Fantasy Nightmare Hunter OOC

[Floodwater31]

Hey Cyborg, there are several people on the interest thread asking if we're still open to new characters in the interest thread, I don't know if they didn't see the link, found it and weren't interested, or wanted permission before clicking it. Do you want me to address them for you?

 

[JadeGreen17]

No thanks I got it. Dropped everyone who responded a like to get their attention.

On the main RP thread, I think its under the original lore spoiler, not the Hunter's journal. Though if you cant be bothered to look the lore reason is because there hasn't been a major war between the great cities in a long long time.

Ill clean things up around here.

 

[Floodwater31]

No thanks I got it. Dropped everyone who responded a like to get their attention.

On the main RP thread, I think its under the original lore spoiler, not the Hunter's journal. Though if you cant be bothered to look the lore reason is because there hasn't been a major war between the great cities in a long long time.

Ill clean things up around here.

There is an air mystery here, gotta make them do some work right?

Side question, I know you've mentioned how advanced firearms are and why they aren't prevalent, but I can't find it, that or I'm crazy and am thinking of a past rp.

 

[JadeGreen17]

Alrighty I linked every major thread to every other major thread. I still need to clean up the lore section, but I will do that tomorrow. (I wish I could make a thread that everyone could view that I could edit that I could use to display lore as it becomes relevant.)

Also I want to know from all parties involved if you guys would like a Discord server to RP on. These forums don't really allow for discussion in the way that I'm used to, but I won't switch to a discord server unless everyone's onboard with it.

Also you asked the firearms question twice. Your not crazy this is the correct RP. The reasoning is that there hasn't been a major war between the great cities in a very long time and weapons technology never had a reason to develop much since then.

 

[Floodwater31]

Alrighty I linked every major thread to every other major thread. I still need to clean up the lore section, but I will do that tomorrow. (I wish I could make a thread that everyone could view that I could edit that I could use to display lore as it becomes relevant.)

Also I want to know from all parties involved if you guys would like a Discord server to RP on. These forums don't really allow for discussion in the way that I'm used to, but I won't switch to a discord server unless everyone's onboard with it.

I've been part of other rps that had lore threads, I've never hosted an rp so I couldn't tell you how to do it, but it'd work how you described it. (Really interesting lore btw)

I haven't done an rp on discord before, I have done an rp were the occ was moved to discord. I'm neutral cause I don't know how I'd react, sorry for the useless response.

also-

Also you asked the firearms question twice. Your not crazy-

The first sentence contradicts the second phrase, I knew I was crazy!

Jokes aside, the reason I asked was I had a character concept I was toying with maybe doing something with later

 

[JadeGreen17]

Funny story, I was considering a story arc concept in where the characters acquired some Ridosian firearms and used them to 'teach' the book of trials to offer enchanted firearms. I don't think I'd want to do it though. IMO gunfights are never as interesting to write and read as those with swords, spears and bows, and it kind of breaks with the feel of the more fantasy-like world.

I guess it could be like Harry Potter where on the 'muggle' side of things, guns are atleast somewhat commonplace, but in the magical side, they aren't used because potatoes. I could incorporate some (contrived) reason into the lore like "Guns haven't been around long enough for people to figure out how to enchant them in the correct ways for them to be reasonably effective against supernatural entities" or something like that.

 

[Floodwater31]

Funny story, I was considering a story arc concept in where the characters acquired some Ridosian firearms and used them to 'teach' the book of trials to offer enchanted firearms. I don't think I'd want to do it though. IMO gunfights are never as interesting to write and read as those with swords, spears and bows, and it kind of breaks with the feel of the more fantasy-like world.

I guess it could be like Harry Potter where on the 'muggle' side of things, guns are atleast somewhat commonplace, but in the magical side, they aren't used because potatoes. I could incorporate some (contrived) reason into the lore like "Guns haven't been around long enough for people to figure out how to enchant them in the correct ways for them to be reasonably effective against supernatural entities" or something like that.

I completely agree with gunfights not being interesting. The character I had in mind was a big gentleman explorer fella who would always say how great guns were and that everyone should use them, but whenever he fights something he'd fire one shot before throwing the gun at the thing and charging with his fists

 

[Epiphany]

Quite an active OOC! I'm up for a Discord if others are; I have it running all the time so it's no trouble for me.

