Basically they function like mini operations that are tackled in collabs. You start with full mana and it gets restored before the next operation. Participation in hunts isn't mandatory, but it is a fun way to immerse your esper deeper into the world. Sometimes they can even have effects on the main operations. Both Dante and the Weretigers debuted in hunts before they ever showed up in operations. So you never know when you might have a run-in with the RP's future BBEG.
While they function a lot like operations, there are a few rules that govern how and when they can be participated in.
-During a single downtime segment, you may participate in one hunt.
-Hunts are always tackled with two espers. Both espers are preferably player characters, but an NPC will join you if necessary.
-Hunts have a difficulty to help illustrate how challenging they are for your esper.
Bronze: Super easy, barely an inconvenience. Silver: Some difficulty, may present a challenge. Gold: Reasonably challenging. Diamond: Very challenging, feels like some main operations. Challenger: May be impossible.
-If a hunt cannot be completed during downtime, it will be put on hold and resumed during the next downtime.
-As hunts are finished up, new ones will take their place.
And without further ado, the hunts:
Communal Beatdown
Description: The current mayor, Davis Gallo, is doing well at the polls. Though some have taken issue with his choice to cut funding to green earth projects and instead putting it towards the police force, infrastructure, and rebuilding the city. This upset someone enough to lay siege to the mayor’s office. They got the help of some “green espers” and even a few monsters. Apparently the mermaids and frog men are not okay with the level of carbon emissions in Pax. Defeat the instigator before things get even more out of hand.
Difficulty: Gold
Notes: Apparently, the instigator is a wiz with portals.
A google DOC that contains information on how to create glamors, melodies, as well as how other aspects of the RP works. It's a handbook for everything Symphony on High related!
A list of changes made to the DoCS from 4/11/2022 onward, part way through the original SoE RP.
I like women, cars, motorcycles, and pizza. I ain’t really about complicated ideas. Don’t think anyone is. Complicated people can’t know themselves very well. Thinkin’ that’s more how someone describes themself when they want to impress their date.
What about you, Time Keeper?
~Billy Black
We’re baaaaaaaaack…
Symphony on High (SoH) Is a sequel to my last RP Symphony of Espers (SoE) and shouldn’t be confused with Symphony on High School (SoHS). It’s a supernatural RP that takes inspiration from ”darker” superhero and magical girl IPs such as Madoka Magica, Yuki Yuna is a Hero, Invincible, Watchman, Kingdom Come, and several others. It deals with themes involving enduring failure to reach success, living with your choices, keep moving forward, etc.
You will play as an esper: a powerful wielder of a magical artifact that does battle with even more powerful monsters, other espers, and criminals. An espers is not some crusty old mage. They have peak human physical prowess, with some going beyond that.
The faction war rages on as GEMINI and Maverick Alternative continue to fight for control of Pax Septimus. But what’s really shaken things up is the discovery of a secret collective known as “The Hand,” which seems to be responsible for the earlier vampire attacks. It seems beneficial to both factions to call a truce, but can such a thing really last with such divided ideals? And what if there’s more to this than The Hand?
Act 1:
The two primary factions move into Pax Septimus. Gemini agents take back a police station and the Mavericks gain access to the Bastion. The Bastion being the underground labyrinth the Iron Queen used to run Pax Septimus from. Also there’s a vampire thrall and a guy that has the upper half of his head replaced with a cathode ray tube. There’s some weird shit going on.
Also some random esper encounters a girl once and she gets kidnapped by monsters. It kind of blows up on Shimr where it gets sensationalized to the point where they make her out to be his girlfriend. Cameras cover the kidnapping and it was vampires. Specifically, a magnificent bastard called Justin Von Carnage.
There’s also a massive monster called the Holy Diver that might stop by Pax Septimus, but nobody cares about that right now. Totally won’t be relevant later.
Act 2:
They know where Justin is hanging out but GEMINI is all “we got this, Freelancers.” They want that big win so that they can look like the heroes. Meanwhile, Maverick Alternative hires a bunch of freelancers so that they can storm the place at the same time as the GEMINI people. The idea being that letting the freelancers tag along would make the Mavericks look better than GEMINI. It kind of worked, only not really because they encountered each other while they were looking for Justin and a fight broke out between them. Justin escaped, kidnapped another waifu on his way out, so yea. It was a huge loss for everyone.
But Justin’s statue of himself wrestling a bull was destroyed, so even he had a reason to be mad.
Also he may have indirectly revealed that he was working for some group. Vampires just can’t shut the hell up.
Act 3:
This act was mostly filler. Erm, mostly stuff that related to the characters rather than the plot. Only relevant bit was the esper that (allegedly) killed the Iron Queen showed up. She’s nuts, but she was able to give the espers some clues as to what the Holy Diver is doing. Not out of the kindness of her heart, but because two espers hugged in front of her and it was super adorable.
Act 4:
It’s an epic fight with aunty knight, mommy swat member with dragon horns, Persona 5’s joker, a retro skintight outfit sci-fi girl, and one clockwork boy VS Justin Von Carnage, the two mind controlled waifus he abducted, a lisping poltergeist, and a giant black monk that can call down the seven plagues of Egypt. I almost can’t believe it happened.
But it did happen. It was a hard battle and not everyone survived. Least of all Justin and the Diver, but we also lost the dragon breacher. But there were a few weird things that happened at the end of the fight, but we’ll be covering them at the start of the RP. So don’t worry too much about that now.
SoH takes place in a fictional version of our world. While it looks mundane to most people, there are supernatural forces and energies that hide just out of sight. Monsters, espers, and everything in between often try to operate away from prying eyes. When things do go public, government cover ups and the public’s own desire to rationalize such events prevent it from escaping into the mainstream.
Espers are not born with their powers. They are drawn to areas that have a heavy concentration of mana. It is in these places that they will locate a grimoire; a magical artifact that lets them use glamours. These glamours are what give them special powers. They can change their appearance, fortify their strength, grant them weapons, let them use spells, and possibly other supernatural powers. It still isn't clear if espers are a result of a bloodline, a DNA mutation, or simply the grimoires themselves calling out to their chosen warrior.
As soon as an Esper picks up their grimoire, their lives are changed forever. The young can imitate their favorite characters, the old can return to a prime they never had, and all can become heroes. But more than that, they become members of the supernatural world.
