Firebrand: A Post-Apocalyptic Fantasy AC

There was a time when the world was dynamic. It was teeming with life, and humanity enjoyed every asset be it under the sun or within the depths of the world. That time has passed. Years ago, a Great Fire was reignited, and an age was reborn. Man destroyed itself. In a burning flash, the very essence of humanity melted and once again became part of something greater.

However, when a thing is thrown into a hearth, it can be reforged.

Foreword
Greetings! So, I’m trying my hand in running another AC. This AC will be fairly story-driven. There will be “important” NPCs. There will be plot points that players must discover if they wish to take part in the story. Player actions having effects on the world that other players may encounter; on the same token, a player can find out something plot-related that nobody else knows. However, if a player wishes to play for the sake of playing, to accomplish their own goals outside the scope of the story, that is totally fine.

Setting
Firebrand takes place approximately 50 years after a nuclear war occurred at some point in the 21st century of our world. Very few remember the exact day or reasoning behind the global catastrophe, but the effects are far from over. Widespread nuclear fallout aside, the bombs caused something unexpected to happen to this world.
By the time the last bombs were dropped, about 9/10ths of the world’s human population had been wiped out. However, not all of the last 1/10ths had exactly “made it” either. A disease of some sort had gripped mankind, about ⅓ of the remaining populace being afflicted on the day of reckoning and that number is steadily increasing. However, calling this a disease is an understatement. Those afflicted are, in effect, immortal. When the body is destroyed, they are seemingly resurrected in the last place they identified as "home." However, they say if one loses something dear to them, they will be lost forever. What this means exactly is unclear.
That is not all. Anomalies are frequent in this world. People speak of individuals who bend the elements to their will and achieve feats impossible for ordinary men. There are also rumors that four locations were transformed into cities unimaginable.

Joining
Players will take the role of a human afflicted with this mysterious disease. You get to choose from a variety of classes, each one requiring a sort of “background convention.” You’ll see what I mean when you get to that part. Classes will decide most of your starting stats and equipment, so your main job in joining is picking a name, picking an alignment, writing a general background, and picking what bonus equipment you want(there will be a list). So, in effect, here’s what your join post should look like:

Name: (Make it related to your region. If your ancestry was foreign, that's fine, but write so in your background.)
Class: (Pick a class from below.)
Alignment: (Moral/Ethical alignment. See here.)
Place of Origin: (Can be as specific as you want, but must at least specify the country.)
Background: (Just a bit of background on your character. Again, be as specifc as you want, but gimme something to work with.)
Bonus Equipment: (Choose one from the list.)

Classes
[DISCLAIMER]
If you prefer to build your own class from scratch, you can pick from the items listed from each class and distribute points up to 54 as you see fit, but it needs to be approved by me.]


Stats Explanation
This is just something I threw together to tell you what stats do.

• Vitality: Increases your health and generally makes you sturdier. Must have for armor-users.
• Adaptability: Increases your defenses against the elements and raises agility.
• Endurance: Small increase to health and resistances, larger increase to stamina.
• Strength: Increases damage through pure strength. Also required to equip use/equip certain items.
• Dexterity: Increases damage through technique. Also required to use/equip certain items.
• Intelligence: Increases proficiency with sorcery. Also required to use/equip certain items.
• Faith: Increases proficiency with miracles. Also required to use/equip certain items.
• Attunement: Increases the number of spells you can commit to memory. Also increases the chance of a successful cast in the hear of battle.
• Charisma: Helps with bartering and otherwise negotiating with NPCs.

Equipment explanation:
I will only go into detail about your equipment with you specifically, in private, after the game has started. Though this section is intended to answer any questions you may have about your gear relevant to your choice, for example what each armor/clothing set actually does or how they look.

• Bandit Set: Leather armor that practically covers the body. Effective against many melee weapons. Makes physical details other than the wearer’s height obscure. Comes with a hood and mask. Does not make much noise when moving.
• Defender’s Set: An amateur attempt to make sturdy armor. Surprisingly effective against physical damage. Almost looks like armor a noble man would wear in an age long ago.
• Pilgrim’s Set: A rather conservative set of clothing that only provides a bit in the way of protection. Mostly keeps the elements out. Some say the original wearer’s being imbued some sort of unnatural resistance against things that should not exist.
• Wayward Set: An awkward set of clothing that looks unappealing to the eye but works fine to protect the wearer. It has obviously been patched up from tears time and time again using clothing that was not originally part of the outfit.
• Drifter Set: A basic set of versatile clothing. Comfortable in all but the most extreme weather conditions.
• Rustic Set: A set that looks almost primitive, but is sturdy enough to survive the elements and many physical blows before tearing apart.
• Layman’s Set: A scant set that barely covers the body. One might as well be naked.
• Lost Chime Bell: Poor catalyst for miracles. A single bell that releases a pleasant chime when struck.
• Attuned Stick: Poor catalyst for sorcery. Uncomfortable to hold, it appears to be a small branch the fell from a tree.
• Pyromancy Spark: Poor catalyst for pyromancy. Appears as a spark held in the hand. It is warm, but does not scathe the wielder.
• Black Water Droplet: Poor catalyst for hydromancy. Appears as a black liquid held in a small, sealed vial held closely by its owner.

