Zeroth

Return of a Failed Generation: A Time Regression Power Fantasy

I'm sort of thinking of a wunderkind/prodigy archer who was sort of the hope of the generation--a little bit older than the rest of the Kaidelings. Sort of a free-spirited big sister who built up a massive ego and maybe bullied her way through her time at the academy (which might be part of the reason why all of the others got bullied!). Only moments before her graduation (or maybe she graduated, depending on the timing), she was either victim of an assassination attempt or otherwise failed resulting in her vision being absolutely destroyed.

This broke her and she basically ran from home to waste away, only to return at the very end in a moment of love for her family.

The main kicker is that she'd come back a bit after the assassination attempt--her ability to shoot her bow and arrow would still be ruined and she has to work around that.

@OwO

The only thing I'd be a little wary about is remaining blind even after going back to the past, simply because I wouldn't want you to end up feeling too limited. While there are alchemic healing potions in the setting, and possibly some other methods (I'm debating with myself as to whether or not to include some things), depending on the specifics of how she was blinded it might not be enough. Sensation Type Aura would allow her to regain a lot of functionality, but unless her opponents are also always channeling Aura through their weapons, she wouldn't be able sense something like a sword being swung at her---the Aura sense only works on living things.

I like the idea as a whole, though, especially the take on her being one of the older members of the generation and having an influence on how others treated the ones who came after her!

My idea is outright cruel rapier-using Villainess who was actually stripped of everything and arrested a few months before the country got invaded. The Demons let all the prisoners out to cause more chaos but she refused to join them and was publically executed for it. She might have been responsible for some of the bad things that happened to other characters.

@Silver Carrot

The only thing I'd tweak is that the Demons wouldn't have extended an olive branch to her---at best, she might've wound up enslaved or being used as a meat shield, but more likely than not they would kill most humans on sight. Especially if said human seems to be a threat in some way. Otherwise, though, she sounds like a nice lady! XD

<Snipped quote by OwO>
So, as people whose characters may or may not have faced an assassination attempt: Any desire to play as siblings? I've got a fairly set idea of how the mother's like tho, so that might be a detractor. Just asking for the potential dynamic of my character having innate/repressed aptitude for an assassin having a sibling who suffered to someone like that. Well, even if not full blooded siblings, I'm seeing some good potential dynamics there :p

@SilverPaw

So far we have 15 people, I think, so considering how big families were in medieval times, I'm thinking the House Patriarch would have 4 partners---3 "legal" wives and 1 concubine/mistress, maybe? Other folks feel free to chime in on that if you'd like. As for the "We Got Assassinated" Club, I like the idea! If any of you have ideas already for who did it and why, or need some kind of info, let me know!

Return of a Failed Generation: A Time Regression Power Fantasy

@MooiEen@King Cosmos@Kazemitsu@Silver Carrot@Sanity43217@Rune_Alchemist@ERode@Crowvette@SilverPaw@Olive Fontaine@Redacted@OwO@Teyao@Iten@Atlas946

there ain't no way all these mentions go out correctly lol I hope y'all are subbed

Also, results: We WILL have Magic!

Character Sheet Info and Drafts

Info You Might Want

DEMON WAR EVENTS

This list is not all inclusive; there were many other battles in many other places.

SOLVAH - WAR'S START

• In 1012 YC, this town (pop. ~3000) was attacked in broad daylight by the Demon Army. It's unknown for sure how the horde escaped being spotted until their attack; it seems likely the demons moved under night cover and gathered up in a nearby forest, camping without fire and limited noise until all of their forces were in position. Such a strategy would've been inconceivable for barbaric races, but ogres, goblins, and orcs were all present and apparently behaved with discipline. Solvah was completely destroyed; the number of claimed survivors seems to have been less than two dozen. The demons tore down what few structures were left standing and repurposed the material to build seige engines and other equipment---another activity completely out of sorts with their usual behavior.
• Due to its proximity to both Briterra and the Demon Lands, pre-war Solvah saw a larger-than-average number of Adventurers traveling through the area on various quests. Even simple errands like letter delivery were considered too dangerous for normal folk due to the dangers of the frontier.

FALL OF LAGENTYM

• Six months after the invasion began, this fortress (pop. ~14,500) in Luzia's Central Valley was beseiged by a force of demons roughly 10,000 strong. Despite being one of the most well protected cities in the kingdom (historically built during the early years of the Yllustrous Founding), they were unprepared for the level of coordination shown by the Demons. Aerial assaults from Wyvern-and-Fulgalos (thunderbird) riders overcame the artillery on the walls while the Demons used seige engines to gain entry. Over the course of a week those who had not been able to evacuate---the entire garrison and at least 1,000 citizens---were killed to the last. The Demons occupied the city, even repairing some of the damage to the fortress, and used it as a forward base for their expansion. Humanity attempted a counter seige on two different occasions as the war continued, but they were never able to take the fortress back as its powerful defenses were used against them.
• Before the war, Lagentym was a bustling place. The Central Valley is prone to flooding from the south and mudslides from the north, and much of the landscape is thickly forested. The fortress provided a hub for protection and trade, and had an entire row in one of its residential districts designated by the city-consul as the "Refuge," for the use of those fleeing natural disasters. It had its own Adventurer's Guild and army barracks; its city watch, however, was considered by many to suffer from corruption. There was, supposedly, a rather large black market being run somewhere within the walls. The Merchant Guilds competed a great deal here, and not all of it was above board. Craftsmen also did well here, as while the Central Valley can be quite dangerous, it is also abundantly resource rich.

KALLYVA OCCUPATION

• In the summer of 1013 YC, this city (pop. ~9,800) was occupied by the Demon General Melusine. As a result, her forces dominated the entire River Border from Briterra to Geveil and eventually reached the coastline, completely cutting off the majority of waterways in Luzia. This blow to the kingdom's logistics as well as the wedge it created between other nations who might have helped them, is thought to be one of the biggest losses during the war that ultimately might have been the downturn for humanity.
• Kallyva's position at the place where two large lakes drain into the Kalygoh River, leaving dense sediment behind, made it one of the most solid and defensible cities in the Border Fens region, where the ground is otherwise waterlogged. As almost half the trade from up and down the rivers and across the kingdom's borders is prepared for overland shipment here, it was a crucial lynchpoint for Luzia's economy. It was home to multiple small Adventurer's Guilds, between whom competition was fierce, and many Merchant Guilds also had branches here if not headquarters.

YLLIASTRUM LOST

• The Royal Capital (pop. ~51,700). It was not the final stand for Humanity, falling during the winter of 1015 after a year-long stretch of constant battle. Almost literally every day, another town or village was being razed; every week another fortress fell. Some of the worst slaughter of the war, until the end itself, was seen during the three months leading up to the capital's desperate defense. The King, First Crown Prince, and both Royal Mothers all died defending the city to the last. The First Princess and her younger siblings were able to escape with the help of the Royal Guard, but even their most powerful knight, a member of the previous generation (not yours) of Kaides himself, was crippled and half the guard lost.
• The demons didn't just destroy the Capital, they tortured it. In a display of their cruelty that had become almost rare during their well-disciplined campaign, they captured and enslaved as many survivors and war prisoners as possible. From then on, whenever they besieged another fortress or marched out to battle on the fields, they brought victims with them. They used these poor souls in shows of torture so inhuman, the Luzians often ordered their archers to try and put the people out of their misery as soon as the saw the demons raising them up on crosses. This was the point at which humanity truly began to break, in every sense of the word.
• Before the war, this was...well, the Royal Capital! One of the largest, the most beautiful, the most historied, the grandest places in all the Kingdom. One can simply imagine the most grand place from their dreams, and Ylliastrum would have surpassed it. Of course, it had its dark side too...but you didn't talk much about that if you knew what was good for you.