The espers are the star of the show, and come from many walks of life. The rich, poor, young and old are all capable of becoming espers. Espers have to adjust their lives accordingly to make time for their new responsibilities. Most switch their jobs to monster hunting, but they still have connections to the mundane world. They must keep up appearances with their friends and family, spouses and children.
But espers aren’t alone. While espers are chosen by fate to wield great power, the magi have constructed their own artifacts to wield a different type of magic. These fellows are the ones more reminiscent of crusty old wizards.
On the less magical side, there are operators and suppliers that work to aid espers in a number of different ways. Espers may be the soldiers in the war against monsters, but they are backed by others who help maintain their equipment, training, quality of life, reputation, and a number of other conveniences.
Pax Septimus is a city located in North America somewhere in the middle of the east coast. During frontier era America there were many wealthy families who had moved in from England and Canada and lived there while the frontier continued to push into the west. With the harbor nearby, it became a hub for trade and still is today. It was a nasty place for slaves to live before the revolution, and during the 20-40's, more blood was shed when a mafia moved into the city. Pax Septimus is cursed; a city founded on blood.
Of course modern Pax Septimus does its best to not look that way. Its population density ranges well into the millions. The center of Pax is a bustling metropolis with a handful of skyscrapers, while the surrounding city is made up of much smaller buildings. There’s even a historic district where the art deco architecture has been maintained. Quite a few tourists stop by just to see it.
Sadly, like any densely populated area, there’s a fair bit of crime. The cursed city has yet to sate its appetite for blood.
Magic is a largely unknown thing. Magi have only recently been able to study it thanks to advancements in technology. There’s still so much they don’t know about it. What they have is an idea about magic called “memory theory.”
Memory theory states that mana is made in the brain while a human is alive and is released upon their death. There was some speculation that mana might have been proof that human souls exist, but this was later disproved when the levels of mana in people with forms of memory impairment made less mana over the course of their lives.
The more mana that’s in the atmosphere, the more likely it is for supernatural events to happen. This means more monsters, but also more espers to fight them. During the dark ages, there was barely enough mana to sustain more than a handful of espers at a time. But now with the world’s record population, there are espers wherever there are people.
Another odd thing about mana is that it can’t be consumed by anything but monsters. While an espers grimoire uses mana to activate, that mana is drawn in and expelled without actually being consumed. This is a bit of a problem, as it means that killing off monsters before they can feed enough prompts more and stronger monsters to show up. Yet letting them feed also increases the chance that they will cause a catastrophe and generate even more mana. Quite the conundrum.
Monsters are not a product of our world. They come from another dimension called the elemental chaos. It’s not clear if the elemental chaos is a single world or many. No one who has entered the elemental chaos has lived to tell the tale, and those few who have witnessed monsters enter our world have seen a glimpse of it through the portals they use. Burning glaciers, electrostatic smoke, and floating lava are all anomalies that have been observed. The more religious scholars believe the elemental chaos to be hell, or even heaven in some instances. Some have been able to glimpse more tranquil scenery. Floating islands and other pleasant, yet surreal vistas also make up the elemental chaos. Like with memory theory, there is still much to be learned.
Monsters feed on the ever growing supply of mana in this world. But this can be the start of a vicious cycle. While all humans release mana when they die, they release far more when they are feeling negative emotions. Like any good farmer, hungry monsters will cultivate their crop for a good harvest. These eldritch creatures remain hidden and spread despair. The less patient ones might be content to start a mass shooting by driving someone mad, while the more careful and methodical ones will hold out for something bigger. They are bearers of plagues, wars, and cataclysmic events.Some monsters are harmless, but no monster can get by without eating mana.
Monsters come in all shapes and sizes, from giant kaiju to small rodents. While some have a humanoid appearance, they are different enough to never be mistaken for one. While some use magic to take the appearance of humans, their true forms have oddly colored skin or are too big to be real. It’s not uncommon for them to have human level intelligence, but many monsters are little more than thralls or pets, willing to attack at their master’s command.
Perhaps the most disheartening thing about the monsters is their near immunity to physical harm. Not only that, but their attacks rip through the most advanced armors available. This is why espers are dispatched to deal with monsters, as they are one of the few things that are able to harm them and resist their attacks.
The danger a monster poses to the public is often indirect. A monster will seldom try to execute a group of people themselves. They will drive people mad, spread disease, but will rarely kill a human with their own hands.
A monster’s presence can also lead to gangs, cultists, and even the mafia showing up in an area. Crime rates tend to soar, as well as the presence of mania of the general populace. Sometimes it gets so bad that the local police force can’t handle it, and espers are asked to assist with the cleanup.
Unfortunately, there is no easy solution to the monster conundrum. Kill them, and the growing mana supply invites more monsters. Spare them, and invite despair into the world.
Should the world’s mana levels get too high, it could attract something to this world that even the espers aren’t equipped to fight: an eldritch horror.
All player espers in SoH serve one of the three main factions. Depending on who your esper serves depends on their view of the monster problem as well as who their allies are.
G.E.M.I.N.I. stands for “Government Esper and Monster Intelligence and Neutralization Initiative,” and is North America’s government run esper unit. It’s their job to slay monsters wherever they hide, as well as learn what they can about supernatural phenomenon. The US believes that the eradication of all monsters is the only sensible option, and that advancements in technology will eventually allow them to manage the growing mana problem. As you can imagine, there are a few rare exceptions to their “kill all monsters” rule. Monsters that show an interest in cooperating with the government and prove more beneficial than harmful are closely monitored instead of exterminated. They don’t get along with Maverick Alternative, and will attack espers that are known to be from that faction on sight.
GEMINI Agents tend to wear darker colors. Usually formal outfits, but sometimes something closer to a military uniform. Their clothing is neat and tidy, as their kind are trained and disciplined. Usually.
The head of the initiative isn’t known, but Veronica is an up and coming researcher who’s been put in direct control of all GEMINI agents operating in Pax Septimus. Espers working under her can expect to frequently go out of their way to eliminate monsters and collect samples for her research. Occasionally she will dispatch her assistant “Binky” to do work too fine for a normal esper’s hands. Provided she hadn’t been kidnapped.
