Feychaser (Fantasy freeform, reboot)

Started by Ontan, April 13, 2018, 10:42:55 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Ontan

The world is unravelling.


Magic has always waxed and waned over the centuries… but never before has it grown so weak, so quickly. The last 80 years has seen it fade to a shadow of its former brilliance, and many have begun to fear something is deeply wrong with the world itself. This terrible phenomenon is known as the Wasting. Our leaders tell us everything is fine, but magic grows thin, as if strangled at the source.

Say what you want of our western neighbours: while we ‘civilised’ folk did nothing, the ancient nation of orcs tried to find a solution. They convened a grand gathering of leaders, mages, and holy men of all races in order to address the crisis, and for weeks the passage to their ageless stone ziggurats remained blocked while representatives of all nations deliberated as equals. In the end, it was the orcish hosts who discovered the cause for the Wasting. Lead by the high shaman himself – their living link between earthly races and the gods – they gathered on the monolithic steps to address the masses huddled below. With eyes downcast and shoulders slumped, they told of their findings. They said that magic, the very essence of our world, was almost spent. They said there was only one way to restore balance: a terrible and almighty culling of life.

The shamans wept openly as they incanted the profane spells that opened their portals to oblivion. By the time anyone realised what was happening, it was already too late. The sky turned red, and untold tides of demons poured forth from the otherworldly maws. This demonic invasion is known as the Cull, and it spills towards every horizon in its crusade against mortal life. Its leaders – the shamans who command the portals – are known as the Weeping Sages.




The realm, divided.


Sometimes, I wonder if the walls of our glorious city aren’t a little too tall. In our safety, we’ve grown blind to the calamities abroad, and the suffering of our neighbours.

In the north, the tyrannical Empire carves a path of conquest and slaughter against any non-human who defies them. For too long we have considered Imperial aggression to be a northern problem… but the Cull has changed everything. The Empire grows bold as magic weakens: even as their emissaries mouth words of peace and cooperation against the demonic invasion, they put the last of their enemies to the sword, and soon their gaze will turn south. The Cull has created a vacuum of power, and the avaricious gaze of the Empire senses opportunity in chaos.

To the west, civil war simmers as the populace is torn between those who would fight against the Cull, and those who feel that the gods’ will must be obeyed unto annihilation. Survival or faith: it is a terrible decision to impose upon anyone, and the western states have already started to tear themselves apart... and all the while, the Cull sweeps their scattered armies aside. Be it from Imperials, demons, or their own zealous kin, countless thousands of refugees are being driven from their ancestral homes, but none of them know how to march. I fear many of them will not be able to outrun the coming slaughter.

Even the very heavens are divided against themselves. So many of our gods have forsaken us, ordaining that whole nations must be slaughtered in order to safeguard the future. Countless holy men and women – be they primeval shamans or civilised clerics – have been forced to join the Cull, or had their powers stripped by the deity they once served. There are still a handful of gods who stand with us, but with the Wasting threatening what magic remains, things look desperately bleak for most of the realm…

But in the east? Reamsul stands strong, an unshakable bastion that can withstand any storm. Forget the north, the west, even the realm of the gods themselves. We mouth words of concern, but in our heart of hearts, we know we’ll be safe here in the city. We won’t even have to fight on the walls if we don’t want to. But we will have to live with ourselves afterwards…




A mission of mercy…


We can take our good fortune for granted, or we can use it to save hundreds. Think on it: whole families and communities spared from the nightmarish slaughter of the Cull. A dozen terrified children saved from a demon’s fangs, then a dozen more.

Look around at the other people gathered here. I know what we can do, but more importantly, I know what we cannot. I am not asking for heroes to save the world. I am only asking for a few brave souls to crew my ship. If you can hold a weapon, read a map, or tend a wound, then you can do this job, and do it well. If all you can do is help someone’s grandmother shuffle up a plank, then that’s all I’m asking of you. 

My ship, the Feychaser, will follow the coastline until we reach the hamlet of Twin Bridges – it’s as good a place as any. We will offer passage to those poor souls stranded there, and then we sail straight back to Reamsul. That’s it. One stop, with no heroics and no distractions, and we’ll be back long before the Cull gets anywhere near us. Your conscience will be lighter for it… and in case it matters, your purse will be considerably heavier. I’ll see to that with my own coin.

We leave at first light. I sincerely hope to see you then.


Ontan

#1



OOC Information




Welcome to Feychaser!

