A Twokinds RPGMs: [user]Baldrek[/user] and [user]RBMidknight[/user]
Introduction
It has been long since the events of the rebellion, the event that would change the face of the continent of Mekkan from being dominated by the Vast Human Empire and instead divide the land into a number of sovereign nations as it still exists to this day and age. The rebellion started out along the Human-Keidran borders as a simple understanding between the races that lived there, developing into a ceasefire and peace over time. However, this conflicted greatly with the policy of human superiority that the imperial rulers had attempted to ingrain into the heart of the nation. Seeing this as something that might evolve into slave uprisings and questioning of their practices, they retaliated with force, intending to spark war near the borders once more. Their plan backfired however, when the local populace both Human and Keidran alike decided that enough was enough, they had fought each other for far too long already. Eventually aided by the militaristic Basitin as well, they managed to fight back the Imperial forces who retreated to the Human Capital. The Azure Badlands, located in the path of the advancing Human-Keidran armies, feared the destruction that might be wrecked in their lands. As a result they declared themselves neutral in the conflict and renounced the imperial crown and banner, becoming what is today known as the 'Border Nations'. A big portion of their territory ceding from their rule, and with their armies battered and broken, the Empire petitioned for peace and a treaty was fashioned at the neutral ground of Lyn'Knoll. The treaty stated that the Templar order, a powerful order of magi under imperial command, would face immediate disbanding and the imperial military was to be reduced to one fourth of their current strength. In addition to this, all secessionist territory would be allowed to govern themselves, and that the territory of the Keidran and Basitin would remain theirs. Peace once again restored on Mekkan, a few years passed before various Keidran clans and ex-imperial territories formed the current republics. In the North there was the Arctic Republic, in the south the Republic of Felimarlch, and to the west there was the Republic of the Free lands where the rebellion had its origins.
The years have passed since that time, no one who still lives can say that they fought during those events. The races have grown closer in the republics, living side by side as equal individuals, free from slavery, but perhaps not entirely free from racial tension. In the border nations it is still like it has always been, numerous nations with each their own laws and views, seemingly differing every few miles, if not more often. In the Human Kingdom not much has changed, the human race is still regarded as superior, the other two kept in shackles by law and prejudice, forced to wear slave collars and being treated as the property of their betters, but even here some stand up for them, and the 'Resistance' has been busy freeing slaves as long as there have been slaves to free. And the Basitin Isles? Well, Basitin being Basitin, they are still fighting with each other, and enjoying every minute of it.
This RP is based on the world set up by the webcomic TwoKinds. You are not required to have to have previous knowledge of TwoKinds to join, but it's recommended that you take a look [http://twokinds.keenspot.com/] at it.
Character Template
[small](Note: The characters will be starting in the Port city of Wreathwood in the Republic of the Free lands, which is not too far from the Border nations.)[/small]
Name: (Guess what goes here.)
Race: (Human, Keidran or Basitin.)
Subspecies: (Only applicable if you're a Keidran or a Basitin. See the extra notes on different species under Keidran and Basitin.)
Age: (Self explanatory.)
Profession: (What your character does, or did prior to the RP. Anyone who wants to play as a mage, or magic user has to PM both GMs.)
Physical description: (How your character looks. Height, weight, skin/fur colouration, hair colour, eye colour, build, etc. Clothes and stuff like that also goes here.)
Weapons: (If your character begins play with any weapons you write it down here, but keep in mind that your character isn't a walking arsenal.)
Other notable equipment: (Any other equipment that is not weapons and has story significance. Like 'Medical supplies', or 'lockpicks' or whatever.)
Backstory: (Your characters past, what made your character the person s/he is today?)
Additional notes: (Optional notes about your character that don't really fit any of the aforementioned points.)
Differences in Species
The Setting
GM Sheets
General Rules
1. Respect the GMs.
2. No godmoding.
3. User proper grammar in your post and always use third-person past tense.
4. OOC chat should be in spoilers [ spoiler=OOC ] or taken to the User Group.
5. No NSFW content in your posts. Take that to PMs or //fade out// if you must.
6. If you submit a sheet you are committing to be a part of this RP. That means you should be posting regularly. If you have to be absent for a period of time, try to let one of the GMs know beforehand.
Posting Format
• Italics should be used for thoughts
• If you quote someone else's character it's recommended that you bold their words.
• Please stick to the standard black text.
• If your character is speaking Basitin, enclose the words in curly brackets. Example: "{Something Basitin goes here}"
• If your character is speaking Keidran, enclose the words in brackets. Example: "[Something Keidran goes here]"
1. Respect the GMs.
2. No godmoding.
3. User proper grammar in your post and always use third-person past tense.
4. OOC chat should be in spoilers [ spoiler=OOC ] or taken to the User Group.
5. No NSFW content in your posts. Take that to PMs or //fade out// if you must.
6. If you submit a sheet you are committing to be a part of this RP. That means you should be posting regularly. If you have to be absent for a period of time, try to let one of the GMs know beforehand.
Posting Format
• Italics should be used for thoughts
• If you quote someone else's character it's recommended that you bold their words.
• Please stick to the standard black text.
• If your character is speaking Basitin, enclose the words in curly brackets. Example: "{Something Basitin goes here}"
• If your character is speaking Keidran, enclose the words in brackets. Example: "[Something Keidran goes here]"
Introduction
It has been long since the events of the rebellion, the event that would change the face of the continent of Mekkan from being dominated by the Vast Human Empire and instead divide the land into a number of sovereign nations as it still exists to this day and age. The rebellion started out along the Human-Keidran borders as a simple understanding between the races that lived there, developing into a ceasefire and peace over time. However, this conflicted greatly with the policy of human superiority that the imperial rulers had attempted to ingrain into the heart of the nation. Seeing this as something that might evolve into slave uprisings and questioning of their practices, they retaliated with force, intending to spark war near the borders once more. Their plan backfired however, when the local populace both Human and Keidran alike decided that enough was enough, they had fought each other for far too long already. Eventually aided by the militaristic Basitin as well, they managed to fight back the Imperial forces who retreated to the Human Capital. The Azure Badlands, located in the path of the advancing Human-Keidran armies, feared the destruction that might be wrecked in their lands. As a result they declared themselves neutral in the conflict and renounced the imperial crown and banner, becoming what is today known as the 'Border Nations'. A big portion of their territory ceding from their rule, and with their armies battered and broken, the Empire petitioned for peace and a treaty was fashioned at the neutral ground of Lyn'Knoll. The treaty stated that the Templar order, a powerful order of magi under imperial command, would face immediate disbanding and the imperial military was to be reduced to one fourth of their current strength. In addition to this, all secessionist territory would be allowed to govern themselves, and that the territory of the Keidran and Basitin would remain theirs. Peace once again restored on Mekkan, a few years passed before various Keidran clans and ex-imperial territories formed the current republics. In the North there was the Arctic Republic, in the south the Republic of Felimarlch, and to the west there was the Republic of the Free lands where the rebellion had its origins.
The years have passed since that time, no one who still lives can say that they fought during those events. The races have grown closer in the republics, living side by side as equal individuals, free from slavery, but perhaps not entirely free from racial tension. In the border nations it is still like it has always been, numerous nations with each their own laws and views, seemingly differing every few miles, if not more often. In the Human Kingdom not much has changed, the human race is still regarded as superior, the other two kept in shackles by law and prejudice, forced to wear slave collars and being treated as the property of their betters, but even here some stand up for them, and the 'Resistance' has been busy freeing slaves as long as there have been slaves to free. And the Basitin Isles? Well, Basitin being Basitin, they are still fighting with each other, and enjoying every minute of it.
This RP is based on the world set up by the webcomic TwoKinds. You are not required to have to have previous knowledge of TwoKinds to join, but it's recommended that you take a look [http://twokinds.keenspot.com/] at it.
Character Template
[small](Note: The characters will be starting in the Port city of Wreathwood in the Republic of the Free lands, which is not too far from the Border nations.)[/small]
Name: (Guess what goes here.)
Race: (Human, Keidran or Basitin.)
Subspecies: (Only applicable if you're a Keidran or a Basitin. See the extra notes on different species under Keidran and Basitin.)
Age: (Self explanatory.)
Profession: (What your character does, or did prior to the RP. Anyone who wants to play as a mage, or magic user has to PM both GMs.)
Physical description: (How your character looks. Height, weight, skin/fur colouration, hair colour, eye colour, build, etc. Clothes and stuff like that also goes here.)
Weapons: (If your character begins play with any weapons you write it down here, but keep in mind that your character isn't a walking arsenal.)
Other notable equipment: (Any other equipment that is not weapons and has story significance. Like 'Medical supplies', or 'lockpicks' or whatever.)
Backstory: (Your characters past, what made your character the person s/he is today?)
Additional notes: (Optional notes about your character that don't really fit any of the aforementioned points.)
Differences in Species
Human
Humans are your standard primate-based, bipedal, sentient animals. Due to their high intelligence and natural curiosity they used to be technologically superior to the two ther races. But the technological gap has closed between the races since the rebellion, although even today most specialists still tend to be human due to their longer lifespan.
Humans live to be as old as 80 years+ provided they receive medical treatment, human opinions about the other races differs greatly, but some still see themselves as superior to the other two races, or at least less animalistic. Humans can be taught how to work magic and are perhaps the best at it due to their ability to draw mana straight out of their surroundings.
Keidran
Keidran are canine- and feline-based, bipedal, sentient animals. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes, which include: Tigers, Large Cats, Dogs, Wolves, and Foxes. They are a short-lived but intense race; guided by powerful base instincts. They are highly territorial and usually short-tempered. However, they are relatively easy to subdue and dominate individually, and thus make ideal slaves for Humans. This has been a point of contention for centuries between the two races.
Keidran can live to be 20-25 years old and reach adulthood at around 8 years, their society is usually a free spirited one, and most have trouble with long relationships due to both their short lifespans and their sometimes instinctual behaviour. Most Keidran have attributes associated with the animal, such as a very keen sense of smell for Dog and Wolf Keidran. Like humans, Keidran can be taught how to utilize magic, but they have to draw the power from a prepared source of mana, usually in the form of a crystal.
Subspecies: Cat , Dog, Fox, Tiger, Arctic Wolf, Forest Wolf, Mixed heritage (Ancestors from two or more subspecies), Other (PM the GMs if you would like to play as any other subspecies)
Additional Notes: Keidrans are Carnivores, they get sick from eating bread, their diet is more or less meat filled. Keidrans also do not take well to Human alcohol, there are specific types of alcoholic drink aimed at Keidrans.
The Festival of Beasts, a form of thanksgiving which is celebrated around every winter to symbolize Keidran and Human co-operation. (Most common close to the Forest Wolves.)
Basitin
Basitins are a little-known race of bipedal, long-eared, brown-furred, sentient animals. Unlike the other two races, the Basitins live off the mainland on a distant island-continent. Due to their isolation, they are often forgotten by the other two races and left to their own devices. They are a warrior race, with a society solely consisting of soldiers. They behave in a hive-like manner, following orders of superiors without question. They are usually even-tempered and disciplined.
The Western Basitin are more free spirited again, but their society is still centered around warfare due to their long conflict with their Eastern neighbours, one which is still ongoing.
Mainlander Basitin are the descendants of exiles and immigrants from the isles, they are still very much like their islander kin, but have adjusted to life in the mixed cities with less oppressive laws.
All Basitin can live to be around 60 years old, they are bound by numerous social taboos (like having to cover their feet, the base of their tail, and between their legs at all times, and with bodily contact usually being perceived as inappropriate, this is generally referred to as the 'Modesty laws') and they are incapable of using magic under normal circumstances, their minds degenerating quickly if they gain access to mana. However, Basitin are incredibly tough and highly resistant to disease, sickness, and poison. They also have a heightened sense of hearing.
Subspecies: Eastern Basitin, Western Basitin, Mainlander Basitin
Humans are your standard primate-based, bipedal, sentient animals. Due to their high intelligence and natural curiosity they used to be technologically superior to the two ther races. But the technological gap has closed between the races since the rebellion, although even today most specialists still tend to be human due to their longer lifespan.
Humans live to be as old as 80 years+ provided they receive medical treatment, human opinions about the other races differs greatly, but some still see themselves as superior to the other two races, or at least less animalistic. Humans can be taught how to work magic and are perhaps the best at it due to their ability to draw mana straight out of their surroundings.
Keidran
Keidran are canine- and feline-based, bipedal, sentient animals. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes, which include: Tigers, Large Cats, Dogs, Wolves, and Foxes. They are a short-lived but intense race; guided by powerful base instincts. They are highly territorial and usually short-tempered. However, they are relatively easy to subdue and dominate individually, and thus make ideal slaves for Humans. This has been a point of contention for centuries between the two races.
Keidran can live to be 20-25 years old and reach adulthood at around 8 years, their society is usually a free spirited one, and most have trouble with long relationships due to both their short lifespans and their sometimes instinctual behaviour. Most Keidran have attributes associated with the animal, such as a very keen sense of smell for Dog and Wolf Keidran. Like humans, Keidran can be taught how to utilize magic, but they have to draw the power from a prepared source of mana, usually in the form of a crystal.
Subspecies: Cat , Dog, Fox, Tiger, Arctic Wolf, Forest Wolf, Mixed heritage (Ancestors from two or more subspecies), Other (PM the GMs if you would like to play as any other subspecies)
Additional Notes: Keidrans are Carnivores, they get sick from eating bread, their diet is more or less meat filled. Keidrans also do not take well to Human alcohol, there are specific types of alcoholic drink aimed at Keidrans.
The Festival of Beasts, a form of thanksgiving which is celebrated around every winter to symbolize Keidran and Human co-operation. (Most common close to the Forest Wolves.)
Basitin
Basitins are a little-known race of bipedal, long-eared, brown-furred, sentient animals. Unlike the other two races, the Basitins live off the mainland on a distant island-continent. Due to their isolation, they are often forgotten by the other two races and left to their own devices. They are a warrior race, with a society solely consisting of soldiers. They behave in a hive-like manner, following orders of superiors without question. They are usually even-tempered and disciplined.
The Western Basitin are more free spirited again, but their society is still centered around warfare due to their long conflict with their Eastern neighbours, one which is still ongoing.
Mainlander Basitin are the descendants of exiles and immigrants from the isles, they are still very much like their islander kin, but have adjusted to life in the mixed cities with less oppressive laws.
All Basitin can live to be around 60 years old, they are bound by numerous social taboos (like having to cover their feet, the base of their tail, and between their legs at all times, and with bodily contact usually being perceived as inappropriate, this is generally referred to as the 'Modesty laws') and they are incapable of using magic under normal circumstances, their minds degenerating quickly if they gain access to mana. However, Basitin are incredibly tough and highly resistant to disease, sickness, and poison. They also have a heightened sense of hearing.
Subspecies: Eastern Basitin, Western Basitin, Mainlander Basitin
Humans
Humans utilize magic by drawing out the mana in their surroundings and giving it shape and purpose, more experienced mages can draw and use more mana at once, leading to more powerful magic. However, at most times even an experienced mage will be reluctant to use his full potential, for if ones surroundings are drained too quickly it will leave them powerless, their knowledge of magic suddenly useless. Though perhaps useless isn't the right word, for there is more power to be had in a patch of ground even with all its mana drained. 'Black mana' as it is called, is the life force drawn out of the ground itself, it is a very powerful matter to weave magic from, but it has been known to affect the users sanity greatly, leading to delusions, nightmares, violent outbursts, and other unpleasant effects. As such 'Black mana' is outlawed in most nations for its damaging effects, and mages taught how to avoid it.
Keidran
Keidran can use magic from prepared mana crystals, or stones. These are prepared beforehand and can be used only once before having to be prepared anew, how powerful a magic users spell becomes is dependent on the amount of mana in the crystal, and ones skill in utilizing the mana reserve. More experienced Keidran are known to be able to fit more mana inside a single crystal, leading to more powerful spells, but seeing as it has to be released all at once most settle on a moderate amount. Keidran can also use 'Black mana', which is referred to as the forbidden magic among Keidran mages, by trapping it in crystals as with normal mana, the crystals then glow red instead of the usual blue, and using them results in highly increased power, but at the expense of ones sanity.
One thing that is unique about the Keidran magic users is their apparent affinity with specific types of magic depending on bloodline, and sometimes clan, with pure blooded Keidran of one clan often excelling in a particular magic type, much more so than any mixed heritage Keidran. For example, a pure blooded mage of the Arctic Wolf clan could have a much stronger affinity towards ice or cold oriented magic due to his heritage.
Basitin
Basitin cannot use magic, their bodies are simply not suited for it and they are incapable of utilizing mana from the conventional sources available to Humans and Keidran. However, a Basitin can be granted access to mana through the old templar towers or similar structures, but doing so will cause their minds to deteriorate quickly, leaving them close to mindless and nearly incapable of independent action. It is unknown what effect 'Black mana' would have on Basitins, but it is theorized that it would simply speed up their mental erosion.
Humans utilize magic by drawing out the mana in their surroundings and giving it shape and purpose, more experienced mages can draw and use more mana at once, leading to more powerful magic. However, at most times even an experienced mage will be reluctant to use his full potential, for if ones surroundings are drained too quickly it will leave them powerless, their knowledge of magic suddenly useless. Though perhaps useless isn't the right word, for there is more power to be had in a patch of ground even with all its mana drained. 'Black mana' as it is called, is the life force drawn out of the ground itself, it is a very powerful matter to weave magic from, but it has been known to affect the users sanity greatly, leading to delusions, nightmares, violent outbursts, and other unpleasant effects. As such 'Black mana' is outlawed in most nations for its damaging effects, and mages taught how to avoid it.
Keidran
Keidran can use magic from prepared mana crystals, or stones. These are prepared beforehand and can be used only once before having to be prepared anew, how powerful a magic users spell becomes is dependent on the amount of mana in the crystal, and ones skill in utilizing the mana reserve. More experienced Keidran are known to be able to fit more mana inside a single crystal, leading to more powerful spells, but seeing as it has to be released all at once most settle on a moderate amount. Keidran can also use 'Black mana', which is referred to as the forbidden magic among Keidran mages, by trapping it in crystals as with normal mana, the crystals then glow red instead of the usual blue, and using them results in highly increased power, but at the expense of ones sanity.
One thing that is unique about the Keidran magic users is their apparent affinity with specific types of magic depending on bloodline, and sometimes clan, with pure blooded Keidran of one clan often excelling in a particular magic type, much more so than any mixed heritage Keidran. For example, a pure blooded mage of the Arctic Wolf clan could have a much stronger affinity towards ice or cold oriented magic due to his heritage.
Basitin
Basitin cannot use magic, their bodies are simply not suited for it and they are incapable of utilizing mana from the conventional sources available to Humans and Keidran. However, a Basitin can be granted access to mana through the old templar towers or similar structures, but doing so will cause their minds to deteriorate quickly, leaving them close to mindless and nearly incapable of independent action. It is unknown what effect 'Black mana' would have on Basitins, but it is theorized that it would simply speed up their mental erosion.
The Setting
The Arctic Republic
The lands north of the Forest of Wolves and West of the Northern Plains, the Arctic Republic is a democracy encompassing the old Arctic Wolves territories and parts of the old Human Empire, leading to a mixed population and a mixed elected ruling class. Still the republic has much inhospitable land that is difficult to settle, and which is still only inhabited by isolated Arctic Wolf settlements who follow their old clan democracies and who have mixed feelings about the republic and the settlers being encouraged to move further north and west. Slavery is illegal in the Arctic republic, though it is sometimes difficult to uphold out on the frontier.
Republic of the Free Lands
The former territories of the Forest Wolves combined with the Fox and Dog clans and a small area of former human territory, the Free lands stretch west of the mountains formerly known as the 'Great Human-Keidran Barrier' but also incorporate a few coastal cities just east of the mountain range. Due to the diverse territories that banded together to form the republic there is an understandably mixed racial makeup of the nation, with every race being well represented in most cities, even Basitin. The old nobility left over from the Forest Wolf monarchy still dabble in politics from time to time, but do not carry the weight they once did, and the nation is now ruled by a council of elected officials from every race. Slavery is considered illegal and every slave entering the republic is a free man/woman.
Republic of Felimarlch
Felimarlch is a word constructed from both the human and Keidran tongue, it's meaning initially being something like 'The feline woods' or 'The Forest of the Felines'. The republic governs the area south of the Parapet mountains and borders directly to the remains of the Human Kingdom to the north, and the Basitin Isles to the south-west. The nations racial makeup is varied, with emphasis on feline Keidran, but only Arctic wolves seem to be less represented among the populace. The republic also governs the neutral meeting ground of Lyn'Knoll, also known as Orchard Valley, where officials and ambassadors of all the nations meet to discuss matters of international importance. Slavery is illegal, sometimes to their northern neighbors great annoyance when they are refused the return of their 'property'.
The Basidian Isles
The Isles are strictly speaking two nations, each a monarchy lead by a king (The title is bestowed regardless of the kings gender) and with great majorities of Eastern and Western Basitin, as the other races often have trouble with the strict laws of Basitin society. The nations are also continually at war with one another, their armies constantly clashing at the border to duke it out in a never ending war that both sides seem to enjoy greatly, even to the point where they have yet to actually occupy any of the other nations holdings. This is how it has been for centuries. Slavery is considered illegal in the Isles.
The Human Kingdom
The remains of what was once known as 'The Vast Human Empire', they now only hold the territories north of the Republic of Felimarlch, east of the jade river and a portion of the Northern Plains east of the Serpent Tongue, as well as the Soden Island. They are still ruled by a monarchy, with all the nobility that follows, and the nation has its fair share of dispute between noble families. The population is mostly human, with Keidran and Basitin slaves as a minority, only Humans can receive citizenship and it is considered a public service to capture any runaway slaves and 'free' Keidran and Basitin so that they do not become a danger to others and themselves.
The Border Nations
The territory between The Arctic Republic, The Free Lands, and The Human Kingdom consists of numerous independent nations, each with their own laws, names and rulers. Some nations here put Humans and the other species as equal, others elevate humans as superior, some outlaw slavery, other encourage it, and some allow free slaves alongside slavery.
The lands north of the Forest of Wolves and West of the Northern Plains, the Arctic Republic is a democracy encompassing the old Arctic Wolves territories and parts of the old Human Empire, leading to a mixed population and a mixed elected ruling class. Still the republic has much inhospitable land that is difficult to settle, and which is still only inhabited by isolated Arctic Wolf settlements who follow their old clan democracies and who have mixed feelings about the republic and the settlers being encouraged to move further north and west. Slavery is illegal in the Arctic republic, though it is sometimes difficult to uphold out on the frontier.
Republic of the Free Lands
The former territories of the Forest Wolves combined with the Fox and Dog clans and a small area of former human territory, the Free lands stretch west of the mountains formerly known as the 'Great Human-Keidran Barrier' but also incorporate a few coastal cities just east of the mountain range. Due to the diverse territories that banded together to form the republic there is an understandably mixed racial makeup of the nation, with every race being well represented in most cities, even Basitin. The old nobility left over from the Forest Wolf monarchy still dabble in politics from time to time, but do not carry the weight they once did, and the nation is now ruled by a council of elected officials from every race. Slavery is considered illegal and every slave entering the republic is a free man/woman.
Republic of Felimarlch
Felimarlch is a word constructed from both the human and Keidran tongue, it's meaning initially being something like 'The feline woods' or 'The Forest of the Felines'. The republic governs the area south of the Parapet mountains and borders directly to the remains of the Human Kingdom to the north, and the Basitin Isles to the south-west. The nations racial makeup is varied, with emphasis on feline Keidran, but only Arctic wolves seem to be less represented among the populace. The republic also governs the neutral meeting ground of Lyn'Knoll, also known as Orchard Valley, where officials and ambassadors of all the nations meet to discuss matters of international importance. Slavery is illegal, sometimes to their northern neighbors great annoyance when they are refused the return of their 'property'.
The Basidian Isles
The Isles are strictly speaking two nations, each a monarchy lead by a king (The title is bestowed regardless of the kings gender) and with great majorities of Eastern and Western Basitin, as the other races often have trouble with the strict laws of Basitin society. The nations are also continually at war with one another, their armies constantly clashing at the border to duke it out in a never ending war that both sides seem to enjoy greatly, even to the point where they have yet to actually occupy any of the other nations holdings. This is how it has been for centuries. Slavery is considered illegal in the Isles.
The Human Kingdom
The remains of what was once known as 'The Vast Human Empire', they now only hold the territories north of the Republic of Felimarlch, east of the jade river and a portion of the Northern Plains east of the Serpent Tongue, as well as the Soden Island. They are still ruled by a monarchy, with all the nobility that follows, and the nation has its fair share of dispute between noble families. The population is mostly human, with Keidran and Basitin slaves as a minority, only Humans can receive citizenship and it is considered a public service to capture any runaway slaves and 'free' Keidran and Basitin so that they do not become a danger to others and themselves.
The Border Nations
The territory between The Arctic Republic, The Free Lands, and The Human Kingdom consists of numerous independent nations, each with their own laws, names and rulers. Some nations here put Humans and the other species as equal, others elevate humans as superior, some outlaw slavery, other encourage it, and some allow free slaves alongside slavery.
GM Sheets
Name: Dusty (Maya Durand)
Race: Keidran
Subspecies: Cougar (Mountain Lion)
Age: 12
Profession: Vagabond
Physical description: Standing at 6'2" feet Dusty is considered tall for a Keidran, and weighing in at only 142 lbs she can definately be described as lean, as she's still a little bit of muscle away from being called slim. Her short fur is tawny with lighter patches on her front including her jawn, chin and throat and her eyes are a dull green color. Her brown hair is kept neck long and parts of it tend to be kept in a few small braids secured with brass clasps.
Dusty prefers her clothes practical and easy to move around in, and being convinced that the best way to deal with troublesome situations is to not be spotted at all, she tends to keep her clothes plain, with earthen or dull coloration. Usually she wears a pair of brown pants, a white shirt with a light brown overshirt, and leather boots. On her left hand she wears a leather glove to protect her fingers and the inside of her bow arm, and she also wears a leather chestguard over her clothes to protect from the bowstring.
Weapons: Dagger, bow and arrows.
Other notable equipment: Leather satchel, utility knife, simple self-made flute.
Backstory: Maya was born in the northern part of the Republic of the Free Lands, her parents were both former slaves from the Human Kingdom who had settled down there after their successful escape, or at least that is what she has been told, she doesn't remember much about them herself, just a few vague memories from when she was very young. Apparently her mother died before her second birthday, and her father left shortly after due to circumstances that were never fully explained to her, leaving her in the care of her 'uncle', an aging feline Keidran employed in the village's small guard who went by Clay Silverstein.
Her uncle raised her much as he would have raised a daughter of his own, helping her learn how to read and write Human and Keidran, as well as teaching her the only real trade skills he had to impart, namely archery and a bit of hunting that he had picked up during his younger years. Maya liked living with her uncle, to her he was a kind father figure, even if he was sometimes strict when it came to her studies, but even that was masked in kindness, at least in hindsight, as a means to make sure that she could actually care for herself when the time came.
As she grew older she started putting more effort into improving her archery, finding that she had a penchant for it, or maybe that was just due to her uncle's encouragement. She soon found herself ready to join him on more practical training, learning more about hunting than just drawing back a bowstring, there were many more things to consider after all, locating prey, stalking it, then shooting it, chasing it if it was merely wounded, and finally making use of the animal. She proved a natural at stalking and ambush approaches, often making use of trees to catch unwary animals off guard, or hiding in those hard to reach places in the mountainside to wait for passing prey.
Finally on her ninth year, having grown up with second hand stories about her parents almost miraculous journey during their escape and the many places they visited in the Border Nations and beyond, Maya felt a kind of wanderlust set in. She needed to go out there and see if this was all true, if there was indeed a place that was run by Keidran mages who didn't bow to anyone, or if there was a place where slaves and free Keidran walked side by side, or even if places where magic was outlawed existed. Of course, she couldn't leave her uncle, now nearing his 24th birthday he had started to grow frail, enough so that the rest of the guards had finally managed to convince him to retire from service.
In the end Maya's uncle didn't live long enough to celebrate another birthday, and Maya now had little left in the village she grew up in besides the small house once belonging to her uncle. Deciding that she needed time away to avoid seeing shadows around every corner, Maya loaned the house to the remaining guards for the promise that they would keep it maintained, she then wrapped up some of her belongings, grabbed her equipment and the gold that had been left her and headed off over the mountains to the east.
Over three years have passed, and Maya has been from place to place within the Border Nations, even wandering over into the republics from time to time. Her tawny fur combined with the dust blown up on dry days has earned her the nickname 'Dusty' among those few who recognize her, which she has found fitting enough to adopt herself. Her money has depleted a fair bit since she started, but with a little bit of income from the surplus materials and food from her hunting she has managed to keep things going. Her newest stop on her journey without any real goals or directions is Wreathwood, if the city will keep her for more than a few days remains to be seen.
Additional notes:
- Dusty may be described as an easygoing and pretty carefree individual, she tends to live on a more day-to-day basis, being one for spontaneous decisions.
- Despite her personality Dusty speaks less than one should think, only when she's in pleasant company or when slightly intoxicated will she start talking a lot.
- Speaks Human and Keidran, and knows a few words she finds 'amusing' in Basitin.
Name: Katja Laskari
Race: Keidran
Subspecies: Mixed-Heritage Forest and Arctic Wolf
Age: 9
Profession: Traveler
Physical description: Katja stands at about 5'6" tall, a pretty average height for a Keidran, and weighs around 130 lbs. Her fur is a light brown, almost sandy in color, with patches of darker brown on top of her muzzle and underneath her eyes, which are a golden yellow color. Her hair is of the same dark brown as the fur under her eyes, and reaches down to her shoulder blades. It is usually kept in a braid for practicality's sake, the end being bound up with either bandages or rope, depending on what she has at hand.
She prefers her clothes practical, usually wearing a pair of dark brown pants, a simple linen shirt, a piece of rope as a belt, and a worn cloak made from gray wool. In addition she prefers to wrap up her feet and the base of her tail with bandages, a very peculiar practice for a Keidran, and this (along with her fur coloration) sometimes make people mistake her for a Basitin.
Weapons: Broadsword, shortbow and arrows.
Other notable equipment: A map yellowed with age, a utility knife, a worn leather satchel, and a wooden figurine depicting a Basitin.
Backstory: Katja has had an unusual life for a Keidran, the first memories that she can recall is of herself traveling with her Basitin foster father, who later also became her mentor.
He told her that he had stumbled across her while he was traveling through the border nations, her family nowhere to be seen. She had been badly emaciated and was carrying tell tale signs of having been on the run for a prolonged amount of time. Due to the child's bad condition and the sometimes hostile reactions of the local populace towards Keidran, he had been fairly certain that whatever had befallen this young child's guardians had likely resulted in them either captured against their will, or worse. If she even had guardians that was, she could also be a runaway slave, but that didn't exactly improve her situation.
Knowing full well that the Duchy they were currently in was rather unkind to Keidran, the Basitin took it upon himself to lead her to the Arctic Republic where she could find herself a new home in an orphanage. To make the trip slightly easier he disguised her as a Basitin. They were also disliked along with Keidran, but most bigots knew better than to pick a fight with a Basitin unless they were certain that they had the odds on their side, so it offered some meager protection.
However, as the journey went on, the Basitin's original idea seemed to fade away, as Katja seemed content to follow him around. This eventually lead to him growing attached to her and start treating her like an adopted daughter.
Katja learned much from traveling with her 'father'. He had taught her how to speak, as well as how to read and write the Basitin and Human languages. Unfortunately he had nearly no knowledge of the Keidran language, and Katja grew up with nearly no exposure to her own race's language as a result. After that he started teaching her how to fend for herself the Basitin way, with superior martial prowess. Her lessons mostly centered around swordsmanship and archery, even though her mentor used a halberd himself. And when she asked about why he wasn't teaching her how to wield that as well, he had replied that the halberd was something better suited for war. That it served nearly no purpose in protecting oneself or other people, what he was teaching her could be used for far nobler purposes than just fighting an opposing army. Katja was still a little unsure if this was entirely the case, but took her mentor's words to heart. After all, who was she to oppose the wisdom of those more experienced?
Other than that she got taught how to use her skills for hunting as the traveled, and of knowledge that could help her find edible plants and berries in the forest, even if she herself couldn't eat them due to her race's carnivorous nature. And though perhaps not her mentors intent, she also picked up a very Basitin way of life. Something that lead her to behave a lot more strict and formal than most Keidran, and perhaps also in part leading to her developing a very stubborn, yet assertive and slightly proud personality.
A few months ago her mentor passed away from old age, as is to be expected of Basitin nearing their sixties. And Katja, knowing no other way of life, continued wandering the land with the sparse equipment and supplies left over from her mentor, eventually finding herself in the port city of Wreathwood.
Additional notes: She speaks Human and Basitin fluently, yet she doesn't even know rudimentary Keidran.
Race: Keidran
Subspecies: Cougar (Mountain Lion)
Age: 12
Profession: Vagabond
Physical description: Standing at 6'2" feet Dusty is considered tall for a Keidran, and weighing in at only 142 lbs she can definately be described as lean, as she's still a little bit of muscle away from being called slim. Her short fur is tawny with lighter patches on her front including her jawn, chin and throat and her eyes are a dull green color. Her brown hair is kept neck long and parts of it tend to be kept in a few small braids secured with brass clasps.
Dusty prefers her clothes practical and easy to move around in, and being convinced that the best way to deal with troublesome situations is to not be spotted at all, she tends to keep her clothes plain, with earthen or dull coloration. Usually she wears a pair of brown pants, a white shirt with a light brown overshirt, and leather boots. On her left hand she wears a leather glove to protect her fingers and the inside of her bow arm, and she also wears a leather chestguard over her clothes to protect from the bowstring.
Weapons: Dagger, bow and arrows.
Other notable equipment: Leather satchel, utility knife, simple self-made flute.
Backstory: Maya was born in the northern part of the Republic of the Free Lands, her parents were both former slaves from the Human Kingdom who had settled down there after their successful escape, or at least that is what she has been told, she doesn't remember much about them herself, just a few vague memories from when she was very young. Apparently her mother died before her second birthday, and her father left shortly after due to circumstances that were never fully explained to her, leaving her in the care of her 'uncle', an aging feline Keidran employed in the village's small guard who went by Clay Silverstein.
Her uncle raised her much as he would have raised a daughter of his own, helping her learn how to read and write Human and Keidran, as well as teaching her the only real trade skills he had to impart, namely archery and a bit of hunting that he had picked up during his younger years. Maya liked living with her uncle, to her he was a kind father figure, even if he was sometimes strict when it came to her studies, but even that was masked in kindness, at least in hindsight, as a means to make sure that she could actually care for herself when the time came.
As she grew older she started putting more effort into improving her archery, finding that she had a penchant for it, or maybe that was just due to her uncle's encouragement. She soon found herself ready to join him on more practical training, learning more about hunting than just drawing back a bowstring, there were many more things to consider after all, locating prey, stalking it, then shooting it, chasing it if it was merely wounded, and finally making use of the animal. She proved a natural at stalking and ambush approaches, often making use of trees to catch unwary animals off guard, or hiding in those hard to reach places in the mountainside to wait for passing prey.
Finally on her ninth year, having grown up with second hand stories about her parents almost miraculous journey during their escape and the many places they visited in the Border Nations and beyond, Maya felt a kind of wanderlust set in. She needed to go out there and see if this was all true, if there was indeed a place that was run by Keidran mages who didn't bow to anyone, or if there was a place where slaves and free Keidran walked side by side, or even if places where magic was outlawed existed. Of course, she couldn't leave her uncle, now nearing his 24th birthday he had started to grow frail, enough so that the rest of the guards had finally managed to convince him to retire from service.
In the end Maya's uncle didn't live long enough to celebrate another birthday, and Maya now had little left in the village she grew up in besides the small house once belonging to her uncle. Deciding that she needed time away to avoid seeing shadows around every corner, Maya loaned the house to the remaining guards for the promise that they would keep it maintained, she then wrapped up some of her belongings, grabbed her equipment and the gold that had been left her and headed off over the mountains to the east.
Over three years have passed, and Maya has been from place to place within the Border Nations, even wandering over into the republics from time to time. Her tawny fur combined with the dust blown up on dry days has earned her the nickname 'Dusty' among those few who recognize her, which she has found fitting enough to adopt herself. Her money has depleted a fair bit since she started, but with a little bit of income from the surplus materials and food from her hunting she has managed to keep things going. Her newest stop on her journey without any real goals or directions is Wreathwood, if the city will keep her for more than a few days remains to be seen.
Additional notes:
- Dusty may be described as an easygoing and pretty carefree individual, she tends to live on a more day-to-day basis, being one for spontaneous decisions.
- Despite her personality Dusty speaks less than one should think, only when she's in pleasant company or when slightly intoxicated will she start talking a lot.
- Speaks Human and Keidran, and knows a few words she finds 'amusing' in Basitin.
Name: Katja Laskari
Race: Keidran
Subspecies: Mixed-Heritage Forest and Arctic Wolf
Age: 9
Profession: Traveler
Physical description: Katja stands at about 5'6" tall, a pretty average height for a Keidran, and weighs around 130 lbs. Her fur is a light brown, almost sandy in color, with patches of darker brown on top of her muzzle and underneath her eyes, which are a golden yellow color. Her hair is of the same dark brown as the fur under her eyes, and reaches down to her shoulder blades. It is usually kept in a braid for practicality's sake, the end being bound up with either bandages or rope, depending on what she has at hand.
She prefers her clothes practical, usually wearing a pair of dark brown pants, a simple linen shirt, a piece of rope as a belt, and a worn cloak made from gray wool. In addition she prefers to wrap up her feet and the base of her tail with bandages, a very peculiar practice for a Keidran, and this (along with her fur coloration) sometimes make people mistake her for a Basitin.
Weapons: Broadsword, shortbow and arrows.
Other notable equipment: A map yellowed with age, a utility knife, a worn leather satchel, and a wooden figurine depicting a Basitin.
Backstory: Katja has had an unusual life for a Keidran, the first memories that she can recall is of herself traveling with her Basitin foster father, who later also became her mentor.
He told her that he had stumbled across her while he was traveling through the border nations, her family nowhere to be seen. She had been badly emaciated and was carrying tell tale signs of having been on the run for a prolonged amount of time. Due to the child's bad condition and the sometimes hostile reactions of the local populace towards Keidran, he had been fairly certain that whatever had befallen this young child's guardians had likely resulted in them either captured against their will, or worse. If she even had guardians that was, she could also be a runaway slave, but that didn't exactly improve her situation.
Knowing full well that the Duchy they were currently in was rather unkind to Keidran, the Basitin took it upon himself to lead her to the Arctic Republic where she could find herself a new home in an orphanage. To make the trip slightly easier he disguised her as a Basitin. They were also disliked along with Keidran, but most bigots knew better than to pick a fight with a Basitin unless they were certain that they had the odds on their side, so it offered some meager protection.
However, as the journey went on, the Basitin's original idea seemed to fade away, as Katja seemed content to follow him around. This eventually lead to him growing attached to her and start treating her like an adopted daughter.
Katja learned much from traveling with her 'father'. He had taught her how to speak, as well as how to read and write the Basitin and Human languages. Unfortunately he had nearly no knowledge of the Keidran language, and Katja grew up with nearly no exposure to her own race's language as a result. After that he started teaching her how to fend for herself the Basitin way, with superior martial prowess. Her lessons mostly centered around swordsmanship and archery, even though her mentor used a halberd himself. And when she asked about why he wasn't teaching her how to wield that as well, he had replied that the halberd was something better suited for war. That it served nearly no purpose in protecting oneself or other people, what he was teaching her could be used for far nobler purposes than just fighting an opposing army. Katja was still a little unsure if this was entirely the case, but took her mentor's words to heart. After all, who was she to oppose the wisdom of those more experienced?
Other than that she got taught how to use her skills for hunting as the traveled, and of knowledge that could help her find edible plants and berries in the forest, even if she herself couldn't eat them due to her race's carnivorous nature. And though perhaps not her mentors intent, she also picked up a very Basitin way of life. Something that lead her to behave a lot more strict and formal than most Keidran, and perhaps also in part leading to her developing a very stubborn, yet assertive and slightly proud personality.
A few months ago her mentor passed away from old age, as is to be expected of Basitin nearing their sixties. And Katja, knowing no other way of life, continued wandering the land with the sparse equipment and supplies left over from her mentor, eventually finding herself in the port city of Wreathwood.
Additional notes: She speaks Human and Basitin fluently, yet she doesn't even know rudimentary Keidran.
Name: Jarrod
Race: Keidran
Subspecies: Forest Wolf
Age: 10
Profession: Dockworker (former slave)
Physical description: Jarrod is 5'8" tall and 160 pounds. A lifetime of manual labor and hard work has kept him fit, strong, and well muscled. He has dark brown fur except at the tip of his ears and his feet where the color lightens. His light brown hair is cropped very close to his skull.
When working Jarrod wears a loose fitting light-colored shirt and plain brown or black pants. On his free days Jarrod forgoes the shirt and simply wears a comfortable pair of pants secured by an worn old leather belt he found unclaimed in the dockworkers' common room.
Weapons: Jarrod carries a well-worn splitting hatchet with a solid birch wood haft and metal head in a loop on his belt. Also attached to his belt is a small dagger. He carries a single bit felling axe strapped to his back. The head of the axe is covered by a hand-made leather blade guard, many years old and in need to replacing.
Other notable equipment: He has an empty mana stone attached to a leather cord that he wears as a necklace. This necklace is kept hidden under his shirt. On his belt Jarrod has tied two leather bags, one filled with a variety of seeds and one that contains his three (two full, one empty) mana stones mixed in with pieces of metal from a broken slave collar.
Backstory: Though born a free Keidran Jarrod was kidnapped by slave traders at a young age. He was forcibly employed as a lumberjack for a logging company run by Humans. During his captivity Jarrod met an unusual fox Keidran. This unusual slave was a fire mage and Jarrod's key to escaping. Jarrod's own abilities manifested and were found to be related to plants. Together the two slaves planned and executed their escape. Several attempts failed but they continued trying. Finally they were able to overpower an Overseer and break their slave bands. Unfortunately Thane was injured during the escape attempt and Jarrod was forced to leave his friend behind or risk recapture. Jarrod followed the coast until he found the city of Arroy. He made this city his new place of residence and slowly relearned the basic rules of society. Though Arroy had banned slavery Jarrod never truly felt safe except during his time in the city gardens. He found a job as a dockworker to pay for his room at the Inn and lived without any major problems. He became interested in finding his home village and after some advice from a coworker Jarrod decided to visit Wreathwood, a neighboring city to Arroy. He allowed himself to be hired as a guard for a particular shipment of goods. Before leaving the city Jarrod buried some of the pieces of his slave collar in the gardens, using his magic to wrap the pieces with the roots of different plants.
(Expanded Backstory is here [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/jump/540.353005.14078146])
Additional notes:
Mage Abilities
Jarrod's affinity is with plants. Using his mana stone Jarrod is able to convince plants to grow out of season, to grow rapidly, or to move in an unnatural manner. This latter ability works similar to a puppeteer controlling a puppet. Jarrod controls the plants using mana. If he uses a lot of energy for a single plant, that plant will start to glow with an unnatural light. Jarrod can convince healthy plants to wither and die but it takes more energy to do something so against the natural flow of life. And it's not something that he likes to do.
Language Skills
Jarrod can speak Keidran but cannot read the language very well. He has learned some Human, most of it slang, from listening to his supervisors while in slavery. Basitin is a language he can recognize but his knowledge only extends to those terms relating to ships and the dockyard where he works.
Race: Keidran
Subspecies: Forest Wolf
Age: 10
Profession: Dockworker (former slave)
Physical description: Jarrod is 5'8" tall and 160 pounds. A lifetime of manual labor and hard work has kept him fit, strong, and well muscled. He has dark brown fur except at the tip of his ears and his feet where the color lightens. His light brown hair is cropped very close to his skull.
When working Jarrod wears a loose fitting light-colored shirt and plain brown or black pants. On his free days Jarrod forgoes the shirt and simply wears a comfortable pair of pants secured by an worn old leather belt he found unclaimed in the dockworkers' common room.
Weapons: Jarrod carries a well-worn splitting hatchet with a solid birch wood haft and metal head in a loop on his belt. Also attached to his belt is a small dagger. He carries a single bit felling axe strapped to his back. The head of the axe is covered by a hand-made leather blade guard, many years old and in need to replacing.
Other notable equipment: He has an empty mana stone attached to a leather cord that he wears as a necklace. This necklace is kept hidden under his shirt. On his belt Jarrod has tied two leather bags, one filled with a variety of seeds and one that contains his three (two full, one empty) mana stones mixed in with pieces of metal from a broken slave collar.
Backstory: Though born a free Keidran Jarrod was kidnapped by slave traders at a young age. He was forcibly employed as a lumberjack for a logging company run by Humans. During his captivity Jarrod met an unusual fox Keidran. This unusual slave was a fire mage and Jarrod's key to escaping. Jarrod's own abilities manifested and were found to be related to plants. Together the two slaves planned and executed their escape. Several attempts failed but they continued trying. Finally they were able to overpower an Overseer and break their slave bands. Unfortunately Thane was injured during the escape attempt and Jarrod was forced to leave his friend behind or risk recapture. Jarrod followed the coast until he found the city of Arroy. He made this city his new place of residence and slowly relearned the basic rules of society. Though Arroy had banned slavery Jarrod never truly felt safe except during his time in the city gardens. He found a job as a dockworker to pay for his room at the Inn and lived without any major problems. He became interested in finding his home village and after some advice from a coworker Jarrod decided to visit Wreathwood, a neighboring city to Arroy. He allowed himself to be hired as a guard for a particular shipment of goods. Before leaving the city Jarrod buried some of the pieces of his slave collar in the gardens, using his magic to wrap the pieces with the roots of different plants.
(Expanded Backstory is here [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/jump/540.353005.14078146])
Additional notes:
Mage Abilities
Jarrod's affinity is with plants. Using his mana stone Jarrod is able to convince plants to grow out of season, to grow rapidly, or to move in an unnatural manner. This latter ability works similar to a puppeteer controlling a puppet. Jarrod controls the plants using mana. If he uses a lot of energy for a single plant, that plant will start to glow with an unnatural light. Jarrod can convince healthy plants to wither and die but it takes more energy to do something so against the natural flow of life. And it's not something that he likes to do.
Language Skills
Jarrod can speak Keidran but cannot read the language very well. He has learned some Human, most of it slang, from listening to his supervisors while in slavery. Basitin is a language he can recognize but his knowledge only extends to those terms relating to ships and the dockyard where he works.
