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  In a time before all but ancient stories, stars crashed into the world, tearing their way into the bedrock of this place and changing it forever. Where they made landfall, those that die do no pass on, instead rising as ghosts. Life has always clung to the sites of these disasters, and now six nation-cities dot the world. Mortals learned quickly that death does not take kindly to interference, as the dead that remained too long after becoming incorporeal devolved into twisted, terrible monsters. An organization, known as the Keepers, was formed to combat the rising tide of monstrous undead, and the Order of the Lantern is her sword. Even though most have forgotten the ancient charge of the Keepers, their duty lives on. Deep in the Bone Jungle lays the immense city of Insecarno, festering around the wound of the ancient impact site. Amid the temples, warrens, and streets of this massive nation-city the cycle of life and death is as central to the citizens as breathing. The city is ruled by a council of priests, each embodying a different aspect of Death, and laws are enforced by a highly trained elite military force. The military of Insecarno is largely made up of heroic volunteers, sometimes with lineages of service spanning generations, who brave the world beyond the nation-city to fight tribes of highly organized monstrous humanoids, despite facing true death should they fall. The military’s shock troopers are made up of criminals and miscreants, those sentenced to eternal shame, and to never know the honor of sacrifice to Insecarno’s twin gods, Ki’came and La’cane. Ki’came is depicted as a mature woman, full of vitality, representing the celebration of a life well lived, and as the reminder that death is a natural part of the cycle of all things. La’cane is depicted as a masked man of considerable weight, and is often shown waiting at a banquet table full of spoiled food. His mask is always depicted smiling with cracks at the edges. You belong to the ancient organization known as the Keepers, the foremost experts on the undead, which is comprised of three Orders: the Order of the Lantern, the Order of the Coin, and the Order of the Gate. You are junior members of the Order of the Lantern, charged with the sacred duty of sending the deceased into their final rest when the time is come, or dealing with the consequences when they do not. Most citizens will never know the horrors you save them from, but whether your motives are pure or dark, you have made a place for yourself among the ancient order. Your peers in the Order of the Coin are academics, or scholars, who will never know field duty. Your peers in the Order of the Gate guard the sites of the ancient meteor's fall, and beyond that most other information is shrouded in secrecy and hearsay. The local chapter of the Lantern is known as the Legion of Dusk, and whether you are a local of Insecarno, who has joined and risen to field duty, or you were transferred from the Legion in another of the world's other nation-cities, you have been called into the office of your immediate field supervisor for a mission of great import. Far from the routine work you are used to carrying out, the missive indicates that this task will be quite a bit more...  Dungeons and Dragons 4th Edition 5 Players, Play by Post 3rd Level, Point Buy 22 All Races and Classes are Acceptable - unusual races may have less social standing! Themes and Backgrounds: Yes, doesn't need to match setting perfectly. Inherent Bonuses: Yes Bonus Feats: Melee training + Two open, spend however you like. No Dragonmarks Items: One Level 4, One Level 3, One Level 2. Gold equal to level 2 item.  The game is themed around the undead, so you may want to have a gameplan for how you deal with that. Death is not as terrifying a concept for most people in the cities, because you arise as a corporeal ghost a short time (full rest) after dying. Even 'dying' as a physical ghost is not fatal, but it takes longer and longer to reform the older the spirit is. Resurrection magic does not function outside the radius of the meteor's power, and dying outside the aura is a real fear for most people. Ghosts can be hurt, and can be truly killed, with the help of magic. The Order of the Lantern empowers weapons to harm the undead severely. Undead slain this way are permanently dead. Mortify posted:It was pointed out that my above description of "What happens with the dead and ghosts" in the OP wasn't clear, so I'm spelling it out: You are military agents, acting with some level of impunity from the local government. You are not above the law, but you have a lot of latitude. The larger organization to which you belong, The Keepers, is somewhat arcane even to you. More than basic information about the purpose of the other Orders is hearsay at best, save as follows: The Order of the Gate protects the physical location of the meteor strikes. Inside this immediate area, a Gatekeeper's word is law. No citizen, no Lantern, no King would dare disobey them, or face immediate true death at the Gatekeeper's hands. Another organization which you might have ties to is known as The Esteemed and Honorable Brotherhood of Autolycus, often just referred to as The Brotherhood. The Brotherhood is a "legitimate business" (read organized crime) named for its founder, which has members and chapter houses in every nation-city. Membership is by invitation only and confers benefits to its members, but has dues, obligations and potential complications with your service to the Order of the Lantern. Members are expected to 'tithe' a portion of their ill gotten gains annual, and failure to do so could mean revocation of membership and benefits. The last week of the calendar is known as "Tax Season" and experiences a massive uptick in larceny, breaking and entering and general thievery as members attempt to collect their forgotten dues. If you are not a local of Insecarno, you are from one of the other nation-cities of the world and were a member of the Legion of that area, transferred to serve in Insecarno. Whether you accept or resent this fate is up to you. Each nation is summarized for convenience:
For backstory purposes, the Order of the Gate is pretty much off limits as noted in Post #3. Trying to tie a character to it, even via family, would add a lot of complications.  Applications closed Thursday, April 23 at 7PM CDT. Aiming to post once every 3 days with input from everyone preferred. If you can't post that often, you'll either be left behind, or if it continues, be asked to leave. Obviously, I understand poo poo happens and everything is case-by-case yadda we're all adults. If you can't commit to that, I'd ask that you not app. Contact me: Via PM This thread Steam: /id/Mortify  << that's a link! as of April 23, 2015 - Tabitha Rassman, Hand Maiden of Ki'came, Guide Along The Fabled Red Path (Murder Bard by Doomykins) - Lucilla Flavia Quinta, Cultist of the Real (Teleporting Sword Mage by RPZip) - Phyl, Automated Soul Repository (Walking Ghostbuster Trap and Mobile Turret by AXE COP) - Raymond Bartos, Walking Time Bomb (Already Doomed Warden and Monster by Moriatti) - Sam Joko, Dispatch Specialist (Trained Killer by ProfessorCirno) - Garug the Speaker, Hobgoblin Death Priest (Exactly what it says on the tin by Shark Mafia)
Mortify fucked around with this message at 23:29 on Apr 24, 2015 |
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Apr 18, 2015 03:10
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 Saega - Swordmage 26 Years Ago - Insecarno Wealthy District "What do you mean, I'm special, momma?" "Well you're different, Saega. For instance, your fork is cutting through the table right now. Thats not supposed to happen. I don't think I can care for you if I'm worried about your butter knife ruining my fine china, and if you're bumping into all the furniture all the time. So we're going to have you live with someone who can help you with your special gifts. His name is 'Staff', and he's a nice man. He's also blind like you." "You mean he can't see? How does he walk around without his momma?" "He carries a pole and taps with it. When he runs into something he gets out of the way. Its fascinating, almost like he can see. He says after he teaches you how, you'll be able to do the same thing." "But momma, I don't want to leave you, I like it here." "I'm sorry Saega, but I really don't have a choice. Go with the nice man now. Goodbye Saega." 4 Years Ago - The Brotherhood Fighting Arena "I'm here to sign up for a group that can fight." "Alright, sign your name here. "I'm afraid I can't really do that, I can't really see the sheet, or write my name. Can you do it for me?" The grizzled sergeant looks up at the diminutive young girl carrying the huge glaive. "You can't see? Why can't you see? I see your eyes behind.... Are you blind? How do you expect to fight without being able to see your enemies?" The young girl smirks as she picks her glaive up and twirls it around her head, missing the people behind her and ending up with the blade in the sergeant's throat. "I think I can do well enough, why should I be limited to sight when everyone makes so much noise? You especially with your heavy breathing and creaking bones, this smelly guy with his gnashing teeth and creaking hide armor. There is sound in the world, and I can see with it as well as you can with your eyes. But I'm here to fight in the rings, and I will get my go, if I have to gut you first or not." The sergeant looks at her, at the fire in her eyes. "Very well, we'll see if you can put your money where your mouth is. One match against one of our lesser fighters, If you live, We'll get you set up with a real match? Sound good, blindy?" The girl grins and puts on her blindfold. Total ripoff of Daredevil, but I don't care. Sounds like fun Mustache Ride fucked around with this message at 16:53 on Apr 20, 2015 |
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Apr 18, 2015 05:59
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I hadn't intended anyone to have anything to do with the Order of the Gate, honestly. That's some way out of your league mystery poo poo, even to Lanterns. Some of the 'rules' of the Order would invalidate your story (without tipping my hand on that too much), so suffice to say, at least that element should probably be revised. I'll amend the intro post to indicate that players should treat the Order of the Gate as off limits for story content, just to prevent confusion. It was really just there to color the Keepers into their respective duties.
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Apr 18, 2015 09:23
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Are Ki’came and La’cane only worshipped in Insecarno? If not, how is the human sacrifice stuff that they're associated with regarded in the rest of the world?
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Apr 18, 2015 09:30
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Flame112 posted:Are Ki’came and La’cane only worshipped in Insecarno? If not, how is the human sacrifice stuff that they're associated with regarded in the rest of the world? Not entirely. Ki'came and La'cane are matron/patron local deities. Other cities might have small cults to them, but they have their own gods that take precedence. It is not impossible to worship them and be from Coalani, or for a Insecaran to worship a deity from afar, but it would be something that is looked down upon by your own country as 'breaking from tradition'. The majority of the other nation-cities regard Insecarno as a bit too into the death cycle, while the Tirenese view it as barbaric.
