Gatekeepers of the Apocalypse is nearly ready to begin! Currently accepting claims for the four Gatekeepers:
- War - Famine - Pestilence - Death
First come, first served. Once we get two or three claimed, I will take whichever role is unclaimed. mrgreen
Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2020 8:44 am
↟ ↟ Introduction ↟ ↟
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Gatekeepers of the Apocalypse is a dark fantasy-apocalypse RP.
As the main narrative focuses on the apocalypse, much of the world will plunge into chaos. Some will see this as an opportunity to climb the ladder and end up on top. Others will try to go on as normal until things blow over. And some may even want to help speed up the apocalypse instead of helping stop it. While your character may be one of the Gatekeepers, they don't have to be purely good or altruistic.
While there is a main plot to provide structure for the adventure, most of the story’s development will depend on each character’s background and how they interact with each other and different situations. If you have ideas on new directions for the story to take, please share them. Your input is what’s going to keep things interesting!
I will, of course, create certain events and encounters to keep things moving along. But if you would like something to happen for your character, let me know and we’ll work it in. We’ll do our best to give every character an opportunity for their own side quest/development arc.
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↟ ↟ Rules ↟ ↟
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◈ Lucy is Dungeon Master. She has final say in disputes and discussions of gameplay.
◈ Power-playing without consent is prohibited. Unless another player has given consent for you to control their character, you will be asked to edit your post. First offense results in a warning. Second offense results in immediate removal from the RP.
◈ God-moding without consent is prohibited. Each character will have different strengths in different scenarios. Gameplay was built with the intention to keep things fair between players while also giving everyone an opportunity to shine. Be respectful and considerate of others. Ignoring this rule will result in immediate removal from the RP.
◈ While this RP is open to characters behaving in dark/amoral/evil ways, use common sense and don't post anything that violates Gaia's TOS. If you're unsure if what you want to write crosses a line, PM me. If it's acceptable within the bounds of the RP but might cause problems on this platform, we can use Discord.
◈ Post once a week. Let us know in the OOC thread or Discord server if you have extenuating circumstances. We all want to keep playing, so keep us updated if you need a little more time or if we need to move on around you.
◈ Bring ideas to the table. If you have ideas for events, please share them with the group for discussion. If you want something in particular to happen to or for your character to promote their development, let the group know. Special side-quest events are always welcome!
◈ Have fun!
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LucidRain
Magic Leaf
Offline
LucidRain
Magic Leaf
Offline
Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2020 10:08 am
↟ ↟ The World of Tamia ↟ ↟
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Weather advisory: due to the volcanic eruption at Mount Velka, expect dark skies, smoky air, and falling ash. Occasional changes in wind direction may allow for partial sunshine and clearer air.
The countries in the volcanic region of Tamia primarily feature hot dense rainforests and rich volcanic soil ideal for farming. Some noteworthy characteristics across the region:
The Velkan Marches - Most of the Velkan Marches remains an untouched, overgrown tropical sanctum. The part of the Marches that is on the mainland is home to a few small cities within a short distance of The Well of Ages, the temple dedicated to the original Gatekeepers. This residents of this towering structure keep watch over the desolate peaks on their sister island. Mount Velka is Tamia's most active volcano.
Myran Tribal Lands - The Myran region does not belong to any single person or group. A thin strip of desert separates the wide open grasslands from the Myres Mountains and the border of Aton. Though there is a volcano in the Myres, Mount Ginter, it has been dormant for over a century. The territory is home to nomadic groups and solitary wanderers alike. No one set of laws governs this wild territory. It is the last frontier of absolute freedom, containing only a few permanent towns but no large cities.
Acurymia - The leaders of Acurymia have a long history of conquering their neighbors to expand their empire. Most of the people in Acurymia's many large cities have adopted a similar mindset, believing the lines on a map to be suggestions. The Curyn Mountains in the northern part of the empire are low and green. Etrius Peak (named for the first emperor of Acurymia) is the tallest mountain in the range.
Bonguk - With thick forests and wide rivers, the people of Bonguk prefer to live in balance with their natural surroundings. They stay neutral in most affairs, believing the best course is to allow things to work themselves out. Much of their culture is unknown, as they are not welcoming of outsiders.
Aton - Aton feels like the more civilized end of the Myran Lands. They frequently trade with their nomadic neighbors, making their small country a surprisingly wealthy place. Despite sharing a border with the Velkan Marches, most of their people feel the threat of Mount Velka is too distant to concern them.
