GreivousKhan

[Ranked] 2 v 2 battle! Reapers Vs Champions; A Dance of Blades!

Ohhh, now I see what DJ did. Nice.

Arena Multiverse: the Next Chapter!

Substitute the title for 'Nexus' and ideas for planets or other points which are direct links to the Nexus (for example the HQ?) and then coming off of those planets are other planets which can be indirect links to the multiverse by leading to the direct link planets, or they can be close by to the direct links (in the same solar system, etc)

@MelonHead

Basically this is exactly what I was thinking, though perhaps a bit more spider web like but this is pretty perfect. Also I decided i would work best if people interested felt like fleshing out each faction which are currently;

Angar-Rylla Empire, which everyone should know at this point.

The Fallen, high tech benevolent faction geared around learning and knowledge.

Freeholds, factions banding together for mutual protection and freedom. Basically Space Mercia.

The Multiverse: Arena

There is no real mandate of formal character sheet format. However, due to the rules of the Arena as set by Ao, characters or beings of roughly god-tier power are prohibited from participating. Any character posted should generally at least have the following information;

Name:

Age:

Gender:

Race:

Random descriptors: As it sounds, the very basics are simply stated here, such as height, weight, eye color etc.

Character Tier: See Scale

Allegiance: Which faction do they belong?

Physical Description: Describe your character's usual appearance in more detail here. This includes attire, as much as how they walk, their mannerisms, and so forth. Remember that if your character's physical appearance radically changes, then you will need to submit a new profile for reference purposes.

Personality Description: What motivates and drives your character—money, morals, power, love? What kind of person are they? What's their goal? How does their mind tick?

Skills, powers and abilities: List and justify your powers in this section, and list their Level. Detail, justification, creativity and attention to detail are all paramount. If you simply write out 'I have Big Bang attack!!!' then we shall not accept it. There is no limit to the number of abilities you may possess, however you should stick to the general theme of your character, and Judges will review the unity of powers.

Character Equipment: What items does your character carry?

Character History: Write a little bit about your characters past. Including their motivations to participating in the Infinite war.

Scale

(Nothing beyond High Power Scale please)

Dual-Scaling System

The primary difference between this scaling and other scales is that others rely on a numerical value each time you move up or down in scale, and so the scales only apply in one way; magnitude of power. The idea with this system is to account for two things: Power, and realism. This allows players to more accurately determine what level they want to play at by having two separate scales that interact with one another.

In regards to the power scale, each level can effectively be further codified into "high" or "low" - "high mild" or "low mild", "low advanced" or "high advanced" to give more flexibility to the tiers when further classification is needed.

Realism Scale

Realistic

Realistic is exactly what the name implies - as parallel to the real world as possible, in terms of physics, physiology, and the like. Minimal bends in the rules of physics, accurately portrayed humans, so on and so forth.

Semi-Realistic

Semi-realistic straddles the line between purely realistic, and wholly unrealistic levels of combat. Combat will still roughly follow the real world, but the common addition of powers can more easily "bend" the rules. For example: the Shoryuken. A person can jump, spin, and punch all at the same time - not that it would necessarily be viable. But with a "nudge" of powers into the somewhat unrealistic, it can become a viable technique. A character could use powers to become stronger than normal, faster than normal, or the like, but without breaking the rules wholesale. Purely hand to hand or weapons combat would still by and large be somewhat along the lines of "movie realism", but with supernatural powers (if allowed), this can mean looser rules than in Realistic.

Unrealistic

At the level of unrealistic combat, the rules of physics are loose, at best. A character could run up the side of a building indefinitely, dodge bullets, perform astounding acrobatics in mid-combat, or otherwise do things simply beyond the ken of realistic or even semi-realistic combat. Unrealistic is more common at higher power levels, because of the fantastic levels of physical abilities that many characters possess. Punching through a solid granite block, slicing through an enormous redwood tree with a single sword swipe, punching the ground hard enough to create an enormous crater - all examples of unrealistic combat.

Power Scale
No Powers

Like Realistic, this is straight forward: a character has no powers, no supernatural abilities. They are more or less a human, albeit perhaps of Olympic level ability in terms of physicality. It can also be assumed that magical weapons or armor would also be banned, as they can give spell-like abilities.

