@FurFox This might seem a little nitpicky, but I would kind of prefer that you not include the Enuri in your background. Due to the Enuri's isolationist tendencies, they would have settled quite far away from the town and teleporting that distance would be lethal, especially for a child. Apart from that, however, I think your character seems pretty alright.
@Etranger Your character looks pretty good to me. :D
@Stitches Sure, that works for me. :3 To be perfectly honest, I didn't really notice until you said something. Also, I greatly appreciate you being upfront about your character's intentions and your plans for them already so that everyone knows what to expect. :D
@ShwiggityShwah As has been mentioned by others, we do have a lot of reserved characters, so you might want to consider that. The way the magic works, it's almost impossible to avoid a little bit of overlap with other characters, so don't worry too much about that. I probably won't accept your character if they're a carbon copy, but being similar in some ways is generally fine.
I went ahead and made a discord server (as per Shard's suggestion), so feel free to chat in there and make plans.
As for the start of the IC, I'm planning on getting it up by tomorrow evening. So go ahead and start putting some ideas together about how you want to introduce your character. :D
@Moyai Rahele sounds like a good character to me. Go ahead and move your cs to the character tab.
@Lurking Shadow S'Hra checks out. Go ahead and put him in the character tab.
@Stitches Tiana's good to be moved over to the character tab.
@Avant You've got it. :D Go ahead and put Brandon's cs in the character tab.
@Sedjwick Hybrids are fine, but I'm going to have to veto the half-Enuri thing. As you said, we already have a lot of them for a race that keeps to itself.
@Shard I'm going to have to say no, at least for now. I feel that that might cause a bit too much overlap with Captain Marvel's character. Plus, having too many characters having animal companions without having an affinity for Conjuration makes it seem rather pointless.
@Compulsive86 This all looks pretty good. :D Feel free to move Hiasahi to the character tab.
@OrkytheOrc Looks pretty good to me. Go ahead and move him to the character tab.
@CaptainMarvel Thalia seems like a well-written character. :3 Go ahead and move your cs to the character tab when you get a chance.
@Shard Your character looks good. Feel free to post him in the character tab.
I'm excited to see how everyone's characters are coming along! I can't wait to see how they all mesh together once we get started!
I didn't quite expect the Enuri to be as popular as they appear to be however, so I think that I'm going to cap the number of Enuri characters to what we have now plus my character. Also, for the same reason I'm going to reject necromancers until we get some characters with other affinities in the mix.
”I don’t get why being in the city makes everyone hurry around so much. They should all just slow down and relax.”
Nicknames: Anyu Race: Enuri Gender: Female Age: 15 Appearance: Standing at a height of 2’11” and weighing a meager 33 lbs, on the smaller side even for her race, Anyu’s petite frame means that it can be rather hard to notice her unless she wants to be seen. Though having spent the last several years living a somewhat active lifestyle of hunting and trapping has left her rather slim, it wasn’t really sufficient enough for her to develop any sort of noticeable muscular definition, which further emphasizes her small stature.
Born with albinism, Anyu’s skin is understandably quite pale. Unfortunately, this means that she’s very susceptible to getting sunburned, especially in a tropical city like Alsijan. Her porcelain skin also has a tendency to show marks really easily, meaning even light pressure can leave her with what appear to be bruises, though they often don’t hurt much, if at all. It’s also worth noting that she has a terrible time hiding any sort of blushing due to how light her skin is.
Anyu’s hair is a very light silver color that can often be mistaken for white in the right lighting. The fur covering her ears and tail has the same coloring as the rest of her hair, though her ears and tail are also marked with several spots that are darker in color. Anyu’s hair is rather thick and fluffy, with a soft texture that helps to retain her body heat, even if she doesn’t particularly need it anymore.
In contrast to her skin and hair color, Anyu’s eyes are actually a brilliant light blue color. Also, despite what her feline features may suggest, her pupils are round like most people’s due to the fact that her Enuri heritage is that of a large feline. Speaking of feline features, Anyu also possesses sharp claws that she can use to defend herself or gain purchase when climbing and teeth that are noticeably pointed.
Personality: As it turns out, Anyu is an incredibly timid individual and therefore often finds herself trying to avoid interacting with others or drawing attention to herself whenever possible. While Anyu has never been a particularly bold or outspoken person, a large part of her shyness stems from her complete lack of self-esteem and her fears of being hurt by other people if they were to get to know her. Anyu genuinely believes that she is a bad person, especially because she can use magic, and that means she finds it hard to believe that people would accept her if they did get to know her or that some people would even want to get to know her.
Interestingly enough, it is actually a lot easier for people to interact with Anyu than they might expect. This is because Anyu is usually too afraid of angering other people and being punished to try and hide when someone is making their way towards her or slip out of a conversation. Of course, she’ll still try and maintain a comfortable distance from the other person(s), and it might be rather difficult to get her to respond with more than a couple of words. This reasoning, and the fact that she has no confidence in herself, also means that Anyu tends to be obedient and agreeable to a fault, often becoming incredibly anxious and apologetic when she feels that she’s being disobedient.
As alluded to previously, Anyu believes that just being able to use magic makes her an evil person and that actually using magic is an evil practice. This belief has understandably made her rather hesitant to try and learn how to use her magic at all. However, upon hearing, somewhat extensively, from a Guild recruiter that magic could be used to help people and perform other good deeds, Anyu has become a bit more open to the idea that maybe she should learn to use magic. It still usually takes a bit of gentle encouragement to get her to actually try and do anything with her magic, but that’s better than the adamant refusal to try that she exhibited before.
Biography:
To her family, and the rest of the tribe, Anyu’s birth was not a joyous event. The fact that her mother had passed away while giving birth to her naturally broke the hearts of her father and older siblings, but it also branded her as a cursed child in the eyes of the tribe and her family due to their belief that such an event could only happen if the child took the lifeforce of the mother during birth. This stigma wasn’t helped by the fact that she always had incredibly pale skin and hair, which her people took to be evidence that she was born with a soul of winter and that she had been claimed by malevolent spirits.
Because of these beliefs, Anyu experienced a pretty rough time growing up. To put it rather bluntly, her family was neglectful and abusive when it came to interacting with her. Her father was so neglectful that days would pass before he acknowledged that she existed. Of course, when he did acknowledge her existence, it was usually because he felt that she needed to be punished for something, often leaving her with several bumps and bruises. When he drank, these sorts of violent episodes became much more common and were often punctuated with shouting and throwing things. It should also be noted that he also adamantly refused to provide her with any schooling whatsoever, though this was largely because of the idea that educating her would make her more useful to the malevolent spirits that had claimed her.
