OK, so a friend of mine (

), has asked me to promote this thing a friend of hers (

) will be doing. It's really awesome and stuff. Zeph's making the NPCs, so it has to be. And the deadlines are fair and stuff, so it's cool.
Here comes some explanation of stuff, stolen right from Zeph's promotion journal:
So why should you join W4STE? Because it's got hidden mysteries that you and your oc can play around with. How? HERE'S THE STORY!
W4STE - the storyCenturies after the second ice age had decimated modern society, what was once the modern age faded into myth and legend. The original survivors reproduced, and humanity was well on its way to being rebuilt... well, not really. After mankind had returned to its primitive, tribal nature, the growing pockets of survivors became clans, and upon contact with each-other, began warring. Arkaan, the largest group, had made great advances, erecting great cities and monuments that could put ancient Egypt to shame. That, with their majestic, evolved culture and vast, unstoppable army, made the other, smaller clans look upon them with awe and reverence.
Arkaan proceeded to conquer and assimilate, but even under the Imperial banner, the smaller tribes continued to battle each other. In the frozen deserts outside the boundaries of the Empire, in the streets beneath the grand monoliths, ziggurats and temples, and even in the throne room of Emperor himself. Power within the Arkaanian empire shifted between the hands of various tribes as Emperor and Empress alike found themselves posed with a more powerful foe. Empress Sumari, one of the few Arkaanian leaders of pure Arkaan blood, demanded that the massive battles between the clans cease - wars caused damage, and repairing damage could be costly. Killing for power would be undergone in an orderly fashion. The Guild of Judges, as it came to be known, was formed by the Empress with the sole purpose of preventing full-blown wars between clans.
At the top of the organization are the head judges (of which there were three to five), one being the superior head judge- the most powerful in the entire guild. The guild "judges" who had the right to power, and orchestrate battles between clans. Beneath them are many faithful servants, bound in servitude to their superiors.
The headquarters of the Guild is located in one of the two centers of Elysium, the capital city of Arkaan. The massive structure - a series of combined ziggurats featuring great stone columns, tall step-ramps, and large walled gardens - houses the judges and their underlings, and accommodates them. Some argue that it is greater than the emperor's palace, in terms of size as well as luxury. The head judges have their own "throne-room", a council chamber in which three (or five) elevated chairs overlook a small, skylight-illuminated area, where one stands to speak directly to the judges. In the main hallway, at the end of which is the council chamber, pylons along the wall bear torches, beneath which are inscriptions of the names of earlier superior judges. In the center of the hall lies an engraving of the guild's emblem, basked in light from an overlying skylight.
The Ymari dynasty, hailing from the Isir clan, ruled the guild for a long time. Then, an unexpected visitor changed everything.
An unexpected visitor - the Rise of AgathoiJudge Basileus Ymari, a young, ambitious superior judge, was one day approached by a boy no older than twelve. The boy seemed to have been through quite a bit, bearing many visible scars. His skin was pale, and his long, white hair dropped almost to his waistline. He showed no expression at all, and said nothing - apart from one, blunt phrase; "I would like to kill you."
Basileus, not taking the child seriously, faced him in an arena established for competition over the position of superior head judge. Basileus was highly renowned for his combat prowess, and brutal approach to combat. The boy, on the other hand, was an enigma - no-one knew who he was, or where he came from. Many believed that the unarmed child stood no match against Basileus, and they expected a quick battle.
Their expectation was met, but not as they thought it would be. In the first move of the fight, Basileus launched himself off the floor, bringing his blade to bear on the child. Just as he closed in for the kill, his head simply exploded, what was left of it being splattered all over the arena. The boy hadn't lifted a finger, simply looking down on the headless corpse of what was once the second most powerful fighter in Arkaan. Shortly thereafter, the other four judges accepted the young boy as the new Superior head judge. Not once did the boy do so much as utter his name, so instead, the title of Agathoi - meaning "one of superior status" - was assigned to him.
Times have changed in the guild - the four last head judges are dead, supposedly having been killed by Agathoi, who has now become known as one of the most feared and powerful judges to have ever existed. Even still, with his status and power, nothing is known of him. He still shows no emotion, only speaking when spoken to, or when making an important declaration, even then saying very little. However, many suspect he has an agenda aside from the guild - it is the fact that no one knows who he is or what he's up to that makes him worrisome.
