[D&D-5e] Uncaged: Journey to the Wilds

[Ermine]

Daksha the Guhyaka Name: Daksha Race: Guhyaka (using Custom Lineage as a base, since that's the closest I could get to this type of nature spirit) sent to witness the Seeker's battles. Gender identity: Female (trans) Class: Fighter (Psi Warrior) 3/Rogue (Soulknife) 3/Sorcerer (Aberrant Mind) 4 Appearance: Daksha has the head of a horse, and her lower body is the rear legs of a horse, as well. Her skin is golden in color, as is the short fur she has on her head and legs. Her horse-tail is black. She wears a traditional, ornate, red and purple sari, and does her best to keep it clean and mended, eschewing the weapons and armor expected of a warrior in favor of her own psionic constructs. The Seeker: No You were once in a place where the rules you knew no longer applied. Describe the scene, and how you responded to being a fish out of water. Daksha was taken from her home and brought to a realm...she believes it was magical? It looked like the mandalas she'd seen, their sand made three dimensional, but everything moved differently. Instead of pushing herself with her feet, she used her mind, guided through the "structure" (if the confusing world could be called that) by a spirit with no name. The spirit, which addressed her as Daksha, the name she took, taught her how to do many wondrous things with the power of her mind, powers she never expected to be able to bring home with her. She learned all she could of this spirit, and accepted its guidance, returning home with its gifts in exchange for a mission it deemed critical: "watch the battles of the Seeker." She was to search Huánghé for this person and accompany them. "But how will I know this Seeker?" She asked. The spirit laughed jovially, as was its apparent nature. "You will know them." It never gave any clearer answer than this, no matter how many times she asked, no matter what words she used. These were even its last words to her as she was ejected from the mandala realm. It was all very confusing to her, but she obeyed, also vowing to herself to protect this individual on their journey. You were once caught between two loyalties. How did you resolve the conflict? Daksha had to choose between staying with her family, as a man, in an arranged marriage to a woman she had only met once (though she had no idea at the time who it was she was meeting), and leaving to follow the Seeker. She didn't know which side she was most loyal to: the ones who had been there for her for her entire life, but never truly accepting her; or the one who wholeheartedly accepted her and gave her purpose, but she didn't understand why. Why had the spirit chosen her of all people? Why did it grant her the powers it did? Why should she find a person she knew nothing about in order to...what? What was even this Seeker's goal? Why was it so important? She asked many questions of herself, but received no answers. She could no longer speak to the spirit, and doubted it would give her any clear answers even if she could. But her family couldn't truly accept her. She chose to work with what knowledge she had, and that meant the thrill of adventure, and hopefully acceptance from her family upon her return.

Complete, I guess, but willing to take any criticisms and suggestions.

[Wynamoinen]

@Humble Hero: Yes, this story is completely unrelated to the other seasons. For all intents and purposes, it takes place in a completely separate universe from the past seasons and any potential future seasons.

As far as my GM style, that's harder to answer. This is definitely not a "sandbox" game. There's a story, and we're going to play through it. I like to give my players a good bit of narrative control within that story (take a look at this the PotM award-winning post from the last season, and its prompt where I gave them control of the scene). I encourage PC back-and-forth. In my mind, PC-on-PC interaction is almost always more interesting than PC-on-NPC interaction. But to be honest, at a slower game pace, quick back-and-forth has not been frequent in my Uncaged game. If I want to encourage more PC interaction, I will usually make a "small" GM update, rather than one that pushes the narrative forward, in order to leave space for talk and drama. That happens fairly frequently, as the scene demands. I'll admit that it does make me nervous when one or two players post multiple times when another player does/can not. I'd try to gently moderate that, if it became a major issue. As those links above show, my games do skew towards the "fewer posts, and longer-winded posts" end of the spectrum, rather than "more and shorter posts" approach. I know that style is not for everyone, and that's fine!

[Onward]