The equipment that look like spell names are in fact spell names. You’ll get more information if you pick that class.

Bonus Equipment:

• First Aid: Various healing and disease-prevention items.
• Petrified Object: An object of unknown origin that looks locked in time. Extremely soft to the touch.
• Firepower: A firearm and some ammo. You won’t know until you choose.
• Mysterious Ring: A ring found in an alley of a destroyed town.
• Two Black Ethers: A seemingly liquid substance that, oddly, one can hold in an open hand. IS this a product of the event that ended the world?
• Binoculars: It’s best to see what is ahead.
• Momento: A memento from your past. These days, the past is all you have left. You choose what exactly your momento is.

Weapons
There are several classes of weapons that you will find throughout this game. The most basic weapons are simply those left over from before the war. Guns are rather common among those unaffected by the mysterious disease. However, guns are not receptive to enchantments and magic in general. Weapons from age's past are becoming increasingly frequent among the afflicted.
Some weapons, called Power Weapons popularly, have modern attachments to give them extra utility. Examples of these innovations will have to be found or created.



So, now with technicalities out of the way, I’ll talk about some stuff then you can post.

Firstly, I will allow for infinite cooperation. You all can work as a team to do whatever it is you want to do. This also includes background collaboration. I will also allow for independent action. The choice is yours.

Secondly, missions will only be semi-scheduled. I mean to say that my aim is for one to three a week, concentrated on weekends. However, if I and a relevant party are all nice and free during a weekday, I am fine with going along with it.

Thirdly, and this is more OOC, yes this game is lightly based on Dark Souls if you’ve played through the series and guessed. However, this will follow a story of my own design. Nobody has to know Dark Souls to play this game. They may get a few hints as to some plot points from dark souls, or what some items that I left intentionally vague are, but nothing overbearing will come out of knowing the series inside and out. Just something of a disclaimer for you guys.

Now I think that’s all. I’ll reserve a post, then you all can post.

Reserved

Name: Shikishima Jaegar
Class: Hydromancer
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Place of Origin: Kuril Islands, Japan
Background: Will add more later.
At the age of 9 he was the only survivor of a raid on his village by a large band of afflicted raiders. One of the raiders took pity on him and hid him until the band left...and from that point on he was different. He soon developed advanced powers...but everything he knew was gone, and he has been scarred for life. Years later, Shikishima decided to begin a trek west, across the mainland...well perhaps 'decided' is too strong a word. At this point you might not even call him human, but rather the shell of an infected human being that wanders where his feet takes him, almost as if some small part of his brain is simply seeking death.
Bonus Equipment:
Two Black Ethers

Alignment is moral alignment. Something like Chaotic Neutral. Sorry for the confusion, but indeed you can only choose one of the Bonus Equipment options. I will make this more obvious in the rules shortly.

Name: Alexandria
Class: Pyromancer
Alignment: Neutral
Place of Origin: Strange... I-I don't seem to remember? All I recall is leaving my house in the forest of Maine, and now I'm here... With a flame in my hand?
Bonus Equipment: Mysterious Ring

I've edited to OP some. You can now do your own stats and starting equipment, but it needs to be approved by me.

Name: Daniel Bradford

Class: Pilgrim

• Vitality: 8
• Adaptability: 2
• Endurance: 3
• Strength: 6
• Dexterity: 3
• Intelligence: 4
• Faith: 12
• Attunement: 9
• Charisma: 7

Alignment: Neutral Good

Place of Origin: (New) Zarahemla (built on the ruins of Salt Lake city)

Background: Born after the apocalypse in the city of Zarahemla, Daniel was like any one else in his community. A hard worker, pious, and faithful, like all members of his community he was sent out at the age of 18 on a Mission, to help others and to bring back special and new knowledge, resources, people, or religious artifacts to Zarahemla, for without these pilgrimages, Zarahemla would be unable to sustain herself. Many people do not come back, Daniel did not believe he would either when a group of people he was teaching and helping drugged, captured, and kidnapped him. Having accepted his fate Daniel closed his eyes, and sent out a prayer for safe passage to the next life. When Daniel opened his eyes he wasn't dead, but instead back in Zarahemla, in his house with his family. To him it was a miracle, but others, were divided, some saw it as a heresy, others saw it as tradition breaking, and an insult to their history and Zarahemla, few were happy to see him return tough, he had gone out on a mission and suddenly returned with nothing to show for it. Because of this Daniel set out once again, to discover what had caused this, and to continue his mission, vowing not to return until he finds answers. That is, if he doesn't die again.

Equipment:

• Pilgrim’s Set
• Lost Chime Bell
• Heal
• Push
• Barrier

Bonus Equipment: Momento: An old, dusty, and battered quad combination of scriptures, read to provide comfort, guidance, and wisdom to Daniel during his journeys.

Zeus Magnum
Jedi
Neutral?


