The Shadow Council

Setting Information: Mannaz Hall

Fri, 30 Jan 2015 23:30:39 GMT

What is Mannaz Hall? An interesting question. Those familiar with earth lore might know that "mannaz" is the Norse rune for man. Fittingly enough, life for half of the Nysgod population begins in Mannaz Hall. Located in the eastern quadrant of the capital city of Dagaz, Mannaz Hall is more often referred to by its slang name, "the initiation hall" or just "the hall." It is here that the chosen mates of Nysgods are brought, prior to their Carving In, both for psychological preparation and for safe-keeping. And it is in this inexplicable palace that the candidates for Prince Tristan's hand are now being kept.

The interior of the hall is built out of sleek, white stone, smooth enough to be metal. Every few feet, in the ceiling, there is a bright electric light in a pretty sconce. There are many, many windows, all made up of some slightly gray material ten times harder than glass. Like snowflakes, no two windows are exactly the same. Each is a different size and shape, forming a beautiful mosaic of lavender light during the day and deep violet light at night. The hall is made up of about five floors, three above ground and two below. The keyword here is "about" because it's a little hard to tell. The corridors and staircases of the hall often change at random, without any warning. It's not a visible change. No one will actually see staircases moving. But the staircase that leads up to the bathroom one day may lead to the courtyard the next. The more time mortals spend in the hall, the better their instincts about where to go become--this is part of the psychological training all Nysgod mates must go through--but it's still easy to be caught off guard when not paying attention.

There are Net Box screens along many of the hallways, occasionally broadcasting whatever is occurring in a courtroom. Although the courtroom is said to be inside of the hall, none of the winding staircases or hallways ever seem to lead there. It's rather peculiar. And looking at the hall from the outside, it's impossible to pinpoint any such room with windows quite like that. How strange!

Stranger still, there don't appear to be any doors leading out of Mannaz Hall.

Bedrooms
Each candidate has been provided with a private bedroom--although couples are more than welcome to share. The bedrooms are extremely spartan in nature, with only a pod-like bed, a desk, and a storage trunk provided. There are no closets or bathrooms attached to any of the bedrooms. It's no wonder the rooms are so bare, of course. Under normal circumstances, they're used in the extreme short term. Candidates can request additional chairs or trunks from the hall servants.

Interestingly, despite all of the windows in the hall, the bedrooms do not have any. Instead, mounted on the wall of every bedroom is a mirror. If a candidate gazes into the mirror and says the name of a location in any of the Known Worlds, an image of that location will appear. This can't be used to spy on anyone at any time. The images that appear are stock images of skylines and landscapes. Candidates can also specify the time of day they wish to see. After that, it's just like looking out a mirror at home sweet home.

Bedroom doors lock and unlock from the inside.

Bathroom
As stated above, none of the bedrooms have their own bathrooms. Instead, there is a single, communal bathroom in the hall. After all, the Nysgods don't need bathrooms. And Mannez Hall has never had quite this many visitors before. As would be expected, the bathroom is somewhat underwhelming (and likely to be very crowded at times). There are three bathtubs, lined up along one wall with screens set up in between them for privacy. There are also three small closets, equipped with basic toilets. There are two sinks.

Towels, toilet paper, toothpaste, toothbrushes, mouthwash, soap, shampoo, conditioner, hair removing chemicals, deodorant, and dental floss are stocked daily by the hall servants. Potentially dangerous toiletries, such as razors or scissors are only provided if a Nysgod is present to witness their use. After that, they are taken away again.

Courtyard
Mannaz Hall has a beautiful interior courtyard dead in the middle, opening up to the sky. It's vast and open, large enough to somehow contain the Egime, although the ship seems to be operating at half power. Every morning the trees bloom with a different flower and as the sun sets, the petals fall like snowflakes. By morning, the petals have disappeared and there are new buds on the trees. There is a fountain which spouts crystal clear water, accompanied by beautiful music. Many believe the music reflects the mood of the person who last touched the water, but the servants can't say how it works.

There is no way to make contact with the outside world from the courtyard. In fact, a transparent barrier shimmers along the open sky. It occasionally ripples when the wind picks up a flower petal and drifts it into contact with the field.

The Egime
The Egime, while grounded, is still available to candidates. In fact, the cargo hold is where all new arrivals first appear. The gangplank is always open and the first seven decks are all accessible. The ship seems to be running at half-power, however. The lights are dim and occasionally flicker. The doors sometimes stick when opening. The holodeck can only run for a stretch of about fifteen minutes at a time. Most importantly, the supplies are dwindling and are not being replenished.

Dining Hall and Kitchen
There is a single dining hall in Mannaz Hall, with two long tables running down the middle, each with a bench on the outside side. Meals are held four times a day (breakfast, second breakfast, lunch, and dinner), prepared by the hall servants. Foods are varied and sumptuous, often accompanied by wine and mead. The dietary restrictions of the candidates are, of course, taken into account.

During other times, the tables and benches are cleared away and the room is empty. There's almost always a Nysgod on duty who will, upon request, turn the room into the illusion of another place for an hour or two.

Note: Please feel free to handwave your character asking the Nysgod on duty to create a landscape for them. Landscapes are very simple. They are environments like "the forest of Endor" or "the Life Cafe" but they do not have any living creatures in them.

There is a large, fully stocked kitchen attached to the dining room. The hall servants tend to be a little territorial about it; they don't like it when their guests try to cook, it's their job! All the same, candidates can get in, particularly at night when the servants have gone home. Oddly enough, there are no knives or other sharp objects there during the off hours. There are always plates of cookies left overnight, however. Along with bottles of ale and brandy.

Library
A highlight of the hall is its library. It's roughly the size of three football stadiums put end to end, with stacks and stacks of books that twist and turn and warp just like the hallways of Mannaz Hall. There are books on every conceivable topic, except for the Nysgods themselves. Candidates can find fiction, nonfiction, and everything in between.

Note: Please remember to be courteous and avoid fourth-walling other characters, unless you have the permission of everyone playing from that canon.

In a dark corner of the library is a section marked 'Restricted.' That said, there's no one on guard to prevent characters from going into the restricted section. There, they'll find cursed books. Opening a cursed book can cause terrible things to happen.

Note: Cursed books can be used to start player plots. Please contact the mod team if you wish to run a player plot. (Some examples include a book that causes everyone to start singing, a book that turns people into werewolves, a book that causes it to start snowing indoors. Seriously, talk to the mods if you would like to use this device to run a plot.)

Interestingly, every single surface of the library is dusty and covered in cobwebs. The whole place smells faintly of mold. There is a servant who's on duty a few days a week, but he seems incredibly disinterested, always surprised when someone walks in. The Nysgods have done and seen it all, he'll say. No one ever bothers with libraries any more.

