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⊰Manifest Anima: Planes Divided⊱

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⊰Manifest Anima: Planes Divided⊱

⊰ℒicentia Ҏossession & ℛeproduction⊱

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Unlike humans or Prae who only reproduce sexual pairings, Licentia can reproduce in several fashions which, while all similar, could be considered distinct enough to require individual explanation. These three methods are detailed below.

The first—and best documented—of these three is known simply as “Singular Soul Splitting(Sx3)” or “Parasitism,” and involves a single Licenti condensing vis into their soul core, gradually growing it over time, before splitting it in half. Once split, the secondary soul core is embedded, in some fashion, into a host body of another being. Over a period ranging from several years to several days depending on the given Licenti sub-race's average incubation period, this new soul core devours and converts the host body's vis into its own, sometimes killing them, while other times leaving them alive and merely feeding off them till fully developed. Should the soul core fully convert the host body's vis, and anima, into its own, it will overtake their body completely, turning it into a homogenous substance which can easily shift between energetic and physical states. At this point the young Licenti is considered a conscious being which has entered its firth Growth state. Conversely, should a Licenti not kill its host, the parasitic soul core will condense sufficient energy to create a body within itself, after which it will find a way to exit its host body—sometimes violently, and sometimes harmlessly—where it will then enter a short period wherein it exudes the stored vis and then enters its first Growth stage. This second method leaves the Licenti child much more vulnerable making it, all in all, less common.

Second among the known reproduction methods of Licentia is “Bonding,” which is carried out by two or more Licentia entering their Growth states willingly before temporarily merging their bodies and splitting their individual soul cores equally to form a composite core from the split off shards. These smaller shards merge within the protective embrace of their parent's Vis and upon fully bonding, the child canabalizes a portion of its parents' Vis, before the parents separate and both child and parents reform—often with the child taking on an often temporary Trial Stage form. This Trial stage form is typically similar to that of the parents'. In rare cases, this method results in the death or crippling of the parent Licentia, as the child becomes too strong and devours more than it ought to.

Last of the three is known as “Surrogate Birthing,” and is a particularly uncommon occurrence. This method of reproduction requires first that either a single Licentia possess a host and reproduce with a member of the host species opposite sex, or that two Licentia possess two hosts of opposite gender. This process of possession is functionally similar to the Prae death imbuing, but different in that the host's personality and Vis is completely overpowered by the intruding Licentia. Mechanically speaking, possession occurs when a Licenti willingly and temporarily enters its Growth state and becomes Vis, before being inhaled, ingested, and inserted into a host body. Once within the host, the Licentia's soul core takes residence near vital organs so that removal will likely cause severe damage to the body, simultaneously, the Licentia will spread its Vis throughout the body of the host, permeating them with its energy. This process overrides the individual's control of their body aside from subconscious activities such as breathing and digestion—though these may be overridden as well. Once full possession of the host is achieved, the involved Licentia will mate with another member of the host's species—whether possessed or not—and the resultant fetus will be imbued either with small shards of the Licentia's soul core, or the Licentia will split their core and impart the split off portion to the child. As a result of this the offspring, even if the Licenti departs the host body, will be impossible to abort via normal means, and will take on the traits of a Growth Stage Licentia, incubating in the mother's womb for a time, before being born. In rare cases this may result in a Licenti-human or Licenti-Prae hybrid, the second being less common than the first.

⊰Ҏrae ℛeproduction & ℭhildren⊱

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Much like that of humans, Prae reproduction occurs through sexual pairing between a male and female resulting in a child after an eight month pregnancy. However, unlike human children, Prae children are born with only a partial Anima, which while sufficient for survival and proper maturation, will not suffice to allow the Prae child the full extent of their abilities—specifically, a Prae child is not born with the capability to utilize their Manifest. Instead, Prae children must be taken either to an Exeo, or the God-Queen, with the latter being more common—though the former is gaining traction in recent years. Perhaps the strangest and most intriguing aspect of Prae children is the fact that while the genetic sequence of Prae differs significantly from that of humans, a Prae child who is not imbued with vis from the necessary parties is almost identical to a human aside from the typical Prae features. Just as notable is the fact that a child birthed from a pairing of two Prae in comparison to a child birthed between a Prae-human pairing are only different so long as the Prae-human offspring never receives energy from the God-Queen or her Exeo. The leading theory in regards to this lack of difference is that the imparted Vis of the God-Queen or her Exeo is so potent as to overwrite/rewrite the very genetic fabric of a Prae-human child so as to make them full Prae except in some rare cases.

⊰Ҏrae ℒife ℰxpectancy⊱

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An incredibly long lived race—though not outright immortal—a given Prae, when living in their home realm of Priscus, are known to live around 800 years with them being considered old by the age of 600. However, in Medius—likely due to the less dense vis in its atmosphere—Prae are known to age more quickly, with their average life expectancy being around 300 years.

⊰ℬridges & Ҏrae ℒaw⊱

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Bridges leading to Priscus are guarded heavily by the Prae on both ends—often with human assistance so that only authorized and 'worthy,' individuals may enter the realm. By and large Licentia are totally excluded from this as they have, for all intensive purposes, been outlawed from Priscus. No one seems to know exactly why. Notably, should a human manage to wander through an unguarded gate they will likely be apprehended by Prae on the Priscus end, and promptly sent back. However, should a human remain within Priscus for longer than thirty minutes, the individual while have their memories altered or wiped before they are sent back. Licentia on the other hand will have their memories wiped, or will be killed on sight depending on their relative power or danger rating according to Prae knowledge. Should a human not wish to return to Medius, they may stay in Priscus for the duration of their lives, but will be subject to all applicable Prae laws.

⊰Ʉnique ℳaterials⊱

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Dtsen: A rare substance found only in the depths of Torqueo's lower layers, this material is so difficult to obtain that it has become mere legend to most. It has the durability of diamond, the density of lead, but without the weight of either. Dtsen must be worked in very specific, very difficult ways that no normal artisan would know, let alone be capable of. Due to the difficulty in obtaining it and its relative rarity as a result, Dtsen artisans are fairly rare, nonetheless they do exist and they often double as some of the most skilled craftsman and enchanters, for the art of working Dtsen requires many disciplines. Furthermore, the material is more magically pliable and conductive than almost any other known material. Dtsen in its natural form, appears as an almost opaque silver crystalline structure, with a 'black glow' thrumming from within. The crystal structure of Dtsen is adaptive, making it form irregular shapes, something that is very uncharacteristic of crystalline materials. The material, when it is found at all, is found growing on or near the 'roots' of Torqueo's vis veins, or leylines, as some call them. The purer and more potent the vis vein, the more valuable and useful the Dtsen that can be harvested. While some licenti scholars, such as the eminent Edravhen, know how Dtsen grows and could likely advise others in creating it independent of true vis veins, they have always protected the knowledge fiercely...for reasons unknown.

Blackstone: Can absorb, repel, and insulate from vis. The material is similar in physical composition to granite, but when it is broken appears to have a structure like obsidian. As its name implies, it is black in coloration. Depending on how the material is worked it will either end up opaque or somewhat translucent. The material is often used for places of internment in Torqueo so as to starve licentia of vis, and make sure that any sustenance they gain is purely from a source of their warden's choosing. This material, though less common, does exist in Medius and can be found in trace amounts in Obsidian, as well as deep in the earth. Blackstone is resistant to non-vis forms of energy and vis-manifested elemental magics, but can be compromised by introducing it either to too much vis, or to incredible amounts of physical force.

When too much vis is channeled through it, or a consistent amount is channeled through it for an extensive amount of time, Blackstone will begin to breakdown. This is due to the fact that the material is a vis forged amalgamation of other materials. When exposed to more vis, the bonds created to meld the properties of its constituent elements begin to deteriorate, until the material is reduced to a fine powder.

Conduit Metal: An alloy composed of carbon, iron, and silver, this metal is an exceptional conductor of vis. It is used in the construction of many magical implements including Foci and most enchanted items. Due to the process requiring vis be infused as well as for the metals to be combined in very specific amounts, Conduit Metal is particularly expensive.

Verisium: Otherwise known as vis-infused platinum, this material is made by bonding vis to platinum at the molecular level, refining its properties. While normal platinum is an incredibly potent material, capable of dispersing magical force and energy across its surface or channeling it if applied directly, Verisium takes such a step further. Rather than disperse vis across its surface or merely channel it, Verisium amplifies any vis channeled through it and projects it invisibly around itself in a field. Any vis channeled through Verisium is enhanced dramatically in its potency and refined into a more focused, stable state. Due to the aforementioned traits the material is essentially toxic to licentia anatomy as it binds vis to itself, making it impossible for licentia to absorb or otherwise effect it through any 'normal' means. Like most difficult to make materials with incredibly useful properties, Verisium is incredibly expensive, moreso than either Vis Crystals or Conduit Metal on average.

Vis Crystals: A rare thing in Medius, vis crystals are generally not naturally occurring. These crystals are the result of vis being packed very tightly together until it crystalizes. The process of making them is difficult making them expensive. Vis crystals are used as “magical batteries,” to hold enchantments, raw vis, or to amplify magic making them supremely useful.

⊰ℳedius⊱

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Medius is not politically united, but is largely similar to our world. However, in Manifest Anima, the United Nations has considerably more power, as it possesses a council of elected officials who, should a world-threatening crisis loom, may take control of the countries of Medius so as to unite them against a common threat. This has only occurred twice so far in the history of Medius and is largely considered unprecedented. Aside from this, Medius is politically similar to Earth, with many of the same countries and nationalities existing—though more of them have risen to the status of first world countries than in our own world. While corruption does still very much exist in the governments of Medius, things such as power crises and global warming have been so reduced as to be largely inconsequential.

