Merania: A Fight For Power [Freeform, Historical Fantasy, Extreme, Recruiting]

[FlowerMagnolia]

A Fight For Power

Story Premise
Years before the discovery of America, settlers found the island of Merania in 1437. A foreign, strange land that was not inhabited but provided fertile land and space to explore. The population flourished and more settlers decided to follow the first colonizers. Thinking they were alone, a proper society developed out of laws, education and farming. Soon, however, after five years, no more settlers arrived on the shores and no correspondence has ever been responded to since. People leaving the Kingdom also never returned, without another word. Forced to stay and make the best out of it, the people stayed, but life was not going to be easy.

Not long, and the first fights emerged over the right of land and who held the most power. Fights turned into civil wars, with one family ending on top of it all; Montarac. The Montaracs managed to claim power with their heavy influence on trade and their incredible wealth that they brought along with them across the Sea. They had been able to train fighters, turning them into loyal warriors that would fight for their name to feed their families. The Montaracs were an enormous family; the oldest male child already becoming the sole heir to their parents’ wealth. Having won the civil war, the Montaracs built a castle in the North of Merania, laying the basis for the future capitol of the land.

Court attracted traders, farmers and pastors who settled around Montarac Castle. Shurgshire soon became the biggest town, being the beating heart of the Kingdom. And soon, with a dynasty secured, life flourished once again. Friends of the royal family were, by royal decree, given the title of lords and ladies, given big lands to secure the hard achieved peace. Life was good, despite the common mystery about what was lying beyond the Sea – or as the settlers soon called it – the White Sea. Given the nature of the circumstances, stories about witches soon spread over the land. Witches, that could take lives for their own good, had created a barrier around the island, locking everyone in.

To the royal family, those stories were entirely baseless and humbug. But the rising panic amongst the people forced them to act. They turned to the churches in the Kingdom who were then instructed to give the people a sense of security and to look for anyone that might not want the best for the people. But for years, there was no incident that could have assumed the existence of witches. Yet, something started to emerge in the depths of Merania, working to grasp power.


Witches and Warlocks
Witches and Warlocks have been living on Merania for centuries, but never in big numbers or viscerally. Despite their powers, their magic is limited to pain and suffering. In short, they gain power by killing. They can communicate telepathically amongst themselves when their powers are diminished but can extend that power with brutality as well. Before humanity arriving, they killed animals to be able to do the most basic spells. Some radical ones decided to kill their own kind in order to gain more power. First, they were pleasantly surprised by the arrival of settlers that would give them an opportunity to enhance their powers without killing themselves. But many more came that were invading their lands, almost advancing to their Cave in the far west. Deciding that enough was enough, they set a village on fire to draw powers from their deaths and to create an invisible barrier around the island that would stop anyone from leaving and entering Merania in the first place. They kept a low profile ever since, using the civil war for their own benefit to kill without being noticed. Peace, however, would not give them the freedom to kill people without drawing too much attention. At the council of Witches and Warlocks, they have decided to slowly be apart of society and take over the Kingdom in subtle ways. Killing them all, of course, would not be an option, but the aim is clear: to enslave humankind and overthrow the royal family.


Rough Timeline
Important information: Even though the years are the same, due to the story’s setting, the development of certain things are different in Merania than compared to our history.

1437
Settlers set foot on Merania for the first time. Word about the discovery of the new island spreads quickly and over thousand people arrive over the course of the first year.

1442
Population exceeds 50,000 at this rate. The witches and warlocks cast the spell to block new settlers out and to stop them from leaving at the same.

1443
Fundamental recession economically and demographically. Lots of families lost their loved ones in Europe/Africa/Asia due to the blockade.

1444
First conflicts and fights between villages. The Montaracs start building their castle.

1451
Civil War emerges. Families and neighbors fight for dominance and money. Hundreds of people die at the hands of greed and violence.

1457
End of the civil war. The causalities are massive with one family ending on top: the Montaracs. Overthrowing and murdering the rest of wealthy families at the ‘Battle of the Windy Creek’, the rest of the population submitted to the most powerful family on the Island.

1458
Formal declaration of the monarchy. An official document signed by the heads of the Montaracs.

1458-1500
Years of flourishment and prosperity. New laws are instituted. Land is cultivated. New, powerful families emerge after the civil war with the help of the royal family. Lordships are given out, together with land. Soon, almost the entire Island of Merania has been given away. Only the far west has not been explored yet, including the Witches’ Cave.

1515
Tensions arise. Illnesses spread. King Paul emerges the throne with his wife, Florence.

1533
King Paul is found dead in his chambers. The game begins.


Story Idea
The story would be set roughly 100 years after the discovery of Merania. I have created a similar world before, but I figured that the world was too big then. This is much smaller with just one family sitting on top. The basic idea is to have the balance disrupted by a huge incident – the death of the King. There is no poison, no weapon, no suspects. However, despite the peace in the Kingdom, former allies of the crown reach for power themselves and will not stop until they reach their goal. With troubles arising at court, witches/warlocks, that have lived in Merania before the settlers arrived, have made it upon themselves to destroy the ones that have stolen their home from them.

This roleplay will consist of players creating their own houses, if they wish, or creating characters that are part of the royal family. There will be smaller scenes, smut included but this story does not depend on it, but also bigger scenes such as court balls or bigger incidents. The plot will highly depend on how many players this game gets and how active they are. I will create more to this story if the interest is there!


Possible Characters
Queen Montarac – Taken by FlowerMagnolia
Prince(s) Montarac - One taken by Swashbuckler
Princess(es) Montarac - One taken by Athem
Cousins(s) Montarac’s - One taken by peachfuzz221
Lords
Ladies
Witches - One taken by Vlexia
Warlocks - One taken by Draco Neurosis
Concubines - One taken by Foxy DeVille and pilgrimofpain
Priests
Warriors - One taken by Larkyuu
Traders - One taken by Blackstone

But there are much more, of course. You can reserve a character already if you like! First come, first serve.


Character Sheet

Code Select Expand


[float=right][img height=350]Insert url here[/img][/float]
[center][font=impact][size=24pt]NAME OF YOUR CHARACTER[/size][/font][/center]

[b]Title(s):[/b] Lord/Lady/Knight/Prince/Princess etc.
[b]Age:[/b]
[b]Political Position:[/b]


[b]Physical Appearance[/b]
(please insert the physical appearance of your character here)

[b]Personality[/b]
(please insert personality traits here)

[b]Backstory[/b]
(insert backstory here)

[b]Intentions[/b]
(What is your character planning? Where could their story line go?)

[b]Ons/ offs[/b]
(Character’s O/Os)
[url] Insert your own O/Os here [/url]

[b]Faceclaim[/b]
(name of your faceclaim)

[b]Extra Photographic Inspiration[/b]
(delete if there’s none)


[FlowerMagnolia]

Example Character Sheet

FLORENCE MONTARAC

Title(s): Queen of Merania
Age: 43
Political Position: Queen Regent


Physical Appearance
Florence stands tall and proud, believing in herself as any royal would. She has blonde hair and blue eyes, a descendent from Scandinavian settlers. She carries herself well and is always well cared for, due to the fact that maids care for her every need. Now, after the death of her husband, she strides around the castle in black gowns, mourning him through and through.

Personality
The Queen Regent believes in her own self and is proud beyond belief. She does not tolerate disobedience or inappropriate behavior. She’s proud of her history and puts family first, above all else. She is loyal to her friends, and incredibly cold towards potential enemies. She would let them feel her dislike towards them immediately. She enjoys reading or enhancing her own fighting skills.

Backstory
Florence has never known poverty or struggle of life. Growing up as a Lady of family Redthrawn, she has learnt the way of court early on in her life. She has been raised with the belief of marrying the Prince ever since she was a small girl, and so, she would never dare to question that decision. With 18, Year 1508, Florence travelled to the capitol to meet the Prince and only days later, to marry him in a big ceremony. The very same night, Paul raped his wife to consummate the marriage. After that, she learned in how defend herself and Paul never raised another hand.

