In the beginning, the world was beautiful. Sierras of silver divided the landscape like the delicate curves of a cartographer's pen, and livable woodland stretched from coast to coast like conquerors, dense, rich and broken only by lush savannas, and flaxen prairies. And yet, despite all this… it was dark, cold and hollow. There were no men to stride through its vast, unexplored canyons, or delve beneath its silent, un-vexed seas: All was still, and the only light was the fire of distant stars, faint and without warmth. It was an incomplete work of art, hanging still and motionless within the great expanse of stars and shadows. Alone, before whatever creator had abandoned its great work could first breathe life into it.
But soon, fortune came, heralded by the passing of a shooting star: The Goddess Merida, patroness of starlight. In her passing she saw the world, and she fawned over it: For in everything, from its most delicate beaches to its most rugged mountain tops, she saw beauty… And yet, it saddened her. ‘This world’, she thought, ‘Is perfect. And yet it is cold, and still.’ But in her bosom she felt warmth like no other, and took pity upon this planet ruled by darkness.
And so she forged it a companion, one of her own heart, and set it above the world: Our sun, the brightest and most beautiful of all stars. And she decreed it be called Luxus –The Dawn Star, and the world she had gifted it to, Luxa. And at her command, Luxa was illuminated: The Dawn Star shone its finest, and shed upon the planet rays of gold and bronze, bleeding colour into the fields, the woodlands, the oceans. Vibrant, verdant greens, shimmering blues and sandy whites. And oh, she declared it beautiful: But still, she was saddened. She had given this world her heart, but it was yet empty, a wasted gift. A waif left neglected amongst her starry children. And so she gave it her breath, too: And in doing so she created the winds that did shake the trees and bellow throughout the valleys… and breathed life into Luxa, for the first time. The stag is fabled to have been the first beast Luxa raised from nothing, and so it became her symbol. Then the bird, the bear… and, eventually, mankind.
And, for a while, they rejoiced, and named her Mother of them all. But humanity, unbeknownst to Luxa and The All-Mother, was not alone. For when Luxus had first struck out, and disentangled Luxa from the cold bonds of darkness, it had involuntary created another world. For when darkness was forced to retreat from the rays of the sun… the first shadows were born. And within those shadows lay another land all together, Luxa’s deformed twin, twisted and eldritch: The Nocturne. And it, too, had felt Merida’s breath… and awoken within its centre were a different breed of creatures. Most prominently the spirits which wailed and rattled, given life at last, and under the darkling Nocturne sky, The Demon Princes they paid fealty to.
But this was not the concern of men, who cared very little for their shadows. Instead, they rejoiced in the light of the sun, and thrived! But as the centuries went on, man found life tiresome. The sun was never to set of Luxa, and whilst that was a good omen in metaphor, in practice it left mankind burnt, and weak. Nature shriveled at their feet, and- as The All-Mother had only given them life- they didn’t even realise they longed for death. They hadn’t even the knowledge to beg.
But Merida watched from afar, and loving matriarch that she was, was saddened again. Man worked under the tyranny of the sun eternally. Like the Gods they were unable to die, but they suffered for it. And so, one day she saw that Luxus and Luxa were lonesome, and plucked from the meteor she rode as though it were her beast of burden a sphere, made of ice, iron and rock. And she cast it into Luxa’s orbit, and knighted it The Dusk Star – Selene. Then, imbuing it with the faintest starlight, she tethered it to a stretch of the darkness, and gave Luxa a spin. That is the story of first day, and the first night.
And as mankind lay down, and slept for the first time, Selene reached through the night, and finally let the oldest die in peace. She gave humanity the gift of death, the gift of children, and the gift of rebirth. Then, satisfied, she retreated into the field of stars, and watched again from afar.
For a while, her resolve worked well: Men lived by day, and by night they rested. The world grew hot, and then cool, and Luxa thrived under that balance. It was only… Merida had not anticipated the selfishness of her own child, Luxus. For Luxus was a jealous star, who did not believe he should have to share the sky: And so with each passing century the day grew longer, and Selene- being a modest star- obliged, and made the night shorter to compensate. However, what Luxus did not know- and Selene did not rightly bother to tell him- was that at night, The Nocturne thrived. For when it was so dark that Luxa at large was enveloped in shadow, spirits walked the Earth and The Demon Princes paced the villages of mankind as though they were men. And- sensing that their time on Luxa grew ever shorter- they would not abide Luxus’ reign.
And so The Nocturne all at once revealed itself, and declared war on the sun itself. Pouring from the shadows were beings immortal, given life by Merida, but pardoned from the gift of death. And they marched, and joined arms with their mortal cousins to prevent Luxa from being once again under Luxus’ tyranny. Bestowing upon mankind the knowledge of demonic magics, they stretched a canopy of night across the skies, and blotted Luxus out completely. The sun was outraged, but powerless: For The Nocturne drew its power from Selene, and Selene, although smaller, feared Luxus not.
So day surrendered, and negotiated with night. Selene and Luxus- with Merida, their surprised mediator- agreed upon their times within the sky, including periods in which one would reign longer than the other, as long as- over all- balance was maintained. Then they set about making neutral points. No longer would night and day simply become one another, they would transition, slowly and regularly, so peace might be maintained: These periods between day and night could become Dawn and Dusk respectively, in honour of the titles Merida had bestowed upon them.