KAIDISYUM'S LAST STAND

• The home base of House Kaides, and the Collegem Yllustre (pop. ~12,000). Though not quite as well defended as Lagentyum or the Capital, one would have to be a complete fool to even attempt attacking it. And yet, in early 1017 YC, it fell nonetheless. Your generation, of course, was forced to shoulder the blame by the rest of the kingdom. But this, too, was not yet the final nail in humanity's coffin. And the Kaides, true to their reputation, bled the demons harder than any other battle over the entire course of the war. Demon Generals Yaku and Myrddin fell here, and they say if the Demon King had been there that the war might have even been won, for the Patriarch of Kaides surely would have killed him---it was entirely a pyrrhic victory for the dark hordes. And yet, their victory it was as humanity was forced to retreat.
• Only two Adventurer's Guilds have had the guts to stake their claim in Kaidisyum, but they sometimes struggle to turn a profit because House Kaides gives its up-and-comers plenty of monster slaying and dungeon delving missions. This has led to some bad feelings between the factions, but the Adventurers would never be dumb enough to openly provoke the House (unless they were bullying losers like your generation). There is also an Alchemist Guild here that, despite misgivings by some, works closely to provide medicines and other things to the House (there were some issues with the practice of Alchemy as it began developing roughly 100 years ago, and many people still deeply distrust the practice; even the Royal Capital places strict requirements and regulations on practitioners).
• The city has the lowest crime rate in the Kingdom, one of the largest metallurgy industries, and a booming construction sector that seems to be most active in making constant repairs to the Collegem and Kaides Estates---because even a light spar between Aura-users is apparently ridiculous. In 1007 YC, however, it is currently trending downward in its population and business for the last several years...some say that Patriarch Martenos has neglected the actual day-to-day governance of the city, and that a housing crisis has been building along with a widening wealth gap between the social classes. There are also claims that the "low crime rate" is simply because there's a lot going on that just never gets reported...

HADRUM - DEATH

• A small port city on the western coast of Luzia (pop. ~5,600). Though it has a thriving trade center and a variety of interesting festivals and other cultural aspects it picked up from foreign sailors, the local geography is difficult. The lower section of the city is practically carved into the side of ancient limestone cliffs, and at least once every year there's a risk of high waves flooding or eroding parts of the infrastructure. Yet it was here that Humanity made its final stand.
• What few ships were left after the attacks by Melusine's forces had gathered, to take Luzia's remaining citizens somewhere, anywhere, else. But somehow, the Demons got wind of the escape plan. They circumvented the remnants of the human army that had gathered for one last, desperate defense, and made a bee-line for the harbor instead of trying to secure the town first. The ships were burned even though the demons took a hit to their flanks---but then, it was over. The last of mankind were rounded up and slaughtered as the monsters cackled with glee and had their fill of flesh and blood.

THE NATIONS

KINGDOM OF LUZIA

Covering roughly ~50,000 square miles in area, the kingdom's population is somewhere between 4 and 6 million. A little under 40% of its wilderness is uninhabited; a mountain range borders it to the north and one large section of a different range peaks at the southern end of its coastline. The sea is to its west; directly south is Geveil, and both Briterra and the Demon Lands each cover half its eastern border. The interior is largely temperate; some taiga can be found to the north, some tropics on the coast, and grasslands across much of the south-east before the south west gives way to marshy riverlands. The largest rivers are in the northeast and southwest corners, but there are many small bodies of water, brooks and streams, scattered throughout the Central Valleys---in that area in particular, the rise and fall of the land is not caused by mountainous terrain, but by ancient riverbeds and what may be prehistoric glacier tracks that are now long dry.

In terms of culture, think of it like Byzantium slowly emerging into Medieval Europe. Luzia's citizens are Humans by vast majority, though there are two Dwarven colonies beneath the southern peaks. Elves are only rarely seen, mostly along the River Borders due to the Kalygoh flowing south into their own lands.

KINGDOM OF GEVIEL

Larger in landmass and population, but militarily weaker, Geviel has an uneasy peace with Luzia. The countries have warred in the past, before sealing a truce with arranged marriages among both royalty and nobility on either side. Their major source of conflict now is trade, though there have been some territorial disputes over a set of islands in the western waters. Geviel has a much longer coastline on its west, a smaller gulf to its southeast, and more waterways within its borders. Its navy rules the ocean, being the one place where it has a distinct advantage over Luzia's forces. Though they are often harassed by corsair raiders, merchants enjoy lucrative businesses all over the country.

However, this has led to a trend of nouveau rich among Geviel's courts as the merchants amass more wealth than the nobles and buy their way into titles. Tensions are building between the wealthy and the poor, and their rulers are becoming more and more decadent. Another fault many Luzians find in Geviel is that it isn't so pious towards the church, which many believe has led to its degradation...in fact, some even say there are strange cults gathering power in farflung places.

Most of Geviel's military force is concentrated on the longer border it shares with the Demon Lands, just below Briterra's southernmost point. The fighting has been intensifying lately, attracting many mercenaries wishing to make their fortune, but the citizens of the interior have little idea of what goes on "out there," and have too many of their own problems to bother finding out.

Geviel has a lot of French influence in its design. Their population has a much, much higher number of Dwarves due to a large mountain range near the country's center holding an entire 13 colonies of the subterranean people. They also have more Elves, as they share a border with the elven lands, and have been staunch trade partners with them for years. Half-Elves are often seen here as well, not drawing quite so much stare or scandal as they would in Luzia.

REPUBLIC OF BRITERRA

This small nation nestled between Luzia and Geviel on one side, and the Demon Lands on the other, is a place born from sheer stubbornness. Those few tribes long ago who did not submit to the Yllustrian Kings fled far to the east, over the mighty rivers. In the early days when Geviel mostly consisted of city-states along the waters connected only by a loose confederation, the tribes of Briterra waged war on the most lonely of them and grew strong enough to hold their own. The Demon Lands were not quite so full of aggressive monsters as they are today at that time, so while they had to carve out a place for themselves in demon territory they were eventually able to expand. In time the Briterrans naturally fell to the course of history only a few more centuries after those they'd left behind in Luzia, but their unification came about differently. Each tribe (now fortified settlements and city-states) sent a representative to a Great Meeting, at which they negotiated for many days. The end result was a public forum established in each of the 5 largest territories, where a primitive form of democracy (really, no better than mob rule) elected two representatives. These representatives, totaling ten plus another three who were the strongest leaders among the separate tribes, then became the first Senate. They voted to select three from amongst themselves to serve as Triune Elected.

From that point on, Briterra was ruled as a republic, though the separation of powers was very weak. Now, roughly 250 years later, the system has been refined for both better and worse. But more importantly, as of 1007 YC, Briterra has seen an extreme escalation in demon activity on their borders for the last 2 years. They are getting desperate and believe they must soon appeal to their larger brethren if they want any hope of salvation---however, it's no secret that Luzia would love to annex them and complete its thousand-year-conquest of the ancient tribes.

YLF'ETHJYA

This nation of the Elves is to the east of Geviel and south of the Demon Lands, separated from each by rivers and forests, respectively. The Elves have existed in a state of near constant war with demonkind, and seem to hate them as much as demons hate humans. The fighting on their border grows more intense during winter, as the great forests grow thinner and the demons try to press through the living barrier. But, because Demons have never been united, nor used advanced tactics save in the case of Devils, they have never truly fought on equal grounds with the Elves before...

The architecture and society of the Elves may seem quite archaic to people from Luzia, but it is as grand as any vision of the ancient world seen through paintings. It leaves one with a sort of renaissance feel, as if this place is the last remainder of so much that has been lost elsewhere. The elves often wear simple robes, togas, and tunics, though they often favor bright colors and glitzy jewelry.

Yet, they have precious few great libraries or universities. They have been slow to adapt to the many advancements of Humanity, for their longer age and somewhat passive personalities do not lend themselves well to industry. What knowledge they have recorded, however, goes back further than any human historian could tell you---past the founding of Luzia, past even the days spoken of in ILA's holy texts.

The main problem Elves face in the current day is that of civil division---Dark Elves and Light Elves have long belonged to two different castes, despite the fact that whether an elf is born light or dark is a matter of sheer chance. It is more likely that two elf parents of the same type will produce offspring like themselves, but there is always a chance that the child may be born of the other type. No reason has ever been determined for this scientifically; the elves merely assign it to the will of their god. If elves do not wish to raise a child of a different kind than themselves, they will pass it on to another family, for elves often go quite long without engaging in reproductive activity and thus there will be a childless couple somewhere willing to take the baby.

Traditionally, Dark Elves have always been hunters and resource-gatherers (like miners) while Light Elves have always been farmers and rulers. There are a few other roles the two take, and some even that they share like military service, but generally Dark Elves are those expected to "leave the village and return" while Light Elves are expected to "mind the home." After who knows how long, it seems that in recent decades the Dark Elves have begun to resent being the ones under the most occupational risk, as well as the fact that they have very little say in the elven system of (mostly theocratic, but monarchial) government.

The Light Elves' responses to these problems, however, have only caused greater strife. When a protest turned into a riot and was put down with martial force, the Dark Elves began to contemplate outright rebellion...

DEMON LANDS

Deep, dark forests. Jungles where insects alone could strip a man down to his bones. Rocky badlands where enormous stones jut out of the earth like the fingers of a titan trying to desperately claw free of its prison. Rivers that run black; lakes where things lurk in the depths. Caves that expand miles beneath the earth, forming endless labyrinths. An enormous volcano, where they say the Demons sacrifice captured Humans and feast on Elf flesh.

Little is known about the Demon Lands, because few have ever survived any expeditions into it. It is known that there are some Demon settlements---Orcs make camps all over the place until they inevitably get destroyed by some other demons, then go make new ones. The Devils supposedly have an ancient city that could rival that of the Elves'. Some fools believe there might even be "peaceful" tribes of demons, living far enough away from Humans that they have no need to fight anymore.

It is only due to explorers on Gevelese and Elven ships that the world knows the Demon Lands even have an end---to the east, they eventually reach the sea, and in the far north the land begins to turn to solid ice where most living things cannot thrive. Were it not for this knowledge, which some don't even believe, it would be easy to think that the forces of darkness might cover all the world save the beacons of Human civilization.

THE FAE ISLES AND THE FARLANDS

Supposedly far across the western sea, there is a land where fairies dwell. What the fairies are, and what their world is like, no one truly knows. Myth and story abound, but the details are ever changing---are they like the elves, tall and slender, or so tiny they could stand on your fingertip? Do they have wings, or fly by aid of magic? Do they fear iron, or do they make gleaming swords for kings that catch their fancy? Do they even exist at all?

The Farlands, on the other hand, are a real place with real people---both humans and something else. Full-blooded Farlanders in the flesh are an even rarer sight in Luzia than the elves, but no one from the kingdom has ever seen this other race. The Gevelese have, and describe them as "animal people," but what that means seems to change with every telling from every sailor. Their merchant ships sail from the eastern coasts, past the ends of the Demon Lands, and have found ports of trade with other nations. Farlanders have a very distinct culture completely different from Luzia and Geviel...and yet, some have noted with disturbance that there have been sightings of Demons with weapons and clothing that seem very similar to those of Farlander-make.

House Kaides and many other knights, however, have become rather curious about these elegant, single edged blades the Farlanders call "katana."

FUTURE DISCOVERIES

These are subject to change between now and launch of RP

Between 1012 and 1017, some events of the past ten years became more clear to everyone...

• After the civil war of the elves, many Dark Elves joined the Demon Army. Their knowledge seems to have contributed greatly to the Demon's coherent behaviors, but is it the only cause?
• Demons had some kind of involvement in the cults that developed in Geveil.
• The cults in Geveil greatly contributed to the building of anti-noble sentiment that cause the peasant revolts, which drew Gevelese military away from the Demon Land borders.
• Demon forces blindsided or countered Luzia too many times to be coincidental. A mole, or perhaps multiple traitors, were suspected...but who? Why? What could a human possibly gain by helping demons?
• Some of the spoils taken from demons after Luzia's more successful battles included weapons made from Obsidian, a not-often seen material in the kingdom---but some of them had been infused with Auric energy, something that should only be possible for Dwarves...
• New methods of both Awakening and further developing Aura were discovered, along with at least one completely new Type.

Character Sheets

CS WITH INFO

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Age: 2nd Life [1st Life] | Height: | Voice: (Tenor? Bass? Etc)

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(NOTE: Characters died in setting year "1017 YC." Demon War starts in 1012. Your Second Life starts in 1007. Children of House Kaides are sent to the training academy at age 14, and regardless of whether they "graduate" are sent out by age 21. Keep this in mind when figuring out how old your character is and where they might be when the RP starts! Remove this blurb.)

First Life

While you create this backstory for your character, it might help to keep a few of these questions in mind. You don't have to answer every one of them, but at least two or three should really help flesh out your character!

• Biggest Failure: As we age it's natural to look back at things and objectively realize when WE are the ones who messed up; it's our own fault.
• Biggest Regret: Whether it was your fault or not, whether you realistically could've done anything differently, there's always something we wish would've turned out differently.
• Biggest Obstacle: There was someone or something in your way. You lived with ridicule all your life, but THIS was the person/thing you HATED the most, that made your life that much more miserable.
• Greatest Achievement: Even as the "Failed Generation," there had to be ONE good thing that happened to you. Maybe it was stolen away, but at least for one brief moment...You were happy.
• Driving Hope: There had to be a reason you didn't off yourself until the Demon King took your life. You were living for something---what was it?

