[center][hider=Intro][i]Hey, been a while hasn't it? How are things in the B.B.C? Haha, I guess that was a lame way to start. Don't blame me too hard, though, I didn't really expect to be writing you guys. Who writes letters nowadays, anyway? Me, I guess. But, I'm stalling. I hope that didn't piss you off. I know it's weird, but I sent this letter to everyone...they're all just copies. So I won't be getting too personal. I've got big news, though, so listen up! You're probably pretty shocked to hear from me, after all this time. I know it was a shitty thing to do, leaving you guys behind like that. And even shittier of me to stay quiet...ignoring your calls, your emails...all of it. I know you probably don't believe me, but I've missed you guys like hell.[/i] She stopped reading, putting the hand-written letter aside and propping her head up against a tightly curled fist. The writer of the letter had moved away from Big Bridge City nearly two years ago, with a heartfelt promise to all his friends that he would come back and see them; that he wouldn't forget them. This is what they got, what [i]she[/i] got, after all this time? Treasa Ryder had let go of all that, a long time ago. High school and a part time job had been enough to keep her busy...just busy enough not to think about [i]him[/i]. Treasa grimaced and picked the letter back up from among the clutter on her desk, trying not to frown any more deeply than she had been. [color=00FF7F][i]Now, where was I...Right. There.[/i][/color] [i]missed you guys like hell. I thought it'd be better if you guys went on without me, you know? Like, I always felt like you guys looked at me like a leader. Or maybe that's just me thinking too highly of myself.[/i] [color=00FF7F][i]Yeah, it really is,[/i][/color] the thought was a venomous one, though her face didn't show the slightest hint of her slowly rising rage, [color=00FF7F][i]stupid...[/i][/color] He was right, though. She had always looked up to Lawson, had followed him around all the time when they were in eighth grade. The others had their own way of respecting the guy, and it kind of went without saying that he was the glue that had held their small social group together. Treasa felt her stomach tighten and her face redden, but she pushed aside those thoughts and powered through the rest of Lawson's message. [i]I'm sending this out to warn you guys. Because I think this is the only way they can't track me. I know you don't know what I'm talking about, but there's going to be something big going down in Big Bridge City. Packages were sent out, just after I wrote this letter. So, you guys should be getting them, soon. I wish I could be there to see the looks on your faces when you figure out what they are! You guys will have to meet up to activate them, so get together as soon as you can! Well, looks like that's it for me...time's up. I wish I had done things differently. I wish all this could have changed. Sorry for everything and goodbye, Terry Lawson.[/i] She rolled her eyes, placing a bare foot on top of the cardboard box that had come with Terry's letter. Treasa hadn't bothered opening it, yet, figuring it was some half-assed joke on Terry's part; but something in her, given the strange 'goodbye'...the second goodbye she had gotten from her former friend, felt that now was the time to open it. The girl retrieved a bright orange box-cutter from her perpetually disarrayed desk and slid her thumb to produce the blade. With a deft cut, the box was open. She fought back a groan of disappointment and retrieved the object inside. It was rectangular and made of heavy plastic, creased and hinged. Tossing the cutter aside, she flipped it open; faced with what appeared to be some kind of hand-held gaming console. One screen dominated the inside, with a small directional pad on the left and six buttons on the right. It didn't seem to have any power button...or even a place to plug it in...or an obvious place for batteries. [color=00FF7F]"What the hell is this all about?"