Lyro
Errant Chronicler
Ascent into MadnessInterest Check
I have scaled the Stepless Stairs.
I have crossed the Crimson Crevasse.
I have fought the Fiercest Fiends.
I have seen the Surface.
It wasn't worth it.
The world, a nameless planet orbiting a most singular star. No light reaches the surface of the world - none that its inhabitants could ever see, at least - but something does. Another world might label it as particle radiation, but the world's inhabitants just call it magic.
Nothing stops magic completely. Rock and metal are little more than coarse sieves to it. Only in the Deepest Depths does it become undetectable. Only there is one safe from its corruption. For magic's poison is an insidious one, a constant temptation for any creature, where one's sanity is the price of use.
Of course, for many of the world's underground dwellers, this is a perfectly acceptable trade-off. While few dare venture out to the Upper Levels, millions of people happily choose to live in the Middle Levels, in a delicate balance of method and madness - a stark contrast to the Depths. The Lower Levels are mostly free of magic's influence, which has allowed them to emerge as the dominant political and technological nations of the world.
Occasionally, however, even the mightiest of the world's nations have need of the Upper Levels. Perhaps they are fighting a losing war, and wish to tilt the balance in their favor by casting a stronger spell from above, where the magic is stronger. Perhaps they seek a long-lost artifact, trapped in one of the abandoned warrens above their heads. And when this happens, the great and the small all rely on the uptrekkers.
This is where you come in.
Premise
You play as an uptrekker, a specialized member of the prestigious Guild of Adventurers, Inc., an ancient and internationally-recognized association (though some of its critics would argue it is little more than a thinly-disguised band of mercenaries). Uptrekkers are trained for vertical transit - moving from one Level to another, a difficult and dangerous process for the uninitiated, much like diving and returning to the surface too quickly can be harmful.
As our story begins, you are one of the few uptrekkers brave (or foolish) enough to have accepted a job posting to the surface. As far as you know, this is unprecedented; nobody ever travels surface-side, for any reason. Some don't even believe there actually is a surface. And yet, just over a month ago, a new offer appeared on the guild bulletin board, promising an incommensurate reward for a successful (and highly confidential) mission to the surface. Exactly who published this offer is still a matter of some debate, but rumor has it one of the dwarven nations' secret services are behind it.
What drove you to do this? Lust for gold? A burning curiosity? A complete disregard for your own safety? Either way, five days ago you received a letter of congratulations curtly inviting you to an audience on the Fourth Level. It would not be wise to make the dwarves wait.
Setting
Level 1 is completely inhospitable to any form of organic life, due to the incredible pressures and temperatures at these depths, while Level 2 is uninhabitable but can be visited with adequate equipment.
Levels 3 to 5 are the Depths, home mostly to dwarves and other magic-averse races. These are also by far the most scientifically advanced societies, as the absence of magic has forced them to find alternative sources of power. These levels have efficient means of travel between each other, in the form of rocket-assisted elevators, high-speed trains and more. A few of these will even extend into the levels above.
From this point on, things get stranger. Levels 6 to 9 are home to a much greater diversity of races, most of which have adapted to thrive in a magic-rich environment. Simple spells are widespread and constantly on display on each Level, while Levels 8 and 9 often feature more complex and elaborate enchantments. Unfortunately, the price paid by the people living on these Levels is a much greater general sense of instability: wars are common and highly destructive, advanced magic-users tend be more fickle or whimsical and the world itself sometimes suddenly changes dramatically. In spite of these risks, these are the most densely-populated Levels.
Finally, the Upper Levels are essentially wild territory. While a few fledgling nations claim dominion over Levels 10 and 11, these rarely last for very long. This is not to say these Levels are deserted. Many magic-users exile themselves voluntarily to these areas to further practice their craft, never to return. Strange beasts lurk in the shadows. Some even swear having come across entire tribes of sentient beings, driven almost completely insane by mana-lust.
Nobody knows what lies on the Surface. The only one to ever claim having reached it (and lived long enough to return) is the anonymous writer of Sunburnt, a widely-dismissed account of an uptrekker's journey to the Surface. Curiously, it lacks any description of the Surface itself, which its detractors consider proof of its fraudulent nature. Despite this, it remains a popular book among young people, and has remained in print for centuries.
Character
You can play as any classic fantasy race (elves, humans, gnomes, etc.) of your choosing, except for dwarves, which are unable to leave the Depths (and would thus make terrible uptrekkers). If you wish, you can also play as a custom race, though it should bear some similarity to the other races (e.g. you cannot play an incorporeal creature, or a mechanical being) and should be consistent with the world's lore (e.g. it cannot be immune to magic's effects, though it can have developed a resistance; humans are among the most resistant of the races, for example, though as a result they often make for poor magic-users). If your character comes from the upper Middle Levels, they are likely to be more unstable (for example, they might have a very whimsical approach to even serious matters); this is not a hard-and-fast rule, however.
As an uptrekker, it is unlikely you would have ever gone higher than the Tenth Level, as the nations of the world rarely have business beyond. Many uptrekkers are content to remain as couriers their whole lives, ferrying information and goods between the Depths and the Middle Levels. A few train to be magic-users, and are thus often employed in wars, fighting a secondary war in the Levels above with the enemy's own magic-users. Who you are is up to you, the only stipulation being that your character must have experience (at least 3 years of experience, for example) and must come from a Level between 3 and 9.
All licensed uptrekkers receive some amount of training. How much and what kind depends on their country of origin and their personal preferences. It is up to you to decide your character's abilities, as a result; no god-modding, obviously.
OOC Information
While I would occasionally play the role of GM (to further the overall plot, for example, and to ensure we don't stall), this would be a mostly collaborative RP. You should feel free to take the control of some NPCs (so long as somebody else isn't already controlling the same person) and to introduce new scenarios. Perhaps our adventurers have just stumbled into an icy cave, when suddenly your character spots a suspicious-looking shack in the distance. Or perhaps they have a secret agenda they're hiding from the rest of the group, one which will only be revealed at the appropriate moment. If you'd like to add something to the setting, or even change something, feel free to suggest it (preferably before we would start).
Here are a few additional rules you should keep in mind:
That's all for now. I'm hoping to find a group of at least four people to RP with, eight being the maximum. I would play my own character in addition to serving as occasional GM. Feel free to contact me (by PM, on Discord or by posting in this thread) if you have any questions or if you're interested!
This is my first attempt at running an RP on RPNation, so I'm also open to any criticism you might have.
I have scaled the Stepless Stairs.
I have crossed the Crimson Crevasse.
I have fought the Fiercest Fiends.
I have seen the Surface.
It wasn't worth it.
Anonymous, Sunburnt (translation)
The world, a nameless planet orbiting a most singular star. No light reaches the surface of the world - none that its inhabitants could ever see, at least - but something does. Another world might label it as particle radiation, but the world's inhabitants just call it magic.
Nothing stops magic completely. Rock and metal are little more than coarse sieves to it. Only in the Deepest Depths does it become undetectable. Only there is one safe from its corruption. For magic's poison is an insidious one, a constant temptation for any creature, where one's sanity is the price of use.
Of course, for many of the world's underground dwellers, this is a perfectly acceptable trade-off. While few dare venture out to the Upper Levels, millions of people happily choose to live in the Middle Levels, in a delicate balance of method and madness - a stark contrast to the Depths. The Lower Levels are mostly free of magic's influence, which has allowed them to emerge as the dominant political and technological nations of the world.
Occasionally, however, even the mightiest of the world's nations have need of the Upper Levels. Perhaps they are fighting a losing war, and wish to tilt the balance in their favor by casting a stronger spell from above, where the magic is stronger. Perhaps they seek a long-lost artifact, trapped in one of the abandoned warrens above their heads. And when this happens, the great and the small all rely on the uptrekkers.
This is where you come in.
Premise
You play as an uptrekker, a specialized member of the prestigious Guild of Adventurers, Inc., an ancient and internationally-recognized association (though some of its critics would argue it is little more than a thinly-disguised band of mercenaries). Uptrekkers are trained for vertical transit - moving from one Level to another, a difficult and dangerous process for the uninitiated, much like diving and returning to the surface too quickly can be harmful.
As our story begins, you are one of the few uptrekkers brave (or foolish) enough to have accepted a job posting to the surface. As far as you know, this is unprecedented; nobody ever travels surface-side, for any reason. Some don't even believe there actually is a surface. And yet, just over a month ago, a new offer appeared on the guild bulletin board, promising an incommensurate reward for a successful (and highly confidential) mission to the surface. Exactly who published this offer is still a matter of some debate, but rumor has it one of the dwarven nations' secret services are behind it.
What drove you to do this? Lust for gold? A burning curiosity? A complete disregard for your own safety? Either way, five days ago you received a letter of congratulations curtly inviting you to an audience on the Fourth Level. It would not be wise to make the dwarves wait.
Setting
Levels 1-2: the Deep Depths (uninhabited)
Levels 3-5: the Depths/Lower Levels (eight nations, ~0.8 billion people)
Levels 6-9: the Middle Levels (forty-seven nations, ~4.1 billion people)
Levels 10-15: The Upper Levels (unknown)
The world consists of a telluric planet that has been gradually hollowed-out by its inhabitants over the eons, with the surface remaining completely unexplored even after all this time. The underground caverns (some of which are natural) have been divided up into fifteen Levels, in accordance with the background radiation level in each of them. Each Level consists of a series of inter-connected caverns, sometimes linked through modern mechanized vertical shafts, sometimes through ancient winding stairways.Levels 3-5: the Depths/Lower Levels (eight nations, ~0.8 billion people)
Levels 6-9: the Middle Levels (forty-seven nations, ~4.1 billion people)
Levels 10-15: The Upper Levels (unknown)
Level 1 is completely inhospitable to any form of organic life, due to the incredible pressures and temperatures at these depths, while Level 2 is uninhabitable but can be visited with adequate equipment.
Levels 3 to 5 are the Depths, home mostly to dwarves and other magic-averse races. These are also by far the most scientifically advanced societies, as the absence of magic has forced them to find alternative sources of power. These levels have efficient means of travel between each other, in the form of rocket-assisted elevators, high-speed trains and more. A few of these will even extend into the levels above.
From this point on, things get stranger. Levels 6 to 9 are home to a much greater diversity of races, most of which have adapted to thrive in a magic-rich environment. Simple spells are widespread and constantly on display on each Level, while Levels 8 and 9 often feature more complex and elaborate enchantments. Unfortunately, the price paid by the people living on these Levels is a much greater general sense of instability: wars are common and highly destructive, advanced magic-users tend be more fickle or whimsical and the world itself sometimes suddenly changes dramatically. In spite of these risks, these are the most densely-populated Levels.
Finally, the Upper Levels are essentially wild territory. While a few fledgling nations claim dominion over Levels 10 and 11, these rarely last for very long. This is not to say these Levels are deserted. Many magic-users exile themselves voluntarily to these areas to further practice their craft, never to return. Strange beasts lurk in the shadows. Some even swear having come across entire tribes of sentient beings, driven almost completely insane by mana-lust.
Nobody knows what lies on the Surface. The only one to ever claim having reached it (and lived long enough to return) is the anonymous writer of Sunburnt, a widely-dismissed account of an uptrekker's journey to the Surface. Curiously, it lacks any description of the Surface itself, which its detractors consider proof of its fraudulent nature. Despite this, it remains a popular book among young people, and has remained in print for centuries.
Character
You can play as any classic fantasy race (elves, humans, gnomes, etc.) of your choosing, except for dwarves, which are unable to leave the Depths (and would thus make terrible uptrekkers). If you wish, you can also play as a custom race, though it should bear some similarity to the other races (e.g. you cannot play an incorporeal creature, or a mechanical being) and should be consistent with the world's lore (e.g. it cannot be immune to magic's effects, though it can have developed a resistance; humans are among the most resistant of the races, for example, though as a result they often make for poor magic-users). If your character comes from the upper Middle Levels, they are likely to be more unstable (for example, they might have a very whimsical approach to even serious matters); this is not a hard-and-fast rule, however.
As an uptrekker, it is unlikely you would have ever gone higher than the Tenth Level, as the nations of the world rarely have business beyond. Many uptrekkers are content to remain as couriers their whole lives, ferrying information and goods between the Depths and the Middle Levels. A few train to be magic-users, and are thus often employed in wars, fighting a secondary war in the Levels above with the enemy's own magic-users. Who you are is up to you, the only stipulation being that your character must have experience (at least 3 years of experience, for example) and must come from a Level between 3 and 9.
All licensed uptrekkers receive some amount of training. How much and what kind depends on their country of origin and their personal preferences. It is up to you to decide your character's abilities, as a result; no god-modding, obviously.
OOC Information
| We would be using Discord for most OOC communication. If this is a problem for some, we could also create an OOC thread on the forums, or use an alternative program like Skype. Feel free to join the Discord if you want to ask some questions or socialize before applying: https://discord.gg/XVjf68E |
Here are a few additional rules you should keep in mind:
- Be active. At the very least one post per week, preferably more, with at least a paragraph (though you're encouraged to write more!). If you plan on going inactive for a while, please give the rest of the group some advance warning.
- One character per player. Of course, you can occasionally take control of an NPC, but they shouldn't become a regular party member. Your character is also allowed a pet or familiar (so long as not everyone has one - we don't need five dogs tagging along!), though they should make sense for an adventurer going into possibly dangerous terrain.
- Magic can fill in the gaps left by technology... up to a certain point. This world doesn't strictly adhere to the rules of physics, even in the Depths (after all, this is a world where billions of people manage to live underground just fine), but don't go overboard either. A handgun that can fire lightning bullets is fine; a handgun that can blow up a town in one shot is not. Anachronisms are also fine, just don't go too far into the future (relative to our time).
That's all for now. I'm hoping to find a group of at least four people to RP with, eight being the maximum. I would play my own character in addition to serving as occasional GM. Feel free to contact me (by PM, on Discord or by posting in this thread) if you have any questions or if you're interested!
This is my first attempt at running an RP on RPNation, so I'm also open to any criticism you might have.
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