The Season of the Enlightened

[PatientBean]

Dearest Sir or Madam,

It has come to our attention that your child possesses what we have come to call 'Enlightenment'. That is to say your child now possesses strange and bizarre abilities that which cannot be fully explained. How we have come to know this information matters not, but do not fear. Your child is one of many with such abilities. We are sure you have questions and we are happy to answer these and more in an upcoming visit at your homestead. We ask that you do not let your child know of this visit purely to ensure we prevent any mishaps or misinformation spread.

Suffice to say, this can be a challenging time for parents such as yourself. It is difficult enough to raise a child with good morals and judgment in this time, but we at St. Eustice's School For the Enlightened believe it can be done without fear or concern. Since our school opened we have trained many young lords and ladies in the fine art of Enlightenment as well as many other avenues of study. The students are taught such lessons as finances, mathematics, social decorum, and how to best find your place amongst society with one's unique abilities. We have dedicated programs for both the young men and young women who join us and rest assured, we ensure both receive proper training for their futures.

To prepare for our upcoming visit, we would appreciate if you could have your child ready and dressed appropriately and fashionably for our arrival. While tuition to our school is free, a reasonable donation is always appreciated to ensure your child amongst the many others are provided for. If you are to have any questions, please feel free to ask. If all is agreed upon, we can set the schedule for your child to begin attendance immediately. If you are unsure, we hope we can appease your mind. Rest assured, this is, and always will be, your choice.

Kindly and Respectfully,

Lord Ingram Poe

[PatientBean]

Notable Figures

Lord Ingram Poe: The director and head of St. Eustice's School for the Enlightened. He takes his job seriously and with pride. He is Enlightened with the ability to sense when someone else, whether they have awakened or not, is Enlightened and pinpoint where other Enlightened individuals are. He is a wealthy man and is experienced in armed combat. He does not have a wife which leads many to speculate about him. Are his intentions noble or is there more under the surface?

Mr. Maleficar: No one knows his real name but many know him as Mr. Maleficar, the ring leader of his traveling circus. He is Enlightened and opts to travel rather than be amongst his peers. He can manipulate and move metal and always carries a metal cane that he can shape at will. Despite his kind presence during shows, there is more to him than meets the eye. Rumors speculate abuse amongst his crew, though no one says anything for long.

Lady Imogene Rosemarie: The headmistress of Lady Rosemarie's Haven For Wayward Girls. Despite initial appearance, Lady Rosemarie was not born into wealth, instead making it on her own after her Enlightened abilities manifested and she denied entry into St. Eustace's school. Her Enlightened abilities allow her to blend in by shifting her image to fit her needs. Lady Rosemarie ensures the wards in her care are treated fairly and are taught useful skills. But what exactly does Lady Rosemarie consider useful?

The Dark Embers: An organization filled with Enlightened members whose goal it is to see Enlightened have power and control world events. While many call this organization terrorists and villains, many also see them as heroes and a necessary evil. Members are often called after as no one knows where they inhabit with many speculating they travel. Disastrous events are often labeled as Dark Ember attacks, but is it true they are as dangerous as many claim?

[PatientBean]

Notable Places

St. Eustice's School for the Enlightened: Opened in the late 1600s, St. Eustice's School for the Enlightened is an institution dedicated to helping those with Enlightened abilities better manage them as they enter society. Generally, the age range for attendees starts as young as 12 and goes up to as late as 21, though there are notable exceptions when needed. Both men and women are encouraged to attend, though the classwork differs. Once it is proven that the student has accomplished their coursework and has met the criteria, they are introduced back into society during the school's "Enlightenment Soiree".

Mr. Maleficar's Traveling Circus: An assortment of acts run together by Mr. Maleficar. Typically those in the circus are Enlightened members who have rejected society for one reason or another or those with Enlightened abilities that have altered them so that society rejects them first. Despite the kind nature presented, there is a dark underbelly with secrets screaming to get out.

Lady Rosemarie's Haven For Wayward Girls: A group home/school for girls ages 8 to 16 who have demonstrated Enlightened abilities but, for one reason or another, have not attended St. Eustace's. These are typically girls on the run from their families or from the law who need a place to stay and a space to learn how to manage their abilities. The place itself is hidden away and very few know its exact location. Rumors abound as to what exactly is taught there.

[PatientBean]

Timeline

1462: The first Enlightened start showing their abilities. No one knows where or why these abilities originated, but it causes fear and uncertainty worldwide. Enlightened, for the most part, are feared and attacked outright. Many go into hiding.

1463: Many countries enact laws forbidding the use of Enlightened abilities. Punishments range from indentured servitude to death. Some countries begin studying Enlightened and call for subjects willing to be studied. Many of these subjects do not survive.

