The Cursed City of Praag: A Warhammer Siege

[Primarch]

Praag, also known as the Cursed City,
is the largest and most heavily fortified city within northern Kislev, earning itself the title as the Bastion of the North.
Though rebuilt again and again, Praag can never shake off the legacy of its endless sieges and the destruction left behind.
Mutation and madness taint its people, depravation and decay eat away at its streets, and the siege mentality endures eternal.
But Praag has never been a shrinking violet, and its people are not prepared to give up and move elsewhere.
Praag may be a dying city, but it the city and its inhabitants are defiant to the last.

I am looking to start an RP based in the Warhammer world, in particular set in the city of Praag while it is under siege (Tribesmen, Beastmen and Daemons, oh my!). This will be a freeform RP and more to do with the narrative then being any kind of contest or competitive play. With this in mind I am primarily looking for players interested in a cooperative narrative. This game will involve no PvP elements. The villains of this story are not up for play. I am looking for characters inside the city who play out life in a city under siege and depending on your character's role in society, occasionally taking part in the defense of the city.

While Warhammer as a setting is pretty well known for its larger than life heroic characters, you are not required to play one. By all means you are free to play an Imperial Wizard, a Dwarven Slayer or a Wood Elf Ranger. I encourage this absolutely. If you wish to play as a local blacksmith, a traveling merchant now caught in the city, an apothecary scrambling to provide what help he/she can or anything similar you are also encouraged.

The RP will be split into two main IC threads. One based around life within the 'City under siege' which will allow people to take part in general roleplay within the setting, sharing drinks/making plans or anything you feel the desire to get up to and the other will be dedicated to the battles to defend the city, whenever some detachment of the attacking army decides to attempt to assault the great walls of the city. The 'City under siege' thread will be time stamped based on how many days the city has been under siege. We will occasionally move that date along to update the story (while also clearing the slate if people get bogged down by players who vanish). Events in this thread are always assumed to happen before what is currently happening in the 'Battle/Defense of the City' thread. Once the day moves forward you can refer back to the latest battle IC as you desire/see fit. As this is a siege, you can expect the situation to get increasingly dire within the city as panic rises and resources deplete. I will NPC parts of threads as required.   

Those of you particularly familiar with the lore may find this very similar to the Gotrek & Felix novel Beastslayer and it is certainly is! But with none of the canon characters.
This is a similar stage but entirely new actors. Those of you who are interested but unfamiliar with the lore (or just need to brush up on lore) I have some handy links here:
The Cursed City of Praag
Likely character races:
Human - Elves - Dwarves
The baddies at the gate:
Chaos Warriors - Beastmen - Daemons

The application template is here, I have set it up so it should be pretty quick. I'm more interested in getting started and letting you develop your story in play as opposed to writing a novel before you can ever take part.

Code Select Expand

[float=right][/float][b]Character:[/b] [i]Character name[/i]
[b]Player:[/b] [i]Player name[/i]

[b]Role:[/b] [i]Character 'class' or role/profession[/i]
[b]Specialties:[/b] [i]Please select 3 skills relating to the characters profession that they are particularly proficient[/i]
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[b]Personality:[/b] [i]Bullet point notes on the characters personality[/i]
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[/list]

[b]History:[/b] [i]Bullet point important elements of character history[/i]
[list]
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[li][/li]
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[/list]

[b]Relationships/Connections:[/b] [i]Leave blank until you plot character connections/opinions of each other[/i]
[list]
[li][/li]
[li][/li]
[li][/li]
[/list]

[b]Additional Details:[/b] [i]Room for any points you wish known but could not detail above[/i]
[list]
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[/list]

Questions, comments & suggestions are welcome!

[Gateman]

I don't have time to do it right now, but I'll have an application up soon

[That One Dingus]

Ooh, I'd love to play a Dwarf Irondrake in this! I do need to do some research on the various clans and Karaks for a backstory that makes sense, though.

[Primarch]

I don't have time to do it right now, but I'll have an application up soon

I look forward to seeing it.

Ooh, I'd love to play a Dwarf Irondrake in this! I do need to do some research on the various clans and Karaks for a backstory that makes sense, though.

Sounds solid!

[Lustful Bride]

*feels the need to gun down the Beastmen with a musket* Is it alright to be a lady musketeer/handgunner?

[Primarch]

Certainly!

[Lustful Bride]

Sweet!  ;D

I will post my initial character below, let me know if I have any lore flubs I need to alter and such :P

Character: Ana Rottenmeier
Player: Lustful Bride

Role: Handgunner/Support.
Specialties:

• Range shots
• Basic understanding of the concepts of firearms and Black Powder.
• Novice level of swordsmanship

Personality:

• Excitable
• Driven
• Idealistic

History:

• Was raised near the city of Bechafen by her mother and father. Her mother a seamstress, her father a former Handgunner till a misfire removed the fingers from his hand. He took up farming in their village. They were not rich but made enough to get by, especially when a family of Dwarven traders passed by on their route through the village and would buy some of their crops to make Dwarven mead.
• Ana is the fourth of a group of 7 siblings. She grew up listening to tales of her father fighting in the glorious army of the Empire, killing the foes of mankind. She especially loved hearing about the famed Demigryph knights. She longed to become like him even though he forbade it, knowing just how horrible it could be and how little most lords really cared for their soldiers.
• When she was 16 she finally decided she was old enough to make her own decisions, and while her brothers and sisters were happy being farmers, seamstresses and cooks, she wanted more. So she snuck off after leaving a note to them that she would send money if she could. Ana joined at first a group of freehold handgunners to get herself started. She mostly sowed their clothes for them and scrubbed whatever they told her to, to earn her way until one of them took pity on her and began teaching her how to really handle a Handgun. Despite her desire to be a real Hand gunner for the Empire she ended up staying with the mercenary band 'Talon Company' for three years becoming one of them and earning her coin in service of whoever paid the most. Most of her fighting was against smaller ork bands, or groups of bandits and even a few beastmen. Anything larger would have required a real army and not a band of guns for hire. She earned good money and was never knee deep in corpses.  Still, she longed to be part of the good fight, and when she had enough money saved up she made her own way up to the city of Praag, having heard that they were always looking for mercs and those wiling to fight against the enemies of the Empire. 

Relationships/Connections: (None at the moment)

Additional Details:

• Can speak broken Dwarvish. Whether any of them can understand her depends on how patient they are.
• Worshipper of Sigmar
• Wanted to be a Demigryph knight in her youth but settled for being a Handgunner. She still loves Griffons and all things to do with them.
• Genuinely believes that Skaven are either a myth or a more obscure type of beastman.
• Due to her already being a Handgunner, if she picks up different type of weapon similar to a Handgun, she cold learn how to master it in time with practice.
• Does not have the best relationship with her family since they feel she ran out on them.
• She carries a short sword with her but is far superior with her rifle than with her blade.

[Primarch]

I'm trying to keep the skills limited to 3 but I'm rather happy to assume her weapon would do armour piercing damage anyway. So you can remove that and run with it in effect.
Otherwise looks solid!

[Primarch]

Character: Character name Charles le Marshall
Player: Primarch

Role: Grail Knight of Bretonnia
Specialties:

• Single combat
• Cavalry charge (with the lance!)
• Inspiring the troops

Personality:

• Honourable - Hardly a surprising for a Knight of Bretonnia, Charles is a highly honourable sort. More than simply martial honour however, he shows dignity & respect to all. Unless they are an enemy of the Lady!
• Ruthless - Charles is a dedicated defender of Bretonnia and the Lady, sometimes the best defense is a good offense and when Charles takes the fight to the enemy he does so without compassion or remorse
• Authoritative - Even before becoming a Grail Knight, Charles spoke with a confidence and assertiveness that demanded respect.

History:

• Born to a noble family in the Dukedom of Bordeleaux, he earned his spurs as a Knight Errant fighting Undead from Mousillon in the North and Beastmen raiders
• As a Knight of the Realm he oversaw a small scrap of land by the coast, he continued to fight Undead that spilled out from the north
• Eventually he put aside his title to become a Questing Knight, a task that brought him far and wide across the Old World. It was while fighting Orcs in the Badlands that the Lady came to him in a vision and he found the Grail. He has been a dedicated servant of the Lady ever since.

Relationships/Connections:

Additional Details:

• While it is traditional for a Knight of Bretonnia to fight from horseback, Charles le Marshall has taken the 'Vow of Empathy,' he is a hero of the common man and fights on foot, shoulder to shoulder
• While in Praag he has taken up residence in a Coaching Inn that has become a base of operations for many that have traveled to aide the city in its darkest hour
• He arrived with a handful of Questing Knights & some Battle Pilgrims, all eager to do battle with the enemy

[That One Dingus]

Character: Zharrik Grungoksson
Player: That One Dingus

Role: Irondrake
Specialties: Please select 3 skills relating to the characters profession that they are particularly proficient

• Area of Effect Crowd Control/Area of Denial
• Holding Choke Points
• Sheer Toughness

Personality: Bullet point notes on the characters personality

• Fiery
• Stalwart
• Grim

History: Bullet point important elements of character history

• Originally from Karaz-a-Karak. Part of Clan Helhein, which longs to return to the Ekrund Mines. This originally put optimism in Zharrik's heart, the dream that his clan might one day reclaim their former glory. To protect his people from being ousted again, however, he has trained with the Ironbreakers of Karaz-a-Karak.
• Intensified attacks from grobi in the past few decades have seen a renewed interest in innovation among Dwarf engineers. Zharrik was one of the few souls daring enough to test Drakeguns, which spew molten hot flaming death on enemies caught in enclosed spaces. During this trial, however, a section of his beard caught on fire and he had to hurriedly hack away at it before it consumed his face. His beard is much shorter than it should be and he is frequently looked down upon as a "beardling among beardlings".
• Has been cut off from his kin during fighting in the Underway. With word of an approaching Chaos army, Zharrik knows what will happen if the city falls once more to Chaos. Praag may have found its most unlikely defender...

