The Flames of War - [Fantasy, Steampunk, World War, Lesbian]

[MissFire]

-The Flames of War-

The proper name for it was wetznite, though the dwarves ended up colloquially calling it 'Earth's Blood' for it's deep red hue. Discovered thirty years ago in a deep cavern by the dwarven explorer Barund Wetzil, wetznite was found to be a metal of immense potential. It was first noted for possessing incredible durability and the dwarves had to work hard to get it to crack. When they at last found a way to split a large chunk of wetznite, the resulting explosion detonated the (then) dwarven capitol of Anvilmar, erasing it from the map and taking the mountain range it was in with it. This led to the second use of wetznite; immense energy generation. It took two more years before the dwarves could muster up the courage and the know-how to try again. With only a few more relatively minor accidents, they finally figured out how to split wetznite into smaller chunks without it exploding. Used in small shards, wetznite could be used as an extremely efficient energy source and a weapon.

With the material seemingly under their control, the dwarves advanced technology tenfold and this knowledge spread throughout the world of Sapience, reaching each and every kingdom. Swords found less use as firearms and explosives were perfected. Technology almost came to match magic in terms of sheer destructive force. Meanwhile, ships took to the air, mechanical horses replaced live animals, and wetznite-powered automaton did menial tasks. It was a renaissance and lives the world over were made all the better for it.

But where there is power, there is greed.

Wetznite was found to occur in only certain mineral veins, usually those that ran the deepest into the earth. As man, dwarf, elf, and all the other races of Sapience hastened to collect, study, sell, and gather this incredible ore, war broke out.

-Map of Sapience-

At the forefront of these conflicts was the Ashen Empire. After the destruction of Anvilmar, the Empire was the first at the ruins and the secrets they gleaned from the remains allowed them to gain a crucial foothold in wetznite research. The Empire was also lucky enough to be situated above several deep caverns in which the ore was soon discovered. Accelerating leaps and bounds ahead of the other nations, Ash soon began aggressive movements to take over neighboring territory. Blitz after successful blitz soon gave the Empire control over almost the entirety of the Midlands, the center of Sapience. Feeling that the better option would be to join instead of be crushed, the nations of Glandrath and Irilyth sided with the Empire, giving birth to what was to be called The Axis of Power.  The dwarves and their new capitol of Odemark, have been eerily silent.

Left with little choice but to band together, the other nations have banded together to form The Allied Forces. With Sapience split between the two sides the war has been a constant stalemate, but the Empire is slowly gaining ground. Until now. Taking cues from old Valdyr legends, a new corps has been founded; The Valkyries. Named after mythical Valish warrior women that would deliver divine justice on the battlefield, this all female group is composed of the finest fighters every nation the Allied Forces have to offer. Together, these women will conduct missions both secret and dangerous. They will infiltrate, they will rescue, they will assassinate. They will bond, they will love, they will grow.

Together, these Valkyries will turn the tide of the war.

Welcome aboard.



Greetings! Thank you for reading the setup for Flames of War. This will be a freeform game based around action and character relationships, with a small to medium amount of players. If you've played it, think of something like Valkyria Chronicles, set in a fantasy world. If you haven't played that title, imagine a high-tech fantasy world mixed with a World War II-like setting and you've got what I'm going for with this. As stated above, the game will be about the (mis)adventures of an all-female special ops team named the Valkyries. I'd like to see some interest before I get around to fleshing this out even more, so please don't hesitate to raise your hand if this seems like it might be fun for you. In the meantime, here are several NPC's you might meet along the way. I hope you find some inspiration in them. As always, thanks for reading!





Preview Of NPC's
Sergant Daiburo Daidouji
An experienced soldier from the Khinasi Lowlands and the Valkyrie's personal trainer. Khinasi people are quiet farmers who mainly use the flatlands of their home to establish massive rice paddies. They are renowned for their agricultural and botanical skill, but also practice a tranquil and meditative way of life. They are simple, happy folk. Daiburo is none of these things. She is restless, loves adventure, and brash. Daiburo left her village at a young age to explore the world and was horrified by what she saw when she came across burned villages and battlefields left behind by the war. She enlisted immediately and dedicated her life to service. Her career was cut short when an injury crippled her left leg, so she cannot move nearly as fast as she used to. Still, she's found some use in training these new warrior women and she's going to drill them 'til they drop.

