Into the Rift (Fantasy, Reverse Isekai, OOC)

by **Rupudska** » Mon Jul 06, 2020 2:07 pm

Epithymia, the world of desire.

Such was the disconnect between its name as its realities that many in the slums and back alleys of Otava's floating cities refer to their world in euphemistic sarcasm. Wrecked by constant warfare against the dreaded Asura, the denizens of Epithymia had only just begun to recover from the decades-long war that had nearly destroyed civilization. The theocratic humans of Otava, the elvish Eyran Empire, the varied peoples of Aryavarsa, the orcish horsemen of the Tsaghad Ord, the lizard folk of Tsana Tzuyu, and even the Celestial lands of Mu had to join together to defeat this threat, alongside hundreds of other kingdoms, principalities, and lands.

The alliance of Celestials, humans and other magical nations finally crushed the invaders, razing their capital to ash and finally putting the marauding demons to the sword, forcing them to the great mountains marking the border between Aryavarsa and the uninhabited wildlands to the west. Fearing defeat, the Demon Lord Mara escaped with a few select followers, using lost magic to open a rift through time and space to elude her would-be captors. Unable to pursue, and sensing her imminent return with what would likely be a far stronger army, it would be several agonizing years before the Alliance was able to rediscover the spell needed to reopen the rift. Braving into the unknown, the intrepid adventurers and scholars sent to investigate would soon stumble into a world like no other. Quite literally, as it would prove that the world Mara escaped to was a void absent of nearly all magic, and the difference in magical pressures created a wind strong as any storm.

Wandering into a mountainous forest, this strange, new realm was as alien as it was familiar. With virtually untamed fauna, diverse natural wildlife and strange humanoid natives absent of all magic, Lok was a world tamed not with the wood and wizardry, but mind and iron. Though largely absent in the remote corner of the realm the adventurers have arrived in, the power of technology had slowly crept its way into the natives' lives, as did the promise of conflict between the various tribes. But a faint and ominous stench has befouled these lands, one too close for comfort for the Epithymians. The Demon Lord is around here, and for all intents and purpose, may already have been alerted to their arrival...

Thou Shalt Obey OP
Thou Shalt Obey My Co-OP, Wolfenium
Thou Shalt Make Good Posts - Post Length Is Not Too Important, Post Quality Is; Exceptions To Be Made for Dialogue
Thou Shalt Not Godmod
Thou Shalt Get Three Chances Before Getting Kicked.
Thou Shalt Message Me Via TG Or Discord If Thou Wilt Be Unavailable For One Week Or More
Thou Shalt Keep It PG-13.
Thou Shalt Not Make Mary Sues. Thou Shalt Make Characters With Realistic Character Flaws.
Thou Shalt Not Make Characters With Hideously OP Powers
⑨ Thou Shalt Have Fun, And Thou Shalt Stay Frosty

Mu

Home of the Celestials, Mu has long been regarded by Otavans as the final resting place for the good and pious, existing outside Epithymia's plane of existence in an alternate dimension. While in some respect, that is true, the Celestials often have a strict and nebulous criteria regarding the entry of non-Celestials into their domain, creating a stratified society where most of those 'blessed' are allowed to live in the outer areas of Mu. Only a select few allowed in the Celestials' inner sanctum, Soumerou, often heroes of great repute or those 'chosen' for less noble reasons. For non-believers, it is the ultimate representation of the superiority complex the Celestials hold over all beings outside Mu.

Otava

A human theocracy founded by the Celestials, Otava's floating cities had long been famed for their universities and seminaries, rivaling even the elven libraries of Aryavarsa. Created by a powerful human hero granted power by the Celestials, Otava's uncompromising stance towards the worship of the god-like beings had earned them both admiration and scorn. Of the Alliance, Otava is the nation most vehemently opposed to any sort of reconciliation with the demons of Naraka. Regardless, their contribution to the war effort had been immense, with entire legions of paladins and holy priests carrying battle after battle.

Eyran

The ancient elven kingdom founded long before the arrival of the Celestials, Eyran had seen better days. While its arcane academies and libraries remain some of the most reputable in the world, the Celestials' growing influence, and Naraka's invasion, had severely devastated the country. Large parts of their former realm, mainly their colonial holdings, had been ceded to other emerging nations or simply left to fend for themselves. Needless to say, the elves of Eyran have accepted the loss of their prestige and primal position in Epithymia with disdain, more so for any elf willing to 'lower' himself, mainly their kin in Aryavarsa. However, it would be far from correct to say that Eyran's days as a major power are ending soon, let alone finished.

Aryavarsa

A largely-human federation founded by refugees fleeing the various internecine conflicts that plagued Epithymia prior to the demon invasion, Aryavarsa has emerged as one of the major powers of Epithymia, leveraging on its openness to all races to encourage immigration and boost its economy. Many, including dissatisfied and alienated exiles from the various other kingdoms, have came to call Aryavarsa home. The result is an amalgamation of knowledge and cultures that puts Aryavarsa ahead of its competitors. True to its nature, Aryavarsa is the most vocal voice in favour of integrating demons into Epithymian society. Unfortunately, this has caused immense discontent among Celestial worshippers, exacerbating tensions between the various species of Aryavarsa.

Albagog

One of the few predominantly goblin kingdoms, the seafaring goblins and humans of Albagog once had an empire of sorts of their own, centuries ago, before being conquered by Eyran, located but a day's sail to the north. Only recently has Albagog gained its independence, but a less-than-friendly sort of animosity still exists between the two nations, even if it hasn't been to the level of open violence in decades. Many sports not created by the Celestials and their worshipers were created in Albagog.

