Estylwen

Souls of Atlas

***

You have lived a long and arduous life. You've gone through so much, seen crazy things. You have loved, you have lost, and you've hurt both your friends and enemies. You've set fire to your own paradise and tried to rebuild from the ashes of your mistakes.

And now here you stand. In pieces.

Your soul is shattered beyond repair. It's barely recognizable with all those cracks. Now, what you did to put your soul in such ungodliness is no concern of mine. But you cannot be permitted to continue like this, a walking catastrophe. Thankfully I found you before He did. He'd never let you off the ground looking like that.

Listen, I don't mean to sound so serious. Or vague. But you can trust me. There is a place far from here that resides between the invisible division of the 3rd and 4th dimension. A land of untapped beauty, pristine landscapes, heavenly creatures. I've seen golden trees with branches unfolded in perfect symmetry. Winding paths lit by arcs of blue lightning bugs. Great mountains with glowing peaks. Oasises where the fish don't swim -- they fly.

I won't be cliché and say "Come with me if you want to live to live." But we're at this point in our relationship where I think we should take it to the next level. All kidding aside, you and your soul will die here if you don't let me help you. The place I described before, it's called Atlas. A place of new beginnings, of discovery, and of healing. It takes more than mere crystalline waters to piece together a soul, however. You'll have to find The Lady for that. She's nice, you'll like her. But she's hard to find, so it will take time. Usually she responds to acts of kindness or valor, but that's more myth than anything. The Lady hasn't been seen for years.

Regardless, you're about to embark on the most fantastic adventure of your life -- your second chance. You won't remember most of our little chat, but when I see you down there I'll explain this all again. I know it doesn't make sense, but I assure you all will be revealed in due time.

Now take my hand. It's time.

---

Welcome to the fantastic world of Atlas!

changelog

--Added more to 'YOUR SOUL-BODY IN ATLAS' 6/24

Your Shattered Soul

Everyone's been diseased with Shattered Essence, a condition where your soul slowly shreds to pieces.

Symptoms: Fatigue, heat flashes, chills, momentary loss of touch or mobility. In extreme cases, victims deteriorate to a point where they become no more.
Cures: Up to this point the only way to cure SE is by finding The Lady, a deity of myth located in the skies of Atlas. There are ways to slow down the deterioration process by drinking or bathing in the waters of an oasis. Rumors say that illegal methods have been used to cure SE, but the long-term effects remain to be seen.

Character and plot

Life and beauty can't just be in Atlas, it has to be in your charrie too. No one enjoys a static character. Give him/her a goal, some personal drive. Give them flaws, weave your stories together. Give them powerful emotions. Let your character get defeated occasionally; it will help them grow. It's not about who's strong or weak. It's about people who have lost their lives and are trying to find themselves before they lose everything again. The interactions you make are important.

Of course, in the beginning not even you will know much about yourself, so don't sweat it. There's plenty of time to figure yourself out along the plot line.

This plot will travel in determined arcs, though some events are randomized. We will come across many situations where a good outcome cannot be made, and your choices will impact the story.

The World of Atlas and You

OVERVIEW
Atlas is a living, breathing world where anything is possible. Among the myriad of creatures, humans are one among the many and tend to dispute amongst each other. Dwarves live proud under the mountains that lead to Alma Peak, a sacred red pillar that is said to be the gateway to The Lady's sky kingdom. Forest spirits and whimsical creatures come and go freely, avoiding places with aggressive energy. But one must beware, for not all beings have good intentions for travelers. As for technology, there is none save for one city. The rest of the land uses magic as a source of power, mostly through enchanted objects.

The land of Atlas is diverse and bright, but feels divided with the disappearance of The Lady 700 years ago.

YOUR SOUL-BODY IN ATLAS
Soul-bodies do not require food or sleep. A knife can stab you, but the skin would remain intact. Just be aware that SE is very real and very volatile if you don't keep it in check. If a knife did stab you, it would hurt, then you'd lose feeling in that area, and pieces of your soul would flake away.

The only times you'd see damage or cracks, or pieces of your soul flaking off would be under intense damage (like hits in battle) or after a long time of no oasis water, SE soul-bodies need a dose of that every day or so, or they'll get some symptoms back. After a week of no oasis water the SE soul-body will completely disintegrate. Souls don't show typical wear and tear like mortal bodies do. The SE disease is symptoms, for the most part. Only if you're close to death do you visibly see cracks and shatter marks.

TAKING DAMAGE IN ATLAS
Seeing as this is a fantastic world, your soul-body cannot be damaged like the flesh and blood creatures who reside here. When you're hit, it wont leave wounds but not only do you feel pain, it directly affects your disease. As you take damage you'll feel feverish, lose your balance/mobility, black out, etc. Eventually your soul deteriorates completely, and you die the ultimate death. Vials of oasis water will instantly heal you when ingested, so you're not totally screwed.

OASISES IN ATLAS
They say the waters of the oasis were touched by The Lady herself, giving them their healing properties. You'll find these in choice places in Atlas, some hidden, some freely accessible to all. Due to their limited locations, riots have broken out between villages as to who has access to the holy water.

GOVERNING BODIES
Each town or group of people have their own government. The Town of Bela has a Council of Three. The traveling raiders of the Sipido Badlands look to their Shaman for leadership.

The Lady is considered the one true governing body, but after 700 years of silence the deity is considered myth to most in Atlas.

MAGIC IN ATLAS
Mercenaries with plain swords are most common. A few of them have enchanted swords that can cast simple spells, most of them elemental. Magic mainly comes from enchanted objects as opposed to drawn from pure energy. Enchanters are eagerly sought after. Only wizards who have trained long and hard can access high-level magic, they are few, but they are feared. Forest spirits and elves have easier access to this power and tend to hide it in the more populated regions of Atlas. Magic is outright banned in Celos City. They run on electricity.

Rules and Expectations

-If you cannot continually devote time to this story (at least one post every 2-3 days) then you may wish to reconsider this RP. Keep the posts coming, let us know if you'll be absent.
-Casual Roleplay standards apply to your posts. But I'm more about quality than quantity. If you poured your heart and soul into three paragraphs, and I weep, then that's perfect. Don't feel pressure to write more than you can, forced words fall on deaf ears.
-If you and I are strangers, I'll need a small writing sample from you along with your character submission. It only needs to be a paragraph long and can be about anything.
-READ EVERYTHING.
-Don't be afraid to get to know your fellow players in the OOC; it makes for a smooth RP.
-Discuss plot lines and 'no-death' defeats. It's far more entertaining than two mary-sues (overpowered charries) refusing to give up.
-NPC's belong to me. If you have an idea, tell me and (if I like it) I'll send an event your charrie's way.
-The GM may automate some of your moves, but know this is all for the smoothness of the RP.
-I need an easy way of contacting everyone. If RPG isn't where you're most active, I want what is. For me, it's Facebook.
-Have fun! Atlas is full of potential and I want this story as awesome for everyone as possible.

Terms and Conditions?

Yep. When this RP is done and finished, I plan on editing the whole thing into a beautiful e-book. Anyone could enjoy it online for free. And I could enjoy it a second time.~ But I can't do anything with your work unless you allow me. It's not a big deal, but this will make me feel better. So, the terms and conditions, real informal:

You as a contributing author allow the edit and posting of your work in Souls of Atlas as a free e-book. I as GM promise to give credit to your name where it's due.

Who is Estylwen?

Just your average dubstep-loving designer who writes in her spare time. I've been roleplaying for the past five years, and I've GMed many times before. This story was originally going to be a re-make of an old virtual reality RP, but I decided to go another way with it.

If you have any ideas, questions, comments, concerns, etc, PLEASE let me know. I love mostly everything you have to say.

Character Sheet

[Just a re-cap: You, a human, have been reduced to a shattered soul. You don't remember a single thing of you past life. You don't remember your name. Your personality is the same as always, as well as your addictions and bad habits. You’re also starting out with nothing, so no weapons or powers!]

