[center][h2]𝕀𝕟 𝕊𝕖𝕔𝕣𝕖𝕥 𝕎𝕖 𝕃𝕚𝕖 ł₦ ₴Ɇ₵ⱤɆ₮ ₩Ɇ ⱠłɆ[/h2]

[img]https://i.imgur.com/MU8aUmm.jpeg[/img]
Source: [url=https://500px.com/photo/66414967/the-lonely-mountain-by-erik-sanders]Erik Sanders[/url]

Once every four decades, a grand feast is held for the gods. At these feasts, humans are blessed with the chance to serve them. It's an opportunity that is considered a great honor! Every human above the age of ten has the chance to be presented with glory and prestige. Before the feast is to occur, humans across the lands are chosen randomly by draw from each kingdom. If they accept the call, a carriage will arrive to escort the blessed individuals chosen. The humans will then board a boat to the Palace of the Gods, a mysterious castle on an island that only appears during the year of the celebration. Before arriving, the humans will be cleaned and groomed to perfection. They will be taught how to interact with and serve the Gods. They will be memorize every known room and every hallway within the Palace. They will be shaped into the best servants to the Gods for the month-long celebration. In return, they will gain honor and fame for their family, and will find a future full of new opportunities awaiting them.

Except….

…The Gods have a little secret. The truth is, they aren't actually gods at all. They are, in truth, monsters. In ancient times, they were hunted down by humans and slaughtered. There was no peace as humans and supernatural waged war against each other. They were already quite few and rare, but the war devastated their numbers to a dwindling speck. They went into hiding after a time, long enough that their presence was almost forgotten. Then a few of these beings reemerged and discovered that by posing as gods the humans would worshiped them instead of trying to destroy them. The news spread quickly among the supernatural, and eventually every monster became accepted as a God by the humans. Life became easy–enjoyable, even, after that. But while they certainly enjoy the gifts and feasts, they must take great care during this grand month-long feast to not let any of the humans know what they really are, or else the tragic wars might begin again...​[/center]

[hider=TLDR]There is an elegant palace standing isolated on a beautiful island. This palace belongs to the gods, and every four decades there is a grand feast held here in honor of the Gods and Goddesses. A selection of some lucky humans are chosen to attend these feasts as servants to cater to the gods. This is viewed as an incredible honor. The lucky humans are sent to the island several months before the event and trained before the gods’ arrival. However, those they serve are not really gods. They are actually monsters posing as gods to avoid being massacred. Will they be able to keep their secret hidden from the humans, or will the humans discover the truth and reveal it to the world?[/hider]
[hider=What An Honor: A Human's Guide to Serving the Gods]During the festival, humans are considered as always working. However, so long as there are no Gods in need of immediate serving, then it is permissible to take a break. Just make sure to stay out of sight of the Gods during that time, or you will be expected to start serving them again immediately.

If, for one reason or another, you are unable to work for a time, you must stay in the Servant's Living Quarters. Make sure that you let a Supervisor or Coordinator know, or that you responsibly hand your duties over to another servant for the time that you will be unavailable.

It is of [i]crucial[/i] importance that you not be visible to the Gods when you are [i]not[/i] working. Failure to adhere could very well result in your expulsion from the island, [b][i]and[/i][/b] will mar you in the eyes of human society, forever stunting your future.

In addition, God's may at any time choose a servant to start working as their Personal Attendant. This is a great honor; congratulations! This is the highest rank available. Please report the change to a Supervisor. You will receive a new uniform befitting you rank, and a new room in the main building closer to the God's Quarter. Maintain this rank until the end of the festival, and opportunities galore will await you: the Chosen of the God.[/hider]
[hider=History of the War][b]How long ago were the wars between humans and supernatural creatures, and what important events happened during this time?[/b]

Throughout ancient history, there has always been unrest between mankind and monsters. Random attacks were always happening, and any creatures found hiding among humans were promptly chased out and usually killed. About 8,000 years ago, events began to grow more bloodied as towns of humans and towns of monsters would attack one another. Battles would spark across the land, but the dreaded war did not officially start until roughly 7,000 years ago.

This war was started by 7 brothers, charismatic kings who held a firm belief that all monsters needed to be exterminated. They rallied the other kingdom behind them and actively began hunting down all creatures and destroying their towns. Many supernaturals wanted to find a new land away from humans, and they might have if it hadn't been for the Great Commanders.

The Great Commanders were five powerful supernatural creatures that fiercely believed in fighting against the humans for the right to their homeland. They were Ewan the Buggane, an intelligent and giant mole-like creature with fearsome claws and with tusks who was largely believed to have been sent on behalf of the faeries, Alucio the Cherufe, a powerful warrior formed of rock and magma and capable of causing earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, constant companions Zephyra the Harpy and Otaktay the Thunderbird, riders of the harsh winds and harbingers of storms, and Murdock the Selkie, a dangerous shapeshifting seal that plagued the seas and commanded the waters. Together, these five led their armies against the humans.

