New RP, resurrected from the Old: Comments and suggestions.
 

After licking my wounds from the previous attempt at creating a rp, I have decided to resurrect a portion of it and add it to a new rp.
The only thing is that I’m recruiting only 5 loyal rpers this time (a big cut-down)
If you wish to sign up after reading my double posts and whatnot, please PM me with your character profile and a sample of your descriptive rp. It’s not first-come, first-serve, rather, who I reckon is suitable.

Apart from the normal rules to an ordinary rp (correct use of punctuation unless it’s a name, more than 3 sentences per post unless you can come up with a really good excuse to why you are only making a short post) there is perhaps a rather new (and very harsh but fair) rule.
Those that have signed up but haven’t posted within 3 days of their previous post will be PMed by me. If you don’t reply to my PM within 2 more days with a suitable excuse for your absence in the rp you will be kicked out and the position open for any latecomers. Excuses may range from the “Sorry, I forgot. It won’t happen again,” to the more serious “My wife died.” Warnings of absence prior to the actual period of not-being-here will be very happily accepted, and will give us ample time to make something up in your time away (“I’m going on holidays for a week or something”).
If you wish to leave the rp, please give me ample warning and try to wrap things up in your last post. If you don’t want to do that, I’ll wrap your character up for you, and the position will be open for another player.
Also, it would be best if we followed a teeny rule about posting once after every time I post, so it would be good if you could make your post worthwhile.

And without further ado, I will now introduce to you all, the set-up and a bit of background history for the rp. If you have suggestions to improve the rp, feel free to comment (D&D, FF and MTG style suggestions are welcome, though I may not understand them… so you have to explain a bit in detail)

Three worlds, separated by a thin that physically and spiritually prevented them from mixing, existed peacefully in parallel with each other. Power is balanced, peace reigns supreme, save for the smallest disputes within their worlds.
But the peace did not last. The three planes were suddenly caught in ethereal storms of phenomenal strength, tearing and battering at their very fabric of existence, and leaving them bruised and wounded. Chaos reigned, and war broke out within each plane, further shattering the delicate balance that had existed between the planes, slowly but surely breaching the wall that held them apart for so long.
Each plane began to ‘bleed’ into one another. Where one plane joined another, mass chaos ensued. Foreign races from each plane clashed and did war until; at last, the three existing planes could stand it no longer. They collapsed, with the help of imbalance of good and evil and chaos and balance, and combined into one massive plane of existence.

It was a holocaust of all races. The new world groaned as it tried to right itself in any way possible. Races were destroyed and races were created. Those that survived remembered the days of fear and destruction as “The Melding”, passing the feared history down in written texts, or by word. A time where absolute chaos reigned for 400 years. Sufficient time to destroy the old and begin the new. And it was in the aftermath of these years that four dominant races of beings arose from their wrecked past.

Setting aside most of their differences, four races: the Humans, the Shapeshifters, the Anthromorphs and the Polypedals created the new era, the era of Catharsis: the purged world.
United, the four races set about bringing a peace of sorts into the battered new world, quelling disputes and even ending age-long family feuds. Soon, those under the reign of the Council of Twelve (three members from each race to govern their increasing territory) began to settle and resume a more peace-filled life. Merchants began trading. New ideas were circulated. Religion rose. It was a golden age; when culture blossomed.

But the Council of Twelve were wary, due to the past. They prepared themselves even when peace ascended within the world. They set about recruiting pockets of beings as soldiers, training them in the arts of fighting that were commonly used during the Melding. The small pockets of soldiers, called ‘packs’, when united, would create an army of phenomenal size and force. Clearly, even the people of Catharsis did not wish for a change that will upset their delicate peace.
(Continued)

Continued from previous post

It is at this time, the peak of their reign, when things started going wrong, signifying the end to their peaceful reign. Something was about to happen, and the Council of Twelve knew that the Golden Age was over.

It began with just sightings. Flitting shadows of bizarre beings that glided into the darkness. There was no real threat in their presence. In fact, they merely seemed to be content to watch as the beings went about their daily lives.
But then they took a nasty turn.
A sinister force is growing, feeding off the darkness that is shut off from most races. It gathers itself in the manifestation of the rejects; the shadows and the beasts that were moulded from it. It is gathering them, giving them a will of madness. Towns were engulfed and slain with the creeping darkness. Creatures, distorted and corrupted in the ways that can only be described as evil, emerged in terrific numbers and swallowed the land before them. It engulfed the land and isolated the larger civilizations, denying them access and trade between each other.