Her older siblings weren’t really any better, however. They would take pleasure in punching or kicking her out of nowhere, making fun of her appearance and intelligence, or insinuating that their mother would never have loved Anyu anyway. Growing up, it often seemed that the only time that Anyu got any reprieve from her siblings was whenever they were either running errands in town, going to school, or working on something that kept them too busy to bother noticing that she was around. In fact, the only thing that really changed as Anyu and her siblings got older is that her siblings became more devious in bullying her, often enlisting the help of the other kids in the neighborhood as well.
In a sort of bizarre contrast to Anyu’s regular home life, the other members of the tribe were often cordial, if never warm or friendly, on the rare occasion that they interacted with her. At their worst, they would merely go out of their way to avoid crossing her path whenever they saw her out and about or mutter quick prayers for the state of her soul as they passed. Generally speaking, this was because they believed that Anyu’s condition wasn’t something that could be helped, even if they did think that it made her dangerous to be around. This way of thinking gave the tribe as a whole a tendency to pretend that she and her family didn’t exist. As such, her family was generally isolated from village life, with the tribe ultimately refusing to interfere in her family’s affairs.
When she was about fourteen years old, her magical ability began to manifest itself. The first time Anyu noticed her abilities was when she accidentally froze a cup of hot tea that she had been about to drink. Knowing that the people of her tribe viewed magic as an evil practice, Anyu did her best to keep her abilities hidden. Unfortunately, given her lack of control, it simply wasn’t meant to last. It was eventually discovered that she had the ability to use magic when she subconsciously froze a section of the road behind her in order to escape from the local bullies her siblings hung out with.
With so many witnesses to her use of magic, she was quickly found guilty. Because of the tribe’s belief that only the great guardian spirits could truly decide if one was worthy of living or dying, she wasn’t condemned to death. Instead, she would be sedated and hauled deep into the wilderness where her fate would be up to the spirits. On top of all this, in the unlikely event that she survived, she would still never be allowed to return to the village. And so, Anyu found herself slipping into unconsciousness as she was carried away from the village and into the dark forest.
When she finally came to, she was lying in a small, snow-covered clearing, the thick dark clouds above swirling with the promise of more snow. Eventually, she managed to make it to her feet and begin walking out of the clearing, if a little unsteadily at first. As her mind cleared of the drug-induced haze, Anyu noticed with a start that neither the cold in the air nor the snowflakes that seemed to always be falling around her bothered her at all despite the fact that the clothing she had been sentenced in offered little more protection than her pajamas would have. Ultimately, she chalked this up to her cursed magic and refocused on finding a way to survive.
Anyu spent the next several days wandering through the woods and looking for food. Having never been taught any sort of survival skills, however, she had no idea what she was looking for or where she could find food. And so, each day ended with her hungrier than when the day had started. On the fourth day after she woke up, however, she happened upon a snare that had caught a rabbit by surprise. All too aware that she had no idea how to cook the poor thing even if she had the nerve to kill it, Anyu sat down and began fighting with the knot to free it. Just as she finished her good deed, however, someone else joined her in the clearing and demanded to know who she was and what she was doing.
After Anyu fearfully explained what had happened as best she could without getting into too much detail, the strange woman introduced herself as Ilya and invited Anyu to follow her back to the edge of the woods where she and her friends were camped so that she could eat. As they walked in silence, Ilya would occasionally glance back at the small girl as if questioning how Anyu hadn’t already frozen to death or why snowflakes would occasionally fall around her despite the clear skies above. If the older woman suspected that Anyu could use magic, she never said anything, and Anyu certainly didn’t want to mention the fact that she was cursed to someone who was offering to help her.
Upon arriving at the camp, Ilya’s friends looked at her rather questioningly but made room for Anyu around the fire and rummaged around for a spare blanket she could cover up with while they finished cooking the meal regardless. Hungry as she was, the small, objectively bland meal tasted amazing to Anyu as she sat and listened to the strangers try and one up each other with ridiculous stories. Before too long, however, she was nodding off where she sat, prompting Ilya to lead her to a small tent where she could sleep properly. While Anyu drifted off, she was vaguely aware that the stranger’s had switched to more serious topics of conversation upon her departure, occasionally hearing phrases like “potential profit” or “rare specimen” until she truly fell asleep.
Over breakfast the next day, Ilya suggested that they knew of a place that would probably be pretty happy to give Anyu a place to stay for at least a little while and offered to take her there if she wanted. Though hesitant to burden the strangers any longer, Anyu figured that she didn’t have much of a choice and accepted their offer, helping them pack up as best she could so that they could get moving. Ultimately, it only took them a couple of days to reach their destination: a small village whose largest building was a squat stone structure that was attached to the town’s watchtower. The red-tiled roof was sloped to allow the snow to slide off and onto the ground, where a man shoveled it away to keep the path clear.
Upon entering the building, Ilya headed straight for the large desk that had a balding man behind it and began discussing something with him in hushed tones. In the meantime, her companions directed Anyu over to a bench against the wall and instructed her to sit there quietly and make sure to keep the hood of her borrowed cloak up while they stood nearby and chatted idly. Seeing that there were a lot of people in the large room, Anyu subconsciously curled up, wrapping her arms around her knees on the bench in order to avoid being noticed as she surveyed her surroundings.
The long room that they were in happened to be filled with tables that were occupied by all sorts of people, most of whom were writing meticulously or reading carefully. Occasionally, someone would stand up and deliver what they had been writing or reading to another individual behind the desk that Ilya was standing at, but that didn’t really help Anyu figure out where they were. The only place she knew of where people wrote like they were doing there was the schoolhouse back in her village, but everyone in the room looked too old to be in school to her.
Before Anyu could think about it for too much longer, Ilya was ordering her to follow along as she and the balding man went around a corner and into a side room. Once the door was closed behind them, the balding man gestured impatiently for Anyu to throw back her hood. After getting confirmation from Ilya that it was really okay to listen to the man, Anyu let her hood drop, her ears twitching slightly at the sudden freedom they now had. When the man had managed to get over his shock, which was a reaction that confused Anyu to no end, he and Ilya withdrew to the other side of the room and began arguing quietly enough that Anyu couldn’t hear more than a few words.
