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 music  The year is 2397 CV, and Ivalice once again plunges into chaos. Reeling from an Ordallian invasion, Ivalice stands like a powder keg ready to explode. A great famine has struck its populace, nobles plot and contest over every acre of land, and The Black Queen sits upon her throne- commiting atrocity after atrocity in the name of restoring order to her name. That is, until the dragonborn Duke Golan Atkascha rebels from his island duchy of Romanda. Many other liege-lords follow suit thereafter, and soon the entire country finds itself engulfed in a civil war that will pit father against son, and brother against sister. As if that weren't enough, the Grand Crusader Jacqueline Oaks has declared an inquisition for the Church of Bahamut to root out the corruption that they proclaim has spread throughout the land. Seeing a great opportunity, the nation of Ordallia looks westward with ever-hungry eyes, and now only two questions remain... Will Ivalice survive the oncoming storm? and Which side are you on? The Black Queen's Top Agents  You are the Black Queen's left hand agents. You are an expert in subterfuge and intrigue, as well as having influence on the most powerful person in the country. Will you give up your conscience in the pursuit of power and order? Or will you risk everything to bend the will of a tyrannical ruler? Usurper King Golan's Royal Guardsmen  You are the most esteemed commanders of the Duke Golan Atkascha. You are skilled in the ways of tactics and battle, as well as being a force for great change in a society that desperately needs it. Are you willing to make larger sacrifices for the greater good? Or is this an allegiance made solely for personal political power? High Inquisitors of the Church of Bahamut  In a time of great turmoil and strife, you're a beacon of light in a wave of oncoming darkness. You are a neutral party in a game of politics and intrigue, as well as being the person people turn to in times of great crisis. Are you willing to do what it takes to root out the corrupt and the decadent? Or will your inquisition change you into the very evil you seek to destroy? -----------------------  I'm going to be recruiting 4-6 players to politic and intrigue their way through a civil war. I don't want your decision on who you want to work for to exclude you from playing, so be sure to put in order which side you would like to play for- and mention any changes that might need to be made should you not get your top pick. Combat is going to be somewhat sparse, so expect level ups every two battles, and action points after every battle unless I state otherwise. This game is pretty much going to be a loveletter to Final Fantasy Tactics/Tactics Ogre (and through the transitive property, Queen), but knowledge of either game isn't a prerequisite for playing!  Ivalice but with 4e flavoring. I'm going to leave a lot of blanks as to how all the different 4e races fit in, but for the most part Humans are the ones that hold majority power. This doesn't mean that your character can't be a minotaur count or w/e, just be sure to keep that in mind when coming up with a backstory for your githzerai duke. Here's a map of the world. Everything west of Sal'Ghidos Trade City is within the nation's borders. Feel free to (re)define what life in each city is like and make it more personalized to your character, I'm not too concerned about maintaining canon or w/e.  Here is a Ducal map of Ivalice. Six of the seven duchies are on this map (the seventh being Romanda). Lesalia belongs to the Black Queen, but the other five are totally up for grabs if you want to describe who rules them (or if you want your character to be part of a family that rules them). Feel free to go hog wild with describing what life is like and how the different 4e races fit into everyday life.  I mean technically they're counties and like, three of them together would be a duchy. But w/e I won't tell anyone if you won't  -Game will be Play by Post -Level 1, 100 gp -All Backgrounds are A-OK as well as Themes. -Inherent Bonuses on -Give yourself 3 extra feats. -No Dragonmarks -Post your character sheet on Orokos and link it here. -Feel free to reflavor as much as you want. -Please post frequently, even if it's a one-liner about your character doing nothing (or you saying that you're too busy to post atm). -I'm gonna warn you that i'm fairly inexperienced when it comes to running 4e on forums. I'll probably make a few mistakes along the way, but I plan to see this game to its conclusion. -Go ham with world building in your applications & in-game. -Seriously,   -What Month & Day were you born? What is your zodiac sign? -Who is somebody important to you that has betrayed you? -Why do you pledge your allegiance to your liege? -What do you value more, loyalty or morality? -What is the greatest thing you've sacrificed to get to where you are? -Who is your greatest enemy? Who is your greatest ally? Recruitment will be open until Sunday, June 26th. Applicants: pre:Player Character Class Role Desired Allegiance Look Around You Aseir Jassan Cleric Leader The Inquisition Manic_Misanthrope Cachinno the Fool Bard Leader Duke Golan Atkascha Doomykins Nina the Burned Samurai (Paladin) Defender The Black Queen Werewhale Sir Mord Fighter Defender The Black Queen TheArchimage Bandam Gaul Swordvenger Striker/Defender Duke Golan Atkascha / The Inquisition Melchiresa Miri Tallstag Warlock Striker The Black Queen Mr. Misfit Alek Di'Vagantos Slayer Striker Duke Golan Atkascha ArkInBlack Orbei Goro Barbarian Striker The Inquisition Klingon w Bowl Cut Keira Fovoham Rogue Striker Duke Golan Atkascha Sockerbagarn Zarafae Quavein Avenger Striker The Black Queen slydingdoor Ander Jekil Mage Controller The Black Queen Unknown Quantity Siegmund Razinov Psion Controller The Inquisition Wahad Priestess Valna Invoker Controller The Inquisition / All Arrrthritis fucked around with this message at 20:28 on Jun 26, 2016 |
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Jun 19, 2016 23:38
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I'm interested. I'll see if I can put together an application.
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Jun 20, 2016 06:43
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I loved the Ogre games back in the day. I even played TO in Japanese, which I didn't/don't understand at all! And some of the crazy FFT hacks. So I just have to app.  Ander Jekil Someone else has a song so here's hers (and Deneb's) I'm a swamp witch who was recruited to do some war magic by the wise generals who recognized my power in another time and space. Zenobia, if you must know. I was rivals with another beautiful witch and in one of our duels we clashed zodiac spells and opened up a magical worm hole. We saw all sorts of trippy nonsense all spinning around... doors with no walls that opened up to other worlds, a spiky headed blonde hunk with a big sword, another blonde hunk with a gun–both very overcompensating choices of weapons if you ask me–a white mustached man in a brown coat and hat with a cane next to a lantern, some young brats falling into a magic book, and some teenagers, a bullywug, a woman in furs, and a robot in some kind of UFO. I think half of us ended up in this new land, Ivalice. So I just looked around for the most powerful and pragmatic woman around to work for until I can find a way back or fall in love with this land and realize I want to stay or whatever. Probably after conquering it or finding something else to fight Deneb over. Hopefully one of those hunks. Not all the books I read are for magic, some are just for fun, okay? And wouldn't you know, whatever faction I joined she just had to join another one! We'll have that pumpkin battle yet, as soon as I find her, and some more pumpkinheads. [She will consider the rest of the party her pumpkins.] -What Month & Day were you born? What is your zodiac sign? October 31st, Scorpio. The smart sexy vengeful loner types. [Halloween was too obvious not to pick. It's also my birthday irl.] -Who is somebody important to you that has betrayed you? The Witch Deneb wagered the next level of power in exchange for winning a zodiac pumpkin battle. I rounded some up but she's taken off and joined another faction since we ended up here, so I'm going to find her and deliver them in my idiom. We're frenemies who go way back. Don't tell her she's important to me or I'll turn you into a newt. A brown, crispy, and delicious newt. -Why do you pledge your allegiance to your liege? She's my kind of woman, knows that swift punishment is the only way anyone learns not to mess with you. The only right time is now, drought or not you know. I'd never switch on her especially to that faction that Deneb is part of. The such and suches. Of course, I'd finish the job the Queen started if something were to happen to her too, anything to rub it in... [I can change this to suit the inquisition easily, the rebellion only if necessary.] -What do you value more, loyalty or morality? Loyalty! Morals are just selfish delusions used to con the naive. Stand with your people no matter what, and realize that one lifetime is too short for traitors to redeem themselves. They don't have a future, and neither will you if you let them keep backstabbing you. -What is the greatest thing you've sacrificed to get to where you are? Back in Zenobia my family were against magic and against the rebellion I joined. We disowned each other and met on the field of battle. I won. I was right. Then there's sacrificing my whole life on Zenobia to get to where I am now, and I didn't even know that's what was gonna happen. I had to start all over from the beginning proving myself useful to a great leader, blowing up some enemies, rising through the ranks, blowing up some idiots who didn't belong in the higher ranks, et cetera. I'm going to have to collaborate with Deneb on that eternal youth spell to get that time back at this rate. That's gonna be part of the terms of our Ivalice contest: she's going to work with me, not the other way around! -Who is your greatest enemy? Sycophants. They say "ohh, be my master" but just try shaking them off, they'll show you how all they really care about is how far they can get riding on your back. You can never rise up past your rivals if all you care about is some brat who's just going to try to take you on once their head swells enough that they think they've outgrown you. Seen. It. Happen. Who is your greatest ally? A good rival (Deneb  ). Make it a race and neither of you will slow down. You don't have to cheat, maim or kill, because whoever wins, you both just really want to go at it again. Being the best can get boring after a while otherwise.
slydingdoor fucked around with this message at 07:58 on Jun 26, 2016 |
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Jun 20, 2016 08:57
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Oh hell yeah. FF/TO, 4e, and politics? I am hella in.
