Mirandae

The Spirits Within: Oakridge Chronicles

@smarty0114
Like I mentioned before, Olivia and Eliza probably know each other! So we should definitely get together and talk about that.

@FantasyChic
Like @icmasticc said, it's fine to have the same thing as someone else. If you are having troubles finding something, then ask us! We will gladly go hunting for weapon concepts and such.

The Spirits Within: Oakridge Chronicles

I leave prior relations entirely up to you. Oakridge is a big school, some of our characters might know each other, others might not. But the characters knowing each other beforehand is absolutely not a requirement, as I've had it be in the past.

The Spirits Within: Oakridge Chronicles

@icmasticc
Ah, damn. I think I got distracted by the +/- signs and forgot about the second paragraph there. My bad! Everything is cool there, then.

It would be a codex entry, so send me whatever you can conjure about it. You don't have to do it right this moment, just, whenever you feel inspired.

Cool, thanks! Helps me when looking things up fast for the system thing.

The Spirits Within: Oakridge Chronicles

@icmasticc
It might just be me, but I see a lot of Bloodborne stuff in this character. I love it. Anyway, oh boy, there is a lot of sub-plot and lore potential here. Would you like to expand on The Cathedral and its teachings? It could be a denomination of 'Etroism', which is the major religion of the world.

The fact that Niko came to Oakridge rather late is interesting. I'm not sure yet how that would affect things, but most likely not in any particular way, as the school accepts students of almost any age.

For Ulciscor, put a plus (+) sign on Curse and Blind, so that I know that it applies to Niko rather than the enemy. In 'The Reaper' you describe a sythe as Niko's weapon, yet in the warfare section you describe a blunderbuss and a shortsword. Is this a mistake or does his weapon change during The Reaper?

Other than that, it looks very good! Please add it to the character tab.

_{┤ Everyone ├
▲◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇▼}

Those of you who are in the process of making characters, try to complete them this week. This only applies to your main character.

Also, start thinking about which event your character(s) are going to pursue at the beginning of the story. If you can't choose one, I'll choose one for you. I can say that Olivia will be joining the 'Hammer of the Army' and Selene will be doing the Kinabalu Eidolon—just to get the ball rolling here.

The Spirits Within: Oakridge Chronicles

Cool! Those look great. May I suggest, though, that 'terror' inflicts damage with movement? It is more or less the same as being immobilized. The thing is that there is no way to measure time, other than just describing it.

The Spirits Within: Oakridge Chronicles

@potatochipgolem

It is a bit confusing to me, as well, but it is also pretty much what @Vox said. You can try it on your own skin. At extreme levels, the opposite feeling of whatever your skin is suffering will cause quite a bit of pain.

@icmasticc
No worries, thanks for the update.
And that was a bummer about Batman vs. Superman. I was kind of looking forward to seeing it, and the trailers seemed promising. But now that it is getting such mixed reviews, well, I'm not sure. Then again, I thought that new Star Wars movie was terrible, but was somehow praised by rotten tomatoes and everyone else. So, I'm also not sure if I trust critics.

@smarty0114
Ah, I didn't notice your edits. The 'warfare' title appears twice in Charlie's sheet. Also, could you format your spirit in the manner suggested by Redrum? I have done so for my character as well. I can write the code for Charlie and Eliza's spirits if it looks complicated.

As for Eliza, the '(no year)' marker is in her age section. You can remove it. Then there is the formatting for the spirits, but I'll help you with that if you want.

Other than that, they both look good. There is quite a lot that can happen between them in the story. Testing their friendship, I think, will provide the rest of us with some really nice sub-plot reading! I love that kind of stuff, so let your creativity carry you away. Besides that, I think my character, Olivia, would get a long well with Eliza, if they would have met at some point at Oakridge.

You can move them to the character tab, just make sure to take care of those tiny formatting details.

@Rockette
We spoke over PM and I commented on your character there. All is well and wonderful. Please move Monika to the character tab.

_{┤ Everyone ├
▲◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇▼}

I just want to remind you that you can create new exotic effects for your spirits. They are by no means limited to what I have listed. Also, as Guardians constantly absorb spirits, new magical abilities form ever so often. This means that you can always add more magic to your characters as we go along, or change the current ones. The lore allows all of this to be quite fluid.