A few minutes later, the man sighed and put up his hands in a defeated gesture before pulling a hefty pouch that jingled slightly and it moved and handing it to Ilya. Having gotten what she evidently came for, Ilya gave a sort of offhand wave and left the room. Muttering under his breath about filthy poachers for some reason, the man directed Anyu to put her hood up again and follow him to a room upstairs. A few moments after leaving her to settle in a bit, he returned with a hot meal and explained that she was at an outpost for the Mage Guild of Alsijan. Though Anyu was initially frightened as the idea of being the guest of an organization focused on the evil practice of wielding magic, the man managed to allay her fears and explain that they sought to improve the world around them, even if he wasn’t quite able to convince her that magic wasn’t inherently evil.
Over the next several days, the man would visit Anyu periodically and ask her a variety of questions, always jotting things down on the important-looking papers that he carried around with him as he did so. After the third day of her stay at the outpost, however, the man explained that the Guild would like to have her travel down to their headquarters in the city of Alsijan with an escort. Though it took a hefty amount of encouragement and coaxing from the man, Anyu eventually agreed to the arrangement. And so, just a few days later, Anyu found herself in a caravan on her way to the city of Alsijan.
Affinities: Evocation Craft: None, at the moment Magic: Anyu’s one and only affinity is for Evocation magic, where she displays a natural talent for manipulating water and ice. Due to her complete lack of training, her abilities at the moment are quite lacking, often being limited to subconscious uses or minor things like freezing a cup of water or accidentally causing snow to fall around her. Her magic also provides her with an immunity to the temperature of her environment, often causing her to dress inappropriately for the weather compared to other people. It’s also worth noting that a side effect of having an affinity for ice magic is having skin that is freezing to the touch. With some training, Anyu would be able to create walls of ice to defend herself or attack with icicles and jets of water.
Skills: Anyu also, like virtually all Enuri, possesses keener senses of sight, smell, and hearing than most humans. Anyu can also use her tail like an extra limb, though the fact that it’s not really as strong as one of her arms means that it doesn’t really have that much of a use apart from making daily life a little more convenient. Finally, her feline ancestry also provides her with a rather uncanny ability to orient herself while falling to minimize the chances of getting hurt.
Anyu can also draw somewhat decently, having doodled to occupy herself for most of her life.
Other: Anyu is left-handed.
Anyu has a bit of a phobia about being touched due to the abuse she experienced in her past.
It’s also important to note that Anyu lacks any kind of education whatsoever, which means that she lacks the ability to read, write, or perform any kind of mathematics.
I'm sorry again for the delay everyone. With moving several states away to go to grad school, moving in, and orientation over the past week, I wasn't really able to find any time to work on the OOC or give an update about my lack of progress. Now that I'm moved in, however, I should be able to find more time to spend on this. :D
All that said, I did spend most of the day today putting things together and I managed to get the OOC up! You can find it here!
Feel free to post your characters here in the OOC for review, but don't put them in the CS tab until I've approved them. :D
Actual Character Skeleton: [hider=Character’s Name] [center][img][/img] *Put your picture here*[/center] [center][h2]*Put the character’s name here*[/h2][/center] [center][i]*Feel free to put a quote here, either about or by your character*[/i][/center] [/hr] *Remove the slash here*
[b][u]Nicknames:[/u][/b] [b][u]Race:[/u][/b] [b][u]Gender:[/u][/b] [b][u]Age:[/u][/b] *New students are typically in the 16-20 year old range* [b][u]Appearance:[/u][/b] *Self-explanatory. Make sure to note any differences from your picture*
[b][u]Personality:[/u][/b] *Describe how your character tends to think and behave. What kind of a person are they? Try to write at least one paragraph.*
[b][u]Biography:[/u][/b] *What are the events that made your character who they are? How did they come to the guild? Try to write at least two paragraphs.*
[b][u]Affinities:[/u][/b] *Choose up to 2 schools for your character to have an affinity for* [b][u]Craft:[/u][/b] *Choose one magic craft your character would like to learn, or has some skill with* [b][u]Magic:[/u][/b] *This is essentially for describing your character’s “powers.” How do they use their magic? What kinds of tactics do they prefer? Do they prefer using one school over another?* [b][u]Skills:[/u][/b] *This is for describing your character’s more mundane skills. Things like knowing how to wield a particular weapon, knot-tying, cooking, etc. go here.*
[b][u]Other:[/u][/b] *This is for anything that doesn’t fit the other sections* [/hider]
Current Classes (Add this to your character sheet/post somewhere!) [list] [*]Class 1 [*]Class 2 [*]Class 3 [/list]
Evocation: Evocation magic is performed by using mana to call forth the natural forces of the world and manipulate them. Due to the rather volatile nature of these elemental energies, this magic lends itself more to offensive applications rather than defensive or supportive ones. The current understanding among scholars is that the natural world consists of four distinct elemental energies: fire, water, earth, and air. Evokers usually have a talent for manipulating a particular element, while struggling with the opposite element. More experienced Evokers are able to combine the elements they can control together to produce new “elements,” like combining fire and air together in order to generate lightning. Master Evokers, that is, those that have achieved a mastery over each element, are even able to influence the weather around them, although doing so can have far-reaching consequences.
Illusion: Illusion magic is performed by giving shape and structure to mana in order to trick and deceive other people. Perhaps somewhat interestingly, the fact that illusions are really constructs of mana means that they function independent of people to observe them. In other words, an illusion of an attacking bear will affect anyone who enters the area of the illusion and will stop affecting anyone that leaves its area. Regardless, because mana is inherently non-physical, these constructions are simply illusions and can do no physical harm to people by themselves. While lacking in offensive capabilities, Illusionists make up for it by having access to a number of stealth and supportive capabilities, like rendering something invisible or creating distractions.
Enchantment: Enchantment magic is performed by weaving mana into threads that are able to enter the minds of others and subtly manipulate their mental state, which includes their thoughts and emotions. Particularly skillful or talented Enchanters can even set up connections with the minds of others that allow them to hear their thoughts or transmit their own. It is important to note, however, that one’s resistance to Enchantment magic depends upon the strength of their will. As such, Enchanters often have difficulties manipulating the minds of other mages, particularly if they are also Enchanters. Unfortunately for Enchanters, most people also tend to view them rather suspiciously and think of Enchantment magic as being some sort of evil magic, which can make it difficult for them to use their abilities in public or advertise their affinity for the school.
