Polybius

To Teluval, Farewell - Accepting One More Character!

@Cute Bumber@Gunther@PrivateVentures@Jeyma@Goldeagle1221@Mokley

OOC I have not added a character sheet yet.

To Teluval, Farewell

Travelers

_{A Players Guide}

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Current Player Roster

Dali an Ophidian Bard by @PrivateVentures
Chama a Human Wizard by @Darach
Saoirse a Human Tinkerer by @Mokley
Jhang Chao a Human Fighter by @Gunther
GruSum a Grumbler Tinkerer by @Exit

Travelers. Welcome. Inevitably one will find themselves in the city of Teluval. Perhaps disembarking from the Cog City of Beltane, in a wondrous dirigible, or warily trudging along the lonely Basilisk Road; Travelers are worldly, relish the impermanent, and crave adventure. They gather in quiet taverns and wine-gardens, exchanging trinkets and lore. They vanish without a trace into some distant ruin or cave. Occasionally they return, their quest for knowledge satiated either by riches or the truth they had thought they sought...

The world is a surreal fantasy, but carries all the trappings of a fantasy adventure. Players will use magic, fight monsters and interact with the interesting environments and characters in the world. Use the professions and races below to create a character. You may also suggest your own profession for a character, but remember the party consists of professional travelers, people who seek dangerous locations and search for treasure and artifacts for profit. Included is a character sheet to get started.

Character App

Name:
Race:
Profession:
Magic: (2) Minor Spells, (1) Major Spell
Inventory: A weapon or two would be a good idea.
Description: 2 paragraphs max. Include things your companion travelers would notice about you.
Optional Questions: There are no wrong or right answers, and you may interpret questions as you please.
What is your characters crime?
Favorite poem?
What do you treasure most?
Given the choice, how would you die?

Professions:

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Bard
Storytellers and musicians, a bard travels from city to city looking to perform for gold or hospitality or both. Some very famous bards have been granted permanent employ in certain cities. The lifestyle of a travelling entertainer gives them access to rumors and certain knowledge and lore. Bards compose poems and songs, construct stories or retell famous tales in their own voice. Although most bards can play a wide variety of instrument, they often pick a one as their preferred instrument.

Fighter
To say you are a fighter is to imply that you are a mercenary. To say you are a mercenary is to suggest you are willing to kill, steal or abduct for monetary gain. Simultaneously despised and employed by nobility, there is no shortage of work for a mercenary. Skilled in combat, or subterfuge, sabotage or sneaking about, guarding, fighting, the aforementioned abducting, ransoming and kidnapping.

Wizard
There are many sorts of wizards in the world. Some are simply liars. Others do possess magical powers, either from inherent ability, or the accumulation of magical items scavenged in ruins and crypts. Many sorcerers take on pseudonyms and are often eager to announce their plethora of titles upon introduction.

Tinkerer
Called 'cog-men' in Beltane, tinkerers are mechanically inclined, creating new objects out of the scavenged parts of pre-Obliteration ruins. Experienced cog-men have learned to avoid traps and the slumbering guardians of those same ruins. They have certain knowledge of the pre-Obliteration world that is valued by travelers and nobles. There is a great college of tinkering in Beltane.

Races:

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Automatons
NOTE: While automatons are incapable of casting magic, they may use magical items like any other race.
Crafted in the time before the Obliteration, automatons (automata, gear-heads, cogizens) are unique, intricate sentient beings with surprisingly human emotions and motives. The tightly-wound gears and inner mechanisms of their heads have baffled tinkerers and scientists for ages and some notable authors have published long and meticulous tomes that amount to "I'm quite stumped as to how it all works."

Automata are from an older time, but collectively cannot (or will not divulge) the secrets of the ancient world. It is only when in close proximity of relics or ancient devices that they seem to glean a sliver of information regarding that era; traveling parties often seek their employment for just such insights. Regardless, automata require no sustenance and merely shrug at offer of payment for such services. Motives remain as unique as their construction.

Humanoid, two arms and two legs topped with a head holding the most vital and important cog-work, automata vocalize in a variety of ways. Either by striking tonal keys in some semblance of syllabic pronunciation, or resonating tiny glass bells in a variety of ways to synthesize speech. Some are merely mute and rely on parchment and quill or chalk.

