Act II of the Therion Saga





Rethlyn
Immortal Legacy


Chapter I
--
The Silver Legion


OOC

Foreword:

Well.. I suppose this is what happens when I end up with too much time on my hands. Har hardy har har; I'm back. =]

It's been roughly a year since I've done any serious writing, and I'm feeling that old nostalgic itch again. The desire to create something tangible out of all my wild thoughts; the desire to sit down and create a world with a handful of good friends; the desire to start a story that gains a life of it's own has once again brought me back to the forum, and the good old drawing board in my head. Accompanying me in the creation process this time around will be Shadows, so you can rest assured that there will be no slacking when it comes to detail, ingenious plot devices and the general drive of the story itself.

Before we get started, I'd like to point out that while this is going to be the fourth installment in the series, the second 'Act', so to speak, it is a completely stand-alone project. You do not need prior knowledge of the world, or experience in the previous chapters of the roleplay in order to participate. I encourage each and every writer here to jump in; fresh blood is, after all, what keeps things exciting.

Welcome, everyone, to Act II of the Therion saga. Welcome to Rethlyn.

-

The first part of this OOC will be written in story format. Following will be a highly detailed appendix containing a more in-depth description of items mentioned in the previous section, and other information that you shall find useful about Therion. Under the rare circumstance that you read everything and still have a question of any sort, feel free to PM either myself or Shadows with it.

-

The Backdrop

The following is an excerpt taken from the royal Rethlyn records concerning the disappearance of Illenia.

It has been nearly a decade since our neighbor to the West vanished, and we are still no closer to understanding the circumstances surrounding this mystery. We are fully aware of Illenia's recent history: The reappearance of the Spirit Tear; the breaking of the continent and the ensuing war which resulted in the death of a god; the crack in the gates of the Underworld which resulted in a demonic invasion that stretched so far as to be within the borders of our own land. None of these events, however, bring us any closer to understanding the most recent, and most curious catastrophe to befall Illenia.
Attempts made by the Academy to look back to the moment of the act have been largely unsuccessful. It seems there is too much.. confusion in the magicks that were existent in the area at that time to gain any pertinent insight into the situation. All that is known is that little over nine years ago an entire continent vanished off the face of Therion. One day it existed, as ever-present and solid a piece of land as any; the next, it was gone. The impacts were felt almost immediately; a continent-sized hole, appearing in the ocean without warning will naturally cause an incredible change in tides, currents and the sea level planet wide.

It is known that the land was in extreme turmoil at the time of the disappearance. The Draconian population of Illenia, it seems, had once again grown insecure with their position in the racial hierarchy. They had marched down from their mountain fortress of Drakar Tyrith, waging for the second time a war for domination of the continent. Our final records indicate that what was left of the Human, Dwarf, Elven and Gnome populations, following the demon war, banded together and stood against the Draconian threat; the outcome of the struggle was never discovered.
The only fact we have concerning the Lost Continent is that it still exists. While the Academy could not discern exactly what did occur, they did unanimously conclude that part of the energies they were sensing were the same as those traces left after a common teleportation, albeit on a much larger scale. Guessing where Illenia has gone, however, has long since been deemed impossible.

-

Therion had felt the repercussions of events on Illenia for nearly a decade. The reverberations traveling through the plane after Cain struck a blow to the continent had leveled entire cities along the Western coast of Rethlyn. The handfuls of demons traveling across the ocean during the following war had made their way inland, some of them gaining ground deep within Rethlyn; others, still, had found their way to the edges of Manori and even Dystrae, causing no small amount of panic among the general populace. As if these two events weren't enough, the gathered strands of magic that had been responsible for the teleportation of Illenia snapped back into place violently enough to cause outbreaks of wild magic storms throughout all three remaining continents. Following this magical disaster came one of a more natural nature, as the immense tidal waves caused by the ocean settling to it's new depths hit with a fury unlike anything that had ever before been witnessed by those living near the water. At last, though, there was peace.
Rethlyn rebounded from the multiple disasters rather well, considering it had been struck the hardest of all.

--

Toman nervously swallowed as he watched the street before him. A mass of citizens slowly flowed towards the line he and his fellow guards had formed. Angry curses, cries for the king's head, and the occasional rock flew from the crowd. Toman flinched behind his shield as one of the errant missiles came whistling past his ear. The leather of Toman's glove creaked as he tightened his grip on the short wooden pole he had been issued; the idea of what he was about to do made him sick to his stomach. He was used to chasing cutpurses and breaking up fights, not beating citizens into submission. And yet.. This was the third time in five days he had been forced to do just that. The recent plagues, and bandit raids had been bad enough, but now the very people of Ebonhold had risen up against their city.

The first riot had taken the entire capital by surprise. As if of one mind, a crowd of no less than forty people had stopped what they were doing and marched on the great stone temple dedicated to Darksteel, in the Southwest section of the city. The rioters had rampaged through the streets as they made their way; windows were broken, buildings set to torch, and houses looted. Upon reaching the temple, the people had tried to force their way inside. The guard, not being prepared, had been slow to respond. By the time a detachment of soldiers had made their way to the temple, the stalwart priests of Darksteel had already brought the riot to an end without taking a single life. As the priests had made their way through the beaten peasantry, they had interrogated the injured. All seemed to have no memory of the incident, recalling nothing but a great sense of rage.

Despite their slow reaction, the city guard redeemed themselves during the next few days. Five other riots broke out, each seemingly directed at a random target. Each incident ended the same way, with none of the rioters remembering any of what had occurred either during, or shortly before the mayhem.

Taking a deep breath, Toman braced himself and raised his shield defensively as the mob charged the line.
--
Thousands of miles away, a wizened old face stared into the mirror on his desk with great interest. In the mirror were the blurred images of figures dancing back and forth; the wizard could just make out the heraldry of the Ebonhold city guard as the line of defenders held off wave after wave of enraged madmen, a seemingly endless sea of faces twisted in angry shouts.

"Yun!" The old man cried out, directing his call to the small personal library adjacent to his study.

"Sir?" A young mage responded as he stuck his head into the study, book in hand. The old man looked up from the mirror with a grin, scrawling on a slim piece of parchment.

"Go deliver this message to Silverell," he urged, folding and thrusting the note into Yun's outstretched hand. "I think we've found this year's final."

-*-

Ebonhold, capital city of the kingdom Andrenor, is in a downward spiral. Several weeks ago, two outbreaks of the plague had swept the city, killing hundreds within the first few days. Fortunately, the city's priests and mages were able to contain the disease to the city's Northeast section. Containment, however, seems to be the only possible course of action at this time; a cure for this new plague has yet to be discovered.

As the lives of the unaffected citizens had slowly begun to normalize, a series of striking raids were carried out against the outlying farms and villages that still continue to the present day. The raiders are a patchwork representation of Rethlyn; Humans, Orcs, Elves, Ogres and Dwarves have all been seen among the attackers. Their armament is as varied as their members; they attack with bow, pike, sword and magic. Rarely are two groups seen outfitted the same way, except for a single feature: each and every member of these raiding parties is concealed beneath a black cloak. The precision and unity of the strikes has led to the undeniable conclusion that these are not mere bandits, but an organized force which is targeting the capital city.

Struggling with both a fresh outbreak of plague and this series of attacks, the city guard now finds itself pressured even further as the very citizens they strive to protect turn on one another at random, a new riot occurring every several days. The king's advisors believe that the citizens, in their stressed state, are falling under a mental domination of some kind, and that all three of the recent disasters are not a coincidence. A slow stream of refugees exits the city, leaving their homes behind in the wake of all that has happened; leaving, though, is a roll of the dice, as raiders have begun randomly appearing on the roads outside the borders of the capital. This has cowed most of Ebonhold's people into staying in what most of them now view as a cursed city.

--

Appendix

I. - Therion

I.1 - Races
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Some races, as you will no doubt notice, are unavailable for use in character creation. If you would like to play one of these, however, feel free to PM either myself or Shadows with your request; we'll give you a bit of an interview and ask to see a sample of your work as a prerequisite to approving your character. This is merely a countermeasure to prevent a flood of Draconians dual-wielding claymores and flinging ten fireballs a second.

I.1.1 - Humans
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The humans of Therion have survived, even flourished over the centuries due to their ability to accomplish anything they set themselves to with a fair amount of success. Humans show high levels of aptitude in any profession or study of magic, and, though they are physically outmatched by all other races (save the diminutive gnomes), they make up for it with a combination of spontaneity and ingenuity that has earned them respect time and again.
Your average human will be between five and six feet in height, weighing between one to two hundred pounds. Body type is as varied as the number of humans on Therion. The average human will live to eighty years.

I.1.2 - Elves
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The Elven nations of Therion differ widely, depending on where you travel. You will usually find a different culture of Elves in every major stretch of forest on the plane, the inhabitants of each having a similar yet slightly different view of life, magic and the other races. As the first Elven nation was essentially the caretaker of Silvos, the vast majority of the race is gifted with a strong tie to the land, possessing some natural magical talent regardless of training (small abilities: aiding the growth of plants, an intuitive healing ability and heightened awareness). Elves have an ethereal beauty about them, as if they were the favored creation of whichever god was responsible for shaping the races.
Elves are almost always taller than humans, rarely dipping under six feet in height. Their frames are light and more delicate than humans, and you will rarely find an elf weighing more than a hundred and forty pounds. For the most part, all elves are slender, though this is not a constant; there are some elves just as stocky as a well-built human male. Elves have a lifespan of roughly one millennium.

I.1.2.1 - Gray Elves
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'Gray Elves' is a term for those who have forever left the sanctuary of their forest homes and ventured into more settled lands with no intent to return. Being away from the land they are so tied to for extended periods of time physically affects the elves, leaving several obvious changes behind; their general health, however, remains intact. The term 'Gray Elf' is applied for a reason. Their skin slowly loses the ethereal shine it possessed while they lived in the forest, adopting a more human appearance; their hair will also begin to lose color over time, first showing with dull, slate-gray streaks for several years as the process takes place. Gray Elves also lose their natural tie to the land, finding themselves unable to perform the basic acts of magic which all Elves are normally accustomed to.

I.1.3 - Dwarves
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As with the Elves, there are many Dwarven nations, and no two are exactly alike. Tucked away within the safety of the various mountain ranges dotting Therion, the Dwarven cities are works of undisputed quality and artistic vision. For the most part, all Dwarves share a love of the land, and anything relating to it. As such, most Dwarves tend to lean towards mining, metalworking and building as professions. As with the other races, though, the stereotype does not by any means fall over the entire species. Living within the ground for centuries has given the Dwarves a very strong tie to the land, and they can usually pick up details concerning it that others would miss. This makes them experts at their chosen crafts, and some unsuspected ones such as tracking, alchemy and elemental magic.
Dwarves are usually found between three and a half to four and a half feet in height. Heavyset, with broad shoulders and powerful bodies, the mountain folk weigh in between one hundred and fifty to two hundred and fifty pounds. Their faces gain lines early in life, and they rarely cut their beards, as most view them as a status symbol. As such, Dwarves usually look older than they actually are, though they can live as long as four hundred years.

I.1.3.1. - Deep Dwarves
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There are those among the Dwarves who have no desire to walk upon the surface of Therion, who would prefer to forever remain underground, tied to their precious land. These Dwarves, who see daylight only several times a year have adapted to life underground. Their skin has lightened considerably, as they get no sunlight, and their eyes have adjusted to give them superior night vision, allowing them to see in total darkness for up to two hundred feet.

I.1.4 - Gnomes
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The Gnomes of Therion are always at the forefront of every new technological breakthrough. With minds that constantly revolve around complex equations, and interesting ways to get from point A to point B five seconds faster than usual, they have created some truly marvelous devices. Steam-powered ships, though they are few in number, are one such creation. Gnomish communities tend towards one of two extremes: either they will be completely filled with socialites, or they will shun the outside world completely. The social gnomes, ever proud of their inventions, are all too eager to show off the latest gadget of the day (and try to make a profit off of it as well), demonstrating it's many uses to anyone willing to take a moment to observe. The other half of the race has long since deemed their friendlier counterparts as deranged, believing that these new breakthroughs are not things to be flaunted about, but rather kept secret and safe, in the event that their use will prove necessary for overcoming some unforeseen obstacle in the near future.
Gnomes rarely break three and a half feet in height, and do not often weigh more than eighty pounds. Like the Dwarves, Gnomes also have an obsession with facial hair; they claim that there is no source of inspiration better than that which comes from stroking one's beard. Gnomes will live up to two hundred years.

I.1.5 - Avelle
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Think of Humans, as a base. Then, give them a couple Elvish features. Slightly softer, yet still angular features with an almost ethereal air of beauty and elegance. A slight height increase, an even more slender; take the Elven ears, which come to a gradual point and lengthen them even more. Next, add wings and an incredible affinity for magic. The result would be an Avelle.

Historical records indicate that this race is actually the earliest to exist on Therion. Avelle have hollow bones, as birds do, which makes them incredibly light and brittle in some cases. Do not let this fool you, though.. They are surprisingly strong, strong enough to break bones with little difficulty if the need arises. Avelle hail from the land of Trilleniem, and do not mingle with the surface folk much. When they do, they are usually considered cold and brusque, acting in such a way as to suggest they know something you don't, and are trying to go about dealing with it while you live your pathetic meaningless life in ignorance of the big picture.
Avelle are usually between six and seven feet in height, and never weigh more than a hundred and twenty pounds. Their wings, fully extended, usually span a distance of twelve to sixteen feet. In addition their wings, which are similar to those of birds, usually sport feathers close in color to that of the owner's hair. No one is entirely sure of the lifespan of an Avelle; the oldest documented member of the race is well past two thousand years.

Avelle are not available as a playable race without permission from myself or Shadows. Even if you ask, we'll probably say no; Avelle aren't meant to be player characters. As such, if you apply to be one, I suggest you come up with one hell of an impressive backstory, as that's the only way I'll consider passing the character.

I.1.6 - Orcs
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To read the word 'Orc', and immediately apply the stereotypical view of the hulking, unintelligent brute who uses his stone-bladed axe more than words would be a mistake here. While the single tribe of Orcs on Illenia was similar to that view, that does not reflect well on the rest of the species. Orcs in Therion are as well-accepted as Dwarves. The Orcs are an honorable race, valuing honesty, straight-forwardness and minimal amounts of nonsense. They tend to be more spiritual than the other races, existing in a state that is more in tune with the land and all the creatures on it. Technologically, they are on par with the Humans and Dwarves due to the import of goods from Rethlyn. The majority of the Orcish population inhabits the continent Manori, their ancestral homeland.
While Orcs are not much taller than humans, averaging just over six feet, they are more densely built. A strong, solid frame puts their weight between two and three hundred pounds. Their skin has a light green tint to it, and they sport a pair of fangs set at midpoints across their upper row of teeth, though some of the more sophisticated Orcs have had these filed down to create a more respectable appearance. Orcs live up to a hundred and fifty years.

I.1.7 - Draconians
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Draconians, one of the eldest races on Therion, believe themselves to be the superior species, and almost rightly so. With their imposing physical frame, potent magical abilities and sharp minds, they are, without doubt, on top of the proverbial food chain. Draconians tend to be an arrogant species, which has led many to believe that their ancestry can be traced back, at some point, to Red Dragons. A warlike race, they are usually getting into some sort of skirmish with one of the other races on a yearly basis. A tentative friendship is held between them and the others, though; despite their volatile tendencies, the Draconians have proven to be an extremely valuable ally in times past.

For the most part the Draconians vanished along with Illiena. The handful of small tribes that remain scattered about Therion are the few that chose to leave Illiena as their brethren marched to war just before Illenia's disappearance. While every bit as arrogant and violent as the kin they left behind, these Draconians strive to follow the example of their last king, Tearik Del'A'Mort. They are far more reserved in employing their skills for war and will not march into battle without cause (though what a draconian defines a just cause is not what one would expect). They tend to live in small groups and most have adopted their new homes and the surrounding areas as their "protectorates". Pity those who would harm those the Draconians deem under their care.

Draconians are, on average, between six and a half and eight feet in height, not including the horns or wings. Their bodies are extremely dense, putting their weight around three to four hundred pounds. Draconians, while humanoid in appearance, posses more dragon than human characteristics. They are covered in scales, have horns, wings, a tail and claws, and a portion of them possess a natural connection to magic that dwarfs that of all the other races, save the Avelle. Draconians will live up to two millennia, and remain physically capable until their late 1800s.

Draconians are not available as a playable race without permission from myself or Shadows.

I.1.8 - Shapeshifters
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Native to Dystrae, Shapeshifters are few in number and rarely seen. Of course, the fact that they're rarely seen doesn't mean that they're not around; they just may be in a form that you would never 'mistake' for a shapeshifter. Gifted with the unique and strange talent of metamorphosis, shapeshifters are able to alter their physical structure, strength, and mass at will, to a certain degree. A shapeshifter's talent grows with age, and some of the eldest are able to successfully impersonate anything from a fly to a giant. They are strongly tied to some of the races, if only for their own protection; dark wizards, dragons of a more sinister nature and some of the Elvish population consider a live, captive shapeshifter beyond value.

Shapeshifters do have a normal form, but it is usually discarded at a fairly young age in favor of something that allows them to blend in with their surroundings more successfully. Very few actually know of this form, and fewer still have seen it. If viewed, however, it would most closely resemble that of a forest spirit; a dryad. Weight in this form is usually under a hundred pounds, fully grown. A shapeshifter in this form would stand roughly the same height as a human. The lifespan of Shapeshifters is currently unknown.

Shapeshifters are not available as a playable race.

I.1.9 - Ogres
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While intelligent, the vast majority of Ogres want no part in the dealings of the other races of Therion. Only a handful of Ogre communities have been welcomed into the realm of friendship shared among the races, and even then only after careful scrutiny. Those who truly with to co-exist peacefully put up with the skeptical treatment, though, knowing full well that it is justified; most Ogre tribes exist outside the realm of moral decency, raiding and destroying civilized towns at will. They are a nomadic people, never staying in one place for more than several years at a time.

Full-blooded Ogres are an impressive sight to behold, towering well over nine feet and weighing upwards of six hundred pounds. They are human in appearance, save for the fact that they have tusks (which vary in size and shape from Ogre to Ogre), and only four fingers, counting the thumb. Ogres can live up to three hundred years.

I.1.10 - Scions
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See I.3.2.

Scions are not available as a playable race without permission from myself or Shadows.

I.1.11 - Demons
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The Demons of Therion live in a plane underlying all others, known as the Underworld. It stretches across the planes, mirroring each as it passes through them, but in a twisted hellish manner. Demons are sadistic creatures who delight in the misery of others, and will go to any ends to make it out of their domain and into our own. Thankfully, this is an opportunity not often presented; the most common case would be a sorcerer who forgot a crucial step of the summoning ritual, allowing the demon to retain control of itself and kill the spellcaster, breaking free of it's bindings. Just because Demons hate all life does not mean they will attack mortals on sight. They are frighteningly intelligent, and will often stalk their prey for days or weeks at a time, seeking new ways to toy with their quarry before delivering as humiliating and final a blow as possible. They may even leave a targeted mortal alone for years at a time after ruining their life in some fashion, letting their deeds fester and grow.

The height and weight of demons vary from one to the next; some are as small as house-cats, weighing the same, whereas others can be the size of a castle.. Again, weighing just about the same. Demons are immortal; they do not suffer from age, and if mortally wounded they will only vanish in a great eruption of flame and choking soot, forcibly returned to the Abyss for a period of one hundred years.

Demons are not available as a playable race.

I.1.12 - Dragons
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There is nowhere on Therion that Dragons are considered commonplace. They are a rare species, their numbers having dwindled over the millennia. The last time they were seen in number was the Demon War, and they suffered more losses then. Dragons are a divided species, banding together by color, which often determines alignment and temperament. They are magically powerful, able to shapeshift at will, access any of the schools of magic with but a thought and command the elements even more easily than a Disciple. They love to toy with the affairs of mortals, and many Dragons will assume a human or elvish form for years at a time, to better insinuate themselves in the affairs of the little people. Sometimes this is done out of a desire to cause great disaster; other times, kingdoms have been saved by a crafty dragon posing as a trusted advisor. Having a lifespan as long as they do, Dragons are incredibly patient beings, and see nothing wrong with taking twenty to thirty years to achieve a seemingly simple goal. The different types of Dragon are as follows.

Gold
Silver
Bronze
White
Red
Blue
Green
Black

The former four tend to lean towards the side of good, whereas the latter four are slightly more chaotic and evil. As with everything, however, there are many exceptions to the rule.

A Dragon's size and weight depends mostly on it's color, but, a full-grown Dragon will be anywhere from eighty to two hundred feet in length, not counting the tail which will be as long as the body. They will weigh, full-grown once again, between fifteen and fifty tons.

Dragons are not available as a playable race.

I.2 - Magic
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Magic connects and supports all life. It is believed, by some, that magic may be the source of creation, or that it is a by-product of the life-force of every being in existence. Whatever the case, it is undeniably ever-present, an unseen (by many, but not all) force that has existed as long as time itself. There are those that can see, touch, and even manipulate magic at will; over time, these people have gradually built a system of control, dividing the different forms of manipulation into categories, and regulating it's use.

I.2.1 - A History of Magic
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As far back as the oldest records will reach, Silverell is shown to be the goddess of magic. Steering the course of Therion's ethereal currents, she is said to be responsible for picking each magic-user's path at birth, feeling out every living soul on Therion and directing those with a great potential for the arcane arts into a life of such, showing them that first little sign when they were young that sparked their interest in the subject.

Magic has always been well-respected on Therion, regardless of where you go. It takes no small amount of skill to manipulate such forces, and truly great magi are few and far between.

I.2.1.1 - The Misuse of Magic
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Two areas of magic are feared and must be treated with the utmost caution.

Infernalism – The summoning and binding of demons, while technically accepted, is still only undertaken with care and secrecy. Having the services of a properly bound demon is often looked upon as a sign of power among the magic community (if not severely frowned upon by the religious), but the actual act of summoning is feared. MANY things can go wrong during a summoning, and a rampaging demon is never desired.

Trafficking with demons also carries the very real danger of corruption. While demons are bound, they are still in full possession of their mental facilities and desire freedom. They are very good at offering what one desires, but the price they ask is never worth it. Many powerful wizards have fallen prey to the honey laced whispers of their bound servants.

Necromancy – No school of magic is more feared than this one. All living beings naturally fear death. Those that dare to force their will over death are even more feared. Anyone caught performing necromantic acts are banished and shunned from society, if not outright killed. Necromancers' sins are marked by the image of a skull branded onto a visible part of their body (face,neck, hands, ect). This mark is almost universally understood, and tends to make a marked Necromancer's banishment hard and difficult (and usually very, very short).


I.2.2 - Current Magic
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Currently, magic is a well-regulated, controlled practice on Therion, watched over by the Academy of Magic on Rethlyn, and it's numerous stations set throughout the continents. One is not recognized as a full mage, sorcerer or wizard until they have attended and completed Academy training.

I.2.4 - Mages, Sorcerers and Wizards
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There is a clear difference between the three that many do not understand. Mages were born with their ability; they can naturally tap into the flows of magic covering Therion and manipulate the energies to their will, with neither speaking nor hand gestures required. Sorcerers deal primarily with conjuration. That is, they are usually the ones who will be found summoning demons for questioning, creating food, weapons or other such things out of thin air, and working with any kind of ritual-esque magic requiring a complete understanding of what one is doing. Like mages, sorcerers have a natural link to the source of their power, they are just far more precise about using it. Wizards, on the other hand, were not born with their ability. They showed, at some point in their lives, the ability to grasp the theory behind magic and manipulate the energies somehow, but without anything close to the skills of a mage or sorcerer. Wizards require either hand gestures, vocalization or spell components to bend the arcane forces to their will. All three are not needed for every spell - some require just one, while others require a combination of two or all three. Extremely accomplished wizards have learned how to manipulate magic using only their mind, channeling it as a mage does, though what comes naturally to the mages is a constant battle to them. This is not a common skill. Some would think that all this renders them inferior to the other classes, but this is not so; because a wizard is not channeling energy directly through themselves, simply grasping what is already there and commanding it to behave in a specific way, they can handle a substantially larger amount of energy than some mages and sorcerers. As with everything, though, there are exceptions. There are some mages who can channel enough energy to make a wizard's eyes pop out of their sockets, though this does take it's toll on the body over time.

I.2.4.1 - Mages
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Mages, as stated above, are born with their ability. From a very young age, they are instinctually able to tap into the flows of magic and channel the energy therein through themselves, manipulating it into many different actions. A mage's ability to channel magic grows, the more they use it, though this process does slow over time. Eventually, the amount of magic they are able to draw does reach a plateau (though this is different for every mage, some are able to channel more than others), and from there the learning process changes into one of finesse, rather than power. At that point, if a mage wishes to continue growing in power, they will need to learn how to use the magic they channel more efficiently, using less energy to reach the same results.

I.2.4.2 - Sorcerers
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Some say that there is no difference between Sorcerers and the other magic-using classes, they say it is merely a specialization; this could very well be true. Sorcery is the art of summoning, ritual magic and conjuration (creating something from nothing). To enter this field, though, a mage or wizard must study only such things; the amount of practice and concentration necessary to perform such magicks leaves no room for practicing fireballs and healing in their spare time. As such, normal magic-users, while more versatile, will never be able to summon a demon with the complete certainty that the beast is under their total control. Ritual magicks include, but are not limited to such things as controlling the weather (to a degree), creating golems and projecting one's mind into another plane of existence, either to commune with elementals or view far-away places for the purpose of gathering information.

I.2.4.3 - Wizards
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Being a wizard is probably the hardest profession anyone could choose. Possessing no natural link to magic like mages, a wizard must learn on their own how to bend arcane forces to their will. The single (yet difficult) requirement one must meet for being a wizard is having an extremely powerful mind. Their brain needs to be able to both comprehend the nature and theory of magic and how it works, and also needs to be capable of mastering the ability to reach out and manipulate that energy on command. Because wizards cannot draw magic into themselves and channel it, they require the assistance of hand gestures, vocalizations and spell components to make the majority of their spells work. Because of what they must go through in order to perform on par with a mage, some wizards consider their profession to be of a higher calibre.

I.2.5 - Schools of Magic
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As a magic-user begins to specialize in a certain area, they tend to gain further insight and understanding into the way that particular branch of magic works, attaining a higher level of efficiency, potency and power when dealing with spells of that particular nature. Magic dealing with summoning, conjuration and rituals, however, is a class all of it's own: the sorcerer. Most can take on up to two schools of magic without problems; attempting to become proficient in more usually results in a complete mental breakdown at some later point in life.

I.2.5.1 - Destruction
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The school of destruction deals with.. Well.. Making things go 'boom' in all sorts of fun ways. This is not your classic set of offensive spells, either. When most think of an impressive, destruction-oriented magic spell, they often think of a fireball or lightning bolt. Elements, however, can be countered or have their effectiveness reduced through normal means. This area of learning focuses on taking pure magical energy, and converting it into a weapon. Whether that be a focused blade of power, a straightforward explosion of magical energy or the ever-popular 'magic missile' depends entirely on the caster. Great creativity has come out of this field, as the possibilities are virtually endless.

I.2.5.2 - Elemental Manipulation
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The school of elemental manipulation is the art of bending one of the four elements to one's will, channeling magic through that element to achieve the desired result. This school is home to some of the more popular spells, such as causing an opponent to burst into flames, covering the caster's own body in stone to increase defense or freezing a raging river to provide that much-needed escape route from a troupe of bandits, only to thaw it again when the pursuers are halfway across.

Please note that magic-users specializing in the field of elemental manipulation, while very good at what they do, will never hold the mastery over an element that a disciple does.

I.2.5.3 - Healing
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The school of healing is the art of using arcane energy to bind wounds, stop bleeding and fix a myriad assortment of other nasty problems that can befall someone in a world such as Therion. While not quite on par with a cleric or priest (divine aid is pretty hard to beat, after all), magic-users studying this school will still be capable of saving lives time and again.

I.2.5.4 - Necromancy
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The only school forbidden to delve into, necromancy is the art of draining the life-force from a target, reviving corpses in the form of undead servants, the manipulation of departed souls, and committing acts that most would deem unspeakable in order to further one's own power. Necromancy is only (legally) studied by extremely accomplished magic-users, with express permission from the Academy on Rethlyn.

I.2.5.5 - Illusion
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The school of Illusion is all about deception. Causing others to see things that don't actually exist, concealing oneself or others from pursuers.. There are all kinds of incredible applications for those who delve into this kind of magic. A trained illusionist will be capable of intimidating almost any opponent. Two armies about to duke it out? What does the opponent think when the illusionist's force suddenly seems to double in size? This is, however, a very delicate process, as other magic-users can sense illusions given enough time. In addition, an advanced illusionist can dispel visions created by another.

I.2.5.6 - Enchantment
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The school of enchantment deals with altering reality, on either a temporary or permanent basis. An enchanter will be able to grant another protection against the elements, lower one's weight to the point where they can safely step off a cliff and float to the ground, or, at the highest of levels, manipulate the mind of another. Those are examples of temporary spells, however. Permanent enchantments are much more difficult, and require components whether one is a mage or a wizard. Examples of such enchantments would be a sword imbued with the essence of fire - able to set foes ablaze on contact occasionally. Or, perhaps a cloak that allows it's wearer to blend in perfectly with their surroundings? Enchantment is a highly useful school, but also an incredibly expensive one when it comes to some of the materials necessary for higher-level work.

I.2.5.7 - Protection
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Unlike healing, the school of protection does not fix damage. Rather, it prevents it before it can even occur. Those who study the art of protection will be capable of surrounding themselves or others with resilient shields of magical energy, or deflecting another magic-user's own spells back at them. Countering other spells is also a part of protection, and one who is well-trained in this will be able to foil even the fastest spellcasters on occasion.

I.3 – Gods

Excerpt from "The nature of the gods", by Penton the Curious of the Academy of Magic, Rethlyn.

"Every neophyte altar boy, knows the structure of the divine kingdom. The six pointed compass that the world is guided by. Each god, delicately balanced to make sure the world runs as it should.

Nazran, god of Chaos tempered by Darksteel, god of Order;
Cain, god of death balanced by Felenae, goddess of life;
Shadowyn, god of manipulation countered by Silverell, goddess of magic;
All balanced in the center by Silvos, god of nature and balance.

Rumor has it that there exist two more divine beings, ruling over good and evil respectively. However, these rumors are widely denied by those of any faith, due to the lack of proof as to their existence.

And yet, what role do the gods actually play in our world? It has been proven that the gods can fall; Cain was struck down by a mortal wielding the Spirit Tear. But, the world is still dynamic and not stagnated by the supposed god of evil's power. People also die every day.

Even mighty Silvos' absence has not stopped the tress from growing or the world from spinning.

Some would argue that the gods' children and servants have taken over in their stead, and in large part I would agree. But, what does this say of the gods?

Is the mantle of an aspect of creation that easily transferred? Are they merely that aspect's custodians? Or, as the heretics keep yelling, are the gods merely powerful beings who have us all duped?"

While none know the absolute truth concerning the gods, there are a few things that stand as absolute fact. There do exist incredibly powerful beings, capable of returning the dead to life, leveling towns with a single spell, and jumping from one part of the world to another in a moment's time. It is known that many, many thousands of years ago the gods were once mortals. At some point, they attained the level of knowledge and power that they now possess; perhaps they were chosen by a higher force, or they simply got there themselves. Each of the gods stands for something, some aspect of mortal life, and they each work to care for and further those people who would strive to achieve that aspect.

I.3.1 - Silvos
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Silvos is the god of nature, balance, and was the eldest of Therion's deities until Illenia vanished. Since Silvos was the only god to possess a physical form (a massive tree in the center of Lotheria, the Elvish capital on Illenia), he vanished along with the continent.

1.3.1.1 - Forest Spirits
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For a short time, after Silvos disappeared, nature was in chaos. With no god watching over the land itself, natural disasters became more and more common, the elements grew unstable and doom seemed only a short time off. Thankfully, the remaining gods managed to divide the missing elder's workload between themselves, and things stabilized after that. As the years passed, though, they began to realize that less and less work was needed to maintain the balance of nature; this was because of the appearance of the Spirits. Silvos had an avatar present in every forest and ocean on Therion in the event that immediate attention was needed. They began as mere extensions of the nature god, but over time, without his constant control, they gained an independence. Along with this independence came an increase in size, power and control over their respective lands. As of now, they are immensely powerful, hyperintelligent beings with near-absolute control over their realms.

I.3.2 - Scions
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As stated above, the gods were, at one point, mortal. As such, some of their bloodlines are still going to this day, and descendants can be tracked down. These people are special; anyone with the blood of a god flowing in their veins will enjoy a few.. Benefits that normal mortals do not possess. They live for nearly two millennia, are faster, stronger and more intelligent than others of their race, have a natural charisma and wisdom unmatched by most, and an unnatural amount of skill in the area their ancestor governs. For instance, anyone of Silverell descent would make a powerful magic-user, if they chose to walk that path. Even if they didn't, even if they became a blacksmith, they would still possess some measure of magical talent.

I.4 - Ancient (yet pertinent) History

I.4.1 - The Tunnels - Gateways to the Old World
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Long ago, gateways were discovered, dotting the surface of the world. These portals are gigantic things made of stone, usually set deep into the larger mountains of Therion. They are all completely nondescript, and enormous in size; large enough for several giants to walk abreast into. At one point, the races attempted an exploration of the tunnels that these doors led to, tunnels that seemed to stretch underground for miles and miles, some leading to more tunnels while others ended in gigantic caverns devoid of life. The deeper they traveled, however, the more they desired to go back, for a sense of dread grew upon any who ventured further downwards such as they had never felt before. It was almost as if the planet itself was warning them to turn around and leave the tunnels a mystery. There is a strong sense of magic below the surface of Therion, and a strong sensation that something great has been left unfinished, forgotten. None, however, have made it to the end of any of these tunnels to confirm these sensations, or retrieve any information pertaining to their origins; the sense of foreboding is too strong, and cannot be defeated by magical means.

I.4.2 - Teleportation Runes
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Dotted across Therion at seemingly random locations are stone circles, nearly a hundred feet across with ancient symbols of magic inscribed around their entire outer edge; as you travel inwards towards the center, there are more rings of symbols in a language that very few can comprehend. The color of the stone is somewhere between a dull, slate-gray and a sandy red color, and varies across it's surface. During the time when Illenia was still present, these stones functioned as portals, capable of instantly transporting anything standing on them to one of the other identical stones anywhere on the plane. They were forcibly shut down by teams of mages during the Demon War to prevent unexpected ambushes, and they haven't worked consistently since then. It is still possible to use the network - there have been documented records of successful trips between Rethlyn and Manori - but the amount of magic one is required to channel to activate the device is considerable. Even then, they do not always function as expected.

The circles have existed since before the earliest of Avelle records, and the unanswered question of their purpose has long gnawed on the minds of historians from every race. Their presence indicates that Therion was not always deserted, but they are so far the only piece of evidence available.

I.5 - Classes
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All your standard fantasy classes apply here, and then some. Everything from paladins to bookkeepers are acceptable (though I highly doubt I'll be seeing any of the latter =]). Dual-classing is acceptable, though keep in mind that your character will then become more of a jack-of-all-trades, and a master of none. It doesn't, however, have a be a 50/50 class split. If you have a warrior-mage, feel free to make him or her an excellent fighter with a minor bit of magical support. Keep in mind, though, this is not a standard thing... I don't want to see every single fighter capable of flinging lightning bolts left and right, or levitating out of the way of oncoming arrows.

If you'd like to be something more specialized, please, by all means! But if it's something that would require a detailed background, make sure you ask before you start writing, to ensure that you don't accidentally create an entire history for a class that goes against how things work in Therion. I will, however, go into some depth on a few of the specialized classes.

I.5.1 - Cleric
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Clerics are a mixture of warrior and priest. Following either a call from the goddess Felenae, or their own strong desire to free the land from pain and strife wherever they find it, those who wish to become Clerics eventually find their way to a temple and meet with one of the faith. They will spend several years in training, which includes remaining at the temple for a time of study, and practice in the ways of holy magic; once the first step of their training is complete, they will go on a pilgrimage of sorts, visiting locations that are in great need of healing or aid, where they will put their skills and faith to the test.

Clerics are capable warriors, and usually trained in the use of the staff and mace. This is not because it's the traditional thing to do - rather, edged weapons are simply ineffective against many of the foes those who follow Felenae swear themselves against. When it comes to magic, clerics do not work the same way as normal practitioners of the arcane arts. Clerics, priests, paladins and templar do manipulate the same energies as mages, sorcerers and wizards, but the way they approach it is through faith, rather than a natural talent. Clerics are able to cast spells of protection, healing, enhancement and offensive spells of a holy nature - that is to say, deadly to dark creatures.

I.5.2- Priest
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Priests are those who have devoted their life to the preservation of all life, and the eradication of evil. Priests use magic similar to that of Clerics, but on a much larger scale. They are also able to tap into areas that no others can - those of resurrection, speaking to the dead, venturing into the astral plane, safely communing with elementals and demons and warding against evil. Priests capable of performing all of these feats are rare, because one's spirit must be nearly indomitable, their faith absolute. No one is quite sure exactly what enables one to become a priest powerful enough to delve into those certain areas of magic, to gain Felenae's favor as they have... Some simply know they are meant for such a path, whereas others must be forced into situations that awaken the powers. There are many priests, but at the same time, many of them never attain more than a cleric's proficiency at holy spells.

I.5.3 - Paladin
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To be a Paladin is to say goodbye to your life as you know it. Paladins carry a heavy burden - they are obligated to answer a call for help whenever it is heard. They are rarely allowed free time, as they must maintain their skills as both a warrior and a disciple of Felenae equally, never slacking in either. Paladins will often be found on some task or other, or on the way back to their temple to discover what awaits them next. Paladins are capable of casting the same spells as clerics, but on a slightly higher level of proficiency. To become a paladin, one must be ready to sacrifice their life as they know it for a new one in the service of the goddess of life.

I.5.4 - Disciple (Elementalist)
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There are those who can control the elements even more easily than a magic-user who specializes in that area. These are known as Disciples of Silvos, or Elementalists. At some point in their adolescent life, they will become 'in tune' with a specific element... Usually by way of a life-threatening situation involving said element, one that should have proven fatal. Instead, they come out completely unscathed, with a budding ability to manipulate that part of nature to their will. At one point, when Silvos still existed, these people would eventually find their way to the great tree, drawn by a call they could not ignore, deep in their soul. There they would commune with the nature god, would learn that they were meant for greater things; they were meant to serve Therion itself. They would then spend time in the company of the druids and elves that made their homes near the god, learning and honing their skills until they were ready to embark on any number of quests necessary to keep the balance of power in the world stable.

Now that Silvos is gone, the Disciples have eventually made their way to the Spirits that inhabit the forests in his place, instinctively knowing that they are of the god, and hold the same wishes for Therion that he did. Not all of the Disciples chose this path, however; some of them have gone rogue, believing their cause to be lost and their skills to now be their own, to be used for their own gain. They are actively sought after by the servants of nature, though some have come to terms with their past and managed to settle safely.

Disciples do not use magic to control the elements - it is a natural ability that no one knows the true source of. Perhaps every mortal has the latent ability lying within them, and simply needs to find a way to break whatever barrier keeps them from using it... Perhaps it truly is a gift from the nature god. But, how then could people still be born with the ability now that he is gone?

.5.5 - Druid
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Druids have long been the backbone of the forces of balance. They are those who feel more in tune with nature than the rest of the world, and call upon magic in ways that no others can. Druids are capable of controlling the weather, aiding the growth of and controlling wildlife, calling upon wild creatures for aid and communicating with them, manipulating moonlight into a weapon, and many other skills. Truly powerful druids will even gain the ability to shapeshift into an animal form, one that is usually faster and stronger than it's true counterpart.

Druids do not live in civilized areas with the majority of their races. Rather, they prefer to live in the woods, as close to nature as they can get. To this end, many of them live in Elvish settlements, and are readily accepted by them as no others are. The race that normally labels the others as unintelligent, inferior or out-of-touch with nature welcomes druids with open arms.

I.6 - Guilds
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There are many guilds on Therion. Some span the entire world, while others are contained to a single continent or kingdom; here, I will list those that affect multiple continents. Guild houses can usually be found in any major city.

I.6.1 - Transportation Guild
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Looking to span the Marauder's Sea that separates Rethlyn from Manori? Trying to get from Ebonhold to Hammerdin in a day? Well, look no further than the Transportation Guild of Therion. Organized and run by a team of ingenious Gnomes, it originated in Highwind, the Gnomish city atop the mountain known as Nightfire on Rethlyn. It began as a simple service transporting people from one kingdom's capital to another, as there was always a clergyman, warrior or aristocrat in need of swift, safe transport over oftentimes perilous ground. The Gnomes crafted armored carriages to ensure the safety of those within; drawn by a team of magically conjured horses that needed neither food nor rest, it could cover ground three times as fast as one would normally hope to go. Enjoying a moderate cash-flow from the success of their small business, the entrepreneurs decided to expand. Eventually, they set up shop along the Northern and Southern coasts, putting way stations up along the roads in between. When the time was right, and they had banked enough, they invested in the development of a shipping company that could guarantee safe passage over waters that were infested with pirates and mercenaries.

As it stands today, the guild has the means to send anyone anywhere, for the right price. Relying on their old carriages, magically conjured horses, flying beasts and their ships, the guild is quite capable of living up to it's promise of safe, swift passage. The crew has grown no small amount from what it was when it once started, now boasting dozens of thousands of employees worldwide. It is not only a great place to go for transportation, but also a hub of information and news regarding the world at large.

I.6.2 - Scholars Guild
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Need information? Look no further. The Scholars Guild specializes in combing the kingdoms of Therion for anything you need to know... Absolutely anything. Information may not seem like a commodity one could create an entire organization around, but the truth is that the right knowledge is extremely valuable to anyone. The ethics of the guild are often in question, and it has often been wondered aloud whether or not they are entirely honorable with the information they pick up. The guild doesn't just deal in secrets, however; they hold more detailed maps than any cartographer, more legends than any ancient text, more books than any library. Many adventurers, finding themselves with nothing to do have gone to the guild and paid a handsome sum of gold for a lead on some new mystery to go unravel.

An exclusive guild, membership is restricted to those personally related to or trusted by the higher-ranking members in any given area. Even then, an individual wishing to become part of this illustrious group must prove themselves to be incredibly adept at the art of gathering, concealing and guarding secrets - both past and present. It is in the Scholars Guild, perhaps, that loyalty is valued more highly than in any other organization on Therion.

I.6.3 - Fighters Guild
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Whether you're looking for bodyguards to keep you safe on a long journey, a small force to send into enemy territory to cut of the head of the proverbial serpent, or merely numbers to add to your army, the Fighters Guild is where you go. Originally, there were separate guilds on Illenia, Rethlyn and Manori, but over time it became apparent that it was in everybody's best interests to merge the three organizations into one large one, with a monopoly on the business. Some of the best warriors in Therion are in the employ of the guild, and their fees are just as large as the tales of their deeds.

The Fighters Guild is probably the easiest one to join. The lower ranks are in a constant turnover, due both to deaths and desertions. It doesn't cost much to hire the Guild's new recruits, because along with their service comes the warning that they are as of yet untested in the field. They'll accept almost anyone with a weapon and a will to fight, but the first few months of employment are usually a trial period. Once one gets past this and actually begins to gain recognition within the guild, the jobs and pay will become much more enticing.

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II. - Illenia
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The Lost Continent. Located far across the Aeryth ocean to the West of Rethlyn, Illenia was at one point the pinnacle of technological advancement on Therion, home to some of the most legendary figures in history and never a dull spot to visit. Now, however, it has been erased from the world.

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III. - Rethlyn
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A large continent, Rethlyn is a diverse place. It is home to members of every race, many kingdoms, and the famous Academy of Magic.

III.1 - Geography and Climate
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Rethlyn is located in the upper part of Therion's Northern hemisphere. Being the size that it is, the climate changes drastically depending on where you happen to be. The Northern coast of Rethlyn is quite cold, and Feldred, the island to the North is locked in a perpetual winter. The climate becomes more temperate as you travel South, with the bottom half of the continent being pleasantly warm throughout most of the year.

For the most part, Rethlyn is a rather flat continent. It has its share of mountainous regions, forests, rolling plains, hills and valleys spread evenly over its expanse, which is divided in places by two large seas and the rivers leading to and from them. The only geographical features of note are that the highest concentration of mountains are Northwest, the largest forest is to the East and the central part of the continent is plains. As for a detailed description, I'm going to let that come out in the IC. Discovery makes RPs fun.

III.2 - Kingdoms
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Humans, Dwarves and Elves are the only races to have a large enough presence on Rethlyn to warrant a kingdom. There are several Orc settlements to the South, which serve as a means of trade and communication with Manori. Negotiations between the Orcs and any other race are continually rocky, though, due to the Orcs' friendship with some of the more warlike Ogre population. No kingdom exists on Feldred, which is still considered a wild land to most, populated by monsters, creatures of the night and some nomadic tribes of humans that have grown accustomed to the harsh, unforgiving land, wishing to live a life free from rule.

III.2.1 - Andrenor
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The human presence on Rethlyn is large, their kingdom vast. It stretches from the Northern end of the continent to the Southern, in a cone that grows wider towards the base. It reaches as far West as the Tinstal hills, the Nemur mountains and the Deadlands. To the East, it is bordered by the Syminel; a river nearly as wide as a small lake that comes all the way from the Northern Ocean, Eantin. Countless small towns and villages dot the plains, forests to the West of the river and the craggy land to the East of the Nemur mountains. Castles are placed in strategic locations about Rethlyn, and are used as training grounds and centers of trade in times of peace; in times of war, however, these fortresses can be quickly converted to nearly indestructible bastions of strength, providing protection for the small villages nearby to flock to. The capital of Andrenor, Ebonhold, is located to the Southwest.

In addition to its Human settlements, Andrenor is home to a portion of the Gnome population on Rethlyn; several cities exist along the Western border of the kingdom, both in the Tinstal hills and bordering the Deadlands to the North. The Gnomes enjoy being in a prime location to deal with both Humans and Dwarves, two races they are overly fond of; the Dwarves provide them with an endless supply of metal to construct all manner of interesting things, and the Humans are always eager to take a look at the latest invention.

III.2.2 - Daenam
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The Dwarven kingdom of Daenam is an amazing accomplishment, even by Dwarvish standards. Initially, there was only Hammerdin, a great fortress built high up into Nightfire, the tallest of the Nemur mountains. Over time, the Dwarves expanded; mining expeditions sprung up all over the rocky expanse. Soon thereafter, towns followed whenever a particular location proved to be a veritable mother-load of minerals and ores. Eventually, these towns became cities. Garrisons and castles were constructed along the length of Nemur at key points to prevent Draconian or Ogre incursions, as these were common at the time. The Dwarves even expanded South into the Tinstal hills, and North, making a foray into the Deadlands. As it stands today, Daenam is the solid hub of Dwarven activity on Therion, a kingdom that is doing quite well for itself both on economic and military levels.

Daenam is not only home to Dwarves, however. There are several, peaceful tribes of Ogres that have been granted protection within the borders of the Dwarven lands, and they can often be found wandering the coast, etching out their place in a world that partially fears and reviles them to this day. There are also several Gnomish settlements within Nemur, mostly to be found high on it's windswept summits; they consider it a wonderful location for testing any and all of their airborne creations.

III.2.3 - Trellyn
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Trellyn, the largest forest on Rethlyn, is the last great remaining Elvish kingdom on Therion. It was only rivaled in size by Lotheria of Illenia, but now... It is the only remaining Elvish settlement that dates back to the race's origins on the planet. Located along the Eastern coast of the continent, the forest covers roughly 12% of Rethlyn's land mass. It has not changed much over the millennia, the Elves being the type to hold on to the old ways as dearly as a beggar holds his tin cup. Unlike their Illenian cousins, the Elves of Rethlyn build their structures on the ground; grand, sweeping designs almost make their buildings seem like parts of the forest. Most structures are made from wood, Elven druids taking many years to nurture and shape the trees of Trellyn into precisely the right shapes and sizes. Trellyn is as much a work of art as it is a practical kingdom. This beauty, however, is deceptive; in times of war, the enchanted trees that make up the kingdom have proven more than effective in repelling all kinds of ballistics and unsavory creatures.

III.3 - The Academy of Magic
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The Academy is located to the far Northeast, near the coast. It is nestled into a naturally protected valley, ringed by mountains covered in thick forest. There is a single route into the Academy, a small winding canyon that cuts through the natural wall on it's West side. The canyon itself is nearly invisible, blocked from view by the forest. The valley is not small; at any given time there will be upwards of twenty thousand people present on the grounds. Two-thirds of these will be students, and the majority of the rest are tradesmen and visitors to the Academy. The remainder is made up of the Academy staff.

Established nearly five thousand years ago, the Academy is one of the most ancient and long-standing structures and forms of organization on Therion. Since anyone can remember, it is where potential mages, sorcerers and wizards have traveled to seek advancement and recognition in the ways of magic. It is where one has to go, if they wish to practice the arcane arts in any legal fashion.

III.3.1 - The Grounds
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Once one has passed through the canyon serving as an entrance to the Academy's land, they will find themselves in the most peaceful, beautiful forest they have ever walked in. The trees are all tall and straight, tended to perfection; at night, soft blue-green light emanates from their boughs. Following a winding path through the initial patch of woods will lead you to a wide, grassy meadow, stretching far to each side - all the way to the mountain walls. Further into the valley there is a small lake, curving around the Southern edge of the mountains. Beyond the lake, across the meadow lies the Academy itself. It is the size of a small city and, though made mostly of stone, seems to co-exist with the land perfectly, even blending in in places.

The great hall is the size of a small castle, containing dozens of classrooms, offices and completely bare, large rooms made specifically for practicing different types of magic. Different sections of the hall have been heavily worked upon and customized by the staff over the millennia to make perfect use of the space and energies provided and performed within, creating an environment that is both perfect for demonstration and practice. There are rooms containing small, controlled dead magic zones, summoning circles, pieces of elements in their rawest, most natural form, test dummies and more. This structure holds no living quarters; all of the space within is devoted entirely to classes.

There are several buildings serving as dormitories for the students, some close to the edge of the lake while others are near the forest, or the paths leading up into the mountains. These structures are ancient in design, each taking the form of a grand, elaborate mansion from times long past, all from different racial backgrounds. If a human student desired to live in a building resembling those the first lords of Andrenor resided in, it can be arranged. The staff's living quarters are towards the back of the Academy, behind the hall; their houses and quarters dot the hill-covered end of the valley.

Placed around the valley, each in it's own secluded location are the advanced training centers. These are where the students who have surpassed all that the basic teachings of the great hall can offer go, when they choose which areas of magic they wish to specialize in. There is an ancient sorcerer's tower located near the forest, a blasted ruin of a cavern system in the South side of the valley for aspiring destruction casters, a lakeside building used for advanced healing practice, etc.

Interspersed around all the Academy structures are a number of shops, taverns, inns and homes. There are a regulated number of tradesmen living on the grounds, and several full-blown farms, so no one need leave the valley if they so choose.

III.3.2 - The Staff
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The Academy is run by it's headmistress: Alea Silverell. Under her are the sixteen professors; eight mages and eight wizards, one of each for every school of magic, and one of each for those students interested in sorcery. These sixteen deal with the most advanced students, giving them their final training and tests before they are ready to fully assume the mantle of their class. There are several hundred mages, wizards and sorcerers in the employ of the Academy who handle the bulk of the teaching, handling students in large groups, small groups or one-on-one depending on what the lesson calls for.

III.3.3 - The Instruction
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Graduating from the Academy is no easy task. The classes themselves seem grueling, until you get to the tests. Early on in the teaching process, the tests will be done in groups, and will involve nothing worse than levitating several feet off the ground, or manifesting a small flame in the palm of one's hand. As students advance, however, the tests become harder and harder. The 'final exam', as it's called, has proven to be the most difficult task some of the teachers remember performing to the present day. The Headmistress will examine Therion itself, and find a task for her senior students to embark upon. This is usually very time-consuming, and very difficult, as these tasks come in many shapes and forms. They can be anything from aiding a coastal city in it's struggle against pirates, to defeating and capturing (without killing) a fully grown elemental that has somehow found it's way onto the material plane. Whatever the task, the final exam will usually take a student close to a year or more to complete, and push them to the very limits of their spell-casting abilities. Thankfully, these tasks are usually handed out to groups of students at a time, and they are allowed to work together.

III.4 - The Draconian Presence on Rethlyn
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Though the Draconians have no kingdom of their own, the bulk of their number is located on Rethlyn. This could be due to the fact that a strong alliance was forged between them, the Humans, and the Elves during the Demon War. Tearik Del'A'Mort, the last Draconian king, was close to many who were not of his race. Most notably were Humans Rauvan Gear and Dakota Adleinter, and Elves Vanz Reima and Gemini Nightdream. These figures are still spoken of on occasion; they are held in high regard by the Draconians.

Proud creatures, the Draconians will not submit to rule by any kingdom, and act independent from all other forms of government on Therion. They do things their way, play by their rules, and if somebody doesn't like it, well... That's just too bad. Thankfully, they tend to keep to themselves unless they are needed in a military fashion, and in cases like that their way of doing things sits just fine with those they come to the aid of.

There is a permanent Draconian fortress atop Nightfire, and those within regularly patrol the area surrounding Hammerdin and Highwind, a Gnomish city that shares the summit with the scaled creatures. There is another permanent settlement along the Western border of Trellyn, and one more up North, along the border of the Deadlands. There is also a force of Draconians that has taken up residence at the Academy of Magic, taking it's protection partially into their hands.


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IV. - Manori
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A harsh region, Manori boasts active volcanoes, untamed wilds and stretches of desert that one cannot hope to traverse without several hundred gallons of water. The civilized areas of the continent, however, are every bit as hospitable as those of Rethlyn, which is located close (as continents go) off Manori's Northern coast. The continent is a melting pot of racial activity around the coast, but leans more towards Orcish and Ogre settlements as you move inland.

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V. - Dystrae
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Dystrae has never been a very sane place. Made up of multiple islands, each piece of the land has magical properties as distinctive as they are bizarre. Some of the islands have pockets of dead magic; others have wild magic storms. Four of the larger islands seem attuned to the elements, and elementals can be found there. There are ruins of ancient cities in places, that have been identified as either Draconian or Avelle by the few scouts that have gone to these distant lands and survived. Dystrae is an incredibly dangerous place that has yet to be fully explored; no kingdom has yet seen the reason for sending an entire army overseas to suffer incredible casualties purely in the name of discovery.

-


VI. - Trilleniem
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A small, secluded continent located far in the Southern hemisphere of Therion, placed midpoint between Rethlyn and the Lost Continent. Trilleniem is more than half covered by mountainous terrain, hard to negotiate if one does not possess wings like the Avelle or Draconians. The homeland of the Avelle, it is undeniably the most magically advanced area on the planet. It is also one of the least inviting; the Avelle discourage trade with the majority of the races, and invitations to their homeland are only received by a select few.

-


VII. - Things to keep in mind
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This is where I get to rant about some of the more common mistakes people make while RPing in a fantasy setting. Don't let any of this put you off making a character, though... These are just friendly reminders.

VII.1 - Travel
-
It takes time to get around in a world without cars and planes, especially when the teleportation runes are indefinitely out of service. Horses are not inexhaustible, nor are they faster than a vehicle possessing four wheels and an internal combustion engine. Let me repeat that, for the conveniently deaf among you: Pay attention to the speed at which you move your character from city to city.

Your average horse will move at about 10mph, at a standard trot/canter/whathaveyou. They can get up to 26mph in a full gallop, but this pace cannot realistically be maintained for long. Using these little facts as a basis, it's safe to say that you could cover 80-100 miles in a solid day of riding, without needing an extended period of rest the following day. 140 miles could probably be done, but that would be pushing it, and neither the mount nor the rider would be up for any more the following morning. Many of the cities you'll find in this RP are hundreds of miles apart; some are thousands. Please take this into consideration when traveling.

I do not want to see characters moving three hundred miles between cities in the time it takes another character to walk into a shop and purchase their spell components.

VII.2 - Magic
-
Channeling magic will exhaust someone, every bit as much as strenuous physical exercise. Granted, as time passes and a magic-user practices their craft they can become faster and more efficient, and gain more mental endurance, allowing them to work with the energy for longer periods of time before rest becomes necessary. This takes time, however. If your character is barely twenty years old, or not even out of their teenage years, they are simply not going to be able to perform to the same degree as a mage who's been honing their skills for the last thirty years.

If your mage or wizard just finished holding off a rush of guardsmen for several moments with a barrier, or was sending fireball after fireball into a charging golem in the hopes of slowing it down, or was just forced to keep their concealment spell intact even though an opposing magic-user felt something funny and was trying to dispel it, I'm going to expect them to be pretty damn tired when all is said and done. Do marathon runners pause for a moment when they cross the finish line, pound a liter of water and spring off for another five-hour run? No. Do mages forcibly close magical portals leading to the underworld, fight off and banish the demons that made it through over the course of several hours, then grin and re-open the portals so they can do it all again? No.

VII.3 - Combat
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Firstly, I apologize to those of you who have heard this song time and again, but it must be said; there's always someone who just doesn't quite get it.

Your characters are not gods. They are not capable of leaping into a mob of foes and 'felling three with the first mighty swing'. I've seen this, both in the past and currently, right in this forum. It doesn't matter if you are going up against a pack of rabid wolverines or a small force of knights. Just because your opponent is a wild animal does not mean that they are so weak as to be considered an automatic victory. Animals have instincts; they react to situations much more quickly than humans, and with more ferocity. In addition, they are not unintelligent. Wolves are distance runners, and can stalk their prey for a long, long time before attacking; they will choose the right moment to strike. Your character is not capable of outwrestling a bear, outrunning a lion or reaching his downed friend faster than a diving vulture if both had to cover the same amount of ground.

When it comes to combat against other humanoids, please be intelligent. Unless you're playing a 40 year old veteran of two full-blown wars and thirty-odd armed conflicts, I don't expect to see your character dispatching an opponent in less than five to ten exchanges. Also, there will be no 'Well, my character is Elven, so he can have 200 years of combat experience and be undefeatable!' If I see this, I'll simply pit you against demons that have been alive for thousands of years and know tricks that your grandaddy's grandaddy forgot ages ago. Combat without struggle is not combat - it's watching you inflate your character's ego.

The bottom line, people, is that we're not here for the purpose of making invincible, shining characters that shout 'i r teh 1337 h4x0r!' and pass every obstacle without hinderance. (If that is why you're here, don't bother writing a profile.) The reason we're here is to participate in a story that is both fun to write, and enjoyable for everyone to read.

VII.4 - Stealth
-
You're making a thief, or an assassin? Cool, just keep a few things in mind. Moving silently is hard; completely avoiding detection is harder. Both are just about impossible wearing anything that goes 'clink'. If your character has trained extensively in the art of stealth for years and years, I'll have no qualms with them sneaking around in the shadows unseen. If, however, your character vaults over a railing, runs across a tightrope and leaps into the corrupt official's bedroom window while wearing a chainmail tunic, and remains unheard... No. Not going to happen. You could individually wrap all the coins in your bag in cloth to stop them from clinking, but that's highly impractical. Basically, if you're going to have a character that's meant to be stealthy, don't try to outfit them like they're about to wade into combat; it just doesn't work.

Now... Combat. Assassins are meant to kill people, yes. However, they're meant to kill people using the element of surprise, not outright combat skill. I know many of you love the concept of the black-clad assassin who can manage to look badass, wear the cool armor and dual-wield scimitars like a master swordsman while flipping about the room, but take some time to consider a few things before you write one of those up. If your assassin can perform acrobatic feats like a master gymnast, consider this: How long does it take an olympic gymnast to get to the point they're at, and how much time did they have to focus on anything else while training that skill? If your assassin can fight like a master swordsman, consider this: How long does it take a master swordsman to achieve that level of skill, and how much time did they have to practice other things during that time? In conclusion: Your assassin cannot flip around like a gymnast and fight like a warrior at the same time, while sneaking about unseen. Each of those three skills takes time, lots of time, to master. Find a balance between your character's skills that seems right to you, and go with that. I don't expect to see thieves holding their own against knights; I expect to see them running to get behind cover where they can then employ the combat skills they're skilled at.

VII.5 - The Hero Factor
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While I did just rant about how you can't overpower your characters, that doesn't mean they are the same as every other NPC you'll encounter on Therion. Your characters are heroes, and as such, they are capable of feats not attainable by the average person. Don't feel like you can't have your character show an extraordinary amount of luck, skill, intelligence or strength from time to time... That's what separates them from the norm. Heroes are quick-witted, resilient, and a powerful force to be reckoned with. Feel free to take on challenges that a normal mortal wouldn't have much hope of surpassing. Just... Make sure you play it out to the extent it deserves. Make it interesting. Your characters are special, but they are not all-powerful.



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Notes
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You will notice that, while sections I, III and VII are extensive, the others seem to fall rather... Short. This is because we won't be exploring those areas in this chapter. This OOC will be re-used from chapter to chapter, and the sections pertaining to the other continents will be filled in as the story progresses.
-
Please feel free to take liberties when it comes to both Rethlyn and NPCs such as inkeepers, guards, professors at the Academy, etc. I left the continent intentionally vague, so it could be built by you, the writers; I find that when the RP creator covers all aspects of creation, not only is it boring to them, but they're out of steam before they even begin the IC. I want to see you guys inventing cities and the people within. I want you to surprise me. =]
-
The story will be starting at the Academy. So, considering how long it takes to travel, it may be wise to start around that area. Whether as a student, a mercenary or a visiting friend or relative it does not matter. I only say this for your benefit; I wouldn't want anyone left wandering around by themselves in some remote mountain for the first five pages.
-
Lastly, if you need to speak with me about anything, ask questions, or whatever else you might need, toss me a PM; I'm always happy to help.



---------



Character Template

-
One small note. Under the equipment section, I'd like you to list everything worth noting that your character is toting around with them, not just weapons and armor. If your mage happens to possess a completely nondescript ring that's been in the family for generations, and just-so-happens to double his casting speed, I want to know about it so I can yell at you in advance.

One more small note. 'Is he joking?' you're asking yourselves, as you come to the personality section. The answer is no; I'm not. I actually want you to list a few of the things your character enjoys, and a few of the things that make him/her tick. This is in place to prevent the classic 'zomg emotionless black swordsman with long white hair' characters that we all love so very much.
-
Name:
Race:
Height/Weight:
Class:
-Specialization(s):
Appearance:
-Identifying Marks:
Equipment:
Personality:
-Likes:
-Dislikes:
Biography:



---------



It would appear that during my absence, many of the writers I used to work with vanished. As it stands, I find myself confronted by several familiar RPers, and several I do not know. I took some time to browse through the RPs currently running here, and I can definitely say that there are quite a few of you who I would love to see join in on this one.

I have only one request of anyone who submits a character with the intention of taking part in this story. Quality posts, please; that is all.

My brain hurts.
Did you write all of that up or just copy 'n' pasted it from somewhere else?
Anyways, It looks interesting, il finish reading when.. my head sops pounding. ^^;


Goodnight all!
#Gamer













<I'll edit when finished reading with either a profile, or not. If not, I'll attempt to delete this post or bug Sel to do it. But only after im done reading.>

Don't be insulting, GSB. That humongous chunk of text is all written by Penguin and Shadows of Essence. And you'll edit your own post, as I will too. >.>

Welcome back, Pengu! ^^ *glomps* I'll post a profile up soon, I promise. Though I need to post in two roleplays then read the whole thing again. ^^;

lol... That's funny GSB.

Well, whatever. With this, I'll make my return to the RP forum. =D Glad to see you back James.

Name: Anundr Kraelter
Race: Human
Height/Weight: 5'8" /140 lbs.
Class: Mage/Monk
-Specialization(s): Illusion/Destruction
Appearance: Normal mage robes, with bandages wrapped around his hands, up to just past his forearms. He has jet black hair, bright blue eyes that shift to a dark grey, and a pale complexion.
-Identifying Marks: The bandages wrapped around his hands and arms cover the many cuts, scrapes, and bruises he retains from monk training. His hemophilia does not help his situation at all.
Equipment:A simple bag with school supplies, and a salve that would help to close a wound, nothing more.
Personality:Humble with very low self-esteem. Granted, he usually has the abilities to accomplish whatever task is set before him, he never lets himself feel good about being able to accomplish it. Instead, he tells himself that it will be hell, and that he won't be capable of doing anything of the sort. Nevertheless, he exceeds, and he exceeds well. Anundr is very kind and warm-hearted, which clashes directly against the fact that he is tuned to Illusion. Most Illusion students, he's noticed, are cold-hearted and ruthless. Killing another being would never cross his mind, nor would harming one at all. Nevertheless, Anundr only has one good friend.
-Likes: Reading, studying, practicing magic or fighting, Rauvan Gear.
-Dislikes: School (he doesn't think he can make it through), bullies, sleeping (it wastes time that could be spent reading or practicing), those that speak ill of Rauvan.
Biography:
Anundr was originally born on Illenia. At the age of 8, he was sent to a monastery led by a certain monk, in order to help him overcome his hemophilia. If his reflexes were honed, in theory, he would have been able to avoid danger, and thus avoid being cut. Even though he was not able to perform nearly as well as the other students, he did learn many things. Rauvan realized that no matter what the child had done, he would get cuts and bruises, so he would always need a healer by his side. However, Rauvan had obtained a salve that would help blood to clot, and close a wound. It was nothing special, and it could be bought at any bazaar. Anundr would always have a small case of the salve with him, just in case. Not a year later, however, Rauvan realized that Anundr could dabble in magic. Nothing extraordinary like Vanz or Gemini, but nonetheless, he was able to use actual magic. Knowing this, Rauvan decided to send the child to the Academy on Rethlyn, knowing that it would be much better for him. Months later, Illenia vanished.

Anundr, now 18, lives in the Academy, like many other students. He practices Illusion, it was his natural gift afterall, and trains in fighting as much as possible, even though he may be weak and frail. He believes that Rauvan is still alive and well, training somewhere else. It was written that Rauvan Gear had died saving Gemini Nightdream and Aurora, but Anundr refuses to see that possibility. For this reason, Anundr continues his training, believing that one day, he will be able to show Rauvan how far he has come. His room is littered with novels and tales of Rauvan's exploits, including everything from the death of Dramar to the death of Cain, even things that had only been in note-form were in his collection. If one were to ask a question regarding the Spirit Tear, or the time surrounding it's use, Anundr would have the answer. Of course, his collection could never be complete, when a continent vanishes, valuable pieces of information are bound to go with it. Nevertheless, he dubbed his collection "The Draconian Chronicles," borrowing the name from a note he had seen at an earlier point in time.

Anundr only made one good friend during his time at the academy, and truthfully, that was all he needed; his cousin had always been there for him. He was perfectly content in only having one good friend, even though more would have indeed been nice. Anundr would only have been able to get through his years at the Academy thanks to his friend, and he had no idea what would have happened without that person. That said, Anundr has come to rely on that person heavily, having no one else to turn to, even though he is always capable. Being a nice person, he naturally attracts people to be his friends, but he finds that most people are shallow, and only out for themselves.


(If anything is wrong James, lemme know, and I'll change it right away. This character should prove to be fun. =D)

EDIT:Edited specialization to include Destruction. I may very well update the bio later on as well. But I've never been one to flesh out a bio before the RP. =D
EDIT: Anemia changed to hemophilia. Bio changed to reflect that too. =D

Gamer - Sel speaks the truth. This is all original work.

Sel - Thank ya. =] I'm looking forward to seeing what you cook up for a character.

Jesse - Everything looks good; consider it approved.

A minor note that I forgot to include in the appendix... If you're creating a magic-user, they are not completely limited to casting spells from their school of specialization; the Academy gives every student basic training in every school of magic. However, you will never be able to cast the more advanced spells of any school without specializing in it. For example, Anundr (Jesse's character), while being an illusion mage, will still be able to generate shields of magical energy. He just won't be able to prevent all of the damage from powerful attacks or counter another caster's spells effectively. He will still be capable of tossing fireballs, but will be unable to cause a geyser of lava to burst forth from the ground directly under an opponent. He will still be able to heal cuts and bruises, but stopping a strong poison or the flow of blood from a nasty belly wound will be beyond him.

I came to the realization that playing a magic-user wouldn't be nearly as fun if you were restricted to only casting certain spells... After all, they're taught to harness magical energy and manipulate it to their will; it only makes sense that they will be able to do a large variety of things with it, regardless of what they choose to specialize in.

Carry on. =]

Jesus Christ....that's really long.

I'm gonna hold off until tommorow, but this looks good. I'll put the profile up, well, technically, tonight.

Name: Demetery CrossWeaver
Race: Human
Age: 23
Height/Weight: 6”1” 142 lbs
Class: Sorcerer
-Specialization(s) : Necromancy
Appearance: Gaunt, thin, and pale; Demetery comes across to most people as a sickly, frail man. Hanging off his thin limbs the green robes he left the academy in make him seem eerie and sometimes scary. His once brown hair, is now stark white. Demetery does not really care what his hair looks like, resulting in a tousled mess. He does take the time to keep it short though. Demetery's eyes have remained crystal blue, though as many have noted as of late, they have a cold, hollow sense to them.

Demetery did not always look this way. His current theory for these changes is the Necromantic magic he uses. He has come across a few scraps of parchment which give mention to sacrificing others in order to help fuel the dark magic’s, Relan has confirmed this after much nagging. Since Demetery would never think about killing others to further his magic, he suspects some of the stronger magic’s are draining a bit of his own life force. However, so far this seems to only be affecting his appearance.

-Identifying Marks: Aside from his appearance, Demetery bears the skull brand of Necromancy on his right shoulder (A small mercy granted to him by the Academy as he can hide it). He tries to keep it covered at all times.
Equipment:
Due to the fact Demetery is constantly on the move, he tends to carry very little. A simple faded green knapsack contains his food, a leather water skin, and the only possession he cares about, the Book of Bound Souls.

The Book of Bound Souls is a magic artifact that Demetery always has on his person (see Bio for how he acquired it). The book itself seems normal at first glance; however a close inspection by a knowledgeable magic user would quickly identify the tome as being constructed of demon hide. To most the book’s pages are blank, but to those with a talent for Necromancy the book is filled with words written in a language only a few mortals in Therion can read, the language of the dead. For those with the ability to read the cursed language, they would see an unbelievably long list of names.

To say the book is sentient is an understatement. The book itself is inhabited by the spirit of the necromancer who created it, simply called Relean. Those with a natural talent for the dark arts can hear the whispers of the dead necromancer and her promises. In exchange for signing one’s name in the book, she will act as a teacher and lend her insurmountable knowledge of necromancy to the signor. The act of signing binds one soul to the book and in death the signors souls are torn form their bodies and imprisoned in the very letters they penned. Do no feel sad for the unfortunates mages, Relean is very forward about the cost of her knowledge. For what purpose Relean collects these souls is unknown.

Personality Demetery’s open smile and optimistic attitude disturbs some people because it is in such opposition to his appearance. Demetery has no issue with helping people he believes deserve it and often approaches them before they even know he is there (the dead know many secrets). He has a keen mind and prefers to sit and patiently think rather than react. However, as with Demetery’s abilities, his personality has a dark side. Demetery is rather cold and ruthless when it comes to death. He will stoically watch a close friend die and not shed a tear; he believes it is just part of life. However, those who hasten death (or mess with the natural order in other ways) invoke Demetery’s full wrath (a slow and calculating wrath but wrath nonetheless).

Demetery also has a disturbing habit of having one sided arguments with himself (though in truth he is arguing with Relean).

-Likes: green, challenges that cause him to think, furthering his knowledge of death
-Dislikes: Necromancers (He believes the evil ambitions of most past Necromancers are the reason his magic is so feared and forbidden.), magic users (This is more of mistrust than dislike, they seem to seek his punishment more than anyone else), anyone who has anything to do with demons (he feels they do not suffer the stigma necromancers do), the magic academy
Biography:
Like most students of the Academy of Magic, Demetery was found by one of the scouting teams sent out by the Academy to look for potential students among the general populace. The mages tested everyone in the small village Demetery lived in to see if they were somehow altering the nearby flows of mana. Their tests indicated Demetery had the potential to manipulate magic, although at a rate lower than that of most mages. So at the age of twelve, Demetery was enrolled at the academy.

During the first eight years of his studies Demetery worked hard to keep up with the other students. His inability to channel as much mana as the other students kept him from excelling. His study habits and inventive intellect made up for this deficiency and kept him firmly in the middle of his class. Most of his free time was spent wandering the many libraries scattered across the campus. It would be in one of the dusty, less used collection of tomes that his life would change.

It had been several weeks since Demetery had passed the finals of his basic classes and he was feeling more stress now than he had before the exams. Every other student had chosen their specializations many months ago and had already taken the preliminary exams to be accepted into each of the separate schools. Yet, Demetery, could still not decide which path to follow. He had shown no particular talent with any of the schools, nor did he prefer any particular one. Facing pressure from both his friends and the school faculty to choose before classes began next month, Demetery did what he normally did and found a quiet place to think.

Demetery found himself in a little used section of the bottom floor of the grand library. Seating himself in a dusty, long forgotten chair, Demetery began to let his problem roll around in his head. His thoughts were quickly interrupted however, by the sounds of someone talking to themselves from somewhere among the books. With a frown, Demetery lifted himself out of his chair and began to follow the voice, intent on lecturing what must be a first year student on library rules.

Drifting in and out among the shelves of books Demetery could hear more and more as he grew closer to the person. It was a female, obviously talking out a problem of her own. It was some sort of equation, but Demetery could not determine what type.

“If I reverse the third sigil and alter the mana flow through the brain, it should…”

Demetery looked around in confusion. If his ears were to be believed he was standing right next to the woman, but there was no one to be seen. “Hello?” The female voice suddenly stopped. “Hello? Listen I know you are there.”

“You can hear me?” Came the unsure reply.

“Yes I can hear you! I could hear you all the way by the door!”

“Really?” A brief pause. “That is excellent.” The female’s voice oozed with delight.

That is how Demetery came into possession of the Book of Bound Souls. At first Demetery was repulsed by the idea of necromancy and almost brought the book to his professors so that it might be burned. But if Relean’s words were true and he actually had a natural talent for necromancy, could he deny himself just seeing what this forbidden magic was? Surely, he was strong enough to resist any evil he encountered, so Demetery decide to risk it and began learning from Relean.

For the next few weeks the voice from the book began teaching him the basics of the language of the dead so that he might sign his name and finalize the pact. A whole new world began opening up before Demetery, and for the first time since he had stepping onto the academy grounds, he was truly excited. He had finally found a subject that not only challenged him, but he also seemed to have true talent for. Relean herself even admitted he was naturally gifted, as most normally took months to master even the most basic parts of the language, which was itself a cornerstone for all Necromantic magic.

However when it cam time to sign, Demetery’s former resolve stood firm and he refused. His soul was too precious a thing to him to cast away for mere knowledge he could gain himself. Demetery was sure he could figure out the rest of the language on his own with the help of the numerous examples of the text in the book itself.

Demetery enrolled in the Destruction college; he assumed the simpler nature of the magic would allow him to continue his Necromantic studies in his free time. However, his assumption proved wrong and his grades began slipping fast. Soon teachers began watching and observing Demetery to determine the cause of his bad scores. After several months of failing grades, the faculty of the Academy searched his dorm room in a desperate attempt to find out what was going on. What they found chilled them to their very core.

The investigators had found the Book of Bound Souls, but to them it was just a blank notebook, they did not even bother to look close enough to notice it was made of demon hide. What they did find was Demetery’s first attempt at Necromancy, what they thought was a soul binding circle (Demetery had actually attempted to see if he could free a soul from the book, which failed).

With a very short and one sided trial, Demetery was convicted and branded a necromancer (a plea form some of his professors and Silverell herself convinced the jury to make Demetery’s brand less viewable). He was expelled from the academy with only his clothes and his possessions. Fortunately, they had over looked the Book of Bound Souls and allowed Demetery to take it.

So for three years Demetery has been wandering from town to town, learning and trying to master the necromantic arts.

(OCC: Penguin does this pass mustard? I know I should not have to ask, but you wrote everything about the Academy, so let me know if I went against any of your ideas.

I'm looking forward to another journey into Therion. I hope everyone else is, becuase Penguin and I are going to do our best to make this RPG live up to the hype.
)

(Edit: I added a bit more description to Demetery's apperance.)

Name: Syiana Shizu Yue (sea-a-na shi-zu yu-e)
Nickname: Syia
Race: Human, minority group Gypsian.
Age: 18
Height / Weight: 5 ft, 105 lbs

Class: Songstress/music druid (bard sounds weird)
- Specializations: Weather and nature manipulation, emotions manipulation (slightly), illusions

General Appearance: Short straight black hair and almond-shaped slightly cat-like black eyes, small and delicate facial features, and slightly dark skin that resembles a slight tan hints of her lineage of a minority human race, Gypsian. Syiana can always be found in clothes of soft green color whenever she can help it. She is not picky about clothes other than in colors, but what she wears never affect the clean dreamy aura around her.

Distinguishing Marks: Her exotic minority race features. She has a faint remainder of a burn on the back of her right hand, which is a souvenir of her first and last try at cooking. More specifically, boiling water.

Equipments: A 3 ft long, 1/2 inch diameter, wooden flute-like rod with many holes in it that make sounds when air rushes through them. The elvish runes inscription on the rod keeps the rod strong. The rod can be used like a music instrument as well and the runes will enhance the quality of the song. A small carved wooden dagger given to her by her mother for self-protection. She only uses it in emergency, which is like, never used before. And her personal diary, which she uses to keep track of things or she will be even worst of a scatter-brain.

Personality: Quiet, polite, mild-tempered, obedient and diligent, Syiana is the type of girl that any parent would love to have, until her flaws are discovered. She is a major scatterbrain who can forget absolutely anything except whatever is related to books and reading. If that is not enough, she is a bad cook liable to burn the kitchen up just by boiling water, and she is often dreamy and distracted. She is the stubborn sort who will stick to whatever she believes in and won't easily relent, making it very hard to persuade her or reason with her. She also has no concept of finance and money matters, is very naive and gullible. All in all, she is extremely unsuited to live in the society, and if not for her good luck and her 'babysitter', it will be quite a wonder that she can survive in the world.

- Likes: Reading, singing, hanging out with (more like pestering) Inmri, nature.

- Dislikes: Cooking, the kitchen, doing finances (because it will never tally), being confined indoors, dancing (because she's a very lousy dancer, and it's pretty unusual for a Gypsian).

Biography:

Born to Ryrien Puria Shizu and Meirue Giluan Yue, Syiana is one of the few children of pure Gypsian blood. Gypsian is a minority human race of slightly darker skin, smaller frame, round black eyes and black hair, a passion for songs and dance, and the unique ability to hear the sound of nature. A long time ago, they used to live in forests and woods of Manori in small numbers, peaceful and close to their beloved nature. But other humans mistook Gypsians as evil spirits, or demons, sent to seduce them away from their homes with the lovely songs, and in fear, massacred a large number of them. Those who got away went into hiding, and some even ran far away onto the other continents.

Ryrien and Meirue are descendents of the survivors who escaped to Rethlyn and built a small village in the Elven Woods of Trellyn, living side by side with the elves who accepted them. The two of them were childhood friends, and as they grew up their friendship blossomed into mutual love and they finally became a couple, husband and wife. One year later, they gave birth to Syiana and followed the custom of the Gypsian, naming Syiana with both their last names.

As a child, Syiana was brought up with the knowledge of her heritage and she was fascinated with her ability to hear the sounds, or rather, voices of nature. She spent a lot of time staying outside the house just to be immersed in the world that brings her much joy and comfort. Understanding her wishes very well, her parents let her idle her childhood away playing and singing with nature. Her songs often attract animals in the woods to listen, and even elves of Trellyn dropped by to admire the melody sang with her soft lilting voice. And a couple of times, she even caught sight of a being who was rumored to be the ‘revered hermit of Trellyn’, sitting at a distance and just listening to her sing. Little Syiana became friends of many with her lovely songs and lived happily and peacefully in the woods.

But when she was eight, something huge happened and nature was disturbed. She fell seriously ill for a long time and her parents rushed her and others who were affected, but to a more minor degree, to Trellyn where the elves came to the conclusion that they were being influenced by nature because of how close they are to it. They said it had to do with a continent disappearing all of a sudden, but she could not understand. What she could though, was the fact that she was confined indoors for the time being, and she was not happy with that at all.

It was then when she became acquainted with her second passion, reading. A young elf by the name of Inmri who was particularly fond of her gave her a storybook cheer her up and taught her to read and write, and much later, his own mother tongue. At first she was merely fascinated by the stories of the world outside the Elven Woods, but as she read more, she fell in love with reading and the imaginary worlds the books brought to her. Even after she and nature both have recovered well enough for her to return to her beloved outdoors, she did not lose her passion for books. Learning of her new favorite pastime, her loving parents and elven friends brought her many books, sometimes in exchange for more of her singing. So, years passed with her reading in the opens, humming and enjoying the sounds that brought her much pleasure.

Syiana discovered about the strange ability of her singing when one day, she was reading a particularly upsetting historically-based story and in her sorrow, she mourned the ill fate of the characters in the story with a song. The sky, which was clear and sunny, promptly turned dark and started drizzling. Wind howled and trees began to sway in a sad dance. Syiana was shocked to hear the normally jovial music of nature changed into a despairing tone that corresponds closely to her own song and in her surprise, her singing stopped. The weather cleared as quickly as it previously changed, leaving her extremely bewildered.

She consulted Inmri who became like a brother to her, and after a few days of asking around, they arrived to a conclusion that Syiana's songs contains the power to influence nature. Further tentative experiments revealed that the Gypsian girl's music, not just singing, can influence people's feelings as well. Syiana was amazed and delighted to learn that her songs and music can do such things. She was overjoyed when an elven Elder invited her to sing in the beautiful city of Trellyn on special occasions, in exchange for some elvish delicacies and of course, books. An offer for the residence in Trellyn was made too, but her parents refused, as they are perfectly happy living with those they grew up with. Content and happy, she lives carefreely in Trellyn. Her only wish however, was to be able to see the world outside the woods and explore it for herself.

The chance arrived when three years later Inmri, who was found to have mage potential, was going to the Academy to train and become a sorcerer. She asked to go along and find out more about what her music can do, and after much persuading of her parents, Inmri and the others who care for her, she was finally allowed to go with a promise that she will not venture away from the Academy without Inmri at her side. With one last sighting of the mysterious ‘hermit’ as she stepped out of the forest, Syiana went to see the world.

(Gypsians are basically a mix of our Gypsies and Asians, the characteristics should be rather obvious)

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The role of 'Inmri' is open for application. Meaning, if you interested in playing a young elf character training to be a sorcerer while 'babysitting' a human girl whom he views as a sister (or a girl he likes), you can send a PM my way and let us discuss about it (and he don't even need to be named Inmri, I can edit the profile if needed). Muahaha. Or else, Inmri will be my important NPC. I may make a character sheet for him.

@ Gamer, just make a new post if you're gonna make a profile. Editting will only make it hard to find now.

Shadows - I think it more than meets the mustard. Approved.

Sel - I like the twist on how Syia taps into her magic. Approved.

Gamer, Chrono - Feel free to put up characters, but before you do I must give you fair warning.. Take a look at this. This is the standard that I'm holding this RP to; the old-school style of Dreamers RPing, so to speak. I strongly advise you to hold off on applying if you have any doubts about being able keep up with something like that.

Lastly, I realize that I forgot to include 'age' in the character template. Don't forget to include that somewhere, please.

I think I shall join this. Hold on let me pop up a word browser and let me get cracking.

I could do that. I'll use a bit more conversation though, but I do like to write.

And I hold to the grammatical rule that there must be a line between the ending of a normal paragraph and the starting of a speech.

I'm starting to think of my character, but I still need to decide what personality to use. Once I figure out what I want, I'm all in.

Name: Cefris Zholang (Seh-fri’s Jo-long)

Race: Elf

Age: 17

Height/Weight: 6’8” / 114 Ibs.

Class: Druid

-Specialization(s): healing / enchantment

Appearance: While upon first glance, the ethereal, child-like façade bestowed upon Cefris’ kind radiates, the elf’s reserved nature tends to place him in the back-drop of the social scene—for the occasion is rare in which his child-like eyes, which appear to carry a different shade of blue while in the midst of different types and angles of light, meet with those of his peers. Including a typical, lanky body-type, taking further note upon Cefris’ physical characteristics, a light, chocolate-coloured pigmentation contrasts peculiarly with both his eyes and the light-blue locks of hair branching in nearly every direction.

As far as his general attire is concerned, a green, long-sleeve shirt with two buttons in the vicinity of his clavicle drapes over Cefris’ torso, while loose-fitting beige cotton pants of exceptionally poor quality cover lower body.

-Identifying Marks: On the left shoulder sits a scar, carved delicately into the letter “A”. The reason for this matter will be discussed in the biography.

Equipment: A small burlap sack, in which he carries a letter from his father, apples and sunflower seeds.

Personality: Due to the environment surrounding his upbringing, Cefris manages to find numerous settings acceptable others may possess difficulty adapting. Such a notion is not to infer, however, that the aforementioned occasions occur often for the young elf, for while manuscripts may serve to tame the mind for a period of time, a lack of human contact wears away at a developing psyche. Thus, issues of self-esteem constantly plague his thoughts, while his body language veils the majority of these demons. With those acting against him, Cefris believes no fault lies within the deed, though if one were to act against the ever-so-rare breed of individuals the elf manages to befriend, a deep contempt sprouts within the elf’s mind-set.

Due to an inability to communicate, and an intellect solely developed through both his father’s teachings and the reading of several text, the concepts behind spell-casting are normally easier to acquire than a physical manifestation. The physical and mental effort placed into this tasks and others, however, is far above that of the majority of his peers.

-Likes: books. Freis, his uncle. nature. those who enjoy nature.

-Dislikes: his biological father. Yusa, the tribe in he was born.

Biography: Due to an increased awareness in the occurrences surrounding Trellyn, the elfin populace divided into two sects: those still attune to the whims of nature and the gray elves, those forsaking what a number of the former consider to be their reason for existence. This fraction of history is verifiable in a number of written manuscripts, though these two sects lay at opposite ends of the proverbial spectrum. Adhering to foreign mythology, while still abiding by the earth’s fundamental mandate’s, the elves of Yusa believed a balance had been created between the two worlds had been established within their community. From this standpoint, the pretense of the righteous being preordained guardians of nature itself took root.

As a society founded as a means to maintain a positive sphere for communing, a means of veiling citizens from wrong-doing perpetually progressed in its difficulty to maintain. Thus, the ever-so-rare consummation of an unholy affair not only took root, but spread in the number of lustful eyes deviating from the individual espoused to at birth. Much to the young elf’s disdain, Cefris is the bi-product of both this ordeal and the naivety of his mother.

These matters failed to alter the highly religious ideals upon which the majority of Yusa championed: Within the fulfillment of every evil deed, a demon awakens, gleefully manipulating the individual involved most in execution of the deed, the sole means of sealing the aforementioned hell spawn lying in the removal of the three main senses—sight, hearing, and communication. Do to an innate lapse in the arcane for Yusians, as well as a semi-negation of the spell’s effect by Cefris’ uncle, the young elf found himself mute, while the two other senses remained intact. “Unable to prevent the merging of demon and child,” Yusian elders exiled both Fries and Cefris, carving the letter “A” on the youth’s shoulder to signify a birth in sin.

Communication between the two, while at first peculiar in its own right, developed into a seemingly telepathic language between Freis and Cefris, yet when the latter’s bond with nature reestablished itself as a means of escape from jeering peers, the actuality behind what Cefris felt fell to deaf ears when he attempted to convey his emotion to the Freis, whom Cefris had come to consider a father-figure. This miscommunication only strengthened as Freis’ physical features warped and contorted into that of an aged man’s.

A retained connection to the “homeland” created a toilsome domestic sphere, for Freis heart grew heavy from the atrocity he committed against Yusa. Thus, not only did the two remain chained to the surrounding area, but the anti-social environment only multiplied the aforementioned resentment of Cefris’ birth: forging an individual both quick to assail and to repent. These combating emotions overwhelmed the elder of the two, thus Freis pulled the last of his funds to send his charge to the Academy.

During the physically and mentally precarious voyage to the educational institution, visions of ethereal projections perpetually taunted the young elf, a matter which both baffled and horrified him. With an inability to discover the true reasoning behind this circumstance, Cefris felt as though he could do naught but wait for the tutelage of one able to equip him to deal with his current state of nature.

(Here’s to hoping this fits the criteria and that I haven't overstepped my bounds.)

Actually, Reani, there are a few things I need you to change / clarify. Sorry. =\

- Druids don't specialize in a specific school of magic, nor do they cast spells from the schools. They have their own unique repertoire consisting of elemental manipulation, nature, healing and offensive spells, among others.

- Druids don't usually go to the Academy, as they are not one of the three main classes of casters. Rather, they learn from