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[Ember_Spirit]

Celestial Shadows
Medieval fantasy, large scale.  

[Ember_Spirit]

The balance of power in the world of Cyrelle is shifting. War is brewing, new leaders rising from the shadows. This tummult could benefit the world, bringing needed changes... or it could be the world's undoing.

This roleplay is divided among multiple threads on the main forums. These are:

The Shadow of the Sun
Re'ae, home of the Toliem, was the southernmost kingdom of the Rubenhart Aliiance, and the smallest. A few islands, aranged in a rough circle around a larger, central isle, comprised the entirety of the kingdom. Not a particularly powerful nation, their real strength lay in the production of food and goods that were sold across the known world, bringing in huge profits to the nation.
The Toliem themselves were simple folk, mostly farmers. They worked small plots of land with such care that the sandy soil, once thought the poorest land in the world, could bring forth a king's bounty, in both quality and variety.
This was due in part to the hard work of a small group of mages, who continuously formulated new potions and procedures to increase the productivity of the land.
Until recent years, these techniques worked wonders. But now, due to a severe drought, the once-fertile land was beginning to fail. Besides these troubles, there were rumors that Queen Kori'e, the greatest leader they'd had in a thousand years, had fallen ill. The few nobles that comprised the small court were reduced to squabbling among themselves, while some farmers sank dangerously close to starvation.
To compound their problems even more, whispers of war in the northern kingdoms have reached them. The lizardlike Dorneda, also members of the Rubenhart Alliance, had already begun to battle their neighbors, the Arche. Ancient law demanded that the Toliem, as allies of the Dorneda, send their support, but they could hardly be expected to feed an army when they could barely feed themselves.
Rumors and gossip abound. This soldier, or that village hero, is seeking this amulet, or that secret spell, to end the war, or to increase the food supply, or to cure the Queen's ailment. The vagueness of these stories is matched only by the haziness of the kingdom's future...

The Shadow of the Moon
Elatine, home of the Arche, lay along the borders of the sea in the North. The Arche prided themselves on being the only race able to thrive in the icy region. They farmed snowsbane and mined moonsilver, commodities so expensive in the Southern lands that only royalty could afford them, and sold both by the ton. Traders came and went from the central city of Mortain so frequently that a track, known as the Silver Road, was worn deep into the ice.
The Arche themselves were a very refined people. Their nobility were welcomed in every court in the world as wise and peaceful counselors, and their mages were constantly at work improving the standard of living and creating new entertainments. The cities were carved out of the very ice, spiral towers and ornate palaces rising above the frozen terrain.
Of course, there is always a lower class in every race. The Shadowed lived in the tunnels and caverns in the base of the city, rarely rising above the status of servants or minor craftsmen. But every once in a while, one raised him- or herself above those conditions and became renowned in his or her field.
But Arche politics and society meant very little to the Dorneda. This lizard-like people had had their eyes on the land of Elatine for centuries, and were beginning to move against the Arche. Several villages on the borders of the country had already fallen, and a larger-scale attack was being planned...

The Shadow of Garnet
In the kingdom of Trefalne, there have been centuries of relative peace. War, poverty and disease have been avoided, for the most part, by the humans who call the nation their own.
But shadow has gripped the world, shaking it to its foundation, and even Tefalne has been touched by it. A small faction, called Moonlighters by the general populace, have grown in number of late. Though they are still relatively few, they are blessed-- or cursed-- with unnatural abilities, so that they are no longer even human, and a hunger for blood which endangers every man, woman and child who is not among their number.
With war brewing in the North, and famine in the south, the government of Trefalne is stretched to breaking already, leaving the people to deal with the Moonlighters on their own...

The Shadow of Virgo (closed for construction)
While the moonlighters wreak havoc on Trefalne, the Trefalni Princess, the true power behind the throne, is all that holds the kingdom together. She has always given her utmost for the people, and now she is stretched to the breaking trying to keep the nation running. Starvation and fatigue are kept at bay only by the efforts of her twelve faithful protectors, but how long can it continue...

More are coming soon. There will also be a thread inside the guild, where the best from the other threads will be invited to discuss plot, new threads, etc.  

[Ember_Spirit]

...  

[Ember_Spirit]

The plot is largely a 'make it as you go' deal. After all, this is a world with a very uncertain future. However, if you have any suggestions for major events and such, PM me and if they're approved I will add them here. People who make good contributions to the boards will also be invited to paticipate in the Shadows Forseen thread on this subforum, where the future of the roleplay will be discussed.  

[Ember_Spirit]

Ascendance:
This religion is practiced by most of the Arche. There are no gods, per se. Ascendants believe that every being has been and will be reincarnated over and over for eternity. There are infinite 'worlds' in which one can be incarnated, basically levels, with the higher ones being increasingly paradisical and the lower more and more hellish. Those who do good in their lives will be reincarnated as a higher and more powerful being in the same world after they die, or be reborn into a new world on a higher plane. Those who do evil become lower beings, or descend into lesser worlds.
For instance, a human who lives a good life may become a star in his next one (this is why Arche often swear by the stars; they are considered to be the most virtuous beings on this plane of existence), or if he is extraordinarilly virtuous, he may rise to the next higher world. But if his actions are evil, he may be reborn as an animal, an insect, or even a plant; if he is thoroughly depraved, he will descend to a lower world.
Ascendants believe that some actions that may be evil for one person are good for another; the true factor that decides this is the person's intent. It is believed that a person will have a certain sense of the right path for their life; following it will lead the person to do good. Because of this, it is no one's place to judge the actions of another. However, the importance of laws and consequences is understood, and Ascendants believe it necessary to have just punishments for actions that harm others; thus, they still have a justice system, prisons, and the like.
It is believed that each person, while they may deviate from this in any given life, has an innate level of goodness, which they can raise or lower through hard work. Thus, each has a certain world and station to which they will gravitate unless they work to change it. However, beings both good and evil range across all the worlds.
It is believed that, in the future, there will be what is called Separation. Eventually, all evil souls will descend so far, and all good ones rise enough, that they will be completely divided from each other. The lower worlds will be completely filled with evil souls, who may work to better themselves or descend infinitely lower. The higher worlds will be filled with good souls, who will live in a state of prosperity since there will be no evil beings to harm anyone; they will continue to help each other to ascend higher and higher.

Compassionism:
This religion is common among humans, particularly in Trefalne. There is one god, called Merciful, the father and creator of every being. He requires of his followers that they show Compassion (the godly traits of love and kindness) to everyone. A life based on this principle will automatically be very pure and free of crime and sin (you can't steal from someone if you really love them, or blaspheme if you love Merciful), but just to help those who find it difficult, there are more specific rules of chastity, honesty, and so forth. Those who follow these principles will be rewarded with a state of eternal bliss after death, and those who do not will be consigned to endless misery.

Lunarre:
This religion has been a quiet undertone in Trefalne until recent years. Now, it has exploded, gathering a huge following. Believers worship the moon as a goddess, and consider the night, her realm, to be the source of purest beauty.
The moon requires her followers to hunt, honoring her by drinking the blood of their prey. Most hunt only animals.
However, the most devoted followers of Lunarre are blessed with superhuman powers and abilities, but must in return drink human blood to survive. Some even need to consume human flesh. These Moonlighters, as they are called by the general populace, are also blessed with beauty that echoes the night and the hunt. Most are intolerant to sunlight.  

[Ember_Spirit]

The world of Cyrelle

Re'ae:
Capital: Mi'rika
Race: Toliem
Location: Tropical islands
Military: Minimal, mostly just local militia
Main sources of income: Farm produce
Treaties/Alliances: Rubenhart Alliance
Political structure: Ruled by a king or queen, currently Queen Kori'e. The few nobles that make up the royal court are all located in the capital of Mi'rika. The rest of the population is primarily farmers, who are helped in their work by mages specializing in agriculture.

Elatine:
Capital: Mortain
Race: Acrche
Location: Frozen north
Military: 'Border Guard' are the main army; 'Elite Guard' are stationed in the major cities, though they travel a lot
Main sources of income: Moonsilver and snowsbane, traded on the Silver Road
Treaties/Alliances: ???
Political structure: Ruled by a council of seven High Lords and Ladies; currently High Lords Rochim, Tumben, Warfelt, Drechem, and Polian, and High Ladies Triana and Silveya. Below them are lesser nobles, who usually live in the major cities and sometimes travel to the capital. Just below the nobility, and often mingling with them, are the wealthier businesspeople, and then the working class. The Shadowed are the lowest class, living in caverns at the base of the cities and rarely rising above stations as servants or minor craftsmen. Mages in Elatine are concerned primarily with luxuries and entertainment.

Yrkaels Empire:
Capital: Ssseskrit
Race: Dorneda
Location: Northern hemisphere, south of Elatine
Military: Extensive, but little else is known about it even inside the country
Main sources of income: Jewelry and exotic animals
Treaties/Alliances: Rubenhart Alliance
Political structure: The Emperor has control over five powerful warlords, who each rule a specific region of the country; the current king is Rossska, and the warlords are Tyrkis, Dordiman, Sssenki, Uolra, and Farnheld. In place of nobility are military officers. Soldiers comprise nearly a quarter of the population; then there is a working class closely regulated by the empire. Slaves of other races make up the rest of the population. The few Dorneda mages are employed in the military.

Trefalne:
Capital: Bonjien
Race: Human
Location: North of the equator, in a heavily forested region
Military: Unremarkable, and currently in disarray, stretched thin.
Main source of income: Lumber and iron
Treaties/Alliances: ???
Political structure: Ruled by a king from an ancient royal bloodline, currently King Appollus. Most of the nobles are the indirect descandants of the same family. The person who truly holds the reins in the kingdom is the beloved princess, the only child of the royal couple, who works tirelessly to improve the lives of the citizens despite her youth, but she isn't all-powerful, and the current problems have her at wit's end. Every city and large town has a governor from among the nobility who presides over it, and smaller villages and farming communities are subject to the governing of lesser lords and ladies. These leaders are answerable to the king, or more accurately, the princess. The peasant class is kindly treated, taxed in proportion to their income and given all the rights of the wealthy; craftsmen, smiths especially, are well-respected. There are few beggars on the streets; most of them are taken in to boarding houses funded by the royal family. There was a prosperous slave trade until recent years, when the princess outlawed slavery shortly after her first visit to the slave market. Rumor has it that her twelve favored bodyguards, the only people allowed to bear weapons in her presence, were the first freed from the bonds of slavery.

Major Alliances

Rubenhart Alliance: An ancient treaty comprised of several nations, including the Yrkaels Empire and Re'ae. They are to lend each other support in any military endeavor, but are under no other obligations.

Current Wars, Invasions, etc.
The Dorneda are currently invading Elatine. Several towns on the southern border have fallen in the initial attack, but now the Arche are beginning to respond.
4/15-4/22: There was a Dorneda attack on the city of Tovnem, where The Shadow of the Moon takes place. The Arche turned back the invaders, but it is worrisome that the Dornedan army penetrated so far into the country without being detected.  

[Ember_Spirit]

You may join in any of the threads dedicated to this roleplay. Thus far, they are:
The Shadow of the Sun, which takes place in Re'ae.
The Shadow of the Moon, which takes place in Elatine.
We are in desparate need of Dorneda characters for Shadow of the Moon, particularly military leaders in charge of the invasion.
The Shadow of Garnet, which takes place in a small village in Trefalne and the surrounding forest. We've recently started this one over due to lack of participation.
The Shadow of Virgo, which takes place in the capital city of Trefalne. Currently closed for construction.

When you join, please PM me this form, which I will post in the Characters section:

Username:
Character name:
Age sad approx.)
Gender:
Race:
Nationality:
Appearance: (You may use a written description and/or a picture; however, if you use a picture, it must be detailed, and you cannot have a character's face hidden. If you want to use an avatar, include written details as well.)
If you wish to include any other information, feel free. You may also mark some of the questions to be answered ??? temporarily; if, for instance, your character's face is hidden for the first bit of the roleplay, and you don't want to reveal it until later on, mark it as ???. However, please include the official answer as well, and it will be posted once it has been revealed within the roleplay. Also, don't mark all your answers this way; give us something to go on!  

[Ember_Spirit]

Characters

The Shadow of the Sun

Username: Ember_Spirit
Character name: Cor've
Age: 138
Gender: Female
Race: Toliem
Nationality: Re?ae
Appearance: Toliem. (Pointed ears with tufts of fur at the tips, long, drooping eyebrows that are braided with one round green bead at the end of each). About 8?1?, slender for a Toliem. Short, mousy brown hair. Liquid black eyes. Long, loose coat of golden-brown leather, white long-sleeved linen shirt, fitted brown pants, soft leather boots that lace to the knee.
Other: Carries an ornately carved box with a silver pendant inside, which she believes to be a sa?angreal (a powerful magical artifact) called the Key to the Heavens

The Shadow of the Moon

Username: Ember_Spirit
Character name: Evara of House Morble
Age: 17
Gender: Female
Race: Arche
Nationality: Elatine
Appearance: Long, red-brown hair, usually done in a way that is simple and keeps it out of the way. Green-gold eyes, slit-pupiled, rather feline in appearance. A bit on the tall side, slender but strong. Pale skin. A long, red-and-black striped tail. Usually wears clothes that are comfortable and practical for fighting (aka: pants), but is sometimes forced (almost literally) to wear fine dresses.
Other: Evara wants to join the Border Guard so that she can work her way to a place among the Elite Guard. However, since her father forbids it, she must wait until she comes of age. She still practices with the Guard, though, and has gotten rather good, particularly with the sword. Her favored weapons are two swords, called the Twins by most.

Username: Shadow-Savant
Character name: Rannel Cyridain Dos'Larean
Age: 26
Gender: Male
Race: Appears Human
Nationality: Kingdom of Raegnus
Appearance:
Hair: Rannel's hair falls to the bottom of his shoulderblades in snowy waves of pure white.
Eyes: Rannel's eyes are a piercing turquoise color which, like his hair, are not a common color for people of his race.
Physique: Rannel is well built but not stocky. He stands 5'11" tall and weighs 148 lbs, all muscle.
History: Rannel was raised to be the Viscount Dos'Larean after his father. His mother, a sellsword and ex-militia member, taught Rannel and his sister to fight. By the age of fifteen he had learned all she had to teach. Due to his background he became a mercenary in the Kingdom of Raegnus after his family's lands were swallowed by war. His parents and siblings were murdered when he was eighteen and he left the kingdom to avoid the same fate. Signing on with a mercenary company at the age of nineteen, the Dreadfox, he spent five years among their ranks before failing to follow orders forced him to flee. After killing his commander and half of the Dreadfox he escaped. For two years he has tried to escape his past and those mercenaries intent on reclaiming the reputation of the Dreadfox company.
Weapons:
Daggers: One dagger in a sheath is strapped to both wrists. A similar sheath is strapped to either thigh only these hold two daggers each.
Parrying Daggers: Strapped to the back of his belt between the swords. One barely sticking out either side of his back for easy access.
Swords: One on either hip attached to a 45 degree frog to keep the scabbard from interfering with his movement.

Username: Otherwisekn0wnasthegreatk
Character name: Luca Barrows
Age: 19
Gender: Female
Race: Arche
Nationality: Elatine
Appearance:
Other: Evara's best friend

Username: Arantria
Character name: Purellian
Age: 20
Gender: Female
Race: Human
Nationality: ???
Appearance: Grey-tinted green eyes. Short cropped, not quite chin-length brown hair. She wears a green ribbon tied around her forehead in such a way that her bangs still fall into her face; however, her bangs are not long enough to cover her features. She?s not nearly dramatic enough to need to hide her face in any way, though she is a thief. The ribbon is tied in a knot at the back of her head and is long enough to reach her elbows. Her only vanity is the fact that she thinks she looks cool when the ribbon flies out behind her as she runs or fights.
About 4?7?
About 100 lb.
A birthmark on her left cheek. The birthmark isn?t anything special, it just takes away from any attractiveness she has. She has to cover the birthmark up whenever she is working as a thief, since it would be too easy to identify her if she didn?t. Of course, she views her long ribbon as her trademark, and only takes it off when she?s working.
During work and in a fight, generally wears leather armor. This consists of a high-collared, short-sleeved leather jacket that comes to just under the top of her pants so that her back is completely covered, and which can be fastened, though she normally wears it open; a comfortable, loose dark green cloth sleeveless shirt underneath the jacket; a pair of long leather pants that tuck into her boots such that no skin is showing at her ankles; a thick leather belt around her waist that hides her long knives; a pair of worn ankle-height brown boots; a pair of leather gloves that end just above the wrist. She has no jewelry to speak of, not even earrings. Her short sword is kept on her back, within easy reach if a fight should come up unexpectedly.
Other:
Class: Thief
Weapons/Spells: She uses mostly her short sword for close combat fighting, but she is very skilled at knife fighting and can also throw a knife with deadly accuracy if she has enough time to aim properly. She is also capable of using a staff, though she doesn?t like it much, and doesn?t carry one with her. She does carry a lockpick, though this obviously can?t (usually) be used as a weapon.
Personality/Background: During her very young years, Purellian lived in a small village with her parents, her baby sister Salleh, and her two older brothers, Jerill and Col. Very soon after her fifth birthday, a plague came to the village and wiped out nearly everyone, including her parents and her baby sister. As there was no one left to take care of them, Purellian and her brothers left the village and moved to a large city where Jerill hoped to find some work.
They eventually found a metalsmith who would agree to take them in if they became his apprentices when they all came of age. The family lived together with the metalsmith for five years, until Jerill left to pursue a career in magic. Luckily, both Col and Purellian were old enough to start as apprentices by that time, so the metalsmith did not turn them out; however, the two siblings struggled without their older brother. While Col remained at work at the smithy, Purellian began to roam the streets, stealing some here and there.
She left the smithy for good by the time she was 14, but stayed in the city, as she did not wish to leave her brother. She fell in for a time with a small band of thieves, where she honed her skills in stealing and fighting. She began a romance with one of her tutors, Tolec, which was intense, and lasted through her time with the group. He was the one who gave her the ribbon which she later wore in her hair. He was killed when the law-enforcement army raided their place of operations. Once he was dead, Purellian saw no reason to stay with the group any longer, and so she departed to a nearby village, where she got a job as a shopkeeper?s assistant. She still visits her brother Col as often as possible, and worries about him just as much as he worries about her.
Purellian?s personality is fairly subdued, mostly because of her history in the city and the loss of her lover. She is not pessimistic or depressed, however, and is quite capable of being cheerful. She is always prepared to defend those she loves, both physically and verbally. If given the option, she?d prefer to spend her time alone, training or studying something she?s interested in, but she does enjoy a good conversation with friends.


The Shadow of Garnet

Username: Ember_Spirit
Character name: Crimson
Age: ???
Gender: Female
Race: Moonlighter
Nationality: Trefalne
Appearance: Long black hair, worn loose and rather straight. Wine-red eyes. Very pale skin. Rather an attractive figure. Large, feathered black wings, and fangs. Usually wears long gowns, sometimes of fine velvet or silk, and practical boots with a small dagger tucked down the top of one.
Other: Though she is a Moonlighter, and therefore must drink human blood to live, she avoids killing her prey. She is more concerned with the beauty of the night than any practical considerations.