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Jun 20, 2016 09:50
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This sounds awesome. Will put together a character/sheet/application within the week =) Edit: Frack. Whenever starting up the Character Builder, I get a "Silverlight Script Error". Is there another way to create a sufficient character sheet for Orokos? Mr.Misfit fucked around with this message at 12:50 on Jun 20, 2016 |
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Jun 20, 2016 11:31
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I wanna play too! I'll have a guy ready shortly.
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Jun 20, 2016 12:35
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I know about FF, not a lot about TO, but this sounds right up my alley. Expect a Psion (flavored as being incredibly influential, possibly) here. Granted I also don't actually have access to CBLoader due to being on OSX, but I'm sure stuff can be worked out.
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Jun 20, 2016 13:06
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Mr.Misfit posted:Edit: Frack. Whenever starting up the Character Builder, I get a "Silverlight Script Error". Is there Yeah I'm one of those heathens who doesn't use the CB, but I have a 4e sheet saved on Google drive somewhere. Would that be adequate?
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Jun 20, 2016 13:13
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P.d0t posted:Yeah I'm one of those heathens who doesn't use the CB, but I have a 4e sheet saved on Google drive somewhere. Yeah! If you can't get the silverlight characterbuilder or cbloader to work it's fine if you make your own sheet to post on the forums. Arrrthritis fucked around with this message at 15:51 on Jun 20, 2016 |
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Jun 20, 2016 13:19
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P.d0t posted:Yeah I'm one of those heathens who doesn't use the CB, but I have a 4e sheet saved on Google drive somewhere. I'm trying to use the spreadsheet generator myself and it's a nightmare. Trying to get something as simple as my choice of racial skill bonus is a huge hassle. I might just list all the things I want to do and then just work from there. Somehow. People have made do doing 4e stuff manually before.
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Jun 20, 2016 14:00
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P.d0t posted:Yeah I'm one of those heathens who doesn't use the CB, but I have a 4e sheet saved on Google drive somewhere. Can you upload or PM that one for us unfortunates?
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Jun 20, 2016 14:09
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I am interested, I always wanted to play a 4th edition game 
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Jun 20, 2016 14:41
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Yesssss. I must app to this, Ogre Battle loving owns and so does 4th Edition. I'll probably make a Paladin.
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Jun 20, 2016 14:58
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Well, I love 4e and I like Ogre Battle, so this seems like a no-brainer.
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Jun 20, 2016 15:00
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Well I know nothing about FFT or TO, but I'm very interested in this.
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Jun 20, 2016 16:03
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Mr.Misfit posted:Can you upload or PM that one for us unfortunates? Here's the one I have saved: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1v9bKLMPWNAZ-KTkmBqXleNJMNW09dGr12XEArDfExvs You gotta do a bunch of the work by hand, but as long as you understand how 4e does its math (and you have books on-hand), that's no biggie.
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Jun 20, 2016 16:56
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This is great! I'll have to see if my copy of the CB still works.
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Jun 20, 2016 18:56
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 Nina the Burned, Paladin Inquisitor Class: Samurai (Draw Out/White Magic) Music (I could give this a rewrite to tighten it up if you have specifics about following the Black Queen, her religious allegiances, etc. Also I promise I wouldn't murder any Rebel characters on sight!) Born in Gollund to a nobleman accused of conspiring with Ordallians in war profiteering and intelligence, Nina Radcliffe's only inheritance was given to her early as a pre-teen: a life on the streets and endless scorn for her name. Her family was scattered and each day she clung to the arm of her older brother, Albert. Desperate to survive as food grew scarcer the two began stealing, living as pickpockets. One day Nina would lift from a man able to keep up with her and she would be caught, her brother dragged into things as he drew a blade to defend her. Instead of a premature end to the story, the two received the next chapter: they were amateurish, foolish. Independent. They could be taught to work together, to work with others towards a common cause with proper training and discipline. Real profit, stability. Recruitment into starting busywork for a real crime ring. The two accepted immediately. Over the next few years things would go as promised. The two would be kept fed, if a bit thin and would be taught many things, including a few practical skills to remain useful when things got too hot. Cursed with flat feet but bright and attentive, Nina would become an errand girl and lookout as Albert grew to be a tall, nimble boy and a gifted thief. When the Black Queen's gaze fell upon forcing law onto lawless streets to restore the purity of her image, it was good for business to vanish. Once things looked good for awhile it was back to work and wouldn't you know it, all that extra attention from the crown demanded a lot of money. Coin needed to make the guard look imposing in their new armor, to put an appointed official in a new office, to remind a few fence sitting officials where their allegiance lies. It was decided that so much coin was too tempting to ignore but only the best could attempt it. Or so Nina and Albert were told, boosting their confidence so that they would agree to help one of their superiors, William. Breaking into the sealed wing of a mansion and finding the treasure house sounded a tall order. But with Nina keeping watch and two talented thieves able to flee at the first sign of danger, surely there would be little real risk. When Albert and William returned with blood on their hands, it was already too late. They could not get far before they were surrounded. Separated. Nina would end up alone and in chains, barely able to understand the enormity of what happened. She was accused of a multitude of crimes! Murder, betrayal, espionage, sedition. A member of a rebel cell! Only a teenager and not directly witnessed as part of any of it, Nina was imprisoned to "correct her character" and never saw Albert or William again. What should have destroyed Nina filled her with purpose. Under 24/7 watch in Lesalia she was relentlessly pressed for any evidence of wrong-doing, for any ties to outside powers. She was taught the glory of Bahamut and then the Black Queen, of the righteousness of royalty and the need for security and order. Instead of becoming hollow Nina became driven and zealously pushed to prove that she was not her father's daughter but an independent agent worthy of service. After many hard years and exemplary conduct she was given the chance to serve as a squire. Excelling at that she was elevated to knighthood. The rest is recent history. Nina the Burned is a driven Royal Inquisitor who annihilates treachery where she finds it and maintains the holy law and order that blesses the land under the Black Queen's merciful hand. There is no job beneath her and no atmosphere she fears, no organization outside the law with the power to intimidate her. She is utterly devoted to her monarch for what she feels is an impossible second chance at life, that anyone can save themselves from any miserable station in life so long as they work hard enough. Nina feels relief every day that sins as heavy as hers were forgiven and strives to prove herself excellent in all ways. In combat Nina brandishes multiple aspects of a fated blade, smothering her enemies in screaming ash and smog before hobbling them in righteous fire, so that they may learn of their sins. She carries her own in burn scars along her arms and legs, when they were made physical. Despite her appearance in combat Nina is a tall, muscular 25 year old woman with an unhealthy obsession with smithing processes and famous blades hidden under a dull face. She is widely known in the barracks for her plodding manner in spars until angered at which point she is more charitably compared to a grizzly. Her polite countenance pairs well with competence and punctuality in impressing superiors but she is hopelessly straight edge and always the odd one out. -What Month & Day were you born? What is your zodiac sign? May 13th, under the sign of Taurus. -Who is somebody important to you that has betrayed you? Her old family in the guild lied to her from the start and anything she felt for them has long been locked behind an invincible iron door. -Why do you pledge your allegiance to your liege? The Black Queen has given Nina as much as the gift of a second life, precious beyond all value to those who should only live through the one. -What do you value more, loyalty or morality? Loyalty, for morality crumbles when loyalty is abandoned. -What is the greatest thing you've sacrificed to get to where you are? Her loving brother Albert's care is the one thing she misses. -Who is your greatest enemy? Who is your greatest ally? My greatest enemy is the rebel, incapable of gratitude and scheming enemy of all life. If he can be taught, he can be saved. If not he has forgotten his humanity and forfeits it. (OOC: A meta answer would be William, but IC he only exists as a memory to her.) My greatest ally is the Crown for it has made me as strong as it is and has done so honestly. Doomykins fucked around with this message at 16:13 on Jun 27, 2016 |
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Jun 20, 2016 20:57
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Deacon Siegmund Razinov of the Church of Bahamut Sheet "High on high I stand as I look down at the endless garden..." As the war rages on and the storms of conflict rage ever onward, it is the job of rational-thinking individuals such as myself to appeal to the goodness within everyone, as given to them by Bahamut, whether they accept it or not. Faith is the pillar against which several brace against in times of hardship, and it is faith taht will see this war end without obliteration. As an arbiter of the faith, it is my duty to cast out those who would twist or deny the teachings of Bahamut, using the gifts that He has provided me. Although I do not agree with every aspect of this inquisition, such as the excommunication of those who choose to follow one of Bahamut's allies without putting Him first, it is not my place to question or interpret the scripture. My 'job' is to enforce the laws laid down by the scripture, educate those who do not yet know of Bahamut's greatness, and to spread the seeds of rationality while rooting out the seeds of hatred and war. To that end, I have been given several copies of the scriptures to give to those who need them, a blessing by High Confessor Cromwell of the Lionel branch of the Church of Bahamut, and leave from my chapel in Zaland. It seems I was chosen both due to my proven loyalty to the faith and the proximity to the main cathedral of the faith. As was told to me by the High Confessor, I am to begin with the dangers closest to home as they are the most likely to reach into the clergy and destroy it. Once all corruption has been thoroughly stamped out of Lionel, I am to travel east to west, from Limberry to Gallione, sweeping out evil wherever I find it. quote:What Month & Day were you born? What is your zodiac sign? quote:Who is somebody important to you that has betrayed you? I found my answer as I hit the cusp of adulthood. One night, as I was working late cleaning up after services (someone fell ill and made a mess of the pews), I noticed that the donation box was missing its lock. I opened the box only to find that it had been robbed of every coin. Ordinarily a cardinal would visit the chapels each week to collect any donations, but this was three days early. I looked for Father Lloyd, he was not in his chambers, nor anywhere else in the church. Worried that someone had stolen away both with him and the money, I set out searching for him. As I kept asking around, I got pointed deeper and deeper downtown, into previously untraveled territory. It turns out, Father Lloyd was as happy a man as he was because he indulged in certain substances, and was using the donations to fuel his habit. He was found guilty of theft and sentenced to life imprisonment. With the last words in his appeal, he painted me as an accomplice. That statement ruined my social life and the reputation of both the chapel and the Zaland branch of the faith, and all to avoid being the only one to blame. It took years for the investigations to prove my innocence, and until then I had to deal with being shunned by the religious community and the occasional stone thrown through the chapel windows. I will not forgive him, and neither will Bahamut. quote:Why do you pledge your allegiance to your liege? quote:What do you value more, loyalty or morality? quote:What is the greatest thing you've sacrificed to get to where you are? quote:Who is your greatest enemy? Who is your greatest ally? As for allies... There is a childhood friend of mine, a lady knight by the name of Catherine, and a heathen by today's standards, but the only mortal I would trust with my life. In spite of her small frame, she took up the spear for want of a title and fame that would transcend their low-born heritage. When I went to confront Father Lloyd and reveal his loathsome practices, she was there at my side to protect me. I offered her the possibility of working with the church as a Paladin, but she told me that she did not want The King of the Dragons "taking all the credit" for any victories she achieved, especially when they were so quick to believe a liar and a thief. A more rigid priest would take this as denying the faith. I, however, see it more reasonably: she has seen a dark side of the church, and is leery of it, as she has every right to be. There will inevitably come a time where her strength alone will not achieve her goals. When the time comes, Bahamut will reach out and offer His assistance, and it is then that she will see the proverbial light. Until then, anything she achieves she can rightfully claim as her own, and I will applaud the effort. Unknown Quantity fucked around with this message at 16:25 on Dec 11, 2016 |
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Jun 20, 2016 21:23
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I'm interested in this. I'll have to see if my copy of the CB is still working.
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Jun 20, 2016 22:28
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Definitely interested in this. I'll be putting together a character tonight probably.
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Jun 20, 2016 23:08
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I updated the OP with a list of applicants. If I got your desired allegiance wrong (or if you have multiple desired allegiances/campaign preferences) let me know either via PM or itt and i'll correct it. e: If you have no preference either way i'll put you under mercenary. Arrrthritis fucked around with this message at 23:37 on Jun 20, 2016 |
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Jun 20, 2016 23:29
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 Sir Mord "The world is cruel. I will be cruel right back." Sir Mord is the bastard son of the late Sir Ywen Lionel, younger brother of the late Duke Eryk Lionel, and a half-orcish camp follower, Bree, conceived on the eve of some battle 22 years ago. Even though he took after his mother, Sir Ywen, long considered the black sheep of the Lionel family, acknowledged the child as his issue and took him and the mother into his household. Sir Ywen died when Mord was nine and all his assets were absorbed by Duke Lionel's house, and although he was allowed to stay in the house himself, Mord's inheritance was to be kept in the Duke's trust until he became and adult, and his lowborn mother was banished. Mord received some education entitled to the highborn, such as etiquette and warfare, but was bullied by the other children and sneered at by courtiers for his unsightly appearance and illegitimacy. He quickly developed anger issues, further estranging him from high society, as well as the staff, which had until then been sympathetic. Mord's one redeeming feature was his ferocious fighting ability, and when he grew tall and powerful, he began to turn the tables on his bullies, learning to keep them in check using violence and threats of the same. For a while he squired under a Lionelese knight, Sir Geordan, during the war against Ordallia, but was considered unruly and disobedient. It was only through pressure from Duke Lionel that Mord was knighted, with Sir Geordan later remarking that Mord would 'be a black stain on the institution of knighthood'. By now Sir Mord was nearing twenty, and wondered when he would receive the inheritance promised to him, but Duke Lionel had passed away and been succeeded by his son, Arran Lionel, who told Sir Mord in no uncertain terms that he would never hand over a single copper coin to a bastard like him. Sir Mord left the house in fury to seek his fortunes as a mercenary, hoping to one day have the power to take back what's his by right, and more. That's where he comes into the employ of his new liege... quote:The Black Queen quote:Duke Golan quote:The Inquisition -What Month & Day were you born? What is your zodiac sign? July 29th, under the sign of Leo -Who is somebody important to you that has betrayed you? Duke Arran Lionel betrayed me when he seized my inheritance. -Why do you pledge your allegiance to your liege? For as long as I can remember, everyone has shown me contempt and disrespect just for being born the way I was. In my first meeting with my liege, having shown my worth, I was shown respect, and judged on my merits, not my birth. This earned my love and unquestioning loyalty. -What do you value more, loyalty or morality? Loyalty. Without loyalty, morality is meaningless. -What is the greatest thing you've sacrificed to get to where you are? My mother. It wasn't really my decision, but I never went after her, either. I don't know if I hope to find her some day, or hope that she will never see what I have become. -Who is your greatest enemy? Who is your greatest ally? My greatest enemy is Duke Arran Lionel. He bullied me as a child, and he bullies me now. My greatest ally is my liege. And Sir Kalvan, a friend I made while selling my swords. He's a fifth son of a fifth son, so practically as much of a bastard as I am. EDIT 15.7: Combat block!  pre:
Werewhale fucked around with this message at 17:51 on Jul 15, 2016 |
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Jun 20, 2016 23:58
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 Aseir Jassan Half-Elf Cleric of the Inquisitors of Bahamut CHARACTER SHEET I was born to a woman I know not, and it is likely I shall never know her. I was abandoned at birth on the steps of the Roal Church of Bahamut in Lesalia. It's not something I'm proud of--in fact, it's my biggest shame, for if my own mother would not want me, who would? I was raised by the Church in an orphanage. We got a good education, both in secular matters and, of course, in spiritual ones as well. At 16, we were offered a choice: leave the orphanage and peruse a normal, secular life, with a great head start due to the superb education we received, or join the church. I chose the latter. I figured I needed some structure. I slipped and fell a few times, sneaking out and getting drunk, enjoying worldly pleasures. I questioned my resolve, but my brothers and sisters helped me keep on the right path. They offered a choice again before we accepted our vestments, and again I stayed, this time with full certainty. I stayed because I thought I found the answer, that if no one else, Bahamut wanted me. Bahamut and my brothers and sisters. Initially I preached with my brothers and sisters that I came out of seminary with, but with all of the unrest, and from everything I'd learned, no good member of Bahamut's church could sit by and watch all of this corruption. It goes against everything we believe, everything we stand for. Initially I tried to ignore it, but once they started dragging people out of my mass to arrest them, I knew I simply couldn't passively watch it. I steeled myself and joined the Inquisitors. They taught me to harness Bahamut's power, to heal and to bolster resolve. They taught me to fight too, should I ever need it. I still don't know what I'm going into, but I do know that we must make this land one fit for Bahamut, and we must do it now. --- Story alterations to fit other factions: Black Queen: The queen maintains tremendous influence over the church even as her control over the country slips. A