⊰цlna⊱

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Summary Description:

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The Ulna are an offshoot of the Precursor Humans, beings who inherited their forebears’ ability to manipulate their DNA with information contained within their Anima.

The Ulna are possessed of a unique coalition of Anima and Body, which contains a mechanism that allows them to change the segments of their DNA relating to their Ostium, and to implement these changes immediately – the result of which is a combination of an extreme amount of pain and an ability to essentially mimic any vis-based ability that hits them and interacts with their vis.

Though the Ulna have a great deal of control over their internal vis, and their ostium is very flexible, the genetics of the race result in their being unable to independently utilise either of these traits to perform feats of magic – so the only way for them to learn magic is to store the knowledge in their Anima and then in their DNA.

Due to the nature of their descent from the original Precursors, the Ulna lost their ability to adequately control and moderate the information that their Anima picks up, and are only able to keep instances of mimicry for so long, dependent upon their skill and age. This can be circumvented by literally ingraining the knowledge of their Anima into sections of their DNA, which permanently alter their ostium to enable the specific technique, but as a result are impossible to remove without replacing the DNA – and due to the physical nature of the change, the body of the Ulna may take on certain physiological changes due to the imperfect process of permanent retention.

The nature of this process, however, does wear down the Anima over time. Most Ulna live to approximately 400 (with rarer cases of around 500), and while there tend to be no noticeable downsides in the first 100 years, the continuous degradation begins to manifest in the form of less control over changes, and more physical changes taking place – which only continues into old age.

Over time, as changes accumulate in the DNA and the Anima wears away, the nature of the vis that influences the Ulna becomes more and more apparent – and if adequate control is not retained then the body can become overloaded with information from the Anima, and the DNA altering mechanism becomes unbound from the sections of DNA specifically responsible for the Ostium, moving to alter the rest of their physiology with whatever it is that they come into contact with. These changes are often brutal and unpredictable, resulting in them attempting to amalgamate as much DNA as possible with their own – this results in a brutal combination of various types of DNA that do not work attempting to mix, as well as degradation of the brain and the Anima – and the Ulna is like to become a veritable monstrosity.

Contributed by: @Fallenreaper Rewritten by: @Tuujaimaa

⊰ℒesser ℱacts⊱

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>The year at start of the IC is 2053.
>Curses, while rare, do exist and are typically the result of an alteration to an individual's Anima.
>Humans may invoke their magic through hand motions, incantation (or a key word), runes, or a Focus.
>Physical and Mental maturity is not at all measured by way of time for Licentia.
>Practically all Exeo are female and should an Exeo impart their Vis/Anima to a male Prae, the individual—more often than not—must impart their Vis to a female Prae upon their death. There have been three documented exceptions and only one lives today.
>Magic is sometimes taught in Private schools in Medius, but more often in college. There are colleges entirely dedicated to the teaching and study of magic. Most schools at least teach children about Vis, the Anima, and Ostium as an expansion of the Biological sciences.
>Having been known to exist dating back to prehistoric cave drawings, Bridges which link the realms are correctly thought to be the reason for many myths—especially human ones.
>A Prae of decent skill and power is capable of remaining in their manifest for roughly two hours before needing to rest provided they do not use large amounts of vis within a short period of time.
>Should a Prae utilize a significant amount of vis whilst within their Manifest, it tends to last only for twenty or so minutes.
>If a Prae wishes to remain in their Manifest for longer than 2 hours, all they need do is not expend energy. As such they will only tire as much as they would from physical exercise, based on how they use their vis appendages during.

⊰ℒicentia ℒife ℭycle⊱

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First and foremost, it should be known that Licentia life expectancy is around 200-300 years even considering their predatory nature. Their kind consider an individual who has reached 400-600 years of age to have lived a full life, though they can potentially live much much longer. Should a Licentia reach the Eximius stage their life expectancy increases drastically, generally rising into the thousand range, though an individual who is merely 1000 or so would not be considered to be particularly old for an Eximius.

Beyond these facts one should note that there is an intrinsic difference in Anima composition between a Licentia's three known stages. Typically the Anima of Growth-stage Licentia is much less dense than that of a Trial stage, while an Eximius stage Licentia has a soul core, or soul cores, that have typically in some way split around its body. Conversely their soul core is exceedingly dense thus increasing the amount of vis regenerated by the Licentia in question.

⊰ℵotable Ѻrganizations⊱

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The Draconai Intoners

T h e D r a c o n a i I n t o n e r s

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Background

The Draconai Intoners began as a small grouping of what humans would label Gypsy Prae thousands of years prior to the present day. Though they were not all related, this clan came together due to their sharing of beliefs. The general mantra was that in order to reach a state of complete euphoric peace, a separation from society was necessary before venturing out into the world and assimilating knowledge and experience. Simply put, the Intoners believed that they had to segregate themselves from their fellow Prae and wander the worlds, searching for personal understanding in order to reach a prophetic state of peace of the mind, body, and Anima. As the caravan wandered Priscus, the Intoners began developing their telepathic abilities. It started with communicating with one another through telepathy alone, but soon began to expand into something greater and much more specific. With time, the nature of the isolated clan became such that offspring were being born with the unique abilities of their ancestors and an entirely new subspecies was created.

In the years following their beginnings, the Draconai Intoners morphed into more of a reclusive sort of cult rather than a caravan of like-minded Prae. A code of laws was added to accompany the status change and rumors of their wanderings and sightings began to spread amongst all races as they expanded into Medius and even Torqueo. Their mission, still one of achieving a prophetic peace, had now also become to teach others to do the same - specifically, the Licentia. After witnessing the violence of Medius and Torqueo, the Intoners took it upon themselves to become non-combative prophets and teachers of the way of pure peace. Those who were considered the most enlightened amongst the group became leaders of the movement though they did not rule over others; they measured the enlightenment of prospective Intoners and guided the younger on the path of righteousness.

When the Prae invaded Medius and took over, the Intoners found themselves firmly against the action. Though they do not act against their own kind, they do not look favorably upon those who instigate and forcibly subjugate others. While the Licenti and humanity are indeed species who look to violence above all else, the Prae occupation was an example of the wrong way to respond. Thus, the Intoners spread themselves amongst the realms and sent a special envoy to the center of the occupation, Ominar, in order to bring their teachings and remind their brethren of how a Prae should behave and what one should strive for.

Abilities

The Intoners derived their name from the abilities they exhibit. Draconai, translated to Dragon, refers to the fact that some of their abilities correspond to the attributes of the mythical creatures spoken of in stories or legends. Intoner refers to what is probably the main ability of the species and the one they are most famous for. Draconai Intoners are born with their abilities, but still must be taught by the older members to use them effectively. Every individual possesses the exact same ability set which is another reason why the group came together easily during their beginnings. This abnormal sort of manifestation is due to the fact that, unlike other Prae, the Anima of an Intoner can not grow more dense or larger than it already is even if other Prae die and impart their energy into one. This hinders the development of new abilities and the growth of the ones they already possess though the Intoners believe this is because if their powers were to grow, they would become far too strong and inevitably begin seeing corrupt members diverge from the path and pursue their own machinations. Also due to the unique biological makeup of their Vis and stagnant Anima, Draconai Intoner abilities cannot be copied, absorbed, or replicated by any other race or species. One must simply be born into the species in order to receive their abilities.

The Voice Of The Gods

Within their beliefs, the Draconai Intoners worship the Dragons of ancient lore. They believe that the beasts should be exalted over all and used their massive presence to issue commands to others. Eventually, the Intoners developed what would become their most famous ability though it is also one they teach their young must only be used with the right discretion.

The Voice Of The Gods allows the speaker - a Draconai Intoner, specifically - to force others to follow their spoken commands. Initiated with the phrase "Heed my words", the command comes after must be followed by the targeted individual. Though this is the broad and simple explanation, the ability itself works in a more complex manner. The power stems from a combination of telepathic prowess and Vis manipulation - in short, the Voice of the Gods is very advanced and unique form of mind control. When an Intoner utters the initiation phrase, they subconsciously begin to assume temporary control of the target's mind, manipulating the target's own Vis by linking it with theirs - a process known as tainting. Once a command is issued, the link causes the "tainted" Vis within the target to infect their brain and motivate the target to freely wish to follow said command and said command alone. Due to this process however, there a certain limitations one must take into account.

First, an Intoner's command following the initiation phrase must equate to three words or less. Longer sentences and whole paragraphs can cause the linking of Vis within the target to overwhelm itself and break, loosening the temporary control of the speaker. Since the Intoners are Prae however, a manifested state will increase the strength of the link and increase the limit to six words or less due to the influx of power available in manifestation.

Second, an Intoner cannot issue a command which results in the death of a target. If such a command is issued, it could result in a breaking of the link and the target regaining full sensory control once more.

Finally, due to how the ability functions, the strongest of telepathic minds are able to somewhat fight off the urge to follow an issued command. Telepaths of an extreme skill level are able to partially block the tainting of Vis and thus severely weaken the urge that usually compels one to follow an issued command. This is usually only seen when this ability is used against other Prae, but the Intoners do not believe in using this ability against the Prae as they believe they are all brethren. This ability is strongest when used against Humans, Licentia, and Hybrids.

