Fantasy Dreamers, Drugs, & Dragons

[official clown business]

(BEFORE YOU READ: This interest check won't lead to a roleplay just yet! The short version of what's happening here is that you simply look over the races, the lore that's been revealed, and the system, give them some thought, and then decide on which of the three stories you'd be interested in seeing the most. I included a fourth in case that one was also interesting, but don't get excited for that one today.)

Welcome, fellow roleplayers, mediocre novelists, and other people of imaginative minds! This is my first (delayed) forage into group roleplay on RPNation, and I intend to start off with a plot of the high fantasy variety!

The (currently unnamed) world I've created for this roleplay will feature a good variety of races, a respectable amount of detail, and a system (w/dice) I've just created and am interested to try out during the campaign. It'll most certainly be casual/detailed in nature.

Keep in mind that no actual roleplaying will happen yet, even if people are interested and want to get into the story right now, and that's partly because of my constrained schedule for this week and the next. For now, all I need you to do is look at everything and decide which of the stories below is going to be the one that's most piqued your interest - you can rate your interest in each on a scale of 10, put them in order, or say you like 'em all equally with the exception of a slightly more equal one, whatever suits you best. You can also say you're interested in general, but keep in mind things can change for yourself as well as me over the next couple weeks.

Without any further delay, though - it's time to see just exactly what you're getting into.

Chronicles​

Which of these stories do you find most compelling?The stories I have created here are of a moderately linear nature in which all roleplayers are on the same side (so basically a party) and generally don't stray too far from the brunt of the adventure. There are three available campaigns as well as three types of campaigns shown here, which is part of the format I'll probably be using for future interest checks such as this.

Oh, and if you were wondering, yes - each of these stories has at least a passing reference to dreamers, drugs, and even dragons.

I want to explore the world

Freedom Flight​

The only time kingdoms are of concern in this world - and the first time the wings make their debut.

Spoiler

The far northeastern reaches of Caetrifs are steep and mountainous; as breathtaking a location as it is hostile to the unprepared. However, once every few months, an explorer or two can be found leaving the base of the Caet, claiming the region to be home to an elusive, but potentially fascinating flying race that refers to themselves as the Aerok.

As of late, more explorers have been coming to and from the Caet, implying there has been a significant lack of hostility from whatever lurks in the region. After some deliberation, a triumvirate of Northern kingdoms has decided to send a small group of specially trained soldiers and voyagers towards the mountain with the intention of learning why this race is so unwilling to go any farther than the distant hills they've known as their home for centuries.

Perhaps, after all this time, the Aerok can be convinced to rediscover their long-lost freedom.

Up to five roleplayers may join in on this journey, and there will be no other allies around unless there aren't enough characters.
There will be combat early on, but it won't be too difficult to avoid any other confrontations in the name of diplomacy. Still, your character will need to be planning for trouble.
There is only one race available in this roleplay, and that is the Human race, along with their three standard subraces - Nomad, Sprylet, and Vherid.

Zitarada Steppe​

Every so often, one is capable of dreaming up the most fascinating of excursions.

Spoiler

Zitarada, despite its desert-like appearance, is a vast expanse of civilization, home to a vibrant Kobold culture and one of the richest histories in the world, with temples, ruins, and treasures that have lasted far longer than mere centuries can describe.

Your character is part of the Dreamers, an organization of lucid voyagers, oneiromancers, and imagineers known for their affinity with the Dreamplane. Today, you and several other dreamers have decided to travel to Zitarada not only for the purpose of tourism and cultural discovery, but also to assist a fellow dreamer known as Seshilan, who wishes to utilize the power of divination in learning more about the history of his own race. Also joining you on this adventure are esteemed sorceress Corilyn and venerable dragon Fehyr'zue (living next to the Riders opens doors), the latter of whom is instrumental in making the divination of Zitarada's history a speedy process.

But no need to worry about all that. Just picture this as the nice, relaxing vacation you've always wanted to be a part of.

Up to five roleplayers get to enjoy a real vacation, and there are three people coming along for the ride.
There will be some combat throughout (divination ain't easy). If your character isn't a Kobold, they're likely to be treated a lot differently by the local populace.
All standard races and underground subraces are available - Human, Kobold, and Drakir. Pick whatever looks like the most fun to you!

I'm feeling pretty mercenary

Vhieron Reappropriations​

"We relocate goods of value to places that derive actual benefit from them. It's all in the name of charity."

Spoiler

Richard Vhieron has always had an entirely charitable interest in the contents of banks, vaults, and treasure hoards around the world, and this week has finally given him a chance to act on such interests.

