This would be based on the Tales series (Tales of Phantasia/Symphonia/Vesperia/Xillia/Zestiria/etc.), with many elements borrowed from an original Tales-verse I had made a few years ago called Tales of Obscura (the first completed arc can be read
here if you're interested, but I won't be borrowing anything beyond the locations and lore so don't worry about the characters). I originally wrote Obscura as a huge cross-reference homage to the series because I enjoy it so much, but writer's block got to me. Bleh. So I'll do the next best thing and convert it into an RP.
It takes place on a world called Sephira (named after the gald-making accessory, for those in the know) with three countries - Hieizou, Sumizome and Chesed (might change these names later) - and while war isn't prevalent, there's a lot of tension between the nations. Hieizou is a southern steampunk and Japanese-themed nation that doesn't have as much technology as Sumizome, the largest nation in the middle of the continent that is more European in nature. Chesed is very far to the north, and the other nations avoid it due to the rampant discrimination against the non-Human races, so it's more like pre-Mandela Africa.
Here, the regular Summon Spirits have their power converted into glyphs called Thauma (plural is Thaumae) that are tattooed upon children based upon a ritual everyone undergoes. First the town's pastor will determine what the child's elemental affinities are. Then the child goes to that respective Summon Spirit's temples and are granted those particular Thaumae. The Thaumae remains with them for life (it cannot be removed or changed) and they are able to manipulate those specific elements for combat or practical uses. This proves useful in determining the child's future occupation - those who can use wind are stationed at windmills, earth-users work in mines, and those with sound Thauma can pursue a successful singing career.
Each character is only able to use
two Thaumae, preferably with good elemental affinities. Any more than that and elemental discord will occur in the person's body, killing them (plus to avoid god-moding). In addition, there are ten months in the year corresponding to each Summon Spirit. The Thaumae are as follows:
Undine Thauma (water + group healing)
Efreet Thauma (fire + strength boosting)
Sylph Thauma (wind + ability boosting)
Gnome Thauma (earth + defense boosting)
Celsius Thauma (ice - treated differently from water because Celsius can regulate temperature as well)
Volt Thauma (lightning)
Rem Thauma (light + strong individual healing)
Shadow Thauma (darkness)
Lorelei Thauma (sound/music)
Martel Thauma (nature/plants)
Some compatible elements include:
Undine + Celsius (freezing water)
Undine + Rem (healing water)
Efreet + Volt (fire element)
Efreet + Gnome (hot, raging magma)
Sylph + Volt (air element)
Gnome + Martel (earth and nature)
Volt + Shadow (lots and lots of darkness)
Rem + Lorelei (beautiful music that soothes the soul)
You get the idea. There are many combinations that can be made. However, the below five combinations are elementally incompatible, although it's not to say people can't use them. They're just practically unheard of:
Undine + Volt (water vs. lightning)
Efreet + Celsius (fire vs. ice)
Gnome + Sylph (earth vs. wind)
Rem + Shadow (light vs. darkness)
Martel + Lorelei (tangible vs. intangible / matter vs. concept / etc.)
Also made sketches for the glyphs here. Just ignore the last two at the bottom right. I badly need to update these, but you get the general idea.
No one has questioned the real meaning behind why Thauma exist... and, in typical Tales tradition, there is a sinister reason for it. The heroes' role would be to settle each nation's tensions before war breaks out, as well as discover why the Thauma system exists and put an end to it. For those who are familiar with Tales villains, this one will not be a good-hearted Extremist. ;)
