MAPS: By popular opinion. overview and also slightly more detailed. Yes, they suck, I know. Deal with it. Alright ladies and gents, after much preparation, the time has come for another Fantasy SD to rise on the story debates forum, because quite frankly, it’s been to long since there’s been one. Anyway, first, I’ll answer most of the inevitable questions I can think of. Who’s GM?: Me and Bossmuff are likely going to be running this, since a lot of it is his plot. What’s the setting?: Well, think pretty average fantasy world. Your standard array of fantasy creatures exist, but the local kingdoms are largely human dominated. Dragons and other such large fantastic creatures are hardly unheard of, but very rare. Smaller monsters like trolls, goblinkin, and kolbolds are still very much in evidence in the area. Technology: Swords and sorcery my friends. No steampunk, and no crazy gnome inventions. Gunpowder is available, but not in any quantity or quality. No rifling, unpredictable powder… (And highly illegal in some places since mages see it as a threat.) Magic: It’s rare, but it’s there. Once more, think average fantasy. The only bit of magic I’m going to be particular about is healing magic, since I’ve always thought a cleric being able to change someone from dying to fine in a single spell was crap. Healing is available, but not very fast. (broken legs are better in days than in months, You save your buddy with a pierced lung, but he hovers in a coma… You get the idea.) Making your character: The usual stuff, name, age, description/pic, personality, race, gender, bio… You know the drill. As far as power goes we should be about middle of the road. We’re pretty damn awesome in our own right, but any one of us won’t be going through a squad of town guardsmen. Shaping the world: Remember, inevitably, the best parts of the plot will be made by character interaction and back stories. Create organizations, plots, and the world around you. Nothings specifically out of line, but be ready to negotiate if someone calls you on it. Furthermore, anyone who brings in Gorrack the barbarian who did absolutely nothing special until now and has no dreams other than to destroy his enemies (which haven’t even appeared yet) will be whacked repeated with large blunt objects. In game and out. I'll give you all the religious and political stuff later. At the moment, I'm just asking who's interested. Character list: Due to post deletions and updated bios, some characters may be a few posts off or posted in two different places. Please be sure you are looking at the right bio. BM: post 30, Yurendal Beholder necromancer Silence: Post 45 Angela von Richenstaff Fire priestess. Krinbez: Post 47, Dragur, sentient zombie Aiyel: Post 49, Sir Ethan Danz Crusader Knight Aiyel: Post 49, Jack, Pickpocket. Esoterica: post 52, Corduroy O'Dea, half-Orc scholar Rex 290: Post 54, Cassidrie verDyvslare, Dragoon with limited magical training close to being to cool, but you gave a pretty good explanation. Runic is an awesome ability. still, accepted. Harbringer: Post 56, Edric Raditz, Mercenary, in need of a bio. Inquisitor Groo: Post 57, John Xantus, Hussar, Mercenary, Tinkerer, and Tactician Entropy: Post 59, Gwendolyn “Gwen” Bruhn, Soldier, needs a backstory Singh: Post 63, Rodrick Bedecia, Knight with ice magic. Nameless: Post 64, Tant Yard, not so priestly priest. Captain Orsai: post 65, Miku, Novice healer. Captain Orsai: post 65, Julian Danvers, Mercenary. Aceraptor: Post 75, Hunter, Assasin Damar: Post 76, Deacon Devlin, assasin You're more than a little overequipped. Your armor kicks way more ass than I'm comfortable with, and magic weapons seem to be rare enough for me to ask you to specify exactly what you have. LT_Ryguy: Post 80, Novieri, druid Namdoolb: Post 89, Bo Chun Jiang, blind warrior Megaguiras: Post 92, Olphena Kurgenzt, were-alchemist Aeon: post 100, Tsargatha, doppleganger I'm wary of this because a doppleganger brings a lot to the table in a roleplaying heavy enviroment (like a story debate) Hobbs: post 102, Karl Miaccus, Kitty-faced cleric Yitzi: post 104, Mandar Broldock, research mage You can't make crap that fast. You just can't. Increase the time frame level by one margin on each day-week-year-decade. Duneczan: post 105, Arlan Vermel, largely offensive cleric Tyrael: Post 111, Ilus, avenging knight Oseng: Post 116, Erin Korale, elven wizard Maloncanth: post 119, Nina, Vampire encyclopedia. Needs vampiric abilities and nature. Azrael: post 134, Fenris Var, Stabbage barbarian. Haven't I seen him in another ill fated fantasy SD? Silence: Post 135, Lilica, Fallen angel Inquisitor Groo, post 150, Artimus "Black" Garibaldi VI, vampire crusader Gray post: 195, John Maras, bard Zeronet: 218, Tyrillus Merini (Real name: Saverus Kal’nath), minor demon Posbi: post 227, Harlan Stone, do any job warrior Entropy post 232, Gwendolyn “Gwen” Bruhn, Senor Kickass: post 236, Gaius Talbott Maloncanth post 297, Nina, walking encyclopedia, dictionary, theausaurus, lore, how to guide, vampire. *The Knights of the Apocalypse are a knightly order of those who have lost their land or suffered some other great tragedy that has left them with nowhere to go. With little to lose, they plunge into battle fearlessly and rarely show mercy. The distinctive black armor they wear and unusual nature lends them a reputation above that which their power might merit. Artimus is a strong patron, honorary member, and battlefield leader of it.
Gee, I wonder if I'm interested...... For all of you who sent me stuff while Ty was gone, I'm summarizing it right now.
I'll be shapeshifting-stuck-in-wrong-gender spy/rogue! Wheeeee! Or I can be a Saber clone, but I'm already doing that somewhere else. Hhhmmm... Edit: Actually, SSSEEEEIIIIIBBBBAAAAA it is for me, and I call the close second hottest that you'll never see because the armor never comes off. Ever.
Aaaand its off!! Time to get started on that humungously large bio I was conceptualizing (yes, I staved off writing it till now. pathetic, aint it?). In other words, I'm in. :drevil:
I shall be the long suffer healer of the party that constantly bitches at how he should just leave you all to bleed to death from stab wounds and hates being shot at, but never actually makes any move to leave.
I'll be a battle hardened soldier, you know the fighter covered in scars who may or may not have access to a pack of cigarettes.
Bard Wars: The Azrael Strikes Back? Looks like we got quite a turnout, and I know of at least two other people who talked who showed me character concepts. I've got my bio pretty much done, It'll come up soon enough.
I'm in, id possible, I'd like to be the scholar of magic-nearly useless in combat, but great at coming up with new spells.
Could I be a zombie (of the cheap labor rather than ravening cannibal or soldier of evil sort) who recently got his mind back due to a bizzare series of circumstances involving large amounts of salt and a screwed up exorcism?
Actually, that may fit in with something in the setting. Tyrael should be posting the political and religous background soon.
Don't Panic! You don't really have to read everything I'm about to post. The World so far: This is a summary of the main nations that the plot of this SD will center around. It’s not strictly necessary you read most of this, but it is interesting. The only things you really need to read for each nation are the summary and current events. Morveshann: “why give us a choice? I have done no evil with my power, though I am certainly free to; everything has its place, natural or not, if only to contrast the other.” (Morvein) History (For the record, this is longer than both of the other nations combined largely because I didn’t write it.) The Order of Morvein was originally a loose organization of individuals dedicated to the study of necromancy as a method of achieving understanding of life and death. Individual monks and hermits studied the teachings of Morvein in secret, avoiding the prejudices of the common world. It was about a thousand years ago that a group of Morvenites began to gather together; it is unclear why, though political climate in their central nation, Artis, might have motivated them. Forming together with the assistance of wealthy soldiers who had taken up the faith, the religion was able to gain legitimacy amongst the military forces, cementing its place. Temples were formed where the study of necromancy could be done in peace; the temple provided a service in the disposal of corpses, and the bodies of criminals were turned over to them. In addition, many members of the religion, upon death, would will their bodies to the Temple of Morvein, which would inter them or animate them based on the wishes of the spirits. For a long period, the Temple became an accepted fixture of Artis, though it did not gain enough popularity to surpass the current national religion, that of the God Marzeal, a god of martial endeavour and industry. Over time, the religion of Morvein spread amongst the nation; particularly amongst the military forces. Soldiers were more accepting of a religion that justified self-discovery and individual understanding, than the rigid and strict precepts of Marzeal. This angered the Marzealites, and they began to use their influence in the Senate to exterminate the religion, playing on common fears of necromancy. The Rise of Morveshann The public outcry against necromancy troubled the Morvenites. Those who rose up either did so out of superstition, or they confused the ‘true’ necromancy of the Morvenites with the ‘vulgar’ necromancy of dabblers. Shrines to Morvein were burned across the nation, and many priests were killed. However, the priests have provided some services to the people, using their knowledge of medicine to minister to the sick. In addition, the military was starting, as whole, to turn to Morveinism; it provided a much more individual, open faith than that of Marzeal. The military split over the religions, and were joined by religious and civilian factions, sparking off a civil war that would destroy Artis as a nation. The war went on for five years; however, in the end, the military became more and more sympathetic to the Morvenites, and soon legions marched into the cities owned by Marzealites, sending the religion a blow it will never recover from. The nation in disarray, the Morvenites took it on themselves to rebuild the infrastructure. They reunited the ravaged lands, and renamed it Morveshann, with themselves at the head – after all, the spoils of war. The Conquests The Order rebuilt the nation over time, and it became quite prosperous under the new theocracy. However, the Temple tolerated other religions, as long as they did not damage the government’s ability, and largely kept the Senate and republican systems alive. This served to mitigate the effects of the transition between governments. Within a century, the order of Morvein had become one of the most prosperous nations around. A faction of particularly devout soldiers joined with the order And soon, the idea of expansion crossed the minds of the ancient Arch-Priests and the generals. Nearby nations, who thankfully did not interfere in the civil war, were leery of this new power, and were intent on bullying it into submission. Likewise, there were lands that were not organized into large nations, and the Morvenites saw an opportunity. Still sporting a large army from the war, and now with the resources of a nation at their disposal, the Morvenites launched a campaign of conquest and colonization. It worked out quite well; the borders of Morveshann spread out, covering much land and forcing back the borders of other lands, such as Sonleoi and Agonistolio in the north, and actually wiped out a few other nations, annexing smaller ones such as Conliste and Ortos to the south. Unable to take the northern lands, they spread south, to the relatively unknown forests, and established cities down their, though constant wars were sparked in the north. Some non-human settlements joined the Empire, as well; the Morvenites are open to any who are willing, and these races possessed knowledge and skills that complemented the nation. For four hundred years, this nation was the top of the heap. Living and undead soldiers kept the nations strong. However, it could never fully conquer some of the older nations, and the larger nation became harder to manage. Soon, civil wars and corruption causes the Empire of Morveshann to crumble, and it lost a lot of outlying territory. Fortunately, the withdrawal of the military to the inner regions allowed it to bring it together, keeping the core stable, and stopped the discord before it reached too far in. A cease-fire was called to the other nations, and was accepted to end the brutal stalemate; it soon became a peace treaty. Religion: The following is a basic summary of the Morvenites’ religious figure, as well as some basic philosophy and related topics. When Morvein tried to animate his first corpses, he was met with many setbacks. Simply raising the bodies of the dead resulted in stiff cadavers unable to perform the simplest of tasks. The once-living flesh resisted his attempts, leaving his experiments little more than an amusement. Morvein, in anger, struck at the flesh, stripping it away from the bones. Then he tied the bones together with leather and steel, and found that the newly-made corpses were much swifter and more agile, able to perform many tasks with the ease of a living human. As Morvein left his cave with his new understanding, he saw a city burning. He found the residents both burned and infected with plague; some begged for life, the others begged for death. Morvein looked on, and said: “I will give you both.” He walked amongst the corpses, using his knowledge to restore the flesh and purify the plague. After curing the plague, Morvein’s curiosity piqued. Finding a swallow infected by the disease, he meditated on it, infecting his already-cursed body. However, the plague did not weaken him, as he focused himself; rather, it hardened him, making him stronger. He became numb to the pain of disease, allowing him to wield it as a weapon. His body hardened by disease, Morvein survived plague and malady, and was soon left alone. The silence was harrowing, and he called out into the void – and something called back. He came to hear the calls of those Beyond, and learned of the worlds that were hidden from him. Finding his new world, Morvein searched amongst the dead, seeing the many wonders they had built in that grey world. Of one, he found a crevasse, where a massive tower of flame descended from the sky. As he watched it, an arm reached from the fire and pulled him in, carrying him upward. As the fire burned around him, Morvein grasped it, and hurled it outward, severing the Pillar and falling to the earth. He returned to his body, and heard a voice; “So your Fiery Defiance saved you, so shall Our Flame do the same.” He found, thereafter, that he could call the fire to him when needed. Despite his knowledge, Morvein did not know his purpose in life. He was undead, that was certain – but why and how, those were unknown. As he meditated on this, flies and other vermin crawled onto his still form, resting on his hardened flesh. This went on for many years, until thousands of husks of insects coated him, and the living ones crawled on their dead. To his surprise, he returned to his body to find a strange, singular presence surrounding his body, the cumulation of the spirits of such small creatures. Morvein was awed by the sheer size of it, and could only utter “Why?” A voice responded from within the mass. “Does not you action change the world? We are affected, drawn by you, and it builds us into something greater. Death can make Life, too!” Impressed, Morvein awoke, and the husks of insects were animated with his magic, guided by the immense spirit. The living vermin lived in the crannies of its body, and Morvein saw how life could thrive amongst the dead. Morvein did not understand his purpose, but he continued to live on. He continued to research the magics he had learned, but did not receive additional revelations. One day, a luminous being came before him; it had feathered wings and a mask as cold as winter, and it spoke in a voice like stone. “You have explored your potential for nothing.” It said disdainfully. “You were supposed to use what you are to serve our Heaven, not mimic it. Many others have been released for this.” Morvein’s only response was. “If that was the case, why give us a choice? I have done no evil with my power, though I am certainly free to; everything has its place, natural or not, if only to contrast the other.” The angel scoffed. “You have learned nothing worthy of notice. Your kind’s time on this earth is done, and you go to the Death you tried to control.” And with that, Morvein’s body began to decay, and the Angel departed. Morvein was shaken by this, and felt anger; he held off the decay, rushing into his home. As he searched through his supplies, he heard the voices of the ghosts, the flame, and the insects in his ears. “Do not forget what you have learned. We lost life, and we have found new life! Surely you can do the same, he who has shown us that we are not just the dead!” With these words, Morvein was inspired, and meditated on what he knew already and the potential for the future. He came to an understanding, and jolted from his trance, gathering up the necessary materials. Over a period of a day, Morvein worked on his own body, sacrificing the now-useless organs of life and inserting magic charms, washing himself with embalming chemicals. When he could work no more, his servitors took up the burden, and wrapped his body in silk bandages consecrated with words of Morvein’s philosophies. Finally, they sealed a large, round ruby to his forehead with fire, and, their work done, went silent. Morvein lay there, dead and silent, as the power that fueled his undeath withered away, until it was gone, and so was he. Then, the next morning as the sun crossed his body, Morvein awoke. He rose up, breaking from the casket his was interred in, life and death channeled through his dessicated form. He became a new form of undead, the first Mummy. The angels were enraged by Morvein’s defiance. Using their influence, they turned the world against him and his followers, sending armies of mortals against him. Morvein saw that he could be wiped out, and turned to those who were interested in his discoveries. “My friends, we have been made monsters! Shall we not remake ourselves into heroes?” His followers agreed heartily, and they gathered together. In a ceremony that lasted for days, Morvein honored the dead, and lent his power to give them a new voice in the world. Spirits flocked in droves to him, adding their spirit to his already formidable power, and his followers did the same. As they did, their words shook all of creation; dead rose from their graves, rebuilding themselves into optimum fighters; metal and stone gathered together, becoming hulking, living forms of fantastic and terrifying countenance; myriad insects gathered into equally myriad configuration, nightmarish to behold; and the spirits themselves were woven bodies of mist and flame and fear, and they marched too. The disciples of Morvein led the armies, and Morvein himself donned armour of steel forged cold by the wills of ancient spirits, as he marched against the human armies that wanted him silent. Morvein’s army defeated every opponent; they did not occupy the world, but rather wandered it, overcoming all who would stand in their way. They fought mortal armies, magical beings of nature, ancient creatures forgotten to time, and even hell-spawned demons summoned by dark sorcery. The angels were enfuriated by these victories, and they soon descended themselves from the heavens, meeting their opponents with iron chariots and radiant beasts. Chasmallia, High Chancellor of the Celestials led the charge, her divine magicks rending the earth and air before her. The armies met, and they were stalemated. The world quaked under the turmoil, and entire land-masses sank into the sea. The sky was red with fire and blood and the dead rose up by their own volition to fight again. Morvein watched the conflict with sadness; he had never wanted to bring this to the world. However, he could not back down, and neither could his opponent. He realized that both forces were natural opposites, threatening to negate each other. quickly what he needed to do. The silent priest remained still, withholding his powers from the fight, as did the enemy general. In a single order, Morvein withdrew a portion of his army, allowing the enemy to push them back. Seeing a weakness to exploit, Chasmallia ordered a full advance into the hole, eager to strike. They defeated many in their charge, their hatred for this upstart world burning. It was then, of course, that Morvein himself struck. In creating a weakness in his own lines, he had weakened them conversely; his own army surged into their weakness, and that they were matched again. However, Morvein had not used his full power. They had met initial force with initial force; they had restrained themselves, controlling the escalation of conflict, until now their master struck. In a singular effort of will, Morvein screamed with the rage and pain of his entire life – one stolen from life time and again, and made in constant war with the natural world – and unleashed an immense storm of unbridled might, fueled by spirits’ fury and the energy of death. The angels rose to meet it, but they were rent asunder before they could ready themselves, their army scattering. Inspired by the turning around of such a dire situation and imbued with raw power from their master, the reborn dead rallied and charged, tearing their foes apart. The angels even resorted to summoning dark fiends to serve them, but even these were not enough, falling as soon as they stepped from their circles. Morvein himself rode the storm, hurling fire from his hands as his army pushed their foe back into Heaven itself, and the war began to ravage the celestial realm. Morvein found Chasmallia on a golden tower, where she attempted to stem the tide of the dead. He grew wings of black feathers like a crow, and soared to her perch, standing face to face with her. She looked at him with anger, but also with great fear. “How can you win?! This is Heaven, the world’s Law! You defy our Will, God’s Will, and you succeed.” Morvein shook his head, and seized her, pinning her wings as he leapt from the tower. As they plummeted from the spire, the battle raging and blazing about them, Morvein whispered to her his answer. “The fact that you said your will before God’s shows your arrogance. Conflict is natural; order and change are opposed by their nature. However, you are incapable of understanding that a true being must balance both to succeed. That is God’s will; not to serve, but to learn, and grow.” No one returned from Heaven, the gates closing and vanishing from memory. Some writings and teachers of the ways remained, and studies Morvein’s theories, creating new kinds of undead and new spells. Time went on, and necromancers banded together to avoid prejudice. And then, one day, Morvein came back. He appeared here and there, writing and teaching what he had found to various people. He spoke of a meeting with the God Itself, and that It had ordered an end to the petty rigidity of his angels. He had learned the origins of creation, and understood the secret to forging a new creation. After a short period in time, he stopped appearing, though minor reports still cropped up from time to time. Attempts to summon angels to discover the nature of what happens were either deliberately rejected, or met with an occasional insane and gibbering celestial screaming about corpse legions and monstrous spirits. Present day Morveshann has rebuilt and become a strong nation once more. Though it is not currently an active military power, it still possesses a strong armed forces; Sonleoi has developed a trade relationship with this nation, though the two are still wary of each other. It’s greatest problems are it’s uneasy relations with it’s neighbors and a mysterious rash of violent deaths that has recently claimed the lives of 87 members of it’s priesthood to date. The deaths were all in one on one combat with unknown foes, and in too many different places for it to be a single person. Virtually nothing is known of the attackers since there were no witnesses for any of the murders. Even the souls of the priests and their allies are out of contact via spells or similar means. The only clue to the identity of the attackers is the words “Sincerely, the shapers”, carved on one of the corpses. Another danger that has recently presented itself to the nation is that a small border province has suddenly seceded from the empire and allied itself with sonleoi with the emergence of a female figure simply called “The prophet”. The Province’s priests and temples were burned in a sudden night of aggression, and the two legions sent to deal with the isolated rebellion were completely outmaneuvered and crushed by forces of militia led by the prophet. Factions: The Priesthood: the Priest themselves. A council of Arch-Priests rules the Temple itself; and priests skilled in politics are appointed as domestic liaisons. Though they have the height of power, they do not dismiss the other factions lightly – they remember the war well, especially since some of the Mummified were actually ALIVE then. The priesthood also runs the medical professions of the nation. They often send priests on missions abroad, to study phenomena and for other, more clandestine purposes. The Knights: The defenders of the Temple, and the nation’s military. The Templar are the highest ranks, and have a representative in both the Circle of Arch-Priests and the Senate; they answer directly to the Priesthood, though will generally acknowledge the Senate’s concerns. The Templar are often send on missions by the Priesthood, send abroad with wayward priests to either protect them, or on their own when a more tactical or combative approach is deemed necessary. The Senate: a legal and administrative power, they keep the nation running, though they function at the whim of the Temple. The voice of the people, as it would be. It is the official face of government, controlled by the Priesthood itself as a nearly open secret.
Sonleoi: “United we stand, divided we fall.” Religion: It’s a regular melting pot. Norse gods, D&D gods… Generally favoring the good ones. Present Day: Due to the fact that I wrote up this nation pretty fast, I won’t bore you with the details, but suffice to say, it is a confederation of various kingdoms and baronies who’ve bound together for profit and protection. Although it has recently withdrawn from a war with another foreign power, it still retains a large amount of power if it can be persuaded to mobilize itself. Among the various nations included in the federation, you can probably find one dominated by each civilized race in turn like elves, dwarves, gnomes, and Halflings. The nation can be mobilized in self defense or a gainful venture, but not by much else. It’s especially wary of it’s undead tolerant neighbors since it worships the tradition pantheon of good and neutral D&D gods, who say that undead are inherently evil. Despite this, and the fact that many of Soneoi’s provinces were once Morshevann’s before a civil war crippled the empire, they still have open trade between them. Agonistolio: “To kill an infidel is not murder, it is the path to Heaven!” (Kingdom of Heaven) Religion: Christians big on the old testament. Present Day: By far the least stable of the three nations, Agonistolio is a lot like Europe in the time of the crusades. It’s religion is Christianity for all practical purposes, and if the lords that ruled the land would ever stop squabbling with each other, war would almost certainly spring up with their neighbor. They lack the undead hordes that make Morshevann a very credible military power, but have access to bucketloads of priests who can channel positive energy, with quite possibly more priests than either of their neighbors combined, it would certainly be an epic conflict if, or perhaps when it happens. Recently, powers in it’s central court have been secretly pushing for the war, supported by unknown figures.
