Ephemeral Souls - (Dark Medieval Fantasy - Soulsborne Inspired, Freeform, Group)

[Hobbes1266]

Player Name: Hobbes1266

Character Name: Roze Heret Xis Dexetross

Age: 24

Archetype: Digraced soldier turned bandit


Appearance: Roze is fair skinned and tall for a human, with dark brown hair braided behind her and emerald eyes, nearly universal traits among the slave soldiers of Zara's army. The soldier has a slim body with taut defined muscles visible under her skin marked with many scars primarily from whippings and a series of symbols branded on the left side of her neck, stretch marks visible on her stomach.

Species/Race: Human

Weight: 149lbs

Height: 6'1"


Attire/Armor/Gear/Worn: Roze wears a tattered, worn and cut uniform of an overseer, of the scout division, of the Dexetross millennium, of the High Queen Zara's slave army. Roze's uniform consists of long leather boots, elbow length leather gloves and leather shoulder guards atop a tough faded dark blue and red lined pocketed fabric long coat, atop a combination of a belt and straps that act as a holster, sheath and multiple satchels and pouches, atop a tough faded red fabric vest and slightly more flexible but less protective faded blue trousers, with warm and long black undergarments beneath.

Weapons: Twin swords and a flintlock pistol

Inventory:
-gunpowder with a single bullet
-tarnished blood covered silver coins with a combination of four different but reoccurring symbols etched into each
-aged sausage and a small bag of moldy cornmeal
-flint and steel
-a knife
-small strips of worn cloth
-poisonous numbing herbs
-metal flask of old cold needle tea
-crumbled rose petals
-a broken collapsible spy glass
-a used up heat stone
-a whistle that sounds like howling wind


Personality: Focused and determined, cool and analyzing with hints of passion hidden beneath

Dreams: To learn what became of her family and join them, kill the High Queen Zara

Nightmares: Losing her family, failing her duties, retreat, and betraying a loved one

History: Unit one thousand and twenty three was born into Zara's slave army and did not receive her name until after she passed her training and was assigned to the Dexetross millennium. Roze Heret Xis was assigned to the scout unit of the Dexetross and taken as the scouts overseers assistant, being mentored with the intention of having her take his place one day. There were only a very few years of scouting, against the High Queen's numerous enemies, before the scouting party that Roze and the overseer had been leading were,caught,in an ambushed, though the party soldiers won the skirmish they did not escape unscathed, one soldier died in battle and several were mortally injured including the Overseer. The mortally injured soldiers used numbing herbs to complete their mission before the survivors returned home carrying the possessions of their fallen.

With her mentor lain to rest, Roze was made an overseer to organize and take partial authority for the Dexetross scouts, being given orders directly from the free generals of the High Queen's military. Roze obediently lead as she was commanded, managing the soldiers under her as best she could, meeting with general as they called her to audience, relaying and interpreting the orders she was given. During her time leading Roze grew ever closer to one of her generals, soon blooming into a romance. It wasn't uncommon nor forbidden for generals and other free soldiers to take sexual advantage of slave soldiers, but it was forbidden for slave soldiers and free individuals to form such close relationships. After some time together Roze and the general married in secret and soon Roze became pregnant with her secret husbands child, and he forged orders claiming that she had been made to breed with another slave. When Roze gave birth to her child, her son was taken away to be raised and trained, her husband keeping an eye tabs on their son as much as he could without drawing suspicion. It was several years before the couple heard rumor that their secret had been discovered, quickly getting their child who did not know them, Roze's husband removing the magical arm bands used to track the slaves from his wife and child.

The family ran, but soon soldiers were sent to hunt them and they were found by a small hunting party. Roze's family ran while she tried to fend off their persuers, and they managed to escape while she managed to kill her former allies without receiving any fatal injuries. Roze searched for her family but found no trace of them, forced to seek shelter by a blizzard. Roze survived for nearly a year searching for her family and attacking caravans for supplies before the winter took her, freezing to death in her sleep with a coin and rose petals wrapped in cloth clenched to her chest, buried under snow desperately holding a heat stone that had long since gone cold never knowing the fate of her family.


Skills/Knowledge:
-twin bladed combat
-pistol marksmanship
-group combat tactics
-military etiquette
-slave etiquette
-stealth
-scouting
-bushcraft
-cold weather survival
-cartography
-geography
-gymnastics
-climbing
-rudimentary sorcery
-wind songs

Capabilities: Poison resistant. Due to the often poisonous preformance enhancing drugs that the slave army were regularly given, Roze and the other soldiers adapted to metabolize poisons more effectively than regular humans, causing many fatal poisons to simply be debilitating, debilitating poisons to be horribly sickening, and so on.

Magic: Minor visual and auditory illusions

[Tolvo]

Things look good. I did mean something a bit different with firearms but used a term that would include flintlock. Flintlock is fine.

So I think I've decided to compromise more and allow firearms just with the focus that this isn't the scale of Bloodborne. Bloodborne weaponry reloads incredibly fast. This way we can have armor matter but also allow for more variety and flexibility in player characters without me having to put very specific limitations. My main focus is just that guns from Bloodborne are not how guns did function so we'll be going more grounded with that, there are automatic guns in Bloodborne but even the Hunter's Pistol acts like it is Semi-Automatic. But this way players can have the guns they want without making everything else much weaker in scope and without making firearms the go to for dealing with everything.

https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=298391.msg14601736#msg14601736

I have added a technology section for clarifications on technology. For Firearms I added this.

"Black Powder - Firearms and cannons do exist in this world. They were invented many years ago but are only now becoming more effective in warfare. Originally very inefficient, inaccurate, and dangerous, with the invention of flintlock mechanisms they are easier to reload and fire. Black Powder weapons are susceptible to moisture and may be unable to fire in certain circumstances such as heavy rain. Their power is not to be under estimated, and is one of the greatest natural ways to penetrate steel plate armor. Even flintlock weaponry though takes time to reload making them dangerous to use at close range for more than a single shot. Cannons are a staple in warfare and have been used in sieges for quite a time."

I'm trying to think if we have everything we need to start up the OOC thread, I'll leave this up for people still wanting to come in but we have some finalized characters and people definitely interested. I'm still trying to decide if I want finalized character sheets posted in my World Building Thread or the OOC(People can also post their own characters in their own threads, I just need a version in one of those two for quick reference and linking). I'll keep copies of finalized character sheets just in case anything gets lost but you all will be allowed to edit and add things to your sheets and update them as you gain items, find things, characters develop, etc. Lore information for finalized sheets will also be added to the main lore sections(I'll put a credit for who contributed what to the world's lore).

[pdragon]

Bronze

That's fair.

And I think we should be fine for an OOC thread, and as for character sheets you may want to just put up a dedicated character sheet thread, just so they won't get mixed up with everything else.

[Hobbes1266]

I hope it was okay for me to add the lore that I added into this, I tried to keep it kind of vague so that the GM can take care of the specifics to make it best fit into the setting, also because... well, it's soulslike.

[Tolvo]

Ephemeral Souls - OOC Thread

Ephemeral Souls - Lore and World Building Tread

Ephemeral Souls - Character Sheet Thread

Alright there we go, OOC thread is up. As is the character sheet thread, and I added a lot more info on the gods, events in history, creatures, I added quite a bit of lore I'm hoping everything is there that people could need for character creation but it isn't 100% complete yet. I had to split the Lore post because I hit the character limit. As well the OP of this thread now has all the needed links.

Hobbes it's alright, if there is a lore issue I'll ask for things to be changed but lore contributions are welcome they just require my approval. When aspects of player contributions are approved and finalized I will add them to the Lore thread(With a credit of who contributed what).

[IronQuill]

Heyo Tolvo, cool operation you're running. Think you have room for one more player, cuz I would very much love to join!

[Tolvo]

Hmm so far we have six character concepts, 1 of which is finalized and approved. 2 more have stated interested but haven't replied in a bit and don't have character drafts yet. Currently this will be my only RP so I can dedicate time to this. At some point I will have to have a cut off but I'm not sure what would be a good number. I've handled I believe up to 16 players at a time but that eventually did burn me out after a year(So much to keep track of, so much to write, etc). So maybe I should put a definite hard limit of 10 at the most. So if you get a character concept going you'd be number 7 then.

[pdragon]

Wait was my character not approved? You said she looked good and didn't need any changes.

[Tolvo]

Ah no finalized means posted in the character sheet thread is all. Maybe I'm using the terms a little odd. Unless there were drastic changes your sheet is still fine.

