SkyGinge
Sad Shroom
The year is 454 RC. On the continent of Reverus, five nations co-exist in a state of fragile peace, sustained by a complex web of treaties, trade agreements and political ties.
In the south, the land of Ditania is still rebuilding from a bitter civil war when inner turmoil once again bubbles to the surface. As the home of the Draconic Oak and site of one of the last battles against the Fell Dragon Khaima, Mount Etalus has long been admired with envious eyes by the other nations; whoever possesses the Draconic Oak possesses the flow and distribution of all magic tomes and staffs, making it not only a site of immense political value, but also of great religious, scientific and historical significance.
Now Etalus faces a violent insurrection, a shadowy faction of mercenaries arriving on its shores and taking control of the lower valley. Seizing the opportunity for political gain, the other nations hurry to pledge support, support the embattled Lord Claudio is in no position to refuse. As Claudio himself marches down to meet the rebel army in the valley below, his young daughter is left to play both host and chief negotiator as the arriving foreign dignitaries arrive– young nobles who, along with their trusted retainers, will attempt not only to quell this revolution but to do so in a way which ultimately furthers their own political, personal and national goals. Each arrives in Etalus with a plot of their own, and all plots revolve around the Draconic Oak. When it comes to such a precious resource, the young heir to Etalus is about to discover there is no such thing as unconditional kindness…
A tightening web of political schemes, of veiled intentions and secretive plots. A chain of events which threatens to disturb the fragile peace and plunge the continent back into bitter warfare. And a series of shocking revelations which challenge the known history of the continent. The Insurrection of Etalus is history in the making, and it is up to these young royals to ensure they profit the most from it…
Welcome to Fire Emblem Reverence: The Insurrection of Etalus!
Introducing your GM...
In this RP, writers will take on the role of the young lords, nobles and retainers who arrive in Etalus with their own agendas, agendas which will put them into conflict with each other. The RP will focus on how these political schemes intersect and interact, with the choices each writer chooses to make through their characters having rolling consequences for the entire wider continent. Alongside these courtroom negotiations, white lies and social manipulation, there will also be freeform Player vs Enemy combat scenarios for us to enjoy, potentially even leading to some PvP duels should we wish.
Though set on an all-original continent with no direct ties to existing Fire Emblem worlds, the worldbuilding has been constructed very much in the tradition of Fire Emblem, with divine and evil dragons, grandiose battles and an exploration of the complexities of war. You will also be asked to assign your characters a traditional Fire Emblem class and traditional Fire Emblem stats, which will serve as a non-binding guide for combat scenarios.
Whilst I have established some groundwork and have certain twists in mind, this RP is intended to be player-driven as much as possible, with the connections your characters pursue and the actions they decide to take having a palpable impact on how the story plays out. The history, geography and culture of each of the five nations has been left intentionally vague and broad so that you can fill them with your own ideas, including the freedom to introduce plotlines and supporting characters.
Ultimately, I am looking for like-minded writers who are interested in telling a fascinating story with other people, who want to play flawed, multi-layered characters and who aren’t afraid to put their characters through hell should it have more narrative promise.
I do not know exactly where this story is going, but I am incredibly excited to find out with you!
- General Behaviour: Don’t break site rules, don’t get overtly sexual, don’t control other people’s characters for them. Don’t approach the RP like a game to be won, but as a story told in collaboration with others, where the most interesting outcome may not be what your character wants. And don’t be a dick in the OOC – we’re here to have fun writing, and everybody should feel free to be themselves as we do so. No hate speech will be tolerated.
~ - Post Detail: I don’t really like the usual detail labels, but I guess this fits roughly into the category of ‘adv-lit’. There won’t be a strict post-length restriction as I’m always looking for quality over quantity. No one-liners obviously, but please also don’t fluff out your posts with endless introspection just to fill space. Nobody wants to read about how the sun sinking beyond the horizon reminded your character about their dead goldfish Geoff. Overall, I expect posts to give at least one other writer a clear springboard to reply to. Sometimes this can be done in a paragraph, but other times will call for much more description.
