P R E L U D E
A great celestial body impacted the world twenty years ago. The event was a Calamity in every sense of the word. When the ash had settled, an extraterrestrial being in a coma induced stupor was found in the crater. An agreement between world leaders was signed that paved way for scientific experimentation on the being. The project was named Jenova. While minimal knowledge could be learned about its anatomy and consciousness, the flesh and blood of the being connected missing links within the field of medicine. A new vaccine was produced that repelled or completely prohibited known diseases and fatal conditions.
However, humanity began to reject the new cells within their bodies. They experienced horrific ailments, nightmares, and physical metamorphoses. An emergency remedy was executed. Those who could be saved had their infected limbs removed and replaced by prosthetic augmentations, those who had transgressed too far were exterminated, and the rest lost their humanity. The latter transformed into monsters. They were slaves to the consciousness of Jenova. During this time, the crater of the Calamity had secreted an infestation that corrupted nature and its beasts. The presence of this extraterrestrial organism had disrupted the ecosystem of the world to such an extent that military action was required.
The standard armies of all nations of the world joined to form the United Defense Force. The allocation of military resources quickly spiraled out of control, however. The most endangered nations and areas all demanded priority at the same time. The commanding official of the United Defense Force ultimately declared the army an independent governing body. This was the only way to prevent stagnation of action due to political issues. A long term solution in the form of mandatory military academies was also implemented. However, nations around the world retained their Special Operation Forces with which they conducted a messy shadow war for the control of resources, control of the United Defense Force, control of the Jenova Project, and secured dominance after the infestation crisis.
The infestation, known as Stigma, caused the spirits of the wild to seek refuge in humanity in order to prevent total decline. Most things in the world has a spiritâmountains and rivers, trees and flowers, thunder and wind, and everything betwixt inhabit sentient entities known as spirits. They are believed to be the remnants of the creator of the universe. The presence of the Stigma drove spirits away from their natural embodiments, seeking sanctuaries in human beings. Those who were chosen, those who had not been corrupted by the blood of Jenova, were chosen and became known as Guardians.
The universe was created from the flesh of a great being, Adon. We know it now as the infinite energies and elements that binds existence together. The first sentient entity that formed within the universe was Etro. As it was known to him and all those who came thereafter, whichever force in the universe that stands higher than all others will be known as Etro. However, that which is known as Etro cannot be infinite, for such attribute can only be ascribed to Adon.
Etro was not pleased in his heart knowing that an adversary would one day refute him. Therefore, he created a device that was later to be known as Phyrexia. Within this device, Etro locked away a singularity that would upon his death transport his consciousness to a previous state as ruler. As such, the universe would infinitely repeat itself. Etro existed like this for thousands of cycles before the device was discovered by his imminent creations.
Half of Etroâs host shouted heresy at the Phyrexia device, but the other half remained loyal. A great war ensued that the rebels eventually lost. However, before they were cast from their seats, they hurled Phyrexia into the vast and infinitely expanding universe. After the war, Etro ordered a number of his loyal followers to search for the device, but they failed. As punishment, they were banished to the outskirts of the stars to live as whatever wretched beings that had evolved in that place.
The rebels and the loyalists began to search for Phyrexia. When it became clear that the rebels were attempting to recruit the eyes and ears of various species in the universe, Etro hurled massive meteors infested with nightmares in all directions, as an attempt to disrupt life within the billions of galaxies of the universe. Realizing that the endless search would prevent any force from refuting Etro, the rebels began to search for the banished Seekers instead.
S P I R I T S
A spirits exist in all living things. Mountains and rivers, trees and flowers, thunder and wind, and everything betwixt inhabit sentient entities known as spirits. They are believed to be the remnants of Adon, the entity that created the universe from its own flesh. Humans also possess a spirit, a strong spirit called a 'soul'. How these souls are different from spirits of the wild is unknown. Perhaps they are the children of Adon, or perhaps they are old spirits that have persisted throughout the ages. Either way, the souls of humans can attract the spirits of the wild, as spirits seek strength and prosperity, and then congregate to form a sanctuary. Those whom carry a sanctuary for spirits within them are known as Guardians. This is not only true for human souls, but also for certain animal souls.
