Dark Ages RP- OOC Thread and Sign Up

[Zerlina]

(Dark Ages, Earth-like, Arthurian setting)

Galuterra and Fortisland, two small nations occupying the same peninsula have been bitter enemies since the tribal days. Racially and religiously divided, both states have long suffered brutal border attacks, resulting in small gains and losses over the years. For generations, conquest has been the ultimate goal, yet neither state has had the strength to overcome the other. Until now.

The King of Fortisland, Gawain III has struck a key alliance with the powerful (and religiously likeminded) nation of Alvergne, promising his only child, Elaine, in marriage to the Alvergnian prince, Ban. The alliance would give Fortisland the support of the massive Alvergnian army, and offer the Alvergnians an excuse to conquer Galuterra.

The only way to save Galuterra is to stop the wedding in the only way possible- a discrete assassination of the twelve-year-old Elaine.

And this is where our story starts.

Your character has been chosen for (or has somehow fallen in with) a group of Galuterrans on a mission to Carnant, Alvergne’s capital. Without bringing international attention to Galuterra, the group must assassinate the twelve-year-old princess. Remember, if this is not done it, will be the end of your character’s nation, race, and faith.

For protection, the king has given the party an ancient shield engraved with the face of Estelle, the holiest figure in the Galuterran’s religion. The shield is believed to have been granted to the founder of the country by Estelle herself. The bearer is said to be safe from darkness. Yet, unbeknownst to the party, the shield houses a terrible curse.




Posting format: Posting format is somewhat like a "continue the story." You're allowed to control other peoples' characters and move them around- however your post should focus on your character and should avoid making other characters do things too major or out of character (the latter gets easier as the game goes on). Focus in your post is on what your character is thinking or doing.   This way we can keep the story moving even if people can't post for a little while.

Magic: Think of this like an Arthurian legend. Very rarely do the adventurers possess magic, but things they encounter may. Try to avoid having characters that shoot lightning out of their fingers.

Religion
Galuterrans believe:
A slave woman from Dimaq, Estella, received inspiration from the Almighty Thiaimmatma, and led her people (the original Galuterrans) out of slavery. She returned them to their homeland on the peninsula and -granting her son a shield and sword- told them that Thiaimmatma had granted them the peninsula as their homeland. While they only believe in one ruling god, Thiammatma, there are lesser gods and holy men/women who were touched by him. There is also a public belief in nature spirits, though this is not in the official Galuterran religion.




Map of Main Continent:
[spoiler][/spoiler]

Map of Wintrie
[spoiler][/spoiler]

Map or North Continent
[spoiler][/spoiler]

[Zerlina]

Newt

History
Newt is the son of Albion, maker of Albion’s Armour. Thin but durable and easily concealed under clothes, the armour is the choice of the Galuterran King for his adventurers. Unwilling to share his trade secrets, Albion insisted that a family member be sent to maintain the party’s equipment. His oldest sons at the border, Albion was forced to send his youngest and scrawniest child, Newt.

Appearance
Newt is a small young man lost in a sea of baggy hand-me-downs. He wears a large, tattered cap on his head, and a thick handkerchief over his throat. Whether it be warm or cold, his hands remain covered in leather gloves and his feet wrapped in heavy boots.  
Dark blue eyes peer sillily out from his nearly blackened face, so dirty from soot and ash that the true colour of his skin is a mystery. A few unwashed locks stick to his forehead, disappearing home beneath his cap. His voice is soft and friendly, hardly menacing, much like his thin frame and short stature.

Personality:
Newt is friendly when approached, but reserved around his betters. He is obedient, taking orders when given, and carrying them out. Having lived in the shadow of his two older brothers, Newt is somewhat too determined to prove his worth and can come off as overly-eager at times. He’s generally considerate though he can sometimes be a bit irritable, especially when people stand too close to him. He dislikes being touched and although he usually won’t make a scene of it, he can become visibly bothered when others are too touchy-feely.  The son of a successful merchant, he has the gift of gab and is often able to talk his way out of trouble, or convince people of things they may not otherwise have believed. His most obvious flaw is his cockiness. Although he tries to keep it concealed, at times he can be a bit immature.

[Ben]

This is a placeholder. Im in on this.

