The History ~ Welcome to Celyn
Hundreds of years ago, the Four Kingdoms of Celyn did not exist. It was a wild place that seethed with magic. The oceans, forests and skies were populated by strange creatures. There were the wonderful and magnificent, like the unicorns whose chivalry and healing powers were renowned throughout the lands. There were also the grotesque and malevolent, such as the dragons whose endless hunger and greed turned the skies dark and the snow ashen grey with their ceaseless fires.
Humans, incapable themselves of wielding magic, lived an uneasy existence, barely managing to survive. It was their ingenuity and perseverance that, over time, allowed them to push back the darkness. Strongholds, and soon castles, rose and they propagated, eventually expanding into four distinct Kingdoms. There was Gandryll in the broad forest whose trees touched the clouds, Afon along the coast whose colorful structures were interconnected by canals, Ofera in the desert where caravans rode the dunes like waves, and Bryn in north whose castles of ice shone for miles. The kingdoms were not peaceful and they faced threats from both the beasts who paced the outskirts of civilization and each other.
Their hatred for the unknown united them, and an unsteady alliance formed. They pooled their resources and devoted their military strength to wiping out all of the creatures they saw as threats. Human greed and pride led them to indiscriminate slaughter and soon it was not only the hides of dragons or the teeth of basilisks that were sent home as spoils of war, but also the horns of unicorns and the wings of the Fae that were sought out as luxury items. Soon, only creatures that seemed to possess no magic, such as draught, game and domestic animals, were left and magic appeared to be gone forever.
Your Character ~ The Canavar
There is a saying among the old and wise of Celyn that within every man is a beast. This is true for some of them. A race, not quite human but not quite beast, survived the relentless slaughter that seemingly brought true peace to the Kingdoms because they had both a human form and an animal form. They were called the Canavar. Many years passed and, feeling their own existence threatened, they completely assimilated into the human population, stifling their abilities until they nearly lost them. That is until a single man named Avalon, who was a close advisor the King of Gandryll during the day and soared the night skies as a silver hawk, began searching for those who shared his ability. Often they were teenagers or young adults whose parents or grandparents passed them the power which lay within them waiting to be accessed. These powers were often uncontrollable to those untrained in their use, and during moments of extreme emotion, were set free. The man followed strange reports, often of possessed neighbours or feral children, that led him to what he sought.
His motives were not pure as he had an agreement with the King. He would take these people in, people who were often outcast and half-mad, and teach them how to harness their powers. However, what he sought to create were weapons - tools of espionage and assassination that would target the enemies of the throne. What better spy than a man who can, at will, turn into a cat that can openly stalk the meeting places of political adversaries? What better assassin than a woman who can seduce a man into bed with her before becoming a wolf and tearing his throat out?
The Four Kingdoms appear outwardly peaceful, but political intrigue and revolution is stirring beneath the surface. Fear of magic is creating intense paranoia in the lower classes, causing witch hunts that have resulted in uncontrollable mobs and murder sprees. The nobility eye the thrones lustily, using money and influence to steal power away from the King. The Kings themselves fight. They accuse each other of being involved in hoarding resources, stealing land, and worst of all - dealing in magic. And the last bit is hardly a lie. Your existence is enough to prove that. You are half human and half beast. You have just learned how to use this power that you have and you are being thrust into center of it all. But what is your role? Are you the hand that stokes the fire of a pot ready to boil over, or are you the frog that sits within, unaware that he is slowly being cooked alive?
Character Sheet
Name:
Age:
Transformation:
Appearance (while human):
Personality:
History:
Strengths and Weaknesses:
Other:
Some notes about your profiles:
1. Many times the Canavar's transformation will mirror elements of their personality. Many times the transformation will reveal traits that the subject would normally repress, after all, it is the "beast within" idea.
2. Though you hail from any of the four kingdoms, or beyond, something has brought you to Gandryll. Be creative, but I thought it was a good starting point. There are, of course, opportunities to branch out from there.
