Cherished Zero's page

Hey, I just want to apologize. I've been kind of, lacking, in the posting department. I had someone pass away in my family last Tuesday and it's taken a huge toll on me. So I think I may need a hiatus to recover.

I'll try to post between things, but I lack motivation and enthusiasm right now and I'd rather post content and updates when I want to be engaged.

Again, I apologize about my sporadicness and my absence, I'll get back on track as soon as I can.

You all turn to travel in the direction decided by Khalaban. The travel is fairly uneventful. Anyone who is attempting to keep track of the large tree either make a perception check or survival check.

Alright, I feel like there's not gonna be a lot of RP from here besides moving forward, I apologize about my delay, just wanted to give it time. Moving right along.

You make your way through the dense wood in the direction of the large tree. Perception checks please

I'm letting you guys RP it out right now, unless you insist I throw some priority into something :P

Thanks for the heads up Tenro, I'll make a note of it.

Dip

The point of Mojo is that you can have rations if need be, but I may implement my own system for that or go back to the original system for rations once the first settlement or method of acquiring food is found.

Torrel looks at you all again, and then to his pocketwatch. "Well, it's about that time, good luck everyone. I'll be watching over you, but I can't do much. I wish you all luck, and until we meet again."

Torrel smiles and bows, as he does the room begins to glow and the next thing you know the world around you has completely changed. You find yourselves on an incline surrounded by trees and fairly dense brush. There's no one else in sight but yourselves.

"There are those in this-- that realm who would wish to leave, yes. And there are those who would love to help just for the sake of adventure."

I don't like people being stuck, if you die, you're bored, or some other reason to change characters, I usually allow it if the timing is right.

Will forward us to the teleport wednesday, unless there are new questions for torrel, or actions within the prep room.

Torrel, without skipping a beat replies to Penkus, "Depending on where you end up, Mheral should be fine, even in hostile territory you should be given the ability to at least leave if you explain the situation, the locals are used to this and typically allow at least the option to leave peacefully.

He then looks to Xanthous, still speaking, but directed at the party rather than Xanthous. "You'll be together as a group, the runes on the floor are to activate a group teleport, barring anyone carrying the nullifier. Most likely you'll end up in 'Overworld', but there's small probabilities that you may end up in one of the other four planes. All planes have teleporters between them in certain locals that share traits between them, where those are, I'm not allowed to say."

Torrel checks his pocketwatch and while looking down at it, "All ruling parties are only of their own plane, unless they've managed to place force enough into another plane to actually rule there. So you can see different rulers in each plane and see new areas under rule or not ruled based on each plane."

"The sub-planes are much too many and too complicated to go into, they can pop up in many places, with many different factors, the residents often attempt to create them, some succeed, some fail. Most sub-planes were not created by us, but there are a few, still, much too complicated to go into, just be prepared for anything in the sub-planes."

He looks back to Khalaban, "It takes quite a bit for the magic in an area to be completely depleted, but understand, that if it is, yes, you'll need to survive by other means. Often times if magic is depleted you'll find that there was a mage war, multiple mages in the area doing things of their own accord casting, or a spell of epic proportions being cast. However, if a spell is cast and you enter a new zone that is depleted, the residual magic that was taken for the spell will allow it to continue even in the 'dead zone'."

It's not super easy to run the magic out, it takes multiple casters heavily doing magic, but it is possible.

I'll get that posted later tonight :)

It's definitely there....

I actually already got it posted ^^;

"Unfortunately Dan'drik, I can't provide a better map unfortunately, that's specifically left to you. However the rules are survive. No rules apply beyond that, be you good or evil, all you must do is outlive the others. Whether you choose to do that by force or attrition makes no difference to us."

Torrel looks to Mheral. "Torrel will suffice, no need to be so formal. On a more serious note the world can easily eat you and others alive if you're not careful. As for starting positions, the teleports are random, so I can't even give you that information."

Torrel completes casting his spell and you all feel your powers increase, to each their own unique styles. This is where you would actually gain the extra trait that was given to you.

Over the next hour Torrel explains the layout of the 'overworld' and explains the current status of the realm. From his explanations you learn that there's a certain dominance of humans in the land, but that remains only in the 'overworld'. He continues to explain that while there isn't truly an enslaved portion of the world there are certain races that are less liked than others in certain areas.

Torrel explains that the realm is very large in some cases attrition may be the only way to win in case others are waiting as well, but with the types selected this round most likely most won't be looking to wait you out.

One of Torrel's sentences sticks out beyond many of the others on this subject. "Many of the champions are bloodthirsty, it was decided to be this way to decrease the timeframe in which the competition would last."

Torrel also goes onto the idea of the alternate planes. He explains each realm has it's own set of laws, hardships, rulers, and layouts. Very few lands have cities in the same places and sometimes, certain areas are completely inhabitable within an alternate plane. He continues to say there are five major planes and a good section of subplanes that only copy portions of the realm.

He continues to state that each plane has an adjustment to magic of it's own like, this tends to be why you find certain types within each plane.

The major planes consist of the following:

After explaining the realms, Torrel takes a seat on a nearby bench, "One last thing I know about the realm, the land is the magic. All your magic comes from the land and if the magic within the land dissipates then magic will be useless in that area for a time. There are specific nodes of magic that emanate to areas around them to a certain distance and they require time to recharge to full. You'll find that if your spells fail and you're not sure, the land may have been run dry, by you or by others. Each node requires five days to recharge, and will remain inactive during that time. This is to encourage nomad behavior, however, major cities have developed method to siphon magics to keep the cities charged."

Torrel explains that each node is different and so the distances they cover vary, but overall, you'll know when you've entered a node with magic left if you're leaving one that is recharging.

Hey guys, wanted to let you know I'm working on the next post, and I'd like to apologize for being a little later than I wanted with it, and for missing that bit of info for you Penkus.

I had a tooth ripped out on thursday and so I'm fairly medicated right now and it's been kicking my butt. I've got the post started, but I can't keep my focus long enough to put it all down right now. I will continue it when I wake up again and hopefully have it out by around 2 PM Eastern Time.

Again, sorry for the delay.

Torrel gives a hearty laugh, "No need to feel upset, I expected as much, but I didn't realize you'd have help and then manage to actually drink it all. Didn't even think you could lift it truly."

He turns to Khalaban, "No teleportation needed, I made the illusion disappear is all, I've dabbled very little into warp magic."

"Anyway, we haven't much time. What questions do you have for me? Beyond that I'm going to be working on a spell to enhance your abilities for this contest, it's the only thing we're allowed to do to assist you is during this two hours."

As the questions die down the wizards take a seat in their respective placements on the stage.

Avoran speaks to the crowd once more. "Alright everyone it's time to decide who gets what champions. We will begin with the newest challenger and end with the current resident of Viaru. Each Wizard will select a champion in sequence till each wizard has selected their five champions. Please take your seat with your wizard as you are chosen. Begin!"

A wizard stands and looks to the crowd, the wizard is still robed and you've never heard him/her speak. The wizard eventually points, and selects his/her champion. A man's voice rings out, it sounds familiar, but you can't place it. "I'd like the kobold, I've seen his might and trust him as my champion." Mheral has been selected.

The round of picks goes through, with each wizard stating their reason for the champion they are selecting and you hear of many fine warriors as well as tacticians being chosen. As the cloaked wizard's turn comes around again, he points to Khalaban. "A strong man in years I'd never allow myself to reach, a wise man who can be trusted to bring folks together. He is a perfect fit for a selection as my champion."

Another round goes by and the wizard again ponders. This time, he spends a bit more time on it. You hear a few other candidates yell at him for being too slow, and can almost hear him muttering to himself. Perception Check to hear what he actually said. He finally points again, this time his finger lands upon Penkus. "A tricky little gnome hidden among the field who makes seemingly impossible tasks more probable. As even the smallest person can change the future."

As the fourth round begins the wizard immediately selects a champion. He points to Dan'drik, "A large man, with a grand band. His merry ways will bring my champions joy in the most sorrowful of trials ahead."

With only ten champions left to be chosen the wizard looks out carefully, as if searching for someone he can't seem to find. As he scans the remaining champions one more time, he almost seems to jump as he points to Xanthous. "Lastly, this gentleman here, though not as scaled as I'd remembered him to be, his abilities are profound and his mastery of times unbeknownst to himself is a trait to be desired. He will make a fine pick as my final champion."

The wizards selection process comes to a close and Avoran speaks once more. "Well done, the parties have been selected, and I do hope you're all satisfied with your picks. As of now we will convene together in preparation for the beginning of the competition. Wizards! You have 2 hours to prepare your champions before the runes in your halls activate guiding them to the start of their new lives. Good luck, and to the best go the spoils."

As the sound Avoran's words fade, so does the look of the world around you. In all but a moment, you're in a room, with the cloaked wizard standing among you as an equal. He removes his hood and smiles to you, he's a young human, brown hair and green eyes. Hair is short and he so familiar you could almost choke upon his name as it sits upon your tongue refusing to come forth. When he speaks, you all instantly recognize him. Except Xanthous, who only barely recalls the name and looks. "Hello friends, the name's Torrel, and I'm glad to see you all again!"

Thanks Xanth, appreciate the place holder for me. Work sucks

Orial, again, responds to Dan'drik, "If gold is all it takes to persuade you, not only am I sure you will find plenty on your travels, you may request it as a prize for placing, and for winning, you can virtually have what your heart desires."

Haha sounds good to me

Orial speaks to Dan'drik this time. "That's one way to look at it I guess, but your life won't be changing. At least not your normal life, that is, unless you wish to remain in the realm at the end of the competition. In any case, while you're participating, we'll not be influencing much, there'll be times that we'll be around, but we are not allowed to use our magic to help you, or hinder you. So your life is free, the only captivity part is your requirement to participate."

"Unless they are brought back in some way, yes." Avoran replies.

Honk

Avoran turns back to the small waiving hand after answering a few other questions.

"Ah, the objective is simple, last team standing and of course you retain the memories, even if you perish the life you lived here is as real as can be."

A strange wizard from the back looks directly at Xanthous after the inquiry. "Folks bickering over their own beliefs vs another's? Absolutely, there's bound to be some you'd call heretics by yours."

Arovan looks to Penkus. "Something like that." He then looks to Khalaban. "Absolutely possible, no one returns to their life before the competition is over, of course, those who are.." He ponders a moment for the correct wording. "Not present, will not know of the time they're gone. To them it will be a flash, as if losing consciousness and then regaining it a minute later."

Erix walks over towards Dan'drik. "Quite the opposite, we'll be choosing you. As is, you are our champions, best we choose who we want to represent us, since we know you, and you may know very little of some of us. This way there's no biased in how wizard's are given champions."

As everyone makes there way to the center the figures in the center become clearer.

One of the figures steps out from the rest. A different voice fills the air than did your head. "Welcome everyone, glad to see you're all doing well. My name is Avoran, I'm just one of the wizards participating in this competition."

As he speaks you can see another wizard casting a spell, and in the next moment a stage rises from the earth below the wizards. Around the stage there are notations of separation, twenty different slots are marked on the stage.

A third wizard creates chairs in each of the sections, five seats to a section. The wizard also creates seating away from the stage.

Avoran continues to speak after this happens. "Please, take a seat if you would like, but leave our sectioned areas clear. These areas are for the champions selected for each wizard."

Many others take a seat still questioning what is going on, but preferring to sit rather than stand.

A new wizard steps forward. "Hello. I'm Erix. I'll be explaining the current situation and why you've all been gathered here today."

Erix takes flight above the crowd and a globe is created. The globe depicts your home world, but there are dividers placed along it. The world is cut into nine pieces. One piece holding a specially marked continent and a portion of most others. That piece is significantly larger than the other eight, which look to be about the same size.

Erix speaks again, but this time his voice seems to project much more and you can hear him clearly despite his distance. "This is the world you know, with some added notation. The notation dictates the world we know. These notations decide which Wizard overall has claim to which piece of your world, what resources they work with and otherwise, and typically minor matches are held to dictate whether a wizard drops from his position, but this time is different. Many more applicants want more positions, so it was decided amongst the nine current rulers that a competition would be held. All plots are available, and only the top nine wizards get a plot, the top wizard gets Viaru, a continent of arcane wealth beyond imagination."

Erix creates an image depicting the current nine rulers, and the eleven challengers. "These are the true contestants for this competition, but your place is vitally important. As with the number and power of the wizards involved in this competition, we can't just have a wizard's duel for this situation as it would tear the world asunder even in a small portion, and none of us are interested in that, even if our ideals conflict. You will all serve as our champions and participate in a game of survival, the game will consist of teams of five and we will choose in an orderly fashion for who will have what champions."

Erix dissipates the creations and descends once again. Another wizard steps forward. "Where we will not promise your safety in these times, nor can we say this will be a short matter, we can ensure your life will return to you as normal, unless you wish otherwise at the end of the competition or upon your demise within the competition."

The wizard looks around. "We have chosen the hundred of you as your personalities wielded great diversity and your spirit longed for adventure or power."

He begins pacing the perimeter of the stage and speaks again. "Of course, we're not going to just bring you here without any type of promise of reward. Besides the fact your life can resume as if you never left, if you place among the nine victorious wizards you will be given a prize based upon the means of their abilities. This means, the wizard who finds himself/herself with Viaru will be able to present his/her champions with virtually anything they desire."

The wizard stops pacing and smiles to the crowd. "So, a brand new life that you can do as you like for as long as you survive, and then resume your life afterwards with the possibility of great reward. Sounds fun, does it not?

Another wizard steps forward after the he finishes his question. She has a gentler, but still very firm voice. "My name is Orial, and I will tell you of your new residence. The world in which you'll be placed into is one of design by multiple parties. It has portals to different versions of itself. Each version is identical in make-up, but the world changes to suit what is needed. You may find cities in new places, and minor changes due to local residents of the area, but overall the worlds are the same with new challenges."

She creates maps and telekinetically hands them out to each champion. "This is a basic map of the general layout of the versions. It will aid you in navigation, but nothing more than geography is notated, so you will need to do the rest yourself."

Orial sits down in a chair above a section of the stage as Avoran steps forward again. "All residents in this realm are there by choice or birth and this realm has been around for many millenia. This is also not the first time the realm has been used for a purpose such as this, so you may find others with a similar outlook to yours that are not champions in this competition. Just as them, if you decide you like this place more than your old life, you may choose to remain there, but we will not be interfering with your life further after your choice. The only influence would happen if a new competition comes about during your lifetime."

Avoran looks upon you and the other champions. "Before we proceed, are there any questions?"

Most champions stay quiet, but a few ask trivial questions about their current lives and of potential prizes.

As you all head outside, you are greeted with the bright light of the sun. As your eyes adjust, you find a series of doors in a large circle just like your own, all opening towards a clearing. There seems to be figures in the clearing, but most obvious, you see others exiting the door at the same time you do.

A voice fills your head. "Come everyone, no need for such worry, no harm is to come to you here. We've gathered you to explain what's happening and why you're here. Join us in the circle's center and we'll continue."

Let the games begin. Going to bed for tonight though. :P Work early tomorrow.

It's been a week since that strange dream, and you'd almost forgotten the message that followed, but this morning feels odd even as you open your eyes.

You wake up and you are in a strange room. The room is fairly lavish, and it seems that whoever designed it, took great pleasure in making sure it's resident would be absolutely comfortable.

There's no one in the room with you, but you notice all of your armor, weapons, or otherwise sitting arranged neatly in a corner.

As you sit up, you see on the bedside table, a note, in a familiar style.

"Good Morning! We're glad to see you're doing well, it's time to begin. Join us outside when you're ready, you'll find everything you'll need to get through the start of your new life in this room. We eagerly await your presence."

If you can manage that by Monday, I won't complain. Just know your stuff prior to that, I'm going to post the gameplay beginning in a minute

I'll be posting the beginning of the campaign later tonight. I do apologize for the slight delay in the fact that I am doing some things today, but I will make sure to clear everything up before the campaign starts. (Working on it Tenro.)

Would people be okay with an openness on what bonus traits were given out, or would we like that to be a secret? Completely up to you, as your characters will not technically know each other prior to this setting. At least, not know much of each other that is.

Also, please post any of your final questions before the campaign starts, of course more questions can be asked afterwards, but I'd like to clear anything up if I can now.

In no way would this require you to use it, it's just a reference material really

Alright, thanks for all being present, appreciate it.

I understand busy weekends so I won't push too much, in fact I can actually establish that weekends will be an exception to the every other day rule, as long as people post on the following Monday, if everyone is alright with that. I will of course be as present as possible to throw in over the weekend to make sure those who are around aren't 100% idle.

I'm looking to gauge people's interest in an idea of mine, which is to use Roll20.net as a mapping system for people to be able to see a battlefield or town, and kind of update at their whim. It will work only when combat starts or during town idle times for people to keep track of their position a bit better, but that's fully up to everyone here.

I'm also going to be posting the campaign start as of Wednesday most likely, as I need to work out one last detail to all characters before we begin. I'll be sending you all a PM (If you're reading this more than 30 minutes from it's post time, you probably already got it.) asking something very specific and then we can go from there.

No, the message was to make sure those in the campaign could see it, if they weren't looking elsewhere

Sad to see only three of he players moved over :/

For those who are here and haven't joined it, a discussion thread has been made

Max HP for level at the moment

I need people to post to me the overall theme of their characters. Just what your plans are for your character or what your character's main focus is. You may post this publicly or PM me with the details.

It's not technically a magic themed game, but yea, I'll allow cantrips to all casters

I have, I just haven't had the clarity of thought to reply correctly. I'll get back to you as soon as I wake up tomorrow alright?

So I'll be posting all details for the beginning of the competition at some point on Saturday. I'll try to not make it a night time post and make it a bit earlier.

As the festivities of the night wind down, one by one you find people leaving tavern. As you go to leave the tavern yourself the world fades to black.

You wake up in your own bed, the events at the tavern seem hazy, realistic enough to imprint faces in your mind. As you come to your senses a bit more, you see a note next to your bedside.

"Thank you for participating in our preliminaries, the tavern exists, but you only dreamt your presence in it. At this point we'd like to inform you that you-"

Thank you for all the applications. At this time Recruitment has ended. Enjoy yourselves, and for those who didn't get in, maybe next time :)

Torrel sighs and sits down. "It's simple, alright. The cash isn't here. It's not even within a months travel time and you can attempt to search my mind, my pockets, and this entire building for that passcode and you'll end up with nothing, old man."

He then pulls out a cigarette and lights in a nearby lamp. After taking a drag, "And you can take my life and my establishment as collateral. I'm not going anywhere, as I said, money is yours half-pint, but I'm not going with you to get it. My way of life is not changing because you feel like you're entitled to change it. You'll ge the passcode, and you'll be on your merry way. I will continue my life and try to get enough of my special booze to fill Helga again."

He then turns to walk into a door nearby, "Now if you'll bugger off, I've got some significant profit losses to put in order."

Should note at this point, Torrel is human. Logar was the dwarf.

"You only drank so much because I enabled you to." Torrel then turns to Penkus,"And a gnome of your ilk can't begin to comprehend the inner workings of my thoughts. It's good business, keep yourself on the upper hand and you have nothing to worry about. Get used to it, making a living around here is hard enough without people picking you apart. The land is tough, you get tougher."

Torrel replies in earnest, "Ask all you want, money's not here, and I'm not giving the code out in a crowd. You'll have to wait until the nights festivities are over."