Also, posted my prospective Vampire ex-Paladin. Let me know if it's to your liking, boss, or if you'd like it tweaked in any way (or thrown out if it's unworkable).

 

[BlazingSword]

I will be posting early tomorrow morning. But first I shall look at the Lore.

 

[JadeGreen17]

Quite an active OOC! I'm up for a Discord if others are; I have it running all the time so it's no trouble for me.

Also, posted my prospective Vampire ex-Paladin. Let me know if it's to your liking, boss, or if you'd like it tweaked in any way (or thrown out if it's unworkable).

(Not to downplay anyone else's character but) This is a badass concept that fits like a glove into the lore of the world presented. No changed needed. Plus now we have a werewolf (Marcus), a Vampire (Emmaline), and a Half-blood Atlantian (Auron), so the squad is well rounded out with one of each of the major 'races' one could RP aside from a generic human, so the squad now represents the order it's going to be a part of.

I'll let you kick off your character's story, with wherever she may be, hiding out in the woods. Possibly feeding on the blood of animals, and we can start the way we have with the other characters, with her being invited to join the order.

 

[Epiphany]

I'm glad the concept works! Just a few questions if you don't mind.

Are vampires otherwise how they're traditionally handled? They can withstand limited doses of sunlight evidently and can transform into a cloud of bats or a snake...but are they otherwise strong or more durable than the humans they used to be? When you say it's progressive, does that mean the various 'features' of vampirism grow stronger with age? Do they inevitably flip out and go full psycho with time? Are they vulnerable to crosses, running water, do they need an invitation to enter a place, etc.?

Also, the Nightmare Hunters are evidently much harder to find than the Paladins are. Are there usual ways to contact them? Or is this one of those 'if you want to join, they have to find you' sort of deals?

 

[JadeGreen17]

I'm glad the concept works! Just a few questions if you don't mind.

Are vampires otherwise how they're traditionally handled? They can withstand limited doses of sunlight evidently and can transform into a cloud of bats or a snake...but are they otherwise strong or more durable than the humans they used to be? When you say it's progressive, does that mean the various 'features' of vampirism grow stronger with age? Do they inevitably flip out and go full psycho with time? Are they vulnerable to crosses, running water, do they need an invitation to enter a place, etc.?

Also, the Nightmare Hunters are evidently much harder to find than the Paladins are. Are there usual ways to contact them? Or is this one of those 'if you want to join, they have to find you' sort of deals?

but are they otherwise strong or more durable than the humans they used to be?

Vampires would have a slight speed, strength, durability and endurance advantage, progressing with their infection. It would never be as much as a transformed lycanthrope that was similarly progressed. They can regenerate when they feed, or if they have fed recently, otherwise they will not heal. Human blood is the best to feed off of as it increases these powers the most, but also affects the progression the most. Animal blood increases vampiric powers but less so.

I like the idea of the vampire's outward appearance and behavior being linked to their mental state, in the same way I was construction Lycanthrope lore in the series. In that a vampire that surrendered themselves completely to their condition and went full psycho would embody hyper-vampiric traits; ghostly white skin, huge fangs, rapid and powerful transformations, where as a vampire that was more in control of themselves would less so embody both the appearance, advantages and disadvantages of vampirism, and could have a more normal appearance. This means that it would be possible for a highly progressed vampire to begin to revert (but never fully) to become more human-looking, and lose their vampiric if they regained their sanity.

Though I also think their feeding habits would be a factor in the progression of their vampirism, with feedings on human blood progressing it faster. Age would probably be of minimal consequence. Though I would assume feedings would have a strong mental impact, slowly causing said vampire to slowly lose themselves with each feeding. Feedings would be required over long timespans (months). Though animal blood would satisfy, human blood would be better. Vampires that did not feed would more or less begin to wither and lose vampiric traits, and eventually expire.

Inevitably I think a vampire given these rules would flip out and go psycho, simply due to the fact that feedings are required, but it would be over timescales greater than a human lifespan. That said you have two choices; die from lack of feedings, or give in to insanity from too many feedings. Though vamps are technically immortal they will usually succumb to one or the other.

I think it would not be out of place for the Hunters, with their resources and alchemists available to them to create some sort of blood substitute mixture that vampires within their order could drink. Perhaps it being even lower-quality than animal blood.

Are they vulnerable to crosses, running water, do they need an invitation to enter a place, etc.?

