[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/uG2ihhS.jpg?1[/img][/center]

[h3]Premise[/h3]
The story starts from the premise that Kayaba Akihiko was obsessed with magic and Norse Mythology rather than swords and pure melee. As a result, he created the Death Game of Alfheim Online rather than the floating castle of Aincrad—a world in which player-killing is not a crime, and the nine player races are in competition with each other to reach the top of the World Tree. This is an alternate universe which may or may not follow canon rules from either SAO or the original Alfheim Online. Key differences from typical SAO roleplays would be the removal of levels, inclusion of magic, races and double the inital playerbase (20,000 players). Similar to SAO, the goal is to aim for the top. Only by completing the Grand Quest can players unlock limitless flight; the sole way to reach the top of Yggdrasil and escape back into the real world.

[hr] 
[h3]Information[/h3]

[hider=Racial Traits]
[b]Salamander[/b]

[list]
[*]Begins with Fire Magic
[*]+25% Base and Max Fire Resistance
[*]+10% rate of skill gain for Fire Magic
[*]+10% rate of skill gain with Melee Weapons
[*]-1 Minimum Magnitude for Fire effects
[*]+10 STR[/list]

[b]Sylph[/b]

[list]
[*]Begins with Wind Magic 
[*]+25% Base and Max Wind Resistance
[*]+10% rate of skill gain for Wind Magic
[*]-1 Minimum Magnitude for Wind effects
[*]+20% Flight Speed[/list]

[b]Cait Sith[/b]

[list]
[*]Begins with Beast Taming skill
[*]+25% Base and Max Poison Resistance
[*]Enhanced Senses
[*]+10% rate of skill gain with Ranged Weapons
[*]+10% success rate for all Detection/Searching skills
[*]+10% Focus Distance
[*]+10% Focus Speed
[*]+10 AGI[/list]


[b]Undine[/b]

[list]
[*]Begins with Water Magic skill
[*]+25% Base and Max Water Resistance
[*]+10% rate of skill gain for Water Magic
[*]-1 Minimum Magnitude for Water effects
[*]Water Breathing (passive ability)
[*]No falling damage on water
[*]Unencumbered swimming[/list]

[b]Gnome[/b]

[list]
[*]Begins with Earth Magic skill
[*]+25% Base and Max Earth Resistance
[*]+15% Base and Max Cold Resistance
[*]+5% Base and Max Physical Resistance
[*]+10% rate of skill gain for Earth Magic
[*]-1 Minimum Magnitude for Earth effects
[*]+10% rate of skill gain for all Mining skills
[*]+10% rate of gain skill for all Refining skills
[*]+10 VIT[/list]

[b]Imp[/b]

[list]
[*]Begins with Dark Magic skill
[*]+25% Base and Max Dark Resistance
[*]+10% rate of skill gain for Dark Magic
[*]-1 Minimum Magnitude for Dark effects
[*]Can fly underground and in dungeons (consumes Flight Meter 2x faster in no-flight zones)
[*]Night Vision (passive ability)[/list]

[b]Leprechaun[/b]

[list]
[*]+25% Base and Max Lightning Resistance
[*]+10% Base and Max Cold Resistance
[*]Begins with Weapon Smithing
[*]Begins with Equipment Smithing
[*]+10% rate of skill gain for all Smithing skills
[*]+10% rate of skill gain for all Merchant skills
[*]Can create Devices and Constructs[/list]

[b]Puca[/b]

[list]
[*]+25% Base and Max Cold Resistance
[*]Begins with Song Magic
[*]+10% rate of skill gain for all Crafting skills
[*]+10% rate of skill gain for all Merchant skills
[*]+10 INT[/list]

[b]Spriggan[/b]

[list]
[*]Begins with Illusion Magic
[*]+25% Base and Max Illusion Resistance
[*]+10% Base and Max Status Resistance
[*]+10% rate of skill gain for Illusion Magic
[*]-1 Minimum Magnitude for Illusion effects[/list][/hider]
[hider=Player Demographics][img]http://i.imgur.com/3bd5rr7.png[/img][/hider]
[hider=World Map][img]http://i.imgur.com/0Yfwz7f.png[/img][/hider]
[hider=Race Territories]
As seen in the world map, everything is divided into zones. Every zone contains either a city or a town. Zones can either be neutral or belong to a race. Cities or towns in neutral zones act as global safezones for every race. 

However, if the zone belongs to a specific race, it only functions as a safezone for that race. This means if a Spriggan enters a Salamander city, he would be helpless if a Salamander chose to attack him. This is far more impactful than one might consider it at first. If you enter an opposing race's territory, it means you'll be unable to restock potions or sell loot safely in towns, you're also exposed to greater danger because the respective race has nearby safezones whereas you don't. Attempting to hunt mobs or PK in enemy territory is extremely disadvantageous.

