Post by Holly on Dec 4, 2016 15:45:45 GMT -5
~ This rp is loosely based on Kiera Cass’s books, The Selection Series ~
ABOUT ILLEA
Illea is a (fictional) island kingdom west of England and north of Portugal. It is a small country known for the jewels and precious metals found in its mines and worked by numerous skilled jewelers. Unfortunately, great rewards come with great risks, and one such risk has recently manifested itself in the form of a large mine collapse, leaving many killed or injured and many others without their usual source of income. The royal family is working to rectify the problem, but the process is a slow one.
Even so, Illea is one of the few stable monarchies left in the world, because the royal family makes an effort to remain in touch with its people. One way they do so is through the Selection.
ABOUT THE SELECTION
The Selection is a contest of sorts that is held whenever the heir to the monarchy reaches the age of 20. Twelve young ladies or young men between the ages of 17 and 23, three from each of the country’s Quadrants, are chosen at random to come live at the palace as guests—and as possible spouses for the heir. The entire country is encouraged to follow the Selection with interest, as it is a great honor not only to marry the heir, but also to share life and ideas with the royal family.
ABOUT THE EDUCATIONAL/PROFESSIONAL SYSTEM
The Illean school system is very different from the American system. Here, children decide in which direction they would like to continue their education around the age of thirteen. They may move into one of three branches: science (chemistry, psychology, etc.), arts (music, history, etc.), or trade (mining, construction, etc.). A child’s education is then streamlined more and more as they decide what they want to do as a career. School stops being mandatory at the age of fifteen, and it is not uncommon for many people to begin their careers while they are still teenagers. (It is thus conceivable that any of your characters could either still be in school or could have a job, depending only upon their preference.)
SOME HISTORY
The Selection has been in place for generations, but it is still a fairly new and unique tradition. The first Selection received international attention as a farce and a scandal but was simultaneously, undeniably intriguing. After it produced such spectacular results, it was embraced and made into law.
Some recent Selections of note are those of the current Crown Prince’s — Prince Augustus— grandfather and of his own mother.
Augustus’s grandfather, King Adam, had a younger brother, Prince Aidan. Prince Aidan was never quite mentally healthy—psychopathic at best and insane at worst. Adam’s Selection went smoothly and resulted in his marriage to Queen Evelyn. However, Adam wasn’t the only one who had fallen in love with Evelyn—Aidan had as well, and his inability to have her as his own wife drove him to even more erratic and confrontational behavior. When he became menacing, it was finally decided that he would be removed to live in the royal family’s summer villa on the country’s southwest coast. After Prince Roland was born, though, bearing a striking resemblance to his uncle, Aidan was not allowed to return at all. Dueling rumors claimed that Aidan’s permanent exile was a result of the Queen’s fear for her own and her child’s safety; others claimed it was because the little prince was indeed Aidan’s son and that the King and Queen were trying to cover it up. Later, Princess Miranda’s birth and looks—a perfect mixture of the King and the Prince—quieted those rumors and eventually laid them to rest.
King Roland’s Selection also went smoothly, but he died before producing an heir. Queen Miranda ascended the throne and decided—against her adviser’s wishes—to hold her own Selection. Many, both in Illea and without, argued that the Queen ought to make a reasonable match with another dignitary, that she was too old to host a Selection (31 at the time, and still single), that men would not line up to be sorted through like girls would. However, Miranda was always known for being brave and strong, and most of all, stubborn, and she did the Selection her way and married Prince Anthony, who has been nothing but lovingly exemplary since. Queen Miranda’s was a Selection to go down in history.
And now it is her son’s turn.
SOME SELECTION RULES
* The Selected ladies’ romantic affections may be directed toward the Crown Prince only. Any display of romantic feelings toward anyone else will be considered treason and is therefore punishable by death.
* None of the Selected is allowed to leave the Selection without the Crown Prince’s consent or command.
* Any physical infractions with or sabotaging of the other Selected will result in immediate dismissal.
* The Selected will attend and participate in all lessons and activities intended to educate and prepare them for life as a queen (these will include lessons in etiquette, history, math, dancing, etc.), led by Lydia Whites.
* The Women’s Room is set aside for the Selected and the Queen; no men are allowed to enter this haven without the Queen’s permission, including guards.
* Each Selected will be assigned a maid who will assist in any and all necessary areas, including dress, cleaning, and correspondence.