Infirmary
The infirmary is almost as dusty as the library. Nysgods don't need medicine, after all. Mostly, the infirmary is in place to treat any potential mates who happen to come down with a case of the flu. There are three cots along one wall and two steamer trunks filled with rudimentary medical supplies (aspirin, disinfectant, bandages, eyedroppers, etc.). There's no Nysgod staff in the infirmary. It appears to be just left open.

Largely, the purpose of the infirmary seems to be to host the communal Net Box. It sits on a table, apart from the cots. Anyone without a personal Net Box can use it to send a broadcast out to other Net Boxes. It can also be used to watch films. Every day, the Nysgod servants of the hall gather together to watch a movie. It's usually something unusual, such as The Misadventures of Stick Stickley or How Clog Dancing Conquered the World. Candidates are, of course, welcome to join in the fun. Bean bag chairs and popcorn are provided.

About the Mannaz Hall People
The Nysgod servants who work in Mannaz Hall are polite and accommodating. They will happily provide candidates with simple requests, such as food, clothing items, directions, and demonstrations in how to use things. That said, they aren't the chatty sort. They go about their work quietly and efficiently. They absolutely will not tolerate violence and if they catch candidates in the act of doing something violent, they will immediately pull candidates through the shadows and back to their respective bedrooms, crisply telling them to behave.

There are occasional side-glances and whispers of "Remember what they did to the people of Gebo." It seems the candidates don't have the most sterling of reputations.

Candidates may also occasionally run into a mortal who happens to bee staying in the hall, awaiting his or her Carving In. Although such individuals will be varied and diverse, the one thing they will all have in common is the desire to become Nysgod.

About the Trial
An ongoing side-plot for this setting is the trial of Quinn and Casey. As is standard procedure for Niflheim trials, anyone may question any witness, via Net Box. Anyone living in Niflheim is also free to call a witness to stand. Witnesses will be brought in to make testimony every few weeks. Look for posts on the network comm. To request a witness, comment to the sub-thread below. Please note, all requests will be fielded, but not necessarily in any particular order. Be patient. The mod is only human and can only take on so many threads at a time.

Requested witnesses:

Ben Braeden
Draco Malfoy

Various pieces of evidence for the trial are also always on display, for everyone's reference. Pieces of evidence include:

Several of the toys supposedly left behind by Quinn in place of candidates (a chess rook, a playing card, an army man)
A copy of the mysterious bedtime story
Notes that Skokan took on the strange dreams
A silver rose
A bell
"Arion's" cloak
The broken remains of the dollhouse
Porthos the puppy (don't worry, he's being fed and well cared for)

These may be referenced any time a witness is being questioned.

Questions About the Setting
If you have a question about the setting, please ask it in the appropriate sub-thread below. Also, make sure to check the sub-thread first, to see if someone has already asked. The mods ask that you do not post any questions on plurk, as not all of our players will be able to see the responses.

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Setting Information: The Egime

Fri, 23 May 2014 01:18:03 GMT

The Egime is a sleek, elegantly crafted airship of unknown, alien design. It is, perhaps, 5000 feet long and 2500 feet wide, although the habitable area inside is probably more like 4500 fee long and 2000 feet wide. The outer hull is constructed of a thick, pewter metal that seems capable of withstanding everything from the rigors of outer space to the pressure of the bottom of the ocean. The ship is more or less shaped like a football, with three rings evenly distributed around the outside. Three fins protrude off of the back, surrounding a beacon of green-ish blue light. Just what's generating the light is a mystery. The best guess, however, is that it's some kind of engine.

Beneath the hull is the cockpit, a separate section of the ship. It's held in place by a metal beam, but there's no bridge or tunnel connecting it to the rest of the ship. There are also no windows or doors evident. At present, there is no way to get into or out of the cockpit. How mysterious!

Painted across the starboard side of the hull is the ship's name: The Egime. It's written in a language that no one knows, translated only by virtue of the Nysgod ear buds. Unlike the rest of the ship, the paint seems very low-tech, as if someone painted it by hand on a spur of the moment. The letters are blue and elegant.

Beneath the name of the ship is a single gangplank, about four feet wide and nine feet long. It opens into a cargo bay on Deck 1 that reaches all the way up to Deck 6, a wide, open space lined with catwalks. There is a community Net Box located in the cargo hold. Unlike the Net Boxes in the state rooms, this can be used to send transmissions by the candidates.

The hallways of the Egime are smooth and elegant. They seem to be formed out of a thick, opaque pink crystal, like quartz only a thousand times stronger. There are no visible lighting sources. The light just seems to emanate from the walls themselves. They're brighter during the day and dimmer at night, as if to simulate a solar cycle.

There do not appear to be any windows anywhere on the ship.

The ship has nine decks. Candidates can move from deck to deck by means of three voice-activated elevator tubes, one forward, one midship, one aft. Each elevator is about fifteen square feet, so they can get pretty tight.

Decks 1-3
The lowest decks contain the state rooms. These are large, comfortable quarters, all uniformly laid out:

Like the hallways, the rooms are carved out of the same pink crystal material. However, each room comes with a dial that can control the amount of light.

The furniture for each room is provided. Passengers will find a queen-sized bed, a large cabinet, a less-than-comfortable chair, and two unusually shaped nightstands. Additionally, each state room comes equipped with a flatscreen Net Box, mounted on the wall opposite the bed. There does not appear to be any kind of control to turn these Net Boxes on or off. They have a mind of their own and cannot be used for personal transmissions.

Rooms are not assigned. Anyone can choose any room they so desire. Consequently, there are no keys and no locks. Anyone is free to wander into anyone else's room at pretty much any time. Any sort of magical or mechanical lock rigged up by a passenger will past for approximately five hours before falling off or breaking.

Decks 1-3 are also equipped with two bathrooms, one on each end of each deck. Like the state rooms, these bathrooms do not lock. Shampoo, conditioner, soap, hair remover, mouthwash, and toothpaste are all dispensed from pumps along the walls. Be careful not to mix them up! There are towels, toothbrushes, condoms, and loofahs in the cabinets, but the supply isn't infinite, so make sure to share. There also doesn't appear to be a washing machine, but there is a pump that dispenses laundry detergent, by the tub.

The water tends to run cold. Oddly enough, it's an unnatural shade of blue. Although it's perfectly drinkable, and doesn't taste as if it contains any dyes, there's something oddly unsettling about it, especially when it's swirling around the tub drain. It's almost hypnotic.

Decks 4-5
Decks 4 and 5 seem to be largely dedicated to recreation. Deck 4 consists entirely of six large, empty chambers. These chambers are holodecks, almost straight out of the Star Trek Universe. As on the show, they have a voice-activated computer system. Characters may enter an unoccupied chamber and verbally state the nature of the holographic illusion they wish to create.