The two main sources of inspiration are the Banner Saga franchise, and an E-forums original, Darkplague: The Evil Embrace.  That said, this game will draw upon an entirely original lore, with plenty of room for players to fill in blanks and make their own contributions to the setting as a whole. Plot wise, the story will centre on a group of not-yet-heroes trying to lead a band of refugees to safety as the world around them threatens to spiral into chaos.

As noted, this is a reboot, but it’ll be following an entirely new series of events. New and returning players alike are encouraged to join.

The core features are as follows:
  • 80% Plot, 20% smut: The emphasis will be on story and character development. Erotic content will be entirely optional, but I'll make sure there's opportunity for that too. 
  • NC Forums: Notwithstanding the above point, the game will feature some slightly dark themes, so it will be placed in the NC group forums. Extreme content will not be explicitly posted: at most, it’ll be alluded to before the scene ‘fades to black’.
  • Dark fantasy setting: The game will take place in an entirely original fantasy setting where magic is starting to fail. I’ll be aiming for a gritty feel to the theme, albeit with a bit of humour to break things up now and then. Story-wise, it’ll be a tale of exploration and survival rather than a save-the-world epic.
  • Freeform: Some light dice rolling may feature to randomise world events, but this won’t be a rules-based game. The GM will take care of the dicebot!
  • Game length: The game will comprise of six distinct chapters, with players dropping in and out as needed. I’ll wait to see how much interest there is before setting any limits on player numbers.
  • Posting frequency: Whatever you can manage, but ideally once per week at a minimum. Any less, and your character might have to be “god moded” if they’re holding up a scene.
  • Character classes: Occupation, background, and class are entirely flexible, but I ask that players mostly aim for a novice or journeyman vibe when creating their characters. If you really want to play a seasoned hero, I might make an exception or two, but the overall theme should be on novice adventurers getting caught up in events beyond their control. 

If this looks like it might be your thing, let me know by leaving a few questions or comments - and while you're at it, maybe have a quick peek at the Worldbuilding Thread!




Character Creation




Templates for character sheets are provided below. A few points about character creation:
  • No anime, please. Photos or semi-realistic artwork are both fine.
  • All characters will be starting the adventure aboard the Feychaser. How they end up there is entirely up to you, but keep it in mind for their history.
  • When creating your character, aim for a low or moderate level of power. Most PCs should either be in the early stages of their adventuring career, or even setting out on their very first journey. Alternatively, they could be an aging veteran who’s long past their prime, crippled by an old injury, or otherwise on par with the others.
  • For character background, feel free to make up minor factions or locations (e.g. a centaur settlement in Reamsul, etc.). So long as it doesn’t clash with anything in the worlbuilding thread, it should be fine.
  • Finally, don’t be afraid of role redundancy! This isn’t an MMO, and there’s no requirement to have a perfectly balanced trinity of tanks, damage, and support. Try to think of a character you’ll enjoy playing, rather than feeling obligated to fulfil or avoid certain roles.

In the near future, I’ll be adding some character sheets for NPCs to provide an example. Until then, the basic framework is provided below. Feel free to post any questions, ideas, or drafts right here in the thread... or, if you want to get right in, PM a character sheet instead.




Player Name: Your username for the E-forums.
Character Name: The name of your character, along with any titles or aliases.
Concept: A short summary of your character. Basically, it’s their character class.
Race, Age: Exactly what it sounds like. The minimum character age is 18!

Place of origin: Where your character lived before the Cull.
Appearance and Mannerisms: Their general appearance, and how they carry themselves in public. Also include any noteworthy pieces of equipment.
Background: A summary of your character’s personal history, and the events that led to them joining the Feychaser on its mission of mercy. It can be as long or brief as you like.

Skills (3-5): Your character’s training and abilities. This includes spellcasting! Please include a general indication of the level of competency (novice, apprentice, journeyman, etc.).
Strengths: Distinct from their skills, these represent the character’s innate virtues. Courage, alertness, and empathy are all good examples.
Flaws: My favourite part of character creation! Please avoid using “stubborn” as a character flaw – it’s a teeny bit overused, and I’m not entirely convinced it was a weakness to begin with.

Connections: If you have a pre-existing connection to another character, such as a childhood friend or long-term spouse, list it here. You can also list requests for connections.
Ons and Offs: The ons and offs that apply to your character. If your OOC player preferences don’t match with your character’s desires (eg NC scenes), please clarify which is which.

OOC safety net: Your character will always be vulnerable to moderate forms of harm (temporary injury, being detained, etc.), but for those wanting a more genuine sense of peril, this is where you opt in. The loss of irreplaceable equipment, long-lasting or permanent injury, indefinite captivity, and character death are all things to consider. This part will be hidden when your character sheet is publically posted.


