Shohmyoh — Roleplayer Guild

The Story:

For ten years, the Southern State of Coleander fought a bloody war against its northern neighbor, decades of political and religious differences finally coming to a head.  This protracted battle rapidly sapped the life from both States as their weapons, magic and soldiers dwindled.  At last a treaty was hastily written and signed, both sides eager to prevent their total destruction.  The last two years have seen an uneasy détente, but there are other provinces waiting for an opportunity to strike the weakened State, and the war and subsequent depression has robbed Coleander’s people of their faith and trust.  

In a desperate attempt to preserve the State, Coleander’s Lord created the Band system, legally allowing would-be adventurers and out-of-work soldiers to take on tasks that the State no longer has the men or resources to handle.  Enfeebled citizens and royal figures alike doled out assignments in droves, and the Bands responded in kind; travelers from all corners of Coleander and beyond rose to the task.  Yet it remains to be seen how effectively the Band system will solve the State’s problems.  

With Coleander struggling to recover and the possibility of another war never far away, these Bands must carve out their own path as an uncertain future looms.
-Unknown Writer

This story will, for the most part, follow a Band, a group of people who accept tasks from various sources, be they civilians or government officials.  There will be opportunities to focus on other groups such as State officials, civilians, and the like.  The tasks that Bands accept can take them to various different locales, and may range from finding missing people and securing items to killing creatures and covert missions.  Bands are legally bound to the State of Coleander, and thus many of the jobs they are given will either aid the State in rebuilding itself or assist the common folk.  Your character does not have to originate from Coleander, but they will have to start out in Coleander. 

Humans are the only sentient race in this world.  Right now I have no plans to change that, but if the story evolves a certain way then it is possible that other races may be shown.  I would ask that you stick to designing your character as a human for now.  

The World:

The civilized world is divided into two States and several smaller countries.  Here are the current available locations:
The largest populated area in the world.  Led by Lord Anderson, whose popularity has seen a marked decline since the war.  Only recently has he begun to win back his people’s trust due to the implementation of the Band system.  Coleander’s once bustling farms and trading businesses have become stagnant, and decent jobs are harder to come by than ever before.  The massive number of lives lost to the war effort only compounds these issues.  Though it has come a long way in the past two years, the State still faces various problems: keeping its citizens happy, replenishing lost resources, getting more gold back in circulation, and keeping as many jobs filled as possible while still maintaining a standing army.  The Band system has helped create scores of temporary jobs and will hopefully help kickstart the economy.  

The State is currently allied with Lapace, a province that has been providing some measure of help through trade and labor.  It also shares an uneasy peace with Goetha.  The Church of Alberon is Coleander’s primary religion, though it has lost much of the influence it used to have.  Coleander has been steadily moving towards secularism over the previous years, and the war has had a negative impact on the people’s faith.

The second largest populated area, its size is similar to that of Coleander.  It is led by Lord Nae’Alberon XII.  The Church of Alberon is much more relevant here than anywhere else, as the Nae’Alberon family believes itself to be a holy bloodline and that each ruler is an incarnation of their god.  Nonbelievers are shunned throughout the State, and flagrantly defying the Church often leads to banishment.  Despite its people’s zeal, Goetha is perfectly willing to engage in trade and diplomatic actions with various provinces, a few of which do not share the same beliefs.  Goetha faces many of the same problems as Coleander following their war, but is somehow recovering at a quicker pace.  Despite faring better Goetha provides only minimal relief to its Southern counterpart, worsening the tension between them.  Lord Nae’Alberon is currently considering adopting a Band system of his own.

One of the smaller countries, it is located to the southeast of Coleander.  It is run by the House of Lira, a group of aristocrats that rotate in and out of office every few years and pass laws by a majority vote.  Lapace is particularly peaceful and its leaders are reluctant to engage in war unless absolutely necessary.  They have enjoyed a fruitful alliance with Coleander for quite some time.  Lapace aided Coleander during the war through trading weapons and various foods and resources, though they did not engage Goetha in battle at any point.  This province is well known for its development of the arts, particularly music.  Despite its small size and serene nature, Lapace has yet to lose a war.  Lapace follows the Church of Alberon, though not as fervently as Goetha.

A medium-sized country, it is located to the west of the two States and is roughly equidistant from both.  Griffan boasts the largest known industrial business, and has made great strides in both steel and magical weaponry.  It is run by a royal family.  The current head of the family is King Stratifar Griffan, who has reigned for over 30 years without incident and is well-loved by his people.  The majority of the nation is very patriotic and puts a great value on individual freedoms.  Griffan is on neutral terms with Coleander and is allied with Nasheen.  There is no nationally recognized religion.

