A Fantasy-Filled Medieval Tale between Good and Evil
Before man came to be, the world was filled with chaos. Unholy terrors and creatures stalked the lands, destroying all within their path. But amidst the darkness that eclipsed this unforgiving reality, man was born. In what would come to be known as the Deicide Age, man banded together to conquer the world around them. Beings that were once called gods were slain, and monsters that were great threats were leashed and subdued.
At the end of this time of conquest, the civilisation of man was carved from his victories. Among the many societies that were formed, Empyria, a most fearsome empire, was the strongest and largest. Its first emperor had been the one to have first led man to confront the chaos, and using the power of Light, he created a land where those he loved could flourish in peace. He became the Hero of Light, and there was no one that did not know his incredible feats.
However, the Deicide Age soon came to an end. Man grew weak from complacency. The chaotic beings that had once been driven off soon returned. As centuries after centuries past, more and more of the world were retaken by the darkness. Countries fell and became isolated from each other. The realm of Empyria shrunk. Even with their might, they could not fend off the darkness forever. The dynastic line of the Hero of Light became weak, and with it came the loss of the power of Light.
Three decades ago, Empyria was a pittance of its former glory. Those that lived in the central region of the empire were comfortable and happy, but blissfully ignorant of the constant state of danger and poor living that resided in the empire’s marches. The emperor had been a weak and cowardly man, and his two sons were shaping up to be the same. However, all things changed upon the birth of his daughter, the Princess of Light.
For the first time in over a thousand years, the member of the royal throne held the power of Light that their ancestor, the Hero of Light, used to drive back the darkness. The Princess of Light saw the plight of her people throughout the world, and knew it was her purpose to bring hope and power back to the hands of humans.
In the texts of old, it was said that the Hero of Light had fought the source of the darkness that plagued the world, and with its destruction came peace. The Princess of Light rallied to find this source, and destroy it once and for all, but many did not want to risk their lives on what was thought to be a foolish quest. Only thirteen men and women would take up her cause.
The Tactician; a brilliant and cunning young man that could bring victory despite impossible odds.
The Huntress Twins; two sisters that lived in the frontier, battling monsters to make their living.
The Handmaiden; the Princess of Light’s personal knight whom had served her since she was a child.
The Cleric; a maiden devoted to religion who hoped to see the darkness driven away.
The Soldier; a diligent member of the Royal Army who sought peace and order to the country he proudly served.
The Valkyrie; a strong woman hailing from the north with the desire to see those around her happy.
The Swordsman; a man whose skill with the blade was unsurpassed in the empire.
The Foreigner; a mysterious warrior from a land isolated at sea.
The Noble; a man from an impoverished noble family who joined the princess to reclaim his house’s former honour and prestige.
The Necromancer; a woman dedicated to the study of the darkness that threatens the land.
The Sorcerer; a man famous for his magic on a quest to seek more knowledge.
The Rogue; a cheerful older gentleman who joined for the riches that could be had.
Together with the Princess of Light, they became known as the Thirteen Crusaders that travelled into the Dusk to drive away the dark by destroying the Dusk Emblem. But at the end of their journey during the battle that would decide the fate of the world, six of the thirteen betrayed the Princess of Light. The Handmaiden, the Swordsman, the Foreigner, the Necromancer, the elder Huntress Twin, and the Rogue broke their oath of fealty. These six would become known as the Warlocks of Dusk, and would forever be scorned for their treachery.
Fortunately, the seven that had remained loyal stood their ground to protect the Princess of Light. The seven would become known as the Holy Knights, and together they fought back against the Warlocks of Dusk and slew them. However, the Princess of Light was injured in the battle, and did not have enough strength to completely destroy the Dusk Emblem, merely shattering it into the Shards of Dusk. Nevertheless, the beings that drew their power from the darkness were weakened considerably.
The Princess of Light and her Holy Knights returned to Empyria, and were forever hailed as heroes. The Second Crusade had come to an end, and the Princess of Light and the thirteen others that participated would be marked down in history.
Twenty-five years had passed since then, and slowly Empyria began to grow again. More and more, lands were retaken, and though the darkness still remained, they could finally be overcome. The Princess of Light, now the Empress of Light, called forth the Third Crusade to destroy the Shards of Dusk. It was time to finally extinguish the darkness once and for all, and to finish up what she had begun long ago.
