Mystics Apprentice

The dragoon shot Iseult a critical glance. She seldom knew the elf, but she was well respected within the Haven. Often the two would embark on missions that didn't seem to involve one another. Regardless, Iseult spoke words of wisdom, and Rhiannon eventually lowered her spear to take them in. It was a good thing that she had, especially when the true village leader came to the forefront. She hung her head slightly, ashamed that she was so hesitant to place her trust in them, and most especially her allies. From behind her Kolm lifted Galla if she permitted it, arm under her knees and another supporting her neck, head resting against his chest. "Yes, we need information about this dragon's lair and the dragon itself," Kolm voiced, gaze hard upon the true chief. "But not here. We need to get her in a more comfortable location, one out of these blasted suns if that is an option." Sweat rolled down his cheek as he said this. Such weather was truly not ideal for a cold mage such as himself.

The sickening crack of the Rakshasa's spear caused Rhiannon to smile in a satisfied manner, only to be caught off-guard when he wasted no time in retaliating moments after her victory. Before she could react the dragoon was knocked off her feet, being pinned down to the dry parched earth as she struggled to break free. "Let . . . me . . . go!" she growled, tearing one arm free and working on the other. After a fair amount of squirming and cursing the young woman finally broke free, readying her spear to toss at Rakshasa 1 when a surrender was declared. Rhiannon still held her spear high, though she didn't strike as she had once intended. "Oh, really?" she mocked. "And how do we know for sure that you will keep your word this time, hmm? After tricking us to come here only to ambush us I can't help but assume that this is another ruse. Why should we believe you now?" Meanwhile, Kolm was still working on stabilizing Galla, though it seemed that the necromancer would not wake. He held her limp form in his arms, glancing over toward the commotion with the others. Perhaps with luck this would be resolved quickly.

Confusion knit Kolm's brow as Galla reached for his arm. Normally the necromancer hated being near others, much less actually making contact for them. "What are you doing?" he blurted, but all became clear with Galla's latest summon. He felt the aftereffects of his magic being consumed, a rushing sense that made his fingers tingle. The result had a greater impact on Galla, however, who collapsed to the ground and did not get up. "Oh, for the love of–!" With an exasperated sigh, Kolm scooped Galla up, deftly moving her toward the sidelines of the war zone before things got even messier. He rubbed his palms together, extending them before the woman as an unearthly green light began to emit from his hands. His face contorted in concentration, while his aqua-blue eyes fixated on the unconscious necromancer. Something about this image reminded him all too much of his dream that he had prior, and he certainly was not going to let her die as she had then. Please, please wake, he thought numbly, glancing toward the skeleton king and wondering how long he would hold up without its master. Meanwhile, Rhiannon charged Rak 1, spear extended and aiming for the Rakshasa's own spear. Great force would shake and potentially shatter the Rakshasa's spear upon impact, utilizing her shatter weapon ability. She would then bring the butt end of her spear up to strike the rakshasa in the chin before leaping a few feet away from her target, if successful.

These are really incredible. I am especially fond of Aqua's design resembling Yuna, as well as the last image with Vanitas and another dark-haired woman. Nice work, Yessie!

