- Writing Levels
- Intermediate
- Adept
- Preferred Character Gender
- Male
- Genres
- Fantasy, Scifi, Mystery
|| Roster || IC || Character Index || Expanded Lore Index || OOC ||
What is "Map and Compass"?
Map and Compass is a fantasy-adventure RP where the characters are thrust in journeys to unravel the mystery surrounding the world of Plateau. It takes place during "the Cataclysm", the rebirth of the world. You will have to decide whether to help bring about the Cataclysm to save your world, or to break the cycle of destruction and rebirth that has gone on since the beginning of time.
Making Your Character
At this point in the story, the Cataclysm is beginning to ramp up. To stop it, five legendary warriors are selected each time Plateau reaches the stage of rebirth. While the current party moves to one of the five broken pillars that were said to hold up the world, the Warriors are gathered by the Creator to rebuild the pillars.
For a Warrior character, there are five openings: the Arrow, the Spear, the Chant, the Sword, and the Craftsman. All of the Warriors have as much strength as any Seraph or Daemon. All Warriors have a natural affinity to Holy Magic.
The Craftsman is chosen to be the leader of the Warriors, and the only one of the Creator's chosen to survive the Cataclysm. [Must be Human]
The Sword is the Warrior who takes the place of the First Pillar. [Must be Seraph]
Code:
[center][img]*Appearance image here*[/img]
[font=Courrier New][color=]*Name or Quote*[/color][/font]
[/center]
[spoilerbb=*Character Name*]
[color=][b]Name :[/b][/color]
[indent]
[/indent]
[color=][b]Gender :[/b][/color]
[indent]
[/indent]
[color=][b]Age :[/b][/color]
[indent]
[/indent]
[color=][b]Species :[/b][/color] (What kind of Seraph? [Human, Elf, Strayskin, or a mixture])
[indent]
[/indent]
[color=][b]Physique :[/b][/color] (Briefly explain aspects of your character's physical traits not immediately clear in character art)
[indent]
[/indent]
[color=][b]Backstory :[/b][/color] (Give a history for your character and perhaps their family)
[indent]
[/indent]
[hr]
[color=][b]Skills and Talents :[/b][/color]
[indent]
[/indent]
[color=][b]Special Traits :[/b][/color] (Any unique magick? Any unique physical attributes or abilities?)
[indent]
[/indent]
[color=][b]Sopia Slots :[/b][/color]
[indent]
[i]Essence[/i]:
[i]Element[/i]:
[i]Corpora[/i]:
[/indent]
[color=][b]Sopia List :[/b][/color] (Sopia that are both used and unused)
[indent](3 slots)
[/indent]
[color=][b]Spells :[/b][/color] (The sheet for making spells is in the next tab)
[indent]
[color=][b]Spell Name :[/b][/color]
[indent]Innate Polymorphy[/indent]
[color=][b]Spell Nature :[/b][/color]
[indent]Polymorph Magic[/indent]
[color=][b]Description of Spell :[/b][/color]
[indent]Innate Polymorphs are able to [url=https://i.imgur.com/hDKnoYS.jpg?1]change their body[/url] to consume Creatures' Sopia, forming a larger, fanged mouth on the body. However, using it can leave the caster open to attacks.[/indent]
[color=][b]Requirements for Casting :[/b][/color]
[indent]This is a spell that requires no drawing of formula, and can be used upon will.[/indent]
------------
[/indent]
[color=][b]Gear :[/b][/color] (Describe your character's armor/miscellaneous items)
[indent]
[/indent]
[color=][b]Weapons :[/b][/color] (Describe your character's weapons)
[indent]
[/indent]
[hr]
[color=][b]Other :[/b][/color] (Anything else you wanted to add can go here)
[indent]
[/indent]
[/spoilerbb]The Arrow is the Warrior who takes the place of the Second Pillar. [Must be Daemon]
Code:
[center][img]*Appearance image here*[/img]
[font=Courrier New][color=]*Name or Quote*[/color][/font]
[/center]
[spoilerbb=*Character Name*]
[color=][b]Name :[/b][/color]
[indent]
[/indent]
[color=][b]Gender :[/b][/color]
[indent]
[/indent]
[color=][b]Age :[/b][/color]
[indent]
[/indent]
[color=][b]Species :[/b][/color] (What kind of Daemon? [Human, Elf, Strayskin, or a mixture])
[indent]
[/indent]
[color=][b]Physique :[/b][/color] (Briefly explain aspects of your character's physical traits not immediately clear in character art)
[indent]
[/indent]
[color=][b]Backstory :[/b][/color] (Give a history for your character and perhaps their family)
[indent]
[/indent]
[hr]
[color=][b]Skills and Talents :[/b][/color]
[indent]
[/indent]
[color=][b]Special Traits :[/b][/color] (Any unique magick? Any unique physical attributes or abilities?)
