Fantasy The Hidden Kingdom - CS Thread

[Magnar]

Please submit your applications in the following format:

Name:
Age:
Strengths: choose three strengths the character has
Weaknesses: choose three weaknesses the character has

Appearance: Provide me with a character picture and a more in-depth description of your appearance

Personality: What makes your character tick - provide me with a few paragraphs

Background: Feel free to make up places and people as you desire but by being mindful of the tone and setting of the game. The only thing I ask is that your characters should start in a place that goes by the name of Shou Lung.

Shou Lung is a large city that serves as the gateway between the western world and the unapproachable east. It is a heady mix of both oriental and western cultures and it is here that you will begin this — the most epic of all stories.

 

[Vance_Meridian]

Name: Vance Meridian
Age: Unknown, appears to be in his early 30s

Strengths: Genius level intelligence, Nonlethal/support/healing magic aptitude, Empathy

Weaknesses: Physically weak, needs intense concentration for more powerful spells which makes him a stationary target, basically useless in a one-on-one fight against a violent opponent.

Appearance: Standing at 5' 9'', silver hair, ice blue eyes unless he's casting a spell, in which case they glow orange. He wears a black hooded cloak with purple interior lining that comes down to his ankles over a white collar shirt and black slacks, a belt with a gold buckle, and black boots. Around his neck is a blue crystal amulet that is never taken off. He is able to conjure a staff to channel powerful spells or for use in self defense when it's needed.



Personality: Vance is stoic and serious most of the time in order to maintain emotional distance from situations to better assess them without judgment or being guided by emotions, which makes him appear to most as an uncaring jerk but deep down he does care for certain people who he considers allies. He rarely talks about himself, though when he does he can get carried away and just keep talking and going deeper into a troubled past so he prefers not to most of the time. When he lets his guard down he can be quick to anger or get too emotionally invested in a situation which usually gets him into trouble but it's a rare occurrence.

Background: Even as a young boy Vance was seen to have magical aptitude. Growing up in a magic guild was difficult, spending hours reading and practicing self discipline as well as mental energy and awareness. He had to train his mind diligently to successfully master his magic but with time he showed great promise as a mage.

The battle between Tan Chin and Tsenya Garbo was legendary and he had heard of it growing up but he never personally believed it. Some magical kingdom that laid beyond the mountains was mythical and too good to be true. If such a thing existed then it should have been rediscovered by now, which was what Vance always thought, though he kept hearing whispers about it growing up.

His field of study was shielding and healing magic, traveling the lands as a nomad to heal the sick and help those in need. Though he never charged for his services, the nobles that he helped always offered a donation for his travels which he gladly accepted. The amulet that he wore around his neck was given to him upon his graduation from the magic guild. It contained power of its own, and even had a personality. Each guild member had one, and what it was differed from person to person. Sometimes it was an amulet, sometimes another piece of jewelry, or an article worn on the person. His amulet went by the name “Fero” and it was almost fiercely sarcastic at times when he spoke to Vance but Fero was considered a close friend and a moral compass, giving advice and being a constant companion to the mage during his travels.

Fate would eventually lead him to the city of Shou Lung, a bustling city that was a little too busy for his liking, but his services were needed here so he had little choice. Vance usually preferred smaller villages and towns but the bigger cities was where the money was made, but also where trouble stirred.

 

[LegoLad659]

Name: Olivia Friar
Age: 26
Strengths: Elemental magic (Fire specialty, basic knowledge of others), knowledge of spell construction, maternal care
Weaknesses: Not agile, relies solely on magic for combat (And her ability to cast is severely limited without her staff), fragile if you can breach her defenses

Appearance: Olivia is 5'3", with long red hair and matching red eyes. She wears a red robe with a gold trim and white frills, with a black and grey dress and stockings underneath, and low heel shoes on her feet. She also wears a red gemstone pendant around her neck, enchanted with fire/heat resistance so she can worry less about hurting herself with her spells. She carries a black staff with a large crystal on the top, which was carefully crafted to complement and enhance her chosen element specialty.


Personality: Olivia is a kind and caring soul, who tries her best to treat her friends and allies like her own children. This is brought about by a desire to eventually raise a proper family of her own, and she wishes to train her nurturing skills as much as she can before then. As a result, people familiar with her often call her the team mom, not only caring for and protecting her friends, but also guiding and acting as a moral compass for them as well. She is confident in her magical ability, and she's difficult to intimidate, although not to the point of cockiness or recklessness. She is typically a patient sort, and even for enemies who have committed great injustices, she is quick to forgive and assist if she can see that they are making a genuine attempt at redemption. Of course, monsters and demons are excluded from this mindset, as she grew up knowing that monsters are mindless and demons are evil and deceptive.

While she wishes to start a family of her own, she is not a love seeker. It's not that her magical studies come first (Although she will continue to put her spare time into them even after she's found her partner), but that she believes fate will bring her rightful partner to her in time, and that rushing into marriage will only seal her with the wrong person. She knows the perfect one for her will arrive eventually, and is willing to wait as long as is needed for the right person to approach her. While she is expecting a man, and as such would find it confusing at first if this person turns out to be a woman, she would not turn them down outright either way.

Background: Olivia was born in a small farming village called Scarfala, and spent most of her life so far there. At age 16 she realized she didn't want to follow in her parents' footsteps as farmers, and instead started to study and practice magic on her own, as there was nowhere she could go to learn it from another. At first she was unable to even conjure a simple flame, but she persevered even through her frustration and, after two years of attempting to tap into her inner energy, she finally managed to light her practice candle with just her hand. Casting fire magic with bare hands burned her, of course, so she quickly bought a simple wand to channel it through instead while she continued to practice each element of magic in turn, a long and arduous process that lasted until she was 23 before she could confidently conjure each element of magic on a useful level. After that she turned her focus to fire magic again, purchasing a metal staff that could withstand its casting, and has been trying to improve her skills ever since.

However, it soon became obvious to her that her little cabin in her peaceful village, where she was the only mage she knew of, was an inadequate learning space for her, and she started to travel around looking for schools and other magic practitioners as she continued to train in the open wilderness instead. One day she was directed towards Shou Lung, the gateway to the Unapproachable East. Its many buildings included several mage guilds she could learn from, and the diverse population meant there were many who were interested in and practiced magic like her, at least compared to where she was right now. So she set off towards Shou Lung - While after nearly three years of traveling and practicing she felt she'd gotten at least adept at her magic, she knew this was the path she should take to becoming a true master of the art.

And if any stressful adventures come her way, then she'd have an excuse to adapt and learn more quickly than in her mostly peaceful life so far. Being able to go at her own pace like this unknowingly hindered her progress in the end, as there wasn't an urgent need to expand her magical potential. Behind her back, fate was working on a way to change that.

 

[ChazGhost]

Name: Jack Stone
Age: 53
Strengths: Highly experienced fighter, charismatic, has a surprising amount of endurance for his age.
Weaknesses: Addicted to alcohol, lost some agility with age, stubborn as hell

Appearance: He's 6'0 with browns, white hair, a nicely trimmed mustache, and beard. He commonly wears a black shirt, brown pants, brown boots, and metal/leather bracers. When traveling or excepting to fight he also wears a metal breastplate and metal armor for his legs. Under his armor and clothes, he has many scars from past battles. You can always find his longsword either in his hands or in his sheath, as well as his metal shield with the design of an eagle on the front.

Personality: Jack is a very social and loud man. He enjoys talking to others and sharing stories of battles, to stories of just people make a fool of themselves. When he gets drinking he becomes even louder and starts going on and on about his time in the army and the many bounties he accomplished through his many years. On the topic of drinking, he can't really stop. While he can hold his alcohol pretty well he still drinks almost twenty-four-seven, which caused many hard mornings. His constant drinking is part of the reason he is still working as a mercenary, he never said money to retire. Though the main reason he doesn't have the money to retire is also possible the same reason he drinks, he didn't think he lived as long as he has. He thought their many others deserved to live more than him, from his commanding officer in his time in the military to those he tried to taken under his wing as a mercenary but ended up dying. As you may guess when he is telling stories of his past, he avoids the ones involving the death of his comrades, as those bring back to much pain. To the few, he tells those stories, they have gained his trust enough to see him in his lowest moments and to see him cry. But he hides the pain well, and in most people just seem him as a kind and talkative old soldier.

Besides his cheery and sad sides, Jack knows how to hold a grudge and can be very stubborn in his ways. While this old dog does know how to learn new tricks he usuals say his skill alway got him this far and if they fail him now, it will be his life. Then he usual laughs afterward, hiding the fact that he is serious. Though if he sees his stubbornness will possibly lead others to great harm, he'll be more easy to change his mind. But he'll still complain and grumble about it to an extent, like the old man he is.

Background: Born the son of simple farmers, he wanted more in life and wanted to see the world. So he decided his best option to do that was to join the military and become a soldier. After basic training, he went sent off to fight off invading barbarians and quell revolutionaries. While he was inexperienced at the time and not very skillful with a blade, his commanding officer, a knight named Sir Conroy pulled him and his other men through the conflicts with grace a skill. Sir Conroy was able to command the group freshmen from training like a well oiled fighting machine. It was truly a sight to behold. Jack served under Sir Conroy for many years, with many of the same men from training. But while he was a skilled commander, he couldn't save his men from what happened during the battle of castle Ellenwood.

Sir Conroy and his men were charged with a simple mission of guarding lord Ellenwoods castle during ball he was hosting. Little did they know however that castle would soon be under seize by one of the larges and bloodthirsty bands of bandits the west has ever seen. Sir Conroy and his men did there best to keep the bandits at bay as the guest retreated but the bandits were just too numerous to handle and with siege weapons, thought to be stolen, the made past the gates and into the castle. While some referred to what happened as a battle, Jack remembers it more like a massacre. While Jack was sent off to insure Lord Ellenswoods escape he watched many of his comrades and even Sir Conroy get killed in the battle. Even though he successful save Lord Ellenwoods life, he felt like he had failed, as he was now the last surviving member Sir Conroy's men.

After that event, Jack left the military and became a mercenary, partially hoping to meet the same fate as his comrades. This was also the time when he started drinking heavily. The next several years he spent traveling the world, doing jobs and drinking. He tried training a few fresh-faced men hoping to become brave warriors or just wanted to defend their villages better. While most managed to survive and go off on there own, the ones who died under his care hit hard, very hard. This brings us to now, where after so far much longer than he expected Jack decided to visit and explore one of the few places he hasn't, the east. This has led him to the city of Shou Lung, the gateway from the west to the east. He now arrives at the city, ready for what it has to throw at him.

 

[Clockwork Syringe]

Name: Ser Alaric Ebonmire
Age: 27
Strengths: strong as a bull, dexterous, people person.
Weaknesses: asks too many questions, hates hornets/bees/wasps, can lose control to The Wandering One if he is not careful.

Spoiler: Appearance

Standing at 5'10 Alaric is a well built individual who carries a bastard sword on his back, but has a few knives here and there. Possessing brown hair and piercing blue eyes, Alaric also wears custom fit breastplate armor as well as boots that do not inhibit his movement on the battlefield. When the Wandering One takes control he gains a red smoky aura and deep red eyes signifying its control. Red flames also appear on his armor. When not wearing armor Alaric wears a green tunic with blue pants and brown boots.

Personality: Alaric is an individual who fights for what and who he believes in. He will also never take advantage of someone if he can help it despite the opportunity presenting itself due to his looks. He also tends to be the defender of any group he joins due to his stature and presence. However he does not abuse this and will look out for his team by taking the brunt of any force directed at them. He prefers not to talk about his past experiences, but with enough prodding he will cave and explain most things if he wants to. That said, he is taciturn in his words when not asking questions which has gotten him into a fair amount of bad situations with varying degrees of success afterwords. Being taught at a young age that all things have a purpose and not to upset the natural order, Alaric still can't understand why wasps & hornets exist if all they do is destroy and harass others. Most of the time he will leave one alone, but if it starts pestering someone or something it is on for Alaric.

On a much more positive note Alaric is very strong for his age and can easily carry heavy objects; sometimes with one arm if he is rested enough. He is also very light on his feet and can handle himself in single combat, which he demonstrated during his training. Previously mentioned, Alaric is a people person which is amplified by his looks, but once again he will not take advantage of someone unless they offer it willingly and under no duress. This is a core tenement of his beliefs. His other beliefs apart from advantages are to bring nefarious people to justice and or try to reform them if possible.

Background: Growing up in the City of Ceberek to two well off parents, Alaric was tutored by his parents from a very young age. His father taught him basic swordplay, medicine, and maintenance and his mother taught him manners and how everything has a purpose no matter how visible it is or not. Eventually his parents sent him off to squire under a knight to further his knowledge and his swordplay at the age of 14. He made quick friends with a farmer's boy named Nathan who was sent here like he was. The two of them were inseparable and it was remarked how they were seen everywhere together from training, eating, and socializing together.

The Ceremony of the clasp, a once in a decade ceremony, occurred when the two of them were 16. The gist of the ceremony was for chosen individuals across all statuses were given the opportunity to wear an ancient necklace to see if they would react with it. When nothing happened, the two of them asked why nothing had happened. A nearby monk explained that the necklace housed an unknown presence supposedly that would either do three things. Nothing, wrack the wearer with pain until they were forced to take it off or risk fatal injuries, or the presence would accept them. When asked how often one tried to contain the presence through force, the monk said that two decades ago 5 men died when they tried to wrestle the spirit into submission. When the two of them turned 18, they took part time postings with the guards to supplement themselves with the approval of their knight teacher.

Eventually Alaric and Nathan were ready to take on the tournaments of knighthood at 20 years old and to nobody's surprise they were knocked out due to their inexperience. This would occur several more times each tournament getting them closer to the final match. At 24 years old On that fateful day where Alaric reached the final match an unwelcome surprise was to be presented. He was to face Nathan for a knighthood. Shocked and startled, Alaric was not prepared and lost to Nathan as Nathan was knighted after the match was over. Heartbroken and despondent, Alaric wallowed in pity for a day afterwords before picking himself up and training again and again to win the next tournament. At 26 years old, the Ceremony of the Clasp was to occur again and Nathan was to be selected as a potential bearer of the presence along with 6 others. 5 of them felt nothing, one had a reaction where ashen flames began to wreath their body until it became too much for the man and was forced to throw it off. When Nathan attempted to put on the necklace it had an immediate reaction and Nathan screamed in pain as it looked as though the necklace was trying to kill him. Not wanting to lose his friend Alaric barreled through the crowd yelling, "MOVE!" Running onto the platform and pushing Nathan down to the ground whilst ripping off the necklace it left a brand on his chest. Gasping for air, Nathan picked himself up while Alaric was overcome with a strange curiosity. Abandoning caution, he put on the necklace and awaited the presence's judgement. Red smoky flames began to swirl around him, but he felt no pain. eventually his entire chest was overcome with the strange flames until nothing progressed further. The very same monk from a decade ago could briefly be heard as he spoke in hushed tones. A strange voice then entered Alaric's mind.

"Interesting," It began, "Very interesting Alaric Ebonmire. To think that you rushed in to save your friend from me and you decide to face me yourself? I think this deserves further observation." Alaric suddenly felt a force trying to drive him unconscious before it spoke again. "Do not resist, it will only provide unnecessary pain if you continue." Succumbing to the presence's control it took over his body, but he could still see and hear everything. In a loud baritone voice it spoke utilizing Alaric "I have deemed Alaric Ebonmire worthy of housing me." Turning to The dumbstruck Nathan, he spoke "I suggest you grant your friend a knighthood. He did save your life and I wield considerable authority." Nodding profusely Nathan knighted Alaric there and then. "Good." The presence then released its' hold on Alaric and the baritone voice faded.

That was a year ago when Alaric's fate was changed for better or for worse. The presence only showed itself when it wanted to more often than not, but did speak to Alaric if he wished it. However, and would not help him otherwise in combat. No visible crest was given to him upon receiving his knighthood, he imagined being a vessel was part of the reason. Leaving his friends and family behind, Alaric traveled until he reached Shou Lung attempting to find a way to prove himself in some manner or another.

Spoiler: The Wandering One

Apperance:

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Apart from its' name nothing else is known about this mysterious entity and that it has decided to aid Alaric.