Magic: The Rousing (Need 1 new player)

Started by AribethAmkiir, January 14, 2014, 04:04:27 PM

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AribethAmkiir

~~The world is much like our own.  Technology is at the center of the average person’s daily life.  Texting has usurped talking as the favored mode of communication.  Cell phones are owned by all but the most underprivileged.  Wiki pages have replaced reference books as quicker and easier ways of learning.  Despite rising gas prices, Americans continue to drive their S.U.V.s and trucks, and “Big Oil” continues to ensure that “alternative energy” is nothing more than a dreamer’s dream.  Dozens of animal species enter extinction each year.  Drastic weather changes are occurring across the globe.  War continues to rage in the Middle East.  The United States has troops committed to several fronts; while North Korea actively seeks to gain nuclear weapons.  A world-wide recession has effected much of Europe and North America.  And a rash of natural disasters has strained the already-struggling countries.

But, that is only the tip of the iceberg.

Behind it all, is something that has been hidden since Ancient times.  Magic.  It is real, and with it an entire world that has never been seen by the average human.  It is a world of wonder and danger.  It is a mysterious world with rules and laws that we do not understand or comprehend.  A place in which a select few can wield unimaginable power, if they can but survive long enough.~~



About the game: This will be primarily a GM-driven role play with some sandbox elements.  It will have a somewhat episodic structure with GM-driven missions bracketed by sandbox-style role play.  There will be planned character growth with the ability for the characters to gain both positive and negative stats and attributes.  No system knowledge is required as everything will be managed “behind the curtain” by the GM.  Inspiration has been taken from shows such as; Grimm, True Blood, Teen Wolf, Lost Girl, The Dresden Files and Charmed.

Characters: All Player Characters will be college-aged (18-26) with a history of having experienced something unexplainable.  Characters can come from anywhere in the world and I will be looking for five characters altogether.  I will be looking for rounded and well-developed characters.  The more time you spend on creating your character the more potential for growth and development during game play.  Character advancement will be discussed between the GM and the player.  No "loner" type character will be accepted at this time. 

Players: Looking for players who can commit to posting once every 2-3 days; who can illustrate and develop their character’s personality with their writing; who can write descriptive action scenes; who can make their character’s magic come to life with their words; and who can adapt to twists in the story, as well as, accept unexpected happenings to their character.  I'm looking for players who can conduct themselves with maturity, work amiably to resolve misunderstandings, and who will keep drama out of the OOC.  Further, I’m looking for players who are willing to collaborate with the GM and each other in an attempt to create a dynamic and enjoyable story for all.  Please enter this game with a genuine interest in interacting with other players and a desire to post as frequently as you are allowed.

Rules and Expectations:
   1.  Drama is good in the story, not in the OOC or PMs.  That being said, there are bound to be misunderstandings.  It is critical to give the other person the benefit of the doubt and to attempt to communicate your thoughts and feelings as accurately as possible.  Any misunderstanding should be settled via PMs with the GM included in the discussion.  If the parties involved are unable to settle the misunderstanding the GM will intervene.  The GMs word is final.

   2.  In order to maintain the pace of the story it will be important for players post once every 3 days.   If you know you will be unable to post within 3 days of your last post, please do the following: remove your character from the scene, notify the other players in the OOC as to why you needed to remove your character from the scene, and PM the GM as to how long you believe you’ll be unable to post.

   3.  If a player does not post within 3 days the player’s character will be skipped or controlled by the GM, depending on the scene.  If the player does not post within 2 weeks, and does not notify the GM of the absence, the player character will become inactive.  Inactive characters will be written out of the story, either through character death or another means.  A player may be allowed to return to the game, after becoming inactive and having their character written out of the story, if there is room in the current cast.  The player’s character will start from the beginning or half the average character’s value (determined by the GM).

   4.  Please post using a third person tense (I.e, "He", not "I")

   5.  One liners - Please, don't do it. Even in conversation, things happen around your character. People pass through, observations are made, thoughts happen. Give your partner/s the consideration of having something to react to

   6. Power gaming/Meta gaming - will not be tolerated. I define this as reacting to OOC information in an IC manner. If your character has no way of ascertaining said information, and you react to it, this is powergaming, and you'll be receiving a post from me to edit.

   7.  God-Mode - 9/10 times, if this happens it's going to come back to bite you in the ass. This includes random plot points that were not discussed with me that have an unfair impact upon game play. The 10% of the time that it will be allowed is if previously discussed with me. If what you’re about to have your character do feels like it might be considered Godding PM me. It is better to ask first then be penalized for it later.

   8.  Combat - It's going to happen here and there, pleas, use common sense.  If it's with a GM controlled character, give me/it a chance to respond.  If you write nine paragraphs, and mortally wound whatever it is as soon as it appears, I'm going to counter the very first thing you attempt, and your entire book of actions will result in squat.  If you manage to get the jump on a sleeping combatant, or it has its back turned, with no attention paid to you, we'll talk.   If Player vs. Player combat occurs, it will be expected that the players involved work out an amiable solution.  If this is not possible, rolls will be used and the players involved will be expected to accept the results.

Items of Note:

    1.  Character death will only occur if a character becomes inactive or the player requests it.

    2.  There will be both negative and positive consequences for in-character actions.  Most negative consequences will not be permanent unless the player wishes them to be.  Positive consequences will be permanent unless something happens in the story to remove the boon.

    3.  Cast selection will not be “First come, first served”.  The GM will select the best character applications for the story the GM wishes to tell.  Males can play female characters and females may play male characters.

    4.  All human character types will be welcome, from anywhere within the world.  Sexual preference will not be taken into consideration when selecting the cast.  Players should realize that there may not be a romantic partner for everyone.  While romance is welcomed, that will not be the focus of the story. 

    5. The PC's magic, early on, will not be all powerful.  Through IC activity and training the characters will be able to develop their abilities and those abilities will gradually progress in strength.  Players should expect to be on the bottom of the food chain for awhile.

    6. This game is about exploration and survival.  That being said the game world will be small, to begin with, centering around Denver, CO.  As the characters gain strength, more things will be drawn into their sphere of awareness.  Eventually, I would like to expand the game to be world encompassing.

    7.  Although character death is reserved for characters that become inactive (or upon player request), I expect players to treat every situation as if that was a real possibility.  Please, don't make me regret the decision to avoid character death.

    8.  Stupidity (I.e., deciding to reveal the magical community) will alert authorities, resulting in very bad things.

Code (Character Sheet) Select

[b]Name:[/b]
[b]Gender:[/b]
[b]Age:[/b] (must be between 18 and 26)
[b]Sexual Preference:[/b]
[b]Where’s the character from?[/b] (where’s the character living when the game begins?)
[b]Personality:[/b]  (Don’t need to be specific as the character’s personality will likely drastically change once the story begins.  Characteristics such as “greedy”, “loner”, “chivalrous”, “social”, “thoughtful”, “intuitive”, will be good enough)
[b]Description:[/b] (A paragraph or two that describes you character.  Things to include: height, body type, complexion, hair color, any tattoos or piercings, eye color, hair style, demeanor, gait, clothing preferences, voice tone/volume/quality, other features)
[b]Image:[/b] [float=left][img height=200](insert url here and remove parenthesis)[/img][/float]
[b]Character History:[/b] (include birthplace, birth order, siblings names (if any), parents’ names, early childhood, unexplained experience, adolescence, early adulthood.)
[b]The first spell your character is most likely to learn?[/b]
[b]Anything else about the character?[/b]
[b]Character Ons/Offs[/b]
[b]Player Ons/Offs[/b]




