Group RP Φ Spellbound: Origins Φ

"I remember a time before The Hallowed took control. It was a different age from the one we now live in, one where you didn't have to look over your shoulder everywhere you went or keep your dagger close at hand. The battles waged by the wizards across the realms were legendary, and it seemed that a hero was always close at hand. It's a tragedy, really, what happened to Valtuin. Stripped of its hope and heroics by the very leaders that sparked them."

The five isles of Valtuin are among the more magnificent landmasses within the world of Aelbourne, with jaw-dropping landscapes that leave the common folk breathless. With its rolling plains, towering mountains, and a network of rivers, this medieval land of myth and magic is beautiful, untamed, and dangerous. In this world, the sword is your lifeline, and the shield your only friend.

Many years ago, the five isles were once one continent under the name Valtuin. The land was divided into provinces and ruled by various leaders who shared the land equally and peacefully. The times of prosperity were promptly ended by the sudden invasion of the Archdemon Daberus from the realm of Mid-Fire. He wrought destruction upon the land through the use of his forged army, bringing about a fiery reign of terror that lasted 100 years.

From the ashes of war rose The Council of Eight, a group of eight powerful wizards who rebelled against the demonic overlord, recruiting soldiers, adventurers, and even agents of the gods to help win the fight for Valtuin, which had since been split apart into five islands by the dark energy that radiated from the portal to Mid-Fire located at the center of Valtuin. Through daring heroics, covert espionage, and hard-fought battles, The Council of Eight and their army were able to subdue the archdemon's army and slay Daberus, freeing Valtuin of his evil influence forever.

Following the archdemon's death, Valtuin's islands were renamed, although the cluster would still be referred to as the five isles of Valtuin. The Council of Eight became the governing body of the land, based on public demand. They began exploiting their magic to wage wars across all the realms, eliminating threats and growing their power with each and every conquest. However, it was clear to many that the wizards were growing too powerful for their own good. The druid sages of the old faith sensed the approach of doom, and retreated into seclusion, declaring independence from the nation created by the wizards.

What came next could only be described as a massacre. The Council of Eight feared the power of the druids, and became paranoid to all users of magic. They ordered the extermination of all magicians throughout the five isles, organizing witch hunts en masse to kill anyone that was caught practicing magic. Using artifacts and spells gleaned from their interplanar travels, the council and their army nearly wiped out magic from the land, plunging the world into an age of deceit and darkness.

For decades, the five isles have lived under the tyranny of the eight wizards, who have since begun referring to themselves and their magic-wielding followers as The Hallowed. The Hallowed rule with an iron grip, and while few cities remain free of their watchful gaze, they are few and far between. The common folk rest in a state of constant fear and mistrust, all while Hallowed soldiers patrol and arrest anyone suspected of using magic, carting them off to the prison realm of Infernus until the end of their days.

Even in such dire times, a glimmer of hope sparks the flame in the hearts of the optimistic. That glimmer of hope is The Order of the Bards, an organization that remains shrouded in mystery, spoken sparingly about, and only ever in a hushed whisper. It is rumored that lorekeepers and musical magicians banded together to create a covert rebellion to combat The Hallowed wherever they may be found.

With the world divided and on the brink of rebellion, the question remains: Who do you fight for?

Spoiler: Rules

1. While there is no global rp forum rules list, I'd highly recommend reading the Lake Valor RP Guide if you're unfamiliar with roleplaying or need a refresher. Any rules stated within the guide are applicable here.
2. Please, no godmodding. Overpowered characters are annoying and can ruin the fun for everyone else.
3. I'm a huge stickler for quality when it comes to roleplaying. As such, I expect to see some effort when it comes to posting. A small paragraph per-post is the expected amount of writing. One-liners will not be tolerated, as they show little effort and don't often advance the story.
4. Killing others' characters is allowed, but don't do so without permission from the character's owner.
5. Romance is allowed, but keep it PG.
6. Keep swearing to a minimum please. I will accept "Hell" and "Damn", but that's more or less where I draw the line.
7. Feel free to ask me questions, but please do so via PM so the rp itself stays spam free.
8. When talking out of character, please specify by using double brackets (( )).
9. I'm going to put a limit of one character per person right now, but I may make this limit higher later depending on how the rp progresses.
10. This roleplay will work on a three-strikes-and-you're-out system. Screw up three times and you will be banned from the RP. I'm far from a tyrant and will only take action if it's really necessary.
11. Put one of the topic tags in the "other" section of your form to prove you read these.

Spoiler: Map

Apologies for the poor photo quality, best I could do on short notice. I'll upload a better quality version as soon as I can.

If you're curious about any locations, you can ask me for all the details. Once again, sorry for the poor quality.

Spoiler: Races

The five isles of Valtuin are home to several humanoid races that are incredibly diverse in form, history, and culture. The following races are all character options.

Dwarves: Dwarves are stout, stocky humanoids with typically ruddy skin and scruffy, long hair. Dwarf men often have long, well-groomed beards that are a symbol of pride and status in dwarf culture. A shaved male dwarf is usually one who has been expelled from the clan. Dwarves live in tight-knit family clans that form part of a larger society that dwells within the mountains and mines of Eridia and Faldun. The dwarves culturally value order, law, and dedication to tradition. They are stubborn and unyielding in most aspects of life. Dwarves live for around 200-300 years and have a very good memory. Most dwarves are smiths, miners, or soldiers, three professions at which they excel.

Elves: The elves are creatures intertwined with the magical history of the Feywild, an otherworldly mystical realm of nature and divine beauty. Elves are slender and are usually slightly shorter than humans. They have glowing, beautiful skin, with silky long hair that can be any colour, although golds, browns, and silvers are most common. They all have misty, sunlight-yellow eyes that glow slightly in the dark. Elven society is centralized on the ideas of freedom and discovery. Many elves are capable scholars and exceptional warriors, gifted with long life that allows them to pick up and hone their skills. Unfortunately, many elves were wiped out by The Hallowed massacre of magic-users, making them somewhat of a rarity in the world. Elves also tend to be somewhat detached from the rest of the world, both due to the seclusion of their lands and the different perspective they have on life when they themselves can live far beyond the years of other mortal races.

Humans: Humans are by far the most widespread race among the five isles, and vary greatly in height, skin tone, hairstyle, and culture. There is no "standard" human. As one of the shorter-lived races, humans typically have a lot of drive in their goals and try to create a lasting legacy that will carry on their principles after death.

Half-Elves: When humans and elves come together and seal their bond with marriage, half-elves are born. A half-elf carries the eyes of their elven parents while retaining a usually human-like build. Half-elf hair can be any color, and they have elf-like ears that are shorter than their full-elf brethren. Half-elves can grow some facial hair, while full elves cannot. Because half-elves are by far the least-widespread race of the five isles, encountering one is usually followed by curiosity. Elf and human families are usually divided on their opinion of half-elves. While most are accepting, a few are overtly hateful to all half-elves, describing them as impure and disgraceful to either human or elf blood. Half-elves also struggle in the world due to their lack of a society to call their own.

Halflings: The diminutive halfling typically values simple pleasures, with a sense of wanderlust that few others can match. Halflings are exceptionally short, standing eve below dwarves at a typical height of three feet. They are slimmer than dwarves, although a fair few are still inclined to be stout rather than thin. Skin tones usually tend to the lighter side, and their hair color ranges from ginger reds to deep, dark browns. Halflings are excellent diplomats and often diffuse tension with a charming laugh and a pleasant smile. Their small societies live simply and honestly, with few bad apples among the bunch.

Dragonborn: The dragonborn are a race of bipedal, dragon-like humanoids. They superficially resemble dragons, but bipedal and lacking any wings. Their scaly hides can vary in color, from deep crimson red to lustrous gold and anything in between. They have four-toed feet and sharp claws. The dragonborn are a clan-focused race similar to the dwarves in societal structure, with a heavy emphasis on honor and courage. To the dragonborn, honor is worth dying for. They are a fairly uncommon race, with only one capital city to speak of, being Dragon's Ascent in Eridia. This city also happens to be one of three cities that are not under the control of The Hallowed, a testament to the dragonborn culture's unyielding nature.

Underbeing: The underbeings, more commonly referred to as infernals, are a race of sub-demon straight from the realm of mid-fire, remnants of the war against the Archdemon Daberus. The underbeings have broken the magical ties that bound them to severance, and are now a well-established, although uncommon race within the world. Underbeings have skin that varies between human hues, as well as ranges of black, purple, and red. They all have horns of some kind, which can vary from twisting to straight, small to large. They also have thick tails, contributing more to their fiendish appearance. It is easy to assume that an underbeing is a monster, and most people who are unacquainted respond with fear or disdain. An underbeing often ends up down the path of evil after years of mistrust at the hands of the common folk. They are fundamentally outcasts and have no society of their own. The good-hearted underbeings are exceedingly loyal friends who defend to the death if necessary.

Spoiler: Classes

A class generally describes what your character can do in terms of combat. The rp has no structured combat system, so feel free to interpret each class as you please, within relevance to the theme of course. Try to avoid making yourself overpowered as well. A good way to achieve this is a benefit with a drawback, such as a spell that is powerful but takes a long time to cast. You can pick one of the following classes for your character, bearing in mind that magic is illegal and that magic-wielding characters may face greater danger.

Warrior - A rather standard class that focuses on weaponry and armor to win the fight. Warriors are average in every sense of the word, dishing out attacks and taking them well. Some warriors dabble in magical training to extend their combat reach, although they are rare.

Guardian - The guardian class focuses on taking hits for those that can't, serving as defenders of the weak. They are usually bulky and slow, withstanding even the mightiest blows.

Assassin - Assassins are a hit-and-run style class that can put the hurt on single targets with precision and stealth as their deadliest tools.

Ranger - Rangers are defenders of the wilds, who serve as the bulwark between nature's greatest threats and the societies that they threaten. Expert survivalists, they are familiar with many tricky weapons and trapping techniques.

Warlord - A warlord is a sight to behold on the battlefield, issuing orders with expert strategy. They often fight with heavy armor and wield weapons that complement their commanding style.

Cleric - Clerics are rare around the five isles, having been mostly wiped out. Nevertheless, a few still remain, using their divine magic to fight evil and heal the wounded.

Wizard - A scholarly magic user whose image has been tainted by the reputation of The Hallowed, the wizard remains the standard magician. They can summon creatures, cast spells that create searing flames and crackling lightning, and much more.

Necromancer - Necromancers study the ideas of death and undeath. They wield magic capable of decaying the living and restoring the dead, siphoning a foe's life-force to heal themselves or their allies.

Alchemist - The alchemist is a master potion brewer, capable of creating complex brews to bolster allies and weaken enemies. They are also adept transmuters, being able to mold substances to the shape of their choosing, most often weapons.

Bard - A bard is a musical spellcaster that wields deception and charm as a weapon. They can create potent illusions and captivate crowds with their performances.

Spoiler: Form

Fill out the following character form, and please, for the sake of my sanity, delete anything in brackets when submitting.

Username:
Character Name:
Age:
Gender:
Race:
Appearance: (Please keep it in-line with the medieval fantasy setting. Minimum 4 lines of description or a picture will do. If you need a reference for the appearance of any of the races, ask me via PM.)
Personality: (Minimum 4 lines.)
Backstory: (Minimum 4 lines.)
Class:
Class details: (Here is where you can outline aspects of your character's class that can't be covered by a general description. For example, if you were to choose the assassin class, here you would outline things such as weapons, strategies, or techniques specific to your character. A magic using class might outline their spells or powers here. Feel free to be creative and deviate from the class's base description, so long as it fits with the setting and isn't ridiculous.)
Skills: (Any sort of trait or talent that might help your character succeed at any sort of task. Don't go overboard here.)
Weaknesses: (No character is invincible. List one or two things that could cause your character's downfall.)
Other:

Spoiler: My Character

Username: GlaceonSilver
Character Name: Elora Birdwhistle
Age: 58
Gender: Female
Race: Elf
Appearance: Elora stands at an average height of 5'7" for elf standards, carrying a medium build with a more rugged frame than the majority of her kind. Her long, light blonde hair reaches to her waist, and is generally unkempt and a little messy at most times, although she does prefer to keep it straight when she can. Her soft golden eyes carry a steady gaze with an inner fire that always burns brightly. It shows in her expressions too: seldom caught without a determined look, Elora isn't exactly the happy, smiles all around type. Her skin is generally pale, although not to an extreme. She wears 2 earrings on one of her long, pointed ears, one black, and one white. These are family heirlooms passed down from generation to generation. When it comes to attire, Elora prefers to travel light, avoiding heavy armor as often as she can. She wears a chainmail shirt for protection from blades and other slashing weapons underneath her forest green cloak, which has a silver leaf pattern running down the left side. Over these 2 other pieces, she wears a simple leather chestpiece to protect from arrows and other piercing weapons. This combination allows her to stay mobile while remaining well armored. Elora's legs are not armored at all, and she simply wears thick brown hunter's pants with a pair of leather boots for footwear. Upon her back is where she stows her rugged and well-worn longbow, along with a quiver stocked with arrows. Fastened at her hips with a belt are 2 sheathed shortswords that she uses for melee strikes. Her waist is also adorned with hunters traps, vials of various natural remedies, and small daggers used for throwing.
Personality: Elora is a fierce and driven young elf. She is remarkably stubborn compared to the majority of her kind, refusing to back down when challenged. Elora has yet to acquire the wisdom brought upon by the long years of elvenkind, making her considerably more spontaneous and direct.

