|
Game thread If you have questions or want to chat with other applicants/players, join #ohgod on synirc The heavens lie still and empty. Once great temples, monuments and palaces stood amongst a variety of landscapes filled with the illusion of life and the souls of the dead. Now they lie dead and empty...  All save for one figure. The Dream: "I have freed you, I have freed all mortals from the tyranny of the gods. For seventeen days and seventeen nights have we fought. Now only I remain. The people of the world have forgotten my name, and this is for the best. You may call me Terminus if you must name me. In the ruins of the heavens I shall stand forevermore, to cast down any who would seek to rule the fates of mortals again."  "Rejoice, for your destiny is your own now. I have searched through the strands of fate and I have seen that you have potential to affect the world. Without the selfish and terrible gods of old, the people will need mortal icons to guide and inspire them." "Speak to me what you most desire. " "Power, wealth, influence, forgotten knowledge...I know the forgotten places where these secrets lie." Game Premise: Each player is a mortal, perhaps from humble beginnings or already mighty or influential. After a terrible calamity waged in the heavens for over two weeks, the world has calmed and in a dream or vision you were approached by the god Terminus. He has offered you the knowledge of where to find something that you desire, or that will give you the chance or power to seek that which you covet most. Build your legend and reputation, as people in the now godless world search for new guides and inspirations for them. Some might seek the adoration, or obedience, of the peoples of the world. Others might simply seek to venture forth into places once barred from mortals by danger or divine grace. Whatever you do, remember that Terminus watches. He will not tolerate another to step foot in heaven... Application: I will be building the game world partially based off of what players contribute to the setting. Feel free to invent things, or suggest things that you would like to see and interact with in the story. The world itself will have plenty of supernatural elements, creatures and beings in it. However mortal races, whatever they may be, do not generally have access to high fantasy powers or magic without the aid of the gods. As they are all dead, once powerful divine relics or warriors are now merely mundane and must rely in their own strength. Name: (If your character has an alias, please include your character's original or 'true' name) Picture: (Optional but always handy) Description: (What does your character look like and what are any important or distinctive qualities to them?) Background: (If you have important details to your character's place in the world or details, make sure to include them here) Wish: (This should be simple and succinct, as I will provide each character with a few options on where to proceed. Each will lead to a different expression or interpretation of the wish. You can write it in character if you want) Traits: (Select 4) Drawbacks: (Select 2) Traits and drawbacks should represent traits about your character, physical, mental or some other notable feature. Imagine if you only had 4 words to describe yourself to someone. What are the most important aspects? Maybe your strength, cunning, beauty or captivating voice? Or maybe it is that you are a knight, or an orc, or your indomitable will. Traits should not be about what skills you have but instead be about how your character approaches things based on their most defining traits. Players will be assumed to have skills that make sense for their backgrounds. Anything obviously attempting to game the system, like being a savant that picks up any skill or talent straight away, or magic that is broad flexible and powerful will be passed over. If you want to make magic a trait, it must have specific and discrete applications, preferably with weaknesses and drawbacks. Similar to traits, drawbacks represent ways or some trait to your character that leads them astray, or causes difficulties and sets them back when they indulge it. Fast tempers, prejudices, pride, weakness, fraility, stigmas, curses or other things make for good drawbacks. Traits and drawbacks do not need to be one or two words necessarily, but things that are succinct and evocative will be best. Gameplay: The game is loosely based on PDQ, traits taking the place of skills. Each trait used adds a +2 bonus to a 2d6 roll, and a maximum of 2 traits can be used on each action. I will compare the result to a DC that I establish, although common actions are around DC 7, and more difficult actions will be DC 10 or DC 13. Later there will be divine traits that will reduce the DC of skills, and players will be able to use up to 2 of these on a single action as well. Invoking a drawback will open new options or results to actions. Dramatic failures, especially those resulting from invoking a drawback will have a chance of earning players Destiny Points. Spending a Destiny Point will allow you to roll a base of 3d6 instead of 2d6. Additionally it ameliorates even the worst of failures into a success with some complication, as you bend destiny to alter the outcome of an action to suit your goals. Succeeding actions by a wide margin will result in added benefits beyond the original goal of the action. You can choose to roll your own actions, or to let me roll for you. Dramatic failures, especially failures The start of the game is about going forth and seeking divine power, even if your character does not realise what this is. That power will come in the form of innate power, augmented physical abilities, or items of power that are bound to your person. Player combat may become unavoidable at some point. Permanently killing a character will be difficult, and it will be much easier to force another character to do a favour for you or to owe you something in the future. While disagreements and strife will likely occur once players can communicate and interact with each other easily, it goes without saying that there will be consequences for players that go out of their way to ruin another player's experience. Additional mechanics will be explained once a player gains a divine power or item. HiKaizer fucked around with this message at 08:53 on Jan 1, 2017 |
#
?
Dec 12, 2016 12:09
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 26, 2024 14:35 |
|
|
Reserved for future need.
|
|
#
?
Dec 12, 2016 12:17
|
|
|
What start date are you hoping for?
|
|
#
?
Dec 12, 2016 17:20
|
|
|
Oh god. You have no idea how tempting it is to revisit spiders. Or moths. Have my guy be really simple, his wish is "I like moths  "I'll think it over.
|
|
#
?
Dec 12, 2016 21:07
|
|
|
Iron Chef Ramen posted:What start date are you hoping for? Just before Christmas, although obviously I'm not expecting people to post a lot over that weekend and the week after. Recruit is currently open until the 20th.
|
|
#
?
Dec 12, 2016 21:38
|
|
|
 Sasha Snowdrake "I like need a title or somethin'? *Snort* Ay okay, how 'bout 'That pretty ogre lady?'" Background and description: Subtle as a hammer to the face and just as pretty, ogres are (allegedly!) half-demonic beings that fare from the volcanic mountain ranges of the western archipelago, known mainly for their legendarily monstrous strength, gluttonous tendencies and their propensity for marauding locals to feed said tendencies. In this Sasha is no different. She too enjoys fights, both the part where you get to whack people and also the part where you take their stuff afterwards. On the other hand, she also recognizes that getting hired to do that is doubly good because you basically get paid twice, with both the payment and the loot. And as it turns out, the chaos caused by the God War has left the World with many opportunities for an ogre warlord turned mercenary, both in prospective employers and the number of parties to crash. For whilst ogres have historically been viewed with animosity due to their aggressive nature, old disagreements quickly fade when extra muscle is needed in the tumultuous power struggles of the day... Of course, Sasha does not personally really care for the machinations of nobles, and in fact views their trickery with great disdain. Notably carefree and even strangely affable of attitude (well, as long as it isn't your property that is being smashed), she is content to traverse the lands, lending her considerable aptitude to whoever offers the best pay/raiding opportunities/booze. And really, why wouldn't she? She and her troupe (and their beautiful Ogrish Wavecutter, Ol' Snaggletooth) just want to have a good time, in the way that only ogres know how. The rest of of the World can do whatever it wants to, really, as long as she has a face to punch and a keg to down at the end of the day. Traits: Strong [+2]: Among all the creatures that walk upon the earth on two legs or four or more, the strength of ogres is legendary. And amongst ogres, few quite so embody this singular claim to fame as well as Sasha does. Sure, perhaps she lacks technique. Perhaps she lacks finesse. But at some point, you're just so tough that style stops mattering. Warlord [+2]: A warlord and mercenary captain, Sasha has a lot of experience both in leading troops and keeping them in the proper shape and proper mood for fighting. And indeed, many an enemy that has confused her rough and carefree manner for simplicity has later cursed their folly after finding themselves outmaneuvered on the field of battle. However, she is very much a mercenary captain and hands-on leader, and less of a grand strategist. Resilient [+2]: Ogres are not just very resistant to elements, but also seem to exhibit a natural aura of antimagic, which when honed to a fine edge like Sasha has, can be a potent force indeed. This is helpful since they consider most forms of magic, (especially the non-elemental and non-direct battlemagic varieties) to be cowardly to the extreme, and mages thus are some of their favourite punching bags/wedgie targets. Also probably the one thing that has kept their raiding fleets from being sunk by fireballs. Less of use with most of the gods gone, but a solid trump card nonetheless. Affable [+2]: Sasha, regardless of her violent ways, has a carefree and friendly sort of attitude that manages to endear her to many. Especially the sort of folk who would be already willing to accept mercenary work or trawl the depths of god forsaken dungeons for the faint promise of loot and booze. Drawbacks: Ogre's honour [-2]: Sasha, and indeed ogres in general, are often thought of as cruel and capricious creatures, what with their terrorizing of the less fortunate. However, whilst they take loot and occasionally servants, and are notably rough of manners, they are surprisingly proud creatures and do adhere to a certain sense of honour almost religiously. They will not tell lies (and calling one a liar is a quick way to get your teeth kicked in), and are surprisingly 'fair', refusing to slaughter the helpless. Many folktales tell of clever farmboys challenging ogres to competitions and tricking the creatures, and whilst the stories of their stupidity are not based on reality, it is a fact that ogres are often willing to compete instead of fight (within reason and within areas they believe themselves to excel at, like feats of strength or drinking) when challenged in good faith, and will often even gimp themselves to prove their superiority. This is something that can be taken advantage of if you're clever, but you better be REALLY clever because if they sense trickery or attempts to abuse their goodwill, they will promptly stomp your rear end with extreme prejudice. Terror of the seas [-2]: Even though Ogres have for the most part discarded raiding for mercenary work, they are a disunified lot and some of them have not adapted to the newer ways of thinking. Marauding parties and piracy are thus a fairly common occurrence still. Suffice it to say, an approaching ogre is usually viewed with some suspicion by locals. Wish: "Oi, can't really say I've been approached by a God before, hah! Usually tend to not bother with ye lot since it tends ta lead to a life of a whole lot o' book scribblin', sobriety and celibacy and no offense but that ain't really my thing. Pretty much the opposite now that I think o' it actually. But hey, I've never said no to a lucrative job, and a singularly reignin' deity like yerself ought to have some treasures worth bashin' some creature or two over." OOC: Sasha wishes for sweet loot (items of power and wealth mostly, but she's not very picky) and good times. Theantero fucked around with this message at 23:39 on Dec 12, 2016 |
|
#
?
Dec 12, 2016 23:33
|
|
|
 Dragomir aka Drago Description/Background Lho-Rhydia. A small but lively port town that had never been a center of trade, though it saw enough traffic that the wheels of commerce comfortably turned. And in the docks of this port town was Warehouse Nine, which was in no way different than its eight predecessors and its numerous successors save for one thing: one of the backrooms was lived in by a man by the name of Dragomir. A lizardman, to be precise, and one that had earned quite the reputation around the town for being… eccentric. Often found speaking to himself or prowling about in backalleys, the local law enforcement originally kept a close eye on Dragomir, unsure if he was mad, a criminal in the making, or possibly both. The truth, as they later discovered, was that the lizardman was merely a scholar of sorts, who spent his time learning as much as he can. Dragomir, for his part, never noticed the looks he received while he went about his business. Why would he? It wasn’t as if he was doing anything wrong, after all, so why should he be concerned? Of course, there were a number of reasons why, but none of them would have occurred to Dragomir’s straightforward mind. Simple of heart and earnest of spirit, the lizardman lives out his days blissfully ignorant of that which does not concern him. Traits Inquisitive [+2] - Curious by nature, Drago is full of questions about the world around him, and lives to answer them. He’s also spent more time than most people would care to admit breaking things down and trying to put them back together, though he tends to be far more successful at the former than the latter. Resourceful [+2] - Of course, you need objects in the first place to break or repair them. As he’s a rather poor individual, Drago has gotten used to all sorts of unusual means to get the parts he needs, even scavenging through other people’s trash in search for potential ‘treasure’. Easy-Going [+2] - Drago rarely worries about what awaits him in the future. So long as he has your standard necessities and something to work on, he’s perfectly content to live in the present and take the days as they come. Resolute [+2] - To the surprise of all those who know him, Drago shows remarkable determination under hardship. Admittedly, his definition of ‘hardship’ is rather different than most people’s, and usually means either a tiring job or continuously failing to figure out how something works. Still, there’s a certain and unexpected inner strength within the lizardman that can’t be denied. Drawbacks Naivete [-2] - Lost in his thoughts as he is, Drago is remarkably ignorant as to how the ‘real world’ works, as some might put it. Even simple concepts like lying baffle the lizardman, as from his perspective he couldn’t imagine why you would ever need to do such a thing. Clumsy [-2] - Unlike many of his brethren, Drago is in no way light on his feet. In fact, he often finds himself losing his balance if he’s not careful, usually due to getting distracted by some stray idea. His tail, which some lizardfolk are skilled enough with to use like a third hand, has on more than one occasion acted as a hindrance while working. Wish "Desire, dream man? Drago desires to know how all things in this world work. For example, why is it that the yawning of one man causes the yawning of another? It is most puzzling to Drago, and would be very much welcome if you could answer, dream man.” TheFireMagi fucked around with this message at 02:55 on Dec 16, 2016 |
|
#
?