Maverick Alternative has been labeled by the government as a terrorist organization, but they choose to view themselves as pragmatic heroes of the new age. They do not have faith in the government’s ideas, viewing GEMINI agents as bullies at best and murderers at worst. The mavericks choose the alternative route and try to spare as many monsters as they can. Monsters that choose to behave have to agree to some ground rules before they move into Maverick Alternative’s base. This doesn't make them idle pacifists. Even if they offer monsters another way, a great deal of them still choose a life of menacing humans. But even if they can’t reason with every monster, getting monsters to eat mana helps resolve the mana crisis now. More humans may suffer, but better than summoning an eldritch horror.
Mavericks dress like punks, rock stars, gypsies, and other social outcasts. If you feel like an esper would describe their clothing choice as “non-conformist” they are likely a Maverick. Hair gel, hair dye, motorcycles, and showing skin are also clear marks of Mavericks.
Heading Maverick Alternative is Billy Black, a larger than life man who’s always wearing a gas mask. He’s also a monster. Some view the espers he commands as misguided souls that have simply given into wicked magics, but the truth is that everyone who serves him does so willingly. Those who work for Billy can expect to go on “monster recruitment” missions and quell events that may or may not have been started by monsters. While monsters enjoy human suffering, some humans bring it upon those around them. Billy is also assisted by a few lieutenants: Esper fem fatales that can run operations on his behalf.
The Freelancers acknowledge the presence of the two other factions, but don’t participate in their feud. Their feelings about how to best deal with the mana problem are as varied as they are. Freelancers usually focus on keeping the mundane world in check, and only engage monsters if they are being a menace. They do not aim to anger either of the other two factions, as they might like to be hired by them at some point. Both GEMINI and Maverick Alternative put out bounties that any freelance esper with the “Shimr” app can take on.
There’s no wrong way to dress as a freelancer, though they do tend to avoid dressing up like other factions to avoid getting brutally murdered over a silly misunderstanding.
The freelancers have no leader, or rather their leader is the Shimr app. They ultimately decide who and what they’re going to do on their own. There are some ‘leaders’ in the freelance community, but they are more aspirations or rivals than anything else.
There isn’t enough information available to say much about this faction of monsters. They’re entrenched in Pax Septimus and have access to a lot of resources. They are believed to be responsible not only for the Holy Diver’s appearance in Pax, but the Iron Queen’s initial reign.
What espers do end up working for them are “Dark Web” espers: Freelance espers motivated by profit above all else. The despair their common man suffers at their hands matters not as long as they can wipe away the tears with their ill-gotten cash.
The only known member of the hand was Justin von Carnage, who was vanquished during the Holy Diver attack.
The Vatican has their own personal esper unit. While the strongest of their ranks protect the pope, they do occasionally send out “missionaries” to offer relief and spread the gospel. Their view on the monster issue is unique in that it bypasses any scientific attempt to look at the problem. Magic is simply the presence of miracles, and monsters are either angels or demons. The difference between the two is that angels have an “angelic” appearance and aren’t opposed to working with the Inquisition. Do be aware that some “angels” are more biblically accurate than others.
Espers of the cloth tend to look like priests, nuns, crusaders, and other such folks. Go figure.
The Inquisition considers itself a servant of god and the pope, but the one who really calls the shots is Raphiel the Righteous hearted. Anything that might pose a threat to his religion or the goodness of the world must be eradicated post haste.
The depraved are not a real faction. It is a title given to espers who are marked for death. They have done something so heinous that all the other factions want to kill them.
This usually works by making enemies of the government as well as the mavericks. Once they both put a bounty on your head, it’s only a matter of time before the freelancers are there to collect. Though upsetting the freelancers en masse can also have this effect. Once the freelancers are up in arms over whatever happened, GEMINI and Alternative will both be gunning for you to earn their favor.
Depraved do not live very long. The ones that do only survive because they have frightening powers or are very reclusive.
Every esper has a magical artifact called a grimoire. You can’t be an esper without one. Each one has 4 slots that can hold a glamor that can empart a special power.
All the details about what a grimoire can and can’t do can be found in the Doctrine of Combat Supremacy, but this offers a quick rundown of what each slot does.
This enables an esper to change their grimoire into a powerful weapon. Almost anything from a sword, to a bow, to a bazooka, even a chain whip. Regardless of what instrument is selected, each one has a situation it performs well in and not so well in. It is up to the esper to decide what type of instrument works best for them.
In addition to becoming sturdier than a normal human, an esper’s style can change their physical form. Some look just different enough to hide their true identities, while others experience far more radical transformations. All espers still have a human shape, but they can look pretty exotic. Some even age up or down!
Genre are what let espers cast spells called melodies. By stringing together magical notes, they can make highly customizable melodies for a variety of different situations.
Leitmotifs are something unique to each esper. They can take almost any shape. The sky’s the limit!
Are there other factions?
In Pax Septimus? Probably not. Other countries have their own esper agent programs, and there are other groups of monster sympathizers outside of Pax Septimus. But none of them really matter as they have no bearing on what's happening in Pax Septimus right now. The inquisition only gets a mention because Raphael the Righteous Hearted decided to come all the way from the Vatican to Pax, and he pretty much is his organization. If you'd like to play as another country's agent or a sympathizer that isn't MA, a freelancer would be a good faction to pick. Though most government agents and sympathizers have the same ideas about the mana problem. So you could also pick GEMINI if your agent is working with the local American forces, or MA if your sympathizer is working with a larger group to complete their goal.
Are we going to eventually visit other cities, countries, dimensions, realities, timelines, etc?
I thought about it, and probably not. It is fun to think about how the rest of the world works, but we’re going to have our hands full dealing with The Hand in Pax Septimus. There isn’t going to be time to explore the world unless The Hand decides to go on the run. But I don’t think globe trotting is really why any of us are here.
Is the "Doctrine of Combat Supremacy" required reading? It looks sorta big...
Most of what's written in the DoCs are examples for glamors as well as extensive descriptions of notes that you may or may not make use of. I think that it would be a good idea to read the entire thing at least once, but the most important things to read shouldn't take you very long.
I have a note idea, will you implement it?
If you have an idea for a note that helps Espers do something that seems reasonable, I may implement it. Do keep in mind though that notes can be combined into melodies for some fierce combinations, so I'm not looking for compound notes that are just a combination of other notes. There are also some things I refuse to put in the hands of espers, such as the ability to stop time or revive dead people.
