The Golden Age. Signups/OOC/Discussion

[riariadne]

Hello. I am Reinfleche, your host.

Golden Age is a Fire Emblem roleplay, based on parts of Fire Emblem: Wretched Whispers (FEWW), a previous one I hosted. This is something of a reboot of FEWW, featuring most of the combat/ map mechanics there while expanding on what I think is a better developed setting, as well as some adjustments to the previous stat system. Inspiration is drawn from a lot of the other roleplays here as well to try and fine tune everything for a smoother experience- and there are some similar or transferred characters from FEWW as well. The world is generally a lot more open. Other than a few major characters and a baseline for the first few maps, I will be trying to avoid over-planning, which was a big problem in WW. Much is up to the players, as is the case in a more traditional roleplay environment.

This time around there are no strict co-mods. scorri will be helping out with maps a bit and I will probably be checking a few of my crazier ideas with SB, but otherwise I plan on handling all NPCs (or at least most of them) and enemies to make the modding a bit less scattered.

Please read the OP before signing up. I am not looking for full characters yet, as that will come after.
 

Introduction:

 

In the beginning, there was empty space. The seven Elder Dragons melded all of the world to their will, creating the planet of Dominus from nothingness. In three weeks, they each focused on the intricacies of the world and the life upon it, sometimes in unison while other times alone in their work. The last part of this world they created was the continent Titan, and when they were finished, they each bestowed a gift for the inhabitants of this promised land to utilise and prosper with before departing the world.

The Seven Gifts, as they were soon to be called, became much sought after. Even in the early times while the world was young, humans hoped to use them- for glory, power, or any other such purpose. The Fire Emblem in particular was prized above all others. Nations rose and fell on the hopes of seizing any of the objects to make use of.

In time, the people of Titan came to observe a cyclical nature to the world, which they named Ages. It seemed imprinted in the world that periods of great prosperity and those of hardship were times that rarely overlapped, and historians separated roughly every 120 years into ages of light and dark. Some hoped that perhaps the cycle would change to find a more stable world, but as centuries went by, nothing did. Many of these ages passed. And with time, even items as valuable as the Seven Gifts became lost. The Fire Emblem has been missing for nearly a century, and the others are scattered across Titan. To many, the true power of the Gifts is unknown.

It is currently the twilight of an age of light, and the signs of the next dark age have already begun to show. Though nations rise and fall often, a large part of the continent is leaderless. Fractions of armies fight in small-scale battles, and most people have shifted towards a more nomadic lifestyle. But unusually, there are glimmers of light. No past age has ever had such conflicting news coming into it. Four years ago, the Black Queen Ursula seemed to be a sign too early of the dark age, as she was struck down before her evil rule could go too far. Rumors of a rediscovered lost treasure in the wilds of Balor are spreading quickly. And on the coast of Koerm, a sight in the sky the likes that have never been seen before signal that this age has the potential to be different than any before. The time has come for the fabled age of both light and dark, victories and challenges, discovery and despair- the Golden Age.

The World of Titan

 

I am not an artist. However, ultimately this picture is about getting a feel for locations, not being a masterpiece. EDIT: There's a better map on page 3.

Places
The geopolitical landscape of Titan is a tumultuous one. While there are certainly divisions in the land and groups with more in common than others, they lack the leadership and resources to truly become true 'nations' on their own. Instead, Titan is functionally one country made up of a group of provinces. While central leadership is in Madrigal, the provinces enjoy a high degree of independence. Within these provinces are smaller regions, and then cities. Below is a full list of provinces, as well as notes on a few regions and cities- not all of those are listed, but this list could be updated based on future ventures.

