Zeroth

Enter the Dark Realm - A Castlevania/Gothic Fantasy Inspired Dungeon Crawl [DEAD - NO LONGER ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS]

I'm here and ready to rock!

Alistair: *his head is bowed in prayer* "May the Lord have mercy upon my enemies..." *his eyes snap open as his expression turns fierce* "For I shall not."

Enter the Dark Realm - A Castlevania/Gothic Fantasy Inspired Dungeon Crawl [DEAD - NO LONGER ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS]

Alistair

^{"The Lord sees the righteous and hears their cry; but His face is against the evil, to blot out their name from the earth."}

༺♱༻

Gender: Male | Race: Human | Class: Inquisitor | Age: 22

---

---

Equipment:

• Bible - The Holy Texts of the Church. The power of the Miracles depends on your faith.
• Vestment of the Priest - Robes worn by the ordained. The various meanings and ranks of individual pieces are too much to expound here. Alistair's are well-traveled, but the prayers within their threads provides a small defense against evil powers.
• Light Maille - Mundane links of iron, hidden beneath his vestments. Provides some resistance to injury from blades.
• Assorted Blades - A light side-sword, three daggers, two boot knives, and a concealed penknife in one of his cross medallions. Numerous prayers and vigils were performed over them, granting a small boon against the supernatural.
• Light Traveler's Kit - The barest essentials for walking the roads.

Skills:

• Acrobatic - Being an Inquisitor often means keeping oneself out of sight in order to gather information, or following suspects through hidden passageways. Alistair's natural build tends towards lithe agility rather than tough muscle, as he leaps between rooftops or scales walls to hunt heretics...or any other abomination of the night.
• Intermediate Fencer - A novice by no means, but not quite a master of the sword. Alistair favors tactics that focus on deflection and avoidance until he can be sure of a killing blow.
• Expert Knife Fighter - Even thrown, small blades are deadly in his hands. Alistair isn't afraid to mix it up close and personal, and will even fight "dirty" if it means bringing his opponent down with him.
• Investigation - Torturing people just means they'll say anything to make the pain stop. To do the Lord's work means being thorough and, above all, seeking Truth no matter how inconvenient it might be to those of "social grace." Behind Alistair's grim countenance and somewhat unstable emotions, a sharp mind constantly searches for facts and patterns.
• Miracle: Holy Barrier - "Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may stand against the devil." Through faith, prayer, or a symbol of divinity, those who are granted this Miracle among their spiritual gifts can designate an area in space that evil cannot penetrate. Like a brick wall, or bubble floating atop the water, those covered by it will be protected...if the Lord be with them.
  • Holy Barrier: Apocrypha - "If there be any virtue, if any praise--think on these things." Just as reading other books alongside Scripture is helpful to one's education, there are some who have come to use Miracles in unique, yet non-heretical fashion. Alistair is one thus gifted by the Lord. Able to shape the geometric form of the Holy Barrier into relatively simple shapes--such as two wheels that grind his foe like millstones--he is able to use its defensive qualities with more versatility.

---

---

Personality: Generous, Composed; Vengeful, Hotblooded

Likes/Dislikes:

• Art and Crafts
• Charity towards Widows and Orphans
• Dawn Services
• Corruption and Bureaucracy
• Cowards and Charlatans
• Direct Skin Contact

Backstory:

TRIGGER WARNING: CHILD ABUSE

Alistair did not have a surname for most of his life. The old Mother Superior gave him his name, after he was found on the steps of the orphanage. He assumes those early years were happy, wherever they are buried deep, deep within his memory.

Then the Mother Superior passed away, and an eager man of the cloth volunteered to take charge of the grounds and the children. He taught them to sing in the choir, fed them, played with them, mended their clothes...And one day, he found Alistair sketching the distant view of the church against the sunset. He flattered the boy with praise, and invited Alistair to see some of the priest's own collection.

Unfortunately, Alistair's lessons did not stop at art. When he looks back at the gallery of his life now, a cold sickness knots in his stomach. So many images, burned into his eyes, that more than once he asked the Lord to take his sight away. How easy it is, for those with evil hearts to paint themselves a false face; to hide the cracks in their soul like a vain woman's wrinkles!

