In case anyone recognizes it, this is the second Persona RP I'm trying to host. My previous one made the mistakes of having a setting that was too drastic a departure from the typical Persona setting, and too much background information the players needed to take in. Both of these have been remedied in this second attempt, which takes place in an alternate version of modern Earth that's very similar to real life on the surface level; it should be much easier for people to make characters and jump in. I have a [url=https://discord.gg/KWNBHgezpB]Discord server[/url] that I use for discussions related to my RPs. However, if you're interested, please make at least one post here expressing said interest so that others can see that the RP is gaining traction. [hr][h1]Introduction[/h1] This is an RP based on the Persona franchise. However, it is an entirely self-contained alternate universe, so no canon characters or organizations will appear. Some mechanics are similar to those in Persona games, but some are different. They will all be explained in this post, so [b][i]prior knowledge of Persona games is not required[/i][/b]. The setting is much like the modern Earth we're familiar with, except that [b][i]all well-known contemporary public figures do not exist, their roles taken by NPCs as needed[/i][/b]; historical figures are usually fair game, but ask me if you're unsure. Unlike real life, there is no pandemic, but the world is still not without a fair share of major problems. It is the year 2022. Social media is more widespread than ever, due to the efforts of Lin Yao-Yu, the richest man in the world and the first ever trillionaire. His company, OmniLink Inc., managed in the past two decades to acquire nearly every single one of the major tech giants in the world, seamlessly merging all of their online services into a single continuous whole. And with the thorough integration of facial and vocal recognition algorithms, it is now easier than ever to find and connect with others. But this connection is only superficial, as people cherry-pick only what they want others to see, while misinformation, echo chambers, and filter bubbles run rampant. While shouting into this all-pervasive white noise, introspection is too often forgotten, and the darkness within builds up and festers until it bursts forth from beneath the surface. In the past months, a rumor of unclear origin has been circulating that speaks of the so-called "Saklas Syndrome". It alleges that a user of OmniLink's ubiquitous O-Phone can have his soul itself sucked into the device, resulting in a range of possible symptoms including depression, psychosis, catatonia, coma, and even death, supposedly spreading via a supernatural virus that infects smartphones. You likely dismissed this as hogwash… until it happened before your very eyes. The screen of your O-Phone cracks open, but the cracks extend into the space itself around you. The next thing you know, you are surrounded by a thick, impenetrable, blinding white fog. From the fog it emerges, a shadowy figure with an uncanny resemblance to yourself, surrounded by an ominous dark aura that you find unsettling on some primal, instinctual level that you cannot quite explain. "I am the Shadow, the true self..." The shadowy figure speaks, its voice a horrible distortion of your own, before letting loose the deepest, darkest secrets that you have admitted to no one, not even yourself. But just as you cry out to reject this gratuitous affront to your very identity, the shadowy figure contorts in grotesque defiance of human anatomy, before exploding into a monstrosity from your worst nightmares. Will you simply go down and become just another victim? No. Your heart may be scarred, but you won't let it end like this. If getting out alive means facing your own inner darkness… As you gather your resolve, you see it then, a shimmering, ethereal blue butterfly that morphs into what seems to be a Tarot card. Desperately, you reach out to grasp it, and- [hr][h1]Magic System[/h1] Even though the supernatural powers of Shadows and Personas may not be called exactly that, I call it "magic" for convenience. To make sure magic doesn't contradict real life physics, the physics of this setting resembles real life only on the surface level, and not on the subatomic level. This may affect some well-known pieces of popular science and history, e.g. there is no longer time dilation in Einstein's relativity. This should have no effect on most characters, but [b][i]please consult me first if you want to make references to real life theoretical physics concepts[/i][/b]. There are also some unintuitive quirks in this new physics that I had to add for the sake of consistency, but I’ll only bring them up when necessary. The most common magical ability is the [b]sixth sense[/b], an extrasensory ability to detect magic around oneself. All magic users have it by default, though skill levels vary. Accuracy and range improve with skill, and the most skilled can replace their mundane senses