Post by Daeiel on Jan 18, 2010 23:10:56 GMT -6
Vinland, a four-pointed country planted in between all others, has requested to resolve the recent war that so drastically wracked the world in the months before by holding a treatise meeting, in order that another brutal war like this shall never happen again. In order to have an effective peace-making meeting, Vinland has sent for the outlying four countries' military and political leaders. Surrounding Vinland are four other countries, each one at a different point of the compass.
To the North lies Moltovia, inhabited solely by Giants. Moltovia is a heavily forested, snow-covered land. The Giants that live there are resilient to magic, but this implies that they have none of their own. The depend solely upon their massive strength, which is a force to be reckoned with. This is the only country, besides Vinland, with a single race as its populus.
To the East lies Grackn, populated by Were-wolves and their like. This is also heavily vegetated, to the point where all light is choked out. The Were-creatures can emerge from their shadows into the light, but it pains them to do so, thus the usage of cloaks and cowls. They have three forms: human, human-beast blend, and beast, none of which can use magic other than the kind that enables them to take on another shape.
To the South, Elysia, filled with Faeries and Sirens (both male and female). Elysia is a water-saturated, deciduous forest spreading right into the sea. The two races that populate it are both temptresses/temptors, and as such are remarkably beautiful and also unable to use magic, other than the Siren-Song, used by both mermaids and mermen, or Glamour, used by the Faeries. These are not tiny, cute little pixies, but statuesque, gorgeous monsters. Sirens are restricted to water alone, but this has not stopped them. Elysia is simply riddled with streams, rivers, both above and below ground, and as such the Sirens have a way of popping up in unexpected places. Sirens' tails are shaped like sharks', though they can be multi-colored. And please, even though these are succubi, please keep them modestly garmented and not sexually active.
And finally Tazik, to the West, houses Wyverns, Gryphons, and Gyrems (pronounced gir-ems), which are humanoid crosses with birds of prey (Vultures, Hawks, Falcons, Eagles, Owls, etc.). They have large, feathered wings and talons at the end of both their feet and their hands, but no beaks. Wyverns, in this country, are the two-limbed, winged draconic creatures of Folklore, but these are more of a hybrid between a golden eagle and a Komodo dragon; they are not all that massive or intelligent. In fact, these are more like guard-dogs; none of them are sentient beings. Gryphons are gryphons, half-eagle, half-lion, but their front paws have opposable thumbs and they are on the same mentalitly as humans, as are Gyrems. Wyverns are the only strictly animalistic creatures in this land. Tazik is a land of crooks and craggs, of deep gorges and black canyons; thus, its inhabitants make their nests in what nooks are available.
And then there's Vinland, at the heart of this mayhem. Vinland is not only the sole country with a populus composed of humans, and humans alone, it also houses the (only) academy for magelings, or young mages. The university, named Azulcha (the 'ch' is pronounced like a 'k') is a location where young humans are taught to refine their skills in Elemental magic: Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and finally, Light and Dark.
The regular elements take about ten years at Azulcha to master effectively; Light and Dark take, at least, ten more, because, although they are not the strongest elements, they can be put to much more uses than simply calling those elements to your aid. There are the possibilities of manipulating shadows, Black/White lightning, creating illusions/reflections, and causing permanent blindness to be considered, but, in order to fully use these abilities, one must be properly instructed.
Magelings are obviously different from regular humans, as they are capable of Elemental magic. The ability to do so must come from someone else in the family, be it a direct relative (such as a parent) or an obscure one. Also, magelings have much longer lifespans than normal humans, living to be around 200 years old.
Anyway, on to the plot! There was recently a phenomenally destructive war, with Vinland as a neutral, and it ended in a mortifying stale-mate; no race is more powerful than the others, because none of them have magic as a brute force, rather as an innate skill. However, Azulcha has now become a topic of interest.
Due to the difficulty of trying to reason with inhuman creatures plagued by defeat, the treaty meeting goes up in flames with a threat of another war.
And since the last one ended with no victor whatsoever, the outlying countries are now in want of powerful new weapons.
Which are in the forms of magelings, who are now wanted quite desperately. Hence the title.