How the game began

It was but a single random meeting in a day full of random meetings.  It happened in a public place - a supermarket, a gas station, on the subway, on a bus or at the bus stop, in the quad of your campus, or the lobby of your work.  The older, distinguished looking man didn't seem to be out-of-place, though he was dressed remarkably well with a grey pin-striped shirt and solid grey tie underneath a navy blue colored Sport Coat and tucked into his matching dress pants.  His shoes, for those who pay attention to that type of thing, appeared to be of Italian leather and didn't have a blemish on them.  Short, grey strands of meticulously groomed hair peeked out from beneath his grey Homburg style hat.  The man may not have appear to be out-of-place, but his walking cane with a golden emblazoned Derby shaped handle definitely was.

It would have been easy to have disregarded the man and for him to have been lost in the sea of faces you see everyday - even with his lavish cane - except for three simple words, that you would later swear were whispered into your ear by the man despite the fact that he never came closer than an arm's length to you. 

"Magic is real."

For the remainder of the day those words echoed and repeated through the vastness of your mind.  It became difficult to concentrate and focus and you found yourself absently scrawling the words on a number of pieces of paper, on the back of your hand and forearm, on your desk at school or work, and on the napkins when you ate.  Other things occurred during the day.  No fewer than three light-bulbs blew as you passed by.  The fluorescent hall lights flickered when you walked beneath them, as did the street lamps on your way home that evening.  Shadowy objects danced on the edges of your vision, but when you turned your head to look there was nothing, and when you entered your home that evening the hairs on the back of your neck stood up as goosebumps prickled upon your skin and a very unsettling chill raced down your spine.

You didn't get much sleep that night, as your mind was continuously and undeniably drawn to a memory you hadn't thought upon for years.  It was a memory that you were certain had happened sometime during your childhood.  Your parents, siblings, and friends have always denied its occurrence, but deep down you know the truth.  The memory is unique for each of you; though, whether it was in your room talking with your grandfather after he had passed; or that time you had nearly drowned, but at that last moment, when you couldn't hold your breath any longer and your body had no other choice but to breathe water, you found yourself safely sitting at the water's edge; or when you were watching your younger sibling who chased that ball into the street as that bass-booming, texting teenager raced with impending doom upon the place the child stood, doing 75 in a 25 - the brakes were never even applied and the car didn't even swerve - yet, somehow, after that car had gone-by, your sibling was standing, in that exact spot, unscathed, clutching that ball to their chest with bulging eyes the size of baseballs; or any number of other unbelievable tales.

The next morning, amidst the carnage of messed blankets and sheets upon your bed, you found it.  A simple white 2x4 business card.  At first you thought it was blank, but when you picked it up you saw the gold calligraphy.  David Godhand, III.  2014 Hidden Crest Dr., Denver, CO, 80220.  (303) 362-4364.  It was an interesting card, as you soon discovered that you were the only one who could read it.  Whether curiosity got the better of you, or you were compelled, you called the number and before you were more than a minute into the conversation, you were graciously accepting an invitation to fly, all expenses paid, to Denver and to meet with David Godhand the Third.  It was only after you hung up the phone that you noticed, when the sun's rays reflected off the back of the card at just the right angle, a message appeared.  Magic is real.

AribethAmkiir

#1
Current Character List

Current Cast/Character Listing!
(Please note that location is not indicative of relationships)










Male-------------------------------------------------------------------------------Female
Player: TheHangedMan
Name: Aleksei Sargon
Player: Muse
Name: Stacey Watts
Player: Caelic
Name: Aaron Thompson
Player: Blinkin
Name: Amelia “Amy” Redfeather
Player: James Moriarty
Name: Bartholomew Fenster
Player: Jemady Angel
Name: "Death"
Player: LtFox
Name: Bjørn Rune Jacobsen
Player: Darwishi
Name: Gretchen Mykaelah Jacobs
Player: Prince Truhan
Name: Francisco Aguirre



Rhaegar14

Ooooh... I'm very tempted. Especially with the setting, since I live 30-40 minutes from downtown Denver and I'm familiar with it to an extent. So I'm posting interest, though I probably won't be able to start a profile until after this weekend.
Pretty much scrapped my signature because everything in it is hilariously out of date. I might work on fixing that eventually.

