[OOC] The Accomplished

[Hunter of Dreams]

These characters look amazing everyone!

[Roleplayer001]

Yeah, if I get a few more character sheets up tomorrow I may be able to start the IC by friday or saturday, which would be nice.

[Hunter of Dreams]

.

[Dead Cruiser]

Volkimir Sturmkirk

Dark Prince of the Shadowlands

Volkimir Sturmkirk

Vampire Battlemage



A tallish man with the well-balanced build of an experienced warrior, Volkimir Sturmkirk is a striking figure to behold. His features are sharp and angular, balanced by his masculine brow and strong jawline. His eyes are the most distinctive feature of his face; their black sclera and golden, luminous irises are distinctly inhuman, and Volkimir's gaze is piercing and predatory. Sharp, white fangs are revealed whenever he smiles or speaks, and his incisor teeth seem unnaturally sharp and jagged. His hair hangs to the top of his shoulderblades, and is so fair that in most lighting it seems completely white. Volkimir's skin, while usually so pale as to seem translucent, takes on a sickly, ashen hue when exposed to sunlight, stripping away his last disguise of humanity.

While his adornments vary depending upon his company and preoccupation, Volkimir's prefered attire strikes a balance between the practicality of adventuring clothes, the mystique of a dark magician and the regality of a noble knight. A floor-length, ornate leather coat is worn over a enameled, ruby-encrusted breastplate. Engraved armor plates are set into the shoulders and forearms of the coat, the shins of his black, woolen trousers, and the toes of his thick-soled leather boots. His distinctive coat is apparently filled with numerous hidden pockets and compartments, and can deploy a hood to shield him from daylight.

Actual Age
While Volkimir appears no older than his late twenties, he is in fact well into his seventh century.

Race
Volkimir is a Vampire, though he was originally a mere Human.

Gender
Volkimir is male; his transformation has not changed that much.

Rise to Power
Legends and myths surrounding the Dark Prince of Schattenwald stretch back several centuries, and vary greatly depending on the region and time period. However, certain facets of the story seem ubiquitous enough to be accepted as truth. Generations ago, the thick forests and jagged mountains of Schattenwald (known by most outsiders as the Shadowlands) were not as dark and profane a place as they are today. The nobility of the land, the high house of Sturmkirk, was well-respected by their courtly peers, and had yet to glimpse the forsaken reputation that they now carry. The tale begins with a famine blighting the fields and forests of Schattenwald; farms became barren lakes of dust, and trees withered to blackened husks. Common folk starved in droves, driving many into despair and madness. The ruling Prince of House Sturmkirk went to great lengths to save his dying people, each more desperate and esoteric than the last. Prayer to the region's guardian angels, invigorating wizardry, and even ritual sacrifice did not turn the tide of death from his lands. As his own wife and sons succumbed to starvation, it is said that the Prince went mad with grief, and sought to cure the famine once and for all by consorting with a demon.

The demon (the specific identity of which greatly debated) was summoned with an offering of mortal blood, but found such a sacrifice to be unworthy of the task requested of him. To save the starving peoples of Schattenwald, he would require the blood of an angel. With a deceptive prayer for help, the Prince lured one of the region's few remaining angels (believed with more confidence to have been known as Marycz) to the dungeons beneath his ancestral manor. There, he trapped her with dark magic, and exsanguinated her. Offering the angel's silvery blood to his demonic patron, the Prince and his noble subjects were cursed by the demon with Vampirism. They would not starve, but only as long as they fed on one another. Even so, the curse carried the unexpected boon of immortality, and so the Dark Prince still lives to this day. Some will say that the Prince feared death, and sought immortality from the beginning. Others claim that the demon was responsible for the famine that began this unfortunate chain of events. Regardless, the fall of House Sturmkirk was seen as the beginning of Schattenwald's descent into darkness, and the original sin for which the Shadowlands are cursed.

