[OOC] The End Times - Apocalyptic Fantasy RP

[Vahir]

The Empire of Tolos was at its height. For a hundred years, it had ruled the world with an iron fist, its might and splendor unmatched throughout history. Blood sacrifices made to please the gods attributed to her rulers magical powers which mortals were never meant to wield, powers with which they could decimate armies or rip apart castles. On the first day of the four hundredth year since the founding of the Empire, Emperor Cyrus II gathered countless slaves to sacrifice in the Imperial Capital of Tolos, in a sick ritual meant to make him a god.

That... Didn't work out.

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The End Times

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That day was known as the Ascension. Whether the Emperor succeeded or not in his mad bid for godhood is unknown, and rather irrelevant, given the horde of demons which appeared out of nowhere that day to lay waste to his empire. There were no survivors to describe the ritual, as the entire capital city of Tolos was ruined apparently instantaneously, killing everyone inside the great city. Hordes of monsters fanned out into the surrounding lands, butchering thousands and razing helpless cities.

A month has passed since that dark day, and things have only gotten darker. The destruction of the capital has thrown the entire empire into chaos, as central authority breaks down. The Legions are acting without any kind of coordination; some are rushing towards the heartland of the Empire to hold back the tide of evil spilling forth, while others have remained in their territories, their ambitious generals taking control as petty warlords. The autonomous kings and princes do much the same. Those far from the capital have mostly declared themselves independent, hoping that others will contain the demons for them, while those near the heartland have suffered catastrophic defeat after catastrophic defeat.

You are one of the great men and women of the world. Perhaps you are one of the few who wield magic, your considerable powers a gift from the dead gods which still roam the earth. Or perhaps you are a mortal ruler, one of the quasi-independent royals who once administrated the land in the name of the Emperor. You might band together with each other to fight the demons, or maybe you'll use the opportunity to right past wrongs.

What's certain is that there is no hope, for you or anyone. The limitless hordes of Demons can be stalled but never defeated. Eventually, every corner of this world will be overrun, every last life snuffed out. This is the apocalypse; the end times.

The Demon Horde

Goblins

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Smallest among its vile kind, the ignoble goblin is deceptively lethal. Its short height, being never greater than a meter, allows it to sneak undetected. Goblins seem to be used as scouts by the infernal armies, and an infestation by their kind is always a sure sign of an approaching demon host.

Though they are small and physically weak, those foolish enough to dismiss goblins as a threat will likely end up eaten by goblins. They fight with cruel, unrestrained savagery, and when in packs, they can bring down even the mightiest warrior.

Demons

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The creatures known as Demons make up the rank and file of the infernal armies. Being a head taller than humans, comparatively stronger, and completely devoid of fear or remorse, they are the ideal shock troops. Nor do they lack cunning; whereas most other kinds of monsters are mindless, killing on instinct, the Demons fight in ordered battle formations. They do not retreat, their unnerving endurance turning every battle against the infernal hordes into a meat grinder of the bloodiest sort.

Ogres

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Few monsters, brutal as their kind are, inspire the kind of terror that the Ogre spreads everywhere it goes. These hulking giants are three times as tall as the tallest man. Witnesses have described seeing them crush fully armored soldiers in the ground with a single strike of their fists, a sight which would be comical if it weren’t so grisly. Ogres seem to prefer eating their victims, however. Thankfully, ogres are relatively rare. Unimaginably strong and very hard to kill, these beasts are a general’s worst nightmare.

Dragons

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Dragons bring a terror quite like any other kind of demon. It is believed there is only a half dozen of them currently active, but they have never been killed. Walls, which can hold off goblins, demons, and even ogres, are useless against dragons. These beats go where they please, kill whom they please, and burn what they please. So rare are the survivors of their attacks, some deny that they even exist.

The Setting

The World

map

The Nations

Note that these entities are- or rather were- all under the domination of the Empire, having to pay tribute and follow the Emperor’s laws. Some have declared independence since then, while others have remained steadfast to the Empire.

Tolos: The central province and originator of the Empire. It is a mostly flat country, with exceptionally fertile plains that make it the breadbasket of the world. Its cities are also some of the most populous in human lands. Of course, the Ascension has changed all of this: the province is now infested with monsters, and every day another great Tolosi city is methodically razed. The area around the old imperial capital of Tolos is even worse off, now a barren wasteland filled with so many demons as to make mortal life impossible. None have seen the capital and lived to tell of it since the crisis began.

