For as long as can be remembered, the country of Selian has been surrounded by the Border, an impassable magical wall, marking a perfect dome around and over Selian and part of the surrounding ocean. With the wall as a safeguard and a source of power, the cautious citizens of Selian have prospered, conflicting only with the people of the Southlands that lie within the Border.
Lately, though, the Border has been unstable; the wall shakes and shifts erratically, endangering those near it, and its area, gradually but surely, is beginning to shrink. Guided by the records entrusted only to the highest leaders, the High Council of Selian has found a possible solution: the Winged Key, an artifact rumored to take down the Border entirely, lies disassembled into four pieces at the farthest reaches of Selian. The High Council seeks a group of adventurers to go and retrieve the pieces, before the Border’s instability dooms all of Selian...
Setting:
Spoiler -
Selian:
Selian is a prosperous land, and peaceful. Inside the Border, there lie additional boundaries: the sea to the west, the Lian mountains to the east, and the near-ruined Southern Wall that denotes the border between Selian and Southlands. The climate outside the mountains is temperate, growing cooler to the south, and a vast majority of the land is fertile. Dark skin, dark hair, and dark eyes are the norm among the people, with lighter shades (but rarely actual paleness) found somewhat to the south.
Selian is ruled by the High Council, nine people chosen for fairness and the ability to solve conflicts. A cautious lot, the Council only makes large governmental changes once the potential effects have been thoroughly examined. Selian’s relations with the people of the Southlands are strained at best, and realistically nonexistent; it has long been the opinion that the best way to avoid the threat of the Southlanders is to leave them well alone.
Overall Selii society is cautious and slow to change, valuing progress so long as it occurs at a safe pace. Learning is encouraged (carefully), in both magical and technological aspects. Being overly disruptive and making changes rashly are frowned upon. Genders are held as equal by society, and romance and religious views are considered very private.
Due to the small, enclosed region Selian takes up, natural resources are a concern, so technological development proceeds slowly in order to ensure that new developments are resource-efficient. Selii crafters have mastered the art of creating sound buildings, animal-drawn vehicles, and magic-powered aircraft called ornithopters. Weapons development has been nearly halted since gunpowder was invented and immediately banned; only the peacekeeping soldiers of the High Council’s government can possibly access and utilize such material, and bladed weapons and crossbows are the favored weapon for defense and hunting.
The Southlands
Little is known of the Southlands, the region once blocked off by the Southern Wall. The people of the Southlanders are thought by the Selii to be barbarians, but it is unclear whether this is actually the case, and the Southlanders mostly keep to themselves as Selian tries very hard to pretend they aren’t there. Trade quietly occurs between some of the southern Selian villages and the Southlands, but is kept unknown to the Council’s goverment.
The Winged Key
The Winged Key is a device of unknown origin and working. Split into four when the Border was made, the pieces lie at the reaches of the Border: the Teeth at the Domed Mountain to the east, the Wing of Light to the south, the Wing of Dark in Merenna, city of mages, to the north, and the Dome on the island of Terin to the west. When the pieces are reassembled and the key brought to the highest point in the very center of the Border, above the capital Selinel in the center of the country, it is believed that the Border will be dissolved, and Selian will join whatever awaits it in the wider world.
Magic
The magic of this world is not well understood, evading the efforts made to study it in the mages’ city of Merenna. Magic is occasionally an inherent power one is born with, but more often, it is obtained through study and spending time near the Border. Born mages are somewhat unpredictable, since as children they may have a difficult time controlling their magic, which will persist without proper training. Border mages are distinguishable by a mark on the skin, usually an abstract shape or set of lines, that results from the power transfer, which usually appears on their head or hand; born mages may imitate such a mark with dye, in order to be respected as a Border mage rather than distrusted as a potentially unstable born mage. The magic harnessed by mages takes several forms: weatherworking (dealing with the winds and clouds), mindworking (telekinesis, used in combat), healing, and enchanting (imbuing objects with magic). Very few mages can use more than one form. Magic is viewed as useful and necessary by the general populace, but mages occasionally draw suspicion, as they possess a power normal people do not.
Miscellany
- Local fauna is fairly scarce; apart from the domesticated horses, cattle, chickens, dogs, and cats owned by humans, there are few wild animals. A few species of birds and bats inhabit the Border, as well as the inevitable mice and rats where food allows, but the only other wild species-- rabbits and deer-- are seldom seen, despite the population steadily increasing. There are also populations of dogs and cats that have gone feral.
- Summers are warm, winters mild. Snow is rarely seen outside the mountains, but heavy rains and mud occasionally cause problems. Lightning storms can be deadly on the open plains.
- Selian has one language. Southlanders are said to speak a different language, but it is actually just a separate dialect of the language of Selian. Along the Southern Wall, a sort of hybrid of the two dialects is often used.
- Technologically, Selii are not very advanced, but enchanted objects provide comforts and conveniences: cooling or heating air, drying clothes, cleaning, lighting, communicating over distances, and making some agricultural tasks easier. Mages also help. One device of note exists: the ornithopter, a lightweight aircraft powered by magic and the pilot that flaps its wings like a bird. Ornithopters can carry from one to three people, and a small amount of cargo, and they are fairly turbulent and noisy to travel in.
- Horses and carts are the primary method of ground transportation; bicycles exist, but are fairly uncommon. Some vehicles resembling automobiles have been invented, but they are not legally approved for nationwide road usage yet.