Morn - The small, struggling and unassuming kingdom of Morn has long been building its military in secret, waiting for the right moment to launch a surprise invasion of Sadhelm and Aton. Envious of its more prosperous neighbors and frustrated by the endless stalemate between Acurymia and Witlandice, the leaders of Morn plan to conquer the smaller countries north of the Myres Mountains. Their people dream of the day when their country's name inspires fear instead of mockery.
Witlandice - The only power to challenge the dominance of Acurymia, the kingdom of Witlandice has a tense relationship with its neighbors. Having defended against many of Acurymia's attempts at conquest, the people of Witlandice are resilient and well-versed in war. Especially along the borders, people are taught to fight and farm as soon as they are strong enough to hold a weapon.
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Most of the world's lore, history, cultures, and rules are negotiable. You are encouraged to add world-building details to your posts. Unless something is problematic for whatever reason, at which point you will either be asked to edit your post or we will agree as a group to disregard the problematic element, all contributions to world-building will be treated as canon.
Some general guidelines to keep in mind:
◈ Technology level is generally in line with most popular medieval fantasy settings. Some anachronistic/creative uses of technology may be permitted (ie, cannons or rifles that use magic). If you have an idea for this, clear it with Lucy first.
◈ Magical and supernatural abilities, items, and entities abound.
◈ Everyone in this world is familiar with at least some version of the story of Miuris. While everyone understands the eruption of Mount Velka means the wheels are in motion for the end of the world, reactions vary widely from “YOLO” to “It’s not a real problem yet.”
◈ Generally, all races are aware of the others. They might not have interacted with them much, or believe they are real until they meet one, but nothing should be 100% unheard of.
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Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2020 10:18 am
↟ ↟ The Story So Far ↟ ↟
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A hot wind blew west across Tamia, carrying a cloud of ash and smoke thick enough to blot out the sun. Far to the east, the god of ruin, Miuris, stirs from within his prison deep in the heart of Mount Velka.
For a brief time, he enjoyed paradise with the other gods. But his very presence brought age, decay, and weakness in their midst. In order to keep their paradise eternal, the other gods lured Miuris to the mortal realm. Miuris loved all their living creations, believing himself to be their guide to the afterlife when their mortal journey ended. But the other gods betrayed him, and trapped him within the earth.
When he understood what they had done, Miuris swore to get his revenge. He would break free from the earth, scorching Tamia until no life remained, and then do the same to the gods and their paradise.
Fearing Miuris’ powers within the mortal realm, the gods chose four mortals to act as his Gatekeepers. They gave these Gatekeepers the power to fight against Miuris’ influence over the world. For while the god of ruin may be imprisoned, he is far from powerless. His influence is a plague, sowing conflict, deceit, disease, and death. His worshippers are scattered across Tamia, spreading ruin to help their god take his own justice.
With the eruption of Mount Velka, Miuris has put his plans in motion. As the people of Tamia fall to chaos and bring ruin upon themselves, Miuris grows stronger. Only once has he grown strong enough to break two of the three seals, located in Tamia’s three volcanoes, before the Gatekeepers subdued him. If he succeeds in breaking all three, there will be no stopping him from laying waste to the world.
As one of the Gatekeepers of this generation, you are called upon to answer the threat of ruin.
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LucidRain
Magic Leaf
Offline
LucidRain
Magic Leaf
Offline
Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2020 10:20 am
↟ ↟ Gatekeepers ↟ ↟
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The original Gatekeepers were four horsemen chosen by the gods for their natural resistance to the effects of Miuris' influence of ruin. Idrith, the first Gatekeeper of War and rider of a blood bay stallion, settled a generations' long feud between his clan and another shortly after he was named chief of his people. The first Gatekeeper of Famine, Loquis, rode a black horse and brought peace to his town when he killed his own family, who had terrorized the town for years. Rhia, rider of the white horse, was the first Gatekeeper of Pestilence. She thwarted an outbreak of pox in her coastal city by sneaking to the docks and setting fire to ships with infected rats and cargo. The first Gatekeeper of Death erased her own history, leaving behind only the knowledge that she existed.
When one Gatekeeper dies, the gods choose another to take their place. How they choose is unclear. Gatekeepers of the past have been chosen among the young and old, from crowned monarchs to lowly prisoners.
The people of Tamia usually do not concern themselves with knowing who the Gatekeepers are. But now that Mount Velka has erupted, all eyes are searching for the gods' champions to subdue the god of ruin within his prison before Miuris destroys them all.
