[center][h1][color=fff200][b][i]What happens when you break history, when you break a world?[/i][/b][/color][/h1][/center] [center][youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLg_48PRHh4[/youtube][/center] Gaia, the world of Lifestream and Materia, has a rich history. For over 20 years, people have known the tale of Avalanche and the Shinra Electric Company...and of Sephiroth. But lately, the Remake of that game had done something that some fans would find unthinkable, and I personally find interesting. In-game, they have literally destroyed continuity. They have broken the barriers, opened the floodgates, of interpretation to potentially change the outcome and tell a new story in a world we know so well. [center][b](If you don't know the world at all or haven't played the FF7 Remake to its conclusion, I understand. All are welcome here, but in the knowledge that there will be spoilers open and free for discussion, as the plot is based upon the very premise stated above.)[/b][/center] We're here mainly to have fun with this, because what this has done has given the green light for anyone to tell the tale of the world any way we like. Not that we actually [i]needed[/i] the go ahead, but it's nice to have it. It's inspiring, and so I have decided to create an unusual take on things which goes thusly... [center][h2][color=fff200][b]The Plot of the Game[/b][/color][/h2][/center] The thing of it is that this is for anyone who takes an interest, whether you're a fan or if you're curious about the world. It gets you INTO the world, but what happens in here is going to change. [b]You are going to be the main characters.[/b] Not as in you being the [i]established[/i] main characters. You are going to [i]replace[/i] them because they are [i]gone[/i]. At the end of the FF7 Remake, Cloud and company destroyed the Arbiters of Fate, creatures born to maintain the flow of events in the world, and thus caused damage to time and space that has changed their universe...and created this one, where they are no longer alive. This is important. The [i]infrastructure[/i] and the [i]antagonists[/i] of this world - Shinra, Sephiroth, etc. - still exist, but the [i]protagonists[/i] do not, and I will be creating more and different events as things unfold in response to situations. Let me be clear, though. In this world, the characters who traveled with the fate of the world in their back pocket are gone. They lived up to a certain point and then they died. (Yes, that includes the Ancient, a situation which I have planned for, and will say nothing further on. The important thing to pay attention to is that some events still happened in the past. Nibelheim still burned and Sephiroth is missing. The Shinra rocket never made it into space and the people of Corel are still in squallor. That much is all THERE.) Now, the planet is in OUR hands, and we will make of it what we will, in accordance to the actions of the players, where they're from, what they do, and so on. Make no mistake, things will get VERY different dependent on what kind of character you play. If this ends up with alot of players who work in Shinra, I WILL run this akin to The All-Guardsman Campaign of 40K, and if it has alot of players who are never even [i]near[/i] Midgar, you will see their grip on the world tighten, and things will get dangerous. This is gonna get a bit sandbox-y, and it'll leave you with enough room to breathe and take matters into your own hand, but I will bring matters to your characters' attention, and how they're handled will determine what happens next in the world, right or wrong. Your actions will have consequences. Remember that. Now, onto the next bit... [center][h2][color=fff200][b]Character Generation[/b][/color][/h2][/center] Making a character can be hard but fun. Ya like making the thing, but you get bogged down in details of history. It's fortunately, then, that we have resources of information for this world located [url=https://finalfantasy.fandom.com/wiki/Final_Fantasy_Wiki]HERE[/url] and [url=https://finalfantasy7remake.wiki.fextralife.com/Final+Fantasy+7+Remake+Wiki]HERE[/url], so you can search up all the stuff you need in regards to Final Fantasy. I'm going to be giving a fair bit of leeway on creativity, as the character sheet will indicate. Some things, I will limit, others I will not, but I will say - as I do in there - that if you can convince me that an idea is good or at least too fun to pass up, I'll go for it. Anyway, this is the character sheet, with explanations... [hider=The sheet!] [b]Name:[/b] Your character's name. [b]Age:[/b] Your character's age. (Try to be in a range capable of defending oneself.) [b]Gender:[/b] Your character's gender. [b]Race:[/b] This covers humans from different parts of Gaia, chiefly distinguishing between regular and Wutai (the Asian culture here), but I open it to any race you think you can make a decent character out of. This would include Ancient/Cetra, whatever Red XIII's race is called, other non-human races of Final Fantasy lore, etc. You make a good case for it, I'll roll with it. Hell, I'll entertain the idea of a Shinra robot or a monster if it's good enough. Please take note that your choice will determine how people view you, and certainly how much danger you might be in on a day-to-day basis. [b]Occupation:[/b] Because materia exists in this world, allowing for alot of customization of how a character plays out, classes are not exactly important. However, your job still defines certain things. While I won't require you to keep track of gil, your job would go a long way to state how much or little you have, what your resources are like, and so on. This can be important when determining the weapons and equipment you have to start with. Like...every member of SOLDIER has a sword and they're trained to use it. Any hired gun or guard or whatnot will definitely be pursuing guns, or at least be trained in them. This determines how much you might struggle with life. [b]Appearance:[/b] The way your character looks, both in physical form, their attire, and even their general expressions and mannerisms. Show me what this character is like when viewed by others. (Pictures are fine, though if the picture is not so much an exact match as a template for [i]kind of[/i] what they're like, tell me what's different about them.) [b]Personality:[/b] Your character's mental state. How do they view the world? The people? Their lot in life? How sane or disturbed are they? What're their modus operandi, or how they handle things, as well as whether they feel any guilt at all, or if they're frigging psychotic. How they get along or DON'T get along with others is important, since this RP will be very story and character-driven. [b]History:[/b] How your character's life came to be this way. Where were they born? What did they do? Are they still there now? What events influenced them? This is rather important, since the regions and what they do is very apparent in this world. If you're from Wutai, you either suffered through or at least feel for those that died in the war your country and Shinra. If you're from Rocket Town, you know all about the failed launch of Shinra No. 26. If you're from Nibelheim...you're either lucky to be alive, weren't there when it burned, or are part of the population inserted as per Shinra's cover-up of the incident. Because the history of the world still happened and events were still set in motion, the things that happened in the world probably matter to you, so tell me how. And remember, the original cast of protagonists from the game are dead. You didn't know them, though certain figures like Cid Highwind you might know OF. It depends on what you're trying to do with the character. [b]Weapon:[/b] Your weapon! Describe it and what it does. It will be the type of weapon your character most-easily gravitates towards, thhough if you really want to learn a new style, I won't stop you. Just remember, you'll be pretty good at what you start with. Whatever you change to, you won't be so hot. (If you're using a creature or a robot to assist you in combat, list that here too.) Unique characteristics (cuustomization) will also be allowed (and probably essential for some of you). [b]Skills:[/b] A list of skills your character has learned over time, and a short description of it. These will vary, of course, and they will likely not be your materia skills, but something more personal to your character, like sword techniques and gun tricks and whatnot. (They don't have to be all from the game, but if you want to use some fairly-accessable skills you could easily pick up, I'm fine with that.) [b]Equipment:[/b] This will cover the items you use for protection and support, other little trinkets, etc. Not as much emphasis on this as with the weapons, but they matter. This would be your armor device, your accessory, medicinal potions (Again, not too worried about you keeping track of things that could be perishable, but RP that 'OMG, I'm out of Antidotes' some time. Might be good for the narrative.), and whatever else you think might be important. This doesn't include materia, because that's below. [b]Materia:[/b] You might end up with a number of these orbs for use later, which is why it's best kept separate from equipment, but I'm going to start you out with a limited set to start with. You may start with a maximum of TWO materia of the green Magic/Spell, yellow Skill/Command, purple Independent/Effect, or blue Support/Enhancement materia in whatever combination you like, provided it isn't some difficult-to-obtain materia. Fire, cure, or lightning materia, easy. Magnify or Steal, sure. Revival, Enemy Skill, or Contain? No. Also, I will allow you to start with a lower-level red Summon materia of your choice (and you can be creative with what it summons) if you want that [i]instead of[/i] starting with regular materia. We can also discuss having NO starting materia, but some other benefit for lacking certain resources. (I have no issue with you creating unique forms of materia, so long as the idea is run by me, by the way.) [b][u]LIMIT BREAK:[/u][/b] Yes, [i]of course[/i] you get one of these. Every lifeform on Gaia can potentially realize hidden potential and have that moment to will to power and step up with some kind of attack or ability that will alter the course of events from word GO. Describe this ability, please. You will not be able to use it without having first taken some serious damage. You start with one. Make it a decent game-changer, but not too overwhelming. [/hider] ...the basic code sheet... [hider=BB Code Version] [code] [b]Name:[/b] [b]Age:[/b] [b]Gender:[/b] [b]Race:[/b] [b]Occupation:[/b] [b]Appearance:[/b] [b]Personality:[/b] [b]History:[/b] [b]Weapon:[/b] [b]Skills:[/b] [b]Equipment:[/b] [b]Materia:[/b] [b][u]LIMIT BREAK:[/u][/b] [/code] [/hider] ...and this is my sheet, to give an idea of what things can be like. [hider=My Sheet] This one is essentially my take on what it would be like to play as a regular guy who joined SOLDIER and actually made it in there, unlike Cloud Strife. Plenty of people applied and were accepted, while he was never among their ranks. What would it be like to actually live that life? What motivation would you have to be there, and more importantly to stay with it, at least at first? That's what this character was always about. [b]Name:[/b] Joseph (Joe) Hockner [b]Age:[/b] 22 [b]Gender:[/b] Male [b]Race:[/b] Human [b]Occupation:[/b] SOLDIER, 3rd Class [b]Appearance:[/b] As a member of SOLDIER, Joe looks pretty damn fit. Physical training and that Mako cocktail have given him an athletic that makes him quick and agile, with a deceptive level of strength and control that would allow him to heft and swing an oversized weapon easily. He is average in height, verging on 6-foot even, with a few knicks and scratches here and there on his body (but not the face) indicating that he's been through some rough combat. He has short black hair that is a little smoothed back and green eyes with the trademark Mako energy shine found in SOLDIERS. Point-blank, you would call him fairly-handsome...and a smirker. He does seem a bit laid back for most of the time, though obviously his training would allow Joe to react to any situation in a fraction of a second. He has two regular attires. The first one is his black jeans and mostly-dark-green-with black-highlights shirt, which could be described as his everyday attire (or other sets that look similar to this). Now, something they don't generally show you, but you [i]hear[/i] it being used, is whatever hook or harness SOLDIERS use to put their big damn swords on their back. Joe actually has a homemade one of leather and metal that will similarly allow him to hook ANY sort of heavy package on his back and just go. It's a bit less subtle on his person, but he really doesn't care. His shoes look like exceptionally-good running shoes, maybe a bit sporty-looking, giving him solid grip and tread when he's on the move. Lastly, Joe has a [url=https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/54c588d1-4b2e-4ee4-b606-c3abdbc6ad5d.png]SOLDIER uniform[/url], though not that sword. Kind of makes him look like The Shredder, doesn't it? [b]Personality:[/b] He seems like a fairly laid back sort of guy because - generally - he is. Joe is often a get-along guy, neither antagonistic by design, nor quick to anger himself. He's not out to prove anything or massage any egos. What he IS here to do is what he considers the right thing. He has a decent morality crossed with a 'Don't sweat the details' attitude, he who fights monsters but may gamble at Gold Saucer. If you're in a jam, he'll help you. If you're a piece of shit, he'll fight you. Many of the situations he faces will be judged on a case-by-case basis, because he doesn't just do whatever the higher-ups tell him. As a SOLDIER, Joe considers himself to be fairly-autonomous in authority and does things how HE wants, instead of whatever bullshit he might be told. That's kind of an important thing, right there. He doesn't simply believe what he's told, but investigates and listens to others. Where some might execute because they're callous or psychotic, Joe will figure out a situation fairly quickly when he's serious, and he won't back down easily once he's gotten a handle on the situation, whatever he chooses. And even in a tense situation, despite any potential cursing, he is still able to keep his cool and deal with whatever comes. The only problem is that...due to a particular altercation on the Western Continent...he has developed a fear of heights. He knows that he can survive a fall from high up, but he doesn't like it. [b]History:[/b] On a cold winter night, a traveler came into the town of Kalm (the closest town to the city of Midgar), and requested a room. "We're full up right now, but Miss Hockner down the street said she'd take in anyone we couldn't accommodate." The man nodded and headed down the street. Thanks to the high walls around town to protect it from monsters, the winds weren't so bad anymore. He'd come here over the frozen-over swamp outside of the mythril mines, hoping that the harsh weather would protect him from being attacked by the dreaded Midgar Zolom (a kind of giant snake produced by Mako pollution), but he'd been wrong, and barely escaped a rare [i]cold version[/i] of the serpent, dubbed the Arctic Zolom. The house was quaint, but serviceable, with a plaque over the door reading Golden Gloves, for some reason. His name was Nicholai Derrentier, and he was an explorer looking to find support for an expedition to the frozen north, so really this winter storm was just practice work for him, but the giant snake had left him exhausted, and so refuge seemed to be in order. It was here that he discovered Julia Hockner, student of the master martial artist Zangan and winner of several local fighting championships. Their rendezvous this night would trade several tales of training, fighting, exploration, wonders of the world, and - as time went on - a night of passion and romance which...sadly...did not last. Nicholai was kind of irresponsible, thinking mainly of his work, and that made him kind of an ass and certainly a deadbeat, leaving a woman to look after a child alone while he got (presumably) lost in the northern territories past Icicle and probably died. And so, we turn to the one born from these two, Joseph - or Joe - Hockner. They kept the name, Hockner, largely [i]because[/i] of Nicholai's irresponsibility and not wanting to be linked with the man. Practically the whole town knew what had happened, but as Julia was a pillar of the community and people in Kalm were fairly understanding, very little came of it. Joe was, therefore, chiefly raised by a woman who trained others to defend themselves and even killed monsters with either her bare hands or a sword. This led him to originally be the kid that others weren't sure they wanted to be around, at least until he let out a jokey sort of manner that seemed to chill them out. Joe grew up in Kalm, helping others out, but eventually he was alone...as his mother eventually died of heart failure. He was in a sympathetic and understanding community, but he still needed to make a living, and around here, if you wanted to make more than a pittance, you needed to be pretty good at whatever it is you do. Since Joe was a halfway-decent fighter, he thought he'd upload thhe family tradition, but he needed more experience and a decent paycheck. That meant Midgar. With the Wutai War over, not many people were applying for SOLDIER anymore. This actually sounded like good timing, as he'd have less competition. It turns out, it wouldn't be the [i]only[/i] thing he timed well that day. In Midgar, he encountered a lady guard on patrol who was able to guide him through the humongous city, a place he'd surely have gotten lost in without help. Now, normally thhe response to asking to be in SOLDIER was a decided "We'll see.", followed by being made a security guard, but Joe had two things going for him right now. He looked the part with the Iron Sword on his back and he had fighter training and experience. That caught the attention of an [i]actual[/i] member of SOLDIER, a 1st-Class Captain, no less. The man wanted to test him, then, [i]right in the Shinra lobby![/i] This was a BIT of a shocker, but Joe went with it, and the two of them fought. Well, right off, the Captain's experience and tactics in defending against the other swordsman's wild, forceful attacks made him the superior fighter. However, when he had Joe on the ropes, the young man switched tactics and barely put any strength at all in his next sword swing, so that it was easily deflected, but left the Captain open to hand-to-hand assault when Joe kicked the pommel of the man's sword. He was then tripped to the ground and attacked by fist while Joe kept the heavy sword the man was wielding down with his leg. The Captain had to let it go in order to counter him at all, which left him rather impressed. For his efforts, Joe was to be tutored by this man, a veteran of the Wutai War, Macintyre Gonovich. He wasn't a legend or anything like the great (and currently missing) Sephiroth, but he'd been there and he'd survived. Mac wielded an impressive arrow-headed blade called a Force Stealer, but strangely...he handed it over to Joe and took his Iron Sword as replacement. He said it was a personal code he lived by, that a man you've been properly bested by and respect deserves your weapon. He'd been to war and fought in this army for years, and nobody had been able to pull a stunt like that on him before. Unfortunately, this also put Joe under the command of the Head of Public Safety, Heidegger, and they did NOT get along. Actually, Joe was fairly certain the man outright hated him and wanted to kill him, pitting him against Shinra robots in dangerous obstacle courses and setting the dogs on him while he was unarmed. That one was [i]really[/i] Joe's fault, however, as he was insubbordinate as hell at times with the flip remarks and such. Hojo didn't like him either. The day they met for his Mako treatment, Hojo injected him with something 'to help absorb the Mako energy more efficiently', gave him his treatement, and when he got out...the man took a scan of his body and got ROYALLY pissed at him, for some reason. Joe never figured that one out, though, and quickly left before the Professor tried to kill 'im with his own sword. He began his work as a SOLDIER, and you might be asking now...how could a decent man like him work there? Shinra controlled a great many things, a number of his superiors were asses, and their callous behavior alone caused a great deal of hardship for others who were less fortunately, like those down in the slums. The thing you have to remember, though, is that people still have to work and eat. They still need a job, and people who work and survive need others to look after them, people who can help them in a dangerous situation. There's crime and monsters in this town, no matter HOW advanced it is. People need to be kept safe. Someone's gotta walk that beat, and not do it simply because of what a company says, but what needs to be done. That's Joe Hockner. [b]Weapon:[/b] [i]Force Stealer[/i] - A heavy [url=https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/f1f56bd7-dcde-4628-9420-92e796549b82.png]arrow-headed sword[/url] that Joe received from his mentor in SOLDIER. Its Bloodsucker ability saps vital strength from defeated foes. [b]Skills:[/b] [i]Driving Slash[/i] - A technique he learned from Mac. It looks almost like a golf swing, but is in fact a swift upswing of the blade that can knock many a foe on their back or sent flying of they're charging. [i]Arrow Stab[/i] - An attack that Joe came up with on his own, leaping up and jamming his sword down (point first) on a target to try and harshly stagger them. (He's also used this for pole-vauulting.) [i]Force Strike[/i] - A move that you learn from the blade itself, unleashing latent energies stored within, mixed with your own. It is a wiid-arc energy slash suitable for attacking multiple foes at once. [b]Equipment:[/b] A few Potions, a few Antidotes, SOLDIER ID, a cellphone, and... [i]Iron Bangle[/i] - Pretty standard well-rounded defense. [i]Sprint Shoes[/i] - Shoes which give the wearer great traction and speed when running. (Causes Haste.) [i]SOLDIER Uniform[/i] - Gives some additional padding and protection at the cost of looking like any other SOLDIER. Helps if you don't want to be recognized, but not great if people don't like Shinra. [b]Materia:[/b] Unknown Red Materia (Has never awakened.) [b][u]LIMIT BREAK:[/u][/b] [i]Red-Eye[/i] - Joe's eyes light up from a sudden Berserk status, shortly before launching into several swift attacks as he runs by a target, culminating in him jumping up and slamming down his sword hard enough to leave an imprint on the ground that looks like an open eye. Afterwhich, he is under heavy Adrenaline until either combat stops or someone alters his condition. [/hider] The sheets do get involved, but after looking at the games, they...kinda' needed to be. It's a bit world and alot goes into it, but that just means there's alot of potential for fun and intrigue to be found. It's a character-driven kind of RP with a certain attention to detail, but essentially it is our sandbox to play in, or playset, or whatever analogy you wanna use. Also, quite important: When I say we are more narrative and character driven, I mean we are not beholden to stats, but entertaining writing and action. [b]There is a Discord link. It is [url=https://discord.gg/g7M5tE]HERE.[/url] Step on in and ask for the Midgar Party role for Final Fantasy RP discussion. If the link expires, please let us know and I will refresh it. Questions and discussion can also be done here, though Discord will probably get answers quicker. And with that, I say HAVE AT IT![/b] [center][h2][color=fff200][b]EXTRA NOTES[/b][/color][/h2][/center] [center][b]There are things that will be established which were not foreseen immediately, but must be stated for future reference, things we learn on the way. To that effort, this section will cover those matters which suddenly crop up and need answers[/b][/center] Although it is between players and such if someone whould be harmed by Status Ailments, I would think that - in order to prevent people from stun-locking one another - initial successes in casting such spells should be subsequently less effective to a certain degree in order to make certain one is not wholey dependent on it.