Dagger Silent

[Prince Toad]

When the emperor dies, the wintery landscape of Vodefskjal is thrown into turmoil. Faction after faction rises and falls in the political game, each seeking to put its own ruler on the throne, one failing after another. They have been practicing at this for centuries, and they know the subtle nuances of the daily power struggle of an ancient empire. They also know that at any moment, a poison could stop their breathing, a dagger could pierce their heart, or a deadly curse could befall them.

Their fears stem from an organization of assassins older than memory itself, the Bjensfir Tong. Masters of the art of stealthy fatality, they execute "blood notes" at a premium price. They train with stealth and magic, illusions, poisons, every tool of the dark trade. They also employ the hidden aspects of music, able to accomplish the impossible with nothing more than a mystical instrument.

For any number of reasons-- political anguish, personal slight, natural morbidity, even lack of direction-- you have chosen to join the Bjensfir Tong. You will undergo swift training, as their once-great numbers are diminishing even as their services are required more and more. When deemed ready, your first blood note will be handed to you, shut with the Snow Master's personal seal. Then, you will begin to make your mark on this icy land's history, guiding its fate.

Name: Duh.
Sex: Might affect some stuff, probably not.
Age: Duh.
Primary Focus: Combat, Stealth, Toxins, Season Magic, Dawn Magic, Beast Magic, Curse Magic, Snowsong
Secondary Focus: Choose from the list above.
Stats:
Split 3000 between:
HP: How much damage you can take before dying.
MP: How many spells you can cast.
Split 2000 between:
Force: The ability to exert physical force to cause damage, knock someone out, open stuck doors, etc.
Agility: Balance, stealth, dexterity, deftness, all things useful for an assassin.
Mana: The ability to effectively manifest magic in a useful form.
Dominance: Mastery over the minds of yourself and others.
Aura: One's luck, favor with the gods, and ability to apply magic through song.
Skills: Make up to 7. You can have 6-1, 5-2, or 4-3, the first number being the number of skills encompassed by your Primary Focus, the second number being the number of skills encompassed by your Secondary Focus.

FOCUSES

These are what you are best at. All are trained to some degree Stealth, and Toxins, but actual combat, the various types of Magic, and Snowsong are not taught until later unless focused in. Of course, focusing in Stealth or Toxins makes you that much better at them. Focuses eventually branch out into one of two specializations for each focus. Here's an explanation for each.

Combat: Actual open fighting. The skilled assassin rarely needs to employ this, but everyone eventually makes a mistake. Some get out by causing distractions, some by illusions, some by magic, but Combat users are capable of fighting their way out of such a situation. It branches out into Multi-Way Combat (fighting multiple opponents) and Blind Combat (fighting in the dark). +HP, +Force.
Stealth: The traditional art of stealth in Vodefskjal is somewhat different than farther south. Southerners in black cloaks pad across buildings and into shadows; the Broldir (inhabitants of Vodefskjal) instead adopt white robes, cover their tracks with snow, and glide over ice as though it were air. All assassins are somewhat versed in this; Stealth users take it to a higher level. It branches out into Silent Walk (total silence) and Shadow Walk (being completely hidden). ++Agility.
Toxins: Poisons can be slipped into food or drink, dropped inauspiciously into a sleeping man's mouth, injected with a needle or dart, even applied through the skin itself. This is often an assassin's tool of choice, and is taught to all of the Bjensfir Tong, as it is so effective and can be used in so many ways. It branches out into Venom (poison inside blood) and Applied Poison (poison applied via contact with skin or breathing). +HP, +Agility.
Season Magic: Damage via magic. Essentially the application of magically focused rises and falls in temperature to cause damage to a target; this is also known as fire or frost magic. While House sorcerers often employ more spectacular versions, summoning snowstorms or creating massive infernos, assassins prefer a sharp point of the element, a single damaging ray that can freeze a limb or burn straight through a man's body. It branches out into Winter Magic (extremely potent frost spells, also status effects) and Sun Magic (extremely potent sun spells, also healing effects). +MP, +Mana.
Dawn Magic: Illusion magic is often an assassin's only hope of attaining entrance to a bedroom or dinner hall, or his only hope of leaving alive. Every sense is deceived: sounds, images, smells, tastes, even temperature effects... thoughts and emotions can be affected as well. Dawn's haze and penchant for creating falsities provide a perfect template for the illusionist. It branches out into Sensory Deception (specifically targetting the five senses as well as temperature sense) and Mental Deception (targetting thoughts, emotions, fears, even putting in false knowledge). +Mana, +Dominance.
Beast Magic: Many creatures roam the winterscape of Vodefskjal; other live beyond, in planes incomprehensible to man. Beast Magic attempts to control these for a time in order to do the mage's bidding. One-time effects, short-term summons, long-term familiars, and even temporary personal transformations are all encompassed in Beast Magic. The call of the wild is difficult to resist, however; practitioners of this have been known to dash off into the wilderness, never seen again-- in human form. It branches out into Summoning (conjuring creatures from various places for any number of effects at several durations) and Manifestation (augmenting your personal abilities with those of wild creatures). +Force, +Dominance.
Curse Magic: The most subtle of magicks is that of the curse. Using various representations of the target, the most accurate being a Snow Doll, a number of effects can be inflicted upon the unwitting victim. Physical pain, weakening, even death are all viable; however, often assassins who use Curse Magic are hired to instead affect the victim's behavior, making him an unknowing tool for the highest bidder. If the representation is destroyed, the curse is broken; these are guarded with the greatest care. It branches out into Torture Magic (pain, weakening, death) and Ventriloquism (controlling their thoughts and behavior). +Dominance, +Aura.
Snowsong: Perhaps the most enigmatic of the focuses, Snowsong is also the most wide-ranging. Using one of a number of magical musical instruments, the performer can have nearly any effect on his target, as long as the melody is correct. A master can even alter the song to have slightly different effects; this can only be done by one who truly understands the deep meaning behind each tone. Many assassins veer away from this due to its reliance on sound, anathema to stealth; however, at the highest level of mastery, one can attain the ability to create music without sound, and melody without pitch. At that point, the Snowsong user becomes the most deadly of all. It branches out into Treble Magic (healing, speed, confusion, charms, frost magic) and Bass Magic (fire magic, paralysis, panic, curse magic, beast magic, death). +MP, +Aura.

I dunno if I can update tomorrow, or if this was necessarily clear enough. Should have topics up and running by Sunday, if people join.

[ December 04, 2004, 12:11 PM: Message edited by: Prince Toad ]

[Lord Umbra]

Name: Heret
Sex: Female
Age: 26
Primary Focus: Season Magic
Secondary Focus: Dawn Magic
HP: 1800
MP: 1200
Force: 300
Agility: 500
Mana: 550
Dominance: 350
Aura: 300

Season Magic (5)

Frozen Needles: Can create any given number amount of very sharp icicles that slam into foe(s). Basically, there's some sort of mp cost per needle so I can tailor how much damage I want to do and how much mp I end up using.
Icebox: Causes several status effects to enemy. Chill (enemy keeps on taking damage from the cold), Freeze (paralyzation), and Snow Blindness (accuracy goes waaayyyy down).
Warmth: Heret/Ally is healed moderately.
Blazing Circle: Does lots of fire damage to multiple enemies.
Song of Ice And Fire: Blazing Circle + Icebox on all enemies.

Dawn Magic (2)

Blur: Affected person/object is unnoticable (even when moving) unless somebody stares or looks intently upon person/object.
Truth's Failure: Targetted person will believe that a certain event did not happen, and that the event was merely a figment of their imagination.

[ October 08, 2004, 04:27 PM: Message edited by: Lord Umbra ]

[[sage]]

Name: Nalar
Sex: male
Age: 18
Primary Focus: Snowsong
Secondary Focus: Dawn
Stats:
Split 3000 between:
HP: 1200
MP: 1800
Split 2000 between:
Force: 200
Agility: 200
Mana: 450
Dominance: 450
Aura: 700
Skills:

Requiem to the Dead: A sad song, causes the listeners to feel the pain of death. Deals incresaing damage every round Nalar plays it.

Death's Rythm: A dance to go along with the song. Doubles the effect of Requiem to the Dead, and gives Nalar some evasion. Both can be done at once.

Chaos Melody: Causes confusion, fear and panic among people. Can also be used to cause phyiscal destruction on objects (walls, buildings, doors, etc)

Harmonic Symphony: A relaxing song, increasing chance ton lull enemies to sleep, and heals Nalar as well.

Invisibility: Causes Nalar to become invisible until he makes an attack.

Project: Projects an image of Nalar, which he can control freely while doing other things. Illusion can be heard, smelled and seen, but not touched or tasted.

Misdirection: Misdirects detetction magic. Can have it project it to the illusion

[ October 15, 2004, 02:52 PM: Message edited by: Marth ]

[KirbyBoy2000]

Name: Oriana Aslin
Sex: Female
Age: 17
Primary Focus: Stealth.
Secondary Focus: Combat.
Stats:
Split 3000 between:
HP: 2200.
MP: 800.
Split 2000 between:
Force: 600.
Agility: 700.
Mana: 200
Dominance: 200
Aura: 300.
Skills: 4-3.
Sneak- Move silently around with less chance of being seen.
Break in- Picks locks to get into an area.
Disguise- Uses other clothes to make a disguise or uses magic to change appearance some.
Conceal Trap- Hides a trap better so it's easier to fall into, may be aided with magic.
Throw- Grabs opponent and throws him/her into something/other enemy.
Spinning Attack- Hits everyone surrounding her.
Mind's Eye- Increases fighting ability without use of eyes.

[ October 09, 2004, 01:55 PM: Message edited by: KirbyBoy2000 ]

[Prince Toad]

Yeah, I'll have your stats and topics up once I figure out how stuff works. One brief thing: Stealth also includes picking locks and finding, then disarming traps.

[ZIPPYDIPPY19]

Name: Krow
Sex: Male
Age: 19
Primary Focus: Stealth
Secondary Focus: Combat

Stats:
HP: 1750 (+50)
MP: 1450 (+150)

Force: 400 (+100)
Agility: 800 (+100)
Mana: 300
Dominance: 400
Aura: 550 (+50)

Skills:

Echo (Stealth)- Krow subtly changes the way he moves, talks, etc. in order to have any sound he makes echo about the area. This negates any attempt to find him by hearing, and intimidates the foe (magical)

Shadow Strike (stealth)- Deals extra damage if the enemy is caught by surprise (Non-magical)

Drift (Stealth)- Gives Krow the ability to make inhuman jumps and increases his speed so that he can track his victims better (Magical)

Hamstring (Stealth)- Cuts the enemies speed (or agility, if there is no speed) in half (Non-Magical

Double Strike (Combat)- Krow attacks twice, at half damage for the second strike. (Your call on this one)

Final Word (Combat)- Affects the enemies ability to speak in any way, and negates the ability to cast spells if they rely on vocals (NonMagical)

Move Silently (Stealth)- Negates any sound Krow might make (Non-magical)

Vanish (Stealth)- Makes Krow dissapear in any shadow (magical)

[ October 11, 2004, 09:50 PM: Message edited by: Zippy ]

[Prince Toad]

LU, does Icebox do all of those, a random number of those, or just one? It'll cost more or less MP depending on the effect.

[Lord Umbra]

A high chance of all those.

In Example...
60% chance of Chill, 65% chance of Freeze, 70% chance of Snow Blindness. Whatever, as long as there is over a 50% chance that the effect will take... effect.

[Prince Toad]

Gotcha.

I'm doing the stats now. It takes a little while, since I can't copy/paste from VGF into WordPad, it messes up the spacing.

[Prince Toad]

By the way, Zippy, with Stealth moves (Toxins would work like this too) specify if you want them magically augmented. If not, they won't cost any MP and they'll be improved versions of normal actions, but if so, they'll cost MP, but be more effective. Your move descriptions kind of imply that they are a little magical, so I'll assume that, but if you wanna change it for any/all of your moves, tell me and I'll do it.

[ZIPPYDIPPY19]

I edited the move descriptions to include a magical/nonmagical part at the end, all except for Double Strike, which is your call

[Prince Toad]

K, thanks.

Probably update more a bit later, might finish my homework now.

[Blake]

Finally back again..

Name: Vex
Sex: Male
Age: 32
Primary Focus: Curse Magic
Secondary Focus: Toxins
Stats:
HP: 1900
MP: 1100
Force: 200
Agility: 300
Mana: 800
Dominance: 500
Aura: 200
Skills(4-3):
Curse- Eats away at an enemy's soul for a high amount of damage, but for a few turns, dealing damage on each turn.
Lifeless- Summons two ghostly spirits that cannot be damaged physically, but can be damaged magically.
Fear- Can cause enemies to become frightened, running from battle.
Convert- Can turn an enemy into an undead warrior to fight for Vex.
Poison- Enemy takes low damage per turn during the entire battle.
Smokescreen- Makes smoke arise and makes enemies have lowered accuracy.
Gas Fumes- Can be blown in the wind one turn, and then can be set on fire to deal a lot of damage to all enemies and allies and himself.

[Rubber Band Man]

Name: Dark
Sex: Male
Age: 24
Primary Focus: Combat
Secondary Focus: Stealth

HP : 1700
MP: 1300
Force: 700
Agility: 700
Mana: 200
Dominance: 300
Aura: 100

Skills (7):
Fist- Regular Fist attack
Breaker- Powerful physical attack not too accurate
Sword- Sword attack
Sonnet- Double Sword attack, AKA the Slice N Dicer
Missile Kick- Rapid Kicks
Illufly- Quick Evasion Move, Makes Dark seem like he's flying, increases Evasion
Body Shot- Self-Explanatory.

[Prince Toad]

Oh! Sorry... didn't see yours. Crap.

Either of yours... d'oh. Have 'em right up.

Except, uh... Body Shot isn't quite self-explanatory. Like... he body slams an opponent? I'm gonna assume Illufly is Stealth, also.

edit: Actually they take a little while to write, I'll probably do them tomorrow. Maybe not if I fall asleep/have insane amounts of homework, but I shouldn't.

[ October 24, 2004, 10:53 PM: Message edited by: Prince Toad ]