Welcome to Surrender Dawn. Before starting your journey, make sure that you read everything that's on the Beginner's Guide Board:
First, make sure that you get to know the rules by which we manage our site and community.
For this, visit the Guide to Rules.
After that, it's fundamental to read all that there is to know about the world your character will be inserted into.
In order to do so, go to the Guide to Lore.
Lastly, please take a close look at all the mechanics that dictate our roleplay and its characters.
You can do this by checking out the Guide to Mechanics.
When you've done all of the above, you'll most likely be ready to start creating your character:
Create your Application Thread on the Character Creation Board.
To do so, follow the instructions on the Character Application Template Thread.
Once you're done, just copy the link of the thread and head over to the Grading Center.
To submit your application for review, use the General Submissions Thread.
We hope you enjoy your time with us! Happy Roleplaying!
Updates
11/11/19: Open for Beta Testing! Feel free to explore the site and start creating your characters! If you have any doubt feel free to contact a member of the Staff Team.
Alias: None. Age: 38. Sexuality: Heterosexual. Height: 210cm Weight: 135kg Hair: Short, straight, and golden blonde with an off white toning. Eyes: Glacier blue, photo-luminescent. Skin and Scars: Tan skin, back is covered in old bruising and scar patterns, arms are also scarred and damaged from apparent defensive wounds.
Details
Zera is a startling creature. Enormous and broad shouldered with a body built for battle. His eyes are intense and intelligent, bearing a strange haunting-ness to them that pierces through you even by making eye contact. His brutal appearance is often what is first noticed though and it can cause people to make assumptions about his intelligence. He bears many wounds from throwing himself into situations to defend others and takes extreme pains to hide these wounds as to not worry others.
Personality
"i cannot accept that peace is impossible, there must be a way, there just has to be."
Positives and Likes
✔ Charismatic ⤊ Peace ✔ Kind ⤊ The Sun ✔ Intelligent ⤊ Life ✔ Jolly ⤊ People ✔ Composed ⤊ Simple Things
Zera is an odd duck to say the least. He expresses himself with gusto wherever he goes-emphatically sharing his feelings and wearing his joy at simply being alive on his sleeve. He has a magnetism about him that comes from his focus on others, rarely concerning himself with his own problems. He projects a sense of good will and safety to those around him, offering himself up as a walking safe haven to whomever needs it most.
The larger than life personality he possesses matches his frame and often times his boisterous behavior makes it hard to see the intellect hiding behind the facade. Do not be fooled; Zera is a natural strategist and a brilliant mind almost burdened by his own intelligence and self awareness. A deeply religious man, Zera prays regularly and keeps votives to the various new gods.
Getting to know the real Zera is difficult, but once one finally gets past the outer walls and carefully constructed personality quirks they find a man crippled by his own insecurities and lack of self-worth. He despises the powers he was given but uses them anyway as a means to an end. He willingly accepts burdens put on him as penance for even existing and desperately seeks for ways to help the world as a way of making things right before he meets his own end.
His greatest challenge will be accepting that he's done enough.
History
Vantalux has been a city of opportunity for many, but a few families have found permanent success in the city. Among them, one of the houses most famous for their connections to haven and their study of the medical field was House Leigh, a well too-do family with an old noble title to claim to and its successful doctors to lean on. Yet the family has seen a steady decline over the years ending in the last patriarch of the house finding himself infertile from unknown reasons. This tragedy left the house without an heir.
Elsewhere in the city, a young boy was growing up the grandson of a butcher. His mother having passed away in childbirth and his father an unknown and, according to his grandfather; a violent man. The boy's only knowledge of his mother was that she was a priestess at one time and that she had given him the name Zera which meant "bird of prey" in hopes that he might be strong. Her wish came true, of course, Zera was born with an unnaturally large body and it made him the target of others. He was abused often as a child and feared to possess a Vel.
Then one day a miracle happened. The weary and stressed lord of House Leigh stumbled across the handsomely deformed Zera. They spoke briefly at first, over the preparation of some cuts of meat for a patient. What followed was regular interactions between the two and general observations by the failing lord. He became obsessed with Zera's condition and eventually invited him to undergo therapy and treatments without charge. He prepared medications and other treatments to ease the boy's condition and began to see the boy as his own son.
It did not take long for the Lord of House Leigh to adopt Zera. His grandfather was only too happy to be rid of the boy that brought jeers and spite from his neighbors.
House Leigh had an heir, and even though it was not a blood relation, the boy would be considered legitimate and that was enough for many. Zera was steadily integrated into the family and came to love many of his family members. That was, until, a more prominent noble house decided they did not like this strange boy standing as heir to nobility. House Leigh was subject to one of the cruelest fates imaginable-the near extinction of a household. It was only by good fortune that Zera escaped with his life during the quiet purge in the middle of the night.
The failure to extinguish the entire household would come to have serious consequences for the house that attacked House Leigh. One survivor meant a witness, which meant the dismantling of House Cesar and the surrendering of much of its assets to House Leigh in recompense. Zera inherited his adoptive father's title and instead of remaining in Vantalux, liquidated the assets of the family, collected what few members of the house remained and took them away to the Wharf where perhaps they could do some good away from politics and strife. It was there that he put the enormous resources granted to him to work-though also out of immediate reach.
All the while, he grieved. For he knew that it was the vel powers that he had kept hidden for so long that must have been the cause. He became obsessed with reigning in his abilities and even quietly sought out experts who could help him better understand what he was dealing with. Unfortunately he was met with mixed results until he found himself face to face with a Vanta forgemaster who agreed to create a tool with which he could begin to atone for his perceived sins and gain control over his powers.
Since the creation of the Lantern Zera has been seeking out ways to better the lives of others by whatever means necessary.
"It burns brightly, doesn't it? The human spirit."
Guiding Light is a small, ornate lantern that can be held with one hand easily by its hoop handle. It is roughly 30 cm tall with what appears to be a simple glass body suspended in a black frame. The bars are carved with intricate designs depicting the path of life and death. The flame is perpetual and blue. The entire body is made of Vanta metal. Guiding Light is also naturally heavy,but can also weight as much or even more than a human body depending on the amount of bones it is storing.
Ability
"They are with me, every step of the way."
The Guiding Light lantern was forged for Zera in a quiet place. Away from prying eyes and in a state of meditation and penance. The Vanta device was created in sync with Zera's own Vel ability and was intended to function as a support mechanism of sorts. He can only store corpses (specifically the bones within the corpses) inside the lantern, with the current capacity of it at this rank being just one body.
However, at this stage the lantern does not diminish the weight of the body held within. If the corpse weighed two hundred pounds, so too would the lantern. Obviously, using bones is much easier than whole corpses. Any materials stored within the lantern are preserved.
Rex Mortuis
1-Star - Spiriting
Power
"Please, friend, will you fight for me? One more time?"
Exposed to the twisted light of the north star; Zera Leigh commands the dead to rise, to speak, to march, and to fight on his behalf.
Through the application of spiriting, Zera has gained dominion over bones. Zera can breathe life back into bones, even those within a corpse in the process of decomposition that he touches and allow it to move and act once more with a minimal level of independence beyond simple commands. An animated body created by Zera has enough strength to break wood.
The skeleton need not be complete for him to spirit the remains. Theoretically, he could spirit a skull to linger and watch a door, he could use skeletal arms for simpler things such as holding objects or other conveniences.
Disadvantages
"A mountain of a man, a monster, a blue-eyed beast..."
The most important thing to be clear about is that Zera professes control over bones. He cannot manipulate the bones of the living, he cannot influence a living persons soul or life force or anything of the like. It is impossible to steal life force. He cannot warp flesh or twist muscle to his designs. Tied to this, he must have readily available bones nearby in order to use his abilities. The skeletons need not be fresh nor complete but they must be present.
