Roleplay

[center][img]https://64.media.tumblr.com/638295f72d3ea47d4dbedc9c8ee339bd/tumblr_p5irxvC9KP1qaywrho2_540.gif[/img][/center] [indent][b][size=6][font=Georgia][color=#913831] city founding logs. [/font][/size][/b] [indent][font=Times New Roman]a fantasy exploration group roleplay. » [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/rp/3411960#post_3411960]out of character.[/url] » in character. [b]» lore — you are here.[/b] » [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/rp/3410149#post_3410149]character sheets.[/url]

The modern understanding of history is based on Arachnean records. As such, its focus shifts from the surface world to the Depths with the Arachnean's descent and lacks information on the state of affairs in areas outside of the Arachnean's sphere of influence. Scholars are trying to rectify this through collaboration with the Nymbethoes, but the people's reclusive nature means this effort has yet to bear fruit.

Key Terms

5000+ Years Ago, the Age of Fire. An era ruled by monsters of fantasy. During this time, it was common for creatures such as dragons to claim human villages as parts of their territory. They frequently laid farmland and homesteads to waste during their battles, leaving mankind to suffer under the jurisdiction of their whimsy.

5000 Years Ago, the First Epochal War. The first deities arrived in the world, signaling the foundation of the divine pantheon. Though they held no particular love for those who lived in the world, humanity piqued their interest with their rituals and prayers, so they donned their armaments and set out to war, defeating the creatures in battle and bringing humanity under their domain. With the declaration of defeat, those descended from the monsters flee underground, forming the first Nymbetheos settlements within the Depths.

2300 Years Ago, the Descent. Still, interest only lasted for so long, and after thousands of years of constancy, the gods grew tired of their oaths to protection. They began to push their worshippers to draconic sacrifices, wondering what price humanity was willing to put on divinity, and as resistance grew, a dissident by the name of Arachne came to head the movement against the divine. For their disobedience, the people were punished to metamorphize into something half man and half insect. Before further retribution came, Arachne led her followers into the Depths where they became the Arachneans.

When they arrived, the darkness took on their likeness, giving rise to the first Skiadi. Once civilization began to stabilize, Arachne departed with a Skiadi leader to investigate the possibility of returning to the surface world. Fate led them astray, and they never returned.

2200 Years Ago, the Gloaming Begins. Instead, the people's waiting was met with disaster. The darkness that soothed the Depths bubbled up and formed a dark tide of monsters that flooded across the caves in an event that came to be called the Gloaming. Beasts prowled the land in search of prey, and those that ventured too far into the Depths came back with another's will, driven to bloodlust by the shadows that used to nurture them. Where it could, civilization retreated into its cities, and those left outside learned to sustain themselves when travelers became few and far between.

1200 Years Ago, the Formation of the World Root. Throughout this period of chaos, ichor slowly dripped down from the world above and formed into a towering stalactite known as the World Root. Beneath the formation, a lake formed out of the gilded blood, and when a pebble happened to fall into its waters, the first Afspingur was born on the shore, where a wanderer found and adopted the child. Other Afspingurs in the same generation possessed similar stories as beings of happenstance, but things began to change as they came of age and began their own adventures. Their magic was one entirely new to the Depths, containing a trace of divinity that let them purify the madness afflicted by the Gloaming.

1150 Years Ago, the Gloaming Ends. News of their power spread and the Arachneans and Skiadi delegates arrived with a request for these early Afspingurs to cleanse their lands. Those who accepted the call found themselves at the forefront of a series of pyrrhic campaigns. The first campaign to free the main cities was one of heavy bloodshed, but the second to purge the surrounding lands was relatively peaceful. However, the third expedition that sought to plunge into the Depths and purify the source of the Gloaming left only a fraction of the original forces with news of their success.

1050 Years Ago, the Modern Era Begins. With the end of the Gloaming, the civilizations of the Depths began to rebuild themselves. The Afspingur's budding homes received great aid from the Arachneans and Skiadi, and the Nymbethoes began to reconnect with the outside world.

Current Day. The three main civilizations of the Afspingur, Nymbethoes, and united Skiadi and Arachneans continue to function as separate entities, but immigrants, travelers, and traders between their domains have become commonplace. Their leaders and dignitaries convene in regular intervals to discuss the ongoing events in the Depths, with the possibility of the Gloaming's resurgence dictating recent meetings. Due to the difficulties in purifying this second round's corruption, humanity began to investigate the possibilities of returning to the surface. When scouts returned with positive news, a team of volunteers was dispatched to form the first outpost for future explorers from the Depths.

[center] [b][size=5][font=Constantia][color=#913831] chapter ii. - denizens of the deep. [/color][/font][/size][/b] [/center] [center][img]https://i.ibb.co/Kpj6KJGw/arachneans.png[/img][/center] [font=Cambria][size=4][b]ARACHNEANS[/b][/size] Arachneans were the first humans to ever walk the earth, where they lived as scavengers in the surface world. Every day, they teetered on the edge of extinction, scraping by to survive in a world ruled by magic and fantasy, and in their despair, they turned towards the gods, begging to be liberated from their cruel fates. Thus, the tides turned. For the first time, humanity could sow its crops and return to fields of green instead of windblown ashes, and in return, the divine asked for mankind’s single-minded devotion. This relationship would stretch for eons to come, but the passage of time came to reveal the deities’ true nature. The gods were not humanity’s liberators but rather its new rulers, and when a mortal by the name of Arachne sought to challenge their rule, her followers were cursed with the likeness of insects and exiled into the Depths. There, taking the name of their leader, the Arachneans encountered the first Skiadi. With their shared status as newcomers, the two found each other to be staunch allies, and when the first waves of the Gloaming struck, they joined hands to carve out a place of respite for their budding nations. Enduring the steep bloodshed together, their shared regiments held the walls for a thousand years as control of their surroundings was lost, and they were slowly pinned inside of their cities by the ever-encroaching tide. By the end, their survival had become a matter of constant fighting, but the Afspingur’s arrival enabled them to fight one last pyrrhic battle, with its victory bringing about the Gloaming’s conclusion. The defining trait of the Arachneans are their insectoid features, though some may possess traits from nearby families such as spiders or scorpions. Because these characteristics are passed down through a curse rather than heritage, relatives often display the attributes of different insects.[/font] [indent][font=Cambria][size=4][b]STRENGTHS[/b][/size] + They are empaths capable of sensing the emotions of those in a nearby area. When used on another Arachnean, this can be used as a form of rudimentary telepathy that's based on shared feelings. + Their presence has a soothing effect on wild creatures, and they can create mental bonds with an animal to tame and communicate with it. + They have an impeccable sense of balance. This allows them to navigate almost any terrain and gives them a natural acrobatic ability. [b][size=4]WEAKNESSES[/b] - They suffer from headaches or migraines when they expand their sensory range too far or empathize with large crowds. - They are extremely sensitive to changes in their environment, with their mutations developing aches of varying intensity in response to shifting rain and humidity levels. - They have a strong psychological need for social relationships, and periods of isolation or loneliness will strengthen their magical ability at the cost of causing their curse to spread. [b][size=4]ABILITIES[/b] » Along with the strengths and weaknesses listed above, each Arachnean has unique abilities themed around the insect they resemble. [/indent] [center][img]https://i.ibb.co/v47c1Xkw/skiadi.png[/img][/center] [font=Cambria][size=4][b]SKIADI[/b][/size] Skiadi are darkness given life. Their earliest predecessors were more akin to monsters than intelligent lifeforms, being driven largely by instinct as they roamed the shadows of the Depths, and with their shifting forms and habits of preying on travelers, they became the focus of many early horror stories. However, the Arachnean’s arrival prompted the darkness to change. Inky tendrils settled into the flesh of a humanoid form, and a hunter’s ferocity gave way to keen awareness. In the Depth’s attempts to mirror those who dared to intrude on its sanctity, the Skiadi were born. After the events of the Gloaming, the Skiadi and Arachneans reestablished their ancient oaths, confirming that their intwined people had truly become one — joined by their hopes for their budding nation. In the following years, the Skiadi would play an instrumental role in mapping out the caverns of the Depths, creating the first complete charts of their homelands that served as the basis for all future cartographical work. In combination with the Arachneans' own collection of ancient records, these maps enabled the two to mimic the great civilizations of the past and launch an extensive infrastructure plan, constructing a massive system of roads and waterways that now crown their capital of Hestia as the center of trade. The defining trait of the Skiadi are their luminosity. They are able to keep any of their features in a glittering state by choice, though their light is limited in a way that's reminiscent of distant stars or glowing fungus. Individuals are able to choose the colors of their glow and may shift hues at will. [/font] [indent][font=Cambria][size=4][b]STRENGTHS[/b][/size] + They can transform their bodies into darkness, causing physical attacks to phase through them and greatly enhancing their healing ability. This ability is always active in the Depths, but its strength varies with the moon's phases when above ground. + They can shapeshift for several hours at a time. However, they need to observe their target to mimic them, with accurate anatomy taking a few minutes and accurate colors and textures taking an hour. + They have excellent senses that allow them to see in minimal lighting and navigate using only sound. [b][size=4]WEAKNESSES[/b] - They cannot heal naturally from the injuries left by holy magic or weapons. - After they shift, they develop behaviors and habits related to their mimicked target, with these side effects strengthening when they transform for prolonged periods. - They go into a hypnotic state when in complete darkness, leaving them responsive to outside suggestions. [b][size=4]ABILITIES[/b] » Along with the strengths and weaknesses listed above, each Skiadi has unique abilities themed around nighttime or mystery. [/indent] [center][img]https://i.ibb.co/x2458Kd/nymbetheos.png[/img][/center] [font=Cambria][size=4][b]NYMBETHEOS[/b][/size] Descendants of flame and fury, light and radiance, the Nymbetheos are the last remnants of true dragons, phoenixes, and pegasi. Five thousand years prior, their full-blooded ancestors ruled the lands and skies and rained terror on the unfortunate humans who lived within their territories. However, as mankind turned to worship, the divine took it upon themselves to intervene and started the first epochal war — a conflict that ended with the creatures meeting their extinction and the Nymbetheos who carried their thin lineage escaping underground. As time passed, they were erased from the memory of those living above, and they began to rebuild in total isolation. Their cities came to crowd the middle levels of the Deep, though they left the lower caves uninhabited to avoid the treacherous entities that roamed their depths, and a long era of prosperity settled over the people. This era ended with arrival of the Arachneans and Skiadi, along with the Gloaming that followed in their wake. When the two first appeared, the Nymbetheos stayed distant due to their history of solitude, and the Gloaming only served to drive them further into seclusion. Adventurers drawn by their hidden civilizations and esteemed craftsmanship became one of the few sources of information about the Nymbetheos, though the small number of them that left with their most famous creations — enchanted weaponry — kept their numbers trickling even during the worst of the corruption. It was due to these weapons and their ancient fortifications that the Nymbetheos managed to survive the Gloaming despite their estrangement. However, recent times have begun to wear away at their isolationism, with many members of the new generation expressing their willingness to venture out of their ancestorial lands. The defining trait of the Nymbetheos are their wings, though many inherit other traits from their bloodline such as patches scales or feathers. Their heritage often manifests in the sole form of their most prominent progenitor, with cases of them showcasing features belonging to two or three mythical creatures being exceedingly rare. [/font] [indent][font=Cambria][size=4][b]STRENGTHS[/b][/size] + They can channel their main ancestral spirit(s) to greatly boost their magical affinity. During this time, they begin to emit plumes of fire and light, and they develop vision capable of seeing at exceptional distances and details. + Their wings are capable of flight and can keep them airborne for extended durations. + They are immune to fire and highly resistant to extreme temperatures. [b][size=4]WEAKNESSES[/b] - They feel territorial impulses (often over their hoards, nests, and flocks) that are greatly magnified by mental or spiritual fatigue. - Their wings are not waterproof, so they must find methods to protect themselves from rain or endure a temporary loss of flight. - When they're injured during channeling, their ancestral spirits suffer corresponding damage, hindering their magical capability until it heals. [b][size=4]ABILITIES[/b] » Along with the strengths and weaknesses listed above, each Nymbetheos has unique abilities themed around fire or light. Additionally, certain craftsmen possess enchantment techniques and can imbue items with their spirit.[/indent] [center][img]https://i.ibb.co/LX9hpss2/afspingur.png[/img][/center] [font=Cambria][size=4][b]AFSPINGUR[/b][/size] Afspingur are not born of the world but rather shaped of it, beginning their lives as a vessel. This vessel can be any object without a conscious, whether that be a treasured art piece, sentimental ring, or even a random pebble found on the roadside. In the end, what matters is that it's anointed in ichor, which animates the vessel into an Afspingur that possesses the same benchmarks as every other child — and the method of acquiring ichor is simple, even though its origin is unknown. All parents can draw it straight from the source as long as they travel to to Afspingur's capital city, where god's blood drips down from a towering stalactite known as the World Root to form a lake of shimmering gold. The emergence of ichor, and subsequently the creation of the first Afspingur, was dated to occur a thousand years after the start of the Gloaming. With traces of holy power flowing through their veins, the Afspingur possessed the ability to cleanse the corruption, allowing the first generation to freely wander the Depths as stories of their ability spread in their wake. As rumors grew, they prompted a request for support from the Arachneans and Skiadi, and those willing answered the call, risking their lives to rescue their neighbors and put an end to the disaster. In thanks, the Arachneans and Skiadi helped the Afspingur construct a home for then scattered people, with the passage of time establishing this city as the Afspingur's capital and the center of magical studies and innovation. The defining trait of the Afspingur are their connection to their vessels, with their living bodies taking on various traits of their original inanimate forms. There are no known rules that govern how these features will manifest. In fact, new traits may appear as an Afspingur ages. [/font] [indent][font=Cambria][size=4][b]STRENGTHS[/b][/size] + They can view the memories of objects that are the same as their initial vessel. + Their blood has stimulating effects capable of enhancing magical ability and bringing the mind to clarity by cleansing illusions, exhaustion, and mental manipulation. Its effects are innate for Afspingur, but it can affect others through touch or consumption. + They can sustain themselves on diets consisting of the material their vessel is made of and/or their vessel's original diet rather than normal foods. [b][size=4]WEAKNESSES[/b] - The scent of their blood is extremely attractive to wild creatures, and when it's spilt, it draws any animal capable of smelling it to their location. - They each possess an Achilles' heel where their vessels were first touched by ichor. Any injury inflicted there results in a grave injury that requires rapid treatment. - They cannot touch each other's blood, as their bodies react to foreign ichor like it's a strong acid. [b][size=4]ABILITIES[/b] » Along with the strengths and weaknesses listed above, each Afspingur has unique abilities themed around the vessels they originated from. [/indent]

Ionia, the Abandoned Polis
Ionia, the original home of the Arachneans; the city carved into the flank of a monstrous mountain. Myths paint its border as one of winding passages and hidden guard towers that scale the cliffs in the likeness of unworked earth, reminiscing of those ancient fortifications destined to forever overlook a domain of abandoned terraces. The city’s body is said to sit atop the mountain's peak, where the founders carved each home, street, and spire from a single piece of solid rock. It's a source of imagination and adventure for every Arachnean, and many textbooks have been filled with children's renditions of famous paintings of Ionian scenery.

Hestia, Capital of the Skiadi & Arachneans
From a height, gazing over Hestia reveals an expanse of gentle waters and blinking lights, leading many to describe it as the unison of the sea and the stars. This impression stems from the bustling canals that intertwine inside the city along with the low keystone arches and luminescent-moths lamps that adorn every street. Its position at the center of commerce brings great prosperity to its inhabitants, leading to the creation of hybrid marketplaces composed of merchants' barges and waterfront stores. Outside of these larger clusters, schoolchildren run small stores that sell handmade goods such as stone bracelets and paper stars — gifts with a large fanbase among friends, family, and lovers, who exchange the trinkets along with their promises.

Typhon, Capital of the Nymbetheos
Typhon is constructed around the concept of flight. Built on platforms that wind around scattered rock outcrops and located over a looming, abyss-like free fall, it's an intimidating sight for those with a fear of heights, though not an unwelcoming home. A collection of nets waits just below the city, ready to catch any who tumble of its edges, and an extensive system of stairs and cables serve to connect the platforms for all who are incapable of soaring across the gaps. On days of festivity, communities will light a central fires, sending a comforting heat and the scent of roasted food rippling through their surroundings.

Kathedra, Capital of the Afspingur
Instead of a planned nature, Kathedria is a city that appears to be built on spontaneity and variety. Its buildings are formed from a variety of materials, which can lead to homes that range from stone formations to shimmering cloth to giant trees, all shaped using the Afspingur's magical abilities. This vibrancy is emphasized by a common family activity, that being embellishing their personal spaces with their each member's magic. Even so, a sense of unity can be found in the crystalline structures that top each home that mimic the World Root — a stalactite so tall that it can be seen from miles outside of the city. Due the World Root's energy, a multitude of research centers have sprung up in the city, making it the center of magical innovation.

Intel brought by preliminary scouting parties shows that both the landscape and the creatures of the surface have undergone widespread changes, leading the surface world has become foreign to all who dwell in the Depths after generations upon generations spent underground. Knowing this, the volunteer team carries a secondary objective: to find and catalogue the extent of these unknown differences.

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