neogreggory — Roleplayer Guild

"I think the best way to teach is to get the students fired up. Literally. With fire."


Name: Arthur Wick

Nicknames/Titles: Pyromaster, Hothead, Crazy Bastard

Age: 34

Gender: Male

Race: Human

Sexuality: Heterosexual

Magic:
Prima - Flame: An extremely simple form of magic, but dangerous. From the mages hands fire shoots out, catching objects, and enemies, aflame. If used correctly it can decimate armies. Incorrectly it can burn down schools of magic. A fact that Arthur has had to remind both himself and his students more than once.
Prima - Pillar of Justice: Arthur's own take on the common flaming weapon technique, his spear is cast in flames, however unlike the standard use of this his weapon takes on some more properties. The weapon becomes encased in light as well as flame, blinding those nearby, though not effecting Arthur. The weapon also becomes more potent against people with 'evil' in their hearts, or to be less vague, people who in the last year have knowingly and without regret stolen without need, murdered without just cause, or cheated in what was meant to be fair.
Circum - Spontaneous Blink: A technique that allows the mage to instantly teleport, the drawback being that he has to see the location. However the teleportation is instant. There is the option to be less instant, instead taking roughly a minute or so of mental effort to teleport to anywhere the mage has seen before, however this magic eats up mana rather quickly regardless of how you use it.

Strengths:
Regarding Flame: Flame requires very little mana and effort to use, and when one puts more mana and mind power into it flame can become overwhelming. And of course it doesn't take a magician class wizard to see the benefits of fire in a fight.
Regarding Pillar of Justice: Pillar of Justice also doesn't take much mana, though it is draining mana away slowly with it's use. And like before, it doesn't take much to see how fire can help in a fight, and blinded enemies fall that much quicker to the onslaught of fire. Being stronger against the people Arthur is most likely to fight to the death is also a major plus.
Regarding Spontaneous Blink: Being able to appear somewhere else nearby in an instant is hugely helpful in a fight, turning a dangerous spot into a cornered enemy, or two head on charges rushing into one another into a flanking maneuver. And of course the best way to keep students on their toes is to be everywhere in the room at once, nobody will be cheating or not paying attention if the instructor can be right behind them without warning.

Weaknesses:
Regarding Flame: Arthur, despite how it may seem at times, is not fireproof. He may have fireproofed clothing and wards in place, but they can't hold back the amount of fire he is liable to use when he fight earnestly. And of course fire burns more than flesh, and if the arena aflame is the inside of a structure than said structure risks collapsing, and Arthur really isn't falling chunks of wood and stone proof.
Regarding Pillar of Justice: The main drawback of pillar of justice is how much mana is consumes. While at any one time it isn't using much mana, during long battles it starts to drain the mana pool. Arthur counterbalances this by using a less intensive technique when fighting with his spear, but it still saps his energy far faster than he'd like. And of course blind allies aren't very helpful, meaning Arthur can't really use this in group engagements.
Regarding Spontaneous Blink: At first glance the chief concern for this magic is the fact that you can only teleport to where you see if you still want truly spontaneous, and that is a drawback, but the biggest problem with this magic is just how much mana it uses. While not the most mana consuming spell in the planet, it is certainly harsh on the mana pool. 

Catalyst: Arthur has three objects he uses to channel his magic, so that he isn't found without.
His spear, Sorrow's Reach, a long spear with a hook halfway up the blade, we'll talk more about it in a moment.
A unrefined ruby, fastened to a golden chain around his neck, which seems to hold a flame swirling inside if one stares at it.
And a small white yellow candle he keeps in his pocket. He says that it creates a blue flame when lit, but it hasn't been lit in a long time, otherwise it would get even shorter.

other Skills: Arthur, besides from his magic, is very much skilled with the spear, using it as a wall from which he can deftly make a few quick feints before following up with a true and fatal blow. He is also a fair cook, living alone has taught him the basics and he is keen to experiment. 

Inventory: Besides from his wallet, pocket watch, keys and other basic things Arthur has his spear, Sorrow's Reach. It is six feet long, with the haft being made of birch treated to be black as night. The tip makes up the final foot of it's length, and halfway down has a hook. The tip is made up of a magically treated steel which has left it shiny and damn near incapable of being melted. Arthur is well versed in his use of his spear, years of training have made him as adept with it as he is fire. It wasn't forged by him however, but rather a friend. But we'll get to that in a bit.

