ℊℓоω
ɴᴏ ᴀᴅᴍɪᴛᴛᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴇxᴄᴇᴘᴛ ᴏɴ ᴘᴀʀᴛʏ ʙᴜsɪɴᴇss
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Post by ℊℓоω on Jul 8, 2017 18:14:32 GMT -5
Hey there So I had a strange dream the other night and, as happens after I have weird dreams, I decided it might make a good RP. It's going to sound rather absurd, but hang with me.
It begins underground. Tunnels that have existed for thousands of years and which run for hundreds of miles under practically uninhabitable snowy mountains. These tunnels are occupied by the only group old and knowledgeable enough to understand its complex passageways. The group, called the Mahaji, is said to have been guided there by the water spirits that roam the underground streams. What makes the Mahaji unique is that they are composed entirely of women and girls. They are warriors, mothers, sisters, and protectors of all sacred things. They have lived there since before even the oldest cities were carved onto the face of the earth. They are regarded as mere myth by the outside world, which unlike the world of the Mahaji, is violent and destructive.
When the story begins, however, the outside world has finally become impossible for the Mahaji to ignore. When the group arrived in their underground temple by the name of Drellege, they were not alone. The mountains of their most sacred territory was impregnated by troops. Men carrying weapons far fiercer than any they had ever seen. Tools used to dig into the earth in order to make trenches. Ships large enough to scare off the fish from their icy waters. Man-made thunder that blew craters into the mountainside. A war between two nations is being raged above their heads. Now the Mahaji must rid their sacred land of the men who have come to destroy it. Of course this will not be a simple task. They are grossly outnumbered and without the weaponry that make the armies so powerful. So they will need help; allies who will help them to rid the land of all dangers.
So the plot will revolve both around the women of Mahaji, and the men of the armies who fight in Drellege. They will fight physical battles, strategize, sabotage, etc. Friends and lovers will join hands and new enemies will exchange blows. We, meanwhile, will come up with a sick fantasy world and new cultures and complex characters.
Let me know if you're interested and we'll make something. I would love some help in shaping the concept and figuring out the details of the plot. Of course people are also welcome to come here to plot and chat and discuss character ideas/dynamics...Go!
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ɴᴏ ᴀᴅᴍɪᴛᴛᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴇxᴄᴇᴘᴛ ᴏɴ ᴘᴀʀᴛʏ ʙᴜsɪɴᴇss
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Post by ℊℓоω on Jul 8, 2017 18:16:53 GMT -5
About the Mahaji: The Mahaji is a society composed entirely of women that exists in the tunnels and caves under the Ontorri Mountains. The origins of this society is heavily disputed even within the living women themselves. Some say the stone gods, who walked the earth thousands of years ago, meant from them to protect the spirit world. Others think the spirits themselves are the souls of the deceased women who came before. Some simply believe that it is a coincidental occurrence and that all water spirits simply gravitate toward the lost Whatever the reason, all of the current members of the Mahaji were lead there by the water spirits. The group itself is generally quite nomadic. They return during the coldest months to the sacred land of Drellege, but for the remainder of the year they travel all through the labyrinth-like passage ways to various temples across the Ontorri mountain range. They believe it to be their duty to preserve all of the temples, which are dedicated to the stone gods. They live a good majority of their lives underground, so their skin is paler than it would be had they more exposure to sunlight. They live in the caves that are supposedly left for the gods, but which work perfectly for their purposes. Everything they use, clothing, weapons, armor, tools, are all passed down from the elder women to the younger women which repair and personalize them for their own purposes. The women live off of fish, vegetation, and a bread they make from common ingredients found around the temples. It is surprisingly warm in the tunnels (because the center of the earth warms them all year) , enough that they do not require many layers. The tunnels vary greatly depending on the area. Some are narrow and flooded. Others are cavernous and as