Heroes At War [Fantasy] [Planning]

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Rion

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Heroes At War
Grand Fantasy Battles
I've had this idea running around in my head for a while now. But I would like some help writing up bit of the lore. Or just a show of interest would be good. Ideas/Suggestions welcome.
The basic is simple: A large Fantasy world, where Mankind quickly dominated the landscape by dividing it into Kingdoms. Other races exist as well, such as Elf, Dwarf or Orc. Humans being humans, peace didn't last long. War between the different Kingdoms soon became commonplace, however now years later Kings have started paying 'Heroes' to aid their armies!
Powerful and skilled warriors, berserkers, mages, rogues and rangers now roam the battlefield along with the common soldier and knight. The GM will play the King of such a kingdom, while the players will make Hero characters that will join his army. There will be a small build up before the GM will describe the enemy army, as well as opposing Heroes that will need to be defeated to win the battle. Think of a sci fi war RP and put it into a fantasy world. With fame to be gained and 'villains' to be slain it shouldn't get boring. There will be a deeper plot too.

Sounds fun? Let me know what you think.
I will gladly accept lore on different races or kingdoms to be found in the world.

 
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Haven't seen you in eons, Rion!

I'll bite.
 
Count me in. I have a character already in mind along with a new race to bring out to play.
 
One of my all time favorite roleplays had a premise similar to this, and the OOC for that roleplay was one of the most fun I've ever been in~
If you would have me, I would love to join this.

As for helping out the lore...
In the roleplay I mentioned above, players also controlled the numerous kings recruiting the heroes in their parties. Perhaps we could have some of the players create NPC kingdoms that we may eventually war with?
Regardless, I'm always open to writing a bit of lore and history. Worldbuild has always been fun~
 
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Sounds like a great opportunity to world build! This sound like a different, strategy type RP. I like it. Is this planning to go up ASAP? I wont be active from saturday till the next Sunday (wedding/vaca) But id love to help set up a scene with lore, and characters! I can dump time into creation till Fri night?

Thinking high fantasy, or low fantasy (and what's time period like?)? Are these separate lands individual kingdoms? Or more like a feudal society with one king and several lords?

Curious as well what you had in mind for these heroes... Are these people actually famous? Or I this like a special guild of supernaturally good warriors hired to command troops? Or... Are these people just run of the mill skilled mercenaries?

Sorry! I just get really excited to world build :)
 
More or less back from dead, @Crow

@Victor Markov Do share what you have, I have already started work on the OOC.

@Mite More Heroes equal more fun in my book. My original idea is leave all politic and kingdom management to the GM. That way players can focus on their Hero character and will allow a more controlled but deeper plot as mentioned in my post. It works better in my experience. That said, player created Kingdoms are more than welcome and I will try to implant them in the world. But perhaps players who want could get a bit more control. It's at least up for discussion.



@Spectre I first need the OOC done, along with the lore before I will post the OOC. Afterwards people will need some time to write up their Hero character. IC start once that's done.

@Mite @Spectre As for world building...
I think we can use this map here for now:
map-1280-24.bmp


High Fantasy, where Orcs are like the ones you find in Skyrim/TES. (Actually capable of having a discussion with people. More or less anyway.) So you can make a Orc Hero. The time period will be a lot like our own medieval times, but with Fantasy elements. That means we will face and use standard armies with human soldiers, knights, archers and cavalry. Large beasts and dragons exist, but they cannot be tamed and used in a army. (A Dragon could suddenly enter a battle, creating a lot of chaos as it attack both parties). Guns and machines are a no go, even for the Dwarf. Magic is only for people capable of such a feast, and you won't see many of them walking around.

Each individual area on the map above would be a Kingdom. It will not be Game of Thrones though, so every King 'Rightfully' own his part of the map. Some Kingdoms might even be very religious.

I imagine that many of Heroes that join the army are looking for either fame or money. Keep in mind that all Heroes are loyal to their local King. They will be people who are very well known for their skills, and can boast of having slain all kind of monsters. The mindset of the Hero is of course up to the individual player, but every Hero have a goal. Fame, money or just plain justice are good examples.

I don't think we want the Heroes to be too OP, so a warrior will max be able to take out everyone around him in one powerful attack. Mages can use area attacks and such, but nothing too big.

I hope that helped clarify a few things. What I need help with is writing up bit of lore on races and Kingdoms. I will personally write on the Kingdom all players are born in and start, as well as the kingdom that we will fight to begin with.

(Landscape description would also be great. Few limits there.)
 
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Sounds great. I like the idea that the heroes have to be loyal to the king to begin with. I also like that magic isn't super commonplace. I love lower fantasy.

Are there any provinces/kingdoms that you are looking help for specifically? I'd be more than happy to write up a brief history, statement of economics, and sociology of some kingdoms if you'd like :D.
 
Sounds great. I like the idea that the heroes have to be loyal to the king to begin with. I also like that magic isn't super commonplace. I love lower fantasy.

Are there any provinces/kingdoms that you are looking help for specifically? I'd be more than happy to write up a brief history, statement of economics, and sociology of some kingdoms if you'd like :D.


The world will be fairly big, so one Kingdom can easily have several Heroes working within its borders. And since each Kingdom tend to be suspicious of each other it should be no surprise that foreign Heroes are less welcome. Though now and then you might see a cooperation between two to take down a larger monster.

Right now you have free hands to write up anything. Religious, diplomatic, military, ect specific Kingdoms are all accepted.
 
Will a Faerie hero be possible?
 
I have a number of characters that I could use to bring to the battlefield and I am very interested in this roleplay. I'll see what a few others pick for their heroes first before I decide on what kind of hero I want to play, though.
 
Will a Faerie hero be possible?
Any race can become a Hero to serve his or hers Kingdom. The only race humans might not trust as much would be Orcs, but that quickly vanish once they have seen their skill and saved a couple soldiers.
 
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I'm breaking out my Leonin shifter. It's More or less the lion equivalent of a werewolf. The only difference is that the Leonin shifter is in complete control of the transformation and his primal side. Silver has no effect on Leonin shifters nor does wolvesbane. A Leonin shifter can go anywhere a werewolf can't, like a holy site such as a church.
 
I'll tentatively show my interest. I'll wait for an OOC thread before thinking what I want to play.

EDIT: Actually, since I'm here I'm going to drop some questions.

1: Scale? Are we talking battles of hundreds? Thousands? Tens of Thousands? If the battles are quite large how much effect could our individual characters possibly have?

2: Are we just playing a single 'hero' character that reacts to what happens around them or do our characters have influence over the soldiers around them. Essentially, can we commands groups of soldiers.

3: Mechanics? Is there going to be an underlying system to determine how things go, or is this going to be a more freeform deal?
 
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Who's to say werewolves in this world are deterred by any of that? xD


Still coming up with some details here.. but as a start- I've scratched some ideas down about one of the first nations I saw. Should I drop the info here? or PM it to you to add to a bigger thread or something?

what do you guys think? I'm trying to leave some things open ended, that way there is room for character input and expansion...

Altara
A Kingdom of Shining Cities and Shadowy Forests
Their Nation flag is a green field with gold Diagonal Line from top left to bottom right. Something will be in the center in silver, but haven't figured it out yet

This kingdom is nestled between two rivers, has a think forested center, and is bordered to the south by the Sea of Storms. The river Eldar to the east, and the river Manetherendrelle to the west. The southern border of this nation is guarded by a mountain range with high cliffs that look over the sea, and greatly limit the maritime entrances to the nation.

The nations geography is mostly forest and mountains, with some plains and hilly areas. The economy is mostly held up by agriculture, and mercantile in the southern port cities. In the North it's farming, and in the mountain ranges there are metal mines, as well as quarries. The city is quite able to stand on their own, but find it hard to stay isolationist when they share strong ties with other Kingdoms nearby.