Naraka

Named after their destroyed homeworld, the rapid rise and fall of Naraka had been one of Epithymia's most chaotic episodes. Pouring out without warning onto an Eyranite colony, Naraka's domains once stretched all the way to Otava's capital, and the gateway to the Celestials' home domain of Mu. Brought to ruin, none remains of the proud civilization that almost utterly consumed Epithymia and bring even the powerful Celestials to heel. However, with the Demon Lord Mara still at large, some in Naraka still struggle against the Alliance occupiers. Only with her ultimate defeat can peace reign once again, and Naraka to be forever buried in the dustbin of history.

Tsaghad Ord

Located in the steppes in the frontiers of the civilized world, Tsaghad Ord is not so much a nation as it is a confederation of tribes. With inter-clan warfare frequent and often bloody, not much is known about the nomadic hordes inhabiting it. What is known is that it takes great leaders to rally the clans to a cause. When such a day comes, many can hope to expect a reckoning from the orcs, and pray for a swift death of such leaders to break up their otherwise immense power.

Skuy

Similar to Tsaghad Ord, the druids of Skuy would hardly call their realm a nation. Heavily isolated and decentralized, Skuy's many clans often fought among themselves as much as they did against intruders, if at all. Largely inhospitable due to the swamps and jungles that overrun much of Skuy, the druids sometimes reclaimed abandoned settlements with nature itself. With Naraka largely vanquished, these domains are slowly becoming a source of tension between the Alliance and Skuy.

Tsana Tzuyu

A collection of city-states in a faraway land, little is known of Tsana Tzuyu beyond tales brought by explorers from both sides of the vast seas. Tales of infinite gold lining the stone pyramids colour the imagination, fuelling the greed of many who dared to venture from the relative comforts of the Old World. Conversely, adventurers speak of horrific tales of ritual sacrifice, with hearts ripped out of their rib cages to be fed to bloodthirsty gods. Whatever the truth, there is no doubt that only an expedition of the same scale as those to Lok would reveal more about the Lizardfolk's strange and sometimes dreaded society.

Triglav

Located within the vast mountain ranges near Aryavarsa, Triglav is, quite literally, built out of stone. Towers and citadels of stone overlook many mountain passes, connected by a vast network of tunnels buried beneath the mountains. Ever expanding and exploring, Triglav has also traditionally provided the most raw materials for the war effort, from steel, to brass, to precious stones. Fortunately for Triglav, demand for materials and skilled labourers for reconstruction remain high throughout Epithymia. For some dwarves, Triglav may yet see a golden age for dwarven-kind, a thought that these hardy pioneers are eager to rub it in on the elves of Eyran, whose disdain for their brutish rune magic and constructs had added much scorn throughout the ages.

Humans

The dominant species in Epithymia, and the sole intelligent lifeforms in Lok (Earth), humans vary widely when it comes to magical aptitude. The number of magic-capable humans, in comparison to other races, is relatively low, but there are still more than enough to populate mage colleges and associations across Epithymia. So far, there have been no signs that any of the human denizens of Lok have magic aptitude, though that may be set to change. As a whole, humans on Lok and Epithymia are otherwise no different, though Epithymian humans tend to be shorter.

Elves

Residents of Eyran and Aryavarsa,the elves are among the most well-versed in the magical arts next to the Celestials and the Druids themselves. The leading educators of magic to humanity and other 'lesser' races, the elves possess vastly superior lifespans and magical aptitudes, and are unafraid to demonstrate them. Sadly, their power is matched only by their hubris and arrogance, especially of older generations, and they had paid dearly for underestimating the demon threat. Now outnumbered by the other races of Epithymia due to years of attrition warfare, the elves are only starting to cope with the reality that their golden age is long over. Worse, the revelations on Lok had vastly swelled their fears of their human neighbours, as the Epithymians barely scratch the surface of Lokite capabilities.

Elves are among the tallest races of Epithymia, which puts them on the tall end in comparison to Lokite humans. They come in the typical races of elves - pale-skinned North Elves of Eyran, with hair mostly in white, pale blonde, crimson, and (rarely) black, the Dusk Elves of the mountains in and around Triglav and other dwarven kingdoms - always with white hair, always with dark grey to black skin, and always with red eyes, and the Wood Elves of the temperate forests all over the world, with nearly as many skin, eye, and hair colors as the humans. All elves have pointed ears, long lifespans, and two woody horns atop their heads.

Demons

The great adversaries of the Alliance and equal even to the Celestials, demonkind was said to have been refugees fleeing from a dead world. Catching the denizens of Epithymia off-guard, they rapidly expanded their new empire, Naraka, putting many innocents to the sword or in chains with their immense physical and magical prowess. However, after many years of war, the once powerful empire had fallen into ruin, and its people scattered and on the brink of total extinction. While many remnants still remain, putting up a last stand as they awaited the return of their missing monarch, others had caved into the inevitable, becoming collaborators for the Alliance as the victorious powers helped themselves to the spoils.

Demons come physically in the forms of all races, and as many skin colors, however demons always have hairless black tails, always have bony black horns, always have white hair, and always have red irises.

Orcs

Nomadic raiders from the steppes bordering the civilized nations, the Orcs of Tsaghad Ord have fought on both sides of the Alliance-Demon war. Shamanistic and warlike, the Orcs had long been a constant threat for the nations of Epithymia, often sacking settlements for bounty and slaves. These days, the winding down of the war has left many Orc mercenaries jobless, with many vagrants wandering around the cities of the Alliance, or departing back to their home regions. Those lucky enough to remain under the Alliance employ were left to deal with their own kin, Narakan remnants, or other beasts that lurk in the untamed wilds. But such individuals are few and far between, their services forgotten by their employers and their people.

Orcs are slightly shorter than elves and (obviously) any shade of green, though they tend towards pale and dark green. Orks almost always have black or black-reddish hair, and as a whole are more muscular than the average human.

