[OOC] The Witch Hunt

[Laue]

From times immemorial, magic has caused the greatest atrocities the island continent of Altea has ever seen. Those with the gift of magic, eventually turn to exploit it for their own ends, regardless of their previous intentions. But finally, peace was restored, when the Paladins were formed. Armed with brilliant white power of the light, they were capable to negate the powers of the mages and bring order and prosperity to Altea. In the end, mages were still being born. Some turned themselves in for purification, a ritual that robs them of magic and leaves the person with everlasting pain. Others flee and hide. But the society at large were at peace. Altea was united under the banner of Meldiniar, and to crown was given to the founder of Paladins, Grand Master Grinoc, as the king relinquished his throne.

And so, Meldiniar flourished, but the hunt for users of magic still continued. But this delicate "balance" was broken by the Azure Covenant, a group of mages who kill and destroy everyone in their path, including other mages. After so many years, the Paladins finally get to truly fight their old enemy, not just hunt for runaways. But is all magic evil? Are all mages evil? Is the power of the Paladins truly divine?

Essentially, this is a Mages vs Paladins scenario, but without any good/evil morality nonsense. And there is more to this old conflict than meets the eye. However, this RP is meant to be mainly player driven. While there is a planned ending, the planned plot revelations, they are very flexible, all depending on how the story plays out. Feel free to suggest your own races, nations, events, and so on. All within reason, of course. And as such, the following lists are the base, and more can be added, as long as it fits the world.

Races

• Humans - The most numerous race in Altea, Meldiniar houses the majority of humanity. While the common man lives relatively peacefully, The Witch Hunt mercilessly hunts down anyone who displays any signs of magical capabilities, unless they turn themselves in for Purification.


• Elves - the secluded, pointy-eared race, living in the dark forests to the south. Though they practice magic, Paladins tolerate them as their magic is connected deeply to nature, and Elves never misused their power. Elves retain little interest in human affairs, and rarely deal with them. Though usually they accept the runaway mages into their isolated society, provided they accept their teachings. Though far more numerous, humans do not dare to enforce The Witch Hunt in Elven territory.


• Dwarves - the bulky, short, bearded cave-dwellers originate on a cavernous plateau west of the mainland. Though they keep to themselves, they trade and interact with humans, some even join the ranks of Paladins. There are very few cases of dwarven mages, and they are quickly turned in. It is with dwarf help that the Fort of Inquisitors was built.

Important Characters

• Grand Master Grinoc - the founder of the Paladins, King of Meldiniar. Any who doubted his divine power were soon proven wrong, as the man has not aged at all since the founding of Paladins. But there are still some that question his divinity.



• Azure - His real name is not known, but he is the leader of the Azure Covenant. Not much is known about him, since very few faced him and lived - the only survivors were the one who ran away. He is named Azure because of the distinct color of his magic, as well as azure crystal formations left in his wake.



• Witch of the Black Forest - Considered a legend by some, a very powerful mage by others, the are called The Black Forest is considered to be her home. A gloomy forest near the elven borders, no search parties have ever returned from there. Not even the Azure Covenant dare to set their foot there, though some argue they are not being afraid of the forest - they are protecting it.



• Count Deliah Eternus - Heir to the kingdom that was annexed during the unification led by Paladins, Deliah's grandfather avoided a rather gruesome fate by relinquishing his domain and not resisting the annexion. Though an exemplary, if not cowardly noble by all accounts, Deliah is not the one to give up on the land and identity his family lost. There are silly rumors of Count Deliah supporting the mages in some way, but those are dismissed even by the Inquisition.

Terminology

• The legend of the Wandering Nation - It was said that, long ago, a group of outcasts came together as one, traveling as a caravan through a world that wouldn't accept them. They were witches, wizards, run away slaves, paladins who quit the job; all sorts. They slowly grew in numbers, picking up others along the way. Soon, people began to seek them out. Rumor spread that if you could find this caravan, you could find acceptance. No matter your past or affiliation, they didn't discriminate. Over the years, their numbers grew so large that they held the population of a small nation, hence the name. The Wandering Nation traveled the lands; vagabonds in the wind, gypsies with freedom, rebels without a cause. As several members of royalty, those who fled the crown, joined, the caravan grew rich. It was said that they had more gold and jewels than a man may ever see in a lifetime. However, it seems that the caravan is quite elusive. Some report having seen it, but most assume that it's just a fairy tale.



• Covenant - A group of a related people by trade or occupation. Belonging in a covenant is required to have a citizenship. A covenant looks after it's own interests, which involves teaching their own, recruiting new members and other organizational functions. Though usually named after an occupation or trade, it is not rare for soldiers, paladins and people of any other occupation to join them, or receive training in such.