This nation's capital sits on the tip of the southern peninsula. This is a port city that is nestled between the Venir mountain range to the east, and the sea to the west. The River Eldar separates the city into two halves, as well. This bright shining city is called Ebou Dar.

Ebou Dar is the center of mercantile for the nation, as well as the crown seat of their King: His Grace, King Trellion Arconi- The White Keep. Named aptly- like most buildings in this city, they are a white color with lots of arches and spires among the many canals. The city is divided by the Eldar river, and also divides the 'classes' of the people who reside here. On the west, with the White Keep, is the half most people call the Shining City, and the eastern half- separated by several bridges, is called 'The Alleys'. Aptly named here, as well, as this is an overcrowded area where crime is high, and the buildings are build near on top of each other. The people here are generally slightly xenophobic- as they are a nationalistic people. Family is big, and religion is, as well.

The main religion here is one of a small polytheistic panthenon [Weather, Sun, Moon, Fortune, Love, Protection, Justice, etc]. There are specific gods for different aspects of life. They are all celebrated under one Temple, and often have murals and statues depicting the gods in rows and on the walls.

Other cities in the south are similar, but not as big and grandiose. Shining white buildings with beautiful architecture of arches, buttresses, and spires.

The other major city in this kingdom is Salidar. It's more of a sprawling village, than what one would think of as a 'city'. It's heart is at the western half of the central forest- that has many names. The inhabitants here are environmentally conscious, and tend to live among the wilderness, using the natural valleys, and enormous trees as part of their dwellings. The architecture here is very organic, and rounded, with a lot of knot-work type designs. They are a very free-spirited people, but hold a lot of pride in who they are, and what they stand for. Many tunnels, and wooden rop-bridges between trees and cliffs spiderweb throughout the quadrant of the forested area, linking the smaller units of villages together to form the 'city' here.

There are several farming villages around the plains and hilly areas, as well as peppered with small trade towns and hunting lodges and inns.

To the north there aren't many major settlements among the hills and valleys. Though to the north east, there is a large ridgeline called Garen's wall. This serves as another natural barrier, and boundary line to Altara. A few smaller castles and fortresses lie close to the openings of this ridgeline built back during wars from years ago.

The Kingdom is no stranger to war, and the military is considered an honorable position within the nation. They aren't naturally aggressive people, but they are fierce in defense, and dispensing their versions of justice. Their stance is normally neutral, and slightly isolationist, but they aren't so stubborn to not assist allies in need. They have a very strong army, able to field mixed units and have an acceptable naval force since they do sit on a coastline. They have moderate cavalry, very good light and heavy infantry units, and excellent bowmen that normally come from the center of the nation from the wooded area. Their weapons and armament are well balanced, some light infantry and cavalry units make use of slightly curved swords- akin to a mix of a saber or katana and a longsword. Other standard military armaments apply. Their navy is built for- and holds a reputation for being a strong defense, but not much for an attacking force. Magic in this country is an intense rarity. People are fascinated by it when they see it, but are almost just as fearful of it- and don't generally trust people who can use it.

The Monarch of this nation also traditionally serve in the military, though take a more learned approach- and are well known for their grasp on strategy. The country is not the most rich- but they are by no means poor. They can provide for their own, and have enough to export food goods to nearby Kingdoms, and have rare strong woods that come from the thick forests from the center of the Kingdom.

The inhabitants of this Kingdom are about 60% human, 20% of all different breed of Elves, and 20% other races. They have a moderate sized, but very well trained military. Heroes from here are likely to be Fighters, or Rangers, and the skilled Rogue from the large city here aren't unheard of. The people here are generally accepting of all races. The large amounts of trade in the southern part of the Kingdom brings in all kinds of people, so their population is pretty diverse. Most humans and elves share a fairly isolationist stance in foreign affairs- but the more liberal of them will always pledge for moving with the times and being more open minded like the rest of the minority races that are slowly growing here.
 
