Post by Aleu on Jan 23, 2008 18:18:58 GMT -6
Lights Over Valua
Legacy of the Black Moon
Three years ago, the Imperial Regime of Empress Teodora I came to a cataclysmic end by the Rains of Destruction. The subsequent destruction of the Silver Gigas Zelos in the Battle of Soltis, led by the Pirate King Vyse, brought about the dawn of an age of reconstruction and peace. Under the leadership of King Enrique the Just, the Empire's expansion has slowed, and diplomatic relations are being forged.
Most notable, however, is Enrique's efforts to use the recent influx of moonstones in order to tear apart the Dark Rift. In the name of promoting trade between Yafutoma and the West, a small task force of Delphinus-class ships, armed with modified Moonstone Cannons, has already begun deconstruction work near the city of Esperanza.
Troublingly enough, the entire fleet of ships failed to report after their second day of blasting at the Rift. Concerned, Enrique has dispatched a division of ships led by Fifth Admiral Apolline Lenoir in her flagship, the Black Spot, to investigate at Esperanza. The King himself then left the capitol along with Supreme Lord of the Armada Vyse () to investigate recent seismic activity near the Maw of Tartas. During his absence, a second battalion, under Task Force Commander and Third Admiral Piastol, was dispatched yesterday in response for an urgent signal for reinforcements. Piastol's Tempest houses a number of hand-picked special forces units, including our band of troubadours.
The Tempest's blue-plated hull bumped ever so gently against the docks, coming to a halt in Esperanza. It was a place that had seen better days, but had also seen worse: since the opening of the Rift began, an inflow of both money and jobs shattered the economic slump that had been gripping the city. Still, however, it was in a rather disastrous state of disrepair: shingles and roofing floated liberally off of buildings, skittering around and eventually sticking in the rusty red sand underfoot (the best approximation one could find for a road was densely-packed sand). Drunkards roamed around liberally, shattered loqua bottles gripped tightly in their soot-covered hands. A few bones were visible lying in the shadow of the bar; they looked like they had perhaps belonged to a medium-sized animal, like a Huskra.
Piastol pursed his lips as she disembarked, looking around with distaste. "What an ironic town," she said. "The city of hopes. So close to the thief of many." With a little sigh, she turned to her crew of twelve.
"We'll be taking on fuel here. You have thirty minutes to find out what you can and get anything you need before traveling to the Rift. We've enough supplies for an extended stay out at air, but I don't care enough for creature comforts to have had them brought along. Dismissed."
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Quick explanation of all the SoA stuff you need to know for the RP:
- The setting, technology-wise, is steampunk, heavily centered on magic and with few modern-tech types of things except from the Silvites.
- The world is much like ours, except there is a vast sky in the place of ocean. Pirates roam these skies freely, though at extreme lows the pressure becomes too deep (especially in the lowest attainable part of the sky, Deep Sky), and not many ships have the engine power to reach the upper limits of the atmosphere.
- There are six moons, each of which govern a certain element/domain and float mainly over a respective country.
Nasr is a country of deserts and heat, under the Red Moon, which governs Fire.
Valua is an imperial nation and the most influential of the six. It features advanced technology due to its position under the Yellow Moon, governing Electricity.
Yafutoma is Japan. It is separated from the rest of the world by the Dark Rift. It is the only country to have conquered the highest parts of the sky due to the powers granted by the Blue Moon, governing Wind.
The Land of Ice is just that. It is a barren, forgotten civilization, now home to nothing but beautiful ruins. It lies under the Purple Moon, which, well, governs Ice.
Ixa'Taxa is the land of forests, trees, and tribes. It lies under the Green Moon, governing the spirit of Healing.
Mid Ocean lies under the Silver Moon, which governs Life and Death. There are few islands in this area, save for the land of Vyse's childhood, Pirate Isle, and the ruins of the Silvite civilization of Soltis.
- The skies are mainly separated by Sky Rifts, which are areas of extreme pressure differentials that repel most ships. They are usually not strong enough to tear them apart, but few engines have the strength to pierce them.
- The Dark Rift is a special kind of Sky Rift, of which only one exists (thankfully). It criss-crosses over the world, and is an area of such powerful winds that no ship has ever been able to navigate through it, until Vyse. Within lies a Black Moonstone, which has the power of reversal. Perhaps a Black Moon flies above the Rift, hidden from view by the darkness of the night sky?
- The Silvites are a people that formerly lived under the Silver Moon, but departed to live ON the moon many years ago. Of now, only one living Silvite is known to exist: a friend of Vyse's named Fina. Silvites, due to their close associate with the moon, have immense magical power and the ability to link with the Gigas.
- The Gigas are powerful, almost invincible creatures created by the Silvites long ago as weapons. They have since lain dormant, awakening briefly during the Great Valuan War (the one that occurs in the game, culminates in the Battle of Soltis). There is one for each moon, and all are controlled by Moon Crystals. They are:
Recumen: The Red Gigas, lies deactivated near Nasr.
Grendel: The Green Gigas, lies deactivated near Ixa'Taxa.
Bluheim: The Blue Gigas, lies dead on Mt. Kazai.
Plergoth: The Purple Gigas, lies dead in the Land of Ice.
Yeligar: The Yellow Gigas, lies defeated near the Maw of Tartas, where he was sealed by the Silvites.
Zelos: The Silver Gigas, lies dead at the bottom of Deep Sky. Capable of calling down the Rains of Destruction.
- The Rains of Destruction are a powerful weapon that the Silvites use when they feel that the world has become too evil for it to continue. The moons throw down a barrage of lunar fragments, laying waste to the entire world. This has happened twice: once too long ago to remember, and one three years ago immediately prior to the Battle of Soltis.
- The Rains, however, do have a positive effect: They deposit large amounts of Moonstones in the land, which are used for everything from fuel to empowering weapons and acting as catalysts for magic.
WHEW. That was a lot. Tell me if there's anything unclear.
Post if you're interested. Rules for signing up:
- In your post, you must give a reason for being a member of the Valuan Elite. Being born and raised a noble (Value has a medieval class system) and being talented in the martial ways is acceptable, or being promoted from mercenary service, etc.
- Use the normal Tales character sheet.
- No outlandish ages; almost everyone in the world is human.
- Should you choose to be not-quite-human, please provide a reason in your history. Magical mishaps (Serene!), a botched Valuan genetic improvement effort, and those kinds of things are acceptable. Being dredged out of Deep Sky is not.
- No Silvites, sorry.
That should be everything. Please let me know if you need clarification on anything. If you post something unacceptable in your profile, I'll nudge it out.
HERE IS A VERY NICE MAP.