[IronQuill]

Hmm so far we have six character concepts, 1 of which is finalized and approved. 2 more have stated interested but haven't replied in a bit and don't have character drafts yet. Currently this will be my only RP so I can dedicate time to this. At some point I will have to have a cut off but I'm not sure what would be a good number. I've handled I believe up to 16 players at a time but that eventually did burn me out after a year(So much to keep track of, so much to write, etc). So maybe I should put a definite hard limit of 10 at the most. So if you get a character concept going you'd be number 7 then.

Heard. I'll get to work on that sheet.

[Ironwolf85]

ah I edited my sheet by the way

[Tolvo]

I saw it looks good. If you want you can post it in the characters thread for finalization and I'll give it another look over just to be sure there isn't anything I missed.

[Vonandi]

Very upset that I missed this. Are you still looking for characters or did that ship sail?

[Hobbes1266]

Last thing that was said was maximum of ten and there are currently seven potential applicants at the moment including three fully confirmed characters

[Tolvo]

That's correct which would make you number 8/10 then.

[WaitingCynicism]

I'm interested

[Tolvo]

Sweet.

Also I'll add a little section on this to the OP and lore, but this is an inclusive RP all genders and sexualities are welcome. Many lore figures fall under the LGBTQIA+ label though not all have it outright stated, some are more obvious like nonbinary beings and characters since the pronouns give that away. This is a world with many dark things and hardships and problems but I'm not going to disallow characters based on their identity.

[Kamakazi]

Player Name: Kamakazi

Character Name: Corvyn Mharos

Age: 40

Archetype: Witch Hunter





Appearance: A man of average height and weight, he is someone would typically not stand out in a crowd. In life, beneath the traditional, obscuring mask of the witch-hunters, one would find a sharp-boned face, framed by shoulder-length white hair. It would be a handsome face, were it not for the red tinged eyes, the birth mark of those destined to walk a doomed path. This is a man who would be handsome, were it not for his grim expression, and scars accumulated from a lifetime of hunting the most dangerous of foes.

Species/Race: Human

Weight: 180lbs

Height: 5"11


Attire/Armor/Gear/Worn: Corvyn's armour is made almost exclusively of cloth and leather, with a small number of reinforced plates to protect vital areas of the body. This attire reflects the tasks he performed in life; a witch-hunter's quarry might easily be encountered within the dank confines of a cellar, or alley-way, rather than upon the open field of battle, in which heavy armour and large, devastating weapons would be more effective.

Weapons: A rapier of sorts, Corvyn carries a long, slender blade, suited to the work of his kind. This is not the weapon of a battlefield warrior, but instead the tool of a trained killer of men, the type of weapon which immediately screams "do not challenge my wearer to single combat." Hidden beneath his cloak, he also keeps a remarkable weapon, prized by the witch-hunters of his land. A single-handed crossbow. This compact weapon is a hallmark of the hunters, easily reloaded with an attached lever, its primary purpose was not to kill, but to maim and slow an enemy, before the hunt would truly begin.

Inventory: Corvyn carries few possessions, but in his pack one would find a whetstone, vials and an assortment of reagents for potion-craft. Of his meagre belongings, the most unique item in his keeping is a small, frayed doll. A child's plaything, yet the observant might -upon occasion- catch the grim hunter looking to this doll. Why?


Personality: There is a weariness to his speech, the fatigue of a man who has become tired of life, a player who knows he's lost the game, but stays at the table out of a morbid curiosity to see how the game finally ends. This is balanced out by a strange insistence at times, a frantic energy. Willing to talk, willing to learn, he nonetheless seems eager to press on, towards his unknown destination.

Dreams: Corvyn is motivated solely by the knowledge that he is searching for someone. That is why he is in this place. That is why he is still here. Whilst his memory may be gone, returning only in snatches, he is certain of the fact that he is hunting someone who must be found at all costs. His dreams are filled with the image of the one he seeks, but cruelly upon waking, those images are quickly scattered.

Nightmares: Corvyn's fear is linked to his dreams. He fears failure in the one task he knows he must accomplish. He fears dying before he finds the one he seeks.

History: Corvyn Mharos was an experienced Witch-Hunter from a land of islands, forests and fells to the West. This was a place of deep woods and ancient villages, of folk-lore and the abode of ancient beings which crept forth during the night. As the days grew longer, the land became gripped by a perpetual darkness, and when the sun did rise, it was little more than a dirty yellow smudge, seeping between iron-dark clouds. The rains fell incessantly, crops withered and rotted away. Livestock died, as did women in childbirth. It was no surprise that village-folk and great nobles alike looked to the skills and wisdom of cunning women, sorcerers and other practitioners of the old ways for aid in these times, but such demand gave rise to foul practices, blood rites, sacrifices and unspeakable blasphemies.

Thus were the Witch-Hunters born. Formed not from a band of righteous clerics, as might be expected in foreign lands, these men and women came from the most stalwart ranks of the night watchmen. Those who patrolled the lands and kept the dim-lit roads safe for those travellers who dared to walk them. Corvyn became a hunter at a young age, singled out for the role for his uncanny resilience in the face of terror, and his grim features, which the village elders agreed would only find company among those who had donned the masks of the night-walkers, the hunters of witches.

In time, after several years of service in which the deaths of comrades and his own injuries had seasoned him, Corvyn was sent to the capital city of his homeland, a place of great towers, cramped alley-ways and an immense network of tunnels. In this city he would strive to save those he could from the encroaching dark, growing embittered with each passing night as the terrors of the night pressed closer. However, here too would he find his hope, in the form of a noble-born young woman, a rare beauty with whom he fell in love. As the Hunters grew in demand and power through the importance of their work, Corvyn's relationship was deemed acceptable, and a child was born to the couple, a daughter. From then on, the Hunter fought harder than ever before to stave off the dark. Though a mere man, quick wit, a learned mind, peerless bladesmanship and ruthlessness assured that he survived.

Few stories coming out of that land, or any other indeed, have happy endings. This is not such a story. Corvyn would awake within a new land, his memories decimated, filled with a sense of urgency to complete a vital task left unfilled, and simultaneously an enormous sorrow which bears down upon him at all times, one which he cannot yet fathom. This is his curse. To finish the task he knows he must complete, he will need to regain his memories, but the cost might be terrible indeed, if the great weight of guilt and anguish which weighs upon him, is linked to his past...

Skills/Knowledge: Corvyn is an excellent swordsman, and a peerless hunter of men and beasts. Few can escape him when his on their trail, and those that do would do well not to face him alone. He has an impressive knowledge of botany and alchemy, though this skill does not match his combat prowess or his skill at tracking. He also possesses a great wealth of knowledge regarding the dark creatures of different lands, but upon waking, most of this would remain locked away behind amnesia.

Capabilities: The witch-hunters of the west are famed for their reflexes, strength and stealthiness, but Corvyn's abilities do not range beyond the bounds of what a mortal man with great training and the enhancements of old rites might attain.

Magic: Corvyn has a natural suspicion of any and all who use magic. Indeed, were he the man he was in life, he would doubtless attack any on site who dabbled in what he might consider to be dark arts.


Additional: My character naturally has elements of his backstory which I am keeping hidden for the benefit of myself and others during the roleplay. How he came to this land, and the fate of those close to him and of his order, are stories in their own right, which should be uncovered as time goes on. These plot-points are inextricably linked to Corvyn's reason for being present in this land, and I intend to tease them out over time.

[Tolvo]

Your character looks good to post in the character sheet section though I want to check peerless is not literal right? Because there are many other hunters and such beings and gods with that focus. As well just keep in mind I'm fine with a level of mystery with a character but do make sure it'll fit the lore and that when a part is to be revealed to check with me for approval on it if its something that could really impact the world(Like if a character is secretly the ruler of a kingdom or a divine being that's a very big deal).

[Kamakazi]

Peerless is not literal, no. Just a flourish indicating he was considered to be one of the greatest duelists/swordsman amongst his own people at the time. I'm keen to make sure the character comes across as the skilled, yet human type, rather than overpowered. In many ways think Batman, not Superman. Training and natural ability, not supernatural ability.

As for the secrets of his past, none would have any impact on the story at large. Its purely context from his past which provides a reference point for his journey throughout the rp. As I said in the bio, he's certain that he's hunting someone. However if you want me to clarify this stuff with you via PM I'm happy to do so, just didn't want to ruin anything for those who might encounter and interact with him!

[Tolvo]

Ah alright that's all fine then.

[Giantmutantcrab]

Ooh.

Soulsborne-based roleplay.

Is there any space left?

And hello everyone!

[Hobbes1266]

I believe we're currently at nine out of ten available spots for available players with four confirmed characters.

[Tolvo]

Yep that is correct.

And oh god a giant crab(You're even one of the creatures listed in the RP).

[Giantmutantcrab]

Yeah those Great Crabs in DS3 were a real surprise the first time I saw them.

SO... Was there any specific guidelines for character creation?