Angelscroll Academy- Fantasy, adventure, school life(?), maybe exotic NC [Full]

Started by Koyume, June 04, 2012, 02:41:41 AM

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Koyume

Angelscroll- a mountain keep dedicated to the pursuit and archival of all knowledge, named in homage to a mythological archangel who is said to be the keeper of a library housing all the secrets of the cosmos. It is something between a fortress and an academy, a place guarded by powerful spells and devoted warriors, where students can study virtually any discipline, and scholars from the world over come to pursue research. Behind its great walls, brilliant minds teach their crafts to those fortunate enough to attend the academy; everything from astronomy to acrobatics, botany to bookkeeping, and magic to the arts of war.

Before it was the tranquil place of learning that it is today though, the ancient keep had many less altruistic masters- estranged sorcerers, conquering lords, and monstrous entities have all claimed ownership over the centuries, and many dark mysteries lie within and beneath its stony architecture. Some of the professors have been known to devise ingenious 'missions' for their students- tasks that force them to rely on their knowledge and skill, and often pit them against the secret dangers of the ancient keep.


The players will be students at Angelscroll, individuals of varied interests, abilities, and background. Given the fantastic nature of the setting, a wide range of fantasy races should be acceptable for the students. Also, I imagine that, despite all being students, the protagonists might easily be of widely varying age as well; an elf character might be more than a hundred years old, etc. The power level of the protagonists should be somewhat modest, and their abilities should generally fit some common theme, as 'classes' do in many roleplaying games (wizard, fighter, rogue, etc). Granted, the freeform nature makes conforming to a rigid list of specific abilities unnecessary, so players shouldn't feel like their character should only be able to do one thing.

Now, before saying anything else, I should make it clear that I don't intend to be the 'manager' or GM of the story. I expect to take a smaller role as one of the protagonists. In fact, the description above is essentially all I've thought out so far. That being said, for this to go anywhere, we need someone to take a guiding role; someone who is willing to sculpt the rough block of the setting and play essential NPCs, monsters, etc. This GM will obviously have plenty of artistic freedom (I'm not even particularly attached to the name "Angelscroll"), just so long as the general premise is intact (it's not necessary that the entire game take place at the academy either; circumstances might very well lead the protagonists on adventures out in the world).

As far as eroticism goes, I expect to be playing a more-or-less asexual character, but I will probably be willing to take part in non-consensual scenes, should that arise. If others want to partner up among themselves, then I have no objections to it. If the GM does decide to throw in heavy doses of non-con, I ask that it be largely exotic (creatures with strange anatomy, quadrupeds or serpentine bodies, tentacles, etc), and also of a generally non-gory and non-hateful nature.

Anyway, I won't say anything else until I know there's some interest in pursuing this kind've thing.

FragarachZ

This looks interesting. I'll take part as a player if there are a couple of more people in, possibly playing a fighter or ranger type student. The character can be either male or female depending on the group we have.
O&O

Arioch

If this gets some traction, I wouldn't mind running a sorcerer/summoner. I could see this character trying out spells more advanced that the training received, leading to some interesting results.

Koyume

Excellent; I'm glad to see that this idea isn't just going to die without a fight. I suspect our GM will probably have some specifications of his/her own, but just to lay out some general guidelines for character creation: all student characters should have a name, age, race, background (in particular, how they became involved at the academy, what they're studying...), description (picture, a physical description, or both), and a section detailing their general skill-kit, i.e. what the character is good at, general strengths and weaknesses, etc. Realistic characters don't usually have just one defining quality; a person might be physically strong and intelligent to boot, and in the same vein, a character specializing in swordplay might happen to study magic as a hobby and know a few spells.

One way or another though, the students should be far from infallible.

summoner2183


Wargtass

Haven't had the fortune to GM a fantasy-story for years. If you have some suggestions or wishes as to the tone of the story I would be happy to see if I can pull something together.

