I do have a few, actually, although GM and I are still working through the PM part. These should be more general though: I've seen some powers that stick to solely supernatural events, and some that are more descriptions of capabilities. Is the intention for a Power to be only something like "Fire Manipulation" or "Teleportation?" Or do all of our character's abilities need to be included--things like "Hand to Hand Combat" for someone who knows Karate, or "Enhanced Strength" for a Demon whose body-type is yoked out? I know the GM wants the big powers to progress in stages, and I'm not sure what the overall "power level" of the RP is yet.
Also, if we had to assign a genre to this, would it be more Slice of Life, Romcom/harem (just with multiple couples), or something like Highschool DxD that throws a little action in there too?
@Zeroth I'm not entirely sure about how to answer the question as I don't know myself, however the second question is easier as I can assume the romance tag could apply. Probably a bit DxD-esqe but don't quote me on this, in the end Queen decide that. I'm just her secretary.
Powers shall progress in stages regardless of what they are. I will be discussing powers with everyone within the next few days and will explain what the progression of powers will be like for each character individually.
As for the genre think of it like your classic sleep away high school drama but within hell.
Happy to see this got so many posts and so many characters so quickly! Something pleasant to wake up to. Looking forward to going to Hell with you all.
Also I really like the look of that Planner5D set of rooms! So smol, so perfect, such compact space. Everyone shall be bumping shoulders. Drama shall become the norm. I'm also tempted to add one extra power to Aurora, thinking about it
I know right? I'm so incredibly happy, I never expected so many people to love this idea! Ahh I'm such a happy GM! We have enough participants so I've announced the closing time on the main post!
Oh and that was a teaser... The whole five story model will be even bigger!
Since @Queen of Aces has approved Seiji, I'm posting him for y'all to see. There's been a few small tweaks, I promise I didn't try to slip anything past the GM, but if anyone wants to give feedback I'm ready for ya, lol. His Demonic companion, Empusa, will be finished later on.
Summoned Space The sword is called freely from a pocket dimension, perhaps Seiji's astral body. If it moves more than 25 feet from him it returns automatically to that space. If he is disarmed or drops it, so long as it is not bound in place he can freely return it.
Mundane Masterwork Compared to swords from Earth, it is at the peak of quality. Though it can't be said to be "enhanced" in any supernatural way, its sharpness, durability, balance, etc. are all at the greatest level possible for earthly steels and a sword of its dimensions.
Special Ability:
Rather than a native ability, it might be more accurate to call this power an Artifact gifted to Seiji by his contracted Demon. Nonetheless, as it was born from his essence given shape and strength by her power, its magic is his own. Its name, a bastardization of Welsh elements, can be translated as "Twisted Cleft," and it is not coincidental that it shares its etymology with legends such as Excalibur, Caladbolg, or Gae Bolg.
The sword embodies a perversion of ideals, a "Distorted Heroism." Seiji's desire to be a hero was originally founded in upright morals and imitation of exemplory figures, both fictional and real. But, his own neurosis and hubris grew over time, and as a result those ideals are now tainted, muddied with the refuse of human nature. Such a thing is certainly abstract in its conceptions, but can be defined by examples of philosophical questions: If Heroes use violence to Defeat Evil, and violence is also seen as evil, is a Hero just a popular brute who rules by strength? Are they any different than a tyrant just because the masses love them? If Heroes are defined by a self-sacrificial nature, is a Hero truly no more than a tool wielded by the cause or the people he fights for? More obvious distortions like this are the extremism, arrogance, or outright mistakes of otherwise heroic figures, people who wanted to do good things but found that their intentions paved a road to Hell. Seiji has begun his journey upon that same road.
The power of the sword has been greatly diminished by several factors, not the least of which are Seiji's own unfamiliarity with the ability and the limiters placed on it by Gello's domain. Right now, all he can manage is to "Twist" something within his influence. A nail held in his fingers can become a screw. A metal bar in his hand could become a spring. If he stands in water, he could generate a small whirlpool, and do the same with a stiff breeze blowing past him to create a short-lived whirlwind. While it seems to be a mere parlor trick compared to some of the greater magics of even a half-demon, there is a strange hint within its nature that points to something much darker.
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[P E R S O N A L I T Y]
|| The Face: The Everyman || The Soul: The Explorer || The Self: The Ruler || The Ego: The Hero ||
Seiji believes that all people are created equal, but has a...unique take on the concept. For instance, if someone were to ask him "Do you think men and women are equal?" he would probably shrug and answer "Do you think spoons and forks are equal?" He also believes that where there's a will, there's a way, but holds the opinion that other people who believe that phrase fail to consider what happens if someone else's will is to get in your way. His sense of justice is...perhaps too developed, and too hard-line.
His core desire is a paradox, as he wishes to connect with others but hates to feel fenced in or contained. He wants to find out more about himself through exploration and experience, but is afraid of standing out too much or being left behind by others. If one were to question his goals in life, he wouldn't be able to give a clear answer, but a few things that came to mind might be vague phrases like: Being part of something successful and fuliflling, becoming a great person (like a Hero), seeing wonderful things, and maintaining solid, down to earth values.
His strategy to achieve those goals and desires is very simple: bust ass. This is something that has only recently come to be a strong part of his life philosophy--the realization that while working hard doesn't guarantee success in life, successful people have more than likely put forth some kind of effort that normal people have not. Sure, someone might be born into money, but if they don't make the right connections and learn how to invest, that wealth can easily be taken from them or lost. However, Seiji's methods tend to be rather simple minded, brute force oriented. He hasn't learned enough yet to really know how to do it any other way, so when he runs up against something he can't exercise power or control over he immediately feels discouraged.
While he doesn't like being in the spotlight, he also dislikes the idea of never being someone who stands out from the crowd. He doesn't want to be bothered by others, but he also doesn't want to be someone who never accomplished anything and became just a face in the background. He also fears that he doesn't really know himself, or that his personality isn't "genuine," and is just a collection of cliches and behaviors he's learned over his life.
He can never settle for anything less than the best. This perfectionism holds him back and, ironically, makes him more likely to give up before he even starts, to procrastinate, or to obsess over something far past the point of usefulness. Even if he manages to accomplish a goal, he can't stop looking for something else worthwhile. It is very difficult for him to ever feel content. He doesn't like people to find this out about him because he doesn't want to seem like a "tryhard." He wants to present the image of someone who can do it all with minimal effort.
Very rarely does he feel like he fits in, or like he is among friends. He holds himself apart from people because he is afraid of their reactions, and doesn't have much self-esteem. He tries to hide it with apathy, snark, and witty humor, but it's clear from his body language when he's uncomfortable.
Though he doesn't think so himself, Seiji is actually quite adept at reading other people and empathizing with them. Sometimes he projects a little too much of his own thought process onto others' actions, but if he's given enough information about a person he can draw conclusions with surprising insight. He doesn't feel that he has to agree with someone in order to understand why they do what they do, and can ask pointed questions that others might shy away from to get to the heart of a problem.
His independent streak might sometimes border on contrarianism, but never let it be said Seiji can't march to the beat of his own drum. While he doesn't ever feel "confident," it's clear he has some degree of "competence" in a few fields--though they probably aren't fields one would consider pragmatic. He doesn't consider himself as brave, but doesn't usually hesitate to speak his mind when provoked and can be as stubborn as a mule on matters that disagree with his values.
And though it is a double edged sword, Seiji is also no stranger to responsibility. In fact, he often takes so much onto himself that he won't let others share the burden. But he feels that he has to "make everything right," no matter what, and while sometimes he is rigid or narrow-minded in this regard, he will never give less than 110% of himself if he truly believes the effort is worth undertaking.
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[H I S T O R Y]
"My name's Murakami Seiji, and I'm just your average, every day guy...and boy am I pissed about it!"
Seiji never stood out among his peers. He wasn't athletic or sickly, he wasn't academic or stupid, he wasn't attractive or ugly. He grew up in Tokyo, the middle son of three, raised by a strict, somewhat absent salaryman and a lenient, somewhat overprotective stay-at-home mother. His older brother was wild and irresponsible, his younger sister was spoiled and talented, and Seiji was just...kind of there. As a child, he loved video games, books, movies, and going on trips to his grandparents' home in the countryside. Some of his fondest memories were hiking the mountains with grandpa, or running through the fields after grandma. In middle school, his grandparents died and his father chose to sell the old family home so as to invest in the childrens' college funds.
In high school he discovered the internet, and thus began a downward spiral. By the time he graduated, Seiji was practically invisible in his class. But on the forums and image hosts, he had become an expert, nay a legend, in the art of shitposting. He was also a pirate of the highest calibur, with multiple harddrives full of anime, games, and other things that probably are best left unsaid. And, it must be said, he was extremely unsatisfied with the state of the world. He hated his own life, and though he had no real family problems the household dynamics were starting to fray at the edges as he spent more and more time alone in his room.
He became a Ronin, referring to young Japanese men who fail their college exams the first time around and thus have to spend the next year studying up to try again. Because of an early birthday in the academic year, he was already 19 as a high school senior, so being 20 as a college entrant made some examiners assume he had already failed twice over. From the distant window of social media he watched his classmates continue moving up in the world, while he stayed the same in a rut that got deeper with every turn he tried. Of the small handful of people he could consider friends, only one of them really knew the same struggle. The two jokingly made a pact one night, during a late night gaming session, to become Wizards together--a nerd-culture joke about obtaining magical powers by preserving one's virginity past age 30.