The boy turned to his only hope--the Word. He prayed, and fasted, and studied the scriptures. He tried to be "better." He tried to repent of whatever sins he had committed. And then, one day, when the priest invited another child to see his "art," Alistair heard the Holy Spirit speak to him, clear as day.

He was only twelve years old, yet a righteous fury filled him as he kicked the door open. He still remembers the priest's face as the knife went between his ribs. His face still stings when he recalls the candelabra, its arms still alight, and the heavy blow across his face. They weren't the first scars he had suffered from this man, but they would be the last. Yet he was still a child, and his abuser a man full grown.

Until he was granted a Miracle. Alistair had never been instructed in such things, but he called out to Heaven and received an answer. The image in his mind's eye took shape as his mouth spoke the verse:

"It were better for him that a millstone be hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones."

A crowd of children rushed to the church for sanctuary. Days later, the Inquisition arrived. The man they sought to question had been crushed to mere pulp; his flesh had burned, and even his bones were ground to dust. Amidst the blackened wreckage of the orphanage, they found Alistair sitting untouched by debris, smoke, or ash, yet his face was bloodcrusted and his lips cracked and dry. But he was smiling.

Ten years later, a young Inquisitor by the last name "Miller" approached Gransylva. A vision, seen at the altar, drove him to wage a Holy Crusade against the Vampire King...even if his Order hesitated to support him...

The Book Of Thoth (A Shin Megami Tensei Inspired Roleplay) (CLOSED)

Apologies it took so long to get a post up. Holidays and whatnot. If it's unclear, Lham Dearg is essentially challenging Satoshi to "1v1 me IRL, bro!"

The Book Of Thoth (A Shin Megami Tensei Inspired Roleplay) (CLOSED)

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Inokashira Park

---

Even to Miyuki's highly tuned reflexes, Satoshi's speed was unnatural. His roundhouse kick--did this past-middle-aged politician really have such martial arts skills?--slammed into her ribs like a baseball bat! Spittle flew from Miyuki's lips as the breath was driven from her lungs, and she tumbled across the stage floor like a ragdoll. Two more of the brainwashed crowd were coming at her, but she struggled to get up. She hacked and choked, trying desperately to get the oxygen she needed to move her aching body...

Satoshi revealed a weapon of his own as he taunted the downed girl--but he'd forgotten about her demon. Lham Dearg's sword slashed across his back, parting the white robes and staining them with blood. The politician groaned in pain as he fell to the ground. Yet...he still moved?! The Lham Dearg narrowed his eyes and raised his blade again. This human had been empowered somehow, beyond merely having the ability to contract with Demons. They needed to finish him before any more of that power could be brought to bear!

But Miyuki's shrill gasps reached his ear before the undead could bring down his bloodied steel. With an angry growl, he chose his mistress over ending the fight for good.

The cultist with the bike chain whipped it above their head in wide circles, preparing to bring it down with all the built up momentum. Likewise, the one with the bat drew it back with both hands, aiming a home-run swing at Miyuki's blonde head--

"Critical Wave!" Even before he reached them, Lham Dearg's sword sliced horizontally through the air. A glowing shockwave of power was released from his blade--when the energy struck both humans in the back, they pitched forward! Both of them flew over Miyuki, and fell headfirst off the edge of the stage!

"Arms 'boon yer heid, mah lassie!" Lham Dearg barked as he grabbed Miyuki by her hood and lifted her to her feet with one hand. Then, he reached behind his hip for his shield, and took up a defensive stance in front of his master as they saw Satoshi getting back to his feet. "He's pure tough, bit he bleeds! We wull win this rammy yit!"

"Wh-why...is he s-so st-strong?" Miyuki coughed as her lungs finally started working again. "Is it...magic f-from his d-d-demons?" Her companion growled again.

