Fatal Souls

“In truth, it was all but a matter of time. Even the most cynical of ours surely did not expect what was to come upon us all as our realm fell into disarray and madness whilst greed, ambition, hunger, and pride would lead us all into the darkest hell.”


OOC Progress Report – Completion will occur shortly within the month of April, given life responsibilities don’t delay it. I have the majority of information compiled and at least half of said drafted information revised into their appropriate sections. If I had to put a made-up statistic I’d say the OOC is about Eighty Percent done.

"Advanced roleplaying should focus on developing interesting and complex characters that become part of plot-lines which catch the imagination and inspire the writer behind them to exercise creativity. It is mature, humorous, imaginative, tragic, terrifying, passionate, and rife with descriptive language and characters with real personality and relatable cares. Quality posting is far better than needless novels, yet one should never neglect detail when one feels the need. However, while word and paragraph requirements ought to be unnecessary, single paragraphs cannot contain enough detail to suffice."​




Figured I'd start one of these in two interest sections to generate interest, anyway...

Much like @TJByrum, @Sini, and @GreivousKhan have developed in the past this is a RP of a medieval scale. I want to thank them for their role-plays in the past and the inspiration as well as acknowledge their vision. – this is a role-play built from the backbone of dynasty role-playing inspired by George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire, Walter Scott’s Ivanhoe, and video games such as Crusader Kings 2 and Europa Unviersalis. In a way it is a “nation” role-play but not in the sense of playing medieval RISK but rather focusing on characterization, politics, intrigue, and conflict over nation game mechanics. Players will take control of a House from the Continent of Orlandis such as the ruling house of Terijas, Euritia, Gradiar, Caelia, Reinoa, Stormtir, and Erayis. As a player of that house you decide the subtleties of their membership, vassals, custom specialties, house words, and recent history.

Great Houses are not the only playable options, of course; understandably minor houses serving under a great house will need for a great house player to be there. From there people can also play mercenaries, former pirates, lowborn, etc. if they so desire.

Here’s a bit from an old pre-alpha interest check for more information on direction:

So, was sitting down thinking back to a few of the threads from before the guild had its downtime in December and being pretty inspired but intimidated by the role-plays inspired by A Song of Ice and Fire that seemed to be high in quantity at the time. I had only read so much of the series and seen only two seasons of the series at the time and felt pretty intimidated to even try my hand at it. “I can’t do this canon setting justice at all” I thought so I recalled something ages ago from the depths of my role-playing experiences from around 2003. That’s where I recalled a light fantasy called Fatal Souls which I had some lore built up on an old hard drive, so I dug that out and got to work rebuilding it. It didn’t come to me until hours and hours later that it would’ve probably been exceptionally easier if I just went to a Game of Thrones wiki and absorbed information rather than world-building from scratch. But what was done was done.

As a sandbox role-play, this can mean stories of a sailing hiresword, a corrupt prince, a flamboyant merchant, or an exiled knight for rough examples. As GM my role outside of telling my own stories, will be helping guide the setting with events from non-playable actions as I doubt we need to have a writer for each individual country. I love multiple perspectives and throwing something out there. What you write may affect others and what I write likely will as well. This isn’t an authoritarian show, everybody can create a possible outcome that affects things around them. Of course player-on-player interaction is encouraged as it is a cooperative effort.





I believe that gets my foot out the door, but I will provide any information I have on hand about anything regarding the setting if needed. Feel free to ask questions!

Have interest!



Story Events


A few linear events will help guide players in "conflicts" of the region they become involved with.

These will not begin until players initiate them, or discussion suggest we start them.

Event #1: The Fury of the Storm
The self-proclaimed "King" of the Stormbroken has always been a mocking crab of the realm, and it is here that a new more violent one has come into power. Growing tired of their lesser society at the edges of the Hinterlands, this "King" looks to the northern borders and western coasts as an ample opportunity to reveal something to all of Orlandis; that the Stormbroken refuse to be herded and ignored like lamb. This is more than a raid of cultures, but a calculated show of power and something much more frightening: a Stormbroken invasion.

    This will effectively give the Stormbroken leader a casus belli on The Hinterlands. Other invasion targets by land (Skavia, Erayis, Reinoa) and sea (Gradiar, Reinoa) will feel the full threat of their culture.


