A_Prince_of_Earthsea
A brilliant and expansive expression of light
Set in a decadent fantasy world, where isolated fantasy kingdoms fight petty battles over land and wealth. Lords would use sorcery and steel to dominate their people. That was until they learned to use the now forbidden arts of necromancy. It started with simply speaking to the dead for guidance. Then to animating the shambling corpses to perform labour and war. Skeletons powered by dark sorcery. More and more the necromancers crafted their unholy spells at the whims of their lords. These abominations we're inferior to humans in power, but require nothing to sustain them. Then, on one fateful day, a sorcerer attempted to create an undead more powerful than man. Through a blood pact with the Demon God Dumakh, they had given away their soul to learn the power to raise humans back into their bodies: permanently. This ritual returned their flesh and soul to fullness and bound them together. They soon realized that this dark power had a terrible price. It took from the life force of the sorcerer. A single human could not cast the ritual, or die. It took many of them. Their life force would not fully return to them after the ritual for years, making the ritual impossible to perform again by the same sorcerer. And the necromantic fiend they created was something none had seen before: A Vampire. The rebirth of a vampire is a process that takes away the humanity and replaced it with a powerful blood curse. Fledgling vampires resemble children and grow as they age until they are adults. The Necromancers believed they could command the firstborn. But when it reached it's adulthood, their powers were no match. Using it's immortal constitution, it raised vampire progeny, and the first Vampire War began. The world was shaken forever, and the devastation left behind by that war is dotted across the land with the ruins of many kingdoms. From this time necromancy, blood sacrifice, and other dark spellcasting was banned, becoming forbidden magic.
There are few vampires left, most living together in Covenants, which break down into clans. The most notable being The Black Covenant; which have been surviving within their mighty fortress Castle Black for hundreds of years. There the clans, nobles, and alliances make moves for power and prestige. There is where you find yourself. Removed from human society, only venturing out to find fresh blood. For it is only by human blood you are sustained. The enchanted Blood Fountains allowed those within Castle Black to live without need of hunting. But the blood from the fountains has become a dark inky fluid that does not sustain. The Emperor of the Castle has died a mysterious and sudden death. The Covenant mystics have seen ill-portents. Now the political games of the elders have become life and death as they vie for higher positions of power, many aiming for the now vacant seat of the emperor.
You find yourself among a gaggle of misfits within the castle, meeting in well-hidden places to discuss your concerns. Unknown to you or your friends, you are soon to be wrapped up in an event that will determine the fate of the world. A place where human nobles play their political games, complacent and greedy in their fine halls, unheeding the mysterious things that lurk on the edges of good and decent society.
::Things to remember::
It is currently 750 of the Golden Age in the standard calendar. Most vampires use the same calendar as the humans. Before the Golden Age is the Dark Age, which extends into the unnumbered past from 0 in the Golden Age.
You are a vampire. A vampire is created from a ritual known only to clan lords. The only way to become a clan lord is to pass the trial of the self. Then, you create your first fledglings who are henceforth known by the clan name, The founder of a clan's name with 'im added to the end. For example, the Raugal'im, known for their wise mystics. When a clan leader dies, it is up to one of the members of the clan to pass the trial of the self and assume the position of Clan Lord.
A newly raised fledgling resembles a toddler and is taken care of by the clan. Different clans have different methods. Some have nurseries where caretakers raise the fledglings. Some of the clans collectively raise the fledglings. Others, assign an elder or fully matured vampire to raise them. No matter what, the fledglings are kept inside nearly at all times. Only during the middle of the night are they allowed out into the moonlight. And even then, not two hours before sunrise or after sunfall. A vampire is given a fledgling name until they are an adult, in which they take on a new name in a ceremony to be addressed by.
Vampires have five major weaknesses.
-Five weaknesses-
Water- Water scorches like acid, and enough of it can leave horrible scars.
Fire- Prolonged exposure to fire can kill any vampire. Older vampires have more resistance but eventually will succumb if unable to escape it.
Silver- Silver is dangerous to any undead or cursed creature. A vampire is both. Silver temporarily inhibits the regeneration of vampires.
Sunlight- Sunlight, is not lethal to any adult vampire, though it is an irritation to even the eldest vampire. This weakness is most prominent in young vampires, who burn up in the sun.
Heart- The Heart of Darkness is at the center of every vampire. the curse that binds them is contained there, and destroying a vampire's heart will destroy them. Powerful vampires can separate their heart from their body and hide it, to keep it from being destroyed, but this puts them at risk of dying if it is discovered.
To make up for these weaknesses, vampires are granted what they call "The Five Powers."
-The Five Powers-
Shaping- Changing your physical form in any way. I.E. becoming a swarm of bats, mist, a giant snake.
Psychics- The power to manipulate things with your mind.
Physics- Superhuman enhancement. Strength, speed, hearing, sight, smell, etc.
Sorcery- Magic. Primarily Necromancy.
Divine Arts- Control of Blood Curse, I.E. drawing blood from a distance, manipulating blood, creation of thralls, mind control, heart displacement, spreading the curse, channeling the Vampire God. It is a rare and difficult set of skills that is usually only used by very powerful vampire.
-Clan Hierarchy-
The Clans of Castle Black are typically structured along the same lines. Despite their rigid structure and having their own claimed territory in the labyrinthian castle, clans often freely mingle with each other in common areas shared by all. It must be known that the castle is a power unto itself and supplies more space for new clans and it has never and can never be completely explored.
Emporer- The Emporer is the absolute pinnacle of the hierarchy in the Covenant. In practice, the Emporer has many legal powers they can use that are not granted by the Clan Lords, including conscripting an Imperial Guard from any clan and rallying a militia. They also take offering from every clan and can overturn any command from an individual lord. In assembly, the Emporer doesn't have ultimate say, but with their vote being worth one-fourth of the entire vote in any assembly, in practice, it takes an overwhelming majority to overturn their vote. Whenever an Emporer dies, however that may be, a new Emporer is decided by contest among eligible Clan Lords. The type of contest is determined by vote, in the assembly of lords. An Emporer can be challenged for their seat, in that case they determine the nature of the contest. It is very rare for an Emporer to be challenged for their position.
Clan Lord- A Clan Lord is answerable only to the Emporer and the Assembly of Lords. They are considered the paternal/maternal leader of their clan, and hold a position both political and spiritual. They are grandparent and absolute leader. They have tremendous power, and spend most of their time squabbling over meaningless things, and most just accepted them as old-timers shaking their fists at each other. Until recently. The Clan Lords have begun real political games that threaten the balance, and safety, of Castle Black.
Advisor- An advisor is the right hand of a Clan Lord. They serve as their aide and confidant. Advisors are chosen from the most loyal and knowledgeable members of a Clan and are expected to enact the wishes of their lord. Depending on the size of the clan, the Advisor may be the one who interacts with most of the clan in the Lord's place.
Council of Elders- Every Clan has a circle of elders, which are chosen from worthy candidates from the eldest vampires of the clan. They sit in council meetings with the Clan Lord and offer their wisdom and advice.
Treasurer- The Treasurer of a Clan is responsible for managing the supplies of a clan. As a clan is communal, they are supplied for by their treasurer and give offering to them. Blacksmiths, hunters, etc. all offer most of what they create to the Treasurer and the Treasurer gives those in need the supplies. Because of their nature handling most of the goods of a clan, the Treasurer is chosen in Council, handpicked by the Clan Lord form the most trustworthy and honest among their clan.
Quartermaster- Quartermasters serve directly under the Treasurer, and only exist in clans big enough to demand them. They aid in cataloging, sorting, accepting, and dispensing goods.
Master of Ways- The Master of Ways presides over the rituals of the clan. That means everything from the ascension of members to important positions to birthday celebrations. The thing the Master of Ways are most known for however is their presiding over the punishment of Clan members who break rules. If there is an infringement among two clans, it is discussed between the two Masters, unless it need be raised to the council of elders or even the Clan Lords themselves.
Ritualist- If a clan is big enough, they may require Ritualists to aid the Master of Ways. They are under strict tutelage from the Master of Ways and must be unerring in their craft and judgment.
