Post by Aphelyon on Feb 22, 2017 22:27:59 GMT -5
You Are Invited
280 years ago, a great war that swept across the continent of Trenuin, one which drew in every kingdom on the continent into its bloodshed. The war, now known as the Decemvir, lasted ten years and cost hundreds of thousands- perhaps even millions- of lives. The war was caused by decades of hostilities bred by prejudices and misunderstandings, and once peace was made, the Decemvir Convocation was established to help the keep the peace on Trenuin. Every ten years, the rulers of every major city of every kingdom would congregate in one place to mingle, celebrate, and discuss business. Not only would this help bring to light issues they had with each other so that they could be solved, but it would allow the rulers to experience each others cultures and befriend each other, which would help to limit the spread of prejudice, and make them less likely to betray and attack each other. Every ten years, a different kingdom would be chosen to host the Convocation. Being chosen is both a great honor and a great responsibility: it is a sign of respect and prestige, but should something go wrong, that kingdom will be considered to blame. As such, being chosen as host is a precarious situation that may make or break a kingdom's reputation.
The Convocation lasts for 109 days, beginning on the day that the war first began- May 28- and ending on the day the Red Heart Accords were signed- September 14. Much of this time is idle, a period when the nobles of other kingdoms may walk among the host's capital city and experience its culture and lifestyle, or speak with each other privately to form relationships or work out problems. Certain days, however, are designated either for political meetings, or for specific celebrations meant to help the kingdoms demonstrate their powers and, ideally, work out issues with other kingdoms in non-violent ways.
This year, the Decemvir Convocation is being held by the northern kingdom of Dreisten, making it rather fortunate that the Convocation is held in summer. While there has not been any major bloodshed in Trenuin for the past 39 years- besides a few minor scuffles between kingdoms- there are whispers again of war on the horizon. Therefore, this Convocation is especially integral, as it may ensure the continuation of peace, or the declaration of war. Where will you be?
About This Roleplay
This is a medieval fantasy themed roleplay, so the style will be somewhere between medieval and Renaissance. Trenuin, the continent that this takes place on, is modeled more-or-less after Europe, and so most kingdoms will be of a more European style. However, because this is fantasy, you make take inspiration from wherever you choose.
This roleplay does not have magic; not overtly at least. Magic may very well exist in the world, but no more is known of it than half-believed fairy tales and fortune tellers whose prophecies may or may not come true. This is a mostly realistic roleplay with some fantasy elements, taking place in a made-up world.
As for the characters, they will mostly be nobles and royalty either from Dreisten or from the surrounding kingdoms of Trenuin, though you may also play servants, or even assassins or other characters who may interact with the Convocation. In appearance, people are pretty realistic, so there will be no other fantasy-style races such as elves or dwarves. However, you may have mild fantasy-style "mutations" for your character. For example, people from your kingdom may be known for their pointed ears or unusual yellow eyes or silver hair. However, they may not have major fantasy mutations such as plant or animal parts, unnaturally-colored skin (besides unnaturally light or dark), or anything that would suggest they're anything other than human. You may not have hair or eye colors that cannot exist naturally- if you've never seen a mammal with that color, you can't have it. So, no blue hair or purple eyes, sorry. Also, remember this is medieval times, so life spans are not all that long, and the lower your character's social class and quality of life, the lower their lifespan will be- so the poorest peasants and beggars would be lucky to live into their 40s or 50s, while affluent nobles in wealthy kingdoms may be able to live into their 70s or 80s if they're lucky. Of course, I doubt this will be much of a problem as I expect most people will play younger characters and/or nobles, but it's worth mentioning nonetheless.
