Lightsworn Panda he/him Posted November 1, 2014 Report Share Posted November 1, 2014 Can Inquisitors wield magic? Also, is magic not very widespread, since I don't see much mention of it in your backstories? Great work, Seonid. I really look forward to when it starts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BreathTaker he/him Posted November 1, 2014 Report Share Posted November 1, 2014 Storms now I want to be an Inquisitor of the Martyr instead of the Court. Heavy Armored Tanks with giant weapons are my usual but I wanted to do something more along the lines of what the Martyr's Inquisitors wear and I want pistols so Storming bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seonid he/him Posted November 1, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2014 Can Inquisitors wield magic? Also, is magic not very widespread, since I don't see much mention of it in your backstories? Great work, Seonid. I really look forward to when it starts. Some Inquisitors can wield magic, but not all. Unlike the Order of the Paladins, where a familiar bond is a prerequisite, Inquisitors are chosen for their loyalty. Those who have the gene are tested for and trained, but the Inquisition is much too large to be able to fill their ranks with magic-users only. The Paladin Order (still coming up with the in-world name or names of the order(s) - a Paladin would introduce him/herself as "I am [name], Paladin of the Order of [name];" there are potentially more than one order of Paladins) fill their ranks wholly with magic users, but they have access to several populations who are far higher than normal in terms of magic users. As far as how widespread magic is in the population: not at all. I think I mentioned before that the frequency of expression of the gene for magic is about 1 in 10,000 in the general population. Not all of the people who have the gene learn about it and are able to train it, of course, and not all of those who do learn about it decide to do anything with it. In the minds of the average person (including the nobility, so this isn't just the commoners), the only positive association with magic is with religion. Magic users outside of religion (or of a religion different than the one that the person belongs to) are viewed in a highly negative light, except for in certain communities focused around the magic itself. The Magi at Lushbeck are an example of such a group, but they were mobbed and driven out around 1307, so this serves as an illustration both ways. Most religious magic is Type II-a, with a very few incidences of Type I (generally less than four or five on the planet at any given time, and sometimes as low as none). Type II-b is almost never associated with religion generally (although the groups that teach it and explore it are generally religious or quasi-religious in nature, these groups/religions tend to be exclusionary, non-evangelizing, and often are perceived as fringe and other. None of the major religions - The Church of the Martyr, the Court of the Gods, worship of the Life-bringer, and the religion of the Prophet - dabble in Type II-b magic, and several of them condemn it), and is limited either to self-taught individuals or to the small communities who have grown up around it (again, such as the Magi of Lushbeck). Just as a general note, the trend of history on the continent is towards decreasing tolerance of magic. The loss of tolerance in religious matters won't come for a couple of centuries past the times we're interested in, but the revolt against the Inquisition in 1424-25 sets the stage for the slow disappearance of religious dominance in political matters. Eventually, even religious use of magic is persecuted by the culture and disappears. By the time the planet reaches the Space Age (roughly 1800-1900 or so, although they've adopted a new calendar by then, counting the volcanic eruption in 1423 as year 0), magic has not been practiced openly for so long that any belief in it is considered incredulous, and historical accounts regarding magic are treated as the result of ancient superstition. Underground use of magic may persist, however, in close-knit and hidden communities even through the Space Age and beyond. Storms now I want to be an Inquisitor of the Martyr instead of the Court. Heavy Armored Tanks with giant weapons are my usual but I wanted to do something more along the lines of what the Martyr's Inquisitors wear and I want pistols so Storming bad. Both are pretty bad-chull. Go with either one suits your fancy. If you do have pistols, then they'll be among the first pistols ever seen on the continent. So there's shock value there, and the smug satisfaction that comes of owning almost the only weapon of a type that has ever been built. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BreathTaker he/him Posted November 1, 2014 Report Share Posted November 1, 2014 So would a Paladin be able to have a pistol or two along with their regular weapons? I'm now leaning heavily towards the Martyr but I like titles and shock value. If I do Martyr, I have a bad chull idea for an intro scene where he has just cleared out a nest of Heretics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seonid he/him Posted November 2, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 2, 2014 So would a Paladin be able to have a pistol or two along with their regular weapons? I'm now leaning heavily towards the Martyr but I like titles and shock value. If I do Martyr, I have a bad chull idea for an intro scene where he has just cleared out a nest of Heretics. In 1375, a Paladin might have a pistol. He'd be the only Paladin to do so, and he'd have to be a bit of a maverick to do so (Paladins consider their weapons holy, with good reason, and generally don't consider using other folks'), but it is at the edge of the realm of possibility. Inquisitors would be more likely, as their hunt for secret heresies often takes them far afield from the lands controlled by the Martyr and into contact with people who might have new weapons like this. By 1400, a Paladin with a pistol would be no more noteworthy than a Paladin with a crossbow. Unorthodox? Sure. Weird? Not really. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lightsworn Panda he/him Posted November 2, 2014 Report Share Posted November 2, 2014 Huh. I thought Type-I magic would be a bit common. Ah, well. The Inquisitors sound pretty awesome. Now, what are the chances of there being a Panda worhshipping Priest? In all seriousness, though, I actually am considering creating a Panda Priest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seonid he/him Posted November 4, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 4, 2014 Ok. So, first update: I just finished my first day at my new job, and looking at it, I don't think I'm going to have time to run the RP until the semester is over. Sorry about the delay, but we are going to have to postpone this thing until mid-Dec. I think an arbitrary date of Dec. 15th will work just fine. I will periodically update with worldbuilding info and I'll still try to respond to questions, but there isn't enough time to commit to running the RP until then. (After Dec. 15, I'm good timewise all the way until at least next August, and hopefully farther.) About Panda Priests - certain branches of the Senlii or Shogadu people do reverence animals, viewing them as either representations of powerful spirits or symbols of honored ancestors (depending on which of their worship systems is dominant). Pandas could definitely fit on the list. What exactly are you thinking about with panda worship/a Panda Priest? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lightsworn Panda he/him Posted November 4, 2014 Report Share Posted November 4, 2014 I'm thinking about a Panda devoted Priest who is bestowed with the power of a Higher Being, who happens/used to be a Panda. That'll make for some interesting RP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seonid he/him Posted November 4, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 4, 2014 Hmm...I doubt there would be a Higher Being that was once a panda, but there could certainly be one that manifests as a panda (either because it likes it, or because its followers expect it, or both) if it makes an appearance in the physical realm. I'm still a little hazy on the political details of the Outer Realms. The followers of this being would likely belong to the far north, either Nessei (unlikely but possible), Shogadu, or Senlii (if so, it would be an underground religion, to avoid Imperial suppression). Cultural details will be forthcoming, but expect vaguely Asian. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lightsworn Panda he/him Posted November 4, 2014 Report Share Posted November 4, 2014 Sounds good. You might want to send us a PM when the games starts to remind us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seonid he/him Posted November 5, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 5, 2014 Oh I will. In fact, I'm going to change the thread title as well. Hopefully that will let other interested parties know who might not have been following this thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BreathTaker he/him Posted November 8, 2014 Report Share Posted November 8, 2014 Ok, My character is going to be a Paladin. I was wondering if there is a way to associate either him or his Battalion with the Raven. I want him to be a high ranked field officer if that's cool with you. The reason I want the Raven is because obviously I love ravens but also because the Raven was a symbol of cunning and wisdom, but as a carrion bird also a symbol of battle and death. Warriors who fought beneath raven banners were said to be invincible, and reading the movements of ravens were thought to predict the outcome of battles. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seonid he/him Posted November 11, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 11, 2014 Ok, My character is going to be a Paladin. I was wondering if there is a way to associate either him or his Battalion with the Raven. I want him to be a high ranked field officer if that's cool with you. A Paladin sounds excellent. As far as associating with the Raven, that is rather easy. The short reason is because each Paladin has their own insignia, based on their House rather than a specific religious Paladin symbol. It is a simple thing to make the Raven one of the symbols. Consider it canon. The long reason requires more explanation. But hey, when have I needed an excuse to post a wall of text in this thread? The Court of the Gods To understand