NOTE: I will be taking liberties with elements listed in character backstories to develop plots! If there's an NPC, Event, etc that you aren't comfortable with me taking control of, let me know!

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Equipment

(You can give yourself something nice for the scenes before you die if you'd like, lol. Different materials conduct Aura/Mana to greater degrees.
Aura-user Equip: Iron Weapon > Steel > Mythril > ???
Magic-user Equip: Bone Wand/Staff/Deco > Gold Deco > Wooden Wand/Staff > ???
Remove this blurb.)

• Preferred Weapon Type/Magic Focus/Important Tool
• Other armor, accessories, etc to be added--you won't have it when you Regress.

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Abilities

You have 4 Experience to spend here, which would've been gained over the course of your First Life. Ranks are 3rd Rate > 2nd > 1st > Expert > Master; for Magic it's 0th - 3rd Circle.

• Physical Strength: 3rd Rate (Represents pure athleticism. Speed, muscle, endurance, etc.)
• Aura: 3rd Rate (Represents the sheer amount of Aura you have or how efficient you've become. You can raise this even if you never Awakened it at a later age in your first life.)
• Magic: 0th Circle (Because Magic would be harder to learn, your Experiences won't take you as far. However, for each Circle beyond 0th, you may add 1 Spell to your Skill list that matches the Circle's power. You may customize as you like, I'll review it case-by-case.)
• Skills (You don't add Experience to this directly. In a Sub-List, you may add 1 "special move" per Experience, OR upgrade an existing Skill per Experience, OR add a Spell corresponding to your Magic Circle. Reviewed case-by-case)
  
  • Skill/Spell Name (E.g, "Quick Step") - Skill/Spell Description (E.g, "Footwork that produces a sudden burst of speed, covering up to 2 meters in a second.")
    • Sub-Sub-List for Upgrades. E.g, "Range increased to 4 meters."

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First Life

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Abilities

You have 4 Experience to spend here

• Physical Strength: 3rd Rate
• Aura: 3rd Rate
• Magic: 0th Circle
  
  • Skill/Spell Name - Skill/Spell Description
    • Sub-Sub-List for Upgrades.

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[h3][i]Abilities[/i][/h3]
You have [b]4 Experience[/b] to spend here
[list][*]Physical Strength: 3rd Rate
[*]Aura: 3rd Rate
[*]Magic: 0th Circle
[list][*]Skill/Spell Name - Skill/Spell Description [list][*]Sub-Sub-List for Upgrades.[/list][/list][/list]

Subject to change upon review, ask questions if you have them, feel free to send PMs for spoilery stuff, etc etc!

Return of a Failed Generation: A Time Regression Power Fantasy

@Teyao Welcome, glad to have you!

FUEL FOR MY WORLDBUILDING SICKNESS

@Iten

All good questions! Lemme see here...

MONSTERS AND DEMONS IN GENERAL

As far as Monsters and Demons go:

• "Monster" refers to any organism that, in addition to just being plain meaner, stronger, and often bigger than others of its clade, does not have an inherent fear of Humanity, fire, or other things that the animal kingdom has generally learned to avoid. They see humans as prey and will actively hunt them regardless of territorial behavior. While possibly clever and vicious, they are non-sapient. An Ogre, for instance, is like a particularly volatile gorilla in terms of intelligence (no offense to Koko and Harambe) and a Goblin is like those chimpanzees that are starting to learn how to use spears and rocks. Wyverns, giant centipedes, the parasitic plants that can substitute themselves as musculature to move a human skeleton, etc all count.
• "Demon" is a more arbitrary term, and refers to anything that is NOT a Human, Elf, or Dwarf that also shows hostility towards the "enlightened races," along with some level of civilization. They could be primitives like Orcs, or near-humanly sophisticated like Devils. They are sapient and capable of self reflection, but have cultural and biologically driven differences that make them by and large incompatible with humans. By occupying many of the same niches as the enlightened races do---being omnivorous, using wood, stone, and metal to build, etc---there simply does not seem to be enough room on the continent for the both of 'em. Frieren's demons would be a pretty good comparison to some of them, but not all---Frieren's come across to me as wonderful examples of socio/psychopathy, narcissism, and "masking" behavior, but some demons in this setting would be the opposite of those extremes; all impulsivity and escalating emotions with no ability to de-regulate would pretty well describe an orc, for instance.

HALF DEVILS IN PARTICULAR

A Half-Devil would be equally likely to inherit eye, hair, and skin colors from either the human victim/parent or the devil, sometimes even both in combination. Devil eyes range through red, yellow, orange, indigo, and purple; they are like bird-of-prey eyes in their shape. Hair ranges through the kind of unnatural, pastel or vivid colors humans have to use dye to get. Skin ranges from gray through shades of blue/purple with heavy de-saturation. They will always, however, have horns, but never have the devil's near-vestigial wings nor their tail. Horns (at least two of them) grow much like nails, typically near the temples or straight out of the forehead, but the smallest they ever get would be the width/length of a finger. Cutting them off, filing them down, or even surgically removing them IS possible---but causes the kind of pain that could drive a human being into shock, and even after healing leaves behind scars that are so sensitive the poor creature will get brainfreeze every time they step outside on a winter's day, or headaches when the rain brings barometric changes. If you're a magic user, you would also experience an extreme dip in your sensitivity to environmental Mana---but, you'd actually be no different from a full-Human in that regard.

Half-Devils also tend to suffer more from undesirable psychological issues, trending towards what we know as Cluster B Personality Disorders. This is a world where psychiatric medicine is far from our own, so it is unclear if they develop these issues because of how they're treated by society, or by their demonic nature.

A Half-Devil that manages to survive long enough to somehow have children can produce Quarter-Devils, in which case they only seem to inherit the chance for devil's eye/hair colors and a single horn; if this horn is removed while they are young, they have a much better chance of the previously mentioned sensitivity issues clearing up as they age---but it is still very traumatically painful for the child, and may be a cause of the same psychological issues their parent had. Past Quarter-Devils, the demonic blood seems too diluted to influence phenotype past the occasional instance of heterochromia, but other non-visible traits are still present.

Some say, however, a Quarter-Human is somehow worse than a full-Devil...

LUZIA AND DEMONS

Luzia has been, in many ways, inattentive of certain happenings on the continent. Until the war begins in 1012 YC, they consider "demon armies" to be species-specific. They sometimes target them for suppression, either by the border nobles or by requests to Adventurer Guilds, but the idea of a "unified demon society" seems impossible based on everything they've known about the creatures thus far. The biology/ecology of many demons and monsters is well known, but the biggest mystery surrounding them is how their unique abilities and magics seem to work, their relations to miasma and each other, and what among Humanity's religious mythos/history regarding them is actually true. Demon religion is also unknown, but many speculate they believe in a pantheon of some sort or worship their own ancestors based on what little anthropological evidence has been discovered in their camps, settlements, etc. All that is known about their interactions with Miasma is that it invariably attracts them, and some types---especially Devils---seem to be able to perform an unknown type of Magic, colloquially referred to as Curses, that allows them to direct the Miasma from its origin point. In rural areas, some people believe that "bad winds" are caused by a cartoonishly-stylized devil holding a comically large fan and "blowing" the miasma their way.