As for the kingdoms, like was mentioned above, most will be of a more European, medieval or Renaissance style. However, you may take inspiration from wherever you like. Still, unless your character has traveled from another continent- which is highly unlikely granted the time period and the nature of this event- your kingdom will have a basis in medieval Europe. There is currently no set limit on how many kingdoms there can be, but keep in mind that there can only be so many before it starts to become unrealistic. Therefore, if your character would fit well into a different kingdom, you should ask the creator of that kingdom if you may join it. This also means that there will hopefully be more nobles from a given kingdom than just its high king/high queen, since additional nobles would have to be either lesser kings/queens, counts/countesses, lords/ladies, or whatever sort of hierarchy system that kingdom uses. Also, I will note now that if you don't feel up to the task of creating your own kingdom, I have taken the liberty of making two extras in edition to Dreisten that you can join without having task first. These are Mestea and Edrana. You also don't have to ask to make a servant of Mestea, Edrana, or Dreisten, though I would prefer if you ask before making a noble of Dreisten.
This is actually a sort of reboot of a short-lived roleplay I had previously, called The Decemvir Celebration. It was my fault it died; I abandoned it, because of being busy in real life, and because honestly I was too ambitious with it. It was too... broad. Too open-ended. Because the characters could really be anyone, there was not much unifying plot, they had little reason to interact, and they were just generally spread too thin. Hopefully, that will not be the case in this version as they will primarily be nobles and royalty who will be around each other often, and have reason to randomly speak with each other.
About Dreisten
Dreisten is the kingdom that is hosting this year's Decemvir Convocation. It is a cold kingdom located far in the north, on a peninsula separated from most other kingdoms, surrounded on three sides by water and sharing its only border with the kingdom Asmenia to its north and east. It is well known for its mountains and tundras, as well as the vast ice fields formed in the winter over the gulf that separates it from most of the rest of Trenuin. Despite its geography, which would suggest that it is a seafaring kingdom, Dreisten has a very limited navy, and is surprisingly agricultural, though they tend to deal more with herding animals than growing crops. Dreisten is known in particular for two creatures: its superb wool, and its sled dogs, which are so dear to the people of Dreisten that most consider their dogs a member of their family. In addition to this, many people in other kingdoms know of Dreisten from its gemstones, which are abundant due to the mountains, and its "wintercraft" items, which are unique and varied items carefully crafted by families that are snowed in for the entire winter. The people of Dreisten- called Dreisi- are primarily herding nomads who known to be hardy and strong, as well as able warriors. Due to the fact that it is in the open with few geographical defenses and no nearby allies, the entire shore and border of Dreisten is heavily fortified. This, and the prevalence of predators in the mountains and tundra who will prey on travelers, ranches, and their herds, nearly every citizen, male or female, trains with some kind of weapon from a young age. This has lent to Dreisten's reputation as being a well-defended country despite having little navy or standing military. Physically, Dreisi are notable for their pale appearance, with light hair of blondes, light reds, and even white or silver, as well as very pale eyes and skin so light that it is sometimes pure white. The Dreisi look as though they came from the snow itself, something many foreigners find exotic and sometimes disconcerting.
For the past 104 years, Dreisten has been ruled by the Mistmane family. The current rulers are King Nothri and his wife Queen Asa, and their three children Prince Calin, Prince Arun, and Princess Ivona. The kingdom is ruled from the city of Atrosk, which straddles the wide, shallow, and rocky Whitespring River. Atrosk is surrounded by open tundra for miles, which is for the most part used for public herding lands. The white-capped mountains are visible in the distance. The city itself is surrounded by a low wall, which is mostly intended to keep wolves, bears, and other unwanted wildlife out of the city. The buildings are mostly stone, much of it from the mountains, and some from the river. The buildings tend to be low to the ground to conserve heat, and most consist of many small rooms as opposed to airy and spacious ones. Practically every room has some kind of heat source- if not a fireplace, then a small furnace, or a lamp meant for producing heat as well as light. Around the city are many large, well-insulated barns and stables to house the animals shepherds bring to the city in the winter. As if to counter the rather cramped interiors of the buildings, however, the streets are wide and open to the sky, many lined with grass and occasional trees, mostly evergreens. A few small streams run through the city to join the Whitespring River at its center.