~ - Grammar: Write in third-person, past tense. We all make typos but please make sure your post is comprehensible.
~ - Post Frequency: You are expected to post once every five days. If you do not think you can manage this, please be considerate and do not apply. I have seen far too many RPs die a rapid death because everybody pushes the boat out and takes longer to post than the GM asked.
~ - Communication: You don’t have to be mega active in the OOC, but please please please let me know if you’re going to be away for longer than a week. We’re here to have fun and we all understand that real life must take precedence sometimes. If you’re struggling in general, don’t worry, chances are I’ve been there – I’m not going to judge you and I haven’t unlocked the ability to bite your head off through a computer screen (yet!) If you fail to inform us, we will just have to move on without you.
~ - OOC: Will start on-site, but I will poll writers who are applying as to whether we should move to Discord or not. There are definitely a lot of advantages to Discord, I’m just used to RPing without it (#justsiteveteranthings)
~ - BBCode: If coding helps your creative juices flow then feel free to pretty up posts, but I want this to be a no-coding friendly space where people are more interested in writing posts than spending forever making things look nice.
- General Behaviour: Don’t break site rules, don’t get overtly sexual, don’t control other people’s characters for them. Don’t approach the RP like a game to be won, but as a story told in collaboration with others, where the most interesting outcome may not be what your character wants. And don’t be a dick in the OOC – we’re here to have fun writing, and everybody should feel free to be themselves as we do so. No hate speech will be tolerated.
History: The War of the Founders, The Draconic Nightmare and The Age of Heroes
At the dawn of history, a great adventurer called Reverus arrived on a fertile new continent, a continent which now bears his name. Aided by his superior weaponry and the brilliance of his three warrior sons, Reverus subdued the savage native tribes and performed many great and heroic deeds. As thanks for their loyalty, the now elderly Reverus awarded each of his sons dominion over part of the continent, allowing them the freedom to negotiate boundaries and choose their own territory. He did this as one final test, perhaps fearing what was soon to come.
Thus the three founding nations were formed. Sanghal the Brave, the firstborn, possessed the eastern plains – he was the mightiest of the three, ruling with an iron fist which maintained peace and stability in his lands. Jussane the Bountiful, the middle son, claimed ownership over the western hills and the diverse Aechon Archipelago, ruling his new kingdom with justice and generosity. At a glance, it appeared that the youngest son had drawn the short straw, claiming ownership over the harsh Zandrian Mountain Range and its associated lakes. Yet Ditan the Diligent had chosen wisely, knowing the land to be rich in natural resources. The three nations enjoyed peaceful relations and a robust, fair-trade deal which ensured their subjects flourished.
Some few decades after Reverus’ passing, the relationship between the three brothers suddenly turned sour. Records vary as to who cast the first stone, but soon the continent was ignited by the flames of a messy, brutal war. As the villages smouldered and corpses piled up, the severity of the violence attracted the attention of the Fell Dragon Khaima, a dark God of chaos and destruction. As nobles and commoners alike collapsed with exhaustion and sought to end the war, Khaima conspired to perpetuate it, corrupting both land and people and summoning horrific monsters to subdue the broken continent. Soon, everybody had forgotten why they were originally fighting, the first war overshadowed by the darkness of the days that followed. Fear and anarchy ruled over the continent of Reverus.
Eventually, their desperate prayers were heard by the Divine Dragon Xios, who had mercy on the suffering people and blessed a young, pure-hearted prince from each nation with unparalleled magical power. These three new heroes triumphed over Khaima in a climactic battle, sealing him away for all eternity. Then the heroes vanished, called to become Saints in the realm of the Heavenly Dragons.
In the centuries following the so-called Age of Heroes, new countries emerged, many which failed to stand the test of time. In reverence of Xios, the theocracy of Regal Nortalis was established, home to The Church of Xios, whose cleric missionaries brought life and hope across the continent. In the harsh deserts which once belonged to Sanghalo, an ambitious mercenary established The Free State of Merdiania, a meritocracy which overhauled the tried-and-tested feudalism of the other nations, creating a land where individual excellence is paramount. The boundaries between these nations would frequently chop and change, further conflicts and territorial disputes never far from the horizon.