beautiful as the true homes of the gods. The Mahaji have many traditions. They have a strict hierarchy system which is highly reliant on a variety of virtues including achievements (killing monsters, saving lost children, training an apprentice, etc), maturity, honor and kindness, and dedication to the gods. Those that are deemed to possess the most of these values are the highest in rank. The complete ranks are below: Mother Grandest: The leader of the Mahaji. She determines the path of the society and makes all other important decisions, with the help of the elders/nanas. Nanas: All of the oldest members of the tribe. They are the wisest and the most experienced. They help the other women in all matters. High Warriors: The most experienced and gifted in combat. They train the younger/less experienced girls in combat, sewing, and the reconstruction of temples. Shamans: These are the few women who are more gifted in the identification of herbs than they are in fighting. They are also the most active communicators with the spirits and the ones who prepare food for the tribe. Warriors: Any "general" member of the Mahaji is called a warrior. They follow the instructions of the Mother Grandest and the Nanas. They also help to raise the found babies. The Daughters: Anyone under the age of sixteen is called a "daughter". They are trained by all of the older women and they help to do the easier tasks. Invalids: There are those who stumble upon the Mahaji when they are sick or injured. They cannot hunt or fight monsters/invaders,/looters but they can help to cook, sew, and look after the little ones.
About the Silverfoot (Kasian) Army: The Kasian Army is based in the nation of Kasia, which is to the south east of the Ontorri Mountains. It is a large nation and one that is gaining power rapidly from their innovation in technology. It also run by an oligarchical government. There is a council called the Red Sun Council in which there are five extremely wealthy and influential men. Their focus recently has been increasing their military strength to compete with the classically more militaristic Bellendar. Their interest in the Ontorri Mountains is the high concentration of metals in the northern part of the range. These metals can be used to make the weapons and tools necessary to create the greatest army there ever was. There has been a steep increase in nationalism and military recruitment is at its highest. The men involved have great confidence in their government and wish to do whatever is in their power to prove their strength. The strength of this army in particular, of course, is their weaponry. They have ballista, trebuchet, dynamite, cross bows, and many other powerful technologies. Their boats are large and sturdily built. Their armor is freshly made and glints silver (hence the name) in the white light of the mountains. They wear hints of red as a sign of their power and determination. Kasia is a large territory that composes about half of the continent. The capital city, Isrebar, is in the center of the country. The land there was used for many centuries primarily as means for agriculture. The society relied on a high concentration of farmers and peasants to fund its far reaching economic ventures that were in the interest of a very small ruling class. The shift in the last five decades has been more toward innovation at the hand of its new government. The people have been fed propaganda that has led them to believe in a great economic upturn (one that is relatively fictionalized). More and more people are migrating toward the cities where urban life is considered more prosperous and profitable. The Ranking System of the Army is as follows: General: Although this man typically is not involved in as much actual fighting as many of his subordinates, he does have a large amount of power in determining the strategy and attack plan of the Kasian army. Colonels: These men all report directly to the General. They might have entire sections of the army that they are responsible for and they council the general on important decisions. They tend to come from wealthy families and be rather experienced in war. Captain: These men are also high ranking and they tend to be responsible for specialized forces and troops. They are knowledgeable in one area whether it be close combat or range or siege. Lieutenant: In charge of a smaller group of men, they report first to the Captain, then to the Colonels. Specialists: Men who are highly talented in one type of weaponry and answer to one lieutenant. Privates: Everyone else. The average soldier.