Divination: Divination magic is the magic associated with obtaining information or understanding and is thus often considered a more scholarly magic than some of the other schools. Some mages with particularly strong affinities for Divination magic have the gift of clairvoyance and are able to see bits and pieces of the future in fits of uncontrollable magic. These visions are vague at best, as the future is never really set in stone, but most people agree that some warning of what might happen is better than no warning at all. Regardless, even those Diviners who are not clairvoyant are able to scry on far away locations, detect and understand magic used around them, and find particular people or objects, to name a few of their more commonly used abilities.
Conjuration: Conjuration magic allows the magi to summon beings or objects to them, so long as these objects are bonded to the Conjurer before time. These bonds require rituals to form, and differ depending on what is being bonded to the Conjurer. For creatures, it requires a contract to be formed between the two parties stating what is expected of both parties and the like. Objects are much, much simpler, and merely require a mark of ownership be placed on the object during the ritual. These rituals tend to vary based on what is being bonded, though they typically involve something associated with the bondee, like ashes for a phoenix. Even mundane objects and creatures can be powerful with a Conjurer, receiving benefits, like increased durability or strength, from the bond itself. It is also worth noting that Conjuration magic is also the magic of apportation, or moving from one place to another without physically crossing the space in between, which is how bonded objects or creatures are summoned in the first place. As such, experienced Conjurers are also able to teleport, though it can be quite an exhausting endeavor depending on the distance one wants to travel.
Animancy: Animantic magic is the magic of using mana to manipulate the aether, a sort of energy that is associated with life and light. Perhaps unsurprisingly, this means that Animancers are the healers among the mages, able to use their magic to heal virtually any disease or illness. Though healing is the most well-known ability of Animancers, they are also able to utilize the radiant properties of aether to purify and bless objects or places, turn undead, or channel light to attack. Particularly talented and experienced Animancers are also able to animate objects for a variety of purposes. Such animated entities are known as golems, and their functionality depends pretty heavily on the form they had upon being animated and how intricate the animancer wants them to be. As such, it requires a lot more effort and time to create more complicated golems. Also worth noting is the fact that many Animancers have an affinity for animals, and other people to a lesser extent. This is probably due to the radiant aura of most Animancers, but animals nonetheless find themselves attracted to and almost comfortable in the presence of an Animancer.
Necromancy: Necromantic magic is the magic of using mana to manipulate the nether, a sort of energy that is associated with death and shadow. This means that Necromancers have the ability to raise and create undead, with the limit on how many entities a Necromancer can control being determined by the strength and experience of the Necromancer and the intelligence or complexity of the undead being controlled. More intelligent or complex undead can take quite a lot longer to raise and control properly, but their increased flexibility usually offsets the initial investment. Additionally, Necromancers are able to utilize the nether to wither enemies by eroding their life force, manipulate shadows and darkness, and even curse people or places. Necromancers also tend to find themselves being magnets for spirits and other forms of the wandering dead. This can sometimes be inconvenient, but most spirits are benign and just lonely, so it’s not really a dangerous trait. Needless to say, the association of Necromancy with the disturbing of the dead means that the school of magic doesn’t sit particularly well with a lot of the common folk. In fact, many nations have laws that forbid the practice of Necromancy due to the prevailing notion that it is an evil magic. This can make it rather difficult for Necromancers of a guild to perform missions in such areas due to possible backlash.
Alteration: Alteration is, put quite simply, the magic of change. An Alterist is able to use their magic to adjust or manipulate the intrinsic characteristics of the objects around them or their own body to achieve pretty spectacular results, even if they aren’t all that flashy. For example, an Alterist can use their magic to make their clothes as hard as steel while making the sword of an enemy fragile or flexible to render it useless. Some Alterists specialize in using their magic to shapeshift, changing all or some of their body to give them the tools needed for a particular situation. It is also worth mentioning that, unless otherwise specified, the changes an Alterist chooses to make to an object, including their own body, are permanent. Of course, that doesn’t meant that another Alterist couldn’t undo changes that were made by a different Alterist.
Sanguination: Sanguination is possibly better known as blood magic, although that term does carry a number of inaccurate associations among the common folk, foremost among them that Sanguination is a type of evil magic. One of its primary applications is the creation of blood runes or sigils that channel mana to particular purposes. Often, these runes are used to bind others, block things like scrying, or communicate over vast distances. Some more war-like Sanguinaires also use these runes to increase their strength or durability in battle by painting them on their skin or armor. Sanguinaires also have the ability to freely manipulate blood, though it is virtually impossible to significantly manipulate the blood in another person’s body. To clarify, a Sanguinaire can easily manipulate the blood in their body, but not others. This means that Sanguinaires can do things like change their blood flow to keep from bleeding out or the spread of poison, make constructs of blood, or even puppeteer themselves. Sanguinaires also have the ability to drain the energy of other people or animals in order to replenish themselves. While this can be done at a distance, it is a rather ineffective method compared to consuming the blood of another.
Abjuration: Abjuration is the school of magic that is dedicated to virtually all defensive forms of magic, namely wards, barriers, and counterspells. Wards are constructs of mana that are used to alert the Abjurer who cast them whenever they are triggered. For example, a common usage of a ward is the notification that a trespasser is near. They are also often used to subvert or protect against indirect magic such as scrying. Barriers, however, are constructs of mana that are meant to block offensive uses of magic or weapons. In the case of magical attacks, wards can also be used to absorb the mana used in the attack, ultimately making the ward last longer or replenish the Abjurer’s energy. Clever Abjurers can also use barriers offensively, though it usually uses substantial amounts of mana to do so. Finally, counterspells are a trickier form of Abjuration magic where the Abjurer unravels or slices through the mana that constitutes the enemy spell. Properly timed counters can even cause some backlash to the other caster. Unfortunately, it requires quick reflexes and notable precision to consistently counter another person’s spells and attempting to do so while maintaining a barrier is virtually impossible. As such, counterspells leave the Abjurer particularly vulnerable and so are not used very commonly in small duels or fights.
