[center][color=7CFC00]Hello! I'm Crumbs, as you may know. Thanks for sticking with me, if you're here from the [url=http://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/148075-moonscratch-chronicle-cycle-one/ooc]Interest Check[/url]. If you're new to the whole concept; I'd like to give you a warm welcome and let you know that, while I intend for this to be a small-group affair, you may always apply to join. (feel free to send me a PM or post in the OOC section, here) Those of you who are coming with me from the Interest Check, a lot of this will look familiar to you. I'm going to be compiling a lot of information into this post (new, when it's new and some old stuff) and running this thread in much the same manner as I did the precursor. Below is another flavor intro. (read the first one, if you haven't...if you want to) After that will be some information...then some more stuff, said by me.[/color]

[hider=Two of One] 
[color=808080][i]Yet again, do I occupy this space.[/i][/color]

 She drifted through the nothingness that had become her home, immobile but spread throughout the undulating darkness; wrapped in thoughts born of un-being. It was she, the nameless Origin that had given rise to all things in Aedrasil. She who had given rise to treacherous and spiteful Strife, who now called himself Kanys. She had kissed the lips of each living thing as it was lulled into slumber, long before Steig had been a construct of the machine's desire, and danced with their minds in realms far beyond that which could sustain their corporeal bodies. Yet, they would never know her. She had given herself wholly to all that existed, but would never be anything more than an empty space; sporadically existing when celestial convenience so dictated.

 [color=808080][i]As it must be. Emptiness is my only form, the only fashion in which I can express myself. It is the only way in which I am known.[/i][/color]

 Origin had come to understand, since she had last spoken to the void, very little that she did not already know. Yet, there was a difference in her purr. Something that had not been stirred within the confines of Eternity in an incalculable moment. Hope laced the words of the nameless, broken everything-and-nothing. It was not forbidden to her to hope. Little had been forbidden to her, since her birth, save certain bits of knowledge pertaining to the machine and moments where ignorance of events in motion were forced into her mind. Something [i]felt[/i] different, Origin knew. The blank spaces she had filled in long ago, those that had become the emptiness that she was, were now coming into focus. Where umbrage swam and mingled before, colors now ate and regurgitated one another. No scene that would be sensible to mortal eyes formed in their less-than-lucid movements, but the nameless one could understand that her absent eyes were being drawn to Delad, once more. 

[color=808080][i]Is it not too soon for the Darkness in Delad to allow me this vision?[/i][/color]

 A question for herself, for the machine; for the order of all things. There was no answer, of course, as an answer could not exist within Eternity while it held form. Something had shifted within the machine, within the scheme of all things. She was being given a small window to peer, again, into the world of mortals. Muted elation filled Origin as she became fixated on the formless menagerie of colors, reaching out with all of herself to find those who had caught her attention before. For a fleeting moment, she found them...strange, shapeless wisps of smoke that presented themselves to her; their forms filling in as she recalled having made them in eons long gone.

 Somewhere in the roiling darkness of Eternity, a smile formed on a face that did not exist. Hope filled Origin, hope that Aedrasil could avoid the fate that it had suffered so many times; that these wisps of smoke could undo what she could not. 

[color=808080][i]Hope, however, is not without danger,[/i][/color] Origin sadly whispered to beings that would never hear her voice, [color=808080][i]That you exist is a danger, in its self. That I can see you is a greater threat. My shadow...Kanys...something is amiss...[/i][/color]

 As she worried, she came undone; the small figures of smoke and all the small colors of Eternity coming undone with her. This was nothing unusual. Sinking from clarity, back to black and then to a deeper absence...Origin curled in on herself, nursing hopes for a new future in a silence more uncertain than that which inevitably awaited her. 
[/hider]
 [hider=Terms][b]Origin[/b]; While omnipotent, the Origin is a limited and perpetually broken incarnation of the will of an even higher power. When she 'exists', she has the capacity to observe all events occurring within the mundane realms; albeit with some restrictions, once certain events begin. Often, Origin is drawn to observing certain individuals or objects. She is not worshiped, directly, on Aedrasil; but is represented in some capacity through the facets of the Order Sequential. 

