Welcome to Gaia! ::

Introduction
Welcome to Midgard, land of humans. In this desolate land of ice and sleet, great battles have been fought.

They say desperate times call for desperate measures. Never before have times been more desperate. Since the beginning of time, the Gods and the humans have fought against the Giants. It is fate that the Giants shall win. In the end, evil will triumph. But, still, the Gods favor never wanes. The warriors never lay down their swords.

Why fight when the cause is hopeless?

Hovering over Midgard is the land of the gods; the world known as Asgard. It is within Asgard that the only means of salvation can be found. In the home of Odin, king of gods and master of the sky, there rests a great hall of heroes--Valhalla. To die as a hero grants one entrance to Valhalla and eternal recognition as a hero.

To be a hero, one must fight bravely. One must scoff at the prospect of death.

Seeking a hero's death and a place in Valhalla, warriors have continued their battle for centuries. Now, however, the resistance is weakening. The Giants are growing in power. More and more are dissenting, joining the ranks of the Giants. The methods of evil have grown increasingly brutal. Neutral servants of Hela roam through Midgard, aiding neither side but leaving trails of chaos.

The first sign of the apocalypse has already come to pass: Fimbulvetr, the winter of winters. This great winter will span three years without the relief of summer. Already, a year has passed since the sun has shone with full force. The land is dying, and the end draws nearer by the second.

But what is the end?

Ragnarok. The twilight of the gods; the doom of the powers. The last great battle between gods and Giants. It will lead to the destruction of everything.

Now, every creature with the will to fight for the cause of good must do so. The Giants must be stopped; at any cost, the final battle must be delayed. Gather courage. Gather strength. Seek the aid of gods or past men. Summon your every inner resource to fight against fate. And then, perhaps, a few more years will pass before the inevitable twilight.

Character Stuff

Note: Gods and Giants will be NPCs. If you're interested in taking a god, please ask for one! Giants are basically monsters (for the sake of this roleplay), and I can probably manage posting for those.

If you want a god to NPC, you just need to write a quick physical description and personality thing. I've taken enough liberties here that as long as you stay close enough to the gods' element/emotion/thing, it'll be cool. Gods come in to steer the plot, and I'll either PM you when your god is necessary, or you can do something plot-changing of your own accord. Just tell me first, ok?


God List

Odin God of the sky, king of the gods. Rules over knowledge. Has two birds on his shoulders. Wise, dark, troubled, etc.
Frigg Odin's wife, goddess of fertility. Think Hera but nice.
Freya Goddess of love. Sweet. Think Aphrodite but less ditzy/cruel/malicious.
Thor God of Thunder. Has a hammer, iron gloves, and a strength belt. He's the ultimate warrior guy.
Hela Sometimes translated as 'Hel.' Goddess of the dead--freaky with putrid flesh. Sinister and self-serving. Rules over necromancers.
Loki God of fire--a trickster. Think 'class clown' but deadly. He has a cruel sense of humor and doesn't care much for others.
Heimdall Watcher god. He watches the bridge between the worlds. Silent, strong, etc.
Tyr Son of Odin. God of valor and heroic stuff. He's generally very brave--a real warrior. (Trivia time! In modern times, he's often used as a symbol for warriors and bravery and stuff. Cool, huh?)


Character Races
Light Elves:
Light elves are the classics of the elf race. With pale skin, blue or green eyes, and pointed ears, they are rather lovely creatures. Much like humans, light elves can train with different weapons, but humans tend to have higher physical offense and defense. As archers, these elves are especially effective, considering their excellent hearing and eyesight--rivaling a hawk's. They are very quick on their feet, making them able to dodge attacks quite well. Light elves are also excellent spellcasters with proper training, but they cannot be both spell-caster and warrior.

Pros: Speed, good eyesight, good hearing, best with long-range weapons, good long-range spellcasters (see above)
Cons: Lower offense in close-range combat, low defense

Limit: Unlimited.

Dark Elves
Dark elves are the mysterious elf race. Their skin tends to be a gray hue, and their eyes range in color from deep reds, dark blues, blacks, and dark greens. Physically, dark elves are much more powerful than their light counterparts, but their eyesight is far worse. While light elves excel in archery, dark elves are best with close-range fighting--whether it be with a sword or simply their fists. Their strength and defense are still lower than humans, but their amazing speed more than balances it. They are also adept in spell-casting when trained in that art, but a spell-casting elf cannot fight physically.

Pros: Good offense and defense, best with close-range weapons, speed, good close-range spellcasters (see above)
Cons: Lower defense and offense than humans, worse eyesight than light elves

Limit: Unlimited.

