Roads to War

[Mr Director]

 

If you want something done right, do it yourself... i'm taking a risk by believing in that statement.

Firstly, this in an RPG, secondly, it is a serious RPG and thirdly... these are the rules

1) The "narrative" and "story" are the most important things.
2) Blow your steam off in the "WTF INN", but here, dreams are real and are bound by the laws of plausibility
3) The world is bigger than YOU, not the other way around. No major powers or exaggeration (you are not the protagonist, you're just a pawn)
4) Subtlty and imagination will be rewarded. Characters that are believable are far more compelling than your wild fantasy E.G. A man who has no powers except the ability to teleport short distances has more potential than a vampire who sold his soul to the devil.
5) You have nothing to prove except that you have a matured imagination, don't go showing everybody up ("I stab you" "I turn into blood" "I freeze you" "I use my mind to summon a giant wyrm" "I cut its head off" etc etc etc....)
6) Send me a PM before you put your character forward, just tell me a little bit a bout them, ask some questions, etc. You can have more than one character, if only to remain in the action... you can kill them off if you like (your own ones only)
7) You can have flashbacks and flashforwards, but try to be symbolic and use them rarely. I will act as the Games Master, every now and then progressing the historical time line (it may be a good idea to add dates to your passages)

Here is a list of Tv/films/games to help express the mood to you: Pan's Labyrinth, Schindler's List, Bioshock, The Darkness, Assassination of Jesse James, Tim Burton, Oldboy, Sympathy for Mr Vengeance, Battlestar Galactica, etc, etc, etc

Here is the setting: Earth. The period, about 1935, the road to war. Hitler is Chancellor of Germany, the Spanish Civil War is round the corner, horrors are already being committed in Abyssinia. You can do your own research, but feel free to ask questions. This is an age of industrialization (be inventive, the Germans were inventing new weapons and so can you), war has not yet broken out. The Allies (mainly Britain and France) continue to appease Hitler's gambles (German rearmament, reintroduction of conscription). All over the world, events are unfolding, humanity is on a road to damnation. However, one small fact, humanity is not alone. Spirits, fairies, monsters, the stuff of dreams (and nightmares) are as real as motorised transport. Some humans live side-by-side with the non-human races, others ignore them whilst some wage war upon them. Oblivious to their sins, and those who judge them, humanity descends into the darkness. But there is hope. You don't need to see it, just believe.

What will you do?

OK, here are some themes to consider (keep them in mind when developing your character): War, survival, human rights, civilisation, morality, integrity vs priorities, appearance vs reality, fate and sin, coincidence and consequence, innocence vs ignorance, etc

Here are a list of races to choose from: Human, ogre (seen as large humans), sprite (social forest spirit), fairy (varies, tend to have their own agenda), monsters (not a race, just a generalisation, creatures that feed off human sin), angels (three classes: saint (holy), disciple (unholy) and earthbound (bound to a specific, eartherly, thing or place)), you can make up your own, but it needs to feel natural, not forced by a "crazy"  imagination..

Illegal* Races: Demons, vampires, werewolves, pokemon, other pre-created species (the above aren't origional, but that doesn't mean you can have an origional character)

*Unless it's a really good idea

Right, i'll start with my character, it will act as a template for yours.

Name: "Sun"
Age: 10
Race/nationality: Human, Polish
Hometown/residence: the countryside, Eastern Poland
Religion: Jewish
Class/job: she works on her families farm
Eyes: sky blue
Hair: long, dark aubern
Clothing/suit: vary, she usually wears a pretty, but worn, green and white dress that tends to get dirty
Notable Features: none
Aura: Innocence, she radiates a simple minded contentment with the world, she always seems to smell of flowers
Equipment: flowers, a small, pink cuddly mouse
Abilities: she has an affinity with the forest spirits
Brief Background: An innocent little girl who loves reading fairytale stories. She is a calm, peaceful child, that is easily scared, but couragous through her lack of understanding of what is "believable". She works on her families farm, has an older brother and dreams of meeting an angel.