First Lieutenant Noelle Winter
Tactician and mission planner for the Valkyries, Noelle is the liaison between the ladies and Allied HQ. A beautiful young elven woman from Peacewood, soft-spoken yet serious. Thanks to the long lifespan of elves, Noelle has been since long before the war and remembers the world when it was a more peaceful place. It's that memory that has driven her to help end it. More of a scholar than a fighter, Noelle started as a communications specialist and recieved a quick promotion when a mission went bad and her quick thinking saved the lives of several soldiers and civilians.

Major Orella Oathbreaker
An Ash Empire officer that will often clash with the Valkyries. A stern woman of boundless determination and sadistic cruelty. Interestingly, she claims to be fighting on the side of good and believes 'The Allied Forces' to be evil. Is utterly convinced that she is in the right. Orella claims that her village was sacked and burned by Allied forces when she was a little girl and the attack left her scarred. Weather her claims are true or not does not change the fact that she is a cold, calculating, and ruthless leader that steamrolls over opponents with frightening efficiency.

[Dhi]

So much craft goes into your presentations that it's thrilling for me whenever one pushes as many buttons as this does. One of my earliest introductions to fantasy was Dragon Magazine and the stories of the Princess Ark, a fantasy airship exploring the world of Mystara. Recently I've been starved for something in the Iron Kingdoms setting, which doesn't have airships but it is absolutely just WW1 reflavored with fantasy steampunk. I have not played Valkyria Chronicles, but I do have a gas mask fetish.

[Atlach-Nacha]

The setting is very appealing. Unfortunately, I'm getting the usual "fantasy Americans versus fantasy Nazis" vibe from the plot. If there's some sort of moral ambiguity introduced, I'll be very interested in joining. As it stands now, I can only raise my hand half way.

[MissFire]

Thanks for the interest Dhi, glad to have you! And sorry, Nekobiker, but I won't reveal any more of the plot right now so I'm sorry to hear you won't be joining. Perhaps another time.

[MissFire]

Specialist Yuli Volkov

Role: Support
Age: 29
From: Rustringen, The Northlands
Bio: The racial melting pot that is the Northlands has been spared the brunt of the war, both thanks to it's position far behind the lines of battle and because of it's rough landscape. Yuli grew up in the capitol city of Rustringen, known as 'the gateway to the north' because of it's position within the rugged mountain range that divides the hilly plains at the edge of the Midlands from the freezing white expanse of the Northlands. A fantastic source of wetznite for the Allied Forces, the mountainous region that Rustringen sits in is dotted by mines and camps where the precious ore is extracted and exported. During the scramble to acquire as much ore as possible, people of every race flocked to Rustringen, but Yuli was born there almost thirty years ago. She grew up in the city as the child of a pair of simple but loving shop owners.

Not much of a fan of crowded cities or cramped caves, the elf lass instead fancied exploring the surrounding mountains and snowy wastes. She learned to navigate rough terrain and survive in harsh climates. It was these qualities that allowed her to excel in the army once the war started up. Always hungry for adventure, she joined the Rustringen Defense Corps as soon as possible, though she found the experience to be quite the opposite. The Corps simply defended the mountain range, but since it was so far behind the lines, she never got to see any action. Forces of the Northlands, dead set on their task of protecting their mines, would never send any troops to the front lines. Though it was the tactically sound choice for the Northlands, it still frustrated Yulie to no end and she went AWOL, leaving the city on a trade caravan. She worked her way south until, quite literally, she walked onto a battlefield and asked to join up with a group from the City of Brass. Yulie proved her use in that battle, but was arrested directly afterwards and forced back to her home.

Almost.

During the trip, her convoy was halted and an Officer requested Yulie's transfer to the new Valkyrie team.

Personality: Endlessly energetic, brimming with positivity and hope, Yuli is the kind of person that can buoy a squad's morale in a fight. She is hope where things are hopeless and a smile when things are at their worst. The type that smiles even when she has to admit defeat. Her endless positivity can be annoying to some. Yuli loves to laugh and joke and is rarely in a serious mood.

[Chulanowa]

Two questions.

1) is this open to all?

and

2) What sort of "fantasy" are we looking at? D&D style with multiple sapient races and overt magic, or more of a conan / Game of Thrones fantasy with everyone human, and magic kind of this weird thing off to the side?

[MissFire]

Ladies only.

As you should be able to tell by the images and opening text, it's multiple races. Magic is kind of  a mix of Conan or Thieve's World style - not many people practice it and it takes a lot of time and preparation to do it.

[Chrystal]

OOOH... Me! Me! Pleeeeaaaasssseeee?

I want IN!