Kolm snickered at Hogarth's suggestion. "You call that friendly? I would hate to see one of them be hostile, if that is so." Pang further went on to explain how the Rakshasa normally handled guests, which did lead to suggest that this one's reception was surprisingly positive. Kolm shot Galla a glance over his shoulder as he noticed her shrink behind him, and he nearly wanted to sidestep behind Pang when the apparent chief stepped out with his bodyguards. They were tall and menacing, but Kolm continued to stand his ground. No good would come from showing the Rakshasas fear. Rhiannon gave a small bow to the leader when entrance was granted. "We thank you, good chief! We promise to respect your territory." Too friendly and subservient, Kolm thought with a frown, watching as both Jerod and Rhiannon seemed inclined to pay so much respect to the Rakshasa leader. He felt that placing the Rakshasas too high on a pedestal was a dangerous idea. Respect can be reciprocated when both parties had something desirous and to fear, though if the stage were set that they were but servants . . . that could get messy quickly, in his opinion. Both followed the group as they were lead into the village, Rhiannon marveling at the unique structure of the village. They hadn't trudged along long, however, when Hogarth's warning rang in their ears, calling attention to both dragoon and cold mage, Kolm readying his weapon long before Rhiannon did hers. "Hold it, what is this?!" she demanded, holding her spear firmly but not raising it against the Rakshasas. "We trusted you for a discussion! Do you not wish to rid your lands of this dragon once and for all?" Meanwhile, Kolm did not even attempt a diplomatic approach. He'd smelled a rat when first even discussing the giant village, and such an action was not particularly of surprise to him. He uttered an incantation and moved his left hand in a rotational pattern, the air dropping in temperature rapidly around them. A cold gust would surround the chieftain of the Rakshasas, which would hopefully cause it to grow cold and, potentially, weaken. He did not think of the possibility of lessening Galla's fireball attack, though hopefully it would remain unaffected. (I apologize; it shouldn't have taken me this long to post.)

It pleased Rhiannon that the group was going to listen to the voice of reason and proceed in seeking knowledge on how to combat the dragon as opposed to battling the dragon outright. She jabbed the butt of her spear into the dry cracked ground and started to move on toward the front of the party, yet behind Hogarth who chose a head start. Thankfully the village was not far, as Kolm was already starting to feel fatigued from the torrid environment. His throat was parched and mouth dry, and he felt that his magic couldn’t have been farther out of reach. Water and ice fueled his energy, and there were not particular stores of such anywhere that he’d seen. Would he be rendered relatively useless against this dragon? He certainly hoped not. The giant loomed overhead at a sheer thirteen feet, their voices loud, unpleasant, and unfriendly as they demanded to hear the party’s business. Rhiannon looked at them sheepishly, cheeks flushed, both struck numb with fear and uncertain of how to best phrase their business. Thankfully she did not have to do the talking, as Iseult did it for her. The woman was much better with words than she could ever be. It surprised her, however, when Kolm spoke out from behind them, especially since he likely was among the smallest and least-intimidating there. His voice was clear and unwavering, obviously not concerned about the giant eating them for supper. “We also would be grateful for any provisions that may aid us on our journey into the dragon’s lair,” he said. “Since we are helping your kind with a problem that you have endured, I think setting us out with what we need should be something you could accommodate."

The twin suns baked Kolm through his thick dark trench coat. He wasted no time in peeling it off, shooing it back through the portal whence they came, leaving him in a v-neck cap-sleeved shirt and pants. The lands that he heralded from were predominately ice and frigid. The warmer climates were both unfamiliar and unwelcome to him. Fair skin growing pink from the sun, Kolm listened to the discussion among his comrades, debating on whether to charge straight in or gather further information. "I think we should just try to find this dragon," Kolm suggested. "As Galla mentioned, we don't want to burn our bridges, and if these folks aren't the most friendly it may be in our best interests to just move on. Besides, our provisions are limited. If we can't rely on aid from the residents here we may find ourselves in a complicated situation unless we move swiftly. Meanwhile, Rhiannon gagged as she watched Hogarth's eyes distend from their sockets for surveillance. Though she had seen it before, she would never be able to get used to it. "I think we need to find out as much as she can." She shook her braid free of her armor. "Dragons aren't anything to mess with, and it will really help us if we go in knowing what to expect."

She sounds interesting, and I would indeed welcome another mage into the Somnum court. Accepted!

That sounds perfect! Hopefully this parrot doesn't command that we walk the plank as some pirate parrots do. No problem, and thanks for being so understanding. I'm actually here quite a bit more than Discord, but I'll keep tabs on the sheet as much as I can.

My apologies there. I stared at this a while trying to figure out how to make this work (or plot relevant), and sadly I'm just finding the concept of the gems not fitting with how magic works within the universe. If you'd like, the gems could be reworked so that they kind of work like an arcane focus, or aid Laguna in channeling her magic because it is difficult for him to control it otherwise. Or if you would rather rework Laguna's magic that would work, too. I don't think the character would need a complete overhaul, though I am sorry to have you rework even the gem aspect. This was a cool idea, and I'm saddened that I have to turn it down.

