Interest Check/OOC: Philharmonics Inspired RP: Flowers & Rice

[Osiris Gainsborough]

"I am powerful and wise, yet I am a voice alone."

Name: Valkenhayn Reinhart Hellsing.
Age: 74
Status/Job: Slave/Butler

The oldest of the Vaughan family's servants, Valkenhayn was once a renowned knight and occultist in his homeland of Germany. After losing all he had because he was branded a heretic for speaking out against Elmut Vaughan, his current Master's father, he was punished to be bound to the family as a servant for as long as he drew breath. That was 50 years ago. His youthful appearance has long since vanished, but he has taken his age with stride, and is shockingly still in top physical form and health. He has endured Durwin's wrath since he was as young as 15 and as such, even as an old man, will take punishment for whatever has went wrong if able, to spare the younger servants. His hatred of Durwin is as deep as entire oceans. If he had a chance, he'd make him experience the anger of a fallen noble. However, his standing with the rest of his family is good. He's still got his knightly charm, after all. He is very close to all of the women of the household, Felicity above them all, and the slaves admire him dearly. He is knowledgeable of everything about every daily task needed to be done in the household, and the affairs of most people in it.


An old man he may be, but his mind is still as sharp as a dagger. One he'd love to slip between Durwin's ribs.

 

[Osiris Gainsborough]

I hope I can play as him. ;~;

 

[SapphireInk]

Name: Gideon Croft
Age/Gender: 25, Male
Appearance:

Status/Job: Slave, Protector/Body guard.
Personality: Withdrawn and self contained, he is near silent to the family and his master (who prefers it that way). He has a sharp tongue and a wicked sense of humor, he often makes somewhat cruel but hilarious jokes out of the family and of any other slave or servant who incurs his wrath. He is protective of those he cares for to the last. He has a strong moral code and it infuriates him when others break it. His sister is used as a safety measure and blackmail to make sure he does not turn on the family.
History: Gideon and his siblings were captured from their homeland at a young age, some did not survive the journey over the ocean and even more did not survive the starvation and mistreatment. They were auctioned and separated and Gideon does not know what became of two other surviving siblings. He and the youngest, Miriam, were bought by the same man and were worked in the fields to near exhaustion. When Gideon turned 16 the Master selected him to be one of his 'champions' in an arena where slaves fought for the entertainment of the free men and the glory of their master, sometimes to death. Gideon survived and ran with a winning streak for four years at which point after the family receiving several death threats he was re-assigned as a body guard.
Other: Gideon is skilled with a long sword, but even more so with his bare fists. It is no challenge for him to snap someones neck like a dry twig.

 

[SapphireInk]

Valken seems interesting XD I think he'd be the only person Gideon would listen to.

 

[Osiris Gainsborough]

Would it be because of respect, power, or a mix of both? Just curious. Cause there could be a thing where Gideon challenged Valk to a duel because of something he had said and Valk won. Or it could be just because he respects him for enduring the Vaughan family for all these years and still being strong. Y'know. Plot bunnies.

 

[Osiris Gainsborough]

I'm just thinkin about stuff cause I wanna be ready to blow this thing open when we start.

 

[SapphireInk]

I'm just thinkin about stuff cause I wanna be ready to blow this thing open when we start.

I was thinking more like that Valk trained Gideon when he first was selected to be a pitt dog. One of the reasons Gideon made it out of the brawling arena alive, maybe?

 

[Osiris Gainsborough]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^​

THIS.​

 

[Bashington]

Name: Haydrian Vaughan

Age: 22

Gender: Male

Status/Job: oldest son of Durwin

Personality: Hadrian may seem kind and caring at first but after a while you get to see his true personality. He is short tempered,blunt and aggressive. He thinks that everyone is plotting against him and trust no one not even his family. He also has been known to take his anger out on the slaves leaving them in near death situations.

History: He grew up in a noble family but always seemed to push them away, he always felt that he has grown up in a house full of strangers since his brothers birth he had always teased him and tried to make his life a living hell. He spent most of his childhood alone either out riding or alone in his room drinking wine he had stolen from his fathers winery. Hadrian hated his father after being struck by him after he had found he was stealing from his winery, which has left a large scar over his right eye. Even though he is the oldest his parents seem to favour his younger brother which angers Hadrian.

Appearance:
(Same appearance and clothing just without all the swords)

 

[Phi Chisym]

O.O!

Wow, RiverNotch! I don't know what to say! Geez, I'm loving the nice noble and the crafty noble. I know there might be a few love interest availability within the entire piece (just GM intuition); but just the few things you've expressed awakened a full-circle concept that, I hope, naturally happens with all of our minds working on this thing. I'll never tell, because I wanna see what happens first. :)

But, let's just say you throw in one of the nobleman concepts of your choice and the younger son (age - take your pick). If someone drops, and you want to run more charries, then you can claim the soulless.

Bashington: Good work! I see lots of potential! ^^!

And everyone, keep templates simple - for now. As you work with your charrie through this piece, a lot you will develop about them that you can add in progressively. Keep your templates updates, because the clues within it and the story will help us all build personal situations and side stories for all of our charries. Hopefully, with my caring, gentle guidance, each little side plot will curve and arch perfectly within the full circle of this RP - and we'll be witnesses to another deep, full, and exciting story that reaches a glorious ending. And, trust me, I'm notorious at reaching some sort of glorious end to my RPs...even the few that takes years to complete.

 

[Phi Chisym]

Valk is awesome! Due to his history with the household, he shall be the head of staff. I was thinking of creating a male to be the head of staff, and he'll be under him, but I don't think I want to do that... Valk will receive all his duties from the noble master and wife, and manage the other house staff members to insure all duties are completed. Thoughts, comments, Osiris?

Gideon is awesome! Thinking....he's security, but to place a slave as the head of the family's security might not be safe. I'm considering the idea of a Slave Master who is also Head of Guard, and Gideon is under him, but the noble master prefers for Gideon to work within the home. You have any thoughts on this, Sapphire?

Geez, I've got to hurry up with my thoughts with this. Hopefully, I'll be able to finish all set ups before Thanksgiving, to give us all time to work our OPs and dig with tooth and nail into the beginning storylines.

Okay, those with the Noble's last name, make sure you add it to your template.

I'm trying to build up my cheat sheets for charrie information, notes we've been chatting about, and I'm still playing around with charries ideas. (I can't make up my mind on what to do. XD! ) Besides, doing laundry, working on my hair, and cleaning house for the holidays, I'm working on this and two more RPs I'm GMing. So, I've got a lot to think about today. :) (Anything is better than what Reality is for me right now.)

OH! Anyone in the mood to Co-GM this shindig with me? I'm looking for those who I see capable enough to brainstorm secretly with me. I don't want all the juicy stuff to be known by everyone...how else can charries backstab when you can SEE the dagger's aim? :) Anywho, if you have a RP Resume filled out, or postings of good skill and finesse, and you have the time, then let me know. I'm looking for at least two people. I'll create a group conversation for us only for this RP, and that's that. Then, what happens in group converse, stays in group converse, unless someone wants to really play dirty and twist the twisters within the twisting....

(Oh, I'm thinking far too far ahead.... Must resist...)

:3

Anywho, I've got some work to do... I'll be back later on - probably will be up all night. We shall see. :D

 

[Osiris Gainsborough]

I'll do it, but I'm already GM to another one of your RP's. And I havent done anything in it yet... ;~;

And that is perfect, Phi. I love it. :D

 

[SapphireInk]

XD Gideon definitely wouldn't be head of security. They're already twisting his arm and using his sister as not so subtle insurance that he wont take his sword and start lopping peoples heads off. No he would be in rotation with a couple of other people but you wouldn't put him in charge. Hes a fantastic fighter a brilliant spy and body guard XD but that in itself is the problem.

Slave master....hmmm yes I have an Idea for him. Fat older man who reeks of unwashed flesh and alcohol, tends to wear a suit which is tearing at the seams and a bedraggled wig. Very subservient, often bows so hard that his wig nearly falls up much to the amusement of the slaves. But with the slaves hes violent and abusive with wandering hands and fowl breath. Slow but a hard hitter. Tends to pretend he can read but is illiterate. The master keeps him around because he covers things up well and instills terror into the slaves and makes him feel intelligent. (Valk would treat him as one treats cat sick, disdain and barely veiled disgust, attempting to remove it then burn the carpet it stood on at every opportunity)

Well, I would love to co-GM with you if you need it, secret plots are my specialty.

I also have a fairly good Idea for the governesses but I think I would be better private messaging you about it.

 

[Osiris Gainsborough]

I'd Astral Heat the fuck out of that guy. 10/10 would kill horribly. ^

 

[Serran]

Our noble merchant, for the one who will be playing him, I see him like a knight who has won his status as possibly a Baron or Duke from his King; and therefore, has won land and rights to a few things. Upon retiring from knighthood due to old age (I don't see him being ancient, mind you) and injury, he becomes a profitable merchant; using his knowledge of the various lands he's traveled to in his time as a knight to assist building the kingdoms wealth in profitable trade.

Phi, by noble merchant did you mean 'noble master'? Is this for me, since I have some trouble thinking of a history for Durwin? .3.

 

[RiverNotch]

Conor Vaughan, youngest son of Durwin
Age, 11; Gender, Male; Status, Child, Virgin, Student in the local school house
Conchobar Vaughan, brother of Durwin
Age, 41; Gender, Male; Status, Nobleman (Of the same rank as his brother, but he has a smaller estate), Married (to Elaine, rarely appearing in this rp, also the official owner and caretaker of Conchobar's estate), Member of the local congress/parliament (as I'm not sure if this is set in Canada or the US or whenever, and my historical geopolitics isn't very good)

In looks and attitude Conor Vaughan takes more to his uncle, Conchobar, than his father. Both are tall, slender, and fair-skinned, with facial features less reminiscent of Anglish noblemen and more akin to those of (and hope I that you do not think ill of this description) Jewish bankers. Both also have more vibrant eyes than Durwin, and hair that, although as dark-brown as (most) of the hair on Durwin's scalp, flows down their heads in waves instead of curls. Some even suspect that Conor is in fact the son of Conchobar, not Durwin; those suspicions, however, are unfounded. For Conchobar is a man of virtue and honor, and he has not touched another woman except for his wife, Elaine, in all his life.

Conchobar lives a very simple, spartan life, marked with a rather stern attitude to the lavishness that marks his brother's. But this simplicity and frugality does not mean that he lives a life lacking in generosity, in excitement, in passion. He is a politician, a representative of the interests of his and his brother's estates in the congress of lords, and so he is well-traveled, unlike his elder brother, and he has a lot of friends, all of whom receive periodically from him gifts as lavish as the ones his brother gives away. He also has a lot of enemies, many of whom became as such because of his rather outspoken crusade against slavery. This stance on slavery has put quite a rift between the two brothers, however both are still quite close to each other, treating political views as "only that". In fact, Durwin's manse has a special room made just for Conchobar, and this room is rarely idle.

Conor, meanwhile, takes to his father's lifestyle quite a lot, preferring to live in extravagance instead of humility. However, this extravagance is tempered by his astute (that is, for a boy as old as him) sense of virtue and honor, a sense very much akin to his uncle's. He is generous, patient, and kind, especially to his and his family's slaves, whom he treats as his close friends, a treatment frowned upon by most of the household. He is also quite clever and observant, a trait that he has acquired from his friendship with Valkenhayn, the house's butler. This friendship, however, has also born other qualities not exactly following his sense of virtue and honor; he can be very deceptive and manipulative, and his vengeance is rarely paid with restriction. If it does get paid, that is, as he rarely bears grudges lasting more than an hour, and he is a bit passive when it comes to the payment of anything.

History for Conchobar shall be unfolded in the rp. As for Conor's history, well there's not much to tell, so rather'd not tell now.

 

[Phi Chisym]

Our noble merchant, for the one who will be playing him, I see him like a knight who has won his status as possibly a Baron or Duke from his King; and therefore, has won land and rights to a few things. Upon retiring from knighthood due to old age (I don't see him being ancient, mind you) and injury, he becomes a profitable merchant; using his knowledge of the various lands he's traveled to in his time as a knight to assist building the kingdoms wealth in profitable trade.​

Phi, by noble merchant did you mean 'noble master'? Is this for me, since I have some trouble thinking of a history for Durwin? .3.

Yes, Serran! He is a noble merchant, a noble master; however you wish to state, but I'd figured he's gained a status, respect from the crown, and a good reputation around the kingdom and the sister kingdoms and allies associated with them. This shows a positive view of him as a prominent member of society, one who others believe is honest and good. Pretty much just as you've stated in your temp.

This will only cause problems for the slaves, or even his family members, if they attempt to step pass his castle walls to tell authorities of his ill behaviors or other wrong-doings he does behind closed doors. No one will believe then. Challenge, I say! How does one frame a guilty man who is seen as pure as snow to others?

He can even be good friends of the royal family, and possibly up for a position as the new Hand of the Books (Royal Financier), if we so wish to go (or reach that deep) in to the story. That proves how the world sees him (honest and trustworthy). But, only his family, staff, and slaves know the truth about him....perhaps even more that can prove him as something worse... Ya never know!

Just a thought.... :3

I'm not sure if this is set in Canada or the US or whenever, and my historical geopolitics isn't very good

RiverNotch: I'm considering just creating a pure fantasy world. (Map in the making as I type). So, if anyone creates a name for a land, like Conchobar or what have you, I'll toss it on the map. I do have names already for certain places, so please refrain from creating any right now until I draw up a quick map. Then, if you wish to mention landmarks, hometowns, birth lands, or other things we can use to build up our royal kingdom and its sister kingdoms, provinces, and whatever; be my guest.

 

[Serran]

Yes, Serran! He is a noble merchant, a noble master; however you wish to state, but I'd figured he's gained a status, respect from the crown, and a good reputation around the kingdom and the sister kingdoms and allies associated with them. This shows a positive view of him as a prominent member of society, one who others believe is honest and good. Pretty much just as you've stated in your temp.

This will only cause problems for the slaves, or even his family members, if they attempt to step pass his castle walls to tell authorities of his ill behaviors or other wrong-doings he does behind closed doors. No one will believe then. Challenge, I say! How does one frame a guilty man who is seen as pure as snow to others?

He can even be good friends of the royal family, and possibly up for a position as the new Hand of the Books (Royal Financier), if we so wish to go (or reach that deep) in to the story. That proves how the world sees him (honest and trustworthy). But, only his family, staff, and slaves know the truth about him....perhaps even more that can prove him as something worse... Ya never know!

Just a thought.... :3

Ahh yes, good point~ Thanks :D This will help me greatly with Durwin's history.

 

[SapphireInk]

I have a few ideas for the land that I'm just going to type into a somewhat coherent post, Ive been working on it for a while so I know if I dont get it out now I never will, that being said its all just suggestions. Pick and choose what you like:

I'm thinking our kingdom is part of a larger landmass so a couple of borders to the savage lands of Calcaria bellow and the freezing Nordic land of Valkyen to the right. Both of which are places slaves are imported from like candy.

The kingdom itself is called the Kingdom of Areriseth, Its a a large country with oceans acting as two of its borders, lush and pleasant with a few mountains dotted around and many flora and fauna.

There are villages, towns and cities scattered around, there are around eight major cities, the three biggest home to the ports of Areriseth where goods from all around the world are imported, and those goods include slaves.

Each City has a lord presiding over it, and those lords are second only to the king. The lords write the laws for their Lands, put in place taxes and oversee the development of the parts of the kingdom within their care. In return they get Land, Castles, Riches and most of all, the power to do whatever they please. Knights are placed in charge of towns and are also in charge of the royal guard.

The royal guard are mercenary enforcers of the law, and they vary greatly from one area to the next. In some regions they are fair and just, in others they are as corrupt as the knights and lords who rule them.

The kingdom Is rich from the Slaves who toil at its Looms, Fields and Mines. While Most slaves are 'Imported' from Calcaria or Valkyen some are taken from Villages within Areriseth itself. This is Illegal but it happens much to the outrage of the peasants who have had loved ones stolen away to a life of misery merely because they took the fancy of a passing lord. It is also possible to be condemned into slavery if a lord should deem it fit.

There are Eight regions (which I do have ideas for but I dont want to overload this post)

Calcaria: a ransacked village:

Kingdom of Areriseth:

Land of Valkyen:

Lord Vaughn's Residence:

 

[RiverNotch]

"RiverNotch: I'm considering just creating a pure fantasy world. (Map in the making as I type). So, if anyone creates a name for a land, like Conchobar or what have you, I'll toss it on the map. I do have names already for certain places, so please refrain from creating any right now until I draw up a quick map. Then, if you wish to mention landmarks, hometowns, birth lands, or other things we can use to build up our royal kingdom and its sister kingdoms, provinces, and whatever; be my guest."

Suggestion: Make it a Constitutional Monarchy. It seems to have an economy driven by slaves and slave labour, so I'm supposing it
1) Has a peasantry roughly liberated by some sort of charter of laws. Most of them are probably in the towns, though some could be working as free farmhands or overseers to nobles' plantations.
2) Has a large middle class. Lots of craftsmen, lots of merchants, and lots of free landowners, probably not restricted in having relationships with noblemen. They're the new backbone of society, especially because they're the people who distribute the goods from the colonies, like the slaves.
3) Has a weakened nobility (noblemen with weak political and military power. Cause of middle class growing and peasantry being freed). Noble titles are not very important, with a more centralized government.
4) Has a fairly iffish political status with other nations (in other words, international politics isn't bad, but it's kinda tense). This is because everyone's all richer with the slaves. No one's fearing any wars, though, as most wars are probably going to be held in the colonies. Only really big things, like succession crises, are going to be fought on home turf.
5) Has a shitload of colonies (to get slaves from). Hey, you could even set the story on a colony! But then the noble ranks would be rendered kinda moot. They should be talked about a lot, as a lot of the raw resources will probably come from them, or at least a lot of new resources will come from them.
Technology should also be about as advanced as the 17th to 19th centuries, as those were the periods where slave labour was fairly big. So guns, plenty of crazy philosophers, and lots of cool scientific discoveries being made. If magic's gonna be in it, make it show less through witches and myths, and more through secret societies and government conspiracies, with only the slaves being the ones believing in witches and tribal magic. The church should play a pretty big role (not yet modern enough for people to not need God), and they should also have reasons to allow people to keep slaves (say, 'slaves aren't real humans' or something). And towns, too, what with the large middle class and stuff.