If I do take a note idea, do be patient. It needs to be written to the DoCs in such a way that it is easily understood and can't be abused too badly. I also have GM posts to make and am constantly working on bettering things.
When does my character get stronger? Can I change my glamors/notes after character creation?
As the RP goes on and I become more confident in its systems, the player characters will be allowed to upgrade or swap out their glamors. Changing glamors prior to advancement is something I won't normally allow. You may swap out notes, provided your character is not out on a mission, in combat, or about to be in combat, and never without the approval of a GM. Ideally though, this will only be done if you don't like how a note behaves in character. Espers shouldn't really have a reason to swap out their notes between fights.
PvP?
The goal of the RP is to have espers fight for their cause, which is usually going to pit them against dangerous monsters, cults, the mafia, magi, and other such dangers. However, fights with other espers are also possible, as are fights with player espers. It is not the focus of the RP, but one of the reasons why some of the more complex systems for the RP exist is to establish fair play in PvP situations. In short: It’s possible, not what I’m aiming for, but it can happen.
~ Metagaming, godmodding, and the like are prohibited.
~ Keep OOC drama as low as possible. If you have an issue, try to settle it in PMs. Should you need the GM, I frequently log into discord and check my PMs daily. You’ll have a response within twenty-four hours most of the time.
~ If it's been a week since your last IC post without any word from you, the GM may take control of your character. They may not be there for you to take back if/when you return. To prevent this, please notify me if you won't be able to post for an extended period of time, or lose interest in the RP. Common courtesy.
~ You get one character. You don’t get another unless that one leaves the RP.
~ SoH deals with dark themes, but does so tastefully. Posts are expected to follow Guild guidelines. That means no gratuitous violence, and fade to black where appropriate.
I lied. The character sheet is almost identical to the old one. Returning players will just need to be aware of some changes made to the glamor grades we're starting with.
I'm not sure what everyone's schedule is like, but I'd like to start posting soon. Depending on how many character submissions we get and how quickly we get them, I'll likely drop the first IC post on the 14th or 21st, if not some time between there. So you have a week or so to get your character sheets up.
If you need more than a single example character, you can look at the Symphony of Esper's (SoE) character tab for a list of accepted characters. Just mind that they were created to different specifications.
So on my way home I was assaulted by some discord gremlins. I won't get into details, but the point is I'm okay and the RP can continue. But I'm also going to offer the option to take three silver and a bronze glamor if that vibes with you better. I'm pro gold-silver-two-bronze, but whatever keeps the gremlins at bay.
Olivia is a plain, somewhat underdeveloped young woman, standing 4’11” with dark hair, which is often worn in two braided ponytails that reach just past her shoulders. Her vision is pretty terrible, so she wears a pair of corrective lenses. She prefers to wear modest clothes, at least when she isn’t wearing her school uniform. As an Esper, her appearance drastically changes. She becomes a whole foot taller, her hair changes into a golden cascade that reaches past her waist, and her entire body becomes considerably more attractive, to the point that she could easily be mistaken for an elegant fashion model, or fairytale maiden.
GRIMIORE:
A pocket-sized ornate hardcover book, with the image of a rose on the front cover, composed of dozens of tiny, glittering blue jewels. It is usually safely stored in a small pocket dimension.
INSTRUMENT:N/A
STYLE:Ethereal Elegance
Olivia’s Style is an elaborate azure ball gown, bedecked with an array of flowers and shimmering stars.
GRADE: Silver PHYSICAL: E ARCANE: E CHAOS: E SPECIAL: Beguiling Beauty- In her transformed state, Olivia becomes stunningly attractive and elegant. Her disposition becomes far more serene and refined, and her normal, somewhat nasally, voice becomes melodious and sweet as honey. In this form, she is very distracting, easily capable of turning the heads of all who encounter her, even if only for a short while. In fact, such is the power of her beauty and charm, that she can even stay the hand of those who would seek to cause her harm, although anyone with sufficient willpower will swiftly overcome this beguilement.
GENRE:N/A
LEITMOTIF:Beastly Bodyguard
Olivia lacks a weapon or offensive abilities of any kind. Thus, if she wishes to survive the many dangers of Pax Septimus, she must seek the assistance of a very special friend…
GRADE: Challenger SPECIAL: While in her Esper form, Olivia is always accompanied by her beloved consort, Thyerg’Xolys, Master of Xhar’doth, a Challenger Grade Behemoth. Although mighty, Xolys is limited by the fact that he must remain within 50 feet (15 meters) of Olivia at all times.
BACKUP:N/A
PR: N/A
FACTION:
Freelancer/Unaffiliated
TRIVIA:
The youngest of five children, Olivia was always a bit…different. Unlike her attractive sisters and athletic brothers, she was scrawny, plain, and weak. She wore glasses, talked in an annoying, nasally voice, and was exceedingly inept when it came to any kind of social interaction. For as long as she could remember, she had been bullied and despised by nearly everyone, family and classmates alike. People shunned her. Of course, Olivia did her best to make friends, but her bizarre mannerisms always pushed people away, and her even more bizarre interests certainly didn’t help matters.
Always something of a bookworm, from an early age Olivia would often spend hours reading in a secluded spot in her town’s labyrinthian library. It was a way of escaping a world that didn’t seem to want her, and she would happily lose herself in one tale after another. However, Olivia’s tastes in stories tended to lean heavily towards the macabre, with Edgar Alan Poe and H.P. Lovecraft rapidly becoming her favorite authors. Her other interests were similarly odd, from a fascination with insects and cephalopods, to a love of the paranormal and the concept of visitors from other worlds, and even other universes.
One dark and stormy day, while she was searching the library’s seemingly endless maze of shelves for new reading material, Olivia came upon a previously unnoticed backroom. Stepping inside, she was presented with a small collection of old manuscripts, each with an ornate, gilded cover. All were beautiful works of art, but Olivia still found herself drawn to one tome above all the others. Its cover depicted the image of an ethereal rose, composed from dozens of tiny, glittering blue jewels. After staring spellbound for several minutes, Olivia finally opened the book, whereupon she was delighted to find that it contained an iteration of the legendary tale Beauty and the Beast. Olivia had never really been one for most fairy tales, but this particular story had always touched her heart in a particularly meaningful way.
