Eversnow: The Curse of the Ice King

Started by Darkmoon, February 16, 2014, 08:58:16 AM

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Darkmoon

Quote from: Vlexia on March 13, 2014, 01:19:21 PM
Name: Lady Divijah Xar
Race: Frost Elf Witch
Role: Ice Witch; Snow Queen

Age: 2,000 + (You lose count when you have eternity to live....)

Appearance: The woman is stunning to the eye; her height is one that stands at 5'10”, tall for a woman but not overly so. She has a slender body, a lean figure that stretches from her slender ankles, and trails up her rounded thighs, hips, taut abdomen, modest breasts, a long neck, and cheekbones that give her face a defined look that are surrounded by a thick mane of white locks. Perfection? Almost; but it isn’t her physical appearance that makes her deadly. When she is calm, her eyes are the deep color of chocolate. But when her anger is flared, she feels threatened, or is in
the heat of battle, they crystallize into an icy hot blue. Her skin is cool to the touch and very pale, and her lips are pallid blue as if frozen.

Background: Lady Divijah, back in the olden world, was a simple elven woman of noble birth. Back when the harmonious Elves ruled Eversnow, the land was gorgeous in its environment, and rich in its culture and language, with unity was between every race of elves. The Orcs had been fended off from the borders, and humans could roam through Eversnow with little fear of anything corrupt or evil befalling them.

The young Divijah was the youngest born of 14 children, an often overlooked child because she killed her mother during her birth, ripping the woman in half as she was brought into the world. A curse was placed upon her, a rejection from her father and sisters, and thought to be condemned by the Goddess of Light for killing one of her kind, a darkness crept into her heart with the knowledge that she was born a murderer, had taken away the countess her father loved more dearly than life, and the love incarnate for her sisters.

This hatred for herself, for her family, for the Gods that brought her into the world, unlocked something deep inside her frosted heart, a power that was always meant to be kept in the darkness. Soon after it came to the light that her mother actually cheated on her father with a dark fey, the mysterious man's genes, combined with her immortality and deep cruelty that had been wound inside her heart for many years, Divijah came into knowledge of extreme power that she wielded inside her, and she slowly....slowly took revenge on the emotional pain upon her own family, her own allies, every death she did nailing another sickle of ice deep into her heart, objurgating her from any spiritual deliverance from the Goddess. Finally, she approached the height of power itself, corrupting the King at the time with her power and her body, taking away a member of his family to ensure his loyalty, and cursing the land into an eternal winter, hardening the ground, preventing it to produce, erasing the borders, allowing orcs to roam free, freezing the rivers and killing lifestock.

“Many gauge their success on the amount of friends they have; I gauge mine on the amount of enemies. I am -very- successful.” ~Lady Divijah, during the 27th rule year of King Japheth II

Millennials passed, her power growing with her increased abhorrence for life, her greed for power, her vanity, and her desire for being worshiped and feared. She loved it. Loved the death, loved the cruelty, loved the pain. Their fear, anxiety, and pain only increased her powers, her influence. Kings rise and fall, and she has feasted on their illustrative flesh, consuming them in their own desires and needs, holding her influence over them so as to continue her rule over Eversnow.

“No, no, my sweet. Do not cry. It only makes me want to hurt you more.” ~Lady Divijah to Caira, captured hostage sister of Prince Holon, heir to throne.


Powers: These powers are originally from strong genes from her Fey Father whom her adulteress mother slept with, becoming pregnant with his child. Over time, these powers became more defined with her growing hatred and frozen soul, making her stronger and stronger in the process.

A particular power she has, is the ability to control water, dropping the temperature suddenly into sub-freezing temperatures and using it as a weapon. This can range from making an actual spear, to actually freezing the internal organs and water in a living creature, and freezing him/her from the inside
out into an ice sculpture. Her domain is littered with such ornaments of ones who have tried to “triumph” over her and are now decorations in her dark cave.

As powerful as this is, it is very exhausting to maintain, so she cannot do this all day. Whenever she is under attack, though, she can use the temperature in the air, crystallize it into physical matter, and make weapons from it, or create barricades.



The Golgothan


“There is nothing more sinfully delicious than to scream to the rafters above in agony, while riding a demon below in pleasure.” ~Lady Divijah, when asked about her only living son.

The Golgothan was an unforeseen beast that almost killed her whilst carrying him after an extremely violent escapade with an Orc Cheif named Shum Gro-Yarug. Like a black widow, The White Queen killed him after he served his purpose when he had successfully reached her frigid domain, thus earning her respect for a brief moment.

His seed, combined with her womb, crafted an immortal half-orc beast named Dragor-Dumag, that she keeps chained in a pit to further exact fear on any of her prisoners. A thick chain links him to the pit as he is an immense creature. He gained none of his mother's powers but all of his father's strength and veracity. To anyone at first, he seems to be just a pet for the Ice Witch, but upon further look, it can be seen that they share the same eyes.

Dragor-Dumag's hands alone could crush the skull of any human, he feeds of the flesh his mother feeds him on a daily basis, and he is extremely feral, only answering to the Witch as she wields a power over him through their shared blood. He stands at a massive 9'7” height, and weighs more than a thick boulder.


_________________________________________________________

Yeah so I assumed A LOT in this bio, (historical names, events, the NPC half-beast that is her son, etc)) but this is not my final draft and so I can definitely change anything in it. Just let me know!!

Approved, and approved some more. She is as wicked and motivated as I could have imagined, and her power is justifiably expansive. I especially love her Dark Fae parent background. The witch is yours. May you play her as imaginatively as you described her. The Golgothan will have to remain in NPC territory for the time being, but if you don't mind, I will adopt your description and background for him.