App Name: Xiyi Race: Lizard Demon (Re-skinned Lizardfolk) Gender identity: Female (Asexual) Class: Light Cleric Appearance: Xiyi stands at a height of at least 6 feet and has a thin and delicate frame. Nothing out of ordinary about her except for the fact the she's a lizard standing with two legs. She's covered from head-to-toe, dark scales with a pinkish hue, her tail is covered with pink but has a darkish hue accompanying it. Her entire body is covered with intricate lines forming an elegant pattern, almost like it was painted on. She wears an oversized, black garment of a ruqun with a pinkish sash around it, no skirt is accompanied with the attire. She carries several symbols and items with her, mayhaps it be of divine importance. On her face is that of a skull of some sort of lizard just like her, of which she wears at all times as a mask. The Seeker: No You overcame tremendous odds on the battlefield. What were you up against, who were you fighting for/alongside, and how did you prevail? The ash... All she tasted was blood and ash. Xiyi recoils from that blast of fire, however she still stand if a bit weary. She stares at the situation so far, her group's stronger warrior lay down, bloodied, bruised and at death's door, the others are in a similarly state to Xiyi, and their Seeker is on a one on one combat between themselves and the Bellowing Horned King, and it's a losing fight for The Seeker. The demon king's roar is overwhelming the entire battlefield like when it first started but amplified and causing a heavy toll on everyone here, and then theirs Xiyi, she can't do anything to help her Seeker or her friends in their struggle, she's out of everything and has nothing to help anyone. She can't save anyone, or fight for anyone, just watch in her window of a cracked mask... But with a heavy sigh from her, she kneels down on the ground and enters a prayer pose,"Oh Mother of the Sky, saintly being of compassion, hear my prayers and grant us your merciful assistance for your beloved Seeker." she prays but their was nothing but silence, nothing but the clashes of steel and groans of agony. However, if anyone's looking through the cracked skull their priestess wears, Xiyi is making a disgruntled look as she knows her prayers have been answered. It was then that the sky was covered in golden colored clouds, then a thousand heavenly arms shoots down from the sky and bombards the demon king. The Bellowed One had not foreseen this outcome nor does he have any strength left to face such an overwhelming entity. It only took seconds for the Horned King to be dethroned. And with that, the grey empire was no more. You were once caught between two loyalties. How did you resolve the conflict? Xiyi sighs as she's in a room with a person she doesn't want to be with. The girl, who's eternally young, of perfect beauty, and of divine royalty, gives the priestess a smile and says,"Right now, I've left the offer on the table for you to decide. Listen, I'm done chasing you, it's time for you to follow me home, Xiyi." she says with a melancholic voice, smile still plastered to her face,"It's time to stop this masquerade, you've played this part to death already. Can't you see the futility of the actions you've made, if you come with me, I can give you everything you want like I've always have, theirs no need for you to keep going." she says, her voice stern but always had a compassionate air about it. The priestess was getting frustrated as she kept talking,"Okay, listen 'friend', I hate to tell you this considering your status, but I'm afraid it won't be happening anytime soon. So I'll take my leave if you will." she says, but then she sees in an instant that an exact double of the woman is blocking the doorway,"I'm sorry but please think this through more, is this really what you want for your life. Going on a foolish errand and then what, spend the rest of your days in a hobble and forgetting about me. Never accomplishing anything." the lady says behind her back, Xiyi sighs at this attempt and turns toward her,"Look, I... I just don't want to be with you anymore. You've abandoned me and never came back, now you want me as I made who I am without you. I'm not the same person you now anymore, I have my own dream, goals, and ambitions, if I go with you, I'll just be trapped back in a cage for you to just forgot about and move on... So, my answer to you Mother, is no." she says as she takes off the mask and it reveals that the priestess is making a sad smile. She won't admit this to her but saying goodbye to her hurts a lot, the woman's continued smile falters at this expression for a bit, her eyes closed and she says,"You... You are right, your no longer who I thought you'd be, you've change and you don't need me to pander to your needs anymore. I just would like you to know that I would never abandon you again." she says and before Xiyi could reply to her, the woman waves her finger and the priestess was pushed off the room as the walls simultaneously falls off. And she's back to her own room, having not much memory of what happened, though she had a strange dream of her mother, and she was crying... She cried too for some reason.

[Wynamoinen]

Thank you for the apps, Ermine and Onward! I look forward to seeing how they flesh out. Both of you are taking the opportunity to re-fluff existing races to fit the milieu, and I absolutely support that approach.

I've begun to populate the table of applications in the original post of the thread, for quick reference to what everybody is doing and what their application status is.

[Unko Talok]

Copyright Jorge Ochoa, Fair Use

Name: Parvati (looking at playing an avatar of the Hindu mother goddess, focusing on roles as provider and protector of children, in various aspects; may de-emphasize Parvati's focus on harmony)
Race: Human
Gender identity: Cis woman
Class: Druid, most likely. Circle of the Moon, most likely. Interested in emphasizing the fluid nature that many deities in hinduism has, as well as exploring various roles and natures of a mother and how they interact with different situations and people. Changes in form may be fluffed as explicitly animal, or just refluffed as changes in humanoid appearance.
Appearance: In this avatar of the mother-goddess, Pavarti has a darker complexion and the full, round frame of a mother who has seen many years. She wears a flowing red Sari with golden yellow adornments. Though she lacks the full power and fluidity of a fully-realized goddess, her form is still somewhat fluid, now and again taking on different maternal aspects as provider, comforter, or protector.
The Seeker: N
RP Samples:

Sample 1 You were once caught between two loyalties. How did you resolve the conflict? How does one choose between loves? We hope these choices never arise. But that is not the way of the universe. Everything is pulled by its own dharma, and sometimes those forces put souls into conflict with one another. It is always a source of strife, inevitable growing pains as all seek to see the Brahman, the ultimate reality. The gods are no exception to this, whatever mortals wish to believe. It is difficult to find a more bitter choice than a parent choosing between her children. "Mother, who is your favorite?" Kartikeya had asked her when he was still young. He was a vibrant boy, athletic, agile, bright. With a dangerous keenness of perception. "I love you both equally," I responded. It was no lie-- love is not a measured thing, but boundless. How could I not love my child, borne of a passion so great that Agni himself had to burn it out? Kartikeya left me then, but I always suspected he knew the deeper meaning to my words. I always saw him striving harder after that moment. It was years later when the race had happened. Little Ganesha and Kartikeya deciding who should get the fruit of knowledge and immortality. Kartikeya was so eager to please, so ready to outcompete his brother for the prize. "Three times around the world," they had said. Using all the power he had, Katrikeya had burst out to travel the world faster than his more ponderous brother. Ganesha, though, already had wisdom-- he looked up at me with a loving squint in his eyes, and danced around the two of us, Shiva and myself, and sat down, happily awaiting his reward. We were his world. As we all waited for Kartikeya's return, Ganesha asked me, "Mother, who is your favorite?" I could not hep but smile and say to him, "I love you both equally." How could I not love my child, granted me only after I fasted for four years? Eventually, though, such side-stepping and niceties become impossible. My children both approached, asking a boon of me, a harsh sacrifice that would drain my power for a thousand years. Ganesh wished for his tusk to be restored-- it had been hued off by the axe of Shiva, wielded by an avatar of Vishnu. He was incomplete without it. Kartikeya wished for the rebirth of his beloved pet, Paravani, who had been slain by the demon Tārakāsura. Each begged me to make the world a way that it was not. Each would be deeply wounded if I chose to help the other. How does one choose between their loves? I could follow only my Dharma. I am the mother goddess, creator from the destruction of my husband. I rebirthed Paravani. I could do no other. It hurt me to turn away my favorite child.

Sample2 You were once in a place where the rules you knew no longer applied. Describe the scene, and how you responded to being a fish out of water Parvati awoke to a new world-- or, as she oriented herself, an old one, she realized. One she had always known and seen, but from a different angle, with a wider range. There was screaming, a sign of unmet desire, of a misalignment between the way the world was and what one wished for. Failure to align karma and dharma. Parvati wished to tell the screamer this, but when she tried the screaming only became louder. "Quiet, little one," a voice drifted to her. She felt something warm and soft against her face, and her body became wrapped in a comforting restriction-- Pavarti suddenly realized the weakness of her own body. This would not do. She began to struggle, trying as she might to change her form to something more appropriate, something sufficiently glorious. Nothing happened. Pavarti felt a confusion rising up in her, and the screaming grew louder. She began to recognize the noise as that of a child, and her heart began to race. The child needed help, protection, nourishment, love-- and in her current state, she could do nothing. She tried to find its source, but realized that she could not actually see anything. She became aware, suddenly, that the very meaning of the word sight had taken on a different scope, a different flavor. Again, came the words, "Quiet, little one. Mother is here. You are safe." Pavarti did not feel safe. Everything was wrong. She strove for several moments to recall why she was here, how she had been put in this state. The effort pained her. Striving was something entirely alien to her. All was wrong here. The warm embrace of this creature-- mother-- began to calm her. This brought only more confusion to Pavarti. A reversal of roles. A reception of the gifts that she was accustomed to giving. This was not her dharma. This is not how things should be. But what else could the goddess do? Pavarti tried to relax and accept her place. She continued to fail in his attempt for many years.

Before I go much further, I wanted to check and see if Wyn had any objections or concerns with the direction of this character. No major pressure. I need to pause and do RL stuff, so it's a convenient stopping point for me. Answered by Wyn.


Okay, this application is done.

I've gotta say, I'm slightly nervous about playing this character! I've got only a passing familiarity with Hinduism and the relevant cultures, and know essentially nothing of the mythology. Most of what I know is from a small section of a college course from a decade or so ago. While I'll do my best to learn as I go and be respectful of the cultures I'm trying to portray, I'm sure to misstep. How could one not? That said, I'm generally more interested in exploring the various roles filled by a mother figure, particularly one in Pavarti's situation (which I won't dive into, as Wyn doesn't want backstory!), which will surely interact with religion and culture, but to some degree stretches across many worldviews.

[Wynamoinen]

@UT: No objection to the concept, as a matter of prior principles at least. Of course, the "only" powers of divinity you'd have access to are those granted by your standard class build, plus magic items and other goodies I might hand out equitably as the game proceeds. I imagine that's what you That is, similar to the way that Rama was an avatar of Vishnu, and he's was very badass, but on the day to day he was basically just a dude rather than some glowing otherworldly entity.had in mind, but those mechanical constraints are worth stating for all character concepts, no matter how simple or outlandish.

[Unko Talok]

Yep, that's exactly what I had in mind. I've even got some broad backstory and theological reasons in mind for it (which I'm sure are sorely misinformed from someone actually knowledgeable about the Hindu religion). But I'm not laying them out because you don't wanna hear it!!!