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Apr 18, 2015 09:38
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 Tabitha Rassman Blade Dancer, Handmaiden of Ki'came, Guide Along The Fabled Red Path (Halfling Bard) A child of Insecarno that fell in love with the festival. Born to a military family her bloodline is descended from the heroic efforts of a patriarch sentenced to death in the borderlands. Confessing to the murder of a corrupt elite the elder Rassman took to his duty with a zealous fervor and redeemed himself in the blood of outsiders. He left a young killer and returned a hero, teaching Insecarno's gospel of death delivered rightly. In this household Tabitha heard the name of Father Rassman and the wisdom of La'cane, but it was in the red-slicked streets as men and women lashed one another to stir life that she learned of the beauty of Ki'came. Every year the sentenced would rejoice as they were led to the altars and their loved ones would invite them to feel the final wonders of the flesh. Faces were covered with mask and paint in the relief of skulls, candy and jewelry were given freely and exotic specters danced in full costume as they worked their way through the gallows. She and the other children were taught of the wonderful duty to pass on and the glorious feeling of rebirth, sitting in the stands and cheering as song and dance concluded with the bloodletting. The festival was Tabitha's favorite time of year. As a child she was told that her destiny lie in the army. Growing to be pretty and outgoing and fearing her true talent would be wasted she began studying to enter the Priesthood instead. Strict codes of honor and recitals of glory in battle were replaced by the tenets of the La'cane's rituals of passing, the stories of Ki'came's eternal bounty that the fortunate could sample. Rigorous training at home and a natural grace became the base for a passionate pursuit of dance! As a young teenager she finally showed her parents the purity of her path when she helped her grandmother lie on the stone table. The crowd listened respectfully as the two recited her epitaph. They cheered when Tabitha overcame her hesitation with the knife and led Nana along the Red Path, cutting the throat just as she had trained to. Being a part of the festival was a hundred times better than watching it! She had the growing respect of her friends and family and the blessings of her mentors. Her grace and beauty were sublimely enhanced when she dressed as one of Ki'came's servants, when she masked her face to show respect to La'cane. Tabitha was now one of the dancers at the festivals, an avatar of Insecarno's marvelous culture and beliefs. She gave candy to children and told them how to honor the dead, she danced for the crowd and led the pious down the Red Path. And in recent years her singing blade has been taken up in the holy duties of the Lantern, her loyalty, charm and unusual vows of silence making her a favorite for coordinating efforts between the Priests and the Orders. She took to the new training and new duty with flying colors, proud to clear La'cane's table if it should run over. It was all just a part of preparing things for the next festival, after all. With this Tabitha is always joyful and happy, each wonderful celebration giving way to preparations for another, the little girl's spontaneous wish that "the fun never end" coming true... --- Although I plan for Tabitha to use a minimum of words, she will talk when it is necessary! Think of it as more of a "vow to not waste life's breath without need." Doomykins fucked around with this message at 04:03 on Apr 24, 2015 |
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Apr 18, 2015 16:18
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 Warryn Rallach, Warryn was once like many others. A pious man, devoted to his city's gods in all the ways that one can be. And so, like for so many others, the day came that he was to be sacrificed in Their glory, and he did not protest or weep or run, but accepted his fate gladly, and found peace in it. But at the moment his death arrived on the altar, something extraordinary happened. He was not accepted. Death did not turn him into a ghost, ready to ascend to the side of the gods. Death spewed him back into his body, leaving him sputtering and gasping as he bled out but did not die. And then Death added another surprise - enormous magical power. Many priests were injured that day in the resulting explosion, but (un?)fortunately, nobody died. Not sure what to do with this man who had been refused by the Gods, they patched him up and then threw him into a cell. A few days later, an officer of the Order of the Lantern came to speak to him. He explained that, whatever happened to Warryn, there was power within him now, power that could be use in service of the gods. And Warryn, being devout to a fault, agreed. So it was that, after rigorous training to learn how to control this new power, he joined the Order as a soldier. But nevertheless, doubt gnawed at his mind. Why did the gods reject him when he had served them faithfully for so long?
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Apr 18, 2015 19:02
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R I P
Shark Mafia fucked around with this message at 06:11 on Apr 22, 2015 |
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Apr 18, 2015 20:02
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It was pointed out that my above description of "What happens with the dead and ghosts" in the OP wasn't clear, so I'm spelling it out: Everyone near the meteors lives longer than average, almost double your races' natural lifespan pending accidents or violence. This doesn't change when you mature, it just slows down when you move into stages of aging. A 80 year old human is about 40 years old physically. When you die, you are animated as a physical ghost. You are fully corporeal, you require food and rest as normal. You can interact with objects fully. You are not insubstantial and you don't get to move through walls. You are treated as an undead for effects, and you are obviously a ghost to anyone observing you. You can maintain this state for half of the total time you were alive with no ill effects, and even dying to mundane means during that time is only temporary. You will simply arise after a period of time, though each subsequent mundane death increases the time between revival. After that length of time, things start going wrong. You start actually becoming insubstantial, or start undergoing terrible changes to your form and mind. You become monstrous undead. As Lanterns, you're all *intimately* familiar with this, as you are the sole protection the living have against these kinds of undead. Most people do not know about this fate, and that's intentional. The Keepers know it might spark a panic. Worse, without Lantern weapons and magical techniques, the undead slain would simply rise as the 'ghosts' would, forever.
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Apr 18, 2015 21:49
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 Iruë Sajela, Coalani Sepolturina, Attachée to the Legion of Dusk (Drow Fighter) backstory to come
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Apr 19, 2015 12:22
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Any problem with playing one of these physical ghost?
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Apr 19, 2015 18:07
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Moriatti posted:Any problem with playing one of these physical ghost? None whatsoever. The only real drawbacks are that "dying" (negative blooded) carries an increasing penalty to recover, and that you're effectively on the downward slope of your life before becoming a monster. But the Lantern has plenty of ghosts in service until they willingly commit themselves to death to prevent that fate.
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Apr 19, 2015 21:43
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Yeah, that was the character concept I'm thinking of, a Revenant Warden who is right on the edge, sometimes physically being altered, working with the Lanterns to try and take out as many monsters as he can before he has to be put down by the very people he protects. I'm still working out the specifics, didn't want to go too far if that would be unacceptable.
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Apr 19, 2015 21:52
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All defender party incoming e; but seriously with this many defenders I may retool my guy as a regular barbarian, it would be a fairly simple change double e; eh, nah. also dont give up your cool idea on my account!! Shark Mafia fucked around with this message at 08:11 on Apr 20, 2015 |
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Apr 19, 2015 21:56
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I could also do a psionic class and have him fading away/becoming insubstantial, I just enjoy the body horror aspect that reskinning Warden provides. Edit: I guess I could always do Barbarian Rage or Wildshape this way too, I'll look at my options.
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Apr 19, 2015 22:16
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Oh whoops. I totally forgot Berserkers were half-Defenders when counting up what had been apped already.
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Apr 20, 2015 02:09
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Haha god the one time I really wanna make a defender...well, SOMETHING will be here.
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Apr 20, 2015 05:22
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 Sardis Garel-Kai, Fire Gensai Mage There's something poetic about fire. An apt metaphor for life, it starts burning, weakly, grows in strength, drawing in the surrounding air as its flames rise higher, throw themselves wider, finally maturing and conquering the world around it, and then sputtering, dying as quickly as it began. As a child, Sardis would start fires by the borders to the Coals, gathering what little kindling there was to spare, just to watch the fire go through this cycle over and over. As he watched, he wondered if his life would be like these fires, there and gone without so much as cinders to his name for the world to remember him by. Growing older, into young adulthood, Sardis took a further interest in fire as it pertained to the meteors that defined their world. What would it have been like, to see their fire streaking through the sky, leaving their mark on a world that would never be the same after their arrival? He tried to learn as much as he could about the meteors, about fire, about something like the burning curiosity, desire that welled up inside him. His first display of magic came in this period. While he was out near the Coals, resting, he found himself ambushed by a pack of zombies, not unheard of in the area, but still a surprise to a young man merely out doing research. As he scuffled backwards, through ash and mud, he thought 'I'm going to die out here, without having ever known the truth.' It wasn't going to happen, however; not to him, not today. Feeling a sensation of power like he'd never known, of raw coursing fire in his veins, he burned them to cinders where they stood. How was it possible? He had to know. He would take trips into the Coals he could only admire from afar in his younger days, gathering bits of ash and lava that had not yet hardened into soot, and see what magic he could divine from them. How could he be connected to something so primal, so natural, that he until now only had been curious about? But there's a saying for those who play with fire. Sardis, one evening, found himself on the rim of a dormant volcano. They were few and far between out here, but eventually, with enough weeks of exploring, he finally came upon one. The air was charged with heat. His skin was flush, beads of sweat dripping onto the ground, letting off steam as they hit. It was the closest he'd ever been to such a concentration of heat and fire. He wanted to weep, but his tears burned his face as they streaked down. He wanted to tear off his clothes to cool off, but they were ablaze. The realization was horrifying; he was becoming that which he felt closest to. He was becoming fire. Upon his return to his hometown, he found looks that burned with scorn, disgust, pity, fear, so many hot emotions. He, perhaps, would never be welcome again. He took solace in his devotion to the arcane arts, and in joining one of Coalani's chapters of the Keepers, the Leigon of Coal, where his skills and knowledge could be used to help others, as much as they would pity his appearance. For his distinguished service, he was sent to Insecarno to act as a representative for Coalani. Sardis vowed that he would return to Coalani, his home, with a reason for people to respect not only him, but the fire which he represented. Fire can destroy, certainly; but it can also create, mend, heal, a lesson that Sardis will teach to any willing to listen. PurplieNurplie fucked around with this message at 05:26 on Apr 21, 2015 |
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Apr 20, 2015 05:58
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Art A strange man, charming, with entrancing eyes, but something about him is strange. His features seem strange when in just the right light. Something ever so slightly off. But it is hard to say. And he is so charming, so kind, so enchanting. You just want to do what he says. Or he will glance at someone and all of a sudden you want to run up to them and rip them a new one. Really he is your best friend. Perhaps you have been dead, you might not even realize it, and things have been getting harder and harder. You have been losing touch with your humanity, or whatever. But then this man with the alarmingly catching eyes just smiles at you, and you feel better, and well you just want to help him out. And hey maybe you will finally have some peace. Art. Art is a strange man. He appears to be a human, though it can be hard to say. There are some oddities about him. He doesn't seem like the kind of person that would be a Lantern, or all that involved in combat. And in fact many who have worked with him are uncertain what if anything he does. Yet whenever he goes on a mission the corporeal ghosts, or whatever else, they face seem to act oddly, often attacking each other or themselves, or falling asleep or running around. Whatever it is he does, whatever it is that causes this commotion, one cannot deny that it makes it easier for the others to deal with the problem.
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Apr 20, 2015 06:41
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What's that? Defenders you say? Lucilla Flavia Quinta  Some things are real. Some are not. And many are somewhere inbetween, in that undefined area between reality and unreality. Time is an illusion, a distinct unreality that we wrap our minds in like a shroud. Space is far more malleable to a trained student than one might suspect. And death? Well, death is very real. Except when it isn't. Lucilla Flavia Quinta was born and raised in the grand city of Tiren, by a caring if slightly distant family. She was brought up in the rites of the Cult of the Real, a moderatly popular religion in the city that emphasizes determining the reality and unreality of life. Initiated members, Lucilla Quinta among them, learn to parse the reality of space and time - to find ways to wrap themselves in them and move from one place to another, without moving between the intervening space, or even to wrap themselves in shadows and fade out from the surrounding area. It's a neat trick. When Lucilla Quinta joined the Lanterns, she didn't see any contradiction between her faith and the world around her. The powers that the cult's teachings granted were real. The dead were real, of course; the shades of the fallen would remain in the world for a time, if they were in one of the cities blessed by a falling star, and one day they would pass from reality and fade from the world. What she found was that the slowly fading reality of the dead, their peaceful transition to the afterlife, often... wasn't. That the reality drained from them, and they became somehow unreal and real at the same time; becoming incorporeal. Becoming monstrous. Becoming a terror with only the faintest links back to what they had been, before the change came over them. And becoming something she needed to stick her sword into until it stopped trying to claw her face off. After one especially traumatic episode, and the ensuing crisis of faith Lucilla Quinta suffered in the teachings she'd believed all her life, she was transferred to the city of Insecarno. It's a strange city to Lucilla; where the dead were accepted in Tiren as a part of life, if a somewhat unpleasant one, they're celebrated here. And she misses her home, her family, her faith, rather than this barbaric death cult that the Insecarnans believe in. But there's something here, something to discover; something that will salvage her faith, or transform it. She was transferred to Insecarno to prevent her from causing a panic in her fellow members of the Cult, but maybe there's something more. Some real reason for the perversion of reality and unreality both that the undead represent. And she's going to find out what. --- Despite being half swordmage, this is actually a teleporting melee striker more than anything else. I've always wanted to play around with a character who teleports a lot, and the background I came up with when thinking about that kind of character seemed like it'd mesh with this game. And you didn't specify no hybrids either, which helped. I took a look at a Bladesinger for the same concept, but Bladesingers are just famously bad, and this should hopefully fit a similar theme without being terrible to actually play. If the description I gave doesn't mesh with Tiren as written, I can change and shift things around - I went for something based on Rome for the names and a bit of the old Greek cults being an accepted part of daily life. RPZip fucked around with this message at 09:43 on Apr 20, 2015 |
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Apr 20, 2015 09:32
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 Drudwyn Llywelyn Before I write the backstory, I want to get the basic concept out of the way. Drudwyn is from Northward but he doesn't really embrace all the technological advances, preferring things the old way. And he's useful to the Lanterns because anyone who can survive in Northward alone is probably pretty resourceful and resilient. Flavorwise, I see him as more of a ranger/warden type of person than an actual divine person. I don't know if Goliaths are part of Northward or if Drudwyn would just be an extremely tall human. Does that seem reasonable?
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Apr 20, 2015 23:58
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Flame112 posted:
No complaints with a Northwarden keeping to the old ways. It makes you a bit of a weirdo to modern citizens, but you wouldn't be alone, just quaint and old fashioned.
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Apr 21, 2015 01:39
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 Raymond Bartos, Walking Time Bomb As a Controller As a Defender As a Striker His character concept just doesn't work as a leader... [His story really works with any of those, so if you pick him, just let me know what he should be.] "5 Years at best, then..." Then I will have to be put down, I'll be a monster, a danger to others and a mere shadow of myself. That's what they told me, when I first started showing signs of changing. That was 3 years ago. I'm a Keeper, we help the dead and undead keep their dignity, we keep them safe, we keep the order going. I belong to The Order of the Lantern, and we hunt the dangerous undead, those that have turned feral and become monsters or ghost or worse. We put them back where they belong, back where the dead go... I was there once, when I died, but I don't remember it any more. Maybe just the smell of Lilacs, does that make sense? Of course not, what am I thinking... Anyways, I died about 30 years ago, my life cut short by a feral dead with acid blood, nasty stuff, left a big scar right on my face. So I was dead, and I came back, pretty standard here in Insecarno, something about the meteors? I don't know, the Order of the Gate handles that, and I don't deal with them, never did get to that pay-grade, probably never will. Like I was saying, I was dead, and I came back, only, I came back wrong I guess. Because ever since, I've been back, things have seemed different, off-kilter, darker. I have a harder time relating to my family (my wife left me, and my kids, well, my kids and I were never close) and the few friends I have look at me with a suspicious, almost sad look. It's not just death either, hell, half of them have died AT LEAST once! It's just... I don't know, something happened. Then, 6 years ago, whatever happened started to really matter. I was fighting monsters, as I do, and my fellow Night Lighter (a wizard or priest of some sort, I never did ask how he did his mojo) stops his chanting and looks at me. "R-R-Ray!" He yelled, and I looked down, the monster's head in my claws. Wait a second, I don't have claws! See, that's the secret we keep, your humble Lanterns, we know where the monsters come from. Everything I've encountered that goes bump in the night was once like you, alive (or undead, I can't judge) until they died. When we die, a clock starts ticking, and when that clock hits zero... Well, I told you, that's where monsters come from. Only my clock should have a good 10 years left, and here I am with claws? I mean, they eventually went back, but whenever I fight... Well, a little more changes, ad it takes longer for it to change back. So I got a transfer, put with a group that's a bit more canny. I bought a holy symbol, and some shackles, and I keep them with me, so if I turn, it's easier for them to stop me. I spent the last 80 years fighting these monsters, and now I'm becoming one. Let's see how many I can take out before I become one.
