[center][i] Let me tell you that this story will not have a happy ending, one way or another. People will die. People will break. People will become mad, and hurl themselves to my arms in an attempt to avoid it or in an act of spite or because they have just given up. Rude? Of course, I'm being rude. I'm spoiling the ending, not only of this particular story, but most of the stories after this. I don't have much interest in building mystery. It bores me. Chores me. I know what will happen and so do you. I'm more interested in the machinations that wheel us there. Now that aggravates, perplexes and astounds me. There are many things to think of. There is much story. [/i][/center] [hr] [center][h2]~The Kingdom Of Magic~[/h2][/center] In a world of magical fantasy is the country of Razelia, the magical capital of said world. It hosts Seraph Academy, the most prestigious magic school in the entire world, and the Great Library Of Razelia, an immensely huge library containing books about almost everything the world has to offer. Many mages and sorcerers consider visiting Razelia an obligation. A pilgrimage of sorts to expand and expound their knowledge in the arts of magic. The capital of Razelia is Zauberheim. A huge city that is protected by three layers of walls and some mountainous terrain. From here rules the benevolent Reinhardt von Zauberheim, Fifth Ruler of of the Magical Kingdom. Husband to Brunhilde von Zauberheim also known as the Luminous Queen, and father to young Lisianthus von Zauberheim and Lutz von Zauberheim, crowned Princess and Prince of the Kingdom. It is also in Zauberheim where the aforementioned Seraph Academy is located. While it is a school dealing with the teachings of sorcery and alchemy, it is also a renowned combat school. Students there are able to learn various martial arts and weapons training. It is after all, one the most well known academic institutes that powerful mage knights arise from. Every year there is a festival held in the capital to celebrate the graduating class of the academy. Part of the festival is a tournament held between the top graduating students. The tournament is a 32 contestant five-round competition set in the arena on the school grounds. Those who do well in the tournament are rewarded with prizes such as money and status increase. Any student who wins is guaranteed a spot in the Royal Knights squadron. Sometimes officials like to invite outside "special opponents" to participate in the event. This is because they sometimes feel it's nice to let students see what it's like to fight opponents with real combat experience. [center]Do you have what it takes to win?[/center] [center]------[/center] [center] [hider=Zauberheim] [img]https://i.imgur.com/bvEIrlV.jpg[/img] [b][i][u]The Grand Palace[/u][/i][/b] The home of the royal family located at the north end of Zauberheim (that huge castle area in the image). It is a large, exquisite palace, admired for its radiance and majesty. The palace shines with an white aura that is said to glisten in the Sun's rays. It's roof peaks are a deep blue that shine like sapphires. It is located in the northernmost section of the inner city, and it is here that the Royal family makes their home. Outside of the High Council and Royal Knights, only those proven worth may even stand near the Grand Palace. Even some of the higher nobles may have to wait days to seek audience with the King. [b][i][u]Luminous Citadel[/u][/i][/b] A small fortress located southeast of Zauberheim (those cool structures in the image that is part of the walls) where the local garrison is usually stationed. It is also where warriors in service to the kingdom are bestowed upon one of the greatest ranks, the title of "Arcknight". Arcknights are the strongest warriors in the kingdom, being highly recognized and revered. The Citadel was named Luminous in honor of Akarui Seijin, who's shining example of charisma and valor during the days of Reinhardt's father were forever chronicled within it's sacred walls. [b][i][u]The Verdant Forest[/u][/i][/b] The forest located south of Zauberheim. This large forest is home to many plants and herbs useful in alchemy and magic in general. It is also mostly free from dangerous creatures so some people in Zauberheim spend time taking a leisurely walk in the forest. However, it is still a large place so one must be careful not to get lost. [b][i][u]Radiant Cathedral[/u][/i][/b] As the name would suggest, this place is well known for its brilliance and regal aura. Located at the southwest end of Zauberheim (those structures surrounded by trees). This is the main place of worship for Zauberheim as it contains shrines to both Amalya and Aylama. It is also a place of learning as it offers teaching services regarding magic as it is related, after all, to the Twin Goddesses. [b][i][u]Royal Library[/u][/i][/b] This is the Kingdom's great library located inside Seraph Academy. While it's no Great Library Of Razelia, it still holds thousands of books and writings, ranging from ancient codecs to modern grimoires, for people to read and learn from. It should be noted that this is a private institution so it's not available to the whole public. Only noble families and students of Seraph Academy may checkout texts and utilize services within the wall of the library. Other members of the general populace utilize various public libraries in order to view magical texts. [b][i][u]Seraph Academy[/u][/i][/b] Seraph Academy is the most prestigious magic school in all of Razelia. Only those who come from rich families or show amazing prowess may be enrolled here. It is located behind the Grand Palace (that area northeast of the castle). While it is a school dealing with the teachings of sorcery and alchemy, it is also a renowned combat school. Students there are able to learn various martial arts and weapons training. It is after all, one the most well known academic institutes that powerful mage knights arise from. Every year there is a festival held in the Kingdom to celebrate the graduating class of the academy. Part of the festival is a tournament held between the top graduating students. The tournament's rules differ every year but this year, it is a 32 contestant five-round competition set in the arena on the school grounds. Those who do well in the tournament are rewarded with various privileges and prizes, such as money and status increase. Any Seraph Academy student who wins is guaranteed a spot in the Royal Knights squadron. [/hider] [/center] [center]-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[/center] [center][h2]~WORLD LORE~[/h2][/center] [center][h3]The Twin Goddesses[/h3][/center] [hider=Amalya] The Goddess Of The Light. Depicted as a being of pointed ears basking in radiant yellow light with her head held high and her arms stretched to the heavens, Amalya governs the brighter and cheerful things in the world like adventure and traveling. In her domain are the more direct magics like Light, Healing, Blessings (read: Buffs), Telekinesis and Element manipulation. She is the creator of the Elven race which includes all Elven groups: The Light Elves, the Wood Elves and the Dark Elves. Her gift to this race is the ability to easily wield the magical energies the world emitted. While the Beastkin blended with nature to survive and flourish, the Elves used magic to shape things to suit their needs. This makes all the Elves more naturally proficient in the magical arts allowing them to master a particular art faster or master multiple arts. Of course, a careless Elf will find him or herself on the losing end of a magic duel against a human or even a Beastkin mage. Even if she only created the Elves, almost all the races of the world revere her as a goddess along with her twin sister. [/hider] [hider=Aylama] The Goddess Of The Dark. Depicted as a being of pointed ears surrounded in faint purple colors with her head looking down and her arms angled downwards as if to comfort something, Aylama governs the calmer, more melancholic things in the world like rest and the home. In her domain are the more indirect magics like Dark, Illusions, Curses (read: Debuffs), Reflection/Mimicry and Teleportation. She is the creator of the Beastkin and thus, all its subraces: The Furred Ones, the Insectoids, the Scaled Ones, the Feathered Ones and the Deep Ones. Her gift to this race is how they are one with nature. They possess the abilities of animals to help them in their lives. While the Elves used magic to harness things into their favor, the Beastkin went with the natural flow of things. Even if she only created the Beastkin, almost all the races of the world revere her as a goddess along with her twin sister. [/hider] [center][h3]Minor Gods[/h3][/center] [hider=Valten, God-King Of Ortus] Valten was once a normal human man who, in the ancient past, united various human tribes to found the human nation of Ortus. He is treated as a god because after he united the human tribes but before he founded Ortus, he lead the united human army and allied with the Dwarven High King Grimnir to wipe out the vicious Orcs and the sadistic Goblins. It is said that once he felt that Ortus could stand on own two feet, he ascended into the sky to rest and will return when Ortus needs him the most. While he does not give out blessings, the Ortusians venerate him greatly. He really doesn't matter much in the context of this RP so don't bother too much about this guy. [/hider] [center][h3]RACES[/h3][/center] [hider=Elves] The Elves are humanoids of pointed ears and long lives. They are the creations of the goddess Amalya and gifted with an affinity to magic, making them the most magically adept among all races. Their creation history is universally accepted as truth since there are ancient human cave paintings depicting a shining being creating and molding the first of the Elves although some Elves feel uncomfortable at the notion that the Human race is older than the Elves despite having longer lives. As time passed, the Elves have divided into three groups. The Light Elves, the Dark Elves and the Wood Elves. Despite the separation, the three groups get along with each other more or less. They are also not a separation of race so they can interbreed and everything. This also means that Elves can freely switch from one group to another. The Light Elves are the most faithful to their creator. They focus on magics that belong in Amalya's domain and follow her teachings the most, meaning that the Light Elves are generally an adventurous and outgoing people. Their lands are called Aeria and their cities are bright and grand and bustling. Within reason and if possible, that is. The Dark Elves left the teachings of their creator Amalya and followed her sister Aylama instead. As such, they focus on magics that belong in Aylama's domain and embraced her ways. This means that the Dark Elves are generally a calm and quiet people. Their lands are called Meylia and their cities, while as grand as the Light Elves', are quiet and somber. The Wood Elves were perhaps, according to the Elves, the strangest of the three groups. The Wood Elves wanted to worship both the Twin Goddesses equally and they do this by abandoning the Elven cities to live with nature as a sign of worship for Aylama who created the race the blended with nature. This earned their name as the Wood Elves. Meanwhile, they are still as cheerful and outgoing as the Light Elves to worship Amalya. The fourth unofficial group are the Rogue Elves. These are Elves that do not belong to any of the three groups. Rogue Elves that chose to live with Beastkin or Humans are still considered as kin but Rogue Elves who live a more destructive lifestyle, whether by choice or by delusion, are considered enemies that must be fought and defeated. The Elves consider the Beastkin their cousins and vice-versa. They are on friendly terms with Humanity in general and unsure what to make of the Dwarves since there has been very little contact between Elves and Dwarves. They are created in the likeness of Amalya, as such they have pointed ears. [/hider] [hider=Beastkin] The Beastkin are humanoid beings that possess the traits of various animals, even if some traits do not fall exactly under the term 'Beast'. They are the creations of the goddess Aylama and their gift from her are the aforementioned animal traits. Their creation history is universally accepted as truth since there are ancient human cave paintings depicting a being surrounded by pale light creating and molding the first of the Beastkin. There are many kinds of Beastkin in the world and all of them have their own societies and their cultures differ, even among same subraces, but they are generally categorized as: The Furred Ones - Beastkin that have the features of dogs, cats, bears, etc. like Werewolves though it also includes those that have lion or horse traits like Centaurs. The Insectoids - Beastkin with features of insects like Arachnes. The Scaled Ones - Beastkin with the reptilian traits like Lamias and Lizardmen. The Feathered Ones - Beastkin with avian features like Harpies. The Deep Ones - Beastkin with traits of underwater creatures like Mermaids. They typically live in aquatic environments. The Beastkin regard Elves as cousins and vice-versa. They are on friendly terms with Humanity in general and unsure what to make of the Dwarves since there has been very little contact between Beastkin and Dwarves. They are created in the likeness of Aylama and as such, the goddess's features are more pronounced in their appearance than their animal features (which means they're usually number 1 on this [url=http://i1.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/914/468/7e7.jpg]scale[/url]). Also, they have pointed ears if they don't have animal ears. It should also be noted that while Aylama created them, they do not necessarily focus on her magical domains. They are also not as magically adept as the Elves, Beastkin magic potential being more like Humans'. [/hider] [hider=Humans] It is unknown who or what created Humanity nor where they came from. Not even the uncovered ancient cave paintings have any insight to the origins of the Human race. However, they do worship both the Twin Goddessses, Amalya and Aylama, since ancient times which helped Humanity's relationships with the Elven and Beastkin races. The Humans do not have much extraordinary features nor are they gifted. Only that they bear a likeness in appearance to the Amalya and Aylama and thus, the Elves and the Beastkin except their ears are not pointed which indicates that they are probably not created by either of the Twin Goddesses. Still, they can manipulate magic to a degree but they are not as gifted as the Elves. But even without the gifts, the Humans have prospered and progressed along with the other races. The Human race in general is on friendly terms with the Elves and the Beastkin and is the only race to have an extensive contact with the Dwarves. [/hider] [hider=Dwarves] The Dwarves are short, stout humanoids that usually live in mountains. It is unknown who or what created the Dwarves nor where they came from. According to Humans who have learned about them, the Dwarves never kept any records regarding their creation. However, their pointed ears lead to theories that they are creations of the Twin Goddesses. The most accepted theory is that they are created as a 'blank slate' race by the Twin Goddesses although the Dwarves do not know who Amalya or Aylama are. They instead worship their ancestors. The Dwarves are an isolationist people, usually keeping to themselves and only opening up if the need arises. Even with this attitude, there has been much contact and trade between the Dwarves and the Humans. According to Humans who have been in Dwarven holds, their cities are located within mountains or underground. They are great engineers and smiths and they wield magic by imbuing them into runes and as enchantments for objects. The Dwarves aren't going to be featured much in the RP so don't worry too much about this guys. [/hider] [hr] Players will be students participating in the tournament though they can be one of the outsiders or even the faculty and staff although being a student participant is strongly encouraged. I look forward to your characters~! [hider=Rules] 1) Standard Roleplayer Guild rules. No godmodding and stuff. 2) As GM, I reserve the right to have my word to be law within the boundaries of this RP. Even overriding other rules. 3) If there are problems with the RP or with other players, you can take it to me (so I can take it to someone who could deal with it lol!). 4) Do not post your character in the Characters Tab. Only I have dominion there. 5) Only post once when you are [u][b]interacting[/b][/u] with an NPC or doing an action. You can post as many as you want when you are talking (and ONLY talking) to another player. 6) Updates (i.e. My posts to move the story along) will generally occur every four or so days (Keep in mind that I am UTC+8) or when everyone has posted. However, if you do not post, I will still update without affecting your character as much as possible. Worst case scenario, I will assume your character did nothing. 7) Please post something in the OOC if you are still interested just unavailable at the moment. If you do not post within two or three weeks still without any post given, I will be forced to drop you from this RP. 8) If you have read the rules, you will also post a little snippet in the life of your character on the bottom of your character sheet. Kind of like a writing sample. (Helping others regarding this rule is discouraged unless you are vouching for that person.) [u]REGARDING COMBAT, PVP OR OTHERWISE[/u] I, alone, shall decide which attacks connect, which attacks fail, which attacks do not happen at all due to circumstances, etc. In short, I decide who the victor is in combat. You have my word that I will be as fair as possible. If that is not enough, then I'm afraid this is not up for debate. [/hider] [hider=Character Sheet] Appearance: ([u][b]Please refrain from using real-life images[/b][/u]) Name: Race: (You cannot be a Dwarf or a custom race.) Magic/Abilities: (Since I don't want to get into the specifics of magic, I'm going to judge magical abilities on a case-to-case basis so don't be afraid to ask any questions about the magical skills of your characters. Also, try to refrain from focusing on necromancy and related magics as necromancy is a very difficult magic to cast. Even Archsages have trouble making a dead rat move.) Personality: Background: [/hider] [u]FAQs[/u] [b]How many characters are allowed per player?[/b] Three. [b]What is the player limit?[/b] I'll stop accepting when the [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pM76LtznNrc]voices[/url] in my head tell me to. [b]I have more questions.[/b] Then ask away!