Temple of Myth [Signups/OoC/Started]

[Draconus297]

Arguably my most complicated RP ever, but potentially the most fun, because I have been told I excel in world-building and lore.

 

First and foremost, this indulges in full fantasy mode, so expect magic, dragons, the whole nine, with a few notable changes from the standard formula. You just stepped into a whole new rabbit hole.

 

[spoiler= History]

Dust off that history textbook you haven't looked at since high school. This is an alt-history set in 1530 AD. If you're English, you have to deal with the pompous likes of Henry VIII, if you're French, you have Francis, et cetera. The alterations are as follows.

 

The Ottoman Empire could not get past Constantinople/Istanbul, so the Byzantine Empire occupies Greece and most of Eastern Europe. As such, the Comnena family successfully set up a nation that didn't have a religion at its crux. Freedom of religion FTW. {You think I'm joking? The Comnena family, which took hold of the Imperial seat around fifty years after Diocletian split the Byzantine and Roman [Eastern and Western} Empires, tried to pass a bill in which there would be no established Church. Some believe that the Ottomans were paid off to attack the Byzantines.}

 

Because the Ottoman Empire was severely tied up with the Byzantines, they never attacked the Kingdom of Mali, so it survived and interacted with European politics on a regular basis.

 

When the Hapsburgs did not have a scary enemy on the eastern front, their tricky claim to fame never existed, which means that Spain stayed Spanish (but had no claim to Italy), Italy unified under Rome, and Prussia took over German territory a full three hundred years early.

 

With support from the Byzantine Empire, the Russians never lost control of the Mongols, so they never invaded China or Japan, so those two countries kept open borders. Zheng He's expeditions were thus continued, which meant that trade between Asia and Europe never ended.

 

Zheng He and European explorers met in the middle ground around Zulu territory, which meant that neither group took them over, and the Zulu ruled much of southern Africa with international eyes on them.

 

So, that means that, as viable nations, we have:

England- To speak English, use regular quotes. "I want to go that way."

Scotland (It ain't 1688 yet, cousin)

Ireland

Prussia- To speak German, use forward-quotes. "/I want to go that way./"

Wales- To speak Welsh, use asterisks. *I want to go that way.*

France- To speak French, use double quotes. ""I want to go that way.""

Spain- To speak Spanish, use asterisk-quotes. *"I want to go that way."*

Portugal- To speak Portugese, use alter-vs. ^I want to go that way.^

Byzantium- To speak Greek, use double forward-slashes. //I want to go that way.//

Italy- To speak Latin, use asterisk-vs. *^I want to go that way.^*

Russia- To speak Russian, use forward-asterisks. /*I want to go that way.*/

Mali- To speak Arabic, use equal-brackets. =[i want to go that way.]=

Ottoman (I don't know how to refer to these guys)

China- To speak Chinese {assumed Mandarin}, use arrow-colons. <:I want to go that way.:>]

Japan- To speak Japanese {assumed Imperial}, use arrows. >I want to go that way.<

Zulu- To speak Zulu, use double-brackets. [[i want to go that way.]]

 

 

 

[spoiler=Magic Basics]

There are six main disciplines of magic in total, with respective strengths and weaknesses.

Fire, which is the weakest discipline defensively, but very quick and aggressive.

Water, which is very hard to control, but highly versatile.

Earth, which is very slow to cast incantation-wise, but powerful and versatile.

Wind, which is the weakest offensively, but has the shortest incantations of any discipline.

Dark, which lacks Seal spells, but contains many great spells, including the single most deadly, Shadow Trigger.

Light, which always flies in straight lines, but is nearly impossible to stop.

 

Mages can learn every element except their element's polar opposite (born Fire mages can never learn Water, et cetera), but are best suited to their home element, sometimes learning incantations without study.

 

There are twelve levels of magic, divided by effectiveness.

Uri, Seszen, Menuri, Raga, Pentex, Hex, Kasa, Llemuri, Emerlin, Romagna, Chetae, and Paladin.

A student is required to know at least one Kasa level spell prior to graduation at either Academy.

Wind magic is considered so weak that no Wind spell known to date is calssified as Paladin level.

There is a special club for those who devoted themselves to magic so much that they learn Paladin level magic.

 

Magic is bound, interestingly enough, to birth month.

January and July birth Wind mages.

February and August are home to Fire.

March and September house the Dark.

April and October become Earth.

May and November create Water.

June and December summon Light.

 

Children born in March or September are often shunned by countries practicing Christianity for their inability to use Light magic.

 

 

 

[spoiler= Species List]

 

Humans-> as they always are. Somehow central to everything.

 

Dryads-> A dryad is a spirit of a forest. They cannot leave their land, but is, for most intents and purposes, immortal, as they continue to live as long as some life grows in their territory. Dryads don't like humans all that much, for obvious reasons. Sometimes Dryads will get in disputes over which territory belongs to whom, as their lives literally depend upon it. They have magic of an as-yet unidentified variety that permits them to call any life in their territory to do as the Dryad desires. It is advised against staying the night in a forest, or you are bound to the Dryad who owns it until you leave- if the Dryad lets you.