Mild Powers

Mild Powers is the next step up, and is harder to classify because you can take a higher or lower approach in terms of acceptable abilities. Characters can run the gamut from humans with powers (Naruto, Avatar, Street Fighter, D&D) to lesser demonic, angelic, or otherwise supernatural beings. At this level, a gun is fairly powerful, and might be barred from use. Essentially, a character will be balanced to have a few strong areas, and a few weak areas, as their powers and equipment are not sufficient enough to cover every possible situation or potentiality.

An example of a lower "mild powers" character could be Kyo Kusanagi, from King of Fighters. He is a hand to hand fighter without weapons or armor, but is at the peak of human physicality (and sometimes exceeds it), while he also has a fairly expansive "fire elemental" powerset which is close to mid range, and would (in roleplay) probably have a charge system reliant on chi or magical energy. Ryu from Street Fighter might also be an example. An example of a higher level "mild powers" would be if you took Kyo Kusanagi, and either expanded his powerset, gave him some mild magical items such as armor or weapons to expand his versatility, gave him a second powerset, or simply made him physically empowered beyond human limits as a permanent passive ability.

High Powers

High powers can be defined by characters who are usually physically beyond the ken of human ability by quite a considerable margin (dodging bullets, hurling cars, etc) while also having considerable supernatural abilities. An example of this might be a super hero: A character with impossibly advanced physical abilities, super powers, and possibly some serious equipment. A lower end example might be Wolverwine: Adamantium skeleton, the ability to regenerate from practically anything, while being supernaturally powerful and potent in physical combat. He is on the lower end because, while he's exceptionally hard to keep down, he's also restricted to melee. At the higher end of the spectrum, you have characters who can destroy an building with a couple of preps, or even an entire city block.

The Multiverse: Arena

Introduction:

Welcome to the Arena Multiverse! Most of you should be fairly familiar with the concept, but to those of you who are not. The ARENA Multiverse is a thread dedicated to storylines and plots. In the IC section you can store links to important canon events in order to keep a easy to follow flow of events for your characters participating in Multiverse: Arena.

Character section is of course where canon characters for the multiverse, namely your champions, can be stored. Details can be found there.

Story Brief:

The rise of the Angar-Rylla empire was the beginning of a new age of disorder throughout the multiverse. Largely unopposed in its beginning years, the Empire rose steadily and quickly, crushing world after world, and realm after realm. Eventually to defend their way of life from what they saw as a hostile takeover by an aggressive foreign force, an alliance between nine key worlds was forged. Alone they could not hope to oppose the might of the Angar-Rylla, but together they created a combined front from which they could manage a fighting chance. More worlds steadily joined this alliance, which became known widely as the Freehold.

During the time of the Freeholds formation another force long forgotten by time had also begun to rise. In the distant realms closes to the far realms, a resurgence of a new religion was taking place. An ancient race known as The Fallen had returned to the present time of the mulitverse. Beings of unmatched science, philosophy and technology had appeared, apparently from the far future, Shepherding a flock of world ships escaping what they revealed was the end of the Multiverse, The Fallen began their camping by freeing worlds at first ‘oppressed’ by the Angar-Rylla empire.

These actions lead many to believe that The Fallen would perhaps ally with the Freehold against The Empire. This however was not the case; for The Fallen preached unity of ideals and government (oversaw only by them) that to the ears of the Freehold sounded much the same as the extreme rule of law rhetoric of the Empire given a different coat. The Freehold council paid little heed to the warnings of The Fallen, voicing that it was nothing more than a fear campaign to incite the down trodden to their way of thinking.

In time all three powers slowly built up their forces, the already large Angar-Rylla aggressively assimilating new realms. Thus in turn however, caused many independent realms to join the Freehold for security, or made them more susceptible to the teachings of The Fallen (so called Benefactors by those who fell under their sway).

Eventually these growing powers would come to a head, which would result in the greatest war the multiverse had ever seen. The Infinite War. Only one of sufficient power saw the cataclysm to come had the means and will to act. The Overgod Ao was a being thought to be only legend by even the oldest and wisest of races. Seeing the untold trillions that would perish in a war of countless powers and extraordinary weaponry. Ao enlisted the aid of the oft Neutral Dreamers, and a being known as the Liaison, who together devised a solution.

A series of contest that would allow rights of conquest and ownership to one faction or another. A contest that could take place between only a select number of champions of suitable power and ability. Ao restricted these battle to beings of lesser power in order to avoid the severity of the conflict getting out of hand. A race for the most capable of fighters who still met the criteria of Ao’s contest was enacted by all three factions. Creating a new age of warfare. One no longer decided by sheer firepower and numbers. But individual skill and ability.

