Heartbreaker - A KILLER Isekai Adventure

[Antediluvixen]

^ Also what Yam said tbh yes ^

[Yam I Am]

Random question. What happens to heros once they save the day in this universe. Are they sent back home or is there a whole flock of retired heros in the land.

@LadyAnnaLee

Watsonian Answer: The greatest heroes of the land often have very conflicting accounts following their greatest exploits. This is further complicated by the exacerbations between eyewitness accounts, memoirs, and a paucity of second or third-perspective historical documents pertaining to them as people prior to their exploits, which further makes it more and more difficult to concretely say what happened to any hero in general.

Doylist Answer: They tend to get sent home, but due to some loopholes with how soul trapping and binding work, it's common for them to come back as a reincarnated avatar some years down the line - typically when the original hero has died.

[Izurich]

@Lady Lascivious

Indeed, in the end, it does boil down to how we see the nuances of power and how it affects our enjoyment of the collaborative writing activity.

Oh, I won’t refute your statement about me missing a piece of the puzzle. You are correct. I am well aware that I’m a bit weird when it comes to being sensitive about differences in raw power between the PCs, regardless of themes, nuances, and everything else.

---

@Yam I Am Those are very good points. Hmmm… gave me a lot to think about.

So, I don’t wish to drag out this discussion anymore than necessary and fill up the thread with my rambling. I will ask one final question to end it, it may be an obvious question, but here goes:

Will this RP allow Average Joe and Thor PCs to mix?

[Yam I Am]

@Yam I Am Those are very good points. Hmmm… gave me a lot to think about.

So, I don’t wish to drag out this discussion anymore than necessary and fill up the thread with my rambling. I will ask one final question to end it, it may be an obvious question, but here goes:

Will this RP allow Average Joe and Thor PCs to mix?

@Izurich

To make a long answer short:

Yes. But in general the stronger your character, the stronger I expect you to accordingly think of the consequences, and also the more i'll put them under scrutiny.

[Antediluvixen]

Oh, I won’t refute your statement about me missing a piece of the puzzle. You are correct. I am well aware that I’m a bit weird when it comes to being sensitive about differences in raw power between the PCs, regardless of themes, nuances, and everything else.

@Izurich

Oooooooh trust me I understand completely. First D&D game I was ever in we rolled stats with a rather merciless GM and I ended up the lowest of the bunch, with the highest guy having 20 points over me. My character was completely useless in combat despite being a fighter. And was character-ending-event'ed out of game due to some stupid bullshit I won't get into here, and then the rest of the group joked about how they were gonna brutally murder her later.

I completely understand where you're coming from.

[Izurich]

<Snipped quote by Izurich>

Oooooooh trust me I understand completely. First D&D game I was ever in we rolled stats with a rather merciless GM and I ended up the lowest of the bunch, with the highest guy having 20 points over me. My character was completely useless in combat despite being a fighter. And was character-ending-event'ed out of game due to some stupid bullshit I won't get into here, and then the rest of the group joked about how they were gonna brutally murder her later.

I completely understand where you're coming from.

@Lady Lascivious

Thank you for the empathy, and fuck those assholes, it’s certainly worse than my case as in mine, the GM and super PC players had no malicious intentions at all, it was entirely my fault. In yours? Yeah, they need a high-five, to the face, with a bat, laden with spikes.

<Snipped quote by Izurich>

To make a long answer short:

Yes. But in general the stronger your character, the stronger I expect you to accordingly think of the consequences, and also the more i'll put them under scrutiny.

@Yam I Am

Hmmmm… alright, then it’s not my cup of tea, apologies, I prefer RPs where the PCs are mandated to have a strictly equal or at most minor differences in raw power.

I cannot continue my participation in good faith as I don’t trust myself to not succumb to my old trauma and be toxic, thus ruining the experience for everyone involved.

Nevertheless, I wish you all great fun in the rp! And perhaps we’ll meet again in the future.

[Dead Cruiser]

Right, while Seht is very strong for sure, the most dangerous thing about him is his deviousness and cunning. It's what kept him alive for centuries while stronger mages and demons than himself were undone. The first lesson he ever learned was not to tamper with forces he couldn't control. That said, he plays up the image of an arrogant wizard-god to scare off fools and lead the foolhardy to their doom. As Sun Tzu said, appear weak where you are strong, and strong where you are weak.

[Antediluvixen]

It's what kept him alive for centuries while stronger mages and demons than himself were undone.

traumatized Medai noises

[LadyAnnaLee]

@Yam I Am

Thank you! I was wondering if there was the potential for Katrina to run into Heros she had helped before, and now I know she won't.

Though all this discussion about power levels and what to expect had helped me figure out a potential role for Katrina as the one who knows th Other Side. Which is exciting.