"Mayhaps...th' power o' th' whispers?" she heard Lham Dearg say. But it sounded like the Scotts-fae himself wasn't sure, either. Miyuki had no idea what a "whisper" was supposed to mean. Did he mean an actual whisper, like Satoshi was hearing voices or something? Or was it part of the demon's strange accent, referring to a different thing entirely?

"Ye dunderheided gowk!" roared Lham Dearg at Satoshi, banging his sword against his shield. "Coupon me alone! Or urr ye a mere feartie-cat!?" The demonic soldier used his shield to hide both his swordhand, and Miyuki standing behind him, from Satoshi's sight. But, step by step, he drew a little closer to the politician...it seemed clear he had a plan, but what direction would that sword come from? Its blade had already wounded Satoshi once--was he in the mood to take another?

Enter the Dark Realm - A Castlevania/Gothic Fantasy Inspired Dungeon Crawl (Re-VAMPed Edition)

too much quoting

@Vlad Tepes

See, now you've fed them and they'll come back for more. Don't delete this thread, A because I don't have my CS saved, and B because it's not even worth it.

"Intellectual property" entails a lot more than a list of "Name, Age, What Kinda Magic You Got?," and so forth. Like I said, sorting stuff like this out politely is fine but it wasn't worth arguing that someone should be locked in a pillory for it. It was all ridiculous virtue signaling and I called it out as such.

Also, no-can-do on the suit. I'll wear jeans that are only a little wrinkled, though.

Enter the Dark Realm - A Castlevania/Gothic Fantasy Inspired Dungeon Crawl (Re-VAMPed Edition)

"If you don't like it just go somewhere else" is the same trash logic that corporations use to pay you less than you're worth, and that roommates/guardians/partners use to abuse you in your own home. And apparently, that writers use to defend plagiarists. I'm not buying it. Sorry, not sorry.

@TokyoPewPew

This is a website where people make stuff up for fun, dear. No one's going to hurt you here. Calm down.

Vlad owes @Kiragan_Natsuki a PUBLIC apology which involves IMMEDIATELY editing out their work from his rp and replacing it with his own original character sheet. And although it's better shown than told, it should also include a resolution never to do this again, especially not doing this to a two-year-old thread in the assumption that no one would notice. If he doesn't, then everything he produces for a thread from here on out is suspect, and he is still a plagiarist even if he stops stealing from this moment. Because he's still benefiting from something someone else wrote.

@TokyoPewPew

And what if he doesn't? He will continue to live rent-free in your head for the rest of time as an idealized straw-man that will make you froth at the mouth every time you remember this moment he refused to abide by your swift and righteous justice?

You wouldn't buy from a shop that peddles fenced goods, so why should a game which fences ideas be any different? Because it's "just a hobby, that means integrity doesn't matter, teehee"? Bullshit.

@TokyoPewPew

Again, if you don't like this particular RP... *gestures to the entire rest of the website*

You're not crusading for inherent moral value or setting right some horrendous crime, you're just giving a guy whose stuff you don't like free topic bumps.

Enter the Dark Realm - A Castlevania/Gothic Fantasy Inspired Dungeon Crawl (Re-VAMPed Edition)

This is a writing community. Will actual, copy-pasted plagiarism like Vlad's result in kicks, bans, or legal action? Probably not. Is it (combined with the AI art) remarkably scummy, and inspiring little confidence that the RP will be unique or original, not to mention artistically compelling? Absolutely yes.

@TokyoPewPew

Again, those who don't find the RP or its creator appealing have myriad options on this site to choose from instead. Referring to it as "ackshual, copy-pasted plagiarism" is giving it a laughable amount of attention the issue's not even worth.

Throwing this under the rug because you fear conflict more than you despise plagiarists is an extremely shitty and morally lazy way to live, in my opinion. They do not belong here or in any creative community.

@TokyoPewPew

I pay bills, live in a society, and RP as a hobby. From that perspective, the goings and comings of this website really aren't a worthwhile reflection of anyone's fears or moral values, much less my own.

If somebody likes someone else's character sheet formatting or RP-prompt enough to re-use it, it's polite and appreciated to ask first or at least pay credit. But unless you're making money off of it or are running a directly competing game, it's not worth the effort to start flame-wars or shitpost contests.