Drake-Scale

Though the Intoners are non-combative by nature, they developed a defensive ability that would allow them endure even in the face of malice. The Drake-Scale manifests as colored scales on the skin of an Intoner. The colors vary between Intoner, but the usage remains the same. The scales are comprised of the solidification of densely packed Vis which hardens to an extreme degree and then settles as an added invisible layer of protection over the formed scales themselves. The scales act as an armor and are able to withstand both physical and magical attacks to varying degrees.

Drake-Scale can be be activated on certain parts of the body, but can only overtake the entire body when in a manifested state. In lieu of true offensive abilities of supernatural origin, the Drake-Scale can help an Intoner survive scenarios in which they would otherwise be killed.

Trial By Fire

The Trial By Fire is a moniker for an Intoner's unique healing and purification ability. When an Intoner is mortally wounded, poisoned, or in danger of being telepathically controlled, they can use supernatural flames to cleanse themselves. The flames themselves are comprised of Vis and stem from within the stagnant Anima. The flames envelope the Intoner in a cocoon of flame and slowly "burn" away any degrading effects on the body, slowly mend the body back to full healing, "burn" the energy being used to try and telepathically take control of their minds, or cleanse corrupted Vis within their own selves. The flames cannot be used in an offensive manner whatsoever and they also cannot be used on another being lest that being be burned to death.

The Trial By Fire also acts as a sort of safety mechanism. Should a powerful telepath take control of a Draconai Intoner and force them to use the Voice of the Gods, the Trial By Fire will activate involuntarily and "burn" away the energy being used to assume control before any commands are issued. This has kept the Intoner population from being used by others to achieve chaotic or otherwise undesirable goals.

Martial Ability

The Intoner's final ability is simply their physical prowess. To make up for the lack of offensive abilities using energy sources, the Intoners train their own to be formidable physical combatants. The reason for this is that though they believe in spreading their teachings of reaching a state of pure peace, and descending from the very intelligent Prae species, they also realize that the world is full of dangers and one must also live long enough to spread the teachings. The combat of an Intoner is purely hand-to-hand and heavily discourages the use of physical weaponry of any kind. For an Intoner, combat is meant to be purely defensive and for survival rather than a show of strength or dominance over another. Their flow of combat specializes in speed, agility, and reversal techniques.

Manifestation & Conclusion

Draconai Intoners sprout the wings of a Dragon in their manifested state. This allows them the ability glide over short distances, but not outright fly. This also increases their magical affinity and strengthens their natural resistance against telepathic control. In a manifested state, Drake-Scale can overtake the entire body and allow an Intoner to endure heavy amounts of physical and magical damage. The Trial By Fire can also resurrect an Intoner that is killed in their manifested state exactly one time within the span of their life - this does not carry over to their life after resurrection.

The Draconai Intoners are a species whose sole purpose in life is to spread the teaching of peace and reaching a state of pure peace between the mind, body, and Anima. Their abilities are tailored towards protecting themselves in a harsh world where much more powerful beings could take advantage of or otherwise kill them with no cause or reason. Though they are trained in a form of martial combat, an Intoner that kills - ever - is blacklisted from the movement and hunted by their fellow Intoners until they are captured and brought back to face punishment from elders. Once their training is complete and they are dispersed to a location to begin spreading the teachings, an Intoner may partake in whatever activities they choose. In effect, they are allowed to have some sort of life of normalcy as long as their actions don't violate the ethics taught to them.

~Credit goes to @Icmasticc

TIAMAT

T H E I N T E R N A T I O N A L A S S O C I A T I O N F O R M A G I C A L A D V A N C E M E N T A N D T R A I N I N G

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T I A M A T

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Purpose & True Nature

The Mission Statement of TIAMAT is to advance, spread, and police magic across the globe in the interest of bettering the lives of all humanity. However, their true nature is something else entirely, instead tying into two ancient organizations that an outsider looking in might even call cults. These two organizations, known as the Order of Athriohm and Diffugium each exist for one reason: To contain, in the case of the Order, and to spread, in the case of Diffugium, the most intrinsic principles of magic to humanity. While TIAMAT does serve a vital function in today's society, facilitating the education of new generations of mages as well as tackling greater magical threats and advancing magical research the organization, at its core, is nothing more than a front for the aforementioned. Hopefully it doesn't collapse under the weight of its founders' history.

Background

While none know it, TIAMAT has its origins slated in a much older and more ancient organization, one that is not only hidden from the public eye, but is not even a myth, having erased itself even from the history books. This secret society, known as the Order of Athriohm, dates back to a time prior to even Sumer, the first human civilization with documented written language. This Order has always possessed one purpose, and that is to safeguard humanity's ultimate strength, something they call the Art and the leading mage scholars of our age know as Unified Magic Theory, something which they have yet to verify the existence of. Yet, to the Order this is very much a reality, and its origin is simple. As the lore goes, a man known only as Athriohm, discovered not just magic, but a magic executed through the utilization of the patterns which govern existence, patterns even more intrinsic than those found in quantum physics. However, this knowledge was not passed down, though it was written...and hidden, presumably, by Athriohm himself. Only later in the time of King Arthur did Merlin and the dread witch, Morgana le Fay discover the texts. It was then that a fracture occurred and so the Order was formed from Merlin's disciples, whereas Morgana founded an organization known as Diffugium. Since their founding these two organizations have been locked in an unseen war, one that, should either win, will shape the future of mankind for Diffugium has always wished to share the Art with man, while the Order has deemed humanity too young a species to wield such a powerful magic.

Today this war is waged in the form of TIAMAT, which was founded in 1850, as it predated the Magical Registry Act by 12 years. This organization started small, but as magic spread within the ensuing years and the world adopted laws to deal with its rise to prominence, TIAMAT too was given purpose, rising to the occasion and becoming first the leading organization in Europe for the advancement of magical theory and practice, before spreading to Asia, Australia, and finally in 1868, to the Americas. Since then TIAMAT has grown into the most influential international organization associated with the betterment and spread of magic, and yet that ancient war is still wielded within its ranks as members of the Art and of Diffugium either reveal the Art, or cover it up, continuing the deadlock that has been ongoing for centuries. Perhaps one day one side will triumph. Perhaps.

Power Structure

Lead by a joint council, TIAMAT possesses two empty positions at the top of its heirarchy, which exist only for states of emergency and are decided upon by the councils each electing one of the other council's members. Each council is made up of one-hundred members that cycle in and out of service depending on the occasion. These councilors hail from all around the world, with a focus on skill and knowledge in magic, administration, global, and local politics they are chosen from any number of countries, developing and otherwise. Often is it that these councilors are trained from a young age, though it is just as often that they are already elderly, as there is no true age requirement.

Below the joint council are the various districts, with a single district per government, which are further split into Local Offices, one per state, major city, greater area, or province. All District Chiefs take orders from the Joint Council, but also act to keep the standards for magical learning up to par in their given domain. Additionally, they watch over the legislative process to ensure that their region is policing magic as fairly as possible. These District Chiefs have a measure of political clout in their given area and are capable of vetoing or vetting laws or policies to an extent making them capable of being involved in the political processes of their given region.

Yet still below the District Chiefs are the lowest tier in the hierarchy of TIAMAT, known as Magistrates, these positions are typically held by knowledgeable mages. These Magistrates in turn lead a small army of magi and anti-mage forces that they can deploy to handle more dangerous magical disputes or to assist local law enforcement in dealing with threats arcane. Beyond this they act as the eyes, ears, and hands of their betters.

IHO

The International Hunters' Organization

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The Tale of Founding

An organization whose origins date back to the beginning of the middle ages, the International Hunters' Organization, referred to as IHO from here forwards, came to be when a band of mercenaries decided to organize themselves in 421 AD, near the beginning of the middle ages. Lead by a man named Averey Sylverward who did so in response to a surge of what was then called 'demon' activity. Capitalizing on this surge, he hired out the services of his mercenaries to anyone who required a monster slain. As time passed they gained notoriety and grew in size, eventually forgoing all involvement with the affairs of war. Over the next one hundred years the “Warding Knights,” as they came to be called, became specialized as they gained experience hunting beasts of various caliber going from what were once normal mercenaries, to dedicated and rather famous monster hunters.

They were always led by a descendant of Averey and they sought to protect whomever asked, regardless of their blood, so long as they were paid. As they began to assist more and more countries with their supernatural troubles, the Knights became rather infamous in medieval Europe until they were wide spread enough to have bases in multiple regions, as well as funding for their exploits. All in all, things were going well for the Warding Knights, that was of course until the witch hunts began, targeting even the prestigious Knights despite their fealty to the people and tendency to slay what mankind then knew as 'demons' and beasts of depravity. So it was that the fall of the Knights began, as they too turned on one another, fighting in what amounted to religious wars for the first time in hundreds of years. Brother turned on brother, sister on sister, mother on child as the great order fought on multiple sides, some taking the side of the church so as to survive, while others rejected their teachings.

By the end of the 12th century the prestige of the Knights was all but forgotten. With their numbers reduced to but a fourth of what they had been just fifty years before, most went into hiding or pledged their service to the church. Things stayed this way for over one hundred years, until a spike in supernatural occurrences again took hold of the land. 'Demons' roamed the earth almost in earnest, and the people were cowed by religious superstition and fear.

It was at this time that the last living descendant of Averey, a certain Garrick Sylvard emerged from the shadows, bringing with him those few who had sworn themselves to his family since the founding days of the Knights. Across Europe they traveled, laying waste to any nefarious beast they came upon even while the people spurned them and the church hunted them down with those that had descended from their brothers. Still, even hunted, Garrick's following grew rapidly as others came out of hiding to fight for their families and for their friends against the rising tide of 'demonkind' and their monstrous servants.

As they rose, despite the church's efforts to constantly denounce them, a new name was bestowed upon them, and so it was that the term 'Hunter' was born in its present day use. Time went on and Garrick's Hunters fought to protect their own, eventually finding solid backing in the nobility thus beginning the process of unseating the church from its position of power.

This time, the Hunters rose above their predecessors, taking boats to other countries where they would come to establish themselves as well. Then in 1436 AD at what seemed the peak of their growth when they were firmly established, two of the humanity's great mysteries were solved as the 'angels' and 'demons' of religious text revealed themselves to the world and offered—rather than a holy war—a helping hand.

Over the next couple hundred years what had been Garrick's Hunters gradually grew and was eventually officially turned into what is today known as IHO, by a man named Draestn Katela. While his family no longer runs the organization and its leadership has long since been shrouded in mystery, the International Hunters' Organization has become one of the modern pillars of civilization, protecting the citizens of Medius from the things that go bump in the night.

Let's hope they continue to do so.

The Creed

While most organizations run themselves through the laws of the countries they exist in and a set of internal rules and regulations, IHO gives the world the appearance of doing these things, while in actuality only adhering to what its members call 'the Creed.' While acting similar to a set of rules, the Creed is effectively a series of oaths and pledges that a Hunter swears to upon their entrance into the organization. The most notable aspect of this Creed is perhaps that it is not absolute, allowing a measure of wiggle room for the organization's many members.

Below is written the Creed in its original form:

“Hold fast against the raging tide,
The tide of blood shall wane in time,
When wane it does, their time will come,
Let that be the night that our vengeance is done,
Hold fast and steel your minds,
For we are the bastion against dark times,
Be it demon, beast, angel or man, let it be ours who reclaim or protect the land.
Sworn to our brothers and sisters are we,
Never back down, and never let the Enemy see the weakness of ye,
Through turmoil and the blood moon's rising,
We will stand, steadfast, bulwark to their violent writhing,

Hold fast shall I to brothers and sisters both,
For tonight I swear before Him a bloodoath,
My hand shall never strike mine kin,
My blade, or tongue, shall never turn against him,
If ever I slay my siblings grim,
Let the judgment day come upon me,

Even apart, our souls are joined,
Even apart are bodies fight as one,
We are the shadow hidden light,
We are the culling knife,
If my arms fail me and I should fall,
Let my kin yet stand tall,
Have my arms, my vis, my flesh,
And let them serve to fight again in my stead.

Yet, while I know we are strong,
Know that even we can only fight for so long.
So it is that should we fail,
That I hope others will find hope and prevail.
As without guardian our Will,
Cannot hold this Enemy,
Still I hope he sleeps,
Still we hope he remains below.
So that the land can live and never know.”

Draestn Katela

While the last stanza is seldom spoken and the entirety of the Creed remains hidden from outsiders, the whole of it boils down to a number of simple rules which are as follows.

• Do not slay other hunters, for doing so will more often than not make you become the hunted.
• Do not intentionally slay innocents uninvolved in ones contract(s).
• Do not speak of IHO's leadership or reveal its secrets.
• Avoid needless collateral in general.
• Do not hold political station.
• Remain loyal.

Prestige and A Hunter's Career

Risk, a Hunter's entire career from the moment they join the organization to the moment they retire—provided they make it that far—is defined by this concept. Great risk for great rewards. Great power and for most reasonably mature Hunters, great responsibility. After all, it is said—first and foremost—that a Hunter's duty is, after themselves, to the people. Namely to make sure they are defended against those heinous beings who prey upon them be it from the shadows or in plain sight. While some Hunters may be assassins or mercenaries, even they often hold in their hearts, the faces of those they wish to protect.

It is said that those without kin do not survive long in the business, for without things to care for and protect, one often loses the drive to protect oneself.

Entrance

---

Joining the Hunter's Organization is in actuality a rather simple process with a minimal amount of paperwork. Essentially an individual locates one of their establishments—which can be found practically anywhere around the world, including even the smallest most dilapidated villages. Then it simply a questionnaire/short test, a submission of one's legal information, and then a brief 10-20 minute wait while the information is processed and looked over by operators in HQ. Once accepted, a Hunter is given either a probationary or official Hunter's License based on their skillset, background check, and any existing past exploits. Most Hunters are classified as “C class,” upon finishing what amounts to their registration.

The Hunter's License

---

As mentioned above there are at least two common forms of Hunter License, known as the Probationary and Official Hunters Licenses these two differ in the following ways, which are laid out below.

Probationary Hunter's License: A license given to Hunter Entrants who have no prior exploits and a negligible amount of experience doing the sort of work that Hunters specialize in. Additionally, any minor is more likely to receive a probationary license than they are to receive an official one. If a minor is below the age of 16, but above the age of 10 they may receive a Probationary license so long as their guardian approves. This license gives a Hunter access to the same resources as an Official License would—within reason—but limits the Hunter to contracts of C class and below. A Hunter may, after two weeks, apply for an Official License, but they will only be accepted if the organizations deems their skillset, skill level, and/or accomplishments deserving of such. It should be noted that a Probationary License does not afford a Hunter the right to kill, but does protect them from most other laws.

Official Hunter's License: The form of identification given to most Hunters, this license affords Hunters nigh unrestricted access to the entire Hunter database as well as the resources and a measure of influence that the organization can bring to bear. Hunters are given this license if they have either notable experience, prior exploits, or have proven themselves that they are worthy of it through the completion of contracts or assistance in emergency situations. Additionally and unlike the Probationary Hunter's License, this license is effectively a license to kill so long as it is in the interest of completing a contract and/or within reason. Individuals below the age of 16 may not receive an Official Hunter's License and those below the legal age in their country of residence and/or origin are more likely to receive a Probationary license—though there are the occasional exceptions.

Contracts and Prestige

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In short, Hunters and the Contracts they take or ranked by a similar system, which they refer to as the Class Rating System(CRS). This system, for Contracts, gives a Hunter a basic idea of the difficulty, complexity, and necessary level of skill involved in a given job; whereas for Hunters the CRS gives a general idea of the combat proficiency, expertise, experience, and number of jobs completed as well as their notoriety in general.

*It should be noted that the higher the class of a Hunter, the more they are likely to be paid for any given contract. Meaning that a Hunter of higher rank is likely to get paid far more for the same contract than a lower ranked Hunter.

[+]