1480: The Enlightened War emerges throughout Europe. Many Enlightened and their allies take up arms against their overseers and end up turning the tide. This causes many ruling countries to change laws surrounding Enlightened and allow them into society, provided they are registered. This is also when the term Enlightened is coined.

1500; Raphael St. Eustace established a School for the Enlightened in Great Britain with the King and Queen's approval. At first, the school accepts only men. Many young men travel from all over the world to attend.

1512: An Enlightened attempt on the Queen's life causes chaos to erupt worldwide with many calling for Enlightened to be locked up further or killed. The Queen makes a passionate speech calling for peace and not blaming the Enlightened for the struggles they have endured. At the end of her speech, the Queen demonstrates her own Enlightened abilities, causing an uproar.

1514: St. Eustace's School For The Enlightened starts accepting women into its halls. This divides the school into men and women's sections. Women appear to be more monitored in the school, leading many of the women to feel unsafe. The King passes away, leaving the Enlightened Queen to rule.

1536: More schools pop up with St. Eustace's help, the first being set up in France. Eventually, a total of 10 schools are established throughout Europe and one in Japan.

1560: The Enlightened Queen passes away, leaving the throne to her son. Many speculate he is also Enlightened.

1641: Countries begin establishing Enlightened studies, hoping to find ways to manage Enlightened abilities and use them for war efforts. Most projects fail. Notably a German scientist is able to synthesize Enlightened blood into an elixir he claims will give average human Enlightened abilities. The elixir works briefly but leads many to die painfully.

1666: A drug from the elixir appears and grows popular. The drug is called "empth" and gives a quick high with a random Enlightened ability. It only lasts for a few hours and is highly addictive. The drug sweeps throughout Europe, Asia, and Africa. Many government officials begin outlawing the drug.

1700: The Enlightened use their power to start influencing world politics. Many sects are formed, attacking randomly throughout the world in an effort to see increased change in power for the Enlightened. These people are called "Dark Embers". They are classified as "highly dangerous" and are to be killed on sight. Their insignia is a raven with one purple eye and one gold eye and an amethyst in its claws.

1770: Lady Rosemarie's Haven For Wayward Girls is established and starts small. They eventually work their way up in numbers.

1772: Lord Ingram Poe takes over as Headmaster of St. Eustace's School For the Enlightened. This is after his father passes away and gives him the title. Lord Maleficar's Traveling Circus appears in Romania for the first time and is wildly popular.

1800: Our Game Begins.

[PatientBean]

Rules for the RP

1: Posting will be done at least once per 10 days. If you wish to post more than once in that time period, you are welcome to do so, but keep in mind others who may need more time to get something up. We do not want to progress so far that we leave others behind

-If you find you are unable to post in that time period, I ask that you let me know. Real life gets in the way and it is understandable

-If you intend to collab on a post, I ask that you try to get collabs done within the 10 day span. If it is going to take longer, perhaps consider making it a Part 1 and Part 2 deal. If that cannot happen, please communicate with me.

2: Be respectful to others. If you find you are having issues with someone else in the RP, I ask that you resolve them in private.
3: This RP will be set in the 1800s during the Regency period. As such, historical issues will come up. Certain groups of people were not treated kindly during this era. Sexism, racism, homophobia, transphobia, etc. are all things that are expected. If you intend to use any of these issues in a post, I ask that you please offer a Trigger Warning. If you find you cannot handle these in the RP setting, I suggest finding a different RP. None of these will be tolerated in the OOC or on Discord.
4: Romance can and will happen but I draw the line at explicit scenes. This is a rule for this RP and well as the Guild overall. If you would like to write out a scene, I ask that you do so in the comfort of a private message. Any scene should fade-to-black before it gets that far.

-This RP is for adults so all players are 18 years old or older. Characters will also be 18 years old or over. If you intend to use a child in the RP as a support please keep in mind the nature of the RP.

5: This will be a 'One Main Character Per Person' RP but I encourage you to flesh out your story with a number of supporting characters. If you want to use someone else's supporting character in your own post, please ask that individual first and ensure they are being portrayed correctly.
6: Character death can happen, though this will always be communicated with the individual. If your character dies in the RP you are allowed to create a new character.
7: This is a game full of secrets and changing loyalties. I ask that you please not spoil anything in the OOC or Discord so others may enjoy the mystery.
8: Combat will happen. If your characters are in combat, whether between player characters or with NPCs, I expect you to respect each other and determine how it plays out. Your character will win fights. Your character will lose fights. It is just as fun to lose as it is to win.