[b]Introduction[/b]

I am Ryder, a pleasure to meet you! This is going to be a group fantasy RP. The world has been conquered by an immortal warrior (can be killed but won’t die from natural causes) who has made himself king. He has subjugated all the races of the earth – humans, elves, dwarves..etc. King Merrick has decreed that any immortal warriors other than him be put to death and any new ones who are born shall also be put to death. He has ruled for hundreds of years, the living conditions of his people getting worse and worse. An underground movement to overthrow the tyrant king has naturally sprung up but they need a leader and most of all they need warriors who like the King are immortal and can control the elements. The name of these immortal warriors is Soturi. 

You can choose to play as a Soturi or a regular person, whichever you prefer. Now if you choose to be Soturi keep in mind that your character would keep that fact secret for fear of being put to death. Each Soturi can only control one element so choose wisely.
I will be playing the king along with several other characters as needed to guide the plot. I'll go into more detail on how the King came to power and how he set up his government to keep the people oppressed. He has made a point of flaunting the nobility's wealth to keep the people from uniting against him, rather wanting them to focus on hating each other. 

The King came to power when he took control of the Soturi order, being the strongest and most cunning among them. They fought to drive out orcs, ogres and goblins that were being led by the God of the underworld. Once they were driven back into the underworld the Soturi order was decimated and the worlds armies crippled. He secretly had his close followers kill the remaining Soturi, who served as guardians of the people. He then declared himself king of all the land and those loyal to him enforced his rule. He left the nobility and royalty of each conquered nation intact to rule in his stead since him empire was so vast. Any who opposed him were killed publicly as a warning. Eventually he had full control and no longer needed those closest to him. Fearing they may one day be able to overpower him he killed the remaining Soturi who had been loyal to him and decreed that any children born Soturi be put to death immediately. Harboring Soturi was also punishable by death. Newborns were to be inspected by city guards for the mark of the Soturi but could often be persuaded to look the other way, money usually exchanging hands. 

[hider=Nations] The world may have been conquered but the nations of the world have been left intact. Here are the main nations and a brief description of each.

[u]Lempea[/u]

This is where the tyrant King has made his home, in the Ivory Palace. It is the wealthiest of the nations, being the proverbial melting pot of the world, all races are common sights here. They have a bustling trade with their access to the oceans and other waterways. There is a large berth between the nobility who have pledged allegiance to the tyrant king and the general populace.

[u]Timantti[/u]

Located in a mountainous region this is the nation mostly inhabited by dwarves. Lots of mining of jewels and other precious metals are conducted here but they keep very little of the wealth as most of it is given to Lempea, raising tensions between the two nations. Travelers are not uncommon but elves are generally not welcome.

[u]Muratti[/u]

Located deep in the forests of the south is the home of the elves. They are the poorest of the nations but also the proudest, proud of their heritage. Beautiful landscapes and cities built into nature draw many travelers. Unlike their dwarven counterparts they welcome dwarves. The only people they take issue with are half elves as they view them as being neither truly alive or dead since they come from two different worlds. Half-elves are often spit upon and turned away from basic services such as lodging or food. [/hider]

[hider=Races] The races you can play as are:
[b]Humans[/b] are the most versatile race as they are the most varied. They range in height from 4'11 to just over 6'0. They have various hair and eye colors. They are the most common race. They have a lifespan of about 100 years.

[b]Elves[/b] are considered the most beautiful race - tall, slender and fair skinned. They look on other races sadly since their lifespans are much shorter than their own which can go as long as 2000 years. Some (very few) elves can remember a time before the tyrant king. They have a strong love for nature and the arts. They do not tend to like dwarves due to their temperament. They consider humans to be brash, uneducated children. Elves tend to have light colored hair and blue or green eyes and are incapable of growing facial hair, their ears come to a point.
 
[b]Dwarves[/b] are the hardiest of all the races but rarely are they taller than 4'6. They make good warriors and have excellent night vision from their life in the mines. They are hot tempered and usually heavy drinkers. They take great pride in the length of their beards and braids. They tend to have red or dark colored hair and brown eyes. They have a lifespan of 600 years.

