Overview of Roleplay
The Zodiac Guilds Group Roleplay will be a large-scale venture into a high fantasy world with many futuristic elements. This game centers around your characters being apart of a guild and working in tandem with others to achieve goals and attain rewards for your faction. There are many surprises in store as you aid the three covens of guilds to glory! With many options to pick, there can be a multitude of ways your stories will play out in the end. I do want a lot of creative expression and freedom of choice given to the players who are interested in this concept. I enjoy working with others to build upon pre-existing lore, setting, perks, and more.
To organize the stories we play out better, I am labeling them Scenario Arcs. These arcs will keep track of our best or our worst moments in the history of this game. The main plot of an arc may not be set in stone always. I will have some chapters open to player suggestions so we can have some fresh ideas into the primary theme. With that being said, I'd like to share a few essential concepts for The Zodiac Guilds...
Firstly, each guild represents and follows a Zodiac Deity. These Deities are categorized into three covens; Orbixius, Fangwudoh, and Celtaidd. The covens are the broad terms for each zodiac culture featured in this roleplay; Western, Eastern, and Celtic. The Zodiacs are the most revered and respected in all the lands. Their presence and influence shape the roleplay as we know it. They do this by dictating how the guilds express themselves and act. They also need your belief in them to thrive as well. However, allowing your character to devote more time to a god over another may lead to unintended consequences. As some divines are more jealous than others. Overall the deities will be there to guide and inspire your characters as they fall into guild life.
Secondly, in the lore, there was a massive war between the Zodiacs and a malignant group of aliens. This war caused the deities to create 300 unique artifacts and tools to combat their enemies. It was a long-fought battle; still, these artifacts allowed them to achieve victory. However, in the process, they were shattered into many pieces and scattered across the planet of Zodiacus. (This is the world in which your characters will explore and live upon.) For eons, none understood the power at their feet. That is until the fateful day the first fragment was found. Alone these shards would do nothing of significance. But, when artifact pieces of the same type are combined, they settle into their truly magnificent form. This revelation would start a worldwide challenge for all to participate in.
Furthermore, a whole artifact contains so much power that it seemingly transforms the user into a demi-god of sorts, one who is related to the deity that crafted it. This allowed for Guild Leaders to assert their positions and rise up to lead others as they see fit. If only you could combine enough pieces to create a Zodiac Artifact for yourself, perhaps you can rise to greatness too? This is what the challenge consists of; collect and find these shards of power, combine them, and rise to the occasion. This contest of sorts will run alongside the many smaller plots that spring up between players and GM alike. Ultimately, it is the player's choice if they want to quest for the shards and their potential. Another option among many for your choosing.
Now, I won't delve into too much detail here about the setting. There are numerous places to explore in-character, however. The main planet will be explored in-depth first before any futuristic elements will be implemented into the plot, such as solar system travel and beyond. These things are always possible in the roleplay, they just won't be necessary until way later. After the guild guides, there will be a whole section devoted to the locations and overall settings for this game. That is where you can find more information about the details of each area.
The lore of the Zodiac Guilds is intricate and vast. Many millennia of events have come and gone, but the devotion to the deities remain the same. In a post far below, you may find dusty tomes of knowledge long forgotten by time. They tell of how the guilds came to be and all that came after the first artifact reassembly. A long read awaits those who seek the wisdom of old to forge the paths of new.
As a Game Master, I enjoy spicing up forum writing with perks of sorts. These things can be a variety of mechanics to enhance the playstyle of the game, such as; leveling systems, classes, and skills, to name a few. For this game, we start with approximately 14 variants of these perks. I am more than open to new suggestions and ideas when it comes to roleplay perks, however, so it doesn't have to just stay at this number. The explanation for each perk can be found here.
With every roleplay, there are many NPC's that grace the stage. In this case, there is a whole library at this post [INSERT LINK HERE] that you may peruse and look over the variety of creatures, plants, and people that live on Zodiacus. This should allow you to get a better idea of the main subjects that you will be interacting with when the roleplay starts.
In conclusion, The Zodiac Guilds aims to be an engaging roleplay that explores being a guild member in a fantastical land. If your character has what it takes, even they too could be a leader of the Zodiacs. Only time may tell. Thank you for reading.