@Versa Ah, that answers one of my questions about the revenant profile. May I make a suggestion about it? Given that the gem appears to be a magical item of some sort, I expected it to offer supernatural abilities to its holder. As such, I propose the following systems:
Give the numbers more meaning and Oomph.
0: Below average (weak) 1: Average (normal person) 2: Above average (healthy, regular exercise, good genes, the calm one in the family) 3: Uncommon (professional athlete, respected thinker) 4: Unique (Albert Einstein, Michael Phelps, Martin Luther) 5: Super (Spider-Man, Batman, Captain America, Iron Man) 6: Super Duper/Magical (Flash, Thor, Todoroki, Bakugo) 7: Nearly invincible (Superman, All Might, Deadpool) 8: Walking nuke (Goku, Light Yagami) 9: Overpowered (Saitama) 10: Isekai protagonist (Kirito)
Instead of numbers, abstract it to simplify things.
Old Life:25 years old * Female * 8/30/3120 New Life:16 years old * Female * 9/9/2009
Physical Description:
APB:
Gender: female
Stage: adult
Eyes: purple
Hair: platinum blonde
Skin: light pigmentation
Build: athletic
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 200 lbs
Physical Description: The curve of her brow, the candor of her eyes, and the up-tilt of her chin mark her as a woman of strength. The confidence in her stride clears a path through any crowd before her. Tall, powerful, and graceful as a dancer, she is the very image of a queen. Her booming voice carries for miles. Her preferred attire is a vibrant red battle-gown, designed to be so highly visible that friend and foe alike can see her when the curve of the earth permits. Atop her head rests the Draken Crown, an ancient piece adorned with the gold-plated tips of two real wyvern horns and a Dragon Eye gem in between.
Personality & Biography: Casca was the charismatic leader of the Dragan Kingdom, and a living legend among the people for her successful conquest of the known world. Some have described her as a force of nature, an especially apt moniker given her magical abilities and tenacious temperament. She was not, however, an effective ruler, a failing she was keenly aware of as she used rallies and speeches to hide her inadequacies from the public. Surrounded by incapable advisors and faced with growing poverty in the nation, Casca took the gamble of a lifetime: to seek out the Elixir of Immortality, so that she would have a legacy worth remembering, and so that she would have the time to learn and become a better leader for her people.
Together with her thirteen knights, Casca set out her quest. According to legend, the elixir lay sealed within a Black Tower situated in the heart of the frozen north. Unbeknownst to them, the Ancients who constructed the tower still watched over it, counting down the days until the Ascendants would come to purge corruption from the world. When the Empress and her knights discovered the elixir at the apex and drank thereof, their fates were sealed.
It wasn't long before Erudessa, the Immortal assigned to the governance of this world, tracked her down and ended her reign at the end of the Duskblade, the only weapon able to slay an immortal. As she lay bleeding out on the floor of her palace, trembling as a mortal chill seeped through her, Casca pleaded with Deus to give her another chance.
As her world turned to gray and her tears dried upon her cheeks, she received an answer before the last breath faded from her lips:
One.
Legends:
Mark Reggie stood at the doorstep of his house, briefcase in hand, and breathed a sigh of relief.
"It's good to be home."
No sooner had he opened the door than three children piled into his arms. "Daddy! Daddydaddydaddy-" See, now this is why coming home is the best part of the day. He kissed each one of them on the forehead to the tune of delighted squeals. A moment later, they all scampered off to resume playing a rousing game of Mechs & Militia.
His wife came downstairs and folded her arms. "Did I just catch you kissing other people?" "Mhm, real lovely ones too." "That's true. Not like I'm jealous or anything, baka!" "If I kiss you, will you quit teasing me with historical references I don't get?" She giggled. "Historical? That's a first. It's an anime reference." "An ani-what?" "It's an Old World thing. Kisses first, explanations later."