The war might have been easily won, if it hadn't been for the human's secret weapon: witches. Although witches were considered monsters, they were seen as a necessary evil in order to defeat the other monsters.

It was a violent and devastating war, the worst of which were during the first five hundred years. Things began to turn badly for the supernaturals when the cleverest of the Great Commanders, Ewan was killed. His death was soon followed by Zephyra and Otaktay. With three of their leaders gone and resources and warrior morale running low, it wasn't long before Alucio too fell to the hands of humans. Murdock was the last Commander left, but he mysteriously vanished under unknown circumstances, with many believing him to be dead or grievously injured.

With the Great Commanders gone and no one left to carry on in their stead, the war slowly grew quiet. The war had lasted roughly 1,000 years, but eventually the creatures gave up. Many fled while others tried to hide or disguise themselves as humans. It wasn't until nearly 5,000 years ago that the "discovery" of gods was made, although it is unknown by whom.[/hider]
[hider=The Great Commanders]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/XwQWelS.jpeg[/img]
[h3]Alucio The Cherufe:[/h3] Charismatic and proud, Alucio was largely considered the main leader of the commanders. He was very involved in both war and recovery efforts, and generally agreed upon as personable and likable. He cared greatly for his fellow supernaturals. He was especially close to Ewan, and was left very shaken with the Buggane's death.

Then Zephyra and Otaktay were also killed, and his bravado and spirit became broken. He tried to push through for the soldiers that still followed and believed in him, but each new loss or defeat only broke him more. He once had high hopes and dreams, but the war destroyed that part of him.

In the end, he and his army were tracked down and surrounded. Unwilling to allow even more souls to be sacrificed for his escape, he gave up. His death is considered to be the true defeat of the monster army.
[hr]
[img]https://i.pinimg.com/originals/c2/07/a0/c207a010c775addac29db6be7b6ef2ce.jpg[/img]
[h3]Ewan The Buggane:[/h3] Nicknamed the Messenger of the Faeries, Ewan was the brains and strategist of the supernatural war front. He actually almost never spoke more than maybe one or two words ever in a conversation, if at all. Most of his communication was through trust and understanding, but somehow that worked. He was widely acknowledged as brilliant and efficient. He had only ever had one failure in his commander career, and unfortunately that failure was fatal.

It was a mission to infiltrate one of the main human kingdoms through tunnels made underground. What was believed would become the victory blow against humans turned out to be a trap. The tunnels were flooded  with holy water from both ends, leaving Ewan and his army to drown.
[hr]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/x1LpjBP.jpeg[/img]
[h3]Zephyra The Harpy:[/h3] She was violent and wild, with a temper that was easily triggered. Even many supernaturals feared her anger. However, she was tender hearted and easily swayed by flattery or things she considered cute. And despite her rough edges, she frequently went to great lengths to rescue the weak or defenseless. She was especially liked by children, and she had dreams of having a large family with her life partner: Otaktay.

She left most of the planning to her fellow commanders, as her preference was to just wing it. She and Otaktay were normally a team effort on most missions. They were [i]very widely[/i] acknowledged as a couple of lovebirds. Zephyra specifically specialized in aerial combat and ambush maneuvers. Her army was small, but incredibly mighty and fierce.

She fell alongside her husband. Ewan's death had not yet been verified yet, and they had received a tip of his supposed whereabouts. Believing him still alive, they rushed to his rescue. It was, of course, a trap. Although the battle involved the sacrifice of many, the humans ultimately won and slayed the pair.
[hr]
[img]https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/9aedfc53-b1df-4dd0-901d-0791fbaf234f/datnq1u-028056d4-8632-46d6-bbc3-9751cece19e7.png/v1/fill/w_1131,h_707,q_70,strp/thunderbird_by_galecoroco_datnq1u-pre.jpg?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7ImhlaWdodCI6Ijw9ODAwIiwicGF0aCI6IlwvZlwvOWFlZGZjNTMtYjFkZi00ZGQwLTkwMWQtMDc5MWZiYWYyMzRmXC9kYXRucTF1LTAyODA1NmQ0LTg2MzItNDZkNi1iYmMzLTk3NTFjZWNlMTllNy5wbmciLCJ3aWR0aCI6Ijw9MTI4MCJ9XV0sImF1ZCI6WyJ1cm46c2VydmljZTppbWFnZS5vcGVyYXRpb25zIl19.xI_KAcx3V-Jbqi0sITowYQBwhKEdswuIccYAm_ZYHf4[/img]
[center]Source: [url=https://www.deviantart.com/galecoroco/art/Thunderbird-654477474]Galecoroco[/url][/center][h3]Otaktay The Thunderbird:[/h3] He was actually very charming and quite popular with many women as well, but he was loyal to his wife Zephyra. If anything, it was more than likely he [i]liked[/i] it when Zephrya would drag him away; he loved her wild and angry side. As such, many agreed it was just a game they liked to play to show affection to one another.