I even have a halfling character and/or a half-ork character, either or both of which could be adapted to fit...

[MissFire]

I'm always happy to have you on board, Chrystal. You can follow the template I provided with my character, but feel free to add more if you desire. Everything doesn't have to be uniform. PM it to me or post it here. I'll be adding some more world building information tomorrow.

[Chrystal]

I'm always happy to have you on board, Chrystal. You can follow the template I provided with my character, but feel free to add more if you desire. Everything doesn't have to be uniform. PM it to me or post it here. I'll be adding some more world building information tomorrow.

Yay!

Which would you prefer? Anitsha "Nitzy" Longstride, the halfling thief (Dhi is familiar with her), or Gretcha Pinkblood, the outcast half-orc warrior? Or I can come up with an entirely new character concept...

[MissFire]

Halflings are always cute and the team could probably use someone who can pick locks, disarm traps, and be sneaky.

[Idlewyld]

I'm thinking I want in on this. Do you still need a pilot?

[Jezabelle]

I'm thinking I want in on this. Do you still need a pilot?

Yeah I was interested too but then

Ladies only.

seemed like it wasn't talking about characters.  Uncommon, but eh.

[Chrystal]

Private Anitsha "Nitzy" Longstride

Role: Infiltration
Age: 22
From: Nomadic Halfling Trader Caravan.

Bio: Nitzy was (as were most people) born. Her father was Gatho Longstride, her mother Mirrelli Flatbottom. (The Flatbottom name derives from an area of land originally settled by halflings, which was surrounded on all sides by steep cliffs in a mountainous region, but had a flat bottom. It has nothing whatever to do with how much Mirrelli enjoyed being spanked). Gatho was a driver on the Three-Foot Wagon Train, and had risen through the ranks to earn himself a place on the train's council. He had also stolen the heart of the daughter of the Wagonmaster, which didn't exactly help his cause, until he presented Mirrelli's father with a suitable dowry.

And so Anitsha was born in the train, raised to be a trader, taught how to judge the value of an item. However as she neared maturity, there were those amongst the Three Footers who said she had been raised too far... Rumours of elvish taint in her father's blood-line were unfounded. The longstrides had always been tall and slender. The tallest on record, Cherry "Picker" longstride, had been almost 4' tall. This, however, did not help Nitzy when she began having to duck to enter people's wagons, and was teased at school.

She became something of a recluse within the train, began to steal things, taught herself how to pick locks, how to move without being seen - something Halflings are reasonably adept at anyway. She was caught pilfering from the Wagon-master's strongbox through sheer bad luck when one of her cousins brought his girlfriend into the same wagon for a heavy make-out session. And so she was given a temporary banishment, made to walk behind the train, with only what food and water she could carry, as a punishment.

And this saved her life, because the next day the train was attacked and massacred by the Empire, in spite of being technically neutral in the war, while en route from Dorn to Lumenedor

Nitzty found the remains of her people when she caught up to where the train was attacked, she hid and waited, sneaking in to the wreckage to retrieve what few belongings she could. She learned that not everyone was dead, some were being taken as prisoners to Ash. She also saw one of her kin-folk sitting with the Empire's officers, laughing and counting money. Later that night she found him, slit his throat and took the money, before slipping away to find the Alliance. Over the course of the next few years, she proved her loyalty and her abilities time and time again, resulting in her being promoted three times. Unfortunately her rather cavalier attitude towards the concept of "other people's property" has resulted in her being bustedback down to Private three times. The fact that she only got caught stealing after being promoted, and always seemed satisfied when busted back down again, eventually led her superiors to the obvious conclusion that she didn't want the promotion.

After a particularly significant operation where she successfully saved her entire platoon from capture using her unique abilities, she came to the attention of the authorities, who gave her a choice: accept a promotion and know that if she was caught stealing again she would face life in the stockade, or accept a position in the newly formed Valkyries as a private. Understandably she chose the latter.

Personality: Nitzy is the sort of person that unless she wants you to, you won't even notice her. She isn't shy, so much as quiet and observant. She can sit motionless for hours on end, and people will simply forget she is there in the corner. But when she is amongst friends, she can be boisterous, raucous, and excitable. She has incurably itchy fingers, and while not the most accomplished thief in the world, she can usually steal what she has in mind to steal. Unless she wants to get caught, that is... Sometimes, she does! Nitzy is very sensitive about her height. Calling her "longshanks" or "beanpole", or asking her what the weather is like up there will likely earn you a broken nose! She can't help being tall (for a halfling).

