[Main Guide] Rules, Lore, and More!

I as the mod certify that the information contained within this post is an accurate depiction of the world's history and contains no deceptions.

History

The beginning
The world of Seilara has always been a cruel and unforgiving environment to live in for humanity. While in terms of climate, natural resources, and fertile land the majority of the world is technically inhabitable, arguably even ideal, humanity has always faced an uphill battle for survival. From the moment humanity first evolved, monsters ruled the planet. Evolution had favored these creatures greatly in the early years of developing life, culminating in the moment when the original species of monster evolved to tap into a strange otherworldly energy that no human had ever been able to access. This energy kickstarted the evolution and mutations of monsters to a far greater pace than would normally have been possible under natural conditions. As a result of this, by the time the first humans were gaining intelligence, there were millions of species of monster, each of which had evolved far beyond humankind.

It was only though ingenuity and camaraderie that humanity survived at all. First they learned to create fire by observing monsters that could breathe it setting fire to things accidentally. Then they designed increasingly effective weapons and armor by observing the natural claws, stingers, and other features of various monsters. These discoveries came slowly at first, and spreading them was difficult with humanity being disorganized and quite prone to untimely deaths. As humans learned more and more about their world, they became more united, and more efficient in their discovering new survival techniques. Eventually they became capable of fighting the monsters on even terms, and even able to slay or repel them.

Thus the beginnings of villages and nations were set in motion. From then on the progress of humanity advanced at a rapid pace. First came villages barely able to defend themselves, then came counties of allied villages supporting each other, then small kingdoms, and so on. Weaponry became more advanced, medicine and technology flourished, and eventually three of the world's five major continents became the dominion of humans, rather than monsters. Had humanity stood united, they might have even successfully purged all danger from their continents, and eventually the world.

But human nature was not so suited to a life of peaceful cooperation. Over time 4 major nations had established themselves in the world. When monsters had been a constant danger, the nations cooperated, but with peace within grasp, humanity turned on itself. Wars broke out between the nations, and in the chaos and distraction the wars created, monsters crept back into the human controlled lands, establishing themselves as a permanent threat. They had become smarter over time as well, and had learned the art of choosing their battles. Through stealth and cunning, they established themselves in hidden nests and in areas they could hunt weaker prey and vulnerable humans who strayed too far from the walls of their villages.

The monster resurgence eventually brought an end to the wars, as humanity once again needed to focus on protecting themselves from external threats. As peace became the norm, open communication between the nations grew, and eventually cultural differences and old grudges faded into the background, and an era of peace settled across the lands.

The First Great War

A few hundred years of peace made humanity complacent. Their military might dwindled and they began to rest on their technological laurels. People grew lazy and stopped being vigilant of threats looming on the horizon. It was in this era of stagnation and complacency that the monsters made their first attempt at regaining their place at the top of the food chain. While humans had failed to continue evolving, instead focusing on technological progress over natural strength, monsters had no such restrictions. Their accelerated rate of evolution never slowed in the slightest, and actually improved gradually as more powerful and intelligent monster species arose that could tap into their innate mystical energies to increasing extents. Soon even the most dim-witted monster had some semblance of intellect, the ability to learn, to plan, and to adapt.

This evolution led to the creation of a truly terrifying force. 13 monsters were born with enough power and intelligence to use their mystical abilities freely, rather than through instinct and the natural usage of it their bodies normally afforded. Together these 13 monsters would become known as the Harbingers. Using their power to assume humanoid forms, they raised an army of monsters, organizing them to an extent never before seen. They didn't stop at that however, they then infiltrated and sowed seeds of distrust between the nations of the humans, fanning the fires of old grudges and conflicts that, while set aside, were never truly forgotten. Cooperation between the nations deteriorated, leaving each nation isolated and weak. It was then that the Harbingers led the charge against humanity.

The war that followed very nearly obliterated humanity as a whole. Weakened, complacent, and isolated, the individual nations lost ground at an astounding pace, and the monsters took no prisoners. Within a decade, 9/10ths of humanity had perished. It was in these dark times that humanity first began to learn to tap into the mystical powers that laid dormant inside them. Though unconsciously, many warriors who had fought in and survived countless grueling battles against monsters began to find their abilities increasing. They became faster, stronger, more durable, and more intelligent. The sudden rise of these warriors finally turned the tide of the war back in humanity's favor. The nations set aside their grudges for good and banded together to drive back the monsters that had claimed their lands. Eventually the Harbingers themselves were drawn out to the fields of battle, and one by one they fell, though not without a fight.

As the war drew to a close, all 13 Harbingers had been slain, but so too had the majority of the warriors who had tapped into their inner potential. And so as life gradually returned to normal, the abilities and techniques of the mystic warriors faded into legend.

The Second Great War

Humanity grew complacent far slower than before after the first time that had nearly destroyed them, constantly reminded of the dangers of letting down their guard by the scars left upon the landscape itself during the war. Even so, after over a thousand years, complacency set in again. Once again, as humanity's strength waned, monsters saw the opportunity to strike. They had become stronger than ever, and invaded once again.

The second war went better for humanity than the first for several reasons. For one, the monster forces were not organized by powerful entities like the Harbingers, instead being more akin to loosely aligned tribes of monsters united under leaders that had earned respect and authority through strength in their local regions. Secondly, without the strength and ingenuity of the Harbingers, humanity was both able to unite their forces to defend themselves, and the monsters had no trump cards that could alter the course of entire battles with their mere presence.

This war was not easy however, a thousand years of accelerated evolution had only widened the gap in power between monsters and humans, and even if there were no Harbingers whose power dwarfed that of any opposition, humanity was still outmatched in terms of strength. The war dragged on for 100 years, humanity slowly losing ground until they were finally backed into a corner.