Unlike the holodecks on Star Trek, however, these chambers are not quite as advanced. The holograms the holodecks can generate are limited to games. Users can name any game they can think of, from checkers to ultimate frisbee, and the computer will generate all the equipment necessary to play that game, along with a suitable environment for it. What the computer will not generate, however, is other people. Only the candidates can actually play these games.

Example: Aquagirl walks into the holodeck and says, "Water polo." The computer will create a pool, a ball, and even water polo uniforms. But it will not create other players for Aquagirl to play with. She'll have to drag some of her friends in to play with her.

Another Example: Doctor Fate enters a holodeck and says, "Chess." The computer generates a delightful, Victorian salon, with wafty curtains and squashy leather chairs. In the middle of the salon is a chess board, with pieces carved out of ebony and ivory. He's on his own to find an opponent.

Deck 5 contains several comfortable lounges that seem to bear an eerie resemblance to those in the Dagaz Waiting Room.

The Green Room is built like a theatre, with stadium seating looking up at a stage. There is a large screen and a projector, and a control box on the back wall offers a variety of film options from across the universe to watch. These are films that do not hail from any of the candidates' homeworlds, although some may bear a striking resemblance to familiar stories.

Example: Green Lantern really wants to watch "Old Yeller." He goes to the control panel and searches through the Netflix-like database, until he finds a movie from the Andromeda galaxy about a boy and his dog called "Young Orange." Close enough, right?

The Purple Room is built like an old-fashioned tavern. There's a counter along one wall, though the bottles on the shelves are all empty. Wooden tables, seating eight, are scattered across the hardwood floor. Built into the wall are metal units that dispense the same tasteless nutrient paste that was available in Dagaz. There seems to be an unending supply. There are also a couple musical instruments against the wall; a piano, a standing bass, and a drum set. They're a bit out of tune, but they all seem to work.

The Blue Room is a library and a lounge. There are dozens and dozens of squashy chairs and couches scattered across one half of the room, as well as various tables of assorted sizes. The other half of the room is lined with bookshelves, filled with books from hundreds of different worlds. Most of these books appear to be romance novels.

The Red Room is a wide, open room, with tumbling mats piled up in a corner. It appears to be a place for physical activity, but there's no other equipment.

There is something about all of these lounges that feels very slapdash and haphazard, as if they were assembled in a hurry, like set pieces for a play. It would not be unusual to spot an odd crack in one of the walls, revealing the pink crystal hidden behind it that makes up the power decks. The furniture is just a little too pristine, as if it's never been used. The books are so disorganized and out of order that it feels as if they were just thrown up on the shelves at random.

At the very foremost part of Deck 5 is a beautiful observation lounge. At first glance, it seems to be the only part of the ship with windows, but upon closer inspection, it seems that these "windows" are simply enormous screens, displaying random images of different landscapes that change every twelve hours.

Deck 6
Deck 6 contains the facilities necessary to sustain life, namely the medical bay, the kitchen, and the dining hall. That said, these facilities are dusty and understocked, almost as if they've never been needed or used before.

The medical bay is small and cramped, with seven beds, each with a single pillow. The beds themselves are x-ray machines, that display full skeleton x-rays on the screen that rests over their heads. There are two Net Boxes, mounted on the wall. Like the screens in the state rooms, these have no controls and cannot be used for personal transmissions. They turn off and on under someone else's power.

Along the wall opposite the Net Boxes are several large supply cabinets. They are filled largely with the most basic of medical supplies: aspirin, bandages, disinfectant, ether gas, and maiden tea. Additionally, there are a few ancient medical supplies; trepanning equipment, a jar of leeches, dried herbs from folk remedies, a bone saw, and several bottles of a thick, red liquid that are simply labeled 'Healing Potion.'

Like the medical bay, the kitchen is cramped and obviously underutilized. There is a large refrigeration unit, a sink with the same blue water as the bathrooms, an electric range, an industrial-sized oven, a dish washer, and plenty of counter space. The cabinets hold plain, white dishware and gold flatware. The pantry, however, is barely stocked. There are a few non-perishable items (cans of syrup-heavy fruits and vegetables and boxes of dried pasta), but other than that, there's not much there at present.

The dining hall is similarly ill-equipped. While it is pretty, filled with tables and chairs of different shapes and sizes, it's in a state of disrepair. Many of those tables and chairs are broken. There are three dispensers that dispense cups of nutrient paste against the wall where the dining hall meets the kitchen. There is also a window where passengers can pass dirty plates and utensils into the kitchen, via conveyer belt.

Deck 7
Characters who go up to the seventh deck will discover a strange world. It's a bit like the chalk paintings from Mary Poppins and everything up there seems designed to keep a person calm, relaxed, and content. The seventh deck is a beautiful, serene meadow, colors brighter than an oil painting. There's fresh and crisp grass underfoot, weeping willows as far as the eye can see, drifting lazily in the anomalous and directionless wind. Near the forward part of the ship is a placid, silvery lake, filled with colorful fish. The fish actually look tropical, although they're far from what might be considered their native environment. Strangely, they're not edible. Anyone who catches a fish will find that it disappears after a few seconds of flopping around.

Near the aft part of the ship, the meadow gives way to several gardens, each with a different theme. The first is an herb garden, growing medicinal herbs. They're fragrant and quite real. Beyond that is a rose garden, the bushes arrayed like a labyrinth. At the center is a white, wooden gazebo. The roses come in every color imaginable and can be picked, sniffed, and dried. The one exception to this is a single bush of silver roses, arranged around the gazebo. From some reason, these flowers refuse to be picked. Cutting, pulling, or begging them is useless. They aren't going anywhere. There's a third garden beyond the rose garden. It's arranged almost identically to the rose garden, but filled instead with every flower conceivable. If you are looking for a specific type of flower, you'll find it there. Almost as if by magic, it will be around the next corner, waiting for you.

Beyond the gardens is a colorful carousel. It plays strange music that sounds like a full symphony. Instead of horses, rider can perch on white tigers. They have sapphire eyes and move up and down, just like any other carousel ride. Sitting on one gives a rider a sense of elation, like anything is possible. It's an incredible high that will stay with a person for an hour or so after getting off.

Oh yes, the setting is idyllic, although the keen eye will detect some things amiss. For example, carved into the bark of the trees are strange chemical equations, detailing biological functions. Someone who's been around awhile might recognize the handwriting as Casey's. Another oddity is the sky. Although it seems a brilliant blue, every now and then, cracks appear, like lightning, only pink as the quartz walls of the ship.

Decks 8-9
At present, no one can seem to access the upper decks. The elevators refuse to go up that high, stubbornly opening on Deck 7.

What could be hiding up there?

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Setting Information: The Wyld

Tue, 04 Feb 2014 15:43:23 GMT

What is the Wyld, you ask? That's a very good question. Unfortunately, there's no real answer to it. If the realm of Niflheim is the connecting point between all Known Worlds, the Wyld can best be described as the "space between." It's everything and it's nothing. Time has no meaning. Nor does life and death (characters absolutely cannot die in the Wyld, no matter how much they try). It's a netherworld, between the shadows that the Nysgods use to effortlessly travel from place to place. And since only Nysgods travel as they do, only Nysgods really comprehend what the Wyld is. For the lesser races, the Wyld simply manifests itself as it chooses.

Why yes. It just might be sentient.

In the case of the current situation, the Wyld has chosen to manifest itself as a varied, natural plane. It's still part of Niflheim, which means there's no real sun. The weather varies from region to region, but by and large, the sky is always cloudless. During the day, the it is lavender and bright. At night, it turns a deep violet and the stars appear, although they move at random, trudging across the sky like ants in an ant farm. By no pattern or prediction, screaming bolts of lightening will occasionally rip across the sky, leaving behind wakes of what almost look like static on a television screen, crackling and fizzling out.

The Meadow
At the center of the Wyld is a wide, open meadow of grass and wildflowers, perfectly shaped like a pentagon. In fact, this pentagon is perfect down to the micrometer. All other pentagons in existence envy this pentagon. Its area is three square miles, exactly. There's nothing inside of it except for grass (Kentucky blue from earth, it seems) and wildflowers (taraxacum, verbena, and cirsium arvense) scattered about in random patches, along with a single, solitary (and oddly indestructible) tree; a weeping willow with blue, feathery fronds, nestled up next to a large boulder with a metal rod stuck in its side. The rod can't be touched and anyone who tries will instantly be hurled five feet away, landing painfully on the ground. What's causing this? Who knows? The ground is basic soil, familiar to all earthlings and most other lifeforms as well. But there are no bugs or worms or animals burrowing within. The only life present is the inexplicably healthy vegetation.

This meadow is the only point of stability in the Wyld. There are no lurking dangers, the ground stays solid and stays put. At night, there are voices that can be heard howling in the wind, seemingly crying out for home, but it's relatively harmless. You can sleep through the moaning and the groaning, right?

Characters will always be driven back to the meadow. If they spend three days outside of it, they will end up back there again. If they go wandering more than three miles away from it, in any direction, they will find themselves right back where they started. It's not as if they're teleported or snapped back into place. They'll simply take one step too far and the world around them will shift, so that step brings them right back. It's a disorienting feeling, leaving them a little dizzy and confused for a few seconds. Some people might catch sight of an enormous hand with sallow, decaying skin and an eyeball set in the palm out of the corner of their eye, right before they shift back to the meadow.

At the five borders of the meadow are five new terrains. They change places seemingly at random, but each one provides a unique set of circumstances.

Insa's Hut
The only NPC in the Wyld, as far as the PCs know, is Insa (so_far_away). She has established a small home for herself, just beside the tree and rock in the middle of the meadow. It has adobe walls and a slanting, thatched roof. Although it may look haphazard, the dwelling is sturdy.

A candidate for Tristan's hand, Insa comes from a race of survivalists called "the Daruc." They make their home on a tropical island. Since they live in a pre-industrial universe, Insa is trained in hunting, scavenging, and building. She can construct spears, bows, small rafts, and huts. She can also make materials such as rope, linen, and paper. Additionally, she's an excellent spear fisher and naturalist, capable of mixing up the most basic of herbal remedies (couch syrup, birth control, poultices, etc.). In short, she can provide characters with a lot of the things they might need, derived from the landscape. However, Daruc culture does not recognize "gifts." Everything comes with a price. Characters who come to Insa's hut, asking for something will need to offer something else in exchange. Comment here if your character would like to arrange such a deal.

There is also a communal Net Box outside of Insa's hut, available for all characters to use.

Desert
The desert terrain resembles that of Earth's Arizona. Dry and hot during the day, the temperature plummets to near-freezing at night. The ground alternates between sand and stone. Flowering cacti occasionally break the monotony of the landscape. Some of the cacti are edible. Others store water...if you can get past the sharp needles. These needles are where the cacti depart from logical reality. If a character is pricked by one of the needles, they will fall asleep, rather like a fairy tale princess. Any old kiss will do to wake them, however. It need not be true love. While they're asleep, they'll dream of loved ones from back home. In the dreams, however, these loved ones will turn into vile monsters and try to kill them. Any damage the characters sustain in dreams will manifest on their physical bodies, although to a lesser degree. Hopefully, someone will notice them missing and go looking. Otherwise, they'll languish away in the sun and freeze when evening comes for three days before the Wyld sends them back to the meadow, still sleeping.

By and large, there are no remarkable landmarks in the desert, except for one: The Canyon. Located about a mile away from the border between the meadow and the desert is a canyon, about fifty feet deep and fifty feet across. The incline is steep and treacherous. At the bottom of the canyon is a bed of a white powder. It sparkles in the sun with flecks of green and pink. Touching the sand fills a person with elation. They become so happy that they can fly. For about five minutes. At which point they crash back to the ground. And the landing is going to hurt.

There are no animals, bugs, or even microbes to be found in the desert. Aside from the cacti, there is nothing alive.

Mountains
A mountain range runs side-by-side to the meadow, although the side varies every now and then, completely at random. Strangely, these mountains can't really be seen until a character gets within fifty feet. Then, all of a sudden, they seem to appear, as if out of a mist. And these are tall mountains, rivaling the Alps. They're made of surprisingly malleable stones though. Stones that can be easily chiseled and quarried. They'll also occasionally change color, alternating between different shades of brown, purple, and red.

The wind is incredibly fierce in the mountains, discouraging climbing. Which is not to say that it can't be done. A skilled climber will find that there are plenty of hand- and foot-holds. The climb is surprisingly rapid. Halfway up, the stars will seem close enough to touch. And climbers will hear female voices, seemingly coming from nowhere, giggling and whispering. Their words are completely incoherent, but there's a certain sense that they're laughing at hapless climbers. As with all the terrains, characters can't get more than three miles away from the meadow before they return to it automatically. That includes going up.

Again, there don't appear to be any animals in the area. There are a few pathetic, little shrubs growing out of crevices in the stone, but there's nothing remarkable about them. The mountains are, however, dotted with a few waterfalls. The water is beautiful, almost unnaturally blue. There doesn't appear to be any kind of lake or pool at the bottom, however. The water seems to fall straight through the rock and on into eternity. Oh, and it seems to be falling up. Drinking the water will prove problematic, however. A single sip will cause a character to retch and vomit. They'll experience the symptoms of a mild flu, with one additional problem. As long as characters are suffering from the symptoms (about three or four IC days), they'll also experience a sensory loss. Perhaps they'll be unable to see the color green. Perhaps they won't be able to feel the slippery terrain beneath them. Perhaps they'll only be able to hear male voices. The choice is up to players.