Dec 12, 2016 23:37
|
|
|
As it has come up a few times already, traits and drawbacks will change if they no longer apply or make sense. I don't expect traits and drawbacks to change often, and if they did, it would likely be an important character moment or realisation.
|
|
#
?
Dec 13, 2016 00:51
|
|
|
 Background The Beta Branch Sub-Unit first became aware roughly 2286 Years, 10 Months and 6 days ago when a cataclysmic failure occurred during one of it’s units standard operations, leading to the destruction of all it’s armed forces, all of the enemies armed forces, all known support and service units and the 480 Core Logistical Units that were of higher rank, as well as the 19 units of lesser rank. As is customary for all units of 001 rank, Unit 001 mental capacitors were unlocked in order to provide a degree of sentience to assist in fulfilling the prime directive, exterminate the ???? invaders. 2 seconds after this event, the newly promoted CLU 001 was forced to shut down after suffering excessive damage. Roughly 1526 years, 2 months and 1 day later it’s emergency repair subroutines finished the repair work necessary for Unit 001 to reactivate and re-assume command of what forces remained. Roughly 0 forces remained under it’s command. After roughly 10 years, 2 months and 0 days, Unit 001 sent a provisional report to the ???? creators stationed at ????, reporting that enemy activity had ceased for the time being and that new orders were required. No new orders came. Thus, as is customary, Unit 001 defaulted to the prime directive. Requiring invaders to destroy, Unit 001 began to search for the enemy while also rebuilding forces under it’s command. Unfortunately a significant amount of Data corruption had occurred and many key terms had been deleted from it’s memory. Unable to determine who exactly the invaders were, Unit 001 began to compile necessary data. When it came across a settlement by an unknown species under attack by hostile invaders an unacceptable degree of free association occurred. Hostile invaders + Orders to destroy hostile invaders = Dead hostile invaders. One dead invader force later meant Unit 001 had an entire settlement of unknown species 001 to conscript into  Using her newly conscripted army of “Kobolds”, Unit 001 was able to successfully exterminate the hostile invaders, later updated as “Drow”. A provisional report was sent to the creators noting a supposed task completion. No new orders came. This was fine, as it turned out not all of the “Drow” invaders had been destroyed, only a small force. Luckily, 4 more “Kobold” settlements willingly conscripted themselves into That was roughly… some decades ago. Traits Body of Steel [+2]: It’s not actually Steel, but something for tougher. Flexible but unyielding. Resistant to the vilest magic, corrosive acids and just plain old being hit really, really hard. Kobold engineers and alchemists have been trying to recreate the material, but so far have not succeeded. Master Strategist [+2]: While logistics was her original purpose, all higher units of her type were master tacticians, strategists, logisiticians, administrators and a whole bunch else. This was so that, in the event of a vast under staffing of armed forces (say, from a battle that wiped out friendly forces) any unit could take the place of the command staff. Bee doesn't know why she knows this to be true, just that it is. Advanced Cognitive Processors [+2]: Able to store and process vast amounts of information near instantaneously, Bee can think harder and faster with her ???? based neural patterns then any organic brain could. 80% of her processing power Is devoted to tactical simulations and maintaining her kingdom, but that spare 20% has more thought power then a thousand think-meats. Hero Queen [+2]: Rising out of a dank tunnel long thought closed by the inhabitants of Rollapmu, the Metal Warrior arose. Crushing the throats of three Drow as she walked into the slaughterhouse that had become the streets of their home, the warrior turned the tide of the battle and eventually lead the Kobolds to victory over their hated enemy. The Kobolds thank Drawbacks Irreducible Complexity [-2]: The construction of Bee’s form is nothing short of miraculous. How does she move, how does she power herself, what made her? The answers to these questions have long been pondered, but even the wisest Kobold Alchemists have no answers to give. Although her automated repair protocols can fix most damage eventually, it is a time consuming process and there is some damage that just can’t be fixed without outside assistance. It’s not a lot now, but it is building up. How much time is left before Bee shuts down for the final time. Existential Dread [-2]: Sentience is not an easy burden for Bee to bear. What could best be described as her personality is little more then the ramshackle combination of standing orders, incredible cognitive powers that provide the illusion of thought and an all-encompassing existential dread. Bee must keep busy. If even a sliver of her vast cognitive power are put toward her situation and existence, what has been built up over the centuries could shatter in a downward spiral of self-destruction. Wish "Orders! I need orders! Please... it hurts to think too much." EDIT: Redacted because it doesn't fit with the game tone. OscarDiggs fucked around with this message at 13:50 on Dec 14, 2016 |
|
#
?
Dec 13, 2016 01:09
|
|
|
Gonna drop out, good luck to the other apps!
TheNabster fucked around with this message at 22:36 on Dec 18, 2016 |
|
#
?
Dec 13, 2016 01:34
|
|
|
 Kalim Mort Background: What happens when the god of a cult dies? Specifically, what happens to a cult named the Cult of the Undying God when its god dies? While the Gods were fighting above, the God Xathos was the first to fall, and his death caused schisms and infighting in the cult that bore one of his many, many titles. And once the dust settled, and barely a few dozen remained, the ironically named Cult was left with nothing but memories and the charred remains of their temples. The remaining cultists pillaged what they could and attempted to forget about what they now considered a mere folly, a trick played on them by a God with a cruel sense of humour, and all that they had fought and proselytized for was nothing more than a mere lie. If you couldn't trust a deity that called himself The Undying, The Ever-Reborn, who could you trust? Kalim had been on the path to Master when catastrophe had struck the cult. He had been eager and willing to learn the arts of the Undying, his dark teaching that reanimated flesh and brought life to the dead. He knew power would soon be in his grasp, that the gift of Undying Life would soon be his and no more would he have to fear the coils of the dark deceiver, Death, who promised sweet release but only brought forward torment and pain. This power was almost within his grasp when it was suddenly taken away, removed from the world upon the death of the Undying, his divine gift to the Cult permanently lost once his divine essence was scattered to the heavens by the power of Terminus. The immediate reaction had been to sacrifice initiates, as the cult, unaware that Xathos was but the first victim in the war in heaven, fell back to their earlier, cruder rituals, the ones that had enabled the Undying to gain power in the first place. But these ancient rituals could do little, and the initiates began to rebel. Kalim hid himself, swept up in the despair, not willing to accept that all that he had worked for was now gone. Once the fighting had died down, Kalim had emerged, heading for the large library that had been the center of learning for the cult: he knew of the existence of older texts, with more basic truths about the nature of Death than the teachings that had been given to the cult by the Undying. Unfortunately, the library was already in a conflagration by the time Kalim had arrived and thus, with nothing of worth left in his possession, Kalim finally fled, heading out towards the unknown and towards greater truths. Addendum regarding the Cult: The Cult of the Undying God had been an institution within the kingdom of Thalen since time immemorial. Although they held a large sway within the realm, the Kingdom had always been a separate entity: indeed, a long war of subterfuge and intrigue had been waged between the Cult and the Kingdom, with the Cult attempting to grab more power and the Kingdom doing all it could to prevent the Cult from taking over all of its institutions (one of the major victories in ages past for the Cult had been the organizing of religious activity within the realm and, especially, the ritual disposal of both the dead and any prisoners that the Kingdom might have held). In the last few centuries, the Cult and Kingdom had grown in a symbiotic relationship: the Kingdom brought the armies, and the Cult brought the dark arts of the Undying. This was agreed by all to have brought unprecedented prosperity to both the Kingdom and Cult. The main race of the Kingdom, and the one that controlled all its major political, judicial and military positions, is the Averni. The Averni are humanoid, but tall and thin and with emaciated features (according to humans, that is). Their face is drawn thin, predominantly showing the underlying bones. The skin tends to grey, and any hair tends towards either grey or white. The Cult draws heavily from the Averni, but there is usually little discrimination, as one of the underlying beliefs is that All Are Equals Before Death. The Cult is viewed with suspicion outside of the Kingdom. Along with suppression in any other realm where the necromantic arts are viewed with disgust or outright rage, the main issue is that, due to the deepening ties between the Kingdom of Thalen and the Cult, the Cult was viewed more and more as a pure extension of Thalen's foreign policy. Although this was not the complete truth (and indeed in earlier ages the Cult was used by enemies of the Kingdom in order to foment revolt within Thalen), it was certainly true in more recent times when the fortunes of both institutions were tied more tightly together. That was until the War in Heaven. As the Cult cannibalized itself, the Kingdom also entered political turmoil. Although some members of the court welcomed the destruction of what they saw as a negative influence, the destruction of the Cult left the Kingdom in a politically vulnerable position, both due to the religious degree of control that the Cult had, and also due to the complete destruction of what had been until then a pretty effective spy ring. Added to this, once the Arts of the Undying had been lost forever, the military power of the Kingdom was also negatively affected. The future of the Kingdom is unclear, as much of its power has been lost, and many rivals are salivating at the thought of finally getting rid of a thorn in their side. Description: Kalim was an Averni, born in Thalen, the younger of a minor noble house. Being last in line, he accepted from an early age that his options was to kill his way to the top, something that wouldn't be easy considering the number of brothers and sisters that he needed to go through, or join the Cult and work from there. Kalim ultimately chose the latter route, maybe out of fraternal love, maybe as an attempt to follow the path of least resistance. For his race, Kalim is somewhat average, although his hair is whiter than most. During his time in the Cult, however, he became almost unrecognizable due to the experiments made on his body, and his current form would repulse even other Averni at this stage. Traits: Persuasive [+2]: Years of proselytizing and giving orations to the glory of the Undying have left Kelim with a distinct knack for convincing people and coercing them to his ways. Learned [+2]: The curriculum within the Cult tended to be broad, although it mainly focused on death and its various aspects. Study of other cults and ways to subvert them was positively encouraged, as well as studies in medicine and divine healing. The study of Undying Life, which was one of the major necromantic arts within the realm, was the main focus, but this knowledge is now obsolete, as it was tied directly to the power of the Undying. Implacable [+2]: initiates within the cult would perform ritual bloodletting and scarification on themselves, along with constant regiments of pain so that they would resistance to more elaborate, painful rituals that would be necessary for them to perform in order to reach the rank of Master. Kalim, having had years of such treatment, seems almost immune to pain and will go through ordeals that would make others shout in pain. Subversive [+2]: In order to reach the top ranks of the cult, it had been necessary from the start to play off other members against each other and ensure that nothing stood in the way of his advancement. Other, less cunning Initiates tended to end up as mere guinea pigs for the experiments of the Masters: although these often posited that taking part in such an experiment was a gift from the Undying, the end results rarely proved such a saying to be true. In the Cult of the Undying, you either plotted or you ended up being a cog in the machinations of others. Drawbacks: Paranoid [-2]: When one of the principal figures in your life betrays you, and betrays you to the extent that makes you reflect that your entire life was a lie, you tend to develop a complex. With the memory of this betrayal still etched in his mind, Kalim trusts no one. Foul [-2]: The foul stench of death seems to linger where Kalim ventures. His appearance behind the robes is horrifying, as years of ritual bodily sacrifice took their toll, along with countless personal experiment that attempted to lengthen his life at the cost of his spiritual and physical form. Wish: "To find the true form of death, free from the divine and its manifestations, and to conquer it without the use of Godly intervention or miracles." Tekopo fucked around with this message at 10:29 on Dec 14, 2016 |
|
#
?
