Dungeon Stomp: Ruins of Ironshore
Heroic Characters
Neutral Characters
Villainous Characters
The MapMore areas will be revealed as the RP progresses. Players intent on wandering off can ask for the whole thing so they don't fall into the sea, but it'll be missing landmarks.Introductory Scene
A frigate, called the Cutlass, has been on a six month long expedition searching for the lost island of Ironshore. With food running out, and no success in finding their goal, the crew start to get restless. As they finally break, and prepare to kill each other in an a spree of senseless violence – the island comes into view.
The
Cutlass lumbers through an endless fog.
For six long and bitter months, she has sailed the far reaches of the worlds’ forgotten oceans; searching for a land that may not exist. Many have died on this expedition, either from hunger, exhaustion, illness or the cold embrace of the unforgiving waters. The sailors, and their guests, are becoming wearisome of each other. Mutiny is sweeping the ranks, and the Captain has not arisen from his quarters for days.
There is no more food, no more wine and no more patience. It is a matter of hours before something snaps, and the
Cutlass’s deck becomes the scene of a senseless melee. Men sharpen their blades, and load their rifles; women cluster together, fortifying themselves in secrecy so that they do not prove vulnerable prey to the impending madness of their male crewmates.
Someone, a young man with a sparse beard, knocks shoulders with an older fellow as they navigate the deck’s treacherous surface. This simple act of impeded coordination is the starting spark of an ungodly inferno.
The young man screams, the old man roars. There’s a splash. Of two, there is now one. Nobody know’s exactly what happened, and nobody cares. Rifles are brought to ready, swords are drawn and magic is kindled. Threats spit from flayed mouths.
The frigate’s resident Chaplain appears in short order, putting himself between the points of sword and bayonet, shouting the will of the Gods. He orders peace, then he pleads for reason, and finally he begs for mercy. None listen. None care. They are all dead men. Someone fires a pistol, and the Chaplain is off to meet his masters in some promised afterlife.
The women huddle below decks, barring doors and arming themselves with whatever they can find. Men are prone to senseless violence in difficult times, and they are often the secondary-victims of such occasions. Not today. They wait in silence; hearts beating fast, lungs tightening.
Someone leans out from the crow’s nest, high above the writhing mass of angry men, “land ahoy, port!”
As if some angelic being of impossible power, had swept down upon the
Cutlass and stolen away her crew’s rage and sorrow, the men halt their descent into madness. They all hurry to port, shunting each other to grasp a view of their salvation.
… And there it is. A dark landmass, jutting through the thick fog like a bloated whale corpse, meets their eager eyes. Whatever ill intent held sway amongst them, is replaced instantly by desire for merry making. They have found it – the Captain was right!
Ironshore, realm of the Elderhost, is real.
RP SummaryIn this RP, you take on the role of either one of the ship’s sailors, or one of the ‘volunteers’ she is carrying to the island.
The Cutlass’ mission was not just to find the island, but to set up a base of operations upon it, so that the mainland can send further colonisation efforts.
However, the island is largely uncharted, and legends tell of a great evil that holds sway over its entirety. Only one way to find out, right? The Captain needs to know whether it’s safe, and more importantly, what happened to it those many centuries ago.
Suit up, you’re going ashore.
RP Lore
What characters refer to as the "mainland", is the continent of Orysson. Home to several minor Kingdoms and mighty Empires, it boasts a wide variety of races and cultures. A recent war has ravaged the land, placing great hardship on the common people; civil dissent is widespread, food shortages are frequent, and Kings, Queens and Emperors swap thrones daily.
Life is hard, as it is cheap. Death is a brother, known more intimately than a mortal lover. Some savour the chance to escape the bleak circle; others join in the chaos.
Needless to say, the economic, militaristic and social plight devouring Orysson has spawned an eagerness for some to abandon the floundering continent altogether.
A mythical island (or so it was thought), formerly occupied by the world’s First Men – the Elderhost. Legend has it, that the Elderhost rose up against their divine creators in a great war of epic proportions. They eventually stormed the Heavens after slaying the Gods' earthly servants, and sought to destroy that which could not be destroyed.
Though it is not known how, the Elderhost were victorious, these powerful beings piffled the energy of the slain Gods, and released It upon the world. If legend is true, then this is how magic came to be.
It is said that the last Elderhost King, one known as Met’ilk Ragestorm II, was not content with just razing the Heavens – he wanted to fill them anew. Through an unspecified ritual, he attempted Godhood, but in doing so doomed the land. None know if he was successful, or what exactly the consequences were of his actions – or if the story is even true.
In any case, Ironshore's mythical history is one of great spectacles and bloody sacrilege. If there is any truth in it at all, then the wisdom to be uncovered from the island's former occupants should perhaps be allowed to stay forgotten.
Eighteenth century style European weapons and armour.
However, this is a high fantasy RP, and characters are not limited to real world weaponry/apparel of the period. The above is merely a top-end reference, as far as gun and contraption technology go. Lee way will be given, but don’t get carried away.
Accessible to all, practised by few. Requires much dedication to produce bountiful results.
Spells manifest as: Telekinesis, wound treatment, harnessing elements, augmenting materials, interfering with Death’s Realm (necromancy), conjuring bound weapons and beasts. The usual dish basically; if you want to use a spell, and are unsure if it’s suitable, go ahead and ask. I’ll more than likely say yes unless it sounds ridiculous.
A caster's power source is not some blue liquid kept in a container however; he or she is drawing on their own life force to manifest their will into physical form. The greater the spell, the more frequent the casting, the weaker they will become. It is not unknown for a great wizard to cast a spell beyond their power; leaving nothing but a horrible withered raisin in place of where they were standing. Know your limits, magic responsibly.
The Cutlass carries 300 sailors. A third of which have perished in the journey to Ironshore.
They are hardy men and women, used to a difficult life at the sea’s mercy. Courageous, but often under educated, they care for life’s simpler things. Gold, wine, fornication (though not at sea, lest they anger Dreisdia, the Goddess of Storms and Virtue), and salted meat makeup the essence of their existence.
Still, one would be premature to look down on them; often, they make up the world’s invisible graveyards of unsung heroes. Players looking for heavily superstitious characters, with little care for philosophy, would be well suited here.
The Captain holds authority over them, however, and what he says goes – UNLESS, of course, you want to launch yourself some mutiny pie.
They are on Ironshore mostly for the riches it may hold, and because of the sheer excitement of it all. Not many get to come back to the mainland, and gloat to their peers of the once-in-a-lifetime voyage they took part in. Them kind of stories get people an abundance of warm beds, after all.
Explorers, Scholars, Mages, Heroes, Villains – a blanket selection of glory chasers, wisdom seekers and power lusters.
If the legends of Ironshore are true, then there is much to be exploited from the fallen land. Magical energy will be plentiful; priceless artefacts of untold power will litter the innumerable ruins of the world’s former Greatest Super Power. Such things have attracted a wide range of people to the expedition, and it is no secret why most of them have come.
Speckling their ranks, like gold dust in a bucket of crap, are the heroes and heroins. They have come for many reasons. Dreams of darkness unfurling, visions of forlorn hope and a scorched home – or a divine premonition of things to come. They may just be mad; made delusional by their own egos... or, they may be our saviours. Some are born to fight evil, where ever it may be, and for these few men and women, Ironshore is another chapter in their book of righteous glory.
Players wanting to be ANYTHING they fancy, will find their character belongs in this group.
Oh, and the Captain can go shove a fork up his bum if he thinks any of these people owe him allegiance; they paid their fare before the ship left Orysson. Still, it might be prudent to listen to the old coot for a time; there’s a reason he’s in charge, after all.
The Cutlass is the cutting edge of Orysson naval technology. Initially built by the Elves of Haddon's Summit, she was captured during the Haddon-Entring War of 918 by human Crusaders, and sold to the highest bidder.
Two hundred feet long, and equipped with eighty high-velocity Dwarven Steam Cannons, she is a monster of the seas in her own right.