Beach
Stepping over the border from the meadow to the beach, characters will experience an immediate increase in heat and humidity. In fact, the humidity can be stifling by midday, although it decreases a little at night. The light is also much brighter here than in other parts of the Wyld. It's still not real sunlight, but it sure feels like it. And characters who aren't careful will get a nasty "sunburn." This is more than redness and discomfort. Too much exposure to the light of the beach will cause intense dehydration. How bad is it? So bad that a character will become ravenous for food and drink and spend the next twenty four hours trying to devour everything they can to sate the thirst. How that is interpreted is entirely up to the individual. Maybe you suddenly develop an intense craving for dirt? Maybe your best friend suddenly looks tasty?

Banana trees line the sand, although, for some reason, they cast absolutely no shade or shadow. Actually, nothing on the beach does. Not even people. The bananas are blue, but they're otherwise completely normal and definitely edible. In addition, there are coconut trees and mango trees, closer to the water. Open up a mango (these babies are purple) and there's a bit of a surprise. In addition to sweet fruit flesh, there's a stone. Only the stones of these mangoes resemble enormous, fist-sized precious gems; rubies, emeralds, even pearls. The coconuts are, sadly, just coconuts. But you can always knock two halves together and pretend you're a horse.

The sand and the water show no signs of life. There are no fish, no crabs, not even shells. The water is very, very salty, which means almost anything will float on it. As with all the other terrains, however, sailing more than three miles away will lead characters right back to the meadow. They might very well shipwreck themselves straight into another person!

At night, the beach is something else. The water takes on a neon glow: Bright oranges, yellows, pinks, and purples. There's no explanation for what's causing the glow. It just is. Just as inexplicable is the strange way that the sand seems to roil at night. As if there's something slithering beneath the surface. Digging will yield nothing. But it's impossible to ignore.

Rainforest
Lush and warm, the rainforest resembles the very best of the Amazon. The canopy is thick with leaves, which filter a pale, greenish sunlight down. The ground is a rich soil, perpetually wet because it's almost always raining in this part of the Wyld, even though the skies are clear and cloudless. The rainwater is cool and drinkable. It easily collects into large leaves, shaped like elephant ears that will occasionally trumpet like actual elephants. Oddly enough, when the rainwater hits living skin, it turns bright colors, resembling a splatter paint design. The colors and design fade as the water dries.

Once more, candidates will be hard-pressed to find any animals or insects here, but there is an abundance of edible fruits, roots, and nuts. Pretty much anything one might find in a rainforest back home. It's all incredibly safe as well. The real danger here lies in some of the more aggressive plants. Unlike their talking brethren back in Dagaz, these man-eaters are silent, but deadly. Using roots and vines, they can easily entangle a passer-by. The plants don't like to eat their prey right away, however. Instead, they'll hang a victim upside down from the canopy, allowing all that tasty blood to rush into their heads. It's only after they're dead that they'll be consumed. Since characters cannot die in the Wyld, rescue is very, very likely.

Wandering through the rainforest, characters will occasionally be assaulted by the sound of chimes. Windchimes and bells. Where the sound is coming from is something of a mystery, but it's quite beautiful, if not a little loud for comfort.

Tundra
One step over the border from the meadow to the tundra will land candidates in the middle of a perpetual snowstorm. The temperatures are incredibly low, well below zero, and the wind is always violently blowing. It echoes across an impossibly flat plane. Listening to it long enough, characters might start to hear the word "Famished!" being whispered in the air by unseen voices.

There might be little incentive to visit such a place, but it is here and here alone that animal life can be found. Specifically, thousand and thousands of schools of edible fish swim around beneath the surface of the ice. The water is hazardous. It's so cold that making flesh contact with it numbs a person to the point where their heart grows numb. For a day after contact, the victim feels no emotions whatsoever.

Inexplicably, every now and then, bright green bushes pop up in the snow. Apparently, no one told these bushes that leaves are supposed to wither and die in the winter. Growing on these bushes are several different kinds of seeds that may be of use to people trapped in the Wyld:

Ember Seeds: These bright orange seeds derive their name from the fact that they are warm to the touch. Breaking one open will cause the two halves to burst into flames. It can be a tricky bit of business, opening one without burning your hands, but with the right timing, they're perfect for lighting fires. Those mysterious bushes burn like anything else.

Gale Seeds: Gale Seeds are blue and cone-shaped. Breaking one open causes a cyclone of wind to swirl around a character. At the very heart of this phenomenon, they are completely safe and, while it lasts, are immune to the effects of the blizzard wind. They cannot touch anyone or anything, however. The effect lasts about five minutes.

Mystery Seeds: Green and compact, shaped a little bit like small pears, Mystery Seeds are, as their name indicates, most mysterious. Breaking one in half causes a character (and that character alone) to hear voices. The voices whisper gently, telling stories; ancient snatches of mythology from any of the Known Worlds, except for Niflheim. The voices won't stop until they finish their story, so better hope it's not an epic.

Pegasus Seeds: A lighter blue than the Gale Seeds, the Pegasus Seeds are the only edible seeds in the Tundra (all others are immediately coughed up). Eating a Pegasus Seed gives a character a momentary burst of speed that could rival an ostrich. The burst will only last for about five minutes, and end with a crash of exhaustion, but it might be worth it, under the right circumstances. Beware, however. The rush is somewhat addictive. Bad things can happen to someone who consumes too many of these seeds. They might run so fast that they trap themselves in a temporal bubble where everyone and everything is frozen around them for a full day before the effects wear off.

Scent Seeds: These yellow seeds are perfectly spherical. Innocuous on the surface, breaking one open releases a powerful stench. It will get into everything. Your clothes will stink for days and three or four washings. And how the stench manifests itself depends entirely on the character. Someone from modern-day Earth might register it as city smog, while someone from the distant past might get a whiff of horse droppings. Unfortunately, these seeds are very useful for fishing. Opening one near a fishing hole will lure the fish to the surface.

A Note on the Wyld
This page is meant to give players a baseline understanding of how the Wyld manifests itself, in between mod-run events. Players are encouraged to use their imaginations and research (Google-fu) to explore the settings as they've been outlined. Generally speaking, you do not need mod permission to find a particular plant in the rainforest area, if a simple Wikipedia search tells you that it's there. If your character wants to explore the effects of combining more than one seed in the Tundra, go for it.

Because the Wyld is unpredictable, things can--and often will--appear seemingly at random. Many of these will be associated with mod-run events, but in an effort to continue making the game friendly to player plot, please don't hesitate to contact the mods if you have an idea. Would you like to run an event where all of the female characters are transformed into Amazon warriors? We can work with you to make that happen. Are you interested in a body-swap event? We'll come up with a magical fruit that causes the trouble for you.

