Your travels, long and arduous, have finally led to their dire conclusion. Seated now within the dilapidated tavern, the floorboards warped and caked in mud, you quietly sip from a battered pewter mug filled with a foul tasting brew. The poorly kept hovel is nearly empty; few patrons from the village seeming to dare set foot outside their own doors. Your arrival was met with shifty glances, the faces of the townsfolk bearing the haggard expressions of those subject to daily horrors.
This is not a place that welcomes travelers, though your money is accepted with a greedy smile from the obese tavern keeper as he wipes grease upon his shirt. His grin is rife with teeth rotted and blackened, and you feel a sense of disgust and contempt. As you survey the down-trodden citizens of this forgotten hamlet, you reflect on the moments that bore your adventures here…
A whisper of rumor, the passing of moldy parchment from one hand to the next, the allure of riches and fame. All things tied to one another in an elaborate and unknowable ballet of fate or chance. Your reasons are your own, but one thing is certain: this will be no simple undertaking.
A request, seeking those who wish to carve for themselves a name among the rocks. A promise of gold, knowledge, and relics forgotten and buried. You know nothing of your employer; no name was given. Only that you were told to meet here, in a village long since condemned to the annals of history. The single road wound with sinister purpose as your mind seemed to recoil at the unsettling miasma that grew thicker as you neared the end of your journey. There was a sickness here, an antediluvian evil that plagued the minds and bodies of those too poor or stubborn to leave. Everywhere showed signs of madness and corruption. A single sign harbored the finality of your travels, a name scratched out and left with a dreadful premonition of things to come.
“Abandon All Hope, ye Who Enter Here”
You took a moment to take stock of your surroundings, waiting upon the hilltop. The town lay just below, the glow of lantern light in the grime crusted and cracked windows casting a ghostly pall over the pitted cobblestone streets. A great forest lay beyond, black trees twisted with malevolent agony as their limbs reached skyward like talons in the night. And as your gaze drifted further, the breath caught in your throat and a chill ran down your spine.
Atop the cliff, dominating the skyline like a vile overlord, lay what once must have been an impressive estate. Cloaked in shadow, the ominous structure exuded a purely evil aroma. It was not one you could place, but something that itched in the back of your mind and made your flesh crawl. All senses told you to turn back, leave this place and its people to their damnable fate. Yet you press on, spurred by the promises of the anonymous stranger…
OOC INFO
The story will center around a group of travelers, scholars, cutthroats, mercenaries, and any other character that may have a reason to take up the cryptic quest. At the moment I am looking to fill this with up to 6 people, though depending on the amount of interest I gather I may amend this number.
This will not be a light hearted and pleasurable affair. This RP will center around dark and mysterious themes influenced heavily by Lovecraftian horror, tragedy, struggle, and mortality. Your characters will be plagued with any kind of terror my mind can come up with, and every choice will leave lasting consequences upon the party.
Choice will play a big part in this game. At various points in the story you will be presented with decisions. These decisions will have outcomes known only to me, decided by a random roll. They can be good or bad, but expect as the adventure continues that more foul afflictions will be placed in the pool than benevolent ones.
For myself I will be playing the part of your mysterious employer, as well as that of Dungeon Master. I will control all NPC characters and events, and provide you with what I hope to be an intriguing if not chilling story which will put your characters and writing abilities to the test.
Your characters can die. Your abilities in combat and interactions can be hindered by disease, injury, and madness. The personality of the characters you choose to develop will be more important than most other RPs. Every character will be expected to have both boons and vices, at least in equal proportion. You will be expected to use these during the RP, both boosting the morale and abilities of your teammates, and hindering them with your dark secrets. You should expect that these will be used against you at some point within the game.
All rules within the Guild apply here. If I need to expand on this, I will. Given the dark and insidious nature of this RP it will probably teeter on the knifes edge of acceptability at times. For this reason, it will be an Advanced RP. While I want everyone to be creative and let their dark side out, please use your good sense when picking courses of action. If there is a question of the appropriateness of a post, do not hesitate to PM me and we can discuss it with one of the Mods if necessary. I have no desire to shock anyone to the point of offense.
