Vana'Diel (Open!)

[Lykus]

Disclaimer: Many of the elements of this RP belong to the licenseholders of Final Fantasy XI: Online, s-CRY-ed, Escaflowne, Xenogears/Xenosaga series, and Eberon Campaign Setting from Dungeons and Dragons. I do not have express written permission to use the intellectual property from these elements. Feel free to report me to the proper licenseholders for the maximum possible punishment under civil law. But don't punish Soloist. That would be bad. ~_^  

[Lykus]

RACES

(complete: pending revision)

Hume:
The differences between these and ordinary Earthling humans are very minimal. In fact, most differences are purely costmetic, such as the wider varieties in hair and eye color. This is really only here to point out that human is an available race, since, really, if you don't know what a human looks like, You're out of luck.

Elvaan:
As per typical lore, with regard to elves, Elvaan have pointed features, particularly ears, and often appear very refined. However, the Elvaan of Vana'Diel are often half a foot taller than their human counterparts, and they only live slightly longer than humans, on average. Their skin and hair are both very dark, but many elvaan have Reddish hair. Their eyes lack pupils, and are a solid deep red, but do not glow in the dark. Most Elvaan have the ability to see heat and sound, a gift they claim was granted them by the Light Goddess Altena during their time in the catacombs. This claim often goes unchallenged, since they can see normally at will, and scientific examinations have yet to explain this.

Tarutaru:
Tarutaru are very short. Their closest counterpart to modernized fantasy would be gnomes, but their disposition and appearance is anything but. Most are proportionally fat, by human standards, and the race as a whole typically holds a very jolly demeanor. However, they are perfectly capable of being completely serious when required. As a sidenote, Tarutaru are very unusually strong with controlling Ether, the magic of Vana'diel, compared to the various other races. Often they jokingly refer to themselves as "Conduits of Magical Energy," but given how powerful they rae, with little to no practice, this may not be far from the truth.

Mithra:
Mithra are the beast people. Every Mithran individual was born with the ears, tails, and facial features of a mammal by their parents' genetics. The most common variety is feline, but canine, and various others are also relatively commonplace. The degree to which bestial features are apparent on a mithra varies from person to person, as well. This race is almost entirely composed of women. The actual ratio is somewhere around 1:249 men to women. No one is sure why, this is, and various experiments to determine why have produced no results. Mithra are usually slightly shorter than humans, but, on average, possess keener senses.

Mandragora:
Having finally learned Basic, the common language of Vana'diel's inhabitants, the mandragora was recognized as a sentient race by the Council of Jeuno. Unfortunately, the Council of Jeuno was dissolved shortly thereafter, so Mandragora are not ordinarily accepted in society by more closed-minded individuals. They are plant people, but, because they are people first, and plants second, they suffer no vulnerabilities to fire. Mandragora require only water and sunlight so subsist, as they are capable of performing photosynthesis, however, they never grow any larger than the size at which they were born. Typically the size of a Tarutaru. As for reproduction, it is something of a secret, and something more of an unusual thought that few have felt the urge to test, but Mandragora do exhibit masculine and feminine personality and physical characteristics.

Saurian:
For lack of a better description, saurian are anthropomorphic dinosaurs. They are often viewed as barbaric, which is no thanks to their large size--the tallest human would only barely reach the shortest saurian's shoulder. Originally from the Village of Rabao, on the desert island of Altepa, the saurian culture is tribalistic, and very ordered, in its own fashion. Most saurian adhere to a strong sense of honor, though it is a code that most make up as they go along. Saurian skin ranges through all the various different colors, pitches, and tints, as does their eyes. More vibrant colors are normally found on the females, though. They also range from those with smoother leathery skin, to those whose bodies are covered entirely in hard scales. Clothing is an alien concept to them, however, since they have so much natural protection, and their skin is so thick. Most will wear clothing in the presence of others, as a concession to their cultures, but few if any find such confining things comfortable, especially since few clothiers stock wares in their sizes. Saurian seem completely disconnected from the flow of Ether.