Monsters found in the kingdom are sometimes left alone, being that they are still considered "part of nature" to an extent, but the more violent/invasive ones like goblins are usually kill-on-sight. Demons, however, aren't tolerated to any extent unless they hold some essential advantage that forces humans to risk negotiations.

The physical comparison between Demons and humans largely depends on the particular type. Orcs and Wulvers would be stronger than most Men, Lizardmen and Merfolk are about the same unless you're in the water with them, Devils are typically physically weaker. The number of Demons and Monsters the Kingdom is aware of is quite large. Rattling off some, but not all, without repeating the kinds I've already mentioned would include: Drakes, Wyrms, Trolls, Hobgoblins, High Orcs, Cockatrice, Satyr, Wargs, Boogbears, Harpies, Sirens, Dryads, and Lamia/Naga.

As for Demons of note besides the Demon King, there are many wanted posters in the Adventuring Guilds for particularly known individuals---the names given to them, however, are not always their real personal names, but just convenient monikers for identification. During the war, however, those names that most humans came to know and fear were the Four Demon Generals---Melusine, Yaku, Myrddin, and Bagradas. The Merqueen, Beast King, Frozen Heart, and Living Fortress.

THE ROYAL FAMILY

On the Royalty of Luzia: The king is Auryos Lohin Arkivum-Kyn Luzian ex Ylliastrum. He is 46 years old and has been on the throne for 6 years following the abdication of his father; the previous king died 2 years ago. He has 2 wives, neither of which have been given the title of Queen Consort yet, and four children. His first wife gave birth to the First Prince and Second Princess, and the second wife gave birth to the First Princess and Second Prince. The First Princess is the eldest of all the children at 18, but has a reputation for being somewhat unruly. The laypeople like the First Prince well enough, and at 16 he seems the obvious choice to most for the position of heir.

The other Vassal Families, at this juncture, aren't really all that worth writing up big lore dumps on yet. They're your typical blue-bloods, those who own land and titles, constantly squabbling and trying to climb over each other. A few of them are Branch Families of the Great Three, but we'll meet them when they become relevant.

For now I must sleep, but the CS is mostly finished and will be up tomorrow!

Return of a Failed Generation: A Time Regression Power Fantasy

Could you use Aura shortcut magic? Like if Aura can replicate other forms of energy like fire, could it replicate Mana and be used to substitute parts of magic equations?

@Sanity43217

This is a question I had not even considered! Excellent work! I'm going to say "Yes, BUT," with the but being that using Aura to substitute for Mana is extremely dangerous because you're basically burning HP to replace MP. If you were to do it for a high level spell, or a spell that requires a "constant" Mana drain over time, you would very likely kill yourself unless you had trained to heavily expand your Aura reserves.

I will also say that, in the reverse situation, if you came up with a Magic spell that mimicked one of the Aura types, it would not usually work in pitched battle the way Aura does. Aura becomes an extension of the warrior using it, whereas casting a spell would require you to stop swinging your weapon so that you can focus. The more variables a situation has---and a one-on-one fight has a lot of them---the more difficult it is to adjust the variables of your Magic Formula. Now, if you had a spell that could do the same thing as Aura Augmentation, you could potentially cast it BEFORE going into battle to buff your weapon or that of an ally, but other than that the uses of mimicking Aura with Mana are less intuitive.

So if there was a practiced mage who was sent back, due to the knowledge-based nature of magic as described, they would basically still have their failed timeline magic ability completely intact? As compared to an Aura which would likely need at least some training since it's more of a muscle than pure technique?

I'm not necessarily calling it out as an imbalance and maybe you answered that question already but I just wanna be sure. I think having a magic system would be fine, though I might have a slight preference to just a wider array of Aura options over Aura and Magic coexisting.

@Crowvette

You're correct in that the knowledge of magic would come back with the Regressor. You are also correct that, even if you managed to eventually Awaken in your First Life, your past-body won't be quite as developed yet and thus your Aura would be temporarily locked again.

However, remember that Aura depends on having a certain level of physical/mental/spiritual balance AND a certain level of skill mastery. Your past body might not yet be developed enough, but your mind and spirit have remained the same and you still remember the skills you gained. Maybe your physical strength is lacking---but you remember techniques that the past you hadn't yet learned, you have tactics and strategies and familiarity that you didn't before. Not only will you regain your Aura much faster in the Second Life, but you'll also be able to pull off a lot more impressive stunts than you could originally.

Let's say a character had their first "sparring test" at the Collegem, and in the first timeline they just ran in, swinging wildly, and immediately got parried and riposted before getting bashed over the head. But, this second time around, you actually know how to take your stance; you feint, bait your opponent's techniques out and counter them, interrupt his footwork, etc. To the instructor who's been watching you, it suddenly appears as if this talentless nobody has suddenly become an experienced fighter! "NANI!? M-MASAKA!?!"

Return of a Failed Generation: A Time Regression Power Fantasy

Speaking mathematically, 1 out of 100,000 people have the potential to awaken their Aura then. Considering population size and whether or not society grants equal opportunities to all (unlikely), the actual ratio is probably even more dire. How many of those Potential Aura-Farmers were actual farmers who simply daydreamed of cutting swallows, after all?

Guess also meaningful to ask about general population size of the kingdom n all. And how much of it was wiped out by the demons before our characters died.

@ERode

Yep, not everyone can become a REGEND. However, if only 1 out 100,000 are Awakening, then I might need to adjust it a bit since I want there to be more than just a dozen or so Aura users throughout the kingdom.

For the Kingdom of Luzia in particular, we're probably looking at somewhere between 3 to 5 million, since this is a medieval period. The neighboring countries of Geveil and Briterra would be somewhat larger and smaller, respectively. As for how much of the kingdom was wiped out in the war---basically all of it. They literally drove the kingdom's remnants to the coastal cities and then burned their escape ships.

Return of a Failed Generation: A Time Regression Power Fantasy

Comparatively speaking, how rare are Aura Knights compared to proper Wizards, in this hypothetical “magic can be learned” setting?

My only real reason for wanting magic was because I want magic items to exist, but if they’re already part of the setting, it’s fine to go without. That being said, the inclusion of magic in the setting as a discipline would kinda make it easier to handle Elves and Dwarves. Elves become innate magical geniuses while dwarves can craft magical items.

@ERode

To Awaken Aura, and to develop an Aura Type are considered two different stages even among those who are capable of it. As someone who's practiced martial arts IRL, I've always been told that 1 out of every 100 students will achieve a black belt, but also that getting a black belt basically means you're an "expert in the fundamentals" and getting higher degrees past that becomes more and more rare.

So with that in mind, I imagined it like this:
1 out of every 10 normal people probably has the capacity (mental fortitude, physical strength, etc) to become a warrior.
1 out of 100 Warriors (basic soldiers, adventurers, mercenaries, etc) will be able to become a Knight, as in, you get a title and work for a noble.
1 out of 100 Knights will be able to become masters of their chosen craft---they will be to Swordsmen, Spearmen, etc what Bruce Lee was to martial artists. This is the point at which they MIGHT be able to Awaken aura.
1 out of 100 Awakened will be able to develop their personal Type of aura (and again, BEFORE the War happened, it was thought that you couldn't have more than one type)

So I'm not good enough at math myself to crunch those numbers for a percentage, but that should give you an idea of how "rare" the quality of Knights House Kaides expects its members to become. Basically, their family has been at this for so long, they kind of already expect their Collegem-age cadets to be somewhere between the Warrior and Knight ranks, and to rise to the Awakened rank by the time they're 21.

