Enigma Final Fantasy [High-Casual]

[tsukune]

^{Pre Check
OOC}

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ENIGMA FINAL FANTASY

エニグマ ファイナルファンタジー

^{A Final Fantasy All-Stars Roleplay}

You wake up in an unfamiliar world, without any memories whatsoever. Where you came from - let alone where you're headed - you have no idea, yet all you can do is set forth and walk onward. A mysterious voice calls out to you, guiding you along your path...

Introduction, "Mobius Final Fantasy"

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PREMISE

< Synopsis >

Main Theme

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You wake up to find yourself in a strange universe called Celestia - some say it's a parallel dimension in the middle of infinity, others say it's a dream within a dream. You have no idea how you got here, or who brought you here... As you try to remember, you realize that you have no recollection of your past, and you do not have the means to return to where you were from.

Guided by a mysterious entity who called itself "The Voice", you will journey through this foreign place to piece back your old memories, at the same time meeting people and creatures alike along the way, creating new memories. Even if you manage to reclaim your past, you can no longer go back to who you once were, only to keep moving forward - maybe you might find a way out of this trance-like loop, or you just want to stay in here for eternity. The choice is yours.

However, you will soon find out the purpose why you are brought to this faraway land beyond the realm of your reality, stripped of your old self, trapped in a cycle of events that would force you to question everything you know: what are you fighting for - to protect, or merely to survive? What does it mean to be a hero?

"Who are you?"

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OVERVIEW

< Information >

The World

For cohesion sake, all player characters - regardless of which FF title they are from - will start their adventure in the same, roleplay-exclusive surreal place far from their home world. Partly to reduce discrepancies since the characters won't be from just one title but spanning across many more, it's also to give players the freedom to explore and build an original, standalone universe as a collective whole. We'll expand the Codex and add to the lore together, and also come up with sub-plots (or "side quests" in gaming terms) on top of the main story the GM will reveal from time to time to guide the players (and keep you all on your toes, heh). Hence, this roleplay isn't just a GM's one-man show, but more of a group effort where all players can participate and contribute their ideas.

The Characters

Before you go "What? Canon characters? Why?", the idea of this roleplay is character study: deconstructing and rebuilding the characters we think we know into someone deeper, someone more complicated...and maybe even breaking the fourth wall. To give you a better picture how this roleplay works, imagine a jigsaw puzzle - the canonical information (the character's memories or their backstory) is the pieces, which you'll have to try and put them back together. However, it's not going to be this simple; as the characters regain their past, they are also adding their present to their overall memory bank - this overlapping of perceptions and emotions, from both the past and current, will shape your character beyond what we know canonically.

The Theme

The plot will involve some psychological and spiritual themes, such as self-discovery and morality; we may even delve into politics and war as the plot thickens. Players are expected to be mature and open-minded, and always keep in mind that this is a work of fiction. Do not take the darker and edgier events in this roleplay too personally - or else we'll have to ask you to leave before things get out of hand.

The Style

While this roleplay isn't a sandbox, it's not going to be strictly linear either - it will be a bit more dynamic with a mix of both styles, giving you the space to expand your own ideas while not straying too far from the main plot and losing your way. Of course, a FF game isn't complete without epic boss fights - yes, there will be action scenes! Collaborative writing is highly encouraged for smooth transitions (because I'm no fan of one-liners).

The Highlight

What sets this FF roleplay apart from the others? Other than the world-building and battle goodness, there is the mystery-thriller element: the GMs will pick a player randomly and PM you a piece of information or clue, which you'll include it somewhere in your IC. Yes, recovering your character's memories is only the half of it - you will also be trying to find out the reason why the characters are gathered here in this surreal universe, and they will have to make choices that could possibly change their fate, even this dream-like world, forever...whether it's for the better, or worse.

Inspirations & Influences

• Mobius Final Fantasy
• Dissidia Final Fantasy
• Kingdom Hearts series (in particular Chain of Memories)
• Inception
• Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle
• ...And many more, but the above listed are the major ones.

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^{Another Final Fantasy Pre-Interest Check}

[tsukune]

Do note that this is only a draft. The OOC will be the finalized version.
Have questions? Fire away!

