Kassarock

𝖨𝖬𝖬𝖮𝖱𝖳𝖠𝖫 𝖮𝖣𝖸𝖤𝖲𝖲𝖤𝖸

Hrm, the character I had planned was also meant to be an erudite/scholar/mage, so I guess that idea is shot through.

@Dead Cruiser

Well in terms of party composition I'm trying to play it as a bit more of spell-blade, so there's still room for a full caster, I could also tone down some of the more scholar aspects of the character to give you more breathing room?

𝖨𝖬𝖬𝖮𝖱𝖳𝖠𝖫 𝖮𝖣𝖸𝖤𝖲𝖲𝖤𝖸

Karlus Marsh

Karlus Marsh

Character Summary

Name: Karlus Marsh

Titles: N/A

Aliases: Karl the Flame, The Half-Mage, The Half-Mad, The Half-Mute.

Age: 29

Race/Ethnicty: Human

Continent of Origin: Carthus

Gender: Male

Class/Subclass: Mage, Ruination

Stats

Strength: 10
Dexterity: 16
Constitution: 8
Intelligence: 20
Wisdom: 9
Charisma: 12

Physical Attributes

Height: Five feet and seven inches.

Weight: Seven stone and nine pounds.

Appearance Description: Karlus the Half-Mage is a small, thin, waif-like man. He has not seen his thirtieth year, but bears many of the hallmarks of a much older man. His pale face seems unduly worn, his swept back hair is brittle and prematurely white. Deep bags hang beneath his strangely luminous green eyes and this, along with his general air of weariness, confirms that Karlus sleeps little each night. The features upon this gaunt and drawn face are fine and effeminate, and could be considered handsome in another life. Handsome that is were it not for a hideous scar that mars the right side of his face.

Day To Day Attire: He dresses in faded black leathers beneath which the clink of mail can be heard, covered by a grey hooded great cloak clasped with a silver ring pin. From Karlus's sword belt hangs more silver, a silver-hilted short sword, its pommel set with a green cats eye stone. It seems to glow unnaturally in darkness. His left arm is bound and bandaged beneath his cloak.

Strengths:

• Knowledgeable in many academic subjects, particularly those related to the arcane.
• Relatively powerful mage.
• Skilled in countering other magical users.

Weaknesses:

• Emotionally unstable and subject to periods of mania and depression.
• Suffers from a sickly constitution and often physically unwell.
• Mistrustful of others.

Psychological Attributes

Eurdite * Compassionate * Unstable * Secretive * Ruthless

Sexuality: Unknown

Relationship Status: Single

Personality: Karlus is a person who often comes across cold and reserved when first met, not in a cruel or uncaring way, but as if separated from all others around him by an immense unseen chasm. Distant is probably the lasting impression that he leaves on acquaintances. He has a habit of gazing off into the middle distance, almost as if he’s looking right though someone to something beyond. Normally he’s quiet, in particular about himself and his history, and when pressed upon a subject he does not want to discuss will be highly evasive. Despite this its easy to see that he someone of considerable learning and intelligence by the cerebral nature of his conversation. If Karlus were to smile it would normally be a sad one, his laughs are harsh and a little unhinged. He sleeps little, haunted by nightmares that make him wake in fits of terrible screams.

There is some hint madness in him as well, one that manifests in periods of energetic mania followed by deep and dark depressions. During his mania he will often rant and rave on the nature and theory of magic to anyone who will listen to him, and is prolific in the creation of treatise, papers, plans and schemes. During his inward periods he becomes even more uncommunicative, scarcely eating or sleeping, burying himself in his books and maintaining absolute solitude.

Habits:

• Scratching at the scar on the side of his face or at his bandaged arm.
• Plays with fire when bored, passing a single flame from finger tip to finger tip.
• Staring out into the middle distance for extended periods of time.
• When nervous paces and moves incessantly.
• Fitful sleeper.

Hobbies:

• Amateur antiquarian/historian.
• Calligraphy

Fears:

• Tightly enclosed spaces or being restrained.
• His mentor.
• Muting.

Likes:

• Learning new things.
• Shadows/night time.
• Children and animals.
• Personal Space.
• Hot baths.
• Good wine.

Dislikes:

• Being touched.
• Sleeping.
• College trained mages.
• Vulnerability.
• Telling the truth.
• The muted.