Class	Hunter	Contract
F	N/A.	A rating only given to contracts, the 'F' designation is typically used to describe a job of minimal difficulty. Generally, contracts of this nature are exceptionally minor, including investigations of minor disturbances, or body guard duty that has the lowest chance of anything happening. Practically all F class jobs do not offer pay, and those that do offer minimal pay.
E	The lowest rating that can be assigned to a Hunter, this designation is given to those with essentially no exceptional skills or abilities. Individuals of this rating typically posses very weak, or no magic at all, with the latter being more common. Additionally, these individuals typically have no martial experience or significant skill in the use of firearms. The lowest common denominator, Hunters of this rating are not common in the least and typically include individuals of average human physicality, possessing no magic, and negligible skills of any kind.	Contracts of this rating tend to be minor low impact, low threat reconnaisance—such as scouting out a non-threatening area for a future operation. Occasionally paranoid people with far too much money will hire a hunter as a bodyguard. Such a contract—provided their paranoia is unlikely to be justified—would be a good example of your typical contract of this rating. Pay for these jobs is typically below $100-250.
D	Hunters of this designation, while typically unknown, have a measure of experience and expertise—most likely in one rather limited field. These individuals are often physically fit and/or somewhat skilled with magic. It is not uncommon to see individuals with some small measure of experience with firearms. However, it is never all of the above.	Minor Contracts that involve a small amount of expertise, typically only in one area. These contracts, if they involve any danger, are typically very easily handled even by hunters of this same designation. Possible contracts include scoping out an area with a low threat level, such as a ghetto or slum; a stake out; or dealing with a very minor creature of licentia barely capable of defending itself or equivalent to a moderately sized wild animal such as a crocodile or cougar. Most contracts of this rating stay within a $300-700 range when it comes to pay.
C	The average class rating of most Hunters in IHO and the average rating of most new entrants, this designation typically describes individuals with at least enough combat experience to hold their own against a novice mage, average martial artist, or in a gunfight involving less than 4 people. These Hunters typically either have minor magics, considerable weapons technology, or an enhanced physical form. Conversely they may dabble in all of the above, but only minorly. Those of the C class are most often the individuals being tasked with contracts, but are not individually that famous with some exceptions due to the sheer number of them.	The second most common sort rating for contracts, these often include beings with some measure of magical ability and who normal civilians or those below this rank would be incapable of dealing with. Such contracts often involve scoping out moderately dangerous locations, such as small licenti or monster nests or perhaps radioactive zones. They include semi-rare item acquisition, escort missions, and a few body guard contracts here and there for those who are themselves the targets of violence or dangerous trickery. Jobs of this rating often pay $800-1700 on average.
B	The third most common class of Hunter, those of this designation are experienced in two of the three ways of combat—Martial, Magical, and Technological—but have not mastered them fully. They are often experts in their field of choice and are sent out to deal with monster infestations, dangerous artifacts, and to Hunt down those that prey on the innocent and/or unwary. Individuals of this rating are often somewhat well known in the regions they frequent most, but are more often the sort who have names or titles that you do not remember, despite you knowing who someone is talking about.	The most common contract rating, such contracts often include the hunting of more dangerous licentia and the rare magical beast. Individuals can be expected to enter zones containing multiple lesser hostile entities, animals, or magical phenomena. They can be expected to infiltrate locations of medium security such as prisons, and they are sometimes tasked to search for certain classes of magical artifacts which are not rare, but not common either. Contracts of this class, on average, pay $3500.
A	Containing the best of the best, most Hunters do not progress past this rating, yet despite this it is the second most common class. These individuals are drastically more experienced, infamous, and powerful than those of B class. They are capable of combating multiple experienced magi, or a single grandmaster mage. They are martially adept or highly trained with firearms and/or other magical weaponry. These individuals are typically very knowledgeable and they are common knowledge in most parts of the world, you probably know their titles, if not their names. These individuals are exceptional.	Contracts of this class are difficult and exceptionally dangerous. Only individuals of a high caliber, meaning some B class Hunters, and most A class, are allowed to take them. These involve rare artifacts capable of causing severe damage to an entire region, beings capable of devastating towns or cities—if given time or left to their own devices. It even includes missions that would take a Hunter outside of Medius though these are less common. These contracts often pay above $15000+
S	Where A class Hunters are infamous in their own right, it is those of S rank and beyond that truly everyone has heard of. When their names come up people pay attention, politicians make calls, and people make their jobs as easy as possible. These are people a cut above the rest. They are those who have been recognized by those of the SS class, who themselves were chosen by IHO's mysterious and enigmatic leader. Individuals of this rating are capable of handling three or four grandmaster magi, they are people with training in all three forms of combat, and they are those with access to a greater pool of resources than every hunter beneath them. These hunters, in most cases, have worked for the organization for over 30 years and, as proof of their dedication, are awarded this rank, which affords them access to the usually restricted second and third floors of IHO Regional Headquarters. There are less than 12 individuals of this rank at this time.	While no contract designations exist beyond S class, contracts of this rank are essentially shared among the top three ranks of IHO, though some A rank individuals, or groups of A class Hunters, may be assigned contracts of this difficulty level. In essence, S class contracts involve threats that have the potential to do meaningful damage to cities or large towns or anything that goes beyond such a level. An individual who submits a S class contract may—through the inclusion of certain details—request that a Hunter of S class rating or above take the job rather than someone else. Additionally, jobs of this threat level typically pay around 1.5 million or more depending on the Hunter(s) who take it and the resulting difficulty of the assigned tasks. More often than not, S class contracts are given to IHO by large businesses, organizations, or governments—though occasionally the exorbitantly rich.
SS	Individuals capable of almost unimaginable feats, Hunters of this class are chosen by the leader of IHO himself and are very few in number. In fact, it is said that there are less than 10 at current time. The identity of these Hunters is typically unknown, though their aliases are known worldwide by practically anyone who matters—and many on the lower rungs of society as well due to the magnitude of their work. Should one of these illusive individuals be assigned to a contract, you better hope that it wasn't to deal with you.	See S Class.
SSS	Individuals who have risen through the ranks and reached the highest position in IHO's ranks, these Hunters are almost never seen active on contracts out in the world. Their aliases or names—to those few who might know them—elicit shivers and despite them not being recognized by their appearance or the like by the common folk, these are the sort of people that bedtime stories are told about—not that anyone knows those stories are about them. These individuals take their orders directly from IHO's elusive leader, and it is said that the leader of IHO is among their very small number. After all, there are only four people of this rank...or at least only four who are part of the organization.	See S Class.

Discharge, Defection and Retirement

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Due to the dangers of serving as a Hunter, any individual of any class is automatically enrolled in a retirement plan of sorts, mostly using a small measure of IHO's private funds to start an account for their members. This allows any Hunter, after serving for at least five to ten years, to live somewhat comfortable lives after their stressful time as Hunters of the organization. However, it should be noted that the higher the Hunter's class when they retire and/or the longer they remain active, the more luxurious their retirement tends to be. Additionally, Hunters may retire at any time after their first five to ten years, regardless of the laws of the country they decide to live in. Hunters are also afforded benefits for more or less the same reasons.

Beyond this there are only two other ways to leave the organization and they are known as Defection and Discharge. To be Discharged is to commit an offense to the Creed sufficient enough to revoke your license—either for a time or permanently—but not so severe as to require your incarceration. This often includes abuse of hunter privileges, resources, or rights in some way or the partial breaking of the Creed. Defection on the other hand is a far more serious offense and typically occurs when a Hunter makes the intentional decision to break the Creed, rendering them outlaws and criminals on the spot. These individuals may be hunted and captured, or outright killed with impunity. After all, one does not simply betray one's family and expect to walk away unscathed.

Beyond this it should be noted that even should a Hunter die on duty or turn against the organization, their families—should they have any—will be taken care of in their absence as IHO takes care of their own.

Purpose, Influence, and Political Standing

As may have been fairly clear, the International Hunter's Organization has a worldwide presence and is incredibly well integrated with the societies of almost every country on the planet. They are almost universally accepted as the best at what they do and that is to say protect the innocent, slay the deserving, and succeed at almost any task given to them. While the record of their individual Hunters are not flawless, theirs is and they have been monumentally useful in a number of global crises in the past not to mention having stopped their fair share from ever having happened—often without the knowledge of the public. As such, the words of higher class Hunters are more likely to be heeded than those of a politician in almost any manner. Furthermore, when IHO decides to throw its weight around, the world moves. Yet, one might be asking, how have they not become corrupted by such a level of global influence?

Well, I'd say, because when you serve everyone's interests to some degree and also protect the world from a threat long forgotten...well, it makes the minor struggles sort of...fall away, and the power worth it if only to keep everyone safe so that no one will ever have to fight what dwells under their watchful eyes again.

⊰Manifest Anima⊱

btw what is the expected player availability/activity?

@Kibaro

A post, at the very least, once every two weeks. However, I'd love it to be faster. My personal ideal is once or twice a week, but I know people can have busy schedules, myself included--or conversely have difficulties with inspiration (which happens to me sometimes) so I'm giving plenty of leeway. Finished up the Prototype OOC. Just running it by Celaira for the sake of aesthetics :)

⊰Manifest Anima⊱

Welcome aboard @icmasticc! Yeah there should be enough tech to give ya some futuristic stuff ^_^

Plenty of magic too, I like it to be a blend so that's what we've got. AFter I eat something I'll probably get started on the OOC. Depending on how much I add to it, it might take a bit. We'll see haha. However, it shouldn't take me longer than two days, even despite my having work for the next four. More likely I'll have it up late today, or late tomorrow :)

⊰Manifest Anima⊱

_{<Snipped quote by yoshua171>}
QUESTIONS:
1. regarding the lore, how do Licentia survive on other worlds? does every world have energy imbued lands from which they can harvest energy?

The Licentia seem the hardest to grasp for me (even to they have a hard time understanding themselves apparently :)) ), but also the most interesting of the races.

2. Also, i'm sure interspecies experiments have been made in worlds such as this (cause everywhere you can find mad scientists and such), for example stuff like taking out Prae's forehead crystal and surgically/magically/magi-surigcally implemented in another species and so on, anything on that, or that's for us to find out in future adventures? :)

3. What will be our MAIN focus as a team, since every character (i suppose) would have their own focus in their life? so yeah.. battles? military? politics? exploration?

4. what exactly do YOU understand by OOC drama?

5. do you intend on using any sort of mechanics? either for battle or discussions and such, skills etc? :)

@Kibaro

1.) Licentia, as Gan mentioned, are predators--or you could consider them parasites, it depends. Licentia take essence from living beings (animals or sentient beings such as Humans or Prae). The part of Torqueo, their home realm's, description that you're quoting is referencing their cities, not the inhabitants of those cities. What it's saying is that the Licentia design their cities to pull energy from the land itself to power their tech/magitech for their amenities or the like. As in any realm, Licentia survive by consuming the vis of other beings--mind you, this does not mean that they have to kill the being they are siphoning energy from, though some do.

2.) Yes, interspecies experiments have, and do, take place. Most of these, at this point in time, are not done willingly. So if someone gets a surgically/magically implanted crystal from a Prae, it better be somewhere they can hide it, because it's not unlikely that they could get arrested and then investigated for having such a thing. If someone simply has a forehead crystal though, it might be because a dying Prae gave it as a sort of inheritance to someone, or--on a darker note--that it was bought on the black market (likely after someone killed some Prae so as to harvest their crystals). Another thing that exists, but is largely considered illegal would be the harvesting of the Licentia "soul core," or "solid soul," which also takes on a crystalline form. While it is illegal to harvest them (take them from an unwilling Licenti), it's not illegal to have them because Licentia can split their soul if it gets large enough, and some--rather than have a child--will simply give them to others or sell them. They are highly valued as magical objects that are useful for a variety of purposes.

