[OOC] Of Serenity & Dread (OPEN ADVANCED RENAISSANCE-ERA FANTASY NRP)

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Of Serenity & Dread


“Men sooner forget the death of their father than the loss of their patrimony” - Niccolò Machiavelli


It is the dawn of the Genian Age, and the minds of men bend now from petty superstition towards things of beauty, wonder, and knowledge. To enlightened thought and poetic edict. Men of science and art tramp about Evorin, spouting wisdom like water from an ancient aqueduct, and new technologies bring the Farwest beyond the flat disc of its quarried past.

And yet, war still rumbles below our feet, angry and bellowing, as empires from beyond our realm clamp down on us like hungry dogs. But times of chaos bring great opportunity. The old houses erode from relevance, while new ones bubble up from below the surface, sprouting like seedlings from sunlight cast beyond the old world's breaking shadow.

Still more find opportunity in perennial war as retinues and militias exhaust quickly. Perhaps your make is that of a mercenary...planting your blood-stained flag on marble ruins built by blood more noble than your own...but who's steel carried far less heft.

Now is a time of spellcraft and webweaving. Now is a time of science and gunshot. Now is a time of serenity and dread!


Introduction

Welcome everybody! I'm Ekreture, and this is Of Serenity & Dread, an advanced NRP set in a high-fantasy world based on 16th century Italy, replete with gunpowder weapons, fantasy races, magic, and Renaissance art. This RP is focused specifically on early modern statecraft and warfare, with two vast empires both pressing in to stake their claims.

We live in the land of Evorin, on the flat disc known as the Farwest, as pictured below:

Evorin


Click the hider below for expanded lore, the creation of which is ongoing:
The Farwest is a flat disc built on the balancing of the four elements. At the boundaries of each cardinal direction lies a pure elemental realm: to the East, infinite, horizon-spanning earth. To the south, unyielding fire. To the north, cold, unrelenting wind. And to the west, boundless ocean. Each direction does, however, have a people who can cross it naturally: The east had their centaurs, the south had their Djinn, the north their Giants, and the west their merfolk.

In its perfect form, the Farwest can only exist with the elements balanced. When these elements become inbalanced, calamity strikes, in the form of natural disasters and the harm caused by the four Primarchs; immortal monsters each ruling a realm of hardship. These are:
1. Gore - Minotaur
2. Plague - Hydra
3. Deprivation - Cerberus (each head: Famine, Drought, and Poverty)
4. Madness - Typhon

To combat the natural disasters, the Ancient Ones (or Tidu Empire) created the Tower Of Heaven, a massive ziggurat that can control the elements, ushering in the age of the First Tower. But they were tyrants and despots. They would fall and be replaced by the Malkodian Empire in the age of the Second Tower, who were benevolent, but still unable to face the Primarchs.

The Hero Terastrius, of the continent Megalia (in which Evorin resides), would rise to the occasion, imprisoning the Primarchs and taking the Tower of Heaven for himself, ushering in the age of the Third Tower under the Terastrian Empire. Evorin, though not the place of Terastrius's origin, soon became the wealthiest province in the Terastrian Empire, from its provincial capital of Colonia. The Primarch Madness would be imprisoned within Evorin, in Mt. Cosmo.

The Primarchs would return eight centuries ago, causing the collapse of Terastria and plunging the Farwest into chaos. From it rose Lakhmia, ruled by the Abulakam, or "Father of Bread/sustenance". Since then, various dynasties have ruled Lakhmia in the Fourth Tower, with the primarchs re-imprisoned. But now, a new empire rises, seeking to supplant Lakhmia.

We have now entered the Genian Age, with the sudden rise of technologies and magic potentials. This began with the discovery of the Occidental Camera, allowing ships to sink down to miniscule sizes and sail beyond the Infinite Ocean to the lands known either as the Further West or the Diminutive. Another tech, known as a Zephyriad, allows travel to the Farsouth, also known as the Sunswept, using a massive gust of wind in the sails of landships. These two techs are used by this new empire to colonize and extract wealth from far beyond their borders. As they expand towards Lachmia in search of the Tower, they will have to first conquer Evorin. Knowing this, Galia, a great empire to the north who has aligned itself with Lachmia against the new empire, has also begun its sojourn into Evorin.


Technology

Our world is based on the early 16th century. This means arquebuses and early field cannons, as well as caravels and galleons. Much naval warfare was still fought on galleys at this time, as well. While the Italian Wars we're basing our world off of involved the introduction of mass pike and shot formations, where we're at, those are yet to be introduced. That means that, while gunpowder units are not only allowed but encouraged, they can't make up the vast bulk of your army.

Being a high fantasy RP, magic is of course a part of everyday affairs. I can't think of any magical ability or tech that isn't explicitly banned, but if it feels fishy, just ask, and the gms reserve the right to interfere if some magic feels OP. Examples might be a plague that instantly destroys an enemy's army or the like.

Rules

1) No godmodding, metagaming, or controlling another player's characters/faction.
2) No bullying, rudeness, or insulting
3) If conflicts cannot be decided, the GM will intervene. This means both interpersonally and in-game.
4) No hate speech, cultural insensitivity, or racism.
5) Sex is fine, but don't write porn. Any depiction of sex between an adult and a minor will result in an immediate ban and a report to site admins. Please use absolute sensitivity and discretion when depicting or discussing nonconsensual sexual activity. GMs reserve the right to ask you to remove a post for sexual inappropriateness.
6) There are no mandatory post times, but we'll move to the next turn (turns defined below) once a week. You lose your actions if we move to to the next turn and you have actions remaining. If you're flooding the discord without posting anything, you may be muted.
7) Submit a nation sheet to apply. I will privately message you the Discord link once you join.
8) If you're inactive for a whole month without discussing it with the GMs first, we'll find an in-character reason why your lands have been conquered and absorbed into another state, if you're a tier 1 faction, as discussed below. If this happens, you can always come back with yoru same faction moved to tier 2.

