Sadu

Kingdom Hearts: Heroes of Hope

@IAmTheIsland I completely hear and understand where you're saying. You're not overthinking. A lot of the beginning has been focused on planting seeds for the directions of each other's characters and admittedly there's been a lot of behind the scenes discussions rather than openly in the OOC and with this I understand why you wanted a discord because of how planning goes there.

This is on me. I said we're all GMs here but haven't been acting like it because I thought people wanted to keep things a surprise for their characters and for the players for when it happens, but I agree with @mattmanganon and I feel like it's better to have it all more openly discussed here so we know where the story's going. Do we all agree?

@King Kindred

Not quite sure that's what he meant, though he can chime in if I'm wrong. Think he's just saying that if you ever get stuck with where to go next on a post, that you can bring it up here so we can collectively help out on a way forward. Not that we should discuss every single story beat publicly and not let anything be a secret or a surprise, but rather that if anyone is having trouble integrating their character and the plans they have for them into the overall main plot of the story (Which is currently to travel to different worlds, seal the keyholds to keep darkness from coming through and destroying said worlds, and ultimately find out who is responsible for unleashing darkness on the worlds, (Which I'm pretty sure we publicly OOC all know is Xehanort)

Not to say some things can't be more public, but some things should stay a mystery even OOC until the time comes.

I know it can be hard to play a character who hasn't really reached the point yet where they have truly become the character you imagine them to be. Morgan has gone through changes since we started, I've changed things about her (Like how I practically dipped all of her ice stuff in favor of her being a White Mage) and, ultimately, (This might be a spoiler for anyone who cares about that sort of thing with her), she's not even the character I intend to be playing come a ways down the line. I mean when the RP first started she was very standoffish, didn't really seem to like anyone, and just kinda thought everyone was an idiot. But I've pretty much rewritten how she works as a character because that just wasn't very fun to write with.

But we still gotta figure out who they are in the now, and changes can be made to the characters if need be, we can retcon things if we want, just to make a character better and help them fit in and help them move forward, and become who you, the writer of that character, want them to be.

Morgan is a long ways off from what she's going to be come the end of KH1. But still gotta write her in the now, and work on getting her to that point through the experiences she has between now and then. Initially Morgan was a Black Mage capable of Ice and Fire magic, just not very in control of it. Now I have effectively gotten rid of her ability to use Black Mage spells, and she's just a White Mage. I did that because I didn't feel like being an Ice Witch really fit her character at all, given that she's a Princess who was trained by Merlin Himself. I had my reasons for it originally, but now I have pushed those ideas onto a different character who will serve an altogether different role.

The point of all this is to say... we can make changes. Don't feel locked into what you have gone with so far. I mean, we may be quite a few months into this RP, but let's face it we're still in the Tutorial. So now's as good a time as any to rewrite characters if we need to.

Kingdom Hearts: Heroes of Hope

Guys this is getting ridiculous.

I'm holding myself back, which is to say this is the nice version of this post I ended up writing... but we have been working on this collab for four and a half months now. A single boss fight... I last wrote in the collab on the 24th of June, nearly a full month ago. A single paragraph has been added since then, and the last post before mine was a further 20 days prior. That's averaging one person posting every 20-30 days.

I've kept quiet while we regularly say the collab is 'going well'... but it's literally not moving.

What are we doing? Because at this point, just KH1's plot is going to take literal YEARS to finish.

Long-Term with Khatun (18+, Seeking F)

Bump, especially looking for some LoL play.

Long-Term with Khatun (18+, Seeking F)

Bumping again as my weekend starts.

Long-Term with Khatun (18+, Seeking F)

Bumping. Looking for a long-term partner who enjoys the same thing as me, either for one RP or multiple. Can play over Discord.

World of Light: the Endless Now (The Ultimate Videogame Crossover)

【Ｃｅｌｉｃａ】

Level:
5
EXP:
20/50
Word Count:
774 (+2)
Location:
Snowdin

Celica was, at the very least, happy that Sandalphon was much better at dealing with the man than she would have been. She followed along as they were lead to a more normal section of the store, and shortly after left alone. She was looking through things, but easily distracted, as she turned to look into a bin filled to the top with red and white mushrooms. Well, some were red with white spots, some were white with red spots, and she couldn't help but wonder what the difference was. It wasn't until she was asked a question more directly that she stood up straight, and turned back to the row of clothes.

It took a bit of thinking for her to come up with an answer that her team leader would have said, based on all the experience she had.

