[center][h1][color=orangered]The World of Ophad[/color][/h1][/center] [img]https://i.imgur.com/o3HfpNG.png[/img] [i][b][color=tomato]Roleplay Expectations[/color][/b][/i] I am not a reasonably skillful person, even in something I have done for years, but this is a first to start something off. This is a partially casual and partially lengthy nation rp, focused more so on nations, their actions, and their stories rather then characters. This really isn't a roleplay about winning, but more so on just a bunch of world building, interacting, and building a history to the nations you make. Pretty much anything is acceptable within the reason of the setting (and with approval), and word length is around a couple paragraphs+, the only real requirement is interest for the most part and to keep to the setting's rules. The plan is once the map is set up and people join on in, we'll go over the history of the region and start filling in the map with NPC nations, who's rp status will be controlled by the host and co-host, and hopefully as things pick up and get formalized, the npc nations will become more permanent and have actual nation stats to go along with them, but until then, NPC nations are not permanent and can be replaced/occupied at any time as more people join in. [list] [*] Co-Host [*] Roleplayer 1 [*] Roleplayer 2 [*] Roleplayer 3 [*] Roleplayer + [/list] [center][i][b][color=royalblue]The Divine[/color][/b][/i][/center] [i]In the beginning, there was only the created and the void which it dwelled in. This created being, a being of light and sound, gave itself the name Lesphod, and built itself a great kingly city of white fire and clouds within the blackness, filling it with his creations. He forged himself a wife who was equal but opposite to him, and together each created 7 sons and daughters each, forging the first pantheon within the White City. Yet, as the white city extended its brightness to the corners of the darkness, the very shadow for which it created formed its own life, a power equal to the mighty creator. This creature, who's touch destroyed the creations, was hunted relentlessly by the gods of the White City, and conquered the darkness piece by piece, building and creating vast quantities of worlds, beacons which would become stars to fill the darkness with light, and populated these worlds with gleaming palaces and vast arrays of servants to guard these worlds against the shadow which haunted the void. The two most fair of Lesphod's sons, Anar and Pelon became rivals of one another, and who's rivalry would shake the very heavens. Anar, the favored and most fair and beloved of his brothers and sisters, led great campaigns with his hated brother Zuuldrick against the shadow, but Pelon was tasked with planting the world and guarding them from the decay. Pelon created the first creations upon the celestial body of Ophad, but these creations were found out by Anar and were seen as abominations, and he destroyed them utterly and shamed Pelon for creating them. Pelon flew into a rage, and went back to his mother, who whispered the first sins into his ear, compelling him and the rest of his mother's creation to react. A great war broke out, in which Pelon and Anar slew one another over the world of Ophad, shattering their immortal souls. Anar's soul landed into the world, while the body of Pelon and later his traitorous mother, slew by Zuuldrick, would form from their decay the hellish landscape of fire and demon kind. The Shadow, once hunted, claimed the Ophad as its own and guarded over the divine soul and took with it two great elder gods to guard it from the wrath and devouring hunger of the other elder gods and their children. The cultivation of Ophad formed the first true sentience of true creatures born free of all gods and capable of true free will. The Shadow, all powerful and great, guards the world along with Zuuldrick and his wife Ishala, from true divine interference.[/i] [hr] [hider=Magic] [center][color=aquamarine]Magic, The Divine, and Rules[/color][/center] Gods, in some way or form, are all related to one another in either weird ways or are direct kinsmen, but that doesn't mean they often like or enjoy one another. Gods are mostly independent, and are about as numerous as the stars. Each god lives on one of the many planets in universe, where the spend their days in stagnancy. Gods are immortal, and cannot physically die in their own realms, but they can die in the void and way from the light of their creator (which is amplified by the suns of the solar system). Dying for a god is technically impossible, since their consciousness is their life line to the world, but gods can be cut asunder into pieces and their souls can form the basis of other souls, such as in the case of Ophad's sentient creatures and the demons which inhabit the burning abyss who form from Pelod and his mother. Gods in Ophad have [color=red]Domains[/color], which is a special creation they have power over. For example, a god who has a domain of fire, earth, and metal can manipulate all things fire, earth, and metal to their desire. However, as the number of domains increase, the less powerful individual domains get. For example, a god of fire with seven other domains performs less powerful fiery spells then a god with only the domain of fire. This is important because this also translates to their mage worshippers. Gods cannot physically enter the world of Ophad, because it is guarded by the Shadow, but they can communicate vaguely with their followers, grant mage followers who swear their souls to them the unlocked potential to use their domains as magic, and can directly punish those who disobey their commands or swear to other gods which often has fatal consequences. Gods normally do not have interest in the eternally shattering souls of Anar, but the pantheons of gods who do often find it within reason to collect these souls through worship. Sentient creatures worship a god who in turn has bonded their souls to said god, but this bond is fragile and can be shifted to any other god at a given time. The strongest bond is between mages and their gods, which is why often in Ophad many mages are apart or closely related to the priesthood of nations. Souls empower gods by very