The Kingdom of Valdemar

[Big Dave]

The kingdom of Valdemar has been at peace for many years. Giving them time to rebuild after the war with Hardorn, and the Mage Storms which followed soon after. Since the end of the Mage Storms, there has been an increase in the number of Gifted children born within the effected areas, and an identical increase in the number of Companions being born in Valdemar's capital city of Haven.

Not all of these gifted children have been Chosen, but under the guidance of the Heraldic Council, all will be trained. Those who have not been chosen will be held to the same ethical standards as the Heraldic trainees, but despite the instructors' best efforts, mistakes can be made.

The Mage Gift, while still more rare than the others, has also grown more common in recent years, creating a need for more talented instructors to be brought in, most of these coming from the Tayledras, and Kale'a'din clans. But some coming from trusted schools such as the White Winds and Blue Mountain schools.

The Bardic Collegium has also found it's ranks swelling with new apprentices, much to the delight of the kindom's populace.

The healers have responded to the growing numbers in the same way as the new Mage's collegium, calling in experienced healers from Valdemar's newfound allies to assist in training the next generation.



This RP will take place in Mercedes Lackey's fictional world of Velgarth, focusing as many of her great novels have, on the Kingdom of Valdemar. It is set approximately twenty years after the end of the Owl series (if any of you have read the books.) I would prefer most people to play as trainees in the various collegia. Of course, if you'd like to play an older, more experienced character, you may PM me with your request, though if you want to play a full Herald, I do require you to have at least some knowledge of the books. (This isn't to be mean, it's just so that we don't have people playing "Heralds" who are secretly plotting against the kingdom or something equally ridiculous.)

Gift choices:

Bardic: A form of Projective Empathy which works only when the user is playing, or singing. (The strongest gifts can also remove pain from a single listener.)

Empathy: The ability to feel emotions. Or to cause others to feel the emotions of the user (Most with the gift can do both in some degree)

Far-seeing: Basically a scrying spell. Though the image can only be seen by the user, and those linked to him/her. The weakest gifts can only See images through the eyes of someone known to them. More powerful gifts allow the user to spy on a room they've never seen (if they know where it is) filled with complete strangers, or even completely empty.

Fetching: Telekinesis. More powerful gifts can Teleport the desired object, and even living beings over long distances. The user must be able to see his target in some manner. (Line of sight, or with the aide of a Far-seer.)

Fire-starting: The ability to start fires at will. the strength of the gift varies from being able to sustain a candle sized flame long enough to light a camp-fire, to ignititing the particals in the air and raining them down on enemies (Very rare)

Healing: Exactly what it sounds like. This Gift allows the user to accelerate the healing process of an individual many times over. The most powerful gifts can actually regrow limbs with the help of several others (over the course of several weeks.

Mage-gift: A versatile gift limited by the imagination of the user, and his or her ability to draw power. Attempting spells beyond a character's training can have dire consequences for the caster, and those around him/her. Apprentice mages can only draw on their own energy, and that of other willing participants. Journeyman mages can also draw on the thin trickles of energy produced by all living things to recharge his/her own reserves. Master mages can draw on the more powerful Ley lines. And Adepts are capable of drawing power from the Nodes where those lines meet. (Choose one level of power when choosing this gift, that will be your character's limit.) (Rare)

Thought-speech: the ability to hear thoughts, and speak into the thoughts of others. All heralds possess at least some measure of this gift. Allowing them to speak to their companions, and link with other Heralds to boost eachother's powers.

Character sheet. (I will only explain things that I feel need explaining.)

Name:
Age: (16+ please)
Gender:
Race: (Most can simply put "human" but I will allow SOME Changechildren [partially "furry" humans] just PM me with the details, and I'll let you know if it's allowed.)
Sub-race: (Kale'a'din, Tayledras, Shin'a'in, Karsite, Haighlei) (Country of origin, others are possible.)
Gifts: Choose any number of gifts (Preferably only one or two strong ones, More than that requires prior approval.)
Orientation: (Gay/Lesbian, Bisexual, Straight)
Appearance: Pics are fine, but descriptive text is better.
Biography: At least one paragraph please. Tell us where your character was born, how he/she acts, when and how he/she came to Valdemar, all the good stuff)

Sex is allowed, and even encouraged in the RP, just please, keep it reasonable, and keep in mind that you probably have classes in the morning :P
If you have any questions, PM me and I'll try to get back to you as quickly as possible. I'll post my own profiles once we get a few people in here.

[Zach attack]

Yay! I love these books!

Name: Jacob
Age: 16
Gender: Male
Race: Change-child (Feline/human hybrid)
Sub-race: Valdemaran
Gifts: Adept level Mage-gift, medium thoughtspeaking.
Orientation: Bisexual
Appearance: A handsome young man in spite of his altered appearance. He stands at roughly five feet seven inches, and weighs just over one hundred pounds. He has long black hair, dark blue eyes, and a layer of soft gray fur covering most of his body. He has a very slender build, and at times looks more like a young girl than a man.
Biography: Very little is known about this young man, he arrived in Haven in late summer knowing nothing but his name. Despite how uneasy his appearance makes people, he tries to be helpful when he can. His teachers are often amazed at how quickly he learns things, particularly his aptitude for complicated magic.

Due to the kingdom's past troubles, Jacob is not entirely trusted, and he is still watched carefully when near the palace, but he doesn't seem to notice the scrutiny of the guards as he passes. He is frustrated by his weapons work lessons, prefering to spend his time in study, but accepts the lessons as a required hardship.

He hasn't taken the time to make many new friends, but he does make an effort to be polite to everyone, even the lowest of the servants. Which has lead to him being well liked among that particular group.

[Big Dave]

I guess we'll do this just between us until we get more people (Or stay between us if no one else joins)

Name: Kaelann shena Tale'sedrin
Age: 17
Gender: Male
Race: Human
Sub-race: Half-Shin'a'in
Gifts: Strong Fetching, Strong Thoughtspeaking, Medium empathic sense, weak empathic projection
Orientation: Bisexual
Appearance: Fairer skin than the average Shin'a'in due to being born into the already mixed blooded Tale'sedrin clan. Long blonde hair, bright green eyes. Well muscled, Six and a half feet tall, just over two hundred pounds.
Biography: Born to the union of a young Shin'a'in woman and an unknown outland mage within the confines of Tale'sedrin's camp. Even as a child, he began showing signs of his Gifts, but as is most common, they didn't entirely manifest until puberty. He is one of the few Shin'a'in to be Chosen by a companion, but has taken to the new challenge of "civilization" as readily as he had taken to the challenge of surviving on the plains. Before being Chosen, he, like most of his kin, worked with the unique (And highly sought after) Warsteeds that the Shin'a'in have bred for generations beyond recollection. He is an excelent swordsman, and can often be found practicing, or working with younger students under the watchful eye of Herald Jeri, the current Weaponsmaster at the Collegium

The day he was Chosen began like any other, up with the sun, light workout, grab a bite to eat. But as he was working with the young mare which would eventually be his mount, a single white stallion walked into the camp. By now everyone there knew what the eerie horse-like creature was, and what it meant. So when it walked over to Kaelann, he willingly moved toward it as well. The Companion had little to "say" at that moment, only giving Kaelann his name, Randal, and informing him that he was to become a Herald. Kaelann resisted at first, insisting that he was needed on the plains, but in the end, he gave in, and rode off with the young companion

Once he arrived at Haven, Kaelann did what he could to fit in, though it wasn't easy for him to accept the concept of a uniform, especially one without any real color to it. But in this, he also eventually settled down, wearing the Grays with only a minor complaint now and then. Despite his weapons expertise, and experience riding the plains, he still has a lot to learn about his new home.


IC:

Kaelann walked calmly toward the dining hall after the breakfast bell rang. He was looking forward to classes officially starting the next day, though he'd been studying everything he could about the kingdom since his arrival.

:Would have been easier if you'd just tell me the things that aren't in the books.: he Said to his companion.

:Some things you have to learn on your own Kael. We can't solve everything for you.: Randal replied

:One of these days horse, you're going to be wrong about something: Kaelann chuckled quietly, causing one of the servants to jump and move away from him He's new.. he thought.

:When that day finally comes, you can gloat about it. Now hush and get something to eat.:

[Sarita]

OOC: Can't let you boys have all the fun :P


Name: Ashley Amnell
Age: 16
Gender: Female
Race: Human
Sub-race: Valdemaran
Gifts: Strong healing, Strong Empathy
Orientation: Bisexual
Appearance: Stands at about five and a half feet tall, slender build. Golden hair, light blue eyes. When she's not working she prefers to wear brighter colors, but even in her trainee Greens, she manages to draw more than her fair share of attention. Despite still having some growing left to do, she has already filled out as much, or more than most grown women.
Biography: Born in a small village on the outskirts of the Pelagiris forest, Ashley never fit in with the other girls. While they played with dolls, she watched the village healer at work. When they started talking about boys, she was busy learning to stitch up injuries. Later when she learned of her gifts, she started using it to help the injured workers heal faster, earning her the gratitude of the entire village.

While her healing gift was under control, her Empathy ran wild, causing her to become uneasy in her own home. When the Herald Aldren came by on his circuit, he learned of her predicament, and invited her to come to Haven for training. He put her under shield while waiting for her escort, giving her the first real relief she'd had in years.

When she arrived in Haven, Ashley worked herself into the ground between assisting the full healers, and learning to manage her empathic senses.

IC:

Ashley stretched carefully as she rose from her bed. She was used to the collegium schedule by now, and knew that she wouldn't have to hurry to still get something hot to eat.

[Zach attack]

Jacob wandered through the dining hall in search of an empty seat, or at least a small group who would let him sit with them without staring at him the entire meal. I know I'm a freak... but it's not like I'm the first they've seen... he thought as he passed by a group of Herald trainees who were eyeing him nervously.

After a few minutes, he found an empty table in the farthest corner from the kitchen. Lonely.. but at least it'll be peaceful.. he thought as he set his tray on the table, and sat down in one of the chairs.

[Big Dave]

Kaelann shook his head as he continued toward the dining hall. :Fair enough.. What can you tell me about the current situation? I know you hear a lot more than you're supposed to.:

:Nothing unusual that I've heard, but Rolan is nervous about something.: Randal replied.

:And of course, he won't tell you anything he doesn't want the entire collegium to know. Why oh why was I chosen by the biggest gossip in the kingdom?: Kaelann teased as he made his way through the crowd. He saw several people he recognized, but he was more interested in a quiet meal than hearing about the conquests of his fellow Trainees.

:I don't gossip! I share valuable information.. Besides, it's not just me he wont talk to.:

:Knowing which servants are doing more than just cleaning in the palace isn't valuable information, it's gossip.: he chuckled again as he grabbed a tray of food, and began searching for a quiet table.