Ooh, I really love the mystery that shrouds Laguna and the ambiguity of him or her. This looks like a really promising character. The gems, however, do not quite work with the setting, unfortunately, as a person is either born gifted with magic or they are not. There are some magical trinkets that are Itika-enhanced and whatnot, though in this universe magic comes from a specific source, and I'm afraid that the legendary gems wouldn't quite work out. Perhaps these gems were made so that Laguna could channel her/his magic a certain way, and without them Laguna's magic is either unruly or nonpresent? Would something like that work?

I knew that there must've been a secret mental reason that I put the Ignis court, that consists of a ton of fire mages, by the ocean! XD. Now to see if they will sink or swim.

I think metal manipulation would be a unique ability. It can be advantageous in some areas, and I trust that it would be used fairly and within reason. I mean, we could also be concerned about our fire mages melting metal and weaponry as well, so I do not see a great difference between those with fire magic and metal manipulation. Metal manipulation is just a little more specific. Saffron is accepted! Also, I am doing research on RPs with guns and a good system to use, and between some articles that I've read (in addition to some great feedback from you guys), I should have a working guideline on that front soon. Essentially it is really going to be up to the player's discretion, but faster bullets will have less accuracy, slower bullets will have more, and there will be a limited amount of ammo that can be used before having to reload your gun. For magical guns, there will be limits to how much ammo you can use before it deteriorates your gun. And there is also the fact that guns would be a ranged weapon rather than a melee one. I'm trying to make it so that there are pros and cons to them. While a gun is very lethal and far faster than any magic spell, I'm trying to balance it so that it has its drawbacks, too. More on that to come soon, I hope. If all goes according to plan, I'm hoping to have this ready to launch this Friday. Does that sound like a good starting time for everyone?

A couple of quick notes: I am probably going to be running most of my characters in an NPC fashion, to focus more on the plot and your guys' characters. This won't really change much for you, though my posts may be in an odd format since I will be focusing primarily on your guys. Second, I will be giving Daruk, the Maester of the Ignis Court, over to Vaude to control. He is very good at playing this particular role, and I'm sure that he'll give our muscular Ignis Maester more justice than I could. Lastly, I'm working on combat rules between players as opposed to NPCs. Because guns are permitted in the RP there will have to be some limitations on this when fighting other players, though I am not sure what to place on this just yet. If anyone has any ideas or suggestions I welcome you to bring them to the table. Otherwise I will see what I can come up with, or we can just handle it as it comes up. @Vaude, @Nero Kunivas, @Stardustblade358, @rikunobodyxiii, @Endless Thundaga, does Pali, Eleanor, Arkane, Gerik, or Morpha come from a lineage of Umbra mages? This will affect some things, so I was just curious to know how to set you up. I'm thinking that Gerik, Morpha, and Arkane do not given their backgrounds, but I just wanted to make sure. I know that Eclaire's mother comes from the Umbra Court @Saber Lily, so I am assuming that Eclaire does have a lineage from the Umbra mages. I saw your updates and it looks good! Thanks for the heads up! Accepted! Also, if you wanted you could have her interpreter be an NPC, so that way you don't have to create a full-fledged character for this person unless you choose to do so later down the road. Whichever works easiest for you. There is still room for another character, if you did want to add on another.

Accepted!

Since campfire stories are often ghost stories, and Aqua spent a decade in the Realm of Darkness, I'd say she probably has some of the best ones.

