Foolish Ghoul
Missionary Man
"The world is fire and plague, and we are a madness that roams this desolate land like sheep without a shepherd. That’s all we are when it comes down to it, just squabbling cattle, living life in a familiar home turned slaughterhouse. We; the Faceless and Willow Witches alike, wander the rotting carcasses of our once proud civilization, living only because that’s what our primal instinct tells us to do, living in spite of all that has happened…
Of course, things weren't always like this, we weren't always slaves to our own fear and broken minds. We used to have great kingdoms and powerful heroes who fought back the darkness. I was told that at a young age, of course, and I’ll admit I didn’t believe it at first – you probably wouldn’t either if you lived through the shit I have – but when my village was attacked by the Skin Dancers and I began my life as a Faceless vagabond, I saw the signs of it everywhere. Old husks of the great monolithic structures we once built still stand tall to this day, and the massive expanses of tamed wild land they accompany are a welcome sight. I oft seek these structures and rotted cities out, as they are a welcome departure from reality. It’s so easy there, to step from this world to the next. I can close my eyes, for but a moment, and picture myself in the world before the age of Stardust..."
- The Cataclysm
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It started with a tear in the very fabric of our planar system. When it began it was small, but was still large enough to grab the attention of the Gods. In turn, each of the Celestial Commanders examined the rift, and when none were able to explain it’s existence, they simply wrote it off as an anomaly that would close before the end of the planetary cycle. They were wrong, and they were fools…
As that cycle passed, and the proposed hypothesis proved false, one of the gods – a master of logic and law – decided to traverse the tear in search of answers and discovery as to what may lay on the other side. Sadly, before any of the other’s could testify his rash behavior, he crossed the threshold of the impossible rift, vanishing into the beyond. He did not return, and now he lay nameless and unworshipped.
Another cycle passed, and the tear still lay open, its unwavering shape taunting the Gods with malice and the promise of death. In panic, the Celestial Commanders sealed the divine bridges that connected their planes from the others, shutting the material planes out.
Cycles passed and the rift still lay open and ever impossible. Many Gods became paranoid, fearing what this rift might mean and what might happen next. However, in time it lay ignored and undisturbed. It posed no visible threat as long as it lay unmolested, and so for a time there was solace. Or so, they thought.
Twelve cycles passed, and finally the prophet of doom emerged. Cathael, mother of the Skin Dancers, first Emergent from the Plane of Stardust, devourer of Gods. She was alien and bizarre, an exotic creature of captivating beauty. She danced an astral dance that promised ruin and death, and slew two Gods with in moments of her arrival, consuming their forms. They now lay forgotten and unworshipped.
Cathael left the celestial planes and passed the divine bridges with ease, venturing towards the Prime Material Plane, home of the God’s creations. She made landing in Tu’thull, first city of Emoreale, and dug deep into the soils. From there she made her nest, and birthed the first of the Skin Dancers; abominations of unspeakable horror that lurk inside men, controlling their bodies like simple puppets.
Before the Gods could react to the sudden devastation Cathael had wrought, a slew of rifts emerged within the planar system, spewing forth the abominations that had been lurking just beyond the void for so long. Gods below were they hungry.
I would hesitate to label the ensuing battles a war, as slaughter seems to be a more appropriate title. Most of the Gods now lay forgotten and unworshiped, and the few that live went into hiding so that they may sleep off their wounds. - The Three Gifts
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Truly we hang on by a thread, and things seem grim if not certain, but there is some glimmer of hope still. You see, the Gods did not forsake us entirely in their death. Upon their departure they gave us three last gifts
- Willow Witches
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First were the Willow Witches. Creatures much like that of the humans, but with certain talents useful in fighting the abominations from the Plane of Stardust. They protect the few remaining cities and towns of Emoreale, and when those inevitably fall, they join the Faceless and wander the world in search of purpose.
Willow Witch Characters:
Born from a willow tree, these holy warrior's first thoughts are of their purpose; protect. They slide out of their trees fully grown, and walk to the town or city they have been summoned to guard. A Willow Witch guardian will do anything they can to keep their chosen land safe, even at the expense of their own life.
Sometimes a Willow Witch is born to a town or city that has already been destroyed, or the guardian fails to protect their mark and lives on despite the destruction. In these rare cases, the Willow Witch becomes a wanderer and a hunter, traveling the world until they die fighting the beasts they were meant to destroy. In some cases, a wandering Willow Witch will find a group of traveling Faceless and join their ranks.
Holy Physicality:
As a Willow Witch you are naturally stronger and faster than the Faceless. You have been given this strength to combat the Skin Dancers and other denizens from the Plane of Stardust. Because of this, weapons that might feel cumbersome to a Faceless are simple for you to wield.
Solar Powered:
The warming touch of the sun's rays fills you with vigor and energy. When exposed to sunlight, you heal wounds faster and are imbued with holy strength beyond compare.
Rune Writers:
Willow Witches are born with the understanding of the ancient runic language known as celestial. They come with full understanding of the Wards of Eld and a few of the much more rare Attack Runes. A Willow Witch should also have a greater understanding of about three Wards of Eld, allowing them to use them as utility in combat.
- Star Iron
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The second gift, Star Iron, is a metal that repels the touch of Skin Dancers. Unfortunately, humanity is in short supply of Star Iron and there hasn’t been a pure Star Iron helm made in the last hundred years or so.
During the pinnacle of the calamity, Star Iron reigned from the sky, alight in holy fire set by the gods. When the holy metal struck down, it bore itself deep into the earth waiting ready for those of in need of it's protective properties.
- Wards of Eld
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Finally, there is the third gift; the Wards of Eld. Ancient writings that only the Willow Witches understand and can write. This is the only reason any town or city goes unmolested, as these wards repel naked Skin Dancers.
For the most part, Wards of Eld are very delicate. In order to work, they need to be linked together within a delicate and specific fashion, even the slightest error can cause the magic to wither away.
Specialization:
When a Willow Witch works with Eld Wards, they eventually gain a scholarly understanding of about three wards. When this mental ability becomes thoroughly practiced, a Willow Witch will find that they can write these wards in the air, activating them on command.
Wards of Eld available for specialization:
A'Tea: Ward of displacement
Cur'Ar: Ward of disruption
Doch: Ward of healing
Gea: Ward of defense
Kel: Ward of locating
Siel: Ward of silence
Ule: Ward of binding
Teh: Ward of shielding
Attack Rune Families:
Aliel: Runes of air
Bliel: Runes of shadow
Pesin: Runes of water
Resin: Runes of earth
Teine: Runes of fire
Ter: Runes of lightning
- Faceless
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The Faceless are humans existing now in the age of Stardust, they wallow in filth and plague, and hide behind helms of iron, cowering from the abysmal creatures that seek their destruction. It is because humans wear these helms that they have taken on the name "Faceless". They don't show their face, they don't mark their towns or cities on maps and they quietly accept their fate.
Faceless Characters:
Playing a Faceless character means that you have a terribly tragic history. Most likely you were born in a town or city, behind the comfort of the Eld Wards until – at some point – that town/city was brought to ruin. Whether it be because of plague, a Skin Dancer infestation, other various monsters, starvation, cultists, etc., that place no longer exists, and most likely nobody even noticed.
You now live life as a wanderer, doing your best to survive the harsh world. You may have found companions along the way, traveling in groups is usually the safest way to travel, but no matter how many friends you surround yourself with, you will eventually die out here.
Mutation:
Though not all Faceless suffer from this, you might.
The material planes and the Plane of Stardust were never meant to be connected, their building blocks are just too different. Because of this connection, the Plane of Stardust has warped Emoreale and the creatures that inhabit it. Mutation isn't common, and it's effects can be disastrous, but there are some who have learned how to tame it's effects and even use the mutation to their advantage. Through the use of mutagens (substances that can be harvested from creatures of the Plane of Stardust) a Faceless can enhance their own physical abilities.
Magic Specialist:
Though Faceless may not be able to wield runes such as the Willow Witches, Faceless do posses their own magics. When it comes to wielding the arcane arts, there isn't anyone better than the Faceless.
Namers:
The power of names is only available to Faceless.
- Helms
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A helm – simply put – is any covering for ones face. Originally, back when the calamity was at it's zenith, helms were made entirely of Star Iron, but since most of the world's supply has been used up and lost to the piles of plague infested corpses, Blacksmith's have to make do with regular Bold Iron, or a mix of the two. In some towns, the populace has had to resort to more common materials.
List of Materials Used for Helms:
- Arcanite - Rare
- Bold Iron - Common
- Cloth - Common
- Flesh - Rare
- Leather - Common
- Pure Star Iron - Legendary
- Silver - Uncommon
- Star Iron/Bold Iron mix - Rare
- Relics
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Relics are strange and mysterious items that come from before the age of Stardust, either during the calamity or during the age of Gods. Relics are scattered throughout this desolate world, buried underneath the rot and decay of what once was a mighty civilization.
There is much mystery shrouding the discovery of these items, but their usefulness is without question.
In order to discover a Relic, a Relic must want you to find it. This is a strange anomaly that many wanders have come across, as it seems that certain types of Relics will tend to only be discovered by a creature they deem worthy of their discovery. For instance, if one is to lead a life of violence and war, blazing a path of destruction upon their travels, they are more likely to find a Relic that's use is befitting a life of violence. Alternatively, if one lives life in the shadows, avoiding detection and slinking past their enemies, a Relic used for stealth may appear.
- Cathael
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Not Much is known of Cathael. She is one of the many gods that descended upon the Prime Material realm, and seems to have the most influence. Her nest is said to be in the lost city of Tu'thull, but the information on that location is no longer available. She is a mystery and a horror one does not want to encounter.
- Skin Dancers
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"...I have been following the two Skin Dancers for sometime now, and it seems I have managed to go undetected, though how much longer before they take notice of me is unclear.
...Getting as close as I have, I have begun sketching these creature's terrible visages and taking thorough notes on their behavioral patterns...
...Peculiar, It seems that even after a Skin Dancer's suite dies, they continue to wear it's corpse, almost as if their collecting the rotting remains of the poor souls they have bested. It is to be assumed, of course, that this is due to the terrible solar affliction all Skin Dancers poses, but I can't help and wonder if Dancers collect suits for sentimental value, or possibly, even as symbols of status. Just morbid curiosity of course.
It also appears that my two specimens have some sort of bony projections protruding from their heads, horns or antlers of some sort it seems. I ponder the possible uses for such growths, but find I can only hypothesize...
...I continue to follow my two specimens, and find that they do not seem to require sustenance, or at least I have not bared witness to any sort of consumption. Perhaps the rotting corpses they reside in provide nourishment."
- Passage taken from 'Sir Felguard's Tome of many Beasts'
Skin Dancers appeared hundreds of years ago, birthed forth from the god Cathael. They are terrible creatures of deception and corruption, and were the main force behind humanity's annihilation.
- The Power of Names
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Names are strange and powerful things, and to have a name is a wonderous thing.
At birth, a Faceless is given a name by their parents. While a Faceless' birth name does have some power (if a person calls your name, you turn your head to see who is calling you, they were able to make you act with the power of your name) it is miniscule in comparison to the power of a true name. A true name is that person's very being, it is what defines them. It is said that that when a Skin Dancer enters a body, they learn that person's true name, and that is why they have full control over them.
Naming is a discipline where one perceives the true name of a person, place or thing, and through that understanding gains absolute control over the subject. This power can be used by a Faceless in a variety of ways. For example, natural forces like the wind can be called upon to do the Namer's bidding, solid rock can be commanded to crumble into dust, and living beings and people can be forced to do whatever the Namer desires. That being said, learning a name, truly understanding it, is a long and difficult process.
- Magic
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There are eight types of magic. They are as follows:
Abjuration: Spells that protect, block, or banish. An abjuration specialist is called an abjurer.
Conjuration: Spells that bring creatures or materials to the caster. A conjuration specialist is called a conjurer.
Divination: Spells that reveal information. A divination specialist is called a diviner.
Enchantment: Spells that imbue the recipient with some property or grant the caster power over another being. An enchantment specialist is called an enchanter.
Evocation: Spells that manipulate energy or create something from nothing. An evocation specialist is called an evoker.
Illusion: Spells that alter perception or create false images. An illusion specialist is called an illusionist.
Necromancy: Spells that manipulate, create, or destroy life or life force. A necromancy specialist is called a necromancer.
Transmutation: Spells that transform the recipient physically or change its properties in a more subtle way. A transmutation specialist is called a transmuter.
- Religion Now
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After the gods were slain, or chased into hiding, religion had died out almost completely. However, there are some who still seek out the gods to this day. They travel Emoreale in search of answers as to where the remaining deities may have fled to, in hopes that they may provide aid.
Any remaining religions are generally cults worshiping one of the Astral deities from the Plane of Stardust. It is said that there are even some worshippers of Cathael who willingly allow Skin Dancers to wear them. These cults tend to form in areas that have lost all sight of hope and have nothing no other option but to worship. These cults can be problematic for many obvious reasons, but also have been known to destroy the Eld Wards of a town purposefully.
"Civilization lays buried under the corpses of it’s own creators, the ashes of our ruin blanket this world and we wither and squirm until death takes us. We cling to life so pitifully, our cold hands gripping the cloistered veins of vitality, and for what?"
***
Okay, so this isn’t everything I wanted to write for this, and it’s kind of unorganized and not actually well written at the moment, but here it is. I’m tired and need sleep and I told myself I’d post something today so fuck it, have a rough and poorly explained story concept.In short, the point of this RP (if you’re still clueless) is that you’re either a Faceless (human) or Willow Witch, and you wander this desolate post apocalyptic landscape just doing your best to survive and possibly discovering the truth behind the cataclysm. This will be a super brutal RP, probably with a lot of death, so if your chill with that, let me know.
Links:
https://www.rpnation.com/threads/willow-witches-and-the-faceless-cs.354439/
https://www.rpnation.com/threads/willow-witches-and-the-faceless-ooc.354435/
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