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[sub][b]M A G I T E K  -  A D V E N T U R E  -  D A R K   F A N T A S Y  -  D U N G E O N P U N K
5 - 6   P L A Y E R S[/b]
[url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYZf2JjP5Vo][ ♫ ][/url][/sub][/center]
[hr][center][h2]P [i]r e m i s e[/i][/h2][/center]
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[indent][quote=Erza Scarlet, Fairy Tail][i][b]“Those painful memories are what help us make it to tomorrow and become stronger.”[/b][/i][/quote]
Set on a wondrous world that has not so wondrous things happen, Iquenos is a collaborative project that takes inspiration from various magitek, fantasy, and steampunk settings. But most of all, it is a dynamic role-play that takes a lot of cues from anime and manga – some examples being Akame Ga Kill, Full Metal Alchemist, Seven Deadly Sins, and Fairy Tail.

Characters will be playing the magically-oriented protagonists whom for some reason or another have violated the laws of the imperium. They are eccentric individuals who may be informally trained in magic or actually have some instruction, but whomever these characters are they have a common goal in that they don’t like the theocratic version of the imperium by any means. Most likely because they have been branded heretics, maleficarum, and dangerous criminals at large. With that in mind, in terms of character dynamics I would like for us to [i]try[/i] to not have too much crossover (there are seven elements, after all) but if it cannot be avoided – like three characters being swordsmen – then it cannot be avoided. The idea is to be collaborative and try to have fun with a high adventure story with a lot of danger, threat, and darkness behind things. 

If there are any questions we can discuss building characters and I can then start designing an opening scene that brings the motley crew together.[/indent]
[hr][center][h2]S [i]e t t i n g[/i][/h2][/center]
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[indent]Within the sprawling landscapes of Vitae sits the Imperium of Iquenos – the sole inheritor of the gift of the gods, magic, and the forerunner of all civilization. It is a ruling culture that sits above the vast world before it, towering higher than the most ancient of derelict monoliths as a statement of cultural, religious, and scientific achievement. These extensive and artistic locales are symbols of unity but also the byproduct of mortal men and women who took their latent magical gifts and created understanding as well as growth over several centuries. The magi represented the spirit of artisans, scientists, adventurers, and innovators; the best of them banding together to form the idea of [u][b]guilds[/b][/u]. For many centuries the way of life of a magi was simple as they underwent jobs for the citizens of the imperium in earnest, experimented and challenged old ideas, and sought out old questions that had been left unanswered. This did not change until the rise of an unseen threat among them.

Several years ago, the religious authority of the imperium – the [u][b]Status Ecclesiae[/b][/u] – usurped the imperial throne from the royal family, declaring them heretics in the process to justify the archons bid for religious supremacy. The imperium became a theocracy of sorts in what seemed like overnight and all of Vitae was forced to listen or else face the zeal of the Ecclesiae’s magi, known universally as Inquisitors. What followed next was terrifying; only magi under the approval of the church were allowed to practice magic. This inquisition and witch hunt branded all those who defied them as [u][b]maleficarum[/b][/u]. When the guilds rose up, they were destroyed and the citizens of the realm learned that those by the church’s definition as heretics were the enemy.

Beyond the capital itself, the imperium is largely comprised of smaller feudal city-states, all of which swearing absolute loyalty to the imperial throne due to a myriad of reasons. The largest of these city-states being Dryadalis, Esfaria, Izaema, Ordos, and Thlecia. These cities are effectively strongholds of the Ecclesiae and as such are expected to tolerate any inquisitorial activities in the name of the greater good – a sentiment that proves the gossip that if an inquisitor is in a city or town throughout the imperium they outrank even the highest knight or lord.

It is a system that people have become content, apathetic, or ignorant of.[/indent]
[hr][center][h2]M [i]a g i c[/i][/h2][/center]
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[indent]The concept of magic is an old and tired science. 

As a hallmark that has been a staple of imperial society for thousands of years, dating back to the age of tribes; a time long before the imperial scribes even existed. Depending on one’s ideological or spiritual beliefs there exist many theories on the discovery of magic. Some will tell you that the mother of creation, Sol, enlightened man with the knowledge of the arcane and supernatural whilst others will assert that it was just simply the fruits of experimentation and discovery with the world they had found themselves in. It would be these debates that began the origins of the great schism between science and faith. But the development of magic did not take sides among these denominaitons. Magic was absolute; no matter where it came from it was undeniably a gift. 