 -[b]Order Sequential[/b]; Name for the pantheon, not commonly used by mortals. Includes Kanys, Belme, Ashtus, Gnara and Stieg. Called such because of their power structure. Kanys, being eldest, has more influence and authority than his lesser brother Stieg. All religions possess at least some representation of the Order Sequential; even if the details differ in their origins, structure or function.

 [i]Kanys[/i]- Embodiment of Strife, Kanys is the name taken by Origin's foil. Created by the necessity of balance in whimsy, Strife was brought into being in the 'moment' after Origin's first words echoed through the void. His first act was to slay Origin and scatter her pieces into Aedrasil. Mortals, through the years, tell the story not as one of vicious murder, but loving creations. While a war-like god, most mortals see him as the first god and thus attribute to him the qualities of a creator. Often, it is paraphrased that "Kanys reached out and grabbed the Light, breaking it to pieces, scattering them on the heavenly tapestry to allow we small creatures to see. The largest piece, Luna, the night-sun, was a piece of the Light he gifted to Darkness; a pearl in which to gather all of our weakness...all of our sins..."

 He is usually portrayed as a man clad in armor. His worshipers are varied. 

 Many do not know that Kanys was defeated, after being forced into a mortal form, aside from the Order Sequential; nor do they know that Kanys' mask was sundered and scattered across Aedrasil.
 
 [i]Belme[/i]- Mistress of Sky, Belme is a goddess of wind, healing and the movement of celestial bodies. She is said to be generous, but tempestuous in her humors. Usually portrayed as a beautiful woman with long, flowing hair. Her followers are physicians, healers and those who travel the sea.

 [i]Ashtus[/i]- Eye of Magic, Ashtus is a being said to exist within all mortal creatures; composing part of the force that animates them. It is usually depicted by a sphere, or in the case of anthropomorphism a man wearing a cowl and robe with a featureless face. Those who give praise to Ashtus are Mages and nomads.

 [i]Gnara[/i]- Keeper of Seasons, Gnara holds dominion over the wild expanses of Aedrasil. Where Ashtus flows through all things, Gnara is seen to be the force behind their perpetuation; and is usually seen as a fertility goddess. Depicted as a voluptuous woman, clad in a wreathe of leaves about her waist. Her followers are varied.

 [i]Stieg[/i]- Silence of Slumber, Stieg is dreams, death and prophecy. Said to impart dreams to mortals, while he himself is in constant slumber; reaching out to pull away the life granted to them without much in the way of thought, sending them throughout the void to be sorted by the rest of the Order Sequential. Stieg is considered to be less interested in the affairs of mortals and is depicted as a sleeping serpent, coiled around its self. Few actively worship Stieg, but he is often given mention in ceremonies involving death.

[b]Moonscratch[/b]; When Kanys placed Origin's heart in the midnight sky, he placed upon it a curse...and a curse on all those who would ever be touched by its Light. Those who have an exceptional soul will find themselves Moonscratched, one day, nearly without a doubt. What constitutes an exceptional soul, no one has been able to truly pinpoint. Despite the vagaries, the reality of the Moonscratch is quite grim. First, a scar appears on the Scratched; deep and purple, spreading slowly outward. When next Luna's full embrace falls upon them, they will be wracked with pain; a parallel, inverted existence being pulled from them...and made flesh before their eyes. Usually, the shadow-self will speak...mocking the weaknesses of its former host, prodding at them before moving in to attack.

 If one should fall to their shadow-selves, they will lose control; becoming a shadow in their own mind as the victor does as it wishes with the host's former body. This possession lasts until the next full moon, when another duel will take place between the two; the shadow-self forced out and the host given control once more. However, once the shadow-self has taken over the original it begins attempting to absorb the host's soul. If the host succumbs, the shadow-self will usually set about its own vile goals. 

 The Lunar Festival, despite its seemingly cheery activities is an event that precedes the ritualistic suicide of countless Moonscratched. Usually, those who attend the Festival to meet their end have made the choice to do so. Some, who are considered dangerous, are occasionally executed.

[b]Delad[/b]; The largest nation on the largest continent on Aedrasil, Delad has prospered where other cultures and structures of power have failed. This is largely due in part to the Deladish way of acceptance, bred into the land its self long before the first non-natives arrived. Delad is headed by a Vaunted Council, which handles matters by matter of debate, discussion and then voting. There is no standing army in Delad, as the Vaunted Council tends to utilize the Guilds when storms of war stir on the horizon. Vaald serves as its capital.

