Shroud
Junior Member
Hello and welcome to my first group search. I know this probably isn't your typical RP idea so I hope I even get any interest in it at all. I wrote up some extra information for those that are curious about the world, etc... Or need more information before expressing interest. If there are still any questions you might have feel free to ask me and I will try to answer them to the best of my ability. Ok now here we go:
P.s.: Any similarities in names of places, beings, etc... Are not necessarily the same as you know them from the names, for example with Gehenna, in this story it isn't hell, it's just a forsaken planet long forgotten by its creator.
Also I'm looking for one or two people willing to be my co-GMs on this.
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Intro
On the night of the latest Blue Moon the four guardians of Gehenna, an otherworldly realm of demons and monsters suddenly went missing plunging the world into mayhem. Where the four guardians have kept the balance of power stable, recharged the core of the world and kept the inhabitants of the world in check now reigns chaos. Monsters and demons fight for the position of guardian and many are dying for the hope to gain more power.
Not that the ones behind the missing guardians cared about the situation in a realm filled with the forsaken. They saw the four guardians' strength, skills and potential for more. They took them away from their home to give them a chance at something more.
Taking the four powerful beings hadn't been easy even for the gods who took them but for the project they had created they thought it was worth the struggle.
They put the former guardians to sleep and altered them drastically. They gave the four a human form and besides the ability to summon some minor aspects of their true selves (claws, fangs, wings, scales, etc...) Their former selves were gone. Of course the gods made sure the four could regain their ability to shapeshift into their original form after reaching specific requirements to give them something to work towards and ignite the wish to become stronger within them. The gods eventually implanted a core into their chest that would assist in gaining more power and granted them a rank to start from. Once their work was done the gods sent the four to the world they had created.
The four former guardians eventually awoke in a world they hadn't known existed. They had been changed, lost their former power and now needed to survive in a new world they knew nothing about. A world where humans fought beasts to gain strength and raise in rank. A world where nonhumans were hunted or viewed with dislike, where everyone including monsters had cores that helped them rise in strength and where someone's rank mattered more than anything else. Together the four will encounter hardships, enemies, friends and allies. They will need to gain power, raise in rank and learn new abilities. But most importantly, they will need to be careful with their true identities and work together because they are the only ones they can truly trust.
`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`
What to look forward to:
- 'quests' to gain abilities, power, items, important information, etc...
- teamwork among our four characters and their allies.
- a few planned plot points.
- the possibility to suggest plot point ideas as well as come up with locations, kingdoms or beings of your own.
- an interesting world filled with various creatures, a simple ranking system and spell like attacks.
- situations that will challenge your character and allow them to grow stronger.
- creating your character's new and old identity.
- monsters trying to be human or rather trying to blend in with humans
- the four guardians as well as allies and enemies are playable and you can make up to three characters at a time (if one of your characters dies, delete their CS and you can make a new character if you want to).
- while there are only four guardians I am also looking for allies so there will be 6-8 players accepted (so there won't be too many characters if each wants to make more than one character).
- etc...
`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`
Only apply if:
- you can write at least two medium sized paragraphs per post (more is preferred but not a requirement, there can be exceptions to this rule depending on circumstances)
- will follow RPN rules
- can post twice a week (more is allowed of course and the occasional exception can be made if real life gets in the way)
- are lgbtq+ friendly
Other rules:
- this is not first come first serve. Characters will be picked based on how well they fit into the story, world or with the rest of the characters.
- don't fight in the OOC, come to me with any problems and we can resolve them together.
- don't godmod or any other things like that. Ask a player for permission before doing anything to someone else's character.
- please don't overpower or speed grow your character.
I will make a lore thread for more information, explanations, etc... So you can either read that or ask me directly if you can't find the information in the lore or if it isn't clear enough.
`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`
Some plot points for the beginning: (more will be added later)
Arrival in a new world
- the point of arrival is the endless forest. The location you wake up in is dangerous because of your low rank. Run! There are strong beasts the group needs to dodge or sneak around to find a safer area and come up with a plan.
Baby steps
- a member of the group notices there is a letter hidden in their pocket. The letter explains the basics of their situation and suggests you find the location mentioned on the map so you can earn your first equipment and gain more information. The location is a hidden village in the outer area of the endless forest.
Fight or die!
- the group needs to enter a dangerous cave in the endless forest to find a fire lotus, darkness stone and diamond chrysalis as requested by the village elder. But the cave turns out more dangerous than expected.
Keep the secret
- the villager guiding you to the closest human city is getting suspicious of the group's identity and uses crafty methods to try and figure out the group's biggest secret, their true identities. Keep your secret without killing the pesky guide. (This villager can be played by a player if someone wants to)
Also I'm looking for one or two people willing to be my co-GMs on this.