Dwarves
Dwarves are the strongest of the races, and they have the ability to use the heaviest, strongest of weapons. Unfortunately, their slight stature and rather...burly builds restrict their movements. As a result, the fastest dwarves have about a third of the speed of even the slowest humans, but their strength is greater than even the greatest human warrior. They are, however, more adept at hiding and much more atuned to the earth, in general. Dwarves have the ability to wield slight earth-based magic, taught more from experience/natural affinity than elves' learned spells.

Pros: Highest offense and defense, slight magical skills, can use any big (as in crazy-huge) weapons.
Cons: Slow to the extreme, very weak against water magic (just 'cause).

Limit: Unlimited.

Humans
Humans have the greatest variety of the races. A human has a much higher capacity to fight physically than any elf, but their speed is much less. In comparison to humans, elves are rather fragile, but even the quickest human appears sloth-like beside an elf. Humans are the second best built race for physical fighting after dwarves.

Pros: Strength, defense
Cons: No magic skills, slower than elves

Limit: Unlimited.

Halfbreeds: Human/Elf
Containing the traits of both their parents, these are a very potent race. These forms of halfbreeds are humans spliced with elf genes. A halfbreed child gains only specific traits from each parent. They may be physically weaker than a human and slower than an elf, but they are stronger than the average elf and faster than the average human. Half-elves may also inherit elf magic abilities and can use both magic and physical attacks.

Pros: Able to use magic and physical attacks, medium speed, medium offense and defense
Cons: Traits are worse than fullbloods (see above for explanation)

Limit: 4 Spots Left.

Halfbreed: Light elf/Dark elf
These are a very rare sight indeed, considering that the two races do not tend to interact. Still, they do exist. These halfbreeds can look like either parent; some have dark skin and light eyes or vice versa. A light/dark elf child is physically more powerful than a light elf but weaker than a dark elf. They are just as quick as any fullblood because both elf races are of equal speed. Light/dark elves can use both long and close range weapons. They also have the option of becoming spellcasters, allowing them to cast a spell well close up or from a distance.

Pros: Medium offense and defense, speed, able to use short- and long-range attacks
Cons: Traits worse than fullbloods (see above)

Limit: 3 Spots Left.

Valkyries:
The healing class. These maidens serve Odin, sorting the dead on the battlefield by separating the heroes from the rest and leading them to Valhalla. They tend to the wounded and dying. Valkyries possess only the slightest physical strength, relying instead on their healing skills to provide support during battle. Their defense is also significantly lower than the other races. They are quick, which is especially important when a valkyrie is confronted alone. Some valkyries do have the power to cast various light (holy) spells, but these are of an entirely different strength than elemental spells and can be quite taxing to use. A valkyrie's power is structured to be used primarily for healing; the use of light magic requires a reworking of inner powers. While they are human, the differences between a valkyrie and regular human are so apparent that they are usually considered a different race.

Pros: Healers, speed, light magic
Cons: Low defense, very low offense

Limit: 2 Spots Left.


Necromancer:
The summoning race. Necromancers hold the somewhat morbid talent of calling forth and commanding dead creatures. Like valkyries, they are human, but their extreme differences group them otherwise. They can have children with human or valkyries, being human themselves, but most necromancy traits, like valkyrie's, are not hereditary. Their skin is extremely pale. Oftentimes necromancers serve Hela, goddess of the dead and have their own agenda outside the Giant/god war. They have the power to reanimate corpses–although without a soul or any form of free thought. They may also summon a dead spirit. Necromancers are physically weak, but the 'bodyguards' they summon can protect them.

Pros: Can summon creatures to do their bidding
Cons: Weak, undead monsters susceptible to healing spells

Limit: 2 Spots Left.



-*-

There isn't much of a plot, yet. I'm a very make-things-up-as-you-go person. And I like hyphens, but that's irrelevant. Anyway, if necessary, I can steer the direction of the plot to make it interesting whenever necessary. But characters are key to any story.

We need a few evil characters. Evil characters, besides being fun to play as, are excellent plot devices. You can choose motives of your own, but if you're stuck, I can give you a motive.

Oh, and If no one plays the super bad guy, then I'll be forced to do it, and I'm not a very good bad guy person.


