The Balance Saga: Chapter 1, The Great Mother, OCC

[Ethan Aldwin]

~Welcome~

Welcome my friends, to the OOC of my new elemental roleplay. Here characters will be posted, along with our plotting thoughts. If you have questions about the roleplay, please, post them here, whether you're in it or not. Need more information? Ask me. I'll be happy to answer.

To recieve your part, please send me a profile and an example of your ability to play your character. I will wait one week, until December 25th, to receive profiles for auditions. After that it is first come, first serve.

Here is a list of available character slots, along with the element and dragon representing each. Please note, there may only be one character per element. This is key to be noted. Thank you for your understanding.

Omega, Dragon of Light. Chosen One: Twain Solemnheart
Morrighan, Dragon of Shadows. Chosen One: Zeta Epsilon
Gaia, Dragon of Earth. Chosen One: Lunia-Alexis Mountainsong
Lethiana, Dragon of Water. Chosen One: Serena Nerina
Shimshesh, Dragon of Fire. Chosen One: Aiden Brend
Fujin, Dragon of Wind. Chosen One: Ray Ferox

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~The Portal~

You may use this link to return to the main roleplaying page with haste to the wonderful adventure!

 

[Ethan Aldwin]

~The Cast~

Username: Twain Solemnheart
Character Name: Twain Solemnheart
Nicknames: Wolf Warrior, due to the fact that he fights with a pack of Dire Wolves, the only known pack in existance.
Parents: His father was James Aldwin, the smithy in the small village of Craven Meadows, nestled up in the north east end of An' Tir, near Craven Forest. His mother was Lilianna Aldwin, the town's only herbalist. Both died during the First War, when twain was twelve years old.
Siblings: Twain was an only child.
Friends: Twain wasn't exactly a socialite as a child, but did make some notable friends, one of them being Edwin Mountainsong, the young king of An' Tir, who is only a year older than he. Another would be A'alorn Strongjaw, High Chief of the Earthen Drakes. There is also Fenrir, the Dire Wolf alpha male, who has been with Twain for the past eleven years.

Race: Human
Age: 28
Height: 6' 3''
Weight: 250 pounds of trained muscle.
Social Class: Nobility, though he sure as hell doesn't act like it.
Physical Appearance: Tall and broad shouldered, Twain is a fairly handsome young man. He can generally be found with a smile or smirk on his face, depending on his mood. Long brown hair is generally tied back into a ponytail using a dark-green silk ribbon. A well trimmed beard sits on his face, and fiery silvery blue eyes shine out on his face. They do however, change color, dependant upon his mood. He has a decent sized scar on his chest, around the right peck. He got it durring his first mission as a special forces soldier. He had gotten a bit cocky and let his guard down. He makes sure not to now.

Occupation(s): Special Forces soldier and part time blacksmith.
Hobbies: Metal working, training, and spending times with his friends at the best pub in town (in his opinion), the Swine's Beard Tavern.
Property(s): He lives in a wing of the palace in Craven Hollow.
Personal Belongings: Wolf Fang is his sword and most prized possession. He forged it himself, placing a special diamond in at the base of the blade. It amplifies his magical abilities when needed, however rare the occurance. He also has some dress clothes for when Edwin decides he wants Twain to come to some of the fancier events.

Home Area: Northeastern An' Tir
Personality: Kind, Brutally honest, Understanding, Impulsive, Reckless, Unyielding, Playful
Biography: Twain lead a happy life until the First War, something that most people don't even know about. It was arguably the starting point of all the decay, and it all began some sixteen years ago. Once his town was erased off the map, that was the end of all open conflict. The rest of it was cloak and dagger tactics, something he has learned far too much about since joining the forces of An' Tir.

Before he got his training however, he showed natural skill with a blade and magic when he defended his home from an assault by tainted Forest Drakes. It was durring this battle that he met Fenrir and the pack, though his friend was only a pup at the time. Soon Twain, Fenrir, and the girl who would be his wife were moving away from the burning rubble that was their home, going to An' Tir to seek aid and revenge.

Over the years Twain has been to every country, sharing the adventure with several people. Lately however, he has returned home with a pull on his shoulders that wasn't there before. He returned one friend short. His wife and best friend, Theresa, died durring his last mission, and he blames himself. That was three years ago. He's slowly recovering, pulling himself free of the pain he had been in, learning to smile again, as he always used to. He won't let himself be kept down anymore. Whether it's because he's tired of being at the bottom or due to the strange itch in his gut is what he can't figure out.

Fighting Style: A calculated frenzy. He generally strikes quickly and brutally, ending it in one or two blows if he can. If he's fairly well matched he uses his gift of Light to confuse his enemy before moving in for the kill. He also utilizes the Pack, which could arguably be his secret weapon, if it weren't for the fact that the alpha male, Fenrir, is like his best friend and his battle mount.
Preferred Weapons: Sword and Augmentation Magic
Magical Abilities: Strong Augmentational abilities with slight alchemical and projection. He is skilled with placing light in his blade and at times, augmenting his own body with his element.

~~~

Username: I Be Athena
Character Name: Zeta Epsilon (Zeta is part of the name of a star that shone the night she was born.
Nicknames:
Parents: Cabella and Rigel Epsilon, whereabouts unknown. Cabella was a stay-at-home mother. Rigel was a local fisherman/rice farmer.
Siblings: One sister Mintaka, whereabouts also unknown. Was six at the time of her disappearance.
Friends: Sirius, a mage in the city of Aquanna. Bellatrix and Altaire were two others that learned under Sirius. Bellatrix currently works as a murmilloe for Aquanna. Altaire died in a training accident involving Zeta.

Race: human
Age: 25
Height: 5'7”
Weight: 130
Gender: female
Social Class: middle class
Physical Appearance: Zeta is at an average height, with a lean but well-muscled body. She has straight-across bangs and long, black hair that falls to her waist. Her skin is tanned from years of working in a field, but still has freckles across her nose. She also has big blue eyes, which are slightly hidden by her bangs. She holds herself with good posture, but keeps her head cast down, and rarely ever looks up, except to take orders or speak with someone. Her expression is usually an emotionless one, even in the heat of the battle.

Occupation(s): Bodyguard to Emperor of the Water Kingdom.
Hobbies: Doodling and playing piano, but is usually guarding the Emperor, which leaves little time for sitting around. /if she gets a day off, she will go visit Sirius or Vega.
Property(s): Lives in the palace and has her own room, but doesn’t have a house or any land. Also owns a small canoe in case she needs to get around the city or to the mainland.
Personal Belongings: A notebook and pencils, some spell, magic, and music books, some throwing darts, a katana, clothes, and the essentials.
Home Area: Aquanna, the capital city of the Water Kingdom.
Personality: Quiet, cunning, blunt, somewhat anti-social, “cold”, calm, an “actions speak louder than words” person
Biography: Zeta started out living on a small rice farm near the swamps. She had a loving family of her mother, her sister, and her father. While her mother worked around the house and took care of her young sister, Zeta helped her father in rice farming and fishing. Everything was peaceful, except for the swamps. Often times, adventurers would enter the swamps thinking they would get out alive, and their house was nearest the swamp. Many times, the travelers would stop by their house, and the family would give them their last meal. They lived in serenity until the day of Zeta’s twelfth birthday. On that day, Zeta discovered her powers. She found she could use shadow-magic. Because of this, her family began to fear her, seeing her as some form of an evil being. They even feared her to the point of shunning her. On her thirteenth birthday, she had wished they would leave, and even told them all so. Apparently, they took this as a sign to leave, and have disappeared from anyone’s current knowledge.
After thieving to get by for months, she moved to the capital and was taken in by a fellowmage named Sirius. She was trained by him, alongside two others named Vega and Altaire, both water-users. Sirius himself was a water-user, but was able to give Zeta a decent understanding of her powers. One day while practicing augmentation, she put too much shadow on her blade, and accidently cut Altaire with it. He died of shadow-poisoning soon after. She joined up with the water nation’s army after some-what mastering her abilities. After years of fighting, she was given the position as body guard to the king. She now lives at the castle, but visits Sirius and Vega frequently. With her studying, Zeta has found that it is possible for a shadow-mage to raise the dead, using necromancy. She plans on using this to bring back Altaire, who’s death she still feels guilty for.. Zeta has not laughed since her dealing with Altaire, and rarely cracks a smile. She often keeps people at arms’ length for fear of hurting them like she did her family and friends, Vega and Sirius being the only ones that are still close. She figured something was wrong with the Earth when she was boating to the mainland and found red splotches in the water.

Fighting Style: She waits in the shadows or defends, until she can figure out the opponent’s attacks and how to get around them, then strikes using poisonous darts or daggers. She uses as little as possible, aiming for only vital areas. Will use a katana for back-up or close-range battle.
Preferred Weapons: Throwing daggers and darts that can easily be concealed underneath a blazer, although is no stranger to using a katana.
Magical Abilities: She is strongest in alchemical, but is also skilled in augmentation. Is weakest in projection, and does not use manipulation often.

~~~

Username: XxBroken_And_ShatteredxX
Character Name: Aiden Brend
Nicknames: Swift
Parents: Father: Ezio Brend/ Deceased (First War) Mother: Caterina Brend/Living
Siblings: None
Friends: He is friends with many in the Royal House of Al' Icran, including the Prince, Dante, and his younger sister, Alyssa Auditore. He is also friends with the leading Royal Magi, Deus Algherri.


Race: Human
Age: 31
Height: 6' 6"
Weight: 185
Social Class: Nobility
Physical Appearance: Extremely tall and extremely thin, he is not at the tip of the physical hierarchy. He has long red hair, that he keeps back in a ponytail and he keeps himself clean-shaven. He typically has a smile on his face, and has very flowing movements.

Occupation(s): Oasis-Finder
Hobbies: Exploring, Alchemy, Reading
Property(s): A house within Al' Icran. Small, but functional
Personal Belongings: His large bladed bow, Arablest, and a pair of twin scimitars.
Home Area: Al' Icran
Personality: Quick-witted, strong-willed, protective, kind, in-your-face.
Biography: Aiden was born a privileged child, having well-off noble parents and no siblings. It was odd within Al' Icran, but his parents were wed, but not for long. After his father went for the little-known First War and was killed, his family name started to decay. As it did, so did his funds. But he and his mother were taken in by Deus, to live within the royal walls. Deus was an old, kind man, who taught Aiden many fire-magic tricks, before Aiden even knew he had any talent for such work.

Around the age of 16, Aiden met both Dante and Alyssa, who he hit off with quite quickly. The three of them became good friends over time, with Aiden striking up a short romance with Alyssa, though none, to this day, know of it's existence because of the turmoil it would cause. He and Dante were trained in armed combat together, taught to use Aiden's giant bladed bow, dual-wielding tactics, and hand-to-hand magically augmented melee fighting. He has always been specially gifted with magic, and gained much from this training.

Once Aiden and his friends came of age, he and Dante began training to be Oasis-Finders, people who search through the deserts for water sources. He's had to fight often in these lands, as some renegades have become bandits and thieves in the wilderness, but he and Dante have always been good at working together to fight them all off. He's been doing this all his life, and recently, he and Dante have discussed leaving the capital, to explore the world beyond Al' Kemish

Fighting Style: Erratic, yet rhythmic, like the flames he was born from. He shifts from weak, fast attacks to stronger, slower attacks seemingly randomly in hand to hand fighting. In the use of his bow, he tends to dance around the opponent, firing at them even at close range to do massive damage with his large bow. He isn't physically strong, but he is incredibly fast.
Preferred Weapons: Arablest (His bow), or dual-scimitars
Magical Abilities: He excels at augmentation, especially with his bow. He is also quite good at projection, which he uses primarily in hand-to-hand for surprise attacks.

~~~

Username: KaosHunter
Character Name: Ray Ferox
Nicknames:
Parents: Both still alive and kicking. Doesn't see them much as he's usually out on patrol or on some adventure.
Siblings: Nope, he's an only child.
Friends: Mira and Karl Wren, brother and sister who grew up with Ray. Both on the border patrol with him. Mira is Ray and Karl's direct superior.

Race: Human
Age: 19
Height: 5' 11"
Weight: 163
Social Class: Middle Class
Physical Appearance: About average in height with an athletic build. Ray's skin is fairly tanned from all the time he spends outdoors on patrol. His golden brown hair is short but looks wild as he never takes care of it. His body is covered in small scratches and scars from the many times he's cut himself while rock climbing or from various fights he's gotten into (he's done a good job keeping these off his face though).

Occupation(s): Border Patrol
Hobbies: Rock climbing, sparring, anything he can do while slacking on patrol
Property(s): Owns a small house in a district close to the castle in Gilavar, not that he really needs it. He barely owns anything other than his equipment and is rarely there.
Personal Belongings: Ray keeps two blades on himself at all times: One is a regular knife with nothing special about it that he uses as a tool more than a weapon; the other is a beautifully crafted, long, thin, curved dagger of dark coloured metal with a topaz inlay. He also has a bag that straps to his side where he keeps bandages, food, and anything else he considers useful at the time.
Home Area: Gilavar in Anilfhelm
Personality: Cheerful, honest, open, laid back
Biography: Ray's childhood was relatively normal, but far from boring. He was always curious about the world around him and it didn't take him very long to start exploring it. When he met Mira and Karl they were inseparable and they explored everywhere together.

Around the age of 10 he discovered his abilities to use magic, something both Mira and Karl lacked. They were naturally very jealous of him but they were still happy about Ray's discovery. His parents were both also very pleased that he had magical talent and enrolled him in a school to help him master his magic. This ate into the time he could spend outside and wandering the land, which irritated him greatly. He thought about quitting several times but his friends encouraged him to stay. He stuck with it as long as he could, but he found he learned much better out of the school and getting a feel for his magic instead of reading theory and having structured lessons. It was also about this time that he discovered that not only did he like to fight, he was good at it... and was subsequently expelled.

He went back to exploring the land with his friends and practicing his magic every chance he got. When it came time for him to start looking for work he naturally looked into options that would take him far away and allow him to see distant lands. His friends were looking closer to home by this point in their lives and both joined up with the town guard (Mira being more than strong enough to kick the crap out of most men). When a travelling mercenary group made their way through town Ray saw this as his golden opportunity and tried to sign up. They were sceptical because of his smaller size but figured a trial couldn't hurt. The group had just taken on a contract to clear out some bandits who had been operating not too far from the southern border of Anilfhelm. When the fighting began Ray dove right in, not seeing the fighting as too different from the non-lethal stuff he was used to. One dagger stroke across the neck of one of the bandits quickly changed his mind. He froze up, suddenly realizing what he had done. He fled the battle, ashamed of his cowardice.

Upon his return home he became depressed for several days, refusing to explore and get out of the house as he was so fond of doing for so many years. Both Mira and Karl tried to comfort him and help him get over what he had gone through. It took them a while but they slowly managed to pull him out of his gloom and get him to come outside again. They also managed to convince him to join up with the border patrol which they had both moved to after finding staying in the city at all times to be boring.

Fighting Style: He constantly moves while in combat, dodging and jumping out of the way of attacks. At a range he harasses his opponents with blasts of wind. When up close he uses a mixture of hand to hand combat and his dagger to stop a foe's attack before countering with his own. He also often uses amplification magic to electrify his weapon and zap his enemies (works especially well when they're covered in metal armour).
Preferred Weapons: Dagger, magic, and hand to hand
Magical Abilities: Strong projection and alteration abilities, little experience with alchemical and manipulation

~~~

Username: Twain Solemnheart
Character Name: Serena Nerina
Nicknames: Siren
Parents: Alessio and Alicna Nerina, both deceased
Siblings: Serena was the only one to be blessed unto her parents by the Queen Serpent
Friends: Serena has many friends, though most of them are also Temple Guardians. Alfonso may be the most notable compatriot, though it has been quite a long time since last they spoke.

Race: Water Drake, or Naga as they like.
Age: 63
Height: 15 feet and nine inches from tail tip to the top of her head
Weight: 319 modest pounds
Social Class: Temple Guardian
Physical Appearance: With only a rough four total feet of her body being humanoid, she is serpentine and sleek. Small webbed spines go along the length of her back, fanning out at the tail, lending her a majestic look that is only accented greater by her deep azure scales.

Occupation(s): Temple Guardian, Healer
Hobbies: Singing, Patrolling, Healing, and searching the seas during rough storms, attempting to rescue the men from shore from the tumultuous rage of the sea
Property(s): Serena has no personal property, though she feels as though all water is her home.
Personal Belongings: Her chain whip, Bianca, and her spear, Zanna, and her dagger, Pinza. She also has a set of ornate coral armor with a large sapphire set in the chest plate, as well as several smaller ones on the headdress, gauntlets, and the armored tip of her tail.
Home Area: The Great Western Sea, specifically the Serpent Fang Ruins deep below the waves.
Personality: Calm, collected, peaceful, merciless, unyielding, secretive. Serena is an embodiment of the peaceful serenity of a still pond, as well as the rolling rage of the ocean during a hurricane. She is the fulfillment of the water element, living in it wholly and completely.
Biography: Serena was hatched deep below the turning surface of the ocean, in sunken ruins that her people still call home. Her mother was ecstatic to see her daughter slither out of her shell and into the water, instinctively clinging to her mother for the first three months of life. Soon she began to grow, learning from her mother and father about the world around her. Like all the others of her kind she felt a strong connection to the stories told of Lethiana, the Queen Serpent. She lived her life for the water around her, for her Queen, making her mother and father proud.
When she came of age she was tested, as all Naga are, to see which role in her society she would fit best. The test consisted of strenuous physical, mental, and emotional exercises. It was during these tests that not only was her cunning in combat, but her empathy for all life around her and ability to nurture it back to health with little more than a thought. It was quickly decided that she would undergo training to become a Temple Guardian, one of the most revered positions to be held in any drake society. Over the many years she has felled off attacks from many different sources, many of which were completely alien to her before meeting them with locked blades.
Recently, however, she has grown to the Matriarchal stage of her life, where it falls on her to lead and to serve in the utmost, seeing as how she has had no children nor married. She became an educator, an instructor to the younger Guardians, and one could almost say, a seeress to her people, as the long years of service strengthened her connection to her Queen. The time has come though, for her last assignment in service to her Queen, which she will execute with all the faithfulness she has lived her life with until this point.

Fighting Style: As many Naga do, she fights as though she were a snake, lashing out in quick, brutal strikes with her spear and chain whip. She will often use her magic to enhance her fighting, lending an every flowing and changing feel to whatever battle she may fight in.
Preferred Weapons: Her chain whip is her favorite weapon
Magical Abilities: Projection and Manipulation are her strong suits, but most all fields are within her grasp. Years spent honing her practice to serve her Queen have honed her abilities to their utmost, gaining her a seat high within the rankings of her fellow Guardsmen.

~~~

Username: LuluFeverxD
Character Name: Lunia-Alexis Mountainsong
Nicknames: Her older brother gave her the nickname Lu when she was a child.
Parents: Ulfric and Regina Mountainsong, former rulers of An' Tir
Siblings: Edwin Mountainsong, the King of An' Tir
Friends: As she is slightly younger, Lunia grew up watching and following her brother Edwin around, becoming extremely close with him now. She is also good friends with Twain Solemnheart, a friend of her families. Lunia has two other friends, Shin Yatomura who is a guard within the Castle and Mia Constav, a childhood friend.

Race: Human
Age: 23
Height: 5"5
Weight: 120lbs
Social Class: Royalty
Physical Appearance: Lunia has been classed as one of the most beautiful girls to be born into the Royal family, she is of average height and is a slim build. Even though she does not appear it, she is very strong and can deliver punches almost as if she is a giant muscular man. Lunia has long, blonde hair that falls down her chest, she also has bright, big blue eyes that have a hint of green when the light reflects off of them. She wears a glove over her hand at all times to hide a horrific burn scar from when she was taken and attacked last year.

Occupation(s): Princess of An' Tir, She also trains new recruits to the Army
Hobbies: Piano and Flute, Training, Singing, Making clothes, Spending time with friends, Other duties of being Royalty
Property(s): Was born and raised in the Palace in Craven Hollow
Personal Belongings: Lunia has a variety of different things. Things she keeps close to her at all times however, are her main weapon, her flute, ribbon and a sewing needle, two throwing daggers and a necklace that was once her mothers.
Home Area: An' Tir, Craven Hollow
Personality: Lunia is a kind, caring individual. She is thoughtful and loyal to her friends and family. She cares about her brother and his safety more than anything and checks up on him alot, she is a brilliant fighter and is very intelligent. Lunia is mainly a optimistic and bubbly girl, however, she can be serious when needed and is a very tactical thinker during a fight. She is a fast thinker and is able to get out of troubling situations. The only negative to her, is that when someone mentions her hand or when was attacked, she get's slightly upset and quiet.
Biography: Lunia was born and raised in the Earth Kingdom and Craven Hollow Palace, she was always watched over and never got to have the life of a child really, but she never complained. Lunia would always watch her Older brother Edwin and try to copy him, she wanted to be just like her brother, and would always be around him as she grew up. She began training to fight when she was rather young and was home schooled, therefore she never really had friends. Because she was often lonely, she began to play Piano for hours and became very good at it, also taking up the Flute.

Unfortunately, when Lunia was only seven years old she lost the two most important people in her life, her parents. She was so close with her mother and was abstolutely devastated when she had to face the fact that they were gone. Being only seven years old, she didn't really understand anything but eventually realized that her parents weren't coming back. At the age of eight, she became mute for two years, not being able to speak and almost losing every inch of her emotion. The only thing that brought her around was her friends, as she began to feel like she was healing inside. She keeps her mothers necklace with her all the times, it has a beautiful gem in it.

After years, Lunia became a young woman who was able to fight very well with heavy weapons and throwing daggers. She grew up to be a great Princess and took up making clothes for herself and her brother, enjoying it thoroughly. Training in fighting and conflict she was noticed and when she became twenty, she was asked to start training for new recruits and gladly accepted, feeling useful to the Kingdom.

It is only recently that things went downhill, however. Last year Lunia and Edwin had an argument and out of rage Lunia left the Palace, as she came down through the cities streets at night she was attacked and was taken by a group of thugs. After days of torture and being stuck in a basement, Lunia was losing the will to go on, not knowing that her brother had sent out search parties everywhere to look for his sister. Being battered and tortured, Lunia had many bruises, cuts and her hand was set on fire after she managed to punch one of the thugs. Two weeks later after horrific treatment she was saved by her brothers best friend Twain, she isn't sure what exactly happened, as soon as he showed she blanked out and awoke back in the Palace, her brother right by her side.

She hasn't spoke about anything that happened to her, as it is too upsetting. But she knows that she owe's Twain her life and swears to kill each and every thug that attacked her. Because of this event, her brother is always concerned about her safety and is always making sure she is okay.

Fighting Style: Because of the massive two handed sword she carries she is more offensive than defensive, she most likely would class it as 'brawling', being able to deliver huge blows with her fists and feet and also being able to wield a massive sword almost like it's as heavy as a teddy-bear. She runs circles around the enemy and attacks close range, using gymnastics in her fighting as well.
Preferred Weapons: Huge two handed sword, hands and feet, throwing daggers and magic.
Magical Abilities: Pretty balanced in all fields, She is most proficent in Projection and is beginning to increase her skill in Manipulation.

~The Beginnings of a Hero~

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[Ethan Aldwin]

~Magic System~

There has been some question as to the magic system within this roleplay. I will admit, I did not elaborate on a clear enough level here, as I suspected. I will now elaborate further on the classes of magic, and types that may be used.

~Augmentation~
This is my personal favorite and the one I understand best. Augmentation magic is just as it sounds, using your element to augment something connected to you. For instance, Twain Solemnheart, my character, uses his power of Light to augment his sword when the going gets rough. This causes the three and a half foot long edge of steel to gain attributes of the Light element. The metal may shimmer, glow, or shine of its own account, the apex of which will be the diamond in his sword, to which there is great significance to be explained at a later date.

Augmentation magic is not limited to just weaponry though. It can be employed to nearly anything touching your character's body. For instance, say you are the fire user. It is possible for you to be in a fight and grab hold of someone's weapon. Using your element you can quickly heat the weapon, causing your foe to drop it. This however would be considered godmodding against another player, unless permission is given. If we wind up in a brawl with a bunch of NPCs however, it's fair game. Just a few augmentation examples will follow.

Light: Twain's blade glowing brighter, causing more damage. Light is energy in its purest form. This will allow the blade to slice easier and perhaps even spark when clashing with another weapon or object.
Shadow: Coating a blade or self in shadow, becoming nearly invisible durring the night. Shadow can act as a type of poison when coating a blade.
Earth: Works better with weapons made of wood. Can create barbs that drip poison or acid.
Water: Ice a weapon, so that when it breaks the skin, instant freezing of local tissue occures.
Fire: Cause weaponry or self to catch fire, without harm to self or weapon. Extra damage here is self explanatory.
Wind: Guess who gets a slight electrical charge? Wind. Added weapon damage is easy to understand here.

~Alchemical~
The art of alchemy in this world is about the same as any other. An added feature in this world is that while in transmutation, the alchemist may put a bit of their element into the mix, changing the end product slightly to hold a bit of their own essence and element. Here's and example.

Twain needs to transmute a small ball of bronze into something else. He's out in the middle of no where, and it's dark. The sky is overcast. Little to no light is available. Durring the transmutation, he could easily invoke some of his magical power, causing the new end product, let's saw a staff or something, to glow lightly, giving him just enough light to see, and increasing damage if used as a weapon. It does however, take an extremely large toll on him, since the item will hold the enchantment by itself when away from him for up to a month. While touching him, it will leach from his magical energy, and thereby, his life force. In that one instant it was like he cast a very large spell. He might feel weak at the knees or even sick to his stomach. He may vomit. It's the price of magic. Alchemy also does take energy from the body normally, without elemental addatives. It is very risky to add your element. As stated before, the element will linger in the new item, where in augmentation magic, once you let it go, the object returns to normal.

~Projection~
This is what a lot of us think of when we think magic. It is, by my definition, projecting the element outwards, as in the case of a fire using throwing a fire ball, a water character throwing a spear of ice, earth hurling a boulder, wind causing a gust, you get the idea. This is the second most common class of magic in the world, with a close tail on Augmentation. This requires the caster to put in 100% of their own energy to create the spell. It can be instant or a build up. If you build up you can create larger spells at less of a cost, but if you work instantly, it's a higher cost for a weaker spell, at least in the ratio. Here is an example.

Let's say Twain is fighting against a spell user. The spell user is slowly building up a powerful spell. It is draining his magical ability at a slow and steady rate, but one he can measure. Twain uses only instant spells, which are weak in comparrison, but much faster. They do battle. Twain shoots out blades of light instantly, like throwing knives that fly in a straight line. This takes a quick toll on him, because it instantly saps his energy, without time to recharge. If he keeps this up, exhaustion will quickly overtake him, and he wouldn't get anywhere near the potency of the enemy mage, whose magical energy has the slightest ability to restore itself as he works on the spell. It is a net loss, but not as severe as an instant cast.

~Manipulation~
This is not only the rarest class of magic, but also the most difficult. Here, you literally manipulate the element. Low level spells are easy enough to do, such as taking a camp fire and molding the blaze. However, if your element is more one of spirit than one of a concrete matter, this is a particularly risky field. High level manipulation magic is the most lethal to use. It has strong ties into Augmentation magic at this stage, but you no longer need to be in contact with the object you are working with. For an example, high level Augmentation magic allows you to create high potency concentrations of elemental power in an object. Manipulation magic lets you make that same object out of pure element, right on the spot. This is going to be endgame stuff for the most part.

An example of this can be used in the history of the Three Drakes of Light. The first to come and rise as a Light Drake, Lucien, fought a great battle before his ascension. Durring this battle, he went from wearing only white robes, to becoming encased within reflective armor, made of concentrated element. Not only was there armor, but he also had a large array of weaponry made of pure light, as well as angelic wings. Normally, such a spell would consume nearly the entire body within minutes, leaving nothing but a dried husk. To achieve this form requires the aid of the elemental dragon your element corrisponds with directly, meaning without them there with you, this is not possible. There is no other way, since it simply requires far too much energy.

A forbidden field of this magic may be known as Necromancy, which is only available to the character of Shadows. If you want this power ((necromancy)), you and I will be talking. A lot.

~Added Information~
Most everyone should see this one coming. Crystals play a large part in magic use in this roleplay. Are they required for magic? No. But, they do amplify it. Think about the sun and a magnifying glass. It's the same concept here. Your magical power is the sun and the crystal is the magnifying glass. The higher quality crystal, the more amplification. Crystals can amplify magic up to five times, but most only add a little bit to someone's base power. Quality can be measured in the size and clarity of the crystal. If they are cut, so is the power. Naturally occuring wonders are what make this magical world go round. Crystal types for the elements are as follows.

Light: Diamond
Shadow: Jet
Earth: Emerald
Water: Sapphire
Fire: Ruby
Wind: Topaz
 

[Ethan Aldwin]

~Races~

There are two playable races in this roleplay, the Drakes and the Humans. Human cultures differ from country to country, and Drake cultures from tribe to tribe. Here are some examples. Most of you can probably understand the human culture from the main page, so I will not elaborate further unlessed asked to do so. However, a question has come up about the Drakes. What are they? Well, I'll tell you about my little brain children.

Drakes are a type of mix between Humans and Dragons. They stand on two legs, have a tail, claws, scales, a snout, and fangs. Only the Fire tribes inherently breathe any form of element. Their scales often act as a type of natural armor, rivalling sturdy leather. Clothing is more for the sake of being decent in public than protection. The males are generally the ones who look a bit rougher around the edges, gaining much large spines and crests. The crests of their heads are generally just horns or something of that nature. They aren't too overboard, considering how helmets are indeed a part of their armory. Females tend to be a bit shorter and of lighter build than the males, and have no spikes. They are the only ones who possess the ability to control magic outside of Augmentation and Manipulation. Drake Chieftains however, are gifted by their Dragon, and are allowed to possess both the physical prowess of the males and the magical ability of the females. Outside of the Wind Drakes, they are the only ones who may also grow wings, which they can retract at will, and fly. Fire Drake Chieftains are exclusively male, and Naga Chieftains are exclusively female. Wind, Earth, and Shadow are all equal opportunity employers. There is no Chieftain with the Three Drakes of Light.

~The Map~

Here is a horribly hand drawn map by myself. It is meant more for the book that I am writing than this roleplay, but it will do until I can make a revised copy. There are some things that I ask you to ignore, as they are not in this roleplay. Please ignore all skull marks, claw marks, falcon marks, and fin marks. You'll see them, trust me. The key to the map shall follow.

.... : Dotted Lines - Roads
___ : Solid Lines - Rivers
--- : Dashed Lines - National Borders ((now color coded!))
Crowns - Capital Cities
Hollow Circles - Large Settlements. Small ones are not marked.
Ships - Ports and Port Cities
Diamond Shapes with Cross in Them - Drake Tribes ((long symbal explanation, huh?))
Flat Line with Three Lines Sticking Out of It - Marsh Land
Upside down V's - Mountains
Fuzzy Lines - Forest Areas
Temple Looking Symbols - Temples
Symbol that Looks Kind of Like This, /oI - Ruins ((you'll figure it out...))  

[Ethan Aldwin]

~Weapons System~

There are traditional weapons in this roleplay, but don't let that limit you. Your character is free to use whatever they please, though certain things may amplify your elemental ability or have more cultural significance to your character. Here are some examples.

Earth: The Earth tends to be an overwhelming element when in battle, choosing raw power over speed or accuracy. Suggested weapons here are clubs, maces, warhammers, and staves. Earthen swords tend to be a bit shorter and broader than normal, as well as fairly heavy. Bows are generally kept to the short bow area. Throwing weapons are seen here quite a bit, though it is generally in the form of axes, which tend to get a bit bulky, limiting the number you can carry. Shields are also a large part of the armory, some of them being specially crafted to double as weaponry. Tower shields are not a rare sight.

Fire: Fire tends to be something that is fast and brutal. Weapons in this country are generally light, fast, and sharp. Daggers, swords, and axes are the preffered weapons here. Archery is also a large pastime here. Their bows are second only to that of the Wind nation. Weapons here are made to be held in one hand, and generally come in pairs. Shields are rarely seen, unless made of wicker or some light metal.

Water: The Water nation uses momentum as their weapon, and as such, their fighting styles reflect that. Spears, tridents, chains, and short swords are the traditional weapons here. Nets are also employed, though more in the arenas. They also enjoy using dart weaponry, such as blow dart guns and throwing darts. Shields are used in moderation, and are generally of fair to large size. Think small versions of the Roman shields.

Wind: The Wind nation tends to stick more to a distance, using long bows that can be up to six feet tall. They are master archers. When in close quarters they tend to use metal fans, knives that can be used hand to hand or thrown. Swords tend to be longer and single edged. Shields are a rare thing to see, though when they are, they tend to be more like bucklers, small things that barely cover the forearm.

Light and Shadow: These two elements don't really have any traditional weaponry. Lucien used a sword, and the two after him used a mace and staff, respectively. So, for Light, there is no defined, traditional weaponry. The same can be said for Shadow. The only hint towards weaponry here is that they like being subtle. Hidden things are their love, but it isn't like they don't know how to use a sword or a mace or bow or something. They just prefer to stay hidden, where as those of the Light are much more frontal.  

[Ethan Aldwin]

~Other~

This is where I will answer any other questions, posted in this forum or asked via PM. I will place the date and time the question was asked, but not the name of the one asking, for privacy reasons. This is where any minor questions will be answered. If there are issues with my explanations above, please refer to the post by the title at the top of it and ask about the subject matter therein. Thank you all very much.