As the two of them prepared the evening meal together, Mark said, "So I learned something about our family history today." "At work? For work-related matters?" "Surprisingly, yes. As part of my research into the Imperial Era, I found records of people bearing the Reggie name. Turns out it's related to the name Raege. Ring any bells?" "Wasn't there a queen or something by that name?" "Exactly. Casca del Raege, the last Empress of the Dragan Empire. We're blood-related by her sister's line." "I'm so sorry." "Haha! Well, I'm not. It's really fascinating. She conquered the world when she was just 16, but the long war, combined with her expensive social programs, incurred so much debt that the whole country's economic system collapsed with her death. She went a little crazy toward the end of her reign, seeking out some 'Elixir of Immortality' in Northaven Tower." "The Northaven Tower? The space defense installation?" "The one and only. They called it the Black Tower back then." "Pfft, that's hilarious! She seriously thought she'd find immortality in there? Good gawd, she must have been nuts." "No kidding. Dragged all thirteen of her knights into it too. It apparently got her killed when she got back to the palace." "History is full of strange people, isn't it?" "It certainly is, honey. It certainly is."
To my dearest Kiel,
I finally got my hands on that blasted tablet! Remember how I said the elves have been hoarding Ancient relics, such as the Ancient Tablet? Well, I did some...negotiations, and managed to acquire the tablet. I'm told they found it near the central Black Tower, which doesn't surprise me, given its origins. It's a strange little thing, made of what is best described as boneskin, that produces an illuminating image when touched. I'd call it magic, but one enterprising mage managed to restore its powers with a makeshift electric plug, so it's probably more like incomprehensible technology (as usual). Absolutely fascinating.
But I digress. We couldn't access the information stored within for the longest time, until I noticed a bit of text. I happen to know a little of the Ancient tongue, and I thought it was asking for a "password." So I called up the Imperial codebreakers to have a go at it. It turned out to be the right decision, because they managed to guess the unlocking sequence after a few tries.
I've been reading through the thing in my spare time, and I found something very disturbing: our records of the Void War are woefully incomplete. Some time after civilization began on our world, seven Gates opened up around the continent, and from them billions of Void warriors poured forth. Yes, you read that right - billions. All the combined might of the Imperial Army could barely defeat just one of them. The Ancients battled them on equal terms, from what I gathered, with a combination of infantry, war golems (mechs, they called them) with drivers inside, and vessels in the sky that would dwarf any seagoing ship.
The Ancients nearly lost that war.
Kiel, I'm scared it will happen again. I've seen the dormant Gate under Drakengard Palace. I can feel its wretched powers flowing through it again. When I'm near it, I struggle more to contain my flames than before, and it's started to glow a little. World leaders think the Gates are merely a source of mana. They don't understand! The world is in apocalyptic peril, and they're just...sitting on the threat, like it's some kind of throne! We have to do something. Each one of those Gates lies underneath a country's palace, so we'd probably have to conquer the whole world in order to shut them down ourselves!
I don't know, Kiel. I'm only the thirteenth in line to the throne. There are twelve siblings ahead of me and fourteen siblings behind me who are all much more capable kings and queens than I am. I keep falling asleep in economics class. Nobody will believe me. I'm tempted to just let the next king take care of it, but I think Wesley would sooner laugh at me than take my warning seriously.
Please write to me, Kiel. I need your guidance. And a hug. And maybe a kiss while you're at it. You know what? Just come see me. I'll have the royal chefs make us some pound cake with strawberries and frosting. Ride safely.
Love, ~Casca
Combat Affinities: Axes, and polearms in general, are her strong suite. Her personal weapon is Ruin, a flaming rocket-axe. With it, she is nearly unstoppable on the battlefield. Armed with just a regular battle axe, she can smack a fully armored man to the floor or tear through a tree in one swing. With Ruin...the room might not be big enough, and steel not strong ehough. While she is not the most talented axefighter in the world, she is the strongest, bar none. Unarmed Combat, namely boxing. She's not terribly good at it, but she'll win a street fight. She has an untapped talent for it.
"If you should flee, do not let the Empress see your back, for you shall behold it with her when Ruin finds your neck."
Magic Affinities: Fire Fire: "Did you think that because your life cannot spark a change alone, that nothing can be changed at all? Life is like a tinder. It does not burn long, and it does not burn hot. But it burns, and that is enough to start such a fire as shall burn all night. Do not abandon the future because you are not the kindling or the fuel."
House Raege is a family of pyromancers, and Casca is the pride and joy of their lineage. She can wreath herself in sacred flame and walk barefoot on an open fire without incurring any harm. It is said to be a blessing from Deus upon her household, and as such ought to be used only to smite evil and slay the wicked. Casca mainly uses it for intimidation purposes, and the number of lambs she's cooked with it is...not zero...