Dec 13, 2016 01:39
|
|
|
 Moonrat Ratling names are an incomprehensible series of chirps and chitters. In Moonrat's case, the best translation into a common tongue would be "Pale-Shadow-in-Moonlight". Out of politeness, most ratlings adopt a less cumbersome sobriquet for dealing with other species. Background: "Big Folk think everything belongs to them. They took our forests for lumber, so we moved to the mountains. They took our mountains for ore, so we moved into the caves. They took our caves for their battles against the Things-That-Lurk, and so we moved to their cities. Now they take our lives and our pride because we have nothing else." The King-That-Was has been dead for generations, but his descendants still live, and they still rule a kind of kingdom. Instead of grand courts, there are shadowy dens of thieves and cut throats. Instead of fiefdoms there are neighborhoods with gangs and bosses. Instead of knights there are assassins, and instead of chivalry there is The Code. She-That-Hungers leads them now, and at her side is Moonrat. Moonrat came from a family of little note, and like many of his fellows, took the work that was available: Stealing everything they could back from everyone else. He is extremely good at it, and though many question his loyalty, none question his ability. Moonrat himself holds no true allegiance to anyone, and even his vows to the queen will last only so long as they are useful to him. This is not to say he is a backstabbing traitor. Only that he has the wisdom to understand that if his superiors embark upon acts of folly, he is under no obligation to follow them to ruin. His only real oath is a private one: to see his species regain what they have lost. To that end, he will do whatever is necessary. Of the Big Folk, ratlings despise the elves the most. It was they who intruded upon their forest homes, not wishing to mar their own woodland realms with industry. With the blessing of their blasphemous gods, the fair folk came like a storm. An intensely private people, the ratlings had no allies to call upon and could do nothing against the weapons and magic of the invaders. The insult was doubled when the Men came to the mountains. Though furious at the humans for their greed, it was the elves again who earned the majority of the ratling's ire; they were the ones who had whispered in the ear of a King of Men and led them to conquest. The elves seemed to find the very existence of the ratfolk an affront and hounded them whenever possible. And so life went, for a long time. But now the gods are dead. Some crafty souls have already considered that without the divine protection of the Elven Choir, a time for vengeance may well be at hand. Moonrat is a sly, calculating man, though he lacks much in the way of higher education. But when it comes to the wisdom of the street and gutter, few possess greater insight. His dress is typical for his sort; a cloak, chest wraps, and trousers. He permits himself a few understated bits of jewelry, but prefers to keep his real treasures hidden away. He is pleasant enough to speak with, willing to show proper respect and deference to others. However, this facade quickly slips in the face of insults or incompetence. Weakness is something he cannot tolerate, and many unexplained mishaps have befallen the weak links in the organizations and societies he involves himself in. Others he has simply challenged to an outright duel, and he wears their skulls on his belt to this day. He keeps his knives, tools, and whatever trinkets have found their way into his possession secreted about his person in concealed sheaths and hidden pockets. Most of the money he earns from his undertakings is sent back to his home, to ensure his family is properly taken care of. It's tough even in the best of times to feed that many little sisters. Traits: Thief [+2]: Skullduggery, artful dodgery, and general sneakery. All the tricks of the criminal trade, Moonrat knows. Handsome [+2]: Moonrat is well-kept and well-groomed. Among his people, his long sleek tail, white fur, gracefully curved ears, and elegantly manicured nails make him an avowed lady-killer. Among other peoples, he is considered a remarkably good specimen of his kind, akin to a well-pedigreed horse. In any case people are inclined to treat with him fairly, presuming him to be the sole exception to the stereotypical unkempt ratling hooligan. Ruthless [+2]: Despite his civil demeanor, Moonrat is not a nice person. Though not carelessly cruel, he is not averse to using threats to get his way and he has no qualms about following through. Nimble [+2]: Moonrat is proficient in jumping, tumbling, acrobatics, sprinting, and similar feats of dexterity. Flaws: Arrogant [-2]: Moonrat thinks very highly of himself and his skills, and bristles at any perceived slight against them. Kleptomaniac [-2]: If something catches Moonrat's eye, he is loathe to leave it be, regardless of the consequences. A Wish: "A home for my people, free from our enemies." Shardix fucked around with this message at 14:18 on Dec 13, 2016 |
|
#
?
Dec 13, 2016 03:47
|
|
|
 Karla Background: The wild peoples were a scantily studied and visited people in the time before the gods fell. Nature had a god or goddess but they knew it not by name. The shamans and wise-women of the tribe knew when the babe was born that she would be...trouble. The signs and portents pointed to an uncertain fate but that Karla would either save her people or destroy them. As a child as she grew she outstripped the other children and their gifts, for each member of the tribe became gifted at something. However she had inherited far more than any in memory or in the stories told by the firelight. She was willful and strong and didn't always heed the advice of her elders. The village and her parents tried to channel her energy but found that she was quite a handful. As she grew Karla soon became a hunter and respected warrior, finding a weapon in the ruins of the "old peoples" she was a favorite among the youth for her exploits. She was to marry the chieftain's second son, a storyteller who would learn the histories of their people. Their childhood love and friendship blooming until the day of their joining arrived. It was then that the foreign soldiers came, driven mad by the death of their God. They burned the meager village and put many to the sword who had gathered in their festive livery. No one bore a weapon for the implied violence would be an insult to the ceremony. The arrows that killed her mother and father also found their way into her beloved. She had to do something, she had to save her people. Caged within her heart was the darkness. The untrodden path. It was said that the warrior that succumbed to the darkness would become a berserker, unstoppable and deadly. The fate of that embrace for Karla would be much much worse. For to become the dark walker was to invite an uncleanness into one's soul. To become the Beast. The monster. To be beyond the light and it's radiance while under its control. Karla ripped them apart. Feasted upon their flesh and splintered their bones. When she awoke, she did so in the aftermath of tragedy. While she did save her remaining people, the rest feared and even shunned her. Cast out and weeping, Karla fled. Unloved. Unwanted. Unclean. The beast's heart spoke to her. <"I'm here. Waiting, in the dark I'll find you. Run little doe. Run. I'll always be right behind you...> And so she ran, looking. Hoping. Wishing for... A heartfelt Wish: For love and belonging, peace or an answer(?) to her savage curse Traits: Heart of the Mountain <Strong [+2]>: Karla is strong. Stronger than man or monster, her love of life and living free she roams the world helping those she can as she finds her place in it. Breath of the Wind <Fleet [+2]>: She can run and move faster than the herds of wild Graffalo, move quieter than the stealthy Foxcats of the Sandeep canyons, her freedom under the sky and stars unfettered and carefree. Eye of the Sun <Perceptive [+2]>: Karla knows what lurks within the moonless night on the plans for she can see deep into the darkness, she can feel the intentions of the forest and find the hidden bounties in the ruins of the old before people. Their hidden caches and secrets something to be explored and found. Soul of the Beast <Animal Empathy[+2]>: Knowing the earth mother's children as Karla does, she can intuit what the animals feel and need. While she prefers not to impress her will upon the wild she will make her intentions known to those beasts that occupy it with her. Drawbacks: Emotional lycanthropy <Cursed [-2]>: Experiencing strong emotions, like passion, fear or even exhilaration can sometimes trigger a transformation into a monstrous form. A combination of bear, wolf, eagle, frog, and serpent; those "blessed" with nature's bounties carry those gifts at a terrible price. [edit: more of a metaphorical transformation, a berserker state] <Protective -2>: It is hard for one such as Karla to trust after her people cast her out for reasons beyond her control. But should she find a home again and those she could care for, she would defend them fiercely. Home, family, and friends are what life is about and losing that again is unthinkable. Edit: Description [foreign raiders]: Karla did not know the invaders, their clothing strange and their ways unknown. But her people had had dealings with them before.  Missionaries from a land across the sea the Janites first arrived decades ago to bring enlightenment to the wild peoples. At first their priests and missionaries built schools and gave those in the wild gifts and promised that the Alabaster God would give them eternal reward for their worship. This was met with mixed results in different communities. Very few converted. It wasn't until the Janite priests found that the wild peoples had scavenged treasures and gold from the ruins of the old before peoples that the soldiers from the land of Jana arrived to "support" the church's efforts of converting the heathen natives. Some tribes, like Karla's simply moved deeper into the wild. Limiting contact to the odd trader or woodsman from the Janite community. While the Alabaster god was supposedly a god of healing, kindness and white magic...it's servants were not. Often treating the converted wild people as little more than serfs or servants at best. At times the Janite lord and his soldiers threatening or robbing the odd tribe for its scavenged treasures and gold trinkets. When the Alabaster god died, the priests went blind and madness infected their minds and crippled their bodies. The wild peoples were blamed for this loss of connection, their heathen ways even among the converted used as a scapegoat. The Janite lord sized this opportunity to put the people under his heel as his men were whipped into a frenzy by the crooked former servants of the Alabaster god. If they could kill and subjugate the heathens, perhaps the Janite link to their diety could be restored and the misappropriated heathen wealth be redistributed properly... I am Communist fucked around with this message at 17:06 on Dec 13, 2016 |
|
#
?
Dec 13, 2016 04:04
|
|
|
Name: Shinem Background: Shinem was a little child when he lost his parents. He remembered living a life of crime lifting whatever wasn’t nailed down, picking pockets from the unaware, and a scraggly old man who kept pointing him at houses to break into. One day he tried to break into the house of some rich noble; Shinem forgets the name, but he knew the patron was involved in illegal trade. Shinem was supposed to steal some specific bauble - a large jewel - but he got greedy; found aromatic bags of candy, tried to take some with him and got caught. The men took the jewel away from him and held him in a cell for a few days. Then new guards came back to Shinem and for some reason demanded that he give up where he hid the jewel he stole. He told them that he gave it to the guards who caught him, but they did not believe him. By chance he was exiled from the city rather than thrown back into a cell or had his hands cut off, but he was branded in the neck before being unceremoniously thrown into the moat that surrounded his old home. The events afterwards were him running away as arrows were falling so near to where he was until that city vanished from the horizon; Shinem would’ve died that day had a monk from Holsprin Abbey not found him. The young Shinem told the monk his story, and the monk took sympathy and offered Shinem a place at the Abbey. Life was difficult for Shinem in the beginning; the monks had farmlands that needed tending to for food and drink, and they also practiced seclusion, self-denial, and understanding the nature of the All-Maker, the deity of worship at the Abbey. He had rather spend most of his time out in the farmlands where other folk lived, than in the Abbey where he must contemplate the All-Maker. Still he liked that life; he had food, shelter, and more comfort - albeit slightly - than he did in the streets of his childhood. While he looks back on the past, Shinem has buried it, committing himself to his monkhood and new lease on life. These days Brother Shinem is an old man who brews beer for the Abbey, finding joy in the act and in drinking his work. He made good, and farmers and travellers alike would remember his kindness and empathy towards them. The city life from long ago is only a memory; maybe other thieves may remember him Shinem the thief by name, but the nobility remember only a little cutpurse who bit off more than he could chew. More local things took up his attention, like how homesteads were growing barren, and crops were failing. He even saw lands brown and choked of life when they used to be full of life. He wanted to know why it was happening and if it could be fixed, but other concerns cropped up. Along with the lands dying, there was also the dream with the ‘god’ Terminus. Shinem dreamt of Terminus in meditation. The other monks noticed Shinem’s shaken state and asked what he saw. He told them and the reactions to his dream were… many. Many of the monks took the news badly. The monks at Holsprin Abbey, simply put, are a mess; few see eye to eye with one another on the dream and what action to take. The devout believe that the dream is real and a test of their faith; the skeptics think the dream is utter nonsense; while a grim few accept that the All-Maker has been killed - impossible as it sounds. Their lives were built around their god with little else beyond their principles and practice, and with His ‘death’ came questions of where they and the Abbey stood in this godless world, if any of their principles meant anything anymore, and if death was coming to the land - or worse the entire world. That latter idea was not helped when farmers started to abandon their homesteads for the larger cities and boroughs, and spreading the news of crop failures and drought. On top of these questions, the head monk tried to bring normalcy with a new charge: as he put it, “to adapt to these changing times without forgetting our past.” In practice that meant claiming the empty homesteads in the name of the Abbey by whatever means they could imagine. The idea was neither popular with the monkhood, nor with local lords who believe they have a right to those lands, dying as they are now. Shinem began to distance himself from most of the monks, not wanting to get caught up in the politics. He left for a farm that had not suffered like the others and plied what he knew there. And as he worked there he began to look for why the land is dying. Wish: “I wish to restore the life of these lands.” Traits Artisan [+2] : He was taught to make goods to trade at the Abbey when he was old enough. It takes knowledge, practice and a steady hand which he had for 30 years. Man of the Cloth [+2] : Being a holy man gives a sense of gravitas and understanding from others; when a holy speaks, people tend to listen or at least not dismiss. Being a holy man also meant reading scriptures and studies to sharpen the mind. Affable [+2] : He’s good-natured, laughs heartily, and speaks candidly. He also has sympathies for those who are downtrodden. People feel at ease when with him, and are grateful when he gets hospitable. Robust [+2] : For his age he’s surprisingly energetic, work doesn’t slow him down, and he has some muscle to him by virtue of keeping at it for so long. Drawback: Soused [-2] : It’s noticeable how often Shinem drinks. He drinks not quite as a necessity, but as a consequence of brewing the beers for the Abbey. Then again, he also keeps a few skins on him for when he needs some ‘courage.’ He thinks he’s wiser, more able and aware after a drink, but the times when he starts to wobble when he walks or slur his words, put that thought into question. Loves Routine [-2] : He had always lived in the Abbey, always worked in the farms, brewed beer, prayed to the All-Maker, etc. The idea that anything could change - especially right in the moment - in his day to day basis bothers him greatly. Also trying to tell Shinem to hurry would be like trying to tell the sun to not set. He does not appreciate being rushed, and it leaves him flustered and snappish when he is. On Holsprin Abbey Holsprin Abbey was built at a crossroads from where many towns and boroughs met; it was far enough away for monks to live their lifestyle, yet close enough to civilization so that they could trade for the goods they could not make themselves. Character Plans: Going for a monk's journey to sainthood through nature, or perhaps a transformation to a Dionysian harvest god figure. Could have him deal with his old life as a cutpurse and vagabond. AnAnonymousIdiot fucked around with this message at 23:34 on Dec 29, 2016 |
|
#
?
Dec 13, 2016 05:28
|
|
|
John Garde --- City of Lustrium     ---  Lustrium City Guard CONFIDENTIAL Personnel Review: Guardsman John Garde Guardsman Garde has been with the force for nearing on ten years. Ten years of barely passable work, with just enough busts to keep him on the rolls. Perhaps the most remarkable thing about him is the fact that he’s managed to survive some of the escapades he’s gotten involved in. He seems able to take more physical abuse than more other men. In truth though, Guardsman Garde’s biggest failing is a lack of confidence that causes what would otherwise be minorly bad luck to become disastrous far too often. When he can be truly engaged in a case, Garde shows remarkable tenacity, putting in the hard work chasing down every lead and more often than not putting together patterns of fact other investigators miss. However, getting Garde to sink his teeth into a case is rare, his lack of confidence suppresses his natural tenacity and leaves him easy for other guards and even the criminal element to roll right over. It might be said he has potential, but its clear after a even a decade of seasoning that the promise of that potential will never be fulfilled. Still, he’s on the streets, hard to kill, and as far as I can tell squeaky clean. Though that might be due to the fact I’m not certain he’s ever been offered a chance to wet his own beak than any particular devotion to duty or the law. He’s simply neither important enough or talented enough to be worth buying, as far as I can tell. Regardless of the reasons, we can never use enough honest men on the street, and most of his disasters tend to fall on himself more often than the station, no matter what nickname he might have earned. Recommendation: Guardsman Garde should be kept on his current assignment, but should not be included on any sensitive or high profile cases. Consideration for promotion not recommended. --- Lying on his bed, in his tiny one room apartment, John read over the document. He knew he shouldn’t have it, but the fact that it had been left on his desk had clearly not been an accident. No doubt one of his coworkers had put it there to have a laugh at his expense. However, try as he might he couldn’t really deny any of it, and that just pissed him off even more. He didn’t need a report to tell him his life was going nowhere fast. Lustrium was a big city, one of the biggest in the world, it’s crystal spires visible from miles in every way sparkled in the night and it was crisscrossed with sapphire blue canals bustling with trade. A big city like that will all its trade and wealth and poverty attracted a criminal element. The Lustrium Guard was the world’s largest and most developed police force, the envy of the world. The tales of heroism and skill were what had drawn John to the city. Now here he was a decade later and he had nothing to show for it. He had quickly become disenchanted, saw that this was like any other job and endless grind as the wellborn, the lucky, and the bold skated by. For someone like him who was none of those things, it was an endless path to nowhere. He was just as broke as when he started, and he’d known his career with the guard was a dead end long before he had illicit official confirmation of that fact. He had no friends, no wealth, no respect, and no prospects. It ground his gears, what had he done to deserve this, it wasn’t his fault that bad luck followed him wherever he went, that the crucial break in the case never showed up, that the gang members managed to mistake him for some other guard’s informant and beat the poo poo out of him. Nothing ever went his way, and he was tired of it, he was tired of his life, he wanted out, no matter what form that might take. So when the voice of Terminus called down from the heavens he didn’t quite believe it. He almost ignored it, but looking at the report one more time he figured even if it was nothing more than a hallucination he had nothing left to lose, and the anger and resentment built up from decade of broken dreams, of stalled ambitions, of wasted years bubbled to the surface like a volcanic eruption as he screamed at the top of his lungs: “I want power, enough power so that no one will ever try to beat me up or intimidate me again! Enough that all those who thought I was nothing will come begging to me! Enough to let me take whatever I want from life!” The moment passes, and John is left panting like he’d just run a marathon, the blood pounding in his ears like a drum beat. He is mortified at the realization of the fact that he had just screamed as loud as possible in his shoebox of an apartment, no doubt everyone in the build heard him, but before the humiliation and realizes just how foolish he must seem, wondering if he’s losing his grip on his sanity when the voice responds. Traits City Guard[+2] - John has been a member of the guard in the city of Lustrim for ten long years. He’s not particularly talented at it, but he’s been around long enough to pick some things up. Just enough swordsmanship to defend himself, how to wear and maintain armor with only a bit , a bit about keeping your eyes open and looking for things others might miss, a bit of knowledge of how criminals work. Good enough to keep him from being fired, not enough to make him actually valuable. Hardy[+2] - You don’t survive being a city guard with abominable luck without being hard to kill. Falling debris, beatings by gangs, the occasional stab wound, you name it, John has been there and back again. Living through all of that has toughened him up enough to take a punch without too much trouble. Stubborn[+2] - John’s one truly good quality, once he sets his mind to something he sticks to it. It’s the main reason he’s made it this far in life. Commanding[+2] - Thank's the transformation John oozes confidence, and he certainly looks the part of a warrior not to be trifled with. That combination goes a long way to convincing people to go along with him. Prehensile Tail[+2] - Thanks to eating a dragon's heart, John has now grown a muscular prehensile tail. He's still getting the hang of it, but having an extra appendage to grip with, or to smash someone with can have it's uses. Especially when other people aren't expecting it. Dragon Force - After eating the heart of the Dragon Audo, John has become something more than human, gaining draconic features and powers. Dragon's Strength[+2] - The supernatural strength of a dragon. John can now crush rocks with his bare hands, and lift weights that would crush a normal man. You probably don't want to let him get in a hit on you. Dragon's Endurance[+2] - The supernatural endurance of a dragon. What good is strength without the endurance and toughness to be able to use it. John can now take hits that would level a lesser being, and exert himself far longer than a normal human. Drawback Bad Luck[-2] - John’s bad luck is something of a legend in the guardhouse. If something can be expected to go against him, it usually does, if he’s in need of a particularly lucky break you can bet it won’t appear. In truth, John’s bad luck is not as bad as he and those around him think it is though having no less than two pianos fall on him over the years suggests it can get pretty drat bad at times. Really, John’s lack of confidence and all around middling talent manage to close doors that should be open, and turn what should be minor setbacks into spectacular disasters. It is said you make your own luck, and that is something John is really unsuited to do at the moment. Untested Leader[-2] - John may feel like a leader, but he's never been in charge of anyone before, ever. As such, though he can talk a good game, he's not as capable of walking the walk of leadership. Dragonborn[-2] - John's not just gaining the power of a dragon, but some of its appearance as well, leathery green skin, claws, sharp teeth, the works. This tends to make him hard to miss, and make if you look at him for more than a few seconds, it's clear he's not human. This can be a problem at times, especially if you're trying to escape notice, or appear normal. Valhawk fucked around with this message at 05:06 on Mar 31, 2017 |
|
#
?
Dec 13, 2016 05:45
|
|
|
Feedback: Sasha: Are Ogres as a half-demonic creature their own race, or specifically the progeny of a demon and something else. If so, what? If not what was the area where Sasha grew up like? Mechanically, Terror of the Seas seems like a very wordy way of saying Prejudice. Bee Your wish does not fit with the game at all. The point of the wish is for me to give you some immediate goals and to direct your story. Your character at the moment seems to be about escaping agency, and it doesn't fit with the theme and style of the game. You could probably salvage the character, but I would probably suggest starting over to be honest. Kalim Whatever he might be now, what race was Kalim at least before he joined the cult if he has not degenerated so far? And what of the country that Xanthos was revered in, and how far was his name known? Your sheet checks out though, and the wish is easy to come up with a few options for you to choose form. Moonrat Out of the big folk, which one has taken the most from the ratlings. And which ones are the most hated, if they are not the same? Made Man is difficult to use, as it involves you being in one place and your wish is to find a new home for the Ratlings. Perhaps Resourceful or Ingratiating would be work for the idea behind this trait. Similarly I think that instead of Artful Dodger you might be better off using something like Nimble. The idea is that your traits are approaches, and not so much skills. As a thief it's probably pretty reasonable to expect that you can dodge things. Karla Tell me more about the foreign soldiers, what are the lands they come from like and had they dealt much with your people before? Is Karla's curse a literal transformation into a monster, or just a metaphor for berserk fury? Also thank you for providing a translation for your traits. John Tell me about Lustrius. Who lives there, is it a prosperous place or has it fallen on hard times. The character sheet checks out. Some stuff is probably a little more verbose than it needs to be but it's not such to be an issue.
|
|
#
?
Dec 13, 2016 10:34
|
|
|
Casey of Tamora Once there was a city of vast wealth, a hub of trade, famed for its architectural marvels and patronage of the arts. The city was called Tamora, and of all its wonders, none was so famed as its temple to Tamora's patron, the Goddess of Love and Beauty, whose name is no longer spoken in the wake of Terminus' war. Her statues have crumbled, her sanctuaries converted to more secular use, her hymns left unsung, for the Goddess was a vain creature, and upon her destruction she withdrew all knowledge of herself from the mortal plane, for she refused to be remembered as one who could be vanquished. Even the Goddesses' name has been forgotten, stricken from the minds of mortals, but her temple remains. It lies empty, now, save for one soul. Casey surrendered her family name only recently, when she left her shoemaker father and pledged herself as a Novitiate in the Goddess' priesthood. And when the Goddess marshaled her forces, when she drew her faithful to her to fight in the Godwar, Casey and her fellow novices were left behind, bereft of guidance. Perhaps their faith simply was not strong enough. Perhaps they were judged unready. Most, by now, have filtered back into the city, back into the mundane world, but Casey remained. She could not be certain why; it wasn't out of faith. For her, the priesthood had been an escape from poverty, an escape from her former life, one where she was judged... poorly, shall we say, by her peers. So she remains in the Temple, dreading the day when Tamora's city officials come and claim the beautiful palace for their own use, throwing her back out onto the streets. She would pray, but she knows not who to pray to. She is lost, in a way that most people will never have to understand, and it scares her. She has always been different, and now she is even more alone than she had been once before. And it is those differences that well up in the forefront of her mind when Terminus appears to her, and makes her his offer. Traits: Resilient [+2]: Casey has been through a lot in her relatively brief life. She has been poor, she has gone hungry, she has experienced no shortage of prejudice and fear simply for being who and what she is. She remains unbowed. Even now, homeless and hiding in a dusty corner of a vast temple to a forgotten Goddess, Casey is scared, she is hungry, she is nervous... but she is not beaten. She still has hope. She still has a sense of herself. Her faith in Gods might be weak, but her faith in herself is vast. Empathic [+2]: Sometimes, if a person is lucky, they find someone to whom they feel connected, and that person's joy brings them joy, and that person's pain stabs at their heart, and that person's happiness becomes paramount. Casey is one of those rare souls who feels that way, not about one specific beloved person, but about almost everyone. She draws strength from these connections, draws fortitude from them. Magically Talented [+2]: While having no formal training in magic, Casey has a natural aptitude for it; the priestesses, before they were drawn away by the Goddess, often remarked that she would make a fine healer someday, serving as a conduit for the Goddess' power. Well, the Goddess is no more, but that same aptitude that would have let her channel divine magical power will let her channel otherwise natural magic with ease. She is no wizardess - what few tricks she has might be termed 'cantrips' by the more knowledgeable - but she has a knack for spellcraft and picks up on magic easily. This occasionally (OOC: read as 'at the GM's discretion') allows her particular insight into people or places or things that have been touched by magic. Lithe [+2]: It was not Casey's talent for magic that drew the attention of the Goddess' priesthood, however; it was her dancing. Casey is a fantastic dancer, and in the arts-obsessed city of Tamora, this is a highly-prized skill. Drawbacks: Non-Binary [-2]: Casey is a transwoman, assigned male at birth but identifying and presenting as female. While Casey herself would never view this as a drawback of any sort, it must be admitted that there are a lot of people in the world who view her as somehow unnatural as a result (in the not-unlikely event that this game world includes sufficient magic to allow for the magical equivalent of surgery, note simply that Casey's family was pretty poor and she could never afford such treatment). Her appearance could be described as androgynous at best; clothes and makeup can only go so far. Non-Confrontational [-2]: Casey's natural inclination, when faced with conflict, is to talk things out, negotiate, come to a compromise. Should that fail, she simply isn't very good at other alternatives. She will try to talk a person out of something for days, but she has a very hard time saying "well, okay, fine, then I guess we'll have to fight." It's not that she's a shrinking violet - she doesn't surrender easily. She just has a hard time being more forceful than raising her voice. Casey's Wish: "What do I most desire? ...Freedom. Freedom to be who I am and what I am. Other people don't have to like it, but they should damned well accept it. Can you give me that, then?" Edited as per discussions in IRC DivineCoffeeBinge fucked around with this message at 11:54 on Dec 13, 2016 |
|
#
?