Being a social outcast herself, she had long empathized with the lonely, reclusive Beast. And being fond of things others considered creepy or unnerving, she liked to think that, if she were placed in a similar situation as Beauty, she would happily accept the Beast for who he was. In fact, from her point of view, the Beast’s monstrous appearance only added to his attractiveness.
So it was that Olivia eagerly read through this newest incarnation of the old story, and as she turned each page, she found herself becoming increasingly enamored. Much like Olivia herself, this version’s Beauty was utterly despised by her family, more so than any other iteration of the character. In addition, the story soon took a dark and macabre twist, which seemed almost Lovecraftian in nature. This was particularly evident in the depiction of the Beast, who was now less of an animalistic being and more of an otherworldly eldritch horror. However, despite his terrifying appearance, the Beast was revealed to be quite polite and well-spoken. Indeed, so charming was he, and so endearingly nightmarish was his form, that Olivia found herself wishing that such a being would enter her friendless existence.
Upon reaching the tale’s conclusion, Olivia closed the book with a wistful sigh. There was no chance whatsoever that she would receive a happy ending to her own sad story like Beauty had, Olivia reflected, but at least she would now have the story itself to keep her company (and serve as inspiration for what promised to be countless fan fiction continuations). Resolving to return and reread the story every day, Olivia was about to leave, when she was startled by the sound of an inhuman screech. Still clutching the ornate tome in her slightly trembling hands, she cautiously made her way out of the small backroom, whereupon she was greeted by a truly horrifying sight.
There before her stood an enormous, demonic fusion of a centipede and a moth, which was in the process of kicking over bookshelves and devouring their contents. Perhaps unsurprisingly, it was the creature’s actions that bothered Olivia more than its appearance, as she actually found it quite fascinating to look at. However, as far as she was concerned, destroying precious, and perhaps even irreplaceable, books was the worst thing one could do, and she was not about to stand idly by while this monster continued to destroy her favorite place in town. Marching up to the creature with an uncanny lack of fear, Olivia demanded that it cease its consumption at once. At first, the scrawny girl’s indigent demands went completely ignored, but she soon gained the monster’s full attention, when it noticed the tome she was carrying.
Looming over the increasingly frightened girl, the creature was about to strike, when all at once, Olivia was enveloped by a whirlwind of mystic energy. Glittering rose petals swirled around her, while a kind and strong voice assured her that she had nothing to fear. The next instant, the whirlwind faded, and Olivia stood before the creature, completely transformed. The monstrosity itself seemed to be stunned by the shocking transformation, before its massive form drooped down in seeming deference to the etherial beauty Olivia had become. Pleasantly surprised by the creature’s changed demeanor, Olivia was about to examine it more closely, when a second creature, far more monstrous than the first, appeared and swiftly sliced it apart.
Understandably shocked by this turn of events, Olivia’s fears were calmed a moment later, when she again heard the voice that had spoken to her just before her transformation. It was coming from the sole remaining creature. The eldritch being introduced itself as Thyerg’Xolys, the very same Thyerg’Xolys that appeared in the tome she was holding when her transformation began. The tome was a Grimoire, Xolys explained, and a rare one at that. It had chosen her to become a Magical Girl and use the power bound within it to fight the Pageless, like the one she had just encountered.
Olivia couldn’t believe what she was hearing. It was like a dream come true. Not only would she be able to take on the role of a storybook heroine, she would finally have her first real friend (And such a handsome one, too!). Over the following weeks, she and Xolys would talk frequently, with Olivia often transforming simply to chat (and occasionally snuggle) with him. Indeed, the incongruous pair have grown rather fond of each other, something made quite obvious by their frequent displays of affection (which for some reason, others seem to find extremely disconcerting).
It was a little over a month after her first transformation that Olivia was approached by a representative of the Grand Ministry. They informed her that they were very interested in her… unique abilities, and offered her a scholarship to the prestigious Marrywell Academy. Honored by the representative’s clear admiration (or so she thought), Olivia eagerly accepted their offer and, soon enough, found herself at the gates of the renowned school. Overjoyed by the prospect of finding a place where she could at long last fit in, and perhaps even make some friends, Olivia couldn’t wait to begin her studies. As events transpired, she would meet many new friends and battle no small number of foes, until, one day, she found herself before the school’s mysterious guidance councilor, who presented her with an incredible opportunity- a single-student field trip to another universe! Unsurprisingly, Olivia jumped at the chance, and now finds herself in a world shockingly different from her own (for example, why does everyone keep calling her an Esper?). Still, with her beloved Xolys by her side, Olivia is determined to enjoy her new adventure to the fullest!
Olivia is a friendly, if socially awkward girl, who is always happy to chat about her many interests. The problem is, those interests tend to be rather bizarre, and the talkative, overzealous and highly energetic Olivia is almost always completely oblivious to that fact. Because of the near consent rejection and ridicule she’s experienced, she has started to become a bit more hesitant to open up to people. That said, showing even the slightest interest in one of her obsessions will open the proverbial floodgates once more, with Olivia happily babbling away for hours on end.
Due to her exceptionally poor social skills, she often inadvertently invades others’ personal space and, especially when excited about the topic of discussion, speaks in an incredibly rapid and louder-than-necessary voice, which most find both difficult to understand and highly annoying. Still, if one can look past all her quirks and eccentricities, they will find a loyal and caring friend. Indeed, Olivia doesn’t seem to have a single mean bone in her body, and all of her various bothersome mannerisms are completely unintentional on her part, leading the poor girl to frequently apologize for her offensive behavior.
Just kidding!
Sorry, Izu, I couldn't resist.
Here's my actual character-
NAME:
Ashley Avenir, The Knight of Tomorrow
AGE:
18
SEX:
Female
APPEARANCE:
Ashley is a fairly average-looking young woman, standing 5’3” with dark, shoulder-length hair. Her vision is pretty terrible, so she wears a pair of corrective lenses. In her normal form, she prefers to wear comfortable, unassuming clothes, with a particular emphasis on baggy hoodies and jackets. At least, when she’s not wearing her GEMINI uniform, of course. As an Esper, her appearance doesn’t change too drastically, becoming just a little more mature and developed. In particular, her hair lengthens, reaching down to her lower back. It also takes on a slight bluish color.
