BrokenPromise

Symphony on High

NPC Master List

Ashley Avenir, The Knight of Tomorrow
Estelle Page, Far West Witch Hunter
Finnegan Vanhorn, The Timekeeper
Mika Fang, Cerberus
GEMINI Agents NPCs

Cirilla Vrabsel:The Whisper in the Dark
Luna Gallo, Tetrad
Maverick Alternative NPCs

Marrie Knight
Himiko Yoshikawa, Sovereign, Goldie Glocks
Asher Blake, Dead Head
Justin Rufina, Noble Spark
The Freelancers NPCs

~ Maximum of one character at this time.

~ All espers will start with a gold, silver, and two bronze grade glamors. These grades may be attributed to their characters Instrument, Style, Genre, and Leitmotif respectively. Over time, all espers will be allowed to upgrade their glamors.

~ Returning players may start with a Silver Grade PR from their chosen faction. Alternatively, they may choose to have a Bronze glamor if they feel it fits their character better.

~ New players start the RP with a Bronze Grade PR glamor.

~ Returning characters may keep their old Backups, though they may be requested to change it depending on the character and who the Backup is from.

~ New characters do not start the RP with a Backup, and must forge relationships in Pax Septimus to earn one.

~ A character sheet can be rejected for any reason, including your behavior in other RPs. Though usually we'll just ask for some small corrections before you can join.

~ I'm not one to set hard limits on what a character can be. But the following are going to be a tough sell:

-Characters under the age of 13.

-Characters that have been espers for a long time.

-Characters that aren't espers.

-Characters that aren't Gemini agents, Mavericks, or Freelancers.

-Characters that aren't human. Having a non-human esper form is fine.

~ You may alter the character sheet, but the order of information and how the information is indented should remain the same. Only a single space between paragraphs. Do not use the original Magenta color in the color tags, and do not color the body text. Other than that, you're free to dress it up how you like.

~ All character sheets must be posted in OOC. The extremely shy can PM a GM or Co-GM, who will discuss the sheet in private.

NAME:

Character's Name, as well as the alias for their esper form if they have one. EXAMPLE: Elroy Bates / Immortal Volcano

AGE:

Character's Age. If their Esper form has a different apparent age, list both. EXAMPLE: 67, looks like a teenager in their esper form

SEX:

Male or Female, and list if it changes in esper form. If you answer "yes please," I'm rejecting the sheet >:C

APPEARANCE:

A picture or a written description is fine. Be sure to note key features like accessories, hair style, scars, etc. Also remember to describe both their normal and esper forms.

GRIMIORE:

Your esper's trinket that enables their transformation.

INSTRUMENT:

Details about the esper's Instrument. Refer to the character creation guide for notes on how to make all glamors. We're mostly interested in what it looks like, as well as its keywords, stats, and extra abilities.

STYLE:

Details about the esper's style. Namely the resistances and special abilities.

GENRE:

Details about the esper's genre. List the element, keywords (and costs), as well as any special abilities.

LEITMOTIF:

Details about the esper's leitmotif.

PR:

Details about the esper's PR. Note their loadout and any special effects.

BACKUP:

Details about a special gift your esper received from their waifu/husbando friend.

FACTION:

The faction they work for.

TRIVIA:

This is the space where you can describe the character's personality, backstory, and any other details you feel like sharing. Remember to give your GMs and players some good hooks to work with.

Below is the basic format for a character sheet. Remember to change the text color to something other than "Magenta"

easy copy/paste CS

[indent][color=Magenta][b]NAME:[/b][/color]
[indent]text
[/indent]
[color=Magenta][b]AGE:[/b][/color]
[indent]text
[/indent]
[color=Magenta][b]SEX:[/b][/color]
[indent]text
[/indent]
[color=Magenta][b]APPEARANCE:[/b][/color]
[indent]text
[/indent]
[color=Magenta][b]GRIMIORE:[/b][/color]
[indent]text
[/indent]
[color=Magenta][b]INSTRUMENT:[/b][/color]
[indent]text
[/indent]
[color=Magenta][b]STYLE:[/b][/color]
[indent]text
[/indent]
[color=Magenta][b]GENRE:[/b][/color]
[indent]text
[/indent]
[color=Magenta][b]LEITMOTIF:[/b][/color]
[indent]text
[/indent]
[color=Magenta][b]PR:[/b][/color]
[indent]text
[/indent]
[color=Magenta][b]BACKUP:[/b][/color]
[indent]text
[/indent]
[color=Magenta][b]FACTION:[/b][/color]
[indent]text
[/indent]
[color=Magenta][b]TRIVIA:[/b][/color]
[indent]text
[/indent]
[/indent]

Example Character Sheet: Mika Fang

NAME:

Mika Fang

AGE:

16

SEX:

Female

APPEARANCE:

Mika is not someone who pays much attention to her appearance. Even though she’s half way through her teens, her dress sense is closer to an adolescent. She’ll put on whatever she feels like wearing, and then put all of her favorite accessories on top of it. Mika’s school backpack rattles like chainmail from all the pins she's attached to it. Few of her accessories were purchased for her. She made a good deal of them herself (glue & glossy photo paper FTW) or found them when "inspecting" a garbage can.

The two things that don’t change between her true and esper forms are her height and her dark skin. Her American Indian heritage seems to be present in both forms, not that she dresses the part in either form. Her teal esper clothes look like they belong to an exotic Arabian dancer. The cat ears on her head don’t scream Apache either, but Mika likes them regardless.

GRIMIORE:

Her foster mother's jade amulet.

INSTRUMENT:

Nails

Mika’s hands are shrouded in arcane magic. Her nails are longer, nigh indestructible, and twinkle like stars. They also have the ability to weaken arcane effects they cut through.

GRADE: Silver
KEYWORD: Hands
DAMAGE TYPE: Arcane
DAMAGE: C
SPEED: B
SENTINEL: E
SPECIAL: Cat Scratch Fever: When Mika hits a target, any buffs they have are weakened by a single rank. This special cannot affect a single buff more than once.

STYLE:

Eye of the Tiger

Mika may lack the majesty and presence of a tiger, but she’s a girl with her will to survive…

GRADE: Gold
PHYSICAL: D
ARCANE: B
CHAOS: C
SPECIAL: Survivor: Mika can choose to “emergency blink” to a safe distance in order to avoid an attack, spell, etc. The blink is grade C and cannot be used more than three times.

GENRE:

Spirit Animals

Mika’s magic enables her to call upon wild spirits. Astral birds, spectral cats

GRADE: Bronze
ELEMENT: Nature
NOTES: [Poison, Transform], Pull, Restrain, Construction, Heal, Stabilize, Extend

SPECIAL: ANIMAL: Mika’s magic sometimes causes ethereal beasts to appear around her, if only for a moment. The effect is completely cosmetic.

LEITMOTIF:

Somebody’s Watching Me!

Mika knows she’s being observed, just not by who.

GRADE: Bronze
SPECIAL: Mika is aware of when people are looking at her, but not who, how many, what, from where, if they’re hostile, etc. Even a passing bird could trigger it. Mika tends to just ignores it.

PR:

Dragon's Hoard
Mika doesn’t know the first thing about preparing for an operation. She’s decided to use her foster mother’s things. Aside from her amulet, it’s the only other thing she has that belonged to her.

GRADE: Silver
GEAR: Clip light, Kevlar vest, Kevlar padding, 3X Handcuffs, Tazer
SPECIAL: The clip light has a black light function, allowing it to show blood stains, urine, etc that have been cleaned up. This can also reveal hidden messages and the like that someone might have left for a black light to find.

BACKUP:

N/A

Mika might be Su’s child, but she’s very new to the esper world.

GRADE: N/A
BACKUP MELODY: N/A
SPECIAL: N/A

FACTION:

GEMINI Agents

TRIVIA:

An unfortunate girl loses her parents once. Mika lost hers twice.

Her birth parents were what most people would call trailer trash.. They were an older couple and Mika didn’t have any brothers or sisters. But she was hardly lonely as she had all the other trailer park kids to play with. When she wasn’t racing around the park with her peers, she would “dumpster dive” for “treasure.” It’s a hobby Mika still holds near and dear to her heart. Her parents weren’t an active presence in her life for the most part, but she loved them.

Her first brush with the supernatural world brought tragedy to her trailer park, and her parents were among the casualties. That was when she first met Su Fang, who had been dispatched to deal with the problem. She adopted Mika and treated her like her own daughter. Su was a Chinese foreigner who had to work hard to get her position in GEMINI. She was very much a tiger mom who wanted the best and expected the best out of her daughter. Needless to say, Mika had difficulty adjusting to Su’s form of parenting. Being forced to do her schoolwork and clean her plate wasn’t something her old parents fussed over. But over time, Mika would grow to love her new mother, even if she couldn’t reach all of her expectations. Mika isn’t the brightest, but Su was able to foster a curiosity in the world. Mika can be really knowledgeable about things that fascinate her. This mostly shows itself with her wide berth of animal facts.

But being an esper is a dangerous profession, and Su’s life was taken during the fight against the Holy Diver: A giant behemoth class monster. Half way through the fight, Mika found her mother’s grimoire and it responded to her. But this has happened very recently, and the ramifications this will have on her personality is not yet clear.

In addition to this, you'll also want to create a "Banner Character Sheet." This contains a quick run down of your character's attributes so that the GMs can more easily determine if an action was successful or not. It looks something like this, and can be hidden in a hider inside your posts if you wish.

Age | Sex | Faction | Leitmotif
Weapon | Weapon Keywords | Weapon Damage Type | Weapon Special
Style | Style Special
Genre | Genre Element | Genre Special
[Element Notes] All other notes

DAMAGE: | SPEED: | SENTINEL: | MAX MANA

PHYSICAL: | ARCANE: | CHAOS: | CURRENT MANA

Here's what Mika's would look like filled out:

16 | Female | Gemini | Somebody's Watching Me!
Nails | Hands | Arcane | Cat Scratch Fever
Eye of the Tiger | Survivor
Spirit Animals | Nature | ANIMAL
[Poison, Transform], Pull, Restrain, Construction, Heal, Stabilize, Extend

DAMAGE: C | SPEED: B | SENTINEL: E | 500

PHYSICAL: D | ARCANE: B | CHAOS: C | 500

Symphony on High

music

Doctrine of Combat Supremacy

_{A google DOC that contains information on how to create glamors, melodies, as well as how other aspects of the RP works. It's a handbook for everything Symphony on High related!}

Melody Cost Calculator

_{Because math can be hard sometimes.}

DoCS Patch Notes

_{A list of changes made to the DoCS from 4/11/2022 onward, part way through the original SoE RP.}

I like women, cars, motorcycles, and pizza. I ain’t really about complicated ideas. Don’t think anyone is. Complicated people can’t know themselves very well. Thinkin’ that’s more how someone describes themself when they want to impress their date.

What about you, Time Keeper?

~Billy Black

We’re baaaaaaaaack…

Symphony on High (SoH) Is a sequel to my last RP Symphony of Espers (SoE) and shouldn’t be confused with Symphony on High School (SoHS). It’s a supernatural RP that takes inspiration from ”darker” superhero and magical girl IPs such as Madoka Magica, Yuki Yuna is a Hero, Invincible, Watchman, Kingdom Come, and several others. It deals with themes involving enduring failure to reach success, living with your choices, keep moving forward, etc.

You will play as an esper: a powerful wielder of a magical artifact that does battle with even more powerful monsters, other espers, and criminals. An espers is not some crusty old mage. They have peak human physical prowess, with some going beyond that.

The faction war rages on as GEMINI and Maverick Alternative continue to fight for control of Pax Septimus. But what’s really shaken things up is the discovery of a secret collective known as “The Hand,” which seems to be responsible for the earlier vampire attacks. It seems beneficial to both factions to call a truce, but can such a thing really last with such divided ideals? And what if there’s more to this than The Hand?

Catch up/Refresher

Act 1:

The two primary factions move into Pax Septimus. Gemini agents take back a police station and the Mavericks gain access to the Bastion. The Bastion being the underground labyrinth the Iron Queen used to run Pax Septimus from. Also there’s a vampire thrall and a guy that has the upper half of his head replaced with a cathode ray tube. There’s some weird shit going on.

Also some random esper encounters a girl once and she gets kidnapped by monsters. It kind of blows up on Shimr where it gets sensationalized to the point where they make her out to be his girlfriend. Cameras cover the kidnapping and it was vampires. Specifically, a magnificent bastard called Justin Von Carnage.

There’s also a massive monster called the Holy Diver that might stop by Pax Septimus, but nobody cares about that right now. Totally won’t be relevant later.

Act 2:

They know where Justin is hanging out but GEMINI is all “we got this, Freelancers.” They want that big win so that they can look like the heroes. Meanwhile, Maverick Alternative hires a bunch of freelancers so that they can storm the place at the same time as the GEMINI people. The idea being that letting the freelancers tag along would make the Mavericks look better than GEMINI. It kind of worked, only not really because they encountered each other while they were looking for Justin and a fight broke out between them. Justin escaped, kidnapped another waifu on his way out, so yea. It was a huge loss for everyone.

But Justin’s statue of himself wrestling a bull was destroyed, so even he had a reason to be mad.

Also he may have indirectly revealed that he was working for some group. Vampires just can’t shut the hell up.

Act 3:

This act was mostly filler. Erm, mostly stuff that related to the characters rather than the plot. Only relevant bit was the esper that (allegedly) killed the Iron Queen showed up. She’s nuts, but she was able to give the espers some clues as to what the Holy Diver is doing. Not out of the kindness of her heart, but because two espers hugged in front of her and it was super adorable.

Act 4:

It’s an epic fight with aunty knight, mommy swat member with dragon horns, Persona 5’s joker, a retro skintight outfit sci-fi girl, and one clockwork boy VS Justin Von Carnage, the two mind controlled waifus he abducted, a lisping poltergeist, and a giant black monk that can call down the seven plagues of Egypt. I almost can’t believe it happened.

But it did happen. It was a hard battle and not everyone survived. Least of all Justin and the Diver, but we also lost the dragon breacher. But there were a few weird things that happened at the end of the fight, but we’ll be covering them at the start of the RP. So don’t worry too much about that now.

SoH takes place in a fictional version of our world. While it looks mundane to most people, there are supernatural forces and energies that hide just out of sight. Monsters, espers, and everything in between often try to operate away from prying eyes. When things do go public, government cover ups and the public’s own desire to rationalize such events prevent it from escaping into the mainstream.

Espers are not born with their powers. They are drawn to areas that have a heavy concentration of mana. It is in these places that they will locate a grimoire; a magical artifact that lets them use glamours. These glamours are what give them special powers. They can change their appearance, fortify their strength, grant them weapons, let them use spells, and possibly other supernatural powers. It still isn't clear if espers are a result of a bloodline, a DNA mutation, or simply the grimoires themselves calling out to their chosen warrior.

As soon as an Esper picks up their grimoire, their lives are changed forever. The young can imitate their favorite characters, the old can return to a prime they never had, and all can become heroes. But more than that, they become members of the supernatural world.

The espers are the star of the show, and come from many walks of life. The rich, poor, young and old are all capable of becoming espers. Espers have to adjust their lives accordingly to make time for their new responsibilities. Most switch their jobs to monster hunting, but they still have connections to the mundane world. They must keep up appearances with their friends and family, spouses and children.

But espers aren’t alone. While espers are chosen by fate to wield great power, the magi have constructed their own artifacts to wield a different type of magic. These fellows are the ones more reminiscent of crusty old wizards.

On the less magical side, there are operators and suppliers that work to aid espers in a number of different ways. Espers may be the soldiers in the war against monsters, but they are backed by others who help maintain their equipment, training, quality of life, reputation, and a number of other conveniences.

Pax Septimus is a city located in North America somewhere in the middle of the east coast. During frontier era America there were many wealthy families who had moved in from England and Canada and lived there while the frontier continued to push into the west. With the harbor nearby, it became a hub for trade and still is today. It was a nasty place for slaves to live before the revolution, and during the 20-40's, more blood was shed when a mafia moved into the city. Pax Septimus is cursed; a city founded on blood.

Of course modern Pax Septimus does its best to not look that way. Its population density ranges well into the millions. The center of Pax is a bustling metropolis with a handful of skyscrapers, while the surrounding city is made up of much smaller buildings. There’s even a historic district where the art deco architecture has been maintained. Quite a few tourists stop by just to see it.

Sadly, like any densely populated area, there’s a fair bit of crime. The cursed city has yet to sate its appetite for blood.

Magic is a largely unknown thing. Magi have only recently been able to study it thanks to advancements in technology. There’s still so much they don’t know about it. What they have is an idea about magic called “memory theory.”

Memory theory states that mana is made in the brain while a human is alive and is released upon their death. There was some speculation that mana might have been proof that human souls exist, but this was later disproved when the levels of mana in people with forms of memory impairment made less mana over the course of their lives.

The more mana that’s in the atmosphere, the more likely it is for supernatural events to happen. This means more monsters, but also more espers to fight them. During the dark ages, there was barely enough mana to sustain more than a handful of espers at a time. But now with the world’s record population, there are espers wherever there are people.

Another odd thing about mana is that it can’t be consumed by anything but monsters. While an espers grimoire uses mana to activate, that mana is drawn in and expelled without actually being consumed. This is a bit of a problem, as it means that killing off monsters before they can feed enough prompts more and stronger monsters to show up. Yet letting them feed also increases the chance that they will cause a catastrophe and generate even more mana. Quite the conundrum.

Monsters are not a product of our world. They come from another dimension called the elemental chaos. It’s not clear if the elemental chaos is a single world or many. No one who has entered the elemental chaos has lived to tell the tale, and those few who have witnessed monsters enter our world have seen a glimpse of it through the portals they use. Burning glaciers, electrostatic smoke, and floating lava are all anomalies that have been observed. The more religious scholars believe the elemental chaos to be hell, or even heaven in some instances. Some have been able to glimpse more tranquil scenery. Floating islands and other pleasant, yet surreal vistas also make up the elemental chaos. Like with memory theory, there is still much to be learned.

Monsters feed on the ever growing supply of mana in this world. But this can be the start of a vicious cycle. While all humans release mana when they die, they release far more when they are feeling negative emotions. Like any good farmer, hungry monsters will cultivate their crop for a good harvest. These eldritch creatures remain hidden and spread despair. The less patient ones might be content to start a mass shooting by driving someone mad, while the more careful and methodical ones will hold out for something bigger. They are bearers of plagues, wars, and cataclysmic events.Some monsters are harmless, but no monster can get by without eating mana.

Monsters come in all shapes and sizes, from giant kaiju to small rodents. While some have a humanoid appearance, they are different enough to never be mistaken for one. While some use magic to take the appearance of humans, their true forms have oddly colored skin or are too big to be real. It’s not uncommon for them to have human level intelligence, but many monsters are little more than thralls or pets, willing to attack at their master’s command.

Perhaps the most disheartening thing about the monsters is their near immunity to physical harm. Not only that, but their attacks rip through the most advanced armors available. This is why espers are dispatched to deal with monsters, as they are one of the few things that are able to harm them and resist their attacks.

The danger a monster poses to the public is often indirect. A monster will seldom try to execute a group of people themselves. They will drive people mad, spread disease, but will rarely kill a human with their own hands.

A monster’s presence can also lead to gangs, cultists, and even the mafia showing up in an area. Crime rates tend to soar, as well as the presence of mania of the general populace. Sometimes it gets so bad that the local police force can’t handle it, and espers are asked to assist with the cleanup.

Unfortunately, there is no easy solution to the monster conundrum. Kill them, and the growing mana supply invites more monsters. Spare them, and invite despair into the world.

Should the world’s mana levels get too high, it could attract something to this world that even the espers aren’t equipped to fight: an eldritch horror.

All player espers in SoH serve one of the three main factions. Depending on who your esper serves depends on their view of the monster problem as well as who their allies are.

G.E.M.I.N.I. stands for “Government Esper and Monster Intelligence and Neutralization Initiative,” and is North America’s government run esper unit. It’s their job to slay monsters wherever they hide, as well as learn what they can about supernatural phenomenon. The US believes that the eradication of all monsters is the only sensible option, and that advancements in technology will eventually allow them to manage the growing mana problem. As you can imagine, there are a few rare exceptions to their “kill all monsters” rule. Monsters that show an interest in cooperating with the government and prove more beneficial than harmful are closely monitored instead of exterminated. They don’t get along with Maverick Alternative, and will attack espers that are known to be from that faction on sight.

GEMINI Agents tend to wear darker colors. Usually formal outfits, but sometimes something closer to a military uniform. Their clothing is neat and tidy, as their kind are trained and disciplined. Usually.

The head of the initiative isn’t known, but Veronica is an up and coming researcher who’s been put in direct control of all GEMINI agents operating in Pax Septimus. Espers working under her can expect to frequently go out of their way to eliminate monsters and collect samples for her research. Occasionally she will dispatch her assistant “Binky” to do work too fine for a normal esper’s hands. Provided she hadn’t been kidnapped.

Maverick Alternative has been labeled by the government as a terrorist organization, but they choose to view themselves as pragmatic heroes of the new age. They do not have faith in the government’s ideas, viewing GEMINI agents as bullies at best and murderers at worst. The mavericks choose the alternative route and try to spare as many monsters as they can. Monsters that choose to behave have to agree to some ground rules before they move into Maverick Alternative’s base. This doesn't make them idle pacifists. Even if they offer monsters another way, a great deal of them still choose a life of menacing humans. But even if they can’t reason with every monster, getting monsters to eat mana helps resolve the mana crisis now. More humans may suffer, but better than summoning an eldritch horror.

Mavericks dress like punks, rock stars, gypsies, and other social outcasts. If you feel like an esper would describe their clothing choice as “non-conformist” they are likely a Maverick. Hair gel, hair dye, motorcycles, and showing skin are also clear marks of Mavericks.

Heading Maverick Alternative is Billy Black, a larger than life man who’s always wearing a gas mask. He’s also a monster. Some view the espers he commands as misguided souls that have simply given into wicked magics, but the truth is that everyone who serves him does so willingly. Those who work for Billy can expect to go on “monster recruitment” missions and quell events that may or may not have been started by monsters. While monsters enjoy human suffering, some humans bring it upon those around them. Billy is also assisted by a few lieutenants: Esper fem fatales that can run operations on his behalf.

The Freelancers acknowledge the presence of the two other factions, but don’t participate in their feud. Their feelings about how to best deal with the mana problem are as varied as they are. Freelancers usually focus on keeping the mundane world in check, and only engage monsters if they are being a menace. They do not aim to anger either of the other two factions, as they might like to be hired by them at some point. Both GEMINI and Maverick Alternative put out bounties that any freelance esper with the “Shimr” app can take on.

There’s no wrong way to dress as a freelancer, though they do tend to avoid dressing up like other factions to avoid getting brutally murdered over a silly misunderstanding.

The freelancers have no leader, or rather their leader is the Shimr app. They ultimately decide who and what they’re going to do on their own. There are some ‘leaders’ in the freelance community, but they are more aspirations or rivals than anything else.

There isn’t enough information available to say much about this faction of monsters. They’re entrenched in Pax Septimus and have access to a lot of resources. They are believed to be responsible not only for the Holy Diver’s appearance in Pax, but the Iron Queen’s initial reign.

What espers do end up working for them are “Dark Web” espers: Freelance espers motivated by profit above all else. The despair their common man suffers at their hands matters not as long as they can wipe away the tears with their ill-gotten cash.

The only known member of the hand was Justin von Carnage, who was vanquished during the Holy Diver attack.

The Vatican has their own personal esper unit. While the strongest of their ranks protect the pope, they do occasionally send out “missionaries” to offer relief and spread the gospel. Their view on the monster issue is unique in that it bypasses any scientific attempt to look at the problem. Magic is simply the presence of miracles, and monsters are either angels or demons. The difference between the two is that angels have an “angelic” appearance and aren’t opposed to working with the Inquisition. Do be aware that some “angels” are more biblically accurate than others.

Espers of the cloth tend to look like priests, nuns, crusaders, and other such folks. Go figure.

The Inquisition considers itself a servant of god and the pope, but the one who really calls the shots is Raphiel the Righteous hearted. Anything that might pose a threat to his religion or the goodness of the world must be eradicated post haste.

The depraved are not a real faction. It is a title given to espers who are marked for death. They have done something so heinous that all the other factions want to kill them.

This usually works by making enemies of the government as well as the mavericks. Once they both put a bounty on your head, it’s only a matter of time before the freelancers are there to collect. Though upsetting the freelancers en masse can also have this effect. Once the freelancers are up in arms over whatever happened, GEMINI and Alternative will both be gunning for you to earn their favor.

Depraved do not live very long. The ones that do only survive because they have frightening powers or are very reclusive.

Every esper has a magical artifact called a grimoire. You can’t be an esper without one. Each one has 4 slots that can hold a glamor that can empart a special power.

All the details about what a grimoire can and can’t do can be found in the Doctrine of Combat Supremacy, but this offers a quick rundown of what each slot does.

This enables an esper to change their grimoire into a powerful weapon. Almost anything from a sword, to a bow, to a bazooka, even a chain whip. Regardless of what instrument is selected, each one has a situation it performs well in and not so well in. It is up to the esper to decide what type of instrument works best for them.

In addition to becoming sturdier than a normal human, an esper’s style can change their physical form. Some look just different enough to hide their true identities, while others experience far more radical transformations. All espers still have a human shape, but they can look pretty exotic. Some even age up or down!

Genre are what let espers cast spells called melodies. By stringing together magical notes, they can make highly customizable melodies for a variety of different situations.

Leitmotifs are something unique to each esper. They can take almost any shape. The sky’s the limit!

Are there other factions?

In Pax Septimus? Probably not. Other countries have their own esper agent programs, and there are other groups of monster sympathizers outside of Pax Septimus. But none of them really matter as they have no bearing on what's happening in Pax Septimus right now. The inquisition only gets a mention because Raphael the Righteous Hearted decided to come all the way from the Vatican to Pax, and he pretty much is his organization. If you'd like to play as another country's agent or a sympathizer that isn't MA, a freelancer would be a good faction to pick. Though most government agents and sympathizers have the same ideas about the mana problem. So you could also pick GEMINI if your agent is working with the local American forces, or MA if your sympathizer is working with a larger group to complete their goal.

Are we going to eventually visit other cities, countries, dimensions, realities, timelines, etc?

I thought about it, and probably not. It is fun to think about how the rest of the world works, but we’re going to have our hands full dealing with The Hand in Pax Septimus. There isn’t going to be time to explore the world unless The Hand decides to go on the run. But I don’t think globe trotting is really why any of us are here.

Is the "Doctrine of Combat Supremacy" required reading? It looks sorta big...

Most of what's written in the DoCs are examples for glamors as well as extensive descriptions of notes that you may or may not make use of. I think that it would be a good idea to read the entire thing at least once, but the most important things to read shouldn't take you very long.

I have a note idea, will you implement it?

If you have an idea for a note that helps Espers do something that seems reasonable, I may implement it. Do keep in mind though that notes can be combined into melodies for some fierce combinations, so I'm not looking for compound notes that are just a combination of other notes. There are also some things I refuse to put in the hands of espers, such as the ability to stop time or revive dead people.

If I do take a note idea, do be patient. It needs to be written to the DoCs in such a way that it is easily understood and can't be abused too badly. I also have GM posts to make and am constantly working on bettering things.

When does my character get stronger? Can I change my glamors/notes after character creation?

As the RP goes on and I become more confident in its systems, the player characters will be allowed to upgrade or swap out their glamors. Changing glamors prior to advancement is something I won't normally allow. You may swap out notes, provided your character is not out on a mission, in combat, or about to be in combat, and never without the approval of a GM. Ideally though, this will only be done if you don't like how a note behaves in character. Espers shouldn't really have a reason to swap out their notes between fights.

PvP?

The goal of the RP is to have espers fight for their cause, which is usually going to pit them against dangerous monsters, cults, the mafia, magi, and other such dangers. However, fights with other espers are also possible, as are fights with player espers. It is not the focus of the RP, but one of the reasons why some of the more complex systems for the RP exist is to establish fair play in PvP situations. In short: It’s possible, not what I’m aiming for, but it can happen.

~ Metagaming, godmodding, and the like are prohibited.

~ Keep OOC drama as low as possible. If you have an issue, try to settle it in PMs. Should you need the GM, I frequently log into discord and check my PMs daily. You’ll have a response within twenty-four hours most of the time.

~ If it's been a week since your last IC post without any word from you, the GM may take control of your character. They may not be there for you to take back if/when you return. To prevent this, please notify me if you won't be able to post for an extended period of time, or lose interest in the RP. Common courtesy.

~ You get one character. You don’t get another unless that one leaves the RP.

~ SoH deals with dark themes, but does so tastefully. Posts are expected to follow Guild guidelines. That means no gratuitous violence, and fade to black where appropriate.

Symphony on High

Looks like a lot of people have shown interest already. I'll have the OOC up in the coming days, but we still have room for more.

For those who are already brainstorming their characters, The Doctrine of Combat Supremacy has some details about character creation. Though the official CS form will go up with the OOC later this week. It won't be quite like the last one, so those with returning characters might have to make some edits.

Symphony on High

@Majoraa@Ponn@SilverPaw@The World@FamishedPants@ERode

You folks were in the last one, so ima let you know we're gunna go live shortly.

@Nakushita

There are repercussions for trying to take the Oros name for yourself. A clumsy play on your part.

EDIT: Mayjay beat me to it.

Symphony on High

Psst, check out the OOC.

SoH NPC List

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	| N A M E: | Oros the Mad | S T A T U S: | ALIVE | R A C E: | HUMAN | F A C T I O N: | THE DEPRAVED | N O T E S: | A mad esper that wants to bring a horror into the world. Despite this, they seem to oppose “The Hand” and have been willing to work alongside other factions to harm them. Their Purpose in Pax Septimus is still unknown. | C O L O R C O D E: | tomato
	| N A M E: | Sharr Webber | S T A T U S: | ALIVE | R A C E: | HUMAN | F A C T I O N: | THE DEPRAVED | N O T E S: | Former GEMINI researcher. Has an unclear history with Fritzi. Was kidnapped by Oros some time ago and there have been sightings of the two fighting together in Pax Septimus. Also goes by the alias “Aria Rizzo,” But she hasn’t done that for some time. | C O L O R C O D E: | e3bbc6

SoH NPC List

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	| N A M E: | Raphael the Righteous Hearted | S T A T U S: | ALIVE | R A C E: | HUMAN | F A C T I O N: | THE INQUISITION | N O T E S: | A member of the pope’s special esper unit. Came to Pax Septimus due to news regarding what happened to Pac-A-Fist, as they were friends once upon a time. They don’t appear to have much interest in leaving now. | C O L O R C O D E: | BOLDED SILVER

SoH NPC List

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	| N A M E: | Justin Von Carnage | S T A T U S: | DEAD | R A C E: | MONSTER | F A C T I O N: | THE HAND | N O T E S: | One of the “fingers” running the hand’s operations. Was a “young” vampire who got a little too touchy-feely with some espers. They were the primary antagonist for SoE and died during the fight with the Holy Diver. | C O L O R C O D E: | bc8dbf
	| N A M E: | "Baleful" Sofron | S T A T U S: | UNKNOWN | R A C E: | HUMAN | F A C T I O N: | THE HAND | N O T E S: | Justin’s trusty butler. Also happens to be a strong dark web esper. Was last seen getting his ass shoved out a window and falling two stories into the harbor’s cold waters. | C O L O R C O D E: | 0099a6
	| N A M E: | Big Tony | S T A T U S: | ALIVE | R A C E: | MONSTER | F A C T I O N: | THE HAND | N O T E S: | Leader of the weretiger mafia. They’ve been keeping out of sight but GEMINI agents have encountered quite a few of their cronies. | C O L O R C O D E: | ?????
	| N A M E: | Elise | S T A T U S: | ALIVE | R A C E: | ??????? | F A C T I O N: | THE HAND? | N O T E S: | ??????? | C O L O R C O D E: | BOLD