[MissFire]

I like her! Though there is one caveat; the military wouldn't let a complete unknown into a new spec ops unit. If I might make a suggestion, bump her age up by a few years and say that the caravan attack prompted her to join the military, during which she proved herself enough to be selected.

[MissFire]

Races
Humans, the most populous of the races on Sapience. While they lack the strength of the orcs, ingenuity of the dwarves, and grace of the elves, they make up for it by having a little bit of everything. Other races view humans as reckless and short-lived, but humans are really just trying to accomplish as much as they can in what little time they have on the planet. Humans can be further divided as follows;
-Midlanders: Caucasian humans that mostly live in the midlands, though Caucasian humans that live elsewhere are still often called 'midlander'.
-Valish: Caucasian with slightly paler skin, these folk hail mostly from the Mist Moors and surrounding lands. Recognizable by their thick accents.
-Al'Jani: Tan-skinned humans that mostly hail from the Wastelands, Al'Jandal, and surrounding deserts.
-Khinasi: Light-skinned humans from the lowlands and other outlying areas. Mostly nomadic.
-Redda: Dark-skinned people that mostly inhabit the Redstone and Arnvald regions. Founders of the Ornrivven Friary.
While humans vary in dialect, skin tone, and faith, they have long since all but quashed all notions of racism and favor religious tolerance (at least amongst each other) in the face of adversity. No people is perfect and some prejudice still exists in those that hold hatred in their hearts, but it's largely a thing of the past. Humans, these days, direct their fears outward instead of inward.

Halflings are a mostly nomadic people, much like the Khinasi and both races have had a long standing friendship. The halflings are mostly traders and merchants, believing that money is what makes the world go 'round. They are correct, for the most part. Few halflings settle in cities, but those that do quite often have very successful business ventures. Halflings have no history of hatred or violence and are, more or less, an amicable and peaceful people that sees friends of all races. Many clans take their surname from where their caravan originated, or from the route it frequently travels. As such, it is extremely difficult to divide halflings into distinct groups, as numerous clans are constantly rising and falling as their luck changes and money changes hands.

Dwarves are a hardy and industrious race, originating from their former capitol of Anvilmar. Dwarves have a strict heirarchy for each clan, from a 'Forge Master' all the way down to the lowly 'Scrapper'. These clans each have a specialty, but the dwarves as a whole are tinkerers and weapon crafters by trade. They seem to enjoy the making of things more than the using of said things, for theirs is a history of peace. Clan wars are infrequent and dwarves warring with other races are almost unheard of outside of a few territorial disputes. After the discovery of wetznite, the dwarves moved their capitol to Odemark and the old dwarven lands are now off limits. Normally, the dwarves were constant trading partners with the halflings and humans, but they have recently closed their trade routs and all but gone totally silent. Most dwarves are caucasian-skinned, but there is a small city of pale-skinned dwarves that live in Dwarfhame near the edge of the Northlands. These 'snow dwarves', as they're sometimes called (though not to their faces) are explorers instead of builders and constantly seek to explore the frigid northern wastes. They care little for their mountain brethren.

Orcs are a strong, emerald-skinned race know for their strength and prowess in combat. Orcs were once thought to be nothing more than savage brutes, but time has shown them to actually posess a more sophisticated culture than anyone could've guessed. Once, when Sapience was wild, the orcs ran amok and warred with anyone that ventured close to their lands. Little did humanity and the rest of the races know that the tribes were simply at war with one another ad simply wary of attacks from strangers while they were busy fighting amongst themselves. The inner-tribe conflict was started when two opposing orc shamen interpreted a vision from one of their gods in two different ways. The orcs, deeply spiritual people, were broken by this disagreement. The fighting lasted ages until a great leader by the name of Vog Skarr managed to unite all the clans under his banner. He declared the banishment of shamans entirely and came up with his own simple tenants based upon the four orcish gods;
-Kali'ka: Orc God of endurance, perserverence, and defense. Depicted as an orc clad in full armor with a mighty sword and shield.
-Kali'ma: Orc Goddess of wisdom, patience, and aid. Kali'ka's wife, depicted as a female orc clad in a loincloth with a mace.
-Grom G'ol: Orc God strength, fury, and brotherhood. Depicted as an orc in animal hides with a greataxe.
-Zul Ka: Orc God of cunning, trickery, and tactics. Depicted as an orc in leather armor with a long knife.
Vog Skarr taught his people that they were to be more than simple berserkers. They were to be warriors and that there was honor and pride in fair conflict. There was also honor in retreat, shifting defenses, and defending, for the real shame was in being defeated and without wisdom, defeat was certain. So uplifted were the orcs that they named their capitol after him; Vog Mur, with 'mur' being orcish for 'city'. 'Vog's City', as it became known, is one of the largest in Sapience.