Familiar: None as of now, perhaps in time.

Pesonality:
Arthur has an interesting way of looking at things, which affects his teaching methods. He will set his students on fire if he thinks it'll help them manipulate fire. He looks at the world at large with a rather cheery attitude, living in the moment whenever life will allow him. He doesn't stress easily, making casual conversation with his foes even in life or death duels. But the moment he gets angry, one best watch out. He is a pyromancer, and when his heart is filled with fire, you'll know.

Backstory: Arthur wasn't born into fortune, but he was born into magic. Living in the United States with his magical mother and non-magical father Arthur had a good life, until the death of his mother. He was ten, and it ruined him. It was then that his innate skill with fire began to show. Torching his home in grief and then after realizing what he had done he ran, not seeing his father ever again. He ended finding himself face to face with a unnaturally large wolf, and Arthur's fire didn't burn it. Without options and with his back to a low stone cliff he thought his life ended, until something flew over head, and lodged a spear into the wolves' head. Before Arthur was a tall, lanky being, with black feathered wings and short horns sprouting from an angular head. The man referred to himself as Ethan, and took Arthur under his wing.

With Ethan Arthur learned how to control his magic, and learned more about the world of magic and myth. Ethan was a fallen angel, child to a demon and angel, an outcast in the world at large. He was however, a master of the spear, a tactical genius, and a man of unshakable faith. Arthur learned much from him, and when he was sixteen Ethan supplied him the money to go to LMontagne, a school for magic where Arthur could further hone his powers. The last thing Ethan gave Arthur, was Sorrow's Reach, Ethan's magnum opus, a gift that Arthur would keep by his side from then on.

Arthur did well at the academy, learning from the best and brightest and before long had a close knit group of friends at his back. When they graduated, the group decided to start doing odd jobs together as a sort of 'adventuring party'. After a few good jobs the leader of the rag tag group took an easy and well paying job. The group was to head into a cave and make sure it was safe for miners. Magic sources divined that there was a great deal of gold and silver within, and if men could get to it a fortune would be had.
the group went in, and what would they find but mountains of golden coins and treasures, and what would be guarding it all but a dragon. It was an ancient beast, with black scales and deadly fire, the battle was harsh, and one by one the group of friends started dying. Arthur was the last one, standing face to face with the dragon, and through pure willpower bested the dragon, slaying it and claiming its treasure as his own.

For the next year Arthur spent his life recklessly, the loss of his friends drove him to drink and whore himself away. Until he met a curious person, who shook Arthur from his stupor. Arthur, ashamed, invested his remaining wealth and applied for a position at Montagne, in order to teach the younger generation. He has been teaching there for about thirteen years now.

The Scalethein Empire

201-300 A.E.

As found written upon the walls of the old Promethean Palace

(A Note. I have, as you may see, placed the post in several hiders, in order to save space and divide sections. I think it may be a god idea, but then again maybe I'm wrong. Either way, enjoy one hundred years of progress.)
Queen Hellia was met with thunderous applause when she returned to Scale Home. For three months the streets were filled with nonstop song and dance, and liquor, something introduced to the Kobolds by their new dwarven friends, was drank in great quantity. However, the celebration could not last forever. While the old masters were dealt a serious blow they were still existent, and the last words of Gritig's last words before he fled had troubled Hellia. As it is recorded, "We(the old masters) will not fall, not to you, or anybody! Prepare yourselves slaves, because I am returning!"
However before anything could be done regarding the Prometheans something more urgent had to be dealt with. The Scalethein empire was of no small size, and managing it would have been a monstrous task if not for the Prime Minister Rokdar's skill in such matters. The Senate was formed, and soon Kobold and Dwarf citizens both were arguing upon issues far to minor for the two rulers to bother with. Afterwards a set of laws to both bind and protect the common people, and now Queen Hellia could direct her efforts solely towards building military might.

