Current
Now running: World of Light: The Tale of the Dark Itself
5 mos ago
Forever and ever, amen
9 mos ago
Calling out from Scatman's world
1
like
11 mos ago
Called into action - by threats that seem harmonized
1 yr ago
Tomorrow comes
Bio
Current GM of World of Light. When it comes to writing, there's nothing I love more than imagination, engagement, and commitment. I'm always open to talk, suggestion, criticism, and collaboration. While I try to be as obliging, helpful, and courteous as possible, I have very little sympathy for ghosts, and anyone who'd like to string me along. Straightforwardness is all I ask for.
Looking for more personal details? I'm just some dude from the American south; software development is my job but games, writing, and trying to help others enjoy life are my passions. Been RPing for over a decade, starting waaaay back with humble beginnings on the Spore forum, so I know a thing or two, though I won't pretend to be an expert. If you're down for some fun, let's make something spectacular together.
A real walking arsenal, eh? He seems tough and capable, definitely not on the quirkier side. My question is this: how did he become a Lightning Elpo? Did he go to Areia at some point and find a lightning oasis himself, or as part of a squad? Did he come into conflict with someone there who had and take their fruit? Confiscate it at some point on earth from someone who'd gone to Areia? Why did he eat the fruit? Was he commanded to? Forced to, either by an enemy or in order to beat an obstacle? Or just curious?
In other news, I plan to make an example sheet that might help people in some fashion, and I may add a new world or two (plus associated subspecies) that I've been ruminating on but didn't include initially.
I’m interested. About the corpus living weapons ore thingy, are they like organic technology? If your familiar with the Wii game Conduit, is it like that?
I wasn't familiar, but I did look up the Drudge weapons, and yeah. The super tissues that can be harvested to make living weapons work a lot like that, also like the Infested weapons in Warframe. Depending on whether or not the weapons include cerebral matter, they can also be sentient, which also begs the question of what happens when human cerebral tissue is included.
Glad to see you guys interested! Six is a good starting number. I'll proceed assuming the game is on and work on setup while looking forward to characters and new arrivals. If there are any questions I'd be more than happy to help.
Indeed, tech recovered from the Pendulum, while clockwork in function and appearance, is remarkably functional and could form the basis for a very steampunky character.
Definitely interested. How influential is the Interest? Would we be starting with the raid, basically, and dealing with the fallout? Or is that spoilerinos?
Glad to hear it!
The Interest is fairly clandestine, comparable to a PMC, with little known about it other than it often targets branches of Gilgamesh and similar companies that risk human lives to harvest resources from other dimensions, whatever the side effects. The name also comes up in bounty-hunting circles, indicating that they also dispatch rogue anomalies sometimes. It's not that influential, but it's a reliable when it comes to its dealings.
The RP will begin with the raid, and what ensues will definitely concern the participants.
It began with the people of the world. Pestilence drove them apart, into seclusion, and into condemnation of their fellows. But man was not made for living alone, caged by fear. Tragedy and loss rattled the population, and unrest suffused the globe, escalating into at-times violent opposition. Isolation and division severed the connections of the world, leaving many adrift and in despair. From the other side of the wall a song could be heard, dim and muffled, but as the cracks grew longer the tune became clearer. It was a song of otherness, of restlessness, its simple and beautiful suggestion that this tormented world couldn't possibly be real. Many lost touch with reality, sinking into the gloom that surrounded them, dreaming unsettling and incomprehensible dreams when they slept, and seeing a unfamiliar world that flashed and blurred when they could not, staring into their ceilings and computer screens. As the year got older, even the weather of the world grew aimlessly active. The people could feel it—that sensation of impending disaster, of teetering on a precipice and peering down into the bottomless pit below, and of wondering if what lay below could possibly be worse than what lay behind.
In December, the cracked wall, groaning under the weight of the song on the other side, gave way. For nineteen days and nights, reports came in across the globe of bizarre sightings, of colors that moved and danced, of water where none should be, of things that moved in strange ways in the corners and the shadows. Then the first Well opened, and the rest was history.
All over the world, Wells of bright blue water sprang forth where none should be. Within, no matter what lay there before, lay an infinite Deep. Some Wells came and went like riptides, divulging otherworldly things before sucking worldly things back in, and some came like earthquakes, changing the terrain where they erupted. Whether sanctioned as Divers by the governments of the world or not, people ventured into the Deep, and found an astral sea with no surface. Among all the inexplicable things the Divers saw down there was one discovery: the existence of other wells, like those they came through. And of other worlds beyond them.
For a long time there was chaos. Even as exploratory teams traveled through the helpful currents of the Deep to other worlds, establishing bases and giving them names, other things filtered through onto Earth from beyond. Some arrived subtly, others like explosions, changing the world irreparably. Chief among them was the Lucid Dream, taking over the great cities where multitudes of people lived their lives, clouding them in a tangible malaise, creating surreal doldrums that cultivated distortion. Countless people were changed, both on Earth and other worlds, giving rise to entire subspecies collectively falling under the classification 'More Than Human'--MTH for short, pronounced (and often spelled) 'myth'.