Once again, when all seemed lost, humanity discovered how to draw upon the mystic energies of the world around them. Unlike last time however, the discovery was consciously realized by the humans who gained the powers. Unlike the previous instance, where the power had only manifested in the form of increased physical ability, this time humans began to develop abilities unique to them. While not all humans were able to access these powers, those that did became fearsome forces. By drawing out the "soul" of an object that they had a strong emotional connection to, a human could create a power and fighting style unique to that individual, and by drawing upon the "souls" of the world around them in general they became able to recreate many of the feats once demonstrated by the original warriors in the first war.

This discovery drastically turned the tide of war at an unprecedented pace. Unable to predict or understand the plethora of abilities humanity was suddenly developing, the already poorly organized monster forces were routed with ease, driven back to their homelands and beaten down to a mere fraction of the force they once were.

Thus began a new era for humanity of greater prosperity than ever before. The increasingly common powers displayed by future generations as the genes for the abilities became more prevalent made society change greatly, and mostly for the better. Less standing troops were needed to maintain a powerful military presence, freeing up economic resources and people to bolster their nations industry and technological growth. The threat of monster attacks from local monster colonies or from raiding parties from the uninhabited continents was still a real danger, but organizations of humans with powers rose to the occasion, serving as independent monster-protection forces. Over time the plethora of smaller organizations defending humanity consolidated into a few major factions, each with their own philosophies, goals, and methods. But all of them, at least on some level, are acting in what they feel is the best interests of humanity.

Current time

Several hundred years have passed since the second great war drew to a close, and once again people have begun to forget the fear that the great wars brought. The rise of humanity's power holders inspired great confidence in their safety. Most people don't believe anything on the scale of the great wars could happen again, and this overconfidence has begun to sow the seeds of disaster.

Only a few people, standing in positions of power and overlooking the world, have begun to see the signs that something big is in the works. Monster attacks have been increasing in frequency and potency. New breeds of monster are appearing at rates never seen in recorded history. Colonies of monsters are appearing in locations that "coincidentally" disrupt major economic and military resources far more often than they should. And yet, despite all of these worrisome trends, surveillance teams sent to the uninhabited continents consistently report back that monster activity is at an all time low. Things are quiet there... too quiet... rumors have begun to circulate within the top ranked officials observing this that a new Harbinger type monster may be behind it all, operating in secrecy to prepare for a third and final great war. Nobody has any proof confirming or disproving the rumors, but even those who don't believe the rumor is true can't help but feel uneasy about the situation.

The threat isn't merely external however. One organization of power holders that rose to prominence in the past few decades at an astounding pace isn't all it seems to be on the surface. Known as The Brotherhood, it is an organization that keeps even its own members in the dark about its true objectives. To the world at large they seem to be a benevolent, well connected organization that specializes in commando type operations, using economic and political power to recruit, equip, and deploy the best warriors they can on solo or small squad missions. Their influence over all four nations in political and economic affairs, coupled with their military supremacy, make them an immensely powerful group with an unknown agenda, and that makes those people wise enough to see the bigger picture extremely nervous.

To make matters worse, many of the world's most powerful warriors have recently passed away due to old age, unfortunate "accidents," or disease, leaving humanity's military might at the lowest it's been since before the Second Great War. A new generation of defenders, largely untested in battle and barely trained, will be the ones to stand in the face of the approaching storm. Their strength will be the bulwark that stands between humanity and whatever threats may come to pass.

And if they fail... there will be no survivors.

As mod I certify the accuracy of all info contained within


The Four Kingdoms

The four kingdoms that arose as humanity came into power have had plenty of turmoil throughout the ages. Even the title of the four kingdoms is a bit of a misnomer in a historical sense, as wars, rebellions, secession, and political upheaval have split the kingdoms apart many times. Eventually they always reunited under the same banner, but it is only in the most recent of years that they could be considered truly stable


Fortis

One of the two kingdoms on the continent of Certa, and the larger of the two in terms of controlled territory, controlling just over half the land on the continent. Fortis has a monarchy for a government, however the position of king is not passed down through birthright, but instead by a grand tournament held whenever a previous king dies, retires, or is forced to step down. Any citizen is permitted to take part in the tournament, at least officially, but generally speaking one needs to acquire the support of a noble family if they are to stand a chance at victory. Those without the support of the nobility too often find themselves with "defective" (sabotaged) gear, poisoned, or sometimes just outright assassinated in between matches, and that's not even accounting for the inherent advantages sponsored candidates have in terms of funding and training. The former king also gets to select a champion as his preferred successor, and this champion receives a variety of benefits in the tournament. If the King was in good favor with the nobility at the time of his removal from the throne, the chosen champion can find themselves in an even more advantageous position.

Despite all of the underhanded political dealings and trickery going on behind the scenes in these tournaments, the tournament itself is symbolic of the culture of Fortis and the values it instills in its citizens. Strength, honor, courage, and valor are all staples of Fortisian culture. This served them well throughout history, as countless wars against humans and monsters required strong warriors to protect the kingdom. However Fortisians do not exclusively value martial strength like many outsiders seem to assume. Strength of mind and of heart are held in equal respect, often even being considered more important than raw power.

An old Fortisian proverb reads as such "The strongest of blades cuts nothing in the hands of a coward, and the bravest of hearts soon dies when led by the mind of a fool, but so too does the wisest of heroes perish when they wield a weak blade." Strength, bravery, and intelligence are all considered to be important traits in a warrior, and more so in a ruler. While outsiders tend to think Fortisians as little more than battle-obsessed meatheads, when push comes to shove, Fortisian soldiers are the embodiment of the chivalrous knight.