How to Play

Okay, so, having played NRPs for a while, I think adding some concrete game mechanics can help things out.

There are three tiers of factions in Evorin.

 TIER ONE - REGIONAL POWER:  These are city-states and feudal petty kings, claiming expanses of land as well as the estates of the lords who rule them.
 TIER TWO - MAJOR FACTION:  Noble houses without controlling stakes in States, landed mercenary companies, and large pirate republics. While they don't control vast lands, they have their own estates and armies.
 TIER THREE - LANDLESS ADVENTURERS:  Small mercenary companies, corsair ships, and the like. A single army reliant on being fed and houses by another faction. Great for new players.

We'll keep adding tier one players until the map is full, but this won't be long. I do highly encourage anyone who'd like to take a tier 2 or 3 faction if they're so inclined.

Each faction controls three main methods of expanding and increasing their power: Estates, Agents, and Forces. There are two resources tied to the former two: wealth and prestige. Each turn (as discussed below) grants a single usable action from each level of your estates and agents to either gain you one of the two resources or upgrade or recruit another agent or estate, or perhaps perform a hostile action against the agents or estates of another. Prestige and Wealth can also be traded to other factions as payment. Additionally, agent and estate agents may interact with the third method of expanding power: Forces.

Estates are business and pieces of land owned by factions and the houses who control them. Estates cost Wealth to buy and upgrade. Every estate can spend an action working on upgrading itself for the equivalent of a single wealth. Unlike agents, estates need usable land to exist on, meaing that you can't just buy a new stronghold for example out of the blue...you'd need to either acquire the empty land it exists on first or retrieve it from another faction. Estates can be level up to 5. There are three categories of Estate.
Strongholds are large complexes your faction centers their power in. They cost 4 wealth to buy or upgrade. Strongholds are unique in that they automatically have a Settlement (as discussed below) slot attached to them, meaning that if you own a Stronghold, want to acquire a new Settlement for 3 Wealth, and there isn't already a Settlement attached to your stronghold, you always can build one next to your stronghold. Strongholds also each have a unique feature that can be described in your nation sheet (for instance, an Orchard that never runs out of fruit). There are four forms of Stronghold:
	-Fortress: Fortresses are symbols of military prowess and always require a siege before taking.
			 They are large, imposing structures that can house armies, but are worse for hosting guests and showcasing
			 wealth than other Strongholds. Fortresses may also be used to keep your armies well trained.
	-Villa: A decent balance between a Palace and a Fortress. Provincial like a Fortress, Villas can also house armies. Unlike
		      Fortresses, they do not require sieges before taking them. Like a Palace, they can be used to host events, gaining
		       wealth and prestige, but suffer the consequences of being out in the country.
	-Palace: Beautiful, austere, and urban. Palaces are found in the centers of cities, and are wonderful when used to expand
		 	your faction's wealth and prestige. They can be taken quite easily, however.
	-Port: Used for sending and recieving fleets. If your faction has no port, you have no navy, and your Navy ranking is 
		     automatically an 'F'.

Settlements are small towns and villages owned by your faction which provide you with manpower and raw material. Every settlement you own automatically grants +1 Wealth every turn as well as a minimal amount of whatever resource they provide. It's harder to categorize different forms of settlement, but almost every settlement is tied to a single resource; hinterlands producing grain, quarries producing marble, mines producing iron, vineyards producing grapes, etc etc. Note that settlements can only provide raw material; manufacturing requires a workshop. Notable exceptions are hinterlands, which automatically mill their grain into flour, and lumber camps, which automatically plank and plane their logs. All materials produced require a market in order to produce wealth with them, whether that be a foreign trade route or a shop. Settlements require 3 wealth to buy or upgrade.

Businesses are single-building estates in larger cities and settlements meant to produce manufactured goods, wealth, and prestige. They cost 2 wealth to buy or upgrade. Business can also multiclass, mixing various forms of business as multiple levels. There are three types of business:
-Workshop: Workshops are production hubs, producing manufactured goods. Some goods produce prestige (a painting workshop, for example), while others produce wealth. All goods produced in a workshop require a market or venue in order to accumulate their associated resource. For example, a painting workshop would require a venue to showcase their paintings, such as a Palace, while a jewelry workshop would require a jewelry store, which can exist as a single level in the workshop. You don't need to own the source of raw materials in order for a workshop to function, but there is vertical integration if you do. Namely, you gain +1 Wealth/Prestige per turn automatically for every level of production you own as long as there's a market. For instance, if you own a Gold Mine and the jewelry workshop mentioned earlier and sell jewelry to a foreign power, you automatically gain +1 wealth per turn. If you also own a jewelry store, it'd be +2 Wealth per turn.
-Shop: Produces wealth by selling goods. Some goods, such as weapons, require the acquisition of another good, while some, such as if you own an Inn or a Brothel, do not. Either way, as mentioned above, you don't need to own the means of production, but you gain a bonus if you do. Trading Posts are a special form of shop that can actually be used to suck wealth from a rival's economy buy hacking off 25% of all wealth produced by them in a given settlement.
-Institution: Produces prestige and allows for the increase of your magical and technological potential. Academies, libraries, museums, etc. Can be used as a wrung on an automatic prestige supply chain, including in tandem with a shop, if you own an Herbalist or Book Merchant for instance.


Agents are notable people loyal to your cause who are able to rapidly influence your standing in Evorin. Each agent may be acquired or leveled up for 2 Prestige. A single character may possess as many levels in as many agent classes as you'd like for a maximum total of 10 levels in a single character, although please place no more than three levels in a single character when first designing your sheets. I've listed possible agent actions for each class, but this is by no means definitive. There are seven classes of agents:
Generals lead armies. Every army is required to have a general leading them in order to muster out and go on an expedition, and likewise every navy an admiral. As an action, Generals may train troops, lead assaults, lead defenses, upgrade Fortresses for the equivalent of a single wealth, or move forward a siege. They may also as an action train Champions for free.

Champions perform feats of valor. They may duel other champions, support an army, train troops, collect bounties/perform mercenary work, and perform guerilla maneuvers. When defeating another Champion in a duel, they gain all prestige tied up in that character for their faction.

Spies, assassins, guerillas and the like. They may sabotage, assassinate, and steal wealth.

Engineers, artists, inventors, and scientists. They can rapidly increase your prestige, upgrade and build Strongholds for the equivalent of 2 Wealth, and build/upgrade Workshops and Institutions for free.

Politicians and diplomats. They can swing diplomatic dealings in your favor, upgrade and build settlements for the equivalent of 2 Wealth, quell rebellions/crime outburts, and do other cool political shit. They can also train Infiltrators for free.

Businessmen and traders. They can rapidly increase your Wealth, go on expiditions to the Sunswept and Diminutive, swing trade deals in your favor, and build/upgrade shops and workshops for free.

Powerful mages, wizards, witches, and sorcerors. They can cast large and powerful spells to a variety of effects...think of them sort of as jack of all trades. They can basically do anything that other agents can do, but are slightly worse at it.


Forces are the armies, navies, and militias at your faction's disposal. Forces simply represent the way in which you divided up your military. They have two resources tied to them: Size and Preparation.

Size is how big a force is. Tier 1 factions start with 10 size points. Tier 2 factions start with 6 size points. Tier 3 factions start with 4 size points. Again, forces only represent how you divide up your military, so, for example, say you start with a Tier 1 faction. You have 10 size points to divide. You might place 2 to garrison a stronghold, 4 into your navy, and 4 into your army. You also might want two armies, or two fleets. The way you divide them is up to you. All fleets and garrisons require a separate force from your army. Settlements and strongholds don't require garrisons in order to function but can be freely occupied by enemies without them.

The following agent and estate types can recruit size points:
-General
-Champion
-Statesman
-Merchant, Polymath, and Archmage on a case by case basis (mercenaries, automatons, summoned beasts, etc)
-Settlement
-Fortress
-Specific Businesses (ie, recruitment offices, magic schools, etc)

Preparations are modifiers you tack onto a Force in battle. There are three types of preparations:

1. Battle Preparations - Unlimited use, expires after 10 turns. Examples: training, weapons, morale boosts, etc.
2. Siege Preparations -
Total siege Preparations in a single force depletes by 1 at the end of every turn. Size points reduce by 20% once siege preparations reach 0. Siege preparations represent food and medicine.
3. Instant Preparations - Single use. When used, has the equivalent of 2 battle preparations for a single battle. Examples: Summoning spell, landmines, etc.

When an agent or estate produces a preparation for a force, a single action may prepare forces of a size equivalent of 5, meaning if you have two forces, one size two and the other size three, and you have your blacksmith prepare new pikes for them, it may cover both forces. If you have a force larger than five, multiple preparations will be necessary to stock the army. You may keep track of your progress in preparing them across multiple turns, if needed.

The following agent types grant an automatic battle preparation for every level if embedded in a Force:

-General (x2)
-Champion
-Infiltrator
-Archmage 

Tier 3 Factions start with 6 prestige and 0 wealth. Tier 2 Factions start with 9 prestige and 9 wealth. Tier 1 factions start with 10 prestige and wealth for the state they run and 6 for their personal dynasty. PLEASE KEEP TRACK OF WHAT'S YOUR DYNASTY'S AND WHAT'S THE STATES. State funds can be embezzled in your personal treasury at a 50% penalty, meaning using state funds to buy a shop that'd normally cost you 2 Wealth would instead cost you 3.

As stated earlier, every week we move to the next turn. You can post as much as you want in a given week, but every level of Estate and Agent you have only gets a single turn. For example, if you have a level three Fortress, that fortress gains three total actions. Your King may have one level of general, two of statesman, and one of champion. This grants him one champion action, one general, and two statesmen actions.

You can't just write your actions for the week in a long list...this is still an ARP. Give us a story. Tell us of how the engineers in your fortress installed a new bastion. Be creative. Not everything needs a full story...you can be telling us a larger story of trade negotiations and have your merchant mention to a guard in passing that the new villa's looking beautiful. But it all has to be written into your post. That said, just for everyone's sake, placing a TL;DR at the end of a post giving us the long and short of the actions you took would be pretty sweet.

Nation Sheet

Name:

Keep in mind we're basing it on renaissance Italy.
Flag:

Doesn't need to be an image...can just be a description.
Brief Description & Tier:

Keep in mind "Brief". There's a whole rest of your NS, this is just a logline. Also put what tier your faction is here.
Ambition:

What does your faction want? The largest faction you could possibly have is still a small state under threat by giant empires...world domination isn't an option. Are you run by a wizard seeking enlightenment? A prince seeking vengeance? Or perhaps you just want to survive? All up to you.
Government Type:

Claim:

Use the map. If you don't have a tier 1 faction, just put down your estates if you're tier 2. Tier 1 should also put down the locations of their estates. For tier 3...just tell us where you are.
History:

Go brief, go long. Do what you think is necessary for us to have a proper feel of what you're trying to present. Make sure to talk to other players and your friendly GMs to make sure your properly aligned with the lore and worldbuilding so far.
Military:

Alright, this is another complicated gamified part. So basically, you've gotta rank your different parts of your military. You have the following aspects:
-Infantry
-Ranged (guns, crossbows, mid-ranged spellcasters)
-Navy
-Artillery (cannons, catapults, long ranged spellcasters)
-Shock Troops (Heavy beast units, giants, guerillas)
-Cavalry (horsemen, light beast units)

Take each of them and sort one each into the following (keep in mind that ranking should equal quality times quantity...you can have three amazing cannons and therefore have D tier artillery, or a horde of regular-sized ants and have D Tier infantry):

-S Tier: Best of the best. Unparalled across Evorin.
-A Tier: Really, really good. Still a staple of your army.
-B Tier: Good. Holds their own. Reliable, but unable to win battles on its own.
-C Tier: Slightly below average. A useful part of your army, but by no means a staple.
-D Tier: Bad. Unreliable. Might come in handy in a clinch, but not a meaningful part of your planning.
-F Tier: Either nonexistant or downright embarrassing.

At the cost of 6 Wealth, you can bring any aspect up a single tier in-game. Anyways, in the sheet, while sorting it, also give us descriptions of your military. Unit types, equipment, etc. Hey, it's an NRP, what can I say?
Demographics:

Races, religions, cultures. Talk with other players, as well as your gms. We're also gonna keep a database of races currently in use.
Agents:

Now here's where I wanna see some effort! Tell us all about your characters. They're what's gonna drive the story forward.
Estates:

Estates should have specific names, aside from Businesses. But tell us their stories. The place they hold in their community. Yada yada yada.
Forces:

As discussed above. Feel free to give as much detail to your forces as you want. When first submitting a sheet, you just need to put their sizes, but please keep track of your Preparations down the line.
Relations:

Diplomatic situation. Talk with folks! Figure out where you're at with other factions. Maybe even with rivals within your own faction. You should also talk about your relationship with the major empires at play in Evorin.

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Not done yet, but here's my progress so far, shall add more later :)

Empire of Galia

Brief Description:

A long standing and powerful empire that rose from the ashes of those that came before.

Ambition:

The Galian Empire seeks to further its own influence in the region, wishing to bring Evorin under its banner, and to prevent its rival, Serravun, from snatching it away from them.

Government Type:
 Absolute Monarchy

Claim:

Blue on Map.

History:

Galia was among many that rose from the ashes of the Old Terastrian Empire. The lands north of Evorin were rife in conflict as successor states had come and gone, empires rising and falling. Galia had proven to be the more fortunate of the post-Terastrian states, thanks in part to what would soon become the ruling dynasty of the Valmonts, a Noble House that once was tasked with fending off barbaric hordes that besieged their prosperous kingdom.

Overtime, the various conflicts would take a toll on the old Galian Kingdom, leading to many Noble Houses to scheme and plot for a possible takeover. Little did they know, the more militant House Valmont was thinking far ahead, and took advantage of their own martial prowess, and besieged the capital city with a legion of loyal men and women. A week after their coup attempt, the Valmonts had emerged victorious, and had the old royal family in chains. Bertrand Valmont now crowned the First Emperor of the Galian Empire. Centuries later, the Empire stands among the great powers of Megalia, and further seeks to spread its influence, leading it to Evorin.

Military:

A Tier-Infantry: The armies of Galia are among the most renowned and feared in the known world. Their numbers are too many to count, and with that, maintain peace and control through a grand scale.

B Tier-Ranged: Fighting alongside its armies, Galia maintains dedicated regiments of crossbowmen, mages and small units armed with arquebuses to assist from afar. 

C Tier-Navy:

C-Tier-Artillery:

F Tier-Shock Troops: Galia sadly has chinks in its armor, unlike other powers, they have yet to tame and field the fierce monsters that roam their lands and waters, often terrorized by them. the knights coming close, yet far to tame one such group of beasts, the Northern Griffon. The knights that are blessed enough to tame such beasts are few and far between. 

S Tier-Cavalry: The Knightly Orders are among Galia's most elite of warriors, clad in expertly forged glistening armor, they ride with great furiosity, stamping down all who would oppose them. Charging alongside the Knights is the ever faithful companion, the Galian Warhounds.

Demographics:

The Empire is home to many races, however some are more prominent then others in certain regions.

Agents:

Now here's where I wanna see some effort! Tell us all about your characters. They're what's gonna drive the story forward.

Estates:

Estates should have specific names, aside from Businesses. But tell us their stories. The place they hold in their community. Yada yada yada.

Relations:

Rudel: The Empire sees the Dread Prince's ambitions as a potential threat that could destabilize their plans for Evorin, and Rudel presents as a clear threat to the Empire's vassals in the region.

Castarlono Family: The Castarlono Family's association with the Dread Prince is a concerning matter.

Colonia: Currently Colonia's neutrality has them on somewhat good standing with the Empire, for now they present no threat and Galia wishes to not make any more enemies then it has.

Montserri: A potential candidate for Imperial Vassalage, although willing to hear them out, the people of Montserri fear the loss of autonomy and identity if they choose to be shields under the wings of the Empire.

Isolopoli: The illusive nature of the Sophisticate has local Imperial leaders suspicious of their intentions for the region. Their technology and weapons although, are something the Empire looks to with great interest and subtly covets.

Serravun: Galia's rival in the region. Two powers with vastly different cultures that seek to push against one another, be it through diplomacy or war.

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The Black Tusks


Brief Description & Tier:

Tier 2. An Orcish mercenary company recently landed, led by the general Gultar the Stick.
Ambition:

To make coin and advance the position of all Orkin on Evorin.
Government Type:

A mercenary company led by a General. The civilian communities that exist within their estates are governed autonomously, from the human villages to goblin hidings.
Claim:

A castle, castletown, and surrounding hinterland completely within the borders of Clemento.
History:

The Orkin were first born from the hellrot and bog-rocks of Malor's Fleshforge. Malor was a dark wizard and warlord who sought to bring himself to the immortal status of a Primarch, and he would be the Primarch Upheaval. So, he created a hellish army of various shapes and sizes to aid them.

The original Orkin were all male, meant only to be formed in the Fleshforge. They were mindless, cruel, and savage. And while Malor was winning, they were pretty fucking awesome.

The problem came when Malor started losing. He was masterminding everything, and he had an army of mindless beasts, and when he lost them, he had to go all the way back to the Fleshforge and make some more. Wildly inconvenient.

So, he made the Orkin 2.0...some of them had vaginas. And they were all sorts of sizes and shapes. Goblins, the little ones, Orcs, the mid-size ones, and Ogres, who were quite large. They were also a lot smarter than the previous Orkin...he could rely on them for logistical planning, and industry. Working the Fleshforge if needed. And, in the long term, they'd be capable of procreating.

Well, as it turns out, there wouldn't be a long term. The heroes of Megalia unified together under a white wizard and yada yada yada, the flesh forge was destroyed by moss and unicorn tears or whatever shmaltzy nonsense. Also, there was an Orkin mutiny. Yeah, as it turns out, when you give a race of people sentient thought, they start thinking they deserve things. Like salaries, and land, and to not literally thrown into a meat grinder of griffon-riding dog crusaders.

So Malor was defeated, and peace reigned forever more and stuff. That was about 800 years ago.

But the Orkin remained. And they bred. Started families. And they had to adapt. So, if all you were was a roving army, and all your levels of organization are to be a roving army, what do you do? Keep on keepin' on, friend. The Orkin turned to a mix of banditry and mercenary work. The Goblins founded the Hideways, placing invisible communites called Hidings all around the Farwest. Ogres isolated themselves in the far reaches of the wilderness. But Orcs were all bandits and mercenaries.

And that's persisted through today.

Thing is, just like Malor before them, the people who hire Orkin mercenary bands don't tend to...treat them very well. They treat them as disposable, and, without any large institutions to back them up, often are underpayed and underserved. And now, in Evorin, with all these constant wars between rich dudes who mostly just hire mercenaries, it's getting worse than ever.

Gultar isn't from Evorin. He's from Galia, in fact. He was 'Fleshforged' as it were-yeah, it's used as a term now for Orkin born to mercenary parents. And he had all the markings of a great mercenary; big, strong. And large. And very, very strong.

But he was also intelligent, as a child. And deeply perceptive. He saw the world as it was, and as it could be. And the work it would take to move from A to B. And work he did.

First in Evorin, gallivanting around in an Orkin mercenary company. He realized very quickly how sought after the companies were who managed to gather all Orkin groups under their banner...Orcs, Goblins, and Ogres. He became an officer within a bigger company, the Black Tusks, so named because of the Old Orcish tradition of mounting boars heads on pikes as banners.

Yeah, they would cut off a boar's head and mount it on a pike...however rotten the head became would show the merit and age of the company. It was at a time when, well...we talked about how disposable Orcish merc companies tended to be seen. The meat grinder. But the Black Tusks refers to the end goal. When the tusks of the boar are so rotted out that they've gone completely black. A sort of company immortality.

Anyways, he became an officer. He started reforming Orcish tactics, building a training regimen...a regimen so rigorous he became known as "The Stick". And then he left. For Lakhmia, where he would become a REAL officer, in a REAL army. Still leading Orkin, but as a professional soldier.

The Captain of the Black Tusks died, a few years ago. He sent out for Gultar to come back from Lakhmia and succeed him. Gultar the Stick accepted.

Upon his return, he announced a radical change...there would be a massive expansion, and he would not be a Captain. He would be a General, with multiple captains underneath him. The Black Tusks grew, and grew, their profit margins straining the cost of the massive army of Goblins, and Orcs, and Ogres. Not to mention his supreme standard for equipment, itself standardized to maintain the look of a professional army. Nobody knew exactly what he was playing at. What they did know was that clients were playing higher premiums for the Black Tusks, and mortality rates of Orkin soldiers was going down.

And then the empire of Serravun invaded the tiny state of Clemento. They almost beat them, too. Clemento offered massive coffers to the Tusks to come and save them. And Gultar agreed, with a caveat-they wouldn't be paid in gold, but in land. Castle Virno.

The Black Tusks beat Serravun only a few months ago. Now, they control Castle Virno and its surrounding hinterland. They bear a promise to Clemento...they need not pay taxes to the city-state, but if Serravun ever invades again, the Tusks will be ready.

Military:


S TIER - Melee Infantry: The pride and joy of Gultar's army is his infantry line. Disciplined, durable, and fierce, he has trained his Orcs and Goblins to a point of indisputable prowess.
The bread and butter of any orcish army, Gultar himself served as a Shieldbearer before becoming a general. They're good allrounders, meant to accomplish the bulk of melee combat, pushing forward after the pikes in front of them take an initial charge. Their heavy cleavers are able to chop into the weaker points of a suit of plate, and drive dents into the stronger parts.

