Resurgence

[ze_kraken]

Near two centuries ago, a constellation fell from the heavens and Man lost Order.
---
From the Fall returned Chaos, the primordial being quelled for so long by the Three.
---
Faith, Death, Mana they were known in the tongue of mortals.
---
Faith drew power from the prayers of Man and shared it among his siblings.
---
Death safeguarded the spirits of passed souls, ensuring none that would do Man harm escaped.
---
Mana gave structure to the realm of Essence, the realm of the supernatural power that dwells in all of Man.
---
Then came the Fall, and Man was left alone.
---
But Chaos would always be there.​

The Fall

Two hundred and twenty three years previous, by official records, an event known simply known as the Fall came about. Though many critics of the old world claim it was not brought about by the will of the Three, the beings of existence that bound separate natures of humanity (faith, the afterlife, and the power known as Essence), there are few explanations more widely accepted than the one religious texts written after the event provide. While faith has, for the majority, left the world, even a stylized approach to the Fall has proven to be better than none at all.

According to surviving religious texts, and those written after the fact, the three deities that battled against the primordial Chaos were named for their respective domains: Faith, Death, and Mana. In creating the world, each vested a portion of himself into that pocket of creation so that life might flourish. So it was that the power of belief was vested in humanity by Faith, the spirits of the dead halted from leaving the immaterial by Death, and control of Essence supported by Mana. It would be the realm of Essence that would be the undoing of the Three, for they were as flawed as any mortal men.

In greed, Faith, whose task it was to divide the power granted by man's prayers among his siblings, denied his brother Mana a large portion of his power and use the excess to take the power over Essence for himself. Though, as he soon learned, the realm where reality warped and bent was not an easy facet of reality to control. With Mana's power drained past the point of no return, Faith could no longer revert to his brother to control the fibers of what men called magic. After drawing forth all power for himself from mankind and leaving the realms of Death undefended, Faith found that he alone could not control the universe and the Fall came.

Though the records do not explain what caused the Fall in the heavens, historical accounts begin to explain what the theological cannot. A mammoth heavenly body, believed to be the constellation that represented the Essence, struck the surface of the earth and set a host of disasters upon its people. Seas dried up, dust clouds ruined harvests, and magic had lost all forms of control. No longer could humans reliability pull from the Essence to stall the doom before them. While none can say what exactly spared humanity, all agree that luck played a great part in this unforeseen salvation.

In the aftermath of the Fall, the civilized world (if it so ranked the term) was left in utter ruin. Spirits plagued the surviving humans, the world remained covered in ash and debris, and nearly all knowledge had been lost. Caught in the midst of this chaos, the best among mortal warriors sacrificed themselves in the hopes that their spirits could safeguard the world. With the largest threat quelled, humanity could move onward to what it is today: a broken species reminiscent of a time of glory.

The World After the Fall

In the two centuries since, the world has regained a resemblance of order. The ruins of cities long gone have been rebuilt to portions of their former glory, the dried seas have returned to other locations, and even magic has been reestablished, if perhaps less powerful. No more do men believe in gods, but rather in the accomplishments of their fellow man. Though with the rebuilding of some of society's finer traits, those lacking in such refinement have also returned: war, corruption, jealousy, and greed to name a few. With their intents no longer focused on merely surviving, humanity has also looked to more than their fellows' accomplishments: they seek their power as well.

The Essence; Magic

About a generation past, a group of to-be magi attempted to utilize the Essence in a different way. Rather than summon materials and power from the immaterial, they merely changed what already existed: don't create the fire, use the fire from the torch or fireplace. With this change, however, came limitations to the accessibility and power of magic. Without the use of the Essence to fill in the 'gaps' of weaving spells, the understanding of nature required to utilize magic grew. Now, magic is only as powerful as its user's understanding of that element; healing magic would be possible with the discovery of the cell, for example.