Instilling this in the children of the future generations is important to the people of this nation, and Fortis was one of the first nations to make free, high-quality education available to all citizens. The schools are somewhat militaristic in their approach, but they are effective, and every student leaves the academy with some degree of martial prowess, an advanced education, and with the values of the nation etched deep in their hearts.

That is not to say there are no dark sides to the culture of Fortis however. For all of their honor and chivalry, their justice system is often quite harsh, especially in the military. Acts of cowardice are punished severely, thieves are executed with impunity, soldiers who rout are severely punished or executed, and god help anyone caught cheating in an honorable duel. The kingdom of Fortis is the paragon of justice, valor, and honor, but achieving that status does not come without a great deal of bloodshed behind the scenes.

Technologically speaking, Fortis is more advanced than the other nation is shares its continent with when it comes to military matters, however they specialize in direct, straightforward warfare. They lack effective weaponry for guerilla warfare or hit and run tactics. They instead like heavy tanks, artillery, and close combat weaponry like swords.

Pulic

The other nation sharing the continent of Certa, residing on the eastern half of the continent. Pulic has a republic run government and a much different approach to life than the martial lifestyle of the kingdom of Fortis. The kingdom resolved the issue of unifying the various kingdoms that make up the nation by creating a congress and giving each kingdom a say in how the larger collective of kingdoms would be run. Where the Fortisians value individuals and their virtues, Pulicans value camaraderie, teamwork, and live by the rule of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts.

Pulic also sports a well developed education system, but its effectiveness and methods vary from region to region as the individual kingdoms making up Pulic interpret things differently, leading to regions of the nation being specialized in one aspect or another. Some regions value science most of all, and have a statistically higher population of scientists and researchers, others are more militaristic and provide much of the nation's troops.

This diverse mixture of cultures, specialties, and opinions leads to the people of Pulic being very open-minded and laid-back in their attitudes. Their justice system is strict, but undeniably fair, focusing on rehabilitation rather than discipline. They view all wrongdoers as troubled individuals who can be guided to the right path once again, and even give murderers a chance at redemption. The system is quite effective, as Pulic has a very low crime rate, very few prisons, and a booming economy.

On the flip side of the coin however, the system of government Pulic opts to use can be easily bogged down in red tape and politics. Because every member kingdom has a say in every decision, coming to a consensus on anything can sometimes be a slow and arduous process, and while the spirit of mutual assistance usually prevails, sometimes conflicts of interest skew the discussion in the wrong direction. Overall corruption is not a widespread problem, but it exists and it can often cause issues of varying severity

In terms of technology, Pulic is less developed than Fortis, but they have their own specialties which keeps them on par with their neighbors. The excel at the ambush, hit and run, and long range combat that Fortis falters in. They also excel in non-military technology, having one of the most developed infrastructures in the world when it comes to communication and land travel.


Mara

Mara is the kingdom in control of the continent of Ixia. They are run by a loose coalition of powerful merchant groups, technically speaking they have a republic government, but at this point they're largely ceremonial, while all the real power is held by those with wealth and influence over the markets. Thankfully the merchant guilds running the show understand that a healthy and prosperous populace leads to healthy profits for them as well, and don't abuse their power... often... Corruption exists, but is often kept in line by the other merchant guilds

Culturally, Marans like to live in the moment and enjoy the finer things in life. As a nation born out on the sea, they love song, dance, booze, and cursing and flirting like sailors even when they haven't been on a boat for years. Mara is arguably the happiest nation in the world, this is helped by their near impregnable defenses and the introduction of many cultures and technologies by the refugees of the great wars flocking to their lands for safety. Their position at the center of the world, unparalleled naval might, and merchant based culture make them the most prosperous and diverse nation in the world as well. If you're a person looking to make it big, Mara is the place you go to seek your fortune.

Unfortunately wherever there's a booming economy and thriving markets, there's also a healthy black market and criminal underworld. The merchant guilds tend not to interfere too heavily in the criminal dealings of minor merchants and gangs, but they all have a stake in it, however subtly. Organized crime is common, and anything you can't find on legitimate markets, you can find in Mara... if you know who to ask and where to look. However criminals in Mara share a sort of code of honor, they avoid murder whenever possible, they don't steal from refugees or those down on their luck, and they don't drive anyone to ruin if they can help it. Their continued position out of the eyes of the merchant guilds depends upon them not making too big of a fuss. If they were to start murdering freely or driving people into bankruptcy and negatively impacting the economy, they'd find that blind eye the guilds turn for them would focus on the culprits pretty damn fast.

In the end, Mara is a land of businessmen/women, money is status, and status is power. They enjoy good food, good drink, an exciting nightlife to take the edge of a hard day's work. The home of dreamers and free spirits, and of those who aren't afraid to put a bit of work in to make a living for themselves

Arbor

The fourth and final great nation of humanity, located on the forested lands of Silva. They have the least developed system of government, governing generally being left to individual cities, with a grand council overseeing major decisions and taking control in times of crisis. Arborians prefer the simple life, living in their treetop villages, foraging, hunting, and farming for food. They value entertainment technology above military technology, preferring to live free from conflict when possible. It's a quiet, simplistic lifestyle for a kind and generous people.

Arbor as a whole lacks much in the way of defining features. To call it a kingdom like the others isn't entirely accurate, but they still serve an essential role in the world stage. Arborian medicine and food production is second to none in the world, and their exports of these products is essential to the prosperity of the other kingdoms, which have grown almost dependent on importing Arborian food over the years. Over the course of history every nation has attempted to conquer Arbor to seize control of the precious resources it provides, but as peaceful as the people of the nation like to remain, they are not to be trifled with.

Silva is the most dangerous continent that humans inhabit, and its people are strong, intelligent, and masters of the terrain. When push comes to shove, every man, woman, and child can fight as well as ten soldiers by using the terrain to their advantage. They fight with all the ferocity of wild beasts, the cunning of clever hunters, and the stability of the ancient trees that have existed since before humanity came into being. Arbor has been in a total of three wars with the other nations of the world, one each. Once was more than enough for each nation to throw up their hands, give up, and NEVER make the mistake of starting another war with them again.

This peace has fueled the Aborians simplistic and peaceful culture, making it the ideal nation for those who want to simply get away from it all... provided they can deal with the deadly creatures and plants infesting the place.

As mod I certify the information within to be accurate


There are several factions in the world of Seilara that are separate from the nations themselves. They have their own philosophies and agendas, and will act to make their goals a reality, for better or worse. Here I will briefly describe public knowledge about some of the major factions.

Other factions exist, but they are either too small to be worthy of notice, or too obscure for most people to know about. Not every organization wants to sit in the spotlight after all, many are best served by being unnoticed and choosing their members, rather than letting members choose them.


The Brotherhood

General Knowledge - a powerful mercenary organization dedicated to the protection of humanity and extermination of monsters. They specialize in hiring and training mercenaries with special abilities, not accepting any but the very strongest of warriors without such abilities. The Brotherhood operates in a great deal of secrecy, with an unclear chain of command. It sends out its operatives on commando missions or in small teams, giving out only the information needed to do the job. The organization also has a lot of economic and political power in all the nations of the world, using it to make sure they always have the best gear, training, and facilities possible.

Philosophy - Humans who have developed powers are the next step in the evolution of the human race. Those who lack such powers are inferior beings, good only for physical slave labor for the master race that is the evolved humans. While the slaves must be protected, and lip service must be paid to them, they are inferior creatures, and this fact should never be forgotten. That being said, the threat of monsters cannot be ignored, so while we pursue the proper world order, we must also fight to stamp out the beasts whenever we can.

Goals - Nobody actually knows, protecting humanity is the obvious goal, but due to all the secrecy little more is known about them.


The Templars

General Knowledge - few organizations are as zealously dedicated to the extermination of monsters as the Templars. Based in the kingdom of Fortis, these knights spearhead most of humanity's preemptive strikes against monsters in their own territory. The strongest of Templars even hunt monsters on Radix from time to time, though these operations don't always go over very well.

Philosophy - Only by exterminating every last monster can humanity truly be considered safe. Sure some monsters seem content to mind their own business for now, but how long until they attack the innocent and unwary on a whim? How long until another Harbinger comes and begins a third great war? No, allowing even a single monster to live is a risk we cannot afford to take. By our hands, the world shall be cleansed, no matter what tools we must use to do so

Goals - extermination of monsters of all kinds, colonization of the two continents controlled by monsters.


The Merchant Guilds

General Knowledge - There are many guilds in Mara, each of them with their own unique way of doing business and running their territory. They don't take kindly to unaffiliated merchants however, and will stamp out independent competition wherever they can find it. They have immense economic power, and connections everywhere. They are great friends, and deadly enemies.

Philosophy - Money can't buy happiness, but it makes pursuing it a hell of a lot easier. By controlling the markets with our guilds we ensure that no merchant ever gets too far out of control so as to be a threat to the prosperity of the nation. Every major merchant must abide by our rules or be driven out of the market, and our cooperation and competition with other guilds prevents any guild from growing too powerful. By maintaining a rich, prosperous, and (mostly) fair economy, we benefit all of us.

Goals - maintaining economic control of Mara, and by extension the world economy. Keeping the markets open and fair places of competition for all guild merchants and preventing any merchant from growing large enough to monopolize a product and exploit people with it.


The Legion

General Knowledge - a military organization at it's core, believing that the use of bonded objects and the magical abilities they provide is morally wrong, for it makes humans closer to monsters and less like themselves. They fill their ranks with powerful warriors who use their mystic energies for the sole purpose of strengthening their physical abilities, and provide a military force independent of all four kingdoms. This military force exists to keep the peace, and to stand guard against the bonded object users who they feel can't be trusted.

Philosophy - Humans, drunk on the power granted to them through their strange magics, have begun to lose themselves. Monsters have wielded the abilities we now are beginning to access since the dawn of time. It is THEIR power that we are tapping into. If we grow stronger through these abilities and defeat the monsters, will the humans who achieve this be recognizable as human anymore? Where will the line be drawn to separate what is us using our own power and what is us becoming like the monsters we fight? It is a slippery slope that descends into madness and corruption. We of the Legion will not succumb to the temptations of cheap power that corrupts our purity and twists us into the very things we hate. We shall use the mystic energy within us to strengthen our HUMAN bodies, wielding human tools, and developing techniques for all of our race to learn. We shall match the object users in strength without relying on their false power, and when their greed and foolishness consumes them and they become monsters, we shall strike them down in defense of the race we cherish.

Goals - Gaining power through physical training, rather than bonded objects and the like. Defending humanity both from monsters and from power users.

Human abilities


Here are some universal abilities anyone can access
-enhanced physical attributes
- jumping on air and water
- strengthening of weapon durability/effectiveness
- improved recovery time after battles
- repairing a bonded object after a battle in which it was destroyed

So for now onto the main thing, bonded objects

By default, an average human can generally only handle enough mystic energy to support one bonded object, but there have been rumors that some exceptionally powerful warriors may have reached a level where they could handle a second. Other rumors speak of warriors whose bond with an object grew so deep that they achieved an even greater level of power than ever before, gaining the ability to become almost monstrous through their abilities and transcending the limitations of the human body

There is no specific ritual or spell required to create a bonded object, rather the object is one that bears a deep emotional significance for a person that they can carry on their person consistently. Over time, this object becomes saturated in the person's mystical energies, the emotional connection serving as the subconscious conduit for the power. After a certain amount of saturation, the object begins to reciprocate, emitting power of its own that is directly linked to the one it is bonded with. It is this power that then manifests into that person's abilities.

That's the lore aspect of things anyhow, now onto the technical stuff.

The technical stuff

Upon character creation, if you want to start off going for a bonded object (rather than opting not to have one for character reasons) you pick an object that your character has a connection to. You NEED to make sure there's some kind of significant sentimental value attached to it no matter what it is. If you take a flute, then that flute should be a gift from your teacher or lover or family or something. I won't explicitly require you include the object in your character history directly, but you probably should try and work it in for the sake of RP depth and whatnot.

Next up is designing your abilities. At most I'll allow you to start with three abilities unique to your character, they can be expanded upon or added to over time, but that's the hard limit I'm going to put for starters. The abilities can be multi-faceted though, just no more than 3 distinct abilities. Additionally, if you want to have a really powerful ability, you should assume that I might restrict you to less than 3 to compensate, or insist that the other abilities be weaker. It'd be a quality over quantity thing.

Each ability you have should be themed around the object. Taking the flute example again, your abilities should be focused around the music the flute produces, or the body of the flute itself. I'll allow as much creative liberty as I can in this regard, so long as you stick to the theme you picked

Note: depending on how your abilities work, your bonded object may still be vulnerable to attack. Bonded objects are far more durable than a normal object of their kind, but they can be broken. If your object is broken, you lose access to your abilities for the duration of that battle. All humans can reconstitute or repair a bonded object over the course of a few days (namely, in between threads) of meditation and focus.


Progression

In regards to the "rumors" in the lore, there are two paths you can take once you reach an appropriate level of strength (There is not a specific level for this, every person is somewhat different.). These paths are mutually exclusive, you cannot achieve them both and so you must choose which path you wish to walk down. One path involves bonding with another object, the other involves developing your primary bond to a new level, thus making bonding with a new object impossible.

Path 1 -diversification

The first path is simply being able to take on a second bonded object. It needs to be an object with emotional significance again, preferably one that gained said significance through RPing rather than from character backstories. The second object follows the same rules as the first, 3 ability max to start, themed powers, etc...

At first even after achieving a second bond, you won't be able to use them both simultaneously, your skillset will have become more diverse, but you won't immediately be able to combine them to completely revolutionize your fighting style. Through training, you'll eventually reach a level where you can indeed use them both simultaneously, creating a fighting style that is truly your own (unless someone else somehow picked the exact same 2 objects and picked abilities that were almost exactly the same as yours in theme)

Path 2 - ascension

This path is harder to achieve, but arguably even more rewarding. Once you reach a certain level, and have bonded with your object even more than before (either through RPing drama stuff or simply because you're using it in battle all the time for so long), the bond you have with it evolves into something much more potent, granting you a "stage two" of your power.

With this achievement your "stage 1" abilities don't change, though they become a bit more powerful. However you also gain a new set of 3 abilities and a transformation. This transformation involves you physically and spiritually fusing with your object for a time, assuming a new form that is somewhere between human and monster. It's up to you exactly what this will entail for you in terms of appearance. While in your ascended form, your physical abilities are appropriately enhanced by your new physique, and you can access both your stage 1 and your stage 2 abilities. Stage 2 abilities are significantly more powerful than stage 1 abilities, can only be utilized while transformed, and have a lot more leeway in terms of how OP they can be while still getting the stamp of approval from me.

This transformation carries some limitations and drawbacks however. For one thing, the transformation is extremely taxing, especially at first. So the time you can remain in the ascended form will be limited at first, with those time limits becoming progressively more lenient.

Secondly, all ascended transformations share a common risk for their users. The transformation into something that isn't quite human can very easily lead to personality changes while in the form and the loss of humanity while transformed. What this entails precisely can vary based on your own abilities and the nature of the transformation, but it will take discipline and training to master the form and keep it under control without any negative changes.

Furthermore, certain powerful monsters have the ability to command others to do their bidding, humans are typically able to resist these commands in most cases, but while you are in your transformed state you will be more susceptible to such commands, as you have become something that is much closer to being a monster yourself. Using this form in the presence of an enemy with such abilities can be dangerous.

Character Creation
Human Template

--General--

Full Name: What is the birth given name given to you by your care takers?
Alias: What is the name others know you by?
Age: What is your actual age?
Age Appearance: What age do you look like?

Residence: Where do you live?
Job: What is your job?

Gender: Male or Female?
Species: This is obvious if you are using this template.

Alignment: Are you good, evil, or neutral?
Faction: Do you belong to a Faction?

--Appearance--

Picture: A picture may be placed here.

Physical Description: What do you look like physically? Any marking such as tattoos, scars, piercings, etc?

Clothing: What kind of clothes do you like to wear?

Armor: Any Armor? If so, use the following spoiler to list and describe each piece.
[spoil]Armor Type: Where does the armor go?
Appearance: What does the armor look like?
Armor History: How did you obtain your Armor?[/spoil]

Weapons: Any Weapons? If so, use the following spoiler to list and describe them:
[spoil]Weapon Name: Does your weapon have a name?
Appearance: What does your weapon look like?
Weapon History: How did you obtain your weapon?[/spoil]

Miscellaneous Equipment/Items: Any items you may carry around that serve a function other than as armor or weapon.
[spoil]Item/Function: What is the item and its' typical purpose?
Appearance: What does your item look like?
Item History: How did you obtain your item?[/spoil]



Bonded Object
Object - What is the object you have bonded with
Appearance - What does the object look like?
Source of Bond - What is your emotional connection to the object?
Powers Choose a maximum of 3 to start, remember the powers must be related to the object thematically, and the stronger the power the more severe the drawbacks should be

Ability Name:
Ability Description:
Ability Drawbacks

--Important Information--

Personality: What are you like?

Likes: What do you like?
Dislikes: What don't you like?

Strengths: What makes you strong? Possibly a loved one?
Weaknesses: What makes you weak? Death and destruction possibly?

Skills: What kind of special skills do you have that you have learned over the years?
Talents: Do you have any talents, such as acrobatics, that you are naturally good at?

Motto: What is your life Motto?
Goal: What is your Goal in life?

Music Video: If you have a song, you may place it here.

History: What is your history?


Stats

Level - Ranging from 1 to 7, this is an overall display of your abilities in tiers. These levels grant a general sense of your character's overall strength in comparison to others. Each level up is a larger gap than the last. (the gap between a 4 and a 5 is larger than a 1 and a 2, and the gap between 6 and 7 even greater still). Which is not to say a level 4 cannot beat a level 5 under the right circumstances (or any other example, 3 beating a 4, 5 beating a 6, etc...).

Stats Radar - This is a NON-COMPARATIVE graph that is used to represent your character's general strengths and weaknesses. Mods/Co-Mods can handle creating the radar graphs, but for those who are self-sufficient, we offer this link: chachart.net/radar?lang=en

Physical

Strength - pretty self explanatory here, how much you can lift, how hard you punch, etc...

Speed - Also pretty simple, some people are faster than others, especially in this world where mystic energies can enhance your speed or reflexes greatly.

Durability - both a measure of how long you can fight without getting fatigued, and just how much punishment your character can withstand before going down

Skill - How good you are with your equipment. Are you a master of a sword? Or maybe you're a marksman who can shoot off the wing of a fly without killing it from a mile away? This stat reflects that.

Spiritual

Intelligence - very self explanatory for the most part. This stat also affects how much information you can get out of me or a mod in various situations. An intelligent character will notice more of the results of their actions for example, or be better at sizing up an enemy NPC, getting more accurate and precise information on their stats. An unintelligent character may misjudge an enemy, or perceive their actions and the results of them incorrectly (or simply not notice things)

Mystic - The amount of mystic energy your body produces and/or can access. This stat is like strength, but for your abilities

Channeling - How well you can utilize your Mystic Reserves efficiently. It tends to act as a form of endurance for your abilities, but it can also be utilized to grant an increase to your physical abilities. Humans cannot naturally tap into their mystic reserves without bonded objects, or training, and as such this stat mainly affects your abilities. Humans who have received special training can utilize channeling to enhance their physical abilities like monsters, but this requires much more focus upon the human's part as opposed to monsters, and cannot be used passively without abilities.










[b]--General--[/b]

[b]Full Name[/b]: What is the birth given name given to you by your care takers?
[b]Alias[/b]: What is the name others know you by?
[b]Age[/b]: What is your actual age?
[b]Age Appearance[/b]: What age do you look like?

[b]Residence[/b]: Where do you live? Obviously
[b]Job[/b]: What is your job?

[b]Gender[/b]: Male or Female?
[b]Species[/b]: This is obvious if you are using this template.

[b]Alignment[/b]: Are you good, evil, or neutral?
[b]Faction[/b]: Do you belong to a Faction?

[b]--Appearance--[/b]

[b]Picture[/b]: A picture may be placed here.

[b]Physical Description[/b]: What do you look like physically? Any marking such as tattoos, scars, piercings, etc?

[b]Clothing[/b]: What kind of clothes do you like to wear?

[b]Armor[/b]: Any Armor? If so, use the following spoiler to list and describe each piece.
[spoil][b]Armor Type[/b]: Where does the armor go?
[b]Appearance[/b]: What does the armor look like?
[b]Armor History[/b]: How did you obtain your Armor?[/spoil]

[b]Weapons[/b]: Any Weapons? If so, use the following spoiler to list and describe them:
[spoil][b]Weapon Name[/b]: Does your weapon have a name?
[b]Appearance[/b]: What does your weapon look like?
[b]Weapon History[/b]: How did you obtain your weapon?[/spoil]

[b]Miscellaneous Equipment/Items[/b]: Any items you may carry around that serve a function other than as armor or weapon.
[spoil][b]Item/Function[/b]: What is the item and its' typical purpose?
[b]Appearance[/b]: What does your item look like?
[b]Item History[/b]: How did you obtain your item?[/spoil]



[b][u]Bonded Object[/u][/b]
[u]Object[/u] - What is the object you have bonded with
[u]Appearance[/u] - What does the object look like?
[u]Source of Bond[/u] - What is your emotional connection to the object?
[u]Powers[/u] Choose a maximum of 3 to start, remember the powers must be related to the object thematically, and the stronger the power the more severe the drawbacks should be

[u]Ability Name: [/u]
[u]Ability Description:[/u]
[u]Ability Drawbacks[/u]

[b]--Important Information--[/b]

[b]Personality[/b]: What are you like?

[b]Likes[/b]: What do you like?
[b]Dislikes[/b]: What don't you like?

[b]Strengths[/b]: What makes you strong? Possibly a loved one?
[b]Weaknesses[/b]: What makes you weak? Death and destruction possibly?

[b]Skills[/b]: What kind of special skills do you have that you have learned over the years?
[b]Talents[/b]: Do you have any talents, such as acrobatics, that you are naturally good at?

[b]Motto[/b]: What is your life Motto?
[b]Goal[/b]: What is your Goal in life?

[b]Music Video[/b]: If you have a song, you may place it here.

[b]History[/b]: What is your history?

[b][u]Stats[/u][/b]

[u]Level [/u] - Your level represents your overall ability in comparison to others.  These levels grant a general sense of your character's overall strength in comparison to others. Each level up is a larger gap than the last. (the gap between a 4 and a 5 is larger than a 1 and a 2, and the gap between 6 and 7 even greater still).  Which is not to say a level 4 cannot beat a level 5 under the right circumstances (or any other example, 3 beating a 4, 5 beating a 6, etc...).

[u]Stat Graph[/u] - This is where a picture of your radar graph will go for your stats.  Stats are [i][u]NOT COMARIATIVE[/u][/i], meaning that the radar is more a means to get a general measure of your overall strengths and weaknesses.  Moderators/Co-Moderators can handle creating the graph in your stead, but for those who wish to make it themselves we provide this link.  [url]https://chachart.net/radar?lang=en[/url]

[b]Physical[/b]

[u]Strength[/u] - pretty self explanatory here, how much you can lift, how hard you punch, etc...

[u]Speed[/u] - Also pretty simple, some people are faster than others, especially in this world where mystic energies can enhance your speed or reflexes greatly.

[u]Durability[/u] - both a measure of how long you can fight without getting fatigued, and just how much punishment your character can withstand before going down

[u]Skill [/u]- How good you are with your equipment. Are you a master of a sword? Or maybe you're a marksman who can shoot off the wing of a fly without killing it from a mile away? This stat reflects that.

[b]Spiritual[/b]

[u]Intelligence[/u] - very self explanatory for the most part. This stat also affects how much information you can get out of me or a mod in various situations. An intelligent character will notice more of the results of their actions for example, or be better at sizing up an enemy NPC, getting more accurate and precise information on their stats. An unintelligent character may misjudge an enemy, or perceive their actions and the results of them incorrectly (or simply not notice things)

[u]Mystic Reserves[/u] - The amount of mystic energy your body produces and/or can access. This stat is like strength, but for your abilities

[u]Channeling [/u] - How well you can utilize your Mystic Reserves efficiently.  It tends to act as a form of endurance for your abilities, but it can also be utilized to grant an increase to your physical abilities.  Humans cannot naturally tap into their mystic reserves without bonded objects, or training, and as such this stat mainly affects your abilities.  Humans who have received special training can utilize channeling to enhance their physical abilities like monsters, but this requires much more focus upon the human's part as opposed to monsters, and cannot be used passively without abilities.









--------
Monster Template



--General--

Full Name: What is the birth given name given to you by your care takers? Or the name you gave yourself depending on your upbringing
Alias: What is the name others know you by?
Age: What is your actual age?


Residence: Where do you live? Obviously


Gender: Male or Female?
Species: What kind of monster are you?

Alignment: Are you good, evil, or neutral?
Faction: Do you belong to a Faction?

--Appearance--

Picture: A picture may be placed here.

Physical Description: What do you look like physically? Any marking such as tattoos, scars, piercings, etc?

Clothing: What kind of clothes do you like to wear?(if any)


Abilities

Physical Powers Select a maximum of 3, these powers must be linked to your monster physiology in some capacity, however they do not automatically need to have drawbacks

Ability name -
Body part -
Ability description -

Spiritual Powers Select a maximum of 3, these powers are supernatural effects you have consciously developed with your mystic energy, and do not need to be linked to any specific thing so long as they logically make sense for your monster to develop.

Ability name -
Ability description -
Ability drawbacks -

--Important Information--

Personality: What are you like?

Likes: What do you like?
Dislikes: What don't you like?

Strengths: What makes you strong? Possibly a loved one?
Weaknesses: What makes you weak? Death and destruction possibly?

Skills: What kind of special skills do you have that you have learned over the years?
Talents: Do you have any talents, such as acrobatics, that you are naturally good at?

Motto: What is your life Motto?
Goal: What is your Goal in life?

Music Video: If you have a song, you may place it here.

History: What is your history?

Stats

Level - Your level represents your overall ability in comparison to others. These levels grant a general sense of your character's overall strength in comparison to others. Each level up is a larger gap than the last. (the gap between a 4 and a 5 is larger than a 1 and a 2, and the gap between 6 and 7 even greater still). Which is not to say a level 4 cannot beat a level 5 under the right circumstances (or any other example, 3 beating a 4, 5 beating a 6, etc...).

Stat Graph - This is where a picture of your radar graph will go for your stats. Stats are NOT COMARIATIVE, meaning that the radar is more a means to get a general measure of your overall strengths and weaknesses. Moderators/Co-Moderators can handle creating the graph in your stead, but for those who wish to make it themselves we provide this link. chachart.net/radar?lang=en

Physical

Strength - pretty self explanatory here, how much you can lift, how hard you punch, etc...

Speed - Also pretty simple, some people are faster than others, especially in this world where mystic energies can enhance your speed or reflexes greatly.

Durability - both a measure of how long you can fight without getting fatigued, and just how much punishment your character can withstand before going down. If the monster has defensive scales, quills, etc... this stat will also determine exactly how durable/potent those features are.

Skill - How good you are with your physical features. How efficient are you with your strikes? Perhaps you can fire quills out and strike a bird down mid flight? Maybe you can use your tail as an appendage, or perhaps you can use tools just as effectively as humans. This stat reflects that.


Spiritual

Intelligence - very self explanatory for the most part. This stat also affects how much information you can get out of me or a mod in various situations. An intelligent character will notice more of the results of their actions for example, or be better at sizing up an enemy NPC, getting more accurate and precise information on their stats. An unintelligent character may misjudge an enemy, or perceive their actions and the results of them incorrectly (or simply not notice things). This also innately affects a monster's instincts as they respond to their environment far more than humans might.

