OOC: Lux Tenebris

Malkuthe Highwind

Kayyan'Haien
Original poster
LURKER MEMBER
FOLKLORE MEMBER
Invitation Status
Posting Speed
  1. 1-3 posts per week
Writing Levels
  1. Prestige
  2. Douche
Preferred Character Gender
  1. Male
Genres
High Fantasy, Modern Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, Yaoi, Political Intrigue, Supernatural, Post-Apocalyptic
IC for the first chapter is UP! Follow the link: Lux Tenebris Chapter 1: The Shadows Between
The Premise:
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Elyne is a land bathed in eternal light; its inhabitants born from the radiant rays of sunlight and the milky bars of moonlight. The creatures that dwell on its luminescent surface are incarnations of the light that they represent, flesh and blood made from light solidified.

Each nation of Elyne’s vast tracks of land possesses a lighthouse that ascends beyond the lofty clouds. The light of these towering lighthouses provide sustenance for Elyne’s inhabitants. As long as the lighthouses remain lit as they have been since the beginning of time, no Elynian requires food or water.

In these lighthouses reside the monarchs, the Luxes of the nations. Their light is the most radiant, the most powerful, and the most majestic. A threat, great in the magnitude of its power, unlike any Elyne has ever known is making its way for their radiant world. Beings of shadow from another world, Aespectriill, beings that devour the light for their sustenance have been chased off of their home world.

Day by day, these shadow beings arrived in droves, but no one ever noticed. The radiance of the lighthouses burned away the forerunners of the invasion. As they arrived, however, the shadows in the nooks and crannies of Elyne began to grow. Wisps of shadow appeared in the lighthouses, materializing into Aespectriill. Eventually, thousands of them began to materialize in the chamber of the Luxes whose light no longer protected them from the ravaging hunger of the shadows. From their mouths and eyes, the light of the Luxes left their bodies, devoured by the most powerful of the Aespectriill, beings that would come to be known as the Tenebra.

Elyne is falling into darkness. The light is only just beginning to stir against the threat of the shadow. Will you join the battle against the encroaching darkness, or will you be one of those who devour the light?

The atmosphere for this roleplay will be dark. The Elynians, now deprived of the light of the lighthouses will have to depend on other means of sustenance; this means eating food and drinking water. Some Elynians will become cannibalistic, some will turn on the non-sentient beings and others will find plants to be edible.

There will be lots of strife within Elynian society and outside of it. They will be fighting a force they have no idea how to fight. Remember, Elynians have never faced conflict, not even once in their history. How will they learn how to battle, how will they learn to survive? How many will fall to the Tenebra before Elynians can put their feet down to combat the shadows?As a Tenebra, killing off Elyne might be against your morality, but Elynians do not know that. For you it is simply a matter of survival, a matter of running from whatever it is that chased you off of your homeworld. In fact, you might not even know what it is that you are running from, all you might know is that it is capable of consuming the shadows that comprise your being. Only the three Tenebra that assimilated the Luxes know everything about your exodus.

For a Tenebra, explaining that you mean no harm to an Elynian is not easy. Simply being in a room together with an Elynian that is willing to listen would suck the Elynian's essence into your being. You must also be on watch for other Tenebra, mentally fractured by the long journey from home who can assimilate you when you are overpowered.Self is most important in these times of uncertainty. No one can be trusted. Betrayal is rampant in the ranks of both factions. Everything reeks of conspiracy and even the once peaceful Elynians are beginning to conspire against each other.Nothing is certain. Every breath you draw can be your last.

Setting:
Elyne is a flat world with three vast continents surrounding a central sea. Each continent houses one of three nations of Elynians. To the North, Ignis, born from the light of flames; to the East, Sol, born from the radiance of the sun and to the west, Lune, born from the luminance of the moon.
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Fiery nation of the north, the heart of Ignis is bathed in molten rock from volcanoes that bathe the night with their crimson light. The obsidian lighthouse of Ignis is wrapped by the dancing aurorae at its peak. The lighthouse possesses a blood-red halo cast by the fires of the volcanoes behind it. From the lighthouse, the settlements of the Ignis Elynians sprawl across the landscape, their roads paved with softly glowing red rocks, giving the impression of lava spreading out like a spiderweb from the lighthouse.