The Arena was born.

Factions:

(in-depth Analysis of the factions coming soon.)

The Angar-Rylla Empire- The Empire is a powerful highly industrious multi-realm nation possessing a highly militant and disciplined fighting force. Many predicted with their organized cohorts, great numbers, and economic strength they would eventually have won the Multiverse war at great cost without the intervention of Ao. Often seen as imperialistic, the Angar-Rylla in fact see themselves as a necessary evil in the Multiverse in order to bring about the greater good. Their conquered worlds knowing a new age of peace and achievement through their sophisticated and benevolent governance. To the Empire the ends justify the means, with countless soldiers and mercenaries ready to die at the behest of their mighty Empress. The will of the righteous shall prevail.


The Fallen- Mysterious benefactors of a bygone age. The Fallen is an alliance of highly advanced beings who seek to bring peace to the Multiverse more through understanding and knowledge than brute force. They practice The Way, a doctrine and philosophy that all should embrace peace. The Way was invented by the Seraphim, a grey skinned, technologically sophisticated and bizarre alien race that was probably humanoid before the ascension. The Way is so advanced, it is said it shifts the perception of those who learn and embrace it. At least so it is believed by their enemies. Who view the Way as a fanatical cult. Having shared in a vision of destruction to all the multiverse in the far future. The Seraphim realized that the only hope of the lesser races was to unite them into one great force to combat the coming darkness. The Fallen, named so due to the near destruction the Seraphim faced countless eons ago, see the Freehold and especially the Empire as destabilizing factors that will spell the doom of the Multiverse and all within it.

The Freehold- A collection of highly varied worlds, the Freehold was born out of necessity in response to the threat of the Empire and other hostile forces. The key realms of the alliance center around Earth Realm and Pundambaya. Their goal simple. The freedom of all realms to rule themselves as they always have. Those who fight for and in the freehold are highly idealistic and fiercely independent. They seek to thwart the hungry conquest of the Empire as well as the mad fear mongering of the Fallen. Despite the sheer size and amount of realms within the freehold, the lack of a clear leading power within the faction has caused a lack of cohesion between the allied worlds; with in fighting and skirmishing among some of these ‘allies’ still a common occurrence. Yet make no mistake, when the cry for freedom echoes, those of the freehold are quick to forget each others slights and band together for the greater good when threatened.

Goal:
The whole goal of the multiverse is simple as it is elegant. It creates the backdrop for characters to have plausible and engaging reasons to initiate conflict. Regardless of faction, characters can possess or even evolve countless reasons for engaging in the Infinite War. Upholding ideals, defending their family and home or way of life. Perhaps simply as a call to duty or even revenge. The possibilities are as endless as one's imagination. Characters also benefit from being apart of a changing world, and thus can naturally change themselves, becoming stronger or evolving as characters naturally over time from their shared experiences. The main hub of this multiverse will exist to keep track of story events and rivalries. Which later on will make certain match up that much more memorable and meaningful. Along with of course having a place to keep track of interesting battles.

Rules of Engagement:

As per the rules set by Ao, chosen champions of the three factions are each given a unique mark that corresponds with the nexus gates of the multiverse. Ao granted these individuals with the power to in short- capture the nexus gates that connect our many worlds and realms together. Only a the mark of an opposing faction can contest a take over. Which often takes several hours before that champions faction gains complete access to the nexus gate. This means complete control of a gate is only possible once all opposing champions are defeated, after which control of the gate can be taken as leisure. This makes Champions highly strategic value targets in the Infinite War. However, due to the rules set by Ao, the scale of weaponry each faction is allowed to use is severely limited. Thus forcing any and all contest of arms to be often solely Champion against Champion with minor minion support on rare occasions. Thus combined with a Champion's own pseudo immortality, has cut the casualties of the war down significantly.

Minions

While it is possible to bring minor minions of your faction with you. Keep in mind these are the very basic and lowest tier of summoned/faction creatures. They will follow your lead but often cannot be commanded by you in combat and can be only given a basic order i.e. “Attack or Defend me.” Once more they follow the rules of summons/minions of the Arena, in that they are subject to auto hit unlike player characters. Your opponent may dispatch minion class creatures as they see fit and it does not take away from their normal attack in the fight. They are cannon fodder meant to make you look cool and as such will be treated this way.

