ENES 6: As You Like It

The official thread for what started here.

Rules: No jetpacks. No missiles or guns. No trampling over another player by deciding what they do. (except if agreed beforehand, of course.) Nothing too far out of character, and no posting a world map. The world is too large and unknown for that, plus it ruins the "explore" aspect of the game, and the fact that players must be free to choose their own homeland.

Wait 30 seconds with the posting - I'm reserving a post for character list...

Character List

MOD-OWNED NPCS:

Circon
An old mage-warrior, but that description is not accurate. He will be my main character. He has no ethics, no morals, and deals in all forms of magic. Circon is almost sulless, and bordering on undead: his sword is bone white, drains his spirit every waking moment, and has long since banished sleep. He is only human - and still human. He is outcast - though that has no practical meaning, he left society behind him a very very very long time ago, and nobody alive remembers him being cast out. He fights with every trick in the book, from poisoned caltrops to an all-destroying death spell. His appearance is that of a man with pale, drawn skin, a two-handed sword that radiates fear, a suit of armor that appears to weigh little, and a dark red and black cape with several internal pockets.

Arla
A woman of many interests, not much is known about her. She is rumored to hold a seat in the Council of Meranos, but even this is uncertain. What is known is that she hires adventurers to do unlikely tasks for her. These invariably lead to complications, especially when two adventurers are set on opposing directions. No one knows quite why she does what she does, but one man proposed she is actually a Chaos creature in human form. She usually appears as a mysterious woman in a long pink dress.

Isor
Druid with a two-handed axe, he moves from grove to grove, seldom venturing out of the places he swore to protect. An ill-made oath binds him to these for a period of time; how long, he has not chosen to disclose. He summons nature's allies to fight with him in most situations, and his axe is said to be a deadly bane of all unlife and evil. This has given him a somewhat good reputation among priests and exorcists, even though he abhors religion. His hair is threaded with green vines, and a well-used and dirty white cape with several stains covers most of his body.

PLAYERS

SKILORD: Aldaer
Human, Thief, no religion, no magic
A man of cunning, Aldaer has been cast out of the CJaos cult and swore vengeance against their leader Makiram. He is a brilliant general with no army, but would very much like to raise one for his revenge on all those he despises.

Insane_Panda: Gaius Armenius
Human, Scholar, no religion, technological magic.
Gaius was cast out of the priesthood for his "blasphemous" ideas such as the steamwheel. He is now under the protection of Doge Vitalia to develop his ideas more fully.

Cmon, people, PM me a summary I can add!

Aldaer

Fallen Demon

The cult of Cjaos, he could still remember it all so well. He had advised the legion master himself, Makira, he had personally helped him arm the armies and had plotted the courses. To be honest he had no magic, but few knew that for he had bluffed his way to the very top. Then the days of the purging had come and Makiram, in his eternal suspicions, had cast Aldaer out of the cult for plotting, though Aldaer had always been faithful.

He was confused for a long time, he still is in many ways, but he had finally decided to wage an unholy war against the armies that had thrown him away. He had tried to train in the physical arts to become strong enough to defeat them all, but strength was not his talent. He had a certain charisma, and an undoubtable luck. He gives himself to no vices, and is singlemindedly focused on his purpose of destroying the Armies of Cjaos, of testing himself against a God, of defeating all of those who have Magic and Might. He has no ambitions for himself but revenge, and he refuses to die unavenged.

You wouldn't call him a good man, he steals and murders as he needs to survive, he uses others to achieve his ends, he is not especially cruel or evil, he just does what he needs to get what he wants.

-

I took the template here from the first RPNES.