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Apr 21, 2015 04:35
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Good news fellow defender-pickers, I had an idea I liked more so I'm doing it instead Garug the Speaker (Hobgoblin Death Domain Warpriest) A question, soldiers of Kalac: What do the virtuous do? They die. In the Bone Jungles, all know this. When death is ever at your door, when your life is a constant struggle against it, you cannot deny its power. Those who dwell here know the truth, and the righteousness, of dying. Death is the glory that comes at the end of a life best-lived. It is relief, it is ascension, it is finality. Death brings all to heel, all to equality. It plays no favorites and tells no lies. It is the only force in this world worthy of worship. So then, soldiers of Kalac: what do the sinful do? They deny death. In the City of the Stone, few know this. Despite their supposed devotion to a god of death, they are lured by the promise of immortality, by the deferral of death. But it is a false promise. A few years of life gained, what is that? Nothing. A few years spent in unholy mockery of life, what is that? Worse than nothing. And afterwards, a descent into unending, bestial depravity. The victims of the Stone lose their sanity, lose their form, lose their name. But they do not die. They never die, unless killed. For years we have known this black truth of the City, and for years we have fought against it, to no avail. Kalac tribe is strong, our shields stalwart, our spears sharp, our spirits iron. And we know the truth of holy death, so we fear not our end, as the sniveling coward soldiers of the City do. But they are simply too numerous. The City of the Stone is too large, and our tribe is too small. We will never break the Stone by force of arms, so long as this is so. But the Stone will be broken. Our spies have told us of the Lanterns, the order in the City that keeps the ravening tide of Stone-spawned monsters at bay. They bring final death to the undead, and in this they are righteous, but they are also misguided, for they defend the very source of their enemy. Nonetheless, I believe they can be of use. I will travel to the City, and learn its ways. I will join the Lanterns, and destroy the undead in their name, as only a priest of Death can. I will rise. And when I gain access to the innermost sanctums of their greater order, when i behold the Stone that is the enemy of all life, I will destroy it. I, we- for, brothers and sisters, your faith is as important as my power- will set the world free. Soldiers of Kalac, rejoice! -Final sermon of Garug, High Deathspeaker of Kalac tribe -------------- A tall, cloaked male figure steps through the gates of Insecarno. Although shrouded, he is recognizably goblinoid, fangs visible in his mouth as he grins. His clothes are worn from long traveling, but despite signs of fatigue, he holds himself in a straight-backed military bearing. A flail and shield are on his back, chainmail glints beneath his cloak, and at his neck is a death's-head holy symbol, unusual because the skull depicted is a hobgoblin's. Although the crowds at the gate are thick, the figure is given a wide berth. A few city guards glance at him with suspicion. Finally, the City. Even more impressive in person, but ultimately valueless. And somewhere within it, the Stone. The figure sets off purposefully, heading for a certain tavern, where a recruiter of a specific kind could be found. Shark Mafia fucked around with this message at 20:29 on Apr 23, 2015 |
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Apr 22, 2015 06:10
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Just a reminder that the app deadline is tomorrow, APRIL 23 at 7PM CDT, or whenever I get home from the gym. If you're wanting to join your fellow ghostbusters, make sure to fill in your backstories, or post those apps.
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Apr 23, 2015 04:05
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 Natsumi, the Hopeful Painter My name is Natsumi, and I'm easily the most famous painter in the entire world! Well, that's a lie. I'm only the most famous painter is Garguun. Actually, that's a lie too. I'm not really much of a famous painter at all. I have a small group of fans who really like my work, but it doesn't exactly pay for food. That's all up to Kai. Kai IS the most famous painter in Garguun. My folks passed away when I was too young to remember them, and Kai took me in. Apparently he was really good friends with my mom, or something like that. He's always really fuzzy on the details. He won't even tell me why I never even got to see them as ghosts. He taught me absolutely everything I know about art, and then some. It was, after all, the only thing he knew. He would always draw with the exact same brush, no matter what he was doing. It seemed to reshape itself to suit the kind of painting he was making, and he never had to dip it into any pots of paint - it just made its own. He would only tell me that it had once been an artifact of great power, that had become weaker due to disuse. I never questioned it... until one day, the brush itself answered my question. We were outside the city limits, sitting on a small hill so we could get a better look at the stars to paint them. Suddenly, a monstrosity the likes of which I had never seen starting shambling towards us from the other side of the hill! Kai told me to run, but I was too scared to move. As the creature approached, I grasped at our canvases, grabbing onto the Fuude and brandishing it at the beast like a weapon. I felt it grow in size, and surge its power into me. Using the Fuude like a conductor's baton, I began to paint a phantom hole in the ground, just underneath the creeping beast, and somehow, it seemed to affect it. It wailed in agony as though it were being pulled into it, and it scrambled away on all fours as though it had really climbed back out of the hole. I had no idea how I had done it, but I could feel that somehow, I had awoken the Fuude's power. Kai later explained to me that he was a former member of the Order of the Lantern, and that the Fuude was one of the foremost magical implements they had used to combat what I now knew was the undead threat. Though the brush had indeed lost much of its power over the years, I vowed that I would carry on Kai's legacy as a Lantern, in order to restore the Fuude's power. And besides, the undead are wonderful inspiration for my work... there's nothing quite like them anywhere else in the world. In a strange way, I find them to be beautiful. I wonder if that makes me weird?