He was also very clever, with an eye for noticing details that others miss. He was especially skilled in reconnaissance, surveillance, and intercepting. He prioritized self preservation and had a talent for finding points of escape. Normally calm and collected, he really would only lose his cool if it came to the safety of his wife.

He and Zephyra were defeated when they became embroiled in a trap. They were following information on Ewan's possible survival. During their final battle, Otaktay had several opportunities to flee, but he never considered it for a moment. Abandon his wife? Not even if his heart stopped beating! And it did, when he tried to shield his beloved from the onslaught that ultimately took their lives.
[hr]
[img]https://64.media.tumblr.com/fc6fd4c6e6a186ac3d7e36ffd634f027/tumblr_pddstyc1Dn1wuh38lo1_1280.png[/img][center]Source: [url=https://fen-porium.tumblr.com/post/176938397374/kailani-the-harbor-selkie-older-brother-of]Fenrae-l[/url][/center][h3]Murdock the Selkie:[/h3] He was jovial, with a love for good food and alcohol. He enjoyed partying with others and joking with friends. Whenever things got dark, it was he who always managed to rebuild everyone's spirits. Despite his carefree attitude, he was a surprisingly serious and thoughtful commander.

He normally took charge in battles over seas, being especially well suited to the task. He was also adept at cutting off supplies and transportation efforts for humans, as well as ensuring the safe delivery of supplies to the supernaturals.

While all the other Great Commanders fell to the hands of humans, Murdock alone still remained. However, rather than continue the war efforts, he mysteriously vanished. There were rumors that he got grievously injured and perished, but nothing was ever confirmed. Not only did Murdock disappear, but so did many of his lovers and children. His (and their) current whereabouts and status are unknown.[/hider]
[hider=FAQ][b]Q: What time period is the roleplay set in?[/b]
A: The roleplay is not set within a specific time period. It's more of an anachronism stew (anachronistic meaning 'not in its correct historical or chronological time). It's probably most similar to 17th/18th/19th century, but even that's not entirely accurate. Definitely NOT modern though.
[hr]
[b]Q: What sort of technology is there in the roleplay?[/b]
A: The strong belief in the existence of the gods held by society has left scientific and technological advancements a bit stunted, since anything too news breaking could potentially reveal the false gods for what they truly are. The land is pretty largely dependant on agriculture still, with the biggest advancement of technology being the development of domestic systems and mills. A lot of things are pretty much done by hand, especially since there's no such thing as electricity or mass-producing factories. Steampower hasn't even been founded yet for example, although it might be within another decade or so. And since the land is pretty much dependant on agriculture, much of the raw materials needed are mined or grown from within the country. However, there does exist some trading among neighboring countries.
[hr]
[b]Q: Do other countries share the same beliefs, or do they have a different religion?[/b]
A: The neighboring countries too follow a similar belief with gods that are really just monsters, but they might just follow a different set of gods. There always exists the possibility these different sets of gods could still be the exact same gods though, just that they might have wanted to try out a new title. Then there's also the chance that people start to believe that two different gods are actually the same god with a different form/name. Some of the gods have likely come up with all sorts of way to have fun with their divine statuses. As to countries that are separated from the land by say, an ocean, those lands have yet to be discovered so it is unknown what sort of belief those countries might have.
[hr]
[b]Q: What sort of fashion is in the roleplay?[/b]
A: There would be no such thing as machines yet (unless hand cranked or something similar), so things such as graphic tee shirts would not exist. Clothes would be made of handmade fabric, which would mean any fabric that is elaborately decorated or difficult to make would be very expensive and thus considered to be of high status. So in quality, they would be similar to Georgian and Stuart era fashions, but in style they could be of any potential fashion, including a style that would be similar to today. Much of what would be considered fashionable in this roleplay would be determined by the gods, so the possibilities are endless. Also, the servants will all be provided with a clean set of clothes deemed appropriate to be worn for serving and working for the gods, and the higher in status a servant is (for example, the uniform of supervisors or a god's personal servant) then the more expensive and high status their clothes would be (but never a higher status than the gods of course).
[hr]
[b]Q: What happened to the witches involved in the war?[/b]
A: Witches were largely unaccepted by both humans and monsters, since humans viewed them as unnatural and creatures perceived them to still be essentially human. When the war began, they knew that they too would be hunted and killed by both sides. They sided with the humans as a way to avoid this fate, and fought in the war for about 800 years before suddenly vanishing a short time after Murdock's disappearance. It's possible that, since they were still hated by humans and would never be accepted by monsters for their involvement in the war, they founded their own villages in secret before the humans could potentially make their inevitable betrayal.
[hr]
[b]Q: Why are humans unaware of the war?[/b]
A: Much of the history of war has been lost to the destruction. Furthermore, any remain texts of the tragic history are written in a language that has long been forgotten. There are also many gods that actively attempt to destroy any evidence or resurfacing of information about the war and the existence of monsters.
[hr]
[b]Q: What exactly is the "Chosen of the Gods"?[/b]
A: Chosen of the Gods is a generic title for Servants picked to become a Personal Attendant. It's a stand in for a possible future title or career that the human may follow. Some will be hailed as Saints, Messengers, Warriors, or any number of titles. Some may lead the temple, others may lead a village. There are even a few that have launched businesses!Of course, keep in mind that the title isn't actually true. It is only the human's preference in how they interpret the whims of the [s]Not[/s] God. The selection of a Personal Attendant is also something that must be established in character. The Gods and this year's humans haven't met yet, so they couldn't possibly have picked a Personal Attendant already.
[hr]
[b]Q: How long have monsters been worshiped as Gods?[/b]
A: They first emerged as Gods roughly 5,000 years ago. No one really knows who successfully pulled off this incredibly long heist first. But by this point in history, their identities as Gods is very firmly established. Humans aren't suspicious because there's nothing currently available to even cultivate suspicions (yet). That's on purpose.
[hr]
[b]Q: Can I have my human character know that the Gods are fake?[/b]
A: I would prefer not. This secret is something I would prefer to be discovered IC, as in in character during the roleplay. It's kind of the whole plot and reason that this was born. Plus, I have events planned that really only work with the humans being unaware for the time being. The time to learn the truth [i]will[/i] come, I promise![/hider]
[hider=Rules]• You must be 18+. No exceptions. The plot is pretty tame in my opinion, but I am not comfortable participating in a roleplay with minors. I expect that other adults that have joined also feel the same.