Free Cities of Cadea: The Cadean cities are in a unique position: theoretically part of the Province of Tolos, they have nevertheless been granted imperial charters guaranteeing their autonomy and self rule. This was largely done for their acceptance of taxation. The Cadean cities are some of the wealthiest in the world, and they are the primary ports on the western sea. Since the Ascension, they have been raising armies to defend themselves, but seperately, each city-state acting on its own.

Chaldia: The province of Chaldia is the home of the Dwarven people. It has fallen a long way: once the center of a mighty empire, it now is home only to ruins. The province is ruled from the underground dwarven city of Bucephal, home to the Burning Three, those hungry gods which demand human sacrifice. The land above is inhabited by humans, whose ruling Boyars pay tribute to the dwarves- in coin, food, or sacrifices- for their protection.

The dwarves of Chaldia are the oldest and truest worshipers of the Burning Three. Rivers of sacrifices are fed to their beacons in exchange for their divine blessing and wisdom. Since the Ascension, their gods have become far more active: day and night, their high priests feed their flames, receiving visions and instructions. The Three have commanded the Chaldians to marshall everything to fight the infernal armies, and the dwarves have thrown themselves into the struggle with gusto.

Pontus: Lying beyond the Coromic mountains and the Koyat Desert, Pontus is a land of myths and legends. It is covered in a thick, humid forest, with an oppressive heat. It is the realm of the elves, and was only recently added to the empire under Emperor Uriah. Imperial government has not penetrated this isolated realm; the elves will be ruled only by elves, specifically the elves of Pontus, who use the power of their enslaved god to maintain their hegemony over their kind. It is ruled by an oligarchy of the most powerful families of the city who rule in a great council. From Pontus flows exotic goods which are highly prized throughout the Empire, such as silk and spices.

The elves have in the past month shut themselves in as the Imperial Legions withdrew. The borders of Pontus are being closed off and fortified, and by all appearances the elves plan on leaving the rest of the world to rot.

Coromis: The Coromic mountains are sheer and, like the eastern desert, offensively hot. It is no surprise then that the land is inhabited by the orcs, the hardiest race to walk the earth. These are not the orcs of the east, however, who lack any kind of central government. Coromis is ruled by a king, a king who rules through clans, but a king nevertheless. It is a closed land, and little trade passes through it; orcs have little desire for coin.

The Kingdom does have one export, however: Soldiers. In the past centuries, orcish mercenaries have become almost universally used across the world, their feared phalanxes the beating heart of the Imperial Legions. The relationship between the Empire and the orcs is an indirect one; the orcish king swore fielty to the Emperor, and offered anual tribute in the form of soldiers to serve in the Legions, and in exchange the Empire left the orcs to rule themselves.

Koyat Desert: A vast and uninhabitable region, the Koyat is barely considered part of the Empire, populated only by orcs. Nevertheless, in this desolate environment the Koyat tribes survive. Since the dawn of time they have launched raids on neighboring lands from the desert. More recently, many tribes have forged an uneasy alliance with men from Jadis, becoming tools in the endless wars between the cartels.

Jadis: This autonomous province is a principality in name, and an oligarchy in fact. It is centered on the island city of Jadis, a merchant metropolis made fantastically rich by the gem trade. Virtually every precious gem in the world is mined in the Koyat Desert, and must pass through the Atar river, into Jadis.

Five great cartels dominate this trade, and thus Jadis itself: The Emerald Cartel, the oldest and most prestigious one; the Gold Cartel, which by focusing on banking and trade has made itself rich beyond any other organization in the world; the Ruby Cartel, which uses populism and control of the tributary cities to attempt to accrue greater power; the Saphire Cartel, which dominates the mining trade in the desert through its secret alliance with the orc tribes; and the Amethyst Cartel, renown for offering assassination as a service to clients. These factions are always struggling for power, with the one controlling the Prince being the hegemon.

