Advertise/Affiliate Other Forum Main Page The World Before You Play
Menu

Show posts

This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.

Show posts Menu

Topics - Kingfisher

#1
Connlaoth / Karl Martin Gustav Mandel; Noble Heir
July 02, 2022, 09:34:52 PM
Name: Karl Martin Gustav Mandel
Age: 38
Sex: Male
Species: Human
Ethnicity: Connlaoth
Height: 5'10"
Occupation: Noble, Knight, Monster Hunter
Residence: Eisenmark, Western Orchy, Connlaoth

Physical Description
Karl is a predictably fair man; his pale blond hair and blue eyes being common features among his family.  However, his thin features are often concealed by a thick but well-groomed beard.

Coming from a wealthy family, he dresses well, favoring expensive fabrics, dark hues and intricate patterns.  Karl is often found in fine doublets and breeches, occasionally worn under a wool overcoat.  He can generally be found wearing his favored longsword over his left hip and a rondel dagger on his right.  He has a flanged mace which he sometimes carries as a badge of office.

He favors two suits of armor: a lighter harness for battle features lighter pauldrons, thinner plates and a burgonet with cheek guards and a retractable bevor; his heavy competition harness is much thicker, with an oversized left pauldron and solid frog's mouth great helm, bolted to his cuirass to protect his neck.  Both are expensively made, bearing a similar blue-black finish and trimmed with brass edgework and fasteners.  He will often fight from the saddle of an armored destrier, which may have a pair of pistols holstered in the saddle.  Like a growing percentage of Connlaoth's knightly class, he also wears a short wheellock arquebus, normally hung from a baldric over his left shoulder.

Personality
Karl is guided by loyalty: to his overlord, to his family and to his duties.  Things beyond these narrow realms of interest are generally assumed to be meaningless.  He cares little about the Church, the Grand Duke or the war on magic.

Much of the time, he conducts himself in a tense, careful manner.  He prefers to listen rather than speak, considers himself painfully uninteresting outside of his frequent "hunting trips," and easily comes across as guarded and standoffish.  Many young housekeepers have mistaken his silence as severity, running off to their senior servants for comfort.

There are remarkably few rumors regarding his sexual activities - which breeds far more unsavory rumors regarding his inclinations behind locked doors.

He is an avid hunter, particularly fond of wild boar and spiced venison; he often eats wild game every week.

Abilities
  • Mordecai: Karl is a Mordecai outside the direct service of the Grand Duke.  He is able to nullify the working of magic inside of an approximate range of 1,000 meters.
  • Horsemanship: As a knight and noblemen, Karl was expected to learn horseback riding from an early age.  This included fighting from horseback and as part of a cavalry formation.
  • Polearm: On horseback, Karl is familiar with the use of spears, used for not only hunting and combat, but also for competition in the joust.  On foot, he tends to favor a short winged-spear for its greater agility.
  • Longsword: When his spear or glaive is unavailable, he favors a two-handed cut-and-thrust sword or estoc, the latter often worn on the battlefield rather than daily life.
  • Grappling: When lacking his spear or sword, Karl can defend himself with his bare hands through the use of takedowns and submission holds.  These techniques can be further supplemented with the lethal addition of his dagger.
  • Marksman: Karl will generally ride into battle with a pair of long saddle pistols as well as a wheellock arquebus.  The latter is superior in general, his pistols mainly suited to close quarters.
  • Falconry: Karl is an avid hunter and falconer and keeps such a raptor as a pet.

Relationships
  • Gustav Mandel (Father) - Open to adoption (Name subject to change)
  • Martina Mandel (Mother) - [Deceased]
  • Alexis Mandel (Sister)
  • Retinue - Fellow Knights and Men-at-Arms
  • (Open to extended family)

History
The Fell is a dangerous and twisted place, plagued by unspeakable horrors the likes of which the empires of Le'raana could not even hope to imagine.  To answer such threats, the House of Mandel has stood as a part of the bulwark along Connlaoth's western territories.  Karl Martin Gustav Mandel was born to inherit that legacy and responsibility.

As was expected of him, the young noble studied war, politics and etiquette; all things he would need to know when he rose to take his father's place as Margraf - a day that seems to be fast approaching as the now 60-year-old man hands over more and more authority to his son.  This has put more pressure on him to find a suiter and sire an heir, something he has neglected due to his focus on the Fell.

Regarding the war, he has remained neutral.  Given the importance of his battle against the creatures of the west, he and many along the western Marches have been afforded some freedom from their duties to the dukes.  This suits him well, as he finds the creatures of the Fell a far more persistent threat than mages.

However, if called to the war, he will reluctantly rally his considerable forces eastward.

Current Threads

Completed Threads
#2
Rulastinia / Nomura Kanesuke - Red-headed Hunter
April 28, 2021, 11:12:08 AM
Name: Nomura Kanesuke (ๅŸœๆ‘ ่ฌ™ไป‹)
Age: 29 Years
Sex: Male
Species: Anathanati Hybrid
Ethnicity: Anathanati
Height: 5'6"
Occupation: Monster Hunter
Residence: Rulastinia, near Oshiren

Physical Description
Though not particularly imposing by his people's standards, Nomura is lean and well-muscled by years of physical conditioning. He bears the scars that would confirm his profession for those few with any doubts; however, these are clearly old, from his more reckless early days and mostly concealed under his clothes.  His long, red-streaked hair is similarly concealed, styled up into a close topknot and wrapped in a dark bandana.  His eyes are a dark, mossy green making it somewhat hard for him to stand out.

To offset his otherwise drab appearance, Nomura favors prominent eyeliner and brightly colored robes, tucked into loose fitting trousers which are bound close to the calf with thick linen gaiters.  His leather, split-toe socks are often left bare aside from a pair of wooden sandals.  He will occasionally switch to a pair of raised wooden clogs when moving through deep mire.  As part of his common wear, he has a short, two-handed sword thrust into his sash, edge up and tied in place with a silk cord.  He also conceals a silver-lined knife on his person...

On the hunt or in battle, Kanesuke is protected by a suit of laminar armor with knee length tassets, lacquered golden-yellow and fastened with red lacing, a design replicated behind his helm and over his throat.  He conceals his face behind a steel mask depicting a sharp nose and snarling fangs.  Sleeves of chain are reinforced by checkered red and yellow scales and splints and tuck up into his armpits.  He wears a set of plate-and-chain thigh-guards under his tassets and a pair of solid greaves over his thick gaiters to cover his legs and feet.  While he retains his silver-plated sword tucked at his waist, he favors an 8-foot glaive for its long reach.

Personality
Kanesuke often comes off as cocky, his love of the color red often on full display as part of his hunting kit.  The reality is simpler; he devotes himself to hunting with a near single minded fervor, often to the exclusion of all else.  He wears red to draw his prey away from his comrades, as much to earn himself the kill as to protect them.

This has brought him into some conflict with some of his fellow Hunters as well as his superiors within the Order.  Few can refute his skill, given he continues to survive despite his clear handicap; still, his often-abrasive demeanor can make potential allies hard to come by.

He will bow to direct pressure from his superiors but will often insist on remaining active until his access to training weapons is revoked and he is forced to delve into other hobbies.

Magic / Abilities
  • Naginatajutsu - "Reaping-Blade Technique" - Nomura favors a large polearm in combat, favoring its large sweeping cuts.
  • Kenjutsu - "Sword Technique" - Like most hunters, he wears a short, thick Uchigatana for personal defense.  Such a weapon is easy to draw and can be used one-handed alongside his Tanto ("Short Sword") if needed.
  • Jujutsu - "Gentle Technique" - If he doesn't have time to draw his sword, he can resort to debilitating strikes, grapples and take-downs paired with a short, concealed Tanto, even against the horrors of his homeland.
  • Kyu-jutsu - "Bow Technique" - He is an accomplished archer and enjoys practicing the craft in his spare time.
  • Shogi - He is also decently skilled at board games, especially Shogi, a game similar to (and likely derived from) Thanati chess, played with wooden tiles.

Relationships
  • Parents - Estranged; he has seen little of them since giving himself to the hunters.
  • Siblings - Almost wholly unknown

History
Kanesuke was born to farmers in a remote village south of Chime, and for most in this fate, life would have been simple and peaceful.  However, he was not like most; he was among the unlucky few to be cursed with red hair.  Even from an early age, he was bullied and ridiculed by the other children in his community, tormented by the collective certainty that he would be taken away by some bat-winged horror.

Still, he managed to survive, hiding his hair from the various beasts of the wilds until he resolved to face the nightmares head on.  He swore he would become a Hunter at the age of twelve, running away to join the nearest monastery.  Despite his handicap, the young aspirant was well motivated and found his way into the order.


Current Threads

Complete Threads
#3
Draconi Forest / Manhunters (DragonSong)
January 23, 2021, 06:57:54 PM
@DragonSong - Cont. from "Back to Dangerous Land"

The troop of riders had made good time through the Highlands, easily reaching the great forest in a few weeks.  Still, given their Connlaothian heritages, it was no surprise as many of the number grew tense; a forest that seemed to grow in the shadow of the surrounding mountains was truly unnatural - magic made manifest...or so they had been told.  After a few days, the novelty wore off and the soldiers' tention quickly melted away.  After all, what point was there in ogling the exotic when it all just seemed so...pedestrian.  One man even took up a flute and began blowing a marching hymn, his comrades becoming a bit of a chorus.

For much of their journey, Michael had remained at the formation's head, easily navigating the underbrush from atop his warhorse.  Between hunters and slavers, few settlements were designed to last, able to pack up and relocate at a moment's notice.  Still, the soldier seemed to be following a blazed trail toward...somewhere.

The pace could not keep up forever, though and eventually, Wolfram called his men to a halt, setting up a camp for the night.  He knew Tara would likely be impatient for them to reach their prey, her own vandetta far outweighing his interest in their hunt.  But, there was nothing more they could do for the day, so it would simply have to wait for morning.

The men took the horses and set them in picket line between two trees, tieing them up so they could not bolt, but also stripping them of their saddles to give the beasts a rest.  Then they set to work clearing ruffage with swords and axes.

Joshua was far less accustomed to riding a horse than his companions and he was visibly bowlegged when he slid from the back of the borrowed horse.  Those who noticed could not help but to chuckle at the smith's misfortune.  He ignored them, easing himself down as gently as he might to avoid further abusing his pelvis.

"We'll be eating cold tonight," Wolfram informed the troop.  "Don't want a fire to warn anyone we're coming.  That means two man watches tonight; starting with Koch and Lauer."  The two men easily acknowledged the order as they all found a place for their bedding.  "And if anything happens, wake Fisher first.  He's rather handy..."  The men chuckled a little at that, though few could reasonably argue with the officer's assessment.
#4
1. Organization Name
Brotherhood of Saint Laudus (Laudus Brothers)

2. Objective
On its surface, the Brotherhood of St. Laudus is a public fencing academy and fraternity, specializing in the use of several weapons, ranging from daggers and wrestling to long knives, two-handed swords and polearms.  Many of its members can be called upon to act as part of the militia during war.

Below the surface, they are a gang of thugs and hoodlums.  Their skill in the art of combat gives them power over their local community that they can leverage for personal profit.

3. Who may join?
Those living in and around Reahj with an interest in martial excellence.  The fraternity is most interested in young men (and women) unafraid to assert their will over their own

4. Organization Location
Reajh - The Brotherhood maintains an open-air training center with attached office space

5. Current Members and Ranks

Master:
Captains:
  • Name
Enforcers:
  • Name

6. Additional Information
The Brotherhood dabbles in a number of Extralegal affairs, such as racketeering, extortion and bribery.  Despite the "dubious" ethics of its actions, they avoid stepping on toes and have few powerful enemies.  It is sometimes suggested that they have been shielded by the Church or aristocratic interests, but only Ingrid and her closest Confidants know for sure.
#5
Name: Ingrid Sauer
Age: 51
Gender: Female
Species: Human
Ethnicity: Connlaothian
Height: 5'9"
Occupation: Fencer/Gangster/Racketeer
Residence: Reajh

Physical Description
Ingrid is tall for her people, and far slenderer than most as well, narrow at the shoulders and hips.  This along with her long, black (though sporadically graying) hair makes her seem other than Connlaothian, though her pale skin and emerald eyes are a clear sign of her heritage.

Despite her middling age, she almost seems as though she is still in her mid 30's, owing to her activity and exercise.  She is still considered attractive to most, with a straight, proud nose and high cheekbones.  Still, creases have begun to accumulate around her face and her neck and hands have begun showing her age, inspiring her to cover up more.

She favors high collared blouses and close-fitting leggings and can usually be seen with her dagger strapped to her waist.  She will only rarely wear her great-knife, preferring to either carry it by hand or leave it at home to avoid attracting attention.

Personality
At a glance, Ingrid comes across as motherly, affectionate and caring to those she has labeled as her family.  This is generally reserved for her students and the younger women at her old brothel.  She is protective and nurturing and can even become stern if she feels those she cares for could do better with what they have.

Conversely, to those she has deemed an adversary, she is ruthless and Machiavellian.  In the low-level "politics" amid the streets of Reajh, she has few peers and many rivals, and she will use any advantage to control every one of her relationships, including the affection of her "children."

Magic/Abilities
  • Messer: A system for fighting with a short sword in one hand, with a focus on cutting.  Well suited to street fights and urban dueling.
  • Dagger: A system of fighting using only a dagger, ideal for ambushes, both in performance of and defense against.
  • Wrestling: A system of fighting through the use of grapples and holds; useful as a complement to other weapons, but Ingrid finds she lacks the brute strength to stand toe-to-toe against similarly skilled opponents.
  • Southpaw: Ingrid is left-handed, favoring the use of her left side in sparring and combat.  This makes her unpredictable in a fight, with most fencers being accustomed to combating right-handed opponents.

Relationships
History
Ingrid was born the daughter of an impoverished prostitute, a fate she would eventually follow once she turned 16.  Though not especially fond of this career, there were few other practical options left open to those in her station, left at the bottom of the social ladder.  She simply learned to shrug off the ire of the well-to-do, content in the knowledge that for all their scorn, those that mocked and "pitied" her still sought her services.

Alongside this early inevitability, Ingrid also studied fencing, particularly with dagger and grappling as skills she might inevitably need to defend herself against future clients.  However, her study did not end there, and as her study continued, she eventually caught the eye of one of her fellow students, promising young swordsman who had plans to establish his own academy.

The pair eventually married, but Ingrid found herself supporting her husband early on as they struggled to accrue the funds needed to secure grounds for their guild.  Ingrid was nearly 28 by the time her husband had founded his school and began taking students.  She stayed at the brothel for another 4 years, even while moonlighting as a weapons instructor until she felt she could afford to leave her former profession.

This gave way to a comfortable life until her husband's death in a duel against a rival master.  Widowed without children, Ingrid inherited the acadamy, become sole owner and master in place of her husband.  She already had a reputation by this point and experience in the guilds other dealings so it was not hard to take up her husband's mantle.

Still, without any children of her own, she has taken to fostering children in search of a potential heir to preserve her late husband's system and school.

Current Threads

Complete Threads
#6
Character Plotters / Kingfisher's Catalogue
September 14, 2019, 08:08:31 PM
Connlaoth

Joshua Fischer, Metalurgist: Connlaothian blacksmith and fire magus, combining his supernatural powers with local science.  Unknown parentage...

Karl Martin Gustav Mandel, Heir of Eisenmark: Connlaothian lord and knight.

Ingrid Sauer, Fencing Instructor: Fencing master and gang leader in the city of Reahj.  Willing to accept just about anyone as a student, so long as they know when to shut up and to do as they're told.

Essyrn

Parsa Khosrawi, Merchant Prince: Merchant, financier, clairvoyant.  Investments are almost guaranteed to bear fruit.  Dreams of the futures of Essyrni civilization and does not like what he sees...

Zahara ult Makhia, Gladiatrix: Slave and swordswoman, force to fight in the arena.

Zantaric

Samuel Nevin, Manhunter: Demonlord assassin.  Operates out of the Free city but willing to travel for work, he studies potential pray before agreeing to any contract.

Wanderers and Independants

Alexis Mandel, Mercenary: Former child of privilege and later, a White Lily deserter.  Now the Colonel of a mercenary regiment with a strong sense of justice.

Michael Wolfram, Mercenary: Mandel's Second-in-Command.

Leenan NicFiacc, Pirate: Freelance adventurer...
#7
Hivan Ocean / Sea Wolves (Savage) [M]
March 01, 2019, 04:06:10 PM
The Valiant was losing ground.  The other vessel had come upon her during the night and the smaller craft seemed to be limping, holds overladen with contraband.  They had been raiding the merchant lanes, seizing goods heading north along the coast.  Now they were at risk of losing more than just a payday.

The captain knew that the ship...his ship could go faster.  He stood on the aft castle, glaring at pursuing vessel, slapping the flat of his falchion against his thigh.  He knew the large vessel would catch them, but he refused to simply blame this fact on his own ships lack of sails.  No, he knew who was really to blame.  It was her.  She had intentionally sabotaged their course, somehow knowing they would run into this overwhelming adversary...

The subject of his ire was bound to the desk in the captain's desk below deck.  She was malnourished and bruised, baring the markings of her captivity.  Her pale red hair spilled into her face and around her neck, hiding many of her features and she did not have the luxury of moving her hands to clear her eyes.  The crew had sought to break her in nearly a hundred different ways, but the humiliated young lady stared out the rear ports of the captain's quarters, listening to the cacophony of panicked sailors moving around outside.

Leenane knew what was coming and could not help but smile.  Whatever came of this; whatever fate befell her, it had to be better than this...

@SanctifiedSavage @Kadakism ?
#8
Wanderers and Independents / Leenane NicFiacc, Pirate
October 24, 2018, 10:01:55 PM
Name: Leenane Nic Fiacc
Age: 26
Sex: Female
Species: Human
Ethnicity: Serenian
Height: 5'4" (162.6 cm)
Occupation: Sailor/Pirate
Residence: ...

Physical Description
Leenane is slim and fair, traits common to her people.  She has narrow features; widely spaced, almond shaped green eyes, and pink hair grown to her shoulders and usually done up in a simple pile, concealed under a simple bandana.  She has taken to tattoos, with her left arm covered in blue-black fish scales and a seascape over her right shoulder.

She is not wholly divorced from her culture, favoring lightweight clothes.  However, rather than the long robes of her people, she wears simple sleeveless blouses and loose-fitting pantaloons.  Her brow is wrapped in a pattered bandana, and she wears a long gold bar across the upper portion of each ear.

She wears a short hanger below her left hip and a dagger across her lower back.  She rarely wears any sort of armor: steel is expensive and leather is simply too cumbersome to be practical.

Hanger
A short, single-edged sword with a broad, 20-inch blade, ideal in close quarters against unarmored enemies.  It is uncurved, with two fullers: 16-inch at the spine and 10 inches just in front of it.  It features a straight knuckle guard parallel to the handle and a steel plate over the back of her hand.  The wooden handle is a pair of glued scales bound in red sharkskin and ends in a simple pommel that curls under the pinky to snugly bracket the hand.
[close]
Dagger
A moderately large dagger with a simple, 11-inch, single edged blade.  Its hilt is a single piece of carved whale bone, featuring a bollock design with a pair of round lobes to act as a guard with the grip itself swelling toward a brass plate at the opposite end.
[close]

Personality
Leenane is, above all, headstrong.  She has her own ideas and knows what she wants.  Gods help any who get in her way.  She can come off as simply greedy but growing up in Serendipity, she quickly learned to associate wealth with freedom.  She despises poverty and class and refuses to let herself be swayed from her chief goal.

She is not heartless, and sympathy can draw her to the aid of people she can relate to.  However, she must look after herself first and will not part with what is hers, even to aid the most destitute.

Magic/Abilities
  • Aeromancy: Divination by the reading of air.  She can predict storms and changes in the wind, as well has detect magnetic north via electricity in the air and otherwise.  Preternaturally reinforces her navigational ability.
  • Storm Magic: Her sylphid ancestry has given her some power over the weather and related phenomenon.  She is able to manipulate wind and summon lightning, boons given her career.
  • Navigation: A mathematical understanding of cartography and course plotting.  Leenane can use aeromancy to complement this skill.
  • Helmsman: The strength and experience to handle the tiller of a sailing vessel.  Understanding of the points of sail and exploitation of the wind.
  • Iron Immunity: Her days as a merchant mariner have exposed Leenane to foreign cultures and foreign semantics.  Over time, she has learned that "iron" and "steel" are the same material, despite internal propaganda and superstition, turned real by magic.

Relationships
  • No family that matters
  • ...pending...

History
Leenane was born into a fishing village in northeast Summervale and spent much of her early life around oared and sailing craft.  She studied navigation and seamanship under her father but found the life of a fisherman too quiet.  She longed for a sense of adventure and eventually made her way to one of the prominent merchant hubs.

Her history and experience were not precisely unusual among those that sought the sea, being she had always been a natural on the water, with gifts and abilities that set her apart from her peers, seeing her popularity among captains rise.  However, she is not especially fond of the regimented lifestyle of a merchant mariner, and she prone to avarice.


Current Threads
Land, Ho! (Explorer Event)

Completed Threads
By the Light of the Sun and Moon (Explorer Event)
#9
Plotting Center / Establishing connections (OoC)
October 18, 2018, 08:17:30 PM
Slightly overhauling the original topic: I'm looking for ways to delve into my characters' backstories, in the hope establishing a web of long term connections with other characters.  Much of this may begin in flashbacks before building into ongoing friendships and rivalries.

Feel free to reply here or via PM if you have any ideas.