-Madrigal. Madrigal is the smallest province in Titan by area- however, this is because it is entirely made up of one city. As such, Madrigal has no regions- it is both a city and province. It is home to the central government of Titan. Usually, a ruler reigns from the magical Throne of Dreams, but after the most recent Queen Ursula's death, none have been able to successfully prove their right to hold power over Titan. Still, there are many offices of federal matters that are run even without a King or Queen, as they are necessary to support the provinces.
-Balor. The largest province of Titan, but one of the most untamed. Diverse terrain covers Balor, with scattered villages and towns the only mark of civilization for miles at a time.
--Tauvos. The largest region of Balor (and indeed, Titan), it covers much of the province as the largely wild lands are not worth further dividing. Rivers, hills, and other varied landscape cover the majority of it. Recently, rumors of an undiscovered treasure have surfaced based on the divinings of a renowned Anima sage.
---Vespen. The largest and most populous city in Balor, it is alone in large civilized areas for at least a dozen miles in any direction. Naturally, this makes it a desirable destination for any travelers, of which there are many. The permanent population is rather large as well.
--Grunan. A region by the southern mountains and oceans, Grunan is an area with an unusual conflux of magical energies that interacts with the world in mysterious ways. Grunan is where the first demihumans were discovered, and where most remain as well.
-Koerm. A province that covers most of the northern coast of Titan, though relatively little else, though it is still very expansive. It is well populated and culturally diverse. On occasion, travelers from distant lands arrive here- Titan is estimated to be rather far south on Dominus, and so most who would arrive by sea reach the north shore.
--Port Veiro. A bustling city of commerce and festivity, Port Veiro has many ships travel to the other parts of Titan for easier transportation than by land. Fishing and sailing is quite common. Ironically, the city itself is about forty feet above water level, but there are ramps that lower down in the northwest and northeast- but not the direct north, which is not part of the city, as it is instead occupied by:
---Eaglus Point. The most northern point of Titan. It is elevated extremely high, with a tough incline creating a giant cliff above the ocean. It is thought to be somewhat of an error in the Elder Dragons' creation of the continent, towering a thousand feet above the ocean, as if it was land improperly chipped away. Still, for the hardy traveler, it is possible to climb with difficulty.
-Ibis. The third largest province. Like Balor, it has a great deal of varied terrain, but unlike Balor, much more of it is settled. It is extremely peaceful and known for having very little crime, as many of the citizens are in harmony with the world around them.
--Lake Hart. Named after a famous explorer, Lake Hart is a sanctuary for wildlife. Respect for nature is strictly enforced by local knights, but otherwise a fair, but not too large, populace of people live in harmony with the wild.
-Trine. The second largest province, Trine is largely covered by smooth plains rather than the rough terrain in many other areas of Titan. There are relatively few large cities for the size of the region, though much more than Balor or Rathuum. Natural resources are abundant here.
--Fordright. A city by the Mhoga River, it is just near the border of Trine and Fernait. It is also rather close to Koerm and Balor. As such, it sees a high amount of travelers- the highest amount of them out of any city, even ahead of Madrigal. Trading is also quite popular, second only to Port Veiro. Only about a quarter of the city's population is that of permanent residents.
--Hauken Region. In the far west of the province is a sandy desert, the only such area on Titan. It is an anomaly in that its harsh environment practically ignores all the land around it. Few visit here, and even fewer live here: it is a truly desolate location.
-Fernait. The second smallest province, and the only one other than Madrigal to not border any of the ocean. It has rather smooth terrain, and a quiet population, but surprisingly, many skilled warriors hail from this province. Some suspect it may have unique conditions due to those in Jotun (a city in the province listed below). Tyrius Moore, a rather recent famous warrior, was born here- as was current star Sierra Tairn- and indeed, over forty percent of the Knights of Madrigal first came from Fernait.
--Jotun. A city in the north of Fernait, it is frequented often by magic users. Long ago, a sage named Jotun discovered that around this area, magical power is increased, and so a city was built. To this day, spellcasters are encouraged to visit here to discover more about magic. It is thus the most visited city in Fernait and the third most on Titan, with many mystic wonders and displays of magic power abound.
-Rathuum. The least civilized province of Titan, teeming with odd, dark creatures and other strange phenomena. Formerly an abundant land, over time strange happenings have driven people away. It has no provinces any longer, for too few people inhabit it for them to be very meaningful, and only one city:
--Shakruln. A city teeming with shadow magics. Surprisingly populous for what it consists of- many explorers seek to try their luck at undiscovered treasures, while mages seek to study the truth of the spells throughout it. The dark portal at the end of the Broken Age appeared here.

The People

 

Species
-Humans. By far the most common intelligent race, humans are... as expected. They come in all shapes and sizes, but other than the presence of magic, are not very different from real life humans at all. One thing to note is that humans on Titan are much more likely to be nomadic- while there are cities and other well-established locales, about three-fourths of the population is likely to travel a significant distance to relocate at some point in their lifetime.
--Demihumans. A sub-branch of humans, and a recent phenomenon. Exposure to certain kinds of magics has changed the structural makeup of some humans to be altered. Some are merely different in appearance a bit while being functionally similar, while others are changed more extremely, such as possessing features from different animals. Most Demihumans are from the Grunan region of Balor- and most stay there, considering the animosity they often receive.
-Summons/Conjured Creatures. Summoning and conjuring are two very similar arts, but have certain distinctions between them. To summon involves the use of summon scrolls, and brings an existent magical being to aid the user that come from a magical plane, and will return there should they leave. Conjuring is a learned skill, and creates replicas of life instead of summoning something already existent. Summoned beings are the same every time, but a new conjured creature is always a bit different from the last.

Government
The government of Titan is somewhat unusual. Here is a small breakdown-
-The Monarch: In Madrigal, a King or Queen (abbreviated as Monarch now) usually rules from the Throne of Dreams. They are the foremost authority on Titan- however, their power is not absolute. Firstly, to become the Monarch, a potential ruler must gain permission from at least two-thirds of the Grand Council, as well as three of the five province Duke's votes (Madrigal and Rathuum are excluded). The Monarch has great power, but not all of it- the Grand Council has power to overrule or reverse the decisions of the Monarch.
In this sense, King or Queen could be considered a somewhat 'improper' title, as rarely does the title pass down by blood to the next generation (though this is not unheard of: in the beloved Cirinne Dynasty, the Queen was the eldest daughter of each generation.)
-Grand Council: The hundred members of the Grand Council carry out the law of Titan. As a group, it is their duty to keep the Monarch from trying to over-extend their reach. They can also make rulings on criminal cases, and otherwise can change past laws to be more in line with the current times. Council members are appointed for life, unless they commit a serious enough offense that two-thirds of the other council members deem their removal necessary. There are several ways a council member can be appointed, be it on recommendation of a Duke or the monarch, or chosen by the Council when they are missing a member.
-Duke (or Duchess, though they are rarer): The ruler of a Province. Unlike the Monarch, Duke is usually a title passed down within a family. They are in charge of ensuring that the law is enforced within their Province, and are allowed some choice on different rules within their province. They may also give out lesser titles, such as Earl or Count, to assist them. Most of them also command a division of soldiers as well.
-The Knights of Madrigal. The armed forces. Lead by a Commander, their obligations are to defending the people of Titan from unruly lawbreakers, or any rebel force that could otherwise put people in jeopardy. Under the law, they are obliged to serve the Monarch, but the Oath of Knights states that should a Monarch be acting out of line, it is a Knight's duty not to obey them. This has been an uneasy point many times, most recently observed when a large number of Knights left service or otherwise disobeyed the crown when the Black Queen Ursula ruled.

Renowned historical figures
-Tirigus Madrigal. As the first Lunar Age headed towards the first light age, Tirigus was a founder of the city-province Madrigal. When the Throne of Dreams was created, the Dream Age began with him starting a period of prosperity as the first King of Titan. Worth noting- the city in question is not named after him. Tirigus took up the last name Madrigal when he became king.
-Sheikah Hart. Documented as living in the Dream Age, Sheikah was an explorer and the first known human to tame wyverns and pegasi, as well as an early settler of what would become the province of Ibis. Lake Hart, her home long ago, has been a busy settlement throughout all the ages and home to many wildlife creatures.
-Tyrius Moore. A Knight Commander of Madrigal, in the Broken Age Tyrius quested against the horde of monsters from the dark portal. With his enchanted blade Balmung, Tyrius lead a small group of devoted knights and others he recruited towards Shakruln, defeating legions of the monsters and destroying the portal. He eventually became King for about twenty-five years up until his death, and was well liked.
-Ursula. 'Historical' may be an incorrect term here, but 'current' would be wrong too, as she is no longer alive. Five years ago, Ursula first took her place as ruler from the Throne of Dreams when the previous king Leonard passed away from old age. However, her tyrannical nature was quick to become apparent, as the now-nicknamed Black Queen used many evil spells to sway or even eliminate political rivals to further consolidate power. But her reign did not last long, as when she arrogantly accepted a duel, she was killed by a lone hero.

Renowned current figures
-The Magi. A trio of magic wielding siblings, the Magi (singular Magus) are mysterious masters of their disciplines. Though they tend to not associate with each other much, their powers and familial ties lead to them being referred to collectively often by other mages. How they achieved their prowess remains unknown, but they fascinate the magical community.
--Regus, Guardian of Nature. Regus is an explorer who commands anima magic with ease and seeks to learn about the intricacies of humanoid, but not fully human creatures: demihumans primarily, as well as conjured and summoned beings. He is the most outgoing of the Magi and studies alongside others often in the Grunan region. He is in between his other siblings' ages.
--Shylah, the Dark Prophet. Shylah is an eerie witch who experiments in forbidden dark magic such as polymorphing spells, self-shapeshifting, and bloodcasting: a particularly ancient art that brings pain to the caster for power. She is spotted fairly often across the continent, sometimes bringing bizarre prophecies of events to come. She is the youngest of her family.
--Noctus, the Master Magus. Noctus is said to not only be the greatest light mage on Titan, but also nearly as proficient as his siblings in their own dark and anima spells. The eldest of the three, he is quite elusive, most knowledge of his powers coming from rumors and a long written report he gave six years ago.
-Sierra Tairn. A swordswoman whose bubbly, childish personality, and love for animals all mask her dangerous competence, Sierra served as a dutiful knight under King Leonard. But when Queen Ursula took to the throne, while many clearly detested her, it was Sierra who was brave enough to challenge the Black Queen on her injustice to a duel. It was no contest, and Sierra ended her reign in under a year. Still, while beloved by many people, she knew that any inheritor to the crown would be challenged by her presence, so she left to roam the continent instead. Her signature weapons, the Oathkeepers, are dual-wielded blades- a testament to her skill.
-Thalia Moore. The descendant of Tyrius Moore, Thalia possesses her great-grandfather's old rank- Knight Commander of Madrigal. However, she did not inherit her title by any means (her family in-between was less militarily inclined), and has proved her worth in battle countless times. Skilled in blade and bow alike, she usually uses the mythic Balmung to strike down her enemies with lightning.

The Elder Dragons (and Seven Gifts)

 

-Rhovennes: The Dragon of Balance. The most powerful Elder Dragon, Rhovennes oversaw the work of the other six, serving as fine-tuning for all of their others and supplementing their works with his genius. After all the others were finished, he left the Horn of the Dragons to the world to act as a balance to the other Gifts.

-Saerjas: The Dragon of Life. Saerjas created all initial sentient life across Dominus, giving each of them their own unique quirks and differences. Her gift, the Fire Emblem, enhances the body, mind, and soul of its holder in ways unique to every single life.
-Vohls: The Dragon of Worlds. Vohls shaped the landscape of Dominus. Treacherous swamps, brutal mountains, the surrounding islands, lush forests, dreamy plains- all are the work of Vohls. The Greatforger, his gift, lets those who use it temporarily shift the world in their own way.
-Mefilius: The Dragon of Strength. Through Meflius's will, the beings of Dominus possess the capabilities to adapt and work towards the betterment of themselves and others. Her gift, the Talon of Mefilius, is an adaptable combat aid that allows true focus in battle.
-Wraxel: The Dragon of Wisdom. Wraxel granted intelligence to the creatures of Dominus, letting them think and instilling clever instincts. Simply glancing upon his gift, the Crusader's Calling, lets anyone think in new and different ways for a situation.
-Ghave: The Dragon of Nature. Ghave created all life that Saerjas did not, and his laws govern the way the Dominus works, from the seasons to night and day, and even the cycle of life and death. His gift, the Lazarus Gem, can defy the clutches of mortality- but only once for any given being, for all life must come to an end.
-Quento: The Dragon of Mystery. Quento gave magic to Dominus, and left ways for magic to interact with the world around it and for spellcasters to utilise their will. Her gift, Quento's Grace, even lets a sufficiently powerful mage conjure an image of herself.

