Pirate Pad
Dark days are ahead of us. The fires of Hell lick at our heels, and grow closer with each passing day. The Dark Goddess of Fire, Taloran, has grown ambitious in her attempts to bring the mortal world under her control. Fire Cults and demonic entities have sprung up in the forests of Aeribis and Ezdenah, and even the frozen wastes of Arlejj, wildfires burn through the snowy forests, one of the infamous Ember Witches at its heart. And as she sows sorrow and rage through the lands, the Servants of Chaos become more aggressive. Once a nuisance, they have begun to rise in threat, attacking nobles and even normal civilians in the streets. People, who no one would ever think to be one of their kind have shown their true colors, even if they are cut down quickly. Fear and discontent rise in every nation, and yet none will put aside their differences to work against this threat.
High Lord Shah of Arlejj, the most level-headed of them all, has ignored us. Unrest grows in the north, and our agents fear that a civil war between the tribes and the raiders will erupt, and Shah will be unable to control it. The people of Ezdenah hide in their trees and pray to their lost god, and do nothing to contain the demons that roam in their forests. Veretta believes containing its own mages is more important than aiding the mainland, and has all but closed its borders. Even Ramses of Conjuska, who has always supported us, has become like stone to our warnings. The only one who has decided to aid us is Queen Eline of Aeribis, who already rests upon a precarious throne. But, even with the threat of rebellion against her crown, she has lent us troops, and even given us use of her personal guard, to combat the demonic threat within her nation. And once we are done here, we will take the fight elsewhere. Even if they do not want us.Welcome, to the Fires of Chaos!Races:
Humans are natives to Aeribis and Conjuska, and also make up a good portion of the population of Veretta. Humans from Conjuska normally worship the god of the desert, Nasi, and believe humans to be the highest form of life in Tenint. As such, they are naturally prideful, and see the rest of the races as inferior. In Aeribis, many have an unnatural hatred of the ferral, and see them as unwanted vermin. In Veretta, they have adopted the concept of true equality, and most from the islands hold no prejudice against the other races. Even so, they are still cautious around the other races.
Elves are natives to Arlejj and Ezdenah, and have a very long lifespan, envied by the other races. They are beautiful and slender, smaller in size than humans. Many in Arlejj live in a tribal state, while in Ezdenah and other places, they have evolved to live much like humans, though they have a much closer connection to nature than their counterparts. In Conjuska, elves are slaves, but hold a small enough population to hold little threat.
Ferral are a cat-like race native to Ezdenah and Arlejj, the latter of whom maintain a warlike, tribal existence. However, the ferral of Ezdenah have molded the very forest to their wills, the great sages of old having built great cities out of the very trees. They hold an almost unholy hatred to humans, who robbed them of the land that is now known as Aeribis, and even those who live beside humans in Conjuska and Aeribis despise the humans. Out of the other races, the ferral are the most likely to have magic flowing in their blood.
Fenrir are massive wolf people from the islands of Veretta and the frozen lands of Arlejj. They think with their emotions rather than their heads, and normally face the consequences for this; however, with their unmatched natural strength and their hot tempers, they are the fiercest warriors Tenint has ever seen, and for those on a more intellectual side, some of the greatest debaters in history. Unfortunately, many have a strong distrust of any magic that is outside of their spiritual shamans.
Imps are a race that primarily live on the islands of Veretta. They are small, bulky creatures with pale skin and pointed features. Their teeth are completely canines, giving them a fierce look, and their eyes are sensitive to bright lights, but can see naturally in the dark, due to centuries of living underground. They also live much shorter lives than the other races, in addition to being physically smaller than the other races.
Nations:
The desert nation of Conjuska lies to the south, bordered on the north by Aeribis and Ezdenah, who share the plains with the desert dwellers, on the east by the ocean, and on the west by the mountains.. Controlled by humans and ruled by the benevolent Ramses II, it is a paradise for any human. Unfortunately, any other people that go to the south will face prejudice by the proud people of the desert, who believe themselves to be the chosen of their god, Nasi. The people are devout to him, and him alone. Slavery is encouraged by the nobility, the bulk of the slave population made up of elves. Allied with Veretta and tentatively with Ezdenah.
A nation north of Conjuska and east of Ezdenah, it controls the majority of the forests of Tenint. Currently ruled by Queen Eline I, the nation is ruled by might and fear. The people of Aeribis are, for the most part, loyal to the crown, though this is partly out of fear of assassination or disappearance rather than any true patriotism. All races are technically equal under Eline, however ferral and elves are discriminated against by businesses and the public, while the government turns a blind eye to it all. One thing nearly the entire populace has in common, though, is its stark hatred of Ezdenah, and its inhabitants. Allied with no one.
A nation controlled by the Magistrate, a counsel of ten elf and ferral mages. None but elves and ferral live here, and other races normally receive quite the harsh welcome when entering these sacred forests. The people here are greatly prejudiced against humans, although the Magistrate has opted to begin letting in foreigners from Conjuska, although this is mostly for trade purposes. Magic is seen as a blessing from the Dragon God of Creation, Zehrn, and so is seen as a sign from favor from him. They are allied with Arlejj, and tentatively with Conjuska.
Arlejj is home to all kinds of raiders, bandits, mercenaries, barbarian tribals, and pirates. It is the criminal hub of Tenint, and is the seat of power for High Lord Shah, who controls the tribes and clans of Arlejj. And behind the scenes, even the raiders and pirates answer to him. In other nations, great crime lords and bandit kings pay tribute to Shah, who would cut off all support and leave them for dead. Indeed, nothing in the underground of the world happens without approval from Shah. Of course, the others know nothing of this, and believe him to be a king of barbarians, and give him little consideration. And that is how he likes it. Allied with Ezdenah.
The islands of Veretta are inhabited by the fenrir and imps, along with humans who migrated there from Aeribis after its secession from Conjuska. It is ruled the Senate, a group of three individuals from each of the three races. Equality is paramount in its society, and all people, even those who have no seat in the Senate, are treated fairly by law. The only exceptions to this rule are mages, who are brought to the Tower by the Inquisition for training, and remain in Tower Town for the majority of their lives, lest they either forfeit it or join the military. Anti-magic sentiment runs high in Veretta, due to the fenrir's natural fear of it and the Inquisition's propaganda. Allied with Conjuska.
Factions:
The Lunar Watch is an organization formed centuries ago to hunt down any and all demonic threats in the mortal world. Servants of Lun, the Goddess of Justice and Vengeance, these warriors will stop at nothing to find and destroy any threat that shows itself in the world. And it is not just demons that can be targeted by them; any mortal who has committed a great act of evil is also subject to their brand of justice. They are equipped with a wide array of weaponry and training, and are considered one of the most elite groups in Tenint. They are also subject to blessings from their goddess.
Blessings of the Moon
Brilliance: The Blessed has the ability to summon an orb that sheds light on all objects within a twenty foot radius, ignoring cover, and has a chance to blind both allies and enemies.
Seeker of Vengeance: The Blessed cannot be swayed from their path, the iron will of Lun given to them by the goddess herself. They are all but immune to any form of mind control, and any form of persuasion or intimidation will likely fail to sway them.
Judgement: The Blessed marks the truly wicked to be sinned beyond any form of redemption. The Marked can never escape the Lunar Watch, and bear the Mark of Lun upon their forehead, which constantly gives them physical and mental pain.
Moon-Touched: From birth, the Blessed has always been known to be chosen by Lun as something special. Silver lines mark their flesh, while their irises turn a startling white, and their hair a bright silver, resembling the countenance of the goddess. Moon-Touched have enhanced strength and reflexes, and are always gifted in magic. Moon-Touched generally changed their surname to Lunaris.
Lycanthropy: Fearless hunters that may take the form of a feral wolfman at night, even more wolf like than the fenrir. They may still be able to distinguish between friend and foe, but will track their quarry until it is dead, and cannot be stopped unless killed. Most lycanthropes are controlled tightly by the Lunar Watch, though there are others outside of the organization.
The Burden of Guilt: The Blessed targets a nearby enemy who is immobilized by the weight of their sins, crushing them to the ground. This ability does not work on the righteous.
Cloak of the Moon: (Only Works at Night) The Blessed fades from view, the wicked cannot see or hear her.
Unbarred: When this ability is activated the Blessed cannot be hindered by typical impediments. Doors unlock before them, seals are broken, and lesser magical barriers will shatter as long as this ability is active. The greater the faith of the Blessed, the greater the obstacles that can be surmounted. This lasts for only a few minutes, and leaves the Blessed feeling drained of energy afterwards.
Lun's Refuge: The Blessed and their allies are protected from enemies by a holy barrier for a duration that increases with their faith.
The Dark Suns are a cult of sun worshipers, devout followers of Sol, god of Life and Love. However, they have taken a look at the darker aspect of their loving Father after the Eclipse centuries ago. The Dark Sol, as they call him, has grown tired of the sins of the mortals, as shown by him going dark on the world, a warning to turn away from their wicked ways. The Dark Suns wish to unite the world under a single banner, and beneath Sol, to rid the world of sin. They are viewed as an anarchist group by most governments, and so are often arrested if found out.
Blessings of the Dark Sun
Eclipse: The Blessed saps the light from the area, darkening everything in a twenty foot radius.
Spear of Light: The power of the sun gathers in the hand of the Blessed, forming into a mighty javelin.
Solar Powered: The power of the sun manifests itself in the Blessed, granting them increased physical strength for a short time.
Father's Love: Through the power of Sol, the Blessed can heal a mortal wound at the expense of their own health, saving a loved one at the possible cost of their own life. Those gifted with this power hold the lives of everyone in their own hands, always holding the ability to save anyone, but can never save themselves.
Sol's Mantle: The Blessed is wreathed in searing flames which burn nearby enemies and can repel beings of evil. The righteous cannot be burned by these flames, so most allies will remain unharmed.
The Sun's Fury: A concussive blast emanates from the Blessed knocking down allies and enemies nearby. This ability does little damage, but clears the area around the Blessed rather effectively.
Vitality: For a short duration the Blessed's resistance to dark magic increases greatly.
Sun Guardian: A blazing elemental wielding a sword of fire appears to fight for the Blessed for a duration. They are resistant to normal weapons, but highly susceptible to magical attacks.
The Inquisition is a secret organization founded by the ancestors of Queen Eline I, who are immensely loyal to both Aeribis and the Crown. Skilled in espionage and assassination, they are some of the most elite stealth units on the continent. The fiercest rogues in the country, Eline has bred these soldiers from near birth to be killing machines to be at her beck and call. Among the peasants who believe in their existence, they've been called "Eline's Hounds." A name that many do not see as an insult.
Great soldiers who specialize in guerrilla warfare, the military of Aeribis is one of the fiercest fighting forces on the mainland. And they have to be, to keep the northern raiders and the ferral at bay. The soldiers picked to join the Lunar Watch and the Dark Suns are among the most elite men and women Aeribis has to offer, even said by Eline to be on par with the Inquisition. They are not to be taken lightly.
Freelance mercenaries from all walks of life have heard of the crisis in Aeribis, and have taken to petitioning the Queen to allow their help in the matter. For a price, of course. Eline welcomes more bodies to throw at the witches, especially those that aren't her people, but those who are greater-than-average in their abilities are far better than their lesser counterparts have been put in direct contact with the Lunar Watch to help in direct efforts against the demons.
Faction Leaders
Name: Aura Valerian
Race: Human-Lycanthrope
Age: Thirty-Nine
Gender: Female
Appearance: Aura stands at an average height of 5'9, and has a less than imposing stature, her figure lithe rather than muscular. Her skin is pale, incredibly so, to the point where it looks like she has lost all pigmentation in her skin. Silver hair, nearly white, flows down straightly from her head, past her shoulders to the middle of her back. The only piece of true color she has is the pair of piercing yellow-orange eyes that glare out from beneath thin eyebrows.
Faction: Lunar Watch
Rank: Justicar
Biography:
Skills:
-Accomplished swordswoman and duelist.
-Expert in all forms of swordplay with all forms of swords.
-Expert tracker and hunter.
-Adept archer.
Equipment:
-A mithril longsword laced with silver
-An oak longbow with up to thirty arrows.
-Rations
-Peasant Clothing
-Justicar's coat, with radiates with magical energies.
Other:
Name: Balor
Race: Elf
Age: One-Hundred-and-Thirty-Five
Gender: Male
Appearance: Balor is still relatively young for an elf, and has a youthful complexion. He is unmarred by scars, but do not let that fool you - he is well toned and lithe in his muscular form, having been training for decades to serve his god however he could. His skin is pale, indicating his northern ancestry, and but his eyes are a dark green, alluding to some forest-dwelling ancestors. He is the average height for an elf, five-foot-six-inches, though still feels short when compared to the other races. Flowing blonde locks cover his head, kept trimmed short.
Faction: Children of the Dark Sun
Rank: Sentinel
Biography: Skills: -Expert in stealth operations
-Expert in dual wielding combat
-Masterful in the creation of traps and poisons, which he applies regularly.
Equipment: -A pair of shortswords, one golden, the other black as night, both extremely deadly.
-A suit of
gold colored armor.-Ten throwing daggers
-Lockpicking set
Name: Norman "Stonewall" Bellerin
Race: Human
Age: Forty-Seven
Gender: Male
Appearance: A muscular, rugged man, Stonewall stands at an impressive six-foot-two-inches, his skin tanned and scarred from many days in the southern plains battling rogue ferral and elven raiders. The flesh on his face is marred by several scars, the most prominent being a long, diagonal slash up his left cheek. Dark stubble covers his face, while thick eyebrows rest above his passive, calculating gaze. A shaggy mop of brown hair falls to just above his shoulders.
Faction: Aeribissian Military
Rank: Major
Biography: Norman Bellerin was born into a small farming family on the Southern Aeribissian Plains. Like most young boys, he had dreams of being one of the famed knights of legend, protectors of the people and slayers of the wicked ferral of the west. His parents were less than supportive of it, his father for practical reasons, such as there would be no one to run the farm when he was gone, and his mother for personal reasons, such as not wanting her only son to leave and come back a corpse because a foolish dream.
Of course, this would not stand in the way of his dreams. At the age if fifteen, he left home to go to the capital city of Aeribis, Aissur, a shining jewel amidst the forest. Within, he was put into a squirehood within the military. He lacked the finesse needed for a blade, and for the most part, he was fine with that. He trained, rather, with a thick shield and a heavy mace, which proved overwhelming to many of the other recruits and squires. Over the next three years, his muscles grew and he became a man, thick as a tree and just as immovable by his contemporaries. However, he was still a whelp, even if he was ahead of his peers.
His first piece of action as an actual soldier was an incursion into the north to destroy a tribe of raiders that had been harassing Aeribissian merchants heading north towards High Lord Shah's city, Vagabond. It went as was expected - they were tipped off to the raiders' location by a rival group, charged in, and carved them up without too much of an issue. However, it came to be that those who had tipped them off did not believe in honor. While the soldiers were still in the cave that acted as the raiders' home, the others attacked. The soldiers were like fish in a barrel, in much the same position as the raiders had been. This is when Norman earned the title "Stonewall."
Raiders were barely trained bandits who knew how to go in, kill, and get out. These were soldiers who were prepared for prolonged engagements. Especially Norman, who specialized in defensive fighting. Any raider who ran up to him found themselves locked in a fight they could not escape from, and were beat down brutally. Their commander had fallen in the initial fighting, and as the raiders came in and ran out, their forces dwindled as more and more took up the defensive style of Norman, until all that was left were a few raiders fleeing with their tails between their legs. Stonewall Bellerin was honored when he returned, and was promoted to commander of the men who had lived through the ordeal, much to all of their pleasure.
Many more incursions into the north and the west were similar, except with fewer deaths. Stonewall and his men became renowned for their inability to be bested by anyone, their wall of shields impenetrable. With only a few defeats during his career, Stonewall was quickly able to rise through the ranks, achieving the rank of Major at the age of thirty, and holding it for the rest of his career. He retired at the age of forty, after the memorable Siege of Kathus, when a small army of ferral and elven "raiders" attacked Fort Karthus in the plains of Southern Aeribis. Stonewall was able to repel the attackers, but over half of his own men were killed by the siege they were ill prepared for.
Stonewall returned to the old family farm, which had fallen into disrepair over the years. For the next seven years, he spent his time fixing his home and farming quietly, until he was approached by the military once more. Eline wanted him back, to help in the efforts against the demons. And so, once more, he was wrangled away from his family home to war. He now is in charge of the Aeribissian forces who fight against the demons, and is stationed once more in Fort Kathus, attempting to negotiate with the Conjuskans.
Skills:
-Feared across the lands with a mace
-Master of defensive strategies
-Near immovable with his shield
-Will of iron, even without the blessings of any god
Equipment:
-A heavy iron mace, with runes carved into the surface
-A tower shield with the heraldry of Aeribis painted across the face
-A suit of thick plate armor with some light leather beneath, a light cloth vest covering the chest and back, the Aeribissian seal stitched onto the chest.
Other:
Name: Vladimir Karrov
Race: Alpha Fenrir
Age: One-Hundred-and-Twenty-Three
Gender: Male
Appearance: Vladimir stands at nearly nine-feet tall, marking him as one of the proud few to be called an Alpha of his race. A thick coat of brown fur covers his flesh, and his feral nature seems to reflect on his face. Every fenrir has the head of a wolf, but in Vladimir's case, it is one of a fierce predator. His lips are almost always curled back into a fierce snarl, his yellow eyes are cold and unyielding, and his nose twitches often, as if the beast is always sniffing for new prey. His arms, chest, and legs are completely muscled, the digitigrade legs powerful in their leaps and bounds, even when he wears his thick armor.
Faction: Freelancers
Biography: Vladimir was born into the prestigious Karrov family of the Verettan Isles, descendents of the legendary Warmaster Karrov, founder of the Senate and conqueror of the isles. The Karrovs have always been among the most revered of the Great Houses of Veretta, for obvious reasons, and it was well known that nearly all of the Warmasters of the Senate that succeeded their ancestors had been his descendents, with only a few exceptions. During Vladimir's childhood, one such of these times had befallen Veretta, though it was not a terrible thing. The current Warmaster was a good peacekeeper, working closely with the Administrator of Foreign Affairs to foster friendly feelings between Conjuska and Veretta. However, both Vladimir and his elder sister Katrina were being bred to take the role one day.
Both were trained in the art of combat, Vladimir taking on one of the more savage fighting styles while his sister took the cautious route of a defender. Such was Vladimir's tenacity and ferocity that he quickly became feared in the training fields of Veretta, even among his elders. It was quickly realized why he was so powerful at such a young age - he had been blessed by the Spirits as one of the Alphas, a much larger and more powerful variant of the normal fenrir. While Katrina was mighty in her own right, Vladimir was nigh on unmatched in combat, and was gifted by his family the legendary battleaxe Opheim, while his sister was given Karrov's bastard sword, Gough.
Once Vladimir and Katrina came of age, they began their political careers. Katrina was a crowd favorite, and sympathized with all of the races, not just her own, and easily became nominated for General of the Guard, who she championed as the "Protector of the People". Vladimir, however, was temperamental, crass, and irritable, was not a people person, and was more suited to cracking skulls rather than sitting at a table arguing with the Senators. His defining moment was when he called the current Senate a "lot of pansies who would make Karrov turn in his grave," which was his political suicide. His family was mortified by this turn of events, the only one having expected the political failure of Vladimir being his sister.
Rather than stay and become part of the military or guard, Vladimir became a mercenary, often in the employ of either the Guard or one of the merchant princes that inhabit Veretta. His greatest achievement, however, came when the greatest enemy Veretta had ever faced reared its ugly head once more in the wilderness - the Lamia, corrupted Dryads who knew nothing but how to cause pain and sorrow in all that they met. Grabbing up his axe and a handful of guards and mages, Vladimir headed off into the wilderness to deal with this creature. Not much is known of what happened, but the only survivors were Vladimir and a guard named Garth, neither of whom ever spoke of what had transpired on that trip. They would only say that the beast had been dealt with, and that had been that.
His life was much quieter after that. He was still a raging monster, but at times he would be quieter than normal, even completely silent, looking like he was sulking. This never stopped him from retaining his title as the Beast of the East, something that caused fear to travel down the spine of the mainlanders. And now that he has taken up a contract for the Queen of Aeribis, at the request of Guard General Katrina Karrov, he has brought the might of the east to the forests, and is ready to command the hodge podge of mercenaries brought in by the Queen's promises of gold.
Skills:
-Feared throughout the land as the most ruthless warrior on the earth.
-Unmatched with an axe
-Incredible strength, even among his own kind.
Equipment:
-Opheim, an ancient battleaxe wielded by the original Warmaster, Karrov, enchanted to never dull nor break.
-A suit of armor that covers his chest, shoulders, wrists, and legs, painted the dull gold color of House Karrov
-A small totem, covered in runes undecipherable even by the most skilled of scholars.
Other: Holds great sway in the courts of Veretta.
Magic
Magic in Tenint is a fickle art, and has only been completely refined by the ferral sages of Ezdenah, who are loath to give out their secrets to any outside of their apprentices, even to their close elven allies. Magic drains energy from the mage, who, in compensation, often has plenty of additional energy, more so than the average man. Many mages work around this by drawing energy from their surroundings, however this is done at the cost of possibly killing the living things around them, and so is not promoted, especially among the forest-loving ferral or the Inquisitorial-controlled mages of Veretta. Even riskier is the capture and binding of souls, often enemies or demons, into items for the mage to draw energy off of. The latter is the most dangerous, as it is the most likely to backfire on the mage and kill them, as demons are creatures that do not take well to being controlled.Gods of TenintZehrn, the Dragon God of Creation, patron god of Ezdenah.
Tiej, the God of Light, patron god of the Paladin Order.
Sanguine, the God of Darkness, patron god of all things evil.
Taloran, the Goddess of Fire, patron goddess of anger and hate.
Jun, the God of the Sky, patron god of flight.
Tyr, the God of the Earth, patron god of strength.
Rhea, the Goddess of the Seas, patron goddess of sailors.
Nasi, the God of the Desert, patron god of Conjuska.
Sol, the God of the Sun, patron god of life and love.
Lun, the Goddess of the Moon, patron goddess of justice and vengeance.
Nyx, the Goddess of the Night, patron goddess of thieves.
Carim, the God of War, patron god of soldiers.
Harron, the God of Disease, patron god of doctors.
Vena, the God of Famine, patron god of the poor.
Seren, the Goddess of Death, who favors none.
The Spirits of Veretta, patrons of the fenrir.
Character Sheet Name: Race: Age: Gender: Appearance:Faction: Biography: Skills: Equipment: Other:
