Frengo

Darkness and Light

Sorry, can I just get a roll call of all who are still with us?

@White Feather

Still here, although I did almost forget all about this haha. Ready when you all are.

@Frengo

I did steal the description of the sword of Celakor from your old king in case you are not okay with that. Well, I did change a few proper nouns.

@Cultural Titan

Noun away, buddy, and help yourself - I'm not some egotistical maniac who walks around copyrighting everything I write.

Darkness and Light

Kalar Splint

Name: Kalar Splint

Kalar Splint, Chief Ranger of Galuntrung Keep.

Age: 47
Gender: Male
Race: Human
Side: Light, Chief Ranger of Galuntrung Keep
Weapons(s): Yew longbow, two steel short swords.
Abilities/Powers: N/A
Talent(s): Expert marksman, skilled hunter, renowned survivalist.
Personality: Serious, calm, utilitarian.
Biography: Kalar Splint's tale is known from the bowels of Redoak Forest to the Iron Coast; his explots an exercise in shadow and death.

He leads the famed Rangers of Galuntrung Keep, a paramilitary force in service to the Kingdom but self-funded and autonomous. No one is exactly sure how many of these rangers exist, but it is said that once you've seen one, you've missed a hundred, and it's far too late to escape their intended plans for you.

Kalar founded the rangers twenty years ago, after his wife and two daughters were murdered at the roadside by a group of raiding bandits. Heart broken, Kalar lost himself to insanity and bloodlust, spending three whole years tracking down those who wronged him. That story came to a close in some open glade amidst Shadowsong's Rest, and many bad men met their end against a warrior that switched from shadow to shadow as if by magic.

Since then, he has quested after bands of criminals, slaying them one by one and gaining much fame amongst the local populace. Scores joined him, inspired by his heroics, and eventually he commanded a sizable force of forest fighters that knew few equals.

Today, Kalar is dedicated to keeping the roads safe from the intrusions of wars, and does his best to ensure the security of the Kingdom's outlying villages. From the safety of his forested enclave of Galuntrung Keep, he ambushes and routs any force stupid enough to carelessly wander through his sphere of activity.

However, it is but a matter of time before he, like many like him, is called to fight a larger battle the likes not seen in generations.

Extras: Want to travel the Kingdom's outer areas with a company of rangers? Sign up here.

Darkness and Light

@Frengo

What? Why should you go? I get it if you lack confidence to play the king, but there's currently no reason I know of for you to just leave.

As a side note since you are playing the ranger I incorporated Galungtrung keep into Raven's slightly upgraded bio and you may want to get back to me if you have any problems with that.

@Cultural Titan

Then I wont; Kalar Splint is back in the game.

Having read your bio, I can't see a problem with it. The keep is just a ruin that Kalar uses as a staging post to mount his excursions against bandits and the like.

However, I imagine Kalar may have had a run in with Raven at some point, given the woods' close proximity. Perhaps not outright combat, but more of chance encounters that mainly concern Kalar and his men running from Raven on the occasions that he has appeared. Probably lost a few good men that way.

Maybe have it that Kalar has identified "safer" routes through the forest, that Raven seems to frequent less than other areas, allowing him to travel through it with "reduced risk".

Maybe Raven leaves him be, because deep down he identifies with Kalar's eternal mission of revenge?

I'll get my sheet up in the OOC anyways, and if needs be we can discuss things further. I can't see any problems arising, no matter what we agree on.

Darkness and Light

Hey guys, I've been keeping an eye on this and watching things develop.

Unfortunately, I've lost the confidence in myself when it comes to playing the King. He's a big part on the chessboard (duh?), and I just don't think I'll have the time to effectively play him.

My fault :/ I got brave and stupid by volunteering, but I thought it'd be best if I copped out now rather than 2 posts into the thing!

If I could, I'd like to take up my ranger instead as his role in the overall story wont be nearly as big, but I'll understand if you'd rather I just leave outright.

Thanks :)

Darkness and Light

Seems maybe a bit smaller than I was thinking. Though what are my impressions hat they can determine the size of a fictional and previously nondescript country. No white woods though. Little disappointed about that.

@Cultural Titan

I need to go through everyone's character sheets and add/rename locations that they may have mentioned, this is more of a concept art type deal... although graphically, it's as bout as good as it's going to get.

I plan for the size of the Kingdom to be about 600x600 miles, with a population of a few million.

Darkness and Light

Okay, here's the map I promised. If anyone can do better, and they probably can, then by all means have a shot yourselves.

Edit: I've only included major cities and 1 major fortress; smaller settlements have been left for the players' imaginations.

Darkness and Light

I have another proposal for the King/Queen thing.

I could write my character to be a young Princess from another kingdom that married into Celakor Royalty through Oliver. Oliver's mother would still exist, but she wouldn't be recognised as the official Queen anymore. At least that way we can still have the Prince and Princesses be related to Oliver even though they aren't his children; and I don't have to marry my son.

@Leslie Hall

I can attack the whole subject from another angle if needs be; a reluctant Crown Prince thrust into the running of the Kingdom by the assassination of his brother, the King (by the Dark Lord, no less?). That way I could place him at any age, and the Queen can have all the non-incestuous babies she could ever want.

But we'll wait for the commander-in-chief's thoughts on the subject.

If anyone else wants a crack at this whole king thing, then be my guest! I'm just trying to be helpful, but that in no way means I am the best for the job. Judge me as you see fit :D

Anywhos, I've gotta run, wont be around for a few hours so I'll check back then and see what's what.

Later gators.

Darkness and Light

@Leslie Hall

You don't understand. The current king as written is the son of the last king right? So if the princes are the children of the current queen and the old king... then your character married their own son.

@Frengo

The grammar corrections are not intend as a slight. Just to try and be helpful. You will probably find my own grammar quite terrible in time.

The sword being able to cut through enchanted armor is important for one particular reason. The Dark lord has super enchanted armor. I have no problem with its level of power myself and in fact its existence should be quite a useful tool in creating conflicts.

@Cultural Titan

Wasn't taken as a slight! Sorry if it came across that way - ah the perils of trying not to express emotions through the medium of text :P

Well, every fantasy setting needs a magical sword... you can't do without one! It's okay though, I don't intend for the King to go on a Dark Lord slaying mission. Alternatively, I would urge any writer that has his/her character gain access to it, not to ruin the story by going on some kind of OP killing spree.

Edit: On the whole marrying thing though - that's a bloomin' good point there ole chap. Well there's a spanner in the works if I ever saw one.

But hey, let's see what the guy in charge has to say. I am carrying 80% of the lore here, and I'd rather he or she stepped in to either smack me down or raise me up before we start casting the plot in iron.

Darkness and Light

@Frengo

Sounds like getting that sword out of the hands of the king will be important to both sides, to the light to get it in the hands of a more competent swordsman and the dark to keep it from cutting into our dark lord.

Divine Empathy makes it very hard for anyone to get away with self serving actions without previous kings having encouraged such behavior. Or Do I misunderstand the power? Also in that paragraph you spell the last name as oakenshielf, thought you might want to touch that up

And yeah they have at least three kids as described in the first post. You may need him to be a tad older... a lot older to accommodate children old enough for combat. Though don't take it up with me probably best to take it up with White Feather sometime later.

@Cultural Titan

First of all, it's a draft that needs a bit of fattening up and a bit of correcting, so do forgive the odd inconsistency or grammar mistake - I'm going through it as we speak.

Point one, regarding the sword - Yes, I'll give it a more of a history as soon as I've got a moment, but basically it's going to be ancient sword brought over by Ferof Oakenshield a few generations ago (that'll be a story in itself if I ever get the time!), that was crafted by Elfkind to destroy fallen demi-Gods. Either side that possesses it will be in an advantage only when it comes to slaying powerful creatures - it will not single handily fell armies.

Point two, the whole point of the Kingdom's fall is basically that the Kings and Queens have (not always) allowed things to become this bad - perhaps not through bad intent, but through bad management. Also, I imagine a magic user (I assumed this RP would have them from what I have gathered from the intro post) might be able to shield themselves, or others, from it to hide their actions. Therefore a spell like Divine Empathy is fatally flawed if A) the user doesn't really care for someone's motives so long as it serves them, or B) the person they are trying to read spins them a lie through magical means.

Point three, like I say, if the king needs to be older then I'll make it so. I just thought a step-brother/uncle as the Crown Prince might make things interesting, especially if they were after the throne themselves - or even if not, their loyalty would certainly be put to the test if the King continued to ignore their council.

What if the Prince and princesses were the children of my queen and the old king?

@Leslie Hall

That'd work, if you're happy with such an idea. That'd also create some wonderful tension between the King, the Queen's children, and the Queen.

Would be one ugly hate triangle.

Darkness and Light

I'm loving it. Will write up a queen when I get home.

@Leslie Hall

Awesome! I look forward to getting this thing knitted together.

@Frengo

Uhh they do have kids... The position calls for about 3-4 of them...

@Avanhelsing

Yes, you're quite right.

Well we can resolve this in two ways. Either I rewrite things to state that the King and Queen do indeed have children (although they'd be young, if we stick with the whole "young and incompetent idea"), or that the Crown Prince is either his uncle or step brother, and the children are theirs.

I'm happy with either - whatever you guys want really, I'm just here to write and don't mind adjusting things. I kinda went with where my hands typed me...