Magic Crafts
Artifice: Artifice is the name for the study and crafting magical items The most common magical items crafted by Artificers are focuses for mana such as wands, staves, or crystal orbs. These are very useful items for mages, particularly novices, as they allow for the user to channel more efficiently, although the extent depends upon the school of magic being used and the materials used in the item’s construction. Artificers are also able to create items that use mana in some way, most notably the creation of light for buildings. The field is still relatively new, so the actual limits of the craft have yet to be properly explored, but the potential does have quite a few mages interested.
Infusion: Infusion is the process by which mundane objects are imbued with mana and become magical. The imbuing of mundane items with magical properties requires the use of mana stones, which are simply crystallizations of mana. These stones are often created by taking a gem of some sort and channeling mana through it for prolonged periods of time. To imbue the item, the mana from the stone is channeled into the item and directed in order to achieve a particular result. Once the process is started, it cannot be stopped until the infusion is finished. If it is, the resulting effect can be rather unpredictable. At best, the infused will do nothing and remain mundane. At worst, the item will explode in a surge of mana that damages the surrounding workshop quite heavily while potentially killing the crafter.
Alchemy: Alchemy is the crafting of potions and tonics from the parts of plants and animals that have potent effects. Considering the incredibly diversity of plant and animal life, it shouldn’t be too surprising that Alchemists are able to brew potions and mixtures that have a wide variety of effects as well. Some of these potions are able to mimic the effects of magic altogether, like making someone invisible or making a weapon burst into flames when applied to it, while others simply boost the energy or provide a level of sustenance to help healing along. Of course, not all mixtures have such benign purposes. Alchemists are also able to use their knowledge to create deadly and cunning poisons to be slipped into a drink or applied to a weapon.
Races
Name: Human
Description:
Eye colors: Green, blue, gray, brown, and amber
Hair colors: Red, brown, blonde, black, gray, and white
Skin color: Ranges from very pale to very dark depending on environment
Avg. Height: Usually around 5 to 6.5 ft
Avg. Weight: Usually around 120 to 200 lbs
Special features: None
Culture/Society: The biggest thing to note about human society is that they pride themselves on being able to adapt and overcome virtually any obstacle that stands in their way. This emphasis on adaptability also leads towards humans being more individualistic than most of the other races, caring more for their own needs and dealing with their own problems than for worrying about the needs of the many. As such, humans can be a rather ambitious lot, which tends to make the more intelligent among them well-suited to politics and the like.
Monarchy is largely the most common form of government for predominantly human nations that are large enough to have an impact on an international level. In more remote locations, like the frozen north, humans often organize themselves into tribal families that are ruled by councils, which are in turn headed by chiefs who have demonstrated their strength or wisdom in service of the tribe. On a societal level, humans also tend to be rather egalitarian when it comes to matters of gender or ethnicity, though they can be rather prejudiced against members of other races.
Typical affinity: Due to their incredible adaptability, humans actually don’t have a school of magic that they tend to have an affinity for.
Special abilities: (This is for things like being able to see in the dark easily, breathing underwater, etc.)
Name: Sun Elf
Description:
Eye colors: Green, gold, silver, or orange
Hair colors: Auburn, blonde, silver, and black
Skin color: Ranges from pale gold to dark bronze
Avg. Height: Usually around 5.5 to 6.5 ft
Avg. Weight: Usually around 130 to 170 lbs
Special features: Like most fey-blooded creatures, Sun Elves possess pointed ears.
Culture/Society: Sun Elves are probably best known for their arrogant attitude toward the other races, which unfortunately has a tendency to get in the way of improving interracial relations. This haughtiness largely stems from the fact that Sun Elves consider the art and music created by a society to be the best indicator of that society’s overall value, however silly that may seem to outsiders. Many of the other races don’t consider art or music to be all that important, and so their creations, and therefore the society that made them, end up falling short in the eyes of many Sun Elves.
Despite their arrogance, Sun Elves are very deliberate and patient people, making long-term plans cautiously and with no feeling of urgency. They also tend to have a strong aversion to flitting about at whims of fancy and thus have a strong inclination to follow through on their plans. As an example, Sun Elves usually commit very long amounts of time to mastering a particular craft before they’ll seriously consider taking up another. This is largely the reason that their arts and crafts are so phenomenal.
The usual government structure used by Sun Elf societies is, like humans, that of monarchy with rigid hierarchical structures that separate the nobility from the commoners. While particularly talented craftsmen, musicians, or merchants can approach the nobility, it is virtually impossible for them to actually become a part of that class unless they were born to one of the Great Houses.
Typical affinity: Enchantment
Special abilities: None
Name: Wood Elf
Description:
Eye colors: Blue, brown, green, or hazel
Hair colors: Brown, black, auburn, or gray
Skin color: Lightly tanned to dark brown
Avg. Height: Usually about 5.5 to 6 ft
Avg. Weight: Usually about 110 to 160 lbs
Special features: Like most fey-blooded creatures, Wood Elves possess pointed ears
Culture/Society: Wood Elves tend to organize themselves into large clans that are determined almost exclusively by blood relation. The leaders of the clan, known as the chief and the speaker, are always a married couple that are elected by the other adult members of the clan. Which spouse takes which position depends on the will of the people as well. In general, the Wood Elves believe that a strong, confident woman is just as capable of being chief as a strong, confident man, and that men can be just as spiritually-inclined as women.
Interestingly, the Wood Elves are also almost entirely carnivorous due to their belief that the life of plants are sacred and that consuming them, even after they’ve died, interrupts the natural cycle that every living thing is a part of. Wood Elves that violate this pact, even to save their own life, are shunned by the rest of the tribe and cast out as an outsider. Generally speaking, the Wood Elves accept that the members of other races don’t feel the same way about the consumption of vegetation, though they tend to believe that it’s a position steeped in ignorance.
Typical affinity: Evocation
Special abilities: Wood Elves have the ability to see in dim light.
Name: Moon Elf
Description:
Eye colors: Silver, blue, violet, and green
Hair colors: Black, silver, blueish, or white
Skin color: Pale, often with icy blue tones though darker gray tones are not unheard of
Avg. Height: Usually around 5.5 to 6.5 feet
Avg. Weight: Usually around 110 to 160 lbs
Special features: Like most fey-blooded creatures, Moon Elves possess pointed ears.