priest from the Church of Bahamut makes the perfect agent; no one expects someone (supposedly) actively working against corruption to be one. Aseir finds himself loyal to the crown through his good Duke Golan Atkascha: After preaching for a couple years, Aseir noticed more and more of his parishioners coming in seeking refuge from the queen. He tried to turn a blind eye to it, to only worry about the affairs of faith, and not of the world. All of this changed the one Sunday morning about 3 months ago, when a group of the queen's secret polices stormed into his church in the middle of his celebration of mass, dragged out two entire families and beheaded them in the square right outside the church. Aseir knew he couldn't let this injustice stand and asked to be given leave of his official position in order to bring justice to the world. He managed to persuade his immediate superior to let him attach as a "religious consultant" to the Duke's army. There, he quickly proved his prowess both with spear and with spell in skirmishes with the queen's forces, impressing enough that he ended up in the Royal Guard. --- -What Month & Day were you born? What is your zodiac sign? 10/8 - Libra -Who is somebody important to you that has betrayed you? My mother; I was abandoned at birth and raised by the Church. I've resented this woman my entire life, though secretly I'd rather get to know her than hold a grudge. I wish I knew why. Am I the bastard son of a noble and an elf? Were my parents destitute and unable to afford to raise me? Did they just not want me? Any answer would be better than none; I just want closure. Until then, I have the Church. -Why do you pledge your allegiance to your liege? The Church is all I've ever known. It is my sun and moon, my earth and sky, my everything. I know in my heart it can do no wrong. They've been loyal to me in raising me my entire life, I owe it my loyalty even more. There is great corruption outside of the church, outside of it's safe walls, and it must be cleansed. -What do you value more, loyalty or morality? Loyalty--I am where I am today due to the loyalty and generosity of my brothers and sisters in faith. -What is the greatest thing you've sacrificed to get to where you are? An outside life. I was offered many opportunities to leave the Church, to lead a "normal" life as most of my friends growing up in the orphanage did, and I rejected them all. The church is all I've known, but it's also the only thing I see worth knowing. The way I see it, all things secular seem pointless; why live if not for a higher purpose? -Who is your greatest enemy? Who is your greatest ally? Inquisition: My greatest enemy is the corrupt noble. Both sides are at fault in this, and only a neutral arbiter can bring things back to order. Black Queen: My greatest enemy is Bishop Earling. He caught me and Yuril once and threatened to have us kicked out of the church. He's the reason we're on separate assignments and haven't seen each other in a little while... Duke Golan: The queen is my greatest enemy. She had members of my congregation executed on the very steps of my church! How could one not hate that kind of evil? My greatest ally is the collective brotherhood of priests... though there is one in particular I can always count on--Lera Delan. We grew up together in the orphanage and both decided to devote our lives to the church. We've always been fond of each other too. Perhaps someday... Fake edit: I'll be writing up my actual character sheet tonight, it'll be up either tonight or tomorrow most likely Real edit: I run a mac and 1) couldn't find a good program to generate a character that runs on my computer and 2) was having some issues finding a fillable PDF so I went old school and paper and penciled it. I'll admit that I... don't have the best handwriting in the world though. If there's a problem with any of it I'll redouble my efforts to get a decent PDF, but I wanted to get my character up ASAP. Let me know if there's any problems or if you can't read something! E2: I transferred the sheets into the PDF linked down the thread, but I'm going to keep the old page 1 and E3: Jiggled stats a bit: UPDATED CHARACTER SHEET E4: Added alternate backstories E5: Changed feats on char sheet and also stats block! E6: Level 2 woo! pre:
Look Around You fucked around with this message at 21:47 on Jul 19, 2016 |
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Jun 21, 2016 00:04
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Making some sort of Barbarian for this, a Goliath Werebear, perhaps? Gonna go Bearserk, or something.
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Jun 21, 2016 03:27
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 Miri Tallstag - Star Pact Warlock Character Sheet I am Lady Miri of House Tallstag. One can say I've led a rather charmed life. My house is one of the oldest in the land. Each of us serves the family and our queen with honor - as diplomats, officers, any number of positions one can imagine. Dare I say I am proud to be who I am? My house has enjoyed power, wealth, and all the benefits that come with our station - our rewards for our ambition, and determination. Ages ago, in a time long forgotten, our proud family came under attack. We faced utter annihilation. That eve, as the family prayed to whomever would save us, a blind crone appeared to us. She promised us - enter into a pact, uphold our end of the deal, and our family would know security and power. All she asked was to allow her access to our world. We weren't exactly in a position to ask questions - our options were limited to tasking a risk on this crone's bargain and possibly benefit, or face certain doom. It was a simple choice. The battle was a rout - our enemies couldn't anticipate what we could do to them. We could perform magic like no one had ever seen before! The crone returned the following dawn - she came to "collect" on her bargain. Her terms were simple - every generation, one of us would be blessed with the powers used in the battle. We would gain access to knowledge not of this world, to us at our leisure. Our price? Eventually, our minds would deteriorate. Faster than normal. We accepted. It goes without saying that amongst the children in this house, it's rather stiff competition to be chosen. Although nobody knows how the crone chooses, we all hope to be ambitious enough, brave enough, clever enough...whatever it is that makes us the chosen one. At least I did. I secretly hoped I would be chosen - I quietly plotted how I would use my powers, how I would bring glory to the land and our family. My eldest brother, Marc, could not have been more disinterested - much to my surprise. He had a commission awaiting him in the Queen's army - but why he would not want otherworldly advantages in battle that were rightfully ours was beyond me. My youngest brother, Mikal, tried to curry favor so desperately that it must have been off-putting. His rage when the crone's message was delivered...it was fearsome. He stormed through our halls and cursed us all. The evening after I received my gifts, I awoke with Mikal's hands round my throat. All he could do was whisper "why did it have to be you?" All went black after that moment. He must have thought me dead - as I surely thought I was. I awoke the next morning to unusual silence. I tried to call out for anyone, but couldn't - probably from the crushing I had received the night before. I pushed open all the chamber doors I could see. All I was greeted with was scenes I could not have dreamed - Mother and Father deathly pale, their bedclothes covered in blood and their chests making the shallowest of movements. Marc was there, trying to soothe them. He looked at me, wild-eyed, and simply said "it was Mikal." All I could manage was a croak. Marc began to pace frantically. In so many words, he told me Mikal had tried to murder us all (I couldn't tell him I was plainly aware of this) and fled to the Usurper King's camps. Marc waved a note in Mikal's writing, which stated that this was only the beginning of a new era of nobility. Soon no queen would be able to save us, and he'd have what was his. Now, more than ever, we need a true ruler to maintain order. I know what I must do. quote:What Month & Day were you born? What is your zodiac sign? quote:Who is somebody important to you that has betrayed you? quote:Why do you pledge your allegiance to your liege? Duke Golan: Mikal has turned over our family secrets to the Queen - about our gifts, and swears we have made deals with demons and fiends. Sooner or later, her men will come for us. If I intend to save my family, I must do whatever I can to remove her from power. This Duke is my best option. The Inquisition: After the incident with my brother, I saw how wholly the desire for power corrupts. I refuse to play a part in these games anymore. The people deserve rulers who are driven by more than glory and power. quote:What do you value more, loyalty or morality? quote:What is the greatest thing you've sacrificed to get to where you are? quote:Who is your greatest enemy? Who is your greatest ally? Duke Golan: My brother, Mikal. He has put our entire family at risk because of his selfishness, and is using this mad dog of a queen to get what he wants. Both of them must be put down - for everyone's safety. The Inquisition: All of those in power. None of their power was gained by just means, and none of it is used to better society. We must start anew. My greatest ally is my brother Marc. He rejected his commission in order to stay in our family home, to protect our parents and our home. Marc and I have always understood each other, in the way only a brother and a sister can. He understands how important the bonds of family are. My top choice is the Black Queen - if need be, I can adjust for wherever she ends up Edit: Touched up a couple things on my character sheet, edited in some alternate background material Melchiresa fucked around with this message at 23:58 on Jun 26, 2016 |
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Jun 21, 2016 05:21
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Look Around You posted:Real edit: I run a mac and 1) couldn't find a good program to generate a character that runs on my computer and 2) was having some issues finding a fillable PDF so I went old school and paper and penciled it. I'll admit that I... don't have the best handwriting in the world though. If there's a problem with any of it I'll redouble my efforts to get a decent PDF, but I wanted to get my character up ASAP. Let me know if there's any problems or if you can't read something! Yo fellow mac-user, I got you covered. Just click here and scroll down a bit and they've got a fillable PDF. I ended up exporting both pages as PNGs but that was just so I wouldn't have multiple PDFs of level snapshots cluttering things.