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Apr 23, 2015 07:47
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Randan Kulzik It's the worst street in town, it's so bad. But you don't have to walk it every day. Not like him, down there, walking his beat along the curves of Insecarno. Him? Who's him? A nobody. Just a cop. His name's Kulzik. Detective Lieutenant Randan Kulzik, and he's been on the force so long he looks like a 57-year-old potato in scale mail. He's forgotten at home, and he whistles along his beat just for the company, but he's a crumpled kind of hero to his wife. And his kids- don't ask about the kids. Just know that he's chosen a special kind of detail, one that puts him up against the very worst this dead city has to offer, and though he sometimes forgets why he bothers, he'll do the job when he has to. (Credit to the masters) (Fake edit: drat, everyone else chose Defenders? Well, it's late and this is the concept.)
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Apr 23, 2015 07:49
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 Phyl, Automated Soul Repository initiate greeting and sales protocol beta 7.2... Greetings, living of unidentified race! [we should really fix the greeting before we ship him out - m] I am called 2-Phylactery/Automatic Collector, although you may prefer to call me Phyl, as do many of the living. I am a magi-technological clockwork automaton designed to ease and assist the efforts of the brave living against the foul, evil, disgusting, bastard monstrous undead. [do you think we went too far with the hatred programming? - b] I was created in the Northward by my parents Boudicca and Maddock, whose automaton workshop is known across the land as being amongst the very best. [i still think it's creepy that you made it call us 'parents' - wouldn't 'creators' have worked better? - b] [no. no, it's better this way... - m] Many months of delicate and skilled craftsmanship have gone into my creation to ensure I am of extremely high quality and suitable for purpose. I would highly recommend you consider my services. A wide range of payment plans are available, and purchasing me today affords you access to discounts on other models from the B&M Workshop in the future! I have a wide range of capabilities that make me useful for your undead-hunting business. [i finally fixed the bug where he'd go into his bakery spiel... i don't think the Lanterns need to know about the kind of bagels he can make - b] My main purpose is the binding and capturing of monstrous ghosts, rogue undead, and other threats to the living. To this end, several captive monstrous undead were used in my creation. [just don't tell them where we got them from... - m] [you never told ME where you got those from! - b] I utilise these souls in order to negate the capabilities of targeted undead. While sufficient souls for full operation are included with my purchase, I am also capable of utilising any undead souls captured in the course of my duties. The phylactery embedded in the centre of my chest - which comes with a five-year warranty - is capable of keeping spirits and souls held securely for an indefinite period of time. At any time, you may release these spirits for any purpose you wish, although if desired I am capable of recycling them at any time. I also come with many secondary features. I am capable of lighting any dark area with my fully-adjustable, fuel-free lanterns. I do not require long periods of inactivity to recharge, and thus I am capable of acting as a sentry during rest periods. In addition, I come with knowledge of a wide range of subjects, and am capable of using captive undead to broaden this knowledge. I am made of thick, pure bronze and brass, and in combat you will find I am very difficult to destroy in all but the most exceptional of circumstances. we won't mention what happened to 1-P/AC... - b I would like to thank you for considering my purchase. If you have any queries or questions about my operation, simply give me a message and I will return it to my parents with due haste. Otherwise simply send 15,000 gold pieces - payable by coins or by notes - to the Courier Office in the Northward under the name Bouddica Babington or Maddock Babington and my services will become immediately available to you and your Order.