My first thought is that it feels like some sort of under-siege-plot bubbling here. Perhaps an old wicked master of the keep has conquered the world outside, just to find that the forces of good has taken up residence in the very same fortress he started out from. While the walls keep back all the monstrosities that he throws at them, sometimes the teachers of the keep must send the students down into the labyrinthine crypts of the old master to dig up weapons and spells that could turn back the tide and allow them another breath before the next push against them. While a seemingly dark and hopeless theme, I think it could be harnessed into some really powerful scenes and the catacombs beneath the keep could be filled with all sorts of horrors that the old owner created a long time ago.

So how about that? Something to work further on?
O/O

Vaulera

Oh I am very interested in this one, I like the sounds of this and I am eager  to hear more about it.

Koyume

@Wargtass: Splendiferous; it sounds good to me. I'm rolling around some character ideas, maybe I'll try to get something down by tonight.

Wargtass

Splendiferous. Never received praise like that before, but it's rather flattering. The character sheet as it is now is all good, but I would like to add personality to the list. It's a good way to get some direction to the character and a way for others to know how their character feels about yours (if they at all know each other).

I'll have a moment with my trusty plot-pipe (no, just regular tobacco) and I'll write up some general history that can coexist with what you have already written up.





You were born in Angelscroll and you will most likely die here. None know how long the ancient keep has been under siege of the vile forces of the Great Tyrant, nor does anyone know how long the magic seals of its walls will keep them safe from the horrors of the outside world. Every year at the same day the Great Tyrant, sitting on a litter built out of bones, is carried to the gates. There he demands surrender and when refused announces his new attempt at breaching the walls. Each year the magistrates of the keep send down their students in the dangerous catacombs underneath Angelscroll to find new weapons and spells which can repel the siege. For every year fewer and fewer students return with horrible tales and scars on mind and body. Those that survive are made teachers for a new generation of students, knowing that one day their pupils will be faced with the same terrifying task.

For three centuries and nearly five decades the siege has gone on. Now the litter approach for the 350th time and the people of Angelscroll gather on the walls to hear the Great Tyrant...





So, it's short and ambigous, which is the point. The current residents of Angelscroll keep know no other world than that of the safety behind the wall. Even so thousands of soldiers die every year from the assaults on the walls and the situation is dire. I see the keep more as a city-sized library and academy, where regular people live and the gifted study the different arts.

I'll leave it fully up to you, the players, to invent the setting as you see fit, with the exception of the history of the setting. I have got that in mind already and as you process the story you will find out more about the world outside the walls and history of it and the keep. What you do know of the history is pretty much what Koyume wrote in the opening fluff. Except those who live in the keep are the only people alive and the missions that the professors send their students on are less a test and more a fight for survival in a world that is no longer their own. Other than that, make it up and make it cool (but sensible).

Now a character sheet, compiled by Koyume and stuff added by me. Most are rather standard, but some I added for spice and garnish. Go wild, kids!

[float=right][img][/img][/float]
[b]Name:[/b]
[b]Age:[/b]
[b]Race:[/b]

[b]Background:[/b]

[b]Personality:[/b]

[b]Abilities & Skills:[/b]

[b]Strength/Weakness:[/b]

[b]Quote:[/b]


Any questions or suggestions are welcome. This isn't printed on steel or anything, I'll make adjustments to what you find interesting and intriguing.


O/O

AribethAmkiir

I am very interested and the ideas I've heard thus far sound fun to me.  Is there any chance that there's a secret weapon buried in the catacombs that might defeat the evil tyrant?  Or any such rumor/legend that might actually keep hope alive?  Or do the denizens of angelscroll know that it's only a matter of time before they fail? 

While that is a minor thing, it would have impact on the tone and even the personalities of the characters.

If the people are only fighting to survive from year to year, than it's likely that there would be a very morbid, dark, dirty and gritty feel to the game.

If there was hope, it's possible that it could be a little brighter, no?