Name: [[n/a]]

Gender: [girl or guy?]

Age: [old, middle-aged, young?]

Appearance: [clothes, basic looks, picture optional.]

Height: [do you look up to your fellow strangers?]

Weight: [how many donuts?]

Hair colour: [i like hair that shimmers. :p]

Eye colour: [no rainbow eyes, sorry.]

Skin tone: [pasty white, right?]

Notable features: [got any cool scars?]

Personality: [without memories, how do you behave?]

Back story: [[n/a]]

Fears: [instincts aren't memories. What scares you instinctually?]

Loves: [same idea, what attracts you on the deepest level?]

I have read and accept the terms and conditions. Yes [ ] No [ ]

Accepted Characters

Estylwen

Name: Azula

Gender: Female

Species: Domestic cat, magical Daemon

Age: Infinite

Appearance: Wears a leather chest protector with small pockets on the side. Also has a small sword strapped to her back, about 44 cm long.

Height: 23 cm

Weight: 4.1 kg

Eye colour: Blue.

Fur colour: Iridescent white.

Notable features: Fur acts like a prism when light hits it, scattering small rainbows.

Personality: She is slow to anger, uses her words effectively. She is charming and graceful, holds herself in perfect posture. Azula has an affinity for cleanliness and has a bad habit of over-grooming her coat. Her weathered eyes have seen much over the years, but Azula still enjoys the beauty of the world. She'll stay occupied with shiny things for hours...

Backstory: A servant to The Lady, Azula spent her early years fighting to unite Atlas against The Devil and his legions bursting below the soil. The battle was long and arduous, but an end was near. On Alma Peak, the footstep to The Lady's abode, the final battle played out. On one side, Azula and the people of Atlas. On the other, The Devil and all manner of grotesque demons. The clash was violent, sending tremors throughout the entire land. And just as Hell closed in for the killing blow, The Lady came down from the clouds, striking them with white lightning. His legion scattered, and The Devil was forced to flee. The close of war ushered in a new era of peace, and The Lady returned to her sky home, but not before telling Azula about her new Calling. 700 years later, Azula is still doing The Lady's will. She is known as The Guide, a title reserved for those honored with helping broken souls home.

Fears: Hell.

Loves: Shiny objects, magic.

I have read and accept the terms and conditions. Yes [X] No [ ]

Ves -- INACTIVE

Name: N/A

Gender: Male

Age: He is young - around the age of a young adult.

Appearance: He wears slim jeans, although they are slightly ripped along the knees. He wears a rather form-fitting 'muscle shirt' as well, the color being a rather dark gray, almost black. Weathered tennis shoes keeps his feet relatively warm. He is relatively tall, with a rather muscular build that hints at a rough lifestyle. His features are strong and angular, with a few scars dotting the face and body. His hair, the color of black, is a tad messy, naturally going backwards in rough locks and stopping at around shoulder-blade length.

Height: 187.96cm ||| 6'2ft

Weight: 83.9kg ||| 185lbs

Hair colour: Dark black.

Eye colour: Amber.

Skin tone: His skin is relatively tan - a color of caramel, or light chocolate.

Notable features: He has a large, angry red scar that tears from above his left eye, and across the bridge of his nose. There's also an 'X' shaped scar on his chin, and a few smaller ones dotting his upper torso.

Personality: On the outside, he is what could be considered as 'brash'. He has quite a fiery and determined attitude, easily coming off as rude due to his blunt demeanor, although quickly becomes aggressive and snaps at those who he believes is trying to threatens him regardless of if it is by accident or on purpose. When it comes to those he respects, likes, or doesn't mind, he is a bit softer and a little more respective, although he attempts to feign a sort of 'toughness' so that he/she wouldn't assume that he's getting soft. Despite his apparent wreckless and easy-to-anger behavior, he is far from an idiot. Street-smarts and battle-hardened instincts are hard to give up, after all. Over-all, he is a determined, focused young man that is relatively easy to anger, and even harder to please. He's stubborn, with a strong will, and a nice sense of humor, although his paranoid mind and his 'pack mentality' could make him have a lot of enemies if there is no one around to calm him down or defuse any...sticky situations. Some would say that he's similar to a wild wolf.

Backstory: N/A

Fears: Being disabled, and losing his freedom of thought and speech.

Loves: The occasional fight, whether he watches it, or participates. He also loves hot showers and running - the freedom of it, basically.

I have read and accept the terms and conditions. Yes [X] No [ ]

Dlayeth

Name
My name...? It's... It's... That's funny...? What's my name? I... I can't remember... Who am I?

Gender
I think I'm female, no, haha, I must be female. If I was a guy, things would be different. I don't know how I know that... I just... I just know, okay?

Age
Young-ish, maybe. Not quite sure anymore, think I was young, drinking age. What's drinking age? Huh, I can't remember myself. Guess it doesn't matter.

Appearance
Huh, you wanna know what I'm wearing? Just take a look. Short denim skirt, thong, fishnet stockings, wedge-heels, a lacey black bra, and a black spaghetti strap top. Oh, but I have a leather jacket on top. I'm not sure where I got these but... weird, I think I'm starting to remember something?

Height
I don't know, how would you measure height? I'm probably something like... 7 times taller then the talking cat? Who knows, and does it really matter?

Weight
Hm, I look just a bit better than an anorexic, haha, those drugs taking a toll, I bet. Which drugs? Hm.... I think I remember some needles, maybe some white powder. Not sure.

Hair colour
Brown, split ends in it, wonder what I've been doing to let it get so bad. There's faint red-gold streaks in it. I think I dyed it a bit.

Eye colour
I think I had blue-green contacts? But, my natural eye color is blue. Probably.

Skin tone
I think I was white once, I'm more tan than white now, though.

Notable features
I think, there are needle track marks visible on my arms. And weird, where did I pick up these scratches? God, I don't remember any of this, who are you and why are you asking questions? Where am I? And what will it take you to let me go?

Personality
You want to know more about me? That's what it will take?
She laughs.
Fine. I don't care.
She rubs her face with her hands.
It's not like I remember any of this anyways, or that it matters. I think, if I have to boil it down, I just don't give a shit. So what if I'm a bit bony, and my hair isn't shiny like those rich bitches who came from families that cared? So what if I don't spend time in the mirror everyday, and haven't seen myself in a couple of weeks? And... and... you know what, I don't even remember anymore. I think I just... I don't even know. I just... I just don't know, okay? Just, please, leave me alone. You can't? Why...? No, fine, I don't care, just give me a few. A few what? HELL! I told you I just don't know anymore! Do you really have to ask all these questions? You're just a talking cat! And I'm hallucinating!

Back story
Damn it! I told you, I don't remember, and you don't even exist! So why am I still talking to you? If you ask me what little I remember, I... I can't even, no, wait, I think, for a second... Nevermind, I lost it. It doesn't matter. How many more questions are there, two? Three? Okay, I can handle that. Three more questions. You promise? Okay... wait, why do I trust you? You're probably lying to me, aren't you?
She sighs.
Damn it, I'm so tired. Fine, let's just get this over with, and then...
She eyes you suspiciously.
Let me rest.

Fears
She seems to shrink into herself. She folds her arms, and then rubs one arm nervously, like she's feeling cold.
I... I think... I think I don't like men. They scare me. I need them, but they scare me. And don't ask me what I need them for, even I don't know. I just know that they're a necessary evil. I think it had something to do with my childhood, no, probably my whole life. I don't... I don't like crowds, and I don't like people. But I need them too. I hate... I'm scared of... uniforms. I don't know the hows or why of that either, that's just how it is for me. I don't like authority or power over me or lack of control in my life. But there's always going to be all of those things. So... does it really matter how I feel?
She falls silent for a bit, staring down at her toes. Finally, she drops her head into her hands. Her speech is muffled by her hands.
Can we just go to the next question now?

Loves
Loves, huh? I guess freedom, absence from pain, a world where I needed nothing, didn't have to be around people, or uniforms, or authority. Money. Always the money. You can't survive without money, it makes the world go round and lets you skip out of jail if you've got enough for bail. Then, if you think you can manage it, you go on the lam. What else? Food, water, peace, and comfort. What else is there to it? What else do you need?
She throws her hands up in the air in false celebration.
Finally! One last question! Then it's over! I'm done! I'm out!

---

She stares at you, wide-eyed and confused, then picks up the offered pen. Carefully, slowly, she reads the words on the paper, raises her pen, and seals her fate.

I have read and accept the terms and conditions. Yes [X] No [ ]

Xiga

Name: [[n/a]]

Gender: Female

Age: Young adult

Appearance: Muscular but quite tall. She appears as slim-fit rather than bulky. She has dread-locked black and brown hair and piercing golden brown eyes. Her face has strong cheekbones and a flatter nose, with filly lips. She dresses appropriately but you'll see her mostly in her desert styled clothing.

--Height: 178cm

--Weight: 67kg.ish

--Hair colour: Black matte hair which comes off as really dark reddish brown in certain lights.

--Eye colour: Golden brown eyes. Unusually bright-close-to-yellow eyes for her skincolor

--Skin tone: Really dark brown skin, matte in color.

--Notable features: Her golden eyes, that seem to almost pierce through another person when looked at. Her hair is worn as dreadlocks and her style is.. very earthly and she likes face paintings and decorating her dreads with feathers and cloth.

Personality: Stubborn, gruff, not at all lady like. She comes off as threatening and kind of mean, however she's really just a softy once a person gets to know her. She is loyal to those she trusts but most often sly and sneaky in her ways.

Back story: [[n/a]]

Fears: She fears to be trapped, and restrained. A bit claustrophobic. She also gets incredibly anxious when time is wasted and she also has a fear of waters.

Loves: Nature, sounds of animals, movement, views, freedom. She loves the sense of control and being of one, and loves to learn. She loves heights and dunes.

I have read and accept the terms and conditions. Yes [X] No [ ]

WrensthavAviovus

Name: Wrensthav Aviovus is what is written on the inner pocket of this coat. So I'll go with that.

Gender: Guy

Age: 25

Appearance: Darkly adorned clothing. Dark red long-sleeve shirt, Black pants, Black work boots, Black gloves. the most distinctive piece of clothing he has is a black trenchcoat and hood with threadbare patches and a couple of holes cut into it. On its left shoulder is a embroidered Omega symbol with a stylized "S" and on the right the full moon.

Height: A giant of 6'7"

Weight: 210 lbs/96 Kg

Hair colour: black

Eye colour: middle gray

Skin tone: lightly tanned

Notable features: Long black spiked hair with an exceptionally long bang that is styled into an arc that reaches to his back.

Personality: Lazy ass. Unless something can be done that one he is able to do and feels up to it expect him to stay on the sidelines as a constant peanut gallery commenter. He is a fairly competent fighter who usually has to get the first punch or two in otherwise he gives up rather quickly. Has a tendency to ignore or forget most aspects of a plan that wont involve him getting injured. He is a very sarcastic character and will do his best to have the final word.

Back story: Doesn't really care if he had one.

Fears: Has a fear of large open flames and small confined spaces. Has a phobia of large parrots.

Loves: sleep, women and playing with children.

I have read and accept the terms and conditions. Yes [X] No [ ]

Andre Valias

Name: Him

Gender: Guy

Age: Young

Appearance:


Starting out with nothing, you said, so he's naked.
It's okay though. He's cute, so it doesn't matter.
BUT, if he must be clothed, then he would be wearing a navy blue jacket hoodie with white trim, and no shirt underneath, a pair of belted jeans, white socks and black-and-white shoes. Love heart apple not included.

