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The Mortal Goddess; A Midwind Privateers RP
Tweet Topic Started: Feb 5 2012, 02:59 PM (344 Views)
Post #1 Feb 5 2012, 02:59 PM Grunt_of_War
A Midwind Privateers RP
'The Mortal Goddess'


The Singing Isle. That's what we called it, for the island called to us in the strangest, but most beautiful melody we'd ever heard.

I have a love for the sea, and the sputter of the waves only drives me on to see her further. Both unyielding and subtle currents, the treasures and beasts she bears... those secrets are vast, but damn it, I want to know it all, more'n any woman who is or ever lived! 'S why I left me family for her and took what friends would have me still as crewmates. Then we commandeered ourselves a ship, a humble one at that, and took to the deep blue with a hunger for adventure and the wind at our sails. I said, "There'll be treasure, lads, and thrills that is naught in a landlubber's life! But you'll need to prove your worth, not just to me, but to her. It's she who harbors us, and she that decides who returns to the soil a better man, if at all."

Now me and my crew had been sailors our whole lives, raised on the piers and the water by fathers whose lives were about fishing for the village. But I had two older brothers with a way for the craft, 'n I would have none of that life were it up to me. 'Course, me family wouldn't hear a word of my hopes of grandeur, calling it piracy and a dead man's gain. I should see the look on their faces now as I don the black hat 'n coat, charting our vessel's course for a new place to plunder. T'was by luck that we managed this far, but no true adventurer gets outta' every situation by skill alone. The fear o' the abyss always haunts the men's dreams, and even I sweat at the thought of me love leavin' me to die at any day. Still I mourn the many friends who joined me in my first boat and perished over the last fifteen years, only for other able-bodied souls to take their places in the endless rush out to the waters. But fer now, we live the moment of glory at high tide, and 'till it claims us all for good, the Drifting Sea be at the beck and call of the Rosen Maiden, our chosen vessel, and a fine one at that.

Now mateys, readers, whoever this may concern, we come upon our greatest find yet of islands uncharted, and others not fully explored. I know not what to expect, but I tell ye, I can smell it. The wonderful stench of danger, followed by riches left to none but the pursuer. It'll be enough to make this ol' Cap and his crew infamous! Time to lower the sails! We set up camp tonight on this frigid place. The forsaken melody enraptures us all...!

Captain Locke Yurole
Yr. 7749, Cooling Cycle

(The page in your hand feels brittle in your hands and clearly tinted by light stains that suggest fair handling between many people. The left edge looks frayed, as if torn from a book. Of course, the listed date alone tells that this log entry is over three centuries old.)

--------

It’s been awhile since I’ve proposed an RP, so I’d like to introduce a high fantasy, swords-and-sorcery RP. This is a tale set primarily on the Singing Isle, one of many islands known collectively as the Bleary Keys. It is as mysterious as it is infamous, with rumors of strange creatures inhabiting the island’s interior. Some seafarers or explorers also swear to hear the beautiful, melancholy melody that the isle has become famous for, while also recounting their own mates madly and vexingly approaching the source of the song. Shipwrecks can be seen all around the island, having crashed into the beach or the steeper sides of the isle. Most are old or ancient, but some are still as fresh as the summer rain. Nonetheless, the siren’s call brings forth people of many different backgrounds from all across Nostgil and the Keys, seeking adventure, treasure, knowledge, or even a new beginning.

Aside from the supernatural implications of the Singing Isle, records indicate that pirates also once inhabited the island in bulk thousands of years ago, using its remote location countless hiding spots to secure their booty. Since then, the pirates have mostly moved on, the island’s reputation and allure far outgrowing its intended purpose. The first explorers cited finding treasure beyond their wildest dreams, and since then, the isle’s more safely picked caches are all but cleaned out. Even so, many would dare to brave going further inwards, despite others returning empty handed, or not at all.

To this day, Bleak Point is the only (moderately) safe haven on the island, once an infamous port for pirates and brigands escaping the mainland for a good time, but now a hub for the constant arrivals seeking purpose there. It is a decently sized town where merchants stop by on their routes to buy and sell their wares, and due to this commerce, it is slowly growing both in size and population, despite the general consensus not to go too far out in the woods. It will be your source of information and trading, interaction and refuge, and where you’ll find at least a few surprises should you stick around long enough. But it is the island proper that has probably brought you here, and the path you take out in this wilderness will determine of your visit to the Singing Isle.

Have a safe journey.


EDIT: If this gauges some interest, I'll put up more information. I have a lot of info and a bit more to write out.
Edited by Grunt_of_War, Feb 5 2012, 03:07 PM.
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Post #2 Feb 5 2012, 03:14 PM Sgt. Tacoz
Wut. .-.

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Post #3 Feb 5 2012, 05:45 PM RTMX
I would like to hear more.

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Post #4 Feb 5 2012, 11:54 PM Grunt_of_War
Some of this info is old, some new, but I've been working on this for awhile. But this is basically all of the info that would initially go up with the RP sub-forum, so have a look. It's pretty extensive...