minuscule amounts, who enjoy eternal conscious bliss in return for eternal service. Once a soul is in a domain of a god, it is nigh impossible for them to shift realms unless through the use of intense divine intervention. The Shadow acts as a gate master for souls of Ophad, who allows the divine servants of gods to subtly remove the souls of their followers and take them to their heavenly abodes. [color=red]Sin[/color] is an existential threat to the divine. Sin is more like decay which affects the divine more profoundly then sentient mortals, but mortals can acquire more of it then anything else. Sin is pretty much a self-destructive behavior which effects and blackens part of the soul, engaging them to do new things which does not fully benefit them. This can include everything from eating too much to showing wrath in battle. Sin is a poison to the divine for it can force them to seek out something beyond their stagnant lives and into a ambitious frenzy, much like Pelod, which is why they do not venture far from their worlds to begin with. Sin, if it encrusts a soul far too much, becomes permanent and can for others into demonhood, which makes them targets for demons and the maggot gods who can feast on their divine essence. The only way to remove sin is through painful and violent purification, much like cutting out a growth through fire. Sin is regularly avoided by gods, but will not sacrifice the souls of others, which is why gods tend to find ways to purge the sin off the soul of sentients through painful means before they enter their domains. [color=red]Demons[/color] are powerful figures which dwell in the Inferno Abyss, an ever decaying expanse of fire and warped decay made from the rotting forms of two powerful gods, and from their bodies forms demons much like Anar's soul had formed sentient creatures. Demons are only partially conscious, but are more or less creatures of pure sin and emotion. Their nature is naturally that of curiosity and experience, often they embody emotion itself in many ways, but often they can also embody concepts such as time or war. Demons feast on sin, which the Inferno Abyss is essentially one giant feast for them, but their hunger is often limited and they seek out more powerful sources, such as divine creatures and sentients. Demons cannot physically exist for very long in Ophad, or really anywhere in the universe above them, without being utterly destroyed. When they are killed, they are killed for good since demons are not immortal but are rather aberrations. The greatest of the demons are known as the [color=red]Maggot Gods[/color], powerful demons who ever are devouring other gods currently and thus also creating their own twisted domains for which can be worshipped, or have eaten or enslaved so many demons they have become powerful enough to embody their sin as a domain, functionally gaining a immortal soul for themselves which is only sustained so long as the Inferno Abyss remains. All things that are living in Ophad has a conscious [color=red]soul[/color]. The Souls is what gives life to someone who is sentient or non-sentient, the only living things without souls are demons. A dead thing has no soul, but a reanimated corpse has what is known as a 'false soul' which mimics life. Souls are granted automatically from the Black and White Trees of Anar which are normally near by, and automatically provide from a infinite distance. The Soul of a Sentient, unlike the soul of a god or a divine being, can become unconscious or go to sleep but can also be encrusted with sin. Normally, doing something that is self destructive both physically, emotionally, and physiologically will endow the soul with sin, but this sin is 'shaken off' by doing something of the opposite nature. Magic can only be performed from [color=red]Drenched Souls[/color]. A Drenched Soul is a soul which had inherited far more from Anar's shattered soul then others, capable of them using the most basic forms of a god's domain. At first, the magic is formless and without much to it, only capable of blasting a gust of air of moving something slowly towards themselves. When a mage gives their soul to a god through worship, the god grants them the power of their domain, and their magic is given form as a result. For example, if a god of death and decay grants their power to a mage, that mage can perform only magic related to killing someone or decaying them. Mages will have problems switching to new gods to get granted new powers, as the god who takes back the power from their former worshipper can be a violent and painful process since a mage's soul is more bound to a god then a normal soul. [color=red]The Black and White Trees of Anar[/color] are strange trees with black trunks with white leaves, who's wood produces a pink water which heals poisons when drunk, but burns those who dwell in it's waters. When the elder god Anar was destroyed over Ophad, his souls shattered all across the world, forming the first trees which stored only portions of his conscious. These trees are an important part of Ophad, as they are rare and provide important services, such as acting as conduits which allow souls to divide themselves to create new life, and acting as a barrier against demons who upon entering Ophad are instantly destroyed in searing psionic fire. The trees also dampen magic significantly, making sure that magic doesn't destroy landscapes or the world entirely. The Trees also have a passive effect, as wherever they are found, their presence restores the minerals of the earth, making lands grow back the minerals, forests, and fertile lands which nations take from. In short, the lands of Ophad rarely if ever run out of resources or are generally incapable of destroying the landscape. Where the trees are not found however, there is normally wasteland, desert, or blight. The trees are very much alive, and are fully conscious and can commune with each other across vast distances. The trees, as powerful as they are, are also very vulnerable. The trees can be cut down, which causes the great shield around the world of Ophad to weaken, which makes magic more powerful but also allows demons more immunity to enter the world. How new trees are created is a rare and very morbid process, often