You play as the children of the Thirteen Crusaders, and it is now your duty to complete what your parents had started.
Born under the full moon, it was said the clouds cleared just as the princess was birthed, basking in the moonlight. Tragically, the empress died giving birth, but with her last breath named the princess “Sera”. The youngest of three royal children, and the only girl, she was doted on by her father, the emperor. She grew up with a great sense of justice, and could not bear to see her people live in fear. It was because of her strong care for all her subjects that led her to venture forth into the Dusk, and to finally eradicate the darkness.
Having partially been successful on her quest, she returned home with the Seven Holy Knights and hailed as heroes. Her journey had taught her many things, and the betrayal of the Six Warlocks of Dusk had strengthened her considerably. Also on her expedition, she had fallen in love with the Tactician, and the two wedded with the blessings of her father. Unfortunately, in the span of three years, her father and two older brothers died of disease, and she became the Empress of Empyria. Under her rule, the empire entered a golden age of intellectual thought, scientific innovations, cultural revival, and more.
She wields the Power of Light, and has only one son and daughter.
Originally a street urchin with no parents to speak of, he used his immense cunning to band together with the Huntress Twins at an early age to ensure survival. With his intelligence, and their strength, Lorcan and the twins succeeded in fending for themselves. However, Lorcan had a thorough love of books, and was especially in love with books about war tactics. He formed a mercenary company with the Huntress Twins, and answered the Princess of Light’s call of arms, becoming her first volunteers.
Lorcan and Sera fell in love with one another during the quest, and later became the best of friends with the Swordsman whom would show him how to wield a blade. Originally a shy, timid man, the betrayal of the Six Warlocks of Dusk devastated him. When he became emperor, he quickly assumed control of the military, and began enacting reforms to ensure the betterment of the empire. A firm, but fair ruler, he is popular with the people, and is considered to be the finest swordsman of the land. He is lauded as the Empress’ Archangel, and is believed to have been the mastermind that ensured that the Warlocks of Dusk were slain.
He wields a straight sword, and has only one son and daughter.
Myles was a stern soldier working as a guard in the royal palace. He was dismayed by the corruption of many of the higher-ranked officers in the military, and wanted to change it for the better. However, he was disliked by his superiors, and was forced to join the Princess of Light’s expedition into the Dusk or be threatened with a dishonourable discharge. Having no other option, he joined the Princess of Light’s quest, but believed that the Princess of Light would be able to succeed in what she set out to do.
His actions on the Second Crusade propelled his career in the military, and he quickly rose up the ranks. Although he lost an eye during his duel with the Swordsman, Myles never lost his determination. After becoming a general, Myles began to uproot the corruption present in the military. In addition, he began bringing order to many frontier lands of the empire. Although some of his methods were harsh, crime was brought down to a new low. With his service, he soon became the Grand General of the empire’s army.
He wields a bastard sword. Players can play as his children.
House Gryphon had once been a prominent noble family in the south, but fell in disgrace after one of the family heads revolted against the royal family. Although his rebellion was ended swiftly, and their titles were not stripped away, House Gryphon’s reputation was ruined. After the death of his father, Aldaric, the eldest of four sons, became the new family head. He sought to bring back honour to his family’s name, and the call to arms of the Princess of Light was the perfect opportunity.
When the Six Warlocks of Dusk betrayed the group, Aldaric fought with the Swordsman. However, despite his advantage in size and strength, he was no match for the Swordsman’s finesse. He lost his arm in the duel. After returning, Aldaric put up his axe, and used his newfound prestige and wealth to begin a mercantile business. It quickly expanded, and his reputation as a businessman grew. When the steward of Empyria died from natural causes, he was swiftly picked to replace him. With his experience, more and more coin poured into Empyria.
He wields a battle axe. Players can play as his children.
Status: Duke of Leviathos, Grandmaster of Arcanum Academy.
A genius prodigy, Levant showed promise in the arcane arts and became apprenticed to a powerful sorcerer at a young age. However, he quickly grew in skill and knowledge within a few years, and became his own master. Despite his abilities, Levant never wavered in his endeavour to gain more knowledge. He had heard of the legendary Undead City, formerly a small city-state that had once been the intellectual centre of the world until the darkness claimed it. Within the city was the Arcanum Library, rumoured to hold a vast collection of tomes that had thought been lost. He joined the Princess of Light on her quest to find it.
However, Levant was never able to find the Undead City and the Arcanum Library. Nevertheless, he learned many things while on the journey, but he knew it would not be the end. His thirst still unquenched, he used his fame to commission to create a library. If he could not find the Arcanum Library, he would make one himself. Returning to his homeland, a duchy by the name of Leviathos bordering the eastern seas, he began construction immediately. Eventually, the library turned into an academy for those that wished to learn magic, and a magical education system was formed from it. For his achievements, Levant was named Duke of Leviathos.
He wields a wand. Players can play as his children; a son is betrothed to a daughter of the Cleric.
The daughter of the Duke of Fressia, Deifilia was set to marry a man thrice her age when she turned fourteen. Unwilling to accept her marriage, she fled and joined a convent, becoming a cleric. Under a guise, she was moved to the capital, and it was there she befriended the princess, Sera. When the Princess of Light began organising a party to enter the Dusk, she and the Handmaiden diligently stood by her side to join her. She wanted nothing more than to see the princess safe, and to see the end of the darkness.
Shaken by the events of the Second Crusade, Deifilia left her religious order and returned home. Upon returning to Freesia, she learned her father had died during her travels, and thus she became the new countess. Instead of marrying for political gain, she married for love, and began raising a family. In addition, she lightened the taxes her father had put into place, and disbanded the household guard that acted as the secret police of Freesia. Her piety and kindness made her a saint in the eyes of the people.
She wields a sceptre. Players can play as her children; a daughter is betrothed to a son of the Sorcerer.
The Winter Marches was a cold and unforgiving place. For centuries, the Empyrian military fought against again the war-mongering tribes that lived in the area. Freya was the daughter of one of the tribal chiefs. Although she had been taught how to do battle, Freya disliked war, and only desired to see those around her happy. After her older brother was killed in battle, being forced into it despite his injuries by their father, Freya fled and entered Empyria. When the Princess of Light made her speech to rally people to join her, Freya was immediately taken in by Sera’s charisma, and decided to join her cause.
By the time the journey ended, Freya had become a different woman. No longer was she going to run away from her problems. She returned to her tribe, killed her father, and assumed leadership. For the next five years, Freya waged war against the other tribes, and united them as one. After unifying the tribes, she swore another oath of fealty to Sera, now the empress, and swore to protect the Winter Marches. Thus she became the Margrave of the Winter Marches, and became famed as a powerful warrior.
She wields a spear. Players can play as her children.
Status: Master of the Hunt for the Empire of Empyria
Artemis was the younger pair of her twin, and had been heartbroken when her mother died of disease shortly after their fourth birthday. Since then, she became incredibly shy, only interacting with her sister and father. Her father was a hunter, living off the land by killing wild game; he began teaching his daughters how to wield a bow. Unfortunately, during a hunt, he was wounded and died from his infection. It was after her death that she and her sister met the Tactician, and the three of them became great friends. Of the two Huntress, Artemis had the longer, and more accurate shot. When Lorcan heard about the Princess of Light’s expedition, he decided to join her, bringing along Artemis and her sister.
But the betrayal of her sister left her shaken, and she no longer became the shy, meek girl she had once been. During the battle, the Necromancer had cursed, making her unable to age. With her sister gone, Artemis followed after Lorcan when he married Sera, and began to live in the palace as their personal attendant. When Sera became empress, she gave Artemis the position of Master of the Hunt, and was given land near the palace and the royal hunting grounds for her use. Since then, Artemis lived a content lifestyle, even going so far as marrying and starting a family.
She wields a bow. Players can play as her children.
His father was a poor cobbler, but nevertheless strove to earn his keep to feed Eckhart and his wife. Seeing his father toil every single day for a meagre scrap of coin, Eckhart decided did not want that kind of lifestyle. A retired warrior lived next door, and thus he begged the man to train him so he would not become like his father. After a few days of begging, the warrior agreed and began teaching him. It turned out that Eckhart had a gift, and it did not take him long to become a master of the blade. When he presented his abilities to his father, the warrior told him that his father had been the one paying for his lessons all this time. This revelation struck Eckhart, and he vowed to make it up to his father.