But that's old news. Twenty-eight years have passed, with weirdness becoming the new normal. A state of equilibrium was reached, allowing business to proceed more or less as usual, but the scars of those early years never faded. The Lucid Cities remain effectively lost to the outside world, their residents living unthinking lives on repeat. Gone is the security of the old world, making whole countries into frontiers.
It's in this changed world that you live, and not just as a civilian, no. You're a problem solver, the sort who can fend for yourself. And you or your employers have been contacted by the Interest. A shadowy organization extant principally in rumor and superstition, the Interest has requested your help in a raid on a base of the infamous Gilgamesh Co. Established in the early days of the Opening, as it came to be called, it sought to boost the economies and livelihoods of the world by abusing the resources of other dimensions, and abusing their employees -including the criminals, the purposeless, and the desperate- to get them. Though long since publicly denounced and dissolved, Gilgamesh continues to operate in secret around the globe, and the Interest seems eager to see this branch put down. To that end they're offering fabulous sums of money for professional help, and other things besides—they seem to know exactly what it is you need.
So, a raid on an evil corporation in a world changed by the Opening to other dimensions and peopled by those deemed More Than Human...are you in?
Other Dimensions
After the Opening, Wells emerge across the globe that offer access to the Deep, and through it access to other dimensions. Some wells only appear briefly, but others stay permanently, tinging the surrounding area with features of the nearest dimension. The trip can be made with conventional diving equipment or submarines, or even without as long as one gets really lucky with the currents. Still, travel is risky and inconvenient. Since this RP will be taking place on Earth, knowing the other dimensions isn't that important.
The Cave – A rich subterranean world of massive caverns. Bioluminescent fungi of all shapes and sizes illuminate a safe and peaceful haven, its temperature comfortable and its meaty flora bountiful. The air is thick, and vapors carry a stimulant that excite the imagination while slowing down biological processes. The lower one goes in the Cave, the heavier the Haze becomes; at its depths, its strong enough to be hallucinogenic and to halt the body's biology completely, eliminating the need for food and sleep, and preventing aging. Since the Cave's discovery, a number of human colonies have flourished there, with large amounts of people from earth immigrating for the sake of a life of indulgent indolence, free of any hardship in paradise. The Haze is addictive, and long-term partakers undergo mutation that intensifies over time, becoming Kin.
The Grove – a world of forest steeped in endless twilight, lit up by bioluminescent flora, countless twinkling stars, and dancing motes of light. Its landmasses matches that of Earth exactly, although the terrain differs. It is the only world known to man with its own inhabitants: the Unseen. Split between the more humanoid and diminutive Fey and and more malevolent and variable Yokai, the denizens of the Grove bear unmistakable similarities to creatures mentioned in folklore throughout human history. Which one shaped the other remains to be seen, but humans can form connections with them and become Bound. Though many human settlements have been established here, the interference of the Unseen prevents large-scale development.
Morass - A world of mud beneath a pale yellow sky. From the mud its oddly-shaped islands rise like the tops of plateaus and the heights of mountain ranges, and occasionally they descend as well. Seismic scanners have long identified vast things moving beneath the mud, slowly but surely wandering the realm beneath. Morass is too unstable and harsh to be widely populated, but it's possible to live aboard ships and stationary rigs. The existence of the remnants of an ancient civilization deep below the mud has driven two very disparate industries in this dimension: scientific research, and dredging. Dredge crews operate in secret as penal labor facilities on behalf of various interests on earth, risking the wrath of the world's dangerous, bone-armored life-forms while pulling up artifacts and resources from the ancient cities deep below.
Horizon - A world of endless sunset sky and dark clouds, which themselves form the only terrain. It demonstrates rare weather patterns in the form of elemental drifts, in which streams of wind, fire, water, and snow dance across the sky. Most interestingly, while Horizon extends infinitely in a lateral sense, it loops vertically. Anything that falls, for instance from a cloud, will pass that same cloud a short time after, again and again ad nauseum. It has no naturally occurring life or resources of its own, making life and even something as simple as exploration here extremely difficult. As such, Horizon is inhabited solely by those who choose to live an ascetic life in pursuit of enlightenment. Temples, monasteries, and even cathedrals long predating Horizon's discovery reside on and within the clouds themselves, slowly drifting through the infinite sky. Those seeking enlightenment live in these structures, and at great length to some attain it. As they tread the path, they slowly grow wings, and upon finding enlightenment most ascend into the sky, while others remain behind as Shepherds.
Pendulum - A dimension of gargantuan machinery. Clad in the unflinching twilight of a purple atmosphere that's light enough to see by and thick enough to obscure distant objects, the hanging towers of brazen cogs, wheels, and plates stretch as far as the eye can see. Pendulum is a world in perpetual motion, the make of its towering engines as unknown as their purpose. Human ingenuity has allowed adjunct devices to be attached to machinery close to its main wells that link back through the Deep to earth, providing power. Tearing up machinery for salvage is profitable but tricky work, since one wrong move can wreck a vital function to keeping an entire platform from plummeting into the abyss. Clockwork animals live on the machines, maintaining an artificial ecosystem and providing the most reliable source of quality parts. The air is highly static, and low-yield lightening storms often sweep through the towers. Some sections of Pendulum are polluted by a creeping, oily, black and yellow techno-corruption.
