Gathered Storm (Sign-up)
 

Copied from the interest thread:

The world being defined as such, I'll go into the details of character creation in this post, with more detail on the specifics of the world later.

-As I said in the Interest thread, There are three creeds to choose from:

The Lost
The Wayward
The Found

-These types aren't so much different classes but different kinds of people who could bring completely different themes to the same class of fighter. The differentiating factors are inward functions of the soul:


Faith- One's convictions and dedication. The inward strength of one who believes in the depths of his soul that goodness never dies and can never lose its power in the world
Spirit- The tenacity and stubbornness of the anima. Spirit is the outward power of the soul to effect change in the world around and flourishes in the hearts of the righteous.
Artistry- What allows the soul to create the new and envision the better. It is the ever-shifting feature of an unburdened anima to seek out the true and bright among the false and dim in ways never imagined before.

-How does all this work with the character classes? This is how:

The Lost have richly artistic souls that ever seek change for the better, but suffer in their inability to maintain faith in any one idea, though their spirits may be strong. They are by their nature able to at times transcend the bounds of perceived reality to attain amazing feats.
Faith-Low
Spirit-High
Artistry-Very High

The Found are the devoutly faithful pursuers of righteousness, with highly potent inward strength because of it, but also little ability perceive change in their souls or their reality. They are incredibly stalwart of mind, soul, and body, and are natural leaders and warriors.
Faith-Very high
Spirit-High
Artistry-Very low

The Wayward posess latent, untested faith, whose tremendously powerful spirits have convinced them to leave be, in the stead of the immediate pursuit of justice. They are impulsive, careless, agreeable, and powerful once trained. They can barely perceive change and channel their spirit through it to potentially devastating effect.
Faith-Med
Spirit-Very High
Artistry-Low

-One's creed is an important factor in deciding one's combat specialty, as Faith, Spirit, and Artistry all have effects on outward traits:

Divinity- Purity. Devotion. Courage born of faith. Divinity is the shield of the devout from the fearful effects of evil, and a beacon for both good and evil to seek out.
Linked to Faith

Mysticism- The ability to tame the force of magic to one's ends. Only the most powerful spirits can seize this potency from the surroundings.
Linked to Spirit

Focus- Powerfully variable souls can envision and force the mind and body beyond not only its own physical limits, but those imposed upon it by nature.
Linked to Artistry

----Now, with all this in mind, you have probably pieced together a rough idea of which creed is which class. Time for the shot out of left field. Your specific character will be created by its personality, thus, the signup will be as such:

Name:
Nom Du Guerre (callsign): [TBD by the group]
Age:
Sex:
Appearance:
Personality: <----(Most important one!!11!)
Quote: (also important!)


I will assign your character Faith, Spirit, and Artistry scores based on its profile, and mainly by its personality. From these scores, your Divinity, Mysticism, and Focus scores will be determined. At that point, I'll outline the abilities accessible by each score and will provide ye with a spell list if we end up needing one. All of this is to say that your profile had better not suck. More info = better chance of good scores.

Once your scores are determined, you pick a class and post up your gear.

And BTW, this should go without saying, but all profiles are subject to my authoritarian Iron Fist of lead curtains. If yours sucks, you get one warning, and then you be gone.

Name: Richard Gryphon

Nom Du Guerre (callsign): Talon

Age: 23

Sex: Male

Creed: The Found (I don't know if we were supposed to put that in but here it is.)

Appearance: Richard Has long black hair pulled back and out of his eyes by a leather headband with his families Crest in it. A small egg with three talons emerging from it. His eyes are the color of polished gold, while his face is worn years beyond his age. He has a sharp nose and a strong jaw. He wears a loose cotton shirt with a fur lined leather jacket over it that he made himself. His pants are also made from patch work animal hides. His boots are combat boots with metal bindings on the side. He Carries a large sword on his back with a cross carved into the blade and the word “Glaube” (German for Faith) carved into the center of the cross.

Personality: Richard's mountain town was destroyed by the armies of the Antichrist when he was fourteen. His family had been the primary land owner there for fifteen generations. So when the town was hit they killed his entire family off. The only reason Richard managed to live was because a house servant was mistaken for him. Frightened by the death of his family. Richard ran deeper into the mountains and stumbled across a monastery where there lived a solitary monk. The monk took pity on the young boy and raised him in the ways of worshiping God. Richard Having always been a very large boy Grew up to be a very large man.

While growing up the monk taught him everything he knew of God and the Bible. The prophecies of the anti-Christ. And even some basic marital arts though the monk only practiced them as a way of meditation. Richard would work his muscles by chopping wood and carrying water. He also used all his spare time to work on his balance and learn how to hunt and track in the wild mountains around him.

When he was finally old enough (19) he left the monastery bidding his Adoptive father farewell and headed back to where his town used to be. When he arrived there he found the entire town had long been destroyed and the people dead, there corpses desecrated. Richard Spent the next several days properly burying the bones of the bodies still there. He then began going through the remains of the city getting what supplies he could to face the world outside. While going through the remains of his house he found a small chest in the basement miraculously not destroyed or raided. It had his family crest on it. When he opened it. Inside he found a small bad with precious stones and a note that said, "I have hidden this bag away in the walls. Because no matter how time passes, Gems will always be sought." Richard used the gems to get himself a sword made for him by a sword smith in the first town he managed to find. He had them put a cross on the blade and inscribe the word “Glaube” into the center of the cross. The sword was a monster of a weapon just as he was a monster of a man.

He asked the smith if he knew of a man that could teach him the art of sword play. The smith told him of an old man who had learned to use swords in his youth. Richard went to investigate. The man remembered very little of what he had been thought but it was enough to keep Richard from cutting his own feat off. He began to practice with his sword all day living off the money his ancestor had thankfully stashed away. After a four more years of practicing with his weapon, Richard felt he was ready to try and avenge his family and help restore Beauty and faith to the world he had been born into. So he made himself a headband as was his families ceremonial way before war and Vowed never to remove it until his war was finished.

Richards life has turned him from a rich mountain boy with no worries; into a well trained, and pain hardened warrior. He Believes that the Anti-Christ and his followers have done him and the world a great wrong. So he intends to use his strength and rage to Blindly destroy all who serve the forces he sees as evil. He Believes that there is a God but that his will is wrought through his creations; and that only through the strength of man can the world be returned to its beauty. He is the strong arm of God and he shall smite evil in his name until his heart no longer beats, and if possible, beyond.

Quote: 'May my blade send you into the next world, Amen!'

Name: Shaun Pegg

Nom Du Guerre (callsign): Cavaliere Di Luce (Knight of Light)

Age: 28

Sex: Male

Appearance: Shaun is about 5'10" and 165 pounds, he has light brown eyes and short black hair. He's fairly muscular with a long scar across his right cheek. He normally wears a leather vest some simple pants, work boots and leather working gloves. He also has a long silver chain around his neck with his mothers wedding ring on it.

Backstory: Shaun was ready to live an average life when the Antichrist came into being, he had been raised to be an athiest all his life. So the appearance of "the Lord truly" was a shock to his system, and the effects on his life as a whole were just as jarring as all those who came to live in reclusivity. His parents were scientists before the antichrist arrived, they had always told him you can only believe in what you see. And seeing the Antichrist in person was more then enough for them to immediately see him as "The Lord Truly". They were converted the moment he stepped into this plane of existance, as far as they were concerned he would show humanity the error of its ways and lead them to greatness.

Shaun on the otherhand took things differently, the antichrist was an evil that couldn't be allowed to exist, let alone rule the world. Despite the fact his parents always told him they would be accepting of whatever he came to believe, things had changed since they shared that sentiment. When he tried to convince them they must get away and find someway to topple the antichrist they decided to change his mind. They beat him giving him the scar across his cheek and locked him up in their attic. Giving him the chance he needed to change his mind and follow the true lord. He managed to break free and make his way into a mountain community, free from the antichrist's rule.