I have updated the original post with this world map of Regalia: Other continents exist within the world, but this is all that will be referenced to (or at least for the majority of the game). These are also the majority of the towns and cities that will be referenced to, though it is safe to assume that other smaller villages and towns reside between these. Scale isn't very accurate on this map, but from Vita City to Sanctus Heights is perhaps about 60 miles, to give a frame of reference. I would ideally like to make a map outlining each court as well, but this one took me a good portion of the day to make, so I may or may not get to doing so. I think we are waiting on at least one more character sheet, and I just have a few more things to prepare before we begin, hopefully starting toward the middle of this week. I'm super excited, guys! I hope that you all enjoy this adventure. Yay, Henry's here! This sheet is mostly accepted, though a few questions on the background: I am assuming that you probably already spoke with the other players about his affiliation with them (Lev, Soren, and Arun), though if not you may wish to check with them to confirm this. The last thing would be the Ignis maester giving Henry a personal title. The maesters try not to show favoritism, especially in a more lawful court such as Ignis, and thus I do not think he would personally bestow the title "Sun of Ignis," though perhaps you could change this to the people giving him this title, or that he was commonly called such. Otherwise it looks great!

Tough choice between Pac-Man and Donkey Kong, but I would probably have to say Donkey Kong (even though I have always been terrible at it!).

Sounds awesome! I look forward to it. I will try to catch up on content and post tonight.

Name: High Priestess MabelAge: 24Gender: FemaleAppearance: https://www.creativeuncut.com/gallery-30/art/dff-yuna-wedding-gown-a.jpgCourt affiliation (if any): AllWeapons: Ornate QuarterstaffMagic: NonePersonality: Quiet, empathetic, and duty-bound. Mabel expresses the wishes of the people and holds no real opinion or desire of her own. If she did have any, none would know. Mabel is seen as a soft-spoken soul who cares deeply for justice, but also peace.Background: Mabel is sworn to a life serving Regalia and working to maintain the divine laws and traditions therein and to serve as the voice of Regalia among the courts. She had been appointed to this role as an infant, and raised to become the high priestess at the young age of fifteen. While maybe is kind and loyal, she has a sworn duty that she is obliged to fulfill, and never has she been seen among crowds doing anything that she would wish to take part in. Much about her is shrouded in mystery, and beyond knowing her as the "High Priestess," it is uncertain who the girl really is. Name: Tibarn LlangAge: 28Gender: MaleAppearance: Court affiliation (if any): None, bounty hunterWeapons: gunblades and throwing knivesMagic: NonePersonality: Charismatic to a fault and loyal to his friends, Tibarn is the friendly jovial soul who cannot get enough drinks, flirting with beautiful women, and the thrills of a good treasure hunt.Background: Raised by an oriental family in a quiet town in Regalia, Tibarn left home in hopes of taking up a job for one of the courts, hoping to support his aging parents. When he returned one summer he'd come to find that his mother had passed away by a disease that had swept through, filling the young man with grief. He didn't return to his job and instead drew inward, conversing with few and relying on many trips to the bar for comfort. It wasn't until a trip to death's door that finally snapped him back into living again. Tibarn left his hometown once more, this time meeting and befriending Gabriel Woods and Arno Cross. He considers himself a bounty hunter/thief with morals, however: he won't take from orphans or the poor, and won't often kill for spoils unless he felt the person deserved it. Tibarn travels with the crew in search of his sense of self and purpose. But will he find it? That remains to be seen. Name: Daruk MortemAge: 53Gender: MaleAppearance: Daruk is tall, standing about 6'5", with tanned skin and a fair number of tattoos. He is broad shouldered and muscular, often wearing loose sleeveless vests and dark colored trousers. His red hair is cut short, with long sideburns that make their way into his short-trimmed beard.Court affiliation (if any): IgnisWeapons: claymore, maceMagic: Fire and earthPersonality: Loud, jovial, and boisterous are all words that describe Daruk. He is warm and friendly, willing to give almost anyone a chance to prove themselves worthy. He is friends with his court, and truly desires for him and his mages to make a difference in the world.Background: Daruk was born into the Ignis court by mage parents, though they refused to teach him how to harness his magic until he could wield a sword. Daruk bonded well with his instructor, and was devastated upon his passing. He swore to himself to become someone like his teacher, protecting the weak and leading the strong, and thus he did. He became Maester of the Ignis court in his late thirties, and he strives to instill the same morals and principles upon the rest of the court. I want to create a character for the Umbra court, but I'm just not feeling it for any ideas that I encounter. I will still try to come up with something, however. It's Soren! Though I am saddened that he has suffered a fair bit more in this life than the previous one. Hopefully he finds good fortune here. Accepted! It's awesome to see a character that also uses a musical instrument as a weapon! He gives me the vibe of Alone/Hades from Saint Seiya: The Lost Canvas, if you're familiar with it (though it is probably just me). I really am eager to see where you take Arkane. Accepted!