[float=right][img height=250 padding=5]http://i63.tinypic.com/1056xys.jpg[/img][/float]
[b]Player Name:[/b]
[b]Character Name: [/b]
[b]Concept: [/b]
[b]Race (Age):[/b]

[b]Place of origin: [/b]
[b]Appearance and Mannerisms: [/b]
[b]Background: [/b]

[b]Skills (3-5): [/b]
[b]Strengths: [/b]
[b]Flaws: [/b]

[b]Connections: [/b]
[b]Ons and Offs: [/b]

[b]OOC safety net:[/b]





Links




In Character Game Links:
Main Roleplay Thread
Moments in Time
Prelude

OOC Game Links
OOC chat thread
Worldbuilding thread
Approved Characters




Giantmutantcrab

Oh happy day!

I am here!  Bjorn is ready! Let our allies rejoice and our foes tremble!
                        

Flower


Kokaine

Current Craving/Looking For: Romance, Adventure, Action, Humor, and Erotica. (F/Any)

Current Post Rate: Moderate

Current Posts Owed: 1/8

My O/Os

Chronoclasm

"Being with you and not being with you is the only way I have to measure time." ― Jorge Luis Borges

Giantmutantcrab

Quote from: Chronoclasm on April 14, 2018, 03:57:19 PM

Yes.

Oh yes yes yes yes yes yes sweet loving merciful Krom yes!

Get that wonderful creature below deck!
                        

Ontan

Hyacinth, Kokaine, and Chronoclasm: Thanks for the expressions of interest! It's fantastic to already have a mixture of new and returning players :-)

GMC: Your character sheet have been received, and Bjorn is approved! He's been posted up to a freshly minted character thread.

Chronoclasm

 ::) I'm going to sleep on whether I want to bring Un'gulachshay back or whether I want to try something new this time. I might wait to see what kinds of characters some of the others come up with first--to ensure that whatever character I create fits in with the overall theme of the party proper. For reference, though, particularly for new players who don't get my .gif up above, this was my character last time:

Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide
Player Name: Chronoclasm
Character Name: Un'gulachshay
Concept: Hideous Creature with a Heart of Gold?
Race (Age): "Holy s**t! What the f**k is that thing!" Oh wait, it's a homunculus. (Age: 48)

Place of Origin: Unknown

Appearance and Mannerisms:
Un'gulachshay looks like an emaciated, sleep-deprived old man in his natural form. His skin has a rather grayish cast to it, with ears that hold just the hint of an elfin point. His teeth are mangled in his mouth, with some that are sharper than is normal, and others almost twisted sideways. He's clearly never known a toothbrush, nevermind a barber-surgeon. His bloodshot eyes are always rapidly darting around, like a wary rat's or insect's, and his build is impressive ... ly fickle looking. Although Un'gulachshay stands around 5 foot 10 inches when fully erect, he typically scuttles about with a hunch or a lean that puts him closer to 5'7" on a good day--give or take an inch. He lacks hair on his head, and appears unable to grow facial hair. When he speaks, it's with a sibilant, lispy tongue.

In terms of his mannerisms, the best word for this thing that's decided to join you in your hero's quest is "creepy." If you need three words, use "creepy as f**k." Un'gulachshay scurries around with no sense of shame or personal space. He makes weird noises and unseemly poses. Sometimes he just sort of ... twitches. Everything about him is really just kind of off-putting in one way or another. For this reason, few people ever see past his distracting qualities--and into the shape of his heart. Un'gulachshay is probably the nicest person you'll ever meet. He is patient and kind, gentle and forgiving. He's probably not led an easy life looking and acting like he does, but he'll give you the shirt off his back if you're shivering in the rain.

You might ask him very quickly to put the shirt back on, of course, because ugh. But he'd still put you before himself. And in a hard world filled with demons that sometimes look painfully beautiful, perhaps he's just an angel shaped like a grotesque?

Background:

Except that he's definitely not an angel. He's an artificial human that a cadre of Unseelie magicians brought to false life in an experiment even his unscrupulous creators felt "went horribly wrong." Indeed, the name this wretch has taken for himself? "Un'gulachsay?" It's actually just something he'd heard his creators say in reference to him over and over again. How was he supposed to know it was Unseelie for "we really should kill this thing" and not his name?

Eventually, his captors took their own advice and did try to kill him. They thought they'd succeeded when he stopped moving, so they dumped him into the underground river that oozed through their lair. Un'gulachsay survived though. Un'gulachshay always survives ...

And that has, in fact, been the pattern of his life. Learning language, experimenting with his innate (and truly awful) skillset, feeding, being chased, being stoned, being attacked, being mocked? He has survived them all and thrived. In the process, he has somehow been shaped not hard and cruel, but kind and soft. He has spent most of his life-after-the-lab moving from place to place, learning new things and helping the people no one else had time for. At least until he's chased off like a leper and forced to move somewhere new. Such is how he's ended up in Reamsul. But why has he joined this expedition? What is he even searching for?

It doesn't matter. He just hopes his new companions don't agree with his name: "We really should kill this thing." After all, he's going to be stuck on a ship with them for a little while ...

Skills (3-5):

  • Life Drain (Adept): Un'gulachshay can drain the life from plants and animals. While most people have the decency to at least kill and cook the things they plan to consume before they eat them, this wretched creature just drains their life right from them. Feeding requires that Un'gulachshay make direct, extended contact with his meal. He prefers it when his meals are bound or already dying, as moving prey is more difficult for him to kill. Un'gulachshay has chosen to subsist primarily on smaller animals, and has gained the unseemly reputation of being a "bug eater" and "rat chewer" from the many times he's been caught with some bloodied piece of vermin in his clutches. Un'gulachshay can drain only a portion of something's life and still leave it breathing, but tries not to use his ability as a "knock out" skill. He's deathly afraid of drawing too much and killing someone. And he has done so in the past ...
  • Skin Walker (Journeyman): If Un'gulachsay kills something with his life drain, he's able to take on its appearance for several hours to several days after. So far he has not figured out how to take the shape of plants--but animals? He can do that. The greater the sentience of the creature he's killed, and the closer it is to being human, the longer after the killing he can wear their skin. To his shame, there are currently five humanoid forms that he can put on and take off that he actually killed many years ago. He isn't sure whether killing people leaves a stain that never goes away, or if they too will fade from his "wardrobe" eventually. Of course, none of these shapes is a perfect copy. His shapes typically look like a somewhat grotesque version of the original, and all of them share his green-and-gold eyes--a feature that looks distinctly out of place on some creatures, such as rats and insects and fish and birds.
  • Bone Puppets (Apprentice): Un'gulachshay can transfer some of his life back into something he's drained empty, and there turn it into his puppet. These horrible, reanimated marionettes will only last as long as he has them near enough to control them. At the moment? If they get too far away from him (for example, out of his range of sight), he loses the connection and they fall back into death. His control also depends on his sharing his own life's essence with the empty body, and the larger the puppet the more of his own life he has to pass into it to control it. For this reason, it weakens him to control many, or overly complex, puppets for any length of time.
  • Sneaky Coward (Apprentice): Un'gulachshay is one of those people who sometimes just appears behind you and gives you a mini-heart attack. That he looks horrifying just makes it that much worse! But anyway, a lifetime of having to hide from view and run from conflict have taught him at least the rudiments of stealth and basic flight-not-fight "battle" tactics.
  • Evasive Maneuvers (Apprentice): When flight's not possible? Un'gulachshay is surprisingly sprightly for someone who looks like a good gust of wind might break him in half. He's a survivor at heart, and seems to always be able to move in such a way that even when the hit does land it does the least amount of damage or hits the least vital spot on his targeted area. If he was a little tougher, a deep, manly "just a flesh wound" might be his catchphrase. "You missed Un'gul!" followed by wispy, tittering laughter is kind of what he goes with instead. Lame.

Strengths:

  • Heart of Gold: Un'gulachshay is a genuinely good person. He's willing to do what's right even at great personal risk or discomfort. He's pretty close to incorruptible. What's the saying? "You can't con an honest man."
  • Unyielding: Un'gulachshay doesn't know how to quit. He may be as ugly as a cockroach, but he's also just as hardy. You can't hold back someone who keeps pushing forward.
  • Empathy: Un'gulachshay is really quite intuitive, and can get a good read on people pretty quickly. This has proven important to his survival, and it's a skill he's nurtured.
  • Garbage Eater: Un'gulachshay doesn't have the will to die. He'll do just about anything to live another day. In this way he's almost more animal than human--but it does mean that he can tough through things that others would rightly balk at.

