TJByrum

The Forsaken (Medieval)

The spot may have already been taken

The Forsaken (Medieval)

Two armies have been slugging it out in a frontier territory known as the March. Both sides suffer heavy casualties, the men grow weary, and Fall is coming to an end. As the winds of Winter approach, the two groups cautiously withdraw from the area, intending to wait out the cold until next year. Unfortunately, an ungodly blizzard descends upon the March, leading both armies astray.

You are playing as a soldier in one of these armies (any rank is acceptable, as long as you were not the supreme commander). You and your men were withdrawing in good order until the blizzard hit. Despite your best efforts, you were separated from your allies. Winter has come in all its fury this year, and you have no choice but to wander aimlessly in the white haze.

The RP kicks off when our two characters practically bump into each other during the storm. Mind you, we are from two separate armies and have been fighting a brutal war all year long. Our people hate each other, and chances are we have killed each others friends and family. In any other occasion, we would probably kill each other, but the blizzard urges a different approach. The role play focuses on:
1. Surviving in a harsh environment
2. The relationship of two bitter rivals working together to make it through the storm
3. Exploring the background of both characters, including their family, upbringing, life goals, etc
4. Dealing with various problems, issues, and challenges that arise (that are unrelated to the storm)

The setting is fictional. Magic may or may not exist in this fictional setting; it is be vague/subtle, may be alluded to, but no character in this RP can use it. Fictional races, like elves or goblins, are not allowed - but can be alluded to (as if it was related to your character's mythology).

Your faction is unique, and it can have whatever culture you want, but I would ask you keep it semi-realistic (inspired by real-world cultures). My faction choice will depend on your choice, and I will complement it as best I can. If your faction is fighting a civil war, then mine will be the opposing side; if you are a barbarian tribe, I will play as an imperial force like the Romans (or vice versa). If you're playing as a crusader, I will be a pagan tribesman.

Note: First, I am not known for being a good GM. Second, I will try to post once every few days. Just a heads-up. Maybe this will be different in a 1x1 RP (the first I have done).

Revenant - A Sci-fi Adventure

It is very hard getting time for this. One day, I swear I will try. I think we should be getting some days off around October

Revenant - A Sci-fi Adventure

Sorry it took me so long to post, colds are the worst.
@TJByrum

@jordy0403

Okay, np, I will attempt a post this weekend or next.

Conra Chronicles - Encroaching Darkness

I welcome any dynamic between the characters, and will happily play according to Wolff's personality. Sometimes when writing a character, they take on a personality of their own. I have to stop and ask "would Wolff do/say this?" so I'm not sure how Wolff will feel at this very moment.

Conra Chronicles - Encroaching Darkness

@Lady Sven I have posted my bio in the CHAR tab.

The Order is ambiguous in morality, and so I want them to be viewed negatively. But whatever you think of them, they're a necessary evil (at least, in my head-canon). No one else is willing to stand on the ramparts in some gods-forsaken wasteland like the Knight-Brothers; no one else is willing to commit the atrocities they are willing to commit.

Then again, that's just my head-canon, take it and use it as you will.

On another site, the Brothers would attack pagan villages in the midst of the night, drag the occupants into the streets, and then force them to convert. Those who agreed were put on wagons and escorted to pacified lands where they were given fertile land and good protection. Those who refused were brutally butchered in the street, in front of everyone, as a warning to anyone else who might oppose the will of the Brotherhood.

EDIT: At that time, the Brothers were trying to purge that area of a specific kind of worship; they did so with brutal efficiency.

Conra Chronicles - Encroaching Darkness

The Crusader

Name: Wolff von Heschburg

Titles/Aliases: Brother, Knight-Brother, Knight of the Black Cross

Race: Human (Vessian)

Age: 29

Personality Information: Wolff was a noble-born knight who joined the Audrian Order and swore oaths that stripped him of his lands, titles, and belongings. As such, he has the knightly virtues of chivalry, dedication, and respect. However, being a Knight of the Black Cross, he can show signs of severe paranoia, and is quick to distrust anyone new, and is extremely prejudiced against goblin-kind and magic-users. Regardless, Wolff is a man of nobility and has sworn to protect the weak, innocent, and poor - and his personality clearly shows he is willing to help in whatever way he can.

Brief Backstory: Wolff was a low-born noble from the Vessian Empire. His older brother would have inherited his father's lands, titles, and wealth, and so Wolff joined the Audrian Order when he was 16. The Order trained him well and he quickly became a well-respected member of the Brotherhood. He was attached to the Conra garrison and served faithfully.

Current Events: More recently, Wolff was dismayed at the death of the Queen and requested he leave his post to investigate potential leads. His komtur permitted this and so Wolff has found his way to a small town, where he seeks information from a young girl.

Skills: Wolff is a knight, so he is an excellent equestrian, swordsman, and jouster. He is also decent with a crossbow.
---Fanatical Devotion: Wolff is unrelenting in combat, and fights with grim determination against his enemies. His tenacity in combat is unmatched and he is willing to die for his cause and for his allies. He also possesses extreme willpower.