The Nations of Reverus
Note: The following national lore is malleable to be moulded around your character ideas. I will add new locales specified in your character sheets to the map.
The Kingdom of Sanghalo
Sanghalo is the largest nation on Reverus, stretching from the swamps of Windermere and the forests of Faust in the north to the barren wastelands of Toth and the rolling Griffon Plains of the south, where wild griffons roam. Its power system is an absolute monarchy ruled by the royal Fortagon line, direct descendants of the hero Fabian and of Sanghal himself. The country is separated into seven regional districts, each with a largely distinct biome – Windermere, Faust, Skendr, Toth, Griffon, Ashreicht and finally Axmouth, where the capital city of Fortagon stands. Each settlement is ruled over by a local lord, who reports to a regional baron, who reports to the King himself. At various times in history, several of these regions have enjoyed a period of autonomy away from Sanghal’s rule. However, under the rule of current King Damaron, these breakaway regions have once again been subjugated underneath a centralised Sanghalon rule.
Sanghal spirit is hardy yet dour, its proud people tilling ill-cooperating soil to survive its tough locales. Many of the continents best smiths can be found within Sangalo. What the nation lacks in natural resources, it makes up for in military might, from the fearsome Griffon Squadron to its legions of infantry and foot soldiers. Having brought bickering barons to heel, King Damaron’s gaze has strayed beyond Sanghalo’s historical boundaries, fronting several successful campaigns into Jussanian territory and pushing the border ever further west. In recent years, the nation has suffered a blight which has lead to an upturn in crime and disorder, which Damaron’s harsh arm has been quick to snuff out.
The Kingdom of Jussane
Jussane is the second largest nation, spreading from the frozen glades beyond the peerless Northwall mountains through the verdant forests and fields of the south and across the waves to the islands of the Aechon Archipelago. Though still a monarchy, the royal family do not enjoy the absolute power of Sanghals kings – instead, legislation is passed only in council with a government of democratically nominated lords and ladies.
Founded on principles of generosity, chivalry and democracy, the land is rich and fertile, home to a variety of flora and fauna, including most famously the wyverns of the northern mountains. Its people generally enjoy quiet agricultural or seafaring lives.
Nevertheless, these founding principles are often confounded by convoluted legal tradition and the selfishness of many among the noble elite, whose kindness and generosity to their subjects is often only because compassion and goodwill will see them rise to greater power. Whilst its wyvern knights are still renowned across the continent, decades of peace and excess have turned its common people gentle, and therefore vulnerable to the ambitions of their neighbours Sanghalo and Ditania, who have encroached further across their traditional boundaries. Though the blood of the founder Jussane and the hero Quentin was once revered enough to make the royal Bellia family impervious to social challenge, the machinations of certain over-ambitious governors has introduced a growing anti-monarchic sentiment, which the kind-hearted King Adrik is attempting to snuff out.
The Dukedom of Ditania
With its tall valleys and towering mountains, Ditania’s landscape is as treacherous as it is beautiful. Though by far the smallest of the founding nations, it enjoys a booming mining industry thanks to the wealth of precious minerals hidden in its sprawling caves, alongside a long history of scholarship and industrial discovery. Most famously of all, it is the home to the Draconic Oak, the paper of which is used to bind the tomes by which mages perform their spells, and the wood of which is used to construct the healing staves used by clerics and bishops. The island within the immense Loch Vyre is also technically Ditanian territory, though as the site of the final battle against the Fell Dragon Khaima it has been render uninhabitable by magical destruction. Elsewhere, wild Pegasi graze in the valley of Verdania, whilst others have been tamed to be used by Ditania’s famous Pegasus Knights.
Having abolished the monarchy in 155 RC, the nation is governed by a council of regional Dukes, with an internal election every twenty-five years deciding the overall Duke Regent. The fragility of this power structure combined with the nation’s abundance of materials has led to many periods of internal instability. The most recent civil war lasted a bitter fifteen years and ended in a bitter stalemate. Rumours abound as to why the dukes decided to go up in arms against each other, but the exact reasons have remained a tight-lipped courtroom secret.
In the aftermath of the civil war, the surviving Dukes were allocated new lands to oversee, as is Ditanian tradition. Duke Claudio Proguer, descendant of the hero Roburdo, was named Duke of Etalus. As ruler over the region including the Draconic Oak, his is a weighty, sacred title indeed.
Regal Nortalis
Established in the aftermath of the Fell Dragon Khaima’s defeat, Regal Nortalis is a theocracy dedicated to the worship of the Divine Dragon Xios. Though it still has a king, a royal family and a class system similar to other nations, religious devotion is at the heart of the nation’s values – King Auxis Gazam and his trusted officials carry out much of the day-to-day management and legislation of the kingdom, but his word is subject to the approval of the Archbishop. Xios herself is said to slumber in the holy tombs beneath castle Sfanti, where the Church of Xios trains and commissions new cleric missionaries to spread Xios’ blessing of life and learning across the continent. Nortalis is also home to some of the continents richest historical archives.
Whilst perhaps originally founded on virtues of generosity, compassion and universal love, the Church’s dealings have become distinctly more capitalistic over the years. Nobles and commoners alike are drawn to the holy tombs in prayerful hope that they might be granted an audience with the Archbishop, who is said to be able to perform miraculous healings – if you can afford the price. The Church has also decreed a number of ‘holy crusades’ into neighbouring territory over the past century, crusades which involve purging villages of ‘sinners’ and claiming the territory for Nortalis. These incursions are difficult for Ditania and Sanghalo to police accurately as the Church is still held in such high regard by the common masses that to act against them risks outrage.
The Free State of Meridania
Once the eighth district of Sanghalo, Meridania has carved out its own clear identity, founded on the principles of equality, freedom and of diligence. Though its arid dunes make for a harsh, unwelcoming habitat, its people have nonetheless found a way to survive, building an impressive waterway from oasis’s and underground springs which brings the water of life to its bustling cities. It is a nation built on the virtues of both might and knowledge, home to a great number of mercenary guilds and several universities, where the sciences of engineering and magic are pushed to innovative limits.
Though a meritocracy by letter of the law, family name still holds important weight in Meridanian society. Descendants of famous warriors or scholars will find success easier to come by than those who are total unknowns. Those who can perform great achievements will rise to the top of society, enjoying wealth, renown and status; those who fail will fade into obscurity. Though certainly ‘free’, it is a harsh, highly competitive society, a fierce crucible which produces some of the best warriors and scholars in all of Reverus at the cost of crushing many others.
Those whose achievements are without parallel will be offered a place on the ruling council of Meridania, The Five Masters, comprised of exemplary representatives of the nation’s most important industries and ventures – Master of Arms, Master of Science, Master of Commerce, Master of Sorcery, and Master of Order. For a long time, the struggle between might and knowledge has played out among The Five Masters, with a long-standing feud between the Masters of Arms and the dominant mercenary organisations they spring from, and the Masters of Science and the universities that produce them. For now, Master of Arms Chelech Meldiyv enjoys the most influence on the council, having lead several successful incursions into neighbouring Sanghalan and Nortalian soil.
Magic
In order to perform magic, you must be in possession of one of two different types of magical apparatus: tomes or staffs.
Tomes: Tomes allow a mage to perform anima magic, casting elemental spells. In order to perform a spell, the mage must first be holding a tome containing the name of the spell in one of the ancient languages of magic. Tome in hand, they must then incant the name of the spell. Lo and behold, the spell will activate. These spells are traditionally large in scale and destructive in nature, making practical usage outside of combat scenario tricky, although there are occasional uses outside the battlefield. Additionally, the written language on the tome will fade slightly with every spell cast from it, until eventually the tome is rendered useless.
Whilst a mage is technically able to incant a spell of any element, each nation specialises in a different element, with each element using a different ancient language. Though academies in Meridania have started teaching a baseline understanding of all magical languages, nations have been reluctant to share scholarly secrets of their traditional magic element - after all, knowledge is power.
Here is the element each nation is proficient in:
- Sanghalo: Fire
- Jussane: Water & Ice
- Ditania: Thunder
- Nortalis: Wind (& Staves)
- Meridania: Earth
Staffs: Staffs are magical implements used by clerics of the Church of Xios. Crafted in secret within the Holy Tomb from wood imported from the Draconic Oak, each staff allows trained clerics to perform a singular magical feat. For most staffs, this function is to heal, miraculously curing wounds and illnesses alike, though other staffs are also in circulation. The ownership and distribution of staffs is controlled entirely by the Church of Xios, and the staffs will only work for those who have sworn by the Church's creed of conduct - namely, to use this magic in the utmost purity for the care of others. The exact method of creating the staffs with these limitations remains a tight-lipped clergy secret, though it is believed the process involves tapping into the power of the dormant Divine Dragon herself. Clerics undergo a mysterious initiation in order to be 'licensed' to utilise staffs, though they are drugged during the process to as to keep it a secret.
The Origin of Magic:
Magic is tied closely to the Divine Dragon Xios, and to the Draconic Oak. A magical tome must be made from paper carved from the Draconic Oak. A tome made of any other paper will fail to activate the spell. Likewise, staffs will only work if constructed from wood taken from the Draconic Oak. This makes both the tree itself and its products a valuable, finite resource. The tree and the garden built around it are both a sacred and commercial place, with dedicated wardens working in tandem with Ditanian artisans to ensure material is only taken from the Oak sustainably. The Draconic Oak regenerates faster than most trees, though still only enough for one annual harvest to be made sustainably.
Legends vary as to what caused this miraculous tree to grow. Some accounts say the tree itself is the grave of a great unknown Mage Dragon. Others say the Divine Dragon wept holy tears atop the mountain, which caused a lone sapling to grow into a magical tree. Others suggest that the tree is older than known history and was on Reverus long before the Age of Heroes.
TLDR: In practice, magic works like it does in the games, but each nation's mages specialise in a certain element. Also, big magic tree is important.
Group Size: I am looking for between 5-14 people to join me in writing this adventure. I have plans to manage the group whether small and intimate or large and bustling, and to ensure there is at least some workable story should we suffer the inevitable group RP fate of having people bail early on.
Reservations: Character spots cannot be reserved and will not be assigned on a first-come-first-served basis. I will review all applications after a deadline (TBC) and then accept the most promising submissions. You may be asked to tweak your character to fit a slightly different role so that all the nations have suitable representation.
Character Limits: You are allowed one major character each. You are also allowed and encouraged to come up with villainous/side-characters too which may tie into your character’s subplots and goals.
Character Roles
There are no set characteristics, personality traits or abilities for any role. The only roles with a set gender are Claudio’s daughter and the Jussanian prince.
Nobles (5): Each of the five nobles will start the RP with a pre-set scheme, outlined below. Most of them will also be given a ‘secret mission’ by their nation’s ruler, which only the writer controlling that noble and I (the GM) will know about. The writer playing the noble may choose to have their character reveal this secret mission to their retainers or to other nobles, or they may elect to keep it a secret, only revealing hints of the mission through their writing until their plan reaches the light of day.
If you are interested in applying to write a noble, please also remember that the nobles may have personal goals and plans which are in conflict with the mission they have been given by their rule.
Retainers (up to 10): Each noble arrives in Etalus with two retainers – these could be long-term friends or servants of the noble delegates, or they could be other important figures from their respective nation. They arrive under the expressed purpose of supporting their noble’s schemes, but they may also have their own personal schemes which might put them into conflict with the noble, schemes you have complete creative freedom to decide. Be creative – I’m sure some of you can think of schemes I’d never dreamt of. You may wish to give an old Fire Emblem OC new life in the role of a retainer, or you might want to play around with another existing Fire Emblem character archetype, like a ‘Jagen’ or a ‘Christmas Cavalier’. My DMs are always open (almost literally, as I work on degen depression hours yay) and I’d love to hear your ideas and help finalise if you’re unsure if something is going to work or would like some extra input.