3.) The main plot, at least at the beginning, or in the "first arc," will be centered around those involved in the small rebellion within the city of Ominar. Depending on how many people we get and how many characters people decide to play, the story will expand considerably. I fully expect there to be people playing Prae, Humans, or Licentia that are in realms other than Medius, or individuals who are fighting against the resistance in Ominar--be they Prae or otherwise. People in cults, small or large organizations (whether secretive or otherwise), black market brokers, informants, and the like to pop up provided things go on long enough. I'm basically using Ominar and the conflict going on there as the starting point from which we branch out as the RP, and the world/its lore grows. Call me ambitious, but yeah, this is what I'd like to happen. If not I've got plenty of ideas for plot that we can use to keep things new and interesting ;)

4.) As Ganryu said, hopefully we don't have to find out. In short though, disagreements about how lore works getting out of hand (emotions and insults becoming involved in what should be a civil discussion), personal grievances or disagreements getting out of hand. Basically things going beyond "civil conversation," and into "argument," territory is what I'll likely consider drama. Mind you Arguments are not the same as debates, the latter of which tend to be fairly civil.

5.) I'm not sure in regards to mechanics to be honest. In regards to skills and abilities right now I think I'm going to handle it on a case-by-case basis while keeping in mind the general "medium level power," that I mentioned in the first post. As to combat, not really? Ganryu said it, combat won't be with dice or anything, but it will be sort of proctored by the GMs (Ganryu and I), who will watch over and help make sure everything is fairly clear and clearly fair :P. While I'd like to have a system for lore discussion and implementation, having one tends to intimidate people, so again I'll probably just do that on a case-by-case basis rather than having a hard-lined system for it. Conversely a system will naturally develop over time and I'll use that.

---

Ostium is the term used to describe what connects the Anima(soul) and the vis(aura or external energy in general). The word Ostium, like many of the other words used in MA, is latin, and it means "gateway." Think of the Ostium as the primary points in the body (which are typically non-physical) where Anima is exuded to form the aura/vis.

A normal person's Ostium is almost entirely closed, and because of this they can't release sufficient amounts of energy to utilize in magic. Additionally, the connection between the Anima and Vis, when the Ostium is closed is interrupted. To explain more simply I'll use a metaphor.

If Anima is the source of a river and Vis is where the river enters the ocean, then Ostium is a dam on that river. If it were entirely closed it would cause the river's source to overflow as it gains new water from rain and whatnot, and if it is fully open the source of the river can flow easily to the ocean. Normally the dam is partially closed, allowing some water to flow, but leaving the majority within the river's source.

Hopefully that helps make some sense of things :)

---

With us having Celaira, Ganryu, Kibaro, and myself, I think I'm going to start working on the Opening Post for the OOC thread so that I can get that up either ASAP, or when/if we get one-three more people--though three more people is not the player limit or anything. I'm pretty much open to any number of people. Although beyond a certain point might get a little ridiculous. We'll play it by ear.

⊰Manifest Anima⊱

@Kibaro I think you could do just fine honestly. Please don't think this is weird, but you said you were "too new," and I had to see if I agreed or not so I went and looked at a post or two and a character sheet. I think you're alright man. I like the way that you write man.

We'd definitely work with you if you wanted to give us a go :)

If anything you'd learn a lot. I can tell you from experience that surrounding yourself with people you think are around your "level," or that you can look up to is very stimulating for improving one's skills. Seriously though, I like the way you write.

I keep saying that because people seem to find me intimidating even though I'm generally about as harmless as a puppy--provided I'm fed and kept happy xD

So yeah.

God I ramble a lot.

⊰Manifest Anima⊱

Added some examples to the magic section for good measure.

⊰Manifest Anima⊱

⊰ ℳ_Ⱥ_ℕ_ƪ_ℱ_ℇ_S_Ⱦ__Ⱥ_ℕ_ƪ_ℳ_Ⱥ ⊱

_{^Above is depicted the city of Ominar^}

OOC
Edravhen's Archive
^{(Lore Thread)}
Community Chat

Preliminary Notes

• While the RP is underway, there are only 30 posts, and we're still getting things rolling.
• Despite how it might look, things are moving along. Had to do some unexpected reshuffling.
• While there is something of a process, all players are allowed to worldbuild so long as they work alongside the GMs to do so.
• If you have questions, want to brainstorm, or want to get a feel for things, feel free to jump into the discord even if you don't join we'll be glad to have you as long as you stay!
• Enough rambling. Now, let's get to the premise!

⊰ Pʀᴇᴍιsᴇ

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The RP will be set in the city of Ominar, a formerly human-run city, which was non-violently taken over by the Prae just a year and a half prior. Now ruled by the regal beings, the Licentia have been driven into the slums, into hiding, or even out of the city entirely. While humans have been largely left to their own devices, they are nonetheless expected to step aside for their new rulers--whether it benefits them or not. With news traveling fast in this age ruled by magic and technology, a wave of unrest has made its way through Medius. With knowledge of the Prae’s unfair treatment to the citizens of Ominar, the murmurs of war have begun. In response, or perhaps preparation for further action, the Prae have, as of 6 months ago, begun releasing propaganda regarding the Licentia, calling them parasites and murderers, whilst using one of their prominent figures, a certain eximius as their scapegoat--though with good reason.

So it is that a small band of dissenters begin to gather, not content to simply protest against the Prae’s imposed order. Many of you will be among them and by and large, you believe it’s high time you do something about the state of affairs, whether the Prae like it or not.

⊰ βasic Ⱦerminology

---

Hider

Priscus: Described as a paradise by those humans who have seen it, Priscus is the Prae's realm of origin as well as the place in which the vast majority of their kind reside.

Medius: The realm of man, reminiscent of our own, though its cultures and societies differ. While the Prae and Licentia have appeared prior, their most prominent entrance into human history occurred in 1563. From then onwards the realm of Medius found itself populated by increasing numbers of all three races.

Torqueo: The realm from which the Licentia originate, Torqueo is, in its own way, bountiful--though perhaps not in the same way as its counterpart, Priscus. Instead, Torqueo is a resource-rich location full of exotic, and often dangerous, flora, fauna, and materials.

Pylae: Colloquially known as 'the Rift', Pylae is a pseudo-realm possessing inconsistent space-time, which due to the difficulty of properly exploring it, so far lacks definition . Pylae is located in all space wherein Medius, Priscus and Torqueo are not.

Anima: The common term among the three races for the soul or internal life force. The term is also often used to refer to the pool of internal power utilized for magic.

Vis: A term used to describe both energy in general, as well as to refer to a being's external energy, sometimes called the aura by humans.

Ostium: While few but the most knowledgeable of magical researchers understand it, Ostium is the term used to describe that which connects a being's Vis and Anima. To utilize magic at all, one must learn to control the Ostium, so that the power of their Anima may be released.

River Metaphor-- If the Anima is the river source and the Vis is where river meets ocean, then the Ostium is a dam which can be opened and closed to regulate the flow of the river and the connection of the user's control to the user's external energy.

Manifest: An ability unique to the Prae, the Manifest, or Manifested State, is the term used to refer to a Prae's ability to manifest their Anima through their unique set of markings. Every Manifest is different, having a wholly unique appearance, though they are most often wing-like in appearance. The Manifest is an enhanced state for Prae, making their imbuing more powerful and allowing them full access to their capabilities--provided they have trained sufficiently. While all Prae--with extremely rare exceptions existing--possess a Manifest, they are not born with the innate ability to properly control it. So it is that they must train to use it properly.

Licenti: The term used to refer to an individual Licentia, rather than their kind as a whole.

⊰ Ⱦhe World

---

Hider

Ominar: A city recently conquered by the Prae, Ominar is a thoroughly industrialized coastal city, its surroundings largely bereft of nature's touch. While not a capital city, Ominar is a port city and thus a center of trade, making its capture by the Prae a rather important matter to the rest of the world--humanity in particular.

The Races

The Prae: Prae are lithe human-like beings with markings on their back/arms and crystals on their foreheads. Prae are capable imbuing others, themselves, and objects with their vis, by way of contact, thus facilitating telekinesis and healing abilities. The crystals on their foreheads pull in ambient energy of any sort so as to sustain them. Prae are physically weak, but their Vis is densely packed onto their body, defending them from damage to a point. Should they manifest their Vis, it tends to take the form of wings, exuding from their markings. While manifested, a Prae's 'wings' impart them with greater telekinesis, healing, and the possibility of other abilities depending on their chosen path.

The Licentia: The Licentia are a physically and magically diverse race. They are predators who consume the Anima, both internal and external to sustain themselves. Licentia possess a 'solid soul,' which takes the form of a crystalline formation within their body. While Licentia can have vital organs, all will be crippled, injured, or killed by damaging or destroying their soul core. The Licentia cycle between two stages till the end of their life, these being known as the growth and trial stages. The former is typified by fluctuating physical form and weakened magical abilities excluding shapeshifting while the latter is typified by a more permanent form, and expansive magical abilities. A Licenti who has reached this third stage is known as an Eximius.

Humankind: Humans are the race with the greatest population, shortest lifespan, and most expansive potential. While they tend to live only to 100 or so unaided, humans possess the ability to increase the strength of their Anima over time as well as the scope of their Vis. Additionally their Anima is uniquely impressionable, making them both more easily corrupted by internal magics or fooled by illusions. Yet, this acts as one of their greatest strengths, allowing them to harness the energy around them regardless of type and manipulate it in ways that only they are capable of.

Optional Reading

The Realms Expanded

_Priscus:

The realm in which the vast majority of the Prae population resides, not to mention their plane of origin, Priscus can be described as a plane suffused with a tremendous amount of ambient energies, lush with life of all kinds some humans might even call it a paradise. However, as with all things, Priscus is not quite as innocuous as it first appears. Under the surface of the alleged paradise that the Prae present to visitors is a place so rich with Vis that one might say that the realm itself is almost aware.

