Laue — Roleplayer Guild

Altea - an island-continent surrounded by a mysterious, impassable storm. Since the beginning of Altea's recorded history, there always were special individuals capable of untold miracles. These individuals eventually were named "mages", and their power to manipulate reality was called "magic". It times before any uniform writing or civilization, they were called witches, priests, shamans, etc. - the names were many, but usually they all signified the awesome power of magic. 

As the Folk of Altea started increasing in number and knowledge, so did magic increase in power and magnitude. With pagan deities debunked and forgotten, magic no longer viewed as some kind of divine gift - it was now a tool. And with this realization, human mages of Altea lost any kind of restraint, using magic for their own ends. As humanity's progress continued, so did their ambition. Kingdoms and Empires rose and fell, as those lucky enough to be born mages quickly learned that they can be on top of the society. Eventually, Kings and Emperors became nothing more than figureheads, if they were lucky enough not to get overthrown outright. 

In the end, three superpowers remained, each led, directly or in the shadows, by a mage of unparalleled power. Their wars scarred the land, their greed and cruelty choked the people living under them. And then, suddenly, change, and a sliver of hope came to the oppressed people of Altea. A warrior calling himself Grinnoc wielded power unlike any other - the power to repel and destroy magic. A brilliant white light which was warm and luminous, but burn away magic in any shape or form, included the magical energies within the bodies of mages. Grinnoc lent his power to others, with the goal of ending The Age of Magic. This power was called Luminance, and it's wielders - Luminous Knights.

As the Grinnoc Rebellion (as it was named) raged on, the loss of life was catastrophic. Slowly but surely losing, mages, in their desperation, would try to destroy as much as possible before falling, simply out of spite. In the end, Grinnoc won, but it was a pyrrhic victory - the vast majority of the continent was rubble, or worse. Around 90% of total Folk population has died in the fighting. The only rather habitable lands were on the far east side of Altea. It is there where Luminous Knights built the capital of Altea - no more empires, no more kingdoms, no more division. Altea was to be in unity.

Or so Grinnoc claims... 

Around 300 years later, society has recovered a bit. Nature violently reclaimed most of the ruined land, somewhat aided by the lingering remains of magic that ruined those very places 300 years ago. Slowly, this new society fully controlled and governed by Grinnoc (who somehow does not age) and his Luminous Knights is reclaiming the lands they lost. 

For these 300 years, the remaining people of Altea enjoyed peace, as the ever vigilant Luminous Knights stood guard against any threat to the people. The future seemed bright, and yet, in the shadows, a storm brews, a storm that aims to shatter this fragile land.

Altea's society

1.1)Founding: The Luminous Knights were founded around 300 years ago to overthrow the so called tyrannical rule of the mages. Wielding the power of Luminosity, Lumies (a street term/slang for Luminous Knights) succeeded at their rebellion, though at a massive cost. Nevertheless, society has somewhat rebuilt, all thanks to their help. Lumies are the only official and legal armed force in Altea. Dissolving all kingdoms and empires, this new society is now simply called Altea.

1.2)Laws: In Altea, every legal aspect is governed by Overseers. Most activities and occupations require a license proving you are indeed capable of performing it, and running a guild of your own requires multiple permits as well. Marriage, divorce and courtroom trials are handed by Overseers as well. Pretty much nothing can happen without the knowledge and approval from the Overseers, and not everyone like that. Though others really enjoy that sense of order.

1.3)Luminous Knight branches: LKs (Luminous Knights) have a few different branches, all of them subordinate to the main Paladin branch in Triumph's Hold. There are Knights, Overseers, and Paladins. Of course, only three branches are known to public.

1.3.1)Knights: A fresh initiate gains a title of a Knight, considered a great honor in itself. Knights are the grunts of the force: guard duty, patrolling the wilds, defending merchant caravans, hunting down rogue mages and much more fall to them. There are several tiers of hierarchy, all of which end up with The Knight-Master, who answers directly to the Paladin branch. Knights who distinguish themselves are eligible for various promotions, esp. to other branches. Their HQ is in Meridian.

1.3.2)Overseers: The LK branch responsible for civilian affairs. They oversee nearly everything. It is up to them to grant or revoke various permits and licenses, depending on the situation. Overseers usually employ a lot of civilians to help them out with massive amounts of work they have. Despite being so called "paper-pushers", all Overseers were promoted from within the Knight ranks, and as such possess Luminosity and basic combat skills.

1.3.3)Paladins: The commanding branch, residing in Triumph's Hold. They are responsible for all large scale military matters, like building outposts and fortification, as well as expansion. Paladins are also the ones responsible for training of initiates, R&D of new weapons and technology. The last part is mainly left to the dwarves, in exchange for protection and resources.

1.4)The Witch Hunters:

1.4.1)Grinnoc “The Destroyer” Keanis : Now possessing the title of The Grand Master, Grinnoc has not aged a bit for the last 300 years. Very few people have seen him; fewer still have spoken to him. There are many speculations about Grinnoc and the power he granted others, and none of them have any way of finding the truth. Very few know his nickname, and fewer still know how he earned it.

1.4.2)Sebastian "Legion" Nael: The grand commander of the Paladin branch, second only to Grinnoc, and the only known man to be allowed to speak with him directly. His nickname comes from the rumor that he's a one man army, a legion, if you will.

1.4.3)Jeanne “Aegis” Lewrock: ???

1.4.4)Travis “Tempest” Smithson: ???

1.4.5)Varric “Deadeye” of the Undercity: ???

1.4.6)”Wrath”: ???

2.1)Guilds: A normally dwarven practice imported and enforced by Grinnoc, Guilds are a sort of cooperative organization working towards similar goals. For example, a guild that focuses on crafting weapons would employ miners, blacksmiths, guards, caravan drivers and traders to cover all stages of production and sale. Those employed have to be paid regularly. White met with distrust initially, the system quickly gained popularity and now some human guilds rival the oldest dwarven ones. Knights are usually hired as guards, though only temporary, as being a Knight is for life. That doesn't mean that one can't make some money on the side if your commanding officer allows it.

2.2)Crime: Crime is nearly eradicated in the places controlled by Knights. Wilderness, however, harbors far more than wild beasts, as rogue mages, bandits and ruthless mercenaries roam the great wilds. Anyone who needs to travel great distances through the wilds are highly encouraged to hire armed guards.

2.3)Servitors: Mages either born into Altea or those who turn themselves in become Servitors. Every Servitor has an altered slave collar which tracks their location, as well as allows their handlers – knights assigned to watch over them to either stun or blow their head off, if the need arises. Each handler oversees up to six Servitors.

2.3.1)Servitor duties: Servitors use their magic solely for the help of others. Healing afflictions that regular medicine cannot, enchanting equipment, and a variety of other duties.

2.3.2)Life as a Servitor: While Servitors are generally not trusted by the public, a few Servitors overcame the prejudice, becoming a shining example of what a mage can be, and just how useful they can be. As long as there is someone with a leash to keep them in line.

2.3.3)Escaping the servitude: Not everyone tolerates life as a servitor. Some are born into this fate, and those are the hardest mages to keep in line without killing them. The collars themselves have an anti-tampering mechanism which would kill the wearer if triggered. But there are ways to remove them safely, and it is a secret that only those that escaped know.

2.4)Civilians of note:

2.4.1)Deliah von Eternus: The most powerful and wealthy civilian, owner of one of the biggest guilds in Altea, rival and serious competitor to the dwarven guilds. He is one of the main suppliers of... everything to the Knight branch, as well as a saint in the eyes of the public. He even enrolled his own daughter to the Knight force, and she has been performing exceptionally well - a role model for everyone. The Luminous Knights however are exceptionally careful about him – there is more to him that it seems.

2.5)Non-humans: While dwarves and elves prefer not to live in human cities, they are allowed to do so. People in general don't really care much for race, and those who do are promptly… reeducated.

2.6)Citizenship: To gain and retain citizenship within Altea, one must have some sort of occupation, usually within a guild, or being a Knight. Children after 12 are expected to start an apprenticeship or initiation to be considered citizens.

Outside the civilization: Those without citizenship are called outsiders. N every outsider is an outlaw, criminal, rogue mage or undesirables. In truth, all of them are people who reject Grinnoc's concept of society, or are on a run. Of course, there are bandits as well, but even Outsiders usually fight against them. Outsiders are usually left alone, as long as they don't cause any trouble to Alteans.

3.1)Life as an Outsider: A different kind of economy exists in The Undercity. Organized gangs run the show; bounties and assassinations are one of the most reliable ways to make money. Those more daring attack merchants caravans or smuggle things in and out of Meridian. Those who do not live in The Undercity are usually hunters-gatherers, roaming from place to place, trying to carve out their existence in the dangerous wilds.

4.1)Humans: The most numerous and average of The Folk, humans neither excel nor are weak in any category. Humans are average in all regards, their stats all have a natural maximum of 10.

4.2)Dwarves: Short but wide humanoids, known for their genius intellect, diligence and alcoholic tendencies. Dwarves make the best inventors and craftsmen, though they usually lack limb flexibility and social skills. Especially when they're drunk. Dwarves have increased natural maximum of 12 for Strength and Intelligence, but a reduced maximum of 8 for Charisma and Agility.

4.2.1)Dwarven History: When mages ruled, dwarves were nothing more than slaves toiling away in The Undercity. The more lucky ones were the inventors, who would have to come up with more efficient ways to enslave and control others. With the slave collars on their necks, there was little dwarves could do to resist. And then the Luminous Knights came, and freed them. In their gratitude for freeing them and recovering the knowledge of their culture, the dwarves swore an oath to help and assist the LKs in all matters, in exchange for protection. As a result, dwarves abandoned The Undercity, rebuilt Triumph's Hold and carved themselves a new home under it - The Undermountain.

4.2.2)Relations with other races: Dwarves consider other races to be dimwitted and slow, esp. elves. They do value knowledge and talent, however, and will take in apprentices regardless of race if they show promise. While becoming a Knight is consider a honorable and glorious achievement, becoming a dwarf's apprentice means one has surpassed the other dwarven options - an achievement of the lifetime.

4.2.3)Control Collars: Modified slave collars which shackled dwarves long ago, dwarves are more than happy to build them to shackle mages. Modified to stun instead of causing pain, those nevertheless still retain their ability to kill. There are also anti-tampering mechanisms which trigger a small explosive which will kill the wearer. They have a special control device which is assigned to a handler. Each control device has to be attuned to specific collars first.

4.3)Elves: Tall, lean and usually incredibly beautiful, most elves keep to themselves beyond The Green Wall. Those who remain in Altea share little with their ilk back home. They're not the ones who value knowledge, as elves prefer practicality to theory. Elves have increased natural maximum of 12 For Agility and Perception, but a reduced maximum of 8 for Strength and Intelligence.

4.3.1Elven History: Little is known of elves, except that the majority of their isolated kind live on the western side of Altea, in the massive forest known as The Green Wall. There are no records of them interacting with others, and numerous records of horribly failed invasions during the previous era. The only elves around are outcasts, with no knowledge of their homeland.

4.3.2Relations with other races: Elves and dwarves are quite at odds, as elves prefer nature and are content with what it gives them. They generally dislike the dwarven desire to tame and bend nature to their will, rather than live alongside it. They are neutral with humans, however, as they find humans varied and unique.

Supernatural abilities

Overview: Luminosity is a brilliant white light which has the ability to dissolve and burn away magic in any form. Wielded exclusively by The Luminous Knights, it was the only reason Grinnoc's rebellion succeeded. It can also destroy magic in a mage himself, with predictably fatal consequences. 

5.1)Initiation Ritual: After the training is done the Knight initiates are then given the power of Luminosity, if they meet both physical and mental requirements. As the ritual involves infusing the soul with Luminosity's energy, the process is extremely painful and everyone who survives that loses all memory of the ritual, and in returns gains the ability to use Luminosity. Due to 300 years of experience performing the Initiation Rituals, casualty rate has fallen down significantly.

5.2)Limitations: Unlike magic, Luminosity cannot change its nature. No matter what shape you give it, it will still be a glowing light which destroys all magic. It cannot fully destroy magic stronger than itself; however, so weaker Knights cannot fully stop powerful spells. As a general rule, to fully nullify a spell you have to use at least as much mana as the opposing spell did.

5.3)Usage: How Knights use Luminosity is up to themselves. Powers like this are instinctual, and everyone finds their own way to use it. Most common ways to use Luminosity are to sheath your weapons/armor with it, or form it into a projectile. Others may form barriers with it. With enough skill and experience, Luminosity can be focused into extreme densities, giving it extreme brightness and heat - just like focused sunlight.

6.1)Born a mage: Whether a person is born, no matter the race, they have a chance of being born a mage. A mage can be born to non-mage parents, as well as mage parents may have a child who has no magic abilities - it's completely random, and as of yet unexplained. Many families fell apart when they find out their child is a mage.

6.2)Uses: Magic is extremely versatile. From conjuring fireballs to healing wounds, magic does it all. The only limit is skill and imagination and the user's mana pool.  

6.3)Learning: Like those who use Luminosity, to mages magic comes naturally, and those first few spells usually define his or her direction. One who naturally started using fire spells should focus on the element of fire, as it will come easiest for them to learn.

7.1)Mana: The energy used to shape and control spells of any kind. Each kind of magic uses separate type of mana, and it is the fact that all magic spells are just mana shaped into specific form and effect that allows Luminosity to destroy it. The more mana is used, the more powerful the spell. Just like physical endurance, a person's mana reserves can be expanded through constant use and specific practice routines, which were lost to time.

7.1.1)The power of the soul: Mana is the energy of soul itself, and soul is what makes flesh move and think. It is not known why being born with mana is so random. Since personality and emotions are the product of the soul, those things can influence mana as well. Powerful emotions and changes in personality can and WILL affect mana in various ways, sometimes even permanently. 

7.1.2)Restoring mana: Just like physical endurance, mana needs time to recover. The same ways to restoring it also apply – resting. But it is the mind that has to rest, not the body. Strong emotions hinder that rest, which means that it’s very hard to restore your own mana while in combat. Second winds for mana also can occur, usually due to said emotions, but drawing more mana than you have will have consequences afterwards.

7.2)Focus: A focus is like a magnifying glass - it allows to focus magical energies (mana) easier. It is usually some kind of weapon or an accessory: rings, staves, weapons and even grimoires were used as focuses. The main appeal of having a focus is the ease of casting more complicated spells through them. Mages were known to use multiple focuses as well as regular magic to maintain the element of surprise and throw their opponents off guard. Certain materials are more conductive to mana than overs, like wood, gemstones and certain metals - a trade secret dwarves guard very well. As general example, a special staff would allow a mage to unleash a powerful fireball easily, even though he would need months of practice to use it without a staff. Luminous Knights can and do use focusi themselves, at least those who can afford items conductive to such practices.

7.3)Sigils: It is known that the overthrown mages of old were extremely versatile, usually far beyond their natural spells. While little information is left about that, they accomplished it via the use of sigils. What they are, however, is lost to time. 

7.4)Specialization: Due to its versatility, magic can be further pushed into very specific niches. For example, a Pyromancer might spend all his life practicing and perfecting his fire magic, and as a result, his own mana will shift, augmenting fire magic but limiting or even preventing other kinds of magic to be used. Such extreme specializations were extremely rare, and it is theorized that Luminosity is one of them.

7.5)Instinct spells: The few initials spells that naturally come to a person are called instinct spells. They usually follow a common theme familiar to the user. Those spells and variations of them are far easier to improve and master, as they feel natural to the users. During the reign of mages, figuring out the opponent’s instinct spells and hiding yours was key to winning the battle – hiding your own ace while figuring out theirs. As a general rule, the instinct spells are most powerful, even if the user developed them little.

8.1)Auras: Aura is a physical manifestation of a person's very soul. Nearly everyone has felt people nearby without even seeing or hearing them - they felt their auras. A regular person's aura is a faint and weak thing, only detectable under special circumstances. But for ones that have mana within their slow, their aura grows. Eventually, the person's soul grows strong enough to project an aura powerful enough to be easily felt by anyone. 

8.2)Aura uniqueness: Each person harbors an unique aura. Long ago there were special people who mastered the art of sensing auras to track and locate people. While such practice has been mostly destroyed during the Grinnoc's uprising, its usefulness cannot be denied, and there are plenty of scholars trying to recover the lost knowledge about Auras.

8.3)Aura effects: A powerful aura projects such presence that it may even overpower those nearby. Effects include mild paralysis, difficulties to breathe. Auras can be shaped into specific passive effects, from terrifying enemies to empowering allies. Such techniques, although known, are lost to time.

8.4)Aura suppression: Auras can be suppressed and hidden, for the obvious benefit of not being felt from a mile away, or to not disrupt those nearby. It is told that Archons had to constantly suppress their auras so that the people in the city around them could move and breathe.

8.5)Aura defenses: While Auras aren't magic by themselves, they can be focused and controlled just like mana. With sufficient power, auras can be focused so much that they become visible, like an shroud of energy, and can act as extremely powerful barriers, among other things. Luminosity-based auras are brilliant white, while magic based ones are light blue.

8.6)Defending against auras: The passive aura effects are not magic, and cannot be fought against with Luminosity. The only known defenses are having a sufficiently powerful aura yourself and/or possessing willpower strong enough to resist it. With strong enough will, hostile aura affects can simple be... ignored.

9.1)Overview: An enigmatic dimension just beyond our own, The Beyond was and still is a great taboo. Any practices related to The Beyond are shunned by most mages, and any old knowledge of it is being destroyed. Nevertheless, The Beyond has some sort of allure that is not easily ignored. And out there somewhere, there must be some knowledge of it, and people who possess said knowledge.

Geography and nature

10.1)Scars: While nature reclaimed most of the devastated locations, there are places that could not recover. Those anomalous places are called Scars, and are extremely dangerous. Nature twisted and altered, these places harbor the most valuable of materials, should one be brave or stupid enough to try and claim them. Things like everlasting flames, gravitational anomalies, even predatory illusions can be found in Scars, as well as unique gems and altered natural materials, which usually fetch massive prices both in Altea and The Undercity.

11.1)Meridian: The capital of Altea, and pretty much the only real city currently intact. While there are quite a bit of small towns, none are even close to Meridian. Knight HQ, as well as The Grand Market resides there, among other things. It is built on top of The Undercity, an ancient, abandoned, subterranean dwarven town. Most of the entrances to the Undercity are sealed within Meridian, but some still remain either hidden or undiscovered.

11.2)The Grand Market: A human answer to The Grand Bazaar, The Grand Market sells everything that's legal to sell. While the quality of the goods here is greatly inferior to The Grand Bazaar, it is actually affordable to most visitors.

11.3)The Grand Bazaar: A market for the richest and most affluent of buyers, things sold here are of utmost quality, if you can afford it. And very few can. It is located in the Undermountain.

11.4)The Undermountain: The new home for the dwarves, they’ve carved out their new home beneath the massive fortress of Triumph’s Hold. The Grand Bazaar is located there.

11.5)Triumph's Hold: A massive fortress built on top of a plateau, offering unparalleled defensive capability. The place where the last of the defending mages were defeated, this fortress is a seat of power for Grinnoc and his Paladins, as well as the dwarven city below - The Undermountain.

11.6)The Undercity: A massive subterranean dwarven town abandoned 300 years ago. Undercity sprawls under nearly all of the eastern side of Altea, with numerous entrances. While most of them are either sealed or collapsed, many other still exist. A hub of civilization for outsiders, the way the air circulates within the deep tunnels is a testament to dwarven brilliance. Roughly only 10% of the Undercity has been explored, as various dangers lurk in the dark forgotten tunnels. Nevertheless, out of those explored 10%, there's more than enough to space for everyone.

11.7)Riversong: A small town mainly inhabited by elves. Hunters and gatherers consider this their main trading location. Many travel here to obtain fresh produce, herbs, roots, or other rare materials not found anywhere else. Even outsiders are welcome here, as they are the main suppliers of rare and valuable materials. There is even a bounty board for people to post requests for harder to obtain items. It is heavily defended by Luminous Knights, who enforce neutrality within. The biggest reason for this is that this is where the dwarves get most of their more exotic goods.

Hunters who venture deep into the wild sometimes speak of unnatural monsters unlike anything else.

Important NPCs

Someone keeps attacking various LK installations as well as freeing Servitors en masse. The perpetrators are yet to reveal themselves, though they are considered extremely dangerous.
13.1)Rivain Martson

14.1)Alicia von Eternus

Character info

Strength: The characters physical strength, which determines the strength of his/her blows, the ability to brute force through various obstacles and resist opponent's blows as well. Also is related to physical endurance.

Agility: The character's nimbleness, coordination and speed. Agility is mostly relevant for actions that require precision and acrobatics, as well as speed.

Perception: The character's ability to notice and perceive various things that others would miss. Used both for scouting and perceiving subtle movements, as well as spotting traps and hidden valuables.

Intelligence: The ability to learn, memorize and recall various complicated things, as well as a general indicator of amassed knowledge. Intelligence allows characters to solve various problems through sheer knowledge of a relevant subject. 

Wisdom: The ability to think on the fly, improvise and otherwise use creativity, logic and deduction. A character may not be very intelligent, but get by just using his smarts to figure out the stuff he doesn't understand. Wisdom is useful to see through charismatic deceptive types.

Charisma: The ability to socialize with others, and to come out on top in various social interactions.

Derived stats

Reflex: The lower number of AGI and PER. This is a derived stat used when trying to react and avoid bad things. Low agility and high perception would allow you to notice a bad thing to avoid, but your body just can’t move out in time. Likewise, high AGI and low PER means a character can easily move out of the way, if only they could notice the bad thing coming at them in time. So, a PER of 6 and AGI of 4 would mean a Reflex stat of 4.

Will: The highest number of WIS and INT. You can either use the knowledge how to deal with various mind affecting afflictions or simply figure it out with wisdom. So, INT of 6 and WIS of 4 would mean a WILL stat of 6.

Fortitude: The ability to withstand harsh physical conditions. It’s governed by strength alone, though various effects may increase fortitude but not strength, so FORTITUDE is in its own category.

Events: Various events will happen during the story where the character's stats will be tested. If your stat meets the requirement, you will succeed in that action. If it does not, you fail. To critically succeed or fail, you have 50% more or less of the relevant stat. For example, if you need 5 strength to succeed, and have 8 (5 + 3(5 * 0.5 rounded up)), you will critically succeed. If you have 2, you will critically fail. 

Critical successes and failures: Critical success usually means an amplified good result, often involving in some sort of extra gain. For example, critically succeeding in bashing through a door may send the door flying so hard it takes out the guards on the other side. Critical failure usually results in injury, or some sheer bad luck. All event outcomes are for you to come up with, as these are only guidelines, and the stats point to which outcome is going to happen. 

Stats outside of events: Outside of events, stats can be used as a rough estimate on how combat will go against another character. 

Initial stat limits: Initially stats cap out at 10, with some exceptions for non-humans. 

Appearance:(Preferably an image, but if you can't find a fitting one you can go with a text description.)
Name:(Obviously.)
Gender:(Just to avoid any potential confusion)
Race:(While appearance might make it clear, it's good to clear all doubts.)
Faction:(Outsider Mage or Luminous Knight?)
Personality:(How your character interacts with other people and the world around them.)
Bio:(Your character's story, how they got to where they are now.)
Stats: (Your character's distribution of initial stats. 40 in total.)
STR:
AGI:
PER:
INT:
WIS:
CHA:
Spells:(Up to three initial spells. Basic, and at their weakest form.)
Skills/Techniques:(Both combat and non-combat techniques. Lock picking, leadership skills, etc. Or maybe a non-magic combat technique.)
Combat strategy:(How your character combines his skills and spells to fight. Your character's usual combat strategy.)
Equipment:(Any notable equipment your character starts with.)
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