The religious practice of spirituality advocates presence or union with the creator, Adon. One is to be conscious of the soul and the spirits of the wild, and strive towards becoming a sanctuary. A transcendent Guardian once spoke of the 'The Kingdom' that slumbers within oneself rather than in material things. As such, there are no churches or temples, only shrines and places of energy where one may show devotion. Once a deeper understanding of the soul and spirits of the wild, the union with God, and sanctuary has been achieved, a person may transcend to become a beacon of light. The soul of such a person sheds its physical embodiment in order to run free. It is an experience similar to death, but one attained through enlightenment rather than a tragic fate.
Spirits of the wild assume many forms visible to the naked eye. They may appear as ghosts of animals, insects, machines, or formless entities. Their appearance is also enclosed by an array of coloration often linked to the many elements of the world and the universe. A spirit cannot use the languages of human beings, but they can show emotion through action and sound. However, higher intelligence can be achieved by an animal soul through spirit possession. This means that certain animals can learn human languages, but it also means that they are rather powerful Guardians.
Guardians are people or animals with unusually high spirit density. They are sanctuaries to the spirits of the wild. The physical attributes of Guardians are greatly enhanced based on the number of spirits within, and they can also exert the natural energies of spirits as magic. While Guardians can survive situations that would otherwise be fatal, and resist most diseases, they are not immortal and will die due to physical trauma. The bond between spirit and soul is a complex one. Every Guardian is unique, and thereby their enhanced abilities as well. It is also believed that Guardians live longer, if they are able to keep their spirits. Some of the most esoteric Guardians are said to have lived for over two hundred years. However, such a feat requires immense devotion to spirituality.
C H A R A C T E R S
You will portray a student of Oakridge Military Academy. The active school years for a student is between ages seven and twenty-five. Your character is about to enter the last phase of their education, which means that they are twenty-two or twenty-three years old. The last phase primarily consists of active field duty and missions.
Your character is also a Guardian. This means that they are stronger and faster than regular soldiers, able to withstand more punishment, immune to common diseases, and able to exert magic through spirit possession. The number of Guardians at Oakridge Military Academy is such that most of them will more or less know each other. If not by heart, then at least by name. It is entirely up to you to determine how well your character knows the other player characters at the academy. However, in the end, you will be bound to each other in a meaningful way.
There will not be a âbackgroundâ section in the character sheet. Instead, you can at your own leisure reveal your characterâs past through âflashbacksâ in the story. These can also be written with another playerâs character, if your characters have history together. Flashbacks can be past events, memories, or dreamsâanything that tells us more about who your character is. In this sense, flashbacks go hand in hand with your characterâs personality. Whenever you have written a flashback, you simply add it to your character sheet, so that it is easy to find and read again. This will also make sure that you always have something to write, should your Muse dwindle in regards to current events of the story.
There will also be a combat system in this roleplay. All of your characterâs actions during fights will count towards a meter that fills up. When this meter is full, that enemy will be or can be defeated instantly. I, as the Game Master, have a list of general actions and other things that add to the meter after judging a combat-post. You will get to customize your character in such ways that manipulate these numbers in your favor. This system is quite subtle and just a casual, fun aspect of the roleplayânothing to worry about.
I N F O R M A T I O N
The following are my ârulesâ. I will focus on the things that you should do rather than the things you should not do, just to keep things positive.
# Follow a simple scheme for posts: React, Act, Observe, and Reflect. Your character reacts to previous actions, your character acts uniquely to move things forward, your character observes the surroundings and other characters, and your character reflects upon feelings and thoughts. These do not have to be presented in this order or only once. The scheme could be: react, observe, act, reflect, act, observe, react, or any variation thereof. This is a simple trick to keep in mind when writing.
# Create and keep a few secondary characters for when and if the muse fails for your main character.
# Post according to your own schedule. Posting depends on you and the time of the year. However, nobody will wait for you. This does not mean that you have to post each week, as waiting time depends on your characterâs relevance in the story. If interactions with your character are heavy, your attention and activity requirement will naturally increase.
# When in doubt, mirror my posting standard in terms of length and quality.
# There is no player limit or desired amount of. I'm happy with the ones who show up at all.
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), but still, I'll say that I'm tentatively interested. On the one hand the whole idea is pretty badass, not gonna lie, but on the other hand it's somewhat impossible to see the whole thing except through a contemporary political lens. Might be better in some instances to say authoritarian or theocratical.