Eckhart began joining tournaments to showcase his martial prowess, and soon it did not take long before his name became famous throughout the empire. From the tournament money he received by winning, Eckhart gave it to his father and mother. When word reached that the quest of the lifetime being headed by the Princess of Light, Eckhart eagerly volunteered to join, and left his young wife and children in the care of his parents while he went on the journey. During the expedition, he taught the Tactician swordsmanship, and befriended everyone. However, like the other Six Warlocks of Dusk, he betrayed the company. He managed to cut the Soldier’s eye, and remove the Noble’s arm before he was killed. He was the last to die.
He wielded twin blades. Players can play as his children (They are 25-30 years old).
Orphaned at a young age, Rosamond grew up on the streets stealing food to survive. Unfortunately, she was eventually caught, and was sentenced to be executed for her crimes. However, it was only the timely intervention of Sera, the princess, who, at the time, was only six years old, which allowed her to live. Grateful by her mercy, Rosamond pledged her life to the princess, and Sera, in turn, decided to hire her to become her handmaiden. But to Rosamond, that was not nearly enough. She began spending time with the knights of the real, picking up swordplay so that she may protect her saviour.
When the Princess of Light decided to embark on her quest, Rosamond, knighted Dame, was by her side. The adventure was fraught with perils that would leave most people mad, but Rosamond persevered. Time and time again, she saved the princess from certain doom. However, it was said that Rosamond slowly succumbed to the pressures of the darkness, leading to her betrayal and becoming a Warlock of Dusk. She was the second-to-last to fall, and tears streamed down her eyes as she died.
She wielded the shield and sword. She had no children.
Yamato was a mysterious man that hailed from the east in a country at sea popularly known as the Orient by people in Empyria. Why and how he came Empyria was a mystery, but there was no denying his martial skills. Yamato always wore his armour, and none had ever seen what he looked like underneath it. He spoke very little words, and spoke them softly. However, each word he spoke carried some weight to it, and thus he became the group’s mediator whenever there were disputes on the expedition. Yamato always followed his own code of honour, and, despite his appearance, was a gentle, kind man that spoke fondly of his children back homeland.
Although he had vowed to protect the princess upon joining her, Yamato participated in the betrayal and became one of the Six Warlocks of Dusk. He had been the first to be injured during the fighting, and despite his grievous wounds, he soldiered forth. Eventually, he was beheaded by the Noble’s axe, and his armoured head fell from the cliff. His final act had been taking a blow for the Swordsman which led to the Noble’s arm being cut off. He was the fourth to die.
He wielded an eastern sword. Players can play as his children or grandchildren.
Ashia had once been the daughter of a poor farmer. She married young to her childhood friend, a woodsman. They lived in a cottage in Dawn’s Forest, and together they slowly began to build a family together. However, her husband passed away after only five years of bliss, and she became devastated. With no means to feed her child otherwise, Ashia was willing to sell her body for coin. The night before she set out to do so, an old woman had come across her cottage, and sought refuge. Ashia allowed her to stay, and because of her kindness, the woman revealed herself to be a witch. The witch knew of her plight, and if she was willing, she could be her apprentice to ease the pain in her heart and to provide for her child. Ashia eagerly accepted.
Over the course of nearly a decade, Ashia learned about necromancy, and the darkness that plagued the world. With her study of death, she found a new appreciation for life. Without dark, you would never be able to appreciate the light that soothes you. After a time, the witch told her she taught her everything she knew, and if she wished to learn more, Ashia should enter the Dusk. With the recent announcement of the Princess of Light’s expedition, Ashia joined them to learn more. She told her child to stay at the cottage, and to wait for her to return. Unfortunately, she never did, having become one of the Six Warlocks of Dusk. She was the third to die.
She wielded a staff. Players can play as her child or grandchildren.
Alastor had been the prince of a small kingdom that bordered the empire, but was not a vassal to Empyria. He had been the oldest son, but he was far from the most competent heir. His younger brother, however, was better suited to become king. When his father died, Alastor decided to abdicate the throne to his brother, and to ensure no one could use him, he flew the kingdom to live the life of a vagabond. He robbed from the oppressive, and gave what he could to the weak. Eventually, his deeds caught the eye of the love of his life, and they married.