 

Hamadryads-> Executors of contracts, servants of dryads, and spirits of plants, Hamadryads are all female. Every individual plant has its own Hamadryad living inside it, but most Hamadryads don't take corporeal form at all, and most don't stay that way for very long. Unlike their master Dryads, Hamadryads may have their forms leave their forest, but are not likely to enjoy it for long- each Hamadryad's life is tied to her plant. Should the plant die, the girl dies of no visible reason. Should the girl die, the plant will wither immediately. Hamadryads will often keep woodcutters from killing their home plants by any means necessary- be it bribery, coercion, or blackmail.

 

Elves-> Long ago, Dryads trusted some humans enough to let them enjoy certain privileges. These people became Elves, bound through contract to defend the forest of the Dryad who gave them this power. Elves were given the muscle power of a bear, the swiftness of a hare, the grace of a deer, the hearing of a bat, and the eyesight of a hawk. The hair on their heads was replaced with plant life- of the same variety as the plant of the Hamadryad that executed their contract. Elves need not eat or sleep, and can live up to 200 years. This comes at a price, however. For every Hamadryad who dies a preventable death, the Elves of that forest feel the pain of an axe in their own side. The descendant Elves are still bound to the contracts of their forefathers.

 

Eorides-> Somewhere between this life and the next, there supposedly exists a pool, often called the Lake of Tears. A dying man or woman may touch the waters of this lake, and return to life as one of these beings. Their hair is made white as a clean snowfall, their skin black as coal- and without imperfection. Their eyes may be blue, red, or yellow. They are granted miraculous healing potential. They are even given a mild ability to predict future events- but at great cost. Eorides trigger hatred in all living things, even one another. Their roles of love and hatred are reversed- anyone they hated prior to becoming an Eorida, they now are smitten with, anyone they loved is now a bitter enemy. They are often made into pathological liars. The worst part, however (at least according to the Church) is that they lose the ability to perform Light magic, had they that ability in the first place. The Eorides are almost universally servants or worse, and they often hide themselves under obscuring clothing and in back alleys, to prevent vicious attack. All children of Eorides are Eorides as well. An Eorida may live up to age 90, and no one over age 90 has become an Eorida.

 

Aquarias-> People of the Ocean. All Aquarias are adept at Water magic (some believe that an Aquaria born in February or August is murdered on the spot), must constantly be in contact with water, and may even teleport between bodies of water, provided the one they are already in is of sufficient size. They are the only race that Humans recognize as their equal, and will do parley with.

 

Anima-> These are referred to as Tsukomogari by the Japanese- any object that people often come into contact with, that is the same size as a human being or smaller, may develop a spirit ward after 100 years in one state. An Anima takes on whatever form it pleases, in the gender opposite to the person who came into contact with it the most often. The Anima themselves are completely indestructible, and will often protect people important to them with no regard for normal safety. However, just like Hamadryads are bound to trees, an Anima is bound to their object- which they cannot themselves touch. Damaging the object hurts the Anima, running one's fingers down it is pleasing to them, and destroying the object murders the Anima. They are often so viciously protective of their object bodies that they are identifiable in an instant. Curiously, the more famous the object, the more powerful the Anima- Excalibur itself has an Anima with nearly godlike power, despite being, in the end, an ordinary sword. Anima may wield strange, non-elemental magic, but only if someone they care deeply for is in danger.

 

Andacondrae-> These bizarre snake-people are entirely emotionless, but such good actors and actresses as a species that they usually fool everyone around them into believing that they have emotions. Some known Andacondrae have even escaped the death sentence by serving in acting troupes. They feed on other sentient species exclusively, and the victims are, to them, flavorless unless they were in the midst of emotion when the Andacondra started their meal. Most Andacondrae enjoy going after joyful victims, and one Andacondra claimed (at the chopping block, no less) that the reason for that is that joy tastes sweet, like fruit. All Andacondrae look nearly human, were it not for a patch of scales on their body. These can be literally anywhere on the skin surface, and any size from a grain of wheat to covering most of their bodies. Nothing is known as to what makes up this size differential, or what the placement of the scale patch means. Ironically enough, they are poorly suited to utilizing Fire magic, as a key element in standard use is strong emotion.

 

Hunters-> These slit-eyed demons make up the most terrifying percentage of the population, in the eyes of most. First and foremost, Hunters are immune to old age and disease- only physical injury or poison may stop them. Hunters only grow horns in one portion of their head- the further to their left, the more emotional and unstable they are. The length of the horns is a great (but not foolproof- some Hunters pare them down) indicator of their age, as Hunter horns grow exactly a millimeter every year, and the number is an indicator of their power- the more horns on a Hunter's head, the more raw energy cycles around them. Hunters are incapable of using regular magic, as their body functions as a magic nullifier, but they can utilize the same non-elemental magic of the Anima, for an as-yet unknown reason. Hunters are so called because their whole culture and life is spent hunting down and destroying Anima, at any cost. They will often destroy the weapon that they used to destroy an Anima's object, to prevent it from becoming an Anima. As a species, they have unparalleled physical strength, are very tall, and often very beautiful/handsome. Many cultures hand-wave this as them making themselves more appealing in form to lull humans into a false sense of security. {[Little known fact-ie, only RP with this information if you are an important Hunter- the Hunter elder, just to show how superior the Hunters are to Anima, keeps a "pet" Anima, in the form of a two-thousand-year-old gem necklace with a floral motif.]}

 

Gerudes-> These bird-people are rather short, often stupid, and have very short attention spans. Their bones are hollow, like that of birds, which makes them greatly fast. Many people have jokingly compared them to angels, given their long, beautiful wingspans, which can be in all the same colors as those of the birds. The Gerudes, surprisingly enough, are usually left to their own devices- to quote a philosopher, "They're too stupid to be of harm. Let them be."

