[OOC] The Dark Star: Dawn of the Third Keeper [Reboot]

[MercuryHg34]

The Dark Star

Long ago, in eons past, there existed but a single being. This being had no name, and had just one purpose: to maintain the stability of the plane in which he resided by simply keeping track of time. After some immeasurable length of time, this being grew weary and began to lose concentration. Fearing there would be no-one to remember him when he was gone, the being gathered the last of its power and divided it into several pieces. Each piece was a new, independent being which we know as our Guardian Deities. He named them Ignis, Luna, Gaia, Aether, and Celestia. Before disappearing, he professed his final wishes upon them.

"My children... you have been created by my essence, and so I ask of you two tasks to perform. First, you shall together continue to keep time in my stead. The task shall be done in turns, so that the others may have opportunities to expand and create what they will. The First Keeper shall be the one whom I have given the name Celestia, the bearer of most of my essence. She may create one thing before I vanish. Second, all of you shall forever remember that I, your creator, have bestowed the gifts of your existence to you from my own self, and are therefore parts of a single One. Do this and you may do what you please in this plane."

"Your will shall be done" the Guardians responded, and with that the being ceased to exist. As this happened, Celestia filled the entire universe with all manner of stars, planets, galaxies and everything in between. Beginning her task as the First Keeper she proclaimed to the others, "Here is my legacy, which shall consume the entire universe so that my presence is all-encompassing of what you four shall create." Disappearing into the empty space between, Celestia began to keep time, and time continued to flow as it should. Impressed by this, the other Guardians worked together to create something that would rival the brilliance of Celestia's creation.

Ignis gazed among the stars Celestia had created, and using all of his strength, created a star for himself which he named "The Sun". Inhabiting the Sun, Ignis fueled the star with his very being, radiating a warm and comforting light unlike any other in the universe. Nearby planets, once cold and isolated, were drawn to the warmth and began to revolve around the Sun as if in celebration. Luna took notice of a particular planet near the Sun; lonely, dry and barren, she felt sorry for it. She then decided to use her power to fill it with rich blue water in the valleys and canyons, and gentle clouds in the air. "This planet, which I shall name Earth, will sparkle brilliantly in the warmth of the Sun" she said as she transformed into a smaller, pale and round rock near it, now called the "Moon". "I shall protect the Earth from all outside chaos that would do it harm as I guide the waters with my presence"

Seeing the awe-inspiring landscape now decorated by oceans and clouds, Gaia used her power to create all life on Earth. She took special care in creating the Humans, who would resemble her in appearence. Having created this life that would acknowledge the power the Guardians displayed, she retreated into a Great Tree in order to continuously breathe life into the Earth. Now teeming with life and adding a vibrant green hue to the planet, Earth seemed to be complete. Aether, however, decided to add one more element to the mixture. "It is not enough that the Humans live on this planet we made. I shall bestow upon them but a fraction of my own power, so that they too can create and innovate on their own." And so Aether diffused himself amongst the Humans, granting them intelligence, wisdom, and most importantly, the power of the ethereal essence of Mana.

Celestia, seeing all of this, became quite jealous of their accomplishment. Forced to keep time, she could do nothing to add to the planet Earth. Soon, Celestia had been forgotten and only the distant stars in the sky remained to tell her story.

Several thousand years later, the Earth experienced a prosperous Golden Age stronger than any before it. The seasons were gentle on crops, once warring nations now shook hands in the name of peace, and research into Mana has allowed impressive magic to develop. People work hard to provide for their families and to better their communities as well. Across the globe, thousands gather to pray in shrines dedicated to the four Guardians that created the Earth. All is well as the human race prepares for the largest event in history since their creation: The Dawn of The Second Keeper.

To decide which Guardian would take up the daunting task of keeping time for the next several millennium, an oracle chosen by the Guardians themselves performed a ritual designed to choose a Guardian arbitrarily and without bias. Once the ritual was complete, it was decided that Aether would become the second keeper of time. However, in the briefest of moments between Celestia's freedom and Aether's ascension, she exacted her revenge for being so easily forgotten.