Automatons are strong and resilient despite being primarily constructed of soft metals such as copper, tin and bronze. All of these parts are held together with bolts, springs, wire, pistons, hinges, screws, and in some of the more decrepit states, leather and twine or cord. Automatons often seek the services of a tinkerer to repair neglected parts, some even going as so far to replace pieces of themselves that have been damaged beyond repair, and it should be noted that these are the parts that are either cosmetic, or rely on only simple mechanical systems-an automata will never open it's head compartment for a tinkerer to inspect while it is still 'living'.

Grumblers
NOTE: Grumblers are effectively immortal and do not age, but they can be killed.
It is generally assumed that the Grumblers have simply always 'been here' as their presence, despite their enormous size is largely ignored. Hulking humanoids with scaly grey skin, and large, almost child-like eyes that are a murky pupil-less white. They are employed in larger cities as laborers, porters and builders and take quickly to long, arduous and repetitive tasks. They appear to be sulking relentlessly and tend to their labor with a sort of nonsensical grumbling that attributes their name.

Grumblers gather in small communities of their own kind in larger cities, and can be found in most metropolitan areas. Despite all the work-related grumbling, they speak in a sing-song voice, and construct long epic poems of questionable worth and insight. There are no female grumblers, and do not appear to reproduce in a biological sense, their numbers only growing when a new group arrives to a city or community. They are vegetarian, but require enormous amounts of food.

Occasionally, a grumbler will travel, claiming it is time for a holiday, but often return to their enclaves within a season or two. It has been suggested that grumblers, isolated from their own kind suffer a sort of maddening, growing more and more feral the longer they are away from their kin. This 'feral-ness' has attributed to the rumors that Grumblers lost or left alone in the wild will eventually transform into a sort of ogre, or troll-like creature that often haunts the fairy tales that children so love.

Humans
NOTE:Humans are the most powerful magic-users in the world.
Humans are the most populous race in the world, gathering in large cities. They have a knack for complex ideas, creativity and a killer survival instinct. They are frail compared to other creatures in the world, but clever. They are also endlessly curious, even to a fault. They will seek the deepest, darkest most dangerous places in the world, if not to simply tell the tale. Some humans have been given the gift of magic, and the eldest among them are said to be great sorcerers. Speculation abounds that the Obliteration was the fault or was brought about by humans.

Ophidians
NOTE:Ophidians are immune to poisonous substances in liquid or gaseous form.
Ophidians is the name attributed to a wide variety of reptilian or snake like humanoids. They vary in size and appearance, and procreate quickly often with large families, attributing to their dynastic ambitions in some areas of the world. Ophidians were the first to build a great decadent empire after the Obliteration, and are relatively new arrivals to Teluval, Corvasquer and Beltane, and are viewed suspiciously by some, but not all.

Ophidians are great fighters, even unarmed, relying on their evolutionary weapons like claw and tail for combat. That is not to say they enter the fray unarmed; No, they prefer outlandish or cruel weapons in a fight. Scimitars, razor wire, jagged blades, and poison tipped darts are just a sampling.

They are also great builders and engineers. The ziggurats, temples, canals and coliseums of the Ophidian Empire is testament enough. Although the Empire is insular, it's cultural presence is still felt, even as far away as Teluval where enclaves of Ophidian refugees gather. Banishment is a common punishment in the empire, and many of those spurned by the Emperor of the Horned Snake seek refugee in predominantly human cities.

NPC Races:

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Gnomes
A subterranean race of diminutive humanoids who scavenge for useful odds and ends in the lowest chambers of Teluval, chief among which is the flesh and bones of recently deceased individuals. Gnomes are thin little creatures, about 3-4 feet tall with sharp, evil features, a long twisted nose and beady little eyes. They wear little outfits that appear to mock trends of current high society, and carry wicked weapons and tools for cutting and slashing.

Nobody knows where the Gnomes came from, or where they live, although it has been theorized that they have a city-or at least a collection of villages beneath Teluval.

Magic

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Magic users in this game have a bit more work to do on there characters than the other professions, mostly in part because I have left the use of magic a bit open ended in that you have to invent your spells. I have included some schools of magic that I think suit the setting and some basic rules (very meta, I must say) to build a school if you so wish. If you want to craft your own school that's fine too, but I will have to approve it first.