 

Feli-> These cat-like people are shapeshifters, capable of appearing anywhere on the spectrum of Human with a cat tail to that of a large cat on two legs. Unlike the Were-wolf, the change in a Felus is entirely voluntary. Just like cats, Feli have unbelievable reflexes and night vision, at the cost of depth perception. Unlike cats, however, Feli are a codependent race, needing constant contact with a predecided loved one- to the point that a Felus without his/her "center" for too long, they will become extremely nervous and/or depressive.

 

Were-Wolves-> These take the form of humans during most daylight hours, as their wolf form requires the moon to be in the sky without the sun. Usually, they are in complete control of their actions, even in wolf form. Different stages of the moon have different effects on them. As is well-known, a Were-wolf has their magic and physical capabilities amplified to their near maximum during the full moon, and has nearly no added effect during the new moon. The odd things happen during eclipses. During a solar eclipse, a Were-wolf undergoes full morph, but the limiting effect of the sun makes them weaker than normal. During a lunar eclipse, a Were-wolf loses all sense of self, and becomes a mindless monster with even more magic and physical power than they have on the full moon.

 

Trifles-> INFORMATION CLASSIFIED

 

 

 

[spoiler= Information Pertinent to the RP]

 

To keep better track of everyone, all characters will begin on the Isle in the Sky, a floating continent that the major nations have agreed is common, neutral ground. The Academy of Sword is a men's-only academy of magic, which studies in the use of magic and melee weaponry. Its equivalent, the Academy of Wand, trains girls in archery and magic. It is available to nobles only- although several "lesser species" (ie everyone not a Human or Aquaria) have attended in secret over the last several years.

 

There is a city on the Isle, where people of all species and nationalities may intermingle. Even Eorides are permitted on the Isle, for purposes of manual labor and servants for vacationing lords and ladies. The Dryad of the Isle has agreed to be mostly calm. It is one of the safest areas in all the world.

 

At least, it was.

 

About ten years ago, small blue-green people called Trifles began to stage an invasion from the Isle, claiming that a contract had been signed to hand over the Earth to them. Despite their physical fragility, these frightening invaders carried weaponry far beyond what any nation had to offer, and backed it up with magic on par with an Anima. It was agreed that all nations would front their entire armies to the battleground that was the Isle in the Sky. The Twin Academies were put on a strictly military education, and all races agreed to offer their support.

 

 

 

[spoiler= Incantations for the Uninitiated]

All spells carry an incantation, and a general rule of thumb (at least in this universe) is "The more powerful the spell, the longer the incantation."

 

There are only two canonical exceptions to this rule.

 

1. Shadow Trigger <Dark>

Incantation {any language accepted, Latin preferred for symbolism}: I hereby relinquish a bit of myself to destroy much of the world. Goodbye to my friends, my family, and my enemies alike. I invoke the Shadow Trigger.

Special Requirements: The caster removes a piece of their flesh, but leaves at least one intact arm to fire off the spell.

Effect: Spell flies forward twice the body length of the caster. Multiply the volume of the removed flesh by 25,000. This is the volume of the sphere of void which destroys literally anything trapped inside. Anyone close to (within a fourth of the radius of) but not inside the explosion loses all their memories. (Much math required)

 

2. Silver Wind <Wind>

Incantation: Move at the highest possible speed!

Special Requirements: Caster is knocked unconscious upon use.

Effect: Doubles the speed of whatever it comes into contact with.

 

 

 

 

[spoiler=Other Random Lore]

 

The way to channel magic for most races is the wood of the Sarenji tree, which may grow almost literally anywhere. As such, one may channel magic through their sword, provided its hilt is made of this wood, through their arm if it is a prosthetic made from this wood, et cetera. Make of that what you will.

 

There are thirty-four Guilty Thorn swords in existence, with two in the hands of major criminals. These are cursed weapons. The hilt appears to be a rose, and the blade is shaped like a thorny branch. The blade travels straight through women, for one. Second, every time the wielder kills a man, a large thorn will erupt from their flesh. Third, the weapon is forever bound to anyone who touches it. Fourth, it will act on its own accord to prevent its wielder from committing suicide. There do, however, appear to be unintended positive effects for its wielder. The most famous wielder, famed murderer "Black Thorn", is covered in his namesake. He has proven to have an uncanny ability to regenerate from wounds, and has often remarked on not requiring food or rest.

 

Dragons, despite their ability to speak, plan, and occasional demonstration of ability to utilize the Fiend's Claw to enter a mostly human form, are considered Mystic Beasts (animals that can use magic), not sentient beings.

 

The Fiend's Claw is an odd item, which changes any thinking being into a form best suited for them, while retaining some clue to the careful eye as to what they actually are.

 

The Twin Academies, upon graduation, pair 1-to-1 all students, for Sword and Sorceress duos. Despite this, the exit exams are radically different. The exit exam for the Academy of Sword is a pitched battle against a Mystic Beast selected per the student's level of skill, of the opposite element. The Academy of wand's exit exam is basically an IQ test, with the answer choices on moving targets- the first wrong answer or missed target ends the exam (record to Tabitha Morgana, with 2,754 successful answers before saying she was bored).

 

Four of the Six Elements have a rapid-transit spell.