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I have no qualms with the earlier picture, but I couldn't figure out some of the borders without a little help from Google. So, for others in a similar plight as I, there's a picture with a bit more distinct borders.
As for me, I'll hold back my worldbuilding until I know which nations the GM wants as the main figures. Don't want to get too excited and build up a nation the GM already has plans for~

And curses, Spectre already nabbed an idea I was having for a defensive kingdom that's terrible at attacking.

What do you guys think?
It's a safe nation. There's not too many internal problems, making it difficult for other nations to exploit its weaknesses. There may not be too many nations that seek straight-up war with them, as they seem to be more trouble than they're worth. The enemies will have to get creative to fight this nation on and off the battlefield to make it worth their while.

For our characters, this might be one of the more difficult nations to combat. One of it's flaws could be that it's a jack of all trades; good at everything, but exceptional at nothing. A huge emphasis on more specialized armies and soldiers could be what pierces through Altara's broad shield. The only other flaw I can see is its lack of magic, but a well-placed arrow can be just as dangerous as a fireball.
 
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I'll tentatively show my interest. I'll wait for an OOC thread before thinking what I want to play.

EDIT: Actually, since I'm here I'm going to drop some questions.

1: Scale? Are we talking battles of hundreds? Thousands? Tens of Thousands? If the battles are quite large how much effect could our individual characters possibly have?

2: Are we just playing a single 'hero' character that reacts to what happens around them or do our characters have influence over the soldiers around them. Essentially, can we commands groups of soldiers.

3: Mechanics? Is there going to be an underlying system to determine how things go, or is this going to be a more freeform deal?


Good questions.

1. A decent army will consist of 600 archers, 400 knights and 1600 common soldiers. (Total of 2600 men). Sounds good? Morale will also play a role, so defeating Heroes could soon have its army deserting. Bigger Kingdoms might have several armies this size. You always want a extra army to guard your Capital city or border against a third Kingdom.

I'll quickly mention that a player can only control/RP one Hero character. Any more characters will have to be either knight/archer/soldier etc.

2. The actual fighting will be freeform. You are allowed to briefly rally a few friendly soldiers to aid you, and cover your back. Once the battle is in motion each player will write out their fighting with enemy soldiers. The GM will control larger aspect such as position of enemy army/Heroes, ambushes, or any other major event. It will then be up to the player to act it out.

Will you make a break for the rival Hero further away from your own position, or aid that group of friendly archers that just got overrun by enemy cavalry nearby?

3. See above.

@Spectre Just drop what you have here. That way its shared with everyone. Nice work!

@Mite That's actually a great help.
Tarabon will be our home. The first nation we will face will then be the Almoth. (We'll ignore the Toman Head border and just make it one Kingdom)

We'll limit the Kingdoms of interest to: Arad Doman, Two Rivers(Might need a better name), Ghealdan, Amadicia and Altara.
 
Long time no see.

I'll throw in my world building hand. Not to boast (actually, completely to boast), I'm pretty good at coming up with interesting nations/races. Some information I'll need: Is there anything already on how magic functions, and how it came to exist? How old is the world? How long has sentient life existed? What sort of continent size are we looking at, and what kind of area? The civilisations I may come up with will be different if it's a temperate zone to if it's a tropical zone or if it's a desert, and likewise they'll be different on larger continents.
 
I also have a question regarding magic. And also if I can bring in my custom rp weapon? Depending on if the rp is a sci-fi themed rp or a fantasy rp, it works exceptionally well.
 
I should have the stuff on my end done tomorrow. Then I'll get the OOC going.

Magic came naturally with the world, and simple require one to discover it. But the trick is that it takes years of study to gain the knowledge on how to control it. Some people could be more gifted in the art though. Races such as Elf and Faerie might be more prone to have magic, but that doesn't mean they all can throw magic left and right.

The timeline follow much of our own. So the planet itself is very old, while sentient life haven't been around much thus far. The map above give a good idea of how the area look.

Temperate zone, so pretty much like our Europe. In term of size... Tarabon is about the size of England. (Without Scotland) So about 130,279 km2

@Victor Markov Fantasy all the way. And of course, it wouldn't be real heroes of they didn't have some kind of awesome gear.
 
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