Finding Players (Recruitment)Look for players for chatroom, play-by-post, or even real-life games here. Threads will expire after 3 months, so be sure to move important information to your OOC thread.
I’ve decided to run a Freeform Mage game. (Hurray!)
The game will be somewhat a sandbox. (Hurray?)
Only the shell of the world is complete. (Hurr-what?)
So with that in mind, this is what is in the shell.
The name of the world is Ereign (A-Rain)
There are 5 continents, situated roughly in a “+”. The center one is uninhabitable and is known as “The Wastes”, and each is divide by a sea / ocean/water.
There are 4 races.
There is a shell of a history to this shell of a world, so anything written I will attempt to incorporate into both the history (if applicable) and the game, if I can.
“Magic” is known only in legend and myth, if it is known at all (though obviously there is magic, otherwise it wouldn’t be a freeform MAGE game ) so it’s a safe bet that your character doesn’t “know” of magic in the broad sense, or in any sense at all. So what we basically have here at the beginning (and note I said at the beginning), is a low-to-no magic freeform mage game
Everyone starts out as a novice, though whether or not your character knows that they are a novice is up to you.
Pick two magic stats and become a novice in those (except manna, manna is not available to anyone quite yet), for descriptions of the 6 stats, see below.
Magic Stat Descriptions:
Spoiler
Power
Spoiler
Power is the most noticeable form of magic most commonly used in magic items, and when magi decide to make stuff go boom.
Strengths:
Power is mastery over elemental forces beyond the control of man. Power magic is generally strong and quick to cast causing momentous effects.
Weaknesses:
Power is also the most draining to use and nearly impossible to conceal. Power commonly has very noticeable manifestations, be it the explosion that can be heard all across town, or the black misting aura that clings to the skeleton you animated. Commonly power magic exhausts the user, forcing them to rest a while after a working.
Shadow
Spoiler
Shadow is the subtle magic of the mutterings in the darkness and the nightmares that haunt you. Shadow is the manifestation of fears and beliefs.
Strengths: Shadow magic is powered by the belief of people, and so long as people believe it the spell shall remain. For instance the tale of a dragon hunting those woods could make a very real dragon do some very real hunting.
Weaknesses: Sadly shadow magic cannot hold up to the light of truth, and its effects are reversed in such instances, even so far as the dead returning to life. Furthermore a shadow mage cannot disbelieve his own magic, and must therefore always be wary for were the above dragon to hunt the mage they would play victim to their own spell.
Manna
Spoiler
Manna is pure energy with which to shape the world, the energy that spirits, demons, and even gods use to enact their will upon the world. Manna is a raw energy that can be used to give a power boost to any other kind of magic, or to alter reality itself.
Benefits: Yippy, you have an incredibly strong power source, and you can rewrite existence!
Weaknesses: Manna is a finite resource, and when it's out, it's out and you need to find more. Furthermore it takes allot of manna to change the world, and any change made will revert back to the way it was after a short while unless it's sustained by a stream of manna. So killing someone with manna is only a temporary solution. Manna also comes in many forms allowing the properties of the manna to be manipulated against you by any similarly well adept at manna magic. (For instance a ritual to make love and happiness cast with demon manna can very easily be turned into a mass slaughter depending on how the spell was cast.)
Types of Manna
Spoiler
Distilled manna is the weakest of all manna, filtered of all its intent by magi for ease of use.
Blood manna is the life force in every being. While it isn't exceptionally strong it is well known for the countless rituals that have been conducted, fueled by thousands of human sacrifices.
Raw Manna is the sort most commonly found in the ground. It is strong enough, but pulls magic towards the laws of physics making it harder to use for magical purposes.
Spirit manna is the manna spirits use, it generally takes on whatever traits match the spirit's mood at the time the manna is taken, and is as strong as the spirit.
Demon Manna is much like spirit manna, except that it will always try to twist itself to evil.
Divine Manna: a rare manna that is the only way to magically heal a wound.
Quintessence is the rarest of all sorts of manna. Uncovered only three times in the history of the world, quintessence is manna of the highest grade capable of changing the world permanently.
Ritual
Spoiler
Ritual magic is the magic of rare components and intricate diagrams. Through carefully made symbols and components you channel your magic in the most effective way possible.
Strengths: Ritual magic is the strongest type of magic. While it it's self holds no power it allows fine manipulation of massive quantities of power. For a wizard at the top of his tower this is the ideal magic.
Weaknesses: Sadly ritual has less practical application on the battlefield. Rarely has any mage the time for magical circles and the careful placement of rare herbs while an army attempts to sever their head from their shoulders.
Humanity
Spoiler
Most humans have some humanity in them, be it knocking back cold ones with friends, petting that dog, or playing with your beloved children. Sadly magi rarely do. Locked in their tower day and night studying the old lore they rarely have time for socializing, or even taking a stroll for fresh air. No, most magi are cold and heartless, though some, some few with enough humanity in their soul find another form of magic that most magi overlook. The magic of humanity is the means by which one man influences another. Those few men need not even be magi, for every general who has ever rallied his troops knows well how to turn the hearts of men.
Strength: the strength of humanity magic is the might of leadership, the strength to dis-sway a mob, or to lead an army.
Weakness: Sadly it all comes at a cost. The more you manipulate others, the more you begin to lose the very humanity they follow, as such in order to maintain this magic you must constantly be regaining humanity least you become as heartless and manipulative as all the other magi.
Grace
Spoiler
Grace is a very old magic, and one not well understood by humans. Grace is a power in customs and respect for the world around you. Again a rare quality in a mage as many would readily violate the crypt to get the magic crown, and few would beware crushing a spider for fear of ruining the gorgeous sunny skies.
Benefits: the world tends to work out more in your favor. Spirits will more willingly help you, garlic will ward off vampires for you, and your threshold will keep the nasty things of the night out.
Weaknesses: you won't be going into the nasty crypt filled to the brim with magical treasures because it's not respectful to the dead to go into their crypt and steal their treasure.
Posting a Spell:
The following will be required to cast any spell.
Magic Stat used
Intent of Spell
Mechanics used to cast spell (casting and/or desired effect) for “crunch”
Description of spell (casting and/or desired effect) for “fluff”
Make sure you are clear on the intent, mechanics, and description of your spell, as I will be basing the effect(s) your spell has on your wording.
Posting a Spell (example):
Spoiler
Stat: Power
Intent: To Throw a Fireball at drack
Mechanics: I draw fire from a nearby campfire using Power to fuel the spell.
Description: In short, fluid arm and hand motions, Terran causes the flames of the campfire to dance anew. They quickly start rolling, one on top of another, until a giant fireball is formed. Directing the menacing fire at drack, Terran releases the restraints about the fire directing it towards its target.
Character Submission Requirements:
I currently have 4 slots available in this game (5 total, but one is reserved), and it is not on a first come basis, so heed the below requirements!
Spoiler
Note: A lot of this stuff can be wrapped in your background, but I would like it addressed in some form or fashion.
Background: This will predominately be a RP game (being freeform and all), so an indepth history is more or less required. I want more than the typical “few paragraphs”, as I would actually like some thought put into it. The more vested in this game you are, the more fun we’ll all have. Keep in mind that this world is literally a shell, and that you get to create people, places, etc. and a good history is a wonderful way to do that.
Personality: This also is more or less required, though I do not expect a book for this, and it can be wrapped within the history if you so desire, knowing the general mood, motivations, etc of your character would be a boon for me.
Appearance: What does your character look like?
Training: Other than magic, what is your character “trained” in? Anything under the sun, sewing, woodworking, swordplay, underwater basket weaving, etc. I would assume that they would have a trade, or be working as an apprentice or something, even if it’s just a humble pig farmer that is good with pigs
Wealth / Social Status: Are you a humble pig farmer, a noble, merchant, street urchin?
Items: I will allow 1 magical item, it can do anything you want it to do (within reason). Note that since you are a novice, if you make it too powerful, you might not be able to use it correctly for a while, if at all. Also keep in mind the more outlandish you make it, the more fun I as a GM will get to have with it
Magic: Pick two magic stats and become a novice in those (except manna, manna is not available to anyone quite yet)
3 Things + 3 Magic Things + 1:
3 Things: This is the part where you get to help me envision the world. You create any 3 things in this world, within the confines of the “shell” outlined above. It can be as great as an empire, or as small as a subspecies of rabbit that lives only in a certain desert (and by doing the rabbit, you also create a desert ) 3 things is a generalization, if you would like to do a few more, have at it, I will do my best to use as much as you give me, but if you go overboard and submit 20, I will probably pick my favorites and use those.
Note: I have not outlined anything to do with the 4 continents (“The Waste” is off-limits to this portion…sorry) or the 4 races (whatever they might be), so these are open as well to create, design, etc.
3 Magic Things: List any 3 things about magic that you want. From magical creatures, to even how certain aspects of magic might work, or if those aspects are even possible.
+1: this refers to your characters home town/village/city. You are in charge of creating your own characters surroundings. This can be in your backstory, but I would also like it separated out.
Note: Don’t worry about conflicting with other people’s ideas, I will add, subtract, mesh, etc as needed to make the ideas fit with what I envision, so no worries there. And, above all, have fun
Can we double up on one and be slightly above novice?
I see no reason why not...
As part of your backstories, I would also like for you guys to explain how your character figured out how to use what power they know. Some will be easier to explain than others
Appearance: Alvaro wears simple travelling clothes, and a wool cloak to guard against the elements. He is of clear Cerroestean heritage with dark brown eyes and proud features. He carries with him a medicine bag and has basic surgical supplies in another bag strapped to his belt on the right. On the left is a silver sword wrapped in a canvas sheath.
Background: Alvaro was born the son of a travelling physician, and in turn took up the job. His life was spent caring for the sick and the needy yet never staying long enough to become attached to his patients. When he was nineteen his father died to an illness contracted from one of his patients, leaving Alvaro on his own. After his father's death Alvaro decided to stay in the village in hopes of saving others from the same fate.
Four years passed and the town was once more a quiet but peaceful place when a young boy disappeared. The whole town was seized with panic as everyone seemed to have a different story as to what could have happened to the child. The best that could be gathered was that the boy had been playing by the dry lake bed with his friends, wandered off, and failed to return when his mother called for him. Three days later, he was found wandering the same lake bed, and delirious with fever.
For days Alvaro worked tirelessly at the child's bedside. But day after day he was forced to admit there was nothing he could do but ease the child's passing. After three weeks the child died, and a priest was brought forth to ease the souls passing.
Two days later another vanished. This time a goat herder tending to his flock by the lake bed. Now truly terrified the villagers insisted that no one was to approach the lake bed. After three days the goat herder too returned, managing to make it to the outskirts of the town before collapsing to the ground.
This time Alvaro left instructions with the villagers and went to consult the priest. Together they agreed that someone had to brave the lakebed, and discover what was going on. When Alvaro demanded that it be him, the priest refused, insisting that he was needed here. Instead, said the priest, he himself would go, bearing the holy sword entrusted here by the saints of old, and wait out whatever darkness plagued them.
Three days later the priest returned without the sword. Before he too lost consciousness from his affliction he grabbed onto Alvaro and muttered "the dead are hunting."
The next day Alvaro ventured out to the lake bed himself. At its center he found the silver sword still wrapped in white cloth as it had been when the priest left. Alvaro took it and sat down, placing the sword on his knees. Finally as the sun set he began to hear voices. They were quiet at first, but inviting. As time went on they became louder and more frequent. They were calling to him, begging him to join them, to take part in their dance. And he would have gone to if the sword hadn't chosen that moment to act.
With unspoken will the sword guided Alvaro's hand to its grip. His other hand working to pull at the cloth until the sword was revealed. And as both hands wrapped around the hilt Alvaro was able to see by the light of the blade the faces of the beasts that had been speaking to him. The animated bones of the jackals leapt at him with unholy fire burning in their sockets. Moving as if he was one with the blade Alvaro cut down the first to reach him. As he turned on the second the remaining skeletons began to flee.
"Thank you for that." Alvaro said to the sword.
"You're welcome." it replied.
Personality: Alvaro is courteous, if not always trusting. As a healer, he considers it his mission to restore a sickening land. And he plans to do so by finding the source of the corruption. He will not turn down any request for aid he considers just, but does not condemn actions of a more grey complexion. He is cooperative, but not always the most accustomed to dealing with people due to so many years of his life spent just with the company of his father.
Arianwen is clever, and insightful. Often guiding him through every day life with her wit and ability to read the intents of others. As a mythril, and a sword, her duty is to her wielder so long as they do not aid the corruption of magic.
Training: Alvaro has been practicing medicine all his life. He has enough knowledge of herbs and plants to survive well enough in the wild, and through Arianwen's guidance his mastery of the sword is quickly improving.
Wealth and Social Status: As a physician Alvaro is well respected if never very wealthy. He's found advertising himself as an exorcist doesn't change matters much, though in some towns he's learned to keep quiet about it lest he loose respect amongst the populace.
Items: Arianwen, a holy blade forged of pure silver. The spiritual embodiment of the blade usually appears as a young girl who glows like the stars. As an awakened artifact the properties of the spirit manifest themselves in the blade making it deadly against shadows and demons.
Magic Types: Grace, Ritual
Non magic:
Cerroeste: a country in the southwest of the continent that is ruled by a religious monarchy. The king is seen as a servant of the saints, whose teachings guide the morality of the land. It has a complicated history rife with conflict. In recent times a civil war has broken out along the western edge as nobles of a once conquered territory attempt to take back the independence that was once theirs.
The Church of the Blessed Saints: The Blessed Saints were the chosen of the gods who came to earth twelve hundred years ago to spread healing and vanquish the enemies of the divine. In many parts of the world, the people will worship the saint that was said to have lived there centuries ago. There is some dispute over whether the saints in certain areas were truly among the number of the blessed, often over political lines. The official word of the church is that thirty six saints walked the earth. If everyone who claims to have had a saint walk among them is correct, than the number is somewhere in the eighties.
Traveller's Rights: In most civilized lands, should a stranger ask you for hospitality it is only right that you accept. To do anything less is to be judged by the saints and hated by the gods leading to terrible misfortune. This has done little good to stop the advance of plagues and as a result the nobility have had to enforce the exodus of outsiders from the shelter of people's hearths to keep their subjects from dying. A principle that has put many minor nobles at odds with the church.
Magic:
Awakened Objects: Spirits that have been called forth by magic of some form or another, enhance the physical objects which make up their body. Swords strike more truly, lamps burn brighter, and wheels turn more smoothly. An object can be awakened in all sorts of ways. One with Grace can call to them, shadow magic can create a mirror of one, mana can invigorate them, and there are rituals with which to awaken them. The stronger a spirit's bond with the user of the object the greater the effects of this awakening.
Metal: spirits like all others can be dormant and awakened. In their case dormant metals still act like their awakened forms only much weaker and without the ability to communicate or take spiritual form. Metals other than silver can also be corrupted and turned into a demon.
Spoiler
Metals:
Iron - doesn't like magic, can be corrupted into Haudanim
Silver - the saint of metals connected to purity, doesn't like corruption
Gold - the king of metals. connected to light, the sun, life, power, wealth
Copper - connected to fire
Tin - Connected to children, innocence, magic, divine spirits
Zinc - Connected to bonds, trust, intimacy
Antimony - connected to fear, spite, easily corrupted
Lead - doesn't like anything, connected to death, not easily awakened
Mercury - highly conductive of magic, extremely unstable, connected to chaos
Alloys:
Steel - Balanced, connected to progress
Bronze - connected to bravery, fate
Brass - connected to humanity, mortality
Mythril is created by purifying the spirit and body of silver and unifying them to a higher level. Once created it can never be tarnished or halted from its path, and its radiance will cause even the most powerful of demons to hesitate.
Uru is lead that for some reason or another has been exposed to high levels of spiritual pressure, causing it to become outright hostile, and ideal for weapons. For while the blade may be too heavy to lift normally, when in battle this metal seems to swing itself.
Haudanim is one of the most dangerous substances in the world and is created when the spirit of iron fades from existence. How or why this is done is unknown but even the most arrogant of dark mages have been known to avoid it. If exposed to it too long the spirits of the surrounding world will also start to fade.
Contract Magic: a ritual user can create a contract with a spirit or mortal. The nature of these contracts can vary from an exchange of favors, to alliances sealed in texts infused with power. In this way a ritual user can call upon beings of power and exceed the limits of their own capabilities.
Hometown: La Ciudad del Lago is the small village in which Alvaro has spent the last few years. It is usually a peaceful quiet place, though recently dark forces have crept into the surrounding area.
Edit: Now off to sleep through the morning.
__________________
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sir Professor Terry Pratchett
"It is said that your life flashes before your eyes just before you die. That is true, it's called Life."
__________________
Annoying Gamer says - Hollywood is sooooooooo unoriginal. Hey, check out my dual wielding drow Drazzit!
Annoying Gamer says - My level 1 character's background is pretty complex. After fighting in the three great wars, he was forced to return home and kill an elder dragon single handily.
I envision it fantasy, as that's what I'm most drawn to, and will probably pull it that way if given the opportunity. That being said, it's a shell of a world and the players have the ability to give input, so in reality, the answer to your question at this point is "yes" as it can have aspects of none, any, or all of the above you listed.
__________________
In need of a new avatar...
Last edited by theterran : 10-18-2012 at 01:16 PM.
Alright, a quick point of clarification...since apparently Grace seems to be attracting some people, when you think of Grace, think in terms of Karma.
Hopefully this won't alter anyone's character too much, or at all, but I felt like I needed to clarify that before we get too far down the rabbit hole
(EDIT)
The way I'm seeing it right now, Grace increases your natural perception of the magical world and makes it more willing to cooperate with you. Alvaro and his sword have a bond that allows him to act in perfect synch as a result. Is this wrong? Or is there something I'm missing?
__________________
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sir Professor Terry Pratchett
"It is said that your life flashes before your eyes just before you die. That is true, it's called Life."
Hmm, looks to me (not DM) like he's just pointing out that it's passive an not an active magic on it's own.
Yes, this is pretty accurate, I apologize if I misled someone in another way. You can ask spirits for assistance and based on your grace, they can help you, but you cannot actively "cast" spells with grace. Humanity is similarly passive. This is why I chose to let you have 2 if you'd like, that way you can have an active and a passive should you choose to go that route.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mura-neechan
Very interested, but you very may well get a book out of me. I have some pretty involved ideas, so I hope that is alright.
Doesn't bother me. If you get that involved with a character, you're more likely (in my experience anyway) to see the game through. But if you do write a book, please make sure you have chapters, no one likes a sheer wall of text.
Yes, this is pretty accurate, I apologize if I misled someone in another way. You can ask spirits for assistance and based on your grace, they can help you, but you cannot actively "cast" spells with grace. Humanity is similarly passive. This is why I chose to let you have 2 if you'd like, that way you can have an active and a passive should you choose to go that route.
Doesn't bother me. If you get that involved with a character, you're more likely (in my experience anyway) to see the game through. But if you do write a book, please make sure you have chapters, no one likes a sheer wall of text.
So in regards to Alvaro being friends with his sword and using that to his advantage in combat..?
Edit: I have another idea or three if that won't work.
__________________
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sir Professor Terry Pratchett
"It is said that your life flashes before your eyes just before you die. That is true, it's called Life."
So in regards to Alvaro being friends with his sword and using that to his advantage in combat..?
Edit: I have another idea or three if that won't work.
He can be friends with his sword and use that advantage in combat, just realize that friendship is a two-way street, and if you're constantly asking for help from your spirit-sword friend, the spirit is going to want some things in return.
I guess my advice would be if you want to go with this idea (which is an idea I kinda like, quite frankly), don't over-use / abuse the friendship, as if you do that, the friendship won't last (just like a real friendship )
I hope that makes sense and is not rambling, as I am pretty tired at this point...
Licht never cared much for all this nonsense that everyone else thought was important. Ever since he was little it wa as if he lived in a different world. He could spend hours studying the minute odities of a leaf, or follow a breeze for miles to no ends. his father always thought he needed discipline, an his mother always thought he needed responsibility, and as such he grew up with lots of each, disregarding them both the same. One day Licht walked into the woods and never walked out.
A lost boy
Spoiler
Through the day and on into the night his parents... honestly conidered the senerio. The boy was alqays out of place and a bit queer. nobody would miss the boy, and they weren't sure he'd ever be able to hold a job. Maybe it was for the best? apparently this was a conclusion everyone in the village came to, and his parents soon ha a normal son who would grow into a fine young farmer and a true member of scociety... but what happened to Licht?
A gifted boy
Spoiler
Licht had always been differant, but not in the way one might think. Lickt was an Amagon, one who could interact with spirits. It is a rare gift, and those who have it are more often then not burned alive for conversing with "demons", an in this Licht was lucky to have vanished as a boy of eight years. The truth of the tale was that he was enjoying the company of an elderly spirit. Soon Licht found he had gone further into the woods then hehad intended, andd was within the realm of The Ancient Ones. (see spirits entry below)
The Ancient Ones
Spoiler
Long ago it is said that a differant people inhabited those lands, and that they instead worshiped the spirits of animals rather then chasing an ideal of a god. These spirits accepte them and aided thm until those pople were all dead. After that the spirits waited entertaining just the worship of the animals of the woodlands. Soon the hunting of present scociaty made even them dwindle. the spirits held councel, and many couldn't stand the isolation wishing an end to their own existance. Wolf being the most silitary of them agreed to live on until the last of their worshipers died, and accepted their essence allowing the others to die. Uner wolf's guidance the animals fought back against the humans and ied. all of this happene centuries ago. After that incident Wolf decided to join the battle himself and was countered by a powerful mage who managed to seal him in a rock. Slowly time went on until a little boy accumpanied a spirit to the land of the Ancient Ones discovoring this rock...
The Child and teh Wolf
Spoiler
Licht continued walking with the spirit until he heard a dark growl from the wilderness. Following that hartless call, Licht found his way to the stone within which Wolf was sealed.
"Come closer child" Wolf commanded
Licht slowly took one step after the next snapping twigs and crunching dried leaves. "Who are you" the boy innocently asked.
"I am wolf, the god of these woodlands."
"Oh" the boy replied.
"Well t is apparent you can hear me, o free me and I will reward you"
"OK"
After a pause Wolf inquired "Well?"
"Well?"
"Are you going to free me?"
"Sure... how?"
Silently wolf cursed his ill fortune. Even when one with the talent to interact with spirits found him, the mage was too incompetent to free him.
From there the two struck an ageemant. The boy picked up the stone and took it with him as the spirit began to teach him of the world. First the spirit taught him of the power of names. While names may mean little to the normal human, spirits can hear their name at any distance and while they can resist they are compelled to come to the caller. Similarly wolf taught him the concept of debt. Spirits hate to owe something, and will do most anything to pay it off. Similarly since spirits live forever they hold allot more stock in friendship. Finally Wolf taught him that spiritss can't lie. They will never give you the truth, and yet nothing they say is ever false.
A boy of another world
Spoiler
Soon wolf showed him of the pocket worlds and unexpected routs that spirits take ddistorting distance and bending the world around them, and so Wolf taught the boy the lessons he had once taught his followers. How to walk without sound, stalk prey unoticed, and come in for the kill. To hunt and fight even when outmatched. Wolf made a pretitor of the boy... and yet... Licht was never an agressive person prefering to use these skills to watch a butterfly or to follow a cat. In any case when Licht returned to the world of men he found it had changd in his absence, and time had flown by, leaving the world of today.
Personality
Spoiler
Licht is rather carefree and lighthearted, not to mention easily distracted...
Appearance
Spoiler
An unkempt twelve year old boy in plain cloths bearing a wooden staff
Training
Spoiler
Licht is good at hunting, tracking, ect, various forms of fighting, cooking meat on an open fire, and laughing at the good jokes that he can't come up with. He's also a quick learner.
Wealth/social status
Spoiler
Somewhere between hobo and wild man
Items
Spoiler
I'll get back to you
3 things
Spoiler
I'll get back to you
3 things on magic
Spoiler
1 on spirits
Spoiler
Spirits are many things, but to start we must divide them into various subsections. There are divine spirits, wild spirits, natural spirits, guardian spirits, and spirits of the dead.
Wild spirits are born of a drastic action or surge of emotion in countless hearts such as the horrors of a town torn apart.
Natural spirits are the opposite of wild spirits, they are born of a place, a living personification of the place if truth be said that come into existence slowly over time in the same way most beings fade out over time. These two types of spirits are nearly unheard of.
Guardian spirits are those that have been created by magi, usually involving rending the existence of countless individuals, and binding magical commands into it as well as spells to draw from it's power for various purposes. These are much akin to golems, and act the same but for that they are beings of magic rather then of metal.
Spirits of the dead are by far the most common sort of spirits. Everything that lives and dies leaves a spirit. A collective of all their experiences These hold a power in themselves, and yet most dead people don't know how to use this power, and have little of it. As such they commonly give their existence over to gods, or divine spirits.
A divine spirit is in truth no different from a normal spirit of any other dead person, except that they can freely form manna from their collective experiences, and that they commonly have infinity more energy then normal spirits of the dead. Divine spirits are the most commonly known type of spirits. they commonly look like animals, or crosses between animals, and humans or things that no longer exist. They are the strange magical beings that humans see and fear when a dark summoner calls them to destroy the village. Normally divine spirits are weak having only the existence of 50-200 beings, or a swarm of insects. These beings are only about as powerful as a weak mage, but when a divine spirit is worshiped by hundreds of thousands, and contains the existence of millions, then even the strongest of magi couldn't compare.
+1
Spoiler
The spirit know-how in the background
Anywho only about half done, but this was the concept I had before anyone posted, so I wanted to get it out. Also probably gonna make one of the four races vampires (not either of the types you're thinking) as one of my story element things, and I'll freely edit this.
Edit: *paging through backstory* Whoops, that's gonna need plenty of typo-editing
Yuli Celinas was born to a fairly unremarkable couple in the village of Mamar, on a small island in the Tyreth Islands. Both of her parents were Islanders, as was the vast majority of her village, and she grew up in the Akitar faith. Her parents were both fishermen, and so Yuli learned how to fish, row a boat, sail, swim, put a patch on a hull, sow a sail up, gut and prepare fish, and all of the other things expected a fisherman’s daughter. Yuli was a fairly dutiful child. She still skimped her chores here and there like most children, and much preferred to play than work, but she worked hard to make her parents proud too.
Yuli got along quite well with the other children her age. She made several good friends, including the girl living next door, Nayin. Being right around the same age, they spent every free moment together, which wasn’t a whole lot, given how busy their families both were, but they enjoyed what they got. Nayin was always the stronger and the faster of the two, in the water and out, but that didn’t bother Yuli much. While competing was fun, it was all about having fun, not winning, at least to her.
As she grew older, Yuli was entered into the small village school. While she was often busy helping out at home, her parents had her attend whenever she could. Yuli proved a quick study, her mind easily able to grasp a lot of the concepts without much difficulty, and as a result she learned quite a bit despite her inability to consistently attend. She studied at home when she could, and as the school was taught by the shrine Mother, she learned much about Akitar as well during this time.
As her sixteenth birthday approached, Yuli managed to get her father to agree to let her handle her own boat. She had mastered most of what the school had to offer, and the family had an extra little fishing boat that they rarely used after recently purchasing a larger boat. She spent the next few months following her birthday fishing on her own. She never sailed far from the village, though she knew these waters like the back of her own hand, and her catch was almost always plentiful.
It was during this time that the current Blessed died in southern Mestos. The Blessed had served for nearly one hundred years, and the followers of Akitar were in shock. The Chosen had gone to help settle down a small human uprising near Orien, only for the uprising to dramatically increase. Before the Seven could mobilize a small army to deal with it, the Blessed and his escort had disappeared. Their bodies were found a week later.
While this was horrible, and Yuli was in mourning for the Blessed, it did not directly touch her life, so she went about her business as usual. So imagine her surprise when, a week later, she awoke with the Staff of Akitar in hand. Yuli had naturally never seen it before, so she didn’t immediately realize what it was, but sensing the power within it, it took her very little time to put two and two together. In shock, she exited her room to show her parents, and was dragged off to the shrine almost before she could put her shoes on.
The whole village was in shock. Not only was the Chosen from their little corner of the world, but it was Yuli? While there was certainly nothing wrong with her, she had always been so… unassuming. Her friend Nayin had always been the one to get in trouble, not her, and she had always done quite well in school, but never the best. But since the Staff had chosen her, none of that really mattered. She was the Blessed. Her life completely changed from that moment forward.
Yuli spent the next three months studying in the shrine. Priestesses and Monks from all over came to assist in her studies, and the Raiments of the Blessed were made up for her. While they were not truly magical, they would help make sure the worshippers of Akitar knew who she was, as if the Staff wasn’t enough. And with only the basics taught, Yuli was informed that she should set out for her pilgrimage as soon as possible. Tyreth and Akitar needed their Blessed.
But before she could set out, her friend Nayin waylaid her. Chosen or no, they were still friends, and Nayin insisted on coming along. After all, Yuli had never been the strong one, oh no. What would she do without her? Yuli couldn’t refuse her best friend, not that she really wanted to, and the two began making preparations together to leave on Yuli’s little boat. Maps, traveling supplies, food, everything they could think of was packed and prepared. It was time to go.
Personality:
Spoiler
Yuli is a friendly, slightly naïve young woman with way too much on her plate. Suddenly waking up one morning to find out that she was the Blessed has sent her life into complete chaos. Yuli has never really wanted anything more than to just do her best for the people she loves and cares for, but apparently that isn’t enough for Akitar. But she’s willing to do her best to fulfill her duty, and she really does want to help everyone around her.
Yuli is quite intelligent, and learns quickly. She picks up new skills like others pick up bad habits, and she’s always willing to keep her mind open and try something new. She can be a bit too trusting at times though, and while she has quite a bit of natural aptitude at magic, the overwhelming situation has made it hard for her to get a grasp on more than the bare basics during her lessons at the shrine. She really does want to learn more, but there’s just so much to learn and so little time that the stress is making it difficult to concentrate.
Appearance:
Spoiler
Click me!
Training:
Spoiler
Yuli is a good swimmer and knows how to sail or row and repair a boat. She can not only fish, but knows how to clean a catch. She’s a good cook as well, though most of her recipes involve fish in some way. She’s quite faithful and knows a lot of the Akitar rituals, blessings, and teachings. She learned some basic herbalist skills at school, enough to know how to cure an upset stomach or sterilize an open wound. She’s also learned some decent self-defense techniques with the staff, and Nayin is teaching her some more advanced tactics with the weapon, though who knows where she learned them…
Wealth / Social Status:
Spoiler
A fishergirl turned into an apprentice Chosen. As the Blessed, she has a lot of money and power at her disposal, though she isn’t really permitted to use it unless it’s necessary to aid with her pilgrimage. Once that’s done, she’ll have it all at her disposal.
Items:
Spoiler
The Staff of Akitar - This mighty holy relic is one of the most powerful known magic items in the world. It chooses its own wielder and does not permit anyone else to use it. The Staff is quite impervious to damage, able to withstand magical and physical attacks alike, though the same cannot be said for the wielder behind it. The Staff of Akitar is the key to the massive Akitar Blessing which grants the followers of Akitar health and prosperity. The Chosen can manipulate this Blessing in various ways to aid the followers, though a less scrupulous user who somehow manages to wield the Staff could change the Blessing completely for their own purposes.
In addition to that powerful feature, the Staff of Akitar is also capable of performing many powerful spells and rituals that the wielder would normally be incapable of doing. It can serve as a focus for other spells to make their use easier as well. One of the renowned features of the Staff of Akitar is its ability to draw in and convert large amounts of Manna of all kinds into Divine Manna for the purposes of healing, and the Staff has even been used to perform Resurrection Rituals hundreds of years in the past. The Staff aids its wielder in performing healing spells and rituals, helping to bolster their ability if they are unable to do so unassisted. The Staff of Akitar channels small amount of Divine Manna into its wielder without the Chosen’s knowing, granting them eternal youth and fast healing. It is thanks to this that the Chosen is known as the Blessed, though they are certainly not immortal by any means. The Chosen tends to live for a very long time, though, as they simply don't die from old age.
The Staff of Akitar is known for its tendency to choose wielders who have no prior knowledge of magic. It guides these wielders to become powerful Magi in their own right, always making sure that they maintain their own humanity in the process. Those that survive the guidance of the Staff are certain to become powerful Chosen in their own right, and the idea behind the pilgrimage all Blessed must undergo is to ensure that they do indeed go through this guidance. While the Staff doesn’t truly compel its wielder to follow its guidance, it does tend to be the best path to follow, though certainly not always the only path.
As the Staff of Akitar only allows its chosen wielder to use it, it has a powerful self-defense mechanism that allows it to prevent others from using it, taking it, or touching it without permission. The Staff is capable of teleporting itself back to the Chosen if he or she somehow loses it, and it can cast powerful Power and Manna spells to discourage would be thieves. The Staff generally attempts to deter first, and if the thief remains persistent, to then destroy the attacker, though it is capable of distinguishing accidental touches from a deliberate attempt to grab it. The Staff of Akitar also has an anti-teleportation mechanism to prevent itself and its Chosen from being forcefully moved against their will to another location via magical means.
Magic:
Spoiler
Humanity (Novice) - Grace (Novice)
3 Things + 3 Magic Things + 1:
Spoiler
3 4 Things:
Spoiler
Mestos - The Eastern Continent. Mestos is known for its rather temperate climate in the northern half of the continent and a rather tropical climate in the southern half, with a mountain range called the Herann Mountains separating the two halves. Several passes dot the hills and snow-capped mountains that make up the range. Mestos sees a lot of rain, with nine out of the twelve months of the year seeing consistently large amounts of rain. Three months are quite dry. Snow is unheard of near the coasts, but in the hills and mountains of the Heranns snow is occasionally see during the last three months of the year. The coasts of Mestos are quite sandy, ideal if you like sandy beaches, and the water is crystal clear. Numerous rivers and lakes dot Mestos, with two large spring fed lakes dominating the eastern half of the continent.
The Tyreth Islands - The Tyreth Islands is a fairly sizable archipelago to the south of Mestos. They share the tropical climate that southern Mestos has, though they tend to see a bit less rain. The waters of the Tyreth Islands are as clear as the oceans around Mestos, and are known for their bountiful schools of fish. The islands boast a large diversity of species, both fauna and flora, and the Islanders do their best to respect nature, building around it rather than destroying it needlessly.
The Islanders - The Islanders are a race that appears quite similar to humans, apart from their sometimes odd hair or eye coloring. They are uniquely adapted to life on the islands, and don’t seem bothered at all by the heat or the wet, not even sweating. Their lung capacity is much improved, and it is common for a fit Islander to be able to hold his or her breath underwater for nearly twenty minutes. And while they cannot swim any better than a normal human, their culture leads them to be strong swimmers for the most part.
As their bodies are uniquely adapted to deal with heat, they tend to be a bit smaller than the average human, averaging just over five feet in females and a bit more than that for males, and it is rare to see a broad, well muscled Islander. They don’t deal well with cold either, thanks to their unique body type, and any Islander that finds themselves in a cold climate is an Islander that is wearing three layers of fur coats.
The Islanders have their own nation, named Tyreth after their islands. Islanders are found occasionally but not commonly outside of the borders of Tyreth. Tyreth owns all of the Tyreth Islands, and in the past one hundred years, parts of southern Mestos were claimed and conquered by the nation. While each individual town or city within Tyreth has its own body of government, it is ruled loosely as a theocracy by the Akitar Church. Nearly every Islander in Tyreth is a faithful worshipper of the Church. As a whole, Islanders and Tyreth tend to be fairly welcoming to outsiders. The Islanders tend to be fairly friendly, hardy folk who prefer to judge someone by their actions rather than what someone says about them.
Tyreth has three major cities. The cities of Kymil and Henyian are located in the islands, while the city of Orien sits on the southern portion of Mestos. While Orien boasts the largest population, Kymil is the capital of Tyreth, and has been since nation came into existence. The main shrine of Akitar resides in Kymil.
The Akitar Shrines - The Akitar Shrines are the sole religious organization within Tyreth. The Akitar Church has existed since history was first recorded by the Islanders, and their way of life is completely intertwined with their religion. It is not that Tyreth is unwelcoming to other religions, but that they find it impossible to get a foothold in. Akitar is a fairly undemanding religion for most Islanders, and they are actually helpful, so most don’t see a reason to change.
In every village, town, and city in Tyreth is a shrine belonging to Akitar. The shrine’s size varies with the size of the town that it is in, as do the number of monks and priestesses. The head monk or priestess is referred to as Father or Mother by others, while monks and priestesses can be referred to as Brother or Sister, or simply Monk or Priestess. The main shrine is located in Kymil, and is a beautiful work of art. Many Islanders make pilgrimages there each year, and all apprentices are required to visit there once before making their vows and becoming full monks or priestesses.
Unlike the other shrines, the main Akitar shrine has three head monks and four head priestesses. The Seven make the decisions for Tyreth as a whole, along with major decisions for Akitar. However, they have one individual above them, the Blessed, also called the Anointed or the Chosen. The Blessed is a sole individual chosen by the Staff of Akitar.
The Staff of Akitar is one of the most powerful holy relics in the world, and the one it chooses must complete a pilgrimage to all of the major shrines in Tyreth before being truly accepted as the Blessed. No one is entirely sure of what the Staff looks for when it selects someone, but when it does, the individual will simply wake one day to find the Staff in their hand. It is considered to be a great honor, and most followers of Akitar will do what they can to aid the Blessed on his or her pilgrimage. To aid in recognition, the Anointed wears a special Raiment separate from the normal monks or priestesses, though the staff is fairly recognizable on its own, and when accepted fully as the Blessed, this Raiment is enchanted to become a powerful magical item in its own right.
Akitar is a religion dedicated to the respect and worship of the spirits of the world around everyone. All things, no matter how small and insignificant, have a spirit within them, and it is our duty to respect all spirits. Loyal worshippers of Akitar believe in the cycle of rebirth, their souls becoming fuller and fuller with love and respect for the world around them. When they become completely full, the soul showers this power over all worshippers of Akitar, blessing the nation of Tyreth with health and prosperity as a spirit before being reborn in a respected position to do it once again. Certain souls that have performed this cycle several times over are sometimes chosen to become the Blessed, to work miracles in the name of Akitar in the flesh, rather than as a spirit.
3 Magic Things:
Spoiler
Song Magic - A unique form of magic blending aspects of Rituals and Humanity, Song Magic allows one or more individuals to join their voices in song. The emotion and power in their souls flows forth to combine to create mighty rituals and magic that helps to heal, inspire, or bless. While it is rare, it is possible for Song Magic to be used for evil, though it requires that all participants have evil thoughts in their souls. Song Magic is unique in that it cannot force its effects on the listeners; they must open their minds and souls to the singer. Many songs throughout the world are a minor form of Song Magic, though when performed by a competent mage, their effects can work on everyone in earshot.
Nature Spirits - A spirit of nature exists in every single object and living thing in the world. While they are normally quite harmless and unnoticeable, in large quantities these spirits represent the life of the world. If a forest is sick and dying, then the spirits of the forest will show this. It is possible for a Mage to borrow power from the spirits of the world around them, so long as the spirits are willing to give it. One that walks in Grace is much more likely to receive this blessing than one that does not.
Nature spirits are the ones responsible for many of the myths and stories of the world. A story of the forest opening up to guide a lost child home to his parents is a result of nature spirits. A story of the rocks in a reef leaving a fleeing ship unscathed while its pursuers are crushed upon those very same rocks is a result of nature spirits. Those who live closely in tune with the spirits of nature find their lives to be much easier than those who live against them, and the spirits of nature are even capable of grouping up to create Nightmares, which will attack and destroy those that are harming them.
The Akitar Blessing: The faithful souls of Akitar worshippers use the Spirit Manna built up over their lifetimes to bless Tyreth and the living worshippers of Akitar with health and prosperity. The lands of Tyreth have not known plague or natural disaster in many centuries, and loyal Akitar followers in other lands seem strangely untouched by the diseases and disasters all around them. It is said that the Staff of Akitar and the Chosen wielding it is the center of this blessing, and a Magi who manages to get their hands of the Staff and force it to listen to their will could command this power for themselves.
+1:
Spoiler
The village of Mamar: Mamar is a rather unremarkable little village on a small island within the Tyreth Islands. A small Akitar shrine stands here with two priestesses taking care of it. The population of the village is roughly one hundred fifty people, though it is sure to grow with news that the next Chosen was born and raised here.
Yup, I'm actually being tempted to go for another type of magic due to that... anywho guess I'll see if one more person goes to spirits too just to seal the deal
He can be friends with his sword and use that advantage in combat, just realize that friendship is a two-way street, and if you're constantly asking for help from your spirit-sword friend, the spirit is going to want some things in return.
I guess my advice would be if you want to go with this idea (which is an idea I kinda like, quite frankly), don't over-use / abuse the friendship, as if you do that, the friendship won't last (just like a real friendship )
I hope that makes sense and is not rambling, as I am pretty tired at this point...
Well she is a sword of purity. They're mostly in agreement with the need to destroy dangerous shadows and cleanse corrupted mana.
Edit: but yes, she does have her own needs and desires. In fact most of the time he's the one taking orders.
__________________
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sir Professor Terry Pratchett
"It is said that your life flashes before your eyes just before you die. That is true, it's called Life."
RSS Feeds: 
Freeform Mage Game (Closed)
) so it’s a safe bet that your character doesn’t “know” of magic in the broad sense, or in any sense at all. So what we basically have here at the beginning (and note I said at the beginning), is a low-to-no magic freeform mage game 
anywho guess I'll see if one more person goes to spirits too just to seal the deal 