Pannonia: Pannonia is a relatively young nation, formed when the orcs pushed the nomadic human Pannonians tribes out of the Koyat Desert, five hundred years ago. They conquered the large basin of the Czara river, the grassy borderlands between the desert and the northern kingdoms. The Pannonians became a feared military force, the ferocity of their cavalry known to all as castle after castle fell to them. The northern kings began to pay them tribute, first to avoid invasion, and then to build up the Pannonians as a march against the raiding bands of the Koyat.

Faucher: The Kingdom of Faucher is a wealthy and powerful realm, an autnomous kingdom within the Imperial whole. Faucher is notably centralized, its king commanding absolute control over the nobility, the clergy, and the burghers. The entire kingdom is governed as if it were the personal fief of the king. The capital, Villeroi, is one of the largest cities in the world, as large as the metropolises of Pontus, Tolos, and Jadis.

Frisia: The Frisian lowlands have never been ruled by the Frisian people. Instead, conquerors come and go, each displacing the last. The longstanding war between the Fauch and the Havish kings for control of the territory only ended when Mymish warlords invaded, conquering all of Frisia for their own. The ensuing three way war lasted until the Empire arrived and imposed itself. For the first time in its history, Frisia was no longer a battlefield, for which the Empire earned the gratitude and loyalty of the populace.

Havendall: If Tolos is the beating heart of the Empire, the Havendall province is its fist. The Havish people are rough, straightforward, and possessed with an unmatched love for war. Indeed, they are almost always at war with each other, their nobles only stopping their fratricidal civil wars to wage war on their neighbors. Since its incorporation into the Empire, the Havendall has mostly quieted down, its people's appetite for bloodshed directed towards foreign lands by the Emperors.

Mazovia: The Mazovian people are used to hardship. The kingdom's location between three powerful peoples has made it a frequent target for invasion throughout history, which has only served to harden the Mazovian resolve. This flat country is ruled by a king who is chosen through a peculiar method: election. At the death of the king, all the nobles of the realm, regardless of their power or station, assemble to vote on the next one.

Myrmir: The northern kingdom of Myrmir is a recent and artificial creation. Until two hundred years ago, that land was ruled by a multitiude of petty kings, fierce warlords who led raiding parties to terrorize the coasts of the southern lands. Many of them carved out their own kingdoms there, though these inevitably collapsed when the chieftains died. The Tolosi conquest of two hundred years ago ended that age, and a puppet king was placed to rule over the tumultuous land. To this day, the Myrmen have not truly accepted foreign rule, and the legions are constantly at work quelling rebellions.

Races

Humans: Humans are an unwanted race. They were created by the god Andora largely as a side effect of creating the elves; the god wanted perfect mortals to serve it, and as humans were less perfect than the elves, it gave them to the elves as slaves, the same as the elves were its own slaves. Eventually humanity managed to free itself from its chains and flee north, across the desolate Koyat Desert. In this colder northern land they founded numerous kingdoms, and have grown to be the dominant power in the world.

Orcs: Orcs were first created by the god Garmosh to serve as its warriors, capturing mortals so that the god could feed on them and thus accrue its own powers. Hardy, strong, and lacking a need to eat (it is theorized they draw sustenance from the sun, as they are less active during nighttime), orcs inhabit the desolate Koyat Desert and the Coromic Mountains. They are not stupid, though their shorter lifespans means they tend to spend less time learning than other mortal races. Nor are they blindly agressive. They are devoted above all to following a leader, whether that be a chieftain, a king, or an emperor. Following orders is in their blood. This makes them the perfect soldiers, for which they are widely used as mercenaries by the princes of the world.

Dwarves: The dwarves were the first race to walk the earth. They were the chosen people of the Burning Three, and in the days when gods walked the earth, their Chaldian Empire ruled the world. But the war between the gods hit the dwarves hard, and when the gods disappeared, the dwarves fell into chaos and infighting. They never truly collapsed, the Chaldian Empire still existing when the Tolosi invaded three hundred years ago, but the dwarves fell into a sort of lethargy, seemingly accepting their decline. The dwarves are devout followers of the Sacred Three, and by burning mortals alive in the three great beacons in the capital of Bucephal, they empower their gods.