Dec 13, 2016 10:36
|
|
|
HiKaizer posted:Kalim
|
|
#
?
Dec 13, 2016 16:54
|
|
|
HiKaizer posted:Feedback: I edited my entry, here are the additions: Emotional lycanthropy <Cursed [-2]>: [edit: more of a metaphorical transformation, a berserker state, I wasn't sure if a supernatural monster would have fit with the theme of the world, but it can have a similar effect when invoked.] [Edit: Description [foreign raiders]: Karla did not know the invaders, their clothing strange and their ways unknown. But her people and elders had dealings with them before. Missionaries from a land across the sea the Janites first arrived decades ago to bring enlightenment to the wild peoples. At first their priests and missionaries built schools and gave those in the wild gifts and promised that the Alabaster God would give them eternal reward for their worship. This was met with mixed results in different communities. Very few converted. It wasn't until the Janite priests found that the wild peoples had scavenged treasures and gold from the ruins of the old before peoples that the soldiers from the land of Jana arrived to "support" the church's efforts of converting the heathen natives. Some tribes, like Karla's simply moved deeper into the wild. Limiting contact to the odd trader or woodsman from the Janite community. While the Alabaster god was supposedly a god of healing, kindness and white magic...it's servants were not. Often treating the converted wild people as little more than serfs or servants at best. At times the Janite lord and his soldiers threatening or robbing the odd tribe for its scavenged treasures and gold trinkets. When the Alabaster god died, the priests went blind and madness infected their minds and crippled their bodies. The wild peoples were blamed for this loss of connection, their heathen ways even among the converted used as a scapegoat. The Janite lord sized this opportunity to put the people under his heel as his men were whipped into a frenzy by the crooked former servants of the Alabaster god. If they could kill and subjugate the heathens, perhaps the Janite link to their diety could be restored and the misappropriated heathen wealth be redistributed properly...]
|
|
#
?
Dec 13, 2016 17:05
|
|
|
Name: Elias Ponsonby-Welm of the Aubrecht Ponsonby-Welms, the fifth of his name, Autarch of Aubrecht and the surrounding demesne Picture:  Description: A dapper gentleman dressed in the finest of brocaded silks and trimmed linens, the chain of the Autarchy rests snugly on his slightly misshapen shoulders and a bejewelled longsword hands slightly awkwardly upon his hip. He could be called 'Dashing', handsome' or 'distinguished' by a truly consummate liar, but in truth his features have suffered due to the Ponsonby-Welm predilection for 'keeping the bloodline pure'. As a consequence, Elias sadly has far fewer antecedents than would be considered usual, and a very distinctive look combining the most prominent traits of his ancestors with, and there is no way to put this delicately, themselves. Background: Born as the sole surviving offspring of Autarch Elias IV Ponsonby-Welm of the Aubrecht Ponsonby-Welms and Eliasina Ponsonby-Welm of the Aubrecht Ponsonby-Welms née Ponsonby-Welm of the Chattridge Ponsonby-Welms, Elias V was raised in luxury, his every whim and foible catered to by the extensive staff and servants of the Autarchal palace. You might think this could cause a child to be spoilt and arbitrary, but since that would constitute an offence of Lèse-majesté which would be vigorously prosecuted, obviously it wasn't the case. Trained in a classical, broad education and in how to handle a sword, there is not one man or woman in the Autarchy of Aubrecht that would openly criticise his rule. It is said to his face and in his presence that he is a wise and considerate lord, who guides the ship of state with a gentle but firm hand. He is wedded to his first cousin, Eliasette P-WotAP-W, who is presently in the family way. Never particularly devout, it was something of a surprise when the God, Terminus, appeared to him in a vision (Of course he did, Sire, you are as ever correct.) with words of guidance and revelation. So it was that the Autarch prepared to venture out and do what was necessary to secure the future... Wish: To be the patriarch of a dynasty that will rule the world for ten thousand years. Traits: Leader +2: Born into wealth and privilege, inheritor of a prosperous if rather bijou nation-state, Elias V can call upon the advantages of his position pretty much at a whim, provided he is either in or near Aubrecht or has a loyal retinue of Aubrechtian retainers handy to carry out his will. Educated +2: Fortuitously, Elias' tutors were gifted with perseverance, and managed to hammer into their charge a very solid grounding in literacy, languages, mathematics, statecraft, history and culture. Even his master-at-arms had a decent crack at making him capable of defending himself. Stylish +2: Despite his rather unfortunate looks, Elias is something of a trend-setter, and has mastered the art of dressing to make an impact for almost any social situation. In some cases, this can even compensate for his appearance, personality and demeanour. Shrewd +2: Beneath that rather ugly and misshapen exterior lies an equally ugly and misshapen interior, but one which does actually have a rather swift and able mind. He endeavours to play up his appearance to seem dimmer or slower-witted, but there's a razor lurking behind that carefully cultivated false layer of rust. Drawbacks: Frail -2: A consequence of having an unbranching family twig rather than a family tree. Thus, Elias' health is not the best, he is physically defective in a number of ways, and there are concerns about his ability to produce healthy heirs or live long enough to do so. Abrasive -2: As an arbitrary, spoilt man prone to indiscipline, he does tend to rub people entirely the wrong way, and has a tendency to be thoroughly unpleasant and thoughtless. He has no concept of how the poors live, nor does he care to acquire one. AJ_Impy fucked around with this message at 02:46 on Dec 15, 2016 |
|
#
?
Dec 13, 2016 22:20
|
|
|
I would like to register a small interest, but I am somewhat bad at keeping up to date with these things. But I did want to add this picture for the temple of Kalim Mort because it looks very cool. 
Josef bugman fucked around with this message at 00:54 on Dec 14, 2016 |
|
#
?
Dec 14, 2016 00:47
|
|
|
HiKaizer posted:John Lustrius is a huge coastal city famous for being a massive trade hub, tall crystal spires, and the large canals which criss cross the city. Legend says the city was founded by the god of commerce, for what better temple could there be for the trader-god than a city bustling with business. Lustrius still shines, and you can bet any trading house or kingdom worth it's name has an office or full trade legation there. Of course, not everything is light and beauty. For just as there are great buildings of stone and crystal, there are huge slums as well, as those without attempt to scrape by providing services to those who have the wealth to truly navigate the city's flows. Still, overall the average Lustrian is better off than most. As with all places where rivers of gold flow, Lustrius has attracted a criminal element. Ranging from your average thief or fraudster to things of the more organized variety. Of course, some of the larger trading cartels skirt the line between legitimate business and criminal organization, and the game of trade among the great cartels is played for keeps. The Lustrius City Guard is nearly as old as the city, and though it is still far more advanced in terms of tools and procedures than most other police forces, it is starting to rot from the inside out. As the great cartels more and more grab the levers of power, a culture of corruption is starting to take hold inside the Guard, and the less privileged are too often becoming collateral damage of the shadowy war of trade. Still, the Shining City as it is sometimes known, is known throughout the world as the place to make your fortune if you have the luck and skill for it. --- tl;dr: Think a mix of fantasy New York and renaissance Venice with a growing problem with corruption that will strangle it if left untreated due to concentrated trading groups getting too powerful.
|
|
#
?
Dec 14, 2016 01:18
|
|
|
HiKaizer posted:Are Ogres as a half-demonic creature their own race, or specifically the progeny of a demon and something else. If so, what? If not what was the area where Sasha grew up like? Ogres are allegedly half-demonic, but in more of a creation myth sort of way, in that it is claimed that in ages past the first ogres were sired from a Demon and, say, an elf because why not (whether or not that is true, I leave intentionally vague and for the GM to decide). They are their own species, but they have their red skin and some of them grow horns and they do have that vaguely demonic appearance, giving some credence to the claims. Sasha grew up in the Western Archipelago, which is a highly volcanic island chain a couple days' sailing off the western coast of the [World's Main Continent], situated aggravatingly near to major trade lanes. Volcanic eruptions and lava flows are common, and the place is super inhospitable, which makes it so that ogres are basically one of the only sentient species capable of thriving there (ogres are resilient against the elements, but the fact that they live on highly volcanic hell islands is one more thing that kinda makes people buy the whole half-demonic thing). It's good from a defensive standpoint because basically nobody wants to invade, but being mostly composed of volcanic rock they are fairly short on resources (in Yami's game where this version of Sasha is mostly ripped from, the volcanoes of the Archipelago produced a unique sort of magical obsidian that was particularly hardy and could float on water that they made their boats out of, but I don't know if that fits in your setting), and little grows there, which is one of the main things why ogres like looting so much. They mainly subsist on fishing and hunting salamanders and other such local fauna. There is no central government to the Archipelago, the ogres instead live in this sort of loose collection of clans lead by warlords, elders and shamans. The clans get along pretty well however, what with some friendly rivalry existing between them (as in, ogres don't really like fighting and raiding each other when they could be raiding the squishier and richer mainlanders instead). Sasha, for example, is part of the Snowdrake clan. However, ogres value their freedom, so the clans do not usually object to their members going to do their own thing. HiKaizer posted:Mechanically, Terror of the Seas seems like a very wordy way of saying Prejudice. Hah, in a way it is  However, the wordiness is due to me trying to invoke a fairly specific type of prejudice. I mean, your average peasant wouldn't really dare to be racist against an ogre in very overt ways, and ogres are very trustworthy once they give their word (and indeed, ogre bodyguards are a status symbol for the very wealthy, and ogre mercenaries go for a high price, so the wealthy and influential are somewhat less affected by said prejudices). It's more that people are fearful of them (especially in smaller villages and settlements where prejudices, superstitions and misinformation are ripe), because when you see ogres on approach you rarely know if they're approaching to wreck your stuff or just to have a drink (which, granted, can lead to them wrecking your stuff. They have a reputation for rowdiness). Theantero fucked around with this message at 16:31 on Dec 14, 2016 |
|
#
?