With the aid of dwarf and kobold veterans of the Battle for Uthein Hellia went about the structuring of the new military. First was the official position of soldier, men and women of the empire would be trained solely for the act of battle and war, to kill those who were deemed foes of the Empire, and protect the citizens when needed.
One thousand soldiers would be a regiment, four regiments would make a legion which would also contain units of soldiers trained to throw lighter spears and fire bows, along with siege equipment such as the new Pult. Two legions would make an army and two armies would comprise an army group. Two or more army groups would make a front, the largest body of troops within the Scalethein Empire.
It was also decided during this time that the soldiers would fight on the battlefield as legions, four thousand warriors fighting in three lines. In the front would be the freshest soldiers, the ones most eager to meet the enemy and die for Scalethein. Next would be survivors of past battles, veterans who knew better the art of battle, who would come in after the first line to enemies tired from fighting the first line and unready to combat them. At the end would be the most elite warriors, if the fight came to them they it rested completely on their great skill. Along the sides of the legions would fight mounted warriors.
During this time much effort was put into weapons and tactics. In Uthein they produced weapons and armor in great number, however in Scale Home they developed instead new ways to kill. The Pult was indeed a dangerous weapon, however several Kobolds thought it could be improved. The most obvious way to improve it's effectiveness was to increase it's size, however it wouldn't be practical to use such massive war engines, so instead the Kobold thinkers devoted their time to finding interesting and dangerous forms of ammunition. Rather than a single large boulder, several smaller stones wrapped in a net that would fall apart midair to scatter to the ground below, while not the most effective against structures would be far more lethal against organic targets. Experiments with oils and toxins was also pursued, though not much progress was made.
However, war was not the only thing upon the minds of the Kobolds and Dwarves of Scale Home. The city, which was mostly built within the mountain itself, was slowly becoming crowded. Structures were built outside the city proper, towers began to grow out of the mountain itself, and new tunnels were dug, but still the rate at which Kobold were hatched and Dwarves born was to much for the City to bear. It was then, in her wisdom, that the Queen Hellia stated in 213 A.E that wood would be needed to fund the war effort. An expedition would be sent out westward into the jungles in order to obtain wood and lessen the burdens upon Scale Home. It was then that thirty thousand Kobolds, an army of which were soldiers, would march to the west, away from the mountains and hills and into the jungles below.
Several small wood cutting villages would be founded, chief among them being Far Home, which was the most centrally placed village. However there would be trouble. The kobolds were unused to the jungle, and it's many dangerous. Every day Kobolds would die, either from eating something they shouldn't have, or from a large predator. It would be many years until Far Home and its fellow villages would begin to adapt to their terrain, but at the very least they managed to ship enough wood to Scale Home to progress the war effort. Worth noting, a few of the Kobold villages were close enough to the water for fishing to begin, Kobolds standing at the edge of the water with spears would be a common sight.


Meanwhile, in Scale Home a curious creature found its way to the market. It had hair, like dwarves and Prometheans, but it was lean, and stood somewhere between the two in terms of height. It would call itself a human, of a place called Qa-Avnel. The human stood in the center of the market, and spoke of a being known as God, about the moons and something called ayel. Many Kobolds listened, until one, known now as Rei the First Priestess, asked "Why?"
The debate with the Qa-Avnel priest lasted for days. It is said that each morning the two, the human and Rei, would meet in the center of the market. He would try to convince the kobolds who gathered of the truth in his words, and Rei would ask him questions, force him to explain everything. After a week the human left, and didn't come back. Rei had won, but she was touched by the human. From that day on she would look up at the sky and ask it why. The Dwarves had a mountain father, the humans had a almighty god and their ayel masters, why did the Kobolds not have one?
It would be that starting in the year 231 A.E that Rei would become the first Kobold priest. She would stand in the market, as the human did, and speak to her fellow kobolds and dwarves about the moons. The human said that when people died they went to the moon, but of course that was impossible Rei said. Dead people couldn't go anywhere, they were of course dead. The dwarves had a god in the ground, so of course it would be suiting that the Kobolds had a god in the sky she said, and with each day more kobolds would come to the market, to ask her questions. However unlike the human who got frustrated when asked, Rei tried to come up with answers, and where she couldn't she instead asked the one who questioned her what they thought. In time, the faith twin goddesses of the moon were born. Rei figured, that since there was clearly many different kinds of people, and the gods apparently made the world, that the gods couldn't look like the people on the world. None of the kobolds could agree on what the twin goddess looked like, so they instead settled on worshiping at images of the moons themselves, wearing images of moons upon their jewelry, praying at carvings of the moons. The kobolds and dwarves had decided that the Mountain Father still existed, he was a earth god, the twin goddesses were sky gods. That way, Kobolds who wanted to could still pray to the mountain, and dwarves who felt the need could pray to the moons. All assembled in the market decided that the moon goddesses had names, but nobody knew what they were. This marked the beginning of the first holy walk, where Rei would leave Scale Home, stating that she would not return until she knew the goddesses names.
In Scale Home the new faith, much like music before it, was spreading like wildfire. Nearly every family home held at least a small shrine to the moons, and within the throne room of the Queen's Palace a great work of art was commissioned by Hellia, who had taken up the faith herself. A pair of dwarves living in Scale Home, by name of Ralph and Leon, were making their living at the market, selling lovely stones they found when they realized they could use these stones to make works of art. Over time, they were using flat colorful stones to make images in walls and floors for a high price, and it was these brothers she hired to create what would become their magnum opus. The entire domed ceiling of the throne room, a massive twenty feet in the air, would be made to look like the night sky, with both moons gleaming down on the throne. It would take the brothers sixty years to complete the project, finishing it in 298 A.E.