Crosses wouldn't affect vamps because traditional religions do not exist in this verse. Stand-in might be the nexicist symbol of faith. (A ring with six spikes, two longs spikes going straight up and straight down, and four smaller spikes at forty-five degree angles). The Hunter dreamcatcher used to capture demons is also extra effective when used to capture vampires. Though I imagine these artifacts only being effective if the vampire is less than sane.

Running water/pure water/holy water I would imagine would have similar effects to sunlight. Painful and weaking their powers, but not lethal except after very prolonged exposure. More painful for more progressed vampires.

They do not need invitations to enter a place. I think it would be funny if this is considered a myth within the lore because it is a rule that I always found both just a bit silly and somewhat cumbersome to write around in stories such as this with ongoing plotlines. (said the guy who writes a demon-hunting organization who's leader is cursed to speak only in rhyme) Perhaps there was a famous vampire or vampire cult in the past in this world who lived by this rule; only feeding on those foolish enough to let them in.

The garlic thing is also a little silly. People turned vampires who liked garlic as a human are repulsed by it, as they would any other food they didn't like, but it would technically have no ill effects. This also brings up the question of vampires eating regular food They can, but it provides no sustenance.

Impalement kills vampires; sure. That makes sense.

Silver, which coats hunter weapons, and is in most lore, including this one, an effective means against all kinds of supernatural creatures, is dangerous. Wounds made with silver blades and bolts would be accompanied with searing pain and slowed regeneration. Vampires are still vulnerable to conventional injuries and while having slightly more durable bodies, can die the same as any normal human. This would only be a hazard if the weapon actually cut them. In the event that a vampire is simply in proximity to or holding, the weapon would have no ill effects to the weilder.

Another advantage of vampires is not needing sleep. (I wanted a sort of equal tradeoff type balance between the two in this lore as they are both similar. In the lore, all supernatural beings classified as Nex (by the palaidns) or Nightmares (by the hunters) were once human who for whatever reason became a monster. Most monsters were created when a person dies with a grievance, grudge or something they could not let go of. Vampires and Werewolves represent contagious forms of monster-ism that can be spread to people without a grievance or grudge. This makes them very similar and I wanted to make both of these conditions grant the carrier equal if differently balanced powers.)

Their animal transformations are their bread and butter and really what puts them on par with lycanthropes, With the cloud of bats being a fast mobility type maneuver. Very early on in creating the lore; I established that vampires traveling as a cloud of bats are vulnerable to attack. If an attack (arrow, blade, spell) hits one of the bats, the part of their body that bat corresponded to badly injured or straight up missing when they reformed into a humanoid form. Though this portion could be regenerated if the vampire survives the attack and subsequent injury.

The snake form also the only form in where vampirism is contagious. Vampires that feed in humanoid form cannot spread their condition, though they can kill their victim if they simply feed so much that the victim dies from blood loss. Feeding while in the snake form is also the fastest way to progress the condition, and can also spread the condition to anyone bitten. (Including animals!) I think this is only fitting as the snake's 'venom' is what spreads vampirism.

Also, this may come as no surprise to you, but you cannot be both a werewolf and a vampire. Having one condition keeps you safe from the other. Atlantean blood also protects you from both. Another reason why all these groups are considered useful to the hunters.

Speaking of blood; vampire blood is black and tar-like. Vampires have black gums, tongues and blood vessels in their eyes. This coupled with their pale skin and fangs are the signs of their conditions.

Also I'm very slightly retconning the rules regarding curing vampirism and lycanthropy. The hunter order has the means to reverse these conditions if acquired. This requires that the person infected themselves be banished and captured to the mystical dreamcatcher, then the dreamcatcher is exposed to sunlight before the stone below the webbing is shattered. The person will re-emerge, cured of their condition. This must be done within the first 24 hours of the condition being spread to them to work, though. The paladins have no such similar ritual though.

Oh yeah. And the Blindfolded man tends to be selective about who he takes into the order. Usually he will appear to you, though he does have a way of knowing if someone has caught wind of the order and is looking to join up; you will be considered for your personality and strength of spirit. He also tends to seek orphans and the less fortunate, as well as people in unfortunate situations such as your own Emmaline. For the sake of the story, he will see something in every character that makes them eligible, regardless of competence and backstory, just so that people can play whatever kind of character they want. Though thus far I haven't seen a character that doesn't seem like a great fit for the order already.

