Once upon a time, there was a Faraway Land. It was a land of magic, a place of mythical creatures and dangerous monsters, the home of mighty heroes and deadly villains. It wasn't always that way, though. Many eons ago, it was a desolate place, whose simple inhabitants struggled endlessly for survival. Then, great vessels appeared in the sky and deposited humans upon the earth. These humans scattered abroad and remade the world to their liking, and in so doing, made it a better place. For the first time in millennia, the natives flourished, not merely scraping by, but truly living and enjoying life. Humans, too, lived in harmony with the planet, and in blissful isolation from their home culture, they advanced further than ever before.

But the peace didn't last long. One day, a hole appeared in the sky, and through it poured millions upon millions of black monstrosities from the underworld. They swept through the planet, killing and terrorizing everything in their path. The humans hastily constructed five mighty fortresses, called Havens, throughout the continent to repel the invaders, and a great battle ensued. But they were sorely outmatched. With billions of invaders piling along the edges of the continent, each one more than a match for any human soldier, the fortresses fell in a matter of hours. Humanity came to the brink of extinction on the world.

Then, from the dust of the ground, twelve tremendous beasts rose to existence. Bearing immense power over the elements, they fought the invaders and drove them back to the hole whence they came. The humans called them Guardians. The beasts sealed the portal and retreated to the furthest corners of the earth, where they would remain in case the invaders ever returned. Before they left, however, one Guardian gave to humanity power over magic. Using this newfound power, the survivors sought to rebuild their war-torn world. The environment had taken a turn for the worse, and the creatures that once lived in peace had turned violent. To facilitate survival in this new world, the survivors turned to genetic engineering. They designed the tough, hardy Orcs to live in the desolate north, the agile, perceptive Elves to live in the treacherous forests, and the short, durable Dwarves to live in the western caves. More importantly, if the invaders ever returned, they would have to reckon with the new and improved humanoid subspecies specifically tailored to defeat them.

Centuries passed. The memory of the war faded into legend, and thence into myth. The subspecies forgot their common heritage and began to see each other as aliens. One powerful wizard, a ruling elf named Druth Vanarys, took advantage of the racial tensions to coax the orcs into fighting their neighbors. Under his leadership, the orcs overwhelmed the nascent civilizations and threatened to undo all the progress achieved over the ages.

It is into this world you were born. The five fortresses were rebuilt and serve as capitals for each of the four races. The northern wasteland is called Fellmore, the western hills Stonehune, the central forests Aetherion, and the southern plains Solace. The east is mostly swamp and bog, and remains uninhabited ever since the war. For this RP, we will begin in Fellmore.

Orcs are no longer the only humanoid species to occupy Fellmore.
* Goblins are native to the planet. They are highly intelligent primates and used to live as hunter-gatherers in the central forests until the elves drove them out. Now, they are forced to survive as wanderers in the Fellmoran wastelands. Contrary to popular perception, they are not inherently evil. Wizarding overlords like to breed armies of them, since they are naturally subservient to greater powers. Though originally herbivores, they turned into omnivoric scavengers over time due to the merciless conditions of their new home.
* Hobgoblins are goblins with human souls, and as such are considerably more intelligent than ordinary goblins. While goblins tend to move on all fours, hobgoblins stand upright, which is one of the key ways of identifying them. They live in central Fellmore around the tower fortress of Northaven.
* Bugbears are goblins that have adapted to life in the Fellmoran polar icecap by evolving a thick coat of fur. Like their hairless counterparts, there are human-soulled variants in the employ of Lord Vanarys.
* Kobolds are wingless dragons that live in underground tunnel networks. Most are about as intelligent as goblins. Vanarys enslaved some and gave them human souls, turning them from mundane rock-eaters into skilled manhunters. Their tough scales and honed senses render them superior to most other species in battle.
* Orcs are basically superhumans. With hyperdense bones, leathery skin, thick muscles, and a vicious bite, they are every inch the warriors they look. They hold an uncontested spot at the top of the food chain, and the only real threats they face are from their own kind.

Druth Vanarys, or "The Warlock" as he likes to be called, tore apart orc society and drove them to fight amongst themselves to prevent rebellion against him. The plan worked, and for centuries after his arrival, orcs have been killing each other and cannibalizing their bodies for resources. The only time they stop is when the Warlock gives them a common enemy to cannibalize instead, be it the neighboring dwarves, elves, or even humans (should they ever march out that far).

All that changed when someone had enough...
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To join this RP, please submit a character sheet with the following elements:

* Name:
* Species: (hobgoblin, bugbear, kobold, orc)
* Age: (20-100)
* Gender: (male/female)
* Appearance: (include image)
* Specialization: (fighter, mage, cleric, ranger)
* Tragic Backstory:
* Character Development Goals:

[u]Class Descriptions[/u]

* Fighter: Wields blades, polearms, bludgeons, and other melee weapons. May also carry a bow. They are tough frontline combatants intended to take the brunt of the battle. Many try to acquire orchide armor and a shield for additional protection.
* Mage: A practitioner of magic. Wields a staff to cast with. Casting magic requires spilling one's own blood into a Lazuli crystal (oft mounted at the end of a staff); the stronger the magic, the more blood must be spilled.
* Cleric: A mage trained in the healing arts. Most try not to use magic unless absolutely necessary, since spilling one's own blood carries inherent risks that could counteract healing attempts.
* Ranger: A scout trained for hunting and tracking. Often wields a bow and knives. Wears light armor so as not to impede movement or generate noise. May double as an assassin as needed.

[u]Gameplay[/u]

You'll start life as a newly trained warrior in service of the Warlock. After certain events occur in the story, you'll have to eke out a life in the merciless wasteland of Fellmore along with any friends gathered along the way. The ultimate goal of the story is to bring down the Warlock and restore some semblance of civilization to Fellmoran society. Survival means hunting, so we will be hunting both exotic beasts and your fellow creatures in our quest for dominance. It's not going to be a pretty story by any means, but not a tragic one. More importantly, we'll get to see another side to the oft-maligned creatures of the fantasy world, a more human side that should make us think twice before killing another "evil" orc or goblin.

So if you're feeling up for a change in your fantasy games, join up!