Application:

Gaia Name: {Self-explanatory.}
Character Name: {Please do not use names of the main Norse gods, i.e. Odin, Freya, Frigg. You may use the names of minor gods that will not feasibly be brought up in this RP.}
Age: {Late teens at least (as in 17 on up), please. Basically, we don't need 10 year old characters running around a battlefield or traveling through war-ravaged, bandit infested countryside... If you want to play a child character, ask, and I'll probably let you, anyway. It would be interesting.}
Gender: {Self-explanatory.}
Alignment: {Good or evil. Good supports the gods and anti-Giant efforts. Evil supports the Giants and works toward/wants the world's destruction. Necromancers may be neutral.}
Race: {Choose one of the above. Please read the description of your class.}
Element: {This is especially important for elf mages, but humans may have elemental weapons. Fire, water, earth, wind, poison, light, dark.}
Special Powers: {Here's where you can show your creativity. No overly powerful characters, obviously. If you're stuck, just use the basic powers of your race, i.e. strength for humans, speed for elves, etc. You may have two special powers along with your basic race powers. Have fun!}
Weapon(s): {Again, nothing overly-powerful. No more than two. Please be creative here, too. There are tons of weapons out there, so choose something unique. Valkyries, fullblood elf mages, and necromancers may only use staffs for spell-casting or summoning, daggers, or go unarmed; their weapons are healing, magic, or summoning respectively.}
Appearance: {Type a complete description! Hair color, eye color, clothes, distinctive features, etc.}
History/Personality: {These are grouped together for a reason. Your character's history should have affected their personality at least a little. If not, then describe them as a rebel. There should be enough here that I can understand your character at least vaguely. Make up an interesting past, and I'll probably accept you. Come on, be a bandit, be an innkeeper, be anything, just don't fall to cliches.}

The Story so Far

Characters

*Strike-throughs signify inactive characters.















Gods

He recalled the events of the day clearly, from his arrival after hearing the horns and bells of alarm, the cries of 'giant' and 'Jotun,' to the almost immediate slaying of the massive creature, and then to his most important decision.

To enter the actual town or not.

He stood in the destroyed section of town, the part that the Jotun had gotten to first and had managed to smash just about everything he could get close to. Some buildings simply had their rooves knocked off or were smashed in, but others were split in two, mangled, or looked as if something had detonated within.

Death, while it was a natural part of the cycle, was not something to be rejoiced about in this case. Even someone of his...profession was not joyed at these deaths. However, most of the dead that could be found intact were already given a proper burial, so he did not actually see their numbers. Who knew how many had died, save for the grave digger? It was probably not a high number, being as that it took hardly a quarter of an hour to defeat the Jotun, a feat he did not have the opportunity to witness. No, were he to be seen then, he would've been marked as an ally of the attacking Jotun.

He stood in a small clearing made by the Jotun, possibly where it fell. The villagers had probably dragged the body off or hacked it up and burned it or some gruesome thing such as that, so the clearing where the Jotun had fallen was empty. It was not a large clearing, and therefore not a large Jotun (he had heard tales of Jotuns taller than the tallest buildings). His white hair danced to the side in what little breeze there was, blowing away from its normal resting place of his hips. His eyes flashed from grey to crimson, changing randomly and with no emotional connection to the change (as often misunderstood by witnesses). The six-foot, three-inch tall necromancer took a step forward, his eyelids falling down and closing, his arms spreading wide. He could still feel it, the spirit of the Jotun, raging at his defeat.

If...if only he could speak to it. Then he could figure out why it had attacked.

Koll sighed, and shook his head. The spirit of the Jotun would rage here, attatched to its place of death, for months, possibly even years to come, as stubborn and angry as ever, before finally drifting off to Hel.

He drew his black robe around him more, the crimson runes upon the cuffs of the sleeves visible as he tucked his slender and fragile hands into his sleeves. It was time to find a place to sleep. The local inn and tavern seemed like a good start.

----------------------------------------------------

He arrived hardly even minutes later, opening the door and striding through. Whatever drunkards remained stopped at looked at him, but only for a moment, and then returned to their boisterous behavior, though it was a tad more subdued now. He strode past tables, one at which sat a particularly unhappy and unkempt-looking black-haired woman, towards the counter, where the host stood, a grimace on his lips already.

"Now, now, don't be so hasty to judge." The necromancer said. "All I need is a room for the night."

The host grimaced deeper. "Inn's full." He made a hasty attempt to get the register out of eyesight. Too late, because the necromancer had already examined it.

"Strange." The necromancer said. "Usually inns aren't considered full until every room is occupied, being as that you have three open." He smirked.

The host replaced the register and sighed. "Fine, fine. What's your name." He stated it more than asked.