Flaws:

  • Kill It With Fire!: Un'gulachshay is pretty scary looking. If some people might be said to have been beat with an ugly stick? This guy was beat with the whole damn tree. People find it difficult to trust, like, or even be near him.
  • Were You Raised in a Barn?: Un'gulachshay lacks social graces entirely. He also has a bad habit of invading personal space, trespassing on "private" moments, missing social cues and subtle hints, and asking those questions that everyone was thinking to themselves but nobody was rude enough to ask.
  • Garbage Eater: Un'gulachshay is kind of gross. And he doesn't smell great most days. Is that blood on his face?
  • There's No Room for Gray in the Sunlight: Un'gulachshay will not accept that there are moral gray areas. He's unwilling to go along with plans where the argument for the action is, essentially, that the ends justify the means. To him, that's a bald-faced lie every single time. If the party is starving, and the suggestion is put out there that they abandon some of their dependents? Un'gulachshay will stay with the abandoned dependents.
  • Gah! Somebody Catch That Bastard!: Un'gulachshay is kind, but not always brave. He will put his life on the line if it means protecting someone, but if it's just him? He entirely lacks the pride and the ego to stand and deliver. He will run away away every time.

Connections: He's traveled wide and far, but he's generally only made friends among outcasts and urchins--people who will accept him for who he is and what he looks like because they, quite frankly, are just that desperate for a gentle heart and a helping hand.
Ons and Offs: Wait. You want to ... ? With Un'gulachshay!? If you're willing to put up with that, then all your ons are his ons too!
"Being with you and not being with you is the only way I have to measure time." ― Jorge Luis Borges

PrestaDGTation

  -pets appreciatively-

  This is.. so neat!  And the fact that you have players giving praise to Krom makes me quite interested!
"I see. Hell is populated entirely by Theater Majors." - Majabya, while watching Hazbin Hotel.

Rebelle

*Plants flag*

I am interested in playing!

I have an art concept, and a character concept.

Half-Seelie Elf Huntress with proficiency with a long bow and tracking, with the ability to use mending/healing spells. 

That's all I have at the moment :)

Kokaine

I am between a female homonculus who was formerly a slave and a female half orc/unseelie but either way they will possess an unquenchable thirst for knowledge and experience while being rather tank-y and possibly prone to bloodlust (or just intense emotion all around) >.>
Current Craving/Looking For: Romance, Adventure, Action, Humor, and Erotica. (F/Any)

Current Post Rate: Moderate

Current Posts Owed: 1/8

My O/Os

RegretNot

I have been pointed here and am interested as well.  I am thinking of an Unseelie Redeemed Cultist of R'yarvo (working on a minor God, chaos and supporter of the Cull), now wandering hermit in need of redemption in his works. 

Image that sparked the idea: 

Flower

Nice to see all these new and old faces! :)

Alright. I do want to check and make sure the ideas bubbling in my head aren't crazy. I don't want to put a lot of time into something that doesn't fit the setting or group dynamic.

Concept: Priest, Warlock, Druid --> I admit, I'm leaning more towards priests because I enjoy writing religious characters. Always nice to have them facing conflict and struggle in their beliefs. I also wouldn't mind a druid because they are super fun. xD Then I was considering something more fiery like a phoenix or firestarter.

As for the race, I'm considering a tiefling because adorable and well...tails. High elf soudns nifty. However, so does a mermaid or shifter.


I guess I'm bouncing all over the place. >.>

Giantmutantcrab

#14
Hello to everyone!

like Ontan said, there is no need to aim for the classic Final Fantasy 1 combination of Fighter - Thief - White mage - Black mage. Whatever it is you guys are interested in doing, go ahead. The world is vast and open.
                        

RegretNot

#15
Working on my concept and should be doing more on it when I am home from work this evening. 

WIP Diryn
Player Name: RegretNot
Character Name: Diryn Ulym
Concept: Reformed Monk of Oblivion
Race (Age): Unseelie (39)

Place of origin: Kul’Geld
Appearance and Mannerisms: Diryn stands at 5’9” with a lean frame that cloaks the resilience the man possesses.  His skin is an dark gray that has the etchings of scars and tattoos from his days he no longer speaks about.  His eyes carry an amber glow around their irises as they take in their environment drinking in light until sated.  His ears are curved into points with a piece at the back of his right missing from a previous altercation that can barely been seen as his white hair is kept swept low and down.  Clothing that he wears is rather plain as the long black robes cover most of the leather armor that seems cobbled together rather than one that started as a full set.  Etchings caught with longer study on these pieces that cover his frame. 

He carries a shortsword with the rich dark wooded handle barely emerging from the robes.  Other smaller arms might be seen when he reaches inside the shadow covered confines of his outer garment but nothing that obviously is a full melee weapon.  A few darts and a hand crossbow hidden neatly for situations that may arrise. 