• Power of the Light - The bright white light wielded by the Paladins. One must undergo special training to survive the initiation ritual, which allows the Paladin to wield Light. Though it can be molded into any shape or form, it cannot change it's own properties, unlike magic. Though the light sears anyone it touches, it has far more devastating effect on magic, as it nullifies and ignites it, no matter it's shape or form. However, the Light is also destroyed in the process, so to null a spell a Paladin has to unleash similar or greater energy of the light. Since the power of magic is coursing through a mage's body, any contact with Light will ignite those energies, usually burning the mage alive using their own power as fuel. Also, Light has a very similar effect to energies of The Beyond and The Deadlands.



• Magic - the mystical energy that can be shaped into any form, and used to do nearly anything, given sufficient power and skill. Creating something from nothing, healing and harming, animating a corpse, even bringing someone from the brink of death - magic can do it all. It is not known what causes one to have magic powers, as non-mage parents can have a child with the gift/curse of magic. Removal of magic via the Purification ritual leaves an everlasting pain on a person, incurable by any known means.



• The Beyond - An alien, unknown realm of existence, lingering somewhere beyond our own, hence the name. Only mages have the power to tamper, and call the power The Beyond, and with that power the greatest atrocities have been performed. Mishandling the power of The Beyond was one of the main reasons Paladins were formed. Now a taboo even amongst mages. Amongst the most dangerous of acts done by mages were to summon creatures from the Beyond, usually far more powerful than they could control. The monstrous creatures seemed to relish in destruction they have caused, and the simple folk nicknamed them Demons. The energy of The Beyond. however, is very similar to magic, as it can be shaped into anything, though prolonged use of it always starts to change it's user, physically and usually mentally. For all intents and purposes, the knowledge of Beyond and it's manipulation is lost.



• The Deadlands - The realm of the dead, where all the spirits go after death of their physical body. Though far more known than The Beyond, Deadlands is still an obscure myth. Unlike The Beyond, mages usually opened tears in the veil separating the worlds of dead and the living, unleashing the atmosphere of that world which was not meant for living beings, or physical world altogether. Some more sinister ones even utilized the mass of lingering spirits within that realm.

Character Sheet

Appearance: (An image is preferable, though a brief description is fine too)
Name:
Gender:

Alignment: (Mage, Paladin or Neutral. Neutral can include Elves, non-paladin and non-mage humans, or maybe something else entirely.)
Covenant/Affiliation: (A faction or a covenant one belongs, if any. The Azure and The Inquisitorial covenants do not accept any player characters. Mages can also belong to some sort of group, or be lone wolves. Note that in case of Paladins, they may belong in any covenant, but still receive Paladin training for one reason or another.)

Personality: (A description of what your character is like, how he/she would interact with others, etc.)
Biography: (A description of how your character came to be what he/she is now, major points in his/her life, their goals.)

Power Description: (A brief description on how your character's unique magic/light manipulation work, as a whole. Potential patterns, combos, tactics. For example, your Paladin could prefer cover himself with a layer of Light energy, acting as an anti-magic armor, sheath his weapon in Light, and charge. The other paladin would prefer to throw bolts of light from a distance.)

Spells/Abilities: (Up to 5 initial spells/abilities at their weakest form. Keep a lot of room for improvement, because power development will be a big thing in this RP. Keep in mind, however, this section is subject to balance changes, as we all want to keep the playing field relatively even.)

Other skills: (Anything else your character is skilled at.)
Other: (Any other notable things about your character which don't fit into other categories.)

---

Character list is here. Once a character is accepted, they will appear there.

---

The story so far

• A powerful spell is cast to call all mages to the infamous Black Forest, promising change and hope.


• A great number of Paladins are called to rally at Meldiniar's capital.


• An influential nobleman, Count Deliah Eternus, cooperating with The Witch of The Black Forest, offers mages a home of their own as well as citizenship that would allow them to travel across Meldiniar unhindered, in exchange for their support in his uprising.


• The paladins have orders to march towards the Black Forest, as it is suspected to be the home base for the latest menace - The Azure Covenant. Tipped off by Count Deliah Eternus, none of them know it is a trap, except his daughter - his agent within the Paladin ranks.


• The mages start to settle in in their new home. Vast libraries of ancient knowledge can point them to many powerful and lost artifacts and secrets. Some decide to cause dissent amongst the land.


• The paladins are utterly annihilated by Azure and his lieutenant Mimel. The very few survivors flee to report their catastrophic loss.