GRIMIORE:
A small, emerald sphere, which seems to glow with an inner light. Ashley has made it into a necklace.
INSTRUMENT:Implements of Tomorrow
As an Esper, Ashley is armed with a futuristic wand and an energy shield. The wand is tipped by what looks like an ultra-tech tuning fork, between the neon green prongs of which rests Ashley’s Grimoire, now grown to over twice its original size. The wand’s iPod-white body is etched with what appears to be neon green circuitry, punctuated intermittently by several glowing spheres, inlaid at seemingly random points. It is 12 inches long, with a 5 inch grip. Her shield, worn on her left arm, is seemingly composed of semi-transparent green energy, upon which is emblazoned the GEMINI insignia. Upon closer inspection, a hexagonal pattern can be found lightly imprinted upon it, which grows more pronounced when the shield is struck by something. It is 30 inches in diameter. In addition, all the luminous parts of Ashley’s Instrument glow much brighter whenever she fires it, or when she charges up a melody.
GRADE: Silver KEYWORD: Wand, Shield DAMAGE TYPE: Arcane DAMAGE: B SPEED: E SENTINEL: C SPECIAL: Tune of Tomorrow- In addition to the somewhat stereotypical sci-fi sounds her Instrument emits whenever Ashley fires it, or employs it to direct a melody, the techno-wand’s glowing, tuning fork-like prongs are also capable of generating the precise harmonic frequency necessary to bypass even the strongest defenses. When firing a bolt from her Instrument, the target’s Defense is reduced by one rank if it is higher than her Instrument’s Damage. Melodies directed by the Instrument do not benefit from this effect.
STYLE:Raiment of Tomorrow
Ashley’s Style is a futuristic outfit which consists of a skin-tight bodysuit, along with matching gloves, boots, and visor/headset, all of which are adorned with a variety of semi-transparent, ultra-tech accessories. As with their similar counterparts on her Instrument, these also appear to emit a soft, neon green glow, which significantly intensifies whenever Ashley employs a melody.
GRADE: Silver PHYSICAL: E ARCANE: C CHAOS: B SPECIAL: Stride of Tomorrow- Ashley’s highly impractical footwear are equipped with a pair of miniature gravity manipulation field generators. In addition to allowing her to walk like a normal person, they are also capable of temporarily increasing the gravity directly beneath her feet, thus permitting her to remain standing even in situations where her footing/balance would normally be compromised.
GENRE:Light of Tomorrow
The manifestation of the shining promise of a bright future, Ashley’s Genre allows her to harness all manner of cosmic and metaphysical energies to bestow a variety of beneficial effects upon her allies and an array of far more harmful effects upon her enemies.
GRADE: Silver ELEMENT: Light NOTES: [Reveal (2), Purity (4)], Damage (2), Damage X (6), Shield (4), Reflect (4), Heal (6), Major Heal (18), AoE (2), Powerful (0), Piercing (2) SPECIAL: Power of Tomorrow- Such is the raw, potential energy Ashley has access to, that if the Powerful note is included when casting a melody, she can choose to “Charge” it up beyond the note’s normal limitations. If she does this, the melody’s effects are increased by two ranks, instead of the usual one, at the cost of delaying the melody from being cast until the very end of the next post cycle.
LEITMOTIF:Vision of Tomorrow
Although her glowing, green visor may at some, ahem, future time provide such helpful features as a Heads up Display, Magnification, Infra Red Detection, and even X-Ray Vision, for now, it merely incorporates the prescription from her mundane corrective lenses.
GRADE: Bronze SPECIAL: While wearing her visor, Ashley has perfect 20/20 vision.
BACKUP:PRO-TEK 4000 Defensive Surgery Implement
Ashley received this autonomous, anti-gravity buzzsaw from Binky as protection against opponents wishing to engage her in melee. It is stored in a compacted form within a chamber on her right gauntlet. She deployed it for the first time during the battle against Justin and The Diver. It performed well, but with Binky currently MIA, it has yet to be replaced.
[Bronze Self][Dynamo][Damage X][Piercing] GRADE: Bronze SPECIAL: In an effort to keep with Ashley’s theme, Binky modified the buzzsaw to glow with a neon green radiance.
PR: Kevlar Coat, Kevlar Padding, Medical Supplies, Taser, Clip Light
To increase her survivability outside of the esper state, G.E.M.I.N.I. techs have modified Ashley’s hoodie to be as durable as a Kevlar vest, and then some. She’s also requisitioned a small Clip Light, in case she needs to explore darkened areas while untransformed, a Medical Pack equipped with Arcane Reactive Bandages, and a tazer for added protection.
GRADE: Silver SPECIAL: The effect of healing notes is increased by one rank on wounds bound with Arcane Reactive Bandages. Also, the beam of Ashley’s Clip Light has a faint green hue.
FACTION:
GEMNI Agents
TRIVIA:
A kindhearted and intelligent girl, Ashley excelled in all her classes and was always eager to help tutor her classmates, often staying several hours after school to assist every student who sought her aid. Needless to say, her generosity, coupled with her exceptionally positive and encouraging demeanor, gained her no small number of friends. Thus, when Ashley graduated valedictorian at the end of her senior year, she found herself presented with a myriad of gifts as her friends expressed their gratitude for all the help she had provided them. The humble girl was utterly speechless at this gesture, and it took several seconds for her to recover from her shock, before she began tearfully thanking each friend in turn. However, her joy quickly turned to horror, as the graduation party’s festive atmosphere was rent asunder by the violent arrival of a tentacled monstrosity. Crashing through a wall, the twisted creature swiftly set about attacking nearby students and faculty, grasping them with its slimy tendrils and dragging them inexorably towards its toothy maw.