If everyone's good with it, I think we shall stick with the name Somnum for the court. Thanks for the input! Accepted! By the way, it may be worth noting that if you are a mage within a court you are given room and board by the court itself, as each one is quite wealthy and cares for its mages. In serving the courts these mages are also given funds, but it's plausible that Kagura needs the funds for another reason or there is some other motive for Kagura's dancing. Also, should you ever want to use Kaguya as an NPC you are more than welcome to do so. Accepted! I am quite happy to see that you have joined us, Heart. I hope that you enjoy this adventure. I'm curious: what is sand magic? Accepted! I am looking forward to seeing the extent of Arun's earth magic in action. : ) Hey, Sikota, long time no see! I remember you from the Experiment, and I think there was a role-play that Shard the Gentleman was hosting some time back that we were involved in together. Regardless, welcome back, and I'm glad to see that your interest has been piqued in The Four Courts. Should you decide to bring your character I would happily welcome it. We are probably going to be starting within a few days, and integrating in the beginning will probably be easiest especially if you're just getting back into things. However, you are welcome to join at any time, so if you want to come in later that's cool too. Whatever works for you is fine with me, and if there's anything I can do to help just let me know. And congratulations on your graduation! How exciting! Accepted! I was just musing to myself how it would be so ironic if Lev possessed both healing and necromancy from her parents, two of the most opposing arts there is!

Here are a few characters from me, though I am planning at least two more (one for Umbra and possibly two for Ignis). I don't wish to have too many characters, but I do wish to add more within the courts. Name: Mellark Crowe Age: 23 Gender: Male Appearance: Court affiliation (if any): Somnum Weapons: Glaive, sometimes a javelin Magic: Ice, Hypnosis, and Status Ailments (debuffs, sleep, poison) Personality: Haughty, lazy, and somewhat obnoxious, Mellark is arrogant and seldom likes to do work presented for him, thinking himself above others and expecting others to do the dirty work for him. Beneath this exterior, however, Mellark is quite sensitive, and takes insults very painfully even if he acts unfazed. Background: Mellark was born to a non-magical impoverished family within the heart of Regalia, who dutifully served the High Priestess and raised their children to the best that they could. Out of his four siblings, Mellark was the only one to develop magic, and he immediately arrested the attention of the courts. Out of all of the possible offers, he favored the Somnum court the most for its high rate of powerful mages, and thus his education began. While still a young mage, his potency is rare and extraordinary, and already he is favored among many within the court. His power has gone to his head, however, casting aside his humble beginnings and being very haughty and arrogant. However, deep down Mellark is gentle and compassionate, and he found himself creating a persona that would allow him to resemble his peers. Many teased him on his impoverished background and not being from a mage family, thus he has tried to make up for it. Mellark struggles to fit in, and to remain true to himself simultaneously. Name: Aislinn Nosferi Age: 41 Gender: Female Appearance: (only slightly darker hair) Court affiliation (if any): Vivifica Weapons: Lute and spear Magic: Wind, Healing, and Earth Personality: Charitable is one singular word that applies heavily to Aislinn. She believes that life is a gift, and the least she can do with it is to bestow upon others that which she believes all humans have earned: love, respect, and even the clothes off her back if the situation demanded it. Aislinn fully embraces the beliefs of Vivifica and the foundation of the court, leaving her with innovative and sometimes frowned upon practices. Background: Aislinn was born to a wealthy family within the Umbra court, her lineage existing within a long line of powerful mages. The court was welcoming and hospitable, though Aislinn never quite felt that she fit in. When her magic unfolded and it differed from her peers, her parents were concerned. They arranged for her to cross train in the Vivifica court, where she was educated and raised until the age of 16, where she was abruptly brought back to the Umbra court in a hastily arranged marriage to a wealthy and reputable man: Pali. For the sake of her family, Aislinn had no choice but to comply, wedding the immortal and giving him a daughter. Unable to endure this arrangement much longer, however, Aislinn fled the court, though failing to bring their daughter with them. She returned to Vivifica, though not a day goes by that she does not regret her choices, leaving her daughter behind, and being forever estranged from her family. However, she now has a court to lead, and through her teachings and love for the world, she hopes to bring about a new direction for the Four Courts.

