Adventures in the land of Berra. (Behind the story)

[ZeroParadox]

Hmm, I don't know if I should be curious or paranoid.

Guess I'll find out first chance Maxwell gets to pray.

[Randomizer4]

I fear demons xD

[Fantasy Fanatic]

I fear demons xD

That's racist...

[Zankio]

Wow... I was seriously considering saving you guys from this fight since I didn't want you all dying right in the beginning. Apparently, the dice were all in your favor instead. But you should really have taken advantage of your weapons damaging type and the benefits it brings. A spear allows for multiple blows per attack, but only if specified. Although, you didn't need it this time. Try to think about what kind of damage your weapon does, if you are unsure I'll help clarifying.

Edit: And I also realized a lot of flaws. I'll be trying to improve the combat system until next time.

Certainly felt like a dangerous situation, though I'm willing to stick with my characters decisions even if they have bad outcomes. And I suppose I've been trying to not overdo my actions as to leave more possibilities to adjust, but from this experience i'll probably try to utilize more. Also, if for some reason it takes too long for a response from me (likely from being stuck at work or something) than I wont be offended if I'm either skipped or put on some sort of autopilot for a post or two. At least for when 2 or more are waiting on my post.

Also, based on the lore for magic, we can just kind form simple spells readily, but more complex ones require intellect? I just want to avoid trying to use something beyond my limits.

[Fantasy Fanatic]

Wow... I was seriously considering saving you guys from this fight since I didn't want you all dying right in the beginning. Apparently, the dice were all in your favor instead. But you should really have taken advantage of your weapons damaging type and the benefits it brings. A spear allows for multiple blows per attack, but only if specified. Although, you didn't need it this time. Try to think about what kind of damage your weapon does, if you are unsure I'll help clarifying.

Edit: And I also realized a lot of flaws. I'll be trying to improve the combat system until next time.

Certainly felt like a dangerous situation, though I'm willing to stick with my characters decisions even if they have bad outcomes. And I suppose I've been trying to not overdo my actions as to leave more possibilities to adjust, but from this experience i'll probably try to utilize more. Also, if for some reason it takes too long for a response from me (likely from being stuck at work or something) than I wont be offended if I'm either skipped or put on some sort of autopilot for a post or two. At least for when 2 or more are waiting on my post.

Also, based on the lore for magic, we can just kind form simple spells readily, but more complex ones require intellect? I just want to avoid trying to use something beyond my limits.

Currently most spells you guys can pull off are those that add or remove status effects or deal less than 5 damage. You will get to see some more epic magic later on, but magicians are really meant to be supports in this. A Spellsword is a compromise. they have access to all the spells low level mages/clerics and other magician classes do, but they don't really evolve their magic beyond that. The only new magic they get are weapon buffs. If any of you guys do try and cast a spell beyond your abilities, it will be turned into something you can cast, or it will simply fail. This will mostly depend on how you word it. "Anon threw a bolt of lightning at his enemies." would for example be easy to interpret as a stun spell. While "Anon cast Divine Thunder spear." Is a bit harder to adapt. In this case it would just simply fail.

About skipping your turn if you take your time, I will only do something like that if 48 hours have passed. And if it happens again the limit will change to 24, then 12 and so on.

[Fantasy Fanatic]

Reminder of the Lore.

Just a quick reminder that there's lore to be explored. I'm considering making a separate thread for this so that it will all be easier to access, what do you guys think? But until then, I'll just post all available ones here, as well as all those I've already written about.

Current lore available:
Race:
Human. [x]
Gnoll. [x]
Elf. [x]
Demon. [x]
Beastmen. [ ]
Orc. [ ]
Faeries. [ ]
Class:
Hunter/huntress. [ ]
Monk. [ ]
Knight. [ ]
Cleric. [ ]
Spellsword. [ ]
Rouge. [ ]
Bonus:
Magic. [x]
Slavery. [x]
Population. [ ]
Berra. [ ]
The 10 lands. [ ]
Laws. [ ]
Witch cats. [ ]

Already written/requested lore:
Slavery.

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

Lore: Slavery.

Slavery is an ancient practice in the land Berra. It has existed for over 600 years. While not as old as the ascending of the lands, it is one of the older truths about the world that slavery will always exist. Slavery came as a result of war between different races or groups of the past. Despite being almost at the bottom of society, slaves surprisingly enough have some basic rights. While the laws surrounding slavery are questionable and not always followed, there is one that is set in stone. "Any who attempts to free a slave without having claimed ownership first, or hides a slave asked for that is not theirs will be punished by taking their place.".

One is considered a slave once they have been branded and been bound to a slave collar. A slave collar can not be bound to a person who has yet to be branded or has already been connected to another slave collar. A slave can be freed by law if their owner decides to set them free. But the brand of a slave can never truly be removed, only the magic binding them to their slave collar can.

A once branded slave who has been set free can not be branded again. Attempting something like a re-branding is punishable by death.

Elves.

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

Lore: Elves.
Elves are but one of the many races that walk the ten lands. Looking close to identical to humans, Elves are easily identified by their pointy ears. Elves are also notorious for their longevity. However, there exist numerous different types of Elves. A few others are Dark Elves, Blood Elves and Wild Elves. Elves are deeply connected to their magic and their body changes to resemble the magic that they use. Elves who use water magic will find their appearance changing towards that of water living creatures, those practicing plant like magic will find themselves grow faster and able to gather energy from sunlight. The way their magic changes them can differ greatly. The change is however a long time process and it could take decades for changes to begin appearing. Young Elves usually retain their human like appearance until they've grown up past the age of 50.

Differences:
Regular Elves:
Regular Elves below the age of 50 usually keep their human like appearance and can easily be mistaken for one. And just like humans, the many skin, hair and eye colors are the same. Regular Elves can be found all over the 10 lands and are just as common as your average Human, Beastman or Orc.
Dark Elves:
A rare breed of Elves who gain additional powers while in the dark. With exceptional night vision and the common trait to turn themselves invisible in the moonlight, they are a rare sight. Of course, if seen in plain daylight they're easy to distinguish as they tend to have a skin color of either Black, or some variation of gray. The traits of Dark Elves tend to appear in Elven families who live close to the southern border of Berra, making them an even more unusual sight in the north.
Blood Elves:
The most distinguishing trait among the Blood Elves are their longer and sharper pointed ears, their crimson red irises and unique orange-red skin color. Blood Elves remain pretty much a mystery, appearing only 130 years ago on Berra. "Said to have abandoned their gods, a group of Elves were said to have left for the wilderness, studying forbidden magic until they managed to transform themselves into Blood Elves while also losing their sanity." That is the common story between other Elves of how Blood Elves came to be. Any and all Blood Elves that make an appearance, they all seem to be crazy to some degree. The most common trait between them is their insatiable blood lust. So many end up being killed in self defense, making it hard to find where they come from, especially since they seem to somehow manage to appear from out of nowhere.
Wild Elves.
Wild Elves are Elves who live in the wild with no form of society. Not much is known about them besides their abilities to shape shift and how they seem to favor nature above else. Their close connection to nature also extends to their magic making them natural spell casters. These elusive Elves are best left alone since their magic mostly reacts to their emotions and can become extremely dangerous.

Humans.

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

Lore: Humans.
Humans are a common sight in any of the big cities of Berra or any other of the 10 lands. As the race that originally settled most cities in the 10 lands, Humans are essentially the backbone of society. For as long as anyone can remember, Humans have been the race to capitalize both trade and transport. Whenever you find yourself in need of a merchant, it's almost a sure thing that you're looking for a human. If you wish to find a safe path along the sea, a Human will be your guide. It was the Human society that made the villages into towns and towns into cities. It was their close knit society that brought together other races that wished to be a part of their greatness. As the other races joined the human society it changed and adapted into what eventually became the present world. Were it not for the Humans, Elves would still live in the forests, without the knowledge of metal. Were it not for Humans, Orcs would still wage war on themselves and others to please their gods in bloody combat instead of honorary duels. And were it not for Humans, the Darwfs wouldn't have seen the light of the sun and found their connection to earth broaden into garden work and reveal to them the beauty of the world. Humans brought unity to the ten lands, that all agree upon. However, while humans united all the races, they never saw themselves as superior for it. The Human race is ancient and and said to have come from beyond the 10 lands. When they found their way into this world, they had already suffered war and oppression and wished to never repeat it. So in the end, they did the best they could to secure a better future, and the world before you is the result of their efforts.

While Humans where for a long time seen by the other races as divine sent by their gods to enlighten them, that notion died out after a few generations. Now, humans are the norm of society, just like the other races and just like the humans of old wished.

Gnolls.

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

Lore: Gnolls.
Gnolls are humanoid creature with an appearance similar to that of a hyena walking on two legs. It is usually hard to differentiate their gender until you hear their voice or see a pregnant one. Gnolls are also purely carnivores which is highly suggested by their sharp teeth.

While Gnolls aren't a usual sight in the cities of Berra, it is not due to them being far and few in between, but due to them rather living together in communities made up purely out of other Gnolls. Gnolls are nomadic, meaning they travel constantly from place to place, leaving once again once food becomes scarce. However, with time, some tribes have settled down in permanent locations along widely used trade routes, instead relying on trade to keep themselves alive. As a nomadic people who lived in many separate tribes who rarely crossed paths with each other, each tribe has it's own unique culture and history. The most common traits within a pure Gnoll community is the importance of family and family possessions. Most, if not all of a Gnoll's possessions tend to be family heirlooms or gifts from people close to them. Meaning Gnolls rely very little on trade besides food.

A common belief for Gnolls is that their relatives spirits are always with them and their heirlooms. The magic used to preserve and repair such things are also considered to be a result of their families power. The magic to preserve, renew and repair is unique to the Gnoll race.

Magic.

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

Lore: Magic.
Magic fills everything in the world, be it living or dead. The natural magic existing in everything is known as neutral magic and is what all other magic derives from. Whenever someone uses magic, they begin by taking magic either from the surrounding area or directly from the magic inside themselves. Following that, the magic is then molded into the appropriate form to suit the casters needs. The most common forms magic tends to be molded into are Elemental, Dark, Dead, Living, Dense and Burst. There exist more types but these six are the most common and most spells fall into this category. Magical forms however tend to be neglected since most casters unconsciously form magic by instinct. The proper utilization of the term is mostly used by Alchemists where knowing the forms helps with their research.

Since magic exists in everything, Everything has a certain resistance to magic. Living objects tend to have a much higher magical resistance due to them constantly stockpiling magic and building up their resistance. Meaning they retain this trait even after death. While magic is a force of instinct, Alchemist constantly work to improve spells efficiency, meaning that most spells require the proper instructions or to have been memorized if they are to be cast at peak efficiency. Magic is mostly used to buff allies and weaken enemies by giving and removing status effects.

Demons.

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

Lore: Demons.
Demons used to be what is commonly known as a summoning race. Back when Demons could only be summoned as companions for a limited time, there was a hero who decided to try and keep a demon in the realm of the 10 lands for as long as he could. He managed to hold the Demon in the 10 lands for three years before having to let her go. However, during these three years, much had happened and the pair had found themselves having fallen in love with each other. And when the Demon was sent back to her realm, she yearned for her lover and awaited the day he would summon her again. Somehow, her love for him managed to reach between the realms and let her summon herself to his side. (See the lore on Summoning for more details as well as a proper explanation.)
In the end, they had children and their children could remain in the 10 lands without being summoned due to them being born there. And thus the species of Demons became native to the ten lands.

There exist many different types of Demons and their powers wary greatly. Common traits to be found in Demons are horns, wings tails and red or black skin of some kind. Some Demons also have the ability to change their appearance.

Lesser Demon.
Lesser Demons are Demons born with a magical level and strength lower or equal to the the average Human. Lesser Demons are commonly born in families where only one parent was of Demon heritage.

Demon.
A regular Demon possess a strong connection to magic and with greater strength than average humans. Regular Demons are usually bigger in size than Lesser Demons.

Greater Demon.
Greater Demons are Demons with powers equal to those of old Wizards and Warriors. Greater Demons are the result of regular Demons having cultivated and improved their own powers under a long time.

Royal Demon.
Royal Demons are much like regular Demons but have two abilities that sets them apart from the rest. Their ability to make others follow their every command by looking them in the eyes and their unusual longevity that can almost rival the one natural to Elves.

[Firehead]

I'd be interested in getting The 10 lands lore.

[Zankio]

Currently most spells you guys can pull off are those that add or remove status effects or deal less than 5 damage. You will get to see some more epic magic later on, but magicians are really meant to be supports in this. A Spellsword is a compromise. they have access to all the spells low level mages/clerics and other magician classes do, but they don't really evolve their magic beyond that. The only new magic they get are weapon buffs. If any of you guys do try and cast a spell beyond your abilities, it will be turned into something you can cast, or it will simply fail. This will mostly depend on how you word it. "Anon threw a bolt of lightning at his enemies." would for example be easy to interpret as a stun spell. While "Anon cast Divine Thunder spear." Is a bit harder to adapt. In this case it would just simply fail.

Ahh thank you, that helps a lot. I'm glad you also mentioned weapons buffs, since it was something I was wanting to utilize at some point.

[Randomizer4]

I should probably reply xD also, since I am a knight, it would be handy to know about

[Fantasy Fanatic]

So, the language the Blood Elf spoke... I'm going to reveal that figuring it out will trigger a secret main quest if responding positively and will most likely benefit the entire party. That it is a "main quest" only means that that quest will most likely be the biggest goal for your party for a long while. It is by no means necessary to take the quest on even if you guys reveal it. And since it will be something that'll affect the whole group, I'd suggest you guys take some time to decide together if you'll take it. That is, if you figure this out. Also, don't be afraid with taking your time with figuring this all out together, I'm alright with keeping this game paused if you all want to give this a try. I should also probably mention that you don't HAVE to translate it yourselves, if you can just correctly name the language I'm using for this I'll give you guys the translation. I think that's it, now on to writing that lore you guys requested.

And just as a reminder, here are the 2 clues.
1, this is a language found in an IRL religious text.
2, think angels and demons.

[Randomizer4]

Having had both, we can rule out Latin and Ancient Greek, methinks.

Due to the way the words work, it doesn't sound like Arabic.

So does anyone have any knowledge of the old religious texts?

Sanskrit, Hebrew, Hindi? It also sounds somewhat like Celtic, but I'm not sure they had religious texts xD
Anyone watched Angels and Demons? xD

[Fantasy Fanatic]

And here I sit, smiling evilly while watching you try and solve this.

[ZeroParadox]

Meddruxgraph talmedtalgraphdruxgisg.

[Fantasy Fanatic]

Alternative secret quest line unlocked. Congratulations all of you!

The decision to chose between this quest line one and another will soon appear, you'll all have to decide how you will proceed.

[Randomizer4]

Heeey now you have to tell us the secret

[Fantasy Fanatic]

The exact translation of what she said was "I do not think you understand. She already serves under me, Drossa. But you did consider her
an equal, despite knowing what she is and does. If you free her and let her come with you, I shall
allow you and your companions to remain unharmed by my followers. But she will not be yours in
any way, she only follows me. And in exchange for her services, you will let her deal with any
undesirables her way. Do we have a deal?"

The language and method however will remain a secret.

[ZeroParadox]

I'd also like to think it's appropriate for the cleric to understand the language, from a roleplay point of view. And this way the other players can honestly react when encountering a being speaking in a foreign tongue.

[Randomizer4]

Scurry!

[Firehead]

About the lore you mentioned earlier, I was wondering if we could get that The 10 Lands lore put up.

[Fantasy Fanatic]

About the lore you mentioned earlier, I was wondering if we could get that The 10 Lands lore put up.

Yeah yeah. Give it some time. I've tried doing it a few times today but I've been interrupted several times. It'll be posted when It's posted.