Tales of Lucenrai: The Fallen Kingdom

[vietmyke]

Tales of Lucenrai: The Fallen Kingdom

Lucenrai, a world with lush summers, and harsh winters, the kingdoms of man have made their claim. Lucenrai is a large continental landmass, and one of the only two known continents in the world, flanked by several smaller islands and landmasses. The heart of the continent consists of an expanse of plains, hills, and lightly forested grasslands. To the north are an expanse of tall mountains and tundra, covered in harsh everwinter forests. West of the heartland is Mediterranean and warm. Down to the south, the land gets considerably wetter, and has large stretches of thick forests, and marshy wetlands. Towards the east, the plains become harsh, turning into a craggy, rocky region which then opens up to a large, harsh desert. Across the ocean nearest the western coast, are small chains of tropical islands, these islands are the buffer zone to the continent of Reyen, a lush frontier land, filled with forests and natural resources waiting to be exploited.

For years, the realms of man have lived in relative harmony. This harmony has not always been peaceful, small wars breaking out between the different kingdoms, but there was balance, order. To the North is the Kingdom of Ardel, a hardy and proud people, used to harsh weather and hard times. In the Heartlands, the ever constant ally of Ardel is the Kingdom of Edessa. With its fair lands, large mines, and central location, Edessa is both prosperous and diverse and is a generally peaceful nation. To the West is a large mercantile Varyan Empire, famed for their massive trade power and wealth, as well as its access to the rich islands and resources of the new world. To the south, in the great forests is the Kingdom of the Welds. Colloquially known as the Kingdom of the Wilds, the Welds have been rivals of the Edessa for centuries. To the east is no kingdom of man, rather hundreds of clans of nomads and raiders.

Lucenrai is now in a state of turmoil. The Welds, longtime enemies of Edessa have suddenly turned to the kingdom for help, desperately requesting aid against a sudden surge of marauding Orcs. Alongside the influx of Weld refugees, Orcish bands have appeared in South Edessa and have begun pillaging the countryside. To make matters worse, the Varyan Empire has launched a massive invasion of Edessa, seemingly taking advantage of the chaos created by the orcs. With an army armed and armored with the wealth of the mercantile empire and the resources from Reyen, the Varyan Empire has easily swept across the Edessa countryside.

On the brink of defeat, the forces of Edessa have been forced back to its Capital city and the nearby lands. With little hope of victory, Edessa decides to send its refugees- its youth and future, to the north, to seek refuge within the Kingdom of Ardel. In the dark of night, caravans from Edessa are sent northbound, with nothing but a scant few guards, mercenaries and older teens to protect them while the remaining soldiers of Edessa prepare to hold the Empire at bay.

---

Plot

This RP will revolve around one of the final caravans to leave the capital city of Edessa. A ragtag group of old soldiers, grungy mercenaries, youths and children, we will struggle to survive in the wilderness as we flee from the dastardly forces of the Varyan Empire. Along the way we will be beset by hardship and adversity as we make our way through the war torn countryside of Edessa and into the harsh wilderness of Ardel. At times, our story will be light hearted, at other times, it will be dramatic and tense as we attempt to prevail over insurmountable odds. Our characters will face daunting challenges, testing their wit and willpower, as well as their morals as they are pushed to their absolute limits in this struggle for survival. This is: "The Tales of Lucenrai: The Fallen Kingdom"

Rules

1. This Roleplay will have standards in the ballpark of high-casual to low-advanced, I will be expecting at least a few, well written paragraphs.
2. Be sensible and polite in the OOC. Any arguments should be either taken off to private messages, or brought to my attention to resolve.
3. No Mary/Gary Sues. Your characters are the story's heroes, but they are not perfect.
4. No God-Moding. Your characters are important, but I will not hesitate to injure them if they do something exceedingly stupid. Note, as GM, I reserve the right to God-mod with the purpose of advancing the plot, or steering it in a specific direction.
5. This will have blood and violence, and foul language is freely allowed, though for the sake of decency, any sexually graphic acts will fade to black (or will be taken to PM) before it goes too far.
6. Player knowledge is not character knowledge. Just because you know something (be it through OOC or another person's post, does not necessarily mean that your character knows.
7. As GM, my word is law. This does not mean I will be unreasonable, nor will it mean I will be unfair, but I will expect you to respect my executive decisions.

Regarding Characters
IMPORTANT: I will only be accepting up to 4-5 characters (not including my own) so it will NOT be first come, first served.

Most characters will also be expected to be novices, relatively inexperienced, or 'low level' in skill. Characters for the most part will be youths and young adults, and can have some skills- though characters cannot be a master at arms. Alternatively I will allow one or two characters to play an older, more experienced and skilled character, provided that they are adequately balanced, for example, A skilled swordsman, who is now old, and no longer the fighter he once was. I am also searching for a player to be play as the child of the monarch

This RP will not play out on a tabletop style system, and treasure, loot and gear will be bountiful in this RP. However, characters will be limited in what they will start with- as it will be what they can carry with them. Starting gear must also be reasonable: For instance, if your character is the son of a baker, it would make no sense for him to have a set of plate armor and a greatsword, likewise it is doubtful that he would have the martial skill of a trained soldier.

Technology and Magic

Pretty standard Fantasy fare, technology is your typical swords, spears and shields. Steel plates, chainmail, and leather make up the backbone of defensive technology in the world, however fantasy alloys and other materials will also be present including, but not limited to:

Adamantium, recognized by its high density and brown/bronzed color is extremely durable and strong, but heavy. It is found in the deep mines of Edessa, but is hard to work and requires extremely high heat to forge.
Varyan Steel is a high quality steel produced exclusively in Varya, characterized by its unique banding patterns that are reminiscent of flowing water. Overall superior to normal steel.
Mithril is lighter than steel, but just as strong, and conducts magical energies easily. Rarely found, and hard to properly work, this metal is quite expensive and hard to obtain.
Ironwood is a dark gray wood, dense and as tough as iron, hence its name. Harvested from Ironwood trees in the deep south, it is a valuable export from the Welds.
Orichalcum an uncommon metal that has the appearance of steel, but reflects a pinkish/red when light is shined on it. This, and the fact that monstrous creatures seem to have an aversion to it makes Orihalcum a valuable commodity.

Magic is also as you'd expect, magical bolts and manipulation of matter/energy of varying elements cast through willpower and concentration- though not all possess the talent for magic.​ Magic for the most part grows exponentially more difficult the more powerful the magic gets. What causes individuals to have the propensity to use magic is unknown, but is generally believed to be passed down through bloodlines. Alchemy is generally not considered magic, but rather, a practice that uses magical techniques in combination with different elements and ingredients.

Character Sheet

Appearance: Your character's appearance. I prefer art images as opposed to real life pictures
Name: Your character's first and last name.
Age: The age of your character, the age range I'm expecting for most characters is 16-19. Old Caravan Guards and Mercenaries will obviously be a little bit older.

Personality: One of the more important parts of your CS, give me a good taste of what your character is like.

Backstory: Important, but not as important as your character's personality, give me a small summary of your character's history and bio.

Skills and Abilities: Here is where you put things your character can do/are good at, as well as what magic abilities they have (if any). Magic is a rare talent and is difficult to master. If you intend on making your character a user of many weapons- chances are s/he won't be a master of magic as well. Skills and abilities should be presented in list form as Experience level, Skill, Description. For instance:

Novice Woodcutting - this character has been chopping wood for a short amount of time

In general, experience based skills should go: Novice, Journeyman, Professional, Adept, Accomplished, Master, Legendary. Skills that aren't as dependent on experience (such as the ability to wear armor) should just be Untrained or Trained. To put skill levels into perspective, use the following:
Using Swordsmanship as an example:

• Novice: You've been shown instruction on how to hold a sword, swing it, parry with it. You have a year's or less worth of experience with this.
• Journeyman: You've been trained in the use of a sword, or have direct experience using it. You've learned a few complex techniques. You're roughly the equivalent of a town guard or common mercenary. You're capable of besting untrained or inexperienced warriors.
• Professional: You're around the level expected of a skilled mercenary or soldier, you've had extensive training or years of experience. You're well versed with different techniques and can hold your own in many combat situation.
• Adept: You have the skill expected of an accomplished Knight, you're proficient to the point that you are capable of instructing trainees. You know many stances and forms, as well as counters to different techniques.
• Accomplished: You are the Elite of the Elite, and few can hold their own against you alone. You've reached the top of your prime at this point, and your physical prowess may begin to wane sightly, but due to your knowledge and skill you still remain superior.
• Master: You're as OP as Yoda, but probably taller. Few know of your art as well as you do. You've likely grown old by this time, but even with your waning physical stature you can easily defeat those with lesser skill than you.
• Legendary: You've probably made some pact with a magical or godly force and are virtually untouchable.

Equipment: Here is where you'll give me a list of your character's equipment, weapons, and armor- if any. Remember, you're playing refugees and caravan guards on the run- not a mobile armory. If your character possess a particularly special weapon made of some fancy fantasy metal, there had better be a good reason aside from "It looks/sounds/feels/is cool!" like skills and abilities, weapons and armor should be listed in a format of "name, attributes". Images can be included in hiders.

Sword, Old, Dull. - this sword was given to example character by an old man in a cave.
Vidofnyr, Adamantium - This mighty battle axe is forged of fine Adamantium and hits like a carriage; a really heavy, fast moving carriage.

My Character

appearance

A slim and lithe youth, Elijah bears the fit and athletic frame typical of a hunter, and is rather dexterous and nimble. Standing in at 5'11", Elijah stands at a an average height, neither tall nor short, with plenty of room to grow. His golden blonde hair gives contrast to his deep gray eyes, though his hair is usually dull in sheen and somewhat dirty due to the hours spent outdoors. His dusty hair and calm gray eyes give off the sense of both youth as well as knowledge in a striking, but relaxing effect. It can be noticed that he rarely smiles, but it doesn't necessarily mean his face is in a perpetual frown.
Name: Elijah Wilder.
Age: 18

Personality:
Warm and down to earth, Elijah is a modest young man with a strong sense of morality and justice. This level headed hunter tries his best to stay brave and rational in the face of hardship and adversity, and is quickly able to adapt to changing circumstances. He thinks quickly on his feet, and has an innate curiosity, but can be rather aloof at times. As the son of a hunter, and a hunter himself, the ideals of patience and calmness have long since been ingrained in his psyche, and Elijah is rather slow to anger and drastic action. Honest and trustworthy, Elijah is compassionate and kind, if a little pragmatic and soft-spoken. Loyal to a fault, Elijah is more than willing to risk himself for the sake of others, and goes to great lengths to defend his loved ones. A very relaxed and grounded individual, Elijah's calm and generally positive demeanor, bolsters the spirits of those around him.

Backstory:
Born the only son of a runaway Varyan noblewoman, baby Elijah and his near-death mother were found in a creek inside a forest nearby the village of Aven, by a monster hunter named Erik Wilder. Taking the dying woman and her baby son back to his home on the outskirts of the village, Erik Wilder, with the help of some other villagers nursed the woman and her child back to health from their malnourished, near death state. Unaware of the woman's status as a noblewoman, Erik Wilder offered to let the woman and her child stay with him in his home and provided for them. With his help, the woman resolved to name her son 'Elijah'. The woman and the hunter were married a year later.

As a child, Elijah lived a relatively normal life. Though not particularly talkative, he was rather adventurous and easygoing and as a result, made friends relatively easily. He was particularly known for roaming around with a small group of young boys and girls around the village and causing mischief wherever they went. From stealing off into the woods past curfew, to playing tricks on the old villagers, the group were dastardly and beloved all at the same time. The fact that it was revealed at this time that Elijah had magical potential only served to make the mischief making even more intense, as the pranks slowly began to involve bright flashes of light the occasional spark. The group was fondly known as the 'Little Ones', by their elders and parents.