Also as an aside, the "Ranks" of abilities that will be used on the character sheet will go like this:
Worst - 3rd Rate > 2nd Rate > 1st Rate > Expert > Master > Grandmaster > Saint > Divine - Best

1st Rate is the level at which Awakening happens, but Type development depends on something specific after that that's independent of how strong/skilled you are.

For Magic, you'd replace those with "Circles," from 1st to 8th. Note that an 8th Circled magician would be considered so rare, even some highly educated people consider that level "merely theoretical."

I'd be down for adding magic to the RP. I think the system you've made makes it suitably complex enough that it would have to be a characters focus to really be a problem and it gives people a route to take that isn't becoming a martial class.

@King Cosmos

If we went this route, House Kaides would have mages in its ranks, just not as many as Arkivum or Noxicana and they wouldn't be as powerful as mages found outside the family on the whole. The Collegem is a legitimate center of higher education, not just a boot camp for jar heads, so characters would be able to study magic alongside combat if they wanted, it's just that you have to spend [Experience] to upgrade your abilities regardless. Also, "Spell Books" would be added to the loot tables, so to speak.

I'm just personally not fond of settings where Linear Warriors and Quadratic Wizards are a thing, but I wouldn't be opposed to a big beefy knight having a surprise Pocket Sand spell or a Wizard knowing how to shank bitches.

Return of a Failed Generation: A Time Regression Power Fantasy

OMG DUBBLE POAST

Are there any magic relics or ruins? I'm not asking you to spoil the story, of course. But one of my ideas was about a researcher who was assigned by the academy to study a magical relic (perhaps a rod or puzzle box), but who failed to comprehend its secrets in time to make any difference.

It's definitely possible to do a similar sort of thing with formulae and knowledge instead, but I thought I'd see what you think.

@Olive Fontaine

A rod and puzzle you say? *draws a card*

Even if the Magic gets voted down, there will still be relics and ruins in the setting; even though it's been a thousand years, the "brutal and primitive tribes" that were united when the Kingdom of Luzia had its founding weren't all as brutal and primitive as the stories say. Some of the ancient structures built by them, as well as the lairs of all sorts of baddies, are what the Adventurer Guilds in various towns call "dungeons." Every so often they get uncovered somewhere, and lots of treasure hunters risk life and limb on the chance that they'll find an ancient trunk full of gold and gems or something.

Relics could range from literal archaeology artifacts to ancient Elven-or-Dwarven made items, or holy objects of the church. The ancient peoples, or the Demons if they were sophisticated enough, could've built various kinds of puzzles and traps either to stop grave robbers or just to lock away their treasures in the days before tumbler locks.

In other words, a character using that as motivation would be A-Ok!

Return of a Failed Generation: A Time Regression Power Fantasy

Could we also get some basic lore on the other two houses? If Kaides was blamed for even the downfall of the kingdom, what about them?

@SilverPaw

Kaides isn't literally responsible for the whole kingdom being defeated, of course, it's just one of those things that tie into the RP's theme of the Players being the "worst generation." "If it weren't for you, we could've won!" "You're all worthless, ever since you were born!" Etc.

The other two are House Arkivum and House Noxicana; Kaides is to Knights what Arkivum is to Scholars/Priests/Merchants (or possibly Mages) and what Noxicana is to Legislators/Magistrates. Each Great Clan still raises its own fighting force, of course, either from its own members or from allied Vassal Families, and what one might lack in military power they might make up for in economic strength, territory control, number of levied soldiers, so on and so forth. The actual balance between the three fluctuates, and sometimes the Crown itself tries to subtly push-and-pull on them. Because the Three Great Clans all together would basically make up a third of the entire Kingdom's fighting force, not to mention the other aspects of their influence, the Crown wants them to stay "rivals," but they also don't want any of the three to actually go bankrupt or anything either.

In the Unifying War roughly a thousand years ago, the Yllustrian King relied on Kaides to be his vanguard, Arkivum to make strategies and do logistical stuff, and Noxicana to do "shady business." While the former two are pretty much in the same roles in the present day, many of Noxicana's members are now involved in keeping up the law through the judicial branch of the Kingdom. The Courts are still subservient to the King in a lot of ways, it's not a constitutional monarchy just yet, but for the common people it sometimes feels as if they're ruled by that House instead.

And nobody outside the Three Great Families ever dares to mention it, and it's certainly not something brought up in social circles, but the King supposedly, maybe, possibly, still uses Noxicana's elite forces to do shady business.

Return of a Failed Generation: A Time Regression Power Fantasy

@MooiEen@King Cosmos@Kazemitsu@Silver Carrot@Sanity43217@Rune_Alchemist@ERode@Crowvette@SilverPaw@Olive Fontaine@Redacted

I'd like to get everyone's opinions on the presence of "real" magic in addition to Aura, based on my current idea. Also, the Character Sheet is currently being developed, and OOC will follow after that. Both will likely take a bit of time, so once CS is up feel free to put character drafts here in the IC.

This idea for magic could be tweaked if enough people feel it's necessary, but I'm perfectly fine with leaving it out entirely. In addition to Alchemy and the other races, there are a rare few other aspects of this world I don't want to spoil just yet that I think make it feel "wondrous and fantastical" enough without wizards causing too much powercreep, lol.

MAGIC

Magic does not use Aura to fuel itself. Aura comes from the body, but the energy used for Magic comes from the energy of the World, or Mana. The amount and nature of ambient Mana makes casting magic more or less difficult; casting a spell to produce fire in the midst of an arctic snowstorm would be near-impossible, while the same would be true of a spell to condense moisture in the desert. In order to harness Mana at all, however, a human being has to learn the proper "Formula." Magic spells do not exist as malleable concepts; they cannot be bent to Mankind's will the way one can adjust the flow of their Aura or choose what they will have for breakfast that morning. Instead, one should think of Magic as one thinks of Mathematics.

How many formulas do you remember from your time in school? How many of them could you solve for, without putting a pencil to paper or using a calculator? That's likely the number of magical spells you'd be capable of using in this world, but in addition to that you have to consider that the more complex/advanced math formulae are akin to the more powerful/effective magics.

One of the most basic spells taught to any beginner is the "Kandyla" formula, which produces an unimpressive candle-flame at the tip of one's focus, whether that be a fingertip or a wand. Compared to mathematics, this is the equivalent of doing long division with 3-digit numbers in one's head. The "Naphthalm" spell, which produces a jet of dangerous flame over a distance from the focus, is like a quadratic function by comparison. "Orbys Pyre," a devastating ball of flame that explodes with lethal force, requires the magical mirror of advanced calculus.

Thus, becoming a proper mage requires many years of study and practice. "Spell books" are really more like texts containing various proofs, tables of numerous variables made necessary by the environmental shifts in Mana or the need for fine-tuned control, and other necessary academia, often for only a single Formula. Mages can be powerful assets in warfare, but the time it takes them to cast their spells and the Mana they require means that positioning and protecting them is that much more difficult. It is difficult to incorporate magic into every-day life advancements, because if spells past a certain magnitude are used too often, the Mana in that area becomes depleted.

