Wylrin
Junior Member
“We were all someone before we were chosen.”
And so, like any someone, we all walk our own path.
And so, like any someone, we all walk our own path.
There’s so much more to the world than meets the eye. Unseen forces that push and pull, give and take, give gentle nudges and harsh shoves to those who walk the mortal plane blissfully unaware. For they were mortal once, too. And now, given the chance at a new life, they will valiantly uphold the standards they held as a human being.
For many spirits, those made anew by the Man in the Moon, nothing is more sacred than the protection of those precious mortals who need protection the most: the children of the world. A fragile, finite state, childhood is. One that must be preserved and cherished, its lessons and heartfelt moments to be called upon well into adulthood. To be a child is to view the world through a lens of innocence. Of wonder, of hope, of dreams. To be a child is to be shaped by every new experience, big or small. A teddy bear that will one day be their grandchild’s, and perhaps one day their grandchild’s grandchild’s. A spark of creativity that leads them to become an artist. A moment of compassion that inspires them to brighten the day of everyone they meet in any little way. These little snippets in time shape the littlest humans until the day they’re not so little anymore, and far beyond.
It is these little moments, these little humans who cherish them so, that the Guardians of Childhood protect.
Sentinels of the staples of childhood, legends told in stories around holidays and in bedtime stories, are not mere fairytales. Powered by the belief of those they protect, the Guardians take it upon themselves to ensure that every child has the means to see light in the darkest shadows.
But those very shadows have a grasp of their own.
Not all spirits are benevolent. Some, parasitic in nature, descend upon children as a wolf might a flock of sheep. Whether they have corrupted their original purpose as a bringer of joy and prosperity or have always existed in the forgotten corners of the world, these spirits leave fear and despair in their wake. These very spirits once ruled the world, an age of permanent darkness sweeping across every nook and cranny of Earth. Due to the Guardians’ uprising, led by the Man in the Moon, this reign of terror was overthrown, and the spirits who once ruled with impunity vanished out of sight. They became the Bygone of the Dark Ages. Out of sight, but never removed from memory. As the Boogeyman’s recent attempt at a coup three years prior clearly proves, they are still a force to be reckoned with, one that the Guardians must do battle with when they choose to emerge from their hiding places.
But not everything is black and white, as an ancient collective of spirits knows quite well. The Keepers of the Natural Order aim not to guard children from the ugliest parts of life, though nor do they seek them any harm. Their mission is merely to preserve that which has always been, the very world on which all life grows. Though regarded as disconnected and distant by other spirits, the Keepers maintain a duty that benefits all of Earth’s inhabitants, mortal and immortal. The very fabric of reality as we know it is something that must be maintained, after all, to the benefit of everyone.
Times are changing, however.
Though historically neutral in the affairs of the Guardians and the Bygone, certain Keepers have begun acting strangely. Not just strangely, but in ways that could be considered a violation of their Order. No longer taking a back seat to mortal affairs, certain Keepers have been interfering in the daily lives of certain human individuals, mostly children. This renegade splinter group has been officially condemned by the rest of the Keepers, though there are whispers that they are not doing everything in their power to get their disorderly members back in line.
The Guardians have also been experiencing recent difficulties. North’s workshop is having delays in toy production. Their belief-powered machinery is malfunctioning despite the globe revealing no decline in the children’s faith. And with Christmas only a few months away, this could potentially interfere with a successful holiday. Bunny’s system of tunnels has proven inconsistent and unpredictable. Normally able to traverse the underground to get to anywhere above the surface with utmost precision and accuracy, the tunnels have been leading those who use them to random locations. Though Easter is far away, Bunny’s tunnel system being down gives the Guardians one less option for reliable transportation, throwing a wrench in tactical movement should a problem arise. Tooth is having unusual problems as well. Her fairies report that sometimes teeth they have been sent to collect have already been taken. It is clear that they were taken and not misplaced due to the presence of a a small handful of quarters being left in their place. The culprit has yet to be identified. The Sandman seems to be the only one who has been unaffected thus far, his only problem being his usual habit of dozing off. Though he does seem to be doing that more often, nowadays…
To make matters worse, the Bygone have been growing bold in the recent months. Perhaps spurred into revenge at the Boogeyman’s defeat, perhaps taking advantage of the Guardians’ troubles – assuming they had nothing to do with it, which seems unlikely – many Bygone spirits have been rising up to take back what they feel is rightfully theirs: complete and unwavering belief in them, as well as the subjugation of any who would stand in their way. As for the Nightmare King himself, Pitch Black has been deafeningly silent since his defeat. Whether he’s hiding from rogue nightmares or preparing a devastating strike is anyone’s guess. Though one thing’s for sure. Silence from Pitch’s end is definitely a bad thing from a spirit who enjoys making waves and taking the world by storm.
