New Fantasy RPG - profile thread

[Jessimyre]

Hey all, wanted to have a stab at this one, to see how the story went with a group of us sharing ideas through RPG. Who wants in?

RPG rules:
1) Please post your character profile and wait for approval before posting in the story thread.
2) This is a writing forum so please take some care with spelling, grammar and punctuation etc.
3) Please post to keep the RP moving... rather than just posting a dead-end one or two lines, think about how your character and your writing might give other players clues on how they are feeling and what they can see or sense around them. Think about posting something that gives avenues and ideas to other posters.
4) No god-modding - NO CHARACTER CAN BE PERFECT just like none of us can be. Think about how your character can suffer defeats or make embarrassing mistakes rather than being perfectly poised and winning every confrontation.
5) Write well and offer to help others out if they ask for it or seem to be struggling.
6) Write a real character, try for a character that has both faults and virtues and is believable.

RPG The land
Our story is set in the land of Eatha, a fairly large country that is for the most part quite dry and arid although there is plenty of land in the country's southern end that receives more rainfal and is greener. In summer it is quite warm, stifling in the desert and winter brings much needed rain along with storms and often snowfall in the deep south.

There is outer Eatha, a narrow strip of land running between the Coast and the rough and rugged hills which has the main Road and a few towns that thrive on trade and fishing. The Road goes from one end of the continent to the other, through a couple of different kingdoms of which Eatha is the furthest, largest and hardest country.

Then there is Inner Eatha (or the Inside as it is often called) which is several thousand miles across. Inner Eatha has the desert in its centre, hot dry country to its north and cool, greener country to the south. There is a lot of wild, uninhabited country including a vast and uncrossable mountain range running from the East, to the far South of the country which is the border of the country and separates Eatha from the rest of the world. Ocean surrounds Eatha to the West and Northern points of the compass.

Eatha is not ruled by any single person or government. There are Holds, fortresses ruled by the Holdlords and their families, each ruling a couple of towns and villages and some land. Some are cruel, hard Holdlords that often send their soldiers (known as the Harthing) to raid others and take over more than one Hold, and some are kind and considerate - defending their people against raiders and bandits and ruling fairly.

The main methods of travel are on horseback, oxen cart, walking or by ship. The land is considered almost backward and barbaric by the rest of the world.

There are two conflicting Priesthoods, one being the Shifta - the Black Priests whom worship the God of War Kannan and four minor gods under him. They are characteristically selfish, self serving and those higher up in each temple do not get along with other priests of their level. They demand dues from the people and the Holds in terms of sacrificial animals that must be delivered live, and most common Eathans fear them because they have Power. Their Great Temple and base city is Ethordunn at the base of Kannaneia Mountain in the far West of the country. Shifta believe they are Gods on Earth, sons and daughters of the Gods themselves sent to Eatha to walk amongst common humans. They are taught from childhood that they cannot be killed by common Eathans or Annui and are taught they are above all other life.

There is also the Annui, the old protectors of Eatha, they work with (although some don't actively worship) Eatha itself in Goddess form, Mother Earth. The Annui are mostly legend and fable to the common Eathans as their numbers have dwindled over the centuries due to few children, and being wiped out by the more powerful Shifta Priests. They are characteristically the 'good' force and brought up with strict codes of conduct and morals. Their base city is Eathanion, which is in the far south. They do not have a temple but have the Centre, which consists of comfortable living quarters for individuals and families, great libraries and rooms of learning, kitchens, stables, dormitories, the Nattery (otherwise known as the Great Hall) etc. They are goverened by the Annui Council of elders. Annui are taught to work in harmony with the earth and to never take more than they need, and to give back what is taken and to protect the people.

The PLOTLINE
The Shifta are strengthening their rule on the holds and towns, they have been mining the mountain at's base their Great Temple is built, surrounded by their city and have seem to have put together an army of their own known as Templers. They are using subtle means of gaining control by infiltrating ruling Hold Families and strengthening the common Eathan's fear of them with their Power. Rumour has it, they have a single leader, a Prince that is welding them together and forcing the Priests to work together which was unheard of before now.

The Annui are losing their people and are finding it impossible to get intelligence of what the Shifta are up to. Many Eathans regard them with suspicion and most don't even believe they exist any more, thinking them nothing but old stories as Annui have learned to disguise themselves as not to attract attention from the ever-growing threat of the Shifta...