Laws of Magic

Basic Laws Governing Magic

• Scholars have determined that magic falls into one of several schools of practice.
• Wizards prepare spells everyday. Starting wizards have 2 Minor Spells and 1 Major Spell.
• Minor spells may be cast as many times as you wish per day, but the more times you target the same target, the weaker it becomes.
• Major spells can only be cast once per day. Some items may change this rule.
• These rules subject to change over the course of the game.

Schools of Magic

The Wheel

Practitioners of the sorcery known as 'The Wheel' access the latent mystical power in the world and don the cloak of their preferred corresponding color. The Wheel refers to the diagrams and treatises compiled by the old Teluval mystics, when the bridges spanned a wider gap, and the Woad had yet to be built. Colors of the wheel correspond to certain magical effects, the ones that have been discovered so far. The relationship between a color and the caster is a burdening bond-once a color has been chosen it is difficult, perhaps even impossible to master another aspect of the wheel. The corresponding colors and their dominions are listed below. The interpretations and practical effects of which are many and varied. Good Luck!

Blue
Life. Water. Concealing.
Red
Death. Fire. Changing.
Yellow
Wither. Earth. Weaken.
Green
Flourish. Air. Strengthen.

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To Teluval, Farewell

Companions

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You find yourself in the company of friends, on a narrow bridge, above the slums where the Grumblers hum their mantic lullabies. A silky mist clutches all, and the stone pavers of the bridge are slick where the lime colored moss does not reach. It is early evening, the sun long since cresting the precipice of the cliffs of Teluval, cloaking all in darkness. Torches light the way along the narrow bridge. You dare not lean over the edge for a look at the city; besides, you are more than halfway across the treacherous path by now.

You are on your way to the Ceaseless Feast, in the haunted hall belonging to one H. Erstwhile, a citizen of ignoble repute. Despite Erstwhiles reputation as a torturer and murderer, he is held in high regard among travelers for funding risky or daring ventures into the deepest, darkest ruins of the old-world. And it has payed off. Erstwhile's minor fiefdom of blackmail and corruption is an iconic institution of Teluval these days. Scholars from as far away as Beltane have long pondered the trinkets and artifacts locked in Erstwhiles vaults. The thought of all those strange devices, magical implements and weird-weapons are tantalizing enough to go and see what the man has too offer.

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IC is open. You are free to post.

To Teluval, Farewell

To Teluval, Farewell.

_{A Fantasy Roleplay}

---

---

_{Painting by Michael Hutter}

Above

Here is a city with many names. Spindle. Teluval. The Twilight City. Built on the edge of an abyss, a web work of bridges, towers, arches, tombs and tunnels stretching deep into the cliffs of a land known as Rende. In ancient times, these ravines and cracks were carved by marvelous weapons wielded by gods. The time of Obliteration has ended, and civilization has returned; No, civilization thrives, on the ruins of those that have come before. Everywhere relics and legends, the remnant artifacts of empires with alien names. Here, in the Twilight City of Teluval, people live and work and craft their own tales until they bid this life farewell.

Abyss

It is not a true abyss, not like Gonfalion (cursed is that place, let us not speak of such things), but the heights are dizzying to one not acquainted with such lofty environs. Truth be told, there is a river, just below the Mourning Quarter that flows gently through the columns and caves keeping the city of secrets aloft. The river had a name, and I'm quite sure it has one now, but most importantly is the direction in which it flows, towards the Starlit Sea and Evermore and beyond that, the city of Corvasquer, where lives the Suzerain.

Woad

Ah! Yes, that is it. The Water-road or the Woad as it is known in Teluval, a river turned canal turned river again, leading to the Starlit Sea, and many places still: Ephome, where the horned snakes dwell and horses stamp them under-hoof, or yet further south where the men speak only in rhyme and dwell in huts upon the backs of turtles deep in slumber. The Woad is a winding course, in certain places packed with sailing ships from Darmos or the wondrous paddle-boats of Beltane. In quiet bends upon the river, flanked by barb-grass and willows float the ponderous Marids and Ghuls upon rafts of sutured skin and reeds. Their whispers are said to impart wisdom on those that are not driven mad...