In the midst of all of this chaos, heroes new and old must rise. Those who protect the children of the world must see that they remain so. The ones preserving the very nature of the world must ensure that these ancient building blocks remain secure. And the ones who seek to reclaim what they’ve lost, or come to possess that which they’ve always been denied, must take a bold stance to ensure they are not erased from the history books.
Regardless of who you are, you have your purpose, and you must fulfill it.
“That is my center. What is yours?”
“That is my center. What is yours?”
—
Hello and welcome to a Rise of the Guardians roleplay! As the above intro hopefully conveyed, this roleplay takes place three years after the events of the movie and a lot is happening in the present. With problems arising within all of the spirit factions and tensions rising among them, the world will most assuredly be shaped by those who know their center and remain true to it.
Rules and Other Noteworthy Tidbits:
- Standard writing rules, really. Don’t take control of another’s character, even subtly by forcing a hit in combat or the like. Always be aware of the difference between your own knowledge and your character’s knowledge. That sort of thing. I think we all know what we’re doing here.
- Standard courtesy rules. Be kind and respectful to everyone. Characters are allowed to be jerks to each other, but that doesn’t mean we should follow in their stead with each other.
- Keep in mind the atmosphere of the roleplay. While we don’t necessarily need to maintain the PG rating of the movie, I also don’t want to make it an X-rated, overly traumatizing setting, either. The whole theme of the movie is centered around the dreams and fears of children, after all, so more adult-themed traumas and problems should either be avoided entirely or vaguely implied. That being said, I’d hate to do the Nightmare King any injustices, so please feel free to make things spooky or scary. I suppose an example depicting the difference in my mind is this: We’re going more for Courage the Cowardly Dog type horror here, not Human Centipede. Hopefully that highlights the distinction, but if anyone ever has questions or is unsure if a topic is appropriate for the setting, please feel free to ask!
- Also keep the rule above in mind when creating your characters. All of the Guardians and Pitch Black are very closely themed around fairytales and children’s stories. While it isn’t necessary to fashion your character out of a pre-existing fairytale, just keep in mind the general feel of the roleplay and the character you’re creating. For a Bygone character, for example, a spirit with a backstory of being the scary hermit living in the spooky house at the top of the hill would be more in-line with the universe than, say, a spirit with a backstory of being a Nazi interrogator, for example. Not to say that characters can’t have troubling backstories, because where would we be without those? But they should be more in the vein of, “A warlord who spread terror and snuffed the light of hope from all he conquered,” as opposed to, “A warlord who committed genocide and countless other war crimes.” They can both technically be considered the same, but the first one has a more whimsical fairytale villain feel to it while the other has a more real-world feeling of horror that can easily be attributed to real people. Basically, we want to keep the fantastical, childlike aspect of the setting intact.
- Canon characters and original characters are welcomed and encouraged! Canon characters can be requested by sending me a private message containing a writing sample of that character. It doesn’t need to be anything too lengthy. Just enough to give me an idea of how well the character’s, well, character is encapsulated.
- Please be respectful and cooperative with those roleplaying the canon characters when it comes to making your original characters. If your original character has history with a canon character being played by another person, I encourage you to communicate with them and both come to an agreement of if and how that all happened. Basically, don’t make your original character be a huge part of a canon character’s life without the blessing of the person roleplaying the canon character.
I think that’s it, really! I’ll have the other topics up as soon as possible! Please let me know if you’re interested and/or if you have any questions, comments, or concerns! I look forward to roleplaying with you all! :3
