BurningDaisies

Overlord RP - Bloodlines of Steel and Snow

@Jinxlynx@BKburke
The OoC is up.

Overlord RP - Bloodlines of Steel and Snow

@Nerdy Reference@Pirouette@Quaint Quasar@Shiyonichi@Mag Lev
The OoC is up.

Bloodlines of Steel and Snow (An Overlord RP)

Bloodlines of Steel and Snow

Story

NPC Perspective
For centuries, curses and foul creatures have plagued the land of Norden. Spawned from the fog which eternally shrouds the Devil's Spine mountains, these blights have beleaguered the people Norden time and again. Despite being fierce and proud warriors tempered through constant strife, they long ago resigned themselves to a divine pact with beings beyond the stars.

With newfound power the were able to push back the blight, but such power had a price. They cursed themselves and the land itself to become the stage for blood war between mysterious elder powers. Immortal warriors roam the godless, wintery landscape, coveting the blood of their neighbor. For within their veins lies the power needed to defeat the blight.

In Norden, blood and steel can kill anything, even immortals.

On the first night of the new moon, a spear of light pierced the heavens. It could be seen for miles around, but no one in Norden knows whether it is an ill omen or a beacon of hope. Only time will tell.

Player Perspective
The Dive Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game YGGDRASIL is in its final hour. Much of the player base has already logged off and resigned themselves to playing some other game. A sentimental few have chosen to stay behind until the very end.

When the servers shutdown, one small band of players was transported to the misty mountains of a foreign land. Bewildered and compelled by curiosity, they began exploring their surroundings. Quickly they realized YGGDRASIL was no longer a game, but their new reality. Now trapped inside the body of their former avatars, what new obstacles await them in the hostile and fantastic land of Norden?

Premise

This is a fandom RP loosely based on the Overlord anime and light novel series. However, I've incorporated additional elements in varying degrees from the Highlander series, Cthulhu Mythos, Norse mythology, Shadows of the Colossus (video game), and a host of other things I thought were cool.

We'll be operating with an 'Open World' setting. Norden is a place of conflict and superstition. Each province has its own unique dangers whose origins have been obscured by time. The local legends are as diverse as the native races themselves, so disentangling fact from fiction is no easy task.

If you elect to play as an NPC from Norden, you have the option to be one of the Ódauðlegur, immortal warriors from the Norden highlands who wield Wild Magic. Immortals are immune to all disease, resistant to curses, and can recover from wounds with preternatural speed. Even if they are drawn and quartered, cosmic forces conspire to reconstitute their bodies over the course of weeks or months. The only way to for one to be truly slain is for them to be defeated in a ritualistic duel.
The act of Bloodtheft occurs when an immortal successfully slays another immortal and steals their power. Notably, Bloodtheft also works against Yggdrasil players and NPCs. Better yet, other creatures in Norden have become Immortal as well.

If you elect to play a character from the old game world of Yggdrasil, you have the benefit of knowing a great deal about the job class system, likely kept all of your old gear, and may be able to use high tier magic. However, Norden is a dangerous place even for a former Yggdrasil player (or NPC). It is possible for a Player to become Immortal, but there are a few unfortunate consequences to this.

The main plotline will be player-driven and thus is largely inspired by the activities of each participant. Other stories will unfold as each character explores and interacts with the world and people around them.

But players beware! Norden is a dynamic sandbox arena. Every action your character takes, for good or ill, has impact in ways neither you nor your characters can anticipate. I strive for realism, thus the consequences of your actions, even the most seemingly innocuous ones, will unfold in a realistic and natural way. A mere gift or favor can have far-reaching effects. You have been warned~

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Starting Location

Reference Map
Players will be starting in the territories of Norden, which is far to the northeast of the Agrand Council Alliance. (And thus does not appear on this map)
In particular Yggdrasil Players will appear on the slopes of the Devil's Spine, which acts as the land bridge. The Agrand Council Alliance would be the closest canon territory.

I am trying to make a generalized map of Norden, but it's time-consuming and won't be ready for awhile.

The Norden Highlands:

A Regional Primer

Our story begins in the frozen north, where the air is dry, the winds bite, and the only the wolves mourn the dead. Once ancestral Hero Kings ruled the land of Norden, all the way from Osthold to Myrkálfheim. Now, giants erupt from the sea and mountains to raid settlements. Ancient magic taints the earth and wildlife, becoming twisted, wicked. Needless to say, the natives suffer a harsh existence here, but survive all the same.

The reign of the Eight Greed Kings witnessed the decline of Wild Magic across the known world, and the fall of the northern kingdoms. Curses and plagues ravaged the populace. The land shattered and a hungry fog separated the northern lands from the rest of the continent. Foul magic lurked in the mist between them, ensuring little more than rumors ever survived the trip through it.

While Wild Magic was nearly extinguished in the rest of the world, it was embraced in the frozen highlands.
The histories are vague and the only clues which remain are repeated in centuries-old stories and oral traditions. Bleak legends speak of sacrifice, sorcery, and worship of old, unfathomable gods, but offer scarce details into what really happened. The fact remains, however, that the people of Norden discovered a way to survive the onslaught.

Blood is power. Seize it.
Land is your birthright. Claim it.
Immortality is a weapon. Master it.
Extinction is approaching. Fight it.

This old mantra still thrives in prose and song, and represents the cornerstones of Norden culture.
Every child in the north knows their blood possesses latent magic. They know that if they are slain their killer gains their power. It's a fact of life.
By claiming the magic power of their defeated enemies, skilled warriors can eventually become nigh immortal, an Ódauðlegur, but doing so entails dire risks. Immortals are the target of anyone with an ounce of ambition and a sharp blade.
Killing an immortal is neither quiet nor subtle. Once defeated, they must be ritualistically slain. Torrents of magical energy fill the immediate area when one of them dies, and anyone with a talent for magic can sense the disturbance for miles around. Storms clouds often loom over battlefields where immortal warriors have fought and died.

Some families have found ways to preserve power and status through bloodlines, finding safety in numbers. A few clans even claim hundreds of members to their lineage. Unsurprisingly, power struggles between influential clans are not uncommon and occasionally serve as a form of community entertainment.

First Iron is an extremely rare metal which responds to the blood-fueled Wild Magic used in Norden. This bright metallic substance said to be a gift from the Lord Beyond the Horizon, or one his herald, a giant known as the Horizon Walker. Some stories claim First Iron has existed since the Age of Creation. Regardless, it is the bane of all immortals. The dwarven warlord Baalgruf Sigrundr used an axe made of First Iron to slay several immortal warriors during the fall of Reykhold, ignoring the need for rituals, oaths, or even magical duels.
The legends do seem to agree that weapons forged from First Iron have a will of their own. Such weapons have appeared in numerous historic battles, but they have a mysterious way of being lost for decades only to be found by a worthy owner in the next war.

Köttätande Dimma, The Carnivorous Mist, blankets the land bridge between Norden and the southern kingdoms. Occasionally, the mist spreads to engulf much of Norden's southern coastline as well. Entire caravans have entered the fog bank only for their remains to be found drizzled across the ground as if by a light rain. Empty ships devoid of life periodically run ashore. Dark smears on the deck offer a grim clue as to what ill fate had befallen the sailors. It is believed that malevolent ghosts and hungry fey lurk within the mist, preying upon humans and demi-humans alike.

Plagues and curses have claimed the lives of millions of Norden people over the centuries. Somewhat unsurprisingly, Nordens relentlessly purge all forms of disease and infirmity with fire and salt. And, although the ancient blights are long gone, the cultural scars run deep. Even a mild cough or flu has at times been cured by burning homesteads--and the families inside them--to the ground.

For obvious reasons, commerce does not thrive easily in Norden. While it's rich in wood, ore, and other resources--an enticing opportunity for travelling entrepreneurs--few dare risk the journey north. Because of the Köttätande Dimma, treacherous seas, and the land's bloodthirsty natives, establishing regular trade routes to the highlands has proven difficult at best, and suicidal at worst. Even centuries after the mist appeared, the number of trading vessels which make port in Norden rarely exceed a few dozen each year.

Regarded as barbarians by outsiders, Norden folk are ruthless and warlike by necessity. When pitted against seasonal blizzards, savage beasts, eldritch abominations, and the accursed mist there isn't much room for civility. In fact, given the rigors of life in the north, few ever die of old age, save a handful of cunning and reclusive hermits. Despite myriad dangers, the races of Norden are proud, resolute, and steeped in generations of heroism, adventure, storytelling and mysticism.

Wild Magic and Immortals

Originally, Wild Magic was the purview of the Dragon Lords, but ultimately its secrets were stolen by unnamed powers and it spread throughout Norden.

Where Tier Magic uses mana, Wild Magic uses souls. Typically this would consume some of the caster's soul, but the heroes of the blight used wild magic and sacrificed the souls of their own native gods as a catalyst instead.

New World NPC's like Nihil Oxgutter, Ymeri Feuerschwert, and others can all use this kind of magic.
Historically, the unnamed heroes of the blight pulled off a highly-sophisticated, cosmology-changing form of Wild Magic, which has never been replicated.

Wild Magic can be used to cast spells that are superior to even Super-Tier magic. It just depends on what exactly you're sacrificing. Immortals can perform Wild Magic at the cost of depleting whatever source of spiritual power they've claimed. The land and wildlife itself can be sacrificed in this way. Obviously, a particularly powerful realm-wide spell, or repeated castings of other potent magic, tends to weaken, if not outright kill, the land and the wildlife. But, it is an option nevertheless. It's also more convenient than sacrificing the local populace for the same effect, although that hasn't really stopped some immortals from doing it anyway.

Immortals carry the divine spark of dead gods. The people of Norden summoned their own living gods, and then sacrificed them using Wild Magic to stop the blights from wiping Norden off the map. In the aftermath, some mortal humans and other creatures absorbed the leftover divine energies, creating the situation that exists now.
Immortals very often hold positions of power in Norden societies, but that's not always the case. It really depends on how long they've been an immortal, how many other immortals they've ritualistically slain, and how clever they are about avoiding assassinations. Some immortals, like Nihil Oxgutter (and others), have been gifted with these divine powers, since the blight ended. Others, like Astrid of Scyrah's Rock has only been an immortal for a few years. The difference in ability between the two is night and day.
However, age doesn't always translate to cunning or power. As an immortal, the more of your kind that you kill, the closer you get to becoming a living god. It's a survival game in a way, except the stakes are virtually infinite and everyone plays for keeps.

Giants: A Cultural Primer

Giants exhibit many of the hallmarks of tribal culture. Large groups of five to twelve are typically headed by chieftains, who earn their position in a bloody and violent competition for supremacy. "Might makes right" is true for all giants. The strongest have the privilege of making the rules, but also the responsibility to enforce them. Neglecting this tradition is a sign of a weakness and foolishness, which quickly incites duels to determine who the next chieftain will be. It is important to remember, however, that many of the greatest chieftains were not skilled warriors, but powerful shamans or shrewd gerontocrats.

Giants, however, invest themselves greatly in their tribe and community. So much, in fact, that few giants have any concept of personal property. It either belongs to the tribe or it does not. It is very common for some giants to suddenly "decide" that a village or a herd of cattle is now belongs to "the tribe", which has universally earned them a lasting reputation as consummate brigands and raiders.

Relationships among giants tend to be deceptively complex. Any female can pair with any male on a whim, and vice versa, however, very few giants are born as a result of random couplings. When it is time to increase the tribes numbers, the eldest shaman conducts magically-enhanced fertility rituals during their week-long annual festival. According to their beliefs, it is important for every female to copulate with all the strongest and most talented males of a tribe, so that any future children stand to inherit the traits of the wittiest poet, the sharpest thinker, the most cunning hunter, the strongest warrior, and the wisest leader. Subtle magical influences ensure that the newborn child will receive as many talents as possible.
Incidentally, children are raised communally with tribe members taking turns parenting each other's offspring, fulfilling various roles such as wet nurse, caretaker, mentor, counselor, and so on.
When a giant earns some remarkable achievement, they are often given an additional name, a cognomen, to suit their achievement or unique talents. All cognomen are monosyllabic and purely symbolic. But a child is always given two names at birth: a name of blood and a name of fate. The name of blood is derived from a combination of the mother's name and the name of shaman who blessed the birth. Whereas the child's name of fate is a combination the various fathers' cognomen.

Although unique in their hyper-communal habits, few in Norden consider this way of life strange or barbaric. Roaming tribal humans also tend to share these communal tendencies. Far from being irregular, giants have common cultural views among native humans living outside the protective walls of larger settlements. This, however, doesn't stop humans, demi-humans, and giants from trying to murder and plunder each other on a regular basis.

There is a common misconception among non-giants that the current blood feud between Frost Giants and Fire Giants has existed since the dawn of time. In truth, the Frost Titan, Eddrúng Vetrvader, and the Fire Titan, Ymeri Feuerschwert are sworn to one another by a blood oath. There was a time when frost and fire giants were going to unite, but the cataclysm in the Godsfall following the sacrifice of the Old Gods scattered the giants across Norden. Infighting broke out among the tribes in the aftermath. Feuds would typically cease when one side triumphs over the other, however, the champions of both races still live on as immortal warriors. The ancient blood oath links their fates, so if one dies, so does the other. Marriage doesn't exist among giants, but the concept of "until death do us part" certainly does.
The result is a bloody, centuries-old stalemate.
Save for perhaps a extraordinarily lucky few individuals, virtually no one outside the giant tribes are aware of this 'alternative' history.

Image Gallery:

I uploaded some thematically appropriate images here. It's just a collection of things which inspired me so far.

Important Locations List:

This is not required reading, but useful like how Almanacs are useful.

Steinngrim

Steinngrim's eponymous founder, Steinngrimr Magnusson, was a prolific sailor and skilled warrior. His wild and imperious nature drove him to plunder countless foreign shores and conquer his neighbors with impunity. With a fleet of ships crewed by native monsters and assisted by creatures of the sea, few enemies presented a worthy challenge. The Steinngrim province has long survived its founder, and more than two-thirds of its modern inhabits can trace their lineage back to Steinngrimr through one of his many sons and daughters.

To this day, Steinngrim maintains the only functional sea port and enjoys scarce trade with other countries. Miraculously, even since Jarl Steinngrimr's rule, the Köttätande Dimma leaves Steinngrim's shores untouched during its seasonal spread across the coastline of Norden. Rumors of a dark pact still persist years later.

Jarl Ylfur Scaurusdottir, "The Witchtaker", is a wise and venerable ruler, but remains in a tenuous position as leader. A folk hero in her youth, legendary among older warriors, and a cunning mastermind in her old age, she has spent long years stabilizing her family’s province, but not without controversy. Her public support for the widely despised king, Snorri Sevenfinger, was unpopular among her own people and clan. Growing unrest may lead the province to collapse, and enemies on all sides are ready for war.

Osthold

Osthold is one of the few landlocked provinces of Norden and enjoys rocky hills, bitter frosts, and old woodlands teeming with wild game. The great fortress city of Heiðarvíga sits atop a craggy, shale escarpment hundreds of feet a tall, which rises into a snow-capped plateau. Resembling a small, flattened mountain, the plateau is commonly known as Skagen's Shield. Three towers are wedged into narrow defiles between steep, jagged cliffs, and all of them guard the only passable roads to the top of the plateau.

King Snorri Sevenfinger rules Osthold and several vassal provinces, Steinngrim and The Hungry Downs among them, from his throne in Heiðarvíga. For the common folk, Snorri is an oppressive tyrant who cares little for the plight of his own people. However, as the only Wyrmslayer in living memory, he isn't to be trifled with either. Some even regard him as the God-King of Norden.

He has not remained in power for nearly sixty years--three times longer than most other kings--by being incompetent. He knows the rules to rule by. He may collect heavy taxes and take whatever he pleases, but he also his Jarls and armies loyal through multiple famines and wars. No small achievement. It is for this reason and others, he has long been successful at keeping Norden safe from the age old blights and abominations from The Mist.

No one has ever made the mistake of thinking King Snorri is a man of moral integrity, but he gets the job done. Every other major power in Norden despises him utterly and have perpetrated countless schemes in vain attempts to assassinate him and undermine his kingship.

Fimbulberg

Jarl Ullr Rjurikson rules Fimbulberg, the plains to the north. He and his Black Frost cavalry swear allegiance to the Archdruid Marik, who frequently undermines King Snorri Sevenfinger. The fact has caused heated tensions with the neighboring province of Steinngrim, who has pledged loyalty to the Norden King. The trades routes that enter and exit Steinngrim are the lifeline of Fimbulberg, and is the only thing which has maintained unsteady peace between Jarl Rjurikson and the Jarl Witchtaker of Steinngrim.

Surtr's Breach lies off Fimbulberg's western coast, making fishing and trade almost impossible. Worse still, fire giants regularly raid the defensible cliffs and are a constant source of grief for the people and for the Jarl.

The Hungry Downs

The Hungry downs is a lonely expanse of long, sloping hills dotted with patches of forest. While Jarl Hrathnar rules this area, and is thus allied with the King of Osthold, the downs are ultimately controlled by a powerful witch coven. The Daughters of Keldrbrand have defended (and extorted) the local villages for generations. The witches are regarded with fear and reverence in equal measure, while the Jarl is regarded with ambivalence at best and annoyance at worst. Unfortunately for Jarl Hrathnar, his subjects are the least of his concerns. He must remain loyal to two masters, if he hopes stay alive, and the witches are notoriously difficult to bargain with.

Singing Tarn

The tallest peak and largest lake among the the Norden lands belongings to the expansive isle of Singing Tarn. Sharp peaks erupt from the center of the isle, and carved into its jagged hills is the enormous Lake Leyndarmál. An ancient sorceress, known only as Our Silent Lady, claims ownership of the entire island and has made the lake her home. She is widely known as a reclusive hermit, is absent from the daily lives of Singing Tarn's inhabitant, and seems content to let them govern themselves. Unsurprisingly, the majority of Norden's demi-human population lives here and has formed into a collection of small roving bands and communal homesteads.

While there aren't any written laws, Our Silent Lady does not abide any religious worship on the island, not even shrines constructed in her honor. Nor does she respond kindly to anyone who challenges her claim to Singing Tarn. There were once many temples to gods of the wind and sea on the island, but all of them lie in ruin now. It is a widely known fact that praying to Our Silent Lady provokes a swift and fatal response. There is no shortage of campfire stories detailing how a close friend or neighbor suddenly became a blackened, shrivelled corpse. Anyone who dismisses these stories as superstition need only to visit the local burial mounds to discover the truth.

Steaming Sea

The Steaming Sea extends along Norden's eastern and southern borders, and derives its name from the plumes of dense fog which regularly cover its surface. Sailors who must journey near the Devil's Spine, the isthmus which connects Norden to the southern kingdoms, must be extremely cautious. The Steaming Sea's natural fog frequently bleeds into the Carnivorous Mist, making it impossible to know where the fog ends and the nightmare land begins.
The sea itself filled with all manner of mysterious creatures. Blue-skinned elves claim tribal lands just beneath the surface. Capricious and violent sea monsters patrol the waters, preying upon fishermen and sailors alike.

Surtr's Breach lies between Fimbulberg's coast and Black Tarn. It is a massive natural whirlpool which threatens any ship brave enough to skirt around its raging waters. Folk tales have long maintained that at the bottom of the whirlpool is a gateway to Muspelheim. Given how often fire giants emerge from the water to conduct raids, many believe the folk tales are true. More commonly a sea serpent and leviathan will drag unwary vessels into the vortex for a quick meal.

Vol Isle

Once described as "a prodigious black fangs excrescent from the heart of the sea", Vol Isle is collection of close-knit volcanic spires located in Steaming Sea, west of Fimbulberg. Little more than a partially submerged island with sharp ridges, it would be otherwise unremarkable were it not for the elven hordes which claimed the island as their ancestral home.

From the surface of the Steaming Sea to its murky depths, roaming bands of blue-skinned elves patrol the water. Despite their widespread population, these nomadic elves never gather in hordes more than a few hundred in size. Each season a different tribe takes up residence in Vol Isle to take a sacred respite from their years-long hunts. Lead by a powerful Khan, these tribal bands savagely defend Vol Isle and its surrounding waters.

In addition to the elven horde itself, the titanic serpent Gungnir acts as the island's guardian and has sank many ships merely for steering too close. Old stories in Fimbulberg depict a tragic romance between a lonely Siren and Jörmungandr, the world serpent. The two characters are revered by the elves and appear frequently in their rituals.

Some nights during the year an eerie song can be heard for miles across the Steaming Sea. A haunting melody emerges when the subdued cries Gungnir join in the song. On these rare nights throughout the year, the sea turns ink-black and distant pinpricks of starlight beam from the depths. The starry sky bleeds seamlessly into the alien waters, blurring where the horizon begins or ends. The effect is so disorienting to sailors that many fall victim to shipwrecks or fall overboard. Those who survive often go mad and disappear a few months later.

Brionac Forest

The dense woodland stretches from the foot of the Devil's Spine to the Norden heartlands of Osthold. It was once a refuge for ancient dusk elves who fled the collapse of Myrkálfheim. The descendants of those elves are the most influential and populace race within the forest, but the deeper parts of the forest are home to blood druids, witch covens, fey, and slumbering monstrosities from an age long past.

Godsfall Mountains

Once the site of a cataclysmic war between the races of Norden and the blight unleashed by the Eight Greed Kings, the Godsfall mountains conceal the ruins of first empire to emerge in Norden. In a desperate plea for aid, the people of the old Empire sacrificed their Primal Gods and their humanity to The Lord Beyond the Horizon. The sorrowful dead, known as the Betrayed, still walk among the shattered ruins of the old world.
If one believes the skald's tales, primordial titans, dragons, and strange abominations lie buried beneath snow and sheets of glacial ice.

The Devil's Spine Mountains

Under Construction

Sundgaard

Under Construction

Rules and Guidelines

REQUIRED READING:

• This Roleplay is set within in a Dark Fantasy world, and we will explore a variety of mature themes. If you're not 18+, do NOT join.
  Horror, psychological trauma, tribal violence, domestic violence, ritual sacrifice, bloody wars, and other controversial topics like the existential competition between human survival and human morals. If any of these topics don't sit well with you, please move along.
• Recruitment for this RP will always stay open, but I'm only going to allow 8 active roleplayers at a time. I typically put a lot of effort into using character actions and backstory for future plots, and I only have so much time to spend on this.
• If the active player roster is full, I will open a queue for people who don't mind joining later. Once a slot becomes available, names in the queue will be contacted as a courtesy. Otherwise, slots will be filled on a first come, first serve basis.
• If you're inactive for more than a week. Your characters will be benched. After two weeks, I'll start considering ways to write your characters out of the story permanently. I will make exceptions for emergency situations on a case-by-case basis, but invoking this option means I need some kind of notice that you'll be leaving for x amount of time.
• Spelling and grammar should be good. The occasional mistake is fine but you should try to make your posts mistake free.
• Do not powerplay, meta-game, god-mode, etc. That being said, player characters are overwhelmingly powerful compared to the new world inhabitants, but there are some notable exceptions: immortals of Norden, the Carnivorous Mist, and other creatures of roughly demigod-like power.
• 2 paragraph minimum per post. Less a hard rule, and more a stern request. Everyone has bad days. I get it. Just try to keep your bad days more spread out if possible. =P
• When a PVP situation occurs, all participating parties will discuss what the outcome is before the fight scene begins. Figure out who lives, dies, or survives with grievous wounds, then write it. I strongly encourage collaboration for these and other scenarios.
• Do not be shy about inventing your own lore for this RP. Develop the world around you and invest in relationships with other characters. If you're not sure how you're cool idea will fit into this setting, send me a PM and we'll figure it out.
• Each character you make should have a connection to some other character you don't control. Suggestions are included in the Character Sheet. Discuss it amongst yourselves and ask questions as needed. (This is a very experimental rule, so it may become optional)
• Obey your benevolent Overlord! >:D
  
  Addendum:
• @Shiyonichi is our duly appointed Lore Nazi. If you have questions about Overlord canonfodder, ask them. I haven't gotten as far along in the light novels.
• World-type Job Classes are prohibited for future characters (e.g. Word of Disaster, World Disaster, World Guardian, World Champion, etc)

Character Sheets

Player Avatar Characters

The Player
[b]Name:[/b]
[b]Age:[/b]
[b]Gender:[/b]
[b]Bio:[/b]
Brief history, novel, or anything in between. Your choice. Go nuts!
At the very least answer the following questions: Why did this character start playing YGGDRASIL? Why did they decide to stay until the game servers shutdown?
[b]Connection to <insert name here>:[/b]
Detail how your character is connected to [i]at least[/i] one other character that you don't control, who participates in this RP. Were they friends in real life? Rivals? Were they teleworkers for the same soul-crushing corporate employer? Did one cheat on the other's brother/sister/cousin? How/Why do they know each other?
Work this out amongst yourselves.

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The Avatar
[i]"<Describe your character here in one or two brief sentences.>"[/i]
( Ex. [i]"A polite and affable troll sorcerer who technically isn't alive anymore"[/i])

[b]Name:[/b]
[b]Origin:[/b] YGGDRASIL
[b]Appearance:[/b] Description and/or Image
[b]How a normal human would view this character:[/b]
[b]Race:[/b]
Format = "Race Type - Race Name" ; Race Types as follows: Human, Demi-human, or Heteromorphic
[b]Gender:[/b] Male, Female, or N/A for certain races
[b]Alignment:[/b] (Optional)
-500(extremely evil) -> 500(extremely good)]

[b][u]Build[/u][/b]
[b]Character Level:[/b]
Yggdrasil : 1-100
New World : 1-50
[b]Racial Class:[/b]
For example Momonga is an Overlord/Elder Lich/Skeleton Mage. Human races don't have this. Not looking for the full build, since most classes are arbitrarily defined anyway
[b]Job Class:[/b]
Again, I don't need the full breakdown, just the relevant bits.
No World-type job classes either: World Champion, Word of Disaster, etc.
[b]Strengths and Weaknesses:[/b]
[b]Equipment/Abilities:[/b]
Only include equipment/abilities here that would be noteworthy or are a core part of your character's fighting style. Player characters are all quite strong and have lots of abilities and equipment so only put very unique things here. No world-class items though.

NPC Characters

NPC Character
[i]"<Describe your character here in one or two brief sentences.>"[/i]
(Ex. A retired werewolf fighter from the 'Class Act' travelling circus who is notorious for never returning anything she borrows)

[b]Name:[/b]
[b]Origin:[/b] YGGDRASIL or New World. Pick one
[b]Appearance:[/b] Description and/or Image
[b]How a normal human would view this character:[/b]
[b]Race:[/b]
Format = "Race Type - Race Name" ; Race Types as follows: Human, Demi-human, or Heteromorphic
[b]Gender:[/b] Male, Female, or N/A for certain races
[b]Alignment:[/b] (Optional)
-500(extremely evil) -> 500(extremely good)]
[b]Bio/Lore:[/b]
Brief history, novel, or anything in between. Your choice. Go nuts!
If your NPC is from YGGRDASIL, we'll assume someone created you. Who was it? Better question: why? Did they stop playing or were they active when the servers shutdown? etc
If your NPC is from the New World, what province or region are they from? Who are they allied with? Are they an immortal warrior? If so, who did they kill to obtain this power?
High level individuals are rare in the New World. Level 30 is roughly what a human could achieve through sheer effort. If you're character is above level 30, how did they achieve this? Blood magic? Worship of Eldritch Powers? Slayed an Immortal?
[b]Connection to <insert name here>:[/b]
Detail how your character is connected to at least one other character that you don't control, who participates in this RP. Who created you? How/Why do they know each other?
Work this out amongst yourselves.
If this NPC is from the New World, we may be able to work out an alternative.

[b][u]Build[/u][/b]
[b]Character Level:[/b]
Yggdrasil : 1-100
New World :1-50
[b]Racial Class:[/b]
For example Momonga is an Overlord/Elder Lich/Skeleton Mage. Human races don't have this. Not looking for the full build, since most classes are arbitrarily defined anyway
[b]Job Class:[/b]
Again, I don't need the full breakdown, just the relevant bits.
[b]Strengths and Weaknesses:[/b]
[b]Equipment/Abilities:[/b]
Only include equipment/abilities here that would be noteworthy or are a core part of your character's fighting style. Player characters are all quite strong and have lots of abilities and equipment so only put very unique things here. No world-class items though.

(Note: If you want to play as an immortal/ NPC from the New World and you need any help with your character, let me know.)

Overlord RP - Bloodlines of Steel and Snow

Sweet.

Looks like I have at least five people (including the other thread), so I'll start working on an OoC.

Overlord RP - Bloodlines of Steel and Snow

I've had this strange craving to run a campaign that loosely combines the following:

• Highlander, particularly the part where you slaughter other immortals (err...pseudo-mortals?) to gain supernatural powers
• Overlord (anime), because I'm a sucker for Norse mythology and the setting itself.
• Themes such as exploration, giants, unpredictable magic, political intrigue, lore-driven mysteries, Lovecraftian references, mortal combat, and mild peril

may or may not have watched both franchises somewhat recently... e.e

In essence, players from Yggdrasil would get dropped into a pseudo-viking culture where the magic and immortality portrayed in Highlander is well-known, even commonplace. Interesting twist: players can be level-drained by mere NPC highlanders. Because where's the fun, unless there's a challenge?

In any case, here's the pitch:

Bloodlines of Steel and Snow

Story

NPC Perspective
For centuries, curses and foul creatures have plagued the land of Norden. Spawned from the fog which eternally shrouds the Devil's Spine mountains, these blights have beleaguered the people Norden time and again. Despite being fierce and proud warriors tempered through constant strife, they resigned themselves to a divine pact with beings beyond the stars.

With newfound power the were able to push back the blight, but such power had a price. The Nordens cursed themselves and the land itself to be participants in a sorcerous blood war. Immortal warriors roam the godless, wintery landscape, coveting the blood of their neighbor. For within their veins lies the power needed to defeat the blight.

In Norden, blood and steel can defeat anything.

On the first night of the new moon, a spear of light pierced the heavens. It could be seen for miles around, but no one in Norden knows whether it is an ill omen or a beacon of hope. Only time will tell.

