[OOC] Bound By Strings

"Ragir's denizens live as if they were divided. It's laughable, really. They are all headed for the same fate, riding on the same caravan, and bound by the same strings-- my strings."

Ragir was once a large nation that is now divided into five factions. This division occurred during a bloody civil war that tore the very foundation of the once proud king of Ragir, King Dharkai. The story isn't the typical 'tyrannical king' cliche. No. In fact, Dharkai was a well-loved ruler who made Ragir quite an impressive empire that was known all over the world as a force to be reckoned with. What wrecked a titan was just a small misunderstanding. Upon settling accounts with his officers, Dharkai noticed that the Nend sector's taxes weren't amounting properly. They were missing 20 weaves of barley. A meager amount, yes? No. Not for Dharkai. The king was a man of utter discipline and surety, and as such, he wouldn't allow this kind of mistake to pass. If he did, others would think that they could do so as well, and that's where corruption would begin-- cut the weeds before they choke the plant. Thus, Dharkai had Qhor, the duke of Nend, to be arrested and was suppose to sentence him to execution. However, Qhor begged for his life in exchange that he would name the other corrupted officers. Dharkai saw this as an opportunity to rid his empire of such ingrates. He allowed Qhor to name these officers. The other officers were Antalim, duke of Skelocia, Uhoz, duke of Mamuph, Na'ab, duke of Eraz'e, and Ishath, duke of Issnaleth. The five of them were arrested for fraud and deception, but Dharkai removed the death sentence from the each of them, and instead, lowered the penalty to life imprisonment. For Dharkai, justice has been served, and so, he left for a Conclave of Kings in another nation-- confident that all would be well. However, back at Ragir, there seemed to be a mistake. The Steward proclaimed that, according to Dharkai, the officers would be executed. Things turned sour pretty quickly. Supporters of each officer now claimed that the convicts were merely framed and falsely accused-- this now turned one supporter of an officer against another group of supporters. Of course, where there is hatred, there is war. Where there is war, there is blood. A massive war erupted within the nation as one faction allied itself with another. The alliances were as follows: Qhor-Antalim, Uhoz-Na'ab, and the Ishath group stood alone. The immense clash lasted for a staggering 20 years. King Dharkai hadn't returned to the nation ever since; no one has ever heard from him. After 20 years, a truce was settled on all sides. Too much blood has been spilled already that the rivers were running red. For a momentary time, every faction separated and tended to their own survival. Hence, the five factions were created. Each was named after the deity that was believed to exist on those lands. This fragile yet precious moment of peace lasted for 40 years. But then again, it was not to last. During those 40 years, the five factions had already agreed to a conclave that would happen every decade on the only neutral area in Ragir: the Drabanom islands. In this conclave, the leaders would discuss important matters such as status of their faction, news, reports of Dharkai, and a very important topic that they always avoid, the chance for unity once more. During the Third Conclave, the leaders assembled swiftly in the Halls of Drakas, the god of justice. Then, what happened next was passed on differently from one faction to the other. According to some, the leader of the Zhat faction suddenly killed the leader of the Uskiel'i. Then again, some say that this was the sorcery of the leader of the Aschecia leader, hence, the Zhat leader dropped dead almost immediately after murdering the Uskiel'i leader. Some also tell that this was all the plan between the Toquayth and the Evoredra to manipulate the Aschecia, and in the end, the leaders from the two factions betrayed one another. There is no clear story, and the truth is yet to be known. The story might be vague, but the consequences were as clear as day-- there would be war once more should this issue not be resolved. The current leaders saw that another war would annihilate all of them, and so, they mustered all their discipline to call another conclave. Here, the truth would be found. The leaders have hired a famed Truth-Teller from the distant nation of Akalagoli to examine the evidences. This is where YOU come in. The conclave will begin 5 days from now. The leaders are now preparing for it-- mentally, emotionally, and most importantly, physically. They have their witnesses and evidences to take to Drabanom to find out the truth. But then again, things might turn dark as it always have happened. Something... or someone might have different plans. Hence, you could be one of the leaders of the five factions. Perhaps the retainers of the leaders or some servants. Truth be told... a simple "misunderstanding" shattered Ragir. One more "misunderstanding" and the five factions might be reduced to nothing more than just mere myths of a once proud nation that once stood beneath the rising sun.