These safezones can be shared with allied races. A race can ally itself with up to two other races. As a side note, alliances can be broken but a peace treaty between these races will be enforced by the system for a day to prevent exploits. During this time, players cannot damage each other unless in a 'duel' as with their own race.

Ownership of zones can be changed. This can be done either by the leader of a race relinquishing it's ownership or by an opposing race occupying the city or town for a day. The main reason for conquering a zone is growth. It gives your race an additional safezone thus giving you access to the mobs and materials in that area.[/hider]
[hider=Character Stats]
Unlike SAO, levels do not exist Alheim Online. Stats do exist however, their values are only affected by your equipment and racial traits. The four basic stats are STR, AGI, VIT and INT. They all have base values of 30. STR affects your physical damage and weight limit, AGI affects your character's speed, evasion and accuracy, VIT affects your maximum health, health regen and defense and INT affects your maximum mana, mana regen and magical damage.

Instead you possess masteries. For example, constant use of a 1 handed sword sword provides you mastery levels in «1-H Swords». The higher your mastery, the high bonus % dmg done is dealt with that weaponry. Levels start from 1 and max out at 100. For example, maxed mastery in «1-H Swords» provides 100% bonus damage. Not all masteries are based on the weapons. You could have «Smithing», «Fishing» or even individual skill masteries. Feel free to create your own masteries and their bonus effects as long as they are feasible.

Although magic also exists, there are still no classes in the game. Everyone has access to both physical and magical damage skills although certain races will have an affinity to one of the two.[/hider]
[hider=Flight]
Yes, unlike in SAO roleplays, you can fly! As most of the battles in ALfheim Online take place in the air, the player's mastery of flight determines their effectiveness in combat. There are two ways to control the flight of an avatar. The first method is by using a joystick-like controller that can be summoned by holding up one's hand as if to grip something. The other is voluntary flight. There are several advantages to mastering voluntary flight such as the ability to have two hands free for the battle, as well as their agility exceeding the agility of players who use controllers. Moreover, the maximum flight speed when using a controller is relatively low.

However voluntary flight is notably difficult and even a month into the game, only a mere 8% of the current population are able to use it efficiently.[/hider]
[hider=Death]
When your character dies, you turn into a Remain Light. Remain Lights persist for ten minutes before they're extinguished and the respective player departs from the world... forever. However, during the duration of the Remain Light, the character may be revived by the high level magic possessed by Undines known as «Resurrection» or by rare consumable items in the game.[/hider]
[hider=The Grand Quest]
The players start the quest by arriving at the entrance to the World Tree and accepting the quest from the guardian statues. There is no limit to the amount of players participating as long as they are of the same race or an allied one. When the quest is accepted, the gate to the World Tree opens and players are temporarily granted unlimited flight for the duration of the raid attempt. The goal of the players is to reach the gate at the top of the quest area without getting killed by the infinitely spawning Guardian Knights, the number of which increases in proportion to the distance left to the gate, reaching a spawn rate of 12 guardians per second at the closest point to the gate. Although the individual guardians are easy to dispose of, their sheer number and re-spawn rate makes them more powerful than any boss monster. [/hider]

Obviously this doesn't encapsulate every single thing about the world but it contains most of the key points. Feel free to ask me anything you have doubts about. I also greatly encourage people to contribute with worldbuilding in any way whatsoever.

[hr]
[h3]Character Template[/h3]
[b]Appearance:[/b] Picture (anime only) and/or description.
[b]Height:[/b] In centimeters. 
[b]Weight:[/b] In kilograms.
[b]RLN:[/b] Real life name.
[b]IGN:[/b] In game name.
[b]Age:[/b] Your character's real age.
[b]Race:[/b] What race did you select?
[b]History:[/b] What to to put here is up to you but keep it brief.
[b]Personality:[/b] You can use personality traits and/or give a description.
[b]Character Build:[/b] Describe your playstyle and key masteries. You don't have to specify exact values as long as they're [i]feasible[/i]. Kirito took 2+ years as a frontliner and most of his skills were only around 90% mastery. We are only one month into the game.
[b]Other:[/b] Whatever doesn't fit above goes here.

[hr]
[h3]Rules[/h3]
[list]
[*]Acceptable grammar.
[*]Quality over quantity.
[*]Respect other players (but don't be afraid to kill them).
[*]No godmodding/powerplaying.
[*]No metagaming.
[*]No speedposting. Especially when you're in a group. Don't leave people out.
[*]Please don't just vanish. If you want to go on hiatus, I will allow it so you can return at a later time.
[*]Post character in OOC and await approval before creating it in the character bucket.
[*]Be considerate and realistic in battle posts. E.g. no autohits, no asspulls and no ignoring relevant battle posts.
[/list]