[center][img]https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/596246773081702428/1051810220202004540/b35f6594096cd65b5307216b323abb2c-2-1.png[/img][/center] [center][img]https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/936113240516231178/1052676181629083739/c8f22c765235bbee97c9f93452240dc4.png[/img][/center] [hr] [img]https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/596246773081702428/1051812278292451428/1076927.jpg[/img] [hr] [b]Please read the below story vignettes.[/b] [hider=The Shifting Sands of Time] A voluminous bellow echoes through sandstone caverns, as the earth shakes and creaks beneath the incredible aura of magic which erupts from the east. A shadow descends from the North, but a nexus has collapsed; a rarified existence is born. Brassy scales become shaken by a terrible tremor that echoes throughout Azeroth. Breathing heavily, a weary sigh shakes the sand before the nostrils of the beautiful ancient being which rises from its slumber. The mist of ancient oaths and worn-down sigils fades from its eyes. A wizened tone grumbles, its timbre shaking the walls of its hidden home in the desert: “Something has happened. Something great…something…strange.” A voice cries out, one the same as its audience: “Indeed, something has happened. We are determining what precisely, but you, myself, we must be aware of what shall pass.” In reply, a humble acceptance: “Time is a flat circle in which we are bound. I will seek out our solution; should we expect the worst?” No reply would satisfy a mortal’s heart…this the creature knew. What would this mean for him? For the world as they knew it? To all the things they were responsible for? What of the End? The Beginning? The Great Demons have been vanquished, but the world has yet to come to this conclusion; it is the same yet altogether its own. Spiraling, a man has died, the stream is diverted, the river flows to dry lands. But no harm…all things are as they have been, as they will be, as they need to appear. A new life…a new path? It is…chaotic…it is…liberated… “Chromie…” Nozdormu coughed… “daughter…come…I need you to do something for me.” …. …. “My brother needs to speak with me…” (Contributed by [@Erezrim] [/hider] [hider=Justice for Her People] Dawnstar Spire. Staring up at the towering structure, some dozen meters down the winding cobblestone path leading up toward it, Aranaeyl remembered the place as one of horror -- the hive of villainy from which the downfall of Quel'thalas was orchestrated; Dar'khan Drathir's lair and the place in which he concocted his schemes and simmered against the supposed injustice of [i]not[/i] being named the Grand Magister. It was still that, for now -- in a manner of speaking. Many things were different, of course. Dar'khan's arcane guardians, constructs typical of nearly every Magister's home turf, still did mill about the structure -- but they didn't spark and spit arcane energy, falling apart at the seams. They went about their duties as usual, as if nothing was amiss... Because it wasn't. The metal making up their bodies shone brightly with a fresh coat of polish, guarding the lifelong home of one of Quel'thalas's most famous, powerful Magisters. But Aranaeyl knew differently. She [b]lived[/b] the truth, and the consequences of what Dar'khan would become. She watched her friends and family be torn to bloody ribbons by slavering ghouls -- her mother, by Sylvanas's side, and her father, in a desperate but vain attempt to protect her and her siblings. She remembered fleeing to the northwest in a desperate attempt to find refuge in the floating Duskwither Spire, narrowly avoiding the Scourge at every turn. She remembered staring helplessly as Silvermoon burned in the distance, knowing that she would never see her aunts and cousins and uncles again; that her favorite candy shop and the kindly old woman who ran it would be dead next she saw her, and that she might never get to see her riding tutor again. She remembered knowing, in her heart of hearts, that death would be a mercy for many of them. Sighing, she extracted a small glass vial from an elementium lockbox at her hip, filled with shimmering golden sand, the bright blue glow of her eyes reflecting off of each individual grain. For several moments, all she did was stare, before finally shaking her head and stuffing the vial back into its hiding place. [i]No point in dilly-dallying,[/i] she silently reminded herself. She had everything she needed, after all. Stolen documents from another Dawnstar that would hopefully prove Dar'khan's guilt, a courier's disguise, and the package on her back that would change Azeroth forever. One foot after the other, she began to move toward the Spire. If she was lucky, the Magister himself wouldn't come to greet her... But that meant making sure she could get close enough to the spire to plant the explosive in the first place Mere moments after starting to move again, one of the tall ceramic constructs turned toward her, the brightly-glowing blue lines forming the runic bindings on their bodies lighting up the night. She could see the crystals joining their parts to their torsos, too -- tall, angular things, far less harsh than she remembered. The glowing filigree was much more consistent, too -- none of the empty carvings she remembered from her time. The broad, blue, horizontal slit across the construct's face pulsed as it approached her, a cold, robotic voice booming out from its face. "CEASE YOUR APPROACH AND STATE YOUR PURPOSE IMMEDIATELY." The Reaver echoed -- and so Aranaeyl did, freezing in place. "I'm a courier!" She replied, breath quickening. Would she need to try to slay the Magister herself? She was skilled with the blade, sure, but he was an incredible mage, and a cunning one, too... "I have a package for the Magister, from Commander Lor'themar Theron!" She said, reaching into her pack to extract a large, jeweled