Bio: from Derinkuyu, his drill will pierce the heavens (I'm gonna make a drill sword at some point probably)

Name: Amélie
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Place of Origin: Bartertown (built on the ruins of Goodsprings)
Background: Amélie is a laconic and enigmatic figure who was born in Bartertown. At the beginning of Amélie's life, she worked as a nurse in a small church in the town, healing and helping those in need. But, when she was seventeen, the city began to grow corrupt and violent. Robberies and murders were common in the city, those who didn't pay were killed. And so it happened with her family, bandits broke into her house, killed her parents and threw her younger sister and she in the Mojave Desert. Only she survived and after years, she returned to the city as a stranger. In search of her revenge, she payed mercenaries to plunder the city and kill everyone while, under the cover of stranger trying to help the city, she loaded the little church of explosives, sending once and for all the city to hell with the rest of population and mercenaries. And so she disappeared in the haze, roaming the world seeking a purpose.

Stats:

Equipment:

• Drifter Set
• Hunting Rifle
• 30 .270 caliber bullets
• Pistol
• 10 .45 caliber bullets

Bonus Equipment: Momento: A necklace with a picture of her little sister

Signing up soon.

Just a heads-up, I'd like to start this tomorrow. I can be convinced to push it back to Sunday, but if everyone interested can get stuff up in time for tomorrow that would be preferred.

I can do tomorrow around 10 pm preferably, or early afternoon. Sunday afternoon/night would also be nice. Will you perhaps do a mission both nights if there is enough interest?

Entirely possible.

Edit:

Okay so I have a plan of action for the coming two days. I'll be hosting a session each day. The main point will be to explain the ins and outs if the "main hub area" I've been talking about in chat as well as some other mechanics that have not been talked about yet, such as the experience/currency system, and when I'm done and all relevant parties are finished looking around they will be allowed to explore the world at large if they so choose.

The initial part will be a time to forge the main party if you all choose to have one, or organize various alliances. You can also inquire to the various npcs that are there. How this game is played is quite open-ended, so really it's a "free time" of sorts.

The perks of this is that people who don't wanna wait can start their journey while people who need more time can have it at no real penalty. You as a player would only need to attend one of these sessions. Well, you don't need to, but it would very much be to your advantage.

This plan itself can change based on player opinions. I want this to work out so you all can basically get what you want. Let me know what you think.

Name: Seong Zang
Class: Hydromancer
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Place of Origin: South Korea, in the derelict hull of a pre-apocalypse warship.
Background: Seong Zang was born into a village that had made its home in an old battleship tethered to the shore and forgotten in the aftermath of nuclear war. Her life was relatively peaceful and happy until one fateful day, when a dispute between the town leaders and a caravan party led to a skirmish between the two parties, and one of the caravan's members unwittingly set a bomb next to the abandoned but volatile ammunition stores within the ship. The ship erupted in a fireball, slaughtering the villagers and leaving only a few caravan members to tell the tale. Seong "reappeared" in her old home, now a burnt out husk of metal, a few days later, the events of that fateful day still etched in her memory. She wanted nothing more than to die and see her family and friends again, but her attempts to kill herself only brought her back to where she had started. Dejected, she left her old home, thinking bitterly of the caravan that had killed everyone she knew and loved in the world, and decided then and there that she would be the last in the village that day to die, meaning she had some caravaneers to track down first...
Bonus Equipment: Memento: A wooden flute she had from when she was a child. She likes to play on it when she thinks about killing herself again.

alright updated my original post

Added some more things to each class, except for hydromacer and bandit, for balancing purposes. Each of the spellcaster classes (pyromancer, sorcerer, pilgrim) received one more spell each. Vigilante received a shield. Traveler received a kitchen knife.

This works out as there was some things I wanted to talk to others about regarding custom signups; with this change everyone comes out perfect to start.

Name: Arthur Tearborn
Class: Sorceror
Alignment: True Neutral
Place of Origin: From the former Chicago region, born among the ruins of the great lost city herself.
Background: Chicago was second only to New York, before the war, and second only to New York in people lost during it. Arthur was born near what once was a trainyard, and when his parents died of radiation poisoning when he was twelve he set off down the ruins of the great American rail system. He wandered the Midwest for a decade, gaining the name Tearborn for the teardrop birthmark under his eye, before contracting the disease. He died in a shootout in what was once called St. Louis and was reborn in Chicago with nothing to his name. He set off West this time, to see the end of the continent, and passed through Cloud, Bartertown and Angel City before coming to Frisca. It was there he found a girl and settled down, calling it home at last, until the girl died. Now he's ready for a trek south, into the great cattle plains and the uncharted lands of what once was Mexico.
Bonus Equipment: Mysterious Ring, found in the ruins of what some once called Kansas City
Stats:

• Vitality: 4
• Endurance: 5
• Adaptability: 5
• Strength: 3
• Dexterity: 7
• Intelligence: 14
• Faith: 1
• Attunement: 10
• Charisma: 5

Equipment:

• Wayward Set
• Attuned Stick
• Kitchen knife
• Soul Arrow
• Hush

http://theplaceunknown.chatango.com/

This will be the chat for the main hub. We'll be starting a session in about an hour. For now you can head here and ask me any questions you still have.

Second session will be starting anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour and a half from now. View link above.

Any chance of another mission date soonish?