Gear: Wolff is equipped with mail armor that covers most of his body, which is covered by a white surcoat emblazoned with a black cross. He wears steel gauntlets that protect his arms and hands. He also wears leather boots with steel shin guards. He wields a heater shield, a steel sword, a crossbow with bolts, and a lance.

Other: Wolff is a member of the Audrian Order, based in the Vessian Empire (a human realm). Almost a decade ago, many Vessian Knights served in the Swavian Rebellions, but when they returned home their lands had been sacked and their families butchered. The vengeful knights rallied behind Konrad IV, invaded the neighboring province of Eastwick, and committed the atrocious Massacre at Arburg. The Emperor promptly arrested them and the knights were to be executed, but after the Emperor convened with the Varan King it was decided that Konrad IV would become the grandmaster of a new order: the Brothers of the Sword.

The Brothers were tasked with quelling the aggressive raids made by the Wickans, and they did so with brutal efficiency. After the Wickan Crusade was finished, the order rapidly expanded throughout the world, establishing chapter houses, chapels, orphanages, schools, universities, hospitals, and more. Back in Eastwick, most Knight-Brothers were secularized and given keeps, lands, and servants, and they rule with an iron-fisted authoritarian government. These lands became known as the Duchy of Audria, ruled by the former Grandmaster, Konrad IV, who married the Vessian princess Lady Audrey von Hepburn.

The Duchy of Audria is now protected by what remains of the Brotherhood, now known as the Audrian Order. They must garrison their establishments in other kingdoms to protect them, but the true purpose of these Knight-Brothers is to seek out sources of darkness, evil, and corruption and then work to destroy it so no one else will have to feel what they felt when the Wickans destroyed their lands. They eliminate all traces of darkness with grim determination.

Tactical/war RP idea

Been jotting some ideas down and wrote this and I'm just tossing it out here to get feedback. Currently hosting the Revenant, so I don't know if I will host this soon.

The lands of Eastwick belong to a pagan people, and the Brothers of the Sword have come to convert these unbelievers into Angelists. But the people are not ready to renounce their Old Gods and so the Brothers must use force to accomplish their mission. The Knight-Brothers have come to claim the lands of Eastwick and will rule it with an iron-fist. You will be playing as a commanding officer in the coming conflict.

As a Wickan, only you and your retinue have heavy armor and good horses. The bulk of your army has light or medium armor, and very few horses (and even then they're not warhorses).

Your enemy, the Brothers, have a very powerful, well-trained, well-equipped force, with impressive horsemen and infantry. However, they are small in number and rely on volunteer crusaders from other kingdoms to bolster their forces, so the composition of their forces changes yearly. Toe-to-toe, however, the Brothers outclass you in every way.

Every Spring the Brothers are reinforced with additional crusaders, and they campaign throughout the Summer, and attempt to consolidate their holdings in the Fall. During Winter, the crusaders leave and the Knight-Brothers remain to defend their gains. The Knights focus on taking, or building, forts which dominate the countrysides and allows them to exert control over the surrounding villages, which supplies them with taxes, supplies, food, laborers, and levies. Each fortress eventually becomes surrounded by Vessian settlers, who also pay taxes and serve the Knights.

As most villages are located near rivers and lakes, most of the Knights' forts will be found along the rivers and lakes. They control transportation and trade down these waterways.

In the Spring, you and any allies will need to determine a strategy. How many armies to form, how many soldiers in each army, where these armies go, and what they do, etc. There will be field battles and sieges, which will play out in turns. You may send out scouts to find patrols, potential ambush sites, and gauge the relative strength of a force or fort. You must use strategy and tactics to defeat the Brothers. Weather, terrain, etc will also play a factor in these battles.

In the Spring, Summer, and Fall you can manuever armies and fight battles with them. As Winter approches your soldiers will want to return home to reap the harvest and prepare for the colder months; if you wish to fight in the Winter, you will be restricted to using only local forces, and it will be much harder.

The Brothers will entice you to come to their side. You can join the Brothers and fight with them, but you will be betraying the other players. The Brothers will give you horses and better equipment. You can also turn against the Brothers and try to destroy them from the inside. Players can be captured and held prisoner, but can be rescued. If you capture notable Brothers, then you can trade prisoners.

Finally, diplomacy plays a role. Some times the Brothers may not wish to fight one year, and will be open to a truce. Other kingdoms that surrouned Eastwick do no like the Brothers and it is possible to get their assistance; however, they will only speak to a leader and so during these trips you will not be able to lead an army into battle.

Though I am certainly no historian, after reading Urban's Teutonic Knights book this will closely simulate the Northern Crusades that occurred in the Batlics.

Conra Chronicles - Encroaching Darkness

@rune_alchemist Ah, well my apologies. I would be okay if you wanted to go through with your order, however, just so you know. We could make some interesting backstories with the two groups, like they're rivals or something.

Conra Chronicles - Encroaching Darkness

@rune_alchemist No, actually, Wolff is very far from being a Paladin, assuming you're using the fantasy term. He's just an ordinary knight. Inspiration comes from the Teutonic Order (a crusading group of German Knights). If you did make a paladin, I am sure he would be very different than Wolff.

@dark light My intention was to kind of give my character some negative traits that might improve the dynamic with the other players.