The Magi Saga - The Mandate of Magic [SU/DS]

[Neo Emolga]

The Magi Saga - The Mandate of Magic

Ariel's Story and the War of Mages

Upon the mystical world of Ariel, the whispers of war drift among the lands, all beckoning the same question...

Who has the right to use magic?

In ages past, magic existed for all and for any to use as long as they were willing to adhere to its demands of time, study, and training. Many of Ariel's wild creatures in nature used it as a way of life, practiced out of instinct, or passed down through ancestry throughout the ages. And through these many ages, magic has always been changing as new discoveries are made and the lore and findings of the ancient ways of old are rediscovered once again by adventurers and explorers.

But then came the reign of King Vrell Kartonis and his Platinum Crusade.

Throughout the continent of Dyrin, the Platinum Crusade, under King Vrell's command, have spread as the mad king's mighty armies have conquered much of the resisting rebel and barbarian groups through superior military training and equipment. After many battles, the lands of Dyrin were united under his flag, some after surrendering, and others wishing to avoid war altogether. Ultimately, the people of Dyrin thought it would finally be an age of new prosperity.

Far from it.

King Vrell understood that knowledge is power. Intent on keeping his dominion thriving with little chance of anyone challenging his authority, he instated that under the Royal Decree, only certain privileged groups and individuals could be allowed to possess the skills and resources to use magic. And only individuals, clans, and houses that are fiercely loyal and willing to pay generously to his dominion are able to access it. For those that refused or were too poor to contribute, he sent his armies across the lands to rip it forcefully out of the hands of everyone, even creatures and clans that had been using magic since the ancient times. Many that opposed this practice stated that the forces of magic were like the air they breathed and the water they drank in that it should be accessible to everyone that wanted to use it. However, despite these decrees, the Platinum Crusade seized magic in all forms, such as scrolls, book, artifacts, and relics. Whatever the kingdom needed was kept and only shared with the Crusade's loyalists, while everything else was destroyed. Meanwhile, skilled magicians and teachers that refused to comply with the king's demands were locked away or killed, and all institutions of magic that did not comply with his strict decrees were burnt and destroyed.

The genocide of the elementals, the golems, and the arcanes, all creatures born and made entirely out of magic, was the final straw. In the underground networks, the Circle of Guilds was formed. Each of the five Magic Guilds, Wind, Fire, Water, Light, and Shadow, were assembled as one despite previous rivalries of the eras past. Within these Guilds, many creatures, races, clans, and livelihoods made up the new Circle of Guilds with the common goal of stopping the Platinum Crusade and once again making magic available for any and for all. Gathering the remnants of magic and rekindling the ancient ways passed down through the generations, the Circle stands against the Crusade and the dark atrocity it has become.

However, this isn't the only war that is being fought. In the recent months, an unsettling darkness and plague has been creeping over Ariel. Hills and valleys are becoming mysteriously blighted, crops are withering, the trees and grasslands are becoming corrupted, and the wild creatures of the world have been driven mad and deranged, attacking and killing on sight. There are rumors in the wind and in dreams, hinting at "the Shadow Plague" and "the Lifestealers," but the ancient tomes that once spoke of them were destroyed by the Platinum Crusade, who have blamed these new threats upon the Circle of Guilds.

What has officially be declared as the War of Mages has begun, and the future of magic and the whole of Ariel are at stake...

The World of Ariel



The is the world of Ariel.

BLACK - Continent names
WHITE - Landscape Locations and oceans
YELLOW - City locations. Large dots are capitals while small dots are towns.
BLUE - Underwater capitals and towns

Not all places of interest are depicted on the map. Dungeons, towers, small villages, temples, and the like exist far and wide throughout Ariel and can be placed and used by anyone in the RP.

Currently, the continent of Dyrin is in the hands of the Platinum Crusade, while Raya, Mavi, and Krysara are on his list to be overthrown and forced under the Royal Decree. The Circle of Guilds has been active throughout these three continents and in Dyrin working in the underground networks, but while they have the people, the Platinum Crusade maintains more of the military might, power, and wealth.

The Platinum Crusade

King Vrell and his mighty armies hold dominion over most of Dyrin, along with its peoples and resources, while keeping most of it in check with its strict, zero-tolerance decrees. In general, the Platinum Crusade gives precedence to humans, although many of the other races still serve in loyalty. Dyrin remains as one of the largest, richest, and most powerful region in the world. In the meantime, under its Royal Decree, only the most loyal and devoted members of the Platinum Crusade can practice magic. Those that do not have had it stripped from them in one way or another and have been forced to adapt to life without it. Unauthorized use of magic results in a death penalty, and the Platinum Crusade has been active administering their laws and codes even in places outside of their dominion all throughout the rest of the world.