Nobles and royalty coming for the Convocation will arrive at Crystalhorn Keep in roughly the center of the city, a sprawling fortress with wide courtyards, tall walls, and strategically-placed watchtowers. As the city itself is not heavily fortified, the Keep is designed to be able to house the population of the city and many of their animals for weeks if the city is sieged. It is the oldest part of the city, and the exterior stones have an ancient, weathered look. The castle is low to the ground, with a large path leading into the main courtyard from the north into the square building. The most notable feature is the large pyramid-shaped roof that sits in the center of the keep, made of a bluish glass that looks like ice. This is the roof to the Hall of Wolves, the largest room in the Keep and where most large events and gatherings are held, such as balls or, now, Convocation meetings. The sun heats the room through the glass building, the black stone floor drinking in the warmth and keeping the room from getting too cold throughout the night. The floor is inlaid with countless precious gems and metals, while the walls and pillars of the room are made with white river rock stone and hung with elaborate wool tapestries. It is the single greatest display of Dreisten's wealth, and is also the most recent addition to the castle, having been rebuilt this way only 56 years before.
The rest of the castle is far more modest, built of ancient stone from the river and mountains, or- in the lower levels- simply carved from the rocky ground itself. The halls tend to be narrow and low, and the rooms small, to conserve heat, just like the rest of the kingdom. Many wool tapestries line the halls, though they tend to be simpler than those in the Hall of Wolves, and are mostly there to help insulate the Keep. Surrounding the Hall of Wolves is the kitchen, a small dining hall (which will double as a second kitchen during the Convocation, as the Hall of Wolves will serve as the dining hall and there will need to be more cooks to feed all the visitors), and a few usually-empty bedrooms which will be given to some of the more claustrophobic nobles. A staircase leads to the lower levels, of which there are two. The higher level is mostly living quarters, both for the royal family of Dreisten and their servants, and now for the visiting nobles as well. Each room set aside for nobles consists of a large, comfortable bed, a cushioned couch, a desk and chair, a dresser, a small furnace for heat, a mirror, a small washbasin, and a larger washtub. The servants' quarters are comfortable, but not as lavish as the nobbles' quarters, and usually have five or six servants to a room. The lower level is primarily storage, though there is also a library, a large bathhouse that is fed by an underground portion of the Whitespring River and heated with a large coal furnace when in use, and a small but extensive armory. Outside the Keep is a larger courtyard which is separate from the entrance courtyard, and only accessible through the castle itself, through a large exit on the opposite side of the Hall of Wolves from the main entrance. In this larger courtyard are several more smaller buildings and areas, including the Keep stables, an archery range, a blacksmithing forge, a sparring area, and a place for livestock to be kept for use by the royal family (for easy access to milk, eggs, and meat, mosly).
Dreisten Law
(these are rules that may be broken, obviously with in-character repercussions)
- Stealing is punishable by fine, jailing, and possible banning from cities. -
- Murder is illegal and punishable by death or branding & banishment. Killing in self-defense, or in a fair and prearranged duel where both parties are aware that death is a possible result, is not considered murder. -
- It is illegal to kill or injure an animal without reason and punishable by a fine or, in extreme situations, jailing. This includes pets and livestock as well as wildlife. Animals may only be killed in self-defense, to put them out of their misery, or for meat, fur, or other animal products. -
- Animals must not be mistreated. This includes hurting, starving, or neglecting them. Mistreated animals will be taken away and owners will not be allowed to keep animals for 10 years. If a person banned from keeping animals breaks their ban, they will be fined and their 10 years reset. If they break their ban again, they will be fined and jailed, and never allowed to keep animals again. -
- If a dog attacks another person or animal without a reason- such as the defense of itself or its owner- twice or more, it is taken away from its owner. If it continues to be aggressive, it will be put down. -
