STATUS:
Two days ago, Noble Arms is indisputably four years old, spread out across three threads, and the third thread is still ongoing and about to reach the endgame...
11 days ago
Current
Two days ago, Noble Arms is indisputably four years old, spread out across three threads, and the third thread is still ongoing and about to reach the endgame...
3
likes
22 days ago
Can't believe that I actually got an RP close to its endgame, btw...
4
likes
1 mo ago
Noble Arms is now either four years old, or three years and eleven months. The third thread had lasted for more than one year.
1
like
2 mos ago
New Interest Check, everybody!
2 mos ago
My Roleplay, Noble Arms: The ASEAN War, will reach its 4th year in June or July. It's been a long journey.
Note: This isn't Canon Kingdom Hearts, but rather an Alternate Version of the setting in which Disney Worlds are replaced by Parallel Earths based on counterfactual histories. See below to see what the equivalent of Disney Castle is.
Kingdom Hearts: The Lights of the Multiverse
Long ago, there was One World, One Earth, and One Timeline, a world filled with Darkness and Light in unequal measures, with a greater proportion of Darkness to Light. Many thought this world was doomed to fall until one Hero delved into the secrets of the Light. He discovered that said Light flowed from an unseen land by the name of Kingdom Hearts and that if he could just burst the barrier that separated this world from this source of Light, he can save the timeline.
And so, he did...but with unforeseen consequences. For what was once one world was separated to many, each with varying levels of Light and Dark. Now, any possibility for Earth to change, even the 'absurd' and 'impossible' ones, now sprang off into its own timeline, creating, for the first time, a Multiverse. The weapon the Hero used to create the Multiverse is called the X-Blade (Pronounced Key-Blade), and, seeing the consequences of his actions, the Hero shattered it into several pieces.
However, it was too late; the people of the various timelines saw, nay, knew, what had been done to them, and so created Lesser Keyblades in the shape of the X-Blade, so as to attempt to search for and dominate, Kingdom Hearts. But, because of their hubris and ambition, they all failed, killing each other off except for a few repentant survivors, who swore off any attempt to dominate the Multiverse, and instead, chose to preserve it.
In time, the people of the Multiverse forgot about The Hero, the X-Blade, and the survivors of the Keyblade Wars, and slipped into complacency, thinking that their worlds were the only true ones. And so, centuries of peace and development passed. Then, one day, on the world of Shining Field, a Scholar in the House of Wisdom discovered the secrets of the Past, of the Light...and Darkness.
Only a few years after that, Shining Field burned, destroyed by an onslaught of Heartless, strange, black monsters with yellow eyes, who were resistant to most mortal weapons, and who, after destruction, merely reformed in another part of the world to continue their rampage. The Heartless consumed the majority of the inhabitants, man, woman, and child, before turning upon the Heart of the World, its Core of Light.
After that, more worlds burned in quick succession, as Heartless began emerging everywhere, like an unchecked plague. Not merely that, but there were hints that the Heartless were...guided, controlled by an unseen intelligence. And as if to add to the chaos and strife of the situation, strange beings called the Nobodies also emerged, sometimes fighting the Heartless, sometimes conquering their own stretches of territory.
And the Keyblade Order...was nowhere to be seen.
But there is hope: Creatures called Moogles have appeared throughout the worlds, offering trade links, technology, and magic that would give the worlds a fighting chance against the Heartless, and finally, ships that can connect to other worlds. In addition to this, people from all over the world with strong hearts have begun manifesting Keyblades of their own, weapons that are super-effective at killing Heartless, preventing them from reconstituting elsewhere. Now, the worlds prepare to strike back and find out who is behind this strange onslaught on the Multiverse...
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If you found that too long to read, then here's a summary:
Strange creatures called Heartless are taking over the worlds, the Moogles have come to save us through the power of trade, and people are spontaneously manifesting the Keyblade, a weapon that kills Heartless in droves. Also, there's Magic. And Technolgy. Sometimes a combination of both. Oh, and instead of Disney-based worlds, you get to travel to alternate timelines.
