Advanced Play

With consistent play, it is not uncommon to find your player character at a stage where you wonder "What else?". While many will make alternate characters, or pursue more intense plots, there are a few options for advancement past mastering skills. Much of these options require at least a real-life year of writing the PC you wish to advance. Everything on this page requires some form of moderator permission, so please message your moderators for guidance on the steps you may need to take to pursue any of these methods!

Grandmaster, Beyond Master

Throughout the course of their lives, people never stop learning. The same can be said for the continued progression and story growth of the player-characters that are depicted here on Ransera. To that end, players have the opportunity to invest time, experience, and story development into specializing in particular skills sets that can carry them beyond the standards tiers of Novice, Apprentice, Journeyman, Expert and Master. Players can select skills in their repertoire that they can choose to carry to the rank of Grandmaster.

More detailed information is available in the Skill Guide.

Ascension

While Ascension is rare for people in Ransera, that does not have to be the case for player characters. With consistent writing and dedication, one may ascend their PC to different states beyond mortality.

Demigod

Across the Ages, the gods have interacted with mortals in forms wondrous and forms mundane. Throughout the course of these events there are times when a god develops feelings for a mortal. For some, these feelings run as deep and as heartfelt as possible. For others, the moment is fleeting just as mortal lives are fleeting. Regardless, there are times when these unions result in the birth of a child. Within these mortals runs the spark of the divine but whether that spark awakens or not is entirely on them. Some can go their whole mortal lives never knowing that they had divine parentage and thus never awaken to their true potential. For those that do awaken to this potential, they face a life that is both blessed and burdened with the responsibility that comes with divine ascension. These beings that walk the line between mortal and immortal are universally known as Demigods.

More detailed information is available in the Demigod page.

Outsider

Mortals have always questioned the world around them. Forever in pursuit of knowledge both scientific and otherworldly. Evidence is strewn across history of just how ingenious and magnanimous the achievements of mortal scholars have been throughout the ages. Whether it is a scientist seeking to understand the depths of the human body, a warrior questing to discover perfect balance in pursuit of absolute mastery of their martial prowess, or a mage delving into the darkest reaches of forbidden sorcery, the reasons for these pursuits are endless.

And sometimes, every once in awhile, these individuals make revelations so profound that it grants them insight the very secrets of the universe. In those moments, they are offered glimpses into the very fabric of reality. They experience a breakthrough so powerful, they touch upon the mysteries of the Aetherium itself.

They awaken and become something not altogether what they were before.

They become touched by the fathomless realm of Ideas.

They become Outsiders. 

More information is available in the Outsider page.

Other Options

Alternate ways to spend experience are forthcoming, as well as further ways to Ascend. However, Ascension and Grandmastery are not the only options for advanced play.

Dragonrider & Dragonborn

Those who have spent the time and earned the trust of a dragon may become a Dragonrider, wherein a dragon invests a portion of their power into them. This confers a great deal of benefits, as well as a permanent, life-long bond between dragon and rider.

Dragonborn, whose heritage may be revealed at later times (but may also be started with), are the result of a cross between a dragon and a mortal, and have a much longer lifespan, affinity for magic, and other benefits as a result.

More information is available in the Dragon page.

Bloodlines

Different traits are passed down from parent to child, and over many generations these characteristics can take many shapes. Hair color, eye color, natural talents, proclivities to certain activities, addictions, illnesses. Blood is a powerful vehicle for inheritance, and in Ransera where magic is everywhere this is especially so. Many things can be inherited through ones bloodline, from ancient memories of one's ancestors, to unique talents and abilities. Because of this many families cherish the purity of their bloodlines and tightly control the unions of their children to preserve the potency of their blood.

One may develop a Bloodline for their PC to reveal over time, or may find themselves a part of a bloodline that has already been created.

Lost Magics

Some magic, such as Aeternus, the magic of Time, and Entropy the magic of Chaos, are potentially available to players. The journey to gaining these magics is guaranteed to be arduous, if not lethal, and it is necessary for your character to learn of their very existence before they will be able to pursue its acquisition. Lost Magics tend to be well-kept secrets by the few wizards who know of them.

More information on the requirements and steps needed to acquire these magics are available on their respective pages.

Archmagic

Like Lost Magics, Archmagic is a well-kept secret among wizards, and often known except by the very scholarly. However, Archmagic can (and has been) done, and to great effect. Similar to Lost Magics, its methods must be learned before it can be enacted. Archmagic can be used to accomplish almost anything you can imagine, but it requires an extensive amount of aether.

More information about Archmagic can be found on the Aether page.

Artifacts

The ability to either create or discover artifacts is a possibility for advanced characters. Often, the creation of an artifact requires difficult-to-find and costly materials, and at least one, but often more, master level World Magics, and frequently Runes of Magic as well. Runeforging is the most frequent magic used in the creation of an artifact, but one may create powerful objects with Artificing, Alchemy, and Necromancy. Scrivening is used in tandem with these other World Magics, but it is capable of creating powerful effects on its own.

Finding an artifact is different than creating one. One must learn of the artifact and its location, and enact a plan to retrieve it. A listing of current lost artifacts is available on the Legendary Artifacts page. If you wish to retrieve one, please speak to an appropriate moderator for guidance.

Businesses

An often under-utilized aspect of Ransera is the ability to own a business. A player may build a business for their character at any time, given the character has access to the proper resources to form it. Businesses can be almost anything you desire, as long as they are selling a product or service in some form. Players have opened taverns, stores, mercenary groups, and even a law office. The limit is your imagination and your wallet.

Exploration and Fighting

There are parts of Ransera whose exploration holds untold value for scholars and fighters alike. More information about these regions can be found in the appropriate forums.

Under the northern city-states of Karnor, the Warrens have not been anywhere near to fully explored, and each Deep brings more - and different - danger, as well as varied landscapes and unrevealed secrets. Horrific creatures and ancient history alike can be found in what starts as sprawling caverns.

In Ecith, whether you find yourself in the vast Atraxian Desert, or in the jungles that have formed in the north and south, nature hides many secrets. Ruins hidden under dunes of sand, or lost forges in thick jungle, one may find more than they asked for on expedition in these wilds. The north has Primals, massive animals attuned to one elemental plane, while in the south, nearly everything is attuned to an elemental plane or another, from metal beetles to fiery capybaras. In the desert in between, if the desert is not hostile enough itself, creatures lurk under the surface and dragonkin terrorize the skies.

Politics

If business, exploration, and magic is not your exact cup of tea, rising through the ranks in an organization, government, or other entity - or creating your own entity, and building it from the ground up - is an option for any player character, especially popular with those who wish to exert less obvious power. With writing, timing, and coordination with the local moderator, one can find themselves elevated into a position of power within their entity of choice.

Final Words

While this list is extensive, it is not exhaustive. Do not be afraid to propose your ideas, even if you believe them to be too "out there". As a moderator team, we do not like to say "No", and are all always willing to work with you to fit your plan or idea into the setting. Please keep an open line of communication with local moderators when you are working on any intensive plots, plans, or ideas. We really want to help, and the more open you are with your plans, the easier it is to get them approved.