the role that Paladins play in the politics of this religion, we've got to understand a few things about the religion itself. The pantheon is called the Tribunal, so the religion can strictly be called the religion of the Tribunal. However, the central point of worship is in the sacred city of Al'Lidne, which is called the Court of the Gods. The religion is often referred to by this name as well. The two terms are nearly interchangeable. The Tribunal consists of seven high gods, and quite a few lesser ones. The Seven are: Taris, the king of the gods, the Stormcaller, Nalathea the Virgin, Argon the Warrior, Hurisen the Lawgiver, but also the Lady of Gifts, Khurdan the Maker, Jerad the Wise, and Miranda, who is simultaneously the life-giving one (for both the land and the people), the Lover (she is consort to Taris), and Mistress of Death. Important minor gods include: Lin Hei, the messenger of the gods, and also the god of revelation and seeing, often called the Fateweaver, Yann and Garyth, god of the fields and lord of winter, respectively, and Kira, lady of the hearth. The Court of the Gods is the temple district of the city of Al'Lidne. It holds the central temples of six of the seven members of the Tribunal (the main or central temple of Nalathea is in Lilytan), and around 30 temples to various minor gods and goddesses. The high priest of the temple of Taris is the head of the religion, and together with the high priests/priestesses of the rest of the Seven, makes up the highest governing body - also called the Tribunal. The Court of the Gods is also the home of various military orders dedicated to various gods, as well as the Legion of the Sacred Temple - the most powerful and versatile of the military orders sworn to the service of the Tribunal. It is officially tasked with the protection of the temple, but has often been expanded to be an significant offensive power. However, the days when the Legion could march all the way from Al'Lidne to Alcorazim unopposed, or lay siege to Corento to bring back just one heretic priest, are long gone. For operations outside of places where the Tribunal has recognized authority, the order of the Paladins is utilized. The Order is divided into twelve houses, which are counted as noble houses in the eastern kingdoms. A person not a member of one of the houses who wishes to join the order must renounce their own familial ties and be adopted into one of the twelve houses. Careful breeding has resulted in a set of communities that have high prevalences of the magic-using gene. These individuals are groomed to eventually become Paladins, while non-magic users end up serving in other capacities in the Order. * * * * * It's late now, and I've got a lot to do tomorrow. Tomorrow evening after work, however, I should be able to post another installment. This one will be focused on the organization of the Order, and how it tends to function. It will also discuss Squires as well as detailing the responsibilities of a full Paladin. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unodus he/him Posted November 11, 2014 Report Share Posted November 11, 2014 Can I sign up for joining in on the game? .o. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seonid he/him Posted November 12, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2014 Can I sign up for joining in on the game? .o. Sure! Glad to have you! Go ahead and read through the worldbuilding information. The RP proper starts on Dec. 15th, but my finals get over on the 11th, so expect a lot of background information specific to the setting we'll be playing in around then. And, for anyone who's still following this thread, I've got a brief (briefer than I'd like) summary of the order of the Paladins Order of the Paladins The order of the Paladins was officially founded in the late 700's, but the origins go back almost a century and a half before that, rooted in an Atani tradition where the third son of a noble house would dedicate himself to a member of the Tribunal (most often Taris, who has as one of his titles - Lord of Justice, although Hurisen the Lawgiver was by no means uncommon) and spend his life dedicated to the promotion of justice. On those occasions when such a third son had the magic-using gene expressed, a familiar bond was often formed with a spirit whose goals aligned with the actions of the paladin. The practice was formalized into the Order of the Paladins, and placed under the purview of the priests of Taris. For about a century, the tradition of sending third sons into the Order continued, but it was gradually replaced by the growth of new political and familial structures surrounding the order itself. Around 900 S.E., these structures were formally recognized by the Court of the Gods as the twelve Houses of the Order. From the official founding of the order, candidates who were capable of forming a familiar bond were being sought out to participate, and by 950, no candidate was eligible to become a full Paladin without it. ****** So much for the historical development. Now for the actual organization: ****** The current organization is divided into two parts - the organization for those who are candidates to be Paladins, and the organizational structure for those who are not. Those who have the potential undergo rigorous martial