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Hidden 4 yrs ago 4 yrs ago Post by Letter Bee
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Iliad City: A Magical RP in an Original World

I. Intro

In another universe, separated from ours' by impassable barriers, lies the planet of Historia, inhabited by Humans much like us, but blessed with impossible powers that we think of as 'Magic'.

Magic is a daily part of life, existing alongside technology just as advanced as ours', although some integrate magic with science to create advanced inventions. But it is a widely held belief among the people that the highest form of Magic is Storytelling, and that The One Deity, the Creator of the Multiverse, gave Humanity the power to warp reality through the telling of stories.

Three thousand years before the present day, when the greatest storyteller of that time, the Illuminated Poet, sang of the grief and joy of Humanity, appealing to The One Deity to provide a way through their sufferings. In response, The One himself came down and sang his own song, the Epics of Making and Unmaking, by which Humanity and whatever sapient beings lived beyond Historia was granted freedom from the will of the divine. From the Epic of Making were instructions for the casting of Magic, allowing Humanity to better their lives and that of others' at will, while the Epic of Unmaking allows one to reset the Universe itself back to the beginning, with the person or people who use it given power co-equal to The One Deity himself, but without infinite intelligence or wisdom.

And so the Illuminated Poet taught pieces of the Epic of Making to those who followed him, turning them into the first Magi. The Epic of Unmaking, however, was transmitted directly into the souls of his own children, the Twenty Sons and Thirty Daughters, who each inherited a fragment of the Epic. He then prophesied that the more descendants they have, the more the Epic of Unmaking will be shattered and its pieces spread out among each scion and that the Epic will only be completed once more when the descendants of the Illuminated Poet are reduced to one person, who will then have the decision to reset the universe.

The intention, of course, was to make sure that the universe will be reset only if Humanity becomes irredeemably corrupt and/or the amount of suffering in existence multiplies to an unbearable level. Despite the risks involved with the existence of such a power, a 'contingency plan' for Humanity was still regarded as necessary by all parties, including The One.

Fast-forward to the present, and the majority of the descendants of the Illuminated Poet have suffered purges, slaughters, genocides and massacres from the various nations of the world due to ignorance and misunderstanding, or even outright lies spread by their enemies. Their one safe refuge is Illiad City, an independent city-nation founded by the freethinkers and outcasts of the world, people dedicated to artistic and philosophical pursuits, as well as worshippers of The One Deity. Despite the hostility of other nations towards it, its access to a greater portion of the Epic of Making makes it equivalent to the great empires of the world in Magical might.

But now, a feud is brewing in the two prime Magical Academies of the city, a feud brewing from how to deal with the world's hostility towards them. Ironically, this feud might be the one thing that brings down the metropolis...

II. The Factions of Iliad City

Marduk Academy for The Mystic Arts Holds power over the pieces of the Epic of Making that govern 'Heroic' Magic - The Magic of Light, the Elements (Fire, Water, Air and Earth), and the power to heal the wounded and the sick with mystic energy alone. Their students are the champions of the defenseless, the honorable knights-errant and the wise wizards. But confronted with the hatred of other nations towards them, they seek a 'muscular' foreign policy, asking that Iliad City use its magical might to conquer the neighboring empires and repressive states that wish to destroy Illiad before they grow too strong. However, whispers are being heard that push for more than that - That Marduk Academy should attempt to rule the world so that no nation would exterminate the descendants of the Illuminated Poet once again.

And Professor Gilgamesha, its Principal, is beginning to listen...

Ishtar School for Creative Minds, on the other hand, holds power over the pieces of the Epic of Making that govern 'Black' Magic - The Magic of Darkness, Entropy, Blood and Death, as well as the power to inflict agony and weaken their enemies. Their students are the spies and assassins, the dark knights whom monsters and criminals fear. Despite this, they used to work alongside Marduk Academy, until Professor Nergal, it's principal, began urging for the casting of the Spell of Otherworldly Travel, which will transport Iliad City onto another dimension where its people can live in peace. Problem is that 1.) This requires the pieces of the Epic of Making that Marduk Academy does have, and 2.) Marduk Academy considers Ishtar's solution cowardly. And so the feud begins to simmer...



III. Interesting Places in Iliad City

WIP, to be added in the game.

The Leviathan Port - Iliad City's port is where most of its foreign trade comes from, due to the Hermannreich's on-and-off hostility. A bustling structure where great cargo ships dock and depart, the Leviathan Port is watched over by great ranged guns from two coastal forts that guard the entrance to the bay, as well as Ishtar School for Creative minds, whose campus is only a few miles away.

Artisan Coffeemakers United Branches - A set of coffeehouses spread all throughout Iliad City dedicated to the production of quality artisan coffee, tea, and pastries at a fair and affordable price. Both Ishtar and Marduk have cafes of ACUB in their premises, with secure internet lines to each other, and it is rumored that students who wish to establish forbidden contacts with each other are allowed to use said lines... For a price.

Enchanted Mountain - Iliad's prime amusement park, with a large Ferris Wheel, magitech roller coasters, and virtual reality simulations of any environment one can think of, as well as various restaurants catering to every palate. It is also a 'truce zone' between Iliad and Marduk, due to Professor Gilgamesha having spent time there in better days and not wanting to let the place be stained by the current inter-school conflict.

Kaleidoscope Arcades - A series of arcades filled with the latest games mundane science and magitech can supply, and are thus destinations where both Marduk and Ishtar and students from other schools can be found competing against each other in a halfway-friendly manner.

Paradise Spa - The place everyone who is anyone in Iliad goes to relax, Paradise Spa is filled with treatments both mundane and magical which rely on pleasing every sense possible, from sweet aromas to soft coats of mud, to serene sounds and calm colors, along with filling yet tasty smoothies and juices, Paradise Spa is where the troubles of the world fall away, even for a while.

IV. How Magic Works

All Magic comes from instructions given in the Epic of Making, which in turn is a long poem or song that details the transference of a part of The One Deity's power to mortal Humanity, and the basic mental exercises used to 'pull' magical power from the depths of one's own soul to make what you imagine real.

The various 'types' of Magic come from concepts common to humanity, concepts that you either come up with or you are taught. If you can imagine a 'type' of magic, you can use it as long as you can come up with enough energy to do so. However, you cannot take magical energy from the surrounding environment, because of the fact that only Humans (or fully sapient aliens, if they exist) have magical energy.

Anyone can learn Magic, but few have the combination of strength of heart and imagination to be truly good at it. Therefore, Magical Academies are important so that what existing Magi already imagined before can be taught to other people. Basically, magical systems exist, but they are merely shortcuts for the human mind - You can totally make up your own magic system if you have energy and imagination.

But for those who cannot make up their own system or 'type' of Magic, here are the common systems that the Magical Academies teach:

Marduk Academy:

Elemental and Light Magic - Elemental Magic can directly control Fire, Water, Wind, Air, and Light, or create them out of nothing. This type can make fireballs, divert streams, lift the earth, cause gusts of wind, or smite people with blasts of pure energy. However, it cannot heal, enhance people, or predict the future unless mixed with another type of magic.

Healing Magic - Healing Magic can close wounds and replenish blood, cure diseases and heal cancer. However, only a few take it without mixing it with Elemental and Light Magic so that they can defend themselves or attack in turn.

Enchantment/Enhancement Magic - This covers Magic that strengthens the user, making them stronger, faster, and tougher, as well as Magic that can make mystic items and artifacts. By combining this school with the above two types of Magic, one can create swords that light up with fire, shields that are as light as cloth, and potions that when drunk, close wounds...

Ishtar School

The Combat Arts - Ishtar School thinks differently than Marduk Academy and does not divide Magic according to what it creates/controls, but rather according to the intent they are used for. In short, it doesn't matter that Magic used for fighting uses the elements, darkness, or even candy canes (although that last part is not encouraged), what matters is that the magic is used to fight.

The Kind Arts - This covers any use of magic meant to heal, protect, enhance and generally do positive things. As Ishtar School is still dedicated to what they think is Good, the Kind Arts are not discouraged, but those who learn them are encouraged to use Darkness, Ectoplasm, or just 'invisible waves of energy' to heal and never be too blatant about it.

The Dark Arts - Causing Agony. Disturbing the Dead from their rest. Draining magical energy from other human beings. All of those are regarded as necessary evils in Ishtar School, and they are taught to those students whom the faculty thinks can be trusted with their secrets. Darkness or 'invisible waves of energy' are mostly used as a 'conduit' for such powers, but some few use the Elements or even Light to give shape and range to their dark purposes. Beware of those.

Unnamed Schools, Mentors, Secret Societies, Etc.

Ex. Miscellenia - Anything you can think of as long as it's not too powerful or too gross. Candy Magic, Magical Girl Transformations, Exorcisms, go wild!

V. Rules

1.) Do not be an asshole.
2.) Take NSFW to PMs.
3.) No Godmoding or Powergaming, aka no controlling other players' actions, no defeating your enemy in one shot, and no shrugging of all hits without a magical shield.
4.) This game is friendly to m/m and f/f romance.

