others. Orcs are generally found roving in warbands, while Goblins often hide in deep, dank caves. Both Orcs and Goblins are known to eat the flesh of other races. Orcs often ride boars, often given aggression-boosting herbs.Not playable, even if you ask.
• Trolls: A presumed relation to Orcs and Goblins, Trolls are tall, muscular, and dim-witted beasts. Eating anything they can get their hands on, trolls are more monsters than they are sapient beings. Orcs often use them as attack dogs of a sort, filling them with aggression-boosting herbs. Not playable, even if you ask.
• Mindless Undead: Undead reanimated by a source that does not retain their mind. These undead can be revived at any point after death, and unlike sapient undead their bodies are not preserved. Rotting corpses or skeletal warriors, mindless undead crave flesh and will attempt to consume it even though they are incapable of digesting it. With the aid of guiding intelligence, such as a necromancer, mindless undead can wield weaponry. Necromancy can also raise mindless undead. They may also occur in places of great violence or magical disturbance. While a bite from a mindless undead can cause unpleasant infection, they are usually no great threat to a prepared warrior. Mindless Undead are considered an abomination by the Dual Church of Reon and Mayon, and are exterminated whenever possible. Not playable, even if you ask.
• Giants: A race of huge humanoids, often ranging from seventeen to twenty-five feet tall in height. They resemble, quite simply, enormous humans of either gender. They are extremely strong and physically capable, but few giants ever posses the capability of performing magic. Velt's Giants live in small settlements resembling human villages, but there are giants with a more tribal civilization further south. In spite of the size difference, half-giants are possible. They tend to be around ten feet tall and have immense strength.

Locations:

• Velt: The country of Velt, northwest of Thaln, is a vast land composed largely of plains and forests, with a few notable mountain ranges(such as the Northern mountain of Cahladren, home to the dwarven city of Draz'khzidra). The River Nirinel runs through the heart of Velt, and the Veltan capital of Meridan is situated on its Southwestern bank. While in the past it has been Ithillin's ally, both nations have spent just as much time as rivals, though it has rarely escalated beyond border conflicts. At least, until now. Much of Velt's lands are forested, with rockier and more harsh terrain further to the north.
• Ithillin: The land to the east of Velt on its border, ruled by newly-ascended king Rathellion le Morvenaux of Calthir. Similar to Velt in climate and geography, though lacking in the mountainous regions to the North, Ithillin has at times been a friend but just as often a rival to its neighbor. A rivalry that now threatens to boil over and spread far beyond border skirmishes. The country's capital is Calthir, situated to the northwest. Deep in the southeast their lies the Black Pit, all that remains of Talderia.
• Talderia: Once the capital of the great Empire that ruled the continent, Talderia is now a black ruin filled with abominations, deep within a pit in the Southeast of Ithillin. In spite of its ruin, much of Talderia's legacy lives on in the fortresses and cities they left behind, and their influence on the cultures and languages of the human nations. The black pit, however, is home only to monsters and undead. The last Prince of Talderia, Erion, founded the fortresses of Caron Lyn and Erhan Lyn to form the Pitwatch and prevent the abominations within from surging out and threatening the lands. Recently, however, Erhan Lyn was sieged by a particularly powerful and coordinated force from within the pit, forcing it to be abandoned and collapsed to avoid its capture. King Rathellion has asserted there may have been outside interference that lead to its fall, though it is currently unclear.
  Thaln: A small nation to the south of Velt and Ithillin. Currently, it is engaged in a bloody conflict of its own, strife between its nobility erupting into multiple clashes between their forces. Even the crown struggles to contain the violence.
  Chauntressy: A nation to Ithillin's south. Known for a warm climate and a bustling trade industry. Nominally, they are Ithillin's ally, but it's no secret they would prefer a strong economy to violence.
  Estival: A large country to the north. Cooler then its southern neighbors, but not nearly as frigid as the furthest north. Largely uninvolved in any conflicts for the time being, it popularized the old Talderian concept of the Adventurer's Guild, where skilled individuals are paid to clear old ruins or pursue threats out of the scope of the soldiery, among other tasks.
• The Veil of Tears/Lethienvel: The famed, or perhaps infamous, rushing wall of water dividing the western land of the High Elves and the lands east of them. There are gate-ways between them, though the water. There is no visible source, and yet somehow it appears to flow. Though somehow, it is difficult to tell if the water flows up or down. Its infamy stems from a tragic event in the history of the High Elves, one that caused great damage to the world itself. The tragedy and regret from this incident gave the location its name, and to this day many High Elves still have reluctance to cross the Veil.
• Orodagor: In the land Northeast of Ithillin lies the shattered remains of a relic of a long-passed age. Orodagor, the Black Fortress, was a stronghold for the armies of Hidroroth of the Dark. Hidroroth, the poison existence born from the utter fall to evil of one of the world's deities, sought to paint the world in shadows an consume all life in a shroud of darkness. He was slain, ultimately, in the Battle of Inmoorn, thousands of years ago, his spirit left to the judgement of the Gods. Orodagor was one of the remnants of this long-passed age, abandoned for centuries. However, around two-hundred years ago, a new figure appeared and made her stronghold here. The Witch-Queen of Orodagor, as she came to be known, all the lands around it by raising a coven of powerful witches. Though she was defeated, and seemingly slain, many of those taught by her escaped. Those versed in magic who were educated outside of official schooling or tutors are thus mistrusted as witches, and in some places such a sentence leads to death.