It is at this turn of the era when you come in. Invited to a special gathering set by the Council of Twelve, you are waiting to find out just what it is that they have in mind.
You’re fate-lines are all entwined. Your destiny starts here. And this corny background history ends here.

Races are as set:
The four major races:

Humans – beings that walk on two feet. Jack-of-the-trade, humans excel in anything, but aren’t masters of anything, although they tend to specialize in one type of art or another. Known for their short life span, and their even shorter attention span, humans were decimated during the Melding, but made a huge comeback due to their rapid breeding. Humans are also the only known race that interbreeds with other races, creating fertile hybrids that display both races’ characteristics. Although humans can also perform magic, they excel best at technology, due to their natural curiosity of the world around them. However, the farthest they have gotten in technology is the cannon.

Shapeshifters – special beings that were created at the time of the Melding. Being a race shaped from chaos, shapeshifters easily made it to the top during the 400 years of chaos. Shapeshifter age varies upon the various forms they take. One thing is known, however, that they cannot stay in one form for longer than a month, though this is easily remedied by just changing colour or even the slightest of shape size/length/limbs. Shapeshifters are backward in both technology and magic, but take the advantage of gaining whatever physical/mental talents when assuming the desired shape and characteristics of a particular race, while retaining their own consciousness and sense of self. Shapeshifters, when creative enough, may also shift into beings that has never graced the face of Catharsis. However, most that have tried ended up dying (MOST. Doesn’t mean all, so there have been some success at least ~_^)

Anthromorphs – beings that are not quite human. With most of their characteristics in the physical shape of humans, Anthromorphs exhibit also some of the physical and heightened senses of a beast. With slightly the longer lifespan to that of a human, (that means that if you are a dragon anthromorph, you share about the same lifespan to that of a mouse anthromorph) Anthromorphs come in all shapes and sizes, some more beast than human, and some more human than beast. Natural survivors of the Melding, Anthromorphs are naturals in fighting techniques and have developed strong defensive spells. However, they seem to fail miserably in producing anything more powerful than a fireball in offensive magic. They are extremely primitive when it comes to technology, and most of them live a type of nomadic life. Anthromorphs possess the innate ability to shift between a ‘feral’ (complete animal) shape and their ‘human’ shape (normal anthromorph state).

Polypedal – perhaps the most varying race of beings of the four. Polypedals include any sufficiently intelligent being with more or less than the usual two arms and two legs and perhaps a pair of wings. The race of Naga is also included. Upper torso of a human, and lower in that of an animal. The longest lifespan of the four major races listed is probably due to their innate ability to tamper with magic and the elements of Catharsis. They are also very primitive in technology, but they are the mages, the sorceresses, the alchemists, and all things magical. They are the only beings that excel in all types of magic save for the darkness, which had been mysteriously locked from them. They are also the only race with an abnormally large amount of accessible inner mana.

Continued

Continued from previous post

The minor races:
Draconians – serpents with sufficient intelligence to communicate and deal with the four larger races. This race includes beings from the normal dragon to the great wyverns under the earth. They are naturally resistant to most offensive and defensive magic, and are known for their fiery temper if they are ever disturbed. Draconians are naturals at fire magic

Aquarians – a varying race of the water. Aquarians range from the merfolk to intelligent sea horses. A secluded race, Aquarians trade with the land folk for rare stones such as obsidian and other such gems that have to be mined from the earth by the humans. Not much is known about the Aquarians, and they aren’t known to live much among the earth-bound. However, they can take on the shape of humans or land-animals when they wish to intermingle in their midst. Aquarians excel at water magic, and, due to their temperament, hate fire.

Avians – any intelligent being that is feathered and can become airborne fits into this category. Feathered dragons are also included. Beings of the sky, Avians excel at air magic and possess the innate ability of telekinesis. Races included in Avians are intelligent Gryphons and their relatives, hippogriffs, Phoenixes and more.

