While I am writing up the OOC, as per request, I will be providing the character skeleton for you guys to start tinkering away with your characters. However, expanding on that, I’ll be giving you guys some world information as well to help you guys work out your backstories and to ween you in to the world of Arilyth.

[hider=Info Dump]So, first thing is first, the Order of Cinders and where your characters sit within it. To many of the Hunters and Huntresses of the Order, the organisation is all that they have – it is family, it is security and it is stability. Many members of the Order are raised in the House of Fire (their headquarters), and many have grown up together or have met/are aware of each other and who the other Hunters and Huntresses are. This is not because they have been sent there, but because they are linked to the undead in some form, and are compelled by hatred, vengeance or some other motive to endure the rigorous training to become a Hunter/Huntress and then live a life of peril and danger. How your character ended up there, how they are linked to the undead and what their motivations are behind the life they lead is totally up to you. Since you’re all getting along (much to my delight), it might also benefit you guys to discuss where your characters sit with each other. Are you a younger member that admires an older? Were you raised in the Order together? Were you driven to the Order for the same reasons? So many questions that you could all iron out together and possibly connect and bond over before the RP!

Secondly, the world of Arilyth. Since there is a lot of magic involved here (ebon pyromancy and necromancy), it makes sense to explain where magic comes from and the violent history surrounding it.

At the heart of the world, there is At’aine, the Well of the World. At’aine is the source of all arcane magic, and by extension, blood and daemonic magic as well. All ley-lines flow into the Well, and it is from this that maegi derive their power. In our case, the pyromancers of the Order.

For the human maegi, the Well was a gift, from which 100 members of their race were asked to drink. Upon doing so, they attained the power of gods, and with their power they sought to create and destroy. The waters of the Well were effectively a part of them, and was passed on to each successive generation. However, as each generation was born, their powers were weaker. All human maegi are traced back to the original 100, known as the Primal Sorcerers.

Of course, At’aine had to be protected. After they had lived their lives, a dozen of the first maegi formed The Conclave. As time went on, their mortal forms withered away, but their powers remained to protect the Well. Eventually, they established a kingdom for an indigenous clan of humans, helping them construct fortifications necessary to protect it. The men and women of this new nation were bound to protect At’aine, and once ready, the Conclave departed the world.

This kingdom was called Maltheria.

In Arilyth, there are a multitude of nations and kingdoms, most of them human (don’t let this fool you into thinking they are the predominant race however, as the ithuri are en par with their populations). Below are brief overviews of them.

The Kingdom of Maltheria
Kingdom of stone, established six centuries before the events our tale by the Conclave. Originally a tribe of humans indigenous to the Mountains of Maltheria and the Dragonwall, this nation of warriors were seen as the ideal candidates to guard At’aine from the Imyassi Empire.

They tend to be tall and well-built, with brown hair and almond-shaped eyes, an olive complexion and physical strength that often astounds other humans. They are raised to be warriors, and are defined by their resilience, their stubbornness and their proficiency in battle.

The Holy Kingdom of Lorinth
Lorinth, and its five vassals, occupy the northern subcontinent of Veldonn. Lorintines are reputed for their zeal and their devotion to the worship of the Saints, the canonised men and women who fought to create the kingdom we see today. Their military and their faith are intertwined, as anointed knights also act as the priests of the realm.

There is some diversity in the north. Lorintines tend to be smaller in stature, with pink skin and dark features, while the Baruvadi are fairer, stockier and have stronger statures. Dumatians tend to be tall and lithe, while the folk of the Coven are short, black of hair and grey of eyes.

Note – the five vassals of Lorinth are culturally dissimilar to Lorinth, bound only by a faith forced upon them. If you would like to know more about the vassals – let me know.

The Scattered Peoples of Sivar Velg
The northernmost continent of the world is Sivar Velg, the birthplace of vamphiirs, necromancy and the Order of Cinders. Also the location of the House of Fire. Once the home of giants, Sivar Velg has fallen into disorganisation and anarchy. Though many attempts have been made to unite the continent, they have all been unsuccessful.