If you have a question about the setting, we ask that you comment here. We want to encourage people to read the questions of their fellow players. You never know if someone was wondering the same thing as you.

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hiatus and drop post

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 00:38:57 GMT

HIATUS:

DROP

Fill out the above information and post it here for a drop or hiatus. Please also feel free to post information about your hiatus or drop on the ooc comm.

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Metaplot Summary

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 03:37:43 GMT

“There is a Shadow World, like our own but different, existing alongside ours but never touching. Some people call it the world of dreams, but it is as real as anything else...”

Important Note: Neither you nor your character has to know or have any interest in the metaplot. Participation in it is largely optional, aside from game-changing events. This post has been put up strictly to aid the players who are actively pursuing the metaplot. Reading this before apping is completely optional.

( Dagaz... )

( Thurisaz... )

( Othala... )

( Gebo... )

( The Wyld... )

( The Egime... )

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Setting Information: Othala Temple

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 02:45:39 GMT

( Othala FAQ )

( Temple Reference Images )

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Game Calendar

Thu, 27 Dec 2012 19:17:08 GMT

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The Nysgod Race: What PCs Know So Far

Mon, 24 Sep 2012 02:02:03 GMT

The Race

Appearance

The Nysgods are an ancient race, alternatively known as “the Shadowmen.” Modern-day Nysgods are all born male, with silvery blond hair and striking eyes, often of unique and interesting colors. They appear more or less humanoid, with varying skintones and body-types, but they are generally very attractive.

Most Nysgods appear to be in their mid-twenties. The exception to this rule are Carvers, whose work requires a lot out of them. They often appear older, sometimes even balding.

Abilities

As immortals, Nysgods have no need for food. Indeed, they have an extremely limited sense of taste. They also require no more than a few hours of rest every week. This rest is not precisely sleep, as there is no REM state, no dreams to speak of. Nysgods also do not emit any kind of body odor and have very little need to bathe, although some find it enjoyable.

The Nysgods have a variety of special abilities, aside from their immortality. Nysgods are capable of reading all but the strongest of minds. They can create illusions out of nothingness that are both tangible and convincing. Nysgods can communicate telepathically with one another and with some telepathic races. Perhaps most significantly, Nysgods can travel from place to place by means of shadows. All a Nysgod needs to do is think of some place in the Known Worlds, step into a shadow, and step out of another shadow, in that location. A small number of Nysgods are also born with prophetic ability. They are often recruited into the Seers Guild, a military unit serving King Mithos.

A rare number of Nysgods are born with the ability to create life. These are known as Carvers. Carvers are trained, almost from birth, to serve the sacred duty of creating new Nysgods. In other words, they are responsible for both changing mortals into Nysgods and for facilitating the mating of two Nysgods.

The First Ceremony

At some point in every Nysgod’s life, he will go out into the Known Worlds to seek a mate. Generally, this is a mortal female, although it is not unheard of for a Nysgod to select a mortal male or even an immortal companion. The process of selecting a mate is known as “imprinting” and it is akin to love at first sight. No one has an explanation for how imprinting happens, or whether it is biological or magical. Once the process does happen, the Nysgod will never be able to fall in love again.

The mortal is given a choice. The person may choose to live the rest of his or her days as a mortal, or he or she may choose to become a Nysgod.

If the mate chooses to become a Nysgod, he or she is taken to Dagaz and kept in a waiting room for several weeks to go through some psychological and physical preparation. When the time comes, the Carver who created the male Nysgod performs a ceremony in which the new mate is “carved in,” awakening as a Nysgod, with a symbol tattooed on his or her back. The mate’s existence in the mortal world is erased, and any family and friends back home will forget that he or she ever existed. The new mate gains all the powers of a Nysgod, the appearance of one. The mate also generally attains the appearance of someone in their mid-twenties, if they weren’t already. They also lose any previous powers or abilities.

Some Nysgod couples marry and some do not, as the carving ceremony is the Nysgod equivalent of a wedding. If the couple does marry, the ceremony is done in the mortal style of the mate.

The Second Ceremony

If the couple decides they want a son, they will visit a Carver. In a second carving ceremony, the Carver creates a new symbol on a sacred wooden staff. The symbol is unique, though it retains elements of the symbols of both mates. An adjustment is made to the symbol of the Nysgod who decides to carry the child, and that Nysgod will soon find himself or herself pregnant. As with humanoids, the child develops in the uterus. After approximately a year, a newborn Nysgod boy will be delivered in a painless birth. Couples are only allowed one child each.

Nysgod children grow at a slower rate than most humanoid children. After approximately a century, the child is considered an adult and will have gained his abilities to create illusions and read thoughts. It often takes another few decades for any Carving or Seeing abilities to emerge.

The Third Ceremony

When a Nysgod wishes to end his life, the third and final carving ceremony is performed. The Carver erases the Nysgod’s symbol in his sacred staff, and the Nysgod quickly and painlessly disappears.

This is the equivalent of death on Dagaz. The process is sometimes referred to as "Carving Out." They are not affected by old age or illness. The only way a life will end is when the Nysgod is carved out. As long as his symbol exists, so does the person.

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When Your Character Arrives...

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 21:00:06 GMT

Your character is going about their business in their own world, happy as a clam (or not). Suddenly, the shadows around her/him seem to swell. They reach out like a pair of arms, wrapping around the character. This is the Grasp. Your character can’t see a thing. After a moment or two, they appear on a stretch of some sort of smooth, quartz-like stone, in a large, hollow cargo bay. Any wounds they might have had at the time of abduction are healed. Any possessions they were carrying, except for weapons, are with them. There, they will encounter a young man named Draco (alphaophiuchi) who appears to have been waiting for them, looking mostly patient. He will hand them an earpiece and show them how to put it in before explaining the basic process behind it. This earbud is a communication device which connects to the network. They only have to think about who they wish to send the message to and speak. It also translates speech. Draco will also mention that it's possible to lock down conversations though the method isn't foolproof, and then explain how.

He will then explain in a rather casual, practiced sort of way that they've been brought to Niflheim, as potential mates for Prince Tristan, by a device known as the Grasp. He'll also mention that there's more to it than that, but that the details are just a little fuzzy as to what's going to happen in the long term. If your character chooses, they can ask him for further details, but Draco will just shrug and wryly explain that it's a rather complicated sort of issue involving some sort of burgeoning civil war. At that point, he'll go on to explain that the Grasp and all the other candidates are currently residing in a place called Mannaz Hall.

Characters are told that, due to a flaw in the Grasp, they are unable to go back home right now. Whenever anyone is sent away, the Grasp immediately draws them back in, and it will not stop until Tristan chooses a mate. Which is difficult, since they're currently cut off from contact with him.