box -- nearly a foot long and half as wide, covered in the blue-gold colours of Silvermoon. The construct approached her, spending a handful of moments staring at the box -- scanning it, she imagined -- and then, apparently satisfied, snatched it from her hands and wordlessly proceeded back inside. Letting out a sigh of relief, Araneyl turned, wearing a small smile as she left at a brisk walk. Her part was done -- now, all she had to do was wait, and hope that the Magister wouldn't notice the true nature of the package until it was too late. It was something he he surely wouldn't recognize, but the elemental fire it was infused with... Pausing, Aranaeyl glanced back over her shoulder. "[i][b]YOU IDIOT! USELESS GOLEM! IT'S A-[/b][/i]" Suddenly, the whining traitor's tirade was broken by a sharp crack, and a bright flash of angry light that bathed the forest in red. She felt her skin grow hot, as if burning, trees all around the spire sparking, all while a pathetic flash of purple light emanated from within the tower. An attempt at teleportation... Foiled by that Gnomish dispelling device, no doubt. Just as advertised. Then, just as suddenly, the entire spire was engulfed in flame, and Aranaeyl felt the air being sucking out of her lungs, forcing her to the ground in a desperate attempt to protect herself. There was a great, roaring sound, like that of an entire city aflame... Then a violent [b][i]boom[/i][/b] as the entire spire spontaneously combusted in elemental fire, arcane crystals melting into bright red magma, all while raging fire elementals emerged from the wreckage. Aranaeyl smiled, rising to her feet. [i]Selama ashal'anore,[/i] she thought. [/hider] Welcome to the OOC for Tales of Azeroth: Flames of Chaos, a character-focused grand scale roleplay set in another Azeroth, three and a half years after the failed Scourge Invasion of Quel'thalas. Many things are similar, but others are very different, all because a single Elf decided to right the suffering of her people. The Burning Legion, stripped of much of its leadership by its violent disappearance, is wild and leaderless. Fel corruption ravages Desolace from Mannoroc Coven and Thunder Axe fortress, threatening the Night Elves to the north. The Scourge, likewise, ails -- its back was broken by the offensive against Quel'thalas; met by constant Farstrider harassment, it was unable to penetrate deeply into the Eversong Woods, its rapid expansion turned into a brutal, gruelling quagmire at the impenetrable Elfgates and the incredible might of Silvermoon's Magisters. Deprived of Kel'thuzad, there was little they could do aside from shallowly penetrate into the Eversong before being forced to retreat and consolidate in Lordaeron, scheming to subvert the Quillboar in an attempt to make inroads on Kalimdor, all at the behest of the new Lich King, Arthas, who was forced into his position by the sudden weakening of Ner'zhul as his connection to the Shadowlands vanished. The Old Gods, however, still threaten to awaken, their masters, the Void Lords, hardly impeded by the gulf of emptiness separating them from this reality.. The titan watchers are thrown into chaos, granting them further opportunities to spread their admittedly weakened influence, this shard's Algalon halted from purging the planet only by the fact that the true Azeroth exists elsewhere, thus making re-origination unnecessary, though the threat is still monitored closely. The Broken Isles -- and the Shal'dorei -- stand on a dangerous precipice, Elisande having potentially discovered through her time magics that her city is finally safe from the Legion, free to spread her influence without worry of being obliterated by the demons. The Mists of Pandaria -- the final black mark on Emperor Shaohao's legacy -- have abruptly faded, blown apart by the enormous release of magic created by the violent discorporeation of the Legion's most powerful commanders, leaving Pandaria exposed to the rest of the world for the first time in ten thousand years. The Dark Portal, exposed to the very same release of magic, has abruptly re-opened, wrenching an equally unintended fractured Draenor into being, offering whole Tempest Keep and its Draenei inhabitants an unexpected lease of life. This Azeroth's Nozdormu, having realized the unintentional nature of this Azeroth's existence, wrestles with the reality of whether or not he can allow it to exist -- and the Dragon Aspects, still as powerful as they ever had been, return to the Dragon Isles decades early, convening on the nature of their duties, Malygos's role still in question, the Aspects grappling with their role in this false world. Everything else (and the specifics of the above) are for the writers to decide, barring what I specify. In essence -- I'm providing a framework for the state of Azeroth, but only that -- a framework. Think of this as a pseudo-nation RP where you control organizations and nations through important people like Maxwell Tyrosus, Go'el, or people who might have taken their places. Multiple players can fit into a faction, of course, and are encouraged to do so -- Cairne and Thrall, for instance. Writers will be heavily encouraged to take on roles of great import, to fill out the essential spots in the world, ar least at first. Some -- even many -- will be canon characters, but you're more than encouraged to field proposals for OCs and where/how they'll be involved. Either way, I expect decently hogh-effort applications. This doesn't mean you need to give me an essay for each character (frankly, I'd prefer to not need to read a novel!), of course, but I reserve the right to reject applications when the time comes for the full RP. Currently, the plan is to start approximately four years and six months after the start of the Third War, and about three and a half years after the Scourge was forced out of Quel'thalas by the High Elves, having failed to penetrate the first Elfgate. [hr] [hider=The Rules] 1. Don't be an asshole. No transphobia, racism, harassment... You know the drill. 