Elora is a very driven person, especially when it comes to tasks that she deems important. She tends to invest herself wholeheartedly in her work, with passion and drive that few can match. Her preference for a job done-right, coupled with her passion, makes for somewhat of a reckless attitude. She often overlooks important details and requires others to keep her in check.

Beyond her recklessness and passion, Elora is a stubborn defender of her principles and ideals. She believes in the fundamental ideas of freedom and self-expression, with a heavy dislike for overbearing authority. When forced to obey orders, Elora will often complain or refuse outright, lending to a more independent nature.

When all is said and done, Elora is a very driven and hardworking individual. She is stubborn when it comes to tasks and her ideals, with a preference for independence that allows her to succeed.
Backstory: Elora was born into the Birdwhistle family, a reclusive elf clan with a history based in exile and hunting. The story of the Birdwhistle line goes that the first member was exiled from elven society based on his having orcish blood in his veins. Later, when his former home village was under the threat of a terrible mountain-dwelling dragon, he single-handedly slew the beast, saving the people that had tossed him aside. Ever since, the Birdwhistles have been known as expert dragon hunters, practising their craft all across the five isles.

Elora grew up listening to tales of heroics performed by other members of her family, and she wished to one day become a dragon hunter herself. Her father, an accomplished warrior, trained her in the arts of combat and tracking throughout much of her life. Elora's mother, an accomplished dragon hunter herself, was killed during one of her hunts when Elora was 54 and just finishing her training.

After the death of her mother, Elora decided to move away from her home and take up work as a hunter in Riverbed, a small hunting town just north of Dragon's Ascent. It's there that she now works humbly, all the while secretly pursuing her dragon-hunting dreams of glory.
Class: Ranger
Class details: Elora's expertise as a ranger falls within the categories of tracking and long-range combat. She is extremely capable with the bow and arrow, being very quick on the draw and preferring to attack with a barrage of strikes rather than precise shots. Elora uses dual shortswords in close combat. Elora is an expert tracker, able to easily pick up on any sort of trail left behind by just about any creature. Her trapping skills are also decent enough, although she struggles with staking out enemies due to her impatient nature.
Skills: Excellent tracking and hunting skills, good survivalist
Weaknesses: Stubbornness and impatience, fragile in terms of taking hits
Other: Hopefully people join this fantasy rp.