The Spirits Within: Oakridge Chronicles

@Garden Gnome
We have Jack and Charles; both adorable boys! And the more, the merrier. It's a big story, big setting, big-epic everything. Michael Bay-roleplay—explosions, action, and cliches! It's so bad, but I love it.

@Vox
Looks a-OK! Please add Jack to the character tab. Remember to remove the hider, though. If you go for secondary characters, then those should be in hiders.

And, it's no big deal if characters have similar abilities or are of predominantly the same element.

The Spirits Within: Oakridge Chronicles

@Anima
From a stylistic point of view, I don’t think you need the picture. The gif is perfect on its own.

The connection to Fanatics and all that is an excellent concept, so keep at it.

I was expecting that her spirits would be fire-based for some reason (probably because of flamethrowers). Anyway, I’m sad to say that gravity is not a thing for spirits in this installment. I do not remember if it was in the original roleplay, but all ‘abstract’ elements such as gravity and time have been removed; Holy and Dark are the only somewhat abstract elements this time around, but they relate directly to Gaia and Stigma respectively.

You can remove the descriptions for the aspekts; only need the names.

@Redrum
Looks lovely so far. Lore accurate, yet imaginative and creative.

Could you help me with pinpointing the places you mentioned on the map? Either describe where you imagined these places to be or run the image through Photoshop/paint or an online editor, just to show me where they are. Tyria streches from the chunk of land below Mt. Kinabalu to that little swirl of islands before Suji.

I love the formatting for the spirits, especially the damage types and exotic effects. Do you mind if the rest of us adopt it? It is very practical for me when I have check up on things, and it is stylish. However, could you use the basic color of the character sheet for the damage types? Also, meltdown is a negative effect, so it should be a red color. I’m also thinking that it should have a minus (-) sign before it rather than the plus (+) sign.

There is currently no way to measure time in the combat system. What I will do instead is to use diminishing returns. That is, the more you use the same spirit in the same fight, the less damage it does. Besides that, you can just use your better judgement concerning when to use powerful abilities. Or, just describe the cooldowns in the post.

The Spirits Within: Oakridge Chronicles

_{O L I V I A C E L E S T I N E
◆ 23 ◆ June 18 ◆ 5’4” ◆ Guardian}

_{A P P E A R A N C E}

---

Physical health has always been a priority for Olivia to the point of indulgence. She is an avid gym-goer at the academy and encourages her friends to follow a path of fitness as well. The vigorous exercises have given Olivia a toned frame with lean muscle, which has made her posture steady and elastic, and visage prominent. Her face has rather smooth skin with few traces of teenage years, eyes of cerulean blue, and trenchant eyebrows. Her hair carries a peculiar glow and thickness of dark coloration and highlights of golden walnut. Olivia typically wears tightly fitted jeans of marine blue, blindingly white sneakers, and a black leather jacket.

_{I D E O L O G Y}

---

All matters can be resolved with benevolence and compassion. There may be moments that require furious action, but such should be executed with humility. Olivia is a true altruist. She engages people and the world around her with enthusiasm and generosity. The boundaries between the spiritual and physical are far along blurred within her perception. Olivia relishes in sharing her knowledge, experience, time and energy with those whom she holds dear.

Her charisma and affection is known to be infectious. In that endeavor she is also reliable, supportive, and imaginative. Olivia will go to great lengths to ensure the wellbeing of her friends and family, even if some of them do not agree with her ways. Her philosophy in life is a serene transparency and understanding of the human condition. Humans are emotional beings who thrive in the presence of peace and love. In the darkness of the world, Olivia would gladly pay the price of torment if it would create a beacon of light for others.

However, Olivia is not immune to strife. There are days when her unconditional love is tested in the most gruesome of ways. It can sometimes be difficult for her to separate the personal from the impersonal, constructive criticism from spite. She has also developed a number of unhealthy obsessions through her fervent quest to appeal to everyone. Olivia represses and internalizes negative feelings much in the same way that she exudes positivity. Spending so much time to care for others, Olivia’s own problems often grow unattended.