Relationships/Connections: Leave blank until you plot character connections/opinions of each other

Additional Details: Room for any points you wish known but could not detail above

• Don't be fooled; just because Zharrik's primary weapon is a Drakegun doesn't mean that he has forgotten how to swing an axe!
• Zharrik is considered crazy by other Dwarves, or called a "wazzok" by those who are even more disrespectful. He doesn't count success by scratching out names in a Book of Grudges or in the accumulation of gold. He counts his victories in the number of smoking corpses that he leaves behind.
• The Dwarf has basically strong-armed a local alchemist into creating more of the volatile mixture needed to supply his Drakegun. (I'm open to suggestions on the character.)

[Gateman]

Character: Rayner "Whisper" Lux
Player: Gateman

Role: Elementalist/Cultist of Morr
Specialties: Please select 3 skills relating to the characters profession that they are particularly proficient

• Elemental Summoning
• Crowd control through elemental magic
• fighting undead

Personality: Bullet point notes on the characters personality

• Cold and detached
• Absentminded
• cautious

History: Bullet point important elements of character history

• Born to a poor family. Orphaned at a young age
• Joined the Cult of Morr to survive. Felt more at home with the cult as he learned the rites.
• Known he had aptitude for magic since shortly before his parents died, but chose not to attend the colleges of magic, making his own spells on the go.

Relationships/Connections: Leave blank until you plot character connections/opinions of each other

Additional Details: Room for any points you wish known but could not detail above

• Lack of formal training means he can't read Magick
• Has an affinity for earth and wind magics
• spells can often go awry to some degree due to lack of training.

[Primarch]

All we're short is an Elf and I think we'll have quite the misfit posse.

[That One Dingus]

All right, Zharrik is ready for review.

[Primarch]

Unless there's something I've missed they all look fine.
I'll get this set up over the weekend. Any preferences on which boards we'll be using?

[That One Dingus]

It depends. How grimdark and Khornate are you planning on describing the battle scenes?

[Lustful Bride]

Is this game still on?

[Primarch]

Certainly! I had a rather unexpectedly busy week but if we're all still in I can get it set up right away. Everyone still interested?

[That One Dingus]

"Upon my oath, manling!"

[Lustful Bride]

In the name of Sigmar, I will be there!

[TheLaughingOne]

Weelll.... i just managed to buy up all the WhF 2nd books.. I'll see about getting someone made! Is there a deadline for characters?

[Primarch]

There is not.

[TheLaughingOne]

sweet, i'll get something up soon as i can!

[TheLaughingOne]

Character: Lalisa Lanlend
Player: TheLaughingOne

Role: Mercenary
Specialties: Please select 3 skills relating to the characters profession that they are particularly proficient

• Proficient sword fighter
• Decent pistol shooter
• Expert Looter

Personality: Bullet point notes on the characters personality

• Twitchy: Has very pronounced reactions to sudden surprises and unexpected complications.
• Vindictive: Harbors a grudge for a long while and rarely turns down a chance to strike back at those she thinks have wronged her.
• Slow to Trust: Bad experiences have left her slow to accept most people, especially those attempting to claim authority in a situation.

History: Bullet point important elements of character history

• Born on outskirts of Mordheim, as child was raised by father as mother took off to join Sisters of Sigmar not long after her birth. When old enough began stealing, looting, and mugging with other children to survive. Noted to be quite aggressive and petty in dealings with other children and shopkeepers they dealt with.
• Followed a mercenary band that raided the city for Warpstone picking over bodies after battles, and even saved a few warriors lives by binding wounds to keep them from bleeding out or dragging them off to some safe area to evade capture when unable to move. Caught looting one of the Captains kills (a wonderfully crafted pistol and nice boots) she was given an "official" position in the camp until one soldier tried to take liberties with her, only to have his own weapons used on him. Skill shown, she was recruited to fight.
• Several years after working with the Black Moons Howl Mercenary Company, Lalisa began to notice things being off with many of the members, having gone quiet, solitary, and just strange. With a little snooping she found many of them had been hiding mutations, and others were keeping small chips of warpstone in attempts to force their own mutations, and a few insane ones using sharp shards to carve unclean symbols into their flesh. Fled the company escaping to a witch hunter who had been at odds with them for a while, undergoing intense interrogation to see if she had been tainted before accepting her information and moving against the mercenary band. Delivered killing blow to Captain, now some sickening mutant covered with hungering mouths and horrible eyes. "Volunteered" to join the witch hunters warband and acted as escort until even they started acting a bit to strange and paranoid, even before her. Grabbed what she could and got in touch with old smuggler contact to flee the city to a safer area.

Relationships/Connections: Leave blank until you plot character connections/opinions of each other

Additional Details: Room for any points you wish known but could not detail above

• Carries marks from testing by witch hunter, scars from silver needles and blades, burns from holding hot holy objects, and flagellant whipping.
• Favored weapons are a fancy flintlock pistol and a strange curved blade long sword she looted from the Captains body, and a short blade made from her fathers cut down sword.
• Absolutely HATES rats of any sort or size, the larger the more likely she is to shoot it.
• Hates sleeping in warm rooms, Hates sleeping in cold beds.
• Atrocious at saving her coin...

[Primarch]

Solid stuff, IC will begin tomorrow.

[TheLaughingOne]