Venna Dann

2021-10-05T03:02:06Z

AWorldWithoutShrimp: Created page with "Venna Dann '''High Concept: "Itinerant Archaeologist of the Ancients"''' Venna has spent her (relatively short) time on Orbis enthralled with the technology and society of..."

Venna Dann

'''High Concept: "Itinerant Archaeologist of the Ancients"'''

Venna has spent her (relatively short) time on Orbis enthralled with the technology and society of the Ancients, after growing up in a village near a particularly impressive set of Ancients ruins. She has roamed the two continents in search of an ever-deeper understanding of who the Ancients were, and what they wanted.

'''Invoke''': To draw on her knowledge of the Ancients in interactions related to them, to produce some kind of technological gadget which may be helpful in a given situation, to establish knowledge of a certain place she may have been before.

'''Compel''': To get her to chase after a lead on some kind of Ancients knowledge/tech, to have her run into someone she may have a history with from her travels.

'''Trouble: "Robbed an Imperial Commander's Dig Site"'''

Venna once spent a fair amount of time working for an Empire expedition to a particularly promising Ancients excavation site. After working side-by-side with the Empire for some time, she overheard the Imperial leader's plan to raze the site after taking anything that could be used as a weapon. Venna decided to beat them to the punch, and fled with everything she could carry, later hiding the potentially dangerous items somewhere the Imperial commander could never find them. As far as she's aware, he's still after her for it.

'''Invoke''': To draw on Venna's knowledge of Imperial procedures, to leverage her knowledge of her stash of important technology.

'''Compel''': To have Imperial agents or soldiers pursue Venna at inpportune times, to have the devices she stole start acting up in odd ways, to have treasure hunters come after her.

'''Aspects''':

'''"Machines Make More Sense Than People"'''

Having spent most of her life knocking about Ancients ruins and other advanced technology, Venna is quite comfortable working with steel and ether. Interactions with humans regrettably often prove much less straightforward.

'''Invoke''': To help Venna work on or investigate machinery, to help resist social pressure due to obtusity

'''Compel''': To have Venna accidentally offend someone, to render her more vulnerable to social/mental pressure

'''"Leave No Stone Unturned"'''

Venna simply *hates* to leave a task before it's done; you never know what artifact you might miss if you quit a dig one day too soon.

'''Invoke''': To help Venna focus on searches or investigation, to help her persist in situations where she feels there's more to do.

'''Compel''': To get Venna caught up in minutae or otherwise unimportant details, to have her take unnecessary risks.

'''"(Un?)Healthy Skepticism of the Church":'''

Enraptured with the Ancients as she is, Venna naturally looks poorly on the Therian Church's black-and-white moral claims towards them and their culpability in the Cataclysm, regardless of whether or not it's fair to do so...

'''Invoke''': To help Venna in adverserial interactions with Church members, to help Venna when dealing with Imperial or Church propaganda.

'''Compel''': To have Venna act unfairly towards well-meaning Church members, to have her miss important details or connections due to her preconceived notions.

'''Skills:'''

'''Great''' (+4): Lore

'''Good''' (+3): Craft, Investigate

'''Fair''' (+2): Shoot, Contacts, Notice

'''Average''' (+1): Will, Athletics, Resources, Physique

'''Stunts:'''

'''Jury-Rigged Ancients Shield Generator:'''
- Once per scene, you may use Lore to defend against physical attacks.

'''Specialization (Ancients Lore):'''
- +2 to Lore on all Lore rolls relating to the Ancients.

'''Getting to the Next Dig:'''
- +2 to Craft when working with vehicles.

Refresh:
3

'''Physical Stress:'''
O O O

'''Mental Stress:'''
O O O

'''Physical Description:'''

Venna is a semi-kempt, sharp-eyed woman in her late 20s or early 30s with a tall, willowy frame that's typically groaning under the weight of a pack stuffed with as many books, tools, and gadgets as she can carry.

Skies of Fate

2021-10-05T02:59:57Z

AWorldWithoutShrimp: /* Active Players */

=The Pitch=
'''''Orbis''' is a world of technological anachronisms, where soldiers use a mix of modern firearms and (very big) swords, mages and dragons coexist with mecha and combat robots, and all magic and technology is powered by ether, a mystical substance that takes both physical and noncorporeal forms. ''

''Skyships are everywhere, and they are the main form of transportation over long distances. The world is littered with ruins and machines built by long-dead civilizations. These ruins, and stories of the Ancients, have inspired many religions, with the largest being a pseudo-Christian church that worships the '''Goddess of Ether''' herself.''

''The largest political power on the continent of '''Atlia''' is the ever-expanding '''Empire of the Arc'''. It hoards ancient technology and uses it to annex neighboring nations and cultures, constantly pushing its borders outwards as it swallows up ever more territory. ''

''The story begins with our heroes, a band of friends and acquaintances, in a small village that has recently been swallowed up by the '''Empire of the Arc'''. Their lives have not changed too much, but events are conspiring, that will draw them into a resistance movement against imperial rule...''

=Setting=
We are currently in a state of world-building, so this is a work in progress for notes and ideas.

==People and Creatures==
Besides '''humans''', '''elves''', and '''robots''' there exist '''beastfolk''', who resemble intelligent animals, and '''animalborn''', who differ in being half-human and being born from human parents. Why these two races exist is a matter of some debate, with spiritual scholars claiming them to be the result of reincarnation, whilst scientific thinkers speculate they are some creation of the Ancients. '''Fish-people''' are one of the types of beastfolk, living under the waves away from humanity and the empire’s reach.