Corpus - A visceral dimension of flesh. Either the world itself is alive, with meat its dirt and bone its rock, or exists within a gigantic organism. The high chance of sickness, the tricky terrain, and the presence of hostile fauna make it fairly dangerous and unstable, so the risks of coming here typically outweigh any rewards. Worst of all is the environment's propensity to 'eat' unwary travelers, either absorbing or infesting and then rejecting them as dangerous Blights. Corpus's biggest benefits to humanity is its abundance of natural tissues. Some formations, like veins of rare ore, possess resilient 'uber cells' that can allow them to survive even if removed and can act as binders for other materials. This has led to the invention of 'living weapons', an experimental arms technology.
Areia Grande - Better known as Areia, it is a desert dimension of permanent day, its multicolored suns painting monolithic formations of white sand and stone in magnificent displays of color. It remains harsh and difficult to inhabit, moreso than an Earth desert thanks to the verticality of its landscape, but it's widely regarded as a gorgeous and inspirational tourist destination. Few, however, know of its secrets. A percentage of humans are affected mentally by the celestial colors, inducing dizziness and drunkenness at first that eventually lead to paranoia and delusion. Those who wander out into the desert on their might rarely stumble upon hidden oases taking the forms of other biomes replete with elemental power. The materials found in such oases are extremely useful, especially for creating elemental weapons, but eating the fruit can cause debilitating elemental afflictions or even monstrous transformation.
Subspecies
Though all technically human, various More Than Human (myth) subspecies exist in this world. Due to their newness, there aren't really separate cultures, though that hasn't stopped people from trying to establish them.
Some subspecies are uniformly deleterious to humanity and/or the world. These monster subspecies are considered kill-on-sight if threatening or outside of their home dimensions, and their escape into other dimensions are considered emergencies.
Kin – a magic subspecies. Inhabitants of the Cave who've been mutated by exposure to the Haze. The mutations can be quite extreme and even highly debilitating depending on time in the Cave, and no two are quite alike. The only observable logic is that they appear to be warped by their desires. Long-term Kin carry Haze within themselves and can use it to cast illusions or glamours. They typically resist leaving the Cave strongly, but if forced out, they can be brought to their senses, typically at the cost of permanent depression.
Deviant – a physical subspecies. A person either traveled to or born into the Cave with a resistance to the Haze. They develop minor mutation in the form of demonic or bestial features, but otherwise resist change. They're energetic, hardy of constitution, and tend toward aggressive personalities, putting them at odds with Kin society. If they don't leave the Cave, however, they will eventually succumb and become Kin.
Bound – a magic subspecies. Someone who's formed a bond with a supernatural entity of the Grove. Difficult to cleanly catalog, they run the gamut in terms of traits and abilities, and even the method of bonds' establishment. Bonds can be made through heartfelt connections, contracts, and even possession. Successful possession physically alters the host, but other methods do not. Bound have limited access to their partners' abilities, only able to manifest and command them for brief periods unless they allow their partners to take over, which can result in possession of the entities don't give them up.
Masque – a physical subspecies. Once in a while the cranes and machines of Morass dredge crews bring up odd sluglike creatures the size of rats, each bearing oddly human features. These Faces, acting with subtle intelligence, seek humans in isolation to form a parasitic bond. Once inside a human, they merge with the host and rapidly alter his or her internals, leaving only the exterior intact and human. The hosts maintain their personalities, aware of the changes as well as whatever physical abilities they gain as a result.
Shepherd – a divine subspecies. Someone whose life of ascetic self-reflection in Horizon resulted in enlightenment, but gained the knowledge that he or she was chosen to remain behind. Able to fly freely through air and the Deep alike on flawless wings, they either remain in Horizon to guide others toward enlightenment, or journey beyond to evangelize in other dimensions. Most humans and other myths fear and avoid them to an extent, wary of their dedication to an unknown authority. Shepherds live simply and alone, or with one another, and travel often to meet new people. They exhibit kinesis, the ability to apply force to themselves and expel it outward, and can perform healing.
Lost - a divine subspecies. Someone whose life of ascetic self-reflection in Horizon resulted in enlightenment, but upon ascending experienced rejection and fell back down with cursed wings and some degree of mental scarring. Outcasts in Horizon, they return to Earth or travel to other dimensions to try and live their lives. They possess the kinesis of the Shepherds to a stronger degree but have less control and range, so much so that they can force themselves to fly despite whatever's become of their wings.
Blight – a physical monster subspecies. Someone infested and grotesquely deformed by malignant biological subsystems in Corpus. Most are little more than monsters driven by a need to consume and reproduce, bringing sickness wherever they go, although they maintain some shreds of their human minds. Some who aren't completely infested do maintain their minds, however. Killing them on sight is considered standard practice, if one is capable. They're very dangerous, and any that make it to other dimensions are considered emergency threats that must be dealt with.
