Welcome to Gaia! ::

This is the basic introduction thread to this grand roleplay.

Welcome to Kingsreach. It's not as regal as you'd think, with a name like that. Set upon the northern coast of the continent of Draegoth, and part of the Kingdom of Northridge, Kingsreach is one of five port towns within Northridge, and probably the most important of all of them, but also the most dangerous to get into. Kingsreach is north enough that ice floes prove to be the most hazardous things in the ocean. It's usually cold all year 'round in Kingsreach, with a mild summer that might thaw some of the ice for about two months, but any longer than that is unheard of.

Kingsreach itself is home to a few noble houses, most of which claim riches from the vast seas, their predecessors making fortunes off of shipwreck finds out in the ice floes of the northern sea. Kingsreach is booming with a mercantile populous, with various fishermen, spinsters, potters, smiths, and other such professions being the most affluent. There are a few mines outside of Kingsreach's walls, digging deep into Draegoth's soil, and fewer farms, most of which grow hardy medicinal plants and a few strong plants used in cooking. All grain is imported from nearby cities from the south of Northridge, as are most other products from the soil.

The city of Kingsreach is iconic. It is a square keep, and rather large, with the walls on every side save for the east side of the keep, which bears only partial walls flanking the docks. Kingsreach's walls are built from large gray stones, with most of the interior important structures (the regent's home (i.e. the inner keep), the temple, etc) built of the same material. Most other homes within the keep are built of wood.

The keep itself is divided into several districts: the Noble District, two Common Districts (North and South), the Market District, the Docks, the Inner Keep, and of course the Slums. Both Common Districts and the Noble District have temples in each, allowing for worship to go on. The god of choice for Northridge is the Allfather, the god of all creation, wisdom, and prosperity. Each district also has a guards' barracks, which also includes a small prison. The larger prison is located within the Inner Keep.

The currency used in Northridge's towns and cities is called a Northridge Crown, which has no smaller parts. Northridge Crowns are silver coins, about the size of a nickel, stamped with the symbol of Northridge (a large hammer) on one side, and a picture of the current King on the other. The earliest Northridge Crowns bear the face of King Everhardt Northridge I, who lived five centuries ago before the Great Expansion.

A map of Kingsreach: Kingsreach, an overview

But there are dark tidings in Kingsreach. Whispers of dark, unholy magics creeping in, and of course trouble is always brewing, as far as the Guilds are concerned...

Make the best of your stay. It might not be a long one.


A Few Laws and Penalties of Kingsreach:

Boiled down to layman's terms:
Don't Steal: Failure to comply will result in jail time.
Don't Kill: This includes dueling. Guards have the right to use force to break up a duel. Failure to comply will result in execution.
No Trespassing: Any citizen who is found trespassing (especially at odd hours) on someone else's property is subject to imprisonment and questioning.
Curfew: In order to attempt to put a halt to the activity of the Thieves' Guilds, the Regent has seen it fit to instill a curfew after midnight. Citizens caught outside their homes between midnight and dawn without a legitimate emergency face imprisonment and interrogation.

PLEASE NOTE: The only magic that exists in this game is possessed by the priests. Priests of the Allfather have a slight ability to heal, curse poisons and disease and so forth. This service comes at a price. No other magic exists (as of yet).

The landscape of the Guilds is ever-changing. Many have hideouts, codes of conduct, a secret password or greeting, or some such thing. They will be discussed below.

Blackblades

The oldest and most prosperous of all the Thieves' Guild, this guild is also home to some of the more laid-back bandits you'd meet. Most are not concerned with bloodshed so much as remaining unseen and making money from stolen goods. While they will resort to violence in a pinch, they are not unknown to render potential threats unconscious, instead of killing them. Blackblade thieves specialize in stealth and theft. Blackblade thieves can be identified by a small obsidian talisman they bear, which they generally conceal until they need it. The Blackblades have a cozy home in the North Common District and have operations in the Market. They occasionally contest the Spinesevers for the Docks.

Blackblade Ranks:

Leader
Lieutenant
(Other positions are of equal rank and include Enforcer, Acquisitions, Spy and other specialized positions. Be creative.)