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TL;DR

< Rules >

• High-casual to advanced standard. We are not asking you to write novel-length purple prose; rather, the emphasis is on quality such as minimal spelling and typo errors, good grammar and punctuation, proper paragraphing and sentence structure. Proofreading your work before hitting the post button is highly encouraged.

• Character-driven and interaction-heavy. Do expect lots of psychological drama and collaborative writing. Of course there is a plot, but all we can say is: just sit tight and brace yourselves for the unexpected twists. *smirks*

• 16+. Violence, gore and profanity are allowed as long as they are not done excessively. Do note that there will be possible character deaths, and dark psychological themes.
  
  General forum rules still apply here, remember that - take all the steamy stuffs away from public eyes and do them in PMs, please. Fade to black, and don't be a dick.

• We do understand that real life should take priority over a shared hobby, and we do not feel the need to force a fixed posting schedule on the players. However, 1-2 posts per week or every fortnight should be relatively stress-free enough to handle. If you need more time away to battle with real life wars, we would greatly appreciate that you drop us a notice so that nobody will leave you out of the epic adventures.
  
  If you have to drop this game when it has already begun, do drop us a note so that the GMs can take over your character(s) from there. We'll be sad to see you go, but that's life, innit?

• GM staff words aren't exactly the law (hey, we're not evil dictators!) but do respect us and our decisions all the same. We will only step in as a last resort to snuff out any dramatic flames and trolls before they destroy this whole game world completely.
  
  Of course, feel free to approach us if you need help with things related to this game.

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APPLICATION

< Character Sheet >

• For the main PC, please choose any canon character from the suggested lists below. Those roles not named in the lists will be on a case-by-case basis.
  
  • Playable
  • Guest
  • Notables

    • I: Garland
    • II: Emperor Mateus
    • III: Cid Haze, Sara Altney, Desch, Aria Benett, Alus
    • IV: Golbez, Zemus
    • V: Exdeath
    • VI: Kefka Palazzo, Leo Cristophe
    • Compilation of VII: Professor Hojo, Dr. Hollander, Rufus Shinra, Turks (Veld, Tseng, Rude, Reno, Elena), Genesis Rhapsodos, Angeal Hewley
    • VIII: Ultimecia
    • IX: Kuja, Necron
    • X, X-2: Sin (Yu Yevon, Jecht), Yunalesca, Shuyin, Leblanc
    • XII: Vayne Carudas Solidor, Dr. Cid
    • XIII, XIII-2, Lightning Returns: Jihl Nabaat, Caius Ballad, Alyssa Zaidelle
    • Type-0: Cid Aulstyne, Qator Bashtar, Kurasame Susaya, Arecia Al-Rashia, Claes Celestia "Hoshihime" Misca Sancest
  
  Do note that characters from the following will not be accepted:
  
  • Player-created roles in Original FF, III (NES ver.), Before Crisis VII, Crystal Chronicles, XI, XIV, etc.;
  • Not-yet-released titles e.g. XV, World;
  • Mobile-exclusive e.g. Record Keeper, All the Bravest, Mobius, etc.;
  • Unrelated titles e.g. The Spirits Within, Unlimited, Legend (known as SaGa in Japan), etc.
  • Original characters from the Kingdom Hearts series - they are reserved as NPCs.
  
  If there's anything you're unsure of regarding this rule, please go to any of the GMs for clarification.
  
  For Moogle, you may choose any one of the canonical designs from across all the game titles. Feel free to use this page for your reference.

(CS Template at a later date as I'm still testing out format and codes.)

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FAQ

< Frequently Asked Questions >

• "Amnesiac Dissonance": a simple, complete mindwipe...or something else much more sinister?
  I want to stay away from the idea of "strictly a hard and fast, no-memories-at-all amnesia" - rather than brainwashing the characters completely clean, I'd say their old memories are something like a surreal jigsaw puzzle thrown into a mess by whoever brought them to Celestia. Your character will embark on a quest to piece back their past; memories aren't like physical objects with a definite form and they are often greatly influenced by emotions. Remember that they are creating new memories throughout this journey which will also affect their perception of their previous life, reevaluating with a different light, so the memory jigsaw in your character growth plan may deviate from the original canon. Whether your character is able to return back to someone as close as their original self, or someone completely different from who they once were, is entirely dependent on how you develop your character.