Noticing that his stepson had a mischievous streak, and a knack for doing things he shouldn't, Erik decided to take Elijah's curious and adventurous spirit and put it to good use. At age, 12, Elijah began following his step father into the forest to begin learning the arts of hunting. At a young age, Elijah proved to be exceptionally sharp and bright, capable of hitting targets at distances comparable to an archer several years older than him. However, his father noticed that Elijah was impatient and moved around too much, which often led to him scaring away game that the father and son came across.

His father began to teach him the virtues of patience and calmness, teaching him how to play music in an effort to drive the importance of balance and steadiness were in the line of work that was the hunter's path. Slowly but surely adopting the principles of a hunter, Elijah's troublesome and mischievous tendencies melted behind that of a calm, and patient young man. He easily learned and reaped the benefits of being patient, able to hunt, and collect, and fend for himself in the wild. As he grew older and more capable, Elijah's father began taking him deeper into the woods to hunt more dangerous creatures- monsters and the like. Here, he began learning the importance of thinking fast, as well as level-headedly, especially when dealing with beasts and monsters stronger, and faster than a human. Elijah learned when to trade the bow for the blade, and where to strike creatures to disable and defeat them, as well as how to use his limited control over magic to his advantage.

Upon turning 18, Elijah's instruction in the ways of hunting monsters and beasts have been cut short by the war, his father being brought into Edessa's forces to fight off the invading Varyans, and himself being sent northward with the refugee caravans.

Skills and Abilities:

• Professional Marksmanship- As a hunter, and the son of a hunter, Elijah has received considerable instruction with the bow. He is capable of hitting moving targets, as well as firing from horseback, and while he has shot at animals and monsters alike, he has yet to shoot at a human being.
• Journeyman Tracking- with his keen eyesight, Elijah is capable of locating and tracking down creatures through deductive skills and clues.
• Journeyman swordsmanship- When hunting advances from deer, elk, and other game to more monstrous creatures, there are times when the bow is no longer a viable form hunting. His father has instructed him in the use of the sword, teaching him how to redirect, and dodge out of the way of oncoming blows, as well as where to hit to debilitate and quickly disable monsters. While many of these techniques also transfer to swordplay against other human beings, the vast majority of Elijah's experience revolves around fighting creatures.
• Novice Magic- Alongside more martial skills, Elijah has also shown the propensity towards magic. Not particularly experienced with its use, having never had a teacher or mentor, Elijah is nevertheless capable of basic feats of magic. His most commonly used abilities include a burst of fire and light at the palm of his hand, useful for blinding or scaring light sensitive monsters and creatures.
• Journeyman Horseback Riding- A fairly practical skill, Elijah is knowledgeable on how to ride a horse through less than desirable conditions and take care of a horse.
• Journeyman Huntscraft- Elijah is decently well versed in the various trade skills of a hunter. Carving and skinning animals, basic fletchery skills, bow and equipment care and the like are all things Elijah is capable of, though not amazing at.
• Novice flute playing - though the way of the arts, poetry, and writing are often emphasized amongst members of the upper classes, music is almost universally appreciated throughout Edessa. Elijah was taught how to play the flute by his father in order to teach him how to remain calm and patient.

Equipment:

• Father's Sword, Worn. - An old sword used by Elijah's father. Though it is worn and has seen its fair share of use, it remains a balanced and capable weapon nonetheless. It is a plain arming sword with a decently hefty blade, nimble, yet sturdy enough to use against monsters. While it is light enough to be wielded in one hand, its hilt allows it to be used in two.
• Recurve Bow, Ironwood. - a bow made by Elijah's father for Elijah when he turned 18. It is a sturdy, tough bow made from Ironwood, and requires more strength to draw than a similar sized bow made of typical wood, delivers considerably more power and speed behind each arrow.
• Ironwood Quiver and Arrows. - A leather wrapped quiver made of ironwood, that holds a score of of steel tipped ironwood arrows.
• Roark, Horse. - A well bred brown horse named Roark ridden by Elijah. His sides have and back have been laden with saddlebags to carry the rest of Elijah's stuff.
  
  • Roark's saddlebags contain: A of leather waterskin, a small pouch with money, a tinderbox, a small hatchet for wood gathering, a hunting knife, and whetstone, fletching for 20 arrows, and a dozen spare ironwood arrow shafts, a spool of fine thread and needle, a roll of clean cloth and bottle of spirits for cleaning and treating wounds, a pouch of herbal ointment, a few days worth of dry provisions for Elijah as well as his horse. Behind the saddle is a blanket and spare clothes are wrapped in a roll of canvas.

[DoctorFB]

Name: Nathaniel "Nate" Brianson

Age: 18 years old


Personality: Nate was always a quiet, respectful child and this shows in him still as he moves into manhood. A life of working around the wealthy has lead him to be well spoken and literate. He knows to bite his tongue in the presence of authority, and to keep a level head when being spoken down to or provoked. Sometimes he can come across as a bit of a pushover, but time spent around him reveals the potential of someone much more than that, buried deep inside him.

His intelligence and way with words have served him well through his short life, and make up for his lack of physical strength or combat prowess some young men his age possess. Friendly and caring, he always attempts to do what he believes is best for those around him, sometimes at the cost of his own happiness or well-being.


Backstory: Nate is the son of scribe, one who's done work for more aristocrats and political figures than Nate can keep track of. This upbringing has lead Nate to have the advantages of access to more literature than a portion of people may know exist. Dramas, comedies, romances, historical documents, anything he get his hands on, he would abosorb the words by light of his father's candles as he wrote out another will, or supply request letter for whichever wealthy man or woman was calling the shots that day.

His father's profession allowed him to be raised in relative comfort. They were never "wealthy", but he spent his summers in waters with the boys and girls of the upper class in their private lakes, and his winters bundled in his father's modest dwelling, shivering by a fire.

The only thing ever missing from his childhood was the love of a mother. His own had passed giving birth to him, so he'd been told. His father never found another, telling Nate that he could never find someone who would fill the hole his mother had left. Sure, Nate's father had his share of barmaids and serving girls over the years, but never more than a night.


Skills and Abilities:
Professional Scribe - Nate has spent most of his life reading and writing, in preparation of taking over for his father one day. Aside from writings in different languages, Nate can make sense of even complicated documents and tomes. This has allowed him a good sense of understanding someone's handwriting as well, making him versed in simple forgeries.

Novice Archer - Nate spent a summer tagging along with the sons of a knight. He never found himself very talented with a blade, so he instead looked to the arrow.  Not a particularly great shot, but he's known to be able to hit a moving rabbit, though has never had to loose an arrow at a man before.

Journeyman Orator - Years spent sitting to the side watching men of paper dictate letters to his father has given Nate a good understanding of how to speak to people. On more than one occasion he's spoken his way out of trouble, and the older he gets the more he begins understanding the way people think and the things to say to help accomplish his goals.

Equipment:
Bow, barely used - This bow was a gift to Nate by a girl named Charlotte, the sister of the boys who'd helped Nate learn to use one. A long stemmed red rose, the flower of the house Charlotte was born into is painted along the upper limb.

Quiver, leather - A small brown leather quiver adorned with the matching rose of the bow. It easily holds a dozen arrows, though Nate currently has only half that.

Bag, cloth - A cloth sack drawn closed by a rope drawstring. It's small enough to not be much of a burden when slung over his shoulder or tied to the saddle of a horse, but large enough to hold the few possessions Nate keeps with him.

Contents of bag, assorted - His small leather bound journal containing his private thoughts and adventures. A piece of flint he had found a few summers back, useful for (trying) to light small fires. A small (two inch blade) knife in a small leather sheath, not sharp enough to kill but gets through rope and small tree limbs.

[Tatsua Aiisen]

@vietmyke Since you mentioned a monarch, can you be more specific about the political structure of Edessa?

The skill level classifications are, as I see it, pretty unnecessary. At our age, just the ability to do anything at all is pretty significant, and it's doubtful we'll have any skills worth mentioning beyond that. It also doesn't apply well to pretty much any mental skills, save magic.