About the Greenskin (Bellendari) Army: The Army of Bellendar originates in a nation southwest of the Ontorri Mountains. It is a smaller country than that of their rival, Kasia. The territory is heavily forested and notoriously difficult to traverse. The people who live there are humans, but of a kind that is said to be older than the more common men and women of Kasia. They are regal, elegant, and mysterious. It is said that all that originate from Bellendar are descendants of elves. That myth, however, is mostly tied to their forested land and their secretive nature. The average person in Bellendar is wealthier than in Kasia. They often live in quiet, small communities. Resources are plentiful, and most necessary food can be cultivated without farming. It exists in plenty in the forests themselves. Bellendari people live simple lives. Although all of their needs are meant, they are not traditionally vain people. They exist on what they need, not in excess. Of course they are also highly educated and very religious. A different stone god is worshipped in every village. There are entire libraries dedicated to the myths of the gods and of the spirits. Each person meditates in a temple at least once a day. Some dedicate their lives to sitting in prayer. There is another important side to to Bellendar, however, and that is the military. Every man when he reaches the age of eighteen is expected to serve at least five years in the service of the King's army. There they are trained rigorously and taught to "protect the will of the gods". Of course the will of the gods is often confused with the will of the king. Speaking of the king, Bellendar, unlike Kasia, has a true monarchy. There is a long line of kings and queens. They live in a beautiful city on the water called Gilaina. The crown, unlike its people, is considered to be very proud. They are drenched in wealth of every form. This king in particular, Ellian, is old and very greedy. He has many sons to whom he wishes to live great fortunes. The men of the army are highly trained. Although they are fewer in number than the Kasian army, they possess the skill necessary to event the playing field. They wield swords that have been passed down from generation to generation. Their armor is worn and ancient but very beautiful. It has golds and silvers and greens of every shade. Their fighting style is ranges from fluid and elegant to powerful and brutish. The ranks, unlike in the more traditional Kasian army, has a board/council that decides strategy and then the ranks below that are decided by school of combat. The Main Stem: All rankings in the Bellendar army are based on the idea of a tree. The main stem or "trunk" as it is often referred, is composed of the most highly skilled warriors. There are ten of them who serve on a board that determines all strategy. Three of them specialize in swords, two in bows, two in knives, and three again in long range/trebuchets. The Secondary Stems (aka "boughs"): Below each of the ten men in the trunk are two to six men who are also very skilled and trusted. The secondary stems are divided into four schools: swords, bows and arrows, knives, and trebuchets. Masters (aka "branches"): These men specialize further within their schools. For example, one of the Masters might be in charge of all men with broad swords. Another might specialize in all men with long swords. Privates (aka "twigs"): The average man in the army, divided into schools.
The Spirits and other Creatures:
Spirits: The term "spirit" is used rather loosely in the world. There are some that fit the more traditional mold of what one pictures when they hear the word "spirit", but the word also is used to describe many other creatures, largely peaceful ones. They are regarded as having the intelligence and wisdom of humans, although they lack the ability to communicate (or simply choose not to). Water Spirits: The most relevant creature in this story are these. They are easy to identify but relatively rare in the wild, as they are creatures who mostly stay to themselves. They have a vaguely human-like appearance, given their skin and four limbs. They do, however, appear to "walk" on all four limbs (although they are usually seen in water). What makes them so distinct is their appearance of being melted, as if they were made of wax and set too close to a flame. They are also slightly translucent. They are multicolored, almost like spilled gasoline, and give off a faint glow in dim light (as is common in the caves). Water spirits are most often seen in pairs of two or three. They are completely soundless, and they communicate only with their eyes. They flock to the Mahaji with lost travelers, and then disappear into the caves. Their purpose in the world seems to be as the shepherds of wanderers. Dragons: Now, don't get too excited. Although dragons do exist in the world of the Mahaji, they are very solitary animals. They can only be found in the deepest and oldest caves, where they have nests of found jewels, rocks, and coins. There are several types of dragons from river, to forest, to ice. They only very rarely leave their caves. For the most part they sleep without disturbance. They, like the water spirits, cannot communicate in a language that can be understood by any human. Forest guardians: These spirits are similar to the water spirits in that they can be glimpsed merely wandering, seemingly without direction. They are human-like in that they walk on two legs. They are much taller, however, and have the antlers of an elk. Their faces are skull-like and seemingly without functioning feature. They are very skittish and do not often interaction with people. They are most likely to be seen bending over a sick or dying creature, as if giving it a blessing as it enters the afterlife. Grave spirits (wraiths): Wraiths are the most common spirit and the least appreciated by man. Although they are peaceful, there is something eerie about them. Almost entirely translucent and clothed in torn cloaks, they hover over recently dug graves. Some say they come to shepherd the souls of the dead to the palaces of the gods.
Monsters: Golems: The Mahaji and the spirits are not the only creatures that wander in the deep reaches of the earth. Golems, sickly white creatures with translucent skin prowl on the hunt for anything with a heartbeat. They move in numbers and attack with little warning other than the splashing of their webbed feet. Rock trolls: Another creature that might or might not attack any wanderer in the mountains and tunnels are rock trolls. They are twice the size of grown men with thick scaly hides and small beady eyes. They are dangerously stupid and easily angered, especially if one approaches their caves Wyverns: The smaller and feistier versions of dragons. Wyverns hunt in flocks, some as large as a hundred. They mercilessly attack any creature, particularly human, that so much as looks at one of their nests. They usually stay isolated on the tallest peaks, although some clever members of the Mahaji have learned to train them as hunters, but it requires much time and dedication. Plus, since the wyverns must be raised from hatchlings, it means risking the wrath of an entire flock to get just one egg. Sea monsters: These massive creatures are extremely rare, but they are known to swim in the cold waters near the Drellege harbor. They are powerful enough to sink even the toughest of warships by dragging them to the darkest of depths in their tentacles.
Others: Looters: Okay, these aren't really "creatures", for looters are humans. They are important, however, in the Mahaji world given they are a common enemy. Groups of humans often attempt to loot temples for any precious items from stones to blades to statues. The Mahaji have taken it upon themselves to stop them whenever they can, despite the persistence of the tricky looters.
The World: To be brief, the continent on which this RP takes place has four basic regions. The first, and the setting for our story, is the northern region, where the mountains texture the landscape. It is the largest area, and it gets more treacherous the further North one ventures. It is also the least populated of the four regions, although there are scattered cities and villages, particularly in the lower valleys. Up near Drellege, far north, is very little human life. There are the remnants of ancient society, including the abandoned city of Drellege itself. It is nestled between some of the highest mountains in the continent along the sea, where blizzards, waves, and ice cold winds batter the landscape. If one's focus drifts back down to the south, they would find the other three regions of the continent. The eastern region is the country called Kasia. Large, agricultural, and highly populated, it encompasses most of the farmable areas on the mainland. To the east of that is Bellendar; thickly forested and also dependent on the seas, given a good portion of the country is considered a peninsula. Further South are the Fearey Islands. As far as surface area goes, they are about the size of Bellendar when theoretically combined. The islands do host a small population, but not one that is interested in the current wars. The islanders exist in a very dry, unforgiving climate of their own and do not often interact with each other much less the rest of the continent.
Joining Form:
Character Name Allegiance ☼ Rank ☼ Gender ☼ Age ☼ Sexuality
Appearance: (Please include relevant details such as facial features, coloring, build, attire, etc)
Personality: (Quirks, flaws, strengths, likes, fears, priorities)
History: (How did they end up where they are?)
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ℊℓоω
ɴᴏ ᴀᴅᴍɪᴛᴛᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴇxᴄᴇᴘᴛ ᴏɴ ᴘᴀʀᴛʏ ʙᴜsɪɴᴇss
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Post by ℊℓоω on Jul 8, 2017 20:52:58 GMT -5
But there’s a full moon rising, let's go dancing in the light
☼ ☼ ☼ ☼ "Come a little bit closer, hear what I have to say Just like children sleeping, we could dream this night away But there’s a full moon rising, lets go dancing in the light We know where the music’s playing, lets go out and feel the night"
Wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip wip (just testing out layouts, this will change)
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Post by ☾ Cʀᴇsᴄᴇɴᴛ ☽ on Jul 8, 2017 22:16:43 GMT -5
Eyyy so this looks really cool! My only question would be, how does the Mahaji group stay depopulated?
And the layout looks beautiful. It really fits the mood and the concept. I may or may not be able to join something like this due to my schedule, but I can help bounce some ideas back and forth.
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Post by ☾ Cʀᴇsᴄᴇɴᴛ ☽ on Jul 8, 2017 22:27:17 GMT -5
Ugh populated, not depopulated, my bad.
Ahh, makes sense. This is actually such an original concept and all. I really like it. Is there anything you need help with specifically? I mean it seems like you already have a lot of great ideas, haha.
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Post by ☾ Cʀᴇsᴄᴇɴᴛ ☽ on Jul 8, 2017 22:47:02 GMT -5
Haha, I can't seem to write or chat without typos fml
Ooh, yeah, I think we'd need more people since it's kinda an all-out war, you know? So you need at least enough characters for a battalion on either side. I'm not sure, maybe a little bigger than the Ravens' Guild? But you could encourage people to make two or three characters each. On that note, if you're asking people to make multiple characters I'd say maybe set the literacy requirements a tad lower. Like advanced is great and I definitely think that's good to keep, but maybe instead of like 10 paragraphs three or four would be better? Because with so many characters and such it'd be necessary to keep the plot moving.
Hmm, so what kind of weapons and such were you thinking for the Mahaji? Can they use water magic? Or do they just have basic weapons and vast knowledge of underground tunnels? I'm trying to think because for the war to last long enough, they have to have some sort of advantage.
Sure, sounds good! I may head to bed soon but should be on tomorrow.
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Post by ☾ Cʀᴇsᴄᴇɴᴛ ☽ on Jul 8, 2017 23:20:23 GMT -5
My life is a struggle, are you kidding? xD Same here.
Yeah, makes sense! And I love long posts but I can only write like one or two a day before I'm basically done with rping haha.
Hm, yeah. Well, I'd say we can maybe have a specific number of slots for males and females so it's equal? Ooh, yeah, I like that idea. Like the spirits help them out, but they aren't actually magical in of themselves. And it sounds like them men have gunpowder and cannons and bombs and stuff on their side, so they can fight the spirits?
Also, would we have specific slots? Like leaders on either side and such? And I'm assuming on the men's side we'd have, like, a battalion of sorts, but how would it work on the women's side? Would we be rping like the front lines of the army or the whole orgnization/government?
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ℊℓоω
ɴᴏ ᴀᴅᴍɪᴛᴛᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴇxᴄᴇᴘᴛ ᴏɴ ᴘᴀʀᴛʏ ʙᴜsɪɴᴇss
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Post by ℊℓоω on Jul 8, 2017 23:44:41 GMT -5
Same. Except sometimes even one a day is hard for me, especially if I've done a lot in a day. Because it takes me a lot of lounging around and thinking to get into the right head space to write. Which sounds really pretentious and contrived. But it's better when the posts are longer because I don't have to think so far ahead xD
We could also just tell people not to make female characters anymore if it gets too out of balance. Idk I guess we'll cross that bridge when we come to it xD Yeah so the spirits could certainly be useful allies because the armies will have no magical component. They'll have ballista and trebuchets and crossbows and dynamite (or something like it). But they won't have frickin water spirits!
Hmmmmm I would like to try going without slots for every character. I want to encourage people to be super creative with roles and occupations and everything. But you are right, we should probably have set leadership to make things more straight forward. I might make ranking systems, sort of like in warrior clans, and people can claim a role within that ranking system so long as no one else has. Or some roles might have multiple people, such as general soldiers.
So how it would work, in order to consolidate the characters, is that the plot would revolve around the women as well as the men in the war who are helping or opposing them. They are aware of each other's existence and have already sort of begun in their discussion and disagreement. The setting is in a deep canyon through a mountain range, and at the base of the mountain is the sacred underground temple that the women plan to protect. Around that, outside, is an ancient, abandoned city where most of the fighting between the troops will take place. The women can either go out to negotiate/strategize with certain men in their tents, or the men can come to them in the temple (although it is protected, so that person would have to be trusted). My idea is that neither side is particularly focused on the Mahaji, they're more concerned with beating each other out. But some of the men encounter the women and realize that the war is jeopardizing such an old and sacred society. They are the ones who offer to do whatever is in their power to protect the temple and the Mahaji, whether that means persuading their leaders or sabotaging their own troops or recruiting others or going to seek the help of cool creatures I guess it's up to people to decide c:
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Post by ☾ Cʀᴇsᴄᴇɴᴛ ☽ on Jul 8, 2017 23:58:57 GMT -5
Hey, no, I feel you. Some days I just can't and just need to chat.
Hey that makes a lot of sense. I feel like it evens it out some. Maybe with the explosives the women think they have some fire spirit on their side at first? Idk just a random thought. And sure, som basic roles with a limit to how many can fill them sounds good. Just too keep some order and such. What kind of government were you thinking for each side? Like would it be hereditary? Just wondering.
Ooh, okay, that sounds really good. Like it makes sense and everything. Sounds like you have a lot of this planned out already!
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Post by 𝕾𝖙𝖔𝖗𝖒𝖗𝖆𝖌𝖊 on Jul 9, 2017 11:36:53 GMT -5
C:
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Post by ☾ Cʀᴇsᴄᴇɴᴛ ☽ on Jul 9, 2017 15:27:46 GMT -5
No, you're not explaining too much! Don't worry. We need to know all of this stuff to get started anyways, haha. Yeah, and so maybe some of the women get totally freaked out and default to the other side since they're so afraid? But then when they find out it's just tech they try to escape but it's too late? Idk, that might be a fun plot to do.
I think an monarchy on the women's side would be cool. Then we could have like, a "queen bee" figure that's all shrouded in mystery and stuff. That would be a fun challenge for the men's side to figure out and such. And maybe she has a sort of elite guard or something, and the women challenge those in the guard to make it in? Like say Guard A is getting old, so Guard B a younger woman duels her for the position? Idk, could cause some drama. If we did that, it would make more sense for the women to be militaristic. That way maybe it would make the women seem even more foreign and threatening to the men, who aren't used to seeing such fierce women? And on the men's side we could do an oligarchy, yeah. I don't have as many ideas for that yet, but I guess they would be industrial.
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Post by ☾ Cʀᴇsᴄᴇɴᴛ ☽ on Jul 9, 2017 19:53:28 GMT -5
Eyyy all the stuff looks fantastic! And the WIP page you have uobis beautiful. Lemme know if you need anymore help brainstorming, writing stuff, a joining page, etc.
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Post by ☾ Cʀᴇsᴄᴇɴᴛ ☽ on Jul 10, 2017 15:44:31 GMT -5
Okay, sounds good to me! I'll let you know if I think of any other animals.
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Post by ☾ Cʀᴇsᴄᴇɴᴛ ☽ on Jul 11, 2017 19:25:57 GMT -5
Eyyy, I'm here to help you out if ya need!
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Post by ☾ Cʀᴇsᴄᴇɴᴛ ☽ on Jul 11, 2017 19:40:36 GMT -5
Yayyy! Sounds good. I think I have a few characters that I can use. Though I mostly have females so I might make/find a couple guys to balance things out and so I can have people on all sides, you know?
Ooh, sounds fun! How many characters would you suggest I make?
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Post by ☾ Cʀᴇsᴄᴇɴᴛ ☽ on Jul 12, 2017 15:40:36 GMT -5
Everything looks really nice on the main page! Have you figured out a form yet? If you have just let me know so I can start creation my characters!
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