Culture/Society: Generally speaking, Moon Elves value intelligence, logical thinking, and cunning above almost every other character trait. Naturally, many Moon Elves decide to pursue hobbies or pass the time with activities that provide ample amounts of mental stimulation like strategic board games or solving various kinds of puzzles. Perhaps unsurprisingly considering the importance their society places on one’s mental capacity, Moon Elves typically also possess a strong desire to learn new things. As such, there are a significant number of Moon Elves that end up becoming scholars, finding employment in libraries, academies, or mage guilds around the world.
Compared to the other Elvish races, Moon Elves tend to get along pretty well with members of the other races. This is largely because Moon Elves tend to lack the arrogance that seems so common in the other Elvish races. After all, it’s hard to try and learn all that you can about the culture and history of an outsider if you believe that it is all inferior to your own culture and history. Additionally, their interactions with the members of the other races tend to be more personal and involved, often eventually leading to a sort of friendship.
Surprisingly, Moon Elf society is largely matriarchal. Females largely run the daily affairs of their household and engage in politics or scholarship, while the males focus on more physical pursuits like various crafts, agriculture, or utilizing their abilities with weapons. This should not be taken to mean that male Moon Elves are less intelligent than females, however. It’s just that their society expects them to accept different responsibilities. Their government takes the form of a monarchy, though one that is headed by a queen rather than a king. As such, they have the same sort of noble class as many other monarchical nations.
Typical affinity: Necromancy
Special abilities: Moon Elves possess the ability to see in the dark.
Name: Dwarf
Description:
Eye colors: Blue, green, brown, hazel, gray, or amber
Hair colors: Brown, blonde, gray, white, black, or red
Skin color: Ranges from pale to dark brown
Avg. Height: Usually 4 to 5 ft
Avg. Weight: Usually 160 to 220 lbs
Special features: Generally a very stocky people. The men often grow and maintain very long beards.
Culture/Society: A strong, hardy, and stubborn people, Dwarves pride themselves greatly on their ability to maintain an orderly society. As such, they place a great deal of importance on following the law, regardless of whatever land they happen to be in, and tend to respect governmental structures and authority figures. They also strive to avoid causing trouble, and are thus often incredibly polite to those that they encounter. This should not be taken as a sign that Dwarves are particularly amiable to the members of other races, however. In fact, Dwarves are often deeply suspicious of foreigners and their strange traditions until they’ve proven that they mean no harm repeatedly.
Dwarves generally held to a very practical view of magic compared to most races. While they accepted that it existed and could be useful, many Dwarves would still prefer to rely on the strength of their bodies or armaments before relying on magic. This is largely because Dwarves view magic has being inherently wild and unreliable. However, it is worth noting that they generally possess a great respect for the schools of Animancy and Abjuration, as well as the craft of Artifice and Infusion.
The most common form of government among Dwarven communities is essentially a republic. Each adult in a province votes for the Dwarf they think should be on the Council that makes and enforces the law. The council then decides which of their number is the First Councilor, who is responsible for representing the Dwarves to the heads of states from other nations and leading the army if war is declared. Elections for Council positions are held every ten years, and its entirely common for a bad Councilor to be removed from their post by not being reelected in a subsequent election. The position of First Councilor is more flexible, however, and is required to be reappointed by the Council every two years.
Typical affinity: Abjuration
Special abilities: Due to the fact that the Dwarves are a subterranean race, they have developed the ability to see quite well in the dark.
Name: Gnome
Description:
Eye colors: Glittery black, green, or blue
Hair colors: Ranges from brown, auburn, and blonde to more exotic colors like green or orange
Skin color: Ranges from ruddy tan to woody brown to rocky gray
Avg. Height: Usually around 3 to 4 ft
Avg. Weight: Usually around 40 to 50 lbs
Special features: Like most fey-blooded creatures, Gnomes possess pointed ears. Gnomish males are often seen with very long beards.
Culture/Society: An intelligent and mischievous race, the Gnomes are perhaps best known for their propensity for playing harmless tricks on others. Though this can be a rather annoying tendency for outsiders to deal with, to the Gnomes a good prank or joke provides a reason to share a laugh with others and forget about the stresses of life. Because getting away with it is a crucial part of playing a good joke, the Gnomes tend to inadvertently stress the importance of being stealthy. As such, many of them find it rather easy to blend in or remain hidden when they want to be.
Of course, the Gnomes don’t just use their intelligence to mess with other people. Ingenious and cunning, they live by the adage that it's better to work smarter than it is to work harder, often directing their intellect to coming up with ways of solving problems as efficiently as possible. Those among them with a more scholarly bent can often find themselves serving as engineers, directing and advising others on how to go about finishing a task in the easiest or most profitable way possible.
Gnomes often tend to avoid gathering into large nations like most of the other races, feeling that the increased bureaucracy and rigid social structure would stifle their ability to be creative or to live as they pleased. As such, Gnomes tended to form clan-like communities that were ruled by the oldest or most experienced member among them. Every couple of years, the heads of each clan would meet together to discuss matters that affected their entire race, an occasion usually marked with festivals and feasts until the various clans went their separate ways again.
Typical affinity: Illusion
Special abilities: None
Name: Orc
Description:
Eye colors: Green, Blue, Brown, and Hazel
Hair colors: Dark Red, Brown, Black, and Gray
Skin color: If they are a common Orc they are almost always green. If raised in the mountains they take more of a gray color.
Avg. Height: Usually around 5'10" to 7'ft
Avg. Weight: Usually around 200 to 350 lbs
Special features: Have pointed ears like the Elves but also have tusks and typically a more broad face.
Culture/Society: Orcs are very unsociable toward the other races. So much so that the only information about Orc culture is from outcasts of their villages. They are the type of people to value strength as the most important thing in life and are always looking for a chance to fight/get stronger. The use of Magic is shunned in Orcish society because they believe it is for the weak who can not use their muscles. Also they have a passionate hate for Sun-Elf's because of how they used them and tried to dispose of them in what the Orcs call "The Early Years." Orcs run off a type of Chief system. Where the strongest warrior in the clan is the one who rules and directs the clan. Of course anyone can challenge the chief at anytime to take the title for themselves but if the challenger is to lose, then they are to be considered weak and outlasted. Most Orcs follow this type of clan tradition unless raised by a different culture.
Typical affinity: None, because of their view on Magic.