Also,

Sorry, just a bystander who reads threads she isn't signed up in, but

Exactly why did this merit any of your effort to begin with? Perhaps don't throw water on grease fires you didn't start?

Enter the Dark Realm - A Castlevania/Gothic Fantasy Inspired Dungeon Crawl (Re-VAMPed Edition)

I have to agree with everyone else. Nobody wants to play this with an arbitrary coin toss. It's just a flashy and unnecessary rule you made up so people don't spoil YOUR good time. Sounds pretty narcissistic if you ask me. Why don't you let people who know what they're doing roleplay responsibly?

Why exactly do you need to spoil everyone else's fun because you're afraid of OP characters ruining your setting? Besides, you even admitted you stole your idea from Ravenloft, so your setting isn't even 100% original. Just go play that instead of trying to create your own and let people roleplay how they want.

P.S.: You even copied MY character sheet from MY cyberpunk RP from years ago. You forgot to erase the original race description too.

@Kiragan_Natsuki

This sounds like a continuation of something that happened outside of this thread, but there's no need for all that. Nobody here was really "up in arms" about the possibility of coin flips and RNG, just a few questions were asked for clarity and the issue was resolved. Character Sheets are lists of information and, optionally, a pinch of artistic formatting--there's no copyright claim on it and it's a silly thing to get hostile over.

If you don't want to play the game or have some personal issue with the GM you're quite welcome to find other games.

Enter the Dark Realm - A Castlevania/Gothic Fantasy Inspired Dungeon Crawl (Re-VAMPed Edition)

It's just that in the past I have used the original honor system but someone always ended up godmodding and ruining the RP for everyone else.

@Vlad Tepes

I used to have the same experiences, but don't much anymore. What I ended up learning was basically that communication is king; that most people typically respect a GM's decision, so don't be afraid to come down "hard" as long as you remember to communicate; and that sometimes if you just roll with what players are doing and do what makes a better story, people will have more fun with that than with a "perfectly balanced and fair tabletop-lite."

If they want to write up a bunch of fluff detailing how their magical sword strike was SO powerful, it left a huge rift in the ground, maybe you can let them have that but then say, "Yet, as the dust cleared from such a superhuman impact...the villain stood tall. As they watched, his body--rent from collarbone to hip, hanging on only by threads of flesh and viscera--began to knit itself back together. Flesh writhed, wormlike, devouring itself like Ouroborous until a severed arm once more clenched its clawed fist..." so it's like "yeah, it worked, but can you pull it off twice in a row?" Maybe the villain has a big scar or something now that can be exploited by another player, and so forth.

Enter the Dark Realm - A Castlevania/Gothic Fantasy Inspired Dungeon Crawl (Re-VAMPed Edition)

@Vlad Tepes I somehow missed the "class" edit while going through Races and the Character Sheet, so I hope the "Inquisitor" thing is okay? I guess maybe if a Paladin is like halfway between Fighter/Cleric, then maybe this is like Rogue/Cleric?

Let me know if anything needs to be changed or clarified!

Character Draft

^{"The Lord sees the righteous and hears their cry; but His face is against the evil, to blot out their name from the earth."}

༺♱༻

Gender: Male | Race: Human | Class: Inquisitor | Age: 22

---

---

Equipment:

• Bible - The Holy Texts of the Church. The power of the Miracles depends on your faith.
• Vestment of the Priest - Robes worn by the ordained. The various meanings and ranks of individual pieces are too much to expound here. Alistair's are well-traveled, but the prayers within their threads provides a small defense against evil powers.
• Light Maille - Mundane links of iron, hidden beneath his vestments. Provides some resistance to injury from blades.
• Assorted Blades - A light side-sword, three daggers, two boot knives, and a concealed penknife in one of his cross medallions. Numerous prayers and vigils were performed over them, granting a small boon against the supernatural.
• Light Traveler's Kit - The barest essentials for walking the roads.