`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`
Intro
On the night of the latest Blue Moon the four guardians of Gehenna, an otherworldly realm of demons and monsters suddenly went missing plunging the world into mayhem. Where the four guardians have kept the balance of power stable, recharged the core of the world and kept the inhabitants of the world in check now reigns chaos. Monsters and demons fight for the position of guardian and many are dying for the hope to gain more power.
Not that the ones behind the missing guardians cared about the situation in a realm filled with the forsaken. They saw the four guardians' strength, skills and potential for more. They took them away from their home to give them a chance at something more.
Taking the four powerful beings hadn't been easy even for the gods who took them but for the project they had created they thought it was worth the struggle.
They put the former guardians to sleep and altered them drastically. They gave the four a human form and besides the ability to summon some minor aspects of their true selves (claws, fangs, wings, scales, etc...) Their former selves were gone. Of course the gods made sure the four could regain their ability to shapeshift into their original form after reaching specific requirements to give them something to work towards and ignite the wish to become stronger within them. The gods eventually implanted a core into their chest that would assist in gaining more power and granted them a rank to start from. Once their work was done the gods sent the four to the world they had created.
The four former guardians eventually awoke in a world they hadn't known existed. They had been changed, lost their former power and now needed to survive in a new world they knew nothing about. A world where humans fought beasts to gain strength and raise in rank. A world where nonhumans were hunted or viewed with dislike, where everyone including monsters had cores that helped them rise in strength and where someone's rank mattered more than anything else. Together the four will encounter hardships, enemies, friends and allies. They will need to gain power, raise in rank and learn new abilities. But most importantly, they will need to be careful with their true identities and work together because they are the only ones they can truly trust.
`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`
What to look forward to:
- 'quests' to gain abilities, power, items, important information, etc...
- teamwork among our four characters and their allies.
- a few planned plot points.
- the possibility to suggest plot point ideas as well as come up with locations, kingdoms or beings of your own.
- an interesting world filled with various creatures, a simple ranking system and spell like attacks.
- situations that will challenge your character and allow them to grow stronger.
- creating your character's new and old identity.
- monsters trying to be human or rather trying to blend in with humans
- the four guardians as well as allies and enemies are playable and you can make up to three characters at a time (if one of your characters dies, delete their CS and you can make a new character if you want to).
- while there are only four guardians I am also looking for allies so there will be 6-8 players accepted (so there won't be too many characters if each wants to make more than one character).
- etc...
`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`
Only apply if:
- you can write at least two medium sized paragraphs per post (more is preferred but not a requirement, there can be exceptions to this rule depending on circumstances)
- will follow RPN rules
- can post twice a week (more is allowed of course and the occasional exception can be made if real life gets in the way)
- are lgbtq+ friendly
Other rules:
- this is not first come first serve. Characters will be picked based on how well they fit into the story, world or with the rest of the characters.
- don't fight in the OOC, come to me with any problems and we can resolve them together.
- don't godmod or any other things like that. Ask a player for permission before doing anything to someone else's character.
- please don't overpower or speed grow your character.
I will make a lore thread for more information, explanations, etc... So you can either read that or ask me directly if you can't find the information in the lore or if it isn't clear enough.
`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`•`
Some plot points for the beginning: (more will be added later)
Arrival in a new world
- the point of arrival is the endless forest. The location you wake up in is dangerous because of your low rank. Run! There are strong beasts the group needs to dodge or sneak around to find a safer area and come up with a plan.
Baby steps
- a member of the group notices there is a letter hidden in their pocket. The letter explains the basics of their situation and suggests you find the location mentioned on the map so you can earn your first equipment and gain more information. The location is a hidden village in the outer area of the endless forest.
Fight or die!
- the group needs to enter a dangerous cave in the endless forest to find a fire lotus, darkness stone and diamond chrysalis as requested by the village elder. But the cave turns out more dangerous than expected.
Keep the secret
- the villager guiding you to the closest human city is getting suspicious of the group's identity and uses crafty methods to try and figure out the group's biggest secret, their true identities. Keep your secret without killing the pesky guide. (This villager can be played by a player if someone wants to)
This information will also be put in a lore thread among other things, in the lore thread it will also be more organized and such. I'm just going to wait for some interest before setting things up.
Some system type info:
- Cores - they are not visible to the eye due to being inside the chest. They are made of a special energy created by the gods (who created the cores of the worlds) that are supposed to make the beings that have a core stronger faster. The gods had to grow in strength without the help of a core so it had taken them very long to become gods. Even if one has a core not many reach the rank necessary to become a god so the creators of Cradle began looking for beings with more potential to bring to the world or make them reincarnate there.