There are claims that some people may be descended from the ancients – this is usually claimed by royal families to legitimize their rules.

The Empire tried to weaponize '''giant wasp'''s. This went as well as you might expect.

Although animals identical to earth like dogs, cats and horses exist, there also exist some stranger creatures, some of which could reasonably be called monsters.<br> Common animals used as mounts are '''Vulpines''', large fennec-fox like animals, particularly in deserts. There are also giant moth-like insects called '''Glitterwings''' used as flying mounts in some societies that don’t have a lot of airships, and by some military units.

The '''Dweryr''' are shorter humanoids that live underground and are xenophobic. They sometimes venture out to major population hubs, but tend to cover themselves and not show their faces in public.

==Geography==
The planet your adventures take place on is called '''Orbis''' and has two continents, known as '''Atlia''' (where your adventure begins) and '''Antar'''. Orbis is littered with the '''ancient ruins''' of a technologically advanced civilization.<br>

Orbis has a '''blue moon''', which is now in a low orbit, drawn closer by whatever energies were unleashed during the Cataclysm. It permanently hangs in the sky above the '''Great Sea''', creating an endless '''maelstrom''' beneath it.

The '''Cataclysm''' resulted in the boundary between the material and astral planes being thin in some areas, where daemons and other things can break through the boundary. Such areas are often altered by the astral plane in some way.

== The Ancients ==
The '''Ancient’s''' called themselves in their own tongue the '''Seekers of Truth''' and they placed the gathering of knowledge first and foremost in their society.

Their inventions included the '''prospectacles''', which allows one to view a few minutes into the future, and the '''Philosopher’s Stone'''s, items of such rarity and power that they can topple kingdoms. 5 of 13 are accounted for.

== The Church of the Goddess ==
Although there are other religions, one is far more widespread than any other and wields significant political power.<br>
Their goddess is called '''Theria'''. Their core tenets include working and providing for your community, habitual praise for Her, and enlightening non-believers to Her grace.
Below the goddess is a '''quasi-pantheon''' of legendary heroines known as the '''Crownless Kings'''. The Empire makes use of these stories in it’s propaganda.
The church claims that the Ancients were punished by Theria for hollowing out and killing the world tree to access the divine secrets held within, for which she created a great maelstrom in the etheric winds to wipe their civilization from the face of Orbis.

== The Empire ==
Over the pasty fifty years the '''Empire of the Arc''' has steadily grown by annexing neighboring countries and subjugating them to its rule. It’s legions and fleet of airships fight to conquer the world in the name of their emperor.<br>

Their capital, '''The Arc''', resembles a gigantic cylindrical tower, the petrified and hollowed-out remains of the '''World Tree'''. The city draws on the Etheric energy that still pulses along its crystalline roots for power. Inside the city is in perpetual knight and lit by streetlamps and neon signage, only making it even more cyberpunk. The walls of the Arc are guarded by titanic war robots that resemble giant animals, These date back to the time of the Ancients and are not under the Empire’s direct control.

The Empire’s elite warriors are the '''ArcKnights''' who pilot its battle mecha.

The highest authority besides the Emperor himself the '''Imperial Marshals'''. They are granted absolute power to destroy his enemies both within and without.

=Characters=
==Active Players==
*'''[[Maki Aki]]''', the '''spear'''-wielding '''Horse Girl Adventurer''', played by ''Muskrat''.
*'''[[Skies of Fate/Matteus|Matteus]]''', the '''mace'''-wielding '''Priest of the Goddess''', played by ''SirMoogle''.
*'''[[Kieran Galvaynes]]''', the '''greatsword''' wielding '''Tekanoid Captain''', played by ''Llayne''.
*'''Lionel Caffrey''', the '''Imperial Cadet''' and '''martial artist''', played by ''RdMarquis''.
*'''[[Venna Dann]]''', the '''Itinerant Archaeologist of the Ancients''', played by '''AWorldWithoutShrimp'''

==Inactive Players==
*The unknown '''polearm''' wielding '''Dragoon''', played by ''mpascal02''. (Wait List)
*A '''mystery character''' played by ''naturegirl1999''. (Wait List)
*'''Utah''', the '''gunblade''' wielding '''Blademaster''', played by ''Sabermane''.
*'''Pads''' the '''gun'''-slinging '''Wolfman Survivalist''', played by ''Aurebesh''.
*'''Cyprian Belmont''', the '''magic'''-wielding '''Summoner''', played by ''Pandory''m.

==Non Player Characters==

===Empire of the Arc===
*The '''Emperor'''

====The Province of Talamasca====

===The Kingdom of Zephyria===

*'''Riku''', Kieran's Tekanoid little brother.
*'''Gurdaan''', Kieran's Bearfolk Quartermaster.
*'''Vetta''', Kieran's Rabbitfolk Engineer.

=Inspiration=
A world inspired by JRPG's like Final Fantasy, Xenoblade, Wild Arms, LUnar, and a little bit of Legend of Zelda.

Anime is also an influence, including The Vision of Escaflowne, Howl's Moving Castle, Castle in the Sky, Princess Connect Re: Dive, and especially Nausicaa of the Valley of the Winds

RPGnet - User contributions [en]

Venna Dann

Skies of Fate