A War Waged Anew [PLOT Introduction]

Subject: A War Waged Anew [PLOT Introduction] Thu May 23, 2024 11:05 pm

In the Beginning...

It was said, that once, two great nations fought a long, bloodied war over sacred ground. Ascanna was the nation which sprung from their ashes. Under the protection of the Five we lived. Under the guidance of the Five, we grew. Under their watchful gaze did we prosper. But this age old conflict... even today, is still waged. Step forth, and bring light to the dark!

"Praise be the Congregation! GLORY TO ASCANNA!"

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A War Waged Anew is a NEW plot designed to work with a smaller group of players (Up to 6 total). Step foot into a world not much unlike our own. The Theocracy of Ascanna is a fair nation located near the Mediterranian coast, in an alternate Europe. Its a land of faith and tradition, ruled by its five saints who make up the governing body of "The Congregation". These five saints have acted as messengers between Ascanna's people, and their gods for centuries, in addition to their duties as the "Governing Body".

Being a Theocratic nation, Faith plays a rather large role in people's day to day lives, especially in this scenario's main setting: The Capital of Madrial. A city built by the victors of that bloody war all those years ago.

Unexplained dissapearances has the public in a state of panic. Four Students, and a teacher have suddenly vanished without a trace, and the police is none the wiser. And yet, despite the uneasy times, you arrive a stranger in all this chaos, ordained to bring change. Uncover the secrets of Ascanna. Step into the dark, and bring light where there is none.

The Year is 2015. School is just starting. You have one year.

Make it count.

Exploring The Dark Twin: Gehenna

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Beneath the waves of Madrial hides a secret which the saints would rather you not discover: Gehenna, a relic of Ascanna's mysterious past. A Realm where desire makes reality, and the worst of us rear their heads. A twisted and cruel alteration borne by a long forgotten wish. A realm where shadows roam.

Gehenna serves as the "TV World/Dark Hour" for A War Waged Anew, where most of (but not all of), the combat is going to primarily take place. Like its description above would entail, one enters Gehenna by sea. The how, you'll have to wait and see for yourself. There is, however, a mechanical change to how Dungeon crawling is going to be handled moving forward.

Dungeons are getting a major overhaul. Instead of a classic Persona ”Dungeon Crawler” experience, the new dungeon system is going to function more like a Choose Your Own Adventure-type game, with a bigger focus on the *actual roleplay* over a persona-game feel. This lessens the load on the GM and Moderators, who don't have to make new maps every time there's a need for a dungeon. We already get that through combat, and seeing as the dungeon crawling aspect slowed things down greatly in terms of both motivation and plot-speed, this seemed like a logical step forward to make things both fresh and interesting in terms of roleplaying, and give plenty of opportunities to have characters grow and interact naturally as the story progresses.

Class Introduction

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Persona User

Persona Users are those gifted with the potential to wield and control their emotions like a weapon, manifesting as a phantom which fights by the summoner's side. Much like people, the Persona is a potential which is slow and stubborn, but can reach astounding strength through the cultivation of bonds with others. Upon reaching sufficient mastery, and a significant change in mindset, one can evolve their basic Persona to a higher state.

In the land of Ascanna, the Role of the Persona User makes no distinction between good or evil, and is a power bestowed upon those with the will to seize it.

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Shadow Self

Shadow Selves are the physical manifestation of uncontrolled and fervent desire, a twisted and malformed twin of an unfortunate soul whom has wandered into Gehenna. These Shadows, after slaying their host, gains an ego and will of their own, driven solely by the uninhibited desire which birthed them to begin with. As it stands, The Shadow Selves pose the greatest threat to Madrial's safety.

Shadow Selves are by default non-compliant and chaotic, being twisted by Gehenna's forgotten wish.

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The Anointed

As one of the Anointed, you've been subjected to the Congregation's experiments on merging Gehennan Shadows with non-compliant Human Hosts. Most who are subjected to this treatment can force their own true self to manifest as an object or armor to wear into combat, though for many it takes a long time for this power to mature and awaken naturally. Sometimes this process is expedited, at the cost of the host's own free will. Like the Persona User, An Anointed can push their potential past limits previous incarnations of this class had, and gets an evolved form of their weapon after fully taming their own desire.

In case you haven't guessed it yet, yes, the Anointed are this setting's take on The Forgotten Class.

Subject: Re: A War Waged Anew [PLOT Introduction] Fri May 24, 2024 11:09 am

Exploring The Light Twin: Madrial

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Behold, the Beautiful Coastal city of Madrial! Ascanna's capital! Nourished by the sea, and protected by its guardian deities, this proud city stands as a monument to its citizens devotion and unfaltering resolve. Ruled by a Congregation of Five Saints, Ascanna, and its capital, is highly religious, its faith centered around the worship of the Five. But the brightest lights cast the darkest shadows, and the city harbors many secrets waiting to be uncovered.

Madrial, the Capital of Ascanna is the main focal point of A War Waged Anew, and where the bulk of the story takes place. Like mentioned above, its an ancient coastal city, which shows its age in its architechture. Walking down a street here almost feels like taking a step back in time. If it wasn't for the modern inventions of convenience like people's mobile phones and such, one would think this nation to be archaic and out of touch. Most travel either by foot, or by Gondola through the sprawling network of canals that weed their way throughout the city. There's plenty of entertainment and joy to be had, for while being a fascistic theocracy, The Congregation has put the people's happiness at the forefront of their work. Ascanna isn't some dystopian nightmare. Its a veritable paradise, for those who follow the rules and norms.

The Congregation

Ascanna's seat of governance is called "The Congregation", and consists of Five individuals who are known as "Saints". Each Saint has their own set of responsibilities, and communes with their respective god, acting as their messengers. Under these Five Saints, come the Syrs, who in turn are responsible for enacting everything benath The Saints Purview, such as law enforcement, education, housing, the National and Coastal Guard, etc. Each Major city in Ascanna has assigned to it 6 Syr Seats to enact the will of the Congregation, minor towns get 3, and the Captial of Madrial has a total of 9. The hierarchy continues on downward from there, but its the Saints and their elected Syrs which hold the majority of the power.

Saint Rubia, the Seat of Education

Saint Rubia, like all the other seats at the Congregation, is more of a title you inherit upon being chosen, rather than a proper name. Whoever holds the title of Saint Rubia is ultimately responsible for Ascanna's youthful education, and through propaganda, enforce the status quo through the generations.

Saint Rubia communes with the Inquisitor, Adaris, and is supposed to cultivate and sate the curious minds of the younger generation.

As of the story start, this seat is currently vacant, and its role is being temporarily handled by the other four Saints, and one of Madrial's Syrs, until such a time comes when the Congregation has settled on a successor.

Saint Garcia, the Seat of Law

The Seat of Law, currently occupied by Saint Garcia XIII, is responsible primarily for writing and revising laws, rules and other regulations that fall within Ascanna's own borders. Everything from gun control, to drug use is under his supervision. His scope reaches the furthest away from Madrial, and has a selected Syr in each village, town and city which answers to him, and him alone.

Saint Garcia acts as the will of Phumos, the stoic Judge, and through his zealous group of Syrs, and with the support of Saint Forgia, maintains civil order with an iron fist.

Saint Urso, the Seat of Wealth

Saint Urso XII currently holds the Seat of Wealth, and is, perhaps unsuprisingly, responsible for Ascanna's treasury, spending and regulated trade. She convenes with the Syrs of Commerce every year to discuss financial spending, and sees to it that the nation prospers under her watchful eye. By extension of being the face of Ascanna's trade, the Seat of Wealth has in more recent times also handled international relations, reserved though those relations may be.

The Seat of Wealth is supposed to represent the Matron Oenas. and follows her will to serve the people to the best of his ability.

Saint Forgia, the Seat of Power

Saint Forgia X, as the Seat of Power, holds absolute authority over the Nation's military might, National Guard, Coastal Guard and Law Enforcement. She and Saint Garcia are in close co-operation when it comes to their assigned duties, working together to ensure that Ascanna is a safe haven for its citizens, and that the established order is maintained. Unlike the other Seats at the Congregation, the Seat of Power has traditionally only been occupied by Women.

Occupants of the Seat of Power hold Danir, the God of War, in the highest reverence, and are an ambitious lot. They have showed the same fervor and bloodlust as the god they worship, and thus, the Seat of Law has traditionally kept them under check.

Saint Gregorio, the Seat of Succession

The mysterious Saint Gregorio IX occupies the current Seat of Succession, and their main role, outwardly, is to select suitable Syrs among applicants, and replenish the ranks of the Congregation whenever a Saint has fulfilled their role to its conclusion. They're also the main keeper of the Nation's proud and storied history, though a lot of it is doctored to fit the current Gregorio's needs.

The Saints of Gregorio have traditionally worshipped all gods equally, but Saint Gregorio IX has primarly devoted most of his prayers to Nocto, the Ascannan God of Night.

Subject: Re: A War Waged Anew [PLOT Introduction] Sun May 26, 2024 6:47 pm

Meet the Cast

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Eloy Di Stasio

CV: Adamant Vanguard Squadron Leader

Arcana: Emperor

Eloy's been a part of the Adamant Vanguard since he awakened to his persona during a Shadow Breach Incident about 8 years ago. Out of his family, only he and his younger brother survived the catastrophe. Since then, he's vowed to find the perpetrator behind the incident, and enlisted as a Persona User in the Adamant Vanguard to better aid in his goal. He's since then climbed the ranks, and is now the Squadron Leader for Group C, who's primary mission is Research on Gehenna, and its Shadows.

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Aurelia Lamendola

CV: Adamant Vanguard Lieutenant

Arcana: Chariot

Aurelia was one of the first teenagers to be turned into an Anointed, having suffered this fate when her parents were caught smuggling illegal goods through the Ascannan border 4 years ago, and only awakened one year later, when a masked vandal Breached the barrier between Madrial and Gehenna, unleashing a horde of shadows upon the city. This first thought to be curse ended up being a blessing, as through her newfound powers, Aurelia managed to drive away a horde of shadows, and save her family from being taken. Since then, she's taken the Adamant Vow, and joined the vanguard. Now a Lieutenant within Group C, Aurelia acts as the right hand of her squad leader. This hot-head brings muscle, brawn and a LOT of fire, and does everything she can to ensure her family's continued safety from shadows and government both.

Subject: Re: A War Waged Anew [PLOT Introduction] Tue May 28, 2024 6:20 pm

Their Faith

The Ascannan Pantheon consists of five deities that have been worshipped since the formation of the Nation 500 years ago. The amount of devotion to these deities of course varies from person to person, as it is pretty common practice to devote yourself to one of the five moreso than spreading your faith evenly across the whole pantheon. Who you end up devoting yourself to is entirely up to the individual to choose, but more often than not, the chosen deity sticks within the family, and each god is worshipped differently. For instance, devotees of Mother Oenas, the God of Wealth and Prosperity, tend to make material offerings in place of common prayers.

How these rituals and proceedings are supposed to be held is written in the Religious Text called "Asca's Ethos", named after the founder of the Religion and Country both. The original copy of this text is held within the Marble Chapel, a large structure in the center of Madrial, where the Saints spend most of their time sequestered inside. It is also where the weekly sermons are held every Sunday, usually performed by Saint Gregorio. The Marble Chapel's lower levels, including the worship hall, is open to the public, while the upper levels are restricted to Congregation Officials and members of the Adamant Vanguard.

The Adamant Vanguard

The Adamant Vanguard is essentially a super-natural, elite task force, the purpose of which is to protect the nation from super-natural threats. They're also responsible for most of the research and exploration done of Ascanna's dark twin, Gehenna. The task force consists of men and women of ages 15 and up, whose Anointed Powers or Personas have awakened and matured. Once you awaken, consider yourself recruitable.

The Vanguard itself further divided into five separate groups, which all focus on separate tasks. The group relevant to players is Group C, which primary pursuit will make itself apparent through story.

Subject: Re: A War Waged Anew [PLOT Introduction] Fri May 31, 2024 10:17 am

Gods of the Realm

Each of Ascanna's five gods are worshipped differently, and by no means do you have to worship all five. It is common practice to settle on one part of the overall faith, and show devotion to one over the whole pantheon. As such, over time, each god has developed a culture/sect surrounding it with its own customs and methods of worship.

Adaris, the Inquisitor

Adaris, the Ascannan god of knowledge and learning, was said to bestow upon Asca the commandments of the Five, which were all documented within Asca's Ethos, a now religious text that detailed the founder's life, and the code which he, and his fellow Knights lead their lives in service of the Five Gods. The followers of Adaris show their devotion to their god through teaching and learning, as the pursuit of knowledge is seen as a divine gift offered to man through Adaris' kindness. As such, many of Adaris' followers pursue careers within education, science and philosophy.

Phumos, the High Judge

According to Asca's Ethos, it was Phumos who brought law and order to the country following the massive war out of which Ascanna was born. Followers of this puritanical faith primarily show their devotion to their god through more traditional means, like prayer, though some have taken it upon themselves to carry Phumos's values into their work. They see upholding the law and order of Ascanna as their divine duty, and often end up in higher positions of governance and law. Followers of Phumos are the most common among the upper class citizens, and this slice of the Ascannan faith is much less common outside of the capital.

Oenas, the Matron

Oenas goes by many names. The Matron, the Provider, and The All-Mother are but a few of the names bestowed upon her by her dedicated followers. Oenas is the most commonly worshipped out of the Five, and the worship of her dates back further than Ascanna's founding. She's truly ancient, and has always been seen as a deity of prosperity and growth. She brought the Kingdom of Ascanna the bounty of wealth she needed to recover and prosper after the Great War. Her devoted present offerings of their labor to their goddess as gifts and is their primary means of worship. According to this faith, everything provided by the Matron has to eventually be returned, for her prosperity is only borrowed.

