I decided to create it in the Tabletop forum. The OOC is here. Please feel free to ask me any questions.
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NOTE: This RP uses the 3.5 version of D&D rules.
NOTE 2: I am pretty much a newbie when it comes to D&D. So please forgive any cardinal sins or errors, but don’t forget to enlighten me.
NOTE 3: The discord link for this RP is up.
“Hear ye, hear ye! By order of the High King Paitr III, by order of the Lord of Dwarves Brughen Thunderwalker, and by order of Queen Etheniel Silverblood of the elves. All able-bodied men and women, dwarves and elves, soldiers and druids, wizards and clerics, paladins and barbarians and all others willing and able are hereby called to rally to the Golden Banner. Pardons for past crimes will be granted to the volunteers. Rewards will be heaped upon those that faithfully carry out the wishes of the Concordat. Glory awaits those that will answer this call and rally to High Lord Mithir Halfelven in the town of Lelmenore. Rally to the Sun Throne!”
Towncriers and heralds have been shouting pretty much the same thing for a month now. Blacksmith and farriers were ordered to pass on the same message to their adventuring customers. Innkeepers were asked to spread the Call. Soon, it was on everyone’s minds. The Concordat was planning something big. Perhaps a last stand in the bloodied plains of Kazad. For the first time in recorded history, elf, dwarf and human will charge side-by-side against the armies of the night.
There was no dearth of volunteers. Men and women of many races flocked to the Golden Banner. The once-quiet town of Lelmenore was turned into a garrisoned war camp. And it was overflowing with eager and brave souls who wanted to challenge the might of the Dark. But nothing they have done so far has even stemmed the flow of blood. The hordes of the Nemesis keep coming from the deserts beyond the Erinin no matter how many we killed.
But the arrival of High Lord Mithir Halfelven has changed all that and instilled fresh hope. With him came ten contingents of elf archers, gleaming and proud. And many more druids and wizards. But more than archers and mages, the biggest gift the Elf lord could give the camp was hope. Hope in the form of an oracle.
“And when nightmares scourge the world of men, the seven shards will be reforged. The seven shall ride again. All that was, and all that will be, balanced on the edge of a sword.” Thus are spoken the words of prophecy from the Oracle of Corellon Larethian.
The ‘seven shards’ refers to seven artifacts believed to be parts of an Ember Crystal. Ember Crystals were terrible weapons forged during the Age of Gods, when men and mer were mere dreams. Only one crystal survived the end of that age, and even that was broken into seven pieces by Moradin, the dwarf god.
None but the elves are aware of the details of this myth, and they have been quite parsimonious in sharing anything. The elf lord in Lelmenore believes he can find the shards. With the power of the Ember Crystal, the Concordat should be able to defeat the Nemesis.
But he can’t do it alone. He is a scholar, unaccustomed to the wild demands of adventuring. So he spends every day inspecting the volunteers at Lelmenore. Soon, he hopes to find those special individuals who will be up to the task.
The three main kingdoms are: Erindor, the kingdom of the humans consisting of plains and valleys to the north of the river Erinin; Vog Lodir, the dwarven kingdom nestled in the Grey Mountains; and Semuriel, the realms of the elves deep in the great forests of the east. The huge grasslands to the west are home to the orc tribes.
The elves once ruled all this. Those were the days of the Empire. I am sure many historians will tell you about the rise of Temuril Silverblood and her White Army, about how she used the powers of the very stars to conquer this vast land, about how she sanctified her blood and the Empire was passed down, from mother to daughter, in an unbroken line until the time of Empress Sylwarin Silverblood who finally dismantled the Empire after discovering the Oracle. All that is old history now, and not many bother to remember those times.
After the elves withdrew, they left behind warring feudal lords and warlocks. Humans and dwarves clashed several times, and later, elves and dwarves. In some time during these tumultuous years, the three kingdoms of today emerged as the biggest powers.
To protect and consolidate what they had gained, the three signed an agreement that is now known as the Golden Concordat. As per this concordat, Erindor, Vog Lodir and Semuriel will follow a policy of mutual non-aggression. Naturally, this allowed the three kingdoms to focus on consolidating their lands rather than devolve into elongated warfare.
It has been fifty years since the signing of the Concordat, and the lands are basking in peace. The terms of the Golden Concordat were expanded to include military assistance and economic cooperation. Trade thrived. Though they were called human, dwarf and elven kingdoms, the people mingled.
Not much is known of the man who styles himself Nemesis, but it is known that he is a man. The lands to the south of Erinin were always thinly explored. The bogs and marshes, and afterwards the desert makes it impossible for even the hardiest of adventurers to discover new lands.
But out of this mysterious region came the armies of the night. Trollocs - twisted forms of orcs and men fought alongside beasts from nightmares. Large, slow-moving, but deadly animals called wyrms marched, or rather wormed, with these fell armies. These wyrms could burrow through the thickest of fortifications, and instill terror in the hearts of men.
Sathara, Turman, Fol Bunghar - one after another, the cities fell like sticks under a stampede. The best place to have made our stand was near the Erinin, and we had lost that days before. So we were forced to move beyond the plains of Kazad.
So here we stand, at the close. The steep hills on either side gives us a decent defence against the hordes. The wide plains give us enough room to charge with our cavalry. But we know, in our hearts, that the end is not too far.
Before applying, state your interest in this OOC thread. I will then give you six attribute points. You must decide how you want to assign these points to your six attributes: Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma.
After assigning the six points to these six attributes, you will have a good idea of who you will be playing. So go ahead and choose your name, gender, race, class and background story.