Sorry for insanely long post. I've gotta get the hunter's journal organized. We've got one 'yes' and one 'maybe' for the discord. The only person with a character who hasn't weighed in yet is @

 

[Epiphany]

Thanks! I can do a lot with that setup.

 

[Vizriel]

Can I still join up you guys. I loooove this idea for an RP???

 

[JadeGreen17]

Yeah I'm looking for one or two more. We also might be moving to a discord server if everyone's onboard with it so let me know your stance on that.

 

[Vizriel]

Yeah I'm looking for one or two more. We also might be moving to a discord server if everyone's onboard with it so let me know your stance on that.

Um no what a discord server is but if everybody else is cool with it then whatever I'm down. I'm reading through the different locations now to find an origin for my OC. I'm thinking a sneaky con artist/archer/thief type. Any ideas for what area he should originate from?

 

[JadeGreen17]

Discord is a chat service kind of like Skype; save for you can make servers and chatrooms dedicated to particular discussions. It's really made for gaming but theres lots of people that use it for RP and general social chat. Everything useful is free, so don't worry about that.

-+-

Ultimately outside of Arcadia, the other four major cities are made up of 'muggle' populations; people with no supernatural inclination or knowledge. Even most of Arcadia is oblivious to what the paladins do. Werewolf and vampire clans occupy remove regions outside of cities, along with lots more people in small to medium sized towns. After the destruction of Atlantis, Atlanteans fled, mostly to Golden Rock.

The conditions that would produce a stealthy con artist type could be present more or less anywhere in this world. Though I BlazingSword's character, Auron is from a wealthy family, as is Floodwater's Character Marcus, though his character largely broke ties with them. Epiphany's Character, Emmaline was a prestigious Paladin before she became infected with Vampirism. I think a character from more humble origins and obliviousness to the supernatural would help to balance out the group. For that I think you have part of your answer; the character would be a con artist because they were always pinching pennies and sneaking food just to get by. I think I stated somewhere that the order likes to pick up orphans and delinquents and turn them into fine warriors; so your character following that path is not out of the question.

Simply on the grounds of avoiding similarities with the already-established characters; you could aim for an age range other than 20's. People are eligible to join the order at the age of 14, and going for an older character is an option too. If you're okay with RPing female characters, we could balance the team with two males and two females. Of course these are just suggestions and you can go whichever route you choose.

 

[Floodwater31]

Um no what a discord server is but if everybody else is cool with it then whatever I'm down. I'm reading through the different locations now to find an origin for my OC. I'm thinking a sneaky con artist/archer/thief type. Any ideas for what area he should originate from?

Each country is culturally distinct, so choosing a home comes down to what flavor of con/thief you want to be.

• Arcadia is high culture, religious, and the most technologically stagnant, so you could go for a sort of sneak theif there, breaking into mansions and such.
• Chespake is essentially 1920's america, so a mobster from the golden age of gangsters would fit.
• Northwind seems to be a frozen, steampunk mining country, so slumming it up in steampunk land.
• Ridosi is both the most militaristic and technologically advanced, so a rebel scum could make a name there.
• Golden Rock is the oldest country, and has the best living conditions out of any of the others, truly a paradise for everyone. If your thief comes from here, maybe they just like stealing things, probably should see a psychologist, that's probably covered by the free health care I assume they have.

This is a very abridged version of all the cities along with some ideas, hope I helped

 

[Vizriel]

Ok guys I kinda went off the deep end and made a big brutish brawler type instead. Tell me what you think. My original thief/con-artist type OC is still on the table.

 

[Vizriel]

Here is my other idea but yeah let me know.​

 

[Floodwater31]

I like him, the personality and questionnaire nailed it for me. Plus the dude has an interesting specific goal.

This brings up an interesting, frightening, and possibly funny scenario for Marcus however:

Marcus: I'm a Lycam- Lycanthru- Werewolf
Auron: My family was killed by werewolves!
Emmaline: Inhuman! Kill it with fire!
Duke: *Smashing Marcus's face in*

 

[Vizriel]

I like him, the personality and questionnaire nailed it for me. Plus the dude has an interesting specific goal.

This brings up an interesting, frightening, and possibly funny scenario for Marcus however:

Marcus: I'm a Lycam- Lycanthru- Werewolf
Auron: My family was killed by werewolves!
Emmaline: Inhuman! Kill it with fire!
Duke: *Smashing Marcus's face in*

Yeah lycanthropes get bad reps but I wouldn't be surprised if him and duke hit it off and became buds. Duke loves badasses and outcasts.

 

[Vizriel]

Oh! Oh! And can i request for Duke to get or already have the Root Chakra, Rikkan??? I would have it awaken during his massacre scene at seeing Silvia half dead and hanging(read his oc background sheet for details) Pleeeaase!!!

 

[JadeGreen17]

Uh sorry, Auron already has Rikkan. Blazingsword PMed me not too long ago asking for it. I really should have been updating things but I've been busy with the first few days of my college classes. (Also why is Rikkan so popular while technically being the lowest and weakest spirit? Two people requested him- I suppose he would be the most interesting to write as he's the only spirit who actively encourages bad deeds, while the others are more morally aligned.)

A solid alternative might be Bitala. Giving his character a love spirit that manifests as a human that is an idealized lover, with the spirit awakening shortly after Silvia arrives in the hospital, and taking on an appearance and personality very similar to hers. You would actually be RPing an inseparable duo of humans, with Bitala-Silvia have a yin-yang personality to Duke, being calm and level headed constrast Duke's aggressive nature. Duke could ignore or distrust this shadow of his true lover labeling her as nothing more than a cheap imitation, yet be conflicted and not want Bitala's human form to leave him. (What exactly his response to this would be is open to you. But the point is it would challenge Duke and his stance on this spirit masquerading as his lover could give a lot of depth to his character making him a lot more interesting than just the big strong guy.)

Also, for as much as I love your character's personality and story, there's an inconsistency within the lore that you could fly a A triple-wide cargo airship through; Ridosi doesn't have any slaves. The city is as technologically and societally as advanced as a city in the mid 20th century , so heavy machinery would be used to do most of the dangerous mining/manual labor and slavery would have no reason not abolished. In such a setting, poorly paid lower class of workers, mining technicians and machine operators and factory workers could be prevalent; but slavery would surely be illegal. And given heavy machines are available, unless someone was some kind of sadist, they have no reason to secreatly practice slavery as machines could do the work of slaves round the clock, and weren't illegal to own.

When we consider how violent and militarized Ridosian culture has been made out to be; with them producing massive warships and a huge standing army even with no real threat of war, its obvious how the beginning of backstory can be modified, moving Duke from a mining slave to having grown up in an underground fighting ring (While still being illegal, it would be something that would actually exist there). I imagine Duke being an orphan taken in by an aging fighter who would be like a father to him, learning to fight from him, and eventually taking the reigns away from and fight to make income for the both of them. (And if you want to make the backstory brutal, have the father figure murdered).

Golden Rock is less advanced. Since I imagined them as steampunk or perhaps a hundred years behind Ridosi, they would societally and technologically average out to living the mid 1800's, right around the time slavery in the real world was abolished, so I slavery might exist there. With their level of technology, laborer slavery would be on its way out for the same reasons it is in Ridosi. Most slaves would be more akin to indentured servants and maids, responsible for the upkeep of estates and airships and being secretaries for entrepreneurial traders; and musclebound laborers like Duke wouldn't be as commonplace.

*Imagines Duke in a maid outfit sweeping the hall of some frilly mansion*

This also means that torture and manipulation in Golden Rock would be illegal how you describe it, since slaves are more of an ultra-poor working class than outright slaves. If we imagine the portion of the story set in Golden Rock was actually set in a secluded manor or less lawful town outside of the main city; then things would be more viable to have happened how you describe. But regardless, the deconstruction occurs at the very beginning of his backstory, so that's going to need to be rewritten, or you could choose to go with your alternate character. Though I fell in love with Duke the moment I read his questionare, and am more than willing to work to make his backstory work with you to make this character work within this verse.

Side note; can you give duke's backstory some much needed paragraph breaks?

Finally I need your thoughts on moving this to a discord.

 

[Epiphany]

I like him, the personality and questionnaire nailed it for me. Plus the dude has an interesting specific goal.

This brings up an interesting, frightening, and possibly funny scenario for Marcus however:

Marcus: I'm a Lycam- Lycanthru- Werewolf
Auron: My family was killed by werewolves!
Emmaline: Inhuman! Kill it with fire!
Duke: *Smashing Marcus's face in*

At this point, I'm fairly sure Emmaline's reaction will be something along the lines of "We should all die. Might as well do it killing evil together."