Hello and Welcome to Aragasia:: "Gijinka" RP! Below will be the general backstory to the RP, and in the next couple of posts I will elaborate more on the world, but for now here are a couple of clarifications. And please, do not post in this thread until the RP is open. You can, however, PM me questions/comments.

The Pronunciation of Aragasia - Are-ah-gahz-ee-ah
Gijinka Definition - Gijinka is a term that means "humanoid", "personification", or "anthropomorphic." In other word, it is a human form of originally non-human things. The original creature or item can be shown through physical traits, such as hair color, skin tone, etc and dressing in a certain way that embodies the creature they are representing.

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The Story

In the beginning, there was magic. Whether this magic came first above all other matter or whether it developed in the newly formed universe is a mystery lost to time, but in either case it existed and exists to this day, helping life to flourish in the land of Aragasia. Flowers bloomed in a bright array of colors, the trees towered above all as their branches reached towards the heavens, mountains loomed even higher above, and crystal clear streams provided refreshing water that helped the creatures of the domain thrive. Aragasia was, in its own way, a paradise.

History tells of the great ancestors, mighty beasts posessing immense power, who found peace with the life magic of the planet and merged their essence with it, creating a new race that inhabited the planet. Or, to be more specific, several races, each possessing traits and qualities of their predecessors but varying greatly in their new anatomy. They were human-like, although that term was unknown to them as humans had never existed on Aragasia. Instead this new people, or peoples if you take into ascount the different species, were the humanoid forms of the beasts that had become them, or gijinkas as the term may be. Each still refers to their kind by the name of the beast they had previously embodied.

This merging of life magic with life essence happened long ago. Whether it was an actuall occurance, or simply a tale concocted to help explain their existence, the new generations do not know. Aragasia remains a paradise but things are starting to stir. While the species live together in relative peace, their differences, or perhaps the rivalries established between the beasts long ago, still remain and threaten to disrupt this peace. How can creatures of ice and fire, of elegance and brutality, live together side by side? Can the peace be saved or is life on Aragasia about to be changed forever?

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RP Plot

So, some of you may be asking what exactly is the plot of the RP. It's simple enough as it won't be developed further until events actually begin to take place in the RP: this RP is following the lives of the various Gijinka who call Hyatti home. The Hyatti Village is home to different species of the Gijinka and groups and, due to their differences, there is bound to be some tension between them. In a way this is a slice-of-life RP as there is no great evil threatening the peace, just the relationships of those within the village. The direction of the RP will simply follow wherever the posters take it.

The "mighty beasts posessing immense power" can be species here on BK or other mythical creatures as well. However, when you apply to join the RP, if it is a species that is not from BK you must provide links and/or a description of the beast so I know what it is you are and so other members of the RP may have a bit of insight as well.

**Note that while the characters will all be gijinka forms of the mythical creatures, you can not take too much liberty with their physical appearance. Horns for unicorns are acceptable, sea creatures can have gills, dragons and other flying creatures can have wings, etc, but they must all resemble humans in their appearance regardless of this. This is not a furry RP.**

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The People

The "Gijinka" of Aragasia mix and mingle in their every day lives and various groups have formed among them that include members of all of the species as well as there being groups exclusive to only some. The three major groups are::

• The Mythics - Much like the Druids of Europa, these Gijinka focus on the magical properties of the world around them. They are more in tune with nature and the life magic that pulses through the planet. Experts of herbology and divinition, it is said that the Mythic masters hold the secrets of extending one's life through the use of life magic. They are a peaceful group that seek harmony among the species. While the majority of the Mythics are female, males are not forbidden to join.
  
  Some look upon the Mythics with respect and awe while others view their peculiar ways as freakish. Mythics have been known to be reclusive from the rest of society and some disappear for weeks on end into the wilds of Aragasia for so called "quests."
  
  While the Mythics possess great knowledge on medicinal herbs, there are actual doctors in the society to whom most turn to instead. Those who do not trust the Mythic's strange ways are the ones who seek the aid of doctors while others have come to trust the remedies of the Mythics.

• The Warriors - There is no need for violence in Aragasia and yet the Warriors are a group that revel in fierce battles and acts of strength. Considered brutes by the Mythics, members of the Warriors fight amongst their ranks for prestige. However, their is a code of honor among them that binds them together. Murder is forbidden but they are not above severely injuring their comrades to protect their dignity should they feel they have been insulted.
  
  The Warriors are most often the hunters in Gijinka societies, using their skills to track down and kill their prey. Members are trained in swordsmanship for fighting within the group while archery is used when hunting. Hand-to-hand combot is also practiced while each of the species work to master the skills unique to them, such as Dragons possessing the ability to breathe fire.
  
  
• The Explorers - As a group that was only created in recent years they have grown quickly and have made quite the name for themselves. While they call themselves the Explorers, many do not respect them for that title and call the group a farse. It is said that members of the group use the name as an excuse to take risks and do unnecessarily reckless stunts. The majority of its members being in their teenage years has not helped with this claim.
  
  However, while their reckless ways bring them negative attention, the Explorers are an adventerous group that does what their name implies they do: they explore. Be it trecking through dangerous unexplored forests or scaling treachorous mountainsides the Explorers are always looking for something new to discover.

During the RP you may take some liberties in creating new locations, such as discovering caverns/caves or stubling across an undiscovered clearing, pond, etc, but do not make any major changes to the world's geography when doing so.

The RP itself will center around the activities within Hyatti Village. There are no modern conveniences within the village as, if you have not caught on by the tone by now, the RP is not set in modern times. The majority of the world is undeveloped and unexplored, and even the explored sections are wild and untamed aside from the village itself and other villages located around the world that will not take part in the RP.

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The World

Hyatti Village (Hyah-tee) - The Hyatti Village is a small community located within the Janawi Forest. At the village's center is a community garden where fresh fruits and vegetables grow that are available for all. Surrounding this garden is a small market where villagers can barter their homemade wares. There is no official currency in Aragasia; instead, the Gijinkas trade goods or offer their services. The homes themselves are made mostly of wood gathered from the forest. Water for drinking and cooking is collected from wells.

While there is no running water within the village, or electricity, the villagers make do. There is a bath house built around a natural hot spring where, as the name suggests, the Gijinka can go to bathe, with different sections for privacy. An underground system acts as plumbing; water from the Phranul River is redirected in this way to paths under the toilets of homes, washing away waste. Special stones, simply called glow stones, that absorb sunlight during the day line the streets and are found in homes as they emit a bright glow during the night that provides light. Whether this is magic or some property of the stones themselves is unknown.

The Phranul River (Fran-ool) - The Phranul River, fed by the water from the Serenity Falls, which itself is fed from melting snow at the top of Mount Glindaly, runs near the Hyatti Village. Its waters are clear and clean and is home to a variety of fish species, making it an abundant food source for the villagers. It winds its way from the north of the village, where Mount Glindaly lies, southwest to where it eventually meets with the ocean after merging with several tributaries along the way. The river's waters are peaceful and slow, making it ideal for swimming.

The Arana Path (Ah-rah-nah) - The Arana Path was created to connect the village to Serenity Falls so the villagers would not have to trek their way through untamed undergrowth every time they wished to travel there. It winds its way through the Janawi Forest.

Janawi Forest (Jah-nah-wee) - The Janawi Forest is a vast expanse that stretches as far as the eye can see, except towards the North where Mount Glindaly lies. Much of it remains untouched by Gijinka-kind and is home to a variety of plants and animals. It can be a dangerous place to those who come unprepared if they have an encounter with hostile wildlife or receive an injury in the middle of the wilds where no one would find them. It is recommended to travel with a partner if you are going off of the path for this reason.

Serenity Falls - The Serenity Falls is a favorite place of the Gijinka for its natural beauty and tranquil atmosphere. The water, with its source from Mount Glindaly, tumbles down the cliff and creates rainbows in its mist. The frothing at the base of the waterfull quickly dissolves into a calm lake which feeds the Phranul River. The lake is a place of many recreational activities such as fishing, swimming, and picnicking along the shores, although it is adviced to stay away from the base as the force of the water's falling could drag an unsuspecting Gijinka under.

A small cave located behind the falls, which is reached by walking along a thin strip of land that leads behind the water, is a place of meditation for the Mythics. The entirety of this cave glows with the same soft green light found in the water in the Durune Caverns.