Darkmoon

Quote from: Shjade on March 13, 2014, 01:04:43 PM
Thanks for the general heads up, Dark. n.n

Thanks for being a part of the game, Shjade!

Darkmoon

Quote from: Jecter on March 13, 2014, 10:33:52 PM
Name: Jhaqair “Jhaq” Muulain

Appearance: Jhaqair is a tall man standing six feet tall,and used to have too much padding on his thin frame. He has only recently began venturing out of The School, and by the time he has come to the north, he has managed to shed many of the excess pounds he used to pack on. His skin is darkly olive coloured due to the climate of his homeland, though it has paled somewhat due to his time in the colder darker north. His face is clean shaven, and his shoulder length dark hair is pulled back from his face and secured with a small band of gold.

Biography: Jhaqair was born the third son of the second wife of Tamur of Qanth. He grew up among twenty two other brothers and sisters, competing viciously for their both the favour of their father and the position of favoured heir. Jhaq was one of the lucky ones, and by the time he left for The School at fourteen, only twelve of his siblings were left alive.

At The School Jhaq studied both the administrative and warfare parts of the brutal curriculum, which made the competition amongst his siblings seem tame in comparison. Again, Jhaq was one of the lucky ones, surviving his first two years, before his talent manifested itself and he was moved to the Mage’s Wing of The School.

For five long years Jhaq studied among the best mages of the southern kingdoms. His proficiency was in the destructive forms of magic, and he swiftly became one of the best manipulators of fire in the Wing. Unfortunately, aside from learning to heal his burns, Jhaq couldn’t seem to master the rest of the healing arts, or anything that had nothing to do with flames.

After he had learned as much as he could from The School, Jhaq left to begin wandering. He found occasional employ in the service of the petty warlords and generals of his homelands. However these small jobs never lasted long and Jhaq was constantly short of money. His poor luck continued when he was found in a compromising situation with one warlord’s daughter. Finding himself unwelcome in the majority of his homeland, and being actively hunted through most of it, he found he had no choice but to leave.

He has only just recently arrived in the North, still unsure of what to do now that he is here, knowing only that he seems to be beyond the reach of Southern bounty hunter.

Abilities: Jhaq has a mastery of fire manipulation, able to hurl fireballs or make a delicate flame dance to music with equal ease. However, aside from being able to heal his own burns, he isn’t able to do much else magically. He also has some knowledge of how to use a sword, though he is not even close to an expert, and is middling at best. Due to his time spent wandering, he is also skilled at living off the land, scrounging what he needs and stealing what he can.

Just give me a description (physical) and some sort of inspiration image, whether a direct picture or not, and I think I'll go ahead and give you the approval.

Darkmoon

Quote from: MolotovXsugaR on March 13, 2014, 10:01:28 PM
Not quite sure how I feel about her yet. I'm in a bit of a silly mood today so the CS reads as very silly, despite my being serious =/


Name: Dax, little else is known


Age: 32


Race: Humae (Derogatory term for Human and Fae)


Role: Unlikely Hero….for now.


Alignment: Chaotic Neutral; Dax is not particularly evil, though she has done evil things. She is not inherently good, though she has done good things. She does whatever benefits her the most, but often favors the underdog when it comes time to choose an alignment.


Appearance: Standing at 5’8’’; 5’11 3/4’’ in her fabulous boots, her height can be imposing to some. Though there is no question that she is female, a long torso with a slender waist, curvy hips and an impressive bust quickly identifies her as such. Her features are angular and narrow, a heart shaped face, with a slender nose and lush, full lips. Her hair is platinum in color, bleached by many days of harsh sunlight, her skin lightly bronzed yet still retaining a milkiness. She doesn’t have any issue with dressing provocatively, so as long as it asserts her status as Captain- and any man who mistakes her garb for an invitation is likely to lose a hand.


Strengths & Abilities:

+Trickster; It’s simply in her nature to be cunning. Her Fae mother was a trickster and pickpocket, allowing her the skills of a near silent step, and a natural affinity for guile and deceit. +Invisibility+ While Dax cannot literally go invisible, she possesses the ability to allow her presence to go unnoticed for a short time. A person perhaps will see her, and simply forget that she is there, allowing her access to many- rather inaccessible places. This requires intense concentration however, and cannot be sustained for long periods of time and if she becomes distracted her presence is slowly acknowledged.


+Tactician; Dax is extremely intelligent and a tactical thinker. She is always considering viable options whether it be for war, assault, partnerships, relationships; life favors the prepared and she prefers to remain one step ahead. Well-learned in geography, and studying the tactics of the greats she makes an excellent warlord, particularly in seafaring ventures.


+Speed; Another gift bestowed upon her by her mother. She possesses better than average speed, is light on her feet and graceful.


+Swordplay; Under the tutelage of her father and his crew for many years, she has become well versed in various styles of swordplay and hand to hand combat.


+Plundering, Pillaging, Captaining- yo, ho.


+Flora/Poisons; Extensive knowledge of plant life, crafting and using poisons- alternatively, she is knowledgeable of antidotes, and remedies and first aid. 


Weaknesses:


-Pride; It is hard for Dax to admit when she is wrong. It is not unheard of for her to refuse to accept help even when she is in dire need of it. This has led her into rather unsavory situations.


-Magic; Despite having some magical abilities endowed to her by her mother, Dax cannot stand magic. She is fearful of it and respects the power it holds.


-Strength; she is stronger than the average woman due to endless duties that come with keeping a ship running, but she is still a woman and easily overpowered if she loses the advantage of speed and endurance.


-Temper; She is particularly angered when people bring up her heritage, she is not ashamed of being a Fae, but is fearful of losing face in front of her crew- this often leads her to extreme measures.


