Zhasdin: Lords of Dusk

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The Philosoraptor

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Creation cannot be born from Purity. The gods knew this when they made [BCOLOR=#333333]Man[/BCOLOR]. And so was born Darkness...

View attachment 93612

This is Zhasdin.
[fieldbox=History of Zhasdin, red, solid]
In the beginning, there was Light, and the Lords-Immaterial. But from Light alone, creation is impossible. And so the Lords-Immaterial made Shadow, the second of the Three Essential Reagents. From the combination of the two came Form, which was used in synergy with the other two to create the first life: The Inigra, divine servants of the Lords-Immaterial. Extremely powerful, but nearly blind in their loyalty to their makers, the Inigra acted as the hands of the Lords-Immaterial, who were admittedly inexperienced with creation at the time. Harnessing the raw power of the Makers, the Inigra assisted in the creation of the Bhitar, the physical plane. From there, the Lords-Immaterial took over the creation of individual words and creatures, learning from their experiences with their firstborn. But as time went forward, the Inigra grew jealous of their Makers. The Shadow within them fueled their emotions, shattering their reality as they came to the realization that they were merely tools in the eyes of the Lords-Immaterial. Angry, but aware that they were incapable of fighting them, they instead decided to fight off their depression. In the beginning, it was the Inigra who made the Bhitar. How difficult could it be to create a single world?

Choosing an empty plot of space, the Inigra drew on the power of the Lords-Immaterial and created Zhasdin, made for the Inigra by the Inigra. And from the barren rock sprouted life. Vast oceans were filled with silvery water, and vaulted skies were painted blue and red and yellow by the great Helae. And from the earth sprang Man, made in the image of what the Inigra saw as themselves. From the beginning, the Inigra taught mankind not to worship them, but to heed them, not wishing to repeat with man what the Lords-Immaterial had done to the Inigra. And for a time, all was well. Mankind prospered under the watchful eyes of the Inigra, who taught them the ways of creation; to make iron and steel for tools, shelter from the elements, and fire for warmth. From these powers, man innovated, and the Inigra learned as well. Man's "gods" intervened as little as possible, trying to let their creations develop on their own. But despite their warnings against worship, cults sprang up around the Inigra, and they developed a strong religious following. But soon, disaster struck.

The Lords-Immaterial came across Zhasdin, and were appalled that there was life where they had not visited. Horrified at the prospect of their creations acting of their own free will, they lashed out. The Inigra were thrown into the Bhitar, applying an inordinate amount of Form to the mostly spiritual beings, stripping them of their divinity and trapping them on Bhitar. In the process, the vast conjoined consciousness that was the Inigra was split into hundreds of individuals. When they landed, their forms were made apparent to mankind: With great black avian wings, luminescent skin, golden eyes, and panchromatic hair, the fallen creatures were easily identifiable. Never having actually seen their gods, men immediately worshiped them. While they were unaccustomed to such treatment, and were generally uncomfortable with it, the Inigra soon found that it served their purposes nicely: In the process of being transformed, the Inigra were cursed with a spiritual hunger that infected them to their cores. The people around them fell dead, victims to the curse, their auras drained from them. What remained was simply empty Form. It became apparent rather quickly that this was to be the Inigra's punishment: For their insolence, not only would they suffer, but their creations with them. But some were not satisfied with hiding away from civilization, doomed to insanity and starvation.

A group of seven Inigra who accepted their curse as a simple part of life, they stopped devouring humans, learning how to control their hunger and the effect it had on others. Instead, they focused on preserving their creation. And to do this, they went to horrible lengths: They fed on the auras of their own brethren, using their armies of followers to subdue and consume the auras of the fallen Inigra. For a solid century, the seven traveled the globe with their followers hunting their brothers and sisters, until only they remained. Over time, they changed. Few can truly describe it in much detail; what is known is that their beauty was twisted, warped by the evil of what they'd done, and that they became cold and distant to their followers. What is known definitively is that the seven, who renamed themselves the Vire, no longer felt the hunger of their past. From that point on, they ruled Zhasdin, and do to this day.

While they are autocrats, the Vire have not completely lost the benevolence of their Inigra predecessors. As rewards for following them to the end, the Vire granted humanity the Three Colleges, mystical powers that, while requiring years of study to master, granted unimaginable power to those who could use them. The Vire, however, controlled them all, and are the source of the College's power. Furthermore, the Vire created the Vytmal, or Beastmen, who acted as the personal bodyguards of the Vire before spreading beyond the ranks of the Vire. As the years went on, the Vire themselves stooped to the level of breeding with the humans, in turn creating the significantly weaker, but still superhuman, Vyrean. While the Vire ascended to godhood, the Vyrean stayed behind to rule their human subordinates, inhibited only by the genetic curse that the Vire, who surpassed it, passed on to their descendants in the form of a blood-hunger.

In the present, the Vyrean have become a ruling class, owning legions of Vytmal and dividing the world between the seven ruling families, each descended from the original Vire. The Vytmal have spread across the world, and are only slightly less common than humans. Humans themselves are generally satisfied with their lives, owing little to their Vyrean masters and earning much from them. However, some are unhappy with the biannual and Beastmen-enforced blood tax, which always results in the death of loved ones. Furthermore, many Vyrean abuse their positions to gather more blood, which is technically illegal. As a result, the Vyrean ruling-class are now opposed by the Zhasika, the Shadows, a group of well-trained rebels determined to overthrow the Vyrean and the dogma of the Vire. All the while, new creatures, nicknamed "demons" (after the Vyrean word "Dhiavolos", meaning "monster"), of a chaotic and increasingly violent nature. The Vyrean have begun to lose control of the situation, desperately throwing their armies against the creatures while still facing their own internal conflicts. And the gods are nowhere to be found...[/fieldbox]

Formerly known as the Inigra, the Vire (literally "Gods") are the remains of the ancient race of divinities who were responsible for the creation of the rogue world of Zhasdin. Only seven of these gods remain, having consumed the rest of their race and assimilated their power. They are the root of the Three Colleges of Mysticism, and can manipulate the mysterious "Fourth College" of Alchemy. Furthermore, they are the ancestors of the Vyrean. They've overcome the curse of the Lords-Immaterial, and as such have retired from active roles in governance of Zhasdin, instead retreating to hidden domains to spend their blissful immortality.

The seven Vire that remain are known as Zhasiel, Ikalaeus, Nycora, Valit, Hystae, Yazhien, and Masieria. They are the de facto rulers of their Vyrean houses, but do not often interact with them. In fact, the Vire haven't marched with their followers since the First Cull, when the Inigra were forcibly assimilated by the Vire.

The inferior descendants of the Vire, the Vyrean (literally "half-gods") are fair-skinned, pale-haired, physically powerful, and mystically unparalleled creatures, and are the ruling race of Zhasdin. They have a distinct, near-lethal sensitivity to sunlight as a consequence of an imbalanced ratio of the Three Essential Reagents, leading many to manipulate the light over Vyrean citadels to block or bend the light. As well, they hold a distinct advantage in the College of Shadow, with a significant mastery of the College of Form and a weakness in the College of Light. Furthermore, they're physically superior to humans, capable of easily overpowering ten men on their own. However, they are afflicted by the Immaterial Curse: An insatiable hunger for the driving force of life. While the Vire were doomed to consume the auras of living things, the Vyrean desire human blood. Vytmal blood tastes repulsive, and cannot provide adequate sustenance for Vyrean. The Vyrean noble houses currently dominate Zhasdin's political scene, ruling the four corners of the world. However, they are highly factional, and frequently war between each other.

[fieldbox=The House of Immortals, maroon, solid]View attachment 93608
The descendants of Zhasiel. Similarly to their progenitor, who dominated the Vire, they are the strongest of all the Vyrean houses. While the other houses rule the East, West, and South of Zhasdin in pairs, the Immortals rule the entirety of the North, where it is presumed they stand watch over the domain of Zhasiel. Their armies of Vytmal are also the strongest, taking on traits of the mythical dragons in battle. However, they remain secluded in the North, refusing to take part in the petty battles of the other houses.
The Vyrean of this house are extremely hardy, and powerful combatants in both a magical and physical sense. However, they tend to be as isolated and cold as their freezing realm, and have a higher sensitivity to light, as the North is frequently cast in darkness.
[/fieldbox]


[fieldbox=The House of Kings, yellow, solid]View attachment 93609The descendants of Ikalaeus, the Kings are the second strongest house on Zhasdin, and rule the vast grasslands of the Western continent. While intense rivals with the House of Heroes to the East, the Kings hate the Immortals above all else, envying the power that their rivals hold. Their armies are of the feline Vytmal, and are extremely maneuverable

The Vyrean of this house are highly civilized, and possess the most modern technology (steam, gunpowder). Furthermore, they have a higher resilience to light. However, in one-on-one combat, they are far inferior to many of the other houses.[/fieldbox]



[fieldbox=The House of Storms, blue, solid]View attachment 93610The descendants of Nycora, the House of Storms rules the Western coast, and dominate the seas. They're vicious rivals with the House of Mists to the East, despising the fact that the Mists frequently raid trading ships. Their armies are aquatic in nature, the most infamous being the ravenous Vytmal Sharks.

The Vyrean of the Storms are highly experienced in the ways of the world. Savvy, charismatic, and adventurous, the Storms are overall a strong asset in battle. With few inherent weaknesses, but no notable strengths, the Storms are strong allies in peace and war.[/fieldbox]


[fieldbox=The House of Law, green, solid]
View attachment 93606Lording over the forests of the South, the House of Law is descended from Valit, and obeys a strict code of conduct, and have the most disciplined army in the world. They despise the House of Kings for their ambitious and despicable behavior in how they treat their serfs, and frequently war with them. Their Vytmal armies are equine in nature, and dominate the battlefield with their sheer speed.

The Vyrean of the House of Law are extremely disciplined, and are masters of combat. As well, their willpower make them highly resilient to the College of Shadow. However, their unbending view of the world makes them volatile allies and hard friends.[/fieldbox]


[fieldbox=The House of Freedom, aqua, solid]View attachment 93605The other house of the South, descended from Hystae, the House of Freedom are descended from rules the mountain ranges, away from their enemies at ground level. Their lofty view of themselves and general self-independence have led them to develop a heavily hedonistic society, with personal pleasure set as a goal above all else. Their Vytmal armies are avian in nature, swooping down on the enemy from above.

The Vyrean of the House of Freedom specialize in agility, making them highly skilled scouts and assassins, rivaling even the House of Mists. However, they're unreliable and selfish, and are treacherous to even their own.[/fieldbox]


[fieldbox=The House of Heroes, gray, solid]View attachment 93607
The dominant house of the East, the House of Heroes are highly disorganized, ruled only by the self-proclaimed King of Heroes, the first of which was the Vire Yazhien. Instead, they wander the deserts of the East, seeking self-improvement and destiny. Philosophical warriors in this way, they have no standing army, but instead hold a strong cultural bond with the canine Vytmal, who are willing to enter into the service of any Vyrean of the House of Heroes if called.
Loyal to a fault, strong-willed, and physically imposing, the Vyrean of the House of Heroes are disadvantaged by their brute-force approach to a situation, not stopping to strategize. As well, they generally aren't the smartest of their kind.[/fieldbox]


[fieldbox=The House of Mists, purple, solid]View attachment 93611
Descended from Masieria, the House of Mists are the bane of Zhasdin, dwelling in the hidden caverns of the East. Assassins, bounty hunters, and thieves, the House of Mists has no honor except among themselves. They are currently at war with the House of Storms over the rule of the seas. Their hidden armies of reptilian Vytmal do not practice conventional warfare, instead focusing on guerrilla ambushes and mass terrorism.
Mysterious, roguish, and stealthy, Mist Vyrean are excellent assassins, but poor warriors. In contrast to their counterparts in the House of Heroes, Mist Vyrean are not physically imposing, and do poorly in true combat.[/fieldbox]


The primitive servants of the Vyrean, the Vytmal (literally "beast spirits") were created by the Vire as a class of higher servants, meant to replace their weaker human servants during the First Cull. They were created by combining the auras of the natural creatures of Zhasdin with those of humans, combining into a new breed that could take on the properties of both. While naturally appearing as human, though sometimes with bestial traits (a canine Vytmal may have extra hair on their body and develop canine mannerisms, etc.), they can enter a second state of being where the Vytmal transform into a form of demi-beast. This vastly increases their natural abilities, almost to the level of the Vyrean. However, their greatest drawback is silver, one of the most prominent Minor Reagents, which separates their dual auras, and weakens them severely. Furthermore, they cannot reproduce within their own species, forcing them to rely on humans for reproduction. 3 out of every 4 children from such a union are Vytmal. Almost all Vytmal owe servitude to one of the Vyrean houses, though some have chosen to ally with the Zhasika.

The mysterious creators of the entire cosmos, the Lords-Immaterial are responsible for all things on Zhasdin, in one way or another. They are the ultimate source of magic, the creators of the Inigra and Vire, and rule the rest of the cosmos while the Vire wallow in their exile on Zhasdin. Otherwise, little else is known of them.

The sole rebellion on Zhasdin, based in the East with the Houses of Heroes and Rogues as backers, the Zhasika are comprised of humans, rogue Vyrean, and wandering Vytmal. They have dedicated their lives to ending the reign of the Vyrean, and go out of their way to sow chaos in their society. The Zhasika have yet to act in any overt military way, preferring to stick to the shadows and spread anarchy. They are led by the General of the Mists, thought to be an ex-member of the House of Rogues.

The newest creatures on Zhasdin, and the only ones thought to not be created by the Vire, the demons spread terror across the world. They have no constant appearance, and seem to be limited in their abilities, not having access to any form of magic. Furthermore, they do not seem to be sentient. However, it has been confirmed that their population is constant; every time one dies, it is reincarnated somewhere undiscovered. A new theory is that it learns from each and every experience, adapting new methods to survive every time they are defeated, explaining their chaotic appearances. However, while they are becoming more of a nuisance, they have yet to grow beyond anything more than a minor threat, being easily killed by Vytmal and Vyrean alike.

On Zhasdin, there are three types of magic, divided into three separate schools called Colleges: The College of Shadow, the College of Light, and the College of Form. Their functions are simple. The College of Shadow focuses on the mind, creating illusions and manipulating the psyche. Furthermore, it enables the user to read a person's mind, so long as they do not have training in the College of Shadow. The College of Light is more offensive in nature, using the fire and brightness of the soul as weaponry in battle. However, the two magics combined created the College of Form, which manipulates the natural elements, and can be used to manipulate the bodies of the dead (known by the peasantry as "necromancy"). However, there is a mysterious "Fourth College", which in reality is simply alchemy, the magic of the gods. By utilizing the Great Reagents, Three being Light, Shadow, and Form, and the others being elements created from the combination of the three, the individual manipulates the very life force of the world, allowing them to create new life, or something from nothing. In theory, anyone with the lifespan to learn from all Three Colleges can practice alchemy, but only a few in history have managed it besides the Lords-Immaterial and the Vire.

Rules
  1. Each member of the RP is obligated to post on the OOC. Be social, talk to each other, and discuss things. Arguments are allowed, but should be generally friendly. Harassment will not be tolerated.
  2. Combat between players will be fair, and mediated by the GM. Sentence-by-sentence battles are recommended to avoid hijacking.
  3. Make sure to post regularly, at a minimum of once a week.
  4. Inform the GM and/or Co-GMs of any prolonged absences beforehand, or else you will be kicked. In a particularly bloody fashion. Most likely eaten by Vyrean.
  5. Respect others.
  6. Write posts of two paragraphs or more. Do not feel obligated to write super long posts even if others do.
  7. No Mary Sues.
  8. No Meta.
  9. No chain-posting.