Danir, the God of War

Worship surrounding Danir, the Ascannan god of war and strife, is much less widespread than any other gods, usually only really practiced by people within the Law Enforcement and Military sectors of Ascannan society, where his blessing is seen as a necessity. In times of peace, Danir's worshippers show devotion through ritualistic bloodletting, often by means of cutting oneself with a knife across the arm or leg. Devotion shown through a willingness to endure pain and hardship for the sake of your fellow man. Within the law enforcement and military sectors, this bloodletting is seen as sort of an initiation rite, and a test of mettle, showing you're able and willing to set your own safety aside for the kingdom.

Nocto, the Nightkeeper

Nocto is Ascanna's "God of the Dead", though labled as a "God of Night". Since the kingdom's founding, he has presided over Succession, Death and the Passing of Night and Day, though lately, worship has mainly focused on his role as a God of Death. To die is to show devotion. To give birth is to show devotion. By this cycle of passing and rebirth, his followers believe that everything that happens to a person has been preordained by Nocto. And so, by living their lives to the fullest, they show their god how thankful they are for the gift of life he has bestowed. Noctos' primary sector of worshippers is in Ascanna's lower class, often outside of the Capital of Madrial. The Saint Gregorio's responsibility of choosing new Saints comes from this belief of death and rebirth, and it is believed, that once a saint passes on, they're reborn in Ascanna someplace else. Hence why the names of the Saints never change. They're the same person,
reborn in a different shell, direct ascendants of Asca.

Language, Culture and Locations

Ascanna is a country a little bit bigger than the size of Portugal, stretching between Northen Italy, Southern france and Northen Spain, with the Capital of Madrial located around where Marseille is in our reality. The culture, aside from the worship of the five, is a mixture between that of the italian and the spanish. Upper class citizens tend to take spaniard sounding names, while the middle and lower class have an italian bend to them. The primary language spoken is a blend of spanish and italian, though for roleplaying reasons, this is translated to english through posts. Madrial, as noted above, is the nation's capital city, and the primary focal point of Ascanna's story. The city itself is split up into three main sectors.

La Rosa Dorada

Main Sector

The Gilded Rose is the beating heart of Madrial, where the Marble Chapel and most of the other governmental facilities are built, like the police station, the hospital etc. Its named after a giant statue stationed right in the middle of the Marble Chapel's Courtyard. It depicts Asca, the nation's founder, holding a golden rose, a symbol of the Nation of Ascanna.

Capilla de Mármol

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Sub-sector: La Rosa Dorada

The Marble Chapel is the foremost place of worship in the entire country, and also the home of Ascanna's five Saints. Its an imposing, white structure at the very center of the city, towering over everything else, as a reminder to the people, that no matter what, the Saints are always watching. The chapel's been there since the nation's founding, and has been expanded and renovated over the years to cover the nations needs.

Riva Mare

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Main Sector

Riva Mare is the commonly used name for the city's long harbor and coast. Its a place of commerce and trade primarily, along which a long stretch of stores, cafés, restaurants and various forms of entertainment lay stretched across a long boulevard reaching from sea to the heart of the city. Near this boulevard lies the highschool, and its associated living quarters, La Asca Dormitorio.

Instituto de Santa Rubia
&
La Asca Dormitorio

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Sub-sector: Riva Mare

The foremost seat of the Ascannan Education for teenagers, Saint Rubia's Institute is located near the harbor, with a beautiful ocean view. Students from all over the country apply for a spot at this prestigeous instutue of higher learning. If you get in, you are assigned an apartment near the school grounds in the La Asca Dormitorio.

Parco Esmeralda

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Main Sector

Emerald Park is the third and final sector of Madrial, and consists of a large park in the eastern part of Madrial, and the many apartment complexes and suburbs that surrounds it. The park itself is a major source of recreation and out-door life, and its easy to forget you're in the middle of a bustling city when you reach the heart of the Park.

Madrial Outskirts

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Main Sector

The Madrial Outskirts cover malms upon malms of forests, fields and the occasional town or village that lay decently close to the capital. Many commute to and from the capital to these scattered hotspots of life. One such town, Pratanica, is particularly noteworthy, as it houses one of the biggest festivals in the nation, celebrating the coming of the summer solstice every year.

Pratanica

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Sub-Sector: Madrial Outskirts

Pratanica, a small and charming town a few miles out from Madrial, is a hot spot for people who are looking to escape the busy city life of Madrial every so often. Its not uncommon for students from La Asca Dormitorio to visit this town on the weekends, either to see family or old friends. A healthy chunk of the dormitory residents have ties to Pratanica in one way or another.

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