Minerva

South of the Border, West of the Sun

And the Angel pointed his sword towards the tree, which grew in the heart of the wasteland. “See that which still blooms even surrounded by death? That is the sign of The Lord’s covenant to establish a New Jerusalem.”
— Apocryphon of Eadwald 5:18

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This is intended to be a Cosmic Horror RP set in Medieval France around the time of the Third Crusade. Inspired by A Plague Tale: Innocence, Call of Cthulhu, Bloodborne, and The Talos Principle.

The Apocrypha of Eadwald is taken from The Talos Principle. I liked the title a lot, and so I borrowed it.




"Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword."
- Matthew 10:34

The fiefdom of Plaiciennes is located in the northeastern Duchy of Aquitaine in the shadow of the French Alps. This region is known for its wheat fields, Roman Ruins, and the Plaiciennes River that runs through it. It is considered a very peaceful and bountiful region. Ruled by the noble Lord Isembard, its people are peaceful and devout.

Recently, however, the region has been racked with chaos. The discovery of the writings of Eadwald, a Saxon Priest, has sent ripples through the church. Long ago Deemed heretical by the church, they seek to destroy the book before any damage can be done. A copy has recently fallen into the hands of a collector living within Plaiciennes, leaving The Inquisition to deal with hunting down the heretical text. Burdened with thin numbers, the Church began calling soldiers from Crusade as well as recruiting peasants to assist them. Storms and blight have also come to the area, destroying crops and threatening the region's economy.




"And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;
Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.
"
— Colossians 3:23-24

Jobs:

Nobility:
Minor Lord/Lady, Knight, Foreign dignitary

Clergy: Priest, Monk, Nun, Inquisitor

Tradesman: Blacksmith, Merchant, Baker, butcher

Military: Knight Templar, Pikeman, Archer

Other: Lady-in-waiting, farmer, alchemist, doctor, Courtesan

In this case: The Knight is a knight who has remained in Plaiciennes, serving Lord Isembard. The Knight Templar is a soldier recently returned from The Third Crusade.




"That they should seek out the secrets of righteousness, the heritage of faith:
For it has become bright as the sun upon earth,
And the darkness is past."

— Enoch 18:5

Character Sheet

Appearance:
Image or description is fine

Name:

Age:

Job:

Personality:

Familial Background:

Observed Strengths: (
you can have up to five, however, you must have an equal number of weaknesses for balance. These must also fit into your selected job)

Observed Weaknesses: (No limit on these, however, a minimum limit of three)

Equipment:

Religion:

Other:

In regards to religion:
One does not have to be Christian, as there were still those who worshiped pagan religions, as well as foreign travelers, Jews, and those who would worship whatever was good for business.




This roleplay will deal with some topics such as religion and death that might be considered heavy, but that's just because it's meant to be. If you feel uncomfortable, please let me know.

Please, feel free to ask me any questions!​
 
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Glossary:

Will be expanded as time goes on


"And lo, the angel came and spoke that we may have knowledge and wield it like a sword. Thus, all foes before you will perish."
— Apocryphon of Eadwald 2:5


Apocryphon of Eadwald: A book dated to around 736 AD, written by Eadwald of Wessex detailing a supposed encounter with the Archangel Ithuriel. Following its publication, debate erupted over whether or not it should be added to the Biblical Canon. It was promptly banned and all copies seized by The Church. The imagery within the Apocryphon is vivid, describing alien landscapes, a meeting with an archangel, and prophetic musings on the end of the world.

Charles Boucher: The Grand Inquisitor of the Church in France. Known as Charles the Butcher for his brutal and bloody methods of torture.

Eadwald of Wessex: Eadwald was an eighth century priest living in Wessex. Eadwald had an encounter with what he claimed to be the Archangel Ithuriel. Following this encounter, he wrote the Book of Eadwald, which, upon its rejection from the Bible via ecumenical council, became known as the Apocryphon of Eadwald. Said to have become a hermit living in solitude in Wessex until his death several years later.

Lady Geneviève: The wife of Lord Isembard, and the niece of the French King. She is known across France for her beauty, red hair, and her kindness to her servants and those of lower classes. She was given to Isembard in marriage by her father who wished to please his brother, the king.

Isembard of Rouen: The Feudal lord of Plaiciennes, Isembard is a soldier from Rouen who inherited the region from his uncle following his uncle's death. A devout man, Isembard rules the fiefdom with a fair hand, protecting his people from those who seek to bring them harm.

Ithuriel: The angel who appeared to Eadwald of Wessex, prompting him to write the book that would become the Apocryphon. An Archangel and messenger, showed Eadwald visions.

Plaiciennes: A fiefdom in Eastern France, it is known for its large wheat fields, its Roman ruins, and the Plaiciennes river that runs through it. Is considered in the Shadow of the Alps, and as such, has a thriving community that also consists of Swiss and Italians.​
 
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I'm interested in joining this rp.

Is it alright if I make a character who's a doctor and an alchemist? From what I know, historically the two subjects were heavily linked, with people often practicing both professions. I was thinking of writing someone who used his medical skills combined with alchemy to earn money for his research.
 
I'm interested in joining this rp.

Is it alright if I make a character who's a doctor and an alchemist? From what I know, historically the two subjects were heavily linked, with people often practicing both professions. I was thinking of writing someone who used his medical skills combined with alchemy to earn money for his research.

perfectly fine by me!
 
Locations:

This is by no means an exhaustive list, and more will be added as time goes on.

"Wherever you go, you tread in the footsteps of the Lord." Said the angel. “For The Lord is everywhere.”
— Apocryphon of Eadwald 4:7


Abbaye de Sainte-Marthe: An abbey located in the western part of the region. Home to a group of nuns who serve the region.

Alba Regia: The ruins of a Roman town in the hills. Is famous in the region for the intact fresco on the wall.

Chateau d’Isembard: The seat of Lord Isembard’s power. A large castle on a hill overlooking Épirault.

Épirault: The main city of Plaiciennes, while not as large as Paris, it still has a thriving population. A major trade center within the region.

Maillon: A village outside of the gates of Chateau d’Isembard,

Maison d’Verninac: The manor of the Verninac family, a well-to-do Noble family. Provides most of the grain in the region. Jerome Verninac is also a collector of antiquities.

Plaiciennes Cathedral: A large cathedral within Épirault. It is dedicated to Saint Anne, the mother of Mary, and known across France for its gorgeous Stained Glass Windows. Current base of The Inquisition.

Plaiciennes River: A tributary of the River Seine running from the Alps. The Plaiciennes runs through the region, providing a fertile bounty and fishing opportunities.

Poilun: Another small village within the Plaiciennes region, this time near Maison d’Verninac. Primarily a grain mill, it also deals in cattle.​
 
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Character Sheet

Appearance:
Pale, thin, and tall, with bags under blue eyes from working late into the night. Has dark brown hair typically tucked under a cap.

Name: Jules Laurent

Age:
26

Job:
Alchemist/doctor

Personality:

  • A somewhat reclusive bookworm; almost always working or researching. Studious and focused; puts his heart and soul into treating his patients and learning. Fairly inquisitive; considers detailed knowledge essential to understanding the world, and as such a fundamental aspect of healing and alchemy.

Familial Background:

  • Child of alchemist family; inherited most of his equipment and resources from them when an experiment killed his father.

Observed Strengths:

  • Medical Knowledge
  • Alchemical Knowledge
  • Literacy
  • Multilingualism
    • Arabic
    • Latin
    • Greek
    • French

Observed Weaknesses:
  • No combat training
  • Physically weak
  • Nearsighted
  • Poor at social interaction

Equipment:
  • Stockpile of books, mostly medical and alchemical texts
  • Writing equipment
  • Stockpile of reagents
  • Alchemical equipment
  • Surgeon’s tools
  • House/workshop in Épirault.

Religion: Christian mixed with bits of paganism and folklore from study

Other:



 
Appearance: Dark complexion, long flowing black hair usually covered by her nun habitat. Wears an eyepatch over her left eye.

Name: Amira

Age: 35

Job: Nun

Personality: Headstrong and unwilling to back away from anyone no matter the title, Amira can be quite hard to get along with. She spends most of her time listening to rumors about the supernatural and keeps an extensive diary about her own findings as well as books about everything from werewolves to pagan rituals. For her everything that other people think are stories and myth are reality and she will do anything to expose the truth to everyone. Whether they want to hear it or not.

Familial background: Amira’s mother and father were originally from the Levant area but due to the Crusades they took what they managed to carry and made their way northwards ending up in a little village in French. Originally, well off they ended up living in almost squalor in their new home and desperate they joined up with a local society of people willing to dwell deep into the occult to get what they wanted. After a summoning went awry the young Amira was the only survivor. The soldiers found her soaked in blood with a nasty scar across her left eye. Now an orphan she was left at the local Abbey where she grew up and later became a nun. She never forgot what had happened to her parents and from there out poured all her power into knowing everything she could about the supernatural, which has gotten her in trouble on more than one occasion with the abbey. She tries to play lip service to the place she now calls home but the higher-ups are getting tired of her insubordination.

Observed strengths:

Literacy

Knowledge of the occult and supernatural

Can speak and read Arabic, French and English

Some training in close combat



Observed weaknesses:

Antagonistic

Says whatever she wants

A terrible liar

While her knowledge of the supernatural is extensive, or perhaps because of that she always thinks the most over the top explanations is true.

She lost her left eye when she was a child.

Equipment:

Silver dagger hidden on her person

A collection of books of the supernatural in the abbey

A golden locket

Religion: Christian out of necessity

Other:
 
I’m still waiting for at least one more person to sign up, but I’m wondering if I should just start up the prologue already.
 
This is still open! I have been working on the opening post, for anyone who;s curious!
 
Hey there.
I am kinda interested but still have some questions.

So the objective of the group is to find the heretical text and destroy it?
How exactly are Inquisitors and knights supposed to work with peasants, wouldnt they despise each other?

character-wise i am leaning towards knight-templar or inquisitor
 
So the objective of the group is to find the heretical text and destroy it?
How exactly are Inquisitors and knights supposed to work with peasants, wouldnt they despise each other?

Rule of Cool/MST3K Mantra. Don't worry about it.

Though if you’re looking for an actual explanation, I would say: The book threatens everyone. A farmer might have had his crops destroyed as an effect. A blacksmith’s Metal might be becoming more crude. It might be more of an uneasy relationship than a full on alliance, but I'm preferring the "Don't worry about it. It's fiction." excuse.

character-wise i am leaning towards knight-templar or inquisitor
Nice.
 
Character Sheet

Name: Robert of Bures

Appearance:

Robert is a tall and muscular man with short blond hair and fairly pale skin. He has a short bear and green eyes.

Age: 23

Job: Knight Templar

Personality:

Robert is a very confident and headstrong man, that many admire for his fearlessness and strong stature and many despise for his selfishness and pride. He is good at giving orders but not willing to follow orders himself, unless they come from a Grand Master directly. While on the third Crusade he had multiple arguments with church officals, whose authority on matters both worldly and spiritual he rarely aknowledges.

Familial Background:
Robert was born as the 4th son of the count of Bures. As his chances of inheriting his fathers position was low, he became a knight and joined the Knights Templar, essentially giving up on his titles and most of his inheritance. He joined the third crusade and was present at the capture of Acre after which he returned home.

Observed Strengths:

As a trained knight he is a very proficient fighter, on the ground as well as on a horse. His weapons of choice are the maze and a sword and shield.
Coming from a noble family Robert can write and read both French and Latin.
As he has studied a lot of bliblical canon over the years he is also quite knowledgable about Theology.


Observed Weaknesses:
Being a devout follower of the Knights Templar, Robert is not accepting any other authority. This includes members of the actual church which sometimes harbor distrust against the secretive order of knights. This distrust is in many cases mutual.
As a person he is also very proud and self-centered with little care for others. Of course he has sworn to protect and help the poor and thats what he will do, but caring for their opinion is certainly an entirely different matter.
Even among the ranks of the Knights Templar he is one of the more fanatic followers of Christ. He has very little tollerance for other religious practices.
His firm believe that god will protect him, combined with his recent success in the crusade has made him very reckless and fearless.

Equipment:
- Set of heavy armour
- Maze, sword and shield
- Warhorse
- A bag full of loot from the crusade
- Bible

Religion: Christianity

Other:
 
Can you share your vision for the role of an Inquisitor? I'm very interested in this as a whole and would like little more information on that specific character archetype.
 
Character Sheet

Appearance:
Jakob stands taller than the average citizen of Placiennes. His barrel-chested physique is not the muscular build of a Crusade-honed knight but rather that of raw strength from size and years of work. Dark brown hair is kept short out of necessity for the trade, matched by a medium-length beard. Dark brown eyes inset a tanned complexion burnt by years over the heat of the forge. His face is a rather approachable one.

Name: Jakob Brandt

Age: 38

Job: Blacksmith

Personality: A quiet man by disposition, Jakob is rarely the first to speak and more content to remain silent on the edge of a conversation. He is not aloof however, merely reluctant to engage. When he does, however, he speaks with a deep, bellowing voice and a thick Bavarian accent even in his conversational French. Although not confrontational by nature, Brandt’s eyes carry a temper that is ferocious when finally unleashed behind their normal quiet sadness.

Familial Background: Jakob has no known immediate family in or around Placiennes. His wife was deceased long before he emigrated to the area and established his shop six years ago. He has spoken of sons serving the Empire in their youth, but few details, making it unclear what ties and communication he maintains with them. His closest family now appears to be loyal customers and fellow merchants with whom he shares a drink or twelve.

Observed Strengths:
Master blacksmith and craftsman
Great physical strength

Observed Weaknesses:
Very little formal education
Not multi-linguist -- fluent in native Germanic and conversational in Low French only

Equipment: Full blacksmith’s forge and set of master’s tools

Religion:
Roman Catholic (lapsed, not actively practicing, but believer)
 
Keekeel -- There hasn't been any advancement or activity regarding the creation of this RP in two months. I don't think you'll find a current viable option here unless the GM expresses a desire to attempt to revive it. Most of the writers who submitted characters have probably moved on.
 
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