entirely with the sixth sense. Most magical objects have specific "auras" that register to the sixth sense as synesthesia, conveying appropriate feelings of images and concepts. Certain effects can mask objects from the sixth sense or block it out, which can in turn be defeated by more skilled sensors. [hider=General Rules] In general, every magical effect has an associated "power level", which determines the energy density of the effect, the rate at which the effect exchanges energy with extradimensional space (getting around the conservation of mass and energy to a limited extent), and how resistant the effect is to disruption when clashing against an opposing effect. Circumstantial factors like good tactics and weakness exploitation can tilt things in your favor, but there is often not much you can do if your opponent's power level is overwhelmingly stronger than yours. For Personas users and similar entities, their power levels can often be increased by practice, experience, and certain significant events. Player characters start off at a power level on par with modern military weaponry and grow from there. Independently of power level, sustained exertion builds up strain at a rate inversely proportional to the user's skill and efficiency, which requires rest to recover from. Player characters can expect to regain full strength after one night of rest, though overexertion can lengthen the process. Exceptionally efficient entities can keep working indefinitely without rest at a moderate level of exertion. There are some more specific instances of the power level rule. - No effect can be unblockable, undodgeable, irresistible, immune, or absolute in any other way. Again, has to obey power levels. - All effects must originate from the user and travel to their targets, even if invisibly. Otherwise the effect would have infinite speed, which implies infinite power level. For example, to manipulate a rock, you have to send out your geomantic magic to permeate that rock first. - No magical effect can work in terms of abstract concepts or semantics. Everything must be based on physics and power levels. - Every entity has generic magic resistance proportional to power level, in addition to specific elemental resistances. As a result, you can't directly manipulate the matter that makes up another entity's body unless your power level is overwhelmingly stronger than the target's. There are some categories of abilities and effects that are notoriously hard to balance. [b][i]You must consult me first if you want to have any abilities in any of the following categories.[/i][/b] - Any mind-altering effect more specific than inducing hallucinations or approximate emotions in the target. - Space manipulation, portals, teleportation, and intangibility. - Time manipulation, precognition, postcognition, and time travel. This category in particular is banned in all but the most extreme and specific plot circumstances, so don't get your hopes up. - Anything that deals with the soul. Lastly, a common type of entity is the amorphous entity made of some homogeneous substance, seemingly lacking vital organs. Such entities are held together by internal circuits of magic, so anything that disrupts said circuits or destroys the substance can damage the amorphous being. Strong physical blows can cause stress to said circuits as well, which takes energy to recover from, meaning amorphous beings are not immune to physical attacks. [/hider] Most magical effects are roughly categorized by [b]elements[/b] and combinations thereof. Every element has a good degree of variety within itself, and someone may have aptitude for only a subset of an element, e.g. an earth user who specializes in metal. The general fighting style of each element is given, though a user with very high skill level or unusual aptitude may be able to subvert these styles (e.g. a defensive wind user with walls of compressed air). Also, note that due to the power level rule earlier, there is no elemental immunity, absorption, or reflection, only resistance. [hider=Elements] [b]Fire[/b]: - Physical: Conjures explosions. Very high burst damage, but lacks defensive power. - Magical: Conjures heat, flames, and combustion. Has both high burst and sustained damage, but relatively lacking in utility. Can cleanse and strongly buff offensive power. [b]Water[/b]: - Physical: Conjures liquid with adjustable viscosity and pressure. Versatile and fluid in form. - Magical: Conjures ice, snow, and cold. Can defend the user, and slow down or trap enemies. Can heal, cleanse, and preserve. [b]Air[/b]: - Physical: Conjures wind and compressed gas. Very fast, but lacks defensive power. - Magical: Conjures electricity and magnetic fields. Very fast, and can paralyze or disrupt enemies. Can buff agility and speed. [b]Earth[/b] - Physical: Conjures earth and organic matter. Strong and durable, but relatively slow. - Magical: Conjures toxic and corrosive chemicals. High damage over time, and can inflict a variety of physical ailments. Can