"Well, in the world I come from, there isn't much use in blending into your environment, because the technology, and even the creatures, can typically see right through any sort of disguise, either with scene or thermal vision. But, this world is very different to mine. If it were Elma making the decision, I believe she would say that personal is not without importance, as looking one's best can be a great boost in confidence, and therefor morale. However, she would also say there must be a limit to such a thing, and that ultimately the practicality of the gear being worn must come before something such as color preference. In this case... perhaps it would be best to get the same for everyone, something chosen for its ability to blend in, rather than chosen for someone's color preference..."

She took a few of different sizes off their hooks, and held them up, all the same as the others, the only difference being they were solid white with no unique colors on them. "You can bypass the issue of everybody being picky on color, by only offering one single color to begin with. And the practicality of the outfit being camouflage is a good enough reason for white is chosen over any other color, so if anyone complains about it being white, they would be hard pressed to come up with an argument for why any other color should have been chosen considering the amount of snow out there. Even if it may be a bit hard for some of the group to blend in regardless, given their... eccentric nature, or sizes."

She then blinked up at Sandalphon, wondering if that answer was helpful or not, or if she would rather try and pick a unique color for each member of the team. She wasn't exactly sure how much they intended on blending in, or if they might need to not be seen at all.

Back on her world, avoiding threats altogether was the best method of survival, but that couldn't always happen. It was fairly normal to plan their routes to avoid entire areas that were a threat, just to reach an objective deeper inside an area. But when it came to directly confronting threats, once they were seen, there was rarely any turning back. The beasts of Mira were giant, and evolved to hunt and kill, able to spot them, and their machines, from a very long distance. And the Ganglion, their technology was easily capable of using thermal vision, among other sensors, to pick up all life around them, and pick out the ones they cared about from the ones they didn't. Not to mention much of their combat was done with giant machines, so it wasn't like they just painted the things the color of the grass and hoped for the best. They just took on threats head on, and she figured they might have to do the same with anything they came across here. But it was a different world, and maybe they could avoid being seen to begin with.

"Admittedly... I don't really know your intentions here fully. Whether you would like to blend in or be more up front about things. I mean, worst case we can suit everybody up in a bright yellow and see what happens." Maybe they could convince any potential threats they were just construction workers... There was another moment of thought, before she said "Or, if you want them to be personalized for each member, I could go find them and ask everybody what color they would prefer before we make our choices?" That would be cold, and possibly take some time, as she had no idea where everybody had run off to. But really, Celica just wanted to be useful.

World of Light: the Endless Now (The Ultimate Videogame Crossover)

【Ｃｅｌｉｃａ】

Level:
5
EXP:
18/50
Word Count:
1275 (+3)
Location:
Snowdin

Celica peeped out of the dropship into what she could only describe as a frozen wasteland... it looked like the inside of the barracks freezer and that was not a place she was excited about spending a lot of time. This was the first time she had ever experienced snow, but she had a mind of what to expect. It wasn't like she didn't know what something frozen was like. Someone had told her that snow was like everything was covered in white puffy sand, only instead of sand it was tiny grains of ice... they did not explain further about how it was not actually grains or any such thing, but it certainly seemed an apt description to her now that she was looking at it.

Stepping out finally, she felt her leg sink into the snow until it was buried up past her ankle. She had forgotten they said snow was also a lot less sturdy than snow, and easy to fall through. And now standing in a patch of deep snow, she could already feel the cold taking over. Her outfit was a weave of an advanced civilization's technology. It was meant to keep one comfortable from a cold misty morning into a hot summer day. This however was too much, and it was not able to keep up with such intense cold. Puffing her cheeks out, she rubbed her hands together and wrapped them around herself, all the while forgetting to actually pay attention to what the others were saying and doing.

It was only when one of Sectonia's Antlers appeared next to her giving her warmth, that she finally started paying attention, and right about the same time she heard the all for a volunteer to go looking for, clothes? Well if it meant getting out of this cold, and she would be one of the first to get properly dressed for all this, Celica waited to make sure nobody else more, qualified volunteered. But then, realizing it was shopping for clothes not something specialized like Skell Repair, after taking a moment to thank Sectonia for the help, she raised her hand with a little "I'll go with you to find clothing..."

And with that, the different groups split off to do their own things, having their own missions and exploration to do. And soon Celica was off with Sandalphon to the only place they could imagine might have what they. A place with a big bold sign... and a second sign nailed onto the first that read 'BIG SUMMER SALE'

MORSHU’S EMPORIUM — If you want it, I got it!… Probably.

The moment Celica pushed open the door, a bell clanged overhead—not a simple chime, but a full-on gong that resonated with absurd drama. Warmth covered her instantly, accompanied by a waft of smells both inviting and unidentifiable. The interior was a fever dream of cluttered wonder, and an absolute unidentifiable mess.

Shelves, stacked haphazardly to the ceiling, sagged under the weight of a thousand mismatched... things. One shelf was lined with all kinds of weapons, mostly blades, though some of them were very unique to say the least... Another shelf across from it was lined with an arrangement of firearms. None of them were loaded, but Celica took note of the range of weapons there were, from a Golden Pistol to a much more menacing Revolver. Not to mention some weapons that seemed much, much more... gruesome.

In the far corner stood a very cold-looking sword, and from it soft whispers could be heard giving anyone with enough sense reason to not even go near it. Nearby it was an odd blue turtle shell, with spikes and wings, with a sign that read 'Guaranteed to only ever target those better than you'.

Celica’s eyes were drawn to an entire motor-bike sitting on its own display, with a disclaimer sign near it reading: "Don't tell Shinra unless you want this town burned to the ground. You didn't see this here!" which was, needless to say, quite the bit of trust to put in random customers.

In a corner was a flickering fireplace, and hanging above it was a grouping of very odd masks. Celica could have sworn she saw the eyes of the one in the middle following her, but she turned her attention away quickly, pretending she had never seen the mask to begin with.

Just as Celica was about to comment on the place, a puff of smoke exploded from behind the main counter. From the cloud emerged a stumpy man with a twisting mustache, thick eyebrows, and a beaming face lined the widest grin imaginable. His round form bounced with every movement, and his voice rang out with practiced theater.

"Hmmmmmm... Customers! Ohhhh! Come to Morshu for warmth, have you?"

He leaned across the counter with wide, expectant eyes. Behind him on the wall, a display showing off a Broken Staff labeled 'STILL WORKS'. "You need... CLOTHES?" If nothing else, he was certainly able to discern exactly what someone was looking for without much thought... or maybe they truly just looked that cold. Even with the Antler following her, Celica could still feel the chill of the air from outside. A fireplace and a warm cabin weren't exactly as warm as she had hoped they would be. Maybe that was just life here in a frozen place like Snowdin.

Morshu grinned theatrically. "We have many options!" He pointed to a stand with a coat on it. Apparently the coat was on sale if bundled with one of the blades from the shelf Celica was looking at earlier. "So noble, so flammable—eh, flammable? I mean! Reliable!"

He continued to talk up what he had to offer, as he ran through everything he could think of. "I have coats made from dragon hide, yes! Capes woven from spectral wool, scarves that sing lullabies... very cozy, very hard to shut up!"

Morshu leaned in again, waggling his eyebrows. "Now then... what’s your budget?" He clasped his hands together with a sparkle in his eye. "Rupees? Rings? Credits? Golden bananas? I can work with whatever you have, just remember... No Refunds." He raised a hand to tap a wooden sign that read in bold red letters the very same he just said.

Celica let out a long sigh. She had hoped they would just have a simple winter section that didn't involve magic or anything over the top. None of this stuff seemed quite like what they were looking for. Everything seemed incredibly unique, special, but that probably wasn't what you were looking for to equip a whole group of people. And most of all, she doubted this man, with the way he acted, was willing to part with a large stock of outfits for any sort of reasonable price. But, she simply clasped her hands together, and looked to Sandalphon. She was the leader so, she would just keep quiet and let her do the talking... Celica was no good at talking to such eccentric people as this man.

She couldn't help but think back to the market in NLA. Things were more simple there. You had a weapon storefrone, an armor storefront, and everything else was very niche. But it was so simple to find what you needed. Most everything could be found through the terminals, you didn't have to deal with these shop owners who wanted to talk your ear off, and she didn't feel like she could really trust what this man was saying. Then again... he hadn't really said anything so far that could be taken as a lie, right? Except maybe that reliable part.

World of Light: the Endless Now (The Ultimate Videogame Crossover)

【Ｃｅｌｉｃａ】

Level:
5
EXP:
15/50
Word Count:
880 (+2)
Location:
The Avenger

Celica had one hectic night. She hadn't thought about a lot of things she likely should have as she explored the ship. It wasn't until she was approached by someone who looked exhausted, as if they were trying to track her down for hours... in fact, they had likely been tracking her through her last reported locations, and every time they got there, she'd already be gone. But she had finally been given the message that she was designated a bed in one of the rooms. Either it was chance, or perhaps someone in charge of such things saw her talking with Primrose earlier, but she would apparently be sharing a room with her. Which also meant she was taking the place of someone who had been recently lost, which didn't make her feel the best, but this wasn't exactly a luxury cruise... whatever that was.