The only things he took with him were the clothes on his back and his mothers wedding ring. It was the only holy symbol he ever accepted, it consecrated the bond of his parents in the eyes of god. She threw it away the moment she accepted the dark lord as her master. He wears it as a constant reminder of the fact that even those you love can fall to the darkness of this world. Ever since he moved into the mountains he's spent his time working as a farm hand.

Personality: Shaun believes that those who keep there heads in the clouds or hope that some god that doesn't exist will come to save them are fools. He always has a tone of aggression in his voice, but is hard to anger. He prefers an up close and personal touch during confrontations, after all, those who quarrel at a distance are mearly cowards, hiding at length. He believes that all of the faithful to the antichrist are worse then the demons that control them, because the demons are evil by nature, the faithful are evil by choice. Shaun has never been able to see the big picture in life, while most fighters will only want to remove or destroy the controlling demon lords, he knows that destroying roaming caravans of soldiers will make a difference. He believes in only what he can see and he's going to insure that good will prevail, even if all the good must come from his hands alone. Shaun has never been one to give up on a cause of good, or a fight no matter how futile it seems. What seems reckless to most seems heroic to Shaun, after all its not a good fight unless there is a struggle to win. He's vowed that he will win this fight if its the last thing he ever does, and above all else he knows he will win. Faith in himself is the only thing Shaun has ever had and its more then enough for him to risk his life for the protection of others.

Quote: "Don't you think if there really was a god he would have done something by now."

Name:Greg Maas

Nom Du Guerre (callsign): [TBD by the group]

Age:20

Sex:Male

Appearance: 5'8", 130lbs. hair is brown and cut short. He usually wears a shirt and jeans, and military surplus boots. He also has a makeshift leather coat for when its cold.

Personality: Greg is a devout Taoist, and when the one true lord came he saw how the world turned for the worse. After people started taking the Mark, Greg thought it was time to get away. So he went out to his uncle's cabin, far enough away from any town that he might be safe there. Luckily one of Greg's cousins had already had the same idea and was at the cabin. His cousin taught him how to farm and hunt, and together they managed to survive in the wilderness. He spends much of his time out cutting wood, or in the crops they have. For him, these activities are meditation, as he tries to find the useful emptiness within himself. (example: a bowl in and of itself is useless, it is the emptiness within the bowl that we use by filling it.)

He spends much time contemplating this, and to what end the emptiness within him may be useful for. Because of his views Greg tends to be very calm, and thinks hard before making a decision, he is not necesarily logical, but he is sure of every decision he makes.

Over time a few people have come across their cabin and have always been met open arms and hospitality. Some have just passed through and others have stayed awhile, But Greg and his cousin have always been there. In the long years since the coming of the one true lord Greg's existence has become just that, he continues to live, and that is much better than the alternative. Part of him yearns for something more, but he realizes that anything else will probably lead to death much quicker.

It has been years since Greg has traveled to town, and they rarely have visitors at the cabin anymore. He is still just as much a Taoist as ever, and believes that as long as he can continue to find The Way through these hard times, then the world can find its own way through them. The long years with little or no contact have caused Greg to lose much of his social skills, knowing little of what goes on outside his home, and even less of how culture has changed, he tends to remain quiet until he knows how people will react to him.

Greg attempts to follow The Way of Taoism to reach buddhist enlightenment. He does not believe that the one true lord is the antichrist, or anything like that. Rather the one true lord is simply a man who can harness the energy within and around him differently from others. Likewise for the demons in the land, they are beings no more, or less, significant than any other.

Quote: "It is not things that upset people, but rather ideas about things." Epictetus

Name: Caleb J. Edwards
Nom Du Guerre (callsign): Seraphim
Age: 35
Sex: Male
Creed: Found
Faith: 4
Spirit: 4
Artistry: 1
Divinity: 13
Mysticism: 11
Focus: 5
Appearance: Only less than 6 feet tall, with a somewhat lean body and white hair, Caleb has an angular nose and a pair of blazing, golden eyes that seem to flare whenever he looks intently at someone, a lone exception that marks him differently from others of his race. Caleb prefers to wear a flowing white coat on top of whatever he may have worn beneath, giving him an appearance like one of the fabled Seraphim, the angels of the Cherubim.
Personality: A somewhat stern and zealous man, Caleb is often known as one with a bloodlust to destroy evil wherever and whenever it was found, making him a very dangerous and reckless man. Those who cross his path always seem to have a tendency to die a violent and horrible death, inspiring fear into both friend and foe alike. Caleb favors the pair of curved blades he carries with him all the time, but he is also able to use a variety of guns and weapons as well.
Background: Born in the state of Okhlahoma in 1985, Caleb lived a fairly prosperous life in the care of a well-to-do family. His father was a general in the U.S. Army, and his mother was a chemical scientist in the U.S. government. Caleb eventually followed his father's trade and joined the army at the young age of 15, and was later recruited into a special elite training's programme meant to create a new generation of special-ops commandos, who are to be equipped with the best technology the government could produce. Caleb had his first assignment after the Iraq War, in a time where terrorist attacks were rampant all over the world. His missions ranged from espionage, abduction, assassination and various actions the U.S. government would not assign to normal ops teams, or would not claim responsibility to. Caleb had not been a believer in the Gospel, and had remained a somewhat hostile anti-fundamentalist before the Rapture. However, with the rise of the Antichrist and the disappearance of millions of christians world-wide, Caleb had come to see Christianity in a different light for the first time in his entire life. Now a fervent and devoted believer in the faith, Caleb has vowed to destroy all that sides with Evil One, and strives to bring the Lost Ones into the Kingdom of the Lord, having determined not to miss the Lord's Second Advent.
Equipment:

Twin Blades
Vengeance - A curved razor-sharp, scimitar-like blade, Vengeance was created in a time where demons once traveled the lands in disguise. It was believed that the blade was forged by a zealous Inquisitor and later blessed by a Priest when an entire family was slaughtered by a powerful demon. The Inquisitor had vowed to avenge the blood of his enemies, and thus began a quest to hunt down the accursed demon. Nothing is known of the Inquisitor nor the success of his quest. Some say he had been slain by the very demon he chased, his blade was lost forever, but some say he had succeeded in his quest, and had continued to slay many more demons with the powerful blade. The truth, as they say, is forever buried in history. Vengeance is believed to possess the power of the Heavens, wreaking death and pain to any demon it touches.

Redemption - A reddish, and more straighter version of it's counter-part(still slightly curved), Redemption is a long lost artifact that was made during the time of the Crusades. Legend has it that the blade was forged during the time of the Crusades, and was later passed on to the Knight Templars. However, when the Knight Templars were unjustifiably killed by the church, their slain blood had seeped into the blades, thus explaining the redness of the blade. The blade is said to have the power to drain the souls of the damned and the unfaithful.

A Desert Eagle Mark XIX handgun
Bullet clips
An advanced environmental light power suite.
Abilities:

Divinity-linked abilities

Armor of Faith: An innate ability that had been granted to every human being since birth, the Armor of Faith can only be activated when one becomes a zealous and faithful believer in the Lord. The Armor of Faith makes it's user seem to have an invisible armor around his body, making him near-invulnerable to any hostile attack.

D Score: potency of ability
0 : Not present

5: Reduces physical damage by 30%, reduces non-physical by 10%

10: Reduces physical damage by 50%, reduces non-physical by 25%

15: Reduces physical damage by 75%, reduces non-physical by 40%



Courage(aura): The zealous and the divine who believe and trust in the Lord would eventually gain the passion and bravery to do battle in the name of their Saviour, thus granting them additional strength and speed in battle. Also, their Courage would inspire their comrades in battle, granting them a part of the added energy that they recieved.

D Score: potency of ability
0 : Not present

5: Adds 15% to strength of attack, 10% to speed. Grants 5% strength to allies.

10: Adds 35% to strength of attack, 20% to speed. Grants 10% strength and 5% speed to allies.

Definitely seems more interesting now. I'd post a character, but I have to go to school in 5 minutes, so I'll post one when I get home.

Does Personality mean Backstory or how the character thinks and acts?

Name: Angel (pronounced with spanish pronounciation) Veracruz
Nom du Guerre: Angel (English pronuounciation) (if it is a sort of nickname, as I imagine. Otherwise, someone help me out...)
Age: 27
Sex: Male
Appearance: Skin tanned to a tone of brown. Muscular, but not to the point that he can't wear a long-sleeve shirt. (you know what I mean) He has dark brown eyes, and long black hair that ends in a ponytail at the bottom of his neck. No beard or moustache. He is quite tall, at 6 feet 3 inches. He has no tattoos, or other markings/scars. He wears a white tanktop, slightly ripped and slightly baggy jeans, and a large gold cross around his neck.
Personality: He is calm and collected most of the time, but can, at times, become very angry. Regardless of his mood, he is able to calm himself enough to think things through, which suits his creativity. He has been able to draw plans for many things, from new canals for better farming, to improved construction methods, to better ways to protect everyone from Hell Hound raids, to even possible strategies to raid the Demon Lord's most outlying strongholds. He is impatient though, and hates seeing old fools clinging to old teachings when times are new.
Backstory: Growing up in a well-to-do family in a rather poor country, Angel was used a pretty decent lifestyle. He was a devout christian, and had a large gold cross. When the Antichrist came, his life was pretty much shattered. At first, he tried staying in his city, hiding his faith (and cross) but as time went on, and he saw that people were forced to either accept the Mark, or die horrible deaths at the hands of a Demon Lord, he bought a shotgun on the black market, took his gold cross out of it's hiding place, and ran. He found a small rural village and church in the mountains, and joined them. There, he worked as a farmer, builder, and all around helper. However, they asked him to put away the shotgun, as it was a product of war and malice. When a Demon Lord found the village and sent his Hell Hounds, his shotgun proved useful, as did the swords of the village militia. After the hounds were butchered, some blamed him for bringing about the Demons. (They believed that he, having resided in the city, made a pact to help hunt down those who remained, and had called the Demon Lord to attack on that day, which was, coincidentally, Christmas.) Most, however, trusted him more after seeing him kill the Hell Hounds, and they told him the truth about the militia. (Which had been kept from him, out of suspicion) He begged to join, and was soon inducted by the priest, and given his own blade, a steel blade with a golden cross on either side. Veterans of the militia taught him how to use it, and he trains every moment he has off, ready to defend his new home. He has since proposed several raids to known outposts of the local Demon Lord, but most of the Elders, including the priest, believe that God will deliver them, someday, and until then their place is merely to survive and resist temptation.
Quote: Our father, who art in heaven, deliver us more evil, that we may destroy it.

Name: Will dearford
Nom Du Guerre (callsign): [TBD by the group]
Age: 24
Sex: Male
Appearance: Will tends to go for a more western look, with a twist. He wears all black, 1-gallon hat, trench coat, boots though more modern style, and then jeans and a t-shirt. Looks like he has war scars and wears all that to keep them hidden.
Personality: Will has a very focused mind. If he plans on doing something, he carries it through, whether it be taking on an army single handed, or slaughtering innocent children. Because of this, he has no sense of justice, nor any sence of right or wrong for that matter. He never really gets pleasure from what he does, he just does it. He is also very thick headed, tends not to listen to advice to anyone. Though he does tend to remember what has happened to him. He originally was going to be a warrior for the anti-christ. But his pure stubborness caused problems at the training hall. His early years were hell in that place and finally he revolted. After killing the teacher of the place, he ran into the woods, plotting on how to finish the job. At first, he just planned to attack the town and wipe out all presence of him in it, but he learned that he had a grip over more than just that. Soon he started hearing rumors, terrible ones. He heard that many people were denied what he thought was the most important thing in life, free will. He was soon motivated to hunt down the head of the organization, one in which he thought commited and unforgivable sin.
Quote: "No matter what you throw in my path, I shall destroy it and come for you."

I'm in so someone doesn't steal my place, if there's a set number you're looking for...
Give me a while for the sheet though...