Skilled and versatile, Glaivemasters wield a variety of polearms to combine reach and powerful heft. While Gultar primarily uses them to defend his flank, they may also be found in a line behind shieldbearers, stabbing in between the column in front of them.

Small and fearless, walls of pikes jut out at the center of Gultar's formation, forming an impassible wall to absorb any charges to the front.

S TIER - Shock: A mix of ogres, battle boars, and goblin guerrilla units, Gultar uses his shock troops to drive apart enemy formations with ease. A terrifying sight to behold.
Huge, hideous creatures, battle boars are the result of hundreds of years of breeding and cursing, causing them to be gigantic and aggressive. They are sent in advance of a charge, heavily plated, to draw fire and cause chaos in an enemy's rank. They are also used in wars of attrition, set loose upon enemy fields to ravage their food supply.

Ogres are gigantic and even more powerful than their frame would suggest. They carry large clubs to smash apart enemy positions, and throw cannon shot to weaken enemy lines. They are used for two primary purposes: one, to strengthen a defensive line and batter down oncoming troops. Two, offensively, to break down an enemy formation before the main infantry onslaught.

Ruffians are vicious guerilla units, using a mix of melee weapons, ranged bows and crossbows, and magic to move behind enemy lines. Aside from their potential in wars of attrition, Gultar relies on them for easy flanking, and, when needed, to take out enemy artillery positions. They exceed in illusion magic, as well as in conjuring pestilence and fog to disrupt enemy lines.

B TIER - Ranged: While the bulk of the Black Tusks' power comes from their skill in melee, ranged infantry has by no means gone ignored. When engaging in standard pike-and-shot, Gultar makes sure that his own ranged troops are capable enough to hold their own before drawing the enemy into close quarters.
As firearms grow more popular in the land of Evorin, Gultar has begun training his troops in their use. Arquebusier units are especially useful when firing from the flank, or when suppressing an oncoming charge.

Often the most novice Orcs in his army, crossbows are the first weapons new recruits are trained on before they're trusted to hold a melee line.

C TIER - Cavalry: Gultar's not super into the Warg Riders. But he keeps them around!
While Warg Riders are a traditional aspect of the Orkin armies, Wargs, though ferocious and bloodthirsty, are unwieldy and hard to control, making charge cycling hard. Gultar still uses them in limited numbers, mounted with riders wielding glaives and two-handed choppers, reserving them for flanking maneuvers and for charging down fleeing enemies.

F TIER - Artillery: Being a mercenary company only recently recieving land, the Black Tusks have been used to being a part of a much larger army, ones in which artillery was provided by someone else. Artillery is heavy and slow moving, and so up until now has been completely eschewed from Gultar's focus.
F TIER - Navy: They ain't got no water!

Demographics:

The Tusks themselves are all Orkin; a motley mix of Orcs, Ogres, and Goblins. There are multiple Goblin Hidings, or communities, hidden throughout their claim, including a large one right underneath Castle Virno.

The countryside of Virno, meanwhile, presents the same demographics as the Clementian countryside surrounding it...largely human with a mix of others. There is a definite Gorgon community as well.
Agents:

Gultar the Stick, Level 2 General, Level 1 Champion:
Zurug Graveswing, Level 1 Champion:
Estates:

Castle Virno, Level 1 Fortress:
Virno Countryside, Level 1 Settlement, Hinterland:
Virno Steeltunnel, Level 1 Workshop, Smithy:
Forces

The Black Tusks
Army, Size 5. Location: Castle Virno. Embedded: Gultar & Zurug
Virno Garrison
Garrison, Size 1. Location: Castle Virno.
Relations:

Clemento: Hesitant alliance. A loose relation of vassalage and patronage. Gultar's thrown the weight of the Tusks behind Clementian independence, and now seeks political influence in the thalassocracy to make good on that investment.
Serravun: Wary and defensive. No bad blood in business but...there was a whole lot of dwarven blood, and Gultar's not expecting that to be forgotten anytime soon.

Hidden 7 mos ago → 7 mos ago Post by Durandals

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Sheet is still a work in progress.
House Castarlono da Montserri

Brief Description

An exiled house, with remembrance of prestige and property stolen.
Ambition

Conquer Montserri and restore Castarlono's primacy among their peers. Protect themselves from potential servitude to Rudel.
Government Type

Patriarchal noble house
Claim

In the Subalpine Desert where the borders of Rudel and Montserri meet.
History

House Castarlono was middling among the noble houses of Montserri with regards to prestige and external holdings. The 'Liberty Aquamarine' that the city-state practices meant that in the city all houses were equal, but that is never enough for any noble. They excelled in administering portions of the city's infrastructure and farmland for a time. 

However, moods within the family turned adventurous and saw a significant amount of their resources flow out of the city: mercenaries, a new galleon fleet, traing investments, funding significant construction and settlement efforts in the Subalpine Desert. Returns on these investments were few.

At their lowest point, Istanio Castarlono became head of the house at a young age after the death of his father and other heirs in a plague. He refocused the house inwards, developing connections among commoners through charity program. This culminated in him declaring himself Tribune a dozen years ago to a wave of support from the peasantry. Istanio was executed, House Castarlono's properties forfeited, and the family exiled to Rudel. Now the prodigal family returns for blood.
Military

A - Ranged: Somarco University has a storied history of magical, technological, and artistic innovation. House Castarlono's control of this institution has allowed it to develop an expertise in many areas, including the practical applications of machinery, gunpowder, and magic. The House has cultivated an elite retinue of spellcasters and arquebusiers from among its ranks whose combined firepower can lay waste to most adversaries.

