This will be an anime-esque roleplay
I will try to keep this short and sweet. This will be a very rough summarization of this idea in my head, as I will only be outlining the basics:

-some cultures believe that butterflies are heavenly messengers or spirit guardians. This serves as the base of my idea. Most people wouldn't stop and take the time acknowledge a butterfly crossing their path and those that do only admire its beauty, but for a moment. This story will be about the few that found something entrancing, and magical, about a certain butterfly. They follow the butterfly, wherever it may lead. Eventually, when you arrive at your destination (usually somewhere secluded. Whether it be the middle of a forest, by a lake, or whatever), the butterfly will transform and reveal your spirit guardian. Nobody can explain the selection process, but there is something special about you and you have just awoken your guardian.

-A spirit guardian can manifest itself in many forms. Whether it be human, animal, a combination of both or something seemingly out of this world. Each guardian is equipped with a set of abilities, but they can only be used through the activation of soul link. Which would merge the spirit of the guardian with that of the user. This not only grants the user access to the guardians abilities, but also (since their spirits are linked and all) transforms them in a way that's influenced by the guardian. The transformation could be as minor as carrying over a few minor traits (such as a change in hair/eye/skin color) or as major as the user almost taking full-form of the guardian. You guys get creative with it.

-There will be 3 "classes" of guardians. This will determine not only how they fight, but where they excell.


-Each guardian will be granted the use of magic, which can be indentified identified by the color of the butterfly.


-Our characters will be of high school age

-This story will take place in modern-day Japan, where our characters will be housed/educated in a secret government-funded facility.

-Students at the facility do not have to come from Japan. Through years of study the "Head Master", we will say, is capable of locating the activation of spirit guardians. Think of something like Professor X using Cerebro to locate/keep track of mutants.

-It should go without saying that for every yin there is a yang... or some mumbojumbo like that. So, if the guardians that at our characters side are "good spirits", there are "evil spirits" out in there that we will have to combat. Though, that's all I'm willing to reveal to you guys for the sake of keeping the element of surprise ^_^. There is much more going on in my head then just that though.

ALRIGHT! Finally it comes to an end. I know I said I'd try to keep it short and sweet, but I think I've done just the opposite. I hope this helps you guys understand the gist of things. If not, please feel free to ask questions and I will be happy to provide the best answer I can!

Could be interesting

I'll voice my interest :) Hi!

Interesting premise. Gonna keep an eye on this here thing.

SUPER INTERESTED! Are the butterflies supposed to be actual species?

Thank you all for expressing your interest. I know the post was a little rough, so don't hesitate to ask questions if you got em! :)

@RaeoftheLight I'm not sure if species is the term i would use, but i suppose it could be used for a lack of better terms. They are spirit beings, specifically meant for each individual character. Our characters were destined to cross paths with their guardian and chose a new path when they decided to follow the butterfly. Hmmm.... Just think about how a Zanpakto in Bleach is actually it's own entity or maybe how in Shaman King they form a pact with ghosts (or yokai, whichever you prefer) that share similar interests/goals and the ghost lends the shaman their power. Things like that, but in this case the spirits appear as butterflies.

I hope you can make sense of that

Okay, I guess I was just curious appearance wise :)

@RaeoftheLightIf we are talking strictly appearance, then they have two forms
1) The butterfly
2) The spirits true form. Whether it be humanoid, animal, half-breed or otherwise

Like this! It's only limited to your imagination ;)

Okay! I will keep my eyes peeled for this~

so...just out of curiosity
we would be paying both spirit and the person right?

@BlackPanther That's correct. I wouldn't want to divide the two and limit your characters options for a guardian to ones that you may not necessarily want

makes sense
i have an idea for a character duo so id say I'm interested :)

Awesome! I can't wait to see them :)

@Inkd Bull
oh another question...are the spirits out of the person's body or are they in their head?

i guess I'm asking if they can be seen

@BlackPanther Only people that have a guardian will be able to see other guardians. Otherwise, if they were flying around as a butterfly, a normal person wouldn't suspect anything more than a butterfly. At least that's how i imagine it to be in my head. Unless you guys think it'd just be easier if ONLY people with guardians can see them in butterfly or their true form. Feel free to make suggestions :)

Interested!

@Inkd Bull
I think it'd be cool if those with guardians could see each other's guardians
And normal people saw butterflies

This may be an odd train of thought, but would it conflict with your idea of how everything is going to be played out if a character is not on good terms with their guardian? I'm thinking of a "this thing is haunting me" kind of relationship.

Also, based on this statement:

@BlackPanther Only people that have a guardian will be able to see other guardians. Otherwise, if they were flying around as a butterfly, a normal person wouldn't suspect anything more than a butterfly.

Would it be possible that other "guarded" humans could see a guardian in a non-butterfly form while it's true form is actually different? For example, have the guardian seem like a human being to the other special people while it's actually a yeti monster thing?

Also, are all guardians going to be "allied", or is it possible for conflicts of interest to arise between the different player-controled parties? Maybe even between a guardian and its associated human?

@Traitor Hmmm... To be honest, your first question is kind of a tough one to answer lol. First of all, a guardian will only reveal itself to the person it is meant for, should said person follow the butterfly to desired location. Until it's revealed to you, you won't even know that it's actually your guardian spirit. Like everyone else, it would only appear as a normal butterfly. Even before it's activation, it's not one of those "this thing has been following me everywhere I go, every single day" kind of thing, but more like it may have crossed your path once, twice, or maybe three times before in the past. You just never really paid much attention to it before, it's just a butterfly. You don't know it's calling out to you. Though something changes this next time around. You get a strange vibe, something compels you to follow this butterfly. Then after it's revealed itself to you, the guardian would likely tell you (as i'm sure we would all have questions that need answering) what it is, it's purpose for revealing itself to you, it's abilites, etc. I would find it hard to believe, as all that info is readily available, that one would find their guardian to be "haunting" them. Also if your character thought that their guardian was haunting them, wouldn't they be reluctant to enter a soul link? Without the soul link it'd basically render the character and guardian useless. Other than that, I'm not really sure how else to answer the question :/ I hope this made sense.

2)Can a guardian conceal their true form with another form? Right now I'm going to have to say no, unless the guardian uses illusion magic. Reason being that it serves no purpose if somebody knows the true appearance of the guardian. Again with the Bleach comparison o.o For example; just because another soul reaper may know what Ichigo's Zangetsu looks like doesn't mean that they will have the upper-hand in anyway.

3)No, not all guardians/ "guarded" humans have to get along. We are all different, including guardians, everybody has different ideals and personalities. Simply put, Wolverine doesn't always get along with certain other X-Men just because they are all X-Men. As for conflicts between a guardian and human? Sure, I don't see why not. I'm not saying every guardian has to be the perfect match for the human they are paired with. Feel free to spice things up. Just as long as you're aware, as mentioned earlier, that without the soul link the character and guardian will pretty much be useless in battle. So at some point there has to be that mutual understanding that "Ok... I don't like this person, but if I want to help we're going to have to work together"

I would also like to add, for everybody, that while I do have a good idea of what all is going into the roleplay... it's still just that, an idea. So if you guys have any suggestions on what we can change to make the rp that much more awesome or things that we can add. This idea can be subject to change, so throw down any thoughts for discussion. As long as it's all within reason and we can come to terms it may make it in. I want everybody to enjoy this :)