Tutorials, RP school and any and all questions that may need answering. We understand that no one is perfect and, sometimes, even the best need help, so it's best you ask when you're unsure of something. We won't bite, honest.
When creating a character, you will start here, following the rules and using one of the forms provided. Here, your character will wait for a staff member to check it.
Once a staff member has approved your character's existence, their bio shall be moved here and you will be free to role-play out in the boards. remember, you still have to follow the rules once your character is accepted.
Character logs, journals, obituaries and births, all are to be recorded somewhere in here. It's a rather useful tool in keeping your characters and role-play activities organized and in line.
At the tip top of the continent, well into the area of the small planet where the climate is predominantly freezing, the land is just that: frozen solid. The land is harsh, vegetation scarce and the waters of the sea frigid. Ice floats and bergs dot the area near the shore and six feet of ice and snow make up the shore itself. Though most normal creatures find it hazardous, aquatic and arctic creatures call it home.
As if to separate the land from the coast, the continent suddenly turns rather hilly as you move south from the sea. The climate begins to warm and the snow begins to melt but is often still present in the most northern areas, gently dusted over the gentle grasses and decorating the plentiful trees. These highlands are revered for the numerous animals that can be found living in its soft soil in dens and caves all over. A wolf pack near its center get the brunt of the attention, lead by one powerful male who is said to control the behavior of the winds in the often chilly area.
Regarded as the most peaceful place in all of Zi, Anemone is known for its gentle breezes and abundant flowers nestled amongst the tall grasses. There aren't many trees, only some thickly branched ones huddled around the edges where creatures can retreat for shade and rest while the birds hop about and sing them songs in the constantly warm climate. Truly, heaven on land.
Altair Forest is the forest that surrounds Anemone Valley and it gets its name from the vast amount of birds that reside in it and the fact that the forest itself is in the shape of a very large star, the flowery valley being in the center. The forest itself is the epitome of life and health, the trees as tall as skyscrapers and the ferns and other such smaller plants green and tasty. The fruit is also rather abundant making it a good place for people to gather delicious berries and nuts. Watch out for rutting deer though.
The water source for almost every living thing on the continent, this massive river covers much of Iairos' center, running down from the mountains, running through the valley before circling around to the jungle, where it's been given a different name. It's most prominent here in the forest, where the trees can feed off of its clear, pure, crystal blue waters and animals can enjoy the numerous fish and creatures that splash about near its surface. Beware the waterfall though. It's not particularly high and the waters nearby are remarkably calm, but it still wouldn't be fun to fall off of it.
The village of Tonashrak... Though considered primitive by city dwellers for its medieval atmosphere, it is a rather bustling, friendly place full of hardworking individuals. Some of those individuals prefer a little more peace and quiet than others, and live further out into the surrounding forest than the rest. These lone huts, caves and log cabins are known collectively as 'the outskirts'.
Though mostly a hunting and gathering type of community, many of the people in the village of Tonashrak farm as well, selling their crops across the mountains to the cities beyond for money. Usually it's a family affair, many families actually growing the crops to feed themselves and not others, but the people are friendly and anyone can participate in exchange for cash or even food should it be needed.
Though much of Tonashrak is just sort of... scattered about, not really organized into blocks or streets like in big cities, there is one dirt road that cuts up the middle where much of the open-air shops and stalls are situated and where many of the people spend much of their time. It can get a little crowded here, with all the people hustling about but, with all the shops and stores and restaurants situated here, there isn't much that can be helped.
Antonia is a massive stone building that towers over the other, smaller, quainter cottages and stores of 'downtown' Tonashrak. 8 floors full of bustling students of all ages, Antonia offers many classes to both the young and the old everything they need to know about spells, enchantments, and curses. It's really useful to learn a bit of magic considering the types of beasts that can lurk just beyond the city walls, so even older adults can come back whenever they please to touch up their powers, practice and train inside the castle-like building's massive court yard.
At the village center, a massive collection of food stalls and fresh fish and butcher shops can be found arranged in a circle, open for trade, purchase and generalized shopping. A fountain sits at its center, made of pure white marble and a good place to rest your feet after hours of work or shopping, whichever you happened to be doing here.
Welcome to the Xenia Tavern, the biggest social gathering area in town. It's large, built open and circular with no walls, only wooden columns to hold the shingled roof up. The bar is run circularly around the center, the bartender in the middle and a hole in the floor there that leads down to the wine cellar and kitchens. The rest of the building is full of tables and benches, with large open areas for dancing and merriment. It's generally a very jolly place.
Though it's hard to call them neighborhoods considering how disorganized and scattered they are, the living areas of Tonashrak are surprisingly warm and welcoming, neighborly even. Since it's a rather small village, everyone knows each other's names and which hut/den/cave/cottage/cabin they live in, though this probably has a lot to do with the rather close proximity of each house.
It's actually more like a lake, a portion of the river that ends at the base of the mountains and is used as the village's water source. Underground wooden pipes take the water into town and fuel luxuries like indoor plumbing. However, the reservoir itself is open to people and animals both to drink from and swim in, despite the fact that it is later used as bathing and drinking water.
A welcomed sight just on the edge of the southern lands, a towering line of mountains surround much of the humble village of Tonashrak, separating it from the unknown wilderness beyond and almost serving as guardian, the great serpent of land. Its conditions are harsh, the weather near its peeks cold, and its slops steep, tall, rocky, precarious. Few dare to traverse its narrow paths, for fear of what lurks in its cracks.
The base of the mountains are shrouded in shadow, drenched in leaf and vegetation of all sorts, shapes and sizes. It's almost impossible to navigate with a vehicle and dangerous to traverse without, for no one really knows all that the shadows hide from view. And those that do, well let's just say they are in no position to tell. It is suggested that, when traveling, this obstacle be by passed either to the east or west by simply going around, passed the mountains as a whole, along the shoreline.
Though technically two rivers with the same beginning, the Polemeios and Katharos rivers are often thought of as one: one of good and one of evil. Polemeios would be the bad half, if you will, cutting its way through the dense jungle and ending at the wastelands rather suddenly. It's harsh currents, sharp river rocks, deadly fish and poisonous frogs make it a much darker comparison to the calmer Katharos, but it's waters are just as clean and just as clear as any other river in the land.
Stretching to the north of the city, as far as the eye can see, the bleak, flat, barren, cracked soil of the wastelands invite no one to try and cross its massive expanse. And it would be wise to listen to such unwelcome warning. Many have tried to cross this land and failed, done in by the sudden storms, complete lack of vegetation and glaring sun. Unfortunately, since it dominates the souther half of the continent, it's rather difficult to avoid.
Near the southern tip of the continent, the wasteland looses power and gives way to the grasses and brush, ounce more providing animals a place to romp and play should they so desire. However, regardless of what wild animals desire, the plains are not theirs to claim any longer. Humanoid creatures use the area to raise cattle and other sorts of domesticated animals for food and transportation. Wild animals are often killed on sight and either eaten or mounted. A look of grassy paradise can be quite deceiving.
Finally, south of the great city Osdeness and opposite the icy coast of the arctic, a gentle sloping beach resides a few hours drive from the people who most often use it for rest and relaxation. The bright sands are warm, the temperature always perfectly warm and sunny, and the waters always cozy and inviting. But the Calder sea is nothing to be trifled with and many choose to avoid it and the beasts that lurk in its strangely dark waters.
The biggest, baddest street in the whole city, it cuts Osdeness in half east to west, starting at the massive stone wall that separates the city from the wasteland and ending at the docks on the shore. It's six lanes in total, with a flowery median up the middle and offices, shops and stores on either side. Though the paved road means its was built for cars and vehicles, animals and mounts small enough to fit in the lanes are welcomed and respected.
Being a big city, Osdeness has a rather high crime and disaster rate. Fires, robberies, rapes, you name it. The OSS is an organization made to cover the duties of the Police department, fire department, and other safety services all over the city. Though each department is still separate within the organization, the OSS as a whole is in charge of all sectors of safety and well-being for the people of the city, so members with special powers are favored but not necessary. They pay well though and the HQ, located on Grand Ave, provides free food and room and board.
As most cities tend to be, Osdeness is split between the wealthy and the poor. Obviously, this is where the "poor" reside, a section of neighborhoods, allies and side streets full of complexes, apartments and run down buildings of all sorts, shapes and sizes. Gas stations on every corner, drugs and prostitutes littering the streets, porno shops, liquor stores, weapon markets, it's the worst of every city ever known. All the streets are numbered, just to make it obvious as to when you've crossed into Ghetto.
The only high school in the whole city, it's inconveniently nestled in the middle of the worst part of town... and there are no buses available to take you there safely. For this reason most kids are home schooled. But, those who aren't, are stuck with a three floor, brick building with no AC, leaks in the gym and a failing budget. Fights break out every day, policemen must roam the halls for safety and the building itself is overcrowded to the point of near bursting, but what did you expect to find at a high school?
Just before you reach downtown, a tall white building towers over the smaller shops and houses in the area. The largest hospital in all of Iairos, this one caters to all sorts of beings, animals, people, mortals, supernaturals, even machines thanks to the small adjacent building titled "MAHU- Mechanical Animal Helpers United". No matter the ailment, no matter the issue, someone here can help.
One of many bars in the city, the Slaughtered Lamb is known for its high concentration of werewolves and canid demons. Gangs often use it to gather and make plans, but usually, it's just a quaint little bar with a pool table, a boombox, and a stage where some entertainment may be located. It's not exactly located in a good part of town. But, then again, what part of Osdeness is good to begin with?
For those who make it through the hell of high school, the next step is college. The Osden Institute, unlike its high school counterpart, is a Zi-renowned school, known for it's extensive sports, arts, music and science programs. the campus itself is rather impressive, large and situated on the nicer, west side of town on its own little grassy knoll. Complete with dorms, stables, cafeteria, gym and so on, many of which things are open to the public.
On the other side of the main avenue, on the west side of the city, near the docks, you've got the anti-ghetto. Granted, this city is not nice enough for mansions or huge split level homes, but at least here people live in houses and not apartments. Some houses have yards even, always small ones of course. There are still some complexes and apartments, nicer of course than the ones on the east side, but that's not the brunt of these neighborhoods. As a fun fact, the way all the streets in the ghetto are numbered, all of these streets are named after colors.
Located at the farthest western point in the city, right there on the coast of the city's designated cape, there's a beach. It's not a very good beach, just some sand packed on a steep slope, covered in sticks and bottles and various types of trash. Only the homeless bother to come here since the docks built over top of it aren't in service anymore. The water line has dropped so low, ships can no longer reach it. It's just a flimsy, wooden dock and some dirty, nasty sand and some dirty, nasty water.
The major attraction in the land of spirits, the mighty Coliseum, where spirits fight day in and day out for a chance at reincarnation. the winner comes back to life, the losers go back to the cages and wait to try again. There is an audience, but it's just full of silhouettes and not specific figures. The only visible figure, a judge on a platform who determines who wins and who loses.
When not being fought, the beings and spirits are kept here, locked in cages built specifically to be just large enough for them to lay down and maybe turn around in. They're often chained just to make things more uncomfortable and are frequently tormented by guards, prodded with tasers, stabbed with things through the bars, the whole nine yards.
Character plots are a large part of roleplaying, they're what keep you interested and what keep others involved. So we obviously need a place to do such planning. Relationship searches, attackers or assailants, whatever you need.
Instant Messengers, Email accounts, Online Rpgs, E-Harmony, all of those fun online things your character can do in the process of interacting with others. But, be aware, though this board is outside the rp boards, all happenings are considered in character and can be used to set up other in character interactions out on the boards. AIM chats, MySpace, even online rps if that's what your character is into.
Though I suspect there will be little use for this board, just in case someone out their decides they wish to play something not allowed or not possible on this forum, you may do so here. Say, if you wish to rp a favorite tv show character or something from a specific time period or place. However, standard forum rules still apply.
Don't be shy now. Come on down and say high to everyone, let us all know you're here so we can be friends and what have you. Make merry, you know. Just because this site is all dark and stuff doesn't mean we have to be.
It's rather important to let others know when you're going to be gone for a little while, especially the people you are rping with. So, they can know whether to wait for you, skip you or forget about the thread entirely. It also helps in the event of a sudden activity check.
Angst, rants, contests, and basically anything else of relative personal importance. All of the important stuff you need people to see or listen to or to notice.
Artwork, stories and requests, anything requiring a creative hand and a little ingenuity. We're big on artwork here so make sure all the stuff you post is yours or that you've gotten permission to post it here.
Hey sometimes, the crazy, meaninglessly fun things we do are what bring us all closer together. So, despite what the rules say, this happens to be out spam-happy corner of the world where you can go nuts as far as posting and chatting is concerned. Just keep it PG-13-ish.
We're pretty fair people here. If we advertise on your site, you're free to advertise here. So, this board is in fact guest friendly. But there are rules here that still need to be followed, lest you want your ad deleted.
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