SoH NPC List

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	| N A M E: | Brittany | S T A T U S: | ALIVE | R A C E: | HUMAN | F A C T I O N: | THE FREELANCERS | N O T E S: | A shopkeeper that wears a funny hat that makes her look like a witch. That’s about all she wears, as slaving over a cauldron is uncomfortable and hot work. A bit of an eccentric. Supplies freelancers with the gear they need, as she’s only loyal to money. | C O L O R C O D E: | f03aa1
	| N A M E: | Elroy Bates | S T A T U S: | ALIVE | R A C E: | HUMAN | F A C T I O N: | THE FREELANCERS | N O T E S: | One of the Bates twins, and arguably the face of the duo. His jovial attitude has made him popular among the freelancers. His name is known all over America, if you’re part of the supernatural world, at least. The normies just know him as one hell of a Van Halen impersonator. | C O L O R C O D E: | c9272c
	| N A M E: | High Priest | S T A T U S: | ALIVE | R A C E: | UNKNOWN | F A C T I O N: | THE FREELANCERS | N O T E S: | A mysterious individual who seems to have it out for “The Hand.” Very little is known about them, and they wish to keep it that way. | C O L O R C O D E: | ????????
	| N A M E: | Mary | S T A T U S: | ALIVE | R A C E: | HUMAN | F A C T I O N: | THE FREELANCERS | N O T E S: | An esper puppeteer that fights with a hand puppet called Denny. Ze identifies as a demi-boy and uses color coded clothing to denote what pronouns they wish to be called that day. Irritable and brash, like most teenagers. | C O L O R C O D E: | 077ae6
	| N A M E: | Patricia Muller | S T A T U S: | ALIVE | R A C E: | HUMAN | F A C T I O N: | THE FREELANCERS | N O T E S: | Better known by her esper alias “Pac-A-Fist.” Trisha is Elroy’s girlfriend and does a lot of the paper pushing for the Bates Twins. She secures them jobs and assists them in a non-combat role. If they fight near a crowded area, Trisha will be the one that guides the pedestrians to safety. She too was abducted by Justin, but was saved when he was slain. | C O L O R C O D E: | orange
	| N A M E: | Regina Bates | S T A T U S: | ALIVE | R A C E: | HUMAN | F A C T I O N: | THE FREELANCERS | N O T E S: | One of the Bates Twins. Regina’s aggressive nature makes her feared, but her strength is worth respecting. She earned her title as “Ruinous Meteor” and looks for any opportunity to test her might. She’s kinda dumb though. | C O L O R C O D E: | MAGENTA
	| N A M E: | Lenore | S T A T U S: | ALIVE | R A C E: | HUMAN | F A C T I O N: | FREELANCER (DARK WEB) | N O T E S: | Former GEMINI agent gone dark web esper. It's not clear why she defected, but she has a few friends and seems like she has every intention of messing with GEMINI as much as possible. | C O L O R C O D E: | BOLD
	| N A M E: | Bobo | S T A T U S: | ALIVE | R A C E: | HUMAN | F A C T I O N: | FREELANCER (DARK WEB) | N O T E S: | A dark web esper that serves under Lenore. Fire and oil are the tools of a fire and brimstone nun, as is the primitive mace she carries in one hand. | C O L O R C O D E: | BOLD
	| N A M E: | Nova | S T A T U S: | ALIVE | R A C E: | HUMAN | F A C T I O N: | FREELANCER (DARK WEB) | N O T E S: | Another one of Lenore's flock. Laid back but without remorse or empathy. Uses her smoke to hide and harass. | C O L O R C O D E: | BOLD

SoH NPC List

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	| N A M E: | Billy Black Cadillac | S T A T U S: | ALIVE | R A C E: | MONSTER | F A C T I O N: | MAVERICK ALTERNATIVE | N O T E S: | The leader of the monster sympathizer group Maverick alternative stands about ten feet tall, towering over mortal men. Much like Vermillion Veronica, his aim is to ensure Pax Septimus one day becomes relatively normal. Though he refuses to help slaughter every monster taking residence in Pax Septimus. He houses as many as he can in an underground labyrinth. Provided they seem like reasonable souls. | C O L O R C O D E: | lightgray
	| N A M E: | Stacy Stitches | S T A T U S: | ALIVE(?) | R A C E: | Unknown | F A C T I O N: | MAVERICK ALTERNATIVE | N O T E S: | A zombie that’s got a few screws loose and is prone to losing her head, but never metaphorically. She may have never had her mind to begin with. | C O L O R C O D E: | MediumAquamarine
	| N A M E: | Trixy | S T A T U S: | ALIVE | R A C E: | HUMAN | F A C T I O N: | MAVERICK ALTERNATIVE | N O T E S: | One of the feared and revered "Flightless Angels" that occupy the upper echelons of Maverick Alternative. While a capable esper on her own, she is usually required to lead the Mavericks from the back, which is not something she's especially excited about. | C O L O R C O D E: | CCBFFF
	| N A M E: | Amanda | S T A T U S: | ALIVE | R A C E: | MONSTER | F A C T I O N: | MAVERICK ALTERNATIVE | N O T E S: | The daughter of Dante, former owner of Dante's Diner. Rumored to be a sandman/succubus hybrid. She witnessed Finn kill her father right in front of her eyes and won't soon forget how GEMINI wronged her. | C O L O R C O D E: | BOLD
	| N A M E: | Boteg | S T A T U S: | ALIVE | R A C E: | MONSTER | F A C T I O N: | MAVERICK ALTERNATIVE | N O T E S: | One of the last if not the last of the golden dragons. No one knows why they arived at Pax, given their aversion to monsters and the magical. They spend most of their time pretending to be a human and would rather flee than fight, but not always... | C O L O R C O D E: | gold