When Signor Marco Antonucci discovered gunpowder in 1514, the medieval era was decreed thoroughly over. Castles now lie dormant. Knightly orders are little more than frivolous social clubs. Kings and queens gave way to the rise of the republic and merchant house. Century after century, decade after decade, the Old World saw the fall of many a kingdom, and from their ashes rose the constitutional assembly and parliament. In a single generation, the playing field gave genesis to the Modern Era, the age of knight and dragon seeming like a withered husk in comparison.
Most importantly, a modern age required modern supply. The feats of the most modest modern state make the most accomplished Hero-King of yonder wither in inadequacy, for this new age of science and reason has given birth to a new world where all save the most isolated of hamlets may see traveling patrols and faraway supply alike. Only in the most remote of locales do the threat of banditry ever cross the citizen's mind in the Old World, for the ever-lengthening arm of the law reaches forth with paved road and deliberate canal. The fields of Ferreir have proven to give ample supply in decades past, yet that luxury has faltered under constant pressure of an ever-developing Old World. There is seldom a hill in the Old World that has not seen conflict, for lands innumerate and flags uncountable have risen, held, and fallen to war and lack of resource. These failings are not ones the wizened men of now seek to reproduce.
For as long as the throes of history do echo, the spirit of human curiosity, an ever wonderful and resourceful pique to know just what lay beyond shrouded veils has imbibed itself thoroughly in the quintessence of men. A great woman decreed that, "Idealists foolish enough to throw caution to the wind have advanced mankind and enriched the world". In that everlasting pursuit to stride forth, many a brave mariner took to the pacific Myriadic Ocean, thorough in their belief there was - contrary to what many insisted - something beyond the veil of old. After all, if so many chains before them could be shrugged off, what was one more?
And beyond that gleaming veil...Cascadia.
Sheer bounty of the land alone were the stories of every perspective traveler. "A land more gorgeous than Ferreir herself," they wrote, "where the deer run so plentiful in untouched forests the combined wolves of the world could not dent her populus." An untouched, unexplored land, oozing in natural allure. An alpine land, fair and coastal, that stretched further than spyglass or compass. Such wonders were mere mythos in the Old World by now, nevermind the new bodies of legend that came from the colorful tales of the natives. Cities of gold, scrolls that controlled the sun, primordial civilizations far beneath the sea, a water clock said to be able to show events far into the future...such rumors were manifold. Yet, the mere existence of Cascadia herself was dismissed as but superstition not long ago; Who was to say these legends had no veracity, and instead lie in wait for another to uncover them? With the promise of newfound land teeming with such riches, it would only be a matter of time before the race for the New World would commence.
Such ambition turned to rivalry, the sparks of desire waiting to strike as each Old World power scrambled for the riches of Cascadia. A simple spark, a stray remark, would be all that was required for conflict to erupt over the New World, and soon, the powers that be engulfed themselves in numerous wars - The War of 1711, The Bergesse War, The First and Second Cascades War, Arthur's War, The Belchier-Robin War - only to list a few.
And what is rivalry without stakes - and those to play upon those wishes?
Such treasures are well-coveted, and by those with the fortitude, intelligence, and fortune...alleviating these troves is quite the lucrative business. For in this New Era, there is always room for negotiation, for how would such grand new empires last under the ironclad grip of a delusional an ocean away? That pirates would step up to fulfill such requests is hardly a needed statement, yet the spirit of a newfound world pervades such that it seeps well into the minds of the idealist, the enterprizer, and the rogue. And for that aforementioned reason - that the bickering ministers of the Old World have more land than they can reasonably manage, or know what to do with - allegiances of pirates, buccaneers, and freebooters have very well carved out their own New World.
Their services are, of course, very high in demand, and the free life of a pirate charms many a perspective sailor to Cascadia. And a Letter of Marque from the Republic of Aira? Right where your journey to the New World begins.
Welcome, all my prospective privateers, to Fire Emblem: Sword and Sail! When making this RP, my Co-GM and I wanted to do our best to provide a more free-form experience to all of our players. As you've no doubt noticed if you've read/skimmed/speedread thus far, our setting is quite a bit different from most typical Fire Emblem settings. Set in Cascadia - inspired by 18th Century British Columbia, Alaska, and California - our band of adventurers will be able to forge their own stories, bought with steel, rum, and their own ingenuity.
Along with your fellow roleplayers, you'll be free to uncover the vast sights, sounds, and stores of loot Cascadia has to offer. There's quite the sum of people interested in the ongoing affairs of the region, and becoming embroiled in it is almost as natural as breathing. After all, what's adventure without making some very powerful enemies?
Current ideas, and thoughts on the RP are:
- Wolves of Land and Sea - This RP is intended to have a variety of adventures along coastal cities, ancient ruins, the high seas, pristine wilds, and pirate coves alike. Consisting of both land and nautical points, this ensures that little space of Cascadia goes unused. If you see a space and go, "I wanna go there!", who's to say we can't?
- Goal-Based Momentum - By having a steady stream of equipment to buy, goals to meet, and people to please, there will always be an overarching goal to work towards. However, in your approach to meet said objectives, you're free to use many of the tools outlined in ways you can think of - or even think of your own unique solutions!
- What's A Captain Without His Crew? - Our captains may have their names upon the Letter of Marque, but that doesn't mean they're dictators. You can suggest, talk, and dissent from them all you please, and I encourage you to have similar interactions with your fellow roleplayers! Naturally, how you influence our captains may turn in motion events far into the future...
- Fire Emblem-esque - There will be some light stats for the sake of solidifying your character's abilities and skills, as well as a variety of classes to pick for your character; Some familiar, some new to the Age of Sail. You'll be able to progress and evolve your character's abilities with time and experience. There are no plans for FE-like combat maps quite yet, but if there's enough demand for it, we can surely concoct something!
- The Door Is Always Open! - If you have an idea for a side adventure or side quest, just suggest it at any point! The point of roleplaying is to give and take, so it's only natural that you have a lot of ideas on your own accord.
If any of this interests you, please join the Discord, as a lot of our OOC talk and planning will be located there; this is by far the best way to get in contact with me. All this said, I look forward to what we can create with this new take on Fire Emblem! Grab a bottle of rum, sharpen up your cutlasses, and sing a sailor's shanty, the New World awaits!