[Antediluvixen]

This does beg the question of what happens to the hero's sidekicks.

if nothing else @LadyAnnaLee I foresee lots of mutual grousing between the two :P

[LadyAnnaLee]

@Lady Lascivious

Well Katrina is an ex Sidekick. Three times in fact. So maybe Medai won't like her once she realizes that Katrina indirectly helped with the amnesia three times. Though Katrina is a more than a little disillusioned with Heros in general by this point.

[Antediluvixen]

@LadyAnnaLee
At one point, you'd be correct - but Medai herself once tried siding with the Hero to try and get the Goddess to not do it, and it still happened because the goddess is kind of a spiteful bitch. She wouldn't hold ill will to someone who thought they were doing the right thing - she just wants to get back at the goddess, Karina is disillusioned with the goddess, thus mood kindred.

[LadyAnnaLee]

@Lady Lascivious

Fair point. And in this crowd of demons and wizard's and whatnot Katrina could use all the friends she could get. Even if they are just friends who hate the same things.

[Antediluvixen]

@LadyAnnaLee
"Hi, I'm the mortal lady of the group."

"And who's that behind you glaring angrily?"

"Take a wild guess and get out of my way I have genre savvy character things to do."

[LadyAnnaLee]

@Lady Lascivious

Katrina's advice contains things like, "Kill the hero before they get to whichever order is training them." And "Do as much world conquering things discreetely before making dramatic entrances." And my favorite. "For the sake of all things holy, or maybe unholy, stop monologing and just kill the hero!"

[Silverstein]

Hi, I was lurking around, hoping to jump into this RP. here's my submission @Yam I Am

snek

Sebastian Slithers

"those who act as heroes in this world are delusional, a terminal-ill patient that must be operated, if not purged with extreme measures."

Nickname(s): Harbinger of Disease, Pestilence, The Surgeon, and other plague-related alias that Sebastian didn't ask for.

Age: 112 (based on the accumulated number of molted scales he produce through out the years)

Race: Ex- Human/Basilisk-lich

Background:

He is death.
The bane of all things living.
The sickness that plagues the earth.

Despite all of this grandiose title, Sebastian is not always this aloof, cynical, cold-blooded(figuratively and in a literal sense) harbinger of plague and the avatar of pestilence he is today.

Oh no, quite the contrary, Before turning heel and serving the Demon Lord Ahriman's legion. He was a workaholic middle-aged corporate dude who didn't ask to be reincarnated into another world. He was once a mere human. A lesser isekai protagonist who got the short end of the stick.

A naive, optimistic, caring spell caster that is a part and supports a 'mid-tier' hero's band of adventurers. He was their designated healer and the hardest worker in that party. Although He does his job so well, Sebastian barely gets any praise for his efforts. often belittled by his party members in their adventures.

Sebastian is a natural man of talent when it comes to healing arts, potion concoction, and aiding his comrades. So much so, that he is the only reason that his 'reckless' party hasn't entered Death's door just yet.

Well ...until that fateful day when he and his cocky party members bit more than they can chew by delving into the Viper god's temple, facing the Snake Deity Atziri herself, and got completely annihilated for being 'idiots' for rushing in trying to do their flashy heroic moves on the Snake God whose way above their adventurer's paygrade as Sebastian would put it in his final moments.

Most of them barely escaped with their heads attached, but Sebastian was not so fortunate and was the sacrificial bait in doing so.

He was killed and was reincarnated as a prisoner, serving the Snake god and the snake people of the temple. Even being reincarnated as a part reptilian/ part human, Sebastian's work ethic didn't falter, he work as hard as he was in his past life as a human healer.

To his surprise, the basilisk tribe was quite accommodating of their kin and his talents were much appreciated here than he was in that jerk of a Hero's party.

As the years, decades go by, Sebastian makes his way up the corporate ladder and makes it up to the higher ranks in the snake hierarchy.

The viper queen herself calls upon Sebastian for his unfaltering dedication, where his talents are recognized, promoting him into her most trusted general, bestowing him with the highest power of their snake overlord.

from there, Sebastian's view of this world changed. he became a heartless machine, vengeful, rejecting his humanity due to his previous experience siding with humans. turning him into a cold-blooded, slithering, devotee and emissary for the Snake-god with zero empathy for the human race whatsoever.

As a sign of good faith and allegiance to the demon lords, The Viper Queen sends a recommendation letter to Lord Ahriman, entrusting Sebastian to work under his jurisdiction in the fight against those 'otherworldly heroes'

Skills and Abilities:
What Sebastian lacks in physical strength and frail body makes up for his ability to cast powerful venomous poison spells, inciting a plague that can wipe an entire town from his horrific experiments.

Sebastian possesses snake-like features such as molting his skin to regenerate, night vision to see in the dark, fangs that can pierce through skin, and can summon a variety of snakes at his whim. He can also turn his skin into scales, toughening his exterior against most blunt attacks.

His eyes are his greatest features, staring through them for a long period of time can petrify a man to his doom.

He is quite knowledgeable in all sorts of medicine, as well as many forms of toxins for any occasion, and other high-tier alchemy due to his previous life as a healer/alchemist.

Quips:
Sebastian is a workaholic and a shut-in. spending most of his time indoors, experimenting god knows what toxins he can think off inside his laboratory. He is rarely seen in the outside world unless needed or call upon by his superiors.

A germaphobe when it comes to his surroundings and barely socializes with others, he is often depicted as an emotionless person. a hard face to read by. A genuine kuudere.

[Antediluvixen]

And my favorite. "For the sake of all things holy, or maybe unholy, stop monologing and just kill the hero!"

@LadyAnnaLee

"In my defense, I was trying to convince him to join the demon lord when he stabbed me! Like who does that? At least hear the enemy out before you stab them, fail to kill them, and curse them with memories of the shitty place you came from before here! Fair point on being subtle before you try to take over the world."

[Zoey Boey]

Here's my character. Let me know what you think.

De'kae N'nm

Name: De'kae N'nm.

Age: 19

Race: Lizardfolk (Mortal)

Appearance:

De'kae has an odd look about her, like she's thinking of something confusing or frightening. She's a skinny girl with green, scaled skin, standing at a humble 5'2. Her clothes are scraggly and dirty, and she walks with a slight limp that favors her left leg.

---

Background: Among lizardfolk, to be born with a deformity is to be touched by a curse. Ever since she was a girl De'kae was an outcast, and she has always found solace among the plants and animals. De'kae is a self taught druid, or rather, she was taught only by the forests, mountains, and valleys. No schools, books, tomes or recipes.

Eventually, she found herself connecting to the world of the fae, a wild, mystical place. Though she daren't disturb it with her own presence, she could coax creatures from their homes with greater and greater proficiency.

Rumors spread that a cursed witch lived in the woods, and in a way, there was. A hunting party of the nearby kingdom was gathered to hunt her down. At first she reacted with fear, and did her hardest to escape. As they closed in on her, she lashed out with her abilities and found it quite easy to kill these hunters and huntresses. De'kae relaxed and restrained herself, frightening the remaining majority out of her woods. Instead of a massacare and a threat, she began a cautionary tale and a local legend, and was left alone. When heroes returned later to flush her out, she had already left and gone undercover again.

De'kae liked this feeling of power, though. And she liked serving a little vengeance upon those who had Othered her. Finally De'kae entered the fae wild and lived there for a few short years. She helped it creep into the mortal realm, opening portals and rifts in woods to bring wonder, joy, mystery and danger to the short lives of mortals. De'kae is an adventurer herself, though she only goes where nature allows her too, and disturbs no sacred grounds.

All of this 'poking holes in reality because she likes plants so much' business got the attention of a certain demon lord. Having suffered in the past at the hands of misinformed 'heroes', and having an altruistic heart, De'kae was pleased to join.

Skills and Abilities: Affinity with Plants and Animals: Kay can communicate with animals, creatures, and monsters. Any animal that wouldn't be able to speak otherwise, she can create a mental and spiritual connection with. Even plants can be spoken with.

Botantical and Zoological Knowledge: Because of the above skill and her experience with the natural world, De'kae knows the name and function of every plant, magical and mundane, in the mortal realm.

Fae Connection: Has a spiritual connection with the unknowable realm of life and madness. Can detect portals and rifts.

Alchemist: Knows how to make all sorts of useful potions and dangerous poisons. De'kae herself is naturally immune to the negative effects of most poisons.

Life Link: Any creature she has an affinity with can be bound to her will, forcing them to do as she pleases. She doesn't like doing this, but she can if she must. Doing so means she has total control over creatures, but any damage done to them hurts her. She can only do this with an animal that trusts her and is willing, but the result is an unbreakable bond. De'kae has learned a variety of methods to earn an animal's loyalty, but she prefers not to take this final, ultimate step.

Quips: Doesn't like the Guiding Lady and her weird attempts to throw off the natural order of things. Especially since, inevitably, there will be another great war and another Demon Lord will just take the last one's place. Bringing these unnatural humans into the eco-system annoys her greatly.

Actually pretty nice, if odd and under-socialized. Really, she's always liked the idea of big heroes and the power of friendship, but not with this whole weird Guidance crap going on in the background. Especially for a cause that, fundamentally, makes no sense. There's nothing heroic about it, just killing Demons because their Demons, as far as she can tell.

"It's like...racism, dude."

[LadyAnnaLee]

@Lady Lascivious

"Heros! Heros! They stab people while they monolog. So, stop it. Trust me! I know Heros. Oh and don't kill their friends. Somehow seeking revenge for their dead friends gives the Heros more power. Just kill the Heros."

[Antediluvixen]

@LadyAnnaLee

"Well yes I know that now! The hard part is actually catching them when some divinely mandated golden tart hurries him off center stage just as I get there! Besides, killing people without giving them a chance to understand their wrongdoings is just rude, y'know?"