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[IronyOwl]

Setting and Plot

Spoiler: Overview (click to show/hide)

Years ago, the world was overrun by demons. They slaughtered everything in their path, washing over those who resisted and running down those who fled. The very ground died with its inhabitants, tainted beyond repair by demonic magic.

A few places did manage to hold out, however. Dubbed Havens, these bastions of humanity held together long enough for the demonic attacks to subside, even if they never stopped completely. In time, they stabilized and were able to relax a bit, growing in strength and confidence if not necessarily in size. The world of today is a relatively stable place, compared to the huddled terror of yesteryear's constant siege.

Of course, even in relative peace, the world is a dangerous place. The demons are not defeated, nor even necessarily weakened; humanity is safe for the moment, but nobody is quite certain why. Everyone fears that the demons could resume their assaults at any moment, and that their attacks could be even more ferocious and concentrated when they do. Even if they don't, the world remains broken and hostile; demons and monsters infest anyplace that isn't protected by vigilant guards, and the regions where anything still grows makes most wish it didn't.

Spoiler: Demographics (click to show/hide)

The average inhabitant of Valyn is a human of medium build (that is where we get the definition of medium, after all), with fair skin, brown hair, and green eyes. Variations are fairly common, especially now that reckless magical experimentation is more valued and common.

Humans are the only common race on Valyn; stories and rumors abound of other races that existed here and there before the invasion, but even most tales don't usually depict them as more than isolated villages. Nonhumans, including apparent humans with peculiar features, are generally assumed to be either extraplanar in nature, or a severely altered or mutated former human, and in either case tend to be uncommon enough to draw attention but common enough not to be especially crowdstopping.

Mechanics

Spoiler: Dice and Rolls (click to show/hide)

Most rolls are standard RTD d6 rolls with modifiers. The results are summarized below.

Roll	Result
0	Abysmal Failure. You've ruined everything, probably including yourself.
1	Critical Failure. Not only did you fail, you made things worse. Injuring yourself on this result is common.
2	Failure. While you might not have made the situation objectively worse, you nonetheless failed to really accomplish anything. This can still have negative side effects.
3	Partial Success. You succeeded somewhat or in some ways, but not as well as you had hoped.
4	Success. You succeeded at what you were attempting.
5	Perfect Success. You succeeded magnificently, accomplishing more than you were expecting.
6	Overshot. You went a bit overboard, which should have succeeded but may involve side effects.
7	Massive Overshot. The results probably still resemble your original intention, but you've gone pretty overboard with them.

Results lower than 0 or higher than 7 tend to follow the same pattern of escalating power or ruinous catastrophe.

Modifiers to these rolls usually come from skills and the complexity and power of the action being attempted. A character may voluntarily waive some of their skill bonus in order to accomplish a simple task without being likely to go completely overboard on it.

Spoiler: Skills (click to show/hide)

Skills are measures of ability and knowledge in certain fields. Different skill levels have corresponding titles and bonuses to actions using them.

Skills are increased through use. Every time a character uses a skill in a meaningful fashion, they have a chance to gain experience in that skill. Uses of a skill with no particular benefit or risk to the user generally do not award experience; combat with legitimate foes or crafting attempts on valuable materials are two of the most common sources of experience gain.

Experience gain may also be affected by modifiers to a roll and the success of the roll. As a general rule, spellcasting benefits from penalties and mundane skills benefit from succeeding.

Name	Bonus	Experience to Next Level	Total Experience to Reach
Inexperienced	-1	2	0
Dabbling	+0	2	2
Novice	+1	4	4
Apprentice	+2	8	8
Adept	+3	16	16
Expert	+4	32	32
Master	+5	64	64

These levels and modifiers also apply to actions. This means that barring other bonuses or penalties, actions equal to your current skill level are flat rolls, while actions one level higher are at a net -1 penalty, actions one level lower are at a net +1 bonus, and so on.

Name	Bonus	Decription
Inexperienced	+1	There are generally no useful Inexperienced level actions. Actions that grant a +1 bonus are usually due to factors outside average human intelligence and knowledge counting as overqualification.
Dabbling	+0	There are generally no useful Dabbling level actions. Actions without modifiers are typically not considered Dabbling.
Novice	-1	Weak expressions of a skill's basic principles. Controlling fire between your hands, animating a dead cat, or crafting a simple wooden box might all be Novice actions.
Apprentice	-2	Proficient expressions of a skill's basic principles. Controlling fire around you, animating a weak but serviceable human skeleton, or crafting a wooden box with a hinged lid might all be Apprentice actions.
Adept	-3	Proficient expressions of a skill, and often considered the default level of a professional. Using controlled fire to damage and ignite someone, animating an undead minion with a modicum of understanding, or crafting a nice wooden chest might all be Adept level actions.
Expert	-4	Powerful expressions of a skill. Igniting something with flames so hot it's unpleasant to get near them, animating an undead minion powerful and intelligent enough to speak to you in cryptic epithets, or crafting a magnificent wooden chest with multiple compartments might all be Expert level actions.
Master	-5	Powerful expressions of a skill's advanced principles. Searing everything around you to glass terrain and ash statues, turning a fallen comrade into a revenant with full access to his memories and abilities and then some, or crafting a wooden chest that looks like a work of art and contains several hidden compartments might all be Master level actions.

Spoiler: Stats (click to show/hide)

HP: Your ability to take damage without dying. When it hits 0, you are unconscious but stable. If it goes below 0, you are disabled and in danger of dying. At a negative value equal to your normal maximum, you die.

HP can be increased by your Toughness skill. Toughness gains points every time you take damage, and functions on a different scale than normal skills.

Dodge: Your ability to take less damage from attacks, or even avoid them completely. Your Dodge value is added as a bonus to your dodge rolls.

Dodge is increased by raising your Dodge skill. Every time you are attacked by an opponent with more Attack than you have Dodge, you have a chance to gain dodging experience. Wielding a shield can also sometimes grant a Dodge bonus.

Attack: Your ability to hit and deal damage to targets. Your Attack value is added to attack rolls.

Attack is raised by your skill in appropriate weapon or spell categories. Every time you attack a worthy enemy, and every time you hit even an unworthy enemy, you have a chance to gain weapon experience. Every time you use a spell that isn't too easy, you have a chance to gain experience in that magical school. Attack is also increased by wielding better weapons. Using a two-handed weapon also tends to grant additional Attack over a one-handed one.

Note that attacks tend to deal damage based on the weapon wielded.

Damage Types: Damage is divided into several distinct types, which can be important with regard to defenses. A list of damage types is as follows:

Physical
 Slashing
 Piercing
 Crushing
Elemental
 Fire
 Frost
 Lightning
Divine
 Holy
 Necrotic
 Arcane

Resistance: Your ability to shrug off damage of a specific type. Every time you take damage, the amount is reduced by the value of your matching resistance, if any.

Resistances are difficult to acquire. Especially powerful armor can grant resistance to a given type. Otherwise, most resistances come from innate qualities, such as a frost elemental's resistance to cold.

Special HP: Your ability to absorb damage of a specific type. Every time you take damage, up to half of it damages your matching special HP instead of your regular HP, if you have enough. Healing effects tend to likewise be split between regular and special HP.

Special HP is most commonly acquired through armor. Different varieties of armor can provide increased resilience against different types of attacks.

Scaling Bonus: Most bonuses are applied directly to relevant rolls. Scaling bonuses are not. Instead, a scaling bonus applies a +1 bonus to the roll if the scaling bonus at least equals the character's current bonus. If so, the scaling bonus has the current bonus subtracted from it, and the same test is repeated with the new, higher bonus and the remainder of the scaling bonus.

As an example, consider a +6 scaling bonus. On a character with +1 (Novice) in a skill, the bonus would provide a +1 bonus, bringing the character to +2. Since the bonus was only +1, we subtract that from +6 to get +5. +5 is still greater than +2, so the character gains another +1 bonus, bringing him to +3 total. The scaling bonus, meanwhile, is reduced by +2, from +5 to +3. +3 is exactly +3, so the character gains a final +1, bringing him to +4.

On the other hand, let's say that character starts at +3 (Adept). +6 is still much larger than +3, so he gains a +1 bonus, bringing him to +4. +3 isn't enough to completely match +4, however, so he gains no other benefits, and ends up at exactly the same bonus as the Novice.

Scaling bonuses are usually found on magical artifacts, such as staves and tomes.

Signup Sheet

Code: [Select]

[b]Name:[/b] Self evident
[b]Description:[/b] What you look like
[b]Mental:[/b] What your personality and outlook is like
[b]Primary Skill:[/b] You begin with one skill at +2 (Apprentice). You also gain a randomly generated item based on it and your character sheet in general. See the Skills post for examples.
[b]Secondary Skills:[/b] You begin with two skills at +1 (Novice). You also gain a randomly generated item based on each one and your character sheet in general. See the Skills post for examples.
[b]Starting Items:[/b] You are assumed to start with clothing, any tools you clearly need, such as a weapon, and possibly a few other reasonable items. You will also automatically be assigned three randomly generated items related in some way to your character and skills.
6-8 slots, not first come first serve. Signups will remain open for 72 hours, unless it appears that they don't need to. There is always room on the waitlist in any case.

Feel more than free to ask entirely too many questions. I fully expect there to be a lot of those.

[IronyOwl]

Current Characters
-Vazastar (Asilidae)
-Torgjer Ekren (Nirur)
-Cinaedica Ytrakariem tar Ferren (Errol)
-Selina Martin (RangerCado)
-Olivier Auiore (Ochita)
-Varden Wyrmfeld (Chink)
-Al Korrak (Sarrak)
-Mageforge, Karla Perloc (Samarkand)


Waitlist
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Graveyard

[IronyOwl]

Skill Lists

Spellcasting

Spoiler: Spell Levels (click to show/hide)

Action Levels
When casting spells, it is critical to bear in mind action levels:

Name	Bonus	Decription
Inexperienced	+1	There are generally no useful Inexperienced level actions. Actions that grant a +1 bonus are usually due to factors outside average human intelligence and knowledge counting as overqualification.
Dabbling	+0	There are generally no useful Dabbling level actions. If there were, they would likely be things that require only the barest expressions of knowledge in that field.
Novice	-1	Weak expressions of a skill's basic principles. Controlling fire between your hands, animating a dead cat, or crafting a simple wooden box might all be Novice actions.
Apprentice	-2	Proficient expressions of a skill's basic principles. Controlling fire around you, animating a weak but serviceable human skeleton, or crafting a wooden box with a hinged lid might all be Apprentice actions.
Adept	-3	Proficient expressions of a skill, and often considered the default level of a professional. Using controlled fire to damage and ignite someone, animating an undead minion with a modicum of understanding, or crafting a nice wooden chest might all be Adept level actions.
Expert	-4	Powerful expressions of a skill. Igniting something with flames so hot it's unpleasant to get near them, animating an undead minion powerful and intelligent enough to speak to you in cryptic epithets, or crafting a magnificent wooden chest with multiple compartments might all be Expert level actions.
Master	-5	Powerful expressions of a skill's advanced principles. Searing everything around you to glass terrain and ash statues, turning a fallen comrade into a revenant with full access to his memories and abilities and then some, or crafting a wooden chest that looks like a work of art and contains several hidden compartments might all be Master level actions.

It is also important to bear in mind that not every effect will be the same level for every school. This is particularly true in the case of broader versus more specialized schools, where the more specialized branch will often have particular advantages that another school can replicate, but nowhere near as easily.

Spoiler: Supporting Knowledge (click to show/hide)

The most important part of spellcasting is of course the school being used as it relates to the action being attempted. Spells may of course exceed their caster's normal skill in them, but this becomes more dangerous and less likely to succeed as the gap increases.

Furthermore, the effects a school may achieve may be expanded simply by possessing appropriate skill in other areas, most notably other magical disciplines. There are no benefits to being Inexperienced or Dabbling in a given field, but every skill level above that grants access to appropriately-leveled principles from those fields, which may be used in other attempts where appropriate. Note that unlike the primary skill, this knowledge does not affect the roll and cannot be extended past your normal means.

One of the most common examples of this practice comes from destructive elemental spells. Destruction magic has no innate ability to control elements, while most elemental magics are not particularly known for their violent natures. Mages who attack with fireballs or bolts of lightning, then, are usually neither purely elemental nor purely destruction mages, but rather using one school augmented by their knowledge in another. Which is which usually becomes clearer as the spells increase in power- lighting foes on fire would imply using fire magic augmented with destruction's ability to hurl bolts of damaging energy, while lightning bolts that hit hard enough to stagger foes would probably be destruction magic augmented with lightning magic's ability to manipulate its element.

Remember that the power and main concepts of a spell come from its primary school, while supporting knowledge merely adds concepts of an appropriate level. A master necromancer and novice earth mage, for instance, could raise very powerful undead, but not augment them very much using earth principles. A novice necromancer and master earth mage, conversely, could likely grant his creations impressive earth aspects, but those creations would still be very weak.

Spoiler: Permanent Effects (click to show/hide)

Most magical effects are temporary unless they alter something's physical nature before expiring; obviously, things roasted with magical fire do not suddenly return to normal a while later. A flaming sword, on the other hand, will usually peter out at some point.

Making such effects permanent usually requires, at a minimum, rolling for the effect in question twice. The first roll determines the nature of the effect, as normal, while the second determines its permanency. Low or unusual rolls on this latter quality are likely to result in effects that die out slowly, require some form of maintenance, or in other ways possess side effects related to their continued existence.

Permanent effects also tend to require appropriate schools to achieve, as there are additional principles at work when making an effect self-sustaining. Usually these schools are enchanting or runecrafting, as most permanent effects involve anchoring magical power to an item or location. Permanent summons or conjurations usually use the same schools for permanent effects as they do temporary ones, as their effects are self-contained and draw their power from elsewhere (see the appropriate section).

Principle Schools

Spoiler: Overview (click to show/hide)

Principle schools are schools that involve certain principles. They tend to be somewhat more idiosyncratic and less cohesive than other schools; to some extent, the definition of a principle school is simply that it isn't any other type. Nonetheless, they do share some similarities.

Principle schools almost always involve at least one principle, such as manipulating life force or imbuing an object with magical energy. They also often feature an element or energy type of some sort, such as restoration's lifegiving energy or metamagic's arcane power. This often makes them fairly versatile when combined with other schools.

Principle schools also have a tendency to come in pairs. The exact reasons and ramifications of this are unknown- some theorize it's an important facet of reality, others contend the pattern comes purely from the way schools are organized and perceived.

Spoiler: School List (click to show/hide)

Summoning
Summoning involves bringing forth complex, completed forms from other worlds. This includes summoning creatures, weapons, tools, armor, and other living or manufactured items of reasonable complexity. Summons drain their caster's summoning skill while active, and dismissing them requires the consent of the creature; inanimate summons are seldom known to object to this. Summons also require an energy or material to be formed from, which plays a role in their composition and abilities and is one reason elementals are such a popular choice.

Summoning is most popular for its ability to conjure creatures to fight for you. It is less commonly used for its utility in drawing forth weapons or tools at a moment's notice, and only a few practitioners use it to gird themselves for battle as a matter of habit. While many summoners have a favored minion type, a few actually favor a single, individual creature, a feat made easier by the fact that "slain" summons are dismissed from the world unharmed.

Summoning is virtually worthless without supporting knowledge to summon from. Elemental schools are popular for elementals and elementally-aligned creatures. Necromancy is popular for undead. A few enjoy using divine magic to summon holy servants, though this usually requires a closer relationship to the god in question than most are willing to get involved in purely for the summons. Various other fields of knowledge can also occasionally grant summoning potential, which leads to a fair number of summoners having "unique" summons based on their own peculiar skillsets.

Conjuration
Conjuration involves bringing forth simple materials and forces from other worlds. This includes noxious, sticky, or otherwise dangerous materials, hard or otherwise useful materials, materials in simple but convenient shapes, and various natural or unnatural forces and energies. Conjurations drain their caster's conjuration skill while active, but may usually be dismissed at will. Conjurations must be formed from a base energy or material, which has an influence on the properties of the final product.

Conjuration is used for a wide variety of purposes. The ability to transform the ground into a sticky or slippery morass is one of its most common uses, and many conjurers dabble in earth magic to make this transformation easier. Other conjurers use it to fire blasts of sticky goo or blinding ink at attackers, to douse enemies in flammable oil or freezable water, or to conjure obscuring smoke clouds around themselves or others. More directly offensively-minded conjurers like to summon globs or clouds of acid for similar situations. Conjurers also often enjoy using their craft to help bypass obstacles or avoid hazards, creating large rods or slabs to bridge chasms, scale walls, or block attackers.

Conjuration is virtually worthless without supporting knowledge to conjure from. Unusually, however, most conjurers prefer mundane knowledge of substances and forces to other spell schools for this purpose. Conjurers who do specialize in other schools tend to value the energies of that school more than its principles.

Necromancy
Necromancy involves the malign manipulation of living things and associated energies and materials. Inflicting pain, sapping life force, reanimating and manipulating the undead, and tampering with souls all fall under necromancy. It generally has little to no effect on things which are not and were never alive, including some constructs. Demons react unevenly to necromancy, acting as though they were undead in some ways and being largely immune in others.

Necromancy is popular for a variety of effects, though its popularity has declined greatly due to the fact that demons react strangely to it. Animating undead servants is arguably the most common and iconic use of necromancy, but with the living in such short supply, corpses to animate are woefully rare. Crippling the living is another popular use, but with living foes in the firm minority this is again a tragically rare opportunity. Controlling undead suffers from similar issues, but demons sometimes react to these energies in a similar fashion, making enslaving demons for your own use a somewhat difficult and unpredictable, but nonetheless intriguing, endeavor.

Restoration
Restoration involves the benign manipulation of living things and associated energies and materials. Healing wounds, curing ailments, and enhancing attributes all fall under restoration. It generally has little to no effect on things which are not alive.

Restoration is universally valued for its ability to heal wounds. Its more advanced applications, reattaching or regenerating limbs and even bringing the dead back to life, are likewise valued, but more rarely. Utilizing the influences of other schools to enhance strength, stamina, or other attributes is a relatively rare use of the craft, but still very popular amongst specialists who recognize the school's true breadth.

Metamagic
Metamagic involves the manipulation of raw arcane energies. Creating auras or shields of magical power, levitating objects, and channeling raw beams of energy all fall under metamagic.

Metamagic is most commonly valued for its ability to shield the caster. Its ability to levitate oneself or other objects are also valued. Its ability to channel raw power offensively is generally appreciated as a backup plan by those already interested in it, but like most schools is relatively unimpressive without destruction magic or another school backing it up.

Illusion
Illusion involves the manipulation of phantasmal energies and related effects. Creating phantasmal illusions, interfering with senses, and manipulating subjects with suggestion all fall under illusion.

Illusion is most often valued for temporary misdirection or distractions, using phantom images to attract attention for a moment. Its more mindwarping effects are unreliable against demons, and preying upon fellow refugees tends to be taken very, very poorly if discovered. A handful of practitioners utilize it for entertainment, but most other students of the school are dabblers interested in its effects on perception and appearance.

Destruction
Destruction involves the manipulation of raw destructive energies. Shattering objects and creating blasts of concussive force fall under destruction.

Destruction is highly valued for its ability to harm things, and sees wide use. Almost all primary practitioners combine it with additional knowledge to utilize elemental or otherwise more nuanced powers; similarly, many practitioners of other magics dabble in destruction to give their abilities more focus when used offensively.

Alchemy
Alchemy involves the conversion of substances into more magically reactive and concentrated forms. Brewing potions and salves and distilling reagents into purer or more focused forms falls under alchemy. Its effects tend to be far more dependent on the raw materials being worked with than other schools.

Alchemy is most often valued by those with regular access to useful materials, particular interest in the qualities or abilities of certain materials, or both. Most practitioners seek portable, reliable methods of aiding themselves or allies, though a few alchemists are known to produce harmful effects for utility or use against enemies. A further handful are more interested in refined products than potions, which are then used in other processes or rituals. Alchemy is a relatively rare art to dabble in, with most such practitioners being interested in its ability to affect and bring out the innate powers of materials for use with other crafting-friendly skills.

Enchanting
Enchanting involves the imbuing of materials with magical energies. Wreathing items in simple magical auras or transforming the properties of materials falls under enchanting. It works best when uniformly applied to a single piece of continuous material, and the nature of the material in question heavily affects the properties of the resulting effects.

Enchanting is commonly valued by those who rely on or work with equipment. Its temporary effects are most commonly used for wreathing weapons in elemental powers, with enchanting armor with elemental or physical protections being somewhat rarer. These effects also see fairly common use in enchanting items to shed light. Its permanent effects are most commonly used to align metals to specific elements, allowing them to channel or accept the element more readily.

Runecrafting
Runecrafting involves the anchoring of magical energies to carved runes. Enchanting items or locations with temporary or persistent power falls under runecrafting. Runes are able to hold fairly complex or situational enchantments. They are influenced by the material the runes are inscribed on.

Runecrafting is most often valued for its permanent effects on items or locations. For locations, this typically means warding runes to help protect or reinforce a barrier; more rarely, this protection means harming those that come near or attempt to pierce it. Some practitioners also use it to enchant areas to contain or better channel certain types of magic, or otherwise make alterations that make their work easier or more convenient. Runed items are also popular, typically for complex, situational, or triggered effects, which benefit more from the focused nature of the magic being contained within the runes. Its temporary effects are less popular, but still see use by those hoping to take advantage of its area benefits in battle, where they are typically inscribed into the dirt to function.

Transmogrification
Transmogrification involves the manipulation of something's form. Altering the size of weapons, turning your arm into a tentacle, or transforming enemies into fluffy bunnies all falls under transmogrification. It tends to be far easier to transform things into similar shapes than to alter their fundamental properties; for instance, transforming a shovel into an axe tends to be more difficult than transforming a longsword into a shortsword. Its effects are not permanent, and even transformations which have been made permanent remain magical, reversible conditions.

Transmogrification is typically valued by those seeking flexibility or the ability to alter themselves. It is commonly paired with Restoration and other schools, usually Totem ones, to allow partial or complete transformations of one's form to something more powerful or convenient. It is less commonly applied to allies or enemies using similar principles. When not used on living or at least animate things, it tends to be favored for its ability to alter the sizes, thicknesses, and shapes of weapons, armors, and tools, allowing their wearer or wielder to adapt better to the current situation. It is frequently paired with Transmutation in all its uses, so as to allow greater control over the resulting transformations, and occasionally used as a supporting school to augment another school's ability to change things.

Transmutation
Transmutation involves the alteration of something's makeup. Hardening stone, making bones flexible, and transforming lead into gold all falls under transmutation. Turning like into like tends to be far easier than more radical alterations; for instance, transforming bone into horn would be far easier than turning paper to gold. Its effects are not permanent, and even transformations which have been made permanent remain magical, reversible conditions.

Transmutation is typically valued by those who like augmenting their equipment or themselves. It is almost always paired with other knowledge to allow it to function on a given substance; typically this means Restoration or occasionally Necromancy for living things, and usually elemental schools for inanimate materials. It is often used to harden, lighten, or otherwise improve both living and inanimate substances, and more rarely to soften or otherwise degrade them. It is sometimes used as a supporting school to augment another school's ability to change things.

Elemental Schools

Spoiler: Overview (click to show/hide)

Elemental magics are a collection of popular schools focused on the manipulation of their chosen element. While each has its own quirks and qualities, they do share some common traits.

All elemental magics are able to mold and control their chosen element, altering both its shape and properties, moving it from one location to another, and so on. The ease with which each school can do each of these depends on the element- moving air is easier than moving water, concentrating fire is easier than concentrating earth, and so on. Elemental magics are generally capable of flinging their element at enemies for offensive purposes, but most elemental mages dabble in destruction magic if they hope to do so routinely and effectively.

Elemental magics cannot create their element out of nothing, which means they need a source of it nearby to function. In some cases, such as air and earth mages, this is a difficult condition to fail. For others, such as fire or water, it can be a concern. Fortunately, elements can often be precipitated out of less concentrated forms, meaning that a water mage can pull moisture from the air, assuming there is any, a fire mage can ignite the heat within their bodies, and so on.

The "physical" elements, such as water and earth, appear to be more susceptible to this limitation than the "energy" elements, such as fire and lightning. The exact reasons for this are not well understood, but often involve assumptions about, for instance, fire's relative malleability compared to stone.

Some elemental practitioners also simply dabble in conjuration to get around this issue, simply summoning the elements they need as part of manipulating them.

Spoiler: School List (click to show/hide)

Fire
Fire magic involves the manipulation of fire and to a lesser extent heat. While fire itself is not always easy to come by, most practitioners have little difficulty igniting the warmth in their own bodies for this purpose.

Fire magic is most commonly valued for its ability to roast enemies alive, especially when paired with destruction magic. Flaming weapons and armor that protects against heat are common enchantments and runes. Fire elementals, and creatures imbued with fire, are popular summons for those who want raw offensive power, as fire creatures tend to be rather aggressively oriented. Defensive uses for fire magic are usually limited to threatening barriers, typically walls or mantles of flame that punish and dissuade aggressors more than they protect their targets.

Frost
Frost magic involves the manipulation of ice and to a lesser extent cold. While ice itself is all but unheard of naturally, most practitioners have little difficulty freezing air moisture for this purpose.

Frost magic is most commonly valued for its offensive and disabling abilities, though these disabling abilities are often valued in a defensive capacity. Like most "energy" elements, it is often paired with destruction and then used to blast foes with ice, impaling them or attempting to freeze them solid or slow them down. It also sometimes sees use for freezing the ground, rendering it slippery, brittle, or merely cold. Summoned ice elementals or ice-aligned creatures are usually valued for their ability to slow targets with biting cold, but also for their tendency to have a decent balance of offensive and defensive qualities. Frost weapons are popular, with frost-resistant armor somewhat less so. It is sometimes used defensively to create barriers, being far more malleable than stone but still hard.

Lightning
Lightning magic involves the manipulation of lightning and electricity. While lightning itself is obviously very rare, most practitioners have little difficulty magnifying universally found electric currents for this purpose.

Lightning magic is most commonly valued for its offensive abilities. It is almost always paired with destruction magic, as it has relatively little utility otherwise. It is valued primarily for its bolts of lightning, often long-ranged, stunning, multitargeted, or prone to arcing from target to target. Touch-delivered electrocutions and shields or shrouds of retaliatory electricity also see use, often with many of the same qualities.

Earth
Earth magic involves the manipulation of earth and stone. As earth is virtually universal, practitioners seldom have difficulty accessing it.

Earth magic is usually valued as a defensive and utility school. Pure earth mages often use it to raise barriers or sink foes into pits, as well as to dig hiding spots or reshape slopes to be easier to climb. Summoners are very fond of using it to produce tough, if slow, elementals, and enchanters and runecrafters often use it to apply the toughness of dirt or stone to items or their bearers. Offensive earth mages sometimes combine it with destruction magic to hurl stones or cause stalagmites to erupt from the ground; defensive ones sometimes use metamagic to produce floating shields of rock. Finally, some artisans or builders make use of it to help make stone more cooperative.

Air
Air magic involves the manipulation of air and wind. As air is virtually universal, practitioners seldom have difficulty accessing it.

Air magic is usually considered a utility and light offensive school. It is usually paired with destruction or sometimes conjuration to produce intense but relatively nondamaging gusts of wind to hurl foes about. Higher-level practitioners enjoy using it to fly themselves, either alone or in conjunction with metamagic for greater control. Some users also wrap themselves in shields of wind, again often using metamagic for additional control.

Water
Water magic involves the manipulation of water and moisture. As liquid water tends to be rare, most practitioners are usually limited to pulling water moisture from the air or carrying some around with them.

Water magic is usually considered a support school. Many practitioners use it to generate mists to help spread and apply other effects, or more rarely to do so with liquid water for greater control or smoother application. It's a popular school to pair with healing for this purpose, though some users apply more complex or aggressive effects to it. It's also valued for being able to condense and purify water in environments where water may be present but not in useable forms. Water elementals are popular summons for their mixture of density and fluidity, but have an unfortunate tendency to be tainted by the qualities of their surroundings and source materials.

Totem Schools

Spoiler: Overview (click to show/hide)

Totem schools are a collection of schools focused on harnessing the qualities of a chosen animal or plant. While each totem has its own quirks and qualities, the schools do share some common traits.

Learning all totem schools requires a connection with the totem in question. This tends to require a certain amount of interaction with the subject, even if that interaction takes place at a distance or is one-sided. In the absence of living specimens, an existing totem mage can usually suffice. Remnants of the subject can sometimes qualify as well, especially if the items are in a fairly natural state or have particularly fitting or important connotations to them.

Totem schools allow a good deal of interaction and mimicry of their totem. This typically includes improved communication and perception of their totem, as well as enhancements of totem specimens along appropriate lines. It also includes granting oneself or others traits or abilities of the totem, summoning representatives, and even physical transformations, though often only with supporting knowledge from other schools.

Spoiler: Totem Schools (click to show/hide)

Wolf
Wolves are typically valued for their speed, cunning, ferocity, keen sense of smell, and coordination with allies. Their ability to aid or be aided by allies is often especially valued.

The best known practitioners of wolf magic were the primitive inhabitants of a village in the Fey Coast. It was destroyed some time ago, and the remnants fled primarily to Whitekeep. They brought some wolves with them, but they tend to slink about between Whitekeep's fields and the Twisted Forest, hoping for something to hunt.

Crow
Crows are valued for their eyesight, flight, intelligence, ability to speak, and tendency to feast on the dead. Summons and transformations are both especially valued for flight.

The largest known coven of crow magic practitioners is the Raveneye Coven, located in the Twisted Forest. They are known to keep actual crows as well, and crows may be found naturally in Whitekeep and Deadwood Havens.

Bear
Bears are typically valued for their toughness and strength. They are often particularly coveted as summons, for reasons not entirely clear to everyone else.

Practitioners of bear magic tend to be hard to find. Deadwood is known to have at least one, although he often travels. There are no known natural bears remaining, with the possible exception of a fairly famous traveler's companion.

Tiger
Tigers are typically valued for their ferocity, strength, and stealth. Self enhancements are usually especially coveted.

Tiger practitioners are known to exist but very rare. One is rumored to dwell in Emerald Haven, another in Raveneye. There was reportedly a heretic tiger magic user in the wolf village, but their fate is unknown since its destruction. There are no known natural tigers, but at least one person in Whitekeep is known to have tiger artifacts.

Divine Schools

Spoiler: Overview (click to show/hide)

Divine schools are a collection of schools that draw their power from gods or other external sources. They are fairly unique in that they draw their strength from relatively specific, well-known, and external sources.

Divine schools are most often concerned with specific gods, but can center on specific concepts or forces instead. Additionally, some practitioners claim different interpretations of certain forces or gods, resulting in a functionally different school. Some have theorized that this practice is actually universal, and these Heretics are simply those who utilize a different variant than the most common version.

Divine schools are also highly unusual in that they require intimate knowledge, behavior, and possibly even beliefs in the subject matter to function. While any school requires proper knowledge to function and outside knowledge to become more effective, divine schools tend to be utterly useless without outside, often mundane knowledge of their concepts, and can fail or react strangely based on the traits of their caster in ways that are completely alien to most normal schools.

Spoiler: Divine Schools (click to show/hide)

Oro, the Healer
Oro is known as the Father, the Healer, and the Forgiving One. He mends the wounded and forgives the reckless.

Priests of Oro are almost always healers and protectors. Heretics of Oro tend to focus more on his acceptance of childish or dangerous behavior, empowering others to perform daring feats of skill and bravado.

Ayum, the Protector
Ayum is known as the Shieldmaiden, the Sister, and the Protector. She protects those dear to her.

Priests of Ayum are almost always protectors and guardians. Heretics of Ayum sometimes focus on more aggressive or less direct methods of protecting those they love.

Melki, the Child
Melki is known as the Rascal, the Child, and the Laughing One. He brings laughter and creativity to those around him.

Priests of Melki are usually storytellers and magicians. Heretics of Melki often tend toward more roguish specialties.

Cass, the Serpent
Cass is known as the Deceiver, the Enemy, and the Serpent. He brings ruin and tragedy to those around him.

Priests of Cass are usually tricky warmages or assassins. Heretics of Cass tend to severely emphasize one of his qualities or favored acts at the expense of others.

Orum, the Watcher
Orum is known as the Watcher, the Guardian, and the Ancient. He brings natural calm and thoughtful resolution to those around him.

Priests of Orum are usually impartial druids or protectors of nature. Heretics of Orum tend to be dispassionate judges, resilient monks, beast tamers, or seekers of lore.

Custom Schools

Spoiler: Overview (click to show/hide)

The above are some of the most common and well-known magic schools in existence, but they are far from the only ones. Players are welcome to invent custom spell schools should they so desire.

Mundane Skills

Spoiler: Overview (click to show/hide)

Mundane skills are skills that are not magical in nature. They tend to be less powerful but more reliable than magical schools. Harming oneself with a mundane skill, for instance, typically requires extenuating circumstances.

Mundane skills may support and be supported by other skills in the same manner as magical schools, including being used with said schools.

Spoiler: Mundane Skills (click to show/hide)

Weapons
Weapon skills are used to wield certain classes of weapons. Higher skill in weapons allows for greater damage in combat, as well as increasing skill when attempting unusual maneuvers.

Sample Weapon Skills
Swords
Axes
Spears
Bows
Daggers
Maces
Hammers
Brawling
Wrestling
Thrown

Defenses
There are two primary defensive skills- Dodging and Toughness. Dodging reduces your chances of being hit and the damage you take when you are. Toughness increases your ability to take damage without dying. Dodging is increased by being attacked by an opponent with at least as much attack bonus as you have dodge bonus. Toughness is increased by taking damage, and follows a different scale than normal skills.

Crafting
Crafting skills are used to create items. They are divided into materials and objects, with each crafting skill being a combination of one from each category.

Sample Items
Weapons
Armor
Clothing
Furniture
Handheld
Jewelry
Cutting
Embedding
Decoration
Construction

Sample Materials
Stone
Wood
Bone/Horn/Carapace
Leather
Metal
Gems
Glass
Cloth

Knowledge
Knowledge skills are used to know about subjects. Just about anything can be a knowledge skill, and unlike most skills, knowledge skills can overlap rather severely. More general knowledge is, of course, less in-depth and specific than more specialized knowledge.

Sample Knowledge Skills
Animals
Plants
Birds
Crows
Crow Feather Patterns and Structures
Demons
Metamagic
Human Anatomy
Valyn History
Demon History
Demon Lords
Swordsmithing Techniques
Undead

[IronyOwl]

Atlas

Spoiler: Crude World Map (click to show/hide)

The World

Spoiler: Overview (click to show/hide)

The continent you're on, and as far as you're aware the world, is called Valyn. Years ago, it was invaded by endless demonic hordes that swept over the land, killing everyone and corrupting the very ground. Today only a few pockets of human settlement remain, holding out against both bloodthirsty assaults and a malign influence that kills the land. Most other areas are infested with demons or twisted monsters, and often hostile or at least inhospitable to human life besides.

There are many legends and stories of lands beyond the sea, but few believe there's anything out there, or at least anything reachable. When the demons came, many attempted to flee on ships- if they found anything but a watery grave, they don't appear to have returned to tell anyone about it.

Spoiler: Havens (click to show/hide)

Havens are bastions of humanity, places where the demons hold no sway. Their exact definition is somewhat contested, however; notable schisms include civilian presence, sustainability, containment, and the status of the land. A purely military fortress located on barren, blasted red soil might be a Haven to one person and an outpost to another.

The largest and most important Havens, however, do tend to have methods of resisting the demonic tainting of the land. Without this quality, it is nearly impossible to acquire food, meaning it'd be difficult for Havens without it to be self-sufficient. The exact method of this resistance varies somewhat, but often involves divine power.

Havens tend to be tragically rare, but many hold out hope that there are numerous other Havens located elsewhere, undiscovered by anyone from the currently known network.

Spoiler: Outlands (click to show/hide)

The Outlands are essentially anywhere that isn't a Haven, or to some anywhere that isn't otherwise guarded. Since even areas without traditional demons tend to be incredibly dangerous and uninhabitable, differences in classification don't usually go beyond that.

The Outlands are, however, incredibly varied. One of the most common, and in some ways archetypal, types of terrain are the Red Wastes, a vast expanse of cracked red earth, wracked by dust storms and patrolled by packs of demons. However, other areas include mist-shrouded forests, haunted swamps, or crags that seem to suck the light out of the air.

The dangers of a given land tend to vary, but demons or things like them are very nearly a constant. Other hazards include a simple lack of food and water- even in places where things still grow, they are almost universally unnatural and dangerous.

Travel through the Outlands is usually performed only by or under escort of experienced individuals who know how to traverse and fight their way through them safely.

Havens

Spoiler: Whitekeep (click to show/hide)

The largest and arguably most important Haven is often called simply Haven, especially by its inhabitants. Its city is called Whitekeep, which lends its official name to the Haven as a whole.

Whitekeep Haven is massive by Haven standards, encompassing a sizable city as well as great fields and orchards. Many other Havens receive food and other supplies from it, when they can be spared and transported, and most people consider it the safest place in the world.

Spoiler: Deadwood (click to show/hide)

Deadwood is a far-flung Haven, surrounded by dangers that make it difficult to reach. It's a walled village located in a dead forest near the Red Wastes, Haunted Marsh, and Nightmare Crags, but it manages to face only sporadic attacks in spite of this.

Deadwood is somewhat isolationist; they have trouble growing their own food, but have little to trade for it and limited interest in much else. Deadwood mercenaries are known for being perceptive but paranoid.

Spoiler: Emerald (click to show/hide)

A secure but isolated Haven, Emerald Haven consists of a walled coastal village. It is located on the shores of the Fey Coast, which is thought to protect it from many of the other horrors of the Outlands, but keeping out the effects of the Fey Coast and its inhabitants is a challenge in its own right.

Emerald Haven is known for producing unusual, if largely decorative, materials. Its people tend to be understandably superstitious, but very charitable and often honorable and compassionate. Emerald healers and alchemists often travel to other Havens to provide assistance, as do its warriors and scouts when their particular talents are required.

Spoiler: Wellspring (click to show/hide)

One of the smallest and strangest Havens, Wellspring Haven consists of a single copper tower and its inhabitants, most of which are very handsome blue-haired young men. The Haven is renowned for the sacred waters at its base and the magical herbs that are grown using them.

Wellspring is generally understood to be some kind of temple to the goddess of its spring, though the deity is poorly known elsewhere. Wellspring does not accept long-term refugees or provide direct assistance to other Havens except under dire circumstances, but its healers and magical resources are highly valued and often traded for.

Spoiler: Blackthorn (click to show/hide)

Blackthorn Cabal is a gathering of necromancers who refused to give up their art when Whitekeep outlawed most of its uses. Instead, they founded a tiny settlement in the Twisted Forest, solving the issue of Whitekeep's edicts and their lack of corpses in one stroke. Debates over whether Blackthorn qualifies as a Haven are mildly popular in Whitekeep, but typically of limited interest to the necromancers themselves.

While Blackthorn's necromantic might is fully capable of defending itself against the horrors of the Twisted Forest, it still can't really produce food for itself, making its members dependent on trade with Whitekeep. Most of its coin for doing so comes from selling products from the forest itself, which is perhaps ironic given the city's stance on the materials there.

Spoiler: Raveneye (click to show/hide)

Raveneye Haven, also sometimes called Raven's Perch, is a giant tree inhabited by a coven of crow witches. They use their magic to keep the horrors of both the Twisted Forest and the Red Wastes at bay, and occasionally even venture into the Fey Coast to treat with its inhabitants.

Raveneye is decidedly mercenary in its dealings with other Havens, having little interest in altruism and a good eye for opportunities. Its members offer a wide range of magical services to individuals in need of them, but tend to specialize in divinations, alchemy, and charmcraft.

Spoiler: Deadman's Crevice (click to show/hide)

When one thinks of a Haven, one does not generally imagine a few ragged tents sitting in a dust storm in the Red Wastes. However, this more or less sums up Deadman's Crevice, also known as Deadman's Haven, a camp that barely warrants the name located in a place no one would think safe.

Deadman's Crevice consists of a large outcrop of pinkish stone in the Red Wastes, with a vertical crevice in one side and a cluster of tents nearby. Its handful of inhabitants are almost universally those banished from or otherwise not welcome in other Havens, such as thieves, necromancers, and the worshipers of dark gods. With little to lose and not many prospects, many work as escorts, guides, or even demonhunters for those traveling through the Red Wastes. They otherwise have little to offer besides a surprisingly safe place to do things no other Haven would allow, and they receive regular aid from Whitekeep to prevent anyone starving to death.

Outlands

Spoiler: Overview (click to show/hide)

The Outlands are the world that has been left after the demonic invasion. Most of the world now appears to be demon-controlled, but a few areas have undergone entirely different transformations.

One consequence of the dangers of the world is that exploration is somewhat limited. No one is entirely sure what lies beyond the current barriers to exploration.

Spoiler: The Red Wastes (click to show/hide)

The Red Wastes are a vast expanse to the northeast of Whitekeep Haven. It is composed of cracked red earth wracked by dust storms. Most of it is fairly flat, but hills and crevices are common near its borders.

Demons are common here, usually in small roving packs. Larger forces sometimes mass to assault Whitekeep or patrol near demonic fortresses.

Spoiler: The Twisted Forest (click to show/hide)

The Twisted Forest is a dark forest of warped trees and worse wildlife. The trees are twisting and darkly colored, and generally considered too tainted to use in anything intended for Whitekeep.

The Twisted Forest is exceptional for being composed of living things rather than literal demons, but the difference is a fairly fine one to many. Its unclear where the creatures that reside within come from, but they don't appear natural in any sense of the word, often sharing the trees' coloration and twisting, unnatural appearance.

Spoiler: The Fey Coast (click to show/hide)

The Fey Coast is the coast to the east of Whitekeep, shrouded in perpetual mists over green grasses and ferns. It's a downright pleasant place at first glance, but it's far more dangerous than it appears. Creatures from the Twisted Forest sometimes venture into it to feed, and mysterious entities and forces prey on the unwary with harmless tricks and sudden disappearances.

The inhabitants of the Fey Coast are hard to classify and poorly understood. They're generally considered far too benign to be demons, but they don't appear to be natural or mundane; additionally, their appearances and mannerisms vary wildly, making it unclear if or how they're related to each other. Their goals are similarly difficult to fathom, but seem to range from harmless mischief to sadistic malice.

Spoiler: The Shrouded Marsh (click to show/hide)

The Shrouded Marsh is a swamp along the coast to the north of Whitekeep. It's a place of dead trees, waist-deep water, and perpetual fogs.

The Shrouded Marsh is generally considered a deathtrap. It's haunted by what appear to be either the spirits of the dead, incorporeal demons, or both. These apparitions tend to warp the mind and break the soul, a trait that appears to be shared by the land itself. Even those that don't encounter or sense any malicious entities tend to suffer from the afflictions of this place.

Spoiler: The Nightmare Crags (click to show/hide)

The Nightmare Crags are a series of dark ravines to the north of the Red Wastes. They are impenetrable to any who have tried and lived to tell about it, but the rock appears an unnatural purple, and the light seems to be sucked out of the very air.

The inhabitants of the Nightmare Crags are known only from a few examples encountered near their edges, but so far appear to be horrifyingly powerful, acrobatic demons of a similar coloration as the Crags.

Whitekeep Haven

Spoiler: Overview (click to show/hide)

As the largest, strongest, and generally most prosperous Haven, Whitekeep is in many ways the center of humanity. More people live there than anywhere else, and it serves as a vital center for communication and trade.

Whitekeep Haven consists of a city near the coast also named Whitekeep, and a fairly large, lush area of land around it. Three primary, heavily fortified towers guard the border, with numerous smaller watchposts and fortifications helping to fill in the cracks.

Whitekeep is ruled by a council of elders with the support of people close to them. Their goals tend to be the safety and comfort of their people, and they're known to be paranoid about Whitekeep's spiritual security.

Spoiler: Restrictions (click to show/hide)

Whitekeep is noteworthy for placing restrictions on certain magic types, magically reactive materials, and the worship of certain gods. Restricted schools may not be practiced, restricted gods may not be worshiped, and restricted goods may not be brought past the outer towers without a permit from the council, which tends to be rather loathe to do so.

The reason for these restrictions is simple- Whitekeep's vaunted aura. By far the largest of its kind, Whitekeep's aura is a protective field that stops demonic corruption from seeping in and killing the land. It is the reason Whitekeep has such a large, lush area around the city, and therefore the reason Whitekeep can feed itself and the reason it has so much breathing room. Restricted items are in danger of weakening or destabilizing this aura, and are thus forbidden without special permission.

Restricted actions and schools include animating the dead, tampering with souls, summoning and conjuration, and any other effect in danger of disrupting Whitekeep's aura, either by its nature or by virtue of being used in excess.

Restricted gods are generally any "evil" deities, with some additions which are arguably not "evil" per se but are still deemed a threat to Whitekeep's aura.

Restricted goods are demons and undead, any portions thereof that might be magically reactive, and any other magically aligned reagents of a powerful or questionable nature. Unlike the previous two restrictions, Whitekeep does make a habit of allowing these items in after inspection, generally provided the bearer can claim a good use for them. Hauling in a cartload of demon corpses "just in case" is unlikely to be authorized.

Enforcement of these laws usually falls to whichever authorities are local. This means the primary tower near the Red Wastes has initial authority over items brought into Whitekeep that way, for instance.

Whitekeep City

Spoiler: Overview (click to show/hide)

The most populous known city is known as Whitekeep.

Whitekeep is surrounded by a large circular wall of white stone. This wall has only four gates, the largest and most fortified of which faces northeast towards the Red Wastes. Inside, the city is partitioned into four districts, while an inner wall separates the majority of the city from a central keep.

Market District

Spoiler: Overview (click to show/hide)

Occasionally referred to as the Gate District, the Market District is the northeastern district of the city, and thus first in line for the brunt of most demonic assaults. Its gate is the most heavily fortified in the city, hence the district's older, more official name, and much of it is fairly open for troops to move around and fight in.

When not under attack, however, the district is much better known for housing various merchants and shops. Its proximity to Whitekeep's exterior and fields and lack of other duties makes it an ideal place to conduct business.

Spoiler: Rindol's (click to show/hide)

Run by the sisters Rindil and Rindel, also known as Rin and Ren, Rindol's provides weapons, armor, and other gear for those looking to defend themselves or engage in travel. Rin and Ren are friendly and fairly pretty, with straight blonde hair and green eyes. If they're not twins, they're doing a good impression of it, and most people can't tell them apart.

Most of Rindol's equipment comes from other suppliers in the Craftsman's District, and is typically intended to be affordable and dependable rather than of particularly high quality. The sisters do specialize in assembly and dabble in mechanical tinkering, however, and so perform some custom work in refitting or adjusting gear and creating or attaching minor mechanical trinkets.

Craftsman's District

Spoiler: Overview (click to show/hide)

The Craftsman's District is the industrial center of Whitekeep, and where most forging and heavy construction is done. Many workshops send their goods to the Market District to actually be sold, but many of the better-known forges, as well as those that specialize in custom orders, accept customers on the spot.

Spoiler: The Hammersong (click to show/hide)

The Hammersong is well-known as the best smithy in the city. Almost all of its merchandise consists of expensive custom orders.

Tali, the smith of the Hammesong, is a wiry girl with short, curly reddish-brown hair, green eyes, and freckles. She usually wears oversized leather gloves, green overalls, and a wide smile. She's widely regarded as the best smith in the world, an honor that was her father's before he disappeared on an expedition for powerful reagents.

Tali is also known for being unusually duty-driven and selfless, which is reflected in her business model. Rather than set fixed prices for her work, she takes bids for her services, and then works on projects in order of the value of their bids. This means that in theory, anyone could afford her services if they were willing to wait long enough; though in practice, there are always more than enough people willing to pay whatever price is necessary for one of her lifesaving creations.

Spoiler: Vindil's Fine Glasswork (click to show/hide)

Vindil's Fine Glasswork is a forge specializing in more delicate and artistic projects. It works with both glass and precious metals, and most of its projects are custom orders from those few who still have use for delicate glasswork or refined gilding.

Vindil himself is a fairly handsome man with a bit of reputation for being a dandy. He sports a long, thin moustache and goatee, carefully styled brown hair, and an ever-changing assortment of vibrant, some might say garish, clothing and jewelry. His artistic ability and dedication are beyond reproach, but some people take issue with his focus on art and beauty over function and practicality in the current circumstances.

Spoiler: The Demonforge (click to show/hide)

The Demonforge is a smithy specializing in exotic wares. Often so exotic, in fact, that forging or in some cases simply possessing them in Whitekeep is forbidden; much of its actual work is done at a separate forge located in the Red Wastes.

The smith of the Demonforge is a man named Tor, easily recognizable for his prodigious size and strength, thick black beard and mane, and generally poor mood. Tor is sometimes regarded as the second best smith in the city, though typically not to his face; he has some choice words regarding the proprietor of the Hammersong.

Tor's specialty is in exotic, and especially dangerous, materials and designs. He'll work with cursed gems, demonic metals, foul magics, and anything else that's brought to or requested of him. There's even a story that he once forged an entire still-living demon into an item for a customer; though unlikely to be literally true, his usual response to hearing the story is to grin and ask the teller if they've got a demon they want forged.

The Demonforge is also noteworthy for its other attendant, a pale young girl calling herself Spice. With white hair, red eyes, and usually seen in a black cloak with a silver chain bearing some kind of sigil on it, she's generally assumed to be some sort of sorceress or even cultist, but is evasive on the details. Officially she's Tor's apprentice, but does very little approaching smithwork; her most common visible task appears to be struggling to haul something within arm's reach of Tor that he could effortlessly lift with one finger. Speculation regarding her true purpose and nature runs fairly rampant, but insinuations that Spice is in any way responsible for any of Tor's successes or abilities are met with strong denial from both parties; very modestly in the case of Spice and rather violently in the case of Tor.

Dock District

Spoiler: Overview (click to show/hide)

The Docks District is the southwestern district, and closest to Whitekeep's modest docks. While very little trade, as such, flows through there, the Docks District is nonetheless filled with warehouses and granaries. It's also known for being filled with a somewhat rougher crowd than most of Whitekeep.

Spoiler: Three Captains Lodge (click to show/hide)

The Three Captains Lodge is a fairly pleasant tavern and inn run by a woman named Talessa. The establishment takes its name from the fact that Whitekeep has three "free" operating captains.

Talessa herself is a point of interest for many people. While she doesn't slack in providing services, she looks perpetually bored and has pointed ears. Despite claiming "no relation" to Valyn's elusive northern elves, there are all manner of whispers that she isn't human, that she's a demonic spy, or other peculiar suspicions. She has little to say about her motives or interests, adding fuel to the rumors around her.

The Three Captains Lodge is also the usual hangout of Windle, a man everyone makes a point of being on good terms with. Windle is an information broker, who can provide clients with all manner of fascinating and potentially useful information for the right price. He's also usually the one to go to to set up a trip with one of the city's free captains, as well as a premier source of information about them and their destinations.

Beyond its juicy rumors, the Three Captains Lodge also provides actual tavern and inn services, including meals, drink, and beds. Performers sometimes provide music or tales as well, and most patrons are friendly and easygoing enough to chat with.

Temple District

Spoiler: Overview (click to show/hide)

The Temple District is the southeastern district, and the primary residence of most of Whitekeep's citizens. It's fairly crowded, but maintains a certain pleasantness regardless. In addition to housing citizens, it's positively packed with temples and shrines to all manner of deities.

Spoiler: Temples of the Three (click to show/hide)

Whitekeep's Temple District is littered with temples and shrines. Three stand out for their sheer size, however.

Officially devoted to all gods, the Temples of the Three are indeed stuffed with idols and icons of a myriad of gods deemed appropriate for worship. Over time, however, each of the Three came to become particularly associated with one of the three main gods of Whitekeep.

The centermost temple is unofficially dedicated to Oro, also known as the Father and the Healer. It's more generally known as a place of healing and accommodation.

The northernmost temple is unofficially dedicated to Ayum, also known as the Sister and the Shieldmaiden. It's more generally known as a place for warriors and guardians.

The westernmost temple is unofficially dedicated to Melki, also known as the Rascal and the Explorer. It's more generally known as a place of beauty and inspiration.

Organizations

Spoiler: Red Guard (click to show/hide)

Overview
The largest and generally best equipped military force in Whitekeep, the Red Guard are tasked with defending the northeast and battling demonic hordes. As this usually encompasses the vast majority of the threats to Whitekeep's survival, they are commonly thought of as the bulk of Whitekeep's military, both in numbers and spirit.

The Red Guard's goals are to protect Whitekeep from invaders, gather information, and strike vulnerable or dangerous enemy positions when necessary or safe. These goals all have a focus on the Red Wastes and the demons who come out of them, but they will move to aid or operate in other areas when they feel it advantageous.

Location
The Red Guard's command structure is based in the White Keep, but their best known fortress is Red Guard Tower, the bastion most demonic invaders crash into well before reaching Whitekeep proper. They also maintain several other outposts in the Outlands, usually hidden scouting locations located in the Red Wastes.

Membership
The Red Guard will generally accept anyone who can fight into its ranks. Those less suited for combat are valued as infantry and support staff, while more powerful individuals can find work as rangers or champions.

Spoiler: White Guard (click to show/hide)

Overview
Arguably the most gallant force in Whitekeep, the White Guard are tasked with defending the east and Whitekeep proper, and battling the foul beasts and mysterious fey of the Twisted Forest and Misty Coast. As they tend to look resplendent and have relatively safe objectives, they are variously thought of as noble and gallant or pompous and cowardly.

The White Guard seeks to inspire people, maintain order, and protect Whitekeep from harm, with a focus on internal areas, the Misty Coast, and the Twisted Forest. They tend to be fairly passive in external matters, usually venturing into the Misty Coast or Twisted Forest only to rescue travelers, deal with persistent problems, put on a good show, or grant some of their members more hands-on experience.

Reach
The White Guard's command structure is based in the White Keep, and their operations take place in both Whitekeep proper as city guards and White Guard Tower, which guards Whitekeep from the Twisted Forest and Misty Coast. They also patrol the interior of Whitekeep holdings, warding against minor troubles and maintaining peace and order.

Membership
The White Guard is a fairly sought-after and exclusive force, widely regarded as an ideal mixture of safety and prestige. On top of that, its more dangerous duties tend to involve treacherous locations that reward cunning and calm. Most successful applicants to the White Guard display some combination of uncanny charisma, courage without recklessness, flexibility in dealing with dangerous and bizarre situations, and being owed or being important to those owed favors.

Spoiler: Grey Guard (click to show/hide)

Overview
Smallest and least pleasant of Whitekeep's primary military groups, the Grey Guard have the unenviable task of watching the north, defending Whitekeep from the maddening influences and incorporeal horrors of the Haunted Coast. They are usually regarded as strange, and their task as variously unpleasant, relatively unimportant, or both.

The Grey Guard seeks to defend Whitekeep by warding off the horrors of the Haunted Coast. This includes the creatures of that cursed swamp, usually incorporeal abominations of indeterminate origin, as well as subtler, less concrete influences towards madness and despair. They are willing to deal with other threats and other areas where necessary, but their sparse numbers and the rarity of their specialty means they are seldom in a position to do so.

Reach
The Grey Guard's command structure is technically based in the White Keep. However, their primary influence is in Grey Guard Tower, a structure at least as spiritually warded and fortified as it is physically. Grey Guard Tower stands to the north of Whitekeep, protecting it from the Haunted Coast. The Grey Guard typically do not have the numbers or expertise to have much presence anywhere else.

Membership
Entrance into the Grey Guard is extremely difficult. Very few seek it out, and amongst those that do only those with strong minds and wholesome spirits are accepted. The Grey Guard deals primarily with incorporeal horrors and mind-warping effects, making those easily panicked or corrupted more of a liability than an asset. Additionally, almost all Grey Guard are proficient with magic, or else have some other method of harming things that physical weaponry normally cannot.

[IronyOwl]

Encyclopedia

Demons

Spoiler: Overview (click to show/hide)

Demons are malignant entities that feel nothing but hatred and cruelty. Stronger, more intelligent demons can speak, but they want nothing and can offer little outside suffering and death for all that lives. Weaker, less intelligent demons are little more than hateful constructs.

Demons may be found almost everywhere in the Outlands, but are most famous for coming from the Red Wastes. Dark citadels rise far above the ground there, guarded by demonic patrols and rumored to be lorded over by mighty demon lords.

Demons come in a wide range of physical forms and abilities. These appear to be tied to the location the demon inhabits, though the specifics of how this comes about are not well understood.

Spoiler: Demon Lords (click to show/hide)

Demonic "leaders" are known as Demon Lords. Accounts are scarce, but they tend to be incredibly powerful, massive, bizarre, and often elementally or magically aligned.

Demon Lords presumably command other demons to some extent, but the details are unclear. Demons found near Demon Lords tend to match some of their presumed master's inclinations.

Demon Lords tend to inhabit static lairs. Not coincidentally, these lairs tend to end up as the tomb of any who enter them. It's known that some Demon Lords' lairs affect or were settled in warped surroundings, but it's uncertain if this is universally true.

Spoiler: Soldier Demons (click to show/hide)

6/6 HP
+1 Attack (Crushing)

Soldier demons are muscular, hunched red humanoids that weigh more than a man but are shorter. They have a pot belly, a large chin with an underbite that displays their black teeth, large black horns, and similarly colored eyes. Their arms are massive, inhumanly thick and long enough to let them lope along on four limbs. Their legs, conversely, are far smaller than a human's.

Mentally, soldier demons are barely sapient. They have been known to recognize traps, exercise brief patience, and otherwise display signs of intelligence, but for the most part they care for nothing, not even their own lives, other than bringing suffering and death to those before them.

Soldier demons are well known for turning to clay when they die. Their flesh is supple when alive, but on death hardens rapidly into hollow clay statues of themselves in whatever pose they were in at death. This bizarre trait has lead many to conclude that soldier demons are possessing their bodies more than truly inhabiting them, which would go a fair ways towards explaining their behavior.

Soldier demons got their name from their habit of forming large, unstructured "armies" of bloodthirsty berserkers, then rushing and overwhelming any remaining resistance. Waves of them were a common sight from Haven's walls for a long while, before they began abating for reasons unknown.

Soldier demons are abundantly found in the Red Wastes, both wandering in small packs, massing large forces for assaults against Haven, and seemingly patrolling their territory in similarly large groups.

Spoiler: Ogre Demons (click to show/hide)

12/12 HP
+2 Dodge
+6 Attack (Cleave)(Slashing)

Ogre demons are tall, bulbous, strangely shaped demons roughly twice the height of a man. Their skin is red and their teeth, claws, and eyes a shiny black, as with soldier demons. Their lower half is a massive bulb that tapers to a thinner upper body and neck, before flaring again into a strangely circular head. Their legs are short but thick and powerful, and their arms possess long, thin biceps attached to even longer, much thicker forearms tipped with massive, sharp claws. Their flattish, circular head possesses a noticeable underbite sporting a row of sharp vertical teeth. Their eyes are fairly large, and they possess sharp, straight horns pointing directly up.

Ogre demons' mental capacities are poorly understood. They typically show up in larger, better organized forces, making estimates of their personal intellect and goals more difficult. They have a habit of vocalizing far more than soldier demons, seemingly to intimidate those they're slaughtering, which leads some to tentatively assume they're somewhat more capable than their lesser cousins. They're certainly more expressive, especially when battling heroes, but it's unclear if this is actually proof of intelligence or just belligerence.

Unlike soldier demons, ogre demons do not collapse into hollow clay statues when slain. They do, however, "turn to stone," a somewhat similar but slower process that leaves a harder material behind. Whether this is the same process altered by the differences between the two or a different effect entirely is a matter of some debate.

Ogre demons are named after ogres, mythical creatures of great size and strength. Of course, if ogres ever really existed nobody has seen them in a long time, so ogre demons sometimes simply get referred to as ogres, or are even co-opted into stories about them predating the demonic invasion.

Ogre demons are specialist army shredders. Their task is to wade into formations of soldiers and butcher them, aiding soldier demons in cracking targets that might be too tough for them alone. As such, they are very seldom seen outside organized assault forces, though they have been rumored to be part of some of the larger Red Waste patrols.

Spoiler: Hunter Demons (click to show/hide)

12/12 HP
+4 Dodge (Decaying)
+8 Attack

Hunter demons are massive, agile predators. They are covered in a brown carapace that often features colored tattoos or markings of some sort on the body and head. Their head is a vaguely crescent shape, filled with sharp teeth. Their body is roughly ovoid, and could hold two curled up grown men. Their four limbs are very thin, roughly as long as a man is tall per section, and end in fans of massive, scythelike blades.

Hunter demons are difficult to gauge mentally, because they are so incredibly dangerous. They seem at least as cunning as dangerous animals, and display the rare demonic trait of self-preservation, when their fairly standard hatred and malice don't get in the way. They are known to pick and choose targets, waiting for the right time to strike, though they display less restraint in permanently giving up on a quarry once it's been noticed.

Hunter demons do not change when slain, as far as anyone can tell. They are rich in a foul-smelling ichor that presumably serves for blood, and their flesh seems relatively fleshlike beneath their armored carapaces.

Hunter demons are so named because of their tendency to hunt and butcher prey. They are arguably found roaming in pairs or small packs more often than as part of larger demonic forces.

Hunter demons are assassins and hero killers. They can turn invisible, and reveal themselves only to strike at a soft-looking target. They use their horrifying claws to butcher anything within range, and display limited tactical acumen. They tend to lose some of their edge in longer engagements, but this is an issue far less often than might be hoped.

Spoiler: Sniper Demons (click to show/hide)

4/4 HP
+2 Dodge
+3 Attack (Varies)

Sniper demons are somewhat diminutive, long-limbed black humanoids with small spikelike horns reaching back from their head. Their skin has a slimy look to it.

Sniper demons are unusually intelligent for demons, and certainly uncommonly fearful. Sniper demons are among the few that will flee from bad odds, though they will continue to fight in larger engagements until the battle appears finished.

Sniper demons do not change when slain, as far as anyone can tell. Their flesh is reasonably fleshlike, and they are filled with a foul-smelling black ichor that presumably stands in for blood.

Sniper demons are so named because of their tendency to wield bows in military assaults on Whitekeep. They are unusually feared and reviled for their ability to endanger normally safe archers with foul, poisonous barbed arrows that can potentially kill with even a glancing blow, despite not being especially dangerous otherwise.

Sniper demons are usually archer killers when found in larger assault forces. They wield hideously barbed, poisonous black arrows intended to cripple or kill a target with even the slightest blow. While not especially powerful or accurate on their own, when massed they can put uncomfortable pressure on those manning the walls of a fortification. Sniper demons are also sometimes found elsewhere, where they are typically not very dangerous.

Spoiler: Shatter Demons (click to show/hide)

8/8 HP
+2 Dodge
+3 Attack (Crushing)

Shatter demons are tall, hulking brutes reminiscent of pointy sandstone earth golems. You don't know much else about them.

Spirits and Gods

Spoiler: Overview (click to show/hide)

Gods and related entities are a varied collection of beings and concepts that appear to have an effect on the world. Even the most well-known tend to be erratic and poorly understood, but the powers they exert on the world can be profound.

The nature of gods and their effects upon the world are poorly understood in general, but broad generalizations and isolated observations can be made. Gods do not generally affect the world in direct, discrete ways; it's not generally agreed upon how much they might or might not affect the world in subtler fashion. Channelers can and do call upon their power for their own ends, but these effects appear to remain directed or in some way influenced by their source; those ill-suited to a god's nature or goals tend to have difficulty wielding them.

Most gods are, as far as their followers can tell, sapient, divine beings concerned or aligned with certain principles. Some instead follow or wield the powers of basic principles, such as love or justice, and a few make direct pacts with less divine but more negotiable entities for access to their powers.

Spoiler: Oro, the Father (click to show/hide)

Oro is the god of healing and forgiveness. He is the father of Ayum and Helki, and prone to indulging his children's hazardous pursuits, healing them of their afflictions after the fact. He is best known as the patron of healers, but his role as a supportive, hands-off father who allows his children to learn from their own mistakes is also an important aspect to many. He is therefore the god of healing and assistance, pardons and forgiveness, tolerance of flaws, and of parents, family, and questionable friends.

Oro is one of the primary three gods of Whitekeep. His role is that of the healer, mending what can be mended of the demon's wrath when it slips by Ayum's protections.

Spoiler: Ayum, the Sister (click to show/hide)

Ayum is the goddess of protection and resolve. She is the daughter of Oro and the elder sister of Helki, and prone to defending both from anything they might get themselves into. She is best known as the patron of defenders, but her role as a dutiful daughter, protective elder sister, and determined youth who tirelessly looks after her younger brother is also an important aspect to many. She is therefore the goddess of protection and defenders, resolve and courage, duty and determination, recklessness in the name of a good cause, and of siblings, family, and friends in need.

Ayum is one of the primary gods of Whitekeep. Her role is that of protector, shielding Haven and its people from what she can.

Spoiler: Melki, the Rascal (click to show/hide)

Melki is the god of creativity and mischief. He is the son of Oro and the younger brother of Ayum, and prone to enlivening the existences of both with troublesome exploits and beautiful discoveries. He is best known as the patron of artists and children, but his role as a fearless explorer, deep fan of beauty in all its forms, and dedicated son and younger brother in his own ways are also important aspects to many. He is therefore the god of children and those childlike at heart, artists and inventors, explorers and adventurers, lovers of life, beauty, excitement, and fun, of lovers and loved ones, and of siblings, family, and friends in need of excitement and cheer.

Melki is one of the primary gods of Whitekeep. His role is that of nurturer, bringing Haven new life and new things while his father and sister protect and repair the old.

Spoiler: Cass, the Enemy (click to show/hide)

Cass is the god of cruelty and harm. He is a cruel, malignant deity, who brings ruin and tragedy to those around him. He is best known as the patron of those who harm others for petty gain or simply because they can, but his role as a schemer, threat hidden in plain sight, and being with immense power over others is also important to many. He is therefore the patron of those who harm others simply because they can or to prove they can, those who harm others for petty gain or simply because they wish to, torturers, traitors, spies, homewreckers, serial killers, and those who misuse their power for personal, and especially petty, whims or gain.

The worship of Cass is forbidden in Whitekeep, and those found defying this edict often face banishment if they will not atone. Worshiping Cass outside Whitekeep's borders is not, however, and some members take great delight in flaunting their allegiance without visibly breaking any laws.

Spoiler: Orum, the Watcher (click to show/hide)

Orum is the god of nature and natural things. He is a patient, dispassionate god, and thus acts slowly and deliberately when he acts at all. He is best known as the patron of those who rely on or protect nature, but his role as a calm, rational influence, a perceptive, ancient watcher, and a force unmoved by all but the gravest of calamities are also important aspects to many. He is therefore the patron of those who dwell in, protect, and revere nature, seek wisdom, patience, and calm, scholars and sages, the elderly and experienced, judges, and those with grave responsibilities.

Orum is well known and frequently revered in Whitekeep, though not as much as the primary three. He is often worshiped for some of the same attributes and spheres as all three of the primary gods, and is thus prone to being mentioned instead of or alongside any of them.

[Dermonster]

Christ, that's a lot of spoilers.

Uh. Gimme a minuite.

[Dermonster]

Name: Derm Hellbinder
Description: I put on my robe and wizard hat.
Mental: "[He'll] be standing on the highest point he can find, cackling like the insane wizard he very much is as he relentlessly hurls an endless torrent of fire and lightning down from on high."
Primary Skill: Destruction
Secondary Skills: Fire and Lightning (So very frightening)
Starting Items: Grandiose hat. Fabulous slightly singed robes.

[Ochita]

Oh yes.

Name: Olivier Auiore
Description: A somewhat tall, thin man, with a sunken expression and dark blue robes, his face is slightly tanned, with hazel eyes and otherwise uninteresting features.
Mental: He's never truely ecstatic, except when he's in the middle of a fray, supporting his allies. Outside of battle, he is a relatively lax individual, keeping mostly to himself. Worships Oro, the father.
Primary Skill: Restoration
Secondary Skills: Metamagic, water.
Starting Items: Slightly worn dark blue robes, waterskin, Dagger.

[Playergamer]

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Name: Tretvin
Description: Small in build, with a dangerous look in his eye, Tretvin has the look of a hunter. He has brown hair and beard, with green eyes.
Mental: Tretvin is calm, very rarely showing emotion. For him, a raised eyebrow can be the same as a shout of astonishment for others.
Primary Skill: Bow
Secondary Skill: Stealth, Daggers
Starting Items: Recurve Bow, Cloak, Dagger

[Nirur Torir]

Name: Torgjer Ekren
Description: A large hulking man with a wide, brutish face. The top of his head is bald, and he has a thick brown beard.
Mental: The best way to defeat humanity's foes is to study them and create a superior form to counter them. Being a naturally angry person, Torgjer would prefer to personally study them and perfect anti-demon forms through repeated, hands-on experimentation.
Primary Skill: Transmogrification
Secondary Skills: Restoration, Transmutation
Starting Items: A stretchy martial arts outfit, a knife for dissections. Books on human and demon anatomy would be nice things to have.

transforming a shovel into an axe tends to be more difficult than transforming a longsword into a shortsword

Couldn't you use a more extreme example? I wouldn't think it would be that difficult to give a shovel a wedge shape, be thicker, and sharp at one end.

[DarkArtemisFowl]

Spoiler: Nathan Haextov (click to show/hide)

Name: Nathan Haextov
Description: He is slightly above average in height and is thin. He has green eyes and pale skin. He has pure black wild hair  and rarely smiles. His gaze is cold and sorry. He wears a light, dark-green jacket, a black t-shirt, and pants.
Mental: No one knows where he came from or why he's here, but he knows that he is where he needs to be, when he needs to be. He is pretty pessimistic but looks to help others whenever he can. He's a social outcast and sticks to the shadows most of the time, talking with his spirit friends in the Medium. He has a goal to kill the demons and does not care for his own safety or health.
Primary Skill: Necromancer
Secondary Skills: Blood Healing, the Medium (Can talk with spirits from the dead and such)
Starting Items: A dirk, a vial full of black ink

[Cheesecake]

Name: Hephas
Description: A thin, scrawny man with a weak frame. His eyes are sunken in and has a panicked look on his face.
Mental: He desires nothing more than power. He was born weak, in body and spirit, but his ambitions were strong. He will stop at nothing to change himself, to become stronger.
Primary Skill: Transmogrification
Secondary Skills: Transmutation, Demon Knowledge
Starting Items: A piece of scrap metal which he uses to mold around, goggles, bandana, walking stick

[Errol]

Sure thing, I'm sheetposting. Will edit sheet in here as soon as a good idea strikes me.

Name: Cinaedica Ytrakariem tar Ferren
Description: Chest-level length, silky brown hair loosely secured in a topknot ponytail. Slender build, beautiful face, smooth skin. But... he's a dude. A very, very fabulous dude.
Mental: One of the last two successors to the Ytrakariem family, which can trace its bloodline back for centuries to its founder - a mythical heroine - and had been a rich, influential house once, but these days of glory have long since passed, a few heirlooms are all that is left. He's rather proud of himself and the legacy of his family, though he doesn't exactly live up to it. Being a worthy successor to this legacy is his main goal, and beneath his arrogant exterior lies a hard-working young man. He also has a great passion for the arts and beauty, but his artistical talent is somewhat... lacking.
Primary Skill: Ytrakariem Family Deadly Blossom Twin-Fang Style, which has been passed down through the Ytrakariem family line for generations! (It's just dual-wielding a sword and a dagger. With style.)
Secondary Skills: (ARTISTIC!) Ice, (Graceful!) Dodge
Starting Items: Flowing blue eastern-style robes, complete with: smooth-soled sandals, fingerless gloves, bike shorts. A rather sizable waterskin. Elongated dagger, beautiful family heirloom longsword.

[Kedly]

Name: James Cartier
Description: Tall, Green Eyes, Medium to slim build, Short black hair, short well kept beard
Mental: James has always been a kind hearted man. His drive to learn swordplay came from wanting to protect those he cared for, it is also why he started dabbling in restoration magic.
Primary Skill: Swords
Secondary Skills: Summoning, Restoration
Starting Items: Encyclopedia of Swords, First Aid Kit, Medium weight armour

[Tomcost]

Oh, I loved the concept of this game! Will edit this into a proper sheet shortly

Name: Patrick Hervens
Description: Tall and athletic, not short blonde hair with green eyes. Bears a little scar in his right ear.
Mental: Cooperative and sometimes enthusiastic, he is also really stubborn sometimes, especially when it comes to deciding what is the greater good, something that he tends to do often.
Primary Skill: Earth elemental magic.
Secondary Skills: Runecrafting and Hand to hand combat brawling.
Starting Items: Runecrating kit, leather armor, metal gauntlets.

EDIT2: question: can we do combined moves? I mean, x person knows metamagic, I know earth magic, can we make a stone barrier combining our knowledge?