[UngainlyFool]

Sanshan WIP Name: Sanshan ( 三山 Sānshān) Race: Giant (Re-skinned Orc or Firbolg, haven't decided) Gender identity: Non-binary They Class: Barbarian (Ancestral Guardian)/Fighter (RuneKnight) Appearance: Sanshan is the three mountains. They were born as the spirit of the clouds and as such they were not constrained like the people of the valleys or cities and villages. In their home above the cloud horizon their volume can not be contained, but here in the lands they find themself, they have been pressed and squeezed to just under 9'. With effort Sanshan can grow to twice that size even here. Sanshan is hairless and cherubic, with bulbous hanging lobes pierced with heavenly rings. Around their neck hangs a giant, golden disc inscribed with character for mountain gifted to them by the Sun. It swings like a pendulum when they walk or laugh, catching the light wherever they are. Sanshan is beatific and jolly, unfazed by the weight of worry that has shrunk the shoulders of the read here as all other raceslittle races. They seem to take delight in the little creatures of the world who are often found hiding within the voluminous folds of Sanshan's robe. The Seeker: Yes? If so, possibly Sanshan has come down from the mountains at the behest of the Three Lords who, hearing of the prophet in the West the Lords' interpretationsespousing all life is pain, have sent Sanshan to teach the prophet that this is the best of all worlds and the kingdoms of the three mountains are the best of all possible kingdoms. RP questions: TBD

[Lazer]

Yangchen, Tengri Lama of Sumeru Name: Yangchen Sumati Jamyang Race: Custom Lineage Human Gender Identity: Yangchen does not suffer the indignity of lust, but she does feel the draw of romance and will fantasize about growing old with people whom she feels a strong connection to.Ace Female (in this incarnation) Class: Divine SoulSorCelestial/Chain - Sangpo from my second RP sample is the Warlock Patron and my intention is that he is an ancient spirit of the land who has provided part of his spirit to Yangchen in the form of a (usually) invisible spirit called Yuangui (or Gui), who appears as an angry boy of around five with a shrunken body. This familiar uses Imp stats.lock Appearance: There is a quiet elegance to Yangchen which is undeniable. She tries her best to fade into the background, to be forgettable, and yet she is like a firefly amongst moths. It is not the lustre of her hair, nor the smoothness of her skin which draws the eye; such things are commonplace. It is her eyes. Look upon her and you feel the weight of a thousand years behind her youthful gaze. The Seeker: It could certainly work. Yangchen seeks a certain cave in the west, a long and sinuous hole at the very bottom of which is located the wellspring of all strife. She hopes to meditate there, where such a thing would be most difficult, so that she can get one step closer to Nirvana. If she could achieve this feat she could prove to the fanatics back in the Kingdom of Sumeru that her gender is no detriment to her role as a Lama. First Flight "Quick, they're coming!" The voice still rang clear in the young girl's ears even now, two hours later. That had been the exact moment that Yangchen had discovered that there were some people who hated her. Before that moment the very concept of hatred had been an academic thing, something defined simply as a state to be avoided. Within mere hours it had become all too real, she had witnessed it in the twisted mouths, the spit-covered lips and the unthinking eyes of so many people. What had she done to turn these people into such monsters? Some of the faces she had recognised, people she had seen around the temple almost daily during her five years of life. All of this because she was a girl. The path she was following was narrow and fell away to her right. Far below red-tiled roofs perched around a narrow river just where it plummetted off a cliff and tumbled down into the green valley below. Her benefactors had dropped her out of the cart and told her to keep running as they led their pursuers in the opposite direction. Her customary serenity was becoming overwhelmed and, for the first time she could remember, her lower lip was trembling. She didn't know this trail, had no idea where it may lead. All that she knew was that she did not want to go back. The sun edged down towards the western peaks and yet the trail continued on, sometimes widening into a grassy path, sometimes barely more than a narrow ledge running along a cliff-face. The air had grown sharp and Yangchen was beginning to wish she had brought a shawl. Up ahead the bleating of a goat was answered by a voice. She stopped, uncertain. Surely so far from the temple this could not be one of the fanatics? It was the hollow feeling in her belly which gave her the courage to go on, and soon she saw a boy of around twelve, his skin brown and leathery from the sun. He was sitting sprawled on the roots of a small, twisted tree as though it were an armchair and tossing a stone straight up, apparently trying to get it stuck in the branches. A grey goat had climbed the tree and was munching on some bark entirely unconcerned by the stone which had narrowly missed its rump. Several other goats were milling around nearby as though they were waiting for something to happen. The boy caught his stone as it fell back down and then turned around and looked directly at Yangchen, his eyes calculating. For long seconds the only movement was the from jaw of the goat in the tree, and then the boy turned away and threw his stone again. The rules she knew no longer applied.This was not the kind of reception that Yangchen had come to expect. "H-hello?" she said, just about managing to keep the trembling from her voice. "C-can you spare a little food?" The boy snorted some laughter and tossed the stone again. Yangchen took a step closer, then another, then she found herself standing over the boy with her hands on her hips. "Is this how you greet a guest?!" she demanded. He squinted at her, one eyebrow raised. "A guest would wait to be invited. You are a tresspasser." Yangchen stiffened and could feel heat rising into her chest. She took a breath and let it wash the indignation away the way the monks had taught her. "I am a traveller," she said carefully, "and am in need of..." she trailed off. She was in need of a great many things, but one of her biggest problems was that she had little idea of what those things even were. The boy sat up straighter and swivelled to face her. Sitting up his face was just about level with hers and he looked her up and down as though unimpressed and then a slow smile spread across his face. "If you can balance this stone on the top branch," he said, "I will take you home and give you a meal." Yangchen held out her hand and examined the stone dubiously. "But no climbing!" the boy added and gestured at the goat, "Tenzing won't let you anyway." "No climbing?" Yangchen repeated. "Nuh-uh." "Okay." She took a long, slow breath and looked up. "That branch there?" "The top one, where it twists and then opens like an old man's fingers." She could see the branch he meant, it was directly above the horns of Tenzing, whose elongated pupils now stared down at her. She took another breath, filling her lungs with clean air. Closing her eyes she allowed the air to fill her completely, flowing down to the tips of her fingers and toes. The boy gasped and Yangchen opened her eyes to see that she was now almost level with Tenzing, who was eyeing her with impotent fury as she was just out of his reach. She looked down to see the boy looking on wide-eyed well below. He had stood up now and his jaw was working as though his words had become stuck and he was trying to expel them. Looking back up she could see the branch was now in easy reach, she gently placed the stone on it and then breathed out and sank slowly back down to the earth. "Okay," she said to the still silent boy, "which way?" The river flows ever onward Seven years. Yangchen had spent seven years as a guest of Sangpo, his realm had become her home. "And yet you turn me away now with nowhere to go." "How will staying longer allow you to find a destination?" The spirit had the form of a handsome, if currently smug, man in his early thirties who wore a long drooping moustache and blue and green silks which never quite resolved into a definite pattern. He had resided in the valley for longer than anyone could count and seemed to be on good terms with all of the spirits and creatures which lived there or passed through. Yangchen remained silent for some time and watched the clouds twist and roil around the peaks the way she could feel her emotions churn in her core. Gently, carefully she settled them down before responding. "I consider you a friend," she said, still not looking at him, "and if you wish me to go I will leave." "I wish it," he said tenderly. The churning started up again and this time it was too much to control. She could feel heat rising to her face and her eyes began to sting. "I wish it," he repeated, "because I am your friend. Allowing you to remain any longer would do you harm." She looked at him now through tear-filled eyes and could see that he was earnest. She had learned so much here and she had been happy. His head cocked to one side as he watched a single pearl roll down her cheek. "You have a great soul. It must be tested, it must struggle, otherwise it is wasted and will atrophy. You know this." She was caught between two loyalties. She could only shake her head in mute denial because the part of her which formed words knew what he said was true. She had to look away again, back to the valley where the leaves were turning red. Could anywhere else hold such beauty as this? She knew her memories were insufficient to do it justice and wanted more than anything to keep adding to them. "You will not be alone," Sangpo said, "I cannot leave but I can send Yuangui and so a part of me will always be with you." "But where will I go?" She was proud that her voice didn't crack. "Follow the river. When you encounter people in their bustling cities turn towards the setting sun. You will find your destiny." She stood and wiped her cheeks dry. The spirit smiled at her but she could see the sadness in his eyes. They both knew that she would never be back here. "Your wisdom humbles me," she said formally. "Sometimes I wish..." She broke off because she knew that the thought was unworthy, but Sangpo nodded in understanding. "The petty wish for greatness and the great wish for simplicity." "Tao," she said, and she turned away to follow the river where it would take her.

[Onward]

And I'm done adding my RP Samples, check it out.

[Ermine]

I think I'm done with Daksha. Like I say at the end of it, open to criticism and suggestions.

[Osse]

Jinlong, Heavenly Guardian of the Desert Paths Name: Jinlong Race: Gold Dragonborn Gender Identity: Male, Asexual Class: Monk (Way of the Ascendant Dragon) or Barbarian (Path of the Beast) or a mix of both Appearance: Jinlong has blond-white hair, thin long mustaches, sharp teeth and claws, and two thick horns the color of dried-out wood. His body is covered in golden scales that shimmer under the right light. Once over a hundred feet long, Jinlong now stands no taller than the average man at five and a half feet. He has recently taken to wearing clothing, as mortals do, though no shoe or sandal could fit him. The Seeker: Though Jinlong secretly wishes to return to his true form, he believes that there is no going back for him. He finds great honor in living with the consequences of his choices.No

 

Caught Between Two Loyalties Jinlong, Heavenly Guardian of the Desert Paths, looked down from the clouds over the Spice Road, a desert thoroughfare that connects the eastern kingdoms with the western world. He has guarded this area for most of the three centuries that he has been alive. As always, it is teeming with caravans of merchants, pilgrims, and other travelers. "Look, Qiubei!" he called to his companion. "It is them again." Jinlong pointed a claw towards a small caravan, which consisted of four wagons. At the rear was a cart drawn by two giant goats, filled with wooden sculptures and toys. It belonged to the elderly couple Sun Lin and Sun Bai, and their only child, the unmarried Sun Cheng. The golden dragon met them in person once on the same road, when Sun Cheng was no taller than his father's knee. That day, Jinlong descended from the heavens to save them from a pack of demon tigers. They had offered him a meal and a song in thanks. Jinlong had grown fond of them since. He pointed them out to Qiubei whenever they traversed the road on their yearly trips. He even talked about them without being prompted at times. "I do not get your fascination with those mortals, my friend," Qiubei replied. "Especially those three. They are weak and so terribly uninteresting, unlike the horselords of the north and the swordsmen of the eastern islands. Now those... those are worthy to be remembered and talked about." Qiubei, like him, was a dragon. One with scales the color of brass and is a century older. Qiubei was Jinlong's mentor and his closest friend. "Bah!" Jinlong responded. "How hard could it be to ride a horse or swing a blade? See the Suns... they craft things. Beautiful things. Things that bring... joy to people. They even sell little versions of me! Pendants and mug handles!" "Pfft. Mug handles!" Qiubei laughed. "How can you even tell that those are depictions of you?" "Oh. I'm quite certain. I'm the only dragon they've met!" All of a sudden, a cloud of dust rose from the south, kicked up by the horses of bandits. Jinlong clenched his fists and paced back and forth among the clouds, as he and Qiubei watched the bandits reach the caravan within three agonizing minutes. The merchants were outnumbered by five and were heavily outmatched. The dragons couldn't help even if they wanted to. The gods forbid them from interfering with the affairs of mortals, save for matters when demons are involved. The guards of the caravan started to fall one at a time. The bandits appeared to be the bloodthirsty sort, not content with merely taking their prize. One began to stalk towards old Sun Bai. "I'm going," Jinlong declared. "You can't do that!" protested Qiubei. "Remember your oaths. You'd be mortal! You'd... You'd lose your power. Your home. Me..." "Goodbye, my friend," said Jinlong with a tone of finality. "I hope your next partner's a little wiser than me."

 

Where Powers Fail To Solve An Important Problem Jinlong sat next to Sun Cheng on a lightning-felled tree by the lakeshore. It was nearing dusk. The sky was burnt orange and purple. And the wind was barely strong enough to sway little branches. "Is there really nothing you can do?" asked the young man, now twenty-four years old. "Sadly, dear boy, what little power I have is only useful for fighting and hard labor," answered the dragon-man. "I have never learned how to heal. Nor have I ever needed to. I could regenerate quickly then. And I have never been sick until I became the way I am now. Just as I was powerless to save your mother from bleeding out on the day of my descent, I am powerless now to rid your father of the diseases that come with old age." "Some god you are," Cheng retorted. "I'm no god, son," explained Jinlong. "Just a guardian, and a not-so-good one, at that. Be mad at me or the gods later. I'm not going anywhere soon. Go be with Lin. You heard what the herbalist said. Your father doesn't have much time left." Cheng wiped his tears and said, "I'm sorry. I... I'm just... I don't know." He then stood up and headed home. Jinlong remained seated, staring at the sky. Five short years and already two of them are gone, Qiubei would have said. Was it worth it? It was. Jinlong was sure.

[Humble Hero]

I'm going to withdraw my application, thank you. Looking forward to reading the season 3 campaign, though!

[Wynamoinen]

Lots of activity over (my) night! Welcome Osse, and thanks for the apps Humble Hero and Lazer! My table of applications has been updated, and I've marked many of you as complete. You're welcome to keep adjusting "completed" applications, though. I won't do deep-dive reads of applications for at least a week still.

Regarding feedback: I do not offer generalized feedback in thread. That's for a few reasons. One, my Red eyes see what general feedback in ad threads looks like and IMHO it's usually not super helpful. Two, I'm hesitant to put demands for more work on any of you. My app format is already odd and time-consuming. You don't need more homework from me, when none of us yet knows who will actually play the game. That said, I am very happy to answer any and all specific requests for feedback by PM. If you're feeling uncertain about some aspect of your application, I will certainly give you friendly and constructive feedback on those particularities. I just ask for more direct questions than "how's my app?" please.

If I can give one broad bit of advice that applies to everybody, though: I don't want a "backstory" section, it's true. My philosophy here is that backstory only matters insofar as it guides your actions and narrative in the game that we play together. Backstory doesn't matter because of the past, it matters because of the future! So you can use these RP samples to reveal backstory. Backstory should motivate the scenes you set up. A question I'll ask of applications is "why would this character ever want to undertake this Journey? What's the point of the Journey, from your character's perspective?" I should be able to answer that, based on your application. Similarly, notice that one of my columns in the table of applications is labeled "concept". This is my pithy statement of who I think your character is, as a person (as a Journeyer!). If you think the concept I've written misses the mark, that suggests that I found it difficult to understand what your character is all "about".

[neverknew]

Application - WIP Name: Yěshēng 野生的 Race: Tabaxi Gender Identity: Cis-Male Class: Rogue (Phantom) Appearance: Yěshēng was made by the Wind to resemble a Tabaxi. Though shorter and stouter than most of their kind, he is as swift as his creator. His fur is white with the empty dark spots of a leopard. His tail is covered in green scales. He travels lightly and uses minimal equipment. He is rarely found without his set of wooden prayer beads; carved into the beads are the names of the elements. In between some beads are small soul trinkets, phantom rogue featuregem-like objects. Seeker: Not my preference, but willing to Role Play #1 RP Sample 1: You were once in a place where the rules you knew no longer applied. Describe the scene, and how you responded to being a fish out of water.   “I don't...know,” Yěshēng's voice trailed off. “Come now. We all dance.” “I don't think that's dancing.” The tiefling's horn jewelry flashed and glimmered in the firelight. Their black eyes were impenetrable. Li Wei leaned in. “Maybe now would be a good time to learn to dance, hmm?” he whispered. “We've come all this way and –” “And what?” Yěshēng retorted as he mirrored the lean. He did not break eye contact with the clan speaker standing on the other side of the camp fire. “It's absurd. It's just a bit of land.” “You know the alternatives. They're all rotten and we lose days. We can't afford to be late.” “I hate traveling in this realm,” added Diu. “It was the only way,” Yěshēng stated, more thinking out loud than responding to her. Meanwhile activities around them, ruckus at their initial approach, had stilled. Tieflings, all purple-skinned, as was the speaker, watched with simmering curiosity. Beyond the central fire, the light from the track of coals illuminated their dark features, contrasting with the brightly-painted wagons that formed the camp's perimeter. “I don't see a blade or bow anywhere,” Yěshēng observed. “We could just force our way through.” “And what happens the next time?” He grudgingly considered Li Wei's words. Those tieflings already on the coals finished their parade as others awaited the results of the Tabaxis' arrival. Yěshēng noted those not holding musical instruments carried ceramic jars, painted as brightly as the wagons. “Only those who dance may tread among the trees beyond our humble fires.” Yěshēng couldn't make sense of this. “I assume, by your wagons, you travel. Wandering throughout the nations without belong to any. You are guest to this land here, just as we are. By what authority do you determine who shall be allowed passage?” Li Wei's eyelids lowered. “Here we go.” The speaker, Jiao, tilted his head in wonderment or indignation; Yěshēng could not tell which. “To walk the land is to know its voice. Our feet sing the land's ballad along the open roads and through its secret copses. Who better to know who know who will dance and who will remain still?” Silence ensued as Yěshēng unsuccessfully tried to make sense of this. He suspected logic would give no aid. “We don't have much,” he said as he reached for his coin purse, “but perhaps we could pay you for our passage. Like a tol- ” Laughter poured into the night's lull - equal parts joy and sneering. Jiao blinked for the first time during the encounter. They raised their arms and the tense hush returned. “Perhaps they do not know. We know. We see how their kind rely on transactions, in lieu of connection.” They returned their attention to Yěshēng and the twins. “I do not fault you for this. Put aside your trinkets. You will find they have no place here. But why barter instead of dance? This one,” motioning to Yěshēng, “This one is not meant to remain still. How else will you arrive in time to meet the One Who Seeks?” “How did you –” Jiao held up a slender finger, halting Yěshēng's question. They leaned towards the travelers, conspiratorially. “I will tell you a secret. Do you remember the dove trees you passed during your journey thusfar?” With bemused glances, the Tabaxi all nodded. “The dove tree is a terrible gossip.” Jiao leaned back and, after a beat, he erupted in laughter, as did the entire camp. Yěshēng felt dizzy. His usually linear, concrete thoughts spun wildly with no orientation. This stranger's words affected his inner balance like plum wine. The more he tried to reason his way through what he heard as nonsense, the heavier his head felt. He gazed at this stranger and the onlookers unable to marshal coherent thoughts. “Fine.” The acquiescence was only a whisper. Diu looked at him in alarm as Li Wei simply smiled to himself. “Will you dance?” “I will dance.” The camp cheered. Revelry begun anew as lutespipas, flutesdizis, and zithersguqins all started up again. Li Wei nudged Yěshēng's shoulder with his own. “Knew it.” Yěshēng chuckled with his friends. “He usually does, doesn’t he? How annoying.” “You have no idea,” Diu quipped with arched brow as she surveyed the crowd. The coals, already red-hot, began to rattle. They jumped, like fish caught in a net. She elbowed Yěshēng. “Ah, dance master…,” pointing to the embers and smoke. Yěshēng and his companions watched as one by one the coals hung in the air before soaring high above the camp. Collectively, they circled the camp like a whirlwind ignited. The coals took on the distinctive colorings of the wagons, forming a blazing kaleidoscope. The cylinder closed without losing height, centering in on Jiao and the three Tabaxi. The spinning coke’s brilliance eventually became too much as Yěshēng squinted and shielded his eyes. When he looked again, the company had disappeared, along with the coals, the camp fire, the wagons and possessions. Their merriment, though no longer audible, was somehow even stronger. All that remained was a lone fei lian[*], exactly where Jiao had stood. Its horns were adorned with the same jewelry as the speaker's horns. Beyond the beautiful creature, dove trees arched their branches to make a path. The ground underneath the living archway faintly glowed with the former camp's colors. Peering at Yěshēng, the fei lian tilted its head a fraction before turning and bolting down the newly formed byway. “Perhaps travel on his plane is not as tiresome as we'd first thought.” Led by Yěshēng, the three continued in the fei lian's wake. Role Play #2 RP Sample 2: You were once caught between two loyalties. How did you resolve the conflict?   The battle has not gone well, but they were victorious nonetheless. Yěshēng strode over to where Diu knelt over Li Wei. She paused just long enough to address his concerns. "I don't know. Go and fetch our prize so this bloodshed isn't wasted." Properly admonished, Yěshēng stepped over the slain foes and surveyed the far end of the cavern. They'd encountered the first of the goblin-y ogr-ish creaturesguaiwu at the mouth of the cave. As it moved to protect itself from a swarm of Li Wei's arrows, Diu's three-section staffsanjiegun spun in improbable angles before crashing down on its head. Before its lifeless body toppled, two others ambushed the adventurers from darker parts of deeper inside the cavern. Yěshēng's pair of short swordwakizashi had fend off one of the attackers. The remaining guaiwu surprised Li Wei. He managed to block its rusty axe with his bow once; then once again. Then the ogre swung just under the archer's defenses. The creature's strength propelled the axe through armor and bit into Li Wei's side. Hearing his companions cry, Yěshēng's heart sped up and his eyes sharpen. He ducked under his opponent's cudgel swing, sliced its upper leg with one blade and sliced its forearm with the other. He moved behind the beast to gain sight on both duels. Anticipating the next cudgel attack, he drove a sword into the creature's shoulder and caused it to drop its weapon. Distracted by pain and sudden disarmament, it did not noticed as both blade pierced the base of its skull. Yěshēng and Diu reached Le Wei's attacker at the same moment. The third guaiwu, no match for their practiced barrage of blade and staff attacks, quickly joined its fallen company. Now Yěshēng passed through the shallow stream and crossed to the far end of the cavern. Ignoring the inhabitants' squalor, he found their goal - a shi ji - laying prone in a cage fashioned of shoddy metal and wood. He made quick work of the padlock and swung the cell door open. Only one of the shi ji's five heads lifted weakly in his direction. Yěshēng's palm softly caressed the wounds and bruises visible through its thick layers of feathers. He realized even the shi ji's legendary healing power would not help it now. The Daifu, Ming Xia, had offered them riches on behalf of her lord, the Cloud Earl, Qing Yuan, to procure a legendary shi ji before seven moons passed. None of the Daifu's declaration explained why the Cloud Earl would wish to possess such an entity. Legend spoke of a shi ji's eggs having immense healing potential. The tales also described various attempts to keep and possess a shi ji ending in disaster. The Cloud Earl had ruled his court for many, many moons. No one, except Daifu Ming Xia had seen him in seasons. Diu soon crossed the stream and made her way towards the cage. "I think he's stable, but I don't - Ugh, the smell!" She covered her mouth and nose with her cloak. "I don't know for how long. And we only have two sunset to get the shi ji back to the court, so we have to hurry. Have you found it there?" She followed her question with a quick inhalation - more sympathy than surprise. "No." The eyes of the last face only tracked Yěshēng and cawed something unintelligible. He leaned closer and heard something like, "godou, godou." "I'm sorry, friend. I - I don't understand." The shi ji only repeated it again and again, "godou," each utterance more desperate; each claiming more of her remaining spirit. Yěshēng shifted her nearest wing, hoping to make the last moments comfortable. Underneath the matted, sweaty feathers, his Tabaxi eyes spotted something. Diu saw it too. "What is that?" she asked as he reached for it. From under the nurturing wing he found a perfectly round object, radiating a blue haze. "Godou," as the last of its heads stilled. "Do you know what that is?" Diu asked in knowing anticipation. "A blessed egg." "The real reason why we were sent to retrieve the shi ji. A chance to skirt death." They rode with the upmost haste to the Cloud Earl's court, yet Li Wei slowed them down. He could barely stay on his steed and even as he did, their speed was drastically reduced. After the first sunset, they made camp. Diu pulled Yěshēng aside. "Take the egg and ride for the court. I will remain with my brother." But Yěshēng refused. Over the course of the stars, Li Wei's condition worsened and sunrise saw no improvement. "Go, you fool. My sister will stay with me." But again, Yěshēng refused to leave his friends. The day's travels were halted early due to Li Wei's lack of stamina. He faded in and out of consciousness. The Day could no longer hold off the Night, as the constellations swaggered backstage, ready for their glory. Yěshēng stood and watched the horizon as the sun struggled as it relinquished its dominion over the heavens. The oddly, perfectly round egg rested firmly in his palm. It's hazy aura had not diminished. He knew he could blink and wish himself back to the court of their benefactor. He knew this. Diu crossed the camp towards where he watched the sun was losing the horizon. "You know what you have to do," she said with tight lips. Yěshēng noted she no longer made eye contact with him. He stood and watched the star come out to dance. Under their practiced choreography, Yěshēng marched into Li Wei's tent. He sat beside his dying friend and crushed the shi ji egg in his hand. Like ghostly gossamer, its contents leaked through his fingers and dripped toward the sleeping Li Wei. His body rippled with their impact; so much so that Yěshēng lost sight of his friend for a moment. Then he was there. Then they were no where. Then they were all there. There at the Cloud Earl's court. "Not that I'm not grateful, but -" "One problem at a time," responded Yěshēng. "One life at a time."