Fire has Hearth Transfer, which allows the caster to appear anywhere there is a fire or sufficient electricity.

Water has Aqua Speed, which allows the caster to move to any large body of water, provided they are already entirely covered in water.

Dark has the Dark Doors, also known as Weird Ways. These can be opened or closed by any Dark mage, and traveled through at will. However, it takes a bit of mastery to decide which Door you will exit from.

Light has Beam Transmission, an instantaneous* spell that allows the user to go anywhere, provided they go in a straight line. (*Not actually instantaneous- it just appears that way. The user actually temporarily becomes a beam of light)

 

 

 

[spoiler= Rules]

1. Don't just import characters from other RPs. If you have to use a defined character, shake them up a little, reboot their backstory.

2. All I posts must be 100+ words. This is the forum's rule, not mine. I can and will catch you if you do it, though I will give you a warning rather than instantly report you.

3. Follow my damned app format. I put it up for a reason.

4. Don't godmod. Don't push spells outside your pre-defined magical limits, don't try to control someone else's character without their say-so . . . you get the picture.

5. Check back whenever I post here. I'm always ready to answer questions about the world and its lore, but I'd like to avoid duplicate questions if possible.

6. While, yes, this is set in the 1500s, so some uncomfortable prejudices and such are to be expected, try not to outright be an ass. 'Kay? 'Kay.

 

 

 

[spoiler= App Format]

Member Name: This is for the board's sake- telling whose character is whose.

 

Character Name: Please try to make it fit in with other character details. A Wind Mage from Russia is unlikely to be named Jeff, you get me?

 

Age: Don't worry, Anima, you don't have to add 100 to however long you want your character to have existed. Also, Eorides can't go above 90.

 

Gender: All Hamadryads are girls!

 

Appearance: Give me a suitable image or a solid paragraph or two. Preferably just the description for species like Hunters or Eorides, who aren't common mythologically. Includes your height and weight (the latter of which is 0 for Anima, because technically speaking it's an astral body). For Hunters, remember to include where on your head your horns are. Aquarias, remember that you're basically merpeople (and as such, often use simple wheelchairs to get around land).

 

Species: Pick from the list above.

 

Alternative Forms: Only applies if you're a Hamadryad, a Were-wolf, or an Anima. Hamadryads, tell me what kind of plant you are; Werewolves, how your body changes in the moonlight; Anima, what object your real body is.

 

Birthday: For obvious reasons.

 

Magical Mastery: What level of power are you in each element? Eg, Kasa in Fire, Menuri in Earth and Dark, etc.

 

National Origin: Where are you from? Please pick from the list above, in the History folder.

 

Personality: Honestly, I'd say this is optional, but forum rule. So, keep it short and sweet, yo. A paragraph is just fine, any more than that is really trying too hard. Spoiler this, please, because honestly I don't care- your personality will likely leak into your bio, and will be represented in the way you roleplay.

 

Bio: Again, keep this one pared down, but I might actually read these. So, go nuts.

 

Miscellaneous Info: Any stuff you carry? Titles you hold? Extra languages you speak? Scars, prejudices, loves? Theme songs? All go right here.

 

 

 

[spoiler= Board]

Member Name: Sp33dr0id

Name: Angharad ferch Gwillim

Age: 19

Gender: Female

Appearance: She has long brown hair, typically worn in a plait. She is 5 foot and 1 inch tall and weighs 108 pounds. She has white skin and grey eyes. She wears a green short sleeved mage's cloak with her family's insignia embroidered on the left shoulder, but finds the hood annoying as it would be in the way of her plait if she wore it up. When she wears her quiver, she wears it on her right hip as she had been taught, not on her back as some of her peers do. She wears a silver bracelet that her mam gave her on her right wrist, but takes it off during school hours as she finds it interferes with her bow technique. She has a pouch hanging against her left thigh from the same cord the quiver uses.

Species: Human

Birthday: 2nd of November

Magical Mastery: Hex in Water, Pentex in Wind and Menuri in Dark.

National Origin: Wales

[spoiler=Personality]She is somewhat socially disinclined, preferring just her own company or that of a few close friends to larger groups. She is very imaginative, especially when it comes to problem solving. She loves the ocean, partly because of her affinity for water, and partly because of her Aquaria childhood friend. Angharad tends to procrastinate on tasks that do not immediately interest her. She is openly selfish and lazy, taking advantage of others when they offer to help her, and telling them that she is doing so. Sometimes she feels bad for this, but always manages to blame it on others.

 

Bio: Born into a Welsh noble family, Angharad was given a choice between the Academy of Wands and marriage into a wealthier family once she was of age. From a young age she didn't like the idea of going to the academy since there would be lots of people she didn't know there. But she became good friends with Gwenllyan, an Aquaria girl around the same age as her, and they decided to go to the Academy together.

Misc Info: She speaks both Welsh and English well. [i will need to know which speech marks to use for Welsh.] She carries her mam's silver bracelet either on her wrist or in her pouch at all times. It was her mam-gu's before her mam's, and now it is hers. She also carries various equipment for her magic.

 

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Member Name: VCR_CAT

Character Name: Christine "Chris" d'Andrezel

Age: 18

Gender: Female

 

Appearance:

Christine stands fairly tall for a girl at 5'8" with a fairly strong build. Christine's red hair is often tied up or in some sort of style that tucks its length away, and her clothing is almost never something befitting of a "lady"; clothing one might say was worn by a rogue than anything.

[spoiler=Image]

 

 

 

Species: Human

Birthday: July 7th

Magical Mastery: Hex in Wind

National Origin: France

 

Personality:

Christine is always looking out for number one, and in most cases, that happens to be her. Christine is an outgoing, rambunctious girl, and very often a major trouble maker. She has a tough time taking no for an answer, and where her mind is set on something it's hard to convince her otherwise. Christine is a clever girl overall, but her intelligence is often put to ill use. If she were to set her mind to something and really put the effort into it, she could make something great of her natural ingenuity, but often wastes it on either scamming some folk or getting something she wants.

 

Bio:

Christine was an orphan since a small child, and her trouble making attitude was one that often kept her from being adopted, if the chance ever arose. Once she was old enough, the orphanage had no choice but to let her go on her own and make something of her life. It was a cold, harsh world out there, and Christine had to figure out the hard way how to find a living in it when you're on the lowest rung of the ladder. In her early teens Christine learned how to steal and, eventually, mug people for food, money, really whatever she could get her hands on. While she's never killed or seriously injured anyone, she's been on the wrong side of the law for quite a few years. It was during these years that Christine learned to use her magic to an extent, but its applications were never anything of good intent.

 

It wasn't until a couple years ago that Christine had managed to stow away on a ride to Isle, looking to make a new start for herself and, more importantly, get away from the French authorities. It didn't take long for Christine to fall back into her old habits of stealing, although now she was better at it, and learned to keep things on the down-low more; resorting mostly to pick-pocketing and petty theft to keep herself going than anything that would actually ruin anyone. It wasn't long into her stay on Isle that she happened upon a merchant being attacked by other bandits. While to many it looked like Christine fought for the merchant to protect him, but rather she had spotted a prize that she wanted: an old, exotic, and rather decorated sword that the merchant was in possession of. Christine managed to steal this sword, and made off with it expecting to finally have enough to live the comfortable life.

 

This, however, was not the case. This sword was old enough to host an Anima, and decently strong one at that. The Anima called himself Kaijarisuigyo-no Furaimatsu. (a name that Christine, to this day, cannot pronounce properly and just resorts to calling him "Kai"). The Anima told Christine his tale of always being imprisoned and sold as a prized object, but never given the opportunity to fight for glory or honor. Christine wasn't going to help out and was, instead, going to resort to selling the sword again, but her mistake was freeing the blade from the merchant's captivity meant to keep the spirit in check. Kai made a threat on her life is she so tried such a thing, and Christine, in that moment, made a pact to help the spirit in the sword find the glory he so longed for.

 

However, that was in that moment. Since then, Christine has enjoyed the company of an intimidating body guard to help her out in a pinch whenever she needed it, and has worked with Kai extensively so long as she sought to hone her skills with the sword and help him achieve his dream. Christine's instinct was to sneak into the Academy of Sword under the guise of a male, calling herself "Chris", but has been met with mixed results thus far.

 

Miscellaneous Info:

• Is capable of speaking some english, and has picked up some basic words from other languages here and there.
• She would be rather rich if she didn't burn so much money on booze.
• Theme: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPa-GNSIj8s

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Member Name: VCR_CAT

Character Name: Kaijarisuigyo-no Furaimatsu (Kai for short)

Age: 23

Gender: Male

 

Appearance:

Kai's spectral appearance is that of a tall, built samurai warrior (about 6'7" tall, to be exact) with ridiculously ornate green armor. Beyond his armor, Kai has no real physical appearance; the body underneath being dark and featureless.

[spoiler=Image]

 

 

 

Species: Anima

Alternative Forms: A finely made katana with a green wrapping on its hilt.

Birthday: April 12th

Magical Mastery: N/A

National Origin: Japan

 

Personality:

Kai is hot-headed and has an ego larger than the spectral form he chooses. He acts as one that knows what it means to be a strong warrior with much wisdom, despite being not terribly smart himself. Truth be told, Kai hardly knows what it means to be a proper warrior, let alone a samurai. Kai is also always looking to pick a fight whenever he can; searching to find something to get his blood boiling so that he can come out on top victorious. Kai isn't a bad person, however. He looks out for those in need and genuinely cares for those around him.

 

Bio:

In the year 1407 there was a noble samurai who owned a great patch of land. He was a kind and gentle man, known for his tireless work protecting the people who lived in his land, bringing justice to wherever it was needed, and especially for his masterful skills in the forge. It was in this year that he had just finished a very fine sword that he was called to battle; a fierce conflict that had broken out between other clans. This noble was ready to go to battle with this sword, but neither his people nor his family wanted this. At the dead of night, the samurai's wife had stolen the sword, disguised herself as her husband, and set out to fight in his place. Along the way, she was ambushed by bandits and, lacking the skill that her husband possessed, was cut down, and the sword stolen.

 

This sword was not long after traded to European trader, and for the next one hundred twenty years would find itself changing hands repeatedly. This sword was kept in good condition, and the tale of its origins, make, and history became more and more grandiose with every trade. After a hundred years since its making, an anima was born bound to this blade. This anima who would soon be known by his current long and ridiculous name strived for battle, glory, and honor; to have his steel taste the blood it never tasted. Yet, this was not the case. Each merchant was given a case to hold the sword in; enchanted with powerful spells to keep the anima from manifesting itself. Yet with each trade, with each passing, grandiose tale of its accomplishments, the anima in the blade grew just a bit stronger.

 

It wasn't until a young, french thief girl managed to steal the sword for herself and, without knowing what she was doing, set him free. Furaimatsu made a deal with this girl, that she would help him make his dream for glory a reality, and in return he would offer his protection. Of course, this is leaving out all the threats she made on her life if she would so attempt to seal him back, but that was then and this is now so let's not think about that too much, shall we?

 

Miscellaneous Info:

• Despite his name and origin, Kai cannot speak Japanese.
• He is, however, fluent in English, French, and Welsh.
• Kai is more skilled at his story telling and stage presence than he is with the blade.
• Theme: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6BY2GFilng

   

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  Member Name: JellisOP

   

  Character Name: Johnathan Gwallter

   

  Age:16

   

  Gender: Male

   

  Appearance: He wears 2 outfits. He has his daily training outfit, consisting of a chain mail tunic under a leather tunic(dyed blue), silk leggings(also dyed blue) with sandals. He also has his formal wear, consisting of a short sleeved silk robe(dyed blue ), dark blue silk leggings, and slightly pointed black shoes.

  He is, for being a heir to a huge family, surprisingly modest, speaking in kindness. His face is a representation of that. He has a simple nose and mouth shape, but his earlobe is slightly torn from the ear, from being beaten as a child. His eyes are hazel, and his hair is crazy, always not wanting to settle. During formal times, he combs his hair, but by the end of the event it is back to being messy.

   

  Species: Human

   

  Birthday: July 16

   

  Magical Mastery: Pentex wind, Seszen fire.

   

  National Origin: Wales

   

  Personality: He is kind and sweet, but with a nasty temper. He would go out of his way to help someone he just met. He has met many different species, and doesn't trust were-wolves or Feli or shape shifters in general. He finds them untruthful for not being who they truly are. Anima, on the other hand, he can accept them eventually. The one creature he despises to his core is Eorides, and you can see why below. In an Eorides's presence, his reaction could range from a spasm, the desire to kill them, or falling unconscious. He will treat none of the above except anima terrible, and the others he will treat like he treats other humans.

   

  Bio: He was a born into a wealthy, influential family and became the heir. He was, at a young age, way too modest in Gwallter's(his father) opinion, and was beaten often for that reason. He was always happy until his uncle came to visit. He had become an Eorides, so he had sparked anger within him. The uncle had hurt Johnathan mentally, but that was when his magic was beginning to stir. It affected how he used magic. So, at 10, he was sent up to the island in the sky, using his fathers wind magic (Romagna-Level) and has lived there ever since.

   

  Miscellaneous Info: Is fluent in many Europian languages, including English and Wales, to name a few.

  Owns and uses a staff made from enchanted Sarenji wood. It is immune to fire, and can't be destroyed. It forms a loop near the top, and in the center is Sarenji wood carving of the symbol of wind. It was designed and enchanted by a dark illusionist in debt of his father.

   

  ---------

   

  Member Name: Aez (bird w/ sprinkler]

   

  Character Name: Akukho Ezindizayo ((litteraly translates as "No Flying"))

  Age: 12 ((Average lifespan for an ostrich is 45 at most, so they're basically like a 20-year-old))

  Gender: Male

   

  Appearance:

  Standing at a towering height of 6'7" (A little over 2m), Akukho is an abnormality among Garudes. His black plumage tipped with white is rather stubbly, his wingspan extending only about half his arm length. They are still capable of covering a large amount of his back, though. His hair color matches his feathers, extending down to about his ears. His grey-green eyes seem to bug out a bit, but then again so does his hooked nose.He lacks any facial or body hair besides eyebrows, eyelashes, and that of his head.

   

  He normally keeps his leathery, chocolate-colored skin wrapped up in loose-fitting harem shorts and a short leather mantle. He runs around barefoot, which tends to disturb people considering he only has 2 toes. His legs are quite muscular, at least compared to his scrawny arms. His hands are large and spindly, and if they had feathers they would probably make more suitable wings than what he has now..

   

  Species: Garude, Ostrich Subspecies.

  Alternative Forms: While not official, Akukho is very good at mimicking an actual ostrich (for obvious reasons)

  Birthday: April 1st

  Magical Mastery: Pentex Earth, Raga Fire

  National Origin: Zulu

   

  [spoiler=Personality:]

  Despite being born earth-aligned, Akukho is an air-head. He's brash, he's forgetful, and he's not afraid to shout out the wrong answer. Despite this, though, he's fairly intelligent, especially by Garude standards.

   

  He's fairly sociable, too. Whenever he sits next to someone he doesn't know in class, he makes an effort to try and get to know them. He'll usually talk about whatever the teacher is talking about, then veer off onto something completely irrelevant. But because he does this with such charisma, people can't help but like him.

   

   

   

  Bio:

  Akukho was a surprise to everyone.

   

  Both his mother and his father were capable of flight and had an affinity for Wind magic. But when Akukho hatched, his wings were tiny, his legs rather large, and he had just missed the date to be wind-compatible. Because neither of his parents could use Earth magic, they weren't sure how to care for their new son. So, they did the most sensible thing they could think of: Shipped him off to a magic school in Mali under the guise of him being human. Because his wings were so small, it was easy to hide them. He never removed his shirt, even in the bath, just to be safe.

   

  Eventually, he got good enough at his earth magic to make pillars. Really, really big pillars. Pillars so big that he was able to make one high enough that he could make it to The Isle of the Sky when he saw it passing by. He had heard stories about the floating school where the best mages were trained, and he wanted to be a part of it.

   

  And after filling out the mind-numbing paperwork and demonstrating his magic skills, he was.

   

  Miscellaneous Info:

  Likes to (try and) sit in on wind magic classes, even though he's incapable of using it.

  Speaks Zulu fluently, and knows enough Arabic to get by in Mali.

 

[Tesability Black]

...if this becomes a thing, I will so want to pounce into this. =3 And I already know the duo my scheme shall create...a female February-born Fire/Wind Feli and a male October-born Earth/Water Werewolf. >=3

[~~~~]

Ok, so I am new to role playing. I have never done an RP of any sort. However, I am interested in playing this RP. I have a few questions.

 

Where is the Isle in the Sky? Is it floating over a set area of land, or does it move around relative to the ground? And how high up is it? How do people get to and from it?

 

Are our earthly conflicts put aside to focus on the Trifles or are we still at war with each other?

 

How do the various non-human species experience national identity?

[Draconus297]

Glad to see someone new!

 

It's an island with roughly the same land area of modern Luxembourg, floating roughly a mile over the land below (as such, exactly how high up it is varies depending on what's below). It remains in a given area until it is moved, typically at the discretion of a mix of powerful Wind and Earth mages. Trips to and from the Isle are undertaken in multiple ways- the help of one Mage, on the back of a flying Mystic Beast, or, if your family is wealthy enough, in a sailing ship enchanted to fly.

 

There is still earthly conflict, but no outright war among the human nations as of this point.

 

Most species still think of themselves as part of the nation they're subject to. However, Elves and Hamadryads see themselves as subjects of their given Dryad, and the Dryads generally ignore the boundaries of nations given how their lives function. Aquarias see themselves as subjects of a nation if their particular "home" body of water is within that nation's borders- ie, the ones that live in the Loch Ness think of themselves as Scots.

[)e//!s0P]

I want be a part of this. Wind Feli, here I come!

[Tinkerer]

Interest noted.

 

Just a few questions:

You implied historical figures existed. Does that mean mythological events have happened as well?

 

Have all these different races existed (and not played a significant part in human events as described) or have they only "recently" appeared?

 

Can a Light-month born mage that became an Eorida learn Dark magic?

 

Could you possibly give a breakdown of the percentage of each sentient species compared to the total population of sentient beings?

[Admiral_Stalfos19]

This... is a maybe. Looking through the OP to see what kind of char I'd want to play as when the time comes to app.

 

Is the list of races final, by any chance?

[Draconus297]

In order:

 

Sort of. Certain real artifacts actually had the events of their myths happen (for example, Japan's Three Sacred Treasures, Excalibur, etc), but not their respective gods.

 

They've existed as a long-running part of the world in this universe.

 

No. It just takes Light magic away, it doesn't grant Dark.

 

Hamadryads make up about half the population, because there's one in every plant. Next is humans, which make up another third. Then Hunters make up about a twentieth, and then everyone else makes up a relatively teensy proportion. Especially Dryads, because their life is tied to their territory, so most of them grab huge sections of territory to keep themselves immortal.

 

Yes. I don't plan on adding new sentient races.

[)e//!s0P]

Couple Questions

Could you add a audition tab? I don't exactly know how to join correctly.

Will you be joining this as a part of this RP?

Could you explain the levels of magic?

[Tinkerer]

Last question (Probably. Maybe.):

 

Where do the "sub-elemental" magics fit?

Ice

Steam

Metal

Lightning

[Draconus297]

If necessary, you can send me a PM for more specific details.

 

If necessary, I have multiple characters on standby.

 

Think of them as "mastery levels" for an element.

Uri is base-level magic. For Earth, think tossing pebbles around, for Fire, a candle flame, etc. Weak beginner stuff.

Seszen is more powerful, and is generally thought of as "staple combat spells"- fireballs that fit in the palm of your hand, shifting simple rocks, etc.

Menuri is where enchantments start popping up- magical fire arrows, "wind/stone armor", etc. This is also more powerful combat spells- big fireballs, manipulating individual ocean waves, big rocks, etc.

Raga is where the fun stuff begins entering the mix, like Dark's illusions, Light and Water's healing magic, Fire's lightning, hovering in midair for Wind, and Golems for Earth and Water (ice). This is also where the most utile combat spells lie- sustained fire blasts, opening up the ground under enemies, etc.

Pentex is second verse to Raga: more variety and power. Steam for Water, explosions for Fire, metal and lava for Earth, Wind gaining legitimate flight, Light gaining what amounts to line-of-sight teleportation, and Dark gaining mind-clouding "confusion" spells. This is also where the elemental barriers (think the 6 Mirror Force cards) lay.

Hex is the line that separates the children from the mages- Earth gets sand, Water gets better with ice and steam, Fire can officially fly on the force of its own heat, and Wind can enchant themselves with super speed. However, most interesting here is Light and Dark- Light mages start learning how to bend light and turn invisible, and Dark mages start learning how to weaken and cripple foes by cutting them off from their willpower or mana.

Kasa is where you start getting crazy. Fire mages making houses explode for the hell of it, Water mages can freeze people to death, Earth mages can pull tricks with rock and sand Toph would whistle at, Wind mages can actually affect weather patterns, Dark mages add low-level tricks with gravity to their expanding arsenal of illusions and trickery, and Light mages become a mix of healers and evil-slaying white knights.