The next instant, time seemed to stand still, as a terrified Ashley beheld the frozen tableaux before her. Even as her mind struggled to comprehend what she was seeing, even as she desperately tried to think of some way to help her friends and teachers, Ashley’s gaze was drawn to the present-covered table directly in front of her, upon which sat a single unopened, and before now, unnoticed gift. It was a small, white box, an innocuous little thing, and one that shouldn’t have been spared a second thought in such a situation as Ashley currently found herself. Yet, the girl felt drawn to it somehow, as if whatever the package contained could help her save everyone from the horrific monster that was even now poised to devour one of her dearest friends. Opening the package, Ashley found a green, spherical gemstone. It seemed to glow with an inner light, and when she pulled it from the box, that glow expanded into a blinding flash, which consumed the world around her. Ashley felt herself being flooded with power, and, for a brief moment, she glimpsed a vision of a utopian future, a technological paradise free of pain, suffering, and despair. A future she was somehow destined to bring about… An instant later, she once more found herself in her school’s cafetorium, face to face with the horrific monstrosity. She was wearing a highly unusual outfit, and wielding an equally unusual weapon, but Ashley was only dimly aware of such oddities. A far more pressing concern was that time had resumed its normal pace and her friends were still in great danger. Now, however, she had the power to save them and the knowledge to use it.
In short order, Ashley freed each of her friends from the monster’s clutches, before annihilating the creature with a blast of emerald energy. No sooner had she done so, then she reverted to her mundane self, the strange, softly glowing sphere that had caused her remarkable transformation now resting in the palm of her hand. Although everyone was quite shaken up, no one had been seriously hurt, much to Ashley’s relief. She had just begun helping to clean up the mess, when a team of government agents arrived. After debriefing Ashley on what had happened and answering the confused girl’s questions as best as they were able, they offered the new Esper the opportunity to become a member of GEMINI. Doing so would provide her with the training to better understand and utilize her impressive new abilities, as well as the opportunity to employ them for the betterment of humanity, in particular, by ridding the world of monsters like the one she had just defeated. Always one to help others, Ashley eagerly accepted the agent’s offer, firmly convinced that this was the path that would allow her to bring about the bright future she had envisioned.
After several months of intensive training, Ashley was informed that she was being assigned to GEMINI’s recently established Pax Septimus unit, under the command of Dr. Moller. While the young Esper was initially thrilled to be working under such a renowned scientist, her opinion of Dr. Moller swiftly soured after realizing just how dangerously eccentric and flippantly sociopathic the woman could be. However, despite these feelings, and the recent string of highly traumatic experiences she’s suffered through, Ashley continues to hold to fast to her belief that she can be a source of hope for the people of Pax Septimus, one that can light the way to a brighter tomorrow.
Ashley is a kind, gentle, and highly optimistic young woman who always tries to look on the bright side of things. Never hesitating to put others before herself, she is quick to help those in need and is only too eager to offer guidance and encouragement, especially to her fellow agents. Her kindness should not be mistaken for weakness, however, as she is equally quick to defend those in danger and is merciless towards those who prey upon the defenseless, especially monsters. As far as she is concerned, the monster thereat is the primary obstacle to bringing about a bright future for humanity, and so she feels their utter eradication should be her top priority. Ashley views Espers aligned with Maverick Alternative as brainwashed victims at best and diabolical traitors to humanity at worst. She may not try to kill them on sight, like most other agents, but she will still seek to thwart their operations at every opportunity.
18 | Female | GEMINI | Vision of Tomorrow Implements of Tomorrow | Wand, Shield | Arcane | Tune of Tomorrow Raiment of Tomorrow | Stride of Tomorrow Light of Tomorrow | Light | Power of Tomorrow [Reveal (2), Purity (4)], Damage (2), Damage X (6), Shield (4), Reflect (4), Heal (6), Major Heal (18), AoE (2), Powerful (0), Piercing (2)
Marrie stands at 5 foot 6 inches, though with her slouch she appears slightly shorter, with a toned but not overly muscled physique. Her black hair is almost always styled into twin tails but would go to her shoulder blades if left down. Her eyes are brown and usually partially closed in boredom. She has no scars or blemishes on her, except for a birthmark on her right hip that manifests as a small splotch of brown skin. She is usually seen wearing headphones around her neck if not on her ears.
Marrie's esper form changes her hair to blue and her eyes to an aqua color. She gains a blue track shirt and black skirt, as well as black stockings. Unlike her normal form, in this form she gains headphones that can't be removed, (and luckily do not hinder her hearing) and small markings in blue on her cheeks. Her birthmark disappears when in this form.
GRIMIORE:
An azure shark tooth necklace. The shark tooth is serrated on the inner side.
INSTRUMENT:
Apexer Predator A large knife with an 8 inch blade and a 4 inch grip. The blade shines with polished luster. The hilt is simply an extension of the blade; the entire thing seems to be made of a single piece of metal that was carved into a dagger shape as if it were from a piece of wood. The handle has small bumps on the sides that the palm touch that are not unlike those used for braille, though they are seemingly randomly placed. The front and back of the hilt are curved to better fit in a person's hand, and have small indents where the wielder's fingers would rest. The back of the blade is covered in smaller "blades," each is half of a right angle triangle of metal that has a bottom that is flat and sharpened, making a row of teeth that point their fangs towards the tip. These look not unlike shark fins, facing upwards. The top of the front of the blade is slightly serrated, and the blade curves inwards slightly just before reaching the guard, before curving back out into it. The guard is much duller than the rest of the knife, though it seems to be made from the same piece of metal as the rest. It extends 1.5 inches from the grip and curves slightly down towards the hand on the front and up towards the blade on the back. There is a marking of a moon engraved on the right side and a marking of the sun engraved on the left side of the guard. At the bottom of the hilt is a small ring, about 1.25 inches in diameter that spins independently of the rest of the knife, the only part that isn't from the same piece of material.
Apexer Predator has evolved a long string of tiny chains that are extremely dull metal and run from the pommel ring to a ring on Marrie's right middle finger. This ring is also connected to a bracelet that's tightly fit around her right wrist which a second chain connects past her fingers to the first chain. While the chains that connect to the dagger are incredibly dull in luster, the chain between her bracelet and ring is just as brilliant as the dagger's blade. The chains can retract to bind themselves around the bracelet in order to pull the dagger back to Marrie, or extend to a maximum length of 16.5 feet (three times her height) to be used as a ranged weapon. The weapon's retraction and extension is very fast when going to it's minimum and maximum lengths, and somewhat slower to get to in-between lengths. The chains, while very small in terms of the size of the links, are as sturdy as the rest of the Esper's weapon.