[vietmyke]

@Tatsua Aiisen Edessa is a monarchy with the majority of political power in the hands of the king with a cabinet of advisors. Outside of the central province of the kingdom, the land is split amongst a spattering of various noble families. Different provinces are for the most part autonomous, but adhere to the laws made by the monarch.

As far as skill level classification, I like them there to help gauge characters in regards to others and npcs.

[Mcmolly]

Interested! Will work up a sheet soon o/

[Certainly]

Interested as well!

[Mcmolly]

CS

Appearance: Average in height, with a lithe form and soft, delicate features, Macy does not inspire terror. Though he bears a thin layer of muscle, one look at the boy would be enough to tell that strength is not his forte. As well, a penchant for flair often finds his long, wild hair dyed some color or another.

Rough appearance, less plating

Name: Macy Eleharon

Age: 18

Personality: Initially Macy might come off as proud and overconfident, perhaps even a bit full of himself, which is likely because these traits are all both accurate and understated. The only thing Macy likes talking about more than his own accomplishments are those of his family, and that’s by a small margin. In addition, his haughty tendencies leave him with a knack for pointing out the flaws in others, while blatantly ignoring his own shortcomings (of which there are plenty that he would vehemently deny).

When it comes to people, as long as he has his sword at his hip he’s generally unafraid of confrontation, and in fact finds amusement in bringing others to a boil. Of course, he's likely to accuse them of being too soft before admitting to being a bully.

Backstory: The Eleharon’s are an old and established family of swordsmen, their name and reputation forged through skirmishes, tournaments, and sanctioned duels. To them, victory was a means of branding their name in history, and so eventually the family lost interest in the political ties of war, instead opting to become full-on performers.

When Macy was born, the Eleharon’s were settled in Edessa, and so despite the family’s roving nature, he came to think of the heartland as home. Growing up there was no true choice to his future, only a selection of details. Would he take to the greatsword as his father did, the sabre like his mother? His early years were spent deciding, testing models of each until, on his eighth birthday, he was gifted a rapier.

His sister, Lilissa, a year older, had been given the same, and while the two had been close before, they quickly became inseparable. They trained together from dawn to dusk, day after day, telling each other stories of how they’d be the most famous swordsmen in Lucenrai. Though neither had yet to step foot into an arena, both awaited the day without a shred of anxiety. They were excited, they were ready, this was their destiny.

On Lilissa’s thirteenth birthday, the family traveled to a town called Heirwreathe, where various competitions were being held. Though everyone was eager to see the young Lilissa –who the family had come to title as “Feather” for how she moved¬¬– perform, no one was as proud to see her walk onto the stadium as Macy. With her gleaming orichalcum rapier in hand, she valiantly stood against a man known as the “Lion”, Edmund Basson, a champion of the area. “Valiantly”, but alas not successfully. The beast of a man disarmed her in the truest sense, cleaving the limb from her body. Lacking in sportsmanship, but not in legality, since Lilissa had agreed to the terms of the fight, Basson was victorious without contest.

Macy watched in horror as his sister was dragged away to be saved, knowing deep down that she would never truly recover, and indeed, she never did. Macy continued to stay with her day after day, and when his thirteenth birthday came, he was almost sad to tell her of his victory. They would practice together, her with her off-hand, and him denying that he was moving slow on purpose, but eventually Lilissa put away her sword for good.

Macy began fighting more often, challenges taking him away from home for days, sometimes weeks. He saw his sister less and less, until one day he came home to find that she had been practicing magic. On his fifteenth birthday, she presented him with a brilliant red rose, and he saw that, despite the stem being cut, it would not wilt.

The next morning, she was dead. When Macy left for his next tournament, he did not return.

Eventually his travels led him to the capital, by then known as “Macy the Royal”, where he continued to compete with great success and to high regard, until the invading Varyan forces pushed to its wall, and tournament fighters were no longer necessary.

Now, along with many of the city’s youth, he travels northward.

Skills and Abilities:

Professional Swordsmanship: Rapier – Macy knows his body and his sword well enough to wield them as extensions of each other. As well, experience fighting against a myriad of other weapons and styles (in a tournament setting) has given him a talent for adapting in combat. Unfortunately, Macy cannot handle any other weapons, or even other swords, with any degree of notable skill. In addition, though Macy is well and all at fighting people, he’s never crossed a monster.