Christina Kennedy looks much like she did in her previous life - tall, powerful, and regal. Even at 16 years of age, she towers over most of her peers, both in stature and drive, and the confidence in her step still etches her path to the future.
Personality & Biography: Christina has not changed much since her reincarnation. Born into the Kennedy political dynasty, she was poised to live a life of luxury, trained to foster connections with powerful figures until her eventual induction into elite society. But at six years of age, she had an encounter that changed her life forever. One day, she escaped the family mansion into the city, and there met a Disciple of Deus. The love shared by him and his family made an impression on her, and she yearned to find a life like that for herself. But when the Kennedys learned of this, they were incensed, and abused their connections to destroy the Disciple and his family. At first, Christina thought their destruction was mere coincidence, but as friend after friend disappeared from her life over the years, she became suspicious, and started looking more closely at her family's dealings.
What she found horrified her. The Kennedys had their tendrils in all levels of government, and she discovered that they'd destroyed hundreds, perhaps thousands, of innocent lives, some of whom she once knew personally. Determined to exact vengeance for the injustice inflicted upon her friends, Christina enacted a plot to distance herself from her family. The Kennedys would not let her go easily, so she had to make them want to separate her. She began a campaign of embarrassing them at public events, performing poorly in her studies, committing misdemeanors, and generally making a nuisance of herself until, when she turned 16, she became eligible to transfer to Kurtzpel Academy. The Kennedys jumped at the chance to move her away from the public eye.
Once at the academy, Christina enrolled in legal studies and martial arts, along with the usual array of high school subjects. She would have her vengeance upon her family someday in the court of law, and this was just the first step.
Talents: Public speaking, martial arts Academic Affinity: criminal law
The planet we live on, Aion, has 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 4 weeks a month, and 12 months a year, giving it a slightly shorter year than Earth's. The calendar is neatly organized by season, with January 1st marking the first day of Spring, April 1st marking the first day of Summer, and so on. The new moon is celebrated on the first day of every month. Religious folks worship their various gods at the local temple on the last day of every week. Below is a list of important holidays, sans the recurring events listed above. New holidays may be added at player suggestion.
As the first day of spring, it marks the start of the harvest, and as such is considered a joyous day. The firstfruits of the harvest are gathered together for a grand feast, and pinatas are put together from sticks and leaves that died in the winter to signify the "death" of winter.
The government likes to collect taxes toward the end of harvest, so all that goes down on the last week. The current tax rate is 10% of all earnings collected. It's a rough day for people who haven't been tracking their income.
This holiday carried over from the Old World more or less intact. It is a day to confess one's feelings to the person they love. Roses, strawberries, peaches, and chocolate (in urban areas) are associated gifts.
The last week of spring is dedicated to celebration of a bountiful harvest. Towns and cities like to hold a fair with parades and orchestras, while smaller villages enjoy music and dancing. It is a joyful time for everyone.
Legend has it that the holiday used to be celebrated on April 1st, but everyone was April Fooled into thinking it was April 2nd. The tradition stuck. National and religious leaders do not like the holiday for its celebration of deception, but it remains popular regardless.
The week used to be spent in fasting, prayers, and daily bathing, with a blood sacrifice at the temple on the weekend. Supposedly, the event commemorates God's mercy upon mankind. Lately, people have begun repurposing the holiday as a sort of "detox week," where they put away excess pleasures and rest or meditate. The ritual animal sacrifice remains, though.
This holiday is as old as civilization on the New World, which is to say, over a thousand years old. No one living remembers what exactly it commemorates, but it has always been a solemn day to remember loved ones passed.
According to legend, the first people on the New World took to saying "may the force be with you" on this day. Religious leaders have interpreted it to mean "may the power of God be with you," but historians have vehemently disputed this interpretation. Regardless, it is a day to bless your neighbors with goodwill and cheer.
With the original meaning of the holiday long lost to history, it has become a day to celebrate the diversity of species. The eastern elves are known to go a little overboard with this holiday, forgoing sleep to drink themselves almost to death for 24 hours.
This day is dedicated to mothers and their contributions to society. Traditionally, the men of the household take over the mother's work for the day. Single women spend the day in service of local matriarchs.
As the Longest Day of the year, it is celebrated mostly indoors with board games and public book reading. Twister and Bridge are popular game choices, while the Bestselling Novel of the Year tends to be the selected reading.