Utilizing the power of the void, Celestia laid a foul curse on all that the other guardians had created. First she cast a deep darkness on the Sun, dimming its light until there was barely enough to illuminate the sky. Next, the clouds began to rain ceaselessly over the land, and the oceans became tainted with the curse of the void. Finally, the once peaceful creatures of the land assumed hideous forms and inherited a lust for blood as the Great Tree slowly withered away until it could barely stay alive. Ignis, Luna and Gaia all fought with their combined might just to manage this uneven balance, saving the Earth from total destruction.

Aether, seeing the catastrophe unfold before him, had little choice but to fight Celestia himself. As time began to slowly slip away, he desperately used all but a tiny fraction of his power to seal Celestia away with his mana. The prison she inhabited came to be known as the Dark Star, an ominous black sphere sharing the sky with the Sun and Moon. Because he had been so weakened, he had no more mana left to spare for humanity as he assumed his position as the Second Keeper. Without the help of the guardians, the humans were left only with the mana already bequeathed to them before Aether's departure. For generations they carefully held onto this precious gift while biding the time until Celestia's seal would come undone.

Now, in the present, the signs of Celestia's return are stronger than ever. The only hope of survival left comes in the form of a small miracle, one that occurs only once every several thousand years... the appearence of another oracle. Able to speak to the guardians themselves, this person has learned the one way that humanity can be saved...

And it's up to you to make sure they don't die trying.

---

Character Sheet
Name:
Age:
Gender:
Appearance: (Image and description encouraged, but just one will suffice)
Personality: (At least a paragraph)
Bio: (Be as creative as possible. I'm pretty flexible with back story stuff, so write as much as you want. At least one paragraph.)
---

Some info about the setting mentioned by me, may answer any questions you have:

About Magic/Mana

"Human is the only playable race, and spell casting is allowed. In the IC I was going to elaborate that mana granted to humans is a permanent thing; you either have mana to cast magic with or you don't, and how strong a caster you are depends on how much of it you can precisely control. For example, a weak magician might consistently access 50% of their mana and only be able to fine-tune a portion of that, whereas an adept magician can access over 75% and use almost all of it precisely. Mana would also have been in your family tree, so your ancestors or any children you have might have mana too. The "conservation of mana" aspect is mostly people trying to make the most use of the mana-wielders left since they are dying off little by little."

"Mana is expended when spells are cast, similarly to using your stamina or endurance to sprint. If you run too much or really fast, you're going to tire out quickly. Think of magic as the same. You'll become tired from abusive spellcasting in much the same way as fighting or doing other physically extreme activities, and you'll feel fine after resting just like anyone else. People with more mana will obviously be able to handle more use of magic.
This won't be a quantifiable mechanic in the roleplay, but really acting the condition of your character is encouraged.
Because of the wild and powerful nature of mana, spellcasting would be on average more strenuous than traditional martial fighting, but in exchange, magic is as versatile as your imagination."

"As with any magic, as long as you don't Mary-Sue or extend past obvious limits you can cast magic however it fits your character. If you ever have any doubts you can just ask me in the OOC before posting in the IC."

On Necromancy

"A necromancer uses their Mana in an unusual way. Instead of directing it out into the physical realm, they use it to create paths between Life and Death. Through these paths, they can communicate with spirits, or even draw them into Life. This Mana pathway allows the dead spirit passage, and becomes a direct link between the soul of the living necromancer and the dead spirit. It allows communication or, if need be, for the necromancer to bind the spirit to their will and control them. Connecting to Death has an effect on the bodies of the practitioner. It takes away the color of their hair, and makes them sallow and pale. Physically, they are usually of normal health, but they appear to be weakened by it. It is only an appearance, however. Death leaches the color from their bodies, but nothing more.

This same connection can be forged with a being already on this side of the Divide. Since the dark curse enacted by Celestia, many beings return from death to roam the earth, and a necromancer can create a mana bridge to their spirit as well. For a Black Necromancer seeking a servant, this is done easier than pulling the spirit from Death. Meanwhile, a White Necromancer would seek to force this being back into Death.

This connection can also be made with living things, but living vitality in and of itself creates a very strong defense against it. Only the very strong, and quite insidious would even attempt to subvert the will of a living thing. The closer one is to death, though, the less vitality they have and the easier prey they are for a Black Necromancer.