Satisfied, the denizens of The Nocturne returned peacefully to their lands (for the most part at least), and humanity settled finally into the eternal rhythm of dawn, day, dusk and night… and Merida, satisfied she had done well by her people, faded once again into the starlight. She will return, it’s fabled, when such a time as she is needed again…
… so she’d best arrive soon.
The world of Luxa holds it breath, as the political relationships between the Kingdoms of Dawn, Day, Dusk and Night threaten to crumble and collapse.
Hundreds of years of order, balance and commerce have been put to the blade, as a radical sect of Arcanists calling themselves The First Light have emerged from deep within The Kingdoms of Luxus, the territories dedicated to the daylight.
And- unbeknownst to the kingdom’s citizens- have revealed that they have, for decades, been working an ancient and destructive magic from within the Kingdom’s walls.
A dark combination of the four Luxomancy arts so old and powerful that they have begun to deconstruct the state of dusk with it, lengthening the day at the expense of the twilight hours.
Whilst this may seem a meagre crime, to rob a few hours daylight, the result is astronomical. For in the crepuscular shadows of the twilight, beyond the reach of modest men, is a whole new world, caught within a perpetual eventide. The Duskthorough.
Once, it was a land at peace, where the air was crisp, and rich with the magic on which opacamancers called… but as dusk slowly dwindles, its time grows short. Within The Duskthorough there is an unspoken dread. The weather, once a never ceasing spring’s night, is now unpredictable and wild, as now is the magus the land’s Arcanists cast to combat it.
And with The Duskthorough in disorder, The Crepuscular Kingdoms risks losing their oldest partner in trade, and their oldest ally.
Meanwhile, the people of The Darkling Domains, or ‘The Kingdom of Night’, are involved in their own political struggles. For it’s within their territories that The Nocturne comes truly alive come nightfall, and the otherworldly powers that be are not happy with the state of The Duskthorough. It, much like The Dawnstream, was their machination, a means of making peace with the sun.
With Luxus so determined to break that peace, The Nocturne is gearing up for war with a power they barely even understand.
With The Kingdoms of Luxus occupied with the enemy within its own walls, The Duskthorough and Crepuscular Kingdoms in a state of eventual decay, and The Darkling Domains hoping against hope to prevent a war which might destabilise Luxa further, it seems the only territories with any sort of peace of mind are those who fall beneath the banner of The Dawn.
But the Aurora Empire, and The Dawnstream, grow ever more concerned by the state of the world at large. But what hope have they? Their Arcanists are as well versed as any other kingdoms, and yet they cannot hope to combat The First Light’s archaic magics…
No, knowledge like that is surely ancient. Perhaps taken from a book that was never written, borrowed from the thoughts of some half-mad demon.
It stands to reason, however, that if such a magic exists, so too must another to counteract it. After all, were Arcanists not, at their very base, scientists? And was that not their golden rule? For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction?
The Aurora Empire has sent out a call to action for any young, promising Arcanists willing to lend their hands and magus to the resolution of this terror.
Their duty, to excavate the farthest reaches of The Duskthorough, The Dawnstream, The Nocturne and Luxa herself, and uncover a power to stop The First Light before The Duskthorough is gone completely.
And, failing that… to kill The First Light’s creed, before they can do the same to The Dawn.
And so our story begins. Welcome to Forwards Unto Dusk, a tale of the days that precede the potential apocalypse.
You are Noctua Company, a small group of mercenary Arcanists established by The Aurora Empire with the goal of seeking out new and powerful magics, in the hopes of re-establishing the predetermined celestial balance.
You are a small group, comprised of magic users from all about Luxa.
But of course, you know all this. What you really need to know about is…
Magus
Since the first denizen of The Nocturne passed down the first spell, mankind has been utterly enamoured with magic. But just what is it, this strange and bewitching energy?
For centuries books have portrayed mighty wizards and witches felling foul beasts with magic words and wands in hand…
But in reality, those wizards and witches are actually Arcanists, Luxa’s most esteemed scholars and scientists.
And magic, or Magus as Arcanists call it, is their science. What looks to any none-practicing observer like the hurling of a fireball is, in reality, a very precise manipulation of quantum metaphysics.
By studying for all of their lives, and mastering an understanding both of modern English and ancient Luxor, astronomy, mathematics and theoretical physics, Arcanists have figured out how to bend and twist the subtle folds of the world around us, and accomplish fantastical feats in the process.
They are our magical scientists, highly respected and dedicated to understanding the workings of all magus, and their job is never done.
There’s is one thing about magus Arcanists don’t rightly know anything about, though, and that’s what exactly decides what sort Arcanist a person will become.
Although they’ve tweaked magus down to a literal science, one mystery remains: Why is it when two Arcanists perform the same mental equation, one generates fire, whilst the other bends light?
This is what keeps magus interesting: The randomness of an Arcanist’s powers. Two students on the same path of study could diverge suddenly, with one becoming a realised necromancer, and the other a potent healer.
Yes, magus is a fascinating thing… but not nearly as fascinating as…
The Morrow Realms
At first, we believed Luxa to be a world all on her own, beautiful and singular. However, we know now we were wrong. Thrice.
The first world to reveal itself to us was The Nocturne, regarded to be Luxa’s twisted shadow. It is a land where the sky is always a dark and swollen purple, the moon never sets and the stars make no efforts to hide their fires, blazing like long-stricken flames against the canopy of the night.