Elves: The fickle elves have always been an arrogant people. They were created by the god Andora as the "perfect" race. In fact, they thought themselves so perfect as to be above their very god, and they used their given powers to enslave Andora in the sacred lake of Pontus. In all the years since, the elves have forcibly extracted powers from their god, all while praising its name. Nobody knows the mind of the elves, except for the elves. When the Empire marched into the jungles of Pontus, not ten years ago, they expected a bloodbath, but the elves simply surrendered peacefully, giving nominal fielty to the Emperor in exchange for being left alone. When Uriah II returned to the capital, he was obsessed with ideas of godhood. Some have said that it was the elves who gave him his mad ambition for divinity.

History

There are stories of the dawn of the world and the creation of the races, but these belong more to myth than history. The earliest events we know for certain occurred is a thousand years ago, with the migration of humanity north beyond the Koyat Desert. It was also in this time that the primordial Chaldian empire began to decline, the disappearance of its gods leading the dwarven cities into infighting. This was helped along by the solidifying elven realm of Pontus, which won much land from the decaying empire by using the powers of its own enslaved god, Andora.

After that period of upheaval, things mostly settled down. The only major disturbance was when the orcs displaced the human Pannonians from the Koyat desert, leading them to conquer a large swathe of land to the north. Four hundred years ago, Tolos chose an Emperor as its ruler, after a period of local conquest. The centuries since have seen a slow and methodical conquest of the world, completed when Uriah II marched into the forbidden jungles of Pontus and gained the fielty of the elves there. When Uriah returned to the capital, he was consumed with an ambition to achieve godhood. Needless to say the events of the Ascension ensued.

Magic & Religion

Magic comes from only one source: The gods. To wield these powers, one must be blessed by one of the divines, voluntarily or not.

A word on the gods themselves. There is but one pantheon of uncontested gods. It is a broken pantheon, however, broken by strife and war. In the dawning days of the world, after the war at the start of time, the gods ruled over the mortal masses, using them as slaves. Some gods objected to this and stressed the mortal right to freedom. The others disagreed... violently. A war among the gods ensued.

Which side won the war is unclear. Most scholars are of the mind that neither side did, that in the conflict the gods were all killed by each other. The fact is, currently, the gods are at least inactive, if not dead. Eight gods are known to still inhabit this world, but they are feeble and require sacrifices to affect the world, otherwise appearing only in dreams and visions. These gods are the Burning Three, blood-thirsty gods who demand human sacrifice in their great beacons, in the dwarven city of Bucephal; Andora, a petty god who created both mankind and elvenkind, who drove the former into exile and was enslaved by the later, its powers forcibly extracted from it by the elves of Pontus (by drowning mortals in a sacred lake as sacrifice); and Garmosh, progenitor of the orcs, who is fed whenever the wielder of its sword kills someone, though the Sword of Garmosh has been lost for centuries.

There are three further gods, who fought to liberate mortals in the divine war, and now refuse sacrifices in their names. They wander the world, occasionally giving their gifts to a champion who they believe embodies their will the best. These are Oromis, the proud, just, and stubborn one; Morcar, a trickster who favors guile and cleverness; and Neaneth, humble and meek, driven by compassion and mercy.

For one to have magic, one of these gods must have granted the mortal these powers. Because of their long lifespans, elves and dwarves are more common as magic wielders.

Character Sheet

Please post your sheet in the OOC for approval before posting it in the character tab. Thank you.

Name:
Race: Chose from Human, Dwarf, Elf, and Orc. Details on the place of each in the world are in the “Setting” hider.
Age:
Station: Describe the position of your character in the world. (Are you a noble? A soldier? A priest?)
Powers: If your character has magic powers, describe them and their extent. Describe from which god your powers come from as well. (See the “Setting” hider for info on magic) If you aren't sure which god would grant you the powers you have in mind, feel free to PM me.
Description: Both physical and psychological, at least a paragraph each.
Biography:
Relations: Describe the pre-existing conflicts and friendships with other player characters, if applicable. Not necessary, but strongly encouraged: the end of the world has a way of bringing people together, for good or bad.

Questions about the CS in general can be directed to me through PMs.

TL&DR: The apocalypse happens in a fantasy empire, you're overpowered super-mortals who have to try to avoid dying for as long as possible as civilization collapses around you. Good luck.

[Zugzwang]

I did not notice there were dwarves in this RP.
I have just finished a very long game of Dwarf Fortress, which culminated as always in Fun.

