[OOC] By Magic Bound [Accepting!]

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Murasaki_Sama

Guest
Original poster
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This is a world with magic. Creatures from myths and legends walk side by side with mundane humans; while mages control the very forces of nature that man has always sought to control. Rather than lead to a paradise, this diversity of power has led to open conflict. Now creatures of magic, wild born mages, and gifted mundanes are kept as Axemi, bonded servants.

The Axemi, and the system of bonding humans and magical creatures to service, originated in the Empire of Qinqu. The nation is ruled by the Divine Daughter, her court of experienced politicians, the families of the Greater and Lesser Clans, and the holy Servants of Yuse Ana. It is home to a wide variety of races, many of whom are magical. In Veratis, the capital, all these competing factions live side by side. Political strife and in-fighting is common, especially at social events.

The fifth month of the seven hundred and thirteenth year of the Empire, as the Ra'Shala Emporium holds its monthly Fete, the court hosts the seasonal Ball, and the Council of Greater and Lesser Clans gathers for the first time in ten years, conflicts between the factions will ignite turmoil across the Empire.​
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Qinqu has several factions competing for power. The Divine Daughter, currently the eldest living female descendant of the goddess Yuse Ana, and the priesthood devoted to her worship, have nominal authority over all citizens of the Empire.

However, the politician class holds most of the actual power, as they fill all administrated, legislative and military positions. Officially, anyone can become a civil servant; in truth, only those with the money to pay for a good education can pass the public exam, and therefore become a politician and a civil servant. Additionally, those with powerful connections rise faster and further than those without. Civil servants fill roles from tax collector, to consuls and magistrates of the Justice system, to provincial governors and Ministers of the Court.

The Council of Greater and Lesser Clans, made up of the powerful families of mages and magical creatures, holds a great deal of sway, although they have little official power. They prefer to send their sons and daughters to court to support powerful politicians, or to become civil servants themselves. As magic is rare, and carefully controlled by members of the Clans, only those wealthy enough to employ the services of a mage (or purchase the bond of an Axemi-lis) can reap the advantages of magical support. Mages prefer to create magical artifacts rather than hire themselves out exclusively to a single patron. Magical creatures, on the other hand, prefer to support members of their own race, or political factions with similar aims as their Clan/race. Magical races give their gifts rarely, and only at great cost. The Council claims to protect the magically gifted, but mostly they protect the Clans, allowing the other mages and magical creatures to fall victim to the Axemi trade.


The population of Qinqu is divided into several castes. At the top is the Divine Daughter and her extended family, the Qin, children of the goddess Yuse Ana. The next ruler of the Empire can only come from among the ranks of the Qin. Male children of this family generally become civil servants, since they have access to the best education and cannot inherit the throne. The current Divine Daughter is nearly 80 years old, and has yet to choose an Heir. Competition and in-fighting among the female Qin, their supporting political factions, and other factions, has become very intense over the last few years.

The second caste is made up of civil servants, who manage most of the Empire. In order to become a civil servant, one must pass a rather difficult exam. After that, one attains ranks by merit and personal achievement; although most politicians attain rank by bribery and powerful family connections.

Third in status, although equal in power to the civil servants, are the Servants of Yuse Ana, the goddess who founded the Empire and forged the peace between humans and the other races. The Servants conduct a number of rituals and ceremonies throughout the year, as well as serve as pages, handmaidens and advisers to the Divine Daughter. Since the purest souls are those in service to others, the Axemi system is managed by the priests and priestesses of Yuse Ana; they must sign off on any bond, any sale, or any emancipation.

Artisans, scholars, and members of the Greater and Lesser Clans make up the next caste. Artisans work as both skilled laborers and artists, and produce everything from normal, every day items, to works exquisite works of art. Scholars study anything from magic to mathematics, and work to advance knowledge of philosophy, the sciences and magical theory, if not actual magical practice. Members of the Greater and Lesser Clans are also often considered artisans and scholars, although some serve as civil servants, or soldiers.

After them come soldiers and lower ranking officers. Higher ranking officers are considered civil servants and rank with the powerful politicians. Members of the city guard are considered part of the military, while their officers, the magistrates, and the consuls are all civil servants.

Merchants, farmers and other normal citizens make up the second to last class. Some merchants, especially those that deal in Axemi, have enough power to socialize with high ranking politicians, Servants, and military officers. However, their actual social status remains negligible. Most trade is conducted with hard currency, gold, silver and bronze coins minted by government. Pure metals, gold and iron, for example, as well as both cut and uncut gemstones often serve as alternative forms of currency. Only desperate or near criminal merchants deal in direct barter of goods for goods, at least in the capital and larger cities. Small villages deal exclusively in barter.

The lowest caste is that of the Axemi, the humans, mages and magical creatures in bonded servitude. The bond, which marks ownership of the Axemi, is often traded and sold, and is a primary source of wealth and infamy for the nation of Qinqu, and especially the capital.



Humans, as well as mages and magical creatures born outside of the protection of the Greater and Lesser Clans, are often bonded into service; their bond is bought and sold. Those Axemi are born into the life, are bonded immediately, and then trained extensively before being sold as actual servants. At times free persons are bonded, generally at a very young age, and then undergo the same training. Loyalty to one's master is an essential part of the training of any Axemi; most people trust their Axemi without question, even if the Axemi have been bought and sold several times.

Axemi fulfill several useful roles in society. They can be trained as companions (who are often upgraded to concubines or bond-wives), tutors, cooks, artists, or performers. They can serve as body-guards or secretaries, butlers or nannies. While in service, Axemi can even rise to positions of great power; in Qinqu, even the achievements of bonded servants are rewarded.

Since their training is expensive and time consuming, Axemi are valued and well-treated. They are fed, clothed and cared for, even in their old age. Additionally, the law offers Axemi special protections. Anyone who harms an Axemi pays three fines (one to the training house, one to the owner/master, and one to the Servants of Yuse Ana), and often does hard labor or receives some other punishment as well.

While Axemi can be wed (while still bonded servants), they cannot inherit unless they are freed. There are only three ways to free an Axemi - in reward for a lifetime of service, before marriage, on one's deathbed (this is limited to a single Axemi per dying person, and is considered a passing on of the torch).

Like citizens, Axemi are divided into different classes; the nature of their servitude determines their rank. Human servants, regardless of their training, are called Axemi-ka. Different trading houses specialize in different types of Axemi-ka; some train the finest tutors, while others produce the most amusing, intelligent and beautiful of companions.

The mage-born humans who are bonded become Axemi-lis. While they were once very common, the destruction of the Kiseki Clan, the only family that knew how to make mage-collars, Axemi-lis have become extremely rare and expensive. Only the Ra'Shala Emporum, trainers of a wide variety of Axemika, trade in Axemi-lis.

Members of any magical race who are bonded become Axemi-ter, and are just as valued as Axemi-lis, perhaps even more so, for they have always been rare. The Council of Greater and Lesser Clans is much more enthusiastic about protecting members of the various magical races than they are about protecting human wild mages, those born outside of a magical lineage. The service of Axemi-ter is more form than function, and they are generally little more than arm-pieces of the extremely wealthy.

The lowest rank of Axemi are the manual laborers. They are bonded in adulthood, and are made up of criminals, debtors and captives of war. They have no special designation, and while they are not treated cruelly, they are not awarded the same care and consideration of other Axemi. Occassionally, an Axemi-ka is demoted to a field hand, often after an act of disloyalty.



Magic is the domain of a few gifted humans and members of various magically gifted races. While any human can, in theory, be born with magic, the gift tends to run in families. The most powerful of these families are part of the Council of Greater and Lesser Clans, the ruling body of all non-humans within the Empire. Magical races only agreed to be governed by humans if they could have representatives in the government, and so the Council was formed.

There are as many different schools of magic as there are magical creatures. Elemental mages deal with any of the seven elements (water, wind, fire, stone, metal, light/lightning, and darkness/shadows). Natural mages deal with innate talents, such as the Sight and healing by the laying on of hands. Academic mages control energies using arcana lingua and mathematically precise circle spells. They also deal in the use of crystals and herbs in magical spells; and, of course, in ceremonies of divination. Currently, academic magics are blending science and magic to produce new wonders.

Clockwork machines, such as printing presses and loom factories, are present in centers of learning, such as the larger cities of Qinqu and a few foreign ports. Mostly, however, gear based technology is limited to Veratis. Knowledge of plumbing, water pumps and aqueducts is also available in Veratis. Steam engines and electricity have not yet been discovered.

Despite this, the sciences, especially those of math and physics, are very advanced. Anything known to the Ancient Greeks, Egyptians, Romans, Arabians or Chinese is known to the scholars of Qinqu. The sciences include such fields as physics, anatomy, medicine, mathematics, geology, history, cartography, biology, zoology, astronomy, literature, and more. Philosophy is also under the sciences, although it more closely resembles an art form, and is related more to magic than math.

In addition to a thriving academic and scientific community, Qinqu also harbors some of the greatest artists of the day. Sculpture, painting, music, performing arts, embroidering, metal weaving and the crafting of jewelry, all are pursued with equal passion within the Empire. Because of the relative wealth of the nation, even normal citizens, lowly merchants and prosperous farmers can claim ownership of some piece of art, be it a silk embroidered jacket or a carved door post. Poetry, like philosphy, falls between two fields; in this case, between the science of literature within academia and a performing style of art.



The nation of Qinqu includes many different areas from mountains and prairies, to coasts and forests. The climate inland is generally temperate, with snow in the north and mountain regions. The rest of the Empire experiences a winter of almost non-stop rain, and in the case of the plains, heavy winds and frequent tornadoes. This season lasts anywhere form two weeks to three months, depending on the region. In Veratis, the monsoon seasons come just before the spring, and serves as down time for the court; most wealthy people flee inland, where this is less rain, and no chance of a hurricane or typhoon. The summer in Veratis, as well as long much of the coast, can be very hot, and very humid, although there is little actual rain fall during the summer months. The spring and fall differ only in whether people or planting or harvesting crops, since the weather is almost identical; mild, humid, with a few windy days, and the possibility of light showers.



Qinqu - the Empire of Qinqu spans most of the continent, and has outposts and colonies on several nearby islands, at least two other continents, and the entire Denit Archipelago. The capital city is Veratis.

Veratis - the capital of Qinqu. A large city set on the Tranquility Bay, Veratis is the center of the Axemi trade, the social and political life of the Empire, and is the home of the royal court. At the center of the city is the palace, which includes the Great Library and Institute. Directly around that are the homes of the powerful and wealthy, followed by the trade quarter and homes of the artisans, scholars and merchants in the north. In the south are the docks and the poor quarter. Veratis is controlled by a triumvirate of power; the Lord Magistrate, who manages the courts and city guard, the Lady Minister of Veratis, who deals with most of the administration of the city, including the collection and spending of taxes, and the High Priest of Yuse Ana, who serves as an intermediary between the Divine Daughter and the powerful civil servants of the court, as well as oversees all Axemi trade in the city proper (and therefore most of the trade throughout the world).

Ra-Shala Emporium - The Ra'Shala Emporium is a large, sprawling complex on the northern edge of Veratis. The main building is the Arena; it is the only part of the complex where buyers are allowed. There Asra hosts monthly Fetes, part party and part sales show. The exact nature of the event at the Fete changes monthly. These Fetes have become a hot-bed of political and social interaction, and are considered an event to look forward too.

The rest of the complex is the training facilities for the various Axemi, homes for employees and staff, and the private mansion of the Lady Asra Hanan. While technically part of the complex, and yet apart from it, is the Tower, home of the dark mage Tatari.

The Emporium does not specialize in any specific kind of Axemi-ka, although it now serves as the only source of Axemi-lis, and the main source of Axemi-ter. Her loyal lieutenants handle most of the daily routine. They are not entirely human; some of them are also Axemi. The lower ranks of the staff are made up almost entirely of Axemi, with a few free men and women thrown in for the sake of variety.


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Rules and Requirements​

In addition to basic game play rules, I also have a few requirements. Since I want this to be a small group RP, I will only be accepting four other roleplayers. In order to be fair, I also have to be strict. If you do not feel you can fulfill the requirements listed below, you may wish to reconsider joining the roleplay.
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Requirements​


1. Posts regularly, but not too often. This means you should try to post at least 2 times per week, but not more than four times a day (except on posting frenzy days, naturally).

2. Feels comfortable with posts between two and ten paragraphs in length. Of course, quality always beats quantity.

3. Is fine playing more than one character at a time in the same RP. You must be willing to play at least 2 characters; there is currently no max amount of characters you can play.

4. Can play both male and female characters. The RP will quickly become imbalanced if people only play female character or only play male characters. Be fair to your fellow RPer, and play both genders.

5. Can contribute to world building and plot; is not passive, but is also not so aggressive that he/she doesn't stop to ask about things.

6. Is fine doing roleplays that aren't based entirely around romance. However, should also be comfortable with yaoi, yuri and het romances in the RP. You DO NOT have to play them, but I allow them all, so don't get on anyone's case because their female character pairs up with another female character.

7. [IMPORTANT] Has a working knowledge of mythology (any kind), legends, and fairy tales. Knowledge of mythical/magical creatures will work also.
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Rules​
1. No godmoding, autoing another person's character, autohitting or metagaming. If you are not sure what actions constitute autoing or metagaming, feel free to ask.

2. Original characters only - any character who too closely resembles a character from a myth or legend will not be accepted. Be creative with your adaptions.

3. Keep graphic violence, sexual content and obscene language to a minimum. Cut to black anytime things get too heated.

4. If you are going to be gone for more than a few days, please tell the group in advance, and write your character off to the side so that no one is left waiting on you.

5. The GM's word is law.

6. Please use pretty formats in your RP posts. However, no full bold, full underline or full italics text. Additionally, text should be no smaller than standard forum size (2); if you use a font that makes the text look smaller, make the text bigger.

7. I reserve the right to change any and all rules without warning; although I will give notice of any changes.

8. Have fun!
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Characters and Game Play​

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Game Play​

The characters should be inspired by a myth, legend or fairy tale (or more than one, whatever). This does not mean characters should be exactly like a character from a myth or legend; simple that their should be some resemblance between the two. Plot points will also likely refer to or be inspired by events from myths, legends or fairy tales.

Fill our the character template offered below. Send it in a PM to Murasaki_Sama. (Do NOT post it in the OOC). If your character is accepted, then I will post the profile up. You will then receive a PM stating your Goal. Every character has a single goal; this should not be shared with other players, but must be explained In Game (take your time, make people guess). This goal will help your character interact with other characters, and will also give your character a part in the over all plot.

Additional plot ideas should be run by the GM, just to make sure they don't run counter to anything else that is going to happen. The GM (that would be me!) really wants to help everyone get their plot ideas into the RP, but some times that requires advance planning on the part of several people; timing of plot points is also very important, and so the GM wants to know what you have planned (roughly) and when it is going to do down.
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Characters​

Characters must be based on at least one myth, fairy tale or legend. You may play any sort of mythical or magical creature (although it is unlikely I will accept vampires or werewolves), as well as humans or human mages. Characters can be free or Axemi. All characters (at the start) must be somewhere in Veratis.

The character skeleton is very detailed; please fill it out completely. Secrets are great, but I need to understand your character in order to work them into the plot and to give them a goal. The skeleton is provided in non-parse so that the coding remains intact. Do not, I repeat, DO NOT alter the code in any way!

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CHARACTER NAME
~Nickname~
"Actual Quote"
~ by (who said the quote?)​


Basic Info
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Age: (Keep it reasonable, try to be above 15 if possible)

Gender: (male or female?)

Height: (shouldn't have to explain this one)

Race: (human, mermaid, whatever)

Status: (Free person or Axemi; what kind of Axemi?)

Occupation/Caste (What does your character do, and what caste are they in?)

Inspiration: (List of fairy tales and myths character is based on)
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[[Reference Images. Post as Links]]​
In Depth​
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Physical Description: (Body, clothes, whatever. Be brief.)

Interests: (Likes/dislikes, hobbies, ect)

Skills: (Be reasonable, but make them interesting.)

Home/Family/Relationships: (Siblings, parents, whatever; love interests, rivals, best friends)

Responsibilities: (What jobs/tasks does this character carry out? What are they in charge of?)

Motivations/Aspirations: (What does your character want? Do they seek freedom, are they just in it for the money, or is something else motivating their actions?)​
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Details​
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Personality: (Rough outline is fine)

Biography: (Try for at least three paragraphs, but don't go into too much unneeded detail.)

Extra: (Any little tidbits you feel the need to add? Add them here!)​
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Re: Ra'Shala Emporium [Small Group RP Idea]

Character Profiles​
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Asra Hanan​
~Lady Seer~​
"Destiny is no matter of chance. It is a matter of choice.​
It is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved."​
~ William Jennings Bryan ​
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Basic Info​
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Age: 32​
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Gender: Female​
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Height: 5'7"​
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Race: Human​
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Status: Free Person​
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Occupation/Caste:Merchant​
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Inspiration: Snow/Ice Queen​
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In Depth​
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Physical Description: Asra has short black hair, bright yellow/orange eyes, and pale skin. She dresses modestly, at least compared to some other slave traders, without extravagant gemstone embedded outfits. Her clothing, however, does have a lot of faerie silver, a metal far more rare and expensive than mere diamonds or rubies.​

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Interests: Asra likes power, wealth and knowledge. Surprisingly enough, the later two often support the first one. She adores beauty, talent and skill, but despises cowardice and incompetence. She does not like the outside world, plants or animals very much. She dislikes gemstones; their reflective surfaces give her a Sight-headache, with tiny, jigsaw like glimpses of future events.​

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Skills: Asra is a Seer, and has the ability to See into the future, as well as the past. She generally uses this ability to track profitable future Axemi (often before they are born), to avoid economic calamities, and to keep her subordinates in line. Her Sight is limited, however; she can only See something if she thinks to look for it, and if it is relatively guaranteed. Spontaneous events are beyond her ability to perceive in advance. She also commands a large number of very powerful and skilled Axemi and free persons. She uses mirrors, cards, and a few other tools for her basic divinations. However, her true skill lies in the fact that she is a Dream Seer.​

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Home/Family/Relationships: The only family Asra has ever known was her former master and husband, who is now deceased. While she occasionally uses Axemi-ka for companionship, she has yet to form a significant relationship with anyone, at least since her husband died. She also has a son.​

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Responsibilities: Asra runs and owns the Ra'Shala Emporium. She manages her various lieutanents, who actually acquire, train and sell her Axemi. She hosts the weekly gladiatorial Arena matches, monthly Fetes, and manages some of the decoration and organization of other marketing schemes. She also spends a great deal of time using her Sight to manipulate wealthy lords, merchants and other slave-owners.​

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Motivations/Aspirations: Asra seeks social and economic freedom and security, as well as political and economic power. She also enjoys creating truly unique, talented slaves, who are often superior in education and ability to their masters. Like all Seers, she searches always for more knowledge, more information.​

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Details​
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Personality: Generally quiet and slightly regal, if graceful, aloof sort of way, Asra uses her talents and skills with almost surgical precision. When she talks, each word is intentional. Most of what she does serves multiple purposes. With a history of servitude, however, she tends to avoid direct confrontation and prefers to prevent conflict with open appeasement. Often at the same time that she is planning double dealing and betrayal, of course. She tends to be subtle when her actions would make her enemies, but obvious at all other times, just to throw people off.​

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Biography: Asra was born a Axemi, raised a Axemi, and lived as an Axemi for most of her life. For the first ten years, she was trained in basic etiquette, and how to serve unobtrusively. She learned to walk quietly, stand and move gracefully, and appear humble at all times. When she was ten, however, her abilities as a Seer were discovered, and her training regime trained. Suddenly she was being taught to read and write, how to use her abilities, and how to handle subordinates. Since Axemi, by nature of being servants, did not normally have subordinates, she found this last lesson most disconcerting.​

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Eventually Asra learned the truth. She was to be a Axemi-trainer under Master Hanan, who owned both her and the Ra'Shala Emporium. She started training other Axemi when she was 16. As she worked on the Axemi, however, Asra was also working on the master. She used her Sight without permission, and learned that, if she seduced the master properly, she would one day gain her freedom and become the Mistress. When she was 19, she married Master Hanan, and took his name as her own. He did not free her, however, until he was dying, some six years later.​

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Ever since she was 25, Asra has been the Mistress of Ra'Shala, owner of the most prestigious Axemi trading house in the known world. She has made many changes in the last few years, of course. In addition to increasing the number of mages and magical creatures Ra'Shala deals in, Asra has also implemented weekly Arena matches, similar to gladiatorial fights, to showcase her specially trained Axemi-ka. Some of the Arena events are more musical competitions than death fights, but enough actual combat takes place that prospective buyers come just for the show. In fact, the Arena fights have become a significant social event for the wealthy and powerful in the area.​

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Extra: Asra keeps her son separate from her work, and only a few of her employees know his name or have ever seen him.​

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Tatari​
~The Curse~​
"I have love in me the likes of which you can scarcely imagine ​
and rage the likes of which you would not believe. ​
If I cannot satisfy the one, I will indulge the other."​
~ Mary Shelley​
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Basic Info​
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Age: Unknown. Appears to be in his mid-20s.​
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Gender: Male​
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Height: 5'10"​
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Race: No longer fully human.​
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Status: Presumed Free-Person.​
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Occupation/Caste: Merchant/Mage​
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Inspiration: Rumpelstiltskin, The Beast, Djinn​
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In Depth​
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Physical Description: Tatari is slim but wiry, with ragged coal-black hair, emerald green eyes and pale skin. He wears only expensive clothing, although his outfit is often simple: black pants and a white poet shirt. He wears a strange green stone around his neck, and is never seen without it.​

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Interests: Tatari enjoys reading about other kinds of magic, as well as experimenting with his own. He has a very large workroom and lab in the Tower, which might be why he never gets any visitors. He also has the largest personal collection of magical texts in his library. As something of a creative spirit (even if that creativity is mostly being used to kill people, cause mayhem, and separate parents from their children), he also dabbles in gardening, drawing and playing the violin.​

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Skills: Tatari is a master of dark magic, specifically curses. However, he also has a passing familiarity with blood magic, which he mostly uses to fuel his curses. He has also studied other forms of magic, although he is not capable of performing those magics.​

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Home/Family/Relationships: Tatari's entire family line is dead, destroyed by his own hand.​

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Responsibilities: His job is simple - acquire Axemi of high value while they are still young enough to be properly trained. His performs this duty by trading magical favors for the unborn children of free persons. Technically speaking, Tatari has a seat on the Council of Greater and Lesser Clans, representing the once Greater Clan of Kiseki; in practice, however, he has never attended a meeting, nor does he socialize with many members of the Council.​

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Motivations/Aspirations: It is unclear why Tatari works for the Ra'Shala Emporium, considering his abilities. However, he remains a mostly loyal employee.​

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Details​
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Personality: Tatari is something of a paradox. He likens himself as some sort of confused, hermetic scholar, harmless and amusing when around others. On the other hand, he tends to study ways to cause pain and death. He is also ruthless, vicious and intolerant of any and all threats. What Tatari lacks in social graces, he more than makes up for in cruelty. Creative cruelty.​

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Biography: The Kiseki family once ruled the Council of Greater and Lesser Clans, and as such was one of the most powerful families in the Empire. They created the mage-collars, the devices that allow people to bond mages and magical creatures into servitude. As only they could provide more mage-collars, which could not be used more than once, the family was also very wealthy.​

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Then Tatari was born. At first, he appeared only superficially different from his light haired, blue-eyed family members. When his innate mastery of curses and dark magic become obvious, however, his family decided they had to do something.​

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Since this happened several generations ago, and as there are several dozen conflicting stories and legends going around, it is unclear exactly what happened next. The most likely story is that the Kiseki Clan sold Tatari to a collector of magical oddities. Tatari escaped after a few decades, now much more dangerous than before. He spent the next fifty years hunting down and killing every member of the Kiseki Clan, no matter how distant the relation.​

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For a time, he was silent. After a few years, however, he resurfaced, now working for the Ra'Shala Emporium. He has worked for the Emporium for the last several generations, maintaining a slightly adversarial relationship with each successive owner of the Emporium.​

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Extra: Tatari's motives, age, true abilities and past are all suspect and unclear. He is not a very truthful person, after all, and he left no one alive who knew the truth.​

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Mariqah Al-Hikmah​
~Mariq~​
"Acquire knowledge, it enables its professor to distinguish right from wrong; it lights the way to heaven. It is our friend in thedesert, our company in solitude and companion when friendless. It guides us to happiness, it sustains us in misery, it is an ornament amongst friends and an armor against enemies."​
~ by Muhammad the prophet​

Basic Info​
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Age: 43​
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Gender: Male​
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Height: 6'3''​
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Race: Half-Djinn/Half-Human Mage​
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Status: Free Person​
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Occupation/Caste: Scholar/Mage​
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Inspiration: Merlin Demon's Son, Confucius,​
How the Hermit Helped Win the King's Daughter,​
the Taoist Master​
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In Depth​
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Physical Description: Tall, thin, prematurely white/greying hair, moderate beard reaching mid-chest and hair to shoulders (neatly combed and wavy), brass round enchanted glasses, neat but simple scholar's robes (not extravagant), slightly wrinkled and pen-calloused hands, thoughtfully grave yet kind eyes that can glow with flame when angry, mouth usually quirked up in a half-smile, slightly pointed ears.​

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Interests: History, philosophy, magic, the scientific arts, news of the "liberal/radical" movement for equality (though he doesn't participate in it), the mathematical arts, philosophical literature, poetry, the ancient religious texts, the doings of the "little folk" of lesser castes and their well-being, new inventions in magic and science, the customs and traditions of different races and cultures, the names of the stars, prophecy and divination, staff-fighting as taught by some traveling monks, the flute, musical/bard's magic, mind magic, healing, alchemy... THOROUGHLY dislikes torture and enslavement of innocents and the undeserving, mental manipulation/control, cruelty to any living thing, the wanton destruction of nature, the misuse and exploitation of the lower castes, bribery, falsehoods, disproportionate retribution.​

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Skills: minor telekinesis (can summon a staff, scoot a chair forward, call plates of food to himself, open a door, light all the candles in a room), decent quarterstaff (can take on one or two untrained bandits in a fight), expert healer/herbalist (knows all useful roadside plants by name and use, can make a puree or balm in a minute for headaches and coughs, can set a fracture and disinfect wounds), amateur philosopher (can maybe write an essay on love), decent poet, average flute-player, amateur bardic mage (can put a willing child to sleep, make flames dance, clean a room), good religious scholar (knows all the rituals and chants), professional mathematician and scholar-mage (knows the value of pi to the hundredth digit, does triple integrals in his head, understands high-order parametric equations, can make a spell circle with a wave, knows all the basic spells by heart, wrote a thesis on the intersection of magic and mathematics).​

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Home/Family/Relationships: Firstborn son of Hikmah the Teacher, of the Haq family of scholar-mages, one single 35-year-old wife named Aminah (an ex-Axemi of his), six children (two 19-year-old sons studying in the House of Wisdom, three still in school (a thirteen-year-old son and ten- and nine-year-old daughter, one two-year-old toddler son), numerous relatives, seven Axemi servants who are "as precious as family" to him and come from a line of Axemi who served his father and his father's father for generations, no known rivals, best friends with several members of most castes besides the highest (friends in the Council, priesthood, merchant guilds, academies, military and Axemi).​

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Responsibilities: Intense study of magic, the making of new spells based on mathematics, the use of mathematics in the running of the bureaucracy, the language of mathematics (for is not such order and beauty another way that the Goddess speaks to each one of us?)​

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Motivations/Aspirations: He appreciates the beauty of magic and mathematics, cares deeply for his family and his Axemi, is fascinated by the idea of "equality" and the lower castes, and seeks to prove his worth to the High Council as a scholar and a half-djinn.​


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Personality: Generous, thoughtful, quiet, forceful when speaking about something he's passionate about, grave but kind, cheerful around his children, loving towards his family and Axemi, even-tempered, slightly obsessive about new discoveries, can be very rough when necessary, strict with his children and Axemi, treats all classes with respect.​

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Biography:​

Born at home along the Avenue of Scholars to a respected Teacher of the House of Wisdom, Mariq had always been somewhat looked down upon for his mixed race. The discrimination he faced taught him to appreciate and respect all castes and races equally, as did his father's kind treatment of the Axemi of their household, and as he grew up he became interested in the healing of hurts and the advancement of knowledge. His unique insights allowed him to gain some little credit and honor in the House of Wisdom when he came of age and entered into higher learning, and he gained his tenure at the age of twenty, becoming a professional scholar-mage for the House of Wisdom. He raised some interest among the scholars and the others of his caste when he decided to free and marry one of his Axemi, but his father approved of the bond, the girl's parents had secretly given their consent, the girl herself was in love with the scholar, and eventually the whole thing became an accepted quirk of the thoughtful young man, who was after all a ripe young man of 24, and the girl already a full-grown woman of 16 years.​

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Intensive study and the stress of his work caused Mariq to have grey hairs prematurely, but he keeps himself trim and neat even on the most busy of days, making sure to wash once a day before bed and ensuring the same of his family and Axemi. He is a kind and generous master, treating the Axemi of his house well and providing a level of care comparable to that of a guest or a room-mate. He teaches the younger Axemi himself, and never separates families for any price. His kindness is returned by better-than-normal service, loyalty and an intense bond from his Axemi, who would fight and die to protect him and his family if intruders broke in or attacked him.​

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He keeps a journal of his daily activities and favors he owes others; he is well-known and respected among the merchants for not using his position to exploit them or cheat them, but dealing honestly and strictly. Though some fault him for over-kindness, he is also a strict father and master, never tolerating any manner of cheating or stealing or violence in his house. He administers punishments himself, and treats false witness and false testimony just as harshly; Axemi learn early that it does not do to blame another for one's mistake or fault.​

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Currently, his work is somewhat consuming, but not unreasonable, and he has found time to indulge his hobbies or fancies on the occasion. If an adventure were to come up, perhaps he might find the time to try...​

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Salah Al-Sajjad​
~The Scimitar of the Goddess~​
"Fight against those who fight against you in the way of Allah, but do not transgress, for Allah does not love transgressors... Then if they desist, know well that Allah is Ever-Forgiving, Most Compassionate.​
~ by Muhammad the Prophet​
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Basic Info​
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Age: 35​
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Gender: Male​
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Height: 6'5''​
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Race: Ifrit​
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Status: Oath-bonded to martial service of the nation, but otherwise free.​
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Occupation/Caste: Holy Warrior of the Brotherhood of the Goddess / Soldier​
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Inspiration: Ifrit, Djinn, Paladins, Crusaders, Asmodeus​
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In Depth​
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Physical Description: Enormous muscles, tongues of fire where eyes should be, glowing signs and symbols all over his body, pitch-black shoulder-length hair tied back, tanned skin, tight turban, enchanted armor covered in blessings and talismans of protection against magic, occasionally floats slightly, has a flying carpet as a detachable cape​


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Interests: Chess, checkers, go, other strategy games, fencing, wrestling, archery, racing, boxing, various forms of combat, war-magic, quoting passages from The Great General's Art of War, taking down upstarts and bullies, well-written literature, religious ritual, combat medicine, poetry, the lute, warding magic, protection magic, defense against curses​
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Skills: Professional combatant (being an ifrit, is immune to physical attacks, and can take down a roomful of armed and trained criminals in under thirty seconds), Professional battle-mage (since other ifrits can be criminals, can defend against most low, mid and high-ranking combat-related spells and curses, and can cast them himself), amateur lute player, amateur poet, average chess-player, expert at religious rituals (knows them by heart and performs them daily), average field medic (can stop a wound and set a fracture but not heal without scarring), very poor cook (burns water), not good with socializing (very blunt and can be insulting without meaning it), poor with civilian figures of speech and other forms of non-martial arts​
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Home/Family/Relationships: Son of a very high-ranking general, several brothers in the military with him, good friends in the general military, some connections in the criminal world as informants and friends, a caring mother in a cave city somewhere in the mountains, enemy of several small gangs and "friendly rival" with the larger criminal organizations.​
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Responsibilities: In time of war, to fight for the Goddess in search of peace. In time of peace, to fight for the Goddess to keep the peace. He commands several squads of peace-keeping Holy Warriors when on-duty.​
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Motivations/Aspirations: Fights for the "right" of all creatures to life, and in service to the Goddess, Whom he worships and revers.​
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Personality: Blunt, somewhat cold and often cynical, but has a rough sense of humor and is learning how to use and detect sarcasm; a father to his troops, protective of innocents no matter what caste, dislikes the idea of servitude (being an ifrit), fanatically religious, somewhat short temper, has a heart of gold once you get to know him.​

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Biography: The son of a major general in the Brotherhood of the Goddess, he rose up quickly in the ranks as a Holy Warrior. He was trained in every form of combat imaginable, though the intensive service left him somewhat devoid of experience in civilian life. In the midst of the horrors of battle and war, his main recourse was to turn to religion, and he became a very devout and passionate follower of the Goddess. As an ifrit, he also gained something of a phobia for curses and entrapping spells, and studied the defensive magical arts with an intensity seldom seen even among the Holy Warriors.​

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As time went on, he gained a reputation for strictness and fairness, and for always upholding the law regardless of rank and status. He would defend even the lowest Axemi from the most powerful civil servant if a law had been broken or a crime committed, and would be willing to march into the very depths of the after-world in the name of the Goddess. His fanatical devotion to justice and the law has earned him some small fame as the "Sword of the Goddess", though it has also earned him the intense dislike of corrupt politicians and seedy Axemi traders.​

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He is stationed at a barracks along the border between the more wealthy Avenue of Scholars, the Emporium, and the slightly more chaotic Market, keeping an eye on the latter-most for illegal sales or unlawful kidnapping cases. He's not exactly busy with much, besides the odd missing child and family feud or trade dispute coming up and requiring his service, and his guards can usually take care of the more minor cases. Frankly, he's rather bored with so many petty civilian affairs. If some mystery or intrigue should p perhaps he could look into it.​

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Stella Sharpscale​
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~Echidna~​
"A cherub's face, a reptile all the rest"​
~ by Alexander Pope​

Basic Info​
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Age: 19, proportionate to human years. This equates to 129 years, as Erpunthropes have over 6x human lifespan​
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Gender: Female​
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Height: 5' 8", or 168cm in humanoid form​
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Race: Daughter of Fafnir​
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Status: Free Person​
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Occupation: Caste Politician/Clan Leader - Second Rank Caste​
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Inspiration: Therianthrope, Lamia, Gorgon, Fafnir​
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In Depth​
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Physical Description: In her humanoid form, she appears simply a tall woman, but something odd is about her. Her skin feels smooth when you stroke it one direction, rough another. Her complexion is that of a snake's underbelly. Her hair is red and straight, cut mid-length, below her shoulder. Her eyes are a bright violet. She wears short dresses, with serpent hide tied about her waist for posterity. In duels and war, she wears armor eloquently carved from thick, forge-hardened glass known as Obsidian - a specialty of House Sharpscale smiths. The armor comprises of a breastplate, tasset, greaves, gauntlets and pauldrons with ornate and efficient designs used to bounce weapons and reduce damage. Hung from her tasset is the raw hide of a slain giant basilisk, functioning as the only armoring for her legs. She wears a chainmail byrnie under her breastplate and pauldrons.​


Interests: Stella is a sponsor to the precocious poor, in that she searches for poor free persons with noteworthy skills and/or talents, and offers to pay for their education. She takes pleasure in this, as she feels she helps the truly gifted rise to power. Some of the people she has sponsored have been absorbed into House Sharpscale as advisors and skilled servants, and through Therianthropy, established members of the bloodline. Stella is also a fan of Reptiljakt, the sport hunting of ferocious reptiles for food, hide, and scales. Mostly, however, she simply tries to keep her ear to the Divine Daughter and get the politicians to heed her words.​

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Skills: Erpunthropic Transmission, the ability to make a willing person into a Child of Fafnir - other Erpunthropes can turn willing persons into their own sort of Erpunthrope, but one must keep in mind the great risk of making such an attempt - months of preparation go into a safe transmission, and even then, the subject might still die - there is no guarantee that the subject will live, so transmission rituals only happen every few years; Erpunthropic Transmutation, the ability to change into a lamia or even a reptile, and in Stella's case, a Great Basilisk - a useful asset in war, but if the transmutation is botched, most Erpunthrope will become a Savage Gorgon for a short time, and become berserk - the best way to deal with a Savage is for a fully transmuted Erpunthrope to trap them in their coils or tail and stop them from hurting anyone or themselves; Ifrit's Breath, a common power among some reptiles and a fe Erpunthrope, though Erpunthrope's breath is often the color of their eyes, and does not always burn, but does always hurt; Psyche's Breath, a sort of supportive ability only available to Stella in her humanoid form - she uses it like Ifrit's breath, but instead of pain, it causes vigor and restores the physical threshold of her allies; Lamia's Kiss, derived from Erpunthropic Transmutation, this ability is available in her humanoid form as a means of sharing information and calming fiery hearts - through the Lamia's Kiss, an angry individual is forced to calm down and be peaceful, and some intimate information is also transmitted between the two - as it were, this skill is used very rarely.​

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Home/Family/Relationships: House Sharpscale, a Greater Clan known for their smithing and hunting, and also the known place to go if one requests a sponsorship for an education; Stella is the only child of the slain Mother Echidna of House Sharpscale, and while she has not taken up the title yet, she has taken on the role of clan leader. She has many suitors from both inside and outside the clan, as it is customary for the clan leader to be a mother; Her closest cousins, Monica the Welsh Dragon, Earl the Salamander, and Vespasian the Hydra are her closest friends, but she does not consider them good advisors; Her two advisors, Hendrick the mage-born man for matters of the government, and Julianus the Son of Fafnir, or "Once-man", the advisor of clan treasury and organizer of Reptiljakt sessions outside Qinqu. Within House Sharpscale, Stella has many relatives and Julianus is her bloodchild, or someone she has given her own blood for their Erpunthropy​

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Responsibilities: As the Head of House Sharpscale, she must keep the clan in good order and lead the army in clan wars and Storareptiljakt. She also has the personal responsibility of observing those hoping for a scholarship from her to assess their skills, especially under pressure. As a politician, she has the responsibility of defending her clan's honor in debates, and trying to get the government run as the Divine Daughter wishes.​


Motivations/Aspirations: Stella wishes to enrich the world with brilliant minds and once-oppressed philosophers. She wishes to ensue a sense of equality, and in her heart, she doesn't like the Axemi trade, but sees its benefits in her mind. She respects the Divine Daughter, and believes others should not undermine her word.​

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Personality: A kind woman showing temperance, patience, and love to many around her, but on the other hand, she is aloof, headstrong, and quick to raise her voice. She is often described as hurried and overworked, especially for her lackadaisical demeanor she seems to have. She's inclined to believe this is true, due to the suitors lining up at her bedchambers, the politics to go through, and the constant effort she has to make in order to protect the name of House Sharpscale. However, as a Gorgon, she is an entirely different woman. She is insane and maddened. Frenzied, like any Gorgon. She must be constricted by a transmuted Erpunthrope in order to be subdued until she is able to regain her bearings and change back. As a basilisk, she is lazy and cunning, but is otherwise not much more different than how she is as a humanoid.​


Biography: To preface, House Sharpscale rose from the ashes of House Eupnea, whose former members are regarded as Phoenix Clansmen, as monopolists in greater lizard hunting and slaying. By Phoenix Clansmen recovering the lost method of creating Obsidian, they also become renowned smiths, but had competition with gemstone blade specialists and steel blunt specialists. Today, they have massive influence and give scholarships to proficient lower classmen.​


Stella was the only daughter of her mother, the Mother Echidna of House Sharpscale, and thus was the heir to the head of the clan. She did not look forward to inheriting the throne, but took it in stride. After she got over her childish naivety, she turned out a spectacular leader. Her mother was killed by a Giant Basilisk, so when she came of age to lead her armies, she organized her first Storareptiljakt to avenge her death. It is with this lizard's hide that she adorns her armor and protects her legs with, as is custom for female warriors in the clan.​


After she killed the Basilisk, dubbed "Jundevur Schteilahn", or "First of many for our Stella", she set her sights on higher goals. She used her education to incept her career as a politician, and began offering scholarships to the proficient poor. Were it not for her being childless and unmarried, she would have a nearly spotless reputation. She has asserted herself as an independent and unsubmissive candidate for marriage, but acknowledges she would like to get married to a man of her choosing, simply to relieve herself from societal pressures.​


Extra: Stella is not a hard woman to please. Simply do as she says if you are under her, and you'll both be happy. If you're lucky enough (as an unappreciated kissass might say) to be considered equal to her, she tends to ask for things overly kindly, and doesn't make such a big deal upon some refusals. Romantically, you must acknowledge her independence and if you are not a Erpunthrope, you must be willing to become one for her to accept you. Other than that, she's an all around nice woman.​


Physiologically, the reason Stella is a Basilisk, a non-serpentine reptile, and can become a Lamia or Gorgon, is because her legs take the shape of a Basilisk's tail, and thus she appears to be a serpent.​

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Nogitsune Hibiki​
~The Fractured Mind~​
"This place has only three exits, sir: Madness, and Death."​
~ by Rene Daumal​

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Basic Info​
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Age: 26​
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Gender: Male​
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Height: 6' 2"​
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Race: Kitsune​
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Status: Free Person​
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Occupation/Caste Mercenary/Member of Clan Kaito​
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Inspiration: Kyubi - no - kitsune​
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In Depth​
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Physical Description: Hibiki looks relatively like a human though much more lithe and with somewhat more feminine features, though still decidedly male. His shaggy black hair reaches just above his shoulders in the front and down to the small of his back in the back, the bangs slightly obscuring his eyes. His alabaster skin is unmarred by anything, even body hair, except for the scars on his cheeks that look like whiskers. The only things that truly mark him as not being human, to the untrained eye, are his slitted yellow eyes, sharp fangs, pointed and pierced ears and his sharp inch-long black nails. When seen, his tails are jet black with white tips.​
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He tends not to wear a shirt, preferring sleeves that cover from shoulder to his wrist, gradually becoming wider, and form-fitting leather pants tucked into leather boots. Around his neck is a torc bearing the crest of both Clan Kaito and his House within the Clan, Nogitsune.​
Interests: Enjoys investigation and interrogation, especially the chasing them down part. He also enjoys playing with words - not so much speaking but creating with them. He dislikes people who use dishonourable (to him) ways of obtaining things. He also has an interest in tarot cards as his race were one of the first to begin using them. Dancing is one of his secret hobbies and he only practices in secluded areas where he believes no one will find him.​
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Skills: Master: Kaiten Haji Style (Spinning Edge Style), Master: Chienigu Futago Style (Chained Twins Style), Master: Superuburedo Style (Spelled Blade Style), Master: Foxfire Manipulation, Moderate Luminakinesis (reflect/refract light, cast rays of light, blinding flashes, create light, create illusions, manipulate colours), above average dancer/striptease.​
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Home/Family/Relationships: One older brother, 27 and presumed dead, two younger brothers, 17 and 14, one younger sister, 10. Father and mother, 124 and 117. Assorted rivals/friends from training.​
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Responsibilities: Hibiki is the next in line for Kaito's clan leader as he is also heir to the leadership of House Nogitsune in roughly four years.​
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Motivations/Aspirations: To determine the whereabouts of his older brother Akira and to find conclusive proof that Houses Kohaku and Isamu were behind Akira's attack.​
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Personality: The loss of the Tail of Sanity makes Hibiki more prone to instability than most other Kitsunes. This is moderated by the presence of his other tails which in certain combinations can reduce the strain on his soul. He is prone to violent and warningless mood swings but these are rare outside of combat. His nature is highly vindictive but only if it crosses his Code of Honour.

He speaks in anachronisms occasionally, using words and phrases that only make sense to him at the times he says them. This is assumed to simply be nonsense and a side effect of the loss of the Tail of Sanity. When anachronisms are not slipping from his mouth, he has a silver tongue worthy of a court provocateur, having also been taught court etiquette and political intrigue.

Biography: Born into House Nogitsune, Hibiki was destined to be great. Nogitsune was the progenitor of more mages, scholars, and weaponmasters than any other three Houses combined. Of course this made them the envy of the other houses but with the distribution of power, Nogitsune was great in name only. But old grudges die hard. Before the Empire came, before the Kitsunes gathered under Houses, the four-tails and the seven-tails had always been at odds with the nine-tails. This bled over into the founding of the Empire but with the order that came with a massive government came barely contained, seething hatred; a hatred that festered for centuries more with little more than threats and quasi-violent fighting. Ten years ago it escalated beyond an inter-House conflict - the next heir to the leadership of House Nogitsune and Clan Kaito was slain.

Hibiki's brother Akira was perhaps his best friend and always his first choice for a sparring partner. Only a year older than Hibiki, Akira was already assured to become the next leader of Clan Nogitsune, a fact that made little difference to Hibiki other than that he hated that Akira couldn't spend as much time with him due to lessons on court politics and etiquette. The two shared a dream - to become weaponmasters like their father. Unfortunately for Akira, this dream was unlikely for he would soon be enveloped in the shroud that was politics. Hibiki held onto the dream for the two of them, working twice as hard for both of their sakes.

It was impossible for anyone to tell that happened that fateful day. All anyone could see was that a globe of darkness had encapsulated the training village the brothers were at. When the darkness vanished just as quickly as it came, Akira was gone and blood was splattered across the ground and Hibiki. Hibiki himself had sustained some injuries and a shuriken still embedded in his shoulder and though bruised and bleeding, it was the mental trauma that was the worst. His eyes seemed blank and he spoke not a word for nearly three months - it was if life had left him and he were just an empty shell going through the motions.

Still in his developing stages, he had only grown five of his tails at the time of the attack and was in the process of growing his sixth, a growth that was violently halted. This was the Tail of Sanity and it's loss or rather its total separation from his soul shattered his ability for pure reason though it did give him a tremendous and permanent boost in power. It was only as what would've been his seventh tail began to form that life seemed to come back to him. Full recovery for him would never happen but with the event of Akira's presumed death it was required that he make as much a recovery as possible - he was to be the next heir as Clan Leader for House Nogitsune.

Suspicion of Kohaku and Isamu as the cause for the attack rose and fell just as quick. It was obvious that dark based magic had been used and the Kitsune race was completely unable to use it. More than that, it would have been a capital offense in Clan Kaito and the convicted would have endured some of the worst punishments ever devised for Kitsunes as well as permanent servitude as Axemi. Hibiki always suspected Kohaku and Isamu though his reasons were never so sound as to be taken seriously. Without any conclusive proof, no action could be taken so the attack was simply written as just another unfortunate accident.

Hibiki continued his training but his above average power allowed him to excel, allowing him to master not just his own family's martial style, but two more that would supplement it. Finishing his training at the human age of twenty-six, he embarked on his own journey to find the conclusive proof necessary to bring the Kohaku and Isamu tribes to their knees as well as to perhaps find whatever he can about Akira for Hibiki still believes his older brother to be alive. His first stop is the Ra'Shala Emporium where he hopes to find someone who can help him divine the first steps to his mission and also to attend the Council of the Clans, if only to build rapport - maybe some shaking down too.

Extra: Kaiten Haji Style (Spinning Edge Style) is the art of using the twinblade madu which is a staff where the majority of both the top and bottom shafts have been replaced by identical blades. Unlike other staff styles, it is based on spinning the madu to create sweeping style attacks that can combine at different heights, turning close range combat into a gambit for the opponent. It also has more focus on defense than other staff styles with the weapon being able to parry from more angles than a normal staff and also because of the decreased potential range.

Chienigu Futago Style (Chained Twins Style) is the art of using the chained twinswords which are identical blades which are chained at the pommel. It is a two sword style that has been modfied so that it has mid-range techniques. It is also difficult to disarm a wielder of this style and the wielder has a number of counterattacks available to them should his opponent try to. It also places focus on using the twinblades as a single unit.

Superuburedo Style (Spelled Blade Style) is the art of the spellblade which combines the Foxfire with sword arts and can be extended to other forms of magic. It is a one sword style that is usually taught with a longsword though the instructor is at liberty to decide the exact blade. While other styles only focus on using the Foxfire as an enhancement to their weapons (like setting the blade aflame) Superuburedo is based in using the Foxfire in an offensive and defensive capacity and in conjuction with the weapon of choice to create combination attacks with the pair (like a crescent of Foxfire coming from a slash of the sword to strike a more distant enemy). The style can also be modified to work with other forms of magic and weapons but it is left to the wielder to modify it - in most cases however it works best when paired with one handed weapons or those that can be wielded in one hand.

Hibiki's weapon of choice is a twinblade madu that detached at two points in the shaft to become a chained katana twinsword.

Hibiki's Tail of Sanity simply does not exist. It only registers to other Kitsunes as an absence of essence (proving that he is in fact one of the nine-tails) and to anyone else does not exist at all.​
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Re: Ra'Shala Emporium [Small Group RP Idea]

So are you planning to end up delving into more of the slave side or the slave owner side overall?
 
Re: Ra'Shala Emporium [Small Group RP Idea]

I think it would be fun to explore them both; I know one of my characters will be a slave, although my first two will technically be slave traders. I kind of want a mix of characters; traders, slaves, and owners who don't work for the Emporium. Mages, mundanes, humans and non-humans. Ya know, the works.

I mean, sure, the setting could focus on the Emporium, but we could also focus the setting on the entire city around the Emporium, which we would have to name and such, but eh, that's easy. Much further than the city, though, I don't think could work. Hmm...

So yeah, not focusing on just one or the other, but rather on both and then some. Does that make sense?
 
Re: Ra'Shala Emporium [Small Group RP Idea]

Well, it is going to be from more the point of view of one or the other. Or are you going to focus around a particular slave owner and his/her slaves?
 
Re: Ra'Shala Emporium [Small Group RP Idea]

Ah. The main story will, at least to start, be focused around the entire Ra'Shala Emporium, rather than around a specific owner. Owners will, of course, be playable characters, and eventually the action will extent past the Emporium. For now, however, I figure it would make more sense to start around the slave markets, ....errr...since my two characters are both in the slave business? Yes. *shrug*

It is supposed to be a small group RP where everyone plays multiple characters. We don't have to focus on any one owner or slave, or even focus on just slaves or just owners. It would be quite easy to do both; we just make a rule that says each player has to play at least one slave and one Slave owner/slave trader. I would like to start at the Ra'Shala Slave Emporium, but we could easily move beyond that in just a few posts. It is really up to the other members of the group. The idea started out as a 1x1, but I wanted a small group RP more than I wanted a 1x1, sooo...As of now, things are really up for negotiation. Sort of. Some things.
 
Re: Ra'Shala Emporium [Small Group RP Idea]

Interesting, very interesting... I may be interested in such a roleplay... although most of my characters tend to be completely against the idea of the imposition of one's will upon another living thing, even animals, without consent.

I wonder how voodoo/enslaved-african-inspired creatures might fit in as chinks in the system. Perhaps an Anansi-inspired spider-spirits could be running an underground abolition/vigilante/thievery system along with Ala-ad-Din inspired thief-lords.

On the flip side, having a much more malicious Baba Yaga inspired thousand-year-old crone who eats the weak and inspires nothing but fear and hatred from her slaves might also be another chink in the system, in a different way.
 
Re: Ra'Shala Emporium [Small Group RP Idea]

An Anansi spider spirit actually sounds kind of cool. I am not as familiar with Native American mythology as I am with European/Asian mythologies.

I am sort of against the idea of Abolition/Underground railroad kind of thing, mostly because I wanted to deal with slavery in a world were it was viewed very differently from how most American's look at slavery. See, you say "slavery" to an American, and most of the time they think of the American slavery of Africans a few centuries ago. I am more interested in exploring other perspectives on slavery as an institution, specifically ones were the slaves prefer slavery to the alternative; abject poverty with no guarantee of food or housing, or even employment. Slaves are well treated, valued; they are treated as being less than free-people, but they can also have authority over free people, or over other slaves. I mean, sure, there is some uncertainty to the situation; some masters/owners are more cruel than others (I can't imagine what Tatari would do if he actually had any slaves of his own), and older slaves are less valuable and more likely to be thrown out or resold for a much lower price....but generally, old slaves have served for a long time and are taken care of in their old age. It is very similar to the slave system in Jennifer Fallon's Harshini books, actually. An abolition movement in such a society would be difficult to pull off....now that I think about it, however, it might be interesting to see someone try... hmmm...

A baba yaga character might be fun too...hmm...of course, she doesn't have to be exactly based on Baba Yaga, look at Tatari and how he drew inspiration from 3 myths and still managed to be only passingly like any of them. Asra, also, only has a passing resemblance to The Ice/Snow Queen, mostly because she takes people away from their loved ones and transforms them. And...ehehe...yessss...I just figured out some more of her back story. I forgot how much fun brand new characters are!
 
Re: Ra'Shala Emporium [Small Group RP Idea]

I shall need to think more on the premise of this RP... it seems to have great potential, but potential can go both ways...
 
Re: Ra'Shala Emporium [Small Group RP Idea]

Take your time. I am going to try to write up a proper introduction/setting post, just to see if that makes a few more people interested.
 
Re: Ra'Shala Emporium [Small Group RP Idea]

Still thinking on my characters, but popped in to say hello!
 
Re: Ra'Shala Emporium [Small Group RP Idea]

Hey renn! Can ya give us an idea what your characters will be? Like, a few words about each of them?

And do you mind if I do a bit more world building, so that more people can be on the same page as us?
 
Re: Ra'Shala Emporium [Small Group RP Idea]

Go for it. I'm trying to decide what to base mine on or if this whole thing is out of my league at the moment.
 
Re: Ra'Shala Emporium [Small Group RP Idea]

Hm. Perhaps if you thought about what kind of character you would like to play, and then figured out what myths/characters/fairy tales to base that character on? I knew I was playing Tatari when I came up with the fairy tale idea. Asra only appeared after I mentioned the Ice Queen and realized I needed to give Tatari a superior, the Ice Queen seemed like a good person to base such a character on.

So start with the idea of either a slave or a free person. If a slave/free person, does your character work/live at the Ra'Shala Emporium. If not, what kind of life do they lead? Then you find what to base them on.
 
Re: Ra'Shala Emporium [Small Group RP Idea]

Alright, I put up a nice little intro in the first post! Hopefully that will get more attention than my last attempt.
 
Re: Ra'Shala Emporium [Small Group RP Idea]

you know... perhaps one way to make it sound less... hmm, "bad"/"evil" would be to simply rename the position. The word "slave" has specific connotations stuck to it, seared into global consciousness from the days of Imperialization/Westernization/Americanization, images of work-gangs and forced labor and bars and chains. If you simply replaced the word with a different name, say, "Mesharet", and call it a "class" or a "rank", it may sound a lot nicer.

Actually, once I substituted the word/phrase/idea into the opening description suddenly everything seems much more "reasonable" and "acceptable" by modern standards. By creating the idea of a specific class/caste system without the aforementioned connotations, it seems to make it more palatable, in my opinion. In the same way that medieval/fantasy books simply change the term to "lord/knight/count" and "serf/peasant/servant/commoner" rather than "master" and "slave", I suppose.
 
Re: Ra'Shala Emporium [Small Group RP Idea]

OOOOH! That is a brilliant idea! And then I can maybe change the plot a bit too, because I really don't want this to be another crappy RP about "Oh, free the slaves!" Yesss...good. I'll make it a caste, maybe, except people don't have to be born into it...hmm...yes. And then...ahh. GOOD. Brilliant idea!

I won't be able to do any edits or revisions until later tonight, but I will definately change out the word "slave" for something else when I do. I will also be adding a bit about the setting, since I finally named the capital city! Haven't named the kingdom yet...not even sure I want to. Monarchies seem so over done. Maybe I'll toss in a different kind of government, make things more interesting...hmm.

Thank you so much for that idea, btw! Its perfect!
 
Re: Ra'Shala Emporium [Small Group RP Idea]

No problem! ^-^

perhaps a sort of meritocracy-theocracy-parliament would be interesting, where the ruling council votes, a priest has final say, and all positions are attained through merit rather than vote or family? It seems you are going for a more "middle eastern" feel as a major theme, from what I can tell. Perhaps a religious institution (with an entirely fictional and fantasy-based religion, certainly - perhaps based off the caste system?) with a deity that is very orderly and likes having defined ranks while making it possible to go from one rank to the next, and priests not necessarily even at the top of the ladder. It can be quite interesting to have a non-european sort of setting, where the ruling class is an earned position yet is still a caste in itself, and religion and governance is intricately connected, yet decisions are voted upon rather than ordered by a priest or king.
 
Re: Ra'Shala Emporium [Small Group RP Idea]

Yess...a merit based ruling class, where one has to take an exam in order to become a public servant/attain office, and then one only rises through personal achievement...And since a special education would be required in order to pass the exam, only the wealthy or connected families manage to attain office again and again...YESSSS...ehehe. And you are right, I was totally going for more Eastern than Western in influence. I'm a big fan of the cultures of any nation on the Asian continent, Arabian peninsula, china, Russia, all of it.

As for a religion, hmmm. The caste system would be part of the religion, but with the ability to move from one caste to another, the social and religious significance of a caste is diminished. What the religion would need is a way to explain how being in bonded servitude is some sort of special calling or fate, or has some special ....meaning. The religion would want to support the status quo, but the status quo hmmm....I need to think about this.

I really like the idea of a merit based political system, at least for most positions. Powerful mage families, those who managed to escape the bonding/collaring of mages might also have a lot of power...Plus maybe a sort of semi-demi-divine royal figure head like person.

I'm taking down the first post, since I am sort of rewriting large parts of it, plus adding new things. When I'm done (hopefully by tonight, now that I have a better idea what I'm gonna do), I'll put it up back.

Any other ideas? You have some very good ones.
 
Re: Ra'Shala Emporium [Small Group RP Idea]

Very much improved! The detail level is just enough to have a fixed system while having enough wiggle room for imagination to fill in some gaps. Perhaps some information about international politics, if others wish to reference foreign wars or trade or relations. Rival or friendly nations, for example. Perhaps some notes about the weather (some may assume an icy tundra while others assume a humid jungle or an arid desert; stating the actual environment straight out would avoid confusion) may be helpful.

Are there special beasts about that are non-sentient? Do the high council ride dragons, horses, golems, lion-dogs, flying carpets, teleports? What sort of technology level is available to each caste? Would a low-born have access to instant communication with his overseer? Is there a courier system, or do high mages wave their hands and look in crystals and mirrors? Is there a mail/post system in place, or do the high-born send their Axemi with letters or memorized pass-words?

How is wealth defined? Do the Qinqu value gold? Mithril? Pearls? Cocoa? Paper currency touched by the hands/tears/blood of the Goddess? Is there a Market, with a Warden watching over it? Are there Customs of Trade that each follows, or is it all barter and free-for-all arguments? How is "justice" enforced? Is there a civilian police force, or do the Officers watch over the populace and march through the streets? Is there a court system run by scholars/officials, or are people simply executed or made Axemi without any questions?

How much is understood of science? Is lightning and wind and gears and wheels considered some sort of arcane magic, or is there a general knowledge that the world is round? Do scholars exclusively study philosophy and banter about worthless nothings while taking their pay, or are they great contributors to scientific and technological advancement?

Of course not ALL of this is completely necessary to write out in full, but each part adds a bit more detail that can be used by players, and by yourself as well!
 
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