VI. Character Sheet

[b]Name:[/b]
[b]Appearance:[/b]
[b]Age:[/b] The usual age for a student is 13 to 18, but characters older than those are permitted.
[b]Bio:[/b]
[b]Mundane Skills:[/b]
[b]Magic:[/b]
[b]Personality:[/b]
[b]Faction (Marduk, Ishtar, or Cassandra Club when it's founded):[/b]
[b]Are you a Descendant of the Illuminated Poet?:[/b] Simple yes or no question.


Hidden 4 yrs ago 4 yrs ago Post by Letter Bee
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Edit: I changed this so that William had two siblings but one of them survived.

Name: William Ascot

Appearance:



Age: 16 18

Bio: William was born to Cyrus and Gilgamesha Ascot - The former was a lawyer and diplomat, while the latter was the most beautiful and prideful warrior-maiden in the world. This pairing of minds and bodies was very unusual even in Iliad city, with many wondering whether Cyrus Ascot had used sorcery higher than Gilgamesha's own epic-scale powers to charm the lady. But the marriage proved loving despite the inevitable rumors and brought William an older brother and two younger siblings as well as him. All were raised in happiness and love, albeit ignorant of the world beyond Iliad City except for what they saw in books.

But this idyll would not last forever, as terrorists from The Herrmannreich, the closest neighboring nation and sworn enemy of Iliad City, struck at the Ascot Family as they were celebrating William's successful entrance into Marduk Academy, where Gilgamesha was teaching. Despite the great power Gilgamesha was capable of using, the closeness of her family made sure she couldn't use her full strength without harming them. And so the terrorists, with knives and suicide vests, killed all of the Ascot Family except for Gilgamesha and a heavily-injured WIlliam and one of his siblings.

Although William was fully healed, both himself and Gilgamesha were traumatized, and their reactions drove them apart - William wanted to know why the descendants of the Illuminated Poet are being purged, while Gilgamesha wanted only revenge against the world. And so when William came back to Marduk Academy, he planned to found a new club to unite members of Marduk and Ishtar, aiming to nip the feuds caused by his mother's new obsession in the bud. It didn't work, and Gilgamesha and William ended up arguing more. Eventually, Gilgamesha slapped William in anger, and in her other hand was a sword which glowed with magical energy - One of her many artifacts.

It was seeing William's frightened eyes that shocked her into seeing the enormity of what she was going to do, and drawing back her blade, Gilgamehsa, with tears, asked William to leave before she hurt him further. And with that, their connection was severed.

William went to stay with his aunt, Cyrus' sister Artoria, who lived alone as a spinster. Dropping out of Marduk Academy, he devoted himself to his plans for a new faction/club full-time, trying to find ways to unite adults and teenagers alike to finding the true foe and defeating them...

Mundane Skills: Cooking, Writing, History, Fencing and Unarmed Combat, as well as a bit of Shooting/Marksmanship.

Magic: William's Magic is not based on what is taught by either of the Academies but is rather his father and aunt's unique style of spellcasting. This unique type of spellcasting is Dream and Imagination Magic and it is directly descended from the Illuminated Poet's exclusive portions of the Epic of Making.





Personality: William deals with the hurt of losing his family through death or internal drama the best way he knows how - Project a strong and dynamic front to hide the pain inside. This gives him an apperance of overconfidence as he tries to portray himself as knowing the best at any given time, listening to advice only when he trusts the person giving it or it does not make him look stupid. When this apperance is destroyed, the main reaction is hurt, anger, and sadness, all sharpened by the fact that he has not dealt with the pain maturely... Much like his mother, a mother he wants to reconcile with greatly.

Faction (Marduk, Ishtar, or Cassandra when it's founded): Cassandra Club, once he founds it.

Are you a Descendant of the Illuminated Poet?: Yes.
Hidden 4 yrs ago Post by Letter Bee
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Hidden 4 yrs ago Post by supertinyking
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supertinyking The Root of all Evil

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Bump a dump
Hidden 4 yrs ago 4 yrs ago Post by Letter Bee
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This Character has Permission to Use from RoflsMazoy, its original creator

Name: Shah

Appearance: A brown-skinned young man of uncertain age (but probably mid-to-late teens) who wears jeans, a plain T-Shirt, and shades which contrast with his fur-lined velvet cape, dark sunglasses, and of course, a gaudy golden crown on top of his head.

Age: ???

Bio: Shah is a member of an Alien Race, the Custodians, who were the first species created by the One Deity at the beginning of time, and the only one directly designed and shaped instead of evolving from primordial matter. As the literal Angels of The One, the Custodians were the only sapient species that didn’t have to go through evolution and they were proud of it.

In time, they grew so proud of their Angelic nature that they tried to usurp The One Deity and were promptly cast down into the Universe with only a fraction of their powers, and so had to build themselves up from scratch. Some few made use of this opportunity to repent of their crimes and begin helping the younger races, while others sought to dominate them. Due to The Fall being a long time ago (one million or one hundred thousand), the Custodians had the time to build a civilization more advanced than that of many mortal races, as they kept their knowledge of the physical world, which was enough to surpass several civilizations' worth of science.

One day, they were contacted by a being known as [REDACTED], who offered them a chance to gain revenge on The One - Help him eliminate the other descendants of the Illuminated Poet and he will give them back their exalted place once he had the power of The One. The Collective, the rulers of the Unrepentant Custodians, accepted this offer and sent infiltrators to the planet of Historia to enter Human society and begin turning people against the descendants of the Illuminated Poet.

Shah was not one of those infiltrators - Rather, he was part of the ‘Repentant’ faction of the Custodians who wished to continue preserving and nurturing Creation. And so, upon hearing of his brethren’s actions, promptly went to Historia to try and stop them. However, no one, even in the ‘safe haven’ of Iliad City, wanted to believe him. Nor did it help that Shah lost most of his advanced technology and records of knowledge when he crashed his spaceship into Historia’s oceans and had to get to the mainland by himself, or that his enemies had forewarning of his coming and were ready to spread lies about him when he reached civilization.

And even in Iliad City, enough people believed said lies so that when he arrived, he was promptly imprisoned and placed in a laboratory for experimentation...

Mundane Skills: Shah knows a wide range of subjects, including details of how to craft and produce advanced technology that was just as powerful as most forms of Magic. He also has a working knowledge of biology and medicine, as well as physics, that would impress seasoned experts, as well as practical architecture (as opposed to artistic). However, his knowledge of the ‘hard’ sciences is balanced out by his lack of knowledge of Human culture and history...

Magic: Custodians like Shah cannot learn Magic like Humans do - Rather, they have innate powers which can grow in strength as they age, but which cannot be added to. Shah has only two powers.

Flight - The ability to fly in the sky for miles on end.

Regenerative Immortality - Shah can regenerate even from a single cell and can only be killed by burning every part of him with magic or fire.

His ability to create super-tech does not come from any power, but is a mundane skill instead.

Personality: ???

Faction (Marduk, Ishtar, or Cassandra): N/A for now.

Are you a Descendant of the Illuminated Poet?: No.
Hidden 4 yrs ago Post by silvermist1116
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Isn't this the one you posted on Discord weeks ago?
Hidden 4 yrs ago Post by Letter Bee
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Letter Bee Filipino RPer

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Isn't this the one you posted on Discord weeks ago?


One of them, yes. But I think you're referring to another game.
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Hidden 4 yrs ago Post by Letter Bee
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12/31/2019 - I Retconned it so that William had a surviving sibling!
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MK2

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dropping my ping here, will work on my char soon!
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Hidden 4 yrs ago 4 yrs ago Post by Smike
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Smike

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Moved
Hidden 4 yrs ago Post by Landaus Five-One
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Landaus Five-One The Sadist Insaneous One

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Might as well put a mark of interest in the roleplay.
Hidden 4 yrs ago Post by silvermist1116
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I'll probably have mine done by the end of the week.
Hidden 4 yrs ago Post by Shakyamuni
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Shakyamuni

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@Letter Bee

Hello. I am tentatively interested. I see you are inspired largely by Mage the Ascension and would create a great and terrible sorcerer from distant eastern vaguely Zoroastrian lands that will be a Taftani in all but name. Would that be acceptable?
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Hidden 4 yrs ago 4 yrs ago Post by Bartimaeus
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Bartimaeus Femboy Gaming

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Done! ^^

Hidden 4 yrs ago Post by Letter Bee
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@Shakyamuni, Yes.

@Bartimaeus, Tell me when the profile is finished.
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@Smike, The other GMs have raised concerns about your 'Immolation' activity - yes, it has bad side effects, but it is also an insta-kill move...
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@Bartimaeus, Approved, move it to the Characters Tab.
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Hidden 4 yrs ago 4 yrs ago Post by Landaus Five-One
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Landaus Five-One The Sadist Insaneous One

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Hidden 4 yrs ago Post by Letter Bee
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@Landaus Five-One, Accepted. Good underlying ideas.
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Hidden 4 yrs ago 4 yrs ago Post by MK2
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MK2

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