2. NSFW content must stay in NSFW channels. 3. As the GM, I will occasionally push things forward be making certain events happen, or by doing certain things with certain characters. Thanks to [@Ezekiel] for the inspiration for this metholodolgy! If you feel like the event is unfair in some way or have your own ideas for events and the life, please feel free to get in touch with me! 4. On the topic of activity requirements, while I don't have anything strict in mind as of the interest check, I will be keeping an eye on things -- if I feel that you're not contributing enough, I'll approach you for a discussion. Important nations and organizations will have a closer eye kept on activity. I expect to be informed of extended abscences of more than a week, however. IRL can easily be accomodated for! 5. Try to avoid map-painting. This is a collaborative writing project, not a competitive game -- conquests must be handled in a thought-out way that makes sense in-universe. You can't just conquer all of Gilneas in a single post if nobody's playing it. Take NPCs seriously. 6. On the above note, conflicts involving large NPC factions -- particularly external ones -- will require some degree of GM involvement. Don't go tossing the VanCleefs into the ocean or the Void Lords into a Holy Blender without asking first. 7. Discord participation, once it goes up, IS NOT required, but is encouraged -- it's a good medium for quick plot planning. 8. Even though you must be at least 18 to participate, we're still sticking to Guild rules, of course. [/hider] [hider=FAQ] Here's where I'll clarify things people are unsure about and provide answers to likely questions. 1. [b]Do I need to have played WoW or Warcraft to join the RP?[/b] Not at all! I'm more than happy to help fill in knowledge gaps, too. When is the point of divergence? During Arthas's conquest of Lordaeron, but before his invasion of Quel'Thalas. Everything before happened as is normal. Everything after is free game. 2. [b]Which extraplanar beings are dead?[/b] Off the top of my head, Kil'jaeden, Tichondrius, Balnazzar, Mannoroth, Archimonde, and any other demon that was stated in lore to be "permanently killed" or something to that effect. Zovaal is also gone, as there's only one Shadowland(s). The same is true of other 'extraplanar' beings; Sargeras, being a Titan, is still imprisoned in the true timeline, but the Watchers still exist in this Azeroth. Elune is still accessible to the Night Elves, but there's still only one of her 3. [b]How should we handle unspecified things in the lore?[/b] You're able to fill in blanks in backstories as you please, with GM approval, even prior to the PoD, as long as it doesn't change anything up to that point. 4. [b]What year is it?[/b] 25 years After Dark Portal (ADP), around the time WoW starts. 5. [b]Is this an alternate timeline?[/b] No -- it's a pocket timeline, akin to Draenor in Warlords of Draenor. The true Azeroth, concurrent with Dragonflight, still exists. That said, interactions with the true Azeroth need GM approval, barring the presence of being that can freely move between the two, like demons of the former Burning Legion. 6. [b]What are the vignettes for?[/b] Setting the scene, and, in one case, describing the point of divergence. Please read them! 7. [b]Is there a required post length or application length?[/b] No, not specifically, but I generally expect multiple paragraphs. Requirements on apps are not as stringent, considering that we're dealing with an established canon, but I will be evaluating the understanding of canon in them fairly closely! 8. [b]Can I play a character within someone else's nation![/b] Absolutely! As long as you have their approval. In such a case, both they and a GM (currently just me) will have to approve your app.[/hider] [hider=Basic Applications (feel free to use your own formatting(] I'll usually require an application for the organization/nation(s) you play, along with a [b]character application[/b] for the leader or initial primary PoV character. [b]Remember: this is Azeroth, a realm of heroes, villains, and other great personalities -- these people are the focus, even at this scale![/b] In the case of, say, the Argent Dawn, I'm not going to require an app for every single important person, of course -- one (or as many as you like) is more than enough. For other dramatis personae, a small explanation in your Nation/Org app will suffice. Flags and emblems and other representative images are welcome but not required. [b]Post apps in the OOC prior to approval.[/b] [hider=Organization/Nation] Name: Held Territories (What territories does your nation hold? Verbal description and maps are allowed.): Other Assets (what unique advantages does your nation possess? The Sunwell is a good example, or the Worgen of Gilneas): Goals and Motivations (what are they trying to accomplish? What's their culture like): Recent History (at least since PoD, if canon): Key Players (Who are the important people in your faction? Important generals, political leaders, and more can all fit here): [/hider] [hider=Characters] Name: Faction (if applicable): Rank/Role (What's their 'job' in the faction they play a part in?): Appearance (images welcome, text description required): Personality (especially important for noncanon characters, but also for canon characters, so I can grasp how you'll play them): Biography (at least since PoD, if canon): Powers and other Abilities (what are they capable of?): [/hider] [/hider] [b]Discord Link: https://discord.gg/4s7JKBMf [/b] Claimed Entities: Scarlet Crusade/Argent Dawn, Gnomeregan, Red Dragonflight, Gilneas, Dalaran, the Kaldorei and Green Dragonflight, Quel'thalas, Khaz Modan, Ogrimmar (note, leaders of the Horde other than Thrall are still playable!)