Heroes of Erhi (Fantasy/ Adventure)

[Sukaretto]

Author’s Note 1: A Brief Introduction

This thread is based off a rather extensive world-building project I’ve been working on for quite a while now. Geography, history, religion, culture, etc. I have it all. Needless to say, this thread is rather long. So, as I don’t wish to waste anyone’s time, I will explain the basic concept here, so that you can decide for yourself whether you wish to read on or not. I am looking for a group high fantasy action-adventure type RP. In this, your characters would be the main characters, and I am the world. What do I mean by that? All characters outside of yours will be written by me, and I do not have a main character. Rather, I will be all npc characters. Your characters have free choice- I have a basic idea of a plot and will be guiding the RP along, but it will change based on your character’s decisions. So, if that sounds interesting, by all means, go ahead and read on!

Now, it is important for me to note that right now, my time is a bit limited. But at the same time, as described above, my GM style is going to be more hands-off than what is likely average. The story should easily be able to progress for several days even without my needing to be on. Not to mention, after the end of the year, I should have more time to get on. However, to make sure things keep running smoothly, I will be looking for a co-GM for this idea. But we'll get into that a little later.

Now, if you make it through this entire post and are interested in the idea, post your character idea here, and I'll either approve it, or let you know if any changes need to be made. Space for this is limited, so it will be strictly on a first-come, first-serve basis. I will not hold spots for anyone until they have an approved character. Sorry, but that's just the way it's going to be.

Introduction

In the beginning there was only darkness. For ages and ages, it existed alone, and everything was dark, and quiet, and peaceful. And then the light appeared, just a small spark amidst the sea of blackness, but it grew and grew. And the darkness hated the light, and it sought to destroy it. But the light was strong, and it continued to grow. For ages and ages they battled, equally matched. But eventually as the light grew, it gained the upper hand and beat back the dark. But it did not destroy the dark, for light does not destroy- rather it creates. And so it bound the darkness and locked it away. And it created the stars of the sky, guardians to watch over the darkness, forever ensuring it did not escape its prison.

Then, with the darkness subdued, the light began creating. It brought into being the world, called Erhi, and shaped every hill and valley by hand, with tender, loving care, as a mother would treat her child. It created all manner of creatures, great and small, to inhabit the world it had created. It created guardians, each of whom was tasked to look after certain things, to nurture and care for the world that the light had created. And it created the four strongest guardians to oversee the lesser guardians. And finally, the light was satisfied with the world it had created, and it withdrew, falling into a deep sleep, entrusting its creation to the guardians.

For a time, the guardians did their duty, protecting the land and all who dwelt in it, and all was well. But as time passed, the bonds that held back the darkness began to weaken. As much as the darkness hated the light, it hated the world it had created even more, because it knew that the world was precious to the light, and so it yearned to destroy Erhi, but it could not escape its prison. But that did not mean that the dark was powerless. It began whispering in the ears of the four guardians the light had created last. And their hearts were turned against the others, and they began to hate each other. And each of them began gathering members of the lesser races, who had begun to worship the guardians as gods. They gathered their followers into armies, and they went to war with each other. And one by one, the lesser guardians began to side with their chosen among the four, and they rallied their followers to join in the armies. And these wars, which would later be known as the God Wars, raged for generations, and not one corner of the world was spared from the terrible bloodshed.

And even in its sleep, the light sensed the turmoil that raged across the world it so dearly loved, and it was troubled. It dreamed of another guardian, more powerful than the four, who would be able to put an end to the fighting. And so it happened, and the one that the light had dreamed of came into being, and the four feared her. But she knew that while she was stronger than each of them on her own, if they allied against her, she would be powerless against them. And she, in her cunning, saw that she needed to ensure that the four remained enemies. She used their animosity against them, and they were banished to the heavens, forbidden from directly interfering with the world. But she allowed them to communicate with their followers, and they continued to work against each other in secret, not realizing that she knew. And so, they continued to hate and plot against each other, instead of allying against her. And the wars that had raged unchecked for so long finally ceased. And while the four continued to covertly scheme against each other, she took over the role the four should have filled, and looked after the world.

And finally all was well, as it had been meant to be, for many generations. But now, it seems that the period of relative peace may be coming to an end. For the fifth guardian has been silent for many years now, and the four have grown ever bolder in their moves against each other. And recently, the stars in the sky, so constant and unchanging in their watchfulness, have begun vanishing, one by one. And the people have begun to whisper. They fear that the shadow of bloodshed is coming, and the era of the second God Wars is upon them. And they fear that once the stars vanish, the darkness will break free and its rage will consume the world until once again it is all that is left.

It is in these troubled times that our story begins. It is then that an unlikely hero has a mysterious dream, of the world consumed by flame and sea and storm, and there is a mysterious voice, telling them to journey to the ruins of an ancient temple, once devoted to the worship of the light itself. And for whatever their reason, be it concern for the world, the potential for great rewards, or just simply curiosity, they obey the voice and set out. But upon reaching the temple, they discover that they were not alone in being called there. Who is the mysterious girl waiting for them? For what purpose were they called? And where will this journey lead them? But I cannot answer those questions, my friends, as they have not yet come to pass, for this story is, as of yet, unwritten.


Author’s Note 2: What’s With the Author’s Notes?