Clockers – a technological monster subspecies. If touched by the corruption found within Pendulum, a human will begin the process of clockwork conversion starting at the contact point and spreading inward before manifesting outward. Due to being contagious and not very self-aware they're not allowed to leave Pendulum or come near humans or other myths, instead forced to live in their own secluded societies. Clockers outside of Pendulum are typically considered kill-on-sight. Any outbreaks that appear outside are considered emergency threats.
Elementals – a magical subspecies. A person who's been altered by consuming a fruit from an elemental oasis in Areia Grande. In small doses, a person can gain minor elemental powers (Elpo), but there's a fine line between that and elemental affliction (Elaf), which is the middle state. An Elaf has some power as a byproduct of the affliction that he or she suffers from, and may be classified as a monster subspecies depending on the severity of the affliction. Overdosing on fruit can result in a huge elemental monstrosity (Elmo) driven by an overriding need to destroy, and which are considered monster subspecies.
Other - many things are possible. What can you come up with and justify in this setting?
Playing a myth is not necessary. There's plenty of technology, both old and new, for humans to use. And it doesn't take a myth to practice distortion.
Dreaming Cities
The Opening was not an apocalypse, but for many it was the end. Out of the realm between worlds, or from worlds far beyond, swept the Lucid Dream. It spread like a plague through the night sky, tinting the night with odd swirls and colors that crept into the realm of sleep. People all across the world began to dream strange dreams, of distant realms and far-off planes, in incredible detail and color. And they could could remember. And some never woke up.
It happened quickly. Fog spread across the largest cities in the world, Tokyo, Shanghai, Delhi, New York, Beijing, Istanbul, Chicago, and more. Wherever the dreams of multitudes coincided. Afterward, research designated a terminal point for the population of any city: 8.5 million. After that, the inhabitants risked the Lucid Dream. These cities became permanently overcast, separated from the outside world by a barrier of fog, and the places within fell asleep. The people of those cities continued to go about their lives, but dully, numbly, as though sleepwalking. It was as if they chose to ignore the strangeness blossoming all around them, like weeds nobody wanted to prune, or mold nobody wanted to clean.
For from the cracks and corners came the nightmares. Things watching from the drains. Noises in the basements. Spiderwebs between buildings. Buses that run on millipede legs instead of tires. People in the stairwells. Eyes in the traffic lights. Don't look at the face of that man by the tracks. Don't follow those kids beckoning you to play. Don't look too closely at that shape on the building. Don't ask directions from people in hoods. If you pretend they aren't there, they won't come after you. The Dreaming Cities are where the monsters are.
Most Strangers and anomalous entities that come to Earth find their way to Dreaming Cities. They are awake, but so too are some of the people. The watchful, the careful, the paranoid. And those who enter with a purpose in mind. Those who stay awake in a Dreaming City have a powerful weapon against the unknown: distortion. Sometimes things happen that aren't quite right, or don't quite make sense. Sometimes people can make them happen. Disappearing around a corner. Finding a lucky deadbolt in a hiding room on the run. A door where there wasn't one. Wearing an inconspicuous appearance. An extra magazine.
With some practice, anyone can pull off a few tricks to stay alive or get ahead. Someone with a lot of know-how can really shake things up. At the same time, causing distortions can get unwanted attention. distortions, after all, are the tools of monsters, and they don't like people turning it against them.
With no authority, anything goes in the Dreaming Cities. That means a world of opportunity for some, so long as they don't provoke the wrong monster. There are even some companies that take advantage of and commercialize this strange segment of reality, but one should beware. Not all monsters stay inside city limits, and not all distortions, either.
Strangers
When wells opened the way between worlds, humanity found waterways leading through the Deep to a few new dimensions, but those are by no means the only worlds out there. Once in a while, things drift in from farther still—from beyond. Myriad in their natures, forms, and even existences, these 'strangers' sometimes wind up on earth or its neighboring dimensions and settle in. They can be virtually anything; a phantom circus performing across the globe in secluded places, attracting audiences and always open to recruits. An eldritch thunderstorm rolling through the desert, its touch animating the dead. A submarine appearing from bays, lakes, ponds, and puddles that's manned by empty diving suits. Strangers aren't available to be played as, but perhaps one factors into your character's backstory, responsible for affecting them or their surroundings in a formative way.
Sheet
Name: (Can be nickname, codename, etc) Species: (Human or myth. If myth, name the type) Job: (Something that describes your character's class or role, IE brawler, gunner, thief) Appearance: Personality: Background: (No need to be exhaustive. Focus on formative events in your character's story. If you're unsure of anything, want to run ideas by me, or want ideas period, please ask) Talents: (Include physical, magical, divine, and technological abilities where applicable. This is also the spot for weapons and equipment. While definitely above street level, we're not dealing with a team of superheroes here, so don't go too nuts with powers) Other:
In conclusion
That was a lot of text. Probably too much. But I hope it was somewhat interesting. I'd be happy to hear any feedback.
The stranger watched Fox approach with a faintly guarded but otherwise blank expression, although she made no motion. Where a gesture sufficed for the others, it seemed, a spoken explanation need be in order for this one.
"It is very slow," she told him, her voice flat. "Getting around it is easy." Ignoring the camel, she looked out across the desert. "Expect? Heat, worms, pirates, holes. Dying of thirst. Snakes. Radiation. Bugs. Snakes. Falling off the mountain. Cold. Dying of exhaustion. Got it?" She looked back at fox, her expression begrudging. "I will watch. Intervene if I have to. Get to the top." With that, the mysterious woman floated into the air. She hovered for a moment, gathering energy, before shooting skyward in a blast of wind.
Meanwhile, the rest of the group prepared to set out again, banding about a few words concerning the thieves' search and what Poppi found. The blade, standing by the Morgana-car, took solemn note of Midna's request. The manpower and resources of an entire kingdom would, after all, greatly help the campaign, and of course Poppi figured seeing her kingdom again would make Midna happy. “Big circle building, many pillars,” she repeated, committing the description to memory, then smiled at the imp with closed eyes and a tilted head.. “Added to search parameters! Poppi will tell if Poppi sees it.”
Joker considered what Sectonia had to say, listening to the oversized bee queen through an open window. While he initially wrote off the mechanical beast as merely a somewhat interesting feature of the desert rather than an objective, Sectonia could be right. Nothing he heard or saw so far really confirmed that whatever Poppi saw circling that far-off mountain was indeed Galeem's champion. Although having one just wandering out in the open with no fanfare seemed a little anticlimactic, he couldn't put aside the possibility. “That's fair. We should check it to be sure. Alright, Morgana?”
The car swished his tail from side to side. “Sure, sure. As long as we're going, I've had enough sitting still.”
Tora pressed his face against the window, wishing he had a zoom function of his own right about now. In fact, he made a mental note to get some binoculars some time. “Tora is super-exciteypon to see giant mecha-creature. Let's go!”
Morgana obliged.
Twenty minutes of streaking across the desert sand later, the Morgana-car closed in on the target. From this range, everyone could see the details of the camel-thing. Its legs spiraled upward into its bulky body like inverted palm tree trunks, and ridges like the tops of keys inserted into wind-up dolls reached out from its serpentine neck in rows. On its back sat two domed buildings in place of humps, their windows lit. Most interestingly, instead of a camel head it sported some sort of horned mask with six round eyes, red as the setting sun.
Once the car got within a certain range, Val Naboris reacted. Its face turned to face the vehicle, and from the 'humps' in its back extended metal spires. Electricity arced between them, creating an orb.
The eyes of Tora, Skull, and Poppi collectively widened. “Uh, Joker? Maybe we oughta...”
“Yeah.” With a grunt of effort the thief cut the wheel all the way to the right, causing the Morgana-car to veer away from the machine. A moment later the electric orb ruptured, and a bolt of lightning dropped from the sky into the sand. The light and ear-splitting sound just about floored the occupants of the car as sand and shards of flash-fused glass flew in every direction. “Aaaaah!” a general yell sounded out, not least of all from Morgana, as the car made tracks to a safe distance.
“Are we gonna take it down?” Ann quickly asked, the less-than-sureness in her voice questioning the possibility of it. “That was like, Wild Thunder, and we didn't even get close.”
Tora listened for an answer from the group as well, offering nothing himself but a quick examination of Poppi to see if the electric exposure harmed her new form in any way.
After Sakura's brief trip overboard, ensuing rescue, and subsequent tending-to by Isabelle, Brineybeard gave his ship the go ahead to set sail. With all aboard, the living vessel got underway, smoothly cutting through the waves on its way to Limsa.
As the ship forged toward the floating city, peppered by the salty breeze and the spraying sea foam, the passengers could get a good look both at the bay and the ocean beyond. Water extended all the way to the horizon on either side of Inkwell Isle. For the most part clear skies prevailed, but clouds massed to the north, casting shade over a stretch of sea shrouded in fog and storm. None could doubt that this constituted the 'Bottomless Sea' spoken of by the mysterious woman in black, but nobody regarded it with particular dread. It made for just another obstacle on the road ahead, soon to join the many laying bruised and beaten on the road behind.
Some minutes into the voyage, Brineybeard left the wheel to peer over the side of the ship. “Ahoy!” he called, pointing down to the water. “Yer lucky day, mateys. There be shoals in these waters!”
Sure enough, the sparkling waves teemed with fish. Not too far away, a fishing trawler full of fishermen -curiously the only other boat sighted by the heroes so far- was awash with activity. Its anglers hooked fish after fish, nonchalantly tossing them over their shoulders to flop around the large center of their craft. Even stranger, two people appeared to by engaged in a battle in the middle of that area: a girl with blue hair and a clown. If this was unusual, however, Brineybeard paid it no mind. “If ye likes, grab me fishin' rods 'n have yerself a fishin'.” He pointed toward a box by the cabin.
New Spirits Consumed: Tentacruel and Blastoise Bowser's shell has increased in roundness, both in back and in front, and turned brown in back, with six large, inset red orbs that can flash. He has developed shoulder-mounted shell apertures. Inside are not cannons, but extendable Tentacruel beaks surrounded by extendable tentacles. Bowser's snout has extended and gotten rounder, also gaining a tentacle beard, and he has ear-like protrusions poking out of what appear to be a natural helmet in the shape of a tentacruel head. His green scales have turned blue. These spirits confer the Powers Torrent, which allows the use of water blasts that get stronger in a pinch, and Liquid Ooze, which enables the secretion of venom via tentacles that damage opponents who attempt to drain Bowser's life. They also confer the Weaknesses Electric Bane, causing electric attacks to deal double damage to the host, and Psychic Bane, causing mental attacks to deal double damage to the host and increasing mental susceptibility
As the heroes struggled to repel both Flood and lerks, the terrain started to change. The shockdozer was rolling into the south-east sector, the territory most affected by catastrophic seismic activity. Collapses and upheavals at some point in the tormented city's past left chunks of earth hundreds of feet above and below typical street level, and everywhere in between. As a result, storefront windows looked out over hideous chasms at isolated apartment buildings across the void, and terminal falls lay between the halves of sundered office buildings. The wide-openness of the scenery was quite the change of pace from the roads clogged with wrecked cars and living dead slogged through by some of the heroes before.
This did not make for easier going, however. Quite the opposite, in fact. As the heroes persevered into the hell-bent metropolis and city blocks turned into perilous precipices, their options began to fall drastically. After choosing against a street occupied by a pitched battle between Flood and a giant demon amid swarms of large, glowing bugs, the ground sloped downward. The shockdozer started to pick up speed, outpacing its natural maximum thanks to gravity's acceleration, and leaving behind both the combat forms and anyone unable to keep up or climb on. A slight incline to the right as well as down inched the vehicle closer and closer to the cliff edge, and the upturned earth at the end of the slope suggested the possibility of a jump across the gorge to the other side—and safety. An expert driver would need to take the wheel to even make it to the jump, let alone across.
Before the shockdozer got too far, a vile shape drifted between some buildings. By all accounts a Flood monstrosity capable of floating in the air, it hovered above the slope and began dropping explosive blisters. The fleshy sacs fell to embed in the already-dangerous road ahead, ready and able to explode when the vehicle got too near. Though sturdy, it could only take so many; problems were mounting quickly.
The Whiplash picked the wrong fight Though it dashed quickly and with a low profile across the ground to keep its distance and strike the Slayer from afar, he'd already bested a much stronger monster with more or less the same gameplan today. A few shotgun blasts wore it down until the pain and damage mounted to such a degree that it could no longer escape the Slayer's clutches and was seized by him.
With that dealt with, that left just the abyssal demon. It moved slowly but confidently, heading for the Slayer even at the expense of guarding the door to the lever that would restore power. However, it shrugged off every shot the Slayer put into it, not even so much as flinching. The tentacles atop its head carved through the air like whips, vicious enough to strip meat from the bone. Despite all his travels and travails, the Slayer got a sinking feeling—that this thing was unlike anything he'd faced so far. Still, the choice was his: the demon or the lever.
With an army of Master Hands under its control, Galeem sought to create a new world.
The fighters and their countless stories came to an end as light consumed them.
Thus, the universe was crushed in the hands of Galeem.
Those who fought the light were devoured.
The others lost their bodies and became spirits.
Only one survived.
A star of hope twinkles faintly as the dust settles on a new world.
Welcome to the World of Light. An otherwordly entity known as the Lord of Light, Galeem, has annihilated the universe, sending streams of all-consuming light into every game world to wipe the slate clean so that he might build something anew. Only Kirby, borne on a Warp Star while Galeem's attack still picked up speed, escaped.
But the weight of the world is a heavy burden indeed, and his constant fight has left him exhausted. He managed, however, to free a small group of spirits, and split his remaining power into Friend Hearts to revive them. They're a motley crew, hailing from a variety of world and origins, but with Kirby unable to fight any longer, the task of finding and defeating Galeem falls to them.
You're a denizen in the World of Light. You can be any game character from any game franchise, hero or villain, side-characters of all stripes. You face impossible odds, an adventure across landscapes that span the imagination, an endless series of battles, puzzles, and obstacles, meeting friends and foes familiar and new on the chance that you might reach the Lord of Light and undo all he has wrought.
In essence, this is a massive crossover adventure, with the players deciding where to go and what to do, encountering all sorts game worlds, characters, and items. There will be some RPG elements, with EXP for word count and as rewards, and each level earning you a new ability. Since most characters bring with them a narrative, who you pick and what you do will directly impact the RP's events, so the possibilities are endless.
Important Notes
All standard roleplaying rules apply. Be excellent to one another.
Your characters will start off somewhat weak, no matter how strong they were originally, but as you play you'll become stronger and more capable.
Your character has to originate from a video game, but it can be any officially-licensed game, no matter the console or company. Characters that originated in other media are prohibited. Other media built on top of games can be considered canon to the games, however
While you start with one character, you will be able to get more if you want. In order to qualify for another character, you must reach level 3 with an existing one, as well as be able to handle the additional workload
While not 18+, there will be some more mature themes going around, including violence
You can make some slight changes to your character, or expound on one that would otherwise be too shallow (following fan interpretations if necessary) but otherwise you should aim to be true to your chosen character. I would suggest against making your character a create-a-character or blank slate with no canonical traits or characteristics, which tends to be uninteresting and unengaging to play as in an RP. They can also be problematic in terms of nailing down abilities and balance. If you choose to anyway, do your best to give it a solid personality and background based on its world
The typical posting schedule is once-a-week. I usually make a big update on Sunday evening after 11 PM CST. Since players are making a promise of a commitment by applying to the RP, I'd expect you to post at least weekly as well with all of your characters. If you don't, you'll be left behind at best and (in a dangerous situation) take damage at worst
If you give your character's speech a color please make sure it's a color that's easy to read. Please do not give your posts gigantic, obnoxious headers
You can change your sheet's Kindred Spirits even after acceptance up until any Spirit on the list is sighted, at which point the list is set in stone
Your decisions matter in this story. Ingenuity and creativity will be rewarded, especially in regards to teamwork, but bad decisions may have disastrous consequences. In fact, it's possible for characters to die if things go poorly enough.
EXP
EXP earned for posting is as follows: <750 words is 1 point, 750-1250 is 2 points, and 1250-2000 is 3 points, then +1 for every thousand after that. I would only expect the upper echelons to be reached by big-time collabs. You will also get bonus EXP after successful encounters. Your level of contribution determines your growth. Please keep track of it your own EXP, please be honest when it comes to reporting and don't use filler to inflate your word count.
When you level up, you get a Level Upgrade, which can be stored for later or used for one of the following: 1. A new Power from your character's Powerset, something that your character can do in his or her home game but didn't start with here, or something that your character could learn or develop in the home game. Exceptional 'stats' can count as Powers 1.5. A new Power pertaining to a Spirit. After fusing with a spirit, its Powerset is added to your own and you can choose abilities it has in addition to your own 2. A new Strength. Sometimes, a skill is more important than a Power, or is necessary to make proper use of equipment or Powers. One cannot just pick up a brand-new weapon or dynamic ability and be an expert, after all
EXP Share A phenomenon that you'll find helpful in a post involving multiple player characters, whether owned by the same player or otherwise. The word count (and thus EXP cashout) from any post involving those characters is attributed to every character involved; if you do a collab with another person and the count is 1250, you both get 3 EXP, and if you have two characters that both star in your 750-word post, both get 2 EXP.
EXP gain is boosted during boss fights.
Spirits
In the World of Light, every character has a spirit, a bundle of light that defines who and what they are. By default everyone we'll meet in the World of Light has the sunset-red glow of Galeem in their eyes, their palette somewhat desaturated. This Gleaming state is a sort of brainwashing. makes them unable to remember or comprehend Galeem or their worlds' end, leading them to believe that nothing is wrong with this world, when attacked they must fight until physically unable to continue, and they must follow absolutely any commands/programming given to them by a Higher Being, like Master Hand. This includes player characters, who must be freed. Otherwise, they act and behave very much like themselves, including speech and nonviolent activities. Only a Friend Heart, Keyblade, Off Wave, or other acutely soul-related process can cure this Gleaming status.
Upon death, everyone leaves their spirit behind. These spirits can be used by those still living, as long as they know how. Heart-fusion will confer a new Power, mind-fusion a new Strength, spiritbinding a new Striker, and crushing an item or equipment, all without having to spend EXP. However, fusion will also alter your character in mind and body, as well as include a new weakness. But in the World of Light, you need whatever power you can get, right? Once you decide on a spirit and utilization, just let me know and I will give you the results; you don't choose for yourself. These changes are permanent, unless you find someone capable of exorcism to undo the bond. The number of spirits you can have is limitless, as long as you don't become a chimera, but the number of strikers you can have is equal to your level, since they demand spiritual power.
By the way, about Strikers: they are capable of using whatever abilities they could in life, but they are not independent beings, instead being extensions of the host. As such, they cannot know anything the host does not, and damage done to the striker inflicts corresponding damage to the host, albeit mitigated by the striker's defense. A singular 'striker' can be a thematically appropriate collective, like Jak & Daxter or a squad of goombas, and the weaker and more numerous the collective is, the less damage each one passes to the host
Friend-shaped Sacred Heart If your character has reached level three, it gains the ability to manifest a Friend Heart (by touching its own heart and then lifting up its arms, at which point a bright pink Friend Heart appears. It can then be tossed or given, and as long as the recipient is weakened somewhat (lower than 75% health) it will be freed from Galeem's influence. However, making a Friend Heart costs EXP; the cost follows the formula (level - 2). You can play as any freed character as long as your latest character is at least level 3, increasing your character count up to a maximum of 4. If you wish, you can release characters in your roster to make room for new ones. Please don't take more characters than you can post for
Final Smashes
Final Smashes--the ultimate attacks. As 'ultimate' and 'final' both imply 'nothing greater than' and 'nothing beyond', Final Smashes are desperation moves available to any character who knows what he or she has to do and has the will to do it. By igniting ones' own spirit and using it as the ultimate power source, one can warp reality and space itself to unleash an almighty move, but the spirit is used up in the process. After the attack concludes, the smasher has only a few moments before the last of their light fades away and they die for good.
Hotline
I'm here to help, and in a variety of ways. If you ever have any questions I'm here of course, but I can also take a more active roll in your posts. If in the course of your writing you need an NPC response, want the results of a spirit usage, or are looking in an area and want to know what you'll find, you can send me a message via Discord or DMs to get the results to include in your post for immediate action without having to wait for the next GM update. Combined with players' creative license, this means you can more done between updates than you might expect. Don't wait; call now!
Sheet
Coding is included, which you can take if you 'view raw' this post and copy from there.
Name: Game Origin: Appearance: (You can use just an image, a description, or both) Personality: Background: (A history, a few sentences minimum, of where the character came from and what you were doing prior to the events of the World of Light. Galeem might have attacked at any point in your character's story, and his attack stretched across the dimensions, potentially reaching characters that are canonically dead)
Specialty: (What your character's best at; what their main role will be to the group, like defense, magic attack, healing, traps, you name it. Can be general or specific) Level: 1 Experience: 0/10 (The amount of EXP required to level up will increase by 10 each level, but rewards get bigger, too) Powers: (You start with one, no matter how many your character had before, and will earn one with each level. They should make sense for your character)
Strengths: (Things your character's always good at, or always can do; essentially, passive stats, bonuses, and talents. These should not be 'actives' or support systems that confer their own slews of benefits, and they should not be part and parcel of a Power; everything relevant to that Power should be included in its own description. You start with three, but you can add more in place of powers when you level up)
Weaknesses: (Faults, flaws, inabilities, and so forth. Nobody's perfect) Spirits: (See Spirits section for details. Start with none)
Guest List: (Put up to three characters you like or want to see, and you'll run into them sooner or later in the RP. There's no restriction on what characters you put in, other than the same ones that apply to PCs) Inventory: (Whatever gear, weapons, and items your character has)
With a contented sigh, Artemisia sank back in her chair. This was no high-brow establishment, the food wasn't anything special, and the furniture was leaning toward shoddy, but right now it felt like heaven. She couldn't remember the last time she felt full. The budget of a traveling sightseer seldom impressed, and fewer people bought her food than one might think, so despite the appearance she groomed of a sophisticated mage, she missed meals with regularity. Looking at her situation realistically, one could be forgiven for labeling the woman a hobo. Now, however, she felt like a queen. And with all the money she raked in from monster hunting, she didn't just need to get by, no; she could afford to spoil herself.
In no kind of rush, Artemisia took her time raking up every last crumb of her meal before draining her cup and heading for the door. Nobody seemed to pay her much mind aside from the usual looks and such, which sat just right with her. If she didn't need anything, the particular attention of strangers spelled nothing but trouble. As she rejoined the bustling throng of folk making their way through the streets, she became aware of some sort of commotion a ways off. A crowd gathered, but there didn't seem to be any sign of violence. Curious, the black mage made sure her coinpurse was well covered before setting a course for the assembly.
Well before she saw the source of the intrigue, Artemisia could hear his sounds and feel the energy. Some manner of wizardry? she wondered, her interest piqued all the more. Bit by bit she worked her way into the crowd, and before long she spotted the source. A whirligig of silks and coins, frolicking upon the precipice of the square's fountain, lighter than air—a dancer was hard at work making grace look easy. A male dancer. Most of the dancers she spotted in the Free Cities had been winsome females, prying coins from the hands of men with lecherous eyes. Now, however, Artemisia found herself hard-pressed to look away. Unlike the hapless commonfolk clustered here, she could sense the magic in the air to an extent and knew there was a little more going on than met the eye. A long as she didn't start feeling inclined to start spilling the contents of her purse over the cobblestones, though, she figured there wasn't much harm. Besides, I came to this city to see the sights. It would be wasteful if I failed to check out all of him—them, rather. She crossed her arms and watched on, clapping when necessary, unaware of Luna's presence.
Current GM of World of Light. When it comes to writing, there's nothing I love more than imagination, engagement, and commitment. I'm always open to talk, suggestion, criticism, and collaboration. While I try to be as obliging, helpful, and courteous as possible, I have very little sympathy for ghosts, and anyone who'd like to string me along. Straightforwardness is all I ask for.
Looking for more personal details? I'm just some dude from the American south; software development is my job but games, writing, and trying to help others enjoy life are my passions. Been RPing for over a decade, starting waaaay back with humble beginnings on the Spore forum, so I know a thing or two, though I won't pretend to be an expert. If you're down for some fun, let's make something spectacular together.
<div style="white-space:pre-wrap;">Current GM of World of Light. When it comes to writing, there's nothing I love more than imagination, engagement, and commitment. I'm always open to talk, suggestion, criticism, and collaboration. While I try to be as obliging, helpful, and courteous as possible, I have very little sympathy for ghosts, and anyone who'd like to string me along. Straightforwardness is all I ask for.<br><br>Looking for more personal details? I'm just some dude from the American south; software development is my job but games, writing, and trying to help others enjoy life are my passions. Been RPing for over a decade, starting waaaay back with humble beginnings on the Spore forum, so I know a thing or two, though I won't pretend to be an expert. If you're down for some fun, let's make something spectacular together.</div>
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