Second Chance | An Original Fantasy Quest [REBOOT]

Existential forces pulled on you.

Your body ached painfully, as you felt the condensed, manifested strength of will of the universe doing its best to rip you apart. Your limbs felt close to snapping away from their sockets, torn away from your body when finally, your feet firmly touched the ground. A shiver ran through you, as a wave of sudden relief settled in your heart.

"Don't move!" a voice shouted hastily, and you complied.

A circle of light appeared around you, floating gently around your waist. In the blink of an eye, its sides extended upwards and downwards, and you were surrounded by a pillar of blinding light that became translucent mere instants later. It hummed out a low sound, seemingly too low for your human ears to be able to hear.

Once you were finally able to take a look at the source of the voice, you saw a… moth person. It wasn't clear whether it was a man, woman, both, or neither, but their iridescent eyes and rainbow, fluttery wings made it clear enough that its gender wasn't a thing you were supposed to worry about.

"Fascinating," the moth-person said, their eyes fluttering, their many hexagonal sectors shrinking and enlarging to regale you with the deepest look you've ever been given.

"Where am I? And who are you?"

"Oh, a curious one!" the moth-person sing-sang, clapping their oddly human hands together. "Most people either scream at me, fall unconscious, or die as soon as the procedure is done. We can both count ourselves lucky!"

You keep looking at the moth-person, impassively.

"Alright, fine. You're in a... world between worlds which isn't quite a world," the moth-person answered after a moment of watching. Their wings twitched a few times as they turned around, fiddling with something on the nearby table. "Exactly how you wouldn't call the airspace around an airport the airport itself."

"Absolutely not confusing," you reply, totally devoid of sarcasm and irony.

"And you may refer to me as the Moth," the Moth said. "I made this plane after I was cut off from the other one. Now, why don't you tell me about you, instead? Who are you?"


[ ] Krilas, the Elven Mutt - "I will not let any of you down, be it the last thing I ever do on this godsforsaken world."

Krilas was a native of Obei-Rok, the hallowed forest-nation of the very religious elves, bastard son of an elven noblewoman and a soldier from Arthrion. Cast out by his mother but not by his half-kin of Obei-Rok, Krilas has enjoyed a relatively quiet life during his youth. He took an interest in the bow and arrow, drawn to them like bugs to an oil lamp, quickly accumulating such skill and reputation that he became renowned in his nation as 'Swiftscream.'

Once the Great War of the Undead begun, the enemy armies led by none other than Lich-Emperor Zidhas himself, he was forced to choose between desertion and enlistment, and so he left his nation, heading for Arthrion where he could find his father and start a life there. Unfortunately, his journey did not go far - he was found on the road by a group of Zidhas' troops, was outnumbered thirty to one, and got trapped into a fight.

The battle lasted for a long time, where Krilas grew more and more hopeless by the second. His arms became tired, and his arrows weren't as effective. He prayed to the spirits for one last burst of energy. He drew his last projectile and fired it in a dazzling supernova of colors, just as his eyes closed and he died because of his wounds.

Name: Krilas
Species: Half-Elf
Age: 77 (Early 30s, biologically - could live up to 300 years unassisted by magic)
Motivation: Finding remnants of the human side of his family
Attributes:

• Strength: 17
• Agility: 121
• Speed: 106
• Intelligence: 43
• Magic: 21

Special Ability: One Fateful Arrow - Once per story arc or major event, Krilas can draw an arrow in his bow and fire it. This arrow is ensured to be able to take down any enemy, barring truly exceptional foes and those with metaphysical elevation above this attack's.

Despite the limitation, it will still strike true and damage its target nonetheless: even a being the size of a mountain could be harmed in some way by the Fateful Arrow. Furthermore, any ordinary arrow Krilas shoots at an opponent will not miss barring exceptional circumstances.

After shooting the Fateful Arrow, Krilas receives a very brief burst of Speed and Agility equal to 100% of their value, which will decay over the duration of a single scene.


[ ] Tinilith, the Demon Barbarian - "My friend, you were the bravest heart I've ever known."

Contrary to his title, Tinilith is one of the few good people to be found on the Flaming Islands. Born to a human couple on the Flaming Islands during one of the dozen yearly planar convergences, Tinilith came out as a half-demon; commonly known as a tiefling. Despite his infernal ancestry, his parents loved him plenty and granted him the best of childhoods. He grew up on tales of the world, how big and beautiful it is, and his passion became that of travel.

Once he was old enough, he joined the Maritime League - a world-spanning organization that is filled with explorers, travelers, warriors, researchers; a true independent superpower - and began exploring the world. When the Great War of the Undead began, the Maritime League was asked for assistance and Tinilith was one of the first to show his face. With a greataxe in his hand, and a strong suit of armor on his back, the Maritime League took the fights to the undead that roamed the seas.

Unfortunately, during a battle, he lost control of his demonic powers, and killed himself along with his crewmates and enemies.

Name: Tinilith
Species: Tiefling (Demon-blooded)
Age: 23
Motivation: Stopping the war
Attributes:

• Strength: 123
• Agility: 34
• Speed: 35
• Intelligence: 33
• Magic: 67 (Reinforcement, the art of imbuing objects with the power of the arcane | Infernal Wildness, the art of letting go of restraint to tap into the hellish power of your blood to achieve a random effect)

Special Ability: Demonic Determination - Once per story arc or major event, Tinilith can tap into the full, unrestrained might of his infernal ancestor, entering a controlled rage. He becomes unkillable for the duration of the scene and receives a 800% boost to all his statistics, plus a 500% boost to his Willpower.

However, when the effect stops, Tinilith will fall into a torpor which will last at least a week, depending on the level of exertion or of injury sustained in the fight. Furthermore, by expending Willpower, Tinilith can stay in this state at the risk of losing control. Again.


[ ] Vaya, the Divine Vessel - "Please tell me, oh lord, why do you cry so?"

Firstborn daughter of the royal-blooded Ashtai, a noble family of Arthrion, part of the esteemed Order of the Nine - an ancient religious order that passes down the tradition and ancient knowledge of the Immortal Truths, in which each firstborn member is imbued with a fragment of one of the lost Deities.

Her life was one of luxury and quiet, where she learned the arts of diplomacy, music and theater, history, and magic up until her sixteenth birthday.

On that day, she began hearing voices - distraught, sad, flavored by tears. Desperate, Vaya ran to her adoptive uncle, Baron Jofheil, to ask for advice. Their conversation led to one conclusion: the voices she was hearing belonged to none other than Varir, God of Life and Magic… the Tenth Immortal Truth, distraught over the deaths of his brethren.

This revelation gave Vaya new purpose: to restore Varir's cult, search for knowledge about him and spread his word, to eventually find a way to make the God cease his eternal lament once and for all, so that he may return to the world and save everyone from the Great War of the Undead.

Unfortunately, she was found and killed by an unknown assailant on the night of what should've been her departure. As she drew her last breath, she heard his attacker speaking.

"If he were to stop crying, all would be quiet."

Name: Vaya Ashtai
Species: Human
Age: 19
Motivation: Finding Varir and stopping his cries
Attributes:

• Strength: 9
• Agility: 14
• Speed: 11
• Intelligence: 43
• Magic: 187 (No Rest For The Wicked, a magic system based all around light, divine magic, and smiting of the wretched undead, fiendish and infernal. More details if this option is picked.)

Special Ability: To Call Upon The Divine - Once per story arc or major event, Vaya can send a magically-loaded prayer to Varir, her 'patron,' and he will be prompted to answer. This can be anything from a call for help, an answer to a question, or some knowledge lost to time:

• Divine Assistance: Permanently add +50% to a statistic of your choice, and add +100% (pre-increase) for the duration of a scene.
• Divine Insight: Ask any question and Varir will answer to the best of his ability.
• Divine Knowledge: Add one (1) random advanced spell to your spellbook, or receive initiation in a magic system of your choice - if unchosen, then Varir will decide. You have a 0.0002% chance to unlock a truly game-breaking spell/system.

[ ] Gin, the Shapeshifting Bard - 'I haven't eaten in days, my feet are covered in blisters, and I'm probably going to pass out soon. But hey, I've got my flute.'

Ever since a very early age, Gin was a very lonely person. In his youthful years, he tended to stay on his lonesome, trying not to make any connections, never staying in the same place for too long. Abandoned by his parents when he was very young, Gin had to take care of himself right away; his method was to become proficient in the cultured arts of music and theater.

This led him to make a name for himself in all of the various inns in Gutkir - the Orc nation - but mostly its capital, Streginia. Little by little, his reputation grew, and more and more people caught wind of his cheery songs and beautiful poems and stories. The supply couldn't meet the demand, though, whether that demand be music, poetry, or… something else.

He was never paid more than what was enough to eat, and so he was forced to fall back to less-than-desirable methods of making a living. Using his innate abilities as a shapeshifter, he resorted to prostution, espionage, theft, bribery, and so on.

Discontent, however, with the trend of his life, he decided to leave everything behind and officially become a Bard at the Academy for Bards, which was in the Dragon Mountains.

Unfortunately, the world did not turn out to be as beautiful as he thought. His past came to bite him in his rear-end, and so he was beaten to a pulp by the henchmen of a crime lord he'd stolen from and left to die in a forest, where a troll feasted on his remains.

Name: Gin
Species: Changeling (Can shapeshift; clothes do not shift as well)
Age: 22
Motivation: Leaving his old life behind to make a new one
Attributes: All his values marked with a tilde (~) are moderately variable!

• Strength: 14~
• Agility: 17~
• Speed: 21~
• Intelligence: 109
• Magic: 44 (Illusion Magic, a very basic system that lets him create sounds and images. He's good enough to make them survive casual touch, but they collapse under a closer scrutiny.)

Special Ability: Copycat - Once per story arc or major event, Gin can focus on a person he met before and touched at least once, allowing his innate shapeshifting skills to take over both his body and his mind, for a limited time, while also retaining his full mental faculties.

Once this ability is used, Gin becomes the chosen person under any possible type of analysis - he will receive a copy of their memories which will not influence Gin's mind, a perfect copy of their soul with all the magic that comes with it, and his statistics will rise to meet theirs.

If the chosen person has lower stats than Gin, their stats will be added to Gin's own. The stat-difference between Gin and a chosen person can't be higher than one hundred (100), at which point the stat-boost will stop there.

The transformation acts as a second life of sorts - Gin will revert to his old form by dying, be it willingly or unwillingly. Any progress made in statistics will be lost unless otherwise specified, so using this ability to train past Gin's weight-class will not work!


[ ] Nemo, the Nobody - 'I have been drifting, alone, for so long. Thank you for finding me.'

Nemo is one of the Fateless. Unseen by all, unnoticed by the universe, unwanted, unheard, unexisting. Deprived of a destiny by the actions of an ancient sorcerer, Nemo has been wandering like a ghost across the continents of Asterius in search of a cure for his condition.

However, he wasn't always like this. In his youth, he was a retired knight of the Kingdom of the Sands, who had become a prolific writer during his retirement, telling the tales of his companions and of their quests.

One day, though, something happened, and no one could remember him anymore - people stopped recognising him, his name faded from his books, his magic stopped working…

But he endured. His determination was too great for him to fade away into oblivion, along with his whole identity. With a pen in hand and a journal in the other, Nemo set out on a long journey that would take him across the entire world, through all the nations, unseen.

How did he die? I… I don't remember. I- Oh, right.

He did find out there were others like him. Many thousands of people in his condition, who could see and remember each other, but… unmotivated to do so. Depressed, sad, with barely any will to live - magically-animated husks of skin, flesh and bones that kept walking for some reason.

That's when he encountered them. The Wraiths.

Nemo's encounter lasted barely enough for him to remember what transpired, but it all boiled down to someone being able to notice him, and not in a positive light.

Name: Nemo?
Species: Human?
Age: 1000+?
Motivation: Being seen
Attributes:

• Strength: 7
• Agility: 12
• Speed: 9
• Intelligence: 51
• Magic: -INF, cannot learn or use magic until Fatelessness is resolved. Counts as soulless for any magical purposes.

Special Ability: Black Hole - A passive ability. Wherever Nemo goes, emptiness and cold follow. As far as the universe is concerned, Nemo does not exist - that means he can ignore magic in its entirety; go through barriers, step through wards unimpeded, resist mind control or telepathy, and so on. On top of that, every magical instance is drained of its mana the longer it is exposed to Nemo, starting at a malus of 15%. This effect does not boost Nemo in any way, as far as you're (or he's) aware.

WARNING: Picking this option will likely lead to a radical change in the Quest.


"Well, hello you! Pleased to meet you."

"Why am I here?" you asked, with your arms folded.

A tone of seriousness descended upon the Moth. "I am in need of some assistance," the Moth said, turning back towards you.

The whole room disappeared, and everything went black around you. The only two things remaining were you and the Moth. The scenery changed yet again, and little dots and stars appeared in the black void - looking down, you see a planet, colorful and vibrant, with a massive cloud of black at its northern pole.

"I am sure you're familiar with this world," the cosmic entity before you said, gesturing to the world.

"Yes. Asterius," you respond.

"There's a bit of an issue with it. A bit of a big problem."

A gesture from the Moth changed your vision, and the planet went from vibrant, to a deep, cerulean blue that was pleasant to the eyes. You look deep into the blue sphere, and as you do, you notice tendril-like cracks of blackened gold emerging from its core, branching out and reaching all the way into the cosmos.

"Do you know what that is?" the Moth asked.

"I do not."

The Moth nodded and gestured again, restoring the former scenery of the colorfully vibrant planet. "That was the most fundamental structure of existence, which is Fate. Call it how you want; destiny, fate, doom, it's fine - its actual name, if we can say that, is the Grand Scheme. The only issue, as you may have seen, is that it's fractured. Broken. And the point of origin is Asterius."

"If it's so fundamental, how did it break?" you ask, raising an eyebrow. "It's like saying that the planet's pull broke."

"That's what I've been trying to figure out for all eternity," the Moth said, drawing a concerned look from you. "The issue with whatever this is is that it's paracausal. I distinctly remember Fate not being broken in the beginning of time - but now it always has been. Whatever happened retroactively changed time and Fate itself."

"Hm," you hum acknowledgingly. "You mentioned being cut-off, earlier. What do you mean?"

The Moth nodded. "Whatever happened cut a significant part of my influence away from this plane of existence. Do not misunderstand - I am not merely a god, or a great spirit. I am the oldest entity to ever exist, second only to Fate itself. The Fracture - a name I gave this phenomena - has managed to cut me off from this existential cluster almost completely."

You nod, looking at the planet down below. "And how am I relevant in all of this?"

"I cast a magical net between the liminal space between life and afterlife. You got caught."

"Weren't you cut off?" you asked.

"Almost completely," the Moth said, the cheerful air returning to them for a brief moment. "Something like resurrection is still trivial to me. The power I've lost is millions of orders of magnitude above matters of life and death."

"I still don't understand how I can be of help."

"Well, I want you to find out what happened and, if you can, fix it."

You sighed. "How?"

"Well, I'll provide you with some tools to make your life easier. Let's see…"


Choose your difficulty:

[ ] Easy Mode - The Quest as it was envisioned by one who is more generous than the QM.

*Rolls will be slightly altered: the QM will re-roll every failed check once.
*Conflict is rare unless sought.
*Risk of death is very low.
*Planning and strategizing are barely necessary.
*Power-scaling is pretty much absent.
*Foes will be easy to deal with in any circumstances, barring those considerable 'bosses.'
*The option for those who want a happy-go-lucky, hero-saves-the-day-with-no-problem Quest.

[ ] Normal Mode - The Quest as it was envisioned by the QM.

*Rolls will not be altered in any way.
*Conflict is probable but not inevitable.
*Risk of death is reasonable and directly proportional to the players' recklessness.
*Planning and strategizing are not an absolute must, but moderately advised.
*Power-scaling on par with your average run-of-the-mill Quest.
*Foes will be reasonably strong and their strength will make sense in most cases.
*The option for average Questers.

[ ] Hard Mode - The Quest as it was envisioned by someone more like Rihaku.

*The difficulty of every roll will be significantly higher.
*Conflict can be avoided with great effort, but is mostly inevitable.
*Risk of death is high, but it can be avoided with intelligence.
*Planning and strategizing are absolutely necessary if you want to thrive.
*Power-scaling will be exceptional.
*Foes will be stronger, faster, smarter, better.
*High risk, high reward option.
*Amplifies every Blessing slightly.
*The option for Rihaku-players-tier Questers.


"Your chances are looking pretty decent. It won't be easy, but it's up to you if it'll be hard," the Moth said, giving you a pat on the shoulder.

You frowned, looking at the Moth. "What stops me from dying like I died last time?"

"Well, that's where I come in!"


Choose your character's Blessing - all of them come with an associated drawback! You may choose only one.

[ ] One More Chance - For those that enjoy taking risks.

*Once you die, the fabric of space-time will be wound back to one week before your death.
*Retain a portion of the progress made in that week and all of your memories.
*This Blessing can be triggered willingly, at any moment of the Quest, by suicide.
*Works only once, but uses can be restored with enough Fate Coins (Arete/Ambrosia.)
*Drawback: Some entities will notice this happening and will want to investigate.

[ ] Sword of Honor - A powerful weapon for a powerful warrior.

*A true Artifact of legend, master-crafted by the gods themselves, tempered in the fires of battle.
*Unlocks the 'Swordsmaster' perk when wielded, which adds +50% to Agility and Strength.
*The sword is bound to your soul - it cannot be given away, stolen or otherwise lost. Gain access to a pocket dimension to store the sword in.
*Unlock the ability to learn and create special techniques to use with your sword.
*Drawback: This sword belongs to somebody, and they will come looking for it.

[ ] Twice Blessed, Twice Strained - When training isn't enough, train twice.

*When training, count time as passing twice. One hour is two hours, a week is two weeks.
*When fighting multiple opponents, count them as half their number.
*You will find better loot and artifacts when purposefully looking for them.
*Your allies will be stronger, although the process is gradual rather than instant.
*Drawback: You will get tired twice as fast, although this is not impossible to mitigate.

[ ] Impenetrable Aegis - A defense to be envied by the strongest of heroes.

*As long as you are standing still, none but the most devastating of blows can hurt you.
*When the Aegis is up, your reaction times will fall as low as nigh-instantaneous.
*The shield can be extended around you up to five meters, sacrificing the barrier's integrity.
*People inside the shield benefit from the buff to reflexes while being able to move.
*Drawback: Once the shield is disabled, it cannot be activated for thirty seconds.

[ ] Mighty Sailor - Never face problems such as 'distance' ever again.

*Obtain the Golden Dragon, an enchanted vessel that can travel by air and under the sea at great speeds. Go around the entire world in three days of travel (in this world, Mach 2).
*It has dimensionally-extended insides, which are equal to a large warehouse-worth of space.
*Its dragonscale hull grants it incredible resistance to physical and magical attack.
*The only weapons currently available to you are dragonfire cannons.
*Drawback: Be branded as a 'pirate.' This brand can be removed by good deeds.

[ ] Sanguine Pact - Through strength, I draw blood, through blood, gain victory.

*Whenever an enemy attempts to utilize magic whose primary purpose is not damage, you can choose to jam it.
*When being jammed, the enemy caster will experience increasing levels of pain the more they try to go against it.
*The range is determined by the Strength statistic, starting at a minimum of ten meters, increasing by one for every ten points.
*Unlocks the Rage statistic. Every ten points will grant unique perks.
*Drawback: The character has an uncontrollable lust for blood which is directly proportional to the Rage statistic.

[ ] Aural Section - In a long forgotten universe, gold dominated all that there was.

*Gain divine eyes of gold, which change the user to achieve perfection in every action.
*Count as an intermediate practitioner of every skill there is - very minor omnicompetence.
*If wounded, you will slowly but absolutely regenerate, not only in body but also in mind.
*Without training or doing anything, you will accumulate special XP. This experience can be used to upgrade any statistic or skill past its usual limits.
*Drawback: Slowly but surely, you will go blind. But fret not: sight is not as necessary as you think.

[ ] Once and Future - In the hour of need, the King has returned to rule.

*Gain an orichalchum crown inlaid with sapphires. This relic marks you as the true ruler.
*Unlock the Nobility statistic. Every ten points of Nobility unlocks a kingdom-wide ability.
*While wearing the crown, the Nobility stat is added to every other statistic.
*Nobility cannot be increased by training, only by improving your Kingdom.
*Drawback: You will gain an overwhelming urge to form and fairly lead a kingdom, that you and you alone can rule - every other form of government that is not absolute will be impossible for you to accept.


"Alright, that's dealt with," the Moth said, clasping their hands together.

"Now what?"

"You choose a spot and work on your landing strategy!"

"Landing what-"


[ ] The Kingdom of Arthrion - The largest civilized conglomerate of humans on Asterius. It is a large nation, diverse in culture and architecture, beautiful and well-structured, strict and to the point. It is ruled by the violently expansionist Queen Rosa, who will stop at nothing to take over the continent, which houses Dwarves and Elves alike, who aren't happy with Rosa's foreign policies. It has the largest military, hosts the best magical researchers.

[ ] Obei-Rok - Land of the Elves, immortal creatures of spirit, in touch with nature.It is a nation covered in forest-cities, where Pure and Impure Elves live together in harmony with themselves and nature. They are somewhat anarchic, not submitting to any government, except the Greater Spirits of Nature, which are the entities that birth them and make sure they are all happy. Despite that, there is a Council of Elves which presides over the 'earthly' matters of Obei-Rok, such as politics, war, and economics.

[ ] Dragon Mountains - Birthplace and housing of the proud dragon-riding, technologically-innovative dwarves. Obsessed with innovation, money and alcohol, Dragon Mountains is the place to go if you like technology and getting drunk, or both at the same time. It is an entire nation, completely entombed into great underground cities carved into stone. Beware, for these mountains are the prime nesting grounds of dragons, who the dwarves tame on a regular basis.

[ ] Reign of the Sands - A human tribe which has colonized the deserts west of Gutkir and created its own nation. Filled to the brim with savage warriors and elemental mages, the Reign is ruled by the Rainmaker Circle, a group of eight Water Mages who create water for their subjects. The nation is largely a beautiful desert, roamed by all sorts of creatures. What makes it internationally relevant are the innumerable mines filled with precious metals, magical ores and priceless jewels.

[ ] Gutkir - Despite its violent history, Gutkir has grown into a respectable country and its straight-laced democratic politics are envied all across the globe. Its military, while not that large, is among the strongest, with the best equipment and training. However, conspiracies brew beneath the surface, and diviners say the nation might once again explode in a ferocious civil war. Any miniscule misstep could throw Gutkir in a conflict unlike it has seen before.

[ ] The Great Wastelands - The epicenter of the great Calamity that shook the foundations of reality and irreparably ruptured the fabric of magic. It is deprived of life, aside from very basic fauna and flora. Despite its apparent lack of life, the undergrounds of this continent are littered with tunnels, which are inhabited by all manners of people and creatures. It is populated by the world's largest civilization of Freeform Mages - unstable, insane practitioners of the strongest magic on Asterius.


"I bid you good luck and goodbye, my friend. I hope you can solve our problem; if you do, you will be rewarded handsomely."

"I hope so. Where should I start in my search?" you asked.

"The Woods."

"Those woods?"

"Yes."

"Godsdamn it."


Welcome to this Quest! It's my newest and most serious attempt at making a Quest, yet again... Heh. It is inspired by @Rihaku 's quests and @Birdsie 's, who I thank for the inspiration (and Birdsie for his guidance: if I know how to write it's thanks to him.) This is my original setting, so I look forward to seeing your feedback, advice and criticism.

The Fate Coins that have been mentioned will be calculated by amount of discussion - since I don't expect much discussion, every 1000 words of discussion will be roughly equal to 0.5 Fate Coins, which will increase by quality of discussion/fanwork.

Let Second Chance begin!

Statistics

While the numbers themselves will be used for rolling and whatnot, when necessary, keep in mind that they are arbitrary and will not be mathematically exact. Each statistic scales somewhat differently, but they end up holding the same importance when it comes to flat power-level. A character with Strength 100 can be said to be approximately ten times stronger than a character with Strength 10, while the same cannot necessarily be said for Magic 100 against Magic 10. Each scaling will be explained in more detail in its own section.

• STRENGTH: This stat regards feats of raw physical power, resistance and durability. The average Strength value for a humanoid ranges from 8 to 12. Someone with STR 40~ could be compared to an Olympian weightlifter, someone with STR 70~ could punch through concrete with maximum exertion, and someone with STR 150~ could tank a heavy warhammer to the head with only a tiny bruise.
• AGILITY: This stat regards feats of dexterity, balance, and stealth. The average Agility value for a humanoid ranges from 8 to 12. Someone with AGI 40~ could perform the feats of professional acrobats with little training, someone with AGI 70~ could climb walls like mountain goats like naturals, and someone with AGI 150~ could walk on a dragon's hide without waking it up while also balancing several books on their head.
• SPEED: This stat regards feats of pure speed, celerity and reaction times. The average Speed value for a humanoid ranges from 9 to 16. Someone with SPD 40~ could outrun the fastest Earth sprinters, someone with SPD 70~ could deflect a flurry of arrows out of the air, and someone with SPD 150~ could focus enough to watch a bullet zip by in apparent slow-motion.
• INTELLIGENCE: This stat regards feats of mental fortitude, smarts, willpower, and social skills. The average Intelligence value for a humanoid ranges from 7 to 16. Someone with INT 40~ could solve complex riddles and equations in little time, someone with INT 70~ could learn an ancient language in a day, and someone with INT 150~ could shrug off the psychic assault of a minor demon.
• MAGIC: This stat regards flat magical power, and as Magic is varied, the value isn't as accurate as the others. The average Magic value for a practitioner of magic ranges from 45 to 80. Generally, the higher the number, the stronger and more precise the effects of the spells are, as well as the experience of the caster. Skills in conceptual domains start at MAG 300~.

Levels of Skills

There are various levels of experience that can 'categorize' the amount of power and ability shown in a certain skill, art or magic system. Different skills advance at different rates.

• Novice: The lowest level, the start of every journey. A Novice swordsman is someone who has begun using a weapon mere weeks ago.
• Initiate: Somewhat capable in a chosen domain. An Initiate alchemist could brew weak healing potions with a moderately high chance of success.
• Proficient: Reliably good in a skill. Most soldiers in most average armies can be said to be Proficient with a sword or bow, and in the art of war.
• Experienced: Above and beyond the average. An Experienced survivalist could live in somewhat comfortable conditions in the middle of a rainforest.
• Advanced: To be good enough in an art to be considered impressive by most. An Advanced diplomat could sway the hardest of hearts to mercy.
• Veteran: Second nature at its finest. A Veteran martial artist could take on fifteen people and take them down in moments without breaking so much as a sweat.
• Master: The chosen domain has imbued itself in the spirit. A Master illusionist could fool the oldest of dragons into thinking they were crippled, in agony, and surrounded by their worst enemies.

MAP OF THE SETTING

Regno della Sabbia: Kingdom of the Sands
Mare dei Mostri: Sea of Monsters
Isole in Fiamme: Flaming Islands
Montagne del Drago: Dragon Mountains
Bubhash Nul: The Wastelands

Character Sheet

Name: Nemo?
Species: Human?
Age: 1000+?
Motivation: Being seen
Backstory: Unseen by all, unnoticed by the universe, unwanted, unheard, unexisting. Deprived of a destiny by the actions of an ancient sorcerer, Nemo has been wandering like a ghost across the continents of Asterius in search of a cure for his condition. However, he wasn't always like this. In his youth, he was a retired knight of the Kingdom of the Sands, who had become a prolific writer during his retirement, telling the tales of his companions and of their quests.

One day, though, something happened, and no one could remember him anymore - people stopped recognising him, his name faded from his books, his magic stopped working… But he endured. His determination was too great for him to fade away into oblivion, along with his whole identity. With a pen in hand and a journal in the other, Nemo set out on a long journey that would take him across the entire world, through all the nations, unseen.

How did he die? I… I don't remember. I- Oh, right. He did find out there were others like him. Many thousands of people in his condition, who could see and remember each other, but… unmotivated to do so. Depressed, sad, with barely any will to live - magically-animated husks of skin, flesh and bones that kept walking for some reason. That's when he encountered them. The Wraiths.

Attributes:

• Strength: 7
• Agility: 12
• Speed: 9
• Intelligence: 51
• Magic: -INF, cannot learn or use magic until Fatelessness is resolved. Counts as soulless for any magical purposes.

Special Ability: Black Hole - A passive ability. Wherever Nemo goes, emptiness and cold follow. As far as the universe is concerned, Nemo does not exist - that means he can ignore magic in its entirety; go through barriers, step through wards unimpeded, resist mind control or telepathy, and so on. On top of that, every magical instance is drained of its mana the longer it is exposed to Nemo, starting at a malus of 15%. This effect does not boost Nemo in any way, as far as you're (or he's) aware.