The desire to play a Dorf Fortress-eer is strong. Very strong. I fear that playing a crazed shut-in terrified of cats and always inches away from unlocking cthonian horrors from the womb of the world would not lead to excellent inter-character interaction, however. I shall have to find some other cliche brilliant and original idea to use.

EDIT: Question: are there demons that are acclimated to water?

[Vahir]

I did not notice there were dwarves in this RP.
I have just finished a very long game of Dwarf Fortress, which culminated as always in Fun.

The desire to play a Dorf Fortress-eer is strong. Very strong. I fear that playing a crazed shut-in terrified of cats and always inches away from unlocking cthonian horrors from the womb of the world would not lead to excellent inter-character interaction, however. I shall have to find some other cliche brilliant and original idea to use.

@Zugzwang

Be the dorf you know you want to be. Keep the booze flowing so you don't go rampaging.

EDIT: Question: are there demons that are acclimated to water?

@Zugzwang

Goblins can swim, but the rest, not so much. They generally make rafts when they need to cross a river.

I'll be a bit absentee this weekend, so I might not answer questions as fast as I'd like.

[Lauder]

Darn, there is no spider-Queen option. Guess I'll have to unleash the Orc in me ^^

[Vahir]

Probably for the best; I think a dancing spider would ruin the mood somewhat.

[neogreggory]

Hmm... how to go about this. I know what I want to play as, have to tweak things to align with this particular world. And... done. Alright, let's see if this works.

Name: Marth Leblanc
Race: Human
Gender: Male
Age: 19
Station: Second son of a Havendall noble

Powers: Pyromancy, the magic of fire. Acquired through traumatic and unintended means that shall be described in detail in the Bio. As for the extent of his power, he can produce a softball sized fireball without much thought, and with effort can set a single room hut ablaze, but he is untrained, having to experiment and test his own limits.

Description: Standing at five foot four Marth has nearly reached his full height. He is thin, despite how much he eats, and has pale skin. His eyes are red, a side effect of his magic. He wears his brown hair short and combed to his right, and tends to smell of a mixture of honey, his perfume, and ash. His clothing is simple for his station, black and slick with little in the way of jewels or precious metal. He has recently taken to wearing a simple metal chest piece due to the demon attacks.

Mentally the end of the world has already begun to wear on him. his family died before he could do anything, and has recently had to use his magic a great deal, weakening him both physically and mentally. Beyond that however he is a simple but driven young man. His entire life has been decided by tradition and fate, and he has fought it in any way he can, though his doing so has resulted in the most traumatic occurrence of his life thus far. He tries to be kind to others, but makes himself an outcast, too many near him having died already. In reflection, he is a good man, but tired, and slowly reaching his breaking point.

Biography: Born the second son of a noble in a war-like land, Marth was fated to be a warrior. His young life was spent care-free, his education starting at the age of six. He had to learn how to ride a horse, the history of his proud family, how to read and write. When he had free time he spent it swimming and playing with his twin and older brothers, those memories some of the most fondly regarded from his early years. When he was fourteen he was locked in an armory, rows of weapons in front of him, swords and axes noble and harsh, graceful and savage. The weapon Marth choose would be the one he would fight with the rest of his life, the weapon expected to be found next to his corpse on the battlefield when he died. In a dark corner, hidden under some axes, Marth found a rusty old spear, and in an act of spite choose the commoners weapon.

He was a quick study, learning to use the spear as both an effective weapon offensively and defensively. His twin, who was far more willing to be a warrior and nothing more, took up an ax and shield. The two would spar often, fighting for hours at a time, with neither holding the advantage for long. At sixteen Marth's twin brother would go with soldiers to fight the wild desert orcs. Marth hasn't seen him since. Marth however didn't want to be a warrior on the front line, so instead he tagged along with his father and uncle while they were away from the family fortress.

Marth grew close to his uncle, who was also a second son. Whenever they could get away with it the two would play cards, testing each others luck and wits. When in the city of Jadis Marth got another chance to fight destiny. His father was busy, and was going to be busy for days, making deals with the Gold cartel. His uncle had informed Marth of a chance to escape the life he had been given and gave Marth a sack of coin. Taking this chance Marth found himself on a wagon, one of the guards to protect the gem and metal laden wagon as it traveled south into elvish lands to trade for the precious silks the elves produced.

