(no subject)
PREMISE:
THE BEGINNING:
● THE "EXPERIMENT"
Just prior to the game's opening, an experiment was conducted by Solinth's finest Academics. Their goal? To create the most powerful weapon any of the city-states had ever seen. After generations of tireless war with the neighboring territories of Avatica, Solinth would at last have the upper hand and ensure their continued safety and prosperity.
That was the story, as far as anyone knew. However a cunningly concealed plot started Solinth down the path to its demise as the Academics rigged their machine to instead serve another purpose - dragging foreign souls from other worlds into their own. Offical reports said the incident was an accident, a mistake, something that they knew not how to reverse.
The last of these statements was true, they could not send these new foreigners home. And, in fact, it suited the Academics well enough to leave the situation as it was. What greater distraction for their military than the continuous maverick flow of new beings into their world?
● WHAT HAPPENED
Following the failed weapons test that was held in the city of Solace, people from other worlds began appearing everywhere. Some of them awoke in the streets, others in store rooms, bedrooms, closets. There seemed to be no rhyme or reason to their arrivals, and as more arrived who actually knew one another consistency dwindled still further.
Those from shared worlds did not always share the memories they should, in fact making their anomalous appearances ever stranger.
With word of these happenings the King of Solinth dispatched his Generals to see to the ensured order and safety of the old capital, through whatever means necessary.
● COLLARS
The first measures taken by the Generals were to take away weapons from new arrivals before they awoke, and to place on each a collar. Those who arrived in the city in the first months since the experiment were given metallic collars, thick obtrusive things with symbols like those from a suit of cards enscribed into them.
As time wore on these collars proved to have a number of functions, not all of which were convenient to the foreigners forced to wear them. First these collars translated all languages to one common, shared tongue, which all were thence able to understand. While this robbed foreigners of the ability to speak their native language they were still able to write it, notably in journals each foreigner recieved upon their arrival. Less to the liking of these foreigners, the collars nullified all powers present within or exerted upon them, regardless of form. Worse, collars attracted errant magical energies which often resulted in strange side effects for the wearers.
With the passage of months so too came a change in the collars, the unwieldy metal replaced instead with enchanted marks much resembling tattoos with their assigned suit emblazoned in the center. These collars allowed the use of benign or helpful powers, including regeneration and healing, as well as the weakest forms of other abilities.
As of December, Solinth's collars have ceased to function properly and are replaced with new ones, detailed below in Avatica's treatment of foreigners section.
● JOURNALS
While being robbed of their weapons and given a collar that simply wouldn't come off, foreigners were bestowed a single gift. By all appearances a palm-sized book, journals didn't seem terribly useful until their new owners picked them up. When handled by their bearer they unlocked, becoming full size books full of blank pages.
At least, until they started seeing each other's writing in them. As it turned out these magical books formed a network, allowing foreigners to communicate amongst themselves through written and verbal means from any location within the city. Unfortunately as with all magic in Solace these journals proved capricious, sometimes recording at inopportune moments.
THE STORY THUS FAR:
● FIRST MONTHS
During the early period after foreigners first arrived, tension was high between the native population and the growing number of foreigners. Displeased with not only being torn from their worlds but further confined to the city and beyond that collared, many foreigners took an immediate dislike to the soldiers put in charge of them.
This feeling was mutual enough, for the Generals were equally disinterested in babysitting people that weren't their own. Those who lived in Solace feared these foreign people, not only because of their alien nature but the rumors that surrounded them, many concerned with the strange powers that had been so carefully suppressed.
Strange magics afflicted the foreign population with all manner of ills, some of which spilled over the city itself. At first causing bewilderment and fear these bizarre occurrences started to become commonplace for those foreigners who had been in the city for an extended period, although...sometimes what they were forced to experience was too painful to simply shrug off.
In times like these some foreigners succumbed to madness, attacked and murdered anyone who crossed their path. And as a result for their crimes they were punished, which only further roused the ire of the offworld populace.
The young man known as the Black General at the time took a venture and employed some of these foreigners, attempting through some means to improve the relationship between the two sides. It did appear, after all, that they would be spending quite a bit of time together.
This arrangement resulted in the formation of the Black Guard, the first set of foreigners allowed into the Solinthian military. Shortly thereafter the Grey General follwed suit and employed soldiers, and it seemed this was just in time for the first great struggle the city would endure.
