Should I be starting another quest? Probably not but I'm sleep deprived and cranky so I'm doing it anyways, this quest is mostly going to play second fiddle to my
main one but the idea wouldn't leave my head.
Anyhow I hope you enjoy and do please vote in
plan format (it would be such a pain otherwise).
It was a bright and sunny day that shined upon the selection trails.
You have been awake since dawn, not wishing to have even the slightest chance to miss it and even still you barley made it in time.
You only reached the compound by noon, a handful of minutes before it started.
Cursing the fact you could I'll afford a carriage ride like most of the other candidates here, you hurried to join the gathered crowd -it numbered at least a thousand- being in the back was annoying but you're just happy you didn't miss the whole thing, would be pretty embarrassing to fail because you hadn't shown up on time.
Why is it that you couldn't hire a carriage again?
[] You were poor.
There was no other way to cut it, your family was broke. How could you have coin for a carriage when some days you didn't have enough coin to eat?
+start with a high will attribute.
+start with a high mind attribute.
+start with many low-level skills.
-your family can't support you.
-start with a low body attribute
[] You were a criminal.
A former member of some minor gang in the city, you left the gang after crossing the son of the leader. Your likeness is known to the authorities and so you couldn't hire an official carriage.
+start with high combat skills.
+start with a high body and mind attribute.
+start with some cash and a T1 treasure stolen from your former gang.
-start with a low heart score.
-your past will come back to haunt you.
[] You were forbidden.
It will build character he said, it will be good for you he said, and now you're stuck huffing and puffing all the way to the school, you would much rather just laze about in your family fancy carriage. Like what's so wrong about enjoying your life? You're the fifth born for gods sake, your brothers and sisters can bring honor to the family while you much on all the sweets.
+Start with a high heart score.
+start with high social skills and above average combat skills.
+your family will support you with many resources and treasures.
+start with two retainers which would obey your order's.
-your family expects much.
-other families will try to knock you down.
-start with a lower will attribute.
-less weekly AP as you laze about.
Regardless, you have made it in time.
Unfraternally, you had little time to socialize with your fellow hopefuls before an old man dressed in gray robes stepped onto a podium and drew the crowed attention with a mighty clap.
"Welcome aspirants to the Iron Oath school, I am Octavian, master of this school and it gladdens my heart to see our ranks swell despite recent events" you scowl at the mention of the war -while you aren't overly proud of your nation getting trampled still doesn't sit right with you- "Yet while truly glad that so many youths are ready to pick up the sword for their fellow man, only two hundred will remain here by day end."
With a clap of his hand a few dozen man and women who wear the same gray robes as him appear, and whose skin resembles the school namesake "The Iron Oath school is an old and storied school an we accept only the best, under the watch of our inner disciples you will undergo tests to ensure you meet our standards but worry not if you fail for you may always try next year"
Yeah right, even
you know that the Iron Oath rarely -if ever- accept a student over eighteen, if you don't pass here, you won't have another chance.
But you're ready, in fact you're more than ready the requirements for entering the school arnt secret after all and you already know you passed them.
The ones you could measure at least.
And when its time for your own test you prove it.
Physical tests, knowledge tests an actual written exam, a few machines and treasures that you are told measure the strength of your soul and many, many more.
And like you thought you passed them all.
In fact, you did more then pass one of them you've
excelled.
[] After your physical they took small blood sample from you to test and what the result cam back they marked you as possessing a refined existence… whatever that is. (Start with all of your attributes in the second tier and make them easier to raise).
[] one of their strange machine's bopped and apparently that means you possess a powerful legacy, who knew? (Start with a powerful legacy -that will be chosen by you-, legacies are unique powers that either greatly empower the one who posse them or change some rule of realty to their benefit).
[] one large disciple handed you a rock when that rock glowed yellow he exclaimed that your soul must be very strong… not that you feel that way (gain another soul contract slot which doesn't count towards the difficulty unlocking new ones).
By the time testing is done the sun is long set and less then a fifth of the initial crowed remains.
And you're swiftly herded into an auditorium set in the entrance of the school compound with well over a hundred people in it, the auditorium is crowded but your -and everyone else's- attention is drawn by master Octavian and the iron staff he's holding.
You've never seen one before but deep down you know that the iron staff which is covered by thousands of runes, is a Screlium a priceless artifact meant to bind the first soul oath.
While you were distracted by the Screlium Octavian began to speak "long ago, the first man was noting but a livestock for the great tyrants, an animal waiting to be slaughtered to feed their masters" you knew the story he was telling, you doubted that there was anyone that didn't know the story of humanity revolt "nothing more then cows that what we once were until Monica the great mother has given her life so her child may live and that in her blood and soul the child has sworn revenge and so was the first oath bearer was born and the age of tyrant came to an end and the age of man begun"
"Many ages have passed since then and many oath bearers have risen and fallen and now you take your first step in joining their storied halls, this " he points to the staff in his hand " Is a Screlium forged from the body of our founder the great Augustus and imbued with a portion of his soul over three millennia ago and now like the first oath so long ago you will swear your oath in it".
With that he moved towards the closest aspirant and extended that staff to him "The first oath has been optimized over the centuries, the stuff will guide you in its making" and so one by one has Octavian passed the staff to make their oath and soon it was your turn.
Grasping the staff with both hands you instinctively know what you must do.
But curiously there seems to be a choice.
The oath the staff will make you swear is one of exercise, far from the oaths of loyalty or vengeance all the stories wax about your first oath will be to exercise.
And its up to you to specify how much and in what time frame.
How intense do you want your exercises to be?
[] Light (+1 oath rank, -2 AP).
[] Medium (+2 oath rank, -4 AP).
[] Heavy (+3 oath rank, -6 AP).
And how frequently do you want to do it?
[] Every month (+1 oath rank, AP cost must be paid over 4 turns).
[] Every two weeks (+2 oath rank, AP cost paid over 2 turns).
[] every week (+3 oath rank, AP cost must be paid every turn).
Evry oath carries a price and the greater it is the more you gain form the oath but what do you wish to gain?
[] strength.
[] power.
[] wisdom.
[] knowledge.
[] time.
[] life.
[] friends.
[] wealth.
[] write in.
And just because I couldn't find a place to put it, I also need
[] a name.
[] and a gender.
Reminder vote in plans. 