Professional Showmanship – The Eleharon’s are performers. Second only to their swordsmanship is their ability to attract attention, and at this Macy excels. Good with his wardrobe and his words, he can tell lovely stories, sing pleasant songs, and act as though the theater were his true calling.

Novice Whistling – It isn’t as easy as it looks, dammit.

Equipment:

Rose: “What do you mean? Of course I named it, all the best swords have names!” A polished, steel rapier with an elegant silver guard that does not connect to the bottom of the hilt, allowing more maneuverability.

Duelist’s Regalia: “Love, when you’re this good, practicality takes second-stage to style.” Macy’s “armor” is mixed of lightweight and flashy fabrics. Sparse silver plates cover vibrant red cloth that flows down his sides like faulds. A violet cloak hangs from one shoulder, and a similarly colored sash trails from his neck down to his hip, which holds Rose’s sheath.

Satchel: Aside from a few items for maintaining his sword armor, the satchel holds a mirror, an assortment of detailing make ups and a few powders for dyes.

Lilissa’s Rose: “Put your filthy hand on me again, and I think I’ll keep it.” Whether it’s kept behind his ear, in his hair, or on his attire, this resilient flower rarely leaves Macy’s person.

[Hannibal]

Will make an older knight tomorrow.

[Tojin]

Interested! Will see if I can get a sheet up tomorrow afternoon.

ayyy golden sun

[The Fox Without]

Would a spell sword or arcane archer be a viable type off character?

[vietmyke]

It would be a bit hard to play a youth with those traits unless they were of noble or gifted birth- not that there'd be an issue with that. I like to see a variety in the cast- and I think it is only fair for me to tell you that one of the major NPCs is going to be a magic swordsman

[The Fox Without]

Actually, now that I think about it, thinking maybe a enchanter character, later on learns how to use a weapon. Have an idea for how enchantment works, but how would you make it work in this setting.

[vietmyke]

Child/apprentice of an artisan/runecrafter/alchemist/arcanist?

[The Fox Without]

Meant more the mechanic of enchantment on items, figured I'd make him like the third son of a decently well off merchant, with him being so far off from inheritance allowing him to do things outside the family business. Also, are there schools for specializing in magic, or is it like being a blacksmith and apprenticing yourself to someone already doing it.

[vietmyke]

@The Fox Without Items are enchanted in a variety of ways. For the most part, spells are imbued onto materials through patterns, such as runes carved onto a piece of wood or metal- or even the an adornment, such as the gold wrapping around a bauble. Weaker enchantments, such as making the object warm to the touch, or glow, is pretty much self powered, and can power itself indefinitely without the enchanter having to waste mental resources on it. On the other hand, more powerful spells, such as dulling the force of a blow upon impact or setting a weapon ablaze requires considerably more energy- though this energy is generally provided by the wielder as opposed to an enchanter.

A very common enchant is to turn gems and precious metals into 'magic' reservoirs. In this world, part of what makes precious metals and gemstones so valuable is their ability to absorb magic and essentially become energy batteries for spellcasters. How effective the reservoir is depends on how experienced/talented the enchanter is, and how quality the material is.

IE, a seasoned enchanter probably knows how to more efficiently activate a reservoir, and a diamond or piece of gold would have the potential to hold considerably more magic than a hunk of quartz or brass.

As far as schools vs apprenticeship, it varies by location. Some major cities in Edessa may have schools, smaller towns and villages likely rely on apprenticeship. Edessa itself has no nation-wide magic school, short of its military academy, which teaches martial skills as well as magical skills. The Varyan Empire on the other hand, does have a national school of magic.

[The Fox Without]

Alrighty, thanks for the explanation, I have my tabletop group today, but I'll try and put something together either tonight or tomorrow.