For more information on the world that this RP will be set in, please see the hiders below. I have tried to illustrate a background for which you can create your characters and perhaps a universe that will spawn additional games in the future. If there are any questions regarding things I have not covered, feel free to bring it up in the OOC. I will do my best to answer them, and if it is something that a significant amount of people are curious about I will add additional elements to the post.
When you are complete with your sheets I would very much appreciate you send them to me in PM. I have seen many awkward interactions in OOC where a player and GM may not agree on the criticism. I do not want to bring that upon anyone.
Most importantly I want everyone to have fun. If your character meets an ill fate, do not fret. There are always more heroes eagerly waiting to explore the dark depths of sanity.
Set in a time period reminiscent of late medieval to early Renaissance Europe, The Nightmare of Dunwick Manor is based around gothic literature and themes. The entire story will take place within a small part of a region known as The Reyrweald within the world of Argas. The Reyrweald was once a heavily forested area that lay on the frontier of the Valedean Empire. A massive state that once dominated all of the continent of Argas, the Empire in the current era is a shadow of its former self. The Reyrweald was the subject of colonization and expansion prior to the Valedean Empire’s decline, and the Empire set out hundreds of colonists to settle and explore the mysterious woodland. The natives of the region were elves, known to the human settlers as the Fae. At first the interactions between man and elf were peaceful, and the early settlers garnered help and trade from the woodland tribes. As the Empire grew fatter on the raw materials coming out of their new colonies, they pushed further into Fae territory, sparking wars between the two races. More technologically advanced, and with superior numbers to the Fae, these conflicts were fairly one sided. Eventually the Fae would submit to Imperial rule.
Generations later, these colonists grew into impressive cities of their own, sprawling across the deforested countryside. They established their own governments and laws, built to represent their own interests instead of that of their patron Empire. As the Valedean Empire sagged under its own corruption and failing economy, it demanded more supplies and taxes from its colonies. The people of Reyrweald, growing sick of answering to a nation that lay across the mountain passes, rebelled. The uprising was the greatest conflict in the history of the Reyrweald, claiming thousands of lives from both sides. Allied with the Fae, who now served as serfs and servants to the self-appointed nobility of Reyrweald, they fought hard against the technologically advanced soldiers of the Empire. Despite having superior arms and training, the blue-blooded generals of Valedean were just as corrupt as their rulers, and their armies were prone to desertion. Each victory at the hands of the rebels brought lower morale and discipline to the Empires armies, and eventually the cost to maintain a guerrilla campaign within The Reyrweald was too much for the burdened Empire to handle. The Asterancy, or Star Accords in more modern terms, was signed between the Empire and its former colonies. This awarded the Reyrweald its independence, as long as trade between the two nations would continue, and embassies would be granted.
The Fae, eager to claim their share of the victory, petitioned for the freedom and equality of their people. The humans of the Reyrweald, now known as the Star Kingdom after the treaty, spat in their faces. Armed with stolen weapons from the Empire, as well as veteran soldiers that had deserted and fled to the fertile lands of The Reyrweald in hopes of a better life, the newly appointed King Forsyth was drunk on victory and power. In the wake of one war came another, as the Fae turned on their former allies in a brutal conflict later known as the Traitor’s War.
Depending on the histories one reads, it is unclear who started the first atrocities. What is equally known among all is that both Fae and Star Kingdom soldiers would mercilessly attack innocent villages and butcher men, women, and children alike. Great swaths of forest were burnt to the ground, and the Fae fought bravely against overwhelming odds. But they lost, slowly, and legends tell of mysticism and nightmarish creatures that joined the Fae in battle. After many years of bloodshed, the tribal leader that had united all elves finally approached the King. Chief Foararr shocked the Star Kingdom as he dropped to his knees and requested peace. King Forsyth granted this peace, but on the terms that Foararr himself sacrifice his life for it. To this day, the mummified head of the elven arch-traitor hangs from the gate of Asterwatch, and the remainder of his people live a poor life of slavery and oppression.