-Cillian; don’t bring him up. Ever.


History:


Dax grew up primarily in Batrouge, more commonly referred to as the Pirate’s Den, and aboard The Devil’s Pride. She is as close to royalty as one could get in Batrouge with her father being the infamous Captain Calles. A pirate with a fierce reputation and a fiercer hand for punishment. All that had changed when he had captured Syleena, her mother, a Fae from Corinth. She warmed his heart, he experienced love and out of that love came Dax. Tragically, Dax never knew her mother- who died during childbirth and though evident that her father would have preferred a son- there was something about her cerulean eyes that reminded him of Syleena. She was a Daddy’s girl- a reputation she had to shake as she grew older.


Dax was never in want of anything, in fact, she had more than she could ask for. While other girls her age were learning how to hold a fork properly, Dax was taught the ways of a pirate amidst the Seas of Dorne. Seafaring, plundering, pillaging and swordplay and they always had a home to come back to. She was respected well enough, though it was not uncommon for her to get in skirmishes with boys her age in attempts to assert herself.


By the time she’d reached her twenties, Calles thought it was about time to retire. After spending years as his first mate, she was given the honor to Captain The Devil’s Pride. Things were good for several years, her father had all but disappeared in his retirement and even she didn’t know his location and she had made a solid name for herself as vicious and calculating… until she met Cillian. He was handsome, charismatic, roguish- trouble. She allowed him onto her ship as first mate, into her heart and into her bed, and before she knew it she was mutinied against, marooned on an island and left to die.


Depending on who you ask, there’s talk of using bamboo to create a raft, using coconuts as a flotation device and creating a sail out of her clothes- or she was picked up by a passing vessel- the details get a bit muddled, nevertheless, Dax was not one to give up. She spent the next 5 years enacting her plan for revenge, just as Ivan was coming under the influence of the Ice Witch.


Many had assumed her dead, she used this to her advantage, refusing to seek out her father for council. She stole back her ship by tricking Cillian, marooned him on an island as punishment and had all of her former crew flayed alive, left to hang for three days amongst the mast, and then thrown to the sea as a warning for all who ever dared to mutiny against her again. He still remains her greatest embarrassment, it’s a sensitive subject though her lust for blood afterwards has not gone unnoticed- she renamed her vessel to The Devil’s Vengeance.


As Ivan’s influences began to spread, Batrouge was targeted by his armies for resources. It was surreal to Dax to be on the receiving end of pillaging and it made the matter of his rise personal. She hadn’t cared much about the goings on of the mainland, she could care less who was in power- as a pirate, they made their own rules and lived by their own law and code of ethics. Her home had been burned to the ground, the ice was spreading to the Seas of Dorne and their way of life had begun to die out. The seas too vicious to sail, their home reduced to smolder and ash, Dax seeks one thing- vengeance.

And from that sea and into the snowy wastes, Dax emerges, to the homeland of he that laid siege and fire to her home. She may be out of place without a ship here, but the setting can be changed as the players decide to migrate where they will. In fact, we can start where you want and I'll fill your time with NPC RP if you don't find the thus-far described settings appealing. One thing, though. I have to ask that the name of Dorne be changed. All I can think about is the sun-soaked southern sands of Westeros! Would you accept "Osirion"?

Darkmoon

#104
The Ice King: <taken by Darkmoon> Formerly Ivan Agnost, prince of Aranthia, a now frozen city. Rules at Mount Volcan. A mostly dominant, ruthless, non-consensually-driven being whose shreds of humanity and warmth are mere embers at his core, perhaps one day to be rekindled.
The Snow Witch: <taken by Vlexia> Self-titled Snow Queen, driven by her own lusts and devices, with ice and water elemental sorcerous power and the ability to corrupt. A dominant personality type, with malevolent motivations.
The Captive Princess: <taken by Joslyn> The sister of Ivan, captive of the Snow Witch. The Ice King allows his trusted Snow Queen to keep her captive for her own benefit. She is fair and young.
Orc Chief: Chief of the Orc <taken by Vaulera - actions/description may differ from what follows> Legion, who takes great pleasure in playing with the female captives of the Ice King. He should be fond of group sex, non-consensual behavior, and light violence. This is a figure to be feared, brutal and large. Resides at Mount Volcan when not sent out to lead raids.
The Golgothan <NPC>: A gargantuan half-giant brute, non-consensual, to whom captives are thrown to be finished off. For size fetishists. Is chained in the dungeons of Mount Volcan, and answers only to the Snow Queen, whom it is believed is his mother.
The Courtier <taken by Shjade>: foreign envoy with her own agenda in the Fortress
The Swordsman: <taken by Ontan> Original character.
The Queen's Guardian: <taken by Drake Valentine> A savage hunter and infinitely loyal fighter.
Other suggestions:
Hero - Someone to attempt to defeat the Ice King, or rescue captives.
Heroine - Same as Hero.
Offering <taken by CarnivorousBunny> - A female sacrifice, sent to appease the King for the safety or restoration of certain lands owned by fathers, kings, queens, or otherwise.
Captive  - An existing captive in the Mount Volcan dungeon, likely to be familiar with non-consensual relations with the monsters within.
The King's Guard <taken by Kekec> - A raw and twisted loyalist.
The Snow Elf Rebel Leader <taken by Melange>: the primary figure at the forefront of Snow Elf rebellion, which is very limited in capacity at the beginning
The Avenger <taken by Molotov>: a pirate from faraway lands, seeking vengeance for one of the Ice King's conquests.[/quote]

Congratulations and thank you to all for applying. I will review any additional character sheets but at the present time I must turn my attention to the IC and OOC threads. As soon as they are made, open role-play can begin. I will update this thread at that time. It was a real pleasure reading all submissions, and I look forward to the game beginning.