Its geography is indescribable, if not for its jarring and eldritch nature, then because it’s constantly shifting, bending to the will of its masters.
Because of this, and in theory, The Nocturne is eternal in both age and size: Not even The Demon Princes have traversed their world in whole, and in trying in their youth they uncovered knowledge from books never written, and records from times that had yet to pass. These discoveries suggest to us that the flow of time in The Nocturne is cyclical, or else untethered from the known laws of temporal physics altogether, and whether that means it existed long before Luxa is a topic of fierce debate amongst most theologians.
What territories of The Nocturne we do know of are those that roughly occupy the same amount of territory as The Darkling Domains, as it lingers in their shadows.
This is a vast stretch of land divided into fifteen parts by fifteen Demonic princes (princes only in name, for at least five of them are female.)
And yet, the spirits under their dominion are without suffering: To be a demon does not make one inherently evil or power thirsty, it simply makes them… easy to bore. The Demonic Princes care little for human matters lest they interfere with The Nocturne, and otherwise intervene only in order to make things more interesting. Each Prince also claims the fealty of some particular element in The Nocturne not comprised within their lands. Who claims what seems to be a closely guarded secret, but we do know this: Saveus Hawthorne, Fengari Prince of The Shadow Wreath, claims possession of The Dusk Star, and his sister Accipi Hawthorne, Prince of The Obsidian Throne, of the sky.
The Nocturne is inhabited largely by spirits and generally incorporeal entities, but does also play host to some terrifying beasts: The Firedrake is said to have emerged from The Nocturne during the war against the sun, and the creatures of the night are fabled to have followed. The Nocturne is the homeland of all demons, their natural territory, and resting place… should you want to strike a deal.
The Duskthorough
The realm theoretically adjacent to both Luxa and The Nocturne, The Duskthorough has been regarded throughout the centuries as a work of art, the tranquil yin to The Dawnstream’s energised yang. An archipelago comprised of thousands of smaller islets orbiting a moderately sized Mediterranean island known as Kardia, and set upon the gentle waves of an amber ocean, The Duskthorough is the image brought to mind whenever a person ponders a quiet island paradise.
The sky is of perpetual twilight, a series of purples and reds peaking over the horizon and staining the world gold.
For the most part, The Duskthorough is occupied by neutral entities, spirits and similar constructs who have retired from The Nocturne in search of peace. However, opacamancers and their associates are no strangers to the realm, and as such the islands also play host to a small and docile collection of humans and Arcanists seeking peace within the dusky light of never-ceasing gloaming.
What waits beyond the oceans of The Duskthorough is a mystery to everyone, however: Whenever spirit or man alike has attempted to sail out and explore, they’ve somehow always ended up re-docking on the sandy white shores of Kardia.
Although once the envy of the realms for its simplicity, The Duskthorough has recently been on its guard, as it would seem the twilight is regularly broken by tumultuous storms, the likes of which have made the furthest of the islands from Kardia near unliveable by virtue of their unrestricted destructive power.
The Dawnstream
If The Duskthorough is the sleepy Mediterranean dream, then The Dawnstream is the jumping youth-fantasy. A tropical isle flanked on all sides by pale, sandy beaches and deep, cyan ocean, The Dawnstream is caught in a state of perpetual sunrise and unstoppable energy. Inhabited by a massive clutch of creatures, ranging from emigrating Arcanists to indigenous, oceanic humanoids, The Dawnstream is simultaneously the smallest and busiest of the Morrow Realms. Aside from playing host to balmy winds and summery spices all year round, it’s also the only realm in which volcanic water is readily available (from the caves beneath the main isle), and combined with the salts found readily in the realm’s sand, this makes it a veritable goldmine for travelling spectral salesmen.
The in-land is covered in dense and beautiful patches of palm trees, separated by massive limestone market plazas, where business is done furiously and consistently through all hours of the day. The wine flows like ale and money from all over the realms pours into and out of The Dawnstream’s pockets. Its citizens usually build their homes on the beach, as the sea is temperate and unthreatening.
Entering the different Morrow realms can be tricky. Whilst an umbramancer can enter The Nocturne at any time, the same cannot be said of an opacamancer or auroramancer. The same applies to their respective territories, meaning access to each is limited, and almost impossible for anyone of the elemental distinctions. This can be circumvented with the help of a Journeyman’s Sigil, an ancient Arcanist symbol which permits travel between the Morrow Realms to any Arcanist of any expertise. They are, however, tricky to make without the right resources… fortunately, a salesman spirit will never be unwilling to flog its wares, if you should track one down.
[The Kingdoms]
Then, there’s our world, Luxa itself. The globe is vast, but has been divided betwixt four kingdoms, all representative of a particular quarter of the solar/lunar cycle.
The Kingdoms of Luxus, otherwise regarded as ‘The Kingdoms of the Day’ or ‘The Five Kingdoms’, form the largest of the Luxan principalities. Largely feudal, they inhabit the Northern hemisphere’s flatlands and savannahs, and are comprised mainly of rudimentary agricultural villages. For the most part, the folk there are simple and honest, and work day to day to carve their living.
However, whilst these farming settlements may represent the majority of The Kingdoms of Luxus’ territory, they are not what people picture whenever they think about them at all.