Though composed mostly of cedar, her hull is draped with light steel plating to ward off projectiles. However, this makes the ship heavy, and in the midst of a storm it takes a skilled Captain - and a skilled crew - to keep her from tipping over. That said, on a calm day and with an enemy squadron in sight, her augmentations are a vital asset.
When sailing under a national flag, with the intention of leading a foray, she can boast a thousand strong complement.
The nature of the expedition to Ironshore however, and the supplies coupled with the equipment brought along, has halved this number.
The Cutlass and her occupants have been dispatched on an expedition by the wealthy Merchant Council of Garandier. The voyage was publicised as a one way trip, and the dangers posed to the crew and volunteers were not hidden. By many, it was considered a suicide mission, and the Merchant Council stands to lose a great deal of money from funding the enterprise. However, by studying various ancient maps and texts, the members of the council are certain that something lies to the east of Orysson, something that would plant them as the continent's political and economic power house for a thousand years. What that is exactly, they are not eager to share information about.
The Cutlass' mission is two fold:
First of all, she and her captain were tasked with exploring the far eastern seas, commonly referred to as The Forgotten Oceans, as they are rarely traversed by Orysson's inhabitants.
Going by old maps, that are possibly forgeries or religious elaborations, the Cutlass is to locate the fallen realm of Ironshore.
Secondly, providing the Cutlass does find the island, her crew and volunteers are tasked with establishing a settlement there. Once this has been done, the captain will set sail for Garandier and report his findings. This will likely usher in a new age of colonial exploration, but the Merchant Council will be in a better position than most to capitalise on the discovery.
Gender equality varies in Orysson, from race to race, culture to culture and nation to nation.
Where a female may be confined to home and family in one country, in another they may be the traditional bread winner of a family, and the foundation of the political elite.
Military service differs in likewise fashion.
With all that said, the Cutlass' expedition is not of a 50/50 male-female make up. Women form a fifth of the ship's total complement, owing to the host nation's views of the subject.
In Garandier, women are not allowed to own property, and are usually employed in menial jobs... if employed at all. Child rearing is their given task in life, whether they like it or not - a notion that foreigners on board will no doubt be at odds with.
The fact that any are on the ship at all comes down mostly to the lack of male Garandierian-born volunteers and sailors willing to go on the voyage.
This is just something to keep in mind for those who wish to play as women/female characters. They'd likely be looked down upon, and would have to work twice as hard to earn the respect of their peers. This is of course, unless they're in company with people from the more... enlightened nations of Orysson. This does not put such characters at a disadvantage in any way, but it does create a bit of spin on their interactions.
(Kiev-oath)
Orysson may have mighty empires sprawling its expanses, but there lies a small kingdom protected by mountains and ice in the far...far south. It goes by the name 'Kv'Othe', and is a hyper-religious state ruled by a queen. While not a massive empire, it is infamous for spies and assassins- and boasts an elite military force that deters most would-be aggressors from attacking their isolated homeland. The 'Mali' of the Kv'Othe military are considered to be ghosts, but their presence is unmistakable throughout the land.
The people of Kv'Othe are light skinned and bright eyes- their eyes taking on tones and hues unnatural in comparison to the ordinary person. Their hair tends to vary from blonde to white, although the rare individual will have bright red hair that is similar to that of a flame.
Their military is a disciplined force that relies on soldiers that are willing to martyr themselves for any cause, as their religion relies on them to do so. The Queen of Kv'Othe is also seen as the goddess, which makes it a theocratic matriarchy-- if the queen says to kill yourself, you do it without question.
Spies and assassins are widespread and Omni-potent. If the queen of Kv'Othe has her eyes set on some intrepid ruler off on the far side of the continent- then these far-reaching eyes and ears will go through hell to see her will done.
On the front of technology, Kv'Otheian society is more likely to borrow from outside nations and powers rather than invent their own technologies... However, they do have a few key innovation in firearm production; Kv'Othe pistols, dubbed Eiderhalter, Oath-Bringers as a slang outside the country, are peculiar things to see indeed. The Kv'Othe took flintlock technology and adapted it to fit their needs; Eiderhalter have longer barrels than most other pistols, making it more accurate by straightening the path of the projectile, but it also has three of these barrels placed together on the same gun, allowing for multiple accurate shots without reloading. A final strange design feature of the peculiar weapon is the the knuckle-duster resembling hand guard and metal reinforcement around the barrels, making this an effective bludgeoning tool should all else fail.