A week into the journey, it had been four days since any sign of civilization apart from the empty road. The group was camped on the side of the road, Marth in his sleeping roll. Before he knew it however an elf's sword was at his throat. The camp was overrun, at the end though everyone was rounded up save one, who died fighting. The entire crew was bound in chains by the elves and forced to march the rest of the night and the entire day. Everyone knew they were to be made slaves or worse. As the moon rose they reached the shore of a lake so massive the opposite shore couldn't be seen. It was there that the elves began to chant in their strange language as two of them systematically drowned the humans. Marth watched in horror as the people he had just become to know were murdered in cold blood.

Marth was the last one to be edged to the water. Put on his knees in front of the dark water it seemed death was to claim him. By this time the water was swirling with energy, magic. His head was submerged. Marth's breath left him, the world faded, before he heard something, muffled by the water in his ears. The sound of screaming. Suddenly no longer were hands holding him down, and Marth forced himself to surge upwards, sparks following him. The elves were being attacked by wild beasts, some kind of saber toothed beasts. Marth didn't see very clearly, all he knew was to run.

He ran, and ran, until at long last he stumbled into a clearing to see smoke, a wagon. Stepping up to the fire he fell over, unconscious. The humans who camped there took the young man with them, they were on their way back from a successful voyage to elven lands. Once reentering Jadis Marth made his way to the inn his father and uncle were staying in. He sat there through his fathers shouting rant with an tired look in his eyes. Once a brilliant blue his eyes were now a dull red. Once they were again in their homeland Marth learned of his power of fire.

Sitting in front of one of the fireplaces in his families fortress Marth found himself moving his hand into the flame without thinking, when his mind caught up he couldn't help but stare as the fire left his hand untouched, moving his hand out of the flame he found that some of the fire had followed. He couldn't understand why, but it seemed like he had some power of flame. Over the months he trained in secret, until he was able to hurl a small ball of flame across a twenty foot long room and scorch an apple balanced on a stool. It wasn't long after that Marth's father declared that he would be visiting Tolos itself.

And so Marth, his father, and his uncle found themselves on the road south. They were about two weeks away when they met a band of goblins. Cut off guard by the small green creatures Marth's father was cut down before he had a chance. Marth's uncle was hardly better off, screaming at Marth to flee as he was hacked at. Marth clung to the horse he was upon, unthinking as tears crawled down his face. He could survive the death of his father the stubborn man, but he had loved his uncle. When finally home Marth relayed what had happened to his family, though few believed it. When the goblins began showing up they were fought off, with average losses. Then a dragon appeared. The fortress which had held off six hundred attacks fell in a day. Marth barely survived, only making it out due to his relationship with fire. The rest of his family had no such fortune.

Alone, his only family alive being a twin he'll likely never see again, Marth walks. He doesn't know his goal, only that he intends to live, live and when the day comes, die with his spear by his side.

Relations: Since no other characters have yet been made, at least compared to when I started writing this, there are no characters to link with mine's backstory. I am willing to adapt this to make room for other characters though if needed.

[Vahir]

making deals with the Gold cartel

@neogreggory

Woah! You acutally READ my rambling setting textbook. Points for that!

Your sheet seems well written and well thought out. Feel free to put it in the character tab.

[Zugzwang]

I'll get a sheet out tomorrow: basic idea is a scoundrel wizard blessed by Morcar, running wild in this new-found anarchy. Thief with a heart of gold, too clever for his own good and a little to willing to indulge his various interests. Will likely be convinced that he can actually do something to help the world, but at the start of the RP is ready to enjoy his scant remaining years on the planet.

[Vahir]

I'll get a sheet out tomorrow: basic idea is a scoundrel wizard blessed by Morcar, running wild in this new-found anarchy. Thief with a heart of gold, too clever for his own good and a little to willing to indulge his various interests. Will likely be convinced that he can actually do something to help the world, but at the start of the RP is ready to enjoy his scant remaining years on the planet.

@Zugzwang

If you still have inhibitions as the world burns around you, you're doing it wrong.

