Pre-Game: Last Days of Weissen

[Seon]

Doom comes to the Kingdom of Weissen, the northwesternmost of the human kingdoms and the first line of defense against the demonic tribes in Unviddian Wastes in the frozen north. Its armies lie decimated in the aftermath of the Great Holy War, and the new reigning monarch is but a child less than a decade old.

In contrast, in the frozen north, a woman named Evelyn has begun to unite the disparate demonic tribes under a single banner. Those who follow her has proclaimed her to be Queen, the first among the demons to bear such a title. While her forces are yet small, more and more tribes join her cause daily. It is not unimaginable that she will succeed in her dark quest to unite demonkind under her iron fist. If that is to happen, people whisper, she will surely turn her gaze towards Weissen to settle her people’s long debt with humankind.

Yet the rulers of Weissen and the other human kingdoms seem oblivious to the threat. In the capital of Ci-Alen, nobles scheme for advantages and favors with the regent, Duke Calistos. In the east, the Empire of Terma, ruled by the decadent Dragonborn Emperor, Aether, has publicly declared its non-involvement in the plight of Weisseners. To the south, Weissen’s staunchest ally, the Holy Kingdom of Lymilark, lies destroyed. Only rubble and magical flames remain after the holy warriors of the Faith from every human kingdom failed to stop a single archmagi.

Beyond the rubble of Lymilark, the human kingdoms of the southern lands are preparing for the next Great War. A charismatic mage of unknown providence has emerged as an absolute ruler of the Al-Kalmar after a brutal revolution, openly denouncing the Faith in its weakness and bestowing herself the title of an Empress, much like the Dragonborn Emperors of Terma. While every Southern realm is still weakened in the aftermath of the Great Holy War, it is likely that the Empress will move to make her ambitions of ruling over a grand empire true as soon as her nation is able to wage war once more. Whatever happens, it is unlikely that Weissen will receive any assistance from such tense lands.

The people of Weissen now stands alone, with no armies to protect their lands and no allies to come to their aid. Particularly brave demons have already launched raids into the countryside and found themselves completely unopposed by the royal army. Such signs of weakness will surely only encourage them to launch further raids. Only ones that the people of Weissen can turn to now are the adventuring warriors who now flock to the region.

You play as these adventurers, attracted to the doomed nation of Weissen like a moth to the flame. Perhaps you were disgusted by the Dragonborn Emperor’s lack of action against the threat of demons to civilization. Perhaps you were fleeing from the spectre of a great human war in the South. Perhaps you are a survivor of the Great Holy War that saw Lymilark destroyed. Perhaps you are attracted, instead, to the rumored charisma of the Demon Queen and seeks to enlist in her forces. Whatever the case, you will likely have a hand in the nation’s future, whether it falls into ruin or remains the steadfast defender of humankind.

Introduction

Welcome to the Last Days of Weissen, a character-driven RPG game inspired by such things as Fallen London, Mabinogi, and several other sources. You will play as heroes, adventurers, and aspiring campaigners with their own backstories and desires. For whatever reason, your characters have been attracted to the dying kingdom of Weissen, abandoned by its allies and now standing alone against the demon threat.

As you complete missions and conduct minor actions, your characters will grow in quality, stats, death counts, companions, and favors owed by the powers that be in Weissen. While you alone will likely be unable to change the fate that awaits Weissen, perhaps even the Nameless God, who lurks in the darkness of the future, may be surprised yet.

Basic Mechanics

With apologies to Failbetter, I’ll be borrowing heavily from some mechanics in the game, Fallen London.

In this game, you will play as characters who shall be defined by perks, qualities, and four primary stats that describe the character’s abilities.


The Primary Stats:

-Strength and Blades: Your skill with swords and weapons, or perhaps just being monstrously durable and strong. Probably the fastest way to get effective combat power and gain the respect of common people.

-Agility and Shadows: Your ability to avoid danger, sneak past enemies, dodge, and give chase if need be. Creative characters may use it to steal, but that would be illegal.

-Will and Knowledge: Your strength of will, and ability to bend the universe’s magic to your will. Also useful for providing temporary buffs to other stats, within reason.

-Charisma and Tongues: Your ability to inspire others or convince them to your side of the view. Also useful for making pacts, alliances, and compacts with devils, spirits, and other inhuman forces that lurk in the world.


If we must put an arbitrary advantage diagram to the primary stats, willful mages will defeat Strength-focused warriors. Mages will likely be defeated by agile rogues and heroes. Agile heroes will likely be unable to deal with strong and armored warriors. Charisma is usually useless in combat (outside of bluffing or convincing enemies to stand aside.

Qualities: Qualities are assigned for deeds that you do, and affect other people’s perception of you. Completing quests and missions, or doing other individual initiatives will raise these qualities depending on how you complete it. Qualities may also decrease based on your actions.

-Charity and Hope: You didn’t need to, but you decided to help without expecting a reward. Or perhaps you just believe that doing so will change things in the future.

-Heartless and Cruel: You decided to abandon those in need, when it was in your capacity to help… Or perhaps you were just cruel. Even if it was for good reason, your heart is still stained.

-Ruthless and Cynic: You didn’t care about the method to reach your goal. Perhaps it was for a good cause. Perhaps you were just being selfish.

-Melancholy and Tears: Perhaps you experienced a tragedy. Perhaps there were just so much injustice in the world. Perhaps you just can’t explain why you feel this way, but you have been moved into action by sadness.

-Brave and Daring: That was a bold move you just did. You were faced with insurmountable odds, or threats of punishment, but you chose to stand your ground or act otherwise.

-Honorable and Just: You kept your word, perhaps even when it wasn’t to your favor.

-Clever and Subtle: That wasn’t exactly the most honorable thing you ever did, but it certainly was clever!

-Gleam and Zeal: You have acted in defense of the Faith and Goddess Lymilark.

-Gloom and Silence: There is a silence.

Bringer of Death: This is a unique quality assigned to roughly estimate how many deaths can be attributed to you. While killing beasts and monsters will not increase this quality, being responsible for the death of another sentient being, whether directly or indirectly, will increase this quality.

Playable Races:

-Humans: Dominant race in Weissen. Humans will have an easier time interacting with nobility and common folks of the people of Weissen.

Spoiler Subsections :

-Termarian: People from the Empire of Terma have enjoyed a century of peace, during which the nation has entered a golden age of technological and cultural development. People from the Empire of Terma tend to look down on others as being technologically inferior barbarians, but its long period of peace has made them somewhat naïve when it comes to military warfare. Termarians will have an easier time interacting with nobility, but will likely face some problem empathizing with the commoners in Weissen or other military figures.

- Kalmarian: The Kingdom of Al-Kalmar, now known as the Empire of Al-Kalmar, has always been known for its strength, and reliance, on magic and its applications. Mages and aspiring magicians will likely look favorably upon the Kalmar and its advancements in the field of magic, while nobility will view them with suspicion due to the recent brutal revolution in the southern nation.

-Lymilark Refugee: Destruction of the Holy Kingdom of Lymilark meant that its population was scattered to the wind. People of Lymilark are deeply faithful, and tend to stick together with others from Lymilark and veterans of the Great Holy War. They are, as a whole, distrustful of mages and their powers.

-Weissener: Natives of Weissen. No bonuses either way.

-Dwarves: A race without a homeland to call is own. Dwarves are generally adventurers, mercenaries, and craftsmen in the Kingdom of Weissen. Playing as dwarves will likely mean that you are able to find mercenary and other adventurer contacts easier. Interactions with humans, especially nobles, will likely be much more difficult.

-Beastmen: Humanoid creatures with one or more inhuman features. Be it monkey ears or fox tails, these beings have obviously animal-like quality of some description. Hailing from the war-torn lands east of Terma, recently united under a single king, beastmen are often used by humanity as slaves and other expendable laborers. Humans who live in Weissen will view them with suspicion, sometimes mistaking them for demons.

-Demons: Due to ongoing animosity between the people of Weissen and the demons who lurk in the frozen north, only demons that work as adventurers here are those who can reasonably pass as humans or beastmen. The most common kind of demonic adventurers in Weissen are almost human in every way with a sole exception: long pointy ears usually hidden beneath helm or hair. Expect persecution and death if the fact that you are a demon is discovered.

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Character Creation:

You will first use the character sheet here to decide upon basic information. You shall be provided with 12 stat points, which you may add to the below four primary stats any way you see fit.

Then you shall devise a background story for your character, for which I shall assign fitting qualities in your character sheet. For example, a veteran knight of the Great Holy War will receive points in qualities of Zeal and Melancholy, while a former bandit will likely receive points in Ruthless and Cruelty, as well as points in Bringer of Death.

You are also allowed one equipment and one companion, effects of which will be determined by me based on your description of them. They will not, however, exceed +2 in any given stat modifier.

You will also be allowed 25 gold. It is not much, by any stretch of the imagination, but it should be sufficient to buy some baubles.

Spoiler default character sheet :

Name: _______

Race/Ethnicity:

Primary Stats:

STR&BLA: 5 (+0)

AGI&SHA: 5 (+0)

WIL&KNO: 5 (+0)

CHA&TON: 5 (+0)


Equipment&Perks:

• Helm/Hat:
• Clothing/Armor:
• Shoes/Greaves:
• Gauntlet/Gloves:
• Weapon/Tools:
• Offhand Weapon/Tools:
• Accessory 1:
• Accessory 2:
• Companion 1:
• Companion 2:
• Companion 3:
• Companion 4:
• Perk Slot 1:
• Perk Slot 2:

Qualities:

• Charity and Hope: 0
• Heartless and Cruel: 0
• Ruthless and Cynical: 0
• Melancholy and Tears: 0
• Brave and Daring: 0
• Honorable and Just: 0
• Clever and Subtle: 0
• Gleam and Zeal: 0
• Gloom and Silence: 0

Bringer of Death: 0. Your hands, and your conscience, is clean.

 

[Seon]

World History and Legends in Some Detail

Technology and Society of the World:

Spoiler :

The presence of magic and impossible feats of strength by trained knights and warriors, had an important effect on technology and social system in this universe. Non-military applications of technology have advanced greatly since the outbreak of peace among humanity three hundred years ago. Mass crystalization of magic, mass enchantments, and early exploration of chemical energy, have allowed great factories and refineries to be set up in nations such as Empire of Terma and Al Kalmar. Horseless carriages, driven by magic-empowered engines, are beginning to be seen more commonly, ferrying about nobles and rich merchants around the kingdoms faster, and more comfortably, than horse driven ones.

Yet despite these advancements in technology, power remains firmly in the hand of nobles and aristocrats. Nobles and learned men usually zealously guard the secrets behind their knowledge and skills, monopolizing military power in a world where major battles are still decided by a determined charge between armored warriors wielding enchanted weapons. Medical technology has also stagnated, with the priesthood of Lymilark's holy magics and certain noble wizards taking the place of medicine instead. This has also served to further concentrate power in the hands of the aristocracy and the priesthood.

While there are signs that such medieval stasis is cracking the aftermath of the Great Holy War and the revolution in Al Kalmar, it still remains to be seen if such cracks will lead to a permanent change in the balance of the world.