Note that I've kept the terms 'noble' and 'retainer' for ease of categorisation even though Merdiania doesn't have nobles or royals in a traditional sense.
~Ditania~
Noble: The Discerning Daughter - OPEN
Scheming to Secure
With Duke Claudio headed to the front lines, the fate and future of Etalus lies in the young hands of his daughter. Her mission is simple: she must discern and decide which offer of foreign support to accept, and which ones to reject. The conditions of the offer she accepts and the consequences of rejecting others will have lasting consequences for the entire wider continent – all this she must juggle whilst also grappling with her own emotions, desires and biases.
Retainer: OPEN
Retainer: OPEN
~Jussane~
Noble: The Proposing Prince - OPEN
Scheming to Strengthen
The youngest prince of Jussane’s mission seems the purest of the bunch, though they are able to spare the fewest troops – he has been sent to strengthen diplomatic relations between Jussane and Ditania by demonstrating the genuine kindness and compassion of Jussanian spirit. With strengthened relations, perhaps Jussane might have the power to resist Sanghalo’s frequent conquests into Jussanian territory – success would also bring King Adrik an important victory in his attempt to quash rising anti-monarchic sentiment. In order to ensure the new bond between nations is inexorable, there is another condition to the proposal – in an arranged marriage, the duke’s daughter must marry the young prince.
Retainer: OPEN
Retainer: OPEN
~Sanghalo~
Noble: The Spying Scion - OPEN
Scheming to Spy
One of King Damaron’s many children is sent to Etalus with a simple mission in hand – they must investigate what exactly the other foreign nobles are really after, and then foil the formation of any new alliance. Their goal is to actively sabotage other schemes. Whilst they have brought the largest army of all the dignitaries, they have been instructed to avoid sealing a deal until the last possible moment, so that Ditania might be suitably indebted to them, and that they might secure sizeable rations cheaply to help recover from the blight on their crops.
Retainer: OPEN
Retainer: OPEN
~Nortalis~
Noble: The Cunning Cleric - OPEN
Scheming to Sanctify
The Nortalian dignitaries are fronted by a crafty cleric of the Church of Xios, who seeks commercial gain from a bargain in the guise of religious concern. In return for a generous offer of soldiers, they want Etalus and its surrounding villages to adopt the religious law of Nortalis, making church attendance mandatory. Though there are already many believers in Etalus, this would weaken Duke Claudio’s standing within the Dukedom, risking further local unrest and threatening to reduce Etalus to a vassal of Nortalis. However, the Church are savvy and often get what they want, and the cleric has been given specific instructions to ensure their offer is more persuasive…
Retainer: OPEN
Retainer: OPEN
~Meridania~
Noble: The Duplicitous Doctor - OPEN
Scheming to Study
Offering the support of a small band of elite warriors, the Meridanian representative arrives under the guise of a simple-minded mercenary of desert tradition. However, they are really one of the most promising young scientists on the continent, with ambitions of joining the Five Masters of Merdiania’s ruling elite. By playing the fool, they hope to lull Duke Etalus and his daughter into a false sense of security, so that they might be granted the ‘pay respects’ at the Draconic Oak, during which they intend on applying their scientific technique to examine and analyse the Draconic Oak. The scientist has a couple of ideas about how to replicate its unique magical properties back in Meridania; should they succeed, Ditania would lose its position as sole exporter of magical materials, and Meridania would gain substantial market bargaining power. It would also prove to be enough of an achievement to see power swing towards the scientists in the fierce power struggle among the Meridanian leadership.
Retainer: OPEN
Retainer: OPEN
All the threads are now up, and applications are now open!
The initial deadline for application is Tuesday 17th September.
There's more information about how classes, weapons and stats work in the Character page, along with of course a character form so that you can get to work on your character ideas!
If you're planning on applying, it'd be helpful if you could let us know what role you're most interested in.
OOC | Character Applications
The initial deadline for application is Tuesday 17th September.
There's more information about how classes, weapons and stats work in the Character page, along with of course a character form so that you can get to work on your character ideas!
If you're planning on applying, it'd be helpful if you could let us know what role you're most interested in.
OOC | Character Applications
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