The vampire Volkimir Sturmkirk is more an ill omen than a man. This mysterious figure has plumbed ancient depths and sought after forgotten powers, and as such his prowess in battle and might of magic are both formidable. He wanders the world, searching endlessly for distraction and diversion in progressively debase and debaucherous pleasures. Though he refers to himself as "Prince," and carries the forsaken Sturmkirk name, none can say for sure if he is the same Dark Prince of legend, as evidence exists suggesting that he both is and is not. In any case, over his centuries of travel, Volkimir has taken hold of the fate of nations and peoples on several occasions, either saving them from destruction, or damning them to obliteration. Whether this is done as a part of a strange agenda, or merely for his own entertainment, none can say for sure.

Reputations of the Dark Prince vary wildly, as his capricious nature has made him a bane or a boon to many different regions and cultures. Remarkable is his near-universal revilement by other Vampires, who refer to him with the epithet of "Mortifier." In a time past, the Vampire nobles of Schattenwald sought to expand their claim, and drove their undead legions into neighboring regions in pursuit of riches and conquest. While their power was great and the threat posed by them seemed grave, Volkimir stood against their onslaught. With expansive traps of wizardry and unholy alliances with angels and demons alike, Volkimir turned back the zombie hordes of Schattenwald, in some cases even turning their armies against themselves. As the invasions failed, and the Vampire nobles were sent cowering back to the depths of the Shadowlands, they cursed Volkimir as a traitor to their kind, and swore bloody vengeance.

Combat Skills
Whereas most mortals are given a handful to decades at the most to practice their arts, Volkimir has had centuries to perfect his own. He is a swordsman par excellence, wielding a bastard sword with inhuman power and grace. As a Vampire, Volkimir has a number of advantages that ordinary mortals do not possess. His strength and speed, when unaugmented by magic, are both twice that of a Human. He can see in darkness just as easily as in light, and his senses are sharp enough to hear a heartbeat from across a room, or smell one's bloodscent from half a kilometer away. Volkimir can move in complete silence, if he so chooses, and can survive for a month on only a single life's worth of blood. Naturally, Vampirism carries several disadvantages: sunlight is severely discomforting, searing his skin and inducing migraines from prolonged exposure. Silver nauseates him, and seeing his own reflection (particularly in a silver mirror) inflicts him with delirium, and silver-reflected moonlight induces temporary blindness. While he can recover from most wounds faster than a mortal, those made with living wood blacken and fester rather than heal cleanly.

Volkimir has studied and learned to wield a mostly-forgotten dark magic known as sangromancy. This school of magecraft controls and manipulates flesh, bone and blood, particularly the lattermost. As a sangromancer, Volkimir can raise undead servants, imbue himself or others with unnatural strength and vitality, sap and absorb the strength of others by draining their vital energies, create strange structures and objects from biological matter, mend wounded or blighted flesh and bone, or simply force the flesh of his enemies to turn to ash. One of the most advanced applications of this dark art is to willfully control the blood and musculature of a living creature, allowing Volkimir to turn anything that bleeds into a flesh puppet. Naturally, as a form of magecraft, sangromancy drains Volkimir physically as he uses it, but he has adopted the technique of consuming the life-force of others with his magic, thus forcing his enemies to be the fuel source of his magic.

Hobbies
Over his innumerable years of travel and hedonism, Volkimir has acquired many eclectic interests and pastimes, each with a certain level of sinful depravity. That said, he seems most fond of exploration and adventure for their own sake, and witnessing the marvels of the ancient and natural worlds. Lost ruins and forgotten cultures fascinate Volkimir, and he studies and investigates them with rapt attention. Equally so, strange creatures and wonders of natural beauty command his attention, and he has a mind to keep a menagerie of his favorite exotic species.

