Ærworuld (Dark Medieval RP, OOC) [Ended]

[Erhialam]

Name: Colin Baines
Age: 20
Gender: Male
Appearance (Pic prefered): I almost feel like I should have picked a character with actual medieval clothes. Oh well. Usually I just pick actors online that look something like the conception of the character I have in my head.
Birthplace (Old English town names preferable): Cirencester

Occupation: Thief

Biography (Must be at least 2 paragraphs):
Colin was never bound to be of any consequence. His parents, through no fault of their own, made sure of that. His mother worked in a brothel, and his father was a vagabond who only knew her for a night. Cora, as she was called, wasn't a great beauty, but she was kind to a fault. Instead of leaving him on some chapel stoop at birth, she tried to raise him and shield him from the horrors of the world, mostly by throwing herself in their way. His innocence was only kept intact because he mostly spent the first six years of his life shuttered away in a back room of the brothel; afraid that the madam might kick the two of them out, Cora debased herself slavishly, did whatever it took to make sure that her employer had plenty of satisfied returning customers. And with every soul-staining act she performed behind the closed bedroom doors, she inched closer to madness, but continued for her son's sake. He never truly grasped what was going on around him, and he never truly would until he grew up.

Around the time he turned seven, a fever swept across the poorer parts of Cirencester, claiming the lives of many, including both Cora and the madam. The brothel collapsed, and Colin was forced to fend for himself. Still a naif and a child, he was helpless. Helpless, that is, until he discovered that stealing, although riskier, reaped better rewards than begging. Colin turned entirely to thievery after that discovery, and has become quite good at it during the last 13 years. Purse-cutting, pickpocketing, and the occasional con has kept him alive ever since. A clever cynic, and a charmer when he needs to be, Colin has wandered from town to town and slipping away every time the townspeople and the local guard seem to catch on. Harlot Town is his newest place of residence, although he seems to have gotten himself into a spot of trouble.

RP Examples: These two combined seem to exemplify my RP style well enough.
Fin, A Dance of Ashes and Thorns
The Skies at Dawn

[Sarejo]

Name: Colin Baines
Age: 20
Gender: Male
Appearance (Pic prefered): I almost feel like I should have picked a character with actual medieval clothes. Oh well. Usually I just pick actors online that look something like the conception of the character I have in my head.
Birthplace (Old English town names preferable): Cirencester

Occupation: Thief

Biography (Must be at least 2 paragraphs):
Colin was never bound to be of any consequence. His parents, through no fault of their own, made sure of that. His mother worked in a brothel, and his father was a vagabond who only knew her for a night. Cora, as she was called, wasn't a great beauty, but she was kind to a fault. Instead of leaving him on some chapel stoop at birth, she tried to raise him and shield him from the horrors of the world, mostly by throwing herself in their way. His innocence was only kept intact because he mostly spent the first six years of his life shuttered away in a back room of the brothel; afraid that the madam might kick the two of them out, Cora spent every free moment she had teaching Colin how to read and write. It was a rare talent indeed, especially for someone of her station, a precious gift that he wouldn't learn to appreciate until much later on. Colin made himself useful in those years copying the names of the women and their visitors, keeping track amounts of coin paid and available beds for the madam. He never truly grasped what was going on around him, and he never truly would until he grew up.

Around the time he turned seven, a fever swept across the poorer parts of Cirencester, claiming the lives of many, including both Cora and the madam. The brothel collapsed, and Colin was forced to fend for himself. Still a naif and a child, he was helpless. Helpless, that is, until he discovered that stealing, although riskier, reaped better rewards than begging. Colin turned entirely to thievery after that discovery, and has become quite good at it during the last 13 years. Purse-cutting, pickpocketing, and the occasional con has kept him alive ever since. A clever cynic, and a charmer when he needs to be, Colin has wandered from town to town and slipping away every time the townspeople and the local guard seem to catch on. Harlot Town is his newest place of residence, although he seems to have gotten himself into a spot of trouble.

RP Examples: These two combined seem to exemplify my RP style well enough.
Fin, A Dance of Ashes and Thorns
The Skies at Dawn

How would a whore (excuse my language using the term) know how to read and write?

I know you all want to make it seem like your characters aren't dumb brutes but this is essentially the Dark Ages. Dumb Brutes are a dime a dozen here, and I'm okay with that.

[Vacif]

So is this during the night, or is it day yet? I was thinking the caravan arrives at town, the majority of them are armed, and in armor, war band mistakes this for reinforcements, flees as they are vastly outnumbered (maybe).

[Sarejo]

So is this during the night, or is it day yet? I was thinking the caravan arrives at town, the majority of them are armed, and in armor, war band mistakes this for reinforcements, flees as they are vastly outnumbered (maybe).

It is night until someone posts it being the morning.

[Kazarogkai]

Name: Colin Baines
Age: 20
Gender: Male
Appearance (Pic prefered): I almost feel like I should have picked a character with actual medieval clothes. Oh well. Usually I just pick actors online that look something like the conception of the character I have in my head.
Birthplace (Old English town names preferable): Cirencester

Occupation: Thief

Biography (Must be at least 2 paragraphs):
Colin was never bound to be of any consequence. His parents, through no fault of their own, made sure of that. His mother worked in a brothel, and his father was a vagabond who only knew her for a night. Cora, as she was called, wasn't a great beauty, but she was kind to a fault. Instead of leaving him on some chapel stoop at birth, she tried to raise him and shield him from the horrors of the world, mostly by throwing herself in their way. His innocence was only kept intact because he mostly spent the first six years of his life shuttered away in a back room of the brothel; afraid that the madam might kick the two of them out, Cora spent every free moment she had teaching Colin how to read and write. It was a rare talent indeed, especially for someone of her station, a precious gift that he wouldn't learn to appreciate until much later on. Colin made himself useful in those years copying the names of the women and their visitors, keeping track amounts of coin paid and available beds for the madam. He never truly grasped what was going on around him, and he never truly would until he grew up.

Around the time he turned seven, a fever swept across the poorer parts of Cirencester, claiming the lives of many, including both Cora and the madam. The brothel collapsed, and Colin was forced to fend for himself. Still a naif and a child, he was helpless. Helpless, that is, until he discovered that stealing, although riskier, reaped better rewards than begging. Colin turned entirely to thievery after that discovery, and has become quite good at it during the last 13 years. Purse-cutting, pickpocketing, and the occasional con has kept him alive ever since. A clever cynic, and a charmer when he needs to be, Colin has wandered from town to town and slipping away every time the townspeople and the local guard seem to catch on. Harlot Town is his newest place of residence, although he seems to have gotten himself into a spot of trouble.

RP Examples: These two combined seem to exemplify my RP style well enough.
Fin, A Dance of Ashes and Thorns
The Skies at Dawn

How would a whore (excuse my language using the term) know how to read and write?

I know you all want to make it seem like your characters aren't dumb brutes but this is essentially the Dark Ages. Dumb Brutes are a dime a dozen here, and I'm okay with that.

To be fair unlike medival times which was pretty much the aftermath of the collapse of a society where the vast bulk of the population could not read we are RPing in the aftermath of a society which had effectively 100% literacy rates. People who know how to read tend to teach their children to read, hence why foreign aid initiatives are focused on mothers in developed countries and teaching them to read since when they learn to read they tend to teach their children to read.

Every time there has been a apocalyptic situation like this reading for the most part had been confined to a very small section of the population in the previous society(s) as a result when these apocalypses happened that situation remained as such, and in many cases got worse with the death of the ruling classes who literacy was confined to as a result in many cases you see literacy completely disappear among the population. But as stated before we are coming from the backdrop of a society where literacy was universal among the population, combine that with the fact that reading and basic arithmetic are pretty easy to teach to a child(unless they have a disability) so long as you know both skills means I doubt literacy rates would go down all that considerably among the population especially in more stable regions where the apocalypse was not nearly as harsh. From 100% to 50-75% literary rate would give or take would be what I guess. You do not need a public education system to teach a child to do something as basic as reading, simply at the end of the day read a book to the kid right before bed and let them follow along and they will pick it up eventually. Trust me my sister was reading by the time she was 3-4 and she certainly is no genius.

[Sarejo]

How would a whore (excuse my language using the term) know how to read and write?

I know you all want to make it seem like your characters aren't dumb brutes but this is essentially the Dark Ages. Dumb Brutes are a dime a dozen here, and I'm okay with that.

To be fair unlike medival times which was pretty much the aftermath of the collapse of a society where the vast bulk of the population could not read we are RPing in the aftermath of a society which had effectively 100% literacy rates. People who know how to read tend to teach their children to read, hence why foreign aid initiatives are focused on mothers in developed countries and teaching them to read since when they learn to read they tend to teach their children to read.

Every time there has been a apocalyptic situation like this reading for the most part had been confined to a very small section of the population in the previous society(s) as a result when these apocalypses happened that situation remained as such, and in many cases got worse with the death of the ruling classes who literacy was confined to as a result in many cases you see literacy completely disappear among the population. But as stated before we are coming from the backdrop of a society where literacy was universal among the population, combine that with the fact that reading and basic arithmetic are pretty easy to teach to a child(unless they have a disability) so long as you know both skills means I doubt literacy rates would go down all that considerably among the population especially in more stable regions where the apocalypse was not nearly as harsh. From 100% to 50-75% literary rate would give or take would be what I guess. You do not need a public education system to teach a child to do something as basic as reading, simply at the end of the day read a book to the kid right before bed and let them follow along and they will pick it up eventually. Trust me my sister was reading by the time she was 3-4 and she certainly is no genius.

This is 500+ years after the apocalypse, and with those knowledgeable of such things as reading and writing who weren't priests or monks were shunned, hunted, etc.

I'm finding it very hard to believe that literacy rates would have stuck around, espcially after this amount of time. Also considering the fact that English has evolved to such an extent that modern-day English would be gibberish, I also find it highly unlikely. Another fact is since the apocalypse happened around 2030 or so, most information was probably digitized, leading to a sharp degrease in the amount of books, which would have without a doubt would have rotted for the most part.

[Erhialam]

Well, I can always tweak the backstory a bit to make him illiterate, if you'd like. But it's more fun to actually think of why Cora would be literate, now, isn't it? You actually gave me an excuse to go back and revisit one of my favorite historically-accurate medieval novels to flesh out a backstory.

Backstory Idea #1) Prostitution wasn't exactly a professional aspiration for Cora. The exact opposite was true. As a preacher's daughter, her ears rang with holy words from a very young age, and she decided during her mid-teens that she was going to become a nun and devote her life to the faith. This would put her in a position where she would, in fact, be likely to be taught literacy (Many nuns were taught to read and write. That much I confirmed with some research.) Her father was struck down in a raid, however, and she experienced a loss of faith after that, rendering her emotionally unable to take her vows. This, also, would open the door to a life of prostitution as a way to support the rest of her family.

My second one involved her being hired as a maid for a merchant family and teaching herself in secret based upon ledgers, but it seemed more far-fetched than the one above.

Then, again, I can just make Colin illiterate.

[Himdah do Lu]

This seems... very interesting... I may post an app within the next few days :3

[Kazarogkai]

To be fair unlike medival times which was pretty much the aftermath of the collapse of a society where the vast bulk of the population could not read we are RPing in the aftermath of a society which had effectively 100% literacy rates. People who know how to read tend to teach their children to read, hence why foreign aid initiatives are focused on mothers in developed countries and teaching them to read since when they learn to read they tend to teach their children to read.

Every time there has been a apocalyptic situation like this reading for the most part had been confined to a very small section of the population in the previous society(s) as a result when these apocalypses happened that situation remained as such, and in many cases got worse with the death of the ruling classes who literacy was confined to as a result in many cases you see literacy completely disappear among the population. But as stated before we are coming from the backdrop of a society where literacy was universal among the population, combine that with the fact that reading and basic arithmetic are pretty easy to teach to a child(unless they have a disability) so long as you know both skills means I doubt literacy rates would go down all that considerably among the population especially in more stable regions where the apocalypse was not nearly as harsh. From 100% to 50-75% literary rate would give or take would be what I guess. You do not need a public education system to teach a child to do something as basic as reading, simply at the end of the day read a book to the kid right before bed and let them follow along and they will pick it up eventually. Trust me my sister was reading by the time she was 3-4 and she certainly is no genius.

This is 500+ years after the apocalypse, and with those knowledgeable of such things as reading and writing who weren't priests or monks were shunned, hunted, etc.

I'm finding it very hard to believe that literacy rates would have stuck around, espcially after this amount of time. Also considering the fact that English has evolved to such an extent that modern-day English would be gibberish, I also find it highly unlikely. Another fact is since the apocalypse happened around 2030 or so, most information was probably digitized, leading to a sharp degrease in the amount of books, which would have without a doubt would have rotted for the most part.

Paper is pretty easy to make, more books can be made. Especially considering the fact that this is the pacific northwest, one of the largest rain forest in the world, with it's abundance of trees meaning new books can be made if need be.

Protestant Christianity alongside Islam and Judaism from what I remember all encouraged their members to know how to read atleast the bible/Holy Scripture, It is possible that practice may not go out of style among some groups.

Shakespeare does not sound like gibberish, hard but not gibberish.

For RP reasons dealing with his origins and in general being a major part of his story my character knows how to read, Ill just chalk it up to it being a tradition among his people as an explanation. Maybe Religion?

Don't forget the nobility also, in medieval times a proper noble knew how to read and was surprisingly educated contrary to popular belief.

[Beiarusia]

It is night until someone posts it being the morning.

Glendalia posted it being day a while back. Right when the attack started actually.

As for the reading thing, I feel that it would have become rarer (what with books decaying and whatnot) but not to the point that only a select few would be privileged to such a thing, though they above all else would have the means to be literate. While I don't see every single person reading a book about (insert difficult reading material here) a good portion would likely have a very basic understanding. It would also have to do with the mentality. If people do not find reading all that important then they aren't likely to pass on that knowledge, which could further decrease the literacy rate to a degree.

[Erhialam]

Woah. Totally didn't mean to spark a debate.

But, seriously, the focus here was not supposed to be Cora. If you want, I can just edit it out. The choice is yours.

[Sarejo]

It is night until someone posts it being the morning.

Glendalia posted it being day a while back. Right when the attack started actually.

As for the reading thing, I feel that it would have become rarer (what with books decaying and whatnot) but not to the point that only a select few would be privileged to such a thing, though they above all else would have the means to be literate. While I don't see every single person reading a book about (insert difficult reading material here) a good portion would likely have a very basic understanding. It would also have to do with the mentality. If people do not find reading all that important then they aren't likely to pass on that knowledge, which could further decrease the literacy rate to a degree.

Not directed at you Bei, but if you read what I believe was my first post I wrote the dialogue in Old English, as to show how different it is from Modern English. I don't know about you but I speak better Arabic than I do Old English and the only word I know is "Allah".

I envision most people being able to write and understand their name, but that's it. Merchants might be slightly more learned in that they have to keep records, but most likely they've hired a scribe whom was taught in a Monestary. The only native people of Ærworuld who are completely literate or at least very fluent are Religious officials such as priests and monks, and powerful nobles who can afford Monks as tutors.

Further more the Church that survives here is pretty much Catholic, give or take a bit of changes due to the years. Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, etc. have pretty much died out in this area of the world, seeing as there are not many followers of those religions in the PNW in the first place. Protestantism has been hunted with almost the feverity of witch-hunting as the Church is trying to cement their undisputed dominance over the region, and unlike Medieval Europe, has absolutely no qualms in executing would-be Martin Luthers.

I can understand your character being learned, as he was not raised in this world and is not familiar with it's traditions. And Erhialam, I think the overall app is good, I just think it's not very fitting to have everyone from every walk of life have the same education. This world os not equal, and therefore the people in it are not as well, you know? I don't like nit-picking as I hate being a dick to people who honestly don't deserve it, but I'm trying to preserve at least some of my original background, seeing as the part about not shaping the world seems to have disappeared lol.

And yes, The Library will most likely be the main plotline of the RP.

[Erhialam]

Well, I'll get around to a first post tomorrow and I'll doctor the app tonight. Thanks for being a fair and understanding OP!

[Vacif]

Glendalia posted it being day a while back. Right when the attack started actually.

As for the reading thing, I feel that it would have become rarer (what with books decaying and whatnot) but not to the point that only a select few would be privileged to such a thing, though they above all else would have the means to be literate. While I don't see every single person reading a book about (insert difficult reading material here) a good portion would likely have a very basic understanding. It would also have to do with the mentality. If people do not find reading all that important then they aren't likely to pass on that knowledge, which could further decrease the literacy rate to a degree.

Not directed at you Bei, but if you read what I believe was my first post I wrote the dialogue in Old English, as to show how different it is from Modern English. I don't know about you but I speak better Arabic than I do Old English and the only word I know is "Allah".

I envision most people being able to write and understand their name, but that's it. Merchants might be slightly more learned in that they have to keep records, but most likely they've hired a scribe whom was taught in a Monestary. The only native people of Ærworuld who are completely literate or at least very fluent are Religious officials such as priests and monks, and powerful nobles who can afford Monks as tutors.

Further more the Church that survives here is pretty much Catholic, give or take a bit of changes due to the years. Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, etc. have pretty much died out in this area of the world, seeing as there are not many followers of those religions in the PNW in the first place. Protestantism has been hunted with almost the feverity of witch-hunting as the Church is trying to cement their undisputed dominance over the region, and unlike Medieval Europe, has absolutely no qualms in executing would-be Martin Luthers.

I can understand your character being learned, as he was not raised in this world and is not familiar with it's traditions. And Erhialam, I think the overall app is good, I just think it's not very fitting to have everyone from every walk of life have the same education. This world os not equal, and therefore the people in it are not as well, you know? I don't like nit-picking as I hate being a dick to people who honestly don't deserve it, but I'm trying to preserve at least some of my original background, seeing as the part about not shaping the world seems to have disappeared lol.

And yes, The Library will most likely be the main plotline of the RP.

*Library ends up being a secret old world military installation that upon destruction releases a bunch of automated killing machines somehow still functioning, thus continuing the story*

[Beiarusia]

*Library ends up being a secret old world military installation that upon destruction releases a bunch of automated killing machines somehow still functioning, thus continuing the story*

You ever play Armored Core Nexus? It actually ended somewhat along those lines.

[Vacif]

*Library ends up being a secret old world military installation that upon destruction releases a bunch of automated killing machines somehow still functioning, thus continuing the story*

You ever play Armored Core Nexus? It actually ended somewhat along those lines.

Never heard of it, looks a bit interesting.

[Sarejo]

Well, I'll get around to a first post tomorrow and I'll doctor the app tonight. Thanks for being a fair and understanding OP!

You're welcome and welcome to the RP!

[Sarejo]

Name: Colin Baines
Age: 20
Gender: Male
Appearance (Pic prefered): I almost feel like I should have picked a character with actual medieval clothes. Oh well. Usually I just pick actors online that look something like the conception of the character I have in my head.
Birthplace (Old English town names preferable): Cirencester

Occupation: Thief

Biography (Must be at least 2 paragraphs):
Colin was never bound to be of any consequence. His parents, through no fault of their own, made sure of that. His mother worked in a brothel, and his father was a vagabond who only knew her for a night. Cora, as she was called, wasn't a great beauty, but she was kind to a fault. Instead of leaving him on some chapel stoop at birth, she tried to raise him and shield him from the horrors of the world, mostly by throwing herself in their way. His innocence was only kept intact because he mostly spent the first six years of his life shuttered away in a back room of the brothel; afraid that the madam might kick the two of them out, Cora debased herself slavishly, did whatever it took to make sure that her employer had plenty of satisfied returning customers. And with every soul-staining act she performed behind the closed bedroom doors, she inched closer to madness, but continued for her son's sake. He never truly grasped what was going on around him, and he never truly would until he grew up.

Around the time he turned seven, a fever swept across the poorer parts of Cirencester, claiming the lives of many, including both Cora and the madam. The brothel collapsed, and Colin was forced to fend for himself. Still a naif and a child, he was helpless. Helpless, that is, until he discovered that stealing, although riskier, reaped better rewards than begging. Colin turned entirely to thievery after that discovery, and has become quite good at it during the last 13 years. Purse-cutting, pickpocketing, and the occasional con has kept him alive ever since. A clever cynic, and a charmer when he needs to be, Colin has wandered from town to town and slipping away every time the townspeople and the local guard seem to catch on. Harlot Town is his newest place of residence, although he seems to have gotten himself into a spot of trouble.

RP Examples: These two combined seem to exemplify my RP style well enough.
Fin, A Dance of Ashes and Thorns
The Skies at Dawn

ACCEPTED.

[Glendalia]

Lots of work in the house this morning. Now to work. Will try to post tonight. AFK.

[Deramen]

Glendalia posted it being day a while back. Right when the attack started actually.

As for the reading thing, I feel that it would have become rarer (what with books decaying and whatnot) but not to the point that only a select few would be privileged to such a thing, though they above all else would have the means to be literate. While I don't see every single person reading a book about (insert difficult reading material here) a good portion would likely have a very basic understanding. It would also have to do with the mentality. If people do not find reading all that important then they aren't likely to pass on that knowledge, which could further decrease the literacy rate to a degree.

Not directed at you Bei, but if you read what I believe was my first post I wrote the dialogue in Old English, as to show how different it is from Modern English. I don't know about you but I speak better Arabic than I do Old English and the only word I know is "Allah".

I envision most people being able to write and understand their name, but that's it. Merchants might be slightly more learned in that they have to keep records, but most likely they've hired a scribe whom was taught in a Monestary. The only native people of Ærworuld who are completely literate or at least very fluent are Religious officials such as priests and monks, and powerful nobles who can afford Monks as tutors.

Further more the Church that survives here is pretty much Catholic, give or take a bit of changes due to the years. Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, etc. have pretty much died out in this area of the world, seeing as there are not many followers of those religions in the PNW in the first place. Protestantism has been hunted with almost the feverity of witch-hunting as the Church is trying to cement their undisputed dominance over the region, and unlike Medieval Europe, has absolutely no qualms in executing would-be Martin Luthers.

I can understand your character being learned, as he was not raised in this world and is not familiar with it's traditions. And Erhialam, I think the overall app is good, I just think it's not very fitting to have everyone from every walk of life have the same education. This world os not equal, and therefore the people in it are not as well, you know? I don't like nit-picking as I hate being a dick to people who honestly don't deserve it, but I'm trying to preserve at least some of my original background, seeing as the part about not shaping the world seems to have disappeared lol.

And yes, The Library will most likely be the main plotline of the RP.

Well im in a interesting spot with reading and writing, considering my main character was a noble he probably could read, but my other was a peasant and couldn't, so that could provide some fun.

[Glendalia]

Waiting for more posts.

[Beiarusia]

Waiting for more posts.

I'll get one up within the hour.

[Deramen]

Anything to know? Im going to make a post in Harlot Town.

[Erhialam]

I'm going to assume it's morning. Also, I have to apologize if my post ends up being incomplete, my computer only has 5% battery right now and I can't go home to my charger any time soon.

[Sarejo]

Anything to know? Im going to make a post in Harlot Town.

Soldiers from a rival kingdom raided the town, but most are being routed or killed at the moment. Aldren just showed himself and has fled, whilst I'm waiting on Ascium's post as his character has just tackled mine.