CollectorOfMyst — Roleplayer Guild

Resource; piratepad.net/PG869V7Ldq

The Gladiators of Arlen

It was a quiet night, in the castle. Even the servants who were on night-duty were in bed. Leaving only the night guard…
A scream rang out, breaking the silence. Clashing steel. And death. In the courtyard, two horses had been saddled. A man sat on the back of one. A boy on the back of the other.
“Endar!” a woman screamed. “Take Mari and go!”
“I can’t leave you!” the young boy replied as a small babe was forced into his arms. “They’ll kill you! We can stay, we can fight--!”
“No!” she yelled. “Please, just go! No matter whether I live or die, Mari must survive!”
“Your Majesty!” the knight exclaimed. “You can come with us! You are the Queen!”
“No, Sir Sharn. I cannot. They will know me, and then they will know you… Endar, your face will change, in the years to come. Mari will turn from a newborn child into a girl. Both of you will be safe. Leave through the Western Gate – they likely have no knowledge of it.”
And then she ran, back into the palace…
From the Western Gate, concealed from all, rode two horses. A man sat on the back of one. A boy on the back of the other, a small babe in his arms.

Welcome to the Five Realms, or Areth. A world where combat in the arena earns gladiators fame and glory, in this most sought-after sport. The Realms are in an age of peace, minus that blight ten years ago, but no war has occurred in a hundred years. This peace has let warriors of all shapes and sizes hone their skills for glory and riches in arenas across Areth. The arenas are at the center of it all: money, power, influence, respect. The greatest among the gladiators sit beside warlords, sultans, emperors and kings. They revel in their eternal chances for battle, protected by the ancient runes that restore them to life unfailingly. They challenge other heroes, and beastly monsters, all for the crowd, and the influence they gain.
In the Eastern country of Oriens, in a coastal town by the name of Risha, a tournament is on the horizon, to celebrate the crowning of a new king of Arlen, King Ulfrur, warlord of Noctis. The tournament is small, and humble, but gladiators have to start somewhere. Nobility from all over have their eyes on these events, searching for talent that they can sponsor, and then profit from when their champions move on to grander events. But you are not among this talent. At least, not yet. For whatever reasons, you have yet to find a team that will take you. Perhaps you were thought to be too young to have enough experience, or too old to retain your skills. Too untrustworthy to welcome into the ranks. Or too bestial to be loved by the crowd. And as time goes by and the tournament draws closer, you may miss this chance to make your name known.
But your opportunity comes when a young man with the gold and the wish for a team makes himself known. He is untested, but has been granted entry. Nobody knows where he came from. Nobody so far has joined him, with barely days until the start of the events. But for you… it’s your way in. Your chance. Whatever your motivations could be…

Hi, there! The name’s Collector, or Myst, whichever you prefer. Welcome to The Gladiators of Arlen. I’ve been wanting to start an RP for a while, and now I’m going for it. I’ve combined my own story with the basic concept of an RP which recently died. You might have been part of it – The Gladiators of House Valens. The GM, Estella, stopped posting unexpectedly. The basic plot is; we’ll play as a ragtag team of gladiators that want to make their marks in the arena, whether it be for influence, power, money, or fame, that’s for your character to decide. We start in Risha, where you will meet with the Exiled Prince, Endar. He’s looking to reclaim the throne of his half-sister, Mari. Eventually we will travel far, through each of the Five Realms, through many regions, fighting all manner of men and beasts. As we go we’ll get caught up in intrigues outside of the battlegrounds, with higher stakes as we become more widely known, and get closer to Arlen.

Now, onto everything you'll need to know!

World

Realms

Oriens, Realm of Sea:

Capital: Verum

The land of the east is known for being the only truly non-landlocked realm, and for its gently rolling hills and fair weather. The bustling towns and cities cannot boast the wealth of Arlen or Ashar, but they are unrivalled in their culture. Roads and highways are well-maintained, and connect all of their cities. The people feast on a bountiful harvest many a year. And, despite the best efforts of their enemies in times past, they have been as unbreakable as the mountain.

As a people, they tend to be cunning, and often seek victory at any cost. The nobility, governors and politicians squabble constantly, often ending in blood spilled in the arenas. Through their champions’ glory, comes the love of the people, and with it power and influence. This infighting is the only true threat of the Realm’s stability, but thus far its king holds an iron grip.

