[center][img]https://txt-dynamic.static.1001fonts.net/txt/dHRmLjk2LmY1MjQzNS5UVzkwYUdWeU9pQlVhR1VnVlc1emRHOXdjR0ZpYkdVZ1JuVjBkWEpsSUEsLC4yAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA,/orange-kid.regular.png[/img] [img]https://fantasyanime.com/legacy/images/earthb_wlp16-1024x768.jpg[/img][/center] [hr] Long, long ago the world became so filled with people that it threatened to break beneath the weight of their strain. With each passing day the ground grew barer, the air became choked with filth, and the skies grew grey with sickness. [center][b]The End[/b] approached.[/center] Most remained blind to it, but a wise few knew it was coming and prepared for it. A great [b]White Ship[/b] was built and a chosen few were taken aboard it, setting sail to a place where they could survive even The End. The Nowhere Islands. Unlike other islands, which sat as mere specks amidst a vast sea, the Nowhere Islands were special. They rested atop the body of a massive and powerful creature, the [b]Black Dragon[/b]. A creature so powerful it was capable of shielding the islands from disaster, any disaster, perpetually. By the time the White Ship arrived at the island the Dark Dragon had long since been put to sleep using seven needles. Upon arriving the people sank the White Ship and used a relic called the [b]Hummingbird Egg[/b] to seal away their memories of the old world, selecting one amongst them to keep the secret. Left with blissful ignorance the people from the White Ship began new lives on the Nowhere Islands as The End consumed the rest of the world. Years passed and it seemed like their happiness would never end-- Until it [i]did.[/i] A [i]chubby boy[/i] arrived on the islands from another place, another time, bringing with him misshapen minions and machinery. The [i]chubby boy[/i] saw the island and its happy, ignorant inhabitants as his new personal toy box and set about changing the island to suit his desires. Slowly he twisted and corrupted everything, from the way to the people lived, to the animals, to the very land itself. But he quickly grew bored and crafted a new ‘toy’ for himself... [center][i][b]The Masked Man[/b][/i].[/center] A twisting of man and machine. Someone--some[i]thing[/i] capable of pulling the Seven Needles, of awakening the Dark Dragon to do as the [i]chubby boy[/i] wished. The only ones who dared oppose him were a young kind-hearted boy, a limping thief, a princess of an abandoned castle, and a dog. Each side raced to pull the most needles, for the nature of the Dark Dragon would reflect the heart of the one who pulled the most needles. A person with a good heart would lead to the Dark Dragon being good while a person with a wicked heart would lead to the Dark Dragon being evil. But the Masked Man had no heart. And thus if he pulled all the needles the Dark Dragon would crave only oblivion for everything. By the time the seventh needle was reached each side had pulled three needles and a battle commenced for the last one. The chubby boy was sealed away while the kind-hearted boy and his allies clashed with the Masked Man and after a grueling battle the Masked Man was struck down and the last needle was pulled-- [center][img]https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/638eba92-fe6f-4473-92b7-b055a01223f1/ddefmgx-4d79ef8a-40cc-4096-a4fd-dbd2826fca22.gif?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7InBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcLzYzOGViYTkyLWZlNmYtNDQ3My05MmI3LWIwNTVhMDEyMjNmMVwvZGRlZm1neC00ZDc5ZWY4YS00MGNjLTQwOTYtYTRmZC1kYmQyODI2ZmNhMjIuZ2lmIn1dXSwiYXVkIjpbInVybjpzZXJ2aWNlOmZpbGUuZG93bmxvYWQiXX0.9oJQdJr9a6OL8BiNDLl-C_6XS80ZBf4oyuUNoguh6A8 [/img][/center] The entire planet seemed to convulse in pain. Mountain tops exploded into spewing fountains of fire, burning stones fell in showers from the sky, howling tornadoes rent the land, while the very ground itself began to crack and split open. The Dark Dragon awakened and the Nowhere Islands were destroyed... And at the same time, the rest of the world was revived. Those who survived the destruction of the Island scattered and resettled the world. [hr] Countless years have passed since then and the world has long since forgotten the story of the Nowhere Islands, allowing it to fall into mere legend. A new modern society has grown from the ashes of destruction and rebirth. People go about their new, comfortable lives thinking little of the past, focusing only on the present, and seeing only the best in the future. In recent years however many things have begun to happen that have made living a simple, happy life quite difficult. A women with seemingly prophetic abilities has begun exerting influence across the world, gaining fans and loyal followers from her seemingly perfect predictions of the future... Children find their school teachers being replaced with plastic faced substitutes and forced to go on frequent field trips to a 'zoo' where the most disobedient among them go missing. A new miracle drug simply called the "Purple Pill" is advertised everywhere and said to be good for everything from headaches, to bodily pain, to sadness and hunger. Most end up taking the pill weather they want to or not. Most adults have become less lucid and unquestioning towards the strange changes around them. Others experience strange fevers or feel no effect what so ever. Robots have begun to show up in towns, helpfully donated to 'keep the peace' and ensure everyone is where they're supposed to be. And following them were rumors abound of the hideous, twisted animals that have begun to appear on the edges of towns and in the woods at night. The world is changing and rushing towards something. Can you change what is about to come? Or is the future unassailable in its inevitability? [hr][hr][color=B22222][h2][b][u]What is Mother/Earthbound?[/u][/b][/h2][/color] Mother, known as “Earthbound” in the US, was a Japanese JRPG originally developed for the NES with its sequels being produced for the SNES and GameBoy Advanced. The plot of the three games more or less follow a young boy with recently awakened psychic powers as they travel through a modern-esque world to stop a terrible plot threatening themselves and the entire world. The games were unique at the time for using a mix of modern setting and modern fictional elements. Opposed to the traditional magical fantasy JRPG staples the game had pizza delivery, small suburban towns, bustling cities, psychic powers, aliens, robot, genetic chimeras, and convenience stores. While featuring colorful characters and being fairly light in tone, the games delved into darker themes and tragedy with plenty of surreal and upsetting moments mixed in. [color=B22222][h2][b][u]What is the Setting?:[/u][/b][/h2][/color] This roleplay is set following the events of Mother 3 and incorporates elements mentioned in the previous two games. [u]Note:[/u] Playing or even knowing any of the games in question is not a pre-requisite for participating int he roleplay as this plot is by and large original. The story begins in the modern world, specifically in the country of "Starland". A place famous for its freedom of travel and its people love of hamburgers. For the longest time Starland has been without troubles but over the past few years strange things have begun occurring and effecting the lives of those who live there and elsewhere in the world. People go missing with disturbing frequency, terrifying creatures appear on the streets at night, businesses are bought and taken over enmasse, schools become more oppressive, laws become stricter, and the general populace becomes less lucid and more easily controls. All while young children and certain individuals begin developing psychic powers. Player characters are individuals effected or outright produced by the machinations going on in the world. They inevitably become wrapped up in a plot that involves the future of the world itself. Those who wish to join the roleplay are encouraged to make creative characters marked by darker elements or burdened by tragedy. I would ask most characters be on the younger side or non-human (animals, robots, etc) to keep in line with the general themes of the game. A few adult characters will of course be permitted. My intent with this RP is to produce an adventurous roleplay balancing fun and absurdity with very dark underlying themes and plot elements.