Alexis Mandel - 37 years old - Former White Lily - Connlaoth
  • Born to a fairly prominent family of Knights in Orchy, Alexis has a somewhat strained relationship with her father and her brother (additional siblings possible).  With the war ongoing, it is possible for a battlefield reunion...
    Priority: ****
    • Margrave Gustav Mandel (Father)
    • Extended Family, Retinue and Household Staff
  • After the age of 11 (about 30 years ago), Alexis joined the Order of the White Lily.  She studied and trained there until her eventual desertion.  She almost certainly had friends (and lovers) there and may have even developed a reputation among her juniors.
    Priority: *****
    • Fellow White Lilies and Mordecai of a certain age.  Variable relationships, including archenemies

Karl Mandel - 38 years old - Knight of Orchy - Connlaoth
  • Warrior and Monster Hunter, leader of men.  Somewhat involved in politics; may soon inherit his father's title.  Likely to have many allies in rivals given his station and activity in tournaments.  Unmarried.
    Priority: **
    • Margrave Gustav Mandel (Father)
    • Extended family, Retinue and household staff
    • Rivals in past martial arts tournaments (mostly Joust, Sword, or Spear)

Michael Wolfram - 32 years old - Former Thief, Enforcer and Bandit.  Mercenary - Connlaoth
  • Michael was originally born into Reahj's criminal underworld.  He learned to fight as part of this life, forced to hold his own amid some of the city's most ruthless cutthroats.  There is some expectation of this past catching up with him...
    Priority: **
    • Various members of his former guild
    • Potential victims and law enforcement
    • Possible extended family
  • Later, Michael left the city, seeking adventure.  Falling back on old habits, he hired himself out as a bandit and highwayman, using his strength and skill to rob and extort Travellers and merchants.
    Priority: *
    • Obviously, former comrades and victims.  Maybe with long term grudges for the latter.
    • Bounty hunters

Ingrid Sauer - 51 years old - Gang leader - Connlaoth
  • ...
    Priority:****
    • Gang members
    • Former studenst
    • Rivals and adversaries

Parsa Khosrawi - 32 years old - Merchant Lord, Clairvoyant - Essyrn
  • A clever man seeking any possible opportunities for himself and those he cares for.  Exploits and abuses his magical foresight in hopes of keeping ahead of the curve.
    Priority: **
    • Parsa has 3 married sisters and corresponding in-laws.
    • Parsa is not married and seeks a potential match
    • Though not fond of the institution, Parsa keeps slaves as servants and in the cautious hope of conquering the Arena

Samuel Nevin - 21 years old - Orphan, former vigilante - Adela to Zantaric
  • After becoming a demonlord, Samuel hunted down and killed his father.  Beyond that, tradition defines him as a monster.
    Priority: *
    • Potentially demon hunters, seeking to kill him
All links are in my signature...
#10
Essyrn / New Acquisitions (Rhi-Rhi)
August 10, 2018, 07:38:48 PM
@Viscount Rhi-Rhi

Few in the city were unaware of the event; the defiant slaves that had ignored the Shah's command.  The response that seen the masters condemned for their failures rather than the slaves.  Parsa understood the reasoning...understood and rejected it.  Essyrni law called slaves nothing more than man-shaped beasts, incapable of thinking for themselves.  And only humans could be punished for their choices...

Be that as it may, circumstance had offered the merchant an opportunity.  Guided by dreams, he had purchaced the gladiatrix for surprisingly cheap.  The crowd was conflicted.  While some boasted about their intention to break the rebellious girl, few were truly prepared to risk the same fate as their predecessor.

Though not nearly as opulent as the Shah's palace, the merchant's home was not without its charms.  He had orders for Yasmin to be brought to his lounge so that he might speak with her.  In the meantime, he stood on the edge of his balcony, looking down at the dusty city, picking as a pile of dates as he waited to meet the woman who had caused such a stir.
#11
Sirantil Valley / I (Don't) Feel Pretty (Rhi)
July 21, 2018, 04:18:15 PM
To say Alexis lacked an eye for fashion would be an understatement.  She had grown up a warrior and such people had no need for frilly things.  Well, that was not entirely true.  Her attire at the moment was quite fine... for a man at least.  Dressed in quilted tunics and jerk leather made her feel secure and safe...but it could very easily lead to people developing the wrong ideas about her.

So it was that the harsh looking mercenary skimmed the wares of some Feirjan tailor whom she had already forgotten the name of.  Mostly it was raw fabrics, strewn about on shelves and tables, but there were a number of display pieces meant to show of the maker's skill.  Alexis could tell they were good work but she questioned whether any of it suited her.

Of all the things not to know, dressing for a given occassion seemed a silly thing to be stumped by.  Glancing toward the door, she silently pleaded for help from the swordsman acting as her bodyguard to help.  He simply shrugged, as clueless as her...the pleb.

It felt like she was just wasting time now.  She still had other chores to complete and waiting for miraculous inspiration was getting her nowhere.  Plucking up a bolt of dark green fabric, she resolved to get something made from that and simply be done, though she had little clue what to ask for.  She may well have to trust his judgement.
#12
Essyrn / Parsa Khosravi, Merchant Prince
July 20, 2018, 09:11:49 PM
Name: Parsa Khosravi
Age: 32
Gender: Male
Species: Human
Ethnicity: Essyrn
Height: 6'1"
Occupation: Merchant Prince
Resistance: Essyrn

Appearance
Like most of his people, Parsa is tall, his height supported by a well-muscled frame that can become intimidating to those who do not know him.  He has harsh, aquiline features with a high-bridged nose and almond shaped, black eyes.  His skin is the color soft bronze, unmarred by injury, helped by the care he takes to avoid sun damage.

As is common in Essyrn, Parsa can mostly be found wearing loose fitting cotton.  His personal taste leans toward robes and trousers to insulate him against the heat.  He sleeps little at night but largely manages to cover any sign of insomnia with kohl.  His naturally black hair is mostly kept straight and tied into a single plait down the middle of his back.  His chin is hidden under a well-maintained goatee.

Personality
Parsa is largely a gentleman.  He is rarely prone to outburst and avoids violence whenever possible.  His dealings with other merchants are rarely underhanded if he can help it, giving him a reputation for fairness.

That said, he should not be mistaken for weak.  He rewards loyalty well but in turn punishes treachery harshly.  The few who know or even suspect the severity of his retribution might call his retaliations excessive, but he is always careful to keep his hands clean.

Parsa is also haunted by visions.  Though he refuses to share them, he wakes in a cold sweat on many nights.  Even now, his sleep is often restless and painfully brief.

Magic/Abilities
  • Divination - Parsa is a remarkably potent seer, using his gift to swing business deals in his favor.  However, he loses control of his visions when he sleeps, haunted by his own secret knowledge
  • Mathematics - A mandate of his class and profession, Parsa keeps himself aware of the state of his business interests.
  • Archery - Parsa is practiced in the use of a composite short bow, though he rarely finds need of these skills.
  • Fencing - As a child, Parsa studied the use of Shamshir, a curved saber popular among Essyrni warriors.
  • Horsemanship - Tutored in riding, which he does regularly as an ongoing hobby.
Relationships
  • Three Sisters - All married (PM to establish relationships).
  • Bodyguards - A testament to Parsa's wealth, these fighters are mostly equipped with mail and armed with short bows, shamshirs and maces.
  • Servants - Though officially recognized as slaves, this is mostly for appearances' sake.  They are often paid and educated in secret.
History
Parsa was born the only son of an extremely prominent Merchant Prince and spent his early years in the lap of luxury.  As the only boy child and heir, he was doted on by his father's many wives and harem slaves, with no expectation of hardship.  Meanwhile, his father, who had difficulty having children, focused on his business interests, intending to build a small empire for his child.

Khosravi the Elder dabbled in many ventures, most of which paid off quite handsomely.  However, late in his life, the Prince had the ambition of capitalizing on the popularity of the arena, training slaves as professional gladiators.  This was a flawed plan from the beginning; high mortality rates made death matches too costly for fit slaves while cheap slaves were unfit for the stresses of combat.  Still, the man persisted and by the end of his life, he had exhausted much of his saving.  He died when his son was 19, leaving Parsa with many debts.

The young merchant's first act was to find husbands for his three sisters as, having seen his father's failing sanity, he had sabotaged any attempt by his father to do so.  Leveraging these marriages, Parsa was able to cover much of his father's losses, using his foresight to seek the greatest advantage.  Gradually, he reestablished many of his father's trade deals, rebuilding what his father had squandered.

His ongoing business is guided by his foresight, his decisions based on the long view of happenstance.  This gives him an uncomfortable perspective regarding the future of Essyrn, its culture and its legacy.  He is especially critical of the nature of slavery and the Arena, and the mindless cruelty it represents.  And while he is careful to conceal his goals, he works methodically behind the scenes to reform and rehabilitate his society...

Current Threads

Complete Threads
#13

Quote from: Hyoite: GeographyThroughout the brief summer, much of the permafrost melts to form bogs or temporary streams.

Now, this may be a semantic error but "Permafrost" literally means permanent frost.  By a textbook definition, it is a state in which soil remains frozen year round (minimum of two years), meaning that permafrost will only melt during catastrophic warming periods (ie: Global Climate Change).  As a result, Tundra biomes should never produce wetlands.

That said, how much of the region is actually tundra?  Looking at the site map, I wonder just what parallel Hyoite and Sionad would fall into.  If it's all the way up on the Pole, that would make Connlaoth a Taiga (boreal forest) and thus hamper the land's agricultural viability.  However, assuming Connlaoth is within the Temperate zone (ie: Lower 48), and that Sionad is along the northern border (ie: Canada), Sionad would most likely turn out to be Taiga (which can develop peat bogs in Summer).

Alternatively, Sionad could be a Cursed Tundra, justifying the existence of permafrost on the edge of Temperate farmland.
#14
@DragonSong


The smith travelled on further north.  Trade between Connlaoth and Serendipity was often hard, arduous.  There were few reliable passes through the mountains, making it easy for the southern lords to keep track off merchants.  However, there were a number of smuggler paths, but these were poorly maintained and unpatrolled, making them dangerous.

At least, most were unsafe.  One, which Joshua was on now, remained fairly secure thanks to an odd band of vigilanties.  They looked ragtag, a batch of fighters armed with halberds and matchlocks, their armor mostly of quilted jack.  One wore a brigandine, clearly an officer by his gait.  The halberdier saluted and Joshua nodded his gratitude as he continued into his homehand.

"That was Coburn, an agent of the Ash Guard.  They have agents all over and friends in high places...low places too."  The smith's companion had not asked but he had felt the need to explain.  "We should be getting close..."  It was hard to see the Compound over the foothills but once they were out in the open, he peculiar looking structures would be visible.

"Any last questions before we get there?" Joshua asked.  He wanted to ensure she felt at ease.  As a Serenian mage, it was natural for her to feel uncomfortable in his homeland...
#15
Essyrn / Zahara ult Makhia, Gladiatrix
March 11, 2018, 03:34:40 PM
Name: Zahara ult Makhia
Age: 22
Gender: Female
Species: Human
Ethnicity: Moraki Badlander
Height: 5'9"
Occupation: Slave/Gladiatrix
Residence: Essyrn

Appearance
As a slave, her features are often obscured by loose fitting robes and a gauzy veil.  In private, her attire is more modest, including cotton robes and trousers.

When she takes off her veil, it becomes clear that Zahara is a beauty.  With dusky skin common of those native to the region, she is without blemish, aside from the ink embedded into her skin.  While not disfiguring, her beautiful face is framed by swirling blue-green floral paterns.  These images wrap around her neck and extend down her arms, reaching her wrists.  Zahara has widely spaced, dark brown eyes and her curly black hair is kept long and braided.

In the arena, she is expected to wear as little as possible, offering a tantalizing view of her athletic body.  She wears steal greaves with no ornamentation and a helm with a reinforced mask.  She fights with a qaddara - broad-bladed short saber - and a round shield that covers her forearm.

Personality
Though she often comes off as feminine in polite company, Zahara is a natural Tomboy.  She has a tendancy to confront her problems aggressively and bluntly.  If it cannot be solved by a sword or a fist, then it is generally not her problem.  She is not crass, though.  As physical as she tends to be, she does prefer to remain clean and well kept.  She sees herself as a woman and still prefers the affections of men.

Zahara is also incredibly modest.  Growing up in the desert, showing tremendous amounts of skin was always considered dangerous, so the young woman prefers to keep herself covered.  She finds the traditional fashion of Essyrn to be quite scandalous.

Among her people, slavery was always considered normal and for Zahara's part, it has always seemed a fact of life.  Still, she finds abusive slave owners abhorrent and will sometimes act to liberate those she feels are in danger of being killed.

Abilities/Magic

  • Sword and Shield - Zahara is moderately well trained in the use of a qaddara, a reasonably common single-edged sword.  The weapon has no clear guard, requiring that it be paired with a broad shield.
  • Crescent Knife - The fighter can also fight with a small, S-shaped knife.  It is mostly a backup weapon but also acts as a concealable assassination tool.
  • "Pillow Dancing" - Her upbringing as a slave has given Zahara a set of skills she is loathe to share with those around her.  Still, it is a skill she has and she may yet find a worthwhile use for it...

Relationships

  • Master

History
Born amid the nomadic tribes of the Moraki desert, slavery has always been a fact of life for Zahara.  Even her family was known to keep slaves, and as a child, she thought little of it.  She was eleven when she was taken prisoner during a raid on her camp.  Life did not change drastically at first.  It was harder as she was expected to perform manual labor for perhaps the first time in her life.  It was still the same culture, though and things were still familiar.

Essyrn was a different story.  Where Badlanders simply viewed slaves as laborers, only in Essyrn were slaves treated as disposable.  Many of her friends were sent of to be butchered in the Arena, others were pushed beyond what they could tolerate and simply broke under pressure.  For her part, Zahara survived, thanks in no small way due to sheer luck.  She traded hands multiple times among the various merchants, though her fitness has drawn the attention of the Arena.


Current Thread

Completed Threads
#16
Questions and Suggestions / Tool Age of Serendipity
March 11, 2018, 08:22:53 AM
To clarify, what I would like to know is what the most prevalent building material would be.  For the rest of the world, this would largely be steel but Serenians (and other Fae) are largely allergic to ferrous materials so steel would be uniquely inconvenient as a tool.  And being who I am, I tend to assume realism before looking to steal ideas from preexisting fantasy.  This means, I mostly assumed that Serenians used Bronze Tools and Weapons.  However, there are a number of drawbacks to bronze that allowed iron and steel to overtake it in quality.

So, here, I have a few questions:
*Instead of steel, what are tools generally made of?  Bronze or some magically enhanced material?
*Instead of steel, what are weapons generally made of?
*Instead of steel, what is armor generally made of?

And I suggest the inclusion of a tech section featuring such elements.  With steel as the default material of the rest of the world and an allergy used as the trade-off for magic's prevalence among Serenians, it would be convenient to know how far that trade-off should be going.

At least, that's my take on things...
#17
Arca / Stranger Danger (DragonSong)
February 06, 2018, 09:38:30 AM
@DragonSong


Serendipity was indeed a land of magic, and nowhere was this more clear than it was in the royal capital.  People affiliated with the city's colleges could practice their arts openly, without fear; merchants sold trinkets they claimed were enchanted; even some of the architecture seemed impossible, unless it was somehow reinforced with some kind of spellwork.

For Alexis, it all had seemed so odd, seeing such things expressed honestly and openly.  She had grown up in Connlaoth, raised to believe that magic was a wicked thing, destined to be stamped out by the might of Angsar.  She had outgrown such nonsense but old habits die hard, as they say.

She had come to the city in search of information.  Mordecaism, while rare, was seen as a gift in her homeland, was beginning to prove inconvenient.  She was the only Adhara in her company, but recruited mages under her command proved painfully hampered by her power.  She hoped that the libraries of Arca would helper to perhaps reign in her abilities; or perhaps at least find an objective perspective that could lead her in the right direction...

Whenever she went anywhere in this country, she had to be accompanied by a pair of her subordinates.  It made her stand out, but that seemed better than to risk interfering with other peoples magic.  Dale and Russ, they were called: Russ was  clad in his black and red doublet with a braid of coppery hair falling to his neck, Dale was shaved bald, had olive skin and draped a cloak over his left shoulder.  Loyally, they bullied their way down the middle of the street, opening a path for the mercenary.  A necessary evil, sadly.

At the moment, they stood about three meters ahead and behind her, marking the range of her curse as she entered one of the more mundane libraries in the city.  Alexis now stood amidst rows and rows of books on magic.  Mordecaism had long since stopped being a "Gift from God" for her so this seemed the best place to find...something...to put her own powers in check.  That was her hope as she skimmed through the volumes of texts before her.
#18
Plotting Center / Will Commit Murder for Food
February 03, 2018, 06:34:40 PM
I have a couple of fairly fresh characters that need something to do, so I figured I'd advertise while I wait for replies on my existing topic.

Samuel (Profile below) is a hitman in Zantaric.  His right arm is a shapeshifing demon/weapon, and he's very good at his job.  Any similarities to other media are purely coincidence.

Alexis (Link also below) is a more run-of-the-mill mercenary commander who likes guns.  She travels a lot and with the right excuse, she can take jobs anywhere.

These are the ones who I still need to start playing but if my other two characters come off as more interesting, let me know...
#19
Zantaric / Samuel Nevin, Manhunter
January 28, 2018, 09:04:41 PM
Name: Samuel Nevin
Age: 21
Gender: Male
Species: Human/Demon-host
Ethnicity: Adelan
Height: 6 ft
Occupation: Assassin
Residence: Zantaric

Physical Description
Samuel is quite tall, with a lanky, almost skeletal build in spite of a normally ravenous appetite.  His features are hawkish and predatory with a hard, straight nose and deep set eyes.  His skin is mostly flawless, naturally tanned with a red hue.  His strait black hair is usual cut close and he has thin, angular eyebrows.  His left eye is dark brown, almost black.

Having bent a mindless demonic parasite to his will, Samuel now bares the mark of his curse in the form of a grotesque right arm that can twist and reshape with unnatural geometry.  It can be disguised as a shoulder length glove or sleeve but it never quite matches other articles of clothing he is wearing.  When Sam eases his hold though, its real nature is obvious, sprouting grinning fangs and mad eyes that seem to leer into one's very soul.  The arms form begins to fray where it merges with the host: a web of black veins reach across his chest and up his neck and cheek.  One has touched the corner of his right eye, which is now black instead of white, with a yellow iris and a pupil that seems to always reflect green light.

Personality
Contrary to assumption, Samuel is not a monster.  Despite his profession and his magical school, he is not a wanton killer.  Profesionally, he is precise and clinical.  He avoids excess casualties and kills his targets quickly, minimizing their suffering.  Personally, he refuses to kill those he has deemed rightous.

Off the job, he tends toward intellectual pursuits, such as strategy games and reading.  He can be a bit competetive but likes to be personable when he can be.

Magic/Abilities
  • Right Arm: Samuel's right arm is actually a form of shapeshifting demon.  It can take the form of a number of weapons and useful tools.  It lacks real sentience but does have a weak will of its own.  As a form of immortal magic, it is not vulnerable to Mordacaism...
  • Demoncraft: Samuel has complete control over his demonic right-arm.  Mordacaism can weaken this control, allowing the demon to worm its way into its host mind, distorting the host personality.
  • Summoning: He carries a number of wooden talismans carved with sigils for the purposes of summoning daemons.  These activated by burning, causing a given hellspawn to take form around it.
  • Acrobatics: Combining his own agility with some unique features of his monstrous arm, Samuel is able to achieve otherwise impossible feats, maneuvering in the most unnatural of ways.
  • Alchemy: A skill he mostly only dabbles in, his appetite for learning and experimenting with reagents has given him some experience in potion making.  Though rare, he sometimes uses his products in his professional life...

Relationships
  • Balick the Vulgar (father) [deceased]
  • Cassandra Nevin (mother) [deceased]

History
Samuel did not have a happy childhood.  The product of rape, he lived his early years knowing he was nothing more than a reminder of the worst moment of his mother's life.  Though she never acted unkindly, the young man could tell he he brought her nothing but pain.  This became most clear when Samuel was fifteen and his mother took her own life.

After this, the young man made it his life's mission to hunt down his father, a member of a bandit group that had attacked his village years prior and kill him.  To do that, the young peasant boy knew he needed an edge.  It was at this time; Samuel discovered his affinity for demoncraft.  He was able to summon a formless lesser demon, sacrificing his right arm to subjugate the creature.  And so, he set out, hunting down bandits in western Adela in his quest.

It took him two years to find Balick, the man who had sired him, and his confederates.  In that time, experience had honed the young Demonlord into a gifted killer.  When he reached his father's camp, killing then all was simple.  Most he killed quickly, but for the man who he blamed for killing his mother, he took his time.  The mutilated corpse was left unrecognizable, broken and discarded.  It was the last time the manhunter allowed himself such a grotesque indulgence...

Knowing he would be reviled for what he had become, Samuel would travel to Zantaric, a haven for criminals.  Considering killing was his only true skill, he became a professional assassin, though he can be a bit selective with his work.

Current Threads


Completed Threads
In the Name of Science!
By the Light of the Sun and Moon (Explorer Event)
Land, Ho! (Explorer Event)
#20
Northern Serendipity / Gun Runners (DragonSong)
January 21, 2018, 05:21:14 PM
For the past few days the wagon rolled south.  Loaded with iron, it was slow going, first through the valley that was Connlaoth, then into the pass through the mountains that separated it from Serendipity.  Now the wagon, a green panelled structure with a rounded roof, travelled a dusty road in Darken Vei, grassland and cattle country extending in all directions.  The ox that pulled the vehicle had fattened up nicely in their time here.

For the past few days, Joshua had been casting arquebuses to sell to a mark.  The smith was not fond of how cavalier his partner seemed about their objective, so he had been putting together a plan of his own in secret.  He did, after all, have a vested interest in his own survival and he liked to hedge his bets.

"So," Joshua said, not directing his speach toward anyone in particular.  "Not long now.  Hopefully, we should reach this town in the next day or two..."