With that said, magic's power goes beyond mere destruction. Farmers will learn the lore of Earth to improve their fields, or perhaps learn the ways of Wind to call upon the rain. Blacksmiths will utilize Earth and Fire to strengthen their crafts. Fishermen will use Water to lure out their prized catches. In short, the more intuitive and cunning the user is, the more uses magic will present to him.

True 'battlemagi' are few and far between, for often the necessary components serve more as a liability than a true aid. Massive torches, containers of water, and the like are necessary for a magi to properly turn his power to raw destructive force. These magi are at the peak of their ability, able to control elements far more efficiently than their peers, but are often wholly dedicated to their chosen lore. That is not to say normal magi are incapable of turning their gift to destruction, but few can call upon such power as those few dedicated to the art of war.​

Technology

The ways of old have been, for the most part, lost with humanity set from early gunpowder and medicines to swords, bows, and the like. True scientific understanding of nature is utterly lacking with few alters of knowledge left to the world. The only remnants of old society reside in jealously guarded collections picked up by the modern nobility and in the towers of Essence, each dedicated to a separate lore (fire, earth, wind/air/heavens, water, and nature). Whatever blackpowder weapons or other heirlooms have escaped unscathed from the Fall have been likewise taken and used sparingly, with few smiths skilled enough in the Essence or their craft to keep such equipment in shape.

Rules and Expectations, General Setting, Characters

Rules and Expectations:
1. For now, I'm limiting characters to two per player. This may increase (or decrease) as people come and go, but two will be the starting number. In taking a second (third, fourth, fifth, etc.) character, understand that you are still responsible for propelling the story with that character: please don't take more than you can handle!

2. No godmoding; pretty simple here, just remember that this applies to situations outside of combat as well. Just because your character isn't swinging a sword, hurling fireballs, or shooting arrows doesn't mean they aren't subject to consequences for their actions.

3. Be able to post at least once a week with the necessary amount of content to propel the story a good amount. All 'action-heavy posts' (dialogue, combat, other tense or short-actions) should be done collaboratively to avoid a series of eight or nine posts covering what one can - if you don't want to use something like Google Docs or Iwaku's PMing system, there is titanpad.com for easy collaborative writing. If you can't make the deadline, please give forward notice!

4. All character sheets are subject to my discretion, but I will always tell you what (if anything) doesn't work - my goal isn't to deny you on a whim, and I'll be glad to help out with whatever I can.

5. Be active! I believe the plot lies as much (if not more) in the hands of the players as it does the GM. Always feel free to give input and put up some ideas for the plot.

6. Right now, I'm taking five players total. This, too, may change. After initially showing interest, you have three days to either post a character or extend the deadline or your spot will be lost (should that be an issue).

As a final note, this RP's plot won't really be set in stone before we get characters laid out. It's better to have characters influence the plot, not have the plot force people's hand when making a character.

General Setting:
You all come from, reside in, or have recently moved to the town of Broybrook. It is a fairly isolated community on the Vinionian house's eastern fringes and is built upon the edge of a basin, which in older times was known as the Red Sea where the constellation was said to have struck. Now, the basin left is more of a desolate canyon with mountains outlying its edges. Broybrook itself is situated in a serene river valley that formed from redirected waters from the northern ocean. Save for a densely populated town center, wherein the bulk of its two hundred residents call home, Broybrook sprawls into a series of farms, orchards, and forests.

To the opposite side of the square lies the basin, which extends well out of sight and vanishes into the horizon. Few dare go further than the edge of the closest walls just to claim it can be done. Rumors of strange beasts, remnants of the raw magical energy that struck the world, lurking the basin spread like wildfire every few weeks and no one seems willing enough to prove them false.