[b]Half-elves[/b] don't seem to fit in anywhere. They have slightly curved ears and unlike their elven parent can grow facial hair. They have the varied height and skin tone of humans. Humans don't seem to mind them but elves tend to be wary of them. It is unusual to see a half elf living among elves for any extended period of time. They have a life span of 1200 years. They generally seem to have the impulsivity of their human parent.

[b]Gnomes[/b] are short and slender, often mistaken for children. They tend to be of darker skin color from their time in the sun. They make excellent merchants despite their penitent for being silly. They are a generally fun loving race. They make excellent thiefs as they typically go unnoticed. They have a lifespan of 120 years.

(If you can think of a different race you'd like to play as that I have not listed but is generally in a fantasy world feel free to PM me and we can discuss the possibility) [/hider]

[hider=Religion][u] Polytheistic Gods[/u]

Some people of the world follow the old religion which has a pantheon of Gods and Goddesses. Choosing to worship some gods and not others is not unheard of or having a patron deity that one identifies with is also not uncommon.

Helvetti- God of the Underworld
Sota- Goddess of War
Elama- Goddess of life, usually attributed as the Creator God
Rakkaus- God of Love
Sato- God of the Harvest
Metsastys- Goddess of the Hunt
Talvi- Goddess of Winter
Kevat- Goddess of Spring
Kesa- Goddess of Summer
Syksy- Goddess of Fall (all 4 goddesses of the seasons are sisters)
Raha- God of good fortune, usually referring to fortune as in money.

[u]Monotheistic God[/u]

Often referred to as the One “True” God by his followers. Followers believe that all of the old Gods are in fact the same God, the One True God. 

Isa- God of All 
You can also choose to be agnostic or atheist. Your character may even be angry with the Gods![/hider]


[hider=Soturi] Soturis have a mark somewhere on their body that identifies what element they control. It looks like a dark tattoo or brand on the skin that they go to great lengths to cover up since simply existing is a death sentence. Soturis come from all races and can come from families that have a history of being Soturis or a family that has never had one in their bloodline. Their ability to control the elements is generally thought to be a gift from the Gods.

The elements you may choose from:
Fire
Earth
Water
Light
Darkness
Air

The abilities of each element will be something we discuss via PM so that others will see how it plays out in the RP. Keep a bit of a mystery going. There are limits to what a Soturi can do in one sitting, exerting themselves has consequences ranging from headaches, nose bleeds, unconsciousness and even death in severe cases. [/hider]

[hider=Magi] Non Soturi Magic is in contrast to the Soturi celebrated. It is a rare and sought after gift. Typically mortals who show signs of magic are whisked away from their families to study in colleges of magic until adulthood, they are afforded the best education money can buy - without actually having to pay for it. In return they are expected to help the King but that does not stop some Magi, as they are called, from leading normal lives, hiding their abilities or some even go so far as to join the Rebellion. 

Magi are capable of much of the same things Soturi are but not typically as powerful, with few exceptions. They are however capable of things that Soturi are not like healing magic or wards. Magi who grow powerful enough can even turn back the ravages of time.  [/hider]

[hider=The Rebellion] Aside from having a very original name they can be a force to be reckoned with. That is if they can get their act together. There are pockets of resistance here and there. Their greatest weakness is that they lack unity. The Rebellion is desperately searching for a leader(s). Someone who will inspire the people to stand up and fight. Someone the fighters of the Rebellion will listen to and follow to the depths of the underworld and back if need be. Are you who we've been searching for? [/hider]

In the next post I will include the CS I would like you to fill out along with some character sheets for some NPCs so you can get an idea of the story and what I'm looking for in this RP. 

If you have any questions feel free to PM me or ask them here. I do ask that if you PM me you include "Soturi" in the subject of the PM, helps me stay organized.

I am not going to post a list of rules because I feel like we should be able to use common sense, no god modding or attacking other players (if its story related that's fine but if you're making fun of someone I WILL JUDICIOUSLY KICK YOU OUT). I will most likely be on everyday or every other day. I do not require that you be as active as I am but be courteous to me and the other players, if you're going to be gone for a while let me know either here or in PM. I can temporarily or permanently write out your character based on your preference. I understand that real life comes first but if I have not heard from you in 2 weeks I will assume that you have lost interest and write your character out (temporarily so you may come back if you contact me and explain what happened). If you are gone for an extended period of time with no explanation I will write your character out permanently and you will have to join as a new character if you wish to come back.