MolotovXsugaR

Quote from: Darkmoon on March 15, 2014, 02:07:31 PM
And from that sea and into the snowy wastes, Dax emerges, to the homeland of he that laid siege and fire to her home. She may be out of place without a ship here, but the setting can be changed as the players decide to migrate where they will. In fact, we can start where you want and I'll fill your time with NPC RP if you don't find the thus-far described settings appealing. One thing, though. I have to ask that the name of Dorne be changed. All I can think about is the sun-soaked southern sands of Westeros! Would you accept "Osirion"?

is that where that Freudian slip came from? I still haven't made it past book 2. ;p Osirion works just as well for me. I thought about a land stuck pirate and thought it would be an interesting character to play. Thanks (:



♥ It's only after we've lost everything, that we're free to do anything - Tyler Durden ♥

Belisuavious

Resubmitted With Picture:
Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide
Name: Jhaqair “Jhaq” Muulain

Appearance: Jhaqair is a tall man standing six feet tall,and used to have too much padding on his thin frame. He has only recently began venturing out of The School, and by the time he has come to the north, he has managed to shed many of the excess pounds he used to pack on. His skin is darkly olive coloured due to the climate of his homeland, though it has paled somewhat due to his time in the colder darker north. His face is clean shaven, and his shoulder length dark hair is pulled back from his face and secured with a small band of gold.


He isn't dressed like that currently, since it's just a little too cold for that.

Biography: Jhaqair was born the third son of the second wife of Tamur of Qanth. He grew up among twenty two other brothers and sisters, competing viciously for their both the favour of their father and the position of favoured heir. Jhaq was one of the lucky ones, and by the time he left for The School at fourteen, only twelve of his siblings were left alive.

At The School Jhaq studied both the administrative and warfare parts of the brutal curriculum, which made the competition amongst his siblings seem tame in comparison. Again, Jhaq was one of the lucky ones, surviving his first two years, before his talent manifested itself and he was moved to the Mage’s Wing of The School.

For five long years Jhaq studied among the best mages of the southern kingdoms. His proficiency was in the destructive forms of magic, and he swiftly became one of the best manipulators of fire in the Wing. Unfortunately, aside from learning to heal his burns, Jhaq couldn’t seem to master the rest of the healing arts, or anything that had nothing to do with flames.

After he had learned as much as he could from The School, Jhaq left to begin wandering. He found occasional employ in the service of the petty warlords and generals of his homelands. However these small jobs never lasted long and Jhaq was constantly short of money. His poor luck continued when he was found in a compromising situation with one warlord’s daughter. Finding himself unwelcome in the majority of his homeland, and being actively hunted through most of it, he found he had no choice but to leave.

He has only just recently arrived in the North, still unsure of what to do now that he is here, knowing only that he seems to be beyond the reach of Southern bounty hunter.

Abilities: Jhaq has a mastery of fire manipulation, able to hurl fireballs or make a delicate flame dance to music with equal ease. However, aside from being able to heal his own burns, he isn’t able to do much else magically. He also has some knowledge of how to use a sword, though he is not even close to an expert, and is middling at best. Due to his time spent wandering, he is also skilled at living off the land, scrounging what he needs and stealing what he can.

Vaulera

So, something I'm curious about, before the rp starts, is how often the orc queen and the ice king would interact, and in what capacity. For raids and the like, I imagine they would co-ordinate, but how completely, is the question. Would it be a, "You go raise hell", or a more thorough decision of strategy? And I imagine Grimna holding her own court, instead of taking a place in his, but that could be different, depending on their dynamic.

Melange

Lots of approvals! I can feel the snowy wilderness beckoning. Really looking forward to starting!

Quote from: Jecter on March 13, 2014, 11:47:32 PM
I wouldn't mind being part of the rebels, though I'm not quite sure how Jhaqair would end up joining them. Maybe he figures they'll be a good place to hide from the bounty hunters he is sure will be following him. Assuming I'm approved of course.

Our little rebel band may be up to four. :-) Now all we need are a dwarf and a few hobbits, and we'll have ourselves a fellowship.

Shjade

Just theorycrafting here: if the Orc character were male, I wouldn't be surprised to see some rivalry between him and the Ice King, not exactly vying for the Queen's affection, but perhaps her favor. Sort of a "why do you need him when you have me" type of thing, or just trying to prove his superiority over the Ice King. Because boys being boys.

As a female character? I'm not sure that dynamic would be there - not as much testosterone involved - though it's still possible. After all, if she's just taking his orders, is she really "King" of her people? Would they respect her if they thought she was just handing over her power to someone else?

Just something to think about.

(No, I'm totally not just planting intrigue and starting trouble in advance of my courtier planting intrigue and starting trouble. Why do you ask?)
Theme: Make Me Feel - Janelle Monáe
◕/◕'s
Conversation is more useful than conversion.

Darkmoon

Quote from: Melange on March 15, 2014, 07:51:14 PM
Lots of approvals! I can feel the snowy wilderness beckoning. Really looking forward to starting!

Our little rebel band may be up to four. :-) Now all we need are a dwarf and a few hobbits, and we'll have ourselves a fellowship.

I will allow dwarves, but the last of the halflings was eaten long ago by a grue.

Darkmoon

Quote from: Shjade on March 15, 2014, 07:53:46 PM
Just theorycrafting here: if the Orc character were male, I wouldn't be surprised to see some rivalry between him and the Ice King, not exactly vying for the Queen's affection, but perhaps her favor. Sort of a "why do you need him when you have me" type of thing, or just trying to prove his superiority over the Ice King. Because boys being boys.