A sensitive creature at heart, every facet of his abilities is unsettling to Zera, resulting in a psychological toll that can cause an enormous amount of discomfort even from using his powers. It would require witnessing an act of unfettered cruelty to put him into a state of mind that would allow him to use his Vel abilities comfortably.
Visually, when Zera's powers are active in any way, his eyes glow a bright and eerie blue-white.
Star Rank: ★ Description: "Zera's own natural physical strength is tremendous. His unusual body deformity has resulted in a higher than normal baseline for his physical strength. It will take time and effort to go beyond this but it does not seem out of the question."
Military Ability Name
Star Rank: Number. Description: "Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nam imperdiet turpis ut urna imperdiet, et auctor dui pretium. Nulla vulputate urna non mollis sodales. Sed vel urna et lacus ultrices mattis ut non erat. Etiam neque sapien, vehicula et imperdiet non, sollicitudin sit amet justo. Donec scelerisque dapibus pretium. Suspendisse ultrices ipsum felis, et posuere elit faucibus id. Suspendisse consequat ullamcorper felis, lacinia dignissim enim posuere id. Aliquam vulputate sapien sed justo euismod lacinia. In hac habitasse platea dictumst. Nulla tincidunt urna nec quam pulvinar aliquet. Sed sodales non est id tincidunt. Nam pellentesque quis quam in pretium. Maecenas libero sem, suscipit sit amet nisi non, pellentesque elementum nisi. Sed nunc odio, rhoncus lobortis sapien id, volutpat sollicitudin enim. Mauris diam lorem, bibendum ut quam at, ullamcorper accumsan nibh. Fusce facilisis quam dui, at consectetur magna hendrerit at."
Military Ability Name
Star Rank: Number. Description: "Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nam imperdiet turpis ut urna imperdiet, et auctor dui pretium. Nulla vulputate urna non mollis sodales. Sed vel urna et lacus ultrices mattis ut non erat. Etiam neque sapien, vehicula et imperdiet non, sollicitudin sit amet justo. Donec scelerisque dapibus pretium. Suspendisse ultrices ipsum felis, et posuere elit faucibus id. Suspendisse consequat ullamcorper felis, lacinia dignissim enim posuere id. Aliquam vulputate sapien sed justo euismod lacinia. In hac habitasse platea dictumst. Nulla tincidunt urna nec quam pulvinar aliquet. Sed sodales non est id tincidunt. Nam pellentesque quis quam in pretium. Maecenas libero sem, suscipit sit amet nisi non, pellentesque elementum nisi. Sed nunc odio, rhoncus lobortis sapien id, volutpat sollicitudin enim. Mauris diam lorem, bibendum ut quam at, ullamcorper accumsan nibh. Fusce facilisis quam dui, at consectetur magna hendrerit at."
Military Ability Name
Star Rank: Number. Description: "Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nam imperdiet turpis ut urna imperdiet, et auctor dui pretium. Nulla vulputate urna non mollis sodales. Sed vel urna et lacus ultrices mattis ut non erat. Etiam neque sapien, vehicula et imperdiet non, sollicitudin sit amet justo. Donec scelerisque dapibus pretium. Suspendisse ultrices ipsum felis, et posuere elit faucibus id. Suspendisse consequat ullamcorper felis, lacinia dignissim enim posuere id. Aliquam vulputate sapien sed justo euismod lacinia. In hac habitasse platea dictumst. Nulla tincidunt urna nec quam pulvinar aliquet. Sed sodales non est id tincidunt. Nam pellentesque quis quam in pretium. Maecenas libero sem, suscipit sit amet nisi non, pellentesque elementum nisi. Sed nunc odio, rhoncus lobortis sapien id, volutpat sollicitudin enim. Mauris diam lorem, bibendum ut quam at, ullamcorper accumsan nibh. Fusce facilisis quam dui, at consectetur magna hendrerit at."