1.) No Godmoding or Powergaming, aka no controlling other players' actions, no defeating your enemy in one shot, and no shrugging of all hits without a magical shield. 2.) Any consenting relationship between people of the same age group is allowed, whether it's Homosexual or Heterosexual. If you cannot stand such things, don't post here in the first place. 3.) Be polite to others. 4.) Yes, you can play a non-human if he/she/they are not overpowered. 5.) All players must come from a universe with Humans and with a connection to Earth/Earth History. It can be as unrealistic as you want, but it must be 1.) coherent, and 2.) have at least some baseline Humans. 6.) Final Fantasy Magic works everywhere except when Final Fantasy Anti-Magic is applied. 7.) Please post once a week. 8.) New Rule: Power Levels have been raised - Your PCs can now be city-busters or even have the power to bust a country the size of Austria. However, *enemies will be more powerful in response*. 9.) Not actually a rule, but Horus Luprecal from Warhammer 40k's backstory is one of the enemies (he is nerfed to be beatable by the PCs, though). Be warned.
Character Sheet Name: Appearance: Bio: Age: Skills: Personality:
World Sheet Name: Summary of History: Important Nations (Great Powers, etc.): Overall Technology Level: Map: Optional; don't hesitate to add your world just because you don't yet have a map!
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This is the Disney Castle equivalent; please don't respond to this with a Political Discussion.
World Sheet Name:Renovation (written by Soverihn) Summary of History: The Second Palailogoi Civil War, which in IRL, destroyed the Byzantine Empire as a Great Power, went the other way, with Serbia not interfering and the victory going to the Regency faction, who successfully reformed the state to lessen the aristocracy's power, redistribute land back to the peasants, increase the numbers of the navy, and take the Empire in a maritime, commercial, direction, trading with other nations instead of depending on landed estates. In time, this reformed Empire retook Anatolia using divide-and-conquer tactics, judicious alliances, and finally, luck.
It then used its position as a manufacturer of luxury goods, like Silk, to withstand the shock of the discovery of the Americas upon its economy, building the Empire 'tall' instead of 'wide', focusing upon economic and cultural pursuits instead of military conquests, as well as education. Despite this, they withstood more civil wars, foreign invasions, and coups, forcing them to keep developing their military.
Note, this is conjecture as the Timeline hasn't been finished yet: In modern times, the Byzantines can be credited with the invention of the Tank, the Stealth Fighter, and Rocket Artillery. Ever since the Enlightenment, they have also been a religiously tolerant state where Christians and Muslims live happily...as long as they speak Greek; historically, the Byzies preferred language discrimination to racial and religious ones - yes, that part was during the Middle Ages.
Important Nations (Great Powers, etc.): Byzantine Empire (Modern-Day Greece, Albania, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, parts of Serbia, Turkey, and Crimea. Oh, and Cyprus, and parts of Syria), Timurid Sultanate of Egypt (Egypt, Hedjaz, Yemen, and the Levant), Chobanid Empire (East Iraq, Iran, parts of Afghanistan and the Caucasus), France, England, Marinid Sultanate (Granada and North Africa), Alternate!Spain (Castile-Portugal), Aragon, Italy formed by Naples, Alternate!Germany, The Avignon Papacy and its rival/competitor in Salzburg Unknown New World Powers, and China.
Note: Much of this is conjecture.
Overall Technology Level: Modern-day.
Map: Optional; don't hesitate to add your world just because you don't yet have a map!
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List of Destination Worlds:
1.) Ongoing World War II - The year is 1950...and the war is still occurring, due to the fact that the Nazis, using dark sorcery, have learned how to control the Heartless and unleash them upon the Allies, who are only saved from the verge of defeat by forming an alliance with Independent Keyblade Wielders and Nobodies. Not merely that, but Stalin has his own, dark plans to take control of the Heartless from Hitler. But, they will all find out that Darkness is not a toy...
2.) Puella Magi Madoka Magica - For the history of mankind, a race known as the 'Incubators' have uplifted young women from all walks of life, giving them great power as Magical Girls, and then feeding from said Magical Girls' descent into 'Witches', eldritch abominations that inflict suffering even as they are weighed down by the pain and despair of their lives. And, of course, the Heartless and Nobodies are added to the mix!
