Character Creation

Hello, here at the Verdant Dynasty, we reward character creativity. The following are ideas to aid you when creating a character. We have a template, but the template and these systems are malleable, allowing the creator more freedom. Below are the various skill sets you might wish to utilize. Remember that not all these are combat-oriented for traversal, and other such skills play an equal, if not crucial role in breathing life into your OC.

The template will be provided below (Feel free to use your own. This is for those that require one.)

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1RVczrOZn8y3IjWySNbt7I59kgIgt8Rlkajihr8CkHtE/edit?usp=sharing

How do I gain power?

You gain effectiveness by playing out the role. Everything from speed, strength, dexterity, and the arcane are subject to this. There isn't a single facet of your creation that can't be improved via play. Because of this approach, our power scaling system is quite dynamic. No two players' growth rates will be the same due to the freedom of choice allotted to our members. Do you wish to be a better warrior? You won't increase your brawn by sitting in a bar all day or gloating. We don't offer free points due to time. If you avoid the risky side for ten years, your growth will be slow to nonexistent.

It's our effort to try to mirror real life to add immersion. We don't use an exp system as that gamifies it. Common sense ultimately prevails. The higher the risk, the greater the reward. Be warned; death is a part of our setting and system. And there is no undoing it. Concerning your character's potential demise, we follow RTK (Reason to kill.) 

Reason to kill means that the other player had a valid justification for maiming, injuring, or terminating your creation. Fret not; we don't tolerate "Sociopath" as a justification. Additionally, the claim must be backed by the character sheet and how the character is played. An example. If you write an honor-bound warrior who's a bit of a zealot regarding their leader. It makes sense such a character might kill someone who speaks ill of their leader that refuses to take it back. But the claim will be denied if the character in question is wishy-washy. Why? Inconsistency.

Magic Lore.

"Magic is a force interacting with natural forces."

While much research has gone into magic, its mysteries remain locked. The people of Nibel believe magic comes from the core of their world. It flows through roots that run beneath the ground and radiates outward. Crystals form from the globe's center and store significant quantities of latent energy mined and used to power their civilizations. The organisms that call this world home have evolved organs that allow them to tap into this energy. However, true mastery of this study requires time and research. 

Throughout the planet, there are anchors. Epicenters of the arcane that function as mass reservoirs. What attracts these large pools of mana remains unknown. It's believed that many more remain undiscovered across the provinces. Magic has altered virtually every facet of life. The inhabitants of Nibel use its properties to advance every sector of their lives, from art, war, technology, and the labor force. Not a single facet has remained unaffected.

What guides the current of energy is equally a mystery. Legends abound alongside many hypotheses. Nevertheless, notwithstanding great exertion, the people remain just as oblivious. Most believe the planet's rotation is likely responsible—a theory replicated via their power systems. The people know it's ancient. Most likely, it predates life itself, leading some to regard it as the primordial soup that birthed life and consciousness.

Despite the efforts of many, the laws of nature cannot be broken by the arcane. Nevertheless, the systems governing reality can be bent. This observation led to the belief that magic is just another force of the universe. The inhabitants utilize mana to draw influence to alter elements' behavior/shape or reach. The only known exception is lightning and light, which travel slower, making them "Hard" variants. 

The casters are not immune to the effects of your attacks. Regardless of race, their bodies are susceptible to forces. No amount of "steel" bones will protect one's soft organs or muscles. The only exception is toxins they produce biologically and the heat or cold of your elements.

Magic is an extension of oneself—their body and weapons. All spells have a mode of casting, a shape to the attack, and a reach and width. New students tend to be restricted to 10-20 ft of influence, with those seasoned able to hit up to 40-50. The elite and masters of their schools vary drastically. 

Schools of Magic.

Geomancy

Pyromancy

Cyromancy

Hydromancy

Biomancy (The enhancement of plants to increase crop yield and size over an extended period.)

Zephyrmancy (Wind)

Necromancy (1 thrall limit starting out, 3 for masters. No soul magic or lichdom.)

Photomancy (Light.)

Electromancy

Cellmancy (Flesh magic of oneself, limited to Giants and is very limited in its applications.)

Morphomancy (The ability to assume a single were form. NOT shift bits and pieces as you will.)

Latenmancy (Creating constructs from magic. Very costly, rare, and volatile. An example is the making of magical throwing knives that explode on impact. These constructs are not sentient or intelligent.)

Enchanting. (Adding magic to items to allow spell casting of a school the user doesn't know. And the enchanter can only apply spells they know the theory and application of.) Highly expensive and thus rare.

Alchemy (Historical Alchemy.)

Note: Schools can be combined through developed characters: for example, Pyro and Hydro, to create steam. Starting out, you're restricted to 1-2 schools. These feats are only achievable by those who invest and merit them via in-universe pursuits.

Passives.

Each race has a set of passives visible on their lore entries. However, vocational passives are equally as important. These skill sets must make sense for the character. For example, writing a peasant who can track makes sense if their job/role is centered on or requires it. But just slapping it on without forethought might be subject to scrutiny during the process.

Below are some examples of passives you may consider adding.

Climbing 

Charisma

(Must specify what their charm will influence. Sorry, but affecting a noble vs. a scholar vs. a criminal vs. a commoner aren't universal. Player characters are NOT subject to your charm. It applies to npcs. )

Languages

(Dialects from different species of the world. Dead or alive languages.)

Subterfuge (Stealth)

Tracking

Beastiary

(Knowledge regarding certain animals in certain regions. Not I know all animals.)

Herbalism

(Identifying specific plants in specific regions. Not I know all plants.)

Sabatouer (

The arming and disarming of traps. Again, you can't know all traps.)

Flexibility

Historian/Scholar

(Must specialize in a field. Can't know all history of the world or a province.)

Swimming

Mercantile 

Acrobatics

The list is virtually endless. One thing to note is the constant use of not all. You're playing a role, and just like no historian knows all of the world's history and no doctor specializes in everything, the same goes for your creation.