Skills:

• Acrobatic - Being an Inquisitor often means keeping oneself out of sight in order to gather information, or following suspects through hidden passageways. Alistair's natural build tends towards lithe agility rather than tough muscle, as he leaps between rooftops or scales walls to hunt heretics...or any other abomination of the night.
• Intermediate Fencer - A novice by no means, but not quite a master of the sword. Alistair favors tactics that focus on deflection and avoidance until he can be sure of a killing blow.
• Expert Knife Fighter - Even thrown, small blades are deadly in his hands. Alistair isn't afraid to mix it up close and personal, and will even fight "dirty" if it means bringing his opponent down with him.
• Investigation - Torturing people just means they'll say anything to make the pain stop. To do the Lord's work means being thorough and, above all, seeking Truth no matter how inconvenient it might be to those of "social grace." Behind Alistair's grim countenance and somewhat unstable emotions, a sharp mind constantly searches for facts and patterns.
• Miracle: Holy Barrier - "Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may stand against the devil." Through faith, prayer, or a symbol of divinity, those who are granted this Miracle among their spiritual gifts can designate an area in space that evil cannot penetrate. Like a brick wall, or bubble floating atop the water, those covered by it will be protected...if the Lord be with them.
  • Holy Barrier: Apocrypha - "If there be any virtue, if any praise--think on these things." Just as reading other books alongside Scripture is helpful to one's education, there are some who have come to use Miracles in unique, yet non-heretical fashion. Alistair is one thus gifted by the Lord. Able to shape the geometric form of the Holy Barrier into relatively simple shapes--such as two wheels that grind his foe like millstones--he is able to use its defensive qualities with more versatility.

---

---

Personality: Generous, Composed; Vengeful, Hotblooded

Likes/Dislikes:

• Art and Crafts
• Charity towards Widows and Orphans
• Dawn Services
• Corruption and Bureaucracy
• Cowards and Charlatans
• Direct Skin Contact

Backstory:

TRIGGER WARNING: CHILD ABUSE

Alistair did not have a surname for most of his life. The old Mother Superior gave him his name, after he was found on the steps of the orphanage. He assumes those early years were happy, wherever they are buried deep, deep within his memory.

Then the Mother Superior passed away, and an eager man of the cloth volunteered to take charge of the grounds and the children. He taught them to sing in the choir, fed them, played with them, mended their clothes...And one day, he found Alistair sketching the distant view of the church against the sunset. He flattered the boy with praise, and invited Alistair to see some of the priest's own collection.

Unfortunately, Alistair's lessons did not stop at art. When he looks back at the gallery of his life now, a cold sickness knots in his stomach. So many images, burned into his eyes, that more than once he asked the Lord to take his sight away. How easy it is, for those with evil hearts to paint themselves a false face; to hide the cracks in their soul like a vain woman's wrinkles!

The boy turned to his only hope--the Word. He prayed, and fasted, and studied the scriptures. He tried to be "better." He tried to repent of whatever sins he had committed. And then, one day, when the priest invited another child to see his "art," Alistair heard the Holy Spirit speak to him, clear as day.

He was only twelve years old, yet a righteous fury filled him as he kicked the door open. He still remembers the priest's face as the knife went between his ribs. His face still stings when he recalls the candelabra, its arms still alight, and the heavy blow across his face. They weren't the first scars he had suffered from this man, but they would be the last. Yet he was still a child, and his abuser a man full grown.

Until he was granted a Miracle. Alistair had never been instructed in such things, but he called out to Heaven and received an answer. The image in his mind's eye took shape as his mouth spoke the verse:

"It were better for him that a millstone be hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones."

A crowd of children rushed to the church for sanctuary. Days later, the Inquisition arrived. The man they sought to question had been crushed to mere pulp; his flesh had burned, and even his bones were ground to dust. Amidst the blackened wreckage of the orphanage, they found Alistair sitting untouched by debris, smoke, or ash, yet his face was bloodcrusted and his lips cracked and dry. But he was smiling.

Ten years later, a young Inquisitor by the last name "Miller" approached Gransylva. A vision, seen at the altar, drove him to wage a Holy Crusade against the Vampire King...even if his Order hesitated to support him...