Event #2: Of Imperial Blood
The Imperial Kingdom of Orlandis has been dead for one-hundred years; a century of independence among all at the wisdom of the last High King. However, given the troubles of military and economic nature around them mixed with sure pride and presumed right by bloodline two "High Kings" wish to revive the imperial throne, the King of Terijas and the King of Euritia. Looking to their de jure allies (Erayis for Euritia and Gradiar for Terijas) they begin to fight over a throne that hasn't existed in quite some time.

    How both Kings of their respective countries came to believing they should restore the Imperial Kingdom of Orlandis is up to the players, of course; but it is obvious that the social, economic, and political consequences from this will be great. Veronia is often been allies with Terijas and serves as much of the breadbasket given it's soft rolling hills and vast rivers for agriculture.

    However with Erayis and Gradiar soon to be attacked by the Stormbroken, how will it play out? Will these High Kings look to a common enemy or ignore them as petty raiders as they always have and focus on their ambitions?


Event #3: The Black March
A group of vyntic raiders and warriors have unified under a Hilmir (chieftan) whilst the sea of echoes begin to freeze over suggesting a powerful and dreaded winter is going to hit the Northlands soon; this Hilmir known for his iron mask and unyielding strength begins to plan to invade the Northlands like they have never seen before.

    Fairly self-explanatory, The Northlands will get invaded by the totally-not-king-beyond-the-sea during a harsh mythic winter that is rarely seen.


Event #4: The Price of Blood
Few sellsword companies in The Verge can match The Ivory Hand. With a constant supply of recruits from Atularis, and a size comparable to a small army, the lack of knights has never been a problem in the the Expanse & Verge. The founder of The Ivory Hand, Ordono Qaizos, recently died in his sleep, making his second-in-command the new leader of the company. There have been reports of the group extorting homeowners, shopkeepers, and even low lords of Voltaani and Caelia. They have started raking in exuberant fees, as well as making large profits from selling captives and criminals alike to slavery in Atularis. Rumors are that other sellsword companies loyal to the lords of Expanse & Verge desire to follow in The Ivory Hand's influence.

    Caelia and Voltaani do not follow the central religion of Orlandis (The Word of Aavaar) hence do not have traditional knights (they have a title called "cavaliers" though instead) and a small military within their realm given they have been in few wars as the desert of the Expanse has kept most of their threats away. Basically Caelia and Voltaani have used their huge gold stocks and trade routes with Atularis to pay for mercenary fleets to ward off pirates and been comfortable. With few men comparable to their mercenaries they sort of are in a bad situation with no solution when all of the mercenaries decide to do as they please to commoners and their establishments; some might even think the nobles have forfeited their right to order them around.

    Veronia is a neighbor, might be willing to intervene, but you know how things are...


Event #5: The Disappearance of Emilia Valian
Through a bit of a mystery, the Kingdom of Veronia is put into peril when Princess Emilia disappears; some speculate kidnapping, others something more sinister.

Magic


I haven't written out a whole description for magic yet, but I can tell you with confidence these are the highest forms of magic in actuality (mythlore likes to doll up feats anyway):

    Arcane Sorcery - Practiced overseas in the royal court of the Imperium de Olbiaen, arcane sorcery is limited here in that there are no complicated grandiose spells you would see in the like of Dungeons & Dragons and other conventional fantasy settings; it's more within the realm of using arcane magic as a "subtle" means of expanding human energy from the blessing they owe themselves to. Basically to describe it in two words: force mages. The highest caliber of spells one individual can do is no more than a handful of enemies. Spells include throw, levitate object, pull, and jumping greater distances.

    The Blessing of the Light - Practiced overseas albeit rarely as to be given a "blessing" (or for nature to be this random) in Fedos Plur, it is the basis of clerical warding and healing. Simple spells such as cure disease, heal minor wounds, and ward of protection. I guess in Fatal Souls this is a less coked out version of the God of Fire, R'hllor.

    Druidic Magic - Practiced overseas in the mysterious "ocean" of trees known as the Viridian Sea, basically light druidism/shamanism. Interaction with the elements, natural healing, animal affinities, and so on. I guess it'd be similar to the Children of the Forest? Analogies are hard.

    The Curse of Obdis - Antithesis of the one given to those who follow the Light. Practiced overseas in the Athraki region, some weird synthesis of voodoo and witchcraft. I haven't developed it much, but I figure there'd be nothing grand. I was thinking of having an expert assassin's guild practice this.


That's about it for ideas on magic. Magic in Orlandis would likely be exposed and quickly lynched by a witch-hunting mob, lol.