[/color][/hider] [color=7CFC00]Hello, there! I'm Crumbs and this is the introduction to Dissonance Dawn//Sunderance Showdown. I made an idea similar to this in a 1x1 interest check I did a while back. Looking back on the idea, I found it to be kind of limited. So, I've decided to adapt it into a more group-friendly affair. I'm looking for around five or six people who are interested in doing something that has a very heavy Persona influence to it. This RP is going to be different from the initial idea I had, given that the focus will not solely be on dealing with creatures from the Restless World or the threat that they pose to Corporeal Reality. We're going to be playing a group of somewhat estranged friends who fell apart after their 'leader' moved away, just before they began high school. Our group will be one of many in Big Bridge City that will be contending (fighting to the death) for a chance to obtain a wish granted by the Scribes who inhabit the Restless World. Below is some information, check it out. It isn't terribly organized, but it has a lot of the stuff you'll need to get the gist of what I'm going for. More will be explained and organized in the OOC. I'll answer any questions, here or through PM (as I know a lot of this stuff isn't spelled out entirely...I plan to change a lot of that in the OOC, as I said)[/color] [hider=Overview]So, I've been toying with an idea like this for a long time. Essentially, what's going on here is that a group of high school kids have been given Sunderance Apparati (which is, of course, a portable device, that you can choose the visual design of) by a dear, former friend of theirs; one who has knowledge of the Restless World. Above, is a precursor to where I plan to start the beginning of the RP. You can be whatever type of character you want; we can discuss that. The Restless World is an anomalistic plane of reality that is situated squarely between the Corporeal (or 'Real') World, with no usual entrances or exits. It has existed without much tumult, under the careful guidance of the myriad Scribes who inhabit the realm. Scribes, of course, are beings created by a force beyond even their comprehension, placed in the Restless World as curators and glorified janitors; keeping the 'lesser' denizens of their domain complacent and no threat to the Corporeal Entities. While they are gifted with Intellect and Free Will, Scribes are often heavily laden with Possibility Restriction Protocols (PRP, as an acronym...said as 'purp', verbally, I imagine) relegating their potential for meddling in the affairs of Corporeal Entities and ensuring that the Restless World is kept from deviating from the delicate balance it appears to maintain. It is from that stasis that the Camarilla Network was born. Something in the Restless World has changed; an exit, and an entrance, have appeared in the Corporeal World. The inhabitants of the Restless World, amalgamations of broken human spirits, known as Delusions have begun to whisper of a migration...of liberation. The Scribes created their devices in secret, as their Restless World fell into disorder; as the Corporeal World became more and more influenced by the Delusions set free from their long stasis. It is now that the situation has reached a critical point. Enough so for the Sunderance Apparatus to be gifted into mortal hands. These Apparati function hand-in-hand with the Camarilla Network, allowing the Wielder (i.e the Corporeal Entity) to summon forth a Vestige. Vestiges are assembled when the Wielder registers, connecting a fragment of their soul to fragments of loose souls that exist within the Restless World and allowing the resulting amalgamation (quite similar to a Delusion, really) to exist alongside its Wielder. While the Wielder's will is the guiding force behind their Vestige's actions, the abilities and personality of the Vestige its self are often extremely varied. Vestiges grow stronger as the Wielder utilizes the various functions of the Camarilla Network and Sunderance Apparatus (or Sunderance Devices, if you so choose to call them that). We'll be beginning in Big Bridge City. We can discuss the city, together and kind of map out relevant spots for us; as well as character ideas. I'm sure we'll at least need to discuss the Scribes, the Camarilla Network, the Vestiges and our characters. Probably the Restless World its self, too.[/hider] [hider=WIP Concepts] • [b]Guide[/b]; A Guide is an autonomous incarnation of the will of a Scribe, coded into a Sunderance Apparatus. Guides are often varied in appearance, and tend to have varying attitudes. While they are, in essence, the extension of a Scribe a Guide is much more limited in their duties; possessing no direct combat abilities whatsoever. The role of a Guide is as its title implies, it fulfills the role of advisor and 'accountant' of its respective Wielder. When a Wielder team is formed, their Guides are amalgamated into a new entity that can provide certain levels of support during combat through limited means of healing and protection. Guides provide Teams with their objectives and side-missions. If a Guide is destroyed, it becomes more difficult for the Team to progress. Guides also have the ability to create maps for areas within the Restless World. • [b]Core Ability[/b]; Becoming a Wielder bestows