Like its Mother's Day counterpart, this day commemorates the contributions fathers have made to society. The women traditionally take on the men's work for the day.
Every year on this day, servants and slaves get a guaranteed day off and are given preferential treatment. Some municipal and state governments like to free any slaves on this day too, though Diamont isn't one of them.
Festivals are often characterized by song and dance, and the Summer Festival is no exception. Since the humidity would normally make such events miserable, this festival is often turned into a riverside/lakeside/oceanside event, featuring ridiculous watersports and underwater games. Sirens and mermaids are a popular theme in some places, for obvious reasons. Sometimes actual mermaids pay a visit and mingle, but people rarely notice the difference.
Independence from what, nobody quite knows, but traditionally, the people's rights and freedoms are celebrated on this day with fireworks and marching bands. Naturally, celebrations fall to the wayside when oppressive kings take the throne.
Yes, there are two Valentine's Days. Celebrated in much the same way as its February 14th counterpart. Some historians chalk it up to a cultural miscommunication.
Warriors and sportspeople from all over the country go to the capital to display their prowess in a series of competitions designed to test human capabilities to the limit. The highest achievers win medals and trophies.
Curiously, the population tends to spike a little this month. Last year's November festivities have absolutely nothing to do with this, of course!
This a day for the airing and resolution of grievances, supported by the government through suspension of filing fees for complaints. Since this often creates a massive backlog of cases, reputable mediators get recruited to help out.
The time of year when nature is at its most beautiful is a great time to hold a festival, and the people of Draygan love their festivals. This one is one of the more peaceful events, characterized by calm music, pretty dresses, excessive decorating, and quiet strolls through the wild. Ballroom dances are popular in urban areas.
While Draygans aren't really known for drinking, they make an exception on this holiday. They break out their best alcoholic beverages and spend the entire day in drunken revelries. Some places use opium instead, but the effect is much the same. The holiday has become less popular over the years as the orcs have started taking advantage of it with surprise raids.
The Longest Night is a popular holiday for campfire celebrations. People swap horror stories, drink a little, make snow angels, and sometimes make snow babies further off, if you know what I mean.
While the origins of this holiday have been lost to history, it remains much as it always did - a day to be thankful for all good things. Characterized by big dinners with extended family and even bigger family feuds.
Ah, the Drayvan equivalent of Christmas. For the rest of the week, people prepare gifts, decorate their homes, and celebrate the close of the year. Municipalities hold epic inter-city snowball wars, complete with vast snow-forts and military formations. As the 25th approaches, the mood shifts more towards bonding and friendship. Many important political bonds form during this period.
This is the day when "magic" happens. Adults and children alike rip open their presents, stuff gets swapped, and an aura of happiness pervades the air. Many confessions of love also happen this day. Some of the most beautiful works of music make their debut during the holiday's romantic dances. It's for good reason people call it the Happiest Day of the Year.
Once upon a time, in a faraway land, there was a quaint little village called Bacon. Few go there by choice, and most stay by necessity. All kinds of people live there - stranded Travelers from Another World, mages booted out of the guild, criminals fleeing a checkered past, and even a displaced noble or two. Whatever your reasons, you're here, smack in the middle of a high medieval fantasy world with a small plot of land to call your own.
Our village is in the nation of Draygan, which occupies most of the southern half of the continent. Just west of the village is Diamont, a border town frequented every six months by raids, riots, and royalty, usually in that order. Said border lies to the north, where the vicious orcs of Fellmore prowl. Off in the distance to the south stands Midhaven Tower, a mysterious, monolithic, sky-scraping monstrosity of a structure built by the Ancients to protect the land from "evil." Whatever it's doing, it's not helping you survive the brutal Fellmoran winters, summer orc raids, or spring tax collections.
Technology is fairly basic in this region of the country. Most of your water comes from a well, and bowel relief goes in an outhouse. Some tools are enchanted, though most of those come from the occasional traveling merchant. Diamont is a little better, with underground plumbing, a sewer system, and a functional police force, though that newfangled electricity is still just a Capital City thing. If you want your village to have those nice things, you'll have to build them yourself.
To create a villager, you will need: 1. Name - who this person is. Surnames are derived from ancestral place of origin or job description. 2. Description - must be human for lore reasons, but you're otherwise free to be whatever. While you have the potential to live for 1000 years (with signs of age kicking in at around 800-900), accidents of life tend to keep the average lifespan to around 100 or so. The legal age of adulthood is 20 in this country. 3. Weakness - an active and apparent struggle for this character 4. Need - an essential quality or problem to be solved 5. Desire - what this character desperately wants but doesn't really need, their ultimate goal in this story 6. Enemy - a person, idea, or group that opposes the character, an external motivator 7. Passion - what sets them off or excites them, an internal motivator 8. Links - what PCs or NPCs you have some sort of relationship with (e.g. friend, rival, lover, relative, employer, etc.)
There's a whole packload of lore and side content to explore, so whether you want to live a quiet life in the village or save the whole world, I've got story material waiting for you. Though, the world's adventure lore is currently more fleshed out than its slice-of-life lore, so I'll be continually working on stuff as we go to give you a better slice-of-life experience.
For RP guidelines, I expect at least 1 post once a week. While there are no paragraph limits per se, I do expect each post to be well thought-out (hence the Advanced placement). Even a one-liner is fine so long as it's an epic one-liner. The usual behavioral rules apply: no god-moding, metagaming, explicit sexual content, etc. Feel free to take control of the setting (within reason) for content creation. My working policy for this RP is that it's better to ask forgiveness than permission, so create to your heart's content. If I need to change this policy for any reason, I'll let you know.
Old Life:25 years old * Female * 8/30/3120 New Life:16 years old * Female * 9/9/2009
Physical Description:
APB:
Gender: female
Stage: adult
Eyes: purple
Hair: platinum blonde
Skin: light pigmentation
Build: athletic
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 200 lbs
Physical Description: The curve of her brow, the candor of her eyes, and the up-tilt of her chin mark her as a woman of strength. The confidence in her stride clears a path through any crowd before her. Tall, powerful, and graceful as a dancer, she is the very image of a queen. Her booming voice carries for miles. Her preferred attire is a vibrant red battle-gown, designed to be so highly visible that friend and foe alike can see her when the curve of the earth permits. Atop her head rests the Draken Crown, an ancient piece adorned with the gold-plated tips of two real wyvern horns and a Dragon Eye gem in between.
Personality & Biography: Casca was the charismatic leader of the Dragan Kingdom, and a living legend among the people for her successful conquest of the known world. Some have described her as a force of nature, an especially apt moniker given her magical abilities and tenacious temperament. She was not, however, an effective ruler, a failing she was keenly aware of as she used rallies and speeches to hide her inadequacies from the public. Surrounded by incapable advisors and faced with growing poverty in the nation, Casca took the gamble of a lifetime: to seek out the Elixir of Immortality, so that she would have a legacy worth remembering, and so that she would have the time to learn and become a better leader for her people.
Together with her thirteen knights, Casca set out her quest. According to legend, the elixir lay sealed within a Black Tower situated in the heart of the frozen north. Unbeknownst to them, the Ancients who constructed the tower still watched over it, counting down the days until the Ascendants would come to purge corruption from the world. When the Empress and her knights discovered the elixir at the apex and drank thereof, their fates were sealed.
It wasn't long before Erudessa, the Immortal assigned to the governance of this world, tracked her down and ended her reign at the end of the Duskblade, the only weapon able to slay an immortal. As she lay bleeding out on the floor of her palace, trembling as a mortal chill seeped through her, Casca pleaded with Deus to give her another chance.
As her world turned to gray and her tears dried upon her cheeks, she received an answer before the last breath faded from her lips:
One.
Legends:
Mark Reggie stood at the doorstep of his house, briefcase in hand, and breathed a sigh of relief.
"It's good to be home."
No sooner had he opened the door than three children piled into his arms. "Daddy! Daddydaddydaddy-" See, now this is why coming home is the best part of the day. He kissed each one of them on the forehead to the tune of delighted squeals. A moment later, they all scampered off to resume playing a rousing game of Mechs & Militia.
His wife came downstairs and folded her arms. "Did I just catch you kissing other people?" "Mhm, real lovely ones too." "That's true. Not like I'm jealous or anything, baka!" "If I kiss you, will you quit teasing me with historical references I don't get?" She giggled. "Historical? That's a first. It's an anime reference." "An ani-what?" "It's an Old World thing. Kisses first, explanations later."