Player Perspective
The Dive Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game YGGDRASIL is in its final hour. Much of the player base has already logged off and resigned themselves to playing some other game. A sentimental few have chosen to stay behind until the very end.

When the servers shutdown, one small band of players was transported to the misty mountains of a foreign land. Bewildered and compelled by curiosity, they began exploring their surroundings. Quickly they realized YGGDRASIL was no longer a game, but their new reality. Now trapped inside the body of their former avatars, what new obstacles await them in the hostile and fantastic land of Norden?

---

Starting Location

Reference Map
Players will be starting in the territory of Norden, which is far to the northeast of the Agrand Council Alliance. (And thus does not appear on this map)

The Norden Highlands:

A Regional Primer

Our story begins in the frozen north, where the air is dry, the winds bite, and the only the wolves mourn the dead. Once ancestral Hero Kings ruled the land of Norden, all the way from Osthold to Myrkálfheim. Now, giants erupt from the mountain to raid settlements. Ancient magic taints the earth and wildlife, becoming twisted, wicked. Needless to say, the natives suffer a harsh existence here, but survive all the same.

The reign of the Eight Greed Kings witnessed the decline of Wild Magic across the known world, and the fall of the northern kingdoms. Curses and plagues ravaged the populace. The land shattered and a hungry fog separated the northern lands from the rest of the continent. Foul magic lurked in the mist between them, ensuring little more than rumors ever survived the trip through it.

While Wild Magic was nearly extinguished in the rest of the world, it was embraced in the frozen plains.
The histories are vague and the only clues which remain are repeated in centuries-old stories and oral traditions. Bleak legends speak of sacrifice, sorcery, and worship of elder powers, but offer scarce details into what really happened. The fact remains, however, that the people of Norden discovered a way to survive the onslaught.

Blood is power. Seize it.
Land is your birthright. Claim it.
Immortality is a weapon. Master it.
Extinction is approaching. Fight it.

This old mantra still thrives in prose and song, and represents the cornerstones of Norden culture.
Every child in the north knows their blood possesses latent magic. They know that if they are slain their killer gains their power. It's a fact of life.
By claiming the magic power of their defeated enemies, skilled warriors can eventually become nigh immortal, but doing so entails dire risks. Immortals are the target of anyone with an ounce of ambition and a sharp blade.
Killing an immortal is neither quiet nor subtle. Once defeated, they must be ritualistically slain. Torrents of magical energy fill the immediate area when one of them dies, and anyone with a talent for magic can sense the disturbance for miles around. Storms clouds often loom over battlefields where immortal warriors have fought and died.

Some families have found ways to preserve power and status through bloodlines, finding safety in numbers. A few clans even claim hundreds of members to their lineage. Unsurprisingly, power struggles between influential clans are not uncommon and occasionally serve as a form of community entertainment.

Norden folk relentlessly purge all forms of disease and infirmity with fire and purifying salts. And, although the plagues are long gone, the cultural scars run deep. Even a mild cough or flu has at times been cured by burning homesteads and the families inside them to the ground.

Köttätande Dimma, The Carnivorous Mist, blankets the land bridge between Norden and the southern kingdoms. Occasionally, the mist spreads to engulf much of Nordens southern coastline as well. Entire caravans have entered the fog bank only for their remains to be found drizzled across the ground as if by a light rain. Empty ships devoid of life periodically run ashore. Dark smears on the deck offer a grim clue as to what fate had befallen the unlucky sailors. It is believed that malevolent ghosts and hungry fey lurk within the mist, preying upon humans and demi-humans alike.

While it's rich in wood and other resources, establishing regular trade routes to Norden has proven difficult at best, and suicidal at worst. Even centuries after the mist appeared, the number of trading vessels which make port in Norden rarely enter the double digits.

Worse still, Norden folk are all too easily regarded as barbarians by outsiders. However, when pitted against seasonal blizzards, savage beasts, eldritch abominations, and the accursed mist there isn't much room for civility. In fact, given the rigors of life in the north, few ever die of old age, save a handful of cunning and reclusive hermits. Despite myriad dangers, the races of Norden are proud, resolute, and steeped in generations of heroism, adventure, and mysticism.

Image Gallery:

I uploaded some thematically appropriate images here. It's just a collection of things which inspired me so far.

Important Locations List:

This is not required reading, but may be useful to some of you.

Steinngrim

Steinngrim's eponymous Steinngrimr Magnusson was a prolific sailor and skilled warrior. His wild and imperious nature drove him to plunder countless foreign shores and conquer his neighbors with impunity. With a fleet of ships crewed by native monsters and creatures of the sea, few presented a challenge. The Steinngrim province has long survived its founder, and more than two-thirds of its modern inhabits can trace their lineage back to Steinngrimr through one of his many sons and daughters.

To this day, Steinngrim maintains the only functional sea port and enjoys scarce trade with other countries. Miraculously, even since Jarl Steinngrimr's rule, the Köttätande Dimma leaves Steinngrim's shores untouched during its seasonal spread across the coastline of Norden. Rumors of a dark pact still persist years later.

Jarl Ylfur Sigvaldason, "The Witchtaker", is a wise and venerable ruler, but remains in a tenuous position as leader. A folk hero in her youth, legendary among older warriors, and a cunning mastermind in her old age, she has spent long years stabilizing her family’s province, but not without controversy. Her public support for the lazy king, Snorri Sevenfinger, was unpopular among her own people and clan. Growing unrest may lead the province to collapse, and enemies on all sides are ready for war.

Osthold

Osthold is one of the few landlocked provinces of Norden and enjoys rocky hills, bitter frosts, and old woodlands teeming with wild game. The great fortress city of Heiðarvíga sits atop a craggy, shale escarpment hundreds of feet a tall, which rises into a snow-capped plateau. Resembling a small, flattened mountain, the plateau is commonly known as Skagen's Shield. Three fortresses are wedged into narrow defiles between steep, jagged cliffs, and each one guards the only passable roads to the top of the plateau.

King Snorri Sevenfinger rules Osthold and several vassal provinces from his throne in Heiðarvíga.

Fimbulberg

Jarl Ullr Rjurikson rules Fimbulberg, the plains to the north. He and his Black Frost cavalry swear allegiance to the Archdruid Marik, who frequently undermines King Snorri Sevenfinger. The fact has caused heated tensions with the neighboring province of Steinngrim, who has pledged loyalty to the Norden King. The trades routes that enter and exit Steinngrim are the lifeline of Fimbulberg, and is the only thing which has maintained unsteady peace between Jarl Rjurikson and the Jarl Witchtaker of Steinngrim.

Surtr's Breach lies off Fimbulberg's western coast, making fishing and trade almost impossible. Worse still, fire giants regularly raid the defensible cliffs and are a constant source of grief for the people and for the Jarl.

The Hungry Downs

The Hungry downs is a lonely expanse of long, sloping hills dotted with patches of forest. While Jarl Hrathnar rules this area, and is thus allied with the King of Osthold, the downs are ultimately controlled by a powerful witch coven. The Daughters of Keldrbrand have defended (and extorted) the local villages for generations. The witches are regarded with fear and reverence in equal measure, while the Jarl is regarded with ambivalence at best and annoyance at worst. Unfortunately for Jarl Hrathnar, his subjects are the least of his concerns. He must remain loyal to two masters, if he hopes stay alive, and the witch's are notoriously difficult to bargain with.

Singing Tarn

The tallest peak and largest lake among the the Norden lands belongings to the expansive isle of Singing Tarn. Sharp peaks erupt from the center of the isle, and carved into its jagged hills is the enormous Lake Leyndarmál. A reclusive sorceress known only as Our Silent Lady claims ownership of the entire island and has made the lake her home. She is widely known as reclusive and is absent from the daily lives of Singing Tarn's inhabitants, and is content to let them govern themselves. Unsurprisingly, the majority of Norden's demi-human population lives here and has formed into a collection of small roving bands and communal homesteads.