Wargtass

Personally I am a fan of dark and gritty. But there are of course always legends of such fantastical things in the deepest levels of the catacombs, though few believe in them.
O/O

Arioch

Nice history. It deviates from what Koyume had envisioned, but, I like the dark, foreboding aspect of it.

Do characters have to be born there or can they come from other areas?  It wasn't clear if the siege is a constant thing or if it starts at the same time each year (maybe for weather reasons) and then ends.

Koyume

Phew, hope that isn't too much or anything. Would have had it up yesterday but my internet went down for a while. Hit me with any questions, comment,s complaints, etc, and I'd be happy to make changes. Also, the 'undead-synesthesia' thing is in reference to the traditional belief that dhampirs can sense the presence of vampires and whatnot.


Name: Arden "Wolfeyes" Greywaters
Age: 20
Race: Dhampir
Gender: Female

Background: Arden is the foster daughter of a respected professor of Angelscroll's academy. Her mother was a well-loved human student who became mysteriously pregnant, claiming to have no knowledge of how it happened, and died shortly after giving birth. It was clear at her birth that Arden was not a normal child, and scholars quickly identified her as a dhampir- the child of a vampire, tainted by undeath and cursed with hungry desires that most humans never knew. Many who knew her young mother despised her, and some of those who learned what she was feared her and wanted her gone from Angelscroll; thus, she was largely estranged in her childhood.

The professor who took her as his ward is a kindly, older man, well respected by his peers; he learned to love Arden, raising her as he would his own child. He did his best to indulge her interests, but she was a feral child with unnatural urges, and he knew that she needed to learn discipline if she was to have a chance at a normal life. She was given a tutor- an enigmatic man of foreign lineage, who taught her to master her thirst for blood. He was her nearly constant companion as she grew up, and he also taught her to use her body; to step lightly and move with certainty, and when she was older he began to train her in controlling others' bodies, and even a form of graceful, one-handed swordplay- the martial arts of his ancestors' distant homeland.

Growing up with access to the greatest library in the known world, Arden learned to relish books. She read books of all kinds, from historical tomes and records, to books on cooking, magic, philosophy, and the natural world. What interested her most was learning about the world of the past, when people were free to travel and trade and explore; the world outside the safety of Angelscroll's mighty walls.

Appearance: Arden is a relatively small girl, by human standards, slender, and standing barely over 5' tall. Her physique is lean, hard, and supple, conditioned and sculpted by her childhood filled with training and acrobatics. She has smooth grey skin- a color reminiscent of rain clouds, and fierce golden-yellow eyes, for which she was given the nickname "Wolfeyes" by her peers. Her face is ageless and might be described as cherubic; girlish and heart-shaped, but with a sharp little nose and pointed, leaf-shaped ears. Her hair is wavy, and a preternatural pale-blue color, like a clear summer sky; she wears it short, seldom longer than shoulder length. Her body has a general hourglass shape to it, although her curves are relatively subtle, and her bosom is nearly flat.

When she wanders the city, where people aren't used to seeing her natural form, she often relies on simple magic to change her appearance to a nearly identical form, but with light tan skin and black hair. She is currently an official student of the academy.

Personality: Arden grew up with few companions; she played alone for the most part, and found solace in books. She is reserved and skeptical, and generally difficult to make friends with. She is also a true tomboy, perhaps due to being raised almost solely by her foster father and tutor. She can be wild and playful when no one else is watching, and has a fondness for sneaking and climbing. She has little respect for laws in general, and tends to make her own rules, but she has strict personal discipline. She is also very gentle and altruistic, though she may not always show it, and might even come off as arrogant, stubborn, and selfish.

Abilities & Skills: Arden is very strong for her size (not monstrously, but stronger than an average grown man), and possesses more or less preternatural balance and coordination, which have helped to make her a very skilled duelist and acrobat. She is also adept at fighting hand-to-hand, though she's had no real combat experience. She's studied magic on-and-off, and knows a few spells, including one that allows her to change her form in limited, superficial ways, and she has a unique synesthetic ability that causes her to see auras around the undead.