Despite being married, Alastor continued to travel, and even opened up an orphanage, adopting the orphaned children he met on his journeys. The money he earned from his deeds was often sent to the orphanage in addition to the local populace. After hearing about the Princess of Light’s quest from a friend of a friend, Alastor decided to join the party and aid her on her quest. He aspired to grab hold of the riches to be had so that he may further provide for his family. His aspirations were cut short when he became a traitor, becoming a Warlock of Dusk. He was the second to die.
He wielded a crossbow. Players can play as his children or grandchildren.
Diana was the older twin between her and Artemis, and when their mother and father died, she vowed to protect her sister no matter what. Almost immediately after meeting Lorcan, she fell in love with him. For years, she devoted herself to caring for him. She even dreamed that maybe someday the two would marry. As they grew older, the more she hid her feelings from him, believing her sister was in love with him as well. When Lorcan volunteered himself, her, and Artemis, she devotedly followed without hesitation.
Over the course of the journey, Diana proved herself to be the fastest when it comes to the bow, impressing the others. She became heartbroken when Lorcan confessed that he loved Sera, the princess, and was even more dismayed when she later discovered that it was reciprocated. Nevertheless, she supported the couple, and wished them well. Diana had been the most outgoing companion of the group, and interacted with everyone in an attempt to get to know them. She later betrayed everyone, becoming the Six Warlocks of Dusk, but was shot through the heart by her very own sister. She was the first to die.
She wielded a bow. She had no children.
Character Profile Sheet
Spoiler
[This is where you put your character picture]
Give yourself a badass epithet!
Name: What does thou call yourself?
Age: How old are you?
Gender: Are you a boy or girl?
Crusader Relation: Choose one of the Thirteen Crusaders! State your relationship with them! You can also put none if you want.
Appearance: If you don't have a picture, describe your character here. If you just want to use a picture, just ignore this part. Don't even put it into your characte sheet.
History: Give me the biography of your character. It doesn't have to be long, but it can't be too short either (like one sentence).
Specialty: Basically, what is your character the best at? You may have a ton of skills, but which one is your absolute best? It can be tap dancing for all I care.
Skills: Your other skills, but not necessarily your best. I'll trust you won't go overboard with this.
Equipment & Inventory: What does your character carry? Be warned, if you carry too many things, I might just have that affect your character in the roleplay.
Relationships: Define the relationships you have with other characters! This can be blank, or you can talk with other roleplayers on how you want to do things.
this looks awesome! i'd be the foreigner if i could XD
so how is this going to work? you're going to post about an event, and the characters will write posts based on their viewpoints throughout the event?
Well, the Thirteen Crusaders are all NPCs; the main characters of the roleplay (i.e. you, the players) will be their children. I'll put up more information up later when I can.
To explain how the roleplay would work will be best answered by comparing it to a table-top RPG. Basically, I give you a situation, and your characters can do whatever they please within the parameters of that situation. For example, I pit the entire party surrounded by wolves. Your post will be dealing with the wolves, and/or interacting with the other members. Then I post the result of your actions within a certain timeframe (or when everyone has posted).
I'm not barring anyone from joining. All I ask is that there are some limitations on what kind of character you could make. It's nothing big, and I'll expand later when I make the profiles for the important NPCs. Although I'm curious, what kind of requirements do you mean?
How could anyone get better if they don't even get a chance to write? A friend of mine didn't have English as his native tongue, and after roleplaying awhile (and even being in charge of his own roleplay), he improved leaps and bounds. Hell, you wouldn't even think he had trouble with English in the past.
Although, I do encourage everyone to write at least one paragraph, but it's not required.
Alright, I'm working through the profiles of the Princess of Light and the Thirteen Crusaders. Once that's done, I'll release the character sheet so people can start making characters. I don't plan to start until next week, but, hopefully, we can get some characters in over the weekend.
But, uh, does anyone have any questions right now?
Are you going to do anything to keep the children balanced? By that I mean are you going to limit how many people can be children of one crusader? Or is The Valkyrie having 8 children out of the question? I'm not planning on making more than one character, I just was curious how you were going to deal with that. Or does it not even matter at all?
Well, I'm willing to trust the roleplayers not to clutter things up. If it does become a problem, I'll handle it, but I'm not crossing that bridge until when or if we get there.
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