Signing up

 

This is where everyone else comes in! For the starting party, I think

eight is where I want to be. Maybe things will expand in the future, but starting small seems like the easiest option for handling things.
Players will control a character assembled by the Seeker (see below) in Vespen, roughly the centralmost city on Titan, in the province of Balor. You've been assembled due to rumors of a treasure in the wilderness of Balor, and each of you have your reasons for seeking it.
Also, I will be honest and say this is not a signup process without bias. I will be taking into consideration the fact that some of the more active players from FEWW are still interested and will prioritize allowing them to sign up. That being said, roles will need to be assigned before characters can be fully created, as each of them comes with their own special variation.
So step 1 is role assignment. When you signup, list your top 3 roles. I will try to be as fair as I can with them, but also keep the above in mind.
Also: please be active. I am going to strive to be as active a mod as I can be, and I expect players to be dedicated as well. The baseline would be that I should be able to expect at least multiple posts a week on a normal week. Also, if you are selected and do not already have me added on skype, please let me know so that I have an easier way of communicating than SF PMs. This is required.

Here are the roles:

-Seeker of the Emblem. Of all the Gifts, the Fire Emblem no doubt holds the most allure. Many have gone in search for it, and yet none are known to be successful. Yet the Seeker has faith that they could be the one to seize this lost and powerful artifact for themselves. Rumors of a lost treasure in Balor caused them to assemble the party for this adventure!
Of special note: the Seeker will be something of a 'main' character. While not the end-all-be-all to every decision, the Seeker will basically make choices if there is uncertainty.
-Keeper of the Gift. To the Keeper, seeking the lost fortune is a necessity. The Keeper already possess one of the Seven Gifts, and uses it wisely. Quiet whispers say that another Gift may be among the treasure, and to this character, keeping the Gifts from unworthy hands is not a hobby, but a duty.
-Hunter of Mastery. To this character, there is more to life than the physical. The Hunter seeks to become a true master of what they practice, and for them the journey ultimately leads up to the destination. Pursuing the treasure is a means to an end, and the end is greatness!
-Pursuer of the Crown. Many scramble for the crown, seeking power over Titan. Some have legitimate claims, some do not. The Pursuer may be either- all that is set in motion for them is their ambition to be seated in Madrigal's Throne of Dreams, but for now their position is the rather humble one of an adventurer.
-Soldier of Fortune. Some of the travelers seek the treasure for more than what it is. But to the Soldier, the treasure is their destination. Other goals or achievements may exist in their life, of course, but they are secondary to wealth.
-Renegade Knight. Once a Knight, but no longer, this person used to serve Madrigal. Now the Renegade makes their own choices independent of the government. Whether it was for just reasons, or they left in disgrace, is up to you- as is the future that lies ahead!
-Delver of Secrets. Always hunger for knowledge, the Delver will go to remote corners of Titan to learn anything that could possibly be new. Even the most forbidden of knowledge is no obstacle to them.
-Wild Card. A true enigma. The wild card can be anybody. This one is entirely up to the choice of the person whose role this is. If for any reason I choose to accept more than 8 people, there will be multiple Wild Cards.

A few notes on mechanics.
-Most stats function as they do in GBAFE. Units have both strength and magic.
-There is no con/aid. Mounted units can rescue any foot unit, foot units can rescue any non-armored foot units. Weapon weight is nonexistent (but some weapons may have speed or other stat modifiers.)
-2xSkill/3 = base crit formula. 2xskill+lck= base hit formula. Avoid is the same.
-For double attacks/follow ups, the second successful hit deals halved damage, rounded down. Some weapons may work differently with this. This means speed is worse, basically.
-There is only one rank for offensive spells, Tomes. However, each unit can progress down different Alignments: Anima, light, and darkness. 'Neutral' tomes will tend to be plain, while those of each discipline will have special effects more often. There are also be physical weapons and staves relating to Alignment as well. Alignments are not mutually exclusive, but investing in two is difficult, and three extremely rare. Alignment base is 20, minimum is 0, and maximum is 100. For each alignment, at a given weapon rank there are alignment requirements to use weapons that are under that alignment:
--D rank: 30
--C rank: 40
--B rank: 55
--A rank: 70
--S rank: 90
-Activation% skills (such as Adept or Luna) are different. Instead they function using a system called Gauge. Once each unit's Gauge reaches 100, on their next applicable attack they will trigger their Gauge skill. Each skill fills the Gauge differently.
--If a unit has multiple Gauge skills, before each map they will set up a list of priorities for them. Each time they trigger Gauge, they will go to the next skill in order, before going back to the first.
Gauge rates do stack with multiples- so each unit with a Gauge skill will trigger all their Gauge skills in the roughly same amount of time, if in a similar amount of battles.

After roles are allocated, here is the signup sheet:

 

Name: I hope this is obvious!

Demographic: Gender, age, species, birth province. I expect a reasonable age from characters, there are not going to be 12 year olds running around across the continent, etcetera. Species should be human in all likeliness. Demihumans are rare, and if you want to run one then you will need a good explanation for it and you can talk to me about stat modifications for it.
Birthday: Standard calendar! Pick a day, any day.
Appearance: What your character looks like. Different hair colors and stuff are fine, it is a Fire Emblem RP. Please list height and weight in feet+inches and pounds, respectively.
Background: Your character's past history. This should be in line with the world of Titan, and should also account for the role given.
Affinity: Affinities are different from GBAFE. You don't actually pick this on signup, I will let you choose from a random group of 3 if a character is accepted (and will put details for them up when that time comes as well).
Alignment: As mentioned above. Units can have a head start on disciplines- talk to me if you are accepted about it. Alignments must add up to 60 to start (with one exception below).
Stats: Now here's the good stuff. Some of the growth numbers will certainly not end up being divisible by 5, which is on purpose because different stats are really not the same in worth. I may tweak these before stats are finalized, but I may not.