Dyrads and Druids

Mysterious natives of the natural wilds still untouched by most of civilization, many tales have been written of the dyrads and druids of Skuy. Those brave enough to venture into the civilized nations of Epithymia had made their names as enchanters, warriors or court musicians and dancers. And some Skuyejar, disregarding the neutral ethos of their people, have joined the Alliance to repel the Narakan threat. Small numbers of such communities now exist in the fringes of the earthly kingdoms, though widely shunned by society. Nonetheless, their expertise in what some have theorized to be the first, natural form of magic, remains widely regarded to this day. Druids and dryads are, contrary to popular belief, not obligate carnivores - they do, however, strongly prefer to only eat local plants and hunt their own meat. Also contrary to popular belief, dryads are not nudists - however, to a dryad, clothing is solely to protect from extreme cold (as their sap can freeze, which can paralyze or even injure them), morality laws, and weaponry.

Dryads are an all-female race distantly related to elves, and like elves have pointed ears, but physically very different. A dryad's skin comes in nearly any color that wood can come in, though only their limbs and the branch-like antlers they grow on their heads are in any way woody. The hair on a dryad's head comes in shades of green. Dryad hands are mostly humanoid, but their feet resemble those of birds in shape. Certain species, especially those found in marshes and mangroves, may have eight or more spindly root-like legs instead. Adult dryads can shapeshift, changing their form to something more humanoid (though always with a relatively dark shade of skin and with black hair), but they cannot change their eye color or their ear shape. While most dryads have two eyes with white sclera, some have four or six eyes, and some have black, red, or gold sclera. However, a dryad's irises are always the same color as their natural skin. Lastly, while a dryad cannot move more than a kilometer from their "soul tree", it is easy to "cheat" this by using bonsai-cut saplings or even seeds, or sleeping in soil from around their soul tree - though doing this on its own slowly depletes their health. A dryad stranded too far from their soul tree for too long becomes stuck in place, fully aware, though they do not revert to a tree even if the soul tree is destroyed, so long as it has at least one direct descendant.

Unlike their Dyrad counterparts, Druids are not so much a species in itself than a collection of other species influenced by the Dyrads. Diverse in origin, most druids are wood elves, goblins, and humans. In that order. Thus, the only real distinction is their use of nature magic and the effects on such magic on their physiology. However, despite the whimsical and often risque tales sung by bards (sometimes even druidic bards) to enthralled tavern patrons, druids are not required for the Dyrads to procreate, though dyrads born from such relationships are also not unheard of.

Lizardfolk

Hailing from the distant jungles of Tsana Tzuyu, the Lizardfolk are a bizarre, warlike people, incomprehensible to the Alliance and Naraka alike. Deeply ritualistic, the line between faith and magic is practically non-existent, even more than the Celestials of Mu and their human believers in Otava. Practitioners of blood magic, the few lizardfolk who venture into Alliance lands tended to be feared and reviled for 'dark sorcery'. Regardless, such adventurers have been employed by the Alliance and Naraka in the war, with some remaining under Alliance service to eliminate Narakan remnants and other beastly threats.

Lizardfolk are, despite rumors, exclusively humanoid reptilians - more dinosaur-like "lizardfolk" are simple beasts of war, beasts of burden, or beasts of transport. Their scales come in a myriad of colors, especially in males, and it is only males that have feathery "hair" - female lizardfolk have horns. Like dryads, lizardfolk do not typically wear clothing in their homelands due to the extreme heat and humidity, but being reptiles everything is stored internally anyway. Lizardfolk have an inner eyelid to help keep their eyes protected while swimming in salty, muddy, or brackish water, and they can hold their breath longer than any other species except dwarves. However, the nostrils of a lizardman are higher up on the head, which combined with their more human proportions make them far superior swimmers.

Dwarves

Inhabiting the mountains near Aryavarsa, the dwarves of Triglav are a studious, hardy people. Masters of rune magic, innovation and construction, the Triglavians have built vast fortress-cities, exploiting the natural wealth of the mountains to forge weapons of unspeakable power. Often eager to study technological innovations, they are by far the most impressed with Lokite innovations of the Epithymians, something they believe the native humans of their own world are capable of. Still, they are prideful of their engineering masterpieces and their independence from Alliance machinations, and would jealously guard them with their lives.

Dwarves are, as one would expect, short, stocky, hairy, industrious, and intelligent. Sunlight is not harmful to a dwarf, but it does bother them, because their eyes and skin are both sensitive to light - another reason for them being so hairy. Like dryads, dwarves are not bothered much by high or low temperatures, but dwarves are still more sensitive to them than the treefolk. Despite often living underground, dwarves as a whole have among the most powerful lungs of any intelligent species.

Goblins

Best described as the orcish equivalent of a dwarf, goblins are short and industrious, but goblins lean more towards working with wood, easy-to-access metals, and other surface materials than dwarves are. Part of it is simply because goblins are thinner and physically weaker on average than dwarves, part of it is because goblins arose in forests, fields, and mountains too small for the extensive mining operations of the dwarves. Another part of it may be because goblins simply do not have the same kind of industrial magecraft that the dwarves do, and what they do have is unsuited for working stone. Instead, the goblin-founded schools of magic specialize in stealth and, allegedly, necromancy.

Ogres are often considered a species of goblin, and they technically are (very large) goblins. Huge, bulky, and tall as a small elephant, the gods have balanced out the colossal strength of ogres by making them brutishly ugly and having no magical aptitude to speak of. In fact, magic has a tendency to malfunction or backfire in the presence of ogres.