* Cell phones, computers, and other devices are not allowed within the palace. This is to prevent the leakage of any potentially dangerous or secret information, as well as to prevent the girls from undermining or manipulating the public’s view of any of the other girls. Computers for research purposes are available in the library, and phone calls to family and friends will be permitted once a week via a landline located in one of the spare (and locked) offices. Letters may be written at any time, but are also subject to inspection prior to mailing. This inspection will of course be kept confidential.
SOME RP RULES
* Everybody play nice—at least outside of the rp
* Always feel free to pipe up with your ideas. Even if we don’t use them now, they can be fodder for other ideas later.
* I do not like sob stories. If you want your character to have a tragic background, you have to earn it. Namely, you have to prove to me that A.) You can properly portray a character who is dealing with that kind of trauma, B.) You can write with proper grammar and spelling and punctuation, and C.) You have not chosen to give your character all that baggage just for attention.
* Nobody can write a novel every post. Shoot, sometimes it’s hard to write more than two sentences. I get that. But try your best, please.
* We interrupt these rules to bring you the password to prove you have read them. The word you are looking for is “lamb.” Please use this in your form and have a nice day!
* Last but not least: Remember that this is only a game. It’s role-playing. Fights or rejections within the rp does not reflect on the rpers as people. Y’all are creative and awesome and I don’t want any hurt feelings, got it!? Good! Let’s get started. :mellow:
TO JOIN:
Screen Name:
Character Name:
Age:
Occupation (maid, guard, etc.; not required for Selected) :
Description:
Personality:
Other:
Password:
THE ROYAL FAMILY
Prince Augustus is the Crown Prince of Illea. He resembles his mother in many ways—he stands tall, he does not take no for an answer, and he is irreversibly proud. He has always taken his job and studies seriously, and often expects the same degree of studiousness from others, especially those with whom he works. In looks, he more resembles his father: messy brown curls (though he usually keeps his hair very short because he believes it is more professional that way), light blue eyes, and a strong jawline. He is anticipating the Selection, but is trying hard to see it as something more than a hypothetical event or a distraction from his work. Now that it is upon him, he is realizing how unprepared he may actually be to deal with twelve women. | Rped by Holly
Queen Miranda is now fifty-two years old, but just as strong as ever. She does things her own way but never without taking the consequences of her decisions into account. She does not rely on other people, but she does trust them, and what she lacks in softness she makes up for in passion. Her long, thick ash-brown hair is generally done up in elaborate hairstyles to accentuate the crown, and to hide the multiplying gray strands, which she refuses to dye no matter how obvious they become. Her eyes are green and bright with intelligence and confidence, and she always takes care to make sure her posture is perfect, though sometimes it makes her look more rigid than normal. She is strong and stubborn and capable. She has high expectations for the girls, but she is also secretly excited to have some female company in the palace. | Rped by Holly
Prince Anthony is the Prince Consort, meaning he is the Queen’s spouse but not her reigning equal. He is Miranda’s practical opposite—quiet and prone more to smiles than to pursed lips—but he is strong in his own way. He is one of few men who could not only allow but encourage his wife to surpass him in every way with no shadows of regret, and the only one who can handle her glass-sharp edges without ever drawing blood. His primary role is to look after the many details of the country’s military security—the only area in which his wife admits any level of uncertainty—and he takes the job very seriously. Prince Anthony is handsome though not remarkably so, with perpetually messy hair that is finally more white than brown, pale blue eyes, and a straight jaw. His years of farming before the Queen’s Selection left him with a lean frame but also with still-rough hands and a slight limp from an accident nearly thirty years ago. He is very proud of the prince, but hopes the Selection will soften him up a bit. | Rped by Holly
THE SELECTED:
Claire Lafery is eighteen years old. She is a shorter girl, only standing around 5’1” and weighing only about 100 pounds. Though she is quite small, she isn’t as fragile as one might guess from her appearance. She normally keeps her platinum-blonde hair in a simple ponytail that reaches the end of her neck and curls slightly at the ends. She has light gray eyes and a sharp face that gives her a sly look. Claire is indeed quite the sly, intelligent young lady; she always has a strategy. She enjoys outsmarting people and, more importantly, winning any fight or challenge with smarts over physical power. However, she does have a feminine personality deep down, enjoying cute things, but she tends to keep that side of herself hidden. | Rped by Warrior of Light
Priscilla Glace is a tall, slender girl of seventeen. She has a narrow face with cold, piercing ice-colored eyes. Her skin is incredibly pale almost to the point of looking sickly, and her hair is caramel in color. When she wears her hair down, it falls to her waist in elegant waves, but she usually wears it in a French braid. She holds herself like a lady, with an authoritative demeanor. Priscilla can seem cold and aloof. She is definitely quiet, but also radiates feeling and passion—subtle, but fierce. Priscilla is observant, and she has a brilliant memory. She is ruthless and ambitious and can easily get jealous. She is more than willing to use others as pawns to get what she wants, though she will only go to such extreme measures if she believes that she’s down to her last resort. Despite all of this, when she forms a genuine bond with someone, Priscilla becomes extremely protective of and deeply loyal to that person, willing to fight for them. She is the daughter of Jerold and Genevieve Glace, a multimillionaire business couple. Priscilla and her sisters, Adelaide and Eleanora, were raised in a comfortable, wealthy environment. The three sisters are quite the intellects, educated in diplomacy among other subjects. As the eldest, Adelaide will inherit the vast majority of the family business. | Rped by peppermint
Patience Gordon is seventeen years old. She is a tall, athletic girl around 5’10”, with long legs and a striking core. Her hair falls about to her shoulder blades and, though it has a mind of its own, she has mastered controlling it. In other words, it is usually in a French braid and hardly ever loose. Originally, it was stark blonde, but she has dyed it a deep red that makes her feel powerful; no one would ever take her seriously with blonde hair, or so she thought. Her eyes are hazel, a mix of brown and green, with a certain sharpness to them that can be almost unnerving. Her skin tone isn’t pale, but isn’t dark either, keeping a medium color due to the time that she spends outside. Patience is a very strong-willed girl. She has a sharp tongue and a sassy attitude. However, there is a more light-hearted side that she will share with those she cares about. She is very good at faking her emotions, especially how she feels about people. She is very loyal to her father, especially considering her harsher background; her father and sisters were all she had. Patience knows her name is slightly odd, but she finds it fitting; it gives her a reminder of all the time that her family has waited for this opportunity, how she must not rush in case she were to mess it up. Her close friends and family call her “Paitce” (pronounced like the first half of “Patience”). She is often found running on the track or in the weight room; working herself nearly to death is a way for her to get away from the rest of the world. Her father is expecting her to win this, and she feels like she must prepare to do so in every aspect of her life. | Rped by Skyshadow
Tabitha Avis is 18 years old. She is of average height with long, tumbling, dark brown hair and slightly up-tilted dark brown eyes. Her skin is somewhat pale compared to others, though this effect could simply be the result of the contrast of her dark hair. She has a cheeky, almost mischievous look about her, but overall is a rather pleasant girl to look at. If someone is looking for obedience, quiet, and soft-spoken qualities in the new princess, then Tabitha will fall sadly short of those expectations. She is a kind, friendly girl but is far too full of ideas about what is right and what is wrong to give an appearance of obedience. She is as cheeky, teasing, and mischievous as she looks and can’t help but feel that perhaps she is less cut out to be royalty and more inclined to simply be friends with the prince. | Rped by Reminiscence
Kryslyn Whitewind is a healthy seventeen-year-old who is about five feet and six inches tall. She has fair skin and dark brown eyes, which provide an odd but intriguing contrast. Her hair is brown-blonde before it fades into a lighter blonde at the ends. It is mostly straight, but it waves slightly as it goes down. It is cut to slightly past her shoulders, and she usually wears it in a braid or a bun. She has pale freckles which you can’t see unless you look closely. Her face is round and has no particular defining shape. She has small hands and slender fingers, and she always keeps her nails trimmed. Kryslyn is calm and mostly reserved. Her parents are both librarians, and so she reads a lot and has picked up a lot of historical and trivial information. She has a very good memory and reads as much as she can—usually stories rather than nonfiction. She also has dabbled in drawing and photography, and while she is not bad at either, she also isn’t noticeably good. Kryslyn is usually reserved, calm, and not inclined to speak or socialize without being prompted. That being said, she will never give up a good debate and will joke around with those she considers friends. She is not unfriendly but might come off as cold at first. She has a great, quiet compassion for animals, although she does not usually demonstrate or mention it. Kryslyn has three siblings: an older brother and older sister as well as a younger sister. She knows plenty of suitable men she could marry and so is not worried about what will happen if she is not Selected. | Rped by Essence of Peppermint
Lilianna (Lily) Avalon is 18 years old. She has long blonde hair with dirty blonde and brown streaks. She likes to have her hair down when she’s not busy but will pull it back into a high ponytail when she has work to do or is constantly on the move. She has sky-blue eyes with darker blue flecks in them. Lily is about 5’5” and has a slim figure with a slightly athletic build. Her skin is not pale but not dark either. Lilianna is sweet and caring, very genuine, but she will stand up for what she believes in. She appears weak to those who don’t know her because of her caring nature, but will protect those she cares about with a passion unlike that of anyone with a cold exterior personality. She can be very trusting of people, sometimes too trusting, and finds herself in difficult situations because of her trusting nature. Lilianna is playful and quirky, and a bit random at times. She is a very hard worker and will not let anyone get in the way when she wants to get something done. She lived with her mother before coming to the Selection, her father having died in the recent mine collapse. | Rped by Tigerlily
Cordelia Faulkner is twenty-one years old. She has stormy gray eyes and fair skin and stands approximately 5’7” tall. Her wavy light brown hair reaches just past her shoulders but is often pulled away from her face in a simple ponytail for convenience. The one word that best sums up Cordelia’s personality is meek. She avoids conflict and confrontation at all costs, and has trouble standing up for herself, much to her dismay. However, she is a hardworking individual who takes her studies and work very seriously. Cordelia’s biggest strength, and perhaps her greatest weakness, is empathy. Altruistic to a fault, she puts others’ needs first, even at her own expense. She is often the one her close friends vent to and confide in, while she herself has trouble opening up to others. | Rped by torr
Sierra Olwen is 18 years old and only around 5’4”. She is fairly slender but strong from working on her father’s tree farm. She has light brown hair that reaches to her mid-back which she likes to wear in a variety of styles, though they’re always messy—Sierra suspects that she’ll have to rely heavily on mais to achieve the elegant looks of the Selected girls. She has forest-green eyes framed by dark lashes, which she considers her best feature. Sierra is headstrong, a trait she inherited from her mother the intelligent and passionate Katherine Olwen. Her father, Joseph Olwen, instilled in Sierra a good work ethic and sense of responsibility. She’s a good listener and usually light-hearted. Sierra’s parents own and run a tree farm and lumber business that has been in their family for three generations. She’s grown up comfortably with a healthy amount of work, as her father expected her to begin helping out at a young age. From managing the family’s finances to hauling lumber, she’s become experienced at her family’s work. The Olwens can’t afford to buy anything extravagant or unnecessary, but they live comfortably. Sierra is excited at the prospect of being a Selected, but she has doubts about whether she’d actually want to leave her family’s farm, and her future as the owner, behing. | Rped by Snowflake
Rowan Stone is 17 years old. She has straight, medium-brown hair that reaches just past her shoulder blades and sparkling green eyes. She is short, standing at 5’1”, and has lightly tanned skin. Rowan is usually quite lively and spontaneous, though some think her a bit manipulative. She can be very coarse if caught in a bad mood, and is always very stubborn. Rowan is also pretty adventurous and loves exploring, though this can often get her into trouble. | Rped by brindleface
Elizabeth "Ellie" Worthington is a tall young lady who stands at a remarkable 5'9’. She has gorgeous golden-brown hair that curls when it becomes wet but is usually long and wavy. She has a brilliant smile that can light up a room. Her personality reflects such as well. Coming from a hard-working family, her parents forced her into higher education. Ellie is very intelligent, but is a horrid test taker. Failing out of school more than once, her family basically disowned her. Both her parents came from wealth, but decided to make their own way by breeding and training racehorses. Her parents, Michael and Sheila Worthington, had high hopes for their only daughter. Ellie has three brothers who all went off into the world and have made their parents proud. The eldest is a well-known head chef with a wife and three kids. Her second brother is a prestigious lawyer, and her younger brother is an equine veterinarian. All Ellie has done, in her parents' eyes, is create lots of debt. Ellie doesn't let what her parents think phase her. Despite everything, she is a passionate girl. She prides herself in staying true to herself and treats people with respect. She is kind to others and is always willing to lend a hand. Ellie is as stubborn as a mule, and it is very hard to change her mind. She has a passion for animals, especially horses. Ellie does have a bit of a flair. She has a temper and bold nature about her. She is the only one of her siblings who dares to speak back to her parents and is not afraid of anything when it comes to confrontation. Even though this young lady has a heart of gold, she wants nothing more than to make someone proud and to feel love at least once in her life. Elizabeth is twenty years old. | Rped by Blossomshadow
THE MAIDS:
Loretta Grayson is eighteen years old and has been a maid at the palace for nearly three years. She is sharp—both in wit and in speech—and sensible, and also fiercely loyal. She gets her duties done quickly and thoroughly. Loretta is a pretty enough girl, with long, thick hair so dark it is almost black, large gray eyes, and petite features. The only mar is a red birthmark on her left cheek about the size of a man’s thumbprint, shaped something like the imprint of lips. Her mother used to joke an angel had kissed her at birth. The story was nonsense of course, but still, the whimsy of the idea appealed to her, though she has shut out most notions of whimsy and magic since her mother has passed away. | Rped by Holly
Kiari Lace is 17, petite, and tan, despite her job being primarily indoors. She has honey-colored light brown hair and blue-green eyes, and a decent enough build-up of muscle. Her nails are cut short and jagged from biting, and her hands bear calluses from hard work. Kiari is a dedicated girl who tends to tell it as it is. She burns with a certain passion to look after people. She will fight like fury to defend what is important to her. She wishes for nothing more than to study as a doctor, if only she could afford it. As a maid, Kiari is educated in wearing a mask of calm and pleasantness, even if she is secretly fuming. | Rped by Reminiscence
Aera [pronounced Ay-ruh] is 18. She has dark brown hair and dark brown eyes and a unique, exotic look. She often ties her hair up as she works into a bun to make it easier to do her job. Her skin is slightly tanned, and she has calluses on her most-used fingers. Even though she keeps her nails short, she often paints them in fun colors and designs. Aera is a hard worker, shorter than average, with a nice smile. She is often laughing with others. She is a naturally friendly and extroverted girl. She loves to be around and to talk to other people and will usually become bored on her own. She can be snark and sly if the situation calls for it, although she is a horrible liar and wears most of her emotions on her face. She likes the sound of her own voice, which can annoy people around her, but she never tries to irritate or distract. She rather loves the idea of the Selection and believes in true love. She comes from a large family and is a middle child, and she draws well and is interested in art. | Rped by Essence of Peppermint
THE GUARDS:
Nero Narli Vail is twenty years old. He is tall, around 7’1” in height, and always looks intimidating. He has a lean though muscular build and long blond hair that is always worn pulled back and reaching past his neck, except for a single strand which he allows to curl over his forehead. He also has light facial hair covering his face, noticeable but not busy. Nero is a very strict young man. In fact, people tend to think he acts more like a man of forty than one of twenty. He isn’t one to goof off; in fact, he is normally always working. This is all due to his desire to feel powerful. He craves strength and respect. At first, Nero looks like a man who could lean an army, but closer inspection reveals that he is a power-obsessed fool. | Rped by Warrior of Light
Andrew (Andy) Scott is the 25-year-old personal protector of Prince Augustus. Andrew is an average-sized guy, standing about six feet tall with broad shoulders and well-defined arms. He is usually seen in a guard’s uniform, although he has been known to wander around on his days off in street clothes, which usually consist of a t-shirt and cargo shorts. His hair is a sandy reddish-brown and his eyes are a startling green, contrasting his darker complexion. He has light freckles across his nose that are only visible if you are standing right in front of him, and his hands are rough, along with his demeanor. Andy is actually a very chill person. He is serious when he needs to be, which is when he is in the public eye or in some sort of danger, but otherwise he is seen as one or the most laid-back guards in the palace. He has known Augustus since he was born and was assigned to him as a sort of friend as a five-year-old, and that friendship only grew as they both got older. Now, with the Selection, Andy is curious to see who the Prince might choose, and won’t stop teasing him about it. Andy grew up in the palace after his mother couldn’t take care of him and dumped him with a maid, who has acted as his mother sicne he was one. [This maid is open if anybody would like to rp her.] | Rped by Skyshadow
THE OTHERS:
Maxwell (Max) Alister is an 18-year-old member of the kitchen staff and a butler-in-training. Max is a slight boy. He hit pubery slightly later than most, and he is just now growing to his full height. Unfortunately, his appetite has only grown since puberty, but his intake of food has not. Thus Max is slightly underweight, despite working in the palace kitchen. He is approximately 5’10” and has fairly pale skin. Max has medium brown hair similar in color to milk chocolate. His hair is somewhat long, in a choppy uneven cut that he often does himself. It is just long enough that he can push it behind his ears while he works, though more often than not, a few locks refuse to be trapped and fall toward his face. His eyes are light blue in color. Max is fairly calm and quiet while he works. He is a cheerful and light-hearted individual, not taking anything too seriously save for his job, which he enjoys greatly. Max loves making others smile and laugh, and the odd practical joke. Max is lacking in the confidence department, and is often dependent on others for validation of his self-worth. He tends to base his actions on logic and reasoning rather than his gut feelings. | Rped by torr