But Miuris searches, as well. He spreads his influence like an infection, and already killed the last Gatekeepers before breaking the seal on Mount Velka. The new generation of Gatekeepers has yet to be discovered.
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Gatekeeper of War(AVAILABLE)
Champion of the red horse. Drawn to conflict, this fierce warrior march into the thick of battle to bring it to a swift and decisive end. They don’t always take sides, typically unleashing their wrath on all combative parties equally. Who is "right" and who “wins” aren't their problem. Gatekeepers of the past have used special powers to both calm and incite emotions in others.
Unique trait: Can redirect the destructive attention of those under Miuris' influence from one target to another.
Gatekeeper of Famine(AVAILABLE)
Champion of the black horse. Arbiter of justice, they step in to make the decisions others can’t or won’t. Judge, jury, and sometimes executioner, their intuitive sense of truth and what others hold most dear allows them to come up with creative punishments that match their crimes. They give and they take according to what they deem fair. Gatekeepers of the past have used their abilities to reward and punish both innocent and guilty parties alike.
Unique trait: Can completely remove Miuris's influence from another, but at great physical pain to themselves.
Gatekeeper of Pestilence(AVAILABLE)
Champion of the white horse. This is the master of debilitation and resilience. They seek out and eradicate suffering, either by restoring vitality or accelerating crippling conditions to bring about a merciful end. Gatekeepers of the past have used their abilities to heal others, or accelerate their demise.
Unique ability: Can alter Miuris' influence to be like a sickness in an infected person, weakening or outright killing the host.
Gatekeeper of Death(AVAILABLE)
Champion of the pale horse. They are the keepers of memory and legacy. They decide what knowledge survives the ravages of time, and what is best forgotten. Gatekeepers of the past were able to manipulate the mind to create illusions, affecting perception, memory, and even history.
Unique ability: Can sense Mirius' influence in other living creatures and understand what real fears and feelings drive a host's destruction.
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Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2020 10:21 am
↟ ↟ Skills & Abilities ↟ ↟
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Skills
There are no formal rules for races or classes in this RP. The skills and abilities your character has are entirely dependent on the background you give them. You may include a maximum of 3 skills in your character sheet. These can include things like proficiency with a particular weapon, fighting styles, elemental magic, shapeshifting, getting along with animals, vocational skills (ie, blacksmithing, enchanting, building, cooking, etc.). The only requirement is they have to make sense with your character’s background. I’ll let you know if any adjustments need to be made when I review your character sheet.
The unique ability listed under each Gatekeeper's description does not count toward your 3 skills because they are only used against those infected with Miuris' influence.
For any special abilities your character would use sparingly, you will need to explain the limitations and drawbacks (such as range, duration, or how taxing they are for your character) within your character sheet. If your character feels too overpowered, you’ll be asked to make some edits.
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LucidRain
Magic Leaf
Offline
LucidRain
Magic Leaf
Offline
Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2020 10:22 am
↟ ↟ Dice Outcomes ↟ ↟
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Throughout the RP, we will use Gaia's Dice Roll function to determine the outcomes of different events within OOC posts. This is just to keep things interesting by allowing things a chance to not go according to plan.
Skill Checks
At times, you may be required to perform a Skill Check to determine whether your character succeeds or fails when attempting an action. In the OOC board, roll one 20-sided die.
Pass/Fail: 1-10 = Fail 11-20 = Pass
Example: Your character tries to break a window by throwing a rock at it. You roll a 12. Your character breaks the window.
Effectiveness: 1-5 = Miserable failure; possibly generates the opposite effect than what was intended 6-10 = Minor success; possibly doesn't work out as expected, but not a failure 11-15 = Moderate success; things generally worked out as you hoped 16-20 = Perfect success; things worked out better than expected
Example: Your character tries to flirt with another. You roll a 7. Your character is awkward but endearing. They probably get a smile or a laugh in response.
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Combat
To simplify combat outcomes, any time your character engages with a single enemy, you will need to roll one 20-sided die in the OOC forum. Use these as general guidelines for writing your posts.
Outcomes for Combat ◈ 1-7: Your character is knocked out, suffers critical injuries, and requires several days to recover. ◈ 8-10: Your character suffers major injuries that require 2 days to recover. ◈ 11-14: Your character receives moderate injuries. Recovers within 24 hours. ◈ 15-17: Your character's injuries are but a flesh wound (ie, cuts, scrapes, bruises, etc that are not hindering). No recovery time needed. ◈ 18-20: Your character is completely untouched in the battle. ◈ Nat 20: Your character easily defeats multiple enemies without so much as a hair out of place.
