The Cavern

[Juffo-Wup]

Description: The world is a series of caves. At the very least, that is what the inhabitants know. Everyone dwells in subterranean conditions, everyone must dwell there, for to venture to the surface is death. Perhaps not a quick death, but a slow one. The surface, except for the farthest poles, are constantly bombarded by strong radiation. Nothing grows, nothing lives. It is merely a burning graveyard, for those who die are preserved by the lack of bacteria to rot them, leaving a nightmarish, scorched landscape of burned bodies lying in the same agony at their moment of demise. It is no wonder, then, that everyone prefers caves. In the tunnels, a respite from the dead world of the surface, a remarkable variety of life is present. Water flows, plants grow, and the only light comes from the portals to the surface and the glowing of several native creatures. Unfortunately, there is not enough light down here to cultivate much of the flora the ecosystem relies upon, and as a population boom is occuring, some have resorted to desperate measures; farming at the poles. While these farmers don't have a long life, it is a highly honored one, as the light, reduced as it is, cultivates a crop to feed many. Unfortunately, these 'pole gardens' are prone to being raided by the greedy, and so despite the valiant effort, many are struggling to survive.

Your character will be one of the inhabitants of this world after a terrible event; the north pole's crop has suffered a horrific fire, seemingly started in many places, and is burned to ashes. Famine exists from this, and many are fighting over scant bits of food. Support from the south is all but overwhelmed with demand, and while experimental efforts are ongoing, no fruit has yeilded from these efforts, if you'll pardon the pun.

Immediate setting: Your character live in an oasis of sorts; edible fungus grows all over, the caves are damp and filled with streams directly from the surface (In other words, no bad critters are in it.), and much of the conflict is sealed out because of a recent earthquake; while it killed many, the falling rocks blocked off access. Many, however, are desperate enough to even cross small stretches of the surface to get in, and so the community is constantly forced to defend themself from the starving creatures of the outside, who are too far gone to listen to reason. This is in a large cavern, where the ceiling is in most places about two hundred feet over the ground, and massive spires of rock touch and support the surface, in some areas having holes. Streams exit the land in small holes; if these were blocked up, the cavern would flood, and many in other places would die of thirst. Most make their homes in small holes in the pillars that hold up the cavern's roof, and these are often noticeable by the soft light radiating from glowing plants cultivated inside. There are two main groups, which sometime clash over low resources but otherwise are fairly friendly. Your character will be in one of these groups; they aren't really concerned with species, so feel free to join either no matter what you are.

Try to survive, but be aware that there are worse happenings going on... A dark ritual is being fufilled in the confusion, originating in the oasis, and if it succeeds, the relatively peaceful life of the two groups will be shattered.

Do the following:

1. Follow the general forum rules.
2. Your character doesn't know everything.
3. Be literate; no one is perfect, but don't make it hard for people to read.
4. You may make up to two characters for the RP, maybe three if I approve.
5. If you want romance, try to keep it in between species and groups, though ones between groups are acceptable, you'll want to keep that sort of secret, as it is frowned upon. If no one else has a character of your species, then you may make your own.
6. What technology exists will be limited, as there isn't much wood or anything around. Feel free to have your character try and make something, but if it's too complicated or is made from materials that aren't available, it's not going to happen.
7. These rules and such may change periodically, it's best to check back on them every once in a while.
8. Avoid being stupid with your character, I can and will make injuries or deaths. You may make an appeal to me if you believe I was unjust, but I'm not going to reverse my mind if, say, you were sticking your head into the giant hungry monster's mouth.
9. Try to join a group as soon as possible if you start off unaffiliated, things are going to become more dangerous around here, and there is protection in numbers.
10. This is just a game.
11. If you see something wrong, point it out to me.
12. You are allowed to have creatures with different needs for food! Keep in mind that a big appetite will usually result in death, unless the food is insanely common. However, if they must or normally eat a different substance than the various fungi and plants mentioned, you must be sure that there is a readily available source of it. Only one member of each gender of a species like this is allowed total for the species, I don't want everyone prancing around immune to famine. If you have any questions about available resources, ask me.
13. There are leaders for each group. Currently, no one is allowed to be in control of either.

GROUPS:

Unaffiliated - Your character is not with a group. While flexible in that there isn't any job you're forced into with these, just doing what your character needs doing, a solo target is an easier target. This will typically be wiser in the beginning of the RP than the end. May be of the Arn or Ela.

Arn - This is the group that has the most resources in terms of fungi and plants. They work hard on harvesting the plants available, and having few sharp tools means that this is quite a chore. More time is spent preserving it and storing any left, and little time is left over to pursue other activities, but food is abundant.

Ela - Less time is spent harvesting due to a lower amount of food, which opens up more time for other tasks. Typically, the Ela are better at combat, have better homes, and some have pursued art.

Immigrant - The often emaciated from outside the cavern who are literally dying to try and get in to enjoy the bounty. Your character is not one of these, and has not been one of these. They are violent, and while weak are desperate for food... Any food.

Okay, I think I've got everything done here, let the sign-ups begin.

[Frostflight]

(*nods approvingly*)

[Juffo-Wup]

(Er, thanks?)

[Frostflight]

(Asiancat approves of this.

What is this about, anyway? I don't get it...)

[Juffo-Wup]

(It's an RP. People choose sides, they do their own thing for a bit, I'm planning on stuff happening after enough people join. Apparently it's not an attractive RP idea, as no one has joined. )