Gear
Volkimir's armor, while said by some to contain the damned souls of every person that he has killed, is in reality rather mundane. While it is of luxurious quality, it is simply steel, enamel and leather. More worth of rumors would be the large ruby embedded in the center of Volkimir's breastplate. Any life energies that Volkimir himself cannot contain within his own body, he stashes away in this sangromantic gemstone, saving the excess power for times of distress. In the numerous secretive compartments in Volkimir's coat he has stashed a variety of small trinkets found in his travels, miniature bottles containing potent potions and poisons, easily-concealed supplies such as blades, lockpicks and matches, several varieties of coinage and legal documentation, and small scrolls and books that he is fond of.

Almost as famous as the man himself is Volkimir's bastard sword: Elbrus, the Bound Blade. While ornate in design and flawless in construction, Elbrus is quite unusual in having been forged of thunderbolt iron, fallen from the stars. The blade is seemingly unbreakable, with an edge as sharp as winter, and so dark in color that it appears to consume light rather than reflect it. Intensely magical, the sword absorbs the life-force of those it wounds, giving Volkimir a considerable advantage in lengthy duels. However, this is not a mere enchantment; Elbrus has bound within it a powerful demon, sealed within the sword ages ago by a holy warrior that gave his own life to contain the monster. The sword has an unspeakably unholy aura to those sensitive to such matters, and the demon whispers foul promises and fouler threats to anyone weak of will that comes to wield Elbrus.

Retinue
In Volkimir's experience, it is usually best to leave entire bloodlines or nations indebted to oneself, rather than individuals. He has a particular habit of outliving most people he meets, and this practice serves him best. His personal accompaniment appears to be small, but potent. A handful of Schattenwalder Blackguard knights and their squires, a spare few Vampire Bloodwitches from the swamplands of Malakir, a hired necro-alchemist and his menagerie of engineered zombies, a collection of bound geists, and an enthralled pack of werewolves from the moors of the Shadowlands.

Retirement
While the Dark Prince has yet to "retire," per say, he has not been sighted in more than ten years. The last known sighting of Volkimir Strumkirk placed him in the foothills of Schattenwald, slowly making his way into the hinterland. He was not alone, however, as he seemed to have been commanding a diverse host of soldiers. Banners from many lands flew over his small army, and various dark and vicious beasts stalked ahead of the host as its vanguard. Word has been silent from the cursed Shadowlands in recent years, but far fewer horrors have crept out from its unhallowed depths, and angels seem to have returned to the damnable lands.

Family
As a member of the noble House Sturmkirk, Volkimir is at least distantly related to nearly every member of the vampire nobility of Schattenwald. That said, he is universally hated by his house and their allies, due to his "betrayal" of their attempted invasion more than a hundred years past. Volkimir is reputed to be of some relation to the legendary Sturmkirk Prince that damned Schattenwald ages ago, or to be the man himself.

Miscellaneous
Though he would sooner kill someone than admit it, Volkimir has a deathly phobia of heights.

[ancient dragon]

I will try to have a new CS up later today.

[Roleplayer001]

@Hunter of Dreams I think your character will be funny to bring along. Since her fame is mostly due to her race, I wonder how she'll match up with the others. Post in the CS section.

@Dead Cruiser And that's a terrifying bastard. Post in the CS section.

[The New Yorker]

This is already a cool group.

[Hunter of Dreams]

Thank you @RabidAnubis! :) I half expected to have to change things, such in-depth character sheets aren't a strong suit of mine and I wasn't sure if her rise to power was too vague or fractured.

@The New Yorker I agree! It's so much fun to read through all these character sheets! You all are really talented, the characters look amazing!

[Roleplayer001]

Yeah. I'm just going to commit a large amount of lore robbery and save this stuff for my 'standard fantasy world' document on my computer. It's easier if you produce the content than me XD

[Hunter of Dreams]

That is brilliant!!! I shall have to remember that :D

[ancient dragon]

Here is my new CS submission. It is a little more out-there than my last, but I think he will be an interesting character to play. He definitely shouldn't overlap with anyone else's characters, I don't think.

Blood-Mane Character Sheet

Protector of Death's Peak

Blood-Mane

Mountain Troll



Blood-Mane is a giant, brutish creature, standing at nearly 60 feet tall. He has a stocky, muscular body covered in long, dirty-gray fur. He is adorned with long, sharp teeth, deep black eyes, and a large nose and ears.

Actual Age: Around 300 (Neither he nor anyone else has kept exact record.)
Race: Troll
Gender: Male

Rise to Power:

Excerpt from “The History of the Kingdom of Death's Peak”:

“Long ago, where our great kingdom now sits atop this mountain, there lived a troll. He was christened by storytellers and bards with the name Blood-Mane, and was one of the most fearsome monsters of his era. Men who fated to wander to the top of the mountain were rumored to be found the meal of this fearsome creature. It was said that no man who had ever faced him lived to tell the tales of the great beast. Many heroes and adventurers were lost to Blood-Mane on this very mountaintop, where he made his home. This is how the mountain, which should later become our land, became know as Death's Peak.

…

Pursued by the tyrannous King Oarus and his great and terrible army, the rebels, who were to become the founders of our great kingdom, found themselves surrounded and insurmountably outnumbered, forced into retreat up the same mountain which the legend of Blood-Mane lived. As was the story of all men who made the trek up the mountain of the beast, the band of rebels was swiftly captured and overpowered by Blood-Mane, dragged into his cave, and crudely bound. However, unlike the other stories of old, be it out of mercy, curiosity, or a full stomach, the great Blood-Mane heard the pleas of the rebels and the tales of their flee from the destruction caused by the terrible King Oarus.

For whatever reason, the beast agreed to protect the rebels, and in his mercy allowed the band to flee farther up the mountain. Soon thereafter, the grand army of the tyrannous king arrived on the peak, hearts set to destroy the rebel outfit. They did not expect to meet a beast of legend.

The battle that followed was massive, and one worthy of song of heroism on both sides. Even the giant and feared Blood-Mane was met with challenge, and the armies of King Oarus nearly destroyed him. It is lost to legend, but it is said that the valiant efforts of such a brute creature, and the worthy goals of the rebel's cause, were looked upon favorably by those who grant magic and greatness, and a power, unlike any other given to his kind, was bestowed upon Blood-Mane. The beast defeated the terrible army in a fury so grand, it is said that the ground shook three kingdoms away.

From that day forth, Blood-Mane became the protector of the rebels, and eventually the kingdom of Death's Peak which they founded. No forces were able to stand against the troll's powerful and otherworldly might. In this, the kingdom remained in safety, even in times when the land laid in great turmoil elsewhere. It is credited, in song and lore, that the wonderful creature Blood-Mane was the bearer of the prosperity that has since settled in abundance on this kingdom.

…

For one-hundred winters, the beast known as Blood-Mane protected our kingdom, and then one-hundred more winters before the writing of this book, he vanished. Some say he was slain by a new and powerful hero. Others say he is not more than a creature of stories and legend. But it is believed by most of those who dwell in Death's Peak, that Blood-Mane, upon seeing the prosperity of the kingdom, took it upon himself to retire into the desolate mountains of the north.

Many still remember the great Blood-Mane as a monster. But to the people of Death's Peak, we will forever remember him for what he was. A hero.”

(End of excerpt)

Combat Skills:

Brute Strength: Blood-Mane channels a (rumored magical) level of strength in battle.

Tough Skin: It is much harder to injure him, though he can be cut and he does bleed.

Hobbies:

Hunting
Fishing
Basket-Weaving

Your Gear:

In short, nothing. Blood-Mane does not usually use weapons aside from the occasional fallen tree or boulder. He also has a thick coat of fur and does not need warm clothes.

It is rumored that he still wears an amulet, under his fur, that was given to him by the people of Death's Peak for his service.

Your retinue:

Blood-Mane travels alone.

