Hi! This is an open-world RP set in a surreal fantasy world. The main location is the Empress' Minus massive labyrinthine pleasure palace known as The Garden. Players will take the role of the Empress' subjects and courtiers and are encouraged to invent/explore rooms and locations around the gardens. I will give some details on major locations but for the most part it will be player decided. I have a few plot stories to mix into the narratives. Any character that fits the tone of the setting will be considered. Thanks for reading!
BEYOND IMMORTALITY
The PlaceThe Gardens are the endless sprawling residence of the Ageless One, the Empress Minu, who gives the gift of life. As she gives so too does she take.The Gardens are a sprawling pleasure-den of strange geometries, a mixture of Babylonian, Indian and Roman architectures. Courtiers politic, fight, plot and die. They love and kill, torment and nurture, all vying for favor with the Empress. It is a place between twilight and dawn, a doorway between dream and waking.
The Empress built the Gardens as her personal residence. The massive labyrinth of chambers, corridors, vaults and plazas, baths, theatres, and gardens lie in an endless expanse of pure white desert. Only a single river with no bottom leads to the gardens. No clouds pass above. Only azure skies and light mists of rain that either cool or warm depending on the person feeling it.
The Empress appears as a young maiden of negligible appearance. Stoic and quiet but commanding attention when she speaks. She is not what she appears to be. Minu is of an ancient magic, dark and beyond comprehension of mortal men. Minu gives immortality to those that suit her needs or gain her favor.
The Courtiers and its StrataThe Nobility are ageless, as is the Empress. They owe fealty to the Empress for the gift of eternal life. The hold authority over the Knighthood, the Servants and the Skralings. The Knights are men and women of honour who serve one (or many) lords and ladies. The Empress has little control over the Knighthood, but since Minu controls the Nobility in theory she can exert influence over the Knights as well.
The Servants perform the housekeeping duties, the heavy lifting, the cooking and cleaning etc. They are better than Skralings in only that they are not to be killed. A Servant has very rarely achieved the gift of Immortality. The Skralings are the slaves of the court. They are entertainment and labor. Duels to the death or just snacks for the more exotic animals that are brought to court.
The RacesThe Lamassu are elegant shape-shifting creatures. At birth they are given three molds that they can turn into. When socializing Lamassu prefer retaining characteristis of all three of their forms-but are fully capable of completely transforming into any of the three.
Lamassu are charismatic, moral, philosophical creatures. They like being the center of attention by telling riddles, jokes and stories-tension can run high when more than a few Lamassu are in the same room.
To come: Races ! Elephant Bipeds, Light/Energy Creatures, Humanoid Spiders, Trolls, Lamassu, more!
This RP would take place in the gardens of the Empress Minu-a surreal fantastical place buried somewhere between ancient times and medieval. Strange races of courtiers come and go-weird ships deliver endless treasures and guests. Politics and ritual abound.