Our story begins with the Shifta snatching any common Eathan that seems to have even the smallest spark of Power, causing even more fear among the people. The Council send word to all remaining Annui to return home.

How the Power works
Whether your character is Annui or Shifta, Power comes from the self. Using it drains energy and if you run out of energy, it takes your life force. Stupidity and extreme over use can result in death of that user. The Power is a great gift and demands discipline, training and strength to use it well. These can only come with many years of hard work. The weakest, untrained mind with Power can catch people's mood, read their uppermost feelings and have that extra 'sense' that warns them of anyone nearby. The strongest after many years of hard work could kill with a thought, hold another's mind to make them do their bidding and can draw Power from another person for their own use.

Annui and Shifta are separated only by their morals and beliefs. Those with Power can create a mental map, sensing all living things around them - the radius increases with strength and level of training for the user. They can also speak mind to mind, and can learn to shield their minds and themselves to avoid Power-related detection. They can also Shade themselves or another to give them an illusion to make them appear as anything they wish. Shading and Shielding consumes a lot of power and is exceptionally draining.

Annui and Shifta can also sense the death of a member of their belief immediately it happens. Not the circumstances surrounding the death unless they are exceptionall Adept but the death itself would resound around their minds.

Character Choices
You can choose to be Shifta, Annui, common Eathan or a Hold-family member. You could be warrior, thief, priest, healer, Shifta slave, farmer's son, Holdlord's daughter, horsedealer, fisherman, miner, merchant, courtesan, soldier, mercenary etc etc... it is up to you, use your imagination and lets see where the story goes!

[Jessimyre]

My Character:

Name: Kathlynne Thesslocc
Age: 24
Gender: female
Appearance: Kathlynne is no great beauty, but is an attractive woman. She has waist-length auburn hair that she usually wears in a long plait to keep it out of the way although wears it in long curled tresses at formal gatherings or celebrations. She is of average height, slender in build with a flash in her eyes that speaks of confidence and mischief.
Alignment: Annui
Personality: Kathlynne is an intelligent, independant woman. She has a streak of mischief a mile wide and has problems with authority. She has a strong code of personal morals however doesn't always follow orders or laws, she does what she feels needs to be done. She has a very hard time keeping her comments to herself and tends to often get into trouble for speaking her mind or arguing with others. She is chatty and quick witted, as quick to laugh as she is to get into a temper.
Background: Kathlynne was born into an Annui family at the Centre. She did not often see her Annui father as he spent a great deal of time wandering the world as Annui often do. Her Eathan mother remained at the Centre to care for her however when her mother died giving birth to her brother, both hers and her brother's care reverted to the Annui at the Centre. Her brother six years her junior had no powers however she loved and watched over him, often her version of looking out for him got her into trouble. When she finished her studies, Kathlynne left the Centre, glad at last to be free from the strict rules and codes of conduct set down by the Council.

Kathlynne has been travelling for the past 3 years and learning what she could about healing, living off the land, swordplay, shooting and about the Shifta. She is searching for her father whom vanished when her mother died and she knows he must be alive as no Annui have felt his death. Kathlynne travels with a under the guise of a healer, a vocation suitable for a woman, and therefore allays suspicion to her true identity.

[Renos Babe]

Name: Regina Samantha Andrea Payne
Age: 20
Gender: female
Appearance:
Alignment: Annui
Personality: Regina’s from a poor family she has long unkempt black hair that ends just above her but. Her out fit consists of mostly rags due to her profession. She has scars over her back and is often found with a black eye.

Background: Regina was only 3 when her parents we’re brutally attacked, tortured, mutilated and finally killed by the shifta, when it came to her turn she prayed for death but they had a better idea, and took her as one of there slaves.

Regina couldn’t fight the shifta as she was bound and dragged away, so she stayed quiet out of fear so that they would not try and hurt her anymore, in the childish hope that one day she would manage to get free.

By the age of 7 she had become very popular among the other shifta slaves, as she would often out of her family pride stand up for them, even if it meant lashings. Because of this, a lot of the elder slaves would take good care of her making sure that she never bled to death from any injuries given by the shifta.

By her 16th birthday everything had changed, her master found a new use for her on top of her other chores, this only caused her to hate them more than she already did.

[Jessimyre]

Sounds great, join in the story thread

[Aurasheild]

I'll join too, but I'm busy right now, so I'll do my profile tonight. Is that okay?

[SoNickSays...]

Name: Nekuan Lorechaia

Age: 29

Gender: Male

Appearance: Nekuan would be considered by many a handsome man, and he is able to use this very well. He has fairly long black hair, but he never lets it go passed the bottom of his earlobe. He has fair skin due to remedies created at the Temple, but does not look soft. He is rather tall, with an average build, meaning he is not weak-looking nor is he intimidating. He will normally be seen in the Temple Robes, due to his fairly high position.
Alignment: Shifta

Power: Nekuan’s power was originally quite low, with average potential, but after forcing some of Shifta’s greatest Mentors to push him to his limit, it has increased his forh to a radius of approximately 5 miles with great concentration. The problem with Nekuan’s increase in power is that he will not keep a single Mentor, as he does not like someone being ahead of him. He usually fires a Mentor after a couple of weeks, for being ‘untalented and unable to teach’.

Personality: Like most high-positioned Shiftas, Nekuan is big-headed and cares little for others. Because he is in a high position, he sees those lower than him in and out of the Temple as ‘unworthy’ of their positions and even sometimes their lives, and claims that the only reason they have not been striked down is because of their life decision with the Shiftas. He is arrogant, but plans out his decisions very well. Nekuan believes everything he does is for good, and believes that the Gods want their worshippers (especially the Chieftan in War) to treat those lower like a king would treat a peasant (or similar...)

Background: Nekuan has never had a sad story to tell. Ever since he was little, being born into a family almost considered ‘royalty’ in his small village Temple, he was always waited on hand and foot. His father would train him and push him as hard as he could go, but the young Nekuan liked it. Any sign of weakness Nekuan would spot he would exploit as a child, and eventually exploited a traitor within the Temple itself, promising him a place in the Temple when he leaves his youth.

At the age of 19, Nekuan’s father – Sheyr – died of an unknown illness. Nekuan did not grief, but instead rose to his father’s position of Colonel in the Eartha-Shifta Army, and after exceptional work, he was promoted to Marshal, and at the age of 27 Chief Marshal, making him the youngest Chief Marshal in Shifta history. At the time of his last promotion, he caused a big commotion within the Shifta community, as people claimed he was ‘too young’, but when the Shifta Army took control of a large Annui city under Nekuan’s control, the commotion died down. He was moved from his small village Temple to the Capital Temple. He is now ‘ranked’ 12th in the official Shifta Empire, and is regarded very highly of. His fame and fortune has only increased his selfishness and disregard for others.

At the age of 29, he has been Chief Marshal for 2 years, and all his victories and thought-out plans have made him one of the greatest War Generals in all of Shafta History.


Is this OK? I wanted to make a different kind of character, one very... villanous, but one that believes he is doing the right thing. Is it OK to be Chief Marshal? It doesn't invoke GodModding, as his power is only very average.

It seems like a great RPG, and reminds me of a book I read a while back (Age of The Five Trilogy, when I was interested in Fantasy)

Nick

[Aurasheild]

Name: Aryn Hart

Age: 27

Gender: Female

Appearance: Aryn is what one would call beautiful. She has a very slim and feminine figure. Aryn might be only average in height, but her eyes are devastating when they make eye-contact which they usually do. She styles short brown hair, that changes it's style whatever her mood. Aryn uses her figure to get what she wants, usually dressing in unique styles.

Alignment: Shifta

Personality: Aryn is one of those women that seek power. Her beauty and brains combo is a deadly weapon, one that she uses at every moment in time. Aryn worships the minor god 'Kitas'. A female god whose attributes suit Aryn to the ground, like most she believes she is a daughter of this god. Aryn has a view that women are by far more deadly then any man could become. This is partly because she faced so many oppression from males through her life so far. She sees women as a threat to her position and men as toys in her battle field.

Background: Aryn was never supposed to be who she is today, her father saw her as nothing more then a wife of some man in the local village some day. Her mother saw much much more potential within the girl at a very young age. Her mother hired many a mentor for the young girl, training her in both medical and weaponary practices. While making sure that Aryn's femimine body was not ruined by scars and cuts. Her father objected to her training but he gave in seeing as they had tried 4 years for a son and eventually got Aryn.

When she reached 18, her father gave her the command of a small group of soldiers. All where male, and chosen by her. Using her father's place in the Shifta community, she was able to highlight her role in taking villages and towns. And eventually rose in rank, her father retired from his position and a proud son of another family was given his title. Outraged, Aryn and her group left Shifta land, and began to make a name for it's self, because of the impact she had on the land and the Shifta plans, the leaders chose to grant her the rightful title of her previous father. Making one of the most important women in Shifta history. She commands a still all male army, and refused to noticed any other women as pretty and values them as lower then life, famous for torturing Annui woman to the point of death before capture.

"Is this okay?"

[Damien.]

I wish I had enough concentration to do this, but I don't. It sounds fun, though, if time consuming.

I like muffins. Can I be a blueberry muffin that gets consumed?

[Jessimyre]

Aurashield & SoNickSays - both look like great characters.

The extra sense can be extended a few miles with concentration, the strongest could reach their senses up to 20 miles or so at the most. That particular use of power, sensing around yourself is called 'forh'.

I like the idea of Shifta characters, could be a very fun RPG with baddies having a go... just remember first and foremost, they are a Priesthood.

Join the RPG!

If anyone else wants in, I am happy for a couple more characters to join us although would like to keep the balance of Annui/Shifta active RPG'ers even if possible.

[Damien.]

I'm serious about the wanting to be a muffin, although I wouldn't mind settling for being another dessert this world might have.

[Aurasheild]

Hope it's okay that I had Aryn kill Christian. It gave me a start into the R.P.G. I'll edit if you want me to.

[Gabriel Gray]

Name: Harym Dermstrurt
Age: 34

Gender: Male

Appearance: Just over six foot tall, Harym's wide shoulders are tattoo'd with purple rings that symbolise his loyalty to the Shifta. He has no other tattoos, but has two spiked piercings through each side of his nose - a common tradition amongst sailors. He has a shaved head and three identical scars covering his chest. He wears only the double thorned ring of Shifta on his right index finger to symbolise his rank.

Power: Non existant

Personality: A complex person, not exactly a saint but he does have a somewhat weakness for the fairer sex. Would slit the throat of a thieving merchant or traitoress employee, yet would refuse to kill even the most dangerous of female assasians. Enjoys the benefits of belonging to the Shafta, sometimes wishes someone would rid the world of the priests - both shafta and Annui.

Background: Travelled the world working cleaning the deck for his fathers ship. His father died during an encounter with sea-bandits, in which rogue priests intervened- unfortunately what resulted was the death of not just the bandits, but also of his fathers crew.

He was taken under the wing of the Shafta priests and eventually got high enough in the ranks to become a warship captain.


Totally wrong or?

[SoNickSays...]

Originally Posted by Gabriel Gray

Power: Above powerful with the power, yet extremely undisciplined. Denying his powers extents lead to him being allowed to live a life at sea, much like the life of his father. He has managed to alter the power of the winds and at rare occasions, lightening. When calm he seems unable to weild the power at will, yet when faced with his ship being damaged - the power comes through in time.

I thought the only powers were telepathy?

Nick

[Gabriel Gray]

Shit, really? Kinda skipped that bit lol. Well i haven't used any powers so far, by telepathy what does that entail? being able to move items via mind? Surely the wind is technically a type of item o.o my telepathic thoughts pushing the waves and such? clarification would be nice if this threads active.

edit - fuck it, he'll just be a normal joe who worships/supports the shafta - normal people are allowed right?

[Jessimyre]

Gabriel, you can be a normal Eathan if you want.

Powers can do a lot, you can create illusions, you can make fire, throw firebolts, read minds if you're really good and all can read emotions unless the person is heavily shielded. Power is telepathy based so no magic wands etc, all comes from the mind. You can forh (sense all around you), you can shade yourself (make yourself look like another person or even a creature) harness lightning, mind-hold somebody to make them do whatever you want, you can also Bind them which renders them unable to move at all but this is a very very hard thing to do, etc but the more intricate the thing you do, the more power it uses and the more you drain your energy. Using power can wear you out REAL fast if you're not careful about what you're doing.

Aurashield, great that works well into the storyline LOL

Everyone please check details... it is Shifta (not Shafta) and Christin not Christian