Conflict and Resolution

Conflict and combat are not out of the realm of possibilities when encountering creatures and entities in the Multiverse. Sometimes a misspoken word in a tavern can lead to a drunken brawl, other times duels are fought for honor or large-scale fleet engagements in planetary systems. All are possible and all follow the same basic rules.

The first rule: The Multiverse is a roleplay and when resolving combat, it must be done in a way as logical as possible. The focus is the story that the characters engage in and less to do with defeating another player.

Sometimes arguments arise and players cannot close the collaborative gap to resolve their issues. Therefore, a streamlined and simplified T1 can be used.

1) All actions must allow for an opportunity for response. No single action in a single post can seal the fate of another character, destroy a structure or obliterate a planet. Your opponent must be given the chance to respond to any actions you take. They are required to also take your post into account and cannot ignore it.

- Closed posts: Attacks must make logical sense, and must be completed in a second post after the opponent has had the opportunity to attempt an equally logical avoidance.

2) Power is determined by the content of prior posts. The more the attack is described and noted in context of the exchange of posts between characters, the greater the strength of the attack or defensive maneuver.

- Equality of posts and preparations (preps): The attack (or defense) strength is equal to the number of posts made for that action. All individual posts are equal in strength, but posts can be stacked if you clearly state that you are preparing for an action.

3) Clarity of your writing is paramount. If you are not clear in describing your actions it will lead to needless arguments. Everything you write should be as clear and concise as possible.

Unique Circumstances in Fights Will Default To These Basic Rules:

1) A grab is counted as an attack and must take two posts.

Exception: A grab may be counted in a single post if contact is preexisting.

2) A lock must be preceded by a grab, and consist of one extra post.

3) Objects (arms, legs, weapons) break after 2 successive targeted attacks to the same object, or 2 consecutive posts through which targeted pressure is applied (to a joint or otherwise) with a lock.

To make this clear, targeted attacks are interpreted as follows-
tr.v. tar•get•ed, tar•get•ing, tar•gets
1. To make a target of.
2. To aim at or for.
3. To establish as a target or goal.

4) Parry, block or otherwise redirected attacks by using your weapon is not a targeted hit by your opponent unless they specifically declare they are trying to hit your weapon/armor or body part.

5) Ranged attacks must take an extra post to close distance with the projectile. (Arrows, Bullets, Fireballs...) This means they do not connect in the post they are written, but you may write in a semi-closed manner to indicate the damage/effect expected of a hit.

Any other rules such as length, quality, and style will go unset, and if the fighters choose to set these - they are not binding unless both parties agree.

Time Loops and Consistency

Time is a huge factor in the Multiverse, as time is a dimension in which events can be ordered from the past through the present into the future, and in some case simultaneously. As the characters get closer, the time dilation effect diminishes until everything becomes localized and both characters share the same period. Therefore time is considered a constant on individual locations within the Multiverse and when content is added to those places, it is considered as happening in the order of the posts.

This means when there are interactions between characters all time is relative and constant between them, events leading up to the interaction may have compressed, expanded or even disparate timelines. No character is bound to any timeline save their own. Thus an event may take place across a multitude of worlds across the galaxy, with a host of characters, and all events are local to the place where the event happened.

Because of this overlap and setting of place, the Multiverse becomes a series of overlapping stories with different character and authors adding their perspective, where events are consistent in the totality of the universe the characters reside. This overlap then creates the concept of Multiverse, leading to practically limitless setting where anything and everything can happen.

Active Multiverse Planes
The Grand Bazaar

Arena Multiverse: the Next Chapter!

By the way, when's this shit getting fired up? I've made my champion picks. :V

@LeeRoy

Sorry busy week, but I will post up what I have just so we have a place to place down chosen champions and canon plot lines.

[Ranked] Four Way: Convergence of Power

Tordor tipped his hat as he smiled knowingly. It seemed his proposition would be ignored. very well, it couldn't be helped. While he despised the idea of fighting women, it couldn't be avoided and he’d have to make an exception perhaps just this once. If they were chosen to participate within this challenge, than the choice was now outside his hands. Losing was simply not an option- for the sake of those who counted on him… he needed to know. He had to know.

He noticed the dwarf woman retreat some distance away, the reason plainly obvious to anyone even if they possessed no acume for battle tactics. So the woman could attack from a distance? Interesting. Likely she choose to do so believing Tordor’s sword was his only weapon. His own pistols still out of sight under his greatcoat. Sadly for the dwarf, who had been too rude to even introduce themselves and conduct themselves as befitting a warrior, Tordor had started already preparing for just such an attack.