I'm loving the art for Richter. Accepted! I'll eagerly await your third character. Sounds perfect! I think everything else looked great with your character sheet. If at any point you choose in insert Alix you are more than welcome to, or if you wish to make her an NPC (non-playable character) that is completely fine as well. Ah, someone who has tampered with immortality. Very interesting. Accepted! Awesome weapons! Accepted! All accepted! I am very interested in Elliot. I always get curious about characters that leave their court to join another. I'm also increasingly curious what changed in him, and why he was compelled to leave Ignis for Vivifica. Vivifica would welcome any with open arms, though it is an interesting switch. Hopefully more will be revealed over the course of the RP. As for Itika, it is essentially raw mana, which one can certainly harness and channel to their whim. In excess it can be dangerous to the user, and its use can render very powerful forms of magic. There is a reason it is outlawed and a reason it is sought, which will be revealed at a later point. Hope that helps some, but it could certainly be infused with Gabe's sword. The problem is, it wears off over time (it is a consumable), so the effects that it was infused with would eventually fade, unless it were augmented by a talented blacksmith or engineer (looks to @Stardustblade358's Vincent). (And yay, Nergal!) I'm really liking Ardyn Gerik's rectifying manner and that, while manipulative, he still looks much like a protagonist. Since the Umbra court, while specializing in dark arts, is really a shady group of protagonists that want the same thing as everyone else. Now, is his name pronounced with a hard or soft G? Accepted! I look forward to seeing your next addition. (Also, I can't say much about Gerik's appearance, since I've named the land Regalia, and drew inspiration from Ignis and Somnus (originally it was going to be Regalia and the four courts: Ignis, Noctis, Prompto, and Gladiolus. :P) Yay, it's our favorite fox boy! Accepted! My characters are coming soon; I fell asleep last night before I could finish them, though I have two pending backgrounds and at least two others that are still in the works. I'm really liking the cast so far; we have a good amount of variety. I was thinking to allow sign-ups to remain open for a couple of weeks, but in truth I think most people joined that will join (thank you for your support, Overworld crew!), so we might kick this off sooner than later. I do want to take some time to familiarize myself with our cast and develop some starting points for everyone, so that might take a couple of days, but hopefully we can begin within a few days if all is up for it. Also, does everyone prefer Somnus over Somnum for the court name? I've noticed it called Somnus by a few people, and I wonder if it will be more memorable and easier to work with.

Sounds good to me. : ) Accepted! Accepted! I think I will end up roll out some characters to help things progress as opposed to strictly GM'ing. Hopefully I can get those up tonight.

Accepted! I've updated some information on how one joins the courts, so that may affect your background slightly, but otherwise this looks pretty perfect. Prior to the start of the game, at some point, I'll PM you more information on Vivifica and its decisions, so that you know what your character knows. Also, concerning the magical aura: I'm fine with him sensing any aura, though objects that do not have an aura would still be invisible, if that works? Both are accepted! Ooh, someone leaving a court for another. I was hoping to see this occur, as it will be quite the interesting crossover indeed! I'd imagine everyone would be very concerned and closed off from Eclaire initially, though those in the Umbra court do stand very unified and support one another, so once Eclaire shows that she is true to her peers, they will embrace her warmly. As for aligning with Vivifica: I will be sharing more information at some point on that court and its decisions so that you have more to work with.