Ashar, Realm of Sands

Capital: Arbor

Ashar, in terms of landmass, is the largest of the Realms, but much of it is made up of uninhabitable desert. You can find their cities built around the few oases and rivers that, though few in number, can be found all across the sands. It is this that provides them with life, but their wealth comes from their mines – the majority of Areth’s precious stones and metals come from Ashar, granting them much wealth. The people are expert traders and travellers, and their Sultan endeavours to improve Ashar by the end of his generation.

Their arenas tend to be larger spectacles than anywhere else in the world, given that they honour death as much as they honour life. Their gladiators consider their profession an art, and if they swear allegiance to any one Sheikh, then you can be assured that they will keep it until they die forevermore.

Tyren, Realm of Snow

Capital: Fjall

Gladiators are among the only foreigners that the Tyreni allow to pass among them, for their skill and strength. Their reasoning; they encourage that others might test themselves against the mightiest of warriors, and value strength above all. It is the only way to truly earn their respect. But they will not allow those who might bring invasions with them – their chieftains war among themselves often enough.

They were once a united people, but are now a fractured shell of who they once were. They occupy the wintry forests and mountains of the north, and their dreams of conquest have long faded. However, they are still proud warriors, to every last man and woman. They have to be – the Tyreni commonly war among themselves. Though it goes unnoticed by the rest of the world, it is deadly all the same to those involved.

Noctis, Realm of Shadow:

Capital: Letum

Noctis is known as the Realm of Shadow due to the large forests that cover the majority of its land, the ancient trees blotting out all light. This leads to many dangers that the Nocti must counter – getting lost, bandits, monsters and worse. But it is also their greatest defence. Their cities, deep within the trees, are protected by magical domes, and one may only enter with the assistance of a Guide, or by someone on the other side.

There is a reason that the arenas are so prevalent in Noctis, different to those outside the Realm of Shadow; The Dauoa Cult. The prime belief in Noctis, they worship the Mistress of Death. And what better way to honour Death, than by going through it again and again within the arena?

Arlen, Realm of Sky:

Capital: Ancora

Arlen is surrounded on all sides by mountains, and has long been thought of as the center of Areth… partly because it is, each of the other four Realms on its eastern, southern, northern or western borders. But also because it has been the loudest voice in speaking for peace, and for being Areth’s leading knowledge on the ways of war and magic. A strange duo.

For Arlen, gladiatorial combat is sacred. Not in the ways of the other realms, but because they hold it as the true way to resolve conflicts when words cannot suffice. Their value of the honour of the arena is almost unmatched, but in recent years, something has changed…

Races

Humans:
The predominant race in Areth, you will mostly see them in favour of any other of Areth’s sentient races, having spread across its entirety. They come in a great variety of appearances, depending on where they and their ancestors were born. The majority of humans look down on the ‘Beasts’, given that their ways of living are seen as uncivilised and savagery.

Humans, in all, are impossible to confine into a single idea, but they’re an adaptable and varied race, given that they have spread from the frigid north to the burning south, and the lowest valleys to the highest mountains. They also tend to see themselves as better than all other races, and have been in power for thousands of years.

Elves (Locked):

Remembered as a strange, beautiful, and graceful people, the elves disappeared from Areth long ago. They left behind only their tall green towers, made from a material lost long before our time. They tended to be taller and thinner than humans, with greater speed and dexterity, and were distinguishable from humans by their slanted eyes and pointed ears. They also tended to have a higher potential for magic than humans.
-Elfbloods;

The descendants of the rare half-elves, born from a union of elf and human. The only outward evidence of their lineage lies in their pointed ears. They are few and far between, but still carry a little of the magic power of the elves within them.

Infernals, or Hellspawn (Locked):

Creatures that were well known for their power to alter time and fate, they disappeared from Areth long ago. Their origins are unknown, as is their fate. The only evidence of their existence is a fortress with silver spires, which is devoid of all life, but contained much knowledge within. They often possessed multiple limbs, bestial features, and skin that was unnatural in its colour. They also had strength beyond the capabilities of mortal men.
-Hellbloods;

The descendants of the Infernals and humans, they still have the skin and horns that their forefathers bore, though human in all else. Though their hellish magic is far gone, the Hellbloods still have a modicum of their strength. Which is why they are often slaves.