The Kingdoms of Luxus are iconic not for their peasant-folk, but instead for their massive castles, superstructures built of out Caen stone and towering over the landscape under their dominion. Their walls are mountainous, and their interiors so wide that often the cities within will share the land with the wealthier of Luxus’ farmers. All together there are five of these castles (Castles Ilios, Soliere, Sonne, Foteino and Titannia) and the territory of each is considered a different kingdom under Luxus. Despite this, the rulers of each answer to one authority, The Knight-King Ilios.
Religion and magus-wise, the people of The Kingdoms of Luxus are very fervent worshippers of Luxus’ might. Solmancers needn’t work hard to become celebrities within the castle walls, as the simpler peasants regard them as incarnations of Luxus himself descended unto them. However, umbramancers, necromancers and any other sort known to confer with dark powers, in the metaphorical and literal senses, are often openly despised, despite the kingdoms’ laws of toleration (which state such Arcanists are to be left unharmed, but cannot practice within the territory of The Kingdoms of Luxus.)
This is the kingdom where The First Light reared their heads and began causing trouble. Although they seem to have fled or disappeared back into the crowds by now, it seems that they were operating from somewhere within Castle Foteino, a territory renowned for its religious zealots. Although Knight-King Ilios has voiced his opposition to The First Light and begun a counter-attack inside his own walls, some (albeit a minority) of the denizens of The Five Kingdoms are in agreement with the radicals, which has led to illicit Arcane studies and attacks of random terror within the walls of the castles. The sleepy villages outside have changed little in light of recent events.
The Darkling Domains (or ‘The Kingdoms of Night’) are The Kingdoms of Luxus’ neighbour to the South, and- in many ways- their opposites.
Although they are connected intimately to a realm ruled by princes, The Darkling Domains deposed their monarchy centuries ago in favour of a more progressive system of democratic government.
They then proceeded to vote the wrong people into the role of ‘Tyrant’ almost consistently, a proud Darkling tradition.
The current Tyrant of The Darkling Domains, however, is a compassionate soul. Tyrant Tondeo Carpo has been greatly concerned by the political unrest in Luxa and has been playing mediator between The Nocturne and The Kingdoms of Luxus for months, now.
The Darkling Domains occupy the valleys and forests of the southern hemisphere, and are a little more progressive than their northern neighbours. The peasant class is more or less gone from the Darkling infrastructure, the society in general having gone through a renaissance of sorts a few hundred years prior.
Although The Darkling Domains boast only one castle between them, their lands are generally more developed, dappled with trading, functioning towns built of wood, slate and plaster, as well as travelling bands of spirit merchants.
Magus-wise, Arcanists of any walk of life are welcomed within the territories of the Darkling Domains, be ye Solmancer, Necromancer of Psionic. They consider themselves a very forwards-thinking society, where an Arcanist can experiment freely within the borders of ethics.
Because of this philosophy, one might think The Darkling Domains less religious than The Five Kingdoms, but in actuality The Darkling Domains have never held onto a religion as such. They consider The Dusk Star less a God and more a friend of their kingdom, and although they are a very superstitious and magus-minded people, said superstitions change between towns and are often laughed about betwixt migrating citizens.
The Darkling Domains’ only castle is a mass, hilltop fortress which could rival any of The Kingdoms of Luxus’ castles one-on-one. Carved from a mysterious grey stone, the castle is famous for its tall spires and grotesque carvings, which line the walls like ancient murals. This is Lang Castle, capital of The Darkling Domains.
Spires, carvings and high arches are themes prevalent in a lot of Darkling architecture, most prominently The Yingzi-Magus Academy, Luxa’s most prolific facility for the study of Elemental and Kinetic magus, and the crown jewel of the town Lang Castle plays citadel to.
The Crepuscular Kingdoms, or ‘The Kingdoms of Dusk’, probably take up the smallest amount of Luxa’s known landmasses. Predominantly in the East and just slightly to the North, The Crepuscular Kingdoms largely occupy the coasts and are renowned for their militant neutrality in political conflicts. The Crepuscular Kingdoms are largely interested in trading as opposed to any sort of struggle, a standpoint that makes sense given that many impatient spirit merchants make their final tours through their territory before settling down in The Duskthorough within the kingdom’s shadow.
Its anti-military stance is interesting, however, given that despite it The Crepuscular Kingdoms have the largest naval fleet of all Luxa’s territories, and a habit of producing daring explorers, many of whom have actually tried at some point or another to map The Nocturne.
Recently, The Crepuscular Kingdoms have been tense and are hurrying to evacuate any spirits and Arcanists trying to flee The Duskthorough. As it is their trade routes through the realm are disrupted, and with their humanitarian efforts taking up most of their time, the military forces of dusk have thus far been unable to mount a chase on The First Light. This said, The Crepuscular Kingship (which is a misnomer, as they are in fact a democratically elected body of government) have offered their most enthusiastic young Arcanists to the efforts of The Aurora Empire to stop and apprehend the radicals.
The Crepuscular Kingdoms are not particularly religious, but they are very spiritual. Their people are genuinely quite humble, but whether this is the result of overexposure to The Duskthorough is yet unclear.
The Aurora Empire is the second smallest stake in Luxa, occupying the mountains and gorges of the East. Their cities are carved into the sides of mountains, be they silver or chalk, and the deed is done with great care towards their choice of architecture. Fluted pillars, columns and ceramics are largely what comprise Auroran buildings, and clay and terracotta statues line most of the streets.
Whilst The Kingdoms of Luxus are the biggest and wealthiest of the territories, The Aurora Empire is certainly the most ostentatious of them.
And why not? Auroran architects, artisans and artists are the envy of Luxa. Each kingdom has its own specialty: The Kingdoms of Luxus are proud to train the best solmancers in the world, the Crepuscular Kingdoms breed legendary explorers and sailors, The Darkling Domains are liberal and simply aglow with magus… and The Aurora Empire is the best looking of them all.
It’s also a trading powerhouse, with salesman and merchant spirits aplenty pouring in and out of the Dawnstream keen to turn a profit or two: This is largely where Auroran artists and architects get their resources.
Because of this relationship with the Dawnstream, Aurorans at large are a fairly religious people, although they worship not Selene or Luxus but instead Luxa herself, for she’s their muse and from her mountains they carve masterpieces.
The capital, Don Monda, is just one of these works of chiselled perfection: A grand baroque city of gold and marble, forged and folded by the deftest hands on the planet.
Still, Empress Scettero tries not to get too big a head when she admires it from her ivory palace, which sits in its dead centre, scrimshawed with carvings of The Dawnstream that lays within its shadow.
In fact, she’s rather worldly, having been a pilgrim princess, an errant artist before ascending the throne.
As such, the distress breaking out on the world beneath her mountains is a worrisome one, and if nothing is done, Dawn may very well be The First Light’s next victim. As such, she has summoned any Arcanist willing to help… and that’s where you come in.
The Types of Magus
But just what sort of Arcanist are you? Well, there’re certainly a lot of categories.
The most well-known sorts of Arcanists fall into four categories, which follow:
Luxomancers
The manipulators of light and scholars of The Morrow Realms, Luxomancers were amongst the first Arcanists. They come in four breeds, The Solmancer, who feeds on the light of the sun and converts its energy in order to perform their magus, The Umbramancer, who gorges similarly on the glow of the moon, and light to their will, and The Opacamancer/Auroramancer, both of whom channel the energies of The Duskthorough and Dawnstream in order to conjure and control their powers.
Elementalists
The second wave of Arcanists, Elementalists are perhaps the best known sort of magus-user, those who channel and manipulate the five raw elemental powers of Luxa: Fire, Water, Earth, Air and Lightning. As Luxomancers draw from The Morrow Realms, so too do Elementalists borrow their energy from the planet itself.
Kineticists
Kineticists are slightly rarer than most other magus users, generally because their abilities aren’t quite so immediately visible. Kineticists are Arcanists who, instead of drawing their energy from elsewhere, have somehow managed to establish a magus generator within themselves. Whilst this may sound ideal, it comes with its own set of problems: A kineticist’s body doesn’t draw energy in, and as a result it’s almost unable to let that energy out, too. This means a kineticist won’t be hurling fireballs… but it does allow for some interesting physical magus. What exactly that entails differs between Arcanists, but some Kineticists have been known to charge their magus into their fists for superhuman blows, whereas others have been capable of turning their bodies into intangible energy for short periods of time.
Vessels
And the most controversial breed of Arcanist, the vessel. Vessels are none-Arcanists who, instead of dedicating themselves to the science, instead took the easy route and cut a deal with a demon or spirit, allowing them to occupy their body in exchange for the use of their powers. Demons, being the original Arcanists, do not differ massively in style from mortal Arcanists, however a vessel can be considered a time-bomb given that, the moment they lose their emotional grip, whatever’s possessing them will take over. And demons, as we know, don’t care for the well-being of humans.
Other styles
Although these are the best known styles, there’re many others! Psionic Arcanists use mental magus, and necromancers draw power from nearby spirits to perform their spells. You can be any, either, or! Get creative.
Your ArcanistArcanist’s Name: If you’re a vessel, put your possessor’s name in square parenthesis beside your own.
Arcanist’s Title: Arcanists being the highly regarded scientists they are, each is given their own title, unique to them, by which other Arcanists and story-telling peasantry will recognise them.
Gender:Age:Arcanist’s Magus: This is the name of your ability. If you’re a vessel, put [Vessel] before it.
Description of Magus: Describe what your magus does and how.
Amplifier: What makes your magus stronger? If you’re a Solmancer, is it a cloudless sky? Are you stronger in Summer than in Autumn?
Nuller: Now what makes your magus less effective? If you’re an opacamancer, does daylight make you weaker now? If you’re a kineticist, does a bad night’s sleep impair your ability to perform?
Description of appearance:A short biography: Write about your past! Mention where you grew up, what your town was called and which kingdom it belonged to. Flesh it out a bit, if you’d like! Tell us about the culture there.
Are you a vessel? Then how did you meet your possessor? And how did you earn your Arcanist’s title?
Text Colour:Other bits and pieces: If there’s anything else you’d like to add about the character, put it here!
I have a question.
Concerning Luxomancers, how does their magus manifest? I already understand that they channel energy from the realms, but I don't know what that energy can be turned into physically.
Also, do we post our character sheets here for approval or do we simply put them in the "Characters" tab?
I have a question.
Concerning Luxomancers, how does their magus manifest? I already understand that they channel energy from the realms, but I don't know what that energy can be turned into physically.
Also, do we post our character sheets here for approval or do we simply put them in the "Characters" tab?