certain benefits to a human. Tuned to their Apparatus, they are given resilience and strength beyond that of a normal human being. Beyond that, however, is what is labeled as a Core Ability. A Core Ability is that which is unique to an individual Wielder, often based on their personality; working in tandem with the Wielder's Vestige. • [b]Bits[/b]; Or [i]Fragments[/i], as they are sometimes called, are the pieces of essence left behind by defeated enemies. Bits come in two colors, black and white. Delusions yield Black Bits and humans yield White Bits. Bits are fundamental to a team of Wielders, given that they allow (through the use of the Camarilla Network) the creation and combining of items as well as enhancing a Wielder/Vestige's 'stats'. Bits are also required to keep a Wielder team's Guide in existence. Without at least one Bit of each color, their Guide will cease to exist; leaving the team at a severe disadvantage -Defeating an opponent is not the only way to obtain Bits. Completing certain objectives given by your team's Guide can also yield Bits. • [b]Battles[/b]; Whether in Bridge City or the Restless World, Wielder teams are expected to do combat with one another. Two types of battles exist, with the challenging group choosing the category, Standard Battle and Death Match. Battles always come with a Bit-price, put forth by the challenging team. If those challenged do not have sufficient Bits to meet the ante, they may convert items in their possession into Bits. If possessed items can not meet this amount, abilities may be sacrificed as well. If the team can not manage to meet the Bit ante of their foes, they will be forced to put all that they own on the line. -A [color=00BFFF]Standard Battle[/color] is simply a clash between the two groups to determine who is stronger. Usually comes with a moderate Bit ante or an item as the prize. Teams defeated in a Standard Battle are immune to challenges for a short amount of time, allowing them a chance to recuperate. Victors of a Standard Battle are awarded their Bits and given the choice to accept a similar 'grace period'. -[color=B22222]Death Matches[/color] are for those without fear. If a Death Match is the preferred mode when a challenge is issued, no Bits, items or abilities will be put up for an ante. Teams who lose a Death Match are at the mercy of their conquerors, who can choose to convert the souls of their fallen opponents into White Bits or into a single Token. The items of the fallen can be picked up by anyone. • [b]Tokens[/b] Wielders of a Sunderance Apparatus are gifted with an innate ability upon the activation of their device. The only other way to obtain more Core Abilities is to use a token. Similar to Bits, Tokens have variety. Instead of the standard Black and White, however, Tokens are capable of being Gold, White or Black. Acquiring Tokens is by far more difficult than the acquisition of Bits. Dictated by the Camarilla Network, certain tasks within Bridge City or the Restless World will yield a Token to the individual or team that achieves that goal. A Token can only be used once. -[color=FFD700]Gold Tokens[/color] are the middle ground of Tokens, allowing the Wielder to select an ability that would be considered 'neutral' in the grand scheme of things. They are capable of imbuing a Wielder with an ability that is of offensive or defensive capability. Most Core Abilities granted by Gold Tokens involve an increase in physical attributes or an elemental manipulation skill. These are the most common kinds of Tokens and will always impart an ability less potent than that of a White or Black Token. -[b]White Tokens[/b] are the nurturing side of Tokens, granting those who use them abilities that protect or heal. They are referred to by Guides as 'Divine Tokens'. -[color=000000]Black Tokens[/color] are the devastating side of Tokens, granting those who use them abilities focused on draining life from foes, inflicting great wounds or even influencing the minds of others. Labeled 'Devil Tokens' by Guides.[/hider] [color=7CFC00]Thanks for taking the time to read all that! I'll be doing my best to organize some of those bits of information to give more concise insight as to what each of these things do/are. This is something of a side project of mine, meant to be a bit more casual than the other RP I am running. That is not to say I intend to give it less attention, but I aim to run things a bit differently. There is a possibility that I may shelf this idea, unless sufficient interest is expressed to convince me to do otherwise. For now, I just want to see if anyone likes this idea and would be interested in pursuing it.[/color][/center]