Name: Aldaer
CFC Name/Aim Name: SKILORD | wilchinski20
Race: Human
Homeland: The Dixye Confederation
Occupation: Thief | Vengance Seeker
Primary: Tactician
Secondery: Thief
Religion: After being abandoned by the cult of Cjaos he has not returned to faith in religion.
Alignment: Machivellian
Magical Talent: None
Strength: Mediocre
Stamina: Normal
Agility: Good
Charisma: Superb, Amazing
Intelligence: Superb

Abilites:


Description: A wirey man hidden in his cloak
Build: Wirey
Height: 5'6"
Face: Slender

Weilding:
On Head: Hood
On body: Cloak
On hand: Nothing
In belt: Short Daggar
Weapon Wealding: Long Daggar, enchanted by Makiram himself to be sharp and to poison, Aldaer has vowed to ram it through Mairam's heart.

Training:

Aldaer is one of the most brilliant generals alive, he planned several devastating campaigns that decimated the northern Dwarf Consortium before their southern brothers could arrive and even managed to enslave the arriving armies to work in the mines. He was a great boon to the power of the Cult of Cjaos, and if he could assemble an army he could be its greatest foe.

Weaknesses:

He lacks any magical talent, though training has been tried repeatedly. He also lacks any real solid ability to fight physically, though he will not think twice before using any tactic no matter how low to gain advantage in a fight.

Gaius Armenius

A scholar, Gaius dabbled in the arts of alchemy for a while, under the employ of the church of Sol Invictus (Sun god priesthood). After several years of frustrating work for the Priests of the Son God, Gaius soon turned to other scientific areas such as astronomy, engineering, and such. After his distaste of Alchemy became apparent, the Priesthood threw him out of there pockets, and he was left poor and unable to continue his scientific pleasures for lack of money.

This forced Gaius into destitustion and he then went around the countryside, seeking patronage from the local warlords or authorities, and showing them his notebooks of writing and his myriad inventions. One invention that Gaius claimed his was an odd toy. A wheel which he was able to get to spin by boiling water to an intense heat and forcing the steam out of a tube, which hit the wheel in a closed case and allowed it to spin. This amused several rich merchants and bankers in the rich kingdoms, and especially Doge Vitalia IX, leader of the Venetii trading council. He soon ordered several of these, and now throughout his palace there are several of these spinning wheels. Gaius laughs at this, and works under his patronage, refitting his spinners as he calls them (he believes they can be used to do great things), and experimenting with a new exploding powder, which Gaius bought from traveling caravanserai from the east....

Gaius wears simple attire, White scholar's robes and he carries with him many instruments for preforming thaumaturgy and rudimentry arithmatic calculations.

Gaius also believes that the magic and supernatural powers of some are merely accidental manipulations of the laws of the universe, and that if studied properly, mastery of such techniques will be easily done. Gaius is not of the religious type, and this was one of the reasons that he was thrown out of the priesthood, along with the fact that he claimed turning lead into gold was not possible.


Gaius' Spinner, steam travels up the tubes from the heated cauldron, and causes the wheel to spin, creating self movement. This is not at all effecient, although Doge Vitalia does use the automated device to open gates in his residence. Gaius continues work on this, and he thinks that if he can get this to work on a massive scale, he can erase peoples false superstitions and erase the Priesthood's strangle on the scientific world. Doge Vitalia is one of the leading contributors of the Priesthood, and thus Gaius can get away with his inventions under his patronage. Vitalia does not see these things as threats to the church, rather he sees these things as tools which could help instead of harm.

BOOKS IN THE WORKS BY GAIUS

Automata: The Art of Thaumaturgy (self moving miracles)
Mechanica: Lifting Heavy Objects without the need for heavy labour

http://forums.civfanatics.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=72099&stc=1

Aldaer sat in the bar, the warm stickiness poured out through it like a spilled out ale. The wind hammered against the door and belched snow into the world. Aldaer was hunched over his meal, a dark cloak covering his face, his eyes peering into the bar, filled with fellowship and dancing.

His chin was covered with stubble, his eyes shot out dangerously. The fork was lifted to his mouth.

He lifted his hand to wipe his chin, watching the bar closely as a pair of brutes began shoving each other. The bartender would warn them again, but Aldaer knew better than to think that they would listen to the bartender. The shoving continued and a sinister smile took his face.

He wasn't a big man himself, he was wirey and though he had trained in a dozen fighting arts he wasn't all too prepared to test them against these brutes. He didn't have any magic to lend to the battle either, there was no need to enter into the fight.

The two men began throwing punches, and soon they toppled a few tables, they were thrown to Aldaer's table, most men would have thrown themselves away, his dagger shot out into the back of the man who had been thrown to his table.

The other man leaped upon his fallen foe, slamming punches into the other man's face, Aldaer's dagger slid up his back and he reached into both of the men's purses, relieving the dead of them. The bartender glared at him as he did it, but noone moved, he wiped the blood off of his dagger onto the coat of one of the dead men.

The fork rose to his mouth yet again, a final bite into his mouth before he left.

The Beginnings of Thaumaturgy
From the Correspondence of Gaius Armenius, Scholar in the employ of Doge Vitalia IX

Gaius had recently returned from his trip northwards, and stunk of fermented goats milk and fur. He set off to take a trip to the baths, but first, he needed to write his correspondence to Vitalia, and Book Keeper Aüm, quite possibly the only two people in the world who take interest in what Gaius does.

Dear his Magesty Vitalia IX,

After your expedition to the north to supress the riots from the farmers of Dnieper, it has been brought to my attention that the Spinners I have crafted for you can be put to more practical uses. I was toying around with them, and I was able to create a suffiecient spin of the wheel if I had enough fuel for the fires to heat the water. You saw how they can spin. Well, what if this method were applied to carriages, or perhaps even ships, this could take off all reliance on winds for shipping, and perhaps even let us cross the Bas Lag without being torn apart by storms! Imagine, your magesty, the great possibilities of what we once thought to be a mere novelty! But for this to happen, I ask that you grant me the facilities needed and a team of your finest engineers, architects, and shipbuilders. I have some work to do.

Honorably,
Gaius Armenius

----------------------------------------------------

To Book keeper Aüm:

I hope that you have kept the illustrations I sent you, and Im sure that you have kept up with your book keeping. Well, now that I am back from Dnieper, I can spare some time to head down to the library. I have showed you my Spinner haven't I, well I also have to show you something I bought recently from the markets, Black powder, which combusts when set aflame. Very interesting really, perhaps it would serve some use in the entertainment business, special shows and what not. Anyways, My contact at the markets, A sir by the name of Zjeer Akhbad, an eastern man, told me that it came from the far south east, a land of superb science. I will show you this new novelty once I have the time to visit the library.

Regards,
Gaius Armenius

------------------------------------------

Gaius quickly finished these, put his ink, quill, and parchment away, and then set off for the baths, ideas running through his head. Great things were coming, very great things.....

Ill fill out one of those templates soon.

wannabe.

lol, both of you.

Book Keeper Aüm
To Gaius Armenius
You sketch has been received and the scribes are copying it as I dictate. Any almanac you should choose to produce over such things as you mentioned in your last letter will be a worthy undertaking and receive my full support.
I hope to hear more from you soon, it is a good thing that you do.
By my hand and seal
Aüm.

OOC: It was great. But mind that you don't move into steampunk.

Leave it, as logn as Erik mosey is "mod" I'm not playing good bye. And yes Erik, this is not nes related, this is cause I despite you.