training as well as developing the mind through study and religious practices. After a period of training, they undergo individual one-on-one mentoring by a current Paladin, before undergoing the ceremony that induces the familiar bond. For those who cannot become Paladins, the structure is different. These make up the bulk of the houses, of course; even in these tightly-knit communities, only 1 in 100 or so are actually born with the genetic makeup. Many choose to serve the order in mundane ways, working in commerce, banking, agriculture, or other fields to support the temporal needs of the Order. Others, and not a small fraction, choose to serve militarily. These range from the House Guardsmen that provide security for the safe houses, fortresses, and manors affiliated with the order to the Squires who accompany Paladins into the field. A full Paladin will be accompanied by 7-10 squires at any time, meaning that a Paladin is already a small unit commander. This provides significant leverage in political disputes. In addition to the squires, a Paladin can call upon the services of other men-at-arms of the order to fulfill his duties. Depending on the House, their resources, and the area in which the Paladin is serving, this can range from several dozen infantrymen and light cavalry to a full battalion of over a thousand men capable of investing an enemy stronghold. Politically, the Paladin Order is independent of any secular government, and is governed directly by the Court of the Gods. Their reputation for upholding justice won goodwill enough to allow them free rein in many of the southern nations (including, at times, the empires of Alcorazim and Navar), but the rise of the Church of the Martyr has closed most of the northern nations to them (at least officially; they still operate there, but with a smaller profile. They are often targets of the Inquisition, but are only rarely captured). The functions of a Paladin remain similar to the mandate which the third sons originally swore to - uphold justice, protect those who cannot protect themselves, oppose evil (this is defined differently in different time periods; sometimes evil means opposition to the Court of the Gods, sometimes it means certain of the various sorcerer's cults that spring up from time to time, sometimes it means opposing the influence of certain spiritual entities who are, in Tribunal theology, diametrically opposed to the Seven. Further elaboration on this theme will have to wait until I have more fully fleshed out the political situation among the Outer Realms). A common practice is for Paladins to go into service as lawyers or judges in towns that cannot provide their own. In a city, this might instead manifest as being a judge or a lawyer for the poor, who might not be able to afford the services of the law otherwise. Militarily, the Paladins are the arm of the Tribunal in places where they do not hold cultural and political dominion. During the mid-to-late 1300's, the Order was instrumental in helping many of the city-states of the Delta and the Minharan Valley retain independence in the face of the Imperial conquest. In 1355, when the Alcorazimai Emporer ascended to the high priest's office, the Order was officially disbanded. However, they still remained active in places that did not recognize Imperial authority. These branches were cut off from many of their traditional assets, and were greatly reduced in power, but they nonetheless survived various purges over the next century. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BreathTaker he/him Posted November 12, 2014 Report Share Posted November 12, 2014 Do familiars take on animal form or do they remain in their ethreal form? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unodus he/him Posted November 12, 2014 Report Share Posted November 12, 2014 Ok, I've gone over everything Some questions though... Should I announce a "character template" before the game begins? and if I do, what are my options? (I understand the game will take place in a bordering Medieval/fantasy theme- is our role in the story to influence and change the world around us (for the better, I assume :3) or to interact with it- and explore?) What is your stance on Chronomancy? (Time manipulation magic) I understand you have a magical system in play, would that branch of magick be applicable? (And more importantly, possible to use in a RP perspective?) And finally, I see there are a lot of "Factions"- is being aligned with one obligatory, or necessary? I understand magic is strongly tied with "Religion", will being apart from "Religous Factions" stint magical capabilities, and if so- are there other ways of gaining Magicks? Thanks for allowing me to join in ^-^ I look forward to playing :3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kobold King he/him Posted November 12, 2014 Report Share Posted November 12, 2014 Forgive me if this question has already been answered, or if I'm grossly misunderstanding the way the magic works--I learn best by immersion, and I can't always keep details in my head properly. The familiar spirits intrigue me. Do they possess human or near human intelligence, and if so, would I be eligible to play as another's PC's familiar animal? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mailliw73 he/him Posted November 13, 2014 Report Share Posted November 13, 2014 Are Paladin, Ranger, and Guardian from this world? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Voidus Posted November 13, 2014 Report Share Posted November 13, 2014 So I'm currently trying to do a profile for an Inquisitor Sorceror, what kind of rules are there for Inquisitors with regards to marriage, both before becoming an Inquisitor and while an Inquisitor?(I'm thinking of having him have a contract with the spirit of his wife) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seonid he/him Posted November 13, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 13, 2014 Forgive me if this question has already been answered, or if I'm grossly misunderstanding the way the magic works--I learn best by immersion, and I can't always keep details in my head properly. The familiar spirits intrigue me. Do they possess human or near human intelligence, and if so, would I be eligible to play as another's PC's familiar animal? First question first. Yes. All of them possess human or near-human intelligence (some even greater), but their perception of the Material world is not the same as a mortal's. I have some more work to do in hammering out the details in the perception, but I'll post it later. If you are intrigued by the idea of playing as another PC's familiar, that sounds like a very interesting character to me. Are Paladin, Ranger, and Guardian from this world? Not in their current state, no. However, the characters who I based them off of are. Samhain Seonid, the prototype for Paladin, became a leader in the rebellion of 1299 (see my post on the previous page for more information), and he is the source of my forum handle. He was compassionate and merciful, unlike Paladin, who has been twisted by Calamity. Ranger was based off of Asher Il'veradon, a Ti'in tribesman from the far south. He made his way north searching for his sister who had been taken by slavers, and ended up as Seonid's friend and companion. Guardian came from Ariel of the house of Kilbaen, a student at the Academy of War during Seonid's time there. She ended up as his personal bodyguard. The long-distance crush she has on him is canon. No, the two of them never work out. So I'm currently trying to do a profile for an Inquisitor Sorceror, what kind of rules are there for Inquisitors with regards to marriage, both before becoming an Inquisitor and while an Inquisitor? (I'm thinking of having him have a contract with the spirit of his wife) As far as marriage, Inquisitors are forbidden from having current relationships, as those could potentially be used against them. Widows are accepted into the order, however, as long as any children are fully grown, not heterodox, heretics, or apostates, and so on. As for having the contract with the spirit of a wife, well, that would be quite tough to manage but not impossible. Death severs the energy left in the bonds that connect a spirit to a mortal body, leaving the spirit of a deceased mortal nearly unable to perform magic on another's behalf. However, deceased spirits tend to move on to an Outer Realm. If said spirit was invested by one of the more powerful entities in that Realm, they would certainly be able to become a familiar spirit, but would likely only do so by divine assignment. Also, Unodus, I missed your question during this round of answers and my lunch break is over. I'll answer it when I get another chance. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Voidus Posted November 13, 2014 Report Share Posted November 13, 2014 Alright a different familiar it is then, just wanted to run it by you first. I think I'll keep the widowed Inquisitor backstory then, I'll post a profile up soonish. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kobold King he/him Posted November 13, 2014 Report Share Posted November 13, 2014 First question first. Yes. All of them possess human or near-human intelligence (some even greater), but their perception of the Material world is not the same as a mortal's. I have some more work to do in hammering out the details in the perception, but I'll post it later. If you are intrigued by the idea of playing as another PC's familiar, that sounds like a very interesting character to me. I'm in love with non-human characters, especially the ones with radically non-human minds and ways of looking at the world. Would a familiar of an animal-like appearance possess the same quirks and general personality as a wholly biological animal of the same kind? For instance, would a cat-like familiar enjoy hunting and cleaning itself, or would a crocodile-like familiar enjoy wallowing in cool water or basking in the sun? I guess I'm open for adoption. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Voidus Posted November 13, 2014 Report Share Posted November 13, 2014 I'll adopt you Kobold, it would save me having to create a familiar 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kobold King he/him Posted November 13, 2014 Report Share Posted November 13, 2014 I'll adopt you Kobold, it would save me having to create a familiar You're too kind. Though just to establish some ground rules, I'm wholly against spaying or neutering familiar spirits. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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