Other:

• The Church of Reon/The Church of Mayon: The largest religion among humans in Thaln, this dualistic religion worships both the Sun Goddess Reon and the Moon Goddess Mayon. Both Goddesses, it is said, cannot be separated from one another. Reon's symbol is a highly-stylized lily, and Mayon's is a similarly-stylized rose. Chapels to the goddesses are paired, and adherents focus on either one or the other. Paladins of both goddesses are a common sight, with Reonite paladins often being highly aggressive combatants while Mayonite paladins are sometimes viewed as more defensive. The religion is deeply anti-slavery, and Reonite paladins are often deployed to break slavery rings and free those being sold through them. Worship for either sect features the sacrifice of lilies for Reon and roses for Mayon.
  
  • Reon: The sun goddess Reon is believed to have the form of a beautiful maiden. While unimpressive in stature in spite of her nature as a deity, it is said that the goddess possesses a fiery nature. She is described as having fair skin, flowing, long blonde hair, and alert blue eyes. She is clad in red and gold robes. Reon is said to have a palace on the surface of the Sun, a paradise that all her worshippers go to after death. Naturally, the aspect most strongly symbolizing her is fire. Lilies are even burned to be sacrificed to her. The weaponry of Reonite Paladins is often enchanted so that it is capable of in some way channeling this divine fire. Reonite Paladins are highly aggressive fighters, their purpose being to destroy evil.
  • Mayon: The moon goddess Mayon also takes the form of a beautiful maiden. She is taller than Reon, with shorter, black hair and somewhat darker skin. Her eyes are a soft shade of amber. She wears robes of blue and white, and like her counterpart possesses a palace, though naturally hers is situated on the moon. The aspect that most strongly symbolizes her is water, for water is directly effected by the phases of the moon. Paladins of Mayon often, but not always, seen as more defensive then those of Reon. Roses a cast into the water as a sacrifice to the Moon Goddess.
• Magic: Many races possess a natural internal source of mana. However, not everyone has enough to achieve the status of a mage. Magi are practioners of magic educated by a tutor or by a Mage's College, honing their skills in order to cast a variety of spells. Spells require some concentration and the ability to cast, using chants ranging of at least one word. Stronger spells require more words and therefore take more time to cast. Running low on mana is dangerous as it may strain the caster's body, causing them to lose consciousness or worse. Magic users educated outside of the accepted systems are known as witches, and are viewed as extremely suspicious at best and imprisoned or even executed at worst.

---

Just going to quickly jot down a few things here: This RP takes place 700 years prior to my other current RP in the same setting, but you don't need to be familiar with that one to join! In terms of influences it's inspired by Fire Emblem, so that might give you a bit of an idea of what to expect but it's not strictly emulating any one of the games in particular. Players will take the role of the Hraesleg Lions, under the Steel Princess Velvetica Hraesleg.

Additionally, for the sake of maintaining a consistent pace, we will be enforcing a strict posting schedule for this RP. Players must post at least once a week, barring outside circumstances interfering, and inform myself or one of my fellow GMs if they are unable to make it. Players who do not post at least once a week may face removal from the RP after two weeks.

Also, my co-GM @Raineh Daze is going to be helping me out.

---

Bios:

• Name:
• Age:
• Gender:
• Race: (Humans are the most common race in Velt and thus in the Hraesleg Lions, but other races are allowed in smaller numbers)
• Appearance:
• Personality:
• Brief Backstory:
• Equipment:
• Skills:

@Psyker Landshark@AzureKnight@Rin@Raineh Daze

[Raineh Daze]

post

[The Otter]

yeet

[Rin]

This turned out kind of short but she's not exactly a complicated character so I guess it works out.