As Mana users, most Necromancers have other tricks up their sleeves, though the practice of necromancer is very time and energy consuming and they would usually learn bare minimums. In addition to this, the sort of magic they seek to learn is often colored by their predilection for the morbid."

About the Nations/Geography

"Alexandria - This kingdom is one of the largest human civilizations, consisting of many states that spread from its capital in the center, also called Alexandria. Geographically it's located in the center of a large continent with several other smaller kingdoms nearby, but most of human life is contained within these kingdoms as the surrounding landscapes are teeming with monsters and other effects of the curse."

[Gisk]

Is this a human only world?

And can was use magic? It sounds like the people are trying to conserve Mana, so I don't know if a spellcaster is a viable character.

[MercuryHg34]

Human is the only playable race, and spell casting is allowed. In the IC I was going to elaborate that mana granted to humans is a permanent thing; you either have mana to cast magic with or you don't, and how strong a caster you are depends on how much of it you can precisely control. For example, a weak magician might consistently access 50% of their mana and only be able to fine-tune a portion of that, whereas an adept magician can access over 75% and use almost all of it precisely. Mana would also have been in your family tree, so your ancestors or any children you have might have mana too. The "conservation of mana" aspect is mostly people trying to make the most use of the mana-wielders left since they are dying off little by little.

[Gisk]

So is it like a catalyst, where it's not "used up" when you use it?

[Light]

Mana is expended when spells are cast, similarly to using your stamina or endurance to sprint. If you run too much or really fast, you're going to tire out quickly. Think of magic as the same. You'll become tired from abusive spellcasting in much the same way as fighting or doing other physically extreme activities, and you'll feel fine after resting just like anyone else. People with more mana will obviously be able to handle more use of magic.

This won't be a quantifiable mechanic in the roleplay, but really acting the condition of your character is encouraged.

Because of the wild and powerful nature of mana, spellcasting would be on average more strenuous than traditional martial fighting, but in exchange, magic is as versatile as your imagination.

[Gisk]

How do we feel about necromancy in this world?

[Light]

>feelings
>necromancy
Sir, there seems to be an error in your question, hahah.

[Tyrant from the West]

Gettin started on my cs but i also got some plans later today, so if i don't post today its not because I have contracted writers block, but because my friends take priority 8D

Also, i hope you don't mind if i take a couple liberties while writing this because some info is quite vague. If i take it too far tho, make sure to tell me and i'll try not to be a prick about changing it!

EDIT- Also i hope you don't mind if I use drawings instead of IRL pictures, however Im also trying to stay away from the dangerously desu territory.

[Tyrant from the West]

Iestyn of Ceawlin

Appearance

Armor

Name: Iestyn

Age: 35

Gender: Male

Personality: Iestyn is organized, as well as 'efficient' with both talk and time. Even when relaxed, he is constantly double checking things around him out of habit, plus doing so also puts him at ease. Cleaning, fixing stuff in storage, and just tidying up is not only natural to him but it also helps him calm down. He also is quite sympathetic to his fellow man, and is someone who genuinely wants to help those who he can. However, he can also be narrow-minded, and first impressions last with him. So if you get off to a bad start? Unless he is forced to start thinking otherwise, or significant evidence is provided, Iestyn will view them with disdain for a long time. Although Iestyn tries his best to help others if its within his power, he can be quite violent when it comes to those who hurt others. For example, when it comes to the likes of bandits he will not be the one who leaves survivors.

As for other ticks about him, he is a lover of music and can often be found humming or making beats with his hands and other tools around him in his spare time. Iestyn is also not too charismatic, and will avoid being in situations where he has to talk people into or out of things if someone else who is obviously better suited for the job is available.

Bio: Iestyn's childhood is of little significance, and the only reason it is any kind of significant is because that is how he got his title. He was named after the village in which he was raised, and eventually left to join the army. Iestyn always believed the best way to help others was to be knighted, and that was his goal in life. Plus, if he didn't leave his village chances are he wouldn't have much going for him and he would be forced to become a farmer. So, out of a want to help and an urge to actually live, he would become a knight.