Pire is a medium-sized country to the east of Goetha.  Recently Pire underwent a revolution and a massive governmental upheaval.  Its previous monarchs ruled with an iron fist and established a ‘survival of the fittest’ society, where one could do nearly anything they wanted if they were physically capable of doing it.  Fear of the monarch and his clan was the only thing that kept Pire from complete anarchy.  Thirteen years ago a clansman named Resch, along with a handful of insurgents and a battalion from Goetha, killed the rest of the ruling clan and successfully freed Pire from tyranny.  Resch has ruled ever since, constantly trying to establish a more democratic form of rule, but has met with hardship every step of the way and is often forced to use violence to keep the country stable.  

Pire is currently under martial law while Resch and his group figure out how to establish a more peaceful nation and erase the effects of years of bloodthirsty lawlessness.  Goetha is Pire’s only reliable ally and continues to support the floundering country.  Pire has no national religion, though the Church of Alberon is beginning to spread.

One of the smallest major settlements, it is northwest of Griffan.  Often derisively called ‘The Heretic City’, Nasheen contains many people who were banished from their home due to religious differences.  The majority of the world either fears Nasheen or regards it with disdain, though there are few reliable reports on what the city is actually like.  Nasheen is ruled by a mysterious woman known as The Iron Maiden.  Nasheen houses several different polytheistic religions.  Nasheen’s only ally is Griffan, which lends the city its protection by threatening to retaliate against anyone who attacks it.

There are other areas in the world, both populated and otherwise, that may be revealed and developed at a later time. 

The Magic:

Divinare (formerly ‘Alberon’s Gift’, colloquially ‘magic’)… should not be confused with the oft-recited superstitions of thaumaturgy and creation; it is a natural resource like any other, and once it is used up it cannot be invoked again until it is replenished.  Conversely, some sources cannot be replenished at all.  Manipulation of Divinare requires the utmost care…
The intricacies of Divinare cannot be fully explained within the confines of this book, but the basics of its manipulation can be divided into three categories: channeling, binding, and merging…
…Channeling is characterized primarily by drawing Divinare out of a source, letting it flow freely (ex. magnifying the fire from a lit candle)…
…Binding is characterized primarily by directly manipulating Divinare with one’s will (ex. throwing the fire from a lit candle)…
…Merging is characterized primarily by synchronizing one’s mind with Divinare (ex. becoming one with the fire from a lit candle)…

-Excerpts from Divinare: A Basic Guide for the Middle Student Edition CVII

Divinare (or you can just call it magic if you want) is a force that resides throughout the world, both in living things and nature.  It can also be manufactured into various weapons and objects, though most things created like this have a much more limited pool of divinare to use.  Divinare is a resource that can be depleted just like water or air, meaning that you will almost always have a finite amount of it to work with.  It is (usually) renewable and will replenish itself over time, though there are certain sources of it that subvert this rule.  Divinare can be used and manipulated in numerous ways to replicate various powers that you would find in other forms of fiction, such as controlling elements, healing wounds, bending tree branches into steps, and many other fun things.  Anyone has the potential to use divinare, though most people require training to use it on anything more than a basic level.  As a general rule, what you can accomplish with divinare depends on the source, so divinare taken from a tree could be used for manipulation of something in or on the tree, or sometimes the tree itself.  

Enclosed is a more detailed explanation of divinare, added by request:
The general rule of manipulating divinare is that anything that contains it has its own ‘rhythm’. This rhythm is different for every individual source. Anyone who wants to use the divinare in, let’s say a flower, must feel its rhythm and relate it to their own internal rhythm. For example, if someone wanted to channel the divinare inside that flower, they would need allow the flower’s rhythm to overcome their own, essentially surrendering their own source of divinare to that of the flower’s. This agitates and releases the magical potential of the flower, which could cause it to shoot its thorns out at high speeds, or maybe release whatever nectar or toxins that are in it. If one wanted to bind that divinare instead, they would need to overpower the flower’s rhythm with their own. This would let someone impose their will over the flower, letting them control its movements and sometimes strengthen it, maybe causing its roots to shoot out of the ground and entangle someone. Lastly, merging requires the person to perfectly synchronize their rhythm with that of the flower, a far more difficult task than the other two methods. Doing so would allow one to fuse with the flower, becoming one with its body and mind, which could be useful for hiding from someone or directly utilizing anything inside the flower, such as the mechanisms required for photosynthesis.

The rhythm of any human being or animal is much more complex than that of something found in nature, and requires far more concentration to feel and use. This means that magic that directly manipulates or alters the human body is much more difficult than most other types of magic.

To summarize, the levels of difficulty for divinare manipulation go like this: Channeling is easier than binding, which is far easier than merging. Using divinare found in artificial sources such as magical weapons or rings is easier than using divinare found in nature. However, artificial sources usually have a much more limited pool to draw from, and some of them are designed as one-time use items, meaning that their divinare never replenishes itself once depleted. It is harder to use divinare from lower creatures like beasts than nature, and human beings are the single hardest source to utilize.