 
 -[i]Tantas[/i]; The largest continent on Aedrasil. Has widely varying climates and environments. Largely dominated by Delad. Some unclaimed territories lie to the northwest and far south. Somewhat shaped like a hand, albeit missing a thumb.

 -[i]Vaunted Council[/i]; Composed of two elected representatives from each race, the Vaunted Council is a forum of debate that forms the ruling body of Delad. They meet regularly in the Resplendent Court to discuss the ebb and flow of Deladish politics.

 -[i]Vaald[/i]; Capital city of Delad and by far the most populous and expansive metropolis in the nation. Populated by countless Guilds. Situated in the center of Tantas, many roads lead to and from Vaald. [/hider]




[hider=Unusual Races]


[b]Ewori[/b]; Created, originally, by Ragar the Mad, the Ewori were once a race of slaves; sent forth from Gnara's Locks in the far north down into a young Delad. Succubi, they are, or were, in the simplest terms. That was long ago, however, and Ragar has long since fallen from his high tower and disappeared from the mundane plane. As such, modern Ewori are less vicious (and voracious) than their ancestors and function much as any other Deladish race would; having representatives on the Vaunted Council.

 All Ewori are women and only give birth to other Ewori. They appear as a human woman would, albeit with vestigal bat-like wings (that they often decorate) and a keen beauty about them, otherwise. The Ewori, being (originally) magically created creatures, have an inclination to become Mages or other magically inclined Classes.

[b]Uquii[/b]; A Deladish blanket-name given to the abandoned Half-Fey who appear within the Republic's borders. The Uquii do not have representation on the Vaunted Council, directly, but are allowed to vote for either of their lineage's delegates. Uquii are a widely varied bunch, given their possible parentage, and do not have much of a reputation within Delad; aside from generally being bringers of mischief and raucous revelers. They have no favored Classes, or particular magic inclination; aside from what their Fey blood imparts.

[b]Llangeli[/b]; The remnants of a space-faring militant fleet that came screaming into Aedrasil three years ago, the Llangeli find themselves stranded on foreign, uncertain soil. While they appear as human as the natives (when outside of their Environmental Protection Encapsulation System, which is, to simply say, an enclosed bodysuit), these extraplanars find themselves at odds with their very surroundings; if not directly in conflict with the local peoples. They have made a habit of "harvesting" local life for the magic found within it, in an attempt to utilize what they see as a new resource...as a means of escape or a means of conquering, but also as a means for survival. As such, those who have remained loyal to the Llangeli Armada tend to treat all the races of Aedrasil with equal disdain; seeing them as little more than bags of potential. With their advanced weaponry, some of which is kept in good repair, it is no trouble for them to overrun a small or even middling settlement without their being time for reaction.

 Not all of the Llangeli approve of this methodology, however; and believe that proffering their technological prowess to heal and cure is much more civil than using a Valravn Frame to set fire to an Elven Nest. Of course, the Llangeli do not speak any of the native tongues with ease; and rely, assuming they have not had prolonged interaction and sufficient chance to learn, (this is moreso applicable to the deserters, who do not usually capture and torture native life as a means of learning) on their Universal Language Application. The deserters are treated with contempt, if Loyalists happen across them; though there are occasions where particularly useful personnel will be reclaimed.

 As foreign entities in this reality...it seems that the Moonscratch has a deeper effect on the Llangeli as it would on others. They do not possess a shadow self, but instead the Moonscratch begins rapidly spreading throughout their body; causing horrific mutations that eventually consume the afflicted Llangeli, transmogrifying them into an abomination. The Llangeli Loyalists are, in part, harvesting local life in an attempt to better understand this new affliction...though their efforts have yet proven fruitless.

 Encounters with the Llangeli Loyalists have placed a heavy distrust on the Llangeli Deserters, though there is still the Deladish way of acceptance; which usually affords strays (if they can prove themselves trustworthy) a chance at integrating themselves slowly into a society that may well need their ingenuity. Llangeli have no magical inclination, and suffer strange effects from Aedrasil's more esoteric aspects. As such, have differing Classes than most native races. Soldier, Scientist, Engineer and Pilot are the most common.

[b]Iath[/b]- The Iath, while widespread, are non-indigenous to Tantas. Aside from a slight advantage in height and strength over average humans, they possess no particular inherent attributes; perhaps aside from a longevity that is something of a trademark to the race (living close to 300 years, in favorable conditions). The Iath are most easily known by their ears and tail, which are decidedly feline; as well as the yellowish coloration of their irises. [/hider]

[color=7CFC00]This is something new for me, as you may know from the Interest Check; the idea of a high-fantasy story. As such, I'm going to do my best to make it an entertaining experience for everyone involved. I want everyone to have fun and be creative. There are very little limitations as to what you can and can not be within the Moonscratch Chronicle, and cooperation/collaboration among those who've come here is highly encouraged. (by yours truly) All standard races and Classes are welcome, and I love it when people come up with their own ideas. Just run it by me, first, please.

 With that said, I do have certain expectations of those who want to be involved with this (potentially massive) project. We're only on Cycle One, which will serve as an introduction to the world (meaning we'll be making up a lot of stuff, during this period) and our main cast of characters. 

Here are my expectations;

•Two paragraphs per post, per character you control; at the minimum.

•Play nice. I don't like OOC drama. If you have a problem, please be civil about it.

•If you're going to be absent, or don't plan on posting for a time...please let everyone know so we can either work around it/have an ETA for your post in mind.

•Given how things have gone, I am now placing a limit on the time allotted to players' posts. Right now, it sits at [b]five days[/b] before we move along. The above expectation is still in effect, mind you; so this is not an [i]absolute[/i]. If there's something going on in your life, make sure to let me know (via message or PM) so we can avoid the same issue happening again. 

•Have fun and be creative! Seriously, don't hold back!

Below is a Character Sheet Skeleton.[/color]


[hider=Character Sheet Skeleton]

[b]Name[/b]: This one is pretty straightforward.

[b]Age[/b]: Some races live longer than others, and develop at different rates; so keep that in mind if you're making a particularly long-lived character.

[b]Race[/b]: There are myriad races that inhabit Aedrasil, ranging from the commonplace to the outright bizarre. Which are you? 

[b]Gender[/b]: Also pretty straightfoward. 

[b]Affiliation[/b]: What Guild or group you belong to, if any.

[b]Appearance[/b]: You can use an image (illustrations preferred), or write out a couple of paragraphs about what your character looks like.

[b]Personality[/b]: Fairly easy. 

[b]Class[/b]: This one is tricky, but somewhat simplistic. A Class is what defines the capabilities of your character. If you're using a standard Class, there won't be a lot to say, here; but you're welcome to spice things up and create your own...so long as it fits. If you're going custom, give us a little bit of insight as to what your Class is all about.

[b]Equipment[/b]: What good is an adventurer without gear? Put all your stuff in a nice little list, here. I'm limiting people to two magical items, of medium potency in the beginning. Mind you, that's the maximum...and I'll be looking over this stuff pretty closely; so try not to give yourself [i]too[/i] much of an edge.

[b]Abilities[/b]: This is where things get a little rocky. Abilities are defined by both Class and Race (allowing for two Racial Abilities), composing the repertoire of your character's combat prowess beyond simply swinging a sword or staff. Drawbacks to your race will also be listed, here.

[b]Biography[/b]: I'll only make you put about three paragraphs into this, if you choose to do it. I know a lot of Tantas and Delad its self is unmapped, so feel free to make up locations and the like. Make sure it makes sense.
[/hider]

[color=7CFC00]That's it, for now, folks! I'll be getting Isyph's Character Sheet up soon, in case anyone needs a 'guideline' on what one of these things should kinda look like. Feel free to expand on the Character Sheet Skeleton, if you would like. I'll go through and comb out any errors I've made, in time. 

Thanks for reading![/color]

[b][i]XOXO[/i][/b]
[i][color=7CFC00]Crumbs[/color][/i]

[hider=Edits]1) Changed phrasing to make Bio optional.
2) Added a posting time-limit to my expectations/rules.[/hider][/center]