As the two of them prepared the evening meal together, Mark said, "So I learned something about our family history today." "At work? For work-related matters?" "Surprisingly, yes. As part of my research into the Imperial Era, I found records of people bearing the Reggie name. Turns out it's related to the name Raege. Ring any bells?" "Wasn't there a queen or something by that name?" "Exactly. Casca del Raege, the last Empress of the Dragan Empire. We're blood-related by her sister's line." "I'm so sorry." "Haha! Well, I'm not. It's really fascinating. She conquered the world when she was just 16, but the long war, combined with her expensive social programs, incurred so much debt that the whole country's economic system collapsed with her death. She went a little crazy toward the end of her reign, seeking out some 'Elixir of Immortality' in Northaven Tower." "The Northaven Tower? The space defense installation?" "The one and only. They called it the Black Tower back then." "Pfft, that's hilarious! She seriously thought she'd find immortality in there? Good gawd, she must have been nuts." "No kidding. Dragged all thirteen of her knights into it too. It apparently got her killed when she got back to the palace." "History is full of strange people, isn't it?" "It certainly is, honey. It certainly is."
To my dearest Kiel,
I finally got my hands on that blasted tablet! Remember how I said the elves have been hoarding Ancient relics, such as the Ancient Tablet? Well, I did some...negotiations, and managed to acquire the tablet. I'm told they found it near the central Black Tower, which doesn't surprise me, given its origins. It's a strange little thing, made of what is best described as boneskin, that produces an illuminating image when touched. I'd call it magic, but one enterprising mage managed to restore its powers with a makeshift electric plug, so it's probably more like incomprehensible technology (as usual). Absolutely fascinating.
But I digress. We couldn't access the information stored within for the longest time, until I noticed a bit of text. I happen to know a little of the Ancient tongue, and I thought it was asking for a "password." So I called up the Imperial codebreakers to have a go at it. It turned out to be the right decision, because they managed to guess the unlocking sequence after a few tries.
I've been reading through the thing in my spare time, and I found something very disturbing: our records of the Void War are woefully incomplete. Some time after civilization began on our world, seven Gates opened up around the continent, and from them billions of Void warriors poured forth. Yes, you read that right - billions. All the combined might of the Imperial Army could barely defeat just one of them. The Ancients battled them on equal terms, from what I gathered, with a combination of infantry, war golems (mechs, they called them) with drivers inside, and vessels in the sky that would dwarf any seagoing ship.
The Ancients nearly lost that war.
Kiel, I'm scared it will happen again. I've seen the dormant Gate under Drakengard Palace. I can feel its wretched powers flowing through it again. When I'm near it, I struggle more to contain my flames than before, and it's started to glow a little. World leaders think the Gates are merely a source of mana. They don't understand! The world is in apocalyptic peril, and they're just...sitting on the threat, like it's some kind of throne! We have to do something. Each one of those Gates lies underneath a country's palace, so we'd probably have to conquer the whole world in order to shut them down ourselves!
I don't know, Kiel. I'm only the thirteenth in line to the throne. There are twelve siblings ahead of me and fourteen siblings behind me who are all much more capable kings and queens than I am. I keep falling asleep in economics class. Nobody will believe me. I'm tempted to just let the next king take care of it, but I think Wesley would sooner laugh at me than take my warning seriously.
Please write to me, Kiel. I need your guidance. And a hug. And maybe a kiss while you're at it. You know what? Just come see me. I'll have the royal chefs make us some pound cake with strawberries and frosting. Ride safely.
Love, ~Casca
Combat Affinities: Axes, and polearms in general, are her strong suite. Her personal weapon is Ruin, a flaming rocket-axe. With it, she is nearly unstoppable on the battlefield. Armed with just a regular battle axe, she can smack a fully armored man to the floor or tear through a tree in one swing. With Ruin...the room might not be big enough, and steel not strong ehough. While she is not the most talented axefighter in the world, she is the strongest, bar none. Unarmed Combat, namely boxing. She's not terribly good at it, but she'll win a street fight. She has an untapped talent for it.
"If you should flee, do not let the Empress see your back, for you shall behold it with her when Ruin finds your neck."
Magic Affinities: Fire Fire: "Did you think that because your life cannot spark a change alone, that nothing can be changed at all? Life is like a tinder. It does not burn long, and it does not burn hot. But it burns, and that is enough to start such a fire as shall burn all night. Do not abandon the future because you are not the kindling or the fuel."