Elves are a thin and fair-skinned people known for their extremely long lifespan and intelligence. Hailing mostly from Peacewood and the Forest of Spirits, the elves have long communed with nature. More than any other race, the elves know what Sapience was like before the discovery of wetznite. Elves are generally a deeply spiritual people and find great beauty in nature. Their settlements typically are built around nature and not over it, like the humans, dwarves, and orcs. Elven settlements are typically run by council and the Peacewood elves meet once every ten years with the Forest of Spirits elves to convene in something they call 'The Grand Debate' in which they discuss any current issues and how best to solve them. This can go on for days. No other race wants to get into a debate with an elf, for the elf usually has the intellect and fortitude to win.

[Chrystal]

I like her! Though there is one caveat; the military wouldn't let a complete unknown into a new spec ops unit. If I might make a suggestion, bump her age up by a few years and say that the caravan attack prompted her to join the military, during which she proved herself enough to be selected.

Done. Added a bit to give her thievery a chance to express itself...

[Dhi]

Yeoman Khazmeen al-Rumat

Role: Personnel
Age: 32
From: Court of the Hidden Palace, Al'Jandal, Wastelands

Bio: In Al'Jandal where the privileged and sedentary of the Wastelands are packed together into a single small slice of arable land and water, the wealthiest and most powerful princes of the desert's storied history coexist in an uneasy peace. In the complex and murderous game of intrigue between princes, the Hidden Palace exists to keep these fickle men in check.

Though Khazmeen enjoys the reputation of the Hidden Palace as spies and assassins, Khaz herself is merely a glorified diplomat. A decade of training in the art of seduction and ferreting out secret desires has kept her alive, at least, to fill the ledgers of the Hidden Palace with secrets. But times have changed- the shadow war within Al'Jandal pales in comparison to the conflict beyond its borders. To ensure no alliance forms between the Empire and one of Al'Jandal's ambitious princes, the Hidden Palace has sent Khazmeen to join the Valkyries.

Khazmeen enters service precisely where she prefers to be, as a lowly yeoman pencil-pusher, handling the ledgers of the company thanks to her experience with the nightmare bookkeeping of the principalities. Before she can pierce the Empire's inner circle, she must first broker love and understanding between a motley crew pulled from all corners of Sapience. If she could navigate the blood feuds of the princes, surely she can bring together a gang of independent women- right?

Personality: By necessity Khazmeen is a people pleaser, but she enjoys the Al'Jani art of haggling and prolongs the pleasure of a deal. An overly polite society has left her wheedling, though she is not afraid to show her wit- wordplay is an important skill among the court of the Hidden Palace. Whether there is love in her heart or not is immaterial, for her duty is to surrender her own identity and become a social chameleon, a tool for fulfilling desires. Even so, she seldom seems to enjoy herself as much as when the mission throws her headlong into danger and the unknown.

[MissFire]

Ooh, Lady Mechanika. Good taste. Well, that's three of us so far. I'd like to see one more! Can we get a lovely lady to be our frontline fighter so we can send this squad into battle?

[Chrystal]

If we din't get enough players, I can bring Gretcha Pinkblood out of retirement, if you're okay with a player having two characters.

[Lynnette]

Very interested, loved Valkyria Chronicles, and seeing a game that pays homage to it really makes me want to join. I'll read through in close detail tomorrow (Including the sheets) tomorrow after work and see what niche has yet to be filled.

[MissFire]

Sounds great, Lynnette.

[Lynnette]

Hmm... How does an engineer sound? need someone to keep things running? I'm thinking someone who has gone through a military academy and has been working in military settings before, albeit not in a field setting. Would probably have some level of weapon proficiency from the past to make her a more logical pick for the job, so would be kind of an allrounder with engineering being her main skill.

[MissFire]

Well, as of right now we've got a survivalist, an infiltrator, and a personnel specialist. We really sort of need a more frontline fighter who's specialty is combat.

[Kythia]

This sounds intriguing. Plus frontline fighters aren't my usual character and I've been looking to stretch out. Tentatively thinking of an elven chainsword specialist but you know how characters change from initial conception to actualisation.

If you'll have me that is.