Several hundred years have passed since the birth of the Star Kingdom, and its prestige and wealth has grown to rival that of the Valedean Empire. Once small towns have become sprawling cities, and the crown jewel of Asterwatch, seat of the current ruler King Osfirth II, has expanded into a few dozen boroughs. Populations are either packed into densely populated cities, or out among the rolling hills of the countryside in smaller towns, villages, and hamlets. The days of war are long gone, and the scars of rebellion and the Traitor’s War have been reclaimed largely by the forces of nature. Still, a farmer may discover the rusted weapons and bones of soldiers while tilling his fields. Common folk are faced with the daily struggles of peasant life. They work hard to harvest their crops, tend their herds, and apply their trade among the vast city markets. The Fae, while still treated as second class citizens within the kingdom, have managed to secure some freedoms. Many are still kept as slaves or indentured servants, but some under the ownership of a caring master find freedom. These Free Elves are subject to increased taxes for their non-human birth, and usually treated with contempt. They keep to themselves in slum districts of the cities, or trying to find freedom from oppression roaming the countryside. Often the subject of pogroms and the object of anger from poor humans, the Fae have learned to keep to themselves and in isolation if possible.
The nobles, both minor counts and gentlemen, to the higher ranks of dukes and princes, squabble and quarrel endlessly. These rivalries are usually court based affairs, yet involve sinister political intrigue, assassination, and espionage in order to gain influence and power over their peers. Occasionally, small scale skirmishes will break out between nobles, who rely on their own supply of knights and men-at-arms supplemented with mercenaries in order to settle their disputes. These battles are localized, generally settled in a few skirmishes until the other side yields or in the rare cases completely wiped out. Some mercenary bands are renowned for forfeiting the field should a battle not be going their way, leaving honor and chivalry to the knights as they live to collect another paycheck somewhere else. Other bands are more valorous, and see the completion of a contract to be part of their duty. In either case, mercenary work is highly lucrative, as there is no shortage of power hungry nobles looking to put their disposable wealth to good use.
The Valedean Empire is struggling to survive. After the loss of its Reyrweald colonies, the Empire faced petitions and threats of more war from its other expansions. Seeing weakness, barbarian tribes from the far north pushed into Empire held lands and took back what once was theirs. Now the Empire is failing badly, its ruling class rife with corruption and selfish decadence. Its cities are patrolled more by gangs and criminal overlords than Imperial soldiers, and the people of the Empire live a daily life of hunger, extortion, and crime. Yet, like a persistent gnat that refuses to die, the Empire lives on. Rumors among the Star Kingdoms citizens tell of dark and unspeakable experiments within the Empire, and everyone fears one day when the Empire will regain its strength and return to take back its lost colony.
Magic in the Star Kingdom is shrouded in mystery and superstition. Fairytales and folklore tell of ancient times when gods and spirits roamed freely amongst the people and magic reigned. The Fae themselves are a deeply spiritual people, their ancestors praying to gods and goddesses of nature and primal forces. The stories of mystic nightmares conjured by the Fae in their final moments of the Traitor’s War are used more as threats from parents to keep their children out of trouble. Literature and history on the nature of magic is closely censured by the King, and those who study it are considered quirky and outlandish by their scholarly peers. Any foolish souls who go against the censures and publish works deemed unsuitable vanish in the night, taken by the Kings secret police. Even so, there are those who are fascinated by old tales, and devote their entire lives to uncovering proof and evidence of magic.
Magic is not something that even in the old tales and legends is wielded lightly. Even simple incantations can backfire with dire consequences, releasing horrible energies and creatures from alternate dimensions into the world. Many stories told among the peasantry feature wizards, warlocks, and witches that succumb to madness due to their fragile human minds being unable to comprehend the twisted cosmic horrors needed to harness magical powers. As such, it is completely extinct in common society among the Star Kingdom. There are rumors of dark practices within the Valedean Empire, the folktales of Fae shamans and witches communing with spirits and demons, and barbarian tribes of far off locations that practice sinister rituals of sacrifice and zealous worship to their gods.
Creating a character that studies and practices magic in complete secrecy is not off the table. You must convince me that you understand the nature I am trying to portray, and are able to roleplay such knowledge accordingly. Magical abilities are only granted to a person by using their body as a conduit for entities from other realms of existence. A wizard calls upon certain beings and uses their power to enter the world in either a small trickle or a massive flood. This requires a person of incredible will to control, as they have to combat the forces they summon in order to only allow what they want to happen. An unskilled practitioner who cannot reign in the otherworldly entities will find themselves unable to siphon off the appropriate amount of power, resulting in uncontrollable reactions, insanity, or even possession.