That's intentionally vague and down to your own creativity. In the trial run I've had for this, the solmancer harnessed solar energy and projected it as whips made of searing light, and the opacamancer used their transitional properties to summon beasts from The Nocturne (which would usually only be possible if they were A) An umbramancer and B) it was night time.) How it manifests is your choice.
Post 'em here, when I approve them, send 'em to to the other tab.
Arcanist’s Name: Farrus Luminus Venten Arcanist’s Title: Farrus, the Wind Caller Gender: Male Age: 17
Arcanist’s Magus: Air elementalist Description of Magus: Farrus can control the currents of air within a medium-sized area around him. This entails closing doors behind him with harsh gusts, breezing (pun intended) through books, pushing against people with wind, sweeping leaves, and controlling the flow of smoke (provided the smoke was already present). He cannot lift heavy objects but he may impede or manipulate their movement against a surface—pushing people back with the wind, as said before, or rolling a ball along the floor. Amplifier: Strong force winds make a lot of tasks much easier. With gale-force or tornado-force winds, he can achieve the lifting of heavy objects into the air and control a larger area. Farrus, using these high winds, can float easily. Nuller: Still air, unmoving and calm, makes it easier for fine manipulation of current and difficult maneuvering but harder to control heavy objects. Being completely winded or asphyxiated or suffocating strains his abilities to cruel minimums.
Description of appearance: Farrus, before he turned 16, had dark brown hair, but after his 16th birthday, it began to turn gray prematurely in the same manner that his mother's hair changed early in her life. Coupled with fair skin and dim cobalt eyes, Venten looks almost fit to bear the title "Wind Caller." Farrus is rather short, at around five and a half feet, and the structure of his face is sharp and angular. He has an average but thin build. Normally he wears a brown tunic, fastened around his waist, over a long-sleeved tan shirt with open wrists and over baggy pants made of cow's leather.
A short biography: Farrus was raised in a diligent family of average income, characteristic of neither the wealthy nor the poor but of the class of merchants. He came of age under the guidance of a compassionate mother of many talks and a pragmatic father of few words, parents who prioritized education in respected studies before any lower work, opulence, or relaxation. "School first, then you can do what you want," they always told him. Nestled in Anthora, one of the bustling cities in a hilly, elevated part of the Crepuscular Kingdoms, this son of a water elementalist mother and a fire elementalist came to honor his ancestors as their stunning amalgamation, for the water thrown on fire erupted in smoke, wafting against the air he now commands. He could fan the fire and move the waters.
So he dazzled his peers with his element. He took to scholarship and sciences early in his educational career, and he became an air elementalist of a unique kind. Farrus, however, went largely unnoticed until the winds of change smiled on him, and he, on a terribly windy and stormy day, slowed the fall of a suicidal man with his magus enough to catch him. Farrus still fell as he caught the man, of course, but the tale of the man's rescue made conversations for weeks before the uproar died down, and Farrus was noted in public memory as the "Wind Caller." While not wildly popular after the incident, his reputation gave him many opportunities for work and study in the city as he enriched his knowledge. The humble boy had new grounds to lift his family to new prosperity. Farrus had begun studying higher academic courses—the philosophies, the sciences, the language. Very rich in knowledge, he now also works closely with scholars and librarians, and regularly Farrus does small jobs for townspeople in the neighborhood.
A quick question regarding the levels of technology in the thread.
How advanced is technology and what sort of fantasy setting we are in would be approximately equal to a historical counterpart in the real world?
Depends on the territory, the world isn't homogeneous. For the most part we're talking maybe early 17th century. Gunpowder exists but not in any form that'd be superior to magus, so firearms aren't a big thing. Mostly muskets. Harnessed electricity isn't about, but steam technology is just being researched now by the folks in The Darkling Domains. Instantaneous messages and stuff exist, though, if only through magus.
My ArchanistArcanist’s Name: Lumos Fawcett
Arcanist’s Title: The Optomancer
Gender: Male
Age: 24
Arcanist’s Magus: Luxomancy. More specifically, he's an Auroramancer
Description of Magus: He has the ability to bend environmental light, thus being able to create illusory effects. However, his lack of interest in the field of illusion makes this a weak skill. On the other hand, Lumos is a gifted physicist, and has learned how to use lenses to focus the light he controls, for different purposes. After many years of studying light and its behavior, he discovered that, theoretically, light can be transformed into usable energy, and therefore able to power mechanisms, although this is nothing more than a concept. He believes that, with the right technology, this discovery might be revolutionary.
Amplifier: The use of lenses and other mechanisms for different purposes helps him focus the energy his power provides.
Nuller: Without his lenses, and thanks to his lack of interest in other possible uses of his ability, his light-bending becomes nothing but a circus act.
Description of appearance: Lumos is a tall, Caucasian male. He's not particularly attractive, he has a wide nose, greenish brown eyes, short, dark hair and a few moles here and there. He's of thin complexion, but not necessarily a weakling. He's known to wear humble clothing. A threadbare white shirt, brown pants, and a pair of boots.
A short biography: Let's start with the beginning. His father is a renowned artisan, a Glassblower, from the Aurora Empire, and his mother, a Luxian Scholar. They met in one of the countless trade journeys of his father. They fell in love, and had a child. Both decided to live in Aurora, in order to avoid the hubbub of the Luxus Empire, but, eventually, she grew bored, and left both Lumos and his father to return to her native land. Lumos grew in Aurora, motherless, and learned the crafts of glassblowing. But soon enough, his mother's innate curiosity kicked in, and he started making questions about his mother's whereabouts. Being fifteen, he left his home in search of her, with his father's blessing and best wishes, of course.
He traveled, and learned about the land he crossed, the people he met and their cultures.
One day, he arrived to an inn, looking for a bed to spend the night. He found more than that. To his massive luck, his mother was there, discussing with other fellow scholars (and one or two bypassing drunks) when she immediately recognized Lumos' father's face in that young man's. She took him under her care, and taught him well. He soon earned his place within the scholar community.
Text Colour: This one seems pretty neat
Other bits and pieces: He has a puppy named Snuggles.
Um... I hope this is acceptable. I'm a bit rusty, haven't roleplayed in a while.
Arcanist’s Name: Corvus Tenesilia
Arcanist’s Title: The Vagabond Prince
Gender: Male
Age: 22
Arcanist’s Magus: Umbramancy.
Description of Magus: Corvus' umbramancy allows him to manipulate tangible shadows. During the day this only manifests through his own shadow, but when night falls he can draw upon the shadows of other solid objects.
Amplifier: The phases of the moon. Corvus grows stronger at night, but only fractionally so. His umbramancy grows more powerful throughout the month, starting at the young moon and getting steadily more effective until it peaks at the new moon, and then resets once it's passed. In the event of a lunar eclipse, Corvus can function at full power for a few minutes during the day.
Nuller: Daylight. During the day, regardless of how vivid another shadow might be, Corvus can only manipulate his own.
Description of appearance: Standing at 5'11, Corvus is a narrow shouldered, svelte figure, with light olive skin and faintly freckled features. His hair is long and shaggy, and a shade of charcoal which borders on black. It moves almost imperceptibly, as though it were alive but trying to remain subtle. His eyes are honey brown.
Although he wears a light, boiled-leather suit- a must have when one visits The Nocturne- he wraps himself consistently in a long green cloak, joined together by a broach depicting the crescent moon. On the cloak's back, in silver, is the image of a lone oak tree.
A short biography: Corvus was born and raised in the small coastal village of Pittoresco, a quaint settlement on the very outskirts of The Crepuscular Kingdoms, into a long lineage of respected middle-classmen, distilled from generations of Auroramancers and Opacamancers.
The village was largely rural, and as such most of the children there grew up as fishermen and sailors, molded by the shimmering purple sea that flanked them. And, frankly, Corvus thought that seemed like a fun upbringing. He, like every child of The Crepuscular Kingdoms, dreamed of such things: To take to the sea, perhaps not as a fisherman, but as an explorer!
But such things, his mother told him, were not meant for the 'better half' of society. He would be an Arcanist like every Tenesilia before him. And, with his lineage, he would hopefully become a prodigious Luxomancer, too...
... well, she got her wish. And the attention of every gossip in Pittoresco, too.
Because as it happened, he did become a competent Luxomancer: But he was neither an opacamancer, nor an auroramancer.
He was an umbramancer, instead. And whilst there's no evidence that genetics have any real influence on what magus you develop, this was still enough for his mother to sobbingly reveal to the family that he, Corvus Tenesilia, was a bastard child. Born of adultery between herself and a noble of The Darkling Domain.
"His hair shifts, don't you see? Like a demon of The Nocturne's! So did his! So did his fathers!"
Disgraced, and having nearly torn apart the family indirectly, Corvus was packed up and sent out into Luxa alone at fifteen, with only his shadow to keep him company. But somehow, that sufficed: For, he reckons, it spoke to him. It joked with him, and grew with him.
They headed South, to The Darkling Domains, in search of the only salvation Corvus had: His alleged father, Hatrem Quies.
He walked across Luxa day and night (in fact he found the nights easier) with only that name and his seemingly noble status to guide him. And eventually, he succeeded, finding the Quies familial manner in the town of Somre, in valley somewhere between the night and the gloam.
But his father did not seem so keen to accept him.
In truth, Corvus may have been a bastard son, but he was also Hatrem's only son, and thus heir to his fortunes. But the two shared barely anything: Hatrem was an esteemed soldier and vessel umbramancer, which is likely why he and Corvus boasted hair which moved, and writhed. And yet, he did not send Corvus away empty handed.
"The world is at chaos, child. Heed the call of The Aurora Empire, and deliver it into peace again. Then, then you will be my heir."
And with that, Corvus departed for the Eastern territories, and took with him a title, given to him by the Darklings of Somre: The boy who would be rich, if he completed this dangerous task and walked the world to do it. Corvus Tenesilia, The Vagabond Prince.Text Colour: I quite like this one!
Other bits and pieces: Corvus seems to think his shadow is alive, or at the very least speaks to it like it is. He calls it Li.
My ArchanistArcanist’s Name: Lumos Fawcett
Arcanist’s Title: The Optomancer
Gender: Male
Age: 24
Arcanist’s Magus: Luxomancy. More specifically, he's an Auroramancer
Description of Magus: He has the ability to bend environmental light, thus being able to create illusory effects. However, his lack of interest in the field of illusion makes this a weak skill. On the other hand, Lumos is a gifted physicist, and has learned how to use lenses to focus the light he controls, for different purposes. After many years of studying light and its behavior, he discovered that, theoretically, light can be transformed into usable energy, and therefore able to power mechanisms, although this is nothing more than a concept. He believes that, with the right technology, this discovery might be revolutionary.