[vietmyke]

Character reviews! Doctor, I've already reviewed your character on the other thread, so I'll just touch up on @Mcmolly

Hider

If I'm reading your CS right, your character became a tournament fighter at age 15? Was there any resistance to people fighting him? People not wanting to hurt (or worse, be beaten) by a 15 year old tourney fighter? That seems a bit young to pick up such a dangerous profession. Also, what caused him to join the caravan instead of the Edessan army if he was being treated as an adult in an arena?

[The Fox Without]

Alexander

Appearance: Although the recent years of hefting around the various enchanted items for his mentor ranging from rings to warhammers as done a bit to strengthen the boy, Alexander is not what anyone would call toned, a rather slight looking fellow who has obviously focused on enhancing his mind rather than his body. Standing at 5'11" only serves to accentuate his rather slender build. Pale blonde hair.

Name: Alexander Driknell
Age: 19

Personality: One of the more important parts of your CS, give me a good taste of what your character is like.

Backstory: Important, but not as important as your character's personality, give me a small summary of your character's history and bio.

Skills and Abilities: 

Professional Enchanter- Having started his mentorship when he was 13, Alexander has learned much of the intricate runecrafting and imbuement needed to continue his craft. While he won't be making any talking swords or rings of invisibility, with the right materials and enough time, he can fashion a decent array of items.

Journeyman Mage- While he can wield the arcane energies sufficiently, most of Alexander's magic is long, careful, and patient work. Outside of throwing a few bolts of raw energy this way and that, Alexander's combat potential is rather poor. And due to a lack of on the fly control, allies should be wary of being near any attempts he makes. Given time, he could work up a few decent combat decent spells, but more often then not the battle would be done by this point. Alexander prefers to prepare rather than react,  letting his enchantments take care of his problems when possible. However outside of fighting, he is capable of support spells and utility spells, as well as some low end healing.

Journeyman Merchant-Having been born into a family of merchants, Alexander has picked up a few tricks of the trade, knowing how to haggle and appraise all amongst most street vendors, though he won't be making any bulk deals.

Novice Scribe- Having been taught to write and read as part of his education at Edessa's School of Magic, he uses it mostly for practical means, listing materials and the occasional letter.

Equipment:  Enchanted Silver Compass-One of the most recently made items Alexander has created, having started working on them after hearing of the approaching war. While he had been working on finishing one for each of his family members,  he only managed to finish two,  one now with his elder sister. Last he'd seen her she had been leaving to join the battlefields. The compasses are attuned to each other, effective over a 50 mile radius.

Mithril Dagger- Less for protection, this was given by his father to be sold as an emergency should the need be, more decorative than practical. Having made their wealth early on as a traveling merchant, his father knew better than to carry all your money as coin. Poor balance makes it almost useless in a fight. Often kept hidden between the boards of his cart.

Echanting Tools- While unable to bring anything rivaling the equipment from where Alexander apprenticed, he was able to bring imbued carving tools for rune-etching and a small enchanting table with which to channel the spells into items has been fastened to the the cart.

Tome of Advanced Magic- A large book meant for further education into magic, Alexander can often be found reading this when not experimenting.

Horse and Cart-

Staffs, Rings, and a Robe-

WIP for the moment, though I would like to know what I need to limit myself to so far as the enchanted items, so I've left those blank for the moment.

[vietmyke]

The enchantments and items seem fine to me, though how big is thus cart?

[The Fox Without]

I was thinking something along this size with an attachable roof, mostly used to vary his enchanting table and hold a few provisions and sparse amount of enchanting materials.

Hider

As to the enchantments, meant rather what would be a bit much to have at the begining of the story, don't want my character to be overdone with the enchanted items.

So far I've thought of a cloak that protects from being cut or sliced, say if you got hit by an arrow or sword it wouldn't go through, but the impact would still hit, leading to bruises and broken bones, but avoiding blood loss. Another would be a shield amulet or bracelet, activated to hold off blows and such, though energy and such wouldn't be stopped. I'll have a few utility enchantments, like light stick, everwarm stones for cooking and heat, little stuff like that.

I figure the scarcity of materials and time will act as a sufficient balance to what he can make after the game starts, so thought I'd ask what I should consider the limit of starting enchanted items.