Intelligence serves a secondary function for monsters. More intelligent monsters often develop the ability to control less intelligent ones through verbal or telepathic commands. The more intelligent the monster the stronger this ability becomes, enabling them to affect more monsters at once and exert greater degrees of control. On the flip side, the intelligence serves as a defensive against this kind of control.

Mystic - The amount of mystic energy your body produces and/or can access. This stat is like strength, but for your abilities

Channeling - How well you can utilize your Mystic Reserves efficiently. It tends to act as a form of endurance for your abilities, but it can also be utilized to grant an increase to your physical abilities. Monsters passively enhance their physical abilities with this stat, and as such they can be far stronger than their appearance might imply.




[b]--General--[/b]

[b]Full Name[/b]: What is the birth given name given to you by your care takers? Or the name you gave yourself depending on your upbringing
[b]Alias[/b]: What is the name others know you by?
[b]Age[/b]: What is your actual age?


[b]Residence[/b]: Where do you live? Obviously


[b]Gender[/b]: Male or Female?
[b]Species[/b]: What kind of monster are you?

[b]Alignment[/b]: Are you good, evil, or neutral?
[b]Faction[/b]: Do you belong to a Faction?

[b]--Appearance--[/b]

[b]Picture[/b]: A picture may be placed here.

[b]Physical Description[/b]: What do you look like physically? Any marking such as tattoos, scars, piercings, etc?

[b]Clothing[/b]: What kind of clothes do you like to wear?(if any)


[u][b]Abilities[/b][/u]

[u]Physical Powers[/u] Select a maximum of 3, these powers must be linked to your monster physiology in some capacity, however they do not automatically need to have drawbacks

[u]Ability name[/u] -
[u]Body part[/u] -
[u]Ability description[/u] -

[u]Spiritual Powers[/u] Select a maximum of 3, these powers are supernatural effects you have consciously developed with your mystic energy, and do not need to be linked to any specific thing so long as they logically make sense for your monster to develop.

[u]Ability name[/u] -
[u]Ability description[/u] -
[u]Ability drawbacks[/u] -

[b]--Important Information--[/b]

[b]Personality[/b]: What are you like?

[b]Likes[/b]: What do you like?
[b]Dislikes[/b]: What don't you like?

[b]Strengths[/b]: What makes you strong? Possibly a loved one?
[b]Weaknesses[/b]: What makes you weak? Death and destruction possibly?

[b]Skills[/b]: What kind of special skills do you have that you have learned over the years?
[b]Talents[/b]: Do you have any talents, such as acrobatics, that you are naturally good at?

[b]Motto[/b]: What is your life Motto?
[b]Goal[/b]: What is your Goal in life?

[b]Music Video[/b]: If you have a song, you may place it here.

[b]History[/b]: What is your history?

[b][u]Stats[/u][/b]

[u]Level [/u] - Your level represents your overall ability in comparison to others.  These levels grant a general sense of your character's overall strength in comparison to others. Each level up is a larger gap than the last. (the gap between a 4 and a 5 is larger than a 1 and a 2, and the gap between 6 and 7 even greater still).  Which is not to say a level 4 cannot beat a level 5 under the right circumstances (or any other example, 3 beating a 4, 5 beating a 6, etc...).

[u]Stat Graph[/u] - This is where a picture of your radar graph will go for your stats.  Stats are [i][u]NOT COMARIATIVE[/u][/i], meaning that the radar is more a means to get a general measure of your overall strengths and weaknesses.  Moderators/Co-Moderators can handle creating the graph in your stead, but for those who wish to make it themselves we provide this link.  [url]https://chachart.net/radar?lang=en[/url]

[b]Physical[/b]

[u]Strength[/u] - pretty self explanatory here, how much you can lift, how hard you punch, etc...

[u]Speed[/u] - Also pretty simple, some people are faster than others, especially in this world where mystic energies can enhance your speed or reflexes greatly.

[u]Durability[/u] - both a measure of how long you can fight without getting fatigued, and just how much punishment your character can withstand before going down. If the monster has defensive scales, quills, etc... this stat will also determine exactly how durable/potent those features are.

[u]Skill[/u] - How good you are with your physical features. How efficient are you with your strikes?  Perhaps you can fire quills out and strike a bird down mid flight?  Maybe you can use your tail as an appendage, or perhaps you can use tools just as effectively as humans.  This stat reflects that.


[b]Spiritual[/b]

[u]Intelligence[/u] - very self explanatory for the most part. This stat also affects how much information you can get out of me or a mod in various situations. An intelligent character will notice more of the results of their actions for example, or be better at sizing up an enemy NPC, getting more accurate and precise information on their stats. An unintelligent character may misjudge an enemy, or perceive their actions and the results of them incorrectly (or simply not notice things).  This also innately affects a monster's instincts as they respond to their environment far more than humans might.

Intelligence serves a secondary function for monsters. More intelligent monsters often develop the ability to control less intelligent ones through verbal or telepathic commands. The more intelligent the monster the stronger this ability becomes, enabling them to affect more monsters at once and exert greater degrees of control. On the flip side, the intelligence serves as a defensive against this kind of control.

[u]Mystic[/u] - The amount of mystic energy your body produces and/or can access. This stat is like strength, but for your abilities

[u]Channeling[/u] - How well you can utilize your Mystic Reserves efficiently.  It tends to act as a form of endurance for your abilities, but it can also be utilized to grant an increase to your physical abilities.  Monsters passively enhance their physical abilities with this stat, and as such they can be far stronger than their appearance might imply.