The Beast Races

These ‘beasts’ are remnants of another time, when no humans, elves, or infernals roamed Areth. But still they live upon its earth, and eat of its food, despite their supposed inferiority, which is why they have such a name. Humans use it to categorise them when they come across something they cannot understand. It happens more often than you might think.

The arenas are one of the few places in Areth where they might be accepted by society. But they are still lesser, no more than beasts of war to be thrown at the enemy as a spectacle, for their team to benefit from.

Below is a brief description of the more well-known beast races, along with the realm they are most often seen in.

Oriens:
Dryads (locked): Elusive creatures of the woods, dryads speak not with a voice, but with their minds. Long thought to be friends and neighbours to the elves, they are now hostile to any who dare enter their territory.
Minotaurs: Rare, but incredibly dangerous. Minotaurs typically wander alone, but some attempt to cage them for the arena. As dangerous to their own side as the enemy. They are most often found dwelling in caves close to the sea.

Ashar:
Golems (Locked): Ancient constructs of stone, often found in tombs and temples, to be awoken by a spell or an unwary intruder. They have no voice or will of their own, but, when controlled by a mage, are unstoppable machines of war.
Jackals: Shaped like men, but with blackened skin and canine heads, Jackals are beings capable of insidious magic. Once thought to be harbingers of death, with their profile and spells, they are still feared in Ashar.
Nagas: Enormous snakes with humanoid torsos, Nagas were the last of the Beast races to arrive in the Five Realms before the creation of the Heart Tree. Once living and thriving in all but the coldest and darkest environments, a booming skin trade found the nagas hunted almost to extinction for their valuable skins. While the trade has been outlawed, poaching is still common and has reduced their numbers to loners and small family groups roving the deserts of Ashar. Magical prowess varies among Nagas from none at all to moderate power - though little to none is most common.

Tyren:
Hobgoblins: An isolationist race that keeps to themselves on the border between Arlen and Tyren. Distrustful and wary of all magic, which they believe transformed them from humans into what they now are. Honour is their most valued attribute.
Yeti: Tall, fur-covered creatures with glowing eyes that wander the northern forests. They are slow, but incredibly strong. They can be surprisingly compassionate when not threatened, but that does not mean you ought to underestimate them.

Noctis:
Undead: The mages of Noctis may occasionally etch runes into the bones of the dead, magic reanimating them and snatching the soul back from the Afterworld. It is most often done with slaves, servants and arena combatants, but an honoured loved one is also on occasion brought back. They cannot speak, but have none of the drawbacks of being alive – hunger, tiredness, etc. They are not uncommon in the Realm of Shadow, but elsewhere are typically destroyed on sight.
Shades: Shades are incredibly rare, due to the process in which they are created. A mage or priest must etch the runes of reanimation into their flesh, without fault of failure. Then, they cast the spell and kill themselves by self-immolation. Left behind is a powerful, ash-like creature, with the free will of any other being, but otherwise is dead. Any imperfections in the rite will sunder their bones forever.

Arlen:
Harpies: Predominantly female, a people whom have wings sprouting from their shoulders. A myth that surrounds them is that they drink poison in proxy to water or wine – but they are just naturally gifted with it, and immune to its effects. They are also gifted with incredible speed, but are vulnerable to magical attacks since they have little of their own.
Centaurs:Proud warriors, predominantly male, who move in groups across the plateau, they will occasionally trade with the outlying villages, and are rarely seen in towns or cities. Some are also born with the gift of prophecy, leading many humans to seek them and their sanctuaries out.
(Note – given their outcast natures and gender ratios, many harpies and centaurs become life-mates. Strangely, it does not produce halflings, but full-blooded children of either race, leading some to believe that they possessed a common ancestor.)

Magic, Faith and Alignment

Magic is a wide field, and as such, only a few places in the world have more than one practice. However, there are categories that assist in identifying the masses.

Spellweavers: Children of any race, born with an innate pool of magic. It manifests through magical interaction, known as a ‘trigger’, and can apply to any race. They tend to be more powerful than the average mage, but also have less control over their powers.