About a two day's ride from Broybrook lies the closest city, Leriathel, which was rebuilt from the ruins of a city whose name has been lost to the annals of history. The way to the city is perilous, with several terrors of man haunting the solemn road through the mountains and into the foothills and few save hardened woodsmen or warriors make the journey frequently. Not far north from Leriathial lies the border between Vinionian and Forlionian lands, two houses locked in a silent war of politics and assassinations, not that any of those momentous events affect Broybrook much, but disquiet and unrest for those with a spirit for adventure often settles in not too long after realizing the town's insignificance.

Characters:
When creating a character, remember where they are. If they came here in later years, make sure you have a reason why!

NAME:

SEX:

AGE:

APPEARANCE: Written required, picture optional; link sources for images.

OCCUPATION:

MAGI: Y/N; remember that you'll have to have received training from somewhere and Broybrook is not the best place for anything beyond basic spellcasting.
Lore: Fire, Water, Earth, Air/Wind/Heavens, Nature

GENERAL 'CLASS': Describe their general skillset; can be anything from a warrior to a farmer, just be sure that some skill they possess is valuable to an adventuring party.

For the most part, I've tried to keep the surrounding setting blank of detail so that you can have a part in creating the look and feel of the world. Feel free as part of your posts, character backstories, or details to create content that isn't explicitly stated here - if you do take this option, do slide it by here or via PM.

Reserved Spots:


Accepted Characters:
Shanta Royse - @Rainjay
Lucifer Ferrum - @parkpyro
Niel Willem - @Zeraj
Efrihm the Wanderer - @Alvom
Merriallia Kreig - @Azuremoon
Margo Valine - @s k u l l.
Reyner Stalisee - @Archie

 

[Rainjay]

Hey.

I claim a spot.



WIP

NAME: Shanta Royse

SEX: F

AGE: 27

APPEARANCE: Shanta is a short woman, her stature leaving her head level with the shoulders of most other people, lower on a particularly tall person. She additionally has a light body weight and a small frame. Her hair, of a dark shade between brown and black, is cut to her shoulders, usually tied back. Her face reminds one of a child, with soft features and a coy, lopsided smile, with the exception of her sharp, narrow nose. Her dark skin is usually covered completely--not for modesty, but usually, for her profession.

OCCUPATION: Thief

MAGI: Y
Lore: Air, fire

GENERAL 'CLASS': Apart from being a thief for hire, Shanta is a skilled baker. Her craft mostly serves as a cover for her true profession, though she makes her living from both occupations. She is not much of a fighter, but instead employs great skill with stealth and movement; she has some talent with a knife, worst comes to worst.

 

[ze_kraken]

NAME: Giliam Harper

SEX: M

AGE: 32

APPEARANCE: Gilliam Harper stands a shade taller than most men with broad shoulders, sun-stained skin, and a series of scars lining his arms and legs varying in width and length. Curling hair, more a nondescript shade of washed-out brown than anything else, falls to his shoulders above a proud brow and sharp brown eyes. His brow extends into a hooked nose that evens back out into thin lips and a pointed chin. More often than not, Gilliam's face is lined with a sprawl of stubble.

OCCUPATION: Barkeep

MAGI: Y
Lore: Air, Water

GENERAL 'CLASS': Gilliam, beyond the ability to brew ale, is a skilled woodsman. Every three days, he will leave the inn in the care of another member of his staff and head into the woods south of Broybrook. Though by no means a ghost in the woods, he is a skilled enough hunter and his meager skill with the lore of Wind allows him to hit marginally more often than the average human.

---

NAME: Joane Hancey

SEX: F

AGE: 26

APPEARANCE: Joane Hancey is of average height with a generally slim figure, more lean, hard muscle than anything else. A single, hideous scar runs the length of her left cheek and has damaged the eye above it, leaving it milky white and narrow. Her ginger hair is cropped short to her face with the majority of its length tied into a short flat and her narrow brow gives way to a storm-grey eye and a stout nose. Her left hand has been shortened at the first finger joint, a fact she tends to keep concealed behind leather gloves.

OCCUPATION: Sellsword

MAGI: N
Lore: N/A

GENERAL 'CLASS': Joane has proven herself to be a rugged, dependable warrior. Of all the weapons of war, she favors the shear hacking power of axes and has managed to find a pair of such weapons with a counterweight to balance her generally wild, duel-pronged swings; she has yet to find a shield necessary, despite several injuries proving the worth of them. Though ambidextrous, her maimed left hand requires a special axe handle to be a fraction as skilled as her right.

 

[Rainjay]

Upppdated the post.

 

[parkpyro]

Is this still open?

 

[ze_kraken]

Is this still open?

Yep!

 

[parkpyro]

I might make a character soon

 

[parkpyro]

NAME: Lucifer Ferrum

SEX: M

AGE: 20

APPEARANCE: Lucifer definitely looks younger than he actually is. His body is small for his age, but only by a little bit. On the outside he looks like a weak little kid, but that changes when people see his body. Because of his occupation Lucifer has a very well toned body. With defined muscles covering every inch of it. He has shortish scruffy soot black hair. The boy has gruff and worn hands, as well as a few scars here and there. The most noticeable would be the large one down his back. His eyes show a burning amber, and his skin his a light tan.

OCCUPATION: Blacksmith and weapons dealer

MAGI: N
Lore: N/A

GENERAL 'CLASS': Lucifer is a well trained blacksmith, coming from a town renowned for it's crafting skills. From a young age he was trained in the way of the forge and soon became one of the best. He mainly focused on weapon craft. However making weapons was not all he could do. The boy took it upon himself to learn to fight with every weapon he forged. Lucifer is an all round weapons user, but only uses ones he has made. He carries these merchandise in a large bag on his back

 

[ze_kraken]

Accepted, though 'weapons dealer' would be assumed under blacksmith.

 

[ze_kraken]

Magic

Premise:
Magic is, in effect, manipulation of the Essence/the Else/the Immaterial - whatever term is used commonly dependent upon the culture - to accomplish feats otherwise impossible by mortals. Though every human has the potential to reach into the Essence with the same ability (given study and practice), most use it sparingly or not at all. Before the Fall, magic was unrestricted to the individual's imagination, but this age isn't as kind.

The Lores in Action:
Rather than generating power or matter from the Essence as was the original use of magic, potential magi must now restrict themselves to using the energy from their own bodies and the very edge of the Essence's expanse. Should a magi reach into the Essence and attempt to draw forth its power, he will find himself unable to control his powers and will often destroy his physical form in the process at the cost of other lives as well. With this grand limitation on power, magi are restricted to manipulating the world around them.

Though tapping into this power is not without personal risk. In reaching into the Essence, a magi risks breaching the threshold wherein magic and sense ceases to function and raw power flows freely. To enter the Essence is as simple as a mere extension of a magi's mind, and once there, he may draw as much power as he desires to accomplish his task, though all are forbidden from drawing anything but power from this void: anything may be fabricated from the Essence, but physical objects and manifestations other than raw energy are where the true dangers lurk. Should a magi feel that the risk in entering the Essence is too great, he may opt to utilize the own energy stored within his body with the risk of draining himself and dying.

In order to harness their power more effectively, elite magi formed broad 'lores' of magic that could be used to help focus and hone an individual's talent (which is as much understanding as it is practice). They established the Towers, each for one of the five lores:

Fire - The manipulation of heat (not always fire, though unskilled magi are often restricted to only fire). When utilized effectively, fire magic is a potent tool of destruction or creation. By manipulating heat, skilled magi have been able to turn entire regiments of men cold as ice and then use their collective heat to incinerate another. Other uses for fire magic have been manipulation of personal body heat, starting fires, shifting fires from torches, and smithing.