Queen Hellia however had a war to fight. She, along with eight legions, marched south. The march to the border was fair enough, it was the of spring the year 234 and the roads between Scale Home and Uthein by that point were well maintained. The army marched past Uthein, resting for but only a short time as the three legions worth of dwarves said goodbye to loved ones and what not. It would be then that Hellia, with her eight legions, would begin their march in earnest. Marching southward first into foothills and then into jungles the army first proved itself against the city of Galgot. The city had wooden walls and mustered three thousand warriors to its defense. Queen Hellia however was curious to test the new weapons of war, and brought out the Pults, loaded both with single and multi shot. Within a week the walls of Galgot were nearly non existent, many of the buildings within were toppled, and the Scalethein army had minimal losses, only losing six hundred soldiers, most of which were from the second legion, which were the first into the fray.
The army would continue its march. The jungles were hot, but unlike the jungles to the east there were few hostile beasts, as the old masters had hunted or scared away most of the dangerous creatures many years ago. The Scalethein forces uprooted many smaller villages and homesteads, however many more settlements were empty, or found with the inhabitants already fleeing before the kobolds and dwarves arrived. Hellia grew concerned of what this could mean, but dismissed these fears and marched on to the city of Berngot. The walls of berngot were in far worse state then those of Galgot, and the forces within numbered then than two hundred. Using logs hefted up by sturdy soldiers and brought against the gates Hellia swept her armies through Berngot like a wave, the meager defenders cut down while the Scalethein's lost only a few dozen from various legions. Once the battle was over Hellia looked over the city, it was relatively large, larger then the defenders made it seem. Perhaps the illness that seemed to belong to the old masters had just struck this place harder than others the Queen is reported to have mused to her commanders. Regardless of the situation, there was still one last city to deal with. The Front moved south, and at the end of the year 234 A.E the soldiers of Scalethein stood at the walls of Promethea. It was then that Queen Hellia realized why there were so few at Berngot, why they had found so many settlements devoid of life. Upon the stone walls of the city stood nearly twelve thousand Promethean. So it would be that the Siege of Promethea would begin. Every day the two armies would pester the other with arrows and spears. The Scalethein forces camped a short distance away, just far enough to avoid the range of the enemy arrows and spears, while Hellia thought on what they could do to breach the great stone walls. The walls stood thirty feet in height, lined with towers where Prometheans could fire from safety. Dwarven workmanship, walls that have stood the test of time. The Pults fired upon the wall, but they seemed to do little against the walls. 
Queen Hellia however, at the age of forty-seven, had not one, but two ideas. Trees would be felled by the hundreds in order to build a tower, one that could be rolled up to the walls and allow the Kobolds and Dwarves entry to the city. While this was being done however, Scalethein soldiers not actively exchanging fire with the defenders or working upon the tower would be made to dig. Already there were trenches dotting the landscape where the soldiers of Scalethein would be able to loose their arrows and then hide again before being fired upon themselves, but Hellia had more dug, tunnels. Tunnels that would go beneath the walls, weaken the walls. While the Queen could simply have her forces come out on the other side of the wall she would rather see the walls themselves fall, the Prometheans last barrier crumble. In the year 236 A.E the great tower, named Moons Blessing by the men and women of the army would be nearing completion. It was then that the constant fighting between the defenders on the wall and the attackers in their trenches stopped, for a single day. A messenger of the Prometheans came out of the gate, to deliver a message. A meeting, the Great Ape Horok would speak with the leader of the attackers. Queen Hellia agreed, and the two, along with their respective bodyguards, met within Hellia's tent. 
The two would speak for several hours, but it was for naught. Horok wanted lands in the mountains that Hellia deemed too important to Scalethein, and she wanted farmland Horok was unwilling to give up. The thought of simply trading came up, but neither party could decide upon what was fair. In time, the two began to grow aggravated by the other, however before bloodshed could occur the Great Ape parted quietly, stating that the walls would not fall, had never fallen.
It would be with great glee then for Queen Hellia in the autumn of 236 A.E that the final attack began. In that time she was down a legion, the seventh legion had suffered many casualties in the daily crossfires and was dismantled with its remaining members used to refill losses in the other legions. The Moons Blessing slowly moved across the landscape, several trenches in the way refilled so that the great wooden tower would be able to reach the wall. Within the tower were the second legion, with the fifth and eighth behind and ready to ascend the tower as well. Meanwhile, at another stretch of wall the third legion was tasked with removing the supports in the tunnels under the wall, ensuring the collapse of the wall in that spot. Just as the Moon's Blessing was reaching the wall, the supports were removed, the third legion barely escaping the tunnels as earth and stone fell behind them. That legion lost thirty nine soldiers, however the stone walls of Promethea indeed began to fall and crumble, and as old masters attention turned to the falling section of wall the gate to Moon's Blessing fell and the Second Legion leapt down onto the wall.
It was a bloody battle on the wall as the Second, Fifth and Eighth legions fought the Promethean warriors. Meanwhile on the ground the Third and Fourth legions swarmed into the gap in the wall, climbing over rubble and corpses to get into the city itself. While the fight on the wall may have been bloody, the fight on the ground was a massacre, but not in the old master's favor. The Kobolds and Dwarves of the Third and Fourth met little resistance, most of the defenders were stationed on the wall itself and the only ones the soldiers met were citizens of Prometea, which were murdered without thought or restraint. The two legions charged through the city like a wave, making their way to the Palace itself.
Meanwhile upon the wall both sides were suffering heavy losses. The battle could have gone either way, had it not been for the heroic captain of the Second Legion, a kobold by the name of Skirk. He saw how the battle went, the blood soaked stone, the corpses piling high enough to form walls, the soldiers and warriors being tossed from the wall itself to meet a grisly fate below. He howled out, and tossed his spear into the mass of enemies, and by some chance the spear punch into the head of a massive old master, one who was thought by both sides at that point unbeatable. The Promethean didn't even register the spear at first, still holding a kobold with a broken neck in one hand and his block soaked club in his other. Slowly however, he stepped back, two steps, and then he began to fall off the walls. The fight nearly stopped completely, before the Dwarves and Kobolds let out a great scream and charged into the Prometheans, driving them from the walls.
With the walls secured Queen Hellia marched into the city, the First and Sixth legions with her. Marching through the corpse strewn streets the First and Sixth made their way to the palace, but did not catch sight of the Third or Fourth legions. Stepping into the Palace itself, the missing legions were indeed found. Hellia, and the soldier who had marched in with her, wept there, as they looked upon the bodies of the fallen. Nearly eight thousand kobolds, dead in but one great room. Blood soaked the floors, caked the walls, and dripped from the ceiling. At the far end of the hall was Horok and his guard, three hundred in number.
The conversation that took place afterwards is lost to us, but it is said that with the fury of mountain and moons Hellia charged, and the First legion followed. The Sixth legion, cowards, fled. The battle was fierce, but in the end it was for Scalethein. The first legion was reduced to a mere dozen, and Queen Hellia herself was wounded heavily, though at no point did she retreat. Horok had fought well, it is said that he slew at least two hundred of the first legion himself before falling to wounds received from sixteen spears.
The remnants of the First legion departed the palace, Hellia carried by the Dwarf Brone. However, the Sixth legion had managed to reach the siege camp before the battle was over, and had declared the battle lost, spreading word that the Queen was dead with the First legion. 
Once the First legion made it to the camp however the Sixth panicked, and attacked the survivors without thinking. The Second Legion pounced upon the traitors, and even though the Second was much lesser in number the traitors lay dead. From taht day on the number six would be considered bad luck, and the Sixth legion would never be reformed.
Though they lost four legions, and the surviving five were crippled, the Scalethein empire had won. Every Promethean in Promethea was slain, and a great pyre of corpses lit the night sky as the survivors looted, danced, and praised the twin moons above. The next day everything that could be carried, in particular vast quantities of scrolls and engravings, were taken north. It would not be until the spring of 237 A.E that the forces of Queen Hellia would return to Scalethein lands. They were met with thunderous applause, and in Scale Home a great feast was held in honor of the Siege of Promethea.
Queen Hellia however, was tired. She had finally finished her mother's dream, and upon her bed she, like the Queens before her, would call for her daughters to assemble. Hellia however had few children, for she had spent little time on such matters with the war on her mind. She had to choose between but four. On that day, Queen Lilith was crowned, as Queen Hellia the Victor's body was cremated.