----

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE WORLD


The Era of the Ancients (25,000 – 15,000 years ago)

No one is sure of how the land and oceans were created, nor how the creatures or plant life came to be, although many differing religions and cultures have their own beliefs about the world’s creation, all with varying amounts of credibility.

What is known, however, is that the very first forms of surviving recorded history belonged to the ‘ancient races’ of the world, who lorded over the so-called lesser, primitive races of the realm over twenty-five millennia ago. There were three ancient races:

The Titans, a powerful race of behemoth-sized, human-like beings that gravitated towards civilization and advancement
The Dragons, who are enormous, magically gifted lizard creatures
The Elementals, living embodiments of the classical elements that make up the worlds, namely Earth, Fire, Water, and Air

At some point before the lesser races gained prominence, the ancient races seemingly disappeared from the known world, leaving only traces behind to show they ever existed. Ruins dot the landscape, and many creatures bear some resemblance to the ancients. While some are clearly lesser variations of their ancestors, such as the elementals that are sometimes called by magi, others have identities of their own, only sporting similar characteristics. The bipedal races have been theorized to have some ancestral connection to the Titans, just as wyverns, drakes, and draconians are reminiscent of dragons.

The Tribal Era (10,000 – 4,000 years ago)

After the fall of the Ancient Races came a short period of devolution without any existing records of the event in northern Nostgil, but what soon followed were the rise and fall of many different cultures and races. Tribalism became prominent; humanoids barely took the head of the food chain with their crude use of organization and handheld weaponry, while the hardiest races, such as the Goblinoids, the Orcs, and the Ogres and Trolls, thrived. This was also the time in which the Dwarves, a short, stout, earth-bound race finally showed themselves to the outside world (although rarely straying too far from their mountain homes, they eventually desired to trade). However, little progress occurred in any sense of the word and few ever attempted a knowledgeable pursuit in such a chaotic and war-torn world.

Era of the First Order (Year 0 – 3072)

The arrival of the Elves from the southern half of Nostgil signaled the beginning of the Aeon of Knowledge, which is still going on now. The elves, a fairly slender, graceful, but knowledgeable race, brought with them many generations of lore believe to have been collected from the four Ancient Races, namely the Titans, which they claimed to have inherited or found during the aftermath of the Era of the Ancients (though again, no records suggest nor dismiss these). During this time, many alliances and hostilities were forged that still exist between races; while the humans and the surface dwarves accepted the enlightenment of the elves, many of the other races did not, and even others attempted to steal it for themselves.

In fact, it was this latter reason that sparked the creation of the First Order, which established a formal alliance between the Elves, Dwarves, and Humans and prompted the creation of their own fledging kingdoms (Eudenar for the Elves, Andoval for the Dwarves, and Golach for the Humans) unlike any form of government seen up to this point; rather than through combat and intimidation, leaders now inherited their position through the bloodline. The first three leaders and their descendents thereafter became the Triad, or the ruling body of north Nostgil’s ever expanding empire. These people were Gyronde Tess of the Elves, Galphon Morenis of the Dwarves, and John Villone of the Humans. From this trading expanded to a new-found high and societies became much more structured and bound to more general locations rather than being nomadic.

Several conflicts occurred during the reign of the First Order, including barbarian attacks, violent disagreements within the kingdoms, and encounters with monsters along the southern borders. The most notable conflict, however, occurred when the goblinoids and orcs came together to form the Burning Hand. From the years 2971-3001, cities were attacked and pillaged for their goods and knowledge, resulting in some of the first uses of magic and finer weaponry amongst the tribal ranks. Known as the Thirty-Year War, it was the only one to ever come close to a continental scale and the only documented attempt by a hostile force to attack all three kingdoms simultaneously. The nature of their enemy forced the Order to remain defensive throughout most of the war, having a difficult time extinguishing an enemy so scattered. Eventually, the conflict came to a head when Soljis, an elven commander, joined his forces with the human and dwarven battalions to eradicate the tribal camps one by one, sweeping across the countryside. This somewhat backfired, as the hordes assaulted cities that were now only lightly defended. Inhabitants were routed to more enclosed encampments and built fortifications, making for more easily defendable positions that the orcs and goblinoids couldn’t easily assault. It wasn’t long before Soljis’ forces broke the backbone of the horde, but the losses the Order suffered were still great. Entire cities were razed and ransacked, texts had been lost, and tens of thousands had been victims to the war. Food was also in short supply, causing famine and hardship that would resonate in people’s lives for many years to come.

The Shadow Wars (Year 3073-3240)

In retrospect, few would’ve expected the kind of betrayal that sparked the Shadow Wars, but when the elves least expected it, their kin, the Duvar (AKA the Dark Elves) silently provoked a conflict within an area now known the Valley of Lost Souls in which many thousands of elves and humans, along with a number of communities, were killed and destroyed completely by the giant ant-like Formians believed to live south of the Jagged Hills, a mountain range that separates north and south Nostgil. Through unrecorded negotiations, the Dark Elves promised a place of power and a promise of land and resources for assisting them in an assault while the Duvar would attempt to steal and uncover documents their elven brethren protected, believing that they were hiding forbidden knowledge that the ancients had unwittingly passed down. While the elves prepared to defend themselves against their new enemy, the Duvar carried out subterfuge within the nation’s borders, causing many elven soldiers to disappear through desertion or murder, and tampering with their machinations, food stores, and armories. Their treachery was discovered and brought to the elven council’s attention much too late to prevent the disastrous follow-up. Pouring tons of resources into new weapons and recruitment, the First Order struggled to fight a two-front war in which the Duvar had the obvious advantage.