Depleted Mana not only causes plantlife to wither, animals to become lethargic, and the spread of disease, but it can even cause what is called "Miasma." Areas under the "miasmatic effect" are areas of low Mana that become like a beacon to Monsters and Demons for some reason. They can detect it from long distances---even the least sensitive seem to detect it within a mile. Some say Devils can feel Miasma literally days away. Monsters will often hurry to reach areas affected by Miasma, because any weakened animals there will be easy prey to fill their bellies. Higher Demons seem to make use of Miasma in some way---they, too, are capable of Magic, but many of their Formulas are quite foreign to human and elven knowledge alike.

Elves are more sensitive to Miasma than Humans, while Dwarves seem relatively unaffected by it. Humans tend to simply find being around Miasma "dreadful." It's true they are at risk of illness given how diseases seem to proliferate more quickly in miasmatic areas, and the plants and animals they eat from these places are less nourishing. But the most powerful effect of Miasma is psychological, not physical. Passing through it for extended periods of time deeply lowers morale and unsettles the nerves. In the worst cases, people become terminally depressed and seek to harm themselves, or go insane. For this reason, much of the research that has been done on Miasma can't always be considered trustworthy. As long as it remains a danger, the widespread usage of Magic in society doesn't seem possible.

TOO LONG DIDN'T READ

Magic requires specific formula and spells to work. You don't have "Fire Magic" that lets you freely manipulate flames, you have "Naphthalm," a single spell with only one purpose and performance---that being to spray a flamethrower over a given distance.

Learning these formulas is like learning advanced math---if you can't do trig in your head, you probably can't do powerful spells.

A beginner mage might only have a single spell they can use "on the fly" without the aid of their reference books and notes. Even a master mage might only be able to cast a handful of spells freely, and of those only a couple would be as dangerous as the classic DnD Fireball.

Magic requires Mana, which is the energy of the World/nature as opposed to Aura, which is the energy of the body. If you're at the North Pole, the Mana won't be right for fire spells like Naphthalm, making them much much harder.

If you drain all the Mana from an area to power your spells, it becomes "Miasma" and not only kills nature in that place, but attracts all kinds of Monsters and Demons. This is why Magic hasn't been incorporated into every aspect of worldbuilding no matter how powerful it can be, because if you start producing Miasma in cities then you get monster hordes trying to eat people.

So, Magic? Yes/No/ "I have input" ???

Return of a Failed Generation: A Time Regression Power Fantasy

I can throw some interest in for this. Would be fun to make a character who uses their second chance to support/protect another PC who maybe had something terrible happen to them in the failed timeline (or maybe they just didn't meet or understand until it was too late?). A little Kuroko-esque perhaps

@Crowvette

Welcome aboard! That sounds like an interesting idea to me---Regression Fantasy Protagonists are often very power-obsessed, so a character who wishes for someone else's success would be a nice twist while still being a motivation to push their own growth (can't be a support if you aren't strong enough to hold them up, right?).

Maybe, yeah. Do the Kaides have a family/knightly code? Cause one idea I considered was someone suited to be an assassin/scout but since that might be considered cowardly or w/e, they were trained as a frontliner with ofc disappointing results.

@SilverPaw

ANOTHER FAITHFUL MINION! >:D Good to see you again! XD
Answering your question includes some more worldbuilding, so hopefully it's not too much:

KAIDES CODE AND ELITE UNITS

The Kaides code would be something to the effect of "Strength is nothing without purpose; purpose is impotent without strength," combined with "Might makes Right." They intensely value their loyalty to the kingdom itself, because the kingdom points them at acceptable targets. Any ideas of rebellion aren't tolerated because even if Kaides somehow deposed the Crown, it would snowball into a conflict that could only end with Kaides being defeated, or with there being no enemies left to fight.

And, I mean, they're not complete insane anime-caricatures. Most of them have the same sense of honor and morality you'd expect from those raised by medieval nobility, so while it's important for knights to be strong and their own secular culture can be kind of extreme, they are by no means a monolith.

As for your assassin idea: The Kaides have three "elite" units in their forces, one of which are the Sykaros. They're assassins in all but name, on paper they're a "scouting/recon/intelligence" group but when it comes to how you fight, the speedy/stealthy/tactical types usually end up here... IF you have enough talent to be "selected" after Awakening your Aura! House Kaides doesn't pride itself on cloak-and-dagger behavior, but they see it as a tool in battle like many other realities of military engagement.

In terms of "public reputation," though, their direct combat unit Glavios is the one that makes the youngsters say "I'm gonna be the strongest guy, buh-leeve it!" If you wanted your character to be someone who was forced into/pursued a frontline role that they weren't suited for, this could definitely factor into that---maybe their mother or someone else pushed them towards Glavios as a stairway to success only to watch them tumble down, or maybe the character was so dedicated to an unrealistic ideal that they "missed their true calling," and so forth.

Just as an aside, the last unit is Saigetta, and they specialize in ranged weaponry, artillery, and other large-scale battle type stuff.

As far as concepts goes, I'm thinking about someone who is very much ill-suited towards knightly endeavors. Something like a very frail and weak constitution from an assassination attempt involving poison or some such either during their birth or when they were very young.

@Rune_Alchemist

This would also work! They could've been poisoned either by any number of possible enemies who would want to either harm House Kaides itself, or your character in particular---It's not unusual for the in-fighting among the Patriarch's children to get underhanded, and it's also not unusual for all three of the Great Clans to constantly screw with one another.

Also, you asked me about the setting's religion on Discord! Thus we have another hider for MORE WORLDBUILDING! ;D

To those who might be intimidated by some of these info drops, don't worry. Anything that's a NEED to know I will make sure to be plain about when it comes to the character sheet and all that.

RELIGION

HUMANS

Humans believe the nature of god, whom they call ILA, (always written in all caps out of respect) to be omnipotent, omniscient, male in personage, and possessed of "infinite capacity" for "Peace and War." What this boils down to is that they believe ILA performs both acts of absolute peace (self-sacrifice, pacifism, etc), and acts of absolute war (genocide, natural cataclysm, etc) without contradicting his own nature (whereas a human who claimed to be pacifist, then committed a murder, would clearly be a hypocrite). It should be noted that the "capacity for Peace" is different from the Christian beliefs in "mercy and forgiveness." To "forgive" someone, you have to overcome a wrong that they did to you. ILA's "infinite capacity" for Peace is interpreted to mean that no mortal creature is CAPABLE of "doing wrong" to him. Some believe this is simply because he "takes no offense" from mortals, others believe that it's because the other side, War, makes him metaphysically invulnerable the way an idealized fortress would be physically invulnerable.

Humans do have a concept of "sin," because ILA's infinite capacity still demands infallibility (if you can never be a hypocrite, you must be right all the time), and the official scriptures/history of the church tell of instances where he gave mankind direct orders. Thus, going against these orders is "sin." The idea isn't that you seek repentance for sin because you've angered or offended ILA, but because if you're not in lock-step with ILA, by extension YOU cannot be "right" because your evil actions, selfish beliefs, etc will almost invariably always make a human being a "hypocrite" in some fashion. And if your soul is not in right standing with ILA when you die, then you go to hell because you have become his enemy, and an enemy is destroyed by the infinite capacity for War.