A - Cavalry: Despite their exile, they are still a child of Montserri. A substantial cavalry retinue is maintained that, although never the best of the city of Montserri, would still route most any opposition off the field in one glorious charge.

B - Infantry: House Castarlono was a beacon that rallied masses of peasants with the emancipations under Istanio in his brief stint as dictator. Meager post-exile holdings leave the House without access to these numbers, but they have retained two reliable mercenary companies that are slowly training a loyal, disciplined infantry force.

C - Artillery: Rudel has graciously loaned some of its cannons to House Castarlono during Lord Astore's negotiations to secure backing for the siege of Montserri. They are marvels of technology held back only by their small number which the Dread Prince was willing to let go.

C - Shock Troops: House Castarlono has begin using the beast trade in the Subalpine Desert to develop their own retinue of monstrous creatures, chief amongst them the Evorian Jewel-backed Scorpion. Efforts to develop these into a military force has only occurred since Castarlono's exile from Montserri. They have yet to learn how to leverage the natural capabilities of the scorpions.

F - Navy: No coastal holdings and no ships to speak of
Demographics

Most of the house is human, but they practice adoption which includes that of other races. The largest races outside of humans are hemicyons, lamias, and centaurs.
Agents

Dyanstic Agencts
Barone Astore Castarlono - Level 1 Statesman, Level 1 Polymath
Alain Perienne - Level 1 Archmage
Gonfalionere Sybil Castarlono - Level 1 General
Prestige: 1
Estates

Dynastic Estates
Entriena: Level 1 Villa
Town of Somarco: Level 1 Settlement
Somarco University: Level 1 Institution
Wealth: 0
Relations

Rudel: Sponsoring House Castarlono in their siege of Montserri.
Montserri At war.
TBD

Hidden 7 mos ago → 7 mos ago Post by Helios

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Ye ole double post. 

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Serravun

Flag:

Djbel Hematite

Preservation. Djebel the Barren, as those in the North call him, is in want of an heir. Fourteen women have met his chambers, each the culprit of his lack of successor. After the first few dwarves he set his sights further afield, wedding the myriad species kissed by the sun. Though each wife marks a sigil of shame on his house, their annulments have found them to be valuable ambassadors in returning to the lands of their people. 

As a populace, the people of Serravun are lovers of fine drink, spicy food, and fantastical stories from abroad. A cheerful and vibrant culture of art and trade. But beneath this crust of exuberance, is a deep fear of being home to a land that is fickle and dangerous with greater powers and threats deep to its south. The Sunswept winds blow a haunting breeze, and many know it would be wise to find allies in the green lands of the North, beyond the sea, where the sands can not touch them. If asylum cannot be given, it may need to be taken. 

Government Type:

Oligarchy (Dictatorship). 

 rules because Djebel Hematite provides. At least in his sphere of influence. In reality he is one of many petty kings who rule in a confederation of “markets.” The sustainment of Serravun is fragile and based on the lore and values of its rulers, married well with the desperate need of each other’s tradelines for survival. Amongst the bramble and rock, few families have established themselves as the elite, and they watch over each other's stability  with ravishing interest. Sultan of the Salt Throne, was chosen from among the great trading families. His council, the Majlis of Scales, includes guildmasters, scholars, and emissaries from allied cities.

Claim:

The southern expanse. The vibrant chaparral at the door to the Sunswept. To its far east lies a desolate swamp. To its west, the equally vile crags of merfolk infested shipwrecks. Hoping to climb in power and safety via markets afield, it can only look North. 

The Salted Jewel of Serravun

Geography 
Serravun realm stretches along a rugged, salt-kissed coastline dotted with natural harbors and honey-colored cliffs. Terraced vineyards, olive groves, and hives of wild amber bees flourish in the mild chaparral climate. To the south, the Sunswept begins; a vast desert that serves as both a barrier and a bridge, for through it flow the caravans that bring spice, ivory, and silk from far lands.
The dwarves have built their cities in harmony with this terrain: low, sprawling structures of carved limestone, decorated with intricate tilework and brass lattice. Dome-topped halls shimmer in the heat haze. The scent of salt, citrus, and beeswax fills the air.

Culture 
The Serravi are known for their refinement, eloquence, and sense of color. Their artisans blend metal and mosaic, crafting filigreed armor and gem-inlaid weaponry that are as much art as wargear. Hospitality is sacred. Travelers arriving in Serravun are greeted with honeyed dates, salted almonds, and chilled water,  a ritual said to honor both guest and host under the sun’s eye.

Economy & Trade
Salt is the lifeblood of Serravun. Great terraces of crystalline pans near the coast produce mountains of it, traded across continents for food, metals, and more unsavory favors. The dwarves’ mastery of salt preservation makes their goods — especially their cured meats and dried fruits — prized, and better yet, transportable.
Equally famed, and the lever of Djebel’s climb to power, is their honey — harvested from desert and coastal bees that feed on wild thyme, cactus blooms, and salt-tolerant flowers. Serravi honey is so dark and thick it is said to never spoil. Its byproducts of wax, mead, and perfumed balms sustain entire guilds of beekeepers, known as the Order of the Amber Veil.

Caravans move inland through desert trade routes, while merchant ships sail north to foreign ports. The Serravi dwarves are shrewd traders, with their markets a riot of color and noise: tiled plazas packed with shouting vendors, cascading silks of every color, spices, jewelry, and the laughter of bargaining dwarves.