While its landmasses are constant over a shorter period of time, their orientation and location shift much more rapidly than the continents of Medius. Furthermore, while many creatures of Priscus have little to no need to hunt other beings due to the energy rich atmosphere, it cannot be said that they will not overzealously defend themselves from outside threats. Perhaps most frightening about the flora and fauna of Priscus is the fact that most of it is either capable of magic or magical in some way, shape, or form.

The Prae are very protective of their realm, allowing only trusted friends, or those whom the God-Queen or the Exeo approve of to enter. This in part because of their fierce instinct to defend their nigh-defenseless God-Queen, and also because should the unworthy discover the true bounty of their realm and come to covet it, it would put their kind at great risk. Yet, despite their efforts, rumors of a secret treasure have slipped into Medius. So it is that many begin to wonder what the Prae are hording to themselves. So are born the greatest adversaries that they may ever face: Greed and curiosity.

_Medius:

A realm of slow and steady development in regards to its make-up, Medius is possessed of more vis than Torqueo, but far less than Priscus. Inhabited by all three races, though Humans are the one who truly call it home, Medius is sometimes thought of as the melting pot realm, wherein all manner of things mix. Its development, once slow, was rather suddenly sent into overdrive with the introduction to the more magically adept Licentia, and the technologically adept, Prae. As a result of their introduction, Human society first went through a period of intense conflict wherein they expanded over the surface of the world, before the introduction of greater magical and technological knowledge was truly accepted and began to rapidly speed up the development of society at large. So it is that the world reaches its current state, where rather than smog and oil spills, vis eruptions and quantum instabilities can occur, affecting large regions before they are cleaned up--if such is possible.

Humans, while they have not colonized other planets, have managed to expand into Torqueo some, with several small populations of humans having been allowed to take up permanent residence in Priscus, them and their descendants slated to never return. While humans are by and large the most plentiful race inhabiting Medius, this is not to say that there are a small amount of Licentia or Prae, the latter of which account for at least 20% of the sentient population, with the former being about 5% of the total population.

_Torqueo:

A resource rich realm inhabited by all manner of strange, and often dangerous, beings--not the least of which are the Licentia themselves. Known as the harsh homerealm of the Licentia, this realm despite some humans having come to call it home, yet remains the domain of the the latter race. While not overly tumultuous in its geography, the weather and social climate could certainly be described as such. With many of the Licentia's rulers, the Eximius, dwelling herein, it is no wonder that the place would be filled to the brim with conflict of a varied sort.

Most intriguing is the environment of Torqueo, which rather than have its atmosphere be suffused with vis, finds that the soil, flora, and fauna themselves have absorbed much of it. So it is that in some places vast deserts or craggy plains form, while in others flora and fauna alike pull the precious energy from the ground, twisting it to their own ends. In this way, the Licentia are no different, with much of their infrastructure relying on the energy of the land itself to function properly. Like Medius, Torqueo is home to a vast assortment of cultures, despite being largely populated by the same race.

With the continued mixing of races within Medius, some Eximius have begun to turn their eyes to the realm, while others turn their attention to the realms of their kind's absent leaders. Going forwards, conflict is sure to break out in one realm or another. The question is; which will be first?

_{Pylae; The Rift:}

Pylae is widely thought to be the source of all energy, and so far both scientific and magical research has made clear a correlation between vis and this strange realm between realms. The leading theory is that energy is constantly exchanged between Pylae and the three realms, likely entering via quantum methods not yet understood by scientists or mages of any race. Yet, there are those who have found ways, if dangerous, to harness its power in fits and bursts.

Perhaps the most studied correlation are the points from which an individual may travel between realms. These locations are typically surrounded by unexplainable phenomena, be they magical or otherwise. Due to it being thought, despite there being no evidence of such, to be a realm torn between realities, Pylae is often called 'the Rift.' While rare, every so often, the gateways between realms, colloquially known as 'Bridges,' shift location in a seemingly random fashion for no apparent reason.

Additionally, there are the known, but exceedingly rare occurrence, known as 'rift storms,' which may take place around these 'Bridges,' making them impassable and spawning a temporary field wherein any manner of dangerous and unpredictable phenomena take place. These storms typically involve fluctuating fields of ambient vis as well as warped space-time within their confines. Luckily, these storms do not travel far from their sources, nor do they typically last any longer than a few hours, if that. Nonetheless, they are a dangerous occurrence, if one which allows great opportunity for those few who would dare study something so dangerous and unpredictable as the Rift. However, with the efforts of these brave souls, perhaps one day the world will have no reason to fear Pylae and its mysterious nature. Perhaps one day it will not be a mystery at all.

Perhaps.

The Races Expanded

_Prae:

Appearing as lithe humanoids with markings adorning them, this proud race hails from the realm of Priscus. When in their normal guise these lithe beings are graceful, light, and acrobatic, typically giving off an aura of purity and calm, though they can control this. While incapable of any truly impressive magic whilst in this state, Prae are capable of healing minor wounds, energizing others or themselves, moving smaller objects through the manipulation of their Vis. However, perhaps their most distinguishing features in comparison to Humans or even the Licentia, are the small crystals located somewhere on their foreheads in addition to their ability to condense their internal energy and exude it into the form of wings, or otherwise formations of energy, which manifest from the markings on their back and/or arms. The crystals located on a Prae's forehead are effectively invulnerable to all physical damage and a great deal of magical damage as well. A Prae pulls in energy through these crystals, using it as sustenance, this process only works if there is energy within the surrounding area. However, almost any form of energy works, as long as it is not held within a living thing.

In addition to these crystals, as mentioned, is a Prae's ability to manifest constructs of pure energy, which are a direct extension of their being—typically in the form of wings. When manifested a Prae's magical ability is greatly amplified, making them capable of greater telekinetic feats, either to manipulate their own person, those around them, or objects, depending on the specialty of the individual. However, while the abilities of a given Prae can vary somewhat, all of them stem from their inherent power, which has come to be known as “Imbuing.” This ability must be activated by contact between the Prae and that which they wish to manipulate.

Perhaps the most notable and intriguing use of a Prae's imbuing, is that which is performed upon their death. Essentially, when a Prae is near death they will, either consciously or subconsciously choose an individual who they have made contact with in the past—typically another Prae—and upon their death the entirety of their energy will be imparted to the chosen subject or subjects. The Prae may choose as to whether their consciousness is merged with that of the subject or not. When this is done the receiving individual's Anima is permanently empowered, allowing them a greater pool of energy to draw from. This is the only natural circumstance in which a Prae's Anima may significantly grow.

The Prae are ruled by several Queens, some of which are known as the Exeo. The Exeo have been imparted with sufficient power so as to facilitate the birth of true Prae. This is notable due to the fact that the children of Prae are born without the pure Anima of their kind—though they possess their crystals and markings. As such, by imparting Prae children with a small portion of pure Anima, the Exeo, or their greater counterpart, the God-Queen, allows the child to develop into a fully mature Prae later in life, rather than simply allow the equivalent of a half-breed, which would do nothing to further increase their numbers.

As mentioned, all Exeo are dwarfed by the God-Queen, who imparts them with the necessary energy to perform their function in the first place. The God-Queen is the single most important member of Prae society, being the only Prae capable of nigh infinitely absorbing ambient energy. This God-Queen comes to be when several hundred or a thousand Prae choose a member of their own whom they consider worthy of leading them. Once chosen, the Prae who have chosen her all simultaneously sacrifice their Anima, imparting their chosen Queen with such a tremendous amount of magical energy that her body's limits are exceeded, effectively rendering her incapable of any magic aside from giving her energy to others. The minds of the thousand Prae reach a state of cohesion with that of the God-Queen's allowing her a tremendous understanding of her kind and what is likely to be best for their continued wellbeing.

Due to her tremendous magical power and importance to their culture and social structure, not to mention her safety, the God-Queen remains in Priscus so that her tremendous soul and the vis that extends around it does not crush her subjects, and so that she remains far away from potential threats to her health.

_Licentia:

Beings of diverse physical appearance and magical ability, the Licentia are considered 'shapeshifters,' borne of Torqueo. However, the truth to their sometimes shifting forms is somewhat different in most cases. Rather than all Licentia being true shapeshifters, they instead remain in an impressionable state for a portion of their lengthy lives, during which they decide on their form and abilities going forwards. While a Licentia's growth period has a great amount of influence on what their abilities and appearance will be, it is their lineage that decides the pool of magical abilities they have to choose from. In this growth period a Licentia's Vis is rather small so long as their form is in flux, allowing them to manipulate their physical form to a great degree, though weakening any other magical abilities they might later develop. When a Licenti is not within a growth period, their true magical abilities manifest, and they are typically as impressive as they are diverse. Yet, while Licentia are indeed very individualistic in both culture and physical appearance, they share several notable traits, both magical and physical. The most notable of these are their 'solid souls,' in addition to their expansive Vis, and largely predatory and/or parasitic nature. Licentia reproduce parasitically, by in some form splitting their Anima once it has reached a certain density and placing it within another being—though the method can vary between subspecies.

While Licentia do technically regenerate their energy, the process is so slow that the energy generated would always be far less than that used in any notable physical activity, let alone magic. The energy is essentially only enough so as to give them just enough to survive should their Anima be depleted for whatever reason. Licentia, should they feed often enough, do not age, instead continually alternating between their growth and trial stages till they reach a certain level of self-awareness and understanding. Largely due to their longevity and parasitic reproduction, the Licentia are often demonized because of their nature, leading to many of their young being killed off, thus ensuring that their population never explodes.