House Raege is a family of pyromancers, and Casca is the pride and joy of their lineage. She can wreath herself in sacred flame and walk barefoot on an open fire without incurring any harm. It is said to be a blessing from Deus upon her household, and as such ought to be used only to smite evil and slay the wicked. Casca mainly uses it for intimidation purposes, and the number of lambs she's cooked with it is...not zero...
Christina Kennedy looks much like she did in her previous life - tall, powerful, and regal. Even at 16 years of age, she towers over most of her peers, both in stature and drive, and the confidence in her step still etches her path to the future.
Personality & Biography: Christina has not changed much since her reincarnation. Born into the Kennedy political dynasty, she was poised to live a life of luxury, trained to foster connections with powerful figures until her eventual induction into elite society. But at six years of age, she had an encounter that changed her life forever. One day, she escaped the family mansion into the city, and there met a Disciple of Deus. The love shared by him and his family made an impression on her, and she yearned to find a life like that for herself. But when the Kennedys learned of this, they were incensed, and abused their connections to destroy the Disciple and his family. At first, Christina thought their destruction was mere coincidence, but as friend after friend disappeared from her life over the years, she became suspicious, and started looking more closely at her family's dealings.
What she found horrified her. The Kennedys had their tendrils in all levels of government, and she discovered that they'd destroyed hundreds, perhaps thousands, of innocent lives, some of whom she once knew personally. Determined to exact vengeance for the injustice inflicted upon her friends, Christina enacted a plot to distance herself from her family. The Kennedys would not let her go easily, so she had to make them want to separate her. She began a campaign of embarrassing them at public events, performing poorly in her studies, committing misdemeanors, and generally making a nuisance of herself until, when she turned 16, she became eligible to transfer to Kurtzpel Academy. The Kennedys jumped at the chance to move her away from the public eye.
Once at the academy, Christina enrolled in legal studies and martial arts, along with the usual array of high school subjects. She would have her vengeance upon her family someday in the court of law, and this was just the first step.
Talents: Public speaking, martial arts Academic Affinity: criminal law
"I thirst." "Allow me to fetch you a glass of water, Your Majesty." "Tis not water of which I speak." "Ah, wine then."
Empress Casca hopped off her throne, folded her hands behind her back, and approached the butler. She lifted her chin as the corner of her mouth turned up slightly. "I had something a bit more intoxicating in mind. Fetch me the knights." "Yes, Your Majesty."
The butler returned with all the knights in tow. Sir Charles Ramsey, a young blond fellow who looked perpetually about to crack up a joke, bowed low, then splayed out his hands and complained, "We're told you summoned us all here, with all haste and from many leagues away, for a cup of spirits?"
The Empress dipped back her head and laughed. "Right you are, Charles! I am indeed fond of a good drink. Perhaps a little too fond, as some of you discovered last week. I trust you've all forgotten as instructed."
Sir Elbert Welkin, a man whose very face threatened murder and long poems, spoke in his usual quiet tone, "I cannot recall Her Majesty ever calling the king of Vermach a 'lily-livered pansy and a hamster.' My memory of that night is rather foggy."
The Empress's face pinked. "Ahem. As it should be. This time, I had a much more...pleasant drink in mind." Charles facepalmed. "I bet it's vodka. Don't tell me it's vodka. Is it vodka?" "It is not vodka." "Don't keep us in suspense, then! What is it?"
"The Elixir of Immortality."
Silence fell over the throne room.
At length, all the knights went "Huh?" all at once.
Casca smirked and withdrew a book from behind her back. "You've heard the tale of the Black Tower, yes? As the myth goes, when the three gods alighted on this world, they created elixirs of immortality and with them ascended three other men, that they might join the other gods in ruling the universe. Now, you know me; I am no pagan worshipper of any pantheon. But this..." She shook the book. "This myth, there is a grain of truth to it, I believe. To discover the truth, we must travel to the far north, where the water is hard as stone and the sun sheds not her light upon the earth. We will pass through many nations, friendly and hostile, and encounter monsters beyond imagining. But waiting for us at the end is such a feat as will be sung for generations to come."
I don't at all mind changing the setting. I've been having second thoughts about it anyway, and for much the reasons you've articulated. I'll whip up something better in a day or two.
Lord Zee
BellBottomBlues
Lewascan2