[Zugzwang]

See the kind of light fiction I usually irrationally like is the kind in which characters, by being smart and creative, enact world-shaking change. See: Legend of the Galactic Heroes, First Law trilogy, Worm, Watchmen, etc.

This may explain my academic focus on 19th century military history.

I figure now is a good time to get out of my utitarian apotheosis-complex comfort zone and play someone who has temporarily stopped giving a shit.

[Vahir]

@Sir Blackletter@HaleyTheRandom

I summon you two!

[Roleplayer001]

Question Lore Wise:

Did the universe create the gods or the gods create the universe?

[Vahir]

Question Lore Wise:

Did the universe create the gods or the gods create the universe?

@RabidAnubis

The gods created the world, and then disagreed violently about what to do with it.

Unless you're asking where the gods came from. In that case, that's too deep a question for my simple soul.

[Roleplayer001]

Microsoft edge crashed. Retyping.

[Roleplayer001]

Burnell Guildamars

Age: 47
Human (Faucher)
Station: Former Sergeant of the Guard, now gambler.

Powers

"Blessed" by Morcar, Burnell isn't sure weather or not he enjoys or hates his powers.

Sensory Insanity
Burnell has the power to manipulate very large groups of sentient peoples sensory experiences, allowing him to effectively create extremely realistic illusions. Unfortunately, it doesn't work on animals or the mentally unstable, usually making them aggressive towards Burnell. Additionally, it takes great effort to cast it individually, making guard dogs very, very annoying.

Deep Pockets
Guildamars also has the power to store a virutlally infinite amount of items in his pockets. The more items to put in, the harder they become to 'find'. However, the more pockets he has the more 'entrances' he has to his pocket realm. Right now, it takes him between three and ten seconds to draw any item, depending on what he is looking for. The only downside is he can't use any pockets normally, making pickpocketing just another way to enter his own inventory.

Probability
Guildamars is able to manipulate luck, although changing it requires some luck, forethought, and preperation. Without proper care, Burnell has realized he can get very, very sick for trying to change the luck in a gambling match, much less a battle. With proper care, he has stood in front of a shower of arrows and not get hit. Additionally, he is capable somewhat of detecting the probabilty of success in a proposed plan of action, although not the outcome.

Mireille Aigle
Not the princess sort of pretty, she is extremely attractive but still approachable. Old enough to be considered but young enough to be in her prime, she appears to be about twenty. With a few freckles and some cuteness, she knows how to exploit the hearts of men and understands how others view her. A master of stealth and cleverness, she is capable of transforming into a bluebird and gathering information from above. The only appearance of this in human form are strands of blue hair mixed blended into her black mane. Bound to Burnell's soul, she always knows his location and therefore is able to tease him eternally.

Description

Following the 195 pounds of muscle moving Burnell's 5'10'' frame is a thick black cloak trimmed in blue. While a bit taller than average, Burnell remains approachable in both conversationally and visually. First approaching him one would notice the absurd amound of pouches this man has, possibly taking him for a peddler. His belt is completely lined in them, and fine needlework reveals they won't be going anywhere soon. The inside of his cloak has some very long ones, and his pants have probably fifteen pockets total.

Subtle laugh lines would next draw one's eyes to his lightly tanned skin worn from travels and cheerful green eyes and curly brown hair. A conversation quickly reveals that while this man won't force his knowledge on you, he is more than willing to deliver more than you ever asked for. Burnell's slight frown at his companion's teasing is an obvious lie, and he secretly enjoys the comfort and companionship that such casual conversation reinforces.

If meeting him in the tavern, he seems to be a daredevil, willing to make ridiculous bets. If on the road, he travels more cautiously than most, reinforcing that no amount of money is worth one's joy.

Biography

Blessed by a god that loves trickery and cleverness, and despises authority and tyranny, Guildamars would be a beacon of freedom for the oppressed if he made any claim for it.

Childhood
Son of an adventuring couple, Guildamars grew up on the streets of the majestic city of Villeroi. With some depotism, he was allowed to act as he beating pole for many a noble child. While not on the path of knighthood, Burnell managed to see many different attitudes reguarding combat. In his early adolecence he trained with the city guard, and joined when he turned fifteen.