In general, the people of Kv'Othe are seen negatively-- intensely so. While they have never spread from their 'holy land' within the ice and mountains, their claws have raked across many powerful individuals and left bad blood between the divine Queen and most other rulers. However, many of these same antagonists rely on the Kv'Othe for information on their more...tangible of enemies.
It's only natural that the Divine Queen wants eyes and ears on the shores of Ironshore, no?
Notable NPCs
Captain Drake Garrengal is a decorated and widely respected former admiral of the Garandierian Navy.
Human, and approaching seventy years of age, he volunteered to the lead the expedition out of guilt; it would be fair to say that he played his part in Orysson's current plight, after all. Sweetened by promises by the Merchant Council that they would use his findings to mend the broken land, if able, he agreed to take the nation's prized flag ship east into what even he thought was certain doom.
Though respected by his sailors, he is also despised by them in equal measure. During the darker times of the voyage, he often cracked down on dissent with an iron fist, or allowed it to fester into fatal brawls. A military man at heart, he is used to governing trained soldiers, rather than the riff-raff that call him their captain. It is perhaps for this reason that he has struggled to connect with them since they left harbour.
Nevertheless, for now he still holds enough sway amongst the Cutlass's crew that his word is pretty much God, especially this far out from the mainland.
Appearance: Hunched back, large curly white beard, balding, often wears dark blue officer's overcoat and breeches, with spotless white stockings. He walks with a limp in his right leg, owing to a shrapnel wound sustained two decades ago.
One of his eyes is glassed over, the other is a deep set emerald colour. His damaged eye often twitches when he becomes angry.
His voice is strong and gravelly, through years of leadership in the midst of battle.
Visual Aids
ScenariosCompleted Scenarios:None
Active Scenarios
Layout: A smattering of ruined buildings and walls, occupying a cliff top position. A heavily degraded keep centres this abandoned fortification. There is a gravelly beach down below, which would be the likely landing place of the characters.
Scenario Description: A collection of ruins, possibly of some kind of castle, have been spotted cresting a cliff along Ironshore's coast. This would be a perfect place to establish the expedition's base camp. Captain Drake Garrengal has ordered a party ashore, with the intent of securing the area and making it safe for the rest of the crew to make landfall. Careful where you tread, there's no telling what lurks in this dead land.
When the land party is confident it's safe to bring the rest of the Cutlass' crew, they are to fire a flare into the sky. Doing so will complete the scenario.
Time of Day: Early Morning
Weather: Cloudy, slight drizzle. Foggy on the beaches, but not up by the ruins.
Maximum players: 5
Current players: 0
Layout: A decaying wooden husk of an Elven corvette lays on its side upon the sandy beaches. There are small rock formations in the area, offering several hiding places. A thick jungle lines the furtherest reaches of the area.
Scenario Description:The ship's lookouts have reported seeing a beached wreck; possibly a corvette of Elven design. From what they can tell, without getting closer for a better observation, it has not been there that long. A few years perhaps.
There are no known accounts of any Orysson nation making a serious stake at finding Ironshore, so it is likely the vessel became lost and ended up here.
The Captain wants the wreck scoured for signs of her crew, or clues as to what happened. The sailors or volunteers carrying out this mission, should head for the abandoned castle afterwards, to meet up with the rest of the expedition.
Time of Day: Early Morning
Weather: Thick fog, drizzle, cloudy.
Maximum Players: 2
Current Players: 0
Style of PlayPost Frequency: No rules in place for this, but do NOT leave people hanging. If you clog up a scenario without advanced warning of your absence, I’ll assume you died in some nasty pile up. Speed posting is allowed, so long as the people you’re interacting with can accommodate it and are willing.