Tarantir V 2.1

Name: Tarantir (also known as Nerevarine)
CFC Name/Aim Name: Gelion/none
Race: Dark-Elf
Homeland: Vvanderfell, Tamriel Empire
Occupation: Freelancer Warrior/Mage
Primary: Nerevarine, keeper of Vvanderfell (reincarnation ability)
Serves the Godess Azura in her noble quests as it is his primary objective in life. This and the next.
Secondary: Freelancer - does any job that suits him at the time. From time to time becomes a leader of various guilds or a craftsman.
Religion: Azura Cult
Alignment: True to Azura and "noble" causes, but is true to himself when he's alone.
Magical Talent: Very experienced in Vvanderfell Magic especially in "Destruction" and "Matter" magic.
Strength: Sufficient for the needs of warrior and a mage
Stamina: Very High (experienced in many battles)
Agility: Good enough for a warrior
Charisma: High especially with Elven nations/does not speak a lot, but strikes the "roots" all the time
Intelligence: High

Abilites:
Longsword: very effective as its the only battle skill mastered every day from the very start of his career
Magical skills:
destruction - very experienced
restoration - experienced
summoning - has knowledge, rare practised
use of magical/items and scrolls - very efficient with almost any type of items. Huge experience with various magical items in vvanderfell.
Alchemy: - well enought to get by for a warrior
Smith and Armourer: - good
Various Crafstmen skills: below or avegage

Description: Dark Elf appearing to look a little under 30 (human standart)
Age: Over 50 (Elven - i.e. no effect of physical looks or characteristics)
Build: Elvish, dark skin (more of dark blue than black)
Height: 1.80 meters
Face: Red Eyes, Black Hair, noble looking ("Aragornish")

Weilding:
On Head: distinctive Vvanderfell Helm (his own creation)
On body: Vvanderfell Armour, Dark-Blue Travel Cloak
(Armour Image:
)
On hands: Steel Longsword and Vvanderfell Shield
Backpack: 8 restore-magiska portions, book of spells of Vvanderfell, book of Vvanderfell Smithing, Azura-contact ring and a Vvanderfell food, "camp pack".

Training/Bibliography:
Once Tarantir was only a greenish looking prisoner in Tamriel Empire. No great skills in anything, very little knowledge of the outside world. Once he came to his own province of the Empire - Morrowind, he was very inexperienced and unskilled. Energy, enterprising character, in-born nobility helped him to raise to the very top of many various guilds. Once he fulfilled the prophecy he meant for, he was free to live for himself. Gratefull citizens of Morrowind were always pleased to see him. After a quiet period of his life, he went into adventuring again often disguised as an unexperienced village fellow. Infinite quests followed, years of perfecting magical skills. Dark Elves are known for their skills in magic and warrior-related skills. Now Tarantir is an unofficial keeper of Vvalnderfell, a friend and loyal servant of the Godess Azura with throughout knowledge of the Empire, Morrowind, ancient legends and secrets related to his part of the world. He is now on a mission of curiosity: "what is going on in the outside world?".

Weaknesses:
Extermely loyal to Morrowind and Azura
Noble and Adventurous - bad combination
Bad Thief and Cloak abilities unless by magical means
Like every person in the world has only a certain amount of "magiska" to do magic. Thus it can theoretically drain out and he needs to sleep or rest to reagain it or use magical items.

OOC: No Steam punk! Nooo..... How about no Industrial revolution, just leave the steam in

Oh well, I'll still have fire powder.

@Skilord, haha, yeah, I won't fill out one on second thought, not much need for it for my character, anyways.

Edit: Can we have guns if they are slow loading arquebus type weapons? Much more ineffective than longbows.

Im in.


Name: Lord Thraxious
CFC Name/Aim Name: Tyrion | ThrxVM
Race: Alu
Homeland: Unknown
Occupation: Vampire | Manipulator
Primary: Necromantic Arts
Secondery: Swordsman
Religion: Religion as no place in Thraxious' Life.
Alignment: To himself (unsure about this)
Magical Talent: High
Strength: Mediocre
Stamina: Normal
Agility: High
Charisma: Low, Cold and Unloving, who would Like him?
Intelligence: Superb

Abilites:


Description: A Slim, tall creature.
Build: Lean
Height: "6,2"
Face: Gaunt

Weilding:
On Head: Hood
On body: Cloak
On hand: Nothing
In belt: Scrolls of Necromatic Power
Weapon Wealding: Long Sword of Drinking. Through some mechanical Mechanism Developed by Thraxious in his spare time as it cuts into flesh it drains the blood of the enemy (if it has any) into storing compartments.