As a female character? I'm not sure that dynamic would be there - not as much testosterone involved - though it's still possible. After all, if she's just taking his orders, is she really "King" of her people? Would they respect her if they thought she was just handing over her power to someone else?

Just something to think about.

(No, I'm totally not just planting intrigue and starting trouble in advance of my courtier planting intrigue and starting trouble. Why do you ask?)

Orcs would be so loathed by other races, it could come down to mere racism. The witch would have little incentive to raise an orc as a figure for various races to follow. Elves would die before serving an orc, and humans would have no respect for what they feel is a "savage horde" of mongrels, monsters, etc. Thus, the simple freedom that Agnost gives a previously abhored people would probably be enough at least early on to get the orcs' attention. Orcs would be willing to follow a strong warrior, which Agnost is, but it would never be democratic and they would have to be compelled by a strong orc chief. Orcs would not be afraid of Agnost (though perhaps they would the witch), and would just as easily die fighting a human as they would being convinced that they're looking out for their best interest by a shrewd chief.

Ontan

Quote from: Darkmoon on March 15, 2014, 12:46:20 PM
All around a good character, with a well written description. I am nervous about the fact that he is both a competant swordsman/horseman and has roguish leanings. In my opinion, at an early stage and in the company of other players, these things should not be joined together, so as to prevent an overpowered character and to reduce the usefulness of other characters. You're taking a fighter and a rogue slot in that sense. To make up for the double focus, I can give you an average chance at success for actions related to both skill sets to begin. If you prefer to specialize in one direction or another over time, or to start, I can give you advantages in roguish talents or fighter/strength talents. You can role-play however you wish, of course, but I want to reduce over-powered characters.

Either way, your character is a great addition and I've added him to the first post as included in the game.

A valid concern, and something I should’ve given more thought to when submitting my character sheet.

At the time I wasn’t sure if there were going to be other heroes or not, so I tried to make something of a hybrid character to ensure he was viable – after all, a lone hero with nothing but blunt force wouldn’t go far. Gifted with hindsight, ‘assassin’ was probably a poor choice of addition because it infers an extraordinarily broad range of skills (sneaking, athletics, use of exotic weapons) on top of his talents as a knight. It does smack of him trying to be proficient at just about everything, and in any event it looks like there’s going to be a good range of heroic companions, so a hybrid isn’t necessary.

I appreciate you taking a chance and approving the character regardless, and am more than happy to abide with the limitations. That said, if you can bear to read one more character sheet, I’ve made a few changes which hopefully brings my character more in line with others. The TL;DR version is that ‘assassin’ has been replaced by ‘novice alchemist’ in the background and abilities sections. This still gives him a few utility skills for interest’s sake, but it (hopefully) reduces his overall number of proficiencies. 

Let me know if you prefer the remake, or want to stick to the original.

***
Landred (edited)


Name: Sir Landred Villiers
Race: Human
Role: Wandering Hero

Age: 27
Sex: Male
Height: 186cm (6’1”)
Weight: 78kg (171 lbs)

Appearance:
Landred seems to defy the frozen misery that’s gripped so much of the realm, which is small wonder given his skills as a warrior are in high demand. Where so many others appear sickly and malnourished, his body has maintained its toned muscle and measured grace, and his chestnut hair remains fashionably trimmed. Both his equipment and warhorse are similarly cared for, and if anyone resents the show of wealth they’re usually wise enough not to act on it.

Were one to see him up close, a few flaws might come to their attention. His dark eyes carry a laziness and impatience that hint of resentment, and his smile is only truly warm when presented with drink or dice. The knight-errant seems to swagger around with unassailable confidence, but beneath the fine clothing his pale skin is marred by a handful of ragged scars along his ribs and right shoulder, telling of prior defeats and a few near misses. Perhaps most telling of all is his equipment. When parading into town Landred is all pomp and ceremony, clad in burnished armour and bearing his family’s pennant atop a hefty spear, but a sharp eye might spot a few things amiss: the stock of a crossbow poking out his saddlebags, a bundled mass of fur and hide armour designed for camouflage rather than head-on fights, and a few other tools more befitting an assassin than a knight.

Personality

At first glance, Landred almost appears to be the gentleman and noble he claims to be. Those meeting the knight-errant for the first time would be greeted with a pious and gallant veneer, and it is all too easy to be seduced by his assurances of honour and valour. Most people only catch a glimpse of his true nature once the warrior has his reward safely in hand, and only a select few are perceptive enough to see his true colours in advance. 

A paragon in name alone, Landred is in fact a rake and a fatalist at heart, and only performs his knightly duties in pursuit of more coin with which to drink or gamble. He’s quick to smile and quicker still to celebrate, but his infectious cheer is of the superficial kind: to him, happiness and fulfilment are things to be found in cups of wine, gambling dens, and occasionally brothels. He’s seen much of the world in his recent travels, but his journeys have just convinced him that liars and cheaters always win, and that it’s better to be the winner than loser.

For all his vices, Landred nevertheless retains a slither of nobility at his core. Beneath his failings as a traditional hero there is still a talented fighter, a cunning tactician, and a sharp intellect that adapts quickly to his surroundings. Surprisingly, he even accords to a chivalric code of sorts – he’s yet to resort to outright banditry, and despite his penchant for deceit, exaggeration and shameless carousing he typically does what he’s paid to do.

Background

To understand Landred, it’s necessary to start with his childhood… and that, unfortunately, involves a brief mention of his father, Lord Roterem Villiers of Briarvale.

Lord Roterem had a rightly earned reputation as a vicious tyrant, belligerent neighbour, and harsh parent. Barely tolerated by his king and fellow nobles, Landred’s father was a man who measured success in brute force and the coins he wrested from the subjects of his tiny fiefdom. It went without saying that his children’s sole purpose was to extend his grim legacy. His two oldest sons were raised to be lordlings in their own right, groomed to one day take his place in ruling over the miserable little fiefdom, while his daughters were little more than chattels to be sold off in arranged marriages. By the time Landred was born, his father already had two sons – effectively an heir and a backup – and so Landred was raised to become a knight-errant, a wandering champion who would garner repute for his family in neighbouring realms. His childhood was one marked by wealth but not luxury; the cold halls of Briarvale Keep might’ve been home, but under his father’s oppressive gaze they were a place of hard work and painful lessons.

Everything changed when Landred came of age and was unleashed upon the world to seek fame and fortune for his family. Suddenly there were no more dour-faced tutors or snarling instructors: there was wine, and dice, and women, and song, and a hundred other opportunities waiting for a jumped-up swordsman who could charm a crowd.
There were also alchemists – strange, reclusive people who, like Landred, appreciated the value of cold pragmatism and careful calculation. He met one almost by chance after setting out to capture an elderly fugitive wanted for forgery and murder. What should’ve been an easy bounty soon turned into a farce as the old man proved to be a wily opponent: the use of flash-powder alone allowed the criminal to slip through Landred’s grasp on a half dozen occasions, and there were countless other examples of shackles being melted by acid, drinks being spiked, and one particularly nasty incident involving a firebomb that killed Landred’s first horse. When Landred finally cornered the fugitive alchemist, his quarry simply smirked and noted that, with the powers of alchemy, an old man had eluded a powerful knight for almost two months. He then made Landred an offer: spare his life, and he’d teach the knight the secrets of his craft.

After beheading the old bastard, Landred belatedly reflected he might’ve had a point. He kept the deceased man’s books, and armed with his educated upbringing he started trying to unravel the secrets of the strange art. What started as idle curiosity soon blossomed into a genuine hobby, and Landred has started dabbling with a few of the simpler, safer recipes contained in the byzantine tomes.

Things changed once more when the Ice King’s madness dragged the realm into darkness, though in some places it wasn’t quite the tragedy it should’ve been. It is joked that when Landred’s homeland of Briarvale was overrun by the Ice King’s marauding armies of monsters and blackguards, the local peasants actually breathed a sigh of relief at the change of administration. Landred would never admit it for anything short of torture, but he had much the same reaction when he found out his father’s realm had been conquered and that the old man himself was assuredly dead in a ditch somewhere.

Abilities:
There's no denying Landred’s value as an adventurer, and he has much to show for a childhood spent slaving under expensive tutors, grizzled trainers, and a cruel father.

  • Noble upbringing: His tutors might’ve skipped the parts on chivalry and honour, but Landred’s courtly upbringing has gifted him with a silver tongue and reassuring presence. He has a talent for charming a crowd and earning their trust (and coin), though the subtleties of a commoner’s life will forever remain a mystery to him.
  • Knight-errant: As a child Landred was drilled in the arts of horse riding and battle, and he’s since had plenty of time to hone these skills against real opponents. Over the years he has grown to become a competent horseman and lethal swordsman.
  • Novice alchemist: Aided by a few hefty tomes and a lot of patience, Landred has started dabbling in the arts of alchemy. Outlandish items like healing potions and firebombs still remain well outside his abilities, but he has managed to reproduce a few more mundane bits and pieces. In particular, Landred has been able to make flash powder, smoke powder, and choking powder… though admittedly it’s all exactly the same stuff with different labels sewn onto the pouch.

Weaknesses:
Landred has his share of character flaws, but there are also some genuine failings which occasionally cripple his efforts. It remains to be seen whether these weaknesses will get better or worse with time.

  • Vulnerable to magic - Every student has one subject they struggle with, and Landred’s was undoubtedly the arcane. Neither repeated lessons nor the tutors’ cane could correct his inability to grasp even the basics of magical lore, and to this day his otherwise intuitive mind can’t spot the tell-tale warning signs of magical effects. On a couple of embarrassing occasions he’s even returned from a quest with some useless bauble instead of the magical artefact he was sent to retrieve, necessitating a return trip.
  • Fear of beasts – A recent near-death experience has left Landred a little shaky when it comes to facing down the monstrous beasts of the land, such as wargs and dire-boars… which is a problem, because slaying such creatures are an adventurer’s bread and butter. He’ll still happily face down ogres, drakes, and demons, but confronting big-game creatures requires a skinful of liquid courage and the use of his longest spear… or, better yet, the use of his crossbow from a safe distance.
  • Dubious loyalties – Landred isn’t the tyrant his father was, but he still inherited the old man’s fixation with military might, and consequently Landred can’t help but admire some aspects of the Ice King’s conquest. Combined with his love of coin, it’s not entirely certain whether Landred will continue to help the downtrodden populace if things keep getting worse.
  • Racial prejudices – Opinion’s divided whether this is Landred’s biggest or smallest flaw, but either way there’s no getting around the fact the just doesn’t like elves… or frost giants, or goblins, or just about anything which isn’t human. He makes a slight exception for orcs on account of their military prowess, but given they’re servants of the Ice King or Snow Witch, this concession isn’t particularly redeeming.

Darkmoon


Vaulera

#114
I was being more specific in interactions, I should have specified! I was wondering how we should start with the dynamics between Grimna and Agnost. I'm assuming they've known eachother for a time, and sort of fleshed out the bones of their relationship. Developing that relationship would be fantastic, and I by no means want to stick to a single dynamic between the two, but maybe hashing out a small bit of history on the two might be in order. Now Shjade brings up an interesting point. Grimna is for all intents and purposes, an Orc. Raised by, trained by, lived with and bled with, she has been with them through a lot, and is also never afraid to reaffirm her position with a ruthless murder. Orcs are cowardly, and usually believe in the hierarchy of strength, but maybe they would be upset with just being ordered around by an outsider. Perhaps Agnost and Grimna have to maintain a position appearing as equals, or only meet in secret, and the most privacy. Considering Grimna is also distinctly not an orc, and also a woman, how might her diplomacy with other leaders be carried out? Also, would you like for me to write a paragraph of description for Grimna's Appearance? I can't help but notice I glazed over it!