Background: Diryn was born to a father and mother who followed the ways of R'yarvo.  R’yarvo unlike most of the Gods only wished to show the world of the power behind chaos, what touching it only brought those against it’s incomprehensible power.  Their patron provided for them as the Cult of R’yarvo would target those that drew too freely from power, more specifically cast magic with arrogance and lack of respect for control and cost it demanded.  Diryn learned early of magic that was direct and brutal as well as combat that would come along with all conflict.  Brutality was a clear message all understood as R’yarvo looked over his flock from the way they existed, getting all they needed through his whirling chaos or the spoils of those to feel his wrath. 

The Culling was something that R’yarvo was drawn to as a lesser God to take a step up the steps of the patheon.  His hideous form of whirling was something that Diryn felt needed to be with the other Gods like Sol and Tassimela.  The Cult helped with the crusade as they helped demonic forces to march on mortal villages and cities alike.  It took many months before Diryn could see those of the cult were not seen as equal, their members were dealt with harshly for failure usually with torture or death.  He was told by his own mother when he was caught under the lash of a demonic entity that it would be his rebuilding as the pain was etched into what felt like his very soul. 

Leadership of the cult did not see the way they were being used fully and then discarded until their numbers had grown far too low.  His mother was let to die seen upon as mercy but the healing magic that was possessed was just not to be wasted on the warlock.  The man he called his father was a shell from so many injuries in battle that when he raised his scythe in defiance he was easily cut down.  It was when making camp and communing with R’yarvo that those that remained felt it, the tether of connection shuddered and then was weak like a fishing line no longer held taunt.  Llesra one of the high priestesses spoke first as she called to the rest of the cult to break free of the lies that R’yarvo had been told.  She could feel him but no longer his strength either subdued or cast out by the others in the patheon.  The fight that took place next was not a valiant stand but a slaughter and horrifying to the young Diryn. 

Fire and blade joined as the connection to magic that the Cult of R’yarvo was majorly nullified as those with martial fighting skills were targeted first.   It was a blur as his instincts kicked in and he quickly made a path through speed and ferocity through the ranks of the demonic knights that stood against them.  Another acolyte and himself made it off the grand road and into the darkness of the night woods as their sight kept them ahead of those that gave chase.  The Cult of R’yarvo was no more as the companion with him succumbed to their injuries one day later.  Diryn forced himself in a hard march towards the lands he knew that the armies were heading, those left unconquered and unburned.  That tether that he felt for so many years of his life returned when he found himself no longer able to push himself, with no rations left to sustain him. 

The power of R’yarvo was still somewhere far away jolted his body to keep going as he covered a vast distance he couldn’t even fathom nor remember fully in his state.  Making it to a village the way he was dressed only got him taken by the town guard but with that he received food and water.  Diryn spent his time in captivity in meditation and replaying what had happened to the patron that he had known for his entire life to be there for his entire family line.  Through this he was a guest to the small town of Fernfall he did all tasks charged to him.  A demonic scout reached the walls of the town as he masked himself as an emissary but Diryn knew the act.  Serving dinner in the grand hall he volunteered to help serve as he bided his time and when he felt it right struck after knowing he had imbibed a poison that would weaken him.  Armed with a simple blade from the kitchen he confronted him loudly as the man rejected his words but took the insult as a challenge.  Standing to draw Diryn was faster slipping the knife into his ribs and keeping his blade sheathed with his other hand.  A hush fell over the Grand Hall as the man dropped and his coat was opened to reveal the demonic language across a ledger. 

Freed from his captivity Diryn left Fernfall and made his way to the capital of Reamsul.  His amber hues studied it for what seemed like day before he found himself on the docks listening to the words of the captain of the Feychaser.  It only made sense as his boot falls lightly took him on board. 

Skills (3-5):
Shadow Magic (Journeyman) : The Way of Shadows is a magic that comes naturally to the Unseelie followers of R’yarvo allowing control of darkness, summoning it, using it for transportation, and even to directly affect areas and others.  A distraction or stealth based power that can bolster him.
Finesse Combat Style (Journeyman) : Combat was a way of his life from the start but he was taught to wield shortswords as well as light melee and ranged weapons to have speed over might.  Just the same can be said for when forced to fight with his hands and feet, his martial prowess is about how many times he can strike his opponent rather than haymakers. 
Body Control (Intermediate) : Through communing with one’s body and harnessing the power inside of it Diryn can access his primal energy.  This using primal energy in his own body can be seen in his ability to make himself faster, move quickly to try and intercept some ranged attacks, or putting a magical element behind a strike.
Chaos Magic (Novice) : A primal and unsettling kind splinter of the greater divine magic.  R’yarvo’s realm of chaos has great power but with it comes backlash and costs that can carry heavy prices.  Magical effects that can throw a battle towards the other side could leave the caster maimed, cursed, or even dead when backlash decides to grab hold and squeeze.  Energy based attacks that come from chaos strike out at foes doing unnatural damage.  Diryn has been taught how to channel and pulled off a few affects but nothing large for fear of his own unweaving.
Insightful Meditation (Novice) : Clearing the mind it allows one to be a conduit to the answers and power that float within the innate power around us.  Diryn has practice with this technique but has only gleaned a few personal truths from it, sometimes fearing the answer he may get to some questions asked. 
Strengths:
Rigorous Dedication - Diryn was raised in a very devout and martial cult that demanded physical, mental, and psychological toughing and practice into daily life.  This kind of habit continues and helps him to overcome many obstacles as a lone figure now.
Patron Backing - R’yarvo has not completely deserted him and has been known to guide him and even project power to him when the chaos God deems it. 
Resistance to Pain/Trauma - Through his time during the cull he was disciplined and tortured as a disposable soldier.  This kind of experience has hardened him to all manner of pain. 
Flaws:
Connected to R’yarvo - Diryn is connected to his patron and through it he might become a target for other Gods on either side.  This also opens him up to communication should R’yarvo suddenly reappear. 
Dark Past - The Cult of R’yarvo supported the Cull and did many horrible things involved with the forces behind it.  He is the sole survivor and answers for most of their past sins despite his turn away from it. 
Cold Demeanor - His lifestyle in the cult has lead him with a disadvantage in social situations leaving him to come off as cold or distant even when it makes those around him uneasy.  Friends and allies become a rare thing because of this perception. 

Connections:
Ons and Offs: Same as Players

Ontan

#16
All PMs have been answered, and a new character joins the roster! Chenoa (played by Hamadryad) has been added to the approved character thread. 

As for everything else...

Chrono: Un’gulachshay would be more than welcome! OOC’ly, I mean. I can’t make any guarantees about how characters would feel about him, what with the dubious hygiene and life-essence-of-vermin diet. Regardless of whether or not you use him, it’s still handy to have an extra character sheet for people to use as a reference, so ty for sharing  :-)

PrestaDGTation: Thanks for the interest! If you have any questions or comments, feel free to post here, or send me a message. If you don't have any... go back to petting the thread anyway.

Rebelle: I’m terrible at finding character art, so it sounds like you’re already off to an enviable start, hehe.

Kokaine: I feel like you can’t go wrong with any variant of scholar-tank.

Hyacinth: At strong risk of being pedantic, I’d probably steer away from the term “Tielfing”, simply because that’s explicitly Dungeons & Dragons rather than generic fantasy. The issue is it comes with all sorts of baggage and secondhand lore – not least of all a presumption about the long term integration of demonic bloodlines. If it helps, half-demons are a perfectly permissible substitute. Shape shifters and mermaids would make a fine addition, too! Obviously, the class is entirely up to you, and GMC had it right when he said to play whatever sound appealing... but, without commenting on the alternatives, I would say that I love your thinking for the priest, and how they'd struggle with the faith. It could also be a point of interest with Bjorn, given his suspicion of the gods  ;)

RegretNot I'm loving the character concept! It’s also great to see an Unseelie featuring. The only thing to keep in mind is the ‘low-to-moderate’ level of power for characters: mowing down ranks of demonic knights, superhuman speed, and catching arrows mid-flight might need to be scaled back a bit. Shadow Magic and Chaos Magic also seem a tad open-ended: ideally, each Skill should relate to a broadly generalised function (healing, stealth, combat, etc.). These are only small tweaks though, and the character is otherwise looking pretty solid!

Arcadia

Hey there, I wanted to express interest in this RP! At the moment I'm considering a character who is some kind of elf, and some kind of healer, but not much of a fighter. More Final Fantasy White Mage than D&D Cleric. I had some questions about the setting before I can fully flesh the idea out, though.

You mention half-demons are okay. What sort of effects would having a demon parent be likely to have on someone? And could a character otherwise be of some race, but has a very small amount of demon blood, that has mild but meaningful effects on them?

Is alchemy a thing? If so does it count as magic, and how dramatic are it's effects? Something like "drink this and you'll be less likely to catch a disease for a few hours", "drink this and you'll be all but immune to illness and poison for a few days" sort of level, or a "drink this and watch as your wounds knit before your eyes" sort of thing?