It was a gift that progressed society at an exponential, unyielding rate that allowed mere mortals to do things they once thought impossible. Hillforts turned into castles, unorderly dirt paths into meticulous stone highways, moats into canals, supply runways into railroads, and eventually barges into [i]airships[/i]. But what was it that allowed mortals to become gods in their own right? What was magic? And how could one aspire to utilize it? These were questions that have been asked in every place of learning since the very first magi made their very first spell.

Magic is a supernatural reaction that occurs when any individual interacts and transforms the energy known as [u][b]ether[/b][/u]. Described frequently as a phenomenon with infinite possibilities, ether persists on the mortal plane in many forms, though it is primarily and fundamentally as common as any other intangible aspect of life. Ether exists in the same capacity as oxygen and gravity, flowing through the world itself to give life to its many creatures; both humanoid and bestial alike. Ether persists both outside and inside the living beings of the world, responsible for giving all aspects of nature mystical properties – from the flora that can be broken down for alchemy to the very mortals themselves. In fact, every living being at the center of its spirit holds one singular mystical attunement to one of the seven elements: terra, aqua, ignis, ventus, fulgur, sanctus, and malum.  

Those whom practice magic are known as [b][u]magi[/u][/b], blessed individuals who either have amazing latent potential (prodigium magum), intellectual understanding (scholaris magum), or mechanical ingenuity (artificem magum) to allow them to utilize the ether throughout the known world to create fantastical effects for or against their benefit.[/indent]
[hr][center][h2]R [i]e l i g i o n[/i][/h2][/center]
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[indent]The cornerstone of civilization is the religious worship of the etherius deorum, otherwise known as the pantheon of gods that have precedence in the imperium’s mythology, theology, and magology. As such it is not an unwise thought to come to the conclusion that even before the religious supremacy that overtook the imperial throne the world at large was relatively pious by some definition or another. It is something that has persisted despite the development of civilization.

The gods exist upon a spectrum; a pantheon of spirits that were once said to have given mortals the gift of magic as a reward for their devotion to them. Names such as Aegis, Arcanus, Helstar, Indus, Venus, Viduus and many others are second to one god in particular whom guides the lesser gods as the ruler of their celestial realm – Sol, the mother of all creation. It is Sol whom the majority of mortals pray to when they seek guidance in their darkest hour; it is Sol whom the priests create hymns about to inspire the public; and it is Sol whom those give offerings to in earnest, hoping that she will once sing into the world and give direction for those who are lost. However, there has been no literal “song” for Sol or any other gods for centuries, a foreboding fact that has often been combated by religious scripture and tenants such as the popularization of the curses of power, the seven deadly sins, and the gradual rise of abyssal creature in the world. Some deem this as propaganda to bolster their religion through fear, others see such things as evidence that mortals have lost the favor of the gods.  

The divine institution, the [u][b]Status Ecclesiae[/b][/u], serves as the state of theological affairs and up until the purification of the Nsiferum Dynasty was the second most powerful political power in the Imperium itself. Now standing as a theocratic authority that governs all of Iquenos, it now holds [i]unlimited[/i] power upon its denizens and has ushered in a renaissance of religious prosperity. The leader of the Ecclesiae is [u][b]Archon Januarius[/b][/u], a man who believes unequivocally in the righteousness of his cause and the heresy of his enemies. Taking residence in the former seat of [u][b]Patriarch Coronatus II Nsiferum[/b][/u] and his family, Archon Januarius rules without any rivals to his cause. Despite his adherent ruthlessness, Januarius is seen as a pious and is admired by the general public of the capital of the imperium; some believing he is worthy of being proclaimed a saint for restoring a supposedly corrupt and immoral state into the hands of righteousness.

In Iquenos, the Ecclesiae and its gods reign supreme.[/indent]
[hr][center][h2]T [i]i m e l i n e[/i][/h2][/center]
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[indent][i][b]1499 CE[/b][/i] -- Present Date.

[i][b]1495 CE[/b][/i] -- The remaining royalist forces are discovered by agents of the Ecclesiae, there are supposedly no survivors. The Nsiferum Dynasty is proclaimed as extinct.

[i][b]1486 CE[/b][/i] -- A final standoff between the magi guilds and the Ecclesiae occurs when inquisitors board the magi airship, Eileithyia. The last remaining guilds disband or go into hiding not long after.

[i][b]1479 CE[/b][/i] -- The City-State of Zahren is destroyed as response for their lack of obedience to new imperial laws and their alliance with the remaining magi guilds. This is seen as the final major battle in the first crusades. 

[i][b]1465 CE[/b][/i] -- The first crusade begins after the magi guilds of the capital refuse to obey Januarius' newly written laws and attempt to overthrow him in a violent rebellion.

[i][b]1464 CE[/b][/i] -- Inquisitors murder the imperial royal family in the imperial keep. Archon Januarius convinces the public they were heretics whom were practicing demonic magic to justify their slaughter. All remaining members of the royal family flee the capital.

[b]1421 CE[/b] -- A group of inquisitors are sent to investigate the infernal plains following a discovery by a merchant caravan that had been using the territory as a shortcut for three centuries. When they arrive they are attacked by a thrall who identifies as Belial, only one inquisitor survives; a young man by the name of Januarius. The demonic races had returned.

[b]1400 CE[/b] -- The 15th Century begins.[/indent]
[hr][center][h2]E [i]x p e c t a t i o n s[/i][/h2][/center]
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[indent][color=gray][b][u]Pacing[/u][/b][/color]

[list][*]Activity will be left vague as social obligations such as employment, academics, and so forth take precedent over a shared hobby. But we should try to post with some regularity. Obligations will be reminded if needed, but this is a low stress endeavor so we shouldn't feel the need to make extreme demands regarding this. Just communicate your schedule when there are issues and keep me informed is the bulk of it.
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[color=gray][b][u]Writing Ability[/u][/b][/color]

[list][*]The writing level I expect is somewhere around [u]medium expectations[/u] (high school-level equivalent). This means comprehensive understanding of basic grammar and spelling is expected, characterization is important, narrative is important, and detail behind those are appreciated. I’d like to see a few paragraphs, though if it fits a post that there is enough to respond to and react to within one paragraph than that’s fine, but one-liner’s will definitely be off-base. Keep with the fluidity and enjoy yourself; though quality posts don’t have to be textbooks. Quality over Quantity, yet have fun and make engaging moments of introspection and interaction.[/list]
[list][*]With that said, I will not be putting posts under extreme analysis nor will I be inciting a “word count”. So just use your personal judgment of quality and we’ll be awesome.[/list]
[color=gray][b][u]Etiquette[/u][/b][/color]

[list][*]Rule number zero of my perspective is pretty simple; don’t test my patience or be a irredeemable jerk.[/list] 
[list][*]Generally, the idea here is a simplified version of any sort of rules since we are all adults and we pretty much know the big rules—follow the host site’s rules, communicate, collaborate, and don’t be antagonistic towards others or at the very least keep the toxicity to a bare minimum. Playful banter and crass jokes are one thing; but actively making somebody feel unwelcome is another one entirely. There is a difference between being blunt and being tactless.[/list]
[color=gray][b][u]Applying[/u][/b][/color]

[list][*]I will be reviewing six sheets for participating. This means if I have more than six people [i]applying[/i] I will give it 2-3 weeks before I start reviewing them and deciding which seven I like the most. Applications should be posted in the OOC, particularly in the hider.
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[hr][center][h2]S [i]h e e t[/i][/h2][/center]
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[indent]All CS's should hold all information provided. If the format is too fancy, play around with it. Simplify it. Just make sure the proper information is there. Uniformity is nice, but it only equates to a brownie point. Also, if you can use anime faceclaims (particularly the cool silhouette kind like I have for my character) that'd be swell.

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[color=gray]“Quote Here.”[/color][/CENTER]

[color=gray][b]N A M E[/b][/color][hr][INDENT]First and Last.[/indent]
[color=gray][b]A G E[/b][/color][hr][INDENT]Pick a number.[/indent]
[color=gray][b]O R I G I N[/b][/color][hr][INDENT]Homeland and Locale if applicable.[/indent]
[color=gray][b]V I S A G E[/b][/color][hr][INDENT]Description of appearance.[/INDENT]
[color=gray][b]P E R S O N A L I T Y   T R A I T S[/b][/color][hr][INDENT]Description of personality or list of traits and quirks.[/INDENT]
[color=gray][b]L I F E   E X P E R I E N C E S[/b][/color][hr][INDENT]Description of their relative history. Something put them on the path against the imperium, against the church and it's inquisitors. Doesn't need to be a novel.[/INDENT]
[color=gray][b]E L E M E N T A L   A F F I N I T Y[/b][/color][hr][INDENT]Terra (earth), aqua (water), ignis (fire), ventus (air), fulgur (storm), sanctus (holy), or malum (unholy).[/INDENT]
[color=gray][b]A T T R I B U T E S[/b][/color][hr][INDENT]List and describe your skills, talents, and magical inventory if applicable.[/INDENT][/hider]
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