[center][h1][i]K i n g s [color=dc143c]g l a i v e[/color][/i][/h1][/center]
[center][IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v285/Icmastic/Ff13-falcie3_zpsvzwxu3y8.jpg[/IMG][/center]
[center][h3][i][sub]An Original Roleplay By[/sub][/i][/h3][/center][center][h3][i][sub]icmasticc[/sub][/i][/h3][/center][hr][center][h3][i][sub]This  is  a  [color=dc143c]fantasy[/color]  based  on  [color=dc143c]reality[/color]  . . . [/sub][/i][/h3][/center]
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[indent][h3][sub][i][color=dc143c]P[/color] r e m i s e[/i][/sub][/h3][/indent]
[indent][indent][i]Vanity was their greatest sin.[/i]

When humanity first arrived on the vibrant planet Azalea their beginnings mirrored those of the first civilized pioneers on Earth. Through unyielding perseverance and the ever-flowing passage of time, the humans managed to settle the harsh yet beautiful alien world. Passing years saw cities sprout into the sky and smaller towns and villages dot the landscape all over. The bravest of society ventured farther into the unknown lands and eventually society began to look very much like it did on the now destroyed Earth. When life settled into a familiar beat and routine, the attacks began. 

All manner of alien beast and flora called Azalea home, but it was the giant beasts that proved to be hostile even when unprovoked. Seemingly offended by the presence of a new species threatening to take over, these giant entities - they were dubbed "Behemoths" by the populace - stormed into human cities and settlements all over the world and ravaged as much as they possibly could. Using a combination of their superior size and strength along with the yet fully understood force called magic, these clearly intelligent beings struck fear and awe into the hearts of all who witnessed their rampages. It was fortunate however that the attacks had not started until years after humanity was fully settled on the planet because while the greatest minds of the population put the finishing touches on secret weapons that could combat these beings, the relatively recently formed armies of multiple cities came together to fight back against their enemies. After countless skirmishes and battles strewn all over, humankind stood on the brink of extinction just as the [i]Idol project[/i] was finished and activated. 

The Idols were giant, humanoid creations fusing man-made technology and android bodies with the unlimited potential of magical energies that granted them sentience and free will. The Idols were the result of mankind's selfish desire to create beings in their own image and ancient texts unearthed during the construction of cities. Once operational, the Idols - which rivaled the size of the Behemoths - came together and fought against the Behemoths in what would come to be known as the Great War. Though long and arduous, mankind's creations were partially victorious - they could not destroy the Behemoths completely, but they were able to banish them to different parts of the planet, sealed and put into a magically induced dormancy. Celebrations were short-lived however; the Idols were privy to their own uncanny ability to wield magic to its fullest potential and quickly made the decision to rule over their creators as gods. While a part of humanity were understandably opposed, most were grateful enough that they felt no qualms about trading worship and reverence for everlasting protection. Thus, the Idols split the planet amongst themselves and ascended to the heavens in order to serve as gods who observed, but never interfered. 

It was vanity that began the Idol project, but it would be vanity that ultimately resulted in future events. Vanity was their greatest sin and humanity would learn this lesson the hard way.[/indent][/indent][indent][h3][i][sub][color=dc143c]P[/color] l o t [/sub][/i][/h3][/indent]
[indent][indent]Ten thousand years ago, the historians say something called The Great War took place where gods created by men and angry beings known as Behemoths battled over the fate of humanity. Most do not believe in such stories. Life on Azalea drones on with regularity and, for the most part, it is a peaceful life. Governments preside over major cities and towns and villages with no desire to dabble in politics eke out a living in a way that makes sense to them. The two largest, and wealthiest, kingdoms - Algareth and Ivalice - live in an eternal rivalry always seeking to outdo the other in one area or another. As of late, relations have grown increasingly hostile and though all out war has not broken out yet, a series of seemingly unrelated incidents seesaw back and forth between the economical and political giants. Citizens are uneasy, but each nation assures their population that amicable settlements are coming. 

In a bid at bringing about a peace treaty once and for all, the president of Algareth decides to meet the ruler of Ivalice in her own territory to hash out differences and come to some sort of resolution. For such a tense situation, the president of Algareth employs his Royal Guard for protection. However, in secret, he also calls forth an elite unit shrouded in mystery and legend - the Kingsglaive. The Kingsglaive are a small group of highly trained, branded warriors able to harness magical energy and whose existence is only known to the president himself. They carry out the most covert operations in times when plausible deniability is necessary, but in a manner in which their actions can never quite be confirmed. 