Gradian:
Gradians aren't born so much as they are created. Earlier gradians appear as moving suits of armor, but some of the newer ones could pass for human from a distance. Originally designed by Chief Engineer Cid of the Industrial Republic of Bastok, the gradians were intended as automatons, with artificial personalities to facilitate communication and relation to their owners. However, when it was discovered that they had a connection to Ether, a fervent debate regarding their sentience began. Inanimate objects, many argued, could not possess such a connection. On the other hand, animation does not immediately indicate sentience. The official position of the governments of Vana'diel in this aspect varies, depending on the country. Gradians range in appearance from fully mechanical to nearly organic. Gradians' voices sound perfectly normal, with no discernable mechanical disharmony, but occasionally, the voice is not what one would expect, upon seeing the body. While all are equally mechanical, inside their skin, whether their hearts, personalities, and souls are artificial or "real." Has yet to be determined. The first gradian was created fairly recently, and is only seven years old.  

[Lykus]

The History of Vana'diel

((Soloist stepping in, as promised. Please keep in mind the dates listed here do not reflect real dates, but instead dates according to the history of this particular world))

In the beginning, there was only the dieties. Then, tears shed by the Goddess of Light, Altana gave birth to the world of Vana'diel. For nearly 900 years, the world lived on in prosperity, giving birth to many races, nations and all manner of beautiful things. However, jealous of Altana's creation, the Shadow Lord set out to destroy it. Using his influence, the Shadow Lord managed to unite many of Vana'diel's races in a war against Altana's favorite creations. And so, war ravaged the world of Vana'diel for nearly 50 years. Many nations, cities, and people were lost in the conflict, but finally the four strongest nations formed the Alliance of Altana. Comprised of the Federation of Windurst, the Republic of Bastok, the Kingdom of Sand'Oria and the Grand Duchy of Jeuno, the allied forces managed to drive back the united Beastmen and restore order to the world. All standing armies Virtually crippled however, the four nations called upon adventurers and mercenaries to maintain order in this frail new world, a call which was answered resoundingly, despite insistent threats by the Shadow Lord telling of his return and the world's doom.

Acting for the pride of their nation, and the fair deal of fame and fortune to be had, adventurers swarmed from every nation (although few came from Jeuno, as Jeuno took a stance of neutral mercantalism after the Great War) to take up "missions" issued by their government for certain pay and rewards. It was during this era (or more accurately, in the year 983) that an organization known as the Treasure Hunters was formed. Originally dedicated solely to the principles that their name would imply, the Treasure Hunters grew into a very closely bonded group that would work together towards any goal, and eventually proved themselves amongst the most able adventurers in the world. What's more is, the Treasure Hunters comprised themselves of members hailing from every nation, so they also proved effective diplomats. Finally, while their ranks were certainly not huge, they had numbers enough to be an incredible surgical strike military force.

For fwenty years, the Alliance of Altana remained stable, thanks largely in part to aid from the Treasure Hunters, but in 1003, things began to take a turn for the worse. During the previous peace, Altana's opposite, Promathia, the Keeper of Twilight laid sleeping in Vana'diel, but the efforts of the Shadow Lord slayed Promathia, foretelling much doom. Promathia, having willingly chained himself to Vana'diel following the events of the Great War (all of this was done unbeknownst to the inhabitants of Vana'diel), was left to keep a watchful eye on Altana's creation, but his destruction represented the loss of one of Vana'diel's greatest safeguards, and a loss of a great deal of Altana's influence. Certainly enough, the Shadow Lord managed to covertly reunite the Beastmen in another uprising against the civilized nations of the world, one which bore as much success as the first. Sand'Oria fell under control of the orcs for a brief period, the Grand Duchy of Jeuno was destroyed entirely, and Bastok and Windurst both suffered innumerable losses. Still, the Beastmen were repelled, again largely in part due to the role played by the Treasure Hunters. To honor their efforts, the Alliance of Altana proclaimed the Treasure Hunters their lead authority, replacing the lost Council of Jeuno that originally oversaw the allied efforts.

The year is now 1011, and the world stands in a state of recovery. While most believe the threat of the Shadow Lord has been quelled, investigations into history have led many to believe that the Shadow Lord is far from vanquished, and that along this continued pattern, he will eventually see victory against the Alliance of Altana. To that end, much effort has been devoted to discovering how exactly the Shadow Lord and his minions might be defeated. Although the answers remain mostly unclear, enough has been learned that if there is any hope for survival, either Promathia must be revived, and freed from his chains, or else contact with the goddess Altana herself must be established. However, any method for doing either of these tasks remains undiscovered, though there are rumors of artifacts called Zohar which would facilitate one of the two processes (exactly which, is unknown). There is also a great deal of interest in the five great crystals of the world (named Mea, Vazhl, Dem, Altep and Holla), and their link to the ether. However, many believe that there is nothing to be done, and that the people must simply rebuild and fight for the rest of eternity.  

[Lykus]

Nations of Vana'diel

((A: This is Soloist, B: This goes up first because I'm least likely to muck this up))


Windurst::
The Federation of Windurst is the primary civilized nation on the eastern continent of Mindartia. Although located primarily in the forests at the southern tip of the continent, it exerts control over the surrounding savannahs of Sarutabaruta and the outlying port town of Mhaura. The primary city center is a walled port city located in the southern edges of the forest, with much of the cit extending outward onto the water. It plays home chiefly to Tarutaru and Mithra (With a standing ratio of approximately 4:1) and their magical and agricultural pursuits. With it's lush natural surroundings and clean water, the primary exports are mostly potatoes and fish, although the city is much better known for it's magical exploits. Playing home to seven magic academies and the Great Tree (a giant tree at the city's center, known to have very deep ties with the Ether, ties which the Tarutaru promote and maintain) Windurst is known to be steeped in magic, and it is hard to turn anywhere without tripping (literally, as Tarutaru have never stood over four feet tall) some magical edifice, outlet, or object.

Bastok:
The Republic of Bastok is easily the strongest of the three standing nations, represented by the it's massive population and sprawling industrial city center. Although it was initially inhabited mostly by Humes, recent events in world history have made it host to refugees of all races, and even more recently, the mechanized Gradians created by Cid. The city has a governor responsible for leading the nation, but most look up to Chief Engineer Cid for authority, and this matter has yet to be contested by any "official" government figure. Although he is beginning to grow old and his life is starting to wane, Cid has been no less helpful in keeping the workshops of Bastok fully maintained and functional, and representing Bastok as the most innovative, strongest nation in the world. This of course, comes at the cost of the Bastokan city being heavily polluted, it's city of white stone now a dull grey color, but it represents a bastion of hope to the people of the world. Bastokan influence is felt mostly in the southern half of Quon, the western continent, though they are the chief authority for the outlying port city of Selbina (which was originally intended to be jointly run by Bastok and Sand'Oria). Bastok is also known to control the only functional airships in the world, all others having been destroyed or decomissioned.

Sand'Oria:
The Kngdom of Sand'Oria represents the changing of the times for all nations in Vana'diel. Once a proud kingdom that sat in a massive fortress city, Sand'Oria has since fallen into a state of ill repute and disrepair. The primary residents, the Elvaan, were driven out of their city into it's underground labyrinth network by Orcish incursions some years ago, and only recently have they reclaimed their city in the name of civilization. The city, which is literally built inside a massive castle, is now in varying states of disrepair, and the Elvaan work tirelessly to restore the city to it's former glory. Sand'Oria has little influence outside the forests of Ronfaure where it is located, and has had to relinquish most of it's control over the port town of Selbina to Bastok, until the government is more firmly established.

Jeuno:
Originally known as the Grand Duchy of Jeuno, Jeunoans no longer belong to a nation, but instead a group of vagabonds and misfits with no land or country. Jeuno was the proudest of all cities in the world, and was used as a neutral link between the western continent of Quon and the eastern Mindartia, and the nations that inhabited these areas. However, it's location was it's downfall. While establishing a city in this sector of the world proved valuable and efficient, it was also prone to attack, as it was located in one of the most dangerous regions in the world. Eventually, despite it's great walls and impressive architecture, Jeuno fell in the Uprising of the Beastmen; the entire city being destroyed in the process. Those who managed to survive either fled to Bastok, or now wander the region in small bands and camps. Those who believe Jeuno will persevere and return may help people traverse the ruins of the city to the opposite continent, but it is just as likely that one comes across bandits and thieves, desperate for some means of survival.

Rabao:
Originally an exploratory outpost established by Sand'Oria, Rabao has since established it's own government, and during the fall of Sand'Oria was recognized as an indpendent nation by the remaining governments of the world. Located in the deserts of the Kuzotz region, Rabao is the home of most Saurians, and maintains minimal ties with the other civilizations of the world. Mostly, it exists only as a resting point for travelers trudging through the unforgiving Altepa deserts, but it has also been known to export magical treasures found in the Quicksand Caves to Bastok or Windurst for further examination or use.

Kazham:
Although still oficially an expeditionary outpost controlled by the Federation of Windurst, Kazham has grown significantly with the introduction of Mandragora as a civilized race. With steady control over the Elshimo region and the sprawling jungles they contain Kazham has begun to adapt a culture and society separate from that of Windurstian influence. Furthermore, with fewer and fewer orders being issued by the Windurstian Parliament, Kazham has begun to operate more and more independently of it's parent nation, and it is soon expected that Windurst will relinquish it's control over this region, leaving control of the area to governments that are already in place in the area.

Beastmen Nations:
Although they are not recognized as cities or nations by civilized cultures of the world, the Beastmen of the world certainly have organized establishments and governments. The leading three include the Orcish Empire, the Yagudo Theomilitary (A race of fanatically religious birdmen), and the Quadav Collective(A race of lumbering turtle-men of sorts). These three are primarily responsible for the recent Beastman Uprising which resulted in the destruction of Jeuno and the current state of Sand'Oria. Little to nothing is known about these three "nations" as anyone nonviolent enough to study these creatures rather than kill them usually ends up dead at their hands anyway.

Final Notes:
If you would like to further explore the world, I encourage you to use this map to do so, as clicking on the name of any region or nation will give you further information about that area. However, this is to be taken with a grain of salt, as that is the world for FFXI, and this is an adapted version to fit this RP, if you have a question about something, feel free to PM me (Soloist that is) and I'll try to clarify any question you might have.  

[Lykus]

An explanation of Ether

Ether is an unseen force that flows through the world of Vana'diel, coursing through every living, non-living, and somewhere inbetween object on the planet. It's energies can be used for any number of purposes, from creating balls of fire, to instantly healing wounds, to creating magical shields. Although most races (excluding Saurians, who seem all but entirely disconnected with the flow of Ether) are capable of exerting their will onto the Ether creating some desired effect. To do so, one must redirect the flow of the Ether into their bodies, and channel it back out of their bodies (usually via their hands) in some new form, such that the desired physical effect takes place (The actual physical effect may take place well away from the users hand, if that is where the channeled ether is directed). This requires that portions of the Ether inside the users body be altered and mixed with the ether taken from the surrounding environment, and it is eventually drained from their bodies. As such, a person can only perform a limited number of tasks using Ether before it is drained almost entirely from their body, at which point, they must rest, and allow their body to regenerate it's supply of ether (this is done by drawing miniscule potions of the ether flow from the surrounding environment) before any further tasks are attempted. Naturally, some races are better connected to the Ether than others (Most notably, the Tarutaru share a much stronger link than anyone, with the Humes, the Mithra and the Elvaan being next in line, respectively), but this connection can improve with practice and time, meaning that if one were to consistently practice magic, they would be much more strongly tied to the Ether than one who spent their hours mastering swordsmanship.

Finally, it is worth noting that there are several locations throughout the world where the flow of Ether is so strong, it is possible for those who train in the matter to use the flow of Ether to instantaneously carry them (and sometimes others) from the point where they are standing, to one of these "Ether Basins" or "Great Crystals" (all such locations are marked by massive monuments with large crystals at their center, and four smaller satellite crystals in each of the cardnial directions). Five of these points see regular use by the civilized nations of the world, and these crystals have even garnered themselves names, Mea, Holla, Dem, Altep and Yhoat, all referring to the region of the world in which they are located ((See the map I linked for more specific locations, They are in the Kolshushu, Zulkheim, Altepa and Yhoator regions, with Dem and Holla both being located in Zulkheim.)). There are rumors abound about the ether's connections to the gods, but no such claim has ever been solidly founded , so any truth in the matter is unclear.  

[Soloist]

Other Important Things

Player Profiles

If you wish to submit a player profile for this RP, please PM it to me so that I can put it here, it should follow this format, which should be fairly self explanatory. As a final note, you are welcome to start posting in the RP as soon as you've sent me your character profile, all members of this guild are approved, so you don't need to wait for me to post your character profile before you start posting.

Username:
Character Name:
Race:
Apperance:
Nationality:
Background:
Other:

Soloist

Username: Soloist
Character Name: Fenrys Mystblade
Race: Hume

Apperance: At the age of 55, Fenrys doesn't look nearly as good as he once did, but the six foot tall Paladin still never fails to stand straight, and takes care to groom his neck length graying orange hair when he knows he is not going to stuff it under a plate helmet. He usually dons varying arrays of platemail, all bearing insignias from a number of nations to represent his many long years of service to virtually every nation in the world. His favorite suit of armor is one comprised of whitewashed platemail with a gold trim, which has begun to look less and less impressive as it takes more and more damage from combat. Although there are wrinkles around his stone grey eyes, Fenrys' face is still fairly smooth, and he almost always looks ready for another fifty years of fighting. On the rare occasion he is not in a heavy suit of armor, Fenrys wears a green tunic with matching slacks and boots, and a pair of dark gloves to cover his calloused hands.

Nationality: Windurstian, although few outside the Treasure Hunters know that.

Background: An orphan for all of recorded history, Fenrys grew up in Windurst under the care of Mithran mercenaries attached to the Federation Forces. Hearing many tales of their adventures, Fenrys was naturally attracted to the prospect of adventuring, and promptly set out to do so on his eighteenth birthday. Taking little more than a sword and shield gifted to him, he set out performing missions for the Windurstian government on the plains of Sarutabaruta. At the age of 27, Fenrys found himself locked in a particularly harrowing battle against a Yagudo, and although he won, his sword was shattered to pieces. Upon his return home, he learned he didn't have the money to repair it. Several pleas with passersby led him to meet the founder of the Treasure Hunters, who agreed to pay for the necessary repairs if only Fenrys would join his group and set out on new adventures. Seeing no disadvantages, Fenrys quickly agreed, and couldn't have been happier in doing so.

In the company of the Treasure Hunters, Fenrys saw many new places in the world, and found himself attached to the rising fame of the entire group. Continued beastman incursions during this period encouraged Fenrys to take up the role of defender, so he took a brief sabbatical from the Treasure Hunters to go train as a Paladin. When he returned, he was again welcomed with open arms, though the Treasure Hunters now found themselves as very important figures in world society. Although fame was not his initial goal, it certainly didn't bother him to be assosciated with such a powerful group, especially since he got along very well with so many of it's members.

When the Beastman Uprising occurred, Fenrys urged the whole of the Treasure Hunters organization into war, organizing them into a batallion to help the nations of the world, their final destination being Jeuno. He almost immediately regretted doing so, as many members of the Treasure Hunters fell defending Jeuno, and those he managed to muster into a retreat barely escaped with their lives. With all of it's founding members deceased or missing, Fenrys was promoted to the leader of the Treasure Hunters, a job which keeps him very busy performing diplomatic, military and expeditionary tasks for all remaining nations of the world. He's rather uncomfortable with the position, as he holds too much respect for those leaders he saw slain because of his influence, but because he is trained as a Paladin, he shoulders the burden anyhow, ready to sacrifice anything for the greater good.

Other: Although Fenrys feels personally responsible for the death of many of his Treasure Hunter suboordinates, he feels most responsible for the death of his wife, Kearsyn, who was also a fellow Treasure Hunter. Sometimes this memory can overwhelm him, and if he finds himself in a combat situation, he will fly into a sort of beserker rage, literally ignoring any inflicted physical pain for a span as long as five minutes. Although he feels the affects of any inflicted injuries afterwards and usuall collapses in exhaustion, this spectacle has been dubbed "Invincible" by any who witness it, despite the fact that Fenrys has never suffered a mortal wound in this state, so the name may be entirely untrue.

ValenarrDeMirro

Username: ValenarrDeMirro
Character Name: Seth (Last name unknown even to himself)
Race: Mithra
Apperance: One of the few male Mithra, Seth looks like his occupation, and that isn't particularly a good thing. Not particularly young, but not old either, Seth has lost track of his years (although he lost count in the teens) but realizes that they are far from over providing his life isn't ended unexpectedly. He is almost more feline than human, bearing the brown fur of a cat, pointed, furred ears sticking from the sides of his head, a brown-furred tail protrudes from a hole in his pants, and rather large, almost radiant green eyes. His hair, that which comes from his head and is worn in a manner that keeps it out of his eyes, due to the fact that it is down to his jaw, is a dirty blonde colour, slightly different from his fur. He has thin, long fingers which end in small claws, although these are treated more like fingernails. He treats the claws on the end of his toes in the same manner. Seth wears loose, baggy clothing as per his occupation, and usually wears a loose-fitting white shirt and grey baggy pants, with no shoes or gloves due to the fact he finds them uncomfortable.
Nationality: Windurstian
Background: Raised in Windurst as an orphan, Seth was never informed of his family, their whereabouts, or even if they were alive or not. He was raised, however, by nothing but female Mithra, around hardly anything but female Mithra, and therefore has taken on a different kind of personality than one might expect a male to have. However, as a small child, he befriended a hume stable boy named Seth, and once Seth died being trampled by a knight's horse in a horrible accident, Seth, the Mithra Seth, took on the dead boy's name, since he had none himself. His last name is a mystery to the Mithra. Now living as a thief, Seth is quite good at what he does. He is quite the acrobat, but for some reason has developed a sort of conscience. He won't kill at all, but he won't hesitate to take someone's valuables. However, if backed into a corner, Seth would fight to the end, but no such situation has arisen as of yet.
Other: As mentioned before, Seth was raised (almost) entirely by females. This has caused him to develop an interesting personality. While he knows he is of the opposite gender and gets infatuations with the females of his kind (and on occasion others), he has developed habits over his childhood years that are undoubtably female, although these are few and far between. He giggles more often than chuckles, often grooms himself, and has a few more strange habits that are not exactly from him being raised primarily by the opposite sex. When sitting on a chair, Seth plants his feet on the seat right in front of him and rests his chin on his knees, but when alerted will stiffen from this hunched over posistion and look around warily. Seth also has a few 'feline' habits, such as the love of fish. He also can't resist shiny objects (though this comes more from thievery than anything) and anything that dangles may be subjected to a batting around by the Mithra.

Annie Goober

Username: Annie Goober
Character Name: Lisenia Aleksandar
Race: Elvaan

Appearance: Lisenia appears to be your average Elvaan woman for all intents and purposes. Dark hair and skin, as is commonplace among her people, a lean physique with chiseled facial features, tipped ears, and clothing common among the young females of her day would be the accumulation of her otherwise girlish looks.

Her hair, cropped to her shoulders, is straight and usually tied. Her eyes maintain the intensity of the usual Elvaan red. And though she is nothing extremely comely to look at, her face has a distinctness about it; a face that holds a secret, perhaps. Yet, when it all comes down to it, the cryptic Elvaan woman appears to be in her mid-twenties.

Nationality: Sand'Orian

Background: Born and raised within the borders of Sand'Oria, Lisenia has always been thickly distilled with the customs of the Elvaan. Yet, after the imminent destruction of the nation, her life was given an abrupt change of direction. Instead of growing into womanhood within the security and walls of Sand'Oria, her family fled the land in fear, looking to the neighboring country of Jeuno for refuge.

After an extended period of time under the Duchy, home was again but a myth to Lise. Jeuno was destroyed, and they were forced to abandon all they had once again made of themselves. Eventually, Lisenia's family simply decided to lead the nomad life, encamping and wandering in fear for almost a full decade somewhere within the Derfland Region. It was when Lisenia was just past twenty that her family had heard rumors of their fatherland's uprising; and it filled them with an intense hope for the rebirth of Sand'Oria and their future as an Elvaan nation. So, weary from travel and lack of a resting place, they decided to return.

But Lisenia was never meant to return. Bold, brash, and against her father's will, she broke ties with her family and made a pact never to return to the land of the Elvaan. Nothing but memories of carnage and frivolty existed there, she thought, so she set out for her future with a hope different than that of her family's; a hope that existed within the thriving countries of Windhurst and Bastok. Besides, she was old enough to finally take care of herself, she figured.

Other: With a mind of her own and not ashamed to show it, Lisenia goes and does as she pleases. She never has really had a firm family life or sense of government -- which probably serves as some of the factors that lead to her extreme sense of self-sufficiency and independence. She is agreeable for the most part; at least if others comply to her selfish ways.

Shazzer

Username: Shazzer
Character Name: Tryphena Fletcher
Race: Mithra
Apperance: Tryph possesses a sinewy body cloaked in short, oddly coloured fur: a strange mixture between silvery-grey and pale blue. Her ears, when not hidden behind her straight white hair, are smaller than a cat's and round, which may lead some to guess that she's somehow linked to bears... but her long tail--tipped with a dash of white, just like each of her fingers--tends to throw people off. Her liquid eyes are dark and soft, a black that completly hides her pupils, and she's short even by Mithra standards.
Nationality: Windurst.
Background: Tryph was raised in a fairly strange manner, for a Mithra... by her father. The youngest of his fourteen children (one set of triplets, two sets of twins, and seven other children spread among three wives, only one of which, her mother, is still alive), she grew up in a very crowded household, never really getting the chance to distinguish herself from her sisters. One by one, her older siblings left to pursue individual lives... so by the time she was ten, there was only she and her father--her mother had left him.

Her father, having waited for a son but now without one, turned to Tryph as his last resort to carry on his family's trade--fletching and hunting. She was taught how to craft arrows and bows and, though years of practice and instruction, became as comfortable with using one as she was with breathing.

She is now sixteen years old, and still living with her dear old dad... only now, as he is getting on in years, she's starting to take care of him. Since their place of living is fairly far from the next house over, they are mostly self-sufficient--growing and catching their own food, finding their own firewood--and is therefore pretty isolated.

Other: Tryph is quiet, shy, and sensitive, often preferring to keep to herself. You're lucky if you get a smile out of her... she tends to get very nervous when interacting with strangers. Even if a bond is formed, she's almost always worried that she'll do something stupid and cause the other person to hate her forever.

Coronaviridae

Username: Coronaviridae
Character Name: Chime
Race: Gradian

Appearance: Chime falls into that uncanny dip between strongly humanlike Gradians and the walking suits of armor that were first designed. With highly articulated joints, smooth skin, and a mobile, expressive face, she looks in all respects human in gross form. However, that's overlooking the fact her "skin" is thin-beaten silver and her hair is a fall of thin strands of sapphire glass. Her eyes are crimson, without apparent pupil or iris (that is, unless she's quite upset or concentrating--then they iris open like the lens of a camera, revealing a most peculiar blue glow). Her body is additionally smooth as an egg, though she has the curves of a woman--somewhat obscured by the permanent addition of a very light set of fluted armor, worked with intricate designs that mimic those of musical scores.

She can cloth herself like a human, though she prefers to wear as little as decency allows, as fabric has the inconvenient side effect of fouling her joints. Additionally, it makes it harder to surprise people with the weapons she always carries--serrated blades from wrist to forearm that fold out like deadly feathers at will. Most of the time, however, she adopts a relatively peacable appearance in the showy colors of a bard, and it's rare indeed she's seen without at least one instrument.

And, though she looks soft, that's merely the velvet glove on the iron fist: she's a lot heavier and a lot harder than the slight woman she resembles.

Nationality: Bastokian

Background: As Gradians go, Chime is very young, but she's already seen more than enough to fix her ideas of humanity. Originally created as a man's attempt to ressurect a cherished childhood musicbox, she was to be a "gift" to that man's infant heir. Through a series of unfortunate events, however, Chime witnessed the collapse of her family--the baby was stillborn, the mother drown herself, the husband drank himself into poverty and sold his tools and Gradian so he could sink deeper into the bottle.

Unfortunately, very few people had use for a "wisp" of a Gradian who apparently had no other talents than music-making. Chime was shuttled between pawnbrokers and curiosity shops, deprived of a home until she had stolen and scrimped and saved enough to buy her own contract. Thus liberated, she drifts through Bastokian society as little more than an abberation, and it's hard to tell from her utterly emotionless demeanor whether any of that bothers her.

At least, she's an abberation so far as most people know. To the underground few who know the real story, she's a very useful asset if you're the sort to hire mercenaries. The blades in her arms aren't merely for show.

Other: Like many of her race, Chime does have a connection to Ether. Unusually, though, she channels her Ether through her music--while she has the potential for subtle emotional effects like charm and illusions, she's gone the path of the skald, or warrior-bard, instead. Her music can strengthen allies and weaken enemies, and even--with the proper intensity or emotion behind it--cause direct wounds or heal damage.

It's even been said that she can kill with a song, but if she can, it's an ability she has yet to demonstrate. Most people would think her incapable of that kind of passion, anyway--while many Gradians have almost-human personalities, it appears that Chime has lapsed into a strongly analytic, dare it be said robotic?, mode of relating to the world.

LightOfTheDark

Username:LightOfTheDark
Character Name:Shanara Al'Cahrn
Race: Mandragora
Apperance: (Sorry if I'm totally off on appearance, All I've got to go with is that they're short, and plant people..) Shanara stands at the total height of a 3'4" quite tall for her race, and weighs about 40lbs, She isn't stumpy or squat, she's slender and elegant, more like a Elvaan that's been shrunk down. She's properly proportionate, which means for her size that she looks almost fragile. She has an almost asian appearance and her long, black hair has a greenish tint to it, her skin smooth and leathery like that of the slender beech tree, a golden tan in color. Her eyes are completely black without iris' or the whites usually surrounding and iris, they are also unusually large (almost chibi-ish blaugh ) making her look somewhat bug-like at times. She has only four-fingers and four toes, and no ears at all. A single, white flower sprouts from her head, just off to the side like you would see a native wear them, just behind where an ear WOULD be. This flower from time to time will wilt and die, only to be replaced by a new one in about a week. Another oddity to this small creature is two small, almost wing-like appendages that protrude from her shoulderblades. But instead of leathery or feathery, they look more like branches sprouting from her back, too intwined and heavy to actually aid in flight, and too small (about the size of her hand) for anything else.