If prompted for further discussion or information, Draco seems relatively willing to continue chatting.

Players can request a thread with him via PM to alphaophiuchi or handwave the arrival, if they don't have anything to ask about.

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Mod Contact

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 05:29:17 GMT

official

Plurk: shadowmods
DW: shadowmods

carly

Plurk: yaysunshine
DW: veryroundbird
AIM: sparkleponii

kally

Plurk: bontastic
AIM:

wizera

Plurk: Wizera
AIM: CardinallyFirman

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Dramatis Personae

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 06:09:18 GMT

the royal family

( NPCs under this here cut. )

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Taken Characters

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 18:55:28 GMT

Cordelia Chase
Angel the Series

Tara Maclay
Buffy the Vampire Slaye

Joan Campbell
Covert Affairs

Cuthbert Allgood
The Dark Tower

The Doctor (10)
Doctor Who

Cullen Rutherford
Dragon Age

Kore Trevelyan
Dragon Age

Malcolm Reynolds
Firefly

Simon Tam
Firefly

Viserys Targaryen
Game of Thrones

Draco Malfoy
Harry Potter

Claire Bennet
Heroes

Caius Vitale (OC)
Highlander

Mary Shannon
In Plain Sight

Abigail "Fetch" Walker
inFAMOUS series

Link
Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

Enjolras
Les Miserables

Kate Cordello
Marvel Comics

Frigga
MCU

James Buchanan Barnes
MCU

Princess Aurora
Once Upon A Time

Mr. Gold / Rumpelstiltskin
Once Upon a Time

Immogen of Hobbes
Original Character

Takahashi Cho
Original Character

Devon Darconin
Original Character

Jamie Heller
Original Character

Charlotte Howard
Original Character

Noah Miller
Original Character

Blaine Thorps
Original Character

Zoey Westen
Original Character

Dr. Nicholas Rush
Stargate Universe

Pasha Chekov (AU)
Star Trek

Jane Kirk (AU)
Star Trek

Lt Gaila of Orion
Star Trek

Obi-Wan Kenobi
Star Wars

Hondo Ohnaka
Star Wars: The Clone Wars

Siri Tachi
Star Wars

Ben Braeden (AU)
Supernatural

Lydia Martin
Teen Wolf

Helena Wells
Warehouse 13

Glinda the Good
Wicked

Matthew DiVigny
World of Darkness

Diana Abel
World of Darkness

Nott Caine
World of Darkness

Dorian Carver
World of Darkness

Raven Darkhölme | Mystique
X-Men: Days of Future Past

Charles Xavier
X-Men: Days of Future Past

Erik Lehnsherr | Magneto
X-Men: First Class

Jean Grey
X-Men: X-2

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Reserves

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 18:51:47 GMT

Reserves are CLOSED. rules.

Any person can have up to two reserves in at one time.

( Current Reserves )

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Applications

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 18:50:15 GMT

Applications are currently CLOSED. Reserves are required before the application can be processed.

You may post your completed application to this entry. You may also link us to a completed application on your Dreamwidth journal. We will not accept applications hosted on external websites. Here is an example of a filled application.

1. Player Information
Name: What's your name or internet handle? What should we call you?
Username: Provide us with the AIM username, plurk name, email address, etc. that we should contact if we need to speak with you.
Current characters in ToS: If you have any character in game, let us know who they are!
Reserve: Please link us to your reserve comment on the reserve page.

2. Canon Character Information
If your character is an original character, skip this and move onto the third section.
Name: Character's name (and nickname, if they go by one)
PB: Who are you using for your character image? If icons are not uploaded to your character journal, please also include a link to an appropriate icon.
Icon: Link us to the icon that you would like us to use on the Taken page.
Journal: Link us to your character journal
Age: For characters like vampires or elves, include actual age and how old they look.
Appearance: Tell us about your character's physical appearance. Please also include any information that a person could tell from examining your character, such as posture, poise, frequent ticks.
History: We accept wiki pages that outline your character's history. If you can't link to such a page, please type out a history that should be at least a few paragraphs long.
Powers/Talents: If your character has supernatural abilities, list them here. Also include any strong talents or skills your character has.
Personality: This is really the meat of the application. You should get into what distinguishes your character from others. What are their goals? How would other people describe them? What do they desire, what are they afraid of? How do they present themselves, and what do they internalize?
Why would your character be chosen? Give us a sentence or two, guessing why your character might be chosen. Don’t worry about getting too deep or profound. You might pick a unique physical trait or an impressive ability. Just something that would make your character stand out from others in a way that would attract attention. For example, Helen of Troy might be chosen for her beauty. Xander Harris from Buffy might be chosen for his empathy. Luna Lovegood from Harry Potter might be chosen for her individuality, or lack of conformity. What makes your character unique?
How much does your character know about nonhumans? This will determine how much information about the Nysgods your character will have the option to bring into the game. For example, we might allow an Albus Dumbledore or a Rupert Giles to know a great deal of information about the Nysgods, while we will probably say that a George Costanza or a Cinderella would never have heard of them. If your character is very familiar with supernatural/alien/demon/etc species, please give us some detail about why they know this information. PLEASE NOTE this information will not affect your character's involvement in the metaplot either way.
Why this character: Why did you decide to play this character? What about them holds your attention? Do you think that you'll be able to keep this character voice and still find them interesting after playing them for awhile?
AU Addendum: If your character is an AU, please tell us here about what makes them AU and why you decided to make this change.
Past Game History: If your character is coming in with past game history, please tell us what that is and how it has changed them.

3. Original Character Information
If your character is a canon character, skip this and move on to the fourth section.
Name: Character's name (and nickname, if they go by one)
PB: Who are you using for your character image? If icons are not uploaded to your character journal, please also include a link to an appropriate icon.
Journal: Link us to your character journal
Age: For characters like vampires or elves, include actual age and how old they look.
Appearance: Tell us about your character's physical appearance. Please also include any information that a person could tell from examining your character, such as posture, poise, frequent ticks.
Home World: Where does your character come from? Tell us about that place.
History: Please give us a few paragraphs about your characters' history, focusing on significant events that helped shape this character into the person he or she is.
Powers/Talents: If your character has supernatural abilities, list them here. Also include any strong talents or skills your character has.
Personality: This is really the meat of the application. You should get into what distinguishes your character from others. What are their goals? How would other people describe them? What do they desire, what are they afraid of? How do they present themselves, and what do they internalize?
Why would your character be chosen? Give us a sentence or two, guessing why your character might be chosen. Don’t worry about getting too deep or profound. You might pick a unique physical trait or an impressive ability. Just something that would make your character stand out from others in a way that would attract attention. For example, Helen of Troy might be chosen for her beauty. Xander Harris from Buffy might be chosen for his empathy. Luna Lovegood from Harry Potter might be chosen for her individuality, or lack of conformity. What makes your character unique?
How much does your character know about nonhumans? This will determine how much information about the Nysgods your character will have the option to bring into the game. For example, we might allow an Albus Dumbledore or a Rupert Giles to know a great deal of information about the Nysgods, while we will probably say that a George Costanza or a Cinderella would never have heard of them. If your character is very familiar with supernatural/alien/demon/etc species, please give us some detail about why they know this information. PLEASE NOTE this information will not affect your character's involvement in the metaplot either way.
Why this character: Why did you decide to play this character? What about them holds your attention? Do you think that you'll be able to keep this character voice and still find them interesting after playing them for awhile?