The men and women of Sivar Velg are a warrior people. Sivar Velg is a harsh and hostile environment, where beasts and barbarians roam unchecked. They are shaped by battle and their ferocious instinct to survive. They tend to be blond or redheaded, with stark blue eyes and pale skin.

The Queendom of Ibzya
The whimsical lands of the west are full of all manner of bizarre creatures and queer oddities. Mostly a vast and terrible desert, the Ibzyans are a hardy and hostile people, known for isolating themselves from the world and fighting the neighbouring gnolls for resources. The Ibzyans are ruled by a ruthless queen and her council of sun-dervishes.

Ibzyans are olive-skinned, brown-eyed and sport styles that are comfortable in the heat and durable in the desert.

The Republic of Paerium
The most unassuming nation in Arilyth is Paerium. Small in territory and population, yet rich in resources, the Paeric have benefited from the discovery of a substance akin to gunpowder, and the subsequent invention of the rifle. Paerium is an industrious republic, made wealthy by their recent discoveries, yet hounded on all fronts by their competitors - the principalities.

The Paeric are tall and dark-skinned, being the closest relatives to the first humans in the world.

The Jzarean Empire
The superpower of the world is Jzarea, an empire that encompasses the entirety of the south. Ruthless, unforgiving and merciless in their quest for expansion, the Jzareans have established a reputation as a threat to other nations. They are the only nation in the world to have slaves and revere a snake goddess.

Jzareans are dark-skinned and incredibly vibrant in their dress, even adorning themselves in stone. They tend to be lithe and athletic, and quite flexible thanks to their jungle abodes. Their agility and dexterity has proven to be an asset to them in their imperial campaigns.

The Duchies of the Revosso Peninsula
The Revosso Peninsula, the focus of our story. The duchies of Revosso are autonomous and rule in their own right, yet maintain a plethora of trade agreements that have significantly bolstered their economy and helped them usurp the principalities as trade capitals of the world. Indulgence, extravagance and culture define the people of Revosso.

Revossic men and women are of medium height. Their eyes vary from a muddy brown to a lusty burgundy (an oddity unique to the people of this region) while their hair maintains a subtle scarlet quality to it. Their quality of life and diet means that the stresses of the world do not impact them, and they are known for having youthful olive skin.

The Principalities of the Golden Road
Following centuries under tyrants, a lineage of queens rose up against men known as the Sword Kings and established the six principalities of the Golden Road. Since then, the principalities of Aminah, Ezaraj, Kalabad, Sabasar, Varazhyr and Moqorro have enjoyed prosperity, constructing the infamous Golden Road and benefiting from the spoils of trade in the region.

The people of this region are known as the Ashareen, and their appearances differ depending on their origin. Ezarites and Varazhyrans are olive-skinned with manes of brown or black hair and light eyes, some even blue or green, while Aminese, Kalabadi, Sabasari and Moqorron are darker, stronger in stature and better suited for hotter climates.[/hider]

Character Skeleton:

[b]Name:[/b] self-explanatory.
[b]Appearance:[/b] a picture or a description will do. This does include age.
[b]Biography:[/b] your backstory. Who is your character? Why are they with the Order? Where are they from? I want every juicy detail. And if you do wish to keep it a secret (as some are wont to do) then please at least PM me your biography so that I can look at it and approve it.
[b]Personality:[/b] normally I shy away from this part of a character’s profile but seeing as your characters know each other or are aware of each other there are probably some, or many, elements of who you are and how you behave and what drives you (this is linked to your biography) that other members of the Order, and therefore other characters, would know about. This isn’t a psycho-analysis of sorts, merely a way for you to convey what you would like others to know about how your character ticks. I’m hoping this might inspire some camaraderie or conflict between characters.

Now, this was all written very haphazardly in my one hour break at university so I apologise if there are any errors in grammar, spelling or syntax, or if any of the descriptions are confusing/lax. I promise you that the OOC will be of a much higher standard, and that my writing in the roleplay (most importantly, of course) will be judged heavily by my perfectionist demons.

If you have any more questions or queries regarding this information, or you want to know more about a certain part of the world or culture or whatever, then please do not hesitate to ask me. :)