She wears usually small roman/toga-like dresses, usually in dark, earthen colors or a snowy white color, and never wears shoes. On each slender wrist are bracers fashioned of bent cherry-wood, the reddish-brown hue glimmering from underneath the laquer. (Kinda like This )
Nationality: Kazham
Background: Being but a simple farmer/herbalist, Shanara was one of the first who eagerly took it upon herself to learn the odd and difficult language of the tall-ones. Though she was but of the lower class of her kind, she was not stupid, and actually had quite a clever and quick mind, her home residing in a large oak tree in the forest, her garden tended with care and the help of her practised use of Ether. Her vegetables and herbs were sold at the markets easily because of their quality though the quantity was not much. Being in her early 40's (quite young still for a mandragora) She has been on her own for about 20 years now, tending her small crops with a love that can be described as a mother tending her children. She does not need them for sustenence, since the sun and rain give her all that she needs, she supplies them for those in the outpost, her ability to coax plants to maturity quickly and sell them helping her to save up to some-day buy her way to a new town, away from all the people.

She was 'born' in the year of 971, durring the war of the Shadow lord and the rally of mercinaries, she was born into chaos, and has only known peace these last few years, able to tend to her plants in one place instead of moving around all the time to avoid the crashing armies that would destroy large parts of the forest at a time with their fire and battles. She's fairly peacful, except when her home is endangered or her precious plants are threatened. She still lives in Kazhram at the time being, her fine clothes made herself, the cloth bought cheaply from the outpost with a few coins or by trading her vegetables.
Other:Her small talent in using Ether is that she can coax plants to maturity, or to grow rapidly to produce a temporary, but effective tool/weapon for herself.

Lykus

Username: Lykus
Character Name: Blitz Magnum
Race: Hume
Appearance: Blitz has dark bronze skin with what appears to be a slightly orange hue. His hair is a dull auburn that trails down the sides of his face into thick stubble. Blitz originally had green eyes, but after an incident in which he caused the destruction of an entire ether research laboratory, his eyes had gained a violently yellow color. Incomplete angelic runes, a remnant from his days in the service of Altena, are tattooed from the back of his right hand to just below his right eye.
Nationality: Bastokian
Background: Orphaned at an early age, Blitz was almost entirely raised by a gradian who had been made in the image of the ancient "Galka" species. His guardian, named Table and Chairs, had no recollection of his own origin. Despite this mystery, though, Table and Chairs, or TC as Blitz had come to call him, was an excellent parent to Blitz, his inability to give the child a normal sounding name aside. At an early age, TC sent Blitz to San d'Oria where he was to study under the protection and guidance of the Church of Altena. Unfortunately, his brash manner, combined with insubordination on multiple accounts and his attempt to grope a particularly attractive acolyte saw him expelled. Blitz moved on to Windurst, where he took up an apprenticeship learning to manipulate Ether. Blitz showed some skill in this, and his help was much appreciated, gaining a minor amount of notoriety amongst the locals. However, this lead to overconfidence, and when he exploded his teacher's lab building, attempting to manipulate far more Ether than was safe using an instrument about which he knew nothing, he was, of course, thrown out of what was left of his lodge. Blitz proceeded to enroll in the local Fighter's Guild, but was failed out in a manner that was not only unceremoniously embarassing, but wholly unlike the previous incidents with the Church and his Ether training. He now works as a porter at the engineering offices back in Bastok, and has held this job for several years.
Other: Because of his background, Blitz is something of a jack of all trades. Conventionally, there is nothing special about him, other than that he is somewhat better at most things than those without any training at all. However, one unique aspect of him is that his clothes are actually extensions of his body, in the manner of hair or fingernails. By manipulating Ether, he can instantaneously change from underwear to a fine and perfectly fitting tuxedo. Many of the Saurian he works with consider this to be a completely useless ability.

Summary
To be updated soon