Sorry this was so long,  but hopefully it was clear enough. I'll begin when people are ready, feel free to post questions or comments, but don't post your character before i've approved it and don't go starting the story.

Discuss 

[Srhar]

OOC: This looks like a well thought out rpg. When I think of a character that fits I will pm it to you.

[Gray Fox]

This is looking great, I'll PM ya with my character then edit this.

[Ice]

Looks awesome I'll think of something interesting to play for this.

[Nimnim]

(I'll pm ya with a character l8r.)

[Samuel]

(I'll try it out...but I've never done a rp in this era before...)

[Srhar]

~~
Name: Givin name is Grausamkeit but he didn't like it so it's George now.
Age: 478 looks about 30.
Race/nationality: Cyric, German
Hometown/residence: Forest, He floats around selling goods
Religion: High Cyrillian
Class/job: Professional RuneCrafter/Sells crafted goods
Eyes: Completely black with a faint gradient that may be the pupil that fades between red and blue
Hair: Short, brown
Clothing/suit: Gray pants, white long sleeved shirt, both woolen. Has a long black robe he wears at times
Notable Features: Long pointy ears, a faint glow about him which he can hide but it take energy, his eyes
Aura: Comfort, he seems quite happy with what he's doing and it tends to put people at ease
Equipment: A silver chain necklace with the cyrillian symbol on it. And RuneCrafting supplies
Abilities: RuneCrafting and magic casting
Brief Background: Being Cyric is not the best of fates; one has to cope with none of the races one is made up of particularly enjoying your company, along with other races' suspicious looks. George has lived on his own since his family's house burned down along with his little sister. The rest of his family, including a mother, father, and an older brother commited suicide shortly thereafter leaving him in his lonesome. Somehow he managed to keep a living as long as he kept moving and is still alive to this day.
~~

George looked up at the sky; it was getting dark. Well, time to pack up then.
After packing up his movable shop and hefting it onto his back, George set off in search of lodging. Perhaps he could find another farmhouse like the last one he slept at. Farmers tended to be less wary of him than rich folk.
After much trek the stars were just finishing coming out when George spotted a house on the edge of an expanse of farmland.
Ho! Perhaps they'll take me poor haggard soul in.
George walked up to the house and rapped on the door, Maybe the good folks of Poland are nicer than them in Germany.

[Ice]

Name: Aleksander
Age: 17
Race/nationality: Human, Polish
Hometown/residence: the countryside, Eastern Poland
Religion: N/A
Class/job: Hunter
Eyes: grey-blue
Hair: short, blonde
Clothing/suit: army surplus clothes with some fur clothing over the top of them
Notable Features: A scar that looks like its a bullet wound on his temple
Aura: A tri aura one of evil one of good and one of balance
Equipment: A long wickedly curved knife, A necklace with a waving neko on it, A bundle of rope, and a thick length of chain.
Abilities: Numerous all granted by the knife and the necklace
Brief Background: A decent teenager helped his mom keep her house up by hunting after his dad died one day he found a knife which he picked up as the knife began to change him a nearby saint took pity on him and granted him this necklace so that one day he might be rid of the cursed blade
~~


Aleks looked at the deer from the tree hes sitting in and licks his lips. Aleks says to himself its gonna be a tasty meal and a good day. Aleks lunges down and hamstrings the deer as it collapses he slits its throat and hangs it in the tree by its legs letting the blood run out of the body.

[Mr Director]

OCC: I'm really impressed with all the characters that I have seen, and the first post are looking good. I'll do my best to keep you all updated on anything you need to know (as well as people and general knowledge that will help you immerse yourself further).