Universal bases
HP 10 (35%). 3 points per base point. 1% per growth point.
Str 2 (15%). 1 point per base point. 1% per growth point.
Mag 2 (15%). 2 points per 3 base points. 3.5% per 5 growth points.
Skl 1 (15%). 4 points per 3 base points. 1% per growth point.
Spd 1 (15%). 1 point per base point. 1% per growth point.
Lck 1 (15%). 4 points per 3 base points. 6% per 5 growth points.
Def 1 (15%). 1 point per base point. 3.5% per 5 growth points.
Res 1 (15%). 2 point per 3 base points. 3% per 5 growth points.

22 base stat points. 160% growth points. Invest as you like. Stats above .5 will round up (however I expect not to see all 4 stats where this is possible at .66- cmon). Decimal values in growth points round up as well because... it's a 1% difference. I am generous like that.

Skills/ unit bonuses are to be distributed from a pool. After all the roles are decided upon, I will link them on the main spreadsheet (found here, if you're interested: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1FcCwlTsG0D4yALkymth1RsRTlsw-u848ADkBVAkSgmM/edit#gid=945975530 ).
Additionally, each unit will have a Trait. Traits are much like skills, but each is unique, and highly up to your own imagination. They may be powerful but with drawbacks, a conditional active skill, or a small passive bonus- the choice is yours. Of course, you can ask for assistance if you need it deciding one. Major non-player characters and bosses will have Traits as well.
And lastly, each Role has their own bonus they will gain automatically

Seeker of the Emblem: A free PRF weapon, with details you can discuss with me.
Keeper of the Gift: Your choice of a Gift to start with in your initial inventory: one of the Crusader's Calling, Greatforger, or Lazarus Gem.
Hunter of Mastery: +15% base growth points. +10 to base alignment.
Pursuer of the Crown: Charm skill (aoe hit/avo bonus), with upgrades over time.
Soldier of Fortune: Deal skill (price discounts), with upgrades over time.
Renegade Knight: +2 to base stat points. +15 to base wexp.
Delver of Secrets: This bonus is a secret (for real). If you pick it, I will tell you about it.
Wild Card: Talk to me.

 

So that is that! List your preferences, and have at it.

Edited January 18, 2017 by Reinfleche
fixed OP with new formatting

[scorri]

Seeker, Knight, Pursuer plox

Edited August 28, 2016 by scorri

[Nanami Touko]

Hunter, Delver, Wild Card o3o

Edited August 28, 2016 by Narmaya

[A Random Player]

Hunter, Wild Card, Pursuer

Since I'm not very good at tactical RPGs in general I thought I'd ask just in case I get accepted, how will death be handled here?

[Ether]

Seeker, Keeper, Renegade

[eclipse]

Soldier, Knight, Wild Card.

I'll do my best to figure out WTF is up with Skype.

[riariadne]

@A Random Player: Very good question I forgot to answer in the opening! 'Death' will be handled on a case-by-case basis on whatever happened in that scenario. What happens can range from minor, temporary penalties to actual permanent death. If it was rough luck like missing a high hit rate then getting hit by a lower one, or a low percent crit chance, then I'm more likely to be lenient. Small tactical errors are likely to get a medium penalty, whereas obvious errors will get larger ones, etc. Thanks for asking.

Also, I want to add that if I manage to run things smoothly, I will likely open up smaller parts in the future for anyone interested. The player party size may increase, or good scenarios for non-player characters can crop up that could be interesting to work others in for (like a merchant type or something, as an example)

Edited August 28, 2016 by Reinfleche

[Xinnidy]

Delver, Soldier, Pursuer, boss!

Edited August 28, 2016 by Xinnidy

[Oersted]

Keeper, Hunter, Wild Card

[Bluedoom]

Keeper, delver, hunter

[Percivalé]

renegade, wild card, fortune

[SB.]

Pursuer, Delver, Keeper

[A Random Player]

@A Random Player: Very good question I forgot to answer in the opening! 'Death' will be handled on a case-by-case basis on whatever happened in that scenario. What happens can range from minor, temporary penalties to actual permanent death. If it was rough luck like missing a high hit rate then getting hit by a lower one, or a low percent crit chance, then I'm more likely to be lenient. Small tactical errors are likely to get a medium penalty, whereas obvious errors will get larger ones, etc. Thanks for asking.

Also, I want to add that if I manage to run things smoothly, I will likely open up smaller parts in the future for anyone interested. The player party size may increase, or good scenarios for non-player characters can crop up that could be interesting to work others in for (like a merchant type or something, as an example)

Yeah okay, I can agree with that. Also, you're welcome

[Dandragon]

Seeker, Hunter, Renegade

are multiple weapon types a thing in this, or will each only have one weapon type?

[scorri]

Similar to Angel, you can get a skill that lets you have multiple weapon types

[Honey Bunny]

Renegade, Hunter, Wild Card.

I hope I'm not too late.

[riariadne]

Similar to Angel, you can get a skill that lets you have multiple weapon types

This is correct, I probably should have mentioned it in the opening post somewhere rather than just on skype

[Rothene]

Soldier, Renegade, Delver

[riariadne]

fsr SF didm't post this earlier. Thanks sf

Great turnout! I took some time to break down role assignment. Ultimately, I accepted 9 people returning from WW for the starting party for their continued interest. However the previous mention of possible later characters or non-player roles still stands, I just want to start out small for now so as not to get overwhelmed. If you're interested still in that, mention it here: I'll look to try and talk to you about it if an opportunity shows up as soon as I can.