The Faith of Lymilark

Spoiler :

The Faith of Lymilark holds that there are two gods in this world: Lymilark, the Goddess of Light and the First Traveler, and the Nameless God of Darkness, the First Dragon. The Faith tells its followers that the Nameless God, envying life of creation, sought to cover the land in eternal darkness, but was ultimately vanquished by Lymilark and sealed away for eternity. Folks say that in times of war and chaos, when peaceful and orderly influence of Lymilark wanes, the Nameless God emerges from its seal to search the land and reclaim its name so that it may challenge Lymilark for supremacy once more.

The Faith is a religion of peace and order. Its teachings explicitly condemns act of war between rulers and nations, and the priesthood in the human kingdom have often been instrumental in helping to avoid conflict between the lands. Parishes and churches of Lymilark can be found in almost every villages and cities in human realms with the recent exception of Al-Kalmar, currently going through a brutal revolution in which the priesthood was blamed for the nation’s losses in the Great Holy War.

The heart of the Faith was once the city of Lym, the capital of the Holy Kingdom of Lymilark. Once upon a time, the elected Most Light of the Faith, wielding holy powers and magic granted by the Goddess, ruled the flock wisely and kindly. Her words were heeded all across the lands. It was one such Most Light that stopped the territorial ambitions of the Emperors of Terma, successfully negotiating a peace, 300 years ago, between the warring human kingdoms that has lasted to the Great Holy War.

Great Holy War

Spoiler :

None knows the exact start… or the reasoning… behind the Great Holy War. Indeed, it's questionable if it should even be considered a war at all in the first place. What is clear, however, is that the priesthood around the world received a panicked call for help from the Most Light, as well as requests for warriors from all across the human kingdoms. Countless knights, mages, and adventurers heeded the calls, only to be faced with countless legions of spirits, summoned devils, and monsters commanded by a single man: Archmagi Geld.

Armies of Men quickly discovered that they were overmatched by magic and spirits of Geld. Countless towns and cities burned as forces of Geld drove the population of the Holy Kingdom out of their homes and into the wind. Warriors of the faith mounted increasingly desperate defenses against the horde of devils and spirits, but for each monstrosity of magic they slaughtered, Geld summoned ten more in its place. Eventually, the war ended with the destruction of the city of Lym, the Most Light herself mounting a desperate defense of her capital city atop a wall. Witnesses who survived the battle claimed to have seen the holy magic of the Most Light fail to cast and fade away as Geld approached to crush the battlements personally. Abandoned by Lymilark, the Most Light was killed when Geld destroyed the walls of the once great city and razed it to the foundations.

Humanity’s fears that Geld would turn its attention to other nations once the Holy Kingdom was desroyed proved unfounded in the end. Apparently satisfied with his work, the Archmagi Geld allowed his summoned armies to return to their planes of existence… before returning to wherever place that he considered a home, never explaining his motivations to any other living soul. Defeated warriors of the faith and surviving population of Lymilark, deeply shaken and disillusioned, returned home. Without the guiding hand of the Faith, the realms will surely enter an age of tumult and chaos.

Major Realms

Spoiler Empire of Terma :

Empire of Terma: To even begin to explain the current geopolitical situation of the continent, we must begin with the Grand Draconic Empire of Terma. While history of the Empire’s early days are surprisingly difficult to find--most likely the work of the Emperors or the Faith to hide information, what can be gleaned is that the Empire of Terma used to be a small duchy by a half-decent farmland around a small lake: the site of its capital of Talitain. The first Emperor of Terma, it is said, is Emperor Etherius, who was blessed personally by the Empire’s protective patron: a dragon named Garuma who, for whatever reasons, bound itself in oath of protection to the Kingdom of Terma.

Etherius, it is said, wielded superhuman powers thanks to his connection to the dragon, enabling him to lead his armies to victory against the myriad foes, monsters, and demons that surrounded his kingdom and either bent them to his will or banishing them to the frigid north where they remain still.

While the full extent of Etherius’s feats and legends is likely an exaggeration, it is quite clear that the royal blood of Terma’s ruling dynasty carries a certain power. Witnesses from other realms claim to have seen the rulers of Terma, never before trained in ways of war and strength, crush walls of stones and steel bare handed in fits of rage. What’s more, twins are always born to the Empire of Terma. One of them is always sacrificed when they come of age to guarantee the Empire’s protection and continued blessing of its protective patron: Garuma.

Due to Garuma’s protection, the territories of the Empire of Terma is often considered an area of absolute non-entry by the other realms. Its patron, bound by oaths of protection to the Empire and its ruling dynasty, have historically and systematically purged the world of every threat to the Empire whenever it arose. It is said that at the conclusion of Etherius’s expansion of his borders, when the dragon Garuma finally took flight to join his battles, it destroyed three kingdoms within four days. In the centuries that follow, countless other kingdoms and armies would also join the uncountable dead. Armies of Terma simply demanded what they wished, when they wished to do so. The rest of the world did not dare refuse--for they knew such an act would have inevitably ended with their demise. Not even the demons in the north dared to trespass against the territories of Terma, focusing their attention instead on the northwestern nation of Weissen.

Currently, due to Empire’s size and its central location on the continent, along with its protection under the dragon, the Empire of Terma acts as a balancing and stabilizing force in the world. If the priesthood of Lymilark preached against violence to ensure peace, the Empire’s geographical location and invincibility meant that war and expansion itself was seen as somewhat of an anathema for the people: out of fear that the Empire would view it as an eventual threat on its stability. With the Empire’s territorial ambitions having come to an end with the accord of Lym nearly 300 years ago, the human realms settled into a status quo, satisfied with current geopolitics and peace.

Empire of Terma is a center of culture and technological innovations in the world. Horseless carriages, mass production of steel, crystallization of magic, and other innovations have been tested and showcased to the world in its grand cities,

The Empire, normally concerned much like Lym in enforcing peace and stability, has turned incredibly isolationistic after the ascent of the current emperor: Aether. Full of grief in his heart due to the loss of his twin sister, sacrificed to Garuma in her coming of age ceremony, the Emperor regularly hosts grand feasts and ceremonies to dull his aching heart. The relatively recent loss of Karen, the Empress of Terma, during childbirth have had the Emperor sink further and further into madness and decadence, with fits of the emperor’s draconic rage and spite during public appearance becoming more and more frequent.

All of this has lead the rest of the world wonder if the long peace enforced by the Empire of Terma and the Holy Kingdom of Lymilark would last.

Spoiler Kingdom of Weissen :

The Kingdom of Weissen, the northernmost of the human kingdom and the sole survivor of Empire of Terma’s northward territorial expansion centuries ago. It largely owes its existence to the Holy Kingdom of Lymilark, who successfully negotiated a compact for nonaggression between the remaining human realms and the Empire of Terma three hundred years ago.

Due to Terma’s invincibility under the protection of Garuma, demons of the frigid north have singled out the Kingdom of Weissen for its occasional raids and invasions. Dealing with such conditions have made the Kingdom of Weissen into a deeply spiritual people, almost so that it was a de-facto satellite state of the Holy Kingdom. Indeed, when the Most Light called for help in the Great Holy War, it was the king of Weissen that arrived first with his armies to lend aid to her Holiness. It is in Lymilark that he would be killed, along with his most loyal followers and subjects, in battle against the mad sage, Geld, leaving a child not even a decade old to be the next King of Weissen.

Current state of the Kingdom of Weissen is a sorry one. With Francis, the current king, being unfit for the throne, the ambitious Duke Calistos have taken over much of the functions of rulership. Aristocrats and nobles gather in the capital, Ci-Alen, to wrestle for advantages of a weak monarchy for their own personal benefit, gleefully ignoring the storm cloud gathering in the Unviddian wastes and reports of increasing raids by the emboldened demonic tribes.

Spoiler Ruins of the Holy Kingdom :

Its once great cities are no more. Its ruins, still holding many secrets and riches in the aftermath of Geld’s invasion, is occasionally picked over by scavengers and adventurers willing to brave the long trek into the magically unstable lands in the aftermath of the Great Holy War. Still, small towns and villages that escaped Geld’s invasion remain. These people, shaken of their beliefs, still remain steadfastly committed to the service of Lymilark and hope to reconstruct their once great nation.

Many, however, live in fear of the rising Empire of Al-Kamar in the south. Even with some minor nations and the Grand City of Samanos in the way between the Empress’s unholy ambitions of occupying the holy lands, with the Emperor of Terma’s indifference, Weissen’s weakness, and the growing tides of demonic hordes in the north, surely it’ll only be a matter of time until a second war comes to the ruins of Lymilark, this time to destroy its civilization for good.

Spoiler Al-Kalmar Empire :

Long boasting a strong magical tradition and focus on rationalism, the Al-Kamar Kingdom has been a beacon of learning and philosophy for centuries. Most progressive of the human kingdoms, it was the first among the Southren realms to ban slavery in its entirety, and to this day is one of the few human realms where demons and beastmen walk freely among humans. It is not, however, without its flaws.

Its last king, Nikolaus the Third, was a particularly zealous man for a Kamarian. When the Most Light called for help, he responded by throwing the full might of his kingdom behind the war effort. The nation chafed under the pressure, but support for the king remained high regarding the so called just war.

The loss of the Great Holy War shook the very political foundation of the Al Kamar Kingdom. Many in the Kingdom blamed the King on the loss and wasteful expenditure of the finest generation of soldiers and mages. With the loss of the bulk of the royalist forces in the war itself in defense of Lym, secularist and republican forces lead by a woman who shall soon be known as the Empress became able to openly challenge the King’s authority.

The first shots fired in the revolution that will upend the balance of power in the region was in the form of a leaked transcript by key royalist figures and the king himself, discussing the rise of secularist power in the Kingdom of Al-Kalmar and describing the faction’s popularity within the non human citizens of the Al-Kalmar Kingdom as a threat. The transcript suggested that the royalist forces would make a move on secularist factions’ headquarters soon, and that actions to limit growth of minorities within the kingdoms would be taken afterwards.

As the population erupted with outrage at the report, the secularists made the first strike. Rioting civilians, agitated by the leaked transcript as well as secularist faction members stormed the palace even as military units under secular leadership assassinated or otherwise arrested key royalist figures all around the nation. Quickly establishing themselves as the new ruler of a now king-less Al-Kalmar nation, with the support of the majority of the population, the republican secularists began the now infamous purge of aristocratic and religious influence in the nation.

The leader of a reformed nation, leader of the coup and the secularist forces, have bestowed upon herself the title of an Empress and First Among Equals. She has vowed to lead her nation justly and fairly, and make it as great as any other nation to have ever existed under the sun. While surrounding kingdoms certainly hoped that devastation and chaos of the revolution would keep the Empress’s ambitions in check, her nation in fact appears to be repairing the damages of the Great Holy War faster than its neighbors despite the recent troubles: almost to the point that people suspect that the Empress has worked out her dark magics upon the population to create an artificial golden age.

Whatever the case, the Empress has made modernization of the military, long thought unnecessary due to the long period of peace, her priority. Rumors filter in from the south of strange military formation… of lightly armored troops in bright uniforms carrying firestaffs--a long discredited and disregarded weapons design, and modifying Temarian horseless carriages for war. Madness for sure. Even as many in the world mock the naive new Empress, playing at being warmonger, many more still wonder if the Empress will defy expectations once more.

