Too Old 4 This

TES: Soul Cairn

@Delta1038 Don't take this the wrong way, but your last card... looks like a doge meme.

Fauna of the Caribbean

It is simply not possible that I am the only one who thinks this idea is cool.

Dragon Age: Origins (Remix)

@rpg101 Looks good, thanks. Poor Andraste, always the target for profanity.

Fauna of the Caribbean

Imagine the Caribbean during the Golden Age of Piracy. Now replace the diversity of humans interacting with a diversity of animal races, each an artistic blend of a real animal species and a human culture who was present during this time, English, Spanish, Arawak, Mayan, Dutch, West African, etc.

These races will be player and GM created and should follow these guidelines.

1) They need to reflect accurately (and in a respectful manner) the historical and cultural realities of the group they represent. The animal species playing the role of the English should feel like the English in terms of their history, language, geography and culture. Small and interesting differences are fine and encouraged but they should not change the overall feel of the race to the point they no longer look like their historical analog. And remember that ethnic and cultural differences should trump national ones. For example, the Irish and English are both technically British, but they are culturally distinct and so should each get their own animal variant.

2) The animal chosen must be either native to the homeland of the group they portray or associated strongly with that group. For example, I would allow lions for the English because of their association with the English monarchy but not koala bears.

3) Animals should all be anthropic in nature. They must be at least capable of bipedal ambulation, possess opposable thumbs on at least their fore limbs, and be capable of complex verbal speech. Beyond that the species can be as humanoid or animal as you like.

As an example and template I will create the first of many.

Aztec

Name: Aztec

Template Animal: Jaguar

Physical Description: Supremely adapted to their jungle homes, the Aztec are a bipedal feline race with a spotted and, rarely, black coat, sharp shredding foreclaws and stout hindclaws for climbing.



Culture and History: The Aztec rose to prominence deep within the Spanish-Main and their empire stretched across both oceans before the coming of the Europeans. Facing the superior firepower and deadly diseases of the invaders, that Empire has shrunken in recent decades, but thanks to their natural born strengths along with their knowledge of the native rainforests, they have hung on under the leadership of their God-King Montezuma the Fourth. Most Aztecs encountered along the Main or within the Caribean are either refugees from the wars with the Spanish, escaped slaves, or guerilla fighters come to fight on behalf of the Caribbean natives, the Arawak and their Maroon allies. Elite among their people's warriors are the ocelotl who practice secret martial arts and rituals culminating in the replacement of their organic foreclaws with razor sharp Obsidian prosthetics. It is largely thanks to the dreadful predadory skills of these warriors that the Spanish have been prevented from subsuming the whole of their rich empire. The Aztecs are hated by the Europeans not only due to their successful resistance, but their practice of sacrifice (and, it is rumored, cannibalism) which the Europeans find abhorrent. Although in reality the practice has waned in recent years and not all Aztecs approve of these blood rituals, their existence has tainted the entire people in the minds of the westerners. As for cannibalism, the Aztecs are natural predators, but most consider the eating of other sentient animals (therians) to be taboo, even those who support the old ways, for the gift of therian blood is for the Gods alone, not mortals, to possess.

I will accept races on the basis of quality so that it's not just a first come/first serve free for all.

As for the game itself it will focus on a single group of pirates (or privateers depending on your perspective) who are a motley assemblage of various species and cultures. It will be player driven and set in an open world to simulate the freedom of the open ocean and the buccaneer lifestyle.

Details

General Concepts

Unless contradicted with good reason, the following general principles about the world and Therians will hold

1) All Therians are intelligent and vary as individuals not species. This is in place to prevent overt racist crap since these species are reflections of human ethnicities and cultures.

2) The flow of history is analogous to our own and religions, people and nations present in our world will all be present in this world.

3) All therians have a favored diet based on their animal lineage but they are all also capable of being omnivorous when necessity demands. A Lion may prefer mutton, but he can survive on bread and cheese <YUCK!>

4) The issue of disease is less a factor due to the high biological diversity between peoples which resists the spread of pathogens. Outbreaks of plague and rabies did deal a blow to natives but nothing comparable to that which small pox did in our own world.

5) Mating between different species is a taboo in some societies, outlawed in others, and used as a genocidal weapon by others. When it occurs, the offspring inherit either the mother's or the father's thera or animal soul. Other factors like personality and intelligence may blend, but the animal characteristics come wholly from one parent or the other at random.

6) Although some Therians may seem the natural predators of others, eating sentient species is still considered cannibalism and is a taboo in almost every society. None the less there are famous instances of criminals, outlaws and even rulers giving into their baser instincts.

7) Historical figures in our world will exist also in this one. Keep this in mind when designing your race. If you are designing the English then Blackbeard will be of that species (so it would help if it had something that could be conflated with a beard [like a mane]).

8) The date will be the early 1700s at the close of Queen Anne's war which in this world has seen a tenuous alliance between the Brittish privateers and mainland natives for they share the same enemy in the Spanish.

Dragon Age: Origins (Remix)

Automaton said
Should I wait for everyone to post about the golem before I make a post about him getting up and saying sorry?.

I don't see why you would need to do this.

Dragon Age: Origins (Remix)

Let me be clear. I do not care about profanity at all. I hate censorship. The problem with 'what the fuck' is that it is an anachronism. It's a modern phrase and, though I could be wrong, I don't think I've ever heard anyone say anything like it in this setting. 'By Andraste's Tits' yes but 'what the fuck' no.

Other than that the post is written fine. The only problem you might encounter now is that you've thrown your character into a scene with two others when you might not be able to post for a while which means you might bottleneck the scene. I would have tried to hand her off to another PC or an NPC healer, but it's not that big of a problem. We can wait.

TES: Soul Cairn

Azathoth said
That show teaches you things?

It's honestly a really good study if you are interested in tropes. Also if you have any interest in the exciting career of costumed aggression.

TES: Soul Cairn

Superfly said And yes, TO4T, you do play an excellent villain.

I've watched a lot of Venture Brothers.

TES: Soul Cairn

Yelond Cave, Bravil Outskirts

"Gentle my child, gentle," Dar-zel pulled the elf off her captive, a vagabond she'd picked off the roads a fortnight prior, and closed shut the iron bars. The mer's fresh fangs glistened with the blood of his first true feeding. "This meat must last us until the time is right to move. I do not risk hunting before."

"I still don't understand why you wait, we should destroy them all."

"You are still flush with the power of your new blood. Think, my child. When better to move on the city? While they prepare for war and are at their strongest or after they have sustained a siege by the enemy and are at their weakest. The Ideal Masters have made this much of their thinking clear to me." The Argonian paced across the wet stone flaw, her claws tracing across the smooth skulls of her dark altar. "We are to wait until the battle is decided. Then whoever is the victor shall be our prey while they still recover from the trial."

"Forgive me sire, but... what do we do until then? Are we to wait here like... cowards."

"Do not mistake my civility for tolerance of insolence," the elder vampire hissed. "These virtues of your mortal days. Discard them. Virtues are nothing but the vices of the weak."

The elf took a knee and waited head bowed over the jagged stone, "forgive me, mistress I live only to serve you and the Ideal Masters."

The elder vampire laughed, "you use their name, but know nothing of them... like everyone else. You will in time." The reptile leaned over her alchemy table wishing she had the skill to open the gateway which would lead to absolute victory, which would raise her to the station of a dark lord, not some mere necromancer hiding amidst forgotten crags. "I have a job for you, something to test your newfound powers. While I am gone you will render yourself to the Dominion and give them whatever aid you can. Portray yourself as a racist, a hater of men and remember that the Aldmeri are pompous. Play the role of a hopeful subservient and they will never once suspect you. Lend them your knowledge of the city and gain their trust, but if you see the battle tipping to heavily to their side do not be afraid to sabotage their progress. We want the two forces to annihlate one another as absolutely as possible. If you are detected or if the battle is decided, do not return to this sanctum. Instead wait for my arrival in the nearby Aleid ruin. You will find it infested with trolls, easy enough for one of Molag Bal's children to slip past, but a formidable defense against mortals should you be pursued. Take whatever equipment, potions or baubles you need." She handed him a dimly lit crystal, jagged and alive with imprisoned lifeforce. "Use soul gems for bartering."

"And what of you Mistress Dar-zel?"

"I travel to the black spire of the new Imperium. I will return with more of our cult and kine as well as an alchemist to help open the way to Soul Cairn. When I return, this city falls, whichever mortal banner flies above it."

Open fantasy world

I think we are more than ready for an OOC. The map and unified theme is going to be the gamebreaker for me personally. If it's just people spitting up disconnected random sauce it's going to end up feeling fake. There needs to be that common element of theme and geography that ties them together. Otherwise you just wind up with...