Queen Lilith's reign would be a uneventful one. Only two events of any historical note would take place during her time as Queen. The first is the meeting of yet another new people, from the water no less. Fishers of Far Home and the other western jungle villages would one day see something upon the water, some large and wooden. It drew near, and their curiosity drew them closer. It was then that a terrible blight would show upon the jungle dwelling Kobolds and Dwarves, as large female reptiles would storm the villages, taking anything of value before leaving. After hearing word of this Queen Lilith sent out the reformed Third legion to protect the settlements, though the soldiers were incapable of telling where the raiders would strike next, and rarely managed to arrive in time to save anyone.
The other, and far more important event that happened in Queen Lilith's reign was the return of Rei in the year 240 A.E. After many years Rei returned to Scale Home. At the news of her coming so many people came to the market that it could not hold them all. Kobolds and Dwarves watched from the windows, children were seated upon shoulders, carts and stalls were climbed on to get a better view at the women.
Rei had grown, when she had left she was eleven, young but bright and curious. Now she returned nineteen. Still young, but now solemn, quiet. Draped in heavy robes Rei made her way to the center of the market, stood upon a large crate moved there for her, and began to speak. She told the tale of how she climbed the mountains. She spoke with the humans, even found the human who came to them before. None of them had an answer for her, and so she kept walking. She met great stone people, They called themselves the Dyarvik, and although they were wise and long lived, none of them had the answer Rei searched for. It would only be when she reached the highest point on the mountains, when she called out begging for guidance, that she would find her answer. Rei told how the twin goddesses looked down on her, and in their pity they told her their names.
Arill, and Zee. One fair, and one harsh. This information quickly swept through Scale Home, and then all of Scalethein. The twin goddesses of the moon had names, and Rei was the one who they told.