[indent]
[/indent]
[color=][b]Sopia Slots :[/b][/color]
[indent]
[i]Essence[/i]:
[i]Element[/i]:
[i]Corpora[/i]:
[/indent]
[color=][b]Sopia List :[/b][/color] (Sopia that are both used and unused)
[indent](3 slots)
[/indent]
[color=][b]Spells :[/b][/color] (The sheet for making spells is in the next tab)
[indent]
[color=][b]Spell Name :[/b][/color]
[indent]Innate Polymorphy[/indent]
[color=][b]Spell Nature :[/b][/color]
[indent]Polymorph Magic[/indent]
[color=][b]Description of Spell :[/b][/color]
[indent]Innate Polymorphs are able to [url=https://i.imgur.com/hDKnoYS.jpg?1]change their body[/url] to consume Creatures' Sopia, forming a larger, fanged mouth on the body. However, using it can leave the caster open to attacks.[/indent]
[color=][b]Requirements for Casting :[/b][/color]
[indent]This is a spell that requires no drawing of formula, and can be used upon will.[/indent]
------------
[/indent]
[color=][b]Gear :[/b][/color] (Describe your character's armor/miscellaneous items)
[indent]
[/indent]
[color=][b]Weapons :[/b][/color] (Describe your character's weapons)
[indent]
[/indent]
[hr]
[color=][b]Other :[/b][/color] (Anything else you wanted to add can go here)
[indent]
[/indent]
[/spoilerbb]The Chant is the Warrior who takes the place of the Third Pillar. While most Warriors are named somewhat arbitrarily, the chosen Chant is always a devout magic user.
The Spear is the Warrior who takes the place of the Fourth Pillar.
You can go wild with your character backstories. Great generals, master assassins, royals, or perhaps even up-and-coming squires… If you wish, I encourage you to see if other players want to make joint backstories so your characters know one another personally prior to their meeting in the RP, be it as allies or even enemies.
Code:
[center][img]*Appearance image here*[/img]
[font=Courrier New][color=]*Name or Quote*[/color][/font]
[/center]
[spoilerbb=*Character Name*]
[color=][b]Name :[/b][/color]
[indent]
[/indent]
[color=][b]Gender :[/b][/color]
[indent]
[/indent]
[color=][b]Age :[/b][/color]
[indent]
[/indent]
[color=][b]Species :[/b][/color] ([Human, Elf, Strayskin, or a mixture)
[indent]
[/indent]
[color=][b]Physique :[/b][/color] (Briefly explain aspects of your character's physical traits not immediately clear in character art)
[indent]
[/indent]
[color=][b]Backstory :[/b][/color] (Give a history for your character and perhaps their family)
[indent]
[/indent]
[hr]
[color=][b]Skills and Talents :[/b][/color]
[indent]
[/indent]
[color=][b]Special Traits :[/b][/color] (Any unique magick? Any unique physical attributes or abilities?)