Spinesevers

Spinesevers are a rowdy lot. While smaller than the Blackblade guild, Spinesevers are known for brutal acts of violence, public muggings, and rape. Spinesevers have no real code of conduct, no real knack for stealth, and often carry larger weapons than Blackblade thieves. Spinesevers often care less for profit and remaining anonymous than random acts of violence and bloodshed. Spinesevers are identified by a piece of spinal column that they carry on a string that they keep concealed until it is needed. The Spinesevers currently rule the Docks and are constantly contesting the Redhands for control of the Southern Common District.

Spinesever Ranks:

Leader
Right-Hand Man
(Other specialized positions also exist, with most being equal importance and rank. These include Butchers, Enforcers, Persuaders and Breakers. Others exist, like in Blackblades.)

Redhands

Redhands are rogues that found themselves unhappy with both the Blackblades and the Spinesevers. They're moderate people when it comes to stealing and thievery, murder and other such endeavors, but are highly obsessed with their deviate Goddess, which they do not name. The worship of this Goddess entails rituals involving the blood of virgins, human and animal sacrifice, and hallucinogenic fumes and herbs. Redhands are marked by a tattoo on their left hand, which is a red, outstretched palm. This is easily concealed by gloves and only exposed when needed, as the northern climates allow gloves to be worn all year. The Redhands currently rule in the Slums, and are attempting to take over the Southern Common District.

Redhand Ranks:

High Priest(ess) of the Goddess
Divine Channelers
Ritual Leaders
Laypeople

The Organization

The Organization is a small group of rogues. These rogues were selected by the council of five men and women that run The Organization. This is perhaps the most well-known and yet hardest to find 'guild' of them all. The Organization is less of a guild and more of a mercenary service. The Organization provides services to those looking to acquire certain objects, information, or to render someone (or multiple someones) lifeless. For these tasks The Organization selects only the most elite and cunning of rogues. Contacting The Organization is difficult if not impossible, but The Organization still manages to find jobs amongst the nobility and common man alike, creating a name for itself for being swift and merciless in their tasks. As such, getting into this group of rogues is impossible, and it is not uncommon for rogues within The Organization to not know one another. Nobody knows where The Organization is based, and most presume that their headquarters moves from location to location over time. There is no identifying mark that marks one as a member of The Organization, for it is so small that The Organization's council knows every member by name and face.

Joining a Guild

Joining any of the first three is a task in and of itself. The Blackblades and Spinesevers are generally easy enough to get into: you're given a trial task (differing from guild to guild and day to day), and if you succeed, you get another task, then another. Three trials is the norm for Blackblades and Spinesevers. Redhands are far more difficult. One must first swear allegiance to their Goddess, and then undergo an initiation ritual, in which there is ritual scarring, bloodletting, and of course the matter of the Redhand tattoo being placed upon the back of the palm. Oh, and you don't get into the Organization. There's no application process. They find you, simple as that.

Leaving a Guild

Some guilds could care less if you left. Leaving the Blackblades is something few ever do. However it is not forbidden to leave the guild of Blackblades, unless of course you openly state that you're leaving for another guild (then they might have problems wink ). Spinesever deserters are considered such, and if a known deserter is found by another Spinesever, they are usually killed in a brutal (and often public) fashion. Redhand deserters are treated in a similar fashion, but are generally sacrificed. However it is not unknown for some to simply slip away, from any guild, and join another.

Creating a Guild

Some rogues may see it fit to strike out on their own and make a guild. In order to be truly recognized as a guild, rather than a common street gang, one must have a certain number of thieves under their command, a symbol, a guild name, and of course a hideout (or hideouts) and territory. Keep in mind that each district is massive, and multiple guilds can inhabit the same district. (If you do wish to create a guild using your character, please PM me and we can discuss it)

The World of Rogues

Stolen goods often don't stay in the hands of the rogue for more than a day or two. In each district (save for perhaps the Noble District), there are multiple Fences, at which rogues of a certain guild can sell their goods for Obsidian Pennies, which is the guild currency (This is an old Blackblade tradition that other guilds have adopted simply for simplicity's sake). Some Fences will also distribute Crowns for stolen goods, though this is uncommon. Obsidian Pennies are useless at any typical vendor, but there are some stores that cater specifically to rogues, selling tools and other useful items that could have a questionable legality about them. Obsidian Pennies are used as currency at any rogue-specific vendor, having approximately five to seven times the value of a Northridge Crown, depending on the vendor and what the legal situation looks like.