The Shadow of Virgo

Username: Ember_Spirit
Character name: ??? (Trefalni princess)
Age: 17
Gender: Female
Race: Human
Nationality: Trefalne
Appearance: Long, red-gold hair and blue eyes. Slender, of average height. Generally wears quite formal attire, though rather plain considering her position.
Other: She is quite practical in most matters, but is extremely self-sacrificing. Has to be convinced even to sleep or eat, especially now with so much trouble in the country. She'd probably work herself to death if not for her protectors, twelve young men who have dedicted themselves to her protection. They are jokingly called her 'harem'.
Princess's guard:
-Kallin: Sandy hair, a little long, and green eyes. Favored weapon is a blade-ended staff, which he uses as a mixture of quarterstaff and spear. Prone to worry.
-Falk: Black hair, moderately short, and dark blue eyes. Favored weapons are daggers, which he can throw with great speed and accuracy or use for close combat. Rather serious, and the most heavily scarred by his past, in body and spirit.
-Tyrius: Messy brown hair (in a good way) and chocolate-brown eyes. Favored weapon is a quaterstaff. Very sensible, and usually rather quiet-- unless he gets angry.
-Keven and Koven (the twins): White-blonde hair, in a high ponytail to the waist, and ice blue eyes. Favored weapon is a sword; Keven is right-handed, and Koven is left-handed, but both use their off-hand unless they're in a serious fight with a formiddable opponent. They're very close(a form of vanity, I suppose), and sometimes quite showy. They love symmetry and talking in unison.
-Astral: White hair to the shoulders, silver-grey eyes. Favored weapon is a crystal-topped staff carved with a serpent coiled down its length, with which he performs magic. Quite intelligent, but a little absentminded at times.
-Six more, who shall be introduced in time.

More to come!  

[Ember_Spirit]

Toliem
The Toliem are humanoid, but they are quite large in stature, some standing at almost nine feet. They have pointed ears with tufts of fur at the tips, and long, drooping eyebrows that often brush their cheeks and which they often ornament with beads and such.
Toliem are long-lived; anyone younger than a hundred years old is still counted a child, and the oldest living Toliem is said to exceed one thousand years of age. This has granted a certain slowness to their manner as well; it takes little to make them happy, and quite a lot to anger them; but once they are truly angry, they won't stop until they feel avenged.

Arche
Arche are mostly humanoid, but have long, furry tails and slit-pupiled eyes, and are generally very even-tempered. Their lifespan is similar to that of a human.

Dorneda
Dorneda are scaly, with no hair and a membranous ruff on the back of their necks and shoulders. They are generally prone to mood-swings, and are usually looking for a fight.Their lifespan is about thwice that of a human.

Moonlighters
Moonlighters are, for the most part, followers of Lunarre who have been changed into something other than human. Usually being basically humanoid in form, their powers and appearances are varied. Some are akin to vampires and werewolves, but many others are unlike any creature previously known.
Whatever their characteristics, they are generally pale of skin, with red, silver, black and white being the most common colors for hair and eyes, and many are unusually attractive. Claws and fangs are not uncommon, nor is unusual strength. Their powers wax and wane with the moon.
Moonlighters' lifespans are unknown, since they have mostly arisen only in recent history. However, it is believed that they will not die of old age. This is supported by the fact that most do not appear to age beyond their late teens or early twenties.  

[Ember_Spirit]

Updates:
1/7 I'm turning over the Celestial Shadows to Shadow_Savant, since I've given up roleplaying. I'm sorry about this, you guys, but I can't see any other way to go.
7/19 The Shadow of Virgo is still down, sorry about that. I'll try to get it running again next week.
6/5 The Shadow of Garnet has been restarted; it can now be found here.
4/21 The Shadow of Virgo is closed for construction. Send your thanks to the illiterates who overran the first attempt.