This story begins with the Kingsglaive and chronicles the tale of the group as they navigate increasingly dangerous odds beginning with political intrigue and eventually spiraling into a plot much bigger and more comprehensive than ever imagined.[/indent][/indent]
[hider=The World][indent][h3][i][sub][color=dc143c]T[/color] h e   [color=dc143c]W[/color] o r l d [/sub][/i][/h3][/indent]
[indent][indent]The planet of Azalea is a lush, colorful, and vibrant world. The landscape is washed in what seems to be over-saturated colors spanning the entire rainbow spectrum and the palette is suitably alien when compared to a place like Earth. Mountains, hills, thick forests, and large meadows dominate the terrain with impressive variety though the lands outside of cities are also filled with the native creatures and predatory plant life Azalea is known for. On this world however, trees and plants are much larger than the average and the beasts are of a far more fantastical nature with some growing to unnatural sizes and others utilizing supernatural defense mechanisms when under threat. 

The cities - better known as kingdoms - are sprawling metropolises with skyscrapers stretching to the skies and interconnected roads carrying throngs of traffic to and fro to various definitions. The different kingdoms each employ different methods of governing their respective societies. Some choose the traditional form of government with a congress and president while others stick to the tried and true monarchy of times of old with kings and queens and emperors. Each kingdom is largely independent of one another save for trade and commerce. This independence leads to vastly different standards and qualities of living from kingdom to kingdom. What each has in common however is the gods in which they serve. Though the Idols have not been seen in years - and many believe them to be a mere myth anyways - religion is strongly centered around them and each region is believed to be under the protection and service of a particular Idol. The two largest superpowers, Algareth and Ivalice, both believe they are under the protection of Bahamut and Ramuh respectively.[/indent][/indent][/hider]
[hider=Technology][indent][h3][sub][i][color=dc143c]T[/color] e c h n o l o g y [/i][/sub][/h3][/indent]
[indent][indent]In the world of [i]Kingsglaive[/i], the setting is a mixture of fantasy and reality. This notion extends to the technological level of the world as well. Cars and motor vehicles still drive on paved roads adhering to lanes and traffic lights while at the same time airships employing advanced technology to stay afloat hover in the skies. Cities are split into levels though the height does not indicate socioeconomic status; Rather, the more prosperous cities have leveled tiers simply to accommodate the growing populations while less wealthy cities keep to the ground and can suffer from overcrowding. Weapons have advanced, but those advancements are only available to law enforcement personnel. Average citizens have access to what is now considered primitive weaponry such as guns using ammo with gunpowder. Advanced melee weaponry is the choice of a standard military or army due to the fact that it is easier to dispatch hostile beasts with such - and of course the average citizen has no chance against trained individuals.[/indent][/indent][/hider]
[hider=Magic][indent][h3][sub][i][color=dc143c]M[/color] a g i c [/i][/sub][/h3][/indent]
[indent][indent]Though magic exists in the world, it is a bit of a mystery. It exists in the atmosphere of the planet and is able to be harnessed through technological means for different purposes, but it is not able to be wielded in the way a traditional mage would. The various militaries of the world condense the volatile energies into crystal form and encase them in spherical enclosures that can then be used as grenade-like weapons substituting fragments for elemental explosions. Magic can also power ranged weaponry through the use of crystallized ammunition though these crystals are in limited supply and must be made in factories much like primitive ammunition of Earth. Beyond these more grounded methods of use however lies a more fantastical option rooted in myth. 

It is said that if one pledges their loyalty to a god directly, that god will then brand their new servant giving them the ability to absorb magical energies within their own body and manipulate it for their own uses. No one has ever been able to confirm this however as it not currently known how to meet a god [i]directly[/i]. It is rumored that the Algareth president's legendary Kingsglaive is composed of branded individuals, but that cannot be confirmed either since it is not currently known if they truly exist. A branded individual can supposedly conjure up spells only referenced in ancient texts though their abilities come with a significant price. That price is not specifically explained or detailed in any known text, legend, or myth.[/indent][/indent][/hider]
[hider=Combat][indent][h3][i][sub][color=dc143c]C[/color] o m b a t [/sub][/i][/h3][/indent]
[indent][indent]Combat in this RP works quite simply. While HP is used to indicate the vitality of the main cast, all the players are responsible for is writing the scene. Battles are heavily inspired by fantasy action so fast paced, unrealistic kinds of fighting is fine; think Final Fantasy or Kingdom Hearts. Players can write combat scenes as they will and I, as the GM, will use a system to determine hits and damage. Due to the nature of the roleplay, players will have the opportunity to fully control enemies at points though the GM will always control the boss type enemies. 