Shjade

I have to admit, Vaulera's last post is tempting me to write some kind of short-form "day in the life" for Nikita just for setting/getting to know the character purposes in Volcan. But I'm often tempted to do extra backstoryish stuff. xD
Theme: Make Me Feel - Janelle Monáe
◕/◕'s
Conversation is more useful than conversion.

CarnivorousBunny

Profile edited to add weaknesses and a little bit more in the personality section
This is not yet finished.  Will be editing in more in the personality and abilities section.

Rosal Pangarap
Role: Sacrifice
Age: Eighteen
Race: Human
Height: 5'3
Weight: 130 lbs
Build: In one word Rosal is an endomorph. She is no slender beauty; her curves are full and soft.  Luckily the extra fat she retains is evenly (and discreetly) distributed throughout her body.  The excess weight she has padding her face only adds to her naturally youthful aura. Her healthy glow and voluptuous body are a reflection of her happy and easy life.
Hair: Black, thick and wavy.
Eyes: Brown
Skin Tone: Due to the endless winter creeping in to her formerly sunny homeland, her once golden brown skin has turned in to fade in to a light mocha colour.

Background: The Pangarap family is from a tropical country far away from the heart of Eversnow.  For decades it was safe from the icy grip of the evil monarchs.  Those were good times; many of its citizens had never even worn anything warmer than vests and short pants, and closed-toe shoes were unnecessary for day-to-day life.

Rosal's father and his family started from rock bottom; her mother was a noble woman.  Rosal's father was diligent, intelligent, and persevering; her mother was headstrong, cunning, and even more intelligent than her father.  Even before Rosal's father amassed his vast fortune as a merchant her mother already saw the man's potential.  Despite her own mother's vehement objections, Rosal's mother married the lower-middle class man.

Not long after the union Rosal was born. 
From day one Rosal was raised to be the perfect lady.  Her mother had been disowned as a noble lady, but that did not mean that the young girl was going to grow up to be a barbarian.  Being a good hostess, entertainer and homemaker was a must, but understanding feelings and using it to one's advantage was an absolutely essential skill for a truly successful woman.  Rosal proved to be a promising pupil, but her true talent was in the arts.  She was an extremely gifted dancer, singer, and musician.  So much so in fact that as soon as they could afford it, her father hired a very reputable bard to be her private tutor.
 
Rosal's private lessons started when she was eight.  By then the eternal winter skies were already visible in the horizon and a noticeable chill stung in the night air.

On Rosal's tenth summer the leaders of her country started sending sacrifices to the Ice King in hopes of buy slowing down the approaching winter.  To their relief it worked, but only every time the frosty monarchs was satisfied with the sacrifices sent. 
Soon the desperate practice of sending three to seven girls at a time would start, and girls would be hidden from the public eye for their own protection.

At twelve, Rosal's mother birthed twins; two little boys who would become Rosal's whole world.  By this time their family wanted for nothing and had reconnected with her mother's family, giving them political pull as well.

Thanks to their reconnecting to the world of politics, the Datu, or the monarch of her homeland, eventually heard of Rosal and her gifts as a bard and her loveliness as a girl.   
On Rosal's seventeenth summer The Sandata, the Datu's special army, marched in to town, as they did every three years since the sacrifices started.  They tried to take Rosal away but a friend convinced them that she would only be lovelier as time passed.  Did not women of true quality only grow better with age?  Her mother's blinding beauty was a testament to what she could and would grow in to.

The Pangarap family counted their lucky stars that the desperate gamble had worked.
At the very least they had bought the Pangarap family one last year to be together and say goodbye.

When they came back Rosal nor her parents put up a fight.  Rosal had watched the winter clouds creep closer just as she had watched her younger brothers grow up in a world with a fading sun.  It was her duty as their older sister to protect them in any way she could, and she would do just that even if it cost her her life. 

Personality: Despite her sheltered upbringing Rosal is not one to complain or whine.  If anything she resents being treated like a spoilt child, and sees anything outside her small sphere of experience as a challenge that needs to be conquered.  However her lack of worldliness is very evident when she is made to interact with people who have lived in extreme hardship and poverty. 

Before being sent off to her death, Rosal was a well contained and obedient girl.  There is no active plot to anger her captors since she must please the monarchs of Eversnow, but Rosal has become a bit more reckless and more prone to speaking her mind.   

Abilities:
Rosal is a well trained lady; her skills focus mostly on the art of entertainment.  When she puts her mind to it she is quite the considerate hostess and proficient performer.  While she is no warrior or trained assassin, she has a few tricks up her sleeve.

Captivating Performer: Rosal has been performing for as long as she can remember.  Due to her extensive bardic training she has learned a few special songs with interesting effects.  From inducing drowsiness, to enthralling her audience, to inducing agitation or even frenzies, Rosal has a good deal of control over atmosphere as long as she continues performing.

Silent Presence: Even when she isn't trying to be sneaky there are times when Rosal manages to surprise people with her presence.  Perhaps it is because she is able to control her emotions very well, but for some reason she has the strange ability to fade in to the background when she does not wish to socialise.  Her childhood nickname at home was Bubwit, or Little Mouse. 
This is no full-proof technique or skill that can be used on the battle field.  It simply allows Rosal to move around without being noticed when people have their guard down.