Now, Iestyn never had much experience with magic back in his old home. No one there ever used it, and chances are no one even had enough mana to cast even the simplest of spells. However Iestyn, when he joined the army, discovered that he had barely enough mana to join a certain sect. A sect that called themselves 'Clerics', and were established in the Cathedral of Sundown. Now, Iestyn was not the most adept at either combat or magic, but was trained to fight nonetheless. He became adept at casting 'Enchantment' type magics, because he was unable to effectively cast spells that did damage outright. With his hard-work, and with a strong lack of competition, Iestyn was granted a special level of privilege. he wasn't any ordinary knight, but a member of the Clerics as well.

His early life as a cleric he worked as a member of a force that would take care of injured soldiers and civilians caught up in monster attacks. However, as he aged and moved up the ranks he eventually achieved the rank of 'Paladin', and was given the choice to become a more 'aggressive' member of the Clerics and help uphold the peace in a way that could have more long-lasting effects. He quickly agreed to it, and that is when he really started living up to his title as a knight, as well as a member of the clerics.

If its a little short or i went too far, Ill try to fix it asap! Otherwise, hope its ok.

[Light]

@Tyrant from the West
It seems cool in my opinion, but you'll have to wait for MercuryHg34 to get home from work so he can look it over.

[MercuryHg34]

@Gisk Necromancy is fine, but is frowned upon by society in general. It does have its place though, and you can take liberties when deciding what that place is. As with any magic, as long as you don't Mary-Sue or extend past obvious limits you can cast magic however it fits your character. If you ever have any doubts you can just ask me in the OOC before posting in the IC.

@Tyrant from the West This character is pretty good, If you want to add them to the characters tab that's alright with me. The only thing is that I don't know what kind of weapon you wield, so you can either add that in or you can introduce it through roleplay once we start. Try to stick with typical medieval weapons and you should be fine, anything exotic you can always ask me too. I'm pretty lenient with that stuff as far as this rp goes.

[Gisk]

Rolf

Name: Rolf White
Age: 28
Gender: Male

Appearance

Rolf is a little short, very thin and looks a little sick most of the time. His hair has already lost all color, and is permanently silver white. He's dressed warmly, usually has a staff with him, and smells of sandal wood.

Personality: A shockingly congenial person. Those who know him by trade first are surprised by his demeanor, and those who know him by demeanor first are surprised by his trade. He has a certain zest for life, enjoys drinking and is often smoking; both habits he will aggressively offer to share with those around him. He is vaguely benevolent, and fairly generous, his simple tastes making greed useless to him.


Bio: Rolf comes from a long line of necromancers in his mountain hamlet of Estercrest. His family has had a great deal of Mana in it for as long as anyone can trace back, and somewhere along that family tree they turned it toward death. Their trade makes some people uneasy, but the people of Estercrest have long since embraced their usefulness, even if they keep their distance socially. The White family have historically used their powers to settle inheritance disputes, find lost things, or even solve murders by simply asking the dead about it.

They are also a force of protection for the village, undead creatures fear to go there, and the White family will even travel when asked by a foreign community.

Rolf is the eldest of three siblings, one shows no gift, and the other is their father's current apprentice. Rolf was the apprentice when he was younger, traveling with his father and learning the art. But he is a fully fledged necromancer in his own right now, and has taken up some of the responsibility, his sister taking his place as apprentice. While his sister is training, she serves Estercrest and the surrounding area with their father. Rolf, meanwhile, takes care of any work that requires travel. His work takes him all over the country, from the most urban of cities to the most remote of villages. He makes good money, and sends much of it home to Estercrest.

[MercuryHg34]

@Gisk I like your take on the necromancer, add him to the character tab if you don't have anything else to add!

Light, my co-gm, is going to be playing the role of the Oracle of the Third Keeper, and will be a member of the party. If you guys want to discuss the possible ways of meeting up or establish some prior history so that you are already a party at the start you can do that, but whoever starts in the company of the Oracle will likely be at the royal castle of the kingdom of Alexandria. This kingdom is one of the largest human civilizations, consisting of many states that spread from its capital in the center, also called Alexandria. Geographically it's located in the center of a large continent with several other smaller kingdoms nearby, but most of human life is contained within these kingdoms as the surrounding landscapes are teeming with monsters and other effects of the curse.