Selian:
Selian is a prosperous land, and peaceful. Inside the Border, there lie additional boundaries: the sea to the west, the Lian mountains to the east, and the near-ruined Southern Wall that denotes the border between Selian and Southlands. The climate outside the mountains is temperate, growing cooler to the south, and a vast majority of the land is fertile. Dark skin, dark hair, and dark eyes are the norm among the people, with lighter shades (but rarely actual paleness) found somewhat to the south.
Selian is ruled by the High Council, nine people chosen for fairness and the ability to solve conflicts. A cautious lot, the Council only makes large governmental changes once the potential effects have been thoroughly examined. Selian’s relations with the people of the Southlands are strained at best, and realistically nonexistent; it has long been the opinion that the best way to avoid the threat of the Southlanders is to leave them well alone.
Overall Selii society is cautious and slow to change, valuing progress so long as it occurs at a safe pace. Learning is encouraged (carefully), in both magical and technological aspects. Being overly disruptive and making changes rashly are frowned upon. Genders are held as equal by society, and romance and religious views are considered very private.
Due to the small, enclosed region Selian takes up, natural resources are a concern, so technological development proceeds slowly in order to ensure that new developments are resource-efficient. Selii crafters have mastered the art of creating sound buildings, animal-drawn vehicles, and magic-powered aircraft called ornithopters. Weapons development has been nearly halted since gunpowder was invented and immediately banned; only the peacekeeping soldiers of the High Council’s government can possibly access and utilize such material, and bladed weapons and crossbows are the favored weapon for defense and hunting.
The Southlands
Little is known of the Southlands, the region once blocked off by the Southern Wall. The people of the Southlanders are thought by the Selii to be barbarians, but it is unclear whether this is actually the case, and the Southlanders mostly keep to themselves as Selian tries very hard to pretend they aren’t there. Trade quietly occurs between some of the southern Selian villages and the Southlands, but is kept unknown to the Council’s goverment.
The Winged Key
The Winged Key is a device of unknown origin and working. Split into four when the Border was made, the pieces lie at the reaches of the Border: the Teeth at the Domed Mountain to the east, the Wing of Light to the south, the Wing of Dark in Merenna, city of mages, to the north, and the Dome on the island of Terin to the west. When the pieces are reassembled and the key brought to the highest point in the very center of the Border, above the capital Selinel in the center of the country, it is believed that the Border will be dissolved, and Selian will join whatever awaits it in the wider world.
Magic
The magic of this world is not well understood, evading the efforts made to study it in the mages’ city of Merenna. Magic is occasionally an inherent power one is born with, but more often, it is obtained through study and spending time near the Border. Born mages are somewhat unpredictable, since as children they may have a difficult time controlling their magic, which will persist without proper training. Border mages are distinguishable by a mark on the skin, usually an abstract shape or set of lines, that results from the power transfer, which usually appears on their head or hand; born mages may imitate such a mark with dye, in order to be respected as a Border mage rather than distrusted as a potentially unstable born mage. The magic harnessed by mages takes several forms: weatherworking (dealing with the winds and clouds), mindworking (telekinesis, used in combat), healing, and enchanting (imbuing objects with magic). Very few mages can use more than one form. Magic is viewed as useful and necessary by the general populace, but mages occasionally draw suspicion, as they possess a power normal people do not.
Miscellany
- Local fauna is fairly scarce; apart from the domesticated horses, cattle, chickens, dogs, and cats owned by humans, there are few wild animals. A few species of birds and bats inhabit the Border, as well as the inevitable mice and rats where food allows, but the only other wild species-- rabbits and deer-- are seldom seen, despite the population steadily increasing. There are also populations of dogs and cats that have gone feral.
- Summers are warm, winters mild. Snow is rarely seen outside the mountains, but heavy rains and mud occasionally cause problems. Lightning storms can be deadly on the open plains.
- Selian has one language. Southlanders are said to speak a different language, but it is actually just a separate dialect of the language of Selian. Along the Southern Wall, a sort of hybrid of the two dialects is often used.
- Technologically, Selii are not very advanced, but enchanted objects provide comforts and conveniences: cooling or heating air, drying clothes, cleaning, lighting, communicating over distances, and making some agricultural tasks easier. Mages also help. One device of note exists: the ornithopter, a lightweight aircraft powered by magic and the pilot that flaps its wings like a bird. Ornithopters can carry from one to three people, and a small amount of cargo, and they are fairly turbulent and noisy to travel in.
- Horses and carts are the primary method of ground transportation; bicycles exist, but are fairly uncommon. Some vehicles resembling automobiles have been invented, but they are not legally approved for nationwide road usage yet.
How Magic Works
Spoiler -
General: The origin of magic is not known; while the Border serves as an activator for those without much inherent magical power (Border mages) and an amplifier for spells performed nearby, it is not the source of magic. Much research has been done, but nothing conclusive has been found. Magic operates according to various laws, many of which have been documented and defined by the mages in Merenna, but which are basically textbook material that we won't deal with here.
Born/Natural mages: For whatever reason, some people are born with innate magical power. Born mages almost always only have one type of magic. Until they are properly trained, born mages are very unstable, and often lash out with magic when upset. Thus, they are dangerous, and generally outcast throughout Selian (with the exception of Merenna-- a natural mage born in Merenna will just be trained from an early age, and treated relatively normally.) Born mages who make it to adulthood tend to either hide their magic or falsify the marks of a Border mage in order to use their magic without being stigmatized. Born mages are sometimes able to gain another discipline of magic from the Border with sufficiently advanced study and practice. It is unclear whether natural magic is heritable; some geneaologies suggest that it is, others that it is not.
Border/Mark mages: People born without natural magical ability are still able to gain it through a course of study and exposure to the Border. This is generally achieved by practicing minor magic through the help of instructors and building up until they can perform an actual spell on their own in close proximity to the Border, after which their abilities increase enough for them to continue to do magic unaided. This event also manifests a tattoo-like mark somewhere on their body, often on their face or hands, though mage marks have also been known to appear on the torso, arms, and rarely on the soles of the feet. The mark makes a mage immediately recognizable, as it usually glows faintly. Mage marks glow more brightly in the presence of large amounts of magical power (for example, very close to the Border) and when the mage uses large amounts of magical energy. One can only obtain one type of magic from a Border mark, however with much more advanced study it is possible to earn more mage marks. A few masters, mostly archmages, obtain proficiency in all four disciplines.
Losing magic: It is impossible to lose either born or Border magic through natural means. Overuse of one's powers may result in temporary lack of access to magic, but never permanent. It is possible to seal a mage's powers through very powerful enchantments; sealing is a punishment reserved for the worst magical offenders.
Mindworkers: A mindworker's magic primarily takes the form of psychokinesis. Mindworking is often seen as combat magic, though it is obviously not limited to it; a mindworker may use their magic to lift and move inanimate objects or enemies, augment their own physical abilities (add force to attacks, speed up, jump higher etc), and with sufficient mastery they may even fly. Lifting and moving inanimate objects is the lowest level of mindworking; moving oneself or other cooperative living beings is usually next, followed by augmenting one's attacks and finally by uncooperative living beings (such as enemies). It takes much less energy to set something/someone in motion than it does to continously hover it; most normal-level mindworkers can't keep a hover spell on anything much bigger than a cat for more than a few minutes. Spells are activated using gestures analogous to their function. For instance, to lift and throw something, a mage would employ upward movement followed by a push away.
Weatherworkers: A weatherworker can control the weather on a localized scale: raising winds, summoning or driving off clouds, changing temperatures, starting or ending storms. Wind is the easiest of spells, followed by cloud-moving, then working with storms, then changing the temperature without using any of the previous methods. Weatherworkers have few defenses in combat besides pushing enemies away with gusts of wind and small cyclones, but advanced weatherworkers can sometimes call down lightning, and historical evidence suggests that masters may be able to create multiple large cyclones at once. Weatherworkers also create spells gesturally.
Enchanters: An enchanter binds magical spells to inanimate objects. Many useful abilities may be conferred: things may be enchanted to glow, hover, warm or cool, become lighter or heavier, become opaque, transparent, or invisible, and in advanced cases to move (ornithopters are the creations of strong enchanters). Enchanters are something like magical engineers: they present solutions to practical problems. Enchantments on objects may be constant, or they may be activated and deactivated (popular with light spells, for example). They may also be specified such that either anyone, only mages, or only a certain set of intended users may activate/deactivate them (magical locks are popular for this reason.) Enchantments may be broken by more powerful mages, and it seems that recently close exposure to the Border has made enchanted objects begin to go haywire also. Enchantments are usually created through inscriptions, though many enchanters use a small amount of gestural magic to hide the inscriptions on a magical object to make it tamper-proof at the end of a spell. The highest level of enchanters may apply enchantments to living things, though this is forbidden except to the Archmage or other high-level staff in Merenna, and even they may only use enchantments on people to strip the worst of magical criminals of their powers. Sealing magic requires a large amount of energy and usually requires multiple enchanters, or else a long period of rest afterward.
Healers: Healers work directly with living things, strengthening the body, curing disease, and healing wounds. Some even specialize in plants, curing blights and strengthening crops against early frosts. A healer must have proper knowledge of the body to heal anything more than a minor wound; healing without medical knowledge is at best useless and in the worst cases can even be damaging. Healers use magic by gathering magical energy in their hands and applying it to wounds, but they must also be focused on exactly what they are trying to fix. Minor wounds are easiest to fix, followed by more major but external wounds, then minor illnesses, then internal injuries and severe illnesses. Strengthening the body beyond its normal capabilities is among the most advanced and often frowned-upon healing magic; one may strengthen a sickly person to a normal level without repercussions, but an attempt to augment someone who is already strong will be met with a high level of scrutiny. It is rumored that some "healers" in the past used their magic to harm or kill by stopping the heart or causing bones or tissue to grow out of control, but it is utterly forbidden to practice this form of magic. There is no information available on it in any public or university library, or in Merenna. By law, anyone who provably uses healing magic to harm is to be stripped of their magic immediately.
General: The origin of magic is not known; while the Border serves as an activator for those without much inherent magical power (Border mages) and an amplifier for spells performed nearby, it is not the source of magic. Much research has been done, but nothing conclusive has been found. Magic operates according to various laws, many of which have been documented and defined by the mages in Merenna, but which are basically textbook material that we won't deal with here.
Born/Natural mages: For whatever reason, some people are born with innate magical power. Born mages almost always only have one type of magic. Until they are properly trained, born mages are very unstable, and often lash out with magic when upset. Thus, they are dangerous, and generally outcast throughout Selian (with the exception of Merenna-- a natural mage born in Merenna will just be trained from an early age, and treated relatively normally.) Born mages who make it to adulthood tend to either hide their magic or falsify the marks of a Border mage in order to use their magic without being stigmatized. Born mages are sometimes able to gain another discipline of magic from the Border with sufficiently advanced study and practice. It is unclear whether natural magic is heritable; some geneaologies suggest that it is, others that it is not.
Border/Mark mages: People born without natural magical ability are still able to gain it through a course of study and exposure to the Border. This is generally achieved by practicing minor magic through the help of instructors and building up until they can perform an actual spell on their own in close proximity to the Border, after which their abilities increase enough for them to continue to do magic unaided. This event also manifests a tattoo-like mark somewhere on their body, often on their face or hands, though mage marks have also been known to appear on the torso, arms, and rarely on the soles of the feet. The mark makes a mage immediately recognizable, as it usually glows faintly. Mage marks glow more brightly in the presence of large amounts of magical power (for example, very close to the Border) and when the mage uses large amounts of magical energy. One can only obtain one type of magic from a Border mark, however with much more advanced study it is possible to earn more mage marks. A few masters, mostly archmages, obtain proficiency in all four disciplines.
Losing magic: It is impossible to lose either born or Border magic through natural means. Overuse of one's powers may result in temporary lack of access to magic, but never permanent. It is possible to seal a mage's powers through very powerful enchantments; sealing is a punishment reserved for the worst magical offenders.
Mindworkers: A mindworker's magic primarily takes the form of psychokinesis. Mindworking is often seen as combat magic, though it is obviously not limited to it; a mindworker may use their magic to lift and move inanimate objects or enemies, augment their own physical abilities (add force to attacks, speed up, jump higher etc), and with sufficient mastery they may even fly. Lifting and moving inanimate objects is the lowest level of mindworking; moving oneself or other cooperative living beings is usually next, followed by augmenting one's attacks and finally by uncooperative living beings (such as enemies). It takes much less energy to set something/someone in motion than it does to continously hover it; most normal-level mindworkers can't keep a hover spell on anything much bigger than a cat for more than a few minutes. Spells are activated using gestures analogous to their function. For instance, to lift and throw something, a mage would employ upward movement followed by a push away.
Weatherworkers: A weatherworker can control the weather on a localized scale: raising winds, summoning or driving off clouds, changing temperatures, starting or ending storms. Wind is the easiest of spells, followed by cloud-moving, then working with storms, then changing the temperature without using any of the previous methods. Weatherworkers have few defenses in combat besides pushing enemies away with gusts of wind and small cyclones, but advanced weatherworkers can sometimes call down lightning, and historical evidence suggests that masters may be able to create multiple large cyclones at once. Weatherworkers also create spells gesturally.
Enchanters: An enchanter binds magical spells to inanimate objects. Many useful abilities may be conferred: things may be enchanted to glow, hover, warm or cool, become lighter or heavier, become opaque, transparent, or invisible, and in advanced cases to move (ornithopters are the creations of strong enchanters). Enchanters are something like magical engineers: they present solutions to practical problems. Enchantments on objects may be constant, or they may be activated and deactivated (popular with light spells, for example). They may also be specified such that either anyone, only mages, or only a certain set of intended users may activate/deactivate them (magical locks are popular for this reason.) Enchantments may be broken by more powerful mages, and it seems that recently close exposure to the Border has made enchanted objects begin to go haywire also. Enchantments are usually created through inscriptions, though many enchanters use a small amount of gestural magic to hide the inscriptions on a magical object to make it tamper-proof at the end of a spell. The highest level of enchanters may apply enchantments to living things, though this is forbidden except to the Archmage or other high-level staff in Merenna, and even they may only use enchantments on people to strip the worst of magical criminals of their powers. Sealing magic requires a large amount of energy and usually requires multiple enchanters, or else a long period of rest afterward.
Healers: Healers work directly with living things, strengthening the body, curing disease, and healing wounds. Some even specialize in plants, curing blights and strengthening crops against early frosts. A healer must have proper knowledge of the body to heal anything more than a minor wound; healing without medical knowledge is at best useless and in the worst cases can even be damaging. Healers use magic by gathering magical energy in their hands and applying it to wounds, but they must also be focused on exactly what they are trying to fix. Minor wounds are easiest to fix, followed by more major but external wounds, then minor illnesses, then internal injuries and severe illnesses. Strengthening the body beyond its normal capabilities is among the most advanced and often frowned-upon healing magic; one may strengthen a sickly person to a normal level without repercussions, but an attempt to augment someone who is already strong will be met with a high level of scrutiny. It is rumored that some "healers" in the past used their magic to harm or kill by stopping the heart or causing bones or tissue to grow out of control, but it is utterly forbidden to practice this form of magic. There is no information available on it in any public or university library, or in Merenna. By law, anyone who provably uses healing magic to harm is to be stripped of their magic immediately.
Rules of the RP
Spoiler -
0. Don't be a jackass. Should be self-explanatory.
1. Number of characters: For this RP, each player may only have one player character. All signups require GM approval.
2. NPCs: You may create minor NPCs (shopkeepers, passersby) and NPCs in relation to your player character (relatives, acquaintances), but no others. NPCs may not accompany the player party without GM approval.
3. Stats: Stats must be declared upon character signup. Please use http://invisiblecastle.com to do your dice rolling. This is an easy-to-use online roller that ensures honesty in listing rolls.
4. Content: Try to keep things PG-13. No "onscreen" sex scenes. Violence is obviously going to happen, but don't describe gore in unnecessarily intense detail. This one shouldn't be too hard to follow. See Suggestions for a bit more detail. Basically, we don’t want to be thrown off the board for this.
5. Disrupting the RP: If you are obviously and blatantly trying to derail the plot, mess with someone else's characters, or otherwise ruin other people's enjoyment of the RP, you will be kicked out. If you keep trying to post in the RP after being kicked from it, forum staff will be called. In general, follow Rule Zero.
Corollary (Rita’s Law): Any player behaving in a ridiculous manner (defined below) will be kicked out of the RP, and if they continue to post, their posts will be ignored by other players (until they require moderator attention).
Definition of “ridiculous”: Any action taken by a player character without permission of the other involved player or the GM that would cause death, incapacitation, or serious injury to a major character (excluding retaliation for attacks of similar levels), any theft of another player character's major belongings (except in retaliation), any sexual attack on another character that passes the line of clothing removal. Further additions to this definition may be made only by GM, though players may suggest them.
In general, just follow Rule Zero.
0. Don't be a jackass. Should be self-explanatory.
1. Number of characters: For this RP, each player may only have one player character. All signups require GM approval.
2. NPCs: You may create minor NPCs (shopkeepers, passersby) and NPCs in relation to your player character (relatives, acquaintances), but no others. NPCs may not accompany the player party without GM approval.
3. Stats: Stats must be declared upon character signup. Please use http://invisiblecastle.com to do your dice rolling. This is an easy-to-use online roller that ensures honesty in listing rolls.
4. Content: Try to keep things PG-13. No "onscreen" sex scenes. Violence is obviously going to happen, but don't describe gore in unnecessarily intense detail. This one shouldn't be too hard to follow. See Suggestions for a bit more detail. Basically, we don’t want to be thrown off the board for this.
5. Disrupting the RP: If you are obviously and blatantly trying to derail the plot, mess with someone else's characters, or otherwise ruin other people's enjoyment of the RP, you will be kicked out. If you keep trying to post in the RP after being kicked from it, forum staff will be called. In general, follow Rule Zero.
Corollary (Rita’s Law): Any player behaving in a ridiculous manner (defined below) will be kicked out of the RP, and if they continue to post, their posts will be ignored by other players (until they require moderator attention).
Definition of “ridiculous”: Any action taken by a player character without permission of the other involved player or the GM that would cause death, incapacitation, or serious injury to a major character (excluding retaliation for attacks of similar levels), any theft of another player character's major belongings (except in retaliation), any sexual attack on another character that passes the line of clothing removal. Further additions to this definition may be made only by GM, though players may suggest them.
In general, just follow Rule Zero.
Further suggestions for players/FAQ:
Spoiler -
- The laws of physics and nature: Except where explicitly stated otherwise (magic, mainly), OBEY THEM. Minor to moderate fails you can probably get away with; I don’t expect anyone to do all the math, but try not to be ridiculous or glaring in your fails. If you need a sense of how much something weighs, or how big it is, or how it works, or where it lives, or other similar information, Wikipedia is your bestest buddy. If it doesn’t ring any “THIS IS INCREDIBLY SILLY” alarms with any of the other players, you’re probably okay, but some of us are kind of hair-trigger with that, so be warned...
-- Corollary I: Animals and plants. Selian hasn’t got many animal species, but there may be room for a few I forgot anyway. ASK me if you want to install a species I haven’t mentioned. I will probably be okay with it if it would actually be able to live there.
-- Corollary II: When breaking the laws of physics in a permissible way, OBEY THE LAWS OF CANON. If you are not sure about laws of canon in a given instance, ASK THE GMS.
-- Corollary III: If someone goes after you for a violation of the laws of physics/nature/sense/etc, back yourself up with facts, rather than “I heard”’s or “everyone knows”’s.
-- Corollary IV: Rule Zero applies when going after someone for a physics/nature/sense/etc violation.
- Acceptable breaks from reality: There are basic daily things that characters inevitably do that can either be condensed/relegated to the background (cleaning, equipment maintenance, food prep, etc) or skipped over entirely (washing, various other functions). It should go without saying to please don’t hesitate to skip or condense stuff like that.
-- Corollary: For the love of pancakes, no bath scenes that are just setups for the character being walked in on, we’re all sick and tired of the “character is bathing and is walked in on and freaks out” scene.
- Be consistent with your characters. Don't pull lots of new skills out of nowhere for them, don't change their backstory on a whim. Don't break any established canon with their backstory; if you think that some detail might contradict something, shoot me a message. If you do contradict something, don't be surprised if I tell you to retcon it.
-On a similar note, no frequent, massive retcons.
- Writing format: Obviously everyone has their own style, but for the sake of coherence, please stick to third-person, past-tense prose. Exceptions may be used for effect (i.e. first-person present tense for a character whose life is flashing before their eyes, etc) but not abused. Also, please try to use good spelling and grammar; we won't attack you for messing things up, but it does help make things readable. No "chatspeak" abbreviations, leet, or smilies in RP posts.
- Mary Sue characters don't fly well. I won't accept characters that are obviously overpowered for no good reason. Furthermore, if you want other characters to like your character, don't expect it to happen if they don't act in a likable way. Over-the-top angst is generally not the way to go. If you're concerned about your character being a Sue, the following tests may help, though they obviously don't make or break everything. http://www.springhol...zes/marysue.htm http://www.ponylandp...om/ms-test.html
Above all, make the character believable. There are going to be certain characters who are far stronger than others; they just need proper reasons for it.
- I know the base stats do not appear to be balanced. They aren’t, at least, not in combat; out-of-combat utility (including the ability to cause incredibly useful background events) was weighed in when stats were determined.
- Custom classes/races: No. The class system has plenty of options, as does the world.
-Enemies: Players are not able to create enemies in this campaign.
-Harassment and assault in-character: Something I noticed in the LoAF RP (after the fact, and then I wondered why I wasn’t more uncomfortable beforehand) that I would like to avoid repeating was an alarming prevalence of sexual harassment, assault, and attempted rape in-character. I do not want to see that here. It is not in line with the setting of Border, and it makes me (and most likely others) uncomfortable. I am not going to outright ban it as a plot point, but if it appears it must be used sparingly. (I would note that making a PC an abuser character is not going to go over well, at all, ever, though.) I don’t want to see random acts of harassment by NPCs happening with distressing frequency. For my part (and that of any other GM), I will not put the party in a situation where characters are sexually harassed or assaulted at any time. And of course, as per Rita’s Law, PLAYER CONSENT IS MANDATORY if you want to mess with their character.
-If someone is really making you uncomfortable in context of the RP, don’t hesitate to tell me or another GM. If it escalates, don’t hesitate to get a GM or a mod!
- The laws of physics and nature: Except where explicitly stated otherwise (magic, mainly), OBEY THEM. Minor to moderate fails you can probably get away with; I don’t expect anyone to do all the math, but try not to be ridiculous or glaring in your fails. If you need a sense of how much something weighs, or how big it is, or how it works, or where it lives, or other similar information, Wikipedia is your bestest buddy. If it doesn’t ring any “THIS IS INCREDIBLY SILLY” alarms with any of the other players, you’re probably okay, but some of us are kind of hair-trigger with that, so be warned...
-- Corollary I: Animals and plants. Selian hasn’t got many animal species, but there may be room for a few I forgot anyway. ASK me if you want to install a species I haven’t mentioned. I will probably be okay with it if it would actually be able to live there.
-- Corollary II: When breaking the laws of physics in a permissible way, OBEY THE LAWS OF CANON. If you are not sure about laws of canon in a given instance, ASK THE GMS.
-- Corollary III: If someone goes after you for a violation of the laws of physics/nature/sense/etc, back yourself up with facts, rather than “I heard”’s or “everyone knows”’s.
-- Corollary IV: Rule Zero applies when going after someone for a physics/nature/sense/etc violation.
- Acceptable breaks from reality: There are basic daily things that characters inevitably do that can either be condensed/relegated to the background (cleaning, equipment maintenance, food prep, etc) or skipped over entirely (washing, various other functions). It should go without saying to please don’t hesitate to skip or condense stuff like that.
-- Corollary: For the love of pancakes, no bath scenes that are just setups for the character being walked in on, we’re all sick and tired of the “character is bathing and is walked in on and freaks out” scene.
- Be consistent with your characters. Don't pull lots of new skills out of nowhere for them, don't change their backstory on a whim. Don't break any established canon with their backstory; if you think that some detail might contradict something, shoot me a message. If you do contradict something, don't be surprised if I tell you to retcon it.
-On a similar note, no frequent, massive retcons.
- Writing format: Obviously everyone has their own style, but for the sake of coherence, please stick to third-person, past-tense prose. Exceptions may be used for effect (i.e. first-person present tense for a character whose life is flashing before their eyes, etc) but not abused. Also, please try to use good spelling and grammar; we won't attack you for messing things up, but it does help make things readable. No "chatspeak" abbreviations, leet, or smilies in RP posts.
- Mary Sue characters don't fly well. I won't accept characters that are obviously overpowered for no good reason. Furthermore, if you want other characters to like your character, don't expect it to happen if they don't act in a likable way. Over-the-top angst is generally not the way to go. If you're concerned about your character being a Sue, the following tests may help, though they obviously don't make or break everything. http://www.springhol...zes/marysue.htm http://www.ponylandp...om/ms-test.html
Above all, make the character believable. There are going to be certain characters who are far stronger than others; they just need proper reasons for it.
- I know the base stats do not appear to be balanced. They aren’t, at least, not in combat; out-of-combat utility (including the ability to cause incredibly useful background events) was weighed in when stats were determined.
- Custom classes/races: No. The class system has plenty of options, as does the world.
-Enemies: Players are not able to create enemies in this campaign.
-Harassment and assault in-character: Something I noticed in the LoAF RP (after the fact, and then I wondered why I wasn’t more uncomfortable beforehand) that I would like to avoid repeating was an alarming prevalence of sexual harassment, assault, and attempted rape in-character. I do not want to see that here. It is not in line with the setting of Border, and it makes me (and most likely others) uncomfortable. I am not going to outright ban it as a plot point, but if it appears it must be used sparingly. (I would note that making a PC an abuser character is not going to go over well, at all, ever, though.) I don’t want to see random acts of harassment by NPCs happening with distressing frequency. For my part (and that of any other GM), I will not put the party in a situation where characters are sexually harassed or assaulted at any time. And of course, as per Rita’s Law, PLAYER CONSENT IS MANDATORY if you want to mess with their character.
-If someone is really making you uncomfortable in context of the RP, don’t hesitate to tell me or another GM. If it escalates, don’t hesitate to get a GM or a mod!
Class and combat system
Spoiler -
Classes
There are various classes you can choose for your character. Unlike some other RPs, classes are meant to affect in-character skills as well as combat builds, and will sometimes have plot-related abilities or drawbacks, and not all classes will be able to participate directly in combat. (Don’t panic; it will become apparent why soon enough.)
Scholar: One who learns and possibly teaches, most likely as part of the Selian official education system.
Advantages: Player receives lots of plot-relevant information from GM.
Disadvantages: Cannot fight.
HP: 10 Attack: n/a Skill: n/a Evasion: 5
Thief: One who deals in trickery and theft; a shadowy figure. Favors blades.
Advantages: Theft, stealth, lockpicks.
Disadvantages: Untrustworthy (specifically, may be bought off and given orders by GM), mediocre in combat.
HP: 8 Attack: 3 Skill: 6 Evasion: 8
Mage: One who uses magic, either through study or birth.
Advantages: Magic use, player receives occasional information from GM.
Disadvantages: Possibly distrusted by civilians, may not be able to fight.
Subclasses: Weatherworker (cannot fight, can affect battlefield and travel), Mindworker (can fight), Healer (cannot fight, can heal), Enchanter (cannot fight, can enchant nearby items)
HP: 10 Attack: 7 (n/a for all but Mindworker) Skill: 5 (mindworker); 7 (healer); n/a otherwise Evasion: 4 (mindworker), 5 (others)
Rider: One who swiftly carries messages over all terrain, in all weather. Favors knives and bows.
Advantages: Player may receive messages from the GM; good at crossing difficult terrain.
Disadvantages: Mediocre in combat; mount may be injured.
HP: 11 Attack: 4 Skill: 4 Evasion: 6
Soldier: One who keeps the peace for the High Council of Selian. Favors swords and spears.
Advantages: Good at fighting and scouting.
Disadvantages: May be distrusted by civilians or Southlanders.
HP: 14 Attack: 6 Skill: 5 Evasion: 2
Pilot: One who is skilled in the operation of the magically powered mechanical aircraft called ornithopters.
Advantages: Flight, with up to two passengers. Knows how to repair ornithopter.
Disadvantages: Affected by weather; cannot fight while flying, mediocre in a fight otherwise. Ornithopter may need time-consuming repairs.
(stats listed in-air vs grounded)
HP: 18/13 Attack: na/3 Skill: na/4 Evasion: 8/5
Combat
This is going to be a somewhat unusual RP in terms of combat, in that combat will not always be the only way to solve things. In fact, no instance of combat will be unavoidable, and some will be unwinnable, forcing the players to find an alternate solution.
The key is to pay attention to what is going on during the fight: not only watching enemies, but watching allies, surroundings, background events. Changing the background will change the fight. Be creative in how you choose to change it.
There are four stats: hit points, attack, skill, and evasion. Combat is simple:
1) Roll a d6 (for hit) and a d12 (for critical). (The online dice roller at http://invisiblecastle.com is recommended.) Take the first roll and add your skill; subtract the opponent’s evasion. If the result is nonzero and positive, the attack hits.
2) If your attack hits, subtract your attack stat from the opponent’s HP. If your hit and critical rolls match each other, subtract double your attack stat from the opponent’s HP instead.
3) If the opponent is able to attack, repeat steps 1 and 2, with the opponent attacking you.
Healing: A Healing mage can increase another character’s HP (up to that character’s max HP) by an amount equal to their skill stat.
Permanent effects of battle: While reaching 0 HP does not strictly mean death for a player character, in some cases it can. Certain enemies can also cause permanent stat decreases, or plot effects like permanent injuries. If reaching 0 HP in a particular battle will mean death, stat reductions, or permanent injuries, it will be marked as such beforehand. (In the case of injuries, type of injury will also be marked.)
If your player character is killed, you may create a new one.
Turns: A player turn is equal to six player posts relevant to the fight. These can be attacking or healing posts, or other relevant posts that act in the background. (In general, if it is not a “flop around like a dead fish after being wounded” type post, it counts as relevant.) After every turn, the GM will run a turn where enemy units act, after which the next player turn will start.
Leveling up: There is no “leveling up” as such; rather, points are granted based on battle participation that can be added into any of a character’s stats. How many points a specific battle or event give will be listed at the time of the event.
Classes
There are various classes you can choose for your character. Unlike some other RPs, classes are meant to affect in-character skills as well as combat builds, and will sometimes have plot-related abilities or drawbacks, and not all classes will be able to participate directly in combat. (Don’t panic; it will become apparent why soon enough.)
Scholar: One who learns and possibly teaches, most likely as part of the Selian official education system.
Advantages: Player receives lots of plot-relevant information from GM.
Disadvantages: Cannot fight.
HP: 10 Attack: n/a Skill: n/a Evasion: 5
Thief: One who deals in trickery and theft; a shadowy figure. Favors blades.
Advantages: Theft, stealth, lockpicks.
Disadvantages: Untrustworthy (specifically, may be bought off and given orders by GM), mediocre in combat.
HP: 8 Attack: 3 Skill: 6 Evasion: 8
Mage: One who uses magic, either through study or birth.
Advantages: Magic use, player receives occasional information from GM.
Disadvantages: Possibly distrusted by civilians, may not be able to fight.
Subclasses: Weatherworker (cannot fight, can affect battlefield and travel), Mindworker (can fight), Healer (cannot fight, can heal), Enchanter (cannot fight, can enchant nearby items)
HP: 10 Attack: 7 (n/a for all but Mindworker) Skill: 5 (mindworker); 7 (healer); n/a otherwise Evasion: 4 (mindworker), 5 (others)
Rider: One who swiftly carries messages over all terrain, in all weather. Favors knives and bows.
Advantages: Player may receive messages from the GM; good at crossing difficult terrain.
Disadvantages: Mediocre in combat; mount may be injured.
HP: 11 Attack: 4 Skill: 4 Evasion: 6
Soldier: One who keeps the peace for the High Council of Selian. Favors swords and spears.
Advantages: Good at fighting and scouting.
Disadvantages: May be distrusted by civilians or Southlanders.
HP: 14 Attack: 6 Skill: 5 Evasion: 2
Pilot: One who is skilled in the operation of the magically powered mechanical aircraft called ornithopters.
Advantages: Flight, with up to two passengers. Knows how to repair ornithopter.
Disadvantages: Affected by weather; cannot fight while flying, mediocre in a fight otherwise. Ornithopter may need time-consuming repairs.
(stats listed in-air vs grounded)
HP: 18/13 Attack: na/3 Skill: na/4 Evasion: 8/5
Combat
This is going to be a somewhat unusual RP in terms of combat, in that combat will not always be the only way to solve things. In fact, no instance of combat will be unavoidable, and some will be unwinnable, forcing the players to find an alternate solution.
The key is to pay attention to what is going on during the fight: not only watching enemies, but watching allies, surroundings, background events. Changing the background will change the fight. Be creative in how you choose to change it.
There are four stats: hit points, attack, skill, and evasion. Combat is simple:
1) Roll a d6 (for hit) and a d12 (for critical). (The online dice roller at http://invisiblecastle.com is recommended.) Take the first roll and add your skill; subtract the opponent’s evasion. If the result is nonzero and positive, the attack hits.
2) If your attack hits, subtract your attack stat from the opponent’s HP. If your hit and critical rolls match each other, subtract double your attack stat from the opponent’s HP instead.
3) If the opponent is able to attack, repeat steps 1 and 2, with the opponent attacking you.
Healing: A Healing mage can increase another character’s HP (up to that character’s max HP) by an amount equal to their skill stat.
Permanent effects of battle: While reaching 0 HP does not strictly mean death for a player character, in some cases it can. Certain enemies can also cause permanent stat decreases, or plot effects like permanent injuries. If reaching 0 HP in a particular battle will mean death, stat reductions, or permanent injuries, it will be marked as such beforehand. (In the case of injuries, type of injury will also be marked.)
If your player character is killed, you may create a new one.
Turns: A player turn is equal to six player posts relevant to the fight. These can be attacking or healing posts, or other relevant posts that act in the background. (In general, if it is not a “flop around like a dead fish after being wounded” type post, it counts as relevant.) After every turn, the GM will run a turn where enemy units act, after which the next player turn will start.
Leveling up: There is no “leveling up” as such; rather, points are granted based on battle participation that can be added into any of a character’s stats. How many points a specific battle or event give will be listed at the time of the event.
Signup form:
Name: (please keep it reasonable; hyphens and apostrophes are going to get some weird looks)
Age: (again, keep it reasonable; small children are probably right out)
Appearance: (picture may be provided, but a brief description is mandatory)
Personality: (Listing here is optional; it’s just to give us a general idea of what to expect. You may omit this and demonstrate personality in the RP.)
Class:
Backstory: (just give us a general idea of who they are and what they’re doing here)
Cast:
Adri (Mage: Weatherworker)
Riban (Pilot)
Lou (Mage: Healer)
Isra (Thief)
Aeron (Soldier)
Rane (Rider)
Zull (Mage: Mindworker)
Thurgood (Soldier)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Signup:
Name: Adri Therru
Age: 20
Appearance:
Spoiler -
A slender young woman of medium height, with medium-brown skin, hazel eyes, and very dark brown hair, parted in the middle and falling past her shoulders. She usually wears the short tunic and trousers popular throughout Selian along with short boots, sometimes adding a skirt. A pale blue mage mark of swirling lines wraps around her right eye, and her tunic is dyed in a pattern that denotes her status as a weatherworking Border mage. Personality: Optimistic and hardworking, confident but aware of the limitations of her magic.
Class: Mage: Weatherworker
Backstory: For generations Adri’s family made their living fishing in Terin, but when a passing enchanter noticed young Adri’s potential for magic, they were quick to encourage her learning. At eighteen she graduated from the mages’ academy in Merenna. She spent some time helping out the family business by providing fair winds and calm seas while the local weatherworker recovered from the strain of deflecting a particularly dangerous storm, and set off for the capital after he was well again to look for work and a change of scenery. For the moment, she’s employed by the government, going where they need her to to keep crops watered or official functions dry.
Edited by kdanger, 23 September 2012 - 02:23 PM.