CS
  • Name:
  • Age: (Vyrean live almost four times as long as humans, and Vytmal live slightly longer than humans)
  • Race:
  • Allegiance:
  • Personality:
  • Arsenal:
  • College:
  • Biography:
Cast List
 
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Well, good to see that someone at least likes this.
 
I'll apologize to everyone immediately for the impossible BB codes on this site.
 
I can see that you've put a lot of work into this roleplay. It really has paid off. You have an incredibly interesting, dynamic, and robust world. I cannot wait to see how you will develop it further, and I hope that I can be apart of the process. I will be editing this post soon to include my CS. :wave:

d9740dfd439847d7d9c2277bcc8abba2.jpg

"Sway with the notes, as a petal lingers upon the wind..."


Name: Adaniel Hystae
Age: 91
Gender: Male
Race: Vyrean
Allegiance: House of Freedom

Personality

Adaniel's most prominent personality trait is his passivity. Years of meditation have resulted in a demeanor that is predominated by what appears to be a studied indifference. However, as with all things in life, the reality is much more complex than the perception. Adaniel tends to evaluate all situations with the keenness of a falcon. He notices subtle ticks and other behaviors that might otherwise go unnoticed. This requires an immense amount of focus, consequently rendering Adaniel an individual of few words during most occasions.


During the rare occasion that Adaniel allows himself to relax, he can be quite the witty conversationalist. One of his guilty pleasures is that he is a gossip-monger. Another trait that most find unusual of a Vyrean is Adaniel's love of the creative arts. Citing his family's philosophy of freedom, he serves as an avid patron of the arts because he believes in the freedom of self-expression. Artists, poets, storytellers, and a myriad of other creative souls venture once per year to the House of Freedom's holdings to display their works, hoping for a commendation. Most times, however, Adaniel seldom interacts with the visitors, simply admiring their work with a quiet yet discerning eye. Beyond these basic trends and traits, Adaniel is as variable as a warm summer breeze.
"A flittering of light
or the flicker of hushed voices,
as fine as a butterfly's wing."

Arsenal

Far from being defenseless, Adaniel has trained extensively in the use of bladed fans, wielding a dual set. While not physically imposing or extremely strong, Adaniel is a master of redirection. He has studied for years to balance his body and mind, resulting in a deadly mix of agility, acuity, and speed. Here is an example of something similar to his fighting style and poses.

242692_orig.jpg


"Artistry of the highest degree,
leaving blood and terror
before realizing their error.
They should flee."

College

Since the age of 58, Adaniel has studied the College of Form. Far from being a master in the discipline, Adaniel has some intermediate knowledge in the manipulation of the element of wind, which he augments with his bladed fans. Adaniel has the ability to send gales of wind to target locations, as well as the ability to envelop himself in what he calls a storm wall: buffeting winds surround him and push enemies in his proximity away. Of course, this also means that Adaniel has some basic aspects in the College of Light and Shadow, yet not enough to actually perform any sort of combat magic with these latter colleges. When combined with the deadly precision of his bladed fans, Adaniel is a nimble and precise opponent. Here is an example of something similar to his elemental abilities.


Biography

 
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I think you might be able to fix that formatting by switching to BBCode view and manually deleting all the excess spoilers. the normal editor thinks its clever, deciding where to close tags for you and it results in it making a whole bunch of extra ones.
 
I think you might be able to fix that formatting by switching to BBCode view and manually deleting all the excess spoilers. the normal editor thinks its clever, deciding where to close tags for you and it results in it making a whole bunch of extra ones.
BBCode view? Where is that?
I can see that you've put a lot of work into this roleplay. It really has paid off. You have an incredibly interesting, dynamic, and robust world. I cannot wait to see how you will develop it further, and I hope that I can be apart of the process. I will be editing this post soon to include my CS. :wave:

d9740dfd439847d7d9c2277bcc8abba2.jpg

"Sway with the notes, as a petal lingers upon the wind..."


Name: Adaniel Hystae
Age: 91
Gender: Male
Race: Vyrean
Allegiance: House of Freedom

Personality

Adaniel's most prominent personality trait is his passivity. Years of meditation have resulted in a demeanor that is predominated by what appears to be a studied indifference. However, as with all things in life, the reality is much more complex than the perception. Adaniel tends to evaluate all situations with the keenness of a falcon. He notices subtle ticks and other behaviors that might otherwise go unnoticed. This requires an immense amount of focus, consequently rendering Adaniel an individual of few words during most occasions.


During the rare occasion that Adaniel allows himself to relax, he can be quite the witty conversationalist. One of his guilty pleasures is that he is a gossip-monger. Another trait that most find unusual of a Vyrean is Adaniel's love of the creative arts. Citing his family's philosophy of freedom, he serves as an avid patron of the arts because he believes in the freedom of self-expression. Artists, poets, storytellers, and a myriad of other creative souls venture once per year to the House of Freedom's holdings to display their works, hoping for a commendation. Most times, however, Adaniel seldom interacts with the visitors, simply admiring their work with a quiet yet discerning eye. Beyond these basic trends and traits, Adaniel is as variable as a warm summer breeze.
"A flittering of light
or the flicker of hushed voices,
as fine as a butterfly's wing."
-Excerpt from a poem written by Adaniel Hystae

Arsenal



Biography

Glad to see some interest. I may add something to the CS soon, so keep an eye out.
 
I'd be willing to join when you're fully done. I will find pictures until you're done~
 
BBCode view? Where is that?

Glad to see some interest. I may add something to the CS soon, so keep an eye out.
I dunno if it's on the make an RP section, but on the reply section at least, it's up in the top right of the box, it looks like 2 arrows in a square, next to the fullscreen button.
 
Happy to help. Now, don't do it again!
 
Glad to see some interest. I may add something to the CS soon, so keep an eye out.
Of course! :)

EDIT: I actually had a question about Vyreans. Do Vyreans develop at the same rate as humans? More specifically, do Vyreans age normally--by human standards--until about age 21 and then lapse into a state of immortality for about the next 350 years? Or, is the rate of development proportional to that of human development? For example, a Vyrean child will have about a 50-year childhood in which they appear and are mentally comparable to a child.
 
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Of course! :)

EDIT: I actually had a question about Vyreans. Do Vyreans develop at the same rate as humans? More specifically, do Vyreans age normally--by human standards--until about age 21 and then lapse into a state of immortality for about the next 350 years? Or, is the rate of development proportional to that of human development? For example, a Vyrean child will have about a 50-year childhood in which they appear and are mentally comparable to a child.

That second thing.
 
So, uh... How's it all going for you people? Anything curious going on? Birthdays? Mass murders?
 
So, uh... How's it all going for you people? Anything curious going on? Birthdays? Mass murders?
The most notable thing going on for me is college applications, and the dreaded period of waiting that comes after you complete them. Also, school is a ton of work, but I have a lot of fun. :) How about you?
 
Depression. Sadness. Mourning. Coffee.
 
Depression. Sadness. Mourning. Coffee.
Awe... If there is anything you ever need to talk about, please don't hesitate to send me a PM. :) I'm told that I am good person when it comes to helping others solve their issues.
 
Awe... If there is anything you ever need to talk about, please don't hesitate to send me a PM. :) I'm told that I am good person when it comes to helping others solve their issues.

Ahem. HUMOR, SON. DO YOU SPEAK IT?
 
Ahem. HUMOR, SON. DO YOU SPEAK IT?
Apparently not. If that was meant to be sarcasm, then you should know that it doesn't transfer well through text, especially by words alone. Regardless, my offer still stands.
 
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