For those who have not trained their body and mind for battle, the world is very dangerous. Beyond the walls of the cities roam horrific monsters, beasts of massive size and threat ready to feast on those who cannot defend themselves and often taking the lives of those who can. Living in such a world had many complications, most of which involving traversing between lands. Most major countries formed military powers around the defense of their people, each force eventually driving these nations into military super powers, expanding their borders, but not in the name of material gain, but rather for the sake of protecting their neighbors.
The source of these abominations that reigned supreme in the wilds of the worlds was long sought after. Many believed perhaps they were just the natural evolution of animals that gained a thirst for flesh, but those that could sense their energies knew there was something else to them. Their spirits were twisted and contorted, changing their bodies into fearsome creatures and driving them to hunt down anything that moved. Countless expeditions were run to find any clue as to their origin, however none yielded any results worth documenting.
One day, a Kindred living within the Kindred Sanctuary had a vision of an island. From this island emitted dark energies, a source of magic so massive that it would twist the spirits of anything within it and force them to bow to its might. This seer believed her vision detailed the source of the monsters, a location that had been sought for centuries. The Kindred sent a vessel full of their most powerful mages to search for the island, and though it took 3 years, it was eventually found. Once docked, however, there was a massacre. Only 3 survivors returned home, beaten and scarred and turned into madmen.
In response, the Kindred sent word to the other major nations who decided to hold a council. Valhalla, from the northern harshlands, sent their Valkyrie Queen. Rothendust, the holy capital, sent the leader of their Paladins of Var with the head of their own council. Athal, the home of the Espers, sent their most valued member of their elite military squad, The Chorus of Wings. The Begix Territory, a desert socialist nation, sent their ambassador elected to be the best fit for such a task. The Kindred Sanctuaries, the only place magic was viewed as more than a study, chose and sent their Magi of Sanctity. The Council met in an attempt to decide the best course of action for the recent discovery of this island. It was decided that they should be the nations to infiltrate and destroy the source of this magic.
[fieldbox=Nations and Cities , turquoise , solid]
World Map
Rothendust: Often referred to as "The Holy Capital", Rothendust is the most populated city in the world and is the founding city for the nation of Vardesa. Within the city is a guardian, often referred to as The Holy Spirit, though it's true name is Var Atr. It is here that all races are treated equally, at least on a governmental level. The country is led by elected representatives who meet daily to discuss legislature with the best interest of the people in their minds. However, while they may lead diplomacy, their military force is independent of their governing.
The Paladins of Var act as the military force of Vardesa. They teach nobility and justice, the top priority of any Paladin is to protect the people. They can be recognized by the Rothendust
Holy Sigil dubbed The Eye of the Guardian. In the eyes of those they defend, the Paladins are just and fair guardians who punish the wicked, however to their enemies the Paladins are seen in a far darker light. They will not hesitate to execute those who dare oppose them or threaten their people. They don't make the rules, but they will die before seeing them broken.
Valhalla: Valhalla, the nation of Valkyries and Champions, is a city-state that rests in the northern harshlands on the ridge of a mountain. If the monsters that dwell outside were not enough to deter residency of this land then perhaps the weather will, with their calmest summer mornings being equivalent to the harshest of winter nights to the rest of the world. It is here that the most infamous of races calls home, the Berserkers. The Berserkers are the most commonly seen race in these lands. Due to their inability to cope with such cold temperatures, the Dragoons are the only ones that do not live in the frozen land.
Being in such harsh living conditions it is only natural that such a place would breed warriors. It is widely believed and accepted that every resident of Valhalla must be able to hold their own in battle. Who could lead such a ferocious nation other than their Valkyrie Queen, wielding power to tame such people? Their Queen acts as diplomat, military leader, and front line battler. All fear the Valkyrie Queen, for her people would accept no less than a queen that would need less protection than those who dare oppose her.
The Begix Territory: A truly socialist nation, should any merchants come in search of gold and riches they'd only be disappointed to find the only currency in their country is hard labor. The capital of Danderis houses most of the countrys people, and the vast majority of the people are the Dragoons as they are most comfortable in the hot wastes of the desert in which it stretches. The territory borders end when the grass starts and the desert even stretches to the shore.
While the Begix Territory does not have an official military force due to the lack of any individual having a former occupation, there are a select few that have taken up arms to protect the land they love. Dragoons themselves are ferocious combatants and they only need be armed for their battle prowess to come through, and as such they have developed a simple name to those that would think to invade. "Dangerous Danderis" became the unofficial nickname of their city.
Athal: Espers were once seen as idols of war due to the nature of their appearances, which quickly grew tiring for their people. This resulted in a mass migration of a considerable amount of tired and battleworn Espers to the peninsula they'd call Athal. Atop the highest hill was built a castle where Espers could meet to take a break from battle for the next few hundred years. This quickly grew into a nation of its own as Espers not only migrated but were also built on its soil.
Many Espers did, however, accept that their battle prowess was certainly an aspect worth embracing. While there is no acting government nor need for one, the acting military call themselves The Chorus of Wings. A group of Espers who have perfected the art of war. Should you find yourself against the ethereal battlers it would be best to pray to your gods before they lay their judgement on you, for the Chorus of Wings will let you meet your deity though a most bloody method.