---------------------------------

March 16th 1935

Dear diary

Im don my chors for to day. it was hard but kind of fun. I like ridin rosa but im to smal for lola. jupiter scars me only a littel but issac is good frends with him. mommy and daddy dont seem to happy they talk about going somwer big but i dont know were. i see a butter fly today it was very very pritty. daddys dad floo ofar a pressy for me it was a cartoon abot a pig called porky pig thats funny but not very porky i wons see a man or lady that was like lots and lots of me poot toge *line through "toge"* in one. still no angel i love angels but tha must be very shi like fairys but ill look when the sun coms. mommy sed she wil teech me a lullabi i dont know but mommys as clos to a angel but she dont have no wings.

sweet dreams angel

-----------------------------------------

The sun had disappeared behind the hills, its last few rays shielded by the thick forest that dominated the Western horizon. Fields of farmland stretched out to the East and cattle slept at ease under the clear night sky. Isolated in the picturesque landscape a small farm house, acompanied only by a small barn, welcomed the first rays of a full moon. Shafted through dirty windows, they illuminated the small room, where a 10 year old girl witnessed the transition from the comfort of her warm bed.

"Good night sun, good night moon" the girl whispered so only those she addressed could hear. She turned her attention back to her book, "The Angel of the Forest", which her father had read to her only a moment ago. A moment ago was long enough to wait for this young mind, and she stared at the pictures, memorizing them for future reference. "There's an Angel..."

----------------------------------------

"Josef, will you put that paper away." Helens said wearily.

"But dear, this is unacceptable. After the Great War rules were put in place to stop it ever happening again." He brandished the newspaper in his hands "Germany has broken the rules. It was stated clearly in the Treaty of Versailles that under no circumstances was Germany to ever have enough arms to threaten the world. This bloke, Hitler, thinks he can change that. I don't know who he thinks he is, but he is not above the law."

"Well the Germans seem to like him, and its not done any harm, so just let it be." she snatched the paper and threw it onto a chair. "Get to bed soldier.." Josef took of his glasses and slowly got into bed. He kissed his wife goodnight and put out the lamp.

A creek stirred the mother.

"That darn girl hasn't closed the barn door, again." Helen got out of bed and strided towards Anna's bedroom.

Anna heard the footsteps and quickly hid her book under the covers and closed her eyes. Her mother walked in, no trust in disturbing her daughters sleep.

"How many times have i told you to close the barn door?" She pulled the cover over "And how many times have i told you to stop reading those silly fairytales, it's enough your father keeps buying you them." Anna looked at her blankly, innocently, almost as if she could laugh or cry at any moment. "Well if you've got time to read then you won't mind closing the door, will you?" No answer "Take the lamp with you and don't disturb your father, it's taken long enough to get him to sleep." As she walked out she turned back "And wear your jacket, it's cold outside." She closed the door behind her. Anna sat there for a while, looking at the door, then the window.

She closed the front door behind her as she set out towards the barn, armed with a lamp and her book. She looked inside the barn. It was dark. She was about to close the door when a sound made her jump. She turned around. Standing in front of the door, a man seeming to carry the contents of a shop upon his back. A very strange shop at that, Anna did not know what they were or what they did. She wasn't scared though, he seemed strange and friendly. She walked towards him.

She spoke, hidden behind the creature's baggage.

"Hello. What's your name?"

OCC: The date is only needed if you want people to know where in history your character falls into. If your character doesn't know the date you can decide whether you wnat to add it or not. Keep up the good work. We need more people, more characters, not germans, or polish, i think we've got enough for now (hint: go east)

[Srhar]

"Hello. What's your name?"

George spun around, he wasn't expecting people from behind!
The one that had spoken was a small girl holding a lamp and carrying a book of some sort. Perhaps she lived here.
"'Ello miss." George said in fluent polish, "Are your parents around by chance? I was hopin' fer some lodging fer this cold night." George smiled at her warmly, hoping she wouldn't be taken aback by his strange appearance. The soft glow emanating from his body almost made the lamp a moot point.