3.) Shimabara Triumphant - It is the Year 1669, 30 years after the Shimabara Rebellion held out long enough to force the Tokugawa Shogunate into a negotiated settlement that included lower taxes and freedom to worship. Japan had to revoke its policy of isolation from the world as a result, a development disliked by the ruling classes. Now, under a new Shogun, Tokugawa Ietsuna, an excuse has been found to revoke the Shimabara Peninsula's autonomy and invade the land once more with Dutch help, endangering the new Princess of Heart - Shiro Amakusa's daughter, who was never born in the Original Timeline!
Interlude World: To Be Announced.
4.) Fallout: Apocalypse Averted - The world of Fallout...only the Bombs didn't fall as the Big Bad took over and promised the leaders of the US and China that if they submitted to him, he would replenish all of Fallout Earth's natural resources and give them unimaginable power - which he did. Now, the US and China provide immense numbers of troops armed with Power Armor, Lasers, Plasma Guns, and Gauss Rifles and all that Atompunk stuff to supplement the Heartless!
5.) Cleopatra's Ambition - Cleopatra and Marc Antony have won the Battle of Actium, but at such a staggering cost that they were unable to follow up their victory with an attack on Italy itself. Now, ten years later, Antony has died of sickness, leaving Cleopatra defenseless against a renewed assault from Octavian, who is now supported by the Big Bad with several Legions of Heartless. But now, Cleopatra's 21-year old daughter, Cleopatra Selene, has exhibited powers of her own that her as a Princess of Heart, one in need of rescuing.
Interlude World: Gundam Revisited - The Big Bad seeks to acquire more weapons to wreck the worlds with, and has used dark magic to take over the Earth Federation and the remnants of Zeon. His agents must be overthrown and driven off, so there can be lasting peace.
6.) A Queen of Hearts, not a Princess - The Battle of Bosworth ends with the death of both Henry Tudor and Richard III, leaving Elizabeth of York as the best claimant to the English throne. But as it would be decades before the country's people can even accept the idea that women can rule on their own right, most of England's nobles are now trying to marry one of their sons to the Yorkist Princess and hoping to gain control of the Kingdom that way. Elizabeth of York is also vital to the salvation of the Multiverse as she is a Princess of Heart, and thus the PCs are tasked to save her from the Heartless and a loveless marriage.
Interlude World: To be Announced.
7.) The Ruins of Old Earth - In 2019, Ascot Carver, the one who discovered Magic and the X-blade, sought to use the mystic weapon to avert a nuclear war. He got his wish, but after all nuclear weapons were destroyed and a spell was cast to prevent people from using nuclear energy for anything violent, the nations of the world simply turned against each other in a conventional war that broke the world order and the economies of all Great Powers. Now, Earth is wrecked by conflict, pollution, and climate change, and while advanced technology still exists, society has been pushed back to feudal levels of organization. But there is hope, hope in the Last Princess of Heart and the compassion of other worlds.
Ashton looked at Sandra, then Flame, then said, "I want to go back - I'm tired of Lugnica. So many crimes I can't atone for, so much blood on my hands... I'm broken. I'm sorry if this is cowardly, but I am broken."
Seeing Flame die, however temporarily this time, was the second-to-last straw. The last straw was hearing that there can be nothing done for Hiro. "Hiro's death will forever haunt me. If there is no way to make up for that... Just send me back."
Flame walked over and enfolded his boyfriend in a light hug. "Ashton. You did what you thought would save the group - All of us. And quite frankly, things would be worse if not for you. Sometimes, Bittersweet endiings and half-victories are all we can hope for." A smile, "Perhaps the next generation here would have a better future than what came before."
He then looked at the others, expecting their disapproval, "So I and Ashton are going home. Sorry for being burdens and taking the 'cowardly' choice, but we just want to go back to our family."
Flame had been awake for the past few minutes, but already he was feeling disappointed by himself and yes, his boyfriend. Getting up, he shouted at Ashton, "Ashton! Alistair has developed a clever plan - Now let's help him in it!"
He was subconciously aware that Alistair also shared his feelings of disappointment in him, and a thirst to make up for it burned in his heart as he walked over to where Lord Talus was, then said, "Oi! Evil Spirit! I doubt the Spirit already contracted to Alistair would be happy to hear she has competition - She hates people like you!" Then to Alistair, he said, "Try and summon Oddessa here - It may prove to be the turning point!"
Ashton, having already walked to beside Flame, said to him, "Sandra Fotos is the Artificial Witch of Envy - She isn't part of this throng because she ran away from the High Council Cult but the cultists are still after her! I made sure she still isn't part of this throng - Can you use that fact against these guys, Flame?"
Flame smiled at that, then said to Ashton, "If we aren't still in trouble right now, I could kiss you." Then he turned to the throng of Witches and said, "Hey, you gals want to be free from the High Council and this guy?" He gestured to Talus. "Well, even if you don't, I think I can convince you all that you all should pick Mistress Vertti!"
His grin widened, "First up, you loathe us, right? Me and Ashton? Well, Alistair is our best friend and Chieko is our rival - Or at least my rival. We regularly come in contact with them and get our horridness all over them as well!" A pause. "Not to mention this tiny fact: If they do end up your chosen, we'll just persuade them to do things that Talus and you all won't like. We'll make them fall in love with other people, we'll make them pick practical but boring solutions to the problems they face, we'll do anything to make sure they don't give you a good time if you pick them!"
A chuckle, "Vertti, on the other hand, will continue to face trials and tribulations even in her quest for peace - That is still true. And if you send us back home, with Hiro brought back to life, hopefully, then she'll face those trials and tribulations without help from any of us."
Ashton then picked up from where Flame left off, "Add the fact that your sister is still alive and at large and if she doesn't have her own sinister plans, others will still be gunning for her and Vertti has to keep them from succeeding as well. So that's more entertainment!"
As Flame slept, healing, Ashton listened as Lord Talus revealed his plan, and he did not like any of it. He was still too injured to transform back, and he had lost his last weapon. But he would not let this spirit win, he would not let him turn his friends against each other. He looked at Alistair, his mouth opening to ask for healing - And he received it almost instantly, a wash of rejuvenation coursing through him as the boy found the strength to transform once more. This ought to be enough, this ought to give him the strength once more.
"Jiwald," Ashton said as he transformed once more, his hair and eyes white and teal again as his body was clad in a black-and-white costume that acted as mystic armor.
But most important of all were the daggers he held, daggers conjured out of the ether in order to claw and stab at Lord Talus as the boy shouted, "Never again!"
The old him would have tried to get his way using words, to try and mine information out the situation, and indeed there were occassions that called for that. But he'd leave those to Flame now, and Flame was asleep. No, Ashton would take direct action this time, attacking Lord Talus himself before he can say anything, before he can open his mouth to spew more slanted truths.
But that did not mean that he had lost all wisdom, as Ashton planned to throw himself sideways - right or left - should Talus make a gesture to smite him with a spell or curse.
Let Alistair reveal the fact that Sandra Fotos was the Artificial Witch of Envy. Let Flame be the one to make deductions based on that fact and plot the group's next way forward. Ashton knew that someone had to take direct action in this time of uncertainty, someone who had already washed his hands in innocent blood, no matter how he had actually thought it'd be temporary.
He was more expendable than the others. More expendable because he had something to be punished for, while the rest were innocent.
"Never again!" he blurted out as he kept trying to stab Talus.
((Collab Post between Letter Beem BrokenPromise, and FamishedPants))
Before Gris could get too close, Belrigger slammed into him and knocked him off course. The two disappeared down a street. This gave Alistair enough time to throw up an ice shield around Ashton.
"I ascend!"
But the ice shield was melting quickly. Not only because of the fire nova, but because she had a lot of heat flowing around her. But ashton was able to throw his knife at this range, and slice her arm. That was all the distraction Odessa needed.
"I hope this works!"
Using dark magic was always incredibly risky, because some people were just too magically potent to be affected by most of it. Fortunately, Odessa was not an ordinary spirit, and she managed to get Sandra under control. Sandra sunk to her knees and her weapons fell from her hands. The heat and fire around her started to dissipate. It seemed like whatever Odessa was doing, it was working.
”What is the meaning of this?” Sandra said through grit teeth. Alistair, you’re helping a murderer! He’s not like the rest of you, he’s been brainwashed by Od Laguna to attack me on sight. Why else would he be prioritizing me over everything else going on? But there wouldn’t be much time for debate, as Sandra’s body was being swallowed up by the earth.
"Who’s doing that?" Odessa cried.
”That would be me!” Vaux landed in front of Sandra. Her head and arms had been covered in earth, and only her torso was visible. The churning earth had sheared the armor off of her stomach, exposing her white flesh. ”I had my doubts as to if I would be able to subdue the witch myself. She really didn’t want to join all of her sisters, which we rounded up years ago. I had hoped lust would weaken her to the point I could capture her alive, but you fools were able to do that for me! We finally have them all!” With a laugh, the rock Sandra had been pulled into started to take shape. It was a throne that Vaux promptly sat in, where Sandra’s exposed stomach was used to cushion the back of his head. ”Oh now that feels nice!” The throne was raised into the air by the massive golem it rested on top of. ”Now let’s try this: My golem, AND the witch’s fire magic!” The golem roared as fire poured into its body. Magma flowed along the outside of it’s body like blood vessels would inside someone’s arm. The golem was soon encased inside the same protective heat barrier that Sandra was. ”Thank you for reuniting me with my love, gents.”
"I think you’re going to need this." Alistair cast a healing spell on Ashton, restoring him to perfect condition. He could use his perfect self again if he wished.
”And now, you can all perish!” The golem stomped iots way towards Ashton, attempting to burn everyone up in it’s aura of heat and fire.
Transforming into his ideal self, Ashton rolled his way out of the golem’s path, even as he processed the information quickly. Sandra was a Witch, but opposed to the High Council. And now his actions have made things worse by benefiting the latter, and the Cult were one step closer to ascendancy. But thankfully, he had a plan.
“Change of objectives!” He cried out. “Alistair and your Spirit, keep that Golem distracted - I’m rescuing Sandra!”
Ashton didn’t have to announce that last part, in fact, he may have even compromised the new objectives somewhat by alerting Vaux. But he felt that he had to reassure the person whom he had unwittingly betrayed, a person who, though an Artificial Witch, clearly did not want to be a pawn in a truly evil plan.
As Alistair hopefully followed the changed objectives, Ashton used his ideal form’s enhanced abilities to climb up a house and onto the rooftops - When he was on them, he began running and hopping towards Vaux’s position on top of the golem, then leapt high towards the throne the Archbishop sat on, aiming a kick at his smug head, even as his hands and arms were held back to defend against any counterattack, or perhaps even attack in turn.
And there was a counter attack.
Although Alistair and Odessa were able to keep Vaux occupied, He was able to throw up a wall of flame on Ashton’s approach, which the boy was able to dive away from. ”What are you trying to do?” he laughed. ”You must be mad if you think you can kick Vaux Maximilianus, Divagro von Theodoric und Hieronymous when he is commanding so much magical energy!” Several stone pillars coiled around the throne, protecting Vaux from further attacks. ”I could burn you to a crisp before you even get close!”
Alistair cast his stimulate spell on Ashton, which boosted his capabilities even further than his ideal self would normally allow. And it happened just in time, as the dirt under Ashton was starting to turn into smaller golems, reaching out for the boys limbs.
Ashton cut with the enchanted daggers that came with his ideal form, severing the hands and bodies of the smaller golems, before leaping up to the rooftops once more, darting and feinting at Vaux’s position, trying to test his readiness. He’d wait to leap for real, trying to time his next job with Alistair’s next major attack, hoping to get through the pillars and the fire and rescue Sandra.
Vaux did not move from his throne, instead relying on his magic to defend himself. When ashton threw a knife, it would be blocked by a wall of earth. When he attempted to jump in, his flame aura would flare up. He was relatively safe in his current position.
But just because Vaux wasn’t moving didn’t mean the giant golem he was riding wasn’t. It took large, monotonous steps towards the wall of the city. A man would never get anywhere moving like that. But the massive golem could clear several city blocks with a single step. He had what he came for, and there was no reason to stick around.
Thanks to the ‘stimulate’ spell, Ashton was able to keep up with the giant golem, feinting with fake jumps, throwing the occasional dagger, but not making any headway. With every step the golem took, the boy’s chances of redemption faded away, even as he found himself without options. Or did he?
Shouting at Vaux, Ashton revealed his trump card, “Hey! Cultist! Wanna know a secret?! I and my group of ‘foreigners’ come from -”
The unnatural fear washed over Ashton, but the young man powered through it as he continued to speak to Vaux, hoping that the chaos of the battle was such that no one else overheard, “I and my band of foreigners come from another world, thanks to the Artificial Witches! And the Witches’ powers allow us to reset the timeline when a specific one of us dies!”
”And what of it?” The entire golem turned around to face Ashton. ”You know what? I think you might be just as mad as I am. That’s the only way you could possibly spill your secrets like that, or believe them!” He cackled. ”I wonder if you know his name too? I can’t say it, but you know who I’m talking about right? Oh yes, you must be mad if you know about him.” He folded his hands together. ”I’m not sure what the point of your secret was, but I think that someone like yourself should come with me!” And so he swung his hand, and Ashton’s body was pulled to Vaux’s side, within the heat aura.
”Jiwald!” Ashton shouts, trying to enchant his body to withstand the heat aura, he was prepared to strike Vaux with his daggers, hoping to kill the Cultist. If he was injured by the heat aura enough to revert him to his normal form, but was still conscious, he’d try and use what knowledge of unarmed combat he received from Bellrigger to punch Vaux’s lights out and strangle him to death. And if he was knocked unconscious by the heat aura, which was always a possibility, Ashton hoped that he’d be imprisoned with Sandra Fotos - He was not good at planning escapes otherwise. In fact, it was a blind spot.
But it wouldn’t come to that.
Ashton’s aura was able to hold out just enough to get him close and stab Vaux in the chest. He screamed and fell backwards off of the golem, and the fires seemed to die down instantly. But while Ashton was able to resist the flames for a time, it caused enough damage to make him revert to his normal self. But he would not be harmed further by the flames. The stone around Sandra broke away, and her unconscious body came tumbling out. But it wasn’t just Vaux’s throne that was collapsing, the rest of the golem would fall too. Ashton needed to get down safely, and without the help of his ideal self.
Ashton quickly grabbed Sandra’s falling body with his right arm as he said, “One... More… Jiwald!!”
This last buff gave him more strength as he carried the ‘Artificial Witch’ bridal-style, trying to do one rooftop-hop with only Belrigger’s training, his own relatively-fit body, and the strength of his remaining magic - The latter was still further enhanced by Alistair’s ‘stimulate’ spell.
If he landed on a slate roof, if he managed to not fall, if he managed to successfully rescue Sandra even with her additional weight, Ashton would lay Sandra down to rest, mumbling, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry…”
Ashton had cleared the obstacle, just in time to watch the golum collapse to the ground behind himself. The lower half of Vaux’s body was trapped under the rubble, and Alistair and Odessa appeared to be approaching him. But the sound of a thick leather boot stomping the ground caused Ashton to turn around. Gris was standing before him. His arms were folded, but his sword was no longer drawn.
Ashton said to Gris, “Why… Aren’t you executing me right now?”
He then looked around to check on Sandra’s unconscious form, instinctively trying to see if she was all right. If she was, he’d turn to Gris once more, undefeated but utterly exhausted, and try to stand up on the slate roof.
“If you still must insist on killing me,” he said as he curled his fists, “Let me face it standing up, as I said before.”
Gris stepped past Ashton and picked up Sandra. ”Boy, let me just be square with you.” He had Sandra over his shoulder. ”I have no idea what is up with you or any of your friends. You teleport all over the place, trouble seems to follow you wherever you go, I just, I can’t..” He sighed before stepping away from Ashton. ”I knew flame was seeing you. I’m a little burnt that he would do something like that, but it’s clear people look up to you and trust you. Even that young man down there. Alistair was it?” He pointed at him. He seemed to be watching Vaux struggle to break free, but if the giant ice spear was anything to go by, he planned on ending him. ”There is no me and you anymore. But it’s clear that trouble has a tendency to follow you wherever you go.” He started to walk away. ”Let’s regroup with your friends at Vertti’s mansion. Once you do that, I want you all to leave. I don’t ever want to see your lot around here again.”
Ashton couldn’t help but chuckle as he said, carrying Sandra bridal-style once more, “To be honest, I’m sure many of us would like to return home and never think of Lugnica again once this is over - Let’s go.”