Only those who study magic extensively against Royal Decree or are members of other nations were the dangerous practice of magic is less controlled, know these aspects of magic. To nearly everyone in the Star Kingdom, magic is simply the stuff of ghost stories and fairy-tales, and existence of anything outside of their own world of reality is completely unknown.
Scientific discovery is held in high regard within the Star Kingdom. King Osfirth II himself is a renowned man of science, and he hands out patronages to professors of the various universities in order to continue their research and publish their findings. Both universities and guilds of various trades and expertise dominate the economic and scholarly pursuits. There have been several advancements since the early days of the kingdom. First, gunpowder is readily available. This is an ill-refined substance, subject to failure or spontaneous combustion when handled improperly. Still, the armies of the Star Kingdom are equipped not only with traditional medieval weaponry and armor, but specialized units of musket armed soldiers and artillery. Along with firearms, advances in metallurgy have yielded stronger and lighter steels for construction and tools. Pressurized water tanks allow for low-tech plumbing among the rich, as these devices are incredibly expensive. Sewers and catacombs increase the hygiene of the largest cities, and the great city of Asterwatch has a newly implemented gas pipeline that lights the wealthier boroughs street lanterns without the need for oil and fire.
Religion within the Star Kingdom is not held in high regard. King Osfirth II, like his father, favors reason and hard facts. As such, due to the decrees continued by his father, religion holds no place within the kingdom. Within the countryside, the poorer folk still live in shadowy superstition. Small cults of priests roam the outskirts of society, preaching the sermons of whichever god they have chosen to serve or create out of thin air. Some of the Fae still adhere to the religion of their ancestors, worshiping primal spirits and deities in secret. Their faith is highly feared by the less educated and ignorant, who believe the stories of ancient times and hold the elves in the same regard as witches and demon worshipers.
King Osfirth II: Current ruler of the Star Kingdom and patron of knowledge. He is no longer a young man, nearing his middle years after taking the throne from his father at the age of 17. He currently has no heirs, his wife barren, and there is much debate among the court over his successor should he pass suddenly.
Spy-Matron Glenda Aeflestead: An elderly woman that controls the Kings secret police: Renward Row. Her agents are everywhere, listening and reporting the comings and goings of various nobles and persons of interest. For herself she is quiet and reserved, favoring to hold her tongue and observe as opposed to direct action. Her words are held in high regard of the monarch, who like his father places great trust and responsibility in her.
Lord Segwich Romshire: Master Censure of the king, and the current administrator of the Royal Censure. Lord Romshire is a pitiful looking man, thin and gangly with a head bearing the signs of male patterned baldness. His eyes are small and his lips thin, and he usually speaks with the hint of a sneer in his voice. He delights in making life difficult for whomever he can, generally with copious amounts of paperwork required to secure patents and licenses from his office.
Grand Marshal Theodred Erikssen: Leader of both the Bright Guards and champion of King Osfirth II, Marshal Erikssen is a hard man that can trace his lineage back to the soldiers that fought in the war of independence from the Empire. While major wars have had no place among the people of Reyrweald for many centuries, Marshal Erikssen is a veteran of dozens of battles against bandits, rebellious peasants and Fae, and rouge mercenary groups. His tactical knowledge is second to none, and he personally tutors several children of the nobility for an incredibly high price.
Chancellor Richard Godfreid: Portly and stooped with age, Chancellor Godfreid is a kind man of incredible knowledge and prominence within the Star Kingdom. He holds the current position as dean of the Star College. Preferring to forgo his title, Chancellor Godfreid is known to most as Dr. Godfreid, Professor, or simply Richard to his friends and peers. Grey haired and bearded, Chancellor Godfreid feels great love for his students and all who seek the advancement of knowledge and education.
Guilds and Universities: The Star College is the premiere place for scholastic adventures within the kingdom. It libraries and research facilities are peerless, and the king himself studied there and holds an honorary professorship. His original dissertation on the political evolution of the Reyrweald is held in the library within a glass case. Other cities boast their own colleges and universities, each with their own levels of fame and contribution. There are numerous guilds that ply their specific trades through the kingdom. These range from blacksmiths and bards, to agriculture and labor unions.