[Necrosis]

By Hybrids I mean half humans, half elf or whatever combo.

[natsumehack]

I am interested, I see what i can do tomorrow.

[Laue]

Necrosis said
By Hybrids I mean half humans, half elf or whatever combo.

Yup, though naturally, they would be outcasts.

[RolePlaying]

Appearance:
Name: Kama
Gender: Male

Alignment: (Mage)
Covenant/Affiliation: Brother/Wanted for suspension of dark witchcraft

Personality: Nonchalant, Yet the more tactical and clever between him and his sister. The horrific deeds he must act out in order to ensure he and his sister are safe have separated her from his socially and he fears emotionally.
Biography: Kama as far as Tosama knows, is her father. While the truth remains hidden in a cloudy shroud of mystery and deceit. Kama raises his thirteen year old sister like a daughter, teaching her the ways of the world and who to and not to trust, almost like a father would about having sex. Though, Tosama has gotten older and much more aware of little things, and has begun to suspect his story to be slightly off, much from how many key events in his stories change from time to time, as if they didn't really happen, especially when she asks what happened to her mother.

Power Description:
Invisible Magic: Unlike most mages, Kama hasn't the ability to project his magic visibly or to a great range. Though, rather than letting this hinder him in his power he has build upon it. He forces it directly to where he wants it in his body and stabilizes it, which stronger compliments his dangerous fighting ability and greatly improves speed and potency of his throwing.

Spells/Abilities:
Kamasu- This is an adapted fighting style which takes many moves and techniques from Wing Chun, Karate and his most familiar Din Mak. By combining these three he is able to shatter bones with kicks, rupture blood vessels with palms and place enemies to sleep with precise strikes, amplified by his magic. This fighting style would be impressive at best, though his speed, strength and cleverness will keep any opponent on there feet, because trying to block a strike from his fingers will cause you immense pain and at worst a unusable arm, while a punch or palm could completely destroy it.

Other skills:
Info Gatherer- Kama is able to piece together a scenario within a few moments of being introduced to it, which is the reason other than the strength and speed of his fighting that he and his sister have come from many events unscathed
Other: 26 Years old

Appearance:
Name: Tosama
Gender: Female

Alignment: (Mage)
Covenant/Affiliation: Sister/Suspected as accomplice to dark mage

Personality: King hearted, cheerful and very optimistic. Her loving view of the world is constantly being put down by her brothers overlord like figure, as he tries to protect and instill values in her that completely contradict her own.
Biography: Same as brothers

Power Description: Healing
Spells/Abilities:
External Wounds-Tosama can heal things such as slashes to the skin, bruises and scraps. While simplistic at best, this can come quite in handy when facing those who don't truly understand how she and her brother work together,
Internal Wounds-Tosama originally sought out to master this first and only this, though after time and time again she has failed. Until recently Kama took a devastating blow to the gut from a lance, busting his kidneys and stomach. What seemed like a doomed fate due to his lack of carelessness was postponed due to his sisters coming of skill. She has finally managed to successfully preform the spell, reanimating his stomach and the organs in it as the attack searched around for her. Eventually Kama got up and managed to sneak up on him for a silent and deadly poke to the neck, putting him in a coma for the animals around to dine on, leaving no traces of Kama or his involvement.
Mana Feeder-Tosama is able to direct his own magical energy into her brother, as long as she is within 60 feet of range, allowing him to fight as hard as he needs to while using up absolutely none of his own mana. Once hers is depleted he can get to his own, if the fight last that long. Unfortunately though, this technique is more of a trump card. Since doing so will leave Tosama completely immobile as if she is in a sleep state and once its all gone any wounds her brother takes are there for good.
Other skills: Cooking and singing
Other: 13 years old

[Rultaos]

Do you mind if I reserve a spot for a Paladin character? =). Also, I planned to have my character be affiliated to a certain branch of Paladins that I thought up. If you will allow it, I'll PM you the details. Or post it on the thread, whichever you prefer.

[eemmtt]

Can I make my character a Merc?

[AcerRo]

I want a spot on this boat. I have a couple ideas to figure out so it might take some time. A day maybe two.

[Laue]

Rultaos said
Do you mind if I reserve a spot for a Paladin character? =). Also, I planned to have my character be affiliated to a certain branch of Paladins that I thought up. If you will allow it, I'll PM you the details. Or post it on the thread, whichever you prefer.

You can post it here. As mentioned in the CS, Azure and Inquisitorial covenants are off-limits for players, as they will be the main force driving the story. Anything in between is fair game, within reason. Those two covenants are meant to have the best of the best of their kind within their ranks, and they know far more about the true state of affairs than player characters initially do.

eemmtt said Can I make my character a Merc?