Ignis Elynians do not have cities, merely settlements that are spread across the landscape.
Radiant nation of the east, the citadel-esque structures of the city of Sollë spread outward from the lighthouse like the rays of the sun. Majestic buildings spread in a very organized manner from the heart of the continent. Marble colonnades and fountains line the countless squares of the huge city. The lighthouse in itself is majestic to behold. At dawn it possesses a brazen aura, at noon the sun crowns its lofty peak and at sunset, the sun illuminates the lighthouse with a golden brilliance. With the city, the sight is breath-taking.
Serene nation of the west, beautiful spires that reach for the sky parade in a thin crescent behind the milky white lighthouse. The buildings of Allune grow taller and shorter as they radiate from the heart of the city like ripples in a pond. The vast parks of Allune are lit with lamps that cast a bluish brilliance in the night, emulating the moonlight that they are made from. The lighthouse sparkles alluringly and almost hypnotically when the light of the moon strikes it.
Elynian society is based around symbiosis. All Elynians live in mutual benefit from each other. That is, until the balance is upset by the arrival of the Tenebra. Darker characteristics begin to manifest in Elynians, emotions unknown before to them begin to well deep. Anger, hatred, bitterness, sorrow, loneliness, hunger, desperation, fear and terror; all these, new to the ignorant race. Few adhere to the old ways, fearing that that level of weakness will destroy them.Fear and mistrust has become the new core of Elynian "society".

</map><map is="" a="" wip="">Plot:</map>
<map is="" a="" wip="">Elyne is a peaceful world where light is perpetual. There is never a dark day or night for that matter in Elyne. The inhabitants of this plane are born from light, firelight, moonlight, sunlight, aurorae, candlelight, lightning, any kind of light. Peace is absolute in Elyne, the nations require no trade nor money for their sustenance is the light of the lighthouses provided by the Luxes, the most radiant among them.

However, recently, a race of light-devouring beings with semi-corporeal bodies of shadow began arriving en masse on Elyne. At first the light of the Luxes was able to keep them at bay, burning away the forerunners of the 'invasion.' However, as the main force of the shadow beings began to arrive, they slowly pushed back the light. Since the lighthouses were the foci of power on the plane, that was where the shadow beings manifested once they entered Elyne.

Eventually, as droves of these "Tenebra" as they came to be called materialized on Elyne, they were able to overcome the light of the Luxes. The most powerful among them assimilated the light of the Luxes into their being. These Tenebra have been chased off of their homeworld by some yet-unknown terror. Few of them even know why they left, but they knew very well that they either flee and live or stay and die.

Because of this, Elynian society collapses. Without the light from the Luxes, they are reduced to mortals with mortal needs. They must eat and drink and fight to survive. For a race of people that has never done any of these, it will be difficult and countless many will be absorbed by the Tenebra before they can muster the strength to fight back.

As for the Tenebra, everything is a matter of survival. Kill or be killed. Eat or be eaten. They all know it is only a matter of time before whatever was chasing them catches up.
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As a roleplayer, you can choose to either be an Elynian or a Tenebra.

As an Elynian, you are learning how to eat, how to drink, how to rest for the first time. This has got to be a harrowing experience. You never needed these things before. Not to mention, if you turn the wrong corner... BAM! You're dead, gone, assimilated into the body of a Tenebra. Every night you hear the screams of other unfortunate Elynians. Will this drive you insane? I don't know! You're the roleplayer. If you choose to sustain yourself using flora found around your home, the vegetation would eventually thin out. You would eventually have to turn to meat. Game will turn scarce because EVERY LIVING THING is made of solidified light, and therefore, can be assimilated by the Tenebra. How would you guard your house against other starving Elynians seeking to devour your flesh? Would you have the guts to kill your fellow Elynians for a meal, or would you choose to keel over and die?

As a Tenebra, this is a strange world, a strange land you don't know the dangers of. The light you eat can also destroy your body if it is intense enough. You don't know if that plant can open up its leaves and blast you with a beam of light so bright it will disintegrate your shadowy body. Seeking out the Elynians is the easiest and most sure way of sustenance. After all, they can't fight you back, they don't even know how to sustain themselves yet. They're weak. You have to remember though, a strong enough Tenebra can assimilate YOU. YOU can become fodder for those terrifying cannibal Tenebra. Not to mention, you are living in perpetual fear that whatever or whoever it was that chased you off of your world would show up.

Eat or be eaten. Kill or be killed. Survive. We will drive the plot together, but I WILL throw things your way that you might not expect. I'm evil like that. *ebil laff* As a start, for the Elynians, securing food, water and shelter. For the Tenebra, establishing yourself as "CANNOT BE TOUCHED" and finding a good population of Elynians to feed off of. Best of luck roleplayers.
Magic comes later on in this roleplay. Remember, the Elynians have never needed anything. Everything was provided by the light of the Luxes. There might be latent magical power within the Elynians but this will be discovered later on, and we can discuss this later on, although I do have an idea of how I want it to work.

For the Tenebra, there IS only one magic right now. Death touch. Contact with a Tenebra, even if it's a single wisp of shadow, will kill any mundane creature in Elyne. More powerful, more radiant, more pure creatures however, will take prolonged contact OR contact with a particularly powerful Tenebra. Further magic for the Tenebra, maybe later. Right now, they are focused on surviving, also, they are severed from their normal plane of existence, they don't know HOW to access magic in Elyne.