Prophecy

There is a journey to be undertaken. A gift imparted on the adventurer that may reveal a secret history of this world. What begins as a simple errand for a trivial amount of gold may be the start of events set in motion thousands of years ago. There is a Painted Lady & a Fatherless Son. There are 3 Faces Upon A Hill, That Will Speak In Unison. This is the prophecy repeated by the faithful of Perlain. This is only the start. For now, farewell.

---

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To Teluval, Farewell is a surreal fantasy roleplay focusing on setting and character. Magic is real and very strange, as are the characters and the setting itself. The world is dangerous, cynical and often melancholy in a tongue-in-cheek sort of way. Information regarding player characters, and some more world info will be in the character tab. Submit characters as hiders in the OOC. Player space is limited. Let me know if your interested!

Collaborative Document_{< < <Link}

_{Thanks to @Exit for setting up the doc!}

Influenced by: Neil Gaiman, Dali, That Carcosa Play, Lovecraft, myths, legends, more. Ideas borrowed are for entertainment, and to pay homage. Thank you for reading this pretentious shit. Goodnight.

To Teluval, Farewell - Accepting One More Character!

@GuntherOhai Gunther. I remember Mercenaries, sad to have had to let that go. I'm still working on the main thread, but it will have all the info you need to make a character. Still practicing Krav Maga? Thanks for the reply!

@PrivateVentures Thanks for the reply. I will check it out!

To Teluval, Farewell - Accepting One More Character!

Assuming we are all accepted and all interest remains, I believe the current population more than fulfills your 2-3 "Guildies" requirement?

Let me pose a question, then:
What sort of writing, exactly, are you looking for?
In that same vein, what sort of characters should we aim for?

@Jeyma

Yes, thank you. I am working on some more world information including playable races, magic etc. I am letting the muse run wild on this one, because in the past I have built rp's with very formal, almost formulaic posting rules and very strict worldbuilding aesthetics in mind. This is a different animal. When I finish the OOC thread we'll look at what sorts of characters we have and I will adapt the story accordingly. As for the player limit, I was honestly expecting only a few people to show interest. If I have to adjust the story I have in mind accordingly, so be it. There will be an update in a few days.

EDIT: I realized I did not answer all of your questions. What sort of writing am I looking for? Well, the best you can compose, I suppose. I am keeping this in the advanced section because the Lore is rather expansive, but I will not exclude anyone because of grammar, or depth of prose. I think the main thing is to make sure we are all on the same page, and to have fun.

To Teluval, Farewell - A Surreal Fantasy Adventure -

Great, I will get a thread together in the next few days.

To Teluval, Farewell - A Surreal Fantasy Adventure -

To Teluval, Farewell.

_{A Journey}

---

---

_{Painting by Michael Hutter}

Above

Here is a city with many names. Spindle. Teluval. The Twilight City. Built on the edge of an abyss, a web work of bridges, towers, arches, tombs and tunnels stretching deep into the cliffs of a land known as Rende. In ancient times, these ravines and cracks were carved by marvelous weapons wielded by gods. The time of Obliteration has ended, and civilization has returned; No, civilization thrives, on the ruins of those that have come before. Everywhere relics and legends, the remnant artifacts of empires with alien names. Here, in the Twilight City of Teluval, people live and work and craft their own tales until they bid this life farewell.

Abyss

It is not a true abyss, not like Gonfalion (cursed is that place, let us not speak of such things), but the heights are dizzying to one not acquainted with such lofty environs. Truth be told, there is a river, just below the Mourning Quarter that flows gently through the columns and caves keeping the city of secrets aloft. The river had a name, and I'm quite sure it has one now, but most importantly is the direction in which it flows, towards the Starlit Sea and Evermore and beyond that, the city of Corvasquer, where lives the Suzerain.

Woad

Ah! Yes, that is it. The Water-road or the Woad as it is known in Teluval, a river turned canal turned river again, leading to the Starlit Sea, and many places still: Ephome, where the horned snakes dwell and horses stamp them under-hoof, or yet further south where the men speak only in rhyme and dwell in huts upon the backs of turtles deep in slumber. The Woad is a winding course, in certain places packed with sailing ships from Darmos or the wondrous paddle-boats of Beltane. In quiet bends upon the river, flanked by barb-grass and willows float the ponderous Marids and Ghuls upon rafts of sutured skin and reeds. Their whispers are said to impart wisdom on those that are not driven mad...