● PIRATE RAID
After only a handful of months being forced to coexist, abruptly natives and foreigners were forced to band together when a fleet of pirate ships beset the city. While airships darkened the skies pirates descended and attacked, first turning their attention to sacking the city. They torched stores and residences alike, looting the place as they fought soldiers and bombed the streets.
In the midst of the chaos they also broke the power source for the collars, unwittingly restoring foreigners to their former powers as well as former curses. This turned some of the foreign population against each other, while others drove back the pirates with increased force.
It was at this time that the pirates' strategy changed. Instead of focusing on goods they instead turned their attention to a newer, more valuable commodity: the foreigners themselves. With the use of mechanical hounds they sought to capture these strangers and to a small extent were successful, but ultimately they were defeated and captives reclaimed.
After this mutual struggle the people of Solace began to warm up to the foreigners and were less wary of them. Some understanding had been gained, and as a result the Generals made the collars less restrictive.
● WAR BREAKS OUT
Though it seemed at least that coexistence had become reasonable for those dwelling in Solace, the peace was not to last. Collars started to malfunction and channeled strange effects in a sporradic fashion, which got worse and worse as Winter set in. These problems worsened as the Generals and the city itself began to fall under similar influence, confusion building upon itself.
As this predicament reached its peak, certain foreigners overheard Solace's Academics whispering amongst themselves about plans that did not seem to bode well for them. Shortly thereafter monsters attacked from within the city's confines. They were stopped by the shared efforts of natives and foreigners once more, but uneasiness did not rest.
When strange, more advanced airships appeared in the heavens, it seemed their worries were well-founded. War was upon them, brought to their doorstep by Solinth's neighboring rival Avatica. The battle was a bitter one, foreigners once more given use of their powers but finding Avaticans had somehow managed to replicate these abilities.
Though the people within Solace fought valiantly it was for naught - Solinth's capital, Sinnet, fell. Not long thereafter Solace was defeated as well, overpowered by Avatica's force of numbers and the use of monsters that appeared to be from the same worlds as several of the foreigners.
To end the battle after Solace's military force was crushed, Avatica utilized a power that made all foreigners on ground level lose consciousness. Following this they captured any foreign persons they could find.
● AVATICAN POPULATION
Foreigners woke to find themselves caged, their clothing and equipment taken from them while they'd slept. They found themselves in uniformly white clothes of ill-fitted design, left only with their journals and the transmissions therein. They were also left with the losses they had suffered; a number of individuals perished, including the Black General who had selected a foreigner as his replacement.
Some had, however, managed to escape. Those not native to the world who had died returned to a city they couldn't remember, unwittingly free. Others had chosen to capture an Avatican airship in the hope of doing damage to their enemies, but with the change of situation they instead formed a resistance group, collecting new arrivals whenever they could and consolidating their resources.
One week after the dust had settled, foreigners were segmented into groups based upon the observation of researchers who had spent the time lurking outside their cages. Some foreigners were deemed harmless, others useful, yet others suitable only for experimentation, and a few became turncoats, bargaining their loyalty for whatever it was they sought to secure.
An Avatican Captain made her presence known then, giving the turncoats their first assignment. That mission was to capture the insurgent group that had taken over one of the fleet's ships, and to quell further possible conflict. The turncoats set out on the mission and the Captain made changes to the brutish treatment captured foreigners were recieving, with falthering efficacy.
Foreigners were given their own rooms (a privilege previously bestowed only opon turncoats) and were no longer to be treated roughly, whether the soldiers resented the loss of their comrades or not. This transition was completed shortly before a few foreigners were rescued, and just in time for most of the rebel group to be brought to the prison wing of the Avatican flagship to be isolated from the others.
And with this we come to our present scene.
SETTING:
SOLINTH:
● OLD CAPITAL: SOLACE
Solace is known as the Old Capital and the White City. It is the former capital of the city-state of Solinth ever since the last war with Avatica fifteen years hence. Though it was sacked at the time, Solace had been restored to its former beauty, pristine white buildings capped with green tile rooftops and roses climbing walls.
Although it is no longer the capital it is still a key city for commerce and trade, and houses the best known university in the territory. As such, many feel that Solinth has two capitals.