I’m sure that anyone who has gotten to this point is probably pondering that question- what is with the author’s notes? After all, isn’t this all written by you, the author? Yes, yes it is all written by me. However, in case you haven’t noticed, the rest of the post is in character. And now I’m sure you’re wondering- in character? What character? There is no character for you to be in! Ah, but there is. Notice the direct dialogue at the end of my introduction (“But I cannot answer those questions…”)? Yep, that’s not me talking- it’s the narrator of the story. And yes, the narrator is an actual character who will feature in the story. And the rest of the post will be written as a sort of guide book for the world I have created. So these author’s notes that I’ve included are the only out of character parts, which is why they exist.


Author’s Note 3: The Importance of Reading

I hope that those of you who reach this point are interested in this RP, in which case, the next several sections have plenty of detailed information about the land, its gods, and its inhabitants. I don’t by any means expect you to be experts on this information if you want to join the RP, but I do ask that you read through it all at least once, because it will all be relevant throughout the RP. So if you post here saying you want to have a character whose mother was an elf and whose father was half orc and half human, and who wields a spear, uses a crossbow, and can use fire magic, I will politely but firmly tell you “no.” I’m sure you’re probably wondering what is wrong with that character type, and my response is simple- if you actually read the rest of this post, you’ll figure that out without any trouble.

Gods and Goddesses

Main God(desse)s:
Aster: God of the earth, titled the Earth Shaker. He is associated with fertile soil, growing things, and
earthquakes. The fae followed him during the God Wars.
Kalyon: God of the sky, also known as the Bringer of Storms. He is associated with the wind and weather.
The Seraphi and Aurae followed him during the God Wars.
Lumeria: Goddess of balance, law, order, and justice. It was she who put an end to the God Wars.
Pelae: Goddess of fire, also called the Inferno. She is associated with volcanoes and material wealth below
the earth’s surface. The dwarves, trolls, and daemons followed her during the God Wars.
Zerya: Goddess of the sea, she is called the Tempest. She is associated with the ocean, tsunamis, and
cyclones. The Merfolk and Laguna followed her during the God Wars.

Minor Deities:
Amitnka: Goddess of wild creatures
Araen: God of agriculture
Azmadine: Goddess of music
Beniiya: Goddess of revenge
Celthwe: Goddess of literature and poetry
Daynonia: Goddess of travel
Friedel: God of thieves
Josina: Goddess of love
Januneshi: God of disease
Kaonji: God of luck
Kaum: God of war
Nukhu: God of trade
Saehaun: God of blacksmithing and metalwork
Saemae: Goddess of destruction
Shakhbir: God of death
Tayeunia: Goddess of domestic beasts
Wyther: God of famine
Zashia: Goddess of misfortune

Author’s Note 4: Taking Sides

Yes, the gods and goddesses will play an important role in the story. They truly do exist, and they can take physical form to interact with the world. While they do not die from natural causes, they can be killed in battle, although that is not an easy thing to do. And as a bit of a hint as to what the RP will hold, it will eventually compel the heroes to take the side of one of the five main gods. Which one is completely up to you, so you may want to think of it as the story progresses.

Races

Aurae: The aurae are slightly smaller than humans, and very slender. Well suited to high altitudes, they are typically found living in the mountains and hills. They are for the most part a peaceful race, preferring to keep to themselves. They are generally inclined toward magic, and a wide range of abilities can be found even among the smallest of communities. During the God Wars, they sided with Kalyon, god of the sky.

Daemons: Daemons are very varied in appearance. Some appear human, while others have various non-human characteristics. It is fairly common for them to have horns or wings. They are traditionally found near the volcanoes scattered about the Hadrin mountains. They worship fire, believing that they themselves were formed from it. They are very magically inclined. During the God Wars, they sided with Pelae, goddess of fire.

Dwarves: Dwarves appear as shorter versions of humans, with five feet being extremely tall for them. They live underground, digging entire cities inside of mountains or beneath plains and forests. They dig deep to mine metals and gemstones from within the earth, and they are excellent metalworkers and jewelers. Very rarely is a dwarf able to perform magic, and tend toward melee combat styles. During the God Wars, they sided with Pelae, goddess of fire.

Fae: Fae are typically taller, stronger, and faster than the average human. With pointed ears and elongated canine teeth, they are a more violent race. They tend to live in heavily forested areas, staying close to the earth. They often form clan-like groups with strict rules and harsh penalties for breaking those rules. Those outside of cities often live a hunter-gatherer lifestyle, and the use of ranged weapons among them is extremely common. During the God Wars, they sided with Aster, god of the earth.

Humans: Easily the most populous of races, humans can be found just about everywhere. They are a very varied species, with many differing strengths and abilities. However, what is by far the humans’ greatest strength is their resilience and ability to adapt to different environments and situations. Because they are so scattered and diverse, they did not take one side during the God Wars. Rather, different groups chose to side with different gods.

Laguna: Smaller than the average human, the laguna are mostly human in appearance, with the exception of their webbed fingers and toes. They can hold their breath for a long period of time under water. They often live along the coastline, and their primary occupations are fishing, sailing, and trading. They are a very proud people, and while for the most part peaceful, they will attack if they feel as though they’ve been insulted. During the God Wars they sided with Zerya, goddess of the sea.

Merfolk: Most merfolk live in underwater cities along the coastline, as they are able to breath underwater. They are human in appearance from the waist up, but from the waist down they have a scaled tail. They can leave the water, and on doing so their tail changes into legs. However, they are easily distinguished because their legs still retain scales. They are generally a peaceful people, and are somewhat magically inclined. During the God Wars, they sided with Zerya, goddess of the sea.

Seraphi: The seraphi are similar in appearance to humans, with one major difference- they have bird-like wings. They can fly, and often live in small family groups, often settling in high places, although more and more of them have moved toward mingling with other races. They are not very magically inclined, instead preferring ranged or melee weapons. During the God Wars, they sided with Kalyon, god of the sky.