OOC: I hope I'm talking to the right character... It got a little confusing towards the end.

[Mr Director]

OCC: Yes you are 

IC: Anna liked the man. He was odd though, the strange glow didn't seem to come from any lamp of sorts, as if the pointy eared man were giving it off himself. The girl frowned a little.

"Mommy and Daddy are sleeping. They told me not to speak to strangers." She smiled playfully "But you're not strange." She looked around, a little confused. "Mommy won't be happy if she saw a strange man..." She looked over at the barn. "But Rosa won't mind.." She tugged on the stranger's sleeve, pointing towards the barn. "You can sleep there, it's dark, but it's not very scary. Come on, i'll show you."

OCC: I'll introduce some public (and unpublic) figures that may be relevent to people's characters in my next post.

[Srhar]

George followed the girl into the barn and looked up at the high rafters. The hay would make for a good mattress, George decided... However... George looked down at the girl again, "Thanks fer the hospitality and all, but are you sure thet I can sleep here? I mean; are you sure yer parents wouldn't mind? It is their barn and I don't wanna get you in trouble miss."

[Ice]

March 17 1935 7:30 at night.

Aleksander cuts down the deer as its getting late and he can't leave it overnight he begins to drag it back to his house and decides on a shortcut through some nearby famrland. Aleksander then decides instead of taking it slow he is gonna get home before the dinner his mom left out gets cold so he hauls the deer up onto his shoulder and takes off hopping the farms fences as he runs.

[Darkly Chaotic]

Name: "hellflame"
Age: 25
Race/nationality: Human/fire elemental, American
Hometown/residence: London, england
Religion: Atheist
Class/job: Bounty hunter
Eyes: Golden
Hair: short dark brown
Clothing/suit: dark trench coat and a wide brimmed hat. thick leather gloves and combat boots.
Notable Features: flame tattoo on forehead
Aura: anger, a smell of sulfur and burnt matches.
Equipment: various knives and a sniper rifle
Abilities: pyrokinisis
Brief Background: captured by the Germans, he was used in experiments to fuse magical creatures with humans to create super soldiers. his project was a success and he became fused with a fire elemental, but there was no notable change, other than his eye color. so he was assumed to be a failure and locked into a cell to later be "disposed of". the elemental awoke and took control of the body and destroyed the institute. fleeing, hellflame went to London and began a business as a bounty hunter. the elemental is self aware and occasionally talks to hellflame, or takes control of his body to destroy stuff.
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March 17 1935 7:35
Hellflame walked down the streets of London, a pair of knives in his hands. He was looking for his latest target, a deserter from the army, and had tracked him down to a local pub. he peeked into the window and saw his quarry sitting and drinking a beer. sighing he hunkered down in a nearby alleyway to wait for the target to leave.

[elephant]

name: none
age: irrelevant
race/nationality: a forest spirit, aka Leszi in Polish mythology
hometown/residence: Białowieża Forest

eyes: dark and big, shaped a bit like a deer's
hair: light brown
clothing/suit: none, but parts of it's body is covered in patches of hair and moss
notable features: a male human-like creature with huge antlers. a bit less than average in height, posture is slightly tilted forward (because of the heavy antlers). has a thin layer of skin revealing some vital arteries. his big heart can be seen pounding in his chest.

aura: spiritual, deeply connected to the cosmos and everything invisible to the naked eye
abilities: lack of speech, makes pleasant and soft vibrating sounds with it's throat. not very easily vulnerable in the forest, but hardly immortal-- the spirit forests are often killed by superstitious soldiers.

brief background: the constant migration has caused the passive species to grow more and more detached from each other and the forest, yet they're all bound to it so strongly they're unable to leave (at some point my character will though). they're depicted as rather evil in the Polish mythology. mostly driven by curiousity.

*****

the creature, moving towards it's favourite oak to rest, growled quietly at the drops of dew tickling it's feet.