Skills

• Arcana: The knowledge of all things related to magic and its practice.
• History: The knowledge of the past ages.
• Perception: The ability to keep watch and notice things.
• Short-blade: The use of daggers and short swords.
• Multi-lingual: Languages include Common, Old Speak, Elven and Old Elven.
• Keen memory: The ability to recall details and information with ease.

Magic

Ruination focus with an emphasis on fire magic and rending.

Spell list:

• Produce Flame - a gout of flame created in the palm, can be thrown offensively.
• Burning Hands - a large burst of flame in a cone like projection.
• Hold Person - using rending magic to prevent a person from moving.
• Telekinesis - using rending magic to move, manipulate and levitate small objects.

Possessions

Possessions Generally On Person:

• Dagger: A short utilitarian knife.
• Waterskin: A flask for containing water or another liquid.
• Coin-purse: A pouch containing money and valuables.
• Good Boots: A pair of unusually nice and expensive boots.
• Journal: A leather bound journal tucked into a pocket of Karlus's cloak.
• A pocket mirror: To check appearance

Armor:

• Chain-shirt: A shirt of chain mail.
• Leather Jerkin: A black leather sleeveless jacket.

Pack Contents:

• Bedroll: A bedroll for sleeping rough.
• Walking stave: A staff for walking extended distances.
• Books and scrolls: Mostly relating to arcane matters
• Ink, paper, quill: Used for writing
• Rations Food for one or two days.
• Ritual Components Chalk, incense, crow feathers etc.

Magical Items:

• Green Flame Blade: The silver hilted short sword at Karlus's hip. The blade burns with green fire when activated.
• Alchemical Tincture: A potion of troll pepper, nightshade, and witch hazel. Assists with Karlus's various injuries and ailments.

History

History: A mage-blade known as Karl the Flame arrived in Carthus from the lands of Penault around five years ago. He said he was trained in the arts of ruination by the Elves of that land. He quickly found employment as a bodyguard and adviser to various small time crime bosses and underworld figures who valued the protection against magical threats a pet mage provides. There are many inconsistencies in the story he presents as his past, why would a man from Penault speak in with an Astorian accent? Why would an elf trained mage leave to work in the much more oppressive environs of Carthus?

But stranger still are whispers that the Karl conceals that brands of the muted... yet still somehow practices magic. And then there are the other whispers, those of the college mages that disappear or are found dead in gutters wherever the Karl the Flame goes.

Immortal Odyssey (High Fantasy and Worldbuilding)

Well colour me interested, this looks good.

What are you reading?

Ah somewhere to dump the list I've been keeping of all the books I've read in the last 12 months or so...

Fiction I've read in 2019:

• The Ministry of Upmost Happiness - Arundhati Roy
• The Wise Man's Fear - Patrick Rothfuss
• The Steel Remains - Richard K. Morgan
• Collected Plays - Oscar Wilde (Includes Importance of Being Earnest, Lady Windermere's Fan, An Ideal Husband, A Woman of No Importance, & Salome)
• Perdido Street Station - China Meiville
• The Welsh Fairy Book- William Jenkyn Thomas
• Crime and Punishment - Froydor Dostoyevski
• The Song of Achilles - Madeline Miller
• On the Road - Jack Kerouac
• The Gold Finch - Donna Tartt
• The Lies of Locke Lamora - Scott Lynch

Non-fiction I've read in 2019:

• My Life - Leon Trotsky
• The Island of Knowledge - Marcelo Gleiser
• Chartism - Edward Boyle
• Neanderthal Man - Svante Paabo
• Power Systems - Noam Chompsky
• Illustrated History of the USSR - Kontantin Trarnovsky
• Rasputin - Frances Welch
• Danse Macabre - Stephen King
• Quest for Franklin - Noel Wright
• Audition - Michael Shurtleff

My current piece of fiction that I am reading is The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula K. Le Guin and my current non-fiction that I am reading is Seneca's On the Shortness of Life.

Favourite thing I've read all year? Probably The Wise Man's Fear, but since its a sequel, my favourite new fiction I've read is either The Song of Achilles or The Goldfinch although Lathe of Heaven may well usurp both of these as Ursula K. Le Guin is amazing.

Favourite non fiction? Probably Quest for Franklin, but its old and real out of date and just plain wrong a lot so don't read it unless your already well versed in the history of the Franklin Expedition. Frances Welch's Rasputin biography was pretty damn good as well, short and engaging read, well referenced but not overly academic.

CLOSED - To Reach for a Crown of Stars - Character Driven Sci-Fi Nation/Faction Roleplay

To Reach for a Crown of Stars

A Character Driven Sci-Fi Nation/Faction Roleplay

It was in the year 410 of the Imperial Calendar that greatest threat of the Dragomir dynasty and the stability of the Galactic Empire first emerged. The untimely and mysterious death of Crown Prince Justin and the subsequent demise of Emperor Friedrich III left a power vacuum in the Imperial Court. An infant grandson of Friedrich the III, Emperor Alexander IV, ascended to the Imperial Throne, but this did nothing to quell the discontent that spread through the great noble houses and those systems that chafed under the Imperial yoke. As the other Imperial claimants began a bloody civil war, separatists movements raised their own fleets to break free of the Empire. Other's used the chaos to amass wealth and power for themselves, their loyalty to the throne given in name only.

Thus began the Galactic Civil War. Where the unity of mankind would be shattered forevermore.

Professor Hermann Doerr PhD, Imperial Historian of Avalon University

Our story opens roughly twenty years after the scenario outlined above. A series of untimely deaths in the Imperial Household of humanity's Galactic Empire led to succession and secession crisis with various competing factions at war for either control of or freedom from this centrally controlled space-faring empire. Although the initial stages of this war were very fluid after the first few years things very much began to stagnate as the major factions became increasingly entrenched.

The child Emperor Alexander IV has surprisingly managed to retain his hold on the throne, largely due to the competence of his regents Chancellor Gaumont and Grand Admiral von Kümmel. He still controls the largest piece of the Empire and what is most likely its largest fleet as well. With his minority is only recently ended, the young emperor has signalled a change in war strategy, favouring a more aggressive approach to reclaiming imperial territory. Some think this will lead to the full restoration of the empire, whilst others believe this signals the final collapse of the Imperial House of Dragomir.

What are the other factions doing? Well, that's where you all come in...

---

Nations, Factions, Characters

Players in this RP will be taking on the roles of the various factions that have emerged in the wake of the collapse of humanity's star spanning empire. As mentioned above there are other claimants to the Imperial Throne still at large controlling various independent fiefdoms still roving around the galaxy. There are democratic separatist republics republics which already despised their imperial overlords prior to the war. There might be independent autocrats who have used the chaos to expand their own power bases. Or Neutral third party plutocracies who use their positions as trade hubs between these warring factions to amass wealth. Independent pirate or mercenary fleets could be another option, or any other possibilities you can think of that fits with the outline above.

Your faction doesn't necessarily have to be an independent nation, but rather a one that exists within one of the nations mentioned above. You could be a influential noble house within one of the imperial claimants territories, a prominent political party in a democratic republic, or a wealthy corporation in a plutocratic trade hub.

In fact if playing a faction sounds a little bit too much for you, this RP is also going to be open for individual character submissions as well. An individual character might be part of one of the types of factions outlined above. For example, an admiral in faction's space fleet, a politician of a democratic assembly, a noble who sits on an imperial council. Again, there are many other options of what exactly this could be, and please feel free to run the weird and the wonderful by me.

---

Additional Information

So a couple of ground rules to lay out here in case they are deal breakers for anyone:

First of all, there will not be any sentient extraterrestrial life in this roleplay. Life has been found on other planets, but nowhere has it evolved to the level of sentience. There is some limited/speculative evidence of ancient civilisations existing on some of these worlds but nothing concrete.

Secondly, I know the nation forum has a reputation for walls of text and glacial pacing but it does need to be say that I expect Advanced standards in terms of a relatively well written post of around 500+ words. I will also note that I am not a very fast writer or roleplayer so as long as you can post once every couple of weeks, you'll probably be able to keep up with pace I plan to set.

Finally, if you want to get a vibe of the kind of story I am aiming for this to become then I would point you to the main inspiration behind this particular idea, the well known novel series/manga/anime The Legend of the Galactic Heroes. Which I will probably shameless rip many things from in the course of this. But in short, think a very tactically and intrigue dense military sci-fi drama with long sustained character building, in which the world changes drastically and many main characters are killed over its course. The philosophical themes it brings up are rich with questioning the nature of war, honour, and class, as well as the various merits of democracies and dictatorships.

If these sound like the kind of themes you'd like to explore in a roleplay, then please register your interest below. Even if you are not interested, drop me a comment as to why that is. I don't GM that often so whenever I do I always like to get some feedback.

Thanks for reading!

[ASOIAF]: Before the Dragons Danced

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Lysono Saan - The Stepstones

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The striped hull of the galleas Sharako's Revenge glided around the headland and into the narrow rocky bay of the Triarchy stronghold just as the Sea Snake docked below. Upon its prow, stood its captain - Lysono Saan, Lord of Wreckstone. He cut a striking figure, purple satin finery under a coat of scales, silver hair unbound down his back. His left leg was raised up upon the ship's rail and to his eye was pressed a Myrish spyglass. Through its cunning lenses he watched as Daemon's men poured forth from the decks of the Sea Snake and onto the islet.

"It appears we are right on time." He spoke in Low Valyrian, and to no one in particular it seemed, his men all being busy stowing the sails or arming themselves. His voice was soft with the flowing and musical tones of the tongue of Lys. A knowing smile played across his lips as he folded the spyglass and thrust it into a pocket. So far everything was going according to plan.

Behind him, another striped galleas swung into the bay, the Orphan, followed by a sailing cog and finally a galley. A small detachment of the Wreckstone fleet arrived without prior warning in the closing stages of the battle, just in time to take a share of its plunder. Like vultures circling a dying man. News of Corlys' renewed campaign had come to Lysono as they had rounded Estermont a few days before. He had been planning to return straight to Wreckstone after his errand in the north, but the opportunity to seek plunder for crew and steal some glory from the Sea Snake was too much to pass.

They had not hurried themselves in coming to this desolate isle. Their oars did not pull at full speed nor were their sails full rigged. They had advanced at a leisurely pace, letting the Sea Snake fight its way into warren of islets and sandbanks before following sedately in its wake. Garin had wanted blood as always, but Lysono was more than content to let Corlys exhaust his own men first. Besides should the old man take an arrow in the fray... who would that leave at Daemon's right hand?

"All hands to the deck! Prepare for landing!" Men swarmed up onto the decks from below, an assorted motley of every colour and creed, heavily if diversely armed. Essosi wielding rapier blades and stiletto daggers, Westerosi in metal plate, Dornish spears, Summer Islanders with their great bows, hairy Ibbenese holding axes, and standing a head above all of them, a muscled Brindled Man with a sword like a meat cleaver clenched in his barbaric fist. His crew.

"You should all know the score by now! Any plunder belongs to the ship and will be split amongst the crew! Any man found hiding his share will be punished! Kill all who resist, those who surrender we take for ransom, or for slaves!"

The empty berth alongside the Sea Snake was only a few hundred feet away now. Lysono raised his silver gilt helm onto his head, it was decorated with scenes that would make a whore blush and crested with peacock feathers. He looked across the Orphan that was pulling alongside them. Garin, in his gleaming bronze armour, was giving the same speech no doubt as was Lem beyond him and Torreo beyond him again. It was the code of the fleet. His father's code originally. The quayside drew level with the ship. Lysono lowered his visor.

"Valar Morghulis! Now let's get out there and make ourselves rich!"

The gangplank fell, and they rushed in for the slaughter.

[ASOIAF]: Before the Dragons Danced

Made another POV character ahead of working on a post for the IC, will edit into my main house sheet, but also posting here for GM review etc.

Will probably place her in KL to give a lever to work that end of the plot

Vysenna Saan

Vysenna Saan

18

House Saan of Wreckstone

Appearance

Vysenna Saan shares many similarities appearance wise with older brother Lysono. They are both small, slim individuals bearing the blood of Old Valyria which manifests itself in their pale and silvery hair. Like her brother her eyes are not the deep purple of a Valyrian, but rather a sea green colour. Though fully grown into her womanhood for a number of years, Vysenna's waif-like proportions sometimes causes others to mistake her for being younger than she actually is.

Her dress differs drastically from her brother's in terms of the her preference for simple elegance over gaudy extravagance. Her dresses very well tailored but often are cut from plain silk or satin with little additional embroidery to embellish them. She prefers blues and greens, colours that bring out her unusual eyes. Though she has many jewels, Vysenna is unlikely to be wearing many of them at any given moment, often choosing a single necklace or broach depending upon the outfit. Though no doubt her dress sense would be considered foreign and revealing by Westerosi standards, in Lys it would be considered demure.

Biography

Vysenna Saan was born on the isle of Wreckstone in the year 93AC, the third and final child of pirate lord Sharako Saan, and his second daughter. Vysenna spent most of her childhood in Lys, with the Wreckstone branch of the Saan family originally leaving the island when Vysenna was only three years old prior the assault of the Triarchy in 96AC. The death of her father a few years later in a mutiny on the summer sea and the subsequent disappearance of her older brother to life a piracy left Vysenna alone in with only her Mother and her older sister Elaena.

Though they were nowhere near as wealthy as they had once been, the Wreckstone branch of the family still possessed some property in Lys. This along with what profits Lysono erratically sent back to them allowed Saan family enabled them to live a comfortable enough life independent of their cousins. But when Vysenna's mother was struck down by a sudden illness when Lysono was at sea this changed. Magister Samarro Saan acted as guardian to the two sisters, and married Elaena off to his own son Salloreon. Supposedly to maintain close relations between the two branches, but others said it was so Samarro's family could claim her portion of the inheritance for themselves.

When Lysono finally returned to Lys and heard these tidings he was furious and immediately took custody of his other still unmarried sister, Vysenna, fostering her with friends in ports and cities outside of Three Daughters. She has spent time in the free cities of Pentos and Braavos, on the isle of Driftmark with the Velaryons, and at King Daemon's Court on Bloodstone. She has returned to Lys since her brother claimed her, but only ever in his company.

~ Winds Of Fate - A Thief's Adventure ~ (1.0)

Gullian - Great Hall, Late Morning

Lucien Beaumont-Dubois

The bright sunlight that streamed in through the great arched windows was reflected from the mirror polished tiled flooring and into the eyes of Lucien Beaumont-Dubois as he was unceremoniously thrust from his cell and into the world above. The light hurt his eyes after the dank darkness of the Royal dungeons and his head still throbbed painfully from where it has been struck prior to his interment there. The cudgel had left a bloody gash at his left temple and that whole side of his face was discoloured black and blue. Not that anyone looking at him would likely be able to tell. Lucien also still bore the stain of his escape attempt upon him as well, and hence was still encrusted with all the filth of a full privy.

He couldn't remember anything of his journey to the dungeon, he wasn't even sure how long he had been there. It might have been hours, it might have been days, much of it spent slipping in and out of consciousness. Half formed dreams and hallucinations of people he had once known and places he had once been. All ghosts now, brought back to haunt him in his most desperate and debased state.

As soon as he had properly regained some of his senses he had realised he wasn't in a debtors prison. Debtors weren't kept in solitary cells (unless they could pay a gaoler for the luxury) and they weren't guarded with royal guardsmen. Why was he here? Oh Gods why was he here? Just who had he angered or swindled to earn the enmity of the monarch? After that he jumped and switched at every sound and movement, convinced it was sound of men taking him to the hangman's noose.

But instead of a noose, Lucien found himself here, in a sunlit, sweet smelling hall, with breakfast laid out before him. Maybe his luck had turned again? Sure there even more heavily armed men surrounding them no doubt ready to kill them all at a moment's notice, but if they wanted him dead they could have easily done that by now - and they didn't have to feed him to boot. A smile began to creep over Lucien's bloodied and dirtied features.

As his chains were undone and the grand looking fellow Lucien could only assume to be sovereign himself turned to them and began to address them his mood soured as he thought through the implications of why they were being treated so well. Something was going on here, and Lucien had the feeling he was about to be co-opted into doing something not in his best interests. As he looked to the left and the right, at the wall of armoured guardsmen and their withdrawing gaolers, Lucien saw that there was no way of out this. Certainly not here at least. He was trapped like a rat in a cage. He sighed, better to just make the most of it until they killed him or he weaselled his way somewhere far, far away.

Two of the louses that had been dragged in with Lucien, one a loutish woman and the other some northern barbarian already seemed to be arguing over something. He grimaced with distaste and made an effort to sit as far away as possible from the pair. Most of the other prisoners were already shovelling food into their mouths with great voracity, and Lucien was inclined to the same were it not the presence of the High King. Remember your manners, prove yourself a man of different class to the rest of these guttersnipes, there could be profit from this yet...

He wiped his face and hands down with a napkin and poured himself a glass of wine. He swilled and sniffed it before taking a sip. It was very good, light and fruity, with notes of summer berries and cherry. He used a spoon to crack one of the boiled quails egg and ate it as dainty as possible. Lucien could get used to living like this again.

MASC #1: Throwback - Prompt and Discussion

Are we allowed to do re-tellings of real world myths should they fit the brief?

~ Winds Of Fate - A Thief's Adventure ~ (1.0)

Yeah still around and will be working on something soon