Loremaster- A Loremaster is required to record the deeds of a clan as well as their general history. They keep the clan ledger, which documents every member of a clan to ever be.
Scholar- A scholar is required in larger clans to aid the Loremaster, primarily to help keep up their expansive libraries.
Commander- Military leader of the clan, the Commander's job is to make sure members of the clan are capable of fighting when necessary. They also lead any militia that is raised by the Emporer or Clan Lord.
Lieutenant- A position only present in larger clans. They lead the squads divided by the Commander of the clan.
Imperial'im- The orphans of disbanded clans. While extremely rare, they are common enough to be a formal part of the hierarchy. Imperial'im have a strange position in the hierarchy of the clan, being legally problematic. The edicts of many previous Lords and Emperors have established the Imperial'im as answerable only to the Emperor and by council among the Lords only. The law dictates that the Imperial'im are considered the children of the Emperor directly, which by technicality grants them a position equal to the Clan Lords themselves. In practice, however, they have no real power themselves that they aren't granted individually by the Emperor.
::Character Sheet::
Name:
Title(s):
Clan:
Age:
Height:
Appearance:
Bio:
Other:
:Other Info:
This Role Play is inspired by the Legacy of Kain and the Dark Crystal. Expect dark and whimsical themes, A world of magic and intrigue where the world feels old and the characters are too young to know how deep the world truly is. I will expect at least a paragraph for each response and a response at least two days after the last response. If you are interested, drop a character sheet below and I'll look over them to see if they fit.
::My Character::
Name: Malakai
Title(s): Ritualist
Clan: Raugal'im
Age: Reborn 23 years ago
Height: 6'00"
Appearance: [As Pictured]
Bio: Malakai is the youngest member of his clan, being the first sired in decades. Because of this, he has a perpetual little brother status among his clan. Even his Fledgling name, Little One, reflects this. Despite this, Malakai is very skilled in Shaping, and was chosen by the Master of Ways of his clan to serve as a Ritualist despite his youth. He was always drawn to rituals of self-sacrifice, as he is quite the masochist, and tends to be self-indulgent. That being said, he has always been a observant and patient student, and applies himself to the task of ritual very seriously. He is fond of tradition and sophistry. His talent for flair had always drawn the eyes of others. In these tense times though, sticking out has it's downsides. His clan still see him as young and unprepared to handle the harshness of life. Because of this, despite being seen as a prodigy by The Master of Ways, he is left out of a lot of the drama unfolding in The Castle. He instead had to get together with his own band of misfits to ponder the state of things together.
Other: Malakai is a deft shaper, able to change and alter his form without challenge. He can even sustain separated forms like a swarm of bats and insubstantial forms like mist that even older, more skilled vampires struggle with. On the other hand, he has no skill at sorcery, which is rare among his clan.
There are few vampires left, most living together in Covenants, which break down into clans. The most notable being The Black Covenant; which have been surviving within their mighty fortress Castle Black for hundreds of years. There the clans, nobles, and alliances make moves for power and prestige. There is where you find yourself. Removed from human society, only venturing out to find fresh blood. For it is only by human blood you are sustained. The enchanted Blood Fountains allowed those within Castle Black to live without need of hunting. But the blood from the fountains has become a dark inky fluid that does not sustain. The Emperor of the Castle has died a mysterious and sudden death. The Covenant mystics have seen ill-portents. Now the political games of the elders have become life and death as they vie for higher positions of power, many aiming for the now vacant seat of the emperor.
You find yourself among a gaggle of misfits within the castle, meeting in well-hidden places to discuss your concerns. Unknown to you or your friends, you are soon to be wrapped up in an event that will determine the fate of the world. A place where human nobles play their political games, complacent and greedy in their fine halls, unheeding the mysterious things that lurk on the edges of good and decent society.
::Things to remember::
It is currently 750 of the Golden Age in the standard calendar. Most vampires use the same calendar as the humans. Before the Golden Age is the Dark Age, which extends into the unnumbered past from 0 in the Golden Age.
You are a vampire. A vampire is created from a ritual known only to clan lords. The only way to become a clan lord is to pass the trial of the self. Then, you create your first fledglings who are henceforth known by the clan name, The founder of a clan's name with 'im added to the end. For example, the Raugal'im, known for their wise mystics. When a clan leader dies, it is up to one of the members of the clan to pass the trial of the self and assume the position of Clan Lord.
A newly raised fledgling resembles a toddler and is taken care of by the clan. Different clans have different methods. Some have nurseries where caretakers raise the fledglings. Some of the clans collectively raise the fledglings. Others, assign an elder or fully matured vampire to raise them. No matter what, the fledglings are kept inside nearly at all times. Only during the middle of the night are they allowed out into the moonlight. And even then, not two hours before sunrise or after sunfall. A vampire is given a fledgling name until they are an adult, in which they take on a new name in a ceremony to be addressed by.
Vampires have five major weaknesses.
-Five weaknesses-
Water- Water scorches like acid, and enough of it can leave horrible scars.
Fire- Prolonged exposure to fire can kill any vampire. Older vampires have more resistance but eventually will succumb if unable to escape it.
Silver- Silver is dangerous to any undead or cursed creature. A vampire is both. Silver temporarily inhibits the regeneration of vampires.
Sunlight- Sunlight, is not lethal to any adult vampire, though it is an irritation to even the eldest vampire. This weakness is most prominent in young vampires, who burn up in the sun.
Heart- The Heart of Darkness is at the center of every vampire. the curse that binds them is contained there, and destroying a vampire's heart will destroy them. Powerful vampires can separate their heart from their body and hide it, to keep it from being destroyed, but this puts them at risk of dying if it is discovered.
To make up for these weaknesses, vampires are granted what they call "The Five Powers."
-The Five Powers-
Shaping- Changing your physical form in any way. I.E. becoming a swarm of bats, mist, a giant snake.
Psychics- The power to manipulate things with your mind.
Physics- Superhuman enhancement. Strength, speed, hearing, sight, smell, etc.
Sorcery- Magic. Primarily Necromancy.
Divine Arts- Control of Blood Curse, I.E. drawing blood from a distance, manipulating blood, creation of thralls, mind control, heart displacement, spreading the curse, channeling the Vampire God. It is a rare and difficult set of skills that is usually only used by very powerful vampire.
-Clan Hierarchy-
The Clans of Castle Black are typically structured along the same lines. Despite their rigid structure and having their own claimed territory in the labyrinthian castle, clans often freely mingle with each other in common areas shared by all. It must be known that the castle is a power unto itself and supplies more space for new clans and it has never and can never be completely explored.
Emporer- The Emporer is the absolute pinnacle of the hierarchy in the Covenant. In practice, the Emporer has many legal powers they can use that are not granted by the Clan Lords, including conscripting an Imperial Guard from any clan and rallying a militia. They also take offering from every clan and can overturn any command from an individual lord. In assembly, the Emporer doesn't have ultimate say, but with their vote being worth one-fourth of the entire vote in any assembly, in practice, it takes an overwhelming majority to overturn their vote. Whenever an Emporer dies, however that may be, a new Emporer is decided by contest among eligible Clan Lords. The type of contest is determined by vote, in the assembly of lords. An Emporer can be challenged for their seat, in that case they determine the nature of the contest. It is very rare for an Emporer to be challenged for their position.
Clan Lord- A Clan Lord is answerable only to the Emporer and the Assembly of Lords. They are considered the paternal/maternal leader of their clan, and hold a position both political and spiritual. They are grandparent and absolute leader. They have tremendous power, and spend most of their time squabbling over meaningless things, and most just accepted them as old-timers shaking their fists at each other. Until recently. The Clan Lords have begun real political games that threaten the balance, and safety, of Castle Black.
Advisor- An advisor is the right hand of a Clan Lord. They serve as their aide and confidant. Advisors are chosen from the most loyal and knowledgeable members of a Clan and are expected to enact the wishes of their lord. Depending on the size of the clan, the Advisor may be the one who interacts with most of the clan in the Lord's place.
