• Group Plot

[Isabella, ɪᴛ’ꜱ ɴᴏᴛ ᴇᴀꜱʏ ʙᴇɪɴɢ ᴏʟᴅ]

   ＯＵＴ ＯＦ ＬＵＸ
   
   
ＧＲＯＵＰ⠀ ＰＬＯＴ

   Below is a detailed but compact explanation of our group’s plot and lore.
   One moderator is a massive overthinker and had to make a whole
   star-planet-moon parallel whereas the other is more precise and said,
   “Bro, just tell them there are two cities”. Someone didn’t listen, apparently.

   

   • 𝗪𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗘 𝗔𝗥𝗘 𝗪𝗘? 𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧'𝗦 𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗘𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗚?

   As the description vaguely detailed, our roleplay takes place on a moon
   called Lux. It orbits a beautiful but uninhabitable ice planet called
   Lantas. The star that this planet and its moon orbit is not our beloved
   Sun, but instead, Luminos. Is this exactly relevant? No, but it provides a
   good roleplay element to know that when your character looks up into
   the sky, there’s a giant ice planet in their face as well as the distant sun.
   If we want to get sciency about it, no, the moon is not tidally locked, so
   Lantas will rise and set like Luminos, albeit a little slower. (Dude, she’s
   so smart.)

   On this quaint little moon, there are four continents—but we are
   focusing on only two: Valoran and Faerûn. There are two cities on
   Valoran, Asterath and Voxthain, which is where roleplay will take place.
   Asterath is a cavernous underground city, filled with neon lights
   and wild magic, and Voxthain, the city above it, is swept up with
   clockwork creations and floating dirigibles. More importantly,
   Voxthain is locked in a strict social and political hierarchy with the nobility
   reigning supreme. Faerûn is located across the vast oceans of Lux on
   the other side of the moon. We will not be roleplaying on this
   continent, as this is where the plot comes in.

   On the continent of Faerûn, the land is overrun with shadows,
   consuming all magic it can find. There is a small space left on the
   continent where the shadows have not reached yet, where the survivors
   are fighting with everything they can to keep their home from being
   overrun by darkness. It is not just darkness, however—not just a fog.
   It is death itself. In consuming all magic that it touches, the foggy
   shadows are poisonous, draining all living creatures in its path of the
   magic that keeps them alive.

   Everyone and everything on this little moon is made of magic,
   they use magic, it is their source of living. The shadowfog, as it is
   becoming known as, drains every living thing it touches of its magic so
   violently that death is inevitable if you are fully consumed by it.
   Those who have escaped the shadowfog with their lives often come out
   of the encounter with various body parts withered beyond repair. Even
   magic cannot replace what was touched and taken by the shadowfog, but
   it can be augmented in the form of magically-created prosthetics. The
   process of replacing a limb with clockwork magic would come to be
   known as cyborgification. (Okay, not really—but they would be seen as
   a cyborg of sorts.)

   Faerûn has been the only continent affected so heavily, almost to
    the point of losing their entire home, due to their lack of everyday magic
   use. They are more skeptical of being so reliant upon unseeable forces
   such as magic, instead choosing to rely on tangible objects and things
   they can see. Due to this, they have become more technologically
   advanced than other continents. They have devices powered by the wind
   they can feel, the sun they can see, and the water they can touch—not
   magic.

   The shadowfog has taken advantage of this, and the people of Faerûn
   have been unable to defend themselves properly. Far too late, they
   realized magic was the only way to fight off the shadowfog—and even
   though all creatures on Lux are made of magic, the Faerûn peoples’ lack
   of experience with it as well as the land’s unfamiliarity with magical
   properties made it impossible to summon enough magic to fight off the
   shadowfog for good. Even their technologies could not withstand the
   force of the shadowfog’s onslaught.

   However, a small group of desperate people from the dwindling
   population of Runalithe (the last remaining country in Faerûn) realized
   that their machines could replicate the magic-consumption of the
   shadowfog. If they were able to collect more magic from
   elsewhere on the moon, maybe they would be able to save their people
   from absolute destruction. The little bottle-like machine powered by the
   wind, sun, and water around them was able to consume the magic
   essence from any living or nonliving thing—and this gave the people of
   Runalithe a purpose and a newfound sense of hope.

   That brings us to Voxthain and Asterath, the magical capital of the known
   world. While the sister cities are not as technologically advanced as
   Runalithe, they are still the powerhouses of their region because of their
   understanding and implementation of magic in their everyday lives. A
   band of Runalithians have snuck into the magical cities, taking as much of
   the abundant magic as they can. They very quickly learned that
   magical objects could only fill a quarter of a vial with their essence while a
   person could fill four or five vials. After much deliberation, the plan
   shifted gears from stealing magically powered objects to snuffing out the
   lives of eople with the greatest magical essence.

   At first this was no great loss to the cities with abundant magical
   resources, even though it was still the theft of the lifeblood of the cities.
   When word spreads of the technology they are using to steal the magic,
   it spreads panic. No longer is it only concern over the theft itself, but over
   the potential unknown technology that could be incredibly destructive in
   more ways than one. And once people start turning up dead and drained
   of their magical potential, the ebbing fear grows into a full on panic.

   Not to mention that the shadowfog is creeping in on the horizon
   of Voxthian, and it will take all of the knowledge and magic they have to
   keep its promise of death at bay.

   

[Isabella, ɪᴛ’ꜱ ɴᴏᴛ ᴇᴀꜱʏ ʙᴇɪɴɢ ᴏʟᴅ]

   

   • 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗠𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧𝗬 𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗟𝗗 𝗧𝗜𝗠𝗘𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗘... 𝗨𝗛𝗛 𝗦𝗢𝗥𝗧 𝗢𝗙

   The shadowfog has been spreading over the last twenty years.
   The Runalithe crew has been in the sister cities for three months.
   We are starting roleplay in present day only. The war between
   Voxthain and Asterath took place several generations ago, so no character
   will have memory of it.

   On the timeline spectrum, the lifespan of an unmodified Luxian is
   between seventy-to-ninety years. The exception lies with heavily
   modified cyborgs, which then become more automaton than living
   person. Modifying the brain, the heart, or important organs that make
   up a soul and are fueled purely by muscle and flesh, will extend your life
   but slowly chip away at your humanity. It is frowned upon to extend your
   life in this way, and it is uncommon but does happen. Luxians
   generally do not fear death, as they believe in the magical cycle of all
   living things. They believe their soul will come back in whatever form, and
   that their consciousness will never fully disappear.

   There are cases where the fear of death does cause one to try to modify
   themselves so that they live eternally, but that is more terrifying to
   some as it strips away your pure magic and soul even if you do continue
   “living”.

   Cyborgs, however, are very common and acceptable. The shadowfog
   has taken much from the people that have come into contact with it,
   leading to the necessity of magically enhanced prosthetics. These
   prosthetics are often clockwork in nature in Voxthain and neon in
   Asterath, matching the magical energy of the two cities. Early deaths are
   incredibly uncommon as magic can extend your lifespan without altering
   your soul or pure magic. Prosthetics and magically-fueled enhancements
   are common and it is often that you will see Luxians with them.

   

   • 𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗠𝗨𝗡𝗜𝗦𝗠 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗔𝗟𝗟! (𝗔𝗧 𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗧 𝗜𝗡 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗦𝗜𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗖𝗜𝗧𝗜𝗘𝗦)

   Money sux so we aren’t using it. (It wasn’t Rory that said something
   goofy this time, let it be known! That was Isabella!) There is no currency
   within the sister cities of Asterath and Voxthain, on a serious note, as
   they trade and are generally taken care of by magic itself. Summoning
   food, water, or anything someone needs is commonplace. For anything
   other, such as hobby-related items or wants, are traded for.

   

   • 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗚𝗔𝗡𝗚𝗦 𝗢𝗙 𝗔𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗛

   they trade and are generally taken care of by magic itself. Summoning
   food, water, or anything someone needs is commonplace. For anything
   other, such as hobby-related items or wants, are traded for.

   The three gangs of Asterath all have very different vibes and agendas.

   The Night Riders are more chaotic good and are on the young end,
   more goofy kids making a show of being tough than an actual gang.
   They cause general chaos around the city and make a show of flying
   around on their hoverboards in their gang colors.

   The Arachniads are more chaotic neutral, as they are
   bystanders and although they know of and see the evil being done,
   they do nothing to stop it nor do they interfere. They take in street
   rats and train them to be good thieves and pickpockets, so the
   chaos they contribute to is more inconvenient than evil. Side note—yes,
   they are called the Arachniads. Not Arachnids. Stylistic choice.

   Club Serpentine is more true evil, made up of the worst of
   Asterath. Any drugs in the city are run through them, and they have a
   business in killing. There is a code that they follow, but that
   code is bad news for any law-abiding citizen of Asterath. They are shoot
   first, ask questions later—picking fights and ending them before anyone is
   the wiser.

   

[Isabella, ɪᴛ’ꜱ ɴᴏᴛ ᴇᴀꜱʏ ʙᴇɪɴɢ ᴏʟᴅ]

   

   • 𝗦𝗖𝗛𝗢𝗢𝗟 𝗟𝗜𝗙𝗘

   Big news in the world of Lux! There is also a school for aspiring mages,
   because we the moderators think that this is so cool and funky and fresh
   and we want to give you all more locations and opportunities for roleplay
   in this setting. (Say thank you, Isabella and Rory! You’re so sick!) The
   school is called Cogworks Hogwarts! Academy for
   Mages and Magic, and it is the primary school for all children
   in Voxthain and Asterath.

   It teaches kids from age five to eighteen on the basics of magic,
   but also general life skills like reading and math, because it is still a regular
   school. (We know we said that it starts at a very young age, but please
   don’t make a character younger than twelve.) Students start out in general
   classes on all fields of magic, and as they age, they take more and more
   specialized classes on their chosen schools of magic. By the time they
   are leaving the academy, they will have specialized and advanced
   knowledge of one or two fields of magic and a general understanding of
   all magic, preparing them for a magical life in the city.

   In addition to Cogworks, the secretive Grimcroft family teaches their
   children the ways of magic in their own, personalized schooling with the
   Coven. While some children that will eventually enter into the Coven
   do attend Cogworks, most are schooled separately to keep their ancient
   magic alive.

   

   • 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗩𝗢𝗫𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗜𝗡 𝗠𝗜𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗜𝗔 𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗦 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗣𝗜𝗖𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗘

   Even more keeps getting discovered on the moon of Lux! (At this point
   it's starting to feel crowded.) The noble Hayden family in Voxthain holds
   power over the city's police system with their militia. The militia is
   run by the Haydens, but all sorts of shenanigans could be occurring
   within the force itself. They may even be looking into the recent murders
   and disappearances occurring in the cities.

   

[Isabella, ɪᴛ’ꜱ ɴᴏᴛ ᴇᴀꜱʏ ʙᴇɪɴɢ ᴏʟᴅ]

   

   • 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗥𝗨𝗡𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗖𝗥𝗘𝗪

   Runalithe is the last remaining country in the continent of Faerûn,
   which has quickly been overrun with shadowfog. From there, eight of
   the remaining survivors with specific qualifications have been sent in a
   squad across the oceans to discreetly invade the magic-abundant
   cities of Voxthain and Asterath in Valoran.

   The leader is the voice and main decision-maker of the squad,
   keeping everyone together and providing guidance. They are methodical
   and analytical, their cunning thinking allowing for easy and quick missions.

   The second is an assistant of sorts to the leader, holding similar
   skills but perhaps conflicting ideas and a different way of thinking so as to
   hold the leader accountable and to prevent complete rule under one
   person’s decisions.

   The technomancer is an expert in the melding of advanced technologies
   with the latent potential of magic. This individual is pivotal to the
   success of the mission, as they are the one keeping all of the equipment
   in working order.

   The navigator has expertise in the technology that brought the gang of
   Lunatics across the globe to Valoran, and has access to more technology
   that gives the group a lay of the land. The navigator is the member of the
   crew traveling back and forth from home, dispersing the gathered magical
   energy across their land.

   The assassin is the odd one out, with no leadership or city-saving
   skills. Instead, they had initially been brought along in case of danger. A
   fighter to protect them if a physical conflict broke out. As the plan shifted
   to sucking the magical essence out of people instead of objects, they have
   taken on a larger role in the mission as a murderer of sorts.

   The infiltrators were the first people to head out into the cities, and
   they have made a name and place for themselves in their respective cities.
   People think they are locals, friends, coworkers, when they are there
   to find the people with the highest magical potential to drain.

   The Magehand was brought on with the initial purpose of finding magical
   objects with the most magical potential/essence and now that things
   have shifted to murder they’re more of an outcast/the one that they will
   throw to the wolves in case of danger.

   

   • 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗚𝗥𝗜𝗠𝗖𝗥𝗢𝗙𝗧 𝗖𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗡

   The Secret Society, or the Coven, are a group of women with inherent
   magical prowess who carry the Grimcroft blood, no matter how distantly.
   They have many designated roles within their Coven, and anyone within
   can be part of any Voxthain family or otherwise. The Grimcroft blood
   runs through many different families and all throughout Voxthain, even
   if a member doesn’t carry their last name anymore.

   The Moon Matron is the head of the Coven. She is likely the
   previous leader’s daughter or close relative. All of the Coven’s secrets
   and ideals are passed down to her. She keeps order and maintains their
   members.

   The Sun Keeper is the lore and history archivist. She makes sure
   their history, family, and customs are upheld and documented. The Sun
   Keeper knows every woman in Voxthain who carries Grimcroft blood
   and keeps track of the Grimcroft line.

   The Star Tamer is someone who oversees the training and teaching of
   the initiates. She is incredibly knowledgeable and makes sure their
   younger and newer Coven members learn all they need to in order to be
   part of the Coven.

   The Tempest Scribe is the head of Abjuration magic within the
   Coven. She excels in this magic and will notice if any initiate has an
   affinity for her chosen magic, taking them as an apprentice.

   The Cloud Chanter is the head of Conjuration magic within the
   Coven. She excels in this magic and will notice if any initiate has an
   affinity for her chosen magic, taking them as an apprentice.

   The Twilight Singer is the head of Illusion magic within the Coven.
   She excels in this magic and will notice if any initiate has an affinity for her
   chosen magic, taking them as an apprentice.

   The Umbral Weaver is the head of Transmutation magic within the
   Coven. She excels in this magic and will notice if any initiate has an
   affinity for her chosen magic, taking them as an apprentice.

   The Nova Bearer is the head of Evocation magic within the Coven.
   She excels in this magic and will notice if any initiate has an affinity for her
   chosen magic, taking them as an apprentice.

   The Flurry Seeker is the head of Enchantment magic within the
   Coven. She excels in this magic and will notice if any initiate has an
   affinity for her chosen magic, taking them as an apprentice.

   Initiates are usually young, the age of a Cogworks student, and their
   education and schooling are with the Star Tamer and their mentors in
   the Coven. If they are initiates here, they do not attend Cogworks,
   but there are not many of them.