A short note before we begin:
Even if it gets a ton of interest, this RP may get a bit slow at times. I work a lot and even on off-days often get called out. I'm pretty sure right now I have enough free time to get back into RPing, but please bear with me if we encounter difficulties. With these things in mind I'd like to encourage players to not only be patient, but also as self-motivated as possible, and to feel free to discuss ideas among themselves and with me. Thanks.
You died.
The crystal clear memory, the moment of your death, burns at the back of your vision in exquisite detail. In this image, time freezes and every minutia stands out for you to ponder at your leisure. Behind it, the rest of your memories stretch into infinity like an endless hall of mirrors. Somehow you know you will never forget any of it. Moments of bliss and despair, weakness and triumph alike, engraved into eternity.
It would seem that you are alone, in this “eternity.” Endless white stretches out in every direction. Yet you feel claustrophobic, as if sealed in a box waiting to be opened. You stand upon a floor, but to look down reveals no shadow nor footprint. You are not sure if the pristine, featureless expanse is light, or void. You have a body, but your eyes, nose, and every nerve may as well be nonexistent for all the perception they provide.
But your ears hear a voice.
“This one’ll do, too.”
In white, there is now black, and with this disparity comes a return to sensation, to feeling. The gaping tear in reality, onyx flesh rent by necrotic claws, admits a man into your presence. His steps ripple upon the floor like water and bring with them undulating shadows. His red cloak's tattered hem reminds you of billowing flames. You can’t decide if his dark clothing is that of the plain layman, or that of the pragmatic general. His hair is blacker than ink, finer than silk, and his features might be considered handsome. But the red eyes and knowing grin are too unsettling. Shadows dance behind him, trailing like smoke. Are they the heads of many dragons, or some other beasts? Is it the phantasmal image of some hundred-armed figure, bearing weapons of destruction? You cannot be certain.
“Greetings, mortal soul.” He sweeps one hand out, throwing the cloak over one shoulder. “I’ll try to make this quick.” Now both of his hands extend, and beneath you the floor presents an image...an entire world laid out before you. A world that is not your own.
“Your world has quite the imagination, so perhaps you’ve heard this one before. An everyday, run of the mill, average soul is swept off their feet by a sudden, glowing circle of runes! Or a portal that appears out of thin air! Or, like now, they are plucked from death’s door. It doesn’t matter, as the end result is the same." He chuckles, and the infinite expanse ripples.
"You’re now a Chosen Hero, and you’ve fallen into a brand new world. Magic is real and brave knights wield magical blades against the forces of evil! You might become an adventurer! You could explore vast dungeons, discover ancient treasures! You might even get your own personal harem of romantic interests, or slay a Demon King!”
The salesman’s smile he wears now twists into a cold, seething rage with a mouth set in stony resolve. His fangs gleam white in a mad grin. With a thunderclap from his hands, the world below you disappears. The void around you goes pitch black. Somehow, he is still visible.
“But that’s not how it’s going to go! You see, I am the aforementioned Demon King. And this time, I’m summoning my own Damned Heroes!”
Something closes in on you; the claustrophobia before is now full blown restraint. The “Demon King” folds one leg over the other and either floats back, or sits on some unseen throne.
“Unfortunately, my followers don’t put much stock in “prophecy,” “blessings,” or “talent." And I find the idea of "cheats" to be overdone. You have to start at the bottom rung like everyone else, and claw your way up...over a mountain of corpses, if need be. Yet, I will allow you one boon: You may choose, from a handful of options, how your new life will begin. In both of our worlds, no one ever gets to choose the circumstances of their birth, right? So in a way, maybe I’m giving you the best deal of all…
Then again, all of your choices are pretty shitty.”
He shrugs, and the shell around you closes completely. You can no longer see anything, yet your other senses begin to stir. And you can still hear his voice, though it comes now from within you.
"Despite all that, in all your world's tales the Heroes are quite savvy. No matter their nature or abilities, they always seem to find a way. Yes...a way to completely, utterly BREAK whatever hackneyed system the gods design!" You can hear him cackle with glee. Then you hear an odd, almost digital sound right next to your ears. Images, each displaying a creature out of a story-book, appear before you.
"Choose among these weak and pitiful creatures. As you grow in power and experience, you will transform into something greater. Some have more options, and others may overlap. In the end it is reliant on you as an individual. Even if two of you become the same type of creature down the line, I doubt your abilities will be exactly the same." Strings of an unknown language appear below the images, and before your eyes they begin to make sense.
"As former Humans, your "intelligence" and "wisdom" will far surpass many “normal” monsters. Feel free to use your memories and knowledge to your advantage. Just beware of thinking you’re a big fish when the pond is merely small." With no other option, and with the closed in feeling growing stronger, you make your choice.
"Now, off with you! If you want more than a snowball’s chance in Hell of surviving the world outside your cave, defeat the Boss Monster! Use violence, subterfuge, even negotiation, I don’t give a damn! After that, make your way to my Palace...those who survive will be rewarded! Maybe I’ll even send you back home…" The shell emits a sharp crack. You see light.
You are reborn.
As you may guess, this is a Fantasy, Anime style RP in the growing “isekai” or “other world” genre. The characters were once normal people on our version of Earth, like you and me. After their deaths, they reincarnate as monsters under a mysterious King of Demons. It's like series like Re:Monster, That Time I Reincarnated as a Slime, I'm a Spider, So What, and a few others. There’s also noticeable influence from monster raising games like Monster Rancher, Pokemon, etc.
Though there might be references to terms like “stats,” “experience,” and so forth, there won’t be any dice rolling or number crunching. If the “stats” are revealed, they’re vague comparisons meant to show an Ogre is stronger than a Troll or something like that. They aren’t the end-all-be-all of combat.
Players will choose one of six monsters types to be when they are reborn, unless I'm convinced to add more. If you want to suggest a new type, remember you're all supposed to be weaklings. Start with the kind of mooks an RPG would have at Level 1. Depending on how many players we have, I’d like to have one of each or at least a good variety. The characters will advance by performing all sorts of actions. Fighting is one option, training or learning new skills is another, and then there might be some odd stuff you wouldn’t expect. There are three forms of growth: Skills, Transformation, and Variance. Skills are things like magic spells or proficiency with weapons. They typically improve with practice or personal insight. Transformation is evolution; a Goblin becoming a Hobgoblin and then an Orc, for instance. Variance is the most unique of the three, and is only earned through special instances that will likely become unique to each character. Depending on different characters' backstories, I may grant them a few "carry overs" from their past lives at my discretion.
Here are your choices:
Slime - The Tank of the group. In stat terms, they’d have higher HP and Defense. They have many options for Transformation, and are adaptable to almost any environment. As they grow they might gain shapeshifting abilities or better offense without giving up too much of their specialty. Starting Skill: Physical Damage Resistance I. (A bundle skill applying to all three types, Blunt, Slash, and Pierce)
Dire Rat - The Damage Dealer. It might seem odd, but even though they’re small their speed and strong jaws mean that taking big bites out of an enemy can be very effective, among fellow weaklings. Their Transformations will allow them to branch out into other beast-type monsters. These usually focus on being physically powerful and having sharp senses. Starting Skill: Beast Senses I (A bundle skill applying to all physical senses).
Wisp - The Magic Attacker. A floating orb of magical energy, this monster can fire spells from range and levitate. But it can’t actually “fly” and is very weak up close. As it Transforms it will grow more powerful magically, and may gain various elemental affinities. And of course it won’t stay a featureless glowing puffball forever. Starting Skills: Mana Orb I, Lesser Force I, Levitation.
Goblin - The Jack of All Trades. The long eared, big nosed, green skinned and child-sized peon we’ve all come to love. Goblins aren’t especially strong at anything, but they’re well-balanced. They are the first monster that can use tools, limited to simple things like sharpened sticks. As they Transform they can specialize more, but it'll be hard to match up against creatures with natural specialties. Starting Skill: Use Light Equipment.
Fanged Lizard - The Status Effecter. Physically not much, but a single bite has the chance to paralyze any enemy, even stronger ones. It can also spit poison to wear an enemy down over time. It has fewer Transformations than some of the others. Yet each one offers distinct advantages and may hint to some interesting possibilities…Starting Skills: Stun Fang I, Poison Spit I.
Pixie - The Healer. Like the Wisp, this tiny winged humanoid is magically focused. Though weak, its healing and defensive spells (one of each) allow it to work very effectively as part of a group. As it Transforms it may become more independent with magical offense or different elements. Starting Skills: Minor Heal I, Lesser Flight I, Shield I.
And here’s a rough draft of the character sheet, complete with an example:
So, who's interested?