While there aren't any written laws, Our Silent Lady does not abide any religious worship on the island, not even shrines constructed in her honor. Nor does she respond kindly to anyone who challenges her claim to Singing Tarn. There were once many temples to gods of the wind and sea on the island, but all of them lie in ruin now. It is a widely known fact that praying to Our Silent Lady provokes a swift and fatal response. There is no shortage of campfire stories detailing how a close friend or neighbor suddenly became a blackened, shrivelled corpse. Anyone who dismisses these stories as superstition need only to visit the local burial mounds to discover the truth.

Steaming Sea

The Steaming Sea extends along Norden's eastern and southern borders, and derives its name from the plumes of dense fog which regularly cover its surface. Sailors who must journey near the Devil's Spine, the isthmus which connects Norden to the southern kingdoms, must be extremely cautious. The Steaming Sea's natural fog frequently bleeds into the Carnivorous Mist, making it impossible to know where the fog ends and the nightmare land begins.
The sea itself filled with all manner of mysterious creatures. Blue-skinned elves claim tribal lands just beneath the surface. Capricious and violent sea monsters patrol the waters, preying upon fishermen and sailors alike.

Surtr's Breach lies between Fimbulberg's coast and Black Tarn. It is a massive natural whirlpool which threatens any ship brave enough to skirt around its raging waters. Folk tales have long maintained that at the bottom of the whirlpool is a gateway to Muspelheim. Given how often fire giants emerge from the water to conduct raids, many believe the folk tales are true. More commonly a sea serpent and leviathan will drag unwary vessels into the vortex for a quick meal.

Brionac Forest

Vol Isle

Godsfall Mountains

Additional Information:

• You can be a PC or an NPC from Norden (I'd like to have a nice mix of both)
• In regards to the Overlord, I'm leaning towards AU or different part of canon timeline. I don't intend for their to be any interactions with Ainz et al. I could be open to it, but it's not in my plans at the moment.
• I have a fairly open-ended sandbox setup already. I just need to flesh out and refine my notes further.

Things in the TBD Category

• Timeline - I haven't decided if this is before or after the great big fight between the Evil Gods and the Thirteen Heroes.
• I like offering mysteries and riddles in my campaigns, but.... not everyone likes them as much as I do, and they may not fit the plot. We'll see.

First Draft - Character Sheets

Player Avatar Characters

The Player
Name:
Age:
Gender:
Bio:
Brief history, novel, or anything in between. Your choice. Go nuts!
At the very least answer the following questions: Why did this character start playing YGGDRASIL? Why did they decide to stay until the game servers shutdown?
Connection to <insert name here>:
Detail how your character is connected to at least one other character that you don't control, who participates in this RP. Were they friends in real life? Rivals? Were they teleworkers for the same soul-crushing corporate employer? Did one cheat on the other's brother/sister/cousin? How/Why do they know each other?
Work this out amongst yourselves.

---

The Avatar
"<Describe your character here in one or two brief sentences.>"
( Ex. "A polite and affable troll sorcerer who technically isn't alive anymore")

Name:
Appearance: Description and/or Image
Origin: YGGDRASIL or New World. Pick one
Race:
Format = "Race Type - Race Name" ; Race Types as follows: Human, Demi-human, or Heteromorphic
Gender: Male, Female, or N/A for certain races
Character Level:
Yggdrasil : 1-100
New World :1-50
Alignment: Optional
-500(extremely evil) -> 500(extremely good)]
Racial Class:
For example Momonga is an Overlord/Elder Lich/Skeleton Mage. Human races don't have this. Not looking for the full build, since most classes are arbitrarily defined anyway
Job Class:
Again, I don't need the full breakdown, just the relevant bits.
Strengths and Weaknesses:
Equipment/Abilities:
Only include equipment/abilities here that would be noteworthy or are a core part of your character's fighting style. Player characters are all quite strong and have lots of abilities and equipment so only put very unique things here. No world-class items though.
How a normal human would view this character:

NPC Characters

NPC Characters
"<Describe your character here in one or two brief sentences.>"
(Ex. A retired werewolf fighter from the 'Class Act' travelling circus who is notorious for never returning anything she borrows)

Name:
Appearance: Description and/or Image
Origin: YGGDRASIL or New World. Pick one
Race:
Format = "Race Type - Race Name" ; Race Types as follows: Human, Demi-human, or Heteromorphic
Gender: Male, Female, or N/A for certain races
Character Level:
Yggdrasil : 1-100
New World :1-50
Alignment: Optional
-500(extremely evil) -> 500(extremely good)]
Racial Class:
For example Momonga is an Overlord/Elder Lich/Skeleton Mage. Human races don't have this. Not looking for the full build, since most classes are arbitrarily defined anyway
Job Class:
Again, I don't need the full breakdown, just the relevant bits.
Strengths and Weaknesses:
Equipment/Abilities:
Only include equipment/abilities here that would be noteworthy or are a core part of your character's fighting style. Player characters are all quite strong and have lots of abilities and equipment so only put very unique things here. No world-class items though.
How a normal human would view this character:
Bio/Lore:
Brief history, novel, or anything in between. Your choice. Go nuts!
If your NPC is from YGGRDASIL, we'll assume someone created you. Who was it? Better question: why? Did they stop playing or were they active when the servers shutdown? etc
If your NPC is from the New World, and you get stuck, PM me. We'll brainstorm. I have a brain full of homebrew lore, and only 30% or so is organized and written down.
Connection to <insert name here>:
Detail how your character is connected to at least one other character that you don't control, who participates in this RP. Who created you? How/Why do they know each other?
Work this out amongst yourselves.
If this NPC is from the New World, we may be able to work out an alternative.

The Gist

It's a cool idea to me, but I'm trying to gauge interest before I invest more time in it.

Anybody down to clown?
Any questions? Suggestions?
If this gets some traction, I wouldn't mind having someone volunteer to be my Overlord lore nazi expert, so I can use them as a sounding board for ideas. o.o

---

P.S.
This is still under construction, so it's not yet ready for prime time.

(This is a repost from here it)

Overlord RP - Bloodlines of Steel and Snow

Update:

• Working on a generalized hex map of Norden. No ETA yet.
• Rough draft of character sheets are up.
• I'm liking the idea of each player intimately knowing at least one other player. They don't necessarily need to know each other in meatspace, but they should be familiar enough such that their relationship amounts to more than "some girl/guy I raided with once". If you get my meaning.
  Folks who want to play NPC characters don't necessarily have to fulfill this requirement.
• Reposted this IntChk under Casual (link in the OP) because there's double/triple the traffic in that subforum.

Overlord RP - Bloodlines of Steel and Snow

I'm gonna write at an advanced level regardless of where I'm at, but I typically throw things into the Casual bin.

I guess the better question is:
Where would you guys like me to put it?
Casual or Advanced?

Fuck it. I'll put it in Casual. Lower requirements, let's me be lazy with the post length after a long day at work.

Overlord RP - Bloodlines of Steel and Snow

@BKburke@Jinxlynx

Awesome.

Two is a nice start. If I can get four or five, I'll toss up a main thread. =]

I'll be adding some more regional info over the next couple hours, so stay tuned for updates.