_{B A C K G R O U N D}

---

Olivia was born in Cetra. She was raised by her father and aunt, as Olivia’s mother died giving birth to her. This is why Olivia’s second name is Andrea, after her mother. Her aunt, Janice Celestine, which is the sister of her father, George Celestine, devoted herself entirely to Olivia’s wellbeing and life. She was the first who noticed Olivia’s affiliation to spirits and the ability to absorb them. Olivia was subsequently admitted and sent to Oakridge Academy shortly after her eighth birthday.

George Celestine was a swordsman during the breakout war with the Mordrem, twenty years ago. He was among the soldiers who started to use melee weapons against the aliens, and thereafter became a master in gunblade fighting. A gunblade is a sword with a revolver or pump action built into the hilt, the barrel running inside the length of the blade. The idea is to offer a capable melee weapon with acceptable ranged features. George taught his daughter everything he knew about gunblade fighting, and even if Olivia was not as talented as him, he did not give up on her. He persuaded Olivia to keep practicing her skills at Oakridge. The modern day gunblades, however, are trick weapons that switch between blade and gun mode.

Olivia adjusted well to the student life of Oakridge Academy. She ran for and was elected student body president twice, took an active interest in anti-bullying efforts, and provided a strong emotional bridge between different social circles. Olivia also spent a considerable amount of time with childhood friend and the love of her life, Samuel Valentine. He was an extremely talented Guardian and diligent student. Unfortunately, during a field mission in the Dark Zone, Samuel and his squad went missing. Olivia was nineteen at the time. Samuel has been assumed dead ever since. The incident left a void in Olivia’s heart that she has been trying to fill over the years, though unsuccessfully.

_{W A R F A R E}

---

Olivia’s is a traditional Gunblade that follows the designs of her father, thereby not a trick weapon as other modern variations. Unlike her father’s, however, Olivia’s gunblade has a shotgun mechanic built into it rather than a revolver. She never was particularly accurate with firearms, as close quarter combat always was the favorite range. Therefore, Olivia primarily uses the gun part of the weapon as a means to stun her opponent or secure a safe retreat [◇].

<sub>◇ Balance [ Holy ] [ +Dispel ] This spirit manifests as a bright light in the shape of a spear that is hurled at the enemy. Upon impact, it illuminates the area and restores balance among those affected. This spirit values composure, equality, identity. It may sometimes emerge from Olivia's body in the shape of a dove-like creature, radiating light.

◇ Shell [ Holy ] [ +Reflect ] This spirit detonates in radiating light around Olivia herself. Enemies within her vicinity are knocked back. This spirit values justice, integrity, and vigor. It may sometimes emerge from Olivia’s body in the shape of a turtle-like creature.

◇ Ultima [ Holy ] [ Fire ] [ +EnHoly ] [ +Empower Ravager ] [ -Blind ] A peculiar congregaition of spirits that endow the qualities of Etro itself. It detonates with intense fury in an expansive area, drowing it in light of the stars, burning its victims with pious intent. The favor rests within sanctity, devotion, and inquisition. Ultima may at times emerge from Olivia’s body in the form of a creature of feathered and draconic features.</sub>

_{A S P E K T S}

---

_{◇ Lancer
◇ Ravager
◇ Sentinel
◇ Vicar}

Selene Palamecia

_{S E L E N E P A L A M E C I A
◆ 22 ◆ August 5 ◆ 5’3” ◆ Guardian}

_{◆ A P P E A R A N C E}

Selene's typical attire consists of various tops, oversized sweaters, tightly fitted pants, and leather boots ◇. Her wardrobe has absolutely no other color than void black.

_{◆ I D E O L O G Y}

Reality is cruel and unfair. The disparity in everyday life is enough to drive lesser men to madness. Selene herself has fallen to that depth on numerous occasions, yet she remains solid in her stubborn passions. Her beliefs defy and contradict the established norms of society. While the men consumed by madness rip each other apart, Selene will stand faceless as death comes smiling. Alas, all one can do is to smile right back.

There is no censor within her domain. Selene will speak her mind even if it would end her life. She is by no means malevolent or wicked akin to the reality she so detests. Her deeply rooted philosophies about her own existence and the existence of others simply will not budge for anything or anyone. Thereby, Selene has grown to become a chiefly cerebral individual, whom radiates sublime perception, aptitude, cunning, and sophistication. Alas, it is not without fault. She can struggle with introspection and brooding, self-criticism and perceived injustices to the point of indulgence.

All of this leads to extensive philosophical musings concerning the circumstances that brought her to a specific point in time, accompanied by a cynical, world-weary, and jaded view on the faults of mankind and beyond. Therefore, Selene values her own passions as above those of others, which can manifest as arrogance and a martyr-like attitude. She longs for death unlike no other, yet cannot impose it upon herself due to her contradictory nature.

_{◆ B A C K G R O U N D}

Selene was born in Tyria. Her father was the leader of a cult that forcefully impregnated women to bear children for sacrifice. It was prophesized that Selene’s father would have a child worthy of being offered to Palamecia, an Eidolon of darkness. However, nothing happened when that unfortunate day finally arrived. The deranged cult members began to kill each other, but Selene and her mother escaped the onslaught. Whatever became of Selene’s father remains unknown.

Cetra became the new home for the two refugees. It was around this time that Selene began to exhibit sings of being a Guardian. In fear of being discovered by whatever remnants of the cult there may have been, Selene’s mother changed their surnames to Palamecia. They settled down in a city named Doral. Being a place for deserters and other criminals, they figured that little attention would be drawn to them. Selene was shortly thereafter admitted to Oakridge Academy, which became a far safer home away from home.

Selene did not adjust well to the social life of the school. It was not that she was an outcast of any kind; her mind was simply in a different place. However, another girl at the school, Olivia Celestine, was able to get through Selene’s barriers and make friends with her. They have ever since been a bit of a duo on and off the battlefield. Selene was among the few who could see past Olivia’s faked smiles after Samuel Valentine went missing in the Dark Zone. But, Selene has always refused to go look for him whenever Olivia has suggested they do. Selene is utmost unsympathetic to the foolishness of dead boyfriends and mad men.

_{◆ W A R F A R E}

Selene uses a trick weapon that she calls Fleshreaver, which is a sythe-like weapon of some vile proportions. Both ends of the handle are clad with serrated blades, made of steel and bone. The trick mode folds the weapon into a single-handed sword with the serrated sides of the blades facing outwards. This mode can also separate the blades akin to scissors, which makes it easy to decapitate things [◇].

<sub>◇ Orb of Darkness [ Dark ] [ -Curse ] This spirit manifests as a black, smokey orb projectile. It detonates upon impact and affects everyone in the immediate area. This spirit values impatience, insolence, and intrusiveness. It may sometimes emerge from Selene’s body in the shape of a ghost-like figure with giant, hollowed eyes and myriads of slender arms.

◇ Bloodlust [ +Leech ] This spirit values isolation, brooding, and jealousy. It may sometimes emerge from Selene’s body in the shape of a bat-like creature of smokey shadows. It also manifests by slightly extending Selene's canine teeth.

◇ Shadowstep [ +Gloom ] This spirit envelops Selene in smokey shadows and allows her to quickly dash from foe to foe and strike them once. This spirit values detest, enmity, and secrecy. It may sometimes cause Selene’s clothing to flow in the air akin to garment under water.</sub>

_{◆ A S P E K T S}

_{◇ Ravager
◇ Adept
◇ Fanatic
◇ Lucky}

The Spirits Within: Oakridge Chronicles

I haven't gotten around to adding that to the codex yet. But, you basically have city-states and Nexus Industries. If a city can manage on its own, then it becomes an independent government ruled by a 'Regent'. They run the cities as they see fit and usually have their own security forces.

The army is the only institution of the old government that existed before the Mordrem, therefore also independent. They don't answer to Nexus Industries or any city-state. However, they also don't care about politics in the same sense as say, city-states.

That leaves Nexus Industries as the de facto world government outside of city-states, to some extent. Nexus has their own elite army, but they don't care about protecting regions or anything other than their own interests, which are basically Gaia extraction, Mordrem research, and displacement experimentation.