Post Length: Minimum length should be a couple of paragraphs. There is no maximum, but if the people you’re interacting with start hinting at their dislike for 2,000 word posts, then I’d advise you listen to them.
Writing Skill: If I can’t understand what you’re saying, and if my eyes bleed when I try, then this is not the RP for you.
Scenario Number: When posting, head your post with the scenario number. This way, we know who is where, and it will cut down the need for people to play catch-up in the invent of a post influx.
Scenario Creation: Players are free to create their own scenarios, if they feel they want to stray from the GM’s nationalised ones. Doing so is easy, simply post your desired scenario in the OOC, and I’ll add it to the list so long as no one has a problem with it.
Joining A Scenario: Check the scenario section to ensure there is room to accommodate you, and if there is, simply make a post with the corresponding scenario number at the top and BOO YAH you’re in.
Leaving A Scenario: You may do so at any time, by moving to another or creating your own.
Profanity: Green light.
Sex: Implied only. Keep it to your filthy PM boxes you weirdos.
Rules- Don't be a dick. If I need to specify what being a dick covers, then this RP is not for you, you socially insensitive, egotistical maniac.
Character SheetPost your sheets here, in the OOC, and I will add them to the top of this post under the "Active Characters" hider. A link to your character sheet will be included there.
Basics
Full Name:
Age:
Gender:
Race:
Appearance
Physical Description: (Pictures or text; your preference)
Clothing: (Pictures or text; your preference)
Armour: (Pictures or text; your preference)
Other: (Anything you feel is not covered by the above)
Background
Faction: (Volunteer/Sailor. This will be relevant as the RP progresses)
What do the others on the expedition know of your character after six months of being cooped up on a boat?
Moral Alignment
Selflessness: (On a scale of 1 to 10, how prepared would your character be to launch themselves into a dragon’s jaws if it meant saving a stranger? 1 = FUCK THAT, 10 = FUCK YEAH)
Snobbery: (On a scale of 1 to 10, how much does your character dislike people below their station? 1 = Filthy peasants! DON’T TOUCH ME! 10 = I love everyone, no matter how bad they smell.)
Racist Tendencies: (Does your character harbour any negative judgements against other races, regardless of what lies below the surface? List them here. Fucking Elves and their pointy eared arrogance, you know what we should do? Just sail them off to an island and blow it up.)
Piety: (On a scale of 1 to 10, does your character worship a God and follow their earthly tenements? 1 = Lol no, 10 = I live under a pedestal, and hurt myself if I have impure thoughts... and sometimes kill children for disrespecting the powers that be but shhhh.)
Justice: (On a scale of 1 to 10, If someone wrongs them, would your character take things into their own hands? Or would they seek help from the established authority? 1 = BITCH THEY DED, 10 = The system is all that keeps us from descending into a mindless anarchy.)
Sexist Tendencies: (On a scale of 1 to 10, does your character look down on the opposite sex? 1 = They’re idiots and they need protecting to the point of imprisonment, 10 = We are all equal.
Combat
Main Skills: (What your character relies on to fight with i.e swordsmanship, elemental magic, archery)
Secondary Skills: (If your sword snaps, or you exhaust your magical reserves, what’s your back up plan?)
Primary Weapon: (The weapon your hands are first to grasp in a crisis)
Secondary Weapon: (If your long sword is stuck in someone elses’ chest, what do you draw next? Maybe there’s a longbow strewn across your back?)
Hidden/Stored Weapons: (Every good rogue keeps a blade in their boot; every good warrior keeps a knuckle duster in his/her shin guard.)
Passive/Suppport
Main Skills: (When your characters aren’t setting someone on fire, what else can they do? Are they versed in the healing arts? Keen linguists? Trappers? Knowledgeable survivalists? Trackers?)
Secondary Skills: (What’s your character’s lesser developed, but nonetheless handy skills?)
Items of Note: (Anything your character carries to help them out with the above. Healing herbs? Dictionaries? Trap making supplies? A fishing rod!?)
Anti-Godmod 3000
Achlies’ Heel: (What is your character afraid of? What do they have trouble coping with? Do they carry a psychological or physical impairment that might impede them in a crisis?)
