Whistlehowl Star (hyper-fantasy journey adventure)

FOLK: people who are rooted to one place, who would rather tell stories than live them.

VAGRANT: a drifter and wanderer, pirate and adventurer. Loyal to no king and bound by no law, so long as they keep moving.

COTERIE: a crew, a gang, a cult of Vagrants who travel and trespass together. Usually led and recruited by a Captain.

LEGEND: a Vagrant or a Coterie which has been immortalized in folklore and ballads. Universally revered or feared.

WHISTLEHOWL: The brightest star of the Shambler's Dragon constellation -- and the oldest and deepest Legend of all.




This is the story of the greatest legend that was ever known: the journey of those peculiar vagrants and their impossible search for a star.
a concept
Following the hyperfantasy worlds and deliciously simple plot hooks of One Piece and HunterxHunter, here is yet another story of an intrepid young dreamer with a MacGuffin to find and a misfit crew to gather along the way.

As is the nature of the MacGuffin, the Whistlehowl Star isn't important and may not even exist. It's the journey we're here for.
a world
The world doesn't have a name, or has many names depending on where you happen to be standing. This is the sort of place where people get around on flying whale-buses, where forests are lit up at night by peculiar mushrooms, where vast treasures are guarded by riddling monsters. You never know when you'll be snatched up by a passing griffin or robbed by a posse of masked children.

The only constant is the Vagrants, whose reputation precedes them. There are those who call themselves wandering healers, traveling spiritworkers, pirates and raiders and mercenaries, explorers of the farthest reaches -- but they're Vagrants all the same. By law there is no law that governs the Vagrants, as long as they don't spend more than three days in one place -- at which time the resident king has every right to arrest them or charge them taxes for loitering.

The technology level here varies widely from place to place -- from the tribes of the desert to the ticking cities among the hills -- but nothing is more advanced than the Fallfair Clock which towers over the city of the same name.

Some concept images below, for the feel of it:
by iDaisan


by Renaud Perochon


by Kirsten Zirngibl


by Robert Kim


by ariduka
a (wannabe) captain
by loish


NAME: Sunny Skyward
HAIR COLOR: dark brown
EYE COLOR: dark brown
DISTINGUISHING FEATURES: a quick grin, an easy laugh
SCARS AND BIRTHMARKS: a scar over her left eye from a childhood escape from a jellyfish.

WHO ARE THEIR FRIENDS AND FAMILY? WHAT SORT OF PEOPLE DO THEY SURROUND THEMSELVES WITH?
Her parents both live peacefully on a little island where they lead a simple fishers’ life, netting the skies for the fish that leap through the clouds. They're content with their folky life, unlike their daughter; Sunny surrounds herself instead with people she deems good at heart and adventurous, people she could trust without hesitation.

WHERE WERE THEY BORN? WHERE HAVE THEY LIVED SINCE THEN? WHERE IS HOME?
Sunny was born on the sky-island of Luvailmaer to a family that fished the sky for a living -- their cottage will always be home to her, but her addiction to adventure is too strong to stay. She makes a new little home wherever she happens to be, and she depends upon others' kindness for comfort.

WHERE DO THEY GO WHEN THEY'RE ANGRY?
In the throes of rage, Sunny will seek out a high place to scream -- the higher and more precarious the better.

WHAT IS THEIR BIGGEST FEAR? WHO HAVE THEY TOLD ABOUT IT? WHO WOULD THEY NEVER TELL?
She’s afraid of the ocean -- the idea of being surrounded by water with no way to breathe is an unfamiliar and frightening concept. There is no one she wouldn't tell her fears, she doesn't mind if it's known.

DO THEY HAVE A SECRET?
Sunny was entrusted with a secret by a visiting Vagrant named Coyote, and is sworn to never tell a soul.

WHAT MAKES THEM LAUGH OUT LOUD?
Almost anything has the potential to make her giggle, but especially slapstick humor and bad puns.

HAVE THEY EVER BEEN IN LOVE?
Sunny has never been in love, and doesn't care to be. It’s just not her thing.