Beware, the AarkanaiAarkanai is a strange and mysterious creature roaming the icy wastelands. Appearing in the blizzards, it's been spotted from a distance by several locals, but only rarely has the thing been seen up close.
Like the yeti or the bigfoot once was, The Aarkanai is now the local myth... however, this one is very real.
And very strong.
We have no means of knowing why, but somehow, the empire has an interest in getting their hands on the thing. The thing is... every time they send out a squad, none of them return. And when someone stumbles across the miserable leftovers of the squad, it's quite clear to see that they were never to return anywhere anyway. The local meateating animals are very grateful for these leftovers though.
But that isn't all, once in a while, a dying man in the wastelands, will sometimes reappear to the cities in mysterious manners. And he'll be perfectly fine (most of the time)! They don't usually remember anything, but if they do, it's the shadow of Aarkanai. Local people of the bordering cities also witness seeing Aarkanai's frame disappear once one of these people appear.
Very mysterious.
Somehow, the Aarkanai seems to have a connection to both one of the judges AND someone inside the market system.
Maybe you could find out what's going on?
The judges?AgathoiAgathoi's background - just like everything else about him - is completely unknown. His very presence is unsettling, even disturbing to many, and not even the other two superior judges know anything of him, apart from his desolate, stoic personality... or, more appropriately, lack thereof. He obtained his seat of power after killing Basileus by unknown means, making his head explode. Agathoi's abilities are not known, and the sword he carries - taken from the corpse of Basileus - is clearly just a decoration and status symbol.
AliceAlice is certainly an odd figure - while the details of her background are shady, natural for a judge, it is said that she was originally a servant girl who worked in the guild's headquarters. It was strange for Agathoi to select her, but couldn't have been a coincidence. Even though her original position would not support it, her combat prowess, after being refined, proved to be exceptional. Apart from her past, Alice is most noted for her attitude, and very "liberated" behavior, dressing scantily despite the conditions (as featured in the new, unposted reference). Some rather disparaging rumors about her have been spreading among those familiar with the judges - however, since there are so few of those people, it has not been much of a problem to her. She wields a pressurized harpoon launcher in combat. Where she obtained it, and how she operates it, is - naturally - unknown.
AndanteAn adolescent judge believed to be a relative of the late Basileus, Andante is harsh, competitive, and somewhat egomaniacal, seeing himself as superior to the other two, refusing to take responsibility despite his claims of being the only one to do so. Andante is considered the official tactician of the Guild, though his tactical knowledge runs in direct opposition to his severe immaturity. He has a pronounced grudge against Agathoi- some suspect that it comes from jealousy regarding his position, others believe he seeks revenge for the loss of Basileus, who was possibly related to him. His combat style involves putting his incredible speed and agility to use; combined with his tactical capability and bladed umbrella-weapon, his ability to nickel and dime the opponent before flanking and attacking swiftly can be devastating.
INCASE OF A JUDGE LACKING, Zeph will be substituting. Weee! Wonder what she could cook up for that?
I'M A TRAIN I'M A TRAIN I'M A TRAINBut drama and excitement ain't all! The NPC cast will deliver a load of interactions with your character and a few comic relieves! Such would be characters like
Miao or the wacky public transport (that has yet to be drawn), Mantrain! Furthermore, we also have a few NPC's to challenge your OC's one way or the other. Furthermore, there's always the well-planned nature and amazing wildlife to look at if you miraculously get bored.
Deadlines?Oh yes, the dreaded "d" word. The deadlines will probably be slightly pushable, seeming they're so few right now, and Zeph's able to bitch CSP (host) about it over several medias.
All in all, the W4STE tournament is set up with several hundreds of possibilities for you and your oc's. Spiced up with YOUR stories in W4STE AND and with such extra goodies, as, say,
themesongs, how can't it become anything but grand?
So please people, JOIN! And don't be afraid to ask in case you have questions, ever. They don't bite.
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And now, back to the order of the day. What? You didn't think that would be the end of this journal, did you?
We're getting a kitten! As of now, she would be some five or so weeks old, so we'll be getting her sometime July. She's feisty but cute, white with black spots. We're still deciding on the name, though I myself would prefer "Roosje", which is Dutch for "little rose". I would like to thank Marrit and Silvan for this wonderful kitten. We're very happy to be able to have it.
---Journals I consider somewhat important and/or fun or something---
Oh just put up with it.
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