AribethAmkiir

That's cool.  I don't plan to actually start the game until February 1st, so you have plenty of time.

Rhaegar14

A question comes to mind, however: is magic in any way genetic? Do people have predispositions to certain kinds of spells, or can anyone learn any kind of magic they choose to study?

On character concept, I think I might play the kind of nerdy, innocent/idealistic young man who has been wanting this to happen his whole life, only for his naivete to be promptly crushed as he learns that it's not all fun and games like he had imagined.
Pretty much scrapped my signature because everything in it is hilariously out of date. I might work on fixing that eventually.

AribethAmkiir

Yes, there are species whose magical abilities are tied to their genetic structure.  However, none of the player characters will have that advantage.  This game will be largely about discovering this new, hidden world as a group and forming bonds between the characters due to the challenges the characters will face while discovering this world.  That said, I would not be against something along the lines of "people saying great grandfather used to be a great shaman or medicine man"; or even crazy aunt Louise claiming she could see dead people.  For the most part, humans who have innate magical abilities live their entire lives without ever tapping or awakening those abilities.  At most, they might claim an old injury is acting up before it rains.

As for the second question: the spells the characters decide to learn should, somehow, reflect the character.  If the first spell someone wants to cast is a fireball, then perhaps they have an aggressive personality, or perhaps they have a passive nature and want to be able to defend themselves, or perhaps the character is tired of being picked on, or perhaps the character was raised in a hot, arid climate, or perhaps the character's ancestors came from a volcanic island, or perhaps the character is simply cold all the time and wants to be close to fire, or perhaps the character is mesmerized by fire, or perhaps the character's fondest memories occur around a fire.  The point being that, with nearly an unlimited selection of spells to choose from, there will be a reason each character selected the spells they choose.

Your character concept could work very well.  I'm looking forward to seeing what you create.

persephone325

Are there any limitations on where our character can be from? Is this game taking place in a specific location, or will that not matter?
This doesn't have to end in a fight, Buck.
It always ends in a fight.
You pulled me from the river. Why?
I don't know.
"Don't dwell on those who hold you down. Instead, cherish those who helped you up."

AribethAmkiir

Characters can come from anywhere, though they do need to be able to speak English fluidly.  The "home" city will be Denver, Colorado, though it is very likely that other locations will be visited.

Prince Truhan

I'm interested and will get you a character sheet soon.

One question, will magic consists only of active spells? such as fireball, or could it give some sort of special ability, in a way like a passive spell that is always active?

AribethAmkiir

There are many different types of magic and each player will be in control of what their character will learn.  There will be a gradual progression of how spells work depending on how the player decides the character trains and what the character learns.  Fireball was only an example, but if you wished to concentrate on a passive spell first, such as, increased strength, than that spell would have a short duration and long delay between times your character can cast it.  As the character becomes more proficient with the spell, the duration will increase and the delay will decrease. 

Likewise, if Fireball is the first spell someone is focusing upon, they may only be able to summon a small flame, no larger than a lighter, once every hour.  As they become more proficient in that spell, the flame will become larger and stronger and the frequency with which they can cast it will increase.

It will take time ICly for characters to master a single spell and even longer for them to master multiple spells or even a School of magic.

Prince Truhan


arkhos

Very awesome intro there Aribeth.

I'll whip up something for you to consider tonight or tomorrow.

-ark
Wheels within wheels in a spiral array, a pattern so grand and complex; Time after time we lose sight of the way, our causes can't see their effects.

