The Frozen Skies of DalmandThis is a mystery, survival rp in which characters act as
they wish according to each scenario, though expect consequences for actions.
Combat is fast-paced and is often likely to be quick and deadly, such as
getting riddled with bullets or smashed by falling rocks. Character death is
possible, but will only happen based on character decisions such as leaping off
cliffs, charging riflemen with a knife, etc. No situation is designed to be a
death trap, but can become dangerous due to character reactions, decisions and
note that as the story progresses and your characters grow in capability, so
will the dangers they face. IC posts should be at least a paragraph and contain
information needed to react to the event if there is one, regard Prisma's
guide for information on this if you are new to rp.
For examples of character sheets:
Major Cities:
Lorianne- Birthplace of philosophers and enlightened
thinking, Lorianne made much of its wealth due to its control of large spans of
the coastline and contains the most powerful and decadent nobility.
Wulfrane- Traditional and stubborn, the nobles of
Wulfrane are few, and their powers fewer compared to their king's. Wulfrane is
highly landlocked, technologically behind and experiences the coldest winters.
Haibelstaf- Militant and volatile, Haibelstaf only
recently gained a group of sufficiently powerful merchant lords and criminal
syndicate heads to control the laws of the city, creating a very clear
distinction between the few who have money and the rest struggling not to
starve in the streets.
BackgroundThe year is 467, a year based on a calender which began
after an event no one remembers. No one could tell you much about this event,
or why the sky ceased to have clouds so long ago. Perhaps a few remember, or
found out, but decided to keep silent. But the world moved on. History is now
far more focused on the great unification of the lands into three great
monarchies: Lorianne, Wulfrane, and Haibelstaf, with the odd republic stubbornly
cruising along in some corner no ruler particularly cared about. While
practically the same language is spoken in every land dialects differ greatly
and accents even more so. Due to the recent unification and later rise in
popularity of Yarmal- a single religion previously plagued by subsects- in all
territories but Wulfrane, a spirit of curiosity and philosophy took the lands.
While it is enough to distract much of the population, many old generals and
rulers still remember all too clearly the violence of four hundred years worth
of hostilities which took place in the Great Central War- a three sided effort
by each kingdom to wrest control of the central area purely for their use, as
it contained the most fertile lands. The conflict would have drug on for far
longer had the tides of public opinion not changed, and the central land
boundaries were left greatly unaffected. While leaders throughout the decades
keep this in mind, much of the citizenry has been more keen to accept an end to
constant warfare, following the writings of pro-peace philosophers, many of
whom were part of or later joined the Magister's Guild. Following these events,
the shift in focus from traditional war to higher technology caused science to
reach a golden age. While the philosophers already cheer victory after long
years of effort, not all of it has been peaceful. Powders have been invented to
ignite and combust, taken from a newly discovered substance called Olradite,
named after the rising star Vincent Olran in the Magisters Guild, the leading
organization of scientists. New effective bolt action rifles, small combustion
engines and limited electricity are but a few wonders brought about by these
events but the grandest yet was also wrought by Olran's group. An international
franchise of sorts resulted from the completion of his work: an expedition past
the known world as humanity's curiosity is at its height.
And the most
astounding part?
You are invited.
A call has gone out to bodyguards, adventurers, hunters,
lords, engineers and scientists. Anyone at the height of their craft who can
contribute to the great expedition of the Sleipnir, a marvelous ship who is
said to have the capability to brave not only the tumultuous seas but through
the very air, and go beyond the jagged rocks and reefs which restrict the
coast. It is moored at the furthest outpost of Lorianne, the country who had
the questionable fortune of having Cynthia Morgraime as a citizen and major
funder of the project. How you enter into this journey, is up to you.
The Sleipnir The Sleipnir is a massive craft with a hull based on
warships to allow landing in rough areas and floatation in the ocean. Two side
decks span off from either side which contain two large glass domes which house
the mechanisms that grant the Sleipnir flight: Two graviton cores based off
constant rotating axis. The cores free the sections from the effects of
gravity, allowing several large weights on rails below deck to shift the craft
in any direction before locking the axis in place, shifting the gravitational
force in a fixed location, thereby pulling the ship along through the air.
Characters AboardAlexander Farthem- A master pilot of every machine meant to
move man more than two feet, his curiosity and natural skill bringing him
through the ranks of the navy and several scientific societies with ease. After
a year of retirement he was contacted to pilot the Sleipnir, and has shown
equally remarkable results. He is said to be of a charismatic and friendly
demeanor, with no small amount of dry humor.
Vincent Olran- A head scientist and rising star in the
Magister's guild, Olran headed the project to build the Sleipnir, discovering
the technologies necessary for its operation along the way.
Admiral Dolan- The current head of the navy, prestigious,
though due to the restricted nature of the seas dominance was quickly decided,
thus making his opportunity for glorious victory was short. The fact is not
often reminded to him as he is especially hot-headed about that issue and known
to have quite the temper.
Cynthia Morgraime- One of the world's most renown nobles,
though her roots lie in a humble household of a mere baker at birth. Cynthia
bought her title with the mountains of gold and the rivers of blood in the wake
of her determined rise to status, and is known for all these things as well as
her keen sense of adventure and thirst for challenge, which brought her to fund
much of this venture on the stipulation that she come aboard as well.
Character CreationYou all stand at a crossroads. A fact little known, and
jealously kept. Will the world burn, in exchange for hope? Will it stagnate, to
secure some scrap of life we can salvage? Will its final pieces be consumed in
the roiling waves of hatred, vice, and war? Will you stand and judge, or to be
judged? Or will you find some deeply hidden future I cannot foresee? Will even
it be a heaven or hell, or can we simply not know?
I ask you these questions now because you need to know. You
need to remember, but for now, enjoy your lives, for you have time left.
Precious time left.
If you are not making an evil character, skip ahead.
- Spoiler:
Your alignment is different: Law versus Chaos 1-10, 1 being
maximum orientation to Law and order, 10 being maximum orientation to Chaos and mayhem.
You don't have tricks of the trade, you have:
Cards up your sleeve Note- When you want these
to affect an outcome, make sure somewhere in the post before the action you say that you are using it, as you can use each "card" you have only two
times a day.
Choose two-
Misguiding: Easily redirect attention of the cause of an
effect to a target other than yourself.
As a Shadow: You are almost completely concealed from sight
by simply walking into a shadow in the room.
Mastermind: Increases your effectiveness in
using/recruiting/fooling npc's into performing your will, decreases the chances
that they will cop out part way.
As the Politicians Do: You are incredibly charming and
charismatic in conversation, halves any negatives you have due to alignment,
past events, etc.
Serpent's Tongue: You are an incredibly believable and good
liar.
Nothing Up My Sleeves..: You only have this card, gain
combat proficiency for weapons using cards lost instead of weapons: i.e.-
Taking this with three weapons makes your proficiency with each the same as if
you were only using a single weapon, since you lost 2 cards taking this.
Evil characters start with 2 cards but can never gain more and never learn Tricks of the Trade.
Instead of a background you have a plan:
Plan: (Whatever your overall goal is, whether it is to find
out secrets, ultimately take over a faction, personal vendettas,
etc.)
One more question before you go stranger. Who are you?
Your name is:
FactionYou awake to the new day in the...
Docks - Spoiler:
You get up quickly, knowing full well that daylight
is already burning. You are..
A mechanic, long days of precise work fill your time and
your pride as one of the many workers who upkeep and helped build the airship.
You need no ticket or invitation aboard, you simply get your tool bag and set
off to be one of the first ones aboard, after all take off is planned for
today.
A Soldier, with a duty to uphold order even as the
expedition leaves society behind. You are armed with the sabre you've had as
long as you have been in the military and new pistol courtesy of the Magister's
Guild. You slip off your bunk and gear up before getting ready to attend your
post aboard the ship.
Slums
- Spoiler:
You yawn and stretch for a moment before getting up
off what may be some of the most comfortable bedding in the entire district, as
it is actually a basic mattress. In fact, everything in the room is quite
basic, as it was prepared for you, and prepared to be temporary, to last until
this day. The sealed invitation in your hand was also carefully prepared, and
will have its use outlived shortly as well. You sincerely hope the same cannot
be said for you. Working with some of the biggest crime lords in the city, you
have been chosen and promised both great riches for success and great peril for
failure in your task. And your task is simple, board the airship and when it
returns be carrying enough stolen valuables from the nobles aboard to satisfy
your debts and your greed.
City Limits- Spoiler:
You are jolted conscious by the wheels of the
station wagon thundering across the wall's gates and immediately check to make
sure you have everything ready. The expedition is of international importance,
and cooperation. That is why you are arriving, and just in time due to the
harsh winds. You practice the local tongue a few last times before meeting the
other ambassadors who will be joining the trip as well, or will you be the only
one to make it? Not that it matters, what matters is that you keep a close eye
and detailed reports for the homeland.
Magister's guild- Spoiler:
After a long nights sleep having so many frantic,
exciting and revolutionary nights before, you feel refreshed and ready to enjoy
the spoils of your hard work. Though you feel you can only claim a small
portion of the credit for the marvels Olran conceived, your excitement and
pride to witness the fruits of your labor at work on the expedition cannot be
dampened. With everyone who worked on the graviton project invited aboard, you
gather what you wish to bring and begin to make your way down to the
dockyard.
LoyaltyYou remember your loyalties lie with...
- Spoiler:
Note that loyalties can change over the course of
the rp, but some are required or restricted at the start with depending on your
situation.
No one but yourself
The Military- Necessary for soldiers, cannot be a thief.
The Magister's Guild- Necessary for those in the guild,
restricted to those in the military, the guild, or an ambassador (the guild is
an international organization).
The Criminal SyndicateA specific person- Olran, Dolan, etc.
Skills/Traits Body and Mind:Please note that these are used most often as checks for reactions to situations, these are here ONLY for me to refer to in specific situations, there is no need to refer to other character's sheets when you are interacting with them.
Place 12 points, scaled 1-5 (maxing out isn't a necessary as you may think, you may put 0 points in if you choose.)
Tactics-(Mental capacity for quick thought and adjustments
to keep one step ahead)
Reflexes-(Natural reactions to attacks, instincts warning of
danger, and how well you hold steady, aim, and switch targets quickly.)
Strength-(How hard you hit in melee, how much weight you can
move, etc.)
Stamina-(How tough you are, whether a blow means you crouch
in pain or shrug in indifference)
Agility- (How fast you move, how lithe your limbs are, and
can substitute stamina for actions such as prolonged running)
Perception-(Your capability to examine and derive
conclusions from your surroundings and find clues in relation to what is
happening)
Training- (How good you are with skills such as first aid,
engineering, powder mixing, etc. This is more important to characters whose professions or expertise if pivotal to their character.)
Weapons The more weapons you have the less skill you have
wielding them, the less weapons you have the greater finesse you obtain.Cutlass
Rapier
Pistol
Rifle
Dagger(s)-up to four (six if throwing knives) without
counting as multiple weapons
Bombs
-Contact me if you wish to wield alternate weapons you feel
fit.
PersonalityPlace 15 points, scaled 1-10.Once again, please note that these are used most often as checks for reactions to situations, you will know (even without basing it off this) how your character would act and how cunning, conversationalist, etc. they are. These are here ONLY for me to refer to in specific situations, there is no need to refer to other character's sheets when you are interacting with them.
Cunning-(Decides how well you conceal your intentions and
identity)
Conversation-(Makes you more approachable and easier to open
others into conversation)
Suspicions-(Decides how easily you can see through deceit)
Intimidation(How well you can coerce others or generally be scary)
Morality:1-10 scale, 1 having a cold-hearted alignment, 5 being
neutral or normal, 10 being benevolent.
Your alignment determines how easily you can commit
atrocities or benevolent actions, immoral people have a hard time understanding
mercy while moral people hesitate before brutality.
Tricks of the TradeThese are abilities somewhat specific to the character that
gains them, as opposed to the preset tricks of the trade, they are skills learned through trials and are gained at points in
the rp when your character has progressed. Doing things like
clever/exceptional/etc. actions and reactions naturally progress your
character.
Biography:
Background: Are you a star-eyed adventurer? A king's man or
a republican?
A man or woman just earning another day's wage? Or is your
past entirely different?
Age:
Appearance: