Roll 2 Dodge: Invictus

Invictus:

The Unconquered

Prologue:

Game Overview:
Mid-high fantasy level. Medieval-type settings, magic use, races other than humans, potential deities or super humans [demigods].

Invictus takes place primarily on the Great Continent [Askahad] and the surrounding islands, but new areas could potentially be explored in the future.

The world is tolerating its longest period of unrecorded peace in history. Unrecorded, because 6 months is the farthest any of the inhabitants can remember without referring to the Histories. Tolerating, because the two rival nations Trinnea and Allebe have been itching to dive for each other's figurative throats for years.

They have been held back up to this point in time by the clergy-endorsed fear of supernatural judgment, the very real fear of a full-scale war between two powerful monarchies, and a veiled threat of intervention by the R.A.N. [for origins of this republic, read the above spoiler].

However, all that is about to change. Preparations are quietly being made by both sides for potential conflict, and a complicated network of spies sows seeds of discord throughout the buffer nations protected by R.A.N.

Into the midst of this deceit and intrigue, you are cast - simple students, only learning about a lifestyle that you envy - attempting to discover a life of adventure.

You are going to get a lot more than you bargained for.

---

The world has the same basic natural laws as Earth, and is set in a pre-Renaissance technological period. Some basic mechanical contrivances have been created, but higher technological pursuits have mostly been set aside in favor of the magical arts. Much of the armor, weapons, and even some appliances have been augmented with magical components, or imbued with spells.

Magic has always had some inexplicable affinity for the human race, especially after the creation of the Rune Stones. Using these, one can cast spells learned from scrolls, tomes, scholars, merchants who have invested in the magical market, and others such as these. As your knowledge advances, you may alter inscriptions and perhaps even create spells at your whim. More on the Magic system will be explained as you encounter it in game.

Mechanics:

Skills:

Criticals:

Life and Death:

Character Application:

Notes on Role-playing:

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishment the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

-Invictus


Currently Playing:
1. AerynPierre (Earnan)
2. Rulyon (Kyric Vandergraft)
3. Talkal (Emaldeth)
4. 8680 (Aranna)

Waiting List:
1. JackBarber
2. its_crunchtime
3. Saima

Dearly Departed:
1. Flamelasher (Atem). Removed for inactivity. Died tragically while _______.

EDIT as of Feb 07, 2012: Note for Players: To see your complete, unabridged character profiles (the info you gave me in your application), click here. I use the "Personality" section to influence your outside-of-roll interactions a bit, so comment on it if you would like me to change anything.

To comment, press the "Comments" tab in the top-right-hand corner of the screen and click on "Show Comment Stream," or press the "Insert" button and press "Comment." Or type Ctrl+Alt+M.

Please comment if I've made any mistakes!

Well, it's good to be back. This time I'm much more prepared and much more enthusastic about where this game will be going.

If you would like to join the game, fill out the very simple Character Application (explained in the spoiler on the main post). Once enough players have signed up, I will write an opening post.

I'm starting with four players, because rolling for 6 got tedious at times.

Note that the Prologue and the Game Overview historical jargon is optional reading, but will give you a more complete background on the world. Most of the fluff will be removed to the game's future Worlds page.

If you have any questions, please either PM me, post in the game's page in the "Game Applications" thread, post on this page after the opening roll, or wait until I post a Worlds page and ask them then.

I would like to reserve a slot; not in the player list, but in the waiting list; to be added when someone dies or quits.

Name: Kyric (KEER-ick)
Appearance: Violet eyes, freckles, a dimpled chin, platinum-blonde hair, and a short-trimmed mustache round out his facial features. He is shorter than average (his eyes sit level with the average person's chin) with proportionately narrow shoulders.
Personality: Easy enough to get along with, but very defensive about his height. Despite this, he takes advantage of it when he can. Once he makes a decision, he sticks to his guns stubbornly unless someone presents him with a compelling reason or evidence to the contrary. Once a friend, friend for life. Once an enemy... take a punch to the jaw then he'll buy you a drink.
Goals: Find some excitement in his life. He has the potential to become an adrenalin junkie, and enjoy combat for the simple pleasure in testing his limits.

Edit: I'd just like to say, I've been waiting for you next game for some time now. I look forward to this one!

8680, you're added to the waiting list. I'll have you write out an application when needed.

Both accepted! Very nice character bio, Rulyon. I shall enjoy subtlely insulting his height! Should be a fun character to write for.

Rulyon wrote:Edit: I'd just like to say, I've been waiting for you next game for some time now. I look forward to this one!

Same with yours! When is it going to be ready?

My game has gone through several different incarnations before this one, and nothing about the game I mentioned back then holds true to the game now

Accepting one more player.

Name: Emaldeth
Appearance: 180 cm high, dark short hair, bright blue eves(almost white), slightly tanned, has a strange scar shaped like a dragon on his chest.
Personality: A trustworthy guy, who always help his friends. He likes to joke about everything, but knows where is the border. He also holds a dark secret.
Goals: His only goal in life is to travel with friends across the land, and have a great fun... or maybe there is something else?

I hope this will be good, also looking forward to play this game. It can be a good practice before starting my own game (which will be soon) .

OT: What's your game about?
----------------------------

Accepted, as long as this "dark secret" is not a

SURPRISE! I'M THE DRAGON KING!

sort of thing. I'd rather not the players come up with major plot pieces on the fly, least of all within their own bios. You can come up with a (non-game breaking) backstory if you want, but preferably after a few rolls to get a feel of the nature of the world you live in.

Well Flamelasher going to be vacation until the 3rd right?

Well, so he is. I'll give him a bit of leeway if he's not able to post his application that very day/night.

bigkahuna wrote:

Rulyon wrote:Edit: I'd just like to say, I've been waiting for you next game for some time now. I look forward to this one!

Same with yours! When is it going to be ready?

Soon, I hope. I had wanted to wait until school season began in order to avoid starting one...then losing several players once they realized they didn't have time for the game. So I may be introducing it very soon, within the week.

bigkahuna wrote:OT: What's your game about?
----------------------------

Accepted, as long as this "dark secret" is not a

SURPRISE! I'M THE DRAGON KING!

The dark secret is that i hate yellow flowers


Nah, just kidding, it's some other secret, I'll write you a PM about it.

And my game will be some sort of open world, but still with a plot.

That will work, thanks.

---

OT: Wow, I forgot how much I hated getting back into the (school/college) routine. Bleh. I should be recovered by the time the game starts, though.

PM send

@Bigkahuna: haha, I still have one month vacation

OT: How in the world do you get a 1 month vacation? Some Polish or European thing?

This year was my last year, and I had an "mature exam" (google translated it as 'Baccalaureate' LOL there is such word?) so I have vacation since the end of april, so this will make 5 months of vacations This year I am starting studying (drastic change of profession: from electronic technician to resocialize pedagogy (?) and the year is starting in october.

Unfortunate (for you) change of plans!

I'm going on a short weekend vacation and will get back Sunday evening. Thus, the game start date will be erased all together, and I'll try and start as soon as possible.

Still waiting on Flamelasher to return and fill out his application.

A game run by BigKahuna is worth waiting for. Enjoy your weekend.

Name: Atem
Appearance: Average height and thin, with average build and black hair and green eyes. Only remarkable feature is a strange scar on his neck.

Spoiler:

Accepted, accepted, accepted, and DENIED accepted!

Crazy day unpacking, getting ready for another hectic week, so I'll try and work on the roll tomorrow. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, of course (for example, my computer conveniently losing internet AGAIN).

I'll just say now that I do not tolerate stupidity, but if you come up with something awesome, I will try and make it work.

Spoiler:

It has all come down to this: this final hour, this last despairing struggle. In front of you lay your greatest hope. Your greatest fear.

It is your move. Your moment. You look into the eyes of your opponents, searching for some shred of compassion, mercy, a bare modicum of decency; there is none. You are looking into souls as empty as the void. Cruel, cold, and calculating.

A drop of sweat rolls down your brow. The others are smug now, almost cocky with the assurance of their triumph. Many plots and designs were needed to reach this moment, and they have all failed you.

You reach out your hand to yield to the inevitable… But wait. Something has changed. An alteration in your perception, perhaps? Or was the answer in front of you all along?

This time, you are the one smiling.

Your rivals’ conceited sneers falter for a moment, and their eyes slowly drop to the object of this unexpected change. Realizing his lethal blunder, one of your adversaries blanches and involuntarily clutches the solid, oaken board in his lap until his hand begins to shake violently.

You reach out your hand again, this time to grasp victory…

“Fire rune to-”

HALT!

The wagon abruptly comes to a stop, upsetting your makeshift table as well as its contents: your precious game of Runes, which (each of you felt) was a moment from ending in triumph. The precious runes scatter all over the gravel road; the armed guards coming behind you grinding them into the dust did not help your prospects of retrieving them.

“My runes!”

“…”

“I was... winning…”

“I doubt that... Everyone knows you couldn’t beat a troll at R-”

Your argument was interrupted with a shove by one of the men hired to protect the convoy.

“Cap’n wants to see you out front.”

You rolled your eyes. These mercenary types – too cocky. Not that you warranted much respect as a church courier, but that would soon change. Then you would put all those privately hired upstarts -- with real armor and weapons… and they had emblems! --in their place. But for now, you looked on rather enviously. After all, they got all the cash… all the glory… all the real armor and weapons and women and…

---

Mail duty for such an ethical institution was not as thrilling or as stable as you would like it to be. After all, your only purpose was to sit in a wagon and hold onto letters, notices, excommunication warnings, and holy things until you reached your destination. Besides, all these confounded private armies were forcefully outdating the dispatch system.

The Church and all of its wardens, branches, offices, cults, and rejects were quarantined in a diminutive country in the crossroads between the three major realms. Dubbed the City of the Pantheon, the clergy-owned state was bordered on all sides by small, independent provinces. These were ruled by petty lords from all three kingdoms who were either court outcasts, or bootlickers trying to eke some sort of power from mooching off the religious authorities.

Free from the constant supervision and protection of their sovereigns, most of the nobles spent their days in constant fear of each other, building up their militia as if someone actually desired their few square miles of farmland, taverns, and mountain men.

Still, why all the soldiers? In fact, if this mission had not come from the top you would probably be traveling alone. Apparently, the Rector himself sanctioned it after miraculously recovering the illnesses bestowed on him by old age or a lifetime of inhaling the smoke of incense and sacrifices.

Well, who knows? No one ever tells you anything. All you knew was that you had to deliver a highly important document to some insignificant person who owns an inn in some backwater town in the backwoods of some district or other. You are unaware of the document’s contents -- heck, you haven’t even seen the document. You suspect the only reason you are here is to put a stamp of Church authority on the mission.

---

You stroll to the front of the caravan, where the captain of the venture – a short fellow with a feather in his cap – is sitting on his packhorse looking quite agitated. His disheveled salt-and-pepper beard is being further tangled by his nervous chewing on it. Seeing you come forward, he beckons you over to his side.

“Cahfnun Ferehh Kublll,” he says, sticking out his hand. Then he discharged his mouthful of beard. “Captain Feris Kobol,” he tries again, his face flushing. He had about as much confidence as he did height, and you assume he probably did not achieve the (not-so-) lofty position of militia captain by natural merit.

You introduce yourselves.

“Good. Pleasantries aside, let’s get to the point. I assume you know the nature of this task?”

“The usual, I suppose. Mail delivery.”

He smiles thinly and without humor. “Not quite that simple. The delivery location lies in the territory of Lord Viktor Reik – do you know of him?”

“Vaguely. He has a history of resisting church intrusion on his property.” The map of the City’s surroundings was struck through with a big red ‘X’ where Lord Viktor’s property lay. It was commonly known by all church couriers that there was risk of heavy tolls, harassment, and/or dismemberment when traveling on Viktor’s land; his personnel and other such chattel staunchly contest this.

“Does he now?” Captain Feris looked at you closely. “That would perhaps explain recent events, but perhaps not. It has come to my attention that Reik has a vested interest in receiving the contents of our package himself.”

“How would you know that?”

“I sent two of my men out three hours ago to scout the road ahead,” he says softly. Nothing strange there. No roads are safe any longer outside of the City. Well, outside one of the temples. Even the City of the Pantheon had one of the worst underbellies the world of crime had ever seen.

“One of them returned just recently. Unhorsed. Heavily wounded. Apparently, they were ambushed just inside the forest… He’s not going to make it either,” he finishes.

He legitimately cares for his men. Imagine that.

“That still doesn’t prove anything,” you respond after a moment of silence, “it could have just as easily have been bandits or highwaymen.”

“Carrying these? I don’t think so.” He fumbles in his pack for a bit, and eventually pulls out two… are those crossbows? And not just any crossbows! Military-grade, spring-loader/launcher, steel-filament bowstring, oh-so-delicate sights, even a shoulder pad! and… Holy GODS is that enchanted?!?

“I see you recognize a fine weapon when you find one,” Captain Feris responds to your awed expressions, “oh, you spotted the emblem?”

So it was not enchanted. All runes look the same to you.

“That’s Reik’s mark,” he explains grimly, “the gods know where he’s getting these weapons… incredibly well made, and flawless, mirror images of each other! And if that wasn’t proof enough…”

He opens up his pack again and pulls out a small package where you saw the document being held. He opens it up; it is empty.

“Before he lapsed into unconsciousness, our scout reported that his armor was taken from him after his attackers dumped him on the wayside. I suspect that is how they managed to retrieve the document and escape suspicion so easily.”

This was bad. Very, very bad. If the Rector himself had come off his deathbed and authorized this operation, failure could be disastrous for everyone involved, least of all the captain. Your own necks are on the line! Besides, assassins could be inside the camp at this very moment. They already killed two of the detail, so four unarmed couriers would be short work.

“So, some power-hungry noble or other is trying to kill us – and is doing a smashing job, I might add – and even if we do survive the Rector will have our hides for his prayer robe.”

Feris shifted slightly. “That second point is the reason you were called over. I’m unsure what you know or why you’re here, but this delivery cannot fail, or my livelihood,” …which he probably paid a good deal of money for… “ as well as yours, I might add,” …this captain is shrewder than you thought… “will be finished.”

“I want you to find the thieves – wherever they are – and retrieve the document.”

“But they’ve probably already reached Lord Viktor by now.”

“Perhaps, but I doubt it. If this dispatch is as important as I suspect, Reik doubtless plans to silence the recipient as well. You know where the letter was headed?”

By-river Township, the Hairy Goblin Bar (and Lodgings), Selma the innkeeper.

“But Captain Kobol, you do realize that we’re unarmed church couriers…”

“Ah, but that’s the point. None of us can leave the camp without risk – we are militia from another province, and therefore disposable. Your deaths, however, would cause quite a stir.”

“Unarmed… church… couriers…”

He sighs. “You’ve had combat training? Good. You already have some basic weapons.”

“What about supplies?”

“…Just tell me what you need and I’ll do my best to see it through. But hurry! We don’t know how much time we have.” He fell back into his agitated, rather panicky state. For a while there, he had seemed a keen strategic officer.

---

Wait - tell him what you need? A blank slate? Forget this courier business. After this last job – maybe even before this last job – you would be set for life. Finally fulfill your dreams of traveling the world saving beautiful women… and helpless villagers and such of course.

But then there was the matter of papers… just identification, really. The program started about six months ago, and it essentially traps a person permanently in their occupation. A thousand fiery deaths on whoever introduced it… But there are probably dozens of places where you can get papers altered or forged. Heck, the Holy City itself is probably the home of the industry.

---

Discussion Mode:

Discussion Points:

Character Sheets:

First and foremost, I think we should speak to the injured scout. As for supplies, perhaps some light armor o wear under our robes, and I think at least two of us should acquire some form or ranged weapon... Like those crossbows, as well as appropriate ammunition. What do y'all think?

Definetley the armor, and maybe some helmets?

Just to brief you a bit about your situation:

The wounded scout is literally on his deathbed, fading in and out of consciousness. The camp is extremely sensitive and soldiers may snap from grief or rage fairly easily, depending on how events are affecting them. Remember that they have two casualties from among themselves - a rare occurence in a country militia - and they're essentially quarantined in their camp with unknown dangers surrounding them and/or possibly from within. Be careful how you approach your questioning.

You have 20 Unica each; 1 Unica = 4 U.S. dollars = ~2.5 British pounds sterling.

You can start posting actions whenever you want - individuals can perform actions by themselves without causing problems as long as it's purely discussion or item acquiring (try and split up loot remotely fairly amongst yourselves). Just make sure to [b]bold all of your actions.

EDIT: I stuck the Runes game boards in your inventory. It may seem like worthless trash at the moment, but wait until you obtain some more pieces. A simple board game, perhaps with some stakes involved, can be a powerful motivator, or simply a conversation starter.

NOTE: The game of Runes is a bit unique in that it is a traveling based game, traditionally played with either 2, 4, or 8 players. Players carry around their own portion of the board and their own pieces (one of each of the base elemental runes) on their journeys. It may seem redundant, but it's a popular game in most regions, and carrying around one board and one set of pieces is much less unwieldy than a set for 8 players.

Since we were playing the game at the start of the introduction, our characters presumably know more about the runes than simply "these are runes". Could you provide some elaboration, please?

Also, to my fellow characters: I suggest we acquire some sort of Official Notice of Authorized Access (or the like) from Kobol, specifically stating that we are all four entitled to whatever weapons or armor we choose from the armory, as well as perhaps rations, potions(if applicable in this world), and supplies (torches, rope, map, bedrolls, medical journals, bandages, thread and needle, and so forth.

BigKahuna: what are the limitations of available supplies? Is it a "If-you-can-name-it-you-can-acquire-it" deal, or are there restrictions?