[Prpl_Mage]

Sir Franklin Thornside

History:
Sir Franklin Thornside, son of Sir Frederik Thornside one of his Kings closest knights.
He grew up in a distant country once openly in war with Alvergne,  but it was taken by force only a few years after Franklin earned his title.
He was one of many knights in service as his kingdom fell, although many of them joined the winning faction. Franklin who was raised to be proud and true to the throne would rather seek death than to fight for the ones who once stole his soil.
He fled from the oppression and ended up burning his family tabard (after much regret) to conceal his loyalty. Without a tabard he was a knight who fought for no kingdom but yet one of many black knights that wandered the lands.
He spent his life wandering and working as a mercenary and then spending his payment on spirits, a little too much most of the time. His life had been reduced greatly from the honour it once were and his judgement was clouded.

The gods' greater will brought him to a tavern where a fellow knight bragged about a quest he had been given. He was to defeat the kingdom of Fortisland and Alvergne. After a few drinks the knight told him of the entire mission and all the details that Franklin needed.
Franklin followed the knight out back at the end of the night and ended his life. He undressed the man and now wields the man's armour that luckily covers him from feet to head. No one will know who he really is, and from what he heard of the mission - that won't be required either.


Appearance:
Franklin is a stout man with manly facial hair - especially his moustache. The hair that sits upon Franklins head is brown and dark with hints of curls when it grows quite some length. Sir Franklins body is that of a knight with no worry about food or wine in his life as his military training put him in the position he needed. The knight's skin is beginning to grow old lately and his green eyes may seem weary from all the painful battles he once fought.
Sir Franklin now wears a full-body armour from toe to scalp which he stole from one of the knights assigned for the mission. It is of the traditional Galuterra design and a helm that covers his face behind the visor. A helm he prefers to keep on in order to avoid any type of suspiciousness.
He wields a coal-coated gladius which was the knight's only weapon, although a sword was never the weapon of choice  - the art of swordplay is closely related to that of axes and will therefore work in his advantage.


Personality:
Sir Franklin is a man of his own belief. His loyalty is hard to earn while he might be a bit naive about what people he surround himself with.
By wearing the dead knight's armour and claiming to be him he has reduced himself to a trustful servant and dependable partner in this mission. He will do as he is told to avoid conflicts and follow with every ritual that shows itself to stand out as little as possible. If asked questions his answers will be swift and not too descriptive. He is there to fulfil the mission and with the mission - strike a blow against his hated enemy. Because never before has a single man been offered the opportunity to carry out such a great deed of vengeance.

[Dragonium]

Gods, I miss Charas RPs. If Ben's in, I'm in.

Stahn Harthar

History
The eldest and strongest child of a family of hunters and warriors in the snow-swept lands far north of Galuterra, Stahn spent his early life as a warrior in his country's army. Growing strong and filled with the bloodlust of youth, he soon found his calling as a berserker, charging into battle with nothing but his axe and the clothes on his back. For a time, he was satisfied simply with the thrill of battle; however, as youth turned into adulthood, the fire in Stahn's blood became embers, and although he still relished life as a warrior he no longer felt driven by violence. Seeking a new life, he journeyed south, finding work as a mercenary and a caravan guard. Coming across posters advertising a well-paid request for a group of warriors while travelling one day, Stahn joined the group ready to provide his services in battle.

Appearance
As is typical of warriors from the north, Stahn is large and strapping, and often stands out among the more civilian Galuterran populace. His face is strong and angular, with narrow grey eyes and a high-bridged nose. His dark blonde hair is grown long, tied back on top to keep it from falling onto his face, and his facial hair is cut back to a stubble. He dresses simply, in a leather tunic, a long cloth belt, trousers and walking boots. Where weapons are needed, Stahn mainly relies on a one-handed axe, and chooses to forgo to comfort of a shield for a second axe in his other hand. He carries a larger battleaxe on his back for occasions when more power is needed.

Personality
Stahn has mellowed in his adult years, as the passion and energy of his youth gave way to a more collected seriousness. Nonetheless, Stahn can often be intimidating, despite his efforts to show camaraderie to any he works with. In battle, Stahn often returns to the hotheadedness of his youth, fighting aggressively and sometimes recklessly. Years of battle and travel have made Stahn tough, somewhat unemotional, and slightly cynical. He rarely offers input on plans and suggestions, preferring to trust those more tactically-minded than himself, but is quick to argue if he disagrees with something said. Though he is accepting that others may not possess his physical strength, he is very critical of people who seem wilfully weak - Stahn has always been a proponent of fighting hard to improve one's situation.

[Phayre]

Never actually RPed on Charas before, but I'll try. We'll see how it goes.

Calanthe Ward

History
Calanthe is the son of a Galuterran knight. Thanks to his girlish features, timid disposition, and frail frame, his father viewed him as a disappointment to the family. As a result, he was volunteered to accompany the group on their mission, in hopes of "manning him up". Calanthe prefers to pretend as if he chose to go himself, although he truly balks at the idea of violence and would much rather stay at home. He has, however, trained for several years in archery, in a sad attempt to at least appear more masculine.