Trolls: While humanoid in appearance, trolls are extremely tall, often over seven feet, and are usually heavily built and well muscled. They are very war-like, and very rarely mingle with other races. They are often lacking in intelligence, relying on brute force in most scenarios. Often they live in natural caves or other such formations that provide protection from the elements, although they will build shelter if they must. During the God Wars, they sided with Pelae, goddess of fire.


Author’s Note 5: Character Races

Your characters can be any of these nine races. In fact, if you want, they can even belong to two races. For example, a character could have a seraph mother and a laguna father. Or a fae mother and a father who was half fae and half troll. Or they could be human, but at some point had a daemon ancestor and some of those traits show up in your character. I really don’t care, as long as there are a maximum of two races. Yeah, remember my example of a no-go character from earlier? I bet you’re starting to understand that now… Also, the inclinations of your character’s race do not affect what abilities they can have later on. For example, just because your character in a seraph, a race that is not magically inclined, does not mean that they cannot use magic abilities. Race and abilities are completely independent when choosing your character. These distinctions mainly serve to help you know what to expect when meeting npcs of that race.

Geography

Map

Author’s Note 6: Maps are Awesome!
If you find the map hard to read, I have the image saved to a photo hosting site, and so if you want to see a larger version, you can click here. Hopefully if you zoom in it will be a little easier.

You like my map? Yeah? Well, I have to say I’m quite pleased with how it turned out myself. However, in the interest of full disclosure, I did not make it entirely on my own. I used a site called Inkarnate. It’s still in a beta testing phase, but it’s very easy to use, and it produces some great results. So if you’re interested in creating a map of your own for whatever reason, I highly recommend the site. Also, since the map is saved on the site and I can edit it at any time, it is what can be referred to as a living document. I will edit it periodically to add any locations the characters visit, or mark the sites of important events so you can track the characters’ progress in real time.


Aeria: Aeria is the northernmost nation in Erhi. Ruled from its capital of Valyrin by a seraphi counsel, the majority of this kingdom is made up of seraphi, aurae, and humans. The Cellaedrine mountains are where the majority of Erhi’s aurae population is located, and there are several dwarven strongholds running throughout the range. It is not a particularly powerful kingdom, but the mountain range along its border and the storms that ravage its coastline for most of the year protect it from outside attack.

• Alarera- Small city built on the Kyrin lake, near the edge of the Verel forest. It's main industry is from lumber, and it is a stopping place for travelers and merchants heading to Aeria's capital.
  
• Lyneleane- This small town in located at the base the most commonly pass, the Pyrinis pass, through the Cellaedrine mountains. There are other passes, but they are all more dangerous, and thus not commonly used. The town caters to travelers across the mountains, selling necessary supplies and offering guides to lead groups safely through the mountains.
  
• Natori- Dwarven stronghold located along the edge of the Cellaedrine mountains.

Behaid: This small and heavily forested island nation is inhabited almost exclusively by fae. Multiple attempts to conquer the island have been made by various other kingdoms, but they all end in failure, as the fae are ferocious in defending their home. Although they discourage travelers, they trade with Lemnon to purchase any supplies they may need.

• Huriopa- The only major city in Behaid, this is a trading port where goods are brought in from Lemnon.

Ironhumiir: This southern kingdom is a desolate and harsh place to live. The Hadrin mountains are populated by daemons, and the open plains that cover most of its land area are inhabited by trolls. The troll general, both a military and political leader, rules with an iron fist from the capital of Erelon. This war-like nation is constantly launching attacks against its resource rich neighbor, the kingdom of Udelle. To the very south of the kingdom lies the Trazbir desert. Most of those who have attempted to cross the desert have had to abandon the attempt and turn back, or risk dying in the barren wasteland. Those who do not turn back never return at all.

• Elyonira- This city, build on the slopes of Mount Harathon, the largest volcano in the region, is a ceremonial city where the daemons gather to worship Pelae.
  
• Rahmay- This town is a military stronghold where the bulk of Ironhumiir's army is located. It is where many of the attacks against Udelle are launched from.
  
• Zalaju- This city, located along the edge of the Trazbir desert, is a lawless town of criminals. All kinds of illegal activity occurs here, and those who are wanted for crimes in various nations flee here to avoid arrest.

Keasia: This kingdom, ruled by a king from the capital of Manilla, is populated mostly by humans. A war-like nation, it is constantly embroiled in wars with its neighboring kingdoms, Sugudohr and Thelaste, as well as periodic attempts to conquer Behaid.

• Amyni- This city is known for two distinctions. First, it is known for its skilled craftsmen, especially in woodworking and carpentry. Secondly, it has a large temple devoted to Kaum, the god of war, and many warriors and military leaders make pilgrimages here to worship him.
  
• Mexel- This underwater city along Keasia's coast is known for its fishing industry. It also trades with the underwater cities along Lemnon's coast, and many goods pass into the country through this city.

Lemnon: This peaceful nation is the biggest trading power in the world. Extremely wealthy and with the largest and most advanced ships, their sailors sail all across the known world, trading in every type of goods imaginable. In times of war, however, they can convert their merchant fleet into a naval force when needed, and they are widely viewed as the rulers of the seas. The coasts are heavily populated, especially by merfolk and laguna, but the interior is only sparsely populated. They are ruled by a powerful merchant counsel based in the capital, Port Tyris.

• Casea- This is the largest and most influential of the underwater cities. It considers itself independent from any land kingdom, and is ruled by its own counsel. This view often brings them into conflict with Lemnon, whose coast it is located along.
  
• Fyri- This underwater city is devoted almost entirely to trade, especially when it comes to seafood and pearls. They cultivate seaweed farms, and have pens where they trap and raise fish.
  
• Kwanki- This city is locatedd along the border of Lemnon and the recently formed Maltis. It is a source of contention among the two nations, and they are constantly fighting over who it belongs to.

Maltis: This tiny nation is located on the same landmass as the much more powerful Lemnon. It was once a part of the other nation, but they broke away after a bloody civil war. They also engage mostly in trade and fishing, but not nearly as much as their neighbor. It is mostly made up of small coastal settlements, and lacks any type of centralized government.

• Shimiti- This is the largest city in Maltis. It is ruled over by a powerful pirate lord, who is the one who encouraged Maltis to break away from Lemnon. He and the other pirates prey on trade ships across all the known seas, making sea voyages dangerous.

Sugudohr: This kingdom is ruled by a powerful dwarven king, whose seat of power is the city of Elyona, carved out of the foothills of the Iresmon mountains. This kingdom produces some of the finest weapons and armor in the known world. It is involved in constant battles with its two neighbors, Keasia and Thelaste. Although they have the advantage in arms and armor, their smaller military levels the playing field with the other two nations, leaving all three evenly matched.

• Doliash- This city is devoted to the worship of Saehaun, god of blacksmithing and metalworking, and is known for the many talented metalworkers who live and work here.

Thelaste: The third of the warring nations, this mostly human kingdom is militarily the weakest of the three. However, in order to avoid being conquered by its neighbors, the king of this nation, who rules from the capital of Molinka, made an alliance with the king of Ironhumiir. They sent them troll and daemon soldiers to fight for the kingdom, which in return has to pay hefty tributes to Ironhumiir to fund their own war efforts.

• Kazil- This city is home to one of the most prestigious magic institutes in the known world. Students come from all corners on the world to be taught in their chosen magic discipline.

Udelle: This is the largest kingdom in Erhi. It is rich in natural resources, and has a very powerful military. And that military is constantly defending against attacks from their southern neighbor, Ironhumiir. Their population is very diverse, ruled by a human queen from the capital of Talnor.

• Bharmar- This dwarven stronghold is along the Celladrine mountains. Rumors speak of tunnels dug all the way beneath the perilous mountains to the other side, saving those who live here from the dangerous trek across the range. But those who live here discourage visitors, so if such a route does exist, it is known only to the city's inhabitants.
  
• Paresh- This underwater city is the only one of any size located in the Braonan Sea. The inhabitant are loyal to the ruler of Udelle, and their spies watch the coast where Udelle meets Ironhumiir, warning when the other warlike kingdom launches attacks across the border.
  
• Tazarnes- This is Udelle's main trading city, and the Rashdi river is wide enough that ships can sail all the way up it to the port city. It also has a large military encampment on the other side of the river to defend against attacks from the nation's neighbors to the south.
  
• Vyasan- This city is devoted to higher learning. It teaches, among other things, medicine, law, and the humanities. It also has a strong affiliation with Celthwe, goddess of literature and poetry, as well as Azmadine, goddess of music, and some of the most talented bards and writers can be found here.
  
• Zarae- This underwater city is best known for its ornate temple dedicated to Zerya, goddess of the sea, and is a popular pilgrimage site for merfolk, who come seek guidance from the goddess, for there is a supposed oracle located here.

Combat Classifications

Author’s Note 7: Combat and Your Character

It is probably unnecessary for me to say this, but seeing as how this is an adventure RP, there will be fighting, so your character must be prepared. So, they must have at least one combat skill. The combat skills that are available will be listed below. Your character will have one main combat skill, and they may also have up to two secondary skill. However, keep in mind that, as is logical, if a character has secondary skills, their main skill will be weaker than that of another character with the same main skill and no secondary skills. There are some skills that may only be practiced as a main skill- this will be specified in the description. And there are some skills that are not only main-only, but cannot have secondary skills, which will also be specified. There are three possible combat styles: melee, range, and magic. Between your main and secondary skills, you can have skills in up to two of these combat areas, but you cannot use all three. So secondaries can be either in the same style as the main, or in one different style. Remember my explanation of a non-allowed character earlier? Guess how many combat styles that character used.

Melee Styles:
Assassin: Assassins typically wear little to no armor. They rely on surprise, and typically use small weapons such as knives and short swords.
Berserker: These fearsome fighters wield heavy weaponry such as battle axes and broadswords. They typically only wear light armor.
Brawler: These lightly armored warriors fight with short swords, knives, steel claws or knuckles, and their bare hands.
Knight: These warriors are heavily armored. They often fight on horseback, and use heavy weaponry such as lances, maces, battle axes, and broadswords. *Main Only*
Paladin: These warriors fight in a similar style to knights. However, the title of paladin is only granted to those who complete rigid training. As such, the title carries with it a great deal of prestige and respect. *Main Only, No Secondaries*

Range Styles:
Crossbowman: These rangers use a crossbow. This weapon requires less training than a longbow or shortbow. It is a slow weapon to fire, but it inflicts heavy damage and is accurate for mid- to long distances.
Dart Thrower: This type of ranger throw darts. These small weapons don’t inflict much immediate damage and are only effective over short ranges, but they are fast and are often poisoned to inflict long-term damage. Those who focus mainly on this skill can learn to use an atlatl or blowpipe to increase the range and damage of their darts.
Knife Thrower: These rangers use can throw knives. They are only accurate over short distances, but they inflict very heavy damage.
Longbowman: These range warriors use a longbow. This is a medium speed weapon, which deals heavy damage and is accurate over long distances. *Main Only*
Shortbowman: This type of ranger uses a shortbow. It is a fast weapon, but inflicts less damage than a longbow or crossbow, and is only accurate over shorter distances.