Shades – survivors of the cataclysmic melding… or, at least, the shadows of what remained of the ‘survivors’. Passive creatures, shades are very uninterested with anything of the physical world. They can’t attack, and vice versa. Ghosts of the past, reminders of the shattered world that was before, shades are a goldmine of information on just about anything. If one listens closely to what they are constantly mumbling about, they will find that shades do tend to eavesdrop on a lot of conversations – even secret ones. Still, they are remnants of the past that will never fade. Nobody has found a way of getting rid of them as of yet, so at present, they are merely the fountains of information.

Wilders – smarter than Dire beasts, and guardians of the forests of Il’Habahl and Ti’phanas, Wilders exist in primitive tribes that fiercely protect their home. Mostly bipedal, they draw upon the powers of blood-magic and their ancestors when angered. Each member of the tribe possesses at least some innate ability to cast magic, but it is the shaman that can fully utilize their power as a way of breaching the fabric between life and death to bring forth terrifying apparitions to protect the forest. Excellent rangers, wilders do some trading with the major civilization, but remain untouched in their way of life. Wilders excel at earth magic, and possess telepathy that is restricted onto to their own race.

Goblins – not the normal types of sinister little beings, goblins found their way into society as blacksmiths and jewellers, their nimble hands crafting masterpieces. Their weapons, though perhaps a little crude, are well-balanced and very powerful. Though their looks aren’t that great, they make it up by their fantastic metal-works.

The Opposition:

The creeping darkness – not much is known about the darkness that is encroaching upon the territory of the living. The creatures vary from controlled undead to powerful dark-mages driven insane from tapping into the darkness source for too long. However, if you are interested in working on the dark side, I will give you a little more information via PM.

Oh and I mustn’t forget the important bits about location.

Names of locations:

Il’Habahl – a vast forest uncultivated by the expanding society of the four races and their rule. Residents of Il’Habahl, the Wilders, protect its very core fiercely, and roam the wild rolling hills and planes. Il’Habahl has yet to be explored after the Melding.
Ti’phanas – upon the fringes of civilization, Ti’phanas is likewise a mystery. Though a main road has been established to link up between one large civilization and another, most of the vast forest is unexplored.
Catharsis Citadel – named after the world itself, the sophisticated citadel is massive and awe-inspiring. It rests along the edges of both Il’Habahl and Ti’phanas, and is, therefore, considered the core of all colonies. It is here where the Council of Twelve is situated, and where most of us will start off (I have plans for some of you, *evil laugh*) There are others equally as impressive as this citadel, but they had been cut off from communication and trade when the darkness crept in.
Poq’darl – a gigantic, sleeping volcano to the far north of where the least number of colonies have established civilization. Poq’darl stretches up high into the clouds, and is often covered with a thick layer of snow. It is an extremely revered place in most rising religions.
Garkliou – land of the draconians. A territory where no race has dared to set foot upon unless invited by the draconians themselves. Garkliou settles itself to the very far east of Catharsis Citadel, and is known for it’s frequent volcanic activities.
Re’qual Desert – a plane of desolation that is a reminder of the destruction faced during the Melding. Re’qual desert used to be a tropical jungle filled with unknown life, but that has all changed now. Re’qual desert is still subjected to abnormal winds and extreme changes in temperature that allows no living being to ever cross it, unless they were to fly over. Re’qual Desert covers the far south and south-west of the Citadel.

Last and final continued from previous post

Other locations that may be visited:
Kiathara Falls – Deep within the forests of Il’Habahl stands a mighty mountain, and from those slopes shape forth the great Kiathara Falls. Mighty cascades of water that crash down from a seemingly endless supply up from the heavens, Kiathara Falls’ water supplies most of the Citadel’s drinking water, and is a worshipped place for the Wilders that guard it and it’s secrets. (Fun fact: Kiathara falls is modelled after Niagra falls)
Faith Fortress – An imposing, fortified castle built upon the foundations of solid obsidian stone. The midnight castle comes with a moat and moat dragon, slightly over a hundred troops and archers, and is located on the edge of the wilderness. It was built on the blood and sweat of it’s people, and stands strongly against the creeping darkness that has mysteriously “awakened”. It is ruled and defended by Polypedal Lord of Stones.

Beyond these known locations are other citadels, but they had been cut off when the darkness began to gather.

Now that that’s done, I’m going to say one thing before I stop hogging the thread and open this place for suggestions:
No, elves are NOT included in the races. They were one of the races that became extinct at the time of the Melding. Please don’t ask questions regarding to the elves. They are GONE.

Here’s the character sheet required in your PM for you to sign up:
Primary Name: (Additional information like pronunciation of name would be very nice, but you could just be mean and let us attempt to pronounce your character’s name)
Alias/secondary name:
Gender: (male, female, in case of shapeshifter: N/A)
Age:
Primary race:
Secondary race: (What other race category could your character be listed in?)
Occupation: (what your character DID before he/she/it was summoned to the meeting?)
Description: (what your character looks like, any defining characteristics)
Personality: (constantly angry? Calm and collected? Anything to do with personality)
Equipment: (clothing worn, weapons, the lot)
Primary defining abilities: (special talents? Magical abilities? Special reflexes? List them here)
Secondary defining abilities: (traits that aren’t used as much, but are still present)
Background: (just a briefing on the character’s history)
Quote:

Example of descriptive writing:
(Please post either a fighting piece or descriptive piece about your character here. Can be anything, as long as it’s over 3 sentences. I will be choosing rpers via this entry, so spruce it up ^_^)

Sample filled character sheet and My character:
Primary Name: Kalia K’reskhan Dasthan (pronounced K-ah-lee-ah Ke-reh-skah-n D-ah-s-th-ah-n)
Alias/Secondary Name: Quicksilver
Age: 200
Primary race: Hybrid Avian, first generation (hybrids can also breed, but she is only a first cross.)
Secondary race: human-polypedal (four winged black unicentaur)
Occupation: Advanced Alchemist
Description: stunning green eyes flecked with silver gaze dreamily out from a pale, strong face. A small black horn juts from the middle of her forehead, locks of black hair falling about, framing her face. The midnight waves cascaded down her back and fades into silver tips. Her upper torso is that of a young woman of barely 17 winters, but her lower torso is that of a slightly-built midnight mare, tufts of white hairs accentuating her delicate and nimble hooves. Two pairs of raven-hued wings jut out from the shoulder blades of her front forelegs, normally folded tightly to her back. They reflect her mood ie: fluffed out when agitated, sleek and elegant when content. Her hands lack the last digit of a human hand, having only three fingers and a thumb.
Personality: Quirky. Quicksilver has a tendency of being very distracted and of fitting in random words into her sentences during an intelligent conversation, and thus confusing the other person. She is very dreamy and constantly seems tuned out, when she is really listening attentively. She isn’t a being of many words, and would rather carry out actions than talk. She also has a very sharp eye and mind for miniscule details, and therefore rarely misses anything (especially if it regards her immediate future)
Equipment: Alchemist’s Wand, Raven Charm, Mist Stone, Utility belt worn around her upper torso waist that holds various unknown concoctions and potions. Explanation of some of the equipment below:
Alchemist’s Wand – an elegantly elbow-length glove of unknown black fabric worn at all times. One of Quicksilver’s own inventions, it is imprinted with miniscule silver wires in elaborate networks and shapes that enhances her ability to transmute one object into another.
Raven charm – A simple waist-chain of obsidian that acts as a summon for her familiar; a raven named Dark.
Mist Stone – A small diamond in the shape of a ring that is secured in white gold around her horn. Enhances the focusing of her mana as well as the healing properties of her horn.
Primary Defining Abilities/magic: Strong defensive magic and moderate healer due to her unicorn horn, and extensive knowledge of herbs. Able to manipulate the physical and chemical properties of most objects, animated and inanimated, depending on their psychic resistance (The more resistance, the more risk of failure). Although not versed in the art of melee and hand-to-hand combat, her nimble hooves and four wings give her speed that is unmatched as of yet, so she can strike more than three times even as the enemy is recovering from the first attack.
Secondary Defining Abilities/magic: Passive mental link with familiar raven Dark that is unaffected by spells, but diminishes over increasing distances. Passive heightened senses due to her unicentaur half and a keen eye. She is an excellent cook.
Background: most of her physical appearance passed down from her mother’s side, Quicksilver lived a double life for 20 years, constantly shuttling between the two races, belonging to both, and to none. It was when she began to learn the art of advanced alchemy and other magic that she really found her place among the other misfits of the first generation of mixbreeds after the apocalyptic Melding. Dedicating her first hundred years towards pure alchemy, she rose quickly and was considered something like a prodigy alchemist. Unfortunately, it was also at this time when she, bloated in pride, created the two most sought-after artefacts in the known world. The Alchemist’s Key and the Alchemist’s Wand, the Wand that is still in her possession. The Alchemist’s Key – a staff that was composed entirely out of solid oxygen particles and with unknown properties – was lost during her first battle for her life, never to be seen again. Wiser after that first foolish incident, Quicksilver vowed to never do such a thing again and withdrew and furthered her studies in Alchemy and defensive magic, excelling at both. She prefers the company of humans rather than her other kind, reasons of which are yet unknown, and spends most of her time within the human community of Catharsis Citadel, which aided in developing her quirky personality. It was at this time that she befriended and was chosen by an extraordinary raven that became her familiar. Linkage with Dark caused the raven to live up to now, an amazing age of 50 for a bird of his kind. It is said that if that link was ever severed, both would die immediately. This has not been proven. Yet.
Quote: “Spazwangle!”

Example of Descriptive writing: (please note, this is MY style. All styles will be read with an unbiased point of view. You’re loyalty to the RP is what I’ll be biased about.)
Quicksilver tossed her head, throwing her wild, black mane about her. Her right fore hoof lifted and stamped down forcefully even as she threw out her right gloved hand, her eyes an electrifying green. Her Alchemist’s Wand glowed suddenly, the silver embedded within it pulsing softly with the silver that reflected the aura of her mana. She kicked up some dirt with her fore hooves and caught a chunk of the disengaged earth with her left hand.
“Let’s watch you eat this,” she hissed angrily as she tossed the bit of earth into the air. Her glove pulsed brightly now, bleeding mana into the air surrounding her arm. She swung, and struck the glob of dirt with uncharacteristic force that was enhanced by a strength spell. There was a sudden flash of brightness as she rearranged and recombined every atom within the dirt ball to something far more dangerous, even as it flew towards the growling beast.
Quicksilver closed her eyes and waited. Within the split second of her transmuting the dirt, there was a large explosion that brushed near-unbearable heat across a hasty but strong shield that had slammed down in front of the mixbreed’s body. The dirt-made-bomb had struck true. And the beast was no more.

Okies, opinions, questions, comments? I swear, there will always be something about the shapeshifters. There always is.

As I said in the above posts, Signup is via PM, this thread is possibly for improvements and such.

[/end so frigging long introduction]

I'd like to join in. Just checking about the shapeshifters but I'd assume their ability to change in size is fairly limited? Actually, just wondering about this but what would a shapeshifter/human hybrid be like?

I'd jump in if you'd like. Just askin' though, not expecting to actually be in. From what I've seen in Castle Doom yer a great Roleplayer Rhiya, even if I don't make it, I'll check this thing.

Obs.

PS I'll make a character JIC.

Arhra: Yes. Although they might act like dopplegangers, the shape size is limited unless they can utilize mana to increase their size or decrease their size. It's a little like this: When a shapeshifter shrinks to a certain shape that is smaller than their average size, they "gain" extra energy, but when they return to their normal size, the extra energy is lost. Kinda like a cancellation sort. Same goes for increasing size and then decreasing, but you waste more energy through that eg: become a large dragon, return to ordinary size - weaker than before.

Shapeshifter hybrid is mainly human in appearance, has more technological intelligence (can use more "modern" technology) and has a more limited shapeshifted ability, but wastes less energy when shifting.

Obsolete57: you're very welcome to join.

[Double post, sorry]

For a more alluring purpose (solely to the rpers), the Council of Twelve has only summoned the elitist among the current population, which, yes, means that:
1. You get to demi-godmode a bit
2. You MAY get your own mini-army for backup in tight situations.
3. You are going against ALL odds.
4. You're character has to basically be really, really, REALLY frigging good.

And that is why, if you look closely enough, my character is so frigging strong.

I would like to join as well, except I'm not very good at Forum RPing because I just started and this would be my first ever so please excuse my undescriptiveness, spelling mistakes, and inexperience. I'm always ready to learn!

*in fake welcoming voice* Welcome to the forums, my fellow noob. Feel free to wander, but stay away from the black mages.

As long as you can keep up with a post once or twice within 3 days, Stabbed, and your punctuation is on-the-dot, you're forgiven.

That, and you can always edit your posts if somebody you have acted upon isn't satisfied with your reply.