Farmgirl

• Name: Hildy Buhr
• Age: 18
• Gender: Female
• Race: Human
• Appearance: Kind of lanky, standing at around 5'10".
• Personality: A simpleminded and humble commoner, from a long line of simpleminded and humble commoners. Hildy doesn't quite understand the politics surrounding the current state of Velt-Ithillin relations but then she's just a commoner so she's not really supposed to understand whatever it is the nobles are arguing about. She's not really the sharpest tool in the shed, although again, she's a commoner; her education mostly revolved around what crops to plant and how to take care of pigs, anything beyond that just wasn't really necessary after all. She's friendly at least, even if she can be a bit awkward around those with a higher social ranking than her (eg. pretty much everyone). Whilst she usually doesn't have much time for hobbies, she has a weakness for gambling, especially if it involves cards; despite how simpleminded she is, she's actually very good at cards, even if she's never put any really high stakes bets on it.
• Brief Backstory: Born to a family of farmers, Hildy's life hasn't really been very eventful. She's not some noble whose life is filled with politics and intrigue, nor is she a career soldier who has achieved great deeds on the battlefield. She's just a commoner, one who would still be working the fields and taking care of the pigs if she hadn't been conscripted into the Hraesleg Lions. As the oldest child of the family she didn't really have much choice in the matter, but she's trying to be optimistic about it. After all, it gave her a chance to see the world outside of her home town, and an opportunity to broaden her horizons a bit. She just... Has to make sure not to get killed on the battlefield, that's all. No problem, right...?
• Equipment: As a conscript from a poor farming family Hildi can't really afford decent equipment, and thus wields a hastily lashed together spear and wears her mother's old cooking pot as a makeshift helmet. Whilst she also always has a knife on hand, it's more of a tool than a weapon and something she'd only use as a last resort in a fight.
• Skills: Due to a lifetime of working on her family's farm, Hildy is pretty physically fit and has a great deal of stamina. She's good at handling animals, and is a skilled forager, able to distinguish between plants and fungi that are safe to eat and that are toxic. Because she's had to protect livestock from them, she also has some experience with fighting smaller monsters like goblins. Her literacy skills are rather poor and basic, and whilst she can read something like a sign at the marketplace she would be completely lost if given an elaborate tome written with intricate calligraphy. Living in a rural area all her life has ensured that Hildy is both respectful of the fae and knows when it's necessary to give them a wide berth.

[VitaVitaAR]

@Rin: Accepted.

[AzureKnight]

Serpent's Benediction

Name: Valmyra Audron

Age: 23

Gender: Female

Race: Lamia

Appearance:

My Hider

"I would much appreciate it if you were to stop staring at me..."

Personality: Valmyra is a cautious and taciturn individual. Some may even call her opportunistic, a sentiment while not completely incorrect still fosters feelings of resentment toward her peers. While lamias living within the borders of Velt aren't too uncommon of a sight, she and her kin would still be the target of at least a bit of xenophobia. The civil unrest caused by tensions with their neighboring nation didn't help things either. It is perhaps due to this that the young serpent isn't quick to take to others and would rather be a quiet observer to those around her. However, those that manage to get close to her are able to see her better aspects: loyal, kind, and always willing to lend an ear. Some may even regard her as being a bit clingy, although she is usually conscientious enough to respect boundaries.

Brief Backstory: "Why...Why couldn't I protect them..."

Valmyra was born and raised in the forests that lie across Velt's eastern borders. She and her family lived alongside other lamia clans in a small secluded community. Born as the oldest into a family of several siblings, she quickly found herself being thrust into a protective caretaker role to safeguard her kin. While times were often hectic for the serpent, they were also filled with peace and tenderness. While her family mainly kept to the forested area, they often ventured into human villages and towns, whether it'd be for business or leisure. In addition, while not traveling north often due to the colder climate, the often traded goods with the dwarves as well.

While times were simple at first, eventually the skirmishes that sparked between Velt and Ithillin spilled into their village. Members of the lamia community in the area got caught in the crossfire between the oppoaing patrols, and during the exchange her father was killed while defending his family. Valmyra's mother was also gravely injured in the attack, and was since then left bedridden. This traumatic experience left Valmyra as the head of the family, and had to scrape whatever she could in order to take care of her household. She decided to take up spearmanship and join the Velt patrol corps, aiding to prevent such a event from tearing apart her family and community ever again.

Eventually, the Steel Princess Lady Velvetica caught wind of the lamia's efforts, and offered her a spot in her private military unit. The rest is history.

Equipment: Valmyra's main weapon of offense is a impressive spear named Asclepius, forged by the master dwarf craftsmen to the north. In addition to having an incredibly sharp edge, is lightweight and easy to carry - making its swings all the swifter. Of course, Valmyra has her fangs and powerful tail to rely on in battle as well, by virtue as a member of her race.

Asclepius

"Just you watch, this lance will skewer through any threat!"

Skills: Living in a forested area for most of her life, Valmyra is well versed in tasks such as hunting and herb gathering. As she has been tasked with taking care of her siblings and being the head of the household, she is also decent at tasks such as cooking and cleaning. Her snake biology also grants her a keen sense of smell, in addition to being an excellent climber

[VitaVitaAR]

@AzureKnight: I don't think I'm seeing any issues here. Accepted.

[Raineh Daze]

Dog Mage

• Name: Gisela
• Age: 70's
• Gender: Female
• Race: Hundi
• Appearance: Just shy of 5' in height.
• Personality: Remarkably sombre for a Hundi--partly by inclination, partly by age, and largely by having (although she wouldn't phrase it as such) having spent decades on the run from persecution--but nevertheless maintaining their much-vaunted honesty. Something that no doubt contributes to all the problems she tends to have in her day-to-day life. Gisela would much rather be healing people than harming them, but the world isn't exactly keen to accommodate this.
  She tends to creep people out, but that's just be the faint distorting feeling of constantly released mana. Conversely, demons tend to be more at ease--and she much prefers dealing with them (even if it's to get rid of them on someone else's behalf), as they have no issue with mages of any stripe.
• Brief Backstory: As a child born to farmers, Gisela's parents had very little idea of what to do with their prodigious daughter. Well-off yeomen they might have been, especially for Hundi just this side of the Veldt-Ithillin border, but they were completely unequipped for dealing with a child with high magical potential to start with. One that had Gisela's particular malady to boot turned it from interesting to vitally important that she actually get a proper education.
  And so, the future mage was sent off to Meridan at a young age to learn the ways of magic, with only the firmest cultural pillars in place. The political situation was scarcely any more stable and the desire for mages that could influence a battlefield remained high... so, given her enormous reserves, it was natural that she was pushed into learning as many destructive spells as possible. Something that turned out to be quite the bad idea, when she was prompted to go on the traditional Coming of Age journey and go home, meet some less cosmopolitan Hundi.
  When she got back still unmarried, with substantially more burn scars and even more esoteric marks, the considerably more subdued girl opted to look into less violent magic. Healing. Keeping people alive long enough to heal them. And, generally, staying out of the way and uninvolved in minor border skirmishes or the like.
  But the city was growing markedly less friendly. A mage that wouldn't use her powers for the defence of the kingdom? Healers were widely admired, but the common folk were more interested in fast cures for illness or smaller injuries, not nearly so many were after the sort of healing she was best at--or, when they were, could scarcely get in contact with someone so academic. It was this souring mood that lead her to investigate alternate means of self-protection... and then get on the move.
  Having drifted through the country's major cities over the years, as well as ventured briefly through the other countries when circumstances have allowed, Gisela has rather reluctantly come to the conclusion that she needs to find someone who wants to make use of her abilities. With Erhan Lyn's fall and destruction, the attitude towards potential witches has almost dropped back to its 200-year-old nadir, and she does not want to deal with people trying to burn her at the stake.
• Equipment: Gisela's equipment consists mostly of the usual paraphernalia of a mage with a thing for doing rituals: chalk, candles, reams of parchment, and more ink than would be practical to carry around if you couldn't just force clothing to be clean in one go. She also has her staff, which doesn't perform most of the normal functions of a magical catalyst: it doesn't make spells more efficient to cast, it doesn't condense the casting of any particular brand of magic by dint of its assistance. It helps her aim when that's a concern, but what it actually does is act as a vast repository for mana--on any day where she doesn't do much casting, she can just divert mana into it, and cast from that when needed. It's also integrated with her one persistent contract... not enough that losing it would break it, but its loss as an anchor would make the summoning much slower.