Special abilities: Dark Vision and enhanced strength compared to other races
*Special credit to OrkytheOrc for helping compile this one*
Name: Enuri
Description:
Eye colors: Blue, green, brown, amber, gray, or hazel
Hair colors: Red, brown, gray, white, black, or blonde
Skin color: Generally pale white to tan
Avg. Height: Usually 3 to 4.5 ft
Avg. Weight: Usually 35 to 45 lbs
Special features: Depends on the Enuri in question. Mammalian Enuri can have fangs or claws and almost always have a prehensile tail and ears. Reptilian Enuri often have fangs, a reptilian tongue, a tail, and some scales. Avian Enuri often have small wings, talons, and feathers on their shoulders.
Culture/Society: Due to their reclusive nature, the culture and society of the Enuri are largely unknown by the members of other races. In fact, many people don’t even really believe that they exist at all. Despite their isolationist tendencies, most of the stories told by people who claim to have encountered the Enuri do tend to emphasize that they were very hospitable to outsiders, tending wounds and offering lodging until the individual was recovered and wanted to leave. Likewise, these stories generally agree that the Enuri are a carefree people that seem to have a love of singing and dancing and that seem to never really feel a need to hurry.
Ultimately, it would also appear from various reports that the Enuri largely consider the Tosuri to be of the same race despite their incredible differences in physiology. This makes a lot of sense considering the fact that the two groups seem to possess a strongly mutualistic symbiotic relationship. The Tosuri serve as the hunters and defenders of their two races, while the Enuri contribute their crafts and the produce from their farms.
The Enuri are ruled by a chief who is succeeded by their oldest child whenever they die. In the event that the new chief would be a child, their guardian serves as the chief until they are an adult. The Enuri chief works with the Tosuri chief to run the day to day affairs of both races. If the two chiefs reach a disagreement on an issue, they call an assembly of every adult from both of their races to vote on how to handle it. In the event that the assembly comes up with a different way of solving the problem, the two chiefs can agree to veto the decision, which leads to another round of discussion and then another round of voting. This cycle repeats until a final decision is made. After a decision has been reached, there is usually a small festival so that people can let go of any hard feelings that they may have obtained during the Assembly.
Typical affinity: Animancy
Special abilities: Enuri often have improved senses and the ability to speak with animals.
Name: Tosuri
Description:
Eye colors: Blue, green, brown, amber, gray, or hazel
Hair colors: Red, brown, gray, white, black, or blonde
Skin color: Ranges from pale white to dark brown
Avg. Height: Usually around 6 to 7 ft
Avg. Weight: Usually round 200 to 300 lbs
Special features: Depends on the Tosuri in question. Mammalian Tosuri often have thick fur covering their bodies, claws, a tail, and a snout. Reptilian Tosuri are often scaled with a tail and fangs and a lizard-like face. Avian Tosuri often have wings, a beak, and a feathered body.
Culture/Society: Due to their reclusive nature, the culture and society of the Tosuri are largely unknown by the members of other races. In fact, many people don’t even really believe that they exist at all. Many of the stories told by people who claim to have encountered them agree that they are generally suspicious of outsiders and that they can be rather hard to interact with. These reports also agree that the Tosuri are generally focused on living honorably and nobly, which to the Tosuri means having a courageous spirit, being trustworthy and reliable, and having the strength to protect others.
Ultimately, it would also appear from various reports that the Tosuri largely consider the Enuri to be of the same race despite their incredible differences in physiology. This makes a lot of sense considering the fact that the two groups seem to possess a strongly mutualistic symbiotic relationship. The Tosuri serve as the hunters and defenders of their two races, while the Enuri contribute their crafts and the produce from their farms.
The Tosuri are ruled by a chief who is succeeded upon death by the most capable adult in the community. This is determined through a series of physical challenges that test the wisdom, strength, and agility of the various candidates until there is a single victor. The Tosuri chief works with the Enuri chief to run the day to day affairs of both races. If the two chiefs reach a disagreement on an issue, they call an assembly of every adult from both of their races to vote on how to handle it. In the event that the assembly comes up with a different way of solving the problem, the two chiefs can agree to veto the decision, which leads to another round of discussion and then another round of voting. This cycle repeats until a final decision is made. After a decision has been reached, there is usually a small festival so that people can let go of any hard feelings that they may have obtained during the Assembly.
Typical affinity: Alteration
Special abilities: Tosuri often have improved senses and the ability to speak with animals.
Many centuries ago, the land that is currently owned by the nation of Alsijan consisted largely of small towns and villages that pledged allegiance to local mage lords to form small nations. Unfortunately, these mage lords were often scheming against one another to accumulate territory and wealth, which often involved drafting their subjects to fight in protracted wars. As the number of wars increased, the people pledged to the mage lords began to become more and more disillusioned with the status quo. Eventually, the peasants in several of the larger nations were able to stage rebellions and install their own leader, merging their territories into one larger nation called Alsijan.
Most of the remaining mage lords were relatively unconcerned with the development of a new nation that was often larger than their own. After all, the new nation wasn’t lead by a mage, so they felt that it wouldn’t be difficult to crush them in due time. This attitude changed fairly quickly, however, as the new nation repelled multiple attempts to do just that, adding to their territory all the while. As it turned out, training their people to fight against their enemy mage lords meant that they had provided their people with the ability to fight back. Eventually, the remaining mage lords gathered together and, after much debate, decided to surrender and allow their territory to be added to the larger nation.
Decades after the Consolidation of Alsijan, the mage lords realized that the ability to utilize magic was becoming more and more common among the people. Knowing just how poorly magic could be used in the hands of an inexperienced mage, they set out to establish the Guild of Alsijan, an organization dedicated to the education of young mages regardless of race or social status. To fund the organization, the newly-formed guild offered the services of their mages to the populace at large. This typically involved enchanting items, banishing curses or hauntings, or hunting monstrous creatures that attacked villages.
Unfortunately, not every mage has a desire to use their magic for noble intentions. As new mages were trained to use their magic, crimes committed by mages became more and more common. Seeing as how the typical guards were incapable of dealing with magical crimes, the king of Alsijan commissioned the Guild to serve as a sort of policing organization for mages within the nation. This commission was to be a permanent job of sorts and provided the Guild with the authority to arrest and try mages that were accused of committing crimes.
Over time, the Guild continued to grow and eventually managed to establish small guildhalls in other nations, allowing them to take in a greater number of jobs and educate a far larger number of young mages. These other guildhalls are primarily just outposts, however, where jobs can be taken and where people can apply to join. All new recruits are sent to the central hall in the capital of Alsijan where they can be trained by some of the best mages in the world while taking on supervised jobs that help them obtain experience safely.