Basic List of NPCs
King Leolin of Gandryll - A young unmarried king whose brashness doesn't quite make up for his inexperience. He feels unsteady on the throne as many more experienced courtiers and politicians seek to snatch it from under him. The monarch before him left little in his coffers and much less in terms of military strength. His closest advisor, Avalon, was chosen not only for his cunning and experience, but because he is a Canavar, a member of a race Leolin is hoping to exploit in order to cement his rule. However, Avalon seems to be gaining more and more influence, and many question who within the castle is really the King.
Queen Aurelia of Ofera - Though she is not the youth she once was, this queen's beauty, wisdom, and courage has made her beloved throughout Ofera. She is shrewd and perceptive, but is highly gifted at politics and court behavior. Many outside Ofera fault her for her tough mercantilist policies. She instates heavy tax on anyone from outside Ofera wanting to establish trade. However, this tax is not without reason as she is being faced with a recent crisis - dark shadows in the sand that have swallowed caravans whole. She is against magic and will declare war on a monarch evidenced to be dealing in it.
The King Maxen and the Queen Meiriona of Bryn - While the other Kingdoms have one dominant monarch, the brother/sister team of Maxen and Meiriona, who rule North and South Bryn respectively, are a power duo not to be trifled with. The polar bears in the North form a formidable mounted force and the ski infantry in the South have perfected guerrilla warfare. Some wonder why Maxen and Meiriona are armed to the teeth but they are not revealing anything. They are stoic and isolationist and, given their distance from the other Kingdoms, fiercely independent. They are as strongly against magic as Queen Ofera, though that is the only thing they have in common with her.
The Old King Siorus of Afon - A wizened and experienced King whose early life was spent as a sailor and a naval commander. Though third in line for the throne, the mysterious death at sea of his older brothers allowed for his ascension. He is highly involved in the economics and trade of Afon and is putting immense pressure on Ofera to ease their trade policies. He rules Afon with an iron fist and his police force is infamous throughout the land. His greatest fears appear to lie within his borders and it is true that one would not want to wander the canals of Afon at night. Many organized crime families have claimed sectors of Afon. Worst of all, many police officers have been found floating dead in the canals with deep claw marks covering their bodies. He may be desperate enough to fight magic with magic.
Rhonwen Sayer: This precocious but ineloquent 10 year old grew up in Gandryll in a workhouse associated with the logging industry. However, she ran away and now takes on odd jobs. She is a Canavar that is very in tune with her transformation, a black adder, and can channel the qualities of her transformation while still human - a very rare ability even before the Canavar went underground. It is suspected that this ability arose to compensate for her blindness, a handicap she was born with. Though Avalon has become an unlikely friend of hers, she was not invited to be a part of King Leolin's project given her age and her blindness. She has her suspicions about what Avalon is doing and wants to prove herself worthy. She will often follow the group from the shadows, despite how often she is discouraged from doing so, and will attempt to aid them. She is sometimes effective, but more often than not she mucks things up.
Oathsworn - Link (Reference the "Other" hider)
Rules and FAQs
Q: Are there any rules? You failed to mention rules anywhere.
A: Yes there are rules - using common sense will often keep you from screwing up. Don't kill peoples' characters without permission and no excessively graphic sex and violence. Cooperate with people and communicate with each other. Be willing to be flexible and don't take anything personally. I understand that you're human so lapses in judgement are forgivable as long as you make an effort to do the aforementioned things. Also, this is an advanced RPG and you signed up knowing that so I am hoping you'll try for some impactful writing. I know you have a life so I'm not overly concerned with frequency of posting as long as you give notice before going off the grid for extended periods of time.
Q: Why are there so few FAQs?
A: You're right, there really aren't very m(any). I'll add onto this as more questions come in or there something I feel I need to clarify. Stay tuned!
Accepted Characters
Kucing and Empie ~ cthulu
Ellis Avalon ~ Dmytra
Gideon Tournes ~ The Humble Magnificent
Aelana vos'nar Hagrovische ~ Thrydwulf
Ritka Velius ~ Kogiopsis
Sel Son ~ Hael
Lior Niamh Taliesan ~ Stagprince
Thanks everyone! And, of course, any plot suggestions, questions, and character sheets (finalized) can go below.
Hundreds of years ago, the Four Kingdoms of Celyn did not exist. It was a wild place that seethed with magic. The oceans, forests and skies were populated by strange creatures. There were the wonderful and magnificent, like the unicorns whose chivalry and healing powers were renowned throughout the lands. There were also the grotesque and malevolent, such as the dragons whose endless hunger and greed turned the skies dark and the snow ashen grey with their ceaseless fires.
Humans, incapable themselves of wielding magic, lived an uneasy existence, barely managing to survive. It was their ingenuity and perseverance that, over time, allowed them to push back the darkness. Strongholds, and soon castles, rose and they propagated, eventually expanding into four distinct Kingdoms. There was Gandryll in the broad forest whose trees touched the clouds, Afon along the coast whose colorful structures were interconnected by canals, Ofera in the desert where caravans rode the dunes like waves, and Bryn in north whose castles of ice shone for miles. The kingdoms were not peaceful and they faced threats from both the beasts who paced the outskirts of civilization and each other.
Their hatred for the unknown united them, and an unsteady alliance formed. They pooled their resources and devoted their military strength to wiping out all of the creatures they saw as threats. Human greed and pride led them to indiscriminate slaughter and soon it was not only the hides of dragons or the teeth of basilisks that were sent home as spoils of war, but also the horns of unicorns and the wings of the Fae that were sought out as luxury items. Soon, only creatures that seemed to possess no magic, such as draught, game and domestic animals, were left and magic appeared to be gone forever.
Your Character ~ The Canavar
There is a saying among the old and wise of Celyn that within every man is a beast. This is true for some of them. A race, not quite human but not quite beast, survived the relentless slaughter that seemingly brought true peace to the Kingdoms because they had both a human form and an animal form. They were called the Canavar. Many years passed and, feeling their own existence threatened, they completely assimilated into the human population, stifling their abilities until they nearly lost them. That is until a single man named Avalon, who was a close advisor the King of Gandryll during the day and soared the night skies as a silver hawk, began searching for those who shared his ability. Often they were teenagers or young adults whose parents or grandparents passed them the power which lay within them waiting to be accessed. These powers were often uncontrollable to those untrained in their use, and during moments of extreme emotion, were set free. The man followed strange reports, often of possessed neighbours or feral children, that led him to what he sought.
His motives were not pure as he had an agreement with the King. He would take these people in, people who were often outcast and half-mad, and teach them how to harness their powers. However, what he sought to create were weapons - tools of espionage and assassination that would target the enemies of the throne. What better spy than a man who can, at will, turn into a cat that can openly stalk the meeting places of political adversaries? What better assassin than a woman who can seduce a man into bed with her before becoming a wolf and tearing his throat out?
The Four Kingdoms appear outwardly peaceful, but political intrigue and revolution is stirring beneath the surface. Fear of magic is creating intense paranoia in the lower classes, causing witch hunts that have resulted in uncontrollable mobs and murder sprees. The nobility eye the thrones lustily, using money and influence to steal power away from the King. The Kings themselves fight. They accuse each other of being involved in hoarding resources, stealing land, and worst of all - dealing in magic. And the last bit is hardly a lie. Your existence is enough to prove that. You are half human and half beast. You have just learned how to use this power that you have and you are being thrust into center of it all. But what is your role? Are you the hand that stokes the fire of a pot ready to boil over, or are you the frog that sits within, unaware that he is slowly being cooked alive?
Character Sheet
Name:
Age:
Transformation:
Appearance (while human):
Personality:
History:
Strengths and Weaknesses:
Other:
Some notes about your profiles:
1. Many times the Canavar's transformation will mirror elements of their personality. Many times the transformation will reveal traits that the subject would normally repress, after all, it is the "beast within" idea.
2. Though you hail from any of the four kingdoms, or beyond, something has brought you to Gandryll. Be creative, but I thought it was a good starting point. There are, of course, opportunities to branch out from there.
Basic List of NPCs
King Leolin of Gandryll - A young unmarried king whose brashness doesn't quite make up for his inexperience. He feels unsteady on the throne as many more experienced courtiers and politicians seek to snatch it from under him. The monarch before him left little in his coffers and much less in terms of military strength. His closest advisor, Avalon, was chosen not only for his cunning and experience, but because he is a Canavar, a member of a race Leolin is hoping to exploit in order to cement his rule. However, Avalon seems to be gaining more and more influence, and many question who within the castle is really the King.
Queen Aurelia of Ofera - Though she is not the youth she once was, this queen's beauty, wisdom, and courage has made her beloved throughout Ofera. She is shrewd and perceptive, but is highly gifted at politics and court behavior. Many outside Ofera fault her for her tough mercantilist policies. She instates heavy tax on anyone from outside Ofera wanting to establish trade. However, this tax is not without reason as she is being faced with a recent crisis - dark shadows in the sand that have swallowed caravans whole. She is against magic and will declare war on a monarch evidenced to be dealing in it.
The King Maxen and the Queen Meiriona of Bryn - While the other Kingdoms have one dominant monarch, the brother/sister team of Maxen and Meiriona, who rule North and South Bryn respectively, are a power duo not to be trifled with. The polar bears in the North form a formidable mounted force and the ski infantry in the South have perfected guerrilla warfare. Some wonder why Maxen and Meiriona are armed to the teeth but they are not revealing anything. They are stoic and isolationist and, given their distance from the other Kingdoms, fiercely independent. They are as strongly against magic as Queen Ofera, though that is the only thing they have in common with her.
The Old King Siorus of Afon - A wizened and experienced King whose early life was spent as a sailor and a naval commander. Though third in line for the throne, the mysterious death at sea of his older brothers allowed for his ascension. He is highly involved in the economics and trade of Afon and is putting immense pressure on Ofera to ease their trade policies. He rules Afon with an iron fist and his police force is infamous throughout the land. His greatest fears appear to lie within his borders and it is true that one would not want to wander the canals of Afon at night. Many organized crime families have claimed sectors of Afon. Worst of all, many police officers have been found floating dead in the canals with deep claw marks covering their bodies. He may be desperate enough to fight magic with magic.
Rhonwen Sayer: This precocious but ineloquent 10 year old grew up in Gandryll in a workhouse associated with the logging industry. However, she ran away and now takes on odd jobs. She is a Canavar that is very in tune with her transformation, a black adder, and can channel the qualities of her transformation while still human - a very rare ability even before the Canavar went underground. It is suspected that this ability arose to compensate for her blindness, a handicap she was born with. Though Avalon has become an unlikely friend of hers, she was not invited to be a part of King Leolin's project given her age and her blindness. She has her suspicions about what Avalon is doing and wants to prove herself worthy. She will often follow the group from the shadows, despite how often she is discouraged from doing so, and will attempt to aid them. She is sometimes effective, but more often than not she mucks things up.
Oathsworn - Link (Reference the "Other" hider)
Rules and FAQs
Q: Are there any rules? You failed to mention rules anywhere.
A: Yes there are rules - using common sense will often keep you from screwing up. Don't kill peoples' characters without permission and no excessively graphic sex and violence. Cooperate with people and communicate with each other. Be willing to be flexible and don't take anything personally. I understand that you're human so lapses in judgement are forgivable as long as you make an effort to do the aforementioned things. Also, this is an advanced RPG and you signed up knowing that so I am hoping you'll try for some impactful writing. I know you have a life so I'm not overly concerned with frequency of posting as long as you give notice before going off the grid for extended periods of time.
Q: Why are there so few FAQs?
A: You're right, there really aren't very m(any). I'll add onto this as more questions come in or there something I feel I need to clarify. Stay tuned!
Accepted Characters
Kucing and Empie ~ cthulu
Ellis Avalon ~ Dmytra
Gideon Tournes ~ The Humble Magnificent
Aelana vos'nar Hagrovische ~ Thrydwulf
Ritka Velius ~ Kogiopsis
Sel Son ~ Hael
Lior Niamh Taliesan ~ Stagprince
Thanks everyone! And, of course, any plot suggestions, questions, and character sheets (finalized) can go below.