Combat in this RP is meant to be more fun than an exercise in statistics. Though it is moderated to provide some strategy during tougher fights, I want players to be engaged and fully immersed in the scene they're writing. This system aims to reflect that.[/indent][/indent]
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[hider=Religion][indent][sub][h3][i][color=dc143c]R[/color] e l i g i o n[/i][/h3][/sub][/indent]
[indent][indent]While many people believe in many things, the two biggest religions on Azalea each revolve around the legend of the Great War and the battle between the Idols and the Behemoths. Idol worshipers, as they are called, follow the teachings that the Idols are the true gods and, even if they were created by men, should be respected as such and worshiped and revered for saving humanity. Daemons follow the teachings that state that the Behemoths are not only the natives of the world, but the true gods which need to be worshiped; it also says their attacks against humanity were justified because the humans invaded their home and sought no alliance or permission from the intelligent beings. 

Though each region of the world is believed to be under the protection of the Idols, there are still those even within the kingdoms who identify as Daemons. The teachings and texts of both religions shed light on the beings worshiped by the masses, but the information written is unreliable simply due to the fact that it was written by people who believed and created the stories they wanted to create. As such, the Idols are named as follows: 

Bahamut, who commands the crackling lightning that rips across the skies in anger. 
Ifrit, who bathes in and embraces the heat and flames of fire. 
Leviathan, who manipulates all forms of water within the world. 
Titan, who controls the earth itself. 
Odin, master of air. 
Etro, the holy goddess whose light holds supernatural ability
Ramuh, whose magical energy is currently unknown to the even the texts that describe him. 

Interestingly enough, the Daemons are listed with the exact same names and magical energies. This has always been a strong point of contention amongst true believers as they bicker over who are the true gods. The strongest argument against the Idols is that they were man-made while the attacks against humanity are the strongest opposition to the Daemons. While nobody knows who is right or who is wrong, it remains that these two religions dwarf all others across the planet.[/indent][/indent][/hider]
[hider=Character Sheet][indent][sub][h3][i][color=dc143c]C[/color] h a r a c t e r   [color=dc143c]S[/color] h e e t[/i][/h3][/sub][/indent]
[indent][indent]This is the character sheet for submission. While formatting is not the most important aspect of a character sheet, I do appreciate and note the effort taken to nicely format a sheet. 

Name 
Age (At least 21)
Gender
Height 
Appearance (Please use only realistic pictures for this roleplay - no anime. Also include a written description) 
Weapon (Each member of the Kingsglaive carries two weapons; one is a government issued handgun that uses crystal ammunition. The other is a melee weapon you will create. This section is for describing the unique melee weapon your character uses in battle. 

Elemental Affinity (While magic and spells will play a role in this RP, this section is simply to choose your elemental affinity. Each member of the Kingsglaive has a natural affinity for one element. The choices are: Fire, Water, Air, Earth, and Holy. More on magic will be explained in a special section under the character tab)

Personality (I'm not a huge fan of this particular aspect of character sheets, but this is important because the members of the Kingsglaive are all distinctly different people. This section will help iterate that idea. This section also weighs heavily in deciding whether this character will be right for this roleplay) 

History (This is the section where you have the chance to be the most creative. Before your character became a Kingsglaive member, they had a story. Tell me a bit about your character's history before they became a Kingsglaive member in this section. The creative part is that you may create the location your character was born in. They can be from anywhere on the planet and almost any background. This is probably where the most diversity will come into play between character sheets and this section is also a large part of my decision in deciding if this character will fit in with the roleplay.) 

Trivia (This is an optional section. Share some fun facts about your character that you didn't already describe in your history or personality section if you wish.)[/indent][/indent][/hider][indent][sub][h3][i][color=dc143c]O[/color] r i g i n   [color=dc143c]O[/color] f    [color=dc143c]T[/color] h e   K i n g s[color=dc143c] g l a i v e[/color][/i][/h3][/sub][/indent]
[indent][indent]Though no one truly knows for sure, the Kingsglaive is said to have existed for centuries in some form or another. The original story states that during the golden age of monarchy, war was much more prevalent. As battles were being fought across the lands with swords and shields, political combatants decided to wage their own war through the acquisition of intelligence and espionage. At some point, the Kingsglaive came to exist to fill this necessity. Though their objectives changed over the course of time, their ranks and order never changed. Kingsglaive members were never comprised of those with the greatest aptitude for combat, but rather those with the strongest potential to be molded into something [i]more[/i]. In the present time, the current members of the Kingsglaive have been together for three years still upholding the honor and necessity of the small unit.[/indent][/indent][indent][h3][sub][i][color=dc143c]R[/color] u l e s [/i][/sub][/h3][/indent][indent][indent][sub][sub][h3][color=dc143c]001.[/color][/h3][/sub][/sub] 
Common decency and common sense are necessary parts of a smooth roleplay. Please respect your fellow players and GM decisions. The GM has the final say on any disputes and any debates that reach the hostile argumentative level need to be taken to PM. Let's keep the OOC thread fun and positive if we can all help it. 

[sub][sub][h3][color=dc143c]002.[/color][/h3][/sub][/sub] 
As this is the Advanced section, I do require that posts be at least three paragraphs long, but I also value quality over quantity. The three paragraph minimum just helps all players with having enough material to reply to at the very worst scenario. I also do not institute a posting order for the most part, I just want players to be courteous and not leave others behind too badly due to speed posting. Collaborative posts help in this effort. 

[sub][sub][h3][color=dc143c]003.[/color][/h3][/sub][/sub] 
Where activity is concerned, I have a few guidelines. First, please be active in both the OOC and the IC. I tend to allow my OOC threads to have far more diverse conversation than just those that concern the RP itself. This is important to me because it makes the experience that much more tight for everyone and the chemistry we build contributes to IC posts. Second, please be communicative of your situation. I understand that life happens, I just ask that you let me know of any absence via the OOC thread or by PM. If you're inactive for two weeks straight then I reserve the right to drop you completely. Third, if you know you only like to create characters and then never actually post in the IC (or OOC), please reconsider joining. That just stunts the whole process for everyone involved and it's a negative all the way around. 

[sub][sub][h3][color=dc143c]004.[/color][/h3][/sub][/sub] 
For the purposes of this narrative, I can only allow one character per player right now. The situation may change in the future, but for now it will be one character per player. Thanks for your understanding on this. 

[sub][sub][h3][color=dc143c]005.[/color][/h3][/sub][/sub] 
This roleplay will be of a mature nature employing dark themes at times and what some may consider to be disturbing imagery; please be aware of this going forward. I have no problems with romance as well as long as it's done tastefully and organically. The standard board rules concerning anything overtly racy (fade to black) is enforced here also.[/indent][/indent]
[indent][sub][h3][i][color=dc143c]T[/color] h e   [color=dc143c]C[/color] a s t [/i][/h3][/sub][/indent]
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[color=dc143c][sub][sub][h3]01.[/h3][/sub][/sub][/color][sub][sub][h3][i][url=http://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/3579322]Nero Saxon - icmasticc[/url][/i][/h3][/sub][/sub]
[color=dc143c][sub][sub][h3]02.[/h3][/sub][/sub][/color][sub][sub][h3][i][url=http://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/3580898]Blair Cloverfield - FantasyChic[/url][/i][/h3][/sub][/sub]
[color=dc143c][sub][sub][h3]03.[/h3][/sub][/sub][/color][sub][sub][h3][i][url=http://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/3580899]Gideon Carrahy - Oxenfree[/url][/i][/h3][/sub][/sub]
[color=dc143c][sub][sub][h3]04.[/h3][/sub][/sub][/color][sub][sub][h3][i][url=http://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/3580943]Saga Fulcross - Viciousmarrow[/url][/i][/h3][/sub][/sub]
[color=dc143c][sub][sub][h3]05.[/h3][/sub][/sub][/color][sub][sub][h3][i][url=http://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/3580999]Mirany Crawford - Samara[/url][/i][/h3][/sub][/sub]
[color=dc143c][sub][sub][h3]06.[/h3][/sub][/sub][/color][/indent][/indent][indent][indent][sub][sub][h3][i][url=http://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/3585051]Dianthe Sarris - Redrum[/url][/i][/h3][/sub][/sub][/indent][/indent]
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	Amazingly, this roleplay has now been filled. Thanks for your interest and consideration. Provided this game runs long enough, there will be an expansion point down the line. When that happens, I will open up submissions once more.