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Influence of Miuris, God of Ruin
Throughout the RP, your character will come into contact with various objects and NPCs that threaten to inflict you with the god of ruin's influence. Mode of infliction will vary, but generally relies on physical contact with a tainted object, substance, or person. The effect is only temporary, but it will cause your character to turn "evil" for a little while and act as a destructive agent of ruin.
If your character is successfully inflicted with Miuris' influence, you will be asked to perform an Effectiveness Skill Check to decide how long your affliction will last.
How your character behaves while under the influence of the god of ruin is entirely up to you. They may turn on their comrades, run off to attack people, use non-violent tactics to hurt others, sabotage themselves, etc. No matter what atrocities your character commits, they will remember everything clearly unless they sustain a head injury or the Gatekeeper of Death alters their memory.
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Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2020 10:23 am
↟ ↟ Characters ↟ ↟
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Please PM your character sheet to LucidRain for approval and then post it in the characters thread. If you have any questions, PM Lucy. I'll let you know if anything needs to be adjusted for your character.
[size=11][color=#FF983D]N A M E [/color] [/size] [size=10] Your character's name [/size]
[color=#FF983D][size=11]A G E [/color] [/size] [size=10] Your character's age [/size]
[color=#FF983D][size=11]R A C E [/color][/size] [size=10] Your character's race (Human, elf, vampire, weremoose, etc.; no restrictions) [/size]
[color=#FF983D][size=11]O C C U P A T I O N [/color][/size] [size=10] Your character's job/class (soldier, mercenary, maid, wizard, etc.; no restrictions) [/size]
[color=#FF983D][size=11]A T T R A C T I O N [/color] [/size] [size=10] Your character's romantic preference [/size]
[color=#FF983D][size=11]L I K E S [/color][/size] [list][list][size=10] [color=#91A3B0]➶➶ [/color] Like 1 [color=#91A3B0]➶➶ [/color] Like 2 [color=#91A3B0]➶➶ [/color] Like 3[/size][/list][/list]
[color=#FF983D][size=11]F E A R S [/color][/size] [list][list] [size=10] [color=#91A3B0]➴➴ [/color] Fear 1 [color=#91A3B0]➴➴ [/color] Fear 2 [color=#91A3B0]➴➴ [/color] Fear 3[/size][/list][/list]
[color=#FF983D] [size=11]S K I L L S [/color] [/size] [list][list]↟ ↟ [size=10] Skill 1 [/size][/list][/list] [list][list]↟ ↟ [size=10] Skill 2 [/size][/list][/list] [list][list]↟ ↟ [size=10] Skill 3 [/size][/list][/list]
[color=#FF983D][size=11]C O L O R F U L[/color] [/size] [size=10] Your posting color [/size]
[color=#FF983D][size=11]M U S I C A L [/color] [/size] [size=10] Link to character's theme song [/size]
[color=#FF983D][size=11]M A S T E R F U L [/color] [/size] [size=10] Your Username [/size]
Gatekeeper of War: Available Gatekeeper of Famine: Available Gatekeeper of Pestilence: Available Gatekeeper of Death: Available
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LucidRain
Magic Leaf
Offline
LucidRain
Magic Leaf
Offline
Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2020 12:50 pm
↟ ↟ So It Begins ↟ ↟
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You have been chosen. A calling deep in your soul brings you to The Well of Ages.
You stand in the shadow of the towering temple of the Gatekeepers, drawn by a feeling you can't quite explain. Maybe you tried to resist. Maybe you embraced it. But one way or another, you wound up here, staring up at your destiny.
Beyond the temple, a constant stream of smoke billows forth from Mount Velka. It's been over a month since it erupted, filling the sky with ash and your dreams with visions of Miuris in his volcanic prison. For whatever reason, the gods have chosen you as one of their champions to subdue the God of Ruin.
That is why you are here, at The Well of Ages. The spirits of the Gatekeepers past speak from the Well, and they have summoned you to come and receive the gods' blessing. They will give you the power to quell Miuris' influence over Tamia's peoples and restore the seal in Mount Velka. If the seal is not restored quickly, Mount Ginter in the Myers will erupt with the breaking of the second seal.
Should that happen, it is all but certain Miuris will break the third seal hidden deep in Etrius Peak, and you will have no choice but to fight the God of Ruin at his full strength before he destroys the mortal world.