DESCRIBE THE THINGS THAT WOULD BE HARD FOR THEM TO PART WITH.
Grandmother's astrolabe has its own leather pouch that Sunny had sewn herself; it's strapped to her back at all times, never to leave her person. It's made of white brass and is artfully designed. Coyote's earring dangles from her left ear; it's in the shape of a tiny pewter dragon.

LOOK DOWN AT THEIR FEET. DESCRIBE WHAT YOU SEE.
Simple sandals laced with twine and rough soles when it’s warm – in cold weather, secondhand boots and socks as thick as they come.

WHEN THEY THINK OF THEIR CHILDHOOD KITCHEN, WHAT SMELL DO THEY ASSOCIATE WITH IT? WHY DOES IT RESONATE?
Baking honeycakes, which her father would always make on cold dreary mornings, to be devoured under a blanket with a warm mug of spiced milk.

DESCRIBE ONE STRONG MEMORY THAT HAS STUCK WITH THEM FROM CHILDHOOD.
Her grandmother would tell her the stories of the constellations, and how they point the way no matter where you are. She taught Sunny how to use the astrolabe, which she hasn't parted with since. Grandmother was a Vagrant who settled on Luvailmaer, and had rich histories to tell.

WHAT DO THEY WANT MOST OF ALL?
Sunny's life ambition is to find the Whistlehowl Star, discover its secrets, and most of all to become an even greater Legend than the star had ever been.

RIGHT NOW, IN THE FIRST MOMENT OF OUR STORY, WHAT IS THEIR BIGGEST PROBLEM?
At this moment, Sunny isn't quite sure where her next meal will come from, or if she'll find warm shelter before night falls. She has high hopes, though -- and hope has never failed her.

an application
Characters may be human or of any race you can imagine -- as long as they are original. Please be mindful that any locations, factions,
 or NPCs are automatically forfeit to the GM to use and manipulate as plot requires. This is not the place for your premade worlds, cities and histories. You control your character and your character alone, but ideas and prompts for future plot devices are highly encouraged.
NAME:
HAIR COLOR:
EYE COLOR:
DISTINGUISHING FEATURES:
SCARS AND BIRTHMARKS:

WHO ARE THEIR FRIENDS AND FAMILY? WHAT SORT OF PEOPLE DO THEY SURROUND THEMSELVES WITH?

WHERE WERE THEY BORN? WHERE HAVE THEY LIVED SINCE THEN? WHERE IS HOME?

WHERE DO THEY GO WHEN THEY'RE ANGRY?

WHAT IS THEIR BIGGEST FEAR? WHO HAVE THEY TOLD ABOUT IT? WHO WOULD THEY NEVER TELL?

DO THEY HAVE A SECRET?

WHAT MAKES THEM LAUGH OUT LOUD?

HAVE THEY EVER BEEN IN LOVE?

DESCRIBE THE THINGS THAT WOULD BE HARD FOR THEM TO PART WITH.

LOOK DOWN AT THEIR FEET. DESCRIBE WHAT YOU SEE.

WHEN THEY THINK OF THEIR CHILDHOOD KITCHEN, WHAT SMELL DO THEY ASSOCIATE WITH IT? WHY DOES IT RESONATE?

DESCRIBE ONE STRONG MEMORY THAT HAS STUCK WITH THEM FROM CHILDHOOD.

WHAT DO THEY WANT MOST OF ALL?

RIGHT NOW, IN THE FIRST MOMENT OF OUR STORY, WHAT IS THEIR BIGGEST PROBLEM?
a few GM notes
I disappeared for a couple months and abandoned a few things, but now am back with a fresh perspective. I thought I'd try a new approach on a fresh slate.

Sunny Skyward will be a central and constant character; it will be her role to gather the PCs around her, to motivate them and drive them forward, but not to overshadow them.

I'd like to begin by basing a plot on one PC at a time -- RP through arriving at the PC's home or wherever they happen to be at this moment, befriending them, solving a small adventure and taking them along on the journey to the next PC. This means that not everyone will get to post right away, but I think the character development and plot investment might be worth it. We can discuss options further in OOC.
Whistlehowl Star (hyper-fantasy journey adventure)

Mokley aka windyfiend

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Mokley aka windyfiend