As the woman raised her hand; Tordor for his part did not so much as bat an eye or make any obvious show that he was aware of what she was planning. Gold and red light flashed into existence and seemed to spring toward Tordor. To the naked eye it seemed in one instance the spear of light was speeding toward its target, than the next the spear had flown past Tordor’s chest just missing him by inches. Standing at an angle to his opponent meant he needed to move much less of his body than if he had been standing straight and forward facing them. The gentlemen turned multiverse mercenary leaning back just before the bolt of light was launched in his direction. Avoiding it hitting his left shoulder as it sailed by him, the resulting displaced air sending his coat bellowing back.

The lance swept by to end up skewing a pillar of black liquid several meters away.

After it had passed Tordor was standing straight again as easily as he had been before. A hand on his hat and head down slightly. Having used sleight of hand to press the trigger activation for his blade, causing the wheel mechanism to spin in a low hum.

“Well, that was rude.”

His freehand brushed the sides of his greatcoat and thumbed the side of another trigger near his waist that started a spinning wheel for his two pistols. He sighed as he added “But it can’t be helped. Yet, it would be rude of me to fight one who’s name I yet do not know.”

He looked toward the dwarf woman then, a serious gleam in his brown eyes that hadn't been there before. “So will you give me a name young warrior? Or will you die unknown?”

Meanwhile, he kept in the same stance as before his left leg leading, right behind it and ready in case another wanted to act.

[Ranked] Four Way: Convergence of Power

When you think about it though, with Willy essentially a non-entity Anna has become an interesting dynamic in this fight. So far she has proven easy to anger, but not willing to immediately engage anyone. It would be in your best interest not to attack her while Tordor lives and vice versa, as that could potentially see the fight turn into a 2v1 situation.

I like to see her as a Witch from L4D, deadly but not necessarily on anyone's side, just something to be avoided.

@MelonHead

So playing to your strength as a third wheel again?

Also just realized it is my turn, now where did I put that post....

[Ranked] 2 v 2 battle! Reapers Vs Champions; A Dance of Blades!

<Snipped quote by GreivousKhan>

Judgement really can't sense anything personally, he prayed to a -god- for help, regardless of whatever scientific mumbo-jumbo you come up with for your fantasy magic it's not escaping the perception of a god.

@MelonHead

If he has the omnipresence of a god, I think that should be more clear in your sheet. From what I read, there wasn't even any moment of prayer or dialogue in his post that gave even a hint that he was aware of what was going on.

It was unavoidable anyway, since he needs to spin the wheel and activate the clockwork mechanism just to draw his sword.

One of the reasons I haven't drawn my sword yet in that four way now three way.

Also nether is not magic any more then Ki is in DBZ, they make a clear distinction of the difference between magic and ki in that show, and I do the same for nether.

Allaria Ch. 4: Rescue and Escape

<Snipped quote by Rilla>

We finally deal with the Apotheoses and realise an undead invasion is coming... sounds like GOT.

@MelonHead

Only without ice Dragons. (spoiler)

[Ranked] 2 v 2 battle! Reapers Vs Champions; A Dance of Blades!

'“I think we’re about to have company.” He said absently as he fingered a trigger attached to his belt. The mechanism built into his sheath activated the clockwork device, making a faint whirring noise as it spun- gathering nether slowly as it did. It always paid to be on the safe side. Still the sound could just be his imagination. There was only one way to know for sure.'

The part where you started the fight before we'd even met, you shouldn't prepare magical attacks if you don't want the fight to start. Judgement has only one option at that point, fight or die.

@MelonHead

How would he even know about that? If it was a spell or magic or some made up aspect like the arcane then maybe. Like Aether, Nether is a Spiritual Element(or in this case a hypothetical kind of matter similar to Dark matter), which means it cannot be perceived by any physical sense. The only way Nether can be seen is if it were mixed with an Element of the Physical Realm (Most often Darkness, Fire, or Earth). In it's raw form it's usually just dark energy, and while he can detect undead and so on I don't see anything that tells me he can sense cosmological forces and separate where they are taking place (that would kind of be like sensing black holes or something). The Element of Nether is not necessarily the essence of death. It simply represents the destructive aspect of reality.

But anyway, this isn't a Sci-fi RP, I try to stay away from science discussions whenever I can.