I think it would be interesting to have a character who is not a fan of the divine, valuing the achievements of corporeal beings over pronouncement from on high, and who's dislike has grown into animosity towards most gods ever since these troubles have started. I'm hoping this idea can jive with the idea of being a healer who works fast enough to be useful to adventurers.

Wolfling72

I....I tried to fight it...

I did...

but there was Orc....a gorgeous bit of well muscled flesh who felt the urge to make me poke here...

(Ohhh and GMC, damn him)

so, I will think on a thing...and plant my I am interested flag in the meantime.
O/O's
Snippets
A/A's
Wolfi Recommends- changes weekly
Keep it vampirated and melanated.

Giantmutantcrab

Quote from: Wolfling72 on April 16, 2018, 05:06:40 PM
I....I tried to fight it...

I did...

but there was Orc....a gorgeous bit of well muscled flesh who felt the urge to make me poke here...

(Ohhh and GMC, damn him)

so, I will think on a thing...and plant my I am interested flag in the meantime.

*blows kisses*
                        

Flower

Quote from: Ontan on April 16, 2018, 09:36:18 AM

Hyacinth: At strong risk of being pedantic, I’d probably steer away from the term “Tielfing”, simply because that’s explicitly Dungeons & Dragons rather than generic fantasy. The issue is it comes with all sorts of baggage and secondhand lore – not least of all a presumption about the long term integration of demonic bloodlines. If it helps, half-demons are a perfectly permissible substitute. Shape shifters and mermaids would make a fine addition, too! Obviously, the class is entirely up to you, and GMC had it right when he said to play whatever sound appealing... but, without commenting on the alternatives, I would say that I love your thinking for the priest, and how they'd struggle with the faith. It could also be a point of interest with Bjorn, given his suspicion of the gods  ;)

No worries! I've leaned away from tiefling so you don't have to worry about that. Now I'm in between...option 1 and option 2. Just need to narrow it down one...more...time.

Priapus89


Ontan

Arcadia: You raise a bunch of really good points! I’m going to break out the dot points:
  • ‘White mage’ style healers are perfectly acceptable. More generally, characters with no combat proficiency whatsoever are also viable. There’ll definitely be a place for diplomats, support healers, and other kinds of civilian specialists if people want to play them. People can also play an unskilled commoner if they want, but they might have a slightly harder time of things…
  • One feature I’d like to keep with the setting is a relatively firm distinction between races. Half elves, half orcs, and half-anything-elses cannot reproduce. Having a trace of demonic (or other) blood isn’t entirely off limits, though, and I’m willing to entertain non-heritable ways of characters acquiring it: amoral Unseelie experiments, botched rituals, consuming lots of raw demon flesh… whatever your dark, dark hearts can conjure up.
  • Like homunculi, half-demons are a bit of a wild card. Morphological changes (horns, tails) and access to unusual forms of magic are strong possibilities, but feel free to use your imagination. The only caveat is that the half-demon is still fundamentally mortal: they can’t feed off distant portals for energy, speak the demonic language, or cross over into the oblivion of the hells (well, not without something really awful happening).
  • Alchemy is a thing! The ingredients need to be magical (body parts from mythical beasts, cuttings from sacred plants, etc.), but the preparation process itself is merely scholarly. For purposes of effects, “drink this and you'll be all but immune to illness and poison for a few days” feels like the right track for the low / moderate level of power. Also, remember that skills should ideally be somewhat specific. Alchemy: healing unguents and Alchemy: poisons and acids should be two separate skills, for instance.
  • Healing magic (and alchemy) deserves its own special mention. I’m not going to set any hard limits on this, but I’d prefer it to be the slower kind of healing, especially for a band of relatively inexperienced healers. A nasty gash heals in minutes (not seconds), a shattered bone takes a few days, and so forth.

Wolfling: Glad the Crab made you see sense  ;)
GMC: Keep doing your thing, hehe.
Hyacinth: You may need to flip a coin, because both options look fantastic… although it’s always hard to argue with a nature spirit, just saying.
Priapus: Ty for the interest!

Also, Diryn Ulym, played by RegretNot, has been added to the character roster!

Giantmutantcrab

Quote from: Ontan on April 17, 2018, 08:23:50 AMGMC: Keep doing your thing

*salutes and returns into the E wilderness*
                        

Wolfling72

An idea for a boisterous, terribly flirty half Orc warrior woman...working on her sheet now, Ontan. You should have something in PM before the night ends...

(damn you and GMC for being so damned awesome)
O/O's
Snippets
A/A's
Wolfi Recommends- changes weekly
Keep it vampirated and melanated.