Magic Styles:
Aeromancer: These types of magic users can control the air, using it to knock over enemies or block attacks. Skilled users who focus mainly on this art can even deprive enemies of the air they need to breath.
Geomancer: These magic users manipulate the earth. They can reshape the ground to their will.
Healer: These mages can heal their allies, but not themselves. Most can only heal minor injuries, or lessen the severity of more serious injuries. However, those who focus mainly on this magic can heal more serious injuries, and those who focus solely on this magic can even gain the ability to not just heal injuries, but transfer those injuries to their enemies.
Hydromancer: These mages use water-based magic. They can not only create their own water, but can also manipulate it into specific forms. These attacks do not inflict as much damage as others, but it is an incredibly versatile type of magic.
Necromancer: These magic users can summon and control dead beings, and use them for everything from attacking enemies, blocking attacks, and even menial tasks. *Main Only, No Secondaries*
Pyromancer: These mages use fire-based attacks, creating their own fire. This inflicts heavy damage, but has very low defense applications.
Shadowmancer: These types of magic users use magic based on darkness. It is a purely destructive magic, often involving making objects or creatures simply cease to exist. It is a forbidden magic, and by the agreement of all governments, anyone caught practicing it will be executed. *Main Only*
Shape-Shifter: These mages can take on an animal form in order to fight. If they focus mainly on this magic, some can even master multiple animal forms, and those who focus only on this magic can learn to take on not only multiple animal forms, but the forms of higher races as well.
Thaumaturge: These mages can summon the power of storms. They can use wind, rain, hail, and lightning to attack their enemies. *Main Only, No Secondaries*

Final Notes

Author's Note 8: RP Style

This RP will be a forum style RP. There are no dice rolls and other such things. You are free to decide how your character uses their abilities, as long as it fits within their combat classification. This will be a group RP. Whether a small group or larger group depends on how much interest. However, I will say that I am capping this at ten characters. That's the most I feel comfortable with having at one time. For the moment, I will only be allowing one character per author. However, should it be the case that we don't get enough characters to get a dynamic story going, I will open things up for multiple characters so we can get things off the ground.

As far as romance and/or smut goes, it is, of course, allowed. If you and another writer decide you want your characters to have a relationship, good for you! You'll need to communicate privately to discuss your do's and don'ts, etc. The one thing I will ask is that you take smut scenes to private message or the one-shots forum here, simply because it would slow the main plot down. Flirting, kissing, etc. is fine in the main thread. But if it's going to be 2+ posts focused entirely on your characters, please take it out of the main thread. The main thread will continue moving, while you are able to write out your scene at your leisure. If anyone is interested in romance and/or smut with any of my npc characters, feel free to ask me about it, and I'll probably be more than willing to work with you on that. However, keep in mind that my characters generally won't be hanging around for too long, so it will probably be temporary.


Author’s Note 9: Putting it All Together

Now that you understand the geography, gods, races, abilities, and RP style, it’s time to put your character together. So, for that, here’s a form for you to use when creating your character:

Name:
Age:
Gender:
Race:
Appearance: (Can be an image or a written description)
Main Skill:
Secondary Skill(s): (Optional)
Personality: (Doesn’t have to be too detailed, but at least have something)
Backstory: (Optional)


Author's Note 10: Co-GM Wanted!
Yes, we've finally gotten to that point that I mentioned in the very beginning. Because of my limited availability, I am looking for a co-GM. Or maybe it would be more accurate to say an assistant GM. This will work a little differently than how most of you would probably expect, though. Again, I am the world in this story. However, the co-GM will not be. They will have a main character, just like everyone else, and anyone who in interested and has already created a character that has been approved can message me expressing their interest in being co-GM. I will be a bit picky, because I want to make sure I pick the right person. I want to get to know my co-GM, and make sure it's someone I can get along well with. So I won't be picking my co-GM right away. In fact, I may not even make that decision before the story starts.

But anyway, here's how being the co-GM will work. First of all, the only people who will know who the co-GM is are me and the co-GM themselves. It won't be common knowledge to the group. I have a general idea of how the plot should go, although a lot of specifics are still open. The co-GM is the only person I'll tell about my plans, how I see the RP progressing, etc. Everyone else will have to wait and see how things go. After all, I love twists and turns, so expect surprises to come up. But I will answer the co-GM's questions, and share my plans. I want the co-GM to be someone who isn't afraid to make suggestions. Now, anyone can offer suggestions, but because the co-GM will know what is going to happen, they're in a better position to contribute ideas and whatnot. And I want someone who isn't afraid to tell me if they don't like my ideas, and will help me adapt them to something they feel suits the idea better.

Now, because I don't have a main character, there will likely be times when I don't even have a character present. Because of this, the co-GM will be the one who will push the group in the direction I want things to go. Not in an obvious way, though, which is why the co-GM's identity will be secret. I still want the group to make their own decisions. The co-GM will suggest the group take the path I originally intended, but ultimately it is up to the entire group to make the decision. If that decision is different than what I was thinking of, then I'll simply adapt my plans to make things work.

But as you can perhaps see by now, the point of the co-GM will be to push the plot along during any times that either I am not on, or I do not have any characters currently with the group. And they'll help me guide the group in the direction I want, without the group feeling like they have to go that direction because I want them to. Working through a co-GM, rather than directly, helps me give the group as a whole more autonomy. Sort of like choose-your-own-adventure type thing. So anyway, if anyone is interested in taking on that role, message me once your character is approved, and we'll talk about it until I reach a decision on the matter.

[That One Dingus]

Hello! So, before I start making a character, I had some questions after reading:

1. What is the difference between Amitnka and Tayeunia?

2. As far as racial aesthetics go, how did you envision dwarves and trolls? Tolkienian? As for daemons, what would you say the limits in their design are (limbs, size, etc.)? What is the inspiration for the aurae?

3. Other than horses, what animals might be suitable for mounts for the different races? Would fae get deer while trolls get larger creatures?

4. Where will the temple be located? Will it be in Behaid (the middle) or the middle or the middle of whichever island/continent most of the players are from? Depending on our racial backgrounds, it may be hard to justify our presence at certain places.

5. Could you explain a bit more about how the main and secondary styles work? For example, would a Shortbowman with two secondary skills be considered on par with another character that has shortbows as their only secondary skill?

[Snake]

Wow that's some pretty detailed work! I'm impressed

[Juliette]

I'm very interested in this roleplay, you've done an amazing job with this, honestly.

[Ontan]

Definitely interested! I've had a craving for a fantasy freeform, and Erhi looks to be an amazing setting. Like Dingus, I've got a few questions before I get to character creation, but none of these are potential deal-breakers: they're just to ensure a potential character fits with what you had in mind.

1. Would you prefer shape shifters to have a conventional 'wild' aesthetic, or can they have a more urbane background? The idea here was a mage that worshipped Amitnka/ Tayeunia, but in a stuffy, scholarly fashion rather than as a forest mystic. Think specimens in glass jars, dissection tables surrounded by magical apparatus, and cavernous libraries rather than forest shrines and intuition.

2. Do main / secondary skills only apply to combat abilities, or should we include other talents (eg stealth, navigation, diplomacy, etc)?

3. Are the minor deities aligned with the major ones, or can they be worshipped independent of race?

[Dhi]

Hi Sukaretto, would you permit an offshoot race of merfolk which has the lower body of an octopus (so like Ursula, rather than Ariel) and does not transform on land? I like the idea of representing Zerya in the impending Godswar, but doing so in human guise 90% of the time lacks something, I'd like for the character to sport her aquatic team colors all the time.

I like the sound of the Stormwhite Sea, can you tell me anything about the life aquatic there?

[Sukaretto]

Well, I'm certainly glad I have some interest here, and I apologize for the delay. That said, I'll do my best to answer all of your questions, starting from the top of the list.

1. What is the difference between Amitnka and Tayeunia?
At first I was a bit thrown off when I read this question. Then I went and looked at my post, and realized I made a typo. Well, less of a typo and more of a "I was way too tired when I typed this up" moment. So, to clear this up: Amitnka is, as stated in the section above, the goddess of wild creatures. It was Tayeunia who has the mistake. It was supposed to say that she is the goddess of domestic beasts. Livestock, mounts, pets, etc. Closer to being an agricultural deity than a wild one. So that one is definitely a mistake, and I'm about to go fix that in the post above.

2. As far as racial aesthetics go, how did you envision dwarves and trolls? Tolkienian? As for daemons, what would you say the limits in their design are (limbs, size, etc.)? What is the inspiration for the aurae?
Dwarves, I figured were pretty much human in appearance, only shorter. Probably averaging around four and a half feet, with five feet being pretty tall. Perhaps a bit more heavier of build proportionately than humans. But other than that mostly human. As far as trolls, I'd say they're probably at least seven feet tall. Some have human-like skin tones, while some have a gray or green tinge to them. Some can have horns or tusks, but not all do. And again, they're more heavily built proportionately to humans. Beyond those features, they're essentially human in appearance.

Daemons, honestly, I don't have too many limits on. That was one of my ways of giving some freedom to participants of the game. If anyone likes characters with non-human features other than those in specific other races, daemons are the way to go. It's kind of a free-for-all there. A catch-all, I guess. So there aren't limits here.

The inspiration for the aurae... That's a bit of a complicated question. The name originally comes from aurai, greek nymphs of breezes. The idea was to create an air-inspired race that did not fly (one is enough for that). They're thin, willowy, light weight. Live in high places. As close to the air as they can get without actually flying.

3. Other than horses, what animals might be suitable for mounts for the different races? Would fae get deer while trolls get larger creatures?
This is something I never really planned out specifically. Certain things I planned out in details, while others I left open-ended, to give participants a little freedom. So sure, it makes total sense for the fae to ride deer, if they've domesticated them. The trolls would definitely need something substantial. Perhaps domesticated boars? Larger than in real life, of course. And whatever else you can think of. Feel free to use your creativity on this one.

4. Where will the temple be located? Will it be in Behaid (the middle) or the middle or the middle of whichever island/continent most of the players are from? Depending on our racial backgrounds, it may be hard to justify our presence at certain places.
The temple is actually on the map, labelled Temple of Light. And actually, no, it isn't in the middle of the map. It's in the north-west corner of Aeria. Which, yes, of course is a bit out of the way depending on races and nationality. The idea, however, is that after the initial dream, the characters had a series of dreams along the journey that guide them to the temple. Different races do travel through other areas for travel and whatnot, so them travelling there won't be too odd. The story will start with all the characters arriving at the temple. Of course, some will have had longer journeys than others when it comes to getting there. How that journey went is up to the author, and you're welcome to include details of that if you wish.

5. Could you explain a bit more about how the main and secondary styles work? For example, would a Shortbowman with two secondary skills be considered on par with another character that has shortbows as their only secondary skill?
Okay, the best way I know how to explain this is with numbers. Now, don't get me wrong, we won't be ranking characters' skill levels with numbers for this story. The ranking scale I'm using is only to help illustrate my point.

Say, for example, that a character has Shortbowman as their main and only skill. Now, all of their time spent training for combat is put into using the short bow. So, on a scale of 1 to 20, their skill level would probably be around 19 (because no one is perfect.)

Now, there's another character whose main skill is as a shortbowman, but they also have knife throwing as a secondary skill. This character's combat training is now split between two different skills. So perhaps their main skill, using a short bow, would only be at a skill level of around 14, and their secondary skill, knife throwing, would be around a skill level of say 8.

And finally, another character that has shortbowman as their main skill, knife throwing as a secondary skill, and aeromancy as another secondary skill. Their training time is now split between three different skills. So their skill with the short bow may only be around a 10, knife throwing at say 5, and aeromancy also at 5. Or perhaps instead their main skill with the short bow is around 12, knife throwing is at 5, and aeromancy is only around 3.

Whichever way it ends up being, the more combat skills a character has, the weaker each of those combat skills are. Again, we won't be ranking character skills on a number system. However, the different skills do affect each other, so keep that in mind when choosing your character's combat skills.


6. Would you prefer shape shifters to have a conventional 'wild' aesthetic, or can they have a more urbane background? The idea here was a mage that worshipped Amitnka/ Tayeunia, but in a stuffy, scholarly fashion rather than as a forest mystic. Think specimens in glass jars, dissection tables surrounded by magical apparatus, and cavernous libraries rather than forest shrines and intuition.
No, this idea is totally fine. Some characters may perhaps be naturally more inclined towards different skills and magics, but there is also an element of choice involved. Why your character chose a specific skill or magic, and how they express that, is totally up to the author. Just as in the real world, people can choose to worship/follow different gods in different ways. So you have free reign on that. If that's an idea you like, feel free to go for it.

7. Do main / secondary skills only apply to combat abilities, or should we include other talents (eg stealth, navigation, diplomacy, etc)?
Yes, the main and secondary skills sections on the character form are only for combat skills which appear on the list of possible combat skills. Miscellaneous other talents should not be listed in these sections. But of course, it is generally understood that characters will have other such skills, depending on their history and personality. So you are more than welcome to describe any such skills they may have in either their personality or backstory sections, or you can even create a new section on the character sheet to list those if you want. You are always welcome to add anything you want to the character sheet, as long as all of the required information is still present.

8. Are the minor deities aligned with the major ones, or can they be worshiped independent of race?
Aha. So many elements to this question. First of all, any deities, minor or major, can be worshiped by anyone irrespective of race. Just because daemons traditionally worship Pelae doesn't mean you can't have a daemonic character who chooses to worship Aster, for example. Your character's religious beliefs do not have to be the same as those traditionally held by their race.

Secondly, some of the minor gods and goddesses were aligned with specific major gods and goddesses in the God Wars. However, there were, of course, those who chose to remain neutral, and inevitably some side-swapping going on. Hence why none of them have allegiances listed. Some may still be allied with majors gods, some may not, etc. Those ties will come up as the story progresses (hint hint...). However, suffice to say that just as with the major gods and goddesses, any character can worship any of them, regardless of race or their alliance to a major deity.

In fact, characters don't even have to have strong ties to any one major god or goddess if you don't want them to, nor do they need to have ties to any minor gods and goddesses. Just like in real life, religion is entirely the character's choice. They can believe in whatever you want them to.


9. Would you permit an offshoot race of merfolk which has the lower body of an octopus (so like Ursula, rather than Ariel) and does not transform on land?
Another loaded question, with an equally complicated answer. So- can there be a group that is fully merfolk that have tentacles instead of tails? No, there cannot. Can there be one specific character that is fully merfolk that has tentacles instead of a tail? Again, sorry, but no. However, the key phrase there was fully merfolk. Keep in mind, characters can have up to two races. And there is one race, daemons, that allows for a full range of non-human features. So, could you have a character that is merfolk but has some daemon blood (either recent or generations back), where that daemon blood manifests itself in said character by giving them tentacles instead of the merfolk tail? Yes, there can be. There can even be a group like that, if it is understood that they are all of mixed race.

So, long story short, you can have such a character as long as they have both merfolk and daemon blood.


10. I like the sound of the Stormwhite Sea, can you tell me anything about the life aquatic there?
The Stormwhite sea is the farthest north, so in terms of aquatic life, think along the lines of what you'd find on earth closer to polar regions. Whales, seals and walruses, mostly large fish, etc. However, as with some of the previous questions, this is something that I left open-ended so that the group got to add some input into the story. If you want to delve deep into what creatures live there, make up something completely new, etc., feel free to do so.

[Shjade]

I had an urge to fabricate a new character and stumbled onto this thread with its wealth of tools for building one in a new setting. And so:

Thea Sris

Name: Thea Sris
Age: 32
Gender: Femme
Race: Human

Appearance: For having lived something of a rough life into early adulthood, Thea's kept herself in remarkable shape. A cost of living, you might call it, given what one must sometimes do to live. Her hair is earthy brown with waves subtle as the Trezbit sands, well-kept but often fraying at the ends where they rest just past her shoulder blades. Age shows itself in fine wrinkles beginning to settle on her face, though even more so through the weight carried in the hazel pattern of her eyes, the knowing shadow of her smile. Piercings dangle from each ear, varied from day to day but always light, metallic, and clustered into trios that often play off of one another.

Farther down, the rest of her body carries its share of artistic influence gathered over the years with a number of tattoos displaying desert flowers; Daemonic aphorisms well-known in the southwest reaches; suggestive depictions of why one might be viewing a given stretch of her skin; and on her chest, a word writ small over her heart in a street dialect mainly spoken in Zalaju: "Remember."

Main Skill: Shadowmancer
Secondary Skill(s): -

Personality: In a word: duplicitous. If there was ever a time a friend of Thea's expressed surprise at her honesty, it was not for what she was being honest about, but that she'd said an honest word at all. Small wonder, given her talents and interests, of course. One does not live long entrenched in Shadowmancy if one is open about such things. The whole of her life amounts to living at least two of them, one for the public in which she worked her way up from the seediest parts of Zalaju into something almost resembling a respectable woman - in as much as one can achieve such status among such people. The other, for pursuit of her own, personal goals. It's not a malicious act, or habitual dishonesty; it's simply a survival tactic, a basic fact of her life. She lies because there is no other option but to lie.

As such, her "face" personality is mostly what one would expect of a street rat-turned-escort-turned-spy: charismatic, flirtatious, witty, disarming, self-centered. One can hardly be blamed for sounding like a cliche of a lifestyle one is, in essence, playing as a role. And who would think the life of a spy is, itself, a fabrication?

The other side to that coin rarely sees the light of day. It's the laugh at her blood-brother's joke about northern politics. The way she watches moonglow cresting a fog bank after weeks locked behind the coastal mists. Writing drafts of a letter she mails to the fireplace until her fingertips are red and raw. Leaning close to whisper, "No one will miss you when you're gone," as another face is swallowed forever into the dark, eyes wide in panic.

Backstory: Let's get this out of the way right now: Thea's parents are terrible people. Not in the blunt, abusive manner that is normally the way of such things - think bigger, and less personal. Thea lived her first ten years in their care in Udelle learning about courtly nobility, money, public expectation, propriety, all the important things in life for families above a certain barrier of wealth. She also learned how little any of the presupposed ethical obligation such families have toward their society really meant when her parents abandoned her in Elyonira during one of their "unofficial" trade ventures to the southern reaches.

"You have to understand, dear," they'd said, "we told you to stay in the carriage."

According to her mother, Thea was "too recognizable" to risk keeping her with their small entourage, the one that was supposed to be in Behaid at the time, so for the good of the family they simply must leave her behind. Alone. To be brought home later was the implication but, as is often the case with unspoken promises, this one was not kept, or even intended. In her family's defense - and, really, why would anyone defend this? but we ARE in the territory of Daemons now, aren't we, so where better to find an advocate? - the ploy worked. Rather than rumors spreading about what the Sris delegation was doing in Ironhumiir, they managed to spin the scandal into simply stoking fires of hatred and resentment toward the south (which isn't all that hard to do with even the slimmest of excuses, really): they must have abducted poor Thea to fill her head with lies and blasphemy!

Of course even that motivation did not mean it would be easy to retrieve the girl. By the time her parents returned to Udelle - definitively better-off than they'd begun the trip, for their efforts - Thea had already been ushered east. More out of necessity than direct action, mind you. She wasn't abducted, or enslaved, or any such thing, no, it was much worse than that. She was ignored. She nearly starved to death that year more than once, having little education to help her outside the sheltered life of a rich girl in the north. Whether it was pure luck that saved her in finding Bran and his friends in a helpful mood, or the influence of Zashia taking an interest in her situation, who's to say? By Thea's reckoning, thanking Zashia covered all her bases either way, and she's been faithful ever since, more so even than in her devotion to the concept - if not the true position or interests - of Lumeria.

As one might imagine, the idea of "Justice" is rather different for someone with plans to make right what they feel has wronged them than for one whose interests are primarily in keeping the peace.

No idea how well such a character would even fit into the game you have in mind here, Sukaretto, but I wanted to drop her in here all the same. Some volunteer flavor, you might say. ;p

[Ontan]

I almost hate to say it, especially after you already provided such thoughtful and detailed replies to all the above queries, but I have just a few more questions. After this, I’ll stop pestering you with minutiae and get to the character sheet, I swear…

1. Should shapeshifters take a minor skill to reflect how they use shapeshifting in combat? I’m probably not wording this very well, but what I want to avoid is any perception that shapeshifting is a ‘cheat’ for easily accessing any other style – say, turning into a panther to play the role of an assassin, or transforming into a quill-throwing mammal to become a dart thrower, etc.

2. Are ‘monstrous’ animal forms okay? I won’t play coy here; I’m thinking of a giant spider, and wanted to check whether these sorts of high fantasy creatures are fair game for someone with shape shifting as their primary (but not exclusive) skill.

3. Thematically, did you have a desired ‘power’ level for characters to start out at? E.g. novice adventurers, conquering champions who already have a few heroic feats under their belt, something between… or a diverse mix of veterans and amateurs.

… And that’s the last of my questions. Honest! 

[Juliette]

I also have a few questions. One would be about the combat classifications. Would a character be able to use both of 2 different styles at once?

For example: If someone had a Dart Thrower, but used that along with Aeromancer to be able to increase the range of a dart?

Another question would be how long ago would the Gods war have been from where the roleplay is going to start, and what year would the roleplay start on?

Also, I was playing with an idea of creating a "Prestigious House" for a human lineage who master in different types of magic styles. The idea was to have the House be more than 600 years old, and the reason they are "Prestigious" is because they've been known to be powerful Mages, and have survived the Gods War. The idea can be tweaked of course, but I was wondering if I would be able to create something like that?