Council of Elders- Every Clan has a circle of elders, which are chosen from worthy candidates from the eldest vampires of the clan. They sit in council meetings with the Clan Lord and offer their wisdom and advice.
Treasurer- The Treasurer of a Clan is responsible for managing the supplies of a clan. As a clan is communal, they are supplied for by their treasurer and give offering to them. Blacksmiths, hunters, etc. all offer most of what they create to the Treasurer and the Treasurer gives those in need the supplies. Because of their nature handling most of the goods of a clan, the Treasurer is chosen in Council, handpicked by the Clan Lord form the most trustworthy and honest among their clan.
Quartermaster- Quartermasters serve directly under the Treasurer, and only exist in clans big enough to demand them. They aid in cataloging, sorting, accepting, and dispensing goods.
Master of Ways- The Master of Ways presides over the rituals of the clan. That means everything from the ascension of members to important positions to birthday celebrations. The thing the Master of Ways are most known for however is their presiding over the punishment of Clan members who break rules. If there is an infringement among two clans, it is discussed between the two Masters, unless it need be raised to the council of elders or even the Clan Lords themselves.
Ritualist- If a clan is big enough, they may require Ritualists to aid the Master of Ways. They are under strict tutelage from the Master of Ways and must be unerring in their craft and judgment.
Loremaster- A Loremaster is required to record the deeds of a clan as well as their general history. They keep the clan ledger, which documents every member of a clan to ever be.
Scholar- A scholar is required in larger clans to aid the Loremaster, primarily to help keep up their expansive libraries.
Commander- Military leader of the clan, the Commander's job is to make sure members of the clan are capable of fighting when necessary. They also lead any militia that is raised by the Emporer or Clan Lord.
Lieutenant- A position only present in larger clans. They lead the squads divided by the Commander of the clan.
Imperial'im- The orphans of disbanded clans. While extremely rare, they are common enough to be a formal part of the hierarchy. Imperial'im have a strange position in the hierarchy of the clan, being legally problematic. The edicts of many previous Lords and Emperors have established the Imperial'im as answerable only to the Emperor and by council among the Lords only. The law dictates that the Imperial'im are considered the children of the Emperor directly, which by technicality grants them a position equal to the Clan Lords themselves. In practice, however, they have no real power themselves that they aren't granted individually by the Emperor.
::Character Sheet::
Name:
Title(s):
Clan:
Age:
Height:
Appearance:
Bio:
Other:
:Other Info:
This Role Play is inspired by the Legacy of Kain and the Dark Crystal. Expect dark and whimsical themes, A world of magic and intrigue where the world feels old and the characters are too young to know how deep the world truly is. I will expect at least a paragraph for each response and a response at least two days after the last response. If you are interested, drop a character sheet below and I'll look over them to see if they fit.
::My Character::
Name: Malakai
Title(s): Ritualist
Clan: Raugal'im
Age: Reborn 23 years ago
Height: 6'00"
Appearance: [As Pictured]
Bio: Malakai is the youngest member of his clan, being the first sired in decades. Because of this, he has a perpetual little brother status among his clan. Even his Fledgling name, Little One, reflects this. Despite this, Malakai is very skilled in Shaping, and was chosen by the Master of Ways of his clan to serve as a Ritualist despite his youth. He was always drawn to rituals of self-sacrifice, as he is quite the masochist, and tends to be self-indulgent. That being said, he has always been a observant and patient student, and applies himself to the task of ritual very seriously. He is fond of tradition and sophistry. His talent for flair had always drawn the eyes of others. In these tense times though, sticking out has it's downsides. His clan still see him as young and unprepared to handle the harshness of life. Because of this, despite being seen as a prodigy by The Master of Ways, he is left out of a lot of the drama unfolding in The Castle. He instead had to get together with his own band of misfits to ponder the state of things together.
Other: Malakai is a deft shaper, able to change and alter his form without challenge. He can even sustain separated forms like a swarm of bats and insubstantial forms like mist that even older, more skilled vampires struggle with. On the other hand, he has no skill at sorcery, which is rare among his clan.
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