Celica had stayed in the sick bay for one more night, to make sure she was ready for what was to effectively be an immediate deployment. But everything checked out, and she was released by the next morning, at least in time to attend the gathering where the upcoming plans were discussed, and she heard her name in the group that was going to the Frozen Highlands. Not the most welcoming of places by the sound of it, but she didn't have much experience with the cold... Mira was a pretty, warm planet all things considered. And the places she had called home in the past were equally normal in temperature. This would be her first time experiencing any sort of 'frozen' landscape. But, they had called for explorers and the like, and while she wasn't exactly an expert on the subject, she was technically a part of the Prospectors back home in the BLADE program. So, this was effectively, for all intents and purposes... her job.

Well, that wasn't the only thing that was her job, as she left the meeting to find out where her equipment had been taken, and was soon suited up with dual weapon holsters on her hips, which when it was time to head out, would be slotted with her Dual Automatic-Pistols which fortunately were energy weapons that ran on heatsinks, so she didn't need to carry any ammo with her. It was the last real remnant of her people's technology that she carried with her. And while they didn't look like much, they were impressively nasty weapons to be on the receiving end of.

Remembering Primrose had said she intended to be part of the group going to the Forbidden Kingdom, and of course hearing her name in the Gold Team, she decided to seek her out before the team left. She truly didn't have much to say, she didn't want to get too close to anyone. The way things had gone all her life, anyone she got to know would soon be a memory and before long she would be introducing herself all over again to new people, only for the cycle to repeat and repeat. Yet, a part of her truly did hope that all of this could be undone. The home she had found, it wasn't one she wanted to let become a memory.

When she found Primrose, she waited for an opportunity to speak with her, before approaching and crossing her arms behind her back, unsure how to start the conversation, and so she just did, rather bluntly.

"I wanted to thank you, for being one of the first to speak with me. There's one other I should probably thank as well, if I can find them. But I heard last night that I will be taking the vacant bed in your room. I'm happy it's with you at least, and I hope it's not intruding, as I know that, it only recently became vacant... but, I wish you luck on your mission, and hope to see you again once we're back here. After all, it would be rude to go and disappear before we even get our first night as roommates."

She gave her a smile, and a bow of her head, hoping that got across that she was only joking, and that all she really meant to say was that she hoped she came back from her mission in one piece. For her own part, she was worrying over the cold she was going to have to endure. It wouldn't be an issue in her Skell... it could handle any environment. The things could walk around in lava fields... but she had been informed that it would still be, quite some time before her Skell was operational again. Not only did they need to figure out HOW to fix it, but it was going to need entirely new parts, parts that Celica could not tell them how to create. After all, it was a human-made machine, using alien technology, and not her people's alien technology, but a completely different alien species... maybe if they were to meet some Ma-non, they could buy parts from them. With what she had learned about this world so far, who knew what might happen?

She couldn't stand their voices... but if nothing else, a Ma-non ship would be an incredibly welcome sight at this point.

Kingdom Hearts: Heroes of Hope

The eventual reveal like

Kingdom Hearts: Heroes of Hope

I'd say a summon could be whatever you want. It could give you a power up/transformation, a weapon, a mount, or show up and attack directly itself.

Like for example, Odin could grant someone his horse and sword, or Bahamut could rain swords from the sky without appearing directly (There's so many versions of Bahamut at this point...). Someone like Shiva is more of a direct, appear and act on her own, same with the Knights of the Round. They are summoned to attack as their own entity. But summons can work however you want once your character gains their power. And doesn't need to be bound to one way.

You could summon Odin's horse in one fight, and have Odin himself appear in the next. (Unless it's FF13 where... Odin IS the horse...)

Probably the main thing to think about is what each summon stands for. Like, for obvious reasons, I don't see anyone but my character being able to summon the Knights of the Round.

Someone like Titan is the embodiment of the sheer strength of the Earth itself. Garuda can embody wind and freedom. Ifrit... kinda tends to represent the fires of hatred and anger.

And yeah, it should at the very least take a lot more to earn the power of a higher summon. Like, gaining the more baser ones like Ifrit, Titan, and Garuda, would be a walk in the park compared to earning the power of Bahamut, Ultima, or Omega. And then there's just a wide range of power between them from something like the Moogle King up to Alexander.