Renward Row: The secret police and ever watchful hand of the King. These agents are shadowy persons who occupy all levels of both royal and common society. The fear of Renward Row is palpable amongst the ignorant, believing that these ‘boogie men’ will snatch them for even the faintest slight against their monarch. While mainly concerned with enforcing censures and culling rising dissent, the secret mission of Renward Row is to keep tabs on their neighbor. The Valedean Empire may be weak, but a beast is most dangerous when it is wounded and backed into a corner.
The Royal Army: Made up of gentleman knights, men-at-arms, and common militia, this is the strong arm of the Star Kingdom. Each noble is expected to produce a certain amount of knights and men to their particular lord when called upon. Thus, the Royal Army is actually hundreds of separate entities, only united under the King if he calls for all-out war. This has only happened once: during the Traitors War. Otherwise, these nobles utilize their forces in small scale skirmishes with their rivals.
The Watchmen: Royal Guards under the direct control of the King. The Watchmen are mostly common folk, patrolling the streets of Asterwatch for crime and keeping the peace.
The Bright Guard: The Bright Guard are the elite of the kingdom, and are given the best equipment and training available. This prestigious group is the Kings personal bodyguard, and maintain the castle of Asterwatch.
The Royal Censure: A group of bureaucrats that police all academic publishing and research within the kingdom. The red tape that these generally pompous individuals can heap upon a person is legendary. They see their service to the king as vital, protecting all of the inhabitants of the Star Kingdom from “unsavory practices.” Many a third or fourth high born son has found himself an apprentice here, as he will not inherit his father’s estates and must make a name for himself among the dreadful politics of the kingdom some other way.
Mercenary Bands: Roaming the countryside, usually under the employment of a lord looking to increase his strength or a local town with a bandit problem, the mercenary bands of the Star Kingdom come from all walks of life. Many members of the Fae find acceptance here, were admission is voluntary and skill with a blade and musket is held in higher regard than birth. These bands vary in disposition depending on their leaders. Some are cruel and little better than the raiders they fight. Others are noble in their pursuits, looking to make a more peaceful kingdom.
The Valedean Embassy: Filled with ambassadors and a few soldiers from the Valedean Empire, the Embassy in Asterwatch is regarded with suspicion from the nobility and commoners. While operating under the pretense of keeping good relations and trade agreements between the two nations, most within the Star Kingdoms harbor conspiracy theories that the Embassy is the headquarters for secret plots to undermine their former colony.
Human: Your typical run of the mill, average every day homo-sapiens. Their body types, hair and eye color, and skin tone vary greatly throughout the world. Due to the imperial nature of the colonial period of the Star Kingdoms past, there is a great amount of ethnic diversity. Heavily tanned folk of desert ancestry, the dark brown to black skin of those from far off jungles, and paler skin tones from northern descent all are seen and held in equal standing. Humans can own property, hold office, and perform any job provided they garner the proper licenses from the Royal Censure. The Star Kingdom is a slightly enlightened patriarchal society. While men are the first choice to inherit property and titles, there have been cases of a noble having no male heirs and his eldest daughter inherits his landholdings. Generally, this property is transferred to her husband when she marries, but there are a few strong willed women in the Star Kingdom who refuse marriage and maintain their own estates. Political offices are much the same way, save that these offices are appointments of the King. As such, should a woman make a significant impression on the King, she may be granted a higher position than her male peers. This happens only occasionally, but it is not unheard of. In the military only the nobility holds officer ranks. Common folk can rise to the level of Sergeant if they show their skill and ability to lead others. Life expectancy is between 50-70 years depending on one’s wealth and healthcare.
Fae: The Fae resemble elves of your typical fantasy stories. They have more angular features, almond shaped eyes, and long pointed ears. Unlike elves in other realms, they are not always slenderer than their human counterparts. Fae can be just as large and muscular as humans. Their skin tones are mostly heavily tanned due to their use as a labor force and second class employment opportunities, though some are paler if they are in service to a house. Usually this applies to female Fae, who work in households as maids and nurses, while the men work fields and other hard labor jobs. Their eyes are more bright and vibrant than that of humans, and can be a wide range of colors. Fae can live to be as old as 90, but usually die from violence, sickness, or exposure before then. Free Elves which have been granted their freedom from a kind lord or the King himself for dutiful service are subject to increased taxes, cannot own property, or hold any type of political office. They can serve in the military, though only as enlisted soldiers and never progress to a rank in which they are in charge of troops. This does not apply to Mercenary Bands, as they make their own rules and do not have to follow the military laws of the kingdom.