GRADE: Silver KEYWORD: Dagger DAMAGE TYPE: Physical DAMAGE: C SPEED: D SENTINEL: C SPECIAL: Heavenly Chain. Its blade is very good at reflecting light and the ring that is its pommel can spin freely. The chain that connects it to Marrie's finger and wrist can extract and extend very quickly.
STYLE:
Wind-Carved Glacier Marrie gains a winter aesthetic and small pieces of armor that look made of ice on her cheeks.
GRADE: Bronze PHYSICAL: E ARCANE: D CHAOS: C SPECIAL: Masking. The "armor" on her cheeks can be targeted by spells for defensive purposes. Otherwise it's entirely cosmetic.
GENRE:
Step of the Monsoon A floaty genre that's all about self-preservation, with a powerful storm of attacks when cornered.
GRADE: Gold ELEMENT: Wind NOTES: [Storm (4), Flight (6)] Damage (2), Damage X (6), Slow Fall (4), Blink (4), Transplace (8), Magic Sense (6), Heal (16), Stabilize (0), Portal (8), Rain (2), Bounce (0), If Foe (0) SPECIAL: Riding the Currents. Her notes have a cold and warm version in addition to their standard versions, where the cold costs 2 additional mana and increases SENTINAL by 1 Rank, while the warm costs 2 additional mana and increases the Rank of the note by 1. As of becoming Gold Rank, Marrie's notes now have a third version, known as "tempest" version. Tempest Notes act as "Bend," allowing notes to be cast from a source of wind at a flat cost of 2 mana.
LEITMOTIF:
Misty Steps The ideal of walking with the wind.
GRADE: Bronze SPECIAL: The lower parts of her legs are intangible to physical objects other than the ground and invisible, giving her the appearance of someone floating where she stands. This encompasses about the lowest third of her calves and her feet. Falls where she "lands on her feet" are slightly softened.
PR:
GRADE: Silver Special (Gunstock): The pistol has a shoulder brace for more accurate shots. It has sentinel D when fired stationary and with both hands. 150 Credits Pistol (80) Kevlar Coat (60) Tungsten Rod (10)
BACKUP:
After You Get Smacked Up : Bronze Self - Powerful - Enhance - Heal A small bracelet from Stacy.
FACTION:
Freelancers
TRIVIA:
Marrie affectionally refers to herself as a "computer artist," though her meaning behind this is somewhat different than the common meaning. Fresh out of highschool, she found herself chasing both her dreams concurrently: programming and art of every kind. Even the makings of computers fascinate her, though not as much as the software that they run. She is a master of drawing with a mouse, though she's far better with a stylus or a pen, and her typing speed is around 65 wpm which, considering that she often overwrites her fiction and code alike, is a perfect fit. She tends towards comics and manga, liking that she can both write and draw for the medium rather than having to choose one or the other, and especially towards stories heavily involving high-tech. She's also highly interested, though not at all trained, in music to the point that she is almost always listening to some song or another on her headphones, even when it's not appropriate to do so.
Having grown up in the capitol of her state, Marrie is no stranger to cities, but lived her life introvertedly until recently so she has few social skills. It was on a trip to Myrtle Beach, SC that her confidence began growing. A popular vacation spot, she was dragged along by her single mother to the coast of the Atlantic Ocean where she bought a necklace that she thought was among the coolest she'd ever seen. And it was, in fact, the coolest necklace she'd ever seen, because it turned out to be a grimoire. An azure shark tooth, in her hands it became an exquisite knife and the instrument of her change in form and, more subtly and over a longer period of time, her personality as well. This acquisition was only last year as the trip was to celebrate her soon-to-be graduation. It was this not so simple event that broke her from her shell and gave her the mindset to live on her own. Unfortunately, she was in no financial position to do so, given that she'd never had a job and her mother was barely making enough for them to get by together with decent living conditions.
It was a chance encounter back near her home when she was practicing her esper powers that gave her a chance to really grow. She had been testing her flight note when she was approached by a fellow esper who, after a long conversation, informed her about Shimr. From there it was a simple matter of following the money that led to her moving to Pax Septimus around a week ago (as of the start of Symphony of Espers).
Marrie believes that there are monsters who are good and monsters who are bad, but that both GEMINI and the Mavericks are simultaneously correct and incorrect. She believes that there should be an agreement between humanity and monster-kind that works best for both groups, but she doesn't quite know what that would entail. It's not right to sacrifice anyone, human or monster, who isn't a threat to others for the sake of anyone else. This simple idea means that GEMINI is not correct to destroy all monsters, nor is Maverick correct to tribute some humans for immediate results. Her time in Pax has only confused her ideals, and she no longer knows for certain what to believe, or why she bothers fighting. She can only hope that more time can straighten things out for her.
@The World I talked it over with Majoraa. We think tempest is situational enough that you can just have it so that tempest lets you include bend without any additional costs. Alternatively, Majoraa and I noticed you were going for "self-preservation, with a powerful storm of attacks when cornered" and thought we'd suggest something like an ability to briefly become incorporeal or blink a super short distance while casting a melody. But if you like what you've created, you can change the mana cost for tempest and move Gara Gura Marrie into the character tab.
@The World I talked it over with Majoraa. We think tempest is situational enough that you can just have it so that tempest lets you include bend without any additional costs. Alternatively, Majoraa and I noticed you were going for "self-preservation, with a powerful storm of attacks when cornered" and thought we'd suggest something like an ability to briefly become incorporeal or blink a super short distance while casting a melody. But if you like what you've created, you can change the mana cost for tempest and move Gara Gura Marrie into the character tab.
Figured a possible Trump Card, at the very least a window of opportunity to reach a better vantage point could be more interesting for possible strategies in fights.
But hey, if it doesn't tickle your fancy, I ain't gonna push. :P
Are there other factions?
In Pax Septimus? Probably not. Other countries have their own esper agent programs, and there are other groups of monster sympathizers outside of Pax Septimus. But none of them really matter as they have no bearing on what's happening in Pax Septimus right now. The inquisition only gets a mention because Raphael the Righteous Hearted decided to come all the way from the Vatican to Pax, and he pretty much is his organization. If you'd like to play as another country's agent or a sympathizer that isn't MA, a freelancer would be a good faction to pick. Though most government agents and sympathizers have the same ideas about the mana problem. So you could also pick GEMINI if your agent is working with the local American forces, or MA if your sympathizer is working with a larger group to complete their goal.