You could, but wouldn't that make your character severely weaker than mages or paladins, who have mystical powers? In this setting, there are no ex-paladins, Inquisitors make sure of it. Hmmm, describe the idea of your character, and maybe we can make a few tweaks to make it work.

@Roleplaying: I really like your characters, hits that initial starting sweet spot that I was aiming at.

Also, I am going to rewrite the important terms section - a bit clunky and could be more clear. Cheers.

[Rultaos]

Well my idea isn't anything too drastic or grand. I was just thinking of a Paladin group known as The Covenant of Guardians (or simply, The Guardians). Their job is to protect townsfolk and Meldiniar territory from any Mages who try to disrupt the peace. They often simply patrol towns and cities on the lookout for any dangerous activity, though they do have certain divisions that are sent out to take pre-emptive action against any Mages that are considered high threats (or potential threats). However, most Mage hunting or attacking activity is often left to other Paladin groups that specialize in that.

[Laue]

Doesn't sound much like a mercenary for me. In fact, that's very vanilla considering the paladins.

[Rultaos]

Laue said
Doesn't sound much like a mercenary for me. In fact, that's very vanilla considering the paladins.

Are you talking to me? Because I wasn't suggesting a Merc group, and eemmtt hasn't really responded to you yet XD. I was just suggesting a group of Paladins who are lower on the command chain, compared to The Inquisitors, but are still somehow associated with them.

[Laue]

Rultaos said
Are you talking to me? Because I wasn't suggesting a Merc group, and eemmtt hasn't really responded to you yet XD. I was just suggesting a group of Paladins who are lower on the command chain, compared to The Inquisitors, but are still somehow associated with them.

I guess I misunderstood you then. Though everyone is associated with The Inquisitors, as they are the high command. Though a branch dedicated to lesser matters makes a lot of sense.

UPDATE: Added a few more important NPCs and a few terms, which could probably give you a few ideas for your character even. Most importantly, added descriptions to the very obscure forms of magic that was used in Altea.

[Rultaos]

Appearance:

Armor

Underneath the armor, He has short, neatly-cut, black hair, and rugged (nearly clean-shaven) facial hair. His eyes are a deep blue color, and he has a light skin tone. Whenever he isn't wearing his armor, he usually wears a combination of a white shirt, and brown leather pants, often accompanied by a white cloak bearing the symbol of the Paladins of Meldiniar. Underneath the cloak is usually a brown belt carrying his sword and dagger.

Name: Varkasan Trenact (pronounced: “Var-kay-san”)

Gender: Male

Alignment: Paladin
Covenant/Affiliation: The Guardians (Meldiniar Paladin branch)

Personality: Varkasan is a very approachable fellow, despite how some people may view Paladins. He is friendly to nearly everyone he meets, while still maintaining the image and discipline of Paladins as an elite fighting force of the Meldiniar Kingdom. He tries his best to find a peaceful solution to conflicts, and will avoid violence if at all possible. However, this does not mean he is any less capable in combat. Varkasan is a skilled swordsman, perhaps not as good as some of the older warriors, but he is excellent in his own right. His skill is also backed by an unwavering drive to fulfill his duty as a Paladin. His loyalty to their cause is almost zealot-like, as he will do whatever it takes to purge any magic he deems to be a threat to his kingdom. Because of this, he is nearly incorruptible, and will most likely choose duty over any temptations and emotions.

Biography: Varkasan was born to a family who resided in the town of Paltrica, located near the Meldiniar capital. His father was a soldier, while his mother was a simple housewife. He lived a relatively normal life for a boy like himself. Though he had always looked up to his father and aspired to follow in his footsteps. His father often taught him different sword-fighting techniques in order to prepare him for the future, due to the fact that it was still a chaotic time (as the Paladins had just formed by this time, and there was still a war against the Mages). At the age of 17, Varkasan enlisted into the military and quickly made himself known to his superiors with his combat skills, and unwavering loyalty to Meldiniar. His ability to resist both fear and temptation so that he can carry out his orders made him a candidate for becoming a Paladin. Since The Paladins are considered the most prestigious warriors in Meldiniar, at the age of 19, Varkasan accepted the offer without hesitation.

He spent the next two years undergoing the special training needed in order to wield the “divine power of Light”. The two years were some of the hardest of his life, but his zeal managed to carry him through where some would surrender. Nearing the end of the two-year mark, Varkasan’s body was about ready to give, but his spirit refused to stop. At the end of his training, he underwent the dangerous initiation needed to hold the power of Light, and he survived. Varkasan was both joyful and relieved.

After being put into The Paladins, Varkasan was put into The Guardians. A Paladin branch dedicated to the defense of Meldiniar and her people from any mages who would dare cause destruction and disruption. Despite his skills and iron will, Varkasan is still new to The Paladins and the way they work, and so he still has much to learn.

Power Description:

"The Gift of Light" - Varkasan's abilities are centered around being able to both coat and imbue objects with light energy. Using this, he can make his shield and armor repulse most magic thrown against it. While using it on other objects will allow him to turn things, from his swords and weapons to the most unsuspecting everyday object, into a weapon of light. Varkasan usually coats his equipment with Light during combat, in order to increase their effectiveness against Mages. However, he has no way to fight from a distance, and will often have to rely on allies when fighting Mages from a long-range. Otherwise, he simply defends himself as he tries to turtle his way closer to his enemy.

Spells/Abilities:

Cloak of Light - Varkasan will enchant an object, covering it with the power of Light Energy. This is usually used on his combat equipment, though he can also use it for other things if the situation calls for it. Depending on the strength of the enchantment, it will be able to repulse varying types of direct spells thrown against it. It can also burn anyone besides the Paladin who had cast it, that the object comes into contact with. Swords, shields, arrows, and other types of weapons can become quite deadly when given this enchantment

Holy Flare - Varkasan will transfer Light Energy inside of the object (as oppossed to simply covering it). This will render the object unstable, and it will disintegrate and explode into a small ball of pure Light Energy after a few seconds, scorching any living creature and Magic Energy caught within a small shockwave when it explodes. The Flare will also remain in the air for 30 seconds (or less, depending on how much Magic Energy is thrown against it), and will release a weak aura that slowly burns away at Magic Energy close to it. It can also act as a light source due to the brightness of the flare. This ability lets Varkasan turn most everyday objects into lethal explosives

Other Skills: Due to his preference of avoiding conflict, Varkasan is an able negotiator. He is capable of listening to others and inferring things about them based on what they say. With this information, he attempts to reach a common ground with the other party. He can also use these skills however, in order to manipulate enemies. However, being the person that he is, Varkasan would rarely attempt it.

Other: Varkasan can be considered close to animals. He spent much time in farms when he was young (whenever he wasn’t training with his father). He has some knowledge in the behavior of most domestic animals, and some wild ones. He treats them with the same (if not greater) friendliness that he affords to other people.

[eemmtt]

Laue said
You could, but wouldn't that make your character severely weaker than mages or paladins, who have mystical powers? In this setting, there are no ex-paladins, Inquisitors make sure of it. Hmmm, describe the idea of your character, and maybe we can make a few tweaks to make it work.

(sorry it took me awhile to respond busy) My character is ex-army person that occasional gets hired to help in witch hunts as an extra sword.

[Laue]

eemmtt said
(sorry it took me awhile to respond busy) My character is ex-army person that occasional gets hired to help in witch hunts as an extra sword.

So, I somehow confused two people. Damn. Anyway, while I have nothing against it, without supernatural capabilities, your character would be horribly outmatched later. I suppose you could add some powerful non-combat skills, but still.

[Rultaos]

So Laue, is my character alright? Any problems with him? If there's anything in the app like powers, or info that conflicts with the canonical lore, let me know and I'll fix it ASAP.

Also, while eemmtt might have an outmatched character, he can still make a "Badass Normal". The guy without any fancy powers, but uses wits and equipment to stand his ground against such people, and has a good chance of succeeding =)

[eemmtt]

Because you don't need magic to kill, a good sword can do the exact same thing.

[Rultaos]

eemmtt said
Because you don't need magic to kill, a good sword can do the exact same thing.

If you stab them before they notice you, they wont even get a chance to use magic XD. You just gotta make sure your character plays it smart

[Laue]

Rultaos said
So Laue, is my character alright? Any problems with him? If there's anything in the app like powers, or info that conflicts with the canonical lore, let me know and I'll fix it ASAP.Also, while eemmtt might have an outmatched character, he can still make a "Badass Normal". The guy without any fancy powers, but uses wits and equipment to stand his ground against such people, and has a good chance of succeeding =)

Everything seems fine for baseline powers. I do suggest you give some thought on how Varkasan's abilities will evolve, though this applies to all characters. Consider yourselves being at around level 1-5 of whatever "class" your characters are, out of 99.

While true, badass normal can only work so much until your opponents have the potential to level a castle, paladins included. And hopefully, you won't mind the rather high power ceiling, I think it will just make things more interesting. And as it stands, if this takes off successfully, The Witch Hunt story arc will be just the beginning - an origin story of sorts.