Little did he know his friend took that very seriously. Though neither one of them were in the greatest state of mental health, Seiji's friend deteriorated at an even faster rate. The other boy started to disappear without warning, at first just for a few days, then for weeks at a time. Seiji started to fear that his best friend was probably moving up in the world too, and leaving him behind. In reality, his friend had somehow come into possession of an odd book from a shady store that apparently closed down and disappeared from the street corner the very night after Seiji's pal bought it. And he somehow met a girl.
Her name was strange. She didn't speak much. And the relationship between her and his friend didn't seem healthy. As time went on and he got to know her, Seiji berated himself for being envious--he convinced himself that he was projecting problems onto their relationship, because he wanted a girl like that. No...maybe not like that. But he couldn't chalk that chain around her neck up to his imagination.
He didn't mean to see anything by accident. He didn't mean to stumble into his friends' "laboratory" either. He tried to talk to his friend one night, though he was too cowardly to do it face to face. After a disturbing series of communications, Seiji biked over to his friend's house to solve this mystery once and for all. Here, he found an unholy ritual in all its gristly terror, and his friend well on the way to becoming something much worse than a wizard. From bloody carvings all over the walls, power gathered. Its existence seemed impossible, and yet for the first time since his grandparent's deaths Seiji felt his heart of wonder ignite.
The thing that used to be his friend had summoned a Demon. It did not seem to be the first time he had done so. Yet this Demon looked like nothing more than a girl, to Seiji--a girl who did not deserve to be enslaved, or worse. A girl he had started to consider a new friend.
He tried to save her.
"Seiji, what are you doing!? You don't understand!" A malfested hand knocked him aside like a cat batting a mouse--or maybe, he'd thought as he lay gasping for air as blood poured down his face and his bones screamed in agony, a tiger bitch-slapping a gazelle. "This is how we're gonna get back at them, Seiji! This whole stupid world, all these disgusting people! They don't deserve Heroes!" Despite his wounds he had managed to hold on to her. Even as he put his broken body between her, the monstrosity, the abomination grew until the roof creaked against its back.
"C'mon, Seiji! Instead of Heroes, let's be Demon Kings!"
The girl's breath was hot against his ear. He didn't know if he could trust her words, but at this point anything was better than dying or being eaten alive.
"What will you wish for?" He had barely managed to stand and roll them both out of the way.
"Shit, a weapon would be nice!" He coughed, and blood had speckled his lips. "Don't Heroes usually get some kind of Holy Sword to fight a Demon King?!"
"The Contract is Set! I, Empusa, agree to the terms of Seiji, House Murakami: He shall become my protector, and I shall provide him a weapon befitting his desires!"
He had already known those terms were too vague. But in that moment, he had also known that what his friend was doing was wrong. Empusa's true nature didn't change that. Though she withheld her secret from him, he felt that certain things about their friendship were still true. And, despite everything...the bitterness in his heart, the cold, harsh realities of life, the loss he had suffered...
He still wanted to be a Hero.
"I accept." His fate was sealed with a bloody kiss. He couldn't help but smirk against her lips. Not only was it his first time, but it happened just like the first episode of a damned anime.
They survived. Seiji's life changed forever. And all too soon, he found himself dragged off to Hell.
"Just think of this as like, a new school!" She had giggled. "Heroes have to Level Up, right!?"
"God dammit."
"Hey hey hey, watch the language mister! The big G word is a no-no around here!"
"God fucking dammit."
He didn't want it to be this kind of anime!
An absolutely average, unsuccessful, bitter and depressed loner for most of his life, Seiji's only claim to fame was his status as many forums' top shitposter. He and a fellow loser made a joke pact together to become Wizards by protecting their virginity from 3D Thots until age 30. But it turned out his friend took that literally. There was some shady business with a sketchy book shop, an old tome with that aged-paper smell tinged with blood and sulfur, and a hot girlfriend who popped up out of nowhere. Seiji got suspicious that such things were too good to be true when he saw the chain around the neck of his friend's new companion...and the blood and corpses in the guy's spare closet, that was a clue too.
To save his life, and the girl's, Seiji made a pact. He finally obtained the power to become a Hero, just like his favorite games and anime. Unfortunately, the girl dragged him to her house immediately afterward. And the house was in Hell. And she and her family were all Demons. And life got weirder from there.
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[P A R E N T S]
Murakami Soujirou || Murakami Chisami
+Company man, Manager || Housewife, mother of 3+ +Strict, but distant. || Lenient, but overprotective+ +Mundane and Average. || Mundane and Average+
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[F A M I L I A R]
Daughter of the Brimstone Forge, Infernal Arsenal
Empusa
As the Holder of Seiji's Contract, Empusa is a full-fledged Demoness. Her profile will follow shortly, pending further approvals from GM. She will not participate in major Events unless requested by Gello, and is bound by the rules of the Home. Knowing that Seiji must learn to control his powers on his own, and that he will need to rely on Gello's education about Demons and Hell, she tries to limit herself to more...personal interactions with him. THEIR ENTIRE RELATIONSHIP DYNAMIC:
