The Second Cataclysm (OOC, Open)

[Olthar]

I would prefer if players don't harass each other about posting. If someone needs a reminder, I'll do it as OP.

What's the weather and general conditions like in the Northwest of the country?

The southern area of the temperate zone, so generally warm but not tropical. Like the American South.

[The Verdantderm Lands]

Welcome to the game, Constaniana. Exactly what is that smell, the sea or fish? Glad you're here!

[Constaniana]

Welcome to the game, Constaniana. Exactly what is that smell, the sea or fish? Glad you're here!

The smell is fish.

[The Verdantderm Lands]

Welcome to the game, Constaniana. Exactly what is that smell, the sea or fish? Glad you're here!

The smell is fish.

Tripetta creates an adequate, but almost imperceptible breeze designed to be continuously upwind of Jeremiah....

[Zarkenis Ultima]

There we go. I feel like Const now, putting this up less than three hours before the day's over

Name: Samantha Schwarzenberg of Schattenstadt
Gender: Female
Age: 16
Appearance: Standing at an unimpressive five feet and three inches tall, Sam has a slender build, her thin frame and pale skin giving her a frail, delicate look. She has a sharp face, with thin lips and eyebrows, a small nose and a pair of eyes the color of the ocean. Her wavy black hair barely reaches down to her shoulders, with her bangs framing her face and falling between her eyes.

Personality: Samantha is hard-working, inquisitive and dedicated to her studies, both to sate her endless curiosity and to earn her father's approval. In interacting with others, she is friendly and polite, and attempts to maintain a facade of magnanimity and cool confidence, but in truth is rather humble and easily intimidated. Spends most of her time practicing her abilities or reading (either academic texts or fiction), but also has a soft spot for music and dance.

Life Goal: To restore the name of House Schwarzenberg and use it to aid the peasantry.

Favored Element: Air
Elements Known: Air, Wood, Light
Degree Pursuing: Psychotheurgy

Backstory:

Originally, Samantha was not a noble, but a member of the less fortunate classes that populate Altomura. Born Samantha Barlow, she was the daughter of a cheerful man who made a living playing at the village's tavern, entertaining farmers and merchants alike every day. Though it was far from a prestigious occupation, the fact that Altomura's golden age was in full swing meant that even the peasantry could afford to give the widowed musician generous tips, which in turn meant that he and his daughter could live comfortably in the village. Since Samantha's mother died shortly after she was born, her father would be forced to take her along on his performances, often leaving her in the care of the inn's staff while he played. Growing up in a lively environment like that, she became a friendly and cheerful girl, taking after her father.

There was one trait she displayed that did not seem to come from her father, however: magic. Since an early age, the girl began displaying certain magical ability and an affinity for the air element. As the Barlows were not known for their magical prowess and hadn't had a competent mage in their family for quite some time, the aging musician considered it a sign of good fortune and began working even harder, even taking up a job at a nearby farm in addition to his performances at the inn in order to save up money to send Samantha off to study magic. He knew that magical aptitude was the one way to change one's stars, and while his life hadn't been bad by any means, he wanted his daughter's to be better than his.

Ironically, it was this shift in occupation that would make things take a turn for the worse, as Samantha's father died only eight months later in an accident at the farm. Without any relatives nearby to take care of the nine year old girl, she was instead sent to the local church, where the followers of the Pantheon would take care of her along with the rest of the village's orphans; her father's savings were given to the church to use in caring for her and the other children. For the next three years, Samantha would live there, receiving limited education from the local priest and helping take care of the younger kids. But a learned old woman who served as the town's sole doctor saw promise in her, and in her free hours, she would either visit her to learn about magic, read the odd book she was able to get her hands on, or practice what little aerokinesis she had a grasp on. While it was doubtful she would get formal education, she could always aspire to use her limited magic to help the townspeople and repay their kindness.

Then, when she was twelve years old, her luck changed once again. A wealthy traveler rode into the village one day, claiming he had the intention to adopt a child. The stranger was tall, strong and regal, with elegant clothes, a flowing golden mane and an air of dignity - a stark contrast with the scrawny girl. And yet, it just so happened that the one thing he was looking for was magical aptitude, and out of the children in her village and the surrounding ones, she had the most, or at least, she was the one who came closest to his standards. Before the day was over, the man was riding back to his estate in northwestern Altomura with Samantha in tow, the girl marveling at the contrast between her father and the man who had adopted her.

As it turned out, Baron Erik Schwarzenberg of Schattenstadt was in fact a member of a once grand noble house of Frinweldian origins. Since the days of his grandfather, poor choices combined with unchecked vices led to the swift decline of the Schwarzenberg, and though he and his father did what they could to reverse the situation, the Baron was eventually left in a situation that seemed hopeless: his firstborn, Johan, was the first heir in hundreds of years without a drop of affinity for magic, and his wife and unborn second child had perished while returning from a visit to Frinweld, their ship lying in pieces under the waves. Without any apparent choice but to let his house sink into disgrace, the Baron decided to find a competent young mage and foster their talents so that they would restore the prestige of the name Schwarzenberg, even if his own heir could not.

Samantha was the result of that gambit: a forged story about a lost branch of the family tree and a few bribes cemented her status as a legitimate noble, even if it was blatantly obvious what the truth was, and for the next four years, she received the best magical and non-magical education that the Baron's depleted coffers could afford. Though at first overwhelmed by the amount of information there was to take in, not just about mystical or political subjects, but about her new home and her new family - her father Erik and her dear brother Johan, who welcomed her with a sunny disposition despite her status as an outsider - but she quickly adapted to her new life and threw herself to her studies with all of her dedication, not wanting to disappoint the Baron, who only ever seemed to smile when she achieved a new feat or displayed her progress in the magical arts.

This rigorous education finally paid off when the girl was accepted into Sir Whifflebottom's Academy of Arts and Magic. The day she received the news was perhaps the first time she and her brother had seen the Baron laugh since Samantha's arrival - or since his mother's death, in Johan's case - and this display of joy and pride only further fueled her resolve to fulfill his expectations. The first five months of the second child of the Baron of Schattenstadt at Sir Whifflebottom's have been relatively smooth sailing, as she has managed to avoid running afoul of Professor Hastings and has performed relatively well on her classes; she has been slightly less successful in holding up the facade of a noble in front of her peers, struggling with it now and then, but so far it has caused her no harm. She strives to get a degree in Psychotheurgy, to gain a better understanding of the human mind and perhaps make a breakthrough that will place the name of House Schwarzenberg back into the spotlight.

[Olthar]

There we go. I feel like Const now, putting this up less than three hours before the day's over

Name: Samantha Schwarzenberg of Schattenstadt
Gender: Female
Age: 16
Appearance: Standing at an unimpressive five feet and three inches tall, Sam has a slender build, her thin frame and pale skin giving her a frail, delicate look. She has a sharp face, with thin lips and eyebrows, a small nose and a pair of eyes the color of the ocean. Her wavy black hair barely reaches down to her shoulders, with her bangs framing her face and falling between her eyes.

Personality: Samantha is hard-working, inquisitive and dedicated to her studies, both to sate her endless curiosity and to earn her father's approval. In interacting with others, she is friendly and polite, and attempts to maintain a facade of magnanimity and cool confidence, but in truth is rather humble and easily intimidated. Spends most of her time practicing her abilities or reading (either academic texts or fiction), but also has a soft spot for music and dance.

Life Goal: To restore the name of House Schwarzenberg and use it to aid the peasantry.

Favored Element: Air
Elements Known: Air, Wood, Light
Degree Pursuing: Psychotheurgy

Backstory:

Originally, Samantha was not a noble, but a member of the less fortunate classes that populate Altomura. Born Samantha Barlow, she was the daughter of a cheerful man who made a living playing at the village's tavern, entertaining farmers and merchants alike every day. Though it was far from a prestigious occupation, the fact that Altomura's golden age was in full swing meant that even the peasantry could afford to give the widowed musician generous tips, which in turn meant that he and his daughter could live comfortably in the village. Since Samantha's mother died shortly after she was born, her father would be forced to take her along on his performances, often leaving her in the care of the inn's staff while he played. Growing up in a lively environment like that, she became a friendly and cheerful girl, taking after her father.

There was one trait she displayed that did not seem to come from her father, however: magic. Since an early age, the girl began displaying certain magical ability and an affinity for the air element. As the Barlows were not known for their magical prowess and hadn't had a competent mage in their family for quite some time, the aging musician considered it a sign of good fortune and began working even harder, even taking up a job at a nearby farm in addition to his performances at the inn in order to save up money to send Samantha off to study magic. He knew that magical aptitude was the one way to change one's stars, and while his life hadn't been bad by any means, he wanted his daughter's to be better than his.

Ironically, it was this shift in occupation that would make things take a turn for the worse, as Samantha's father died only eight months later in an accident at the farm. Without any relatives nearby to take care of the nine year old girl, she was instead sent to the local church, where the followers of the Pantheon would take care of her along with the rest of the village's orphans; her father's savings were given to the church to use in caring for her and the other children. For the next three years, Samantha would live there, receiving limited education from the local priest and helping take care of the younger kids. But a learned old woman who served as the town's sole doctor saw promise in her, and in her free hours, she would either visit her to learn about magic, read the odd book she was able to get her hands on, or practice what little aerokinesis she had a grasp on. While it was doubtful she would get formal education, she could always aspire to use her limited magic to help the townspeople and repay their kindness.

Then, when she was twelve years old, her luck changed once again. A wealthy traveler rode into the village one day, claiming he had the intention to adopt a child. The stranger was tall, strong and regal, with elegant clothes, a flowing golden mane and an air of dignity - a stark contrast with the scrawny girl. And yet, it just so happened that the one thing he was looking for was magical aptitude, and out of the children in her village and the surrounding ones, she had the most, or at least, she was the one who came closest to his standards. Before the day was over, the man was riding back to his estate in northwestern Altomura with Samantha in tow, the girl marveling at the contrast between her father and the man who had adopted her.

As it turned out, Baron Erik Schwarzenberg of Schattenstadt was in fact a member of a once grand noble house of Frinweldian origins. Since the days of his grandfather, poor choices combined with unchecked vices led to the swift decline of the Schwarzenberg, and though he and his father did what they could to reverse the situation, the Baron was eventually left in a situation that seemed hopeless: his firstborn, Johan, was the first heir in hundreds of years without a drop of affinity for magic, and his wife and unborn second child had perished while returning from a visit to Frinweld, their ship lying in pieces under the waves. Without any apparent choice but to let his house sink into disgrace, the Baron decided to find a competent young mage and foster their talents so that they would restore the prestige of the name Schwarzenberg, even if his own heir could not.

Samantha was the result of that gambit: a forged story about a lost branch of the family tree and a few bribes cemented her status as a legitimate noble, even if it was blatantly obvious what the truth was, and for the next four years, she received the best magical and non-magical education that the Baron's depleted coffers could afford. Though at first overwhelmed by the amount of information there was to take in, not just about mystical or political subjects, but about her new home and her new family - her father Erik and her dear brother Johan, who welcomed her with a sunny disposition despite her status as an outsider - but she quickly adapted to her new life and threw herself to her studies with all of her dedication, not wanting to disappoint the Baron, who only ever seemed to smile when she achieved a new feat or displayed her progress in the magical arts.

This rigorous education finally paid off when the girl was accepted into Sir Whifflebottom's Academy of Arts and Magic. The day she received the news was perhaps the first time she and her brother had seen the Baron laugh since Samantha's arrival - or since his mother's death, in Johan's case - and this display of joy and pride only further fueled her resolve to fulfill his expectations. The first five months of the second child of the Baron of Schattenstadt at Sir Whifflebottom's have been relatively smooth sailing, as she has managed to avoid running afoul of Professor Hastings and has performed relatively well on her classes; she has been slightly less successful in holding up the facade of a noble in front of her peers, struggling with it now and then, but so far it has caused her no harm. She strives to get a degree in Psychotheurgy, to gain a better understanding of the human mind and perhaps make a breakthrough that will place the name of House Schwarzenberg back into the spotlight.

Accepted. Now don't take as long to post in the IC.

[Zarkenis Ultima]

There we go. I feel like Const now, putting this up less than three hours before the day's over

Name: Samantha Schwarzenberg of Schattenstadt
Gender: Female
Age: 16
Appearance: Standing at an unimpressive five feet and three inches tall, Sam has a slender build, her thin frame and pale skin giving her a frail, delicate look. She has a sharp face, with thin lips and eyebrows, a small nose and a pair of eyes the color of the ocean. Her wavy black hair barely reaches down to her shoulders, with her bangs framing her face and falling between her eyes.

Personality: Samantha is hard-working, inquisitive and dedicated to her studies, both to sate her endless curiosity and to earn her father's approval. In interacting with others, she is friendly and polite, and attempts to maintain a facade of magnanimity and cool confidence, but in truth is rather humble and easily intimidated. Spends most of her time practicing her abilities or reading (either academic texts or fiction), but also has a soft spot for music and dance.

Life Goal: To restore the name of House Schwarzenberg and use it to aid the peasantry.

Favored Element: Air
Elements Known: Air, Wood, Light
Degree Pursuing: Psychotheurgy

Backstory:

Originally, Samantha was not a noble, but a member of the less fortunate classes that populate Altomura. Born Samantha Barlow, she was the daughter of a cheerful man who made a living playing at the village's tavern, entertaining farmers and merchants alike every day. Though it was far from a prestigious occupation, the fact that Altomura's golden age was in full swing meant that even the peasantry could afford to give the widowed musician generous tips, which in turn meant that he and his daughter could live comfortably in the village. Since Samantha's mother died shortly after she was born, her father would be forced to take her along on his performances, often leaving her in the care of the inn's staff while he played. Growing up in a lively environment like that, she became a friendly and cheerful girl, taking after her father.

There was one trait she displayed that did not seem to come from her father, however: magic. Since an early age, the girl began displaying certain magical ability and an affinity for the air element. As the Barlows were not known for their magical prowess and hadn't had a competent mage in their family for quite some time, the aging musician considered it a sign of good fortune and began working even harder, even taking up a job at a nearby farm in addition to his performances at the inn in order to save up money to send Samantha off to study magic. He knew that magical aptitude was the one way to change one's stars, and while his life hadn't been bad by any means, he wanted his daughter's to be better than his.

Ironically, it was this shift in occupation that would make things take a turn for the worse, as Samantha's father died only eight months later in an accident at the farm. Without any relatives nearby to take care of the nine year old girl, she was instead sent to the local church, where the followers of the Pantheon would take care of her along with the rest of the village's orphans; her father's savings were given to the church to use in caring for her and the other children. For the next three years, Samantha would live there, receiving limited education from the local priest and helping take care of the younger kids. But a learned old woman who served as the town's sole doctor saw promise in her, and in her free hours, she would either visit her to learn about magic, read the odd book she was able to get her hands on, or practice what little aerokinesis she had a grasp on. While it was doubtful she would get formal education, she could always aspire to use her limited magic to help the townspeople and repay their kindness.

Then, when she was twelve years old, her luck changed once again. A wealthy traveler rode into the village one day, claiming he had the intention to adopt a child. The stranger was tall, strong and regal, with elegant clothes, a flowing golden mane and an air of dignity - a stark contrast with the scrawny girl. And yet, it just so happened that the one thing he was looking for was magical aptitude, and out of the children in her village and the surrounding ones, she had the most, or at least, she was the one who came closest to his standards. Before the day was over, the man was riding back to his estate in northwestern Altomura with Samantha in tow, the girl marveling at the contrast between her father and the man who had adopted her.

As it turned out, Baron Erik Schwarzenberg of Schattenstadt was in fact a member of a once grand noble house of Frinweldian origins. Since the days of his grandfather, poor choices combined with unchecked vices led to the swift decline of the Schwarzenberg, and though he and his father did what they could to reverse the situation, the Baron was eventually left in a situation that seemed hopeless: his firstborn, Johan, was the first heir in hundreds of years without a drop of affinity for magic, and his wife and unborn second child had perished while returning from a visit to Frinweld, their ship lying in pieces under the waves. Without any apparent choice but to let his house sink into disgrace, the Baron decided to find a competent young mage and foster their talents so that they would restore the prestige of the name Schwarzenberg, even if his own heir could not.

Samantha was the result of that gambit: a forged story about a lost branch of the family tree and a few bribes cemented her status as a legitimate noble, even if it was blatantly obvious what the truth was, and for the next four years, she received the best magical and non-magical education that the Baron's depleted coffers could afford. Though at first overwhelmed by the amount of information there was to take in, not just about mystical or political subjects, but about her new home and her new family - her father Erik and her dear brother Johan, who welcomed her with a sunny disposition despite her status as an outsider - but she quickly adapted to her new life and threw herself to her studies with all of her dedication, not wanting to disappoint the Baron, who only ever seemed to smile when she achieved a new feat or displayed her progress in the magical arts.

This rigorous education finally paid off when the girl was accepted into Sir Whifflebottom's Academy of Arts and Magic. The day she received the news was perhaps the first time she and her brother had seen the Baron laugh since Samantha's arrival - or since his mother's death, in Johan's case - and this display of joy and pride only further fueled her resolve to fulfill his expectations. The first five months of the second child of the Baron of Schattenstadt at Sir Whifflebottom's have been relatively smooth sailing, as she has managed to avoid running afoul of Professor Hastings and has performed relatively well on her classes; she has been slightly less successful in holding up the facade of a noble in front of her peers, struggling with it now and then, but so far it has caused her no harm. She strives to get a degree in Psychotheurgy, to gain a better understanding of the human mind and perhaps make a breakthrough that will place the name of House Schwarzenberg back into the spotlight.

Accepted. Now don't take as long to post in the IC.

Should have something up before heading off to sleep.

[Olthar]

Accepted. Now don't take as long to post in the IC.

Should have something up before heading off to sleep.

Cool.

So, that's nine accepted apps now. Just one spot left before I close the RP.

[Esternial]

Was working late today, so hopefully tomorrow I'll have more time.

If I take a more secluded spot in the office I might be able to write it up during the day :>

[The Verdantderm Lands]

I claim first spell of the game cast by Tripetta!

(That and about $4.50 will get me a tall hazelnut latte at Starbucks.)

[Zarkenis Ultima]

There we are. Sorry for the delays, Olthar.

Const, I went ahead and made Sam a friend of Jacky's, didn't think it was too far fetched since they've been in the same class for a couple months if you have an issue with that I'll be happy to change it, though.

[Olthar]

There we are. Sorry for the delays, Olthar.

Const, I went ahead and made Sam a friend of Jacky's, didn't think it was too far fetched since they've been in the same class for a couple months if you have an issue with that I'll be happy to change it, though.

Sound manipulation is an advanced aerokinesis technique, and your character is still a novice. Practicing in the hall is fine, but you're not yet capable of practical application.

[Zarkenis Ultima]

There we are. Sorry for the delays, Olthar.

Const, I went ahead and made Sam a friend of Jacky's, didn't think it was too far fetched since they've been in the same class for a couple months if you have an issue with that I'll be happy to change it, though.

Sound manipulation is an advanced aerokinesis technique, and your character is still a novice. Practicing in the hall is fine, but you're not yet capable of practical application.

My bad. I was under the impression that that sort of technique was normally attained before manipulation of hyper-elements, but I understand. I'll edit.

EDIT: Done.

[Olthar]

Sound manipulation is an advanced aerokinesis technique, and your character is still a novice. Practicing in the hall is fine, but you're not yet capable of practical application.

My bad. I was under the impression that that sort of technique was normally attained before manipulation of hyper-elements, but I understand. I'll edit.

The hyper-elements may be derived from the proto-elements, but it's not a progression or upgrade. One requires a base understanding of air to learn light, but they are still separate skills that require individual practice and learning. Just because you know light, it doesn't mean you've mastered air.

[Zarkenis Ultima]

My bad. I was under the impression that that sort of technique was normally attained before manipulation of hyper-elements, but I understand. I'll edit.

The hyper-elements may be derived from the proto-elements, but it's not a progression or upgrade. One requires a base understanding of air to learn light, but they are still separate skills that require individual practice and learning. Just because you know light, it doesn't mean you've mastered air.

Yeah, I got that much. What I mean is that I thought the level of understanding of air required to learn light was high enough that you'd be able to do some manipulation of sound at that point.

In any case, good thing I went with just that. The way the scene first occurred to me involved her using light to mask her presence as well. That would've been an even bigger blunder

[Olthar]

Considering how many people have been confused by the separation of elements, I think I'll endeavor to detail them with more structured mechanics.

[The Twelve Isles]

Alright, new post up.

Sorry for my absence, I was working on an app for a second RP so I was a little distracted. Now that its finished though, I should be able to divide my attention between the two better.

[Constaniana]

There we are. Sorry for the delays, Olthar.

Const, I went ahead and made Sam a friend of Jacky's, didn't think it was too far fetched since they've been in the same class for a couple months if you have an issue with that I'll be happy to change it, though.

Unacceptable; Jacky spends all his time training with the katana, playing Minecraft, and eating chicken tenders. He has no space in life for females.

[Olthar]

Post up, and we are officially on our way towards the plot. I'll work on refining the magic system tomorrow, though. My mom needs more Avatar in her life.

[The Twelve Isles]

There we are. Sorry for the delays, Olthar.

Const, I went ahead and made Sam a friend of Jacky's, didn't think it was too far fetched since they've been in the same class for a couple months if you have an issue with that I'll be happy to change it, though.

Unacceptable; Jacky spends all his time training with the katana, playing Minecraft, and eating chicken tenders. He has no space in life for females.

We are people of the internet, females do not exist here, nor do they exist in our mothers basements where we dwell. All we need in our lives is our anime and grilled cheese.

Remember, the only life of a true internet dweller is that of servitude to our big tiddie goth anime girlfriends.

[Zarkenis Ultima]

There we are. Sorry for the delays, Olthar.

Const, I went ahead and made Sam a friend of Jacky's, didn't think it was too far fetched since they've been in the same class for a couple months if you have an issue with that I'll be happy to change it, though.

Unacceptable; Jacky spends all his time training with the katana, playing Minecraft, and eating chicken tenders. He has no space in life for females.

Oops. Well, too late to delete the post now

[Olthar]

It turns out that it didn't take long to work out the defined magic system, so I've already finished. The abilities of the elements are now divided into specific ranks, making it clearer what everyone can do. There are five ranks. You start at rank 2 for your favored element and rank 1 for the others. So go see what your character can do now. Since this wasn't defined when you all made your characters, if anyone would like to alter their favored/known elements, make a post telling me what you'd like to switch to.

[The Verdantderm Lands]

Tripetta

As she examined the text, Tripetta noticed that the letters were made with straight lines and sharp angles. There were no rounded or curved lines anywhere. The letters were also quite complex individually with few repetitions among the entire text. The words were short, usually only two to four letters long, and a few were just one letter.

Futhark Runes? Not that Tripetta would know things from our world.

[Zarkenis Ultima]

It turns out that it didn't take long to work out the defined magic system, so I've already finished. The abilities of the elements are now divided into specific ranks, making it clearer what everyone can do. There are five ranks. You start at rank 2 for your favored element and rank 1 for the others. So go see what your character can do now. Since this wasn't defined when you all made your characters, if anyone would like to alter their favored/known elements, make a post telling me what you'd like to switch to.

Looks good, I'll keep my elements but good work there.

I'll admit, I didn't expect flight to come earlier than sound manipulation, but eh, it's magic

[Olthar]

Tripetta

As she examined the text, Tripetta noticed that the letters were made with straight lines and sharp angles. There were no rounded or curved lines anywhere. The letters were also quite complex individually with few repetitions among the entire text. The words were short, usually only two to four letters long, and a few were just one letter.

Futhark Runes? Not that Tripetta would know things from our world.

I don't know what that is.

It turns out that it didn't take long to work out the defined magic system, so I've already finished. The abilities of the elements are now divided into specific ranks, making it clearer what everyone can do. There are five ranks. You start at rank 2 for your favored element and rank 1 for the others. So go see what your character can do now. Since this wasn't defined when you all made your characters, if anyone would like to alter their favored/known elements, make a post telling me what you'd like to switch to.

Looks good, I'll keep my elements but good work there.

I'll admit, I didn't expect flight to come earlier than sound manipulation, but eh, it's magic

The ranks are not (for the most part) based on power/utility vis-a-vis new abilities. They're based on proximity to the element. Flight has a more direct relation to air manipulation than does sound manipulation.