Amplifier: The use of lenses and other mechanisms for different purposes helps him focus the energy his power provides.
Nuller: Without his lenses, and thanks to his lack of interest in other possible uses of his ability, his light-bending becomes nothing but a circus act.
Description of appearance: Lumos is a tall, Caucasian male. He's not particularly attractive, he has a wide nose, greenish brown eyes, short, dark hair and a few moles here and there. He's of thin complexion, but not necessarily a weakling. He's known to wear humble clothing. A threadbare white shirt, brown pants, and a pair of boots.
A short biography: Let's start with the beginning. His father is a renowned artisan, a Glassblower, from the Aurora Empire, and his mother, a Luxian Scholar. They met in one of the countless trade journeys of his father. They fell in love, and had a child. Both decided to live in Aurora, in order to avoid the hubbub of the Luxus Empire, but, eventually, she grew bored, and left both Lumos and his father to return to her native land. Lumos grew in Aurora, motherless, and learned the crafts of glassblowing. But soon enough, his mother's innate curiosity kicked in, and he started making questions about his mother's whereabouts. Being fifteen, he left his home in search of her, with his father's blessing and best wishes, of course.
He traveled, and learned about the land he crossed, the people he met and their cultures.
One day, he arrived to an inn, looking for a bed to spend the night. He found more than that. To his massive luck, his mother was there, discussing with other fellow scholars (and one or two bypassing drunks) when she immediately recognized Lumos' father's face in that young man's. She took him under her care, and taught him well. He soon earned his place within the scholar community.
Text Colour: This one seems pretty neat
Other bits and pieces: He has a puppy named Snuggles.
Um... I hope this is acceptable. I'm a bit rusty, haven't roleplayed in a while.
Groovy, welcome aboard! I do like that you've made him a physicist, too, it's keeping with the theme that Arcanists are scientists.
Arcanist’s Name: Joren Amiot
Arcanist’s Title: Joren,The Memorized
Gender:Male
Age:14
Magus: Object manipulation: Joren is able to manipulate objects, but not in a physical way.He can "speak" with them, learn their secrets, watch memories that have been attached to them happen, for example seeing someone write the letter he touched, see great battle's from a sword he is wielding, learn their secrets over time.
Amplifier: the more history an object has the easier it is to read,
Nuller: Objects: Brand new objects he cannot read, for example a fresh new sword won't tell him anything like an good aged blade.
Description of appearance: Joren is 5'6 with a small build with large round glasses, he has bright yellow hair which is always unkempt, he wears a cape with a red insignia on the back which is two hands with a dagger in one hand and a book in the other, he wears dark earthy colors,which match his dark skin and contrast with his bright red eyes. He wears mostly made of heavy fur and leather from the tribes in the north. He speaks in a kind, patient manner but dosen't mind getting his hands dirty with his siqnature weapons "knowledge" a small blue dagger with a golden hew and "Ambition" a short sword with a yellow hilt and equally yellow glow when in the dark.
A short biography:
Text Colour: A nice subtle Brown
Other bits and pieces:
Arcanist’s Name: Joren Amiot
Arcanist’s Title: Joren,The Memorized
Gender:Male
Age:14
Magus:
Object post-cognition: Joren is able to experience things from an objects perspective, for example touching a family letter and seeing the person write it, or being able to watch a family photo take place. He is also able to communicate with any spirits attached to objects, and is sometimes drawn to those certain objects
Weapon adaption: Joren is able too become adept with a weapon he touches.
Knowledge absorption: Joren has the ability to absorb knowledge from books,scrolls or pamphlets.
Amplifier: the more history an object has the easier it is to read, the simpler the weapon the faster he will learn, and the simpler the subject the more he will understand.
Nuller: Objects:Brand new objects he cannot read, for example a fresh new sword won't tell him anything like an good aged blade.
Weapons:The more complicated a weapon, the longer it will take for him to scan, for example if he is using a weapon that has two modes, like a whip blade he has to memorize them one at a time. Also if he scans one weapon then another, the previous weapon secrets will be gone. Also the size of the weapon matters as well, just because he knows everything there is to know about a 50-foot war hammer does not mean he can use it.
Knowledge absorption: The more complicated the subject the longer it will take to understand, also, he needs to learn prior knowledge before preceding further, for example: he can't learn division without learning Addition,Subtraction,multiplication, etc.
Description of appearance: Joren is 5'6 with a small build with large round glasses, he has bright yellow hair which is always unkempt, he wears a cape with a red insignia on the back which is two hands with a dagger in one hand and a book in the other, he wears dark earthy colors,which match his dark skin and contrast with his bright red eyes. He wears mostly made of heavy fur and leather from the tribes in the north. He speaks in a kind, patient manner but dosen't mind getting his hands dirty with his siqnature weapons "knowledge" a small blue dagger with a golden hew and "Ambition" a short sword with a yellow hilt and equally yellow glow when in the dark.
A short biography:
Text Colour: A nice subtle Brown
Other bits and pieces:
Your magus feels all over the place, at one point it felt like Psionics and then at another point it felt like Kineticism. You can't have three abilities, it's one ability that perhaps diversifies dependent on your Amplifier and Nuller.