Once you have all that ready, please use this CS template to post your character
Name:
Race:
Gender:
Age:
Class:
Str: (Strength points)
Dex: (Dexterity points)
Con: (Constitution points)
Int: (Intelligence points)
Wis: (Wisdom points)
Cha: (Charisma points)
Appearance: (Written description must accompany pictures.)
Background:
Alignment:
Skills:
Feats:
Spells: (if applicable)
Equipment:
(Note: Basic weapons will be provided based on your class. It is assumed that you are level 1. You can choose to highlight any special articles your character might be carrying, but nothing enchanted and nothing that can be physically used as a weapon.)
Human
Humans are the most versatile of all creatures. They can adapt to any environment, they can master any class, and are generally well liked by the other races. Humans are also very adept learners, gaining knowledge quicker than others.
Dwarf
The hardy and stout dwarves have a reputation for vigorous health and sour faces. They are excellent metal workers and understand the nature of materials better than anyone else. Being martial in nature, they learn the ways of any new weapon rather quickly. They are stable folk, hardly likely to lose their balance even in the shakiest situations. These killing machines are also resistant to poison and can see quite a distance in darkness, although only in black and white.
Elf
The elf are a graceful but frail folk. They are highly dextrous, with keen eyes and heightened senses. Their divine blood grants them a certain resistance to magical effects and they normally tend to practice the magic arts themselves. But an elf is just as deadly with a longsword or a longbow. Their keen senses enable them to see perfectly in darkness and also to notice things others wont.
Half-elf
The half-elf is the perfect embodiment of both elf and human. They retain the blood of their elf ancestors, lending them the same magical resistance and keen senses. And from their human ancestors, they have inherited the art of speech. Half-elves, or half-humans as the elves call them, are generally liked by all.
Orcs
The orc is truly a fearsome sight to behold, with a towering and imposing physique and a mean disposition. Needless to say, the uncouth barbaric orcs are not well liked by the other races. But the orc doesn’t care what others think. The orc just wants to bash.
NOTE 2: I am pretty much a newbie when it comes to D&D. So please forgive any cardinal sins or errors, but don’t forget to enlighten me.
NOTE 3: The discord link for this RP is up.
The Plot
“Hear ye, hear ye! By order of the High King Paitr III, by order of the Lord of Dwarves Brughen Thunderwalker, and by order of Queen Etheniel Silverblood of the elves. All able-bodied men and women, dwarves and elves, soldiers and druids, wizards and clerics, paladins and barbarians and all others willing and able are hereby called to rally to the Golden Banner. Pardons for past crimes will be granted to the volunteers. Rewards will be heaped upon those that faithfully carry out the wishes of the Concordat. Glory awaits those that will answer this call and rally to High Lord Mithir Halfelven in the town of Lelmenore. Rally to the Sun Throne!”
Towncriers and heralds have been shouting pretty much the same thing for a month now. Blacksmith and farriers were ordered to pass on the same message to their adventuring customers. Innkeepers were asked to spread the Call. Soon, it was on everyone’s minds. The Concordat was planning something big. Perhaps a last stand in the bloodied plains of Kazad. For the first time in recorded history, elf, dwarf and human will charge side-by-side against the armies of the night.
There was no dearth of volunteers. Men and women of many races flocked to the Golden Banner. The once-quiet town of Lelmenore was turned into a garrisoned war camp. And it was overflowing with eager and brave souls who wanted to challenge the might of the Dark. But nothing they have done so far has even stemmed the flow of blood. The hordes of the Nemesis keep coming from the deserts beyond the Erinin no matter how many we killed.
But the arrival of High Lord Mithir Halfelven has changed all that and instilled fresh hope. With him came ten contingents of elf archers, gleaming and proud. And many more druids and wizards. But more than archers and mages, the biggest gift the Elf lord could give the camp was hope. Hope in the form of an oracle.
“And when nightmares scourge the world of men, the seven shards will be reforged. The seven shall ride again. All that was, and all that will be, balanced on the edge of a sword.” Thus are spoken the words of prophecy from the Oracle of Corellon Larethian.
The ‘seven shards’ refers to seven artifacts believed to be parts of an Ember Crystal. Ember Crystals were terrible weapons forged during the Age of Gods, when men and mer were mere dreams. Only one crystal survived the end of that age, and even that was broken into seven pieces by Moradin, the dwarf god.
None but the elves are aware of the details of this myth, and they have been quite parsimonious in sharing anything. The elf lord in Lelmenore believes he can find the shards. With the power of the Ember Crystal, the Concordat should be able to defeat the Nemesis.
But he can’t do it alone. He is a scholar, unaccustomed to the wild demands of adventuring. So he spends every day inspecting the volunteers at Lelmenore. Soon, he hopes to find those special individuals who will be up to the task.
The setting
The three main kingdoms are: Erindor, the kingdom of the humans consisting of plains and valleys to the north of the river Erinin; Vog Lodir, the dwarven kingdom nestled in the Grey Mountains; and Semuriel, the realms of the elves deep in the great forests of the east. The huge grasslands to the west are home to the orc tribes.
The elves once ruled all this. Those were the days of the Empire. I am sure many historians will tell you about the rise of Temuril Silverblood and her White Army, about how she used the powers of the very stars to conquer this vast land, about how she sanctified her blood and the Empire was passed down, from mother to daughter, in an unbroken line until the time of Empress Sylwarin Silverblood who finally dismantled the Empire after discovering the Oracle. All that is old history now, and not many bother to remember those times.
After the elves withdrew, they left behind warring feudal lords and warlocks. Humans and dwarves clashed several times, and later, elves and dwarves. In some time during these tumultuous years, the three kingdoms of today emerged as the biggest powers.
To protect and consolidate what they had gained, the three signed an agreement that is now known as the Golden Concordat. As per this concordat, Erindor, Vog Lodir and Semuriel will follow a policy of mutual non-aggression. Naturally, this allowed the three kingdoms to focus on consolidating their lands rather than devolve into elongated warfare.
It has been fifty years since the signing of the Concordat, and the lands are basking in peace. The terms of the Golden Concordat were expanded to include military assistance and economic cooperation. Trade thrived. Though they were called human, dwarf and elven kingdoms, the people mingled.
Rise of the Nemesis
Not much is known of the man who styles himself Nemesis, but it is known that he is a man. The lands to the south of Erinin were always thinly explored. The bogs and marshes, and afterwards the desert makes it impossible for even the hardiest of adventurers to discover new lands.
But out of this mysterious region came the armies of the night. Trollocs - twisted forms of orcs and men fought alongside beasts from nightmares. Large, slow-moving, but deadly animals called wyrms marched, or rather wormed, with these fell armies. These wyrms could burrow through the thickest of fortifications, and instill terror in the hearts of men.
Sathara, Turman, Fol Bunghar - one after another, the cities fell like sticks under a stampede. The best place to have made our stand was near the Erinin, and we had lost that days before. So we were forced to move beyond the plains of Kazad.
So here we stand, at the close. The steep hills on either side gives us a decent defence against the hordes. The wide plains give us enough room to charge with our cavalry. But we know, in our hearts, that the end is not too far.
Character Application rules
Before applying, state your interest in this OOC thread. I will then give you six attribute points. You must decide how you want to assign these points to your six attributes: Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma.
After assigning the six points to these six attributes, you will have a good idea of who you will be playing. So go ahead and choose your name, gender, race, class and background story.
Once you have all that ready, please use this CS template to post your character
Name:
Race:
Gender:
Age:
Class:
Str: (Strength points)
Dex: (Dexterity points)
Con: (Constitution points)
Int: (Intelligence points)
Wis: (Wisdom points)
Cha: (Charisma points)
Appearance: (Written description must accompany pictures.)
Background:
Alignment:
Skills:
Feats:
Spells: (if applicable)
Equipment:
(Note: Basic weapons will be provided based on your class. It is assumed that you are level 1. You can choose to highlight any special articles your character might be carrying, but nothing enchanted and nothing that can be physically used as a weapon.)
Appendix 1: Playable races
Human
Humans are the most versatile of all creatures. They can adapt to any environment, they can master any class, and are generally well liked by the other races. Humans are also very adept learners, gaining knowledge quicker than others.
Dwarf
The hardy and stout dwarves have a reputation for vigorous health and sour faces. They are excellent metal workers and understand the nature of materials better than anyone else. Being martial in nature, they learn the ways of any new weapon rather quickly. They are stable folk, hardly likely to lose their balance even in the shakiest situations. These killing machines are also resistant to poison and can see quite a distance in darkness, although only in black and white.
Elf
The elf are a graceful but frail folk. They are highly dextrous, with keen eyes and heightened senses. Their divine blood grants them a certain resistance to magical effects and they normally tend to practice the magic arts themselves. But an elf is just as deadly with a longsword or a longbow. Their keen senses enable them to see perfectly in darkness and also to notice things others wont.
Half-elf
The half-elf is the perfect embodiment of both elf and human. They retain the blood of their elf ancestors, lending them the same magical resistance and keen senses. And from their human ancestors, they have inherited the art of speech. Half-elves, or half-humans as the elves call them, are generally liked by all.
Orcs
The orc is truly a fearsome sight to behold, with a towering and imposing physique and a mean disposition. Needless to say, the uncouth barbaric orcs are not well liked by the other races. But the orc doesn’t care what others think. The orc just wants to bash.
@Rekaigan - I am not entirely sure either, but this is how I see it. Certain situations in the RP will be considered as obstacles - be it a stone wall that needs to be scaled or a scaled dragon that needs to be killed. And every obstacle will have a difficulty associated to it. As a player, you will not be aware of the actual difficulty number. But from my description, you will know how difficult it might be for your character. Then you respond by saying "Tamara decided that the best way to climb the wall is to use a Complex Levitation Spell. She makes the astral sign for Air and prepares to weave the Spell." You leave it there. Based on your character's stats and skills, and a die throw (which I will set up as a campaign here in roleplayerguild), I will determine whether she was successful in casting the spell. If she is, then you are allowed to continue in the next post by actually describing the effects of the spell and how she gets past the wall. You will react based on the situation I set up, and I will react based on the actions you 'intend' to take.
So, long story short, you are perfectly right in your assumption.
So, long story short, you are perfectly right in your assumption.
Are there any races you'd prefer we don't play?
(i.e. Goliath because they don't exist in this world.)
@Joos
Well, this world is only 'based' on DnD. I plan to take a few big liberties, both with the world and with the mechanics. Naturally, I will lay them out clearly.
To answer your question: humans, elves, half-elves, dwarves and orcs are playable. When I say orcs, I mean half-orcs (according to DnD lore), but they are just orcs in this world, at the risk of sounding racist. :)
Basic Plot
The Three Kingdoms have existed in peace for the better part of a century: Erindor, the kingdom of the humans; Vog Lodir, the rocky home of the dwarves; and Semuriel, the abode of the elves. Since the Golden Concordant nearly thirty years ago, trade and diplomacy has flourished between the three kingdoms. Who could have believed it fifty years ago - that one day elves would help the dwarves drive away the orc raiders?
All was in peace. Even the orc tribes stayed relatively peaceful - just three or four farms raided every year. The humans claimed that Pelor, the Sun God, was smiling with joy. The elves, naturally, claimed it an ordained happiness as mentioned in the Oracle of Corellon Larethian; and the dwarves - well, they just grunted with happiness and took deeper swigs.
But disaster came at us like a storm. From the south came first the whispers of a stirring evil. The effects of powerful sorcery could be felt even far north in the Dwarven city of Khegdirth. Men murmured a mysterious name in fear - the Nemesis.
The Nemesis was a human - this much is certain. Beyond this, we know nothing about this self-styled maniac who butchered his way to the Erinin river. The human forces rode out to meet him, and were met with death in numerous forms. Twisted beasts called wyrms fought alongside the trolloc armies of the Nemesis. These wyrms went through columns of soldiers like a forest fire, engulfing all in its path. One after another, the greatest human cities fell.
Now, in our blackest hour, the humans have been forced back beyond the plains of Kazad. The dwarves have already mustered their soldiers and marching down their mountains. The elves have also answered the call for help and are dispatching their armies. And the forces of darkness are massed like a plague across the plains.
But the elves lend not only their armies, but also their oracle. They have revealed the knowledge of an ancient artifact - the Ember Crystal. It is a weapon of limitless power, capable of felling an entire host in one stroke.
In the war camps and villages, across the mountains and grasslands, and even to the strongholds of the orcs spread the Proclamation. "All those who consider themselves worthy, be they human, elf, dwarf or orc, are asked to rally to the border village of Lelmenore." Here, an Elf Lord waits to pick the adventurers to send on a quest to recover the seven shards of the Ember Crystal.
(Naturally, the OOC will have more history, lore and CS information. But I don't want to embark on it until I get sufficient interest going here.)
The Three Kingdoms have existed in peace for the better part of a century: Erindor, the kingdom of the humans; Vog Lodir, the rocky home of the dwarves; and Semuriel, the abode of the elves. Since the Golden Concordant nearly thirty years ago, trade and diplomacy has flourished between the three kingdoms. Who could have believed it fifty years ago - that one day elves would help the dwarves drive away the orc raiders?
All was in peace. Even the orc tribes stayed relatively peaceful - just three or four farms raided every year. The humans claimed that Pelor, the Sun God, was smiling with joy. The elves, naturally, claimed it an ordained happiness as mentioned in the Oracle of Corellon Larethian; and the dwarves - well, they just grunted with happiness and took deeper swigs.
But disaster came at us like a storm. From the south came first the whispers of a stirring evil. The effects of powerful sorcery could be felt even far north in the Dwarven city of Khegdirth. Men murmured a mysterious name in fear - the Nemesis.
The Nemesis was a human - this much is certain. Beyond this, we know nothing about this self-styled maniac who butchered his way to the Erinin river. The human forces rode out to meet him, and were met with death in numerous forms. Twisted beasts called wyrms fought alongside the trolloc armies of the Nemesis. These wyrms went through columns of soldiers like a forest fire, engulfing all in its path. One after another, the greatest human cities fell.
Now, in our blackest hour, the humans have been forced back beyond the plains of Kazad. The dwarves have already mustered their soldiers and marching down their mountains. The elves have also answered the call for help and are dispatching their armies. And the forces of darkness are massed like a plague across the plains.
But the elves lend not only their armies, but also their oracle. They have revealed the knowledge of an ancient artifact - the Ember Crystal. It is a weapon of limitless power, capable of felling an entire host in one stroke.
In the war camps and villages, across the mountains and grasslands, and even to the strongholds of the orcs spread the Proclamation. "All those who consider themselves worthy, be they human, elf, dwarf or orc, are asked to rally to the border village of Lelmenore." Here, an Elf Lord waits to pick the adventurers to send on a quest to recover the seven shards of the Ember Crystal.
(Naturally, the OOC will have more history, lore and CS information. But I don't want to embark on it until I get sufficient interest going here.)
So this is going to be a good ol' fashioned fantasy quest in a land of magic and might. Whether you choose to be a paladin, sworn to fight for the glory of Light and all that is holy, or a sneaky rogue, sworn to swear at nobles and steal their money - no matter who you choose to be, you will be part of an adventure. An adventure to save a dying kingdom from an inevitable fate. Others fight other battles. Thousands upon thousands of soldiers die every month in the Plains of Kazad fighting the Nemesis. But your battle will be the most important of it all. Your quest can end the war in one stroke.
The setting will be High Fantasy, with elves, half-elves, half-orcs, dwarves, humans and halflings as the playable races. The overall plot of the RP will follow a band of adventurers as they make their way through a hostile world populated by the despicable wyrms, to find a way to defeat the oppressive rule of the Nemesis - a powerful Witch-King.
I plan to run this a lot like a tabletop game. For those not familiar with DnD-style gaming, the consequences of your actions will be determined by your character's stats. Whether you are successful in slashing the woodwyrm to death is based on your strength, your dexterity and your other skills, all of which are governed by numbers which go up or down based on the story and your responses.
For those familiar with the DnD style, please bear in mind that I am still very much an 'apprentice' Dungeon Master.
Basic Plot
The Three Kingdoms have existed in peace for the better part of a century: Erindor, the kingdom of the humans; Vog Lodir, the rocky home of the dwarves; and Semuriel, the abode of the elves. Since the Golden Concordant nearly thirty years ago, trade and diplomacy has flourished between the three kingdoms. Who could have believed it fifty years ago - that one day elves would help the dwarves drive away the orc raiders?
All was in peace. Even the orc tribes stayed relatively peaceful - just three or four farms raided every year. The humans claimed that Pelor, the Sun God, was smiling with joy. The elves, naturally, claimed it an ordained happiness as mentioned in the Oracle of Corellon Larethian; and the dwarves - well, they just grunted with happiness and took deeper swigs.
But disaster came at us like a storm. From the south came first the whispers of a stirring evil. The effects of powerful sorcery could be felt even far north in the Dwarven city of Khegdirth. Men murmured a mysterious name in fear - the Nemesis.
The Nemesis was a human - this much is certain. Beyond this, we know nothing about this self-styled maniac who butchered his way to the Erinin river. The human forces rode out to meet him, and were met with death in numerous forms. Twisted beasts called wyrms fought alongside the trolloc armies of the Nemesis. These wyrms went through columns of soldiers like a forest fire, engulfing all in its path. One after another, the greatest human cities fell.
Now, in our blackest hour, the humans have been forced back beyond the plains of Kazad. The dwarves have already mustered their soldiers and marching down their mountains. The elves have also answered the call for help and are dispatching their armies. And the forces of darkness are massed like a plague across the plains.
But the elves lend not only their armies, but also their oracle. They have revealed the knowledge of an ancient artifact - the Ember Crystal. It is a weapon of limitless power, capable of felling an entire host in one stroke.
In the war camps and villages, across the mountains and grasslands, and even to the strongholds of the orcs spread the Proclamation. "All those who consider themselves worthy, be they human, elf, dwarf or orc, are asked to rally to the border village of Lelmenore." Here, an Elf Lord waits to pick the adventurers to send on a quest to recover the seven shards of the Ember Crystal.
(Naturally, the OOC will have more history, lore and CS information. But I don't want to embark on it until I get sufficient interest going here.)
The setting will be High Fantasy, with elves, half-elves, half-orcs, dwarves, humans and halflings as the playable races. The overall plot of the RP will follow a band of adventurers as they make their way through a hostile world populated by the despicable wyrms, to find a way to defeat the oppressive rule of the Nemesis - a powerful Witch-King.
I plan to run this a lot like a tabletop game. For those not familiar with DnD-style gaming, the consequences of your actions will be determined by your character's stats. Whether you are successful in slashing the woodwyrm to death is based on your strength, your dexterity and your other skills, all of which are governed by numbers which go up or down based on the story and your responses.
For those familiar with the DnD style, please bear in mind that I am still very much an 'apprentice' Dungeon Master.
Basic Plot
The Three Kingdoms have existed in peace for the better part of a century: Erindor, the kingdom of the humans; Vog Lodir, the rocky home of the dwarves; and Semuriel, the abode of the elves. Since the Golden Concordant nearly thirty years ago, trade and diplomacy has flourished between the three kingdoms. Who could have believed it fifty years ago - that one day elves would help the dwarves drive away the orc raiders?
All was in peace. Even the orc tribes stayed relatively peaceful - just three or four farms raided every year. The humans claimed that Pelor, the Sun God, was smiling with joy. The elves, naturally, claimed it an ordained happiness as mentioned in the Oracle of Corellon Larethian; and the dwarves - well, they just grunted with happiness and took deeper swigs.
But disaster came at us like a storm. From the south came first the whispers of a stirring evil. The effects of powerful sorcery could be felt even far north in the Dwarven city of Khegdirth. Men murmured a mysterious name in fear - the Nemesis.
The Nemesis was a human - this much is certain. Beyond this, we know nothing about this self-styled maniac who butchered his way to the Erinin river. The human forces rode out to meet him, and were met with death in numerous forms. Twisted beasts called wyrms fought alongside the trolloc armies of the Nemesis. These wyrms went through columns of soldiers like a forest fire, engulfing all in its path. One after another, the greatest human cities fell.
Now, in our blackest hour, the humans have been forced back beyond the plains of Kazad. The dwarves have already mustered their soldiers and marching down their mountains. The elves have also answered the call for help and are dispatching their armies. And the forces of darkness are massed like a plague across the plains.
But the elves lend not only their armies, but also their oracle. They have revealed the knowledge of an ancient artifact - the Ember Crystal. It is a weapon of limitless power, capable of felling an entire host in one stroke.
In the war camps and villages, across the mountains and grasslands, and even to the strongholds of the orcs spread the Proclamation. "All those who consider themselves worthy, be they human, elf, dwarf or orc, are asked to rally to the border village of Lelmenore." Here, an Elf Lord waits to pick the adventurers to send on a quest to recover the seven shards of the Ember Crystal.
(Naturally, the OOC will have more history, lore and CS information. But I don't want to embark on it until I get sufficient interest going here.)
Selene Silverblood - The Road to Nubina
Selene leaned forward and soothed Nerolim, her white mare. It was an unconscious action, and she knew she was trying to soothe herself. Nerolim stood stock still with only her tail whisking. The horse needed no words of comfort. Selene, on the other hand...
Long before the gagging scent of the Undead assaulted her nostrils, long before her eyes widened at the sight before her, her ears had told her something was horribly wrong. At first, it was a murmur, as of angry bees. The incessant chatter among the men had stopped abruptly as people became aware of the low murmur. Soldiers had looked at one another askance, shuffling their feet. The Captain of her retinue started staying close to her, as if the old man hoped to protect his liege lady from sound!
Then the murmur rose. Snatches of fell words blew in the wind. "Kar mirun morid... Morid" The voices chilled her to the bone. Morid. That was a word in High Elven. Selene was sure it meant death. Not death in the peaceful end-of-life sense. But death in the sense of eternal dying. "Kar mirun morid."
And as they crested a rise, so did the voices. Her eyes widened as she saw rows and rows of flailing limbs and grotesque faces. A thousand wailing and thrashing corpses singing their eternal dirge. "Kar mirun morid. Al tumun morid. Kar mirun morid. Al tumun morid," it went, engulfing all other sound. It wasn't loud, but it was a permeating sound. It made her feel dirty.
"Kartoll's balls!" swore Daram, her Captain of the Guard. He was shocked enough to forget his language in her presence. "What is-" It was obvious to anyone what it was. "How are we gonna get through that?"
Before Selene could reply, others were already taking the initiative. A stately-looking elf clad - albeit thinly - in what appeared to be the very grass and barks, was doing something to the pikes. As Selene watched, the pikes started falling, the corpses falling on them and unable to get up with the weight of the pike through them. Not bad, thought Selene.
"Follow me, Captain," she told Daram as she heeled Nerolim towards the elf. "And make sure the men are ready for any Undead who do manage to get up and come at us." She stopped next to the elf and her wild army and dismounted.
The elf was concentrating hard on using her magic. Selene just nodded to her and turned to the mass of pikes. She could see the elf was doing something to the soil, loosening them. Smiling to herself, she opened herself to the spirit of Kartoll.
Kartoll's spirit is like a torrential downpour. A river in full flood. From a very early age, Selene was taught - not to control this power but to surrender to it. Only by surrendering to Kartoll could one channel his power. She felt a divine rain fall on her, felt herself drenched by it.
She could clearly sense the water hidden under the soil. She willed it to overflow. She coaxed it to saturate large tracts of soil the pikes were impaled upon. The sand turned to mud and dirt and started forming puddles. Combined with the elf's work, the process speeded up the felling of the pikes. Her retinue were close by, taking on the occasional corpse that managed to get up.
"Let's see if we can forge a path through, Captain," Selene said thinly as she concentrated on the pikes. Should any Undead break through her men and come at her, her ice spikes should be enough to rip them apart.
"M'lady, a path through that mess of fuckin' Undead? It would be worse than marching through a canyon with an ambush on all sides."
"Then we must just hope to spread out, Captain. Slowly. If we can get these wild men to help you, we can make the process faster."
Selene leaned forward and soothed Nerolim, her white mare. It was an unconscious action, and she knew she was trying to soothe herself. Nerolim stood stock still with only her tail whisking. The horse needed no words of comfort. Selene, on the other hand...
Long before the gagging scent of the Undead assaulted her nostrils, long before her eyes widened at the sight before her, her ears had told her something was horribly wrong. At first, it was a murmur, as of angry bees. The incessant chatter among the men had stopped abruptly as people became aware of the low murmur. Soldiers had looked at one another askance, shuffling their feet. The Captain of her retinue started staying close to her, as if the old man hoped to protect his liege lady from sound!
Then the murmur rose. Snatches of fell words blew in the wind. "Kar mirun morid... Morid" The voices chilled her to the bone. Morid. That was a word in High Elven. Selene was sure it meant death. Not death in the peaceful end-of-life sense. But death in the sense of eternal dying. "Kar mirun morid."
And as they crested a rise, so did the voices. Her eyes widened as she saw rows and rows of flailing limbs and grotesque faces. A thousand wailing and thrashing corpses singing their eternal dirge. "Kar mirun morid. Al tumun morid. Kar mirun morid. Al tumun morid," it went, engulfing all other sound. It wasn't loud, but it was a permeating sound. It made her feel dirty.
"Kartoll's balls!" swore Daram, her Captain of the Guard. He was shocked enough to forget his language in her presence. "What is-" It was obvious to anyone what it was. "How are we gonna get through that?"
Before Selene could reply, others were already taking the initiative. A stately-looking elf clad - albeit thinly - in what appeared to be the very grass and barks, was doing something to the pikes. As Selene watched, the pikes started falling, the corpses falling on them and unable to get up with the weight of the pike through them. Not bad, thought Selene.
"Follow me, Captain," she told Daram as she heeled Nerolim towards the elf. "And make sure the men are ready for any Undead who do manage to get up and come at us." She stopped next to the elf and her wild army and dismounted.
The elf was concentrating hard on using her magic. Selene just nodded to her and turned to the mass of pikes. She could see the elf was doing something to the soil, loosening them. Smiling to herself, she opened herself to the spirit of Kartoll.
Kartoll's spirit is like a torrential downpour. A river in full flood. From a very early age, Selene was taught - not to control this power but to surrender to it. Only by surrendering to Kartoll could one channel his power. She felt a divine rain fall on her, felt herself drenched by it.
She could clearly sense the water hidden under the soil. She willed it to overflow. She coaxed it to saturate large tracts of soil the pikes were impaled upon. The sand turned to mud and dirt and started forming puddles. Combined with the elf's work, the process speeded up the felling of the pikes. Her retinue were close by, taking on the occasional corpse that managed to get up.
"Let's see if we can forge a path through, Captain," Selene said thinly as she concentrated on the pikes. Should any Undead break through her men and come at her, her ice spikes should be enough to rip them apart.
"M'lady, a path through that mess of fuckin' Undead? It would be worse than marching through a canyon with an ambush on all sides."
"Then we must just hope to spread out, Captain. Slowly. If we can get these wild men to help you, we can make the process faster."
Selene Silverblood - Cardinal War Camp
The bull is dancing.
That’s how the priests of Kartoll describe rain. When Kartoll danced with mad joy, the heavens would open up and shower the lands. Through the open flaps of her tent, Selene could see the effects of the bull’s dance as rain pattered on outside.
This is a good sign, she thought. This is a good start. Rain can only mean growth. Rain reclaims life from death. Rain coaxes new stalks to grow.
She realized she was trying to cling desperately to anything that might promise hope, however faint. It rained during the Ruin too. Stupid woman.
“My lady, you can’t be possibly thinking of going out there without a cloak, can you? You will catch a cold!” exclaimed Chesa, her maid. Well, Chesa was maid, surrogate mother, stern drillmaster all rolled into one. She was standing behind Selene, hands on her hips and her cracked lips making a thin line. In public Chesa would bend and bow like a humble servant, but in private she only saw a 12-year-old and not a lady.
“No Chesa. I most certainly wasn’t thinking of that,” Selene replied. It was hard for Chesa to see her as anything but a little girl. The old crone had changed her swaddling when Selene was just a babe. And spanked her a number of times for stealing sweets or skipping lessons. “Honestly, woman, the Undead are out there; the largest army the world has ever seen is preparing to meet them, our entire future could be destroyed in one stroke; and if by chance or miracle we make it through and actually manage to reclaim our lands I could very well find a dagger in my back courtesy of one of my dear cousins who would just love to be High Seat of Silverblood, and you worry about me catching a cold?”
“Someone has to,” Chesa retorted acidly. “Here.” She held out a waxed leather cloak. “This will keep the rain out.”
Suddenly Selene grinned and pinched Chesa on her cheek. “You are the sweetest rude person I’ve ever had the fortune to meet, Chesa. We should just give you command of the army.”
“No thank you, my lady,” Chesa replied, visibly softened. “I am sure the Duchess is more than capable.”
“Let’s hope she is, Chesa,” Selene said as she put on the cloak. “For the sake of the whole world, let’s hope she is.”
Selene slipped out of the tent and her nostrils immediately flared with the assault of so many scents: sweat, blood, rain, dirt, decay, death, dung, mead, meat, the fine perfumes of the lords and ladies, and underneath it all, the smell of fear.
Fear is good, she told herself. Fear is the precursor to courage. Not its antithesis.
She looked around to get her bearings. The horn had sounded when she was in the room, and the heralds were still shouting about the Duchess’s call. She started walking with the crowd. Nowhere had she seen such a gathering of humans, dwarves and elves. There were people from every land, known and unknown. This war was going to change many things, even in victory. Worlds were being thrown open, cultures were being forcefully mixed. It was a wonder the camp hadn’t erupted in chaos so far.
Selene was camped in the better part of the camp, where the tents were arranged in a grid pattern. Most of the lords and ladies stayed on this side. As she moved closer to the center of the camp, the crowd thickened and so did the tents. She had to be very careful not to trip over the peglines as she weaved her way.
People did try to give her way when they could. Her bearing reeked nobility - not something easily challenged. Some men jerked a bow and mumbled an apology when they jostled her. She had seen war camps before, had served in a few of them. She was accustomed to brushing with the commoners and the soldiers, used to the occasional rude comment or suggestive stare. She didn’t mind the crowd as she slowly made her way to the platform.
It was a large wooden platform, raised and constructed like a stage. Someone had had the good sense to attach a makeshift set of steps. The Duchess was not yet present and the crowd around her was buzzing with people wondering about the Duchess’s plan and the state of the war.
Selene was aware of a buzz in the pit of her stomach as well as she unconsciously adjusted her cloak and smoothed her skirt. It was really beginning. Suddenly, even the largest army of the world seemed small compared to the might of the Undead world beyond the Sacred border. She hoped the Duchess felt braver than she.
The bull is dancing.
That’s how the priests of Kartoll describe rain. When Kartoll danced with mad joy, the heavens would open up and shower the lands. Through the open flaps of her tent, Selene could see the effects of the bull’s dance as rain pattered on outside.
This is a good sign, she thought. This is a good start. Rain can only mean growth. Rain reclaims life from death. Rain coaxes new stalks to grow.
She realized she was trying to cling desperately to anything that might promise hope, however faint. It rained during the Ruin too. Stupid woman.
“My lady, you can’t be possibly thinking of going out there without a cloak, can you? You will catch a cold!” exclaimed Chesa, her maid. Well, Chesa was maid, surrogate mother, stern drillmaster all rolled into one. She was standing behind Selene, hands on her hips and her cracked lips making a thin line. In public Chesa would bend and bow like a humble servant, but in private she only saw a 12-year-old and not a lady.
“No Chesa. I most certainly wasn’t thinking of that,” Selene replied. It was hard for Chesa to see her as anything but a little girl. The old crone had changed her swaddling when Selene was just a babe. And spanked her a number of times for stealing sweets or skipping lessons. “Honestly, woman, the Undead are out there; the largest army the world has ever seen is preparing to meet them, our entire future could be destroyed in one stroke; and if by chance or miracle we make it through and actually manage to reclaim our lands I could very well find a dagger in my back courtesy of one of my dear cousins who would just love to be High Seat of Silverblood, and you worry about me catching a cold?”
“Someone has to,” Chesa retorted acidly. “Here.” She held out a waxed leather cloak. “This will keep the rain out.”
Suddenly Selene grinned and pinched Chesa on her cheek. “You are the sweetest rude person I’ve ever had the fortune to meet, Chesa. We should just give you command of the army.”
“No thank you, my lady,” Chesa replied, visibly softened. “I am sure the Duchess is more than capable.”
“Let’s hope she is, Chesa,” Selene said as she put on the cloak. “For the sake of the whole world, let’s hope she is.”
Selene slipped out of the tent and her nostrils immediately flared with the assault of so many scents: sweat, blood, rain, dirt, decay, death, dung, mead, meat, the fine perfumes of the lords and ladies, and underneath it all, the smell of fear.
Fear is good, she told herself. Fear is the precursor to courage. Not its antithesis.
She looked around to get her bearings. The horn had sounded when she was in the room, and the heralds were still shouting about the Duchess’s call. She started walking with the crowd. Nowhere had she seen such a gathering of humans, dwarves and elves. There were people from every land, known and unknown. This war was going to change many things, even in victory. Worlds were being thrown open, cultures were being forcefully mixed. It was a wonder the camp hadn’t erupted in chaos so far.
Selene was camped in the better part of the camp, where the tents were arranged in a grid pattern. Most of the lords and ladies stayed on this side. As she moved closer to the center of the camp, the crowd thickened and so did the tents. She had to be very careful not to trip over the peglines as she weaved her way.
People did try to give her way when they could. Her bearing reeked nobility - not something easily challenged. Some men jerked a bow and mumbled an apology when they jostled her. She had seen war camps before, had served in a few of them. She was accustomed to brushing with the commoners and the soldiers, used to the occasional rude comment or suggestive stare. She didn’t mind the crowd as she slowly made her way to the platform.
It was a large wooden platform, raised and constructed like a stage. Someone had had the good sense to attach a makeshift set of steps. The Duchess was not yet present and the crowd around her was buzzing with people wondering about the Duchess’s plan and the state of the war.
Selene was aware of a buzz in the pit of her stomach as well as she unconsciously adjusted her cloak and smoothed her skirt. It was really beginning. Suddenly, even the largest army of the world seemed small compared to the might of the Undead world beyond the Sacred border. She hoped the Duchess felt braver than she.
Selene Silverblood
A 27-year-old noble woman from Melfic.
Appearance
Selene is tall and slender - a fact that constantly irks her. She would rather be tall and imposing. But many men have called her beautiful and many more have called her a witch. Among the blond and red-haired majority of Melficians, she is an oddity with her wavy silver locks. That hair is the mark of the Silverblood family - an inheritance more certain than wealth or power. From her mother, she has also inherited those deep blue eyes and that angular face.
Selene is a follower of Kartoll, much like the rest of the Silverbloods.
Personality
A traditional noble upbringing has imparted a haughtiness in Selene that most people find unnerving. She is cool to those she considers beneath her. While she is not dispassionate by nature, she lets cool reason make her decisions rather than impassioned feelings. There are a few moments when she does let her hair down (metaphorically speaking, of course, since she always has her hair down). She loves to sing and her voice carries with it the lilt of a clear spring.
Skills
Masterful Divine Magician
Skilled Healer and Singer
Adept Diplomat and Strategist
Novice Fighter
Traits
Grey Eminence - Selene is a diplomatic force to be reckoned with. She is perfectly capable of taking control of a conversation in deft ways. She can coax even the bitterest enemies to sit down and talk.
Backstory
Selene was born to Cyndane and Tel Janin Silverblood in the purple room - their first and only child. Her mother died shortly afterwards and Tel Janin was much too in love with the memory of his childhood love to marry again.
Selene grew up raised by nursemaids. They taught her the ways of the court, how a proper lady must behave, how to sit, how to walk, how to sing and all the other contrivances that noble life demands. But it was her father who was her true teacher.
Tel Janin was Chancellor to Her Majesty (Her Holy Majesty now) Queen Magdalena and was considered as one among her closest confidantes. The Silverblood family had a history of loyalty to the throne - a loyalty proven time and time again. There have been many instances in the past when a succession crisis could have been turned to the Silverbloods’ advantage. But never once did the family falter in its unwavering loyalty to the ruling family.
His work kept him busy, but he always found time for his daughter. He always treated her like an equal, discussing matters of state with her much like any other father would discuss dresses with his girl. He taught her the nuances of diplomacy - how to convey volumes with a raised eyebrow, how to let people assume your superiority, how to be pragmatic when it comes to defeat. And young Selene lapped it up. Her father’s world intrigued her.
She discovered her latent magical powers when she turned 16. In the beginning, it was just a dim awareness of the spirit of Kratoll. The priests were informed of the girl’s proclivity and they took an active interest. Tel Janin was initially uncomfortable with the idea. He flatly refused to let her be consecrated as the First Virgin of Kratoll. But he did grudgingly allow her to study with the priests.
For three years, Selene studied hard under the priests. With the threat of another massive invasion from the Undead, the focus of her training was in using the Water element as a weapon. She also showed a natural inclination towards Healing - one of the domains of Kratoll.
Her education was brutally cut short with the death of her father during the first days of the War of Perseverance. He was one of the last who died protecting his saint queen and her sons. Selene did what she could to help the war effort, promising to grieve later. It was during this time that she met a young Captain in the city militia - one Paitr Lamwin. He was one of the severly injured who were brought to her for Healing. She saved him from the brink of death, and promptly fell in love with him.
War makes people make decisions they would rather put off. She knew he was no noble and that her father would have never approved had he been alive. She knew she was jeopardising the family name. But she didn’t care. She was facing certain death at any moment and she didn’t want to die alone. Paitr, for his part, was head over heels in love with this noble mage who had saved him like a faerie in some tale. The two were married in a few months.
Fate, it seemed, was determined to sever any ties Selene might derive happiness from. In the sixth year of the War, after just four years of being married, Paitr was killed.
Something changed in Selene that day. She did not shed a tear for her dead love. She just became another person, one who did not share the grief of an idiot girl. She devoted her entire life to the fight against the Undead.
Thus it was that when the Duchess was given leadership over the Crusades, Selene volunteered immediately. Her nobility and her family name were enough letters of introduction to the Duchess. That along with the fact that she was a masterful Divine Magician made it quite obvious to the Duchess that she be part of the War Council.
Weapons and Armour
In these perilous times, no one goes without some sort of physical protection. Selene is more than capable of taking care of herself with magic, but she does carry a noble woman’s dagger in her belt. When she is out in the battlefield, she wears a chainmail cloak.
Misc Gear and Possessions
Selene carries a small pouch at her belt which holds some herbs. When her magic is too precious to be used on small wounds, she uses these herbs to carry out healing. She also has a couple of poisonous herbs along with her. Around her neck, she wears a silver pendant inlaid with the Silverblood family sapphire.
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