There are other types of divinare usage that don’t fall into the aforementioned three categories, but the only one I’ve solidified so far is healing magic. Healing uses a principle called distillation, which requires both channeling and binding divinare from specific sources. The divinare is channeled to such a high degree that there is no trace of ‘rhythm’ left in it, meaning that its basically raw magical energy that isn’t bound to its original source at all. This raw energy dissipates very quickly however, so it must then be rapidly bound to a wound in order for it to have any healing properties. Distillation is a more advanced technique and usually requires specialized training to use.

There are other rules and other types of magic, but they will be revealed as the plot goes on.  

The Other:

Do not look upon the world with pity, nor curse the flowing of the rivers, nor lament the stillness of the mountainside, for this world is his mighty body.  From Alberon’s flesh did come man, from Alberon’s blood did come the rivers, from Alberon’s bones did come the mountains…

-Excerpt from Canto XXIII of The Mouth of Alberon

To put the idea for this RP in a nutshell, it's a medieval-ish low-tech 'go on adventures' kind of fantasy story.  Despite the military and religious tones, I don't want this to be dark and serious all the time; there's plenty of room for humor and lighthearted moments.  I actively encourage other players to add to the plot and mythos as we go (provided it doesn't contradict the established theme or the other players' wishes).  The entire reason I want to RP is to create a story with other people rather than dictate every little thing, and thus I will do my best to remain open to suggestions and feedback.

Real life always comes first, and if something comes up, or if you're just not feeling up to writing for a little bit, I totally understand.  However, if you join the story and end up unable to post for an extended period of time, please let me know so we can work around it.  If you can't post for a long while when your character is doing something important and I'm given no notice, I may use them a bit on your behalf, but I would only do this if it's absolutely necessary to keep the plot going.  I will avoid killing off or writing out a character due to a player being gone if at all possible.  I want to give your character the respect they deserve.  

I will admit that this is the first RP I've attempted to start myself, so if someone more experienced than me notices something questionable or dumb that I do, feel free to call me out on it.  And of course, ask whatever questions you like.  And have fun, above all else!

For a time, the Southern State of Coleander fought a bloody war against its northern neighbor, decades of political and religious differences finally coming to a head.  This protracted battle rapidly sapped the life from both States as their weapons, magic and soldiers dwindled.  At last a treaty was hastily written and signed, both sides eager to prevent their total destruction.  The last two years have seen an uneasy détente, but there are other provinces waiting for an opportunity to strike the weakened State, and the war and subsequent depression has robbed Coleander’s people of their faith and trust.  

In a desperate attempt to preserve the State, Coleander’s Lord created the Band system, legally allowing would-be adventurers and out-of-work soldiers to take on tasks that the State no longer has the men or resources to handle.  Enfeebled citizens and royal figures alike doled out assignments in droves, and the Bands responded in kind; travelers from all corners of Coleander and beyond rose to the task.  Yet it remains to be seen how effectively the Band system will solve the State’s problems.  

With Coleander struggling to recover and the possibility of another war never far away, these Bands must carve out their own path as an uncertain future looms.  

-Unknown Writer

Divinare (formerly ‘Alberon’s Gift’, colloquially ‘magic’)… should not be confused with the oft-recited superstitions of thaumaturgy and creation; it is a natural resource like any other, and once it is used up it cannot be invoked again until it is replenished.  Conversely, some sources cannot be replenished at all.  Manipulation of Divinare requires the utmost care…
The intricacies of Divinare cannot be fully explained within the confines of this book, but the basics of its manipulation can be divided into three categories: channeling, binding, and merging…
…Channeling is characterized primarily by drawing Divinare out of a source, letting it flow freely (ex. magnifying the fire from a lit candle)…
…Binding is characterized primarily by directly manipulating Divinare with one’s will (ex. throwing the fire from a lit candle)…
…Merging is characterized primarily by synchronizing one’s mind with Divinare (ex. becoming one with the fire from a lit candle)…

-Excerpts from Divinare: A Basic Guide for the Middle Student Edition CVII

Do not look upon the world with pity, nor curse the flowing of the rivers, nor lament the stillness of the mountainside, for this world is his mighty body.  From Alberon’s flesh did come man, from Alberon’s blood did come the rivers, from Alberon’s bones did come the mountains…

-Excerpt from Canto XXIII of The Mouth of Alberon

This idea is primarily a low-tech 'go on adventures' kind of fantasy story with some military undertones.  I want to start with a simple concept and then build on it over time.  I actively encourage other players to add to the plot and mythos as we go. (provided it doesn't contradict the established theme or the other players' wishes)  The entire reason I want to RP is to create a story with other people rather than dictate every little thing, and thus I will do my best to remain open to suggestions and feedback.  I will admit that this is the first RP I've attempted to start myself, so if someone more experienced than me notices something wrong or dumb that I do, feel free to call me out on it.  And of course, ask whatever questions you like.

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^Prozac at work

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