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Jun 21, 2016 06:22
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A small correction: Sir Mord's class is Fighter, so he's a Defender, not a Striker. He is a Strikery Defender, though. And my first faction pick would be the Black Queen.
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Jun 21, 2016 10:34
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Werewhale posted:A small correction: Sir Mord's class is Fighter, so he's a Defender, not a Striker. He is a Strikery Defender, though. And my first faction pick would be the Black Queen. My bad- I should have everything fixed now. Thanks for the clarification!
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Jun 21, 2016 11:03
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Hrm, anyone got a character builder I can use. My DDI account is defunct and they aren't taking new subscriptions. Probably going to make a bard or an Artificer for the FFT chemist
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Jun 21, 2016 12:15
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Sir Alek Di´Vagantos Character Sheet  Background Born as the only child of the Knight Errol Di´Vagantos and the Lady Cantessa Di´Vagantos (née Morillona), a poor knight with but a small estate and household whose luck and ability in previous undertakings gained him both title and land and the hand of a lady of one of the small merchant houses near Port Moldora. Despite little to their name, Aleks childhood was one of those small idyls you´d only think to find in books and stories of the past. A wild child at heart, he was ever-curious and would love to stroll on the outdoors, whether exploring the full range of the estate, or the surroundings forests. Due to their low status among knights and others, he quickly found friends among those of lesser status from around the estate, be it the servants children or those from the street. And while it surely wasn´t the easiest life, it wasn´t one full of hardships. That is, until his mother died from a tragic accident, when she fell from a window, breaking her neck. His father, on the other hand, would often train the boy, take him with on missions and into the field, attempting to make a squire out of the boy. And while he had talent for war, a talent for etiquette was a far dream. Only later on, after his fathers death, he would find glory in suppressing revolts and rising in noble status. On one such day, a mere 4 years ago, in 2393 CB, a dark rumour came to be spread about the then current Madame Di´Vagantos, the young Jessabelle, a mere 23 summers old, but highly intelligent, a Lady of a lesser status from the royal court, wed into the family but 7 years ago in a flurry of roses and courtship, that claimed her involved in a plot to assassinate the Black Queen. As the heavens outside began to our rain down as if to drown the world, he had no way to verify and dispute those claims, but knew exactly what the queens agents would do once they entered his families estate. Taking the first horse he could find, he rode as hard as he could. As thunder roared outside, and with the Queens Hunters high on his heels, he was lucky to be the first to arrive at the estate. A frightened household awaited. His children crying, his wife in shock. As he stood in the doorway of the manor, water dripping from his coat onto the floor, the servants close by awaiting his order, his children looking to him, he only had eyes for her. Silentl mouthing words of apology, he unslung his sword from his back and to greatest terror of all around him, drove it through Jessabelles Heart, hilt deep. Shortly after, the Queens men arrived. As they saw him, holding the dead body of his wife, they confirmed the deed done and proclaimed his house cleared of all charges as per the queens decree, then departed with her body as proof. His children would hate him from this day forward, and he himself started to drink heavily, to forget. In the coming months, he was ordered to root out corruption in a nearby village. More machine than man, he went and put the village to the torch. Soon his reputation as beast and monster was more than justified, as they began calling him the Wolf of Lesalia for the massacre he had led. There it also was, that he finally learned, from a former associate, the name of the person that had circulated the rumour at court. An old friend from childhoods days, a ward of his families, and companion on one of his first missions, the recently knighted Sir Walthis von Andask-Kumbenland It was shortly afterwards, that he disappeared. Finally attempting to end his own life, only to fail even at that, he was found and restored to vigor by a hermit, an old wiseman and sage that nursed him back to health, and taught him, without ever learning his name, value in attempting to redeem onself by finally doing the right thing. What Month & Day were you born? What is your zodiac sign? Born on Raio 12th 2355 CV, under the Sign of SAGITTARIUS Who is somebody important to you that has betrayed you? His former companion and friend "Sir" Walthis von Andask-Kumbenland, who informed the Black Queen of a supposed conspiracy against her rule and life and forced Di´Vagantos hand in the scheme. Why do you pledge your allegiance to your liege? Whether out of a thirst for power or a true sense of justice, when Duke Golan Atkascha raised Alek to his Guard, despite horrors commited in years before under names of the Black Queen, a powerful signal was sent and given. For this man, so willing to reform the tyrannic system enforced by the queens lackeys, he would be willing to fight. What do you value more, loyalty or morality? Morality! What use a thing has loyalty in a world where those commanded act out every cruelty imaginable! No, only be remembering that only a good and just deed and world can bring us forward, can we improve ourselves. And may one day...even....perhaps, gain salvation. What is the greatest thing you've sacrificed to get to where you are? To lead suspicion away from his house and family, he had to execute his own wife to satisfy the Black Queen, who believed her to be part of a noble conspiracy against her rule. In a single move he not only killed the one person he loved most, but earned emnity among former friends and the eternal hatred of his own children. All so he could save their live... Who is your greatest enemy? Who is your greatest ally? Greatest Enemy? Walthis von Andask-Kumbenland, a former friend from childhoods days and the bastard plotter that denounced his wife before the house and family before the throne. Greatest Ally? The Sage Moltiro the Wise, a former hermit and healer, who retreated from the world to investigate mysteries beyond common understanding and who nursed and taught Alek after his suicide attempt.
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Jun 21, 2016 13:02
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 Orbei Goro, Warrior from Another Realm My story? Well, I'm no bard but I can hum a few bars... Oh, for record keeping, okay. I had decided that I was going to find my fortunes in the world and booked passage to La Noscea on a fine ship. It was my first time on the sea and I think my nervousness was showing as a merchant approached me with a smile and warm greeting... Ah, only the important bits? Alright, let me think. I joined an order dedicated to the protection of the realm, did that for awhile, eventually the order was to receive recognition for all it had done. During the feast we were betrayed and were going to be framed for an assassination, circumstances left us less subdued than expected, we staged an attempt to escape the palace and the capital by fleeing through ancient disused aqueducts. Myself and a few others decided that to keep the more important members safe that we would delay the pursuing guards that they might escape. Our mage chanted and wove a spell while the rest of us held back the guards with martial might. A rising glow spilling over my shoulders heralded two things. First, a quake that began to collapse the ancient stonework of the aqueduct, and second the sudden experience of no longer being. I believe the spell was meant to displace things nearby, to cut off any pursuit by caving in the stonework and also an attempt to cast us out of harm's way. The experience was... I'd describe it as being pushed and pulled in every direction simultaneously. The body-littered and bloodied aqueduct was replaced with a sea of aether. I saw, or I suppose experienced since I didn't really 'see', so much that I was overwhelmed. Faces, words, thoughts, concepts of those living, dead and otherwise surrounded me until I had became numb to it, so much so that I'm unsure how long I lay on the metal platform in a pitch black room before I realized that darkness and the touch of chilled metal had replaced the... Everything of the endless aether. So after wandering around the decrepit place bereft of my belongings and companions for at least an hour, until I managed to spot a ray of sunlight. Digging my out of debris and dirt I found myself not in the expect dry desert, but familiar smell of the sea and scattered greenery. It was fortunately a relatively short walk to Goug. I quickly found work as labor in town, always a need for strong hands working something down there. Picked up most of what I know about Ivalice during that time, and eventually earned enough coin to get some replacements for what I lost to the aether. I moved on from Goug to look into the Holy Church. It uh, shared a name with something from home so I figured it was the best place to start looking for a clue or a connection. It was, very indirect for a good while. There was an amount of... What you could describe as skulking. Not out of any, inherent maliciousness but, what I had heard about tieflings left me wary of what the religious would think. I was fortunate however that, when I was inevitably discovered poking around that the priest assumed that I was just a sellsword in search of work, and he did happen to have need of someone large and intimidating to escort a priestess to a monastery, and from there I did what I do best. Seems to have worked if you're checking my story to see if I'm a liar. -What Month & Day were you born? What is your zodiac sign? The Ninth Sun of the Third Astral Moon is my name day. ...Maybe it'd be more helpful if I converted that to Ivalice's calendar if this is for record keeping. I think that would be would be the ninth day of May. I'm told this makes my zodiac sign Taurus. -Why do you pledge your allegiance to your liege? Familiarity. The name Bahamut is known to me. Not in... It's not... Just, is not mentioning the differences fine? There are differences, but ultimately it is a connection I hope at least gets me closer to going home. And if what I fear is true, working with the church leaves me in a position to help others with... Problems I'm familiar with. -What do you value more, loyalty or morality? That's a tricky one. Disloyalty has left me stranded in a realm not my own. Comrades and friends might be dead from the political machinations of someone we were ultimately protecting, or may have survived and already brought justice to those who sought to use us as pawns to be sacrificed, but either way it's a very real possibility that I'll never know, all because of a few traitors. But I have also seen unquestioning loyalty in its darkest forms. Soldiers forced to fight in foreign lands, waging war in the name of the one who conquered their homeland so they might one day see their families again. Officers that did not speak against their superiors motives, allowing a great calamity befall everyone because they remained unwaveringly loyal to one man whose morals had failed. -Who is your greatest enemy? That dastard Bunansa, a real slave driver if ever I met one! ...'Course I'm not serious. If my greatest enemy was a strict boss I'd feel pretty good about my life overall. But as I'm stuck somewhere that hasn't even heard of any country or continent I know, I think I'm safe from any thing I'd consider my greatest enemy. Of course that sword cuts both ways so, things could be better. I'm leaning Holy Church here but could easily adapt to whatever.
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Jun 21, 2016 20:14
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Cachinno the Fool Traitorous Demonic Jester, in the nicest way possible. http://orokos.com/dnd4e/sheets/7857  There are few opportunities for lowborn to enter court, and fewer children born with horns, marked by demons. It was a miracle within a miracle that I was able to see myself become a man, let alone a courtier, but the stars aligned in such a way that a the man who would now be dubbed Cachinno the Fool could rise from his meager birth despite constant persecution to the high ranks of Royal Jester, only to desert the Queen's domain for the Usurper King. The merchant city of Dorter was not kind to those scholars would name Tieflings. With the monastary of Orbonne so close the reach of the church was felt in the streets, and despite the propaganda of the Order of Bahamut as one of light in the darkness, the followers have no kindness for those seen as tainted by the dark. Beatings were constant, forcing me to flee across Ivalice, following the roads all the way to the Royal city as a child. Surviving through theft and begging before making my way into the keep, seeing if I could sneak a few pieces of food and valuables from the grand castle. And as you could expect from a ten year old breaking in to one of the most secure locations in the world, it was an abject failure. Caught by guards who demanded to know what I was up to, I thought of the first thing to come to my head in the panic "I was tracking an Updog." I blurted out, to which they responded by grabbing me by the neck and demanded to know "What is Updog?" "Nothing, what's up with you?" It was one of the few things I remembered from the other urchins in the city. A joke, a way of easing the tension. The guards were not amused in the slightest, but a man behind me was. Slightly. Enough for a chuckle at the very least before he came into view, jangling with each step. The commotion had managed to get the attention of the court jester Gilliam, not so much impressed by the younger me's performance but interested enough that he thought it worth taking me on as an apprentice magician and fool, perhaps he needed an extra for a routine and could not find a volunteer, or he thought that bells on the normally intimidating horns would add to the humour. While I was not one for acrobatics, or stage cantrips, I eventually found my role as a musician and comedian under Gilliam's guidance before his retirement 3 years ago. The intracies of court, the perfect delivery for a crass joke and the surprising power afforded to jesters, to be honest in a world where deceit is first, second and third nature. Before the famine struck I conducted many a performance for the Black Queen herself, mentally patting myself on the back for every suppressed chuckle, giggle and total lapse of dignity I caused in her, but the atrocities committed did not escape my notice. In fact my position as jester made me all to aware of the evils committed every day by the Queen and her cohorts. The woman I previously would have done anything to please becoming more twisted with each sunrise. I had fled one life before, I could flee another, and the Duke's betrayal gave me the perfect opportunity to do what may yet prove to be the worse decision to date. To announce to the Dark Queen my departure from the court, and that she should remove the wooden stick from her rear before inserting the royal scpeter. And with that I took my leave, running as fast as I could from the halls of the castle, jingling all the way and fast talking a stable boy into lending me a mount, riding out for Duke Golan Atkascha's nearest stronghold in Eagrose like a colourful bat out of hell. quote:-What Month & Day were you born? What is your zodiac sign? quote:-Who is somebody important to you that has betrayed you? quote:-Why do you pledge your allegiance to your liege? quote:-What do you value more, loyalty or morality? quote:-What is the greatest thing you've sacrificed to get to where you are? quote:-Who is your greatest enemy? Who is your greatest ally?
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Jun 21, 2016 21:15
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Countess Keira Fovoham of The Emerald Field, Artful Rogue Music  Countess Keira stood before her silver-rimmed vanity mirror, carefully styling her hair in an exquisite braided pattern for the day's breakfast. She hummed a surprisingly martial tune to herself as she did so. She ended up getting a little too into it, and noticed her husband stirring in the bed behind her as a result. “I've never heard that song before,” Count Evrin mumbled as he stretched from his nightly trance. “What is it?” “The Wind March,” she answered, gathering up her pins and placing them carefully in the necessary places in her hair. “The soldiers used it to keep time back in my warring days. Isn't it sad that so many squads had to completely rely on me to carry the beat? Makes you wonder what they did when I wasn't attached to them as a scout.” “And now you're going back to those 'warring days',” he said, and Keira noticed a hint of dejection in his voice. She quickly got her hair into a stable state, then walked over and sat at the edge of the bed. Keira looked into her husband's subtly glowing Eladrin eyes and smiled as reassuringly as she could. “No, you misunderstand,” she said, her hand seeking out his. “This is simply some light espionage. Maybe field reconnaissance, and that's the absolute worst case scenario!” Evrin squeezed Keira's hand and shook his head. “I know you well enough to know that isn't true. I am the father of your children, after all. As soon as you hear the call of conflict again, you'll be right back in the heart of it.” Keira scoffed. “You must think I'm some reckless buffoon.” “Well...” She laughed as she playfully hit him in the shoulder, then sighed. “Look, I know it isn't ideal, but... this land needs me. It needs my skills. I can't just sit by and watch this war happen, not when I could do something about it.” “You're needed here too, Keira.” Evrin sat up and set her with a serious gaze. “Vivienne can almost say whole sentences, and Tristain starts court etiquette lessons next month. And I... It was hard enough getting accepted here before. In case you've forgotten, I'm a Fey. I'm surprised I even managed to land a marriage at all, much less to someone so wise, and beautiful, and--” He was interrupted by another shoulder punch. “I'm not some grand catch, you know,” said Keira. “I'm a Duke's misfit third daughter. The only reason I inherited anything at all is that he was feeling especially generous with the poor, scraggly parts of his Duchy. ‘Emerald Field’, pah. It’s a patch of grass with some sheep.” “I think you're a grand catch, even if you don't.” Keira blushed and looked away. “Anyway, you'll be fine without me. Besides, you know I'll write. If you'd like, I can write so much that you'll hardly know I was gone.” She turned back to him, having composed herself, and gave him a wink. “I'll hold you to that,” he said. “Let me know how the breakfast goes, will you? I'm resuming my meditation now.” Keira rolled her eyes, roughly tossed her husband an extra pillow, and resumed her fashion preparations. She was nervous about this meeting, and sad, but strangely excited too. The thought of infiltrating hostile territory, trying new disguises, even getting into combat again, was undeniably appealing. She would be careful for the sake of her family, of course, but possibly going back to doing something she loved in order to make the world better for that family was an opportunity she could not pass up. [I've left it open who exactly Keira is meeting with, since it could easily be any of the three factions. I'm leaning toward Duke Golan since that’s the option with the most dramatic potential, but I'll go with whatever the most other players go with. Other questions I’m interested in are who the new Duke Fovoham is siding with, and what the circumstances of the old one’s death were. Perhaps killed by the Black Queen? The answers depend a lot on who’s in the game and how other worldbuilding shakes out though.] OOC summary: No one expected Keira Fovoham, one of the middle daughters in the Duke of Fovoham’s rather large family, to amount to much, and she was always keenly aware of that fact. As a result, she was a bit of a hellion from a very young age. She had many siblings, and she forced her way into learning everything she could from each of them, to their endless annoyance and/or amusement. Sparring with Henrik, painting with Gertrude, learning dirty jokes from Lilyan, whatever it was, Keira was driven by a desire, if not to surpass her brothers and sisters, then at least to compete on the same field as them. Her adventures took her to the barracks most often, where her assertive demeanor and rich singing voice eventually endeared her to the rough soldiers there. Keira found a modicum of acceptance among them, something that was so hard to come by in her home life. When the soldiers marched off to quell a border dispute, she snuck off with them. It took the Duke and Duchess days to notice, and when they found out, they seemed to only care because of how it reflected poorly on the family’s image. Keira was furious at their attitude, and, to spite them, continued adventuring with the army. Keira was always most drawn to other misfits, and few could be more misfit than Evrin, an Eladrin exiled from the Feywild, stuck in human-dominated lands where he was a strange curiosity at best. He was, or at least claimed to be, a noble-blooded Fey, so after a passionate courtship, Keira determined to marry him. Hoping that this slightly scandalous marriage might finally calm their daughter down, the Duke and Duchess acquiesced. Keira was slightly disappointed that they didn't put up much resistance for her to rage against. It worked, to a degree. Once her first child, Tristain, was conceived, Keira stopped marching with the army herself. Instead, she devoted herself to more clandestine activities: discovering secrets, selling maps, even stealing artifacts and art from other nobles (only to give them to other nobles and thus ruffle feathers, of course). But none of it could be traced back to her or the family, so in a strange way, the Duke was pleased with the change. It is a source of great pain to Keira that she never truly reconciled with her parents before they died. Maybe her father intended the gift of lands to be a message, though considering the sorry state of those lands, it is a little unclear what the message was intended to be. Nonetheless, she was happy to move there, far away from the schemes of her siblings. With some difficulty, she settled into a somewhat quiet life there, although she continued sneaking around her hold at every opportunity and writing coded letters to people all over the realm. Now, with a terrible war looming over the entire country, Keira is considering taking a more direct role again, to do anything she can to secure a better future for herself and her children. To the casual observer, Keira Fovoham appears to be little more than a tall, elegant noble lady. But beneath her finery is a lot of lean muscle, and more careful observation would reveal that she favors her right leg ever so slightly, and she always makes sure her arms are covered by cloth in court; old wounds have taken their toll on her body. She broke her leg in a daring--some would say foolish--jump from a keep’s window to escape pursuit, and the bones never quite set right. Her arms are covered with scars from defense wounds. One would never know it from her demeanor, however, because she is always smiling, most of the time genuinely, and she is quick to laugh and jest. -What Month & Day were you born? What is your zodiac sign? February 25th, Pisces. -Who is somebody important to you that has betrayed you? “My brother Salian was not pleased with me being left even this meager bit of land in our father's will. He plotted with several other nobles to have my title revoked, and worse, he made some very unkind remarks about my lovely husband and our 'half-breed' children. I was able to foil the plot thanks to some passionate appeals—and possibly also some sneaking about to acquire blackmail. Nobody can prove that, though.” -Why do you pledge your allegiance to your liege? “Because so far it is the best option to improve the lot of my line. If a better deal comes along...” -What do you value more, loyalty or morality? “As much as it pains me to say, loyalty. At a younger age, I might have said morality, but all too often I've been faced with ugly choices between them. When it was only myself I had to worry about, it was easy to choose righteousness. But when staying true means a better life for your family, and siding with your conscience could mean their death, the choices aren't so easy.” -What is the greatest thing you've sacrificed to get to where you are? “I do miss being free to wander, to seek out new experiences, write songs about them, and sing those songs in disreputable taverns. While I may be able to recapture some of that with the new work that's coming, there will always be thoughts of my family's smiling faces holding me back.” -Who is your greatest enemy? Who is your greatest ally? “Doubtless, I have many enemies here. Until now they've all been enemies of a court intrigue variety, at least, rather than the trying-to-murder-me sort. The most powerful one I know about is Salian, who still nurses a grudge that I didn't quietly go along with his plan to basically kick me out of the house and make me destitute. I am concerned that he will take advantage of my absence, but my husband is... more capable than he seems. I'll have to trust in him. He is my greatest ally, after all. “Then there are the traps I’ve left, too. “If we're looking back to the years before I married, the board for enemies may open up considerably. I was captured by agents of the Duke of Gallione once. Which was no small feat, considering the amount of effort I had put into my cover story. I had forged a writ of knighthood and everything! But that probably only made things worse. I escaped from the unpleasant “Lady Raven” (pretty sure that was not her real name) by cajoling some maids, servants and guards into helping me. It's always the little people who make the difference, and people like that brute will never see it.”
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Jun 22, 2016 15:36
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Just posting to say I finally got to finishing my character sheet, it's been added to my post. Super pumped for this!
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Jun 23, 2016 05:00
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Going to app a hybrid avenger|swordmage, but due to overtime at work and my IRL game I won't have time to submit a complete app until Saturday night.
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Jun 24, 2016 13:14
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Put some deeper thought into things and suddenly Orbei has become a berserker instead of a barbarian.
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Jun 25, 2016 15:48
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 Sister Zarafae Quavein, Drow Avenger Zarafae was born in the aftermath of the Ordallian invasion, in the eastern Ivalician duchy of Zeltennia. Some of the circumstances around her birth could almost be considered typical for that tumultuous period in time. Her father was a seasoned soldier and her mother a camp follower, they had met and fallen for each other not long before the war broke out and stuck together as everything came crashing down around them. But there is one crucial difference between her and those she considers her countrymen. Her parents were both from Ordallia, and part of the invading army. When the Ordallians were getting pushed back and the order to retreat was given, Zarafae's mother was heavily pregnant with her and unable to keep pace with the army in the grueling march back home. Instead of remaining at her side and protecting her, her husband elected for cowardice and fled with the rest of the army. And so she found herself stranded in hostile territory, all by herself. She considered trying to survive at the fringes of civilization, but it soon became clear that she had no other choice than to risk seeking out and living amongst her recent enemies. She fully expected to be met with fear and mistrust everywhere she went, and she did, but even the local temple of Bahamut refused her a safe haven. So it was quite surprising when the Order of Bane — a religious sect infamous for their brutality as well as their fierce loyalty to the Ivalician royalty — offered her refuge. But they hardly did so out of the kindness of their hearts, they had one non-negotiable condition, that her unborn child was to stay with them and raised according to their traditions. Seeing no other way to keep her child from harm, she accepted. And so Zarafae was brought into the light under the oppressive glare of Bane. The harsh training began almost as soon as she was able to walk. The older she grew the less she got to see of her mother, until one day when she was told that she had died during the night. They did not tell her how. Her heart ached, but she did not cry. As her schooling was nearing its completion the great famine struck and with it tensions began to rise within the realm. The Order knew what was coming and began mobilizing, if there was one thing that could not be tolerated it was chaos taking hold of Ivalice. While technically not a part of the Queen's forces it was no secret that they were operating with her blessing when they executed suspected traitors in the city streets and put villages with rebellious tendencies to the torch. Zarafae was only a lowly acolyte but made up for her lack of experience with fervor and she would come to play a vital role in the Order's actions in the coming months, something that did not pass unnoticed and resulted in her being summoned to the Royal Capital of Lesalia. The Black Queen herself had taken note of her exploits... [My first choice is obviously the Black Queen, then the Inquisition, then Duke Golan third. I'll have to do some rewriting if we end up with anyone but the Black Queen.] -What Month & Day were you born? What is your zodiac sign? The 1st of November, Scorpio. -Who is somebody important to you that has betrayed you? My father. The coward betrayed me and my mother as I was still in her womb. I may not have seen his face, but I'm certain that when I do I'll recognize the dog for who he truly is. He has much to answer for. -Why do you pledge your allegiance to your liege? Because she is the rightful ruler and she possesses the strength and will to do what needs to be done, no matter the cost. If not for the traitors in our midst the famine would already be dealt with and we would be the ones poised to strike at Ordallia, not the other way around. -What do you value more, loyalty or morality? A foolish question. If a person is without morals they cannot be trusted and their loyalty is entirely without worth. Loyalty can be found, lost, and bartered like a sack of grain. Morality does not shift so quickly. It's a shame that there are so many that let their weakness and greed rule their conscience, because of them our nation is shattered and teeters on the brink of ruin. All the deaths to come are on their hands. -What is the greatest thing you've sacrificed to get to where you are? Sometimes I wish there had been more time to spend with my mother before she died, but without the training and guidance given to me I would not see this great opportunity to fight for what is right. -Who is your greatest enemy? Who is your greatest ally? My greatest enemy is chaos in all of its forms, and Golan Atkascha in particular. The opportunistic scum will be punished harshly for taking advantage of the famine to further his own aims. My greatest allies are my brothers and sisters of the Order whose resolve will never falter even when everyone else waver.
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Jun 26, 2016 01:45
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 Bandam Gaul Warrior Sage of For centuries the land formerly called Lesalic Bay Island and now called Nelveska Island remained unclaimed by either the duchies of Zeltennia and Lesalia; the land was ill-suited for farming, had few natural resources, and was just out of the way enough that it could not even serve as the location for a fort. One hundred twenty years ago a group of nomadic deva built the namesake temple here to serve as an isolated home for those who did not wish to be welcome anywhere else. Through toil they were able to farm just enough to keep from starving and make their wine. The wine is sold to pay for imports and repairs; the Temple is non-denominational, and beholden to no other church or government. It neither asks for nor receives aid from any other source. Bandam Gaul was brought here shortly after his birth. The only request the deliverer asked is that he was brought up to be pious and wise. The monks asked for no more information, and none was provided. So Bandam grew up and became a man within the four walls of the temple, and there was little doubt he would join the ranks of the monks. But not even Nelveska could hold back the shouts and songs of revolution. Not even a monastic life could quell the feelings of turmoil in Bandam's heart. They begged him not to go. The temple stood outside the realms of politics and immovable against the passing of the times. What should they care whether the land was ruled by the Queen or by Golan or someone else entirely? It was not their place to meddle in the outside world. He would not see the wisdom of ages past, and they would not consider this threat was far greater than they believed. They had avoided notice until now, but in his mind it was only a matter of time until the Queen turned her baleful eyes to Nevleska and annihilated them for some perceived slight. He still does not know who was right. The devas demanded a concession before they let him leave: he would make his own way in the world for five years before joining any revolution. This was enough time to wash him of his associations with the temple, so the Queen might not set torch to that hallowed institution. Bandam's treason would be his alone. It takes more than a strong heart and a well-trained mind to survive in the world. Bandam taught himself swordmanship, turning his pious life and arcane knowledge towards the secrets of swordmagery. He admits even after all this time he is only a mediocre warrior, but supplements his sword skill with magic and other, more esoteric mysteries which even the gap. Meanwhile he made a name for himself in Zeltennia performing odd jobs and becoming quickly acquainted with blood and murder. His brusque speaking style, his unwavering committment to justice regardless of who may be offended, and of course his massive blade made him immediately memorable. Despite his unfriendliness he still received steady work, if only because he frequently invested his earnings back into whatever community he happened to be in. This has done little to assuade suspicion; while mayors and lesser nobility were always happy when an adventurer asked for less than the going rate, the shrewder types know how dangerous a man who consistently undersells his talent truly is. Duke Golan:It is a matter of some speculation how exactly he finally joined up with the armies of Duke Golan. Some say Baron Gregory Waltham personally beseeched him to lend the armies of revolution his aid on three occasions before Bandam relented. Others say Bandam saved every scrap of money he earned during those five years of mandated neutrality to purchase a position among the revolutionaries. Still others say it was only his advice which enabled Count Gaius Kennam and his soldiers to escape over Mt. Bervenia safely, and Bandam advanced due to his reccomendation. The most likely explanation is some combination of all three. In any case, the end result is that he now offers his keen mind and combat prowess to the rebellion, and is not lacking in either capacity. Inquisition: It was during his wanderings that he became disillusioned with the rule of men. He saw the caliber of men who were rising up against the Queen and despaired; it seemed none of them cared for the people under their rule, they simply saw the opportunity to get a larger share of power and riches than they currently enjoyed. Was this what he had left the temple for? Then he heard of the coming Inquisition; he found himself utterly unable to argue against the neccessity. He offered his services, and tales of his deeds and a few key endorsements secured his place among the High Inquisitors. -What Month & Day were you born? What is your zodiac sign? Raio 23. This would be December 29 in the Julian calendar, making me a Capricorn. I may be a few days older than this by birth, but this is the date I was brought to the temple and so it is the birthdate I have claimed for myself. -Who is somebody important to you that has betrayed you? While I felt betrayed by the Temple at first, I have come to terms with their decision and I feel the question is intended a bit more personally. I first attempted to learn swordsmanship from a wanderer, Jand Rodimus. He asked no coin for his instruction, only my company and for him to know more about me. I had believed his refusal to accept money came from kindness. As we traveled together we practiced the sword by day and debated ethics and morality by night. While I relished his instructions, I was often confused and afraid after our debates. I knew his heartless pragmatism was wrong, but I was unable to say why. Only after several weeks did I learn the awful truth: he was a diabolist, and was using his demonic pacts to slowly bend me to his will. I would have, should have killed him but my skills were not up to that task. It was all I could do to escape with my life. I do not know what he is doing now or what his ultimate goals are. I watch for the telltale signs of demon summoning and dark magic warily. Our paths will cross again, and next time I will not be permitted to flee. -Why do you pledge your allegiance to your liege? Duke Golan: Because he won't realize how much of a fool he is until he wins. Revolutionaries are always heavy on bravado and verve, but lack the patience and foresight to make their victories last. Either they wear down their own idealism in service of political necessity and become scarcely better than the tyrant they overthrow, or they fall to the petty but clever evil who may very well be worse. Only by standing beside him now will I have the political capital needed to advise him to thread this line; otherwise everything he and his followers fight and die for will come to naught. Inquisition: The men of this land are incapable of rule. The decay runs too thick, too deep. Duke Golan and his men mean well but they attack only the symptom; as long as the sickness itself remains untreated they will at best hasten the country's collapse and at worst succumb just as the Queen has. Though I serve Ioun and tensions between our sects have become somewhat frayed in recent years, we once had a long history of co-operation and the Church of Bahamut's cause is just and right. Perhaps this will be the first step to healing the schism. -What do you value more, loyalty or morality? That is like asking whether I value food or air more. One who is loyal but lacks morals insulates his liege from the effects of their misrule; one who is moral with no loyalty will do anything to anyone in service of the "greater good". Atrocity is inevitable in either case. -What is the greatest thing you've sacrificed to get to where you are? I am forever barred from setting foot inside the walls of Nevleska, the only home I have ever known. It is there I found enlightenment, and I fear I shall never again know true peace now that I have turned my back on it. Though I recognize the safety it offers is nothing but an illusion, I still crave it when the darkness and the fear settles in. -Who is your greatest enemy? Who is your greatest ally? Duke Golan:I have several enemies among Duke Golan's army, most notably Baron Aryas Quinn and his faction. I am not so arrogant as to claim they conspire against me specifically; they merely dislike anyone capable who is not a member of the aristocracy. They wish for only the highborn such as they to bend Golan's ear and enjoy all the benefits of the new government he seeks to found. Such men and women always busy themselves with jockeying for position even while a dragon threatens to burn the entire race track. I have no intention of being outmaneuvered by them, but I fear I must split my energy between playing politics and seizing victory while they are able to devote all their time and effort to knocking me from my perch. If the greatness of an ally is measured in loyalty it would be Baron Waltham who was so sure of my value. If being a great ally means nothing more than what I can expect of them in the future, Count Kennam's gratitude will be more useful simply because of his higher station. I do not enjoy thinking of friends in term of quid pro quo, but life in this world is not merciful enough to allow us to do only what we wish. Inquisition: I have become aware of a conspiracy to rob Ivalice's royal vaults of a priceless artifact: an ancient tome of magic written by the Drakonite civilization. The intelligence suggests they have infiltrated both the Queen's forces and the rebel armies; either they can steal it in the chaos and confusion of battle, or they can claim it as spoils at the head of a victorious army. I suspect agents of Vecna, but they could just as easily be working for a noble or a wizard seeking it for their personal collection. Their identities are as yet unknown to me. They must not have the book. My utmost gratitude must go to Bishop Lalia Goldwords. She granted me an audience when no one else in the church would, and even vouched for me to be included in the Inquisition. My conduct now reflects upon her as well as myself. I cannot and will not allow myself to betray that trust. Hybrids are difficult to classify; Bandam is more Striker than Defender but he's certainly no slouch in either department. I would prefer Duke Golan, Inquisition, and Black Queen in that order. ETA: Looking over the app list, I also volunteer to rebuild and go straight Swordmage if we end up with a Golan or Inquisition team and no other Defenders get apped. TheArchimage fucked around with this message at 05:28 on Jun 26, 2016 |
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Jun 26, 2016 05:01
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yáll have 24 Hours to get your apps in or make any final changes to your current applications. I'll update the app list when I get back to my desktop computer. This is definitely not going to be an easy decision.
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Jun 26, 2016 05:25
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