Magic is Might: OOC Thread

DeathslilHelper · Apr 17, 2022

Witch, shaman, wizard, magician, sorcerer, your title doesn't matter. All that matters is your power. Power enough to make the mortals tremble at the merest thought of your wrath. But you are not strong enough to challenge the gods, not yet at least.

The world is your playground, save for your rivals who dare to call themselves your equals.

Crush them, deceive them, coax them, or unmake them.

For in this world might makes right, and magic is might.

What is this?
This is a game. More specifically, it's a game where you play your own special little sorcerers and let them run loose in the custom fantasy setting I've created.

Applications

Use the character sheet below to design your sorcerer. Post as many applications as you want in this thread. Only one will make it into the game.
As part of your application, please include;

Character Name
Backstory (as brief or long as you like)
Location on the map
Some art or a description

Some FAQ

There's no limit on the races. You can play humans, goblins, elves, orcs, or whatever all are accepted. However, if you choose something particularly unique or powerful (i.e. a half-demon or a dragon), you might need to select the Special Fluff trait from the character sheet.
All traits on the sheet have information in notes attached to each cell. If you're having trouble seeing them, it might be because you're on mobile.
Yes, the gods are somewhat active, and there will be events involving them.
You can only select Divine Favour or Divine Disfavour once.
Can I do X with this magic specialty? Probably but feel free to double-check with me.
What does Forbidden Knowledge do? Y̷̨͑̐ơ̴͚͊̋ṳ̷̿͘͝'̵̧̛͔͓̏l̶̡̮̚l̴͆ͅ ̸̩̓͛j̴̨̊u̶̧̬̠͐̓s̸͎̈̎̀t̷̫̋̎́ ̴̮͓̬͒̚h̶̺̦͂̄͂à̷̰̳̎͜v̵͓͇̯̊͋͒e̶̮̺̗̍ ̸̛̳͎̺́̄t̵̻͚́̅͠ơ̶̢̟ ̴̼̤͚̃f̸͇̼͗i̶̗̻̒̈n̴͉̣̈́̔̎d̵̰͔̾ ̴̹̜̒o̸̹̜͂͂u̶͈̘̒͝ţ̷̤̀͜ ̸̣̜̿͝t̷̡̮̒̄͝h̶̩̰̗́̆ë̷͓̹̞́̃͒ ̷̧͎̞͌́h̷̼͕̣̑̕a̷͉̱̖͑̾͝r̴̬͂ď̶̻ ̸̡̝̮̿̏w̸̃̒̑ͅả̶̺͌̇y̷̡̮̓̄.̸̩̝̿̓.
When will the IC thread go up? Probably in a week or so.

Sorcerer Character Sheet

In the beginning, there was chaos. Raw potential, everchanging, evershifting, undefined, and undefinable. A raucous conflict of potential ripping at itself without regard for matter, energy, or time. So it was for an eternal infinity and the merest fraction of a moment. Then within the maelstrom, something was born, something Primordial which defined matter and energy. Simultaneously was created Time which gave meaning to the shifts of energy and matter. Primordial and Time named themselves Mangaya and Khala, then looked around at the maelstrom and called it Shib-Tiam. Mangaya and Khala then began to use the potential of chaos filtered by primordial understanding and the laws of time to create and define new things that they called Space, Energy, Evocation, and Telekinesis. These four then named themselves Ishanna, Sivan, Daeva, and Mercan. Together with their predecessors, Mangaya, Khala, and Shib-Tiam, these four began to create the Universe. Drawing from the endless potential of chaos, they created natural laws and determined the cycle of matter and energy.

Throughout it all, Shib-Tiam had watched this unfold. Desiring to aid their sibling-children in creation, Shib-Tiam harnessed the potential of chaos, everchanging for and shifting and manipulated the newly made laws of energy, matter, and time to make something new. Shib-Tiam called their creation Life.

Life burst forth into the newborn Universe, a flood of evolving and self-perpetuating creations that upset the carefully created universal laws. However, the gods were quick to act by their reckoning (to mortals, it would have been countless eons) and spoke to Life, trying to reason with her and show her the horror of her unchecked creation. Life unending had in the eons turned upon itself into a cancerous cycle of self-consumption. So Life accepted and became Ninta and joined in creating a new order in the Universe that was christened Death. In time, Death became Ninagi, the equal, partner, and husband of Ninta. The Universe settled into a new balance as life flowed and died and begot new life.

Eventually, Shib-Tiam spawned a new child, Transmigration, who named himself, Losi the Trickster. Losi could not create, but Losi could change, twist, shift, and bend the laws and order, a pleasing trick for Elder Chaos incarnate. After Losi began to spread his tricks, Shib-Tiam settled into a deep slumber from which she would rarely wake.

With the laws of the Universe settling forth, the gods were free to embark upon a golden age of creation. Then came the Qlippoth.

The Qlippoth came from beyond the universal boundaries. Like life, they were self-creating and could replicate. But, unlike life, the Qlippoth were inherently opposed to universal law and corrupted and destroyed it wherever and whenever they touched it. The gods fell back. Even Losi was shocked and horrified by the Qlippoth and sought to defend against them.

All the gods gathered together to create something that could harness the universal laws against the Qlippoth. They would name their creations Asmodai and Sraosha. Losi aided in their creation but could not help but add a trick as well. Asmodai and Sraosha would fight the Qlippoth with their legions of demons and celestials, but they and their creations would hate each other more than anything else.

The First War it was called, the War in Heaven, the Battle for the Universe. The war lasted ten billion lifetimes by mortal reckoning, but the victory was won, the Qlippoth were turned back, and a prison of universal law, a singularity of time, energy, and matter was created around their penetration into the Universe. A black hole in reality, guarded by Mangaya and Khala and Shib-Tiam.

With their work done, Asmodai and Sraosha began to war against each other, for Losi's trick had worked, and hatred had poisoned their hearts against each other. Their war continues to this day. The elder gods were quick to act and created the dimensions of Heaven and Hell from which Sraosha and Asmodai could rule and prevent their wars from bringing disorder to the Universe. Meanwhile, the other gods, led by Ninta, had created something new, inspired by the demons and celestials, they had created life that could think. Life that they named mortals. The mortal worshiped the gods, something that had never happened before, and the gods felt themselves changing, as they felt the desires, needs, and hopes of mortal life impress upon the Universe.

In the ages that followed, the Second Born gods were birthed, truly birthed, not created wholesale from the potential of chaos, created not with the thought of the Qlippoth and universal law but with life and mortal perceptions in mind. Hwastir, Tonaros, Survaro, and Perkwa would protect and defend the and guide the mortals. Ninisisn, Nergash, and Ninshub held dominion over the boundaries of life and death. Hypara and Thanara touched the sleeping minds of mortals. The Wild Ones embodied the natural world through which the mortals travelled. Ishmal and Telamor, who deceived and inspired in a war for the hearts and souls of mortals. Last was Sosku, the child of Losi, who sought to spread mischief and laughter.

THatWhichWillBe · Apr 17, 2022

TWSB - Southern Dragon Sect Master, Yang Liyuo

Sheet2 Point Total Remaining,0,Drawbacks:,2000 Realm: Feudal,Dishonored,100 Sorceror Flaw: Prideful, Curious,Disgraced,200 Virtues: Benevolent, Spirited, Courageous, Intelligent, Focused, Penitent,Civil War,300 Specialty: Physical, Dark, Light,600,Suspicious,500 Retinue Manpower: Moderate,Rivalx...

docs.google.com

Sheet and location request.

Hyvelic · Apr 17, 2022

Ithall Urhan the Preserver

Ithall Urhan Ithall Urhan the Preserver Realm,Slavocracy,Flaws,Flawed,-400 Virtues,Patient,Focused,Suspicious ,-500 Flaws,Apathetic,Distant,Cursed,-400 Paranoid,Slothful,Dishonored,-100 Curious,Rash,Thief,-200 Specialitiy,Demonic,0,Disgraced,-200 Celestial,300,Rogue Actor,-200 Retinue Manpower,...

docs.google.com

Another Amoeba · Apr 17, 2022

Me and my Wizard Tower

Sorcerer Sheet Lev Cordee Realm,Autocratic State,Flaws,Unruly Apprentice ,200 Virtues,Industrious,Intelligent,Unruly Apprentice ,200 Flaws,Avaricious ,Apathetic,Rival (Sanaa),300 Curious,Distant,Civil War,300 Pettiness,Pride,Desolated Realm,300 Specialitiy,Dark,Flawed,400 Life,-300 Enchanting R...

docs.google.com

Really just the lake region, but I circle bad

What Was

The "Antique and Sublime Institution," if one permits the Martercer monarchs their flowery accolades, of the Kingdom of Martercer emerged nearly sixteen hundred turnings of the seasons, when the land of three lakes was empty, though far from young, following the vanishing of the Rodonis Empire. At its heart lay the feared Rodonis Spire, still unconquered, and the undoing of a great many fools who have tried.

Is the Institution truly so antique? Well, surely not. Dynasties come and dynasties go. Martercer has at times reached down the rivers into the bay and eastern lake, at times been pushed back to the peninsulas and shores. For every glory, it has met a humiliation.

Is it sublime? Quite so. The people of Martercer have always been known for their sailing. The lakes are the anchor to their Kingdom, allowing them to move supplies and armies, and they have established themselves as an anchor for trade flowing east-west, and around the mountains. The fish are always plentiful, and the cities are rich.

The current ruling dynasty are the Cordee, who rose from the ranks of the merchants as their predecessors fell three monarchs prior. They rule efficiently. With bureaucrats handling the day-to-day, it is said the old noble houses have little to do but run their plantations and patronize the arts.

King Velzyk rules with his wife, Queen Cheri. They share two children between them. Crown Prince Lev, who this author has had the dubious pleasure of tutoring at the Imperial Academy, and Evalen, who appears to have inherited her mother's poor capacity for magic. She resides in Riftguard, a student and a diplomat under the lords of that land.

Lev Cordee, firstborn heir to the kingdom of Martercer, was always a bright young man: outsmarting his tutors, mastering all the magic his father could teach. He would be a sorcerer for the ages, so it was no one's surprise that he was shipped north the the Imperial Academy, where he would study under and alongside the greatest minds of the generation. He outstripped them too, and in the rush of accolades and successes, so many failed to see Lev as he really was: vicious, carelessly curious, distant, desperate for advantage.