As of recently, Richard has received what he believes to be a very lucrative proposition, for those few in his organization who share his daring nature. Yesterday, it was discovered by the client that a hoard of draconic origin would be left vulnerable for quite some time, as the two residents have left their cavernous home in the care of their lesser residents - so, effectively, a glorified treasure heist not unlike that of the few royal treasuries liberated during the lifetime of the organization.

Richard is looking for individuals who speak the language of heisting, where duplicity, craftiness, and discretion are of similarly utmost importance to said individual's desire for a heavy payout and an exhilarating night in the underground.

And he urges you, pretty please, to not fuck this job up, if this career of yours is to last.

Up to five roleplayers will have a chance to make some cash, but there is little in the way of extra hands during the heist itself.
Combat can be avoided entirely if you don't fuck this heist up, so consider that when creating a character here.
All standard races and underground subraces are available - Human, Kobold, and Drakir. Pick the one that's most likely to get paid.

I want to feel like a badass (not yet though)

Aerokot Aces​

A legendary squad of defenders expands their zone of influence across the continent.

Spoiler

In the years since the reintroduction of the Aerokot to the rest of the world, one group of individuals in particular has stood out in their impact on history, and it is more than likely that another decade's pass will immortalize such individuals as not only defenders of their race, but true bastions of the world, its inhabitants, and the concept of freedom each one cherishes.

Known as the Aerokot Aces, this flying squad is comprised of five aerok and five gryphons, each one recognized for their unmatched individual skill in combat as well as their incredible coordination in the skies. As of this point in their history, the Aces still retain the pride at having never lost a single member of their squad in combat, and each member is able to retire with the knowledge that they were able to help change the course of history despite their short, forty-year lives.

This is a roleplay featuring heavy combat, and it will have no more or less than four players who will each be playing two characters: an aerok and a gryphon.
However, this campaign will not be available until the aerokot are convinced that they can freely roam the world again without fear. Don't worry, though - there will be plenty of opportunities for this to happen.

Races​

The individuals who each take part in this story are comprised of many colors.

Spoiler: The Races

Human​

An easily recognized, but highly adaptable race known for their civilizations.In a world such as this, humanity will certainly not be found in any small quantity, with their settlements, kingdoms, and organizations spanning the vast majority of the regions in the continent. While human nature is well known to the readers and requires no explanation, humans have an unusual affinity to adaptation not seen in other races.
Humans must pick one of up to four available 'subraces' to have as part of their character, gaining unique abilities as a result of their birthplace.

Nomad

Nomads start with additional points to spend at character creation.
The most common race of humans, nomads are often found within the safety of their own civilizations, and are abundant in the southern regions where magic and harsh conditions are far less prevalent than further north. Nomads make up for their lack of racial abilities with the pride they have in their stuff.
Sprylet

Whenever an ally casts a spell for the first time in a campaign, Sprylet may roll to cast it as well, and will learn it if they roll high enough.
One of the two human races that can be found up north, sprylet are generally born to magically experienced parents or places that are rife with magic. It's easy to tell a sprylet from another human by their often vibrant eye colors and their affinity towards learning spells and magical feats of all kinds.
Vherid

Vherid are immune to most negative status effects and afflictions of a physical nature.
A highly rugged northern race, vherid are only born in places where environmental adversity is known to thrive. Their rough and resilient skin allows them to be quite resistant to sicknesses, magical afflictions, and the kind of harsh weather that would make a normal person reluctant to proceed any further.
Ilfern

Ilfern start combat with maximum stamina, and may still meditate after the first round.
Humans that begin their life below the surface of the world are ilfern, who are well suited to the dark and eerie environments below. Aside from the decidedly inhuman stamina they possess, ilfern have often been noted to have eyes which glow dimly, especially in total darkness.

Kobold​

Adventurous, ever curious, and bold - traits that speak true to their name.

Kobolds use two dice when rolling, and inflict far greater damage with unarmed strikes.
Known for their rocky fur, fangs, roughly 4 foot stature, and eighty-year lifespan, the bold race belongs to the voyagers and explorers who make their home in many of the mountains and desert regions throughout the world. Kobolds are known for their unusually good (and sometimes unusually bad) luck as well as their abilities in close combat, both of which are certainly quite fitting for a life in the wide world.
Nochse

Nochse use two dice when rolling, and are greatly resistant to attacks that deal high damage.
Kobolds born under the world are known to go through an unusual change that results in them being tougher and far more difficult to physically buckle. With fur as tough as metal or obsidian, nochse (who are generally still referred to as kobolds) have natural armor that appears to be far stronger than the kind made conventionally.

Drakir​

Taller, wiser, and longer lived - much to the chagrin of the other races.

