Rowan is a proud person, willing to contest a claim to something(if he truly desires it), even if it means going to extremes to do so. He is somewhat close-minded, disliking shiftier folk like rogues and assassins(for being mysterious), mages and magic-users(for potentially harboring evil magic, and for lacking proper skill-at-arms) and cowardly people in general.
However, Rowan always gives credit and respect where it is due, whether it be a simple task(such as a small delivery errand) or a tremendous feat(such as following an order to death). He prefers to lead and command by example, instead of staying on the sidelines.
Rowan's sense of morality is well-defined and rigid, defending the weak and innocent always seemed to appeal to him. He is also loyal, perhaps a little too much so; willing to die for his comrades-at-arms and innocent people. All in all, Rowan is a great friend to his allies, and a deadly foe to his adversaries.
Rowan, while friendly enough, has an extreme distrust towards anything that may seem like an "evil" magic. He despises hexes, curses, and necromancy but treats combat magic such as pyromancy, cyromancy and other similar schools of
magic with disdain. The only magic Rowan truly respects is healing magic.
Appearance:
Rowan is a muscular figure, standing taller than most folk. His eyes are a light blue color whilst his jet black hair is of a relatively medium length, the tips almost touching the collar of his shirt, if he was wearing one without his armor. His skin is toned to the point of a slight tan, nicely accentuating his dominant stature.
When Rowan is not in any immediate combat(i.e. sleeping, eating, etc.), he usually wears a common linen shirt and its accompanying breeches. Most of the time however, he dons his massive plate armor, underneath which is a layer of chainmail. The armor itself has seen better days, it sports a dull and somewhat dirty coating of black steel. The chestplate seems to have had a hole in the center, only sealed by a hastily-fused metal plate of a different color, making it stand out. The pauldrons are large and bulky, its bronze trim makes the shoulderplates stand out. Strangely, the chausses, greaves, and sabatons of the armor seem to be in relatively good condition. When Rowan is travelling or needs some additional warmth during harsh weather, he usually puts on a plain, dark green traveler's cloak. The armor, combined with his general appearance almost makes him look like a veteran or a patchwork knight of some
sort.
Rowan prefers to keep his weapons close to him, as such, he has a sheath for his shortsword attached to the front of his chestpiece for emergencies. His massive swordbreaker is held in place(his back, to be specific) by a few straps for easier removal. Rowan's other "accessories" include a small satchel(containing bandages, poultices, and various other useful things)at his waist, a drinking horn(usually filled with spiced wine or some other alcohol), and a worn iron pendant adorned with a strange blue gemstone that serves as a momento of sorts.
Power:
Rowan can channel his mana into solid shapes and forms. He can use this power to bolster his weapons, armor, or surroundings. Usually, Rowan uses this ability to summon ethereal weaponry and use it to strike from afar(or increase the damage up close). There are limits to this power however: the mana cost increases proportionally to the size and complexity of the projection(e.g. several daggers would be relatively easy to summon whilst casting a projection of an "avatar(basically a summoned soldier that acts based on Rowan's command)" or a giant blade to smite enemies from above would be more difficult). Additionally, the farther away Rowan is from his projection, the less strength it would have (summoning a shield to his side would be at full strength while summoning a barrier to barricade a nearby door wouldn't be as strong, etc.), but as long as Rowan has physical contact with the projection, it will remain at full strength(he may also pump more mana into it to bolster it, if he feels so inclined). The mana pool within Rowan is unique in the sense that it is linked to his physical stamina. He can run around, become tired, and in turn, be unable to use his ability effectively. Likewise, using his skill too much will effectively eat away at his stamina, most likely leaving him dead in the midst of combat.
Favored weapon:
Rowan wields a swordbreaker blade, which is a modified greatsword, of sorts. It is a large blade, serrated at several points and 'split' down the center of the blade. The weapon is meant to be wielded with both hands, to be used in conjunction with a defensive stance. Each time the swordsman would block or parry an enemy blow, the enemy blade would have a chance of getting stuck in one of the many nooks and crannies of the blade, at which point the swordsman
(wielding the swordbreaker) would quickly and forcefully jerk in a direction, usually either throwing the enemy off-balance, disarming them, or breaking the blade itself(hence the name).
However, the nooks, crooks, and holes that the blade has risks the integrity of the blade itself(ironically) and a slow, crude removal of the blade should something or someone get impaled on it. A great deal of strength would be needed to wrench the blade from the object, leaving him open for attack and possibly throwing him off-balance if he manages to remove the sword in time.
If necessary, Rowan has a shortsword attached to his chestpiece. He is not as skilled with the shortsword as he is with the swordbreaker. However, the change in speed(speed of attacking, that is.) from shordbreaker to shortsword is
surprisingly quick, as the weight difference between the two is almost massive.
Backstory:
"A knight in shining armor is simply a man who has not had his mettle truly tested."
That was the first thing Rowan can remember his uncle say. Being raised amongst warriors and knights, Rowan could not remember many pleasant moments in his childhood. He remembered thoughts ranging from sparring matches to fine swordplay. From bits of praise to torrents of punishment(both from his uncle). Rowan took it all in stride, for he was raised to become a knight, and to serve his lord in times of need. Perhaps that's what he was destined for.
When he came of age, his powers started to emerge. He was sparring with his uncle when suddenly, just about Rowan was going to lose the match, his blade shined with a shimmering blue glow. With all the might he could muster, Rowan
struck his blade against his uncle's(his uncle's blade, not the uncle himself, if you were wondering), snapping it in half. Impressed by this incredible feat, the knight-commander(who happened to be Rowan's father), taught him how to focus his powers. While Rowan's father taught him how to use his powers, his uncle taught him how to use the swordbreaker, a specialized weapon for disarming opponents.
For several years, Rowan trained and honed both his martial and arcane prowess. He could bolster his armor with several projections of mana or give his blade enough driving force to cut a man in half. But through the years, not only did he improve his skills, but he had also developed his morals. "Kill only when necessary, and when doing so, do it effectively. Never strike down a man who has surrendered. Protect the defenseless". There were many more morals in his personal code, but he mostly kept it to himself. The years were peaceful, but a knight must always remain vigilant.
Eventually, when the bells of war started tolling, Rowan marched on with his fellow brothers-in-arms towards the enemy keep. "If the nobles will it, it shall be done", as they say. He lead the charge against the opposing enemy forces, killing many men and eventually routing the army. He was held as a hero amongst his brethren, but he had saw the destruction he had wrought. Families torn apart, innocent people murdered, once-peaceful villages set to the torch, all for what? He left the company of the knights on a self-imposed exile, to atone for what he has done.
A few years later, Rowan joined a small, remote village on the outskirts of the nation's territory. He was the town's stalwart defender, guarding them from bandits, war parties, and the occasional deserter. Rowan spent his time perched upon a tower in the center of the village, watching for threats. When he wasn't in the tower, he was at the tavern, drinking some of the pain of his sins away. It was a peaceful life, for the most part. Some would call it boring, but Rowan found it quite tranquil.
But the bells of war never truly stop tolling. When the Lords of Chaos invaded, Rowan's small town was one of the first to fall. He did his best to defend them, but one man can only do so much. Rowan met his end at the tip of a spear, right through his chest. Or at least he had thought. He awoke several weeks later, being dragged along with the remnants of his village. The healer had just barely kept him alive, and for that, Rowan was eternally grateful. There was a price for it, however. In the time he was incapacitated, Rowan had lost some of his strength, and even worse, most of the village's people. To Rowan, it had seemed like they had all died because he was not strong enough. But with the Lords of Chaos approaching closer, he decided to venture towards Castle Nephelem. Perhaps the people would be safe there. Perhaps he could save his people there. Perhaps there, he could atone.
Other: I'm open to criticism, comments and suggestions. Also, I apologize for the formatting, I was not aware notepad worked differently from word.
Accepted. Wait for me to say something before you post, we'll have a good opportunity after I time skip to morning.
If I do not reply to my posts, I either have no internet connection, or am busy with college work. Alternatively, I may be writing up the post now. It all depends on the situation.
What exactly is the power level of the characters? I know you said less than a demigod, but your OP (from what I saw) said nothing about demigods, besides the first race the gods created, but those aren't really demigods from what I saw. Mind clarifying?
What exactly is the power level of the characters? I know you said less than a demigod, but your OP (from what I saw) said nothing about demigods, besides the first race the gods created, but those aren't really demigods from what I saw. Mind clarifying?
There's a clear difference in power from those who so happen to have a gift - Grew up in a small town or village, practiced on occasion, et cetera. And those (Such as Zack, who is powerful for plot reasons, although not guarded by plot armor - He's going to die eventually) who grew up around other Nephalem, who had parents skilled in said power are going to be on an entirely different level. He's on level with fighting and killing orks - Basic enemies who are 1:1 with humans. The characters would be able to kill about half as much - however most of them died an instant death due to the massive move, which drained Zack to the point of uselessness.
The Gods are about five times more powerful than Zack, and the original pure blooded Nephalem about four times as much. Nephalem blood gets diluted as the tree goes on - Meaning the farther down the lineage, the less power is naturally inherited, and more must be earned. Zack can call lightning from the heavens and use it in basic attacking moves. If original lineage, he could potentially control the heavens in pure force - Striking enemies at distance or simply blowing craters in the ground with it's sheer force.
Your power level is really only about half of his. This is done because character development is something a lot of RPs claim to want to happen but don't actually allow. You'll have to grow and get better in order to survive, your character has to get better. So you start low and grow in power.
Also - I trailed off a bit - The demigod thing as an analogy. There aren't any - I was only trying to help prove a point.
Lore Time With Zamorak So if I never made it clear, this is a spiritual successor to the original version of this RP, which was hosted on another forum. It died before finishing (Although it was a good 3/4s through) for many reasons, but I believe one was that there was very little time for explaining - Thus the reason for this post. I'll be making a post explaining bits of lore in a non-spoiler fashion from time to time so that you don't feel entirely in the dark the entire time. If you have any lore related questions that I don't cover, feel free to ask.
The Reaper Despite what you may think, he is actually death - The Grim Reaper. It is not a plot point to make you question this or not, so I don't care to just tell you right out. Death is different from a God - Death itself is a law of nature, of existence. A star can die, galaxies, almost everything has a "death" of sorts. Without the Earth Death still exists, but Gods..What power would they truly have? The Reaper has the capability to kill a God one on one fairly easily, however, there are hundreds of Gods (Although only about 15-20 really powerful ones) and this fact keeps the Reaper at bay. Before this point, he had no authority - Only collect souls of people as they die, and the Gods claim Nephalem souls that have done good in order to take them to a "heaven" of sorts. The war, while seeming to take place mostly on the Earth, takes it's toll on the Gods of the high heavens as well. As can be assumed, the lords of Chaos are trying to dig their way back into the high heavens in hopes of taking it back. This conflict leaves them divided and their attention even more so. Seizing the opportunity, the Reaper is attempting to gather souls at a much faster rate, and attempting to get souls of Nephalem. The reason why is not known exactly, but souls are an immense energy, and it can be assumed it won't end well. His deals are however one hundred percent true, it just always favors himself. He can completely resurrect a family member. But the price you pay may be astronomical.
The Black Armor The Black Armor is a creature I named the "Daedra", mostly because my vision of them is similar to that of the Daedric armor in Skyrim (And a picture of this beast is actually in the banner.) The armor is enchanted to be immune to any and all physical attacks by normal weaponry. Only magic can pierce it, meaning that five to ten of them can wipe out a normal village easily. Daedra are captured souls of powerful warriors contained within the armor, which is what allows them to survive such devastating attacks. The integrity of the armor must be completely compromised before the soul is forced to finally leave.
As the timeskip happened, I assume my character should walk in. I will however, wait for confirmation from you.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
If I do not reply to my posts, I either have no internet connection, or am busy with college work. Alternatively, I may be writing up the post now. It all depends on the situation.
Uhm, yes. You may enter the castle at any time now. Unlike the others Zack wouldn't have given you a form yet, so simply come into the castle, he'll hand you it, then give it back filled out. He's very leader-ish looking so your character should be able to identify him as the authority without any prior knowledge.
Accepted. Wait for me to say something before you post, we'll have a good opportunity after I time skip to morning.
If I do not reply to my posts, I either have no internet connection, or am busy with college work. Alternatively, I may be writing up the post now. It all depends on the situation.
There's a clear difference in power from those who so happen to have a gift - Grew up in a small town or village, practiced on occasion, et cetera. And those (Such as Zack, who is powerful for plot reasons, although not guarded by plot armor - He's going to die eventually) who grew up around other Nephalem, who had parents skilled in said power are going to be on an entirely different level. He's on level with fighting and killing orks - Basic enemies who are 1:1 with humans. The characters would be able to kill about half as much - however most of them died an instant death due to the massive move, which drained Zack to the point of uselessness.
The Gods are about five times more powerful than Zack, and the original pure blooded Nephalem about four times as much. Nephalem blood gets diluted as the tree goes on - Meaning the farther down the lineage, the less power is naturally inherited, and more must be earned. Zack can call lightning from the heavens and use it in basic attacking moves. If original lineage, he could potentially control the heavens in pure force - Striking enemies at distance or simply blowing craters in the ground with it's sheer force.
Your power level is really only about half of his. This is done because character development is something a lot of RPs claim to want to happen but don't actually allow. You'll have to grow and get better in order to survive, your character has to get better. So you start low and grow in power.
Also - I trailed off a bit - The demigod thing as an analogy. There aren't any - I was only trying to help prove a point.
So if I never made it clear, this is a spiritual successor to the original version of this RP, which was hosted on another forum. It died before finishing (Although it was a good 3/4s through) for many reasons, but I believe one was that there was very little time for explaining - Thus the reason for this post. I'll be making a post explaining bits of lore in a non-spoiler fashion from time to time so that you don't feel entirely in the dark the entire time. If you have any lore related questions that I don't cover, feel free to ask.
The Reaper
Despite what you may think, he is actually death - The Grim Reaper. It is not a plot point to make you question this or not, so I don't care to just tell you right out. Death is different from a God - Death itself is a law of nature, of existence. A star can die, galaxies, almost everything has a "death" of sorts. Without the Earth Death still exists, but Gods..What power would they truly have? The Reaper has the capability to kill a God one on one fairly easily, however, there are hundreds of Gods (Although only about 15-20 really powerful ones) and this fact keeps the Reaper at bay. Before this point, he had no authority - Only collect souls of people as they die, and the Gods claim Nephalem souls that have done good in order to take them to a "heaven" of sorts. The war, while seeming to take place mostly on the Earth, takes it's toll on the Gods of the high heavens as well. As can be assumed, the lords of Chaos are trying to dig their way back into the high heavens in hopes of taking it back. This conflict leaves them divided and their attention even more so. Seizing the opportunity, the Reaper is attempting to gather souls at a much faster rate, and attempting to get souls of Nephalem. The reason why is not known exactly, but souls are an immense energy, and it can be assumed it won't end well. His deals are however one hundred percent true, it just always favors himself. He can completely resurrect a family member. But the price you pay may be astronomical.
The Black Armor
The Black Armor is a creature I named the "Daedra", mostly because my vision of them is similar to that of the Daedric armor in Skyrim (And a picture of this beast is actually in the banner.) The armor is enchanted to be immune to any and all physical attacks by normal weaponry. Only magic can pierce it, meaning that five to ten of them can wipe out a normal village easily. Daedra are captured souls of powerful warriors contained within the armor, which is what allows them to survive such devastating attacks. The integrity of the armor must be completely compromised before the soul is forced to finally leave.
If I do not reply to my posts, I either have no internet connection, or am busy with college work. Alternatively, I may be writing up the post now. It all depends on the situation.