The Platinum Crusade has three main advantages:

• More funding and wealth to use for war
• Superior land and naval forces, city defenses, and military might
• Control over most sources of magic throughout Dyrin

Some of the disadvantages they face are:

• Resentment of non-human races due to the Crusade's favoritism of humans, but plenty of non-human races have admitted defeat and have accepted their inferior status in the caste system.
• The Crusade does not fare well with their relations to the creatures of the wilderness. Where the Circle of Guilds can often befriend, summon, and become allies with the creatures of the wilds, the Crusade often will simply outright hunt and kill them using their military might and superiority.

The Circle of Guilds

The Circle of Guilds is the main, new rebellion group against the Platinum Crusade's campaign. The Circle of Guilds consists of the following:

FIRE - Drawn from within the mountains and volcanoes, the Fire Guild uses spells themed around the forces of flames, magma, and heat.

WIND - Drawn from the forests and the air, the Wind Guild uses spells themed around the forces of nature, including wildlife, plants, hurricanes, and gales.

WATER - Drawn from the oceans and the seas, the Water Guild uses spells themed around the forces of water, including tidal waves and freezing ice.

LIGHT - Drawn from the sun and holy light, the Light Guild uses spells themed around holy forces of illumination and the power of purity.

SHADOW - Drawn from the darkness of the night, the Shadow Guild uses spells themed around darkness and shadow.

Note that the Guild your character belongs to only influences the theme of the spells your character uses, not the type or purpose.

The Creatures of Ariel

Just about every fantasy creature you can think of exists in Ariel in one way or another, and they are no strangers to the presence of magic, although not all of them may partake in it. Your character can be based on any fantasy creature or race, just so as long as they don't have god-like power. Even the largest creatures have their weaknesses. Note that shapeshifting creatures or creatures with multiple forms, such as pure shapeshifters or dragons that can assume humanoid forms, will not be as adept as their true counterparts. For example, a shapeshifter in werewolf form will not be as strong and skilled as a pure werewolf and a dragon in elf form will not be as socially aware and culturally in tune as true elves. Said dragon will also not be able to fight as effectively in their elf form as other elves. The less a shapeshifting race uses a particular form, the less they will be familiar in both its ways of culture, combat, and socialization.

Just note that for every fantasy creature introduced, assume there are tens of thousands, possibly hundreds of thousands of them within the world. Also, as long as the creature you play as can communicate, speak, and interact with others, it is valid.

Sign Up

You're free to sign up with as many characters as you like. I also don't mind if you use some more than others, that's not a big deal.

Name: Your characters name, first, last, and any additional titles.
Species: What race of creature your character is.
Gender: Male or Female
Age: How old your character is. It's perfectly understandable if they live longer or shorter than humans.

Description: Describe your character in terms of their physique, clothing, and physical traits.
Personality: How your character behaves, their emotional intelligence, and how they view others and the world around them. Also, what is their take on the War of Mages?
History: Your character's background. Note that you are totally free and encouraged to use any location on the map to build your character's history. Think of everything on the map as a blank slate for you to paint all over, so don't worry about declaring what locations have what races, what the living situation is like in these towns, what the culture is, and those kinds of aspect. You have total free reign there, just so as long as it adheres to PXR and RP forum rules.

Guild: What magic guild your character belongs to, and what kinds of spells they tend to favor. Note that these types of spells aren't the only kind you're limited to, they just highlight what types of spells your character is strongest in and likes to use the most.
Likes: Three or four things your character likes.
Dislikes: Three of four things that your character hates.
Other: Anything else you'd like to add that wasn't covered in previous areas.

The Cast

[b]Arryn Shinesong (Elf, Light Guild) - Played by EmeraldSky
Jason Richardson (Werepyre, Shadow Guild) - Played by Gaster
Jysan Ryderan (Faerie, Shadow Guild) - Played by Neo Emolga
Arus (Half-Dragon, Fire Guild) - Played by Trainer17
Valryssa Scarlet (Dragon, Fire Guild) - Played by FedoraChar
Rima Omarah (Sheikah, Shadow Guild) - Played by Alphys
Lightthroat Hadran Lurel (Orphus, Wind Guild) - Played by Velocity
Servitor Kalmo Helvec (Human, Light Guild) - Played by The Nonexistent Tazz
Crown Prince Yargo Kartonis (Human, Water Guild) - Played by The Nonexistent Tazz
Izuru Natsume (Kitsune, Fire Guild) - Played by Gaster
Aria-Haizen 'Hazy' (Storm Kyte, Wind Guild) - Played by Saraibre Ryu
Crystal (Human, Fire Guild) - Played by crystalcat
Delbin Kawa (Encantado, Water Guild) - Played by Alphys
Rjoŭmi Têlašjiŭ (Ińðedstŕê, Water Guild) - Played by W32Coravint
Lapis (Carbuncle, Light Guild) - Played by Shruikan
GreenLeaf LongBranch (Ent, Wind Guild) - Played by Morzone