Spoiler Anz :

Anz is the newest of the great kingdoms to arise in the continent, although whether or not it will last is up to debate. It is the only kingdom of the Beastmen, ruled currently by its founder, Turok. A great warrior much like Etherius in the past, the beastman has united all the clans in the northwestern mountain chains through the only universal language: pain and strength.

Having united the beastmen clan into a single kingdom, the warrior king, Turok, has fallen into somewhat of a depression, for there remains no nations fit for conquest for the great warrior king. To the south lies the Serpent's’ Spine, a mountain chain truly infested with dragon lairs and ruled by the queen among the Red Dragons, Lugas. To the west lies the realm of Terma Empire, a realm even he acknowledges to be invincible. To the north lies the Unviddian Wastes, a frozen realm of the demons that he finds no point, nor joy, in conquering.

Recently, Anz has welcomed a significant part of the refugees from the Holy Kingdom of Lymilark, the human refugees finding a reluctant but still nonetheless hospitable home among the beastmen in the mountains of Anz. As a result, the Beastmen host of Turok has recently grown to include loyal clerics and paladins of the Faith among their midst--possibly a wise move considering the inevitability of future conflicts with the demonkind in the north.

Spoiler Unviddian Wastes :

Land of the demons. No proper organization nor hierarchy exists in these chaotic lands. Individual tribes of inhuman creatures roam these lands, searching for few grazing or fishing grounds from which they can eke out an existence.

The variety of demonic races are nearly uncountable. Ranging from those who appear to be related to the beastmen of northeastern mountains, to giant, horned, and hulking monstrosities, to even otherworldly beautiful human-like creatures, the tribes of demonkind are as varying in appearance as they are in culture, language, and customs to each other.

Uniting these disparate people into a single cohesive force has long been thought to be impossible.

Yet Evelyn, the currently self-proclaimed Queen of the Demons, appear to be just doing that.

Having acknowledged by many of the great lords and warriors among the demonkind, her legend, and influence, among the demons appear to grow daily, with more and more tribes and warriors swearing fealty to her as time goes by. Soon, people whisper, she will definitely gain the strength to match Kingdom of Weissen in military strength, and will come to ravage the lands of humankind.

Primer on Races

Spoiler Humans :

Humans are by far the most numerous and influential of the races in the continent. Organized into various kingdoms and noble republics around much of the continent. While the origins of humanity is still unknown, it is likely that they originated in the southern regions, around the region where Al-Kalmarian Empire and the Grand Cities of Samanos is located, migrating northward.

Humans are, generally speaking, devout followers of the Church of Lymilark who have long worked with the various human aristocracy and nobles in order to ensure that its primary teachings of peace among humanity is being enforced. This long period of peace among the human nations has meant that, up until the outbreak of the Great Holy War, scholars have decreed the current period of humanity to be its golden age. The loss of the Holy City of Lym and the looming threat of war in both the south and the north has made many scholars argue whether or not humanity is on the precipice of a new dark age of war and chaos.

Technologically, humanity has advanced far over the centuries. Cities are becoming more and more relevant as manufacturing and enchantment capacity are concentrated and improved further. Even though many humans are hailing from cities, where gas lamps are lit, magical circuitry motivates machines, and factories and workshops, still many more hail from outlying villages and towns who still live in mostly medieval standard of life, having never seen magical and technological wonders outside of those possessed by adventuring gadgeteers and hedge mages.

Spoiler Dwarves :

It is said that dwarves once possessed a great kingdom, or an empire, that rivaled even the nations of Terma and Al-Kalmar in strength. Indeed, those who brave the Serpent’s Spine, a land now ruled by dragons, note grand monuments and cities carved directly into the mountain face, serving as grim reminder of their once-great nation.

Scattered records and history found in Al-Kalmarian Empire indicates that the dwarves did indeed rule a kingdom, whose name has now been lost to history, in the Serpent’s Spine. Records indicate that the kings and nobles of this dwarven kingdoms constructed the cities with help of hired Al-Kalmarian mages. This cooperation between the two races produced the magical slave-collars still in use today to control the beastmen, demon, and quite ironically, some dwarves now that their kingdom has fallen.

Even though they once ruled a great empire in the mountains, carving out grand cities and buildings in layered terraces and inside the mountainfaces using both magic and beastmen slave labor, they are now a broken people, their once great nation destroyed by the Queen of Calamity: red dragonlord Lugas who along with other enraged dragons, massacred most of the population of their kingdom.

The dwarven people now live as travelling adventurers, mercenaries, craftsmen, and other roles in society among the human kingdoms, never quite fitting in with the humans that surround them. While racial violence between dwarves and humans are rare due to the preaching efforts against violence and mistreatment to this race by the Church of Lymilark, it is starting to become more common in the Empire of Al-Kalmar, where the race’s traditional loyalty to the Faith is being seen as treasonous.

Spoiler Beastmen :

While most common north of the Serpent’s Spine, where they have formed their own Kingdom of Anz, they exist as a minority race around much of the continent due to their widespread usage by human kingdoms as slaves.

Greatest minority of them exist in the Empire of Al Kalmar where, before the king of Al Kalmar decreed nearly two centuries ago that slavery in its totality banned from his kingdom, they existed in mass slavery--surely a relic of its past from its many cooperations with the dwarven kingdoms. They are now one of the most reliable supporters of the new Empress, whose secularist faction has argued for years that neither race, gender, nor heritage matters in the pursuit of knowledge.

While Beastmen within the Empire of Al-Kalmar enjoy growing political relevance, their status in many of the other kingdoms are as slaves and wandering foreigners at best, very rarely being part of the recognized citizenry. As a whole, beastmen outside the Al-Kalmarian Empire generally tends to hold cultural hatred towards the dwarves and mages, both being blamed for development of, and continued manufacturing, of the slave collars used commonly to bring them under control and seal away their power. This is the reason why no traditionally trained mages exist in Anz, with the beastmen relying instead on traditional spiritualists and, oddly enough, clerics of Lymilark from the remnant of the Holy Kingdom, whose refugees have found a strange but welcoming home in the mountains of Anz among the Beastmen.

The beastmen are characterized by their human-like nature, with one or two added animal-like parts. Otherwise, they do not have any other significant difference from humanity.

Spoiler Demons :

Demons, elves, sidhe, ogres, trolls, giants. There is no singular demonic race--the name to describe them are as numerous as the uncountable tribes of demons in the north. From clearly inhuman but still humanoid demi-beasts to the so-called elves whose only distinction from humanity is their long and pointed ear, the Faith and the Kingdoms of humanity have branded many such creatures to be demons, to be persecuted, killed, and otherwise expelled from civilization, forcing them to live in their native lands in the frozen north instead of joining the rest of civilization in the south.

Nevertheless, a few demons, seeking escape from the harsh conditions in the north, flee south to clandestinely join civilization. Many of them do not linger in the bordering kingdoms of Anz, Terma, and Weissen, instead seeking their fortunes in the southern reaches of the continent where, due to the lack of constant fear regarding demonic raids and invasions, persecution against the demons are relatively weak. Nevertheless, dozens of demons die everyday making the long and difficult track across the vast human kingdoms.

In Al-Kalmarian Empire, demonic races, and those who identify with them, have been part of the core support for the secularist faction lead by the current Empress. Their loyalty to her revolutionary causes have been rewarded in the new administration, with many important demons now being part of the newly forming bureaucracy.

While unification of demons have never historically happened, the self-proclaimed Queen of Demons, known in civilization as Evelyn, is intent upon making this into a reality.

 

[Seon]

Turn Mechanics
Each turn, players will be granted one major action and two minor actions. Major actions will be spent each turn for players to go on pregenerated missions or quests, or alternatively forge their own path through player driven initiatives. While rewards of missions are clear, and difficulty known before undertaken, player driven initiatives have no such guarantees. It is recommended that you do not do player initiative unless you have a very clear plan, or something that you simply MUST know.

Minor actions will be spent in either training stats or making diplomatic/minor work for various people and organizations within the Kingdom of Weissen.

Missions and Initiatives: Missions and initiatives are the
core of the gameplay. It is very unlikely you, hero characters, will die undertaking these missions. However, facing an incredibly powerful opponent without a clear escape plan will likely cause some… permanent changes. Still, your characters will likely learn ‘something’ from their experiences, even if they do not succeed in their mission. This is reflected by gains in your base stat!

Here is an example of a mission:

Spoiler example :

-Mission: Heiress of the von Cien Family seeks a Husband

Description: -4 years ago, the fifteen-year-old heiress of the von Cien Family, a particularly ferocious swordsman clan renowned for its nearly impossible feats of swordplay, have declared that only those who defeat her in combat is suitable to take her hand in marriage. Countless men (and a not a few women) have taken the challenge in order to seize the great wealth of the Valhad noble family and win the hand of the heiress, Francine, in marriage. None have ever succeeded, but the offer is still open regardless.

-Strength and Blades: You shall enter the arena and face Francine on even terms. (Difficulty Rating: 300). (You will likely gain Bold and Honorable and stat bonuses in Strength and Agility, even on a failure)

-Agility and Shadows: Perhaps you can tire her out by dodging her blows… or find a way to weaken her before the bout. (Difficulty Rating: 290). (You will likely gain Clever and Ruthless, and stat bonuses in Agility and Strength, even on a failure)

-Will and Knowledge: Being a swordswoman, she will probably not expect magic, or otherwise be unable to deal with them. (Difficulty Rating: 280). (You will likely gain Honorable and Ruthless and stat bonuses in Will and Agility, even on a failure)

-Charisma and Tongues: If direct challenge and victory in the arena is impossible, perhaps it is easier to win her heart through the traditional means. (Difficulty Rating: 150). (You will likely gain Clever and Brave, and stat bonuses in charisma even on a failure).

Potential Reward: Companion, Swordmaster Francine. +30 to Strength and Blades, +20 to Agility and Shadows. Provides perks: Overwhelming Force and Valhad Clan Style Swordsmanship

 

[Seon]

Persons of Some Importance:

Termarian Empire

Spoiler :

Dragonborn Emperor Aether Termarius
-The current Dragonborn Emperor of Terma, known for his decadent feasts and social events. They say he still grieves for the loss of his sister as sacrifice to Garuma... and the subsequent loss of his wife, Karen, while giving birth to his successor: Crown Princess Luma.

Many nations who participated in the Great Holy War also deeply criticized and cursed this Emperor's name, responsible for declaring that the Termarian Empire will not interfere in foreign affairs even as Lymilark burned to the ground.

While he was the most vocal critic of the tradition of sacrificing royalties to Garuma when his sister, Aethel, was still alive, he now supports the tradition of doing so.

Crown Princess Luma
-Defying tradition, Emperor Aether Termarius selected Crown Princess Luma to his successor, passing over her twin, Ludenard. While no explanation has been given as to why such a decision has been made, it's likely because of Luma's strange nature.

While the dragonblood flowing through the royal veins have weakened since the days of Etherius the Conqueror, Luma is almost certainly an exception. Blessed with strength and abilities far superior to any royalty of Terma in centuries and capable of inspiring incredible fear to normal citizenry with her mere presence, the common citizens treat her with much trepidation and fear, whispering that she is Etherius Reborn and that the fall of Lymilark, Revolution in Al-Kalmar, and her impending coronation are all signs that point to a resurgence of Termarian militarism--where the Empire will truly unite the continent under a single banner.