Llemuri is just another stage beyond that. Fire mages can now burn villages or strike people down in one shot with a bolt of lightning. Water mages learn their most dangerous new trick- plants become puppets- on top of flooding, freezing, and steam blasting everything in sight. Earth mages have fun with gemcraft, metallurgy, and burying people where they stand. Wind mages start learning cyclones and changing the weather at will. Light mages blind people and blast their souls. Dark mages actually begin developing all their bag of tricks together to make illusions with solid substance, and burdening their enemies with massively increased weight.

 

Beyond that, you can probably get the gist.

[)e//!s0P]

What point should the characters be at when we start?

[Draconus297]

I recommend having at least Raga-level proficiency in one element, but nothing above Kasa for now in most cases, given that the primary cast will either be students at one of the Academies or a non-noble ineligible to learn at the Academy.

 

That said, I can and will make exceptions for suitably interesting characters.

 

Also, this will be a fully-fledged OoC tomorrow, I think.

[~~~~]

Which species can become Eorides?

And anyone under the age of 90 who would die, except by instant death such as an arrow through the brain or a Shadow Trigger, gets the choice to become one instead of dying?

And how well known is the love/hate swap, or do people learn about it before they choose whether to touch the pool or not?

Is the pool a real location that you have to travel to, or is it (as I have been assuming) a pool that people see (like a vision) in their near death delusionary state?

 

Why is Wind magic considered offensively weak if it can cause storms? Dark magic seems exceedingly weak. Mostly it focuses on things that only affect one person. There's stuff like "illusions" on the same level as sustained fire blasts and hovering in the air. Even their famed Shadow Trigger is actually rather bad. A sphere with a diameter of 1 metre Shadow Trigger (remember, it only destroys stuff inside the sphere) requires 1.4 tablespoons of your own flesh. Where am I getting that from without permanently crippling myself? In 1530 we most certainly had gunpowder, so why not just use that instead?

[Draconus297]

Everything bar Hunters, Anima, and Dryads.

 

Yes.

 

Most people don't understand them in general, so basically unless you studied your resident Eorida whipping boy intently, you wouldn't know the full consequences of "becoming an Eorida".

 

It's a vision.

 

Mostly because of its lack of sheer offense. You need to command the wind in very specific ways, so it's very impractical to actually do. Think Rainbow Neos- yeah, you can do it, but it's difficult and requires perfect play, which normal situations don't allow for.

 

Dark magic is basically all about clever use. Fake images, gravity, soul manipulation, and power over nothingness. Think about it. Think of all the clever, devastating ways that can be used.

 

Also, Shadow Trigger is a void sphere. Kills them überdead. No chance to block, no Eorida, no heaven, no hell, no teleportation. Instantaneous, one-shot kill of literally anything caught in it. Even Hunters, normally immune to magic, get killed with a Shadow Trigger.

[~~~~]

Why is Ireland a separate playable nation but Wales isn't? They were basically in the same position until 1533, when Henry VIII was excommunicated. which would lead to the tensions since Wales accepted Protestantism but Ireland didn't. Until then, there's no reason to treat Wales and Ireland differently in my opinion.

[Draconus297]

I admit- I completely forgot Wales. Give me a quick second to add them to the list of nationalities.

[Tesability Black]

Dayum, this be a lot of questions.

 

Far more than I would have thought of before this went into being an OOC. o.o

[Draconus297]

Oh, and before anyone asks about Eorides' "healing potential"- it refers to an astounding knack for medical knowledge, as well as a minor regenerative ability. Starfish-like, they can regrow a lost limb, or organs, in a matter of weeks. This doesn't make them immune to pain, however- if you're familiar with Tokyo Ghoul, remember that torture scene? That is life for quite a few Eorides, made all the worse for some because they are born into it- one parent is an Eorida, you are born into a despised servant class.

[Tesability Black]

I have one question and it is probably gonna get me hurt.

 

Is there a sort of age limit as to how young a person could be and become an Eoride? Because I'm pretty sure that some parents would be driven to tears in sorrow if their child becomes one in their arms soon after birth.

[Draconus297]

Well, given that the condition to become an Eorida is to be exceedingly desperate to live even as you die . . . probably not an infant, but a child of four or five could have the cognizance to be that opposed to dying.

 

Long story short, becoming an Eorida is a conscious decision- Am I so desperate to cling to life that I would curse myself, my children, my children's children, and so on to be irrationally hated by everyone?

[.Belle]

This sounds really interesting. Definitely count me in!

[~~~~]

What percentage of people choose to become an Eorida?

[Draconus297]

It's historically rare, and typically only done by people who have an overt fear of death itself, or what it implies.

 

Greedy nobles, stubborn soldiers, true cowards- they are typically the ones to try to cling that desperately to life, even a cursed one. At this point, there are more "born" Eorida, whose parents, grandparents, etc. chose to become one, than people who use it as a last resort for life.

 

However, it's become increasingly common thanks to religious conflicts, and some monks being too afraid of being wrong to actually see what comes after death.

[Admiral_Stalfos19]

So... do Andacondrae have to have legs? Cause I was thinking it'd be more fitting if they just had a singular long body and tail. Y'know, like an actual snake.

 

...

 

The description as a whole could use more clarification, I feel :/