in which a new child is born into the world who's soul was super saturated, to the point that crystalline protrusions grow on them as they do, unable to perform magic or even to physically die, these poor souls are drawn out by the will of Anar into the forests in which they die, get buried, and near instantly blossom into their 'true' form, a new Black and White Tree. How magic works for mages is rather simple, its a mixture of skill, willpower, and concentration. Skill of a mage is knowing what spell needs to be casted and to know if it's effects, the Will to conjure forth from their bodies the domains and magic of their god into the physical plane, and the concentration to keep the spell in check. If the mage is not skilled, they do not know the advanced forms of magic, if they lack willpower they cannot cast magic, and if they cannot concentrate, their magic withers the most it is unleashed. Magic is often only as powerful as their patron god's domain. While powerful magic is appreciated to out perform a fellow mage, variety is often just as important. Magic, even with necromancery or even delving into the black arts of the Maggot Gods, is never truly corrupting.[/hider] [hider=World Rules] [center][color=darkorange]The World[/color][/center] The Current Start date is 2200 SE (Second Era), with a combined 12,000 of civilized pre history of the First Era, with a lot having changed since then. In the beginning, races on Ophad were docile and never changing, with rare and dangerous discoveries eventually leading to the progress of the modern era. History is slow due to the eternal abundance of resources provided by the Black and White Trees, but as population expands, so does a need for new things and a thirst for conquest by all peoples. Before 6,000 FE (First Era), the most common weapons were stone spears and sharpened sticks. The first great empires would not spring up still, and would eventually fall apart, whether by the divine intervention of the Shadow's early rule over Ophad or by internal conflicts not yet realized. Technology on Ophad by 2200 is entirely medieval and partially into a renaissance period in some regions, but most of the world is Feudal or tribalistic. Concepts such as national pride or machines are utterly foreign to most. The first guns are making the scene in some distant workshops and used by some imperial nations, but these inventions are rare, used for entertainment, or for siege rather then open battlefields. The most terrifying thing on the open field is armored horsemen or a skillful mage. Most people by this time in Ophad are superstitious, and the common person has more in common with their local kinsmen then their own cultural heritage. While there are many ways to be healed by magic in Ophad, the common man is more likely to die by plague then by the sword. Maps [hider=Terrain Map][img]https://i.imgur.com/xj3EIX3.png[/img][/hider] [hider=Political Map][img]https://i.imgur.com/tEZGHVB.png[/img][/hider] [/hider] [hider=Nation Template Rules] [center][color=Purple]Nation Template[/color][/center] Name of Nation Some fancy picture, like the nation's flag or some fancy thematic music, idk =-=General Information=-= [list] [*] Put the most basic info humanly possible, easy to read. [*] For example, the nation's language [*] It's government type [*] Religion [*] Just really general stuff [*] Also a reasonable population, but don't worry about that until map is actually workable [*] Army needs to be reasonable, so 5-8% of your nation's populations will = your total army size [/list] Races [hider]A basic overview on the races which inhabit your nation[/hider] History [hider]A brief or long and complex(preferred) historical piece which gives a reason as to why your nation exists in the world as it is, and perhaps even relations to surrounding nations. [/hider] Culture [hider]A examination of the nation's culture. How the people appear, how the people feel about others, their views on slavery, their craftsmanship and architecture, how they entertain themselves, their traditions, exc[/hider] Military [hider]A overview on the military of the nation from it's most common soldiers to it's most elite legions, along with a brief examination of navy, ship types, recruitment, and organization[/hider] Government [hider]What the government of said nation is like, how it runs, who runs what, and how the bureaucracy keeps the nation together or hinders it.[/hider] Religion [hider]An overview of religion, who run the temples, who are the main gods and belief systems, and this is also a place where you will explain the kind of magic and how it is viewed in the nation, and how it is regulated or revered.[/hider] Economy [hider]Your nation's tax system and trade regulations/philosophies are explained here, along with what is grown, mined, and created in the nations, it's imports and exports.[/hider] Territory [hider]How territory is currently divided up in the nation, mostly being a catalog of internal states. You do not need a map for this.[/hider] Terrain [hider]The lay of your nation's land, it's special spots and mountain ranges, it's most important rivers, and all the wonderful and dangerous beasts which are unique to their region if applicable.[/hider] Factions [hider]A summary of internal factions such as rogue organizations, guilds, mercenary groups, political factions, and separatists.[/hider] Characters [hider]This is where you will place your characters. The only rule being no god modding or weird shit beyond reason. Other then then that, there are no rules when it comes to describing characters here, these are characters either partially or fully associated with the nation, including the rulers of the land, their families, and just heroic characters lallygagging.[/hider] [/hider] So hopefully this gets off the ground when it can, but the main thing I need as of now is: -Someone who can draw a pretty basic political map and is more then willing to change it as time flies -A proper schedule, so I can organize how time passes. The plan is, every week that passes in real life will equate to one season having passed in Ophad -and people who are actually interested ;_; -Also, you can find me on Discord. Just @ me if you want more profound talking an' stuff.