In effect, the Elves and Dwarves were hammered hardest by this. While the Formians moved northwards to strike the mountains, the Duvar nailed through much of the elves’ military strength from the inside, and at one point it seemed that they would eventually win the conflict. Yet in the last forty years of the war, the Humans, lacking most hindrances on their home front, sent battalion after battalion to aid their allies in battle and eventually drove the Formians to retreat. Meanwhile, the Duvar were forced back onto the westernmost peninsula of Eudenar, where the survivors surrendered. Thereafter, the Duvar were banished from ever setting foot on Nostgil again, and thus set sail for other lands, eventually landing at the exotic islands of the Northeast, known as the Bleary Keys.

Yet with the loss of so many elves and dwarves in the course of two wars, the two races soon grew wary of the growing might of their neighbors. The humans, shorter-lived and easily more capable of rebounding from the long-winded conflicts in the past few centuries, continued to grow in influence and number, and had been slowly encroaching on elven and dwarven land for nearly a millennia. The end of the Shadow Wars only proved to spearhead this trend as the elves and dwarves retreated further into their homes to lick their wounds and avoid any further conflict, effectively dissolving the first Order.

Era of the Second Order (3241-Present)

The creation of the Second Order differed heavily from the first in many ways. As the Elves retreated further into their forested domains and many the dwarves withdrew into the mountains, Golach soon expanded and almost doubled in size. The thoughts of secession had crossed the minds of many lords and nobles in the past, but none were as strong as they were now. Due to threats of civil war, an eventual agreement was made that established the Second Order, splitting Golach into three separate nations: Haladen, by far the largest, rested to the west, while Yutha and Lurath split the lands east of the Andoval Mountains north and south, respectively. The new Order differed the nature of the first, forming a treaty of peace between the three human kingdoms, rather than a true alliance.

As of the year 4081, matters of growing tension are occurring within Haladen as its core to the east and its frontier states to the west have had growing feuds over taxation and the rights between the respective barons, dukes, and even the royal family on both sides. Vicious rumors have been circulating about a vicious killer roaming the countryside, supposedly from across the sea. The elves are oddly quiet inside their forested domain. There are even reports of hostilities along the southern half of the Andoval Mountain Range. As for the Yutha Province, however, there are bigger problems going on.



Playable Races and Kingdoms/Enclaves


Humans

The humans of the World are a short-lived race that are said to be naturally curious and have a desire to leave their mark on the world. As one of the three species to originally partake in the First Order, they are by far the most widespread and most populated in north Nostgil, with territory ranging from coast to coast, save the southwestern forests of Eudenar (belonging to the elves) and the sparse amounts of land surrounding the Andoval Mountains to the northeast. A main reason for their success in the past ten thousand years relies much on their versatility, for between one person or another they could be completely different in every way, from physique, mental capacity, and so forth. Humans are also known to take up all sorts of professions, hobbies, and develop such diversifying personalities and tastes that it’s impossible to generalize them, except for their diverseness and adaptability.

In the current era, the humans control three bastions of government and power within north Nostgil bound by the alliance of the Second Order.


The Three Human Kingdoms (Formerly known as Golach)

All three kingdoms featured here have similar layouts in government: they are all monarchies and heirs are always the first-born son of the current King. Should the King somehow die or become unable to lead before the heir reaches adulthood, the Queen takes over until said time. And should an heir be unable to take the crown, the title is passed onto the next oldest son, and on from there. The Queen has every power that the King enjoys except that the King may overturn any and all decisions she makes should he desire. A single advisor is chosen for each monarch, assisting in decision making and taking care of local affairs when the king is away.


Haladen

Haladen’s government is unique in that, instead of just a King and Queen, there is also a Grand Duke. Because of the size of the nation, Haladen is separated into two regions: The Core and the Frontier States. While the King and Queen still have absolute rule over its entirety, the Grand Duke’s position was created to watch over the Frontier States while the Royal Family could concentrate on governing over the Core. Much like the King, the Grand Duke has absolute control over his domain and a status greater than anyone save the King; even a Queen’s decisions can be overturned. The Grand Duke is expected to solely concentrate on reigning over the Frontier States, however.

The Grand Duke, unlike the King, is elected by the lower-ranked nobles all across Haladen and serves until death or seen unfit to rule. At that point another election will take place. The current King is Vasua de Elemor, while the current Grand Duke is Victor Tremeus. Haladen also sports two capitals, one for either region of Haladen: Akalon for the Core and Rek’non for the Frontier States.

The current state of affairs is uncertain at best, as tension is growing between the nobles. The King has been imposing higher taxes upon the outlying Frontier States, and rumors have been flying left and right about a growing army. However, the Grand Duke has done next to nothing to even acknowledge these accusations. There are also issues concerning the presence of Goblinoids along the Gray Dunes in Northern Haladen that has locals in that region concerned. The south is also virtually uninhabitable and many would advise travelers to avoid the region, known as the Valley of Lost Souls. The site of a great battle during the Shadow Wars thousands of years ago, some have reported seeing disgruntled figures roaming the wastes, and although there aren’t any specifics, a few claim that they might be of the walking dead, unable to be put to rest so easily.


Lurath

Compared to other kingdoms, Lurath, nestled along the southeast corner of north Nostgil, could be considered the most peaceful of the bunch, with a consistent economy and overall content feeling among traders, barons, and commoners alike. The capital, Hunen City, is home to King Ferdund Mensk, who had just been crowned three years earlier and the youngest monarch by far in north Nostgil. But fears along outlying towns have sprung up concerning an assassin from across the sea, and it’s believed that his or her trail has currently led to one of those locations.

Lurath has proved to be possibly the most common spot for travelers and adventurers to arrive, for many exotic locations border this seemingly tranquil kingdom. Being such a peaceful kingdom, some skeptics are left wondering how such a place could exist in the chaos that seems to be encroaching on every other kingdom. Then again, many do not question the haven that Lurath provides.

Because Lurath lacks any unique products to export for trade, they often rely upon themselves to get food and supplies they need while getting all the revenue they need from the many travelers that come each year.


Yutha

Situated in northeast of the Andoval Mountains and north of Lurath rests the Yutha Province, a human kingdom that many relate to with bitter cold but great fishing exploits. The Capital, Suman, even sits along the coast in the south, attracting many traders and fisherman from all over to achieve their own successes on the high seas. Yutha makes much of its profit through port trading and fishing. Those interested in mining also flock here; aside from the dwarves, Yutha is the highest exporter of beautifully crafted gems and raw material such as copper, tin, and iron ore, originating from the mountains to the west and south.

The current King is Adalan Kine, and is the oldest monarch of the three human kingdoms. Many believe it’s only a matter of time before his heir, Solomon Kine, will take the throne, though some are unsure if he’s truly ready to ascend. Despite being the Prince of Icoben, he has done little to solve the problems occurring to the ill-forgotten northern cities of Yutha. The area around the Lake of Tears, which comprises a hefty portion of the north, has become steadily quiet over the years as deaths have been occurring mysteriously and suddenly in the surrounding communities. And while adventurers have flocked to this region, none have found anything but the standard fare of hostile creatures, such as Troglodytes and Kobolds, which likely had next to nothing to do with this eerie phenomena.

Other problems exist as well. The north is an unforgiving wasteland of ice and snow, but more dangerous than that are the blizzards and other natural impediments that continually ravage the communities to the far north: over the past ten years, in fact, it’s only been getting worse.



Dwarves

Short and stout, with an often cocky but easygoing attitude, Dwarves were one of the staple races of the First Order. Many of the finest and skilled warriors between the three races were Dwarves, and in retrospect that is partially what they specialize in. Having lived in the mountains for thousands of years prior to the First Order’s creation, some emerged sometime during the Tribal Era seeking trade; those that did and stayed came to be more specifically known as the Surface Dwarves today. After the end of the Shadow Wars, their kingdom of Andoval become something in name only as it crumbled into little else than the few stretches of land surrounding their mountainous home to the northeast, prompting the humans to take what land the dwarves left behind.

Most notable of the men are their rotund noses, rough voices, and extravagant beards, which they treasure and show off like a prized accomplishment. Their height often measures somewhere between four and four-and-a-half feet tall, but often make up for their shortness with broad figures, textured with large amounts of muscle and fat to symbolize their time in the icy reaches of the mountains. Women, on the other hand, have smaller noses, more feminine voices, and lack beards, instead displaying themselves with more extravagant hair styles. Their muscle tone is also toned down compared to their male counterparts, although both genders still match each other in strength and tenacity. They often live to be upwards to three hundred years old.

Dwarves generally favor larger weapons that make use of their superior strength and fortitude, such as the two-handed urgroshes, dwarven war axes, and warhammers. Dwarves are renowned for being great blacksmiths, creating some of the best quality weapons and armor in Nostgil for trade with the humans and (to a lesser extent) the elves. Other dwarves may also take up skills in excavating and mining, for their love of gems and ore rival that of even the dragonkin. However, rarely do they take up any interest in magic; those that do often become disciples of Odrek the Stone-Mover, the only deity that the Dwarves embrace as a patron. Though otherwise not a very religious people, many of their more famous monarchs are hailed and spoken of as immortal kings, as it is their belief that they bond with the earth in death and now protect their cavernous cities.

The Dwarves speak their native tongue when around one another, but otherwise choose to talk in the Common language, finding greater accessibility with their allies and trading partners beyond the range of their mountainous lands. Some know the language of the goblinoids and the orcs, and due to the many feuds these races have with one another, this isn’t surprising. The dwarves get along with the humans, admiring their adaptability. Though they once lost the majority of their kingdoms to the overexpansion of their short-lived neighbors after the Shadow Wars, the generations that followed have since forgiven the humans, with many venturing into other lands rather than staying beneath the surface. But with the elves, their lack of intertwining interests often leads the two races to leave one another alone. Still, there are few hard feelings between the two. It should also be noted that there also exists a sub-race called the Gray Dwarves that live further underneath the surface of the earth, unwilling to visit the outside and instead trading for supplies through their surface-dwelling cousins. They are virtually identical to other dwarves in physique, only with bland, paler skin tones. However, few other than the dwarves themselves are aware of what their secluded cousins' society is like.

Dwarves possess better sight than humans and elves do in that they can see in complete darkness. Their sense for earthly formations is also greater than most, making for excellent guides through caverns and tunnels.

As of the Shadow Wars, the kingdom of the Dwarves seems only like a pale imitation of the former glory of the ancient kingdom of Andoval, once considered a great empire that stretched across much of northern Nostgil. Despite the passing of almost two millennia, they have failed to reclaim much of their old lands, long since abandoning it to their human neighbors, instead venturing out to trade and work in foreign lands for profit and entertainment. But what remains of Andoval's society, nestled around a handful of cities beneath jagged peaks, has remained resilient despite constant territorial disputes with the Burning Hand. In maintaining its long-running monarchy, heirs to the throne are given to the first-born son of the current King, and should that heir be unable to be crowned because of death or illness, it is passed on down through the second and third sons, etc. The current Dwarven king is Arogi Nagrum. Also, a council of three, given the title Advisor, rests beneath the King to assist in decision-making and control political and economic affairs when he is deathly ill, away, or otherwise unfit to govern. While this government is given the name Andoval, few of the dwarves openly refer to it as that, not wishing to soil the name on what is the shadow of their former empire. The capital is known as the Underpath, situated at the base of the northernmost mountain range and expanding into a massive stone-cut, fire lit cavern.



Wood Elves

A slender and graceful race, the Wood Elves (simply called Elves for short) are known for their very long lifespans (upwards to one thousand years) and their great wisdom. Their coming to north Nostgil four thousand years ago signaled the Aeon of Knowledge and the beginning of the First Order, which they prompted through the diffusion of information via ancient texts from the now extinct Titans. It is believed that they fled the south reaches of Nostgil in order to escape the harsh environments and warring races that resided there, though their current descendants can speculate little beyond that. After the First Order crumbled and the Shadow Wars ended, the elves’ numbers have severely dwindled, and with the loss of their companionship with the Dark Elves, who were banished across the sea, they retreated further back into the wooded lands of their kingdom of Eudenar, prompting the humans to take the opened lands for themselves at the very beginning of the Second Order.

Some of the most notable features of this race include their elongated ears and emerald eyes, giving the elves a somewhat surreal look in the eyes of many humans. Their skin is also pale, seeming almost flawless in complexion and delicate in feel. They also lack any facial or body hair and prefer to wear comfortable clothing that doesn’t restrict their movements. Most elves measure anywhere from five to five-and-half feet tall, being slightly shorter than the average human but noticeably lighter in weight. Many consider the Elves to be unnaturally beautiful for many of these reasons.

The elves were the pinnacle of cultured society, and signs of this can be seen even now, with tall, elegantly colored structures making up their architecture. Their roads, monuments, and art sport an abstract but natural feel to them, identifying their tribal roots while placing themselves as insightful and cultured folk. Many elves partake in professions that require years of hard work to finish their products, which they take advantage of due to their abnormally long lifespans. Because they can afford to be nit-picky, the goods they produce are of very high quality, but often require a high price and a good deal of time to make. Others often attempt to walk the path of enlightenment, gathering lore and researching what they can of the world. The elves have a natural atonement to nature that drives them to live amongst it, and it isn’t uncommon for them to spend months out in the wilderness to admire its beauty.

In combat, many elves prefer weapons that don’t require much physical strength to master, preferring blades to anything else. Many relish in ranged combat, and for this reason it isn’t difficult to fathom why the elves are known to be the masters of the bow. Their armor provides meager protection compared to those that are Dwarven or human-made, preferring to have the freedom of movement and speed that their lithe bodies can provide, and in many cases, elves will use their environment to their fullest advantage, working best when they have the element of surprise and the cover of their forests. Elves uptake magic in just about all its forms, although those based around nature are the most common.

The elves speak their own language almost exclusively, although they converse in Common just as well when they have to. But learning to read and speak other languages isn't rare, many harboring a notable desire to learn as much as they can about the world and its cultures. Elves have their own personal qualms about their neighbors, such as humans being too curious and reckless for their own good and the dwarves being not much fun at all, although many elves often look at the individual rather than the race as a whole. The elves have a severe dislike of the Duvar, their dark-skinned brethren banished across the sea, for their betrayal during the Shadow Wars, and they dislike the formians, goblinoids and orcs with just as much passion for their past and continued instigations.

All elves have heightened senses and can see better in low light than humans can.

The Elven Kingdom of Eudenar rests in the southwest of north Nostgil, stretching westward across the peninsula. The area is literally covered in forests, with most elven communities scattered about on beautifully crafted stone roads. However, the elves are skeptical of outsiders, and many must bypass the northeastern defenses with good reasons for coming into their territory. Like every acknowledged kingdom in north Nostgil, the government is a monarchy, where the heir to the throne is the firstborn child. The current leader of the elves is High Mistress Isavel Eifonven. Unlike other monarchies, the heir can be either male or female, and should he or she marry, that individual is given the title of High Master or Mistress in name only, with no privileges except those given to all nobility. The current state of affairs in Eudenar is unknown, although things have been unusually quiet as of late. The capital of Eudenar is of the same name as its nationality.



Duvar

While technically elves just like their lighter-skinned cousins, the Duvar are a clan that had originated from caverns beneath the earth, making their homes among the subterranean creatures that dwelled there long before the human kingdoms were erected. Little is known about where their ancestral home lies now, only that they likely emerged on the surface beyond the Jagged Hills before travelling with the Wood Elf clan north. Of course, the facts don’t explain the reasoning behind their decision to leave, but neither of the elf races knows why, as records and knowledge pertaining to it are strangely missing or lacking an explanation. Nonetheless, the Duvar are a cynical, conniving race, believing everyone else is beneath them, with a few, recent exceptions.

The Duvar are traditionally that of a matriarchal society, where the women control every aspect of Dark Elf society with little exception. Men tend to be weaker than females, and usually act as guards or laborers, simply doing as they’re told… most of the time. Women, on the other hand, serve as the faces of their families, or Houses, making the decisions in relationships, or as the head of a House or an entire city or enclave. Leadership constantly changes, however, as assassinations aren’t uncommon, and rulers are to be as much revered as hated. Duvar have a great proclivity for stealth-based tasks and coercion, appearing just as skilled with a blade or crossbow as their lighter-skinned counterparts, and with an even sharper tongue. They also have a natural talent for divine magic, given their willingness to give themselves to a cause, and what better way to further that cause than to ally with a vengeful, understanding goddess?

It was a rare known fact to the Human and Dwarven nations that the Dark and Wood Elf clans segregated their communities away from one another. When Eudenar also encompassed the area known as the Valley of Lost Souls, the Duvar built many of their settlements there, away from the forests that generally characterized the elven kingdom. Neither clan particularly liked each other, but silently acknowledged that they rested within the same borders. While a Duvar had never been a monarch of Eudenar during the First Order, they were generally left alone, which the Dark Elves seemed pleased with. For thousands of years, the two clans lived peacefully without much incident, only to result in what would be a catastrophe for both the elven races. Having been weakened from the Thirty Years War, the Wood Elves were caught off-guard when the Duvar planned a two-front war against them by allying with the Formian colonies, ransacking their food and equipment stores, and striking a good blow to their troops from inside the kingdom.

After the war ended, the Duvar survivors were banished from Nostgil, and from there they unknowingly sailed to an island chain now known as the Bleary Keys. The centuries since then have seen several of the isles inhabited by the broken Dark Elf clan, which had fragmented into smaller enclaves with little to do with each other. Five primary ones exist: Utora, Vey’iir, Moord, Tus’ven, and Nucala. Their original purpose crushed underneath their costly defeat, each enclave has since established different attitudes. Several, such as the Moord and the Tus’ven still cling to their roots, having ruthless cultures that favored competitions within their castes. The Moord control the largest enclave and two-thirds of the largest island in the chain: the Crest of Shattering, but contends with the humans who have taken residence at Staghorn keep. The Tus’ven controls a much smaller island in the northeast, but sends scouts and war bands to the mainland to look for signs of weakness in the Nostgil kingdoms. Others, such as the Utora and the Vey’iir, have set aside their conniving ways to live as they see fit. The Utora shares the southern half of Moonwake Isle, living as farmers and hunters. The Vey’iir controls the northern half, who struggle with the winter climes and remains partially tribal. Meanwhile, the Nucala are a religious enclave that worships Leotha, the Spider Queen, inhabiting its own island to the east.


Other Races (More to come later)


Goblins

Goblins are small humanoids that are considered little more than a nuisance. Their numbers are immense; left unchecked, their rapid reproduction rate and their penchant for evil and chaos can leave an area devastated within weeks. Goblins have flat faces, broad noses, pointed ears, wide mouths, and small, sharp fangs. Their foreheads slope back, and their eyes are usually dull and glazed, varying in color from red to yellow. They walk upright, but their arms hang down almost to their knees. Goblins’ skin color ranges from yellow through any shade of orange to a deep red; usually all members of a single tribe are about the same color. They wear clothing of dark leather, tending toward drab, soiled-looking colors. They speak Goblin, Orcish, and the more intelligent ones know Common.


Troglodytes

Troglodytes are revolting lizard creatures as evil as the foulest of demons. They are very warlike and savor the taste of their enemies – especially humanoids. Trogs look somewhat humanoids, standing five feet tall and weighing about 150 pounds. They have spindly but muscular arms and walk erect on squat legs, trailing a long, slender tail. Their heads are lizardlike and crowned with a frill that extends from the forehead to the base of the neck. Their eyes are black and beady and very sensitive to even dim light.


Orcs

Orcs are aggressive humanoids that raid, pillage, and battle other creatures. They have a hatred of elves and dwarves that began generations ago, and often kill them on sight. Orcs vary in appearance but in general look like primitive humans with gray skin, coarse hair, stooped postures, low foreheads, and porcine faces with prominent lower canines that resemble a boar’s tusks. They have lupine ears, their eyes are reddish and they wear vivid colors that most humans would consider unpleasant, such as blood red, mustard yellow, yellow-green, and deep purple. Their equipment is dirty and unkempt. When not actually fighting, they are often planning raids or practicing their fighting skills. They know Orc, Goblin, and Giant, and a few even have learned Common.


Magic

Magic, according to most mages, is vaguely defined as a widespread and unpredictable occurrence that affects nearly everything, living or not, to cause both mundane and, at rare times, extraordinary phenomena. It's been described as a substance that drifts everywhere in varying amounts, from the air, to the oceans, and through most barriers. Usually this amount is fickle, usually just enough to cause nominal changes to its surroundings that would likely go unnoticed or be dismissed as something else. However, in some locations (including other planes of existence), this amount can be extremely high, leading to many people witnessing otherwise unexplainable events that is actually just wild, rampant magical flows. The presence of magic in its natural state cannot be detected by normal means, for it cannot be sensed normally, but those who practice the art of manipulating magic claim to notice it in some of the most varied, unexplainable ways.



Mana

In rare cases, however, magic can be seen by the naked eye. When dense amounts of magic comes into contact with an object over hundreds of years, the two "bind" together into a substance called mana, which looks like a solid, palpable, and lustrous blue rock. How deep or light the color is signifies its quality, or how dense the magical power has become. The creation of mana typically only happens in locations where magical power is, or was, most prevalent, and it is because of its rarity and potential uses that mana is considered such a precious material. While it is safe to touch, it is highly reactive when in contact with manipulated forms of magic, and the effects can vary widely.

Because mana is basically a condensed form of raw magic, it can be used as a power source. Even a pendant-sized amount is enough to supply a caster with enough power on its own to let off many consecutive spells before wearing out, though an exact number depends on quality. Because of this, mana has become a boon to both already-established spell casters and novices alike. Although trained spell casters, entitled Wizards, are capable of drawing magic from the air and converting it with their own willpower, the extra power granted from mana would allow a mage to cast anywhere up to three or four times his normal limit with a pebble-sized amount. The writing on a magic scroll is also done with mana made into a writable ink. Meanwhile, mana can be utilized to “recharge” items, such as wands and staves, so that they can cast spells from them again. In addition, traders also hunt for mana just to cash them in for huge amounts of gold, knowing full well how much of a boon they are - even more so than gold, for some.



Magical Foci

Although technically not a particular art of “magic,” this category includes spell casting that does not fully involve the caster's skill in magic. It is by far the most practiced form of magic; an able mind is all it takes to use a magical item (called a focus) as it requires little training or effort on the user's part. The most common form of foci magic is magic scrolls, which allow anyone with the ability to read them to cast the spell, done by speaking aloud the written incantation and focusing one's mind upon its projected course or location. The scroll does the rest, weaving the spell itself only once before the writing vanishes from the parchment, losing its magical properties. However, because it doesn’t require any energy input or magical power from an outside source, it’s arguably the most efficient way to cast spells, but scroll creation is a tedious process, and few know the proper procedures or have adequate materials to make them. The language of the scroll must also be deciphered.

Another example are items such as staves and wands, many of which are capable of casting one or more preset spells, but are otherwise like scrolls in how they work. However, oftentimes these spell(s) can be cast more than once, instead relying upon a power source (often mana) to generate the magic. There are other less-common examples out in the world, such as jewels or other catalysts, that act as minor deviants from more common devices, too, but when and how these foci show up depends entirely on location and circumstance.

Practitioners of magical foci are oft called ‘Foci Mages,’ although most other mages simply demean them by calling them ‘Fakers.’



Arcane Magic

Since the Ancient Races fell, many later practitioners were forced to either apply themselves to the limited forms of magical foci, or the favor of outer worldly beings. Even in the Tribal Era, deities were very much a part of daily life as Shamans, Priests, and Druids led their brethren through teachings within nature or through one or more gods. Findings of magical artifacts were also common. But with the arrival of the Elves eight thousand years ago, Arcane Magic re-emerged in Nostgil.

Arcane Magic requires anywhere from moderate to intense concentration to formulate a spell, and the different sub-types dictate just how this occurs and what powers them. The general effect, however, is similar: it is the caster, rather than a focus or a connection to a deity, that formulates the spell, and thus require the mental fortitude as well as the magical energy in the surroundings to let off a spell. The exception to this is Greater Magic, where the caster could naturally create magic within his/her body passively and command it through natural talent alone. These practitioners are very rare in the world today, considered to be the most gifted and powerful of their peers, and it is believed that such mages have the blood of ancient races flowing through their veins.



Lesser Magic

Lesser Magic goes a step above foci mages, offering more diversity in their spell craft while drawing upon the caster's willpower and the magic in the surrounding air. Like foci mages, the caster requires one or more foci to cast an appropriate spell, but these foci are more conventional than a scroll or staff. Rather, these materials are found naturally in the world as raw components. These assist the caster in weaving the nature of a spell while the caster provides the power and direction for it. However, this comes at a noticeable cost; the caster must have at least a very mediocre understanding of magic to manifest it from their surroundings and begin start the spell. Depending on how many and which of a particular reagent a practitioner has available, she can come up with varying spell effects to allow her to adapt to different situations. But this is also a flaw: Lesser Magic is limited by what reagents are available, and it can be an easy, and possibly deadly, mistake if the caster mistakes one spell component for another other.

Practitioners of Lesser Magic are titled “Magicians”.



Inscription Magic

Whereas Lesser Magic excels in efficiency and the lack of need for preparation, Inscription allows for more adaptability and freedom in its casting. Instead of using a focus, Inscription requires the use of a spell book, specifically designed by a powerful wizard, in which to cast spells. This gives such casters the capacity to cast their spells without reagents or foci; instead, they need only carry a spell book to hold their precious knowledge and power, which can be incited at any time from a wizard’s memory. The process of memorizing and retaining a spell involves perusing the pages of his spell book for about twenty minutes a day, followed by a good night’s sleep, after which they will become useable until the mage must incur this ritual again. The mage need not have his spell book on hand to use his powers.

In either case, casting requires an incantation by the user, while concentrating on gathering magical power and focusing on the intended target. More powerful spells have longer chants and thus take more time to pronounce, and even being thrown a little bit off by a nudge or a loud sound can interrupt the mage’s thought for the worst. In addition, very experienced Inscription users are capable of designing and writing magic scrolls, spell books, and magical foci, though this is usually an expensive, tiring process.

Practitioners of Inscription Magic are titled “Wizards” or “Witches” for either a male or female.



Divine Magic

Whether it's invoking the power of the spirits, nature, or a god or goddess to bring down that bolt of righteous fire, all are varying forms of Divine Magic. Most who practice it are devout in their followings of religious beliefs, following the direction of their faith as their deities would see fit, and such dedication is often the test for choosing who can reap the benefits of their divine powers. Through the gods/spirits/etc these practitioners follow, they gain a portion of their extraordinary abilities, calling upon them from the deities themselves. This is usually established through a pact, whether formal or informal, with said beings, though the terms for the ritual will vary depending on the wishes of the higher patron. How often the caster can call upon her bestowed power, for instance, can change; those of longer-term signs of faith can usually call for power more often than an initiate of that same faith. Theoretically, a deity can also directly involve itself with the material world by allowing a devout follower to call upon its power upwards to the deity’s limit. It isn’t uncommon, however, for a follower’s power to be stripped for disregarding the beliefs and desires of her patron.

The specifics on divine magic as a whole are vague beyond how the user draws power from another being capable of bestowing it. But spells of this type are limited by a patron's capacity, either because of an imposed maximum from the pact, or because the deity is no longer capable of providing any more power. With either case, patrons (usually) will warn their subjects of overuse before this happens through some sign or form of communicating.

Practitioners of Divine Magic have many different names, depending on their role and who is granting the power (often a deity). Clerics and paladins pray to their chosen deity for their powers, druids and shamans serve nature and spirits, and most who call themselves warlocks or necromancers draw their spells from powerful Outsiders from other planes. Similar variants also exist.


Character Sheet



Name:
Alias: [Usually a title given to you or a nickname]
Age:
Gender:
Race: [Human, elf, dwarf. Lemme know if you want to do something else]
Description: [Looks/attire here]
Skills: [What your character is good at]
Magic Items/Foci: [Leave blank if you have none; give adequate descriptions; no more than two please]
Spells/Powers: [Leave blank if you have none; give adequate descriptions, just nothing too overpowered]
Personality: [how your character thinks and acts]
Background: [what your character has lived through and what brings him/her to the Singing Isle]
Edited by Grunt_of_War, Feb 6 2012, 12:15 AM.
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Post #5 Feb 15 2012, 02:04 PM Grunt_of_War
EDIT: Oops, forgot to add this earlier. Sorry guys! XD

Bleary Keys Map

Nostgil Map (North)
Edited by Grunt_of_War, Feb 15 2012, 02:06 PM.
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Post #6 Mar 17 2012, 08:58 PM Thunder God Bush
Right well, I told you in IM but I'm still interested in this XD
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Kracka-boooooom
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Post #7 Mar 24 2012, 02:39 PM Crimson Knight
I'm interested as well!
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The power of friendship is unbeatable!

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