Drakir start with additional condition, and regenerate it at a gradual rate.
This uncommon race of dragon-or-lizard-like individuals can be found almost anywhere they want to be found. Towering over the other races with a height of between 8 and 10 feet, drakir can appear quite imposing when first met, but most are virtuous and intelligent fellows who are just as comfortable with a sedate lifestyle as they are with a thrilling one. With a lifespan of around two-hundred years, the average drakir will have quite a bit to say about the world around them when you come across one.
Anfirn

Anfirn start with additional stamina, and regenerate it at a faster rate.
Like the other two races, drakir are known to adapt in an interesting fashion when born below the surface. If the second pair of horns jutting from their forehead doesn't convince a person of the anfirn's presence, they'll still take note of their inordinate fitness and ability to endure tasks that would tire out an ordinary person quickly.

Aerok​

An elusive race of winged creatures from the farthest northern reaches.

Aerokot possess the abilities of evasion, fast movement, and flight.
The rarest of the four races in the world, little is known about the aerokot. The rare few that have had the fortune to become acquainted with this race know of their short, forty-year lives, their sharp talons, and the extra pair of feathered limbs that can keep them airborne at all times. Despite these features, they seem to be a mostly peaceful race that prefers to live out their lives far from the rest of the known world.

Aerokot are not available for use in most of the campaigns I have planned, but they could show up soon. Who knows?

The System​

An almost complete system that I'll probably be testing before actually using it.

Spoiler: The System

• Keeping track of the myriad stats in some of those other systems probably takes time... a lot of time. I'm pretty sure I've managed to simplify things here.
• The D20 is used to determine success and failure. There are no modifiers (aside from accuracy), and critical successes and critical failures do in fact exist here.
• Character creation is like a very simple
  
  point-spend for equipment and skills, kind of like Call of Duty. You'll select one of the available races, pick up to two of the classes, and then spend the points you've started with to acquire skills, abilities, and equipment. There's not necessarily a restriction on what the skills and equipment are called, and it's even recommended to rename and redescribe some things to make them better stand out from the shop's generica.

• The average character has a base condition of
  
  8, and drakir have
  
  10.
• When your condition is at 0, you will have to roll for your life whenever you are hit by an attack. You only have a 5% chance of dying the first time, but this chance increases with every point of damage you take - up to 20% - until you are killed. When you die, you are out of the roleplay for good.
• You can mend bones and flesh with medicine and magic, but without blood it'll be difficult to recover in and out of combat. Time or blood magic are the only surefire methods of restoring health.
• Before condition can be depleted, your opponent will have to go through your
  
  armor first. Your character will most likely have some kind of
  
  
  
  armor that'll prevent lasting wounds from occurring.

• The average character has a base stamina of
  
  12, and anfirn have
  
  15.
• You start combat with half of your stamina rounded down, and it will restore at a slow rate. Meditating during the first round will restore it to full if you don't do anything else that round.
• Stamina is used for the many spells and abilities your character will have, and can also be used to interrupt an incoming attack or ability. You only have one action per round, but may interrupt as much as you like as long as you have the stamina to do so.
• 
  
  Accuracy &
  
  
  Evasion are the primary modifiers in combat. The untrained character has a base of 70% accuracy, 0% evasion (aerokot have 10% evasion), but your character's no rookie and should be higher in each with the help of skills, armor, and magical items.

Once you've finished reading all this, it's just a matter of replying to this post with the campaign(s) you would most like to see me work on and eventually flesh out into a full adventure.

Also, if you have any kind of questions about the lore or the systems or pretty much anything on here, don't hesitate in asking! Just think about all the lore I could create right now if you do so!

Thanks for taking the time to look at this interest check and give me your good thoughts on what you've seen!

"BUT JAKELAD WHAT ABOUT THE DRUGS???" (in progress)
icons from the game World's End, created by Mezzanine Stairs
inspired by D&D, URealms, World's End, and much more

 

[official clown business]

While I continue to write out stuff for this roleplay, I think I'll occasionally bring this bad boy up with some random tidbits that may or may not be lore.
At later points, I may show the two greater races already known to you here, as well as sheets of the characters known to be present in all these campaigns.
it's literally just a glorified version of a thread bump lol. here have some music or something while you read

• 
  The (unnamed for now) triumvirate mentioned in Freedom Flight includes the three fiefdoms of Urbiana, Kriskaem, and Arkus Vihil. Urbiana is well regarded as a standard crossroads fief, Kriskaem is famous for its magic and fashion, and Arkus Vihil focuses on its military prowess slightly more than the others do.
• 
  The Riders (or Keepers, etc. but Rider is the most commonly used because, y'know) are a small organization of skilled fighters, dragons, and gryphons who have joined in a permanent accord of coexistence in order to coordinate with each other in the various errands, assignments, and personal missions undertaken throughout the world - or maybe they just enjoy circling the continent month after month, because why not? They are essentially the next-door neighbors to the Dreamers, and both groups make their home in the rarely-traveled region of Chorral.
• 
  Stealing from this particular draconic vault is like robbing a glorified museum - perhaps because it almost is one. This particular location happens to provide a connection between the surface and the deep underground, making it a highly visited destination. The residents, instead of leaving to find a more secluded home, decided instead to put some of their wealth to use. And that, in a nutshell, is how over forty homeless ilfern and nochse had their lives transformed into prosperous ones, and a dragon's lair turned into a refined art exhibit.