Military Ability Name
Star Rank: Number. Description: "Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nam imperdiet turpis ut urna imperdiet, et auctor dui pretium. Nulla vulputate urna non mollis sodales. Sed vel urna et lacus ultrices mattis ut non erat. Etiam neque sapien, vehicula et imperdiet non, sollicitudin sit amet justo. Donec scelerisque dapibus pretium. Suspendisse ultrices ipsum felis, et posuere elit faucibus id. Suspendisse consequat ullamcorper felis, lacinia dignissim enim posuere id. Aliquam vulputate sapien sed justo euismod lacinia. In hac habitasse platea dictumst. Nulla tincidunt urna nec quam pulvinar aliquet. Sed sodales non est id tincidunt. Nam pellentesque quis quam in pretium. Maecenas libero sem, suscipit sit amet nisi non, pellentesque elementum nisi. Sed nunc odio, rhoncus lobortis sapien id, volutpat sollicitudin enim. Mauris diam lorem, bibendum ut quam at, ullamcorper accumsan nibh. Fusce facilisis quam dui, at consectetur magna hendrerit at."
Military Ability Name
Star Rank: Number. Description: "Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nam imperdiet turpis ut urna imperdiet, et auctor dui pretium. Nulla vulputate urna non mollis sodales. Sed vel urna et lacus ultrices mattis ut non erat. Etiam neque sapien, vehicula et imperdiet non, sollicitudin sit amet justo. Donec scelerisque dapibus pretium. Suspendisse ultrices ipsum felis, et posuere elit faucibus id. Suspendisse consequat ullamcorper felis, lacinia dignissim enim posuere id. Aliquam vulputate sapien sed justo euismod lacinia. In hac habitasse platea dictumst. Nulla tincidunt urna nec quam pulvinar aliquet. Sed sodales non est id tincidunt. Nam pellentesque quis quam in pretium. Maecenas libero sem, suscipit sit amet nisi non, pellentesque elementum nisi. Sed nunc odio, rhoncus lobortis sapien id, volutpat sollicitudin enim. Mauris diam lorem, bibendum ut quam at, ullamcorper accumsan nibh. Fusce facilisis quam dui, at consectetur magna hendrerit at."
Talents
Aspiring engineer
Star Rank: ★ Description: "Zera has spent his entire life with his nose in books. Though he's studied many subjects none has he come to shine in as much as the physical sciences. Ever since he was first exposed to Vel and Vanta as a little boy he was fascinated by it. After his lantern was forged for him, he realized how beneficial it would be to others to have some sort of tool to help them curb their abilities and perhaps even use them for the benefit of others. Since then, he's begun his study of engineering in private with what books and texts he can get his hands on."
Talent Name
Star Rank: Number. Description: "Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nam imperdiet turpis ut urna imperdiet, et auctor dui pretium. Nulla vulputate urna non mollis sodales. Sed vel urna et lacus ultrices mattis ut non erat. Etiam neque sapien, vehicula et imperdiet non, sollicitudin sit amet justo. Donec scelerisque dapibus pretium. Suspendisse ultrices ipsum felis, et posuere elit faucibus id. Suspendisse consequat ullamcorper felis, lacinia dignissim enim posuere id. Aliquam vulputate sapien sed justo euismod lacinia. In hac habitasse platea dictumst. Nulla tincidunt urna nec quam pulvinar aliquet. Sed sodales non est id tincidunt. Nam pellentesque quis quam in pretium. Maecenas libero sem, suscipit sit amet nisi non, pellentesque elementum nisi. Sed nunc odio, rhoncus lobortis sapien id, volutpat sollicitudin enim. Mauris diam lorem, bibendum ut quam at, ullamcorper accumsan nibh. Fusce facilisis quam dui, at consectetur magna hendrerit at."
Talent Name
Star Rank: Number. Description: "Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nam imperdiet turpis ut urna imperdiet, et auctor dui pretium. Nulla vulputate urna non mollis sodales. Sed vel urna et lacus ultrices mattis ut non erat. Etiam neque sapien, vehicula et imperdiet non, sollicitudin sit amet justo. Donec scelerisque dapibus pretium. Suspendisse ultrices ipsum felis, et posuere elit faucibus id. Suspendisse consequat ullamcorper felis, lacinia dignissim enim posuere id. Aliquam vulputate sapien sed justo euismod lacinia. In hac habitasse platea dictumst. Nulla tincidunt urna nec quam pulvinar aliquet. Sed sodales non est id tincidunt. Nam pellentesque quis quam in pretium. Maecenas libero sem, suscipit sit amet nisi non, pellentesque elementum nisi. Sed nunc odio, rhoncus lobortis sapien id, volutpat sollicitudin enim. Mauris diam lorem, bibendum ut quam at, ullamcorper accumsan nibh. Fusce facilisis quam dui, at consectetur magna hendrerit at."
Talent Name
Star Rank: Number. Description: "Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nam imperdiet turpis ut urna imperdiet, et auctor dui pretium. Nulla vulputate urna non mollis sodales. Sed vel urna et lacus ultrices mattis ut non erat. Etiam neque sapien, vehicula et imperdiet non, sollicitudin sit amet justo. Donec scelerisque dapibus pretium. Suspendisse ultrices ipsum felis, et posuere elit faucibus id. Suspendisse consequat ullamcorper felis, lacinia dignissim enim posuere id. Aliquam vulputate sapien sed justo euismod lacinia. In hac habitasse platea dictumst. Nulla tincidunt urna nec quam pulvinar aliquet. Sed sodales non est id tincidunt. Nam pellentesque quis quam in pretium. Maecenas libero sem, suscipit sit amet nisi non, pellentesque elementum nisi. Sed nunc odio, rhoncus lobortis sapien id, volutpat sollicitudin enim. Mauris diam lorem, bibendum ut quam at, ullamcorper accumsan nibh. Fusce facilisis quam dui, at consectetur magna hendrerit at."
Talent Name
Star Rank: Number. Description: "Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nam imperdiet turpis ut urna imperdiet, et auctor dui pretium. Nulla vulputate urna non mollis sodales. Sed vel urna et lacus ultrices mattis ut non erat. Etiam neque sapien, vehicula et imperdiet non, sollicitudin sit amet justo. Donec scelerisque dapibus pretium. Suspendisse ultrices ipsum felis, et posuere elit faucibus id. Suspendisse consequat ullamcorper felis, lacinia dignissim enim posuere id. Aliquam vulputate sapien sed justo euismod lacinia. In hac habitasse platea dictumst. Nulla tincidunt urna nec quam pulvinar aliquet. Sed sodales non est id tincidunt. Nam pellentesque quis quam in pretium. Maecenas libero sem, suscipit sit amet nisi non, pellentesque elementum nisi. Sed nunc odio, rhoncus lobortis sapien id, volutpat sollicitudin enim. Mauris diam lorem, bibendum ut quam at, ullamcorper accumsan nibh. Fusce facilisis quam dui, at consectetur magna hendrerit at."
Talent Name
Star Rank: Number. Description: "Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nam imperdiet turpis ut urna imperdiet, et auctor dui pretium. Nulla vulputate urna non mollis sodales. Sed vel urna et lacus ultrices mattis ut non erat. Etiam neque sapien, vehicula et imperdiet non, sollicitudin sit amet justo. Donec scelerisque dapibus pretium. Suspendisse ultrices ipsum felis, et posuere elit faucibus id. Suspendisse consequat ullamcorper felis, lacinia dignissim enim posuere id. Aliquam vulputate sapien sed justo euismod lacinia. In hac habitasse platea dictumst. Nulla tincidunt urna nec quam pulvinar aliquet. Sed sodales non est id tincidunt. Nam pellentesque quis quam in pretium. Maecenas libero sem, suscipit sit amet nisi non, pellentesque elementum nisi. Sed nunc odio, rhoncus lobortis sapien id, volutpat sollicitudin enim. Mauris diam lorem, bibendum ut quam at, ullamcorper accumsan nibh. Fusce facilisis quam dui, at consectetur magna hendrerit at."
[break][break] I hope you find meaning in your road to peace; that you realize that your Vel isn't a curse, but a blessing. I look forward to see your journeys in Ordus. [break][break]