heal, cleanse, and buff defense. [b]Light[/b]: - Physical: Conjures solid light. Strong and versatile but lacks permanence, dissipating when disrupted. Resists natural elements but weak to dark. - Magical: Conjures radiant holy energy. Good at disrupting, restraining, and pacifying enemies. Can heal, cleanse, and buff defense. [b]Dark[/b]: - Physical: Conjures solid darkness. Strong and versatile but lacks permanence, dissipating when disrupted. Resists natural elements but weak to light. - Magical: Conjures shadowy demonic energy. Good at cursing, debilitating, and weakening enemies. Can drain life and strongly buff offensive power. [b]Psychic[/b]: - Physical: Conjures telekinetic force fields. Strong and versatile but lacks permanence, dissipating when disrupted. Resists natural elements but mildly weak to supernatural elements. - Magical: Conjures illusions, psychic energy, and pure magic. Bypasses many types of physical defense, and inflicts mental and magical ailments. Very good at psychic defense and cleansing mental and magical ailments. [b]Almighty[/b]: - Physical: Conjures unidentifiable exotic matter. Powerful, versatile, and has no weaknesses, but very rare and hard to use. - Magical: Conjures mysterious otherworldly energy. Very powerful, and nothing has resistance against it, but very rare and hard to use. [/hider] [hider=Shadows and Personae] These are the actual supernatural elements of the setting. Very few people know of their existence, and they are poorly understood in general. More about them will be revealed as the story progresses. [hider=The Shadow Realm, Shadows, and Palaces] The [b]Shadow Realm[/b] is an otherworldly realm that exists in parallel to the physical world, full of magical energy that resonates with humanity's collective subconsciousness. People are sent here if they [s]lose a duel in a certain children's card game[/s] fall victim to the Saklas Syndrome, and Persona users have additional means of entering and leaving. [b]Using magic outside the Shadow Realm is possible but requires much more skill[/b], so initially the player characters will likely have difficulty using their full powers in the real world. The shadow archetype, a concept from Jungian psychology, represents a person's suppressed subconscious desires and aspects of himself that he does not want to accept. When a person is affected by the Saklas Syndrome, the buried dark side of his psyche physically manifests as a [b]Shadow[/b], a spiritual entity initially resembling a dark reflection of its host. The mental state of a Shadow ranges from animalistic to having a fully cognizant alternate personality, and its attitude toward the host can vary wildly, depending on the specifics of the host's personality. But in the most likely case where the host attempts to reject his Shadow, the psychological duress causes the Shadow to shift into a monstrous form symbolizing its nature and go out of control, wielding magical powers that are highly likely to kill its host. The trauma of its host's death then causes the Shadow to lose the last vestiges of its humanity, resulting in rapid psychological distortion into a full-fledged monster. These Shadows are then doomed to wander the Shadow Realm, where they may mutate, split, merge, and breed. Other forms of Shadow production also exist, such as spontaneous generation from the aggregate of mass emotions and desires, or arising from a recently dead person like a ghost. During the day, the Shadow Realm is filled with the [b]white fog[/b], born from the cacophony of social media and global connectivity. But at night, when the conscious mind quiets down and the subconsciousness begins to stir, the fog fades away to reveal surreal dark landscapes influenced by nearby Shadows and real life geography. A very strong-willed Shadow can materialize a [b]Palace[/b] into the Shadow Realm, a concrete locale of varying size and danger, reflecting its nature much like its appearance. A Palace can further change as its inhabitants do, or dissipate if not maintained. [/hider] [hider=Arcana and Personas] The Shadow does not necessarily represent negative qualities, simply ones that have been denied and suppressed and now gone out of control. The healthiest solution is almost always for the host to accept his Shadow and reintegrate it into his psyche, transforming the Shadow's negatives into positives and becoming a step closer to psychological completion. Such a thing is easier said than done, however, and the Shadow's darkness is a power not many humans can tame. Helping with the task greatly are [b]Arcana[/b], mysterious projections of ethereal blue energy that resemble Tarot cards. It has manifested before each potential Persona user as he is about to be attacked by his Shadow, and the NPC Utasaki Aria (see her profile in the Characters tab, 0th post) claims to be the one who granted this power. An Arcana permanently fuses with a compatible host to grant magical powers, and its presence allows the host to temper his Shadow into a [b]Persona[/b], a spiritual projection of his inner self. Manifesting the Persona can be taxing, but its powers are undeniable, greatly complementing and bolstering the host's. It will grow with its host and may even undergo a significant metamorphosis, but it is also impacted by the host's thoughts and feelings. If the host succumbs to major psychological trauma, it is possible for the Persona to go berserk or even regress back into the host's Shadow. The host does not take damage if the Persona is destroyed, and can spend energy to manifest it again, but the energy spent on manifesting it the first time will be lost unless the host is skilled at reclaiming some of the lost energy before it fully dissipates; continuously doing this strains the host's body as per usual exertion rules. The Persona is usually named after a mythological or historical figure whose story resonates with the host's personality, though this association is only thematic, and does not imply the actual existence of mythological beings. As a result, [b]Persona names are not unique[/b], and multiple people can have Personae named after the same mythological figure, each presenting a different interpretation of said figure. [b]Multiple people can have the same Arcana, and the same mythological figure can be associated with different Arcana[/b], due to the different interpretations of said figure that different people can have. Finally, [b]the power level of a Persona solely depends on the power level of the host, and has no correlation with the power level of the mythological figure the Persona is named after within its own story[/b]. Therefore, it's perfectly okay to start with a Persona named after a deity or other powerful mythological being. The default way to manifest one's Persona starts with a shadowy figure rising out of the host, then the Arcana card materializes, before dissolving into streams of glowing energy that wrap around the shadowy figure and transform it into the Persona. More skilled users can manifest the Persona in other ways, such as partial manifestation and transforming it into equipment. Sometimes the Persona may display a will of its own as the host's Shadow, though that depends on the person. A list of Major Arcana and their usual meanings are listed below. I know that there are many different and complex Tarot interpretations out there, but these are the ones I've chosen to use. If this summary isn't enough, you can look at [url=https://tarotx.net/tarot-card-meanings/rider-waite/]this guide[/url]. [b]Nonstandard Arcana from nonstandard Tarot decks, such as the Thoth deck or Minchiate, are not allowed[/b], for plot reasons. [hider=Major Arcana] [b]0 - Fool[/b]: [NOT AVAILABLE TO PLAYERS.] [b]I - Magician[/b]: Creativity, resourcefulness, cunning, focus. [b]II - High Priestess[/b]: Intuition, mystery, subconsciousness, emotion. [b]III - Empress[/b]: Fertility, life, nourishment, healing. [b]IV - Emperor[/b]: Authority, stability, order, tradition. [b]V - Hierophant[/b]: Spirituality, faith, wisdom, insight. [b]VI - Lovers[/b]: Harmony, sharing, connections, trust. [b]VII - Chariot[/b]: Ambition, victory, persistence, purpose. [b]VIII - Justice[/b]: Fairness, balance, honesty, morality. [b]IX - Hermit[/b]: Solitude, meditation, guidance, searching. [b]X - Fortune[/b]: Evolution, destiny, opportunity, luck. [b]XI - Strength[/b]: Willpower, courage, patience, self-control. [b]XII - Hanged Man[/b]: Sacrifice, altruism, acceptance, surrender. [b]XIII - Death[/b]: Termination, rebirth, change, cyclicity. [b]XIV - Temperance[/b]: Moderation, compromise, synthesis, duality. [b]XV - Devil[/b]: Amorality, freedom, domination, materialism. [b]XVI - Tower[/b]: Turmoil, upheaval, awakening, resolution. [b]XVII - Star[/b]: Hope, inspiration, peace, protection. [b]XVIII - Moon[/b]: Instinct, dream, imagination, trickery. [b]XIX - Sun[/b]: Optimism, joy, confidence, satisfaction. [b]XX - Judgement[/b]: [NOT AVAILABLE TO PLAYERS.] [b]XXI - World[/b]: [NOT AVAILABLE TO PLAYERS.] [/hider] [/hider] [/hider] [hr][h1]Character Sheet[/h1] [hider=Character Sheet] [b]Name[/b]: Can include full name, nicknames, pseudonyms, titles, epithets, and the like. [b]Age[/b]: Remember that the year is 2022. Almost always limited to normal human lifespan. Exceptions are possible but you'll really have to convince me why it's a good idea. [b]Gender[/b]: LGBT characters are welcome. But remember, you don't need to focus on gender issues unless it makes sense for your character and would make a good story. [b]Appearance[/b]: Bonding with an Arcana grants your character an alternate costume that manifests in the Shadow Realm, which may also change some aspects of your character's bodily features. There may or may not also be gradual, permanent appearance changes. [b]Personality[/b]: You don't have to give an extensive psychoanalysis of your character, but a general summary is helpful. Think about your character's preferences, principles, aspirations, fears, etc.. These are going to be important to the character's Arcana, Shadow, and Persona. If you want a character with split personalities or similar unusual mental features, ask me first and we'll work out how this affects the Shadow and Persona. [b]Backstory[/b]: Again, only a general summary will suffice, though you'll need to have my permission first if you want to have any secret parts of your character's backstory that are not revealed to the public. As the introduction suggests, the standard plot hook is that your character falls victim to the Saklas Syndrome, gets transported to the Shadow Realm, and thus gets attacked by his Shadow. The NPC Utasaki Aria will then appear and try to recruit your character to help with investigating the Saklas Syndrome. This is expected to play out in your first few posts where your character is introduced. Though if you want, you can have your character not gain his Persona right away, and instead get rescued by the other characters early on in the game. Your starting location doesn't really matter, as Aria can create portals to places all around the world. If you don't want to take this plot hook, you'll have to talk to me so we can work out something to properly involve your character. [b]Skills[/b]: Your character's mundane skills without the aid of magic. [b]Abilities[/b]: Magical abilities granted by the Arcana that do not involve the use of a Persona. By default, this includes generally increased physical robustness, and some basic spells or conjured weapons. Your character is exceedingly unlikely to have any special powers prior to obtaining his Arcana, though it's not entirely off the table if you can convince me it's a good idea. [b]Arcana[/b]: Include a brief description of why this Arcana suits your character. [b]Shadow[/b]: Summarize the repressed qualities represented by your character's Shadow, as well as its human and monstrous appearances. Note that unlike canon Persona games, your Shadow's human form does not have to have yellow eyes. Make note of it if the Shadow has any abilities not shared with your character's Persona. [b]Persona[/b]: Summarize the thematic connections between your Persona and the mythological or historical figure it's named after, and its appearance. Some things to note: - A general summary of the Persona's elements, abilities, and fighting style is needed, though you don't need to list every single thing your Persona can do. If you're unsure whether a specific action fits your Persona's moveset, ask me, and I'll call you out if I feel that it's an asspull. - The Persona can have some advanced abilities that your character doesn't have, but it's also okay if it only has powered-up versions of your character's abilities, or passively empowers your character, or fight as an extension of your character. - You can have a few minor elemental resistances for free, but major resistances need to be balanced out by vulnerabilities. - Since your Persona is the tamed version of your character's Shadow, it'll likely take on a form that's either genderless or sharing your character's gender, regardless of the gender of the mythological or historical figure the Persona is named after.[/hider] A blank character sheet can be found below and copied for your convenience. [hider=Blank Character Sheet] [noparse][b]Name[/b]: [b]Age[/b]: [b]Gender[/b]: [b]Appearance[/b]: [b]Personality[/b]: [b]Backstory[/b]: [b]Skills[/b]: [b]Abilities[/b]: [b]Arcana[/b]: [b]Shadow[/b]: [b]Persona[/b]:[/noparse] [/hider] [hr][h1]Rules[/h1] All guild rules apply. In addition, there are a few points that I want to clarify and emphasize. [b]- Each player is not limited to one character. Feel free to make multiple characters if you think you can handle it, within reason. You can make minor characters that are more akin to NPCs, and potentially turn them into major characters later if you want. - I am someone who takes internal consistency and verisimilitude very seriously. Therefore, if I see something in your post that I believe to be a plot hole, I'm almost always going to ask you to fix it. If you don't, I may have to gratuitously retcon some things, or even declare your post invalid. - Don't godmod. When interacting with another character, work together with that character's owner to ensure everyone's actions, reactions, and consequences remain consistent. That includes NPCs controlled by the GM and co-GM. - I'll try to give player characters a moderate amount of plot armor and good luck. But actions have consequences, and the suspension of disbelief only stretches so far. Keep that in mind before you try to make a dangerously reckless character. - Mature topics involving corruption on both personal and societal levels will be discussed in the plot. As per forum rules, there won't be anything explicit, nor will I make things pointlessly grimdark, but just be aware that this isn't an innocent kids' show. - If you want to leave the game, I'll try to retcon out your character's existence. If that's not feasible, I'll try to remove your character from the plot as painlessly as possible.[/b]