Major Events of Scale Home: Third Century


Cultural
The faith of the Twin Moon Goddesses is formed, and small shrines are kept in nearly every household. In the throne room of Scale Home, the entire ceiling has a mosaic of the night sky done across it in honor of the moon goddesses, which are named Arill and Zee. The number six is considered bad luck.

Technological
The Pult is improved upon slightly, with grapeshot being the main development, though chemical ammunition is theorized. Many scrolls are taken from Promethea, which contain knowledge mostly pertaining to architecture, law, and religion.

Military
The Imperial Army is formed, with career soldiers trained. The 'Pult' is invented. A three year war is held with Promethea, which ends in Scalethein victory, though not without heavy losses. The Third Legion is sent out to deal with Zaqir raiders, but fail to stop any raids, instead forced to just build a barracks in Far Home and help repair damaged from the seasonal raids.

Governmental
Queen Hellia the Victor dies a hero in 237 A.E, and be succeeded by her daughter Queen Lilith

Territorial
(Ack I think I hate MSpaint! I'm sorry but I don't have an actual map, perhaps if Frengo or somebody else would be so kind as to make one up? Far Home is about in the middle top of the Jungle to the West of Scale Home, not far from that that bit of water that juts inland. The once Promethean lands are now empty save for ruins, unless the dwarves of Uthein consider that too wasteful and want to settle some of those cities.)

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