Celestials

By far the only other alien species other than the demons to interact with Epithymia, the Celestials pride themselves on their immense magical power, as well as their 'civilizing' mission to the denizens of Epithymia. Claiming to have seeded the world with their magic and teaching the denizens their arcane ways, the Celestials' have built themselves an entire nation of cultists in Otava, almost entirely inhabited by humans, though with scattered centers of worship across Epithymia. However, in contrast to the almost slavish worship of the Otavans to their tenets, many in Epithymia possess a more grim picture of these powerful beings. Largely passive to the suffering of Epithymians and often indulgent in vices they themselves have prohibited to their followers, the sudden appearance of Naraka had, for once, frightened the Celestials into direct action. Since, a growing number of younger Celestials are making a proactive effort to assume the very responsibilities their predecessors had long neglected as caretakers. Though not entirely welcome due to their excessive paternalism and perhaps ulterior motives, these Celestials now hope to lead by example, hoping to open the way to salvation for all of Epithymia.

Appearance-wise, Celestials can vary widely, depending on their whims. Many adopt a humanoid appearance to better interact with the denizens of Epithymia, while some tend to take a more astral or crystalline appearance. Their physiology is even stranger, capable of a form of photosynthesis. Of course, other means, such as eating food, is also well within their means (usually by copying the physiology of another species), though some Celestials often complained of such 'inefficient' means, and even more of Celestials that have taken to gluttony as a result.

Code: Select all
[floatright][size=200][background=black][color=#FFBF00](SURNAME, INITIALS)[/color][/background][/size][/floatright] [floatleft][box](Image go here, optional, you can also use Appearance below instead if you want, recommend a pic less than 500 pixels wide or tall)[/box][/floatleft][blocktext][b]+++Name:[/b] (Include nicknames and titles) [b]+++Age:[/b] [b]+++Gender:[/b] [b]+++Species:[/b] [b]+++Physical appearance:[/b] (Mostly optional if you have a picture, but put in height and weight regardless) [b]+++Identifying Marks:[/b] (Mostly optional if you have a picture, but describe anything hidden in the image, like tattoos) [b]+++Ethnicity:[/b] (Not all species have one!) [b]+++Religion:[/b] (Feel free to make this up) [b]+++Birthplace:[/b] (Where you were born. Again, feel free to just make it up) [b]+++Criminal History:[/b] (Optional) [b]+++Military History:[/b] (Optional) [b]+++Abilities:[/b] (As in magic) [b]+++Skills:[/b] (As in learned abilities, playing piano, a karate black belt, killing a man with a skein of yarn, that sort of thing) [b]+++Equipment:[/b] (There will be pack horses and cargo carriages, but not enough for everyone to have one of their own) [b]+++Analysis:[/b] (Personality) [b]+++Occupation:[/b] (If any, besides scholar and/or murderhobo) [b]+++Biography:[/b] [b]+++RP Sample:[/b] (If I know you, then you know that I know you. Feel free to insult me, if you have known me for a while) [color=#00BF00][b]#IntoTheBeyond[/b][/color] (DO NOT REMOVE)[/blocktext]

by **Rupudska** » Mon Jul 06, 2020 2:07 pm

Dramatis personae to go here.

by **Plzen** » Tue Jul 07, 2020 12:26 am

Rupudska, truly, can be counted on to produce highly innovative RP concepts that are juuuuust outside my area of interest. :p Ah well. This time I'll commit!

Application is not yet complete, but I'd appreciate someone taking a brief look through it anyways. It's a product of several inspirations, of which the best known is probably Colin Creevey's magical camera that takes moving pictures.

EDIT: Application is now finished and posted elsewhere.

by **Rupudska** » Tue Jul 07, 2020 5:20 am

Once the bio is done, that should be fine.

by **Utceforp** » Tue Jul 07, 2020 8:57 am

Does Lok/Earth being in "a void absent of nearly all magic" mean the magic of the Epthymians won't function at all there? Or is it just an explanation for why Earth-humans never developed magic?

Also, just out of curiosity, what's the origin of the name "Lok"?

by **Danceria** » Tue Jul 07, 2020 9:04 am

Oh hell yes.

by **Rupudska** » Tue Jul 07, 2020 12:25 pm

Utceforp wrote:Does Lok/Earth being in "a void absent of nearly all magic" mean the magic of the Epthymians won't function at all there? Or is it just an explanation for why Earth-humans never developed magic?

The latter. Haven't decided on the former but probably not.

Utceforp wrote:Also, just out of curiosity, what's the origin of the name "Lok"?

~~Lokma balls~~ Allegedly it's the Thai word for Earth. Ask Wolfenium, he came up with it.

Pixiv · by **Wolfenium** » Tue Jul 07, 2020 5:40 pm

Utceforp wrote:Does Lok/Earth being in "a void absent of nearly all magic" mean the magic of the Epthymians won't function at all there? Or is it just an explanation for why Earth-humans never developed magic?

Also, just out of curiosity, what's the origin of the name "Lok"?

It's just an explanation of why Earth-humans never developed magic, though that may not be the case some time soon. Meanwhile, Epithymians can use magic while on Earth, depending on how Rup wants it to function (I assume full functionality regardless of distance, but I feel distance from the portal makes more sense).

And it's the Thai word for Earth, because that's where they came out of, and I don't believe the locals would use English all that much, or that well. Could be wrong. Hat Yai is nearby, though not in Pattani proper.

by **Constaniana** » Tue Jul 07, 2020 6:43 pm

I will lurk on this. I figure writing up a character now with only a fortnight left until I go to BMT is a tad silly, but I'd like to try being in it at some point down the road.

by **Ameriganastan** » Tue Jul 07, 2020 10:06 pm

Too sleepy to write my app right now, ergo, tagged for later.

by **Plzen** » Tue Jul 07, 2020 11:59 pm

-application draft superceded-

by **Rupudska** » Wed Jul 08, 2020 5:10 am

Cameras haven't been invented yet in the fantasy world, other than that, it's fine.

by **Hastiaka** » Wed Jul 08, 2020 8:04 am

REGIOS, T

+++Name: Tessarion Regios, 3rd Prince-Magistrix of Errinorne.
Strategic-class Battlemage of the Eyran Army.
Also known as The Hero-Prince of Errinorne and The Death Scorcher of Rigur.
+++Age: 29
+++Gender: Male
+++Species: Elf
+++Physical appearance: 6'7 ft. tall, 210 lbs
+++Identifying Marks: Tessarion can be identified by a magically-sealed seven-pointed star mark on his wrist, identifying him as a member of the politically influential and magically powerful Regios dynasty. Unbeknownst to many, this magical seal serves to alleviate and significantly lessen the agonizing pain, psychotic episodes and outbursts of those born in the powerful yet cursed dynasty.

+++Ethnicity: Northern Elf
+++Religion:

The Ecumenarchy; Also known as Alpanism, is an ancient Elven organized religion led by the Archdeacon based in the city of Errinorne. The Ecumenarchy believes in the mystery of the binity which is the belief that the ultimate power/deity in the universe is made up of two components; the ecumenism of all living souls and the consciousness of all of the world's wisdom which gave birth to the ultimate deity called Alpan. The Ecumenarchs do not necessarily believe that Alpan created the universe but instead worship him because he is the result of the collective existence of all that had existed, exist and will exist. It was first preached as a concept and truth by the Penultimarch Elyon. Starting as a primitive religion, the Alpanists were at first unorganized and led solely by the Penultimarch Elyon until his death more than a century later. Before he died, Elyon presided over a council of his most trusted apostles and elected the first Archdeacon. Initially, the Alpanists were staunch pacifists- refusing to serve in the Royal Army or take up arms due to their distinct belief that Alpan is every soul to have ever lived. This however changed when the first Archdeacon called for a council of all Alpan theologians and organized Elyon's teachings and words into canon law. The first Ecumenarch Council of Errinorne resulted in the lifting of the ban on military service by declaring that every soul lost does not affect Alpan for the mortal concept of time does not apply to the deity and that he transcends space-time by being present and existing in both the beginning and the end. The first Ecumenarch Council resulted in the creation and implementation of the Alpan Paradox doctrine and the Paradoxiac Creed within the religious body.

After the Ecumenarchy was organized, many of the Elven nobility that were believers of ancestral worship actively opposed the Church. For a century, Alpanists were segregated and persecuted due to their distinct belief. Despite this, It was the Regios family; an offshoot of the royal family of Eyran that were the first noble converts to Alpanism. The Regios family were given lordship over the territory Errinorne a decade earlier and thus gave them autonomy over their land. Lord-Magistrix Eldar Regios decided to welcome the Ecumenarch and host their institution within his territory. This led to the construction of the massive Basilica of Sanct Elyon; the mother church of the Ecumenarchy and seat of the Archdeacon. Finally with a base of operations and noble support, the Ecumenarchy grew within the territory and eventually became accepted throughout the kingdom another century later. Shortly after the legalization and acceptance of Alpanism in Eryan, a rouge anti-Alpan warlock and his cabre of witches used forbidden and long-forgotten dark magicks against the Lord-Magistrix Eldar by cursing Eldar's future descendants with an overpowering pain and psychotic rage. The Lord-Magistrix Eldar upon knowing, hunted them to their deaths and spent the next 10 years locking up his children for their own sake while finding a solution. Indeed, after consulting the different universities and experimenting with magic, they created a spell that would create a magical seal that would serve to significantly lessen the curse. Nevertheless, the curse would still be passed on until the Regios bloodline go extinct.

At present, the Ecumenarchy's influence in Eyran politics and culture is immense as a result of millennia of superb institutional administration. The Ecumenarchy maintains different societies that cater to diversified interests an example of which is the Society of Sanct Elasha the Hearted, an order dedicated to provide charity. It currently views Otava and the Celestial Church with suspicion- with the Regios dynasty and the Ecumenarchy collaborating to create a secret precautionary order of Alpanist Paladins to provide protection to the faithful in case Otava imposes a purge of non-believers across the world.

+++Birthplace:

Errinorne is a province of valleys and pristine lakes within central Eyran. Bordered by a mountain range to the south and the Velra river to the north, it maintains autonomy from the King of Eyran with annual tributes only being sent. For millennia, it has been ruled by the Regios Dynasty- an offshoot of the Royal Family of Eyran. The capital of the province is Errinorne City. It hosts the Regiosian Palace and the Basilica of Sanct Elyon. It is considered as a prestigious center of magical academia with the presence of two rivaling universities- the ability-focused Magician College of Errinorne and the research-focused Arcane University of Errinorne.

+++Criminal History: Tessarion has no public records implicating him in any criminal act. Any charges and allegations implicating him with crimes against humanity have been scrubbed clean from public records by the Regios Dynasty and the Ecumenarchy.

During the war however, Tessarion suffered an unexpected and advanced psychotic episode that overpowered the magical seal that protected him. Tessarion had arrived in the village of Rigur that had been under attack by a demon army. A demon wizard had battled him on equal terms. Tessarion, despite his magical abilities, struggled and barely managed to defeat the demon wizard. Unbeknownst to him, the wizard's demonic magic had struck his wrist- slightly and partially negating the protection spell of the magical seal. Shortly after his victory, a crowd gathered around Tessarion, celebrating his victory. Tessarion then laughed maniacally and first struck an elderly woman with a fireball- instantly killing her. Tessarion then unleashed a barrage of fire and lighting spells on the crowd around him and burned the entire village to the ground. Nobody in a 1-mile radius was spared. Tessarion was then discovered four days later by a deacon from the Ecumenarchy after a search was ordered by the Lord-Magistrix. He was found in the middle of the razed village, with dozens of scorched bodies piling around him. The Lord-Magistrix then ordered the scrubbing of all public records that might implicate Tessarion in the massacre. Military documents that mentioned Tessarion being deployed in the region where Rigur was located was destroyed, and the Ecumenarchy through its network of contacts, destroyed all communication discussing and investigating the incident at Rigur. Nevertheless, the person said to have burned the village was called the Death Scorcherer of Rigur

Tessarion can barely remember what transpired and suffered dissociative amnesia. The Lord-Magistrix convinced him that he was not responsible for the incident and that a demon burned all those innocent people. Nevertheless, to this day, Tessarion suffers terrifying flashbacks that temporarily zones him out and continues to haunt him ever then and now.

+++Military History: Tessarion served as a strategic-class Battlemage within the Eyran Army. Shortly after graduating from the Magus College of Errinorne, Tessarion enlisted in the army. After a brief assessment of his magical prowess and aptitude, Tessarion was designated as a strategic-class Battlemage- the highest designation given to a battlemage. Tessarion was instrumental in disrupting Narakan frontlines and supply-lines during the war and had earned the moniker Hero-Prince of Errinorne.

+++Abilities:

Fire Manipulation- Tessarion can create, shape and manipulate fire, the rapid oxidation of a material in the exothermic chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products, flame being the visible portion of the fire. Depending on the substances alight, and any impurities outside, the color of the flame and the fire's intensity will be different. This ability is limited to only affect an area of several meters (10 at most). Spells include fireball, firewall and firestorm.

Electrical Bolt Projection- Tessarion can create and project bolts of electricity and control the intensity/power of their projectiles, the bolts aren't weak but they aren't as powerful as a full powered attack. These bolts could be used to stun, burn, injure, or even penetrate/stab the enemy.

+++Skills: Tessarion is good in constructing military strategies because of his childhood spent playing strategy war-games with his uncle. Tessarion is also a good cook, albeit he still has a lot to learn. He is not good with any weaponry and lacks the physical strength to use them with prowess. He instead focuses on his magical abilities and practices in precision with his fire and electric projectiles.
+++Equipment: ▪ 1x black-gold gilded backpack enchanted to lessen the weight felt by the backpacker.
▪1x notebook for research documentation.
▪1x Ecumenarchy Rite Canon for Adoration Rites.
▪1x Spellbook
▪1x small staff of Fire.
▪1x Eyran fine shortsword.
▪10x sealed packages of rations.
▪100 Eyran gold coins.

+++Analysis: Tessarion is normally tempered and friendly when not experiencing flashbacks or an outburst. When suffering a scaled-down episode of a psychotic outburst, he usually is irritable short-tempered with him not being able to distinguish friends or foe. Nevertheless, Tessarion is compassionate and empathizes with those needing justice. Among the Eyran nobility, Tessarion is considered as a liberal. He had advocated for the re-adjustment of Eyran culture and mindset towards reality and no longer surround themselves with unnecessary customs and decadence and instead focus on adapting to the new reality facing their nation.
+++Occupation: Tessarion, besides being the 3rd Prince-Magistrix of Errinorne, is an honorary pre-diaconate of the Ecumenarchy with full authority to officiate adoration rites (mass). He is also a strategic-class Battlemage within the Eyran Army and researcher-affiliate of the Arcane University of Errinorne.
+++Biography: Born in the city of Errinorne to the powerful Regios Dynasty, Tessarion had a relatively prosperous upbringing. At birth, the Archdeacon Mihangyl XII performed a magical spell that created a magical seal in his wrist- which controlled and scaled down the curse in him. He spent his childhood surrounded by his older brother and sister, the 1st Prince-Magistrix Ryfon and the 2nd Princess-Magistrix Amra. He spent his childhood days playing and learning strategy war-games that simulated several sophisticated scenarios. At age 7, Tessarion was under the tutelage of the Philosopher Kintyra and had been educated and guided in terms of conduct, philosophy and knowledge of the history, politics and arithmetics of the world. At 14 years old, he was enrolled at the Magus College of Errinorne and trained proficiently with the Archwizards and retired Battlemages that had taught there. He graduated 6 years later and joined the Eyran Army during the ongoing war against Nakara.

After assessment and designation as a strategic-class Battlemage, Tessarion was under Grand Warlord Sorcalin and was sent to the frontlines. Although a strategic-class Battlemage and considered considerably powerful, Tessarion was unable to solely break through enemy lines and he was only slightly equivalent to a squad of regular battlemages. Despite this, he was able to assist and lead victories along the front-lines. Standing toe-to-toe with adept demon wizards and soldiers, he was responsible for a number of victories and successful disruption of the enemy supply line. Sometime nearing the end, Tessarion battled a powerful demon wizard and had his magical seal partially negated which led to him suffering a psychotic outburst- killing the defenseless villagers around him and burning the village of Rigur to the ground. Afterwards, a monumental cover-up was initiated by the Lord-Magistrix and the Ecumenarchy; which saved Tessarion from being identified as the Death Scorcher of Rigur.

After the incident, Tessarion was forced to retreat to meditate and regain his mental peace by his father. He was temporarily dismissed from the army and was permitted to spend the rest of the war in recovery. After the war, Tessarion managed to recover although he still suffers from flashbacks and lesser episodes. After word of the Grand Alliance gathering adventurers to explore a new strange world called Lok to hunt for the Demon Lord, Tessarion took up the call and joined with the permission of his father and the blessing of the Archdeacon. His main objective is to investigate the new world for research purposes, and provide insight of the possible effects of this new world to the Ecumenarchy's pre existing doctrine and dogma.
+++RP Sample: https://forum.nationstates.net/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=451306
#IntoTheBeyond (DO NOT REMOVE)

by **Plzen** » Wed Jul 08, 2020 9:54 am

Rupudska wrote:Cameras haven't been invented yet in the fantasy world, other than that, it's fine.

What would be the equivalent?

by **Rupudska** » Wed Jul 08, 2020 12:36 pm

Plzen wrote:
Rupudska wrote:Cameras haven't been invented yet in the fantasy world, other than that, it's fine.

What would be the equivalent?

Probably an automatic sketch pen. It'd just be a nib pen, though, so you'd need ink.

Which reminds me, I should have added equipment to the app.

by **Ameriganastan** » Wed Jul 08, 2020 1:02 pm

So how would one play one of these dryads? Sounds like bringing one along would be a hindrance.

by **Hastiaka** » Wed Jul 08, 2020 4:47 pm

My app has been updated to add the equipment section.

by **Rupudska** » Wed Jul 08, 2020 6:54 pm

Hastiaka wrote:My app has been updated to add the equipment section.

Would prefer an RP sample with more than one post by you, but that's a minor thing. Accepted.

by **Plzen** » Thu Jul 09, 2020 12:13 am

Rupudska wrote:Probably an automatic sketch pen. It'd just be a nib pen, though, so you'd need ink.

Ah, that's less awesome... But your RP, your world. Revision coming up hopefully very soon.

Hastiaka wrote:-snip-

A scion of a prominent religious noble family with a history of atrocities hidden even from himself?

...oh, yeah. We are going to get along fiiiiiiiine. Nothing can possibly go wrong here...

by **Plzen** » Thu Jul 09, 2020 12:45 am

Submission attempt II. Removed references to photography and cameras, as requested. Revised some sections so that she didn't completely clean up her life after her street rat years. Added additional details here and there.

Solengard, S. R.

+++Name: Samantha-Rose Solengard, commonly just "Sam". Being an orphan of unknown parentage, she was given the name of the city she grew up in as a surname.
+++Age: 21 or 22 years. Sam's birth date is not precisely known.
+++Gender: Female.
+++Species: Human.
+++Physical appearance: Sam is a person of vibrant colours, with green irises and red-orange hair cut relatively short. The rough life on the streets had given her a wiry sort of physique, which is one of several factors contributing to her overall androgynous appearance. Her skin tone is on the light side, but not definitively light. In general size she's somewhat on the small side, being 158cm in height and 49kg in weight.
+++Identifying Marks: She has tattooed on her a red band on her upper right arm just under the shoulder about three or four centimetres across, and has a long slash scar on the right side of her torso. Neither feature, however, is visible under her typical attire, and at first glance there seems to be nothing particularly unusual about her.

+++Ethnicity: Based on her appearance - while red hair and green eyes are not particularly rare traits in cosmopolitan Solengard, they're not common either - Sam is probably of the Rynne - that once-independent culture of city-state builders long since conquered by the Tsaghad Ord. Of course, her ancestry being essentially unknown, it's impossible to know for sure.
+++Religion: None. Sam has some extremely negative memories of Celestial-worshippers and this had coloured her perception of religious faith in general.
+++Birthplace: The earliest records show her as living in Solengard. It is presumed that she was also born there. This cosmopolitan coastal city in Aryavarsa's northern coast is where the woman that now calls herself Sam was forged and where she now calls home.
+++Criminal History: Sam's criminal history consists of a long string of petty crime and lesser offences between roughly the ages of 8 and 16, primarily revolving around theft, breaking and entering, and similar. While the record does show that she has considerably cleaned up her life afterwards, and to a certain extent she really has, she did also get better at wisely picking her targets and not getting caught.
+++Military History: None. Sam has never been involved in the military, and in fact has a fairly confrontational relationship with the Solengard constabulary.

+++Abilities: None. Sam is not a magically-capable human.
+++Skills: Sam is good at navigation in general, and getting around places where she's not welcome in particular. She's experienced, although not particularly skilled, with disguise and is good at bluffing and lying with a straight face. In combination with the relatively inoffensive nature of a human and her androgynous appearance, this normally lets her fit in basically anywhere, but unfortunately red hair is rather rare and therefore notable in Lok. She's obviously also skilled in her chosen lines of work.
+++Equipment: Asides from her trusted pen capable of taking dictation, she has shored up on the basics. While theoretically basic supplies were to be provided by the expedition itself, she didn't live this long doing what she did by trusting other people, and so her rucksack is filled with food, lots of sturdy rope, volume-shrinking canteens, changes of clothes, a tent, kerosene lamp, a steel dagger, and some half-decent jewelry to trade to the locals in the off-chance everything goes terribly wrong. She also carriers her identification papers.

+++Analysis: Sam is a relatively quiet and reserved person, not eager to talk about herself or her life. She is also committed and passionate, with little of the "good-enough" and "live and let live" attitudes that most people in culturally diverse Solengard share, and is of an independent, rebellious inclination uncooperative with what she perceives as undeserved authority.
+++Occupation: Journalist and sketch-artist for the National Chronicle. For all her scoundrel origins, the burghers of Solengard had to admit that her presence on the expedition would practically guarantee that if the expedition to Lok did anything against Solengard's interests, they would hear about it.
+++Biography: Samantha-Rose Solengard - just "Sam", if you know what's good for you - first appears on the official records as an orphan of unknown parentage, left on the doorstep at a church-run orphanage in Solengard in a basket and a note with her name. A tragedy, perhaps, in normal times, but abandoned children were all too common in the desperate days of the war and her appearance was not all that notable. A rowdy youngster even in those days, she bristled under the restrictive conditions and the strained resources of the orphanage. She eventually ran away, after facing one disciplinary action too many, and after a few days wandering ended up in one of the many bands of street rats that plagued impoverished Solengard in those days. While never good in a confrontation, her ability to get around unseen developed through the orphanage years of escaping matrons proved valuable and continued to be honed. The band had hardly an organisational structure with formal titles, being more a social gathering than it was a real criminal gang, but she solidified her position as a sort of information and infiltration specialist. Being associated - only tangentially and indirectly so, but still associated - to a string of high-profile robberies in posh High Garden landed her several short stints in jail, a criminal record that would continue to haunt her in the years to come. Sam would eventually come to credit these years as being the predecessor to her current occupation. As the tide of war turned more favourable for Aryavarsa and the flood of penniless refugees slowed to a trickle, however, public security and the rule of law in general improved in Solengard. With several leading members of her band reaching adulthood, building families, and thus needing to find occupation with steadier pay and fewer risks, it largely ceased to meet and Sam was once more out looking for a place where she could belong. After a string of odd jobs in the Solengard dockyards and market districts - like many other former street rats, she found that steady occupation was hard to come by for those with criminal records - the big revelation came when her vibrant, emotive colour drawings of the Solengard Bread Riots captured the interests of the city's more anti-clerical broadsheets. She realised quickly that she could still make a living, a semi-legitimate living this time, as the finder-out of stuff. Because the city's legal businesses, unlike street rats, had a preference for written as opposed to spoken information, she also learned to read and write over the next few years, becoming journalist as well as spy and artist. Her employers for the past two years at the National Chronicle, Solengard's premier firebrand broadsheet, recommended her addition to the expedition being sent to Lok, and to everyone's surprise the Solengard City Council backed the recommendation. With the largest city in Aryavarsa supporting her nomination, she easily made it in. Those in the know later stated that the City Council was concerned about the expedition to another world, possibly the most important historical event and greatest opportunity in generations, being dominated by the military, the landed nobility training and paying for much of that military, and the clerical interests providing the necessary magical expertise - all interests that were often deeply hostile to the merchant- and artisan-dominated Solengard City Council. Sam may have had no great respect for the Solengard City Council, but she despised the nobility, positively hated the Celestial church, and, perhaps most importantly, had a knack for uncovering things that other people wished to keep hidden.
+++RP Sample: I trust this will suffice.
#IntoTheBeyond (DO NOT REMOVE)

by **Hastiaka** » Thu Jul 09, 2020 12:54 am

Plzen wrote:
Rupudska wrote:Probably an automatic sketch pen. It'd just be a nib pen, though, so you'd need ink.

Ah, that's less awesome... But your RP, your world. Revision coming up hopefully very soon.

Hastiaka wrote:-snip-

A scion of a prominent religious noble family with a history of atrocities hidden even from himself?

...oh, yeah. We are going to get along fiiiiiiiine. Nothing can possibly go wrong here...

if that story reaches the papers... I can't imagine the ramifications on his family and the Church.

by **Plzen** » Thu Jul 09, 2020 12:58 am

Hastiaka wrote:if that story reaches the papers... I can't imagine the ramifications on his family and the Church.

A lot of very unlikely things would have to happen before Sam can dig up that particular story (trail-sniffing skills aren't any use if she doesn't know there's a trail to be sniffed), so even if that happens at all, it won't happen anytime soon, but it would be amazing if the RP runs long enough to get to the point where Sam's matching up inconsistencies from Tessarion's past records.

I can see that as being a very fun sub-plot to roleplay out.

by **Hastiaka** » Thu Jul 09, 2020 1:16 am

Plzen wrote:
Hastiaka wrote:if that story reaches the papers... I can't imagine the ramifications on his family and the Church.

A lot of very unlikely things would have to happen before Sam can dig up that particular story (trail-sniffing skills aren't any use if she doesn't know there's a trail to be sniffed), so even if that happens at all, it won't happen anytime soon, but it would be amazing if the RP runs long enough to get to the point where Sam's matching up inconsistencies from Tessarion's past records.

I can see that as being a very fun sub-plot to roleplay out.

I did fail to mention that nearby villagers recounted a distinct elvish fellow passing by, leading to some rumors about the true identity of the scorcher. But the official story blames a demon for the burning and the rumor is dismissed by most who have heard it as false. Nevertheless, it is sometimes mentioned whenever the story is told but is mostly presented as an alternative rumor. So maybe she'd be able to sniff that out once Tessarion begins to experience his episodes again.

by **Plzen** » Thu Jul 09, 2020 1:23 am

Hastiaka wrote:I did fail to mention that nearby villagers recounted a distinct elvish fellow passing by, leading to some rumors about the true identity of the scorcher. But the official story blames a demon for the burning and the rumor is dismissed by most who have heard it as false. Nevertheless, it is sometimes mentioned whenever the story is told but is mostly presented as an alternative rumor. So maybe she'd be able to sniff that out once Tessarion begins to experience his episodes again.

Yeah, if we decide to start this sub-plot, something like that could be her key in. That would put both Sam and Tess right in the middle of some grand political games involving the Solengard Council, the Regios family, and the Ecumenarch church, all set against the backdrop of a crumbling "united" facade of the anti-demon alliance. And while Tess might be experienced and skilled in intrigues of noble courts, Sam certainly is not...

Ooh, I can't wait for this RP to start rolling. Hopefully more people submit applications soon! :)

OP, what does the language situation look like in this world? Is there a Standard Common like there is in some other generic fantasy settings (and if so, is it mutually intelligible with any language on Earth?) or are there language divides driven by genetic, cultural, political boundaries?

by **Rupudska** » Thu Jul 09, 2020 6:58 am

Plzen wrote:OP, what does the language situation look like in this world? Is there a Standard Common like there is in some other generic fantasy settings (and if so, is it mutually intelligible with any language on Earth?) or are there language divides driven by genetic, cultural, political boundaries?

There is a Standard Common, and it is very vaguely intelligible with the Scandinavian languages. Eyran is the bastard child of Scots and Irish Gaelic, Goblish is like Welsh, but even more unintelligible to non-Welsh, and Ayravarsan is pretty much just Sanskrit left in a bottle of Scots in the sun on a hot day. A really shitty one that leaches bottle-taste into the drink if you so much as think of looking away from it.

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