The Kindred Sanctuary: There exist three territories referring to themselves as Kindred Sanctuaries, however they are all governed by a single group. One representative from the East, West, and South to discuss what should be done, and below them a group of 9 seers using their magic to examine the world. Violence is not tolerated with the sanctuaries as are any practices that would harm the Kindreds lush and beautiful forests. Of all the nations, they are considered the safest as they have a magical barrier protecting their people from anything with malicious intent.
The Sanctuaries have no military force, only those that seek to understand magic. For this reason, the Kindred have widely populated the lands of greenery. Instead, should military action be required, their seers choose a user of the arcane to guide them to victory. This person is given the title the Magi of Sanctity.[/fieldbox]
[fieldbox=Races , gold , solid]
Humans: Humans are a simple race, they are durable and versatile. The humans strongest features include their tenacity, intellect, and ability to adapt to any situation. They are the most plentiful race and are found at every corner. It would be impossible to live in society and never associate with the human race.
The humans have been known to have children with any of the other races and have actually been diluted over the years since due to having children with the other races rather frequently. This is not to say there aren't many pure blood humans, however it is very common to find a child of a human and any other race.
Esper: The Esper are a mysterious race, they are spirits that have no bodies and have bound themselves to suits of armor. They are a simple people who do not identify as a species to have genders. Many Espers spend their time idling as they have no need to eat or sleep. Others occupy their time performing services for others . Despite their armor clad appearances they are typically a peaceful race.
The Espers are not born, they are created by other Espers. Having no body they are free from the shackles of organic life, feeling no hunger or fatigue, making them fierce to have in combat. However, they may seem indestructible, but with no body they are forced to be bound to the armor, should the armor break it must be mended by another being, but should enough armor break the Esper cannot be restored.
Dragoons: They stand as tall as humans and share many features in the eyes and hair, but similarities are fewer than differences. Dragoons are dragon-like beings typically associated with violence due to their appearance. With tails, claws, sometimes horns, and scales covering the body they are a tough and durable species. Physically they are excellent specimen, their scales act as a natural armor. Thought to be descendants of dragons they have very strong instincts that are very hard to resist. Some believe their lack in magic power is made up for with their abundance of physical strength.
The dragoons are very good at physical labor and have excellent stamina, keeping up with even the Espers. However, they have tempers that tend to make them very dangerous people should you get on their bad sides. When it comes to socialization, dragoons naturally drift towards one another to the point they usually all find housings in the same area as one another. The dragoons do not care how they live at home, they spend their days out and about burning energy and choose to use their homes only for sleeping.
Elves: The elves stand taller than most humans and have faith in many gods which they worship regularly. With longer life spans, they as a species have developed a friendship with the Espers and Berserkers rather than the Dragoons and Humans with their normal 90 year life spans. The typical Elf dies at 150 years of age. They are considered one of the more wise species due to their ages and historical connection with the Espers.
The elves are intelligent, even comparable to the humans, but they use their knowledge for wisdom and the study of the flow of magic. They are a religious species that believe magic to be a force that flows through all living beings, sentient and non, and as such believe they must treat any living thing with respect. Elves are nimble and dexterous, making them great at tasks that require a quick hand.
Kindred: The Kindred have a history of being shunned by the humans and elves for their grey skin and yellow eyes, but they are truly good people. Their history has caused them to grow up in clans rather than family's, sticking together. This species tends to be shorter than humans by a fairly noticeable amount. These people are known for their ability to tap into the forces of life itself. While only one Kindred in history has been able to raise the dead, it is standard for a Kindred to be able to use the spirits of the dead to make them stronger, but at a very high cost. The more deals the kindred make with the dead the shorter they live.
Being a Kindred can be tough, while racism over the years has been becoming less and less discriminatory, they still face challenges from some individuals that have not dropped their hatred for this race. The kindred take solace in the fact that it's no longer a culturally taught racism, but rather individual people and families that struggle to see more than what the surface has to offer.
Berserkers: Haling from the northern lands fittingly called the "Northern Harshlands" the Berserkers are a minority everywhere but the frozen north where they thrive. They were once proud tribes that were at constant war with vicious beasts, unrelenting nature, and eachother. Their constant battling one another would not cease until one human woman would unite them into the nation now known as Valhalla, widely considered to be the homeland of the Berserkers. Berserkers stand tallest of all the races and naturally build far more muscle.
Their strength rivals the Dragoons but their stamina is lacking in comparison, though still able to keep up whenever it counts. Additionally, the Berserkers have a natural resistance to anything nature can throw at them. They resist the cold, their bodies can cool them off in the heat, they are not threatened by storms or wildlife. As hunters and warriors by blood, they make great companions for long trips and are often sought to join in many adventures.[/fieldbox]
[fieldbox=Rules , white , dotted]I will only be accepting 4 players
No powerplaying, no godmodding, and no metagaming
Do not kill a player character unless given permission
GMs word is law (I hope to never invoke this rule again)
If you have a question, ask it
Romance is encouraged but please keep adult content in the adult section
Creative liberties with the world are welcome but must be discussed with me
Don't post so fast that others struggle to keep up, give everyone time to respond
In the end of your bio you must type "I have read the rules"[/fieldbox]
Character Template:
Name:
Age:
Gender:
Race:
Nationality:
Appearance: Images are allowed but please describe any features not shown in the image.
Personality: 2 paragraph minimum
Weapon(s) and Attire: I expect more detail than "it's a sword that cuts." Guns exist but hold 1 shot and take time to reload manually.
Magic:
Skills:
History: Please be detailed, how did your character get into this position?
@Greenie @Applo