Hayya
Ylanne Sorrows, in collaboration with Aliath and Rene
In Character will be linked from here, once it is posted.
There has been a change in the rules. Players are permitted to apply with more than one character, after your first has been accepted. Second, third, etc. characters will not be automatically accepted, but will need to be approved in the same way as an initial character, minus the writing sample.
Mavâet aqwat Hayya wâHayya aqwat Mavâet
In the year of our Lord five thousand one hundred and seventy-two, the land of âEhretz has erupted into war across the world.
The Mohammedans of ArabÃĸya and Ifriqiya have begun to attack the Mediterranean seaport cities of Europa in retaliation for a series of small raiding parties sent by Alemanian warlords into the Jerusalem provincial area. The Church has called upon all Christians to defend against the Mohammedan infidels. Meanwhile, while the ArabÃĸyan and Ifriqiyan kingdoms have become distracted with the war, the Hindustani and Sinian kingdoms have taken advantage of unprotected borders and have begun to encroach upon ArabÃĸyan lands and the east coast of Ifriqiya.
Alemania is ruled by territorial warlords not united under one king or emperor, and subject only to the authority of the Pope. Gallia is ruled by a King, as are Britannia and Iberia. Rossiya is ruled by a Tsar, whose powers and position are not unlike that of a king or emperor. ArabÃĸya is ruled by the Khalif, who is the religious successor to Muhammad. Ifriqiya is divided into numerous kingdoms (not denoted on the map below), including Niger, Chad, Sudan, Tunisia, Tanzania, Ethiopia (the only Christian Ifriqiyan kingdom), Uganda, and Guyana. Easternmost Ifriqiya is also under the rule of the ArabÃĸyan Khalif.
The Pope resides in the Vatican, the seat of Church power, from where he directs the affairs of all Christian states. Supposedly a holy and pious man who speaks for God and who cannot be opposed, many popes have been known to have had extramarital affairs, one even fathering a bastard child. In this time of much speculation about the piety of clerics, and the heresies abounding throughout the Christian kingdoms, Pope Marcellinus II has opened the office of the High Inquisitor to stamp out all heresies.
The children of nobles and royals are raised to lead and to live luxurious lives in castles and palaces far from the drudgery of working life. Most armies are composed primarily of mercenaries, as true soldiers loyal to a state and its ruler are hard to find. There are several notorious mercenary factions of knights, whose loyalties are sold to the highest bidder. Workingmen provide most of the population of cities, where conditions are horribly filthy, women dumping chamber pots into the streets from their windows, rats and fleas running amok and unchecked.
But in a time of war, when religious freedom is suppressed in every state, where the pious and the rebellious meet, tensions explode, and men and women discover themselves and their capabilities â their capacity for good and for evil â and change the course of their futures. This is life. This is death.
Religion
In Europa, the religion is the Catholic Church, headed by the Pope. Here, the Church is the Church of the Christ to Come, always referred to as the full title âThe Christ to Comeâ, as they believe that the Messiah has not yet come. The Church, a few years before this war broke out, formed the office of the Inquisition in order to combat heresy, after reports of Druid activity in West Britannia, and Pagan worship in Alemaniaâs interior. The outpost of Mohammedanism in Southern Iberia is also a threat, and the Pope wishes to eradicate that particular heresy once and for all. (The Jews have merged into the Church in this world, as âCatholicâ means âuniversalâ).
In ArabÃĸya and in most of Ifriqiya, the religion is Mohammedanism (in our world, known as Islam), where the people do not believe in the coming Messiah. They believe that Yahshua ben Yusef (Jesusâ name in its actual Hebrew) was the Messiah of the sons of Israel and believe they are more progressive and forward in their thinking and beliefs than the Christians are.
In Sinia, the religion follows three schools of thought: the Tao, the teachings of the Master Kon Fu Zi, and the teachings of the Lord Buddha. In Hindustan, the religion is Hinduism. In South and Central Ifriqiya, the religion is folk religion, various forms of shamanism and animism.
In this world, Yahshua ben Yusef (otherwise known as Jesus, in our day and time), was born and died in the same way that most historians accept in our world; however, the Church does not recognize him as the Messiah, unlike Christians in our world.
All religions accept the existence of angelic and demonic beings, referred to collectively as djinn. Some claim to have seen these beings. Some are believed to directly interfere with terrestrial affairs, and others are believed to exist only on a cosmic plane.
This may seem somewhat confusing, but if you are confused by this, especially if your character is particularly religious or concerned with religion, tell me via PMs and I will see what I can do to help explain and clarify.
Map and World Locations
Europa is the center of âEhretz, its lands divided into five kingdoms: Gallia, Britannia, Alemania, Rossiya, and Iberia. To the East there is ArabÃĸya, Sinia, and Hindustan, and to the South there is Ifriqiya. Major cities for each kingdom are noted, and the Vatican is marked with a star as the seat of power for all of Europa.
This world is based upon the Medieval European view of the world, which places Jerusalem at the center of the world, and in which the Americas and Australia do not exist. Unlike in Medieval Europe, Italy is not a separate kingdom, and the Vatican is a separate city unto itself, its own sovereign power as the seat of all Church affairs.
An etymological note: Locale names are consistent with the medieval world as well. Europa is Latin for Europe and Britannia for Britain. Gallia refers to the land of the Gauls (the Gallic people), the people predating the French; Alemania refers to modern-day Germany and its surrounding area; Iberia refers to the peninsula where modern-day Spain and Portugal are located. Rossiya is Russia in Russian and âEhretz is âearthâ or âworldâ in Aramaic, which in Juedo-Christian tradition, would be the language of the Old Testament and the Talmud, the oldest language known. Hindustan is an old Persian name for India; ArabÃĸya the old Arabic for Arabia; and Sinia the old Latin for China. Ifriqiya derives from Tunisian Arabic referring to that Islamic kingdom, and is etymologically related to Africa.