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Apr 23, 2015 14:11
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Sam Joko How do you kill a ghost? Oh, there's a lot of potential answers. "With a radiant weapon!" Oh, sure, possible, if dangerous. "By calling the guard!" Sometimes works. "I don't! Oh no! Hide me!" is the wisest answer. "Why would I kill another person? What are you, a lunatic?!" is the most common. But they're missing the important thing: you kill a ghost with a person trained to kill ghosts. One church has grown wise to the instability of the undead. The King of Endings, to be specific, who is rather cross at certain endings not happening. It doesn't help that half the time concerned relatives try to cover up the fact that dear old Johnny has become a horrible monster bent on feasting on the living. And so the Raven Hunters came to be established. Hardened assassins trained in both physical and social infiltration to ensure Things Come To A Proper End. Sam is just one of many to be left at a temple door as a child and raised to Kill The Hell Out Of Ghosts (and also follow other important religious rituals, but the ghost murder was the important bit). La’cane doesn't quite fit in all the time; his flock tends to be suspicious of even non-murderous ghosts, though officially He has declared them to be "mostly OK, but I'm watching you." He's been brought to the Keepers as part of an ancient agreement to keep both parties in each others' good graces; for the Keepers, it helps to have someone who knows Ghost Murder, and for the church, it helps to be invaluable enough not to face any serious social ramifications for disliking ghosts. Sam himself tends to be wry and mildly talkative; the Keepers are often a dour lot, so someone so readily social as Sam makes for a decent enough distraction, on top of acting as something of a diplomat for La’cane. He's also naturally acrobatic and silent as the dark, meaning he's rather good indeed at catching enemies offguard. Warlock|Executioner. Built for stealth, bluffing, acrobatics, and hurling myself across the map out of stealth to shank. ProfessorCirno fucked around with this message at 03:38 on Apr 25, 2015 |
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Apr 23, 2015 14:22
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 Eliza Mayweather, Spirit Medium Shaman/Invoker Invoker/Cleric “Animus? Oh, you can see him, too? He’s always been with me – In fact, I can’t remember a time without him.” Eliza began seeing ghosts at a very young age. The bumps in the night that frighten most children turned out to be far too tangible to be dreams. She was seven years old when she realized one of the ghosts frequented her home far more than the others. This apparition, Animus, was considered to be an ordinary imaginary friend by her parents. However, Eliza’s connection to the afterlife grew alongside her. Her early efforts to channel the dead were mostly dismissed as parlor tricks, but Eliza was a paranormal child prodigy. Grieving families crowded her home requesting séances, and skeptics from all over Orvanen carted in spirit cabinets. A few years went by before the more superstitious community members decided they had enough. Witch hunters began to frequent the Mayweathers’ property. Elliza’s parents decided the girl was too much trouble for her own good, and shipped her off to a boarding school in Tiren. Tiren welcomes magic-users, but Eliza creeped out her fellow classmates. The school was processing her expulsion when the Order of the Lantern intervened. She was tutored under their watch until she became a fully-fledged Lantern. “I don’t suppose you expect me to vomit ectoplasm.” Eliza now travels to aid or exorcise restless spirits. Her increasing grasp over paranormal energies also allows her to call spirits to aid allies and hinder foes. Nineteen-year-old Eliza has spent the past six months serving in Insecarno. Her parents said the dead were best left alone, but she prefers embracing her powers to being slowly driven mad by a lifetime of hauntings. “I’m not worried about borrowing a few moments of a spirit’s time. It’s the ones that refuse to return that frighten me.” Fey Beast: Animus, semi-corporeal amorphous apparition. Animus may not speak, but he often aids Eliza through other means. Spirit Companion: Various lesser spooks and spirits temporarily pulled from the Neitherworld Eliza appears to be a normal human in every way, but her eyes glow white and unknown winds stir her hair and clothing while she channels the dead. Equipment of note: Slate and chalk, tarot cards, Ouija board, wooden tops, silver spoons, paper, pens and inkwell, rubbing kit, and other paranormal ephemera. BetterWeirdthanDead fucked around with this message at 18:03 on Apr 23, 2015 |
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Apr 23, 2015 15:41
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Apps now closed. Whatever is on my latest reload is what's being considered. Mortify fucked around with this message at 03:55 on Apr 24, 2015 |
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Apr 24, 2015 01:52
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And finals are up in the OP. Party size upped to 6 because of the quality of the apps, and seriously thank everyone for your apps(!!); it was a lot harder to decide than I anticipated. I'll get the game thread up either tonight or tomorrow, depending on how it comes together.
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Apr 24, 2015 03:55
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Woo! There is a whole lot of Warlock in this party.
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Apr 24, 2015 04:33
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RPZip posted:Woo! Yeah, and a whole lot of melee. I'm fine with both these choices!
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Apr 24, 2015 04:48
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Mortify posted:Yeah, and a whole lot of melee. I'm fine with both these choices! Haha, me too. I was just looking up the rules for how multiple Warlocks work, since I'd never seen it before. This looks like a fun party and I'm excited.
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Apr 24, 2015 04:55
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So just to be 100%, you are picking the Defender version of Raymond?
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Apr 24, 2015 05:23
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Looks like there are two shields besides me already, but if anyone else can equip one feel free because phalanx soldier. don't, like, cripple your build for one though, its just +1 ac to me Also yeah interesting party, no controllers but a lot of controllerish abilities Shark Mafia fucked around with this message at 05:48 on Apr 24, 2015 |
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Apr 24, 2015 05:40
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Moriatti posted:So just to be 100%, you are picking the Defender version of Raymond? I thought the group could use a solid Defender role, since RPZip is only Defender-y. The Controller role would also work if you aren't up for the Defender role. Shark Mafia posted:Looks like there are two shields besides me already, but if anyone else can equip one feel free because phalanx soldier. don't, like, cripple your build for one though, its just +1 ac to me I've done weirder parties overall, so I'm optimistic. I think we can make it work. Mortify fucked around with this message at 05:51 on Apr 24, 2015 |
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Apr 24, 2015 05:47
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Yeah im excited because I've not really done much warpriest before and certainly never had cause to use death domain. It's cool, big emphasis on THP and automatic damage.
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Apr 24, 2015 05:50
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Mortify posted:I thought the group could use a solid Defender role, since RPZip is only Defender-y. The Controller role would also work if you aren't up for the Defender role.
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Apr 24, 2015 05:54
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