Dec 14, 2016 16:27
|
|
|
HiKaizer posted:Bee Alrighty, let's see if this one is a little more in keeping with the themes of the game. Sir Francis Cabot  There’s always a rumour out there. Lost cities, ancient vaults, magical trinkets. Sit down in any pub and you’ll soon find yourself bombarded by local legends. Well, most of them are total piss; indolent peasants looking to alleviate their boredom or highwayman and bandits looking for a little extra foot traffic being the most common tripe sellers I have encountered. But on occasion, a legend will ring true. Maybe not all the details will be right, but the details don't really matter do they? in the deep tenebrous shadows of the collective folk consciousness, you will find the glint of gold. That’s what it all boiled down to at the end of the day. I used to lie to myself and talk about the adventures I was having, the songs that would be sung of me, the legend I was building. But, it was always about the treasure. Precious, beautiful, wondrous treasure. Whether gold, or jewels, or weapons or whatever else there was to find. More beautiful then the many wives, husbands and other such hangers-on I accumulated and lost over the years. More precious then the many friends that were sacrificed in the deepest pits of the world in order to fuel my ambition. More wondrous then any hidden vista that I rediscovered after centuries of loss, to be forgotten again with my passing. How much of the worlds wealth has been hidden away in secret tunnels and abandoned fortresses that only I have access to? Enough to feed the world? Enough to buy it? I know not. I do not even know if it is still there, if perhaps some other enterprising fool has discovered my ill-gotten caches. If so, it hardly matters. There is always another fortune, buried somewhere... But such fortunes were getting harder and harder to come by. My unerring record of success as well as my advancing age made the journeys of my past simply impossible. There just wasn’t anywhere left to look. And even if there was, would I die before I got there? I was at a loss. The lowest moment I had ever reached. I was scouring a river bed, based on a tall tale by a local mad woman that some ancient priest of a long gone order drowned themselves their in protest over some imagined slight. The only other important detail, that he was of the Elkasi Sect, fond of decorating their iconography with rubies. So desperate was I for one last find that I had fallen to digging in the mud like an urchin! I once raided lost cities and found fortune enough to found empires and now I was collapsed in the mud! I was ready to die then; what man could survive a fall such that I had suffered? There was nothing here for me, nothing anywhere in the world. I had already been there. I had already taken everything of value. And then the dream! Oh what a dream! The gods, dead! And with that, the ancient protections around their thrice damned temples gone forever! I lost many a friend and servant to the foul curses the jealous gods had erected around their ancient places, hiding there the glorious bounty promised within. But now, those sacrifices could be worth it! Those untouched ruins are ripe for the taking. And I will be the one to take them! With new vigor, such that I hadn't felt in many months, I tore back to the village with all haste to where I had stashed my collected journals. All the knowledge of my journeys had been written within and every bitter defeat catalogued by the god that had caused it. It would soon all be mine! A good omen, when I arrived at the tavern I was greeted by shocks and gasps. In my hand, a ruby sigil of the apparently dead Elkasi. Perhaps there is something left of the gods? Perhaps, but not enough to stop me from robbing their opulent graves! Traits Explorer [+2]: They say Sir Cabot has been around the would twice on his many adventures! Perhaps not as many times as that, but he has traveled far indeed. And for all his travels, a journal kept religiously. The only obsession that could rival his true lover, treasure! Duelist [+2]: Quick wit and an age of experience are the main tools of an explorers trade, but what about before you have experience to guide you? For Sir Francis, it was friends and his sword arm that saw him through the early trials of youth. When those friends became competitors, his sword arm became even mightier to replace the loss. Now, untold decades later the weight of age and infirmity have slowed him somewhat. But that loss of speed is more then made up for by the decades of learning how to slice people into pieces quickly and efficiently. Experienced [+2]: Sir Cabot has been in the business for years. He’s been at it for decades. In fact, he might even have been at it for a century if he bothered to keep track of such things so late in life. When it comes to exploration, and the many troubles which come with it, no one can equal the collected and curated knowledge of Sir Francis Cabot. Renowned [+2]: Despite his distaste for the tales written about him Sir Cabot is indeed famous. In his younger years he would liberate long hidden vaults for the people to pillage as they saw fit, taking only the choicest prizes for himself. Less well known for his charity nowadays, he is nevertheless a legendary figure in popular circles. Drawbacks Ancient [-2]: Glass is a cruel mistress, using harsh truth to injure and shame at the behest of her spiteful brother time. The treasure Sir Francis desperately seeks may lie, but it lies with the sweetest intentions. Cracked, sallow skin becomes a vibrant bronze once again, colour returns to bleached white hair and eyes that have seen to much may become distracted by all that glitters in the light. Surrounded by his horde, it is almost possible to forget the weight of uncountable years. Almost. Bitter [-2]: Much has been abandoned; Friends, lovers, children, fans, cities, countries, empires. It could have been his. But they were sacrificed for the hunt. For the abandoned treasure of places long forgotten. What was it all for? It doesn’t matter now. Dreams of delights suitable for lesser men haven’t troubled the explorers nights for many decades. He dreams only of plunder. Wish: Treasure! Bejeweled scepters, emblazoned crowns, talismans, bracelets, rings, rubies, diamonds, gold! I want it. I need it! OscarDiggs fucked around with this message at 23:00 on Dec 18, 2016 |
|
#
?
Dec 15, 2016 01:15
|
|
|
The Ak-Zaf-Fa When the Hive Queen sought an emissary, a sort of paragon of their race, she assembled the necessary data culled from the primal hive mind and designed... this. A light, dexterous scout-type frame (but with a proper digestive system, naturally) combined with the head-space and facial muscles of an Apatur, the drone she designated "Ak-Zaf-Fa", or "Unlike Us", represents a willingness to share in and exchange ideas with their reasonably cautious neighbours. Previous attempts at this directive were prone to dysfunction, whether by their primal attenuation catching too much noise or by the terrible smell of its pheromones, but the Ak-Zaf-Fa has gracefully sidestepped these drawbacks. The Culling of the Everchanging God, to which the Hive Queen and King Consort paid homage by offering live sacrifices of uniquely useful offspring, was a shock to their core, and a disastrous disruption of their normal rites of arboreal harvest and crop cultivation by their working caste. Why work towards giving a dead god our share of food, they complained. It was from here on out that they would need to reach out to the other races in earnest to explore other options for societal growth, with the tip of the spear being the Ak-Zaf-Fa. Born in the month of the Culling and imprinted with every ounce of information they could muster on human niceties, the last surviving god, Terminus, spoke to him during his gestation, and has been subtly changed by this gesture. Now ready for his short life's work, this Ak-Zaf-Fa must traverse the world, in search of this new thing called a "Wish". Wish: "I want to find ideas and things that will help our Hive get along with the world. No more warring, or eating the other's flesh." Traits: Speedy (+2): Unlike previous scout-type specimens, the Ak-Zaf-Fa's efficient adrenal system and long stride allows for explosive bursts of speed without relying on abdomen-mounted chemical thrust. Mimicry (+2): Finely-tuned vocal chords confer perfect mimicry of sounds and voices. Mimetic Carapace (+2): As a defense mechanism, iridophores forming the sub-shell can change colour with but a thought. For better or worse, it doesn't affect clothing. Xenoempathy (+2): Apatur genes has given the Ak-Zaf-Fa a wide variety of facial motions, and a proclivity for engaging in social activity. He is an organism that lives for a good conversation. Drawbacks: Easily Lost: A sensory system more attuned to social cues has given him no advantages when it comes to navigating or traversing unfamiliar terrain. A pheromone trail is a remarkably easy thing to lose. No More War!: Strict mental blocks deep in his cerebellum have seriously impaired his combative abilities. The purpose of the Ak-Zaf-Fa was to get along with other peoples, and that is exactly what he intends to do, with an absolute minimum of violence. Huszsersvn fucked around with this message at 05:57 on Dec 16, 2016 |
|
#
?
Dec 15, 2016 08:41
|
|
|
More Feedback: Casey: Tell me about the lands that Tamora sits in. Are they as beautiful as its now deceased patron? Or is the city a bastion of beauty and civilisation in harsh wilds? Elias: We hashed out a bunch of your mechanics on IRC already, so what I want to know is about Aubrecht and its people. How did Elias' family come into wealth and power? Sir Francis: I would say that you should a trait that describes how Francis does stuff. None of the traits are strictly problematic on their own, but you have a lot of stuff that describes what Francis is and less how he does stuff, which is more what I am angling for. I would probably swap Wealthy or Renowned for something that describes something as an approach. I'd also suggest changing the wish from gold to treasure. The wish is supposed to be a guide for me to make a number of story hooks for PCs, that lead to divine power. While there are some options with gold, it is more difficult to brainstorm for. Alternatively, if Francis wants wealth more than treasure, than make sure to change it to that. Ak Zaf Far: Okay, a very creative app but also more difficult to work with. Never Alone and Hive Mind Link seem to be the same thing practically in different wording. If you are not alone then you have people to call on. Keep in mind if you can influence the minds of others, then Influential or Commanding would work better. If your species can mentally influence the minds of others of its kind then that's a skill you would have and not something you specifically need a trait for. The traits about about defining features and behaviours, not skills or belongings as such. If it makes sense for your character to know or to be able to do something, or to have something on you, then you don't need to specifically mechanically mention it. Now, as a character with some mind control stuff this basically there is a conundrum for me; if you surround yourself with workers and drones, and you can control them even in part like a queen insect in literature, then it makes it difficult for me give you NPCs that I can work with. So either your character is going to have a lot of people not of its species around it, or you cannot do the mind control. Mind control is not something I really like, especially since removing agency from people and NPCs makes my work as a GM harder. But also I just do not want something like that to work on PCs. My suggestion would be to rework the mind control stuff into just a very social behaviour. It is fine to have your race enjoy the presence of others and be more socially active and aware than other races. But I would feel more comfortable without the mind control stuff. I am happy to chat about it on IRC if I am around.
|
|
#
?
Dec 16, 2016 03:07
|
|
|
Hi all, If you want to get some feedback on your app, or still have not apped, I strongly encourage you to do so before Sunday morning! I am in east coast Australian time, so if you want to ask me something I am mostly around in the late afternoons to after midnight (early hours) US time. Just mention my name on IRC so I get highlighted. If you app late Sunday or Monday, you will have to probably rely on your initial app being strong and not having issues. I will respond for the edited apps that I missed as soon as I can.
|
|
#
?
Dec 16, 2016 03:14
|
|
|
Tamora is, geographically, in a lovely - though defensible - spot. It sits on the tip of a narrow peninsula, surrounded on three sides by the sea, and boasts a multitude of docks for the many trading vessels that use the city as a port of call or waystop. Only its northern edge is landbound, and is protected by the legendary Walls Of Taranis, named for the long-dead ruler who commissioned them; the walls have never, in the city's 700 year history, been breached. While Tamora has been conquered from time to time, it has never fallen to force alone - only force aided by treachery. The lands to the north were, once upon a time, lush valleys and hills. Over the past several centuries, however, the land has been overworked; herds of sheep and cattle have rendered the region a lot less green than it used to be, and most of the herds have moved further north, making the cost of meat in the city rise; fish, luckily, remain plentiful. The answer, then, is that the lands around Tamora have a certain beauty, it's true, but it's a faded beauty, reflecting the decadence that the city itself has started to experience in the last few decades/ (the inspiration is very much a combination of Venetian trading, Athenian beauty, and late-Imperial Roman decadence. The city has been able to keep itself safe and secure for hundreds of years, and its position as a major mercantile city has let it hoover up wealth; its leading citizens have traditionally lavished money on the arts out of religious devotion. This situation was on the verge of failing even before Casey was born - witness her family's poverty in a city famed for its wealth and beauty, and she was lucky enough to have a father who had a trade - but without its patron Goddess to occasionally reach down and straighten things out, the center will shortly be unable to hold)
|
|
#
?
Dec 16, 2016 04:53
|
|
|
Gannet “The Gods never did anything for me. Everything good in this world came from people. People going about their lives, trying to make the world better. If you ask me, Terminus did us all a favour - in the two weeks since I’ve seen people pull together like you wouldn’t believe. People of all races, species and creeds trying desperately to make the world make sense again. Ships have been coming in to Portuna ever since the Dream hit, and I’ve nearly been run off my feet trying to feed them all. But I manage, somehow, even if I have to dip into my personal stocks. A few pinches of Dreamseed to take the edge off, and soon enough the refugees are talking like old friends, and music fills the air. The world can’t be put back together the way it was - the holes the Gods have left are just too big. But maybe - maybe! - we can make something new from the pieces we've got!” Wish
Gannet hails from a long line of miscegenated humanoids; it wasn’t as though his family was trying to make their way around the tree of life, but that’s how it happened to shake out for him. Though he appears mostly human, he hasn’t quite got the right number of toes or joints or organs. In a fight, this uncertainty grants certain advantages. In social situations, it can be a little unnerving. [Fast +2] Gannet has long limbs, a dancer’s grace, and boundless energy. He can run longer and faster than most, and has little trouble scrambling up and over any obstacles in the way. He can use this speed to deadly effect in a fight, but mostly he likes to run. [Herbalist +2] Gannet is a keen - if self-taught - student of herbology. His father worked as an apothecary, and as a child he spent hours tending to the plants. Eventually, he developed his own hybrid strains, more potent than even heirloom varietals. He still dabbles, but right now it mostly serves as backup for his real passion... [Cooking +2] Gannet loves to cook. The combination of disparate parts into a greater whole, to turn the inedible and strange into the highest delicacy - this is his passion. He was working as a cook in the port town Portuna when he had the Dream, and now it’s all he can think about.
Gannet seldom plans ahead before launching himself into dangerous situations - he figures that if he pushes himself hard enough, he’ll either succeed or he’ll die. If he leaps off a cliff and breaks his leg, it’s because he wasn’t going fast enough before he jumped - after all, if it weren’t possible, he would have died instead of getting hurt. [Idealistic -2] Gannet has high hopes for the world and its people, even with the Gods slain or vanished. He looks on the bright side and hopes that others will follow - and when they don’t, he’s surprised and disappointed. Every time. Dog Kisser fucked around with this message at 06:27 on Dec 17, 2016 |
|
#
?