Training:

He has trained extensively in the art of Necromancy. His skill with a long blade is also extensive as times have arisen when he needs more than just a skelatol army to kill an adversary.

Weaknesses:

As a vampire he cannot leave his dwelling during the day. Though he has put extensive research into defense against certain attacks he is still susceptible to holy relics and stakes.

History: (From the imperial accords on known threats) As an Alu little is known or remembered about his homeland. It is assumed he had one and began life without the blood curse of the vampires.
At one time or another he was bitten and began his life in undeath.
Ever since this moment it is believed he began his studies on Necromancy and the art of Death, as this is the only way imperial scholars believe he could of obtained the amount of knowledge that resides in that haunted brain of his.
It is unknown whether he trained in Long Swordsmenship before or after being cursed though it matters little. His skill is known throughout the lands and it is believed that he is the most skilled in the world, this would make him the most skilled teacher though none have been foolish enough to try and get tutoring from him.
He is listed her among other threats because of his ability to raise hordes of the dead, though he has made no offensive movements in his entire existance imperial scholars believe it is only a matter of time before he unleashs his knowledge upon the world.

Map of LAnd around Lord Thraxious

Thraxious sat at his desk in the darkness studying alone as always. He sighed as he turned the page wondering why this curse had been placed upon him.
"Huh?" he wondered out loud when he heard the sound of footsteps.

The door creaked open and Ereath stepped forward.

"Who are you?" Thraxious Creaked.

"Ah, Master Thraxious i am Ereath and i unlike many have come to seek training in the arts of Long Swordship and Necromancy," Ereath stated confidently.

"What inselance is this?" Thraxios Hissed, " None dare approach Thraxious Lord of the Night."

"None but me my lord," Ereath continued, "I am willing to ignore your curse and are more than willing to pay for your services."

"Pay? What need have i for money or Gold? No foolish man the only thing you can pay me with is company"

"Company?"

"Yes eternal company, Living for millenia alone is quite depressing. If you wish to become my Disciple you must first take the plunge into the world of night." Thraxious said walking over to Ereath.

"You wish for me to be bitten?" Ereath asked standing his ground.

"Yes, if you are interested in the realms of Necromancy than you must be looking for eternal life. What better way than to become a creature of the Night?"

"But what of the lose of daytime walking the weakness to Holy Relics?" Ereath asked.

"I have spent centuries looking into these. Though i have come up with no way to deal with the holy relics or places, i have developed magical robes which allow for Vampires to walk in the daylight." Thraxious Counted.

"Let me think about it, while i do that why dont you teach me something?" Ereath asked walking to Thraxious' desk.

"Very well, lets begin," Thraxious started as he guided Ereath into his libary.


After many months of learning and training Ereath agreed to join Thraxious in Undeath as his First disciple.

Aldaer stared at the rapidly dissapearing footstep as the wind cut into the hood and slapped into his face.

Help.

He had been waiting for months, doing little to advance his plan, paralyzed without an army and without any help, the Cjaos Lord Makiram had many enemies, he had always been told, but he found few now as he needed them.

The footprint began to drift away in the furious and chilling winds.

Aldaer stepped into it, the time had come to move forwards.

-

(As I can't really move him forwards until the woman says what she wants we will go backwards, to the beginning)

He had been a boy once, in the Dixye Confederation, a land to the South where the nobles farmed cotton and tobacco and profited handsomely, and where the yeomen were plentiful and bountiful. A land of many farms and of proud heritage.

His father had been a minor noble, and his cotton plantations brought enough to assure Aldaer, if that had ever been his name, a tutor who taught him carefully the ways of history of rhetoric and of literature. He was a second son, though, and would never inherit his fathers plantation so he was enlisted in the army as a minor officer when he was 18.