- If an owner has more than three dogs taken away, they may not keep another dog for 10 years. If a person banned from keeping dogs breaks their ban, they will be fined and their 10 years reset. -
- Bears, full-blood wolves, mountain lions, and other exotic predators are not allowed within the city limits, even as pets, without a permit. Animals will be confiscated and owners fined. -
- Putting waste of any kind in the river is illegal and punishable by heavy fine or, in extreme situations, jailing. -
- Disruption of the public peace- public intoxication, nudity, brawling, or excessive noise- may result in fine or jailing. -
- Horses and other animals may not be ridden within city limits, except on the main street. Breaking this rule may result in a fine. -
- Brawling in private places- taverns, homes, etc.- is legal as long as any wounds given heal entirely within nine days. IE, bruises and small scratches are fine but broken bones and other major injuries are not. Those who give an injury that does not heal within nine days must pay for any costs of healing for the other person, and/or may be fined. In extreme cases, they may be jailed. -
- Children under ten years old are not to leave the city walls without an able adult. -
Roleplay Rules
(these are not to be broken and may result in a warning or even expulsion from the roleplay)
- Obviously, follow all the forum rules and ghost rules, which I shouldn't need to reiterate here. -
- No flaming, bashing, trolling, spotlighting, powerplaying, godmodding, etc. -
- No mary sues/"perfect"characters. Your character is almost never going to be the absolute best in the land at anything. Being very good at some things (not everything), however, is entirely acceptable. Your character will be bad at some things. They will have some flaws. They will lose sometimes. They're human. Similarly, though, please don't make your character so awful that they have no good aspects and are mopey and depressed and annoyingly flawed. Give them some space to develop and improve, but also let them develop and improve. -
- As always, keep things pg. So, no excessively graphic violence, language, or other inappropriateness. If you desire any of these things please take it to PM where it is legally out of my control. -
- Please try to be literate and original. Make your characters and their actions unique and meaningful rather than making them a cookie cutter with nothing personal going for them. Contribute to the plot and roleplay in a meaningful way that is enjoyable for everyone. Use good grammar, spelling, etc. At the same time, please don't write a novel every post. If you try to make things too long and complicated it gets boring and tedious. Find that comfortable middle where it's entertaining for you to write and entertaining for us to read. -
- As discussed in a previous section, keep your characters realistic. Being fantasy, they don't have to be completely, 100% realistic, but keep it within the realm of possibility. This also goes for behavior; keep your character's personality, backstory, and all that other stuff consistent and believable. Don't make their reactions wildly arbitrary- everyone has motives for what they do. This also goes for things like roleplay events. When your character attempts to do something, sometimes they'll fail. That's just how it is. You're character can't always be awesome and win at everything. It's not realistic. At the same time, don't make everything always completely awful for your character where they're always miserable and nothing good happens to them. That's just sad. -
- If you are gone for more than two weeks without prior warning, you will be suspended and your characters moved to the "inactive" slot. If you are gone for two weeks after this, your characters will be entirely removed. If you have any ranks- such as a noble of a kingdom or something- then that rank will be available for other people to fill. -
- I reserve the right to reject or remove people who are not literate enough, who do not contribute well to the roleplay, who are not active, who do not keep in the spirit of the roleplay, or who do not adequately follow the above rules. -
News
In-Character
-
Out-of-Character
2-22-2017 The Decemvir Convocation is created and opened for joining.
Environmental Info
Season
Late Spring
Weather
Cold but clear. The breeze is freezing but the sun is warm.
Date
May 23
Kingdoms Summary
Dreisten
Royalty: King Nothri Mistmane - Queen Asa Mistmane - Prince Calin Mistmane - Prince Arun Mistmane - Princess Ivona Mistmane
Nobles: N/A
Thanes: N/A
Servants: N/A
Pets: Agnar
Other: N/A
Asmenia
N/A
Mestea
Royalty: N/A
Nobles: N/A
Earls/Marquesses: N/A
Servants: N/A
Pets: N/A
Other: N/A
Edrana
Royalty: N/A
Nobles: N/A
Servants: N/A
Pets: N/A
Other: N/A