Retirement:

Seriously, basket-weaving. No one is quite sure how it is done with such big hands, but he is truly one of the best. What else does a troll do with his retirement. With over one-hundred years in relative solitude, Blood-Mane has quietly refined his craft. Chances are, if you have purchased a fine basket in the past century, it may have been shipped from the far northern peaks, crafted by a rather large artisan.

Your family:

No family to speak of. Blood-Mane has spent the past century in peaceful isolation.

[ancient dragon]

I have really enjoyed reading everyone's character sheets. There are a lot of really well designed characters in this role-play, I think. I look forward to seeing where this goes.

[Roleplayer001]

@ancient dragon Now THAT's not something I was expecting. However, I would consider your character old enough, powerful enough, and famous enough. Accepted.

THE ROLEPLAY WILL BE STARTING TOMORROW, as I think that is everyone.

[Dead Cruiser]

THE ROLEPLAY WILL BE STARTING TOMORROW, as I think that is everyone.

@RabidAnubis

Yes, good, I am excite.

I'm thinking of putting a good bit of characterization into Volkimir's retinue. Particularly the necro-alchemist; there's a lot to be said for someone that makes custom zombies at a reasonable price.

[ancient dragon]

@RabidAnubis Thank you!

[Roleplayer001]

Examplar of the Brilliant Gold

Acamen Hopsfield

Human White Mage

Appearance
While not wearing robes, Acamen appears to be flawless. That is not to say he is handsome, just to say that no blight or blemish or disfigurement has touched his body. Compared to most men, the white mage is smaller than his reputation, standing at a modest five-foot six and lean in build. However, that build is 145 pounds of pure muscle from his many years of traveling. His light olive skin indicates than he was initially from the south, but his recent travels up north have slowly drained away his native coloring. The white mages eyes and hair are both a brilliant gold, probably a result of an overuse of white magic.

Age: Fifty Six
Race: Human
Gender: Male

Rise to Power
Born into the peasantry, Acamen's was the son of a brewer. Acamen could be said to be part of the middle class, so being friends with some of the more well-off children was not uncommon.

The future white mage had been childhood friends with Maruna, the daughter of the local baronet. As they approached the early teenage years the two started to become more romantic and the baronet split them apart upon being informed that they had been holding hands and kissing. Despite the possibility of being executed, Acamen walked straight up to the lord's manor and accused him of being unfair. After all, this was true love. The local baronet, sympathetic to Acamen, stated that the reality of the world was that Acamen was the son of a high quality brewer while Maruna was nobility. The lady had already received a marriage offer from a thirty-something year old knight who had taken lands in a recent war.

Acamen stated that Maruna wouldn't be happy with the knight, which the baronet agreed to. So the baronet made an offer; if Acamen could prove himself more manly and bring along a larger dowry than the knight could offer, Acamen could take Maruna's hand in marriage. Acamen vowed he would be back by the end of the week. The future mage immediately went to the tavern his mother ran, the village laughing at the young man.

Acamen returned with five times the knights drowry at the end of the week. The baronet, surprised, asked how Acamen acquired so much gold. Upon summoning a golden staff of light engraved in draconic runes, it became clear that Acamen had defeated the dragon god of light. The baronet was glad to allow Acamen to join hands with his daughter. The village threw a party for them, singing praises to their new hero.

Two years later Acamen broke up with Maruna because she had become a bitch. Her reputation as the hero's girl made her gradually become insufferable. Acamen, wanting to avoid the fallout, left home at sixteen to explore the world.

The white mage immediately met up with an angel, also named Maruna, and after much confusion started traveling with her. Over time, they defeated the dragon gods of water, fire, and darkness. They acquired artifacts from each of them along with a ridiculous amount of wealth, on the sole condition that Acamen never explained to anyone how the pair defeated the dragon gods. The angel, although initially annoyed that Acamen had defeated one of her gods, eventually grew to appreciate the young man. Maruna started to cook the mage dinner, sing him songs, and take care of him.

Ten years had passed, and the angel eventually gave up and simply asked the white mage what their relationship was. The white mage blinked, assuming they were just good friends, and she was simply being nice to him because she was an angel. After some violence and a little convincing, they were married. Acamen was twenty seven.