• What about recurring characters, spells and summons? How would these work in this roleplay?
  Recurring Characters: we are well aware of certain elements that span across various titles e.g. Cid, Gilgamesh, to name a few. However, these recurrences do have features that change from one game to another or things that make them unique and easily identifiable to a particular title, which you should be taking into account.
  
  Creatures & Spells: please check the Codex/Lore section.
  
  Summons: we're not keen on allowing players to own them permanently as depicted in the Lightning Saga games, hence we'll be employing the "temporary contract" system like those in XII and Type-0:
  
  • They can be called forth ("summon") by your character for a limited time duration before they go back to the void where they're originally from;
  • Players must give up something of equal value (can be physical items or obscure things like memory or relationship with a certain character, etc.) as offering before these mighty beings can lend you their powers.
  
  Also, as the color scheme and more detailed design of the summons vary in each game, to avoid unnecessary debate you can assume that these summons are nothing but shadow silhouettes while retaining the basic form to tell them apart from each other e.g. Alexander = castle, Odin = demonic knight on a six-legged steed, etc. If you really want to go into the details, you may assume that these shadows can shift their look to the character's understanding (something like how the Greek goddess Aphrodite constantly changes her appearance to appeal to those who set their eyes upon her).
  
  Moogle: while its function is set as simply your character's other traveling companion (aside from "The Voice"), but we're going to give you the freedom to use any one out of the many canonical Moogle designs (e.g. your character is Cloud who's from VII but the Moogle is from the Lightning Saga games). There are many different looks for the Moogles across the game titles but you're only allowed to pick one per character, so choose carefully, heh.

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Basic Lore

CODEX

< Lore & Terminology >

• Celestia
  A parallel dimension - some say it's situated in the middle of infinity, while others say it's a dream within a dream. This surreal universe is the main stage where you will begin your quest in search of your identity, your past.
  
  This world is divided into 5 regions, based on their terrain type:
  
  • Grasveldt (plains)
  • Areiadune (desert)
  • Eisbeulf (arctic)
  • Regenselva (tropical)
  • Hapstaden (capital)

• "The Voice"
  A mysterious entity that you cannot see, only hear in your mind - at times it helps to guide you through this foreign land you are exploring, but whether or not it has an agenda for doing so, only time will tell...

• Moogle
  If hearing voices in your head isn't weird enough, how about getting another guide - this time a physical one, but in the form of...uh, a floating plush toy? Well, the Moogles will be your first traveling companion in this surreal land, but even so you can barely drop your guard - this little one just doesn't make you feel at ease at all with its apparent clumsiness, made worse by its overly helpful nature. No one knows where they come from; they are already by your side when you wake up...kupo.

• Chocobo
  This wild and flashy avian may not be able to fly given their rather large body, but their powerful legs allow them to sprint across the lands of Celestia - there isn't any place where this bird-like creature has yet to set foot on. They can be a great way to ease ground transportation, but only if you have what it takes to tame this free-spirited beast to bend its will to do your bidding.

• Sabotender
  More commonly known as "Cactuar" in the English games, these cactus-like creatures may seem cute (or even dumb-looking, depending on how you view them) but they are dangerous for their signature "1000 Needles" attack, easily inflicting heavy damage on anyone. However, in Celestia they have a mischievous touch: using their quickness as a weapon, these little flora prey on unsuspecting travelers, looting them for anything they deem valuable. If you're able to stumble upon a Sabotender's lair, the amount of stolen treasures hidden within would easily turn on your instinctive greed, but that is if you can get past the guarding Jumbotenders ("Gigantuar") first...

• Orbis
  In VII, it's known as "materia"; in Spira, they call it the "sphere"; in the Fabula universe, it becomes "phantoma" - the orbis technically functions the same way as all of those: a type of elemental substance abundant in Celestia, which you can collect for combat uses, to refine your equipment, among many other things.
  
  Going further, the orbis is not merely an orb-like substance but a form of living spirit - hence its close ties with nature, giving it elemental properties. There are a total of 6 element types: Fire, Ice/Water, Earth, Air/Wind, Light/Thunder, and Darkness. The method to collect orbis is similar to the absorption of phantoma from dead enemies as seen in Type-0.