Height: 5'7" ft

Weight: 123 lbs

Hair colour: Shimmering Black Hair with Silver Streaks.

Eye colour: Really Dark Brown.

Skin tone: Slightly Olive.

Notable features: Sexiness.

Personality: Boisterous, a little sassy and a little annoying sometimes, but enjoys amusing himself first and amusing others second. He can be really touchy-feely though sometimes too, when he finds someone who would be open to it.

Back story: File Not Found.

Fears: Spiders, Rats, Lions, Death, Semi-Scared of Heights.

Loves: Hugs, Socks, Fire, Chocolate, Reading, Writing, Drawing, Blue, White, Blue-and-White Together.

I have read and accept the terms and conditions. Yes [:3] No [ ]

Nytem4re

Name:
N/A

Gender:
Male

Age:
Appears to be Middle to late twenties.

Appearance:
He's tall, but is very thin. He’s not bony per se, but seems like he’s been on a diet for a while… or gone a few days without food. As for his clothes, they’re nothing special. Outdoor boots, jeans, and an olive drab shirt.

Height:
Six Feet Tall. A bit taller than the average male would be.

Weight:
One Hundred and Forty-Four Pounds.

Hair colour:
Black hair with a few graying areas. Pretty strange for someone of his age.

Eye colour:
His irises appear to be green in color.

Skin tone:
If one took a look, they could plainly see that it is white, but they would also see that it’s beginning to tan.

Notable features:
Has a severe burn scar that runs across his arm, very noticeable as of now as he’s wearing a short sleeve shirt.

Personality:
This man can end up saying the wrong thing at the wrong time, but he generally doesn’t mean to harm anyone by his words, and when he does it’s plainly obvious. Subtlety is not a word in his dictionary, and he acts accordingly. If he doesn’t like someone, he’ll go up to them and personally tell them that he does and why. He calls things as he sees it… but will grow quiet in the face of criticism, or looks of disgust, as he hates it when people stare too long at him, especially because of his scar, which even he admits is not very pretty.

Back story: [[n/a]]

Fears:
Has a fear of being burned. He doesn’t know why, just does. As such, he avoids flames whenever possible. He will however, in a dire situation, allow himself near a fire if the circumstances require it to be so. He also has a fear of heights.

Loves:
While not a social outcast, he does enjoy peace and quiet from time to time. Loves the sea a great deal, so he likes to swim or boat.

I have read and accept the terms and conditions. Yes [X] No [ ]

Banner image: Wonder by Yuumei, my most favouritist artist ever!

Souls of Atlas -- Kickass Theme

She's back~!

Darkmatter said
Hey Estylwen, nice intro. No need to explain what happened seeing as how you seem pretty well informed.Dlayeth was here up 'till the crash anyway. Never ran across the other two, sorry.Anyways if you have any Q's don't be afraid to ask :)Happy RPing

Thanks. ^^
Ah good, Dlay's still kicking. I'll have to see if I can hunt 'er down later and say hi. I do have a question, though it's probably already been asked. What's the ETA of a fully functional RPG site, roughly?

Sarpdeon said
Fuckin' eh! I'm still around. good to see you back. hit me up for an rp sometime!

Haha, hey. You got it, man. ;3

She's back~!

I'd say I've been a member for about 4-5 years now. My first username was anime335, then it changed to 0ubliz. I was inactive for the past half year, but when I heard RPG got wiped like a schooner I had to come see. Ya know, you get attached to your stories and sites; it's like a second home. So believe me when I say I'll miss my post-count, the threads where I GM'ed, and the sick stories I had with users. But this is a fresh start and I'm excited to play some words with you all again.

Hey! Wow, there's one thing I'm really looking forward to. With this reset I get to put in aaaalllll my information again (I'm mildly sarcastic.) Get to customize, organize, sexify my page. And signatures are fun as ever to play with. The emotes are as old-looking as I remember.

Mahz, you're building the site up great. :) I wonder if Dlayeth, ERode and Drago are still here.

Happy role-playing~!