Uncanny Empathy: Call it women's intuition if you want, but Rosal has a knack for knowing what people are thinking or how they are feeling.  It's nothing like mind reading, but it is fairly remarkable in its own right.  Normally it would be a handy trait for bluffing, gambling and interrogation, and in its extreme form Rosal can sense if someone significant to her is experiencing very intense feelings despite being separated by great distances.  The range of the effect is defined by the intensity of the feeling or experience.
Rosal herself is unsure what this ability actually is, but she is pretty sure she inherited it from her mother.

Weakness:
Curious Cat: Rosal has always been observant and mentally active, always looking for new things to learn.  Before in her hometown she could simply ask about things, but now she is closely guarded in a place she is unfamiliar with without anyone to comfort her.  Basically learning, talking, and exploring are basically the only thing she has to distract her from her anxieties and fears.

Recklessness: The moment the Datu chose her as a sacrifice she had basically lost her life already, and a deadman has little left to fear.  The young woman has a misguided hope that perhaps she could somehow, under the right circumstances, help bring down the Ice King.

Hey guys!  I was wondering if there were any heroes who could be travelling with the sacrifices?  Or a group of people could eventually infiltrate the caravan as a way to enter the Ice Queen's domain undetected.
my  o&o and a&a
Current Status: Back on E, but still busy.
Sworn to the Oath of the Drake.

Darkmoon

Quote from: Vaulera on March 15, 2014, 11:36:17 PM
I was being more specific in interactions, I should have specified! I was wondering how we should start with the dynamics between Grimna and Agnost. I'm assuming they've known eachother for a time, and sort of fleshed out the bones of their relationship. Developing that relationship would be fantastic, and I by no means want to stick to a single dynamic between the two, but maybe hashing out a small bit of history on the two might be in order. Now Shjade brings up an interesting point. Grimna is for all intents and purposes, an Orc. Raised by, trained by, lived with and bled with, she has been with them through a lot, and is also never afraid to reaffirm her position with a ruthless murder. Orcs are cowardly, and usually believe in the hierarchy of strength, but maybe they would be upset with just being ordered around by an outsider. Perhaps Agnost and Grimna have to maintain a position appearing as equals, or only meet in secret, and the most privacy. Considering Grimna is also distinctly not an orc, and also a woman, how might her diplomacy with other leaders be carried out? Also, would you like for me to write a paragraph of description for Grimna's Appearance? I can't help but notice I glazed over it!

Agnost would believe that he is more or less dependent on orcish support, so he wouldn't take offense to treating Grimna as an equal or Grimna not hurling "your majesty" this and "your majesty" that around. I believe he would be a little offput by her, given who she is and her reputation, and would talk to her with a hint of condescension, as if he suspects that she is not as intelligent and civilized as leaders that he is used to dealing with. He would not be personally afraid of her, having little to no fear between his own brash sense of courage and his sense of support under the Snow Queen's favor.

Initial interactions between Ivan and Grimna can be based on where you want her to start. Agnost will begin in the court of Mount Volcan, where he resides most of the time, consulting his courtiers. When there were circumstances that require it he would summon Grimna to him and expect her to come, but if she was stubborn, he would not hesitate to travel to keep her support. He would probably think her fickle and prone to rash decisions, so he would go out of his way, short of embarassing himself, to keep her and her followers loyal. At the same time, he would not hesitate to send out an assassin and have her killed, and court the next leader (or prop one up) to ensure the orcs fall in line.

Once I've created the IC post describing the settings, you can insert your character in any one of them. If need me to decide where they begin, just say the word.

Darkmoon

Quote from: Shjade on March 16, 2014, 12:03:36 AM
I have to admit, Vaulera's last post is tempting me to write some kind of short-form "day in the life" for Nikita just for setting/getting to know the character purposes in Volcan. But I'm often tempted to do extra backstoryish stuff. xD

Sounds great to me!

Vlexia


If you cannot honor a No, then you certainly could never honor a Yes.

Darkmoon

Quote from: Vlexia on March 16, 2014, 12:30:19 PM
So, when are we starting?

1 - 2 weeks. I will do my very best to expedite that process.

Ontan

Quote from: Darkmoon on March 15, 2014, 10:27:53 PM
Ontan: that works well.

Great! I’ve updated my character sheet on the second page.

Quote from: CarnivorousBunny on March 16, 2014, 03:07:04 AM
Hey guys!  I was wondering if there were any heroes who could be travelling with the sacrifices?  Or a group of people could eventually infiltrate the caravan as a way to enter the Ice Queen's domain undetected.

That could work. My character makes a living off aiding the local populace, so it makes sense that he’d be hired to escort a group of sacrifices to Mount Volcan. He’s not actually an enemy of the Ice King (not at the start, anyway – that’ll change if / when he helps the rebellion), so I figure there’s no reason they’d stop him escorting the travellers all the way to the fortress gates.

Of course, our characters would probably part ways once they get there, with the sacrifices heading off to the fortress’s depths and Landred gallivanting elsewhere in search of coin and glory… but after that, it’s anyone’s guess what happens.

Darkmoon

Dear friends and players,

NEW: Out of Character thread added 3/21/2014
https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=199748.0


We are almost ready. All approved players (see first post) please direct all chat and organization to that thread. I will create the IC thread once the first post is ready. Posting order will be decided first-come, first-post.

Your not-so-wicked GM

Darkmoon

We are now live. Visit the OOC thread for a link to the IC thread, and be sure to get caught up on info in the OOC thread before your first post.

Darkmoon

The Snow Witch position is now open. It was vacated without ever being played, so is still open to interpretation and history development by its new player. Female applicants only, please.