His mother passed when he was twelve, in his early years at the academy, and after the period of mourning his father remarried to a younger duchess by the name of Kore. His father, too, shuffled off this mortal coil soon after Lev celebrated his twenty-eighth year, leaving the kingdom to him. Kore was soon dismissed to the priesthood of Hypara, and Evalen was recalled for little more than a month before she was bid to return to her studies. Lev had his plan. He would be the one to conquer Rodonis Spire. It mocked him, the one part of the kingdom beyond his rule.

With hired hands, with levied armies, with the great fleets of Martercer, Lev began to circle in on the ancient and abandoned tower, wearing down its defenses and slipping his agents through. It was the work of years to reach the shore, and the work of months to break through into the Spire's interior from there. It became an obsession, a dumping ground for Martercer's lives and treasure. But he had it in his grasp.

And then he was betrayed. His apprentices Zorvik and Tallan, the kingdom's finest knights and battle-mages, they attempted his execution. But they were no match. Lev was a mighty sorcerer,, and the battle soon became not one to depose a tyrant, but to allow just one of them to escape and warn the kingdom Lev had not fallen. At only that did they succeed.

What is to Come

Though the coup failed, the revolution did not. Another apprentice, Anna Rodonna, had rallied the people against their king, and Martercer fell into civil war. Lev had few loyalists, but the revolt had many enemies. They distracted each other. With the last of his power, Lev secured the Spire, its Lodestone, and its secrets.

Anna warns the people: the king is reeling, but not undone. For in the depths of the Spire, he has found it: an attendant to the Betrayer of Hope himself, imprisoned eons ago by those that built that accursed place. Once again the Spire thrums with life-- minions of living darkness. Lev fashions an army from the body of the divine.

Taricus · Apr 17, 2022

Saryath & Eri (Backstory in link, Eri played by @Tiruin )

Starting Location (Capital at the blue dot, area of control being the entire landmass up to the rivers in the south:

Cambyses · Apr 17, 2022

Lulach the Hidden One

Character Sheet

Secretive and mysterious, Lulach is the first of the Free Rangers, guardians of the Rhyddlew Forest and the many beings- humans, elves, halflings, floops, and ogres- that live therein. Lulach himself is often believed to be the greatest of thieves, and is trusted not at all outside the woods that he protects.

ORE · Apr 17, 2022

The city of noctec has for centuries been governed by mages, mages of many schools all devoted to delving the mysteries of the Great Chain of Being, the nature of creation and the hiearchy of forms. From his youth in the city, Yulpelri exceeded in his studies, delving into the mysteries of blood and life. Though his unrestrained studies alienated many none could deny Yulpelri's insights. But one day a great golden dragon, an emissary of Ishanna, came to order that Yulpelri cease, for he was delving into forbidden things and subverting the natural order. Terrified, the leaders of the city acceded. Infuriated, that night Yulpelri tried for the first time his newly invented technique of communion: consuming the life's blood of a great being to gain their power knowledge and being. Yulpelri consumed each one of the cities leaders before in a feat of incredible blasphemy, slew and consumed the great dragon becoming something far more than human. Yulpelri soon took rule over the city transforming it's magery in his image. Now Yulpelri the communicant, Yulpelri the dragon rules noctec, his retinue all blood mages who have begun their own acention by consuming great beings and beasts of their own.

Yupelri the Communicant

Sheet1 Realm,Magocracy Virtue,Courageous,Spirited Flaw,Rash,Prideful Speciality,Blood,Physical,-300 Retinue Manpower,Moderate,0 Retinue Quality,Extraordinary,-100 Retinue Elite,Magicians ,-500 Fortress,Citadel,-300 Levies Quantity,Small,-100 Levies Quality,Minor,-100 Navy Quantity,None,100 Navy ...

docs.google.com

Bandeirante · Apr 17, 2022

SORCERER SPREADSHEET

Página1 Borteg,The Kraldom of Tarnash Beneficient Liberator. Rotting Usurper.,Realm,Retinue,Levies Perks,Sorcerer Flaws,Sorcerer Virtues,Steppe Horde,High size,Medium size Prodigy,Depraved,Intelligent,Special Fluff: The Land is the Kral,Extraordinary quality,Extraordinary quality Virtuous,Self I...

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A thousand Kings, Khans and Dark Lords have ruled over Tarnash, mighty Empires and honorable Kingdoms have flown their banners over this windswept, cold land. But the land itself has never birthed any great realms, nor earth shattering conquerors.

Tarnash is a land at the edges of civilization. A footnote in the pages of history. Seemingly eternally relegated to the margins of great tales. Always the lesser ally or just another savage foe to be overcome.

The realm sits besides no major trade routes, the exploitation of its natural resources was always hampered by the terrain, lack of infrastructure and the nature of its people.

A hardy and quarrelsome lot. The people of Tarnash have many different fathers. Conquerors, raiders, migrating tribes and desperate refugees have left their mark in the blood of the land. Houses claim descent from long forgotten ancient heroes of dead races. Cities that claim dead foreign Kings and demigods as their founders. Tribes that sing of lands and times lost to the mists of time. The Tarnashi have long memories and are not quick to forgive or forget slights to honor or pride. As many a Imperial overlord eventually found out.

Even its native dynasts have found themselves overwhelmed in trying to keep their quarrelsome subjects under control. And many crowned heads soon found themselves separated from their shoulders by initiative from their own subjects.

With that in mind, it is clear why so many within and outside of Tarnash deem it a hard land, fit to be ruled only by those harsh enough to keep the iron fist firmly closed around its throat. To do anything less, common wisdom goes, is to show weakness and invite death.

The current ruler of Tarnash, Kral Bortëg, has shown no signs of deviating from this standard. Returning home from a long exile to seize the throne through civil war. The orgy of ritualized murder, kinslaying and purging that followed his victory was something to go down in history as a particularly infamous event. Even for Tarnash's bloody history.

With the passing of years, the Kral has shown himself, if not harsher, then certainly more effective than his predecessors. A powerful Sorcerer and tyrannical leader of men, Bortëg has imposed his will upon his ever restive subjects on a scale hardly seen before in Tarnash. Blood and treasure that in times before would be spent in petty feuds between tribes and cities is now directed by a central authority that has the means and foresight to carry out projects and policies that affect the entire Kingdom.

Tarnash thrives under Bortëg. But it comes at a price. Though one that the Kral has been more than willing to pay and that the people has had no choice but to stomach

Laplace · Apr 17, 2022

The Red Knight, Shiva Medraut

THE RED KNIGHT, SHIVA MEDRAUT

THE RED KNIGHT !!!WARNING! ALL FOES OF THE RED KNIGHT WILL BE BLADE KISSED ERE DAWN!!! Realm,Sorcerer Vice,Sorcerer Virtue Pick One,Pick Two,Pick Two Mercenary,Quarrelsome,Wrathful,Magnficient,Intelligent Boorish,Vainglorious Avracious,Melancholic Magic Specialty Physical,Time,Space,-600 Perks,...

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SteelWriter77 · Apr 17, 2022

Time for some fun

Aren Sky-eye, High Priest of the Spiral Path
Link to Sheet

Area:

Princess_Hex · Apr 17, 2022

Sanaa "Hex" Basamu

Character Sheet (some points still to shuffle around)

Sanaa Basamu, second daughter of a minor noble house, noted by her family as being something of a problem child. From an early age she showed the personality traits that would remain constant throughout her life. Willful, abrasive, uncompromising, committed, straightforward, and confident to the point of arrogance, all of these have been used to describe her. They are all correct.

After convincing her parents to send her to a magical academy Sanaa was able to finally find an environment where she could thrive. A genius at academics, she quickly gained the notice of teacher and fellow student alike. That attention was not always positive, especially as it became clear that Sanaa's practical magical abilities were far from on par with her fellow student. While she would remain at the top of the academic test rankings for her entire tenure at the academy, the weight of her practical failings meant that she never was able to truly take what she considered her rightful place as top student in the school.

This gap between knowledge and ability, paired with Sanaa's abrasive personality and absolute, unshakeable arrogance quickly led to her being the target of harassment and bullying. This did not bother her. In fact, she enjoyed it to an extent, it amused her to watch those she considered her inferiors try and tear her down. So long as the bullies kept to unobtrusive means she allowed it to continue, only retaliating when they crossed the line. That was when people learned that Sanaa was not a woman of half measure, and that in her small frame was contained enough wrath to shake the heavens themselves.

After graduation, Sanaa adopted the moniker "Hex" as a way of forging a new identity for herself. It also had the benefit of concealing her relationship with her family, as well as obscuring details of her past. Had she made the attempt, she likely could have found work as a scholar in any realm she so chose. Such a position was unthinkable to her though, she swore to never serve another person again for as long as she lived.

Which would complicate things. Sanaa is a small woman, especially small for a lamia who tend towards being larger. She is almost eerily unremarkable, her features are plain and while not unattractive she is hardly an object of desire. She is fit, but not particularly athletic, her voice is deep for a woman but not particularly noteworthy. On the surface nothing about her stands out. Of course she does have her keen wit to rely on, but her most valuable asset is also her greatest weakness.

Sanaa is confident. No, she is beyond confident. She has a steel clad faith that is utterly unshakeable in her absolute and total primacy in all things of consequence. For her, the world is a clear and easy to understand place. She is the greatest creature to ever exist, the perfect being. Below her, far below her, is everyone else on more or less the same level. The only ones who stand out are those who serve her, and thus prove their worth and intelligence, or those who directly and purposefully oppose her, who have proven their foolishness. This world view leaves no room for morality, and indeed she has no concept of a moral code, believing such things are meant simply to regulate the behaviour of others. For her, there is simply the way things should be, and the way things should be is that Sanaa wins, always.

So total is this belief that she challenges even the gods. Resentful of their supposed dominion and their "unearned arrogance" she has actively and purposefully antagonised all but Ninta, Thanara, and Ninisin, who she has a grudging respect for. So absolute is her belief in herself that she simply cannot comprehend that she might be wrong. The one and only exception was when she found a girl who suffered from the same limited magical capability as herself, a small and timid girl named Glyph who would later become her apprentice.

Eventually Sanaa would find her way into the middle of a conflict of several kobold tribes and petty cities. With guile and cunning she was able to work herself into a position of ultimate power, taking advantage of a power vacuum that needed filling. Now she rules as thee necromancer lady of a nation that she runs. Her tenure has seen a huge boom in quality of life and well being for the people of the area. Sanaa has no interest in morality, she doesn't care for the well being of her citizens, but she does want them to work harder, better, longer. So she has dedicated massive funding to building infrastructure, schools, hospitals, regulatory groups to ensure that safety precautions are being kept. That these things may make the people happy are secondary, all that matters to her is results.

So now Sanaa sits alone in her newly constructed castle and thinks. Whomever captures her eye next should fear, because Sanaa has never given up on anything before, and now with a flourishing nation and a powerful, well equipped and trained army at her back, she has more tools than ever before to enforce her will on a world that cannot recognise her greatness.

Magus Explorator · Apr 17, 2022

Kravak the Tyrant of Bones

Backstory:
Magir Magocracy was once a prospering land ruled by a council of Arch-mages, the pinnacle of their craft and magical potential... till the ritual happened.

it was found in one of the Vaults of the Mages' tower, a ritual that would amplify the mage's magical power and gift them Eternal life, the priest of Ninta tried to dissuade the Arch-mages, that it was a folly, that no one could escape the natural order, that it was a blasphemy of the highest kind... still the Mages went ahead with the ritual.

in a nexus of power, a mighty Spire was constructed to house the ritual, warded against everything and anything that could disturb it, 2000 highest caliber mages went with the 25 Archmages, with only the Arch-mage of Life heeding the Priest's words.

the ritual was performed during the summer solstice, The land screamed with arcane might ..... and then nothing.

from the ritual site, where 2025 of the best and brightest went in ..... only a "Thing" remained, humming with arcane power Kravak rose, the amalgamation of all those mages that went in, coalesced essence into a single form giving eternal life, their wish made manifest.

now he rules from the Spire as its Dread lord, an eldrich being anathema to life as his wishes are made into reality.

Even the mortals of the once prospering Country , the ones that decided to stay , now worship him as an god of death , a extension of Nergash will made manifest.
And now they live to spread throughout the land , increasing the Dread Lich power.

Cyanios · Apr 17, 2022

Luciana de Keth, the Lunar Empress.

Character Sheet:

Kethia suffered under Empress Alexandrine de Keth, as even by the previous rulers she was uninterested in triffles such as keeping the borders safe, making sure corruption did not set in and decided that lawish parties, bloody games and letting the corrupt flatter and bribe her was better than even trying to be a ruler and mother. Her first and only daughter Luciana had little contact with her growing up beyond infrequent checkups to make sure she was not dead in order to not end up without an heir something the young princess became increasingly bitter as no matter what she achived her mother would not care to acknowlage her.

The rot set in more and more and Luciana grew up become a bitter and suspicous young woman who reached out to disgruntled forces within Kethia, as public sanitation and guard patrols were cut to make room for more parties and concessions to the mercnants. Reqruiting from the nobility and the idealistic that wanted to save the kingdom she plotted and planned to cut the head of the snake and take over before it was too late when the plague hit and the dead shambled to life in its wake and a time of undeath, ash and desperation came to the kindom.

Queen Alexandrine de Keth has died of plague, her body thrown into the fires of the Courtyard of Soot. After mourning for a day as custom, Princess Luciana de Keth has taken power woving to only crown herself queen once the undead is beaten back and her kindom recovered from the blight that her mother let go out of control and took to the task with skill and dedication rarely felt in Kethia.

While the city may have suffered and become far lesser enough was saved of it and the Lunar Palace to comfortably serve as a seat of power until it and the Kethian Empire could be restored.

DeMarcheese · Apr 17, 2022

- RAHAIEL THE WYRM -

"[...] when Ninta and Ninagi sired their children, it was fair Ninisin who first came to see the plight of mortals. Even when she was still as young as time itself, tender and merciful Ninisin fueled the warmth of the world. For she saw there were newborns among the mortals themselves, hapless and innocent, their yarns without blooded threads. And she looked back to her betters and saw the stern gaze of Ninagi, where no warmth fueled creation beyond the verse. It was then that beloved Ninisin pleaded with the All-Mother, begging for a way to bestow the same grace upon us that gave life unto itself.
So the All-Mother cried when she heard of the many hardships life had to endure and how much suffer was abound in the world below. And her faithful daughter took up one of these tears and dropped it into the world. But here then came the Thread-Maker! Dutiful and vigilant, he knew of Ninisin plan to damp all the threads of the verse with this tear of life. So when the yarn was full and the time to cut the thread was upon each mortal, Ninagi's knife will slip and miss.
To punish his child for daring to upset the balance of creation, he summoned a great cold that froze the All-Mother tear before reaching the world. Then a great Wyrm was summoned from the icy earth around it and gave life by the morning dew. As the great beast reared its head towards the starry sky, Ninta and Ninagi gave name and with it came the meaning of words. So came Rahaiel to find purpose at the dawn of time. Such a great and terrible guardian [...]"

- From the Saga of the Maiden, the Child and the Coming of the Dragon.

"[...] nothing but rocks, ice and snow. Careful with the waters, though. They can be as treacherous as eager to drown men into its icy depths. The land is as savage as its meager inhabitants and the cuisine tastes just as horrible as their smell. Indeed, I can barely believe these brutes were once able to raise such a mighty bastion as Skajaldalr. As for the rumored beast, I cannot say for certain. The warrior lodge of the Drakenfyrd watches every stranger that comes ashore with their axes at the ready. Locals seem proud of them and say they are sworn for life to the great dragon, bound to some duty no one will tell me. It has been twenty years since I first came here to trade whale oil and they still give me those murderous looks every time I ask about the damn dragon or the mountain! Is it alive? Did it ever existed? I don't care and I have never been allowed to step out of the port. I value my life very much and I have seen what these people can do when rose to anger. They have a new Valtyr to lead them, some brute of a man that looks more like a giant bear that walks. Einarsson is the name. That's all I know about the Skaljdher."

- Mereval, oil merchant, on the Skaljdher.

"This land was given to us by the gods. Here the threads of our lives are crafted with purpose and with each cut of a cord, new sagas are reborn. Strangers are not welcome here."

- Folkbiorn Einarsson, Valtyr of the Saga, to his men.

Revan4221X · Apr 17, 2022

Emperor Lazimundus

The Zalsian Imperium was once a small province, a weak and pathetic collection of villages and one small castle. It was just another plaything for the Sorcerers and larger Kingdoms to bully around. Here there were but a few scared men and elves. But over time and tribulation, sacrifice and blood, belief and strength and Faith. They multiplied. They rose from their hiding places, being led by the ancestor of Emperor Lazimundus. Back then he was just an opportunistic sorcerer, using illusion magics to spur on desperate peasants into action through faith in a false deity of his own creation.

This small province of Zalsia would grow. They would conquer, they would spread the faith of Azidar. And when the Sorcerer who started it all died, he left behind children who knew not of the truth. For all they knew Azidar was real. There were no notes, nothing to tell the truth. It died with him. And so his grand deception would even get to his own children. But how did it start? Why does the religion of Azidar tell their followers to be so xenophobic against all other religion and even magic? Because they were playthings. The Zalsian Imperium is the Sorcerers and Gods own creation. The province of Zalsia was more than just bullied around. It was experimented on by Sorcerers, men who used magics to twist everything to their whim. And these men also worshipped their Gods, just like everyone else. They prayed and prayed and prayed but it was never answered. Resentment grew and when they prayed to anything else it was the man who spoke of Azidar who answered. Azidar answered their prayers. Azidar shone his blue flame and cast out the Darkness of the heretical Sorcerers and the Gods who sat idly by and did nothing.

And now? Zalsia is the seat of an Empire. An Imperium with enough might to stand against the world alone. Their Faith is their sword. Their Faith is their shield. And Azidar is their God!

Easter · Apr 18, 2022

Sorcerer Sheet-Macher

Leben Macher was someone that has always tinkered ever since she was but a short-tail, the type of tiefling who couldn't leave her hands idle no matter the situation. This sense of energy along with Macher's clear interest and talent for magic is what caught the eye of a traveling life sorcerer. This magician took on Macher as an apprentice before leaving to continue his journey around the continent.
Machers life was fairly average for an apprentice for a while afterward, learning from her teacher and competing against her rival at every task they could find. It wasn't until her teacher stumbled upon an ancient vault that she found both her passion and completely changed her life. When she, her teacher, and fellow apprentice explored the vault they stumbled upon an automated defense system in the shape of a golem. Macher herself doesn't know exactly what happened or what caused it but on that day something inside of her clicked, the concept of artificial life was a fascination that she couldn't shake.
From that day onwards she would abandon her previous specializations to focus completely on the paths she believed would let her fulfill her new dream of making true artificial life, not just a fake intelligence like most golems but a truly thinking being. As you could expect this was viewed quite oddly by the vast majority of sorcerers that heard about it and infuriated her teacher and rival from the perceived betrayal. But she knew enough about magic and had contact or two to learn under, to sever herself from her previous master and go her own way.
After years of toil, favor trading, and continuous attempts and failures after her passion was awakened she had succeeded at reaching it, in the shade of a great mountain range she created her first golem. The future captain of her retinue was formed from simple steel and bronze in the form of a human before being given life by a spell that had been a failure for years, only finding her way to success through determination and that mad spark of genius awakened in a young sorcerer years ago. With this success, she finally felt it was time to begin teaching her own students so that her masterpiece wouldn't die with her if the worse happened. From the battlefield of the far south, she plucked a wounded young warrior from a battlefield when she saw her potential to be something better and from the slums of a great city she adopted a desperate boy hungry for a future. She taught them for a few years as well as she traveled the continent looking for a place to settle, finally finding an island perfect for her plans to the southeast, while she might be forced to share it with an old rival(she still doesn't know if that was luck or her hunting her down) she plans to settle here with her students and create the next great goal of her passion, a great city of golems from which all the world would have to acknowledge the beauty of her creations.

My Second GSRP and the first with such an interesting character-making process, if I did anything wrong please tell me and I'll fix it immediately!

Second Application:

Sorcerer Sheet-Willa

Willa Willa Bismark(Imperial Elf) Vices,Virtues Prideful,Slothful,Gluttonous,Intelligent Greedy,Curious,Petty,Patient Elfenreich(Empire) Specialities,Healing, physical,300 Retinue Manpower,High,100 Retinue Quality,Extraordinary,100 Retinue Elite,None Fortress,Stronghold,200 Levy Quantity,Minor,...

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The Elfen Riech is a fairly new nation, literally founded by its current empress only forty years ago. This kind of idea of a feudal system is new to the elven races in the area so the empire, while rich and secure in the areas it controls, is forced to deal with its more nature-inclined elven kin. Because of this, the empire is stuck in a civil war against their fellow elves to see who's ideology will win, the tribal naturalist or the imperial progressives.
The situation is not helped much by the Kaiserin's own students betraying her to run off and form their own personal realms nearby, having stolen parts of her knowledge once they had learned what they wanted from her. This has enraged the Kaiserin and she has made it one of her goals to deal with these upstarts for the betrayal.

Bark · Apr 18, 2022

An Elven caster of great power, wielder of the Primordial Magic, his strength with matter and energy as well as his actions against great beasts and abhorrent sorcerers garnered him the respect of the surrounding societies near his influence to converge behind him, and over time, pledge allegiance to unite as a greater power under his protection and rule. The realm grew and prospered over the years, with many other sorcerers thinking him only trouble to amass power in that amount of time, as well as the military buildup from such an expansive populace, that they now see him as a threat. Yet O'ran saw only the largest picture, the fabric of existence's safety itself, which all depended on. There were far bigger threats to worry about, but one of the divinities continue to harass him to stop his goals, however, if a caster is tenacious enough to deal with ancient matter, a mere God then, will bow to his will.

DracoLazarus · Apr 18, 2022

Character Name : Lazar Starbreaker
Character Title : Neighborhood Healer
Nation Name : Isolan Free Communes
Nation Location :

Lore :
A long time ago, there was a kingdom on the isle of Isola. The Kingdom of Wyrmridge.
Despite its relative isolation, Wyrmridge was functional enough for a feudal realm led by a non-mage. Perhaps a bit unfriendly to mages and adventurers by design... after all, they're the ones who tend to loot kingdoms and steal their thrones, so a bit of paranoia could be constructive.
Over decades, though, Isola... Well, it's not easy to signal the start of the decay, but one of the constants was the ever greater demand from the nobility for pensions and estates and so on. At first, the kings raised more taxes to keep his nobles loyal. After a while, though, this led to the economy slowly declining, and the King had to stop paying some pensions to those who could afford it the most. This led to a nobiliar rebellion... which forced the King to raise an army, and stop paying even more pensions. There was thus in a short period three to four conflagrations which razed most of the urban centers of Wyrmridge, left the royal house and most of the nobility dead, and ruined countless burghers and peasants.
In that timeframe, Lazar Starbreaker was no great mage. He was a small-scale healer in an adventurer group, who was hired by a Kobold commune up in the mountains, separate from Wyrmridge, to explore an ancient tomb. Ancient tomb meant ancient traps, and the group was no exception. Lazar was the first to be struck, by a long-forgotten curse called the " Jelly Distorsion". His flesh liquefied, and his mind seemed to drain. In a moment of panic, Lazar managed to do what it generally took decades of research to other sorcerers to attain, and managed to seal his soul in a pendant and the jelly into his bones. The rest of his group soon fell into other traps, and he wound up chased out by a tribe of goblins. And after learning the ways of their communalism from the Kobolds, he marched down the mountain to find a Wyrmridge scoured.
Thus did Lazar resolve to heal Isola with Communalism. The way was not easy, especially as Lazar's grip on reality became more hazy day by day even as his power increased both in his healing magic and necromantic capabilities - although he calls it "healing death".
These days, Isola is a fairly prosperous realm. Not as wealthy as it was before the revolts, but the wealth is spread, the land is tilled by skeletons for the living, and the people are fairly happy with their anarchist communes, both urban and rural. The Neighborhood Healer, Lazar, and that couple split personalities of his - Settris and Scribis - wander the countryside, providing help to all those who require it, and most who don't, but hey, you would humor your crazy old grandpa, now wouldn't you ?
Outside, though, Isola's reputation is far more dreadful. The only leadership of note in Isola is in fact Lazar, and who wants to negociate with a crazy communalist skeleton ? Especially when his lichdom tends to make people ascribe to him ambitions of world conquest... and he does on occasion speak of global liberation...

Appearance
For Lazar, think the stereotypical Grim Reaper, but except of a scythe, he carries a healer's staff.
For Settris... Think a skeleton pharaoh, but wher all the costly bits are the two-bit-store version.
For Scribis... Imagine a perpetually-happy skeleton in paladin armor.

Build :

Realm Type : Communalist
Starting points : 1000
Retinue Size : Empty (+200)
Retinue Quality : Minor (+100)
The Communes lack a permanent armed force, so...
Fortress : None (+100)
Levies Quantity : Extraordinary (-500)
Levies Quality : Extraordinary (-700)
But disposable bones, they have a skele-ton.
Navy Quantity : None (+100)
Navy Quality : None (0)

Flaws : Self-deprecating, Curious
Talents : Intelligent, Generous
Specialities : Healing, Necromancy (-300)
Perks and Flaws :
Divine Favor (-1000) : The Gods Find Him Funny
Dishonored, Rogue Actor, Suspicious (+800) : He is a crazy communalist lich, and that bears repeating. Oh, and even worse than all that, he likes puns and dislikes dogs. Mostly because dogs find his bones delicious, what with them tasting like aged meat and jelly.
Cursed : (+400) : The Curse of the Jelly Distorsion. He does not have a grasp on reality, and neither do his apprentices/split personalities.
Rival (+300) : The slavocracy of Ithall Urhan the Preserver lies completely antithetic to the communalism of Isola, and while the raids have been few in number so far, they have all have a great negative effect on Lazar's morale.
Inspired (-300) : I might swap this one for having an Ally in Karolus's money-grubbing merchants willing to trade with anyone, if he's playing.
Apprentices : 2 (-200)

Build for the apprentices TBA

Uniquelyequal · Apr 18, 2022

Aislin Làmh-fala, the Red-Handed Queen of Trom-laighe, She Who Devours Dreams, Mistress of the Marcach Sgàile, Sleep-Thief
Whispers of the Red-Handed Queen's Origin are as plentiful as they are filled with dread. Some claim she is merely a talented and ancient sorceress, utilizing powerful and forbidden magic as well as stolen knowledge and artifacts to preserve her youth and strenght. Other sources state that she is the result of successful experiments with the vampiric curse, some going so far as to lay it's origin at her feet. Yet other claim that she is the collective manifestation of the World's Dread, a nightmare made reality by the collective delusions of uncountable souls, birthed wholesale from the realm of dreams to wreak bloody havoc upon the world for her own inscrutable goals. Whatever her origins, the Red-Handed Queen has wrought bloody havoc upon the world throughout her entire existence, dispatching her minions to gather knowledge and artifacts for her own benefit and unknown future purpose.

averagename · Apr 18, 2022

Quickpaw Sarnkgoth, CHOSEN OF SOSKU, First Lord of the teeming Mischief

Magic speciaty: Life
Virtues: Ambitious and Industrius
Flaws: Pride, Envy, Gluttonous, Wrathful, Greedy, Avoricious, Self Indulgent, Vainglourious, Rash, Curious, Cowardly, Vulgar, Petty, Secretive, Stingy, Quarrelsome, Depraved, Paranoid

Realm: Empire (As in the Holy Roman Empries sense), Eastern Mountains
Military (1400)
Retinue: Full (200)
Retinue Quality: Moderate (0)
Retinue Elites: Heavy Rats (100)
Fortress: Citidale (300)
Navy: No
Levies: Extraordinary (500)
Levies quality: 'Limited' (300)
Perks (1600)
Population Boom: (they're rats) * 4( 400)
Special fluff: (The under warren) (300)
Vassal States * 3 (900) (Nominally parts of the empire but these represent some of the slightly overmighty fiefs)
Total postives: 3000
Flaws 4800 (I know this is more than the maximum but this country is a yes)
Flawed technique: (things explode): 100
Dishourned: 100
Disgraced: 200
Thief: 200
Rouge actor:200
Flawed *4: 1600
Suscpsious: 500
'Civil war': 300
Diven disfavour: 1000
Unruly aprentise (escaped lab slaves) *3 600

Backstory: It is said that even the best laid plans of mice and men oft go awry. This is also true for the worst laid plans of gods. Sosku, god of Mischief, long ago set about laying a prank for the mortals of the world. A race of rodents twisted into a crude, vulgar mockery of man and the species of the world. They were hairless palid creaters, hateful of each other and the world; every base impulse exaggerated. However Sosku was delayed in showing off the joke and by the time the god returned to their project in the dark corerns of the Under spire they found that the creaters had broken from their chambers (still the god is not sure how) and had populated the entire spire, with a society worshiping Sosku as their benevolent creator. Realsing this would lead to some jokes against sosku should it come out the god tried to destory the creatures but somehow failed, it is whispered that the mutants had managed to inadvertantly twist the wards once made to imprison them to save them. This attempt still was a near apocoplyse for the 'Children of Sosku' who only thought this was proof of their gods intrest in them and that they should worship the god harder to be spared from its wrath ... As such Sosku has continued to try to wipe out the embarrassment.
All in all the Mischief, a name derived from the documentation they found on their long broken cells, is a satire of human society. It is less one Empire than a few score squabbaling petty fiefs locked in eternal conflict and even those fiefs are also near anarchic. from the outside it would look like a civil war to a sane observer but to the Mischief this is simply how Sosku intended the best to rise to the top (another legacy of a failed extermination attempt). The constant internecien warfare would have driven them to extention if not for the astounding population growth rates they enjoy, a legacy of divine acceleration to speed up the project. In the Mischeif's Domain, might dose not make right, for they dont have a concept of right and the only thing which unites them is their shared hatred of all other races; an atavistic loathing rationalised as them being the Chosen of Sosku but in reality envy for the happiness other races enjoy. The current 'First Lord' is a powerful mage, the most in all the Under Spire and its countless connected tunnels. It achieved this lofty position by drowning every mage more powerful than it in crazed expendable troopers and murdered any mages weaker than it before they could challange it. Even through the First Lords agust power it only holds a nominal hold on the Mischief with half a dozen active pretenders at any one time.
As can be expected by their rushed nature the magical abilites of the Mischeif are tempermental. While reliant on the magic of life, which allowed them to find food in the deep dark of the mountains bellys, their magic was never finished and it prone to disaster. It is not unkown for mages to accidentally grow exploding mushrooms or carnivorous cave corn while trying to make food but that danger is what the harvesting slaves are for anyway.
The armies of the Mischief excell in tunnel fighting and engineering and as such have surpsingly competent heavy infantry units; capable of holding a tunnel till their dead dams it. Though in general their competence can be described as acceptable. What war machines their engineers prodcuce are wild and varried but are equally temperamental; again life is cheap in the under spire.

ZealousThoughts · Apr 18, 2022

The Dungeon of Tales

Little and less is known of the process by which a new dungeon is formed though it is thought that the Gods have some direct hand. If more people had known the cause of those dungeons that they had found then some might be dissuaded from any course that puts them at odds with the Gods. As for the majority of these great crystal-hearted locations the entity inhabiting the Dungeon Core was one in deep disfavour with the Gods. A soul which none of the Gods wished to allow transit into their realms for the after life but instead curse to an eternity of service, purifying the mana of the world and allowing those who are not born to the path of magic to attain items, artifacts or even some small degree of stolen power.

So it was that Artur Cristobal, a man who had been a mage at the pinnacle of power, certain that he knew enough, had prepared enough that on the eve of his death he might situate himself at the core of a grand ritual. A ritual designed to allow his soul to ascend into Godhood, stealing from all the Gods a portion of their divinity and passing it to him that he might take a place within the Pantheon. As in all tales of this ilk the hubris daring to go against they who made and controlled the world was such that in the moment he felt he would attain triumph that this was not to be. Surrounded by swirling powers and magics Artur felt his ebbing life force powering the transformation raising him up before something.....twisted. Rather than ascending without notice he felt all of the pantheon pushing their power against his ritual, changing and altering the destination for his soul. The last sensation he felt before darkness fell was...compression and heat, unending compressing and heat.

Comprehension returned and with it instant horror, Artur, a man who had delved and completed any number of dungeons, who had raided and stripped the most venerable of great rewards had been reborn as the crystal heart of a newly born dungeon. Stripped from him had been magics and specialties beyond counting leaving him with but three, stripped from him was his body and his liberty. After weeks and months of railing against the injustice it was the arrival of Delia, the bright happy sprite who proclaimed herself his dungeon fairy that shook him loose of his depression. Mention of expansion and gathering power, of ascension and in a careless slip of the tongue mention of the possibility of an avatar. Where before Artur pushed for Godhood in his new form he would settle for the power needed to forge for himself a new form.

The Taurean Shogunate

Sorcerer and Realm Sheet Ushikuso Minato, Shogun of the Taurean People Vices,Virtues Prideful,Secretaive ,Quarrelsome,Focused,Courageous The Taurean Shogunate Specialities,Physical, Enchanting, Nightmares,600 Realm Type,Feudal,0 Retinue Manpower,Moderate,0 Retinue Quality,Extraordinary,100 Reti...

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Fellgrave · Apr 18, 2022

Galgadis

Sorcerer and Realm Sheet Galgadis Vices,Virtues Wrathful,Intelligent Prideful,Ambitious Hagbifell (Tribal Federation) Specialities,Demonic, Elemental, Enchanting,600 Retinue Manpower,Moderate,0 Retinue Quality,Moderate,0 Retinue Elite,None,0 Fortress,Castle,100 Levy Quantity,Low,50 Levy Quality,...

docs.google.com

Lore:

At the bottom of the world, winds blow frost and snow down from peaks that have been frozen since time immemorial.

The people that call these lands home are a hardy folk. The many tribes have settled on the shores of the ice-floes, or at the edge of the taiga forests. Only at the edges, for the wise know that dangers dwell within. A rare few make their homes in the roots of the mountains, harvesting the iron that is so treasured for tools and arms.

The tribes make great ships from the stone-strong trees and set sail from their frozen ports to raid the coasts of the warmer lands to the north, in search of all manner of goods but mineral wealth most of all.

It's that drive for iron that sent Galgadis, an ambitious warrior and daughter of the wise one of her clan, to commit the gravest of sins: breaking the oath of neutrality in the mountain holds and spilling blood in the ancient caves.

Galgadis was hanged for her crime.

A war party of three tribes bore her into the dark heart of the forest, where the wyrd-tree grew, tall and gnarled and many limbed. On its bough they strung her up and lit the watch-fire to count the hours until her struggles ceased.

For thirteen days and nights, counted only by the changing of the watch-fire in that twilit place, the party stood sentinel in that place. They watched with wary eyes the dancing shadows of the deep forest, and the ever growing number of ravens that flocked silently to the limbs of the wyrd-tree.

At the end of the thirteenth night, a tremendous cry arose from the ravens, a deathly cacophony that brought the sentinels to their knees. When the ravens finally ceased, in deafening silence Galgadis cut herself free from the noose around her neck.

In her eyes burned a fell light, mirrored in countless eyes that perched all around the wyrd-tree's glade. The shaman who had accompanied the party in their journey saw something in that light, but what it was he did not share, as he turned his dagger upon himself.

In her hand she summoned a dark fire that left and afterimage as it danced to some unnatural and unheard music. With it came an ultimatum.

Those that did not bend their knee to her were dragged into the shadows or set upon by the ravens instantly. The rest were marked as her own, their thrall-chains branded upon their necks for all to see, for Galgadis does not forgive easily.

From that forest they marched, changed by the experience, and none moreso than Galgadis herself. The knowledge of runes and portents have always been carefully guarded by the wise ones and the shamans; knowledge that she now wielded with ease. Brands of dark magic, frost that burned and shadows set alight, she grew in leaps and bounds.

Galgadis has now established her own clan; the Hanged Ones, as she seeks to unite the frozen lands under her banner. The mountain holds, the frozen ports, all will fall under the banner of the wyrd-tree and noose.

Puppernickel · Apr 18, 2022

Placement subject to GM preference, depending on where bodies are needed.

Retinue Manpower: Moderate (0)
Retinue Quality: Large (50)
Retinue Elites: None (0)
Fortress Type: None (-100)

Levies Quantity: Minor (0)
Levies Quality: None (0)
Navy Quantity: Large (250)
Navy Quality: Extraordinary (700)

Total Negative Present: 100
Total Positive Present: 1000

Sorcerer Flaws: Secretive, Boorish
Sorcerer Virtues: Witty, Just
Magic Speciality:
Evoker (Free)
Telekinesis (300)
Space (300)

Realm/Mage Flaws:
Neglected Realm (-100)
Dispirited People (-100)
Unruly Apprentice (-200)
Unruly Apprentice (-200)
Unruly Apprentice (-200)
Rival: Shiva Medraut (-300)
Rival: Galgadis (-300)

Realm/Mage Perks:
Partner (500)

Apprentices: 4 (400)

Total Negative Present: 1400
Total Positive Present: 1500

Partner Name: Thamual Absentine, Lord of Riftguard, The Mad Clockmaker
Partner Flaws: Curious, Self-Deprecating, (Secretive, Paranoid, Self Indulgent, Rash)
Partner Virtues: Magnificent, Industrious, (Intelligent, Spirited, Focused, Patient)
Magic Speciality:
Enchanting (Free)
Physical (300)
Time (300)

Mage Flaws:
Dishonored (-100)
Rogue Actor (-200)
Rival: Saryath of Vale (-300)
Flawed (-400)

Mage Perks:
Virtuous (200)
Inspired (300)
Prodigy (400)

Total Negative Present: 1000
Total Positive Present: 1500


Evalen Cordee (Human, Female)
Specialization	Space		Perks	Witty	100
Skills	Ritual	100		Adorable	100
	Spellcraft	100		Flawless Recall	100
	Creation	100		Charismatic	200
	Intrigue	200		Survivor	200
Traits	Herbalist	100		Detail-oriented	200
	Alchemist	200	Flaws	Rogue	-100
	Linguist	200		Dishonored	-100
				Enemy: Redwald	-400
				Enemy: Drake Bisalor	-400
Equipment	Alchemical Supplies	100		Otherworldly Debt	-500

"A proud, energetic little soul, always bounding about and talking to people with the vigor of a young foal. She has a knack for making people feel older than they actually are, but not minding that feeling, as if you were some wise sage. She's a more than adequate student for my tastes, and I'm glad Thamual convinced me to accept her as my apprentice. Although things are a bit tense between us right now, considering her part in the realm's most recent mess…."
-Lady Sansa Wendigo


Sir Belcor "Boglin" Skerg (Goblin, Male)
Specialization	Telekinesis		Perks	Adorable	100
Skills	Dungeoneering	200		Survivor	200
	Scouting	200		Experienced	300
	Combat Magic	300		Hardened	300

Traits	Hunter	100
	Mundane Duelist	100	Flaws	Enemy: Drake Bisalor	-400
				Addiction: Drink	-400
				Addiction: Adrenaline Junkie	-400
				Rogue	-100
Equipment

"Ah, Belcor. Quite the character, I must say. Rather adorable looking for one of his kind, Belcor has always had a desire to be a warrior, both of the magical persuasion and mundane arts. He has that adventurous spirit too, always likes poking about and seeing what he can do as a 'mage-knight of the realm'. It's a shame to see him as upset as he's been lately though. Then again, I can hardly blame him. Losing a close friend is difficult no matter the circumstances…."
-Lady Sansa Wendigo


Nansa Tissk (Naga, Female)
Specialization	Space		Perks	Charismatic	200
Skills	Leadership	200		Survivor	200
				Hardened	300
				Coven	600

Traits	Linguist	200
			Flaws	Disastrous Technique	-400
				Maimed: Vicious Burns	-400
				Enemy: Drake Bisalor	-400

Equipment

"Nansa. Oh my poor Nansa. A natural born leader with a fire in her heart, she just has a way with people. She seems to draw the lost and leaderless like flies, giving them comfort and a calling around her. She is, however, rather lacking in the more magical aspect, a fact that was made more… prevalent, in recent days. She did her best, she really did, but… I should have taught her better. I'll have to rectify that mistake. Nansa is such a wonderful individual, so spry and fit. Not as much now but… oh poor Nansa…."
-Lady Sansa Wendigo

And finally, played by the glorious @Grav! The good Sir Godric!


Belsa Draz (Human, Female)
Specialization	Telekinesis		Perks	Detail-oriented	200
Skills	None	0		Ally: Cordo Helv	400



Traits	Smith	200
			Flaws	Rogue	-100
				Dishonored	-100
				Peaked	-500

Equipment	Warded Robes	100
	Focuses	100
	Grimoire	200


Cordo Helv (Human, Male)
Specialization	Space		Perks	Survivor	200
Skills	Scouting	200		Experienced	300
				Hardened	300
				Ally: Belsa Draz	400
				Trusted	500
Traits	Mundane Duelist	100
			Flaws	Dishonored	-100
				Rogue	-100
				Enemy: Drake Tracker	-400
				Enemy: Sir Boglin	-400
Equipment				Treacherous	-600


Drake Bisalor (Elf, Male)
Specialization	Evoker		Perks	Charismatic	200
Skills	Spellcraft	100		Hardened	300
	Intrigue	200		Ally: Mercenary Band	400
	Leadership	200

Traits	Magical Duelist	300
			Flaws	Dishonored	-100
				Enemy: Sir Boglin	-400
				Enemy: Nansa Tissk	-400
				Treacherous	-600
Equipment	Warded Robes	100
	Magical Weapon	200

Background: If one were to sum up the realm of Riftguard in a single word, it would likely be "stagnant". Others, older and more aware of history, would be more likely to say "fallen". Riftguard was once a powerful and mighty kingdom, controlling the major waterway from North to South, holding dominion over the Casteelian Sea and ensuring the safety of not only itself, but all others, earning the respect and care of those who traded across its waters. Indeed, Riftguard was considered one of, if not the most powerful kingdom of the region, casting its shadow over anyone who traded from the northern waters to the southern Casteelian Sea. However, such greatness was many a generation ago now, and most have forgotten this was ever the case. Nowadays, the Kingdom of Riftguard is in a sorry state, weakened by years of neglect and deliberate sabotage. Of course, there are several reasons for this, some more obvious than others….

One reason is its technical ruler, Lord Thamual Absentine. Technical, because he prefers to spend his time tinkering in his study or performing various hobbies that have piqued his interest, largely ignoring matters of the nation in order to follow other pursuits. This has left ruling to his closest friend and Consul of the Realm, Lady Sansa Wendigo, along with her cadre of apprentices. This arrangement actually went on rather well for nearly a decade, with Sansa adding further assistance by accepting more apprentices under her care, in the end training a total of eight apprentices in both magic and politics. However, this proved a double edged sword, as while it did lessen the load of leadership, it also made it more difficult for her to personally keep track of things, her attention strained as she tried to train far too many apprentices for one sorcerer. This lack of attention resulted in the land being allowed to degrade, the realm suffering as money and resources didn't quite end up where they needed to be, and people were steadily worse off than they once were. All of this was blamed on the rulers, both Lord and Lady, as well as the mages set in positions of power.

The climax of the unrest was the betrayal of an elf known as Drake Bisalor, apprentice to Sansa and keeper of the kingdom's treasury. Earning the loyalty and contracts of some mercenaries working within Riftguard, as well as convincing one of his fellow apprentices to turn, Drake attempted to enact a swift and decisive coup, aiming to cut down his fellow mages and the Sorcerers and ensure his victory. However, due to the people being unwilling to rise up at his call, Drake instead burned down the castle where the leaders resided, killing one of the other seven apprentices and maiming another, before taking his men and fleeing with some ships and a significant portion of the treasury, leaving his former allies and friends to fix the realm and prevent further degradation.

Now without a proper home, much poorer, and with a depressed population, it's time to see whether Sansa, Thamual, and what mages remain can succeed in cleaning the mess they've been left with, or if they'll simply crumple the rest of the way and take the kingdom's remains with them.

Caspoi · Apr 18, 2022

Serina lived before history. Serina is not yet born. Serina will never exist. Serina has lived countless lives. Serina is a youth among elders. Serina is nowhere. Serina is everywhere. All of these statements are true, and none describes her adequately. Time traveller, explorer, mad genius, Serina is an odd one, full of internal contradictions and logical fallacies in her very existence. By her own actions, she's undone her own birth, which may have been in the past or future from the "here", she's implied both on several occasions and is a compulsive liar at that. What little can be discerned about her tells that she, in the past, present or future, uncovered the secrets of time and space and used it to explore every bit of it that she could. Beyond that, tracking her life becomes a nightmare, not only due to its inherent defiance of chronological progress as is commonly understood, but also because of her mastery of illusions and disguises, operating under cover. When her appearance, sex, age and voice tend to be fluid, knowing who she is can be troublesome. She seeks to learn all of the secrets of the universe, and leaves chaos wherever she goes. On her travels she's gathered friends, allies and many, many enemies. Chronal Judges, Things-Out-Of-Time and Never-Beens. But her most constant, persistent foe is... Herself. For Serina's flagrant abuse of the laws of time has not been without consequence, and by messing with the timeline she's brought over another her from a different timeline. "Serina Beta" might be called her evil twin, if she herself hadn't already been terribly amoral. She's just as willing to break the rules of the universe to explore and take what she desires... And this tends to be the exact same thing that "Serina Alpha" wants. And when both of them are capable of being where and when they want to be, they often end up crossing paths. Serina is as such locked in an eternal competition with herself on who will be the first to find the secrets of past, present and future.

Realm: Magocracy/nada
Flaw: Curious, Secretive
Virtue: Intelligent, Ambitious
Magic Specialities: Space, Time, Illusion
Retinue Manpower: None
Retinue Quality: None
Retinue Elite: None.
Fortress: None.
Levies: None.
Navy: None.
Flaws: Rogue Actor, Rival (herself) Suspicious, Realmless
Perks: Inspired, Explorer, Forbidden Knowledge, Prodigy, Talent (time travel).
Apprentices: 2.

Daughter of the Serina of a different, now defunct, timeline. Ingeli has been conscripted by her "mother" to come along on her journeys. She still finds the experience interesting, even though she doesn't always agree with what Serina tries to teach her.
Equipment: Focuses
Skills: Intrigue, Creation
Perks: Genius, Witty, Adorable, Experienced
Flaws: Warped Perspective, Rogue, Bad Student
Magic: Illusion

A five-dimensional friend of Serina, Xir exists in the past, present and future all at once, giving them a unique perspective on things. They're quite disorienting to observe however, since their body shifts in ways unnatural to the three-dimensional world as you watch them from different angles.
Skills: Research
Perks: Genius, Flawless Recall, Detail-Oriented
Flaws: Rogue, Warped Perspective
Magic: Time

Area:
Yes. But if a specific one is needed, the icy island to the far east.

Napolean_Barca · Apr 19, 2022

Claim One, Zatarus Duhamier, King of Giants (Giant Federation)

In the beginning, there was a war. This was the first war, the War of Heaven, the War for Creation, the war to decide the fate of the universe. This was a war against the Qlippoth, interdimensional creatures of untold power and an unceasing hunger, as at this moment they are losing. Desperately, the gods of creation sought new ways to combat these eldritch horrors, to get any sort of edge against the long night. Some made new weapons and arms, others created new and powerful spells that could fell even the strongest of their beasts, but in the case of Sivian, he created soldiers. Thus, in the crucible of war and fire, the first Giants were made. Hulking creatures of untold strength and power, they charged headlong into the fray against the Qlippoth and together with the aid of gods, turned the tide of the war.

But what to do with a weapon when there is no war? This question was what many gods and giants asked themselves as they began to rebuild and repopulate the world. Many argued that the Giants were too dangerous to be kept unchained and wanted their extermination. Sivian opposed this however, he argued that the Giants sacrificed just as much as they have and thus should be given something for their sacrificed, So after much debate, the gods allowed for the Giants to go and colonize the world they fought so hard to protect. For centuries, Giants ruled over the mortal world, for centuries they reigned as the mighty warrior kings as they were promised by their god Sivian. Yet even they could not prepare them for what was to come, for while the giants entered a golden age a new race began to emerge from their shadow. This race would be called by many as Man.

Across the continent, man emerged as the dominate race of the world, they bred like vermin and expanded like an infestation. Man began to encroach on the domain of giants and like all mortals, challenged them and their right to rule. The giants fought war after war against man but each war proved time and time again to favor man. For each man that fell, a hundred more would take their place.One by one the Kingdoms would fall and with each fall and one by one Giants would be one step closer to extinction, By the time Zatarus was born, there were only a handful of the great Kingdoms left.

Zatarus was the son of King Morsar Duhamier, one of the last in a long line of Fire Giant Kings who ruled over the hold of Jotengard. At the time of his birth, the once proud kingdom ruled over an empire that stretched far and wide across the continent. Now it can barely control the vassals within its own mountain range. As Zatarus grew older and larger, it was discovered that he had the ability to control the Arcane, a feat that only a few Fire Giants had ever possessed. His father immediately sent him out to begin his training amongst the prestigious (and slightly feared) Firecallers, part diplomats, advisors, battlemages and teachers of the oral history of their race who would teach the young Giant on how to use his gift for the benefit of the clan and Kingdom. Zatarus showed promise as he took to his studies with vigor and determination, yet something troubled the young prince. As he sat and studied, he began to realize how far his people had fallen, how their people went from ruling the world to becoming crushed underneath it's boot. Thoughts of anger and wrath filled the mind of the young Giant, anger at every atrocity the smallfolk had done to his people, anger at how his people now wallow as petty warlords and savage kings. Worse of all, he resented his father who viewed his son as more of a threat than an ally and thought that hiding from the world was better than living in it.

It was this anger and fear of how dangerous his son could become that made Morsar send his son on a diplomatic mission to King Novar Ironback, a Hill Giant known for covering his entire back with a piece of plate (what can better protect you from sneaky stabbing). The mission was simple: get the proud King to submit or face the wrath of the lords of Jotengard. Everyone expected the young Giant to fail, for no lord has made the proud lord of the hills give up his freedom. Yet to everyone's surprise, Zatarus not only brought the proud King on side but managed to bring several Stone Giant clans to their side along the way. No one knows what he said to the Iron King, some say he promised him great fortune and loot from a thousand battlefields if he would join with them, others say when he approached the King he gave him a hearty headbutt, knocking the lord down and giving the court of the Ironback a hearty laugh. Regardless, all were impressed….that is except for his father.

His father was expecting the Iron Crown, a proud King to be brought low before their might. Instead, not only was he allowed to keep his crown but was allowed to basically keep all the lands he owned. The King demanded the reason for his son's disobedience, Zatarus responded with the statement that Giant's are one people and that no giant should shed the blood of fellow Giants. His father said that this was outrageous! The people of Jotengard needed the resources of these inferior creatures and thus required their submission. It was Zatarus's turn to lash out, he was infuriated that his King viewed the last of their people as little more than sub-Giant creatures. He said his father was not worthy of the crown he wore, that the Kings before him would be saddened and ashamed of how weak he was now. The King told them that this was necessary for their survival. Zatarus said that he was condemning them to extinction. The King in anger raised his voice and uttered a simple yet far reaching phrase,

"If the young pup thinks I am unworthy of this crown then perhaps he should remove it from my brow?"

Zatarus, after a minute of thought then exclaimed, "Perhaps I shall….I Zaturus Duhamier, son of Morsar Duhamier, challenge the Cinder King for the right to bear the Cinder Crown. Do you accept or has the crown made you too weak to deal with a "rebellious welp"."

His father, bound by ancient tradition, accepted the challenge. He strode down to his son, his pages gathering the pieces of his armor while his son collected himself for the ordeal to come. For this was no ordinary duel, challenges to the crown of a Fire Giant are a sacred ordeal. Those who do it have but two outcomes, they win and become King or they lose and they die.

When two giants clash, mountains shake, when two Fire Giants clash, the room turns into a raging inferno. Fiery hearts and blood were spilt as the two titans of flesh and fire collided. Morsar got first blood, his axe cutting deep into the thigh of the young prince but thankfully was kept from being much worse due to a lucky parry from the young prince's greatsword. Zatarus responded by taking the hilt of his massive blade and driving it to the forehead of his father. Stunning the King and sending him reeling backwards. The Prince then charged forward, his blade swinging rapidly as his father effortlessly parried each strike, showing his heir that the years of fighting his own kind have taught him tricks on how to best would be challengers.

With a mighty hand, Morsar grabbed his son by the beard and with one of his mighty knees, brought it to the skull of his proud heir. Zatarus dropped his blade as he collapsed to the ground. His father seized on this moment and brought his axe down on the young heir. Zatarus dodged the first blow and grabbed the end of his father's weapon in an attempt to disarm him. Morsar brought his boot down onto the rebellious prince in an attempt to free his weapon but as he did this, Zatarus brought his free hand to the belt and freeing a dagger from it's sheath. With the muttering of a few words, the blade began radiating cool energy as the simple dagger was turned into a dagger of frost. The blade was brought down into the knee of his father who grunted in pain as the searing cold shivered up his body. Zatarus then brought the blade into the arm of his father, hoping to wrest the blade from his hand. The young prince succeeded but not before Morsar punched the young prince in the skull. With his good hand, he managed to pin the dagger Zatarus had and with his now bloody fist began to start wailing on the young prince. One, two, three blows were struck before the young prince grabbed the wrist of his father and upon uttering some words no one could understand, blew dust in the eyes of his father.

Morsar reeled in pain as he staggered back from such a clever blow. Zatarus knew now that this was his chance, rising from the ground, he quickly grabbed the greatsword and brought it down in a crushing arc. The blade cut deep into the shoulder of Morsar who had nothing to parry such a mighty blow. Yet the old King was not done yet, with his free hand, he lifted the blade off of his shoulder and with his one hand, grabbed the neck of his young son. Zatarus let go of the blade as he felt the hand close around his windpipe. Desperately he clawed and punched in an attempted to free the hands from his neck. It is during this life or death struggle that his father, silent through the whole fight began to speak.

"Tell me son…do my ancestors think I am a coward now?" he uttered in a mocking tone.

"I have no idea….ask them yourself." Zatarus raised his hand and placed it underneath the mouth of his father and with his last breath of air, uttered a simple frost spell. This spell would send a frost spike bolt straight through the skull of his father. The blow caught his father off guard who staggered for a minute as his body slowly began to react to what had happened, he fell to his knees then, as he gazed into the eyes of his son, finally collapsed with his crown clattering to the ground.

Zatarus stood there for a minute, the act of what he had done start to sink in. It mattered not though, his death was necessary. Almost immediately, Notvar approached the prince, picking up the crown of his father as he went. He would then utter these words that would shake the world of Giants as we know it.

"The King has died, perished in the sacred art of trial by combat. By the laws of these lands and the lands of all Giants, Zatarus Duhamier is now the King of not only Jotengard but the King of all Giants. Long live the king! Long live the King!!!

Before long, the whole court erupted in cheers and junilation. For a new King was crowned, one who promised to bring about the next golden age of Giants. They were not disappointed, for almost immediately Zatarus went from village to village, town to town. Almost all of Giantkind flocked to join the Cinder King, Tribe after tribe pledged their allegiance and after years of alliance building, Zatarus felt now was the time to wage war against the small folk in the region. The giants struck as an unstoppable tide, obliterating all in their path. Each mountain keep that fell was another place liberated for Giantkind. Before long, all the mountains were free from the race of man. Zatarus had acheived his dream of a realm of giants….yet something was missing. Zataurus didn't just want a homeland for Giantkind….he wanted an Empire. One that would dominate the continent, one that would remind the race of man that they will not go quietly into the long night, one that would stand the test of time and bring their people back from the edge of extinction. Yet there are those who fear the growing power of Jotunheim, those who see the giants as a threat to both the race of man and their very existence on the continent. They are right to fear, for he is the Cinder King, and all who don't learn to bow shall be burned and broken.

Map and Location:

State Sheet: Warlord Sorcerer Template (Giant Kingdom)

Claim 2: Dracekk the Laughing Terror (Gnoll Khanate

Lore

Life on the Thanarii Steppe is known to be a harsh and brutal one. Across the plains and seas of grasses, many human tribes have taken up the life of the wandering nomad, raising livestock and living off the land in this harsh and rugged land. Yet the land isn't what the nomads fear, for when the sun begins to set and colors of orange and yellow give way to the purples and blacks, a new creature begins to wake and emerge onto the steppe. Men set up patrols around the camp and women and children huddle close to one another for warmth and security.

For on the Thanarii Steppes a hunter roams through the grasses, one that laughs and cackles as they prepare for their attack, their eyes reflecting off of the torchlight never quite giving away their numbers or just where they plan to attack. These are the tactics of Gnolls, a race of Hynied people said to have been born of the gods Thanara or Soshku. The Gnolls of the Steppe have proven themselves to be worthy adversaries, their raids inspiring fear amongst those unfortunate to be on the end of a hunter's spear and causing much anger and fury amongst the Steppe peoples. Yet despite the present dangers, no Gnollic tribe has ever became too powerful to overcome and those that have grown to incredible heights have fallen apart under their own weight, their people banishing the weak when the tribe becomes too large to easily feed.

Yet whispers on the wind tell tales of a Gnoll tribe that has done the unthinkable. Under the command of a new Khan, they have begun to unite the many Gnollic tribes under one banner, the banner of Khan Dracekk the Laughing Terror, a Khan of insatiable hunger and a thirst for the one thing, and that is the blood of man and beast.

The tale of how Dracekk became the Khan he is now starts is a long and arduous one. Dracekk was born amongst one of the many Gnoll families on the Steppes. Most tribes have litters of 3 to 4 whelps at a time, a process that gives the tribe an ample amount of bodies to both raid with and in lean times consume (Gnolls are very cannibalistic). The young whelp immediately had to compete with his other brothers and sisters who constantly bullied the young pup as he was seen as the "runt" of the group. Dracekk would prove to be a difficult whelp to push around. At age 5 he viciously beat his older brother Brota after he tried to take a kill from him, at age 7 he bit the ear off his sister Borte when she tried to best him after a failed courtship, at age 10 he took a bow and killed a whelp after he tried to run off with a bag of silver bone (a type of currency most Gnolls trade in).

At age 15, the young Whelp had begun to show signs of a connection to the God Thanara, the patron goddess of the tribe. Only female Gnolls were said to have such gifts so for this male to have it was both unheard of and interesting. The tribe's Khan took an interest in this whelp and immediately set for him to be trained amongst the Night Mothers, Shaman who are responsible for the tribe's connection to their goddess and the history of their people. Dracekk's ascension to their ranks sent a ripple throughout the tribe. Many wondered what this could mean if a lowly whelp could ascend to the rank of one of the most powerful members of the tribe. Many argued that this was a sign that he was favored by the gods and those that follow him would be blessed by the Goddess of Fear while others said that this could be a sign of ill omens to come.

One thing is for certain, Dracekk was enjoying his new position in the tribe. His ascension to Night Mother (or Night Father in this case) had earned him a seat at the upper echelons of the pack. With this ascension, his hunger for power began to grow and fester. Dracekk thrust himself into the politics of the tribe, making allies and friends while also honing his newfound powers to the point of being the next Elder Mother (the head of the night mothers). This recent thrust into politics was concerning for Khan Chotan, the matriarch of the tribe and leader of the warband. For most of her reign her rule was largely uncontested minus a few times her rule was challenged by lesser matriarchs and upstart males. As Dracekk grew in popularity, so too did Chotan's fear, the Khan attempted to end this problem before it started by sending Dracekk, now 18 at the time, to lead a large warband on an attempted hunt on some humans to the south. The "Kingdom of Tarnash" had always been a target for hunts and it had been years since their last hunt. Dracekk, not yet able to go on a raid since his ascension, gladly took up the offer.

