Hey all! I've been mulling over this idea in my head for a while now, and I've got an OOC/Explanation post ready that I think will be a good opener.
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“Make peace with the currents, for the ships on these seas have no sails, only anchors.”There is a place between worlds, an undulating, ever-flowing void that holds reality together. It is outside of the boundaries of time and space, and is, to most, unknowable. This is the Other. Within this endless expanse a vessel drifts without direction, a massive time-turner whose middle is flat and stable, and whose outer rings are in a perpetual state of motion. The Ae.Sop, this ship is called, and it has
been since the beginning.
It is a home to the Fables, guardians taken from every corner of every universe, from all stretches of time. It is their job to keep the order in reality, as where there is structure there will always be chaos.
This chaos comes into being through Myths. They are monsters bent on unraveling the veil between the Other, and reality. They have been tearing at the seams long before the Ae.Sop began recruiting Fables to combat them, and they seem to have responded to their new enemies with even greater ferocity.
And what becomes of the Fables? The greatest go on to become Legends, heroes of time chosen by the Ae.Sop for their actions. These few are beacons of hope, and while they continue their fight against the Myths, they are also to aid the Fables along their journey.
INTRODUCTIONS AND RULESWelcome to Ae.Sop! This is a fantasy RP that focuses on intensive character development and high-fantasy combat. Before jumping into the guts of the lore and what not, here are a few basic rules:
-No God-Modding: Pretty basic, don’t control other people’s characters, don’t assume actions by other people’s characters, etc.
-Be Polite: Characters don’t always get along, in fact, conflict breeds great development! Just not in the OOC. If you have a problem with another player, you can either resolve it in PMs, or if needed, PM me and we can solve it in a group chat.
-Characters: All player characters must begin as Fables. Whether they are brand-spanking new or been at it for a little while is up to you, but they must all be somewhat unexperienced at the start.
-Development: Each individual character is on their own journey, and the missions they receive and the way these missions go will change as they do. However, that doesn’t mean they should always go it alone. Some missions will even require the aid of others, and the way a character interacts and works with others is just as important as how they are on their own.
LORE
There are no born-Fables. Each and every Fable at one point in time existed upon a world, as any other individual would. During their life –usually between the ages of 14-40, however there have been outliers- the Ae.Sop quite literally takes them. They are ripped from reality, and for the briefest moment the universe shudders, and the timelines adjust to compensate for the fact that they will have never existed. Doing so effectively makes them immortal, and Fables pulled at an older age will cease to continue aging. Younger Fables have been shown to age in some cases, but not in others. Those that do, tend to cease at an age somewhere between twenty-two and thirty.
All Fables retain their memories, both of themselves and of their world.
They are removed from reality so that they may operate outside of its boundaries. Because of this, Fables are able to function on strange worlds without consequence, and travel through tears into the Other unharmed.
Horrifying, malicious entities with no known origin. They are ferocious, merciless, and if there is one thing that is certain about them, it is that they all hold contempt for reality. They spring up on various worlds, in various times, and nestle there. Over time, they corrupt the worlds until at last, the rot is so severe that they collapse upon themselves, creating a rupture into the Other. It is through this process that they slowly unravel the fabric of reality.
The journey of a Fable is long, and full of trials that will mold and shape them down to their very core. The most resolute become Legends, their names forever carved into history. They are masters of protecting reality, able to wield powerful abilities to ward off Myths. To become a Legend is the ultimate goal of all Fables upon the Ae.Sop.
Some say that the Old Tome has been with the Ae.Sop since it began to drift in the Other, others say that it has always been a part of time, and simply gained a physical form upon the ship. Regardless of its origin, the Old Tome acts as the Ae.Sop’s ultimate source of knowledge on all existing Myths. Though few Fables are permitted near it, the Legends confer with its pages to gain information on new Myths as they come into being, and to log information they gain on Myths that already exist (as it seems to do so automatically). The information within the Old Tome is broken in some places, and no matter how much is added it always keeps a fairly consistent size. When a Myth comes into being, the Old Tome is fills a page with its name, and a few vague details about its qualities and location. It holds a sort of omniscience afterwards, as whenever a Fable comes into contact with a Myth, whatever information they gain about it is then added on the spot, instantaneously. The first and the last pages of the Old Tome are and have always been blank, and the Legends who have studied it intensely theorize that they would hold information on the origin of the Myths, and more disturbingly, the end of time.
A Fable is never alone in their journey, even if they are joined by no one else, they will always have their Hatch. A Hatch is a weapon, created by the Ae.Sop in an old chamber that is linked specifically to a Fable. It becomes an extension of them, and through it the ancient ship is able to log their progress. All Hatches are named, as it is believed by many that they are manifestations of either the Ae.Sop’s conscience, or some other primordial being. While they can never be broken by conventional means, a Fable should always care for and look after their Hatch, for if they were to lose it, they would slowly fall off of the Ae.Sop’s map, and the forces of chaos would eat away at them until they at last lose themselves as Myths, or worse.
NOTABLESWhile there are an incredible number of Myths logged within the Old Tome, here are a few noteworthy ones that will hold relevance within the RP (this list will be updated along progression):
The Gate: One of the timeless Myths, nestled within some far reach of space. No Fable or Legend has come into direct contact with this it, however the Ae.Sop still logs it as existing. It is credited with the creation of minor Myths that spread throughout different worlds, and causes the only known instance of recurring Myths. These include:
-Scarrows: Cubical beasts whose bodies split into four sections held together by a writhing mass of tendrils, centered by a gnashing maw of sharp teeth. Clawed arms extend out from this center, and the beings are capable of levitation.
-Shrieks: These minimalistic beasts are comprised of a generally humanoid skull and spinal column made from or encased in some metallic alloy. From this spinal column four limbs set in mechanical ball joints make up the spindly arms and legs, each ending in a sharp, bladed point. They are quick and agile, tending to maneuver on all fours. Though they are fragile, they often appear in large numbers.
-Uorus: Hulks of flesh and bone held together by a black sinewy substance. The Uorus vary in detail, as they all seem to made of different types of flesh, molded by some force into similar yet unique designs. They possess remarkable strength and have been known to continue attacking through what would normally be considered fatal injury.
Mr. Stiltlegs: Incredibly little regarding Mr. Stiltlegs is known by most Fables, and even some Legends are in the dark about his details. He is, at the basest level, the physical manifestation of an event that has yet to occur. The “whats”, “whens”, and “wheres” of this event are unknown, despite his primordial presence in Ae.Sop history. He only appears to those who he claims hold relevance to his event.
Non: An elder Myth that poses a constant danger to the Ae.Sop, as it is perhaps the only being capable of traversing the Other. It has yet to directly attack the vessel; however its presence within the Old Tome has prompted a constant, vigilant watch in the glimmering void for what is described as “a lurking mass”. Some say they can feel it move, stepping or swimming through the endless currents.
Savarel: The warning. Savarel was once the Legend of War, and yet despite this he was a gentle man. He drew his Hatch, Omerot, only in the presence of danger, but he wielded it with such skill as never before seen in Fables or Legends. What Myth it was to best him and steal away his blade is still a mystery, but Savarel’s fall was swift, and it was in a violent rampage that he fled the Ae.Sop to some unknown place, leaving many of his former allies dead in his wake.
The Reliquary: A beast hidden within the depths of a lost underground civilization. It is said these people at one time worshiped The Reliquary as a god, and each night they would bring idols to its chamber. But its hunger was relentless, and it devoured all those who came near it until slowly the people’s worship ceased, and the old god was left to its chamber, forgotten.
Marrowmere: One of the more famous Myths, Marrowmere had a particular interest in humanity. While his true name was logged in the Old Tome, mortals knew him by many titles; “The Bone Fiend”, “Crypt Horror”, and in some cultures he was even referred to as Death itself. He is, in reality, and entity that encases itself in the bones of the dead, taking many forms. He delights in the terror of his victims, and is perhaps one of the only Myths to show such strong personality characteristics. It’s too bad they’re so malefic.
Xol, Eternal Dreamer: There is a world that is barren, covered in nothing but endless sands for as far as the eye can see, save for one solitary place. The lone structure in this world is a massive pyramid, stretching up nearly to the clouds. Within this pyramid is a single walkway that connects one face to the other, crafted from seemingly ordinary stone that emits a faint blue light from its cracks. From this walkway, if one looks down, at first they will see only an abyss. However, upon closer inspection, they might see tiny specs of light that hold a striking resemblance to the stars. The angle of the inner walls suggests that the pyramid is built as a diamond, with its lower half buried within the sandy earth. How far down it goes is a mystery, but it is said that if one stares long enough into the celestial chasm, they will see something shifting between the stars, as if turning in sleep.
There are several Legends upon the Ae.Sop, and many others who have been out in various worlds helping keep them together. Here are a few important ones (this list will also be updated as the story progress, as well as with characters who become Legends!):
Y’Sorim: Legend of Patience, one of the oldest Legends upon the Ae.Sop, an elder man of some unknown race. His eyes are solid violet lights, and his face is covered by a long, tapering white beard.
Ditalion: The Legend of Companionship, Ditalion is a young human man. He was well known for his amiable nature, and is hardly ever found alone. Ditalion is perhaps the most active of Legends in regards to assisting Fables, making an effort to accompany new additions on their first missions whenever he can.
Stalsi: The newest of the Legends, Stalsi took up the mantle of War after Savarel’s betrayal. She is a young woman of a race that, while humanoid, possesses many avian traits such as back wings, talon feet, and extremely light weight. She is known for her temper, but also her loyalty, and despite her curtness, she views every last Fable and Legend aboard the Ae.Sop as her closest family.
Baphaen: A human woman, Baphaen is the Legend of Earth. While she enjoys training new Fables, she is closest to the other Legends. She is compassionate and caring, but is also known for her authoritative nature. She is also said to be the only one able to sense the void-lurking Myth, Non, within the Other.
Name: (Full name and/or nickname)
Age: (How old they are, what age they were frozen at)
Gender: (Your character’s preferred gender)
Race: (Fables can come from all reaches of time and space, however let’s try to stay reasonable)
Personality: (What is your character like? What’s their drive?)
History: (Who were they before they became a Fable? Many Fables come from ordinary lives, others from extraordinary ones. If they’ve been a Fable for a little bit, how are they faring?)
Hatch: (Their weapon, granted to them upon their arrival on the Ae.Sop. What kind of weapon is it? Most are bladed, but there are exceptions. Nothing too high-tech and firearms will have to be worked out in PMs)
Shift: (Shifts are powers that Fables inherit from their transition to the Other. They manifest as tattoos upon the body that glow when in use, and grant the Fable minor enhancements. Examples of Shifts would be: Increased strength, speed, perception, flexibility, etc... It should be kept in mind that Fable Shifts are minor enhancements.)
Legendary Shift: (Upon reaching Legendary status, your character’s Shift will become substantially more powerful, and may even change completely. There have been cases where Fables with Shifts that altered their strength became Shifts that allowed them to weave fire from thin air. Some things excluded from this category are things like clairvoyance, or telepathy that doesn’t require permission from another character. As well, it should be kept in mind that while much more powerful than normal Shifts, Legendary Shifts will not make your character immune from danger, as Myths have many ways of getting around these abilities.)
