[b]Embers of Civilization: An Arthurian Britain RP[/b]

It is the year 500, and Britain is in a desperate struggle to survive. Irish raid the coasts, Picts maraud the north, but the Saxons, Angles, and Jutes are the greatest threat to whatever remains of civilization in the Isles as they continue their ruthless advance, swamping the original inhabitants in a tide of men, fire, and the sword. The light of civilization that the Romans had, despite their faults, brought in is flickering, waning, about to be blown away, to be replaced by the uttermost darkness. Lamentations fill the air of what strongholds of Briton power are left; is all hope lost? Is this the end?

In another world, it might have been. In another world, the Saxons would have won, but created their own light in the end. But in this world, the Britons will not wait for civilization to renew itself, for it is not dead yet. For in this world, Ambrosius Aurelianus, and his son, [b][i]Arthur[/i][/b]* are backed by several brave people from all across Britain and the Continent, including the Wizard Merlin and the Greek Scholar Iouliana of Alexandria (Original Character). Although the struggle is still desperate, as the Saxons too have Magic of their own, there is still a chance, a chance that instead of waiting for civilization to be rekindled centuries hence, it can be held and extended here, until a New Kingdom, a Northern Counterpart to Constantinople, can be built on Caer Lundem (London)!

*Yes, I fused Amrosius Aurelianus with Uther; also, Morgana le Fey still exists, but I'm not revealing her character alignment.

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Basically, an Arthurian RP where you can start in multiple places at once, with multiple plotlines. However, unlike my earlier, 'Global' RPs, you're all part of a single faction which has to coordinate together against a Co-GM-led enemy.

[b]Exceptional Skills System[/b]

Okay, first up, [i]Magic is restricted to NPCs[/i]. The point of the RP is a desperate struggle for survival, and that is undermined if every PC can use fireball in an era where nigh-everything is made of flammable wood. So, instead of Magic, we have Exceptional Skills, which just mean that your PC is a small bit better at some stuff than others. For example, a PC with the Martial Skill: Marksmanship is somewhat better with the bow than someone who doesn't have that skill listed, while a PC with the Mental Skill: Engineering, can build Siege Engines with the right materials, as well as put up a better defense.

What are Martial and Mental Skills? Well, Exceptional Skills are divided into four divisions: Martial, Mental, Social, and Survival. Martial Skills are how good you are with weapons, Mental Skills are how knowledgeable you are in academics, including military tactics and strategy, Social Skills are about how you can persuade others, and Survival Skills are how you can survive in the wilds.

Here is a short list of each Types of Skill:

[B]Martial:[/b]

Melee Weapons (Swords, Spears, and Maces, etc.)
Marksmanship (Bows, Javelins, Slings, etc.)
Unarmed (Fists, Kicks, Headbutts, etc.)
Mounted Combat (All PCs can ride a horse; only a few can actually fight on them).

[b]Mental[/b]

Engineering
Military Strategy and Tactics
Perception/Lie Detection (Can be counteracted by Deception; flip a coin when encountering someone with it, or mutually agree who wins or loses.)
Ambush Detection (Can be countered by Camouflage; flip a coin when encountering someone with it or mutually agree about who wins or loses.)

[b]Social[/b]

Persuasion
Morale Raising
Deception (Can be countered by Perception; flip a coin when encountering someone with it or mutually agree about who wins or loses.)
Morale Lowering (Use this on Enemies, can be countered by Morale Raising; flip a coin or do a mutual agreement when encountering someone with the opposite skill.)

[b]Survival[/b]

Foraging (Getting Food and Water from the Wild)
Endure Elements (Endure harsh weather conditions)
Camouflage (helps hide you and others from the enemy; can be countered by Ambush Detection)
First Aid (Keeps you from dying right away)

You can only pick six from all categories!

Also, having an Exceptional Skill only gives you a bonus, not automatically make you better than other characters without the skill; a character with Exceptional Marksmanship can still be defeated by a Mundane Archer if there is luck and Good RPing. I also reserve the right to veto certain skills if your previous player history means you would find it hard to portray them right.

Players can also create New Skills with GM Permission.

[b]Character Sheet[/b]

Name: 
Appearance:
Age: 
Sex:
Exceptional Skills (Only 6 from all categories!):
Personality:
Short bio:

[b]Rules[/b]

1.) No Godmoding or Powergaming, aka no controlling other players' actions, no defeating your enemy in one shot, and no shrugging of all hits without a shield, or really good armor.
2.) New Rule: As this is a Multiple Places RP, you can create NPCs as long as a.) they're connected to your character, b.) they have a logical purpose behind them, and c.) they do not give an overwhelming advantage, but add color to the world.
3.) I don't want to railroad, but Britons are going to be morally light grey; there can be villains, but the majority of the players should run the gamut from Anti-Hero to Hero.
4.) Be polite to others.
5.) I want a Co-GM to play the Saxons; said Co-GM must be willing to lose eventually, but not after giving us a desperate, [i]nigh[/i]-hopeless struggle.
6.) To Briton Players: Work together, but not [i]too[/i] closely in the beginning. You're a loose coalition of factions who hate/fear the Saxons more than each other, and your early playing should reflect that.
7.) If you want to play a Briton Pagan/Christian, your response to practitioners of the opposing faith cannot be 'MY SWORD DEMANDS BLOOD!'. You can still oppose each other outside of war, but seeing as the Saxons are a threat to the both of you, you are expected to work together and get shit done.
8.) Keep your Oaths; Oaths are a big thing.
9.) No Rape, Civilian Casualties must be regretted if they cannot be avoided, and slavery's only allowed because it's the 500s; even then, I still frown upon it.
10.) I'm not playing King Arthur, I'm playing Merlin. I'm giving King Arthur and Morgana Le Fay to one of my more reliable players who likes playing good or morally light grey guys.