Strength/Weakness: She is knowledgeable about a wide range of topics, and she is an avid stargazer, able to determine such things as time, direction, and season from the night sky. She is physically strong and swift on her feet, but some aspects of her anatomy are actually weaker than a normal human's, meaning that she sometimes suffers from light-headedness and even fainting spells when she overexerts herself. She can see very well in the dark, requiring much less light than a human to see effectively, though in the same vein she finds bright light uncomfortable and overstimulating. Animals tend to enjoy her presence, and she usually prefers their company to that of other people.


[Bolded stuff to make it easier to read.]

Wargtass

I see the siege as a constant thing. As far as the denizens know, all other life in the world is dead, given the extreme amount of undead abominations that restlessly besiege the walls. The landscape around the mountain is blackened and twisted and warmachines and hordes of monstrosities are a constant part of it all the way to the horizons. If you come from the outside world you are probably an orc, troll or other sort of beast which are intelligent but definitively mindless. Anyone who accepts such a companion for a quest down the catabombs must be unhinged in some way.

Speaking of which, since the Tyrant is most likely a great necromancer, vampires count among his minions, often acting as generals or champions. While Arden might be accepted due to her mentor, she'll have a hard time making friends. But somehow I think that's what you are going for. Excellent character!
O/O

Arioch

Name: Tynissa Rosewren
Age: 19
Race: Human

Background: When she was only three Tynissa began to read. Books were easy for her to comprehend and her parents were amazed, but, being poor farmers did not have any way to encourage her or afford to hire a tutor. This didn’t stop the young girl for when she was 7 she began to sneak into the library to read more. Of course, this wasn’t enough for the young girl.

When she learned that there were people in the city that had other books she aimed to learn who they were and how many books they had. She then started to sneak into their homes, stealing away a book to read and then returning it when she grabbed another.

This continued for a few years until she started sneaking into the academy to find even more knowledge.  She wasn’t aware that the academy was guarded in ways she didn’t understand. Or that one she set off those alarms she was being watched by the instructors.  They never stopped her from taking a book. A few even watched to see which books she would take and how much she could understand.  They were all surprised when they saw that she would attempt the spells in the magic books and even more surprised when she would get the spells to work.

Tynissa became one of the youngest students admitted to the school after some of the instructors determined that it would be too dangerous for her to not get proper instruction. Unfortunately, they had not known at the time that she had already developed an affinity for the darker aspects of magic. For her, sneaking into a place to obtain a book was a thrill, as was learning some of the darker spells that those books held.

Personality:
Normally, Tynissa is in her own world. This stems from spending so much time alone reading books. However, she can be an outgoing women and a little bubbly at times, laughing at odd times or her own jokes.

Abilities & Skills: Sorcery/Necromancy
Tynissa has shown a lot of promise in the field of sorcery. From an early age she was able to learn and cast spells. Primarily, she enjoys the aspects of summoning and has started to develop an affinity for necromancy. Something she has started to learn on her own, being afraid the instructors would not want her learning that field since it is what the Great Tyrant uses.
Tynissa has also become a capable thief, for lack of a better term. She can move silently and even hide herself in the shadows and pick locks. She never has attempted to steal something out of someone’s hands or pockets, however.

Strength/Weakness:
Tynissa can read all forms of magic no matter what language they are written in. However, she has problems understanding the power level of any spell and feels that if she can read it she can cast it. Often, this results in bad outcomes.

Her biggest weakness is her temper, often it can get the better of her. Not a jealous person, she does not like to fail. Unfortunately, when things do fail for her her temper will affect her ability to succeed in the next task she attempts.

Quote: If you can read it, you understand it. Putting it to use is the easy part.

