Ye Are Gods (Sign-up and OOC)

[almostinsane]

(co-GMs are welcome to inquire via PM or in-thread)

Co-GMs: FriedCFour, LordSunhawk

Introduction

In the world of Ashariel's infancy, the first beings to emerge are the gods. Powerful beings ruling over the essence of the land itself, over the land itself, over elements such as water, earth, fire, and the air above or even of the vices or virtues of the human heart, the gods emerged into an empty world one after another. Some rose from the depths of the sea, others from the deep places of the earth, and still others amidst young forests, plains, and mountains the formed around them at their "birth". There seemed to be no cause for their existence. One moment, Ashariel was an empty world of stone and sea and the next moment, the gods were there, the first form of life in this world. No one named them or held them as a mother would a child. There are few among mortals who can tell us what they thought or felt in the first moments of their life.

Like any other being, no one god is exactly like another. Some can be benevolent or diabolical and, often, two or more gods embody opposing elements, ideologies, or natures. But, in the beginning, the gods were drawn together, united by their desire to fill the world with new things from their imagination. As the gods created the world, their work culminated into the creation of mortal races, weaker beings with a limited timespan, but with a special connection to the deities. Civilizations built around the worship and ideology and nature of each god flourished among within the world of Ashariel and it was within these mortal races that a new idea was born.

War.

The contradiction between the natures of each deity and the ideals of their followers culminated in the terrible God Wars where deities fought to see their followers dominate the land until, seeing that the very world could be destroyed, the gods were forced to call a ceasefire. It was agreed (with more reluctance than not among certain deities) that the gods could no longer live within the mortal world nor directly lead their followers on the path of conquest and dominance and so the gods withdrew to Tir Nail, the Otherworld, the realm of the gods.

But that did not mean the gods were gone from the world.

Who created the first Avatar is known to few, even among the gods themselves. It is of little consequence now. Each god has an Avatar, one among their followers who channels their god's power and speaks with their god's authority for, although powerful, they are unable to wield the full strength of their master. To try is to risk failure and death.

And thus it is. Within Ashariel, the mortals develop their civilizations, technologies, and culture, spreading the belief in their god and inevitably waging war, the greatest of the mortals' inventions. Meanwhile, the gods watch and eye their rivals warily for old grudges last millennia.

In this age of gods and avatars, magic and monsters, there are many stories to tell. What will be yours?


Dramatis Personae

The Shadow Dancer, God of music, dance, and dueling played by Lord Sunhawk

Amenti, Queen of the Dead, Mistress of the Soul-Forge, Smokeless Lady of Flames, Suzerain of the Deep Earth Reimu Hakurei

Earon God of the Sea played by almostinsane

Intei, Lord of Shadows, Magic, and Knowledge played by S'task

Artis, God of Trade, Contracts and Commerce played by FriedCFour

Haddock, God of Sleep, Dreams, and Hallucinations played by GrailKnight

Sahira, Goddess of the Moon, Fate, and Cycles; The Bringer of Respite; Providential Mistress played by Naga The Serpent

Shahrivar, God of Sun, Truth, and Victory played by RandomNormie

Khunji God of Sky, Advancement, and Invention reserved for ⚕⚕⚕

Viv, God of Stars, Travel, and Foreigners reserved for Have You Seen My Son

Azahiel, God of Authority, Celerity, and Exile; Accursed Firstborn played by DeTA

Tauphys God of Nature, Redress, Flame (Life), Strength played by Yukitama

Eudaimon, God of Philosophy, Virtue, and Liberty played by Hlaalu Agent

Ti An, God of Justice, Law, and Retribution played by socsod

Aiyami Goddess of Assassins, Obsession, and Temptation played by Khatun

Lravitus, Fungi, Growth, Disease and Rot played by GravitysMomentum

Amara Goddess of Family, Cities, Hearth, and Love Played by Blue

Pestocali, God of Cooking, Restoration, Fertility played by ConvexAtaraxia

Koy, God of Survival, Tenacity, and Hoarding played by Leepysheepy

War, God of War

Vaad God of Psychics, The Great Eye, The Maelstrom reserved for Shipmaster Shane

Perzawlkhan Lord of Birds, Eagle of the Eclipse, Bearer of the Broken Flame played by Draco

Character Sheet


God

God Name: What is the name of your god?
Title: What are you a god of? Keep in mind you can't be something that is already chosen, so be original here.
Gender:....
Alignment: (Good, Evil, neutral, etc. and it is allowed to evolve as time passes).
God Appearance:
Personality:
Opinion of mortals: How do you see mortals? Your own race? Others?
God’s Domain: What is your God’s domain like? Words or pictures can be used.

Avatar Name: What is the name of your immortal leader?
Avatar Appearance:
Personality:
Magic Abilities: does your avatar have any? (Keep them moderate and humble, no superman here!)

Hero(es): (One name and personality per hero; may be left blank initially as the roleplay develops)
Rank/Reason:
Personality:

Terrain Preference: Where is it most likely to find your people?

Name of Kingdom/Empire:
Capital: Just name one.
Major Cities: Give a few major cities in your lands.
Society: (what is it like to live amongst your people? Are they friendly? Hostile? (Give at least 1 paragraph worth of description) you can use the titles below for guidance).
[People]
[Economy]
[Politics]

Other: What else do you want to tell us?

 

[almostinsane]

Rules​

As you’ve just read, your character will be both that of a God, mortals (leaders, generals, etc.), and if your imagination goes further, then it will get even wilder!
There are a few things we will expect from those who’ll submit characters:

.1) We expect literacy.
…a) We like quality more than we like quantity. We expect that you can make, at least, a few characters who’ll be your protagonists and will be responsible for everything that goes on within your border.
……i) We will NOT expect you to write responses with every single one. That’ll be tedious and too time consuming. Write a response with the appropriate character(s).

.2) We expect some originality.
…a) Not everyone can make characters at the spot, but don’t come with fan-fic characters and canon-characters because you love manga or want sparkling vampires. I’ll be encouraged to never give you another chance to enter the RP.

…b) Each nation/God will be unique in his/hers own way. Some will have endless soldiers who’re expendable, others have small elites, and a third God might have the most advanced technology ever.
It’s all fine, but remember…You are not undefeatable. Even with the best weapon, you can’t stop elite soldiers from outflanking you.
Even with elite soldiers, you can’t hope to stand a chance 1’500 VS 100’000

.3) Limited Realism.
…a) You can have an army of Pegasus riding knights, that’s cool, but don’t start thinking that you will have an endless supply of such. It’s okay to remain a little vague about how big your army is (number-wise), but if you lose, be prepared to write of how a devastating blow it was for your people, monarch, etc.
……i) So, in short, you’re allowed to break the borders of reality, but don’t think look at it as a loop-hole for God-moding and don't inflate your numbers/abilities as

.4) While it is possible that romance will occur, if you want to write NSFW, there is an appropriate forum for that.

.5) Maturity
…a) Most of us here are adults (I hope so, at least), so I don’t think I need to teach you about respect and language in-game.

I will be honest and say, “I cope badly with defeat, even in an RP”. It’s true, I admit, it but I always go down in style (one way or the other). So, when you write your large gory battles, be mature and Read & Evaluate what happens before you strike back. There will be a section below for those who aren’t clear for how to do that.

.6) Minor God-Modding Allowed.
…a) we all know what it is like to god-mod, and we all agree that such actions are frowned upon, however minor god-modding is where god-modding is limited and won’t be dealing killing blows or destroy whole armies in a single blow.

.7) Respect the setting.
…a) While it will be interesting to see how you might want to combine magic and technology together, we want to avoid too much steampunk weaponry. The latest you can develop black powder is very early, medieval hand-cannons

…b) The word “Fuck” might have been invented in the middle ages, but don’t starting using excessively modern cursing. An example for how not to curse would be, “Hey! Fuckhead! Imma kick your ass so badly, your God won’t recognize you!”
An example for good cursing would be, “You little pig-brained twat! I’ll see you hanged!”
……i) If in doubt, speak out.

…b) It is allowed to the extend that, one player can kill a few dozen NPCs (ONLY!) providing that it is two larger armies that are clashing.
Additionally, if two players agree, one player’s character may deal minor wounds, such as broken noses, bruises, cuts, etc.
……i) This is meant for the sole purpose of making the post more interesting, and getting to the chase quicker than waiting 6 hours for finding out whether or not your punch managed to his the enemy’s stomach.

.8) For more questions/information, contact either the GM or one of the Co-GMs at the front page. If their information comes into conflict with another Co-GM (or the GM), kindle tell them who told you so, so it can be argued through between the Co-GMs (and/or GM)

Read & Evaluate:​

It’s easy to fight small-scale battles, such as duels and 3 vs 3. However, what will you start doing the moment it is 50 vs 50? 4’680 vs 10’000? A siege with hundreds of thousands of soldiers?
This is meant to be a guide as for how you could start a post in response to a grander battle, however in the end, you should stick to what you feel most comfortable with.

To effectively handle such situations, I’ll explain something that I use when playing strategy RP games with my friends. It’s called, “Attack(ed), React, Respond.”
Basically, you read the response of your opponent and your first paragraph/topic of your post is about when you were attacking/attacked. Describe the carnage, the screams, the destruction, anything that is relevant to the situation; you may even go as far as describing how soldiers are rushed off to the nearest healer or how a man is killed to ease his pains.

Next topic is the response. How’s the soldiers’ morale? Are they angry? Will they fight back? Do they flee or make a last stand? I know that everyone wants strong, brave soldiers in their army, but what would YOU do in the same situation?
I’d leg it if I saw armored horses charging my way, that’s for sure, but don’t apply yourself for the majority of your army.
Also, this is where your leaders start to bark orders. “Turn the canons!” “Archers, fire!” etc. This is when you get to hit back, and force your soldiers to react as you want them to. In many cases React and Respond can be merges together in this part.

Respond is when you describe how you think the effectiveness of your counter-attack is going to be. This is completely subjective, the enemy may completely tward your attempt, or it may be REALLY effective and turn the tide. This is where the Maturity Rule kicks in, if a group of peasants charges knights, the knights will first be baffled by the peasants’ bravery, but in the end, they’ll be massacred by the knights.



Below is an example as for how a large scale battle can be fought:

Round One

Player A

The lines of soldiers lined up. The cannons were in place, the knights were getting their lances by their squire and it was a matter of time before the battle would start. Canons, knights, even wizards had had been set aside for the general to use against the orcs, a rare thing for the Sultan to decree.
Alas, the men of the Bazylonian Kingdom had tolerated the Orcish plague long enough, it was time to make a stand against the beasts and show them that the Sons of Bazylonian were not to be underestimated.

“Here they come!” a Spotter called and pointed towards the hill. The orcs came as a swarm, their numbers seemed endless as they covered the hill and came running down the hill.
Silently, the general gave a small prayer that the orcs had been lured this way so easily, for now the orcs would have to run down the hill and then up the hill the Bazylonian Army occupied.
“Fire the cannons!” the general ordered as the orcs came to the foot of the hill. They would be too far to turn and run now, hopefully the orcs wouldn’t know that until it was too late.

Player B

“Forward I said!” the chieftain barked as an orc turned, trying to run away from the ungodly sound of the canons. The orcs took the hits by the canons, blood, dirt and limps shot into the air as the canon balls wreaked mayhem throughout the masses of the orcs.

The chieftain hadn’t come this far to run with their tails behind their legs; their numbers gave them both strength and courage, and they wouldn’t be slowed down because of some fancy weapon that the humans had.
The orcs closed the distance between the two, loosing momentum as they made their way up the hill, though their sheer eagerness to fight the humans was beyond being reckless. No matter how many times the canons fired at them, the orcs didn’t turn and run, their fear for their chieftain and their savage instincts told them to run forward, and that they did

A wordless scream roared from the front orcs as they used their final reserves to charge the lines of orcs.

Round Two

Player A

“Brace your-” the soldier didn’t manage to finish his warning before the orcs were pressing them. This close, the orcs proved to be more dangerous than ever, the fight intensified as orcs and humans exchanged blows.
Each human had been specifically ordered to drag at least five orcs with him to his grave, an oath that many seemed to hold true to.
Cries of pain and agony rang in the air as the two foes fought, neither willing to give up or yield as much as an inch of land, and neither able to break the immediate deadlock.

“Hold the line!” the general barked as he had ordered the signal for the knights to ride around the fight and charge the orcs at the left flank, using the hill’s slope to gain momentum.
The wizards had been ordered to prepare their magic and now they stepped forward, muttering the arcane words needed and summoned the energies needed.

Out from the skies shot red lightening, as it struck the earth, it exploded. Flames burned corpses, shockwaves sending orcs flying through the air. The morale of the orcs could be seen to wave as they watched their own being destroyed so easily.
The general stepped forward, sword in his hand as he bellowed a challenge for the orcs, “Come, you beasts! Come and taste my wrath!” he dared.

Player B

The chieftain had to roared loud to regain control of the orcs. Their animalistic fear getting the better of them, and it wasn’t becoming any better. The human knights smashed into their left side, their horses killing dozens of orcs and the riders killed even more.

The chieftain made a desperate gamble. He ordered his personal bodyguards to carve his way towards the human leader; the two would duel for the victory of this battle, the winner would hold victory of the battle while the loser would surely be routed.

His bodyguards made their through the human lines, using their heavy weight to force the humans back. The chieftain now stood in front of each other, both grinning, ready to make the final decision for whom would win this battle…

Key Points


Right, so although the above example is far from the best example of how long such a battle can be or how chaotic when you have such battles. However there are a few things I do want to point out:

Round 1
.1) There was a fairness between the two players, Player A never said that the cannon balls hit the orcs, so player B was kind enough to take the hits and move on.

.2) Player B went ahead and closed the distance between the two armies, going ahead and stating that the orcs were hit more than once as they advanced.
…i) in such a case, it would allow Player A to add more attacks as Player B advanced

Round 2
.3) Player A used minor god-modding with his wizards. Although he did hit the orcs and killed loads, he stuck to NPCs. Remember, this is allowed under the circumstances that there are many NPCs to take the place of the killed, it won’t be acceptable for battles were NPCs are scarce.

 

[almostinsane]

Tir Nail, the Otherworld is divided into various other realms, each one dedicated to a specific God. Each God, typically, forms his/hers realm according to what he/she represents, for example the God of Death might have a graveyard as his Realm as it represents the dead.

The powers of the God is strongest within the borders of his/hers realm, leaving them nearly unchallenged within their domain. Many Gods uses this as a way to raid and annoy their enemies all the while they use their own domain as a safe-haven.

Also, it is typical that each God maintains his/hers own army within the Realm of the God. It can range from endless ranks of former mortals to the much more skilled Immortal Servants that serves the every wish of their master.

Unlike Ashariel, the Realm of Gods is less clearly defined. Rubbing against each other in more directions that what a compass can tell; the laws of physics doesn’t apply unless the God makes them and some Gods have been known to turn their Realm into ever-changing mazes to confuse their enemies.

The Avatar or a God is perhaps the only being that is allowed to freely enter the realm of his/hers God, this allows the God and Avatar to communicate face to face instead of telepathic communication. Some mortals stumble upon hidden entrances by coincidence, others on purpose, and most don’t return with the same sanity they had previously.

In the Realm of Gods, there is a central hall called the Hall of the Gods. Every god has a throne here as well as anything they might want and it is here they take council.

Unlike the domain of their Immortal God, mortals don’t hold the power over the lands. Mortals often fight to gain more land. However, the land that the mortals do control is under the complete influence of their God.
Few factions have the arcane powers to alter the shape of their lands, and those who do are well feared for such powers.

Ashariel consists of many islands. Some small, some larger than imaginable, each island holds a vast variety of climates, from the icy tundra to scorching desserts to humid jungles.

The land of mortals is hard to change, yet it isn’t unheard of nations cutting into mountains and building magnificent wonders.
Mortals may never possess powers that will allow them match that of their divine Avatar or even their God, yet they can come close; summoning spirits and demons to help them boost their powers, enchanting weapons and making technological breakthroughs all participate in allowing the Realm of Men to be as unique as it is.

The wars between nations always leaves the land scarred, most of these scars are healed with time yet others are marked so deeply that factions becomes arch enemies, making it nearly impossible to put two people from two opposing nations without the two trying to rip the other’s throat out.


Map of Ashariel

Blue: Avuvian Confederation- Earon, God of the Sea

Yellow: Via Muros- Artis, God of Trade, Contracts and Commerce

Teal- Boulanger Isles- Pestocali, God of Cooking, Restoration, Fertility

Dark Blue: Ti An, God of Justice, Law, and Retribution

Light Green: The Huntlands- Tauphys, God of Nature, Redress, Flame (Life)

Dark Green: Koarellian Collective, God of Fungi, Growth, Disease and Rot

Bright Red: Jihaka- Aiyami, Goddess of Assassins, Obsession, and Temptation

Brown Red- The Beast Lords, War

Orange (Left): Kingdom of Vi'vear- Viv, God of Stars, Travel, and Foreigners

Brown: Nekhen- Amenti- Queen of the Dead, Mistress of the Soul-Forge, Smokeless Lady of Flames, Suzerain of the Deep Earth

Pink: Kingdom of Sephirah- Goddess of Family, Cities, Hearth, and Love

Blood Red: Scarra, God of Authority, Celerity, and Exile; Accursed Firstborn

Purple: Aeigeioan League- Eudaimon God of Philosophy, Virtue, and Liberty

Orange (Right): Shahrivar, God of Sun, Truth, and Victory

Silver: Wadi al-Qamar- Sahira, Goddess of the Moon, Fate, and Cycles

Sun Orange: Parliament of Birds -Perzawlkhan, Lord of Birds, Eagle of the Eclipse, Bearer of the Broken Flame

 

[almostinsane]

Gods, Avatars, Heroes/Champions, and Regulars:[/color]

Gods:

One of your main character(s) will have to be a God as he’ll/she’ll be the one who will talk to the other Gods and send orders from his/hers realm, down to the avatar of the divine being.
Your God has the ability to shape his lands as he/she pleases to a limited extent, effectively making the lands into the most comfortable area for his/hers worshipers. Some gods may bless their followers with rain and good weather. However, not all Gods have their own lands, some are within such a large range that it can be applied for more than one civilization; for example, the God of War technically doesn’t need to have a kingdom for he’s so broadly ranged that every being will be worshipping him, one way or the other.

Very few times does the Gods leave Tir Nail to directly interfere with what mortals does, and rarely is it gone unpunished by their peers.

Avatars:

They can be considered much like the messiah of their God. They are THE holiest men/women and their commands are regarded second to their own God. Such people are chosen by their God, for either obvious or secret purposes, and they are granted eternal life; effectively, an avatar can’t die of age or poison, yet they can be wounded and they bleed like any other creature and should they beheaded or stabbed in the heart, they die like another mortal.

Avatars typically possesses some similar powers to their God, for example the avatar of the God of Magic is most likely going to be an Arch-Wizard Master, while the avatar of the Goddess of the Elves might possess Druidic powers.

[THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE AVATAR PER GOD (Twin Gods won’t give you 2 avatars!)]

Heroes/Champions:

Like the Avatars, Heroes are held of high regard within a civilization. Some are as highly ranked as the avatar, others may be held of noble rank and a few might just be common people, yet to discover their gift.

Unlike Avatars, Heroes can die from age and poison, and while they are not as skilled as the Avatar may be, they certainly haven’t earned the title ‘Hero’ for nothing. These men and women have fought hard to be where they are now, each being a special man of his kingdom, whether it is magical, martial or simply pure cunning, they are some of the few who can truly represent their kingdom/empire, though that does not mean they do not have their own ambitions...

[Unlike Avatars, there is no limit for the amount of heroes there can be, however you’ll also have to play them.]

Regulars:

These are the regular folk of every kingdom/empire. Easier to be killed by an Avatar and Hero, however these are the people who make up the soldiers of every army, these are the unfortunate sods who discover magic and find themselves trained and harvested for the needs of their superiors. Without number, they vary from slaves, to servants to soldiers to noble men.

 

[Reimu Hakurei]

In.

 

[almostinsane]

In.

Cool. Is there any god role you'd like to reserve? (Ex. god of the sea,, god of war, god of death, etc.)

 

[LordSunhawk]

I'll stick my oar in to give this a shot.

For the God... Music, Dance and Dueling

Think Julie d'Aubigny as an inspiration.

 

[Reimu Hakurei]

My main consideration is still essentially the forge god, but I need a bit more time for contemplation.

 

[almostinsane]

I'll stick my oar in to give this a shot.

For the God... Music, Dance and Dueling

Think Julie d'Aubigny as an inspiration.

My main consideration is still essentially the forge god, but I need a bit more time for contemplation.

Both are reserved. I will take a god of the sea.

 

[S'task]

God Name: Intei
Title: Lord of Shadows, Magic, and Knowledge
Gender: Male
Alignment: Neutral
God Appearance: A cloaked and hooded man of ephemeral shadows bearing a staff of smooth wood with a orb of polished black marble on the top. Those who peer beneath the shadows that conceal his face see a clean shaven, pale skinned human with eyes of silver and dark black hair.
Personality: Despite appearances, Intei tends to be friendly and open to others, but has a temper against those who cross him or his code.
Opinion of mortals: Mortals are defined by their questing for knowledge and willingness to seek out the hidden and unknown. Those who remain comfortable or merely parrot the knowledge and effort of others are contemptible, while those who seek and learn and pursue things under their own power are noble. That is not to say collaboration or building of new knowledge off the old is bad, but rather, limiting yourself to only that which is already found is.
God’s Domain: The Shadowscape is a world parallel to the real and a reflection of it as if made from the very shadows they cast. Every part of the world is reflected there, and as such, Intei does not truly control all of the domain though it is yet his. It is easy to slip into from the dark corners of the world, and many mortals use it to travel or sneak, and many magics draw from the world in order to effect the real world.

Avatar Name: The Wanderer
Avatar Appearance: A human man, cloaked and hooded, who's eye gleam with a silver inner light so they are ever visible even from within the darkness of his hood. Under his cloak he wears a sword with a blade that seems made of a black metal that can shift and change form
Personality: More noble than his benefactor, the Wanderer is said to go from place to place to find those who wish to learn and grow while also seeking to ensure that the strong do not oppress the weak and prevent them from having the chance to pursue their own knowledge.
Magic Abilities: The Wanderer can immediately step between the Real and the Shadowscape and can easily see across the boundary of the two. A master of Skiamancy, a form of magic that involves the manipulation and control of shadows. Finally, bears the Black Tear, a magic sword made of solidified shadowstuff that can change shape and form at will to suit The Wanderer's current desires or needs and is able to cut through most mortal weapons or armor.

Hero: Senka, Supreme Skiamancer
Rank/Reason: Itinerant Archmage and Scholar, holder of degrees in numerous fields of science and magic, Senka has studied and taught in most every major school in the world. As such she has extensive knowledge of most mortal magics and other knowledge, and is often sought for her expertise in those fields, despite her apparent youth.
Personality: Senka is quick witted and sharp tongued, though generally in good humor and jest. Surprisingly though, she attempts to be humble despite her expansive knowledge and magical power, though she has little tolerance for people who are willingly ignorant and sees anyone who seeks to preserve ignorance as at best a fool to be corrected, or at worst, an enemy to be destroyed.

Hero: Lemantu, Archivist of the Shadow Archive
Rank/Reason: Archivist Lemantu is an ancient myconid originally from Titanus within the Collective, where he focused on collecting as much knowledge as he could and preserving them within the grown tree archives of the Koarelian Collective. His quest to gather knowledge was so great that eventually he began to wander outside the collective to gather more knowledge to be brought back. Upon returning from one such adventure he found he did not have enough room to preserve the knowledge and was so distraught that he drew the attention of Intei, who quietly opened a path into the Shadow of Titanus within his Shadowscape for Lemantu to spread his archive into. Now, after an indeterminate length of time, the entire Shadow of Titanus within the Shadowscape is the largest and most complete library in the world, with innumerous books, scrolls, and Koarelian Tree Ring Archives spread throughout the shadow of the living city.

He has been gifted with a perfect memory of his library to know where to find any knowledge within it, and all those years of gathering knowledge has given him a considerable breadth of magical knowledge, though he is only of middling raw power in that art. Further, like many of Intei's other heroes, he can easily step between the real world and the Shadowscape.

Personality: Lemantu is a strange mix of utter methodical thought combined with irrepressible passion and thirst for knowledge. He lives to preserve knowledge and ensure its spread, and though he spends most of his time in the Shadow Archive, he frequently will leave it to pursue some knew discovery and ensure it's preservation.

Relationship to Lravitus and his Champions: As the patron of his race and nation, Lemantu holds Lravitus in high regard and still offers prayers and thanks to him. He is frequently called on by Hormuz and the Lravitus' other champions as an adviser for his sheer breadth of knowledge, and treats them with all the respect they are due providing all the assistance he can.

Terrain Preference: Anywhere where shadows are deep and knowledge may be pursued or found. This ranges from the streets and buildings of the great cities, to the crags of the mountains to the deepest depths of the forest and everywhere in between.

Name of Kingdom/Empire: None (Gods of Knowledge and Magic tend to not strongly align with any single polity)

Significant Locations:

The Shadow Archive of Titanus
The Shadow Archive of Titanus is within Intei's Shadowrealm in the area coterminous with the location of Titanus. Maintained by Lemantu, the Shadow Archive spans the entire Shadow of Titanus, making it the largest and most expansive archive and library, a city sized repository of almost all known knowledge that has been collected by Lemantu and his fellow Archivists. Connected to the Real to the Great Archive in Titanus, the Shadow Archive is one of the few connections where anyone can travel from the Real to Intei's Shadowrealm.
​

 

[Reimu Hakurei]

Alright, I've defined my idea a bit more at this point. I was thinking I'd do the first(and perhaps only) Immortal God to 'die', and they thus became the Lord of Death. They'd be the former(And still ongoing) Forge Lord, except now they make things out of spooky ghosts in their otherworldly domain. How does that sound?

 

[almostinsane]

God Name: Intei
Title: Lord of Shadows, Magic, and Knowledge
Gender: Male
Alignment: Neutral
God Appearance: A cloaked and hooded man of ephemeral shadows bearing a staff of smooth wood with a orb of polished black marble on the top. Those who peer beneath the shadows that conceal his face see a clean shaven, pale skinned human with eyes of silver and dark black hair.
Personality: Despite appearances, Intei tends to be friendly and open to others, but has a temper against those who cross him or his code.
Opinion of mortals: Mortals are defined by their questing for knowledge and willingness to seek out the hidden and unknown. Those who remain comfortable or merely parrot the knowledge and effort of others are contemptible, while those who seek and learn and pursue things under their own power are noble. That is not to say collaboration or building of new knowledge off the old is bad, but rather, limiting yourself to only that which is already found is.
God’s Domain: The Shadowscape is a world parallel to the real and a reflection of it as if made from the very shadows they cast. Every part of the world is reflected there, and as such, Intei does not truly control all of the domain though it is yet his. It is easy to slip into from the dark corners of the world, and many mortals use it to travel or sneak, and many magics draw from the world in order to effect the real world.

Avatar Name: The Wanderer
Avatar Appearance: A human man, cloaked and hooded, who's eye gleam with a silver inner light so they are ever visible even from within the darkness of his hood. Under his cloak he wears a sword with a blade that seems made of a black metal that can shift and change form
Personality: More noble than his benefactor, the Wanderer is said to go from place to place to find those who wish to learn and grow while also seeking to ensure that the strong do not oppress the weak and prevent them from having the chance to pursue their own knowledge.
Magic Abilities: The Wanderer can immediately step between the Real and the Shadowscape and can easily see across the boundary of the two. A master of Skiamancy, a form of magic that involves the manipulation and control of shadows. Finally, bears the Black Tear, a magic sword made of solidified shadowstuff that can change shape and form at will to suit The Wanderer's current desires or needs and is able to cut through most mortal weapons or armor.

Hero(es): (Intentionally blank)
Rank/Reason:
Personality:

Terrain Preference: Anywhere where shadows are deep and knowledge may be pursued or found. This ranged from the streets and buildings of the great cities, to the crags of the mountains to the deepest depths of the forest.

Name of Kingdom/Empire: None (Gods of Knowledge and Magic tend to not strongly align with any single polity)

Other: What else do you want to tell us?

Approved.

Alright, I've defined my idea a bit more at this point. I was thinking I'd do the first(and perhaps only) Immortal God to 'die', and they thus became the Lord of Death. They'd be the former(And still ongoing) Forge Lord, except now they make things out of spooky ghosts in their otherworldly domain. How does that sound?

Approved. That sounds like it'd be interesting.

Thread Announcement: I have generated a blank map for the civilizations of the world above. Borders come on a first come, first served basis, but rights to certain areas may be resolved between different players via mutual agreement. As GM, I reserve the right to enlarge and modify the map to accommodate additional players and playstyles.

This map is left blank on purpose. I will be happy to add features such as mountains, rivers, forests, etc. upon request. Please respect other players and the GM. I would prefer not to attract unwanted attention from the mods.

 

[FriedCFour]

I am thinking God of Trade, Contracts and Commerce. Will begin write up shortly. also, I'd like the decent sized island on the east coast of the western continent.

 

[almostinsane]

God Name: Earon
Title: God of the Sea
Gender: Male
Alignment: Neutral/Neutral Good

God Appearance:

Depending on his mood, Earon may appear in different forms. At times, he is an old man, either a veritable giant rising from the sea or the size of a mortal man. At other times, he may appear younger and appear almost mortal or he may be a man half-formed from the waters around him, his shape varying as the ocean does. One thing never changes and that is his eyes which glow a bright blue.

Personality: Earon is a proud individual, being among the very first gods to manifest themselves. As god of the sea, his mood varies. Ever is he quick to anger or calm himself. An individual less experienced with him may believe he is quick to strike, but that is not true. Like the sea, Earon is quick to manifest his emotions in the moment while hiding his secret thoughts behind proud words. Earon makes no secret in favoring all those who make their living upon the sea from merchants and fishermen to pirates, privateers, and treasure-hunters. As long as they respect the Sea and its Lord, Earon will favor them. Above all others, he favors the Avuvians, the people who have taken him as their patron god. In the days of war between the gods, he did not hesitate to flood and reshape the world when he intervened for their sake to the detriment of others. If that meant the extinction of other peoples and the weakening of other gods, so be it. Yet, when the Peace was proposed, he did not hesitate to give his assent as his followers' welfare too precedence even over his pride.

Yet, despite Earon's favorable disposition to those who love the Sea, he does not make things easy on those who travel upon or above his domain, as storms, monsters, tides, etc. are a constant challenge.

Earon is a great ally to have on your side or a terrible enemy to struggle against. It is unwise to brush him off as a fool or to discount the power of the sea.

Opinion of mortals: "They set sail in the storm of life, knowing that only the depths await them! Such courage is only to be admired"
Earon has a great deal of respect for mortal beings, creatures who are but ants before the gods and yet are not afraid to set out on their journey and carve a place for themselves. His fondest memory was the first time a mortal ever went out to sea on a boat. Despite his fragility, that mortal challenged the fickle power of the waves themselves. That first mortal, he assisted as he does certain mortals who appeal to his protection. That protection is not always extended, but still, Earon respects and loves the mortals who seek to tame the sea and he holds in high esteem slayers of sea monsters and survivors of storms.

God’s Domain:

Upon entering Earon's domain, it seems to be a dismal place. At first, it appears to be an endless ocean with mist as far as the eye can see. When there isn't mist, great storms toss and churn the waters as though the waves themselves were eager to bring you down into their depths. This is purely the realm's defenses to keep out hostile gods or to redirect mortals that stumble upon it by accident. Further in, you find a calm ocean with crystal blue waters, vast coral reefs, and a chain of tropical islands with every kind of fruit and pleasant vegetation anyone can imagine. Upon the islands themselves live the deceased followers of Earon in great cities made of white stone and marble along with majestic boats and ships of all sizes. Just beneath the sea lie many a benign sea creature from great Sea Serpents to cheerful Mermaids. Here, at last, the sea is ever-calm.

Avatar Name: Caspian
Avatar Appearance:

Personality: Caspian is a solemn and kind soul, much kinder and calmer than his lord. He takes his duties as the Avatar very seriously and does not intend to let disaster catch him by surprise. He is a relatively peaceful person, but is stern when dealing with his enemies and does not hesitate to take their head. He will not be cruel to, say, a child that steals to survive, but he will behead a pirate in a heartbeat. He may care for his people more than Earon himself.

Magic Abilities: Besides the swordsmanship skills he has had several lifetimes to practice, Sebastian is a skilled sorcerer, specializing in Sea Magic. He can control waves, conjure up winds, form whirlpools, and even call upon a storm to toss and churn the Sea like his lord. He is also capable of a few minor tricks like light fires or drying someone's clothes.

Hero(es): Captain Aristo Grey
Rank/Reason: Aristo is a skilled Sea Captain and entrepreneur. He knows how to inspire and rally his men and sail through even the most dangerous storms. He is, perhaps, one of the most skilled swordsman on the Seas and combines luck, audacity, and skill with his education at the Academy of Icharus.
Personality: A charming Sea Captain, Captain Aristo Grey is a smooth talker, ladies' man, and professional treasure hunter. Some say he is foolhardy, others a genius, and still others, mad and perhaps he is all those things and more. Regardless, Aristo Grey walks a dangerous line in his line of work, sailing where many would dare not. Half-pirate, half-merchant, this captain is both dangerous and unpredictable.

Hero(es): Alexius Medes
Rank/Reason: An inventor of high repute; has studied both at the Academy of Icharus and among other inventors from around the world
Personality: Boastful and arrogant, Alexius is the premiere inventor and technological expert within the Avuvian Confederation. His inventions mirror the wonders of magic itself. He is known to work with the fervor and be in contact with other inventors within the known world. Otherwise, he works within his own workshop in the Academy of Icharus.

Hero(es): Admiral Leah Porter
Rank/Reason: Admiral of the Avuvian Fleet, Leah Porter is a strategic and naval genius whose very name is known to cause pirates to shake with superstitious fear and anger.
Personality: An outsider and member of an unknown feline-like race, Admiral Leah Porter is a fierce and intelligent young lady. She is the first to show you that she is not just a pretty face with a tongue as sharp as her blade. Fiercely loyal and courageous, Leah feels most at home in Jukta and has utter disdain for corruption and those who prey upon the weak. She seems to hide a dark secret from her past, however

Hero(es): Helena Priam
Rank/Reason: Governess of Gela
Personality: Beautiful, seductive, charming, learned, cunning. These are all words associated with the Governess of Gela. Unlike other city-states, the proud city of Gela elects an executive authority independent of the Council and gives the office of Governor/Governess enormous power. For the last decade, Helena Priam has held office and managed the people and Council alike with clever ploys hidden beneath a sweet smile. Though she has captured the heart of hundreds of men, Helena remains unmarried and her own person. Proud and unyielding, she values the traditions of Gela and its notion of Avuvian dominance.


Terrain Preference: Along the coasts of the Sea and upon islands.

Name of Kingdom/Empire: Avuvian Confederation
Capital: Atalantae- capital and a strategic naval hub. It grows rich in trade, but it is not the most famous trade hub, the greatest known trade hub belonging to the followers of the god of trade. It is still rich and strategically important in the sea trade.
Major Cities:
Icharus- medium-sized city; known for art, beauty, and technological progress; home of the Academy of Icharus; contains much farmland outside the city walls. The academy itself is known for its pursuit of science, but it lags behind in the study of magic for Avuvians focus on only a few areas of magic, principally healing, rune-crafting, and sea magic.

Gela -home of the finest silks and entertainment; contains large theatres, amphitheaters for chariot and horse races, and a Coliseum. Any pleasure in the known world may be purchased here. Its wealth is dwarfed only by the capital and its people's pride knows no bounds.

Jukta- home of much of the Avuvian navy; has many shipyards and situated near a large forest; southernmost city.

Society:
[Politics]
The Avuvians are organized in, at the moment, four distinct city-states bound together in a firm league of friendship. Each city-state is ruled by a council, called an Eklesia, ranging from four to twelve members with three-year terms that is headed by the Head Councilor, who is elected from among the the Councilors themselves. In addition to its own Eklesia, however, Atalantae hosts the Avuvian Eklesia with four members, one from each city-state, that serve for four years. This is headed by the Avatar and/or a Head Councilor appointed by the Avatar. In addition, each city has its own court system for enforcing the law and trying criminals in their courts with a Central Court in Atalantae for matters that concern the people as a whole or when there is a conflict of interest within the local courts. The Central Court has 12 members that serve until death or resignation. If there is a tie in the Central Court, the Avatar casts the deciding vote. In addition to this and leading the Avuvian Council, the Avatar is in control of the military and naval forces, the Head of State and Chief Diplomat, and may pass a law of his own volition unless it is vetoed by three of the four Avuvian Council members or challenged by the Central Court.

[People]
To what can the Avuvian people as a whole be likened as? The Avuvians as a whole are a proud and noble people. At their best, they are humble but assertive traders, mariners, and warriors that strive for what is right and honorable. At their worst, they can be domineering and greedy with superiority complexes, looking down upon the rest of the world. All Avuvians revere the Sea and their patron deity, Earon. Thus, even the worst sort of Avuvian knows to pay the Sea God proper respect or lose his favor. Although the Avuvians can all be describes as thus, certain cities are famous for certain types of people.

Atalantae- The capital of the Confederation, Atalantae is known as one the greatest trade hubs in the world. If you cannot find what you're looking for here, only the city of the followers' of the god of trade possess it. Here, you can find the greatest seamen, shipbuilders, and navigators. A crew of Avuvians is said to be worth their weight in gold. Atalantae's walls are made from thick white stone and it controls a choke point in one of the busiest sea lanes in the known world. It possesses the world's largest natural harbor and grows rich from trade and the tolls sea captains must pay to pass.

Icharus- Famous for its Academy, Icharus is seen as a center of Avuvian learning, technological breakthroughs and new inventions. Icharus is known be home to engineers, philosophers, and scholars with a cheerful work ethic and natural curiosity about the world. Unlike more competitive environments, these engineers and scholars are not driven by fierce competition. On the contrary, academics are usually quite friendly to one another and can discuss levers and pulleys for hours with one another. The technologies produced here are among the best in the known world. The Academy does not just produce worldly scholars and engineers, however. The studies of Philosophy at the Academy of Icharus are quite popular and debates are well-known to echo through its halls. Magic is studied there as well and it is on the level of peer powers, but civilizations more focused on magic outpace them regarding less practical matters. Sea magic, healing, and crafting remain the most studied areas of magic for the ever-practical Avuvians.

Gela- Where Icharus is renowned for the study of Avuvian knowledge, lore, and philosophy, Gela is one of the most extravagant of all Avuvian cities. There is nothing within the civilized world that cannot be brought at Gela. Its Coliseum can holdover two thirds of the entire city as well as foreign dignitaries, exotic wildlife, guards, criminals, and gladiators. Gela is the only Avuvian city to allow Trial by Combat. The people in Gela are known to be the most prideful of the Avuvians and consider Gela to be the center of the civilized world. Gela's laws can also be a bit more lax than other Avuvian cities' laws and it is regarded as a monument to hedonism.

Jukta- Jukta is known as the producer of the finest ships in the known world.. A stately Avuvian city near a vast forest, the shipyards of Jukta are vast and produce many of the ships in the Avuvian navy. Juktans are known to value the rule of law highly and each person takes their person duty seriously. Corruption is the lowest here of all the Avuvian city-states and one would be a fool to try to breach its defenses which consist of high walls and a well-defended harbor. A year's service in the army or navy is mandatory for every male citizen once he reaches adulthood. Juktans get along the least with their Gelan countrymen and their representative on the Avuvian Council is known to take the opposite side of the Gelan Councilor.

[Economy]

The Avuvian Confederation has among one of the strongest economies in the known world. Its cities and colonies placed upon strategic locations, the Confederation thrives on trade. Most trade routes by sea are used by Avuvians and the ones vital to their homeland are protected by their navy. Their markets are some of the most varied in the known world. The Avuvians are known to export art such as sculptures, paintings, and tapestries, as well as marble, stone, finished goods like weapons, hand-cranked or steam-powered machines, furniture, and, of course, the best boats and ships in existence. Some of their best products are maps and atlases of the Sea and the lands accessible through it, with some islands only known to the Avuvians themselves appearing upon them. If a captain is to sail into dangerous or unfamiliar waters, then his or her best bet would be to use an Avuvian map.

Gold and silver often changes hands in the busy markets in the Avuvian Confederation and are readily accepted. However, the solid-gold Avuvian Drachma is valued most as the people of the Confderation look upon less pure currencies with suspicion.

[History]

[Military]

-Navy
The greatest asset of the Avuvians' military is, of course, its naval forces. Regarded as the most well-constructed fleet as well as the largest and most disciplined, the Avuvian fleet cannot be challenged lightly. Among all the navies in the known world, it alone possesses Avuvian Fire, a substance capable of creating fire that burns even when submerged in water. In liquid form, it is sprayed from a tubular projectors, both large and small, and ignited to create weapons of unquenchable fire. In its powder form, it can be placed in clay projectiles and shot at enemy ships, creating a small explosion on impact. In addition to this, the navy often hosts a contingent of sea mages, masters in controlling the winds and waves of the environment around them. The navy itself consists of three classes of ships fulfilling different roles: the Sea Dragons, the Whales, and the Dolphins.

The Sea Dragon- A large capital ship, this ship brings the most firepower to battle out of all the other designs. It boasts a large marine force for boarding action, ballistae, and projectors to rain fire upon their enemies. They are symbols of might and pride for the Confederation and have never been sunk by an enemy force.

The Whale: Large transports built for speed. They contain living quarters for the land forces of the Confederation. Lightly armed with ballistae and heavily armored, these ships typically form a convoy protected by more armed ships.

Dolphin: Smaller than the Sea Dragon and the Whale, this class of ships is armed with projectors of Avuvian fire and marines armed with steel and grenades filled with Avuvian powder, this class of ship is meant to run down fleeing opponents or swarm larger ships. Can double as smaller, faster transports.

-Army
A legion of the Avuvian Confederation is a thing of beauty in both its efficiency and its deadliness. The equipment is standardized with runes being used to strengthen and improve the weapons and armor of these soldiers, particularly the heavy infantry of the Confederation. Because of the times of peace, the legions of the Confederation are smaller than in previous years, but with the universal acceptance of conscription, new legions can be quickly trained.

Legionaries- Considered the backbone of the Confederation, legionaries wear heavy armor consisting of plate and chainmail armor produced by the best smiths and runemakers of the Confederation. Armed with three javelins, a short sword, a dagger, and large rectangular shield, these highly disciplined soldiers are trained to fight in formation whether they fight at sea or land upon enemy shores.

Archers- Armed with longbows and wearing leather armor, Avuvian archers support the main force of the Avuvian legions by raining arrows down upon the enemy.

Equites- Horsemen drawn from among the upper classes of Avuvian society, these cavalrymen serve to guard the flanks of the legion, engage with enemy cavalry, and flank enemy forces themselves. Wearing plate armor and utilizing long spears and curved swords, they serve as the deadly hammer to the legionaries' anvil.

Engineers- Avuvian engineers are known to create some of the deadliest siege weapons in the known world. They create and maintain catapults, ballistae, and other siege weapons. In addition to this, they train the legions to set up defensive camps consisting of of palisade walls.

Mages: Mages who accompany the legion most often play healing and supportive roles such as weapon and armor enchantment or supporting the legion with fireballs and the like from a distance should the need arise.

Auxillaries- Hired mercenaries in service of the Avuvian Legions, auxiliaries fill the roles that may be otherwise lacking. Often, they will consist of additional archers and horsemen, light and heavy, to serve as scouts and back up to the Equites.

Other:

 

[Reimu Hakurei]

Almost, where is Avuvian located on our map? That way I know where not to claim when I pick a corner to nestle down into.

 

[LordSunhawk]

Character Sheet


God

God Name: The Shadowed Dancer
Title: Music, Dance, Revelry, and Dueling
Gender:.... Variable, has been encountered both in male and female forms
Alignment: Neutral with a hint of good, but is quite chaotic
God Appearance: A masked figure, clad in elaborate and sometimes outlandish outfits, sometimes male, sometimes female. Usually has a sword and oftentimes a musical instrument suitable for dance

Personality: Flighty and mischievous, moods swirl about as often as the weather shifts yet always is ready with a laugh. Never is still for long.
Opinion of mortals: Is fascinated by mortals, especially their music and art forms
God’s Domain: Highly variable, but always elaborate. Some days it resembles nothing so much as the most awesome fencing salle d'armes in the universe, other times a dance hall fit for royalty, other times a massive carnival ground. At times different visitors encounter different surroundings.

Avatar Name: The Dancer
Avatar Appearance:

Personality: Eternally cheerful and full of laughter, the Dancer has never given her name to any who have asked, merely winking and asking what they thought her name was before swirling away. But nobody has ever managed to imitate her for long. Mainly, it must be said, because no matter how determined a mortal can get nobody has ever managed to out drink or out dance her. If engaged in battle she fights in a flamboyant, acrobatic style that more closely resembles a dance than anything else, with her usually engaging in commentary on her opponents skills (or lack thereof), ways they could improve, comments about their personal hygiene, and inquiries about the weather. She rarely kills an opponent, most often leaving them looking completely ridiculous and flitting away once more with a laugh and a wink.


Magic Abilities: Is quite capable of amazing acrobatic feats that appear to outright require bullshit levels of magic to pull off, and can do them without spilling a tankard of mead if she so desires. Moreover she quite often is accompanied by her own personal soundtrack, ghostly instruments that produce whatever music she desires at the moment.

Hero(es): (One name and personality per hero; may be left blank initially as the roleplay develops)
Rank/Reason:
Personality:

Terrain Preference: Literally anywhere, even in places where you'd last expect them.
Name of Kingdom/Empire:Capital: None in particular, the followers of the Shadowed Dancer call no one land home as they are either nomadic caravans of entertainers or reside in the shadows of other civilizations. The people most commonly associated with the Shadowed Dancer are short, slender, with delicately pointed ears. Incredibly cheerful by nature, they treat life as an endless party, and each dance an opportunity to duel without bloodshed, and each duel an opportunity for a deadly dance.





Other: The Shadowed Dancer was the last god to be formed and the last to leave the mortal realm, with some disputing whether or not the Dancer is actually the Shadowed Dancer slumming in the mortal plane. Not even the other gods have ever gotten a name out of the Shadowed Dancer, the general response is usually "What do you think my name is?" followed by a laugh, a flick of a cloak, and a cheerful "No, but thanks for playing!" which usually infuriates most of the more serious minded gods.

Whenever the gods meet, the rest always hope that the Shadowed Dancer stayed home, because otherwise the meeting will quickly devolve into a constant need to deal with 'Are we done yet?' and 'Can we adjourn? I'm bored.' accompanied by dirgeful music. Worse for some of the more long-winded and bombastic gods, their grand speeches oftentimes will find themselves accompanied by 'appropriate music'... and whoever told the Shadowed Dancer about Laugh Tracks has earned the eternal enmity of all of the gods, no matter where they fall on the good/evil divide.

On the other hand, it's nearly impossible for most of the gods to *stay* angry with the Shadowed Dancer for more than a moment, because inevitably for all the times that they are frustrated or annoyed by the Shadowed Dancer's antics, something awesome will happen that even the gods appreciate. Be it a truly epic backing track of faint chanting making said gods latest pronouncement sound even more impressive than usual, or more commonly seeing somebody they dislike having to deal with the Shadowed Dancer's antics.

 

[almostinsane]

Almost, where is Avuvian located on our map? That way I know where not to claim when I pick a corner to nestle down into.

I am thinking of the small, southern, central island and perhaps some coastal colonies. I am PMing Fried about it since I thought he may want the same location.

Almost, where is Avuvian located on our map? That way I know where not to claim when I pick a corner to nestle down into.

I am thinking of the small, southern, central island and perhaps some coastal colonies. I am PMing Fried about it since I thought he may want the same location.

Character Sheet


God

God Name: The Shadowed Dancer
Title: Music, Dance, Revelry, and Dueling
Gender:.... Variable, has been encountered both in male and female forms
Alignment: Neutral with a hint of good, but is quite chaotic
God Appearance: A masked figure, clad in elaborate and sometimes outlandish outfits, sometimes male, sometimes female. Usually has a sword and oftentimes a musical instrument suitable for dance

Personality: Flighty and mischievous, moods swirl about as often as the weather shifts yet always is ready with a laugh. Never is still for long.
Opinion of mortals: Is fascinated by mortals, especially their music and art forms
God’s Domain: Highly variable, but always elaborate. Some days it resembles nothing so much as the most awesome fencing salle d'armes in the universe, other times a dance hall fit for royalty, other times a massive carnival ground. At times different visitors encounter different surroundings.

Avatar Name: The Dancer
Avatar Appearance:

Personality: Eternally cheerful and full of laughter, the Dancer has never given her name to any who have asked, merely winking and asking what they thought her name was before swirling away. But nobody has ever managed to imitate her for long. Mainly, it must be said, because no matter how determined a mortal can get nobody has ever managed to out drink or out dance her. If engaged in battle she fights in a flamboyant, acrobatic style that more closely resembles a dance than anything else, with her usually engaging in commentary on her opponents skills (or lack thereof), ways they could improve, comments about their personal hygiene, and inquiries about the weather. She rarely kills an opponent, most often leaving them looking completely ridiculous and flitting away once more with a laugh and a wink.


Magic Abilities: Is quite capable of amazing acrobatic feats that appear to outright require bullshit levels of magic to pull off, and can do them without spilling a tankard of mead if she so desires. Moreover she quite often is accompanied by her own personal soundtrack, ghostly instruments that produce whatever music she desires at the moment.

Hero(es): (One name and personality per hero; may be left blank initially as the roleplay develops)
Rank/Reason:
Personality:

Terrain Preference: Literally anywhere, even in places where you'd last expect them.
Name of Kingdom/Empire:Capital: None in particular, the followers of the Shadowed Dancer call no one land home.

Other: The Shadowed Dancer was the last god to be formed and the last to leave the mortal realm, with some disputing whether or not the Dancer is actually the Shadowed Dancer slumming in the mortal plane. Not even the other gods have ever gotten a name out of the Shadowed Dancer, the general response is usually "What do you think my name is?" followed by a laugh, a flick of a cloak, and a cheerful "No, but thanks for playing!" which usually infuriates most of the more serious minded gods.

Whenever the gods meet, the rest always hope that the Shadowed Dancer stayed home, because otherwise the meeting will quickly devolve into a constant need to deal with 'Are we done yet?' and 'Can we adjourn? I'm bored.' accompanied by dirgeful music. Worse for some of the more long-winded and bombastic gods, their grand speeches oftentimes will find themselves accompanied by 'appropriate music'... and whoever told the Shadowed Dancer about Laugh Tracks has earned the eternal enmity of all of the gods, no matter where they fall on the good/evil divide.

On the other hand, it's nearly impossible for most of the gods to *stay* angry with the Shadowed Dancer for more than a moment, because inevitably for all the times that they are frustrated or annoyed by the Shadowed Dancer's antics, something awesome will happen that even the gods appreciate. Be it a truly epic backing track of faint chanting making said gods latest pronouncement sound even more impressive than usual, or more commonly seeing somebody they dislike having to deal with the Shadowed Dancer's antics.

Accepted.

Edit: The map has been updated.

 

[GrailKnight]

This seems like a lot of fun! I'll be making a god of sleep, dreams, and hallucinations.

 

[almostinsane]

This seems like a lot of fun! I'll be making a god of sleep, dreams, and hallucinations.

Reserved.

 

[FriedCFour]

God Name: Artis, The Invisible Hand
Title: God of trade, contracts, and commerce.
Gender: Male
Alignment: Lawful Good
God Appearance:

Spoiler

Personality: Artis is an extremely hands-off god. To this point he does little to nothing even in his own domain himself, having the souls of those who pledged eternal servitude to him till his gardens, curate his lawns and work in his tower. His invisible hand, however, guides the markets and economy of the world. He has few quarrels with gods, excepting the god of thieves, and some rivalry with the god of the seas, whose mastery of the ocean leaves him with many maritime tradesmen seeing Earon hearing their prayers over himself.

During the war of the gods he sought peace from the start, and when that was not possible switched sides many times depending on who was doing better and who pledged him what. When the gods began to want for peace, Artis penned the ceasefire agreement that ended the wars and established that the mortal realm would no longer see their direct participation. Since then Artis has sought to work with the gods and make deals whenever possible, but he is overall largely inactive, working largely through his underlings.

Artis has a strong love for mortals and their ambitions, though his strongest love is reserved for those who seek to pull themselves up by their sandal straps without help from the gods. He spends much of his time merely observing their comings and goings, their interactions, the ebb and flow of their economies and activity.

God’s Domain: Mara Lagos
Mara Lagos is an island of the calmest, warm waters, teeming with tropical fish and surrounded by soft, sandy beaches. The island itself is a sprawling green lawn, tilled, maintained and served by those who have traded their souls to Artis in life for gains on earth. Every game, sport, and leisure is present here in some form or another for the residents to partake in. Towards the center is a massive garden featuring expensive and exotic plants from around the globe, and around that garden sits a massive golden tower. The path to Mara Lagos is bought, whether by gold or other means. In Mara Lagos, the richest, most successful, and daring merchants and traders who made names for themselves in the mortal realm are offered a spot in Mara Lagos. With them, they bring servants they have in life to serve them in the afterlife. With spots on the tower reserved by the wealth accumulated in life, the greater the wealth the higher the floor, the more lavish the accommodations and privileges. As it houses the wealthiest of those who ever lived, a landlord who controlled an entire village may only make it to the bottom floors of the residence. From there it continues to increases by wealth earned in life, until the floor just below the penthouse suite.

Mere wealth cannot buy you a place here. This level is reserved for the self-made men, those not born into wealth but who made it nonetheless. Beggars who saved coin to erect a small stand in the same spot they used to ask for alms and from there expanded into a multi-shop front, mercenaries who began as a boy picking up a hoe and fashioning it into a spear and becoming a mercenary captain, a poor fisherman using his rowboat to ferry goods and dying as the captain of a fleet of trade ships. Only those who have traversed the road from nothing to everything can ascend to this floor.

The penthouse suite itself is the lounge of Artis. Lavish to the extreme, fully stocked shelves of the finest liquors produced by man, the greatest works of art ever produced and sold lining the walls, servants, and attendants surrounding and catering to his whims. The floor holds guest rooms and accommodations for any god who wishes to have a vacation, barring the god of thieves. From here Artis controls his empire, for even among the gods he is a man of business, directing his followers to assist other gods in need of support and help, for a price of course.

Not all of Mara Lagos is a place of luxury, however. In the bowels of the golden tower below the floors are basement levels, a twisted mirror of the splendor of the top. Here the men who were followers of Artis who egregiously broke contracts, stole, and thieved go, along with those who made deals with the god and with supreme arrogance thought they could cheat an immortal being out of their agreement. Here line desk after desk, men eternally chained and forced for all eternity to transcribe and make hand copies of contracts, trade deals, records of sale, and economic data of the mortal and immortal realms. There hell is slavery to recording the bureaucratic information of all of existence and for all of eternity.

Avatar Name: Dealos
Avatar Appearance: a stout, somewhat portly man who has a tan, with the appearance of a man in his sixties and long flowing blonde hair. He wears a golden laurel, a fine quality toga, and sandals.
Personality: Bold, pompous, and somewhat brash, Dealos could be almost described as narcissistic. He is incredibly sure of himself and self-praising of his own abilities. He always must assume a dominant posture and role in social situations, to be the one in charge. At the same time is humorous, willing to inject levity when the time requires, and mockery to his enemies and opponents.

Magic Abilities: Dealos has the ability to appear to those who seek to make bargains with him through ritual. Through this, he is capable of providing much of what people desire, however it is often in exchange for their soul to fuel the need for workers of Mara Lagos. In addition, he is capable of sensing peoples desires, motivations, possible actions and reactions. He knows what people want and what they will do to get it, and just how far they will go to get it. He is a master manipulator, knowing exactly what to say to the right persons ear to get them to do his bidding.

He is highly averse to fighting, and never would. He is not any stronger than a mortal man. He is also in possession of the golden quill, the very implement used by Artis himself to write the ceasefire agreement that ended the war of the gods. It holds the power to ensure that any contract or agreement written and signed by it is magically bound to its terms of fulfillment and consequences of its failures.

Hero: Kaan Familias
Rank/Reason: Heir to the Familias fortune
Personality: Kaan is a young man, most eligible bachelor in all Nova Yoro, and in the line of succession as heir to the family fortune. However, Kaan is far more interested in his sports league, shopping and following the latest trends of the culture and fashion of high society. He is prone to fits of melancholy and detests work, requiring prodding from the family to do so. He is still often sent on trade and negotiation missions where he does have quite the knack for dealing in transactions, but would much rather be trying on the latest clothing of the greatest tailors in Nova Yoro than working.

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Terrain Preference: People who worship Artis are often businessmen and merchants throughout the world. They are largely located in urban centers of commerce and trade, though it is not uncommon for a shrine to Artis to be found at rest stops along trade routes or on the estate of large landholder in the countryside.

City State: Nova Yoro
Capital: Via Murus
Society: Nova Yoro is a sprawling metropolis covering the vast majority of the islands that make up its dominion. It has no formal government, no standing military, and no taxes. Instead, it is all run by merchants and businesses within the city and a complex system of patrons and contracts. At the head of this system sits the Pater Familias, the original founding family of Nova Yoro who reside in the Via Murus district. This family holds a monopoly on the courts and monetary system of Nova Yoro along with some holdings and investments spread across much of the known world and is by and far the single richest family in the city, most likely the entire mortal realm.

In Nova Yoro the motto is property is sacred. Smugglers globally are tolerated, even praised in Nova Yoro. The demand of the people must be met by a supplier and any sales are seen as between the parties involved and no one else, that if a law bans a trade good or import or puts tariffs on goods that is simply a restriction on human nature and Artis invisible hand. However, thieves, pirates, and bandits are seen as the lowest of the low. In the courts of the Pater Familias, punishments exacted are always monetary. If found guilty of theft, the thief is required to repay the exact monetary cost of the stolen object multiplied by two, and cover all cost of the court as well as an additional 2% charge as profit for the family. Should this strip the charged individual of everything and there still be a remaining debt, this is translated into a contract of indentured servitude until such time as the value of labor produced fulfilled the required debt. The exception is murder, whereby depriving a man of his most infinitely valued possession, recompense is paid by servitude until death, as no amount of labor can repay a wrongly taken life.

The military of Nova Yoro is entirely private, made up of some of the highest quality mercenaries to be found. As these are each privately and independently owned bands, more than once soldiers residing in the same city have met each other on the same battlefield.

Nova Yoro has both poverty and wealth in spades, though the systems of patronage and indentured servitude tend to keep even the poor from extreme destitution and starvation. Its currency is not in gold or any precious metal but rather in simple iron and copper, minted and stamped with the family crest of the Pater Familias, a rattlesnake coiled around an outstretched hand. Its value is not present in its metal but rather in the guarantee of the family and its use and can be found used in many parts of the world though it is by no means universal.

Other: Artis relationship to his followers is a unique one. He demands no worship, no prayer, no sacrifice to himself, and in return does not interfere in their own matters. Artis believes mortals should not be chained like a slave to a god, hoping that the god may seek to step down and solve their problems for them. He believes firmly a mortal is at their best on their own, fixing their own problems and seeking to be self-reliant. Even Artis own Avatar has his own whims, ambitions, personality and free will not bound to Artis own. He is more a business partner than an extension of Artis will.

What Artis instead grants to followers is his philosophy of free will, determination, hard work and individualism. Mortals are left free to choose to believe in it or to reject, he makes no effort to guide or to force people to follow in his path, merely presents them the option and allows them to take it should they believe it so. He asks for no priests, no temples. The markets are his temple and his priests the merchants who make them. Artis promise is freedom in life and, if earned, luxury in the afterlife. He has unyielding admiration and love of mortals and their nature as independent beings, as he was simply created with his massive power and did nothing to earn it, whereas they strive and work for their own power.

To be edited.