[indent]
[/indent]
[color=][b]Spells :[/b][/color] (The sheet for making spells is in the next tab)
[indent]
[color=][b]Spell Name :[/b][/color]
[indent][/indent]
[color=][b]Spell Nature :[/b][/color]
[indent][/indent]
[color=][b]Description of Spell :[/b][/color]
[indent][/indent]
[color=][b]Requirements for Casting :[/b][/color]
[indent][/indent]
------------
[/indent]
[color=][b]Gear :[/b][/color] (Describe your character's armor/miscellaneous items)
[indent]
[/indent]
[color=][b]Weapons :[/b][/color] (Describe your character's weapons)
[indent]
[/indent]
[hr]
[color=][b]Other :[/b][/color] (Anything else you wanted to add can go here)
[indent]
[/indent]
[/spoilerbb]Alternatively, you could make a hunter/huntress Daemon to join the current party in the IC with the character sheet below.
Code:
[center][img]*Appearance image here*[/img]
[font=Courrier New][color=]*Name or Quote*[/color][/font]
[/center]
[spoilerbb=*Character Name*]
[color=][b]Name :[/b][/color]
[indent]
[/indent]
[color=][b]Gender :[/b][/color]
[indent]
[/indent]
[color=][b]Age :[/b][/color]
[indent]
[/indent]
[color=][b]Species :[/b][/color] (What kind of Seraph? [Human, Elf, Strayskin, or a mixture])
[indent]
[/indent]
[color=][b]Physique :[/b][/color] (Briefly explain aspects of your character's physical traits not immediately clear in character art)
[indent]
[/indent]
[color=][b]Backstory :[/b][/color] (Give a history for your character and perhaps their family)
[indent]
[/indent]
[hr]
[color=][b]Skills and Talents :[/b][/color]
[indent]
[/indent]
[color=][b]Special Traits :[/b][/color] (Any unique magick? Any unique physical attributes or abilities?)
[indent]
[/indent]
[color=][b]Sopia Slots :[/b][/color]
[indent]
[i]Essence[/i]:
[i]Element[/i]:
[i]Corpora[/i]:
[/indent]
[color=][b]Sopia List :[/b][/color] (Sopia that are both used and unused)
[indent](3 slots)
[/indent]
[color=][b]Spells :[/b][/color] (The sheet for making spells is in the next tab)
[indent]
[color=][b]Spell Name :[/b][/color]
[indent]Innate Polymorphy[/indent]
[color=][b]Spell Nature :[/b][/color]
[indent]Polymorph Magic[/indent]
[color=][b]Description of Spell :[/b][/color]
[indent]Innate Polymorphs are able to [url=https://i.imgur.com/hDKnoYS.jpg?1]change their body[/url] to consume Creatures' Sopia, forming a larger, fanged mouth on the body. However, using it can leave the caster open to attacks.[/indent]
[color=][b]Requirements for Casting :[/b][/color]
[indent]This is a spell that requires no drawing of formula, and can be used upon will.[/indent]
------------
[/indent]
[color=][b]Gear :[/b][/color] (Describe your character's armor/miscellaneous items)
[indent]
[/indent]
[color=][b]Weapons :[/b][/color] (Describe your character's weapons)
[indent]
[/indent]
[hr]
[color=][b]Other :[/b][/color] (Anything else you wanted to add can go here)
[indent]
[/indent]
[/spoilerbb]And here's a spell sheet for you to have fun with! Go nuts!
Code:
[color=][b]Spell Name :[/b][/color]
[indent][/indent]
[color=][b]Spell Nature :[/b][/color]
[indent][/indent]
[color=][b]Description of Spell :[/b][/color]
[indent][/indent]
[color=][b]Requirements for Casting :[/b][/color]
[indent][/indent]You can find significantly more lore on the OOC page, but here's a brief version explaining the world and its inhabitants:
Lore Bits
-
"[...] The name of the subject isle is Plateau. It's in orbit around the core planet, along with several other isles similar to it. It has been active since generation RQ2VV, making it the longest standing isle. It has proven to be quite good for the development of life. Unfailingly, it has produced quickly developing societies and rich cultures with relatively small disruptions to life. Notably, in generation RQ32K, a mathematician was able to ascertain the isle's nature and conjectured the existence of the core planet. While many other generations had similar discoveries, none were so accurate as that of RQ32K's Maellon Greyscale. This discovery comes despite the inhabitants' inability to observe the planet directly due to the shape of the isles. [...]"
-
The ruins of the high city of Garth
Credit to Merl1ncz
Record of Generation RQ32K
~~~
Despite the heightened danger rate of the creatures, this RQ32K has prospered significantly more than any other generation before it. I had not expected their technology to advance so much so quickly. Concordia, in particular, has been developing at an incredible pace. They have spread more and more across the plateau and have created technology that could allow them to move to other planes in time. While this cycle is coming to an end, I have the highest expectations for the next generation.
[...]
Nevertheless, it is disappointing that despite this level of sophistication, the Concordian Empire is attempting to spread across the isle. They're pouring more and more resources into their military, which is having an adverse effect on its population. On the other hand, it could be argued that its only because of these investments that Concordia is developing technology so quickly.
[...]
Over the last few years, Concordia's spread has accelerated greatly. They've all but conquered the Kingdom of Genis ever since they developed their airships. Genishians didn't seem to expect an aerial assault. Yet still they seem to be struggling greatly against the southern clans.
[...]
The Orcish Clans have allied themselves with the Daemons to make a rather formidable coalition. While Concordia might be much more advanced in regards to their application of magick for the purpose of furthering technological and scientific developments, the magickal understanding of the Daemons is unrivaled. Together with the Orcish Clans, they have proven to be a force to be reckoned with. I had not expected they would have been able to successfully defended their lands even up until this point. Perhaps they will even hold out even up until the next Cataclysm.
~End of Log ~ -
[spacer]Outside of the Orcish Clans, there is a single predominant religion. It is described not in a book but on the five pillars that are said to hold the world afloat. It tells of five warriors and one human chosen by The Creator. The Warriors always have the same titles: the Shield, the Arrow, the Spear, the Chant, the Sword. The chosen is called the "Craftsman". As the pillars that previously held the world begin to collapse and the god of destruction, Lox, begins to break free of its chains, these six build up five more pillars to chain Lox once more. During this "Cataclysm", beings named "Creatures" begin appearing around the world, written to be monsters made the Unholy Magic of Lox. The Warriors replace the pillars as the Craftsman helps them hold up the earth on their backs. After they're all replaced, the Craftsman guides society in order to destroy the remnants of the Daemons, living for centuries until the last of the creatures is dead. The current empress Lunaris XVII of Concordia is said to be a descendant of the last Craftsman and is considered the predominant religious leader in her country.[/spacer]
[spacer]While the Clans generally believe in the existence of these gods and stories, they don't worship the Creator. This is mostly due to the conflicts they've had with Concordia where they've been treated as the enemies of the devout, similarly to the treatment of Creatures.[/spacer]
-
Strayskins are the predominant species in the Orcish Clans. They are generally more physically imposing than their fellow denizens due to their larger builds and horns. Strayskins get their name from the great variety of skin colour they have among their own people, including colours like the pale hues of red, green, blue and grey. Their horns often vary in size: sometimes they're ridiculously large and sometimes they're not even noticeable. According to the Church, strayskins are the creations of Lox.
Elves are nimble and lean. Physically they aren't very different from humans. The only immediately distinguishing qualities are their long pointy ears and pale skins. According to the Church, elves are the ancestors of both strayskins and humans.
Humans are physically very close to elves. According to the Church, humans were molded from the elves by the Creator.
Half-Bloods are the combinations of multiple species. Such people have varying attributes of both their parents' species. Half-bloods get attributes from their parents semi-randomly. That is to say, two half-bloods of the same two species might look completely different and might be confused to be of two different species. So, if an elf and a strayskin have two children, one might be large like a strayskin but fair skinned like an elf, and the other could be lean like an elf but horned and red like a strayskin.
Daemons look nearly identical to the other species of Plateau with the exception of the natural marks along their bodies. Daemons are natural Polymorphs and Unholy Magic users. Their Polymorphy makes them especially suitable for hunting Creatures since they're able to absorb some of the powers of the game they hunt. Otherwise, they're physically stronger and more durable than their common counterparts.