Architecture & Society
The cities of Qazradûn are masterpieces of geometric beauty. Walls of sun-bleached stone, covered in turquoise tiles and golden calligraphy. Narrow, shaded streets open into grand plazas where fountains bubble and minstrels play long-necked horns whose haunting shrillness adds melody to the streets clamoring din. The capital, Mazahir, is famed for its Amber Bazaar, a palace of translucent stone and honeycombed towers that glows with a warm light at dusk.

The dwarves here prize scholarship as highly as smithing. Guilds of navigators, merchants, and scholars record trade winds, desert routes, and the languages of far-off peoples. In the evenings, dwarves gather in tea houses — debating trade law, reciting poetry, and plotting the integration of northern markets. 

Military:

S: Artillery
Known all over Evoin, the contraptions of Serravun are a menace when (painstakingly) deployed. Much of their regions are well fortified, relying on the overwhelming ordinance to maintain their hold, or seize new ground. 

A: 

B: Navy
C: Infantry
D: Ranged
F: 

Demographics:

78% Dwarves
22% Other

Agents:

~ Dynasty
Merchant Level 2: Djebel Hematite
Polymath Level 1: 

~ State
Statesman: 

General: 

Admiral: 

Infiltrator: 

Archmage: 

Estates:

~ Dynasty
Port: 
Shop - Buy Salt!

~ State
Palace: Level 2
Workshop - Salt!

Relations:

Fuck Galia (respectfully)

Double fuck Clemento... actually, we don't talk about that situation. Losing a war * advanced trade relationship* to a pimple of city state. Pray the Whisper of the Sands does not find out.

Orc refuse, soulless creatures to the highest bidder. Remind us to offer more cash next time.

Hidden 7 mos ago Post by Ekreture

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@Durandals Approved! Go ahead and move it to the characters tab. You can start posting IC whenever.

Hidden 7 mos ago → 7 mos ago Post by Tywell

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Name:

The carnival

flag:

A multi colored flag with a comedy mask on it

Brief Description & Tier:

The carnival is on the surface a traveling circus going from city to city entertaining. But what it really is, is a mercenary group tacking on any job needed of them. Tier 3

Ambition:

The ambition of the carnival is simple they want to sow chaos and which the fireworks all while making a profit.

Government Type:

The carnival instead of having a king has a ringmaster who guides the chaos of the carnival to a goal. This job is passed from master to apprentice.

Claim:

At the moment the carnival is going north with one caravan and south with the other.

History:

Very little is known of the past of the carnival or even what the original ringmaster was, the only thing about its past that is agreed upon is that one day it simply appeared out of the blue and hasn't stopped moving since.

Military:

-Infantry b tier
-Ranged (guns, crossbows, mid-ranged spellcasters) b tier
-Navy f tier
-Artillery (cannons, catapults, long ranged spellcasters) d tier
-Shock Troops (Heavy beast guerillas.) A Tier
-cavalry f tier

Demographics:

The carnival doesn't have a specific race or culture tied to it. Instead has many races picked up from many different kingdoms. The only sharing factor of the demographics in the carnival is that they all love entertaining and chaos.

Agents:

The current ringmaster is a charismatic but cold man with a sadistic streak only tempered by his fellow agents need to have their fun. The statesman level 2

The firemaster was previously a gladiotor who lived life to the best of his abilities. When the carnival passed through the kingdom the ringmaster saw hi potential and bought him. After the ringmaster made him in charge of the fire stick entertainer's. This ended up being his greatest skill and made him the carnival's greatest warior. The champion level 2

The fool has been in the carnival as long as it's been around and little is known about them. It is unknown wether it is the same fool as the original or someone new taking the mantle. Whatever the truth is the fool is always considered the carnivals greatest assasin and spy. The infiltrator level 3

The seer is one of the newer addition to the carnival. The seer was found at a stone pedastool in the middle of nowhere and was quickly assimilated into the fun of the carnival. Her job is the fortune teller and as such her medium of magic are tarot cards. The archmage level 1

Estates:

The carnival holds no land.

Forces:

The infantry of the carnivalue is comprised of the average entertainer of the carnival. These entertainer's are known to when on the battle field create chaos that only they work well in. While not a particularly large force the infantry is very skilled.

The ranges units of the carnival are made up of great archers, axe throwers, and knife throwers.

They have no navy

The artillery of the carnival is composed of a single firework cannon that while being effective is the only one.

The pride of their military composed of oddities from all over the continent and else where. These units can be anything from giant people to large dogs with two heads to explosive experts blowing up the ground underneath opponents. The main tactic of the entire army of the carnival is to create chaos only they can fight in.

They tried dto make lion rider cavalry once. It failed so miserably the ringmaster actaully stepped down which is so far the only time that has ever happened.

Northern force size 2 

Southern force size 2

Relations:

Unlike other groups the carnival is completely neutral. It also has no internal conflict due to the fact that the entertainer's are not exactly controlled and more or less let do whatever they want but are instead guided by the ringmaster to a goal. The entertainer's also have deep respect for the fool and will have them as the leader until there is a new ringmaster.

Hidden 7 mos ago Post by Sigma

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@Tywell Great work! Although I'm sorry to say that the rp has been shuttered. I'm really sorry about that.

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@Sigmawhat do you mean shuttered?

Hidden 7 mos ago Post by Sigma

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@Tywell The RP has been closed due to low player count and is no longer active. 

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@Sigmawell darn this had a lot of potential and could have been really fun to play I could tell there was a lot of time put into this.

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Sorry about that man, and thanks! Ek would no doubt appreciate that comment :)

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