● GEOGRAPHY
Solinth controls a landlocked fertile region rimmed by mountains on three sides. Many rivers cut their way through this vast green expanse and the weather is often mild, though since the day of the experiment the land has seen more extremes. Dense forests lie between this expansive valley and the mountains beyond, further outlining the shared border Solinth has with Avatica.
● KNOWN HISTORY
Little has been revealed to the foreign population about the history of Solinth thus far. What is known is that their land has had a series of Kings and Generals that spans numerous generations, and that their rivalry with Avatica has been a long and bitter one.
● POLITICAL STRUCTURE
Solinth is, as stated before, a city-state. That means that a main city controls the region surrounding it, and that makes it quite the same as a medieval kingdom. The ruler of Solinth, up to the time of his death, was a King. His family is believed to have been chosen by the world's Goddess to rule the land, and thus only one from his line should ascend to the throne.
Directly below the sovereign in terms of power are the Generals who answer only to the monarch and each control a portion of the standing army. Below this are lords and nobles, after which follow the merchant class and commoners.
● GENERALS
There are and have been three Generals in Solinth for as long as any historical records show. Each has their own symbolic color (black, white, and grey) and all of their subordinates' uniforms reflect just which General they happen to serve. When a General passes away their replacement is usually selected by the current ruler of Solinth, but on occasion they are recommended by a General.
Currently two of the Generals are natives, and one is a foreigner.
● TECHNOLOGY
In Solinth, technology takes a backseat to arcane magic, and thus the two are often mingled. While Solinth has airships these are not of the same design as the neighboring Avatica, the vast majority crafted with wood and sails like those at sea. Power largely comes from steam technology, obtrusive piping spiraling around and jutting out of buildings.
Indoor plumbing has been available for a few generations now, and in Sinnet word has it that electricity is finally working, but this advancement has yet to reach Solace. Instead glowing crystals light streets and homes, their quiet hum nearly inaudible.
● TREATMENT OF FOREIGNERS
Though for a very long time foreigners were regarded with suspicion if not abject fear, to be avoided just-in-case, their treatment has slowly improved. Over time foreigners have been regarded with more trust and respect, cautious though it may be. They have been granted the ability to join the military, and further use of their powers.
However collars have never been optional, and a means to send them home was through conspiracy never sought out.
AVATICA:
● CAPITAL: AVALICE
Known as both the Cold City and the Crystal city, Avalice is a beautiful if not intimidating place. The city appears almost built upon itself, towering spires often framed by catwalks and gangplanks, or sometimes jutting out from dropoffs in the streets. Avalice has layers and levels newcomers easily become lost amongst, especially when it's all coated in white.
Most rely on aircabs to get from one district of the city to another, while others make a game of exploring the upper tier...or trying to reach the surface level from the lofty streets.
● GEOGRAPHY
Occupying the region beyond the Northern mountains of Solinth, Avatica is a land of expansive white. Mountains cut an outline around two sides of the territory while those that remain plunge into a dark, cold sea. Crystalline structures dot the landscape, jutting up from the hearts of cities and towns to shimmer in the sunlight, eternally frozen in place.
Caverns pocket the mountains, winding from their bases to towns aloft at their summits, obscured by low-hanging clouds. It is always Winter in Avatica, eerily still for those accustomed to seasonal transitions.
● KNOWN HISTORY
Even less is known of Avatica's heritage than Solinth's. All that has thus far been revealed is that the two have a long and bloody past.
● POLITICAL STRUCTURE
Much like Solinth, Avatica's government is centralized around a monarch whose family has ruled since the founding of the territory. In contrast to the belief the Goddess gave him this power, instead he is believed to be the man most suited to the job. His knights serve to enforce his rule, their ranks varied by merit of service. Nobility is often bestowed upon families that have served well as knights, joining those related to the royal house.
The working class is quite necessary and valued in Avatica, especially engineers, technicians, and pilots. Social classes are, however, still determined by money.
● KNIGHTS
Knights are, much like rulers, often from generations of the same. The son of a knight will likely become one himself, and a number of family names are known for this. Rank is determined not just by years of service but the deeds that are done during them, so on some occasions a very young soldier may earn a high rank.
● TECHNOLOGY
Having all but abandoned a study of the arcane, Avatica has instead focused on technological advancement. As a result they have both electricity and indoor plumbing, although the fore can at times be unreliable. Their airships are almost always metal contraptions that don't require sails, and their weaponry is much more advanced than that of Solace.
● TREATMENT OF FOREIGNERS
It could go without saying that Avatica's presence is not well recieved by the foreigners, but then this hardly seems a concern. Initially during the conflict Avatican soldiers avoided foreigners to no avail, and those soldiers who survived harbored a resentment they took out on these foreigners the first chance they got.
While this has been outlawed the change is quite recent, as is the occupation itself, so there is nothing but mistrust on either side. That and at times a mutual hate.
Under Avatican rule, all captured foreigners are currently housed on the Avatican flagship while Solace is being rebuilt. They have been categorized in four main groups, each of which is treated differently from the others.
Harmless individuals are those whose abilities appear mundane or harmless. They're being put to use as workhorses, given small tasks around the ship and will eventually be part of the process of rebuilding the city. They have a collar capable of an immobilizing shock should they try anything suspicious, and their powers are severely limited.
Useful foreigners are those whose abilities seem beneficial and could be put to good use. In most cases their assignments will be specific to their skills, though many will be employed in getting Solace back in working order. They too have a shock-collar but more access to their powers.
Experiments are foreigners whose powers either caused a lot of trouble during the battle or seem pertinent to Avatican research. Outside of testing sessions their powers are locked away entirely and they have the standard shock collars too.
Turncoats decided to join up with the Avatican army and have the least restrictions placed on them. In exchange for their service they have been granted what they desire, and are roomed in rather fine rooms on the officers' floor of the flagship. Their access to their powers is not limited, however their collars are the most dangerous. If a turncoat is caught acting against Avatica their collar will force them to do something they will truly regret, regardless of willpower.
Avatican soldiers do routine sweeps for new arrivals in Solace, and every other week mod posts to the community will be made inquiring as to who wishes to be captured or not. As plot is ever-changing the situation this information will be updated to reflect those developments.
GAMEPLAY:
● ENTRIES VS LOGS
Entries are updates by an individual to the network of foreign journals, ie the cityofsolace community. These can be intentional or accidental posts, and content can be filtered if a person learns how to do it. Entries can only be written or audio, and over time recorded voice entries and responses will disappear since the magic of the journals is mercurial.
Logs are posts to solacelogs in either action tags or full paragraph narrative. These entries are for in-person interactions between individuals in the city or wherever they happen to be. They can be open or closed, whichever the one starting it up prefers.
● DROPS
If you drop from cityofsolace, all traces of your character will vanish. This means they will not be able to recover their memories if you decide to reapply for them at a later time, and thus you should give serious consideration to whether your leave is temporary or not. If you don't believe it is, the mods will understand a busy schedule or life giving you a heavy load, so feel free to explore other options before dropping if you still want to be a part of things.
Since things happen and sometimes you regret dropping right after doing so, you may bring your character back in after talking to the mods if it has been less than a week after your drop. However if someone else has taken or reserved the character, we can't help you.
● CHARACTER DEATH
Death in Solace for foreigners means they lose all of their memories of their stay in the city. A merchant in a seedy little shop will sell your character's secondhand memories back to them if they can find the shop, but it'll be as though they just read a story about their time in Solace.
A former General secured an alternative, however: rather than lose these memories forever a character may have them stored. This comes in the form of another character, contact with whome will assure they carry a copy of your memories around for you. Currently C.C. nemuritor is capable of saving and restoring memories, but any other immortal character you join in with could also have this job if interested.
● NONHUMANOID CHARACTERS
Characters who aren't humanoid can be a bit of a tricky thing in this setting. If they are incapable of higher understanding and communication chances are this isn't a good place for them. In most cases if you're unsure the best thing you can do is talk to a mod, however the only entities we'd just about always turn down are large wild animals. Lions and tigers and bears are all well and good but they wouldn't survive well in this place.
● ORIGINAL CHARACTERS
In the near future original characters will be made available for play. One needs to be a current member of cityofsolace in order to play an original character, as well as to apply for native original characters we will occasionally open apps for. The only requirements for an original character are that they don't share a PB with another OC, and that they come from a world you created. Native original characters will come from the world to which Solace belongs, and will come with a few small specifications whenever mods are looking to add more.
THE BEGINNING:
● THE "EXPERIMENT"
Just prior to the game's opening, an experiment was conducted by Solinth's finest Academics. Their goal? To create the most powerful weapon any of the city-states had ever seen. After generations of tireless war with the neighboring territories of Avatica, Solinth would at last have the upper hand and ensure their continued safety and prosperity.
That was the story, as far as anyone knew. However a cunningly concealed plot started Solinth down the path to its demise as the Academics rigged their machine to instead serve another purpose - dragging foreign souls from other worlds into their own. Offical reports said the incident was an accident, a mistake, something that they knew not how to reverse.
The last of these statements was true, they could not send these new foreigners home. And, in fact, it suited the Academics well enough to leave the situation as it was. What greater distraction for their military than the continuous maverick flow of new beings into their world?
● WHAT HAPPENED
Following the failed weapons test that was held in the city of Solace, people from other worlds began appearing everywhere. Some of them awoke in the streets, others in store rooms, bedrooms, closets. There seemed to be no rhyme or reason to their arrivals, and as more arrived who actually knew one another consistency dwindled still further.
Those from shared worlds did not always share the memories they should, in fact making their anomalous appearances ever stranger.
With word of these happenings the King of Solinth dispatched his Generals to see to the ensured order and safety of the old capital, through whatever means necessary.
● COLLARS
The first measures taken by the Generals were to take away weapons from new arrivals before they awoke, and to place on each a collar. Those who arrived in the city in the first months since the experiment were given metallic collars, thick obtrusive things with symbols like those from a suit of cards enscribed into them.
As time wore on these collars proved to have a number of functions, not all of which were convenient to the foreigners forced to wear them. First these collars translated all languages to one common, shared tongue, which all were thence able to understand. While this robbed foreigners of the ability to speak their native language they were still able to write it, notably in journals each foreigner recieved upon their arrival. Less to the liking of these foreigners, the collars nullified all powers present within or exerted upon them, regardless of form. Worse, collars attracted errant magical energies which often resulted in strange side effects for the wearers.
With the passage of months so too came a change in the collars, the unwieldy metal replaced instead with enchanted marks much resembling tattoos with their assigned suit emblazoned in the center. These collars allowed the use of benign or helpful powers, including regeneration and healing, as well as the weakest forms of other abilities.
As of December, Solinth's collars have ceased to function properly and are replaced with new ones, detailed below in Avatica's treatment of foreigners section.
● JOURNALS
While being robbed of their weapons and given a collar that simply wouldn't come off, foreigners were bestowed a single gift. By all appearances a palm-sized book, journals didn't seem terribly useful until their new owners picked them up. When handled by their bearer they unlocked, becoming full size books full of blank pages.
At least, until they started seeing each other's writing in them. As it turned out these magical books formed a network, allowing foreigners to communicate amongst themselves through written and verbal means from any location within the city. Unfortunately as with all magic in Solace these journals proved capricious, sometimes recording at inopportune moments.
THE STORY THUS FAR:
● FIRST MONTHS
During the early period after foreigners first arrived, tension was high between the native population and the growing number of foreigners. Displeased with not only being torn from their worlds but further confined to the city and beyond that collared, many foreigners took an immediate dislike to the soldiers put in charge of them.
This feeling was mutual enough, for the Generals were equally disinterested in babysitting people that weren't their own. Those who lived in Solace feared these foreign people, not only because of their alien nature but the rumors that surrounded them, many concerned with the strange powers that had been so carefully suppressed.
Strange magics afflicted the foreign population with all manner of ills, some of which spilled over the city itself. At first causing bewilderment and fear these bizarre occurrences started to become commonplace for those foreigners who had been in the city for an extended period, although...sometimes what they were forced to experience was too painful to simply shrug off.
In times like these some foreigners succumbed to madness, attacked and murdered anyone who crossed their path. And as a result for their crimes they were punished, which only further roused the ire of the offworld populace.
The young man known as the Black General at the time took a venture and employed some of these foreigners, attempting through some means to improve the relationship between the two sides. It did appear, after all, that they would be spending quite a bit of time together.
This arrangement resulted in the formation of the Black Guard, the first set of foreigners allowed into the Solinthian military. Shortly thereafter the Grey General follwed suit and employed soldiers, and it seemed this was just in time for the first great struggle the city would endure.