While an exceptionally rare occurrence, Licentia can attain a third stage and even fourth stage of development, though the fourth's nature has long been considered a myth by both their kind and others. Nonetheless the third, and allegedly final, stage of Licentia development is characterized by the further stabilization of a Licenti's individual form and magical abilities. Only Licentia who have attained a sufficient level of personal understanding can attain this stage, which—should they reach it—affords them the title of Eximius. Aside from their form stabilizing in a more permanent manner—with few exceptions—an Eximius Licentia gains enhanced magical power as well as an effectively limitless lifespan so long as they keep themselves well fed.

Intriguingly enough, the rarity of Eximius licenti has led to the vast majority of their kind raising them to a deific status. As a result many consider Eximius to be more powerful than they truly are, resulting in them being feared and respected by both their own kind and others—if grudgingly at times. While Licentia tend not to choose defining leaders, but rather form small communities due to their individualistic nature, if there were any that they would consider their leaders, it would be those few Eximius.

_Humans:

Possessing the greatest population density of the three races, but the shortest average lifespans, humans tend to find themselves in positions of diplomacy with other races and situations of conflict among their own. They are not physically very impressive, though they tend to be hardier than the lithe Prae as well as naturally stronger. While the average human is of little consequence, all humans have within them inherent potential, which is far reaching in its scope. This on its own has allowed them to make incredible technological discoveries, as well as to learn to wield magic and of course to have expanded over the vast majority of their home realm, Medius.

While the Vis of Prae is limited to the surface of their form, and that of most Licenti is expansive in size, the human Vis is typically only a meter or two in radius, making it relatively small. However, true to their potential, this Vis can be expanded with practice and as an individual's Anima grows as, unlike Prae, humans can naturally increase their capacity magic over time and with due diligence. More interestingly, humans are capable of harnessing the energy of the world around them almost regardless of its nature. This is achieved by way of their uniquely impressionable Anima, which can easily meld with foreign energies. This ability is however a double edged sword as while it allows them to bend the world to their will, it also makes them more vulnerable to outside influence to a much greater degree than the Prae or Licentia. It is this and their short lifespans, which tend to be no longer than 100 or so years on average that act as their greatest limitations. However, with the advent of more advanced technology, and the continued development of magic, perhaps this too will fade into obscurity.

⊰ Magic

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So far as any of the races are aware, no being is capable of the manipulation of time, and while space can be manipulated to some degree, it is not something that is typically done easily by any race. However, aside from this, magic is capable of a great deal, its limits not being fully understood or known by any of the races as of yet. Still, as with most things, the more complex and more grandiose the scale or purpose of a given spell, the more difficult it is to preform.

In short, don't expect to throw a magical nuke without a whole team of several powerful magi and don't expect to actually bring back the Anima of those who have passed on entirely intact, if at all. If a simple term need be applied to describe magic, it is that the magic of Manifest Anima is of the 'High Fantasy,' sort. Just know, that the greater the power, the greater the responsibility required to wield it.

Examples of 'medium level power,' include shapeshifting into things of equivalent size, high speed movement, punching a person and breaking bones (maybe making a small mark on concrete). Perhaps you can manipulate fire hot enough to severely burn someone (2nd degree, and with continued exposure, third degree). Making golems of equivalent size and strength to what I described above or to your character's body.

⊰ Tech

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In terms of tech, the world of Manifest Anima does have things such as nanomachines, minor gravity manip tech, and what is becoming the true advent of body modification (yo cyborgs). While there are global teleportation networks, which are an incredible feat even in this day and age, people do not have personal teleportation devices or the like--in fact none such devices exist, or rather no non-prototype versions exist and trust me, I wouldn't suggest trying those prototypes...that is unless you want to end up merged with a brick wall on a quantum level.

As for weaponry things such as railguns exist, though devices such as laser rifles do not--at least not those that are fueled by entirely scientific/technological means. So don't expect light sabers or plasma weaponry for the most part. Even if they do exist, it's unlikely that most people would be allowed to carry around such dangerous devices. For further clarification, feel free to suggest your idea(s) to your local GM(s) and we'll see what we can do.

Oh yeah and magitech is a thing.

⊰ Rules

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• It should be noted that this RP will have mature themes. Fade to black will be applicable to sexual situations, but don't expect situations including drugs, gore, or some taboo subjects to garner the same treatment. This is not to say that any of the above will be done in excess, just that they may be done.
• Combat will be handled on a case-by-case basis, with the GMs proctoring in case issues or disagreements arise. Should you want to script your fight, let the GMs, and your partner(s) know. Make sure all parties are in agreement. A 'scripted fight,' is one wherein the victor is decided before hand.
• Burning house rule--if you're gone too long and holding things up, expect your character to either be moved aside quietly, or killed to further plot. To avoid the burning house rule, keep us updated, a hiatus can be arranged.
• If a problem arises for a player in regards to the GM and they feel uncomfortable bringing it up. Go to the other GM for advice. Don't worry, we're perfectly reasonable people and nine times out of ten we'll work through it with you.
• The GMs have final say on all matters--this does not mean that I cannot be swayed or convinced. Still, if something must be resolved, we will resolve it and that'll be the end of the discussion.
• Should you lack inspiration or enough material to post, tell someone. Communicate. Talk to your GMs. Worst case scenario, we'll just move your character aside till you can post again.
• While you may expand on or modify the base format of the character sheet, make sure all necessary sections are included.
• No OOC drama. Keep it to PMs, and hopefully keep it non-existent. If needed contact a GM for problem resolution.
• Posts of a paragraph or more; quality over quantity. If you're drawing a blank, don't worry so much.
• Posting expectations of once, at the very least, every two weeks barring extenuating circumstances.
• Only accepted characters go in the character tab.
• Post your Character Sheet in the OOC for review.
• Standard Guild rules apply.
• IC swearing will occur.

⊰ What to Expect

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• Interactions with at least semi-realistic cause and effect. If you kill someone, expect there to be an investigation or at least it be on the news.
• Medium scale in terms of character power, unless you've got good reasons/you prove you can be trusted with more.
• Posts of a paragraph or more; quality over quantity. If you're drawing a blank, don't worry so much.
• Posting expectations of once, at the very least, every two weeks barring extenuating circumstances.
• A GM who is willing to work with you, hear you out, but not break his back to suit your every need.
• Good communication be it player to player, GM to GM, or GM to player.
• Some measure of political intrigue.
• Multiple plotlines if possible.
• Group world building!
• Collaboration posts.
• Some Taboo Subjects.
• Some slice of life.
• Some dark themes.
• Some combat.

Worlds Unknown [Yoshua171 x Celaira]

Lacain

---

"Fair enough," he responded, though he hardly failed to notice that she hadn't looked at him when she'd said it. Turning his gaze back to the Citadel as they made their approach, he wondered what sort of place this was that Iyl had decided to take them. Part of him wanted to ask, but something told him that now was not the time, at least not just yet. So it was that he pondered the place's nature while ever so slightly trying to figure out how its protective barrier's functioned an what being within them would entail.

Becoming lost in the activity, Lacain was roused from his experimentation when a rather fetching woman met them at the stairs and hugged Iyl. Looking her over when her attention wasn't on him, he couldn't help but wonder what someone as attractive as her was doing in a strange place like this. Then again, he'd seen stranger things, though it was a bit odd that the woman had used we rather than I.

When the woman disengaged and asked Iyl who he was he took the initiative, stepping forwards and giving her a winning smile as he spoke up, "My name is Lacain, I'm a good friend of Iyl's. May I ask your name?" As he said it there was a slight glimmer in his eyes. He hoped that Iyl wouldn't mind too much...and that she wouldn't call him out either.

Worlds Unknown [Yoshua171 x Celaira]

Lacain

---

While he awaited her reply he smiled a bit to himself at her earlier actions. It was good to know that someone cared enough for him to worry so over his wellbeing--though he'd been fairly certain he'd be fine. Respectfully he gave her some time to recover, understanding how she must feel. They'd both lost someone dear to them already, so surely the thought of losing someone else so soon after was...well, unbearable. Swallowing the emotions that rose at the thought, Lacain took a deep breath or two to steady himself before he noticed her rise and motion him away from the sheer rock. Moving out of her way he watched with interest as her energies built, focused, and then began to manifest in her hands. After a moment he closed his eyes and let his other senses watch her weave her unique brand of magic. it didn't take long for him to see what she was doing, though her method was, as usual, different from the norm.

It was strange, seeing two disjointed locations connected by the aperture she'd created. However, he took only a moment to assess the construct before heeding her advice and step through so as not to unnecessarily burden her. He glanced behind himself briefly once he'd passed through, watching as she stepped through and the portal shifted shut. It was strange to see, but he didn't dwell on it long before turning to see where exactly they'd ended up.

Raising a hand briefly, palm upwards and at waist height, he created a sphere of light, before letting his hand fall. The shining orb rose above their heads before flaring up and illuminating their surroundings more than the two moons that shone overhead--though they were only half of all the moons that existed.

His eyes adjusting to the new light, Lacain found himself gazing upon the expansive citadel that stood a ways from them. His eyes narrowing slightly, Lacain stretched his senses only to briefly find them turned back on him, before his focus shattered and he staggered a step back. "Agh, time magic," he muttered absently, the slight pain in his head swiftly dissipating.

Turning to Iyl he asked, "Are you sure I'll be allowed in?"