• Astra
  Known as "Summons" in most instances - including other names such as "Eidolons" and "Espers" - the Astras are shadowy warlords that reside in the void on a separate plane from Celestia. They usually lay dormant within this space; you can call them forth via a Summoning Ritual by offering something of equal value to borrow a portion of their power, albeit temporary before they leave and go back to their deep slumber once more. No one knows the true form of the Astras, for they can easily shift their appearance into an image that can be comprehended by the person who sets sight on them.

[AirBender]

I'm still here! Just haven't posted anything yet. As I mentioned in the pre interest check, I would love to take Edward from IV.

[Fabricant451]

Oh man Jihl and Alyssa are playable?

Decisions to make...

[tsukune]

I'm still here! Just haven't posted anything yet. As I mentioned in the pre interest check, I would love to take Edward from IV.

@AirBender

^{Of course I remember you said the bard is yours}

To be fair to all players normally I won't employ a reservation system. However, since this will be a small group RP, he's all yours once you fill up the CS when the OOC is up.

And I better speed up my testing of the CS. Right now I'm on mobile tho'.

Oh man Jihl and Alyssa are playable?

Decisions to make...

@Fabricant451

I never said that the canon characters are strictly the main protagonists, heh. In fact, as you deconstruct and rebuild these canon roles, they are no longer their original canon self - a hero can fall to the dark side, and a former villain can choose to turn over a new leaf. It all depends on how you develop them.

[tsukune]

So, no questions for me? None at all? *Gives myself a pat on the back for doing a good job*

Anyway, originally I said there would be no crossover with Kingdom Hearts, but I'm willing to bend this rule - no, KH characters are still not playable by players, but can appear as NPCs for the sub-plots/side quests. Original KH characters only, no Disney.

Not sure how much you guys know about FF14, but they have a few fun/troll quests from time to time. I know this RP has a serious tone to it with amnesiac characters and mysterious revelation stuffs, but having some fun can also help to develop the characters, right?

[Bounce]

Not sure how much you guys know about FF14, but they have a few fun/troll quests from time to time. I know this RP has a serious tone to it with amnesiac characters and mysterious revelation stuffs, but having some fun can also help to develop the characters, right?

@tsukune

All my ideas involve FF XIV. Too many ideas right now in fact. I'm interested to see some sheets to get an idea what the party make-up is going to look like.

[tsukune]

<Snipped quote by tsukune>

All my ideas involve FF XIV. Too many ideas right now in fact. I'm interested to see some sheets to get an idea what the party make-up is going to look like.

@Bounce

^{Ah yes I should get the CS up asap but hope everyone can understand I have internet problems and I'm often stuck with mobile}

I still can't erase the zombie side quest from FF14 from my mind. That was hilarious.

[Bounce]

The Gentle Dead Men will definitely need to make an appearance at some point.

In fact, with one of the characters I have in mind, they'd work in perfectly...

[tsukune]

The Gentle Dead Men will definitely need to make an appearance at some point.

In fact, with one of the characters I have in mind, they'd work in perfectly...

@Bounce

That was the only time I actually liked zombies. One of the best take on the cliche flesh-eating stereotype I know of.

Adding KH characters to the NPC cast can also give you guys an opportunity to work out some fun side stories (and who knows, maybe the capital is ruled by Organization XIII).

[tsukune]

@Bounce@Fabricant451@AirBender@Penultimate_Pi
(Honorable mention @RyuHll)

Anyway...

If there's really no burning questions for me and everyone is perfectly cool with the rules and lore so far, I'll make the OOC and post the CS form hopefully tomorrow (or latest next Monday) - and get the epic adventure started for real!

^Cheers!

[Penultimate_Pi]

I think I'm fine with everything. I'm just bashing my head over what I want to play as.

[Grasshopper]

Very interested! Is Cloud available to play?

[tsukune]

Very interested! Is Cloud available to play?

@Grasshopper

I don't remember anyone who has mentioned him, so yes he's available.

And before I forget...

The OOC is here.

[zaga2575]

Interested in possibly playing Kain from IV if you'd have me.

[tsukune]

Interested in possibly playing Kain from IV if you'd have me.

@zaga2575

Head over to the OOC for the finalized OOC info. :)

I don't plan to have a big group of people for this, so once I've enough players those who are late will be on waiting list until someone drops out...yeah.