Distant shores - Sign up (still open) and OOC

[dplax]

Here's another try by me to run a game, I just hope that it won't meet the same fate that my previous games have.

This game would be set in a high fantasy setting, meaning magic, magical creatures, strange races. It wouldn't be the D&D or Forgotten Realms type high fantasy, but more like something of the Tolkienesque variety, the one major difference being that in the FR variety the influence of Gods is much more present, while in Tolkienesque fantasy Gods are distant and only rarely meddle in what is happening in the world.

The game would be freeform, since managing a rulesystem and asking players to draw up complicated character sheets is not really my thing. Obviously once magic and freeform are combined it gives the possibility of easily powergaming, but that is what I am here for. To stop it, I mean. And of course I would like to be able to count on the eventual players themselves to know what the limits are to what they can do in combat situations. For example killing a goblin in a battle against 40 goblins would be acceptable, but if the party is facing off against a single opponent, who from my description would seem to be at least important, just stating your attacks, and then letting me post the results would be more appropriate. Getting the limits right would be the hard thing, but there can be room for error. That is what the edit post button is for. If I were to ask you to use it it wouldn't necessarily be because I don't like what you posted, but more likely because I don't think what you did in the post was fair to the other players or an NPC of mine.

I am currently working on what Distant Shores would be like, but in the meantime feel free to note your interest in the game by posting here and also feel free to ask questions about what you can and can not play. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[ 01-19-2006, 01:57 AM: Message edited by: dplax ]

[dplax]

Another minor note on magic: in the world of Distant Shores (again building on the difference of Tolkienesque and FR) magic is not as everyday, and it is more prevalent in enchanted items and enchantments, although use of it in combat can also be seen, but is uncommon at the most.

[dplax]

Distant Shores is an island called Paradisia by those living on it (foreigners call it Distant Shores), far away from all other inhabited areas. It was first discovered several centuries ago by a legendary sailor called Olaf Horsfeld.

Since then ships have travelled between the other continents and Paradisia, but due to the long distance and hazardous seas, at least one in three boats making the journey are lost, and therefore not many are willing to make the journey.

Not many is known about the inner regions of Paradisia, as all known settlements are concentrated on the shores, and no expedition has been made into the inner regions that has returned.

Until two weeks ago. One man from an expedition sent by a rich merchant returned to the main city on Paradisia, Dosrothon. His clothes were torn and he had been delirious. The town guard had taken him away and there had been much speculation about what he was telling them.

No information was given by the Town Council until two days ago notices were put up around the town, looking for people willing to risk their lives. Dozens applied, but only one was taken. Those who were refused spoke of some test, but what this test was they did not reveal. The Council's search continued and they would not stop until they found the number of people they desired.

[dplax]

The NPC I shall be playing as might have been guessed is the one person who has so far been accepted by the Council. Character sheet also given as a sample to show what type of information I need of the PCs.

Armus Jallak

Age: 31

Physical appearance: Armus is taller than the average, measuring 190 cms (6 ft 2 in). He has a slender build weighing but 72 kgs (159 lbs). He has shoulder-length black hair, and soft brown eyes.

Biography: Armus was born in Dosrothon, and after the death of his parents when he was 8 lived in an orphanage. Ever since he was 18 years old has worked as a mercenary, hireing himself out to travellers between the main cities on Paradisia's shoreline.

His most recent employer was a merchant who had wanted to send an expedition into the inner reaches of the island, looking for commodities to be able to trade. The money offered by the merchant would have been enough for Armus's retirement, and this was the only reason he had taken on the job. He was well aware of the dangers Paradisia's uncharted, inner regions presented.

Armus was the only one to return. The only people to have heard his story were the members of the Town Council, and of them only the highest ranking ones. And now they wanted him to go back. They needed confirmation of what he had seen and reported back.

[Sweetcherrie]

Am in, just give me some time to get a char set up

[Calaethis Dragonsbane]

Okay - he's been fleshed out a little. Let me know if there's anything that needs changing - I need to check with you specifically about the "spellbook" and just what it can do, and if the below is overmuch. Even so, I hope you like it. [img]smile.gif[/img] . (I know its fairly generic, but we all gotta start somewhere, right?)
Minor point of note: the spellbook is more akin to an enchanted manual than an FR Wizard's spellbook. It allows the caster to learn and cast various "spells", but is ultimately a manual. (Aneuhl does not possess this and cannot cast(unless from a book, scroll, or the like) or use magic)
---
Aneuhl J’harna

