Ashes to Ashes - Discussion Thread

[AurianaValoria1]

Welcome to the discussion thread for Ashes to Ashes. Here, roleplayers may post their character sheets, put up pics of their characters, discuss the RP, and handle any other OOC (out of character) business.

*There should be no OOC posts in the RP thread itself.*

 

Ashes to Ashes is an RP based in the Mount&Blade: Warband universe, where bands of adventurers come together to take advantage of this torn land. Calradia is a single continent split by warfare and ruled by petty lords and power-mad kings. Your character is a denizen of Calradia - a native, or a foreigner - who has decided to take up arms for his or her own personal reasons and has entered the political intrigue and endless warfare of the land. The RP will start with a group of such adventurers in a tavern, where they will soon discover their common interests...

 

The Kingdoms:

http://epsilon11.com/articles/67-game-review-mount-and-blade-warband/map.jpg

 

The Kingdom of Swadia (orange) - the oldest faction, the Kingdom of Swadia claims the central/western portion of Calradia, which encompasses vast green countryside and thick forests. Swadians are tough and capable warriors, their most formidable fighters being the famed Swadian Knights. Few foot soldiers can stand against the power of these mighty cavalrymen. To back up their horsemen, Swadians also employ decent infantry and archers in the form of heavily-armored sergeants and crossbowmen. Their ruler is King Harlaus. [Their real-world equivalent could easily be medieval England/Germany.]

 

The Kingdom of Rhodoks (green) – A breakaway faction from Swadia, Rhodoks claims the west/southwest portion of the continent. It is a very small kingdom with mountainous terrain and forests. They have no cavalry and middling infantry, though their crossbow-armed Sharpshooters are forces to be reckoned with. A handful of Rhodok crossbowmen can hold a single castle against hundreds of attackers. Their ruler is King Graveth. [Real world equivalent = medieval Italy]

 

The Kingdom of the Nords (blue) – consisting of raiders from a distant land, the kingdom of the Nords lies on the northern coast of Calradia. Like Rhodoks, they have no cavalry, but their Huscarls more than make up for that with their strength, ferocity, and ability to use throwing axes. Decent archers are also employed by them, and their shield walls can halt a cavalry charge in its tracks. Their ruler is King Ragnar. [Real world equivalent = vikings]

 

The Kingdom of Vaegirs (grey) – another breakaway faction, Vaegirs has a moderate all-round army of cavalry, infantry, and archers. Vaegir Knights can stand their ground fairly well, but are not as resilient as Swadian Knights. Their marksmen are their most notable units, on par with Rhodok Sharpshooters. Their holding is the snowy tundra in the east, and their ruler is King Yaroglek. [Real world equivalent = medieval Russia]

 

The Khergit Khanate (purple) – occupying the vast steppes in the southern and southeastern portion of the map, the Khergit Khanate rivals Swadia for land control. Their strength lies in hordes of horse archers and lancers. Remove horses from the equation, and the Khanate is weak…their castles fall easily to heavier armies like those of Swadia. These steppe people are ruled by Sanjar Khan. [Real world equivalent = the Mongol horde of Genghis Khan]

 

The Sarranid Sultanate (yellow) - even farther south than the Khanate is the Sarranid Sultanate, which spans the deserts below the steppes. These desert warriors can hold their own against the Swadians rather easily with their Mamlukes. Their infantry and archers are less stellar, but are still quite formidable. Ruled by Sultan Hakim, the Sarranids spar most with the Khergits for territory. [Real world equivalent = medieval Persia]

 

Method of Currency = Denars

Here are some general guidelines that should be followed when posting in Ashes to Ashes, originally made by Lisnpuppy.

 

1) Have fun. If you are finding yourself always irritated or unhappy...then why are you here. Figure out the issue or go do something else.

 

2) Never forget the line between RP In Character and Out of Character and don't cross it. It is easy, especially when you have particularly intense RP, to take things personally. Don't....99% of the time it isn't all about you.

 

3) Start with a well-made character. Have a decent background and personality to make your RP more fun and easier. Your character doesn't have to be set in stone. But having a solidly made character is important or your RP may peter out. Have your character have likes/dislikes, goals, dreams, an arch-enemy....this will help you flesh them out even more and bring them to life.

 

4) Relationship RP should be the ICING not the CAKE! Make it a side-quest if you will...not the main one.

 

5) You have to give a little to get a little. We all have RP storylines in which we want others to engage. That is what makes it fun, right? But if you find a friend knee-deep in a RP of their own, don't come in and hijack the RP for yourself or refuse to participate because its not all about YOU. Have fun and throw your lot in with them! Trust me, when your time comes around, people will remember that you play well with others.

 

6) Don't be a MaryJane! Don't decide that you are going to be a half-dragon or the long-lost illegitimate son of the King of Whoville. It doesn't work, it probably isn't in the lore anywhere, and it will lead only to your RP downfall. Eventually your “special” character will begin to dominate everyone else and their RP. No one will want to play with you...so make your character special in other ways.

 

7) No godmoding!! Remember, you only control YOUR character and not others. When you RP, do not take over the actions of other Rpers.

 

For example: Jon casts a frostbolt at Matt knocking him back into the wall and breaking his arms.

 

Instead try: Jon cast a frostbolt hoping to hit Matt and knocking him out of the way.

This allows the other player to take action. You can have decided before hand how this will go out. You can roll to see what actions happen or how bad an injury is.

 

8 ) Soap Opera-ing. Many of us have wanted to play our character as crazy, a total badass or having an illness or amnesia. Those can all be valid and fun stories. The doom is in taking it too far or too long. These kind of stories ultimately leave little RP options for those around you. Always have movement and a goal in your RP...otherwise it goes nowhere.

 

9) Be willing to RP with anyone, anytime. Just because you are in a guild or Rping with a friend doesn't mean you can't include others. Walk-Up RP can lead to great things...or simply pass the time for a bit. If others don't RP EXACTLY like you...no sweat. Perhaps they are new and need some gentle guidance. So be open to everything!

 

10) Communication is the key. Always establish your RP boundaries when you are Rping with someone long-term. If you don't like swearing...or a particular kind of violence...or if you will take anything coming down the pike! Let others know. It avoids awkward and unpleasant conversations later.

 

A few more rules to add:

 

11) Kings/Queens are allowed, but their position must be earned over the course of the roleplay. The existing rulers, vassals, and claimants of M&B: Warband will be controlled by myself. Don't expect them to become too integral; they'll mostly be background activity, especially at the beginning of the roleplay. However, I will support interactions with them through my own posts. Marriages to the vassals are allowed when appropriate.

 

12) No teleportation. Or magic. It doesn’t exist in Calradia.

 

13) No strong sexual content. Just because your character/characters/favorite vassals are in a relationship, it doesn't mean that everyone wants to read what they are doing in their private time.

 

14) You are limited to ONE main character. Side characters are allowed, but they must be in and out very quickly...no becoming a permanent part of the story.

 

15) Armies and/or characters with no names are considered NPCs and may be treated as such. They are fair game for attack and/or defeat UNLESS the character with the PC in charge of them suggests otherwise. Such suggestions MUST be written in this discussion thread to be considered valid, so that all role-players can see and will understand what is meant to happen with such NPCs. Please exercise common sense when dealing with NPCs, ie: an entire army will not fall to one person.

 

16) All members are expected to post a minimum of once per week. If a member fails to post again within a week after his or her most recent post, it will result in that member receiving a warning and only one more week to post in the RP before he or she is removed from AtA entirely. Exceptions to this rule include personal issues such as those involving work, school, family, etc., but members are required to inform me about them. If something arises that keeps a member from the RP, they can just let me know, and that member will be excused from posting until he or she can officially return.

 

Additionally, it is important (not to mention courteous) to take turns posting. If you are waiting on a roleplayer to interact with you, and they have not posted in a few days, PM them...they may be busy or may have simply forgotten that it was his or her turn to post. Please be considerate.

Character Sheet Guide

Name:

 

Gender:

 

Age:

 

Physical Description:

 

Nation of Origin (Swadia, Rhodok, foreigner, etc.):

 

Fighting Style (horseback, sword-and-board, archer, etc.):

 

Equipment and Clothing:

 

Background:

 

Reason for Becoming an Adventurer (opportunity, revenge, etc):

All sheets must be approved before you can join.

Once you're approved, you can head on over here to post.

Edited August 11, 2015 by AurianaValoria1

[AurianaValoria1]

Name: Bellatrix de l'Aeryngton

 

Gender: Female

 

Age: 27

 

Physical Description: Standing at 5'4'', Bellatrix is not exactly physically imposing, but what she lacks in height, she makes up for in ferocity. Her eyes are a sharp sapphire blue, her pale, round face is heavily freckled across her nose and cheekbones, and she wears her thick, rose-blonde hair in a messy bun with tight plaits on the sides of her head. Having trained with warriors before, she is toned in the torso and limbs, but not overly muscled.

 

Nation of Origin: Foreigner.

 

Fighting Style: Bellatrix prefers to fight from the back of a horse with a sword and shield. She also makes a decent mounted and foot archer with a longbow.

 

Equipment and Clothing: A chain hauberk with a worn tabard bearing her father's coat-of-arms: a white field split diagonally with a thick red line, two black eagles on opposite sides of that line. She has a nut-shaped Vaegir helm with a nose guard, lined with rabbit fur. A simple steel sword hangs at her side, and a hunting bow is slung across her back. When out of armor, she wears a plain, stained red blouse and dark green breeches with a pair of well-worn leather boots. She owns a fleabitten grey steppe horse.

 

Background: The only child of a man from minor nobility, Bellatrix grew up learning the ins and outs of noble politics and warfare. Unfortunately, she had little opportunity to implement such knowledge, as her father was a drunk who squandered the family wealth and ensured their household name could never be relied upon for anything other than trouble. Her mother taught her all she knew in regards to noble life, and she received her martial training from a beloved friend - the household sergeant. For Bellatrix, the sergeant served as a sort of pseudo-father, and in addition to fighting, he taught her to ride a horse fearlessly into combat. Bellatrix lived in this way until she turned 26, much to the chagrin of her mother, who feared she would never obtain a husband with her headstrong attitude and her desire to lead magnificent armies someday.

 

Reason for Becoming an Adventurer: Being driven out of her homeland; Bellatrix's estate was attacked and ransacked by the king's men after her father was wrongfully accused of poaching in the king's game reserves. Bellatrix was the only survivor, having been away from the estate at the time. She came back to nothing but smoldering ruins. With nowhere left to go and the land now hostile to anyone with her surname, she took a ship for the distant land of Calradia in hopes of starting anew...

Edited July 13, 2015 by AurianaValoria1

[FreemasonGamer]

Name: Komolov Yuliy

Gender: Male

Age: 22

Physical Description: Komolov stands 6'1" exactly with narrow shoulders and a lean physique, but his seemingly thin stature may cause others to mistake him as weak or harmless. Quite the opposite, Komolov can draw a tightened bowstring with ease and wield a blade to vicious effect; in fact, Komolov's musculature is considerably impressive for someone of his lithe, refined build. As is the normality in the Kingdom of Vaegirs, Komolov is fairly pale and has a head of uncut, curly black hair. The young man also inherited his mother's foreign emerald green eyes, her peachy facial complexion, and his father's sharp features. On the frequent occasion, one may notice the collection of scars on Komolov's forearms and even the long, narrow scar on the right side of his neck.

Nation of Origin: The Kingdom of Vaegirs

Fighting Style: Komolov prefers using his composite bow for most occasions, primarily because of his experience and talent with archery. He will however rely on his steel halberd—he had inherited the polearm from his father, Olenev—if he is forced into initiating melee combat.