Only 7 years later did Paul’s father die, giving away the throne to his son and his wife. With 25, Florence became the Queen of Merania, but had to learn the hard way that politics and ruling was not easy. Nevertheless, she simply took what would make her stronger and started taking lessons in fighting. The relationship with Paul was cold, but always necessary for the realm to survive.

Intentions
Florence intends to stay in power and protect her family at all costs.

Ons/ offs
https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=300859.msg14706424#msg14706424

Faceclaim
Diane Kruger

Extra Photographic Inspiration

[FlowerMagnolia]

Quick links to the threads:

Recruitment
Approved Characters
Worldbuilding
Montarac Castle IC Ground Floor
Montarac Castle IC First Floor

[Amarlo]

I am tempted... Especially for the role of a Princess or Lady. -taps chin.- I will see what comes to mind.

Will we be using art or photos?

[FlowerMagnolia]

I am tempted... Especially for the role of a Princess or Lady. -taps chin.- I will see what comes to mind.

Will we be using art or photos?

Welcome! Yes, art or photos will be included in the character sheets.

[DracoNeurosis]

I'm getting back to writing (finally) after a long absence, and I think this might be a good place to start.

May I ask to modify the concept of warlock, in that some additional powers are part of the powerset, specifically minor party tricks (a la Prestidigitation, in D&D parlance) and telepathy (limited to only the ability to speak with a subject without verbalizing, and being able to force imagery into a subjects mind but not read unbidden thoughts)?

If that's OK, then I would like to reserve a position as "the court wizard", loyal to the bloodline for as long as it serves his needs...?

[Foxy DeVille]

Hmmm... got a tentative courtesan idea.

[FlowerMagnolia]

I'm getting back to writing (finally) after a long absence, and I think this might be a good place to start.

May I ask to modify the concept of warlock, in that some additional powers are part of the powerset, specifically minor party tricks (a la Prestidigitation, in D&D parlance) and telepathy (limited to only the ability to speak with a subject without verbalizing, and being able to force imagery into a subjects mind but not read unbidden thoughts)?

If that's OK, then I would like to reserve a position as "the court wizard", loyal to the bloodline for as long as it serves his needs...?

Glad to have you on board!

As for the warlocks, that should be ok. Perhaps I'd limit telepathy between their own kind first when they are weakened but the more they kill, the better they get at it and can extend that power to humans.

I can definitely reserve you a spot. It would not be labelled as 'court wizard', for the royal family does not know of wizards yet, but he could be some sort of healer/fortune teller with which he could hide his powers.

[FlowerMagnolia]

Hmmm... got a tentative courtesan idea.

Foxy!! That's fine! Nobles do need sexual relief  ::)

[Foxy DeVille]

Foxy!! That's fine! Nobles do need sexual relief  ::)

Oh, that will just be one of the tricks of her trade... (cue ominous music)  >:)

[DracoNeurosis]

Glad to have you on board!

Thank you!  Good to be back.

As for the warlocks, that should be ok. Perhaps I'd limit telepathy between their own kind first when they are weakened but the more they kill, the better they get at it and can extend that power to humans.

Hmm.  Interesting twist.  I see that warlocks have been around the island for a long time - presumably, longer than the colonists?  If so, then that certainly makes sense.

I can definitely reserve you a spot. It would not be labelled as 'court wizard', for the royal family does not know of wizards yet, but he could be some sort of healer/fortune teller with which he could hide his powers.

OK.  In that case, could warlocks have their own houses?

[FlowerMagnolia]

Thank you!  Good to be back.

Hmm.  Interesting twist.  I see that warlocks have been around the island for a long time - presumably, longer than the colonists?  If so, then that certainly makes sense.

OK.  In that case, could warlocks have their own houses?

Yes, they can. But their powers are still a secret. I'll reserve you a spot as warlock for now!

[DracoNeurosis]

Yes, they can. But their powers are still a secret. I'll reserve you a spot as warlock for now!

Excellent, thank you!  I shall begin outlining a character profile.

Is there an existing thread for character backstories, or is it too early for such things?

[peachfuzz221]

Is this freeform?

I do have an interest in either a power/sex hungry cousin (if incest is allowed, perhaps attempting to seduce the prince(s) to gain a position of higher power) or an unfortunate concubine.

Will dub/non-con be included? How dark will the game go?

[FlowerMagnolia]

Excellent, thank you!  I shall begin outlining a character profile.

Is there an existing thread for character backstories, or is it too early for such things?

As this is only an interest check, there are no specific details yet, nor a character sheet. We will still need 2/3 more people for this game to make sense, so we will have to wait until that happens before I'll put in any more time :)

Is this freeform?

I do have an interest in either a power/sex hungry cousin (if incest is allowed, perhaps attempting to seduce the prince(s) to gain a position of higher power) or an unfortunate concubine.

Will dub/non-con be included? How dark will the game go?

Hello, peachfuzz! Yes, this is freeform. I don't mind incest as far as cousins are concerned. Within the story, it would be highly inappropriate to have sex within the family. Considering that we are talking about people who kill to gain power, this will get pretty dark. Dub-Con and Non-Con will definitely play a role, especially considering town folk and perhaps blackmailing storylines... But, then again, sex is not necessary for this story to work.

[peachfuzz221]

As this is only an interest check, there are no specific details yet, nor a character sheet. We will still need 2/3 more people for this game to make sense, so we will have to wait until that happens before I'll put in any more time :)

Hello, peachfuzz! Yes, this is freeform. I don't mind incest as far as cousins are concerned. Within the story, it would be highly inappropriate to have sex within the family. Considering that we are talking about people who kill to gain power, this will get pretty dark. Dub-Con and Non-Con will definitely play a role, especially considering town folk and perhaps blackmailing storylines... But, then again, sex is not necessary for this story to work.

Highly inappropriate, and yet so deliciously scandalous ;) I am putting in a tentative interest.

[FlowerMagnolia]

Highly inappropriate, and yet so deliciously scandalous ;) I am putting in a tentative interest.

Wonderful!

[WaitingCynicism]

I'd be interested

[FlowerMagnolia]

I'd be interested

Glad to have your interest!

[BlackStone]

Interest check.  I think I am going to go for information broker, organizer of local thieves guild.

[FlowerMagnolia]

We are officially recruiting! I added a character sheet and some more information on the history but more world building is following this week! Please post your character sheets here until I creat a character thread!

[peachfuzz221]

Rovena Montarac

Title(s): Lady
Age: 25
Political Position: Cousin of the Prince(s)/Princess(es); niece to the King and Queen


Physical Appearance
(please insert the physical appearance of your character here)

Personality
(please insert personality traits here)

Backstory
(insert backstory here)

Intentions
Rovena desires power. She wants to climb the monarchial ladder in any way she can and gain a significant status of authority.

Ons/ offs
(Character’s O/Os)
My O/Os 

Faceclaim
Unknown (if you know, please tell me)

Extra Photographic Inspiration

[peachfuzz221]

@FlowerMagnolia

Would Rovena be the biological niece of the King or Queen? What are her options for her parents?

[FlowerMagnolia]

@FlowerMagnolia

Would Rovena be the biological niece of the King or Queen? What are her options for her parents?

I left that fairly open whether Paul or Florence have siblings. I'd suggest Rovena being Florence's niece (for simplicity's sake), so let's give Florence a brother who married another Lady who then had Rovena. Feel free to invent anything there, or someone will volunteer to play Florence's brother in the future. But for now, just make up anything that comes to mind! :)

[peachfuzz221]

I left that fairly open whether Paul or Florence have siblings. I'd suggest Rovena being Florence's niece (for simplicity's sake), so let's give Florence a brother who married another Lady who then had Rovena. Feel free to invent anything there, or someone will volunteer to play Florence's brother in the future. But for now, just make up anything that comes to mind! :)

Thank you! I’ll exercise some artistic listen every :) Now what about their relationship? How does Florence feel about her niece? I have the idea that she favors her a lot, like she is her own daughter. Or if you have any ideas?