Age: 17
Race: Goblin-Elf Hybrid "Gobvin" (or "Gelbfin")
Appearance: Human (due to elvin blood)
Eyes: Green(golden in certain light/mood)
Hair: Hazel
Skin: Fair
Height: 5'8-5'9
Weight: 8-9 Stone
Profession: Geode Hunter/Metal Smith

Inventory (as of 16/04/06)

x1 Falchion
a brace of throwing knives
a couple of long dirks

x1 elegant short bow
x1 case and quiver
x20 Arrows
x15 arrowheads and feathers

x1 leather jerkin (w/ ringlets) & fine chain-mail weave to wear atop of it
x1 soft studded-ringlet leather greaves
x1 darker leather shin-high travellers boots

x1 rucksack

x1 fur-lined cloak
x3 green tunics
x1 light blue and a grey tunic
x2 sets of socks
x1 white silk shirt
x1 soft fur-lined leather gloves

x1waterflask
x1bedroll
x1 silken blanket

a few travellers biscuits
a few herbal salves. (anti itch/rash)

Loose Character Concept:
Adept but not a master in the skills of smithing; obsessed with chasing ‘fallen stars’, seeking out gems of all kinds, precious and otherwise, natural crystal formations but most of all, geodes. His love of crystals is matched only by his love of natural beauty and of combining that beauty with man-crafted objects. Metals, specifically, he has been trained to use, to make into useful items. He has little to no interest in creating tools to kill; only objects of art. He considers it the greatest art to take a natural object and add to it without losing its natural charm.

Traits:
Beyond average agility (reflected in his gait)
Keen senses; primarily that of nightvision and hearing
Magically Sensitive: Feels ‘disturbances’ more readily than others due to his elven heritage
Mineral Detection: A unique ability, Aneuhl is able to detect (though not pinpoint) the general location and type of minerals in the area – much like a radar. However, most do not provide any interest for him and he has learnt to shut these out, much like you or I would block out noise. His interests are unusual minerals, crystals, gems, exotic ores, geodes and Starfell ore.

Appearance:

Youthful in stature, pale in complexion and dark in hair. He has intense green(sometimes golden) eyes, an easy smile and a generally trust-worthy and honest demeanour. He’s of medium height, slight in build and stands at five foot nine or ten (depending on whether he’s slouching or not). While not plain, he’s not exactly what one would describe as ‘dazzling’, but has a charm of his own made up by his personality as much as his looks. Currently, he wears his hair tied back in a loose pony-tail of sorts, though this is subject to change without notice. One of his more frequent habits is to brush his hair to one side and keep it out of his eyes, which may explain why he ties it back.

Clothing: He wears an interwoven light and forest green loose tunic converted to a jacket over a shirt of grey. His breeches are a bluish-grey and he wears sandy leather ankle boots and gloves of the same. At his side is a satchel, starfell ore dagger at his side and at his shoulders a cloak.

While humans may pass him off as being slightly odd, those elvenborn and goblinborn will feel a strange sense – almost a disturbance; in an elf’s case an unknown feel of unnatural kinship that cannot be placed and in a goblin’s; a bitter realisation of being an offcast, freak and mutant – and to non-purebloods (of either race) or those sensitive to such things; a faint disruption in his aura that speaks of unnatural heritage. (Elves will pity him while goblins will despise and seek his death)
While he has his mother’s silken hazel hair, her pale complexion and good looks, he has his father’s golden-green eyes, the thickness of his hair and his innocent and trustworthy charm. He looks neither fully elven, nor fully goblin, but a strange mixture which oddly resembles a human who is slenderer than usual, with tipped ears, a slight slant to the eyes and a narrow skeletal structure – particularly evident in the face, as evidence from his arched brow and high cheekbones.

Biography:

Born to a nondescript family in a rural setting, Aneuhl is an unlikely contender for his chosen profession. His obsession with falling stars happened quite by accident when a minor meteor crashed through the sky and landed several miles from his family’s home. Only a child at the time, he was fascinated by it, and spent several hours searching for the fallen rock. When he finally found it, he instantly decided to dedicate his life towards finding others, so entranced by its mystery he was. Rather conveniently for him, his father’s brother was a blacksmith and so after hounding both his father and uncle for several years, finally got taken on as an apprentice. It lasted a fair few years and then Aneuhl left – for reasons he won’t disclose. Since then, he’s been travelling in search of various minerals, metals and fallen stars, paying his way by working his uncle’s trade under any ‘smiths that will take him. He’s learnt a lot since then, picking up bits and pieces and working for all manner of folk. Aneuhl can be friendly and quite charming, but a little shy around those he does not know. He usually keeps quiet unless approached – or unless he knows someone or someone starts spouting ‘stupid’ about a topic he’s passionate about.

~~~

However what Aneuhl believes and what he actually knows are two rather separate things. For instance, he does not know the truth of his past, nor what he truly is. He believes he is a human – abet a strange one, but in reality, he is an incredibly rare, almost unique being – a cross between an elf and a goblin: a Gobvin (or Gelbfin (pronounced Gelb-fin).

His mother was an elf of commonplace birth but one of extraordinary beauty – at least compared to a human. To an elf, she was merely attractive and maybe even a little stunning, but by no means drop-dead gorgeous. To Elbric the curious goblin, however, she was beauty incarnate. A strange creature, even for a goblin, his most unusual characteristic was his seemingly insatiable curiosity. A sneaky little goblin, he was deft and agile and slightly versed in the arts of illusion – enough for him to get by without being shot by outsiders and non-goblins on sight. Elbric had been separated from his clan when he was young during a routine flooding which had taken out most of the cave complex that his kin dwelt in. As such, he found himself all alone in the world at the tender age of adolescence and had no means but to survive by scourging the local denizens of the forest. After several months of learning to fend for himself – usually by hiding and thieving, he came across a dying elderly goblin shaman. Rather than do the honourable thing (which would likely have gotten himself killed), he flinched the elder goblin’s spellbook and ran for his life. That day turned to be a pivotal turning point in young Elbric’s life.

He taught himself how to read and eventually managed the most basic of incarnations from the scripture (which turned out to be a goblin manual as well as spellbook – rather fortuitous and a tad convenient) and began to cast magic. Unfortunately for Elbric, no matter how hard he tried, he wasn’t very good at it. He simply did no possess the sheer willpower and strength to cast the devastating spells of death and destruction. Somehow, his curious goblin nature had forgone the inane evil of the rest his race mostly in part due to the lack of their influence and teachings. Instead, he found himself most adept at illusionary spells. Rather fortunately for him, this made his sneaking and thieving easier. However, Elbric never took more than he needed, although he was quite the magpie when it came to shiny objects, especially metals… which got his little goblin self into trouble more than once, but thanks to his spells, he was able to escape unscathed and with his hide intact, time and again (abet barely with many, many close shaves that almost ended his life). However, this isn’t where the story ends or even what it’s about. In fact, it has only just started, for one day, curious little Elbric was hiding out in a forest after fleeing from the city with the guards hot on the tail of a hooded stooping human thief who had just stolen a diamond ring, golden chain and ruby pendant and an onyx-set-with-jade-inscriptions ring on his latest spree. He couldn’t help himself; it was beautiful and shiny – and he had developed quite an eye for things of beauty. What he saw in the forest that day topped them all though – no gem could compare. She was an elf; the first he had ever seen. Wearing a cowl & veil with robes of white, she seemed divine as rays of sunlight broke through the forest canopy and fell upon her fair features. Her waist-length hair was hazel and as rich as ebony and her eyes the greenest he had ever seen; even greener than an emerald he had flinched two moons back. Her skin was smooth ivory and her nails prettier pearls. Elbric was completely smitten… and without even pausing to consider, followed her home, sneaking from shadow to shadow.

Her dwelling was a small stone hut (actually a cottage but to Elbric there was little difference) with a thatched roof. Too shy to venture inside, the curious goblin waited outside, spying through the window at her. Naturally he ducked whenever he felt her about to look up and spent the rest of that day simply staring at her, his gaze completely lost from the world around him. Luckily for the elf, her bathing chamber held only a small barred window that was too high up for the little goblin to peer through, even when he stood on a tree stump or he would have been the first peeping goblin in history. After she had retired, Elbric found himself at a loss for the first time in his life… his obsession with her grew over the days that followed. He learnt that she was young; living alone and rarely received visitors and tended the forest around her. She cared deeply about nature and soon the little goblin was both intrigued and obsessed. With no malice in his heart or the enmity that his kind would usually feel, he began to research more and more into the spellbook of shaman and after many months, he discovered a solution to his dilemma… a spell that would change him into an elf. Or so he believed. In actuality, it merely changed his appearance, but he was too excited and missed the small print.

In the days, weeks and months that followed, he wooed the elven maiden, charming her with his sweetness and innocent persona. To her, he was like a prince from her dreams – never trying to take advantage and delighting in her presence and helping to tend the forest with her. A tall, handsome elf with the same black hair and golden-green eyes as his true goblin self; Elbric was all she could have dreamed of and all she ever have wished for. After many, many moons, the two fell in love with one another, and one moonlit night, pledged themselves eternally to one another, both in spirit and in body. Shortly after the deed, the spell shattered, revealing Elbric for what he truly was. Shaerna was horrified, shocked beyond belief at the sight of the pathetic creature in front of her. Completely distraught, Elbric turned to flee but found the door blocked by the elf, silver dagger in hand. With nowhere to run, the little goblin fell to his knees at her feet and sobbed piteously, begging for her to spare his life and pleading his love for her and her beauty. Taken aback and touched by his genuine distress, she could not help but think back on all the times they had shared together. Unable to detect any malice within him, she spared his life and allowed him to live with her in his true form. Beyond joy at no longer having to lie to her, something which had begun to weigh heavily on his heart and in truth, he had longed to tell her but had not out of fear, he pledged his life to her again. Several months passed and they spent their unorthodox union in happiness, living freely together until several of Elbric’s kin broke in seeking the shaman’s spellbook. Somehow, they had tracked him down and as soon as they saw him living harmoniously with an elf, shot at them on sight.

The two escaped, but at a heavy cost. Rather than allow the now heavily pregnant Shaerna to be harmed, Elbric shielded her with his own body and was subsequently lung-shot. He died shortly after, in her arms, his last look one of contentment and happiness at the blissful times they had shared together and as the light faded from his eyes, tears fell from the elf’s. Taking the spellbook with her, she escaped – and gave birth to Aneuhl… The goblins found her again and nicked her shoulder with their wickedly barbed, poison arrows. In desperation, she used the book to cast a powerful spell using her life source to fuel it. The spell consumed the book and the surrounding area in a blaze of light, blinding and obliterating the goblins. Shielding her son, the now dying Shaerna stumbled to safety – and collapsed outside a human farmhouse. Imploring them to take care of her son, she died on their doorstep whispering her son’s name, leaving Aneuhl in the care of his human foster parents…

[ 04-15-2006, 09:01 PM: Message edited by: Calaethis Dragonsbane ]

[Sweetcherrie]

Righty, that went faster than I thought it would ^_^ Am looking forward to playing her.

Rowan
14 years old
Female

Born a redhead her parents decided to call her Rowan which means “"little red one". Her red hair stayed, but her baby-blue eyes have turned a warm, deep brown. Rowan is tall and lean, and has all the right features to grow up to be a rare beauty. And if it wouldn’t be for her adventurous rascal nature she would have lots of men asking her hand in marriage.

As a baby she already managed to scare the hell out of her parents. One day her mother went to look into the crib and little Rowan was gone. Naturally they searched the whole house and surroundings, but when they looked in the crib again the baby was back. At the age of three she managed to conceal her daddy’s mule, and when she was five she almost gave him a heart attack when she changed her mom’s looks into that of an old witch.

They’ve always tried to discourage her using her illusionairy skills, and wanted her to work in her dad’s bakery, but Rowan decided different. In her free hours she started going into the woods, and practiced her skills. In the end she was able to conceal herself so well that she could walk in and out all houses in town without anybody ever noticing. Slowly she started gathering small items worth a lot of money, and seeing that she only took away those things that people normally wouldn’t miss too much she managed to make a small fortune in a relatively short time.

Once she knew she had enough to get herself a proper outfit she simply closed the door of her parental house behind her and left, out to seek for the big adventure, and now, she has found exactly that what she was looking for.

[Larry_OHF]

I'd so much like to be a part of your game, dplax...but I start school back tomorrow and the two games I am currently running may suffer somewhat for it. I cannot say at this time if I would be able to give you what you need from a gamer. If I can, then I reserve this font color for my character, which is adapted from Jonal. In fact, I might even ask if Jonal can be transferred once he cleans his plate on the other game. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[ 01-09-2006, 09:35 AM: Message edited by: Larry_OHF ]

[dplax]

Would be great to be able to have you in game Larry, but I would understand if school doesn't leave you enough time.

Calaethis and Sweetcherrie: thanks for joining, I'll wait a few more days to see whether other players want to join before starting the game.

[Calaethis Dragonsbane]

Welcome to IWs btw, Sweetcherrie [img]smile.gif[/img] Nice to have you here wish us.