● PIRATE RAID
After only a handful of months being forced to coexist, abruptly natives and foreigners were forced to band together when a fleet of pirate ships beset the city. While airships darkened the skies pirates descended and attacked, first turning their attention to sacking the city. They torched stores and residences alike, looting the place as they fought soldiers and bombed the streets.
In the midst of the chaos they also broke the power source for the collars, unwittingly restoring foreigners to their former powers as well as former curses. This turned some of the foreign population against each other, while others drove back the pirates with increased force.
It was at this time that the pirates' strategy changed. Instead of focusing on goods they instead turned their attention to a newer, more valuable commodity: the foreigners themselves. With the use of mechanical hounds they sought to capture these strangers and to a small extent were successful, but ultimately they were defeated and captives reclaimed.
After this mutual struggle the people of Solace began to warm up to the foreigners and were less wary of them. Some understanding had been gained, and as a result the Generals made the collars less restrictive.
● WAR BREAKS OUT
Though it seemed at least that coexistence had become reasonable for those dwelling in Solace, the peace was not to last. Collars started to malfunction and channeled strange effects in a sporradic fashion, which got worse and worse as Winter set in. These problems worsened as the Generals and the city itself began to fall under similar influence, confusion building upon itself.
As this predicament reached its peak, certain foreigners overheard Solace's Academics whispering amongst themselves about plans that did not seem to bode well for them. Shortly thereafter monsters attacked from within the city's confines. They were stopped by the shared efforts of natives and foreigners once more, but uneasiness did not rest.
When strange, more advanced airships appeared in the heavens, it seemed their worries were well-founded. War was upon them, brought to their doorstep by Solinth's neighboring rival Avatica. The battle was a bitter one, foreigners once more given use of their powers but finding Avaticans had somehow managed to replicate these abilities.
Though the people within Solace fought valiantly it was for naught - Solinth's capital, Sinnet, fell. Not long thereafter Solace was defeated as well, overpowered by Avatica's force of numbers and the use of monsters that appeared to be from the same worlds as several of the foreigners.
To end the battle after Solace's military force was crushed, Avatica utilized a power that made all foreigners on ground level lose consciousness. Following this they captured any foreign persons they could find.
● AVATICAN POPULATION
Foreigners woke to find themselves caged, their clothing and equipment taken from them while they'd slept. They found themselves in uniformly white clothes of ill-fitted design, left only with their journals and the transmissions therein. They were also left with the losses they had suffered; a number of individuals perished, including the Black General who had selected a foreigner as his replacement.
Some had, however, managed to escape. Those not native to the world who had died returned to a city they couldn't remember, unwittingly free. Others had chosen to capture an Avatican airship in the hope of doing damage to their enemies, but with the change of situation they instead formed a resistance group, collecting new arrivals whenever they could and consolidating their resources.
One week after the dust had settled, foreigners were segmented into groups based upon the observation of researchers who had spent the time lurking outside their cages. Some foreigners were deemed harmless, others useful, yet others suitable only for experimentation, and a few became turncoats, bargaining their loyalty for whatever it was they sought to secure.
An Avatican Captain made her presence known then, giving the turncoats their first assignment. That mission was to capture the insurgent group that had taken over one of the fleet's ships, and to quell further possible conflict. The turncoats set out on the mission and the Captain made changes to the brutish treatment captured foreigners were recieving, with falthering efficacy.
Foreigners were given their own rooms (a privilege previously bestowed only opon turncoats) and were no longer to be treated roughly, whether the soldiers resented the loss of their comrades or not. This transition was completed shortly before a few foreigners were rescued, and just in time for most of the rebel group to be brought to the prison wing of the Avatican flagship to be isolated from the others.
And with this we come to our present scene.
SETTING:
SOLINTH:
● OLD CAPITAL: SOLACE
Solace is known as the Old Capital and the White City. It is the former capital of the city-state of Solinth ever since the last war with Avatica fifteen years hence. Though it was sacked at the time, Solace had been restored to its former beauty, pristine white buildings capped with green tile rooftops and roses climbing walls.
Although it is no longer the capital it is still a key city for commerce and trade, and houses the best known university in the territory. As such, many feel that Solinth has two capitals.
● GEOGRAPHY
Solinth controls a landlocked fertile region rimmed by mountains on three sides. Many rivers cut their way through this vast green expanse and the weather is often mild, though since the day of the experiment the land has seen more extremes. Dense forests lie between this expansive valley and the mountains beyond, further outlining the shared border Solinth has with Avatica.
● KNOWN HISTORY
Little has been revealed to the foreign population about the history of Solinth thus far. What is known is that their land has had a series of Kings and Generals that spans numerous generations, and that their rivalry with Avatica has been a long and bitter one.
● POLITICAL STRUCTURE
Solinth is, as stated before, a city-state. That means that a main city controls the region surrounding it, and that makes it quite the same as a medieval kingdom. The ruler of Solinth, up to the time of his death, was a King. His family is believed to have been chosen by the world's Goddess to rule the land, and thus only one from his line should ascend to the throne.
Directly below the sovereign in terms of power are the Generals who answer only to the monarch and each control a portion of the standing army. Below this are lords and nobles, after which follow the merchant class and commoners.
● GENERALS
There are and have been three Generals in Solinth for as long as any historical records show. Each has their own symbolic color (black, white, and grey) and all of their subordinates' uniforms reflect just which General they happen to serve. When a General passes away their replacement is usually selected by the current ruler of Solinth, but on occasion they are recommended by a General.
Currently two of the Generals are natives, and one is a foreigner.
● TECHNOLOGY
In Solinth, technology takes a backseat to arcane magic, and thus the two are often mingled. While Solinth has airships these are not of the same design as the neighboring Avatica, the vast majority crafted with wood and sails like those at sea. Power largely comes from steam technology, obtrusive piping spiraling around and jutting out of buildings.
Indoor plumbing has been available for a few generations now, and in Sinnet word has it that electricity is finally working, but this advancement has yet to reach Solace. Instead glowing crystals light streets and homes, their quiet hum nearly inaudible.
● TREATMENT OF FOREIGNERS
Though for a very long time foreigners were regarded with suspicion if not abject fear, to be avoided just-in-case, their treatment has slowly improved. Over time foreigners have been regarded with more trust and respect, cautious though it may be. They have been granted the ability to join the military, and further use of their powers.
However collars have never been optional, and a means to send them home was through conspiracy never sought out.
AVATICA:
● CAPITAL: AVALICE
Known as both the Cold City and the Crystal city, Avalice is a beautiful if not intimidating place. The city appears almost built upon itself, towering spires often framed by catwalks and gangplanks, or sometimes jutting out from dropoffs in the streets. Avalice has layers and levels newcomers easily become lost amongst, especially when it's all coated in white.
Most rely on aircabs to get from one district of the city to another, while others make a game of exploring the upper tier...or trying to reach the surface level from the lofty streets.
● GEOGRAPHY
Occupying the region beyond the Northern mountains of Solinth, Avatica is a land of expansive white. Mountains cut an outline around two sides of the territory while those that remain plunge into a dark, cold sea. Crystalline structures dot the landscape, jutting up from the hearts of cities and towns to shimmer in the sunlight, eternally frozen in place.
Caverns pocket the mountains, winding from their bases to towns aloft at their summits, obscured by low-hanging clouds. It is always Winter in Avatica, eerily still for those accustomed to seasonal transitions.
● KNOWN HISTORY
Even less is known of Avatica's heritage than Solinth's. All that has thus far been revealed is that the two have a long and bloody past.
● POLITICAL STRUCTURE
Much like Solinth, Avatica's government is centralized around a monarch whose family has ruled since the founding of the territory. In contrast to the belief the Goddess gave him this power, instead he is believed to be the man most suited to the job. His knights serve to enforce his rule, their ranks varied by merit of service. Nobility is often bestowed upon families that have served well as knights, joining those related to the royal house.
The working class is quite necessary and valued in Avatica, especially engineers, technicians, and pilots. Social classes are, however, still determined by money.
● KNIGHTS
Knights are, much like rulers, often from generations of the same. The son of a knight will likely become one himself, and a number of family names are known for this. Rank is determined not just by years of service but the deeds that are done during them, so on some occasions a very young soldier may earn a high rank.
● TECHNOLOGY
Having all but abandoned a study of the arcane, Avatica has instead focused on technological advancement. As a result they have both electricity and indoor plumbing, although the fore can at times be unreliable. Their airships are almost always metal contraptions that don't require sails, and their weaponry is much more advanced than that of Solace.
● TREATMENT OF FOREIGNERS
It could go without saying that Avatica's presence is not well recieved by the foreigners, but then this hardly seems a concern. Initially during the conflict Avatican soldiers avoided foreigners to no avail, and those soldiers who survived harbored a resentment they took out on these foreigners the first chance they got.
While this has been outlawed the change is quite recent, as is the occupation itself, so there is nothing but mistrust on either side. That and at times a mutual hate.
Under Avatican rule, all captured foreigners are currently housed on the Avatican flagship while Solace is being rebuilt. They have been categorized in four main groups, each of which is treated differently from the others.
Harmless individuals are those whose abilities appear mundane or harmless. They're being put to use as workhorses, given small tasks around the ship and will eventually be part of the process of rebuilding the city. They have a collar capable of an immobilizing shock should they try anything suspicious, and their powers are severely limited.
Useful foreigners are those whose abilities seem beneficial and could be put to good use. In most cases their assignments will be specific to their skills, though many will be employed in getting Solace back in working order. They too have a shock-collar but more access to their powers.
Experiments are foreigners whose powers either caused a lot of trouble during the battle or seem pertinent to Avatican research. Outside of testing sessions their powers are locked away entirely and they have the standard shock collars too.
Turncoats decided to join up with the Avatican army and have the least restrictions placed on them. In exchange for their service they have been granted what they desire, and are roomed in rather fine rooms on the officers' floor of the flagship. Their access to their powers is not limited, however their collars are the most dangerous. If a turncoat is caught acting against Avatica their collar will force them to do something they will truly regret, regardless of willpower.
Avatican soldiers do routine sweeps for new arrivals in Solace, and every other week mod posts to the community will be made inquiring as to who wishes to be captured or not. As plot is ever-changing the situation this information will be updated to reflect those developments.
GAMEPLAY:
● ENTRIES VS LOGS
Entries are updates by an individual to the network of foreign journals, ie the cityofsolace community. These can be intentional or accidental posts, and content can be filtered if a person learns how to do it. Entries can only be written or audio, and over time recorded voice entries and responses will disappear since the magic of the journals is mercurial.
Logs are posts to solacelogs in either action tags or full paragraph narrative. These entries are for in-person interactions between individuals in the city or wherever they happen to be. They can be open or closed, whichever the one starting it up prefers.
● DROPS
If you drop from cityofsolace, all traces of your character will vanish. This means they will not be able to recover their memories if you decide to reapply for them at a later time, and thus you should give serious consideration to whether your leave is temporary or not. If you don't believe it is, the mods will understand a busy schedule or life giving you a heavy load, so feel free to explore other options before dropping if you still want to be a part of things.
Since things happen and sometimes you regret dropping right after doing so, you may bring your character back in after talking to the mods if it has been less than a week after your drop. However if someone else has taken or reserved the character, we can't help you.
● CHARACTER DEATH
Death in Solace for foreigners means they lose all of their memories of their stay in the city. A merchant in a seedy little shop will sell your character's secondhand memories back to them if they can find the shop, but it'll be as though they just read a story about their time in Solace.
A former General secured an alternative, however: rather than lose these memories forever a character may have them stored. This comes in the form of another character, contact with whome will assure they carry a copy of your memories around for you. Currently C.C. nemuritor is capable of saving and restoring memories, but any other immortal character you join in with could also have this job if interested.
● NONHUMANOID CHARACTERS
Characters who aren't humanoid can be a bit of a tricky thing in this setting. If they are incapable of higher understanding and communication chances are this isn't a good place for them. In most cases if you're unsure the best thing you can do is talk to a mod, however the only entities we'd just about always turn down are large wild animals. Lions and tigers and bears are all well and good but they wouldn't survive well in this place.
● ORIGINAL CHARACTERS
In the near future original characters will be made available for play. One needs to be a current member of cityofsolace in order to play an original character, as well as to apply for native original characters we will occasionally open apps for. The only requirements for an original character are that they don't share a PB with another OC, and that they come from a world you created. Native original characters will come from the world to which Solace belongs, and will come with a few small specifications whenever mods are looking to add more.