Mount Glindaly (Glen-duh-lee) - Mount Glindaly is the largest, and tallest, mountain range in all of Aragasia. Its peaks are covered with ice and snow and blistering winds whip up blizzards here. It is a hostile evironment at the peaks and very few adventures, including Explorers, have ever managed to set foot on this land.

The water that comes from the melting snow runs down the mountain and creates the Serenity Falls. The lower elevations of the mountain are not as treacherous as the peaks but it will take an experienced mountain climber to navigate the rocky paths up past the Durune Caverns.

The Durune Caverns (Duh-rune) - The Durune Caverns are a network of caves and caverns located in Mount Glindaly. Travelers should be wary as a labyrinth awaits them if they go too far in and you could easily lose your way. Using rope to mark your path is recommended, and you should always travel with a glow stone to help avoid injury in the dark. The glow stones, in fact, are found in select caverns along with other precious stones and gems. Water within the caverns, while safe to drink, has a soft green glow, presumed to either be caused by magic, minerals from the mountain, or perhaps the bioluminescence of some sort of algea.

The Rules

1. Follow the rules outlined in BK's Terms and Conditions along with BK's forum rules. The only case in this RP the forum rule of double posting may not apply is if you are roleplaying as multiple characters and post them seperately.
   
   
2. As far as characters go users may play as a maximum of 2 people. I will only accept a limited number of users so this rule is to allow there to be a broader range of characters despite there not being many RPers involved. There will be no Mary Sues or Garry Stues; no one is perfect so remember to create a well rounded character.
   
   
3. When posting I would like to ask that users post a minimum of 2 paragraphs, which would be about 16 sentences. This includes actions, thoughts, and speech so you should have plenty of content to convey in these 16 sentences; reaching the minimum should not be difficult. At the same time you aren't required to write a novel every time - long posts can be intimidating.
   
   
4. RPers are required to be active BK users so they can post at least once every other day. People have lives outside of BK, I know, but I think every other day is reasonable enough. If you will be away longer let me know in advance and, if possible, remove your character from the action so you are not holding anything up.
   
   
5. Do not post for other people. There will be no god-modding and users can not control other people's characters in their posts. In a fight, for example, you can not go and say you knocked the other character out unless this was agreed upon by you and the other RPer in advance.
   
   
6. This is a semi-literate RP and as such I expect correct spelling and grammar to be used. Text talk will not be accepted under any circumstances and try to include a variety of sentences with different lengths and structures. Some mistakes can be excused but please try to keep the dyslexic demons that live inside your devices from interfering with your posts. Double check your posts and make edits if needed to keep things looking nice and professional.
   
   
7. As the RP does touch lightly on topics that relate to racism, as the species themselves may harbor negative feelings towards the others from preconceived notions, and perhaps some other similarly sensitive topics, I ask that members be mature enough to handle these matters responsibly in the RP and to not let things go too far.
   
   
8. If you are not tolerant then this RP is not for you. Characters are permitted to have any sexual orientation it pleases their RPer to give them. You must respect their right to make that decision.
   
   
9. In regards to more intimate matters, such things can be implied but do not write them out here in the RP. Romance is permitted so if you choose to form a relationship between 2 characters keep it appropriate here in the RP thread.
   
   
10. Respect eachother. If you have a problem with another RPer PM me and let me know and I will try to handle the problem to the best of my ability. This RP is meant to be fun so try not to ruin that for anyone else. 
    
    
11. Speaking of fun, don't leave anyone out. If you see someone struggling to insert themselves into the action try to get them involved unless their solitude is by choice or is them seperating from the group since they will be inactive.
    
    
12. I would like to ask that, when you post, you include an OOC section at the bottom of the post that includes your character's location and company so it is easier to keep track of everyone. If you have anything to say include it there at the bottom as well or post it in the group's chat thread; do not post non-RP posts in this thread.
    
    
13. If you want to spruce up your posts with some sort of layout I am okay with that but remember not to use blinding colors. I personally like being able to see and bright colors can hurt the eyes.
    
    
14. I will post a profile format below. If you would like to join the RP you will need to fill out the information in it for your character and PM it to me. I will go more in detail about this in the profile post.