"Koll. Koll Geirmund." The necromancer stated. "And I thank you." He said, withdrawing the payment for the room from behind his kris dagger that rested across his lower back. He placed the payment, the usual amount anyone else would have to pay, upon the table.

The host shook his head. "You think I'm an idiot?"

Koll held his tongue for a moment. He was about to ask if the host had actually wanted an honest answer. "Why, good sir?" Koll asked isntead.

"There's gotta be at least half more that you're holding out on me." The host said. He was no fool. If he was going to host a necromancer, then he was going to get some good money out of it.

"Very well." Koll said, paying double.

"Pleasure. Have a seat, and I'll get your room ready." The host said, scooping up the coins and leaving.

Koll shook his head, and turned around, glancing once again at the black-haired woman.

He eyed her with golden irises, his eyes having changed the moment the host had left. Slowly, his senses hinted at it, and he smirked. Imagine meeting one here, of all places?

He strode towards her casually, his arms at his sides and showing no signs of aggression. "Good day, m'lady." He smirked. "Or should I say..." He held his tongue momentarily. He hoped his senses were correct.

"Valkyrie?" He grinned. "Imagine meeting one of your kind here." He meant her no harm, and he really had no inkling that he sounded like he did. "Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Koll Geirmund."

Koll looked at Mildri as if she had three heads for a moment. She was obviously a mess, both psychologically and physically, and was obviously holding him in some kind of irrational fear.

A phobia, perhaps, that many held against his kind, though they were no different biologically, but instead only a slight difference in ideological and moral standards.

When she addressed him, after attempting to give her name (he assumed that 'Mild' was not her actual name) she asked suddenly about the possibility of Koll being a necromancer. He laughed at this, a wheezing, subtle laugh, a sort of thing that hadn't been exercised.

He sat down at the table, smirking. This was by far the most fun he had been involved in for quite some time, staring at this valkyrie with his golden eyes.

He shrugged. "Perhaps you should answer me, first, valkyrie... ...if you even are such." He smirked. "I would've thought a valkyrie to handle herself... a bit more... professionally." He chuckled. "Which leads me to believe that you are not a valkyrie, but yet again my senses hint at it... so I would dare say that you are, perhaps, still in training."

He blinked, and after he opened his eyes, his irises swirled from gold to crimson. He was never aware of this happening, since it was not triggered by anything, but simply a random happening, a side effect of one of his more .... interesting capabilities.

Koll had to resist, once again, from laughing out loud at the valkyrie's display of poor mental order and composure. She was obviously squeamish around his type, but then again, he couldn't blame her. He exuded a necromantic aura, but he was by no means evil.

Koll folded his hands in front of him, and motioned to the chair across from him. "Dear child, sit. It's rude to stand in front of a table like that." He said, smirking. "As for my eyes..." Koll said, nodding, indicating that he knew of this problem, "it is the price I paid for a rather...interesting aspect of my profession." Koll said. "I don't mind, really." He smirked. "It tends to make the weak of heart rather squeamish." He chuckled, knowing that he was making a direct stab at Mildri's lack of control.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Mildri Heidrun." Koll said politely. "And I can see you get right to business. Very well, I shall tell you why I am here. I came here for the sinful and rather heinous business of obtaining a room here for the evening. Yes, I admit it, but save your wrath until you've heard me out." Koll said, blatantly making fun of her. "Not only that, but I have decided that I will not raise a finger to harm any innocent person, nor will I have any corpse do so either." Koll indicated. This, at least, was the truth, and hardly distorted by joking remarks. "Futhermore, I have committed the crime of cheating the innkeeper, paying him double for my room than the normal price, a taboo crime, I might add. To top it off, I will leave here in the morning with this place quite horribly intact and untouched by my powers, with all the souls within the town within their mortal bodies, right where they belong, and journey on my way to my destination." Koll leaned forward.

"But, now that I have found you... plans have changed." Koll said, smirking. "Now, now, I'm not looking for a fight. Despite your... apparent fear of me, I have no doubt that you could best me in combat, especially where I am at the moment." He admitted. "My destination is Valhalla. I seek access to the Library of Bragi, to gain information on a certain topic that I am researching." There was a reason that Koll was not with a certain sect of necromancers.

"And if you're wondering about any kind of evil presence in Valhalla, you needn't worry; I've been ostracized from any sort of necromantic 'order' there is." He said, the topic obviously disgusting him. They were so...stuck in their ways. Simply because Koll's view had been new, something different, they had rejected him.

Even if it did go against everything they had ever known. But who knew? Maybe Koll could prove them right.