⬶⌠⋮ soulbound ⋮⌡⤅

[vulture,]

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Ｓ ｏ ｕ ｌ ｂ ｏ ｕ ｎ ｄ
When two souls enter the world at the same moment in time, they
become inexplicably bound to one another. These souls share emotions,
sensations, and thoughts. Children are identified from a young age
when they show pain and emotion for no discernable reason.
The Kingdom of Kethen has long sought after these individuals;
If they are able to excel in training and prove their binding to be
undeniably powerful, they are recruited into the Soulbound Guard.
This order is the most revered group across the realm. Their awesome
power has allowed Kethen to stay firmly planted at the top of the
food chain. They were the wardens of peace and staved off the
looming darkspawn. However, rumors amongst these few have
grown wild as King Vrador has begun to order them on increasingly
reckless quests. Even the peasantry whispers of the darkness
wrapping it's icy grip around the king and even the order itself.
The time to choose loyalty over judgement draws ever nearer.
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[vulture,]

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𝖂𝖊𝖑𝖈𝖔𝖒𝖊 𝖙𝖔 𝕶𝖊𝖙𝖍𝖊𝖓
The Kingdom of Kethen is not the most historic
kingdom in the land of Aeqerat, but it does boast the
strongest army, the most fervent beliefs, and healthiest
treasury. The land is ruled by King Eranus Vrador. The
Vrador lineage has long held the crown and ruled quite
fairly. They have always been seen as just and level-
headed in even times of war. With the Soulbound at
their side as well as a well-trained army, the Kingdom
does not often fall under threat from the other lands.
The capital city, Larenhoth, has long been the site
of diplomatic exchanges between all realms within its
gilded throne room. Only the most wealthy of families
are entitled property within castle walls and thus the

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streets are kept polished without a dark speck in sight.
The markets hum with trade of the best wares across
the realm and the port is a hub of merchants and
knights alike. The land itself is fertile and vast. The sea
rests along the eastern border, in the west an untamed
forest, mountains to the north, and in the south are the
abundant farmlands. While Kethen claims no enemies of
other nations, fears mount over the possible revival
of the dark gods. These fearsome beings conjure beasts
of shadow to torment their foes to feast upon their
suffering. It is believed that these darkspawn cannot
exist in light or holy places, leaving the devout city,
allegedly, well guarded.

[vulture,]

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𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝕾𝖔𝖚𝖑𝖇𝖔𝖚𝖓𝖉
Venombound - Toralai is tied to the soul of the manticore Noxxis.
This is a beast with the head and body of a lion, wings of a dragon,
tail of a scorpion. This duo's story is told by _mimosal_.

Talonbound - Sereiya is tied to the soul of the gryphon
Spica.
This is either a beast with the head, talons, and wings of a bird with
the body and tail of a feline or a beast with the head, talons,
and wings of a bird with the body of a horse. This duo's story is told
by _Scorpionness_.

Scalebound - Huldrún is tied to the soul of the dragon Skirvir.
The drake is limited in stature due to its young age, but prepared
with a breath attack, strong scales, and dangerous teeth. This
duo's story is told by selasphorys.

Featherbound - _name_ is tied to the soul of the alicorn _name_.
The winged horse displays a sharp horn upon it's head capable of far
more devastation than it's majestic appearance would suggest.
This duo's story is told by Cats&Cucumbers.

Fangbound - _name_ is tied to the soul of the cerberus _name_.
This canine boasts three distinct heads with varying personalities.
It is far larger than your average wolfhound and would be able
to carry a human upon its back.
This duo's story is told by Crazycookiemonster.

Stonebound - Cordelia is tied to the soul of the basilisk Juniper.
This creature has been depicted in many different forms, the most
common of which being a large serpent. It temporarily
turns anyone who meets its gaze to stone. Its eyes should be
carefully covered. This duo's story is told by tawneypelt0504.

*inbound - _name_ is tied to the soul of the sea leviathan
_name_.
This creature is a legendary beast of the sea being either a dragon
or sea serpent. It boasts exceptional swim speed, underwater
breathing, and control over water if a source is near. This duo's
story is told by _cooper._.

Flamebound - _name_ is tied to the soul of the phoenix _name_.
The phoenix can often be seen as unassuming, taking the form
of a massive bird of prey before it is able to ignite itself in flames.
This duo's story is told by Spottedleaf16.

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───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖗𝖆𝖈𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝕮𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓 𝕴𝖓𝖋𝖔𝖗𝖒𝖆𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓

I. Beasts and riders share emotions, pain, and can communicate through thought. Beasts cannot be understood by anyone other than
their bound individual. Their personality does not necessarily have to be identical.

II. All of the beasts should be relatively similar in size/power, obviously there will be differences, however each will excel in different
aspects to give them the edge in various situations.

III. Consider ways one would manage the ability/size of their creature in order to maintain daily life.

IV. Beasts and riders may both have battle armor. Riders should have a weapon of choice in which they have been trained.

V. In order to join the guard, the Soulbound individual is sent on a quest alone at the age of eighteen to tame the beast that calls out
to them. If they are successful, they join the order; if they fail, they are most certainly killed.

VI. The age of the rider and the beast are the same. Bear this in mind for particularly ancient creatures (Dragon, phoenix, etc.).

VII. All forms of identity are accepted! Genders do not need to be even.

VIII. One character pair per person.

IX. Please use realistic faceclaims for your rider. Reference art for your beast is not required, but a written description would be
perfect!

X. The roles are totally loose and changeable to better suit your interests! Just pm me your ideas!

[vulture,]

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𝕽𝖚𝖑𝖊𝖘
I. Nothing crazy, please know all site rules before
joining.
II. This RP is semi-lit; please ensure proper
grammar and spelling (typos are completely
understandable) as well as maintaining an average
word count of at least 250 words.

I'm not strict on word count whatsoever,
situations dictate different responses and it's
hard to fill a hefty post when carrying out a
simple conversation while in a dramatic scene
it's very easy to write an entire novel.

III. Respect one another, have fun, don't take life
too seriously <3

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│
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Post all forms and OOC on the discussion!


All that said, roleplay is a hobby. You will
never be pressured to post every single day and real
life will always come first. I understand muse fades,
life happens, and sometimes that Netflix show just
calls your name. This roleplay may be slower paced
to allow for living life. I will not be able to post every
single day but I am around to answer PMs at least
once a day.

[vulture,]

Map, Coding, religion, all around better information: soon to come :]

The Neighboring States

Tribal Lands: Home to the wild tribes, very violent and dangerous, primitive. Beastmen, orcs, goblins, anything nasty. Always an enemy, though there is no real capital or ruler, simply murderous raiders.

Taesian Kingdom: Not necessarily the strongest, but is on good terms with everyone. Doesn't pick a side, does business with anyone with money. Long coastline full of ports. Exports fabrics, metals, and gems.

Narenth Empire: Magic is prominent here, Kethen's religion is heavily against the use of magic and thus this realm. Have been "at war" for centuries, though it has been many years since a battle actually took place. Kethen believes they summoned the dark gods who created darkspawn.

Ruirrekar Kingdom: A strategic ally. They control the mountains that connect the east to the west. Hardy trades people and a burly army. Does not conduct much trade, uses their supplies to bolster their own army but does receive grain from Kethen.

Other states do exist throughout the continent, however their distance from Kethen makes contact limited.

How the heck do these soulbound things work?

Consider this something of a FAQ. I'll explain out some common questions I've gotten and dig a little deeper into how it all works.

What are the Soulbound and how does it work?

Each Soulbound pair consists of a human (elf/dwarf/etc.) and a wild beast who were born at the exact same moment. These creatures may be something so small as a mouse or as large as a dragon. The pair can communicate through telepathy (though they can also have their own thoughts separate from their bind), they feel one another's emotions (at a young age, these emotions can heavily impact each individual, but as they progress and bond, they may learn to simply sense the emotions rather than let them consume them), can sense where each other is (a pull in a certain direction; this is how they may initially find their partner), and feel each other's pain (this is a one for one; if you take out one part of the pair, you take them both out).

What happens when the guard recruits the Soulbound?

Exactly how and when someone joins the guard varies greatly. The youngest members have begun training at five years of age while others may have joined in their twenties. Not all those with a soulbind join the guard. When an individual enters into training, their family is gifted a healthy reward of gold and land for their child's sacrifice. Contact with family is extremely limited, though letters are able to be sent, the family is not allowed to see the child until their eighteenth birthday before they set out on their Soul Quest (more on this later). Most families do not show up on this day. Training is strict and rigorous. Former and current guards help in the instruction. The trainees are allowed only limited freedom and are expected to behave perfectly or face expulsion. Once they are made full members of the guard, their restrictions are limited, though their duty will always come first. They are able to marry, start a family, and buy a home (lodging is offered within the castle, however).

What is the Soul Quest?

The day that a trainee sets out to find their partner is known as the Soul Quest. They venture out alone to attempt to tame and befriend the beast they are linked to. On this day many recruits perish. Not all beasts are receptive to being the pawn of a human. Befriending the beast looks different for everyone; some may best the creature in combat to show their strength, others may be tested in character to prove they are honorable, others may simply need to offer a tasty treat. If the recruit is successful, they may return to the guard and receive their cobalt cape.

Do all beasts want to be tamed?

No! Most often they don't actually. Many wild creatures have a hatred towards human, especially the strongest of them who have been deemed monsters and man-eaters or are hunted for one reason or another. Just because they share a connection, does not mean that they harbor any desire to keep their other half safe.

What about lifespans and what happens if one of them dies?

Each partner lives the span that their species normally would. This means that many creatures will spend time alongside their human until the human passes away. When one of them dies, the bond is broken and all effects are lost. However, because all pain is shared, the time can be extremely dreadful for both individuals.

[vulture,]

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We are now open for two more and working on forms!

I'll see you on the Discussion

This will eventually be the place for updates and current events.

[vulture,]

res

[vulture,]

res

[vulture,]

━━ 𝒯𝑜𝓇𝒶𝓁𝒶𝒾 𝐸𝓃𝓃𝒶𝓁𝒶 ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

twenty-four • venombound • palace gardens • mentions: none • tags: nonexxx

The city was upsettingly unfazed. Citizens carried out their business with little notion of the dangers knocking on their windows at night. In every shadow horrible creatures stirred, yearning for just enough darkness to give them the strength needed to manifest. Kethen's streets were brightly lit for this reason. Ornate lanterns lined every street, alley, and path. Covered in a shade blessed by the high priestess, they were the only thing that stood between the bustling town and hungry nightmarish beasts; and the king had just ordered them to be extinguished.

He had laughed it off casually afterward. He claimed he was merely joking at their latest strategy meeting and was trying to 'lighten' the mood. Tora was apt to buy into the story. Surely the stress was getting to him. More and more towns were falling to the darkspawn. The spiny tendrils of the night claimed countless lives, garnering souls to strengthen something far more terrifying. Just what exactly that was had never been known. Each village had their own rendition of the Dark Gods. For centuries they had been nothing more than legends told to young children to get them to behave. Within the last ten years they had become tangible. Their minions took on the shape of 'monsters'; the very same monsters that the Soulbound befriended. Tales circulated the castle of dragons, manticores, and basilisks made of sinewy shadows destroying towns only to disappear at the first sign of day. Still the citizens showed no concern.

'They will see,' A deep, rumbling voice echoed in Tora's mind. 'We blow out one torch, let one tiny little demon loose and...' The warrior snorted and shook her head. Wherever Noxxis was perched, she hoped he had spied the exasperated gesture. The half-elf had a tendency to let Noxxis into every one of her thoughts. He had yet to complain about her constant musings so she kept on. After six years, the strangeness of sharing her head with a giant poisonous tiger had worn off. In truth, she couldn't imagine life without the paranoid grouch eavesdropping on her every idea.

Toralai sat against a colorful tree within the palace gardens. The grounds were home to just about every blooming plant found across the realm. Even the foliage that yearned for extreme climates somehow managed to thrive within the mossy walls. Each sample was precisely manicured to ensure nothing but perfection. Only accessible from within the keep, the small slice of nature had been Tora's escape for as long as she had been with the Soulbound. Any time things became overwhelming, she could be found among the plants. Her go to had always been the arboretum. Flowering trees wove their branches together to create an intricate canopy of petals with paper lanterns overhead. The ground was littered with floral debris save for the cobblestone path that led down the center. For Toralai, it was a slice of home.

'Enough of that,' Toralai retorted silently. True, the apathy of the populace bothered her, but she had accepted it was all thanks to jealousy. What a gift it would be to simply live a life; to live without facing unprecedented creatures; to not be regarded as some epic blessing; to live without the fear of a king falling to madness. However, the last thing they needed was mass hysteria cultured by the truth. 'Let them remain ignorant. I can only wish for the same privilege,' Toralai sprung to her feet, dusting the dirt off of her emerald chauses and black trousers. Her body was covered by a sleeveless doublet of the same emerald. Normally she would not lounge around so ready to gear up, but with tensions high lately it was a necessary step. Her cropped chocolate hair swayed at her shoulders as she moved. 'Come on, I've had enough sulking for an entire week,' She started down the trail with a trademark spring to her step. Noxxis lifted his head ever so slightly to peer down at her from the sun-warmed roof of the castle. He was sprawled out on his side with his stripes fully on display. Walking would do her some good, he decided as he laid his head comfortably upon the navy shingles once again.

[tawneypelt0504]

𝑪𝒐𝒓𝒅𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒂 𝑹𝒆𝒎𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒕𝒐𝒏
♕she/her♕25 years old♕Stonebound♕tags:Open ♕mentions:Open♕

Cora sat in a comfy upholstered chair in her room quietly working on embroidering some flowers with Juniper slightly curled around her feet. Cora's room was well lit with the bright sun coming in through the window allowing Cora ample light to work by. The only thing marring the peaceful scene was Cora's rather severe expression. "I have heard a variety of horrible jokes but that by far was the worst one" Cora communicated telepathically to Juniper with a rather violent needle stab to her embroidery. Although Juniper remained quiet she did tense slightly at Cora's words and shifted herself slightly so she was wrapped around Cora's legs more. "Do you think he'll actually do it" Juniper asked. Cora huffed quietly before responding "I doubt it unless he wants an angry, panicked kingdom to deal with along with the darkspawn". Cora's hand paused mid-stitch as a new thought entered her mind, one she chose to hide from Juniper. "If that did happen he could blame it on someone else, He certainly has enough power and resources to do so" Cora continued to work on her embroidery but she began to worry her lip slightly. Noticing her friend's anxiety June placed her head on Cora's lap prompting the dark-haired woman to gently pet the top of the serpent's head.

Cora continued to think about the current situation. "If things continue like this it might be better for me to find some sort of leverage" Cora muttered to herself quietly "bribery and threatening would probably get me thrown in jail or worse... blackmail could be a better option but I would need to tread very carefully". Cora continued talking quietly to herself, absent-mindedly stroking Juniper's head. Her embroidery was forgotten beside her. I suppose since nothing major has happened we can wait and see where are heading Junebug" Cora said giving June a small smile. "I hope the king will be back to normal" Juniper replied lifting her head from Cora's lap before slithering out into the sun to have a nap. "Me too Junebug" Cora agreed before getting up, her thoughts too tumultuous for embroidery at the moment. Cora grabbed her coin purse and checked her appearance in her vanity's mirror before heading out the door, hoping some shopping would distract her.