For days, his band rode across the Steppe and made their way to the Tarnished Lands. The earth was unnaturally cold and unsettling to those of the warband, like there were a pair of eyes on the band as they entered. Dracekk was fearless (or possibly oblivious) to this feeling. His warriors began their hunt across the plains, looting isolated camps and caravans that strayed too far from the nearest towns. The raids were wildly successful, loot and meat were plentiful and the warband gorged itself on their recent conquests with Dracekk earning quite the reputation for his hour-long feasts. Yet this time of plenty was coming to a close, for a Khan was on the march. Khan Borteg fell upon them with a vengeance. His forces struck at night, a surprise to Dracekk due to the fact that he was expecting an attack during the day, not at night when Gnolls had all the advantages. Many within the warband panicked but Dracekk managed to rally the horde and lead a counter charge. The Khan had an experience while Dracekk the numbers and the might of hundreds of Hyaenodon riders who crunched bone and mail in their mighty jaws. The battle was fierce and many on both sides lost their lives. In the thick of the fighting, Dracekk tried to charge the Khan and his honor guard but was thrown back, the Khan's discipline winning where Gnollic fury could not. Dracekk was seeing that the battle was turning and ordered a withdrawal, using his magic to stun and terrify the men of the Khan, who choose not to pursue and instead count the dead and tend to the wounded.

Dracekk may have lost but he had extricated his army mostly intact. Sure they did suffer ALOT of casualties but Dracekk was alive and he certainly earned the respect of the survivors of the warband. Choten was not happy though. Her plan to assassinate this troublesome thorne had failed miserably. She tipped off the Khan to the warband so he could prepare, she quietly sent alot of his supporters with him so they would die off instead of her loyalists, she even had an assassin in his bodyguard….who apparently got killed early on when the Khan and his warriors came screaming in.

This battle made Dracekk's popularity soar. Despite the loss, they did manage to recover a bit of the scraps the Khan and his men left. Additionally, those who survived the battle began to spread tales about how Night Father Dracekk bravely fought the forces of the Tarnished to a stand still and managed to heroically lead their escape. These tales spread like wildfire and before long all young pups asked if they could ride with the great Dracekk the Tarnished Slayer to battle. Despite this popularity and the fact that Dracekk coveted the title of Khan dearly, he decided to be patient. Choten may have messed up with this planned assination but she still had a majority of the tribe loyal to her. Dracekk would have to buy his time and wait. A discipline years and years of hunting on the steppe with his fellow whelps has helped him dearly. In the meantime, Dracekk would volunteer to go on hunts and slowly and quietly, make his moves.

This mistake he had been waiting for came around 4 years later when Dracekk turned 20. Choten called a gathering for the tribe. Recently, the number of members of the tribe has grown to a level almost unheard of in quite some time. Normally, most of the times these tribes split up, still loyal to the Khan but go further afield to greener pastures to raid and hunt. Choten, however, spoke of exhiling them. Choten believed that she still controlled a majority of the military elite and by exhiling them, she could effectively consolidate power and deal a deathblow to Dracekk's growing faction. Yet Dracekk proved far more clever than she gave him credit for. Dracekk had not been idle in the 4 years since his raid on the Tarnished. Slowly and surely, he had started to win over the veteran soldiers, who joined Dracekk several times during his hunts. These soldiers saw that he was one of them, despite his ascension he still remembers the time when he had to scrape by and play rough with the other whelps, meanwhile Choten clings tightly to power and views anyone who remotely disagrees with her as an enemy. So when Choten declared that a good half of the tribe would be exiled, it was much to her surprise when her own veterans joined the mob in their angry protests.

A brawl broke out, Choten and a group of loyal supporters vs the whole tribe. It was obvious who the victor was going to be. Choten and her followers fought there way out of the camp and made a desperate ride to the open steppe. However, the riders only got a short distance before bolts of dark energy erupted from the camp. The blast screaming as it made contact with the riders. Many were thrown from their mounts and those that weren't were killed almost instantly. The Khan was thrown from her mount, her vision blurred as she drew her blade, what remained of her retinue closed around her as she started roaring into the wind, challenging who would dare to face her. All she heard was laughter. Maniacal, incessant, constant laughter which never seemed to stop. It was like there were a million voices, each laughing with a different pitch and tone that were enough to drive a person mad. The Khan once again screamed into the void. First out of anger, then desperation, the noise was getting to her. The laughter, her followers dying one by one as arrows from unknown archers came screaming in from anywhere. Just as the noise became unbearable and to the point where even the mighty Choten was brought to her knees….it stopped. Then a single sound came from the ether, the sound of charging feet as Dracekk came screaming out of the darkness, war club in hand. Before the Khan could react, Dracekk arced the club down onto the Khan, the blow knocking loose teeth and breaking the Matriarch's jaw. Dracekk wheeled the mount around for another charge, this time he struck her back, breaking ribs as her body fell limply to the ground. Once again he wheeled around, this time slowing till he was right next to the great Khan Choten. She was paralized, a wound that would never let her ride again, a death sentence on the steppe. Dracekk was merciful though, he flipped her over, her jaw moved as she tried to speak….no words could be heard as she gargled blood and teeth. Dracekk leaned over her and uttered these final words

"Long live the Khan!" and in a swift and brutal motion, ripped her throat out with his own bear teeth. It was said that he consumed her there, eating every part of the body before the sun rose. When it did, gone was Khan Choten, and in her place Dracekk, the Laughing Terror arose.

Starting Location:

When a whelp is first born into the world, it is taught the simple rule of survival of the fittest, for only the strong can survive the trials and tribulations that a Gnoll must undergo before becoming a full fledged member of the tribe. Typically, a sort of "mini pack" is formed amongst the whelps and those not of the pack are bullied and at times viciously assaulted. The weakest whelps will either perish or be assigned to menial tasks like cleaning, latrine digging or even potentially food if the goings get tough. Such is the life of being the weakest link. In between these moments, the young whelps are given their first training with the bow and arrow as well as riding lessons upon the backs of their eventual Hyaenodon mounts. Eventually, they would combine the two types of training and learn the intricacies of both mounted archery and mounted warfare. Gnolls don't normally take prisoners but when the tribe takes prisoners, they often release them and allow the young whelps practice their newfound hunting techniques after said slaves have been weakened and brutalized.

By age 15, the Gnoll whelps go through a rite of passage in a moment known as "The Blooding, " a ritual that involves the whelps riding out to go on their first Hunt. Their mission is simple, kill a creature and bring it back to the tribe. This creature can range from a mighty horse to a lowly Human. Once brought back, the creature is then drained of its blood, upon which the young whelp places his right paw. The blood from the paw is then rubbed along the bowstring. Once done, a single arrow is notched and the sacred words are said,

"Thanara, hear our words.
Today we killed in honor of your name.
Today we rode them down with fear in their hearts.
Today, we drench our bows in the very blood of the afraid and horrified.
Each arrow fired will bear your name and each death we inflict is another soul claimed in your name.
Let these arrows that fly today mark the beginning of our pact with you, great goddess of horror.
Now and forever more.

With this shot, the young whelps become full on members of the tribe.

The social ladder for Gnolls is typically matriarchal in nature. Most female Gnolls are typically larger and more belligerent than their male counterparts. Occasionally, powerful males arise to lead tribes as Khans but typically males reside as secondary in command position. Occasionally leading warbands into enemy territory on their hunts. Female Gnolls also have a natural affinity towards magic with the number of gifted being born being far greater than that of the males. Despite this, social mobility is certainly possible in Gnollic society and is arguably easier as long as you are fit and not infirm. Those who show promise or excellent skills with a blade are generally given a chance to join the Khan's personal retinue, an honor which provides a great deal of prestige as well as a greater share of the food and plunder.

Being a strictly carnivorous race, Gnolls rely on a combination of herding and raids which Khans refer to as "Hunts" in order to bring back enough food to sustain the tribe. These hunts are typically brutal affairs, Gnolls do not waste much from a carcass for much is consumed once the tribe return with both meat and prizes after a successful raid. It is said one could tell when a Gnoll attack has occured by looking at the blood left over from their kills.

Even their own dead are not off limits in Gnoll tribes for many consider it an honor to eat one's flesh die to the superstition that doing so grants a Gnoll a part of their strength. The only flesh not consumed is that of Pugwampi. For many Gnolls believe it weakens oneself once consumed.

Gnolls typically don't trade much with other tribes but when they do, a special currency is occasionally used called Silver Bones. These bones are typically spine ligaments that have been dried and coated in precious metals. Most are done with silver but occasionally gold and platinum have been used as well. Silver bones are typically used to pay for goods, people or occasionally soldiers. Barter systems are also used to great effect, especially by those tribes who lack the coin or metals. Typically metals like iron or steel are highly valued as mining is something most Gnoll tribes don't practice.

Gnolls view those not of their tribe as prey, both Gnoll and foreigner. This makes Gnolls generally unapproachable due to their tendency to kill most races once spotted. However, Gnolls can be approached as long as one presents the Banner of Tharasa, a banner emblazoned with the goddess of nightmares.

Once spotted, riders will typically follow the banner till it reaches the camp. From there, the individual in question can ask for an audience with the Khan. Typically, those who approach the Khan must offer him a gift or tribute of some sort. Most Khans will accept a variety of gifts but meat is considered by many to be a highly generous gift, live meat even more so. The meat however must be greater than at least 1 pound. Anything less is considered an insult to the Khan and his honor. Once the introductions are out of the way, the negotiations can begin.

Gnolls may be fierce but it is said that their mounts are fiercer. Hyenadons, also known as Dire Hyenas, are living relics of a bygone age. These creatures stand taller than most Hyenas that Gnolls typically keep as pets. Often confused with Wargs, Dire Hyenas have similar features to that of regular Hyenas but upscaled massively. Their distinct laugh is not often heard but what is heard is the crunching and gnawing of a recently deceased creature.

Hyaenodons are known for their immensely strong jaws which can crush bone and armour alike. It is said that even the teeth of most creatures can be consumed by these massive beasts of the past. However, their size also proves to be their undoing, for alot of food must be hunted an brought forward in order to feed such a massive creature.

Stats: Warlord Sorcerer Template Sheet (Gnollic Khanate)

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