[center][h1]Harbingers of Ruin[/h1][/center] [center][i]Darkness stirs in the North...what fate shall befall the land that has been lost in Myth and Time?[/i][/center] [center][img]https://68.media.tumblr.com/7f5c2c52286540cba088447cb30a1296/tumblr_ommy5hguCH1sx8o26o1_540.jpg[/img][/center] [hr] Welcome Traveler! You now find yourself on Umber's Cairn, a waystation set upon a plateau overlooking the Eastern region of the Marches, just right of Umber's Pass. Around you are entertainers, mercenaries, merchants with cargo, all with something in common. They seek to travel further Northward into the Marches. Why? Perhaps they seek to carve out a name for themselves in the Frontier. Perhaps they have been beguiled by tales of treasures beyond measure in the Dragonback Mountains. Perhaps they are explorers, seeking to map out the less hospitable areas of land filled with natural hazards as well as beasts that could rend a man (or Elf) limb from limb! Some may simply have no other option than to flee into the Marches in search of a new life. Here you rest your weary legs and take a small respite of your long journey. Little do you know this day will forever be marked into your memory, for dark forces of all manners amass as the land of Torek enters into the new age. The Age of Heroes...and Ruin. [hr] [center][h2]The Northern Marches[/h2][/center] [center][img]https://68.media.tumblr.com/f6c403e866c84c67a1a7d5d28401a7cb/tumblr_ommeg3atIB1sx8o26o3_540.jpg[/img][/center] The land is an upheaval of ground, with Mountains ever visible and forests and lowland grass stretching as far as the eye can see in either direction. The Dragonback Mountains shield the Marches from the Tundra, keeping it (relatively) hospitable for travelers. The Moonlight forest to the east is a cursed place, ware the Fey Witch that resides there, and her Demon kin. Moors sweep the Marches, cold and keeping the secrets of the dead, and more. To know more, you must delve yourself. Or perhaps buy a rough map? Who knows if they would be accurate enough to save your life... [hider=A Brief History] [center][img]http://orig03.deviantart.net/2399/f/2012/184/8/1/skull_cave_by_sandara-d55s7e4.jpg[/img][/center] The Northern Marches is a land with a history rife with conflict. Many Scholars believe this was where the first men originated. Long before the Kingdoms of Men had arisen, Dwarves in their Thundrims and Dragons in their caverns delved in the ubiquitous Mountains that rose and fell across the landscape, working tirelessly until the days the two races warred during the War of the Gods. Great Engines of Battle and Godly magic warped the landscape alongside the titanic struggle of the Great Drakes with their Dragonfire, just as the Ancients and Titans spewed forth their wrath against the Divines. When Nalferius touched the world, huge numbers of Trolls and other monsters beyond reckoning began to fill the landscape, and even the War of the Ether reached the land, leaving behind eldritch artifacts that warp the mind and body, locked away in Tombs by Ancient Men. The Empire of Man began to fill the valleys and lowlands, trading with the Dwarves as the stout warriors fought an endless war against the nameless things that gnaw from deep within Torek. But much of this is lost to History... It was after the Great Demon War that the Kingdom of Praelior resettled the land, albeit in sparse numbers. They fought countless battles against the monsters and Barbarians of Iona, and eventually had to abandon their outposts in the Marches to focus on their wars closer to home. Hundreds of years would pass before the people of Thangoradrim would immigrate into the land, and men who shared a similar ancestry joined them from the Kingdom of Andred to the south soon after. The Men of both nations soon found themselves in a bitter struggle with the Wood Elves of Fal'Drannor to the East, that erupted into the first and only (full scale, being the key words) War between Man and Fey, only to halt when the Greater Demon Mal'Gramor burst forth from the Dragonback Mountains and drove the Elves and Men back, slaying the Elven King before being grievously wounded by it's Prince. It fled back into the Mountains, where many believed it died of its wounds. The Dragon Ludegren would take residence there next, known for his interest in manflesh. Still, the civilized Men of the region would return. There was peace, for a time. Until a man of Andred, an initiate of the Occult Bastion discovered an Ancient Tome that corrupted his soul and remade him into the Ruined King, erecting great structures of utter malice. He was laid to rest when the Combined might of the Order of the Righteous Heart, along with the Thangors drove him out. Unfortunately, it seemed his influence would remain, for the Righteous Heart's leader became embittered, and attacked the Earl of the Thangors with him upon the task being complete, in the Ruined King's very chamber. This single act sparked a conflict that had been on the edge for decades. This lead to the Thangors and Andredians to have a war of their own, called the War of the Wolf and Horse, that ended with the Thangors becoming Vassals to the Kingdom of Andred. Now, the only wars that do not involve monsters, are between Men. Lords of Andred fight over land, despite there being plenty to go around, and much that they have not yet discovered themselves. Why fight over the unknown, they ask. During the Battle of the Blooded Pass, Meldarion Dragonsbane slew Ludegren the Blooded before the two armies of Thangoradrim and Andred, making him into a legend and solidifying his status as Hero of the North. He disappeared years later, though rumors whisper of him fleeing and becoming besotted with the Elf Queen of Bania, after helping her halt a resurgence of Vampires in the Kingdom. Now, such is in the Histories of Andred. But of course, many conflicts go unnoticed. The Barbarian tribes of men from the Wastes have been here for millenia, unknowable in name and number. Refugees from the Kaelic Isles, and indeed whole Clans of them have taken residence in the Highlands and Moors. The Wood Elves of the Broken Kingdom of Fal'Drannor still reside, though they are hidden in the forests and war with the foul Demons and Orcs that stalk the land. The Dwarves scratch out a living, willing to fight the men over land if the humans dare encroach too close for any reason save trade. Barbarians from the Eastern plains of Khalahar are rumored to have their eye on more land to stake their claim too, and a frontier town is easy for an Undying Vampire or Werewolf to make an easy life for themselves. Danger lurks in every corner, but so does life. And is that not what matters, in the end? With life, there is hope! [/hider] [hr] [u][b]Character Sheet[/b][/u] [hr] [B]Username:[/B] [b]Character Name:[/b]State your name. (Put your alias or title in parenthesis) [b]Race/Species:[/b] Human, Elf, Half Elf, Dwarf, Drabarian, as long as you write them correctly for their background. Particular emphasis on Dwarves and Drabarians. They are strict in their cultural behavior. Of course, still make sure you differentiate your writing between a human from different nations, or a different subrace of Elf. If you want to Roleplay any other race, perhaps a Dark Elf in disguise? PM me. [b]Gender:[/b] Male or Female? [b]Age:[/b] Yup. [b]Career/Class:[/b]Are you a Wizard or Sorcerer? A Warrior Priest of a certain God? Are you a Soldier turned Mercenary, or a Warrior? A Ranger and tracker, someone who traverses wildernesses full of Orcs? Perhaps simply an entertainer and dancer with a knack for picking locks and pockets, or a Scholar wanting to research forbidden lore? Be curt, yet specific. For example, if you choose Mercenary, put (Cavarlyman) next to it if that is his/her main experience. [b]Skills[/b]: Skills. You have 2 Expert, 3 Journeyman, and 4 Adept Skills. A rule of thumb is to use Elder Scrolls skills, except for Magic. There is Holy Magic, Druidic Magic, Shamanistic Magic, Necromancy, Fell/Demonic Magic, and Arcane Magic. Please see the Book of Lore's magic section for help on such. You can only choose one area of magic to use. [list] [*] [*] [*] [*] [*] [*] [*] [*] [*] [/list] [b]Weapons:[/b] Be realistic. For example, if you have a long spear or Halberd, having a Warhammer and a Bastard sword with it is not smart. And you'd need to carry it wherever you went. [list] [*] [*] [*] [/list] [b]Physical Description (as detailed as possible please, pictures not accepted.):[/b] [b]Armor:[/b] If any. [b]Equipment/Other[/b] [list] [*] [*] [*] [*] [/list] [b]Mental Description/Personality:[/b] [b]Goals:[/b] Why are you in the Northern Marches? Fame? Riches? Adventure? Fleeing the North or come to settle an Old Debt? [b]Background/History:[/b] Must be Three Paragraphs. I am not too picky with your background as long as you have a believable character, however I need your history to reflect your character. [hider=Character Sheet Code][u][b]Character Sheet[/b][/u] [hr] [CODE][B]Username:[/B] [b]Character Name:[/b]State your name. (Put your alias or title in parenthesis) [b]Race/Species:[/b] [b]Gender:[/b] [b]Age:[/b] [b]Career/Class:[/b] [b]Skills[/b]: [list] [*] [*] [*] [*] [*] [*] [*] [*] [*] [list] [b]Weapons:[/b] [list] [*] [*] [*] [/list] [b]Physical Description (as detailed as possible please, pictures not accepted.):[/b] [b]Armor:[/b] [b]Equipment/Other[/b] [b]Mental Description/Personality:[/b] [b]Goals:[/b] [b]Background/History:[/b] [hr][/CODE] [/hider] [hider=Rules and Things to remember] [list] [*]Be polite to one another in the OOC. [*]This will be a group RP, so I expect you to discuss things in and out of character. [*]I reserve the right to say no or yes to a character. Never any hard feelings, though I always help to make a character better if you but ask. [*]I am extremely flexible, and sometimes too nice for my own good, but I am also taking this RP seriously, so try not to do anything too ridiculous. [*]I [b]greatly encourage[/b] you to question my lore, if you're curious on anything. Not only will it help you to make a character or better a post, but it will help me in world building. [*]If you ever have an idea for your character, I will be happy to collab. [*]The Technology of this world is 12th-14th century. But things such as rapiers for duelists, or basket hilted blades, are allowed. Only Dwarves have gunpowder weaponry, and they are still few and far between. [*][u]I will want at least 3 well formed paragraphs per post[/u]. I would like no more than 5 unless it's a collab, but that will not be a rule, however. Far be it from me to make a rule that halts creativity. [*][b][u]Your character can die.[/u][/b] I cannot stress this enough. If I see people making mistakes often enough, I will eventually exploit that opening. If they go up against something completely out of their league, I will hardly hold back, if at all. They need to be smart, or to REALLY be on my good side to live through something difficult. [*]If you die in this RP, I will allow you to make a 2nd character. [*]I will reward you on loot based upon your posting. For example, if you attack a group of bandits and are all "I slaughtered all 3 with little effort" then you get no real loot. But if you post realistically, and in a well written fashion that you slew two or three with your sword (and you have a history of being a good swordsman), and perhaps you were at least wounded in the exchange, I might be inclined to reward you at that moment with a high priced item on their person, or reward you later. For more risky fights, I'll roll for you regardless. Just remember to take this seriously. [/list] [/hider]