• Romance is allowed, but any smut/ERP must go to DMs or fade to black.

• No one liners. One liners don’t have substance for people to reply to. Posts don’t need to be long, but they do need to have enough details and depth that other members can easily build off of and respond to. I expect at least 1 paragraph, but I would love and encourage more.

• No godmoding or powerplay without permission from the other writers involved.

• No perfect characters/flat characters/mary-sues/gary stus. Flaws make a character interesting! Plus, we are a [b]community[/b]! Your character shouldn’t be the center of [i]everything[/i] ever. Share the spotlight!

• Keep OoC civil. Roleplay groups can only function if all members work together to preserve the unity. If you can’t be respectful, then perhaps rp groups aren't the most suited environment for you.

• Feel free to make as many characters as you like so long as you can handle them all. Only two Gods per member at this time though. Human slots are unlimited!

• No faeries. Specifically, no miniature winged humanoid creatures. Other types of fae creature are allowed.

• Characters can be a "god" presiding over anything (Examples: intelligence, fire, roses, 7 o'clock, the blue star). Get creative.

• More than one character can be a "god" over the same concept/thing/etc. Many might be a God of Death, but each might be considered a highly specific version or aspect of death. For example: Hades is King of the dead, Thanatos is (non-violent) death, Geras is old age (type of death), and Ker is (violent) death. No need to specify, but do keep this in mind should another member make a god presiding over the same thing as your character.

• No time limit for posts, but do keep communication open. If you are unable to respond for some time, let the group know. If someone hasn’t communicated IC or OoC for at least 2 weeks, I will check up with them just to make sure that everything is alright.

• In exchange for no exact time limit, there is a community time limit. What I mean is that [i]someone[/i] in the group must make a post within 2 weeks of the last post. It doesn't matter who. There can be exceptions, such as if everyone involved is busy and communicates as such, but if there is no communication from anyone [i]and[/i] no posts as well, then I will start to investigate if the rp group is dead.

• If members feel like they are too busy for a time duration to be active within this roleplay, but do not wish to drop either, then they can always have me place their characters within a limbo state until they should be able to return. I will try to make any and all accommodations that I can.

• We're still figuring things out. Let us know if something crops up and we’ll do our best to handle it.[/hider]
[url=https://discord.gg/2z8Z3dHANH]In Secret We Lie OoC Discord[/url] - I don't mind OoC being here, but I am typically much easier and faster to reach through discord