Death and decay appear to follow her like a shroud. Plants around her tend to die alarmingly quickly and animals instinctively fear and shun her. Servants who tend her for a prolonged period of time often develop illnesses that blacken blood and bleeds the lungs.

She is almost dependent on Prince Ludenard for human interactions, and is, much like her father, a vocal critic of the tradition of sacrificing royalty to the dragon Garuma.

Prince Ludenard
-The designated sacrifice of this generation's royalty. Although a man and thus closer in line of succession to the throne, Ludenard appears to have taken his disinheritance and condemnation to die at the hand of Garuma remarkably well, fully willing to support his sibling's claim to the throne and dissuading any nobles from claiming that he is a better fit. Crown Princess Luma, for her part, appears to be almost dependent on Ludenard--the only person aside from her father to be able to resist her draconic cursed blood--for both human interactions and advice.

Remarkably mature for his age, Ludenard often acts as a stabilizing figure in the current government of Termarian Empire, limiting the excesses of both his father and his sister. Public appearance of Ludenard is rather rare, but it is almost certain that he is the one running many facets of the Imperial government instead of his father.

He, like every other royal designated as sacrifice before him, supports the tradition of giving sacrifice to Garuma.

Grand Marshal Colombo
-The Grand Marshal of the Termarian Empire is an aged retainer and true patriot of the Empire, deeply concerned with the running of the Empire and the threats that surround it. However, he has found himself shunned by both the Emperor and Prince Ludenard, the latter of which has, with his, treasurer, and the Crown Princess's authority, shunted funds meant for the military into economic development and the Emperor's feasts and expelled the Grand Marshal from the Conclave.

Now forced to do inane and meaningless military drills with the knights of the realm and state troops far away from the imperial capital of Terma, the marshal is known to be organizing a coalition of like-minded and patriotic nobles to truly petition the Emperor to stop the Empire's decadent decline.

Lord Treasurer Zyro Valkan
-Lord Treasurer of the Empire of Terma and a graduate of the Academy of Vidos in now Al-Kalmarian Empire. His pro-Al-Kalmarian Imperial policy have shocked many in the Empire despite the decidedly militaristic and anti-aristocratic bent of the newly risen Empire.

With his ducal territory near the Al-Kalmarian border, the end of the anti-Termarian policy of the previous king of Al-Kalmar and the rise of the Empress in the south have meant that fortunes are decidedly in his favor. With trade with Al-Kalmar going up and several Al-Kalmarian royal forces with no particular sense of loyalty swearing fealty to him instead, the Lord Treasurer is likely to be the most powerful man in Terma as of this moment next to the Emperor and Prince Ludenard.

Garuma
-A mysterious and illusive dragon protector of the Termarian Empire. The last known Black Dragon in the world, Garuma and the threat behind Termarian Intervention is perhaps the sole reason why the continent remains in peace among the civilized realms. Civilized people know that war and chaos over a long period of time is dangerous, as more impacts to the Termarian Empire the long war and the chaos causes, more chances are there that Garuma will be summoned once more into the world, making all our petty struggles and works be for naught...

Garuma is, for all intent and purposes, no longer a dragon. It is a calamity. Not even if Lymilark descended from heavens to stop Garuma will she be successful. It brings death and destruction to all who stands in the way to prosperity of the Empire... and the only thing us mere mortals can do against such a threat is to run or hide...

Al-Kalmarian Empire

Spoiler :

Founding Constitution of the Al-Kalmarian Empire

Article 1: All institution of slavery, indentured servitude, and aristocratic privileges are hereby forever banned in the Al-Kalmarian Empire.

Article 2: The monarch of the Al-Kalmarian Empire shall be an imperial citizen elected for life by the Imperial Parliament.

Article 3: The Imperial Parliament shall be drawn based on counties and states within the Al-Kalmarian Empire, with number of representatives being based on population of said county.

Article 4: Electoral maps of counties may only be redrawn with the assent of her Imperial Majesty and majority approval of the existing county, who shall also propose the alternative map of the county in a referendum.

Article 5: Citizens are hereby forever defined as Al-Kalmarian nationals born within Imperial territory regardless of race, gender, religion, or social class.

Article 6: Any citizen who is a member of any religious organization is hereby barred from taking office in Al-Kalmarian Imperial Government and the Parliament.

Article 7: Any individual claiming to be a nobility within the Empire is hereby barred from taking office in Al-Kalmarian Imperial Government and the Parliament.



... (The articles grow daily...


The Empress

Her name is unknown: she has forsaken it upon taking oath as the monarch of the nascent Empire. Even those who remember her from the past can only remember her as the Empress--her name excised from history and the minds of all who knew her. Such is her power.

Empress's attention to her own privacy and her refusal to discuss items from her past has meant that very little is actually known about her life prior to her sudden appearance in politics during the Great Holy War. However, it can be surmised from scattered testimony and records that she used to be a student at the Academy of Vidos, where she formed somewhat of a rivalry with archmage Geld up until the latter's expulsion from the Academy due to accidental murder of other students and a teacher during an unauthorized experiment--the Empress herself taking significant injuries in the aftermath. While few would notice her injuries today, keen observers have noted how she rarely seems to move from her throne or sitting position. Rare, but unconfirmed anecdotes by those who claim to have seen her walking around claim that she has an odd jerk or a twitch in her movements--often relying on magic-aided hovering and flight spells just to avoid stumbling or collapsing into a heap.

Instead of regal clothing favored by the royalty and aristocracy of modern day rulers, the Empress chose to wear utilitarian but still respectable attires favored by modern merchants and business people. Based on descriptions of her during public appearance, it appears that the Empress stands a good head taller than average citizens, striking an imposing figure that inspires authority. Her voice is said to be soft and quiet, yet nevertheless carried into the very heart of all those nearby--likely amplified by magic.

Her brutal coup conducted with the backing of the common people and majority of the remaining state troops have changed the very fabric of the Al-Kalmarian nation. Replacing the previously pro-Lymilark, pro-aristocratic, and anti-Termarian King of Al-Kalmar, the Empress have brought about sweeping changes throughout the country, starting with an establishment of an elected legislative body for the new elective monarchy while curtailing the power of bishops and nobles who once ruled Al-Kalmar alongside the previous king. While order has largely been restored and first elections carried out with surprisingly little difficulty, the revolution by and large still continues. The bureaucracy is overtaxed with enforcing her laws and reforms--many of which--such as elected legislature by common people-- are not based on any known political theorists or philosopher's writings.

She is an outspoken critic of the Faith and many new laws proposed and passed under her authority has been targeting the Faith and those who have supported it for purges--carried out by grim faced inspectors from the capital. Those under suspicion are tried by a tribunal of secularist party members and inspector generals.

Her passion, like many mages, appear to be in her research--specifically integration of complicated machines and magic. Guardsmen assigned to her claim to have heard melancholic whistling and songs coming in from her private workshop at the Imperial Castle, where she crafts items of strange and incredible power. The greatest honor for an Imperial citizen is to receive one of her creations-mostly in the form of a custom-made firestaff or a watch or, in one case, a small puppet that moved and sang and spoke when clapped to.

Spoiler Anz :

King Turok: Tall and muscular cat-beastman, characterized by his cat-like ears and a tail. Thought to be the greatest known warrior in the continent who succeeded in uniting the beastman tribes into a single cohesive kingdom by force within decades of beginning his campaign after being freed from slavery by a Lymilarkian priestess.

He has apparently never quite forgotten the priestess, for when she arrived at the gates of Anz with thousands of human refugees from Lymilark, the King of the Beastmen allowed her within his kingdom despite objections from the beastmen, inimical to the Faith due to the long period of tolerance and silence that the Faithful have shown towards the beastman's enslaved status.

He has recently fallen into somewhat of a depression due to having no "proper" foes to fight, and as such wastes his days training his troops and feasting with the tribal leaders, leaving much of the duties of a ruler to his council.

Prime Minister Esras: A high priestess of Lymilark who once saved Turok from slavery. She remained adamant that she did so to save Lymilark even as the Most Light stripped her of her ranks and put her on trial soon after Turok began his conquest of the Beastmen tribes in the eastern mountains. She was, however, vindicated soon after Geld destroyed Lymilark, when the mountains of Anz became one of the few nations willing to accept the refugees from Lymilark in large numbers--provided that they were able to make the journey and survive in the harsh conditions in the new and burgeoning kingdom.

While her role in the government was put under question by the more conservative of the beastmen, concerned that she'll put her faith before good governance of the new kingdom, she has so far proved efficient as a secular ruler and an adviser, bringing much knowledge that she learned in organizing large-scale projects and governance from her time in Lymilark to the new and growing kingdom of the Beastmen.

Seer Mariota : A beastman seer famed for her spiritual magic and haruspexy. Her predictions generally come true, and both Esras and Turok is known to have come to rely upon her to hatch long-term schemes and projects to enrich the nation.

Rumors say that Esras and Turok have been visiting the Seer much more frequently than usual these days, with eavesdropping guards only hearing the Seer's command to "Wait." Turok appears visibly impatient whenever he leaves such meetings.

Spoiler Alliance of Minor Nations :

Geld: Before his infamous rise to the most dangerous man alive on this continent, Geld used to be a relatively minor noble in one of the smaller kingdoms in the alliance. After his expulsion from the Academy of Vidos, due to murder of other students, Geld returned to his home country and began disposing of most of his inheritance from his father, claiming that he was permanently moving out of his ancestral home and moving to somewhere else, selling his lands and privileges back to the local duke and leaving east with a large bag of gold, where he presumably set up a laboratory somewhere.

Everyone expected him to disappear from history thus, up until he launched an invasion of Lymilark with more spirits, devils, undead, and summoned beast under his command than thought ever possible for a single mage. Worse, he appeared to have bent the two elemental spirit lords of fire and water under his command, with whom he personally crushed all opposition in his nearly genocidal extermination of Lymilarkian civilization.

After causing one of the bloodiest war in recent memory, Geld disappeared from history once more, as if satisfied with the chaos he has caused.

Syndic Abasi

Current defacto leader of the Alliance and the ruler of the Grand city of Samanos. He has recently been working diplomatically to further unite the loose rag-tag nations of the alliance in order to better respond to the threat of the Revolution rising to the east, where the Empress of Al-Kalmar is levying her forces.

An old fashioned man, the Syndic Abasi hopes to levy many mercenary troops and allied forces fight against the professional armies that the Empress is training as we speak. When these two giants inevitably go to war against one another, we shall finally see once and for all if the future that the Empress represents will be able to triumph over the old institutions she aims to abolish.

Spoiler Weissen :

King Francis A young king on the throne too big for him, wearing a crown too large for his head. Francis lost his father, along with much of his royalist supporters, in the Great Holy War. Now, he is nothing more than a figurehead and a puppet, signing and agreeing to everything that Duke Calistos, the regent of Weissen, hands him.

Duke Calistos: Current regent of Weissen as selected by the emergency council of nobles. Duke Calistos's land is immediately south to Ci-Alen and nearly borders the ruins of Lymilark--something that surely influenced his decision to nearly abandon the marcher lords and villages to constant raids in the north while they take care of occasional lost spirits and undead creatures wandering in from the south.

Grand Marshal Frederick: The current top military commander of Weissen during these dark times. His territory is close to Ci-Alen, and many marcher lords have accused him of being distant from the true plight and horrors that the villages close to Unviddian wastes face on regular basis.

He is known to be loyal to Duke Calistos, and often attends social gathering with the man together.

Lady Emilia of Potrac: A lady ruling over a major port city located at the westernmost tip of the continent. One of the most economically prosperous city aside from Ci-Alen , Lady Emilia adopted to the changing times and moved her residency from a feudal castle to a coastal palace within the city itself, taking over much of the power and function that a lord mayor may usually perform.

She took advantage of the city's newfound wealth through mining of newly discovered crystals nearby and welcomed industry and foreign investment into her territory, transforming a sleepy little fishing economy into an industrial powerhouse--at least by primitive Weissener standards.

Her increasing importance is noted even in the capital of Ci-Alen, where she has recently been seen more often attending social gathering of the wisest and greatest lords of Weissen.

Marcher Alexander of Bertham: Marcher Alexander represents the interests of the Marcher lords in the capital of Ci-Alen, although for the most time he resides in his ancestral keep of Bertham, one of the greatest fortification built on the northern borders to the Unviddian wastes. He has been frustrated by the recent cessation of royal subsidies and allied troops from the inner regions of Weissen drying up after the fall of Lymilark, leaving his own troops isolated from the rest of Weissen and underequipped to face the growing demonic threat.

Alis: One of the greatest mages that Weissen would have produced. From a young age, people knew her to be a gifted child--often being able to see and know things that she had no business knowing. Able to talk about governments and philosophies that nobody else had ever thought of before. Her eyes, they said, could see the world as it should be, not the world as it is. The Faithful feared her, for many believed her to be a spawn of the Nameless God.

She was accidentally killed by Geld during her time in Academy of Vidos, and was buried in her home in Weissen.

Perhaps her elaborate tomb, constructed by the woman who would become Empress herself, hides a secret behind her great knowledge and power. All that is known is that none who have ventured into the tomb returned alive.

High Priest Tomas: A high priest of Lymilark ruling over a grand bishopric to the southeast of Al-Cien. While the Faith itself has became weak after the end of the Great Holy War, the High Priest's temporal powers remained, and he is an influential player with politics in Ci-Alen Outspoken about the need to focus their attention of the ruins of Lymilark in order to recover relics hidden there, he has been one of the driving focus behind the kingdom's decision to redirect patrols and royal subsidies to southern regions of the kingdom, where he coincedentally receives some of the benefits.

Knud von Cien: A head of a noble family of likely foreign origin that preserved much of their traditions. A minor barony in the rural countryside, their political pull is weak, but they have traditionally gave to this world extremely powerful swordsmen and warriors, all equipped and knowledgeable in the family's secret arts.

Knud is a man extremely concerned with his own family's prestige, and have pressed all of his children to follow down the von Cien's tradition of producing extremely powerful swordsmen. His greatest achievement, he feels, is in producing Francine, a girl of extraordinary talent who has never been defeated in a bout ever since she was ten.

While he attempted to marry Francine to a local duke's son to expand his family's influence, he has come to support Francine's utter rejection of the man and subsequent declaration that only those stronger than her may win her hand in marriage. The contest regularly draws many adventurers, mercenaries, and nobles attempting to win her hand in marriage and elevation to noblehood.

He is genuinely unconcerned with the state of Weissen, only in improving his family's prestige through feats of swordsmanship.

Francine von Cien: Francine was never intended to be a human being. When other children her age learned how to read and count, she was learning where to strike to best kill another man. When other children were learning how to play with each other and learn not to hurt each other doing so, she was defeating trained warriors in single combat. When other children, through discipline and guidance, learned to distinguish right and wrong, she had defeated her father in a bout and became quite uncontrollable.

She is likely to be one of the greatest warriors on the continent, perhaps on the same scale as Geld, Turok, and the Empress. Despite this great ability, she has refused to do much to influence politics in Weissen, preferring the quiet life of the countryside that she grew up in and finding new and more challenging opponents to face.

 

[Tyo]

im in

 

[Omega124]

Name: Fatima al-Nusar

Race/Ethnicity: Kalmarian

Primary Stats:

STR&BLA: 6 (+1)

AGI&SHA: 6 (+1)

WIL&KNO: 9 (+4)

CHA&TON: 11 (+6)

Equipment: A sawn-off firestaff. This firestaff, of a slightly antiquated design, was used in the Kalmarian revolution by Fatima, who fought in many minor skirmishes in the capital against governmental forces. The firestaff has had its barrel shortened and stock removed, making it somewhat concealable underneath a long enough jacket, although it's accuracy outside of close range is even more laughable than before the modification. Still. Fatima uses more as a personal defense weapon than for sniping, so it serves its purpose well. Plus, it is a powerful symbol of the Al-Kalmar Revolution, and the technological marvels

Appearance: Fatima has dark, olivey skin which betrays her ancestor's ultimate foreign ancestry. Raven black hair is kept in a simple, clean ponytail, giving an unassuming compliment to grey eyes. Fatima's regular outfit almost includes a men's black greatcoat, which she wears over a plain grey dress. It is in within the greatcoat that Fatima hides her gunstaff and other magical components; she perfers to keep an inconspicuous profile of a simple civilian.

Background:

Fatima al-Nusar was born in the ghettos of the Imperial Capital, to a long line of a merchant family from a land originally overseas. As one of the only two kids surviving past childhood (the other being her younger brother, Abu), Fatima was no stranger to poverty and suffering. Razor thin profit margins was the difference between eating and starving each week. But at least it was honest, legal work, even as more disreputable figures came in each week demanding some "pocket change".

During the Great Holy War, Abu, in a patriotic frenzy towards the kingdom, decided to enlist in the army. He never came back home. When her father had to temporary make out of dodge after a poker game gone wrong, and her mother falling ill, Fatima was forced to temporarily assume full control of the store, trying to keep the rapidly falling apart family afloat. Having to deal with haggling customers just as poor and desperate as she was caused her to quickly learn the art of manipulation herself. This proved fortunate when the mob came looking to collect unpaid debts from her father; she not only managed to convince them that he was dead, but that the paltry sum of cash covered "all remaining debt". Safe passage secured, her father returned, abliet staying out of public sight.

The defeat of Al-Kalmar meant Abu's sacrifice was for nothing. Mother's heart couldn't take it, and she followed her son soon. The Kingdom, strapped for cash, decidied to squeeze its burghers for as much cash as possible. Tax collectors and soldiers came more often and more aggressively, convinced that Fatima had legitimate mob ties and was hiding a fortune. A minor argument turned serious when a soldier, once a former friend of the al-Nusar's turned sour after accusing her father of cheating his father out of a fortune, recognized Mr. al-Nusar. Fatima's father's blood almost immediately seeped over the floor of the store, followed, quite suprisingly, by the soldier's. Holding a now bloody spear, Fatima immediately ran as far as her feet could take her, right into a mob.

"No, you don't want this spear," a friendly man her age berated her while grabbing it from her hands. "It's twice your size. You could never use this effectively. Take this. We have too many of these"

He handed her a strange wooden stick, far smaller, but with a hole instead of a point. And from that day forward, Fatima's life changed forever.

She learned about concepts such as liberty, justice, and equality from the crowd. What it was like to not have a completely dysfunctional social life filled with extortion and lying, even if most of her new friends ended up dying around her. And most importantly, she was never starving, but eating the food of the former nobles.

She was no longer Fatima the storekeeper.

She was Fatima the revolutionary.

Soon enough, Fatima could quote the articles from memory. She could engage in dialectics against the aristos any day. And if they didn't concede, she could just shoot them instead. But when the fighting ended, Fatima felt empty. She couldn't go back to the monotomous life of simply selling goods, even if the Revolution promised better working conditions. No, she knew whatever the hell that insurrection was, that was what she lived for

Her store long looted in the chaos, Fatima sold off whatever scraps she could find in her home, then the home itself. Then she head off north, vowing to bring the insurrection wherever she goes.Wherever her feet take her.

Companion: Gerda von Junkers
Race: Weissian

A first year student at the Ci-Alen academy, her meeting with Fatima can only be described as coincidence.

Gerda, as a child, longed for a sense of belonging stemming from neglect of her aristocratic parents. She briefly flirted with (secret) demon worship in her teens, but felt no real compulsion towards it. When she grew bored of that, she completated running away, perhaps going to see the Revolution at Al-Kalmar first hand. However, fearing that she'd become a black stain on their family name, quickly enrolled her in the academy to "straighten her up".

One day, while on campus, Gerda noticed a disheveled, brown woman slouched under a tree. All the other students were giving this strange woman a wide berth, but Gerda was intrigued. The woman kept shrugging her off, but Gerda persisted, too curious for her own good.

Finally, the woman cracked,

"I am Fatima, and I am going to burn this kingdom down."

The woman then got up from under the tree and tried to walk away.

Gerda was.... captivated by this stranger. What did she mean? How did she intend to do it? In-

"I want to help," Gerda instictively blurted out, too enthralled to think properly

What the fudge did I just say, the Wessian immediately panicked.

However, the Al-Kalmarian only smirked. "Follow me".

 

[gay_Aleks]

Aye, Elf here.

 

[Seon]

Demons.

 

[christos200]

Name: Arthur Dragonrider



Race/Ethnicity: Human - Termarian

Primary Stats:

STR&BLA: 6

AGI&SHA: 8

WIL&KNO: 8

CHA&TON: 10

Equipment: 1 Weapon (Family Sword - a particularly good one crafted by some of the best swordsmiths of the Empire)

Background: Twenty-three years old, handsome, noble and related to the Imperial family of the Empire of Terma through the side of the deceased Empress, Arthur Dragonrider seemed to have a perfect life. But that was his problem. The young nobleman was bored to death and, unlike most of his countrymen, he wanted to learn more about those living outside the Empire, what others would call 'Barbarians'. So one day, with the permission of his father, a rich, influential and high ranking official, he was allowed to journey abroad. His first destination is Weissen, despite the fact that this dominion is threatened by Demons.

Arthur is somewhat weak physically and certainly not a great fighter. He detests fighting and is a vowed pacifist. His main strength lies with his education; he has read countless books, both works of literature and scientific books, and thus he is both very knowledgeable and an excellent orator. This allows him to convince others to his point of view and get out of difficult situations through persuasion. His good looks and noble manners are also an asset since they awe other people, especially those who are not nobles. Arthur has a good heart and is ready to help others with their problems, even when the task is a dangerous one and despite the fact that he is a weak fighter. He also believes in redemption and forgiveness and thus is willing to trust and attempt to save even those who seem beyond redemption to anyone else. Unlike most nobles, Arthur also does not look down on poor people.

Companion: Athena Snowdreamer

Spoiler :

Race/Ethnicity: Human - Lymilark Refugee

Twenty-nine years old, tall and physically fit, she is a swordswoman hired by Arthur's father to look after his son. Her father died during the Great Holy War and she was raised by her uncle, Alexander, an excellent swordsman. Once she was old enough, she followed her uncle's profession becoming a sort of mercenary for nobles of the human Kingdoms. Athena is excellent with the sword and has great experience in battle. She is also cynical and understands that in an evil world, those who are ready to use any means necessary will be the ones who survive. Despite this, she is not evil nor ruthless and does not enjoy killing people. Rather, she views it as a necessary evil. Her feelings towards Arthur are mixed; she admires his morals and pacifism but believes that he is too naive.

 

[Ailedhoo]

Subbing.

This post will be edited with a official sign up later; joining as the mage Sam Farzad.

 

[jackelgull]

I'm in will make character at 6 PM, when I have the time.

 

[Nuka-sama]

Please let Evelyn be a placeholder name :<

Very interested in this game though, will sign up when I return from work

 

[Seon]

All names on the documents are subject to change based on my whim until the game actually starts.

 

[Bair_the_Normal]

Hi I'm interested once I get done with a boatload of work.

 

[jackelgull]

Name: Kurmotum Coppermace

Race/Ethnicity: Dwarf

Back story: Left father's smithy to become a mercenary. Has a serious chip on his shoulder about the lack of respect Dwarves get in human kingdoms. A menacing bruiser first and foremost, Coppermace can be charming when he wants to. Is well loved in taverns for his ability to tell a story. He has done alot of reading in his youth due to his fascination with the lost Dwarven Kingdom, which were inflamed by his father's stories and claim that the Coppermace's are actually descended from the royal dwarven bloodline.

He has earned a fiercesome reputation for his skill at arms and leadership. In the Temarian Empire he helped clear the bandit road of bandits, and for several years after merchant caverns heading to the cities of Badriel and Adalan did not need to hire a large retinue of armed guards. He also played a minor role in the war against the demons, winning some minor skirmishes and defeating some scouting parties, but it would not be until the Kelmar Civil War that his prowess would truly be tested. He played a key role in the battle of Kamont Hill, where he took command of the right flank after its commander died and rallied the troops to charge and save the center from collapsing. He also fought as the vanguard for the retreat from Beladon in a dogged defense that gave the pro Faith warriors enough time to regroup. However, his company was killed or scattered to the win after that battle, and Kurmotum was left for dead. His adopted daughter pulled him from the carnage and helped him recover. When he was finally well enough to travel, he set out only to discover the war was over and his side has lost. Coppermace decided to take what belongings he could easily carry and head North to enact a vision he had since he was a child - the creation of a Dwarven Homeland. It was a mad vision, a crazy idea, a product of a lunatic's mind - but Kurmotum would not let that stop him. And so he headed North.

Primary Stats:

STR&BLA: 10 (+5)

AGI&SHA: 5 (+0)

WIL&KNO: 8 (+3)

CHA&TON: 9 (+4)


Equipment&Perks:
Chainmail armor, with a crossbow for long range and a battle axe for close quarter combat.

Companion:
Teresa: The adopted daughter of Kurmotum's first mercenary contract, he fast became friends with her father who was human but shown Kurmotum the respect no other human had. This man was unfortunately a loser in the Kalmar civil war. In honor of his friend, Kurmotum took in his daughter in and raised her. As it turns out she is a demon. She is stealthy and quiet, knowing how to wield her dagger with great precision and how to stay hidden until ready to strike. Her demonic heritage and the hatred it inspires has brought her up to be a quiet introspective child.

Qualities:

• Charity and Hope: 0
• Heartless and Cruel: 0
• Ruthless and Cynical: 0
• Melancholy and Tears: 0
• Brave and Daring: 0
• Honorable and Just: 0
• Clever and Subtle: 0
• Gleam and Zeal: 0
• Gloom and Silence: 0

Bringer of Death: 0. Your hands, and your conscience, is clean.

 

[Tyo]

Name: Sant Goren

Race/Ethnicity: Human/Lymilarkian

Primary Stats:

STR&BLA: 9 (+5)

AGI&SHA: 8 (+3)

WIL&KNO: 7 (+2)

CHA&TON: 7 (+2)

Backstory: Sant Goren was a knight of a minor lord of Lymilark who took up arms during the Holy War. Like almost every other Lymarkia, he was a man of the faith; though, the conflict changed his perspective somewhat.

During the conflict he bore witness to beings of pure fire burn countless men and personally fought against those same flames, having more than a few brushes with death. It struck him that demons, the arbiters of darkness they were held up to be, shone more bright than any man, be they priest or peasant. He began to think about the concept of light. He began to think that perhaps their Goddess was not the patron of Light, but the usurper of it. Light originates in the fire.

Thus, Sant Goren takes it upon himself to seek the truth of light and dark and to find the diety who best embodies the will of Fire; and if none exists, he shall be the one to take that mantle.

Equipment: His Greatsword he forged himself at some point before the war. After constant use with little time for maintenance during the war, it is a worm blade but a sturdy and reliable one. It is the only piece of equipment he managed to save during one of the pivotal battles with the great Mage's faction.

Companion: Elise Witheld was but a girl when the war literally tore her family apart. Sant Goren just happened to be amidst this carnage, at the right place at the right time to save Elise herself. He did not have the time to think much of it however, and continued on with the war campaign. Later on, she somehow discovered his whereabouts and has yet to leave his side since, having nothing else left aside from the man who saved her.

 

[LDiCesare]

Name: Lunet the (would-be) sorceress

Race/Ethnicity: Human - Lymilark

Primary Stats:

STR&BLA: 6 (+1)

AGI&SHA: 6 (+1)

WIL&KNO: 13 (+8)

CHA&TON: 7 (+2)

Background:
Alforn is a beastman originally from northern Lymilark. He looks like a very big human with a pair of bull horns on the head, cloven feet, and a tail to go with it. He doesn't remember his infancy. For as long as he can remember, he was a slave, used as a beast of burden. Truth be told, he looks like an ugly ox that someone failed to disguise as a human. He is strong and, errr... strong.
So what does it have to do with Lunet, and who is she in the first place?

Well, Lunet was Alforn's master's apprentice. The man, named Gregor Larksohn, was an eccentric lord who dabbled in magic. He also had a very beautiful young son, roughly the age of Lunet. The son, Falbalor Gregsohn, would inherit his father's manor and lands, making him a juicy target for all the noble damsels of the surrounding country.
Now Lunet is a pretty young girl. She's quite clever, but she is both extraordinarily clumsy and a bit shy. The competition for Falbalor's heart was tough, and that for his lands even more so, since those outside the estate started becoming wastelands after archmage Geld's devils ravaged them one after the other. So Lunet decided she would not try to seduce the young lord the usual way. Using her knowledge of magic, she secretly brewed a love philter.
It was a perfect plan.
No other woman would seduce the young noble, ever.

When she was done, Lunet ran out of the laboratory, holding her vial in her gracious little hand and dreaming to herself.
And that's where Alforn enters her story.
Since he's about twice her size and three or four times her weight, when Lunet ran into Alforn, she bounced off him. Her philter flew high above her. She gasped in horror as the vial fell down upon her forehead, crashed, and spilled the philter all over her face.
At this precise moment, it dawned upon Lunet that the big ugly beastman who was constantly moving the library from one aisle of the manor to the other was in fact the most loveliest cutest most beautifulest creaturest ever. Or something like that. The slave apologised, afraid she might cause him some harm. Curiously, instead of chastising him for being in the way, Lunet hugged him and declared that she loved him and all kinds of nonsense.

Alforn was a big brute, but with Lunet's secret training, he learnt how to read and started being something more than a brainless mass of muscles.
When the war became truly desperate, master Gregor and his son could no longer escape the summonings of the capital and marched south with their guards, leaving Lunet to guard the laboratory and the manor.
Immediately, the young woman started working on disabling Alforn's slave collar.
She was not really familiar with that kind of magic, but there were grimoires that explained everything in an old language she barely read. Her master had always said she had great skill. Alforn encouraged her, too. So she felt confident, she tried the spell and.. it worked! When they realised this, the two lovers would have fallen into each other's arms for sure. Except at this very moment, they had already fallen on the ground because the spell also unleashed a kind of tornado. And they were lucky to be in the eye of the cyclone. The manor was mostly destroyed. Everybody else in the manor was killed. The fields nearby were ravaged. Over a league around the laboratory, the landscape was ravaged too. Cows were sent flying around, huts and houses were splintered, people were killed, buildings were destroyed. A lot of people were killed, and a lot of buildings were destroyed.

So, not being sure whether the master would come back, Alforn and Lunet decided to blame the destruction of the estate on the war in case anyone asked them, and to flee north where they could disappear into the not-yet-ravaged-by-war (or anything else) kingdom of Weissen. There, certainly, Alforn's great strength and Lunet's mastery (ahem) of magical arts would allow them to find some kind of employment.

It should be noted that Lunet has the potential of being a very powerful mage (or so said her master, now most likely a corpse lying under some rubble in the ruins of Lym). When a spell of hers succeeds, it's always very potent. Unfortunately, it rarely succeeds, and it often doesn't do quite exactly what she wanted it to do. When it does, it either has a side effect or manages to backfire by pure bad luck. But one day, surely, her spells will work just fine. It's only a questionof practice and surviving the side effects in the meantime.

Equipment:
The Black Torc. Formerly a slave collar, the black torc is a now broken slave collar. Its magic got reversed somehow. It makes Alforn extremely hard to affect by magic, in particular anything that would try to control him. Lunet put it on once. She found Alforn extraordinarily ugly, stupid and repulsive for as long as she wore it, but he quickly snatched it away from her and she one again realised that he's the loveliest being in existence, ever.

Companion:
Alforn is Lunet's lover. He's also no longer a slave thanks to her. He likes the girl, really. Without her, someone would most certainly enslave him again, but with her, he can probably carve himself a name and a kingdom like Turok did in the east. Just don't let her take the black torc from him. He's very, very, very strong. He's also very interested in magic, but only barely knows how to read, can't write, and is totally dependent on Lunet for just about everyting that doens't require moving things around or smashing things. When he learns more about freedom, he will probably dump Lunet, but for now he's his faithful lover.

 

[Seon]

In the Empire of Al-Kalmar, there is the Academy of Vidos, the greatest of magical academy in the continent. Smoke and flames rise forever here--aftermath of one of Geld's experiments gone wrong during his time here as a student. The fires that consumed one of the laboratory here... along with most of the surrounding hill... was never quite extinguished.

Spoiler Fatima al-Nusar :

Name: Fatima al-Nusar

Race/Ethnicity: Kalmarian

Primary Stats:

STR&BLA: 6 (+1)

AGI&SHA: 6 (+1)

WIL&KNO: 9 (+2)

CHA&TON: 11 (+0)


Equipment&Perks:

• Helm/Hat:
• Clothing/Armor:
• Shoes/Greaves:
• Gauntlet/Gloves:
• Weapon/Tools:
• Offhand Weapon/Tools: Archaic custom firestaff ("SURPRISE!" +1 AGI, +1 STR)
• Accessory 1:
• Accessory 2:
• Companion 1: Gerda von Junkers ("Whoops." +2 WIL)
• Companion 2:
• Companion 3:
• Companion 4:
• Perk Slot 1: Revolutionary Zealot (Direct action against targets of the revolution is easier)
• Perk Slot 2:

Qualities:

• Charity and Hope: 1
• Heartless and Cruel: 0
• Ruthless and Cynical: 0
• Melancholy and Tears: 2
• Brave and Daring: 2
• Honorable and Just: 0
• Clever and Subtle: 0
• Gleam and Zeal: 0
• Gloom and Silence: 0

Bringer of Death: 3. The engines of Revolution are always hungry for more blood.

Qualities will be assigned upon completion of the backstory.

A common wisdom regarding the dragons. Only the Gold can be reasoned and trusted to uphold their bargains. Whites are consumed with despair and melancholy. Never trust a green. Blues are full of fear. Blacks are dead. Do not ask about the reds.

Spoiler Arthur Dragonrider :

Name: Arthur Dragonrider

Race/Ethnicity: Termarian

Primary Stats:

STR&BLA: 6 (+2)

AGI&SHA: 8 (+1)

WIL&KNO: 8 (+0)

CHA&TON: 10 (+1)


Equipment&Perks:

• Helm/Hat:
• Clothing/Armor:
• Shoes/Greaves:
• Gauntlet/Gloves:
• Weapon/Tools: Noble Sword ("Not enchanted, but well balanced and bears your house's seal." +1 STR, +1 CHA)
• Offhand Weapon/Tools:
• Accessory 1:
• Accessory 2:
• Companion 1: Athena, the Swordswoman ("For the love of Lymilark, please stay out of trouble" +1 STR, +1 AGI)
• Companion 2:
• Companion 3:
• Companion 4:
• Perk Slot 1: Noble Blood (Charisma checks against nobles are easier)
• Perk Slot 2:

Qualities:

• Charity and Hope: 3
• Heartless and Cruel: 0
• Ruthless and Cynical: 0
• Melancholy and Tears: 0
• Brave and Daring: 0
• Honorable and Just: 2
• Clever and Subtle: 0
• Gleam and Zeal: 0
• Gloom and Silence: 0

Bringer of Death: 0. Your hands, and your conscience, is clean.

"Why? Why abandon your old name?"

"I fully intend on monopolizing the word," she said. "Hundreds of years from now, when people whisper the word, empress, they will know exactly whom they are talking about."

"Are you that candid with your own people?"

"Nope."

Spoiler Kurmotum Coppermace :

Name: Kurmotum Coppermace

Race/Ethnicity: Dwarf

Primary Stats:

STR&BLA: 10 (+2)

AGI&SHA: 5 (+2)

WIL&KNO: 8 (+0)

CHA&TON: 9 (+0)


Equipment&Perks:

• Helm/Hat:
• Clothing/Armor:
• Shoes/Greaves:
• Gauntlet/Gloves:
• Weapon/Tools: Dwarven Battleaxe ("Dwarves tend to swing their axes around a man's groin height, unfortunately." +2 STR)
• Offhand Weapon/Tools:
• Accessory 1:
• Accessory 2:
• Companion 1: Teresa ("..." +2 AGI)
• Companion 2:
• Companion 3:
• Companion 4:
• Perk Slot 1: Leader of Dwarves (Rank 1. Interactions with dwarven characters are easier. Special recruitment opportunities for dwarves are available every so often)
• Perk Slot 2:

Qualities:

• Charity and Hope: 1
• Heartless and Cruel: 0
• Ruthless and Cynical: 0
• Melancholy and Tears: 3
• Brave and Daring: 0
• Honorable and Just: 0
• Clever and Subtle: 0
• Gleam and Zeal: 1
• Gloom and Silence: 0

Bringer of Death: 12. Just business.

"...do you know the Name?"

Spoiler Sant Goren :

Name: Sant Goren

Race/Ethnicity: Lymilarkian Refugee/Human

Primary Stats:

STR&BLA: 9 (+2)

AGI&SHA: 8 (+0)

WIL&KNO: 7 (+0)

CHA&TON: 8 (+2)


Equipment&Perks:

• Helm/Hat:
• Clothing/Armor:
• Shoes/Greaves:
• Gauntlet/Gloves:
• Weapon/Tools: Veteran's Blade ("A two handed sword, made and used for war." +2 STR)
• Offhand Weapon/Tools:
• Accessory 1:
• Accessory 2:
• Companion 1: Elise ("We are all familiar with terror, our constant companion..." +2 CHA)
• Companion 2:
• Companion 3:
• Companion 4:
• Perk Slot 1: The Veteran of the Great Holy War (combat check against monsters, spirits, and creatures are more likely to succeed)
• Perk Slot 2:

Qualities:

• Charity and Hope: 0
• Heartless and Cruel: 0
• Ruthless and Cynical: 0
• Melancholy and Tears: 3
• Brave and Daring: 0
• Honorable and Just: 0
• Clever and Subtle: 0
• Gleam and Zeal: 1
• Gloom and Silence: 1

Bringer of Death: 0. Your hands, and your conscience, is clean.

"Legend has it that the dwarven king, driven mad with the slaughter of his people, devised seven weapons and armor of the dragonslayers, with which the legendary adventurer, Garius, exterminated the black dragons in both the Serpent's Spine and the human realms before he disappeared...

Spoiler Lunet, Would Be Sorceress :

Name: Lunet

Race/Ethnicity: Lymilark

Primary Stats:

STR&BLA: 6 (+4)

AGI&SHA: 6 (+0)

WIL&KNO: 13 (+0)

CHA&TON: 7 (+0)


Equipment&Perks:

• Helm/Hat:
• Clothing/Armor:
• Shoes/Greaves:
• Gauntlet/Gloves:
• Weapon/Tools:
• Offhand Weapon/Tools:
• Accessory 1: A Shattered Torc (Keep this here to maintain Aiforn as a companion)
• Accessory 2:
• Companion 1: Aiforn ("Very strong. And also strong". +4 STR)
• Companion 2:
• Companion 3:
• Companion 4:
• Perk Slot 1: Worst. Mage. EVER (While you are more powerful and more likely to succeed with magic, your magic checks will likely backfire in unexpected and spectacular ways even on a success. Especially on success. This perk cannot be removed.)
• Perk Slot 2:

Qualities:

• Charity and Hope: 2
• Heartless and Cruel: 1
• Ruthless and Cynical: 1
• Melancholy and Tears: 0
• Brave and Daring: 0
• Honorable and Just: 0
• Clever and Subtle: 1
• Gleam and Zeal: 0
• Gloom and Silence: 0

Bringer of Death: 25. It was an accident, you swear.

"...after all, Turok himself was once a slave in the Kingdom of Lymilark until he was freed by a naive young high priestess, on trial after being blamed for Turok's rise in the mountains of Anz. Well, she was on trial, until Geld happened.

Spoiler Runt :

Name: Runt/Matayar

Race/Ethnicity: Beastman

Primary Stats:

STR&BLA: 14 (+2)

AGI&SHA: 5 (+1)

WIL&KNO: 8 (+1)

CHA&TON: 5 (+0)


Equipment&Perks:

• Helm/Hat:
• Clothing/Armor:
• Shoes/Greaves:
• Gauntlet/Gloves:
• Weapon/Tools:
• Offhand Weapon/Tools:
• Accessory 1: Bone Charm ("We have been placed on this earth to kill") +1 STR, +1 AGI)
• Accessory 2:
• Companion 1: Matyar the Shadow Devil ("Have no fear, for I shall collect your soul at the end" +1 STR, +1 WIL)
• Companion 2:
• Companion 3:
• Companion 4:
• Perk Slot 1: Duelist (Larger chance of success in combat when it involves single combat)
• Perk Slot 2:

Qualities:

• Charity and Hope: 0
• Heartless and Cruel: 1
• Ruthless and Cynical: 3
• Melancholy and Tears: 1
• Brave and Daring: 0
• Honorable and Just: 0
• Clever and Subtle: 0
• Gleam and Zeal: 0
• Gloom and Silence: 0

Bringer of Death: 0. A slave and a tool is not a master of their destiny.

And the Goddess spoke: Believe in Me, for I shall keep the darkness at bay and bring about a world that is without an end...

Spoiler An-Nur :

Name: an-Nur

Race/Ethnicity: Kalmarian

Primary Stats:

STR&BLA: 5 (+1)

AGI&SHA: 7 (+1)

WIL&KNO: 11 (+0)

CHA&TON: 9 (+0)


Equipment&Perks:

• Helm/Hat:
• Clothing/Armor:
• Shoes/Greaves:
• Gauntlet/Gloves:
• Weapon/Tools:
• Offhand Weapon/Tools:
• Accessory 2:
• Companion 1:
• Companion 2:
• Companion 3:
• Companion 4:
• Perk Slot 1: Lore of Magic: Healing Lv1 (Extensive training in healing spells--greatly improved chance of success when missions involve healing)
• Perk Slot 2:

Qualities:

• Charity and Hope: 0
• Heartless and Cruel: 0
• Ruthless and Cynical: 0
• Melancholy and Tears: 2
• Brave and Daring: 0
• Honorable and Just: 0
• Clever and Subtle: 0
• Gleam and Zeal: 2
• Gloom and Silence: 1

Bringer of Death: 0. Your hands, and your conscience, is clean.

Emperors of Terma only ever produce a single pair of twins in their life--one boy and one girl. The girl is always sacrificed to Garuma, the Black Dragon, to ensure the Empire's continued survival and protection under the dragon...

Spoiler Cathyra :

Name: Cathyra

Race/Ethnicity: Beastman

Primary Stats:

STR&BLA: 10 (+0)

AGI&SHA: 7 (+0)

WIL&KNO: 9 (+0)

CHA&TON: 6 (+2)


Equipment&Perks:

• Helm/Hat:
• Clothing/Armor:
• Shoes/Greaves:
• Gauntlet/Gloves:
• Weapon/Tools:
• Offhand Weapon/Tools:
• Accessory 1: Jade Collar ("So shiny!" +2 CHA)
• Accessory 2:
• Companion 1: Nolan Swiftdane ("Let me at'em!" +1 STR. +1 Agi. This cannot be removed from slot)
• Companion 2:
• Companion 3:
• Companion 4:
• Perk Slot 1: A Noble Charge (Increase chance of success in dealing with nobles. May have to deal with capriciousness from time to time)
• Perk Slot 2:

Qualities:

• Charity and Hope: 0
• Heartless and Cruel: 0
• Ruthless and Cynical: 1
• Melancholy and Tears: 1
• Brave and Daring: 0
• Honorable and Just: 0
• Clever and Subtle: 3
• Gleam and Zeal: 0
• Gloom and Silence: 0

Bringer of Death: 0. Your hands, and your conscience, is clean.

Here in the Imperial Capital of Al Kalmar, fresh sets of declarations, lists of public enemies, and revised laws rain down from the heavens and materialize on walls and other bulletin boards. The new bureaucracy is often overwhelmed by the sheer scale of Her visions and the task of turning it into reality, and mistakes are often paid in innocent blood.

Spoiler Valeska Til :

Name: Valeska Til

Race/Ethnicity: Kalmarian

Primary Stats:

STR&BLA: 5 (+3)

AGI&SHA: 11 (+1)

WIL&KNO: 5 (+0)

CHA&TON: 11 (+0)


Equipment&Perks:

• Helm/Hat:
• Clothing/Armor:
• Shoes/Greaves:
• Gauntlet/Gloves:
• Weapon/Tools: Rapier ("Let me tell you about where I got this from..." +1 STR +1 AGI)
• Offhand Weapon/Tools:
• Accessory 1:
• Accessory 2:
• Companion 1: Andos Kugrer ("Be of good cheer, this too, shall end." +2 STR)
• Companion 2:
• Companion 3:
• Companion 4:
• Perk Slot 1: Revolutionary Firebrand (Bonus for charisma checks in inciting anti-aristocratic or anti-religious sentiments, or dealing with other revolutionaries)
• Perk Slot 2:

Qualities:

• Charity and Hope: 2
• Heartless and Cruel: 0
• Ruthless and Cynical: 1
• Melancholy and Tears: 2
• Brave and Daring: 0
• Honorable and Just: 0
• Clever and Subtle: 0
• Gleam and Zeal: 0
• Gloom and Silence: 0

Bringer of Death: 3. Your hands, and your conscience, is clean.

Queen Evelyn's Creed:
1. Never fight fair.
2. Always be ready to retreat.
3. Pride is bloody useless anyways.
4. Stop writing down everything I say you idi-

Spoiler B*ltzer :

Name: Bernd Baltzer
Race: Weissen
Primary Stats:

STR&BLA: 5 (+1)

AGI&SHA: 5 (+0)

WIL&KNO: 5 (+1)

CHA&TON: 17 (+2)


Equipment&Perks:

• Helm/Hat:
• Clothing/Armor:
• Shoes/Greaves:
• Gauntlet/Gloves:
• Weapon/Tools: Y*to ("Some guy east of here called, they want their sword back" +1 STR, +1 CHA)
• Offhand Weapon/Tools:
• Accessory 1:
• Accessory 2:
• Companion 1: Dieter Strunz ("Now if you look at decree number 318-b and compare it to ducal law of Valdorf..." +1 WIL, +1 CHA)
• Companion 2:
• Companion 3:
• Companion 4:
• Perk Slot 1: Dishonorable Bastard (Bonus to CHA check when you are lying through your teeth)
• Perk Slot 2:

Qualities:

• Charity and Hope: 0
• Heartless and Cruel: 0
• Ruthless and Cynical: 2
• Melancholy and Tears: 1
• Brave and Daring: 0
• Honorable and Just: 0
• Clever and Subtle: 2
• Gleam and Zeal: 0
• Gloom and Silence: 0

Bringer of Death: 0. Your hands, and your conscience, is clean.

"While the Faith itself is often silent on the matters related to demons, it is common knowledge that Holy Magic and items blessed by the Faith are inimical to demons. Teardrops of Lymilark, for instance, burns them when it provides relief to other species... it is not known exactly why this phenomenon occurs, but the common folk often use it to declare that the demons are evil by nature..."

Spoiler Alaric :

Name: Alaric

Race: Demon

Primary Stats:

STR&BLA: 11 (+2)

AGI&SHA: 5 (+0)

WIL&KNO: 9 (+2)

CHA&TON: 7 (+0)


Equipment&Perks:

• Helm/Hat:
• Clothing/Armor:
• Shoes/Greaves:
• Gauntlet/Gloves:
• Weapon/Tools: Damocles ("An ego sword, a sword with a spirit bound to it, often only finds niche users--mostly due to how annoying they are." +1 STR, +1 WIL)
• Offhand Weapon/Tools:
• Accessory 1:
• Accessory 2:
• Companion 1: Damocles ("FLAME ON!" +1 STR, +1 WIL)
• Companion 2:
• Companion 3:
• Companion 4:
• Perk Slot 1: Lore of Magic: Body (A fraction of your WIL is added to your STR and AGI when making combat pursuit checks)
• Perk Slot 2:

Qualities:

• Charity and Hope: 0
• Heartless and Cruel: 0
• Ruthless and Cynical: 0
• Melancholy and Tears: 3
• Brave and Daring: 0
• Honorable and Just: 1
• Clever and Subtle: 0
• Gleam and Zeal: 1
• Gloom and Silence: 0

Bringer of Death: 1. What madness brought you to imagine that humans and demons could coexist?

The Faith teaches us of the concept of balanced scales--that for every object in the world, there is a counterpart. It applies to humans too. For every one of us, there is a counterpart that serves to balance us out--be they lovers, rivals, or enemies. Those born with the talent and skills to truly change the world are often born meek or content and unwilling to change the status quo, or alternatively locked into an eternal struggle with their rival.

But of course, then there are some abnormalities born with none to balance the other end of the scale. It is through such people that worlds change.

Spoiler Raiza :

Name: Raiza

Race: Dwarf

Primary Stats:

STR&BLA: 9 (+0)

AGI&SHA: 6 (+3)

WIL&KNO: 11 (+1)

CHA&TON: 9 (+0)


Equipment&Perks:

• Helm/Hat:
• Clothing/Armor:
• Shoes/Greaves:
• Gauntlet/Gloves: Sigil-Inscribed Gloves ("Makes casting and needlework easier" +1 AGI, +1 WIL)
• Weapon/Tools:
• Offhand Weapon/Tools:
• Accessory 1:
• Accessory 2:
• Companion 1: Satin ("GO FOR THE EYES!" +2 AGI)
• Companion 2:
• Companion 3:
• Companion 4:
• Perk Slot 1: Lore of Magic: Enchantment (Increased chance of success on defensive and enchantment missions. May imbue a +1 stat temporarily to an item by expanding a minor action)
• Perk Slot 2:

Qualities:

• Charity and Hope: 0
• Heartless and Cruel: 0
• Ruthless and Cynical: 1
• Melancholy and Tears: 2
• Brave and Daring: 1
• Honorable and Just: 0
• Clever and Subtle: 0
• Gleam and Zeal: 0
• Gloom and Silence: 1

Bringer of Death: 0.

The Faith frowned upon the factories when it first arose, and the workshops in the cities before them. They claimed that it would increase the complexities that we face in the world even more than it already was. Eventually, however, they too were silenced by all the good that industries gave us...

Spoiler Troo Goodman :

Name: Troo Goodman

Race: Human (Termarian)

Primary Stats:

STR&BLA: 11 (+2)

AGI&SHA: 8 (+1)

WIL&KNO: 5 (+0)

CHA&TON: 8 (+1)


Equipment&Perks:

• Helm/Hat:
• Clothing/Armor:
• Shoes/Greaves:
• Gauntlet/Gloves:
• Weapon/Tools:
• Offhand Weapon/Tools: Ego Buckler ("Anyone who claims that a buckler is not a weapon hasn't been punched in the face with one" (+1 STR. +1 AGI)
• Accessory 1:
• Accessory 2:
• Companion 1: Ego Buckler ("Left! No, MY LEFT!" +1 STR, +1 CHA)
• Companion 2:
• Companion 3:
• Companion 4:
• Perk Slot 1:
• Perk Slot 2:

Qualities:

• Charity and Hope: 2
• Heartless and Cruel: 0
• Ruthless and Cynical: 0
• Melancholy and Tears: 0
• Brave and Daring: 2
• Honorable and Just: 1
• Clever and Subtle: 0
• Gleam and Zeal: 0
• Gloom and Silence: 0

Bringer of Death: 0 Your hand and your conscience is clean. Probably. Just don't touch me.

"The scripture told us that--"

"I wouldn't trust the scripture too much if I were you, Alis," said the boy, not even lifting his head out of the quite possibly proscribed book.

A girl nearby, communicating with a pair of particularly impudent cockroaches, let out a chuckle. "Yeah," she said. "I bet she would have been perfectly happy if we never got out of stone age."

Spoiler Devid :

Name: Devid

Race: Weissener

Primary Stats:

STR&BLA: 5 (+0)

AGI&SHA: 6 (+0)

WIL&KNO: 12 (+3)

CHA&TON: 9 (+1)


Equipment&Perks:

• Helm/Hat:
• Clothing/Armor:
• Shoes/Greaves:
• Gauntlet/Gloves:
• Weapon/Tools: Earth Staff (It draws power from buried earth. +2 WILL)
• Offhand Weapon/Tools:
• Accessory 1:
• Accessory 2:
• Companion 1: Pglyhglvar ("We shall be watching." +1 CHA, +1 WILL)
• Companion 2:
• Companion 3:
• Companion 4:
• Perk Slot 1: Lore of Magic: Spiritualist (You know how to bend the spirits to your will or appeal to them for assistance. Minor bonuses when dealing with other spiritualists or summoned spirits)
• Perk Slot 2:

Qualities:

• Charity and Hope: 0
• Heartless and Cruel: 0
• Ruthless and Cynical: 0
• Melancholy and Tears: 2
• Brave and Daring: 0
• Honorable and Just: 0
• Clever and Subtle: 0
• Gleam and Zeal: 3
• Gloom and Silence: 0

Bringer of Death: 0. Your hand, and your conscience, is clean.

 

[Seon]

Just to make something clear, your base stat of 5 is already superior to average humans.

 

[Shadowbound]

Name: The Runt/Matyar
Race/Ethnicity: Beastman

Primary Stats:
STR&BLA: 14
AGI&SHA: 5
WIL&KNO: 8
CHA&TON: 5

Background: Across the Empire of Terma, thousands of beastmen and humans are slaves. Most are used for their labor, working fields and mines to enrich their masters. Some are kept in households and used as domestic servants. The luckiest find use for their intellect and and knowledge as tutors. Runt was not one of these. Runt, and his siblings, were sold at an early age to a lanista, a trainer of gladiators. The smallest and weakest of seven brothers, the Runt never received a name for he was not expected to survive long. He received the least food, the least attention, the least equipment. His role was to grow to maturity and die bloodily for the amusement of the crowd.

When thrown into the arena at the age of 12, he tore his opponent's throat out with his teeth.

A month later he slew two of his brothers in a mass combat, vengeance for a decade of abuse and hardship.

A year later he was offered up as an opponent for the legendary gladiator Grim Grier, coming out of retirement, and survived for two hours in the arena until the organizers ended the fight to move on to better entertainment. His owners sold him as a galley slave, expecting him to die from malnutrition or drown in a wreck, but three years later his new owners presented him in the arena again. And, in Grim Grier's final fight, a 17 year old cloven-hoofed beastman crushed his skull with his bare hands.

The Runt, as he was called and would remain, would become one of the greatest gladiators of his time. He was strong, he was skilled, but above all he would do whatever it would take to win. All the while he carefully marshaled his small income to earn enough to buy his freedom.

But with the coming of the Great Holy War his owner, a pious man, offered his entire school of gladiators to the Holy Faith as solders. Promptly "freed" and invested into the military order of the faith. Under heavy guard they were shipped to battle and thrown into the merciless horde of spirits. And there the Runt, it seems, finally died.

Until he was found by a kindred Spirit, an elemental of battle summoned for Geld's war, who took him as his own. Now the Runt, sharing his body with the spirit of Matyar, wanders out of the Holy Kingdom, a peerless warrior and legendary gladiator with one skill and trade: battle.

Equipment: A bracelet carved from the bones of his brothers. The Runt had a hedge-witch enchant it to give him luck in the arena. What it actually does? No idea. But it's important: a seventh son that carries his brothers around with him is no small matter.

Companions: Matyar lacks form or shape but walks alongside the Runt as his shadow. He feeds on battle: the living, the dead, those in-between.