• Skills: As her dress sense and staff attest, Gisela is a mage. And, like the majority of Hundi with sufficient mana to focus on their magical abilities, she's an absolute powerhouse in terms of mana capacity and absolute output--complete with a rather pleasing silvery colour to any illumination or magical effects produced. Unlike the majority of mages, Hundi or otherwise, she's congenitally unable to restrain all this mana, and even at her most drained there's some leaking out, let alone when fully rested or when she stops holding back to cast. In someone without much magical ability, this tends to just mean odd things happen around them on occasion. In this case... well, the risk that if it built up it could be severely damaging to her own health is high, any external manifestations would be big and, most unfortunately for any mage, it completely nullifies the ability to do small spells. Those reliant on fine control of small amounts of mana simply fizzle, while any with scaling properties come out as big spells.
  Not that this has stopped her from amassing an impressive breadth of skills down the decades.
  Firstly, Gisela knows a vast amount of healing magic, and is able to--one way or another--heal just about any injury or ailment, given time. Healing magic doesn't tend to have any downsides if it's overpowered and this is virtually flaw-free for addressing injuries. With illnesses, however... well, most healers are able to address the illness directly. She's much more liable to either just force the body through it with magical support, or excise the damaged region entirely and regenerate it from scratch.
  Relatedly, she's also well versed in the legal sides of necromancy; able to support a body missing vital organs on nothing more than spellcraft alone. This also goes for the preservation of body parts (although, admittedly, it's generally quite hard to find someone alive if their arm has been cut off and you need to go get it back to them) and entire bodies for later burial. Less well looked-on but not quite illegal is communing with the dead directly. If there's some sort of conduit, or they're actually at rest, and they want to answer, in any case. And if it's not blocked by divine fiat... really, the list of downsides if you're not evil enough to bind the soul directly is quite long.
  With these two skills combined, it's perhaps not surprising that her youth has been maintained as well as it has, even for a mage, despite no direct investigation of longevity. Is it risky? Perhaps, but Gisela has been able to pull it off.
  Of course, as any self-respecting Hundi, Gisela learned how to fight. Unfortunately, none of her magical options for that are on the practical side. What should be a small barrier to block attacks without inconveniencing her own magical retaliation instead manifests as a blatantly impermeable wall--great if you need to block artillery, potentially just cornering yourself if attacked by bandits. Similarly, her offensive magic is more useful for taking out an organised block of soldiers in one go; if there's anyone friendly in the target area, she has no viable choices.
  When it comes to defending herself, Gisela's primary defence is to fall back on a branch of magic that's often even more poorly regarded than the legal side of necromancy: summoning. No summon can be arranged on the spot, there's always some sort of ritual involved and methods to narrow down what answers the call, but the vast overcharge of mana means that calling for more powerful entities won't be ignored... and everyone else gets one hell of a notification. Most summoners only traffic in fey, who are generally quite easy to pay and willing to take a very active role. Gisela? Gisela hates working with them when it's not required; the flightiness and habitual deception without ever lying makes her skin crawl.
  But people really don't like it when you summon demons.
  Of the 108 Demonic Houses, there are many where the mere act of addressing them would get you charged with witchcraft. There are a scant handful where the summoning is itself a capital crime. But there are others with more favourable priorities, where it's more the nature of trafficking with entities that aren't properly of the world and just can't stay dead that's offensive, where you can just about get away with it. If you know what you're doing.
  There's one long-standing arrangement that Gisela has, with a demon by the name of Krysia, which allows for a bypass of the normal negotiation rules. If Gisela needs protection, then she'll fight. If there's a need to attack... well, that's where she'll size up whether it's a worthy opponent and her chances, first. For all her House values strength of arms and pride in their word, rushing into battle and getting discorporated is quite painful, and demanding a special payment is always an option.
  The demonic knight appears to have an endless selection of weapons, never showing up with the same thing twice.

[VitaVitaAR]

@Raineh Daze: Accepted.

[AzureKnight]

Would I correct in assuming that an eventual Discord will be in the works?

[VKAllen]

I'm interest in joining. Will make a character soon.

[VitaVitaAR]

@VKAllen: Feel free to ask me any questions you need.

[Psyker Landshark]

Royal Assassin

Kayliss Lambert

Age: 24

Gender: Female

Race: Human

Appearance:
Stands at about 5’8”. Lithe build, with some toned muscle in the arms and legs. Tends to wear typical adventuring gear that doesn’t stand out, favoring hooded cloaks with light armor underneath. Hair falls down below her shoulders naturally, but she ties it up in a ponytail most of the time.

Personality:
Distant, pragmatic, and calm. At least, that's the image Kayliss tries to give off. She's successful at it most of the time too. But underneath that lies a streak of pride and patriotism. Kayliss defines herself by her role as a royal blade, taking pride in her skills and being firmly behind whatever cause the Veltian throne dictates. Being an assassin for the crown is all she had from the moment she was recruited for training, and that purpose gives her surety. She has adapted this mentality to her service with the Lions, viewing it as an extension of her previous work and overseer.

Of course, if she needs to, Kayliss can fake whatever personality she thinks will suit her purposes. Part of infiltration is social stealth, after all, and she is familiar enough with most aspects of Veltian society to pass off as either a commoner or a noble, able to move in whatever circles she needs to.

However, as of late, Kayliss's motivation has taken a new direction: the search for truth, and vengeance after that. She seeks to find out exactly who was responsible for the destruction of the royal assassins, and why. Her life and purpose had been upended, and she would have satisfaction over it, one way or another.

Brief Backstory:
Born in the slums of Meridian, Kayliss was a parentless urchin for much of her childhood, quickly learning basic thievery simply to survive. That was, until she’d picked the wrong target. Or the right one, depending on the point of view.

The man in question she’d tried to pickpocket turned out to be a handler for Velt's royal assassins. An orphan child from the slums with decent stealth skills for someone with no training whatsoever was exactly the right kind of person for him to mold into another sneak for the good of the kingdom, and over the next few years, he did so, taking her on in the unit as a new recruit and putting her through hellish training. Over the years, Kayliss learned the work of an assassin, training in stealth, combat, and infiltration. Despite the difficulty of the curriculum, she stayed regardless. For one, it was a roof over her head and constant hot meals. Plus, the training gave her something she never felt like she'd had before: a purpose. Doing something for a cause instead of just to survive just felt...right.

After years of training, Kayliss began her work in earnest before she'd even become an adult. The career of a royal blade in the field didn't tend to last long, but she beat the odds and served with distinction for years. That was, until it all came crashing down. Some time ago, she returned from a mission on the country's border only to find the assassins' compound burnt to the ground, with every assassin within slaughtered. Only those who had been on deployment at the time of the attack survived, and there had been very few of those. The survivors of the massacre scattered to the four winds, with some fleeing to other countries and others disappearing into the criminal underworld.

As for Kayliss, she simply changed employers. The Hraesleg Lions had begun their policy of aggressive recruitment, and she signed on, pledging her service to the Steel Princess after explaining her skillset, her service record, and her circumstances. Now, Kayliss stands as a "problem solver" of sorts for the Lions, though she wishes her skills were used more often for their intended purpose.

Equipment:
Aside from her short sword and dagger, Kayliss also bears a brace of throwing knives as well as a crossbow and bolts strapped to her back. She wears lightweight armor with a mix of metal pieces and leather for stealth. She bears a kit of various equipment for rogue's work, including lockpicks, poison, and smoke bombs.

Skills:

• Assassin's Work: Sneaking, lockpicking, poison, and actually being a blade in the dark. If it involves infiltration or stealth, Kayliss has likely been trained in it.
• Blades: Adept with both the short sword and dagger, Kayliss prefers to use the two in a twin-blade fencing style, though she’s also capable of using either weapon solo, whether it be in straight combat or in less honorable work. Her swordsmanship is above average and certainly better than the usual adventurer or soldier, but she doesn’t quite match up to famed knights and other combat monsters in direct battle without the aid of a dishonorable advantage or two. Of course, this presumes that she would fight someone head-on to begin with.
• Marksmanship: While not exactly adept with an actual bow, her aim with a crossbow is more than adequate. She is capable of using the entire range of crossbow types, from a hand crossbow to a heavier, two-handed one for long-range shots.

Extra:
Voice claim: Cristina Vee

[VitaVitaAR]

@Psyker Landshark: Accepted.

[The Otter]

Disaffected Kid

Cadmon Demet

• Name: Cadmon Edricsson Demet
• Age: 19
• Gender: Male
• Race: Human
• Appearance: Nearly two meters tall and twelve stone in weight, Cadmon stands well above most of the populace, with an almost-perpetual frown that, even on his youthful face, helps to contribute to what is—at first look—an imposing figure. First appearances can be deceiving, however. Even as tall as he is, he trends more towards the thin and soft sort of build, rather than the statuesque appearance that many seem to expect. He has some few scars to show for his years, but they're clearly more the result of play and training than any actual fighting for his life. His red hair falls messily to his shoulders, looking perpetually as though he only rolled out of bed moments ago, and it's clear to anybody who looks for more than the briefest glance that he is far overdue for a shave; even his eyes seem dull, but for the brief spark of life in them whenever something moves him to roll them in exasperation at whatever is occurring.
  
  More than anything, beneath the dress, beneath the general noble bearing, Cadmon looks tired, as though some great burden is constantly sapping away his energy and will to live, no matter how stubbornly he continues along.
• Personality: While he often gives off the sense of being a taciturn and detached indiviual, this sort of impression only lasts until you get to know Cadmon beyond the basic level. Rather, he is better described as sullen and melancholy. He feels, perhaps all too keenly, the weight of life's unfairness upon his shoulders, and raher than rise above it he seems to have let it drag him down and it often finds some way to pierce through into his words, often in the form of some sort snark or biting sarcasm. Not that it's all hopeless for him—he has his own hopes and dreams that he wants to pursue, if he ever gets the chance, and he's far too committed to his sense of duties and obligations (and, though he isn't likely to admit it, far too committed just to the people around him) to shirk them entirely in favour of pursuing his own interests and leaving everything else high and dry.
  
  His interests, perhaps, are the best way to bring some light back into his face. While he's put quite a bit of study into tactics, managing people, and the like, at heart he's more a patron of the arts than a general of the battlefield or a machine of politicking. He greatly enjoys literature and the sciences above most other things, though he has, perhaps, read a few too many popular novels, given how much he secretly wishes he could leave his noble life behind and go off to live as a free burgess within a city or have some small manor out in the countryside.
• Brief Backstory: Cadmon Edricsson Demet was born to Edric and Amelie Demet, his father being the earl of one of the northern border fiefs of Velt. As such, he grew up away from the city, more familiar with the hamlets and villages that surrounded the town that sprung up around his family's keep than with the amenities more centralized nobles could call upon. He was not, however, lacking in education; whether general, artistic, or especially necessary given his family's place and fief, military. The duties and obligations of his status were made quite clear to him even from a very young age.
  
  Perhaps unsurprisingly, this rapidly weighed down on him, and he regularly took to the family library after his lessons and exercises as a way to escape into a more comfortable, idealized world. With the constant news of infighting between the nobles of various countries, the omnipresent border skirmishes with Ithillin, and similar, he also found himself growing more and more dissatisfied with the ruling class in general, even as his father and tutors hammered home the concept of noblesse oblige in his learning—a concept that it seemed many had utterly missed. Rather than take it as an opportunity to be better and show a better way, though, it seemed Cadmon only took it as more reason to escape into his books and dream of leaving his life behind.
  
  A dream that could never come to pass—while they were off as guests of another family along the coast, Cadmon's parents perished at sea shortly before his seventeenth birthday. Without even time to grieve, Cadmon found himself crushed under the weight of managing his new fief and demesne. Other than hastily squirrelling himself out from a proposed arranged marriage, there was little good that seemed to come to him out of it; however, while that may have been the perfect opportunity to cut and run, leaving the inheritance to one of his cousins, he was far too committed to his father's memory and the sense of obligation instilled in him to leave, even were it for his own benefit.
  
  After the passage of a couple of years of this, with the border disputes between Velt and Ithillin growing ever closer to outright war, a summons came—one evidently lacking in information, as it was the Lord Hraesleg summoning Edric to fulfill older bonds between their families and support the effort along the border.
  
  Imagine the surprise when Cadmon arrived with his kit and what supplemental force he could levy without leaving his own fief undefended, answering a summons that wasn't even addressed to him for little more than it being a matter of honour. Unsure of what to do with the young man—barely more than a boy—Cadmon found himself assigned under Steel Princess Velvetica's command, finding himself worn down more and more through the regular battles, politicking, and general strain of what leadership was expected out of him, let alone awaiting whatever news came from the cousin he'd appointed to manage his lands while he was absent.
• Equipment: Barring his choice of brigandine rather than a more normal cuirass and a cabasset rather than sallet for a helmet, Cadmon wears a fairly standard full harness into battle. He also carries a falchion, rondel dagger, and a small buckler as sidearms. His primary weapon, however, is a curious sort of short polearm, roughly the same size as an average knightly poleaxe, though with a head design that appears like the cross between an ox-tongue spear and a halberd—useful to cut and thrust with, though lacking in a hook with which to pull riders off their horses, should he be dismounted and forced to fight with it.
  
  More noteworthy even than its odd design, however, is the enchantment placed upon it. Most recognizable is that it seems to require almost no maintenance—the blade itself accrues damage very slowly, and even then mostly minor barring certain extreme use, and even the haft gains some extreme resistance to wear and tear. More than that, however, is the primary effect which led to one of Cadmon's ancestors earning the family's fief for his young son and all descendants thereafter.
  
  If the wielder of the blade should feel the odds are utterly against them, they need to speak the blade's true name and anoint it with their own blood. In return, the blade shall empower them to hold the line against nearly any resistance for a time, their reactions heightened, their strength increased, and their constitution such that they continue to persist even through otherwise deadly wounds, short of being decapitated or utterly destroyed in a single stroke.
  
  This act denies any possibility of retreat or survival, however; the effect, channelled through the blade, is powered by the consumption of any and all energy and life the wielder has, rapidly burning away the tether that binds their soul and their mortal body. In the physical sense, this is shown by the wielder's blood itself being burned away, consumed as fuel for the fire that the blade grants its wielder—and which is also used by the enchantment to repair the weapon from the very slow accrual of damage it sustains over the years, in the most active showing of such occurring, though a willing offering of blood at any time can effect at least partial repair if needed.
  
  The enchantment is a guaranteed self-sacrifice in the pursuit of any goal, and is thus only used in the most desperate of defences or assaults. It also does not grant one person the capacity to annihilate an army; even were they unable to end the assault, the one making use of this enchantment would still tire and fall after the passage of eight hours' time.
  
  Moreover—should the blade be stolen, it is not specifically bound to Cadmon's bloodline. For this reason, the true name of the weapon is a closely-guarded secret, to prevent it from falling into hostile hands, though there is little telling what sort of information a truly determined enemy could gain, through whatever means they were willing to undertake, be they mundane or utterly damning for their soul.
• Skills: While he did not shirk his training, Cadmon is no great artist upon the field of battle—for any art from him, you'd be better off giving him paper and charcoal. He is, however, competent with it; but his true skill in battle lies in his understanding of tactics and placement, advising the one giving the actual commands to their forces.

[VitaVitaAR]

@The Otter: Accepted.

[VKAllen]

@VKAllen: Feel free to ask me any questions you need.

@VitaVitaAR

Thank you, I will reach out.

Knight

• Name: Guillaume the Sincere (or Gil)
• Age: 30
• Gender: Male
• Race: Human (5 foot 11 inches)
  
  Appearance

  
• Personality:
  As a member of the Hraesleg Lions, Guillaume is a soldier who embodies their values of bravery, loyalty, and honor.
  
  Guillaume is a sincere and honest individual, always striving to do what is right, both on and off the battlefield. He is deeply committed to his fellow soldiers, and will go to great lengths to protect them and ensure their safety.
  
  Despite his seriousness and dedication to his role as a soldier, Guillaume is also a compassionate and empathetic person, always willing to lend an ear or a helping hand to those in need.
• Brief Backstory:
  
  Guillaume was born into a family of knights, and from a young age, he was trained in the art of combat and chivalry. He quickly developed a reputation for his sincerity, honesty, and unwavering commitment to doing what is right.
  
  As he grew older, Guillaume's skills as a warrior began to blossom. He is known for his bravery on the battlefield and his deep loyalty to his comrades in arms.
  
  One day, while fighting in a crucial battle, Guillaume's actions saved the lives of several of his fellow soldiers, earning him the respect and admiration of all who witnessed his bravery. From that moment on, Guillaume became known as "the Sincere," a nickname that would follow him throughout his military career.
• Equipment:
  Guillaume has access to a suit of armour and shield fit for a Hraesleg Lions knight.
  
  
  Sincerity

  
• Skills:
  Guillaume is highly skilled in various forms of combat. While Sincerity is his preferred weapon of choice, he has not shied away from other types of weapons. He is capable of defending himself with hand-to-hand combat.
  
  As a knight, he is also trained in expert horse riding. He can navigate through difficult terrain and engage in mounted combat.
  
  When survival is key, he is able to hunt and forage for supplies as well as finding shelter.

[VitaVitaAR]

@VKAllen: Your image is broken! D:

[VKAllen]

@VitaVitaAR Oh dear. I'll have it fixed.

[VKAllen]

Sorry for the double post, but the image is fixed @VitaVitaAR.