Ancient Magic: The main magical art. No matter your race or origin, many have the potential within them for magic, and all carry a spark. It comes in many forms, and even today’s mages are discovering new principles and spells. Most of them can only master a single principle, however, though each principle has benevolent and harmful spells.

Runic Magic: The art of using runes is a dangerous one, given its high potential of failure, and so few are permitted to learn it. However, once engraved into any surface, the spell will endure for many centuries, needing only a spark of magic to activate. (Note – possessing a rune-item, be it a weapon or possession, is unlikely this early in the game. If your character possesses one, they ought to be extremely wealthy, had it in their families for generations, or stolen it from someone who fills any of these three criteria.)

While there are many beliefs in Areth, there are three primary ones. These are briefly detailed below.

Ibisina/Quillads: The belief most humans follow, of The Mother, Ibis, and the Father, Quill. Ibis teaches unity, wisdom, and love, while Quill teaches protection, truth and justice. While individual branches of this faith often differ, these things will always hold true. Another fact of this faith is that they believe that this pair led all citizens of Areth across the sea from a cursed land, and gifted it to them.

Eleska, Spirit of the Heart Tree: Within Areth, there is a tree rumoured to grow deep underground that gives life to the Realms, and should it die, Areth will fall with it. And is Eleska that the beast races attribute all life to. Eleska is known only as the Beast that used their lifeforce to create the Heart Tree, and thus, saved all Areth from ruin – only their name, and their spirit remains. While no human has ever seen it and lived, it is said that all of Beast-born blood innately are drawn to it. It may just be a closely-guarded secret. Only Shades are barred from knowing the Tree, as they are not truly born, but made, though the Undead are given pity.

The Dauoa Cult: Though outsiders generally look down upon it, they cannot deny that it keeps order in Noctis where there would be anarchy. The Mistress’ belief is also not as dark as it seems; every ten years, due to the atmosphere above the realm, Noctis’ sun turns blue. During this time, the priests lead a festival, and temporarily summon the spirits of those who have left this world. Arena tournaments are doubled during this time, and solace is brought to many who have lost loved ones.

Alignment:

A touchy subject. While Humans have their names to derogate Beasts, beasts have their Alignments. Part of their Eleskan belief, they believe all are born with an affinity to a single element – Fire, Water, Earth, Air, Thunder, Darkness, or Light. There is no pattern, and it seemingly has no effect on the lives of those who possess them. Another gift that the harpies and centaurs possess, is being able to see the Alignments. They call those who are born with Light or Darkness Celestials, and those with the others Bloodlings. Celestials are incredibly rare, and the Beasts begin to wonder if they are gone forever.
(This is really just me wanting to know what people like. In case you haven’t noticed, I like fantastical stuff and this links in. It will have no effect on the story; however, both Light and Dark are locked.)

Rules

I’d hope that I’m a good person, so I’ll keep these short. If anyone has concerns or would like to speak to me, I’m available in PMs or in the OOC.

In terms of post length and rates, I don’t really care for strict limits or such – just have a sense of reasonability. Give a good amount of detail where you feel it’s needed, talk about and with other characters, and maybe even have something others can play off. And given the history of this rps origin… if you anticipate maybe not being able to get back for a while, please let us know. I want us to be in a relaxed environment, but I’d rather not be worrying about someone coming back or not.

Second, nothing lewd. I get that for some people it could be a good part of their character, and I don’t mind that. However, I’d rather that it isn’t blatantly there for all to see. If you want to do something like that, there are other ways for it to be done.

Third, regarding characters/character posts. If something is marked as locked, then unless I give express permission, your character will not be accepted with it. If it isn’t marked as locked, you can assume not. I do want a good level of grammar and spelling, but I don’t mind going through things if people want me to. It’s more for my perfectionism, but please, do consider.

Other than that, follow basic rules of decency – respect each other, and be willing to lose. We’ll have more character development than if we had success after success. So I don’t want incredibly strong characters with no weaknesses, or those who are unwilling to let their characters lose.

Character Sheet

This is the character sheet I stole from the Valens RP. I’m no good at making them, I’ve found, so I’m using a modified version of that one. The top image is preferred, but not required. Anything in brackets (<- These are brackets, or parantheses for you Americans ->) ought to be deleted as you go, to keep it tidy.

Feel free to mess about, especially if you’re not looking for a gladiator character (I never said you had to be one, did I? ) As long as the main info gets filled out, I don’t truly mind what you do with it.

The final note – if you wish to make a beast character, please note that I can only allow a small number. I’m sure a few people are wanting to play them, and admittedly I’m hoping for it. However, given the larger opinion of them, it would make things substantially harder, and though when it comes to the more political parts of the story, it would make an interesting struggle, a mostly-beast team would unfortunately not make it that far in this world of mine.

Here’s the sheet code, though. Enjoy?

[hider=Character Name]
[center][img]Character Image[/img]

[center][h2][i][color=EXAMPLE]Character Name[/color][/i][/h2]

[color=EXAMPLE][i]”Something your character would say.”[/i][/color][/center]

[center][h3][i][color=EXAMPLE]Profile[/color][/i][/h3][/center]
[b]Full Name:[/b]
[b]Titles/Nicknames:[/b](Optional)
[b]Age:[/b]
[b]Race:[/b]
[b]Gender:[/b]
[b]Sexual Orientation:[/b] (Optional, you can ignore this if you want.)

Hair Color:
Eye Color:
Height:
Weight:

[b]Appearance:[/b] (A paragraph or two describing your character’s appearance, including what they wear, how they carry themselves, and anything else you feel like.)

[b]Personality:[/b] (Explain how they view themselves and how other people view them. What is their motivation? What are the strengths and weaknesses in their personality? What strange little quirks do they have, if any? And what are they afraid of? Etc.)

[center][h3][i][color=EXAMPLE]Combat[/color][/i][/h3][/center]

(Rate your character's attributes on a scale of 1-10, where a 5 represents the average arena combatant.)

[b]Strength:[/b] (Ability to win with brute force.)
[b]Dexterity:[/b] (Hand-eye coordination, precision, reflexes, agility, and speed.)
[b]Intelligence:[/b] (Understanding of the flow of battle, ability to keep track of everything happening around you.)
[b]Cunning:[/b] (Skill at deception, trickery, and fighting dirty.)
[b]Magic:[/b] (Overall magical power. Non-mages should leave this as a 1.)
[b]Willpower:[/b] (Ability to resist magic that affects the mind, and determination.)
[b]Endurance:[/b] (Pain tolerance, and overall physical toughness.)
[b]Charisma:[/b] (Charm, ability to play for the crowd, presence on the battlefield, leadership skills.)

[b]Weapons of Choice:[/b] (Briefly detail the weapons your character brings with them into the arena.)

[b]Armor/Combat Apparel:[/b] (What does your character wear into the arena? The crowd generally looks down on full-coverage or high-quality armor – they came for blood. And possessing the heart of the crowd can be win or lose.)

[b]Fighting Style:[/b] (A paragraph detailing how your character will contribute in fights. Will you dive for the enemy's back line? Keep your distance and fight at range? Stand strong and defend allies? Cast debilitating spells? What are their strengths and weaknesses?)

[b]Magical Affinity:[/b](If a mage, what type of magic do you use? Only one ‘discipline’ is allowed. Give a brief explanation.)
[list][*][i]Spell 1[/i] – Magic-using characters must have a minimum of one and a maximum of three spells to begin with. Name and explain each spell and their effects. More may be added as the story goes on.
[/list]

[center][h3][i][color=EXAMPLE]Legacy[/color][/i][/h3][/center]
[b]Place of Birth:[/b] (Where in the world were you born?)
[b]Social Status:[/b](Who are you? Criminal? Exile? Noble? Soldier?)
[b]Alignment:[/b](Which of the elements resonates with you most?)

[b]History:[/b](Detail the life of your character in a few paragraphs. You can keep some parts of it secret if you want to, but anything major must be checked with me in pms first. Whatever part of the world your character comes from is yours to build, should you choose, or ask me questions and I could give it a shot. And be sure to give an account of how they ended up in our start point of Risha, and why they are compelled to get involved with the arena.)

Other: Anything else you feel you might want to add.
[/hider]

And, last but not least…
Welcome, to the Gladiators of Arlen
CollectorOfMyst Member

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