He rose through the ranks rapidly, impressing all with his absolute brilliance as the Dixye Confederation fought and won several smaller wars.

What had attracted him to the Cult at first wasn't any particular teaching, though the thought that oneself was higher than all others would come to be important in his conversion, it was the raw power that he saw in its armies when the Dixye Confederation warred with one of its smaller allies. The small war had erupted into a major conflict between the Cjaos Lord and the Confederation, though, and the brilliant Major was offered many a title for changing sides.

He hadn't given in at first, the Cult spent months seducing him, but he converted at 25 and became a General of an Army that had been sent to conquer his homeland.

He had been forced to personally oversee the burning of his fathers mansion as the shadowy figure of Makiram had watched, a smile upon his lips as they drank of the crime.

He had grown even further and at 34 he had been made the chief military advisor to Makiram, he had spent two years at that post before being purged.

He is now 38.

Not very literary, sorry, it's an uncomfortable position with a desktop here, I've grown away from it.

Tyrion:
"Come out and face me, coward!" sounded a voice from above ground. "I know you're down there, foul one. I can sense your residues. I can feel your aura. And I have tolerated you long enough. Bring your new disciple, I will slay you both."
Down in the lair, Thraxious and Ereath stared at one another.
"It's the Druid again." Thraxious said. "He chased me once before, but I evaded him. I don't know if you are strong enough to face him."
OOC: Settling in a forest? When I listed an undead-hating druid?

SKILORD:
"Still standing here?" said the woman, coming out of the storm again. "I warn you, that gold is under a geas. If you don't start moving, it'll start to rot and you'll be left holding a bag of mold. On the other hand, you can follow me. We head south-east, towards the mountains and the settlement of Laktensang." She gazed at him, this time waiting for an answer before she disappeard.
(ooc: I'm trying to leave the plot fairly open - you can get there as you like)

Gelion:
Tarantir was in a forest, like he often was, when he spotted a cape flutter and disappear some distance away. Azura had no particular quest for him at this time, so he decided to follow the stranger. "Who goes there?" he cried, not really expecting an answer. "A challenger," came the voice. With his sharp ears, it told him several things. First, its owner was human or near-human, and male. Second, he possessed magic. And third, of course, he wanted a fight. Tarantir had no illusions about his own abilities. He would win any combat, so he thought he might indulge the stranger in atleast a mock battle. Still looking ahead, scanning both the ground and the trees for the person, he stepped on something sharp. A caltrop. Very well, then. If you're going to play _that_ way... I will too. He pondered what to do for a moment, then made his decision.
OOC: Yes, it's Circon.

If anyone has problems with the colors, just tell me...

A long shreik was heard all throughout Venetii, followed by a loud bang. Citizens near what they thought to be the center of the noise rushed to the fences of the Doge's palace and were eager to find out what had caused all the noise.

There, in the middle of the courtyard was a robed man covered in black soot.

"Marvelous!" Gaius proclaimed, waving his hands at his assisants "Come here, work needs to be done."

Gaius had just finished his expirimentation with firepowder he had acquired from eastern merchants, and was ecstatic about the results. This powder would explode on contact with fire or a red hot object, the uses for this would be endless. Gaius set off immediately to his chambers, and carefully drafted a letter to the Doge Himself.

To His Majesty Doge Vitalia IX:

Recently I have finished testing new firepowder, a powder which explodes on contact with anything red hot. The uses of this product would be endless, if produced in the right quantities and quality. Therefore, I ask of you, to allow me an armory along the bay to work in and produce limited quantities of this powder, to be shaped into a myriad of products for entertainment. There may be even military uses for this powder, no doubt the northern farmers would be shocked senseless if they ever saw this powder in action. Granting me an armory would also allow me to perfect my steam wheel and propel Venetii to the top of the world!

Signed and Sealed by
Gaius Armenius, Scholar in the court of the Doge.