This is the current breakdown of role assignment:

The Seeker: scorri

The Keeper: Marth/Magnificence
The Hunter: Melissa

The Pursuer: SB

The Soldier: eclipse

The Renegade: Via

The Delver: Xinnidy

Wild Cards: Ether and Oersted

I will put up the Skill Pool sometime soon, perhaps later tonight if possible. Have at it for the rest of you otherwise.

[Honey Bunny]

I'd love to be a part of this, the idea of playing a demi-human sounds super fun. Plus the setting seems super cool in general.

If the opportunity ever opens up I'd love to be a part of this.

[Rothene]

I'll keep observing the story thread when it comes out.

[Nanami Touko]

Name: Telmara Gran

Demographic: Female, 21? (27), Human? (Demihuman), Jotun

Birthday: May 24th

Appearance: [spoiler=Long]With red hair down to her waist, Telmara stands at an impressive five foot eight. Her eyes are sharp, and dig into anyone she stares at for too long. Her face is very angular, not at all rounded, which only accentuates her sharp glare, adding onto a pointed nose. While she may be attractive by many standards, she is incredibly intimidating at a glance. Her body, while not out of shape, does not share in the fit nature of perhaps more physically inclined people. As a mage, she has no real taught nature to any of her muscles, simply being thin, with no wide berth-- her shoulders are narrow, her waist doesn't have much width to it, and her sides form a near rectangle with her shoulders. This adds to the illusion of her height, and would probably be a turn off, if anyone could see her underneath her robes.

She typically wears robes to hide her figure, as well as to denote her position on Jotun as a teacher of anima magics. The scarlet tapestry that is her robes are lines with gold hemming, an intricate patter of a dragon displayed in silver, gliding along the back. The hood attached to it is also lined in a complicated pattern of swirls and smooth strokes, simply adding status to her attire.

Until the incident.

Now, Telmara stands eight feet at full length, her entire body extended being twelve feet, though her upper body has not changed in appearance, save for a new set of pointed, red scaled ears. Her legs have been replaced with that of a giant snake's, her face adorned with a scale pattern all across her cheeks. Her hands have been covered in scales as well, like those of a dragons-- what she would give to have been given something amazing like fire breathing out of this. Alas, they are just cruel decoration, as far as she can tell.

Trait: Lizard Skin

The perks of have a body that slithers means being able to move faster than before, while also meaning it becomes incredibly hard for anyone to pick you up or carry you. Also, just a bit magically resistant~

+1 move and +2 res, but cannot be rescued.

Alignment: ??? @ u @

Animism: 40

Light: 10

Darkness: 20

Weapon Ranks:

Magic D: [41] WEXP

Swords (hopefully) E: [21] WEXP

HP 22 (55%) 4 (20)
Str 6 (45%) 4 (30)
Mag 6 (36%) 6 (30)
Skl 1 (55%) 0 (40)
Spd 4 (40%) 3 (25)

Lck 5 (27%) 3 (10)
Def 2 (22%) 1 (10)
Res 1.66 [3.66] (21%) 1 (10)
Move 5 [6]

Background: [spoiler=Very Long]Telmara was a teacher of anima magics in Jotun. Fairly proficient with her craft, she taught classes to make a living, quietly having a peaceful life without incident. Her students listened to her due to her impressive glare, not a one challenging her or causing issue in her class. Not that they would succeed if they had challenged her, her skill with anima was top notch, definitely in the higher echelon of mages within the city.

Time flew by as King Leonard ruled from Madrigal on high. He was a just ruler, a kind ruler. He decided what was best, and the Grand Council rarely spoke against him. The age of light was a prosperous one for many, which is why Telmara's next decision confused her colleagues.

The University Animus Inventum was gathering scholars for a trek into the Grunan region. With the discovery of the demihuman seventeen years ago, many groups had struck out to find what the area had to offer in terms of magical anomaly and information. Some never returned, and those that did brought back little information regarding the phenomenon.

Telmara had... Grown listless. Life was peaceful, secure; she didn't want that. She wanted to find something more with her life. She wished to explore. To do something above anima magic; to master that, and move on towards new and interesting magicks that she had yet to discover.

She volunteered herself for the expedition, to the protests of her fellow teachers.

After weeks of cart travel and travel on foot into the hills and forests of the region, they had arrived to set up camp and explore what there was to offer in the area. Telmara wasted no time visiting what would spring up. They plotted out miles of exploration, areas with odd gravity and constantly changing elevations existed, plants would grow rapidly in others, lakes floated above lakebeds in others, as other strange and exciting existences occurred...

But the one thing Telmara had wished to find out the most, was nowhere to be found. There were no other demihumans around, and if there were, they were keeping themselves scarce. And no one could find any signs of how the change would occur. The one documented those seventeen years ago was said to have the body of a horse! Any signs of such a drastic change would definitely be apparent, no?

Many of the group began to give up. While also feeling an unpleasant sickness growing among them, they decided to call it quits. Telmara wasn't about to give up. This was where she was going to find her greatness! This was where she was going to find something to make her name known as more than just a practitioner of anima magicks! Only a few stayed behind with her. Even less remained as supplies and time dwindled on...

After two months of expedition through the region, Telmara watched as the last of the group left her, warning that they would only wait a day on the edge of the region for her to return, lest they would leave her there to her devices. Some had assumed she'd gone mad with her search, wondering what drove someone to be so possessed in their search for power.

That night, Telmara had felt ill. Perhaps it had been that sickness spreading throughout the expedition members, but either way, her sleep was rocked and rattled with visions of insane magicks, unexplainable physical anomaly; she had a vision of herself breathing fire, and transforming into a bird, then flying away. It was incredibly surreal. She never wished for that sort of nightmare again!

Alas.

The forest she had fallen asleep in was gone. All around her was a vast plain, without a single wood in sight. Her clothes were ratty and torn, old with... With age? She felt the same as when she had went to sleep, but her legs, they were so heavy... Wait...

"Where are my legs...?"

To her horror, her legs were gone. They had been replaced with a slithering mass of scales. She screamed, attempting to push herself away from it, only to find that... It was attached to her. She slowly brought her hands up to her face in horror-- to push that horror further. Her hands, they were nearly claws! scaled and a dark red, scarlet like her robe. She screamed, again, as the light of day faded away with her fainting.

Waking up again, she found her experience to be no mere hallucination. The tail remained. As did her hands. Slowly moving along, trying to control the mass of flesh, she found her way through the plains, to a small pond, looking into it. She was still the same age... As far as she could tell. Her face had not changed a day. All that was different was the same scarlet scales creeping their way onto her cheeks, triangular patterns forming and encroaching on her features.

What was she to do? Had she been cursed? What happened?

She had to get back to Jotun, of course... Maybe the mages knew something, something that could fix her, change her back!

While trying to leave the region, she ran into a small hut. There was a lantern burning inside, but upon inspection, the place was empty... And she hadn't eaten in what felt like so long. She had no choice. Entering the abode, she began to steal what food she could, devouring whatever she got her hands on; bread, cheese, vegetables. It was an odd sensation, eating so much, but when she was finally finished, she felt satisfied...

The sound of feet on grass began her newest horror, a family of demihumans barging in through the door. She recoiled back in terror, collapsing against the floor and sliding herself up to the wall, but the wolf eared folk did not look at her in anger, but in surprise, wonder and their own mix of terror.

After being questioned and explaining everything that happened, she was given some new clothes; whatever could fit her new body, and told the year.

961.

"What?"

That was impossible, surely! The expedition had only taken them a few months, not years, it... Her clothes, the vast change in terrain... Everything made no sense, but if these people were saying that this is what it was, then... Then something had to have happened. Whatever that was, she had to get back to proper civilization, speak to someone, anyone... But she was warned.

The public; humans-- the regular, every day ones... They had grown to disgust any demihumans that appeared near their cities. Even if they had managed to believe her tale, she was what she was now, and there was no getting around that. Her old status was gone, and so were her colleagues, as far as she knew.

No matter... She'd have to find the one person, or thing, that could help her solve-- The Gifts. It was the longest shot she'd ever have. But, if she couldn't find help, perhaps one of the mythical relics of the old age could help... If she, or whoever she could manage to work with, would be able to find it.

To top everything off, her magic power had diminished greatly. Whether that was just because of years of unuse, or this new body was unsupporting of such a power, she didn't know. She could conjure wind, but that was all. She could have to relearn what she could along the way. She set out for the human world, hoping to find some form of salvation.

On her way out of the region, she was stopped, and for quite a bit, by a man by the name of Regus. He'd stopped her and quickly informed her that her situation was one of the most unique he'd ever seen. He'd been in the area for five years now, studying the demihumans, befriending them and doing what he could to research everything on the subject. Obviously he'd succeeded more than her group had, so in exchange for directions in this new world, she told him everything she could... Which didn't amount to much.

Showing up in the area, falling "asleep", transforming, waking up years later... It was all new to him, and nothing he could offer would solve it. He hadn't a single clue how to reverse these magical changes, which didn't surprise her, but still hit her hard. If the apparent foremost holder of demihuman information didn't know how to change her back, who would? It mattered not... Staying there would solve nothing. She had to leave.

Edited September 4, 2016 by Narmaya

[eclipse]

Name: Kolmar Whitman

Demographic: Male, 23, Ibis, human

Birthday: December 18

Appearance: 5'6"/145 lbs, lanky shoulder-length rough-cut black hair, heavier eyebrows, small brown eyes, bulbous nose (but not big enough to be remembered), chapped lips somewhat covered by an overgrown mustache, tanned skin from being outdoors, plain beige shirt, brown leather pants, mud-crusted boots, and a scowl.

Background: Third son and fourth child out of eight, Kolmar found himself in trouble time and again. Sometimes, it was because he strayed too far from his parents, or didn't do some menial task or other, or flat-out didn't want to be a babysitter for the four kids below him. There was a world to explore, and he couldn't do it if he was shackled to Ibis' society. On his sixteenth birthday, he cleaned out what meager supplies he could find at home and set out from Ibis, in hopes of finding a place that would allow him to freely satisfy his curiosity. A band claiming to be merchants took Kolmar under their wing before he'd made it to Madrigal, and for the next four years, he learned the black arts - the whims and ways of the black market, to be exact. However, his self-serving ways came to a halt when he saw his mentor press one of his clients for money - a woman who bought medicine for her husband on the cheap. As her pained gaze met his, he saw the mother he'd left behind - and before he could think about it, he buried a dagger into his mentor's back. The woman was too far gone, but her last ragged request was for one more dose for her husband. This time, he took as much as he could carry, both for the woman's husband and for himself, slipped the medicine through a window, and left, disillusioned by the freedom he'd chosen to take. For three years, he wandered, taking whatever jobs he could. When he heard rumors of treasure in Balor, he made his way over there - it was better than his current means of existence. Maybe he could stop by Ibis and pay his family back for the stuff he'd taken, and maybe he'd stop having nightmares revolving around the screams of a dying woman.

He picked up the lance in order to hunt for his family - about the only thing he eagerly did whenever his parents asked him.

---

Weapon ranks: Lance [41]

Alignment: Light = Anima = Darkness = 20

Trait: Twice bitten - If Kolmar engages in battle with an enemy he'd fought during the previous round, he takes -3 damage. He was always better at steeling himself than dodging!

Skills: Nihil and Vantage

Stats (total (growth) [base/growth points]):

HP: 22 (70%) [4/35]
Str: 5 (40%) [3/25]
Mag: 2 (15%) [0/0]
Skl: 5 (35%) [3/20]
Spd: 5 (35%) [4/20]
Lck: 5 (27%) [3/10]
Def: 5 (29%) [4/20]
Res: 2 (33%) [1/30]

(Res is actually 1.66, but for the sake of formatting, I have it listed as 2)

Edited August 29, 2016 by eggclipse

[Ether]

Tentative signup, mostly here in order to have it here for other to reference. Will edit in character deets tomorrow when I have more time.

Name: Mikhaila Abraham
Demographic: F. 24, Human, Rathuum
Birthday: Nov 15
Appearance:

Height: 5'8"

Weight: 137 lbs

Background:

Sometimes a battle, even one that's worth fighting, will forever be a losing one. Sometimes loss is difficult to cope with, sometimes one turns to... unsavoury methods to try and play with the hand life deals them. Can't think of a more losing battle than a small family creed of exorcism, deep within the shadowy depths of Rathuum. A dirty job, but someone had to do it. Dirty, but also dangerous. Spooks and specters, from the malicious to the not so harmless prankster. In these dark lands, they were a dime a dozen, and even the most playful grew violent when they were dragged from their homes at the request of unwilling roommates.

Not that it was anything new for Mikhaila. Known only for a veteran and well-respected grandfather, and then a father who coasted on the family name, letting the darkness in his domain see a rampant growth, it fell to the third generation Abraham to right the wrongs of her father. She showed promise, talent. Her hand-written and blessed talismans exuded great might, those unwanted spirits would tremble in fright, could they do so. But it was not enough. Years, decades of disrepair... ever since her grandfather simply grew too old, too frail to pull the weeds that her father left to dig deep and prosper.

She couldn't do it alone. She needed help, but could not find it. The women wanted nothing to do with her line of work, they grew frightened or had grown complacent with the dark, already turned to witches by the place they called home... the men? Worse even still. Follow a woman's lead? Not a chance. Respect her knowledge and expertise? Less a chance even still, If she had wanted a partner greatly enough, to only still do all of the work that needed doing, whilst having to tend to a man's pride and... needs, perish the thought, then she would have sooner taken a feral dog as her apprentice. At least they might obey if given an actual piece of meat, and could sniff out more than an untaken woman.

Mikhaila had run out of options. Was she to perish in the only line of work she had ever known? Could her righteous duty no longer be accomplished due to the folly of her father? No, it couldn't end, not just yet. Shakruln held many things... artifacts, treasures. They may be tainted, but they were powerful, and she herself pure and just. She could claim them, subdue them, turn them to good, and turn good against the evils plaguing her homeland. She convinced herself of this, that could only be the truth.

How wrong she was. A tainted and powerful artifact she did find. An ancient mask, seeping with dark magics, said to be cursed. She need only exercise the accursed spirit within, take the mask as her own. Her talisman appeared to work, she could adorn herself with the mask, feel it's power course through her veins. These apparition would be nothing, were nothing in the face of her new power. All was good, and all would be good in this world. Or so she thought. A few months past her acquisition of the mask, having just vanquished a specter, Mikhaila moved to take off the mask. It would not budge. Why would it not budge, it had always budged before, yet now... stuck, set against her face. To pull at it was to pull at the skin itself, to tear it away, she would lose half of her face in the process! She could feel the ominous presence, that she had for so long ignored, so long thought she had beaten... looming over her, cackling. It had won, it had her. She could still control her body, but for how long? How little she knew of this mask which she had so foolishly adorned!

She had heard of them. The seven gifts of the dragons... perhaps they could remove this wretched mask from her, free her from it's domain. A treasure hunter, seeker of the Emblem... called for a meeting in Vespen, for those interested in the might of the gifts. Could she venture forth, now dependent on this mask for her strength, despite it taking away her life force whenever she were to call on it? She had to... what choice did Mikhaila really have, but to venture forth to Vespen, in search of the mythical Fire Emblem...

Affinity: TBD
Alignment:

Light: 25

Anima: 10

Dark: 25
Stats:

Role: Wildcard

Wildcard Bonus - Assault Talisman - Up to 3 times per map, may launch an attack at 1-2 range with their currently equipped weapon(may not follow up or trigger gauge skills, however, will contribute to gauge gain, and may trigger critical hits), this attack deals 1.4x the damage of a normal attack.

Trait - Curse of the Mask - May draw from the mask's power, sacrificing 25% of max HP to gain +3 Str, Def, and Res for 2 turns.

Bases

Base Addition Total

Growths

Base Addition Final

Weapon Rank(s)

Sword D(41)

Skills: Adept, Nihil

Edited August 30, 2016 by Ether

[A Random Player]

Eh well, I suppose you can't win them all. Can't say I'm happy with you opening signups for everyone only to accept people from the previous RP, but okay.

I'm still interested if you ever need an extra player or anything else though.