The City of Alsijan
One of the largest cities in the world, the city of Alsijan is the capital of Alsijan and is a sprawling port city with a wonderful tropical climate. Being so close to the water, the city makes use of a sprawling network of canals to improve the ability for people and goods to get to where they need to go. The buildings in the city tend to be made pale or white stone, often gleaming the bright sunlight, and are usually capped by brilliantly colored tiles. Balconies are also a common sight on most buildings, usually with ornately designed and brightly colored balustrades to provide a semblance of privacy to those on the balcony.
The city is largely arranged into a number of districts that help make it easier to navigate, though districts do overlap a little bit. The most prominent district is the Port district, which is, unsurprisingly, the district containing the port itself. Due to the constant influx of merchants and their cargo, the Port district is also home to sprawling marketplaces where street vendors and nearby shops proudly display their wares. There are a number of taverns and cheap inns in the area that cater primarily to the sailors disembarking as well.
The Garden district is the largest district by far and covers most of the west side of the city (i.e. inland). The Garden district consists largely of housing for the city’s citizens, but it also boasts the greatest numbers of inns, which are often attached to said residences. The name for the Garden district arises from the rooftop gardens that are very popular among the people. This, coupled with the canals cutting through the city, can make the district appear like a large, ornamental garden when viewed from above.
The Palace district is the district that houses the nobles and the government itself, as well as a number of financial institutions. It isn’t particularly large, but it does house the King’s palace, which sticks out a little bit above the city. A lot of the buildings in this district are also notably taller and more ornate than the buildings in the surrounding districts, which provides the district with a noticeable air of affluence.
The Artisan’s district is the district that houses the largest number of craftsmen and skilled laborers, which includes everything from blacksmiths to cobblers to tailors. This also means that the Artisan’s district easily contains the largest number of permanent shops where the owners take requests and provide services to their customers. Because of their proximity to the Port district, stall owners and street vendors often send apprentices to the shops to obtain goods that the visiting merchants seem to be interested in, which further bolsters the vibrant trade of the region.
The Guild district is a small district nestled near the Port and Artisan districts. This district, as its name implies, houses the headquarters of the various guilds in the city, chief among them being the Guild of Alsijan. The Guildhall itself towers among the other buildings around it, easily approaching the height and splendor of the various palaces in the Palace district, which makes it rather easy to find.
The Guild of Alsijan
The Layout of the Guildhall
The property of the Guild of Alsijan consists of a sprawling group of buildings in the Guild district and the ornate, spacious building that dominates them while sitting among them. Several of these buildings serve as dormitories and dining halls for the newer initiates of the Guild itself. Each dormitory can house approximately one hundred students, with groupings of ten sharing a single common room. These small groupings are commonly referred to as Houses and serve as the primary social unit for initiates until they become full-fledged members. As such, students from the same House take all the same classes together and usually get sent on jobs together. Each dormitory also contains a dining hall where students are able to obtain fresh, hot meals throughout the day.
The primary building of the Guild houses the Guild leaders and other full-fledged members. These rooms are on the upper floors of the grand building and are much, much larger and better furnished than those of the younger initiates. The lower floors contain the majority of the classrooms and the library, a grand collection of written material, both magical and mundane, from around the world that the Guild’s members have collected over the centuries. The ground floor contains most of the administrative aspects of the Guild, especially those involving the acceptance of jobs and the registration of new members. The basement is generally off-limits to novices and outsiders, as it contains things that can be very dangerous in the hands of the inexperienced or untrained.
Many of the other buildings in the area have some purpose that helps the Guild function, often by helping the novice initiates. For example, a couple of the buildings contain a number of libraries or studios where new initiates can practice their crafts, both mundane and magical, or experiment with their magic. One of the buildings even serves as a bank where members of the Guild can store their belongings or exchange letters of credit for money. There are also a number of stalls where vendors from outside of the Guild can offer their goods or services to Guild members. All in all, the Guild’s property almost seems like a smaller version of the surrounding city.
The Structure and Rules of the Guild
Ranks of the Mage’s Guild:
Novice
Adept
Master
Titles within the Guild:
Archmage - the president of the council that runs the Guild; lifetime appointment
Councilor - title bestowed upon all members sitting on the council that administers the guild
Minister - title of the members of the guild that run the day to day affairs like filing and making reports
Headmaster - title of the councilor elected to oversee the academic institution within the Guild
Magister - title granted to all members of the Guild that maintain an active teaching role
Rules for the Novices of the Guild:
Novices are not to engage in the use of magic within the dormitories unless cleared by their supervisors
Duels between novices are strictly forbidden unless cleared and supervised by a Master of the Guild
Novices are not to leave the city without obtaining permission from the Guild. They are, however, free to explore the city in their free time
Novices are to keep their quarters in the dormitories clean and tidy
Novices should defer to members of the Guild that outrank them whenever possible
Barring the cases of injury or illness, Novices are to attend all of the classes that the Guild administration assigns to them
Unless excused by the proper channels, Novices are expected to perform their weekly chores dutifully
Novices should never attack another person, whether using magic or other means, unless they are defending themselves or others
Novices are expected to wear their uniforms at all times (with the exception of when they are asleep)
Rules for the Adepts of the Guild:
Duels between adepts are strictly forbidden unless cleared and supervised by a Master of the Guild
Adepts are not to leave the city without obtaining permission from the Guild. They are, however, free to explore the city in their free time
Adepts should defer to members of the Guild that outrank them whenever possible
Adepts should never attack another person, whether using magic or other means, unless they are defending themselves or others
Adepts are expected to be diligent in their studies despite their more independent nature
Adepts are expected to wear their uniforms whenever they are on Guild property
The First Year Classes
Core Classes:
Fundamentals of Magic
Magical Ethics
Elective Classes:
Languages:
Dwarven
Elvish
Gnomish
Orcish
Battle Skills:
Martial Combat
Magical Combat
Tactics and Strategy
Arts and Music:
Fundamentals of Art
Fundamentals of Music
Blending Magic and the Arts
Various Disciplines (painting, sculpting, singing, etc)
@OrkytheOrc I figured the characters would meet by arriving at the guild. There, everyone would be able to show off what they do as a part of introducing themselves to each other.
Mixtape Ghost N
