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Crystal spikes from the sky rained upon Earth. Civilization, nature, or sea, it didn't matter the target. Cities were fractured, continents split, and the tide thrust itself upon the land. The world as we knew it, with all of its joys and imperfections, vanished that day.
Humanity would try to rebuild. That's what it had always done in the face of destruction. However, something stopped them. The spikes that had pierced the Earth had brought a gift alongside their arrival. Giants of steel awoke from their dormancy. They emerged from the canyons and fractures created by the spikes. They crushed humans like ants. The weapons humans were so proud of did little to even scratch the metal that the beasts were comprised of.
So mankind escaped. With as many survivors as possible, man took to the Moon. With them, they took their dreams of home. They would reclaim Earth.
Of course, space was not as prosperous as Earth. Trivial matters became processes and the long-term effects of space faring were beginning to become apparent. To find a solution, man looked back to their home. From the remains of the beasts that had destroyed their home, man found a path. One that would allow them to fight back against the invaders that took their home.
Knights.
Humanity would try to rebuild. That's what it had always done in the face of destruction. However, something stopped them. The spikes that had pierced the Earth had brought a gift alongside their arrival. Giants of steel awoke from their dormancy. They emerged from the canyons and fractures created by the spikes. They crushed humans like ants. The weapons humans were so proud of did little to even scratch the metal that the beasts were comprised of.
So mankind escaped. With as many survivors as possible, man took to the Moon. With them, they took their dreams of home. They would reclaim Earth.
Of course, space was not as prosperous as Earth. Trivial matters became processes and the long-term effects of space faring were beginning to become apparent. To find a solution, man looked back to their home. From the remains of the beasts that had destroyed their home, man found a path. One that would allow them to fight back against the invaders that took their home.
Knights.
World
The academy serves as the primary training area for pilots.
Rather than an application system, megacorps sponsor pilots to be trained. Thus, trainees are also political tools used by megacorps. Rather than training to reclaim the Earth or collect resources to sustain the colonies, trainees are closer to test pilots for megacorps to acquire military contracts for their experimental designs.
Usually, pilots are trained from 16 to 20. It's common for a trainee to be deployed in actual combat missions. Depending on one's performance, one is either shipped back home to never touch a Knight again, pilot one of the mass developed frames on constant missions to Earth or Mars, or, if they prove themselves, pilot a one-of-a-kind Knight and gain a powerful position in society.
Pilots are ranked from A to D based on their general prowess and their connections. While classes are shared, accommodations relate to current rankings. Ranking is changed based on duels between pilots and, if they participate, combat missions.
The academy uses naval uniforms as their standard dress. While requirements are lax outside of ceremonies and notable events, it is still expected that trainees wear their uniform without formal adornments like capes, epaulettes, badges, and overcoats. While many designs remain in spec for trainees, they are generally white with black accents. Fig 1. Fig 2. Most staff uniforms are which specific group they belong to, thus there is no uniform standard for instructors and support staff.
Rather than an application system, megacorps sponsor pilots to be trained. Thus, trainees are also political tools used by megacorps. Rather than training to reclaim the Earth or collect resources to sustain the colonies, trainees are closer to test pilots for megacorps to acquire military contracts for their experimental designs.
Usually, pilots are trained from 16 to 20. It's common for a trainee to be deployed in actual combat missions. Depending on one's performance, one is either shipped back home to never touch a Knight again, pilot one of the mass developed frames on constant missions to Earth or Mars, or, if they prove themselves, pilot a one-of-a-kind Knight and gain a powerful position in society.
Pilots are ranked from A to D based on their general prowess and their connections. While classes are shared, accommodations relate to current rankings. Ranking is changed based on duels between pilots and, if they participate, combat missions.
The academy uses naval uniforms as their standard dress. While requirements are lax outside of ceremonies and notable events, it is still expected that trainees wear their uniform without formal adornments like capes, epaulettes, badges, and overcoats. While many designs remain in spec for trainees, they are generally white with black accents. Fig 1. Fig 2. Most staff uniforms are which specific group they belong to, thus there is no uniform standard for instructors and support staff.
The colonies have been led by the military since man escaped to the stars. Known as the United Front, the government,
Society is highly stratified, exacerbated by the reliance of energy. Those residing in the moon bases are the rich and powerful: children of megacorp directors, scientists, and the military to name a few. Those who were born on the moon bases tend to regard the other colonies poorly. Life in the moon bases is fairly opulent.
Those of Mars are the average citizen. While there has been many independence movements, the threat of swift and disproportionate violence permeating the air cools any protest. While civil unrest is low due to tolerable conditions, life on Mars is not easy. Constant labour is expected. Life in the colonies is fairly typical. Infrastructure, while not as advanced as the moon bases, allows for the average colonist to have a life similar to before the shards fell.
Those of the outer colonies have a rough life. Food is limited, mining conditions are dangerous, and help is 3 months away. For a citizen of the outer colonies, every action is a process thanks to their low-gravity conditions.
Society is highly stratified, exacerbated by the reliance of energy. Those residing in the moon bases are the rich and powerful: children of megacorp directors, scientists, and the military to name a few. Those who were born on the moon bases tend to regard the other colonies poorly. Life in the moon bases is fairly opulent.
Those of Mars are the average citizen. While there has been many independence movements, the threat of swift and disproportionate violence permeating the air cools any protest. While civil unrest is low due to tolerable conditions, life on Mars is not easy. Constant labour is expected. Life in the colonies is fairly typical. Infrastructure, while not as advanced as the moon bases, allows for the average colonist to have a life similar to before the shards fell.
Those of the outer colonies have a rough life. Food is limited, mining conditions are dangerous, and help is 3 months away. For a citizen of the outer colonies, every action is a process thanks to their low-gravity conditions.
Earth
Once home to humanity, the planet has since fallen. Cities have been levelled by falling crystals and what remained crumbled from fights between Autonomous Knights. While rumours of survivors appear every so often, no proof of their existence has been found.
Moon Base Axial
Axial is the primary residence of humanity. While originally a science station, the moon base quickly became saturated with refugees from Earth. Thus, it developed into a residential base. As populations grew and habitat became scarce, the population was quickly shipped off to the developing mars colony. While on paper, the best and brightest would remain on the moon for science, it became apparent that those with power and connections remained.
Axial is designed as a series of interconnected domes. Pristine white buildings. Artificial plants line the streets and roadways to give splashes of colour to the otherwise minimalist designs.
Moon Base Binary
Binary is the military base responsible for all operations revolving around Earth and, in the event of uprising, against humanity's own colonies. It serves joint purpose as a military and research base.
Moon Base Comet
Comet is comprised of all of the moon's production facilities. Automated factories develop and maintain any technology that the moon bases require. This includes the creation and maintenance of Knights. Hydroponic labs grow food. While it lacks habitable space, it has enough room for the engineering staff to work and live inside of the base.
Moon Base Doppler
Doppler is the academy responsible for training pilots. Doppler is the smallest of the three moon bases. Unlike Axial, Doppler is comprised of various interconnected facilities. While faux plazas of fake grass and skies exist, they are large single rooms rather than habitat domes. The majority of the facility is purpose-built structures with halls connecting them.
Mars
The Mars colony is the largest colony under humanity. Rather than the specialization of the moon bases, the Mars colony is a metropolis home to two billion. While mostly self-reliant, the massive demand for energy can only be met by salvaged KR-engines that they can only acquire from the moon bases.
The Mars colony is only similar to Axial in that they use the same underlying dome to form a habitat. The dusty skies cast a pallid glow on the highly industrial colonies of mars. Buildings are large and dense with concrete as far as the eye can see.
Outer Colonies
The outer colonies are space stations between Mars and Jupiter. Their primary purpose is the collection of resources from asteroids. Life in the outer colonies is the hardest as there are barely any resources to sustain life. Thus, they are reliant on both Mars and the moon bases. The outer colonies consist of asteroid bases, space stations, and mining ships in transit.
Once home to humanity, the planet has since fallen. Cities have been levelled by falling crystals and what remained crumbled from fights between Autonomous Knights. While rumours of survivors appear every so often, no proof of their existence has been found.
Moon Base Axial
Axial is the primary residence of humanity. While originally a science station, the moon base quickly became saturated with refugees from Earth. Thus, it developed into a residential base. As populations grew and habitat became scarce, the population was quickly shipped off to the developing mars colony. While on paper, the best and brightest would remain on the moon for science, it became apparent that those with power and connections remained.
Axial is designed as a series of interconnected domes. Pristine white buildings. Artificial plants line the streets and roadways to give splashes of colour to the otherwise minimalist designs.
Moon Base Binary
Binary is the military base responsible for all operations revolving around Earth and, in the event of uprising, against humanity's own colonies. It serves joint purpose as a military and research base.
Moon Base Comet
Comet is comprised of all of the moon's production facilities. Automated factories develop and maintain any technology that the moon bases require. This includes the creation and maintenance of Knights. Hydroponic labs grow food. While it lacks habitable space, it has enough room for the engineering staff to work and live inside of the base.
Moon Base Doppler
Doppler is the academy responsible for training pilots. Doppler is the smallest of the three moon bases. Unlike Axial, Doppler is comprised of various interconnected facilities. While faux plazas of fake grass and skies exist, they are large single rooms rather than habitat domes. The majority of the facility is purpose-built structures with halls connecting them.
Mars
The Mars colony is the largest colony under humanity. Rather than the specialization of the moon bases, the Mars colony is a metropolis home to two billion. While mostly self-reliant, the massive demand for energy can only be met by salvaged KR-engines that they can only acquire from the moon bases.
The Mars colony is only similar to Axial in that they use the same underlying dome to form a habitat. The dusty skies cast a pallid glow on the highly industrial colonies of mars. Buildings are large and dense with concrete as far as the eye can see.
Outer Colonies
The outer colonies are space stations between Mars and Jupiter. Their primary purpose is the collection of resources from asteroids. Life in the outer colonies is the hardest as there are barely any resources to sustain life. Thus, they are reliant on both Mars and the moon bases. The outer colonies consist of asteroid bases, space stations, and mining ships in transit.
Info
It being the far future, technology has advanced to a decent degree.
Body augmentation and robotic prosthesis exist, but they tend to be be necessities rather than electives. An arm can be replaced, but it tends to not perform as well as a normal arm. Most of the research revolving around prosthesis has gone directly to pilots rather than other matters.
Space flight, while advanced, is not enough to escape the solar system. It takes half a month to fly from the Moon to Mars and 3 months to fly from Mars to the outer colonies. While colonization exists, terraforming does not. Nearly instantaneous travel is possible via KR-device, but it's highly limited. Think a shuttle specifically designed to use it, it having a range of sea-level to orbit, and only usable once per few days.
Traditional technology is defined by its nature of being understood. Magnets accelerating a projectile. Energy forming a laser.
In terms of weaponry, ballistics, missiles, and lasers tend to be the weapons of choice for pilots. Even in the future, sending mass at high enough speeds can shred through an Autonomous Knight. Enough explosive force can, while imprecise, tear off armour and limb. Generating high enough heat with a laser is enough to cut through a Knight.
KR-technology is defined by how little it is understood. Fundamentally, the technology is similar to a basic power system. A KR-reactor creates KR-particles which power KR-devices. However, humanity does not have the technology to develop or reverse-engineer most KR-technology. As a result, KR-devices have to be scavenged from Autonomous Knights. They can break natural laws, but can also mimic traditional technology like lasers and AI-powered drones.
As a note for technology, I'm generally not going to exactly specify every bit of it. Most technology is probably fine as long as it's not extremely out there, but if you would like a more concrete answer, ask me about specific technologies. If it's not permissible as traditional technology, then it'll likely fall under KR-technology which is based on narrative and reasonability. Though, I will place some broad answered questions below this paragraph.
Drones (ala Gundam bits) are fine. However, large amounts of a Knight's internal systems would have to be dedicated to the control and movement of drones. In addition, KR-devices are needed to sustain complex drone control. Simpler drones, such as "move to location > fire laser in this direction" require considerably less investment.
Full aerial Knights are very rare. In a meta sense, a large part of it is that I don't want to warp every encounter around flying. Low flying units (think within 150 meters) are uncommon, but do exist. The most common are hovering within 1 meter of the ground and using boosters for more agility.
Body augmentation and robotic prosthesis exist, but they tend to be be necessities rather than electives. An arm can be replaced, but it tends to not perform as well as a normal arm. Most of the research revolving around prosthesis has gone directly to pilots rather than other matters.
Space flight, while advanced, is not enough to escape the solar system. It takes half a month to fly from the Moon to Mars and 3 months to fly from Mars to the outer colonies. While colonization exists, terraforming does not. Nearly instantaneous travel is possible via KR-device, but it's highly limited. Think a shuttle specifically designed to use it, it having a range of sea-level to orbit, and only usable once per few days.
Traditional technology is defined by its nature of being understood. Magnets accelerating a projectile. Energy forming a laser.
In terms of weaponry, ballistics, missiles, and lasers tend to be the weapons of choice for pilots. Even in the future, sending mass at high enough speeds can shred through an Autonomous Knight. Enough explosive force can, while imprecise, tear off armour and limb. Generating high enough heat with a laser is enough to cut through a Knight.
KR-technology is defined by how little it is understood. Fundamentally, the technology is similar to a basic power system. A KR-reactor creates KR-particles which power KR-devices. However, humanity does not have the technology to develop or reverse-engineer most KR-technology. As a result, KR-devices have to be scavenged from Autonomous Knights. They can break natural laws, but can also mimic traditional technology like lasers and AI-powered drones.
As a note for technology, I'm generally not going to exactly specify every bit of it. Most technology is probably fine as long as it's not extremely out there, but if you would like a more concrete answer, ask me about specific technologies. If it's not permissible as traditional technology, then it'll likely fall under KR-technology which is based on narrative and reasonability. Though, I will place some broad answered questions below this paragraph.
Drones (ala Gundam bits) are fine. However, large amounts of a Knight's internal systems would have to be dedicated to the control and movement of drones. In addition, KR-devices are needed to sustain complex drone control. Simpler drones, such as "move to location > fire laser in this direction" require considerably less investment.
Full aerial Knights are very rare. In a meta sense, a large part of it is that I don't want to warp every encounter around flying. Low flying units (think within 150 meters) are uncommon, but do exist. The most common are hovering within 1 meter of the ground and using boosters for more agility.
Knights are the behemoths of steel that humans pilot to fight back against the invaders.
Knights are powered by a KR-engine. While a near unlimited source of energy, KR-engines are limited by one thing: output capacity and efficiency. As it produces KR-particles instead of a traditional form of energy, a highly inefficient conversion process must take place to power non-KR type devices.
Knights tend to be from 7 to 12 meters tall. While some other forms exist, Knights are primarily humanoid in form.
Knights can be classified into two types: shell and system.
Shell-type Knights are made via removing a Knight's nervous system and replacing it with human technology. Cameras are linked to screen of the cockpit or a headset. Throttles control movement. Because AI protocols mimic complex movement, pilots are able to display a decent amount of agility. The important thing about Shell-type is that they're of little risk to the pilot. An arm that is shot off is just a minor setback; a shell-type mech is solely limited by its critical systems like its reactor and cockpit.
System-type Knights are made via tempering a Knight. Rather than controlling the Knight via a system of physical controls, the pilot directly connects to the Knight's nervous system to become one entity. The Knight's cameras become the pilot's eyes. The pilot can control the Knight as though it was their own body. The issue, however, comes from this control. Pain, while it can be lessened by lowering the rate of synchronization, is shared. The process of synchronization isn't perfect. Long-term usage corrupts the mind and body. Higher synchronization rates exacerbate this issue.
System-type pilots require body augmentation to facilitate the link. Thankfully, the current generation of augments is, while still invasive, only comprises of connection points along the spine. Older type connections often replaced large sections of the torso and would even replace limb.
Knights are powered by a KR-engine. While a near unlimited source of energy, KR-engines are limited by one thing: output capacity and efficiency. As it produces KR-particles instead of a traditional form of energy, a highly inefficient conversion process must take place to power non-KR type devices.
Knights tend to be from 7 to 12 meters tall. While some other forms exist, Knights are primarily humanoid in form.
Knights can be classified into two types: shell and system.
Shell-type Knights are made via removing a Knight's nervous system and replacing it with human technology. Cameras are linked to screen of the cockpit or a headset. Throttles control movement. Because AI protocols mimic complex movement, pilots are able to display a decent amount of agility. The important thing about Shell-type is that they're of little risk to the pilot. An arm that is shot off is just a minor setback; a shell-type mech is solely limited by its critical systems like its reactor and cockpit.
System-type Knights are made via tempering a Knight. Rather than controlling the Knight via a system of physical controls, the pilot directly connects to the Knight's nervous system to become one entity. The Knight's cameras become the pilot's eyes. The pilot can control the Knight as though it was their own body. The issue, however, comes from this control. Pain, while it can be lessened by lowering the rate of synchronization, is shared. The process of synchronization isn't perfect. Long-term usage corrupts the mind and body. Higher synchronization rates exacerbate this issue.
System-type pilots require body augmentation to facilitate the link. Thankfully, the current generation of augments is, while still invasive, only comprises of connection points along the spine. Older type connections often replaced large sections of the torso and would even replace limb.
Autonomous Knights, or AKs, are the behemoths of steel that roam the Earth. Rather than intelligent machines, they act closer to beasts. All known attempts at communication have failed. They tend to use more internal weaponry and melee weapons than external weapons like guns.
Autonomous Knights can be classified into different threat levels.
Ruler-type AKs are the absolute strongest. They tend to remain in a small radius. They often have extremely powerful KR-devices. While it depends primarily on the specific AK, they tend to be fairly non-aggressive unless entering their territory.
Rook-type AKs are only weaker than Rulers. They usually have specialized KR-devices and strengthened armaments.
Bishop-type AKs are stronger than pawns but weaker than rooks. They tend to roam the most out of all AKs. They can have KR-devices, but still primarily use ballistics and lasers. Though, their ballistics and lasers tend to be powered by KR-particles at a higher efficiency than pawns.
Pawn-type AKs are the most common. They tend to be weaker than all other types of AKs, but can still be considered a threat to a pilot. Their greatest strength is their plentiful numbers. They tend to use ballistics and lasers powered by low-efficiency KR-particles.
Autonomous Knights can be classified into different threat levels.
Ruler-type AKs are the absolute strongest. They tend to remain in a small radius. They often have extremely powerful KR-devices. While it depends primarily on the specific AK, they tend to be fairly non-aggressive unless entering their territory.
Rook-type AKs are only weaker than Rulers. They usually have specialized KR-devices and strengthened armaments.
Bishop-type AKs are stronger than pawns but weaker than rooks. They tend to roam the most out of all AKs. They can have KR-devices, but still primarily use ballistics and lasers. Though, their ballistics and lasers tend to be powered by KR-particles at a higher efficiency than pawns.
Pawn-type AKs are the most common. They tend to be weaker than all other types of AKs, but can still be considered a threat to a pilot. Their greatest strength is their plentiful numbers. They tend to use ballistics and lasers powered by low-efficiency KR-particles.
This is where all of my miscellaneous world bits go.
Typically, combat missions are conducted in three phases to deal with the strict size and weight restrictions of exfiltration. The three phases are scouting, elimination, and collection. Scouting and elimination revolve around orbital dropping a small group of Knights to complete their objective. As collection missions need larger cargo shuttles that are unable to warp to orbit, the area must be secured from entry until exfil. In safer zones, scouting and elimination can be combined into one phase. Missions are not limited to these three phases and one end objective, but the vast majority of incursions are resource collection.
Pilots typically wear protective suits. These suits are generally ultra-lightweight and slim to allow for maximum mobility within a cockpit. Heavier suits also exist, but they are typically used for special missions where a pilot may need to leave their Knight. At minimum, they can temporarily become a sealed environment in the event of cockpit breach. Pilot suits are generally developed by the same manufacturer of the pilot's Knight. As a result, there is no standard for pilot suits.
Typically, combat missions are conducted in three phases to deal with the strict size and weight restrictions of exfiltration. The three phases are scouting, elimination, and collection. Scouting and elimination revolve around orbital dropping a small group of Knights to complete their objective. As collection missions need larger cargo shuttles that are unable to warp to orbit, the area must be secured from entry until exfil. In safer zones, scouting and elimination can be combined into one phase. Missions are not limited to these three phases and one end objective, but the vast majority of incursions are resource collection.
Pilots typically wear protective suits. These suits are generally ultra-lightweight and slim to allow for maximum mobility within a cockpit. Heavier suits also exist, but they are typically used for special missions where a pilot may need to leave their Knight. At minimum, they can temporarily become a sealed environment in the event of cockpit breach. Pilot suits are generally developed by the same manufacturer of the pilot's Knight. As a result, there is no standard for pilot suits.
Character Sheet
[center][img]animepicture[/img]
[h2]<Name> • <Age> • Rank <A, B, C, D>[/h2][/center]
[b]Appearance:[/b]
[b]Personality:[/b]
[b]History:[/b]
[b]Capability:[/b]
[center][img]mechpicture[/img]
[h2]<Name> • <Type (shell or system)> • <Height>[/h2][/center]
[b]Appearance:[/b]
[b]Manufacturer:[/b]
[b]Armaments:[/b]
[b]Specification:[/b]
<Name> • <Age> • Rank <A, B, C, D>
Name and age is easy. Rank corresponds to primarily social standing early, but is also related to skill. It relates to your characters amenities.
Appearance: Fill in the blanks of your image.
Personality: How your character appears to others. Secret stuff should be DM'd to me.
History: What the faculty of the academy would know about your character. Same as above.
Capability: What is your character explicitly good at, as compared to their cohorts.
<Name> • <Type (shell or system)> • <Height>
Name should be a project codename (no designation). Choose shell if you want to have bits shot off and keep fighting, choose system if you're a glutton for punishment. Height is from 7 to 12m and can be thought of a light to heavy. You'd need good reason to go beyond, especially on the 12m+ side.
Appearance: Fill in the blanks of your image.
Manufacturer: Manufacturer name and a write up about them.
Design: What is the purpose of the mech? A quick write up about what it aims to do and how.
Specification: The technical details. Does your mech have a larger than average engine? Does it have KR-device that does something weird? Is it more/less armoured? What armour does it have? Etc. If they have mission critical equipment they bring like a sword, include it here. Otherwise, equipment is mission-fit.
OP
OwO what's this?
Member
Seen
0-24 hrs ago
DARKEN THE SKIES
PREPARE THE MAIDEN
CAGE THE IMMORTAL
BEGIN THE HUNT
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PREPARE THE MAIDEN
CAGE THE IMMORTAL
BEGIN THE HUNT
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An eternal night shrouds Outis. Neon and LEDs are the only things that illuminate the streets. For most of the citizens, wealth is an abstract concept. Those who are lucky toil in the factories that fuel the city's maintenance. They can take solace in the fact they are being paid some pittance. It beats corvée labour or being shipped to carve out the ruins of the city.
The streets are not safe. Not when there are immortals lurking in the shadows. Immortals, beings that go against natural laws, attract the supernatural. The supernatural hungers for life, yet the vessel of an immortal does not allow for it to be drained. Those who are ordinary are prime targets for the beasties of the night.
Of course, the city is not defenceless. Cleaners--adapted from how supernatural events often leave a mess--wield magics and relics to slay the supernatural. Meanwhile, Hylics slake their weapons with their own life to pierce the supernatural.
That leaves one thing: immortals.
Thus begins the hunt.
Immortals will be caged.
The streets are not safe. Not when there are immortals lurking in the shadows. Immortals, beings that go against natural laws, attract the supernatural. The supernatural hungers for life, yet the vessel of an immortal does not allow for it to be drained. Those who are ordinary are prime targets for the beasties of the night.
Of course, the city is not defenceless. Cleaners--adapted from how supernatural events often leave a mess--wield magics and relics to slay the supernatural. Meanwhile, Hylics slake their weapons with their own life to pierce the supernatural.
That leaves one thing: immortals.
Thus begins the hunt.
Immortals will be caged.
Outis is a city-state that, to its citizens, is the only home for millions of humans. The city is comprised of 10 sequential districts in a helical spiral. While the citizens of the inner districts would describe the city as prosperous, those of the outer districts would describe it as anything but. The majority of citizens in the lower districts are conscripted into factories that sustain the city. Those who are lucky enough to escape the menial labour of manufacturing are, in fact, unlucky. Recyclers--as they call them--are sent to the fathoms underneath the city to find anything that can be processed to expand the city.
The city is shrouded in a mixture of eternal night and star-blocking smog. The moon is the only exception to the ink-black skies. An immovable ivory moon stands far above the city and radiates its visage through the smog.
Each district is administered by a crown-magistrate and their steward-corporation. The only exception is the innermost district which is ran by the crown--the immutable lord of the city. Districts are--for the most part--self-sustaining. Citizens of each district are typically not allowed to leave their respective districts without an immigration pass.
The crown-magistrates impose their will using large security forces. In comparison, only a select few groups are allowed to possess anything dangerous.
The underworld is the ruins on which Outis stands upon.
The city had, at one point, violently expanded and built upon the remains of a previous incarnation of itself. The helical nature of the city is inverted within the underworld. The further within the underworld one goes, the further from the surface they become. Away from the watchful eyes of the crown-magistrates, those who are unwilling to wage under a steward-corporation call the shallow underworld their home. Criminals, anarchists, and political enemies form a recusant community. Of course, that's only the shallows. The depths of the underworld hold vast evil: immortals in hiding, supernatural entities, and relics of unknown origin.
Typically, the entrances to the underworld are where they are closest. In other words, the outermost districts. However, longitudinal tunnels and lifts to the depths exist in most districts. For a price, of course.
The badlands consist of the area outside of the city. An impenetrable black fog surrounds the city. Rather than an apocalyptic landscape of monsters and beasts, the badlands simply lacks. Only dry dirt, sand, and identical stones can be found outside of the stones. There are no signs of civilization be it living or ancient. Criminals who escape to the badlands simply vanish. The identical footing and arms-length view makes getting lost too easy. No matter how long of a rope one uses, the footing remains identical.
Magic is the fundamental ability to disregard the logic of the world.
As a result, magic has no standard form. One person may simply intuit flames while another must create constructs using studied formulas. Despite this, magic is not something people are born with. Magic is, simply put, the culmination of one's experiences and self. It can be taught to others, yet it may morph and evolve due to previous experiences. Learning magic when one has already built their foundation of logic holds massive risks. While one's foundation of logic can adapt and evolve to create new magic, it can just as easily crumble under incompatibilities. Due to its side-effects, magic used solely by dissidents and those who oppose the supernatural.
Some practitioners are able to manifest physiological changes. Of course, to do so without a specialized logic is asking for death. After all, how does one change back if they do not consider their body's state to be fluid? The constant burn of one's life occurs upon manifestation. The permanent haunt of the supernatural. Thus, manifestation is primarily an occurrence under extreme psychological duress.
The usage of magic is to alter reality via one's life. Vitas is the fundamental energy of life.
Most humans are born with the same amount of vitas and die when they lack it. If the body is thought of as a cup, then vitas can be thought of as water. As one ages, their vessel cracks, chips, and breaks until it can no longer hold water. Thus, they die. To use magic is to intentionally pour the water from within. This, of course, means that vitas can be refilled. Typically, the elimination of the supernatural is what allows those who perform magic to not have unbelievably short lives. However, the stresses of magic do put wear on the vessel.
Any attempt to use vitas in an attempt to industrialize the city have resulted in generally bad things happening.
A problem occurs when one is born with a near limitless vessel and supply of vitas. They are able to intuit their own immortality and become immortals.
This isn't necessarily a problem. However, the gift of immortality comes with severe penalty: the permanent disruption of the natural order. The natural order is what binds reality under reason and logic. Something should exist, therefore it does. Something should happen, therefore it will. Simply put, immortals call the supernatural to themselves by disrupting the natural order.
Immortals can not be slain. While the nature of their immortality varies, there is a single immutable truth to dealing with immortals: the only way to stop one is containment.
The supernatural results as a manifestation of the subconscious.
Ranging from representations of primal fears to memetic brainworms, the supernatural are being of vitas that innately seek out vitas to subsume by any means. As the antithesis of the natural order, the supernatural call more supernatural. Thus, the supernatural must systematically be purged to prevent a cascade of destruction.
As beings of vitas, supernatural beings have an innate desire to subsume vitas. The vessels of immortals are much too sturdy to be drained. That leaves one reliable target: ordinary humans.
Vitas is not limited to living beings. Rarely, an object known as a relic will accumulate vitas.
Like magic, there is no concrete example for a relic is, save for the fact that they fundamentally do something unnatural. As they flaunt the natural order, they must be kept sealed in a CAT--a specialized holster or container that fully conceals the object. Relics are typically graded from I to V and correspond to the appropriate cleaner rank.
The hunt is the colloquial term for the systematic containment and elimination of immortals and the supernatural.
The process is fairly simple. The supernatural tends to be able to be vanquished by the usage of vitas, be it channelled through relics or via magic. Immortals, however, can not be vanquished by such means. Instead, immortals must be forced into a MAIDEN--a specialized containment device designed for usage against immortals. While the exact design may vary, they can usually be described as large metal coffins.
There are two primary parties when it comes to the hunt: cleaners and the Hylic Order.
Cleaners are elimination for hire. Typically, cleaners are arranged into offices and associations. Cleaners are administered directly by the crown, but have freedom in what jobs they take. Their administration is primarily a way for the crown to reign them in rather than support their cause. As a result, cleaners are separated into 5 grades with associated perks. The most pertinent of them being the right to travel within the city.
- I - No transit or residence besides one's citizenship.
- II - Limited transit and temporary residence to the first eight districts (under the employment of the appropriate office)
- III - Free transit and residence to the first four districts; the ability to form an office.
- IV - Free transit and residence to the first eight district.
- V - Free transit and residence within any district.
Of course, the demand for warm bodies in the fight is in flux. Thus, Freelancers fill the gaps between the districts. Freelancers have no office. Rather, they're hired on a job-by-job basis.
The Hylic Order is a fanatical paramilitary with an obsession of keeping the natural order. Unlike cleaners, they do it for free (if you do not count their extending reach in politics as payment). As opposed to cleaners, Hylics refuse magic. They instead rely upon "blessed" weapons and tools--items staked with the vitas of the wielder rather than items innately possessing it. To call the relationship between Hylics and cleaners strained would be an understatement. The only thing stopping total war between the two is the swift force doled out by each crown-magistrate's security forces.
This is where random things I don't want to put into the narrative will go. A good place to define the specifics of technology, too.
MAIDENs are one of the few magical tools that were allowed to be developed. Simply put, a MAIDEN is a coffin (or really any large enough container to hold one person) that consumes a vast amount of vitas to close. When it contains an ordinary human, it is unable to close and fully activate due to a lack of vitas. When it contains an immortal, it will indefinitely remain shut. Of course, an immortal inside will be unable to use their vitas for anything besides keeping the MAIDEN. As MAIDENs are designed as a closed system, there is little risk of a supernatural outbreak from such a device.
CATs work under a similar property. The object inside has its vitas drained and kept within a closed loop. However, the difference between the two lies in the amount of vitas necessary for the loop. This means that each relic requires its own CAT tuned specifically for it. CATs that can fit a human inside are generally rare as they will kill (or otherwise harm) anyone who gets stuck inside one. Most designers of CATs, however, consider this risk as the ethical equivalent of a child getting stuck inside a refrigerator. As the life of someone within the city is fairly low, it's honestly easier to get a large CAT than it sounds.
Technology and magic is fundamentally incompatible. Magic adding an unpredictable element to the consistent requirements of technology. However, relics can be worked alongside simpler technology. A relic in the form of a hammer may be worked into a chain. The chain can fairly safely be attached a motor. However, using the effect of a relic to fuel technology leads to unpredictability. For instance, a relic that can accelerate mass can--with some expertise--be worked into a gun. However, using the mass-acceleration property to create energy leads to chaos.
CATs work under a similar property. The object inside has its vitas drained and kept within a closed loop. However, the difference between the two lies in the amount of vitas necessary for the loop. This means that each relic requires its own CAT tuned specifically for it. CATs that can fit a human inside are generally rare as they will kill (or otherwise harm) anyone who gets stuck inside one. Most designers of CATs, however, consider this risk as the ethical equivalent of a child getting stuck inside a refrigerator. As the life of someone within the city is fairly low, it's honestly easier to get a large CAT than it sounds.
Technology and magic is fundamentally incompatible. Magic adding an unpredictable element to the consistent requirements of technology. However, relics can be worked alongside simpler technology. A relic in the form of a hammer may be worked into a chain. The chain can fairly safely be attached a motor. However, using the effect of a relic to fuel technology leads to unpredictability. For instance, a relic that can accelerate mass can--with some expertise--be worked into a gun. However, using the mass-acceleration property to create energy leads to chaos.
Characters will (at the start) be a part of Mel's office as a fairly new cleaner (think rank I and II). From there, characters will have to both protect the streets and deal the underworld as they live and work in the 10th district--the worst place in the city. If you want to do something else, holla at me. This is mostly to make sure people are on mostly the same foot early. If the RP lasts long enough, we'd maybe get into some cheeky metagame about managing your own office.
Don't feel as though you need to write a novel; I'm just looking for the basics of the basics. I'm going to be fairly lenient with my control over the world. If you want something that only affects your character, you can--for the most part--just do it. Format this how you'd like, just make it look vaguely nice.
[image here, or something. please make it a decent anime image]
Name:
Identity: (Consider his a mixture of personality, biography, etc. Effectively, a synopsis for the entire character)
Armaments: (What your character uses to fight. Some people swing a MAIDEN itself, some use relics, some use "Blessed" weapons. Think of the difference between relic and blessed as blessed are just normal weapons you swing, relics have actual abilities associated with them.)
Abilities: (If your character uses magic, place it here too. Otherwise, just the things that they're good at.)
Other:
[image here, or something. please make it a decent anime image]
Name:
Identity: (Consider his a mixture of personality, biography, etc. Effectively, a synopsis for the entire character)
Armaments: (What your character uses to fight. Some people swing a MAIDEN itself, some use relics, some use "Blessed" weapons. Think of the difference between relic and blessed as blessed are just normal weapons you swing, relics have actual abilities associated with them.)
Abilities: (If your character uses magic, place it here too. Otherwise, just the things that they're good at.)
Other:
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 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx B A S I C I N F O[Name] Rudis Saint-Saëns[Callsign] Rho Ophiuchi[Gender] Female[Age] 28[Rank and Designation] Main-Class[Place of Birth] Forgeship Papillon[Official Statement] [url=youtube.com/watch?v=yckDSlo4u3E]"It's just duty, baby. Born into it. Gonna die out of it."[/url]C O M B A T A B I L I T Y[Anti-Barrier Sword] #44: Hard Luck[Anti-Barrier Quotient] 80%[Physical Description] The 44th sword is cursed--that's what anyone who worked on it would say. No matter how they constructed it, the blade was a failure. Dozens of reworks made little headway. The more they had attempted to fix the sword or recycle the materials, the more issues it had. All attempts were failures. Even reclaiming the material and utilizing it in other blades was impossible; anything that had even touched the raw material seemed to fail. In a last ditch effort, its final incarnation was formed: a beyond simple zweihander, if you could even call it that. It would be more accurate to call it a sharpened cross.[Attributes]None.[Armaments]
[Anomaly] Tectoniconesis[Origin] Symtropantos[Phenomena]Fundamentally, Rudis can melt down, collect, reform, and supercool nearby stone and earth. Simply put, she can form durable barriers around her weapon and herself. These stones can easily vary in temperature.[Limitation]Ultimately, their phenomena requires earth and stone. Rudis is significantly weakened when outside of these environments as she's forced to recollect the stones that typically cover her blade. As her phenomena focuses on the collection rather than acceleration of mass, she is extremely limited in range. In addition, her power consumes a significant amount of energy. It's not uncommon to see her completely on the verge of collapse whenever she goes all out, nor is it uncommon to see her devour enough food for three constellations. | Profile[Surface-level Impression]Rudis is a simple person to understand. She's someone who wears her heart on her sleeve; that heart also happens to be beating hard at all times. While hot-blooded, she's a woman of inscrutable will. When she needs to achieve something, she'll risk life and limb to achieve it. To her, dealing with risky situations comes just as easily as breathing. There is no subtext to her actions; to do so is cowardly. She'll openly state what's on her mind regardless of tact. [Personal History]The sole daughter of her parents, one would expect a sheltered upbringing for such traditional ideals. Unfortunately, this was not the case. Born into a Forgeship, Rudis had spent her learning of the duties of the ship. She practiced operating the hammers and played in their few training mecha. However, her duty was not of the ship. No, being from a warrior family, she was tested like all other constellations. They found her aptitude was enough. It would appear that her duty would be among the stars.Home World[Planet Description]Penal flagships. Forgeships. Planet crackers. No matter what you call them, their role is the same: to support the war effort. The forgeships move through the stars with this single goal in mind. Forgeships are honoured for their contributions. Without them, the war effort would be crushed under megacorps.[Culture] Filled with the descendants of exiles, criminals, and debtors, the mining clans are highly influenced by their past. Fragmented and anachronistic, their culture is filled with artifacts of their convicted heritage.[Warrior Family] One would not typically expect a warrior family on a Forgeship. But, love finds a way. The Saint-Saëns had married into the Forgeship Papillon. The young master of the Saint-Saëns, a weak and timid man, was immediately beset with infatuation upon seeing his future wife. Of course, his attempt at noble courtship and romance had been met with a quick response as she (quite literally) swept him off his feet.Notable Contacts [Name]Jean "Okab" Rasker[Relation to Subject]Insert Relation Here[Analysis]Insert Various Info Here [Name]Dr. Malvis Sancret[Relation to Subject]Personal Physician[Analysis]Stimulants. Curt. Rude. Enjoys experimenting with drugs. |
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When the gates of hell opened, humanity cowered and feared at what was to come. Infernal beasts. Abyssal dreadmaws. People expected the devil to come with trident in hand, ready to unleash the apocalypse. It was quite a surprise when he showed up with board shorts, a beach towel, and a sunhat.
Turns out, demons were pretty alright. The stories of hellfire and eternal damnation were blown out of proportion. It was more of a frigid bureaucracy, if anything. They were just like us, except for the horns and magic. They just wanted a nice spot for vacations.
To deal with the international political issues that would arise from a friendly demon invasion, an independent island city was built in the middle of the Caribbean sea. The city of New Helle is the one city on Earth where demons can freely visit and live. As such, it's a city filled with casinos, beaches, resorts, and general vice.
Of course, not all demons were interested in fun little excursions to the mortal realm. There wasn't just criminals interested in slinging hash or extorting money. Now there's demons ready to blast skulls with brimstone and hellfire.
OP - 「NIGHTLESS CITY」
Turns out, demons were pretty alright. The stories of hellfire and eternal damnation were blown out of proportion. It was more of a frigid bureaucracy, if anything. They were just like us, except for the horns and magic. They just wanted a nice spot for vacations.
To deal with the international political issues that would arise from a friendly demon invasion, an independent island city was built in the middle of the Caribbean sea. The city of New Helle is the one city on Earth where demons can freely visit and live. As such, it's a city filled with casinos, beaches, resorts, and general vice.
Of course, not all demons were interested in fun little excursions to the mortal realm. There wasn't just criminals interested in slinging hash or extorting money. Now there's demons ready to blast skulls with brimstone and hellfire.
OP - 「NIGHTLESS CITY」
"Some level of concessions are needed to ensure public safety."
 ______________________________ | Formed to give the independent New Helle some level of policing, the Bureau of Public Safety is the de facto legal system on the island. With the interests of both small and large crime in mind, the Bureau is split into seven sections. Section 1 deals with everyday occurrences. More or less, they're beat cops. They handle the basic things. Staffing police boxes, cordoning off crime scenes, ticketing speeders, enforcing what little legal claims there are in the city. They don't have much power in the city, but they're the first line against anarchy. Well, janitors are the first line of defence. Section 2, aptly nicknamed emergency services, deals with medical emergencies and fire. When something bad happens, emergency services appears to make sure people live. They're more fire-fighting paramedics than police. They have a fairly good reputation for a section because of this. After all, they're the ones that don't ask questions after you get stabbed. Section 3 is the Bureau's emergency response division. Their job is to deal with active situations that require more force than what Section 1 provides. They're analogous to SWAT. Section 4, general investigations, form the backbone of the BPS' investigations. They aim to solve general crimes. Crimes of passion, crimes of opportunity. They're separated into more units based on the type of crime for operational efficiency, but they're all still considered section 4. Section 5 deals with organized crime. They handle the various gangs that crop up. They're more interested in investigations and arrests, so don't expect anyone from Section 5 to be involved in grunt work. They are the most controversial section due to several corruption scandals. Section 6 handles all cybercrime, large financial theft, fraud, labour violations, and other white collar crimes. They don't usually leave the office. When they do, they're usually investigating wiretaps, cameras in bathrooms, and stolen trade secrets. Section 7 deals with special investigations. While the previous 6 sections are all under the same leadership structure and have some level of working alongside each other, Section 7 works outside the chain of command. They handle the things the other sections can't or won't. They deal with the most dangerous people in the city, perform impossible investigations, and handle all internal affairs. This blend of responsibilities has lead to them being rather disliked by every party in the city. Rather unique to their section, they don't exactly have a sanctified recruitment process. If the section chief wants you in? You're in. It doesn't matter if you're already with BPS or you were part of a crime syndicate. They don't have a book to follow. If it keeps the city safe? Might as well do it. While they technically have an office like the rest of the department, constant vandalism and passive-aggression has led them to perform their clerical duties in a bar/restaurant mix. Located on the edge of Little Phlegethon, the Easy Runner makes its home in a disconnected subway terminal. The food's awful and it leaks when it rains, but you can drink on the job. Plus, it's a fortress. You'd need a bunker buster to tear out Section 7. |
"You're in our town now!"
 ______________________________ | The streets of New Helle are filled with various criminal organizations. Ranging from street thugs to unscrupulous businessmen, there's no shortage in people who wish to engage in illicit activities. Often times, individual criminal organizations form an alliance. These alliances, officially called syndicates, are able to control large swathes of the city. Key syndicates include (but are not limited to) the following groups. Concerned Citizens are a loose coalition of the dozens of small gangs around New Helle. As such, they have involvement in most operations that run low to the ground. While most of them have some level of honour, they're also responsible for most of the smaller crimes. Theft, construction, and protection fees are their bread and butter. They're the largest organization by numbers, but their size ends up with constant infighting. The Family is a cabal of "business-owners" known for their casinos, red-light parlours, money lending, and involvement in the entertainment industry. They tend to be the most open about their activities. To someone of the Family, cash is king. With the money they pull in, they can grease the wheel of any politician or cop and make all of those people who disappear during their yacht clubs a footnote in the newspapers. Gehenna are an orderly organization that values face and honor above all else. While smuggling is fairly agnostic, they specialize in procuring arms, drugs, and other black market items that would otherwise be impossible to get within New Helle. They have their fingers in operations across the city. The Children of Helle are halfway to a cult. Believing in a new age, the Children of Helle deal in magic and the supernatural. Most of their activities relate to the illegal trade of artifacts, enlisting greater demons to share in magic, and other such activities. They also believe that the equalizing curses inflicted upon demons is a cardinal sin. |
"White beaches, bright casinos, and cuisine that spans worlds. What more could you want in a city?"
 ______________________________ | Created nearly 60 years ago, New Helle is a city of vice and sin. The city is primarily comprised of mixed districts filled with casinos, high-rises, and other entertainment. The shores of the island are either sandy beaches filled with sunbathers or rocky shore docks. The noise of near-criminal construction groups building skyscrapers fills the day. Meanwhile, nights are filled with the sound of festivities and drunkards. Magic and the supernatural protects much of the city. Warding talismans are a common sight alongside posters for weekly raves. The majority of buildings within the city have talismans covering steel beams. The city is about three times the size of Tokyo in both population and size. A highway network connects the city as does an underground metro. The clearest delineation of borders within New Helle is who controls what. Crime syndicates, unscrupulous businessmen, corporations, and the BPS have all staked some sort of claim over the city. Some areas enjoy an uneasy peace between two factions unable to make the first move. Some areas never allowed crime to get a foothold. While New Helle has an elected mayor and public officials, their power is generally limited to legal claims over land, consumption taxes, and creating public works ready to be sold to a private entity. Money, especially under the table, is what drives the city. New Helle has two prisons. The first is the Jailer Detention and Holding Facilty. The facility is designed to hold any person awaiting trial. It's not pleasant, but it's not nice. It's located nearby the portal to hell (and thus customs). The facility is primarily meant as a temporary holding location for those accused of crime before the council (a group of elder demons and humans who allow entrance and residence within New Helle) decides their fate. Humans are usually shipped away from New Helle to a normal prison of their nationality, while demons are sent back to a real prison in hell. The second is The Pit. The Pit is designed for the indefinite detention of demons and humans that, for one reason or another, are unable to be sent to a regular prison. It's miserable, maximum security, and buried deep under ground. There are so many curses that it's suffocating. Any escape attempt will be met by hundreds of gallons of water or tonnes of magic bedrock. Though, it's at least fair on some level. The council will prefer to indefinitely keep pleasant criminals who are unable to be shipped away from New Helle in the Jailer Facility. |
"Really, our names are the biggest difference. I'm an actuary back in hell."
 ______________________________ | Demons aren't a uniform group. Personality wise, demons are generally like humans--both with beauty and lumps. Their appearances vary considerably. Some demons appear as humans with a small difference. Their skin may be purple, they may have horns, or they could have different coloured sclera. Other demons may look like anthropomorphic animals; wolves, goats, and other beasts are quite common. Rarer than humanoid demons, some demons may appear closer to house pets or fantastical beasts. Demons also differ in power to humans. A demon could have innate strengths. For instance, a wolf demon could have a better sense of smell. Another demon may have stronger muscle fibres. When a demon is too powerful, curses become a requirement as part of their stay in New Helle. There is a large variety in curses. Typically, unnecessary magic or talents are sealed away or weakened. Demons may be afflicted by a shrinking curse if they do not comply with doorways and apartments (though this is more for their benefit than the stability of society). They may also be afflicted with weakening curses if they would accidentally damage the world around them. The process for both applying and removing curses is complex. The act of doing so is performed by descendants of Hexen. As part of the treaty between the two worlds, the act of applying and removing curses is heavily monitored. Typically, curses are only applied on and removed from demons on the hell side of the gates. The only exception to this is a single descendant who ensures that demon babies are properly "blessed." Toddler rampages are a pain to deal with, after all. However, there are various means that criminals use to lessen the effect of these curses. Differences in demonic languages and regions have given their homeland many names. Hell, Helle, Asphodel, Niraya, and more are all acceptable to most demons. Contrary to popular belief, hell is ice-cold. The majority of hell is cold and mountainous. While volcanic hotspots exist, they are extremely rare. A permanent haze surrounds them and is highly resistant to any magical attempts to create clear skies. |
"Have you got a license for that spell?"
 ______________________________ | With the gates of hell opening, the world was imbued with magic and the supernatural. While demons have a natural aptitude and affinity for magic, humans tend to have an aptitude for the supernatural. Magic is a demon's ability to bend the laws of the world. The basis of how they do so depends on the demon. Some demons use a torrent of emotions to summon flames. Others use a system of esoteric logic to create constructs. Magic is a diverse and nebulous concept that typically refers to the abilities of demons that can not be rationalized by science. However, it is possible for humans to wield magic. So long as a contract with a powerful demon is made and subsequently painted onto the body of a human, a human can wield magic. Though, they still need understanding of whatever logic is involved with the magic of their patron. The usage of magic is heavily licensed. For a typical demon, if their magic would cause undue harm for no benefit, they would be heavily restricted by curses. Humans also need a license if they wish to enter a contract with a demon. The supernatural, however, is an advantage afforded to humanity. The supernatural is comprised of imbued artifacts and talismans. Unlike magic, the supernatural is specific in nature. While a flame demon could produce and manipulate flames to whatever they desire, a flaming sword artifact would produce the exact slash of flame every time it is used. Typically, artifacts are objects that have history associated with them. Their power reflects their history. Talismans are more disposable and a varied art. Talismans can be used to produce barriers, apply restraints, summon supernatural entities, or otherwise interfere with the physical world. Magic tends to be highly individualistic, while the supernatural tends to be based on a common understanding. |
This section is for miscellaneous information that people (mostly) ask or I get the idea for. It gives some lore insights without writing as seriously.
What language do people speak?
Their native tongue. New Helle is surrounded by a magic which allows people to understand all other languages. Thematically, think Tekken where people just somehow understand each other.
What level is the technology?
Think some mix of late-1980s bubble Japan, magitech infrastructure, and modern day with just a tiny drop of futuristic. The supernatural and magic tends to interfere with complex technology, so more analogue technologies are usually preferred for larger infrastructure.
What are the inspirations?
Black Joke is one of the big ones. Besides that, the Yakuza franchise, some non-specific detective shows/manga, and a bunch of other stuff that was on my mind. Expect some level of serious, some level of goofy, and some level of tonal whiplash because life is a dramedy. I will Columbo your asses at some point. Oh, and Project Moon stuff--but everything I do is inspired by that these days.
Can I make X as a character? Can I do X? Can I add X to the world?
Probably. The only guidelines I have is that hell is a mirror of our world and is rather "realistic" all things considered. IE, any gigademon is pretty nerfed on Earth. Just shoot your ideas. I'll reel back anything a bit too far. Plus, your character should be a Section 7 detective. Whether brand new or a veteran matters not. There's a maybe for a character that's a tag-along that gets recruited after the first arc, but that's a big maybe. I have to write it in and plan around that kind of thing, and it feels too crowded if there's multiple.
The demons described all seem pretty animal-like. What about other types?
Animal and coloured skin are the most common. But don't feel limited to those--I just don't want the world to aesthetically look like a nightmare reality. Think of designs as closer to Punch Punch Forever for most mooks or Vivziepop (if you're into that sort of thing). Weird ass abominations are generally nerfed by curses to look less frightening. Think Darkstalkers character designs, where a massive flesh golem would be turned into Victor von Gerdenheim or a giant beast being turned into Sasquatch. Ultimately, remember that these are demons trying to exist in human society--not the other way around.
What about demon society?
Very like ours, but with more magic. Most of the typical depictions of hell are mythos for demons too. IE, think of the punishment of the damned being closer to some Paul Bunyan or mythological fables than something in history books. The only difference is that they have walking WMDs of living beings known as the ancients. Imagine ancients as you actually seeing Paul Bunyan in real life and when you ask him if anything about his stories were true, he just winks and says "who knows". Surprisingly, there's less conflict in hell, if only for the most powerful entities have decreed it that way.
What about half-demons?
They exist, are usually rare, and are limited to either New Helle or Hell proper. No Jure Sanguinis for people who can launch fireballs, unfortunately. They almost always inherit more from their demon parent than their human parent, but I won't say always.
What about the souls of the dead?
They stay where/around where they die. Before the portal, they usually went poof or were undetectable. After the portal, they started to create the supernatural.
How railroaded/open will the story be?
I have a few arcs outlined. I'll probably force the necessary plot points, but much of it is written to be very flexible.
Artifacts...
Go nuts, buddy. I have the expectation that there is some basis to them and reasonable narrative around possessing them. IE, you either base it off a real life supernatural concept, real relic, or have an in universe explanation of it. Don't just have an artifact that does something--give it history, flavour, that big badaboom. Also don't give yourself WMDs. Remember, at the end of the day, you're a super-cop, not a super soldier.
The general rule is that artifacts should be unique and storied. Alternatively, you can just go the disposable route and use items that utilize a common belief in their supernatural power. Things like holy water, talismans, nazars--objects created that share a concept.
What about locations/locales?
Make it up. I'm playing fast and loose. The city is massive. There's dozens of districts and enclaves. At some point, I might make a map (at least a relational one), but not yet. The main guidelines are: the base of Section 7 is Little Phlegethon in an abandoned subway tunnel. Casinos are usually in close proximity to each other in the Strip. The portal to hell, the airport, and the Jailer detention facility are all in very close proximity.
What about the rest of the world?
No demons allowed, except for diplomatic envoys and other globally important things. The supernatural either gets locked away or shipped off to New Helle. They are very much aware of New Helle and demons as entertainment (Hellywood? I'm workshopping it) is a massive export of the city.
If there's one main entrance/egress, how does smuggling work?
Bribes, hiding things very well, the works. Anywhere that doesn't have a beach shoreline has a permanent hazy smog that's a mixture of magic and pollution. There's a few marinas, so some people are willing to brave smog (rough waters inside, for some reason) and sneak in that way.
Discord?
Probably, unless a large portion of players have an aversion to it. Because this is a cop drama/adventure/comedy, there's going to some amount of hidden information since being a detective without sufficient information sucks (the old "I couldn't make this conclusion with the information, but the character would have noticed" conundrum). Discord expedites this a considerable amount.
What language do people speak?
Their native tongue. New Helle is surrounded by a magic which allows people to understand all other languages. Thematically, think Tekken where people just somehow understand each other.
What level is the technology?
Think some mix of late-1980s bubble Japan, magitech infrastructure, and modern day with just a tiny drop of futuristic. The supernatural and magic tends to interfere with complex technology, so more analogue technologies are usually preferred for larger infrastructure.
What are the inspirations?
Black Joke is one of the big ones. Besides that, the Yakuza franchise, some non-specific detective shows/manga, and a bunch of other stuff that was on my mind. Expect some level of serious, some level of goofy, and some level of tonal whiplash because life is a dramedy. I will Columbo your asses at some point. Oh, and Project Moon stuff--but everything I do is inspired by that these days.
Can I make X as a character? Can I do X? Can I add X to the world?
Probably. The only guidelines I have is that hell is a mirror of our world and is rather "realistic" all things considered. IE, any gigademon is pretty nerfed on Earth. Just shoot your ideas. I'll reel back anything a bit too far. Plus, your character should be a Section 7 detective. Whether brand new or a veteran matters not. There's a maybe for a character that's a tag-along that gets recruited after the first arc, but that's a big maybe. I have to write it in and plan around that kind of thing, and it feels too crowded if there's multiple.
The demons described all seem pretty animal-like. What about other types?
Animal and coloured skin are the most common. But don't feel limited to those--I just don't want the world to aesthetically look like a nightmare reality. Think of designs as closer to Punch Punch Forever for most mooks or Vivziepop (if you're into that sort of thing). Weird ass abominations are generally nerfed by curses to look less frightening. Think Darkstalkers character designs, where a massive flesh golem would be turned into Victor von Gerdenheim or a giant beast being turned into Sasquatch. Ultimately, remember that these are demons trying to exist in human society--not the other way around.
What about demon society?
Very like ours, but with more magic. Most of the typical depictions of hell are mythos for demons too. IE, think of the punishment of the damned being closer to some Paul Bunyan or mythological fables than something in history books. The only difference is that they have walking WMDs of living beings known as the ancients. Imagine ancients as you actually seeing Paul Bunyan in real life and when you ask him if anything about his stories were true, he just winks and says "who knows". Surprisingly, there's less conflict in hell, if only for the most powerful entities have decreed it that way.
What about half-demons?
They exist, are usually rare, and are limited to either New Helle or Hell proper. No Jure Sanguinis for people who can launch fireballs, unfortunately. They almost always inherit more from their demon parent than their human parent, but I won't say always.
What about the souls of the dead?
They stay where/around where they die. Before the portal, they usually went poof or were undetectable. After the portal, they started to create the supernatural.
How railroaded/open will the story be?
I have a few arcs outlined. I'll probably force the necessary plot points, but much of it is written to be very flexible.
Artifacts...
Go nuts, buddy. I have the expectation that there is some basis to them and reasonable narrative around possessing them. IE, you either base it off a real life supernatural concept, real relic, or have an in universe explanation of it. Don't just have an artifact that does something--give it history, flavour, that big badaboom. Also don't give yourself WMDs. Remember, at the end of the day, you're a super-cop, not a super soldier.
The general rule is that artifacts should be unique and storied. Alternatively, you can just go the disposable route and use items that utilize a common belief in their supernatural power. Things like holy water, talismans, nazars--objects created that share a concept.
What about locations/locales?
Make it up. I'm playing fast and loose. The city is massive. There's dozens of districts and enclaves. At some point, I might make a map (at least a relational one), but not yet. The main guidelines are: the base of Section 7 is Little Phlegethon in an abandoned subway tunnel. Casinos are usually in close proximity to each other in the Strip. The portal to hell, the airport, and the Jailer detention facility are all in very close proximity.
What about the rest of the world?
No demons allowed, except for diplomatic envoys and other globally important things. The supernatural either gets locked away or shipped off to New Helle. They are very much aware of New Helle and demons as entertainment (Hellywood? I'm workshopping it) is a massive export of the city.
If there's one main entrance/egress, how does smuggling work?
Bribes, hiding things very well, the works. Anywhere that doesn't have a beach shoreline has a permanent hazy smog that's a mixture of magic and pollution. There's a few marinas, so some people are willing to brave smog (rough waters inside, for some reason) and sneak in that way.
Discord?
Probably, unless a large portion of players have an aversion to it. Because this is a cop drama/adventure/comedy, there's going to some amount of hidden information since being a detective without sufficient information sucks (the old "I couldn't make this conclusion with the information, but the character would have noticed" conundrum). Discord expedites this a considerable amount.
Character sheet:
[img]image here--try to make it anime or at least similar to others if you use one[/img]
[b]Name:[/b]
[b]Age:[/b] (Normal human limits, for the most part. Demons vary--the slower the metabolism, the longer the lifespan. Don't go ancient, though. Call it a 250 year max, not counting hibernation. No being part of the old days of Hell)
[b]Description:[/b] (Consider this a combination of appearance, personality, and history)
[b]Ability:[/b] (What your character is good at, more or less. Magic, whether contracted or innate, goes here too)
[b]Artifacts:[/b] (Put what artifacts--be they talismans or blades--your character possesses and uses. Fundamentally, they should just be a written description of what its called, what it does, what it looks like, and its associated history if applicable)
[b]Connections:[/b] (What does your character think about others and vice versa? Also list any recurring NPCs here)
[b]Misc:[/b] (Put anything that doesn't fit in other sections here. Fun facts, home locations, important things I need to know that don't fit in other locations, etc.)
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