If one is a mageling, one is an incredibly powerful weapon and, as such, will either be asked to join a country or taken there, by force, by one of its disgruntled denizens.
The idea? Stay alive and as uninvolved as you can.
And, from now on, if you are so unfortunate as to be a mageling, you are now wanted.
To the North lies Moltovia, inhabited solely by Giants. Moltovia is a heavily forested, snow-covered land. The Giants that live there are resilient to magic, but this implies that they have none of their own. The depend solely upon their massive strength, which is a force to be reckoned with. This is the only country, besides Vinland, with a single race as its populus.
To the East lies Grackn, populated by Were-wolves and their like. This is also heavily vegetated, to the point where all light is choked out. The Were-creatures can emerge from their shadows into the light, but it pains them to do so, thus the usage of cloaks and cowls. They have three forms: human, human-beast blend, and beast, none of which can use magic other than the kind that enables them to take on another shape.
To the South, Elysia, filled with Faeries and Sirens (both male and female). Elysia is a water-saturated, deciduous forest spreading right into the sea. The two races that populate it are both temptresses/temptors, and as such are remarkably beautiful and also unable to use magic, other than the Siren-Song, used by both mermaids and mermen, or Glamour, used by the Faeries. These are not tiny, cute little pixies, but statuesque, gorgeous monsters. Sirens are restricted to water alone, but this has not stopped them. Elysia is simply riddled with streams, rivers, both above and below ground, and as such the Sirens have a way of popping up in unexpected places. Sirens' tails are shaped like sharks', though they can be multi-colored. And please, even though these are succubi, please keep them modestly garmented and not sexually active.
And finally Tazik, to the West, houses Wyverns, Gryphons, and Gyrems (pronounced gir-ems), which are humanoid crosses with birds of prey (Vultures, Hawks, Falcons, Eagles, Owls, etc.). They have large, feathered wings and talons at the end of both their feet and their hands, but no beaks. Wyverns, in this country, are the two-limbed, winged draconic creatures of Folklore, but these are more of a hybrid between a golden eagle and a Komodo dragon; they are not all that massive or intelligent. In fact, these are more like guard-dogs; none of them are sentient beings. Gryphons are gryphons, half-eagle, half-lion, but their front paws have opposable thumbs and they are on the same mentalitly as humans, as are Gyrems. Wyverns are the only strictly animalistic creatures in this land. Tazik is a land of crooks and craggs, of deep gorges and black canyons; thus, its inhabitants make their nests in what nooks are available.
And then there's Vinland, at the heart of this mayhem. Vinland is not only the sole country with a populus composed of humans, and humans alone, it also houses the (only) academy for magelings, or young mages. The university, named Azulcha (the 'ch' is pronounced like a 'k') is a location where young humans are taught to refine their skills in Elemental magic: Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and finally, Light and Dark.
The regular elements take about ten years at Azulcha to master effectively; Light and Dark take, at least, ten more, because, although they are not the strongest elements, they can be put to much more uses than simply calling those elements to your aid. There are the possibilities of manipulating shadows, Black/White lightning, creating illusions/reflections, and causing permanent blindness to be considered, but, in order to fully use these abilities, one must be properly instructed.
Magelings are obviously different from regular humans, as they are capable of Elemental magic. The ability to do so must come from someone else in the family, be it a direct relative (such as a parent) or an obscure one. Also, magelings have much longer lifespans than normal humans, living to be around 200 years old.
Anyway, on to the plot! There was recently a phenomenally destructive war, with Vinland as a neutral, and it ended in a mortifying stale-mate; no race is more powerful than the others, because none of them have magic as a brute force, rather as an innate skill. However, Azulcha has now become a topic of interest.
Due to the difficulty of trying to reason with inhuman creatures plagued by defeat, the treaty meeting goes up in flames with a threat of another war.
And since the last one ended with no victor whatsoever, the outlying countries are now in want of powerful new weapons.
Which are in the forms of magelings, who are now wanted quite desperately. Hence the title.
If one is a mageling, one is an incredibly powerful weapon and, as such, will either be asked to join a country or taken there, by force, by one of its disgruntled denizens.
The idea? Stay alive and as uninvolved as you can.
And, from now on, if you are so unfortunate as to be a mageling, you are now wanted.