4. Samples
Please either include a first-person entry that could be your character's first post on The Network, or a third-person prose or action spam sample that could be your character's reaction to arriving in Dagaz. For the other two samples, links to previous character examples are fine.
First-Person: (5+ sentences) Journal-entry style, written in the character's own voice.
Third-Person: (Either a 200+ word entry or a link to a thread of 10 or more comments) Show us, don't tell, what your character is like in a prose writing sample.
Third Sample: This is your decision. You can include another first-person post, a third-person post, or action spam.

1. Player InformationName:What's your name or internet handle? What should we call you?Username: Provide us with the AIM username, plurk name, email address, etc. that we should contact if we need to speak with you.Current characters in ToS:If you have any character in game, let us know who they are!Reserve: Please link us to your reserve comment on the reserve page.2. Canon Character InformationIf your character is an original character, skip this and move onto the third section.Name: Character's name (and nickname, if they go by one)PB: Who are you using for your character image? If icons are not uploaded to your character journal, please also include a link to an appropriate icon.Journal: Link us to your character journalAge: For characters like vampires or elves, include actual age and how old they look.Appearance: Tell us about your character's physical appearance. Please also include any information that a person could tell from examining your character, such as posture, poise, frequent ticks.History: We accept wiki pages that outline your character's history. If you can't link to such a page, please type out a history that should be at least a few paragraphs long.Powers/Talents: If your character has supernatural abilities, list them here. Also include any strong talents or skills your character has.Personality: This is really the meat of the application. You should get into what distinguishes your character from others. What are their goals? How would other people describe them? What do they desire, what are they afraid of? How do they present themselves, and what do they internalize?Why would your character be chosen? Give us a sentence or two, guessing why your character might be chosen. Don’t worry about getting too deep or profound. You might pick a unique physical trait or an impressive ability. Just something that would make your character stand out from others in a way that would attract attention. For example, Helen of Troy might be chosen for her beauty. Xander Harris from Buffy might be chosen for his empathy. Luna Lovegood from Harry Potter might be chosen for her individuality, or lack of conformity. What makes your character unique?How much does your character know about nonhumans? This will determine how much information about the Nysgods your character will have the option to bring into the game. For example, we might allow an Albus Dumbledore or a Rupert Giles to know a great deal of information about the Nysgods, while we will probably say that a George Costanza or a Cinderella would never have heard of them. If your character is very familiar with supernatural/alien/demon/etc species, please give us some detail about why they know this information. PLEASE NOTE this information will not affect your character's involvement in the metaplot either way.Why this character: Why did you decide to play this character? What about them holds your attention? Do you think that you'll be able to keep this character voice and still find them interesting after playing them for awhile?AU Addendum: If your character is an AU, please tell us here about what makes them AU and why you decided to make this change.Past Game History: If your character is coming in with past game history, please tell us what that is and how it has changed them.3. Original Character InformationIf your character is a canon character, skip this and move on to the fourth section.Name: Character's name (and nickname, if they go by one)PB: Who are you using for your character image? If icons are not uploaded to your character journal, please also include a link to an appropriate icon.Journal: Link us to your character journalAge: For characters like vampires or elves, include actual age and how old they look.Appearance: Tell us about your character's physical appearance. Please also include any information that a person could tell from examining your character, such as posture, poise, frequent ticks.Home World: Where does your character come from? Tell us about that place.History: Please give us a few paragraphs about your characters' history, focusing on significant events that helped shape this character into the person he or she is.Powers/Talents: If your character has supernatural abilities, list them here. Also include any strong talents or skills your character has.Personality: This is really the meat of the application. You should get into what distinguishes your character from others. What are their goals? How would other people describe them? What do they desire, what are they afraid of? How do they present themselves, and what do they internalize?Why would your character be chosen? Give us a sentence or two, guessing why your character might be chosen. Don’t worry about getting too deep or profound. You might pick a unique physical trait or an impressive ability. Just something that would make your character stand out from others in a way that would attract attention. For example, Helen of Troy might be chosen for her beauty. Xander Harris from Buffy might be chosen for his empathy. Luna Lovegood from Harry Potter might be chosen for her individuality, or lack of conformity. What makes your character unique?How much does your character know about nonhumans? This will determine how much information about the Nysgods your character will have the option to bring into the game. For example, we might allow an Albus Dumbledore or a Rupert Giles to know a great deal of information about the Nysgods, while we will probably say that a George Costanza or a Cinderella would never have heard of them. If your character is very familiar with supernatural/alien/demon/etc species, please give us some detail about why they know this information. PLEASE NOTE this information will not affect your character's involvement in the metaplot either way.Why this character: Why did you decide to play this character? What about them holds your attention? Do you think that you'll be able to keep this character voice and still find them interesting after playing them for awhile?4. SamplesPlease either include a first-person entry that could be your character's first post on The Network, or a third-person prose or action spam sample that could be your character's reaction to arriving in Dagaz. For the other two samples, links to previous character examples are fine.First-Person: (5+ sentences) Journal-entry style, written in the character's own voice.Third-Person: (Either a 200+ word entry or a link to a thread of 10 or more comments) Show us, don't tell, what your character is like in a prose writing sample.Third Sample: This is your decision. You can include another first-person post, a third-person post, or action spam.

Note: Character template borrowed with permission from Bete Noire RPG.

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FAQ

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 18:34:59 GMT

( Read more... )

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Premise

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 07:57:47 GMT

For many thousands of years, the Nysgods have quietly existed in their solitary kingdom, untouched and virtually unknown to outsiders. The Nysgods are a peaceful people, deeply invested in magic and science. Until now, they have always kept to themselves, separate from the strife that has plagued the mortal realms.

Today, things are changing.

Tristan, the Nysgod prince, has come of age and he must choose a partner from among the mortal races. In an effort to aid him in this task, the Grasp was created.

Part shadow, part magic, part technology, the Grasp has begun drawing people into the city of Dagaz from all worlds and times touched by the Nysgod people. Your race, gender, age, and species are of no importance. If the Grasp finds something interesting in you, if it thinks you might be a suitable partner for Prince Tristan, you will be found.

It’s looking. And it always finds who it wants.

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