Earth - The manipulation of the material world. Earth magic is often closely associated with the lore of Nature, for the two share a common root, though whereas Nature is used to connect with the world of life, Earth is utilized to harness the power of stone, metal, and other inanimate objects. In combat, Earth magi use the ground beneath their foe as a literal weapon, though most are used as living catapults, hurling pre-cut stones into the enemy. Farmers have utilized Earth to till their fields and skilled magi trained in smithing and metal shaping may form blades of amazing quality without the need to light a blaze.

Wind - The manipulation of the air, the wind, and the clouds. Wind magic often requires a strong foundation in the manipulation of water to be truly effective so that a potent magi may call upon storms and the like, but hunters and others will use wind to propel objects further than they have a right to travel. Thieves will use it to snuff torches and lighten their footfalls. The uses for Wind are almost unlimited and, when combined with the other lores, can be prove to be a useful tool.

Water - The manipulation of the waves and the seas. Though limited in its own right, Water is powerful when combined with other lores. When combined with Fire, it may form steam or ice. When combined with Air, it may form storms. The magic itself is like the material is in life: passive, awaiting to be acted upon by an outside force.

Nature - The most abstract and difficult of the lores, Nature focuses on altering the state of living beings. Though rudimentary in its ability, farmers and healers have found it useful in growing herbs and crops at a higher yield. Current study on the further application of this lore is under way to expand its use, though this process is slow.

 

[Zeraj]

NAME: Niel Willem

SEX: Male

AGE: 22

APPEARANCE: Niel has a medium height with strong build from tilling the fields. His dark brown hair is mostly kept short but ragged. His gray eyes does not work properly, and he is considered blind. He is quick to smile and you'll often find him sitting and just listening to nature. He is often tanned from his time spent in the sun. One would not consider Niel to be handsome, perhaps just common. It would be a bit difficult to pick him out from a crowd.

OCCUPATION: Farmer

MAGI: Y
Lore: Earth, Nature

GENERAL 'CLASS': Niel's blindness doesn't seem to bother him as most of what he does seem to be just tending to his small plot. He is experienced in earth and nature lore specific to nourishing his crops, but it seems he has an uncanny ability to know where he is walking and the location of each vegetable within his field. He seems extremely skilled with a quarterstaff which he carries around as his walking stick. Niel has been known to be training with it for many hours and even long into the night. He has explained that its just something to do pass the time, but the intensity and focus seem to indicate otherwise.

 

[ze_kraken]

Accepted!

 

[ze_kraken]

@Rainjay
@parkpyro
@Zeraj

I aim to have an IC over the weekend with some introductions on the world, setting, etc. Before we get too heavy into the plot, I'd like to open the floor to some discussions on what exactly we want to do. Will it be a heroic quest? An exodus caused by the two neighboring houses waging war? Now that we've got a fairly varied cast, I think it's best we start working in how they'll function and come into their own as the plot unfolds.

To those joining after the IC's start:
Just because this has started doesn't mean that you're out of the game entirely. Hopefully, the individual plot arcs and settings will be narrow enough to allow newcomers to join in and reasonable gaps in the story (travel scenes, breaks between plot arcs, maybe they display their talent in a group setting and thus 'earn their keep') - if you have questions on how to incorporate yourself, feel free to PM me or ask here in the thread itself.

 

[Lorne Einulf]

is there still room for one more?

 

[ze_kraken]

I will need to see a writing sample of your average post, since you're new there's nothing to go off of quite yet.

 

[Zeraj]

I think there should be conflict that drives our character out of the village. Perhaps it gets pillaged.

 

[ze_kraken]

I was thinking along the same lines. That, or conscription into an army, but that doesn't fit the bill for everyone involved.

 

[Zeraj]

I'm curious to know who is still active.

 

[Rainjay]

I am. Usually speaking w/ Kraken outside the thread, being a bit of a lurker. Hi.

 

[ze_kraken]

So, unless the apartment I'm staying at for the next two weeks has regular (or free for that matter) internet my posting will be irregular at best. I will be able to check in daily, but as far as posts go, I may be down and out.