Prophecy

There is a journey to be undertaken. A gift imparted on the adventurer that may reveal a secret history of this world. What begins as a simple errand for a trivial amount of gold may be the start of events set in motion thousands of years ago. There is a Painted Lady & a Fatherless Son. There are 3 Faces Upon A Hill, That Will Speak In Unison. This is the prophecy repeated by the faithful of Perlain. This is only the start. For now, farewell.

---

---

To Teluval, Farewell is a surreal fantasy roleplay focusing on setting and character. Magic is real and very strange, as are the characters and the setting itself. The world is dangerous, cynical and often melancholy in a tongue-in-cheek sort of way. I'm looking for 2-3 fellow guildies interested in exploring Teluval and the lands beyond and revealing some of the secrets therein. Characters will be developed for about 2-3 weeks and I'm hoping for a semi-long commitment. I think their are other stories to tell in Teluval as well. Let me know if your interested!

Influenced by: Neil Gaiman, Dali, That Carcosa Play, Lovecraft, myths, legends, more. Ideas borrowed are for entertainment, and to pay homage. Thank you for reading this pretentious shit. Goodnight.

To Teluval, Farewell - Accepting One More Character!

@Cute BumberThanks for the interest! Anyone is welcome, although I would like to see some of your writing if possible?

To Teluval, Farewell - Accepting One More Character!

To Teluval, Farewell.

_{A Journey}

---

---

_{Painting by Michael Hutter}

Above

Here is a city with many names. Spindle. Teluval. The Twilight City. Built on the edge of an abyss, a web work of bridges, towers, arches, tombs and tunnels stretching deep into the cliffs of a land known as Rende. In ancient times, these ravines and cracks were carved by marvelous weapons wielded by gods. The time of Obliteration has ended, and civilization has returned; No, civilization thrives, on the ruins of those that have come before. Everywhere relics and legends, the remnant artifacts of empires with alien names. Here, in the Twilight City of Teluval, people live and work and craft their own tales until they bid this life farewell.

Abyss

It is not a true abyss, not like Gonfalion (cursed is that place, let us not speak of such things), but the heights are dizzying to one not acquainted with such lofty environs. Truth be told, there is a river, just below the Mourning Quarter that flows gently through the columns and caves keeping the city of secrets aloft. The river had a name, and I'm quite sure it has one now, but most importantly is the direction in which it flows, towards the Starlit Sea and Evermore and beyond that, the city of Corvasquer, where lives the Suzerain.

Woad

Ah! Yes, that is it. The Water-road or the Woad as it is known in Teluval, a river turned canal turned river again, leading to the Starlit Sea, and many places still: Ephome, where the horned snakes dwell and horses stamp them under-hoof, or yet further south where the men speak only in rhyme and dwell in huts upon the backs of turtles deep in slumber. The Woad is a winding course, in certain places packed with sailing ships from Darmos or the wondrous paddle-boats of Beltane. In quiet bends upon the river, flanked by barb-grass and willows float the ponderous Marids and Ghuls upon rafts of sutured skin and reeds. Their whispers are said to impart wisdom on those that are not driven mad...

Prophecy

There is a journey to be undertaken. A gift imparted on the adventurer that may reveal a secret history of this world. What begins as a simple errand for a trivial amount of gold may be the start of events set in motion thousands of years ago. There is a Painted Lady & a Fatherless Son. There are 3 Faces Upon A Hill, That Will Speak In Unison. This is the prophecy repeated by the faithful of Perlain. This is only the start. For now, farewell.

---

---

To Teluval, Farewell is a surreal fantasy roleplay focusing on setting and character. Magic is real and very strange, as are the characters and the setting itself. The world is dangerous, cynical and often melancholy in a tongue-in-cheek sort of way. I'm looking for 2-3 fellow guildies interested in exploring Teluval and the lands beyond and revealing some of the secrets therein. Characters will be developed for about 2-3 weeks and I'm hoping for a semi-long commitment. I think their are other stories to tell in Teluval as well. Let me know if your interested!

Influenced by: Neil Gaiman, Dali, That Carcosa Play, Lovecraft, myths, legends, more. Ideas borrowed are for entertainment, and to pay homage. Thank you for reading this pretentious shit. Goodnight.