Overlord RP - Bloodlines of Steel and Snow

(This is the original, but a repost exists here for more exposure)

I've had this strange craving to run a campaign that loosely combines the following:

• Highlander, particularly the part where you slaughter other immortals (err...pseudo-mortals?) to gain supernatural powers
• Overlord (anime), because I'm a sucker for Norse mythology and the setting itself.
• Themes such as exploration, giants, unpredictable magic, political intrigue, lore-driven mysteries, Lovecraftian references, mortal combat, and mild peril

may or may not have watched both franchises somewhat recently... e.e'

In essence, players from Yggdrasil would get dropped into a pseudo-viking culture where the magic and immortality portrayed in Highlander is well-known, even commonplace. Interesting twist: players can be level-drained by mere NPC highlanders. Because where's the fun, unless there's a challenge?

In any case, here's the pitch:

Bloodlines of Steel and Snow

Story

NPC Perspective
For centuries, curses and foul creatures have plagued the land of Norden. Spawned from the fog which eternally shrouds the Devil's Spine mountains, these blights have beleaguered the people Norden time and again. Despite being fierce and proud warriors tempered through constant strife, they resigned themselves to divine pact with beings beyond the stars.

With newfound power the were able to push back the blight, but cursed themselves and the land in the process. Such power had a price. Immortal warriors roam the godless, wintery landscape, coveting the blood of their neighbor. For within their veins lies the power needed to defeat the blight.

In Norden, blood and steel can defeat anything.

On the first night of the new moon, a spear of light pierced the heavens. It could be seen for miles around, but no one in Norden knows whether it is an ill omen or a beacon of hope. Only time will tell.

Player Perspective
The Dive Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game YGGDRASIL is in its final hour. Much of the player base has already logged off and resigned themselves to playing some other game. A sentimental few have chosen to stay behind until the very end.

When the servers shutdown, one small band of players was transported to the misty mountains of a foreign land. Bewildered and compelled by curiosity, they began exploring their surroundings. Quickly they realized YGGDRASIL was no longer a game, but their new reality. Now trapped inside the body of their former avatars, what new obstacles await them in the hostile and fantastic land of Norden?

---

Starting Location

Reference Map
Players will be starting in the territory of Norden, which is far to the northeast of the Agrand Council Alliance. (And thus does not appear on this map)

The Norden Highlands:

A Regional Primer

Our story begins in the frozen north, where the air is dry, the winds bite, and the only the wolves mourn the dead. Once ancestral Hero Kings ruled the land of Norden, all the way from Osthold to Myrkálfheim. Now, giants erupt from the mountain to raid settlements. Ancient magic taints the earth and wildlife, becoming twisted, wicked. Needless to say, the natives suffer a harsh existence here, but survive all the same.

The reign of the Eight Greed Kings witnessed the decline of Wild Magic across the known world, and the fall of the northern kingdoms. Curses and plagues ravaged the populace. The land shattered and a hungry fog separated the northern lands from the rest of the continent. Foul magic lurked in the mist between them, ensuring little more than rumors ever survived the trip through it.

While Wild Magic was nearly extinguished in the rest of the world, it was embraced in the frozen plains.
The histories are vague and the only clues which remain are repeated in centuries-old stories and oral traditions. Bleak legends speak of sacrifice, sorcery, and worship of elder powers, but offer scarce details into what really happened. The fact remains, however, that the people of Norden discovered a way to survive the onslaught.

Blood is power. Seize it.
Land is your birthright. Claim it.
Immortality is a weapon. Master it.
Extinction is approaching. Fight it.

This old mantra still thrives in prose and song, and represents the cornerstones of Norden culture.
Every child in the north knows their blood possesses latent magic. They know that if they are slain their killer gains their power. It's a fact of life.
By claiming the magic power of their defeated enemies, skilled warriors can eventually become nigh immortal, but doing so entails dire risks. Immortals are the target of anyone with an ounce of ambition and a sharp blade.
Killing an immortal is neither quiet nor subtle. Once defeated, they must be ritualistically slain. Torrents of magical energy fill the immediate area when one of them dies, and anyone with a talent for magic can sense the disturbance for miles around. Storms clouds often loom over battlefields where immortal warriors have fought and died.

Some families have found ways to preserve power and status through bloodlines, finding safety in numbers. A few clans even claim hundreds of members to their lineage. Unsurprisingly, power struggles between influential clans are not uncommon and occasionally serve as a form of community entertainment.

Norden folk relentlessly purge all forms of disease and infirmity with fire and purifying salts. And, although the plagues are long gone, the cultural scars run deep. Even a mild cough or flu has at times been cured by burning homesteads and the families inside them to the ground.

Köttätande Dimma, The Carnivorous Mist, blankets the land bridge between Norden and the southern kingdoms. Occasionally, the mist spreads to engulf much of Nordens southern coastline as well. Entire caravans have entered the fog bank only for their remains to be found drizzled across the ground as if by a light rain. Empty ships devoid of life periodically run ashore. Dark smears on the deck offer a grim clue as to what fate had befallen the unlucky sailors. It is believed that malevolent ghosts and hungry fey lurk within the mist, preying upon humans and demi-humans alike.

While it's rich in wood and other resources, establishing regular trade routes to Norden has proven difficult at best, and suicidal at worst. Even centuries after the mist appeared, the number of trading vessels which make port in Norden rarely enter the double digits.

Worse still, Norden folk are all too easily regarded as barbarians by outsiders. However, when pitted against seasonal blizzards, savage beasts, eldritch abominations, and the accursed mist there isn't much room for civility. In fact, given the rigors of life in the north, few ever die of old age, save a handful of cunning and reclusive hermits. Despite myriad dangers, the races of Norden are proud, resolute, and steeped in generations of heroism, adventure, and mysticism.

Image Gallery:

I uploaded some thematically appropriate images here. It's just a collection of things which inspired me so far.

Important Locations List:

This is not required reading, but may be useful to some of you.

Steinngrim

Steinngrim's eponymous Steinngrimr Magnusson was a prolific sailor and skilled warrior. His wild and imperious nature drove him to plunder countless foreign shores and conquer his neighbors with impunity. With a fleet of ships crewed by native monsters and creatures of the sea, few presented a challenge. The Steinngrim province has long survived its founder, and more than two-thirds of its modern inhabits can trace their lineage back to Steinngrimr through one of his many sons and daughters.

To this day, Steinngrim maintains the only functional sea port and enjoys scarce trade with other countries. Miraculously, even since Jarl Steinngrimr's rule, the Köttätande Dimma leaves Steinngrim's shores untouched during its seasonal spread across the coastline of Norden. Rumors of a dark pact still persist years later.

Jarl Ylfur Sigvaldason, "The Witchtaker", is a wise and venerable ruler, but remains in a tenuous position as leader. A folk hero in her youth, legendary among older warriors, and a cunning mastermind in her old age, she has spent long years stabilizing her family’s province, but not without controversy. Her public support for the lazy king, Snorri Sevenfinger, was unpopular among her own people and clan. Growing unrest may lead the province to collapse, and enemies on all sides are ready for war.

Osthold

Osthold is one of the few landlocked provinces of Norden and enjoys rocky hills, bitter frosts, and old woodlands teeming with wild game. The great fortress city of Heiðarvíga sits atop a craggy, shale escarpment hundreds of feet a tall, which rises into a snow-capped plateau. Resembling a small, flattened mountain, the plateau is commonly known as Skagen's Shield. Three fortresses are wedged into narrow defiles between steep, jagged cliffs, and each one guards the only passable roads to the top of the plateau.

King Snorri Sevenfinger rules Osthold and several vassal provinces from his throne in Heiðarvíga.

Fimbulberg

Jarl Ullr Rjurikson rules Fimbulberg, the plains to the north. He and his Black Frost cavalry swear allegiance to the Archdruid Marik, who frequently undermines King Snorri Sevenfinger. The fact has caused heated tensions with the neighboring province of Steinngrim, who has pledged loyalty to the Norden King. The trades routes that enter and exit Steinngrim are the lifeline of Fimbulberg, and is the only thing which has maintained unsteady peace between Jarl Rjurikson and the Jarl Witchtaker of Steinngrim.

Surtr's Breach lies off Fimbulberg's western coast, making fishing and trade almost impossible. Worse still, fire giants regularly raid the defensible cliffs and are a constant source of grief for the people and for the Jarl.

The Hungry Downs

The Hungry downs is a lonely expanse of long, sloping hills dotted with patches of forest. While Jarl Hrathnar rules this area, and is thus allied with the King of Osthold, the downs are ultimately controlled by a powerful witch coven. The Daughters of Keldrbrand have defended (and extorted) the local villages for generations. The witches are regarded with fear and reverence in equal measure, while the Jarl is regarded with ambivalence at best and annoyance at worst. Unfortunately for Jarl Hrathnar, his subjects are the least of his concerns. He must remain loyal to two masters, if he hopes stay alive, and the witch's are notoriously difficult to bargain with.

Singing Tarn

The tallest peak and largest lake among the the Norden lands belongings to the expansive isle of Singing Tarn. Sharp peaks erupt from the center of the isle, and carved into its jagged hills is the enormous Lake Leyndarmál. A reclusive sorceress known only as Our Silent Lady claims ownership of the entire island and has made the lake her home. She is widely known as reclusive and is absent from the daily lives of Singing Tarn's inhabitants, and is content to let them govern themselves. Unsurprisingly, the majority of Norden's demi-human population lives here and has formed into a collection of small roving bands and communal homesteads.

While there aren't any written laws, Our Silent Lady does not abide any religious worship on the island, not even shrines constructed in her honor. Nor does she respond kindly to anyone who challenges her claim to Singing Tarn. There were once many temples to gods of the wind and sea on the island, but all of them lie in ruin now. It is a widely known fact that praying to Our Silent Lady provokes a swift and fatal response. There is no shortage of campfire stories detailing how a close friend or neighbor suddenly became a blackened, shrivelled corpse. Anyone who dismisses these stories as superstition need only to visit the local burial mounds to discover the truth.

Steaming Sea

The Steaming Sea extends along Norden's eastern and southern borders, and derives its name from the plumes of dense fog which regularly cover its surface. Sailors who must journey near the Devil's Spine, the isthmus which connects Norden to the southern kingdoms, must be extremely cautious. The Steaming Sea's natural fog frequently bleeds into the Carnivorous Mist, making it impossible to know where the fog ends and the nightmare land begins.
The sea itself filled with all manner of mysterious creatures. Blue-skinned elves claim tribal lands just beneath the surface. Capricious and violent sea monsters patrol the waters, preying upon fishermen and sailors alike.

Surtr's Breach lies between Fimbulberg's coast and Black Tarn. It is a massive natural whirlpool which threatens any ship brave enough to skirt around its raging waters. Folk tales have long maintained that at the bottom of the whirlpool is a gateway to Muspelheim. Given how often fire giants emerge from the water to conduct raids, many believe the folk tales are true. More commonly a sea serpent and leviathan will drag unwary vessels into the vortex for a quick meal.

Brionac Forest

Vol Isle

Godsfall Mountains

Additional Information:

• You can be a PC or an NPC from Norden (I'd like to have a nice mix of both)
• In regards to the Overlord, I'm leaning towards AU or different part of canon timeline. I don't intend for their to be any interactions with Ainz et al. I could be open to it, but it's not in my plans at the moment.
• I have a fairly open-ended sandbox setup already. I just need to flesh out and refine my notes further.

Things in the TBD Category

• Timeline - I haven't decided if this is before or after the great big fight between the Evil Gods and the Thirteen Heroes.
• I like offering mysteries and riddles in my campaigns, but.... not everyone likes them as much as I do, and they may not fit the plot. We'll see.

First Draft - Character Sheets

Player Avatar Characters

The Player
Name:
Age:
Gender:
Bio:
Brief history, novel, or anything in between. Your choice. Go nuts!
At the very least answer the following questions: Why did this character start playing YGGDRASIL? Why did they decide to stay until the game servers shutdown?
Connection to <insert name here>:
Detail how your character is connected to at least one other character that you don't control, who participates in this RP. Were they friends in real life? Rivals? Were they teleworkers for the same soul-crushing corporate employer? Did one cheat on the other's brother/sister/cousin? How/Why do they know each other?
Work this out amongst yourselves.

---

The Avatar
"<Describe your character here in one or two brief sentences.>"
( Ex. "A polite and affable troll sorcerer who technically isn't alive anymore")

Name:
Appearance: Description and/or Image
Origin: YGGDRASIL or New World. Pick one
Race:
Format = "Race Type - Race Name" ; Race Types as follows: Human, Demi-human, or Heteromorphic
Gender: Male, Female, or N/A for certain races
Character Level:
Yggdrasil : 1-100
New World :1-50
Alignment: Optional
-500(extremely evil) -> 500(extremely good)]
Racial Class:
For example Momonga is an Overlord/Elder Lich/Skeleton Mage. Human races don't have this. Not looking for the full build, since most classes are arbitrarily defined anyway
Job Class:
Again, I don't need the full breakdown, just the relevant bits.
Strengths and Weaknesses:
Equipment/Abilities:
Only include equipment/abilities here that would be noteworthy or are a core part of your character's fighting style. Player characters are all quite strong and have lots of abilities and equipment so only put very unique things here. No world-class items though.
How a normal human would view this character:

NPC Characters

NPC Characters
"<Describe your character here in one or two brief sentences.>"
(Ex. A retired werewolf fighter from the 'Class Act' travelling circus who is notorious for never returning anything she borrows)

Name:
Appearance: Description and/or Image
Origin: YGGDRASIL or New World. Pick one
Race:
Format = "Race Type - Race Name" ; Race Types as follows: Human, Demi-human, or Heteromorphic
Gender: Male, Female, or N/A for certain races
Character Level:
Yggdrasil : 1-100
New World :1-50
Alignment: Optional
-500(extremely evil) -> 500(extremely good)]
Racial Class:
For example Momonga is an Overlord/Elder Lich/Skeleton Mage. Human races don't have this. Not looking for the full build, since most classes are arbitrarily defined anyway
Job Class:
Again, I don't need the full breakdown, just the relevant bits.
Strengths and Weaknesses:
Equipment/Abilities:
Only include equipment/abilities here that would be noteworthy or are a core part of your character's fighting style. Player characters are all quite strong and have lots of abilities and equipment so only put very unique things here. No world-class items though.
How a normal human would view this character:
Bio/Lore:
Brief history, novel, or anything in between. Your choice. Go nuts!
If your NPC is from YGGRDASIL, we'll assume someone created you. Who was it? Better question: why? Did they stop playing or were they active when the servers shutdown? etc
If your NPC is from the New World, and you get stuck, PM me. We'll brainstorm. I have a brain full of homebrew lore, and only 30% or so is organized and written down.
Connection to <insert name here>:
Detail how your character is connected to at least one other character that you don't control, who participates in this RP. Who created you? How/Why do they know each other?
Work this out amongst yourselves.
If this NPC is from the New World, we may be able to work out an alternative.

The Gist
It's a cool idea to me, but I'm trying to gauge interest before I invest more time in it.

Anybody down to clown?
Any questions? Suggestions?
If this gets some traction, I wouldn't mind having someone volunteer to be my Overlord lore nazi expert, so I can use them as a sounding board for ideas. o.o

---

P.S.
This is still under construction, so it's not yet ready for prime time.

City of Dark Rain: A surrealist cyberpunk/sci-fi setting and plot (still accepting characters)

@6slyboy6
I dont think it would be a problem if you still wanted to join. Aaron was expecting a larger group anyway. You're CS just won't be approved til he gets back.