Language
The liturgical language of the Church is Latin, which the clerics and the noble learn at an early age. In Alemania, they speak Deutsch; in Britannia and Gallia, French; in Rossiya, Russian; and in Iberia Spanish and Portuguese. In ArabÃĸya, they speak Arabic; in Hindustan, Hindi; in Ifriqiya, Arabic, Kiswahili, Luganda, and Yoruba, among other dialects; and in Sinia, Sinian.
The language unique to the high-ranking clerics of the Church is Aramaic, which is also spoken by some scholars and clerics of ArabÃĸya, and by some noble descendants of the Jews. (It is also spoken by some small outposts of stone age villages in parts of ArabÃĸya).
Despite this, all posts ought be written in English. If you must, refer to the language the character is speaking, particularly if it is not his or her native language.
Non Player Characters
Pope Marcellinus II
Born in Roma as Marcello Divencenzo to a noble family from the court of the Lord of Roma, Marcello entered seminary at the age of thirteen. Always a strangely grave, pious child, Marcello was elected to the Papacy eight years ago, and is now aging at the mature age of eighty-nine years. An abnormally tall man, Marcelloâs hair is thick and white, combed carefully under his bishopâs headpiece. With a long, thin face, jutting nose, chin, and cheekbones, and deep-set pale eyes, Marcello is a commanding presence when he enters a room dressed in his Papal regalia. He always has a prayerful look about him, and when he speaks, his deep, booming voice resonates about a room. Most recently, Pope Marcellinus II opened the Inquisition and declared war against the Mohammedans.
Prior Tobias Halberstma, Grand Inquisitor of the Church
Born to serf farmers bound to the land of Lord Chaldris, Tobias was recognized early in life for his intellectual acuity, and was sponsored by Lord Chaldris to attend seminary, leaving a highly respected holy man. Instead of entering service as a parish priest, Tobias joined a monastery of the Dominican order, eventually becoming the Prior. It was a few years ago that he was personally appointed by Pope Marcellinus II to the position of Grand Inquisitor. Tobias is also a tall man, but with long, shaggy dark gray hair framing a rectangular face with mostly flat feature and dead-looking eyes. Though a quiet man, his presence is commanding, and has often been known to arrest others into silence upon his entrance.
Tsar Aleksander Huzsvai of Rossiya
Tsar Aleksander is a tall man with red hair and a long beard who laughs easily and often, though his regime is one of absolute tyranny, albeit with a fair judiciary. Now 46, Tsar Aleksander is married to Empress Anastasia and has two young sons, Nikolai and Ivan.
King Wolfgang Schimelpfenig IV of Alemania
King Wolfgang IV is a short, stumpy man with bushy dark brown hair, usually seen frowning or glaring, though his policies are fairly liberal and leaning toward reform. Now 38, King Wolfgang IV is married to Queen Gretchen, and they have one daughter, Margaret.
King Vincent Lawrence IX of Britannia
King Vincent IX is a man of average height and 29 years, with short brown hair and a clean-shaven face. He seems to be a kind man in person, but so far has brutally repressed the Scots, the Druids, and the Welsh. Married to Queen Elisabeth, they have no children.
King Philippe-Batiste Seurdeneaux of Gallia
Married to Queen Beatrice, King Philippe-Batiste is a 42 year old man of average height with blond hair and a neatly trimmed beard who is slow to speak, gentle in mannerisms, and quick to smile, though he rarely laughs.
King Ferdinando de Lourdes Apezteguia of Iberia
King Ferdinando is a tall, 22 year old man married to Queen Maria Gracia, three sons and one daughter, Alejandro, Jaime, Rafael, and Caterina. He has light brown hair, a short mustache, and seems to be a man of mild temperament both in person and in his reign.
Emperor Liu Ma of Sinia
Emperor Liu Ma is born of an aristocratic family, his father usurping the throne from the previous Emperor Shang, schooled extensively in all the teachings of the Master Kon Fu Zi, a scholar at heart. A short man with long black hair and a round face, almond-shaped eyes and a flat nose, Emperor Liu Ma is arrogant and short-tempered.
Raj Chakladar of Hindustan
A thirty-seven year old man of average height with a mustache, dark brown hair, and deeply tanned skin bordering on a chocolate brown, Chakladar radiates quiet strength and dignity. Married to Ipshita, Chakladar has seven daughters. He has been in power for eleven years.
King Karim Abdullah of Morocco
With ebony black flesh, twenty-six year old King Karim is a tall, muscular young man with a neatly trimmed beard and bright, vibrant eyes. He speaks freely and quickly, to the point where he seems either very enthusiastic or very anxious. Perhaps he is both.
King Mohsein Nouri of Tunisia
King Mohsein is the forty-five year old ruler of Tunisia, a short, lean man with a long beard and rich brown flesh. He seems to be a man dedicated to justice and the law, both in his household (he has fifteen sons and nine daughters) and in his government.
Lord Owen Chaldris
A feudal lord in Alemania, Lord Chaldris represents the tenth generation of Chaldris wealth, and reeks old money. Only thirty-four years old, Lord Chaldris has already fathered eight sons and twelve daughters. He is a tall man with salt and pepper hair, kind eyes, and an easy smile, though his serfs would be quick to point out that Lord Chaldris is anything but kind to them.
Shaykh Bilal Khalifa of ArabÃĸya
The Khalif of ArabÃĸya, Shaykh Bilal is a tall man with black hair and long beard, sun-bronzed flesh, and a round face. He is a pleasant man of fifty-two years, deeply pious, and is married to two wives, Ibtisam and Hajira.
Mullah Ismail bin Suhair
The Mullah of the Masjid in Makkah, the one of the Kaaba. An aging man of nearly sixty years with thin white hair, a long beard, and penetrating gaze. Seems to be the passive-aggressive type, though deeply pious in both personal and public life.
Salahuddin Khan
Leader and founder of the Sons of Tasneem, a feared mercenary force with over five thousand highly-trained, armed to the teeth soldiers at his command. The Sons of Tasneem will operate anywhere to do anything for any price. Some members are religious, but most are fairly apathetic to religion. Salahuddin himself is a forty-three year old visionary, with dark brown hair, lightly tanned skin, and a neatly trimmed beard.
Player Characters
Piotr "Bear" Ivanovich
Aliath
Piotr is a tall, rather heavyset teenager born and raised on the outskirts of a small town called Udarnik in the western-most parts of Rossiya. His parents are Ivan Nikolaevich and Aileen, a Gallic woman said to be a witch. In reason of his imposing, muscular build -which he owes to hours upon hours a day of hard labor at his job, working at a flour mill- he is nicknamed "Bear" by the local children and adults alike. His longish black hair is tied in a ponytail behind his head, though a strand of it falls in front of his icy blue eyes. He has very hard, square features, adding to his 'tough' look. Despite this he isn't an unfriendly person, though he isn't the most sociable boy you'll encounter.
His lone-wolf attitude is only a small factor in his lack of friends; his mother is a Gallic-born woman who specializes in botany. She concocts potions and collects herbs which she sells as the local market for medicinal use. People gladly accept her services, though she is heavily frowned upon and thus some people have labeled her a 'pagan.' Not to mention that she is of great beauty, and one iris is a different color from the other- her right iris being blue, and the other green.
Felix McAlister Aldridge
Aufeis
Felix is a weathered man whose rugged looks and wide build make him an intimidating figure, especially when heâs on horseback. He is a very social person, not afraid to have a drink or two and has made a bit of a reputation in both noble circles and among mercenaries. He is the son of Gordon and Alexandra Aldridge, two nobles from Britannia, but has turned to the roads and the life of mercenaries. He is, of course, still regarded as a nobleman, favoring duels as opposed to simply slaughtering his opponents with tasteless violence. He often wears his blonde hair short and combed back. His hazel eyes are usually friendly, even when he is in a duel, but have been known to grow cold on some occasions.
Having grown up in the sheltered arms of the noble class, he was not attuned to violence until he was a young man. He trained in the art of dueling in both short swords and rapiers, becoming quite good at it. His father, Gordon Knowles Aldridge (forty-six), is an avid Christian and very well known bottler. His wines made very good money for the family. Alexandra Lillian (thirty-five) is an astrologer, reading the stars professionally and âforetellingâ the future for the king and many other nobles. For the most part, Alexandra uses the skies and the stars to help her husband with his bottling business. Needless to say, the two are especially popular for parties. His two younger siblings, Katherine Julia (twenty-two) and Edwin Lambert (eighteen), both continue to live with his parents in Baeth (Bath, England). Katherine holds a multitude of jobs, ranging from singing, dancing, and instrument, to that of a nurse and scribe. Edwin is the Reeve for his fatherâs orchards and fields.
Felix is a strapping twenty-five, stands at approximately five foot eleven and two hundred and twenty eight pounds. He often wears expensive suit tunics and leggings, with armor for the road. He is currently en route to Roma, guarding a caravan holding supplies for the troops, along with a few healers and religious folks. Katherine is also among the caravan, sent as a scribe from the Church to write about the battles and to chronicle the prophesized victory.
Cadwgan "The True Tywysog" GlyndÅĩr
Irish Wolf
Cadwgan is a Welshmen of some renown, mostly for his claimant to be the true Tywysog or ruler of Wales. He maintains and actively proclaims that the House of Lawrence is nothing more then a packs of liars and thieves, whom stole rulership of the Welsh people from his ancestors and that he will regain it! While somewhat of a firebrand, he does have a weak spot for his only child, a sweet girl of only seven, whom is hidden away from his political enemies by a trusted ally. One black mark on his person, are persistent rumors of his participation in the rituals of druidism, which may or may not be true but he claims that they are simply more lies being spread by the lips of the usurper Vincent Lawrence.
For the first time in his thirty-one years, his massive frame is not gracing Wales but soaking up sun off the coast of Iberia, where he plans to land with a small band of men-at-arms, to join the fight to push the Mohammedanism heresy into the sea. Its a ploy more than anything, to gain foreign allies, gold, mercenaries and hopefully papal support in retaking of his crown, so that it might rest upon his long black hair. He also hopes that it help to lift this nasty rumors about his faith from his broad shoulders.
Zendekel
Aliath
Zendekel is the founder and leader of a small, nameless mercenary unit. He's of average height and build, but despite this he is much stronger than he looks. His medium-lengthened blond hair falls around his face, framing his delicate features. His vivid green eyes are calm and passive, giving him an angelic look. His charisma and skill with the rapier are unmatched, which is odd since he is apparently peasant-born.
Nicolette Marietta Phearll
Traveler
Nicolette has never belonged within a society, nor has she remained in one long enough for the inhabitants to recognize her schemes. Her partners in crime have been abandoned time and time again, a few even murdered from the knowledge they possessed- though none have ever succeeded in spoiling her fun. Many inns within her homeland of Gallia know her name and refuse to allow her back in after her endeavors within their rooms. Often in the main halls, she had identified herself as a sorceress and fixated the crowds through miniscule light shows and disappearing acts which were naught beyond the skill of a child, yet entertained even the most logical of minds as her âassistantsâ started stealing the food and money that had been left loose by their owners.
At the age of 24, however, it had all come to a stop. No more assistants were there to help, no inns would allow her room and board, and her own family wouldnât allow her back into their worn cottage. Nicolette found nowhere else in Gallia to go, so she left for Britannia- the ferrymanâs payment stolen out of his very pockets while he was out waiting for other passengers. That was where Nicolette found her newest assistant- a short young man named Stephan with a comical act that ran along the same lines of her own performances, simply distractions to prove to the people that they were just tools to be played.
Nicolette stands 5â 9â tall, her slim figure only slightly too dainty for her height. Her delicate pasty skin seems a little too light when contrasted with her fiery scarlet locks that fall to her mid-back, but fall in the same category as her silvery green irises. She can be found wearing dark dresses of thin, but opaque fabric along with a crystal pendant around her neck that looks almost as if itâs glowing in candlelight, one of her many tricks to confuse the audience and to prove that âblack magicâ actually existed. When not within an act, she wears a light coat- stolen from one of the noble ladies in Gallia- toned a powdery blue, though stained with the alcoholic beverages consumed by her audiences. This adds an innocent look to her that makes it almost impossible for her to be the same person as the twisted sorceress citizens had seen one of the nights previous.
Estella Dulce
Inerio
Estella is a proud looking woman, standing a tad shorter than average with a slightly darker skin tone than a few people of her home land, but carrying a presence of someone or rather something much bigger than herself. Though, in the end she is but a human woman, and the presence she carries would be the imposing weight of her immense ego. Estella has heterochromia (causing one eye to be green with small brown flecks and one completely brown), which she claims is what enables her to draw such amazing art however false the statement is, which are as expressive as the rest of her face being wide at one moment and snake like and devious the next. Estella's hair is a dark brown, almost black, and is quite straight often causing Estella to spend large unnecessary amounts of time on it for the sake of keeping it in place when put up.
An artist, Estella was born in Iberia to a mother(Alejandra Dulce) who did nothing of no real consequence (as Estella puts it she was a painfully boring woman, barely able to carry on an original thought) and a father the likes of which was a craftsman. While her father (Roberto Dulce) saw his job as a means to make money, Estella saw it for it's "artistic value". It was at this point that her father thought it a good idea to introduce her to the art world, where Estella excelled but was held back severely due to her gender. In her thirty years Estella has travelled quite a bit. In part due to the fact that once the people of the town or city get to know her they all eventually come to resent her due to her lecherous and sinful nature.
Rules
Literacy is a must.
This is a character-driven roleplay. Romance, conflict, and disagreements are to be expected. However, please keep profanity to characterâs dialogue or thoughts (and only when that character would use profanity), and take any romantic content beyond PG-13 to PMs.
It is realistic. Your characters are not clean and do not bathe more than once or twice a year. They are not prodigies. They are not to be Sue-ish in any way, shape or form. If I catch a hint of an offending post, I will discuss it with you via PMs.
I play NPCs. Not you. You may control them to an extent by having them enter or leave a room, but I will write NPCsâ posts in the same way you write your charactersâ posts.
There is no magic, spells, mages, wizards, or anything of that sort. There are those who claim to have such powers, but all of them are either deluded or phonies. The religious leaders, the clerics, hold holy powers, but nothing of the sort typically found in fantasy roleplay.
You may only play a human. Your character may be from any of the kingdoms, but the majority of characters should be from Europa.You may only play one character. It is possible to play an NPC, if you discuss it with me via PMs and your application is strong enough.
Posts should be made in third person, past tense. (Brief dreams, letters, etc. in first person and/or present tense are acceptable.) They should be in a black font, double spaced between every new line, and with signatures turned off. All OOC remarks should be made in this thread.
You must post at least once a week; however, exceptions can be made for family emergencies, or academics, or work hours, as all of these things should obviously take precedence over the Internet and roleplaying. If you disagree with that statement, I encourage you to leave this page and rethink your life.
You will have fun. This is a serious, dark roleplay, but you will have fun. Iâm not here to dictate what happens. I have no clue what is going to happen or who is going to join. As long as you stay within these boundaries (and theyâre not that restrictive, believe me), you will be able to do nearly anything you want, and take this roleplay in whatever direction you so desire. Itâs not for my pleasure â itâs for yours.
Character Application
By posting a character sheet, you are not automatically accepted to this roleplay, but will require posted or PMâd approval in order to be accepted. You may be asked to revise your character in order to be accepted.
You will write your character sheet as though for a professional roleplay. Think Dungeons and Dragons. Kind of.
You will need to include your characterâs name, age, occupation, nationality, and a brief description of his or her appearance without purple prose, as well as a brief description of their âvibeâ, or their presence, how they might be perceived by a stranger upon chance meeting. Personality, beliefs, and biography will be explored in the roleplay, and should not be discussed in your character sheet. Your sheet should look like a longer version of the ones above for all the NPCs (minus the brief biographical remarks). You should not include a photo, drawing, or other image reference for appearance.
Along with your sheet, you will submit a writing sample, which may be from either independent fiction or roleplay, and must exceed 500 words, but may not exceed 1200 words. It should be posted directly beneath your character sheet and clearly separated. (If it is taken from a larger work, such a roleplay or novel, please write a short paragraph (or a few sentences) placing your writing sample in context).
Ylanne Sorrows, in collaboration with Aliath and Rene
In Character will be linked from here, once it is posted.
There has been a change in the rules. Players are permitted to apply with more than one character, after your first has been accepted. Second, third, etc. characters will not be automatically accepted, but will need to be approved in the same way as an initial character, minus the writing sample.
Mavâet aqwat Hayya wâHayya aqwat Mavâet
In the year of our Lord five thousand one hundred and seventy-two, the land of âEhretz has erupted into war across the world.
The Mohammedans of ArabÃĸya and Ifriqiya have begun to attack the Mediterranean seaport cities of Europa in retaliation for a series of small raiding parties sent by Alemanian warlords into the Jerusalem provincial area. The Church has called upon all Christians to defend against the Mohammedan infidels. Meanwhile, while the ArabÃĸyan and Ifriqiyan kingdoms have become distracted with the war, the Hindustani and Sinian kingdoms have taken advantage of unprotected borders and have begun to encroach upon ArabÃĸyan lands and the east coast of Ifriqiya.
Alemania is ruled by territorial warlords not united under one king or emperor, and subject only to the authority of the Pope. Gallia is ruled by a King, as are Britannia and Iberia. Rossiya is ruled by a Tsar, whose powers and position are not unlike that of a king or emperor. ArabÃĸya is ruled by the Khalif, who is the religious successor to Muhammad. Ifriqiya is divided into numerous kingdoms (not denoted on the map below), including Niger, Chad, Sudan, Tunisia, Tanzania, Ethiopia (the only Christian Ifriqiyan kingdom), Uganda, and Guyana. Easternmost Ifriqiya is also under the rule of the ArabÃĸyan Khalif.
The Pope resides in the Vatican, the seat of Church power, from where he directs the affairs of all Christian states. Supposedly a holy and pious man who speaks for God and who cannot be opposed, many popes have been known to have had extramarital affairs, one even fathering a bastard child. In this time of much speculation about the piety of clerics, and the heresies abounding throughout the Christian kingdoms, Pope Marcellinus II has opened the office of the High Inquisitor to stamp out all heresies.
The children of nobles and royals are raised to lead and to live luxurious lives in castles and palaces far from the drudgery of working life. Most armies are composed primarily of mercenaries, as true soldiers loyal to a state and its ruler are hard to find. There are several notorious mercenary factions of knights, whose loyalties are sold to the highest bidder. Workingmen provide most of the population of cities, where conditions are horribly filthy, women dumping chamber pots into the streets from their windows, rats and fleas running amok and unchecked.
But in a time of war, when religious freedom is suppressed in every state, where the pious and the rebellious meet, tensions explode, and men and women discover themselves and their capabilities â their capacity for good and for evil â and change the course of their futures. This is life. This is death.
Religion
In Europa, the religion is the Catholic Church, headed by the Pope. Here, the Church is the Church of the Christ to Come, always referred to as the full title âThe Christ to Comeâ, as they believe that the Messiah has not yet come. The Church, a few years before this war broke out, formed the office of the Inquisition in order to combat heresy, after reports of Druid activity in West Britannia, and Pagan worship in Alemaniaâs interior. The outpost of Mohammedanism in Southern Iberia is also a threat, and the Pope wishes to eradicate that particular heresy once and for all. (The Jews have merged into the Church in this world, as âCatholicâ means âuniversalâ).
In ArabÃĸya and in most of Ifriqiya, the religion is Mohammedanism (in our world, known as Islam), where the people do not believe in the coming Messiah. They believe that Yahshua ben Yusef (Jesusâ name in its actual Hebrew) was the Messiah of the sons of Israel and believe they are more progressive and forward in their thinking and beliefs than the Christians are.
In Sinia, the religion follows three schools of thought: the Tao, the teachings of the Master Kon Fu Zi, and the teachings of the Lord Buddha. In Hindustan, the religion is Hinduism. In South and Central Ifriqiya, the religion is folk religion, various forms of shamanism and animism.
In this world, Yahshua ben Yusef (otherwise known as Jesus, in our day and time), was born and died in the same way that most historians accept in our world; however, the Church does not recognize him as the Messiah, unlike Christians in our world.
All religions accept the existence of angelic and demonic beings, referred to collectively as djinn. Some claim to have seen these beings. Some are believed to directly interfere with terrestrial affairs, and others are believed to exist only on a cosmic plane.
This may seem somewhat confusing, but if you are confused by this, especially if your character is particularly religious or concerned with religion, tell me via PMs and I will see what I can do to help explain and clarify.
Map and World Locations
Europa is the center of âEhretz, its lands divided into five kingdoms: Gallia, Britannia, Alemania, Rossiya, and Iberia. To the East there is ArabÃĸya, Sinia, and Hindustan, and to the South there is Ifriqiya. Major cities for each kingdom are noted, and the Vatican is marked with a star as the seat of power for all of Europa.
This world is based upon the Medieval European view of the world, which places Jerusalem at the center of the world, and in which the Americas and Australia do not exist. Unlike in Medieval Europe, Italy is not a separate kingdom, and the Vatican is a separate city unto itself, its own sovereign power as the seat of all Church affairs.
An etymological note: Locale names are consistent with the medieval world as well. Europa is Latin for Europe and Britannia for Britain. Gallia refers to the land of the Gauls (the Gallic people), the people predating the French; Alemania refers to modern-day Germany and its surrounding area; Iberia refers to the peninsula where modern-day Spain and Portugal are located. Rossiya is Russia in Russian and âEhretz is âearthâ or âworldâ in Aramaic, which in Juedo-Christian tradition, would be the language of the Old Testament and the Talmud, the oldest language known. Hindustan is an old Persian name for India; ArabÃĸya the old Arabic for Arabia; and Sinia the old Latin for China. Ifriqiya derives from Tunisian Arabic referring to that Islamic kingdom, and is etymologically related to Africa.
Language
The liturgical language of the Church is Latin, which the clerics and the noble learn at an early age. In Alemania, they speak Deutsch; in Britannia and Gallia, French; in Rossiya, Russian; and in Iberia Spanish and Portuguese. In ArabÃĸya, they speak Arabic; in Hindustan, Hindi; in Ifriqiya, Arabic, Kiswahili, Luganda, and Yoruba, among other dialects; and in Sinia, Sinian.
The language unique to the high-ranking clerics of the Church is Aramaic, which is also spoken by some scholars and clerics of ArabÃĸya, and by some noble descendants of the Jews. (It is also spoken by some small outposts of stone age villages in parts of ArabÃĸya).
Despite this, all posts ought be written in English. If you must, refer to the language the character is speaking, particularly if it is not his or her native language.
Non Player Characters
Pope Marcellinus II
Born in Roma as Marcello Divencenzo to a noble family from the court of the Lord of Roma, Marcello entered seminary at the age of thirteen. Always a strangely grave, pious child, Marcello was elected to the Papacy eight years ago, and is now aging at the mature age of eighty-nine years. An abnormally tall man, Marcelloâs hair is thick and white, combed carefully under his bishopâs headpiece. With a long, thin face, jutting nose, chin, and cheekbones, and deep-set pale eyes, Marcello is a commanding presence when he enters a room dressed in his Papal regalia. He always has a prayerful look about him, and when he speaks, his deep, booming voice resonates about a room. Most recently, Pope Marcellinus II opened the Inquisition and declared war against the Mohammedans.
Prior Tobias Halberstma, Grand Inquisitor of the Church
Born to serf farmers bound to the land of Lord Chaldris, Tobias was recognized early in life for his intellectual acuity, and was sponsored by Lord Chaldris to attend seminary, leaving a highly respected holy man. Instead of entering service as a parish priest, Tobias joined a monastery of the Dominican order, eventually becoming the Prior. It was a few years ago that he was personally appointed by Pope Marcellinus II to the position of Grand Inquisitor. Tobias is also a tall man, but with long, shaggy dark gray hair framing a rectangular face with mostly flat feature and dead-looking eyes. Though a quiet man, his presence is commanding, and has often been known to arrest others into silence upon his entrance.
Tsar Aleksander Huzsvai of Rossiya
Tsar Aleksander is a tall man with red hair and a long beard who laughs easily and often, though his regime is one of absolute tyranny, albeit with a fair judiciary. Now 46, Tsar Aleksander is married to Empress Anastasia and has two young sons, Nikolai and Ivan.
King Wolfgang Schimelpfenig IV of Alemania
King Wolfgang IV is a short, stumpy man with bushy dark brown hair, usually seen frowning or glaring, though his policies are fairly liberal and leaning toward reform. Now 38, King Wolfgang IV is married to Queen Gretchen, and they have one daughter, Margaret.
King Vincent Lawrence IX of Britannia
King Vincent IX is a man of average height and 29 years, with short brown hair and a clean-shaven face. He seems to be a kind man in person, but so far has brutally repressed the Scots, the Druids, and the Welsh. Married to Queen Elisabeth, they have no children.
King Philippe-Batiste Seurdeneaux of Gallia
Married to Queen Beatrice, King Philippe-Batiste is a 42 year old man of average height with blond hair and a neatly trimmed beard who is slow to speak, gentle in mannerisms, and quick to smile, though he rarely laughs.
King Ferdinando de Lourdes Apezteguia of Iberia
King Ferdinando is a tall, 22 year old man married to Queen Maria Gracia, three sons and one daughter, Alejandro, Jaime, Rafael, and Caterina. He has light brown hair, a short mustache, and seems to be a man of mild temperament both in person and in his reign.
Emperor Liu Ma of Sinia
Emperor Liu Ma is born of an aristocratic family, his father usurping the throne from the previous Emperor Shang, schooled extensively in all the teachings of the Master Kon Fu Zi, a scholar at heart. A short man with long black hair and a round face, almond-shaped eyes and a flat nose, Emperor Liu Ma is arrogant and short-tempered.
Raj Chakladar of Hindustan
A thirty-seven year old man of average height with a mustache, dark brown hair, and deeply tanned skin bordering on a chocolate brown, Chakladar radiates quiet strength and dignity. Married to Ipshita, Chakladar has seven daughters. He has been in power for eleven years.
King Karim Abdullah of Morocco
With ebony black flesh, twenty-six year old King Karim is a tall, muscular young man with a neatly trimmed beard and bright, vibrant eyes. He speaks freely and quickly, to the point where he seems either very enthusiastic or very anxious. Perhaps he is both.
King Mohsein Nouri of Tunisia
King Mohsein is the forty-five year old ruler of Tunisia, a short, lean man with a long beard and rich brown flesh. He seems to be a man dedicated to justice and the law, both in his household (he has fifteen sons and nine daughters) and in his government.
Lord Owen Chaldris
A feudal lord in Alemania, Lord Chaldris represents the tenth generation of Chaldris wealth, and reeks old money. Only thirty-four years old, Lord Chaldris has already fathered eight sons and twelve daughters. He is a tall man with salt and pepper hair, kind eyes, and an easy smile, though his serfs would be quick to point out that Lord Chaldris is anything but kind to them.
Shaykh Bilal Khalifa of ArabÃĸya
The Khalif of ArabÃĸya, Shaykh Bilal is a tall man with black hair and long beard, sun-bronzed flesh, and a round face. He is a pleasant man of fifty-two years, deeply pious, and is married to two wives, Ibtisam and Hajira.
Mullah Ismail bin Suhair
The Mullah of the Masjid in Makkah, the one of the Kaaba. An aging man of nearly sixty years with thin white hair, a long beard, and penetrating gaze. Seems to be the passive-aggressive type, though deeply pious in both personal and public life.
Salahuddin Khan
Leader and founder of the Sons of Tasneem, a feared mercenary force with over five thousand highly-trained, armed to the teeth soldiers at his command. The Sons of Tasneem will operate anywhere to do anything for any price. Some members are religious, but most are fairly apathetic to religion. Salahuddin himself is a forty-three year old visionary, with dark brown hair, lightly tanned skin, and a neatly trimmed beard.
Player Characters
Piotr "Bear" Ivanovich
Aliath
Piotr is a tall, rather heavyset teenager born and raised on the outskirts of a small town called Udarnik in the western-most parts of Rossiya. His parents are Ivan Nikolaevich and Aileen, a Gallic woman said to be a witch. In reason of his imposing, muscular build -which he owes to hours upon hours a day of hard labor at his job, working at a flour mill- he is nicknamed "Bear" by the local children and adults alike. His longish black hair is tied in a ponytail behind his head, though a strand of it falls in front of his icy blue eyes. He has very hard, square features, adding to his 'tough' look. Despite this he isn't an unfriendly person, though he isn't the most sociable boy you'll encounter.
His lone-wolf attitude is only a small factor in his lack of friends; his mother is a Gallic-born woman who specializes in botany. She concocts potions and collects herbs which she sells as the local market for medicinal use. People gladly accept her services, though she is heavily frowned upon and thus some people have labeled her a 'pagan.' Not to mention that she is of great beauty, and one iris is a different color from the other- her right iris being blue, and the other green.
Felix McAlister Aldridge
Aufeis
Felix is a weathered man whose rugged looks and wide build make him an intimidating figure, especially when heâs on horseback. He is a very social person, not afraid to have a drink or two and has made a bit of a reputation in both noble circles and among mercenaries. He is the son of Gordon and Alexandra Aldridge, two nobles from Britannia, but has turned to the roads and the life of mercenaries. He is, of course, still regarded as a nobleman, favoring duels as opposed to simply slaughtering his opponents with tasteless violence. He often wears his blonde hair short and combed back. His hazel eyes are usually friendly, even when he is in a duel, but have been known to grow cold on some occasions.
Having grown up in the sheltered arms of the noble class, he was not attuned to violence until he was a young man. He trained in the art of dueling in both short swords and rapiers, becoming quite good at it. His father, Gordon Knowles Aldridge (forty-six), is an avid Christian and very well known bottler. His wines made very good money for the family. Alexandra Lillian (thirty-five) is an astrologer, reading the stars professionally and âforetellingâ the future for the king and many other nobles. For the most part, Alexandra uses the skies and the stars to help her husband with his bottling business. Needless to say, the two are especially popular for parties. His two younger siblings, Katherine Julia (twenty-two) and Edwin Lambert (eighteen), both continue to live with his parents in Baeth (Bath, England). Katherine holds a multitude of jobs, ranging from singing, dancing, and instrument, to that of a nurse and scribe. Edwin is the Reeve for his fatherâs orchards and fields.
Felix is a strapping twenty-five, stands at approximately five foot eleven and two hundred and twenty eight pounds. He often wears expensive suit tunics and leggings, with armor for the road. He is currently en route to Roma, guarding a caravan holding supplies for the troops, along with a few healers and religious folks. Katherine is also among the caravan, sent as a scribe from the Church to write about the battles and to chronicle the prophesized victory.
Cadwgan "The True Tywysog" GlyndÅĩr
Irish Wolf
Cadwgan is a Welshmen of some renown, mostly for his claimant to be the true Tywysog or ruler of Wales. He maintains and actively proclaims that the House of Lawrence is nothing more then a packs of liars and thieves, whom stole rulership of the Welsh people from his ancestors and that he will regain it! While somewhat of a firebrand, he does have a weak spot for his only child, a sweet girl of only seven, whom is hidden away from his political enemies by a trusted ally. One black mark on his person, are persistent rumors of his participation in the rituals of druidism, which may or may not be true but he claims that they are simply more lies being spread by the lips of the usurper Vincent Lawrence.
For the first time in his thirty-one years, his massive frame is not gracing Wales but soaking up sun off the coast of Iberia, where he plans to land with a small band of men-at-arms, to join the fight to push the Mohammedanism heresy into the sea. Its a ploy more than anything, to gain foreign allies, gold, mercenaries and hopefully papal support in retaking of his crown, so that it might rest upon his long black hair. He also hopes that it help to lift this nasty rumors about his faith from his broad shoulders.
Zendekel
Aliath
Zendekel is the founder and leader of a small, nameless mercenary unit. He's of average height and build, but despite this he is much stronger than he looks. His medium-lengthened blond hair falls around his face, framing his delicate features. His vivid green eyes are calm and passive, giving him an angelic look. His charisma and skill with the rapier are unmatched, which is odd since he is apparently peasant-born.
Nicolette Marietta Phearll
Traveler
Nicolette has never belonged within a society, nor has she remained in one long enough for the inhabitants to recognize her schemes. Her partners in crime have been abandoned time and time again, a few even murdered from the knowledge they possessed- though none have ever succeeded in spoiling her fun. Many inns within her homeland of Gallia know her name and refuse to allow her back in after her endeavors within their rooms. Often in the main halls, she had identified herself as a sorceress and fixated the crowds through miniscule light shows and disappearing acts which were naught beyond the skill of a child, yet entertained even the most logical of minds as her âassistantsâ started stealing the food and money that had been left loose by their owners.
At the age of 24, however, it had all come to a stop. No more assistants were there to help, no inns would allow her room and board, and her own family wouldnât allow her back into their worn cottage. Nicolette found nowhere else in Gallia to go, so she left for Britannia- the ferrymanâs payment stolen out of his very pockets while he was out waiting for other passengers. That was where Nicolette found her newest assistant- a short young man named Stephan with a comical act that ran along the same lines of her own performances, simply distractions to prove to the people that they were just tools to be played.
Nicolette stands 5â 9â tall, her slim figure only slightly too dainty for her height. Her delicate pasty skin seems a little too light when contrasted with her fiery scarlet locks that fall to her mid-back, but fall in the same category as her silvery green irises. She can be found wearing dark dresses of thin, but opaque fabric along with a crystal pendant around her neck that looks almost as if itâs glowing in candlelight, one of her many tricks to confuse the audience and to prove that âblack magicâ actually existed. When not within an act, she wears a light coat- stolen from one of the noble ladies in Gallia- toned a powdery blue, though stained with the alcoholic beverages consumed by her audiences. This adds an innocent look to her that makes it almost impossible for her to be the same person as the twisted sorceress citizens had seen one of the nights previous.
Estella Dulce
Inerio
Estella is a proud looking woman, standing a tad shorter than average with a slightly darker skin tone than a few people of her home land, but carrying a presence of someone or rather something much bigger than herself. Though, in the end she is but a human woman, and the presence she carries would be the imposing weight of her immense ego. Estella has heterochromia (causing one eye to be green with small brown flecks and one completely brown), which she claims is what enables her to draw such amazing art however false the statement is, which are as expressive as the rest of her face being wide at one moment and snake like and devious the next. Estella's hair is a dark brown, almost black, and is quite straight often causing Estella to spend large unnecessary amounts of time on it for the sake of keeping it in place when put up.
An artist, Estella was born in Iberia to a mother(Alejandra Dulce) who did nothing of no real consequence (as Estella puts it she was a painfully boring woman, barely able to carry on an original thought) and a father the likes of which was a craftsman. While her father (Roberto Dulce) saw his job as a means to make money, Estella saw it for it's "artistic value". It was at this point that her father thought it a good idea to introduce her to the art world, where Estella excelled but was held back severely due to her gender. In her thirty years Estella has travelled quite a bit. In part due to the fact that once the people of the town or city get to know her they all eventually come to resent her due to her lecherous and sinful nature.
Rules
Literacy is a must.
This is a character-driven roleplay. Romance, conflict, and disagreements are to be expected. However, please keep profanity to characterâs dialogue or thoughts (and only when that character would use profanity), and take any romantic content beyond PG-13 to PMs.
It is realistic. Your characters are not clean and do not bathe more than once or twice a year. They are not prodigies. They are not to be Sue-ish in any way, shape or form. If I catch a hint of an offending post, I will discuss it with you via PMs.
I play NPCs. Not you. You may control them to an extent by having them enter or leave a room, but I will write NPCsâ posts in the same way you write your charactersâ posts.
There is no magic, spells, mages, wizards, or anything of that sort. There are those who claim to have such powers, but all of them are either deluded or phonies. The religious leaders, the clerics, hold holy powers, but nothing of the sort typically found in fantasy roleplay.
You may only play a human. Your character may be from any of the kingdoms, but the majority of characters should be from Europa.
Posts should be made in third person, past tense. (Brief dreams, letters, etc. in first person and/or present tense are acceptable.) They should be in a black font, double spaced between every new line, and with signatures turned off. All OOC remarks should be made in this thread.
You must post at least once a week; however, exceptions can be made for family emergencies, or academics, or work hours, as all of these things should obviously take precedence over the Internet and roleplaying. If you disagree with that statement, I encourage you to leave this page and rethink your life.
You will have fun. This is a serious, dark roleplay, but you will have fun. Iâm not here to dictate what happens. I have no clue what is going to happen or who is going to join. As long as you stay within these boundaries (and theyâre not that restrictive, believe me), you will be able to do nearly anything you want, and take this roleplay in whatever direction you so desire. Itâs not for my pleasure â itâs for yours.
Character Application
By posting a character sheet, you are not automatically accepted to this roleplay, but will require posted or PMâd approval in order to be accepted. You may be asked to revise your character in order to be accepted.
You will write your character sheet as though for a professional roleplay. Think Dungeons and Dragons. Kind of.
You will need to include your characterâs name, age, occupation, nationality, and a brief description of his or her appearance without purple prose, as well as a brief description of their âvibeâ, or their presence, how they might be perceived by a stranger upon chance meeting. Personality, beliefs, and biography will be explored in the roleplay, and should not be discussed in your character sheet. Your sheet should look like a longer version of the ones above for all the NPCs (minus the brief biographical remarks). You should not include a photo, drawing, or other image reference for appearance.
Along with your sheet, you will submit a writing sample, which may be from either independent fiction or roleplay, and must exceed 500 words, but may not exceed 1200 words. It should be posted directly beneath your character sheet and clearly separated. (If it is taken from a larger work, such a roleplay or novel, please write a short paragraph (or a few sentences) placing your writing sample in context).
