The Age of Chaos
In the days following the holocaust, which came to be known as the Great White, there was death and madness. In part, this was the effect of the lingering radiation rained on the world from the skies. Those fortunate enough to live on remote holdings and farms were spared the chemical destruction of the Great White, though they had seen the skies whiten and had understood that it meant death. These people preserved their untainted land and families ruthlessly, slaughtering the hundreds of refugees who poured from the poisoned cities.
This time of siege was called the Age of Chaos and lasted until no more came from the cities. Unaware that the cities were now only silent graveyards on endless black plains where nothing lived or grew, the most powerful farmers formed a Council to protect their community from further siege, and to mete out justice and aid.
As the years passed, more people did come to the Land where the Council ruled but they were few, and poor creatures half mad from their journey across the shattered lands, instinctively making way for one of the few regions untainted by the black death that covered the earth. They learned quickly to swear allegiance to the Council, only too grateful to join a settled society. And peace came to the Land.
But time proved the remote community had not completely escaped the effects of the Great White. Mutations in both man and beast were high. Not fully understanding the reason for the mutations, the Council feared for the community and decreed any man or beast not born completely normal, must be burned. To remove any qualms people might have about the killings, these burnings took on a ritual air, and were used by the Council to remind the people of their fortune in being spared in the holocaust, and of the time of Chaos.
They appointed a fledgling religious order to perform the burnings. The order, called the Herder Faction, believed that the holocaust was punishment from God, whom they called Lud. Gradually religious dogma and law fused and the honest way of the farmer was seen as the only right way. Machines, books and all the artifacts of the old world that had perished, were abhorred and destroyed.
Some resisted the rigid law but by now the Council had provided itself with a fanatical band of protectors, called Soldierguards. Any who dared oppose the Council or the Herders were tried and burnt as Seditioners, or given the lesser charge of being Unsafe and sent to work on the Councilfarms as forced labor.
After some time, the Herder Faction advised the Council that not all mutancies were immediately apparent at birth. Such afflictions as those which attacked the mind mind could be discerned until later.
This created some difficulty, for while the Council saw the opportunity to further manipulate the community, accusing anyone of whom they disapproved of hidden mutancy, it was more difficult to proceed with a ritual burning of someone who had been accepted as normal for most of his or her life. The Council eventually decrees all but the most horribly afflicted of these new kind of mutant would not be burnt, but would be sent to Councilfarms to harvest a dangerously radioactive element called Whitestick. A new name was devised for anyone with an affliction not apparent at birth - Misfit.
It was a dark and violent age, though the Land flourished for generations and even began to cautiously extend its boundaries as the effects of the Great White began at last to wane. New towns were established, all ruled by the iron hand of the Council and the fanatical Herder Faction.
Talented Misfits and Obernewtyn
Unbeknownst to the Council or the Herder Faction some few Misfits were born who weren't simply drooling fools or madmen. These rare Misfits possessed hidden mental abilities, such as the ability to read minds, feel the emotions of others or communicate with beasts. These Talented Misfits, kept their existence a secret, knowing that if their mutations were discovered, no force in the Land would prevent the Council and Herders from burning them without mercy.
Nestled high in the mountains a man named Jacob Seraphim founded an institution called Obernewtyn which, officially was dedicated to the treatment and eventual curing of Misfits. Keepers from Obernewtyn would commonly tour the Orphanages and Councilfarms of the Land, buying Misfits to send to the institute. However, strangely the Keepers were only interested in certain Misfits, taking some while ignoring others.
In truth, Obernewtyn was only interested in Misfits with hidden mental abilities and the Keepers were adept at identifying those Talented Misfits. Jacob Seraphim's grandson, Michael had inherited the institute and he was obsessed with Misfit abilities, ruthlessly experimenting on those discovered to possess them.
One night, however a plot put into effect by Michael's half brother, Rushton Seraphim, and a small group of Talented Misfits saw ownership of the institute fall out of Michael's control and into Rushton's. Officially Rushton was recognised by the Council as the new Master of Obernewtyn to continue his family's work, but in truth Rushton turned Obernewtyn into a safe haven for Misfits, where they could live and learn to harness their mental powers in safety, hidden from the Council.
Misfit Talents
Farseeking: The mental ability to reach out with one's mind to seek out the minds of others. A Farseeker is able to communicate, mind mind, with another Farseeker and can read the thoughts of those without mindshields.
Coercing: Those with this Talent are able to deep probe a person's mind, even forcing their way through a mindshield if they are powerful enough. Once in a person's mind they can manipulate his or her thoughts, erasing memories, planting false information, or even forcing them to obey mental commands.
Healing: Mind over matter. This is truer to Healer than anyone else, as a Healer is able to sink delicately into the mind of another and direct their thoughts and energy into healing injuries or sickness. Instant healing is impossible, but with a Healer's help a broken bone can heal in days, rather than weeks.
Futureseeing: Deep below the subconscious runs a great Mindstream that connects all minds, past present and future. Futureseers delve deep into their own minds, past their subconscious, sinking down until they are dangerously close to this Mindstream, for the impulse to join the Mindstream is powerful and should one succumb they would lose their minds forever. Futureseers train their minds to resist that call to join so that they may float above the Mindstream and catch glimpses of the future.
Empathy: Empaths have the passive ability to receive the emotions of others. Thoughts can be hidden behind a mindshield, but not emotions. That said, the Empath himself can erect a shield to protect himself from feeling unpleasant emotions from others. The most powerful Empaths are able to project emotions into others, striking fear into an enemy's heart or calming the fearful with soothing compassion.
Technopathy: Those with ability possess an form of empathy towards machines and unnatural constructs. They are able to explore technology with their minds, puzzling out it's inner workings. Some are even able to manipulate technology to some degree with their minds, for example, being able mentally pick a lock.
Beastspeaking: Even before the Great White, beasts were far more intelligent than humans gave them credit for. In the aftermath of the holocaust, all beasts gained the ability to communicate mentally amongst themselves. Some humans have also developed this ability to communicate mentally with animals. They are the Beastspeakers.
Cross Talents: Some Misfits were found to have multiple Talents. For example a Farseeker/Coercer could Mind Control someone from a distance. A Coercer/Beastspeaker could control animals. A powerful Empath/Coercer was even discovered who had the ability to produce fear inducing illusions in a person's mind.
Obernewtyn Hierarchy and Guilds
When Rushton Seraphim changed Obernewtyn from a prison where Misfits were experimented on into a sanctuary where they could flourish, he was named Master of Obernewtyn. Guilds were formed and those who were already at Obernewtyn and those who came later were sorted based on their abilities. The leaders of each Guild would meet occasionally in a Guildmerge, where ideas and concerns from each guild would be brought up and voted on. Those with multiple Talents would join a Guild based on their dominant ability, but train with both guilds.
Coercer Guild: Lead by the grim Guildmaster Gevan, the Coercer serves two purposes. They train those with Coercer Talent and also take charge of the defence of Obernewtyn. Understanding that, should it ever be discovered that Obernewtyn is not what the Council believes it to be, there would be war with the Council's Soldierguards. The Coercers train in martial skills and practical combat applications of their Talent.
Empath Guild: Under the gentle guidance of the blind Empath Guildmaster, Dameon, the Empath guild trains young Empaths to use their ability ethically. More importantly, they teach their students how to shield themselves from the emotions of those around them, lest they be overwhelmed.
Futureseer Guild: The soft spoken Guildmistress Mayron leads this guild and brings important matters to the attention of the Guildmerge. The guild spends most of it's time training the minds of its students to ensure they are fully prepared to resist the call of the Mindstream.
Beastspeaker Guild Lead by Guildmaster Alad, a young man raised by a farming family before being pronounced Misfit, the Beastspeaking guild are primarily based on the Obernewtyn farms, ensuring that the mountain institute remains well fed and completely self sufficient. Their Talent leaves them uniquely suited to working alongside the many horses, cows, sheep and other farmyard beasts that also call Obernewtyn home.
Technoguild: Housed in the mountain caves near Obernewtyn and lead by the enthusiastic, if somewhat overbearing, Guildmaster Garth, the Technoguild is devoted to the research of everything from the technology and history of the Beforetimers to new ways to combat the Holocaust Taint that still infects the world. They are a guild of young scientists.
Healer Guild: Led by the irascible Guildmaster Roland, the Healers not only train in mind healing and the application of medical aid, they put those skills into practice. The entire guild is responsible for the care and treatment of everyone at Obernewtyn, even the animals.
Farseeker Guild: Led by the mysterious and solitary Guildmistress Elspeth, The Farseeker guild is commonly tasked with long distance communication and scouting. Their members spend their time strengthening their mental powers and developing new techniques for communicating over immense distances.
Roleplay Summary
So this is a roleplay based on The Obernewtyn Chronicles by Isobelle Carmody. Player will take the roles of Misfits living and training at Obernewtyn during a tenuous time when discovery could mean the destruction of everything that the Misfits had built in the mountains. I anticipate this initially being a heavily character driven roleplay that will eventually transition into story driven roleplay as we all start to get a feel for the universe.
Now a previous understanding of the universe from the books would be great, but to ensure it's not absolutely required I tried to include as much information as possible in this, that way even someone with no foreknowledge of the books can get involved.