< atton revisited > The information page for Atton has been fully revised and updated with the new map!
< updated calendar > The Fortuna calendar has been updated in the "Other" lore section! This includes a document which displays the calendar for you to see, making it much easier to understand.
< moving map > The first functional map has been released in the News section! This map is also interactive, allowing you to drag and drop between points in order to determine distances. This is the first iteration, and there's more and better to come!
< first annual awards > The results for the First Annual Fortuna Year-End Awards have been posted! Go and take a look at who the finalists were, and who took home the big prizes!
< new default skin > Our new skin has passed the beta test, and is now the new Default for the forums! If you have any issues with this skin, send a PM or Discord to Mellie.
< human lore update > Humans have been updated with TWENTY-FIVE subraces/subcultures which add numerous options, and a little extra lore and flavour.
< magic lore update > Magical Lore has been enhanced with the addition of a post on Magical Education. From Beginner to Expert, this is how you learn the spells.
< a change to member groups > Member groups are now based on storyline! You can change your displayed storyline by editing the settings in your profile.
Welcome to the world of Fortuna, a land of fantastic proportions. This is an original fantasy roleplay that takes place in a world developed over nearly a decade of work and collaboration. We aim to encourage all participants to have a hand in the stories of the characters here, and the world around them. Your choices are key - so make them with pride. You decide who wins the wars, you decide who becomes King, the world is ours, and together we will bring it to life!
Post by Kikuriku Gouken on Dec 13, 2016 15:04:17 GMT -7
7th of the Winter Storm, 5152 Sunset District III: Arett
He had a story.
Kikuriku felt the strong pain of responsibility rushing through him, and he knew that he had to tell someone about the monster he had encountered in the Esper Wood, though he wasn’t exactly sure how to go about it. He knew about a news source nearby that would be the perfect place to tell his story, though he did not know the way.
Artavia’s third district, Arett, reminded Kiku of home. Not because it was anything like the slum in Muerte where he was born – it wasn’t, by the way – but because it was in Arett where Kiku learned the ins and outs of advanced thievery. There were many underground schools dedicated to teaching the basics of lockpicking, pickpocketing and sleight of hand theft, all in an effort to recreate the legend of the Master Thief – the only thief to ever steal from the nearby training facility. No one in any of the schools ever tried to actually steal from it anymore; just meticulous planning and simulating and more planning and more simulating. It seemed like the high likelihood of losing one’s head was an excellent deterrent from thievery.
Though Kiku was a thief, he never had illusions of grandeur like becoming the next Thief of Legend. No, his thieving was only a method to keep him – and for a time, his mother – fed. He did have aspirations of using his criminal background to bag himself a posh wife and some snobby children of his own, but that was years off. For now, it was about making as much money as possible to better finance his revenge against Elias Hare.
But for now, he needed to find out more about Ichabod. Kiku was hoping to head to the Tablet, Fortuna’s number one source for information, and learn something about the man – if there was anything to learn. Ichabod had struck him as the mysterious type, but if there was anywhere for a mystery to be solved, it would be in Artavia. The Land of Stars was a beautiful place steeped in mystery and illusion
This should be the place to get things going. I’ve wasted a lot of time doing other things, when I should’ve been trying to find out more about that man. Can he be trusted? Or will be an enemy of mine? And when will my inner monologue become less dramatic? All this and more and the next episode of Kikuriku: Captain Insano!
Kiku smiled to himself on the streets, and quickly wiped it away for fear of actually being perceived as insane. He looked around at the city; it’s stars in the sky despite the setting sun. He’d hoped that someone was still at the Tablet; at the very least, hoped that someone would come by who could keep him company while he waited for them to open again. Kiku so loved adventure!
Post by Acacia-Green on Dec 18, 2016 21:52:26 GMT -7
Green walked down the streets of District 3 quickly. She wasn't in a rush, she just walked with purpose. She had been out and about all afternoon and it was well into evening now, and her legs were beginning to tire. Her usual black nylons covered then legs themselves, serving to hide them and keep them warm, and over the nylons she wore a thick, ankle-length green skirt. She got cold easily, and she wore a shawl over her long-sleeved blouse. She hadn't anticipated being out past sunset.
Father had sent her out to run some errands. He hadn't specified a time limit, technically, and so she had stopped at a few not entirely necessary stores on her way back from the market. Just to look at books, and this one chess set made of marble and stunningly engraved that sat in the display of one of the shops. Green herself had no money, just what Father gave her to purchase necessities when he sent her out, but maybe if she asked him for it he would get it for her, perhaps as a gift for being so studious. She started imagining what the smooth marble pieces would feel like, as opposed to the wooden ones of her own chessboard, and she could practically feel their cold weight in her hand.
She stumbled then as her boot caught a rock while she was busy thinking instead of focusing on walking, and while she jerkily regained her balance one of her paper bags broke, sending produce falling to the ground. She watched helplessly as a handful of apples rolled down the street. One of them bumped into some unsuspecting civilian and she frowned and called "Sorry sir," and then knelt down to begin packing everything back up, muttering about the structural integrity of paper bags.
Last Edit: Dec 18, 2016 21:58:33 GMT -7 by Acacia-Green
Post by Kikuriku Gouken on Dec 19, 2016 16:34:19 GMT -7
Kikuriku was pleasantly surprised when a handful of apples rolled to his feet, and a woman began to pick them up. It was the classic situation where a beautiful woman needed a manly man’s assistance, and Kiku would just have to be that man. Upon gazing at the woman knelt down in front of him, he immediately noticed her hair – faded to a white but as he looked closer, there was a faded rainbow of colours hidden in there. It was interesting to say the least, and Kiku was delighted that an interesting person. Her skin had a green hue to it, and though he couldn’t tell what, he knew there was definitely something fishy about her.
“Here, let me help you!” Kiku quickly knelt down and helped her pick up the apples, hoping desperately to brush hands with her and have a romantic encounter in the middle of a busy street. He looked into her green eyes, and immediately figured that there must be a theme going on. She didn’t even seem real. Kiku picked up four of the apples that rolled his way, and didn’t know what to do with them. The paper bag that she was carrying them in could no longer hold them.
“Are you going far? I can maybe help carry some of this stuff if you agree to help me with something, Mrs. Greenlady.” He’d hoped she had a bit of a sense of humour with the ‘Mrs. Greenlady’ joke. If not, he had no reservations about causing a scene because she had the audacity to hit him with apples.
Post by Acacia-Green on Dec 19, 2016 16:46:05 GMT -7
She looked up with surprise when the man offered to help her. She had expected perhaps for him to be angry, or for him to simply leave, but certainly not to help her. She had been the one to make the mistake so it was her responsibility to clean it up. But before she could tell him that she had to clean up her own mess, he was already kneeling to help gather the apples. Their eyes met briefly and she smiled shyly before looking away and gathering up a bunch of carrots, a head of lettuce, and a loaf of bread that had also fallen out of the bag while the stranger was picking up the apples.
When they both finished and stood up, arms filled with food items that now had no bag to hold them, the stranger offered to help her carry it home if she could help him with something in return. That offer made her feel more comfortable, as the offer of help for no return didn't sit well in her stomach. Father gave her gifts, but it was after she learned something new or was particularly useful, and never just for the sake of it.
She laughed quietly at the name and shook her head. "Miss Green, actually," she replied, not realizing he had been joking and actually just thinking he'd been a particularly good guesser. "Father doesn't like me bringing people home, even for apples, but if you could help me find a new bag to put all of this in I would be more than happy to help you with whatever it is you need help with, Mr...?"
Post by Kikuriku Gouken on Dec 19, 2016 17:16:51 GMT -7
“Kikuriku Gouken,” Kiku said, in response to Miss Green. He found it very interesting that she referred to a man as ‘Father’, and immediately wondered if she was one of those religious fanatics who spend their entire lives in church – or worse, maybe she was twelve, but a developed twelve that would get you in trouble with the authorities. Kiku made it a point to be extremely professional with Miss Green from here on out.
“That sounds like a plan; let’s find us a bag! So, do you often do the shopping for your father?” Kikuriku decided to make small talk as they searched for a bag. He knew that they could always go into a store and buy one, but that wouldn’t be an adventure at all. He instead decided that they should find one, or steal one. Whichever was more fun.
Holding way too many groceries, Kiku wandered down the street, peering into various stores in search of a bag worthy of apples. It could be a bag adorned with gems and jewels as big as Kiku’s fist, or a bag with priceless artwork sewn in – the possibilities were endless.
Post by Acacia-Green on Dec 19, 2016 17:47:18 GMT -7
"Mr. Gouken," she finished when the man introduced himself. She still wasn't sure why he had stopped to help her, or what he needed help with himself, but he seemed nice enough so far. He agreed to the plan of finding a bag and she smiled as they set off back toward the market and other locations that might have a bag. While they walked, he asked if she often did the shopping for her father and she nodded. "For my father and brother, yes. I do most of the cooking too, but that's because I'm much better at cooking than my brother, and my father is often busy working so he doesn't have time for small errands." She liked that Father trusted her so much with the important things he couldn't do while working. It made her feel needed. "Do you have siblings, Mr. Gouken? Who does the shopping in your family?"
Post by Kikuriku Gouken on Dec 20, 2016 2:22:32 GMT -7
Finding a bag suitable for holding a bundle of fruits was proving to be more time consuming and less adventurous than Kiku had hoped. It seemed stores didn’t have priceless bags sitting unattended in the front windows in Arett, and it made Kiku sad. It seemed that he and Green would have to just return to where she got the groceries from, and get a boring old paper sack like the one that she had ripped. Boring.
Green had answered that she did most of the shopping for her and her brother, and Kiku wondered what kind of a mess of a family they had to be in order to send the tiny, clumsy green woman out to run errands, though he knew that he couldn’t judge her – at least she had a family. She’d asked about his own, and Kiku was hesitant to answer such a simple question.
“No such family for me, Miss Green, so no one does the grocery shopping.” Kiku smiled at her to show that it wasn’t a big deal, but it did make him think about his mother. If he found her, or some sort of clue to her whereabouts, would that make it so that he could have a home again? Would he be able to run small errands for her, like grocery shopping, while she stayed at home too busy to do anything but work? The thought of it warmed his heart, just having his mother nearby again. Kiku reaffirmed his desire to find her.
As he was lost in thought, the two of them came to a store that sold, among other things, bags and satchels. Kiku stopped in his tracks, staring into the store. He wondered if it would be better to leave Green outside so that he could steal a bag in peace, but he enjoyed her company. It was easy to feel lost and alone in the big city. Kiku gestured for Green to head in first – ever the gentleman. “So, what does your father do that makes him so busy? What’s your brother like?” Small talk was something that Kiku enjoyed – he loved the nuances of learning about people and making friends; he didn’t have many friends.
Post by Acacia-Green on Dec 20, 2016 2:49:26 GMT -7
No family? That was sad. Even before Black had come home, it had been her and Father. She couldn't imagine being alone. He smiled at her though, and she hesitantly smiled back, feeling like perhaps she was more sad about him not having a family than he was. When they reached a store that actually sold bags, her new companion motioned for her to go in first and she did, following the implied order automatically. It was more habit at this point that she follow orders, as there was no compulsion to do so when it wasn't from Father. He asked what her father did and what her brother was like, and she wondered if he was asking because he cared, or perhaps because he was lonely because he didn't have a family of his own. "My father is a doctor, so he's often busy with patients and important meetings," she answered, absently looking around at the bags in the store. "My brother is hardworking. He helps Father where he can. I think maybe he wants to be a doctor someday too." She paused as she realized something. "Oh no, Mr. Gouken, I don't have money to buy a bag. I only brought enough for the groceries. I'm sorry, I can get another paper bag back at the market.."
Post by Kikuriku Gouken on Dec 20, 2016 17:58:06 GMT -7
When Miss Green admitted to not having any money, Kiku knew that the stars had aligned – he was going to steal a bag. The excitement of an adventure, even a small one such as this, filled Kiku with glee. The last few months had been a whirlwind of excitement for him, so it felt good that Kiku was getting to do something that he excelled in. When it came the thievery, there was no one better than he. No jewel too protected, no heart he could not win.
Kiku's eyes rested on the perfect bag for him to steal, though he knew he would have to be subtle about it. Aside from the obvious security of the store, he had a feeling the Miss Green would object to having something stolen for her. She seemed too green for something as heinous as thievery, so Kiku made it a point to acquire the satchel in a moment where she was distracted. It shouldn't be hard, just usher her out of the door.
“Don’t you even worry about it. Let us head back to the grocery store and get a boring brown paper bag.” Kiku again lead Miss Green, this time out of the bag store. They began walking back the way they had came, towards the corner where her apples first bumped in to Kiku’s foot. He assumed that the store was around here somewhere, but it didn’t matter. As soon as they were out of sight of the bag store, Kiku stopped.
“Oh, dear me. You know, I just remembered that I had a bag this whole time! Hold on,” Kiku put the fruits on the ground and held both hands in front of him like a magician, then brought his left hand behind him, reaching under his jacket and retrieving a satchel. The satchel simple at first glance, but a closer inspection revealed an emerald encrusted clasp and a thin diamond trim. It cost way too much money for something so easy to steal, so Kiku did a future buyer a favour and took the option away.
“You can use this for now,” Kiku said, putting the apples he placed on the floor in the bag. He had no intention of getting the bag back – he’d make sure to leave it with Miss Green. A gift in exchange for information about the Tablet.
Post by Acacia-Green on Dec 20, 2016 20:51:26 GMT -7
Green was glad that Mr. Gouken was so understanding about her lack of funds. She felt she had already taken advantage of his time, and worried he would be upset at her suggestion of walking back to the market as it would take up even more of his time, and he had already spent more time than she deserved, really. She allowed herself to be led out of the store and back in the direction of the market, however as they were walking Kiku stopped and seemed to remember something. He reminded her of Father then, who often did the same thing.
Her new companion said he just remembered he had a bag with him, and produced it from under his jacket like a magician. Green's eyes widened with surprise and also joy, as it was a fun display he just did but also because the bag was beautiful. It was elegant without being garish, and it had a stunning emerald encrusted clasp. Green was her favourite colour, which was not ironic in the slightest.
When he said she could use it for now she smiled brightly and waited for him to offer it out to her, after he placed the apples he had been carrying into it. She took it when he held it out to her and placed her own items in it, thanking him profusely. "How will I return it to you, Mr. Gouken?" He said she could use it for now, but he couldn't come home with her and she didn't know when she would next be out. "Do you live around here? I can send it to you by mail, or bring it by the next time I'm running errands?"
The skin OTHERWORLD was made by JAWN of WICKED WONDERLAND.
FORTUNA-RPG was created by MELLIE. Images belong to their respective artists. All codes and scripts belong to their respective coders. Please DO NOT take anything without the owners' permission.