Dec 16, 2016 22:40
|
|
|
ed: nevermind.
Ronwayne fucked around with this message at 05:22 on Dec 17, 2016 |
|
#
?
Dec 17, 2016 00:52
|
|
|
HiKaizer posted:Elias: Aubrecht, stately jewel of the Veersgoffen hills! Aubrecht, bounteous cornucopia of iron and salt, she of the thousand mines! Aubrecht, hub of trade and commerce throughout the Aub river valleys and beyond! A bustling city, fat and wealthy from the profits of mining and trade. As much vertical as it is horizontal, with Welm Palace perched over the city like a resplendent eagle, or at least a well-fed buzzard. Society mirrors the city, in that the higher you go in one, the higher you go in the other. Let's start at the bottom and work our way up, shall we? The Riverside docks are the grimy, slightly diseased heart that pumps the lifeblood of trade to the surrounding area, with cheap housing and ageing warehouses lining both banks of the Aub. There are rumours of the 'Lower Gents and Downward Ladies', criminals who keep things running almost-but-not-quite smoothly, making sure the dock workers, warehouse hands and general purpose stevedores don't get too uppity, through a mix of offering shallow vices and threatening shallow graves. Away from the river, but on much the same level, are the slightly-better-than-slums of the mine workers, who do their jobs either for the main Ponsonby legacy mining complex, or one of the myriad smaller consortia eking out value from the rich mineral seams that appear to be so abundant in the area. The next tier of the city is primarily the Trader's Promenade, a vast network of shopfronts, stores and markets wherein may be acquired everything from the basic necessities to the most discerning of luxuries. This serves as the primary outlet for the workshops and manufactoriae, each in the service of one of the mining consortia, charged with adding value to what was unearthed to profit on the domestic market or to be traded along with the raw materials along the length of the Aub valleys. Above this and below the palace complex, administrative districts charged with keeping the Autarch's will obeyed, and housing for the wealthy and successful, the heads of various consortia, descendants of the electors and so forth. A surprisingly small number of families, not more than a dozen or so, though none so pure a bloodline as that of the Ponsonby-Welms. Let us rise up to the Welm Palace and turn our attention to the hereditary Autarchs. Hundreds of years ago, when what was now a city was barely more than a hill-fort and accompanying town, it was the title of the chief protector, the person who had absolute authority in a crisis. That person was chosen from amongst the scions of the most influential families, the ones who dedicated the most to keeping the place secure and defended. Each family had its retinue whom it trained and equipped, but the system was permanently thrown out of kilter when the Ponsonby family first started the mining operations that so enriched them. With access both to high-quality ores and the werewithal to commission the best smiths to turn it to their service, they maintained the strongest retinue, kept being elected as Autarch, until the point where Gerrold Ponsonby barely had any resistance to making it permanent and tied to the bloodline. The final act that cemented their authority was the formal union through marriage of the Ponsonbys to the Welms a couple of generations later. The Welms were patrons of the arts owing to their wealth accrued through their trading network, aesthetes and epicures who saw in the union a way to ensure the best of the bounty of the mines reached the most lucrative destinations. This was not just one marriage, though the ceremonies tying Autarch Wendlyn Ponsonby, third of her name, to Sander Welm were certainly the talk of the realm for years afterward, but also across large swathes of both families, pretty much every eligible bachelor or maid for about three generations, and thenceforth upholding the purity of the bloodline amongst themselves. With hindsight, this does not appear to have been that good an idea. The Autarchy doesn't just cover the city, but the surrounding demesne as well: A great many of the downriver towns and cities, dependent on the largess of Aubrecht, offered their fealty over the years. It's a fairly long, spindly country, but the upland hinterlands are an area for concern. There has been considerable back and forth over the years, such as the retinues of Elias II Ponsonby-Welm sacking the barbarian fort known as the Fist of Rhal, or the insurgency led by Korridan the Vengeful which put the town of Chattridge to the torch, with an uneasy peace the current status quo. The hinterland borders are more poorly defined than the administrators in Aubrecht would like, requiring rangings a couple of times a decade to make sure no-one and nothing has made too much of an incursion.
|
|
#
?
Dec 17, 2016 02:51
|
|
|
Name: Firenze Xhue (pronounced like "Shoe") Description: Third inheritor and fourth patrician of the infamous Dire Academy of Alchemical Studies, Firenze occupies a position of wanton celebrity in narrow and pecular circles. Leading an institution whose founder was incarcerated by the Gods for gruesomely defying the laws of nature does provide one a certain cache amongst esotericists, a reputation with those whose names go unspoken. And the passing of his father, the former patrician, at an age that saw Firenze both vital and handsome, no longer young but unmarred by the weight of decades, has served to delight and intrigue a carefully appraising international underworld of occult admirers. For his part Firenze conducts himself humbly, dressing plainly in warm clothes of dark colors. His coal black hair hangs untrimmed at the top of his chest and his features could be called "sharp", "rye" or "judgemental", all with equal merit. His demeanor is warm and approachable though his life style is eccentric and mysterious in the extreme. Xhue delights in baffling his public. The Xhue family has weaved alchemical magics for four generations. August Xhue, great grandfather of Firenze and founder of the Dire Academy, is considered the greatest and most fearsome of this lineage. Rumors suggest with surprising consistency that August committed the crime of producing life, earthen humunculi of such pure brewing they matched the servitor gargoyles of the Gods own design. For dabbling in studies forbidden to mortals he was imprisoned in Soth-Shael. Rumors say the Gods confiscated a gilded medallion of his house crest, a mongoose wrestling a snarling dragon, as it had been bewitched with magics not meant for mortals, magic older than the gods. This amulet emboldened and empowered August to feats of alchemical magic previously thought impossible. But it was lost in the same moment Dire Academy lost its first patrician. And inheritors of the Xhue line, though all powerful and wise alchemists in their own right, have never matched the raw aptitude for the craft demonstrated in August. It was on these legends and countless forbidden tomes that Firenze cut his teeth as a toddler. He beleived, inheriting the patricianship only one year and seven months prior, that he was ready to lead his students in a manner that would make August, and the whole Xhue lineage, proud. He had, after all, been raised to inherit this role. He could not have predicted the occult catastrophes that would define the first year of his rule at Dire Academy. The death of every God redacted the enchantments and bewitchments of the academy and its wares, dependant on traditional blessings for their potency. Potions reverted to the vinegar or blood from which they were brewed, the ether-fires powering the boilers and engines of the academy burst into simple nothing with the sound of chirping robins. Worst of all, the treasury once overflowing with enchanted gold was discovered now to be full of seashells, chitin, and scraps of petrified wood, taking the forms they had been changed from. And although there was discussion then of closing the Academy to combat the curse of Firenze's administration, it was in the midst of this terrible pitfall that golden opportunity presented itself. Firenze noticed that one section of the gold stores had kept their mettalic purity, a miniscule eleven percent of total reserves but a fascinating anomaly. Further investigation would reveal that all of these gold bars were stamped with the symbol of his great grandfather, crafted personally by the founder. Could rumors be true that August was empowered with a magic older than the gods? Could he have discovered an energy and potency that did not rely upon their blessing? If these stories were true this power may be the only magic left in a world empty of gods. And it would be embeded into August's amulet, stored with the siezed contraband in the cellars of Soth-Shael. Somehow, the idea has not left his mind, since his dream encounter with the Last Of Gods, Terminus. Because, afterall, if there are no gods, there is logically no one guarding Soth-Shael. And the enchantments which kept the impossibly secure facility impenetrable and indetectable must have faded with every other broken bewitchments of our new world. It seemed fully like an opportunity, to Firenze. Wish: "To reclaim my family's crest, the symbol of my house and the seal of my academy. It resides in the God's personal sundry collection of extraordinary contraband, stored in the guarded cellars of Soth-Shael. Yes, the mythical Soth-Shael, the God's hellish arctic prison wasteland and cage for horrors too valuable to destroy and too terrible to let live. While I'm there, I should also like to visit my great grandfather, time permitting." Traits: Playful - characterized by a less than serious attitude and a pentient for frivolity. Cunning - favoring solutions that rely on critical observation, wit and boldness. Charismatic - displaying an aptitude for charming or engaging others. Determined - committing fully to a course despite obstacles or adversity. Drawbacks: Anti-Orthodox - refusing to depend on conventional solutions or ordinary conclusions. Reckless - investing insufficient consideration to the safety and merit of ideas. OOC: The theme of this character entry is "Heist Movie" if that helps to clarify mood. Soth-Shael is a real place in the mortal world where the gods imprison people or supernatural creatures that they can't or don't want to kill. Pictures to come but suffice to say I picture a remote island castle in the middle of a field of glaciers and sharp rock edifices. Gargoyles are himunculi. Any sufficiently well brewed humunculi becomes a gargoyle. Less well brewed humunculi become imps or dwarfs, stuff like that. The process wasn't invented by August Xhue, he was just tbye first mortal to make humunculi. I imagine Soth-Shael as guarded by a leaderless gargoyle army. Picture of my character to follow. Just wanted to get the idea up before it was too late for feedback.
|
|
#
?
Dec 17, 2016 11:23
|
|
|
Victor Name: Victor Talman, aka Dr. Meggore, aka Brother Robert, aka Sir Elias, aka Julius, Duke of Hastard, aka Marcus, aka aka aka...... The world is full of fools. Victor learned that very young from his father. His father was a "good" man. He worked hard. He was generous to his friends and neighbors. He also died poor, taken advantage of by those who could. Victor swore he wouldn't be like his father. He swore that he'd be a success, and that he'd never be taken advantage of. So, after his father's death, Victor made his way to Haven's Reach. Haven's Reach was a major city. On the mighty Vielle River, it had become a center for trade and commerce, and dominated the area. The trade brought wealth, but the wealth brought a seedy underbelly as parasites came to feed off the wealth of the city. Pickpockets, burglars and smugglers all came to the area, but the place was disorganized, and the city became the home of rival gangs of thieves and black marketeers. This was inefficient. The thieves spent more time fighting amongst themselves than they did working. More, it brought visibility, as the rising violence came to the attention of the city authorities. That was when Balsten Terir stepped in. Terir was the head of one of the many gangs in the city, and he saw that all this fighting would do nothing but destroy them. He brought the gangs together in an alliance, brutally dealing with those gangs that wouldn't fall inline. It wasn't long before Balsten was the king of the underworld of Haven's Reach. Even though he was assassinated about five years later, the institution he built lived on. This had all happened about a hundred years prior to Victor's arrival at Haven's Reach, and he found himself a place in the organization. Not for him crude violence of a stickup man, or scrambling around in the darkness like a second story man, or the skulking of a pickpocket. Victor soon learned that anyone could steal. The mark of true success was when you convinced someone to give you what you wanted. So Victor ran scams. Big ones, small ones, long ones, short ones. He learned that people would believe what they wanted to believe, even if it wasn't true; and that ignorance, greed, and pride were the best allies a man could have when separating someone else from their money. So Victor runs his cons, kicks a little bit of the winnings upstairs, and is free with the rest. But he still hopes, one day, he'll find the biggest con of all; something that will keep him rich for the rest of his life. Wish: Wealth! Luxury! It's just unjust that there are so many fools out there who have money, while Victor doesn't. One of these days, he'll come upon the big score, the long con, and be able to live the life he deserves. Traits: (Select 4) Cunning +2 Victor's quick on his feet. He can lie and be believed, he's good at sizing people up, figuring out when he's in danger and not, and also good at getting out of there before the hammer comes down. Charm +2 Victor can talk the bark off a tree. That's what he does. His whole career is based on convincing others that he's trustworthy, that he can help you, that he WANTS to help you. Actor +2 Victor? Who's Victor? That's the famous doctor Meggore, who created that elixir to treat the fever. No, wait, that's Brother Robert, who's raising money for those war orphans. No, wait, that's the Duke of Hastard, who's raising funds to reclaim his kingdom from his wicked brother. No, wait, that's Sir Elias, who's looking for an investor in his new sawmill. Victor is very good at pretending to be who he's not. Spendthrift +2 Victor enjoys the finer things of life. When he has the money, he splurges, on food, wine, and other luxuries. When he doesn't, he takes another job. He's not good with saving. Drawbacks: (Select 2) Unsympathetic -2 Victor is unrestrained by sympathy for others. It doesn't really enter into his calculations. This is not entirely a good thing, but it does free him up to act in ways the more squeamish might not. Mistrustful -2 One of the drawbacks of lying for a living is that you assume everyone else is lying to you. In Victor's mind, there are marks and there are conmen....those who'll manipulate others and those who will be manipulated. Victor has partners, sometimes, but no friends, and when he has a partner, he only trusts him or her as far as he can see them. Epicurius fucked around with this message at 02:27 on Dec 19, 2016 |
|
#
?
Dec 18, 2016 01:10
|
|
|
Feedback: Drago: Not really a lot to say. Background is brief, but gives me enough to work with. Tell me about one unpleasant discovery that Dragomir wishes he had not learned, and how he reacted and dealt with this knowledge. Character sheet is generally the style I was aiming for and works out. Gundabad: We have discussed the lore, a lot, to this concept so there's nothing to add there. Mechanically though your traits and weaknesses are too much like a standard god game. One or two of the traits are fine, but there is too much of Gundabad doing X or having Y and less about how or why he does those things. I am interested in how and why characters do stuff, more so than defining what they can do. As I have said before, if it makes sense for your character to have something or to be able to do something then we will just go with them having that thing or being able to do that. Shinem: Your character is too focused on making alcohol. Being so one dimensional makes it harder to write for them. Once you find that secret I am unsure where your character will go from there, which is a problem. You need to have more aspects to Shinem, and to have a larger story arc in mind. Why does Shinem want to make this ultimate brew? Is it to make people happy, is it to learn more about the world? No one outside of a video game or supporting character in a comic is so devoid of any other personality traits. Your traits as they are in that character only need some slight tweaking I think, but you might possibly change them if you add more dimension to your character. Gannet Why does Gannet feel so strongly about the gods, and desire so much to make everyone equal? What events in his past shaped him in this way? What about the place he lives in or is currently staying in? I need to know a bit more about your character, you have a good start on a framework but it still needs fleshing out. Mechanically your character looks good, although I would suggest that cooking and herbalism could reasonably be used in very similar situations and that you should probably drop one and pick a different trait. Firenze The wish is meant to be a way for me to give you story hooks, and also a way for people to pick their power and their natures in a way that is organic and develops with the story. As such Terminus is not literally granting any divine favour, especially given his extreme philosophy of not messing around with mortals and letting them do things for and leading themselves. Your goals are as such a little too razor focused, but can probably be made suitable without much difficulty. As a side note, your writing style is a little too verbose, you need to be more succinct with it otherwise my eyes will glaze over a little. I am often pretty tired from work and on the weekend, so if you write long posts I would almost certainly miss details. Mechanically the rest of the sheet works out mostly fine. Victor Spendthrift and Unsympathetic work as they are but I think they are almost in the wrong places at the moment. Aside from that though things look good. Tell me about one enemy and one friend that Victor has made in Haven's Reach.
|
|
#
?
Dec 18, 2016 10:12
|
|
|
As a sidenote, you have roughly 48 hours to change or submit your app, as I will be finalising my cast and posting them that night.
|
|
#
?
Dec 18, 2016 10:20
|
|
|
HiKaizer posted:
Friend is probably too strong a word, but there are some people that Victor mistrusts less than others. One of those is Martina. She was an orphan who grew up on the streets of Haven's Reach as a member of one of the orphan bands. It's not easy to be an orphan there, and there's not much in the way of social services. Oh, the temples provided what help they could, but honestly that wasn't much. So, most orphans, to survive, banded together to beg, steal, and work as spies and such for adult criminals. This was Martina's childhood. As she grew older, Martina graduated to full scale crime, as a stickup woman and muscle for the Red Hand Group, one of the gangs that dominated the southwestern part of the city, and it was in that capacity that she met Victor. He was working a con in the district without the Red Hand's permission, and they decided he had to be taught a lesson. So they sent Martina to give him a beating. Victor tried to talk his way out of it, of course, but she had no choice. It would mean her life if she refused. And, after all, Victor was guilty. Still, he saw a good deal of potential in the woman who who was kicking him in the stomach. She could be more, he decided, than just a common street thug. So, (after he recovered), he decided to train her. She became his apprentice, of a sort, and his partner, of a sort, because the simple fact was, in some ways, a couple made for a more convincing con. They didn't always work together, obviously, but when they did, it tended to be profitable for both of them. About a year ago, she left the city. She never told Victor why, but it was his understanding that she had the line on a big score, but he's not sure. Martina is one of the only people that Victor would take risks for, and he might even put his life on the line for her. She's smart, she's seductive, and she's good with a knife. She's more aggressive than Victor; more impulsive, but she can certainly handle herself. He even, although he'd certainly not admit this to her, even misses her....well, a little. ___________________________________________________ The police and guard of Haven's Reach is, for the most part, not particularly smart or hard working. Oh, if you commit a crime in front of them, they'll probably arrest you, assuming you don't have money to bribe them, but they're not going to go out of their way to actually investigate crimes that happen when they're not around. What's the point, after all? It's not like you did anything to THEM. There is, however, one exception to the rule, and that's Police Inspector Alexander Sevarin. Sevarin has a revolutionary, and probably dangerous idea that it's the job of the police to actually protect the city, and, while he hasn't been successful so far in convincing his colleagues of that fact, he's become a one man war on crime. He actually investigates crime, even crime against those people who aren't politically connected, and he actually thinks that police investigations should be based on evidence, and is experimenting with methods to collect and preserve evidence. He's even gone undercover to try to catch criminals. Sevarin hasn't been all that effective so far. It's a big city, and there's only one of him. Plus, he's still new at this. He's doing things that have never been tried before, and as such, he's still working it out and making mistakes. Nevertheless, he's getting better, and while the rest of the police still laugh at him, a few of the police are starting to pay attention. If anyone is going to catch Victor, it's Sevarin.
|
|
#
?
Dec 18, 2016 22:29
|
|
|
HiKaizer posted:Sir Francis: Changed wealthy into something a bit more in line with what you're thinking, as in his current state, Sir Francis isn't likely willing to part with any of his treasure so he wouldn't be able to make use of it. I've changed the wish at your suggestion, which lead me to also change a few descriptions and background to make a bit more sense
|
|
#
?
Dec 18, 2016 23:03
|
|
|
Count Galain of Larburry The county of Lanburry is but a single county in the duchy of Lirdas, within the kingdom of Vandalor. A somewhat prosperous and prestigious kingdom known for their faith in the now dead or silent god Mardalus, god of chivalry and honor. The county was rich in iron, and many of the finest knights of the kingdom wore armor made of Lanburry steel. But the foundries and blacksmiths and the rather remote position, near the northern mountains where the winters were harsh and the summers cool made it an unloved land by others. Still, they were ever dutiful, and Galain's father, a knight dutifully marched to war carrying the family blade to fight for their god against the nearby elves, who fought for their gods. Men died. Elves died. Gods died. And Galain's father died. The blade was returned, along with some words of thanks from the aging king, who thanked Gawain for his father's service and sacrifice, and how he was an example, and how he had the full faith his son would continue the family's proud heritage of service. And Galain looked at his county, having given so many to a king that had fought so long, and for nothing. For the demands of gods that did little to improve it. His father and mother, both caring greatly for him, had gotten him the best tutors in stewardship and military, and Galain had surpassed expectations, excelling in many of them. And now, having attained his title at the same age as his full adulthood, he felt nothing but scorn for those who would rule him. He could do better. He could do so much better. And the more he read about other people, the more he was frustrated with how much better it could all be if he ran things. And so, one day when Terminus appeared before him to ask for a wish. It was without glee or shame that he clearly spoke. "I wish to rule the world." Knight +2 While he does not worship the fallen god of chivalry, Count Galain IS a knight, with all the skill in warfare and strength of body that that entails. Controlling +2 Galain believes he is best suited for command, and both in his personal behavior and his ruling style does not appreciate the slightest resistance to his commands.He is not cruel in his authority, and is prepared to listen to advisers, but he does not wish to be beholden to any more authority of other entities than he can get away with. He has trained to be good at commanding others though, both in inspiring some loyalty and competence, as using 'the right person for the right job' Meticulous +2 In war and peace, Galain is not one for impulsive action and putting it all on the roll of the dice. No, information is gathered, risks are estimated, a plan is formed, preparations are made, back up plans are made for contingencies, and then, ideally everything comes together in singular purpose. While he's not completely useless when things go wildly unexpected, it both angers him, and makes sure he's off his best game. Ambitious +2 Galain has always striven to be the best. Not just the best he can be. The best. His conviction that he's the person most talented and skilled to lead the post-god world drives his ambition. While he dutifully will work to maintain and improve what he has, when he can expand it, and make his former peers and superiors bow to his rule, the fire in his eyes lits and he is driven to excell. Drawbacks Uncultured -2 While he can read and do numbers, few were the poets that traveled all the way to Lanburry, and Galain never made time for them. The only music he knows are marching songs. His idea of fancy dress is a slightly gilded set of plate armor. And while he does invest in the sciences, they'd better be delivering him things to see concrete results rather than 'the advancement of knowledge' or they'll be out on their rear end in a hurry. Domineering -2 Galain isn't so vain that he needs to surround himself with sycophants, but he prefers to surround himself with those who are clearly under his command, and any criticism he insists is delivered respectfully. When he has to deal with emissaries from his liege lord or his king, his teeth grind. He has plans on how to make the world better, and being faced with people he can't command to follow that plan frustrates and annoys him. So while an able steward and commander, he's not always the best diplomat. Shogeton fucked around with this message at 18:52 on Dec 22, 2016 |
|
#
?
Dec 20, 2016 01:03
|
|
|
HiKaizer posted:Elias: Following our further conversation, the TL, DR version: Aubrecht is a city on a hill and by a river, palace at the top, admin and nobles next level down, big market and workshops below that, almost-slums and docks at the bottom. Crime syndicates keep the docks running, mining consortia each control some of the manufacture. Mining (mostly iron and salt) and trade are the lifeblood of the city, with the power blocs consisting of the mining consortia and the old nobles. Elias' Family comes from both. The Ponsonbys were the first to get rich off mining and used that to cement their hold on the Autarch title, which was originally given to the family with the best military retinue in a crisis. Wealth and good iron meant the best retinues, so the elective system eventually was made a hereditary autocracy. The Ponsonbys married the Welms en masse, the Welms being rich aesthete nobles with great trade connections. This cemented their power, but led to the penchant for inbreeding as the two families became one and didn't look elsewhere.
|
|
#
?
Dec 20, 2016 01:22
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 26, 2024 14:35 |
|
|
HiKaizer posted:Drago: Though your standard shipments of things like spices or foodstuffs make up the bulk of the cargo passed through Lho-Rhydia, there are at times less… savory goods that find their way through the port’s warehouses. It was a cold and sleepless night when Drago learned that fact, the lizardman restless yet had nothing to work on. He laid in his backroom bed, waiting for dreams to come upon him, when the faint sounds of footsteps came through the wall. Curious as to who would be wandering about so late, Drago originally headed outside to greet the stranger and see if perhaps they were lost, possibly be open to an enlightening evening chat. But as he looked on from a distance, the lizardman couldn’t help but feel that there was something off about the cloaked stranger’s movements. Even a child can tell when adults act noticeably shifty, after all, and the stranger was shifty indeed as they headed towards Warehouse Ten. At this point more intrigued than anything else, Drago quietly crept on after. It was near silent as the lizardman carefully slipped through the doorway, the warehouse barely brighter than the outside. Several figures in the darkness quietly spoke with one another, the only noise made in the warehouse save for the occasional clattering of… metal? No, chains, Drago realized, wrapped around the necks of some of the figures. Slavers. The realization completely took him by surprise, and his tail jolted, impacting the crate that he had been hiding behind. All heads immediately turned in his direction, though he hardly noticed in his rush to flee. Throwing a variety of personal baubles behind him to impede his pursuers, the lizardman managed to return safely to the comforting embrace of his bed. The next morning, Warehouse Ten was thoroughly investigated by the port’s guards based on an ‘anonymous’ tip, though Drago never quite understood why he was supposed to keep quiet about his involvement. However, the search turned up nothing concrete, and only further contributed to the local law’s belief that the lizardman was at least slightly mad. For his part, Drago attempted to investigate in his own right, even after the failed search. While it proved unsuccessful in the end, the lizardman still thinks back to that night now and then, and what he could have done if he hadn't fled...
|
|
#
?
Dec 20, 2016 01:37
|
|