- Core of the world - a crystal core that is hidden deep within the center of a planet and protected by traps, tests and the guardians of a planet. It is the source of a world's strength and creates enough energy to sustain life on the surface. A core's size depends on its age and how well it was taken care of. A big core can emanate enough energy to make it possible for the beings living on the planet to gain ranks and grow stronger, in some cases even to reach the rank of a god.
- Cradle - it is the name given to the world by the gods that created it. Since the world is supposed to be a place where different races can grow stronger and eventually reach the rank of gods. So far it had been rather disappointing to them since no one on the planet reached such a rank jet so they began looking for beings with potential outside the world they had created.
- Gehenna - a planet mostly inhabited by demons and monsters of various morals, meaning it isn't hell or a world of the damned even if at first glance it may appear that way. Humans in Gehenna are very rare due to the planet's environment. Gehenna used to be a prosperous planet but due to losing the favor of its creator declined over time. It became a planet on which humans had a hard time surviving and only those living close to certain energy points could survive long enough to reach a level of power that made them strong enough to survive on the rest of the planet.
- Clans - a big group of strong individuals, in most cases separate from any government that focus solely on becoming stronger and reaching the highest rank they can. They are well respected and looked up to. One could compare them to sects in wuxia novels or clans in some anime worlds. Each clan is led by the strongest and smartest individual the clan has and is called the patriarch or matriarch depending on the clan. Clans often support academies with donations in hopes of being the first to recruit any strong individuals. Clans are also the ones with most resources to cultivate ranks, explore tombs and ancient ruins and are the best way for one to gain more strength.
- Nobles - in this world ranks are the most respected thing and a noble status only matters if the family has strong members. Due to wealth trough nobels have it easier to gain necessary resources to strengthen their family members than a commoner might. But if a noble family doesn't have any strong members they would likely lose people's respect and be treated like commoners. On the other hand, if a commoner family has many strong members they could receive a title of nobility from a ruler to try and get their loyalty or be recruited by a clan.
- Skills - Skills are attacks that use the energy from one's core to execute a spell like attack through the use of a weapon as a medium. It's a combination of a weapon and the energy of the core so it is very strong compared to regular attacks which depend on ones physical ability only. Skills are usually gained at academies, bought in the form of a memory crustal at special auctions, won in arenas, found in tombs and ruins and in rare cases gained by accomplishing a task required for a certain type of skill.
- Bound weapon - a special weapon that is the most compatible with an individual and bound to them with a drop of energy infused blood (concentrate one's energy into the drop before it drops onto the weapon). Those weapons are stronger than their ordinary counterparts because of their compatibility with its owner and their energy. Each use of a skill tends to strengthen a weapon and make it more durable but they also have a limit. If a skill is too strong for the weapon to be used it will break the weapon permanently so a weapon's rank needs to be taken into account before a skill is used.
Ranks - ranks tell us approximately how much energy a core can hold or rather how much power an individual has. Once a core is filled to the fullest with energy the individual can attempt to evolve it into the next rank. It takes a lot of concentration and isn't always successful. Look at core evolution for more information on that topic. Objects can also have a rank but theirs can't be improved unless they are a special weapon or are owned by an immortal. The ranking system for objects is different than that of beings with a core.
- Core evolution - is the process of ranking up one's core. The energy inside a core needs to be dense and full before someone can attempt to evolve their core. The attempt's success depends on an individual's willpower, determination, concentration and skill. Core evolution is performed by the individual sitting down, closing their eyes and mentally entering their core. They then start to circle the energy inside the core until it reaches the highest speed possible. Once that happens one can attempt to push the energy into the core's shell' to make it absorb it and expand the size of the core. One needs to continuously push the energy evenly into the shell. If one is. Successful the shell will start to expand and the size of the core will grow into the next rank. If not successful the energy will dissipate and one will start collecting energy for the next attempt. Possible reasons for a failed attempt are:
- broken concentration
- the energy hadn't been compressed enough so its density wasn't the right one to evolve the core.
- not enough energy in the core before the attempt.
- one's will wasn't strong enough and couldn't push through the strain to direct so much energy continuously
- the energy wasn't directed properly
- Beasts - beasts are the most hunted creatures on the planet due to how rich in resources they are. Many beasts have beast cores which are filled with a certain amount of energy depending on the beast's strength. They also have useful materials that can be used in alchemy, healing, weapon making, etc... Beasts come without varying levels of sentience and very rare ones can take on humanoid forms (but still don't look entirely human). Those humanoid beasts are often strong enough to have their own set of skills and if killed one could even find a skill inside their beast core (but usually those beasts are very hard to beat let alone kill. They often lead beast hordes).
- Monsters - an umbrella term used by humans for nonhuman beings that aren't beasts or demons. Include: fae, merfolk and halflings (half human and half nonhuman). There is a rare species humans also count as monsters and that are: divine beasts, beasts able to take on full human form and can blend in with humans very well. Divine beasts are not immortal or gods unless they reach that rank of course. They are just born with a drop of blood from the god that created them and are usually intellectually on a similar level to humans.
- Demons - humanoid beings with horns and odd colored eyes that glow a little (red, purple, orange, yellow, etc...). Some may appear mostly human while others don't by having wings, a tail, scales, markings, etc... They are different from other beings in that they can steal energy from others through other people's strong emotions, not just through using cores while others can only absorb energy by meditating or using cores and other resources. Because of how they can steal people's energy through strong emotions they are considered evil by humans and prefer to allie with nonhumans.
- Gehenna Monsters and demons - have a monster form but all of them can also shapeshift into a humanoid form. When in their humanoid form they keep all their powers and can shift back to their true form in an instant. Of course, the four guardians have been changed by the gods so this isn't true for them anymore.
Main gods and goddesses involved in project Cradle:
Norio - god of puzzles, knowledge and the hidden
Raizah - god of war, weapons and combat
Oria - goddess of death, undead and night
Fenria - goddess of creation, crafts and summoning
Azalea - goddess of life, healing and water
Demios - god of monsters, demons and magic
The following ranking system is for living beings and not for objects like weapons.
• Student (lifespan - 100)
- low tier
- mid tier
- peak tier
• Disciple (lifespan - 150)
- low tier
- mid tier
- peak tier
• Practitioner (lifespan - 200)
- low tier
- mid tier
- peak tier
• Master (lifespan - 350)
- low tier
- mid tier
- peak tier
• Grand Master (lifespan - 550)
- low tier
- mid tier
- peak tier
• Duke (lifespan - 750)
- low tier
- mid tier
- peak tier
• King (lifespan - 950)
- low tier
- mid tier
- peak tier
• Emperor (lifespan - 1200)
- low tier
- mid tier
- peak tier
• Sage (lifespan - 1500)
- low tier
- mid tier
- peak tier
• Immortal (lifespan - N/A)
- low tier
- mid tier
- peak tier
• God/Goddess (lifespan - N/A)
- low tier
- mid tier
- high tier
- peak tier
Objects:
An object's rank doesn't change unless an object is a special weapon or owned by an immortal. Immortals can continuously infuse their weapons with their power and eventually, a weapon can evolve in rank. But since there are no immortals in Cradle (jet) I won't go into more details until the time arrives. (Funfact, gods can make sentient weapons and spirit weapons which are weapons that can develop their own soul and humanoid form to turn into when they aren't fighting. Those weapons are both called divine weapons.)
Copper
- low
- mid
- peak
Silver
- low
- mid
- peak
Gold
- low
- mid
- peak
Platinum
- low
- mid
- peak
Divine
- N/A
World information and places
Unclaimed lands - a place unclaimed by any empire, kingdom, clan or species. Those places are wild and usually rich in both gains and losses. One can find tombs, ownerless ruins, natural treasures, resources but also dangerous beasts and traps. Those lands have anything from mountain ranges, lakes, forests, deserts, lava lands, elemental zones (places rich in a specific elemental energy or energies) to tombs, dungeons and a couple of ruins.
Forbidden lands - places forbidden from being entered for a specific reason. Most are sealed off due to being too dangerous for even the strongest people to survive in while others are secretly hiding something the gods don't want to be found (jet). There are some rare areas in forbidden zones that are unstable, unpredictable and can change instantaneously.
Endless forest - a giant forest that appears neverending to the casual observer. It has trees twice the size of ordinary forest trees and has all manners of beasts and herbs that attract humans who need resources to grow stronger. The further into a forest one goes the stronger the beasts and the rarer the herbs and resources one can get.
Beast mountain range - a mountain range solely inhabited by beasts of various degrees of intelligence. There are twelve beast kings each living on and ruling their own mountain. Each beast king also has other beasts that follow and obey them due to how strong the kings are. If humans hunt too many of their 'subordinates' a beast king sends a beast hord into the nearest human location to avenge the fallen.
Azura forest - a beautiful and mysterious forest with only a few strong beasts and countless natural resources (mostly herbs, beautiful energy crystals and various ores). It is home to humanoid nonhumans that aren't hostile unless provoked and take care of the forest. The main nonhumans in Azura forest are nature spirits, divine plants (plants that are sentient and can take on a humanoid form) and elven folk (simply called elves).
Clan lands - the biggest clans have their own territory belonging to them due to how big a clan can get. Smaller clans are allowed to stay in empires and kingdoms but big clans are quickly ordered to find their own territory in the clan lands. Luckily the clan lands are enormous and so there are only a few occasional fights over territory. Both demons and humans each have their own clan lands.
Roshka desert - a desert as vast as the ocean. It separates the demon territory from the human one and is part of the reason humans and demons haven't gone to war (jet). In this desert the monsters are mostly earth, air or fire aligned creatures but the true danger lies in the fact that they hide beneath the sand and attack without warning so those traveling through this desert need to constantly stay vigilant. Many travelers died from exhaustion way before a beast could attack or became so tired from the strain of constantly being on guard they died due to the simplest mistakes. It takes a person two months by foot to cross the desert so traveling in a big group is highly recommended.
Somesia Empire - the only truly neutral empire in the entire world of Cradle. In the capital city, one can see humans walk side by side with nonhumans and see no open hostility against them. Sure there may be an exception now and then where someone would mistreat a nonhuman but the guards and clans in the capital city quickly put a stop to it. Due to its neutrality, there are even some demons living in the city without major incidents. Surprisingly the empire prospers more than most even though it isn't the biggest human ruled empire. It's located close to the sea but the capital is further inland. They are known for trade, various crafts, high quality food and many resources. Somesia also seems to have the most king ranked people in the world. The emperor is of a mid tier sage rank.
Empire of Minestris - an empire populated solely by humans. This empire is extremely prejudiced against nonhumans and think of them as being evil. If a nonhuman is discovered in the city they are immediately arrested or handed to the slavers. Minestris may be ruled by the imperial family but the true puppetmaster is the temple and its priestess. The empire puts a lot of importance on seers and the temple priestesses so their visions, predictions and prophecies carry a lot of importance and are rarely (okay never) questioned by the citizens. In other words, be careful what you do here and don't talk bad about the temple or you will find yourself accused of treason even if they have to pin it on you to seal your lips. Minestris is known (besides the temple and seers) for the finest of silks and best quality of clothing. They are also known for the top quality healing potions and energy pills produced by their alchemists.
Thesis empire - a human ruled empire trying to instigate a war between humans and demons. While they dislike nonhumans they still tolerate them in their empire but react strongly towards any demon sympathizers. No one knows why the emperor hates demons so much but 'the gossip mill' sure is hard at work concerning this topic. Thesis empire is known for its weapon production and many inventions. It's also located on a peninsula and so the primary food is seafood.
Arhisa empire - an empire in the demon territory ruled by a very powerful demon lord that is in the highest tier of the sage rank. They aren't evil but do have a strong dislike for humans due to their actions and prejudice. The land is just like that of humans except for the capital which is located in the mountains and so has lower temperatures. The Arhisa empire is known for mining precious gems and making an exquisite wine out of a rare fruit called star fruit due to its shape. Star fruits have a special golden yellow color with a silver center and are very sweet with a slightly sour aftertaste. They also create quite strong weapons of high quality but don't often sell them to outsiders unless one has the right connections or someone important vouches for them.
Khasta kingdom - a kingdom in the demon territory that has a lot of academies some are only accepting demons while others also accept outsiders. It is close to the demon clan lands and so many nonhumans allied with demons want to study and train in Khasta kingdom due to the higher chances of being recruited by a clan.
Island of sorrow - an island with a tragic history. It gained its name after the entirety of its population had been killed by a mysterious affliction that caused its inhabitants to fly into a murderous rage. No one lived on the island since then and its mysteries and treasures still wait undiscovered among the ruins of the former city in the middle of the island.
Tombs - can be found in many places and are the testing ground for many who wish to get stronger. They are often places filled with traps, tests and challenges but also many treasures and hidden secrets.
Ruins - places that have fallen to ruin for various reasons can sometimes evolve into Ruins. Those places are a small pocket dimensions of various types attached to a location that met with a tragic end. they try to reveal the ruin's past and secrets through illusions, challenges and trials.
Dungeons - dungeons are underground places with multiple floors. The first floor as one enters the dungeon is the weakest and with each additional floor the beasts, monsters and trials get harder to beat. Of course, each effort is also rewarded so at the end of each floor the ones that had challenged the floor can find rewards in a special chest that seems to refill once everyone leaves the dungeon. Some dungeons are the property of a clan, empire or kingdom but some are accessible by everyone. Only two dungeons have been cleared so far, one by the emperor of the Arhisa empire and one by a group led by the priestess of the Minestris empire.
Some system type info:
- Cores - they are not visible to the eye due to being inside the chest. They are made of a special energy created by the gods (who created the cores of the worlds) that are supposed to make the beings that have a core stronger faster. The gods had to grow in strength without the help of a core so it had taken them very long to become gods. Even if one has a core not many reach the rank necessary to become a god so the creators of Cradle began looking for beings with more potential to bring to the world or make them reincarnate there.
- Core of the world - a crystal core that is hidden deep within the center of a planet and protected by traps, tests and the guardians of a planet. It is the source of a world's strength and creates enough energy to sustain life on the surface. A core's size depends on its age and how well it was taken care of. A big core can emanate enough energy to make it possible for the beings living on the planet to gain ranks and grow stronger, in some cases even to reach the rank of a god.
- Cradle - it is the name given to the world by the gods that created it. Since the world is supposed to be a place where different races can grow stronger and eventually reach the rank of gods. So far it had been rather disappointing to them since no one on the planet reached such a rank jet so they began looking for beings with potential outside the world they had created.
- Gehenna - a planet mostly inhabited by demons and monsters of various morals, meaning it isn't hell or a world of the damned even if at first glance it may appear that way. Humans in Gehenna are very rare due to the planet's environment. Gehenna used to be a prosperous planet but due to losing the favor of its creator declined over time. It became a planet on which humans had a hard time surviving and only those living close to certain energy points could survive long enough to reach a level of power that made them strong enough to survive on the rest of the planet.
- Clans - a big group of strong individuals, in most cases separate from any government that focus solely on becoming stronger and reaching the highest rank they can. They are well respected and looked up to. One could compare them to sects in wuxia novels or clans in some anime worlds. Each clan is led by the strongest and smartest individual the clan has and is called the patriarch or matriarch depending on the clan. Clans often support academies with donations in hopes of being the first to recruit any strong individuals. Clans are also the ones with most resources to cultivate ranks, explore tombs and ancient ruins and are the best way for one to gain more strength.
- Nobles - in this world ranks are the most respected thing and a noble status only matters if the family has strong members. Due to wealth trough nobels have it easier to gain necessary resources to strengthen their family members than a commoner might. But if a noble family doesn't have any strong members they would likely lose people's respect and be treated like commoners. On the other hand, if a commoner family has many strong members they could receive a title of nobility from a ruler to try and get their loyalty or be recruited by a clan.
- Skills - Skills are attacks that use the energy from one's core to execute a spell like attack through the use of a weapon as a medium. It's a combination of a weapon and the energy of the core so it is very strong compared to regular attacks which depend on ones physical ability only. Skills are usually gained at academies, bought in the form of a memory crustal at special auctions, won in arenas, found in tombs and ruins and in rare cases gained by accomplishing a task required for a certain type of skill.
- Bound weapon - a special weapon that is the most compatible with an individual and bound to them with a drop of energy infused blood (concentrate one's energy into the drop before it drops onto the weapon). Those weapons are stronger than their ordinary counterparts because of their compatibility with its owner and their energy. Each use of a skill tends to strengthen a weapon and make it more durable but they also have a limit. If a skill is too strong for the weapon to be used it will break the weapon permanently so a weapon's rank needs to be taken into account before a skill is used.
Ranks - ranks tell us approximately how much energy a core can hold or rather how much power an individual has. Once a core is filled to the fullest with energy the individual can attempt to evolve it into the next rank. It takes a lot of concentration and isn't always successful. Look at core evolution for more information on that topic. Objects can also have a rank but theirs can't be improved unless they are a special weapon or are owned by an immortal. The ranking system for objects is different than that of beings with a core.
- Core evolution - is the process of ranking up one's core. The energy inside a core needs to be dense and full before someone can attempt to evolve their core. The attempt's success depends on an individual's willpower, determination, concentration and skill. Core evolution is performed by the individual sitting down, closing their eyes and mentally entering their core. They then start to circle the energy inside the core until it reaches the highest speed possible. Once that happens one can attempt to push the energy into the core's shell' to make it absorb it and expand the size of the core. One needs to continuously push the energy evenly into the shell. If one is. Successful the shell will start to expand and the size of the core will grow into the next rank. If not successful the energy will dissipate and one will start collecting energy for the next attempt. Possible reasons for a failed attempt are:
- broken concentration
- the energy hadn't been compressed enough so its density wasn't the right one to evolve the core.
- not enough energy in the core before the attempt.
- one's will wasn't strong enough and couldn't push through the strain to direct so much energy continuously
- the energy wasn't directed properly
- Beasts - beasts are the most hunted creatures on the planet due to how rich in resources they are. Many beasts have beast cores which are filled with a certain amount of energy depending on the beast's strength. They also have useful materials that can be used in alchemy, healing, weapon making, etc... Beasts come without varying levels of sentience and very rare ones can take on humanoid forms (but still don't look entirely human). Those humanoid beasts are often strong enough to have their own set of skills and if killed one could even find a skill inside their beast core (but usually those beasts are very hard to beat let alone kill. They often lead beast hordes).
- Monsters - an umbrella term used by humans for nonhuman beings that aren't beasts or demons. Include: fae, merfolk and halflings (half human and half nonhuman). There is a rare species humans also count as monsters and that are: divine beasts, beasts able to take on full human form and can blend in with humans very well. Divine beasts are not immortal or gods unless they reach that rank of course. They are just born with a drop of blood from the god that created them and are usually intellectually on a similar level to humans.
- Demons - humanoid beings with horns and odd colored eyes that glow a little (red, purple, orange, yellow, etc...). Some may appear mostly human while others don't by having wings, a tail, scales, markings, etc... They are different from other beings in that they can steal energy from others through other people's strong emotions, not just through using cores while others can only absorb energy by meditating or using cores and other resources. Because of how they can steal people's energy through strong emotions they are considered evil by humans and prefer to allie with nonhumans.
- Gehenna Monsters and demons - have a monster form but all of them can also shapeshift into a humanoid form. When in their humanoid form they keep all their powers and can shift back to their true form in an instant. Of course, the four guardians have been changed by the gods so this isn't true for them anymore.
Main gods and goddesses involved in project Cradle:
Norio - god of puzzles, knowledge and the hidden
Raizah - god of war, weapons and combat
Oria - goddess of death, undead and night
Fenria - goddess of creation, crafts and summoning
Azalea - goddess of life, healing and water
Demios - god of monsters, demons and magic
The following ranking system is for living beings and not for objects like weapons.
• Student (lifespan - 100)
- low tier
- mid tier
- peak tier
• Disciple (lifespan - 150)
- low tier
- mid tier
- peak tier
• Practitioner (lifespan - 200)
- low tier
- mid tier
- peak tier
• Master (lifespan - 350)
- low tier
- mid tier
- peak tier
• Grand Master (lifespan - 550)
- low tier
- mid tier
- peak tier
• Duke (lifespan - 750)
- low tier
- mid tier
- peak tier
• King (lifespan - 950)
- low tier
- mid tier
- peak tier
• Emperor (lifespan - 1200)
- low tier
- mid tier
- peak tier
• Sage (lifespan - 1500)
- low tier
- mid tier
- peak tier
• Immortal (lifespan - N/A)
- low tier
- mid tier
- peak tier
• God/Goddess (lifespan - N/A)
- low tier
- mid tier
- high tier
- peak tier
Objects:
An object's rank doesn't change unless an object is a special weapon or owned by an immortal. Immortals can continuously infuse their weapons with their power and eventually, a weapon can evolve in rank. But since there are no immortals in Cradle (jet) I won't go into more details until the time arrives. (Funfact, gods can make sentient weapons and spirit weapons which are weapons that can develop their own soul and humanoid form to turn into when they aren't fighting. Those weapons are both called divine weapons.)
Copper
- low
- mid
- peak
Silver
- low
- mid
- peak
Gold
- low
- mid
- peak
Platinum
- low
- mid
- peak
Divine
- N/A
World information and places
Unclaimed lands - a place unclaimed by any empire, kingdom, clan or species. Those places are wild and usually rich in both gains and losses. One can find tombs, ownerless ruins, natural treasures, resources but also dangerous beasts and traps. Those lands have anything from mountain ranges, lakes, forests, deserts, lava lands, elemental zones (places rich in a specific elemental energy or energies) to tombs, dungeons and a couple of ruins.
Forbidden lands - places forbidden from being entered for a specific reason. Most are sealed off due to being too dangerous for even the strongest people to survive in while others are secretly hiding something the gods don't want to be found (jet). There are some rare areas in forbidden zones that are unstable, unpredictable and can change instantaneously.
Endless forest - a giant forest that appears neverending to the casual observer. It has trees twice the size of ordinary forest trees and has all manners of beasts and herbs that attract humans who need resources to grow stronger. The further into a forest one goes the stronger the beasts and the rarer the herbs and resources one can get.
Beast mountain range - a mountain range solely inhabited by beasts of various degrees of intelligence. There are twelve beast kings each living on and ruling their own mountain. Each beast king also has other beasts that follow and obey them due to how strong the kings are. If humans hunt too many of their 'subordinates' a beast king sends a beast hord into the nearest human location to avenge the fallen.
Azura forest - a beautiful and mysterious forest with only a few strong beasts and countless natural resources (mostly herbs, beautiful energy crystals and various ores). It is home to humanoid nonhumans that aren't hostile unless provoked and take care of the forest. The main nonhumans in Azura forest are nature spirits, divine plants (plants that are sentient and can take on a humanoid form) and elven folk (simply called elves).
Clan lands - the biggest clans have their own territory belonging to them due to how big a clan can get. Smaller clans are allowed to stay in empires and kingdoms but big clans are quickly ordered to find their own territory in the clan lands. Luckily the clan lands are enormous and so there are only a few occasional fights over territory. Both demons and humans each have their own clan lands.
Roshka desert - a desert as vast as the ocean. It separates the demon territory from the human one and is part of the reason humans and demons haven't gone to war (jet). In this desert the monsters are mostly earth, air or fire aligned creatures but the true danger lies in the fact that they hide beneath the sand and attack without warning so those traveling through this desert need to constantly stay vigilant. Many travelers died from exhaustion way before a beast could attack or became so tired from the strain of constantly being on guard they died due to the simplest mistakes. It takes a person two months by foot to cross the desert so traveling in a big group is highly recommended.
Somesia Empire - the only truly neutral empire in the entire world of Cradle. In the capital city, one can see humans walk side by side with nonhumans and see no open hostility against them. Sure there may be an exception now and then where someone would mistreat a nonhuman but the guards and clans in the capital city quickly put a stop to it. Due to its neutrality, there are even some demons living in the city without major incidents. Surprisingly the empire prospers more than most even though it isn't the biggest human ruled empire. It's located close to the sea but the capital is further inland. They are known for trade, various crafts, high quality food and many resources. Somesia also seems to have the most king ranked people in the world. The emperor is of a mid tier sage rank.
Empire of Minestris - an empire populated solely by humans. This empire is extremely prejudiced against nonhumans and think of them as being evil. If a nonhuman is discovered in the city they are immediately arrested or handed to the slavers. Minestris may be ruled by the imperial family but the true puppetmaster is the temple and its priestess. The empire puts a lot of importance on seers and the temple priestesses so their visions, predictions and prophecies carry a lot of importance and are rarely (okay never) questioned by the citizens. In other words, be careful what you do here and don't talk bad about the temple or you will find yourself accused of treason even if they have to pin it on you to seal your lips. Minestris is known (besides the temple and seers) for the finest of silks and best quality of clothing. They are also known for the top quality healing potions and energy pills produced by their alchemists.
Thesis empire - a human ruled empire trying to instigate a war between humans and demons. While they dislike nonhumans they still tolerate them in their empire but react strongly towards any demon sympathizers. No one knows why the emperor hates demons so much but 'the gossip mill' sure is hard at work concerning this topic. Thesis empire is known for its weapon production and many inventions. It's also located on a peninsula and so the primary food is seafood.
Arhisa empire - an empire in the demon territory ruled by a very powerful demon lord that is in the highest tier of the sage rank. They aren't evil but do have a strong dislike for humans due to their actions and prejudice. The land is just like that of humans except for the capital which is located in the mountains and so has lower temperatures. The Arhisa empire is known for mining precious gems and making an exquisite wine out of a rare fruit called star fruit due to its shape. Star fruits have a special golden yellow color with a silver center and are very sweet with a slightly sour aftertaste. They also create quite strong weapons of high quality but don't often sell them to outsiders unless one has the right connections or someone important vouches for them.
Khasta kingdom - a kingdom in the demon territory that has a lot of academies some are only accepting demons while others also accept outsiders. It is close to the demon clan lands and so many nonhumans allied with demons want to study and train in Khasta kingdom due to the higher chances of being recruited by a clan.
Island of sorrow - an island with a tragic history. It gained its name after the entirety of its population had been killed by a mysterious affliction that caused its inhabitants to fly into a murderous rage. No one lived on the island since then and its mysteries and treasures still wait undiscovered among the ruins of the former city in the middle of the island.
Tombs - can be found in many places and are the testing ground for many who wish to get stronger. They are often places filled with traps, tests and challenges but also many treasures and hidden secrets.
Ruins - places that have fallen to ruin for various reasons can sometimes evolve into Ruins. Those places are a small pocket dimensions of various types attached to a location that met with a tragic end. they try to reveal the ruin's past and secrets through illusions, challenges and trials.
Dungeons - dungeons are underground places with multiple floors. The first floor as one enters the dungeon is the weakest and with each additional floor the beasts, monsters and trials get harder to beat. Of course, each effort is also rewarded so at the end of each floor the ones that had challenged the floor can find rewards in a special chest that seems to refill once everyone leaves the dungeon. Some dungeons are the property of a clan, empire or kingdom but some are accessible by everyone. Only two dungeons have been cleared so far, one by the emperor of the Arhisa empire and one by a group led by the priestess of the Minestris empire.
I don't own any of the pictures, they are from Pintrest and if you want to use some of the monster pictures for your character feel free to do so.