The Factions

The Royal Communion of Zhat

A proud faction that is known as the largest of them all. Zhatians are fearsome combatants who are exceptional in traditional militaristic arts such as cavalry and the like. They are the most skilled when it comes to hand-to-hand combat. The farms and forests of Zhat make up their bounty which the people enjoy greatly. Capital: Palt Cities: Lylnt, Fehr, Ryndtor, & Nend Main Trade: Crops and Lumber Leader: (To be filled)

Cult of Aschecia

A once merry town has now turned secretive and sour towards outsiders. Little is known about the current Aschecia, but many agree that they have the deadliest and foulest of arcane and spells. Physical strength is not really a thing in Aschecia, but the tales of shattering magic is enough to make others think twice about attacking them. Capital: Skelocia Cities: Skelocia Main Trade: Spellbooks, Charms, and Runes Leader: (To be filled)

Uskiel'ian Guild

The Uskiel'ians are famed as the most intelligent and innovative out of all the factions. Their staggering inventions such as flyers/gliders make them one of the leading powerhouses. They aren't the most versed in martial arts, but their minds prove to be a greater threat than one would think. As the saying goes, the pen is mightier than the sword. Capital: It'bani Cities: Eraz'e & Eld'ther Main Trade: Varied Inventions Leader: (To be filled)

Evoredra's Defiant Seekers

Brave and trained with harsh conditions, Evoredrans are the most enduring and persevering people found in Ragir. The biting winter and the scorching heat are nothing more than just mere rain and shine to these individuals. They are known as fantastic tailors and apothecaries which explains their capability to survive in harsh environments. Truthfully, Evoredrans don't even need to fight in wars-- their terrains do it for them Capital: Mamuph Cities: Zijaiv Main Trade: Garments and Medicines Leader: (To be filled)

Children of Toquayth

Boastful of Toquayh's blood, the dragon god, that is said to run through their veins, the denizens of this faction are warmongers who use brute strength and disgusting bloodlust in combat. They are excellent weapon-smiths and sell their equipment at the premium of prices. It's not an empty threat though, because simple swords forged in Toquayh are rumored to be able to cut through trees in a single slice. Capital: Eurith Cities: Issnaleth, Upoth & Ifoth Main Trade: Weaponry Leader: (To be filled)

Magical Abilities

Since they're all humans, the people of Ragir possess limited magical capabilities. There is an exception with the Cult of Aschecia, whose denizens have dabbled in deep magical arts. Hence, most mages coming from the four factions must use a conduit to tap into magical energy or the Aether which is found all around. Conduits can be found in the form of Ether-Words, Staves, Wands, Runes, and the like. However, some may not require such conduits and can be considered as a gifted individual. Most aschecians can easily use magic without conduits, but they are taxed more heavily when using these spells without said conduits. A unique trait is passed down within the Toquayth royal bloodline where some of its members have the ability to metamorphose into a dragon-- most partially. Hence, this is where the so called "blood of the dragon" myth came from. Only one was able to fully shift into a dragon and that was the ancient leader Dharkai. Most Toquayth denizens can only partially shift, and that can tax them heavily in terms of lifespan if used too much. Notes: 1. Most of Ragir's denizens are humans, and other races are extremely rare to find in Ragir. An example would be the truth-teller from Akalagoli. In other words, other races are found in other nations. As much as possible, I would like this RP to be similar to a sandbox, and as such, you can invent races or nations as long as you discuss it in your CS in the "Others" section. 2. As much as possible, I want this RP to at least stimulate your noggins', so expect horrid events to happen if some characters fail to make the correct decisions. As that weird french teacher in Mr. Bean said: "Details, details!" 3. I would like your posts to be able to move the plot-- not simply just hold the plot in a single location. You want a faction to wage war against another faction? Build your ICs around that idea, and it might happen! 4. As a GM, I might become busy from time to time (because college :c), and if ever I do not resurface for an extended amount of time, feel free to move the plot as desired. I will take the responsibility of backtracking every post. 5. I might also enlist some Co-GMs to help me facilitate. 6. Most importantly, have fun and be cool! Don't forget to keep everything balanced (which means, no god modding and everything that ruins the fun for everyone), aright?

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Cubix A Hooded Writer

Cubix A Hooded Writer

The Grey Dust The / Grey

Cubix A Hooded Writer