Years passed and the pair took down many beasts, great and small. They fought in the Schattenwald over the years. They healed the wounded. They cured great kings of ailments no other could. Eventually they had a child. After raising her for ten years the pair returned to adventuring, stepping up their game. Partially wanting to impress the other and partially wanting to impress their daughter, the parents would head into more and more dangerous quests. Their reputation grew. After confronting an entire undead army together in Schattenwald, Maruna died in Acamen's hands. The forty four year old mage ended his career on the spot.

Combat Skills
Acamen is a masterful white mage. Not just a simple healer, Acamen is adept at calling upon both his own strength and those in the heavens to smite those who stand before him. He can enhance allies endurance, allowing them to fight longer. He can cast heavenly chains upon those who he wants to capture or who are moving too damn much for him to be able to cast a major spell on. He can temporarily allow himself to fly, granting him a bird's eye's view of the battlefield. These are just a few examples of his white magic.

The Exemplar also has learned the spear well, but most of his strength is because of the weapon itself and not natural talent.

Hobbies
Brewing - Sometimes, Acamen wants to experience the nostalgia of his home town.
Singing - Having learned it from his wife, this is one of the things Acamen learned from her over time. He sometimes does it while he fights.
Games - Want to play tafl? Acamen will be your player.
Melee fighting - While having little talent in the area and incapable of acquiring divinity, Acamen has always enjoyed the tales of knights.
Reading - He is a Magician and therefore gathering knowledge is essential.

Your Gear
The Brilliant Gold - While normally a staff, the points can join together at the top to form a spear. This staff enhances white magic and is the sign that Acamen defeated the dragon god of light. He holds this weapon dear.
The Purity - The robes Acamen wear give him resistance against mind altering affects and combined with the small amount of armour beneath grant him protection against melee attacks. Somehow, they seem to weigh only a few pounds. Formally worn by an archangel, the dragon god of darkness granted these to Acamen
The Crusafix - A holy cross enhancing his abilities to call upon the heavens, this formerly belonged to Maruna. He holds it sacred.
The Crimson Flame - The legendary sword of fire granted by the fire dragon god. Having never actually used it, Acamen is looking to give it away.

Your retinue
Thirty Golden Lances - Heavily armored and riding white horses, these Paladins are loyal to Acamen after his deeds in the name of the dragon god. Many of these men were personally trained by Acamen.
Ezekala - Named after her grandmother, Ezekala is Acamens twenty five year old daughter. An angel, she wears her mother's robes and wields her sword. She has a special hatred for darkness and is somewhat immature (she is mentally sixteen due to being an angel). However, she is incredibly strong.

Retirement
Acamen's twelve year retirement rotated between his parent's tavern and the tower that he and Maruna lived in. At his parent's tavern he focused on raising his daughter and enjoying himself. The white mage learned to brew and how to run a buisness, and enjoyed life in a more casual manner. He remet with Maruna, and found out that she was happy with her marriage to the knight. After catching up, they rekindled their friendship. Maruna is somewhat of a mother figure to Ezekala, and advises her on life.

At his tower, the white mage continues to study and trains his daughter along with the next generation of Paladins and Lightcallers. Regarded as one of the best teachers, many of his former students are excited to see him in action and are eager to travel to the north.

It is rumored that sometimes he visits the dragon gods he defeats, but that is not certain.

Your family
With both his parents still alive (mostly due to being around a healing bulb) and his daughter, Acamen has his family that he loves. Many of his students are like children, and will visit him from time to time in order to tell him of their accomplishments.

[Roleplayer001]

Okay so after my character is approved by the GM I'll post the IC. It'll probably take me a bit because I need a brake after typing that.

[Roleplayer001]

IC up.

[Dead Cruiser]

Bit slow, eh?

[Deadnaut]

I'll have my starter up either sometime tonight or tomorrow