Reia

This has definitely caught my attention. Will see if I can get a character set up. :)
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Vaulera

Name: Adrienna Writlock
Age: 18
Race: High Elf

Background: Adrienna was born a noble, the only daughter in a once prestigious family. As she grew, her family came to recognize her as a savant, adept in magic, but in particular, she had an affinity for the ritual magics of a warlock. The art of conjuring and summoning a powerful being from another plane of existence. It was always something small when she was young, an imp here, at the very largest, a minor water elemental. But what really set her apart as a paragon, was that her minions were willing, not enslaved or bound to her, but followed her willingly, making them even more deadly as a result. Adrienna began to carve summoning circles on medallions and clothing, started creating strange potions no one had ever seen, giving them to her summons and creating pacts. Her strange affinity for the creatures of other planes gave her summons greater power than even that of her professors, a demonologist, conjurer and a noble all at the same time.

Personality: Adrienna is rather arrogant and bold, being born of a very wealthy and prestigious family and tends to spend a large portion of her time with her summons, giving her a skewed social outlook, relating more to monsters and beings of shadow than the regular people or magi of the academy.

Abilities & Skills: Adrienna is foremost a demonologist: one who researches demons and creatures of other planes, giving her a knowledge of the darker nuances of summoning and alchemy, secrets lost to those who aren't like her, a demon friend. She is also a conjurer of the highest caliber, but the word doesn't accurately describe her relationship with those she summons, they follow her with a zeal and fervor, willingly, often speaking with her and sharing knowledge. Her favorite companion to conjure is an intelligent and savage Alp by the name of Kyrick.

Strength/Weakness: Adrienna's greatest asset is her wide range and largely powerful repertoire of pacts and demons she can call to aid her, from a large dire wolf to a malevolent storm spirit. Her weakness lay in her complete reliance upon her  demon allies, not very well practiced in other forms of magic, her physical strength being minute and her only power besides summoning in potions and a few demonic spells.

Quote: To hell and back

Koyume

Quote from: Wargtass on June 05, 2012, 11:06:50 AM

Speaking of which, since the Tyrant is most likely a great necromancer, vampires count among his minions, often acting as generals or champions. While Arden might be accepted due to her mentor, she'll have a hard time making friends. But somehow I think that's what you are going for. Excellent character!

Thank you, I'm glad it works.  ;D

So, the world has been a grim and ugly place, full of enemies, for as long as anyone can remember, but can we assume that records exist from before then that tell of the times before the coming of the Great Tyrant?

Also, is the quote section of the character sheet supposed to be like the character's motto, or more of a line that sums up their personality?

Wargtass

Strangely enough, there have been very little records from the time before the Great Tyrant found. Why this is no one knows. The most mysterious part of it all is that even the oldest of elves cannot remember the Better Days. What little there is have been found in the catacombs and taken back to the libraries.

As for the quote, see it as a way to summarize your character with a single sentence. One should be able to have a quick look at it and understand what kind of a person he/she is.
O/O

Drake Valentine

I may be interested. I am just curios if you allow multiple characters?

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Raped, Bloody, And Humiliated, Little Alice in Wonderland."

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Wargtass

I see nothing wrong with it, as long as you can manage them.
O/O

Koyume

I'll probably be largely absent for the next couple days, but don't let me hold things up if it comes to it.

Arioch

Looks like Adrienna and Tynissa have some similar magic talents.  Could be a lot of fun.

FragarachZ

I was planning to roll a half-demon/tiefling type of character (they need love too).

If Vaulera would be up for it, we could assume my character was summoned (and perhaps bound) by Adrienna to be her bodyguard?

Since the team is made of females so far and two of them spellcasters, I'll take a martial role and a male character just to have variety (was ready roll in a female cleric or paladin too).
O&O

Vaulera

I am against that for a few reasons, foremost among them is that Adrienna wouldn't summon a half demon, only full demons, something that lives in a different plane and secondly, most of the monster I would want her to summon wouldn't be there permanently, just renewable, making your character drop in and out of the roleplay with frequency.