The new guard was enthusiastic about upholding the king's justice. When not patrolling the streets or looking over the walls, Guildamars could be found at a tavern with his co-workers enjoying some ale and spending a constant trickle of funds on card games with both friends and strangers. However, no woman managed to capture his heart and Burnell was enthusiastic about his work, always looking to take on extra hours and do more than his fair share to keep the streets safe. His hard work was noted and the nineteen year old was promoted to sergeant.

Evidence
A few years passed with the usual workflow, although eventually Burnell was assigned to a rather high end case. Knowing of his loyalty to the crown, the Captain of the Guard assigned Burnell to personally investigate the robbery of a chailice owned by the crown. They suggested that he start his investigation with a noblewoman only three years younger than himself. He searched for weeks, looking for anything that could be used to damn the woman. Overtime began to stress the young man out as he was unable to find any sort of evidence that could be used to convict her.

Eventually the Captain pulled the Sergeant into the closet and heavily implied that there certainly was evidence. Burnell discovered the real reason for her investigation was due to the noblelady's activities with the princess. While legal due to a recent king's reign, such activities were considered taboo. The nobleladies activities were an embarressment among the nobility and the crown was being mocked. Disgusted and seeking to uphold the justice the king sought, the sergeant delivered damning evidence to the courthouses. The fabricated evidence resulted in a guilty sentence for the noblewoman.

The nineteen year old girl watched his green eyes as the sergeant drove the spear into the noble's heart. The King smiled. The crowd cheered. The girl anguished. The Gods watched.

Cursed
Two years passed as Guildamars did more questionable work. The sergeant grew closer to the king. Riches were involved. The king's justice was upheld.

Morcar noticed the lack of guilt in the young man. What the king called neccessary evil is what the god defined as authoritarian tyranny.

A knock on the door revealed the noblewoman on his doorstep, smiling innocently at him. The only change was small strands of blue hair, but her eyes were the same. Terrified, he stabbed her again, and hid the body. A week passed, and she arrived once more. He forcibly tore off her clothes, and noticed the stab was gone. He stabbed her again, blood spraying while she screamed.

He started to see her on the streets, on top of roofs, purchasing from the same merchant in the market, cooking his food. More stabbing. His work slowly crumbled as he couldn't sleep. It took him three months to admit to himself that he was guilty, and that the tyranny of the king was unjust. The sergeant resigned his position and left the city, and the absolute monarch was not overly pleased with that.

Travels
While turning around, Burnell could still see the girl trailing him. After a week of silence, the former sergeant finally spun around and begged for forgiveness, offering his life as penance for his crimes. The girl looked at him confused, not understanding. The two began to travel together, and overtime he realized his powers and the source of them.

Many small adventures, frequent visits to taverns for gambling, and the pair's assistance in small rebellions against tyrinical lords later, Burnell still wonders if this unaging girl knew what he did to her, and how many of those stabs were simply illusions from Morcar.

Currently
With the world crumbling around him, Morcar knows it is his duty to help keep as many people free from the demon's wrath as possible, even if that means turning to a lesser evil. Seeking to aid others, Burnell walks. He doesn't know his part, his role in the story of these troubled times, but only that he seeks to aid those he can.

Relations

Faucher: Having quit his job, the king has a small goal of keeping Burnell quiet and his kingdom in one piece. Recently with the demon invasion and all that, the king has more important matters to attend to.

[Zugzwang]

How advanced is chemistry in this world? I want my fellow to have a certain power, but it only really makes sense if chemistry exists.

[Vahir]

@RabidAnubis

Seems good to me, you're in! Post in the characters tab whenever.

How advanced is chemistry in this world? I want my fellow to have a certain power, but it only really makes sense if chemistry exists.

@Zugzwang

There's only basic chemistry, alchemy and such. They don't have the kind of instruments to advance the field beyond what you'd see in the 17th century.

If that limits you, PM me what you had in mind, maybe I'll like it.

[Roleplayer001]

@Vahir thanks! Will copy paste when I get home!

[Zugzwang]

Now that I think on it, what is the standard technology level? Is there a rough date in our real world I can look to for guidance? I can't find anything specific in the overview, maybe I am just being an idiot.

[Roleplayer001]

@Zugzwang Based on the picture of the demon, I'd say that early 15th century is probably a safe bet. I'm just assuming 'standard medieval European fantasy tech'.