</map><map is="" a="" wip="">Kinds of Elynian</map>
<map is="" a="" wip="">These are just a few kinds of Elynians I came up with. You can suggest more if you want, but there are a lot here. The kind of light they were born from will show basic character traits and (if ever) the kind of magic that Elynian can wield.
Ignis-Type:</map>
FlameBorn from the light of an open flame, this Elynian can get aggressive if provoked.
CandlelightBorn from the light of a candle, this Elynian radiates warmth to those around it, but with a little provocation, it retreats into a shell.
AuroraeBorn from the lights that adorn the skies, this Elynian can use its beauty and natural charm to manipulate others around it.
FlickerBorn from the light of a wind-blown fire, this Elynian can experience violent bouts of rage that vanish almost instantaneously.
LightningBorn from the scorching light of a bolt of lightning, this Elynian can be fierce and quick, but will not have the strength to last long in battle.
SparkBorn from the puny light of a spark, this Elynian is most likely to give into fear after a bluff that rarely works.
VulcanBorn from the light of the volcano's fiery maw, this Elynian has the potential to be the most destructive of the Ignis types.

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Sol-Type:
Radiant Born from the light of the sun at its peak, this Elynian's light is bright. It is capable of exerting extreme pressure on its peers, however.
DawnBorn from the light of dawn, this Elynian is at first weak, but grows stronger as time goes on.
TwilightBorn from the light of the setting sun, this Elynian steadily wanes in strength, but goes out with a bang at the end.
GloomBorn from the light of the sun on cloudy days, this Elynian can inspire feelings of hopelessness in those around it.
EclipseBorn from the light of a solar eclipse, this Elynian can turn even the brightest days and happiest emotions into resounding grief.
RainbowBorn from the light of a rainbow, this Elynian is in contrast to the Eclipse Elynian, capable of turning consuming sorrow into joy and jubilation.

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Lune-Type:
HaloBorn from the light of the full moon, this Elynian can grant feelings of peacefulness to those around it.
Crescent Born from the light of the crescent moon, this Elynian can be abrasive, using its natural beauty to manipulate others around it.
Umbra Born from the light of the new moon, this Elynian's light is dim. Only this Elynian is capable of hiding in the shadows for a short period of time.
MoonbowBorn from the light of a moonbow, in contrast to its Sol-type cousin, its light is pale and it is capable of turning any emotion into indifference
BloodBorn from the light of a lunar eclipse, the blood-red light of a Blood Elynian can spark feelings of rage and aggression within its influence.

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<map is="" a="" wip="">Kinds of Tenebra:</map>
<map is="" a="" wip="">Here as well, if you choose to play a Tenebra, these are a few different types. The Type of Tenebra depends on the Elynian it preys upon. A Halo Elynian will be preyed upon by a Halo Tenebra whose qualities are negative reflections of a Halo Elynian. In the case of Elynians that are capable of negative qualities, the Tenebra that preys on them will have a greater magnitude of these qualities. A Vulcan Tenebra for example, would have insatiable bloodlust.

There are six main kinds of Tenebra:
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ShadeA Shade is the run-of-the-mill Tenebra. There are many of these. Their bodies are like solid shadows. They are not very fast. They cannot passively prey on Elynians (passive in that the Tenebra, simply being to be within the vicinity can suck the light out of an Elynian). Merely touching an Elynian, a Shade can suck the light out of it.
ThundercloudA Thundercloud is a Tenebra who has consumed more light in one feeding than his body can handle. His body is turbulent and appears like a thundercloud. This condition is permanent. The light that the Tenebra has consumed frequently shines through the roiling mass of shadows. A thundercloud's gravity is greater than a shade's. If a thundercloud gets within two inches of an Elynian, it can suck up the Elynian's light.
WispThis Tenebra's body is like smoke. It can only consume a little light every feeding and thus has to feed frequently. If it consumes too much, it can be destroyed. It would take several feedings for a Wisp to fully consume a single Elynian's light. However, a single feeding is all it takes to incapacitate an Elynian for at most 3 days.
MurderIts name taken from a murder of ravens, this is one of the most intelligent Tenebra. Although it is small, it gathers in flocks. The hunting grounds of Murder Tenebrae are often swept clean within a few hours. These Tenebra, being small, only need to feed every once in a while. A single Murder would not be able to consume an entire Elynian's light, perhaps enough to disorientate it, but not enough to cause lasting damage. It makes up for this by hunting in droves, a single flock is comprised of 15-20 Murders, at most 30. Some Murders can take over the consciousnesses of the fellow members of its flock, forming a sort of hivemind.
FleckThe smallest Tenebra. These Tenebra can be the size of one's palm. These Tenebra hunt in swarms and only need one Elynian to satisfy their hunger for a week at most. Around 300 Fleck Tenebra comprise a swarm. A single one can only consume enough light to make an Elynian itch, but 300 can consume an Elynian at a surprising rate.
AbyssThese Tenebra prey on other Tenebra. Their shadows are deeper and darker than other Tenebra and they can consume an insane amount of light. Once an Abyss Tenebra consumes another Abyss Tenebra, a new monstrosity is formed. When an Abyss Tenebra consumes another Tenebra, the consciousnesses of the two clash for control over the new body. It is usually the Abyss that wins.

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The Void Tenebra:
These Tenebra are created when an Abyss Tenebra consumes another Abyss Tenebra. The consciousnesses of the two clash for control over the new body. This new body can consume an extremely large amount of light. There are only three void Tenebra, the ones that consumed the light of the Luxes. Their shadows can suck the light out of any Elynian within eyesight.


Character Sheet:
Name:
Gender:
Race:
Job/Role:
Age: (Elynians are ageless. You can put the apparent age here)
*IF ELYNIAN:
Nation of Origin:
Type:
*IF TENEBRA*
Type:
Sub-type:
(based on the preferred Elynian prey)
Appearance:
Current Goal/Purpose:
General Personality:
General History:


Approved Characters:

Lovedove830Aylin Keah
LayneEllidya
Malkuthe HighwindCorvus
Lightning_GodJacquelin "Jack" Faust

The Rules:

These are the rules for the roleplay. If you're a seasoned roleplayer, you should know a lot of this. In the slight chance you're not, well these are the rules I require my players to play by.

1. Use proper grammar, spelling, capitalization and punctuation in your posts.
2. No one-liner posts unless absolutely necessary.
3. Conversely, no novel-length posts that do nothing to advance the plot.
4. Posts should be at least 1-2 paragraphs long.
5. Mary Sues and Gary Stus should be burned in hell.
6. No Godmodding, meta-gaming and other such undesirable methods of play.
7. Communicate with your fellow roleplayers.
8. Last but not least, have fun... OR ELSE. Just kidding. :3.
 
FEENEESHED


Character Name:
Aylin Keah

Gender: Female

Job/Role:
Scholar/Assisting Hero type

Age:
(I'm not sure if Elynian aging is different from a basic human's aging, but if she were a normal human she'd be 21.)

Race: Elynian

Nation of Origin: Lune

Type: Halo

General Appearance:
------->

Current Goal/Purpose:
Survive.

General Personality:
Very peaceful, calm, observant, and caring. She has an almost motherly personality.

General History:
Aylin was a scholar in Lune, working and studying most of her life in the great libraries of Lune. She had been picked at a young age to begin her commitment of her job. Before the devastation of Elyne, she had worked peacefully in the one of the libraries as one of the many scholars studying there. However, after the devastation, she could no longer concentrate on her work. Her job was now useless to her. She wanted to survive. Many of her fellow scholars murdered each other and feasted on their bodies or even tore apart their books to consume the pieces. Aylin has never eaten a book but she has eaten a couple of scraps from one of her dead colleague's corspes. Now she lives in the abandoned and ruined library, trying to survive the harsh days.
 
I'm still going to get a general character sheet up in a few, but yours looks good. I guess the only thing you need to add is the nation and the type of Elynian she is.
 
Oops! Forgot to add that in! Will add it in now.

It'll most likely be done today.
 
There. That should work. :). I'll finish the first post by tomorrow.
 
Neither can I. If you know anyone who might take an interest and join, please, if it's not too big a favor, ask them to visit the thread. :)
 
No problem. I'll try to get people to get interested in this.
But hey. If it's just us we could make it into a onexone role play if you wish.
 
Thanks. :). I don't know about the onexone though. This roleplay was tailored specifically for a group. We'll get more people.
 
Oh by the way, add a Race category. Tenebra are playable too.
 
Alright, will get working on that!

I've sent a PM to a member who had posted in the Roleplay invitation thread...hopefully he/she will join!
 
Hopefully. :). I will be posting a character sheet within the week. My friend should be too. We'll be getting this thing off the ground soon.
 
It would be. Anyway, we should be getting more traffic soon. I already have my banner up in rotation. :D
 
Yay! Thanks TnT! I hope you join. :).
 
BTW, take a guess as to my original Iwaku Username. You might like it.
 
Hmm.. I went to your profile and sure enough there was a username history tab there. I assume it doesn't go as far back because the very first Old Username on that list was TheNeverThere too. XD.
 
Oh...Oh, that's right. We had a server swap recently. Well, my original username was Mabushii Kage. Radiant Shadow.

I've been thinking about possibly using it in this RP.