Equipment and Clothing: Underneath his blackened duster, Komolov tends to wear a behterets—a plated mail vest—over his everyday clothes, whereas the rest of his armor simply consists of leather bracers, greaves, and heavy-made boots. Whenever he is not expecting a fight, Komolov wears a navy blue, long-sleeved tunic over dark gray trousers and his worn-in pair of hunting boots; should the weather demand it, Komolov wears his black bearskin cloak to ward off the cold of Vaegirs.

Background: Komolov was born and raised with his three younger sisters in the village of Ayyike outside of the Vaegir capital of Reyvadin. Their father was a true son of Vaegirs, but their mother was of Swadian descent. Nevertheless, they lived as lowly peasants who worked constantly on their farm to sustain themselves; in the months when snow blanketed their fields, Komolov's father taught him archery and the ways of the hunt. By his fourteenth year, Komolov was quite an excellent young huntsman, although he learned early on to keep his practice a secret; poaching on noble lands could be severely punished. As he grew to become a young man, Komolov then began to teach himself the art of combat using his father's halberd, a relic of the Yuliy family. However, Komolov grew arrogant from his father's praise as his twentieth year drew closer; despite his mother's concerns, Komolov often sought out fights among his friends, companions, and even travelers at the inn. His overconfidence came to a sudden halt when he was nineteen after he miserably lost a duel with a Sarranidian bladesman, and he still carries the scars from that fight to this day.

Reason for Becoming an Adventurer: Retribution; when Komolov was on an extended hunting trip to Rebache with his fellows at the age of twenty, merciless bandits from Swadia swept through Ayyike. Upon his return, Komolov was shocked to find his village pillaged, his father crippled, his mother a traumatized wreck, and his three sisters—Rykoya, Beriya, and Emina—simply gone. Furious and in despair, Komolov begged that the forces of Reyvadin rally and march southwest to bring the filth in Swadia to justice; his desperation was met only with ridicule and humiliation. With no other alternative, Komolov helped Ayyike recover from the severe bandit raid, the fate of his beloved sisters unknown. Many of those Komolov had begged to spat out excuses, mainly that they could not rally their unruly troops. A grudge weighing heavily upon his shoulders, Komolov now begins to plot how exactly he will bring justice in the name of his sisters, family, and home.

Edited August 18, 2015 by FreemasonGamer

[AurianaValoria1]

Awesome character, Mason! :woot: Approved! :D

[spyro1201]

Name: Monksley von Harwich

Gender: Male

Age: 46

Physical Description: Monksley is roughly 6 feet tall and physically fit. He also has a short black/grey beard.

Nation of Origin: Foreigner.

Fighting Style: Archer

Equipment and Clothing: Often wears chaimail with a blank tabbard over it; and leather bound boots. His trusty bow and quiver are tied to his back and has a shortsword in a scabbard tied to his belt.

Background: Monksley von Harwich was born on the battlefield. Both of his parents were fighting in a war on another continent. As a boy he started learning how to use a bow and arrow. During his early adulthood, all the way into his late 30's, Monksley has tried to work as an archer for all of the kindoms, but he didnt like it.

Oh and he likes to drink a lot as well. There have been many cases where he's been drunk on the battlefield and suprisingly still managed to get a kill or two (whether said kills were enemies or not, is not important)

Reason for Becoming an Adventurer: In his own words: "The other kingdoms are full of arseholes!"

Edited May 6, 2015 by spyro1201

[AurianaValoria1]

Approved, Spyro! Welcome aboard! :D

[FreemasonGamer]

Posted the first collaboration post of Ashes to Ashes with Auri!

[josh900]

Name: Cair Mac Naidh

Gender: Male

Age: 27

Physical Description: Medium height and brown of hair, Cair has a rather boyish face that makes him look much younger than he truly is, not the rugged look that most men strive for his looks haven't earned him any respect from most hardened soldiers, thinking him to be a flamboyant fop that would faint at the sight of blood.

Nation of Origin (Swadia, Rhodok, foreigner, etc.): Foreigner

Fighting Style (horseback, sword-and-board, archer, etc.): Primarily an archer, though is known to excel at hand to hand should the situation calls for it.

Equipment and Clothing: Usually wears a gambeson/linen shirt and chainmail combination. His weapons of choice are his longbow, daggers, and a single edged axe.

Background: Cair prefers to keep his ancient history just that, ancient history, and prefers to deal with the present and future.

Reason for Becoming an Adventurer (opportunity, revenge, etc): To make a name for himself, whether on the battlefield or off.

[AurianaValoria1]

You're approved, josh! Welcome aboard! :D

[Flipout6]

Name: Cameron Haringoth


Gender: Male


Age: 21


Physical Description: Cameron is quite tall, standing at around 6'2" in bare feet. He's rather skinny for a knight, being mostly wiry, sinewy muscle rather than massive bulk. He's pale-skinned, with a mop of black hair, brown eyes, and the odd freckle dotting his face. His facial features are rather soft, with barely-visible cheekbones but a solid jawline. His nose is flat, short, and a little wide. His gaze is sharp and analytical, clearly intelligent, but he likes to mask it with an air of dry amusement and a lack of surprise.


Nation of Origin (Swadia, Rhodok, foreigner, etc.): Swadia, specifically the Haringoth line.


Fighting Style (horseback, sword-and-board, archer, etc.): Cameron, being a Swadian Knight, is the top dog on the battlefield while on horseback, matched only by the elite amongst the Mamlukes whilst atop a steed. However, even in the event he is unseated or caught on foot, he is a formidable opponent with either spear or a weapon and shield. He is capable of switching between a sword and a mace interchangeably, being approximately equal in skill utilizing both types of weapons, though he is still at his most devastating from atop the back of a horse.


Equipment and Clothing: Cameron prefers heavy armor, charging into battle on horseback while wearing a full suit of chainmail and plating. He protects his head with a formidable great helm. He wears a black-and-white tabard emblazoned with a stark red drake, and carries a large heater shield with a similar colour pattern, also bearing a crimson drake. Even in civilian clothing he carries a longsword with a brass crossguard and pommel and he keeps his shield on him at all times. When charging into battle he carries a mace in addition to his blade, shield, and spear. When not wearing armor (which is rare) he wears well-made clothing, obviously upper-class, consisting of black pants, a long-sleeved white shirt and a leather jerkin, with thick brown boots.


Background: Cameron Haringoth is the oldest son in the Haringoth line. From a young age it was quickly apparent that Cameron was a very intelligent individual, having a comprehensive grasp of many subjects from a young age, but taking to battle and tactics like a fish to water. However, he didn't have the loyalty-inspiring personality of a leader, which meant that his younger brother was groomed to become the heir instead. Often, Cameron would point out the flaws in strategies and plans that his brother and father made with regards to both battle and managing their lands, angering them. While he got along with his mother and sister, he wasn't a fan of all of the fluff and presentation that came with being of noble blood and quickly established himself as the rebellious child. He was forced into the Swadian Knights to be trained at age 15 and excelled in many areas, but he fell very short when it came to leadership and inspiring loyalty, meaning that he was stuck as one of the foot-slogs instead of a leader. Still determined to show up Counts Regas and Harlaus, he made sure to prove himself to be amongst the best of the Knights. He served with distinction in battle but had a corrosive relationship with his officers, whom he often contradicted and corrected even over the smallest of details. While Cameron meant well, simply intending to improve everything he saw so it would reflect better on the Knights, he was mustered out of the Knights for his rebellious attitude and insubordination. He refused to return to the Haringoth family, deciding that they wouldn't want him back anyways with him effectively "out of the way." He's not quite sure what to do with himself yet.


Reason for Becoming an Adventurer (opportunity, revenge, etc): He was dishonourably discharged from the Swadian Knights and refuses to return to the Haringoths. He's not sure what to do with himself yet... but the idea of forging his own way and proving himself to be better than any in his family or amongst his peers is very appealing. He isn't sure how to go about it quite yet, however, as he doesn't have the spark required to lead his own army for Swadia to bring himself to fame.

Edited May 14, 2015 by Flipout6