• 
  Last names only exist among the human race, and even then it's completely optional, which means 50% less effort needed for thinking of cool character names.
• 
  ‎Underground races are those who have been born deep beneath the surface of the continent, gaining traits in a manner similar to the adaptability of humans, but in a more pronounced manner.
• 
  Kobolds are able to eat and digest rocks and gems, which is potentially interesting in several ways. This fact comes from the same place this kobold race comes from.
• 
  Most menders and some elementalists know how to set bones or repair internal injuries, but the only way to fully recover from wounds during combat is through the use of blood magic, and blood generally only comes from people. Because of this, drakir are the most common race among blood mages, due to the advantages their regeneration grants them.
• 
  Draklung, also known as 'dragon's lung', is a magical and physical stimulant from the far Northwest, named simply for the effects it carries. With many different varieties and flavors developed around the world, people aren't lying when they say you'll feel like a dragon - because your lungs are sure as hell giving off that feeling right now.
• 
  Kriskaem, the magic fashion capital of the North, is ruled over by a baron named Voslo Shaistyr. It is well known for its skillfully-inscribed jewelry, clothing, and artisanal-grade drugs, and is a must-see destination if you ever decide to go on holiday within the region.

Hmm, I wonder which of these three campaigns would be the most interesting for people to roleplay in?

 

[official clown business]

how to bump a post in style, by Jakelad

In many of the stories I will create in this world, your characters may possess opinions on kingdoms, crowns, and politics, if you so wish - but none are ever required to hold any kind of respect, fear, or any other kind of emotion towards such subjects. These campaigns are far less invested on plots of royalty or world preservation, and have a much greater focus on the various independent organizations and groups of voyagers. Regardless of whether or not they have a desire to carve their own path through history or live out their free lives as normal, there will be a story told.

Of all the races in the world that share the desire for eternal freedom, none embody the aspect as well as the common great creatures of the world: the dragons and gryphons.

Dragon​

Their appetite for worldly knowledge and the arcane arts is almost insatiable.With a height that can surpass a man over threefold and a life expectancy that stretches just over a millennium, it is no surprise the ancient and majestic appearance of a dragon is often regarded with as much reverence as they are in the stories often read at a young age. In addition to these traits, dragons also possess a proportional amount of strength and a natural penchant for the art of spellcasting, casting all non-physical abilities from their mouth.
Those who are well aware of the nature of dragons understand their common desire to avoid any direct influence in the affairs of the smaller races, despite the wealth of lore and history they've amassed over centuries.

Interestingly, each dragon is born with a single, unique mark placed around one of their eyes. While this fact seems to bear no significance to those who make their home in Chorral, it is said that each marking is an incredibly important aspect among the many dragons that live in the far northwestern lands, though the place is regarded as hostile and as such has been not been ventured into by even the foolhardiest of outsiders yet.

Gryphon​

Only the swiftest of beings can hope to match the pace set by these creatures.Known for their impressive plumage, nimble movements, and sometimes even full mastery over the wind itself, gryphons are a split-second sight to behold as they part the clouds with their pristine wingspan. Each one appears as a bird of prey frontwise and a predatory felid towards the rear, and most are capable of standing over twice as tall as an average person, though they won't live to be much older than one.

The sky is the preferred domain for any gryphon, providing a natural open environment where they can hunt, sleep, and race across the vast world - all with unfathomable ease. If one ever does decide to settle on the surface, however, their mobility and curiosity still provide ample opportunities to sate the unbounded freedom they possess.
Gryphons tend to be nomadic in nature, but those that prefer familiar sights often make their home in the undisturbed mountainous region of Caetrifs. Some of these creatures also live a peaceful life among the dragons and riders who reside in Chorral.

I don't want to raise any expectations as to my actual writing during a roleplay, but I liked the fancy words too much this morning.

 

[Archdemon]

Yo this is kinda dope! I'd be interested in this!

Kinda like to be a Kobold since why not.

Anyways my vote goes for the heist one cause why not.