Seraphs are similar to Daemons in appearance, but most Seraphs that work in the open are easy on the eyes, so to speak. Nearly all known Seraphs are humans or elves. Unlike Daemons, they are natural Holy Magic and while they're Polymorphs as well, very few Seraphs know how to use that gift since the Church doesn't want them to be seen as monsters like Daemons.
-
[spacer]Most Creatures are mindless monsters that roam Plateau. Their flesh is hard as steel and flexible as skin, and some stronger ones are near impervious to regular weapons. They often have magical attributes called Sopia that can be absorbed by Polymorphs. They can't reproduce and don't die of old age. Their size ranges from a few meters in length to hundreds of meters in height. The larger they get, the less aggressive they get. The biggest ones don't grow hostile without provocation unless they're near a large population of humanoids. They appeared from the collapsing pillars when the cataclysm began.[/spacer]
[spacer]While they are infamous for being formed by Unholy Magic, they are adversely susceptible to all kinds of Unholy Magic and are resistant against Holy Magic.[/spacer]
-
Daemons are capable of three kinds of magic: Polymorphy, Unholy Magic, and Elemental Magic.
Polymorphy is a kind of magic that only Seraphs and Daemons can use.
Polymorphy abilities are altered by consuming Creatures and absorbing their "Sopia", their magical essence. Some Creatures might have weak skin but can become semi-transparent, while others might have naturally venomous body or greater senses. Some even have one or more elemental affinities that Polymorphs don't naturally possess. Polymorphs can absorb these attributes from Creatures, gaining physical and magical strengths and weaknesses. There are three different types of Sopia: Essence, Element, Corpora. An Essence is any special attributes a creature might have (Any magical ability and spells the Creature might now [not affinity]). Element is the elemental affinity a Creature might have. A Corpora is any unique physical attributes the Creature might have. A Polymorph can have different Sopia for each of these three slots.
Balance Magic concerns Holy and Unholy Magic. Very few people have affinities in either. Holy Magic affinity is very rare, but Holy Magic can be learned through great piety, if the Creator sees the power fit to grant. Holy and Unholy magicks are very similar but are also polar opposites. Spells of one kind will have a reverse effect on someone of the opposite affinity. An Unholy healing spell, for example, would hurt someone with a Holy affinity, while a Holy damage spell would heal someone with an Unholy affinity. In most cases, people don't have an affinity either way, and those people are affected normally by the spells. Daemons and Creatures always have an Unholy Magic affinity, while Seraphs always have a Holy Magic affinity.
Daemons use Unholy Magic to craft weapons from dead Creatures, summon and store gear, and quickly move around with short warps. Most Daemons have their own variations of Unholy spells besides these spells.
Elemental Magic is split into three groups: Water Magic, Fire Magic, Wind Magic. Non-Daemons/Seraphs all have an affinity to one of these three kinds of magic, and cannot, aside from very few exceptions, use an Elemental Magic outside of their affinity. Each kind of Elemental Magic contains attributes of its respective element, and is thus named. While some spells can also manipulate the element it represents, most elemental spells carry attributes of Fire/Wind/Water. That is to say, one could use a water magic spell to make magic behave like water for a short period of time before it returns to being magical energy.
Daemons don't have a natural elemental affinity but can obtain affinities from consuming Creatures thanks to their Polymorphy.
Spells and Casting
[spacer]Spell-casting requires a sort of formula to be created. The formula describes in a sort of mathematical language how the spell is supposed to work. The formula is expressed in a magic circle when the corresponding spell is being cast. Most mages use staffs and spell-tomes to carry copies of the spells. The staffs and books themselves rarely have magical attributes besides the method used to write the spells, but instead, they are used as vessels for the written form of the spell, which can be used to cast it. However, it's rare to see spell-staffs in the hands of fighters, since the formula can also be written on any other kind of weapon. Otherwise, casters can draw the formula circle when casting it.[/spacer]
Weapons can be enchanted with spells in order to be more versatile in combat, but often using multiple spells on the same weapon can lead to the damaging of the weapon.
Anchors are magically enchanted items that behave as a source for the effects of a spell. It's often used in teleportation magic.[/spacer]
Any questions? Ask below or PM me if you'd prefer!