It is believed that ILA's "thoughts and will" produce Angels in the way that humans codified their thoughts into language and expression---the acts of writing letters, painting pictures, etc, multiplied by divine providence, is the same as the creation of Angels. Thus, they are beings that perform a singular function and then cease to exist once ILA's expression has been carried to its destination. Unlike humans they are not fully "willed" creatures, and attempts to communicate with them by human religious figures are limited because the angel will eventually go into a Chatbot Death-loop of "I cannot do/understand that," or similar AI behaviors.

Humans believe that ILA created them in his image, and originally gave them dominion over all of Creation. Every animal, fish, and bird had to come submit to human authority. But the animals were created by ILA with different natures so that Mankind could show their own capacities for Peace and War; it was intended that they handle each animal differently to showcase proper use of authority. And the "Primordial Demon" was created to test Mankind's ability to, basically, crack down and issue punishments because it would never submit. Mankind failed because they allowed the demon's arguments against their authority to sway them into "only" banishing it from the land, instead of killing it. As a result, it multiplied and convinced other animals to rebel. These rebels against human authority were the first Monsters, and because Humans weren't aligned with ILA's will they couldn't appeal for his direct help. This first battle between Humanity and Monsters "broke" the world, and from there the descension of society pretty much follows most monotheistic archetypes--society is corrupt, we're our own worst enemy, we were originally closer to heaven and have degenerated, etc etc.

ELVES

Elves ALSO believe in ILA, roughly, but they call him Jya'Sabath and believe speaking/writing the actual name is disrespectful. They interpret god as non-gendered, referring to Jya'Sabath only by name or by "god" in all contexts, and interpret the infinite capacities not as peace and war, but as "Chaos and Order." They see this nature not as a spectrum of extremes but as a sinuous infinity. Even if an ordered system becomes completely chaotic, the elements of that system will eventually entropy to a point at which they can no longer undergo change---at which point a new "order" has been reached. If a chaotic system is forcibly brought under order, the elements of that system will eventually become so ordered that a single random factor can spark a chain reaction, creating "chaos." This belief kind of influences how passive they can sometimes be as a society---if you don't like something, just wait a little while and the situation will change. Of course, that's not true for every situation in life and even the Elves acknowledge that.

Elves also believe that ILA specifically chose their race over Humanity to inherit "authority over creation," during the long-lost-to-history conflict that caused the original elves to split off from mankind. It's kind of a "Abraham's sons Isaac and Ishmael," situation, as elves were originally just humans with some different traits due to the "degeneration" brought about by the Primordial Demon's rebellion. When the populations split, Elves breeding among their own differentiated them further, and so on until the present day.

As a side note, Elves believe longer ears are a sign of sophistication, purity, etc and many of their priestly class have "higher" (literally) ears, thus bringing about the belief that their features changed from those of normal humans due to supposedly being able to better "hear god's voice from heaven."

DWARVES

Dwarves believe in a creator deity, but the closest thing to a name it has in their language translates to human languages as "Archaic-Anvil-Strike-Hot-Steel." Some of the modern era have taken to just calling it "the Maker," and this is often how it's translated by non-dwarven scribes. They believe this deity created everything in the world, and then simply left it to its own devices, though there are some sects who believe it will return to "pull the world from the furnace and quench it into its final form." They put certain Monsters, geologic structures, and other things into categories of "Great Creations," because they believe the original creator imbued them with some kind of meaningful purpose; Dwarves themselves, Humans, and Elves are considered "Less-Great Creations" because while being higher functioning, they determine their own life-motivations.

They see their deity as a higher being divorced from mortal thinking, as different from them as they are from ants, and thus unconcerned with matters like morality. They sometimes make offerings to try and appease it in times where creation seems to be "going wrong," (unusual weather, disasters, etc), but they do not typically pray to it. Instead, the Dwarves get their concepts of good and evil from a sort of craftsman-slash-monk known as Gabhiram. The legend goes that he dug deep into the center of the earth until he could "go no further," then sat contemplating "where to go next." He supposedly brought back enormous stone tablets he'd made in the depths of the earth, detailing an entire school of philosophy that would be further developed by Dwarven society over the centuries. It has elements of stoicism, Nietzche's original ubermensch (not nazis), and a hint of Ayurvedic meditations, mindfullness, etc. Dwarves are also big on "It's not that I don't value your life over my stuff; it's that you value my stuff over your life" mentality when it comes to ideas about weapons, justice, etc.

There are a small handful of sects (even the dwarves disagree on the exact number, but it's no more than 7 and no less than 3 depending on how you separate them) who have their own tablets they claim to be accurate copies of Gabhiram's teachings. All dwarves agree, however, that the originals were destroyed in "the Calamity" that destroyed their original homeland. It is a matter of great sorrow in their culture, and one of the things you DO NOT talk about, along with the Calamity itself.

I'm currently mulling over an idea that somehow incorporates my love of Villainess regression.

@Silver Carrot

This being a fantasy world, both men and women are equally respected as knights and given the same training in the Collegem---it helps that Aura enhancement roughly equalizes the "superhuman-ness" of both genders, so your strength stops depending so much on biology and becomes more of how good your Aura development is. If you wanted to take on a more political bent, though (as in maybe your character wants to be more of the High Nobility type and manipulate things with intrigue) you could also do that, because even House Kaides has to obey social norms and acknowledge the importance of medieval networking!

I cannot, however, guarantee you a reverse harem full of slender dudes with glass-cutting chins and Yaoi hands. "Battle-series Bishonen" are the best I can promise!

Posting interest. I always have a good time with action and fantasy writing. The reversion genre hasn’t been a huge point of interest for me in the past, but the themes of important memories and second chances seems really promising.

I like magic, but don’t need it to get interested. I’m just weighing some options. Perhaps a bumbling sorcerer’s apprentice in the first life, or a failed military commander? I also like the idea of a big personal tragedy that they’ll try to avert this time, like loss of a partner or friend. I mean, of course everyone died in the end; this would have been a smaller, earlier incident that scarred the character’s psyche.

@Olive Fontaine

I'll be putting my concept for magic up to a vote here shortly, since I don't want to make things too complex. Even if it's not possible for you to make a sorcerer's apprentice, though, Alchemy is a thing in this setting that might scratch the same itch for you. Because Monsters and other fictional ingredients exist in this world with semi-supernatural properties, the field of Alchemy basically consists of making special potions or other methods of using those things. Healing potions exist although they're not an "instant recovery" option (and they can have certain side effects, one of the worst of which are tumors), as do potions for things like temporarily enhanced strength, night vision, etc.

Exploring the character's scars from a past life, and trying to fix what went wrong the second time around are EXACTLY what this RP is looking for! Keep in mind I will also be taking notes as Players create their own NPCs and First Life Events, so I'll try to incorporate those things into plot events so I can foster the cast's different goals and grudges.

Interested!

@Redacted

Welcome!