Halfbreeds: The spawn of human and Fae unions. Usually these are the bastard children of a lord “taking advantage” of his female servants or slaves. Very rarely, and always in secret as marriage between Fae and human is strictly outlawed, these are children born out of actual love and affection. Halfbreeds resemble a cross between the two races. They have less angular features, smaller points to their ears, and their eyes are slightly more rounded. They still have enough that makes them distinctly unhuman. All the laws that apply to Fae also apply to Halfbreeds, as they are seen as abominations by the Star Kingdom. Therefore, they find much more acceptance among the elves, though there are some Fae who see the Halfbreeds as aliens and shun them as well. They can live to be around 80.
1323 IE (Imperial Era): The Reyrweald colonies are founded.
1330 IE: First wars with the Fae begin with the colonists and Valedean Empire.
1337 IE: The Fae are pacified, the Reyrweald colonies beginning to grow and expand unhindered.
1452 IE: The Adamant Decree is published, declaring the independence of Reyrweald and its peoples from the Valedean Empire. War breaks out shortly after.
1460 FE (Free Era): The Asterancy is signed within Fort Forsyth, later to be renamed Asterwatch following the publication of the treaty. The Star Kingdom is born. The Traitors War begins the same year.
1471 FE: Eleven years of war and terrorism have finally come to a conclusion. The Fae are forced back into servitude. Chief Foararr is executed at a public beheading outside the gates of Asterwatch. All Fae are forced to be in attendance.
1642 FE: Dunwick Manor is purchased by Lord Roderic Montford. No further records can be found.
1671 FE: King Osfirth II replaces his father on the throne of the Star Kingdom on the 200th Anniversary of the Traitors War.
1699 FE: The current day.
Your adventure will begin within the forgotten and dilapidated hamlet of Roses. Once a prosperous farming community within the region of Moorlough, Roses is now not even mentioned on all but the oldest of maps. Settled near Kirklan Bay, the flood waters providing rich soil for agriculture, the small town is now surrounded by waterlogged fens as their levies cracked and the water retook most of the land. Backed by the Dubhwold Forest, now twisted with insidious looking trees that make a proper hiding place for bandits and cutthroats, the people of Roses live in constant fear under the shadow of Dunwick Manor. Once owned by a rich and prosperous gentleman, who was master of the surrounding acres, the house is now a sinister tyrant that plagues the minds and bodies of anything nearby. The great estate is set atop a cliff known as Shepherd’s Promontory, jutting out from the mainland into the bay. A single road winds down, through the forest at its feet, and into the village of Roses. No one who has ever ventured into that forest seeking the secrets within Dunwick Manor have ever returned, but terrible screams are often heard in the night from the trees. As far as the history of the region, all records of the master and whatever occurred within the house have been erased by Royal Censures. The only remaining document that has been found by scholars is a deed for the land signed over to Lord Roderic Montford. Further examination of this man will show a history that abruptly stops after his ownership of Dunwick Manor. Previously, he was a gentleman of decent standing that served in the military of a high lord, before applying himself to the Star College in Asterwatch. He graduated with honors and a Doctoral degree in physics and engineering, whereby he then used part of his inheritance to purchase the grounds. Local townsfolk are quite closed lipped; all questions about the estate or its master met with fearful glances toward the clifftop.
I will be using your individual Character Sheets as a guide to feel out your roleplaying style and skill. This RP will not be first-come first-served. Utilize your creativity and feel free to expand upon the world. If there is something that I feel does not sit within the setting, we will discuss it in PM when I review your sheet. If you have any questions, or want to run ideas by me prior to writing, I am always open to PM.
Name:
Age: (For the purposes of this RP, nothing younger than 18, nothing older than 60. Your age will place limitations on your abilities. Young characters may be fit but lack experience and skill, while older characters may be plagued by chronic illness or injury but have a wealth of knowledge at their disposal.)
Gender:
Race: (Fae, Human, or Halfbreed?)