Spoiler: Accepted Forms

Spoiler: Owly - Perzin Longfellow

Username: Owly
Character Name: Perzin Longfellow
Age: The equivalent of 22
Gender: F
Race: Halfling
Appearance: Shorter than even most Halflings, Perzin stands at 2'9", cursed with both typical feminine height and tiny genes. Because she's so active, Perzin has a very muscular stature. Her skin has a bronze tinge, made deeper by tanning. Her hair is reddish brown and chopped into a pixie cut to make it more convenient for activity (much to the scorn of most who see her). Perzin has brown eyes and short lashes, with a small amount of freckles and chapped lips. Her nails are short and cracked. She normally wears tunics in earthy colors such as green or brown, decorated with tablet-woven braids, often covering them with a brown cloak. She'll also wear open-toed sandals (unless she decides to go barefoot) and brown tights. Around her waist is a belt with a knife and numerous trapping materials tucked in it. However, she keeps most of her belongings in an old knapsack she never lets out of her sight.
Personality: Perzin is one of the most affable and peppy people you'll ever meet. Very trusting, she'll strike up a conversation with pretty much anyone, which some consider a sign of naivete. She feels that she's allowed to do this because Perzin is always prepared for the worst; living on her own while being such a people person has made her nervous and paranoid. She projects a facade of being confident by being sarcastic and egotistical to the point where she's not sure whether she's faking or not. One thing's for sure: she's not confident. Perzin is a coward and she knows and hates it - one sign of trouble and she's scurrying to the nearest hiding place, doing what she can to help while keeping herself safe. That is, unless she gets angry. It takes a lot to get such a calm person mad, but once she is mad, she is ferocious. Fiercely loyal, she's not above killing for her loved ones, though she feels that life should not be wasted, and therefore will only aim to kill if she feels it's absolutely necessary.
Aside from her beliefs on mortality, Perzin believes that everyone has the right to freedom and to pursue their passions, something that is being denied to most at the moment. While she's not exactly extreme when it comes to her morals, Perzin is definitely an oddity amongst her family, and their lack of understanding for her passion led to a feeling of isolation.
Backstory: The Longfellows are a close-knit Halfling family that have been around for generations. Though they don't have stories about their own heroics, they grow up on the stories of other peoples'. These are given as cautionary tales, since most stories usually end in gruesome death. A peaceloving family, the Longfellows side with whomever is in power, preferring to stay alive than preserve their integrity. When growing up, Perzin had trouble understanding this, wanting to keep to her morals and support whomever would defend them. Struck by wanderlust and frustration, she left her family as soon as she felt she could survive on her own, trying to track down The Order of the Bards.
Class: Ranger
Class details: Her specialty is trapping, tracking, and other stealth operations. Because of her short height, Perzin can access and travel through small areas that most creatures can't fit into. While her skills with a bow and arrow are decent, she rarely, if ever, uses them, feeling that they do more harm than good. She's absolutely hopeless in close-quarters combat, preferring to retreat to an area where her opponent can't reach her (usually one of the aforementioned small places).
Skills: Trapping, tracking, stealth, medicine, communicating with people, striking deals, animals, survival skills
Weaknesses: Combat (especially close-quarters), is very trusting, paranoia, cowardice
Other: Medieval fantasy is one of my favorite genres. Let me know if any of this is unrealistic or needs changing.

Spoiler: Laserdragon14 - Shadow Battlewind

Username: Laserdragon14
Character Name: Shadow Battlewind
Age: 20
Gender: male
Race: Dragonborn
Appearance: He is about average sized for the Dragonborn and has darker color scales that almost looks black, which is a rare trait for the Dragonborn, and his eyes are brown as the earth and show determination to anyone that even glances at them. Since his blood is of an honorable family, he has been given armor and weapons that are made of the finest metal that can be offered, known as the Chief's Metal by the Dragonborn. He also proudly wears a moon necklace at all times, which came from his sister.
Personality: He is quiet but he is a strategic thinker such as he can think outside the box or he can more easily think in the long-term. Often lost in thought but when someone talks about what he likes he can be the best listener. When someone tells him to do something he will do whatever it takes to get the job done.
Backstory: He is a descendant of one of the Dragonborn's finest generals and lives in the better areas of Dragon's Ascent but with this brand of honor made the other Dragonborn his age jealous and therefore was often by himself. This also meant that he was close to his family, especially his younger sister, Luna. During his pastime, he would either read some of his father's old journals that he had kept during his campaigns or train with his father to hopefully one day become like him.
Class: Warrior
Class details: Shadow prefers to use his jagged-edged blades and with the Chief's metal armor, though strong and light, it doesn't stand too well to most magic, therefore, Shadow has been taught some defensive magic tactics in case the Hollowed were to attack. He prefers to outmaneuver his opponent and use his fast strikes to his advantage or use the jagged parts of his swords to divert his opponent's swings elsewhere and then strike a killing blow with his other sword.
Skills: tactics, limited magic (protective shielding from magic but he currently can't hold it for a long time), swordsman
Weaknesses: Often overthinks even the smallest of situations and tends to be more defensive until he can clearly see a chance to strike and isn't too trusting with others
Other: I think that this will be a good experience for my personal story which is based on the medieval era with magic. let me know if I need to change anything

 

@Owly excellent form, I love the character! Accepted ~

 

@Laserdragon14 You're missing something in the "other" section of your form, re-read the rules please. After you've made the change, you're accepted ~

EDIT: Accepted!