Appearance:
Calanthe is tall and a bit gangly, as if his legs grew faster than the rest of him could keep up with. His features are rather girlish, despite his rather pathetic efforts to grow some kind of facial hair and look more intimidating.  He has blond hair, typically tied into a low ponytail, and blue eyes. He also has fairly prominent scarring on his hands and arms.

Personality:
Calanthe is very quiet and shy. He tends to keep quiet and take any insults and punishments that are dealt out to him, almost never retaliating or talking back. He's terrified of actual combat, but has come to accept that if the group does not fulfill their task, there will be even more bloodshed. Despite his submissive demeanor, he is exceptionally protective of others.

[NotSoSavvy]

I've never posted here before, but Zerlina invited me in so I'll give it a shot.

James MacChathail, 8th Earl of Kinnoull

History:
James is the 8th Earl of Kinnoull, a small and disreguarded earldom in the north of Galuterra remarkable for the quality of the iron ore mined there. His family has been disfavoured by the king for the past three generations after James' grandfather supposedly failed to provide reinfocements to a key battle with Fortisland, losing the battle for the absence. The MacChathails have maintained consistantly that the king's messenger never arrived to tell them to join the attack, but the king has never listened. Instead, the family has been faced at best a chilly reception in the king's court, dispite the men and ore they provide for the endless war against Fortisland. In spite of the king's anamosity, James has been asked to join this mission to save the kingdom, as much due to his burning desire to bring his family back to their rightful position of importance as for his position as one of the kingdom's foremost marksmen.

Appearance:
James is an... oddly handsome man. He is very strong featured, with a prominant nose, strong cheekbones and a naturally sardonic expression. He is very average in build, farely strong but not built like a warrior of the stories. He wears his black hair medium long and somewhat unruly in comparison to a well maintained beard. He perfers to dress in the black and greys of his Earldom, but is not so proud that he won't dress below his station if the situation calls for it. When going into battle, he prefers a simple chain hauberk and carries an arming sword, buckler and a well made crossbow with a simple case of bolts.

Personality:
James is a very bitter man. His family has been ignored inspite of their contributions, spurned by the king for a mistake long past. But now he has a mission that will bring his family back into their rightful place. And he will go to whatever lenghts it takes to see his mission completed.

[Zerlina]

I'll wait until about Thursday before starting to give other people a chance to signup. After that, people can just jump in.

I'm adding maps so you can get an idea of our position. As we get further away I will be filling in the map. For now Galuterra and the areas we're likely to cross soon are on the map.

We will be starting in Arigola and going east to Whytheall then through the woods and over the mountains to avoid the border.




Detailed Map:
[spoiler][/spoiler]


Countries names are colour coded by religion.

For easy comparison of culture think of Galuterra as an amalgamation of Scotland and Northern England, Fortisland as England, Alvergne as France, Lucitania as Italy, Wintrie as Ireland, and Dimaq as Israel.

[Zerlina]

I've posted the first chapter but people can still join and jump in.  We can have OOC discussion in this thread. If you need to add an OOC note to a post in the actual RP thread, please put it in double brackets ((like this for example))


I'm also adding this note about religion to the first post here

Galuterrans believe:
A slave woman from Dimaq, Estella, received inspiration from the Almighty Thiaimmatma, and led her people (the original Galuterrans) out of slavery. She returned them to their homeland on the peninsula and -granting her son a shield and sword- told them that Thiaimmatma had granted them the peninsula as their homeland. While they only believe in one ruling god, Thiammatma, there are lesser gods and holy men/women who were touched by him. There is also a public belief in nature spirits, though this is not in the official Galuterran religion.

[Zerlina]

Once we introduce ourselves and get instructions we can get going. I can skip us through the feast in a couple lines, or we could RP it if you want. Otherwise we can go straight to the adventure. What would you guys prefer?

[Dragonium]

Keep the feast. Some basic character development and discussion between characters would be good. If we feel it's getting dragged out it can be interrupted or just ended.

[Phayre]

I agree - establishing the characters' first impressions of each other and such would be helpful, I think.
also, "Stahn" makes me think of Tales of Destiny =w=

[Dragonium]

Wow, I had no idea. I've never paid much attention to the Tales games, so I've really no idea how that got in there. Could have sworn I'd thought it up.

Oh well.

[Phayre]

It remains awesome either way

[Zerlina]

Well ladies and gentlemen you have your feast . Feel free to mess around a bit more now that we're out of the formality of introductions! Have fun