Position and Trade: (What does your character do for a living? What level of society are they born to? Feel free to create guilds, colleges, organizations, or anything you may desire. Additionally, you may choose to make a character that already belongs to one of the groups I have created above. If you wish to make a character from the Embassy, Bright Guards, or Renward Row then you may want to bring it up in the OOC to avoid too many people working on the same character. These groups are small, and as such only one character belonging to each will be allowed if any at all.)
Appearance: (You may utilize a picture if you choose, however I myself am not a particular fan of them. I find it hard to always find a picture that will fit the setting. With that being said, if you do choose to utilize a picture, please make it is something appropriate. Text to accompany a picture is always welcome and encouraged.)
Personality/Vices/Boons: (This is where the magic happens. Add in any details about how your character interacts with others, their mental state, attitudes toward society, personal goals and ambitions. Of course, you should also list your boons and vices. Everyone is afraid of something, or has some dark secret they wish to keep buried. Additionally everyone has something useful they can offer the group, from skills to simple charisma. These must be at least in equal proportion, and I will require at least one of each. More are of course highly encouraged. If you wish to make a flawed character that is perfectly acceptable.)
History: (Give us a story about your characters past. What have they done with their lives? Here you can give reasons for their positive and negative attributes. You may use your world building skills here as well. You can create towns, cities, important events, or even famous people in your story. I have only outlined the atmosphere and history of the Star Kingdom. It is an evolving world that is open to more creation from the players.)
Weapons/Equipment/Supplies: (List whatever your character will have on their person or within their saddlebags when they arrive at the tavern in Roses. This should be in keeping with your character. An elderly professor would not typically be seen in a full raiment of plate mail and a great sword, nor would a common soldier typically have a copy of the Kings dissertation.)
The Contract: (The section will be you actually roleplaying out how your character heard about the request from the Employer. You can even go as far as to elaborate on the travels of your character on their way to Roses if you choose to do so, but it is not required. Be as creative as you like. It can be anything from a casual conversation over a tankard of ale, to eavesdropping on a pair of gossiping townsfolk, or even receiving a letter or being approached by someone if your character is sufficiently famous or noticeably skilled in certain areas. The primary purpose of this section is for me to get a feeling of your writing style, roleplaying abilities, and to see your character in action.)
I have decided to include some links that may be helpful when creating your characters. As for myself, I often have a very difficult time in naming people, places, and items. As I continue to research certain aspects of historical Renaissance and medieval Europe in hopes of inspiration this section may expand.
Helpful Wikipedia articles that may give you inspiration for naming characters and places based on Old Enlgish and Celtic root words can be found here and here.
A Wikipedia article on the ranks of European nobility can be found here.
A simple name generator for Gothic themed names can be found here.
Wow! This roleplay is advanced, story-driven, and affected by our character's personality as well as chance? It's meeting all of my standards! Definitely showing interest in this!
Awesome writing man-would love to toss my hat into this. Really diggin the upswing of lovecraftian horror in rps lately.
Edit-What would be the average life span of humans here if you don't mind me asking.
That is a very good question @T Risket. Being set in a pseudo-medieval time period humans typically live between 50-70 years of age. The spectrum is broad due to the fact that wealth and position will have a greater impact on your healthcare. Nobles and royalty can afford much better doctors and such, therefore living longer and healthier lives on average. Common folk struggle, relying on natural remedies and superstition to combat illness. As one can expect, this isn't as effective and most usually pass away from sickness in what today people would refer to as "middle aged."
Fae are not like elves in other fantasy stories. They do not live hundreds of years, or are even essentially immortal. The Fae live longer lives though, usually 80-90 years if they are left alone and well cared for. Sadly for them, this is not the case, and many Fae die well before their prime to diesease and violence.
@Savage are there ither countries where magic is used mire freely?
A big component in the universe, and specifically this RP, is in the chaotic, dark, and mysterious nature of magic. Magic is not something that even in the old tales and legends is wielded lightly. Even simple incantations can backfire into dire consequences, releasing horrible energies and creatures from alternate dimensions into the world. Many stories told among the peasantry feature wizards, warlocks, and witches that succumb to madness due to their fragile human minds being unable to comprehend the twisted cosmic horrors needed to harness magical powers.
As such, it is completely extinct in common society among the Star Kingdom. There are rumors of dark practices within the Valedean Empire, the folktales of Fae shamans and witches communing with spirits and demons, and barbarian tribes of far off locations that practice sinister rituals of sacrifice and zealous worship to their gods.
With that being said, creating a character that studies and practices magic in complete secrecy is not off the table. You must convince me that you understand the nature I am trying to portray, and are able to roleplay such knowledge accordingly. Magical abilities are only granted to a person by using their body as a conduit for entities from other realms of existence. A wizard calls upon certain beings and uses their power to enter the world in either a small trickle or a massive flood. This requires a person of incredible will to control, as they have to combat the forces they summon in order to only allow what they want to happen. An unskilled practitioner who cannot reign in the otherworldly entities will find themselves unable to siphon off the appropriate amount of power, resulting in uncontrollable reactions, insanity, or even possession.
All of this which I have just described is only known to those who go against Royal Decree and study magic extensively, or are members of other nations were the dangerous practice of magic is less controlled. To nearly everyone in the Star Kingdom, magic is simply the stuff of ghost stories and fairy-tales, and existence of anything outside of their own world of reality is completely unknown.
EDIT: I feel that this answer is something that a majority of people would like to know, and have added it to the original post to add more emphasis on the nature of magical forces. I have also included a few links at the bottom that I found useful when writing the history and background. Perhaps some of you may also find inspiration and use for them.
@Savage I was actually thinking about making an somewhat insane assassin, that writes poems. And has some rather "Dark" magical abilities.
Depending on those abilities, it is not off the table. The insanity aspect would actually tie in well to having some kind of powers. Perhaps your character has made some sort of deal with a cosmic entity, which has possessed him in a more symbiotic relationship instead of total control. Thus your character gains a small bit of this creatures power, at the sacrifice of their own sanity.
EDIT: Also I am realizing this course of action would provide you with the interesting option of "talking" to your otherworldly inhabitant within your own mind.
@Savage Teleportation, mindtricks, showing the horrors of his mind on his enemies making them gouch there eyes out. You know fun stuff :)
All things are possible within the realm of magic. Just take care to elaborate on these abilities and do your best to limit them in a way that would ensure they are not deemed overpowered. Keep in mind that characters with magical abilities will be more closely read and criticized by me in order to try and keep everyone from getting too wild.
Also, the more powerful your abilities, the harder it will be for your Assassin to control. Teleporting across a small room may not tax his mental state as much, but jumping across a town or several miles will require an intense amount of skill and willpower to achieve without having an unforeseen result. I look forward to seeing what you come up with and offering my advice to help guide you in the direction I am looking for.
@Savage oh dont worry he didnt get this powers easy.. And having them under control takes a both physical and mental strain. Why else would you think he would sing ?
@Savage I saw the limit of characters, so I'd like to ask if I could save a spot for my CS. I really love how in depth this concept is. Consider me interested!
@Savage I saw the limit of characters, so I'd like to ask if I could save a spot for my CS. I really love how in depth this concept is. Consider me interested!
I am not making any decisions until after everyone who is interested has submitted their sheet, or a decent amount of time has passed, on which characters will be accepted and which will not. With that being said, there seems to be much greater interest in this than I had anticipated (which of course makes me incredibly pleased that you all have found excitement in what I've written so far). If I receive more than 6 characters that I can tell are made with care and attention and would very much love to have in this story then there will be more than 6 available slots.
If it comes to a point when there are simply just too many characters, some of you which are passed up for a protagonist position may find yourself receiving a PM from me and asking for your assistance in portraying some of the nightmares I have planned. These will most likely not be full time positions, and you will have less freedom over your actions as I will be dictating when and where you "pop up," but it would allow you to explore the story in your own way.
@Savage I noticed that you listed gunpowder as one part of the technology tab. Would that entail flintlock weapons, like pistols and muskets, or would that only be for cannons?
@Savage I noticed that you listed gunpowder as one part of the technology tab. Would that entail flintlock weapons, like pistols and muskets, or would that only be for cannons?
It also entails flintlocks. I made mention of musket armed soldiers in various areas of the different hiders. So cannons, muskets, pistols, and other things you can think of for gunpowder are available. Gunpowder is dangerous and unpredictable though. It can backfire and explode, or malfunction and only leave a very non-lethal sizzle for your gun. More expensive black powders are better, while the cheap stuff is like flipping a coin on whether you actually shoot something or end up writing with your non-dominant hand.