[hagroden]

Ved J'zcof

Name
Ved Holven J'zcof
Age
24
Gender
Male
Appearance

5'11 a lean, he has a bit more muscle definition than your average cosmic mage.
Personality
INTP
Bio
Born into a house of Magic, he was accustomed to long hours of dutiful study and even longer hours of tireless Practice. He lived far from civilization, a three day walk, so that he and his family could practice freely and outside of closed doors. At a very young age he showed promise, but in a new and unstudied, complicated matter. It began with objects near him levitating, than escalated progressively into pieces and chunks of items levitating, and either disappear, or shattering in a flash of white light.

At the age of thirteen, his family brought in an ancient, and less than sane man named Abdul Alhazred who claimed he knew of the magic used by Ved, and would train and practice him, in exchange for privacy, housing, and livestock. The man brought with him a single spell book, The Kitab al-Azif, which contained a seemingly endless supply of rituals, practices, techniques, and spells. The book now stays within Ved's possession at ALL times, as he refuses to let it loose from his sight.

After several years, Ved has become an experienced user of Cosmic Magic, an arcane and nearly unheard of art that allows it's users draw power from the universe, and use it's quirks for their own purposes, good or bad. His mastery of abilities includes control over gravitational pull, teleportation, and an offensive spell he rarely finds a need to use, which utilizes his control over gravity to send items hurtling toward a target at impossible speeds.

At around the age of 19, his family finally found what the livestock was being used for. The mad Arab had been using them for summoning rituals, for some sort of obscure beast named Lu-Kthu, upon realization of the dark Magic he was using, they kicked the Old Man Out, and turned to Ved for an explanation. He offered none, for the book he based his entire life on spoke highly on the creature. So in turn, he left his home as well, traveling with the old man until his timely passing, and began to work as a mage for hire, his first job a prestigious one.

Upon the completion of his first contract, his name began to spread like a fire. Nowadays, he was unable to pay for a drink, or purchase empty tomes without someone mentioning his name. His reputation had begun to precede him, and he wasn't too fond of the fame. But, if there was one thing good about the whole situation, it was the high paying jobs that came for him. That is, up until the most recent one. A summoning from someone representing the Royal Gaurd. No payment had been discussed.

[Gisk]

Does he have a bad habit of erasing his own memory?

EDIT: on a more serious note, is the King or some other organization intentionally gathering a party of heroes? Or will we be meeting by happenstance?

[MercuryHg34]

@GiskThat is what I am letting the players decide, it would be easiest however if the players were assembled purposefully for the Oracle's quest. It is possible that some players may not be there at first and are met along the journey, or it is even possible that a lone escort is sent along with the Oracle and the entire party is formed along the way.

For example, being a paladin and cleric I think it makes sense if Iestyn (@Tyrant from the West's Character) is already in the service of the royal guard of Alexandria. Rolf and Ved however could either have been summoned from nearby towns and assemble along with him or happen to cross paths and offer assistance after Iestyn and the Oracle depart.

Also, that MTG joke was pretty good lol.

[Gisk]

Well, I would say that the Royal Guard putting a group together would be the best way to get most of them together. It's nice and neat, and doesn't require every character to have a different reason for being in the group.

Rolf would make sense to summon, he's one of what must be just a handful of necromancers who are in good standing in the kingdom. Iestyn is, as you said, likely already working for the Royal Guard. We won't know about Ved until his bio gets finished.

[MercuryHg34]

Ved's Bio was sent to me by PM, once he's made appropriate fixes to it he should be set to go. Based on what I read his character is likely to have been summoned based on his potential because his magic is above average in magnitude and capability. So, if you guys would like to edit your bios to come up with how your character was selected for this quest that would be fine, and help me put the first IC post together when everyone's ready.

Besides you three and Light's character (the Oracle), I am allowing one more person to join, or if nobody else appears I'll make another character to round out the party in whatever area it might be lacking in (dps, tank, healer, whatever the case may be). I plan to make this journey pretty tough, so you'll need all the help you can get.

[hagroden]

Full Bio added.

[MercuryHg34]

Just letting everyone know that I've added a section at the bottom of the OP with answers to some important questions that have come up, if you ever need a refresher on general info about the story you can just take a glance at it. Anything that comes up between IC/OOC that is important will also be added.