TheHangedOne

Wooooosh. Definitely interested.  I'll be tinkering the day away. Will probably get a character sheet to you some time tonight.
A&A's and O&O's *Status: Here and there | Games: Aiming for punctuality*
"In prosperity, our friends know us; in adversity, we know our friends."
"In the ocean of knowledge, only those who want to learn will see the land."
"Before you roar, please take a deep breath."
Check out my poet tree!

AribethAmkiir

Received the first character sheet.  Looking forward to receiving more.

Tsunami

To boldly go where no one wants too!!!!

Muse

Oh!  This looks like a lot of fun, Ari-chan! 

How's your gender balance working out so far?  Do you prefer we play our RL genders? 

Let me think on it.  But I'd defiantly like to play. 
A link for all of us who ever had a shouting match with our muse: http://www.ted.com/talks/elizabeth_gilbert_on_genius.html

How to set this Muse ablaze (O/Os)

When the little angel won't appear no matter how many plum blossoms you swirl:  https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=135346.msg16474321#msg16474321 (Major update 5/10/2023)

AribethAmkiir

Right now we might be slightly male heavy as far as people who've shown interest.  I've only received 1 character sheet and that was male.  I know of one person who is planning to submit a female character, and persephone is the only female player who has expressed interest. 

Originally, I was going to put more weight toward characters that matched their player's gender, but I'm not sure that is needed.  I'd say submit what you want to play.

Muse

  For diversity's sake, what spells are people looking at so far? 

   Hm...  Rose magic... 
A link for all of us who ever had a shouting match with our muse: http://www.ted.com/talks/elizabeth_gilbert_on_genius.html

How to set this Muse ablaze (O/Os)

When the little angel won't appear no matter how many plum blossoms you swirl:  https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=135346.msg16474321#msg16474321 (Major update 5/10/2023)

AribethAmkiir

I'm not certain.  That won't be certain until people actually begin learning them in game.  The question on the character sheet is more for me to try and gauge where people's interests lie.

What's rose magic?

Muse

Ah, okay. 

Rose magic is a variety of spells involving causing roses to spontaneously grow.  It could be simple gardening magic, but a strong enough practitioner might defend themselves by momentarily sprouting thorns, enhance social abilities with a subtle perfume, or even defeat an enemy by encasing them in blooming vines or perforate them with a spray of thorns. 
A link for all of us who ever had a shouting match with our muse: http://www.ted.com/talks/elizabeth_gilbert_on_genius.html

How to set this Muse ablaze (O/Os)

When the little angel won't appear no matter how many plum blossoms you swirl:  https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=135346.msg16474321#msg16474321 (Major update 5/10/2023)

Harmony

I'm interested and will get you a character sheet in a day or two. And will be submitting a female character, looks like a great RP.

AribethAmkiir

Sounds great!  I'm looking forward to seeing the character sheet Harmony, and thank you for the interest.

Blinkin

"I am a Southern Gentleman, which means that I'm a rogue and a scoundrel. When I'm not kissin' the hands of married women, I'm slipping off their wedding rings."
My Ons' & offs'
Absenses & Apologies (Updated 3/02/23)
Blinkins' Thinkin's (Story Ideas)
Yes, I really am blind.
Being Literate is the ability to read and understand a language. When you ask for literate, what you are looking for is Verbosity, which is the ability to use lots of words without actually saying very much... like politicians. I consider myself both literate and verbose.

Muse

Edit:  I think Character's are supposed to be sent by PM.  Sorry! 
A link for all of us who ever had a shouting match with our muse: http://www.ted.com/talks/elizabeth_gilbert_on_genius.html

How to set this Muse ablaze (O/Os)

When the little angel won't appear no matter how many plum blossoms you swirl:  https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=135346.msg16474321#msg16474321 (Major update 5/10/2023)

AribethAmkiir

Alright, I've gotten 3 character sheet submissions now.  2 female and 1 male.  The game is scheduled to start on February 1st, which means I'll likely be making decisions on the cast on the 27th.  If you've expressed interest, please try to get your character sheet in before then.